DISCLAIMERS All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2007 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter Eight: Driven

Demi ran, her feet moving but the ground still as a still frame. The dead world underneath her frightened her, dragged her to it, the darkness dripping out.

‘I’m sorry!’ She thought painfully. ‘I’m so sorry! This is my fault.. I’m not strong enough!’

“Not sssstrong enough...” a soft, silky voice echoed around her, puncturing her ears and pain ran through her. “I can make you sssstronger, Gemini...”

“Who’s there?” Demi swerved, her fuku forming effortlessly. The darkness fled momentarily to grasp around her ankles and she fell into the earth, swallowed by the hovering night.

Some slick, smooth, and cool brushed her face, laying down in a heap. A soft hiss, another press of coolness and she was staggering to her feet with no avail.

“No!” She begged. “No!”

“Why be afraid? I am the one you ssseek... I can make you whole... Gemini...”

“No!” She screamed, ripping her body away from the ground and the darkness fled once more. She huddled tightly, sobbing.

‘Why do you cry?’ A soft, familiar voice spoke to her.

“It hurts.. I can’t do anything!”

‘But you are doing something.. you rejected the Poison...’

“But I can’t help Castor.. I can’t do anything! I’m not powerful enough!”

‘We were never to be alone..’ The voice was sad. ‘Why be powerful alone when together, we are whole?’

She looked up with a tearstained face. “But we all try so hard to be apart..”

‘Cancer doesn’t.. have you ever thought to listen?’

“I’m the older sister!” She retorted.

‘Why does it bother you so? Did you want to be in charge?’ The voice had taken a teasing tone. ‘Gemini was always bossy...’

“I’m not just Gemini!” Demi stood up, her vision blurring. “It hurts to be Gemini.. I can’t...”

She pressed her knuckles to her lips. “Castor.. He loved me all this time.. he cared and I did nothing but yell. He gave his life and let me go first.. why can’t I help him?”

‘Without the shard, you cannot be more complete..’

“Then give it to me!” She cried out painfully.

‘I cannot.. you must be ready and your heart is not.’

“Galena was!”

‘She wants to be a team. She wants to help save! What would bring you to accept? To help a lost love? To try to renew old emotions better left alone?! Selfish child!’

She glared out in the dead air. “Selfish? SELFISH! I wasn’t the one to decide to die first!”

A sob, heart wrenching, came out, echoing around her. ‘I know! I know this already! It hurt seeing him.. to fall down. I was losing the one I was destined for but I couldn’t.. couldn’t take him with me.. I chose to give my life to save him, but it failed. It always did. His warmth, his touch.. his everything was lost..’

“But he’s still here..” Demi began hesitantly.

‘And we still love him..’ the voice sounded drained, tired. ‘Oh, dear Gemini, how can you accept a shard on a notion? Is it for love or to make his life easier?’

“I.. I.. Castor..” She could remember finding him, huddled in a dirty, thrown out cardboard box, the top barely hanging on as the cat pushed back into the far reaches. He hadn’t hissed at her open hands, accepting her gratefully.

He had taken to her, before even letting on that he could talk. And even then, he attempted to treat her as an equal, someone he could talk one to one with.

And she treated him as a cat, despite the growing feeling that there was more to him, that maybe her heart was in the right place, that maybe she was, truly was..

“I love him,” she said simply. “I don’t care what form he takes, I just want him near me, to be my strength, my savior..”

‘Love is a powerful tool that many often discard. But there are those who see it for it is, a strength, power that gives us something far more than anything else..’

A blinding light filled Demi’s gaze before a shard presented itself to her. ‘Take it. I have no need for it anymore...’

“Are you leaving?” Demi asked weakly.

‘I can never leave..’ The voice sounded more and more tired. ‘I am forever lost... forever cursed... this was our fall. I only hope that we can be saved again...’

She awoke, falling off her bed as she blinked furiously, the grime sticking the eyelids together painfully.

“God, my head hurts..”

“So does mine!” Castor’s voice squeaked out from underneath her, the blanket having dragged by Demi which meant that Castor had been dragged down. His tail moved furiously as he wiggled and twisted.

She reached out and plucked him by the scruff, eyeing him. “You didn’t turn human,” she pointed out. He glared at her.

“Polly! POLLY!” Galena came in, blinking innocently. “I was going to give Polly a bath. Do you know where he is?”

“Cats don’t bathe.”

“But he smells.”

Castor tried to swallow his laugh. It came out in his nose and startled Demi who dropped him.

“Ouch...” He grumbled, getting to his feet easily.

