Sailor Moon - Rise of the Exalted Knights

by Lisseas

Chapter One: A Difference of Opinion

Posted: 26/06/2016

The backhand struck Sailor Venus so hard she very nearly blacked out. The sheer force of the blow sent her sailing through the air, time itself seeming to slow as the sound of rushing blood filled her ears. Before long, though, she hit the street, skipping along its broken surface like a pebble across a lake. Mercifully, an abandoned car stopped her in her tracks and, after taking a few seconds to regroup, she struggled to her feet. Her lips parted slightly in a sharp, sigh of pain as she wavered, raw and bloody knees threatening to buckle beneath her.

"Poor Sailor Venus." Her attacker loomed over her, a hulking mass of dark, broken armour and tattered feathers. Piercing ruby eyes bore down on her from atop a sharp, elongated beak. This was no man. Not any longer. "Did that hurt?"

She dug deep into her reserves for a little old-fashioned, Sailor V-style bravado. "Oh, please, I've been hit by some of the best. That was nothing!" Her dancing vision and aching face told a different story, however; a single blow had nearly taken her head off!

The monstrous entity before her had once been a Black Paladin, a loyal soldier of the Order of Black. The order of honourable if somewhat misguided warriors had harnessed the power of Chaos itself so as to stand against the 'tyrannical' Sailor Senshi. After a series of skirmishes that left even Venus uncertain who had truly provoked whom, they came to Tokyo in force…and found themselves betrayed. Despite Sailor Moon's best efforts, a resurgent Chaos returned to Earth from within the Order's very own ranks and decimated them, turning every Black Paladin in Japan – and perhaps even the world – into a twisted, evil puppet.

Indeed, Venus could see no trace of the poor soul this 'Chaos Paladin' had once been. Chaos had seen to that, corrupting them mentally and physically into this horrific abomination. What was once armour had been melded with its flesh to form a single, powerful body. Mangy black feathers jutted through several gaps in the plates, a disturbing homage to Chaos' quote-unquote true form.

"Well, that simply won't do," it replied, with an ominous chuckle. "I have a reputation to uphold. You understand, of course."

She dove to the ground, cringing as its oversized sword sliced through the air above. It recovered quickly from the miss, though, this time circling around to bring the blade down on her head. Venus leapt out of reach, half-falling out of harm's way as the sword embedded itself in the asphalt. An unpleasant churning sensation began working its way through her stomach as she fought for breath. That was way too close!

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" A crackling, electrical disc lashed out of the darkness and slammed right into the Chaos Paladin's chest. It reared back angrily, uttering a bestial growl of outrage as it turned towards the new threat. Sailor Jupiter stared back at it with a barely contained fury of her own, seemingly daring it to come after her...but it wouldn't have the chance.

"Dead Scream…" Sailor Pluto's hushed call was, as always, disproportionate to her attack. The iridescent violet orb burst from her staff and tore its way along the street, closing quickly on the Paladin. A myriad of loose concrete and debris were pulled into orbit around the roiling sphere as it grew in strength, until it struck and engulfed the creature entirely. Pluto displayed her usual reserved nature, face impassive as she watched for signs of life. Sure enough, the monstrous creature burst through the energy cloud but seconds later with a furious roar.

"It must be my turn, right?" Sailor Chibi Moon leapt out from behind Pluto and into an unnecessary but graceful pirouette, her hands splayed before her. A scattered cloud of angelic feathers fluttered around her wrists as her elbow-length gloves began to gleam with a brilliant, near-blinding light. It surged down into her fingers as both hands thrust forward. "Celestial…TIDE!" A torrent of pure, white energy was unleashed, sweeping across the ground like its namesake. It gathered strength and momentum before finally rising in a crescendo to crash down on the staggered Paladin.

"Yes!" Venus crowed, leaping into the air excitedly. She immediately regretted it, wincing as her aching knees protested loudly. It wasn't enough to bring her down, though. Not after witnessing Chibi Moon's new attack up close. All signs pointed to complete annihilation on the Paladin's part, leaving little doubt their friend had become a full-fledged Sailor Senshi. "Way to go, Chibi Moon, you kicked its evil butt!"

