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Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Elysion

Dawn of Light

Chapter Three - The Three Realms of Earth

A finger poked at Koe as she worked on her math. It was a consistent prod that was supposed to invoke. But after spending two weeks in Benten’s presence had dulled Koe enough that she was able to ignore the other.

Benten wore her hair down that day, the fishbone transferred to a necklace. It sparkled in the sunlight gazing from the patio’s sunroof. Dressed in yellow overalls and a tight fitting white shirt, Benten looked a bit like a farmer’s daughter, though her behavior was more like a city girl as she eyed her fingernails.

“This nail polish isn’t working,” she announced loudly, glancing down at Koe. Still no response, Benten was slowly deciding on a more obvious method to get Koe to stop what she was doing and pay her some attention.

“So I hear your dad interrogated Eos.”

“WHAT?” Koe’s head snapped up. “He..”

“Relax! I was just saying that. He just asked him questions, that’s all.”

“He hasn’t done anything wrong!” Koe glared. “Why is everyone saying he’s bad?”

“So you don’t know anything about Tartarus?”

“No, why should I?” Koe shook her head. “I mean, I don’t even know much about Elysion.”

“Not much IS known. It’s a realm that is made of dreams and survives on dreams.”

“So Tartarus is the reverse, it is made of nightmares and thrives on them?”

“I’d say so.”

“And nightmares are bad?”

“Most of the time. There have been some exceptions. Like those nightmares when you’re trapped out of your body and you’re trying to wake up. That’s a nightmare tied into reality which in a sense, isn’t really a nightmare but your senses.”

Koe stared at the blue-haired girl. “I don’t get you.”

“I wouldn’t either,” Fujin agreed.

“Stop sucking up,” Benten glared.

“I do not suck up.”

“Do too.”

“Do not.”

“I said..”

“I don’t care what you say.”

“HIRUKO!”

Said person stuck his head in. “Shouldn’t she be finishing homework?”

“We were talking about nightmares.”

“As in sleep-related or Nightmares?”

“If someone couldn’t read that line, they wouldn’t be able to know what you’re talking about,” Benten pointed out to Fujin.

Hiruko was studying the math sheet. “Hmmm... I think this one is wrong.”

“Give me that!” Koe fumed. “I don’t need to be corrected!”

There was a knock on the door as Minako poked her head in, speaking in a near whisper. “Hey, Eos is out in the gardens.”

“Where’s Dad?”

“Talking with Helios about something or other,” Minako removed her head and stuck a hand in to wave goodbye before leaving.

Koe nibbled on her pencil to stare at the math in her hand. “It can wait.”

“That’s taking the moment!” Benten jammed a fist in the air as the others pointedly ignored her. “Guys? Don’t leave me hanging!”

“If we ignore her enough, think she’ll shut up?” Fujin asked Hiruko.

“Doubt it. If she had an off button by now, I’d have broken it.”

“HEY!”

Eos was sitting still on a tree swing, staring forward with a blind gaze. He noticed instantly Koe however and then noted the other three with a strange look on his face.

“You are Dreams Incarnated.”

“No, I’m Benten,” she corrected him. “This is Fujin and Hiruko.” She offered happily.

“You don’t seem like a Nightmare,” Fujin said finally. “You.. I don’t know what you feel like but it’s almost familiar.”

“Is it?” Eos looked away then to Koe. “Hello, Princess.”

“Koe,” she corrected him. “Please, call me by my name.”

“You do not like your title?” Eos inquired.

“It’s not that..”

“You’re being very impersonal,” Benten stage-whispered.

“Why are we following Koe again? Shouldn’t we leave her alone NOW?” Hiruko asked Fujin with a raised eyebrow.

“We don’t leave now, Benten will probably say something really bad,” Fujin noted.

Benten’s smiled slipped as her two brothers carefully grasped her to drag her away. She’d fight it but she knew a losing battle when right in the front of it. “Darn it, I was just curious!”

Eos carefully sat up. “Would you like me to push you?” He offered, gesturing carefully to the swing.

“Okay,” Koe beamed at him though he didn’t smile. She sat down as he moved behind her to push her gently, almost hesitantly.

