Hurray for more senshi to add to the ridiculously huge main cast of this fic :D KunzitexMinako next chapter, promise :)
Thank you to all the lovely people who commented/gave constructive criticism on the last chapter:
Godschildtweety
b..worm
Andysteve1311
Taeniaea
duo s luvergurl
Princess Selina
IsadoraKayStone
saveme57
FormerlyXrewed
Edited - 30/07/2014
"Guess that means she's Uranus," She said, turning to Haruka. Ami knelt down and, a slightly guilty look on her face, reached into the pocket of Haruka's jacket, pulling out the henshin wand. "Throw it here," Usagi called, holding out a hand and catching it. Usagi turned to Michiru, sagging slightly in Kunzite's grip. "We've got more than a few questions."
"Do I have to listen?" Eudial spat.
"Good question," Rei said. "What do we do with her?"
"You kill her," Michiru whispered. "Never leave loose ends."
"Slightly brutal," Usagi said lightly. "I don't think we need to be quite that extreme – we just need to find a way to get her to stop being a pain in the ass."
"And you plan on doing that how?"
"No idea, I was kind of hoping someone would volunteer?" No one said anything. "Right, fine. She can be a prisoner, but where we'll keep her I don't know."
"How about the old base?"
"Luna?" Usagi turned to look at the black and white cats moving towards them from the entrance to the cave.
"Under the arcade," Artemis explained, "there are parts of the base designed to hold prisoners."
"Brilliant," Usagi grinned, "Now we just have to figure out a way to get in there because someone," she glared at Luna and Artemis, "Put the door behind the arcade bar."
"I've fixed that already," Ami volunteered. "There's an entrance on the roof now."
"When did you do that?" Rei asked, taken aback?"
"Right after Usagi regained her memories – the second time I mean."
"What are we waiting for then. Kunzite can you keep hold of Eudial. Makoto you carry Michiru and I'll take Haruka."
"Already got her," Zoisite said, scooping the unconscious Haruka from the ground.
"Well then let's get going." Usagi lead them up into the thankfully deserted atrium of the school, out and onto the rooftops. It wasn't particularly far to the arcade, but with the captive Senshi and Eudial in tow it took them longer than it might usually. Ami showed them where the new entrance was and Usagi slipped inside, surprised to see the space well lit and furnished.
"All this stuff was lying about the base," Ami explained. "So I cleaned it up a little."
"Brilliant," Rei said, falling onto a sofa that Usagi was sure she had seen before, many, many years previously.
"Luna, Artemis. Could you show me the cells?" Kunzite asked. "I think we should deal with the Senshi first."
"Agreed," Usagi said, nodding. Artemis led him out of the room through one of four doors which clanged shut behind him. "Which leaves us with you two. What. The. Hell? Is there something wrong with your head? Why on Earth would you let Eudial try remove your pure hearts?"
Haruka, who was only just starting to come around, did not reply, so Usagi looked to Michiru.
"She believed them to contain the talismans – the talismans are our mission. If they are found our lives don't matter."
"Of course your lives matter!" Makoto exclaimed.
"I wouldn't bother trying to convince them," Rei sighed. "They were just as stubborn in the past life."
"Duty comes before everything, even our lives." It was Haruka, blinking somewhat blearily but coming around.
"Really? And what is your duty?" Ami asked quietly.
"To find the talismans and…"
"Wrong!" Minako barked. "About as wrong as it is humanly possible to be – who've you been listening to?" Neither of them replied.
"Go on," Usagi said. "Who?" Still there was no reply. "Fine. Then I'll tell you what your duty is, what your duty always was. It is the duty of the outer Senshi – the planets Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, to defend from enemies that threaten the Silver Kingdom from beyond it's borders in time, space and death. Uranus and Neptune were charged to guard the very edge of that kingdom and to ensure the safety of those within. If you can't tell us why you're looking for these talismans then we'll just have to stop you looking for them."
"How are you going to do that if you won't even kill Eudial?" Michiru asked, a slight smile curling her lip.
"I'll keep hold of your henshin pens?" Usagi suggested. "Although I'd rather not – we could always just fight together, beat these guys without the talismans. What do they even do?"
"When united the talismans bring forth the holy grail which shall reveal the messiah who can save this world from the deathbusters."
"And there are only two talismans?"
"There are three?"
"Well then why were you so keen to throw yourselves in front of Eudial's gun?" Makoto asked. "Even if you do have talismans you'll only have the two – wouldn't it be better to wait until you know the third's safe before throwing those two at the enemy?" Haruka didn't reply.
