Chapter Thirty Seven
Fraiser finally stepped outside the Infirmary, pulling her mask off. She needed the rest. Thankfully, the only injuries that needed to be checked were from the 4077's own Post Op. Other than that, the only injuries were from little pieces of rock hitting them as they retreated.
She had no idea if the Jaffa even knew about Pierce, and she had no idea how they even knew about Adria. Of course, that didn't change the fact that they did know about her, and would do everything they could to get her. So how did they know to look for her on an Earth in the 1950's?
Sliding down the wall, the doctor let her eyes close for a minute. Maybe, by some stroke of luck, when she opened them again, she would find out that it was all a dream. That Earth wasn't threatened with total annihilation in only two days. That they didn't have refugees from two alternate Earth's surrounding the SGC.
But it was all true. And the worse thing about it was that it was nowhere near as bad as it was going to get later. War would make sure of that.
She was still sitting on the floor when Hammond joined her. ""Everyone's going to live, General," she said immediately. "We had a few Jaffa stave weapon injuries, but they were only glancing blows, thankfully."
Hammond nodded, grateful to hear that. They were very fortunate this time. Very fortunate. "Well, I'm sorry to say that we have other problems," he replied. "I just got a call from the Pentagon. Sailor Galaxia, whoever the hell that is, is in Tokyo. They're fighting her, but without success."
She nodded. "I wish I could help, but I've pushed my powers to their limit just keeping the Goa'uld from killing everybody. I'm in no shape to play hero. Adria's been pushed to the limit as well. And Colonel O'Neill and the rest of them wouldn't make any difference whatsoever." She rose wearily, rubbing her eyes. "Anything else about it?"
"The fleet detected a powerful energy surge entering the upper atmosphere. They think it's another Guardian… with a similar energy pattern to Galaxia."
Within that one moment, all exhaustion fled from her. Instead, it was replaced by shock and disbelief. The only way energy signatures could be similar was if the two people were related. And, since her family had been made aware of Galia Hall, they knew just about everything there was to know about them. The last time she recalled, Galia had no siblings, and her father had been killed before she was born. Which left only one possible connection.
"It can't be," she whispered. There was no in hell that she could be back!
Shayera flew downward, the fiery heat of her entry not even slowing her down. Her senses stretched out, searching for the entity that had haunted her for the longest time. She finally had a chance to free her daughter, and she wasn't going to waste it.
As she neared Tokyo, her eyes widened, taking in the sight of the destruction before her. It was as if two battles had taken place here. In short, they had. The Animamates had done their worst to the population, while the battle against Chaos continued to rage on.
Then, as she flew over a particularly large debris field, the result of two exceedingly powerful forces detonating as one, her eyes took on the shape of saucers. Someone was still alive down there! She flew in closer.
And her eyes neared bugged out of their sockets.
There, protected by a Force shield the likes of which Yoda or her own mother could never hope to create, was Wendy Darling, struggling to stand up. Apparently, her little chat with the possessed Senshi had not gone very well.
Wendy, for her part, was still dazed, trying to recover her faculties and struggling to stand. Her shield had held, and she could feel that the people she had pushed away were relatively unharmed, though most of them were unconscious. But it had been close. Too close. And she was exhausted. Using the Force that much had taken its toll on her, and she was still a long way from utilizing it properly. Add in the fact that there was two tons of debris on top of her, and you had the makings of a rather annoying day for her. Speaking of which, she really needed to get this dead weight off of her right now, before she became a pancake.
As if to answer her prayers, the debris was suddenly lifted off of her like it was nothing. Gasping in relief, she relaxed her grip, allowing the field to dissipate. Then she looked up. "Shayera?"
Shayera smiled, tossing her load away like it was a piece of driftwood. "I was in the neighborhood when I saw this acquaintance of mine in trouble," she explained. "I take it that Galia's been through here?"
"Like a bloody bull. She practically tore her way through two lines of defense and unless I am mistaken, she's aiming to bulldoze through a third. Apparently, she has your stubborn streak." The young girl shook her head as she sat up, taking several deep breath's. "Unfortunately, I'm not going anywhere until I rest a bit."
