Chapter 4: In the Light of Day

With a moan, Boreas collapsed in a bloody, crumpled heap in the center of the chamber. She should have been standing in her master’s presence. She struggled to her knees but couldn't summon the strength to stand.

“Master, forgive me,” Boreas pleaded. “Please, my lord, be merciful.”

“Merciful?” he scoffed, circling her like a vulture. “You have failed me repeatedly, Boreas. You have worn out your usefulness. Why should I show you mercy?”

More color faded from her already pale face. “I can still finish the task. I just need more time.”

“You’ve had enough time and I’ve had enough of your inefficiency.” He stood in front of her, forcing Boreas to crane her neck to see him. “You should have stayed and let the Sailor Soldiers finish you off. They would have shown you mercy.”

With a snap of his fingers, Boreas howled in pain. Her comrades watched emotionlessly as she writhed on the floor. Boreas continued to contort with pain until her back snapped. Her screams echoed off the walls as she suddenly went still. Then she disappeared.

“Zephyr!”

The West Wind appeared with a bow

“You have seen the price of failure,” Aeolus growled. “You won't fail me, will you, Zephyr?”

The other man shook his head, sending his dark blue hair tumbling into his even darker eyes. “I will not fail you, my lord.”

Zephyr made the perfunctory bow before leaving the chamber. It was finally time to put his plans into action.

* * * * *

A Sailor Soldier dressed in black and gray had stood across from Sol in a large room, her face hidden in the shadows. In her gloved hands, the stranger held a staff topped with a curve, gleaming glade. She held it tightly at the throat of the kneeling form in front of her.

“All your sacrifices will come down to this," the woman with the staff said. "When it really matters, you will fail, like all the times you have failed before. How many lives have ended in death and destruction? How much blood stains your hands?”

The blade tore through the victim’s throat, sending a gush of warm blood at her. She was drenched in the warm, sticky liquid, staining her hands, her chest, and her legs. There was so much blood. So much blood.

* * * * *

“No, don’t!”

Celeste’s eyes snapped opened, still expecting to see the dream’s disturbing images. With a shaky sigh, she rubbed her eyes. Already the dream was slipping from her mind.

“Celeste, are you all right?”

She wrapped her arms around Jonathan as she tried to banish the ghoulish images from her mind. She burrowed further into him as he closed his arms about her. “Just a bad dream,” she murmured against his chest.

Jonathan rubbed her back in comforting circles, gradually lulling her back to sleep. She was afraid that the dream would come again. But, with Jonathan as her talisman, she eventually drifted into a dreamless sleep.

* * * * *

A few hours later, she reached toward Jonathan but her hand only encountered air. Then she noticed the hiss of the shower. With a groan, she sat up.

She took an opportunity to take a survey of her injuries. Her arm was still painful from being twisted but no serious damage seemed to be done. Most of her bruises were already fading. It could have been worse.

Jonathan emerged from the bathroom, already dressed. “Good morning,” he greeted cheerfully, leaning across the bed to kiss her.

"Good morning to you, too."

“What should I know about last night?” he asked as he gently brushed his fingers over the bruises on her arm.

"Sofia and I defeated Boreas last night. We also found another Sailor Soldier."

"Another one?"

She nodded. “Her name is Emily. She'll be coming over with Sofia in a while.”

"But Boreas is gone. That should be it, right?"

"It doesn't look that way." She got up and grabbed some clothes. "I'd better get a shower. I have a feeling this is going to be a long talk."

* * * * *

Mara lifted her eyebrows as both Celeste and Jonathan exited her guardian’s bedroom. "Busy night?"

Celeste fought a blush. "Yes, but not in that way."

“What happened?” Selene demanded.

Celeste slowly lowered herself into one of the kitchen chairs. “Sofia and I battled Boreas last night. She was attacking a couple in the park. The guy was already unconscious by the time I got there.”

“I thought you went out there looking for Boreas,” Mara interrupted. “Is the guy okay?”

Celeste nodded. “He and his girlfriend, Emily, are fine. During the battle, she transformed into a Sailor Soldier, Sailor Aurora. With her help, Sofia and I defeated Boreas. She’s gone.”

"That’s a good thing, right?” Mara finally ventured, glancing at the faces around her. "With Boreas gone, the attacks are over.”

Selene shook her head. “I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”

“Why not?”

“We found another Senshi,” Celeste replied. “If I learned anything from Usagi’s experiences, it is that we will have more enemies and the battles will be harder.”

“So now what?” Jonathan asked.

