Dark mist swirled around the bottom of Diamond’s dress as she walked out to the middle of the court. She stood in the midst of her subjects, all of whom were staring to the ground in a shameful way. She simply looked over them and turned back to her throne. “Not only did Caterina fail,” Diamond started as she was walking, “she was defeated by three tiny pathetic girls! She also led them here, now they know of our presence and of our number. What are you going to do about this?” Diamond finished as she stood on the steps to her throne. She turned gracefully and sat, looking with wondrous eyes at her minions. “Won’t anyone come up with a plan or should I send you all back to where you came from?” Her voice echoed through the silence causing everyone there to look around nervously.

“Please your majesty,” started Angela “do not punish us for Caterina’s mistake. She is gone now and her incompetence is with her. I ask that you not punish us, for we did nothing wrong.” Angela, a slender, provocative girl stood before Diamond and pleaded her case. She flinched slightly when Diamond stared her in the eyes. A small smirk appeared on her lips.

“Fine then Angela, let us see how competent you are and how well you can do away with those sailors. I give you full responsibility for seeing that they are taken care of and I hear no more of them. Understand?” Diamond looked at Angela and raised her eyebrows. Angela looked to the ground and then around to the crowd. She looked for support from any face, everyone stared to the ground or looked sheepishly away. “No support I see? How quickly your comrades desert you and they share your cause. Angela...”

“My queen,” Blayd stepped forward and stood next to Angela, “our cause is the same, to destroy those sailors. I support Angela and am willing to fight along side her.” Blayd looked to the queen and lifted his chin with arrogant confidence. Angela blushed and looked to Blayd, whose sight never wavered from the queen.

“Well well well, what do we have here? A little mouse with her rat. Fine then but let this fall to your head, Angela. It is your responsibility to see that those sailors are defeated. Do you understand?” Angela shook her head and looked Diamond in the eyes as she and Blayd walked back to the crowd. “Now onto more important matters. Oblique, come forward and report on your findings.”

Angela bounced into the common room of the palace. She stopped suddenly when she noticed Blayd sitting by the fire and staring into it quite intently. She walked silently to his side and hunched on the floor next to him. “That was a real sweet thing ya’ did for me today. Defending me in front of the queen like that. She always gets on my case I don’t think...” Angela stopped suddenly when a finger was placed over her lips. Blayd looked her intently in the eyes and slowly moved his hand away from her face to his side.

“Don’t get me mistaken, Angela, I would do anything to get rid of those sailors, but I would go through heaven and hell to make Diamond happy. I did nothing for you.” Blayd spat out the last words as he stood and glared down at Angela. “I hope your fate is the same as Caterina’s.” He turned and started to leave.

“Well you just wait and see! I’ll get rid of the them! I’ll do everything Caterina couldn’t!”

“Sure you will.”

Blayd turned on his heels and left the room. Angela, still steaming with anger, flopped on the sofa nearest to where she was standing. ~what does he know anyway. I’ll be twice as good as Caterina was and I’ll win Blayd over if it’s that last thing I do.~ Angela smiled a bit to her self and started working on a plot to stop the sailors dead in their tracks.

It was a warm Thursday afternoon, as was any day when you are a cat, and Estrella was laying lazily on Vanessa’s comforter. She was almost asleep when several images assaulted her in her mind. ~(in Estrella’s mind) a beam of light from the Moon. Queen Serenity gathering power from the Sirius to help defend her home. People in the palace dropped to their knees from the sudden loss of energy. Lezelia screaming to Serenity to stop but...~ Estrella awoke with a start and looked frantically around the room, a slight tear in her eye.

With a sigh she left the comfort of the bed and jumped to the floor. She looked over several papers that had been written by Vanessa of their recent attacks. (Okay I know Estrella is a cat and can’t read but remember: She was a human once so she does still have her human spirit and entity with her. So as farfetched as it seems yes she can read and talk and think. Ha better than some people I know...sorry back to the story.) ~ Why would Caterina transport us to the Dark Dimension? Why would Diamond allow us to see her palace? Unless...of course! Diamond must have thought that Caterina could have destroyed us. She wasn’t counting on Aquarius, but even so Diamond’s powers should have been strong enough. It all makes sense now!~ Estrella jumped back onto Vanessa’s chair next to her desk and pushed a few buttons on the phone and sat back as the phone dialed.

*ring ring* Vanessa jumped as her phone rang in her backpack. She hurried to stop the ringing and yell at whoever was on the other line. Wendy looked over at her as she made quite a spectacle of herself. “Hello?!”

