Back Roads
By Kaitlyn Shields and Lea Adersen
Prologue
Darien raced past all of the other cars on the freeway, his midnight blue eyes flashing in the inconsistent light of passing vehicles. He cursed fate for putting him out of town when the Negaverse attacked, praying against the massive headache telling him that his Princess had just become Sailormoon.
"Hold on Serena," he muttered, pressing down harder on the gas. "I'm almost there!"
*****
The battle raged.
Mud flew high into the air as fat drops of rain fell from the weeping sky. The earth itself was torn asunder by the fury of each opponents attack.
Lightning shot through the sky.
Water flooded the streets.
Fires erupted throughout the business district.
The battle cries rang throughout the entire city. Its inhabitants hidden within their houses, drawing their curtains closed and comforting the frightened screams of their young children.
Sailormoon stood in the midst of it all.
She watched almost helplessly as her friends, her guardians, used the powers deep within their souls to save her life. Mercury stood with her, tending to the grievous injury she had obtained in the beginning of the battle.
Venus fought nearby, protecting Mercury as she went about her task, while Mars attempted to create a make shift shield of fire.
Her attempts failed almost miserably.
Only Sailor Jupiter stood in the middle of the battle, doing the one thing she knew how to do. She fought with all the fury of a hurricane, throwing her powers in all directions, never missing a target. She received her fair share of injuries but still fought on, protecting her Princess in the only way she knew.
A bright flash lit the night sky for miles in all directions.
And a scream tore the hearts of the Sailor Scouts.
Sailormoon watched as her closest friend, and greatest champion, took a greater blow than she herself had received. The memory of lifetimes of companionship and sacrifice came flooding into her and she suddenly came back to herself, forgetting about her pain.
"JUPITER!" she screamed, the sound of her voice echoing through the night. Mercury jumped at the sound of her Princess' sudden outburst and quickly cast her gaze in the direction of her other friend. Sailormoon fell instantly back into her role as leader and began barking orders at her teammates.
"Mercury we need a smoke screen," she insisted. "Cover the entire city if you have to; just make sure they can't see us."
Mercury nodded, moving away to perform her summoning.
"Venus," Sailormoon re-directed her attention. "Be ready to grab Jupiter and get the hell out of here. Mars," she looked at her rival of the past four years. "We need a diversion."
"A diversion," Mars asked. "What kind of diversion?"
"I need you to go out there and grab their attention so that Venus can get Jupiter-"
"You're asking me to go out there and get myself killed?" Mars cut in. "Venus saves Jupiter and Mercury saves you, what about me? They'll slaughter me!"
"We don't have time to argue Mars," Sailormoon pleaded. "If we don't move now she'll be killed. I won't let anything happen to you, I swear!"
"No," Mars stated flatly.
"Fine," Sailormoon said, pushing Mars aside. "Then I'll go."
The blast came out of no where, hitting Sailormoon square in the chest as she passed Sailor Mars, throwing her back into the wall several feet away.
The wall cracked. The rain stopped.
The entire city fell silent.
Everyone stood and stared for a moment, absorbing the effects of what had just happened. And then a scream tore through the night air.
"NOOO!!!!"
Jupiter's voice rose above the following explosions as lightning crashed into the Earth with a ferocious passion. The other Sailor Scouts were temporarily blinded by the electrical storm that raged before their very eyes.
Their enemies were also blinded and so did not get the chance to see their deaths before they happened.
A gentler rain began to fall from the sky, taking the place of the enraged lightning bursts and putting the roaring flames to peace. Smoke left behind from the deadly strikes mixed in with the rain, slowly dissipating. Standing in the middle of the ruined ground, slightly obscured by the swirling smoke, was Sailor Jupiter.
