Author: Soumitra Choudhury
Title: A Rei of Hope
Email: meech@mindspring.com
Rating: PG-13
-----------------------------------
A Rei of Hope
Chapter 6: The Freedom of Sacrifice
-----------------------------------
Xune awoke with a start, sweat beading off her forehead in
rivulets, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The warmth from the hearth
kept the bedroom at a comfortable temperature, yet Xune shivered with
an internal chill.
"Is something the matter?" Chaszmyr asked.
The priestess started at his voice, turning to her consort lying
next to her, a bemused expression playing at her face. "Don't you ever
sleep?"
He flashed her a charming smile. "You are the only sustenance I
need, Beloved."
"That's very sweet, you snake-tongued rogue," she muttered in a
growl, but alleviated her tone by wrapping her arms about him and
snuggled into his chest. She felt his arms encircle her shoulders. "I
had a dream."
Chaszmyr waited patiently for Xune to continue, stroking her silk
white hair.
The drow priestess of Eilistraee considered her words. "It wasn't
exactly a dream as much as a vision, a request, really."
"Sort of like the one that came to you for the creation of Orthae
Abban?" Chaszmyr asked quietly, recalling her great sword.
Xune nodded. "She came to me and showed me how to summon a gate.
It was quite beautiful, limned in silver fire and beckoning me to walk
through."
"Walk through to where?"
She paused, pondering the import of her destination. It was not a
place she had been to before. In fact, it was completely foreign, but
the persistence she had sensed was nearly overwhelming. "I'm not sure,
but I think it has to do with the Sailor Senshi."
Chaszmyr frowned, his caresses stopping in midstroke. "Have they
returned?" He remembered the encounter with them some five years ago,
and while they were pleasant and endearing folk, he could still feel
the twinges in his arms from the massive injuries he had incorporated
from their Silver Crystal. His memories of them hovered between their
innocent kindness and the fierce agony of helping them.
She shook her head, then lifted up to gaze into her lover's eyes.
"No, I don't believe so. I... I think they will need me."
"Us," he corrected.
"Um, well yes, us." She tried to hide her impish grin, but her
eyes danced with the mirth she felt. "I didn't feel that I could speak
for you."
Chaszmyr clucked in mild disappointment. "Please, Waela Uss, you
should know by now that my steps are, and forever will be, on your fey
path. Your heart is my heart; your trials and tribulations, mine to
endure at your side." His tone was matter-of-fact, leaving room for no
argument.
Xune's eyes and heart shone with such love she could not manage
it. With a squeak of jubilation, she engulfed him in a dizzying kiss
that shoved him back down upon the bed. "You are the most wonderful man
in all the world," she sighed when she released his mouth.
"I try," he gasped breathlessly, his heart racing with passion.
"It's difficult work, but the rewards are marginally acceptable."
The room filled with her silvery laughter. Still giggling, Xune
rolled atop him and pinned his arms behind his head, her emerald eyes
sparkling with mischief. "Now, what's this 'Foolish One' business?"
*****
Tens of thousands of light years away, Usagi quietly emerged from
the room Rei had been retired to, shutting the door softly behind her.
There was a look of great weariness on her face, the beginnings of dark
circles forming under her eyes.
Yawning, she stumbled into the enormous kitchen, where the others
were gathered, mostly in their morning clothes, excluding Mamoru and
Luna. He had shown up fairly early in the morning with the cat to check
up on things after having gone home the night before.
"You didn't get any sleep, did you?" he asked, rising from the
breakfast table to lend her support.
"No, none at all. I wanted to make sure Rei was fully asleep, and
that didn't happen until just a few minutes ago." She yawned again for
good measure, then settled into a chair gratefully. Chibi-Usa dragged
her chair closer and laid a comforting hand on her mother's shoulder.
Makoto brought her a cup of tea. "You should get some sleep,
then. I'm sure Haruka or Michiru have another room they could provide
you." The brunette glanced inquiringly towards the couple.
Before either of them could speak, Usagi waved the notion aside.
"No, we need to discuss what we need to do now. How are Setsuna and
Hotaru doing?"
"Hotaru said Setsuna is going to be fine, but she'll need at
least a week to recuperate. I think our little doctor will take a few
days to replenish her strength as well," Michiru said. Haruka grunted
agreement.
"Well, that will leave-" Usagi mentally tallied off those present
on her fingers, "-five of us."
"Five?" Chibi-Usa blinked, confused.
"Sailors Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune, Tuxedo Kamen, and me."
Chibi-Usa's hand squeezed a bit hard. "Whatever it is you have in
mind, Usagi, you're not counting me out this time."
The blonde sighed. "I'm not counting you out. Someone will need
to be here to watch over Rei, Setsuna and Hotaru. I need you to do
that. Besides, If I can help it, I'm not going to get you involved in a
fight with the Dark Rei."
"But-"
"No," Mamoru interrupted sternly. "Your mother is right. You're
not going anywhere near THIS opponent." There was a firm note of
finality in his tone.
"What do you have in mind?" Luna asked quickly to head off an
argument. "As I recall, we don't have any idea where Dark Rei is, and
from what we've seen before, she's not going to go down that easily."
"Well, I haven't really worked that out yet. That's what we need
to discuss." In a rare show of frustration, Usagi slammed her fist on
the table, shaking the centerpiece. "I'm dead tired of having our
enemies running all over us, especially one who is showing more
interest in Rei-chan than me. She's so exhausted she can barely stay
awake, and she's sick on top of that. I'm not going to let anything
else happen to her if I can help it, so we are going end this
immediately. It's bad enough that Dark Rei has incapacitated three of
us. I won't have any more of you falling as well." She clenched her
fists, and they trembled in fury. "Rei doesn't deserve this."
"None of us deserve this," Michiru crooned softly. Haruka wrapped
a comforting arm about her.
"Did Rei say anything that may help?" Luna asked.
Usagi shook her head. "Rei said a lot of things, but I didn't
understand a lot of it. She's almost delirious she's so sick and
tired." The blonde shuddered tightly. "She cried a lot, too, and I've
never heard her cry so much in my life. I think Rei's the only one I've
ever known to get furious in the face of danger, but whatever's going
on, it's really rattled her." Pursing her lips in thought, she added,
"It's very hard to rattle Rei."
"I don't think we're going to get very far if we don't wait for
Ami," Makoto threw in, massaging the topic in another direction.
"Without Ami's computer, we're not going to find the Dark Rei anyway."
"Maybe she'll show up for us," Usagi said hopefully.
Makoto and Mamoru both gave her looks that clearly indicated how
plausible THAT notion would be. "I sort of think she's more interested
in Rei than the rest of us, Usako," the young man murmured gently.
The princess slumped, disheartened. "I suppose so. Too bad we
can't-" Suddenly, Usagi's eyes widened in dawning enlightenment.
"That's it!" she cried, jumping up and tipping back her chair in the
process. Apparently her fatigue had vanished. "I'm a genius."
"What's it?" Makoto's tone sounded reserved and unsure. Usagi's
ideas were notoriously... unstable.
Conspiratorily, she indicated everyone to huddle about her. "Oh,
this is going to be good," she muttered smugly. "Everyone keep your
voices down. I don't want this to get out."