“Cats can’t take baths,” Demi began.

“But he smells!”

“Fine! I don’t know where he is!” She nearly yelled and Galena took off with a hurt look.

The girl took off on her skateboard, painted in fire-licked patterns as she breezed down the empty street. Her browned skin meshed well with her fiery red eyes and raven hair. It would normally be long, trailing to the middle of her back but she placed them on two buns, one on each side of her head. She had two face-length, thick strands cupping her cheeks. These were dipped in red at the edges.

“Danny!” A group of boys followed her, shouting. She looked behind her, winked, and took off down a long set of stairs, using the metal bar as leverage. She knew they wouldn’t follow her, they could never keep up with her.

She was gathering speed as she hit the ground hard and wheezed forward. She gave a shout behind her, seeing the group fast shrinking as she turned and spotted a rather tall woman.

‘Strange..’ She thought suddenly, although she couldn’t quite explain just why she felt apprehensively at that exact moment. ‘Something life changing..’

And she did what she always did when something like that happened. She opened her arms and hit the air, rushing forward with a grin stretched wide.

Haruka turned in the right moment to see the other girl slow down just as she hit Haruka’s side. She felt the warm wind of summer ruffle her hair slightly as the other slowly trailed around her.

“You’re like the wind..” The other girl said finally. “Familiar, a stranger.. you think I’ve met you in a past life?”

Haruka tilted her head. “My name is Tenou Haruka.”

“From what, Japan, China? What part of Asia?”

“Japan.”

“Name’s Aidan Fay. Everyone calls me Danny.”

“Why?”

“Cause I’m one of the guys,” She flipped her board up, catching it. “I just breezed down those steps.” She pointed to the steep, long set as Haruka merely blinked.

“Bit of a daredevil are you?” Haruka smirked. “I drive cars.”

“I would but I killed my dad’s car and he won’t let me drive anymore,” Aidan laughed. “Oh well, I’m still saving money for a good set of wheels. Someday, right?”

“Haruka?” Michiru had finally found her love, carrying a large tote of souvenirs. “Where did you go to?” She asked lightly before noting the somewhat tall girl. “Who are you?” She smiled lightly.

“Name’s Aidan Fay. Call me Danny,” Aidan offered a hand as Michiru took it. “Don’t you worry. I don’t ‘like’ like her, she’s a kindred spirit.”

Michiru smiled wider. “I know that feeling.”

“Sorry to bother you, Haruka, Michiru. Just taking a ride.”

“DANNY!” The same group of boys were coming fast now.

“Damn. Don’t you think they’d give up? Having fans just isn’t worth this publicity!” Aidan laughed. “Come on boys! You think you can catch me?”

“Taste the fire of Aries!” Aidan dropped her board with a yell. “Do me a favor? Tell the other Zodiacs I’ll find them soon? I just need to catch the air one more time before I buckle down!”

And she took off, the group of five teenaged boys, at least three years or so younger than the eighteen year old girl trailing behind her at close range.

“Remember!” She shouted, looking over her shoulder. “See ya Uranus!” And she was gone from sight, as Haruka stared out toward the figure.

“Huh...” She blinked as she watched the group fly by her. “She’s fun, don’t you think?”

“A kindred spirit,” Michiru agreed.

Aidan eventually find her way into the small town, going down toward the wharf as she spotted a green-haired girl.

“Hey!” Aidan attempted to go around but the girl turned in the last moment and they crashed with a set of yells.

“Owwie!” Kerri poked her head out, wincing. “I’m so sorry! I was distracted.” For a moment, she couldn’t see Aidan until there was a poke on her back. She was sitting in Aidan’s lap who’s hair had come undone enough to cover her shoulder in strands.

“Hi,” Aidan grinned, instead of being angry.

“I’m so sorry!” Kerri jumped up and helped the other girl up. “Oh, your hair..”

“It’s all right! Just lead me to a mirror and probably a brush would help, huh?”

Kerri waited outside her bathroom, trying hard to not peek in though Aidan really wasn’t doing anything save making sure her hair was exactly as she had it. “So, you’re Kerri, right?”

“Yep! Kerri Fisk! And you’re called Danny?”

“You can call me that or Aidan. But usually my parents call me Aidan if they’re mad at me.”

“I like the name Aidan. Fay means fairy, right?”

“Yep!” Aidan exited the bathroom and there was a moment of silence. “So how does this start?” She asked finally.

“You should meet everyone!” Kerri answered brightly.

“Oh, well, how many are there?”

“Let’s see..” Kerri began. “There’s Demi, Galena, Demi’s little sister, Castor, Pollux, Gami, Yale, Lila, and Karna.”

