Thantos' Chains
10/21/2010-10/27/2010 7:38AM
Sum: Endymion was on the brink of death when Serenity took her own life. To save her, he has to travel where no one else goes. There is only one catch, suicide loses its last wish...
AN: So after reading the two volumes for Shinigami Lovers, I have endeavored to write a one-shot crossover to see how I like writing for it. I may also add a story purely in that line, but I don't think it is very well known. I thought the volumes rushed, but I also thought there was room for growth with a Fanfic, so I might be doing so later on. This is a must needed crossover, as I seem to enjoy them recently and I thought it would be interesting to do a one-shot to fill in the spaces I have yet to create, but know exist, especially between the past and present... blame it on reading too much and the awesome authors that inspire me to look beyond the scope they've given... erg, or hate them, either way, you're getting a chapter of something, right?
The One and Only Part- An Interlude
Chaos surrounded the couple as they ran for cover. The only thing Endymion could think of was finding a spot that he could hide Serenity, so that she would be safe, while he fought and protected her. Nothing else mattered but her safety. He put a hand to her head and pushed it against his chest as a blast ricocheted through the building they were running along and large pieces crumbled down towards them. He held her there, protecting her as they ran, always protecting her. She was what made his life worth living and he would gladly die in her place. He protected her, not only to protect her, for that was what was the most important thing to him, but by protecting her, he was protecting himself and everything else he held dear. She embodied all of it.
They cleared one building, and made their way carefully across the battle torn ground towards one relatively unharmed. It would be the safest for her there, with her mother, in the pyre of the Ginzuishou. The power would bathe the two royalty and they'd be safe from the harm around them. She'd be safe, and he would be free from distraction, free from worrying about her if she was safely in her mother's hands.
They were steps away from the blanketing power of the Ginzuishou when the attack hit. He felt himself lift off of the ground and casting fearful eyes towards Serenity, he shoved her towards pyre. He watched her fall into the protective cone, he could even see it embracing her, pulling her in and wanting to protect its future monarch. Serenity fought against the restraining energy to get to him as he was pulled upwards. "Stay there Serenity!" He yelled at her, noticing her struggle. "I'll be fine!"
He was turned violently to face what had pulled him away from his fiancee. "Beryl." He hissed, and her face tightened as she realized he was glaring at her with a passion that was poisonous.
"I see that she has dug her claws into you, turning you against me."
"I was never for you."
"Rubbish." Beryl's teeth gleamed in the light reflecting off the moon. "You will once again see that I am the right one, the only one for you. As soon as I kill her, you will be free from all the blinders she has put on you."
Endymion laughed and Beryl's face grew angrier. "You cannot touch her. She is protected. The only way to stop me from killing you is by killing me."
Beryl hesitated, he was still within her vortex, keeping him motionless, unable to carry out his threat and he waited. As soon as she let him go, he'd slit her throat. The only reason he was caught this time was he was unaware of her presence, that would not be a mistake he would allow to happen again. Metallica swirled around her, even at this stage, nothing more than a black cloud. A strong enough wind would shove her aside, pull her apart into too many pieces to count and she would be no more. But there was no wind that could touch her when she was so firmly latched onto Beryl. Not even the wind that still managed to whip his hair around his face, inside Beryl's cage.
"Kill him." Metallica whispered. "His like will come and go. You have no use for him. He is a weak prince under that strong bravado. You need to wait for a better one. A proper one to rule by your side."
"But I can turn him." Beryl looked at Metallica hopefully.
Metallica shook her head sadly, as she could form body shapes without having one, and her red eyes looked hungry, hungry for more blood. All the bloodshed so far was not enough to sate her. "Even possessed, he will fail you. He is not strong enough."
He was probably too strong and that was why Metallica feared him free reign along side her puppet. He would never be completely under Beryl's spell, would always fight his way out, manuver things to keep those he loved safe. To keep the princess safe, the one with the power to take all of them out, if her mother didn't do it first. Where was Queen Selenity in all of this? Why hadn't she defeated all of these invading scum by now? Wiped them clean and thrown them away. They were only soiling her planet.
