The Right Side

Tashita frowned. She slowly stretched out her legs that had been crossed for several hours. She closed her eyes and popped her neck. That feels better. She then took another look at her drawing. The brunette sighed.

That knife looks so real, she thought. Tashita sighed again, lay down on her back, and once again closed her eyes. Why have I been drawing depressing pictures? She rolled over on her side and flipped through her most recent drawings. There were guns, knives, blood, tears, and anything else the dark mind would produce. Is my mind trying to tell me something?

While Tashita's mind was on her drawings, a chibi wandered into the same room.

"Hi Tashita!" Aisu said cheerfully.

"Uh, hi." Tashita quickly closed her sketch pad.

"What were you drawing?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing special. Do you want me to draw you something?" Tashita asked.

"Sure! Could you draw a unicorn surrounded by lollipops and gumdrops and gummi ewoks and..."

"You are making me hungry!" Tashita laughed. The silvered-eyed girl smiled.

Tashita drew what Aisu wanted.

"Aren't unicorns white instead of black?" the blue-haired girl asked.

"They can be any color you want to imagine them in," Tashita told Aisu. She smiled and ran off to go show her picture off.

Once Aisu left, Tashita frowned. She really didn't mean to color the unicorn black - it just happened.

"Look what Tashita drew me!" Aisu said as she held up her drawing up so her parents could see it.

"Why is the unicorn black?" Yuki asked.

"They can be any color you want them to be," Aisu said like she knew everything. She skipped off happily to go hang her new picture in her room.

Yuki shook her head. "Something was wrong with that picture."

Ben cocked his head. "What would be wrong? It's just an image from a small girl's mind that Tashita drew on a piece of paper."

Yuki shook her head again. "It's not that. The blackness of the unicorn bothered me."

"You are worrying too much."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

Ben and Yuki let it pass out of their minds.

"Where are your friends now?" Darth Syn teased.

"They will be here!" Sailor Eclipse shouted. But deep down inside, she knew they wouldn't show.

Sailor Sith Ayameru blasted both Sailor Eclipse and innocent bystanders.

"Stop it!!" Eclipse slowly and painfully stood up. No matter how bad she was hurt, she wouldn't let innocent people get harmed. "Eclipse Velvet Darkness!"

The Sith easily dodged the attack.

Darth Syn looked at Eclipse's torn outfit. "You're weak. You can't hold on much longer."

Eclipse collapsed onto one knee. Her uniform was ripped to shreds, her hair was a tangled mess, and bruises and cuts covered her exposed skin. A single tear escaped her eye. She couldn't let any more people get hurt. She angrily looked up at the Sith in front of her.

"Leave everybody alone!! Eclipse Velvet Darkness!!"

She poured all of her remaining strength into the attack. The last image she saw before she collapsed onto the ground was the Sith retreating.

"What happened?" Mori asked.

"We heard what was happening, the Sith attacking, so we got there as fast as we could. When we got there, the Sith was nowhere to be seen and Sailor Eclipse was laying on the ground," Rene explained.

"She got hurt really bad, didn't she?" Mori asked.

Rene nodded.

"Where's Kalil?"

"He and Kousotsu went off together on a trip." Priire walked up; she was hugging herself. She walked into the healing room, even with the others' protests. Lying on a table was Sailor Eclipse.

"She doesn't have enough energy to transform back," explained Xarae.

Priire nodded. She slowly walked up beside Eclipse and grabbed her gloved hand into her gloved hand.

"I'm sorry. There is nothing we can do. She has to rest to gain her energy back herself."

Priire again nodded. The others in the room left the mother alone with her daughter. The strong blond burst into tears.

"Wake up, honey. Come on, it's me, Mom. Tashita..." Priire said between sobs. Priire then buried her head into her daughter's shoulder, letting the tears come. Priire then shot upright. "Tashita?"

Sailor Eclipse slowly opened her eyes and started to say something. Priire quickly but gently put her hand over her mouth. "Shhh, don't speak. Save your energy." Eclipse then fell back asleep.

Weakly, Tashita stood up and stretched. It had been only a couple of days since her attack, and she was now regaining her energy.

"Sit back down!" Priire ordered Tashita.

Tashita sighed and plopped back down.

"Seriously, if you don't conserve your energy, you will never gain it all back," Priire scolded her daughter.

Tashita rested her head on her hand and let the gravity pull her down. The brunette had been more depressed ever since the attack. She had also been mad at the others for not showing up. Even though they had argued, she wouldn't forgive them. She just couldn't believe the other senshi wouldn't share her interest in saving people. She just couldn't understand. Tashita shook her head slightly.

