Earth
Guardian Prince Endymion
By Senshi
of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi
Act Fifty Four Recap:
(Mamoru’s POV)
Several people lay on the ground, unconscious, whilst
still clutching their possessions limply in their hands. Some were slumped up
against the walls of various buildings but most were on the ground. A paramedic
team was already at the scene and were trying to wake various people.
This is…
Mamoru dared to glance at his friend, expecting to see the
shock mirrored in his friend’s eyes, but this was not the case. It was a look
of acceptance and some anger.
He knew…
This was a scene that Mamoru had hoped he would never have
to lay eyes on again. A scene from the past that would never be repeated and
yet here it was, right before them as impossible as it may seem to him now.
“Youma”
Youma. I never thought I would ever sense that aura again.
After the defeat of the Dark Kingdom I had dared to think that I would be
allowed to live a normal life. I had thought wrong and now I would have to
accept my destiny all over again.
Kisho already knew. This fact did not anger me as much as
it should have because, deep down, I appreciate him keeping it to himself until
the mess with the wedding was sorted out. The others, however, were not as
grateful.
“If there had been any attacks before now then we would
have known about it” Kisho pointed out, a little coldly.
“Not necessarily” Taro shot back, “Unless there have been
more that you’re not telling us about.”
Taro was especially angry with Kisho over this, which was
understandable but at a time like this we don’t need to be fighting among
ourselves.
“We cannot transform, but we can still help you fight, and
protect Usagi.”
“You’d only get in the way” Masaki commented, a little
coldly, “You are just civilians now.”
“I’m not” Usagi answered this, placing one hand
subconsciously on the locket around her neck as she did so, “I can fight.”
“No” Mamoru found himself saying. If anything happened to
her… “Usagi, it is too dangerous.”
“So far it’s just a couple of Youma!” Minako snapped
hotly.
“We don’t know who is behind this” Seiichi replied to
this, “When we fight we do not want to have to worry about your safety, too.”
The girls cannot help us. How can they? They can no longer
henshin. They are as much at risk as civilians are now. Although I can
appreciate how hard it must be for them to accept this, especially for Minako,
the former leader.
“So you won’t fight?”
“I will defend myself if I need too, but no, I will leave
this battle to you and the Shitennou.”
Usagi is content to leave this battle to the Shitennou and
me. I find this a little strange but Usagi has seen so much sadness in her life
and she must know that, if she fights, then her friends will be put at risk. I
can recall all too well what it was like to lose the Shitennou. I don’t want
Usagi to have to go through the same thing with her friends, not again…
******
Act Fifty-Five:
Usagi would suffer, but yet more desires burned in Mio’s
soul. The only things that had kept her going were revenge and Endymion.
They would suffer, Mio vowed furiously, the Shitennou’s
torment would make up for her years of agony and bitterness ten times over.
One by one they would suffer for her pain.
Kuroki Mio stood in the centre of the bedroom, a
reproachful pout on her lips as he glared into the full size mirror and at her
reflection. It had only been twenty-four hours and already this ridiculous
glamour was started to irritate her. Everything about Tsukino Usagi ignited yet
more flames of hatred and it was difficult for her to conceal this hatred for
lengths of time.
He pulled her into his arms, feeling her clinging to his
back in almost desperation as she uttered a small sob. “Mamoru-kun” she
whispered softly, “I don’t want to lose them… not again.”
“You won’t” Mamoru assured her, “I promise.”
Yet it was worth it, despite the massive amounts of energy
that the glamour cost her, despite the indignation that portraying Tsukino
Usagi made her feel. If she could have but one kind word from Mamoru… one kiss…
it was worth it.
This way she could be close to Mamoru. She could comfort
him as, one by one, the Shitennou suffered and all the while he would never
suspect her true form until he finally belonged to her. This was her revenge.
To force Usagi-chan to watch helpless as she stole Mamoru from her, revelling
in the fact that he remained oblivious to his lover’s transformation.
A cruel grin spread across Mio’s face as she recalled,
once again, the look of surprise and horror upon Usagi’s face when she had
gleefully informed her of this revenge. The tears… the fright… and then the
confident defiance. The way that, even now, she remained convinced that Mamoru
would see passed this façade. Mio couldn’t wait to see her hopes start to fade,
her faithfulness in him begin to fail. Only when the real Usagi was truly
broken and Mamoru’s heart belonged to her, would Mio reveal her real form.
******
Usagi had no time to cry out as the Youma struck. Lunging
out of the darkness, it grabbed the shocked Princess around the throat,
slamming her back into the front door and pinning her there helplessly, her
henshin locket breaking off its chain and clattering loudly onto the ground.
It held her tightly yet not so much that she couldn’t
breathe. Taking her time, Mio watched the scene for a few minutes, revelling in
the fact that, at last, her rival was at her mercy. She had waited so long for
this. One of the only things that had kept her going…
Then, slowly, Mio let herself be known to the Princess.
Usagi’s eyes widened as she gasped out: “Mio-chan?”