Beryl was handed a sword. A very familiar looking sword. It made his stomach roll as the thought of Venus' sword being the weapon used to attack him. A sword that if the blade didn't kill you, the poison would, and it would be a slower death, although not by much, and would be far more painful. "No!" Serenity screamed pounding at the walls of the prison her mother had just enforced, keeping her away from danger.
Endymion hadn't been paying much attention to her, knew her to be safe, and now willed her to stay where she was. His death was nothing, she'd grow and be strong and he'd be with her. "Don't you dare come out here!" He hissed at her. She was breaking the glass with every small fist against it.
"Endymion!" She yelled. "I will kill you if she doesn't do it first! How could you be so stupid to think I'd stand here to watch you die? Fight back! Help me out of here and I will do it for you!"
Beryl wasn't paying any attention to their conversation. She was looking at the heavy sword in her hand and listening to Metallica spin stories around her and the sword and the royalty she was facing off. A smile began to grow across her features, the white teeth sharp in her mouth, all pointy edges and disturbing. It was her smile that would haunt Serenity for millenniums to come. Beryl didn't think, or look at Endymion, but struck out. To do any harm to him, she had to drop the barrier she had over him and before it could reach him, he acted too quickly. He brought his own sword up and the metals clashed.
It was heard through the entire surface of the Moon and everyone glanced for a second towards them. The two greatest swords ever forged in the entire galaxy were locked against one another, and Endymion's was the lesser of the two. Venus' sword, in the hands of Beryl slowly inched its way through Endymion's as if it were butter and a cold knife. He knew he didn't have much time before it would slice cleanly through the long blade and he'd be left with nothing but a broken piece of metal and a flat short sword.
A blast came and rocked Beryl off her feet, shoving her back several paces, and unable to attack for a moment. Endymion looked for Queen Selenity and to thank her for her timely help, well, mostly. His sword did lay in two pieces, one in his hand the other on the ground. Venus' sword laid in the distance between Beryl and himself and he was already on his way to it. He faultered when he didn't see Selenity anywhere, rather Serenity had her hands on her knees and was panting and slowly sinking to the ground.
Beryl wasn't the only danger to Serenity, but he couldn't let Beryl have the sword either. It might have been strong enough to break through the barrier, even if it couldn't keep Serenity in, it was strong enough to keep everything out, except maybe the sword.
He almost had it in his hand when one of Beryl's minions, came up through the ground like a reverse sandpit. A man filled with hatred, who had staked out a planet for himself and poisoned it, poisoned everything on it and anyone that visited for extended time. The sword dangled from his hand, not using it but looking at it curiously. "All of this struggle over a silly little sword?" Endymion tried to rush him for it, to disarm him, but the sword pulled up, stopping him short as the man aimed it at Endymion's chest. "I do not see why anyone should want to bother with you. I get the best pleasure out of draining away someone's innocence. The more the better. I do get the best energy though from hatred, so maybe I could use you after all, I feel it wouldn't run out."
"Why would I have such everlasting hatred?" Endymion was looking at the end of Venus' sword again, and he was tired of these games.
"All this attention on a sword, but really its just a pawn. The treat has been left to wilt behind you." The man shook his head. "She really shouldn't have used so much of her own energy to save you. A smaller amount would have sufficed. Though I suppose Beryl won't be standing for a little while, so mission accomplished." He looked behind Endymion. "Isn't it so, pretty Princess?" He turned his eyes back to Endymion after Endymion had taken in the situation. "She would please me for a very, very long time."
Endymion growled. "Let her go."
"I haven't touched her." The man smiled. "But I would make a fair trade, you for her. Beryl would be pleased too. My Queen." The last part was a sneer, and Endymion had no illusions that this man only situated himself under Beryl for this exact reason.
"You'll have neither of us." Then Endymion used his own energy and blasted the man back, the sword flying through the air and landed right by Beryl, who was now rising on shaky legs, Metallica all but taking over her body to do so.
