Lunar Boot Camp

[Brian]

After curstying to the priestess, Makoto replies to Rei's comment. "Well, I had a lot of spare time to study under good cooks," Makoto temporizes, remembering a certain incident when her parents actually thought she was sneaking off for something indecent. "With Callisto the upper-atmosphere hydroponics farms in Jupiter itself, there's a lot of variety to work with. Though they wouldn't let me bring any fruits or vegetables through customs. Pity, I had baked a strawberry cake for me and Eiko to enjoy, but they insisted it had to be seized."

Makoto shrugs, then turns to regard the priestess curiously. "Ah... what are we to do next, if I might ask?"

[Corwin]

"I'm supposed to take you to the Queen," Sylphiel replies. "Only the two princesses, I'm afraid," she adds, looking apologetically at Eiko.

"Heh, I'm cool," the red-head replies. "I'm pretty sure I would've just been scenery, anyway." Winking at her friend, she says, "Have fun, Mako-chan! And hurry back!"

[Corwin]

Sylphiel smiles at the two princesses, and extends her arms towards them. They each take one, Makoto cautiously and Rei with enthusiasm.

The priestess closes her eyes, and the world around the three dissolves into soothing white light. When it disappears, Makoto and Rei find themselves standing in a large crystalline room, a young silver-haired woman sitting on a throne a few feet in front of them.

"Welcome," she greets, rising up and walking towards her guests. "I am pleased to see you here, Senshi of Mars, Senshi of Jupiter."

[Ebiris]

Rei lets go of Sylphiel and curtsey's very deeply. "Queen Serenity, it is truly an honour to be summoned into your presence."

[Brian]

"Urk," Makoto noises, mildly confused and completely surprised. Makoto continues to cling to Sylphiel for a moment to retain her balance, and then realizes that she's in the presense of someone.... The Queen?

It's possible, but further conscious thought is wiped from her mind by that realization, and she hurriedly curtsies deeply to the Queen, tongue frozen.

[Corwin]

"I'll go find the Princess, then, Your Majesty," the priestess says, and proceeds to trip over her own two feet, falling to the floor. "Tehehehe," she laughs in embarrassment, and disappears in a flash of white light.

The Queen sighs as Sylphiel teleports away. "Such a sweet girl," she says, shaking her head. "Such a ditz. Perhaps pairing her with Priestess Trainee Misha was not such a good idea after all...."

[Ebiris]

Rei remains frozen in deep curtsey, waiting until the Queen directly addresses her.

[Brian]

Makoto swallows nervously, not rising from her curtsey.

[Corwin]

"I'm sure you must have heard the rumors," Queen Serenity says, walking over to the glass doors leading to a balcony. "The people who live at the Moon are eternal. There is no war, no death... no disease!" The Queen's voice rises at the end.

"Unfortunately, five centuries of prosperity have created generations upon generations of, for the lack of better words, bums and flakes. Our magic and technology are at such a level of self-sufficiency that human intervention is rarely, if ever, needed. And don't get me started on the endless parties--!"

Serenity shakes her head sadly, touching a palm against the smooth surface of the glass doors she is facing. "Our people have forgot all about war, but war has not forgot about us! A thousand years ago, the Solar System faced an unparalleled evil. We all faced annihilation, and only the legendary planetary soldiers proved to be our salvation!"

She turns towards the two princesses. "You have the power, Rei and Makoto! That evil is coming again, and Civilization needs you both, if it is to survive!"

[Ebiris]

Rei rises from her curtsey, rather shocked at the Queen's words. Things on the Moon sounded even more boring than on Mars! But the way the Queen spoke... was she a kindred spirit?

"I haven't forgotten war, your Majesty!" Rei says earnestly, unconsciously taking a step forward, "Ever since I was little, I've studied the bloody history of our Solar System, in the days before our peaceful Silver Millenium!" Almost overcome with emotion, Rei pulls out her transformation wand and raises it above her head. "If dark times are coming to our people, Sailor Mars stands ready to fight!" she swears, flushed and breathing heavily.

[Brian]

"War?" Makoto asks, a little confused. Well, she had spent years studying the training facilities for all Jovian soldiers... war was unheard of, but those soldiers were obviously trained for a reason.

Makoto then thinks of Callisto's endless seas of prarie-grass and deep forests, and Io's expanses of rain forest, peacable maintaned beneath the continous electrical torus of the moon's passage through its own plasma halo. What would a war do to these things? Or worse, the people who lived on those planets who expected her to protect them as its reagant? Was that why she had the strange power she did?

Slight electrical charges buzzing around her hands, Makoto stands tall, resolute. "Then Sailor Jupiter will fight to protect, too, your Majesty!"

[Corwin]

"Excellent!" Queen Serenity says, clasping her hands in front of her chest. "I had been fearing the worst, since this secret mission started on the wrong foot."

[Ebiris]

"Oh, yes, I recall Lady Luna mentioned there were problems with her mission, but she didn't go into specifics. I think she mentioned the name 'Artemis'."

[Corwin]

Serenity nods, frowning. "He is another one of my trusted advisors, and a Mau as well as Luna. While Luna went to recruit the chosen protectors of Mars and Jupiter, Artemis was sent to do the same at Venus and Mercury. Unfortunately," the Queen pauses, sighing, "the Princess of Mercury proved to be... unsuitable."

[Ebiris]

"Unsuitable?" Rei repeats in a shocked whisper. What could possibly be wrong with the Mercurian Princess? What awful flaw could she possess?

Damn, this is some juicy gossip!