"Usako, there's no one here except for us and our friends
upstairs." Mamoru gave her a reproving frown.
"Yes, and I especially don't want them to here." Glancing
worriedly up in the general direction of Rei's chamber, she sighed
rather seriously. "If Rei finds out about what I'm planning, she'll
wring my neck." The look of seriousness, though, vanished almost
immediately.
There was a mischievious sort of mirth sparkling in the
princess's eyes that made each of them share a nervous look.
*****
That night, the moon waxed to its fullest, shining its cool light
in the misery of winter, perhaps saddened, perhaps uncaring, but wholly
gazing down upon the land. Its radiance illuminated the night air with
an energy that very few felt.
The first tremors could not have awakened a dog, so subtle they
shook, dispersing over the length and breadth of Japan. Spidery webs of
cracks appeared in the foundation, deep below the ground. More than a
number of gophers, earthworms, and badgers shifted uncomfortably in
their suddenly not-so-stable homes.
That initial rumble registered as a 1.2 on the richter scale, so
the geologists discounted it as anything out of the ordinary. About the
oddest thing that remotely tickled their minds was that it was
precisely concentrated in and around the numerous islands that Japan
consisted of.
Eh.
Of course, what the geologists could not know was that these
cracks, no one more than a centimeter wide, were dribbling in water
deep under the ocean surface.
*****
Rei quite obviously was not having the best night of sleep she
had ever had. Her tossing and turning quickly disarrayed any
arrangement the blankets could maintain. Drenched with the sweat of
being ill, her hair lay about her as a garish mane. She would whimper
occasionally, cry out even less so.
A pristine gloved hand reached out and carefully stroked a few
strands of hair out of the young woman's face, then gently caressed one
cheek.
Sparkles of violet shone off Rei's pallid skin.
*****
They were unsuccessful in locating their prey for nearly four
days, and Usagi was getting antsy and desperate.
Very little had changed in Rei's condition. She slept almost all
hours of the day, if one could call her tormented rest sleep. She awoke
only long enough to be fed, to use the facilities, and on two
occasions, to bathe, but it was always with a kitten's weakness. She
would not, or could not, speak, and instead resorted to a sort of
primitive whimpering and grunting, quickly relapsing into a delirious
stupor before falling unconscious where she stood or sat or lay.
Whatever ailed her mercilessly retained its grip on her health.
It became apparent that Chibi-Usa just was not up to the
responsibility, for she often fell to tears at her friend's condition,
so Makoto took over the second day, at least until Ami showed up late
that evening. With almost clinical professionalism, the blue-haired
wonder took over, and her medicinal interests instantly showed.
It tore Usagi's heart apart every time she laid eyes on her
dearest of friends, and it was all she could do not to forget her plan
and spend every waking moment at Setsuna's home taking care of Rei, but
the others, especially Mamoru, were always on hand to remind her that
it was HER plan, and while any of the others ached to take on her
responsibility, the blonde princess would not forsake the duty.
When Minako showed up on the sixth day before Christmas,
announcing that she would help Ami 'take care' of Rei, Usagi very
nearly fainted in despair. Luckily, Ami headed off that disaster with
short, firm words, followed by a hug to show she did not mean to
offend.
Minako was a little put out with the encounter.
Hotaru was up and about on her own by that time, and she hovered
over Setsuna like a clucking hen, despite her own mild exhaustion. The
latter's injuries were nothing more than aches and pains now, but the
weakness following such a massive and miraculous recovery kept her
significantly bedridden. That fact, along with the knowledge that she
had been defeated twice by the same individual, made her mood waspish,
and she was not all that pleasant to talk to. There was little choice
in it, however. She WAS the only one awake and friendly who knew
anything about the circumstances surrounding her plight. Hotaru took
her snaps and barks with the cool indifference of a mother taking care
of a sick child, and Michiru and Haruka took to smiling behind there
hands at Setsuna's critical words. At one point, the Keeper of Time
narrowed her eyes at them. "You know, the house is STILL in MY name,"
she hissed.
The couple prudently found it more interesting to remain outside
of her room.
Usagi, Mamoru, Makoto, Minako, Michiru and Haruka trudged into
the spacious home the evening of December 19, another failure weighing
on their faces. Four days searching for their illusive prey, and all
they had to show for it was a bruise on Usagi's toosh when a rather
mild earthquake had surprised her into tripping over a crack in the
sidewalk.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
"Where IS she?" Makoto demanded of no one in particular, fairly
ripping the scarf from her neck. "I didn't think she'd wait this long
to strike at us. What's she waiting for?"
"I don't know," Minako replied, collapsing onto the sofa. "I
rather like the quiet. It gives us more time to prepare."
Haruka snorted. "We can't prepare anymore, Minako. It's starting
to get boring. Besides, my swordmanship is getting a little rusty with
all this waiting around."
Makoto snapped her fingers. "You know, that reminds me. I keep
meaning to ask you to teach me a little of that swordmanship."
"You? What, are you expecting to take over the Space Sword if I
ever go down?" The tall woman tried to sound amused, but it was tinged
with a bit of disdain.
Makoto ignored that. "No, it's just that I've been hankering to
play around with that sword I found on Toril."
"You're not serious!" Usagi exclaimed. "That thing's worth a
fortune! You can't just go around fighting with it! You might break the
gems." The very notion of doing anything but admiring jewels could
never have entered her mind.
With the exception of the Silver Imperium Crystal, of course.
The brunette shrugged. "A sword's a sword. Besides, if this can
help in any way against the hordes we encounter, then by all means, we
need to use it. It is enchanted, you know. That makes it quite useful
against all the youma we fight."
Any forthcoming discussion was curbed when Chibi-Usa
stepped down the stairs, her eyes a little wild and her mouth gaping.
Then, in a sudden burst of speed, she ran to her father, burying her
face in his jacket.
"Nani?" he asked, baffled, but the others were already taking
the steps five at a time upstairs.
Haruka half-expected the door to Rei's room to be barred shut,
where any number of foul beings could be doing unimaginably cruel acts
to her comrades. She reached the top before the others, and without
bothering to pause for breath, she reared back, gathered her strength,
and leveled the stout door with a collosal kick. Michiru, from a
couple of steps down, sighed lustily.
Ami lept out of her skin and squeaked in fright at the crash of
the door, very uncharacteristic of the normally level-headed and
composed individual.
Of course, one could understand her current case of nerves,
considering the Grell was calmly seated on the other side of the bed,
fingering the blade of an enchanted wakazashi. Quite insolently, he
raised an index finger to unseen lips and hushed Haruka. "You shall
wake the Lady Rei with your bumbling."
Naturally, the sandy-blonde very nearly had apoplexy. From her
everpresent nowhere, she drew her transformation pen. "Uranus-"
With fluid motion, the Grell threw his sword. Twirling end over
end, the pommel smashed into her knuckles and knocked the pen out of
her hand. Both items clattered against the far wall and fell quietly
to the carpet.
Haruka cradled her smarting fingers, focusing her hatred on the
creature. Behind her, the gasps of surprise sounded off, with
Makoto actually naming the intruder.
