Full Moon

written by: Gina Biggs (aka bunny aka haruka)
site: http://secondlight.animehunters.com/
contact: secondlight@animehunters.com
date completed: April 13, 2002
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Episode 13 - Confrontation between allies? Story of the stolen sword.


 Princess Serenity stood before two women. For the first time she was seeing them 
in this form and it left her slightly bewildered. Ran and Tyr, the two alien soldiers 
stood side by side  without their sailor suits. Each wore a simple, yet elegant dress 
with the color schemes of their sailor suits, but paler in tone. Untransformed, they 
seemed kinder and less aggravated. Tyr spoke in a voice that reflected an inner 
kindness, but still held on to her tough and serious mannerisms. "There has been no 
attack on the city for days. Even we can learn to step down for a little while and 
not be soldiers."

 "Princess, while we are like this we would like for you to address us by our names," Ran 
continued for Tyr. "I am Shinju Azul of the planet Ran."

 Tyr spoke again. "And I, princess, am Grenat Cremisi. We are at your service, your 
highness."

 Serenity was silent for a long while. She pondered their new composure and wondered 
why they had become so gentle. As if reading her thoughts, Shinju spoke. "We have been 
at war for so long and we have lost our home and queen to this darkness. Through these 
trials I am afraid we have become somewhat bitter. We may not agree with your people's 
actions regarding Calcite Orange, but we agree with your fight against Empress Opalite. 
She is trying to steal your world away as she did ours. For this reason we wish to help 
you so that you do not fall prey to the same tragedy."

 With those words, Serenity's heart beat swiftly. It had warmed her to hear that these 
people honestly wished to help them fight against the enemies of the Black Hole. A smile 
dressed her face and she thanked the two women.

******************

 Silence was all about her in the empty garden and she wandered aimlessly within it, 
taking in the sweet aroma. Her orange hair bounced in it's high ponytail and her dress 
swished between her legs as she walked. A chill wind blew, making the long red earring 
she wore chime gently, and it send a shiver down her spine. In that instant a flood of 
memories engulfed her.

	 In her mind she saw herself standing inside a grand palace that 
	overlooked the Eastern ocean, the translucent mountains glimmering 
	in the west. White marble walls seemed pink in the red morning dawn 
	and here were many windows, always open, that admitted the gentle, 
	salty sea breeze. She was dressed in her sailor suit and on either 
	side of her were Ran and Tyr, clasping her hands. It was the day of 
	suitors and many handsome men were in line to meet with their queen. 
	Each had come bearing gifts of extraordinary measure. The soldiers 
	prayed that this would be the day that their queen would choose 
	someone to court her. Suddenly, Calcite felt herself pulled back into 
	reality.

 Night was slowly descending upon the Crystal Tokyo palace and all the world around 
her. Once again she felt that she would like to be wrapped in the comfort of the 
darkness and never have to deal with the light again. She wished with all her heart, 
but she could not have that. She could not walk down that path. Calcite looked around 
her for a moment, feeling as though she was being watched, but then resumed.

 It was then that she heard their voices shout out to her and she whirled around 
to find the source. Shinju and Grenat were there, the last light of the setting sun 
shining upon them. She turned away for a moment, but straightened her back in a 
stance of pride and gazed upon them once more. For a few long moments neither of 
the women said anything, but she could feel their thoughts of disapproval. Calcite 
did not make any motion to speak. Instead, she let the two before her approach and 
finally, after much anticipation, Calcite received her answer. Shinju's voice was 
heard. "That sword you carry... I did not notice it before, but you have the Sword 
of Orion. You stole that from Eos-sama. How dare you touch such a sacred weapon! "

 The two were now very close to her and they could see the orange haired woman's 
eyes narrow. She spoke to them in a low, cruel tone. "I did more than steal this 
sword from the queen's hand... I slaughtered her with it." 

 Both Shinju and Grenat stood aghast. Their eyes widened and jaws slightly dropped. 
Calcite's pushed her way between the two women. Before Calcite could disappear into 
the palace Cremise shouted out, causing her to stop and turn back to them. "You do 
not deserve the star of a sailor soldier!"

 "Probably not...." was all that she answered in return.

 Grenat spoke. "You have dishonored your homeland and your name. Why won't you just 
disappear? Fall into an eternal sleep, never to awaken, and save us all this pain. I 
can't stand to look at you another moment!"

 "I care nothing about my homeland or my name!" Calcite spat back. "And there is 
nothing you could do to make your wish come true. I will always be here, ever to 
be a sore in your eyes."