Metallica/Beryl laughed and Endymion wasn't sure if it was his energy drain or their combined nature, but he thought the woman's hair changed from red to neon-green before returning to red. Beryl pulled the sword out of the ground and latched eyes onto the fallen princess. Now that the man had disappeared again, she was able to fight to a standing position. She was weak and unprotected and Beryl was lunging at her with a sword that could cut through anything.
Without his sword, he raced back to Serenity, it had been a fool's errand to try and retrieve the sword, he never should have left her side. They should have disappeared into the pyre and never looked back as they went deeper. Now she was left, vulnerable, and away from all of her protectors.
The sword that was meant for her, he took, because he could not fail her. The sword went deep, protruding out the other side, and if he looked down he could see it in front of him, the handle at his back. But he knew it would, so he held Serenity at arm's length, further away than the blade could reach.
It was not merciful. The blade did not kill him instantly and he writhed with the pain, falling towards Serenity, turning so it wouldn't nick her as he fell, and he was comforted by her embrace. He sealed the sword into him, so it could not be pulled out and used to kill her now that he was out of the picture. The poison mingled with his blood, and the sword left a hole where it had been. His blood spilled over her, making her unblemished skin and too white dress, red and brown. He could not speak and Serenity held her face against his cheek and sobbed. He reached up and moved her head so he could kiss her one final time.
He closed his eyes and his breathing slowed, and he slumped in her arms. Not quite dead, but unable to do anything else, and aware of the world around him, even as blackness loomed. He fought to stay there with her, but she sensed his departing and thought he was gone as she moved away from him, still sobbing and grabbed the broken sword near them, the one that had once been his, but never would be again. She used it, but not on their enemy, but on herself, for being parted from Endymion was too much for her to process and if it had been any other situation, had any of her friends have been there, they would have stopped her, and perhaps she could have coped. But they weren't, and he was dead and she wasn't thinking pass being with him for eternity like he promised.
The time it took to come to this irrational decision and plunge the sword into her body, had been too quick, had not been able to be determined in time. In time for anyone to stop her, or try to. The wound this sword made, found its mark and death was instant. Endymion still slowly bled, still felt his body on fire when Serenity raced past him into a death he had been trying to save her from. He latched onto her phantom hair with his phantom fingers and followed her to where she was going.
At first everything was black and he could not think, could not feel and thought he was dead, that this was oblivion and that everyone had lied to him about happy places after death. This was not happy, this was worthless, what was a life living if it was to end up in a place where one had no name, no soul, no movement or interaction. It was practically ceasing to exist, but knowing it and not even able to think about that concept.
Then he realized a pressure was being released and he opened his eyes. Serenity was still there by his side, though she was see-through. He was too, but the colors still existed, it was like looking through a stained-glass that could move and was being highlighted by intense light.
There were other bodies around them, more coming as a few left. There weren't many, but as he watched, enough took the place of the old, that it was a lot of deaths, he realized.
Serenity did not stir near him. She continued kneeling there, staring out into nothing, her eyes a faded blue, her pupils dilated and her breathing non-existent. He reached out his other hand to touch her face, not daring to let go of the grip on her hair.
"You were not supposed to come now." A voice stated behind him. "You were to wait like the others until we brought you to us."
The young man that stood before Endymion was tall and thin with hair a very dark brown and too long as it fell in soft waves into his green eyes. He was not see-through like the dead were. "Shinigami." Endymion whispered. "So it's true, we are dead, and waiting our time."
"You should not have been allowed to come down here. How is it you've come to this place without one of these?" The man-boy lifted his arm and along his wrist was a cuff, with a chain stretching out and sliding along the ground, making a hiss and moved Serenity's wrist. He now saw the cuff around her arm too.
"What have you done to her?" Endymion reached for the shackled arm.
"You cannot do anything. The Thantos lovers are unbreakable."
"You're not her lover." Endymion pulled her towards him. "What is wrong with her? Why is she unresponsive when these people move about freely. It is not just me."
"No." The man who was younger than Endymion agreed. "You should have been chained like the others. But you are not. She is different." He waved a hand at the blond girl. "I do not know what to do with you."