"Maybe they were too busy rushing in head first to think about that," Jadeite said innocently.
"Certainly seems that way," Mamoru agreed.
"You seem to know a lot, Sailor Moon," Haruka said acidly. "Yet I have no memory of you from the past life."
"You quite sure about that one?" Jadeite asked, "Mind you, she wouldn't have been that forgettable so maybe you're right."
"I remember you," she spat. "The Earth generals who betrayed their prince the first time the opportunity rose. If this is the sort of company the Guardian Senshi have resorted to then I doubt we shall ever see eye to eye."
"Well they aren't the only people in this room to have been possessed by Metallia if you really want to get into details. You really don't remember any of that? The time at D point, the nobly-sacrificing-yourselves-and-in-doing-so-making-Metallia-about-fifty-times-stronger?" Minako looked at the two of them and then shrugged. "But hey I can't remember either. I guess a lot of that could be to do with being dead, but there you go that's just life." Neither Haruka or Michiru seemed to know how to respond to that.
"Silence," Rei sighed. "I could get used to that."
"I think this is slightly unfair, Sailor Moon," Haruka said at last. "You know who we are, yet we have no idea who you are."
"True, but really give me one good reason why I should reveal my identity to you? You've given us no reason at all to trust you."
"Very well, then at least tell us who you were in the past life."
"You haven't worked that out yet?" Mamoru asked.
"Aww, be fair it took you a while."
"Nonsense, I worked out who Sailor Moon was rather quickly."
"But you weren't sure until that day at the airport."
"All these fond memories," Mamoru said dryly.
"You are Prince Endymion?" Michiru asked, eying Mamoru's uniform.
"She's getting there," Jadeite crowed until Rei elbowed him, knocking him off his perch on the arm of the sofa. Usagi grinned at her before returning her attention to Michiru.
"Go on."
"Perhaps Beryl? She was his fiancé was she not?" Haruka suggested. Usagi and Mamoru stiffened, the temperature in the room dropping perceptively.
"Stone cold," Jadeite sighed from his new vantage point on the floor.
"Come one," Makoto said, "There's really only one conclusion left."
"They worked it out ages ago," Ami said quietly. "They just don't want to admit it."
"Gold star to Sailor Mercury," Haruka said. "Princess Serenity?"
"Damn straight," Jadeite said, although his voice was slightly subdued now and his eyes were fixed on Usagi, waiting for her reaction.
"And know that you've admitted it what are you going to do?"
"Nothing," Haruka shrugged. "I've seen no proof that you've got any right to command us. The silver kingdom fell thousands of years ago, Princess, and Queen Serenity ruled because she was the strongest and reputedly the wisest of all the crystal carriers. Just because you've got the crystal doesn't make you the same."
"Fine," Usagi said after a moment. "You want to settle that?"
"Do you think that's wise?" Mamoru whispered, just loud enough for Usagi to hear.
"Trust me," she whispered back. She turned back to Haruka and Michiru. "I'll fight the pair of you – alone – on a time and date of your choosing."
"Really?" Haruka asked, tilting her head to the side. "That could be interesting."
"I'd say sooner rather than later," Michiru added softly.
"Now then?" Usagi suggested, eyebrows raised.
"No, but perhaps tomorrow?" Haruka replied after a moment's thought
"When?"
"Say six."
"Neutral ground then," Usagi said, nodding. "The roof of the academy?"
"Done. We'll go if that's all?" Michiru asked, standing only to be pushed back down by Makoto.
"They can go," Usagi said nodding, "But I'm keeping their henshin pens until tomorrow." Haruka scowled and for a moment Usagi genuinely thought she was going to fight for it, but she seemed to reconsider. She nodded and Usagi stepped out of her way so that she could reach the stairs to the exit. When the trapdoor on the roof had clanged shut Usagi flopped down onto one of the vacated chairs.
"That was certainly interesting," said Kunzite from where he stood in the doorway.
"How much of it did you see?" Mamoru asked.
"Enough. Are you sure this is the best course of action, Seren- Usagi?"
"As sure as I can be."
"Hasn't Haruka whooped your arse in those sessions you've been having?" Rei asked.
"Well yeah, but she won't know it's me. I'll have an advantage in that at least."
"I guess, but I still think you're insane," Makoto sighed. "You should have just let me beat them up for you."
"And what exactly would that prove?"
"I don't know, but it would have made me feel better."
When six o'clock came, Usagi was waiting for them. She had decided, against much complaining, to take only three people with her to the fight – Minako, as head of the Sailor Senshi, Mamoru, as rightful prince of the Earth and Kunzite as head of the Shitennou and therefore Mamoru's guard.
