DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON. ANY OF IT. . . . . . SO DON'T SUE.
My first fic. Be constructive. Help is appreciative. But no stupid remarks. We all have an opinion.
Chapter 21
Who is to Blame?
The next day was a beautiful morning. The Starlights patrolled for any signs of trouble the night before but these new enemies decided to stay hidden and out of sight. About Midday, everyone gathered at the shrine. It was time for Jasper to finally explain why he and Helios did not get along, and why Trelthazar and Zalazar blamed him for the destruction of the moon kingdom. Usagi stood up. Jasper please continue with your tale.
Jasper took a deep breathe. "Well the next several months were quite busy, rumours of the Earth planning to attack the moon kingdom had become more violent and scary that precautions had to be put in. Sneaking the prince and his generals out was becoming harder to do. Training everyday was a must. And Trelthazar and Zalazar were keeping a very close eye on me. Even in the midst of those things, planning the wedding was joyous. It was going so smoothly. Everyone was helping out. It gave Setsuna and I more time for us. We knew that with the queen overlooking everyone else, the wedding was going to be truly beautiful. Then one day, the queen called us to her chambers."
Silver Millenia
"Everyone," the queen started. "I'm afraid I have bad news. Our intelligence says that Queen Beryl may try to attack soon and we must be prepared. I do not know what she has planned but I want to be ready for anything that she might try. Which is why I want to cancel all things. I have a feeling we won't be able to live peacefully until then." Serenity spoke up.
"But the wedding mother, all that planning! It is Setsuna's special day! Shouldn't we at least carry on with that? To show our people that we will not be afraid to carry on with life and not live in fear?" The nodded at her daughter then turned to Trelthazar and Zalazar. "What is your suggestion?" The two warriors looked at each other. "I agree with the princess your majesty. I do think that we should cancel anything planned for the future, but this wedding could give the people hope and courage. Also, if two people deserve happiness, Princess Setsuna and Prince Jasper are those two people." The rest of the people in the room agreed. The queen spoke. "Very well we must move the wedding up to the day after tomorrow. Thank you all. And may the heavens keep you all safe." She turned and walked off to meditate. Jasper walked up to Trelthazar. "Thank you for saying all that." Trelthazar shook his head. "Not a problem your highness. We should get some rest. You have a big day in two days neh?" The men smiled and shook hands.
It was a cold and brisk night. Helios couldn't sleep. He walked around the garden trying to clear his head. He had had a bad feeling since that voice spoke to him. But what does it mean? Could Jasper really be bringing trouble if he marries the princess of Pluto? He would never harm anyone. So why can't I shake this feeling that something is wrong and no one can stop it from coming? He stopped walking when he heard movement and mumbling coming from a nearby place in the woods. He crept quietly and walked over to where the noise was coming from. He saw Jasper kneeling in a prayer position.
Jasper seemed to be talking to himself. "I can't allow this to happen. May the warriors of love and justice protect this kingdom." He started to pray an ancient prayer.
Helios decided to leave him alone. He felt better knowing that Jasper was focusing on this threat as well. Helios decided to retire to his chambers.
Jasper finished his prayer and turned to leave when something stopped him. "Ah the so called 'prince' of the moon. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." Jasper turned to the darkness around him. "Who is there? Show yourself!" A hooded figure step out from the darkest part of the trees.
Jasper took to a fighting stance. "Who are you?" The hooded figured just laughed. "An observer and nothing more. Your little prayer will do you no good. The moon kingdom shall fall. Nothing can prevent it. Not even the queen herself. If you wish to save yourself from certain death you will leave this place at once. This is not your fight." Jasper had heard enough. "Whoever you are, you're wrong. This is my fight. I will protect this kingdom even if it means I give up my life to protect it."
The hooded figured spoke. "And what of your future wife? Surely that is reason enough to not fight. Take her with you if you must, but do so and leave. If you stay, you will only bring chaos and doom." And with that the figure vanished. Jasper was left dumbfounded. What just happened? Who was that? I don't like this. I don't like this at all. Jasper left the woods and hurried to his chambers.
He didn't sleep at all that night.
Present Day
Mamoru looked at Jasper. "So you have no idea who that was?"
Jasper shook his head. "No. To this day I still have no clue."