Mio-chan… Usagi fearfully shifted her position on the
ground slightly, causing the four Youma guarding her to turn their gazes to her
once more. Usagi looked away to hide the tears that were threatening to build
up in her eyes once more. How long had she been here? Searching her fragmented
memories of the past twenty-four hours, she could recall Mio-chan’s attack
before she had fallen unconscious. When she had awoke she was here, wherever
‘here’ was. Looking around her, Usagi still couldn’t decide. It was some kind
of disused building, possibly an old factory or warehouse. The floors were grey
and tiled, and the roof leaked water from the ceiling. It was dark; the windows
had long since been painted over black. The only light that was emitted was
from a few lanterns hanging on the walls. Even these had begun to flicker and
Usagi was terrified of them dying completely. She didn’t want to be alone in
the dark with the Youma…
When she had awoke, her hands and feet bound tightly together,
Mio had informed her of her intentions.
All I ever wanted was Mamoru-kun. In this world and the
last you stole him from me. I could never understand what was so special about
you. Albeit in the past life you were a Princess, the Princess of our creators,
but in this world you are nothing. You are not special or particularly
beautiful in the present. You could never get on in school, have no clear
career path ahead of you and even getting married is too much of a drama for
you. You are nothing and still you have Mamoru. I do not understand but,
perhaps, if I see the world through your eyes I can finally see what draws
Mamoru to you so.
Usagi shuddered at the recollection of Mio’s transformation.
She had used her powers to become her. Outwardly she was Tsukino Usagi in every
way, and the real Usagi had admitted as much, but inwardly she was still Kuroki
Mio and Usagi had every faith that Mamoru would realise this and come to her
rescue.
She had clung on to the this hope, even when Mio returned
to brag that she had sat in on a meeting between the former Senshi, Mamoru and
his Shitennou and none had noticed her change.
Usagi refused to give in, despite this. To lose faith now…
she couldn’t do that… Rei-chan, she was sure would notice her change in aura.
Mamoru would be able to tell that Usagi wasn’t Usagi anymore. Even the
Shitennou must notice that something was wrong with her…
She bit her lip, firmly crushing the worry that was
threatening to overtake her. What if they didn’t notice? What if she was forced
to watch for eternity as Mamoru pledged the rest of his life to someone else?
She couldn’t watch that. She would rather die.
Usagi’s henshin locket hung heavily around her neck; a constant
reminded that escape was so near and yet so far. She would remain here,
helpless, until Mamoru came to save her or Mio grew tired of her game.
It is not just you who will suffer… The Shitennou will
also pay for my misery… one by one they will endure the pain that I did.
She couldn’t warn them… Mamoru’s friends… Usagi knew all
too well how important they were, to her as well as him.
The Earth’s former guardians were also all that stood
between Mio and the destruction of the planet. Everything that they had fought
for… everything that they had sacrificed four years ago… Usagi couldn’t bear it
if it were all for nothing.
This was why she clung to the hope that Mamoru would save
her. This was why, no matter what Kuroki Mio said or did to her; she would keep
on smiling and believing in Mamoru and her friends. If she didn’t have this
faith then she would have nothing and this frightened her, perhaps more than
she was prepared to let on.
******
Kisho slumped to the ground, feeling light-headed as he
hit the dirt. There wasn’t much blood, but the pain… he gritted his teeth in
order to suppress another cry that might call the Youma back to finish him
whilst he lay helpless.
It’s strong… stronger than any Youma we have ever faced
before…Kisho realised with a chill, but this strength was not infinite. The
force driving the Youma wasn’t power but anger. Anger and hatred towards him…
towards them all. Emotions were the most power fuel for evil. Kisho had long
since learned and, for the first time, he felt truly afraid. This being could
well be beyond any of them.
Kisho gritted his teeth, doubling over slightly as a new
spasm of pain shook his body. In the distance he could dimly make out the
lights from his home, so tantalisingly close and yet, at the same time, so far
away. He wasn’t sure how long he had been lying, semi-conscious, on the ground,
the light summer rain soaking him through to the bone, so, he gauged, it must
have been several hours at least.
He couldn’t have moved before now. Not when he had felt so
empty… so drained… he couldn’t have gotten up. His limbs still felt heavy and
he stumbled with every other step, as the pain in his stomach burned and
brought tears to his eyes. There was a shallow cut and it had only bled a
little, but still it caused him no end of agony. Not wanting to admit to
himself that he was a little frightened, Kisho had refrained from calling one
of the others. Whether this was out of pride or the fact he was concerned, he
didn’t care to think of the reasoning behind it and simply concentrated on
getting home.
Now, as he reached the gates, Kisho saw that Ayame was
standing out in the rain, holding up a torch in one hand that was hurriedly
discarded when she saw him coming.
“Nii-san!” she cried out, racing to him and wrapping her
arms around his waist. Kisho couldn’t bite back the moan of pain that escaped
him at this action and Ayame pulled away, staring up at him and her eyes
silently demanding an answer.
Kisho gave her a shaky smile and brushed passed her to
enter their home. Ayame followed, watching, again in silence, as he took off
his shoes and coat, hanging the latter up in the hallway before going into his
bedroom. The cottage was all on a single floor and Kisho could hear Ayame now
moving about in the room next to his; her bedroom.
