Earth
Guardian Prince Endymion
By Senshi
of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi
WARNING: Contains character death and
moderate violence.
Act Forty Seven Recap:
(Mamoru’s POV)
The Metallia Youma’s powers were gaining strength. Soon
there would be no one left in Tokyo unaffected so we decided to confront it
but, this time, on our own terms and knowing its only weakness.
“It has one weakness” Seiichi answered him, “A weakness that all Youma seem possess. When it steals energy it goes into a trance like state. That is the time to attack it.”
“So we need to use a civilian as bait” Mamoru shook his
head, secretly appalled at this mere suggestion, “I don’t like it. What if
something went wrong?”
“Not a civilian” Kisho replied, “One of us.”
I was adamant that I acted as the decoy. How could I let
them continue to risk their lives for me? If I did and they were hurt in anyway
I would never forgive myself. As it was our plan went horribly wrong.
Endymion could see Kunzite’s energy being drained,
transferring to the Youma as he watched. The oldest king struggled for a
moment, before the Youma’s powers overwhelmed him and he succumbed to them,
de-transforming as his eyes slid closed.
The Youma stepped back, allowing Kisho’s still form to
fall to the ground as it rasped: “Energy” before taking a step in Zoisite’s
direction. Leaning down, it gasped the still dazed Tennou by the throat and
hauled him to his feet, black magics wrapping around his body, sapping his
energy as it had done to Kisho.
It got all of them and I was unable to do anything to stop
this and then…
“You” Endymion whispered, seeing the deadly intent in her
eyes, “What are you doing?”
“Don’t interfere” Jupiter commanded, before cartwheeling
towards the Youma. Endymion watched, his throat suddenly dry as it dawned on
him exactly what the Senshi was doing.
“Matte!” he cried as she grabbed hold of the stunned
Youma, pinning it in place.
“This is the only way,” she shouted, then again warning
him to stay back, “Even without Metallia’s influence, it still possesses the
Tennou’s powers. You cannot defeat it!”
“What about you?”
Jupiter turned away, ignoring this final question.
“Supreme… thunder!”
Jupiter gave her life for us… for this planet. I can feel
our mission drawing to a close. One way or another it is time to finish this.
It is time that we faced Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom.
******
Act Forty-Eight:
Seiichi, once again, returned home to an empty apartment.
Tetsuya seemed to be giving him more space at the moment, which, in itself, was
a good thing, though Seiichi couldn’t shake off the feeling that his manager
was up to something.
There was, however, a brief message on his answer phone
explaining that the workers at the studio had miraculously woken up from their
comas and Seiichi could return to work as early as next week if he felt ready
to.
“Go home. Rest. Save your strength. Meet me tomorrow at
Crown. It’s time we ended this war.”
Those were the only words that Mamoru had spoken on the
subject of the coming battle, and their Prince had repeatedly expressed his
relief that they were safe and Seiichi himself had to give Mamoru several
assurances that they were fine before they were allowed to get the rest that
they had been commanded too.
Seiichi didn’t honestly remember anything after the Youma
had grabbed a hold of him. It was as though his consciousness had completely
shut down. When sleeping he had dreams, though he seldom remembered them upon
waking. When the Youma drained his energy there was nothing but darkness.
It would be like that again, for the entire planet, if the
Dark Kingdom won this war. Seiichi hit the delete button on the answer phone as
he walked passed on his way to the kitchen. Once there he poured himself a
glass of water and leaned back against the pine cabinet, staring at the clear
liquid, almost intently as he debated the upcoming battle.
Somehow next week seemed so impossibly far away. He had
never thought that he would ever be contemplating what would happen after the
Dark Kingdom was defeated. If the Dark Kingdom was defeated.
They could fail. The Dark Kingdom could kill them. By
tomorrow he could be dead. Before this had not bothered Seiichi. Before he had
not been concerned with the future, only his past, but now… Seiichi had found
himself considering attempting to break the European market. Indeed, Tetsuya
had thought it possible with his talent and had already made a few enquiries in
this direction. Firmly Seiichi crushed this thought as though it was an
impossible dream. If they started thinking of the future, a future that they
might never have, he knew it would distract them from the coming battle. They
couldn’t afford to think of tomorrows. He couldn’t afford to think of
tomorrows, no matter how tempting this might be.
What of his Youma? Was it somewhere alive in the Dark
Kingdom after all? If so would he end up facing it? Would he have to… Seiichi
shook his head, not even willing to think about what might happen if this was
so.
Setting the now empty glass back down, Seiichi suddenly
realised how fatigued he was. Mamoru was right; he did need to rest.
“Seiichi?”
He glanced up when he heard his name being called, his
eyes narrowing ever so slightly in suspicion as Artemis climbed down off of the
windowsill and padded slowly towards him. His expression was downcast as he
spoke:
“I heard what Endymion said; that you are going to face
the Dark Kingdom.”