Kunzite looked at the others. "It seems there was another player in the game so to speak. I wonder who this mystery person was." All fell silent in the room. Usagi looked to Setsuna. "Do you have any idea who it could have been?" Setsuna shook her head. "Even I'm at a lost Usagi. The time never gives mention of this mysterious person before or after the fall of the moon kingdom. I'm sorry." Haruka looked back at Jasper.
"Ok. Let's leave the mystery person a mystery for now. So what happened next?"
Silver Millinea
Wedding day
It was a beautiful day. If anyone was on edge you couldn't notice it. The wedding day everyone had waited for was here. The bride was so beautiful. Her dark purple dress made everyone who saw it awe. That morning Setsuna got up and looked out over the moon. Today is just perfect she thought.
Jasper had been up before daybreak. The past two days had had him on edge. Today he just felt like something was coming. Jasper was so busy concentrating he hadn't notice Endymion walk up.
"Jasper? Hey Jasper!" Endymion spoke. Jasper shook himself out of his trance. Endymion spoke again. "We want to make on final swoop before we let the guards take over so we can get ready for your big day." Jasper smiled and started off to check his post. As soon he was alone he felt that dark force again.
"So you decided to stay? That will seal your doom." The figure said. Jasper turned towards him. "That's it I'm going to capture you and turn you into the queen. She will make you tell us who you are!" The figure chuckled. "Unfortunately I'm not the one who will be invading you today. Say goodbye to all your friends. They die today." Jasper froze where he stood. What is he saying? Before he could think anything else the figure was gone. No! I can't let him escape! Jasper ran after him. The figure had reached the woods and turned and stop Jasper stopped short and turned to where the figure was looking. Far, far towards the horizon, Jasper saw it. Queen Beryl and her army where here. And they were coming for blood. And at the front line he saw the generals. "What the? The Generals? But how-?" The figure spoke. "Brainwashed. Even the mightiest warriors can be broken. And besides, what better way to defeat the Sailor Senshi than with their own lovers?" Jasper grew weary. "I have to get back and warn everyone!" The figure held up his hand. Jasper couldn't move. "I think you have done enough damage to this kingdom don't you?" Jasper struggled to get free. "Let me go!"
The figure lauged. "I think not, but I guess this will be fun to watch." He released his hold on Jasper. Jasper took one step before the voice stopped him. "Although if I let you go, I have to take someone's life. And I think hers will do nicely enough. If I can't get you to leave on your own, then the life of that dearest to you should be more than enough to persuade you." Jasper spoke in a low voice. "If you harm her…..I will find you, and I will kill you." And with that Jasper took off to the wedding. The hooded figure looked back to where Beryl's army was marching. "This isn't your fight son. I'm sorry but I'm going to have to keep you at bay."
Setsuna and the girls had been spending the day getting ready. Setsuna had never been made such a fuss over she really didn't know how to handle it. The girls all made sure she was perfect before she was presented to Jasper. Serenity smiled. "When he sees you, he's going to want to skip the wedding and go straight to the honeymoon!" Setusna blushed. Intimacy was one thing she definitely knew she was not good at. But she knew that she loved Jasper and nothing could ruin her day. Nothing. Outside near the square where the wedding was to take place Endymion had put on his disguise so he would not be noticed since the Earth was not welcomed since Beryl had made it clear she was not a fan of the silver alliance. He saw Trelthazar and Zalazar giving the guards last minute orders. As soon as they were alone he walked up to them. "Trelthazar, Zalazar, have you seen the Shitennou?" Trelthazar and Zalazar whispered back to the prince of Earth. "No your highness. Should we be worried?" Endymion nodded his head. "Yes. They are never late. Last night they patrolled back home on Earth and when I go to the meeting place to come here…..they didn't show up. I thought they might have been here to do last minute checks. But after I left Jasper I still couldn't find them. Speaking of which have you seen Jasper as well?" Trelthazar and Zalazar both looked at each other. "No sir." The three men all grew grave and silent. Something was seriously wrong. Without a word the three nodded and took off in different directions.
Helios rushed through the woods trying to find Jasper. Endymion had told him about the Shitennou missing and wanted to warn Jasper.