"Lady Uranus, you have a hand attached at your wrist only
because I wished it so," the Grell said in a deadly chill voice. "If
you wish to keep it that way, do not attack me again without
provocation." He then turned his gaze past her to the other girls
piled in the doorway. "This is hardly the amnesty I deserve, Tsukino-
san. I have graciously returned to you your pretty little bauble and I
have withheld my hand from slitting Lady Mercury and the others from
mouth to belly,-"
Ami blanched, her face draining of all color.
"-all so that I may aid you in your hour of need. Now, you
attack the flag of truce? Tsk tsk. Are you not supposed to be the
quintessential heroines, all immersed in goodness and honor?"
Usagi stepped forward, her features hardened with barely
contained fury. "How dare you come here and threaten my friends, you,
you..." Her face puffed up and reddened, but no words came out. She
simply was not capable of uttering the curses that she desperately
needed to shout. She did, however, take steps toward the towering
villain, resulting in Minako and Makoto grabbing her to hold her back.
The princess struggled unconsciously for several moments, her gaze
locked on the Grell. "You have my amnesty for as long as you
cooperate, but I will NOT have you frightening my friends for your own
pointless whims. Do you understand?" The latter was said in such a
menacingly low voice, even Haruka was forced to blink in astonishment.
Bowing deeply, the Grell returned to his seat. "Gomen Nasai,
Megami-sama. I had not realized I had overstepped my bounds." Whether
or not he mocked them was indeterminate. "I am curious to know why you
have not dealt with the nemesis at hand. I am sure you realize the
danger you are exposing yourselves to by the very fact that she is free
and unhindered."
Usagi shrugged, her anger draining as she let her gaze fall upon
Rei. Her friend slumbered throughout the whole conversation, though
not as fitfully as before. She even looked a bit less pale, and her
skin was not drenched with a cold sweat. For perhaps the first time in
nearly five days, Rei looked like she would recover. Buoyed by hope,
she answered absently, "We can't find her."
"You cannot find her?" he exclaimed incredulously. "Why, she is
planning your demise right now in the Olympic Stadium." His voice took
on a note of desperation. "What HAVE you been doing all this time? Do
you not realize what tomorrow means?"
The girls frowned, puzzled looks passing between.
The Grell stood up and whirled on Rei. "You mean, you have not
told them?!"
Rei, of course, did not answer, despite the dreadful voice
assailing her.
"Leave her alone, Grell," Usagi murmured, unperturbed at his
outburst. "She hasn't been able to tell us anything since she showed
up. If you know anything that might help, please share, otherwise you
can leave. Rei needs her rest." The princess did not even bother to
look up from her friend, having already clasped Rei's hand in a fond
caress.
"Your deaths, that is what I am talking about, you idiot!" he
raged, forcing her attention by surging to his feet. "You all are
going to die tomorrow if you do not stop her tonight!"
A pall fell over the room as the girls favored him with
astonishment and skepticism. Even Haruka and Michiru raised an
eyebrow, unwilling to give his words much thought. In the back, Chibi-
Usa hugged her father a bit harder.
"Do you have proof?" asked the princess mildly.
"Do I have proof? When the sun sets tomorrow and all of your
bodies lie astrewn Tokyo, then yes, I will have proof. By then,
however, it will be too late and she will have won."
In a slightly quavering voice, for she had not quite gotten over
the image of her gutting, Ami clarified, "What she means is, is there
something more concrete you could show us that would allow us to
believe you?"
A vast, rolling sigh escaped the Grell, the effect of
exasperation added to by flinging his arms heavenward. "If the Lady Rei were to warn you with the same words, you would be halfway to the
stadium by now."
"Rei doesn't have a trail of blood leading back to the Silver
Millenium!" Mamoru retorted hotly.
"And you do not have the time to argue incessantly with me,
trail or no trail!" answered the Grell with just as much force. With
visible effort it calmed down. "Besides, Rei's trail of blood is longer
than you think. Anyway, I am telling you, the dark side of Rei Hino is
making her plans right now in the stadium, and if you do not stop her
before tomorrow, Sailors Mars, Pluto and Saturn will be digging your
graves in a barren world riddled with minions from the lower planes."
Then, as if to hammer in his point, he settled his jeweled gaze upon
Usagi. "This time, no amount of forgetting or forgiveness will save
Rei from her guilt. The legacy of the Silver Millenium will fall to
dust with you, and that will be her burden, one that will pulverize her
shattered soul for all of eternity."
The conviction in his voice brought Usagi up short, and without
any doubt in her mind, she believed him. Why she should, she would
never know, but for some instinctual reason, the Grell's words rang
true.
"You speak as if you've seen the future," Setsuna observed, her
voice floating into the room. The others opened a path into the room,
allowing her to limp in weakly, supported by young Hotaru.
Strangely, the Grell bowed with respect to the woman. "Yes,
Guardian of Time. I do speak as if I have seen the future, for that
indeed is the case."
"How is that possible?" she asked calmly.
"That is beside the point,-"
"Yes, that IS beside the point," interrupted Usagi, giving her
unconscious friend's hand one gentle squeeze before releasing it.
Suddenly, gone was any of the cheery and kind blonde post-teenager.
Replacing her was a stern, disciplined woman with a determined aura of
authority surrounding her. "We will rid ourselves of this menace just
like any other, and before any more harm comes to anyone. No one
deserves the pains caused by the Dark Rei, least of all Rei herself.
None of my friends are going to die today OR tomorrow OR anytime soon.
I forbid it. This will end TONIGHT."
Then, with a slight ghost of a smile, she added, "Besides, I
can't miss up a chance to get one up on Rei-chan."
A moment passed while the others soaked in the princess's
speech. Their impression of her continued to grow every day, and none
of them could have been more proud of her than at that moment. No
crying, no sniveling, nothing but a hard core of courage and
determination. Luna could not help but smile.
"Excuse me, but what of the Lady Rei?" the Grell asked. "I do
not mean to burst your bubble, but our common enemy is not going to
fall over and surrender just because you ask nicely. You are going to
need some firepower."
"Rei stays here, along with Setsuna and Hotaru. Question my
orders," she added, forestalling the incoming protests, "and I will
have Sailor Venus consider the matter as your commander."
No one looked more shocked than Minako, but she tried her best
to look the part. It was so rare for her to assume a commanding
position, what with all under her authority being her friends.
"I'm not taking any chances here, minna-san," Usagi continued.
"Rei-chan is out of this and the most vulnerable at this moment. It's
common knowledge that our enemy wants her more than anything, so,
unlike previous goals, this one will be to protect HER at all costs."
"Not at ALL costs, princess," Minako pointed out, fixing Usagi
with her own version of a determined stare. Others added their own
unspoken agreement, the strongest coming from Mamoru's frown.
"Yes, well, anyway," she continued hastily, coughing through a
moment of nervousness, "that's why I want Setsuna and Hotaru here,
so someone will be here to protect Rei. We are going to need our full
strength against the Dark Rei and I won't have anyone there that is not
at full strength." She glanced at Chibi-Usa, who nodded in
understanding. The younger princess would go because she would be
needed afterall. The vote of confidence lifted the girl's spirits
tremendously. Chibi-Usa wanted desperately to help Rei, and now she
would get her chance, despite the danger.
