Chapter One
It was a beautiful spring day in Asgard, the city of the Immortal Senshi who were the guardians of Parallel Earth. The sun was brightly shining, the sky was clear and blue, and the birds were singing in the trees. The citizens of Asgard were going about their daily business, the destroyed and damaged pieces of their homes still visible. Ragnarok had cost their city dearly, but three years had past, and the horror of that time had grown dim. The story of the death of the light-god Baldur was told to frighten young children, and people often recollected just where they had been when the sky had gone dark.
In the palace of the Immortal Senshi, life had settled into a normal routine. The palace was located on top of a large hill, with a single staircase leading from the city to the gates. The people of Asgard did not dare walk up those steps, and the senshi lived like the gods they were descended from. Each senshi had their own living areas, but it was in the main hall where they could almost always be found.
The hall was furnished with enormous tables that were almost always covered in food and plates. The senshi would gather around, eating and drinking, while they laughed and talked to each other. At the far end of the hall was a pedestal on which rested a golden throne. From that throne, Baldur had once overseen the feasting of his senshi while under the watchful eye of Sailor Odin. Now that Baldur was gone, the light of Asgard had been given to Tansei, who had ruled over Asgard since the end of Ragnarok.
Tansei sat with his elbow on the arm of his throne, his chin resting on his hand. Below him, a few senshi were eating and talking, while others were laughing in the gardens or sitting quietly in their rooms. Tansei knew where they all were at all times, for some reason. Lucis had tried to explain it to him once, but he had only shook his head in confusion and asked her to stop. Clearly being a god was not as easy as he thought. It was bad enough that he had to always concentrate on keeping the sun in the sky, and that he had to make sure the light was the right strength or else the planet would suffer, but he could also hear the thoughts and prayers of the people in the city, and of the senshi who guarded him and the world. The whole thing gave him a headache.
“Are you all right, my lord?” Sailor Odin asked.
Tansei raised his head and smiled. “Fine, thanks. Please stop calling me ‘my lord’.”
Odin smiled back at the new god. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. Lady Lucis would scold me for not showing you the proper respect.”
Tansei sighed and put his head back on his hand. “Why don’t you go and have fun with the others, Odin? You’re always standing here.”
“It’s my duty, my lord,” Odin replied.
Suddenly, Loki came running into the hall with a wide grin on her face. She leapt onto the pedestal in front of the throne and thrust something onto Tansei’s lap. He sat up and reached out to take whatever it was that Loki was giving him, while Odin gasped in outrage.
“Hold this for a moment,” Loki said as she resumed her mad dash through the hall.
Tansei watched her go for a moment before looking down at the object in his hands. It was a single, perfect, red apple, much larger than any apple he had ever seen as a mortal. He held it up and showed it to Odin, who raised an eyebrow. Seconds later, the small form of Idun came bursting through the hall. She ran as fast as she could, her face furrowed in anger as she slid to a halt in front of the golden throne.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, her eyes locked on what Tansei held. “My apple! Could I have it back, my lord?”
“Of course,” Tansei said, handing it to Odin who brought the fruit over to Idun.
The small senshi of youth bowed politely. “You haven’t seen Loki, have you?”
Tansei smiled and pointed to the front door. With another slight bow, Idun raced out of the hall, hollering for Loki to show herself.
“I wonder what that was about?” Tansei asked, knowing full well what Loki was up to.
Odin sighed. “If you’ll excuse me, my lord, I think I have to go save my blood-sister from Idun’s wrath.”
“By all means,” Tansei replied with a wide grin. “And ask your blood-sister not to involve me in her tricks.”
Odin bowed as she descended from the pedestal and, shaking her head, walked out the door that Idun had used. Tansei chuckled and motioned for a servant to bring him some wine and food. Being a god did have certain perks, even if it did require a great deal of concentration.
*****
“Loki? Where are you?” Odin called.
The purple haired senshi wandered around the vast gardens of the palace. Her two ravens soared above her, scouting from the air, but neither reported seeing Loki in any of her forms. Odin sighed and continued to search. Loki had always been mischievous, but ever since she had visited the mortal world of Earth, she had changed. She continued to pull her pranks, but to Odin who knew her best, it seemed as if she was only doing so because that was what the others expected.
