Revelations

Seiya awoke from another dream, this time feeling more real than ever. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her gut -- That something bad was going to happen today. Her figure would make her way towards the dresser to get dressed. She needed to get rid of this feeling somehow, and the best way she knew how, was to walk it off and collect her thoughts.

"It's cold out today." The sound of Kakyuu's voice met her ears as she went to walk towards the door. She turned to face her princess giving her a puzzled expression.

"You're going for another walk, aren't you?"

Seiya nodded understanding what she meant. A hand reached for the closet door to pull out a light jacket. She put it on proceeding to zipper it up, but was taken off-guard when she found her self in the embrace of her princess -- her arms wrapped tightly around her as if afraid to let go. The uneasy feeling inside of her worsened as she felt her heart drop to the pit of her gut.

"What's this for all of a sudden?" Seiya tried to make light of it, smiling jokingly to her princess.

"Be careful, Fighter." There was an underlying concern in her voice that made it harder to mask her true emotions. However, she didn't want to worry her.

"I will." A reassuring smile crossed her features as she went to hug her princess in return. Kakyuu gave a smile, though she could tell it was forced.

--

Life seemed to go on as usual as the streets continued to line with crowds of people. Things appeared to be perfectly normal, except, it seemed every person she saw reminded her of Galaxia in one way or another.

Not too far ahead she saw a woman with long golden hair, another in a white dress. Even people's demeanor's were reminding her of her. The way they walked, the way some went on to shout at one another. It made her very uneasy as she tried to block her out of her mind.

It was then a hooded figure caught her attention up in the distance. Their head turned to face her and it was at that very moment a familiar feeling came over her. Before she could call to them the figure had darted off towards the subway. Determined to question them, she chased after them -- Running down the steps and eventually loosing them in the crowds of people.

Her eyes darted around for any sign of them, only to no avail. Stopping in the middle of the station, she cursed to herself letting out a breath of frustration. A figure from behind abruptly brushed past her. In a knee-jerk response her eyes would fall on them only to be taken back at what she saw.

A woman with long flowing gold and crimson hair. Her attire was that of a long off-white dress. There was no doubt in her mind of who it was.

A new pursuit ensued as she ran behind the woman pushing her way through the crowds of people. A hand reached to place upon her shoulder, pulling her back and taking her much off-guard.

The woman whirled around with an angry expression. Her hand raised as if about to strike down on who ever dared to touch her.

Seiya moved back a bit proceeding to stare to her. It was then realization set in for the woman, but she did not set her arm back at her side. Instead she would make a grab for the girl's jacket proceeding to pin her against a wall. Her crimson eyes narrowing heavily on her form.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"Have I not made myself clear I do not wish to be followed by you?"

"I'm not giving up until I have answers from you."

"You do not know what you are doing. Leave here at once, Starlight." She went to abruptly let go of her before turning to walk off towards the train.

Seiya was not the type to just simply give up. Of course, as thickheaded as she was, she followed after her.

It wasn't difficult to spot her on the moderately populated subway car. She made her way over to her to boldly take the empty seat next to her.

"Funny running into you again."

Galaxia made a disgusted face as she stood with the intentions of getting off. However, she didn't make it far before the train doors shut and it began to move. This caused her body to move unsteadily having her balance elude her.

"You know, it's not a good idea to stand while the train is in motion." Seiya would state as a matter of fact.

Much to her displeasure, Galaxia would make her way back to her seat. Her arms crossing against her chest as she let out a breath of annoyance.

"I had another dream today."

Galaxia went onto ignore the Starlight not once making eye contact with her. Seiya went on to continuing anyway.

"The darkness returned and I was powerless to stop it. It was going to consume me, but you stepped in and saved me." She looked to Galaxia who was still looking in the other direction. "I saw something earlier today."

"And you somehow think I am connected, is that it?" Galaxia finally turned to acknowledge her.

"Yes."

The former Golden Queen resisted the urge to roll her eyes and merely stared to Seiya for a moment. "Allow me to clarify something for you, Seiya. There are some matters that are best left alone. You have others who are worried about you as they should be. Your life has meaning, where as mine does not. It does not require all that much intelligence to comprehend what I am getting at."

"I don't think it has to be that way."

Galaxia would sort of look to her. It was unclear of what exactly she was thinking but she wouldn't get the chance to respond.

The air suddenly became thick as a fine gray mist began to fill the car. A cloaked figure would make it's way through the doors of the car ahead of them. It's head was down and it's face shrouded in shadow.

Both Seiya and Galaxia took a stand to face the figure.

The figure held their arms in the air in front of them. The bodies of the people around ceased motion. When every last person was frozen in time the figure would drop their hands to their sides. Like marionettes cut from their strings did everyone crumple in their seats. Their skin tone turned to a ghostly white and their bodies limp, lifeless. An eternal sleep, being held prisoner in their own bodies.

