Hello! Well, you'll find the reason behind Serenity's decision to meet the M officers in this chapter. Althought, you'll realize that I didn't say outright her reason, but see if you can figure it out by the actions and what she says.^_~ By the way, this week has a little surprise. Did you like it? I sent in two chapters this week instead of one. ^_^ I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! PLEASE EMAIL!!!! ^_^ me and tell me what you think of this story or chapter. My email address: ml_eclipse@hotmail.com Usual disclaimers: Sailor Moon and all its characters and likeliness belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha/Toei. English translation is made possible by DiC and now Cloverway/Bandai (?). << >> = thoughts [ ] = author's note Rated: PG Please enjoy! ============================================================================ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A Shepherd's Kiss <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< ========================= << By Cosmos >> ================================== Chapter 11: Changing Colors The cold night wind played with silky locks of sandy colored hair in front of determined blue eyes as they gazed from within the protective darkness of the woods. Suddenly, a shadow slipped silently from the forest edge to kneel behind the wall of a strange rock building. She glanced around cautiously to see if she was spotted by any of the soldiers standing guard nearby. Seeing that her presence remained unnoticed, she let out a sigh of relief. "I hope this works," she whispered to the shadows around her. Placing her hand a short distance from the cool surface of the building, she closed her eyes to concentrate on the task laid out before her. <> she thought. The space between her hand and the wall began to pulsate with a low dark blue light. The wind surrounding her picked up in speed as her powers take control of its paths. Perspiration soon covered her pale face as her eyes squinted in deep concentration. <> she thought to the colorless entity around her, <> A misty blue funnel of air colored by the energy of her power began to develop between her palm and the wall. The miniature twister formed slowly at first but soon became stronger and thinner. Before long, the column of air appeared no more than a thin thread pulsating gently with the color of her power, dark blue. Sensing that she had succeeded in creating a wind funnel thin enough to produce a high pitch sound that would be inaudible to human ears, she opened her eyes and whispered, "Now sing…" The air suddenly became still as all the wind was diverted to produce the small twister now churning between her palm and the wall. Ironically, a strange silence covered the land as a high pitch sound wave was piercing through the air. The wall of the building began to tremble slightly beneath the pressure of such a sound. Droplets of perspiration soon fell from her face as her power was quickly being drained in this difficult move. The delicateness of the funnel took a lot of energy to maintain and she knew she could not hold on to such a power level for long. <> she thought as she watched the crystal wall tremble beneath the force of the inaudible sound, <> Fortunately, Haruka soon saw the development of a tiny crack that slowly ate its way across the face of the great crystonium wall. Inside, the prisoners watched with restraint excitement as the single crack quickly branched out and spread like a thin vine across their imprisonment. They could hear the strain of the crystal as it attempted to hold itself together despite the breakage now covering its face. Within the breath of a moment, the wall shattered and crumbled to hard floor below in numerous pieces to small to create any great noise. From the shadow outside a tall figure stepped through into the poorly lit room. Her joyous blue eyes surveyed with warmth the many faces that were her friends. "Haruka!" Diana cried out. "Sshh," Haruka whispered with a slender finger placed upon her lips. "Let's get out of here!" "Where's Serenity?" Rei asked in surprise to find that the older woman was alone. "She went to see one of the M officers." "What?" Diana gasped in surprise. "Is she crazy?" "Probably," Haruka replied with a frown. "Or maybe," a soldier said from behind them, "she is trying to alert them of our escape." "No," Haruka said, "if so then why helped us to escape in the first place." "She helped you?" "Of course, idiot!" Haruka said in an annoyed voice. "How else do you think I knew about the walls weakness?" "Well I…" "Shut up!" Diana smacked the soldier across the face. "I should have done that at the beginning if Rei hadn't stopped me. Now keep your trap shut and that is an order, soldier!!!" "Yes, ma'am," the soldier mumbled apologetically and walked away. "What a fool!" Diana mumbled, truly ruffled by the poor soldier's comment. "You can't blame him for thinking that way," Rei said. "Her actions do seem strange." "No Rei, " Diana protested, "you can't believe that Serenity would betray us?" "Serenity?" Haruka said in surprise, "It isn't Serenity. It is Faith that's the traitor." "Faith?!" the other two gasped simultaneously. "I'll explain later," Haruka said hurriedly, "now let's get out of here." She led her companions toward the forest edge. They all followed her with one phrase ringing in their minds with shock <> They soon came upon two horses guarded by a young girl hidden behind the thick underbrush of the ancient forest. "Hotaru," Haruka called to the child. "It's all right. It's me." The young girl emerged from within the darkness, "Haruka? But where…where is Serenity?" "She…she has something she wanted to finish. Come let us go." "We can't leave without her!" Hotaru protested. "I very much agree," Rei said. "Why would you want to leave her behind anyway, Haruka?" Diana questioned with concern. With her fist clenched tightly on the reigns she replied, "Just doing what I was told. It is the least I can do for her." "She told you to leave her?" Diana asked in surprise. Nodding, Haruka spoke, "She said not to wait for her, and the fact