"Understood. Stay here, and join the battle as soon as possible."
"Where are you going?"
The Spartan looked into the distance, a hard glint appearing in her gaze. She had given her ideas careful consideration. "I'm going to have a little chat with Chaos," she replied. "One that involves tearing her essence from my daughter's body."
Wendy smiled. "Well, give me some time to meditate, and I think I can help you do just that."
Everyone quickly realized one thing, though it wasn't really an eye opener; that when Galaxia set her mind on something, or someone, she wasn't going to let anyone stand in her way.
The third line of defense had practically been decimated within the first few moments. Bodies, mostly human, were strewn about, most of them moaning in pain. A few were silent… deathly silent.
The Gods were not in much better straits. Even Belldandy, easily the strongest of them there, was barely holding her own against the Senshi/ Trainee Hybrid.
Archer was picking himself up slowly, wincing at the feeling of bruised ribs. He had been one of the lucky ones, being hit by one of the flying soldiers as opposed to the Golden Senshi's fist. Ignoring the pain, and forcibly inuring himself to the sight of the devastation, he began to assess the situation.
The mortals had all been removed from the equation, as they had all expected. Belldandy and her fellow mystically inclined warriors were presently doing battle with Galaxia, with the results not in their favor.
Urd lashed out with a powerful lightning strike, which Galaxia merely deflected with a backhand. She retaliated with an energy blast of her own. The Goddess barely got out of the way, while Susan took the full blast in the chest. She slammed into the Parliament building, almost unconscious. Fortunately for her, she was an immortal, so the attack didn't kill her. Unfortunately, it also meant that she would have to endure a whole lot of pain as her flesh re-knit itself. In Urd's case, the avoidance of her fate was only temporary, as Galaxia had followed up immediately with another blast. The Goddess of the Past was quickly taken out of the equation, while her sister managed to land a kick on their enemy.
Janeway made her way over to him, watching the battle progress. "Now I know why she said we needed to go!" she shouted. "We're not doing anything but getting in the way!"
"We didn't exactly have the chance to even think about debating it!" Archer replied, coughing for a second. "We need to get our ships into position, bombard this area from orbit!"
"I doubt it would do any good! She can survive in space. An orbital strike probably would only piss her off!" They also both realized that, at the speed in which she was decimating her present opponents, Kakyuu would only be halfway out of the building by the time Galaxia blasted through the doors. None of the ships in orbit would be in position in time to make a difference.
Galaxia slowly pulled the arrow out of her shoulder, looking at it quizzically. When it and the last two that had been shot at her had penetrated her body, she had felt the energy within it. It was a power that she had never felt before in her life, though considering who it was who had managed to hit her, she could take a guess as to its origin. Then there was the accuracy of the blows. If nothing else, she was experienced, if not powerful enough to really challenge her. 'Strange, these humans,' she thought.
"It's only going to get worse," Galia taunted. "Just you wait. I mean, didn't you notice the fact that she's still alive? Did you even realize that you're challenging one of the Queens of Narnia? The one Aslan calls daughter?"
She had in fact made that connection, but decided that it didn't matter. The Gentle Queen was out of the fight regardless. Satisfied with the result, she turned around… and felt the blood drain from her face.
There, standing about twenty feet away with Princess Kakyuu and Aluminum Siren standing behind her, was Sailor Moon herself. There was strength of resolve about her, as if she was actually willing to fight her… and fight to win. Even more important was the sheer level of power that was emanating from her. This was the power she had sensed on her way to Earth, that her remaining Animamates had told her about. She was going to have to be careful with this one.
Sailor Moon looked at the Golden Senshi, sensing Galaxia's power, Chaos's malice. She could feel the cries for help from the star seeds trapped within, as well as the struggling soul of Galia Hall herself, fighting to overthrow the dark force she was forced to take in. It was something she was familiar with, as it had happened to her before.
