Earth Guardian Prince Endymion
By Senshi
of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi
Act Sixty Nine Recap:
(Mamoru’s POV)
“We’re coming, too” Makoto stated.
“No, you’re not” Kisho replied in equal tone.
“That was not a request” Rei spoke up from behind the
ponytailed young woman. “We have made our decision.”
The Senshi and the Shitennou left to fight Mio but who
could have guessed that she had her own agenda where they were concerned?
“So, the Sailor Senshi and Shitennou think that they can
defeat me… fools. But, before I lay this planet to ruin, I will indulge in the
imprudence of your actions.”
Using her superior powers, Mio captured them and took them
to the Dark Kingdom. She imprisoned the Shitennou by using what they secretly
wanted most of all to keep them in her illusions forever.
“It is what their hearts secretly long for. It is what
they lost and what cannot be regained. My spells can find every little desire
and turn it into the perfect trap. They are happy there. They have everything
they could ever want. They need nothing else. Why don’t we just leave them be?
They will never die. The spell protects them from harm.”
“So you trapped them with their own hearts” Mercury pulled
away from Mars, her gaze burning in anger, “That is unforgivable. Mercury aqua…
mist!”
As she launched her attack, Venus heard Jupiter and Mars also
call out theirs. It was unforgivable; Venus knew and called out her own, “Venus
love me… chain!”
The attacks combined as they flew towards their target but
Mio easily batted them away. “Childs play” she scoffed.
The Senshi tried to free them but their powers are no
longer as strong in this world as it is the Shitennou and their Prince who
protect the Earth, not the Senshi.
They realised this, too and gave their lives to set the
Shitennou free from Mio’s spell.
A smile formed across her lips as she heard Mio’s scream
of rage but she no longer saw her. Minako smiled at the figure that filled her
vision. Venus returned her gaze with a similar and yet knowing smile. It was
done. Venus… Aino Minako… they, for so long, shared the same soul and now it
was done. Minako closed her eyes, she was happy to let go of her life in this
world knowing that, this time, she had died with honour and to protect her
Princess and this planet.
The Senshi died and the Shitennou, with heavy hearts, left
the Dark Kingdom behind. Mio had already gone for she now seeks to destroy the
planet.
He flinched as he felt a hand on his cheek, and Mamoru
looked up. He knew who she was after all, but still his eyes widened slightly
upon seeing her this way after all this time.
“Princess…”
She was dressed as he had last seen her on the Moon in
their previous life. Her white gown rustled softly as she moved towards him,
smiling shyly and yet hesitantly.
“Mamoru”
“Usagi? What is this?”
“She healed you. She used the Ginzuishou…”
“She? Do you mean the Princess?”
Usagi smiled, “She did. We are the same person since we
last met.”
“What do you mean?”
“As long as I have the Ginzuishou, the Princess remains
inside my heart. I have her strength, her power, but I also need you…
Endymion…”
Usagi still retains the powers of Princess for as long as
she has the Ginzuishou and together we will stop Mio. Together we will save our
planet.
******
Act Seventy:
They were dead, Mio knew with a morbid sense of
satisfaction gripping at her heart. They had died just as she had wanted them
to. By using their powers, their energy to break into Mio’s fantasy world they
had only served to make her stronger still. They had died saving the Shitennou,
the Shitennou who were foolish enough to think that she had allowed them to
escape her nightmare.
“They will be your friends, too, if you want them to be.”
Usagi-chan would soon know the pain of losing all that was
dear to her. A smirk twisted Mio’s face as she observed, in silence, the City
that had caused her so much pain, as Tokyo in this life and Edo in the past.
Now she would destroy the City that had twice torn out her
heart. She would see it burnt to the ground and then the rest of the planet
would fall to its knees and Usagi would become a witness to it all. She would
die with the horrors and the knowledge that she had caused it all still in her
heart.
For all that was left to Mio now was revenge.
******
“Mamoru?” Kunzite tested the name and the boy Prince
stopped dead and started to tremble.
Spurred on, Kunzite reached him and took him by the
shoulders, “Mamoru?” he said again and Endymion pulled away.
“Stop it” he pleaded, “You are scaring me.”
“Forgive me” Kisho whispered as he drew his sword, “You
are not my Prince.”
“Kunzite!” he closed his eyes, trying to block out
Endymion’s scream of terror as Kisho plunged his sword into the boy’s chest.
Kisho trembled as he felt blood trickling down his hand
from the hilt of the weapon but, when he opened his eyes and forced himself to
gaze upon the scene of his creation, the boy was no longer there. In his place
was a Youma, its clawed hands clutching the hilt of the weapon. Kisho let go of
the hilt and stumbled backwards as it screamed. He fell to his knees, covering
his ears as the sky fell in around him, the palace and gardens disappearing
before his eyes and, when the screaming finally ceased, he gazed warily up and
saw that he was alone in the darkness… No… he amended that thought, not quite
alone.
Slowly, he made his way over to the shape a few metres
from him. Gently, he reached out with a hand and rolled her over onto her back,
brushing some strands of brown hair from her eyes. She was dead, but still warm
indicating that she hadn’t been this way long.