A faint skitter of debris was the first clue something was wrong. Jupiter was the first to react, though. "Wait…"

The Chaos Paladin leapt through the residual energy cloud with a roar of fury. Smoke rose from charred armour and singed feathers alike but it was still very much alive. Chibi Moon had hurt it, but in doing so she'd drawn its ire. A second bestial growl ripped from its throat as it charged her, raising its sword over its head in a ready position.

"Uh oh." Venus took an uneasy step forward as her heart leapt into her throat. "Look out!"

The pink-haired teen stood motionless, however, staring down the oncoming monstrosity without fear. It closed on her with long, earth-rattling strides, dwarfing her slender form with its sheer immensity. An utterly foreign undercurrent of fear slipped by Pluto's calm façade as she broke into a hopeless run. She was too far back, too far away; she'd never reach her in time. "Chibi Moon!"

"Get out of there!" Jupiter added, rushing after the Guardian of Time with a similar sense of urgency.

Their concern would prove unnecessary. As the Paladin bore down on Chibi Moon, snarling like a raging bull, a faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She charged it herself, closing the gap in seconds. At the last, possible moment she fell backwards and slid into the Chaos Paladin, sending it tumbling off in a staggering, barely-holding-on controlled fall. It was a classic example of Sailor Senshi tactics; use a lack of comparative size or strength to your advantage.

"Nice baseball slide," Venus murmured approvingly. "Someone's been training." There was little time to reflect on Chibi Moon's newfound prowess, however; they couldn't afford to squander this opportunity, and an idea was forming in her mind. It was overly showy, admittedly, with a good chance of outright failure…but that had never stopped her before. I've gotta risk it. We can't rely on Sailor Moon to bail us out of this one; if we're going to beat this thing we're going to need to think outside the box!

She dashed forward, summoning her Love Me Chain between her hands. The Paladin was on its knees; a vulnerability it wouldn't continue to display for long. She needed just a little more time. "Keep it down!"

Pluto answered the call, summoning another swirling ball of energy. "Dead Scream…" It struck the beast in the knee as it tried to stand, staggering it again and giving Venus her window.

With a final, deep breath born of fear and doubt, she leapt onto its back. The Paladin bucked and shifted as it tried to throw her off, but she managed to hold on and, somehow, loop her chain around its throat. The golden links tightened as she pulled back, effectively garrotting the beast as she dug in with her feet and heaved. A furious roar followed as it tried to shake her off, any trace of its smug condescension a distant memory. The Chaos Paladin had been reduced to a simple, bestial monster now, intent on losing the Sailor Senshi atop its back.

Unfortunately, Venus was already gone. Her long, athletic legs propelled her skyward once more into an ever graceful backflip. Her feet found purchase atop a nearby streetlight, just behind her quarry. A quick tug confirmed she still had it snared and, with just a hint of trepidation, she stepped off backwards into a fall. Much to her relief, it snapped taut with a metallic clink just before she hit the ground. The Paladin was effectively held in place, struggling to pull away from the streetlight, and things were about to get a whole lot worse for it.

Venus began to pull, reeling in her chain with all her might. The monstrous creature's weight was almost too much, but she dug deep and finally, mercifully began to see it rise. Its boots left the ground, another howl tearing from its throat as it realised the true nature of its predicament. Her plan had gone off without a hitch; it had quite literally been hanged from the streetlight!

There were nods from her fellow Senshi as they finally understood. Even Jupiter managed a cruel grin as she cracked her knuckles. "Our turn."

For her part, Venus continued to hold the evil creature aloft and, with gritted teeth, began to reflect on how all this had come to be…

Just a little earlier…

"Haruka and Hotaru are resting comfortably." The breakroom door closed behind Mercury with a gentle click, leaving her to fidget nervously. "Usagi is…keeping an eye on them. With Chibiusa."