Her grip on her wand tightened as the Silver Crystal began to pulse. She also felt something else, something she hadn't felt the first time. There was a second layer surrounding the Light of Hope, a darker, more powerful energy that seemed to infuse Chaos's entire being. It held the star seed in an iron grip, preventing it from interfering. That was the target. If she could overcome that, then they stood a chance of dissipating the entity for all time.
Galaxia's eyes darkened, her sword crackling with barely contained power. Sailor Moon's entire body began flickering with pink energy. Both seemed to know that this battle would be the one to determine the continued survival of the human race, or its total annihilation.
And so, Chaos decided to cheat.
A crackled of dark energy emerged from her free hand, wrapping around the hulk of what had once been an army tank. Choosing her target carefully, she let it fly. Then, when the Moon Princess's attention was shifted, she let loose a powerful blast of energy.
Sailor Moon had been ready for a contest of wills and power when Galaxia suddenly tossed the tank in her direction. To her horror, she saw it heading not towards her, but towards Captain's Archer and Janeway. She quickly turned around to warn them.
And then she felt the world explode around her, as Galaxia caught her in her blind spot. She found herself flying, quite involuntarily mind you, for a rendezvous with the Parliament building, slamming into a point more than thirty feet above Susan's head. Fortunately, she was powerful enough to weather the blast. By morning, if she survived the battle, all she would have would be sore muscles.
Unfortunately, that also meant that nothing was going to stop that tank from hitting its attended targets. And even if they managed to avoid it, Galaxia would simply vaporize them with a well placed shot.
Fortunately, another player had finally arrived to even out the odds. And just in the nick of time.
Before anyone could even think of moving, a blur of orange red hair shot into the fray, stopping the army vehicle like it was nothing. She brought it down to the ground, ensuring that there was no one in it.
Archer observed their savior. She was about an inch or so taller than Janeway, with that mop of orange red hair falling half down her back. She was wearing white black body armor, and a blood red cape that looked like it had been made in ancient times. Finally, a set of white wings had spread out from her back, flexing every now and then. A broadsword was strapped to her waist. 'Another Guardian,' he thought, relieved. Though he had to wonder what this one was going to do that the two others couldn't.
Galaxia, it seemed, thought she could do plenty, if the sudden shock and hatred in her eyes was of any indication. She had immediately recognized Galia's mother, after all. "You!" she snarled, charging forward.
The Spartan merely brought her hand up, palm flat as she directed it at the rampaging Senshi. A blast of cold wind and ice erupted from it, slamming into her at near hurricane velocity. It definitely slowed her down, but it didn't stop her. In fact, it made her even angrier. She continued advancing.
The Guardian wasn't fazed in the slightest by this resistance. She merely decreased the temperature of the air being blasted at her nemesis, watching as ice began to form on the possessed Senshi. She also increased the power of the wind, slowing Galaxia's approach even more.
Galaxia's broadsword rose, poised and ready to come down… and stayed there, as her arms literally froze in place. The ice finally enveloped her entire body, her gaze so full of hate, it made even the stoutest of hearts shiver.
Knowing that it wouldn't hold for long, Shayera took the time to bring her own blade out, her wings disappearing back into her form. She altered her stance, spreading her limbs out so as to strengthen her balance. She stood ready.
The block of ice encasing Galaxia began to crack, as she expected it to. That one crack spread across her entire form, until it inevitably shattered. The sword struck down, ready to slice through the Guardian before her.
Shayera parried the blow, grunting behind the fury of the attack. The ground beneath her buckled, but her defense held true. With a grunt of effort, she shoved back, angling her blade enough so it would force the other weapon away from her. At the same time, she sent an electrical surge through the two blades, just enough to shock the Golden Senshi's hand into opening.
Galaxia leaped back about six feet, shaking the offending digit as she glared at the Spartan. Of all of the people she thought would appear to help the humans, her host's mother was not it. The last she recalled, the woman had been convalescing in a stasis pod for the last thirty years due to severe respiratory injuries. How the hell did she show up here, perfectly healed?