Mamoru gently laid his hands on his daughter's shoulders in a
fatherly gesture.
"I would like to point out, your Majesty, that without Rei, your
not going to be a match for the Dark Rei, no matter your powers," the
Grell remarked, folding his arms. "I shall join you and do what I
can."
Wary silence followed the proclamation, all eyes on Usagi. It
was obvious the others were not pleased, but they would bow to their
leader's orders.
"Your aid will be much needed, I think, and very much
appreciated." Usagi's eyes flashed, however, and the next thing she
said left little room for dispute. "Betray us once, Grell, and I shall
personally plummet the whole might of the cosmic universe upon your
mask."
The cloaked menace bowed in response, unperturbed. "What of the
matter of Rei? That is her goal, you realize. While leaving the
Sailors Saturn and Pluto here for protection might be prudent, the Dark
Rei will almost certainly come here once we show ourselves without her
prey." He favored Setsuna with an unreadable glance. "I am afraid I
have seen what our enemy can do to the fabled Guardian of Time and the
Messiah of Silence."
And here, Usagi grinned with mischievious delight. "Oh, don't
you worry. I've got that covered."
*****
The Dark Rei scratched absently at her nose. Despite the
magical healing she had performed on it, reconstructing it from the
bloody pulp Rei had left it in, there was a vague, ephemeral sense that
it wasn't quite fixed. Of course, that was nonsense. She had spent
several painful hours focused on making sure it looked perfect once
again.
Oh, how that bitch would pay! Two days she had spent recovering
from those injuries. Two days in which she could have focused on more
important matters, such as how to wrest the Crystal from that
empty-headed twit.
And then, in a moment of enlightenment, it came to her. Why
even bother wresting in from her at all? Why not just force her
enemy's hand? She knew very well that any prolonged use of the Silver
Imperium Crystal was a veritable death wish.
So what better way to off Sailor Moon AND break Sailor Mars'
heart in one fell swoop than to force the use of the Crystal on a
devastating scale?
That particular thought came to her three days ago, and from
then until now, she had prepared with such meticulous care, her plan
simply could not fail. At least, that is what she kept telling
herself. All parameters had been taken into account. There was nothing
anyone save Sailor Moon would be able to do.
She had even taken into account the off chance that Rei would
try the feat herself, and here was the beauty of it. There were limits
to the magic of the Archmagi, and an attempt to obstruct the plan would
surpass those limits. While it is a trivial matter to set a boulder
rolling, it is another matter altogether to halt that boulder's
devastation. Simply put, Rei could try, but she would burn
herself out. That would be an unsatisfying end to her brethren, but
acceptable.
And in the unlikely case that the two would work together, well,
it's very difficult to concentrate on such a task when someone is
trying to kill you at the same time.
With a feather's touch, the sorceress allowed a waft of her
magic to brush against the stress point she had created, far below
ground level. A mild but disgruntled rumble trembled across the island
in response, settling almost immediately.
The Dark Rei licked her lips in anticipation. Now, all that
remained was to notify her enemies of their doom. She simply had to
witness the look on their faces firsthand.
Almost on cue, the stadium lights switched on, illuminating the
field and its lone player. From her vantage point at the far endzone,
the Dark Rei could not believe her eyes. She had to blink a couple of
times to make sure she was not hallucinating.
Yes, that was definitely Sailor Mars standing in the other
endzone.
For a solid minute, the two stared balefully at each other, not
a word uttered. A cold wind swept through their hair and clothing,
cutting the silence with a mournful howl, but even that faded away, as
if Nature suddenly realized that something grand and of great
import were about to happen. In this zone of solitude, the sounds of
Tokyo melted away, until there was indeed nothing but a chasm of quiet
between them.
"Konnichiwa, Rei-san," the sorceress intoned formally, bowing
with respect.
With a touch of hesitation, Sailor Mars returned the bow
tersely.
The Dark Rei shimmered blood red for a moment, replacing her
drab clothing with that of a scarlet kimono. "I owe you a broken
nose," she said placidly, and though it was no louder than a whisper,
Mars heard it quite clearly in her ears.
"You're not going to get away this time, Baka-Rei," the Senshi
replied, her words just as clear.
Raising a brow in irritation, the sorceress calmly walked
towards her opponent. "Get away? You're mistaken, Mars. I don't
intend on going anywhere." After ten yards, a subdued aura touched her
being, the same color as her outfit. "I spent five years agonizing in
that prison, and most of the rest of my life shackled to the nether
reaches of you mind." Another ten yards, and the crimson aura grew
brighter. "No one's running this time. Today I'm going to either ruin
your life or end it altogether. Either way, I will reign supreme with
the coming dawn." By now she had reached midfield, and her aura had
grown so furious that it lit the turf afire with each step. Scorched
earth trailed behind her every steps.
A testiment to her courage, Sailor Mars held her ground,
clenching and unclenching her fists.
Forty yards away, the sorceress stopped, focusing her black gaze
upon her twin. "You know, if I kill you now, you won't see what I have
in store for that princess of ours."
The corner of Mars' mouth twitched. "And what's that?" she
grated.
Unbeknownst to the Senshi of Fire, several shards of razored
rubies materialized several yards behind her, hovering silently. "I
hope you find out," she sneered, and released the attack.
A burst of movement, an audible sound of tearing, and a
disgruntled "oof" all occurred in the span of a second. Tuxedo Kamen
landed nimbly upon the sideline, Sailor Mars carefully cradled in his
arms. His cloak had been shredded by the shards, but otherwise the two
were unharmed.
The sorceress witnessed Tuxedo Kamen's rescue with poorly veiled
astonishment. She had fully expected her counterpart to detect her
attack with relative ease, but oddly enough, those rubies would have
pierced her had Mamoru not been there.
Her moment of surprise flashed away as blasts, blades and magic
converged upon her from all over the stadium, and she was forced to
take the defensive.
*****
The haze of delirium had abated somewhat in five days, and the
illness of exhaustion had very nearly run its course when her
weave-sense sprang to life, spearing through her sleep like a dagger.
Her eyes popped open, pure ivory white.
Through clenched teeth, she forced her weakened body up from the
bed.
"You can't," Hotaru murmured, settling a hand on Rei's arm.
"You won't do anyone any good in your condition."
The priestess turned her gaze on the child. They shared a look
of companionship, and then Rei caressed Hotaru's hand, removing it
gently. "I once told you 'Emptyness is infinitely more horrifying than
Darkness'. Goodbye, Senshi of Silence."
Enigmatically, Rei disappeared from the room, leaving Hotaru
bewildered.
*****
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
"World Shaking!"
Two blasts, one a brilliant yellow, the other amber, burst over
the lone sorceress. Though she was encased in a barrier, the shock of
the explosions blinded her, opening her to the attacks of the Grell.
He had activated the last of his magic draining gems, thus no harm
could come to him by arcane means. While the globe allowed him to
pierce the sorceress' barrier, it nullified the enchantments of his
blade, so they were not as effective as they could have been. Still, he
more than made up for it with his skill as one slipped past, slashing
her chest, the other her neck. They were shallow, but painful.