Seiya looked to the others in horror as she clenched the transformation device in her hand. "FIGHTER STAR POWER MAKE UP!" She would shout holding up her transformation device. Within seconds the former boyish idol had changed into her alter-ego, Sailor Star Fighter.

There was a deafening silence that swept the train. The motion outside moving in a blur while everyone slept. Those left standing in the aisles were levitated into the air to be tossed to the side, the poles collapsing as a darkness swept through the car.

Only Fighter and Galaxia remained.

An invisible force swept through the car knocking both Fighter and Galaxia to the ground. The doors behind them knocked down into the adjoining car. The ground below would begin to rumble beneath them. Fighter raised herself to a stand to place herself protectively next to Galaxia clenching her Star Yell.

"STAR SERIOUS--" But the attack never followed through.

Fighter felt her body involuntarily pushed away as another stepped in to intervene. Before she could question the matter, the rumbling would shift to a full fledged crash. The metal floor of the car had been torn and distorted with ear-piercing screeches and scrapes. What now stood in her place was a large rock formation that had come through the floor -- A jagged top, sharp enough to impale her to a certain death. She looked over to see that Galaxia had stepped in to save her.

The train struggled to keep momentum as the shard caused the remainder of the floor behind it to buckle and rip apart -- A terrible screech emitted and it was only a matter of seconds before it would catch up with them.

In a knee-jerk response, Galaxia quickly started back to her feet proceeding to pull Fighter along with her. The train continued to fight against the object keeping it close, gradually closing the distance between them.

The two continued to run to avoid meeting an unpleasant death. Their forms darting through the frame that formerly held the car doors in place. It slowed the destruction for a moment but not enough to stop it completely. They were reaching the end of the second car quickly. The doors to a third, shut and not budging.

Fighter looked back to the object that would most certainly crush their existence. So this was it. Her fate was to die here with Galaxia. Her eyes shut tightly predicting the worse when all of a sudden everything came to a halt. The train had come to a complete stop and there was an eerie silence surrounding them.

She opened her eyes to find the rock formation and rising debris inches away from their forms, her back pressed against the doors tightly. The car doors would open behind them causing Fighter to involuntarily fall backwards and out of the train.

Galaxia on the other hand seemed relatively unnerved at the situation and would give a smirk before lowering herself from the car's ledge. "Well done finding the exit, Starlight." Though mostly amused, her tone was clearly mocking the other in her ungraceful exit.

Fighter would push herself from the ground attempting to blow off the rather embarrassing matter and otherwise frightful experience. So many emotions were surging through her at once, however, she decided on composing herself to focus on a way out. Her figure would pace about finding nothing but rock surrounding them. She looked to Galaxia.

"We need to find a way out."

"And how do you suppose we go about doing that? Do you plan on blasting your way through? I doubt your powers then, let alone now could deteriorate a structure of such mass scale."

"What other options do we have? We can't just stay here and do nothing!"

By this point Galaxia was getting annoyed at the stubborn behavior of Fighter. "Just take a moment and think, Starlight." She would cross her arms against her chest and motion towards her. "It is far too quiet. I sense the enemy is still close as I am sure you do as well."

"What are you getting at?" Fighter went on to ask although she had a sinking feeling she already knew the answer.

Galaxia would look intently to her stopping just inches away. "This is not over."

The ground would begin to fiercely shake beneath them. Within seconds it would begin to deteriorate leaving a narrow platform of rock beneath them. Before they knew it, large rock formations would begin to rise around them hauling the platform towards the ceiling at a jaw-dropping speed.

Fighter had proceeded to throw herself over Galaxia almost instinctively in an attempt to protect her from the falling debris and stones. Larger structures surrounding them quickly met the ceiling proceeding to crumble and break through the structure above them.

All motion ceased as the winds died down and a moment of calm seemed to pass over. Fighter would reopen her eyes seeing the dark tunnel had been replaced with a new scene. An over cast of clouds colored the sky. It was what appeared to be the city's streets, except... Everything was desolate. A wind kicked up various papers along the road and an eerie silence swept over the area.

Her body was bruised from the debris, but she didn't seem to care about that right now. Her eyes fell on Galaxia who by the looks of it appeared to be over all okay. She let out a breath of relief as she went to take a stand. Galaxia would stir making her way to a stand as well. Her eyes fell upon the Starlight with a disapproving look.

"You should not have pursued me, Starlight. I did not want to get you involved."

"I wanted answers. I knew somehow you would have them, and I was right."

"Even if you may lose your life?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me." Galaxia's tone was serious.

