Alrighty, so... first story on this site. Long time reader, avid fan, blah blah blah. I didn't really want to make the commitment to writing a fanfic and kinda feared it sucking out loud, but I was bored after my physics lab this morning and figured that I may as well try my hand. I'd ask you to be gentle, but that's just crazy.
People who don't want to read about anything outside of sunshine, daisies, unicorns (though who knows, there might be one of those later on), and perfectly straight couples really shouldn't read this story. Simple enough. If you're fine with violence, cussing, homosexuality, etc... then by all means, drop me a review. Reviews are love, as I've come to learn. It's short, but hey, it's just a prologue. Sorry if it's a bit jumpy, I'm running on two hours of sleep.
Disclaimer: I don't own any part of PGSM, including the original plot or the characters. I'm merely borrowing them for this piece of fiction.
Prologue – The End
Crystal Tokyo was supposed to last forever – and yet, when the world came crashing down around them, Hino Rei wasn't surprised in the slightest.
Annoying though it was, she couldn't honestly say she hadn't seen it coming from a mile away.
For fourteen long years, they'd been preserved and just... normal. They'd hit eighteen and, physically, hadn't aged a day since. It'd all been collecting wisdom, growing in other ways. For some people, like Mizuno Ami, that meant studying every book she could touch, writing a few research papers, and eventually becoming a record-keeper for their time.
Most of them, however, took the time to find love. Get 'hitched', take a trip down the coast and pretend that this ultimate peace would last forever. Haruka and Michiru. Neo-Queen Serenity and Endymion. Makoto and Ami. And because they had this love, they believed. Believed that the world could continue to exist if they ignored the fact that the balance was gone. Love, peace, admirable goals. But it's just that. They were goals. You were never actually supposed to removed the evil in the world. It was essential. You needed to see the good come out on top, of course, but there needed to be something to oppose. Something to fight for. Someone – ah, fuck it.
Her flaming fist descended upon a blackened head before her, the many odd creatures of shadow bending about her to the wills of their cackling creator like marionettes. Each moved with an odd grace, like a strange dance as they evaded her just to attack once again. She found herself wishing she hadn't been fighting with a certain blonde earlier.
Needed to warn them. Tell them.
The city outskirts may have had the best bars in town, but it really wasn't worth the near-death experience. "Mars Flame – urgh!" One of the beasts barreled into her side, slicing inwards as it pushed. It giggled like a child as she fought against its comrades surrounding her arms, attempting to keep her from hitting at the fucking menace that was currently making a good dent in her physical being. "Fire Soul!"
The bitches hopped away as the flames consumed those nearest to her, the cutter stopping his work as fire licked at one of his lop-sided ears. "You bastards really picked the wrong day to mess with me." Senshi of Passion, right? Well, she was passionate about killing them. That had to count for something.
One hopped onto the black plate covering her chest, cracking the reinforced armour. She did not bother to hide her surprise, taking a step backwards with the sheer force of it. Though it hadn't seen many battles beyond a few semi-friendly matches against her comrades, particularly her, she had expected it to hold up a bit better than that.
Oh well. She had no plans to die that day.
"Venus Love Me Chain!" The next thing she knew, the minion on her chest had been forcefully removed, revealing cracked armour and a stunned former miko. She quickly regained her composure, and did what any true member of the Martian court would have done – she scowled at her saviour, violet eyes tinged with a bit of red glaring at the intruder.
Venus' white suit was a stark contrast to her own, though very much of the same build. In the front, the golden symbol of Venus lay emblazoned, as well as once on each shoulder pad. They hadn't been able to design their armour – that had been Mercury's doing, at the beginning of Crystal Tokyo. No wonder they weren't holding up in battle. Nobody had been expecting war.
"Hey Mars, you plan on helping me fight these guys, or are you just going to stare all day?" Help? Help?
The raven-haired fighter scowled. If anything, the other woman was the help. She'd had it under control before that pompous, annoying spit had waddled into the area to be all heroic. Another set of glowing eyes fixed itself on her, and she moved herself into position. She'd show her which one of them was helping.
"Mars Flame Sniper!" The fire arrow struck true, piercing her enemy right between the eyes. She turned to their leader and gave her an arrogant half-smirk, receiving only a smile in response before the pair leapt back into the fray. In a short while, only one of the vile creatures remained, scratches present on the bits of skin of both girls, armour scratched and broken. Mars killed it with a ball of flame before taking off in the direction of the palace, Venus hurrying along beside her.
"Mars! Wait! Mars, it's - "
She ignored the calls of the blonde as she raced towards the palace, feet carrying her with the athleticism someone might have expected of any soldier. "Mars – Rei, it's - "
What else could she have done but run towards it? Blindly, of course, seeing the swarms upon the palace. The people who had thought themselves protected by the new age falling to their knees, screaming in anguish. Being cut into pieces. Dying, like they had died before.
And, from the sight of Jupiter up ahead, would again.
She felt her heart leap into her throat as she tried to push through the throng of enemies suddenly around her, jumping at her with claws and teeth, towards her friend with a fervour. Venus was something of the past, her barked orders drowned out by the screams of people around her. So many people screaming.
She lost Jupiter somewhere in the midst of the enemies. She lost sight of everything familiar, in fact, and it was then that Mars realized she had been pushed down, righting herself with an almighty yell as she began to fight them tooth and nail. Fire blazed paths where she needed it to, only to have said pathways filled again.
If only they hadn't been so arrogant. What made them think that they were safe? Just because they had been promised an age of peace. Honestly.
Then she saw her, struggling as bits of her armour fell. Venus, apparently having followed her into the mess of enemies, drowning in their darkness. Not quite within reach, but close enough that she could save her. Save her, and risk Jupiter. Risk the Queen.
For a moment, she was just Rei again. Human and insecure, not the hardened warrior of fire. The flaming arrow formed between her hands, shot off in the direction of one of the largest creatures jumping for Venus as she began to push her way towards the pair, letting out a feral growl as she tried to fight off the beasts.
They hardly noticed the explosions all around them as some of the things began to self-destruct and others triggered perfectly planted bombs. The last thing Mars remembered was flinging herself on top of their leader and, for a moment, seeing blue eyes widen in something akin to fear, perhaps confusion... and then, the regret.
Of course, no part of this day mattered. They died, and that was that. Every warrior, every soldier, and even the Queen and her family. The world as everybody knew it ended that day, and a new Earth was created.
And oh, how fitting that this particular tale begin at the end.
Alrighty, that was WEAK. And I'm terribly sorry. Essentially, I just needed to kill everyone. Heh. Promise it gets better from here! I've got some seriously awesome ideas for this story, which, so you know, is going to be primarily MinakoxRei, featuring a few other pairings and some twisty bits for your reading pleasure. Reviews make me update faster, yep. ^^