TWO WRONGS
Chapter 11: To Save The Princess
A Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
"You are of no use to your princess dead," Keika replied coldly. "And she's probably already died by now anyway."
With that, Saturn turned her head away and began weeping bitterly. "I'm sorry, Usa," she murmured through the tears, "I'm sorry."
And once more Keika felt the venomous stares of the others on her. Within seconds she felt more as the heel of Vesta's boot sent her spinning to the surface of Dëshpërim.
"You had to say it!" fumed Vesta. "You had to just carve her heart out!"
"Did you wish me to lie?" Keika scowled, wiping blood away from her mouth with the back of her hand. "Spare her the awful present, only to allow her to hope and then dash it later? Would you think that a kinder fate?" Keika and Vesta glared at each other, Vesta still on her feet and being restrained by Juno now. "I only speak the truth. My familiar is very efficient. If your princess has not yet succumbed to it, then a great power must be keeping her alive."
"Well if she is dead, then that means we don't have to keep YOU alive anymore!" Vesta raged. "FAUNA ASSIMILATION...!"
"Vesta, no!" Juno shouted, struggling to hold her fellow Senshi back. "We can't do that anymore! It's not what we are!" She paused, struggling with her own emotions. "It's not what she wants us to be."
Some of the fight to escape Juno's grip went out of Vesta. She looked at Juno, determined to hold her back and prevent her sister from letting her temper get the best of her again. She glanced at Pallas and saw the Senshi's fearful, pleading eyes. The rest of the fight went out of her. Vesta went limp long enough for Juno to gently shove her back, The Senshi turned away and everyone knew it was to hide her emotions.
"Damn this world," Vesta choked out. "Damn a world that lets people like you take people like her." She didn't dare face anybody, not like this. For Vesta still operated under the code that emotions like despair and sorrow were signs of weakness. Then she felt a tug on her skirt. Glancing to her left, Vesta found Pallas there.
"It'll be all right, Vesta," Pallas assured her. "Pallas is sure the Princess isn't gone. The Queen wouldn't let her go. The Queen loves her too much."
Vesta sank to her knees and engulfed Pallas in a crushing hug.
"Thanks, Pallas," Vesta said hoarsely. "But there's some things even the Queen can't do."
As the Limbo of Non-consciousness was not a place used to light, the glow of Helios's crystal horn seemed unnatural. It cast bizarre shadows on the surface of the realm and illuminated the deep, wound-like atmosphere. The light was as out of place as its wielder, Helios of Elysian, his white clothing and hair and his pale complexion a beacon amid the dim, dark violet.
His illumination cast over the other two occupants of that part of the realm: the Princess Usagi and the snake familiar coiled around her and held at bay only by her two hands. Usa's complexion was nearly milk white and her hands had been trembling trying to hold back the snake. Since his intervention, Helios noticed that her grip seemed to firm up around the back of the serpent's head. But since his intervention, the snake had coiled tighter, refusing to give up its prey so easily.
"Helios?" came the faint thought sensed by the Dream Guardian.
"Maiden!" Helios thought back. He waited for a reply, for the thought from her was faint. "Maiden, I am here!"
"Where . . .?" she thought.
"Be of courage, Maiden," Helios encouraged. "You do not struggle alone."
"So," Usa thought, her face blank and still as one in a deep sleep, "hard. Helios, your mission . . ."
"Means nothing," he thought back to her as energy continued to flow. "I will not leave you, Maiden."
"Good," she thought back weakly, her face still emotionless. "That way - - if it wins - - I can at least - - say good-bye."
"I shall not be far behind you, Maiden," Helios thought, keeping this response to himself. Helios could feel the strain of funneling his energy to his love, but he desperately held on. His mission, even his life, meant nothing to him if this demon serpent were allowed to claim his love.