“We try to learn as much as we can about our new enemies,” Selene said.

Celeste nodded. “And we train harder.”

* * * * *

Emily glanced at the faces around her “So, I’m a . . . you know . . . a sunshi?”

“A Senshi, a Sailor Soldier,” Celeste corrected. “You’re Sailor Aurora.”

“Aurora, warrior of the dawn.” The blonde girl sat back, giggling.

Celeste exchanged a worried look with both Selene and Jonathan. “Emily?”

The girl held up a hand. “I’m fine. Really, I’m fine. It’s just so funny.”

“What is?” Mara demanded.

“Being the warrior of the dawn,” she replied. "My middle name is Dawn. It’s pretty funny, isn’t it?”

“The names,” Selene muttered darkly, jumping down from Mara’s lap. “How could I have been so stupid!”

“Names?” Mara asked. “What names?”

Celeste nodded in understanding. “The names are important. The names of all the Senshi means something.”

“Yes,” Selene said. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner.”

“So what do the other names mean?” Jonathan wondered aloud. “I mean, I understand what Celeste means and why it’s appropriate. What about the others?”

“Actually my whole name fits,” Celeste stated. “I’m really Anastasia Celeste. ‘Celestial resurrection’ if you will.”

“And Sofia?”

“Knowledge,” Selene answered as Sofia nodded, “befitting Sailor Athene. The names of the others in Tokyo have meanings as well. Tsukino Usagi means ‘rabbit of the moon.’ Chiba Mamoru means ‘protector of the earth.’ They all have appropriate meanings.”

“What about Mara?” Emily asked, her voice quiet but drawing everyone’s attention as she stared at the other girl. “What does her name mean? What is her role in all of this?”

Celeste shook her head. “I don’t know. I really don’t know.”

“I’m Mara Lynn, which means bitter pool,” the dark-haired girl answered. “I don't know how it would fit.”

Celeste suddenly remembered the Sailor Soldier dressed in black and gray from her dreams. Mara had a circle of black light on her forehead when she attacked. Could Mara be the dark Senshi?

"I'm not sure either," Selene said.

“What do we do now?” Sofia asked. "If there are going to be more battles, we should prepare somehow."

"We'll start training," Celeste replied.

“As long as it doesn't interfere with cheerleading practice,” Emily said, drawing disbelieving looks from the others.