“Jupiter? Why? What is this sacrifice?” Kisho murmured as
one hand moved over her face to close her eyes. She deserved this grace at least.
Again the Senshi had suffered he thought with much regret as he laid her back
down once more and turned away. Always suffering… such was their fate in this
world.
Kunzite stood in silence, his heart heavy as he left the
Dark Kingdom behind. He was in Ueno Park, for it had served as a gathering
place and a place where many battles had taken place for the last four years.
So many things had happened since their final fight against Beryl and the Dark
Kingdom and, sometimes, especially now, Kunzite couldn’t help feel as though he
was somehow responsible for this third awakening of the Dark Kingdom. Taro,
Masaki and Seiichi had gotten on with their lives, as had Mamoru, whereas
Kunzite had continued to live, albeit a little, in the past. The dream world in
which Mio had, for a time, imprisoned him in had accentuated this.
“Master. What are you doing here?”
“I sneaked out of my lesson when Nephrite’s back was
turned” the young Prince admitted, his eyes now downcast, “Are you angry at
me?”
Kunzite chuckled and tussled the Prince’s hair
affectionately, “No, but you should take your studies more seriously, Master.”
Endymion sighed, “I know but I…” a hint of a frown marred
Kunzite’s face when the boy’s eyes looked upwards and to the Moon that glowed
in the evening sky.
“Master” Kunzite said warningly as he had done so many
times before.
“I’m just looking” Endymion pouted, “It is very beautiful
or so papa once said.”
Kunzite shook his head and turned away with a sweep of his
cape, “Then such beauty should be observed from afar, don’t you think?”
A time before Beryl and before he lost his Master to the
Moon Kingdom, that was what Kunzite had secretly longed for… but not now. Not
as he glanced at his comrades, the pain of loss weighing heavily on them. Kunzite
now thought of his family, his friends, Mamoru and the future that Mio was
trying to steal away from all of them. A future that he had already died once
to protect and that the Senshi had given up their lives for.
“Kunzite?” Jadeite was the first of them to speak, his
voice strained and softer as the sky slowly started to darken. This was Mio’s
doing, Kunzite knew. He could feel her evil cloaking the air. There was going
to be blood spilled, Kunzite knew, both hers and his friends.
Kunzite turned, meeting Jadeite’s gaze. The blonde was
solemn, as was Zoisite, and they gave away no hint of emotion. For Nephrite,
however, it was different.
“So” he said quietly, the pain evident in his voice,
“Again we were unable to protect them. Again I have failed her.”
“They gave their lives for us” Zoisite reminded him, “We
did not fail them.”
“They shouldn’t have had too!” Nephrite shot back, “I
should not have allowed myself to be fooled in such a way! I should have been
protecting them.”
“The Senshi are like us, they protect their Princess as we
protect our Prince and this planet. The Senshi stood guard over the Moon in
their past lives. The Earth is our responsibility and they knew this” Kunzite
replied, hating to sound as harsh as he did but they all had to put these
deaths and their emotions aside for now. There was the fate of the planet to
think of now. “They gave their lives because they knew that they were not
strong enough to defend the Earth.”
“They died because of us” Nephrite shot back bitterly,
“Because we were fools.”
Kunzite did not reply to this. What could he say? They had
been fools to allow themselves to become lost in Mio’s fantasy.
“We cannot think like that now” Zoisite did answer,
holding Nephrite’s hurt gaze, “We have to think of the planet.”
“And what about Minako? Do you have no feelings for her
after all?”
“I will not allow Venus’s sacrifice to have been in vain”
was his reply, “And nor should you allow Mercury’s to have been.”
He was hurting, Kunzite knew, but he also knew that, like
all of them, Zoisite would cast aside his own feelings for the mission; it had
always been that way but it did not mean that he felt them any the less.
Nephrite seemed to realise this and backed off, but he was
a long way from forgiving himself for what had happened to Ami.
“We need to find Mio” Kunzite forced himself to cast the
Senshi from his thoughts. This was, after all, war and in war there were
causalities he told himself. They could not allow such sentiments to blind their
actions, not for the time being at least.
“She could be anywhere,” Jadeite pointed out, himself
almost as detached to the situation as Kunzite was.
The oldest king smiled and shook his head, “She is in this
park.”
“How do you know that?” the blonde asked.
Kunzite smiled. That fantasy world that Mio had drawn him
into would also be her downfall for it had reawakened parts of memories inside
of him that he had thought long forgotten. If he closed his eyes, he could
picture her now, as she was then. He could see her hateful gaze staring down
upon him and the Master as they sparred, always watching. Sometimes she would
watch from nearby and other times from afar. Kunzite was well aware now of
where she had gone to watch and to pray. The Tosho-gu Shrine in Ueno Park had
survived the ravages of time since the Edo Era but its ground was the burial
ground of the shrine of the old Kingdom. The shrine in which many young women
had come to pray for a chance to be at Endymion’s side. It had been a place of
hopes for these young women and Beryl could be found there almost every day.
Sweeping his cape over his shoulder, Kunzite, without
another word, began to lead the way and the other Tennou followed him. After
Mamoru, he was the leader and they would follow him as it was meant to be.