 With that neither of the women could stand it another moment. Each pulled out a 
small oval brooch from within the skirts of their dresses. The items shone like a 
sun-mined golden-yellow and had two smaller ovals at their bottoms that shone just 
as bright. The women's voices were loud and true. "Ran Moon Power! Make up!" Tyr 
Moon Power! Make up!"

******************

 Tektites opened the door to his quarters to find Rhodonite with some food and some 
form of drink that resembled sake. Though he wished for no company Tektites allowed 
his comrade to enter. The two ate in silence at a small square table and it was only 
when they had begun to drink did Rhodonite speak. "Tektites-kun, why did you decide 
to join Opalite-sama?"

 The dark haired man was silent, his eyes revealing unease of the inquiry. Rhodonite 
stared long at the younger man's face, studying it. The air was dead and silent for 
a long time. The man dressed in shades of red suddenly leaned forward in his chair 
and touched the other's hand. "You don't need to hold back with me."

 Rhodonite spoke again. "It was so many years ago, I'm not sure how many now, when 
I joined Opalite-sama. I admit I was quite taken by her for she was so blindingly 
beautiful, still she remains, but now I fear that fatigue has drained some of that 
shining from her. My planet looked so insignificant next to the beauty of Opalite-sama 
and so I gave it to her and the small light of the guardian soldier of my world. I do 
not wish for anything from her, but to follow her and fight for her. As a soldier I 
have sworn myself to her command."

 Tektites blinked in surprise. It was unlike anything he had ever heard come from 
the man sitting across from him. "Tektites-kun, for whatever reason you joined you 
should remember that reason and not waver from your path."

 Those words caused the dark haired man to remember his depression and his reason 
for faltering in his loyalty to the Empress. He remembered 'her' orange hair and 
fiery eyes. Without warning Tektites was broken from his distraction of thoughts 
by a touch on his cheek. He looked up to see Rhodonite leaning over him but before 
he could protest to the sudden proximity of his comrade, he found lips upon his own. 
His eyes were wide with surprise and managed to pull away quickly. He stood and 
backed up from where he was sitting, his hand covering his mouth in shock. Tektites 
found himself against the wall and Rhodonite approaching once more. Before coming 
too close the man stopped and smiled eerily. His voice held a strange warning that 
sent a child down Tektites spine. "I will watch over you and make sure you remember 
your true path... I will not let you waver. You are too beautiful to become weak." 
Then he was gone.

******************

 Calcite had stood her ground as the two soldiers before her prepared to attack. She 
scolded herself for bringing this on, she knew her additude had only spurred their 
anger more, but now it was too late. They were preparing for their attacks. "Crimson 
Spear...!" "Ocean...!"

 The princess and the priest came rushing in. Serenity cried out for them to stop but 
it was too late, the soldiers were focused on their attack and did not become fazed 
by the princess' call until it was too late. "...Restitution!" "...Orchid!" 

 The attacks flew forth pummeling Calcite back. She was lost in a cloud of dust and 
debris as the wall she crashed into broke in places. She felt herself jolted into 
memories of that day once again, the day of many suitors.....

	 It was a warm morning but the sea breeze kept everyone from becoming 
	heating. In the line before them there were many handsome men from all 
	over their star system hoping to find favor of their Queen but though 
	they were received kindly there was yet to be one who awoke the 
	Queen's heart. 

	 Then Calcite noticed a man with pale hair and a stern face. He was 
	carrying a long object, wrapped in a bone colored cloth. She did not 
	recognize him as a citizen but said nothing. There was something that 
	she felt was different and she finally had hope for her Queen's search. 
	He finally approached the beautiful ruler of Delos and kneeled before 
	her. "I am the warrior from many star systems away, Orion and I bring 
	to you this gift." It was unwrapped before her and a beautiful sword 
	was revealed. He laid it upon her feet and swore his love to her. So 
	moved by his words and gift, the Queen kneeled with him and kissed his 
	forehead. Her gentle eyes stared into his hard ones and somewhere they 
	found a medium. Though the formality of the event continued, suitor 
	and citizen alike knew the Queen had chosen.

	 Once again Calcite found herself standing near the mountains in the 
	pre-dawn hours of Delos. The loud noises of war sounded all around 
	them and in the distance Astraeus Castle glimmered red with the fires 
	burning all around it. The orange-haired sailor soldier bit her lip 
	as she heard the enemy coming down. In her hand she held tight the 
	Sword of Orion and she raised it high. Her queen stood before her 
	with pleading eyes and her hands clasped together as if in prayer. 
	She could see the woman's lip quiver, either from the cold of the 
	night or from fear of what was to come. With one swift motion her 
	arm was down again. Blood trickled from the blade of the weapon and 
	stained the white of her fuku. Her eyes were wild and a slightly 
	deranged expression was on her face. She screamed loud and hard as 
	she found herself in the present once more.