A blond boy appeared at his elbow. "You called me Senpai?"
"Go ask the council what we are to do with him." The blond boy nodded and disappeared.
"What are you going to do with her?" Endymion asked, further entrenching his fingers into Serenity's hair. He would not be parted with her.
"She has sinned." He answered. The blond had not looked at her, and had seemed sad when Endymion had caught his eyes. The one gave off no emotion, no feeling and looked at Serenity slightly disgusted by her actions. "She has taken her own life. She has no final wish."
"Because she killed herself?"
"It is the worst sin, there is no going back from it, no second chance. She may have died in this battle anyway, but she chose to be with you, but that will never be fulfilled."
"Would she have died?" Endymion pressed, would she have been slayed like the rest of them?
"No." He looked away, his thin, wide mouth pressing together. "She would have lived for centuries longer. Her friends would have as well."
"Her friends are going to live for centuries?"
"Some would have. There would have been far fewer deaths if she had let nature take its course." He tugged on his end of the chain and Serenity jerked forward, but Endymion had too firm of a grip on her. The man nodded. "I see now how you came to be here. I would have found you eventually."
"I was supposed to die before her." Endymion wrapped his free arm around her, she was cold. He was warm. "If you had done so before hand, this might have changed." He was talking about her, but the man ignored him for a moment as the boy came back.
"He is right. You were to take him as well. The others have their hands full. They want you to grant his last wish. It should make this easier." The boy finally looked upon Serenity. "What should I do?"
"Watch and learn." The Shinigami turned to Endymion. "It seems we are bound by the chains of death as well." He moved towards Endymion, who moved out of the way, pulling Serenity with him but he couldn't go too far.
"Tell me first, everything. Why is she like this? Why does it matter?"
"Taking her own life had forfeited her final wish. She chose not to live out her life like she would have, and thus there are too many wishes she could have fulfilled on her own."
"Why are you here? How did you know to take her?"
"We were in the area. Call it a fault of the job. We knew people were going to die tonight, and we were prepared. I would have tried to stop her, had I known she was planning this. The blood is usually sweet and draws us to them when they are about to die. If it had been planned, we could have stopped her. It is a nasty smell when someone decides to take their own life. It usually calls to us, as we must protect the balance. However she had never even thought of that choice until you lay dying in her arms. There was no warning, only a sudden flash of decay and I could not reach her in time. I had to take her before I could take you. The situation was not recommendable."
"What is your name?"
"Sei."
"That's it? Only one name?" Endymion was inching for time, wanting to figure out a way to make this all right.
"Ryu, tell the Prince what else you learned."
"The Princess isn't the only foolish one that will take her own life."
"Who?" Endymion didn't see any of the senshi down here. "Why aren't you up there stopping it now?"
"Because we cannot interfere in the way things are unfolding. The girl has set off a chain reaction. The Queen's death is necessary, she has to end this war, but in doing so, she knows its practically suicide. Her last wish affects the senshi."
"Only the senshi?" Endymion glanced at Serenity, she'd be happy to know her friends would be saved. It was only a shame she couldn't see it herself.
"Perhaps." Sei pulled Serenity to him, dragging Endymion along with her. "Now there are other souls lost tonight that are hanging in the balance, and waiting to be granted one last moment of happiness. "Will you allow me to complete my job?"
Endymion nodded and held out his arm. He would wish only to be with her, but then he thought better of it. Sei's hand reached out and cuffed his wrist. Endymion caught the sight of a black x on the back of Sei's hand. "Who are you really?"
"Son of the Shinigami Queen." He answered. "Any last questions?"
"I can wish for anything and it will be granted? Even if its qualified?"
Sei's eyes narrowed upon the Prince. "Any wish will be granted. Except to return yourself to the living. It doesn't work so well that way, as you can imagine." He hesitated before speaking again. "Why have you tied yourself so closely to this girl? Being a Princess will not matter after this stop."