Kunzite felt for sure that he would find Mio at the Edo shrine, as though she
were trying to recapture a little of the past life herself. The shrine’s grace
would not distract her from her true purpose for long, Kunzite knew. They had
to hurry for her wrath would soon be invoked down upon all of them.
******
“I came here because I needed to speak with you. Your
father is dying, Endymion-sama. When he is gone, you will become the King.”
“I don’t need you to tell me of my destiny.”
“Forgive me” she repeated, appearing humble but Endymion
got the feeling that she was anything but so inwardly.
“I’m going to be late for my lesson,” he stated, but she
stood between him and the door and quickly held up a hand.
“Please hear me out. I come to you because I have been
speaking with your father. He is worried about you. You are so young and yet
soon the entire kingdom will be under your command. He is afraid that you will
not have the support you need and he so desperately wishes to see you happy
before he departs from this world.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have been speaking to your father and he agrees that
the best way to secure your future and gain the support you need is for you to
be married. Of course, you are too young at the present time, but he has
already found a suitable bride for you. Someone who has the experience and who
can rule in your place until you come of age. Someone who will be content with
a long engagement until you are the age of the marriage.”
Endymion froze at her words, his face a mask of surprise
and fear.
“I know this is coming as a shock to you and is a great
burden for one so young which is why your father is doing this. He cares deeply
for you and only wishes to secure your future happiness.”
“So who is my future bride?”
“I am, Endymion-sama.”
He had been promised to me, Mio thought bitterly as she
stood on the steps to the Tosho-gu shrine. Endymion had been hers by right and
yet Serenity had somehow managed to steal him away. For years she had visited
the old shrine of the Kingdom, as many young girls had done so before her, and
Mio would write on an Ema her desires and leave it at the
shrine for by doing this, your wishes written on the wooden slates would come
true. A tear rolled down her cheek as she also recalled the time that she had
also drawn an Omikuji which hung from the Cherry Blossom trees that
surrounded the Shrine’s Torii gates. The kanji written on that little slip of
paper had given her the courage that she needed to confront Endymion’s father
and extract a promise that one-day soon she would become his wife. That one
word was: “Shinjitsu” or truth. Mio had believed this paper. She had believed,
as Usagi did, that her love for Endymion was real and that they were destined.
But the Omikuji, it would seem had lied to her.
“What are you doing in here?”
“Forgive me. I wished to speak with Endymion-sama for a
few moments.”
“No one is permitted into the Master’s chambers unless
given express permission to do so. Leave. Now.”
First her attempts at affection were spurned by the
Shitennou and then later by Endymion himself. Unable to take this rejection,
Mio had fled to D Point and to the demon Queen Metallia’s lair. There she had
made an unbreakable pact with Metallia, who promised her power, revenge and
Endymion. Yet Metallia had failed her by underestimating the emotions of the
Princess in the past life and the heart of Tsukino Usagi in this one. Twice she
had been betrayed by the demon and now Mio sought to accomplish what had been
Metallia’s goal all long.
She stood on the steps of the shrine, gathering her powers
together as she felt her energy levels growing. They were coming, she could
sense the Shitennou drawing nearer but they would be unable to stop her. Her
pain ended here. She would lay this planet to ruin, as her Queen had wanted.
******
“Taro!” Mercury held on tighter still and Taro wrapped his
arms around her, drawing her to him as the world around them began to crumble.
He felt her henshin disperse and they fell, landing hard on the stone flooring
of the Dark Kingdom.
Gasping, Taro choked back a sob as he looked down at the
woman in his arms. She was smiling, even in death.
Nephrite gripped his sword tightly in his right hand as he
and the other Tennou approached the Tosho-gu shrine. The shrine had always held
a kind of allure for him, even before he had awakened his powers, and the same
could be said now, although it also now was stained with the corruption of dark
magics. Mio stood at the bottom of the shrine, just inside the Torii gates, a
sly smile on her lips. She had been expecting them, Nephrite knew. With the
sight of her came the pain and heartache that she had caused him and his
girlfriend. She had murdered both his child and his lover and this was
something that Nephrite could never forgive.
Thus he speeded up his approach, focusing on Mio and no
one else and, indeed, the demon appeared to be calling him to her as though
taunting him. In her eyes, Nephrite could see his pain being reflected in those
cold and heartless orbs.
“Nephrite, matte”
He heard someone calling him but that was no longer
important. All that mattered now was obtaining his revenge.
Nephrite was almost at the Torii gates now. His sword hand
felt numb as it gripped the hilt of the weapon so tightly that he thought that
his palm would break. Still that was no matter. He would have his revenge and
nothing would stop this…
“Taro!” he paused, looking round in rage as Kunzite’s hand
closed over his wrist and he was roughly jerked away from Mio and the gates.
“Baka, what are you doing?” the leader of the Shitennou demanded.
“I’m going to kill her” Nephrite pulled his arm away, “She
killed Ami and my child. Do not get in my way, Kunzite.”
“On your own? It will be the same as last time!”
Last time… Nephrite frowned as Kunzite’s
words touched upon a distant and horrific memory that was better left
forgotten… the memory of his death…
“I care little for that,” he snapped eventually and again
he took a step towards the smiling demon.