Back in Dëshpërim, the Asteroids and Keika sat and waited and watched Saturn without trying to put too much silent pressure on her. Time didn't seem to exist in Dëshpërim, so none of them were certain just how long they'd been there. To Vesta, Juno, Ceres and Keika, it seemed like hours or more. Pallas had no concept of time except as measured by a chronometer and with none around, simply sat and stroked Saturn's hair.
Saturn, for her part, had stopped crying and just lay on the surface of the realm, staring off into nothing. To the others, she seemed so broken and depressed. It was not an unexpected reaction, given that the Senshi feared her best friend in the universe was dead. For her part, Juno wondered how much of Saturn's mood was grief and how much was the influence of the realm they were marooned in. She had to admit that she felt things were pretty hopeless right now.
They heard a skirt rustle and noticed Keika get to her feet. The sorceress walked over and knelt down next to Saturn. She extended her hand.
"Grip my hand," Keika requested.
"Leave her alone," grunted Vesta. "Haven't you done enough?"
"I want to test her recovery," bristled Keika. "See if she's strong enough to help us transport out of here."
"What's the point?" Saturn whispered.
"I do not wish to die here!" Keika responded sharply.
"Then you better step back!" Vesta growled through clenched teeth.
"Or you'll what? Kill me?" Keika answered with mocking aggression. "You don't do that anymore, remember?"
"How about I hurt you so bad that you'll wish you were dead?" Vesta answered, her eyes flaring again. "Think I can't?"
"Ves - - stop it," Ceres sighed. Juno noticed how depressed she was becoming. "Are you feeling any stronger, Saturn?"
Keika extended her hand again. After ignoring it for a few moments, Saturn reached up and clasped it.
"Better," Keika nodded. "She's not ready yet. But soon."
"If only I weren't so weak and sickly," Saturn mumbled regretfully.
"You?" scoffed Keika. "Do not confuse failure with weakness, or a slight frame with a sickly nature. I sense the potential of your power. So do they. You are formidable, more so than they are. Just because you are limited, does not mean you are without ability."
"We keep trying to tell her that, but she doesn't want to listen," Juno grinned. Saturn averted her eyes in embarrassment.
"Ooh, look! A birdie!" Pallas suddenly exclaimed.
The concept of a bird being in this desolate nothing was more than the others could credit to reality, particularly when uttered by Pallas. But Ceres spotted it too. A lone white dove was swooping in on them from out of the violet nothing. With a violent flutter of its wings that made Pallas look away momentarily, the bird perched on the blue Senshi's right shoulder. Displaying a comical lack of grace, the dove worked its way around so that it faced the group. Everyone stared at it in amazement. Even Saturn hauled herself up onto her elbow.
"Hello, Miss Dovie-Ma'am," Pallas said to the bird pleasantly. "Are you lost like us?"
"There she goes, talking to animals again," Ceres sighed.
"Why no, young Sailor Pallas," the dove cooed with a high-pitched voice, to the astonishment of all - - save Pallas. "I have been sent by Lady Candide to guide you back to Elysian."
"You are of Elysian?" Keika asked, a note of dread in her voice.
"I am, Princess Keika," the dove told her. Keika grew perceptively nervous. "Do not fear. Lady Candide only wishes to provide safe passage back to Elysian from Dëshpërim. You do not belong here and the longer you tarry here, the worse it will be for all, including Dëshpërim."
"Well, about that," Ceres sighed. "We're not ready to travel quite yet. One of our party is injured . . ."
"Young Sailor Saturn," the dove nodded. "Lady Candide is aware of this. She has given me the power not only to guide you to Elysian, but to help you with your journey. Come, join hands and let us be away."
Everyone stood up. Juno and Ceres moved to help Saturn, but found she was able to get up on her own, though gingerly. The senshi all joined hands in a line, Pallas at one end with the dove on her shoulder, and Ceres on the other. But when Ceres reached for Keika's hand, she found Keika hanging back.
"Join hands, Princess Keika," the dove prodded her. "You cannot stay here."