He pealed off his soaked jumper and allowed it to fall
carelessly to the floor in a crumpled heap, his shirt following suit as he
looked down to inspect his wound under the artificial light. The rain had
washed most of the blood away and there were three puncture marks clearly
visible where the Youma had clawed him. The centre one was still bleeding a
little and each one had a large purple bruise circling it. Kisho traced one of
these bruises with a finger and was rewarded by another stab of pain. Gasping,
he doubled over, forcing himself to be seated on his bed as Ayame entered the
room.
Again, without saying a word, she walked over to him,
seating herself on the bed beside him as she leaned over to clean his wound.
Dabbing at it gently with a cloth and then drying it off before dressing it.
“What happened?” she asked quietly, “Who did this?”
“No one did anything. I was attacked by some sort of
animal, a dog I think.”
“A dog did that?”
She didn’t believe him and Kisho didn’t blame her. He
never could lie to Ayame, he loved her too much for that.
“Ayame” he said softly, drawing her into a quick hug as he
did so, “I just need to rest a while.”
Ayame nodded, not really understanding but being mature
enough to sense that he just couldn’t talk about it, she agreed to let him be.
“Do you want anything?” she asked as she got up to leave
the room.
Kisho shook his head, “I’ll be fine after a night’s
sleep.” He then again reassured her.
Ayame smiled slightly, “Okay, but you have to promise that
you’ll take things easy tomorrow.”
Kisho nodded, “I will.”
Far from satisfied, Ayame then left Kisho alone.
He got ready for bed slowly, pain shooting through his
stomach at every movement he made. Despite Kisho’s words to Ayame he doubted
that he would get much rest that night.
******
“This is getting us nowhere. We cannot fight an unseen
enemy. We will wait for them to make the next move. At the moment they only
seem interested in gathering energy.”
“That will change. You know that as well as I do.”
“I also know that we don’t want to alert them to our
existence until we have to.”
“I don’t like it. But I will respect your decision for
now.”
“I see. How is he this morning?”
Ayame shook her head as she led Mamoru inside, “I don’t
know. He hasn’t got up yet.”
Mamoru had barely gotten up that morning when he had
received a call from Ayame. She had been worried about Kisho and had explained
that he had been attacked by a wild animal on the way home. This ‘wild animal’
Mamoru was sure was a Youma and, knowing his friend well enough by now, he
suspected that Kisho might have been looking for trouble. This didn’t anger him
as such, after all he knew better than to order them to do anything, but he had
thought that they had all decided together and the fact that Kisho had
purposefully set out to look for Youma alone worried him, especially as it
would seem that the Youma they were up against were stronger than the ones
before.
“Please have a seat,” Ayame continued softly, breaking
into Mamoru’s thoughts, “I’ll see if he’s awake yet.”
Mamoru thanked her and sat down on the small royal blue
sofa in the centre of the living room. Despite the cottage’s older outwards
appearance, the furnishings inside were very modern. Ayame’s influence, Mamoru
had decided when he first visited Kisho here, yet he couldn’t help feel as
though they were a little isolated.
He knew that Kisho wouldn’t take kindly to him pointing
this out, but Mamoru was starting to feel uncomfortable with the idea of him
staying out here, especially if he was going to go looking for a fight.
“You don’t have to worry about me, you know”
Mamoru looked up as Kisho entered the room, his gait a
little slower than usual as he made his way towards him. Mamoru also noted a
slight uneasiness in his eyes and that he was doubled over as he walked.
Ayame hung back by the door for a few seconds before
disappearing into the back garden, obviously to allow them a chance to talk
alone.
“Then you shouldn’t give me a cause to worry” Mamoru
replied as Kisho sat down on the chair opposite him, “Ayame told me what
happened. You went looking for a Youma, didn’t you?”
“No” Kisho answered, giving Mamoru a wry smile, “Not when
I was attacked at least.”
“You know how dangerous it is, especially as we do not
know who our enemy is.”
“Yes, mother”
Mamoru sighed, “I’m not trying to tell you what to do. You
can decide upon the best course of action alone if you wish. I thought we had
all decided upon things together as a team. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.
Looking for Youma alone is dangerous.”
“I wasn’t alone.”
“If you are not happy with what was agreed then you should
have said something.”
“I know” Kisho shrugged, “I should have but I had thought
that we, myself, Seiichi and Masaki, don’t have the same commitments that you
and Taro do.”
“You have Ayame.”
Kisho nodded, “Which was why that I decided that we should
play things your way from now on. I will admit I do not like it, but that thing
was so close to my home. Next time it could be Ayame. I don’t want that… not
again…”
Mamoru nodded, feeling a great relief that now, finally,
they were agreeing. He didn’t want them to argue, especially as so much pain
could have been avoided during their battle against the Dark Kingdom if they
had just managed to agree on a few things to begin with.
“You always seem to be fighting each other. How did you
ever win?”
Mamoru smiled slightly as he recalled Usagi’s words to him
when he had called her on his way over to Kisho’s. Mamoru had wanted to make
sure that she was all right. After yesterday…
“I will defend myself if I need too, but no, I will leave
this battle to you and the Shitennou.”