She took a deep breath. “But there’s also Usagi, Ami, Mina, Mako, Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru, and Rei.”

“Wow...” Aidan said after a big pause. “That’s.. big. Enough for a party, huh?” Aidan rubbed her head lightly. “Too many people for me.”

“We’re just meeting the first group!” Kerri answered chipper still.

“Wonderful.. shall we go then?” She nodded and headed out, Kerri following as she shouted to her mother.

“I’ll be home soon! I’m seeing my friends!”

“Be back safely!” Was her mother’s response as the door swung shut.

Demi looked over at Karna. She had taken to staying over nearly every night and she wanted to ask desperately what type of home life she had. But Castor’s incessant, “Stay out of it, for the love of God, stay out of it!” kept echoing in her head.

Karna was getting sicker daily. Just by small doses of Ophiuchus’s poisoning, she was forgetting things, becoming far more angry and violent. Galena was the only one who calmed her down and so Galena had taken to her side faithfully.

“We need Virgo,” came a sudden suggest from Galena. She was fast progressing in her memories of the past, though all of them centered on individuals, not as the group. “She was our Healer.”

Demi shrugged. “We don’t have anything to help us find the rest of the team. It’s all been by accident so far.”

“But we need Virgo! For Karna and Arin!” Galena looked over at the sleeping figure. Karna moved restlessly, her eyelids twitching as a nightmare ensnared her.

“The more she falls into poison, the more trapped she is in her dead star,” Galena said sadly. “If we can’t reach them in time, they’ll not only have no redemption but they won’t return.. ever.”

Demi heard the doorbell and answered it. Yale was standing with Kerri and Aidan. Yale looked mildly interested in Aidan who merely smiled widely. “Hello!” Kerri beamed. “I found it!”

“Yes you did!” Aidan agreed. “Name’s Aidan Fay, call me Danny, and yes, I’m Sailor Aries! It’s been a fast moving day, I’d like to keep it like that!”

Yale chuckled. “I couldn’t keep up with you.”

“Try and see!” Aidan winked. “Come on down to my side and we’ll have some fun!”

Yale grinned but a slight blush swept momentarily over her cheekbones.

“Come in but don’t go into the living room,” Demi asked.

“How she doing?” Yale asked quietly.

“She’s been sleeping more and more. I have trouble waking her up. It’s taking Galena’s constant presence just to make sure she had a reason to wake up for.”

Kerri was looking around, poking into drawers, touching pictures, and seemingly ignoring the conversation.

“Kerri?” Demi asked finally.

“We need Virgo,” Kerri suggested quietly, suddenly. “But Galena already suggested, right?”

“How did you..” Demi began.

“She’s our leader! She’s smart! She knew what was best for us!”

“I told you so!” Galena called out from the living room.

“Oh shut up!” Demi called back, good-naturedly.

Aidan gave in to curiosity, peeking into the living room. The couch was where Karna was finally awake, though still not quite all there. She approached slowly, seeing Karna watching her as the corners of her eyes.

“Libra?” Karna’s voice was weak, hopeful. “Are you there?”

Aidan stilled, her eyes closing momentarily. “I’m Aries..”

“Leave me alone.. I want Libra..”

Aidan stared sadly, blinking slowly as her eyelashes caught the gathered tears, spilling them. “She’s nearly gone. I don’t want to see what state Libra is in.”

“How did you..”

“I don’t know how to best explain it but I see visions, plain and simple. Libra is most strong in my mind because she’s balance. But without balance, everything is chaos.” Aidan closed her eyes tightly. “I know something that’s so frightening in this path we’re being forced to take...”

“What?” Yale was the one to ask.

“That some of us will lose our lives in the process. But..” Aidan turned with a weak smile. “We will be saved... completely, truly saved. We were not in vain, we are a team, we are one. Death will not let us lose, we will be whole again..”

Demi was hesitant. “Do you know who?”

“No.. there are several that I cannot distinguish and honestly, I don’t want to. What if I saw my own face?”

“Is Karna going to die?” Galena asked weakly. “Please.. she wants to save Libra, that’s all!”

“And she will, we all will,” Aidan studied her fingers. “But in order to do so, we need to know more info about our past, about our unseen enemy.”

“It’s Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer..” Demi began.

“But why is he after us? What do we have that he wants? Why Libra?”

The others looked at each other. “We’ve just been trying to survive now. We still don’t know anything more save that he wants something called the Heavenly Crystal.”