Shayera inclined her head, her own weapon disappearing back into the ether. "Chaos," she said amicably, as if she were meeting an old friend on the street. "I see you have been busy with my daughter's body."
"I thought you were still dead," Galaxia returned, the venom thick in her voice. "I guess you found out about our little manipulations."
"You should know by now that very little goes on in the Protectorate without Alania's knowledge. She kept a very close watch on you, for instance. When you finally made your move, she called me." The Spartan cracked her knuckles, entering another battle stance. "Now then, monster, you have my daughter in your clutches. I want her back, now."
"Then try and take her, Shayera Hall!" Galaxia charged forward, fist coming up and ready to go right through her head.
Ma-Ti quickly brought the Geo-Chopper's systems online, going through the pre flight sequence. He had to make sure they didn't have mechanical problems before they reached their objective.
The other three Planeteers were doing a visual inspection of the copter, making sure that there was no sabotage. They had to get Kakyuu out of there, so the combatants could focus primarily on stopping Galaxia once and for all.
Laura got in, sitting down in the co pilot's chair. "Ma-Ti, what happens if we're not in time?" she asked. "I mean, what if Kakyuu is dead by the time we get there?"
Ma-Ti tapped his head. "She will not be," he replied confidently. "Galaxia must first get through whoever it is that just arrived, for starters. Not only that, but we also have Gaia. She will survive long enough for us to evacuate her to somewhere safer."
She thought about it for a second, before nodding. "Okay. I just wanted to hear that from you." She leaned back a bit.
Kwame and Gi traded knowing looks, understanding better than most that the world didn't necessarily act like that. It gave, and it took.
The final preparations were complete. The two Heart Planeteers quickly vacated their seats, allowing Kwame and Go to get in. The Earth Planeteer quickly took off, and angled in the direction of the battle.
He could only hope that they were on time.
Shayera dodged Galaxia's first attack, digging her foot into the concrete so she didn't go too far. Shooting forward, she dealt the first blow with a solid right hook, snapping the younger woman's head back. She quickly moved forward for a second blow.
Galaxia caught the fist before it could connect, squeezing the limb hard. She returned the favor in duplicate, smacking her opponent down the street. She didn't wait for her to get up, and charged forward, fist cocked.
Shayera and Galaxia leaped at the same time, meeting in mid air. They fell from the sky, slamming into an abandoned car. The vehicle detonated, enveloping them both in fire. It wasn't really that much of a problem for either of them. To both of them, it was akin to a warm sunny day.
For a few moments, neither one could been seen, the fire hiding them from view. Then, Galaxia charged out, dragging her opponent right through the concrete, before tossing her into the Parliament building… and got hit by an energy blast for her troubles.
In the excitement of Shayera's return, she had completely forgotten about Sailor Moon.
The Moon Princess forcibly reminded the Golden Senshi of her existence. Rocketing downward as the Guardian righted herself before even coming close to the building, she began punching the woman as hard as she possibly could. Each blow sounded like thunder, each driving Galaxia back a step each time. As an encore, she laced her hands together, and clubbed her right under her chin.
Chaos came to a singular conclusion as she flew through the air, though it wasn't really that much of a revelation; she really hated Sailor Moon.
Wendy finally stood up, shaking her arms out. The Force filled her very being, the aches and pains of her battle with Galaxia dropping away. She had a feeling she would pay for this later, but she knew that she had no choice. She had to get back into the battle, before the Golden Senshi managed to break Shayera in two.
She could feel Peter in the Force, dazed but on his feet, trying to get to where all the fighting was occurring. She loved his ever confident spirit, and his willingness to face death in the eye without flinching.
She loved him for it, but right now it was suicide. She wouldn't even get back into the fight, but she had to. She had a plan.
In her brief meditation, the Force had shown her a rare and dangerous skill; a skill that the Jedi dared not use. It was a skill that forced a Force Wielder into the very heart of the Dark Side.
The skill of soul extraction.