Keeping an eye on them, Venus repeated silently, folding her arms across her chest in an attempt to hide her unease. That's Ami's polite way of saying still not talking. Usagi hadn't said a word since their escape from the shrine a few hours ago. The orange-skirted Senshi could hardly blame her – none of them could – but they needed her now more than ever. I need her more than ever, she admitted silently. After Corey and everything else that's happened recently...well. Her boyfriend sat silently against the wall to her left, appearing to take everything in without saying anything in return. I can handle his sarcasm. It's when he gets all quiet that I worry.

"Keeping an eye on them," Pluto muttered, with a clear note of disapproval. "Meaning she's in no shape to lead us against this threat."

The room went quiet as Mercury sank into a crouch beside Mars. "Right." She began carefully inspecting the miko's injured shoulder. "I think my phrasing was a little more diplomatic…"

"This is no time for diplomacy," the Guardian of Time retorted. "Nor is it time to fall apart. Like it or not, Usagi has certain responsibilities and-"

Sailor Jupiter was quick to their leader's defence. "And she just watched as her whole world was turned upside down. Just how cold are you, Setsuna? The shrine is a pile of ash, Michiru is dead, and-"

"And I was far closer to her than any of you, Usagi included!" Pluto's brief but fiery outburst caught the rest of the Senshi entirely by surprise. She sagged almost immediately, more melancholy than anything. "Don't question my capacity for grief, Makoto, for I feel just like the rest of you." Just like that, she was unreadable once again behind her standard impassive mask. "The difference is I understand now is not the time for it."

They fell into silence once again, the only sound coming from a radio in the corner. They were huddled in an abandoned department store, ostensibly to regroup…but Venus had seen very little evidence of that so far. Mercury was only now bandaging Mars up after pulling a bullet from her shoulder; the miko had been about as quiet as Usagi so far and with good reason. Hikawa Shrine, the Senshi's home away from home, had been utterly destroyed by Chaos. As devastated as Venus was, she knew it had to be tenfold for her friend. It was more than just a home for Rei. It was her faith, her future, the centre of her entire world…and she had to watch as it was obliterated before her very eyes.

"We need Sailor Moon," the miko murmured, staring blankly at the wall across from her.

Venus swallowed uncomfortably as she straightened up, clasping her hands together before her. "We all do, but it seems like she's going to be absent for a little while." A deep breath did little to slow her pulse or calm her nerves, but there was little else she could do. "We just need to carry on as best we can until she comes back."

"And who makes the decisions while she's gone?" Jupiter sounded calm enough but there was a definite note of challenge beneath her words.

I'm not pushing this right now, Venus decided quickly. "We all know what's at stake, and a squabble over leadership is the last thing we need right now. So, we could put it to a vote. I mean, it's not like we're on different sides when it comes to saving Tokyo, right?"

The brunette studied her carefully for several agonising seconds…and finally nodded. "So, what's next?"

Another awkward silence ensued as the Senshi looked amongst themselves for answers. Finally, after an inordinate amount of time, Mercury meekly raised her hand. "We're in no shape for a fight right now. It isn't a question of heart or will; we need Sailor Moon's power, not just her leadership. Without it…"

Venus was forced to concede her point; they weren't just going up against Chaos, but a whole army of it. One Chaos was enough to kill all of us last time, and I'm not super excited for death number four.

Jupiter seemed uncomfortable with the idea. "So, what, we just sit tight for the moment?"

"What else can we do?" Mercury asked, without a trace of condescension or anger. "Haruka and Hotaru are in no condition to fight anything. With Usagi checked out and Michiru…" She trailed off and wiped at her eyes absently, almost irritably. "What hope do we have?"

Their lone, working radio, providing nothing but background noise to this point, would provide the clear answer. "…of emergency has been declared. Residents are advised to stay in their homes until order has been restored."

Until order has been restored, Venus thought sombrely. Will it ever be restored again at this point?

The newscaster continued. "…doing our best to remain on-air, though we have spotted several of these unidentified, er…creatures in the vicinity." A long burst of static followed, interrupting the broadcast. "A Defence Force battalion has engaged several of the attackers in Nihonbashi. Reports indicate…" Another interruption; the signal, wherever it was coming from, seemed to be growing weaker. "…heavy losses. It is confirmed; the Defence Forces are in full retreat."

