The Light Never Fades, part seven, by Rose Aquarius & Sailor GlitterGirl, July, 2001 GlitterGirl: We're baaaaack!!!!! Rose-chan: No time to chat, we're hard at work! *shoves up sleeves and begins typing fiercely. GlitterGirl: Ditto! *Not to be outdone by Rose-chan, turns to her own computer and acquires look of deep concentration.* ***@THE UNIVERSAL GALAXY SAGA@*** The Light Never Fades Chapter Seven: Sibling Reunion By: Sailor GlitterGirl & Rose Aquarius 'Rose-Chan' Rated: PG, as usual At: sailorglittergirl@sailormoon.com or Rose Aquarius@aol.com "Kami-sama..." Michelle whispered, and she felt the hand of Amara on her shoulder, reassuring her. Michelle sent a grateful smile to her cousin. The young man that had appeared before them was no more than twenty, and bore an uncanny resemblence to the two Guardian sisters. Midnight black hair with silver highlights, and silver eyes with flecks of gold. Lean, powerful muscles showed through his dark uniform. Only the pleading, desperate look in his eyes and on his face proved that he was not here to harm. "Light murderer," Everyone heard Laxa hiss vehemently under her breath. "Laxa, Versia, please," The man began. "I knew you'd react like this-" "Ha!" Versia laughed. "If Rena were here she would have put you in a black hole on the spot!" "Yes, she would. And I'd deserve it," The man hung his head. "But please, listen, I want to help! And I...I want...need you to heal me." "Huh?!" The group blinked collectively, and Versia let out a slight gasp. "Wh...what?" Verisa whispered in bewilderment. Dare she hope...? Raye's voice suddenly chimed in their minds. It took all the sister's control to keep from jumping. Regaining their compusure, they glanced at Raye, then at each other. Laxa asked mentally, her mind voice quiet. Versia whispered. Yet a fourth voice implored, his voice desperate. Looking at each other with sidelong glances. Versia took a deep breath, and did so. She stared straight into the silver and golden flecked eyes of the half-brother that she had loved so dearly long ago. Was it possible that he was telling the truth? And if it was, could she care about him ever again? After what he did? Suddenly, Versia stepped back hastily, nearly tripping. Regaining her balance, she looked up, and realization donned on her as she looked at her sibling once again. Glancing over at Laxa, Versia saw that her sister had seen the same thing as her. With a cry, both Laxa and Versia launched themselves at the young man. Startled, the breath nearly knocked from his lungs when his two sobbing half sisters engulfed him in hugs and kisses. "I knew you'd be back! I knew it!!" Laxa screeched, tears running down her face. "Oh, my gosh, we missed you so!" Versia whispered through her rainstorm. "Why?" Versia whispered suddenly, holding her brother at arms length, looking in the eye, which were watering. "It's a long story," He whispered. "But I guess I was young and ambitious and those aspects were taken advantage of." He shook his head. "But that's no excuse." "Got that right," Laxa grumbled, then she smiled slightly. "But we forgive you. Now, what was this about healing?" The man took deep breath. "I want to help you. I know now that you were right that time so long ago, and I-" Laxa hushed him with a wave of her hand, and her staff appeared in her grip at the same time. "No matter; you're here now," She said, smiling, then her face turned serious. "You really do want to return to the side of good?" She asked. "With all my heart." "Then kneel, Midnight of the Shadow Kingdom," Laxa's own staff appeared, and she and her sister stepped away, and the man -Midnight- complied. They then took their staffs and placed them on his shoulders, Versia on his left, Laxa on his right. The staffs began glowing, and Midnight closed his eyes. The glow of the staffs seeped into his skin, and he began to glow, as color began to take to his skin once more. More silver highlights appeared in his hair, and underneath his eyelids, his eyes lost their evil gleam. All at once, the glow suddenly vanished, and Princess Galaxcia and Princess Universia -for during the glowing they too had been transformed- stepped away. "Now arise," Versia said, tears and pride in her voice. "Prince Orion of the Light kingdom, my dear, dear brother." With waves of their hands, the staffs and fancy clothing disappeared, and even Midnight -Now Prince Orion- was in ordinary black jeans and gray top. The two sisters, laughing and crying, launched themselves at their half brother. Still smiling and wiping away tears, they broke the hug and stepped away, finally noticing the bewildered and blank looks that they were receiving from all the senshi, save Setsuna and Serena, and burst out laughing again. "Um, girls," Versia giggled at their dropped jaws and wide open eyes. "May we introduce our half brother, son of our mother Queen Unilaxia, and son of the Solar King, Emperor Solaris, Prince Orion." "HOW MANY FAMILY MEMBERS DO YOU *HAVE* SERENA????!!!" Raye screeched, her eyes looking positively wild. They all laughed again. All that is, except Setsuna. She simply smiled softly. She hoped, for their sakes, that they enjoyed their free laughter while they could. She doubted they would do it again for a long time. "Alright, enough merry-making," Amara said gruffly. "So, you said you know how to find out how we acquire our true powers?" She looked harshly at the new prince, who was still entangled in his sisters embrace. Laughing and pulling away from them, the trio collecting themselves, they sat down in a row, next to a still standing Setsuna, facing the rest of the Semi-Senshi. "Yes," Orion said. "Yes I do." He looked rather nervous, but an encouraging look from Laxa helped him on. "In the realm of the Shadows, they have this room, where forbidden artifacts that they'd managed to steal from their enemies over time, therefore ensuring they couldn't be used against them, there is one book, a book called 'Truths.' "A long time ago, a sorceress, when the Shadow King was torturing her to gain information on what that book did, just before she died she made a prophecy that it was that book that would bring about the path of his destruction, that it would lead his doom to him. So naturally, he tried to destroy it, but nothing worked. "So, it is kept under lock, key, surveillance, guard, and ward 24/7. It will be no easy task even getting into that room, let alone to the vault that holds it." Orion shook his head. I might be able to help you get in, if the King does not notice the absence of my evil powers, but that is all." "That's fine," Darien said, speaking for them all. "You get us in, and we'll do the rest." They all nodded together, then Serena sighed and rubbed her brow. "There's not much more we can do now," she said. "Why don't we all go home, get some sleep, and finish talking this out in the rest of the way tomorrow morning. Then if all goes well, and we don't come to anymore obstacles, we attack tomorrow night." Again, the others all nodded their agreement, Raye and Amara smiling proudly at their leader who was finally *acting* like their leader. Slowly, one by one, they all drifted away, until only the three siblings and Serena were there, Darien having departed with a lingering kiss to his love, and Raye taking the tea cups and plates to the kitchen. Serena looked at Orion, and smiled gently, before holding out her hand, and said four words that made all the difference to the young, naive prince. "Welcome to the group." *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* That night was the first in a long time that the girls cried not for sorrow and pain, but for joy as they caught up on old times with their beloved brother, staying up late into the night before they realized that they needed their sleep if tomorrow was the day that they'd be taking on the task of sneaking into an enemy fortress. So with teary good-nights and more hugs, they all retreated to their respective sleeping places, Orion insisting on only taking the couch.