“You were spying on us?” Seiichi asked coldly, “Why?”
“Jupiter… she… she came to see Usagi-chan before she…
before she died. Even though I knew what she was going to do I had to go… I had
to see….”
“I suppose you wish to blame me for her death, too.”
Artemis shook his head, “I just want to talk to you.”
“Why?”
Artemis did not answer his question. Instead he made
himself comfortable on the table and said:
“Didn’t you ever wonder why, out of the Shitennou, I
sought you out?”
Seiichi paused, a part of him slightly intrigued, but he
still had to focus his mind on the upcoming battle. “No” he answered, turning
away again.
“Venus told me. She told me about your promise. She told
me that, out of the four of you, it was you who she trusted. She saw you as a
possible ally against the Prince and Princess’s relationship. Surely you
remember that?”
“We may have created the Earth, but your ideals and
beliefs are your own. On the Moon the women are the guardians, the defenders of
the Kingdom. Here on Earth, its Kingdom has the Shitennou. Men on the Moon are
weak and here you are strong.”
Zoisite allowed her a half smile, “Why are you here,
Venus?”
She shrugged, “I cannot sleep,” she admitted, “Despite
this being a suicide mission I will spare my Senshi that… if I can…”
“We think alike,” Zoisite murmured. Though he was not the
leader he had contemplated much the same thing. It only needed one of them to
get to Beryl and this nightmare would be over. If all the Shitennou died then
there would be no one to protect the Master. It was the same with the Senshi
and they both knew it.
“Then we are decided” the blonde girl said softly, “One of
us must get to Beryl. We can help each other make this so. One of us will die
so that the others can survive and continue to serve the Prince and Princess.”
Seiichi did remember. He remembered it with such vividness
that it pained him.
“I know I failed her then” he snarled at the cat, “Is this
why you are here? To blame me for her capture in the past life as well as her
death?”
“No” Artemis shook his head sadly, “I came to tell you
that I forgive you.”
******
“Go home. Rest. Save your strength. Meet me tomorrow at
Crown. It’s time we ended this war.”
Kisho pushed open the door to his apartment, flicking the
light on as he entered the living room and tossed his jacket over the back of a
chair.
Then sitting down on the sofa, Kisho turned to his
companion. It was obvious from Mamoru’s tense stance and his refusal to be
seated that he was more than a little rattled by what happened that evening and
Kisho was, too, to some extent though he had resolved not to let this show. As
the leader of the Shitennou protecting the Prince, Kisho knew he could not
allow them to see how effected he was as the mission drew to a close.
“Relax” Kisho said gently, “By tomorrow this will all be
over.”
Mamoru nodded and replied, his voice strained, “That is
what I am afraid of.”
Despite Mamoru ordered them to get some rest, Kisho had
known that his Prince would not heed his own advice and hence him inviting
Mamoru back to talk. Kisho knew that come tomorrow they would need their
Prince’s guidance. All the doubts and fears Mamoru was harbouring would have to
be firmly crushed in order for them to defeat the Dark Kingdom. It was far
better that Mamoru voiced all of these now rather than at Crown.
Kisho held his own fears, too. Not of dying but of what
might happen to Ayame if he died. In light of this he had sent her to stay with
their Aunt in Hakone, just until the weekend he had told her, but Ayame had
realised something was amiss and had not wanted to go. Kisho had hated to force
her, but if he died he wanted someone to be there for her. How could he explain
that to her?
“You’ve got to concentrate on why we are going to the Dark
Kingdom, not the outcome,” Kisho said in answer to Mamoru. “We’re going to save
the world and rescue our friend. Just think about that.”
Mamoru shook his head, “You know it isn’t that simple. I
could be sending you there to die.”
“You could, but we all know the score.”
“That’s not the point! I don’t want to lose anyone.”
Kisho’s expression softened as he recalled his own
nightmare, “I know. I don’t want to lose any of them either.”
“Then perhaps I should call the whole thing off?”
“No. They will not accept that and you don’t really mean
it. To do so would prove a foolhardy move as it would show Beryl our weakness.”
Mamoru sighed, “You are right, but I don’t know what we
are going to find in the Dark Kingdom.”
“Don’t worry about what we’ll find once there” Kisho
chided him slightly, “Worry about how we’re going to get there.”
On the walk home, Mamoru had mentioned the possibility of
one of the Tennou gating them there. Kisho had grudgingly admitted that opening
portals was not something that he had ever tried and, whereas, teleporting came
fairly naturally to the three of them now, he knew that, without being tainted
by the aura of the Dark Kingdom as Masaki had been, then teleporting in was out
of the question.