When Haruka and Michiru stepped onto the roof Usagi watched their eyes flitter to Venus, Endymion, Kunzite and finally herself. "Sailor Moon," Haruka said coldly, with a slight incline of her head. Usagi did not answer, but threw the henshin pens across the roof. Usagi had been intrigued to be given the chance to look at them – they were quite different to those possessed by the inner Senshi, which were made of gold and a single precious stone. The pens of the outer Senshi were made entirely of precious stones – Neptune's contained turquoise, pearl and lapis lazuli while Uranus' was composed of heamatite, and what Ami assured Usagi were malachite and sodalite. She watched unblinking as the two Senshi transformed, using a far stronger transformation than the inner Senshi could currently access. When they were ready she pushed herself to her feet.
"Let's get this over with then," Uranus said, rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck, something Haruka always did before their training sessions. Michiru hung back – Usagi guessed that she was more there for support, at least early on. She could fight, but there was no doubting that Haruka was physically stronger.
"World shaking!" Usagi leapt aside as the roof of the building cracked under the force of the attack, landing with practiced ease at least six feet clear of the gaping chasm. Even as she straightened it began to close, sealing the building as though no damage had been done. She kept her eyes fixed on her opponent, waiting for any sign of movement. When it came, it was from Neptune.
"Deep Submerge!" Again the attack was easy to avoid. They're testing me, Usagi realised. Seeing what I can do. Two could play at that game she knew. And one can cheat.
"Moon tiara action!" she shouted, flinging the golden discus across the roof. As she had expected it caused no real damage. Uranus leapt out of the way easily, barely even blinking. They continued to fight like this for a few more minutes, each testing the others abilities. Usagi wasn't sure if they were holding out on purpose or not, but the two Senshi seemed to only have the two offensive moves between them, while the inner Senshi had two or three apiece. She had herself kept to her weaker moves, although she knew Neptune at least had some inkling of her strongest attack, having been on the receiving end of it only the previous day.
When the moment Usagi had been waiting for finally arrived it was sudden. Uranus got bored. She leapt forward, drawing her fist back and snarling. Usagi remembered a session only a couple of weeks before when Haruka had approached her in exactly the same way, and the resulting pain of being thrown into the mat. Only this time she was expecting it. She leapt high rather than ducking low and when Uranus swooped down she had flipped to land facing her opponent's back. She grabbed Uranus' arm in both hands and twisted it around with all her strength, spinning around even as Neptune shouted, "Deep Submerge!" The attack hit them both in a deluge of salty water, but Usagi clung on to Uranus, forcing her to stay in the path of the worst damage. When the water cleared they were both wet and Uranus was angry.
The fight started to get dirty, the both of them throwing punches and blocking kicks at such a speed that Minako, stood anxiously on the side lines, could barely see what was going on. Neptune did not join this fight, instead choosing to watch, her eyes flickering and catching every move as it was made. As Usagi correctly predicted the vast majority of Uranus' moves, the Senshi of wind became more and more irate, her punches becoming wilder, her moves less controlled. As she threw a particularly wide hook, Usagi darted back and drew the new red staff she had received only the previous day. She slammed the base of it into the roof and shouted, "Moon princess halation!" The attack exploded towards Haruka in a great flash of silver light and she lost her balance, thrown back by the attack, not unconscious but certainly incapacitated. The staff vanished as Usagi turned to Neptune.
They faced each other for a moment and Neptune smirked slightly, closing her eyes. Usagi ran at her, feinting to the left. Michiru heard her movements and her eyes snapped open, ready to catch a fist, only it was Usagi's foot she needed to be worried about. It caught her in the gut and sent her flying to land next to Uranus.
"Do you yield?" Usagi asked, moving to stand before them.
"Looks like we don't have much choice," Uranus groaned. "We yield, Princess."
"Thank Selene for that," Minako moaned. "Moon, don't you ever do anything so stupid again."
"Aww, it was fun though," Usagi pouted before wincing and putting a hand to her side. "Mind you, I think I'm gonna be bruised in the morning."
"Well at least I made my mark." Uranus grimaced as she levered herself to her feet. Usagi offered a hand to Neptune, who did not take it, instead choosing to push herself up. Usagi shrugged and turned back.
"So, Sailor Moon," Uranus' called as she walked away, "Do we get to know who you are now?"
"You seriously haven't worked it out?" Usagi giggled as she let the henshin fade away. When the silver light had cleared, Haruka blinked once.
"Dumpling?"