Author Notes// Don't ask me what I was thinking, but I had fun. That's all I'll say. X.x;
Minako closed her eyes and tried to force a steady breath. Almost failing, she turned her attentions towards the dark clouds covering the capitol of Venus, Magellan. She blinked back her fears, and eyes brimming with salty tears, to let the calm control that was instinct overcome her.
Her long golden blonde hair was untamed, save the single red ribbon she has used to pull two long pieces out of her face. The wind had picked up, though, so the strands of hair surrounded her much like a cloak of frayed gold thread. Her eyes, cornflower blue and attentive of the city below, searched for a sign that her people understood the darkness that threatened to shroud their city. Nay, their planet.
She wasn't alone, she knew. Standing on this balcony, so high above the sprawling city, she could pretend that she was alone, and that all of her premonitions, all of the warning didn't exist. That she was the child, all of five, that had once stood on this balcony entranced by the city below and believing that nothing could ever harm either: herself, or the city.
But she had suffered hardships since then, and matured into a princess of sixteen years. A senshi warrior who took upon her role with a heavy heart and a firm hand. A vassal with lands to care for and her own lady to answer to, to protect.
She was the leader of Princess Serenity's guardian senshi, and as such her place was at her lady's side at all times. She closed her eyes. It was too late, anyway, she knew. The darkness had come too fast, and their was no hope left.
If Artemis was with her now, he would have told her there was always hope. That it existed deep within her heart, and nothing could ever take her hope from her. She fought a sob. Artemis was probably dead now. No, she had heard no word that the Moon had fallen. The Silver Kingdom stood still, if only for such a short time.
For the Moon Kingdom would fall. She opened her eyes again, and they seemed hardened a bit. False hope, that's all she could have. She could not live with false hope, and she refused to believe in it.
Turning away from the balcony and striding back into her chambers, she was forced to pace. Nervous energy demanded to be spent as she walked the exact six strides from one end to the other. Six strides, one to turn at each end, and four times back and forth before she heard the lock click on her door.
She glanced at the door as it swung open, but no one was there. She strode to the door and only saw the tail end of a deep gray cloak disappearing around the end of the hall. Curiosity being one of her failing sins, she followed. As she reach the end of the hall, she pulled her transformation pen out. She gripped it tightly but did not transform.
She followed the stranger, only catching site of a bit of a cloak or a flash of hair that could have been blonde until she found herself in the main courtyard of Magellan Castle. Outside the walls a battle had begun. The sounds of screams and the clash of blades came over the walls to assault her ears. Her eyes filled with tears but she blinked them away.
The courtyard was easily twenty yards on each side. Flowers of every kind and color bloomed along paths and up the walls grew a deep green ivy. Stone paths and benches added their own touch of the Venusian style.
But the crowning addition were the deep gold roses that bloomed from everywhere at once. Their scent, famous for it's alluring qualities, was at it's strongest in the early dusk. As the sky darkened, the flowers filled the air with the arousing scent.
Facing the stranger, she found her heart already knew who she had followed here.
"Why do you come to me under a cloak, my lord?" she asked, voice easily carrying to him, where he stood with his back to her. His long deep gray cloak blew around him, much like her hair cloaked her.
He said nothing, and this puzzled her. She was patient, of course, but her question stretched for several moments between them before he finally turned to her. His hood remained firmly in place, covering his face, but he did speak.
"You're so beautiful, Lady Minako..." he trailed. She smiled in the slightest way. His next words clouded her mind, however. "Things are changing, my lady. Earth has fallen to shadow and flame and chaos." he explained. Her mind whirled. She felt like she had been slapped. She had to remind herself that her city was being attacked as they spoke.
"Kunzite." she breathed, raising a hand to reach for him. She suddenly desired to be held in the one haven she knew: his arms.
He stood still, but she ran to him and threw her arms around him. It was half a moment before he embraced her. "Minako..." he whispered into her hair. They passed a long moment this way, but reality was insistent to be paid attention to. "I have to leave, my lady."
She flinched as if she'd been struck. "For how long?" she managed to rasp, though her throat felt like it could never utter another word. He pulled away a step, hands on her shoulders as he stared into her eyes. Deep gray eyes met cornflower blue.
"Maybe forever." he finally admitted. She whimpered and he flinched, arms around her shoulders protectively before he realized he had reacted at all. He held her again. "I'm a fugitive, my love. Beryl wants me dead... I only pray that she hasn't killed my prince or my fellow generals... I took a great chance to come here." he stopped and slid his arms away. "I'm sorry, my lady... I fear it was my presence that brought the evil queen's army down upon your city."
"No... no it was inevitable." she managed. She looked up at him, trying desperately to compose herself. "I'm glad you came, Kunzite." she let her breath out slowly and forced a brave smile.
His smile was just as forced. "My little angel... you'll be fine. You don't need me to protect you." he spoke, though it seemed it was more to himself than to her. He tilted her chin upwards and kissed her. Tears leaked from her eyes and stained her cheeks, mingling with his own. The passion and desire, the pain and turmoil that this kiss spoke of was wrenching. It lasted only a moment, but neither wanted it to end.
His last look for her was one that spoke volumes. "I love you always... please remember that, my Lady Minako, my angel."