Gating, or opening portals, was different. It was more
complex as it meant tearing a hole in the fabrics that separated different
dimensions. Kisho had never tried it and he was pretty sure that Taro and
Seiichi hadn’t either. The entire confrontation hinged on one of them being
able to manage to do this and keep the portal open long enough for them all to
be able to go through. It their concentration wavered for even a minute, Kisho
knew that there was a strong possibility of someone being trapped on their own
in the Dark Kingdom.
Gating was also physically and magically draining. If they
squandered all their energy simply getting into the Dark Kingdom then there was
a very real possibility that they would lose the battle.
Kisho had said as much to Mamoru, though he knew it was
their only chance of actually getting into the Dark Kingdom. He had hoped that
Seiichi would have known how to gate as he had awakened his powers before any
of them, but Kisho explained that none of them had any need for it and thus
Seiichi most probably hadn’t done so.
“Seiichi will be the least likely of us to manage to open
the portal,” Kisho said at last after several minutes considering what to say
to his Prince, “As he has never been to the Dark Kingdom before.”
“Do you have to have been there to gate then?”
Kisho shook his head. He could recall once, in the past life,
explaining such things to Endymion before. His Prince had not really understood
the Shitennou’s true powers and Kisho himself was unsure of the limits of their
capabilities, only that Metallia seemed to be very aware of their strengths and
weaknesses as tonight had proven.
“No, but if you have it helps as the connection is
stronger.”
Again silence reigned until Kisho stated softly, “That is
not the only thing troubling you is it?”
“I promised Seiichi I would help him to find away to be
free of his Youma” Mamoru admitted quietly, “It was a stupid promise to make,
especially as I haven’t exactly kept it.”
“He must assume that it died when… when Masaki was nearly
killed.”
Mamoru sighed, “He hasn’t said anything about it, but I
know him and he wouldn’t do. Not when the final battle is nearing. This is all
such a mess!”
“I know” Kisho said, unsure of what to say to comfort his
friend. He, too, had never known a situation like the one Seiichi was in and he
had no idea what to do to remedy it, if anything could be done that was.
“We must think of Beryl” he said at length, “If we find
his Youma then we will capture it and worry about breaking the connection after
the Dark Kingdom is defeated. We have to focus on that goal and I’m sure that
Seiichi and Taro are, too.”
“I don’t want him to think that I’m letting him down”
Mamoru said quietly, “Not again.”
“You won’t be” Kisho assured him, “Not if you remain
focused on the mission.”
“The mission” Mamoru repeated softly, “Only the mission…”
Kisho nodded, content to lapse into a thoughtful silence.
Despite his advice, he was deeply concerned about the coming battle. Without
Jadeite they were weaker and with all these conflicting emotions driving them,
Kisho was worried that they might not be able to come to work together as a
team.
If they could do that then what chance of victory did they
have?
******
Kuroki Mio walked quickly and quietly down the empty and
oppressive tunnels of the Dark Kingdom, Masaki’s screams still ringing
painfully in her ears. Both Beryl and her shadow had been equally horrified
when the nightmarish glow that signalled Metallia’s sealing had faded and they
found Masaki gone. Beryl, fearing Metallia’s fury had demanded that Mio go in
search of the former Tennou. Of course, Mio had no such desire to get herself
killed, though in her right palm she gripped the silver dagger that still
dripped with Masaki’s blood… just in case.
Cutting him had been the only way to seal Metallia away.
Drawn by the magic flowing in his veins, she had been unable to resist the
stronger pull that dragged her down into his body.
Now Masaki was gone and Mio knew that time was running
out. The remaining Tennou and Endymion would be here soon and she could only
hope that she stayed hidden from Metallia’s wrath until then. She could use the
final battle to her advantage. They would open a portal to the Dark Kingdom,
Mio knew and when they did, she would be waiting for them.
Mio paused hesitantly at the door to her quarters and
listened for sounds that they were occupied. Nothing… that was good. She had
feared that perhaps Metallia would come back here to exact her vengeance on her
before confronting Beryl.
When she was perfectly sure that the rooms were vacant,
Mio walked slowly into the rooms, bypassing the bedroom and going straight to
the back of her quarters. Pushing open the rickety wooden door she stepped into
this offset and let loose a small gasp of dismay.
“Jadeite” Mio called, and then,
seeing that she had his attention, she grabbed the Youma’s hand and slashed
across its palm with her blade. It let out a squeal of pain and struggled, but,
as it did so, the viewing caught Jadeite’s attention again.
He heard Seiichi cry out in pain
and stumble backwards. Mamoru instantly hurried to his side and asked him what
was wrong.
Seiichi shook his head and
uncurled his right hand to reveal a gash in his palm.
“They are connected” Mio
explained, “Whenever he feels pain then the Youma will feel pain and vice
versa. If it dies then so does he.”