"They never had a chance," Jupiter muttered, clenching her fist in frustration.

"…death toll…unknown…speculated to be…thousands." Mercury attempted to adjust the radio but any signal problems seemed to be on the broadcaster's end. "Question…many people…where are the Sailor Senshi?"

Venus jumped at a loud crash behind her. Corey stood over a smashed television, his hand clenched in a tight, shaking fist. "We have to do something."

Pluto's fingers clamped down tight around her staff. "Agreed."

"Like what?" Mercury countered, raising her voice in a decidedly uncharacteristic manner. "Take a good look around, Corey. We're all beaten up to some degree, you worse than most. Like it or not, we're…" A strange cough-croak followed as her voice seemed to catch in her throat. "Rushing back out there is only going to get us killed, and that helps nobody."

Justiciar appeared in his hands with a flash of golden light. "I know that…but I won't just sit here while a bunch of innocent people are dying!" He pushed off the wall with a grimace. "If I can save even a few-"

"Corey…" Venus reached out for him but was pushed off. Her eyes narrowed irritably and, just like that, she snapped. "Hey!" She backhanded him – gently – across the chest, right over the large wound Chaos had inflicted on him at their last meeting. His reaction was immediate; Corey all but collapsed like he'd been shot, struggling to breathe. Her first instinct was terrible guilt and a need to apologise, but she also knew her boyfriend. This was one of those times where he needed a little 'tough love'…and it was up to her to give it to him. "Stop being such a stubborn idiot and listen to me! You're in no condition to help anyone right now, least of all yourself!"

Corey deflated before her very eyes, sliding down the wall until he sat slumped with his back against it.

Try as she might, she couldn't maintain her gruff tone in the wake of such a sight. She let herself squeeze his shoulder instead, her tone softening immediately. "That was just a tap; Chaos won't be so kind. I'm sorry, Corey, but...I hope I've made my point?"

He gave her a simple nod in reply. "Yeah."

"We are going to do something," she assured him, turning to her fellow Senshi. "I mean, I'm not hurt all that bad and neither is Pluto. We-"

The breakroom door flew open to reveal a wary but alert Chibi Moon. "Me neither. I'm going with you!"

Pluto brightened up quickly. "Hotaru?"

"Resting. I got a few words out of her, but…" The pink-haired teen shivered. "Chaos did the same to me, but 'Taru got it even worse." She glanced back at the now-closed door behind her. "I hope she recovers from this…"

"Well, at least she's safe." The Guardian of Time rose to her feet and nodded to Venus. "If you're going into the city, I'll accompany you."

"And so will I," Jupiter added, stretching her shoulders with a barely-there wince. The bloodstains across her back suggested she was hurting, but Venus also knew she was tough; if Makoto said she was good to go, who was she to argue?

"Alright. We'll head into the city and take a look around. See exactly what we're up against and help any people we find to safety. Sound good to you, Corey?" Venus recognised the pain on his face at once. I know all too well how it feels to be left sitting on the sidelines. Frustrated, angry and useless. She forced a brief smile for his benefit as she dropped into a crouch and took his hand. "You stay here and rest," she said, in English. "I'm sure Ami will patch you up in no time. No matter her personal feelings, she took a Hypocritical Oath and that means-"

"Ahem." Mercury cleared her throat and replied, in English as well, "It's the Hypocratic Oath, Venus, and it's not actually all that common in modern medicine."

"Oh." The blonde hesitated a moment…then burst into a round of nervous laughter. "Then…you'll patch him up because you're such a caring and compassionate person?"

"Because whatever our disagreements may be of late, I still consider Corey my friend, Minako. You too for that matter." Mercury shook her head and sighed wearily. "I'm not about to let a little disagreement or two change all that…even if I do think you're both wrong this time."

Venus was overcome with shame, embarrassed deeply by her words. "I'm sorry, Ami. I just assumed-"

"Go," her friend said softly, lowering her visor and turning to Corey. "I'll take good care of him."