She stepped forward, limping slightly. She was covered in her own blood. It dripped from her fingers, running down her bare arms and legs like tiny crimson rivers. The rain plastered her bangs to her forehead and slowly washed the caked blood from her face. Her eyes, normally burning with joy, were clouded now by a deep sadness. She knelt beside her friend. Sailormoon had returned to the form of Serena, the town klutz and Sailor Jupiter's best friend. She opened her eyes as Jupiter gathered her fractured body into comforting arms. The rain felt cool against her skin. The pain was subsiding. "Did we win?" she asked, trying to raise herself up enough to see the ruptured battle ground. "Yeah Serena," Jupiter replied, tears welling in her glassy green eyes. "We won." "Good," Serena sighed, relaxing in her friends embrace. Mercury knelt beside them both, checking Serena's injuries. She came to a grim conclusion and, with tears sliding down her cheeks, glanced back at the others to confirm their worst fears. Serena coughed, specks of blood staining her lips as she did. "Jupiter," she started, trying to contain another cough. "Take this." She pulled her star locket out from beneath her shirt, taking it off from around her neck and holding it out to her friend. "I want you to lead them now." Jupiter shook her head. "No Serena, you're going to be fine." Serena coughed again. "Serena, you can't do this," Jupiter stated. "I can't do this without you." "You have to," Serena ordered, trying to make her fading voice sound strong. "You're the only one I know who can lead them. You're the only one who can keep the Negaverse from destroying everything. You have to keep fighting. Keep - the team - together." Her breath came difficultly. Tuxedo mask arrived then. He walked slowly up to the Sailor Scouts, approaching Mars from behind. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and she turned into him, burying her face in his chest. Her choked voice and ceaseless tears told him what had happened. As he looked down at his Princess he found her looking up at him, she had noticed him before anyone else. "Take care of them," she said, pleadingly. He nodded as she took her last shaky breath. The silence thickened as Serena's soul passed on from the living world. Then a streak of lightning danced across the sky, the air bristling with electricity. Jupiter stood, her face streaked with blood, rain and her own tears. Her eyes rose to meet Tuxedo Mask's, there was hatred within them the likes of which he had never seen from her before. She stepped towards him and Sailor Mars, pushing past the other two Sailor Scouts. "This is your fault," she stated, her voice harsh. "If you had been here-" "You can't blame him," Mars cut in. "He was out of town!" Jupiter's gaze fell on her and she shivered from the depth of her being. "I blame both of you," Jupiter said flatly. "Him for not being here and you for disobeying the orders she had given you that would have kept her alive." Mars took a step back; she hadn't thought that Jupiter had heard the argument she and Sailormoon had had just before that fatal explosion had taken her from them. "Leave," Jupiter commanded. "But-" "LEAVE!" A bolt of lightning struck the ground at Mars' feet, throwing her into the mud. Tuxedo Mask turned, helping her back up. "And don't EVER come back."
***** The Adersen's had been watching the storm from the moment it had started, wondering if their daughter was alright. They wondered where she was while their son sat in the living room playing video games and assuring them that his ditz of a sister was fine. When there was a knock on the door he jumped from his seat, yelling that it was probably her and she had gotten stuck in the rain, forgetting her house key. When he opened the door he was surprised by the site of Sailor Jupiter, soaked to the bone and holding his sister's limp body in her arms. "MOM!" His mother walked into the entrance, followed closely by her husband. Both of them stopped in their tracks as they saw the Sailor Scout, Serena's mother gasped. "Mr. and Mrs. Adersen," Jupiter greeted them softly, her voice choking with unshed tears. She straightened her shoulders, lifting Serena higher in her arms as she entered the house that was once the girl's home. "I have unfortunate news." Mr. Adersen took his daughters body from the hero's arms, carrying her into the living room and laying her body on the couch as he tried to revive her. "Your daughter fought valiantly on this night," Jupiter began, trying to keep her voice steady as she repeated aloud what she had been planning to say when confronted by her belated friend's parents. "She lost her life saving mine in a battle against the Negaverse." "What are you talking about?" Sammy asked, the only one to find his voice as he looked from his sister's body to the lost look in the eyes of the Sailor Scout. Jupiter lowered her eyes and when she raised them again her uniform dissolved, returning her to her normal state. Lita stood before them where Sailor Jupiter had stood just moments ago. "Your sister, Sammy, was Sailormoon," she explained. "She has fought to save the universe for centuries and now she has fallen to her enemies thanks to the betrayal of two of her closest friends. I assure you," she started quickly as Mr. Adersen rose to his feet. "I have taken care of the situation to the best of my abilities." Mr. Adersen lowered himself again into the seat next to his wife, both of them looking disbelievingly at their daughter's body. "So you're telling me that my sister's dead?" Sammy asked. "That she was Sailormoon and she died in a battle... tonight?" The four of them sat in silence, mourning their loss.