"Please leave me alone, Mother," Tashita whispered.

"I want to be here with you, why..." Priire started.

"Please! I want to be alone." Tashita cut her off.

The blond nodded her head and left the brunette alone.

After Priire left the room, Tashita stretched out on the couch and stared out the window.

If the senshi aren't interested in saving others, maybe I'm fighting with the wrong people. Tashita sighed and rolled over on her back. It wouldn't be any different if I were dead. Would it? Tashita raised an eyebrow on that thought.

What if I were dead? Tashita thought about that thought for a while. The brunette then shook her head on that thought. No. That wouldn't solve anything.

Outside, Myra grew worried. Tashita forgot to shield her thoughts from her, so she heard Tashita's thoughts about death. Myra didn't like that thought. She has been worried about Tashita lately, but she couldn't tell anyone because she couldn't communicate with anybody other that Tashita.

Then a thought struck her. She just had to give it a try.

Back inside the Temple, Tashita gathered up some of her belongings. Tashita knew she had regained enough strength to be able to move out of the Temple and go elsewhere. Tashita shouldered her backpack and looked around her room for anything else she might need. She already packed her drawing supplies, some clothes, and some food.

Out of the corner of her eye, a glare had caught her attention. She slowly made her way to the glare and saw what produced it. In a picture frame was a photograph of her and Kalil at a carnival. Tashita smirked. She was holding a big stuffed dragon that Kalil had won for her. Tashita carefully picked the photo up and was about to put it in her backpack when she hesitated. She broke eye contact with it and gently laid the picture face down on her dresser. She squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. Tashita then turned her back toward the photograph.

After the last look around her room, Tashita headed out. She then suddenly stopped in her doorway. Tashita closed her eyes and put up a mental shield so Myra wouldn't know where she had gone. There. I think that's everything.

Tashita then left the Temple.

Priire was walking down a hallway toward the kitchen when she heard a sound that startled her.

The blond instinctively pulled out her blaster with lightning speed. "Who's there?"

Priire then heard nothing. The blond gave a questioning look and then put her blaster back.

A couple of steps later, Priire's blaster was out and looking for a target.

"Stop messing with me," Priire warned.

Outside, Myra snickered. Well, she had succeeded in getting Priire's attention - now to see if she could talk to her.

Priire strapped her blaster back in place and started walking down the hallway once again. A voice entered her mind; she couldn't make out what it said, but she knew it was a voice.

Priire whipped around and looked behind her. Nobody was there.

"Koumi, are you there?" Priire hoped.

Myra laughed. This was more fun than she thought. She then grew serious. She knew she had to talk to Priire.

No. The voice startled the brave blond once again.

Names raced through Priire's mind. She was trying to figure out who was talking through mind speech.

None of them, the voice said, but I am glad I can talk to you. It was easier than I expected.

"Who are you?" Priire whispered.

The voice laughed. Myra.

Priire's eyes grew in surprise. "But I thought only you and Tashita could talk."

Please talk through mind speech, Myra said.

How is this possible? Priire was dumbfounded.

You and Tashita share genes, so I thought since I can talk to Tashita I should be able to talk to you. And I am glad it worked, Myra told the confused blond.

Why are you glad? Priire wondered as she tucked her bangs behind her ears.

Priire felt the equivalent of a sigh. It's Tashita. She didn't shield her thoughts from me so I heard some of her disturbing thoughts.

What thoughts would...

She thought about death. Myra's words were solemn.

Priire just stood there, overtaken by shock and fear.

She now has put up a mental shield, and now I can't hear her, and I don't know where she is. Myra closed her eyes and concentrated; she tried to reach Tashita for the countless time. Still no good. I can't reach her, and she won't talk to me.

Thanks for telling me. When was the last time you could tell where she was? Priire asked.

She was in her room, but that was several hours ago. Myra sighed.

Thanks, Priire said as she ran to tell the others.

Tashita was walking along a sidewalk lined with big trees. She lifted her sad eyes toward the green leaves of one of the trees. She stopped walking, closed her eyes, and felt the wind gently whip around her.

Then she heard something call her. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She listened, but heard nothing. She again closed her eyes and heard something or somebody call her.

She followed the voice.

"She's gone?" Ippin asked again, not believing her ears.

Priire nodded.

"Where did she go?" Nami asked.

"She didn't tell anyone. Myra said she left, and she doesn't even know," Priire told the worried group.

"Well, we have to go find her. Before she gets herself hurt," Kirana said.

"Or she loses her energy again," Yuki added.

Tashita walked where the voice took her. Standing on a brick wall in front of her were Areil and Rana.