"Can you just," Keika responded, looking daunted by the prospect, "return me to Yaban'na instead? Even if you have to come back for me?"
"I only know the way to Elysian," the dove told her.
"Then," Keika persisted, "can you leave me in a different part . . ."
"Lady Candide desires no retribution from you," the dove said. "She is Lady Candide. It is not her way."
Ceres reached out and clamped onto Keika's hand. "Besides, you still have a date with Sailor Moon," she said sharply.
Keika averted her eyes sullenly.
The dove spread her wings and began flapping. No one in the group, except perhaps Pallas, expected the dove to lift them off of the surface. But to their astonishment, Pallas began to lift into the air under the dove's influence. Through her hand, Vesta could feel Pallas growing as light as a spring breeze. Then she found her own feet lifting off of the surface. Any sense of weight was gone from her as she floated up into the air.
The process spread through Vesta's hand to Juno, and through Juno to Saturn and to Ceres and finally to Keika. When all six were floating in the air, the dove's wings could then generate enough propulsion to pull them along. Pallas cackled happily and Juno had to admit feeling giddy herself. An old hand at flight, Vesta merely rode in silence. Ceres noticed Saturn shaking her head.
"Saturn?" Ceres asked.
"How is this possible?" Saturn wondered, her brow furrowed.
"It is the dream world," Keika said. "Many things are possible in the dream world that are not possible in your reality."
"If it gets us out quicker, don't question it," Vesta told her.
As the Senshi traveled, the "sky" around them seemed to grow less purple and depressing. The surface below them began to change as well, gradually changing from purple to dark blue and then to dark green. The sky above them mutated from purple to dark blue to a lighter blue. Soon the green below them registered as grass. Trees dotted rolling hills and valleys, crystal blue rivers broke up the sea of green and fed into ponds and lakes. Above them puffy white clouds floated without a care in the invigorating sapphire sky. As they flew, a herd of wild horses ran across a meadow below them.
"Hi, horsies!" Pallas shouted down to them with delight and waved with her free hand. Maybe it was her imagination, but Juno thought one of the horses, a shimmering deep brown stallion with black socks and mane, looked up and acknowledged Pallas.
"Look!" Ceres exclaimed, pointing with her head. "It's the temple! Up ahead!"
It was the temple of Elysian. As they arced in to land, they all could see Lady Candide standing about fifteen yards from the temple. The dove executed a perfect dive and pulled up, allowing each Senshi and their "guest" to gently land on her feet. As Candide approached, Ceres noticed Keika inching back.
"My joy at your safe return knows no bounds," Candide smiled. She extended a hand and the dove perched on it. "And you, Pyterwyll, performed your mission admirably." She stroked the dove's back. "You have my gratitude."
"I thank you, Lady Candide," the dove replied. "Call upon me again should you ever need me." And the dove flapped its wings and flew off.
"Bye, Pretty Dovie!" Pallas waved after her. "And thank you!"
"Forgive me for being brusque," Candide said to the Senshi. "I fear you cannot linger here. Your Princess needs you."
"Then she's alive?" Saturn gasped, her eyes tearing again.
"As best I can tell," Candide responded. "But for much longer, I cannot say. Know that even as we speak, others work to preserve her life. But she needs her friends as well." The temporary Dream Guardian turned to Keika. "You need not fear me, Princess Keika. I seek no retribution from you. Your fate is in hands other than mine. My one stipulation to you is that you may never again reside in Elysian. Such violence as you performed is not our way."
Keika grimaced, stung, and looked down. Then she summoned the courage of her heritage. "I cannot condemn your stipulation as unjust. I thank you for the safe haven you extended to myself and my - - late - - husband. I - - regret repaying your kindness as I did."
Candide nodded her acceptance. She cupped her hands over her chest. To everyone's surprise, a warp appeared over her chest. From the warp came a crystal. It was smaller than the crystal the King, the Queen or Sailor Moon displayed, and was colored much the way Helios's horn was, in that every facet would catch the light and prism a rainbow of color in its reflection. Candide took a deep breath. The crystal flared. When the light dissipated, the Senshi and Keika were gone.