The blonde nodded, legitimately touched, and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'll be back soon. Just try not to let anyone else hurt you while I'm gone, okay?"

He grunted and rolled his eyes in mock irritation, even as his faint smile made it clear he understood her attempt to cheer him up. "I'll see what I can do."

Venus leapt out of her crouch with all the nervous energy she felt and motioned to her friends. "So, how about we go see what we're really up against?"

"So many bodies," Chibi Moon whimpered, her wide eyes glistening with tears. "So much death…"

Venus couldn't bring herself to reply. At first, she'd committed to counting the dead as they found them but after reaching a hundred in a block-and-a-half, she'd given up in horror. Cracked and broken asphalt, downed powerlines, abandoned cars; Tokyo was usually so bright and vibrant, so full of energy. To see it like this now was deeply unsettling, bordering on heart-wrenching.

A meaty thwack followed; Jupiter pounding a fist into her palm. "Chaos is going to pay for this, Chibiusa, I swear it." They were strong words, but Venus could see the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Even Makoto wasn't immune to such grief.

Chibi Moon moved ever closer to Venus until they were practically joined at the hip. "I feel so guilty, but even with all this death and destruction I…I just can't help worrying about Hotaru." A half-hearted snort followed quickly. "How selfish is that?"

The orange-skirted Senshi wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Hotaru's going to be fine. She's a lot stronger than any of us give her credit for." She squeezed tight, pulling her friend in close. "And selfish? Please. It's human nature to worry more about those we know and love." Her lips dropped into a pout. "I'm out here staring all this death and destruction right in the face, but I still can't help thinking about Corey and Usagi." She flinched at a sudden flash of light in the distance, followed by a muted rumbling, feeling Chibi Moon do the same.

"How many more people are going to die?" Jupiter wondered aloud, watching as a distant office tower began to collapse. "Why is it doing this?! Why not just kill us and be done with it?!"

"Because it doesn't want to kill us this time," Pluto murmured, her knuckles white around her staff. "It wants to hurt Usagi…and it knows the easiest way to do that is by hurting innocent people." The tower struck the ground with a crash, sending tremors through the earth beneath their feet. Pluto stared into the distance almost blankly, as if lost in thought. "This is all different, though…"

Something in her voice caught Venus' attention. "It's all different? What's all different?"

"Even the smallest pebble creates a ripple across the surface…"

She placed a hand on Pluto's shoulder, gently shaking her. "Setsuna?"

The Guardian of Time straightened abruptly. "I…forgive me, I was distracted. I need a moment." Without another word she slipped away, vanishing into the darkness like a ghost.

Chibi Moon suddenly seemed very much the young, even fearful girl they'd first met several years ago. A shudder ran through her body as she hugged her own elbows. "How are we going to make this better?"

Venus exchanged a glance with Jupiter and was dismayed to find a sudden coldness in her friend's eyes. A question that applies to all of us. She squeezed Chibi Moon's shoulder and, as she'd done many times before in her life, forced a cheerful smile. "Everything's going to work out, Chibiusa. We'll get Usagi back on her feet, force Chaos' evil butt off the planet, and-"

Jupiter laughed. There was nothing mirthful in it, though. This was the cold, broken laugh of someone in pain, someone who'd just about given up. "That's your plan, Venus? Pretend everything's fine? I guess I shouldn't really expect much else from you, though, should I?"

"Mako…"

"I mean, maybe in your head everything really is fine," the brunette continued. "But to act like nothing's happened, without even an apology? Come on!"

Venus felt a frown tug at the corners of her mouth. "And what should I be apologising for?"

Jupiter snorted rudely. "I may not agree with what Corey did, and I certainly feel he owes Usagi and apology...but at least I can respect him for sticking to his guns. He had an opinion; he followed his heart and his beliefs, which is more than I can say for you."

A fist seemed to take hold of Venus' heart and squeeze. She wasn't blind to how things looked for her. I eventually sided against Usagi and the others over Chibiusa's rescue. I chose not to plan to take innocent lives…the same viewpoint as my boyfriend. It looks bad for sure.