Nephrite drew his sword as Mio raised her hand, dark
energy hovering in a crackling ball just above her palm.
“You cannot defeat her that way!”
Then the energy was released. Nephrite brought his sword
up, readying to defend himself against this onslaught but he was never given
the chance. He yelled angrily as Kunzite pulled him out of the magics path. The
two Tennou hit the ground, Nephrite gasping as the breath was knocked from his
body. His gasp then turned into a yell of anger when Kunzite hurriedly stood
and kicked his sword from his hand before dragging him to his feet.
“Baka! I told you we cannot--” he started but Nephrite’s
gaze slid passed him and to the two Tennou who were approaching the gates.
“Jadeite! Zoisite!” Kunzite released him and started after
the other two in desperation. As he released him, Nephrite stumbled slightly,
feeling more than a little lightheaded.
Just what in hell had happened? To
confront Mio alone… what was he thinking? She was stronger in this incarnation!
Kunzite’s words finally filtered through to his clouded
mind as his thoughts of revenge and pain cleared. Of course, he still felt them
deeply, but he also knew that they had to work together. Alone they had no
chance. Mio was a manipulator. She wanted them to attack her alone or in pairs.
She could fight off the attacks whilst spending less magic energy that way.
Looking up, Nephrite saw that Kunzite had managed to grab
Zoisite’s arm and hold him back but Jadeite still approached the gates, as
though in a trance and, to some extent, he was for Mio was toying with their
emotions, making them do as she wished through control their deepest pains and
desires.
Nephrite raced forward, reaching Jadeite seconds before
Mio’s second attack did. He cried out in pain as he took a glancing blow to his
shoulder and right side of his chest as he tried to get the blonde king out of
the path of the attack. Again he hit the ground, rolling several times and
dragging Jadeite back with him. A low hiss of pain escaped him when he pressed
a gloved hand to his wound and, when he withdrew it again; his glove was bright
red with blood.
“So” Mio called, unable to conceal the delighted look on
her face as she approached them, another sphere of dark energy in her hand,
“This is all the Shitennou can do to stand against me? How pathetic.”
“You…” Jadeite hissed, getting to his feet. The blonde’s
uniform had been burned away at the front to reveal an ugly gash in his chest,
which was bleeding slightly. “Will you not fight a fair fight?”
Mio laughed, “Of course not. Why should I? Why should I be
fair? No one was ever fair to me, were they?”
“You have never deserved to be treated fairly” Jadeite
shot back, “All you do is cause pain and suffering.”
“And what of the pain and suffering that was caused to me?
You have all hurt me. This entire planet as caused me pain. I gave up more than
my soul for Endymion and he rejected me.”
“One man rejects you and you repay him by destroying
everything that he holds dear.” Kunzite demanded, coming to stand at Nephrite’s
side. On his other side was Jadeite and then Zoisite.
“I have nothing. I will never be granted with a rebirth.
If I am killed then I shall be destined to be a shell for Metallia to consume
with her evil and hatred. That is the fate I chose for myself when I sought out
the Queen of the Darkness all those years ago.”
Nephrite felt a pang of sorrow at her words, but firmly
crushed this. He could not afford to have such sentiments. She was evil. She
had killed Ami and his child and now threatened the entire planet should she
live. There was no room for compassion and understanding. The time for that had
passed long ago.
“Enough of this talk” Kunzite was obviously having similar
feelings and was also concerned as to where the conversation could be heading.
They could not help her or give her understanding, not when she was going to
lay the planet to ruin. “If you are looking for our pity then you are out of
luck for we will do what we have to do to protect this planet, even if it means
condemning you and what little remains of your soul.”
Such words… Nephrite felt a little uncomfortable at hearing
his friend speak them and his gaze flickered to Mio once more and then he
understood what Kunzite was really trying to do. He was offering her a choice.
A chance to end this and yet Mio refused to take it. Whether it was her fear or
her hatred talking, Nephrite did not know.
“And I will do what it takes” Mio declared softly, “I will
do what it takes to destroy this planet and anyone who gets in my way.”
******
“I will do what it takes to destroy this planet and anyone
who gets in my way.”
As Mio spoke these words, Kunzite allowed his gaze, for a
moment, to glance at his comrades. With Jadeite and Nephrite injured, he did
not like their chances at all and yet things were worse than that. With Mio’s
soul condemned to a fate worse than death should she lose, Kunzite knew just at
what lengths she would go to, to emerge victorious. Mio knew their every fear
and their every weakness and he knew that she wouldn’t hesitate on using this
against them. She had more to lose than they did. They could die but Kunzite
felt sure that they would, one day, be reborn. As Mio had said, there would be
no rebirth for her, only suffering.
Focusing back on the imminent battle, Kunzite again drew
his sword, taking one step towards his foe but not rushing in blind as she had
tricked his comrades into doing before. They, too, held their ground, following
Kunzite’s lead. Many times in the past life he had led the Shitennou into
battle but never one where there was even the remotest possibility that they
could die. This weighed heavily on his shoulders now, more so than in the past
life, for they were not only his comrades but his friends, too.