“Loki, I swear that when I get my hands on you, I’ll make you a hundred years old!” Idun shouted as she stormed down a path opposite to the one Odin walked.
“No luck?” Odin asked.
Idun slowed to a stop and shook her head. “I don’t know what’s wrong with that girl. She replaced Frigga’s mistletoe with poison ivy, greased Tyr’s sword with butter, and filled Aegir’s chalice with pudding!”
Odin couldn’t help but grin. “It’s her nature.”
“I may be wrong,” Idun continued, “but I don’t ever remember it being this bad. A few stolen items, a few pranks, but never this much all at once.”
Odin’s smile faded. It appeared as if she was not the only one to notice Loki’s change in behaviour.
“Tell her if she wants an apple, she just has to ask,” Idun continued. “I know you’ll find her, Odin. You’re the only one who ever can.”
Not the only one, Odin thought to herself.
The two senshi parted ways, Idun returning to the palace and Odin going deeper into the gardens. Eventually, the manicured lawn and flowerbeds melted into a dark forest with ancient trees twisted high into the sky. It wasn’t long before Odin spotted Loki, sitting on a large rock overlooking a stream. Odin paused to observe her friend, noticing immediately how quietly Loki sat, staring into the water.
“Loki?” Odin asked, coming closer.
As Loki turned, for a split second Odin could see the pain in her expression. It last for only a fraction of a second before Loki’s broad grin took its place. Odin sat next to her friend.
“Is Idun still looking for me?” Loki asked, running her fingers through her short blonde hair. “I don’t even have her stupid apple anymore. I gave it to Tansei.”
“If you wanted an apple, Idun would have given you one,” Odin reminded her friend gently.
“What’s the fun in that?” Loki demanded. “Did you see Tyr trying to fence with the slippery sword?”
“Is something wrong?” Odin asked.
“Why would you think that?”
“You’re not yourself lately. You haven’t been since…”
Neither of them spoke of Ragnarok, the end of the world that only the two of them could start and end. Loki’s gaze dropped back to the stream.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Loki replied.
Odin sighed. “It hasn’t been easy on any of us. We were trapped, but we could still think and feel. You can’t keep punishing the others for exiling you.”
“Is that what you think this is about?” Loki snapped, suddenly angry. “You think I’m mad at them? You think I want their forgiveness?”
Odin said nothing.
“They were right to exile me, that’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it? You’re the senshi of justice. I killed Baldur. I started Ragnarok. Three years ago, we all almost died because of me, and you think I’m mad at the others?”
“Try to see it from their perspective,” Odin said.
“Why are you always on their side?” Loki cried. “Why aren’t you ever on my side? Why don’t you ask them to see it from my perspective?”
“Enough, Loki,” Odin said sternly, sliding off the rock and standing in front of her blood-sister. “You’ve been sulking for three years. Ragnarok is over. Everyone had moved on, except you.”
“It’s just that easy for you, isn’t it?” Loki snarled. “You think I can just put it out of my mind? Maybe Sailor Pluto should have taken my memories too. Maybe we all should have forgotten everything that happened, not just the senshi of Earth. But that’s what you’ve all done already, you’ve all forgotten.”
“We haven’t forgotten,” Odin tried to calm her enraged friend.
“You have! You just said everyone had moved on. That’s just like forgetting.”
“Maybe it would be best to forget the hardships and look forward,” Odin replied. “You can’t dwell in the past, Loki.”
The blonde girl stared at her friend, her face full of shock and outrage. Loki shook her head. “You don’t understand anything. None of you do.”
Odin blinked in surprise as Loki transformed herself into a wolf and disappeared into the forest. Standing next to the rock by the stream, Odin replayed the conversation in her mind, wondering what she had said to infuriate her friend so much.
*****
“Usagi!”
Tsukino Usagi slowed to a stop, turning her head to see who had called her. She absently brushed the skirt of her high school uniform and smiled as Rei and Minako ran towards her. Minako was waving her hand above her head, and Usagi could see the white head of Artemis poking out of her shoulder bag. Her two friends fell into step on either side of her as they resumed their walk down the bustling streets of Tokyo.
