Luna 

Where was Artemis? Although both she and her white-furred companion would need rest, she felt it was part of her duty to stand sentinel. They were guides, were they not? They couldn't necessarily fight the way their charges could, but they could watch. This thought distracted her only temporarily from the excellent data she saw downloading from Sailor Mercury. She wanted to learn more about what the reconnaissance group had found, but she also wanted to do her part at this trying time.

If her fellow Mauian agreed, they could form a team to take one of the shifts. Of course, she wasn't opposed to allying herself with anyone else capable. Luna understood the importance of working well with others, especially in a situation such as this one.

"I volunteer," she said to Sailor Venus, giving a firm nod.

In the meantime, she'd continue to look over what Mercury, Jupiter, and Neptune had found. They'd need to understand as much of this information as they could if they were going to use it to their advantage.

Artemis


"...And I will volunteer as well". The white cat came from out of the shadows, trying to put on a brave face. While he tried to adjust his posture as well as he could, the telltale quiver of his lip made it very obvious that he was in a high amount of emotional distress.

In truth, he had been spending the last several moments in a small alcove away from the rest of the group. He couldn't get the images out of his head, the cold, unfeeling Earthlings slaughtering everyone in their path. Men. Women.

Children.


He shook his head vigorously to remove the images from his mind. He had never known war nor evil, never felt it or experienced it. He was not a soldier, nor was he ever meant to be. And yet now, he had been drafted against his will, and had two options. Go and help, or wait to die.

Artemis had never been the most patient of cats.

Looking up at the leader of the senshi, whom he had always admired, he then dropped his head slightly, lifting up one of his front paws in a sort of makeshift bow. "It would be an honor to serve you, m'lady". He knew his gesture likely wouldn't be taken seriously, but perhaps the intent of it wasn't to be. Maybe by making someone even the slightest bit happy would create a tiny light in this time of unyielding darkness.

Princess Serenity

Endymion’s comforting embrace had been the exact warmth that she needed to calm her emotions. She sighed, a shaky sigh, allowing the feeling to wash over her body. Her trembling faded away.

”I won’t let her hurt you, Serenity.”

The reassuring words hadn’t need be said. She already knew them to be true, but to hear his voice speak them solidified her calmness.  Unfortunately, the words didn’t answer her questions.  She was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to have noticed him tensing at the mention of what she had heard.

“She called me the princess of lies,” she said, pausing as her eyes shifted from his to look away in shame. This had all happened due to her meddling with the Earth. Falling in love with the crown prince!  Serenity stepped back from Endymion, fingers mindlessly fiddling with each in anticipation.

“I don’t understand. What have I done to her? Please! Tell me what you know!” she shouted. "It might be important..." she said, her voice softening.

In the background, as she spoke with Endymion, she heard Sailor Venus call for the group to rest for the night. Making a brief glance behind her towards the cave, she noticed Sailor Pluto and Sailor Uranus volunteering for the first watch shift. She wondered how many nights they stood watching over the Moon Kingdom while she slept, innocently and unaware.

Serenity turned her attention back to Endymion, eager for an answer. Sleep would have to come later.

Sailor Jupiter

Neptune's comment sounded so calm and rational. The villains who had taken over their home would very likely soon be asleep, at least for the most part. If they had any sense about them, they'd keep a watch of some kind, but after the intensity of the battle surely some would be too exhausted to resist the allure of rest. There were only three of them in this current team, one of whom she had never battled alongside, but perhaps their smaller numbers would give them a better chance of getting in undetected.

But what if, in doing so, they alerted the Dark Kingdom to this entrance? And what if the forces inside planned to repair the damage they had presumably done to get in, meaning they would lose the ability to enter here if they tried to come back? Sailor Mercury stood nearby, trying to analyze the area a bit more, and Jupiter chewed on her lip as her mind rifled through their options. There were too many unknowns—too many "what ifs". She hated that kind of uncertainty. Strategy was Mercury's strong suit, not hers.

The brunette sighed, feeling restless in a way that she knew was unhelpful.

"You're right, it might be a trap," she replied to Sailor Neptune. "Maybe Mercury can tell us more."

She wanted to rush in, to call thunder and lightning down to smash everything. They were in her home. The presence of those evil forces desecrated the beautiful Moon Palace that belonged rightfully to the Queen and Princess. Despite the hardships of fighting earlier, the battle they had lost, she found herself itching for action. The pain and anguish inside of her begged to be released in anger... but she had to keep it together. She couldn't jeopardize what they did here. She had to be patient.