Mio struck first. Releasing her attack of black energy,
which cut through the air like a knife. It forked into four different spears of
crackling darkness. Kunzite raised his sword; blocking the attack and then
capturing it with his own blue energy, holding it captive for a few seconds
before hurling it back the way it had come. Mio gasped in dismay and twisted to
one side and the energy slammed into the Torii, causing it to sway dangerously
from side to side but the gates were strong and did not fall.
Allowing a slight smirk to flicker across his lips,
Kunzite slashed at her with his sword, releasing his own attack as, beside him,
the others did the same. The coordinated attack had the effect that he had
suspected it would; why else would she have preferred to fight them alone?
Together they were stronger, much stronger. He would not allow Rei’s vision to
come true. Tokyo would not burn!
Mio fell back, the attack hitting her in the stomach and
causing her to double over in pain. A small gasp escaped her before her eyes
narrowed in anger and she regained herself enough to throw a counter attack.
This was weak and, again, Kunzite was able to block it easily before sending it
back at its owner.
And thus the standoff continued. They would each attack in
turn; Mio’s attacks growing weaker and more wild, sending debris from the
shrine’s grounds falling all around them. Finally, one of the gates gave way
and crashed to the ground, throwing up dust and dirt that stung at Kunzite’s
eyes despite him raising his cape to shield himself from most of this.
He knew what she was doing. She was weakening them, slowly
but surely and Kunzite could feel the first signs of fatigue begin to set in
and show in his own attacks. They had spread out, too, with the falling debris
to avoid. Zoisite was now at his side, but Nephrite and Jadeite were further
away and they were separated by the fallen gate. Jadeite was suffering more
than the rest of them. He had always been the weakest Tennou and his wound had
slowed him down. Nephrite was also injured but it was Jadeite who had taken the
full impact of the attack before and he had lost a lot of blood, more than
Kunzite had first thought.
Wearily, he raised his sword again, blocking the onslaught
of magics and hurling them to one side. His sword arm shook dangerously and
Kunzite himself was not without injury. He had a gash on his right temple, just
above his eye, and a trickle of blood dripped down his face and impaired his
vision in places.
“This cannot continue” Zoisite warned, the frustration
evident in his voice, “We are all growing tired.”
“I know” Kunzite snapped, desperately weighing up the
situation. Mio had chosen her position well. She stood at the top of the rise
that led up to the shrine. In order to confront her at close quarters, they
would have to come up the rise and lay themselves open to attack. Even if they
all went together, she could easily pick them off one by one before they
reached her.
As much as Kunzite hated to admit it, the situation was
hopeless… unless…
A bolt of energy struck the ground between himself and
Zoisite, forcing them away from each other, but Kunzite, grasping on to the
only hope that they had left, gathered himself together and aimed an attack
directly at her, forcing Mio to throw up a shield to block this. This effort
left Kunzite feeling weak but he ignored the increasing vertigo and followed
Zoisite’s retreat.
Guessing that he had a plan in mind, Nephrite and Jadeite
also took advantage of the fact that Mio was regaining herself and a quick
teleport took them to his side.
“How much longer can you hold out?” Kunzite demanded first
of all, all the while keeping one eye on Mio who was still struggle to keep his
attack from hitting home.
“I don’t know” Jadeite shook his head breathlessly, “She’s
stronger than we had anticipated.”
“Do you have a plan?” Nephrite demanded, “Because if you
do I suggest that you action it. I am growing tired of being mocked by that
girl.”
Kunzite half smiled, even now he was still trying to
appear light hearted about the situation when the fact remained that, with
Mamoru still unconscious, they remained the planet’s only hope.
“Jadeite, Nephrite, I need you to keep her distracted.
Attack her, talk to her, just do whatever you have to, to keep her occupied.”
“What are you going to do?”
Kunzite smirked slightly; “If we cannot defeat her using
strength alone then other methods will be required.”
Neither Nephrite nor Jadeite entirely understood this
cryptic response but Kunzite lacked the time to explain fully. Instructing only
that they get themselves into Mio’s line of vision, Kunzite retreated towards
the trees that led up to the shrine. Zoisite followed suit in silence and never
questioning him until they reached the protection of the trees.
“So” he asked softly, “What is this plan?”
“Can you manage a teleport?”
Zoisite followed Kunzite’s gaze and gave him a small smile
as he guessed the plan, “Hai” he said.
*******
“So the other two have abandoned you” Mio was sneering
down at Jadeite and Nephrite when Kunzite’s teleport caused him to appear at
his desired destination. He saw that his companions’ energy was all but spent,
although they tried to hide it. Kunzite doubted that they would be able to
shield against another attack, although this would not be necessary.
Drawing his sword once again, Kunzite lunged forward and
grabbed the girl by the shoulders, forcing her to turn around and face him as
his sword pressed lightly against her chest, over her heart.
Mio’s eyes widened in fright when she saw them, “How did
you…?”
“We teleported” Kunzite growled, gripping her even more
tightly.
Mio trembled and Kunzite allowed her to fall to her knees.
It was over. All that remained was to rid the planet of her filth. Slowly, he
raised his sword, but her words of earlier came into his mind once again.
