Disclaimer: Of course I don't own anything. They belong to whomever does. =)
Armageddon
Chapter Four: Showdown
The first few days of war were quiet on the moon. The battle had not reached
there yet and so, for the time being, the Moon Kingdom continued to maintain
it's peace and serenity.
But the Moon's armies did not idle around waiting. Everyday, the armies
trained, preparing themselves for the inevitable battle. Reports continued to
pour in from the outer planets of the Nega-Verse coming closer and closer to
the moon. Evil forces had already reached Earth.
The scouts also trained. But when they were not sparring, they stared quietly
at the Earth, thinking about their loves.
Lita spent her spare time dreaming about her future wedding. She could be
caught numerous times staring at her ringed finger.
Amy would lounge in the library mulling over favorite books. Sometimes she
would bring out a chess board and think about the games she had with Zoicite.
She could remember his every move.
If Raye was not praying to the Mars gods, or not doing fire readings, she
would read over the old letters that Jadeite had sent her over the years. She
never took of his necklace and was always subconsciously feeling her neck to
make sure it was still there.
Mina, however, did anything but think of Malachite. Or so she tried not to
think about him. She was determined to keep her mind off of him by constantly
keeping busy. She trained for extra hours, even in solitude. She trained for
extra hours, even in solitude. She rearranged her room, she read, she even
played games of chess with Amy. But even if she could actually not think of
him during the day, she could not escape him in her sleep. Every night his
face, his deep voice, everything about him filled her dreams.
*****
/The dry wind blew the weeds and brush on the ground. There was an eerie
silence, even the howling wind was not heard. She was hot, and hungry, and
her throat was dry, longing for liquid refreshment. Sweat mixed with blood
and dirt dripped down the side of her face. For the first time, she noticed
the heavy sword in her hand, and a willingness inside of her to used the
sword, on herself.
The sword, unlike herself, was perfectly clean. The smooth metal shined in
the sunlight and her reflection was clear on the surface. She blinked, and
the sword was covered in blood. She dropped the sword, and looked at it. She
glanced at her white gloves and saw that it was also covered in blood.
She looked around, finally noticing the dead and bodies littered around her.
She screamed when she recognized the face of the one nearest to her.../
Raye awoke with a start. She was breathing heavily and sweat dripped down
her face. Her dream was startling, but it was not the dream that had awoken
her. Next door, she heard muffled cries and moaning.
Putting on her robe, she went to see what the noise was all about. Mina was
the occupant of the next bedroom. Raye knocked softly on the door.
"Mina?" No one answered her, so she tried the doorknob and found that it was
unlocked. Stepping in quietly, she called out her friend's name again softly.
"Mina?" Mina laid on her bed, her hair a tangled mess because of tossing and
turning. She had long ago kicked off her blankets and pillows on to the
floor. Sweat had matted her blonde hair to her face, and her nightgown was
drenched with sweat as well.
"Malachite..." she moaned. It was obvious that she was stuck in a nightmare.
Raye gently shook Mina in an attempt to awaken her. "Mina, Mina wake up."
Mina continued to struggle in her sleep. "Mina wake up."
Suddenly her eyes flew open. "I won't kill you," she blurted out. She
breathed heavily and slowly came to the realization that Raye was standing
besides her.
"Raye? What are you doing here?"
"I came to check on you. I could hear you from my room. Are you okay?"
Mina took a deep breath and nodded her head. "I'm fine. Just... just a bad
dream."
"Care to share?"
Mina searched her mind as she tried to remember the nightmare, but she could
only remember the feeling of fear and anguish. No images came into her head,
just the terror. "I can't... I can't remember. It was just really bad."
"Was it about Malachite? I heard you call his name. And then you said 'I
won't kill you' when you finally woke up."
Mina looked at her friend, but puzzlement still sat in her mind. "I don't
remember." Her brow furrowed. "Malachite?"
Raye nodded. "I don't think I want to remember," Mina mumbled. "It felt...
so real, but, I just can't recall anything."
Mina had calmed and her breathing had slowed. She stared off into space
thinking. "Raye?" she asked after a few silent moments.
"Hmm?"
Mina bit her lip as she tried to word her question. "You know how you have
many visions?" Raye nodded. "How do you know when they're real? When
they're prophetic?"