Meanwhile Jasper had reached a cliff. "I cannot allow you to do this!" a voice boomed. Jasper turned to see the mysterious person again. "I don't care what you think! I have to let them know!" In a flash the hooded figured was in front of Jasper holding him by the neck. "Let me show you what will happen if you interfere." Before Jasper a series of visions appeared. He saw the warriors of the moon fall one by one. "You cannot stop fate from coming. But the deaths of your friends are not what I want to show you." Jasper continued looking. The next thing made his knees grow weak. There lay Setsuna, in her wedding gown, covered in blood, with Jasper standing over her his hands and sword dripping with her blood. "You will kill her if you get into this fight. You won't know she's there and you will kill your love. Accident it may be, but you will kill her all the same." Jasper gasped for air. "I-can't-I can't leave them." The figured looked at him. "The she dies." Jasper looked at him. "What are you saying? That if I do not go down there and fight along side my friends and family, Setsuna will survive this battle?" The figure looked to the oncoming army. He turned to Jasper and said, "yes."
Helios reported back to Endymion that he could not find the generals or Jasper. Endymion looked to the heavens. Please Jasper, where are you? I've feel like I've lost all connection to my friends. What's about to happen? The guest had gathered and it was almost time for the wedding. The bride had arrived and was so beautiful. But the groom was no where to be found.
Back on the cliff overseeing where the wedding was and the army almost ready to launch its attack, Jasper was forced to make a difficult decision. "It's your choice you know. You can swoop in and defend a doomed kingdom and kill your true love. Or you stay here, and let Beryl demolish this kingdom and Setsuna lives. It's your call." Jasper looked at the figure. "You can't guarantee that even if I don't fight, she'll live." The hooded figured looked at him. "Believe me when I say that I know she will be safe." Jasper looked back towards the landscape.
Setsuna and the others were worried. The Shitennou were nowhere to be found and neither was the groom. Everyone wasn't sure what was going on. The queen began to speak when a flash of light hit the center of the reception and a transparent figure appeared. It was of Jasper.
It spoke. "I am truly sorry to you all. But I will not be returning to the moon kingdom. I cannot stay with the chance trouble will come." His last part went to Setsuna. "I'm sorry my love. I love you, but I cannot marry you. It's too dangerous. I won't be able to protect you. I hope you forgive me over time but I'm sorry." And with that, he vanished. The crowd was stunned. Setsuna stood still with her head lowered ever so slightly. She looked off in a daze. The girls all tried to snap her out of it but Setsuna would not respond. The love of her life had just left her at the alter. What happened? What changed? He was eager to marry. He WANTED to marry me. What's going on? Why did he stand me up? The tears began fall and she didn't think she could hold them back. Just then cries were heard from beyond the doors. Trelthazar and Zalazar busted through. They looked toward the queen. "We've been breached your majesty. Beryl has crippled our forces. She'll be upon us in mere moments!" Helios exclaimed. "How can this be? She would have to have some powerful people."
Trelthazar looked down. The Queen asked, "What is it Trelthazar?" Zalazar spoke, "The Shitennou have sided with Beryl your majesty."
The pin had dropped. The Senshi had heard the words but could not believe it. The queen turned to them. "Something is wrong, but whoever those four men are fighting for beryl are not the men you fell in love with. I'm sorry my children, but you must face them. And you must not hesitate to kill if you must." The senshi slowly nodded. The queen turned to Endymion. "I'm sorry Prince Endymion. It seems you have been forsaken." The prince nodded. "I pledge my loyalty to the Moon Kingdom." The Queen nodded and looked towards the door. "Everyone prepare for battle." Trelthazar and Zalazar went to the queen. "We need to get you and the princess to safety your majesty." Before another word could be spoken, a loud explosion sounded and the front doors crumbled to the ground.
There in the doorway stood Beryl with the Shitennou, lifeless, soulless and brainwashed. Venus yelled, "Attack!"
The battle had begun. Helios began taking out the army when he happened to catch something on a cliff not too far away. It was Jasper. He was just standing there. What is HE doing? Damn him! He knew they were coming and yet he did nothing? "Jasper! Jasper!" Helios screamed.
At the cliff Jasper had hung his head low after sending the message. The figure walked up to him. "This is for the best. They would not survive anyway." "Jasper! Jasper!" Jasper heard Helios calling for him. Jasper clenched his fist. "I can't let them die." "YOU CAN AND YOU WILL OR SHE WILL DIE!" Jasper turned to him. "The kingdom is important. I love her. I would die for her! If I die so they can all live freely and in peace then so be it." The figure pointed to the battle. "You are not of royal blood. You have no obligations to protect them. Why fight for them?" Jasper looked at him. "They are my family. They are the only family I have…." The hooded figure rose his hand. "So you would replace you father?" Jasper looked up at the figure. "My father is alive?"