He repeated this to Kisho and he seemed almost relieved at this. At least they
had been in agreement of one thing from the outset, Mamoru thought to himself.
The former Senshi and Usagi must be kept out of this new battle… at all costs.
******
Masaki felt his trembling increase as the Queen of the
Dark Kingdom stepped out of the shadows towards them, her mouth pulled back in
a sly smile that showed off her pearl white teeth. In that moment he understood
why Taro had been so terrified of her. Beryl was so much different from the
Youma they had fought, or even the Dark Senshi. She was as old as the Kingdom
itself and her power was fuelled by her bitterness and hatred. Yet she did not
control her power her emotions did and that was, in a sense, more destructive
than even the Ginzuishou’s shine.
Still shaking, Masaki turned to flee the cavern as his
sense of dread deepened. His fear was overwhelming his mind, threatening to
send him to his knees if he did nothing. Yet as he moved, so did Mio, blocking
the only exit with her own body. Masaki paused, transforming with the intention
of killing her on the spot. Never before, in his right mind, had he considered
killing a human, even one such as Mio, but he suddenly realised the true terror
of what Beryl had in store for him.
Then he felt her presence behind him, as the two Youma
sprung forth from the darkness, grabbing hold of him in a grip that he couldn’t
manage to break, no matter how hard he tried.
He tossed and turned, his eyes tightly closed as these recollections
continued to play out over and over inside his aching mind. All night these
images had plagued him. His final ordeal in the Dark Kingdom.
“Unforgivable” Beryl seethed behind him, “This is
unforgivable! You won’t even grant me with a dignified death!”
She stood, her back facing him as she shook with a
combination of rage and agony at knowing that she was beaten. That Endymion
could never belong to her.
Beryl… how you strayed from our cause. You shied away from
our true mission in favour of the Prince that you once loved. A Prince who was
too blind to your emotions to give you the love that you so desperately longed
for. Why else would you turn to me? Why else would you seek infinite power?
Demo… this has to send now. I will no longer put up with
your incompetence. That is unforgivable.
“Mamoru!” Zoisite shouted as the Queen took a step towards
them, conjuring a glowing ball of purple energy in her hand as she did so. The
remaining Tennou ran between his Prince and Beryl, raising his short sword and
preparing to defend them both.
Slowly I raised my own weapon, a half smile flickering
across my lips as I plunged my own sword deep into the Queen’s back. Embedding
itself between her shoulder blades, the tip instantly reached her heart. She fell,
dead even before she hit the ground.
Despite himself, the Prince took a step back as I
approached, the horrified expression on his face saying more than mere words
alone could convey. There was nothing else to say. He knew who I was and he
sensed the hatred in my heart as my gaze turned from him to lock on the man
next to Endymion. As our eyes met, my hatred intensified, recalling how he had
used my host’s form.
Then, finally, Endymion gained the courage to speak,
although his voice came out as an almost strangled whisper:
“Masaki-kun?”
“Endymion, Seiichi-kun” I said smugly in reply.
Masaki bolt upright in bed as this memory slammed into him
with an almost dizzying force. Gasping he clenched the sheets tightly in his
palms as he struggled to a draw a breath as the painful familiarity of this
dream struck him.
How could he have been there? He had died before the final
battle! He remembered bleeding to death in the Dark Kingdom! He remembered Metallia
taking his life.
“You fear me. Why? Did you not expect to see me this way?”
Masaki stood up, throwing the bed covers carelessly onto
the floor as he moved. Looking at his watch, Masaki saw that it was already
10.00am. He had a lecture this morning but already an hour of it was over. He
hadn’t managed to do the course work for it anyway, he reminded himself and, in
any case, getting to class on time was the last thing on his mind now.
He got dressed, hurriedly selecting a pair of jeans and a
black jumper before picking up his phone, silently debating who to call. Taro
had died before the battle really begun and Kisho hadn’t been present in his
dream/memory.
Masaki called Mamoru’s number up on the display and then
paused, thinking better of this and cancelled it, before ringing Seiichi’s
mobile instead. Mamoru had the tendency to gloss over the truth whereas Seiichi
would tell Masaki straight up what he wanted to know.
“Hello?”
He mouth curved up in a half smile when Seiichi answered,
sounding as though he had just woken up and Masaki called him on this.
“I have,” he admitted.
“Really?” Masaki prompted, “Is Minako-san with you?”
“Of course not!” the star snapped back, obviously
embarrassed at this insinuation. Masaki had only been half teasing, as he had
wanted to make sure that Seiichi was alone before he broached the subject of
the Dark Kingdom.
So, for a few minutes, he made small talk, but Seiichi had
already picked up on the tenseness in his voice and, at last, asked why he had
really called him.
“I wanted to talk to you… about the Dark Kingdom.”
There was a long pause before Seiichi answered this, his
voice taking on an almost guarded tone, “What about it?”
“The final battle. About how Beryl died.”
“You know how she died, Masaki-kun.”