that she won't be returning for a while." "Why would she do such a strange thing?" Rei asked in confusion. "What is she up to?" "That's the very same question I asked myself," Haruka said, "but enough. She is a smart enough soldier to know the potentials of her enemies. And from the training sessions I had with her, she is more than capable of defending herself. We'll leave her a horse in case she needs it to escape. Now, let us take these people, " she waved her hand at the exhausted and frightened peasants, "out of here before the guards realized that they are gone." Dark brooding blue eyes looked out from beneath the black cap, taking in all that they surveyed. She strolled slowly toward the mouth of the large central cave where she saw Officer Makoto disappeared into. <> she thought. <> Serenity cast a quick glance around the mouth of the cave before she took a sudden sidestep inside. The cave opened like a maze with five tunnels lain out before her. Three of the tunnels were pitch black while the other two, the first and the last, was lit. The first was brightly lit with a medium size fire located within the room. Serenity could hear three voices whispering from within the room in a low secretive conversation. Serenity glower as she thought, <> Serenity was about to move closer to the entryway of the first tunnel when a strange cold wind reached out and touched her soul. Her attention was quickly captured as she turned abruptly toward the fifth tunnel at the end, which was barely lit with large torches hanging on the side of the cave's rocky surface leading deep into the belly of the mystical mountain. From that poorly lit tunnel, Serenity could hear low voices of numerous soldiers giving out sharp orders. Strangely, she sensed something unusual from that fifth tunnel. It almost felt like cold lips whispering to her soul and beckoning her to follow it to its source laid hidden within the belly of the Earth. Serenity shook her head to clear the enchantment that was slowly taking over her mind. <> Serenity thought groggily, <> Frowning with concern, she struggled against the mysterious power, <> Her soul has been captured by the song of a hidden Siren, singing her toward her fate. She took a hesitant step toward the last tunnel but stopped abruptly as a strange image flashed in her mind. Within that split second, she saw chained hands and crimson blood covering bronze skin with painful ocean blue eyes imploring her to help them. <> she gasped. His image immediately broke the enchantment the mysterious power had cast upon her. She turned her back on the Siren song and quickly sneaked into the first tunnel where the M officers were holding a private meeting. Remaining close to the walls, Serenity slunk into the large area, which she realized, was simply a large cave unlike the others that were tunnels. Gliding like a snake inside a rodent's burrow, Serenity moved quietly among the shadows until she found herself hiding behind a small vertical ledge with full view of the famous M officers. To her amazement, the great M officers were three women, two of which were her age and the other a year her senior. They were standing by a large round table with a map opened before them. The oldest officer, with aquamarine wavy hair and eyes of the same color were marking a specific region on the map with a red marker while the other two, one with long blonde hair, chatted with the brunette Serenity encountered earlier. "So you are positive that's where it is located?" the blonde suddenly asked the wavy hair woman. "I'm sure of it," she replied, "I saw it in my mirror." "Great work Michiru," Makoto complimented. "Finally, Minako can get her troops digging in the right place for once." "I wonder why it was so hard for us to reach it before?" the blonde whom the other called Minako commented. "I don't really know," Michiru replied. "I couldn't detect it at all until only a few moments ago. It seemed to be trying to hide itself from detection but strangely permitted its location to be known now." "Hmmm," Makoto said thoughtfully, "I wonder what is going on?" "I told him this power should be left alone," Michiru said with irritation evident in her voice. "King Darius is a fool," Makoto whispered. "Quiet!" Minako warned, "You know what would happen if someone heard you say that." "What?" Makoto raged. "Inform him? I don't give a crap if he knows. I am sick of doing his dirty works for him, especially after Operation R. Their camp was a worthless waste of energy to take. And now we have prisoners to take care off." Turning to Michiru she continued, "So, you told me that Silica managed to capture him? Has she taken him to that lady yet?" Her companion nodded silently. "Why would she want him?" Michiru shrugged. "I heard it was something about assisting two of her workers to escape." <> Serenity thought as the circumstance sounded familiar. "Workers?" Makoto said in surprise, "more like slave to me." "Speaking of escape," Michiru said, "two of the Era soldiers with him managed to flee as well." "Foolish girl!" Minako growled. "She couldn't even take care of a simple mission." "Yes, but with only two soldiers left we have nothing to fear," Michiru said. "What can they do?" "We have basically won the war then," Makoto said. "What kind of a victory could be gained from this pathetic battle?" Minako said disgustedly. "We're not fighting to protect the kingdom. We're only fighting to re-conquer it. There is no point in this. There has never been." The other two remained silent. None spoke as they each thought deeply of the past two years since the first battle that sparked this unreasonable war. A surprise assault launched by Era soldiers gave birth to this war. "Such stupid people," Makoto said. "Who?" Minako questioned. "Those damn Rebels. If they hadn't attacked the West Post initially, then none of us would be dragged into this mess. Now we're all fighting for no reason at all." "You are the ones without the reason," a solemn voice whispered to them from within the shadows of the cave. "What?!" Makoto gasped. "Who's there?!" Pulling her sword out, Minako