It was gone. Only the ends of the chains remained as a
sign that the Youma had even been here, that and the spot of dried blood on the
floor.
Cursing quietly, Mio withdrew from the room once more. She
had been hoping to use the Youma as a bargaining tool so that when the Tennou
did arrive, they might spare her. Of course, then Mio would stab them in the
back, but now it appeared that this was no longer an option.
“So… it has come down to this after all,” Mio whispered to
herself as she turned away from her quarters for the last time, “Then perhaps…
perhaps I can take them down with me…”
******
Again, Taro found himself entering an empty house. After
he had left Mamoru and the others, Taro had gone straight to the hospital to
enquire about Kanaye and Michie’s conditions. He had been told that they were
awake and that they were being kept in for a few days observation. Taro had
been asked if he would like to see them, but he had declined this. He had
always hated final goodbyes.
Taro sat down on the sofa, lost in his own thoughts. The
final battle… he had always looked forward to this day and now that it was
finally dawning, Taro found himself with all of these conflicting feelings.
Masaki was still brainwashed in the Dark Kingdom somewhere. Would they have to
kill him to save the planet? What of Beryl’s obsession with Endymion? Were they
simply delivering Mamoru straight to her? What of Mercury?
This last thought caused an immense wave of sorrow and
pain to overtake him. How could he still be thinking of her when she betrayed
him?
“You asked me once to stay
with you; to leave the Dark Kingdom. This is what I intend to do. You have my word.”
Even as Taro recalled her words to him, he felt a presence
behind him and he looked around, stunned to see the Dark Senshi standing
hesitantly in the doorway.
“I gave my word” she stated softly, “And I intend to keep
it.”
Taro stood, on his guard once more, but suddenly he didn’t
want this. He didn’t want this fighting. He didn’t want the final battle to
come when he didn’t know if he would be able to save her. He still loved her,
despite everything that had happened between them.
Mercury tensed slightly as he crossed the room to stand in
front of her. For a moment they only stared into each other’s eyes.
Then, breaking the silence, Taro said: “Tomorrow we’re
going to face the Dark Kingdom.”
She gasped slightly and then, without replying, took a
hesitance step forward and wrapped her arms around him. Taro found himself
returning this embrace, cupping her chin in his hand as his other slipped
around her waist. Staring down into her hazel coloured eyes, Taro was shocked
to see tears forming and one slid down her cheek to splash onto the bodice of
her fuku.
“I’m sorry” Taro whispered as he pulled her tightly
against his chest, his hand now running soothing caresses through her blue
hair.
I’m sorry for ever
doubting you… I’m sorry for all the pain I’ve caused… and I’m sorry for the way
things had turn out between us…
******
Mamoru was shaking as he entered Crown the next morning.
His heart was thumping loudly in his chest and his stomach knotted painfully in
apprehension of what was to come. Despite the constant reassurances from Kisho,
Mamoru couldn’t help but wonder if he was sending his friends to their deaths.
She seemed to understand the meaning behind his intense
stare and even nodded slightly to show that she understood, but then her gaze
slid passed him, to rest upon the Shitennou and she attacked again, thus
emphasizing her point further.
“Stop!” Mamoru cried out as they bit back their own cries
of pain. He couldn’t bear to see them in such agony.
“Mamoru! Don’t! Stop!”
“Master! Stay back!”
He ignored their protests as he stepped towards the portal
again. They did not understand… Mamoru couldn’t watch them die… he couldn’t
lose them, too.
Masaki, Taro, Kisho, Seiichi… they were all precious to
him in this world.
“Mamoru!” a new voice rang out, this one causing him to
halt. Mamoru turned around as Sailor Moon stopped beside the Shitennou, horror
flooding into her eyes as she took in the situation before her.
“Usagi” Mamoru whispered out loud. For a moment he had
considered seeing her, speaking to her, but how could he? He knew that she
didn’t want to fight so how could he tell her that they were going to face the
Dark Kingdom? She had been through so much. She was just a child really. How
could Mamoru ask anything of her? He couldn’t. He had no right too.
“Mamoru-kun, ohayo” Motoki looked up as Mamoru brushed
passed, his gaze focused intently on the door of the meeting room.
Pausing with his hand on the doorknob, Mamoru turned back
to his friend and enquired to know whether the others were here yet.
“Kimi-kun and Tamura-san” Motoki nodded, “Though Kimi-kun
seemed distracted. He didn’t even knock anything over this morning.”
“You are some kind of
Prince from a Kingdom that no longer exists. Usagi-chan is a Princess from the
Silver Millennium, which was a Kingdom on the Moon? Kimi-kun, Tamura-san,
Ueda-san and Komoro-san are your guardians and the Earth is under attack by a
woman called Queen Beryl of the Dark Kingdom?”