“Heavenly Crystal..” The group turned toward Karna. “Blessed by the Stars, once a rival for the new arrival of the Ginzuishou, it lacked something that the silver light had, a host. It was held by power by twelve soldiers but it belonged only to one true person. He thought he was the one but he isn’t, he has the wrong one, he’s going to kill us until he finds her.”

Demi started. “You mean he thinks Arin is the holder of the crystal but he’s wrong?”

“Love will make us do foolish things,” Karna said absently. “To long for not just power but balance, to be whole.. we were whole..”

“He was jealous,” Yale stated blandly. “He hated us because..”

“He was to be one of us..” Galena finished.

“He’s the thirteenth Zodiac, a cursed star,” Kerri added, startling the others. “I remember things too, you know.” She retorted to the looks.

“If we all gathered together and pieced our memories together, we’ll get a whole picture,” Demi said slowly. “Together... it’s what we wanted all along.”

“DEMI!” Demi jumped as Castor jumped into the room, followed by Pollux. “We need to get down the street. Libra’s causing trouble!”

“Li...bra?” Karna’s eyes opened as she shot up. “LIBRA!” She screamed. She grasped her wrist, shouting. “Taurus Celestial Power, Make Up!”

She transformed into Sailor Taurus, holding her tamborines in her hands as she smashed it purposely. The sound stifled the gathered group who once recovered, found Taurus completely gone from the room.

“The window!” Demi wailed, seeing the shattered glass. “I hope it won’t cost too much,” She grumbled as she shouted. “Gemini Celestial Power, Make Up!”

“Cancer Celestial Power, Make Up!”

“Pisces Celestial Power, Make Up!”

“Capricorn Celestial Power, Make Up!”

“Aries Celestial Power, Make Up!” Aidan held up her wrist, the flames forming into a ram that slammed it’s self into her, lighting her in fire as her fuku formed. Her symbol shone upon her brow, her choker formed a crisscrossed set, the top straps white, the bottom red, with the yellow star clasped in the center. Her collar was red but flame edged.

Her bodice had attached sleeves, the ends shaped as flames as well. Underneath her breasts was a yellow band. The breast section was divided by flames along the yellow band, the upper level white. She had a loose dress, layered twice. The upper one was white, the lower one was red. Both were also edged in flames.

Her red gloves covered two-thirds of her arms, beginning halfway down her forearm to end at the palms, the edges pulled out and shaped like flames. She had knee length red boots, high heeled slightly, with the top edges also designed in flames. She had a red heart brooch, with the sides lined by three round white gems and a yellow star in its center.

They ran down the street, finding the Sol Senshi already there. “Go away!” Capricorn shouted angrily.

“We’re trying to get Taurus!” Venus shouted back.

“Stop her!” Cancer screamed loudly.

Taurus had closed in on Libra, who held her arms open with a malicious smile. She was engulfed by Taurus who was sobbing.

“I’m so sorry, Arin! I thought I could be your friend, I could protect you!”

“LIBRA, DON’T!” Aries was the next to scream.

Libra’s sword shone brilliantly before catching the light, blinding the others momentarily before it suddenly dulled. Embedded in Taurus’s back who returned to her civilian form, she stared blankly as Taurus collapsed. A black shard was lifted from her as Libra gently cupped it with one hand.

“One down, ten to go,” She breathed. She lifted her hand to stare suddenly at her sword. Covered in hot blood, dripping down onto her hand, her eyes flashed as she gurgled, dropping it.

She turned slowly, eyes wide with fear. She stared bleakly at the shard before she let out a pain-filled scream. “KARNA!”

Almost as suddenly, her eyes went blank. Two long, gray arms wrapped around her as Ophiuchus held her almost lovingly. “Ssshush, my dark Libra. All isss well..” He looked up, his tongue lashing out. “Oh, what to do with sssuch dessspicable thingsss... failuress, all of you, failuresss...”

“Libra..” Sailor Cancer let out a sob. “LIBRA!” She began to move toward the two figures but arms pulled her back. Pollux held onto her as she protested wildly, seeing the limp figure of Karna, now lifeless.

“Two down, ten to go...” Ophiuchus’s whisper echoed in their heads as he smiled thinly, disappearing in a mist.

“Karna! Karna!” Once the threat was gone, Cancer was let go as she hobbled to her friend. “Karna.. wake up? Wake up!” No amount of shaking would wake the girl up. Her heart pierced, she had died instantly. “No.. NO! We were supposed to save her! We were supposed to save them! NO!”

Cancer’s sign blazed strongly as she wailed, the only way for her grief to exit. “LIBRA! TAURUS!”