He was definitely hiding something now and this annoyed
Masaki as much as it terrified him, “You told me that Metallia killed her. You
also told me that I died, my body died, when Beryl attempted to seal Metallia
away in me. That wasn’t true, was it?”
Seiichi did not answer him and his silence said more than
words could ever do.
Masaki exhaled deeply, feeling his trembling increase, as
he whispered, “I killed her, didn’t I?”
“No--”
Slowly I raised my own weapon, a half smile flickering
across my lips as I plunged my own sword deep into the Queen’s back. Embedding
itself between her shoulder blades, the tip instantly reached her heart. She
fell, dead even before she hit the ground.
“I did! I killed her! I can remember stabbing her! I can
remember you stepping in front of Mamoru to defend him!”
“No. You didn’t kill her.”
“Damn in, Seiichi, don’t treat me like a baka! I know I
killed her!” Masaki practically screamed down the phone at him, his voice
becoming hoarse as he struggled to force away the tears that were rapidly
building up behind his eyes. He felt sorrow, not because of Beryl for he still
hated her for what she did to him and to his friends, but the fact that he had
taken another’s life… and his friends had lied to him about it.
“You killed her” Seiichi’s confirmation of this was enough
to send him to his knees. Masaki lowered the phone from his ear as he felt a
heavy weight settling on his chest, forcing him to bow forward as his eyes slid
closed to assuage his tears from falling
“Masaki? Masaki, daijobu?”
After a minute or two, Masaki raised the phone to his ear
once more, unable to speak.
“It wasn’t you. You did die. You died the moment that
Metallia was sealed inside of you. It wasn’t you who killed Beryl.”
Masaki shook his head as he uncurled his right hand, which
he had clenched into a fist before now. Did it matter if his soul had gone? His
body had been used to take another life. His hands had taken a life. He felt
sick inside. It wasn’t as though he had killed her to defend the others, or to
save the planet. He had killed her in cold blood. He could still feel the
hatred and the angry surging through his body and he told Seiichi as much.
“It wasn’t you” Seiichi simply repeated, “And if I can see
that then why can’t you?”
“Because it wasn’t you who took a life.”
“I know” Seiichi said quietly, “But it was my fault that
you were corrupted by the Dark Kingdom.”
Masaki paused, recalling all too well his hatred towards
Seiichi that had been the cause of his corruption. Perhaps his friend was
right? When he had done all those things… had he really been Ueda Masaki at
all? If Seiichi-tachi were so convinced that he had not been then why should he
begin to torture himself over something that happened four years ago? Beryl had
been evil. She would have killed them all given half the chance. She wanted
nothing more than for the Shitennou to suffer. If she could see them now… he’d
be giving her exactly what she wanted, but…
“Seiichi” Masaki took a deep breath as another, more
terrible, thought crossed his mind, “Did I do anything else, as Metallia, I
mean? Did I hurt anyone else?”
“No” Seiichi answered without hesitating, “No one else.”
******
The fire was restless, Hino Rei thought, a frown marring
her soft features as she stared intently into the flames. Outside the crows
cawed in the distance, adding to her disquiet. For an hour she had knelt before
her fire, keeping her eyes closed as she allowed her senses to mingle with that
of the flames, taking in her surroundings and preparing her mind for what was
to come.
Out of all the former Senshi, Rei did not crave her former
powers as much as they did. Why should she? She had been blessed with the
intuition and powers of a Miko. These natural powers could never be corrupted.
There was little going on in Tokyo that Rei could not see, should she care to
look. Through the flames she could see the present, the past and, occasionally,
the future. It was to the future that she looked to now.
Allowing her mind to align itself with her fire, Rei’s
head slumped forward onto her chest, as she looked deeper, beneath the surface.
She looked to the future… her future… the future of her and her friends.
Darkness… all around her… she could hear the screams of
her Princess… her friends… Rei couldn’t breath. She fell to her knees, her own
screams echoing around her as the city burned. Smoke invaded her nostrils,
pouring down her throat and causing her to cough. Fierce spasms shook her body
as her aching fingertips grasped at the ground beneath them, the tips torn and
bleeding, as was the rest of her body.
Unable to fight she was forced to witness this… Tokyo
burned around her… nothing could stop it…
“Show me” Rei whispered, clenching her fists at her sides
as she spoke, “Show me who is behind this destruction.”
As the city faded before her eyes, Rei became aware of a
figure stepping out of the darkness. Shrouded in mist, Rei silently willed her
powers to overcome this glamour… to reveal the beings true form. For a moment
the shadow flickered and threatened to give way and then… a hand reached out.
Rei screamed as the hand clasped tightly over her face, the person’s thumb and
forefinger pressing tightly into her eyes.
Throwing herself back from the fire, Rei landed hard on
her back, a hand flying to her face as though to somehow grasp onto the evil
and keep it from hiding itself once more.
Breathing hard, she lay still as the vision faded
slightly; staring up at the roof of the shrine Rei forced herself to regain
some composure before sitting up. The fire had died. For the first time since
her rebirth the fire had gone out. She was blind again.
******
“When we fight we do not want to have to worry about your
safety, too.”