Realizing that the Grell would shred her to bits at such close
range in her present state, she altered her strategy. Focusing her
will upon herself, the sorceress altered her skin until it gave off a
faint metallic sheen.
When next the Grell struck, a resounding ring emerged and not a
scratch was made.
Satisfied with her results, she elaborated her plan. A hollow
steel column rose out of the ground around her, hiding her from view.
Once it reached a height of ten feet, the top closed off.
"Uh, Venus, do our attacks penetrate metal?" Jupiter asked her
friend in a harsh whisper.
"Only one way to find out!" She launched a shower of beams,
which flashed into sparks upon contact, but only a sooty patch marred
the exterior surface.
Tuxedo Kamen had taken a protective position before Sailor Mars,
watching the battle unfurl. "You know the deal, right?" he asked the
dark-haired Senshi.
"Of course I do. I came up with the plan afterall," she replied
tartly.
"I just wanted to make sure you don't do anything foolish. So
far we're handling things pretty well." It was true. They had settled
the Dark Rei into a defensive fight, and they had already discovered
that she could not handle a multi-front battle very well. If they could
keep it up-
Beside him, the sorceress rose out of the ground, her onyx eyes
ablaze with fury, her hands glowing with dancing white flames. Before
she had fully arisen from the ground, she reared back with one fist and
slammed it into his stomach just as he turned to take notice.
The shockwave threw Tuxedo Kamen the length of the football
field and through the uprights of the goal posts. He most definitely
did not rise after that.
"Tuxedo Kamen-sama!!" Mars screamed in anguish, her face awash
with fear. A similar yell came from Sailor Chibi Moon from across the
stadium.
Off towards the left, several rows up, Sailor Mercury ignored
the flying masked man, sprinting as hard as she could for Mars. She
could not allow her to fall, not like this, and she was the closest to
her.
Almost languidly, the sorceress called upon the field to swallow
the Grell, who was still under the effect of his magic-draining shield
and unable to use his own powers to escape. Without ceremony, the
ground reared up and engulfed the cloaked form, dome and all.
"You... you..." raged Sailor Mars behind her.
"You have something to say, my dear?" the Dark Rei threw back,
deciding to ignore the other Senshi. They would not dare to strike at
her so close to their ally. "And since when is Mamoru saving YOU and
not protecting his little princess?"
"Your goal hasn't ever been Sailor Moon. It's always been me!"
Mars spat. "Well, here's your chance!"
Jupiter, Venus, Neptune, Uranus and Chibi Moon all dropped their
mouths aghast. What did she just say?!
By this point, the sorceress could not ignore Mercury's mad
charge any longer. Her eyes flashed, emitting twin beams of devastating
energy at the Senshi of Ice.
Mercury leaped high to avoid the killing magic. At the peak of
her jump, she released a blast of chilling frost, but wildly missed the
Dark Rei, layering the ground between two rows of seats just past Mars.
"Come now, Merc, surely you can do better than that," the
antagonist scoffed, raising her flaming hands. "You've always been the
most meticulous of us."
Ignoring her, the blue-haired Senshi landed neatly several yards
from Mars and the Dark Rei. Without missing a beat, she took a few
preparatory steps, then dove forward with as much strength as possible.
Her momentum crashed her into Mars and carried them both past for
another few feet in midair until they landed on the ice beyond. They
slid for nearly fifty feet between the two rows before slowing down to
a stop well out of the sorceress' grasp. A patented Mercury move.
"Wow," breathed Jupiter, then she launched her attack. "Jupiter
Oak Evolution!"
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
"Deep Submerge!"
"World Shaking!"
"Pink Sugar Heart Attack!"
Five magical assaults converged on the sorceress' position, and
the resultant concussion leveled everyone to their knees. Whole rows of
seats were upended from their bolts, and a sizeable chunk of railing
and concrete rained down over the area.
Mercury lifted herself off Mars, glancing back to the cloud of
dust and debris that marked the area they had just dove away from. Her
visor came down, quickly diffusing the obscurement, scanning for life
signs.
Nothing.
"Are you alright?" she asked her friend. "You're not hurt
anywhere, I hope. I don't have much practice at that sort of thing, so
I hope I got most of it right." Her self-deprecating tone evoked a
slight smile from Mars, who nodded affirmative and gave her a quick
hug.
"Did they get her?" Mars asked cautiously.
"I don't see her anywhere, and I have no idea what that means."
Mercury continued to scan the demolished area. "She might have been
obliterated, or she might be hiding to ambush us."
Across the stadium, Neptune and Uranus arose from their
position. "Do you think we got her?" the shorter Senshi asked.
"I can't be sure. It's a little far from-" Uranus cut off
suddenly, frozen in her last position.
Neptune twirled about, grabbing the sandy-blonde's arm.
"Uranus?" The latter felt rigid, like every muscle had locked into
place. Then, the same affliction took Neptune as well, and the two
became living statues, one gazing at the other in concern.
This escaped the notice of Jupiter and Venus as they deftly
leaped from their position to land upon the field below. Each
desperately wanted to make sure the other Inner Senshi were in good
health, and Venus wanted to congratulate Mercury on her impressive
actions.
Neither of them got their chance as both of them were frozen in
their tracks.
Sailor Chibi Moon was making her desperate way from one end of
the stadium to the other, hoping her father was okay. She was easily
taken care of.
"Something's wrong," Mercury whispered as the two of them picked
themselves off the icy ground. Jupiter and Venus were standing in
midstride upon the field, as were Uranus and Neptune among the
stands... and yes, that was Chibi Moon off that way as well. Her visor
quickly determined the cause. "She's still alive," the Ice Senshi
whispered, carefully scanning her whole field of vision. "The others
have been paralyzed."
"That cuts it!" Mars snarled, grabbing the seat in front of her
to avoid falling. "This is getting us no where. It's time, Mercury."
Her friend spun around, facing her with the most fearful look in
her eyes. "No! You promised!"
Mars shook her head. "Actually, I never promised, my friend. I
knew it would come to this. I desperately hoped otherwise, but we can't
stop Fate." She placed a comforting hand on the other's cheek. "Don't
worry, it'll just make me tired. We've done this before."
Mercury blinked in astonishment, but before she could protest,
Mars' eyes widened and she shoved the Blue Senshi aside to slide away.
That action, of course, lost her any kind of initiative, leaving
her wide open for the Dark Rei to incinerate her with both streams of
white fire that emerged from her arms.
Mars closed her eyes in expectation of death, vaguely hearing
Mercury scream in denial. The scream was quickly drowned out by the
roaring flames surrounding her.
Strangely enough, however, the flames did not burn. In fact,
Mars could not feel any heat whatsoever, which was kind of odd. She
expected the fire to char her to ash, maybe even right out of
existence, but then again, she had never been burnt that severely
before, so she couldn't say for certain that that would be the case.
After a few seconds of this, Mars got tired of keeping her eyes
shut and listening for the roar to end, so she peeked out.
Another Sailor Mars was standing over her with arms spread out,
deflecting the blasts with her own magic.