The underlying principle of the technique was rather simple. The Force Wielder would place their hand on the chest of the person, and concentrate with every fiber of their being. With enough discipline, the Force Wielder could literally pull the soul of a being out. The body would then be nothing more than a vegetable. Only other's sensitive in the Force were capable of defeating such a maneuver. She had a feeling that the Jedi would never use the skill, would never even practice this skill on any living creature. After all, they only had one soul, and you couldn't put it back when you were done.
But Galaxia had more than one soul. Galaxia had many. In this extreme circumstance, the move had been given a second chance. A chance of redemption, as it were. Besides, it wasn't as if she had a choice. She had sensed the dark barrier surrounding Galaxia's spirit, how it anchored her in a way that no supernatural spell could ever accomplish.
A plan set, and her resolve unshakable, she took off.
The Geo Chopper flew over the streets of Tokyo, heading for the site of the current battle. They didn't really need directions on how to get there. The trail of destruction was direction enough. It looked as though Godzilla had opted to simply go in a straight line, with a few stops to mark his territory. The fact that a single woman did this was considerably more frightening.
Ma-Ti didn't know if they were even going to successfully get to Kakyuu, let alone get her out of there. He had seen the two Guardians slowly moving around, shaking their limbs out, and knew that she had mowed right through them. In the distance, he could feel Peter trying to collect himself enough so he could get back into the fight. Part of him applauded the Eternal youth for his bravery, while part of him wanted to stay out it from here on out. Right now, Sailor Moon and Belldandy were the only ones strong enough and experienced enough to take her on.
No, that wasn't completely accurate. As he thought that, he had suddenly sensed the presence of another entering the fray, one whose mind was far older than the Guardians of Magic, but just as powerful. And, judging by what he was sensing, had already engaged the Golden Senshi.
Gi looked at him, having sensed the same thing. "Ma-Ti… who do you think that is?" she asked.
He shrugged, as Kwame angled in the direction of the Parliament building. "I do not know," he replied. "All I know… is that she is on our side." Both he and Laura had sensed the strength of her soul, how it shined with the strength of a young star. Despite her age, she was still eager to learn, to grow. To stand for what was right.
And right now, what was right was beating the dark entity that possessed Sailor Galaxia into so much paste.
Kwame nodded. "Let us hope that she is up to the task, my friend. Otherwise, this will be a very short battle. Gi, how are we doing?"
"We're approaching the area…" The Water Planeteer blinked in shock, looking out the window. "Damn, look at that!"
Laura quickly looked out the window, blinking in shock as Sailor Moon clocked Galaxia right in the jaw. "Whoa. Now that's impressive."
"Definitely," Ma-Ti replied, not really paying attention. He was a little busy trying to locate Kakyuu. "Okay, she is already out of the Parliament Building. Kwame, touch down at the entrance, as close as you can get us. Then go through the pre-launch sequence as quickly as you can, understood? We will only get a small window."
Kwame nodded. "Understood. Laura, Gi, if Galaxia approaches, try and slow her down."
"We'll do our best," Gi replied, looking at her new ring. "Let's just hope it's enough."
"It will." Laura's own ring pulsed in response to her determination. "We'll make it possible."
Galaxia finally managed to catch both Sailor Moon and Shayera in her grip, slamming them together, then into the ground. Grabbing them by their legs, she whirled them around, before bringing them down to the ground again, each impact leaving a small crater in its wake.
Shayera started getting up, and was just in time to get a boot to the face. She slammed into a piece of uprooted road. The Golden Senshi was there immediately, grabbing her before she could slide to the ground. "You're a little rusty, 'Mom,'" she hissed mockingly. "Thirty years in a stasis chamber make you soft?"
"You spend that same amount of time in there," Shayera replied. "You tell me how you feel. And second," She slammed an electrically charged knee into Galaxia's sternum, forcing her to let go. "You don't get to call me 'Mom,' Chaos!" Her next shot sent the possessed woman airborne.