"Well, look who came," Areil glared as she crossed her arms in front of her.

Rana jumped down and started circling Tashita. "Is this one of those Sailor Jedi?" As Rana circled the confused girl, she would lightly run the back of her hand against Tashita's skin.

Areil nodded. Tashita now had her eyes closed and jumped whenever Rana would brush her dark hand against her skin.

"You want to come back with us, don't you?" Rana whispered into Tashita's ear.

Tashita gulped and nodded her head.

Areil had also jumped down. "You're still weak. You know the Dark Side will heal you, don't you?"

Again Tashita nodded, her eyes now open and looking at Areil. "Yes, and I want to go back with you."

"Is this some sort of trick?" Areil asked suspiciously while unconsciously taking a step back.

Tashita shook her head.

"You want to come on your free will?" Rana asked, surprised, thinking that that Sailor Jedi would be harder to convert.

"Yes," the brunette said.

"What makes you decide this?" Rana asked, intrigued.

"I don't think I belong with the Jedi anymore," Tashita answered as a heavy frown found its way on her face.

Areil and Rana grinned as they lead Tashita away.

"Where is she?" Annika asked as she gently put her hand on the blond's slumped shoulder.

"I don't know," answered Priire.

The senshi had looked everywhere - the park, the mall, cantinas - but Tashita was nowhere to be found.

Priire slumped into a nearby chair. Yuki patted her on the back. "We will find her. She has to be around somewhere."

Priire sighed and nodded.

Xarae then swayed like she was hit with something.

"What's wrong?" Annika asked.

"I don't know, but I know something's wrong. I felt it through the Force," Xarae told her friends as she put her hand up to her forehead.

"That does not sound good," Nom said as she looked toward Xarae.

Everybody agreed.

Tashita had regained all her strength and now felt better than ever.

"How are you feeling now, Tashita?" Areil asked.

"I feel great! Thanks, Mom," Tashita answered with a smile.

Areil also smiled; she was glad Tashita had come back to her.

Tashita felt a whole lot better. Not only did she get all her strength back, but she felt better inside. Being here with the Sith felt right, like she belonged here. She was no long depressed like she had been; she was happier.

"Everything is right," Tashita smiled.

"Come quick!!" Kirana yelled.

"What's up?" Ippin asked.

"The Sith are attacking and Tashita is with them!!" Kirana shouted.

Priire's ears perked up. "What!?"

Before any of them could move, Priire was out the door and on her way toward Tashita and the Sith.

Sailor Eclipse smiled once again. She was having a blast. She looked over at her mother, Sailor Sith Ayameru; she too was grinning.

"Nothing like a mother-daughter outing, is there?" Sailor Sith Ayameru asked while she put her arm around Eclipse.

Sailor Eclipse shook her head and smiled an even bigger smile.

"Hey! Stop what you are doing," Sailor Yavin announced.

"We have come to take back Tashita!!" Sailor Asteroid added, striking a pose.

"What if she doesn't want to go?" Rana asked stepping out of the shadows.

"You have tricked her! Now let her go!" Sailor Omwat demanded.

"I don't want to go. I want to stay," Sailor Eclipse said calmly.

"You heard her, now go away," Sailor Sith Ayameru sneered, shooing the unwanted Senshi off with her hand.

"But, Tashita... we love you, I love you," Asteroid said, taking a step forward.

"You love me? Sure, but what happened to all those other people? Didn't you love them enough to help them? No, I don't think you did. How can you love me if you don't care about others? I thought it was right being with you, but I was wrong," Eclipse stated, clinching her fists.

"But you are wrong, the Sith are bad..." Sailor Omwat sympathetically began.

"Are they? They could be good. You could be bad. How can anybody tell?" Eclipse interrupted Omwat.

"Tashita..."

"Leave me alone. I want to be with Mom." Eclipse spun around so her back would be toward the Senshi and she would be facing Sailor Sith Ayameru.

Asteroid's eyes widened in surprise. "Me?"

"No - Areil. She created me, remember?" Eclipse snapped over her shoulder.

"Yes, why..." Asteroid stuttered, forcing her eyes closed to keep the tears from coming.

"I told you. Now leave me alone!"

Sailor Sith Ayameru blasted the unsuspecting Senshi.

"Thanks, Mom," Eclipse sighed as she engulfed Sailor Sith Ayameru in a hug.

Sailor Eclipse, Sailor Sith Ayameru, and Rana walked off, leaving the Senshi in their thoughts.

"She truly is one of them," Asteroid sadly stated as she collapsed onto the ground.

"Don't worry, we will get her back..." Yavin comforted Asteroid, "...someday."