"You're supposed to be our leader but the second your relationship with Corey was threatened you threw us all under the bus to save yourself."

"What?" A spark of righteous indignation sprang up in her chest. "It had nothing to do with Corey!"

"Oh, come on."

"Maybe I reconsidered some things after our fight," she added, folding her arms across her chest, "but I chose what I felt was right. Not what my boyfriend chose."

Jupiter rolled her eyes. "You're so full of it, Minako."

"It's true! I don't approve of Corey's actions any more than you do, but I'm not going to pretend I don't see why he did it! Since when do we accept killing of any kind? Can't you see we were wrong, Mako?!"

Her friend - at least she hoped they were still friends - shook her head sadly. "Right or wrong, it doesn't matter. It was about about friendship and loyalty, Minako, and love…something you should understand better than any of us."

Chibi Moon pulled away from Venus' embrace, a frown of her own coming on. "Mako-"

"Everyone knows how happy you were to finally find love, Minako. But now? You're so terrified of losing it that you'll do anything to keep it, even selling out your best friends." Jupiter snorted again and shook her head in apparent disgust. "Rei was right. You caved."

Don't lose your cool, Venus thought, drawing in a deep breath. Don't lose your cool. "I didn't cave, Mako, I just…found my conscience." She knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words left her lips. Damn it!

"Oh, so now the rest of us don't have a conscience?"

At that point, Chibi Moon waded into the argument herself. "That's not fair, Mako!"

Jupiter quickly dismissed her with a wave. "This has nothing to do with you, Chibi Moon."

"It has everything to do with me!" the pink-haired teen snapped. "I came back after so long and found out everything's changed. Everyone has changed!" She thrust a finger angrily at Jupiter, closing the gap between them with two quick steps. "The Sailor Senshi my parents used to tell me about could never justify killing anybody! Not without exhausting every other option first! My mother could never justify it, Mako, yet here we are!"

"She could justify it because she loves you, Chibiusa, and you tore her to shreds for it! For the crime of loving you and wanting you safe!" The brunette was working herself into a growing frenzy, getting angrier as time went on. "How ungrateful can someone be? How big of a brat do you have to be to do something like that?!"

"That's enough," Venus said firmly, stepping between the two of them. "I get that you're angry, Mako, but you shouldn't be taking it out on Chibiusa."

"You're right," Jupiter agreed, her nostrils flaring angrily. "I should be taking it out on you. If you really valued our friendship, you'd apologise to Usagi for knifing her in the back. You'd apologise to all of us!" She turned away, planting her hands on her hips. "What else should I expect from a selfish nutjob like you, though?"

That did it; Venus saw red. "You know what? You were right earlier, Mako, I did cave. I caved for you! For Usagi! I knew what we were planning was wrong, just like I knew kicking Titus out was wrong. But I sucked it up and went along with you anyway out of that very same sense of friendship and loyalty you brought up earlier. I sold out my principles to avoid blocking the boat and I am furious with myself for doing so!" She took a big, angry step forward and jabbed her index finger – her right index finger – into her friend's shoulder. "That was my big mistake, Jupiter. Not putting my foot down and telling you all we were wrong sooner! If you still can't see that, then maybe you aren't the Sailor Senshi I thought you were!"

Even Chibi Moon seemed taken aback by her outburst. "Uh…maybe we should just-"

The brunette tensed up, clenching her fist so tight Venus was sure she was going to hit her. "Well, if that's how you feel-"

"What is wrong with you two?!" It was a whispered hiss, quiet yet undeniably furious. Sailor Pluto glided back into their midst, appearing as if from nowhere. "I leave you alone for five minutes and you regress into children?! Will you kindly lower your voices before someone or something hears you?"

Venus' anger began to fade in the wake of Pluto's rather damning comparison. She adopted a contrite posture and cleared her throat. "Mako, I-"

Her 'friend' was as cold as ice. "Save it, Venus."