Sailor Moon was waiting for her, fists laced together once more. As she came within range, she brought them down, with the soul intent of forming the largest crater, and cause the most damage to her opponent, that she possibly could. She struck down…
… only to be blocked.
Galaxia had righted herself at the last second, her arm coming up to block the potentially devastating blow. Though it did force her back down a dozen feet, it didn't have quite the impact the future Senshi had wanted.
Shayera, on the other hand, had considerably more success with her follow up attack, rocketing upward to slam into the Golden Senshi, elbows first. If she had been anyone else, she would have been snapped in half.
But being who she was, all it did was give her a shockwave of pain up her spine. And it pissed her off even more than she was.
Whirling so fast that she was a blur, Galaxia smashed both of them across their heads. Rocketing down after them, her feet planted into Moon's face, accelerating her rate of descent to Earth.
Sailor Moon quickly grabbed her legs, whirling them around so the other Senshi's head hit the ground first. Leaping away, she shook her head, her wings rippling for a second as she stretched her back out. No matter how powerful the person is, having someone's feet slamming into your spine hurts.
Galaxia apparently didn't share that little flaw, or Chaos wasn't affected by her host's pain. She leapt up immediately, knocking the Moon Princess down to Earth once again. Rocketing back up, she met Shayera head on. The two entities ricocheted off one another for several minutes, snarls of energy lashing out in all directions. Each impact would have shattered every window in the vicinity, if they hadn't already been broken earlier.
The impasse ended when the Golden Senshi swerved out of the way, kicking the Spartan hard in the back, sending the woman shooting down to earth. She hovered for a moment, catching her breath. "She's definitely not that rusty," she grumbled, rubbing her arm. "I may have to up the battle a notch." The question was; how? Shayera Hall was considerably more powerful than her, and far more experienced. But why was she not utilizing that full power?
'Of course,' she suddenly thought, as inspiration struck her. 'The Guardian is going easy on me! She doesn't want to hurt her daughter anymore than she already has! That's how I'll beat her!' A new strategy formed rapidly, and she got ready to put it into use.
Shayera observed her opponent for a moment, instinctively searching for weaknesses in her defense. Despite the act that Wendy could possibly be on her way, she had to be ready to beat her own child to the point of death, then have Sailor Moon dissolve the forced bond between Galia and Chaos.
A part of her wondered if she could actually do that. Wondered if she could actually hurt Galia, despite everything she knew. After all, she had been holding back deliberately up to this point, forcing herself to fight at the Senshi's level. But then again, she didn't want to destroy Galia. If that meant her desire to protect her own flesh and blood overrode her Spartan code of conduct, so be it. Besides, Galaxia wasn't the opponent. Chaos was.
Her gaze shifted slightly, taking in the battle field around her. She could see Belldandy and Urd slowly rising, possibly healed enough to get involved again. She could see the captain's of Enterprise and Voyager picking up Susan Pevensie from the ground.
And she could see so much more.
This was one of the Guardian's least known abilities; to see the entirety of a universe from a single point in time. From that point, they could locate the disruptions in space time, caused by lord only knows what. They could then teleport directly to that spot and deal with it. After all, each Guardian alone could create a universe. Repairing damage to one that already existed was relatively easy by comparison.
Shayera used hers in a more militaristic manner. She rarely looked for disruptions in the space time continuum, having no patience for it. She used her gift to encompass an entire city or battlefield, to keep an eye on those who were her allies.
She could see two signatures, humming with Guardian energy about four miles distant. James and Lily Potter, she assumed. She had met James grandparents before the mission that almost killed her, and had found them to be honorable folk. And she had just recently met their son, which carried on that tradition proudly. She expected no less from a bloodline as old as Alania herself. She could see the injuries that had been inflicted on their persons, and was relieved to see them healing alright.
Ah, there was Peter Pan, flying towards the battle field, sword in hand. She praised his courage. He would have been made a passable Spartan… especially when he suddenly stopped, assessing the situation clearly.
And there was Wendy, finally airborne, and heading in their direction. All she had to do was keep Chaos busy for just a few more minutes, and then allow Wendy to do her part.
