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CHAPTER EIGHT

A beautiful woman paced in the heavens. The chamber she was in shook with her fury. Some said she was the most vengeful of all the goddesses, some were too afraid to. Juno was one of the most powerful of all the goddesses, no doubt. She was wife to Jupiter the King and she hated his fondness for mortal women, oh how she hated it!

She hated Sailor Mercury above all the Sailor Scouts simply because she muddled with all her plans to decimate the Sailor Scouts. You would think she would hate Moon more, but no. Mercury was always there, emotionally strong, calm and cool, beautiful, and with a plan to save all their lives.

Juno picked up a blue vase. Just like Sailor Mercury, she thought. She threw it against the was smashing it into a million pieces. Sailor Jupiter had already gone into mental break down, why not Sailor Mercury?

A flash of light appeared as a 19 year-old youth knelt in front of Juno, kissing her hand. "My Queen," he said. "I have failed; Sailor Mercury was made leader, and because of my youth I had forgotten." He dare not say it was her brainwashing, she still thought the effects were irreversible.

"At least you were not eliminated," she said with malice thick on her voice. "You are still of use to me because you have failed. You have fallen in love with Sailor Mercury." She looked at him accusingly. "You have fallen in love with one of my worst enemies."

Cupid shook his head violently. "NO," he swallowed hard. "Never, Juno, never! I wouldn't; I couldn't."

Juno smiled sweetly and slapped him across the face with all her might and with one blow of injustice he was on his back on the floor. "You did. Now no one can save you or her."

"Why do you hate her, My Queen? She is but a child. Not even a goddess."

"Apollo, Mercury, and Minerva all love her so much. Jupiter is partial to Apollo, Mercury and Minerva, especially Minerva-he cares for them more than I. She is league with that damn Moon Princess who is so loved. She is perfect in almost every way. Do you know how disgusting that is?" Juno's voice rose to its full volume. "SHE ALMOST LIKE A GODDESS BUT SHE WILL NEVER EVER COMPARE TO ME! NOW SHE TAKES ONE OF THE FAIREST OF ALL THE GODS AWAY FROM ME, FIRST MERCURY THEN APOLLO NOW YOU! NEVER!"

Juno picks up a lily-of-the-valley she studies the perfectly white and pure flower first. Without a blemish, somewhat like Mercury. She takes the lily in her hands shaking it turbulently dropping it to the floor. Her foot coming down upon the flower, she leaves a mess there for her servants they could pick it up.

Cupid still sat on the floor in awe. Was he in love with senshi of Mercury? Not possible, he was the god of love… he would know if he was in love wouldn't he? Unless Venus knew, but he couldn't go to Venus and ask.

Even being the god of love he had never loved before. Lust, yes, desire, of course, but love was unheard of for him.

Juno regained composure bringing Cupid back to the heavens with her. "You will go back to Rome, you will find Mercury and I will find you. I believe that this plan deserves some real divine intervention."

She clapped her pale hands and laughed as Cupid disappeared. "Did I mention you had to go now?" She laughed aloud to herself as he to descended on planet earth.

For Cupid this mission was hell, Hades, whatever you wanted to call it. He knew in his subconscious he had been brainwashed but Juno, being as vengeful as she was, would kill him if he spoke of this. He knew she was using him to make Jupiter jealous but getting out of being used was so incredibly time consuming...

Ami found Makoto running around the huge labyrinth of a prison. Her healing powers cured the fallen guards as she convinced them that she should be allowed to enter the prison. By the time Makoto and Ami found Ademerplius, Cupid was standing in his Ademerplius' cell.

Cupid had decided that betraying Juno was not the best thing to do so he made up his mind to set aside his feelings for Ami and just kill her... Makoto first so that he could be with her when she died... if Juno allowed it. Maybe he could turn Ami in, could he?

"Get out of here Cupid," commanded Ami quietly. "We are going to release this innocent man." It was the 10th hour on the 3rd day.

"Oh sweet, lovely Ami, how much you need to learn," Cupid retorted. "I have found that by sparing you I do not complete my mission. Of course, you could become my wife and then join me..."

Ami spit in his eye. " Give up? Betray my friends? Never."

Ademerplius sat in his cell quietly, watching the events with a calm in his eyes. "Distinguished guests," he said to Ami and Makoto. "If you have not come to liberate me I shall have to ask you to leave for I have business to attend to with our fair Queen of the gods, Juno. She has offered me a proposition that I plan to accept."

Makoto was suddenly alive. " No!"

Juno appeared her green blue eyes materializing before the rest of her body. "Yes, Sailor Jupiter. Yes."