DISCLAIMERS:
All canon characters are (C) 1992 - whatever year it is Naoko Takeuchi and all other related parties. The Shadow senshi are (C) Wild Nature 2006 - 2007. This is a fanfic based upon the anime version and all written work that this consists of is (C) 2006 - 2007 Wild Nature.

Chapter Thirteen: A Truth Obscured; The Loss of a Soul

⌠No...■ Shadow Pluto looked around her. ⌠Time.. it▓s become stale..■ She whispered painfully. ⌠Where did you get this power?■ She cried out to the senshi.

⌠I am Sailor Sigel, senshi of the sun▓s fires,■ Sailor Sigel said evenly. ⌠Within me, I am the other side of Void.■ She gave a slow, twisted smile.

⌠That▓s not true!■ Jaro said sharply. ⌠You are nothing!■

⌠Look around you, Mage..■ Sailor Sigel hissed. ⌠Time has stopped, the earth is deadening, oh, I am the most powerful being in the entire world. And I want what was mine..■

She turned her attention to Shadow Moon. ⌠You and your wretched people. Your parents were so easy, to kill you but someone was smart enough to save you yet. I won▓t be making the same mistake.■

⌠Void.. Void was the one..■ Shadow Moon began, albeit weakly.

⌠Void, in that past form, was so easily used. I drained him nearly of all his energy but it was too easy to drain out of me,■ she spoke bitterly. ⌠I cannot go anywhere without the sacrifice of great energy. I▓m always trapped in nothingness.■

Shadow Moon felt herself glance to the two dark skinned warriors. Both of them looked guilty, as if there was something yet to be told. Shadow Moon braced herself.

⌠Give it to me,■ Sailor Sigel▓s hand formed, her hammer high in the heavens. It throbbed with a dull power, as her eyes blanked out.

⌠I will not die!■ She screamed suddenly and lunged. The others moved for an attack but the two soldiers moved, managing to keep them abreast from Shadow Moon and Sailor Sigel.

Her Crystal Triad staff caught the hammer, thought it was mere centimeters from her face. ⌠I won▓t... let you have it. Only a true person of the Dead Moon realm deserves it!■

⌠Then you might want to give it to the White Moon Princess,■ Sailor Sigel hissed in a dark whisper. ⌠You think you deserve it? What have you done for them? You have fought here, on this world, not theirs!■ She was shoved off by Shadow Moon, who was breathing heavily at this point.

⌠You cannot have it,■ She repeated, gulping in air. She tried to see about the others but Sailor Sigel once more lunged and she jumped back, falling on her back as her staff fell to the ground. The hammer brought down in force and the staff shattered into shards.

Shadow Moon stared at it before looking up at the mad glazed eyes of Sailor Sigel. ⌠I won▓t die..■ She repeated, in a monotone voice.

⌠Why did you do this? Why do you want the Moon Triad Piece?■

⌠I want the Solar Cross...■ Sailor Sigel said, with a thick tongue. ⌠That impossible light, it gave day to the world of forever night. I want it.. I need it.. give it to me!■

⌠Why?■ Shadow Moon asked, in a soft, wavering whisper. ⌠I don▓t have it.. I don▓t know what happened to it!■

⌠It was once a part of the Triad Moon piece, given birth by it. Only it can be called by the true Heir of the Dead Moon realm, and combined to form a powerful source of life..■

Her eyes widened slightly. ⌠Life.. Give me my life!■

The hammer fell in slow motion to the ground as Sailor Sigel▓s hands ripped into her. Reminscent to the early days of the youma, the hands were misted, searching frantically.

And try as she might to stop Sailor Sigel, Shadow Moon watched a translucent crystal pull out, a diamond shaped piece.

Hearing Elemental Sailor Moon screaming didn▓t make her feel better. Shadow Moon had barely a grasp upon the offending hands grasping that shard. She knew that shard was important, she just couldn▓t figure it out.

⌠Sigel! STOP!■ Alsvid screamed finally, unable to hold back. ⌠Please! This isn▓t the way at all!■

The star seed shone before the Triad Moon piece was pulled out, forming into the Solar Cross. Sailor Sigel yanked her hand away as Shadow Moon became nothing more than dust.

This time, half the girls screamed. Jaro▓s eyes widened, his face ashen. ⌠No.. no.. my beloved.. my Eizou.. GIVE HER BACK!■ He screamed, his energy crackling, growing in fast strength. He moved for attack only to be stopped by Shadow Pluto.

⌠Wait..■ Her eyes were unfixed.

⌠Shadow Pluto?■

⌠I see them.. two of dark skin, another one trailing behind. Feelings of abandonment, loneliness, a sudden battle and pain.. such pain.■

She turned toward the two girls, who were facing Sailor Sigel.

⌠Sigel.. don▓t do this. You don▓t want to do this,■ Alsvid was begging, crying. ⌠This isn▓t right at all!■

Arvak was staring at where Shadow Moon had been. ⌠How... why.. Sigel, oh Sigel, you▓re far too broken.■

Sailor Sigel hurrumphed. ⌠I no longer need you,■ She said icily, raising an hand as fire billowed out. It swept over the two, neither one of them moving in the least. ⌠I won▓t be left... I won▓t die.. I won▓t be alone..■ She whispered, holding the Solar Cross tightly in her hands. ⌠I have the blood of the Dead Moon Realm in me, I am the Heir, I am the Princess and I will take everything. No one will ever, ever leave me alone again..■

⌠We never left, Sigel,■ Arvak spoke from the clearing heat.

⌠We▓ve always been by your side,■ Alsvid▓s eyes were tearing.

⌠But we failed. We thought we could save you but we only altered destiny and ruined ourselves..■ Arvak▓s voice cracked.