"Please, Mako," Chibi Moon cried imploringly, "this isn't like you! The Sailor Senshi are meant to be better than this! You're-"

A cold, menacing chuckle fluttered out of the darkness, cutting her off mid-sentence. While unfamiliar in its own right, the cadence and mocking tone were immediately familiar. The voice was far deeper; more masculine than the last time they'd heard it…but it was undeniably the same entity that had inhabited a certain Paladin Megumi Shoto.

"Chaos..." Pluto hefted her staff defensively as she peered into the darkness, instantly on her guard.

Sure enough, a tall and imposing figure stepped out of the shadows. A former Black Paladin and yet, somehow...not.

Venus felt her stomach lurch at the very sight of it. "What the hell did it do to that Paladin?!"

Initially, the Paladins had remained largely unaltered. Sure, they all got those creepy, glowing red eyes a Chaos-entity apparently had to have, but they were still themselves. Time, it seemed, had been unkind to them. It stood taller than before, easily seven feet, and was clad in cracked and broken Paladin armour. Mangy black feathers jutted through gaps in the plating that was now merged seamlessly with its skin. Most gruesome of all, the metallic mask that had once hidden its face had been fused with its flesh and elongated into a jagged beak, creating a horrifying bird-like visage. Those same ruby eyes stared back at them from above it with obvious inherent cruelty.

Even Jupiter had been rattled by the sight of this monstrosity, her frosty tone a thing of the past. "It was turned into a…a…Chaos Paladin?"

"As good a name as any," Pluto murmured.

The Paladin swung its oversized sword overhand in an unsettlingly casual manner. "I thought you Senshi would have more sense than this. Tokyo is lost; it belongs to me. You should flee…and watch as I burn it to the ground."

"You…MONSTER!" Gone was any trace of fear from Chibi Moon's eyes, replaced with a fiery defiance. "I will never forgive you for what you've done! These people were innocent and you slaughtered them like it was...nothing!"

It threw back its head and laughed. "It was nothing, girl! Do you mourn an ant crushed under your foot? These people mean nothing to me. Less than nothing! They're but a means to an end, an opportunity to inflict pain on you and your Princess!"

Venus felt her stomach lurch again, followed by a churning sensation. Even the Revenant Knight was never this sick and twisted!

The Paladin's eyes flashed as it leaned down, staring into Chibi Moon's face. "Now run. Flee for your life lest I take you from her next."

A growl born of pure rage tore from Jupiter's throat. "To hell with that!" She flexed her fists, causing arc after arc of lightning to shoot into the air around her. "I'm not walking away, you smug bastard! You will pay for every life you've taken today!"

Pluto raised her staff, the Garnet Orb pulsing angrily. "Agreed."

Venus nodded grimly, raising a finger towards the Paladin's face. "On this, at least, we all agree. For the people of Tokyo, for love and justice, we will punish you!" She promptly blew a kiss into her palm, a hint of righteous fury in her eyes as the gleaming golden heart came into being. "Love and Beauty Shock!"

The Paladin's pained cries ripped Venus back to the present. Her arms arched as she continued to hold it in the air like some horrible piñata, her friends' attacks tearing into its perverse, desecrated form. It took my first attack and slapped it out of the air, she recalled. Then, it did the same to me. Her cheek was still throbbing and she made a mental note to have Mercury check it out when they got back. Given my luck, I probably have a broken cheekbone or something!

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

"Celestial Tide!"

"Chronos Typhoon!"

Another round of attacks tore into its armoured hide, sending wisps of acrid black smoke into the air. It roared in pain as a second volley struck, opening several wounds in its feathered flesh. Several glowing white cracks opened up in its form, spreading slowly like a spider's web as it struggled to free itself from Venus' chain. She pulled even harder, groaning with the exertion as her biceps protested fiercely. I won't let you get away, you bastard!

"You've defeated but a single…piece of me…" Chaos' voice began to fade, losing strength and volume as its body grew limp. "The next…will not be…so…easy…" Its eyes went dark as a third round of attacks hit, tearing through its already damaged form with ease. Venus' chain began to bite into the flesh around its neck, finally severing the head entirely as it fell apart in a cloud of dust.

