Chapter 7: The Awakening
The Awakening

Caitlyn stopped as she heard another blast. The battle that was being waged in the clearing was intense. Were the girl, Sailor Jupiter Moon, and the cape guy okay, she wondered.

“I’m going back,” Caitlyn told her sisters. “I can’t let those two fight for us.”

The others stopped, staring at Caitlyn with varying reactions. Ilene seemed ready to join her. Elara looked from Rand to Caitlyn. Lysia looked nervous.

“She told us to go,” Lysia said. “She can probably take care of it without our interference.”

“But probably isn’t certainty,” Ilene interjected. “I agree with Caitlyn. We should try to help.”

“What are we going to do about Rand?” Elara asked. The sisters looked at their unconscious father.

“You are going to take him to the house, Elara,” Caitlyn said. “And you will wait for us to get back. You will need to keep Paul and Leda in the house, too. ”

“But if all of you go back, I want to go back, too,” Elara protested.

“Someone needs to take of Dad,” Ilene said. “You’re the best one to do it.”

“Besides, four against one are pretty good odds,” Caitlyn commented.

“It will be five against one,” Lysia said. “I’m coming too. Elara can handle Dad by herself.”

Another boom echoed, drawing the sisters’ attention back to the battle.

“You better go now. All of you,” Elara said, shifting Rand’s body into a more manageable position. “I will take care of Dad.”

With a grim nod to Elara, Caitlyn began to run toward the lake. Ilene and Lysia followed. Elara watched her sisters for a moment before turning toward the house.


* * * * *

Sailor Jupiter Moon watched Atalia recover from another attack. Jupiter was tiring too quickly, panting for breath after each strike. Her reaction time was slowing considerably.

Atalia rose to her feet, examining the new injuries. She smiled when she saw Jupiter’s current state. “I guess you skipped the conditioning exercises.”

In answer, Jupiter summoned another attack. “Jupiter Moon Thunder Tornado!!”

Jupiter watched as the tunnel of electricity surround Atalia and then began to contract around her. Satisfied that Atalia would be occupied for a moment, Jupiter glanced at Ganymede. Surprised, she saw that he was gone.

“Where did he go?”

“I am right here,” he answered, appearing beside her. “Thanks for the break.”

“No problem,” she replied, turning her attention back to Atalia. “I think we need to combine attacks to finish this.”

Ganymede nodded. “I will strike first. Then you attack.”

“Got it.”

“I don’t think so,” Atalia said, slowly floating off the ground. “I, Princess Atalia of the Shadow Moon Empire, call upon the Shadow Guards! Come forth!!”

Jupiter and Ganymede watched as several figures moved among the increasing shadows. Slowly, the pair backed up against a tree. The figures came steadily closer.

“The more the merrier. Right, Jupiter Moon?” Ganymede asked, several stars appearing in his hand.

“Something like that,” she replied absently. “Now would be a good time for my sisters to be here. Oh, well,” she sighed. “Jupiter Moon Thunder Tsunami!!”

Out of the corner of her eye, Jupiter saw four shapes running from behind the tree. She turned to attack them. “Jupiter Moon...”

“Wait!” Caitlyn cried. “It’s us!”

“What are you doing here?!” Jupiter demanded, letting the attack vanish.

“We came to help,” Ilene answered. “Boy, do you need it.”

“Jupiter, you better do something now,” Ganymede called, eliminating a large group of the guards. “We can’t hold them off forever.”

Nodding, Jupiter reached for the bag. She pulled out the transformation wands.

“Callisto, catch,” Jupiter commanded, tossing up the transformation pen. Caitlyn deftly caught it.

“Why did I answer to that name?” Caitlyn asked. Then the transformation pen began to glow. “I remember now.”

“Good,” Jupiter said. “Transform.”

“Callisto Moon Power!” Sailor Callisto appeared. “It’s good to be back, Jupiter.”

“Io. Lysithea.” Jupiter tossed the appropriate pens. “Transform.”

Sailor Io and Sailor Lysithea emerged, posing briefly together.

“Elara is with Rand,” Io informed Jupiter.

“Fine,” Jupiter said, turning to find Ganymede. “Callisto, how about a flashlight?”

“Of course. Callisto Sky Illumination!!”

“Time to get to work,” Lysithea said. “Lysithea Aqua Annihilation!!”

“Io Deep Fissure!”

“Jupiter Moon Thunder Tornado!”

Several flashes of gold appeared in the moonlight before exploding.


* * * * *

Elara propped Rand against a rock. He seemed to be semi-conscious now, moaning from time to time. She took that as a good sign.

“I can’t leave them,” she said, “but I can’t leave you. Oh, Dad, what do I do?”

She watched him for a moment. Chiding herself for uselessness, she began to check his wounds. Elara was happy to discover that all the cuts had clotted.

“That’s one piece of good news,” she said aloud.

Rand started to stir. Elara moved to help him sit up. Gradually his eyes opened and focused on his daughter.

“Elara?” His eyes searched for his daughters. “Where are the others?”

“They gone back to help Sailor Jupiter Moon and Ganymede,” Elara said.

“What?!” A flash of light lit the entire area.

“They’re still fighting,” Elara said, looking back at the clearing with worry. “I should be with them, Dad.”

“Elara, you can’t mean it!”

She turned her face to Rand, showing him her resolve. “It’s something I am meant to do. I feel like I belong there with them.”

Rand closed his eyes, leaning against the rock. “I guess you must,” he finally answered. “But, please, be careful. I want all of you to come back to me.”

“I will,” she promised. “And I will bring the others with me.”

Elara kissed her father on the cheek before disappearing into the night, heading to the lake and the battle.


* * * * *

Elara watched the impressive battle from the safety of behind a tree. There were new warriors fighting with Sailor Jupiter Moon. Then, Elara realized that the warriors were her sisters.

That was the problem with Leda. She understood now. For some reason, Leda was this Sailor Jupiter Moon. And if that were true, Ganymede was Paul.

Was she a warrior, too? All she knew that she felt like she should be there will her sisters, fighting along with them. She didn’t know if that made her a warrior or not.

“Elara!” Jupiter cried, tackling the girl to the ground. There was a flash.

Elara looked up, noticing a huge chunk of the tree was missing where she had been standing. She looked up at Jupiter in amazement. Jupiter smiled, quickly helping Elara to her feet.

“I don’t know why you came back,” Jupiter said sternly. “I don’t care.” Then she smiled. “I am glad you did.” She pressed the transformation wand into Elara’s hand.
“Transform, Europa.”

“Europa Moon Power!” Europa looked at Jupiter critically. “Don’t try to protect us like that again, leader or not.”

Without commenting, Jupiter resuming her attacks, accompanied by Sailor Europa.