⌠And worse, you..■ Aslvid covered her face, a sob breaking out.

⌠Forgive us,■ Alsvid cried to the others, who were still stunned. ⌠We had come for help but the damages.. the damages are so great...■

⌠Why won▓t you die!■ Sailor Sigel blazed at them, again and again. The fires did nothing against them.

She grasped the Solar Cross tighter and gave a low sigh. ⌠Such power.. such energy.. yes, yes, let me have it! I won▓t...■

Her eyes widened, a look of something flickering in her gaze. Her mouth opened in a soundless scream as the Solar Cross became consumed by rings of fire, spinning faster and faster until she let go, her already burnt hands now without fingers.

⌠No..■ She stared, horrified. The fire licked around her as she screamed, waiting for it to consume her.

Wind picked up around her, her eyes cracked open as the two soldiers took the brunt of the angry rings. The Solar Cross then fell down upon the ground, turning a pale version of it▓s normally bright colors.

The two turned toward her. ⌠We▓re sorry, Sigel..■ Both reached out a hand and a single thread from each wove to Sailor Sigel, wrapping around her hands.

They spoke as one. ⌠We left, after learning who we were. We were the Senshi of the Sun, born many millennia ago. We were blessed together. But the one who followed us, left in our shadows..■

⌠Sigel was never to be a senshi, no matter how much she tried. But she followed fearlessly, helplessly clinging to all that she had. And when we were in battle, to save us, she was destroyed but we.. we were too selfish. Our one and only friend, one who looked upon us without fear. How could we leave her alone? To float in a empty space?■

⌠We gave up our sailor senshi powers, becoming nothing more than soldiers... we breathed our life into her, a half of a star seed each, in hopes of saving her. But her light.. her beautiful light was shadowed by the moment of death, of becoming trapped halfway on this realm and halfway in the ethereal realm.■

⌠And we fought to save her still. We still do,■ Arvak spoke this time. ⌠Each time, we made sure that not too much was lost but the more time passes, the more energy is required, and the more broken you become..■

Aslvid and Arvak looked at each other before nodding simultaneously. They pulled their hands back as once, watching her fall backwards, her senshi fuku melting away to become a tattered gray dress, her body revealed in flame licked burns. Her breath became thick and labored as the two turned toward the others.

⌠We are sorry.. for our sins,■ Aslvid lowered her head. ⌠We failed at the code of a sailor senshi. To protect.. we failed. But we won▓t let her go alone.■

⌠And we won▓t let yours be taken.■

The two grasped hands together, moving to sit next to the burned figure that used to be Sailor Sigel.

They picked up the Solar Cross and gently helped the girl to grasp it, the other two adding their hands upon the burned ones.

⌠For our atonement, Sigel, we won▓t leave you alone. We never wanted to hurt you. You won▓t be lonely anymore, we▓ll be together,■ Alsvid brushed the charred hair back lovingly, her tears falling down as her hands glowed in brilliant red hot light.

Arvak spoke then. ⌠We will pay the price together. Your suffering will be ours. We will protect you from everything.■ And her hands glowed with energy. Both of them became transparent.

⌠Sigel.. let go.. please..■ Both voices, muted and weak. ⌠We won▓t leave you.. so please... don▓t let us be alone either..■

Her burned hands, slowly tightened, her body turning to dust as the two girls were blown away by their star seeds, left behind in the wake before the two combined to form a ball of energy.

And it shattered, the dust of light falling down over the Solar Cross. It flickered each time, as if about to ignite. It wasn▓t until the last particle fell in a slow fall that it suddenly began to burn. The energy swam out in droves of energy waves, waking up everyone from their trances.

Each wave, a heartbeat. A shadowed figure formed first, hair growing, eyes opening of a violet hue. Naturally peach skin, a fuku clad body. Shadow Moon stood alone for a moment before her eyes welled up, the tears falling down as she looked up to the heavens.

And the Solar Cross shone brilliantly, showing them all a sudden scene of darkness that blossomed into light, three butterflies floating upward and upward.

Shadow Moon had felt them, at their dying moments. Their pain and suffering, the simple need to not be alone twisted to stay with those that you cared about. How could that have been a sin? To have lived just to be near them, to not know the pain of loss? But all together, they would make a long and fulfilling journey back to a sea of stars, where the chances of rebirth would give them a second chance.

⌠EIZOU!■ Arms grasped her, taking her breath away as Shadow Moon was engulfed by Jaro. ⌠Oh God..■ She realized he was crying, holding her like she was going to disappear again.

⌠What.. happened?■ She managed before the world turned black. She collapsed in his arms, his eyes gentle as he hefted her up.

⌠Eizou..■ He murmured.

⌠It▓s time, Jaro,■ Apple▓s voice rang out loudly, startling them. The world was still frozen, in that one lone spot. The group all stared at him.

⌠For the test,■ Apple said evenly. ⌠Void must be found now, when Eizou is at her strongest.■

⌠She▓s out cold!■ Sailor Mars shouted irritably.

The V upon his brow, much like a unibrow, glowed, energy gathering into it as Apple▓s body turned to light, morphing.

His long, white hair, most of it vanished from his frame but grew longer upon his scalp, trailing down to the middle of his back. His golden eyes became more human, the canine slit still visible. His ears, slightly pointed, his pale skin, and a strong narrow V upon the middle of his brow. He had well defined eyebrows, a sharp chin, and his uniform was greatly intricate, held unto his frame defining him as a noble, a guardian of sorts.

He stood for a moment, everything eerily silent. ⌠Come now,■ Apple said finally, his voice deeper in this human form but with the sharp gnaw of his canine tongue.
⌠The test begins, NOW.■