The blonde Senshi landed hard on her backside as the weight she was struggling to hold abruptly vanished. Her chain shimmered out of existence as she rubbed her aching biceps. "Ow! Not as easy to finish off as a Construct, then. Sailor Moon usually takes out the really big bads…"

Jupiter kicked at a large chunk of ash, sending a cloud of particulates into the air. "Taking out a couple of extra Black Paladins doesn't seem like such a bad idea now, does it?"

That set off something within Venus. I know she's hurt, and I know she's mad… "I know you don't really mean that."

"Like hell I don't!" the brunette retorted, her own anger returning. "These guys made a deal with Chaos! They knew what they were getting into!"

Venus lost her cool for the second time that evening. "So you condone killing people as long as we know they're going to be corrupted by Chaos at some point?!"

"I'm just being realistic-"

"Since when is that us?!" Venus shrieked, almost spitting her words. Her lingering guilt at her own near-turn towards pragmatism fuelled her fire, allowing her to unload on Jupiter in a reverse of their earlier shouting match. "We're the good guys, Mako! We don't strike first and we don't fight to the death! Not unless we have to! When did it become so easy for you to think like that?!"

"ENOUGH!" Pluto slammed her staff into the street, somehow channelling her power into her voice so it echoed around them. She stabbed a finger into Jupiter's chest, snarling with an anger rarely seen from the typically reserved woman. "I will tell you now that your constant jibes and provocations are helping nobody!"

The brunette stared back at her in wide-eyed silence.

"And you!" Pluto growled, locking eyes with Venus. "You would do well to remember that a good leader should be above such petty squabbling!"

Shame again began to gnaw away at her from within, sapping all the strength from her anger.

"I'm happy you've rediscovered your idealism, I really am, but you might consider trying to see things from your friends' perspective rather than simply shouting them down as wrong."

She's right, Venus admitted silently. I still have a lot to learn about being a good leader.

"Now," Pluto muttered, glancing back towards their temporary shelter, "unless either of you have anything of vital importance to say about the matter at hand, I suggest you shut up and follow me. We should report back to the others."

Venus exchanged another glance with Jupiter, this time finding the slightest hint of regret in her eyes. It seemed difficult, but she could only hope they would find a way to mend this schism and soon…or the task of liberating Tokyo could prove to be far more difficult than anyone had anticipated. After all, Venus thought sorrowfully, if Mako's this mad then what about Rei, or Ami? What about Usagi? I know I didn't do myself any favours by flipping sides, but still… She couldn't bring herself to finish that thought, unwilling to consider such unpleasant possibilities. Will we ever be able to go back to the way things used to be?

AN: Well, there you have it. The first chapter of Rise of the Exalted Knights, Order of Black's continuation. It took a long time to figure out how to kick things off given where I left things last time, but I think I've finally got a great outline in place for how things unfold from here. I hope it lives up to the hype of a long, long wait - seriously, I didn't even realise but it's been like two and a half months since I finished Order of Black! I stuffed around with some other fic ideas - including an original concept I've been working on - and posted Head Trip, my little homage to Minako's various characterisations over the different mediums, but finally rediscovered my enthusiasm and "mojo" if you will. Once I really got the urge to start writing this chapter it came together quite quickly. After all, even I want to know what happens next.

I want to give a shout out to metalgear for continuing to serve as a sounding board and unofficial beta. Big props especially for your help with the Venus/Jupiter fight because I was really stuck for how to communicate it, worrying it was OOC, until you sent me that clip of their fight from R...or was it S? Either way, it was a massive help and I really appreciate your continued feedback!

Well, I'm rambling as I always do with these things. I really hope you enjoyed this opening chapter of my new fic, as deep in Lisseas-canon as we are now. If you did, why not let me know? I love feedback, even constructive criticism - outright flaming doesn't count - and I love discussing writing in general with like-minded people. Anyway, I'm off to work on Chapter Two. Gotta strike while the iron (or keyboard) is hot! Back soon, everyone!

Lisseas