Back at the battle, it was taking a turn for the worst. The yells, the screams, the torture was unbearable. The senshi were getting tired. Setsuna couldn't think. Her emotions were all over the place. Trying to protect her queen, her princess, and her broken heart. Why isn't he here? We need him! Helios, Trelthazar and Zalazar had been rallying the others to keep going. The three warriors knew they were greatly outnumbered but refused to quit. Trelthazar looked up and saw Jasper on the cliff looking at them. What the fuck? Why is he just standing there? Setsuna looked up at saw him. He looked at her. For three seconds their eyes met and then the next moment Setsuna noticed that the battle had stopped. She looked around and knew instangly where she was. She was back at the gates of time. Jasper looked to the figure. "Show me the way." The figure opened a portal Jasper took one last look over the battle and then turned his back and headed off into the portal." Trelthazar watched him leave. "YOU BASTARD! YOU DOOMED US A-" Trelthazar was silenced by a sword from Kunzite. One by one each warrior would fall. The figured looked over the battle and as the moon warriors perished he spoke. "Well guardians of the moon. All your life's you guarded the moon kingdom and its people. But answer me this, 'Quis custodiet ispos custodies?'" And with that, he vanished as the last of the warriors of both sides would fall that bloody day.
Present Day
"And there you have it. I chose to be selfish that day. I coward out. I'm ready to receive the punishment I justly deserve. I got you all killed because I would act." The senshi and shitennou looked at each other. Helios had moved to the door and was facing the wall. Usagi and Mamoru looked at each other in disbelief. Jasper had lowered his head and knelt to one knee. He was awaiting judgement. Setsuna had so much information running in her head. He was willing to do anything for me. He wanted to make sure I was safe. And he found out his father was alive? Usagi transformed into princess Serenity. "Judgement shall now be passed." "Princess wait please!"
The out burst caught everyone off guard. At first everyone thought it to be Setsuna but even though she had began to speak, someone else beat her to the punch. It was Haruka.
"Princess, I would like to request that you judge that his time has been served. Michiru and I both understand somewhat what he did. As you know there was a time where we only regarded the mission. Michiru even went so far to say that as long as she and I were always together the world could plunge into darkness. Princess I'm not saying that these two incidents are the same but I beseech you, please, he has suffered enough. He didn't die that day. He had to live with the guilt. He couldn't go get Setsuna because of the time gates. She turned to him. "Did you find your father?" Jasper shook his head no but did not look up. "You see. He lost everything. But now here he is willingly telling us all this in hopes to keep what he searched for all those millinea ago. We are to protect you princess. But the outers were assigned to protect him as well." Michiru and Hotaru were standing next to Haruka on either side. Serenity looked at them in shock. Then Kunzite spoke. "Princess Serenity, the other Shitennou and I were brainwashed. But we allowed ourseleves to be. We could have fought. We may not have had control over our bodies, but we could have fought. It took time for the senshi and you as well as our master to forgive us. But you forgave. Even after we came back and tried to kill you a second time. Please you highness, we should try rebuild the relationship we all had with him. He did what he did out of love." Serenity looked to Setsuna. "What do you say about this?" Setsuna looked up to her princess. She was determined and she knew exactly what to say. "I love him. I can't lose him again your highness." Serenity then looked to Helios. "Helios, how do you feel?" Helios turned. "I believe…I believe he has suffered enough. But I still will watch him closely…..I still believe he has a long way to go to be fully forgiven."
Serenity looked at Jasper. "I hereby sentence that your time has been served. Rise Jasper, my brother. Welcome home." Cheers erupted in the shrine. Even Helios smiled. Setsuna rushed to her lover and kissed him with all her might. "Setsuna. I believe I still have judgment to pass on you?" Setsuna slowly turned and bowed. Serenity looked at her. "I do not know what it is liked to be left at the alter by the one you love. But I'm sure we can all say that we have been scorned by our lovers. With that in mind, I forgive you but you too will be kept a close eye on." With that Serentiy powered down and hugged Jasper and Setsuna both. Everyone gathered around to welcome their old friend back as well as introduce him to new friends. Princess Kakyuu stood smiling. Prizma walked up next to her. "What are you thinking your majesty?"
Kakyuu smiled. I believe for the first time in a long time. Something has finally gone right for those two.