A brief instance of surprise cut through the Dark Rei's mind,
releasing her unconscious concentration on all of her spells. The other
Senshi suddenly found themselves restored of their movements, which led
to Jupiter and Venus falling upon their face.
The sorceress settled upon the aisle. "Who the hell are you?!"
she demanded.
"I'm the one you want." The newcomer's voice was hoarse, weak
with fatigue, but defiantly low with menace.
"Then who's that?!" The Dark Rei pointed wildly to the huddled
woman behind the new Sailor Mars.
"You're not supposed to be here, Rei-chan!" whispered the
pointed target harshly, rising to her feet. "Go home! Let us handle
this!"
"Yes, I can see how well you're handling this. If it weren't for
me, you'd be fried and crispy!" yelled back Sailor Mars before she
swayed slightly, barely catching herself on one of the seats that had
not been obliterated to slag. "Do you mind changing back to normal,
Princess? It's kind of unnerving talking to myself, and it's bad enough
I have to put up with her." She indicated her twin over her shoulder,
mildly gasping for breath.
Nodding meekly, the referenced Sailor Mars reached around her
back, retrieving a small wand topped with a pink gem. Raising it above
her head, the woman yelled, "Disguise Pen, return me to my real form!"
A flurry of light shone from her body, illuminating the corner of the
stadium before fading away, revealing Sailor Moon.
"You were here the whole time!" the Dark Rei exclaimed, jaw
dropping incredulously. "The whole time!"
Sailor Mars whirled on the sorceress and set her pose. "Mars
Flame Sniper!"
The flaming missile pierced the Dark Rei through the chest,
burning through the robe, flesh and right lung. With a surprised cry,
she was flung over the railing to the field below, landing with a
sickening thud ten feet below.
Everyone in the stadium skidded to a halt, eyes wide, mouths
gaping. All of them stared at the prone body laying haphazard on the
sideline, smoke rising from her chest, wondering if that was it, if
their troubles were over. Especially so for Sailor Mars, she hobbled to
the railing, puffing slightly for breath. Weariness washed her from
head to feet, but as she witnessed for herself the unmoving victim, she
smiled in relief.
The Dark Rei's eyes flashed open, boring into Mars with hellish
black hatred. "What are you smiling at, cur?" she gurgled, urging her
voice despite the punctured lung. The smoke that had been lazily
meandering from her wound suddenly stopped, and a dull red glow emerged
from the hole. Her injury began to close.
Sailor Mars pointed both arms at the sorceress, but before she
could evoke her powers, a rumbling tremor shook the entire stadium,
knocking everyone off their feet.
"Nani?!" screamed Sailor Moon, crawling forward to the
dark-haired Senshi. "An earthquake?!" Another tremor struck, this one
stronger and longer than the last.
"You can call it that, Princess," the sorceress replied, calmly
laying where she had fallen. "It's a bit more dramatic, however, what
with it about to tear all of Japan apart."
"No!"
"Oh yes!" A third tremor cracked the air and ground with
devastating ferocity, answered by cracks and crevasses opening in the
field and stadium foundation. Windows shattered under the stress,
throwing shards of glass in a glittering rain. "Go on, Sailor Moon!
Save Japan, if you can! As we speak, thousands of underground caverns
are collapsing! Water is rushing in from the ocean to erode the base of
Japan to silt, filling it up to bursting. Do you know what will happen
with all of that pressure? Boom! There'll be nothing left of your
precious home!" A cackling laugh escaped her, cut off by fierce
coughing. Her wound was still far from healed.
Sailor Moon stared in horror at the sorceress, slowly turning
her gaze to Sailor Mars beside her. All that they had grown up with was
about to rip apart, and both of them knew what would come now. The same
essential event occurred at the end of each encounter with each villain
and each evil. It was almost destined to be written like this.
"Not this time," Sailor Mars spat. Grabbing the railing, she
dragged herself to her feet in spite of the terrible shaking.
"You know there's no other way," Moon replied sadly, rising to
her feet, placing one hand upon her brooch. She missed the controlled
look of concentration that passed Mars' face.
To Moon's surprise, the brooch would not open.
"Nani?!" Grasping and tearing, she tried to pry the brooch
apart, but it would not budge. She cried and pleaded, and still it
would not open.
A gentle hand settled upon her hand. Moon looked up from her
frenetic task, tears glistening down her face. "It won't open! I can't
save the world if it won't open!"
"Gomen nasai, Princess, but that is what she wants. I will take
your place." Mars reached into her dimensional pocket and pulled out an
object she had almost forgotten about. With deliberate calm, she opened
her fingers from the item.
The Silver Imperium Crystal, grey, cracked and sooty.
To say Sailor Moon was shocked would be an understatement.
Tentatively, she reached out to take it, but Mars shook her head and
pulled it away. "Where did you get that?"
"That's unimportant."
"What do you mean it's unimportant?! Give it too me! I need to-"
The blonde's eyes popped wider as realization struck. "You plan on
using it!"
Mars nodded solemnly as the others stumbled their way to the
duo, surrounding them in a protective circle, except for Tuxedo Kamen
and Chibi-Moon.
The dark-haired Senshi turned to Mercury. "Go see if Tuxedo
Kamen-sama is okay. Venus, Jupiter, keep the Princess safe. I won't be
able to protect her if SHE comes to, so you'll need to keep her
occupied." She indicated the downed sorceress, who even now, was trying
to sit up.
"Are you nuts?!" yelled Sailor Venus, confronting the Senshi of
Fire. "You can't do this!"
The tremors had collected themselves into a bonejarring quake
that made no sign of abating. The noise was nearly deafening, as great
gouts of dust and rock spewed from the chasms, showering the field with
debris. Off in the distance, faint screams floated to their ears.
Mars could barely hold on to the railing in her state, but she
managed to whirl just enough to face Venus. "Do you hear that? I don't
have time to argue with you on this, Venus. JAPAN doesn't have time
left." She turned away, beginning the collection of her thoughts on
exactly what she wanted to do. Almost instantly, crackles of arcane
energy coursed up and down her body.
The Senshi commander tried one more tactic. With head held high,
tears streaming down her face, she yelled, "Sailor Mars, on penalty of
being court martialed, I order you not to do this!" Jupiter and Mercury
nodded fiercely, attempting to get close enough to grab her while
Sailor Moon continued to heave at her brooch.
Over the cacophony of chaos that reigned within and without the
stadium, Mars chuckled sadly. "Gomen nasai, minna-san, but you can't
order me not to give up my life for something I believe in."
"We won't lose you, Rei!" Jupiter cried, pleading mercilessly.
"I will be in your hearts." And with that, Sailor Mars floated
up into the sky, the crackles of white lightning growing stronger. In
the wind that blew furiously at those heights, carrying the clouds in a
maddening race, Rei's hair tossed and billowed behind her, a mane of
darkness illuminated by coruscations of elemental power.
"REI!" screamed Sailor Moon, reaching out desperately, but it
was too late.
A sudden hush fell over the land, silencing the quake, the
screams, even Sailor Moon's heart-torn cry. The shudders continued, but
with less force, as if they knew something spectacular was about to
occur.