"And I love you." she whispered as he turned away, forcing each step he took that carried him away from her. The background noises faded out, but Minako had no thoughts for the battle in her city. All of her mind and heart belonged to the retreating figure. "Be careful..."
She dropped her gaze, but could not bring herself to move. Long after his form retreated over the walls of the courtyard, she stood there, like a flower caught in a hurricane, she stood in her turmoil of emotions. The wind seemed to react to her mind and tore at her, like she longed to tear at the world.
How dare this happen to her, a princess of Venus? She was supposed to be the goddess of love. How could fate be so cruel as to take her own love from her?
She forced her look upwards. The sky of stars was bright and clear, hiding so deeply the tragedies she felt. She tried to send a prayer to the deities who may be listening, who may care that she hurt so profusely, but none came to mind and her hope faded in finality.
She was now alone. Turning from her spot, she retreated back into the castle itself. The enemy had not penetrated here, she noted. She barely thought of it, though, as she gripped the gold and orange pen in her hand. She knew where she must go. She knew where she was needed.
Throwing her hand into the air she called out in a voice so choked with emotion that she could hardly recognize it as her own. "Venus Planet Power!" A swirl of golden stars left her standing as a new person.
Sailor Venus closed her eyes and was quickly gone in a flash of orange lights.
The Moon appeared untouched before her eyes, but an unholy cloud of dust and soot seemed to lay heavy in the air. Perhaps the storm had not struck her yet, but the Moon would not be spared the coming darkness.
She sprinted easily to the palace, not bothering to acknowledge any as she passed them. Her only concern was Princess Serenity, the object of her duty. She could not allow herself to fear, to feel anything. She would falter, and she could not allow that- not now.
She shoved the door to the throne room open herself. She had no time for formalities, and the look on the queen's face spoke her gratitude for Venus' presence alone.
"Sailor Venus, I am glad to see you've come. What news of Venus?" the queen asked. Venus sent a glance behind the queen to where the princess sat with two of her other guardians; Sailors Jupiter and Mercury.
"Venus is falling to the shadow of Beryl, my queen." she spoke in a swift, emotionless voice.
She changed in that moment. It was obvious to any who knew her well that she successfully severed ties to her own emotions, her own being in that moment. She knew the end was so near, she had no time to fear. She had no time to wonder about her own life, and the 'would have beens' that she was going to loose in only a few hours.
"I'm afraid that the shadow is unstoppable." she added after a moment, quieter.
"Impossible!" Jupiter yelled, on her feet. Passion burned in her voice. Passion for life and for her duty. Venus tried to smile, but found she couldn't.
"No, Sailor Jupiter, it is all too possible. Earth and Venus have fallen to it. Mercury cannot be far behind, nor Mars." she responded.
The queen nodded. "Mars has already fallen." she said quietly, remorsefully. "Sailor Mars sent word. I fear she is dead already."
Jupiter, Mercury, and the princess teared. All three mourned for their friend. Venus did not react, she would not allow herself to.
"It isn't the end, Venus..." the queen muttered. "I cannot allow it to end this way." she all but sobbed. She glanced at her daughter, almost mournfully. She spoke something that Venus was sure she was the only one to catch. "I'll never see you grow up, Serena..." She looked to Venus.
"Take my daughter to her room. You should be safe there for now, I feel sure." Jupiter and Mercury stood as well, guiding Serenity towards the door. Venus turned to follow, but the queen called to her just before she left.
"You're wrong, Venus. There is always hope... I thought you knew that... I thought you stronger than this."
Venus said nothing, reacted as if she had heard nothing, and continued on.
They never made it to Serenity's rooms.
A figure caught up with them, this one cloaked in black. Venus slipped a moment, and Minako dared to hope it was Kunzite, but no. It was Endymion, the prince of Earth. He brought the princess aside, and Venus allowed it. Her own heart knew this pain. The pain of losing your love, and never knowing if it was forever.
"Oh Endy..." she heard the princess whisper to the prince. Jupiter and Mercury were close at hand, so Venus let herself slip to the closest balcony. Searching the ground below, she spotted a flash of deep gray. Her heart leapt.
Glancing back, she threw caution to the wind and slipped over the edge of the balcony and to the ground. She followed the faintest of feelings in her mind and found herself in a remote region of the palace grounds.
The sky was deeply dark and she shivered a bit. She walked slowly, letting her eyes adjust. Then she spotted him.
He was lying on the ground, his pale white hair seemed tainted in places from the blood all over him. A sob tore from her and she ran to him.
"Kunzite!" she cried, at his side with his head in her lap before she realized anything. She cradled him carefully.
"Mina?" he managed. She nodded, wiping at the blood with her gloved hand.
"Oh Kunzite, what happened?" she managed.
"Mina... run..." he managed, but he was too late. A raucous laughter caught her off guard and a red haired woman appeared before her. Venus fumed.
"Are you the one who did this to him?" she hissed, laying his head down gently and standing. The woman smiled.
"No... I'm the one who did this." the red haired woman replied, raising a hand and letting loose a single concentrated black beam of energy that struck Kunzite in his chest. He did not cry out, but Venus felt him die.
The cry from her lips was deafening, and her attacks were admirable... however futile. This was the queen of the negaverse whom she fought, the one who killed her heart. And she was alone.