“I have nothing. I will never be granted with a rebirth.
If I am killed then I shall be destined to be a shell for Metallia to consume
with her evil and hatred. That is the fate I chose for myself when I sought out
the Queen of the Darkness all those years ago.”
“Kunzite” Nephrite snapped as he and Jadeite hurried up
the steps to the shrine, “What are you waiting for?”
Again, Kunzite raised his weapon but her sobs… they almost
cut through him like a knife. He couldn’t do it… could he? Could he condemn her
to such a fate, despite his resolve of before?
“Kunzite” Zoisite said warningly, “Do it. Kill her.”
Anger flared up inside him at this. Why must he always
shoulder the burden? Of course he was the leader but in this world they lived
two lives; one as the Shitennou and one as human and Kunzite’s human side did
not want him to do this.
“This is only an act” Jadeite added coldly, “She feels nothing.”
Kunzite trembled. That may be so but he… he was still
human…
“Then you do it,” he said softly, offering his sword to
the blonde. Jadeite looked away. He, too, was unwilling to do this it would
seem.
“Kunzite!” he heard Zoisite shout his name and the white
haired king snatched the sword from his hand and raised it against the girl but
he was a second too slow.
Kunzite gasped as he felt darkness gripping at his chest,
entwining itself around his body before propelling him backwards. He cried out
as he fell, the force of the magics hurling him back down the steps to the
shrine.
“This is only an act. She feels nothing.”
Jadeite had been right to show her no mercy for it had
been just an act to allow her energy to gain strength once again and catch them
unawares. Kunzite landed on his back, feeling his transformation flicker and
then completely fade, leaving him as his civilian self once more.
They had failed. He had failed. He was a fool and
he was weak. Even with their awakening of their true powers they had not been
strong enough to defeat her in the end. At the critical moment he had been
unable to kill her and now his foolish compassion would kill them all.
Kisho glared hatefully at the approaching demon who, now
sensing her victory, walked with confidence and a pleased smile on her
lips.
He shook as she came to a stop in front of him, raising a
hand filled with energy for the final blow. Glancing to his side, Kisho saw his
friends, all de-transformed, and as powerless as he was. None of them blamed
him, he knew and, in a way, this made it worse.
Kisho braced himself and bit down hard on his lower lip.
He would not cry out. He would not give her that satisfaction.
“Matte” a voice then rang out across the shrine’s grounds.
Mio allowed her attack to dissipate as she turned to meet Usagi’s determined
gaze.
Kisho was unable to suppress a gasp of shock when he saw
her. She stood before Mio with a fierce determination burning in her eyes. Tsukino
Usagi… but not in her civilian form. She wore a white gown with lace that
stretched down to the ground, sweeping along behind her as she moved. Golden
lace also adorned the hem and sleeves of the garment and some swept out behind
her to form a butterfly shaped bow at her back. A tiara was on her head, made
of silver and that had a small crescent moon in its centre. A locket hung
around her neck and, encrusted on the front was a symbol of an angel in flight.
The Ginzuishou was set in the middle of the angel’s chest and this burned as
bright as the determination of the Princess.
No… she was not the Princess, Kisho realised. Before,
during the second awakening, Princess Serenity had merely used Sailor Moon as a
channel through to this world but now they had truly combined into one soul.
Usagi and the Princess were one and the same. Usagi had the Princess’s strength
and the Princess had Usagi’s heart.
“Usagi-chan” Mio shook her head, feigning amusement, “Do
you really think that your new henshin can stop me? Do you think that alone you
can accomplish this?”
Usagi raised her head to look Mio directly in the eyes and
she said quietly, “I am not alone.”
With those words she stepped side and Mio stumbled, fear
and horror registering in her eyes as her gaze now locked on the man at Usagi’s
side.
“Endymion!”
******
“As long as I have the Ginzuishou, the Princess remains
inside my heart. I have her strength, her power, but I also need you…
Endymion…”
“Endymion? Usagi, I don’t understand.”
“Together. Together we are strong. We can win.”
Mamoru, as his former self, stood at Usagi’s side. Already
he could feel the power radiating from his lover and from the Ginzuishou. Mio
took a step back as she, too, recognised such power. Endymion drew his sword
and Mio trembled before her face hardened into an expression of hate.
“Usagi-chan, do you really think that you can defeat me
with such power? Mamoru-kun, do you honestly believe that she can equal me in
strength? Just look around you, even your precious Shitennou have fallen. For
the time being I have been gracious and have spared their lives. I will not be
as such with Usagi-chan.”
Endymion forced himself to ignore her words, focusing only
on Mio and not the de-transformed Shitennou. A moment of doubt crossed his
mind. How could they hope to win when the Shitennou had failed? As Endymion and
Tuxedo Kamen he had no real magical abilities. Was he strong enough to stand at
Usagi’s side? If he wasn’t… Endymion firmly crushed these thoughts. He had to
be strong enough. He had to protect her.
“Mio-chan” Usagi addressed the demon, “Will you concede?”
“Concede? To you” Mio hissed vehemently, “Not as long as
there is still breath in this body!”