“Do you remember what I told you before?” Mamoru asked
quietly, “About the Dark Kingdom?”
Motoki snorted, “As if I could forget something like that!”
“We’re going to face them today. We’re going to end this.”
“I see” Motoki nodded and then hesitantly asked if there
was anything that he could do to help, although he already knew the answer,
thus his reluctance to even ask.
“There is one thing,” Mamoru answered, “If… if something
happens, could you tell Usagi that I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry” Motoki repeated.
Mamoru nodded, “She’ll know what I mean.”
“Of course. Mamoru?”
“Hai?”
“Before… I didn’t really believe you, but…”
“Daijobu” Mamoru shook his head. He knew what Motoki was
really trying to say, even though he was unable to voice it.
His friend smiled, “Gambatte.”
“Arigato”
Mamoru turned, pushing open the door to the meeting room
and stepping inside, quickly shutting the door behind him.
Taro and Kisho looked up as Mamoru entered the room and he
glanced questioningly at Seiichi when he saw that the pianist was already
transformed.
“I thought it might be better for me to teleport here from
the apartment” Zoisite explained softly, “It would be bad if too many people
knew I was here today.”
“And here were we thinking that you were just eager to get
this show on the road” Taro quipped.
This brought about some nervous laughter from the group
but, when Mamoru glanced at his friend, he could see the tenseness in his eyes.
Mamoru looked up again at his friends and saw that they
were all staring expectantly at him, waiting for him to issue the orders.
“Transform” he said quietly, not wanting to voice his own
inner turmoil and doubts concerning this entire battle. How could he? He had to
be strong. He had to be the leader that he was in the past life. He had to
become Endymion one last time.
And so he did, but the finality of his last transformation
was so overwhelming that Mamoru almost felt sick inside.
Kisho had outlined the problems with gating and Endymion
felt very reluctant to ask, but he did so anyway, struggling to keep his voice
even as he did so.
“Nephrite. You stayed in the Dark Kingdom for longer than
Kunzite or myself. Do you think that you can open a portal?”
The red haired king nodded, seemingly unsure, but
unwilling to express this. “Where do you want it to?” he asked hesitantly.
“Can you control that?”
“I can try.”
Endymion frowned. He didn’t want them appearing in front
of Beryl, so perhaps a more subtle approach was needed. He had thought that
they would gate to somewhere where they might be less conspicuous and try to
get to Beryl and/or Metallia from there. They still had to find Masaki as well.
“One of the corridors” Endymion decided at last and then
adding as an after thought, “Try to make it as far away from the throne room as
possible.”
“Okay” Nephrite nodded, the apprehension in this voice as
clear as day.
He held out a hand, with the intention of trying when
another voice cried out: “Matte!”
Endymion spun around as Dark Mercury appeared before them,
and before the blackness of her teleport could fade, Endymion drew his sword
and pointed it at her, the tip brushing the pale skin of her throat. Zoisite
and Kunzite also had their swords drawn, whilst Nephrite only seemed stunned,
which Endymion put down to the fact that the Senshi had appeared right beside
him and had her hand clasped tightly around his right wrist, as though to
somehow stop him.
“Let him go” Endymion ordered quietly and, to his utter
shock, Mercury did as asked and took a step backwards, her gaze meeting his
own.
“You need to save your energy” Mercury spoke, her voice
cold but betraying hints of fear and apprehension in its depth. “I will open
the portal into the Dark Kingdom.”
Kunzite laughed softly, “We’re not going to trust you. You
betrayed us once before. Who’s to say that you will not be delivering us
straight to Beryl?”
Mercury held his scornful gaze and answered steadily, “I
no longer work for Beryl.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You won’t get into the Dark Kingdom without my help.”
“We can manage.”
“No. You can’t.”
Kunzite took a step forward, but Endymion silently shook
his head, causing his friend to pause, “Why would you want to help us?” he
questioned.
“Beryl set me up before. I wish to even the score.”
“And you can open a portal easily enough?”
Mercury nodded.
Endymion turned to the Tennou. “What do you think?”
“No” Kunzite shook his head, “She can’t be trusted.”
“Zoisite?”
“If we try to open a portal it will take longer and cost
us a greater amount of energy” he reminded them, “But I am inclined to agree
with Kunzite. She betrayed us before.”
Endymion turned to Nephrite, fully expecting him to simply
repeat the words of the most powerful Tennou so he was surprised when Nephrite
said: “We can trust her.”
“Why?” he demanded, a little sharply and doing nothing to
conceal his surprise.
“She…” Nephrite broke off, taking a few seconds to answer
them fully, “She was kind to me once before. We can trust her.”
“She almost killed you” Kunzite reminded him, “How can you
be sure?”