Raye thought over the question for awhile. How did she know when her dreams
were real or not? Not all of her dreams were visions but she always knew when
they were. "I don't really know. I just do, I guess." She smiled
apologetically. "Do you think your dream was a foretelling?"
Mina hugged her knees close to her and shuddered. "I hope not."
*****
Jadeite brushed the hair out of his eyes as he slayed another of Beryl's
monsters. He looked around him tentatively, ready for another fight. Just a
few feet away, Nephlyte ran his sword through another creature. They were
outside the Earth's Palace. Nephlyte wasn't joking when he said that Beryl's
men had finally gotten there, ready to charge in.
Standing still, Jadeite heard soft footsteps behind him. He raised his sword
and whirled around ready to strike.
"Wait!" Zoicite cried. "Don't hurt me."
Jadeite lowered his sword, but he looked around to make sure there were not
other surprises. "You don't sneak up on a person during a war," he said dryly.
"Sorry. Malachite sent me. He and Darrien are outnumbered on the other side
of the palace."
"So are we!" Nephlyte yelled as he finished off another Nega-creep.
Zoicite joined in the battle decisively and thrust a flurry of petals and
energy at the oncoming on army. They seemed to come from everywhere, almost
multiplying, but they were dumb and slow. The three generals clashed their
swords and exerted their energy blasts. The more they killed, the more tired
they became.
How long they fought, how many they killed, the three generals did not know.
It was over, for now. The army of monsters had been stopped. But for how
long? They were exhausted and hungry, but rest still wasn't an option anymore.
"Very good, gentlemen." A soft clapping rang in their ears followed the
cracking voice. They all looked around, but no one was there.
"I'm impressed, I had no idea that you three could beat my army."
"Beryl!" Nephlyte shouted angrily. "Show yourself you witch!"
"Isn't that an impolite way to reply to my compliment?" She laughed like a
witch, cackling and cold.
"Your compliments aren't worth the kingdom you rule!" Zoicite retorted
angrily.
"Do not anger me, young one." The voice was bitter ice now. "Be please I
have not yet teared you to pieces."
"We don't fear you, Beryl," Jadeite said bemused. "Perhaps it is us that you
fear. Why are you still in hiding?"
"Want to see me? Fine." There was a brilliant flash of light, but not the
normal blinding white light. It was the dark light of the Nega-Verse, but
even the darkness blinded them. When the three generals opened their eyes
again, they no longer stood on the plains of the Earth. Darkness surrounded
them and the stench of death lingered in the air.
That same crackling voice filled the air. "Welcome to the Nega-Verse."
*****
Malachite hacked two more bad guys with his sword, and then glanced at the
Prince, who seemed to be fairing well so far. Tiredness was seeping out of
Malachite, but the monsters still came. Seeing one from the corner of his eye,
he threw his cape back and charged at it.
Raising his sword above him, he prepared to bring it down with force, but a
sudden wave of dizziness hit him. His sword dropped to the ground and he
expected his death to come, now that the monster had the upper hand. But to
his surprise, nothing happened.
He opened his eyes and realized that he was no longer on the grounds outside
the palace of Earth. He didn't even think that he was even on Earth anymore.
It was the dark, and from what he could tell, the walls and floors were all
stone. He came to the assumption that it was a dungeon cell.
*How did I get here?*
Malachite looked around in the darkness, his eyes finally adjusting. A few
yards away, his three generals were chained on the wall. They all looked as
though they had been beaten horribly. The three hung limp on the walls, their
raspy breathing the only sign of life that they showed.
"Jadeite! Nephlyte! Zoicite!" Malachite shouted, rushing over to their aide.
All they did in response was meekly open their eyes.
"What happened? Why are we here?"
Malachite was not answered by his men, but instead he heard a cracked voice.
"You four have been selected to lead my army. I have watched you all, and I
like what I see."
Malachite spun around to find the source of the voice. He could sense the
presence, but he saw nothing. "Beryl, is that you? Show yourself!"
"As you wish." Out of the shadows stepped 'her highness'. She wore her
purple gown, exemplifying royalty, and held a long staff in one hand. She
had the typical hour glass body, but her face was nothing to be marveled at.
"General Malachite, I offer you a deal. Cross over to the Nega-Verse on your
own free will, or be forced to." She gestured to the battered men behind
Malachite. "I still have yet to break these men's strength and resolve."
"As you'll have to break mine," Malachite spit at her. "I will never cross
over to your side!"