 Only a few moments had passed though it had felt like a long time to her. Serenity 
and Helios were kneeling over her. She tried to sit up but Helios placed his hand on 
her shoulder as if to keep her from getting up. "You should be careful. You were hit 
very hard," he warned.

 Calcite looked above her and saw that the wall had been indented and that she was 
sitting in much debris. Despite their efforts to keep her still, Calcite pushed herself 
from the ground and stood. It was then that everyone noticed that Calcite had taken no 
injury in the attack. Sailor Ran and Sailor Tyr watched in shock as Calcite excused 
herself and left as if nothing had befallen her. Serenity and Helios stared at the door 
Calcite had disappeared through for a long while in silence, then finally turned to the 
soldiers. Ran spoke finally. "Those attacks.... they should have caused at least some 
damage. What the hell is going on?"

******************

 Obsidian was dark and quiet. Tektites sat in his room, boggled by the events of the 
evening. "I can't believe what Rhodonite-senpai did," over and over he thought as a 
memory of the kiss played in his head.

 He heard the words of Rhodonite echo in his mind. 'I will not let you waver. You are 
too beautiful to become weak.' Another voice, small at first, but ever growing in 
his mind came to him. 'Tektites, become a great soldier worthy of honor.' The thought 
of Calcite's words made him shake his head, trying to erase her voice and bury once 
again into the depths of his mind.

 "She is a traitor to our cause! I cannot continue this foolish game of chasing after 
her." His thoughts ceased for a moment only. But his mind would not rest. "Still," he 
thought, "perhaps my reasons are not as worthy of honor as I once had thought they were. 
I joined Opalite-sama because I believed the universe had become foul and dirty. I wanted 
to cleanse it and have it start anew. When I joined with her I watched Sailor Soldiers 
betrayed by their own people in order to save themselves. My assumptions were correct, 
they were all trash."

 He closed his eyes as if a memory was overtaking him. "However, there was one star 
system where the people fought back. It was one of many planets, accompanied by three 
orbiting moons, that revolved around a small sun. The way it reflected the light of 
that sun was more than mortal comprehension, and it lit up the galaxy in broad splendor. 
It was Delos, home of Queen Eos and her guardian soldiers."

 Tektites opened his eyes once more and moved to the wall of his room. It seemed 
to become transparent and he was looking out from Obsidian. Beyond the blackness 
of the Hole he could see the twinkling of stars. "They fought so bravely even 
though Obsidian's followers were strong. Both sides lost many and the sandy shores 
were tinted red with blood and fire. I thought we had finally come to a place in the 
universe where there was that shining hope. There was a small lull in the battle as 
our side was regrouping for the last attack wave. I found myself wandering from the 
beaches to the glowing, translucent mountains in the distance. My eyes were burning 
and a haze seemed to be on them from the smoke and light of explosions all around. In
the distance I saw two figures. I knew the one was the Queen and the other was one of 
her people. I hoped to make my way to her, but I was too late. The last attack fell 
upon Delos and I was swept away into the fighting. In the corner of my eye I watched 
as the figure brought down their weapon upon the queen. Once again the people had 
failed their planet. They were corrupt and so I began to fight against them for the 
first time with no mercy."

 A small smile appeared on his face. "But then 'she' joined Opalite-sama. It was the 
one who had betrayed her queen. Orange hair and deep red eyes were hers to bear. She 
was dressed as I have always seen her, dark and beautiful. She, Calcite, had come but 
she was not like the others who had betrayed her people. From the moment I first saw 
her, even under her cold stares, I saw the remorse in her eyes. She was carrying a 
heavy burden though I did not know what it was. I still wonder even now what she hides 
within her heart."

 Suddenly, Tektites eyes became serious and bright. "She has hope in this planet though 
she herself had proved to be one who held no hope for the strength of people's hearts. 
What is it that this planet possesses? Have we finally come to a place where there is 
still that shining hope? Perhaps it is not too late to still have hope...."


End Episode 13.



Episode Notes:  Wow! Lots of flashbacks and histories were talked about in 
this episode. You finally get to see a little of what really motivates the Kuroihono'o 
Senshi and more of what Calcite did in the past. I was a little stumped writing this 
one at first but once I got going I had no troubles at all. There are no real things 
to discuss this time around. Hope you enjoyed this installment, though. Don't be afraid 
to write and let me know what you think ^_^