In the Light of Day With a moan, Boreas collapsed in a bloody, crumpled heap in the center of the chamber. She should have been standing in her master’s presence. She struggled to her knees but couldn't summon the strength to stand. “Master, forgive me,” Boreas pleaded. “Please, my lord, be merciful.” “Merciful?” he scoffed, circling her like a vulture. “You have failed me repeatedly, Boreas. You have worn out your usefulness. Why should I show you mercy?” More color faded from her already pale face. “I can still finish the task. I just need more time.” “You’ve had enough time and I’ve had enough of your inefficiency.” He stood in front of her, forcing Boreas to crane her neck to see him. “You should have stayed and let the Sailor Soldiers finish you off. They would have shown you mercy.” With a snap of his fingers, Boreas howled in pain. Her comrades watched emotionlessly as she writhed on the floor. Boreas continued to contort with pain until her back snapped. Her screams echoed off the walls as she suddenly went still. Then she disappeared. “Zephyr!” The West Wind appeared with a bow “You have seen the price of failure,” Aeolus growled. “You won't fail me, will you, Zephyr?” The other man shook his head, sending his dark blue hair tumbling into his even darker eyes. “I will not fail you, my lord.” Zephyr made the perfunctory bow before leaving the chamber. It was finally time to put his plans into action. * * * * * A Sailor Soldier dressed in black and gray had stood across from Sol in a large room, her face hidden in the shadows. In her gloved hands, the stranger held a staff topped with a curve, gleaming glade. She held it tightly at the throat of the kneeling form in front of her. “All your sacrifices will come down to this," the woman with the staff said. "When it really matters, you will fail, like all the times you have failed before. How many lives have ended in death and destruction? How much blood stains your hands?” The blade tore through the victim’s throat, sending a gush of warm blood at her. She was drenched in the warm, sticky liquid, staining her hands, her chest, and her legs. There was so much blood. So much blood. * * * * * “No, don’t!” Celeste’s eyes snapped opened, still expecting to see the dream’s disturbing images. With a shaky sigh, she rubbed her eyes. Already the dream was slipping from her mind. “Celeste, are you all right?” She wrapped her arms around Jonathan as she tried to banish the ghoulish images from her mind. She burrowed further into him as he closed his arms about her. “Just a bad dream,” she murmured against his chest. Jonathan rubbed her back in comforting circles, gradually lulling her back to sleep. She was afraid that the dream would come again. But, with Jonathan as her talisman, she eventually drifted into a dreamless sleep. * * * * * A few hours later, she reached toward Jonathan but her hand only encountered air. Then she noticed the hiss of the shower. With a groan, she sat up. She took an opportunity to take a survey of her injuries. Her arm was still painful from being twisted but no serious damage seemed to be done. Most of her bruises were already fading. It could have been worse. Jonathan emerged from the bathroom, already dressed. “Good morning,” he greeted cheerfully, leaning across the bed to kiss her. "Good morning to you, too." “What should I know about last night?” he asked as he gently brushed his fingers over the bruises on her arm. "Sofia and I defeated Boreas last night. We also found another Sailor Soldier." "Another one?" She nodded. “Her name is Emily. She'll be coming over with Sofia in a while.” "But Boreas is gone. That should be it, right?" "It doesn't look that way." She got up and grabbed some clothes. "I'd better get a shower. I have a feeling this is going to be a long talk." * * * * * Mara lifted her eyebrows as both Celeste and Jonathan exited her guardian’s bedroom. "Busy night?" Celeste fought a blush. "Yes, but not in that way." “What happened?” Selene demanded. Celeste slowly lowered herself into one of the kitchen chairs. “Sofia and I battled Boreas last night. She was attacking a couple in the park. The guy was already unconscious by the time I got there.” “I thought you went out there looking for Boreas,” Mara interrupted. “Is the guy okay?” Celeste nodded. “He and his girlfriend, Emily, are fine. During the battle, she transformed into a Sailor Soldier, Sailor Aurora. With her help, Sofia and I defeated Boreas. She’s gone.” "That’s a good thing, right?” Mara finally ventured, glancing at the faces around her. "With Boreas gone, the attacks are over.” Selene shook her head. “I’m afraid it’s not that simple.” “Why not?” “We found another Senshi,” Celeste replied. “If I learned anything from Usagi’s experiences, it is that we will have more enemies and the battles will be harder.” “So now what?” Jonathan asked. “We try to learn as much as we can about our new enemies,” Selene said. Celeste nodded. “And we train harder.” * * * * * Emily glanced at the faces around her “So, I’m a . . . you know . . . a sunshi?” “A Senshi, a Sailor Soldier,” Celeste corrected. “You’re Sailor Aurora.” “Aurora, warrior of the dawn.” The blonde girl sat back, giggling. Celeste exchanged a worried look with both Selene and Jonathan. “Emily?” The girl held up a hand. “I’m fine. Really, I’m fine. It’s just so funny.” “What is?” Mara demanded. “Being the warrior of the dawn,” she replied. "My middle name is Dawn. It’s pretty funny, isn’t it?” “The names,” Selene muttered darkly, jumping down from Mara’s lap. “How could I have been so stupid!” “Names?” Mara asked. “What names?” Celeste nodded in understanding. “The names are important. The names of all the Senshi means something.” “Yes,” Selene said. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner.” “So what do the other names mean?” Jonathan wondered aloud. “I mean, I understand what Celeste means and why it’s appropriate. What about the others?” “Actually my whole name fits,” Celeste stated. “I’m really Anastasia Celeste. ‘Celestial resurrection’ if you will.” “And Sofia?” “Knowledge,” Selene answered as Sofia nodded, “befitting Sailor Athene. The names of the others in Tokyo have meanings as well. Tsukino Usagi means ‘rabbit of the moon.’ Chiba Mamoru means ‘protector of the earth.’ They all have appropriate meanings.” “What about Mara?” Emily asked, her voice quiet but drawing everyone’s attention as she stared at the other girl. “What does her name mean? What is her role in all of this?” Celeste shook her head. “I don’t know. I really don’t know.” “I’m Mara Lynn, which means bitter pool,” the dark-haired girl answered. “I don't know how it would fit.” Celeste suddenly remembered the Sailor Soldier dressed in black and gray from her dreams. Mara had a circle of black light on her forehead when she attacked. Could Mara be the dark Senshi? "I'm not sure either," Selene said. “What do we do now?” Sofia asked. "If there are going to be more battles, we should prepare somehow." "We'll start training," Celeste replied. “As long as it doesn't interfere with cheerleading practice,” Emily said, drawing disbelieving looks from the others.


Chapter 5: An Initial Meeting Sailor Sol: Battle Against the Winds