Beryl smiled amusingly. She pointed her staff at him and it shot out a blast
of Nega-Verse energy. Malachite was thrown against the wall behind him, and
before he knew what was happening, he too was chained to the wall. Beryl
walked up to him, and lifted his chin with her staff.
She looked into his eyes, as if searching for something. "What is it that
keeps you four from trading sides?"
"The fact that evil sucks," Zoicite retorted. He was the farthest from
Malachite. Beryl walked over to him, calm written all over her face. And
with a cat's speed, she slapped him across the face.
"Even after all that I have inflicted upon you, you still antagonize me.
Why? What keeps all of you so resistant to me?"
"We are loyal to our duty," Malachite replied with acid.
Beryl stared him down with her ice, cold eyes. "Loyalty? That is nothing."
She walked across the four men, analyzing them with her vicious eye, still
trying to determine what kept these men strong. As she passed Jadeite, the
gleaming object around his neck caught her eye.
"What is that?" she asked.
Jadeite glared at her through bloodshot eyes. "Nothing of your concern,
witch." Beryl would've struck him for that remark, but the necklace intrigued
her. Reaching for it, she pulled it off him.
"No," he growled at her.
She examined the necklace, the half star with the first half of the word
'always'. A smile of satisfaction settled on her face.
"So that's it, huh? Love." She laughed. "Love is what keeps you from
joining me." She laughed some more. "We can easily rectify that."
*****
Mina stared sadly at the burning fire that Raye had produced for the five of
them. They were all lounging in Serena's room, chatting in the way that girls
chat. In the background she could hear the other four girls gush about their
loves. The fire before her blurred through tears as she thought of Malachite.
She quickly brushed the tears away and turned back to the group.
Serena's room, decorated in various colors of white and silver was heavily
furnished with comfortable sofas and chairs. Each girl had conveniently draped
herself over one. Serena was busy brushing out Lita's beautiful brown hair as
she stared happily at her ring, again. Amy had an open book on her lap, which
she ignored and stared dreamily at the ceiling. Raye twiddled her necklace
around her fingers and gazed at her fire in the hearth. She felt a pair of
eyes on her and saw Mina watching her.
"Mina? You've been awfully quiet tonight. Something wrong."
Mina shook her had and smiled. "Just a little tired."
"Well I don't blame you. How long did you train today?"
Mina shrugged. Even she had lost track.
Raye knew what Mina was doing. She was trying to keep her mind off of a
certain white-haired, handsome General. Raye resisted the urge inside of her
to tell Mina 'I told you so'. Her friend was in pain, that much she could
tell.
In an attempt to cheer her up, Raye poured her a cup of tea. She walked over
to hand it to her, but half-way, a feeling of great danger swept over her. It
was the familiar sensation of warning, of evil. She dropped the cup of tea
and it shattered on the wooden floor. Everyone looked at the paralyzed Raye.
She uttered a gasp of pure sadness.
"Jadeite..."
At the exact same moment, across billions of light years from the moon, Beryl
had finally gotten her Generals. She had used their love to brainwash them,
and now they were hers to command.
"Raye, what's wrong?" Amy asked gently.
"Jadeite..." Raye moaned again. A tear formed and slid down her paled cheek.
The door burst open and stunned everyone. Luna stood in the door way, her
crescent moon glowing and her eyes serious. "Beryl's on the moon."
*****
The Scouts stood outside the palace, ready to do their duty and protect the
palace and the Princess. As the army of the Nega-Verse approached, Mars
experienced the eerie feeling of deja vu. A dry wind was blowing, and the sun
was dim in the afternoon. The battle to end all battles was here.
Mercury stopped the first wave of monsters by freezing them, but more charged
on. As Jupiter zapped them with thunder, Mercury pulled out her tiny computer
and began to search for a simpler solution to kill them all. Venus' crescent
beam flashed in the air every other second and Mars' flame toasted thousands.
Just after minutes, the ground was littered with dead bodies, both from the
Moon and the Nega-Verse.
In the midst of the battle, Jupiter saw a familiar face in the sea of monsters.
She couldn't believe it! It was Nephlyte and the others! They had come to
the moon to help them.
"Mercury! Look!" Mercury looked up from her computer and gasped.
"Zoicite!" Sweet happiness and hope overflowed in her.
With their combined power, Mercury and Jupiter cleared a path for the Generals
and ran towards them.