With the silence, the racing clouds slowed to a halt, gathering
into a great billowing mass above the stadium until it was more dense
than naturally possible. In plodding motion, the cloud bank swirled
grudgingly, twisting and turning. From this great motion, a funnel
formed, tiny at first, but soon, as it drew lower and lower towards the
ground, it grew.
And just before this vortex of atmosphere touched the center of
the stadium, it vanished. Poof!
Sailor Mars floated serenely, backdropped by an eternally starry
sky with not a cloud in sight. The Crystal was still raised above her
head, conspicuously enert.
Down on the turf, the Dark Rei's face took on a look of
insurmountable astonishment, staring at her twin hovering hundreds of
feet above her, for she was the only one to feel the tremendous
gathering of Sailor Mars' will. "No, you can't..." she whispered in
horror.
Before their very sight, the stars across from horizon to
horizon shifted.
"Kami-sama," breathed Neptune, hugging Uranus about the waist.
Far above the world, with eyes clenched shut with exertion, Mars
whimpered with effort.
From the very first, there was a pattern to the display. The
stars were lining up, some north and south, some east and west, all
perpendicular lines. Soon the arrangement of hundreds of luminescent
lines ran across the sky, crossing others precisely in such a perfect
symmetrical configuration.
From horizon to horizon to horizon, a great celestial grid of
starlight shone down upon Japan.
"What is she doing?" Jupiter whispered, still grasping the rail
though the quake had reduced in stature.
The Dark Rei struggled to her elbows.
Mars now groaned with the task of breathing, hovering, and
holding her hand up high. It was all or nothing now, for in that one
task of summoning the Weave as close as possible to the Earth, she had
cut the thread of her life. Nothing would prevent her death now. All
she had to go on was the power that coursed in her veins, burning away
at her insides, igniting her veins with searing power.
She hoped fervently that the upcoming pain would be short-lived.
Mercury's visor came down, but as she attempted to scan the
immense event, all of the displays lit up like a Christmas tree,
blinding her momentarily. She squeaked in surprise, then returned the
visor to its hidden position. It was too incomprehensible for even her
equipment.
From all the corners of the horizon, each of the strands of
starlight burst into flaming celestial beams, lighting the sky as the
heavenly fire traveled along all of the lines towards the center.
Mars lowered the arm holding the dead Crystal, aiming it for
Japan below. Spots burst in her vision, even though her eyes were
closed. "Hurry!" she gritted through her teeth.
"Please, no," Sailor Moon begged, weakly tugging at her brooch,
falling to her knees. "Please Rei."
Through the tremors, which were all but ignored now, the Senshi
felt a soft, caressing breeze brush their face. "All will be well,"
Rei's voice crooned in their ears.
The burning web engulfed the night, shining down as day. With
awed tears flowing down their cheeks, the Senshi watched the miracle
above them.
In the heavenly light that bathed the world below, the dead
Crystal hummed to life. The cracks magically mended closed and the
smoky soot vanished, revealing a clear, faceted gem exactly like the
one enclosed within Sailor Moon's brooch. Rays of cosmic energy spotlit
the air in a brilliant show, emerging from the Crystal in a joyous
rebirth.
"And now," Mars yelled about the tumultuous glory of the
artifact, "Save the country! Save my home and friends!"
From above, thousands upon millions of needles of light
descended, all of them converging from the corners of the sky to Sailor
Mars, piercing her from every angle. At their touch, she screamed in
shrill, soul-jarring agony, arching her back close to the breaking
point, every muscle in her body locking with rigidity, as the barrage
of cosmic power assaulted her, using her as a conduit.
The form of Sailor Mars suddenly shone as a noon-day sun,
blinding the Senshi to look away.
And then it started. Hundreds of silver starlight streamers
burst from the Crystal, shooting forth for all of Japan. Those hundreds
split until they were thousands, then millions, soaring to all the
points of the compass.
Where the ribbons descended and touched upon the land, the
tremors halted, calming to complacency. Where they touched crevasses
and chasms, the gashes closed, erasing any sign of the wounds. Where
they touched buildings, posts and crumbling homes, the destruction
reversed itself, molding back to their original foundations and
constructions.
Where people lay injured, dying or dead, the miracles healed
their wounds, erased their pain, and restored the living.
A child fell screaming from the fifth story of a falling
building, and then she was gently settled upon the sidewalk below,
saved by three streamers, as she witnessed others reconstruct the
building she had always known as home.
Several streamers entwined themselves about the cherry trees
that had once lined the Hikawa Shrine grounds, but now lay astrewn,
uprooted by the immense earthquake. The next minute, they returned to
their positions, standing tall in a row once again.
A mother crouched, nestling her crushed baby in her arms,
weeping uncontrollably before realizing that her child was squirming,
the massive injuries miraculously nowhere to be seen.
These were just the beginning. Hundreds of patients at the
hospital, and across the nation, suddenly leaped to their feet in
astonishment as their ailments disappeared, from as mild as a flu case
to several individuals verily on their death bed with terminal cancer.
Brain damage, internal hemorraging, muscular dystrophy, all vanished
with the brush of a silverlight ribbon of energy.
Deep under the soil of Japan, the streamers burrowed, searching
out the eroding underground caverns that were quickly filling with
millions of gallons of the Pacific Ocean. Where the Weave Crystal's
power touched, the rock reformed itself, sealing shut the breaches.
Stalagmites and stalactites grew wider and longer, merging together to
support the myriad of tunnels. The water, too, transformed into stone,
aiding in the process of stabilizing the islands.
The earthquake which had only minutes ago begun to tear apart
the country subsided gradually, leaving shaky knees and an
imperceptible sense of imbalance, but much relief and wonder.
No one was injured. No homes were lost. No lives had been
shattered.
Well, almost.
Like the fading of dusk, the million strands of starlight
evaporated, leaving the country hale and whole, and with the fading
light, the stars above returned to their former positions in the sky,
resolving their celestial gathering.
In the hand of the savior, the Silver Imperium Crystal
shattered, crumbling to dust, this time completely empty of any power.
Sailor Mars' went dead limp and plummeted towards the Earth.
"REI!" screamed Sailor Moon once again, and immediately, her
brooch snapped open, releasing the imprisoned Crystal within. Rays
shone forth, slicing through the night with impunity, reaching for the
falling Senshi. Gently, they wrapped around Mars and slowed her
descent, settling her upon the 50-yard line.
Ignored by everyone, the fully recuperated Dark Rei rose to her
feet, for the universal miracle had not discriminated between good and
evil. "And now-" she began, pointing a finger to Sailor Moon-
-the Senshi twirled to her, suddenly realizing their trials were
not over-
"-all that is left is for you to give me the Crystal, dear
prin-" Her eyes bulged with surprise as the stem of a rose pierced
through her back, embedding itself into her chest. The coldly beautiful
woman fell foward to her knees, clutching at the protruding stem. A
single drop of blood trickled down its length. Gasping, she twisted
slowly to gaze at her assailant.
Tuxedo Kamen stood beneath the goalpost with his cloak billowing
behind him, one arm around Chibi-Moon for support. "We are even now,
Dark One, for that time in the shrine," he voiced coldly.