“Did you see the new video game at the arcade?” Minako asked. “It’s a racing game that’s way harder than the one Haruka-san keeps beating me at. Motoki-san said with practice, I could get the first high score!”
“Until Haruka-san sees it and wipes your score off the board,” Rei added.
“Let’s go try it out!” Usagi declared, pulling Minako by the arm. “And while we’re there, we can try the new sundae Unazuki-chan was hinting at last week.”
Minako laughed as she let herself be pulled down the street. Rei followed, a smile on her face. Suddenly, she glanced up at one of the tall office buildings and thought she saw a gray hand descending from the sky. The hand made a grab at the building, tearing it apart. She heard screams all around her, and saw the street flooded with black creature with yellow eyes and white teeth. The light faded as Rei clamped her hands to her ears to drown out the cries of pain. She felt herself begin to fall when a pair of hands grasped her firmly by the elbows. Taking a deep breath and blinking, Rei looked into the blue eyes of a brown skinned girl with silver hair.
“Are you okay?” the girl asked.
Rei felt her heart pounding in her chest, but the vision had passed. She was once again on the street, the sun shining above her, and the steady sound of conversation around her. The silver haired girl helped Rei to her feet, and Rei saw another brown skinned girl standing impatiently near by.
“Come on, Zou,” the other girl said. “She’s not hurt or anything. Let’s go!”
“I’m fine,” Rei managed.
Silver haired Zou peered closely into Rei’s eyes and frowned slightly. “You’re lying. Something troubles you, but you don’t want to alarm those you love.”
Rei blinked in surprise. Before she could open her mouth, the silver haired girl was gone and Usagi was standing in front of her, with Minako a step behind. Rei turned to see if she could glimpse the girl again, but both she and her companion had vanished into the crowd.
“Rei-chan!” Usagi said, her eyes and voice full of worry. “Are you all right? What happened?”
“I’m fine,” Rei repeated, the words of the girl echoing in her mind. “It was a vision, I think.”
“Like the Silence?” Minako asked, suddenly serious.
Rei shook her head. “Nothing like that. It felt more like a memory than a future echo. I’ll have to meditate on it.”
“Do that later,” Usagi said, taking Rei firmly by the arm. “After a scare like that, you need an ice cream sundae. Come on!”
From the shelter of a doorway, Zou watched the three girls walk away. Her partner, Mai, stood next to her with her arms crossed over her chest. Zou could not help by stare at the trio, feeling as if they had somehow connected before.
“Can we go now?” Mai asked.
“You didn’t feel it?” Zou questioned as they stepped back into the street.
Mai shrugged. Zou shook her head.
“Our lives have crossed before,” Zou told her friend. “I’m sure of it. Whether we met or not, there is something that binds us together.”
“Sure, sure,” Mai said. “Next you’re going to tell me that she was Lady Neptune and our search was at an end.”
Zou frowned thoughtfully. “I don’t think she was our princess. I saw the truth in her eyes, and although she is special, she is not our Lady.”
Mai sighed noisily. “Well, we keep looking, I suppose. But this city is so boring! We’ve been here almost four years and nothing has happened!”
Zou smiled, thinking of the news reports over the past few years. The strange black tent that had appeared, the reports of locals who had been accosted by circus freaks, and the amazing rise and disappearance of the Starlights pop group. Only Mai could be in a city where so many bizarre things happened and still be bored.
*****
When Odin returned to the palace empty handed, only Tansei saw the worry and sadness in her eyes. The other senshi teased her a bit before she excused herself and left the hall. Tansei waited until he caused the sun to set for Loki to return, but she did not. As his power waned, and that of Hodur the dark-god waxed, Tansei left his golden throne and disappeared into his private rooms. Lucis was there waiting for him.
“There you are,” Tansei said, kissing her on the cheek. “I thought maybe you’d found someone else.”
Lucis frowned. “Please don’t even joke about that, Tansei.”
