Stars in a New Sky

Chapter 11: Galvanize

Minako landed hard on the concrete outside the apartment complex. She cried out as pain raked up her shins. No doubt, she'd left a layer of skin on the sidewalk. There was barely time for her to roll away, narrowly dodging a flaming blast of energy. Her blue eyes widened in horror at the crater in the concrete only inches away from her. With a burst of adrenaline and fear, Minako dove for cover behind a tree. Taking a deep breath, she ignored the collective scrapes and bruises on her body. She desperately wracked her brain for a way out of this mess. Artemis' plan to meet up with the other reincarnated guardians had turned into a trap. Speaking of Thyst, she ground her teeth in frustration. He was toying with her. He'd had plenty of openings to kill her and he hadn't taken it. He was trying to wear her out. Run her ragged until she couldn't run anymore. 

You figured out his tactics, great. Now what? 

Running wasn't an option. He would only chase her down and cut her off. Hiding was only a temporary solution. There was only one option left. Stand and fight. Taking a deep breath, Minako stood and peered around the tree truck. Her eyes searched the skies for Thyst. He'd kept his distance, attacking her from his vantage point above ground. However, she couldn't find him. A cold pit of fear opened in her stomach. Where could he have gone? 

"Looking for me?" 

Minako stiffened, the hair on her back of her neck rising at the sound of his cruel voice. Slowly, she turned to face Thyst. He stood behind her, a smug smile on his arrogant face. "Why are you doing this?" She asked, more to buy herself time than to actually have an answer. If she got him monologuing, maybe she could distract him long enough to come up with a plan.

"Why?" He laughed. "Because my dark mistress is hungry."

"Hungry?" Minako repeated in a tremulous voice. 

Thyst nodded. "Yes...she's very hungry. For your soul...your powerful guardian soul."

 With a flick of his wrist, he sent Minako sprawling. The breath was driven from her lungs. Minako lay on her back, stunned. She stared up at the sky. The late afternoon sun had set fire to the heavens. She could appreciate it more were her life not in jeopardy. Faintly, she could hear Artemis' voice shouting her name. He was always so protective of her. Always? Her thoughts grew fuzzy. I must be about to pass out. She thought dimly to herself. She blinked. When she opened her eyes, Minako was no longer staring at the Juban sky splashed in crimson and gold. The sky she looked upon was jet black pierced by the clear white light of stars. Looming above was a beautiful sphere of blue.

That's Earth...I'm looking at Earth. That must mean...

Somehow deep within her, she knew exactly where she was. A paradise on the moon. Silver Millennium. The sound of laughter rang out behind her. Sitting up, Minako looked over her shoulder. Two blonde children were chasing each other through a field of iridescent flowers. One girl was dressed all in white, her hair bound up in pig tail buns. Her face was filled with the purest joy as she ran. Minako gasped in surprise at the the second little girl. It was her...as a child. Her hair was long and bound in a bow. Despite the setting, she recognized that face. She'd seen it in the mirror often enough.

"Wait for me, Princess Serenity!" She heard her younger self call out.

 Princess Serenity? She knew that name. The mere thought brought warmth to her heart. She looked back at the girls in time to see the princess trip and fall. The princess sat still for a moment in shock as every young child does after a sudden fall. Then the tears came. 

"It's okay, princess. You just scraped your knee." Her younger self knelt beside the sniffling princess and gave her a hug.

Suddenly, she found her self-standing in a grand ballroom with other guardians. Their conversation was boisterous and their laughter infectious. These women were her friends and allies. They all served the royal family, particularly the princess. Gazing in wonder at the opulence of the party, Minako spotted Princess Serenity dancing with a tall, handsome prince. Earth's prince, Endymion. His visit to the Moon Kingdom had set everything in motion. It would have been easy to lay all the blame on him, but she couldn't find it within herself to hate him. It was clear from the way the two looked at each other that they were made to be together. Minako could feel it in her soul.