“I just know” Nephrite snarled back agitatedly, “But the
facts are clear as day. It will be quicker for her to open a portal than for
us.”
Zoisite and Kunzite exchanged glances, both clearly
unhappy with the situation. Endymion himself had to admit that nor was he
overly convinced, but the forcefulness and the belief behind Nephrite’s words
were enough to sway his opinion, but only by so much.
“Then do it” he said, “Open the portal.”
Mercury nodded and stepped forward, holding out a gloved
hand. A steady shimmer of ice blue water flowed from her palm and onto the wall
behind, where it melted away the plaster, leaving a churning black and silver
gateway in its place.
Lowering her hand, Mercury took a step back, glancing at
Endymion as though to seek approval.
“And that leads to the Dark Kingdom?” Endymion asked
quietly.
“It does.”
“Then prove it. You go first.”
“She’s done enough” Nephrite snapped, suddenly on edge for
reasons beyond Endymion’s comprehension.
“Daijobu” Mercury whispered, “It’s all right.” With those
words she took a step towards the portal, pausing only once before disappearing
completely.
Endymion motioned for the others to keep back, just to be
safe, but Nephrite ignored him and all but ran after the Senshi.
“Fool” Kunzite whispered under his breath as he dashed
after him, “What is he playing at?”
“Kunzite, matte!” Endymion ordered, far too late as the
oldest Tennou disappeared.
Taking a deep breath, Endymion too stepped through the
portal, his heart hammering wildly in his chest as he did so, terrified at what
he might find.
******
Artemis anxiously pawed the carpet as he glanced up at
Tsukino Usagi. The Princess sat upon her bed; her head bowed as silent tears
trickled down her cheeks. She had been grieving many times lately, Artemis
knew. Firstly for Venus, then Mars and now Jupiter, but a part of him still
felt fury at her cowardice. Mamoru-tachi were risking their lives in the Dark
Kingdom as they sat here and Usagi simply cried! What happened to the Senshi of
Love and Justice that had bravely fought for so long now? What had happened to
the Princess that Artemis had respected and loved?
Venus would have been ashamed had she have known, Artemis
knew. Why was she simply sitting here? Why wouldn’t she fight?
“I know I failed her then. Is this why you are here? To
blame me for her capture in the past life as well as her death?”
“No. I came to tell you that I forgive you.”
Although he had only recently come to realise it, Artemis
knew that he had grown very fond of Seiichi and saw him as a friend, of course
not the companion that Venus had been, but a friend nevertheless hence his
visit to Seiichi the night before.
Artemis still felt Venus’s loss deeply, but he was tired
of feeling so hurt, so angry at his charge. He knew that Seiichi wasn’t
entirely to blame for how things had turned out. He had, had other problems,
too, and had needed the others support and not to be constantly keeping them at
a distance, as Artemis had first thought was best. Of course, he argued, that
had always been Seiichi’s decision, an Artemis knew that as one of the Guardian
Cats protecting the Princess, Seiichi would always harbour some resentment
towards him. With this combined, the plushie knew that their fragile
understanding could never be even vaguely comparable to his feelings for Venus,
but at the same time he had taken comfort in the knowledge that he was still a
part of the mission and somewhat in control.
Now concern for Seiichi gnawed away inside of him and in
the end Artemis jumped onto the bed beside Usagi and said:
“It isn’t too late. You can still catch up with them.”
Luna gave Artemis a cold look as he said these words, but
the plushie refused to retract them. Usagi had to be strong. To hide away and
allow Mamoru-tachi to take all of the risks was simply an act of cowardice on
the pigtailed girl’s behalf.
She wouldn’t even look him in the eyes, her tearstained
face turning away to look out of the window.
“They are risking everything! Why won’t you fight?”
“Artemis” Luna warned, “If the Princess--”
“She is the Princess!”
“If the Princess awakens during the battle then the planet
will be destroyed. Usagi-chan is better off here.”
Artemis scowled bitterly, “And if Endymion dies? What
then? Do you think the Princess will simply be able to mourn?”
“Mamoru” Usagi whispered, as she stood and walked over to
the window, staring numbly down at the street below. “He is risking everything
and I am…” she shook her head, suddenly uncertain, “I don’t know what to think
anymore…”
******
“Tomorrow we’re going to face the Dark Kingdom.”
She gasped slightly and then, without replying, took a
hesitance step forward and wrapped her arms around him. Taro found himself
returning this embrace, cupping her chin in his hand as his other slipped
around her waist. Staring down into her hazel coloured eyes, Taro was shocked
to see tears forming and one slid down her cheek to splash onto the bodice of
her fuku.
“I’m sorry” Taro whispered as he pulled her tightly
against his chest, his hand now running soothing caresses through her blue
hair.