"What are they doing?" Venus asked. Mars looked to where Venus was pointing
and saw the four generals. Instead of joy overwhelming her, everything simply
clicked in her mind. All the dreams and all the visions finally fell into
place.
"By the Gods..." she whispered. "NO! Jupiter! Mercury! STOP!" she cried.
But it was too late. Nephlyte ran his sword through Jupiter and Zoicite
blasted Mercury with negative energy. No fear or remorse was in the Generals'
eyes. Not even satisfaction. Only coldness and evil stared back into the
eyes of their loves who showed pure hurt and betrayal.
"NO!" Venus cried in rage. Fuming, she blasted her crescent beam and the two
traitors became dust.
The remaining two Generals approached the remaining two scouts. Each stared
at their counterpart and they all knew, this was it.
"Jadeite?" Mars called sadly. She knew it was no longer her best friend, her
love, she was calling. It was an evil being, but it held the face of the one
dearest to her.
He did not attack her immediately. He simply stood a few yards away and
stared at her. His hands were behind his back, hiding something that Mars did
not want to see. Knowing this, Jadeite pulled it out for her to see. It was
the rag doll she had given to him so many years ago. Her heart softened at
the sight of it, and it broke when Jadeite tore the head off and dropped the
decapitated doll to the ground.
Her vision swam in tears. He finally approached her with his sword, ready to
kill. Unwillingly, she formed a sword in the air with her thoughts and held
it in front her.
"Jadeite, don't. Please, You're in there? Aren't you?" He swung his sword
at her and she blocked it with ease. "You can't leave me! You promised you'd
come back." Jadeite said nothing and continued to fight her. Mars back away
from him, not wanting to fight.
"I don't want to hurt you!" she cried in anguish. Jadeite remained silent.
Mars forced down the sobs when she realized she had to do it. There was no
other choice. When she saw the opportunity, she fought back all of the
emotions and struck her sword through him.
His steps faltered and his sword clanged to the ground when he realized that
her sword was in him. No longer able to support himself, he fell forward into
Mars arms. He looked into her eyes and for his last moments of life, she saw
him, her best friend, her love.
"I thank you, love," he murmured with his last few breaths. No longer able to
control herself, she let go of him and he fell to the ground, but not before
his hand caught on her necklace and he accidentally ripped it off of her.
The tears came and they never stopped. She sobbed and collapsed on the ground
next to him. Taking the necklace that he unwittingly pulled from his hand,
Mars clasped it around his neck. She leaned down for one last bittersweet
kiss and then reached for her sword.
*****
Venus saw Malachite approach her.
*This is it, the showdown. Both leaders, face to face,* she thought
ironically. She swallowed the conflicting emotions in her and held her sword,
ready for battle. She did not even notice the tears streaming down her face.
"It's always going to be like this, isn't this?" Malachite said sourly. "Even
when we were on the same side you always had to be the better one."
Venus snarled at him. "I am the better one. I did not succumb to evil
forces."
"Duty first, am I right?" He had pushed her button and it enraged her.
Their swords clashed.
"This is it,* she thought again. She was the last Scout standing and he was
the last General. Venus had seen from the corner of her eye that Mars had
done it. She had taken her sword and used it to be with the one she loved.
Her Scouts were dead now, all of them. She would not fail them, she would not
fail her Princess, she would not fail the Moon, and she would not fail
Malachite.
It was a furious battle. They were equals in battle and they knew each other
strengths and weaknesses. At each opportunity they displayed their powers,
but neither seemed to gain the upper hand.
"Malachite!" she cried, still fighting. "How could you become evil?"
He smirked at her. "It's not like anything was holding me back."
Venus knew what he meant by that. Unable to keep her emotions in check she
yelled at him what she always wanted to say. "I love you!"
For a brief moment, a second, Venus saw his eyes flicker into the familiar
blue eyes of her love. But as sudden as it appeared, the more sudden it
disappeared. He pulled his sword back and finally ran it through her, but at
the same moment, she did the same to him.
The pain was almost numbing to Venus. All the emotions seemed to pour out of
her like her blood. She looked over at Malachite and she to him. The both
fell to their knees, swords protruding out of them. Looking into his eyes,
she saw him again, for her last time.
As she fell to the ground and closed her eyes, she felt Malachite's hand grasp
hers and heard his faint and sad whisper.
"I love you too."
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