Of course there was a second reason why she had to distract Galaxia. The Planeteers yellow helicopter had just landed, and she could sense Princess Kakyuu was now almost to the top floor. If she even so much caught a glance of the princess, she'd be all over her before anyone could react. So the trick became to draw her away from the Parliament as quickly as possible. But how could she do that without hurting Galia at the same time?
Sailor Moon had had the same insight and the same question. The difference between her and Shayera was that she already knew that it was impossible. Any kind of battle concerning Galaxia was not going to end without some damage being inflicted. The Golden Senshi was that driven, that single-minded.
What they had to do was force Chaos to take compete control, shattering the bracelets herself. Despite the additional power it gave her, it also made her more vulnerable to the Silver Crystal. And she had had about a thousand years to grow more powerful, to better understand the Crystal's intricate workings and its healing abilities. It was the only way for her to be able to heal worlds.
As she looked at the ancient warrior, she caught sight of her expression. The look in her eyes said it all, and it infused the Queen with hope. Shayera was playing a stalling game, which meant someone else knew of a way to do just that, and in a far better manner than the risky venture she had had to undertake.
The two women looked at each other, and nodded as one. Without speaking, a strategy had suddenly presented itself, as both suddenly remembered that they were two. Chaos was one. If they worked together, kept her focused on them, they stood a chance at winning. A plan set, they flew downward, ready to try.
Galaxia merely leaped up, kicking them both in the side of their heads when they came in range. She grabbed them each by a leg, slammed them together, then threw them to the ground hard. Leaping up, she dropped right on top of them, feet driving into the back of their heads. She kept stomping on them hard, driving them in even deeper into the concrete.
Apparently, she had had also had time to come up with a strategy as well.
Fortunately, the distraction worked, though not in the way the two heroines had anticipated. Galaxia's attention was diverted enough for the Geo Chopper to land safely, just as Kakyuu and Aluminum Siren to emerge from the building, hurrying as quickly as they possibly could. They were in the vehicle with all due haste, Kwame lifting off a mere minute later.
Galaxia finally stopped trying to grind their faces under her heels, and heard the sound of propeller blades starting to head into the distance. Looking up, she caught sight of the Geo Chopper as it started. And within, she could sense Kakyuu. "Wrong move, humans," she muttered, leaping upward.
Laura felt the sudden surge of malice before it was right on top of them, and turned around. Her eyes widened in shock. "Damn it, she can jump! Kwame, move this thing!"
Kwame didn't even need to ask. He simply jerked the chopper hard to port.
Not good enough.
The Golden Senshi landed on one of the feet, grabbing hold easily. Steadying herself, she brought a hand up, ready to send it right through the glass and into Kakyuu.
Wendy chose that matter to reenter the fight, using the Force to augment her strength as she grabbed hold of the arm, restraining it. With her other hand, she slammed the palm of her hand into the back of the possessed Senshi. "Time to lose a Star seed, Chaos," she hissed, looking deep within the corporeal form before her.
There were thousands of souls within, tied to Chaos by a thin line of energy, leeching them of their power. There were so many of them that she could have extracted a thousand of them, and they would still be cluttered tightly together. She had no idea that there were so many Senshi in the galaxy… though she should've. Nevertheless, it didn't take her long to locate the star seed in question. The dark barrier surrounding it had set it apart very quickly, as was the lack of an energy tendril. Why shackle the Light of Hope when you already have control of her body?
Locating was easy, however. Removing it was a whole different can of worms. She wasn't even sure she could. It was a particularly advanced skill, and required a great deal of practice.
She could fell the Dark Side try and overcome her, felt the barrier surrounding the Star Seed fight back, attempting to corrupt her soul, and immediately knew she could overcome both. They held no temptation to her. Laughing at them, she pushed through, latching onto the star seed… and pulled back.
At the same time, Chaos lashed out with her foot, catching her in the stomach. The young Jedi flew backwards, the seed in question now held in an iron clad Force grip. "Mr. Potter!" she shouted, throwing it to him before righting herself.