“And that leads to the Dark Kingdom?”
“It does.”
“I’m sorry” Taro continued
to repeat until she drew away from his embrace, her brown eyes glaring sorrowfully
up at him and shimmering with unshed tears.
“There’s no need to be sorry” Mercury answered him,
reaching out to place a gloved hand on his cheek, “What we had… it was
awkwardly fleeting, but now we have a chance to make things better, for now at
least. When you first held me I was afraid. I was afraid of what might happen
if I let you go, but also afraid of what would happen if I didn’t.”
“And now?”
“I want to help you” Mercury said determinedly, “I---”
“No, it’s too dangerous.”
“I don’t care! I just want to be with you.”
For Nephrite, it had been difficult to feign surprise when
Mercury materialised before them at Crown. Her pleas for him to allow her to
help had not gone unanswered and, indeed, Nephrite was unable to deny her
anything.
“Then prove it. You go first.”
His blood had run cold when Endymion requested that
Mercury be the first to use the silver-black portal that was before them and
Nephrite felt sick inside even looking at it for he, more so than any of them,
knew what lay beyond that gateway; a hellish world built on the despairs and
immortal suffering of others.
“She’s done enough,” he said to Endymion, now making no
attempt to hide the anger and terror in his voice
“Daijobu” Mercury whispered, giving him a pain filled
glance “It’s all right.”
Then she was gone. One minute she was beside him and the
next she had returned to the Dark Kingdom. Nephrite exhaled deeply and became
aware that he was shaking. The finality of her departure tore into his very
soul and took a hold of him. Invading his mind, his sense, until Nephrite could
think of nothing more than following her into the darkness once more.
This he did, unable to think of anything else.
When you first held me I was afraid. I was afraid of what
might happen if I let you go, but also afraid of what would happen if I didn’t.
It was the same for him, Nephrite knew. He couldn’t let
her go. She was everything to him.
Thus he burst into the Dark Kingdom, appearing seconds
after Mercury who was standing stock still, staring in horror at the demon
before them.
Beryl’s shadow and Hina’s killer stood before them both, a
faint sneer on her ruby lips as she took a step towards Mercury. The latter’s
gaze was unreadable but her fists were clenched tightly at her sides revealing
to Nephrite alone her fear.
“Mercury” she spoke softly, “You dare to return here. The
dare to return and still you betray us by bringing the Tennou and Endymion also
to our Kingdom. For that you must suffer.”
For Nephrite, the next thirty seconds happened in a blur.
He heard Mercury’s cry of terror as Kuroki Mio accentuated her words with her
magics, letting fly a fatal cascade of black and purple energy towards the
defenceless Senshi. Mercury’s scream rang in his ears as the attack struck, but
not its true target.
The force of the blow propelled him backwards, slamming
into his chest with such ferocity that his transformation dispersed in an
instant. Taro hit the ground; his head making a sickening crack as it struck
the stone floor. Black and red stars danced before his vision, until they were
blotted out by the perpetual agony that seared throughout his body.
He wanted to scream, to make his pain known, but the blood
gurgling up from his lungs to collect in his throat, slowing drowning him,
would not permit such an action thus he silently cried out, his mind being the
only ears to hear his pain.
“Taro!” dimly he heard Endymion’s anguished cry as his
friends raced through the portal and weakly he turned his head, to meet his
Master’s stare.
“Do something,” Endymion shouted, turning to the two
beside him, “Heal him!”
Neither moved, but they didn’t need too. It was hopeless…
his injuries were beyond being healed, even before Taro heard Zoisite’s choked
reply: “We can’t.”
Taro averted his gaze, unwilling to look upon them any
longer and, with his rapidly fading vision, he knew that such a luxury would
not be granted for much longer. Then a shadow leaned over him, whispering his
name with such tenderness that he did not need his sight to know her name.
He forced himself to draw a racking breath, coughing as
more blood filled his mouth with this action and he was forced to part his lips
slightly, to allow some to dribble down his chin to pool at the hollow of his
throat.
Tentatively, she felt her take his limp hand in her own,
as she leaned down, his vision now completely gone, Taro let loose a small cry
as the pain in his chest became unbearable. He gripped her hand tightly, to the
point where he felt her own harsh intake of pain, as her lips brushed his own.
Her tears slid down the ends of her silky lashes to drip
onto his cheeks as they kissed, the gentleness of her embrace being the last
thing that he was consciously aware of as the darkness claimed his soul…
******
Endymion felt numb. He couldn’t move. He was rooted to the
spot in a mixture of agony and fury as Taro died. Slowly, Mercury raised her
head; tears still spilling down onto her cheeks and her lips stained a deeper
red with Taro’s blood.