Endymion gazed tenderly down at Serenity, who hadn't moved, but he still saw her soul in there, that the whole image was her soul, and she was as beautiful inside as she was out. "It's because she is my completion. Everything I cherish. I love her. It's not easy to put it into words or to fully understand it myself, but it is love, and that's why I do everything I do."
Sei waved Ryuu away. "This one I will handle on my own. Go watch another." Ryuu hesitated before disappearing to another Shinigami's side, even though he was supposed to be only following Sei around. "Now, as for your final wish." Sei stepped up behind Endymion and with his hands in front of Endymion's eyes, they grew distant. "What is your wish?"
"For Serenity to live, and I to be her Thantos Lover when the time comes again and to be with her always."
Sei granted his request. The chains slipped off his wrists and attached the one from Serenity onto Endymion's wrist. It would be him that knew if she was in danger, him to know when she needed him, and would be able to feel her through this chain.
Endymion would have died then and become a Shinigami as well, training until the day came that he had to take Serenity away to her intended resting place, and never allowed to be too far from her in the meantime, just as any Shinigami who was bound to a mortal still alive, but that never came to pass, as Sei knew it wouldn't.
Endymion was still bound to Serenity like a Shinigami, the rest of the world unable to see the chains, but it wasn't returned the other way. She would not be able to sense his danger or pain, not because of the Thantos chains anyway, and she when death took her, would be given a final wish then, if she didn't repeat this death. Endymion would grant her that final wish and let her drift off to her final resting place and then follow her there. But first she needed to live again.
Her mother took care of that. The Queen's final wish was that her daughter and all of her court and lover be allowed to live once more, in a future where this danger did not loom over their every move. The Queen alone would not have brought her daughter back to live, Endymion's wish managed that, as she was already attached to a Shinigami, but the Queen did allow them to live in a different future. Endymion and Serenity had both been bound to Sei, and it was only that connection that made the wish complete.
Sei knew this was to be the case, as soon as Serenity had taken her own life. He just did not understand why so many sculpted their dreams around her. He still allowed Endymion time to think and manipulate this to his own advantage. Sei grudgingly respected Endymion.
Many years down the road, when all those of the Moon had been reborn and life was at peace again after the last battle, and though the Moon Princess's life was continuously taken, it was continuously protected, even by her enemies. Now it was a new Queen and countless lives were saved by the girl who should not have lived. Countless of souls that did not follow her cheap path the first time thru, because life had become so horrible that it could not longer be lived.
Elsewhere, Sei sat on the bed, looking down at Miku's slumbering face and finally understood Endymion's dedication to Serenity. Sei felt the same way towards Miku, but even more than that, Miku had asked for her final wish before her body's natural death was upon her.
She had asked to be Sei's lover, and bound to him forever, if he would have her back.
She still lived, this pink headed love of his, but the chain, invisible to the mortal eye connecting him to her was short, and even if the chain allowed him movement, he and his body wouldn't allow it, didn't want it. He finally understood the love the Prince spoke about so many years ago. He had found it himself.
He would protect her life.
EAN: I really didn't want to leave you there, but I didn't want to get into that side of things either. I wanted to show you more of a slight interaction between the two worlds, especially because I think, personally, in the manga that Mamoru and Sei are similar, though you don't really get that too much here, as it's Endymion he's dealing with and not Mamoru... but... you still get an interaction between them. I'm not sure if I expanded enough of Sei. He's a difficult character in the first place, he usually only speaks short sentences unless he's explaining something or asking about something. Typical manga male, we get enough that we're interested, but never find out what he's thinking, just respecting some of the actions, and them thinking the girl is right... tee-hee... sounds like Mamo-chan to me!
EAN2: So... I'm thinking of writing a 2-part-esque for Ties that Bind that picks up after the Silver Millennium. It' wouldn't be the whole season 1 and probably not even most of it... what do you think? I really wanted to play with the idea of the sword and lack of Serenity's powers in it.
EAN3: Thantos' lovers, not chains in the manga, but I changed it for the title... What do you think of more of this series? Probably not too much more of crossovers, I mean except maybe the many times Serenity dies...