By Kaitlyn Shields and Lea Adersen
Prologue
Darien raced past all of the other cars on the freeway, his midnight blue eyes flashing in the inconsistent light of passing vehicles. He cursed fate for putting him out of town when the Negaverse attacked, praying against the massive headache telling him that his Princess had just become Sailormoon.
"Hold on Serena," he muttered, pressing down harder on the gas. "I'm almost there!"
*****
The battle raged.
Mud flew high into the air as fat drops of rain fell from the weeping sky. The earth itself was torn asunder by the fury of each opponents attack.
Lightning shot through the sky.
Water flooded the streets.
Fires erupted throughout the business district.
The battle cries rang throughout the entire city. Its inhabitants hidden within their houses, drawing their curtains closed and comforting the frightened screams of their young children.
Sailormoon stood in the midst of it all.
She watched almost helplessly as her friends, her guardians, used the powers deep within their souls to save her life. Mercury stood with her, tending to the grievous injury she had obtained in the beginning of the battle.
Venus fought nearby, protecting Mercury as she went about her task, while Mars attempted to create a make shift shield of fire.
Her attempts failed almost miserably.
Only Sailor Jupiter stood in the middle of the battle, doing the one thing she knew how to do. She fought with all the fury of a hurricane, throwing her powers in all directions, never missing a target. She received her fair share of injuries but still fought on, protecting her Princess in the only way she knew.
A bright flash lit the night sky for miles in all directions.
And a scream tore the hearts of the Sailor Scouts.
Sailormoon watched as her closest friend, and greatest champion, took a greater blow than she herself had received. The memory of lifetimes of companionship and sacrifice came flooding into her and she suddenly came back to herself, forgetting about her pain.
"JUPITER!" she screamed, the sound of her voice echoing through the night. Mercury jumped at the sound of her Princess' sudden outburst and quickly cast her gaze in the direction of her other friend. Sailormoon fell instantly back into her role as leader and began barking orders at her teammates.
"Mercury we need a smoke screen," she insisted. "Cover the entire city if you have to; just make sure they can't see us."
Mercury nodded, moving away to perform her summoning.
"Venus," Sailormoon re-directed her attention. "Be ready to grab Jupiter and get the hell out of here. Mars," she looked at her rival of the past four years. "We need a diversion."
"A diversion," Mars asked. "What kind of diversion?"
"I need you to go out there and grab their attention so that Venus can get Jupiter-"
"You're asking me to go out there and get myself killed?" Mars cut in. "Venus saves Jupiter and Mercury saves you, what about me? They'll slaughter me!"
"We don't have time to argue Mars," Sailormoon pleaded. "If we don't move now she'll be killed. I won't let anything happen to you, I swear!"
"No," Mars stated flatly.
"Fine," Sailormoon said, pushing Mars aside. "Then I'll go."
The blast came out of no where, hitting Sailormoon square in the chest as she passed Sailor Mars, throwing her back into the wall several feet away.
The wall cracked. The rain stopped.
The entire city fell silent.
Everyone stood and stared for a moment, absorbing the effects of what had just happened. And then a scream tore through the night air.
"NOOO!!!!"
Jupiter's voice rose above the following explosions as lightning crashed into the Earth with a ferocious passion. The other Sailor Scouts were temporarily blinded by the electrical storm that raged before their very eyes.
Their enemies were also blinded and so did not get the chance to see their deaths before they happened.
A gentler rain began to fall from the sky, taking the place of the enraged lightning bursts and putting the roaring flames to peace. Smoke left behind from the deadly strikes mixed in with the rain, slowly dissipating. Standing in the middle of the ruined ground, slightly obscured by the swirling smoke, was Sailor Jupiter.