“Taro” Endymion whispered, almost choking on his dead
friend’s name. He had wanted to protect them… he thought he knew then yet he
didn’t really know them at all. Mercury silently weeping over the body of his
friend was proof enough of that.
And I sent her here… had I
gone first then perhaps Taro wouldn’t have had to give up his life… I sent her
here and Taro is dead because of me…
“Mamoru” Zoisite whispered, the trembling tenor of his
voice giving away the white haired king’s shock and grief, “This wasn’t your
fault. Taro wouldn’t want you to blame yourself.”
“But it was” he murmured, his gaze sliding passed Zoisite
to focus on a point over his shoulder, unwilling to look him in the eyes, “I
brought you here. I killed him.”
“Mou” Kuroki Mio’s pout caused him to turn. The idol’s
arms were folded across her chest in a sulk as she regarded them, “You can’t
take all the credit, Mamoru-kun, though I have to admit, your suffering is very
kawaii.”
“You” Kunzite snarled, drawing his sword and causing Mio
to take an uncertain step backwards. “Murderer!”
“You heard Mamoru” Mio said, staring steadily at Kunzite’s
blade and taking another step backwards as she did so, “He brought you here. I
was aiming for Mercury. I cannot be blamed that your companion was foolish
enough to get in my way.”
“That may be so” Kunzite agreed quietly, “But you killed
him, not Mamoru.”
Mio’s smirk slowly underwent a transformation at his
words. Tightening at the edges, until it became a frown and then fading all
together, Mio turned and fled back down the tunnels, her footsteps pounding on
the stone emphasizing her terror.
Kunzite tore after her, ignoring Zoisite’s shouts for him
to stop.
“Kuso” the white haired king cursed, “We have to go
after him.”
Endymion ignored Zoisite’s words. Focusing on Taro once
more. His friend… his friend was dead… slowly he was beginning to understand
why Usagi refused to fight. To see them die… it was too terrible. He didn’t
want this! He just wanted his friend back!
“Mamoru” Zoisite placed a hand on his shoulder, gently
shaking him, “We’ve got to follow Kunzite. If we don’t go now then we could
lose him, too.”
Endymion shrugged away from this contact. How could
Zoisite simply shrug this off? Taro was dead. Did that mean nothing to him?
Glancing up at his friend, Endymion realised, with some
shame, that this wasn’t true. Zoisite was shaking, his gaze refusing to fall
upon Taro and his eyes held a somewhat glassy look in them, as though he was
struggling not to break down.
“We have to go” he said softly, “Master, please.”
“Stop it! Me being your Master is what caused Taro’s
death!”
“No!” Zoisite shouted, grabbing hold of Endymion by the
shoulders, “You didn’t cause this! I know you’re grieving, but don’t waste
Taro’s death! We have to find Kunzite. We cannot defeat the Dark Kingdom
without him.”
Endymion slowly nodded and Zoisite released his hold on
him, unwilling to meet his eyes, as though somehow ashamed by his actions.
“I’m sorry”
Zoisite gave him a sad smile and then, with a flip of his
cape, turned his back on Mercury and their dead friend. “We must hurry” was the
only reply he permitted, but he was still shaking. Not even the most distant of
them found it that easy to turn his back on a fallen comrade.
“What about her?” Endymion hesitated still, looking down
as Mercury’s sobbing form.
“Leave her. She is grieving.”
Endymion nodded and started to walk slowly after Zoisite.
Leaving Taro was the hardest thing he had ever had to face
and he knew that, alone, he simply would have been unable to do this. Zoisite
was right. They had to find Kunzite and then make Beryl pay for all the hurt
and suffering that her war had caused them.
Staring steadily at Zoisite’s back, Endymion also made a
vow to himself. No one else would lose his life over the mission. They were the
Shitennou whose duty was to protect the Prince, but Endymion did not care for
the laws of the old kingdom. As the Prince, it was his duty to protect them and
this he would do, even at the cost of his own life.
******
They were gone… first Kunzite and then Zoisite and
Endymion, but Mercury cared little for their departure. She sat, slumped over
Taro’s still form, one gloved hand reaching up to press against her mouth. Then
staring down at her palm, Mercury saw it stained a crimson hue with blood;
Taro’s blood.
What we had… it was awkwardly fleeting, but now we have a
chance to make things better, for now at least.
There were no second chances. He had been snatched away
from her in a single heartbeat. Mercury let loose another choked sob as she
recalled each and every embrace, every moment that they had shared, from their
first kiss to their last.
“Taro” she leaned forward and whispered his name, but he
was beyond her call. His cheek was cold to the touch and Mercury’s agony
deepened.
He was everything to her. Without him she had nothing…
Slowly, holding out a hand, Mercury conjured a pale
crystalline dagger in her palm, her other hand holding tightly onto Taro’s own.
She let out a small whimper of pain as