Tansei immediately regretted the barb. They had come too close to never seeing each other again in the past to kid about it now. It was thanks to Lucis that Tansei was alive – as alive as a god can be, anyway. He had died during Ragnarok, and even now when he slept, he could feel the cold hands of death on his soul. He shuddered and Lucis put her arms around him.
“I do have other disciples, you know,” she said. “Other worlds and dimensions to visit from time to time.”
“I know,” he replied, kissing her again. “I worry that you won’t come back to me, that you’ll think I’m good enough not to need you anymore.”
Lucis laughed. “Don’t worry about that. It took Baldur nearly a thousand years to get the hang of being a god. I don’t expect you to pick it up in three.”
They sat down at a small table, and a servant materialized from the shadows to give them each a goblet of wine. The wine was nearly transparent with a tinge of blue, reserved only for the lord and lady of the palace. Lucis sipped at it and smiled.
“I love the wines of Elysium,” she commented. “Anything interesting happen today, love?”
Tansei nearly blushed at the nickname. He told her about Loki’s latest pranks, how Odin was not behaving normally when it came to Loki, and that Odin had returned from retrieving her flighty sister empty handed. Lucis listened quietly, sipping her drink and nodding. When Tansei had finished, she put her glass down.
“I thought something like this might happen,” Lucis sighed. “When I met Aion and Loki for the first time, I thought they despised each other. I would never have suspected they would end up like this.”
“Like what?” Tansei asked.
Lucis smiled fondly at him and cupped his chin in her hand. “You’re so sweet. Can’t you tell? Loki misses Aion. They connected back on Earth, and since neither of them forgot the other, the separation only hurts more.”
“Can’t Loki visit?”
“That’s impossible,” Lucis replied, sitting back in her chair. “They both know it. Only Pluto can unseal the Void, and she’ll only do it when the world is in peril.”
“Maybe I should talk to her,” Tansei muttered.
“What would you say, love? She needs to work through the pain on her own. We can’t save her from herself.”
Tansei sighed, knowing too well the pain Lucis was talking about.
*****
The wolf slowed on the other side of the forest, pausing to sniff the wind. She stood near the tree line, gazing down into a large meadow of green grass and multicoloured flowers. It spread from horizon to horizon with only one blemish; far in the distance was a giant tree. The wolf bared her teeth in a sort of smile, growling slightly. Without another thought for the people she left beyond the forest, the wolf descended into the meadow, making a bee-line for the distant tree.
As she approached, the tree grew larger. Its trunk spread wider than a city block, so long that the wolf quickly lost sight of its curved edges. The tree was so tall that the wolf could not see the top, even when she craned her neck all the way backwards. The branches were thick enough to support all the houses of Asgard, and in one way, they did. The wolf sat on her haunches and howled at Yggdrasil, the tree of life.
“Enough of that,” a rooster perched in the branches squawked, flapping its wings irritably. “You look ridiculous in that form.”
The wolf stood and changed her shape. Loki put her hands on her hips and eyed the bird defiantly.
“I want to see the Norns,” Loki demanded.
The rooster threw his head back and cawed with laughter. A hawk flew down from the upper branches at the sound, and sat next to the rooster. It cocked its head inquiringly at its friend.
“She wants to speak to the Three,” the rooster said, wiping a tear from his eye.
“The Three?” the hawk repeated. It looked directly down at Loki. “Are you mad?”
“Furious,” Loki replied.
“That’s not exactly what Vedi meant,” a squirrel said helpfully from the tree trunk.
“Close enough, Ratatosk,” the hawk known as Vedi replied. “One must be mad in every sense of the word to seek the Three.”
“What do you think they’ll do to her?” the rooster chuckled.
“Vido, be kind,” Ratatosk chided.
“Probably tell her about her death,” Vedi answered, glancing down at Loki again. “It always terrifies mortals to know how they’ll die. Even worse if they say when, but not how.”
“I’m not a mortal,” Loki objected, “and I have a serious question to ask.”
Vido and Vedi looked at each other and burst out laughing again. The squirrel Ratatosk moved down the tree trunk so she was eye level with Loki.
“Don’t let those jokers discourage you,” Ratatosk said. “Ask the Nidhogg how to see the Norns. He lives below.”