Minako pushed open and studio doors and stepped inside,
very much aware of the wild beating of her heart as she recalled yesterday’s
meeting. At the time Seiichi’s words had infuriated her but overnight, as she
turned them over in her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder if he had meant
something else entirely. Of course, Minako felt terrible about thinking of such
things when it would appear that, once again, the planet was in danger. She may
not have her powers anymore, but Minako was still a Senshi inside and
desperately wanted to help. Still awaiting Rei’s report back to them, she had
found herself growing restless and decided to go to the studio; singing always
helped her to concentrate after all.
Realising that she was early, Minako decided to go into
the small cafeteria and get a coffee before hand. As she stepped into the room
her heart sank when she saw him sitting at a table in the middle of the room.
Ikuhara Tetsuya, Seiichi’s manager, was talking to him in what started out as a
hushed whisper but gradually got louder until the latter shook his head,
clearly very agitated, and stormed from the room. A couple of people gave
Seiichi a sidelong glance, but he ignored this and instead pretended to be more
interested in the coffee cup in his right hand.
Minako hesitated as he then looked up, giving her a small
smile before averting his gaze once more. Determined to make up for her
foolishness of yesterday, Minako got herself a coffee before boldly walking
over to his table and seating herself opposite him.
“Minako-san” he acknowledged her presence before taking
another sip of his coffee.
She could tell that he was obviously troubled by something
and, feeling a strange mixture of anger at his attitude towards her yesterday
and concern, Minako decided to call him on it.
“I’ve just had to break it to Tetsuya that I will be
cancelling the remainder of the England Tour. He didn’t take that very well.”
“Cancelling?” Minako repeated, feeling terrible that,
inside, she felt elation at this prospect.
“I cannot leave. Not when there is a new enemy to fight”
She nodded, knowing how she would feel if she had to
disappoint thousands of fans, but the choice would be easy to make. Even now
they had a duty towards this planet. Minako knew that Seiichi would never turn
his back on that duty, despite his new life in this world.
“Have you found anything more out about this enemy?” she
asked.
Seiichi shook his head, “Nothing yet. Mamoru feels that we
should wait for them to make the next move.”
“You are unsure?”
Seiichi shrugged, loyal as ever, “Mamoru does not make
decisions lightly. We cannot make decisions lightly or rush into things.
As a guardian yourself, I am sure you can appreciate that.”
Minako shook her head, “I’m no longer a guardian. I have
no power in this world.”
She hated herself for admitting this to him, but it was
true, Minako realised with a coldness that chilled her to the bone. For the
first time she knew that when she lost her henshin she lost more than just her
powers. A part of herself had been taken away and now, when she needed it the
most, she was just another young woman unable to defend herself.
It will not be
like that! It cannot be like that! I will find a way to protect Usagi-chan.
Destinies cannot be altered that easily. I will not allow it!
“You’ll always be a guardian” Seiichi answered to this,
“It is your ties to the Princess that make you a Senshi, not your powers.”
Minako nodded, unsure of what to say to this. Without her
henshin she certainly didn’t feel like a guardian.
“Do you see me as a guardian still?”
“No. I see Aino Minako.”
I see Aino Minako… he sees me… no the former enemy that I
was and not Venus in the past life. He sees me…
Hardly daring to breath, Minako raised her head to meet
the sudden intenseness in his gaze.
“You know” she said softly, “It’s not such a terrible
thing that you’ve decided to cancel the tour.”
For a moment or two he didn’t say anything and Minako,
again, feared that she had misread the signals and stood up, suddenly feeling
flustered which was so unlike her.
“I should go.”
“Minako--”
“It’s okay. I understand.”
She was such a fool… of course he didn’t feel anything for
her. Why would he? He hadn’t done in the past life, what made her think that he
could in this world?
Minako turned away, deciding that the best course of
action would just be to leave, when she heard him calling after her again. She,
again, was intending on ignoring this when she felt his hand close around her
wrist.
“Minako.”
She hesitated and then reluctantly turned around to meet
his gaze. “Don’t go” Seiichi requested softly.
“Why?”
“Because I like being here with you.”
“You do?” he nodded and then let go of her wrist.
For a moment neither of them spoke until Minako murmured
quietly “I like being with you, too.”
As she admitted this, she became aware that a few curious
technicians had paused and were watching the pair of them. Seiichi smiled and
said, “Would you like to go somewhere else? Somewhere where we can talk alone?”
Minako nodded mutely, still not being able to believe what
was happening. He liked her. He liked who she was in the present and not the
person she had been in the past. He didn’t see Dark Venus looking back at him.
He saw Aino Minako.
Then reality struck again. Seiichi smiled apologetically
as he phone rang. “It’s Mamoru,” he said as he consulted the caller ID.
Minako told him to answer it, playing down her
disappointment but was careful to make sure that there wasn’t too much
indifference in her reply.
Moments later he finished the call and turned back to her,
“There’s a Youma” he said, “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to go.”
“Where? Let me come with you?”
“I’m sorry” Seiichi said even as he turned to exit the
cafeteria, “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Seiichi--” Minako started to protest but he only repeated
that he would call her tomorrow and left before Minako could protest further.