“Mio-chan” Usagi whispered, knowing full well what this
would mean; they both and even Endymion felt a pang at such thoughts. Despite
all that Mio had done to them, how could they condemn her soul?
“If she will not accept defeat then we have no choice”
Endymion stated, keeping his voice steady. He had shied away from making such
decisions before but would not do so again.
Watching (waiting) as the sky falls in around me
Black and white…
colours intermingling with our fate
Usagi stepped forward, unclipping her locket and releasing
the Ginzuishou as she did so. The silver gemstone pulsed into life at her touch
and Usagi closed her eyes, a single tear sliding down her cheek as she did so.
Mio had taken away her friends, her lover and still she pitied her.
Endymion drew his sword as Mio conjured a ball of dark
energy and let it fly. It hurtled towards Usagi but he stepped forward,
blocking the attack with his blade and casting it aside. Mio gasped in shock as
he did this and Endymion knew then that it was the Ginzuishou granting him such
power.
Do you still hear it?
The silence that haunts our dreams
Do you still feel it?
This nightmare in a scene of your creation
Take my hand; this destiny has only just begun
Stepping forward, Endymion wrapped one arm around Usagi’s
shoulders, holding her close, as he felt the Ginzuishou beginning to shine.
Is this your creation?
Will this truly be our fate?
Can you withstand it… this time will be the moment that
our souls start to shine?
Black and white, things are not so clear
You cannot judge a love on the past’s mistakes
“How foolish” Mio declared as Usagi held the Ginzuishou in
her outstretched palms, “You cannot compare your power to my own.”
“Perhaps not” Usagi replied, “But I am not on my own” she
added as Endymion sheathed his sword back at his side and placed his hands atop
Usagi’s own. “I have Endymion. The two kingdoms are united, as they should have
been in the past life. They are united through the two of us and we will stand
against you. We will defeat you and save the planet that we both love and met
each other again on.”
Seeing (knowing) the world is at an end now
You took my hand; your gentle touch was warm
And you smiled at me as I closed my eyes
Mio frowned, again drawing together an attack, one that
combined all her energy and hatred. Yet Endymion and Usagi did not flinch as it
struck. The Ginzuishou flared and its shine absorbed this onslaught, such was
its power now.
Mio gasped, taking another step back at this defeat. “It
cannot be” she hissed, “That power… I am the strongest person in the galaxy.
You cannot defeat me with that pathetic light!”
Again and again she struck and Usagi stood firm, they both
did. They trusted the Ginzuishou’s powers; the powers that had destroyed the
planet before would now be the powers which would save it.
Silence is our memories
Fading like a photograph in the sun
I took your hand and you loved me
I have nothing to let go of now
“Unforgivable” Mio seethed, “Such actions... I will never
forgive you for this!” with these words, her gaze turned to the Shitennou, “I
will see that all you hold dear is destroyed in your stead.”
Again the Ginzuishou pulsed and light burst forth from the
stone, this warm glow encompassing the Shitennou, creating a shield. A shield
in which Mio’s magics could not hope to penetrate. They would all have another
chance, another chance to live again. Endymion would make sure of this.
This is our creation
This will be our fate
God’s divine plan has never been as clear to me now
Mio drew her hands together, calling upon more of her own
power, her eyes narrowing in concentration as she struggled to keep the
Ginzuishou at bay. With this new found strength Endymion felt Usagi tremble
against him and he held her tighter, pouring more of his own energy into the
crystal that she cupped in her outstretched hands. Mio’s dark energy was like
poison and he could feel it gaining more strength as he hatred and anger
deepened until it was touching the edge of the light that surrounded them.
Our souls are flawed with hate
Directing our destiny
Those words are not strong enough to define who we really
are
“Mio-chan” Usagi whispered as she stumbled further and
Endymion was forced to fully support her weight. They weren’t going to hold
out, he realised, Mio was just too strong for them.
“Mio-chan” Usagi implored again but this was not a plea
for their lives, it was a plea for Mio to end this, to stop this hatred.
“Mio-chan, onegai.”
“Still you can forgive me?” Mio cried, “Even though I have
taken your friends from you? Such a fool you are, Usagi-chan.”
Is this your creation?
Will this truly be our fate?
Can you withstand it… this time will be the moment that
our souls start to shine?
“They may be gone,” Usagi whispered, “But they would not
hate you, Mio-chan. I meant what I said that day at the park. Everyone will
forgive you.”
“I don’t want your forgiveness! I want you to suffer! I
want you to feel as I have been feeling!” she all but screamed but Usagi’s
smile did not falter, even when Mio poured yet even more strength into her
power until it finally broke through the shield.
Endymion gasped in pain as the dark energy wrapped itself
tightly around his chest and neck, choking him and struggling to tear him from
Usagi’s side. As before, in the Dark Kingdom, he felt the energy tearing into
his body, sinking into his powers and draining them. He grit his teeth,
focusing only on the light of the Ginzuishou, even as the darkness tightened
its grip and he felt blood welling up in his mouth. If he didn’t let her go
then he would die, but if he let her go then Mio would kill her. Endymion could
not allow this to happen. He would not let Usagi die, even if the price was his
own life.