demanded, "Show yourself!" She stepped into the light of the fire. The shadows pealed away from her face like a thin skin revealing deep blue eyes that observed them with a strange deadly light. A contemptuous smile played on the corners of her pale lips. She leaned against the wall in an unconcerned manner with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Minako pointed her sword at the intruder dressed in a Green soldier uniform. A sword left untouched hanging by the stranger's side within its leather sheath. Michiru observed the stranger with a slightly surprised look seeing how this person could behave so calmly with a sword pointing at her. Minako was about to take a step forward but her companion's arm stopped her. "Wait!" Makoto said as she blocked Minako's path. "This was the soldier I met earlier this evening." Turning to Michiru she asked, "Isn't he that new recruit of yours?" Michiru shook her head silently with her aquamarine eyes still on the stranger's face. Slowly she took a few steps forward. Serenity watched her moves with keen eyes. Michiru stopped a few feet from her position by the entryway and spoke softly, "You must be quite a soldier to be able to sneak in here undetected." Serenity only continued smiling impertinently without a reply. Michiru was undeterred by her challenging expression as she continued, "Would you be so kind as to give us your name, stranger?" "I would not be so kind," the stranger replied in a frosty tone. Michiru was taken aback by the arrogant and defiant attitude, but she kept her calm. She smiled and said, "Well then, let me ask this. Who are you?" "A skilled soldier just like you," was the answer. "I see," Michiru said quite amused by the answers this person was giving her. "And you seem to know how to dodge my questions don't you?" "Not at all," the stranger replied. "I am only answering what you've asked me. It is you who doesn't seem to know how to ask what you want to know." "I see," Michiru said again, but this time impatience surfaced in her tone. Serenity watched the three soldiers through dark eyes, carefully making note of all their moves. Her facial expression remained unchanged as she observed these officers in her cold silence. "Enough games, give us your name!" Makoto demanded. "Ah," Serenity said, "someone here knows how to get what she wants." With the mocking smile still on her face, she replied, "My name is Serenity." "Well, Serenity," Michiru said again. "Are you such a great soldier to come here and confront us alone? Or are you such a fool?" "Neither," she replied. "I have not come here to confront you. I have no quarrels to pick with you." "Then why are you here?" Makoto asked. "Are you an Era soldier?" "I am not." "Then whose army are you fighting for?" Minako finally spoke up. "None but my own," Serenity replied. "Are you our enemy," Minako asked warily, "or ally?" "That depends on who *you* are to me." "You have a strange way of answering questions, Serenity," Michiru said, amusement returning to her tone. "Now let us be blunt, what is your purpose with us?" "My purpose is to obtain what I need, that is all." "Oh?" Michiru said in surprise, "And what is it that you wanted?" "Nothing that I have not already gained." "Then why did you make your appearance known?" Minako question evidently confused by this stranger's actions. "Listening to you three," Serenity said, "I thought you needed some enlightenment. Since it was evident that you have no clue as to why you are fighting." "What we fight for is none of your concern!" Makoto yelled. "Oh? And just what is it that you all are fighting for?" Serenity added, "For curiosity's sake." "We fight for our kingdom," Minako replied. "*For* your kingdom?" Serenity questioned in mock surprise. "Or against it?" "Why would we fight against our homeland?" Makoto asked greatly angered by this arrogant soldier. "We have vowed to protect it as guardians of this realm." "Then you are clearly on the wrong side of the line," Serenity said calmly. Her smile has now disappeared and her expression changed to solemnity. "If you would open your eyes a little wider, you would see who it is that you must protect." "What do you mean?" Michiru asked warily. "Let me ask you this," Serenity said as a response, "who is truly the heart of Kingdom Earth? Your king? Your wealth and land? Or your people?" Turning her back on them and moving toward the opening of the cave Serenity added, "Answer this and you will find your reason to fight." Serenity turned and began to walk out of the cave. Makoto made an attempt to capture her back, but Michiru motioned her to stop. "Let her go," she said as she watched the figure disappear into the darkness. "But…" "Let her go," Michiru repeated. "She is not our enemy." "How are you sure?" Makoto asked in anger, "She could be an Era soldier despite what she said." "I don't think so," Michiru whispered in a strange tone. "She seemed more like an angel than an enemy." "Michiru is right," Minako spoke. "Serenity is not an ordinary soldier. There is a strange aura around her despite her cold personality. Besides, there is something much more important we must do before we continue on." "What would that be?" Makoto asked softly. "Finding the answer." <> the words echoed in their troubled minds. Standing alone at the forest edge, the silhouette of a slender figure stood watching the fires of the campground beneath her in the valley. A strange light glowed in her eyes as she recalled the words of Lieutenant Makoto, <<'Why would we fight against our homeland? We have vowed to protect it as guardians of this realm.'>> She sighed softly into the chilled wind, "An honorable intention, but mine…?" Her mournful blue eyes, with its coldness momentarily displaced by sorrow, looked toward the southwestern horizon. Her grip on the horse's rein tightened. <> she thought solemnly, <> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Hmmm...I wonder what Serenity meant by that last line? ^_~ Chapter twelve is next! "Inescapable Confrontation" Sounds mysterious... ^_^] =========================================== Copyright (c) 2000, Cosmos.