“Vanessa, good you’re there.”

“Where else would I be? Estrella!? You’re so lucky it’s lunch otherwise-”

“Vanessa I have important news, after school come straight home and bring Aqu-I mean Jaqulen with you.”

“Well we’ll have to stop and pick her up but I’ll be home ASAP!” Vanessa hung up the phone and stuffed it back into her backpack just in time, as the bell rang and students everywhere were rushing to classes.

“What did Estrella want?” asked Wendy.

“She just wants us to get to my home right after school and bring Jaqulen with us. So just meet me here after 8th k?” Wendy nodded as they walked in two different directions to their classes.

“So what was so important that couldn’t wait till we got here to tell us?” asked Jaqulen as she sat her bag down by Vanessa’s door. The three walked into the room and each one sat in their own places in her room with Estrella in the middle.

“It’s about Diamond.”

“Isn’t she gone? I mean we did get rid of Caterina.” asked Wendy.

“Yes we did get rid of Caterina but she was only one of her many minions, she could be only one of millions. That, however shocking, is not the point of me calling you so urgently. Caterina brought us to Queen Diamond’s palace because she thought she could defeat us. She underestimated us obviously but Diamond is a strong enemy. Very easily could she have crushed us if her power was at its maximum. So what does this mean to you? In order to get her back to her maximum power she needs at least five (5) amulet of power. These amulets can be used for good or evil so it was important that those who received them where good in heart and in nature. I see that you’ve noticed I was speaking in the past tense. Yes these amulets are gone and are already in five (5) beings. Caterina already tried to retrieve these amulets and failed. Do you have any idea where these amulets could be?” Estrella looked to Vanessa, Wendy and Jaqulen. They looked confused and greatly concerned.

“I see that you have no idea who could hold such great amulets that mean the difference between life and death for the world as we know it. Well then I will waste no more time: you are these amulets. When you transform four star crystals come together in your brooch to form your amulet, each being over a different realm. These amulets give you your power and with that power you are destined to defend the world from danger and promote goodness. I know this is a lot to take in at once but know this: she needs at least five amulets and we only have three. She may gain more power but as long as you sailors stay together she will never be stronger than you. Your goodness and spirit to defend the helpless will prevail and protect you from any threat she will ever posses.” Estrella sat back on her hind legs and looked up to the girls faces. There was no doubt that they were deeply concerned as their faces showed deep concentration.

“As long as we stay a team she will never have enough power to stop us, right?” questioned Vanessa.

“Correct.” answered Estrella.

“Well it’s simple then; let’s stay a team and no one can stop us. We have the power and strength to stop her dead in her tracks and we will! No matter what she throws at us no matter how strong we are much stronger and can beat anything that comes our way!” Vanessa stood as she finished her last sentence. Wendy and Jaqulen both cheered her on and then started laughing as she couldn’t stay serious any longer and started to crack up herself.

“You took this much better than I thought you would.” said Estrella before the laughs go to her and she couldn’t control them any more. ~oh they’re so happy I will wait to tell them of my dream until later.~

“What are you day-dreaming for Estrella? We have practice to do!” said Vanessa as she noticed Estrella’s sudden silence. Estrella shook her head and smile up at the girls ~Yes I think I will wait till later.~

As Angela sat in front of her mirror combing her long purple hair she looked into her reflection and thought of how she would defeat those pesky sailors. As she finished she stood abruptly and turned to face a dark looked Blayd. She gasped as his hand rose from his side, was placed on her hip and was pulled closer to his chest. He looked into her eyes and suddenly leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. Startled, she pulled back then leaned into the kiss as he pulled back to talk.

“I was harsh earlier, and I didn’t mean to compare you to the Queen. I mean no one can compare to her! She’s perfect and my allegiance will always be with her. As will my heart, I’m sorry but you will always be second in my heart.” Blayd pulled his hand from around her waist and brought it up to her face. “You understand, right?” Angela, blushing, shook her head ‘yes’ and he, again, walked out of the room.

“Second! It’s better than no place at all! I will get rid of those sailors then I will kill the Queen. Then, finally, I will be first!” She clasped her hands together in front of her face as if she was praying, then floated over to her bed and sat pondering what she could possibly do to attack the sailors and the Queen both at the same time. ~Maybe I could awaken the Opal Sisters and they could take care of both the sailors and the Queen. Yes they will work they will do it all.~

Thoughts:

TODAY- "Efficiency is intelligent laziness."