Black and white, things are not so clear
You cannot judge a love on the past’s mistakes
“Just forfeit” Mio sneered, “Even Endymion is weakening.
If you do not give in now then you will lose everything.”
“No” Usagi shook her head, “I will not give in. Mio-chan,
don’t you see? It is your hate that is fuelling your powers and Metallia’s hold
over you. If you die with that still in your heart then Metallia will claim
you. Onegai, Mio-chan…”
Endymion was vaguely aware of the power, for a moment,
weakening its hold as Mio considered Usagi’s words but then a shadow passed
over her hateful features and it strengthened its grasp once more.
“But I won’t die” Mio shouted, tears blurring her vision,
“I can feel your energy is at an ebb. I will defeat you and destroy this cursed
planet.”
“And what then?” Endymion found his voice at last and
managed to shout out to her, “You will still die and Metallia will claim you
again. I remember you before she tainted you with her touch.”
“Tainted?” Mio laughed scornfully, “She did not taint me,
she made me beautiful.”
“No” Usagi shook her head, “A soul untouched is beautiful.
You were beautiful, Mio-chan, you were beautiful before you allowed such
corruption to take hold of you.”
Again the power waned a little and Mio’s hateful
expression faded into one of panic and fear, “But I have nothing” she
whispered, “It has all been taken from me. You took it all from me!”
“No” Endymion shook his head, feeling vertigo crashing
into him as his fatigue and pain became apparent, “You denied yourself such a
life with your jealousy and hatred. We took nothing from you. All this you did
by yourself.”
Mio hesitated further as she whispered. “So… it is this
way after all…”
Then, for a moment, Endymion caught a glimpse of the woman
she had been behind those cold eyes. A woman with talent, with beauty and
compassion who had been warped into something twisted by the very passion that
was in her heart. Mio had never truly been evil, she had always been alone and
Metallia had fed off of this loneliness. Take away all the pretence, all the
hatred and pain and she was merely a lonely young woman, both in this life and
the last.
“Mio-chan” Usagi whispered again, but then Mio’s
expression turned into one of steely determination and again Endymion felt the
powers that assaulted them begin to surge, but this time they were being drawn
back, back towards their owner.
“Mio-chan!” Usagi screamed as the energy engulfed her,
causing the young woman to cry out where the darkness struck her. Usagi tried
to run to her, but Mio’s voice rang out from the midst of the churning
blackness.
“She’s right” Endymion tightened his hold on Usagi’s
waist.
“Why?” Usagi trembled, “I don’t understand.”
“But what about you?”
Daijobu... I’ll be fine. I’ll hold on to what you said,
Usagi-chan.
“Mio-chan” Usagi collapsed fully against Endymion and he
stumbled under this added weight due to his own fatigue. Neither could take
their eyes from the swirling mass of dark energy that had engulfed Kuroki Mio,
swirling faster and faster until the young woman finally gave one last cry
before the energy took over completely.
“There was nothing to forgive” Usagi whispered in reply,
“All this… it was Metallia’s actions and not your own.”
The darkness pulsed and then collapsed in on itself,
forcing Endymion to look away but he knew, as did Usagi, that Metallia would
never claim Mio’s soul, not when she died with the grace of the Ginzuishou near
to her and had the forgiveness of its wielder.
When he finally looked back, Mio was gone. Usagi lowered
the Ginzuishou, even as her transformation as the Princess disappeared, as
Endymion’s own royal attire, and their civilian forms replaced them.
“Usagi” Mamoru started but his words died on his lips when
he saw the four figures that stood where Mio had once been.
“Minna” Usagi whispered, tears blurring at her eyes as she
recognised her four friends. Then, finally Mamoru’s legs gave way beneath him
as the battle took its toll. He barely felt himself strike the ground before
unconsciousness claimed him.
We will find redemption some day
Our fate has just begun
You cannot judge a love on the past’s mistakes
******
“Usagi-chan! Mamoru! Gambatte!” Taro frowned slightly as
the girls in front of him jostled against each other in their eagerness to bid
the newly weds farewell as they set off, Usagi on the back of Mamoru’s
motorbike, about to embark on their new life together. A collective squeal rose
up from the former Senshi and Usagi’s old school friends as the bride threw her
bouquet into the waiting crowd. Taro made a disgruntled noise and turned away,
not caring for such trivial things.
“It was a nice service, don’t you think?” Masaki commented
when he saw the look on Taro’s face.
“I guess” he sighed.
“But?” Masaki prompted him.
“I can’t believe after all we’ve been through it’s finally
over” Taro admitted, “And the worst part is that I kind of miss the meetings in
Crown and even the fighting.”
“You are feeling nostalgic” Masaki chided him gently, “But
it will pass. We’ll all stay in touch you know.”
“Hai” Taro grumbled but his grumbling was good-natured in
all. He was very happy for Usagi and Mamoru but he did feel as though their
days as a team were numbering. He couldn’t help but feel a little sad because
of that!
“No way!” a collective gasp of upset rose from the girls
and Taro couldn’t help but grin when he saw, to the horror of the females
present, that Motoki had somehow managed to catch the bouquet.
Then, as Taro watched, he turned to Makoto and shyly asked
her, “Shall we be next?”