|
|
"You were right. The Star Fields have a connection with the invasion of this planet," Asahi nodded.
"Sailor Cygnus...she appeared so suddenly," Okashi agreed.
"I don't even understand why the attacks are all cast upon Earth. She was going to say something, but she stopped," Asahi added.
"Could she be the reason that my powers have been growing steadily for the past few days...?" Valin said absentmindedly.
Asahi looked down at her hands. She was calmer now about her broken transformation, but at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder about what could have lead to it's disappearance.
Okashi looked at Asahi and her feelings were reflected into his own heart. He sighed.
"Asahi-chan...your powers will return. It's been dormant for such a while, that it's probably just rebuilding itself."
"It's alright, Okashi-chan. Yesterday, I was just thinking that maybe, just maybe, my lost transformation is because this battle isn't mine to contend with. My mission will always be to defend Eterna. That mission is over now...peace has conquered. I was wrong. It isn't my time to fight. Not yet." Asahi assured him, but continued to wonder.
"Your power," Valin began, looking up. "That reminds me of something that you probably don't remember. Your father was a master of the Magic Arts. You should learn his legacy. Almost all Mages were taken under his training."
"Magic? That's rather strange," Asahi commented dryly. "Sounds like something out of a fairytale."
Valin only smiled, "Magic isn't something like the powers of a soldier. It lies within everybody that understands his or her surroundings and is united with them. For example, the Star Field's powers are very much synchronized with the surroundings of their placements."
"I still don't see why it has anything to do with me," Asahi shook her head.
"She has returned," Hydra grumbled to herself, pacing around her room restlessly. Every nerve in her body had tensed as she remembered Hakucho's transformation into Cygnus.
"I thought so! I spent all this time sending those worthless little demons, and for what?!! Only to face off with her and to be discovered by a twit!" Hydra slammed her fist down onto the table, the usual throbbing headache overwhelming her head.
Hydra continued to pace, her movements becoming more volatile as the thought of Asahi's awed face loomed in her mind. She had wanted it to be a stealthy operation where nobody would even realize that the planet was under attack until it was completely too late. The thought that Asahi could easily go to the Queen and have the entire planet on alert infuriated her so much that she threw the nearby table into the wall, sending splinters exploding sideways. Hearing the loud crash of the wood against marble calmed her down enough to suddenly coming upon a revelation.
"Of course...that night that I sensed Cygnus' position...that girl was with that mage! She will have to be made use of...," Hydra's eyes narrowed.
Asahi stared at the pencil that was level with her eyes. She was crouched down so that the pencil on the coffee table in Valin's apartment was directly in front of her. She tried to sense what Valin's meanings were to no avail.
"I can't make that move," Asahi proclaimed, sitting up and groaning at how much her back ached.
"What about making it disappear?" Valin asked, leaning forward so that he was about seven inches away from the pencil, opposite Asahi.
"No...can't do anything with it. Just...I don't know," Asahi sighed.
"It's okay. I didn't get it the first time either," Valin assured her, taking the pencil in his hand.
Much to Asahi's surprise, the pencil floated five inches off Valin's hand and disappeared. She blinked rapidly, then dropped her head onto the coffee table, feeling exhausted with the exercise. Her mood had changed since that day she met Cygnus. Hakucho, according to the newspapers had disappeared and nobody knew where she had gone, but Asahi was not flustered. In fact, an inner calm finally settled itself into her.
"Make it reappear," Valin said suddenly.
Asahi raised her head only to give him a forlorn, puppy stare, then dropped her head back down much to Valin's amusement.
"Awww...come on. Just this one last one," Valin urged.
Asahi took a deep breath and envisioned the pencil appearing onto Valin's hand. Suddenly, her concentration was distorted and she grew blind for a moment. Asahi panicked and quickly blinked her eyes, only to open them and find a shower of wooden pencils falling on Valin in such a large quantity that Valin had crouched down and was now buried under a pile of them. The couch itself had disappeared. Asahi stared at this mayhem and burst out laughing.
With the musical sound of thin wood striking against one another, Valin extracted himself from the pile and shook off the dust that had gathered in his hair. He stared at Asahi who had fallen back with laughter and continued until cheeks had streamed down her cheeks and her stomach began to tighten.
"Not funny," Valin grumbled, hanging his head.
Asahi only responded with another wave of the giggles which set off another period of laughter as Valin looked at her, a grin spreading on his handsome features. He knew she hadn't laughed that hard for quite a long time.
"That's it for today," Valin stated, regaining his stately composure, although he was smiling inside.