She felt the wind pick up as she began to climb and retract, each climb higher and higher.

Eos had moved to the side, watching her. She could feel emotion around him, too complicated to understand before she jumped. The stab of fear from him nearly distracted her to crash but she caught herself in time to land not completely graceful.

“Tada!” She smiled. “You should try that.”

He looked over at the swing. “I do not think I can fly.” He sounded apologetic.

“It’s not flying, more like gliding,” Koe offered. He gave a weak smile.

“What’s wrong?” She asked finally.

“I am sorry, I do not think I can glide either,” He answered, carefully ignoring the question.

“So.. umm.. did my father talk to you?”

“Yes, he did.” Eos looked sad then, his eyes half-closed. “I am not trusted here. It.. reminds me of my home.”

“I trust you,” Koe grasped a forearm a little too eagerly as her face flamed. “I mean...”

“I believe you,” His eyes cleared. “But I am...not human.”

“Those three aren’t either,” Koe grinned, thinking that would make him feel better.

“Even in this form, I am less human than they are,” he said enigmatically.

“Maybe you could explain it?” Koe asked softly.

“I tried to explain to your father but he does not listen. He does not.. oh.. he told me to not be near you and I am..”

“I came to you, there’s a difference,” Koe’s grip tightened. “You’re not breaking any..”

A shadow covered her. She didn’t need to turn around as she spoke loudly. “I found him and went to talk to him, Daddy. Don’t be so angry, please!” She turned imploringly.

She felt the shaft of surprise. The anger abated as confusion marred his face. “How did you know what I was feeling, Koe?” Endymion questioned.

Koe wanted to kick herself. Only Minako knew of her extra senses and altered perceptions. Koe didn’t know why she kept it a secret but she decided to see if she couldn’t hang onto it by bluffing.

“You’ve been angry anytime I even mention Eos,” a moment passed. “Since the emotion’s on your face,” she added hurriedly.

He nodded slowly. “How did you know I was behind you?”

“From Eos’s expression of guilt?”

“Are you asking or saying?”

“Saying?”

Endymion fiddled with his collar before continuing. “But I told you before, I do not want you alone, especially with a stranger.”

“He’s been here two weeks,” Koe began, a hint of annoyance oozing in.

“Of which he has been on restricted movement,” Endymion pointed out.

Koe wanted to scream, a sudden urge that startled her. She never felt this emotional before.

“But I have a feeling that I can’t keep you away,” he was saying grudgingly. “But at least try to be out in the open.”

“Like in the gardens?” She asked crossly.

“Don’t take that tone with me,” he said sternly. He looked a little tired, his aura reflecting it.

Eos was watching him with a strange look before it cleared. “I did not mean to break rules.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” Again, he sounded tired and was even looking like it. “I need to finish with Helios. Have you heard the date’s been set?”

“Yea, I heard,” Koe rubbed an ear with a shaft of disgust. “The way they go on, it’s like they’re already married or they already did..”

“Ah!” Endymion whapped a finger on her nose. “Don’t talk like that.” He smiled gently then. “Not for something to be discussed yet.”

She turned red. “Gee, thanks. But I’m fourteen, remember?”

“Far too young.”

“I’m not even thinking of things like that!”

“Good.”

She watched her father move away.

“What did your sister do that involves her betrothed?” Eos seemed like he couldn’t help but ask.

“What?”

“What?” Eos’s cheekbones turned a tiny bit red. “Did I ask the wrong question?”

“No, no. It’s just.. uh... well, I was just blabbing, that’s all,” Koe smiled weakly.

“I see.” She could tell, from his eyes alone, that he didn’t understand.

And still curious to know about what her sister and Helios could possibly be doing together, that was all over his aura.

Koe occasionally studied her brooch, something that she placed in a pocket, any pocket, in the clothes she wore. She was beginning to feel cramped however. Since her meeting Eos, her own movements had been restricted and now that Mina-mama had left for her new tour, Koe was feeling shafted and claustrophobic. The only two things that made her day were seeing Eos and hanging out with the three siblings.