“And he’s been listening,” a serpentine voice said from near Loki’s feet.
Loki looked down and saw a head sticking up from the ground. There was no hole where the rest of the body might be concealed, only a vaguely snake-like head sitting on the grass near the tree’s roots. It looked up at Loki and hissed angrily, revealing several rows of sharp teeth. Loki held her ground.
“The Norns won’t come out to just anyone, child,” the Nidhogg said. “Why should they speak to you?”
“Because I’m Loki, one of the guardians of this world, descended from the gods, and blood-sister to Odin,” the senshi replied haughtily.
“One of the Immortal Senshi, are you?” the Nidhogg repeated, suddenly sounding interested. “And what question do you have for the Norns?”
Loki hesitated, a blush rising to her cheeks. “No one understands me in this world. I’ve only ever met one person who did, and she’s gone. I want her back. I want to free her from the Void.”
Ratatosk froze where she stood, as did the birds Vedi and Vido. All eyes were on Loki as the Nidhogg raised an eyebrow and disappeared beneath the earth, as if sinking into water. Suddenly, the great tree shifted and began to rise. The birds cried out in alarm and took to the sky. The squirrel dashed up the trunk to vanish in the leaves, leaving Loki alone. The senshi stepped back as Yggdrasil rose, and a cavernous entrance appeared between the roots. The shuddering tree stopped and a figure materialized from the mouth of the cave. As Loki watched, the lone figure split into three and surrounded her.
“Do you know what you ask, daughter of Loki?” the youngest, a maiden, asked.
“Your wish will destroy the Void,” the second, a middle aged lady, added.
“I know,” Loki replied.
“Do you?” the last, an old crone, repeated.
“I will free her,” Loki said stubbornly, her voice taking an angry tone.
“There will be a price,” the maiden warned.
“A steep price for every world,” the lady said.
“Will you pay it?” the crone asked.
“If it means her freedom from the Void, I will pay any cost,” Loki said irritably. “Do you know a way, or are you toying with me?”
“We see all realities, all pasts, and all futures,” the lady said.
“We will fulfill your wish,” the crone told her, almost regretfully.
The maiden stepped forward, holding a green pear in her hand. She held it out for Loki to take. Carefully, as if it might explode at any second, Loki took the fruit.
“The fruit of Yggdrasil,” the maiden explained. “Throw it into the river, and your wish will be granted.”
Loki held the fruit more tightly and bowed in thanks to the three women. Turning, she began to walk away from the tree of life. A smiled crossed her face as she did so, her mind tuned to the thought of her love’s face when she stepped free of her prison.
The Three watched her go, moving to stand next to each other.
“She holds to the prophecy well,” the crone remarked, stepping into the lady.
“Destroyer of worlds, killer of gods,” the lady continued, stepping into the maiden.
“We see all realities, all pasts, and all possible futures,” the maiden said softly as she watched Loki’s retreating form.
Silently, the maiden turned and stepped back into the cave. As she walked the dark path, the great tree Yggdrasil settled once more into the earth.
*****
Loki stared at her reflection in the river and sighed deeply. She held the fruit of Yggdrasil loosely in her hand. A tear dropped from her eye and landed in the water, and in the ripples, Loki saw Aion’s face.
“Don’t go,” Loki whispered.
I have to, Aion’s voice echoed through her memory. Without me, the Void will expand to engulf the worlds. I can’t let that happen.
“Then I’ll go with you,” Loki replied, her tears sliding down her face like rain. “Why didn’t you let me go with you? We could have been together, and neither of us would have been alone!”
As Aion’s face disappeared from the river, Loki hurled the fruit into the water with all her strength. It sunk like a rock, making a swallowing sound as it disappeared beneath the water. Loki blinked, wiping the tears from her eyes, and waited.
The ripples on the river disappeared, the water flowing normally again as Loki continued to stare at her reflection. Nothing happened. The senshi glanced down at herself, inspecting her uniform for any change. She scanned the landscape for a tear or a doorway through which she could enter the Void and save Aion. Nothing was amiss. All she could see were the trees of the forest, and the green grass of the nearby meadow.