The Dark Rei coughed weakly, then smiled back. "A good comeback,
my penguin, but to little avail. I will return, and you could fling a
whole bouquet if you'd like. I'll still get that Crystal."
"I think not," a grave-chilled voice answered from the ground.
>From the sorceress's own shadow, a white gloved hand reached out and
grabbed her throat in a flesh-piercing grip.
With incredible strength, the Grelloth Noxus rose from the
shadow, lifting the convulsing young woman into the air. Harder and
harder he squeezed, crushing tendons, muscle and windpipe. Her onyx
eyes bulged near to popping at the tremendous pressure. She flailed and
grabbed at the Grell's arm, clawing hysterically, but all for naught.
Supernatural strength coursed through that arm, and nothing would force
that grip to loosen.
Fully emerged from the shadow, the Grell squeezed harder,
gouging through to her jugular. A geyser of blood shot from her throat,
spraying over the cloaked villain. Her frenzied flailing and kicking
weakened slightly, then more so, until finally, her struggles ended
altogether. The Dark Rei hung limply in death.
That image would never leave the Senshi ever after.
The Grell tossed the body away negligently, ignoring the splash
of crimson as it landed nearby. His cloak swished like silk as he
turned towards Sailor Moon, bowing formally. Crimson garishly streaked
the mask. "You are officially reinstated to office as the future Neo-
Queen of Crystal Tokyo, and thus, my contract is fulfilled." The gems
of his mask flashed a deep violet. They shifted slightly, barely
glancing at the unmoving form of Sailor Mars, and, perhaps
unconsciously, his bloodied hand clenched. A moment of hesitation
agitated his sentient cloak before he started to stride away.
"You're just going to walk away?" the princess asked between
sobs. "She's... dead!"
The Grell stopped, his cape still fluttering. "Everyone dies,
your majesty," he muttered, glancing once again at the corpse.
"But not my Rei!" she screamed in anguish. "She's supposed to be
there in the future! She's never supposed to die! None of them are!"
He turned to Sailor Moon, and then said a curious thing: "I envy
you this moment, Celestial Daughter."
She sniffled. "Why?"
"Because I cannot weep." The Grelloth Noxus turned crisply and
strode away, swallowed by the darkness.
"He cared for her," Sailor Moon whispered in a hushed awe, fresh
tears gracing her face. That was the most magnificent thing she could
imagine. It brought a slight sad smile to her face.
The others had already begun to approach Sailor Mars' body.
Leaping over the railing, landing awkwardly, she stumbled to the body
of her friend as well. Very quietly, her steps took her closer and
closer. She had to see her again, had to hold her near to her heart.
Tuxedo Kamen leaped in front of her, blocking her passage. "You
can't," he mumbled sadly, spreading his cloak to block her view.
"Nani?" Moon hiccuped, confused. She tried to get around him,
but he stepped before her every way. "Get out of the way!"
"Please, Princess. I'm only protecting you." He attempted to
wrap his arms around her, but she evaded neatly.
"Protect me from what?" She jumped up to glance over his
shoulder, but he was too tall.
From somewhere past him, someone gasped. "Oh Kami-sama!" It was
Venus.
"Nani! Get out of the way NOW!" Sailor Moon screamed, resorting
to pounding her fists on his chest. "I have to see her! She saved us!"
Jupiter and Neptune joined Tuxedo Kamen, both sporting long,
grave faces streaked with tears that would not stop. "No, Sailor Moon.
You don't want to see her like this," the brunette choked through a
sob. Mercury stumbled over also, wordlessly removed Tuxedo Kamen's
cloak, and returned to Mars' body, covering it from sight.
Hysterically, Moon pummeled at them to let her through, crying
madly. "If... if you don't get out of the way, I'll... I'll..." The
remaining was lost in Tuxedo Kamen's chest as he engulfed her in an
embrace. Tears were flowing down his face as well.
All the Senshi wept openly for their fallen comrade, but none
would let the princess see Sailor Mars' face, or gaze into the pits
where her eyes and mouth used to be, but now emitted lazy trails of
silvery smoke, for in the end, the power had indeed consumed her.
Nothing remained of Rei Hino but an outer husk of skin.
*****
"Are you ready?" Xune asked, slipping Orthae Abban back into the
sheath strapped to her back. The pommel glowed softly with a
silvery-white light.
Buckling his own weapon belt to his waist, Chaszmyr nodded
solemnly.
Szaravel rolled her eyes but held her tongue. She was against
this journey to begin with. The young sorceress had better things to do
than to jump about the planes on blind faith, but she would never say
that aloud. When she had discovered that they intended to chase after
Xune's elusive vision, Szaravel had been nonplussed, but resignedly
announced that she would join them. Her foster mother's faith was not
one of those topics that could be questioned, especially considering
how much power she drew from it.
"Yeah, I'm ready too, Auntie Xune," she muttered, rubbing the
small statuette of the cave in her pocket. Well, if she could not stay
here to continue her studies, she most definitely was going to take her
studies with her. Besides, if this was an opportunity to study with
Rei, then she could vastly improve her knowledge in all things arcane.
Xune turned to her home, drinking in the smells, sights, and
sounds of her grove. She had not told the others, but the priestess of
Eilistraee was sure she would not be back for a long time. Something
about the vision spoke of a long-term quest, and that this step was
just the first of many. She prayed her Goddess would watch over this
grove, which the young priestess had cultivated and shaped with her own
hands since she was a child some fifty years ago.
Firming her resolve, Xune closed her eyes in concentration,
touching each of her temples with an index finger. Though she did not
pray aloud this time, the circlet of silver and diamonds upon her brow
glittered to life, announcing to her companions that Eilistraee was
indeed listening to the priestess' prayers.
In the middle of the grove, just above the fountain which
trilled soothingly, an oval-shaped portal of silver-white fire blinked
open, hanging ten feet above the ground.
"She has answered my call," Xune said wonderingly. This was the
first she had ever seen of such a spell among the clergy of Eilistraee,
so it was something of a surprise that she pulled it off on the first
try.
Szaravel snorted. "You figure if she wanted us to use it,
Eilistraee would have brought it closer to the ground," she whispered
to Chaszmyr, who grinned and winked mischieviously.
"I heard that," Xune called, picking up her backpack. "We cannot
know the ways of the Goddess, Little One. Each miracle she grants is
just that, a miracle. Questioning it gets us nowhere." Her tone
suggested eternal patience and mild amusement, for the same speech, or
ones similar in nature, seemed to grace Szaravel's ears on an almost
daily basis. Xune rather enjoyed the game, and she suspected her young
adopted daughter did as well.
"Yes, Auntie Xune," the youth responded girlishly, motioning
Chaszmyr forward. "Let's get this over with." She quickly chanted a
small tongue-twisting phrase, waving her dragon-headed staff
expansively. "We should all be able to levitate up to the portal now."
With Chaszmyr in the lead, twin curved blades drawn and ready,
the three drow floated through the fiery gate.
*****
Send comments, criticisms and compliments to:
meech@mindspring.com
(
geocities.com/tokyo/gulf/4463) (
geocities.com/tokyo/gulf) (
geocities.com/tokyo)