"...Why?" The reply took Fighter off-guard and she stared to her not knowing how else to respond.

Galaxia turned to look on towards the horizon. "The sins of the past were much too great. I had to be punished somehow, and to do that, I was to be stripped of my former powers. However, something went wrong. My powers had manifested into another being and the darkness was able to return. When we were reborn into this life again, the darkness had followed to pass its own judgment upon me. It was not without consequence though. In order for it to sustain itself, it needed a host. It chose to feed off of your power and hatred for me. As long as I exist, your condition will continue to worsen."

"But why sacrifice yourself for me?" Fighter didn't understand the reasoning behind such a person.

"I came to this planet searching for a sense of purpose. I found that with you." She would pause looking away slightly. "Above all, you still possess the light of a star. Life in this galaxy should not go out to the darkness." Another pause. "Such a person..." She would look to her again. "Your shine should not go out, Star Fighter. I am willing to give up my life to ensure yours will go on."

"Galaxia..." Fighter was surprised to hear such words come from her and felt very taken back. This was not the same person she once knew, but someone who At that moment it was difficult to hate her.

"When I die, this creature will be no more. The darkness will not be able to take your shine." She went to walk off.

"Wait! What if there is another way?" Star Fighter would quickly protest in an attempt to keep Galaxia from sacrificing herself.

Galaxia would turn her head to look to her. "There is no other way."

At that moment two cars would collide in mid air causing a great explosion above Galaxia. Fighter went to run to her side only to be pushed away. She watched as debris rained down towards her as she was helpless to stop it.

The clouds would darken heavily as crimson swirled the sky. The figure stood in the center of destruction outstretching its arms. A strong wind kicked up and it became hard to breath. She fought against it trying to make her way back to Galaxia. However, a large explosion would emit before her as her body flew back. The ground began to rumble as the air blew fiercely. She looked around to find Galaxia, her breath becoming heavy as her body greatly weakened.

Galaxia was barely able to hold herself together as the flames grew around her. The cloaked figure had made it's way towards her through the flames by now. It's tall figure standing over her body. Galaxia set her eyes on it defiantly before a smirk crossed her features.

A hand raised to the former Golden Queen before everything simply went black.

--

The sound of a heart monitor sounded as the lights flickered and buzzed in the background. A doctor having the appearance of a female with short blue hair and blue eyes stood over the hospital bed holding a clipboard and pen.

A woman with long gold and crimson hair laid in the bed hooked up to the monitor, her eyes shut as her breathing remained even. As for the girl, she continued to ink in notes onto the paper busily.

The woman's eyes would open feeling a sudden gasp of air. Her crimson eyes darted around the room suspiciously.

"You're awake." The blue haired girl spoke steeling a glance from her notes to look to the patient.

Crimson eyes fell upon the doctor. The woman immediately recognized her as the former Sailor Mercury. Though why she was here was beyond her. Regardless, she made no effort to confront her on such but instead went on to sitting up in her bed.

"This is..." Her tone grew dark.

"Tenth District Hospital. I'm Doctor Mizuno." The doctor went on to reply as a matter of fact.

"A hospital? If I am alive... That means..." She trailed not wanting to continue with what she knew to be true. "This is not how it is supposed to be..." Her voice trailed among herself once more. Those crimson eyes narrowed before getting a sudden jolt in her chest. Distracted, she made a grab for her chest. Her eyes widened having a familiar feeling come over her. The light of a star... It was faint but there. 'Why am I still am able to still sense you... Does this mean--'

"I wouldn't advise any sudden movement. You are recovering from quite a serious injury." The blue haired girl spoke appearing to dismiss her ramblings.

"I have to find her." Her tone was insistent. She went on to ignore her words as she frantically went to remove the I.V.s from her arms.

"What are you doing?" The girl went to move closer to stop her. "You are in no position--"

"Stay back!" Without warning the heart monitor began to sound frantically as a sudden energy surged through the woman's body. She went to raise a hand to stop the girl from approaching but to her surprise an invisible force would emit from her hand. The girl stumbled back crashing into an I.V. pole halfway across the room. Her form struggled to keep her balance as the pole crashed to the ground.

The woman's eyes widened at what had just happened. Her eyes fell to her hand and stared to it for a moment. She brought up her other hand and slowly willed a nearby chair to move. Her eyebrows drew together curiously. It seemed things have changed, but why or how was beyond her. She knew one thing was certain. She would find the Starlight again at any cost.

To be continued...

Author's Note: This will be the last chapter to part one of Karma's Warning. If you liked the story, keep an eye out for part two: "Karma's Warning: Redemption" to be posted in the near future. All feed back is welcome. Please let me know what you think. To all who have been reading and reviewing, I greatly appreciate your input.