Loki squeezed her eyes tightly closed, allowing the last of her tears to fall. They had tricked her, played her for a fool! The Norns and all the strange animals in the Tree were undoubtedly laughing at her right now. Anger burned in her veins as Loki screamed at the sky, the gods, and fate.
*****
Minako fell out of her chair at Crowns ice cream parlor, wincing as she struck the ground. Usagi grabbed for her sundae before it could topple over, and Rei leaned back in her seat to keep from moving. The other patrons of the restaurant fled into the street as Minako returned to her place.
“An earthquake?” Minako asked.
Rei glanced out the window and thought she saw a massive foot plant itself firmly on the ground. She shook her head to clear her vision and looked back to her friends.
“Something’s happening,” Rei said. “We should call everyone and meet at the Shrine.”
“I’ll go get Mako-chan and meet you guys there,” Minako said, disappearing out the door.
Rei watched her go. “She just left us with the bill.”
Usagi tried to slip out of her seat, but Rei grabbed her firmly by the collar.
“I’m not paying for your ice cream too!” Rei exclaimed angrily.
Another quake shuddered through the city, knocking both the girls to the ground. The table fell, blocking Usagi from Rei’s view, and she heard her friend cry out. Rei tried to stand but found the ground far too unstable. She braced herself as best she could, the toppled table hiding the restaurant from her eyes, and waited for it to be over.
“Usagi!” she called. “Don’t worry! I’m right here.”
Her friend didn’t answer. Rei reached up to the top of the table, trying to peer over top when she was knocked backwards again. Her head struck something hard and the world went black.
*****
Loki headed straight to her room and threw herself on her bed, burying her face in her pillows. She tried not to think about Aion, about how she would spend eternity trapped in the Void and there was nothing Loki could do to save her. She cried for a while, feeling a little better as her pent-up frustration flowed from her body. It was then that she noticed how eerily quiet the palace was. Sniffling, she sat up and wiped her nose on the back of her gloved hand, listening. The halls of the palace were always full of sound, so much so that Loki hardly heard it anymore. Now, the silence was deafening.
She rose to her feet and stuck her head into the hallway. A basket full of laundry lay abandoned on the ground, its owner nowhere to be seen. Her curiousity was almost overwhelming as she stepped out of her room and crossed the corridor to Odin's chamber. She knocked on the door, but no one answered.
"Odin?" she called, poking her head into the room.
Her blood-sister's room was immaculate as always. A few ceremonial swords hung on the wall, the bed folded down and ready for night, candles brightly twinkling in their holders, and a shelf full of books. The room was, however, empty. Loki closed the door and moved to the next one, where the sea-senshi Aegir slept.
"Hello?" Loki asked, opening the door.
This room was also devoid of life. It was decorated all in greens and blues, the bed resting in a giant clam shell. The walls were lined with aquariums normally filled with multi-coloured fish, but now they were empty. Loki frowned and moved to the next room.
She checked every bed chamber in the palace, Thor, Tyr, Frigga, Freya, all of them empty. Anxiety was starting to burn in her chest as she made her way to the hall where they always dined, hoping beyond hope that her friends were all gathered there waiting for her. She burst through the large wooden doors and stared in complete shock. The tables were empty, except for a few scattered bowls and plates. No servants worked in the kitchens, no senshi sat on the benches. Loki ran everywhere she could think of, calling for anyone who could hear her, but no one came. Panting from the exertion, Loki found herself standing in front of the Golden Throne, where she fell to her knees. Tears poured down her cheeks again, but she could not move her gaze from the pedestal.
"No," she whispered. "Not again. It can't be."
Seated on the Golden Throne was a perfect stone statue of Tansei, his eyes wide with surprise and his mouth open as if to call out to someone. He had one hand raised in defense, but it had done nothing to save him. Loki hung her head and wept as she stared at the second light-god she had killed.
*****
Rei picked herself up off the floor after the final violent earthquake. She was crouching under a table at Crown's cafe, the soda she had not started drinking lying on the floor beside her. She watched the green liquid pooling for a moment, rubbing the sore spot on her head, before remembering where she was and what had just happened. Climbing out from beneath the table, she looked around.