She had thought she wouldn’t like them, especially Benten for being too loud for her. She had a memory of a goldfish at times. Fujin had the attention of a hawk, able to notice anything about Koe, which often including rather embarrassing situations that no girl wanted to discuss.

While Hiruko was the most predatory person she had ever met. The careful intent he gave anything gave him a sheen of a hunter, one that only had to strike once. She was just glad he never really focused on her.

Or Eos.

In fact, he only seemed to focus on Benten to keep her out of any trouble. Not that it worked all the time.

They got along well. They were slowly opening up about themselves.

“We were babies, don’t get us wrong. Consider us triplets.”

“Because you were born at relatively the same time?”

“Yep!” Benten beamed.

Koe and Eos were sitting next to each other, with a table dividing them. Benten sat on the floor as the other two took the last chairs in the sunroom.

“What’s it like in Elysion?” Koe asked.

“Weather is always bright and warm. We have the same animals you have. It’s like Earth but there is no darkness there.”

“Save Tartarus,” added Hiruko with a half-closed gaze to Eos. There was nothing on the older boy’s face.

“What’s Tartarus like, Eos?” Benten asked then, her eyes copying Hiruko.

“Night. With a cool breeze. Freedom in movement but any time one is near light...” His eyes glazed over. “Light is beautiful to us. It is welcoming. But Night is as well. We are conflicted.”

“Who is we?” Fujin frowned. “You have a family?”

“I have no one. I am a Lost.”

“Okay, so what’s being lost mean?”

“A Lost, a title to those who have nothing to tie them anywhere. One had binding to their realm, most cannot leave. I should not have been able to leave.”

“Then you know what that means?” Koe asked carefully. “That it’s another thing for proving you’re not a Nightmare. If you were, you couldn’t leave, right?”

“I suppose,” he answered vaguely.

“But why were you in there?” Benten asked.

“A forfeit...a life for a life..” He spoke harshly, anger drifting his eyes. “Sacrifice, given up, I was a forfeit.”

Then his eyes cleared to reflect sadness. “But even then, I was not wanted.”

Benten had straightened, her eyes bright. “Poor thing. Good thing Koe has the hots for you!”

“BENTEN!”

Benten ran as Koe tore after her. “Get back here!” Koe’s voice echoed down the hallway.

She came to a crash landing in front of the impossibly tall library door. Disembodied voices came from underneath.

“The treaty no longer stands. Elysion cannot hold the Gates shut for long,” Helios spoke bitterly. “The Dreams will be destroyed and the link between both Realms will be ruined. With Elysion’s destruction comes Earth’s fast decaying.”

“Lady Serenity can help,” Endymion spoke confidently. “With the Silver Crystal..”

“It may not be enough. We need the Golden Crystal.” There was a lengthy pause. “But she cannot use it, can she? Even though the Oracle said she would?”

“No sign. Something should’ve happened when she felt in the Time Gate to Elysion..”

Koe pressed an ear to the door, knowing full well they were now discussing her.

“But she’s powerless,” Endymion finished. Even from the distance, with the door between them, the disappointment filled her senses, her heart throbbing in pain. “We had hoped..”

She pulled away, too sickened to hear any more. ‘That’s why.. they expected me to use this Golden Crystal. To be..’ Her hand reached into her pocket, pulling out the brooch.

‘The Gates... He was talking about Tartarus.. a border against Elysion? Are they next to each other?’

She zoomed into the room as the others looked up in surprise. She moved instantly to Eos.

“Take me to the Gates of Tartarus.” She spoke evenly, the order clear.

Eos’s eyes shifted before he nodded. “As you wish.”

“You can’t go!” Benten shrieked.

“You can come if you want,” Koe added.

Benten thought about it. “Even though it’s against my teachings, I’ll go.” She allowed.

“Like you wouldn’t have just let her go without you,” Hiruko smirked. “You can’t even handle being on your own.”

“I’m a triplet!”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Three of a kind? Three amigos? Peas in a pod?” Getting a deadpan stare from her brothers invoked her to become emotionally. “Why did you have to be boys?”

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