Minako bit her lip as she recalled his words. If he truly
meant them and saw her as Aino Minako then he would not allow her to accompany
him. She hated this. He was going to fight, putting his life at risk when they
had just… Minako bit her lip as sudden anxiety filled her. She ran after him,
hoping to catch him, but Seiichi was nowhere in sight. All Minako could do was
wait, and she hated this.
******
Kuroki Mio stared down at her watch, worrying her lower
lip slightly as, again, Usagi’s phone started to ring. She knew who it was
without looking. She was supposed to be meeting Mamoru at Makoto’s restaurant
for some lunch, but with the lack of energy, her glamour had dispersed and she
was in her true form once more. Ignoring the phone and allowing it to go
straight through to voice mail, she took to pacing up and down Tsukino Usagi’s
bedroom. She had sent some Youma to gather some energy, thus depleting her
reserves entirely.
She knew the answer to this even as she raised the
question. Every moment that she spent with Mamoru made it all worthwhile. Each
moment was precious and Mio wanted many more like it. She would never give this
up… not until Mamoru belonged to her.
******
Mamoru set his phone down and again looked worriedly at
his watch before picking it up and dialling Usagi’s number again. As before it
went to voice mail.
“Don’t worry” Makoto said as she cleared away a few plates
on the table next to him, “She’ll be here.”
Mamoru nodded. Usagi was always late, he tried telling
himself but he couldn’t help but worry, especially after Kisho was attacked.
“Which was why
that I decided that we should play things your way from now on. I will admit I
do not like it, but that thing was so close to my home. Next time it could be
Ayame. I don’t want that… not again…”
Kisho had wanted to stay with Ayame and Mamoru had left,
mentioning that he had arranged to meet Usagi at the restaurant for some lunch
a bit later on anyway.
Now as he sat in the restaurant watching the seconds
ticking by, he was becoming increasingly agitated.
“Here you go” Makoto said, coming back and placing a cup
of black coffee down in front of him, “And stop worrying, she’ll be here.”
Mamoru nodded and resisted trying to ring her again.
Knowing Usagi she had left her phone at one of her friend’s houses or
something.
Forcing away any anxious thoughts that were building up in
the back of his mind, Mamoru took a sip of the coffee that Makoto had given him
and willed himself to relax. She would probably be here in a minute. In fact
she was probably---
Mamoru started slightly, his train of thought interrupted
when two patrons sitting near the window screamed. Bolting up, Mamoru leapt
backwards as the glass shattered, knocking the couple to the floor.
More screams arose as the Youma entered. They walked on
two feet, moving with surprising agility, their bodies covered in jet-black
fur. Their eyes glowed bright red, reminding Mamoru more of wild animals than
Youma, but the hatred he could feel radiating from them… These were different
from the Youma that they had faced before. They were stronger… they had been
created by someone who’s intense hatred towards the planet had taken over their
very soul.
The terrified couple lying under the window struggled to
move as the Youma leapt into the room, the first one lunging towards the woman.
Her lover leapt between them, causing her to scream again as the Youma got a
grip around his neck before slamming him back into a wall as it started to
drain his energy. The woman gave another cry and tried to run to her partner,
but Makoto raced forward pulling her back as the man’s head fell forward onto
his chest and he slumped lifelessly to the ground as the Youma released its
hold on him.
The woman screamed again, thus drawing the Youma’s
attention to her and the former Senshi. As it did so, Mamoru transformed, even
as his hand closed around his phone as he hit the speed dial.
“Seiichi” he said, without giving his friend time for even
a greeting, “I’m at Makoto’s restaurant. There are two Youma here as well.
They’ve killed someone. Get the others.”
He hung up without even awaiting a reply and discarded the
phone to the floor as he ran between Makoto and the advancing pair of Youma.
Drawing his sword, Mamoru blocked the first clawed hand
that was swung at him with his weapon and leapt back, barely avoiding the
second. He gritted his teeth and clung on to his weapon as again and again he
blocked attacks of both energy and physical strength.
Endymion took a small step back to in a bid to gain a
firmer footing as they continued to strike, now attempting to get at the two
civilians behind him, the others having fled the restaurant long before.
Moving back further, Endymion raised his sword, intending
on bringing down across the first Youma’s chest. As though guess his plan, it
leapt backwards with a snarl. Carried forward by his momentum, Endymion
stumbled slightly, allowing the second Youma to get between him and the two
women. Desperately, Endymion whirled around, but the first Youma was there. It
slammed a hand around his face, knocking him back into a table. It collapsed
under this weight and he hit the floor, his sword falling from his fingertips.
Stunned, Endymion struggled to get to his feet as he saw the second Youma
approaching Makoto and her customer. The former Senshi stood in front of her,
fists raised and trying to look determined, but Endymion could see the fear in
her eyes.
He scrambled to his feet, but was met, once again, by the
first Youma. It grabbed a fistful of his hair and hurled him back into the
wall, knocking him down again. Endymion rolled hard to one side as a blast of
magical energy followed suit. Then his back hit the corner of the room. There
was nowhere left for him to go, his sword still desperately out of reach.