Asahi walked briskly, but lightly toward school, basking under the glow of the morning sun. She was at least thirty minutes early, but the fatigue that she had felt for the past few weeks were disappearing as the sun's rays kissed her rose tinted cheeks. Okashi was on her shoulder, as always, also reveling under the cheerful sun.
"It's been quiet for a while," Asahi stated, humming a tune.
"I guess we might as well appreciate it since it's here," Okashi murmured, his eyelids halfway closed, giving his eyes a strange, frog like appearance.
"Peace like this can't last, or people grow restless," Asahi nodded.
"Well, while you're in school, I'll go look around for anything suspicious. That other soldier must be around somewhere," Okashi said fluffing out his feathers and soaring toward the skies when they reached the school. Asahi could only look up, her face highlighted by the steadily rising golden orb.
Ahh...how pretty. It must be wonderful to be able to escape so easily...
The trees above her whispered in their rustling voices, but Asahi was unaware of the green eyes that watched her.
"Now!" Hydra's voice took a gruff air and she leapt from the trees and landed behind Asahi. In a quick, deft movement, she had Asahi by the throat. Asahi, surprised by the attack, could not utter a word, and instead, produced a gurgling sound deep in her throat.
"So you've decided to show yourself again," feathers appeared with the wind and carried Cygnus with them.
"Always so sentimental," Hydra smirked, still engaged in choking Asahi. "Good, I thought I might lure you to me. This girl knows far too much to remain alive."
"Leave her alone! She's innocent of anything against you!" Cygnus demanded.
"Except she knows about my existence. I cannot tolerate that...if she dies without a fight, all the better for her," Hydra said coldly, a blade appearing in her hand.
"Don't..." Cygnus interrupted. "Leave her alone, or your death won't be quick and merciful."
Hydra looked at her and green and violet eyes clashed. Hydra threw Asahi to the side and faced Cygnus, " Is that a threat?"
A sword appeared in Cygnus' hand, only to be reflected, once again, by Hydra.
"A duel...this is what this comes down to. Trully, I told you to leave this planet. I gave you to the underworld so that you wouldn't have to see this...but everything must be difficult," Hydra shouted as she charged straight for Cygnus, only to be blocked by Cygnus' sword, producing a loud, metallic clanking.
Asahi had no choice but to watch the two soldiers fight. Her neck hurt and her lungs burned. She gulped mouthfuls of air until her heart rate began to slow down. A heavy feeling weighed on her and she lay frozen where Hydra had thrown her with her eyes drooping.
It is my battle...once again, I was wrong. But my transformation...I need light...
Asahi moved her head slowly and turned toward the sun.
The powers of this planet's star are yours to control...
"Of course...the sunlight." Asahi closed her eyes and felt the warm heat revive her enough for her ears to catch the sounds of the two soldiers' battle.
"Give up!" Hydra's voice, harsh and cruel reached her.
"This world is my home...your home...I'll fight until this planet's waters are flowing with my blood," Cygnus gentle voice soothed the effects of Hydra's.
Asahi lay there listening to them, feeling lightheaded and very much lifeless.
"So different...yet so similar...," she croaked.
"This planet...why is it so important to you?!! It's one among billions in this galaxy!" Cygnus shouted between the sounds of a sword against another.
"The Lady only wants one thing from here, Cygnus. The Heart," Hydra smirked as she thrust her blade forward, cutting Cygnus across her arm.
"Ahh!" Cygnus caught her scream between gritted teeth as she drew back, grabbing her injured arm.
Asahi heard Hydra's words with her eyes wide open in shock.
She wants the Heart...but...how can I protect it if I can't transform...
Tears sparkled and fell from her eyes as she realized how defenseless she was, lying there in the cold ground, the gravel stinging her back.
"I must...do...something...," Asahi's hands closed around her locket.
"Ahh!" Cygnus' cry besieged the city as blades surrounded her and tore her flesh.
"No...Hakucho!" Asahi screamed, startling Hydra and making the blades disappear.
"Apollo...Golden Starlight!!" Asahi screamed, raising her hand to the air. "Make up!"
Hydra smirked as she saw that no good came from this sudden burst of strength, "Pathetic!"
"Asahi-chan...no..." Cygnus murmured, collapsing on her knees.
Asahi gritted her teeth and clutched her locket harder.
Please...the Heart...please shine again!!
Silence greeted her plea.
"Hmph," Hydra frowned, a blade appearing in her hand.
