Time of the Senshi
A/N- And so with this chapter ends the individual segments. We have one chapter left, plus an epiloge. Woot woot!
Pluto Act V
"They gave you a chance to leave." Mir said coolly to her perpetual sparring partner. Lanfear, renamed Night by the fox council, washed dishes without comment. The silence irritated Moiraine more than she cared to admit but she wouldn't show it. She would die before she gave a forsaken the satisfaction of upsetting her. "Why did you not take it?"
Lanfear gave her a small smile. It was beautiful on her lips and the blue had to admit that she was a creature any man would have difficulty denying. It was a good thing she'd pushed her through the gate. "Do you know what they planned to do to me, in exchange for freedom?"
Moiraine said nothing; she dried a plate and reached for the next.
"They were going to still me." The legendary Aes Sedai composure broke. "They aren't murders, at least they cannot kill in this world, but they can break your connection to the source. Of course then I would probably die." The dark beauty sighed wistfully. "So many did, so they would have then remade the connection. Weaker. I would never have been as strong as I am now."
"You cannot channel without their permission."
"I know." Lanfear finished her work and reached down her dress to pull out a small key. She kissed it and put it back. "But you should know, Mir, that there are loopholes to every rule. If you can find them." She laughed.
Pluto crouched in the courtyard of the strange place. It was filled with all kinds of growing things but they were washed out and pale from the artificial sun that illuminated the world at all times. Blood pounded in her brain creating a massive headache as her fingers scrabbled at the ground. The dirt broke slowly, but brake it did. Once she had a hole she dropped the seed from her dreams in.
It had been waiting so long for this chance.
She had felt the strength and love of her Queen through the shield of the tower. She now understood the cryptic lines of the prophecy. They were getting out. "Tell me, can you sing?"
Lanfear moved toward her, offered a curtsey of deferment, and answered. "I can, very well. May I ask why?"
Pluto stamped the dirt down on the spot and cut her finger so a small amount of blood would water it. "When I arrived here they asked several things, but they forgot something important. Humans don't need a tool to make music."
Lanfear's eyes sparkled in understanding. Pluto pointed her staff at the disturbed dirt and opened her mouth. The words didn't matter; the sound did. The power of her planet poured out, and a green sprout emerged from the packed earth. The key around Lanfear's neck glowed in response and the forsaken woman cupped it in her hands allowing the power to follow its own course through her.
She joined her new teacher in song and Setsuna felt the tears come to her eyes as emotion raged. She wasn't even sure what she was crying about. For the soldiers that fell. That will fall. For all the misunderstandings that have brought us to this time. For the sun. For the moon. For the stars. I am the Warrior of Pluto, and I cry to the fates. I cry warning. We will break this cycle.
The walls around them cracked. The bell rang in warning.
Mercury, Aqua Rapsody! The Solider of Ice and Logic thrummed the strings of her harp. At various points around the old tower of
The sprout continued to grow unabated and the senshi and her apprentice retreated to a stable archway. The world was shaking. An automaton worker fell from a higher floor and shattered in front of them. Pluto couldn't get the smile of relief to leave her lips as the earth before them cracked and the bells tolled with the danger.
Lanfear stood at her side clutching the key as if it was some sort of security blanket. "Mistress?" Both of them could hear the sharp chimes echoing throughout the little worldlet.
Mars! Fire, surround! Summoned fireballs spread out and surrounded the target, burning with a mystical flame, and slammed into the gleaming walls.
For the first time Setsuna saw one of the foxes outside of their council chamber. Gone was the apathetic cold mask. Energy crackled around the elfin creature's robes as he ran down the steps. "Was it you? Did you bring instruments into this place?!"
The Senshi of Pluto leaned against her staff and turned to the ever growing tree. The fox demi-god followed her gaze, eyes wide in surprise. "That's... not possible..."
It's just like in the game! A little boy cried in glee as he watched iron beams rise up and strike at the vibrating building. Stone rippled.
The tree was growing far faster than Setsuna had anticipated. She was forced back into the white washed walls, now yellowing and warping from and outside force. She recognized the signs of decay as time affirmed its grip on the tower. The foxes were laughing as they danced around in their flowing robes. There was a practiced chaos to their movements; they had waited for this day.
Some would die as time finally caught up to them; some would become more powerful than they imagined; some would forget. They didn't care. Freedom was knocking.
"We were all prisoners, one way or another." Lanfear commented in a moment of insight. The Aes Sedai joined them and watched. The walls were cracking. The artificial sun was failing allowing real light to stream in.
Pluto smirked. I can't let the My Lady do all the work. "Lanfear, pay attention." The woman tore her eyes from the sight of their celebrating captors. "Feel this. Pluto: Deadly Scream."
The energy ball evaporated the wall, and the hole grew as now fragile stone turned to dust.
Pluto ran from the collapsing tower with the two other women hot on her heels. She knew the small army would be there, and as her party reached them she gave her title: Senshi of Pluto. They accepted the credentials and she soon found herself reunited with the rest of the scouts, all but one.
"Where's Saturn?" She asked, worried for her adopted daughter.
Mina opened her mouth to reply, but her answer was lost as the Dragon Reborn noticed the white gowned woman with her. "Moiraine? Lanfear?!"
Lanfear stared. Her eyes tightened and Pluto knew this was her test. If she passed, so much the better, if she failed... "I love Lews Therin Telamon with all my heart. You are not him." She turned and glided off to stew, men braking ranks in fear of a Forsaken, but it was Usagi who called their attention.
The tower that had been a mysterious landmark for so long was turning to dust. In its place a massive tree stood.
"I-it's Avendesora!"
Pluto watched in amusement as her princess, with a bit more silver in her hair than the last time she saw her, chewed on a bit of her pigtail and whispered, "What's with all the trees?"
END.
Yes, Usa-chan, what is with all the trees growing up? Well, Usagi and Hotaru have the unique ability to use either pure Saidin or Pure Saidar, but they cannot use them together unlike the other scouts. As you may have guessed it is harder for Usagi to use Saidin and so she naturally gravatates to Saidar. Hotaru on the other hand is aligned to Saidin, though she does dabble with the other power on occasion, the silence galive surprise attack utilizes Saidin.
The foxes thought the tree was impossible because there were no seeds of Avendesora to their knowledge, only cuttings for transplant.