"Usagi-chan?" she called. "Minako-chan?"
The cafe was empty. Tables and chairs had fallen in the sudden quake, but no one had remained in the building. Rei frowned. She knew Usagi had been next to her when the tremors had started. Minako had already dashed away, but Usagi had been right here. Where could she have wandered off to?
"Usagi!" Rei cried again, picking her way around the debris.
No one answered as she made her way to the door and into the streets of Tokyo. The city was silent. Rei couldn't even hear the sound of birds or insects as she stood in front of the restaurant. Cars were abandoned on the road, a perfect still-image of a traffic jam. There were no pedestrians on the sidewalks, no clerks in the stores, no mid-afternoon shoppers. The city was empty.
"Usagi!" Rei called more urgently as the fear spread through her chest.
A fog was settling, causing the buildings to grow hazy and the colours more muted. Rei walked forward, heading to the shrine she called home, knowing that her friends would assemble there if necessary. Something about the fog didn't seem right, triggering her psychic sixth sense and putting her on her guard. She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself.
Suddenly, she saw something in the mist, a large muscular creature with cat-like ears. It broke through the fog to stand in front of her, towering high over her and sniffing the air. Growling, it caught her scent and raised its lips to reveal rows of sharp, white teeth.
Rei gasped in surprise and stumbled backwards, fingering one of her paper wards. The creature lurched towards her, and Rei tossed the paper. It stuck to the monster’s forehead, making it freeze in its tracks and howl in frustration. Rei used the opportunity to run.
The ward would not hold the creature for long, she knew, and so she ducked down the nearest alleyway to try and disappear down a different street. She hoped that the fog would confuse the creature and keep it from finding her. She darted down a side street and tripped over something, causing her to lurch forward and just barely regain her footing. Rei glanced backwards and saw a figure huddled on the ground, sobbing. Fingering another ward, Rei approached the person. She had dark skin and silver hair, and wore a yellow jacket and jeans. Cautiously, Rei reached out to touch her, when the girl raised her head to stare at Rei with intense blue eyes.
“You’re real,” the girl said, a statement rather than a question.
Rei’s eyes narrowed and she held up the paper. “Who are you? Have we met?”
“Once, in Tokyo,” the stranger said, rising to her feet and coughing into her hand. “You had a vision and collapsed. I caught you.”
Rei relaxed, remembering. “You had a friend there.”
“Mai,” the girl nodded. “My name is Arinomamano Eizou. Please call me Zou.”
“Hino Rei,” Rei replied. “Rei is fine.”
“Well, Rei-san, why are we in this strange lie?”
Rei raised an eyebrow at the girl, unsure of what she was talking. “I’m looking for my friend Usagi. Have you seen her?”
Zou shook her head. “You’re the only truth I’ve found in this place.”
A howl echoed through the streets, far closer than Rei would have liked. Zou seemed to hear it as well, her eyes moving back and forth as she strained to hear. Suddenly, she erupted into a coughing fit and began to sway on her feet. She nearly toppled over when Rei reached out to catch her. The silver haired girl looked up at her gratefully.
“Are you okay, Zou-san?” Rei asked.
Zou forced a smiled and stood straighter. “The mist does something to my lungs, I think. I’m fine. Perhaps we should be heading away from whatever made that unearthly howl?”
Rei smiled grimly and nodded. Together, the two girls ran through the deserted streets of Tokyo. In spite of her bad lungs, Zou had no problems keeping up with Rei, and the black haired priestess found herself wondering about her mysterious new companion. The howling continued to follow them, and Rei noticed Zou’s hand often went to the blue crystal she wore around her neck.
Suddenly, Zou slide to a halt, holding out her arm to stop Rei. An instant later, the cat-monster lurched into the street, its lips curling into a mocking grin as it stared at the two girls. Zou’s eyes widened in surprise, and Rei swore to herself, wondering how she would save Zou without revealing her secret identity.
“Zou-san! Run for cover! Hurry!” Rei exclaimed.
The girl hesitated. “What about you?”
“I’ll follow you.”
A slow smile spread across Zou’s face as Rei stared at her. “I see now the truth about you. You’re a senshi!”