"Apollo...Golden..." Asahi began again, but was cut off by a blade that embedded itself into the hand that clutched her locket.
"My locket..." Asahi whispered, dropping the locket and seeing that the blade had sliced through it's golden cover and had split it into two. The locket was empty. The Heart disappeared...but...but why?!
"Ha! A locket...how pimitive," Hydra cackled, pushing Asahi to the side and kicking the empty shell that was once her power source.
"No!" Asahi cried, unable to feel the pain that came with her damaging wound.
"It's your time to go," Hydra smirked, delicately placing the blade of her sword onto Asahi's neck.
"Stop it!" Cygnus screamed, her sword flying straight for Hydra's back.
Hydra jumped away and the sword whistled above Asahi's head, inches away from her head.
"Don't waste your time on this twit," Hydra glared as the sword disappeared before hitting the tree behind Asahi.
"Leave her alone..." Cygnus murmured under her breath, still shuddering from her many wounds.
Asahi felt herself melt with a relief that she could not understand. She wanted to scream out to Okashi for help, but at the same time, she felt as though it had to be her battle this time. She was tired of seeing Valin complete the tasks that were set for her to accomplish.
But the Heart...it disappeared...where...from what will I derive my power?
Empress...the power you seek is no longer a power that is yours alone to determine. The Heart has taken a different form...battle on...only, remember what your true cause is...
"Who..." Asahi began but was cut off by a blow from Hydra that sent her head spinning and her body convulsing in shock.
"See how pathetic these mortals are," Hydra laughed.
"Grr..." Asahi growled, a light appearing in her eye as another twinkled on her chest.
"Apollo! Light Generation! Make up!"
Suddenly she was no longer there, transported into a universe of nothing but darkness. Three different colored lights suddenly came from three sides around her, illuminating her transparent, glowing yellow profile. As she raised her head, a sun symbol sparkled on her forehead and became a gem. Red and golden stardust trailed across her profile and she drew back to reveal her full body, spinning slowly with her arms out and her fingers trailed by stardust until she faced the front completely. The trail of dust wrapped her torso and created a full body fuku with a red collar and a star symbol on the double layered white skirt with a split on the first layer to reveal the red pleated lining underneath. Her right leg had been raised at the knee and as she set it down, the stardust surrounded her ankles and feet and created sandals that matched those of the other two soldiers. As she crossed her arms over her chest, two gold bands with red jewels appeared on each wrist and her hair ornaments appeared. The sun on her forehead twinkled once and a chain extended from it to form a tiara. Finally, she drew back and posed.
Hydra leapt back and stared at the new soldier before her with awe, "She's..."
"The third soldier!" Cygnus cried in awe.
"Symbol of hope and light! I am the pretty soldier, Sailor Apollo!" Apollo smiled, her energy was renewed and a light feeling settled into her.
Of course...this is what I trully wanted...to fight with the light surging through me...
"No...she's not the third soldier," Hydra glowered, glaring at Apollo. "If she were, she would have revealed the Trilogy and the Heart!"
Apollo raised her shining wand into the air, charging it with energy as she spun and brandished it around her. As she pointed it straight toward Hydra, a burst of light ignited the gem that topped it, "Apollo Starlit! Sonata!"
"Aaargh!" Hydra screamed in protest, jumping up and blocking her face with her arms crossed at the wrists so that their golden bracelets deflected the light energy somewhat.
"You can't defeat me! I am created from light!" Hydra crowed, raising her hand to the air. "Starlit Sonata!"
The light energy that Hydra reflected dashed straight for Apollo who jumped out of the way just in time to avoid the explosion that her own attack caused.
"What...!" Apollo cried, staring at Hydra and wondering what had caused her attack to go against her.
"Hmph," Hydra frowned disappointedly.
"Leave!"
A blade had neatly found it's way under Hydra's chin before she could move further. Hydra traced the blade to it's hilt and saw Cygnus' gentle yet firm face above it.
"We'll meet again," Hydra grumbled as she disappeared after a pause.
Apollo breathed hard and stared at the other injured soldier until she felt a strange tingling sensation. Looking down, she saw the stardust slowly falling away to reveal her school uniform.
What's happening?...My transformation!!
"This is why you knew so much about a new soldier's life...I felt it from the very first time we met," Cygnus said, her breath calm, despite their recent battle. "It was your presence that awoke me when I tried so desperately to resurface. Thank you."
So saying, Cygnus raised the blade until it touched her forehead and disappeared. Asahi was left alone to nurse her injuries and continue to wonder about Cygnus and Hydra's battle.