Silver Millennium, Castle

Beryl slowly opened her eyes. She felt a little dizzy at first but after a few moments she was able to sit up. The Silver Millennium's new Queen was sitting on a rather cheap looking bed, but it was still much more comfortable than the Throne. She carefully scanned the sourroundings with her eyes. Not only the bed - no the whole room had a cheap look to it, and the woman was able to deduce that she was probably in the chamber of some servant. But how did she get here?

Her memories slowly started to come back to her. "I wanted to lead the Final Attack on the Princess myself and then... I can only remember that I fell... and that Kunzite was there with me." She murmured, her eyes wandering through the room again, looking for one of her trusty Generals, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Kunzite!", Beryl finally shouted with a weak but nevertheless loud enough voice for people outside of the room to hear. "Kunzite where are you?" She then tried to stand up, but quickly sunk down onto the bed. Her feet were just as weak as her voice.

Quote :

Mercury's readings show that the breach that while the breach does have a few life signs lighting up her screen, it's no more than normal. It's about the same amount as are stationed in other entrances.

Kunzite
Silver Millennium, Castle

Only a few hours at best had passed before he heard his Queen's voice. Guards stationed nearby glanced over at the sound, but they knew Kunzite would not allow them to enter the impromptu chambers. He'd been keeping watch, dictating orders while never leaving the door.

He didn't know how long Queen Beryl would need to rest but he would ensure that he'd be there when she needed him.

The sound of her voice, loud and authoritative but exhausted, made him move even faster. Entering the room, he quickly took stock of the situation, noticing the blankets and her position before bowing into a subservient gesture. "I am here, My Queen. How may I serve you?" He wanted to tell her that she should be resting, a couple of hours was not nearly enough, but who was he to tell his Queen what she should do?

Sailor Mercury looked closely at her mini-computers readings, closing it telling the others, "Asleep or not, I got about the same readings at the front and back." She then looked at Sailor Jupiter, the one of the group she knew most and probably wanting to bust right in.

Mercury went over to Jupiter looking up at her, "I hear it in your voice Jupiter, and trust me, I wanna go in there right now too, it's just that Sailor Neptune is right. It might be a trap and I think it would be best to return to the others at this time."

Mercury looked to Neptune for her input on the strategy while contacting Luna. "Luna, this is Mercury. We have scanned the castle area and will bring back info. Be back soon. Mercury out."

"Well ladies...shall we head back?" Mercury asked.

 Luna 

Luna listened carefully to the message that Sailor Mercury returned, her eyes already pouring over the data she had already received. The reconnaissance team had done well. Perhaps while she and Artemis kept watch, they could review what Mercury brought back and talk about plans for the next day—or, perhaps, the next evening. The breach she saw here looked like the perfect opportunity to return to the castle. The feline felt torn as to whether she'd recommend an ambush or another scouting mission. Talking it through with her fellow adviser would help; that she was sure of.

"Thank you, please do. Luna out," she replied. Her next message was directed at Artemis and Sailor Venus: "The away team is on their way back."

The entrance was right there, but Neptune knew enough to turn back when she had to. There were only three of them against who knows how many of their enemies, and she hardly knew these soldiers. They couldn't just bust in there without a plan. The other two seemed to agree, so she nodded, relieved that they were going to go back to the princess... and Uranus.

"Let us return, then," she nodded, then began to turn and retrace their steps. If they were going to plan an attack, it would be better to do it before morning, when everyone would wake up and be alert once more.

Sailor Pluto

Pluto was close enough to overhear Luna's news. She exhaled audibly. They were safe for now, then. There hadn't been much time to get to know the members of the recon team but they had fought well in the skirmish as they were fleeing the palace and one of them was supposedly of a similar fate as Pluto herself. She needed them to be alive.

'I need them to be...?' she absently mused to herself. Indeed, there was no doubt that she felt an innate connection to all the other Senshi, but she just couldn't place what made it feel so strong when they had barely met. Besides, wasn't her place at the Time Door more important, no matter who lived or died? Yet here she was...

And what about the two small cats whom she had discovered on their trek were the Queen's advisors? For the second time that night, she took a moment to study them both.

The white cat had come to sit right at Sailor Venus' feet. His back was to her so she couldn't see his expression, but his posture seemed somewhat tense. Pluto had never seen cats before. She had no idea how the two of them escaped amidst the chaos, either. But even their smallest movements were lithe and silent, so they had probably gone largely undetected by the enemy. Her eyes turned to the dark feline closer to her. The crescent moon mark emblazoned on the cat's forehead was striking. Pluto wondered what kind of powers the two might have. She noticed the device Luna had been speaking into and felt a wave of curiosity.

"Luna? You'll have to excuse me," she said politely as she approached the small furry figure. "Is that only for voice communication or does it have other functions?" she asked, gesturing to the device.