She stepped forward, limping slightly. She was covered in her own blood. It dripped from her fingers, running down her bare arms and legs like tiny crimson rivers. The rain plastered her bangs to her forehead and slowly washed the caked blood from her face. Her eyes, normally burning with joy, were clouded now by a deep sadness. She knelt beside her friend. Sailormoon had returned to the form of Serena, the town klutz and Sailor Jupiter's best friend. She opened her eyes as Jupiter gathered her fractured body into comforting arms. The rain felt cool against her skin. The pain was subsiding. "Did we win?" she asked, trying to raise herself up enough to see the ruptured battle ground. "Yeah Serena," Jupiter replied, tears welling in her glassy green eyes. "We won." "Good," Serena sighed, relaxing in her friends embrace. Mercury knelt beside them both, checking Serena's injuries. She came to a grim conclusion and, with tears sliding down her cheeks, glanced back at the others to confirm their worst fears. Serena coughed, specks of blood staining her lips as she did. "Jupiter," she started, trying to contain another cough. "Take this." She pulled her star locket out from beneath her shirt, taking it off from around her neck and holding it out to her friend. "I want you to lead them now." Jupiter shook her head. "No Serena, you're going to be fine." Serena coughed again. "Serena, you can't do this," Jupiter stated. "I can't do this without you." "You have to," Serena ordered, trying to make her fading voice sound strong. "You're the only one I know who can lead them. You're the only one who can keep the Negaverse from destroying everything. You have to keep fighting. Keep - the team - together." Her breath came difficultly. Tuxedo mask arrived then. He walked slowly up to the Sailor Scouts, approaching Mars from behind. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and she turned into him, burying her face in his chest. Her choked voice and ceaseless tears told him what had happened. As he looked down at his Princess he found her looking up at him, she had noticed him before anyone else. "Take care of them," she said, pleadingly. He nodded as she took her last shaky breath. The silence thickened as Serena's soul passed on from the living world. Then a streak of lightning danced across the sky, the air bristling with electricity. Jupiter stood, her face streaked with blood, rain and her own tears. Her eyes rose to meet Tuxedo Mask's, there was hatred within them the likes of which he had never seen from her before. She stepped towards him and Sailor Mars, pushing past the other two Sailor Scouts. "This is your fault," she stated, her voice harsh. "If you had been here-" "You can't blame him," Mars cut in. "He was out of town!" Jupiter's gaze fell on her and she shivered from the depth of her being. "I blame both of you," Jupiter said flatly. "Him for not being here and you for disobeying the orders she had given you that would have kept her alive." Mars took a step back; she hadn't thought that Jupiter had heard the argument she and Sailormoon had had just before that fatal explosion had taken her from them. "Leave," Jupiter commanded. "But-" "LEAVE!" A bolt of lightning struck the ground at Mars' feet, throwing her into the mud. Tuxedo Mask turned, helping her back up. "And don't EVER come back."
***** The Adersen's had been watching the storm from the moment it had started, wondering if their daughter was alright. They wondered where she was while their son sat in the living room playing video games and assuring them that his ditz of a sister was fine. When there was a knock on the door he jumped from his seat, yelling that it was probably her and she had gotten stuck in the rain, forgetting her house key. When he opened the door he was surprised by the site of Sailor Jupiter, soaked to the bone and holding his sister's limp body in her arms. "MOM!" His mother walked into the entrance, followed closely by her husband. Both of them stopped in their tracks as they saw the Sailor Scout, Serena's mother gasped. "Mr. and Mrs. Adersen," Jupiter greeted them softly, her voice choking with unshed tears. She straightened her shoulders, lifting Serena higher in her arms as she entered the house that was once the girl's home. "I have unfortunate news." Mr. Adersen took his daughters body from the hero's arms, carrying her into the living room and laying her body on the couch as he tried to revive her. "Your daughter fought valiantly on this night," Jupiter began, trying to keep her voice steady as she repeated aloud what she had been planning to say when confronted by her belated friend's parents. "She lost her life saving mine in a battle against the Negaverse." "What are you talking about?" Sammy asked, the only one to find his voice as he looked from his sister's body to the lost look in the eyes of the Sailor Scout. Jupiter lowered her eyes and when she raised them again her uniform dissolved, returning her to her normal state. Lita stood before them where Sailor Jupiter had stood just moments ago. "Your sister, Sammy, was Sailormoon," she explained. "She has fought to save the universe for centuries and now she has fallen to her enemies thanks to the betrayal of two of her closest friends. I assure you," she started quickly as Mr. Adersen rose to his feet. "I have taken care of the situation to the best of my abilities." Mr. Adersen lowered himself again into the seat next to his wife, both of them looking disbelievingly at their daughter's body. "So you're telling me that my sister's dead?" Sammy asked. "That she was Sailormoon and she died in a battle... tonight?" The four of them sat in silence, mourning their loss.