Rei’s expression betrayed her. She straightened and her eyes moved around the area, judging the importance of keeping her secret against keeping them alive. Zou saw her struggle, and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Rei-san,” she said gently, holding the blue stone of her necklace. “Varuna Asteroid Power, Make-Up!”
As Rei stared in surprise, Zou transformed into Sailor Varuna. Her clothes disappeared, replaced by a yellow and orange uniform of tall boots, shorts, long gloves, and a bikini-style top with a sailor’s collar. The stone from her necklace settled at her waist, and she winked at Rei.
“Senshi of Truth, from the distant field of asteroids, I am Sailor Varuna!”
As the monster drew closer, Sailor Varuna looked over expectantly at Rei. The black haired girl smiled grimly and drew out her henshin pen.
“Mars Crystal Power, Make-Up!” she called.
Back to back, Sailor Mars and Sailor Varuna faced the approaching threat. The beast circled them warily, sniffing the air and emitting a low growl in the back of its throat. The two senshi watched, waiting for it to make a move. Suddenly, it did, leaping forward with incredible speed. The senshi split up, a fiery arrow appearing in Mars’ hand.
“Mars Flame Sniper!” she cried.
The cat-monster howled in pain as the arrow sliced off one of its arms. Claws extended on its remaining limbs, it attacked again. Varuna uncoiled her belt from around her wait, holding it loosely in her hand.
“Cosmic Hangman’s Noose!” Varuna called.
The rope wrapped itself around the monster’s throat, pulling it backwards. Varuna’s eyes narrowed and an electric charge shot through the rope and into the monster. It screamed once more in pain and fell to the ground. Sailor Varuna released her rope and reattached it to her waist.
Mars brushed her hair from her face and nodded to her companion.
“The senshi of truth?” Mars asked.
Varuna nodded, coughing slightly in the fog. Sailor Mars sighed.
“This whole place is false,” Varuna said. “The world has changed, somehow. Perhaps we are no longer where we believe we are.”
“That’s not really that helpful, you know,” Mars snapped.
Varuna shrugged and coughed. She pointed into the distance. “Perhaps we should start our search for answers there.”
Looking where her new companion pointed, Sailor Mars saw a large tree rising from the fog. It seemed to have settled right downtown, its branches rising high into the sky.
“It will take us a while to walk there, through the city,” Mars commented. “Come on. Maybe we’ll find Usagi or the others on the way.”
Varuna smiled shyly and fell into step beside Sailor Mars as they headed towards the large tree.
*****
Sailor Loki ran through the streets of Asgard, her face stained with tears. The city was empty, all life disappeared. She saw no people, no animals, and not even any insects. All that remained of the world she fought to save was the cold, stone statue of the new god of light on the Golden Throne.
Loki slowed to a halt and sat down on the steps leading up to the palace. She put her head in her hands and tried to figure out what had happened. The Norns had promised that the fruit they had given her would bring her to Sailor Aion, but they had lied. Now, because of them, her world was gone and Aion was still trapped in the Void. Loki punched the ground angrily.
“All alone, aren’t you?” a childish voice asked.
Loki raised her head and saw a girl standing in front of her. She had pale gray skin, dark gray eyes, and black hair. She stood with her hands clasped behind her back, leaning forward to regard Loki curiously.
“Did they leave you behind?” she asked again.
“Of course not,” Loki snapped. “Go away.”
“But they’re not here,” the girl pressed. “They must have left you.”
Loki shook her head. “Something must have happened to them.”
“Are you sure?”
Loki met the girl’s gaze and blinked. What if the child was right? What if Odin and the others had left without her? Maybe she hadn’t killed Tansei, and her sister-senshi were after the real murderer.
“No,” the girl answered her unspoken thought, “you killed the light god. You turned him to stone, and now your friends hate you.”
“Who are you?” Loki demanded, fresh tears welling up in her eyes.
The girl walked forward and sat next to Loki, resting her head on Loki’s lap. Unconsciously, Loki began to stroke the girl’s hair, and she closed her dark eyes in satisfaction.
“Munashii,” the gray girl replied. “I’m the only one you’ve got left, Loki.”