Sensing this, the Youma raised a clawed hand, preparing
for the final blow. As it did so another attack slammed into it, knocking it
down.
“Well this is a familiar scene” Kisho smirked as he
retrieved Endymion’s sword. The Prince blushed crimson as Jadeite helped him to
his feet and Kisho moved forward to hand him his weapon. Behind them, Nephrite
and Zoisite were battling against the second Youma and Makoto was hurrying her
customer to get to safety. The woman was protesting and crying as her gaze fell
on the body of her lover.
“Even after all this time we have to save you” Kisho
continued as Endymion reached up to take his sword.
“Just shut up and transform” Nephrite shouted from across
the room, “We could use some help over here!”
Endymion followed their gaze and saw that now Nephrite and
Zoisite were fighting against both Youma and having about as much luck as
Endymion had been before.
Jadeite nodded and moved to help them, but as Endymion was
about to follow suit, Kisho suddenly doubled over in, what appeared to be,
agony. He clutched tightly at his stomach, the colour draining from his face as
he did so.
“Kisho? What is it?”
“I-- I don’t know” he whispered, his brows furrowed
together in concentration, “I can’t seem to…” he cried out again and fell
further forward until he was on his knees.
“What is it?”
Kisho took several minutes to answer him and when he did
finally, looking up at Endymion, the fear and pain evident in his eyes as he
whispered, “I can’t transform.”
Endymion had no time to feel anything as he heard his
other friends cry out in pain as they were felled. Thrown back several feet,
Jadeite slammed into the opposite wall and collapsed, de-transforming as he did
so, Nephrite and Zoisite followed suit and both Youma turned, intending on
leaving the restaurant.
As they did this, Kisho suddenly moved before Endymion
could stop him, placing himself between the Youma and the exit.
The Youma didn’t even pause, the first one catching him a
glancing blow around the face that knocked him to the floor as they exited the
building. They were returning to their master, this Endymion was sure of.
No sooner was he sure that they had gone, did he
de-transform and race to Kisho’s side, attempting to help the man to his feet,
but Kisho roughly pushed him away.
“Baka!” Mamoru shouted angrily as both men got to their
feet, “What was that supposed to achieve?”
Kisho ignored him and turned to leave the restaurant.
“Matte!” Mamoru snapped, grabbing hold of his arm. Kisho
swung around angrily and pushed him back into the wall behind.
Stunned, Mamoru shoved him back, not knowing how else to
react to the surge of different emotions that flooded him. He wanted answers.
What had happened? Why couldn’t he transform? Why did he place himself in
danger if he couldn’t fight? Why was he behaving like this?
“Kisho!” again he tried.
“Just. Leave. Me. Alone” Kisho growled in his face before
pushing him back, possibly a little harder than he had intended too as Mamoru
again lost his balance and would have fallen had Taro not been behind him to
steady him.
This time, Mamoru allowed him to make his exit as police
sirens sounded in the distance.
“What happened?” Taro asked, voicing what they were all
wondering.
Mamoru shook his head, “He said… he said he couldn’t
transform.”
“That’s impossible, isn’t it?” Taro replied, casting a
glance at Seiichi as he spoke.
“I don’t know” he admitted, “I think so.”
Mamoru was silent, thinking of what had happened to Kisho
the night before. Was there something that his friend wasn’t telling them?
“Mamoru, daijobu?” Masaki requested quietly.
“I’m fine” Mamoru said, forcing a small smile, “We should
leave Kisho for a while. It has been four years since we last transformed.
Perhaps he’s simply finding it a little more difficult than the rest of us?”
The looks of their faces said that they didn’t believe it,
and Mamoru, if he were honest, deep down, didn’t either, but what else could he
say? He would wait for Kisho to calm down and then go to see him and they could
work out what had happened together. As much as Mamoru hated keeping secrets,
he knew that Kisho would not want to admit to all of them what had happened
yesterday, his pride simply wouldn’t allow it and, as it was, his pride had
been greatly dented by today’s events.
The others appeared to realise this,
too, and said no more on the subject.
“What is it?”
Kisho took several minutes to answer him and when he did
finally, looking up at Endymion, the fear and pain evident in his eyes as he
whispered, “I can’t transform.”
Kisho… what exactly did that Youma do to
you?
******
Kuroki Mio stood in her Usagi glamour
once more, a cruel smile etched across her face as the Youma related to her, in
its native tongue, the events that took place in the restaurant. Draining
humans of their energy was one way to gain a quick boost of power, but to steal
life energy itself. Mio could feel the power coursing through her veins, even
in this guise, and she now felt strong enough to exact the next stage of her
revenge against the Shitennou.
From the past life, she knew how much
Kunzite had prided himself in being the leader of the Shitennou and the
strongest. By taking away his transformation in this world she had divided them
once more as well as caused him no end of suffering at the very idea that he
would be unable to fight this ‘new enemy’ and protect his Prince. Losing the strongest
of them also made the others more vulnerable. Also, by allowing her the first
move, they were only setting themselves up for more agony, Mio mused to
herself. Whilst Mamoru was very cautious, this caution was also foolish and
would cost the remaining Tennou dearly.