Inside the infirmary room of Sailor Moon, Rei Hino stood over Sailor Moon's bed. One hand was clasped over a hand of Queen Serenity, the Queen silently sitting at the foot of Sailor Moon's bed, as Rei silently chanted. Hovering as unobtrusively as possible was Ami Mizuno, her medical scanner out and monitoring Sailor Moon, Rei and Queen Serenity. By the virtual reality monitor at the head of the bed, King Endymion watched the read-outs as he cradled his infant daughter. He noticed that the infant squirmed restlessly and had ever since Serenity had linked up with Rei and started trying to drive the snake familiar from Sailor Moon. Poised in the doorway to the room were Makoto Kino and Minako Aino, as well as Luna, Artemis and Diana.
"You think they can do it?" Makoto whispered to her friend.
"If anybody can, they can," Minako responded, never taking her eyes off of things. After a few moments, she nudged Makoto. When Makoto looked, Minako pointed to the sutra on Sailor Moon's chest.
"Am I crazy?" Makoto asked. "Does it look brighter to you?"
"Sure does," Minako grinned hopefully. "I think a certain snake demon is about to get a spiritual butt-kicking."
For confirmation, Makoto glanced at Endymion. When she caught his eye, she silently inquired about Sailor Moon's vitals. Endymion nodded.
"AKURYO TAISAN!" Rei shouted suddenly.
The sutra on Sailor Moon's chest burst into flame and was consumed in moments. Sailor Moon herself was untouched by the flame. Nothing happened. Minako looked at Makoto. The cats wondered silently. Endymion shot Rei a concerned look. But the priest was oblivious to it all, locked in her mental war with the snake familiar.
Then all at once, a spectral image of a huge serpent reared up from Sailor Moon's body. Sailor Moon's chest arched up, while the snake familiar emitted a loud hiss as it bent back. The familiar seemed to be in agony. Endymion turned, shielding Mamoko with his body while drawing a rose from beneath his cloak. The infant began crying. Everyone in the room except for Rei and Serenity tensed for an attack
But there was no need. Immediately the snake burst into flame, combusting before everyone. It shook in silent excruciation, then faded with the flame like a ghost upon the dawn. Sailor Moon sagged back onto the bed and lay peacefully. Immediately Mamoko quieted and nuzzled against Endymion's chest.
"Is it over?" Makoto asked.
"It's over," Rei sighed in fatigue. Serenity's power had flowed back to her, leaving Rei drained.
"All right! Greatest priest of all time!" exclaimed Minako. "Not only does she kick demon butt, but she puts on a show too!"
"Oh, shut up," Rei bristled.
"Endymion?" Serenity asked. The Queen sounded exhausted as well.
"EKG, EEG, MIG, Encephaloscan, all vitals improving rapidly across the board," Endymion said with relief. "She's going to make it."
"I concur," Ami nodded.
"Then," Serenity persisted, "why hasn't she woken up?"
"Give her time to rest, Serenity," Ami advised. "She fought a hard battle just now. She'll wake up when she's ready."
Out of nowhere, a light appeared and grew in intensity until it engulfed the room. Reacting instinctively, Serenity moved to cover and protect Sailor Moon, while Endymion guarded Mamoko and the Senshi prepared to transform. But after the light faded, they found the Asteroid Senshi and a strange dark woman packed into the room. Amid the general confusion, no one noticed Saturn.
But Saturn noticed Sailor Moon, still laying unconscious on her infirmary bed. And it was all too much for the slight Senshi. Lunging for her best friend, Saturn draped her body over Sailor Moon's chest. The Senshi's aura flared violet. Her intent was instantly obvious: She would heal her best friend, even if it meant her own life.
Concluded in Chapter 12