Chaos whirled around, staring at the young Jedi's retreating form in surprise. How did she manage to do that? She had managed to punch through Metallus's shields to remove Galia Hall's Star Seed from its prison. How much power could she call?
James grabbed the Star Seed with his good hand, looking it over. He could sense the Gene within, and grinned. Obviously, Wendy was luckier than any of them gave her credit for, or simply more patient. He quickly followed up on the second part of Wendy's plan.
After all
Chaos surprise gave way to anger. The uppity brat had somehow managed to extract Galaxia's star seed from her form. How, she still didn't know, but she accomplished it all the same. Turning around, she brought one of her bracelets up.
Aluminum Siren instinctively kicked at the support the Golden Senshi was holding onto the moment she saw the bracelet rise. The sudden shock of it was enough to knock her off balance. She kicked her again, this time in the face, knocking her off the copter. "Good bye, monster!" she shouted.
At the same time, Shayera and Sailor Moon rocketed upward as Galaxia used her Inflation attack to slash the propeller blades off. The Guardian quickly grabbed the Golden Senshi, whirling her around for a few seconds, and threw her right into one of the empty buildings. The building, when being hit by an object of a certain size and speed, and having said object slam through every floor all the way to the sub levels, certainly didn't survive. It promptly collapsed into a pile of rubble, temporarily trapping their ruthless enemy.
Sailor Moon quickly grabbed one side of the Geo Chopper, stabilizing it slightly. Not for the first time, she was grateful for the magically enhanced strength that came with the package. Otherwise, this would have been really problematic.
The problem was that the chopper was rather unwieldy, even for someone as strong as her. It was taking everything she had just to keep it level as she descended. And it was only going to be a matter of time before she lost her grip completely, or the chopper simply shifted more than she could handle.
"Need a hand, old friend?" a new voice, one as familiar to her as Amy's, suddenly whispered in her ear. A few seconds later, a very familiar person was holding onto the other landing strut, equalizing the distribution of weight throughout the vehicle.
The Moon Princess smiled in relief and stunned disbelief. What exactly did Wendy do? How did she achieve this incredible miracle? How could Galia Hall be here, when she had just seen her body hit the ground at a fairly good speed?
Working together, the two Senshi were able to lower the Geo Chopper to the ground without jolting the passengers inside. It was, quite possibly the first time in a long time that they were able to do that. A few lifetimes, in fact. And it felt right.
The Golden Senshi quickly opened the pilot's side, smiling. "Princess," she said in greeting. "Thankfully, you have been extremely difficult to find. Where'd you learn to do that?"
Kakyuu smiled, shocked beyond all measure. "I learned it from your mother, actually," she replied, taking in the sight of Galia. "How is this possible?"
Galia pointed at the young Jedi as she hovered in midair. "Some Force ability that has its roots in the Dark Side," she explained. "Thankfully, it has found some form of redemption in this instance. The young English woman was able to extract me from Chaos's form." She scanned the surround. "Speaking of which, where is that omnipotent sack of shit? She has something that belongs to me, as well as a number of friends and crewmates I would like freed."
Potter pointed over at the ruined building. "Somewhere over there," she replied. "Good luck finding her unconscious. She took everything me and James threw at her, and just smiled."
"It's only going to get worse."
The Golden Senshi turned her head slightly, catching sight of the last person she had ever hoped to see within her lifetime as she landed. "Mother," she whispered. The fates were smiling down on her on this day. She was sure of that.
Shayera smiled a little in surprised gratitude, taking in her daughter. She had never thought she would ever see this day. Then again, she had also expected to live a normal Thanagarian lifespan, and then spend the rest of eternity in that status pod, never to see John again. The Balance probably called for no less. "Sorry that the reunion isn't under better circumstances," she replied, resisting the urge to squeeze her little girl. She still had a job to do, and an enemy that wasn't out of the fight yet.
And indeed, their reunion was cut short by a sudden eruption of debris from the building. A blast of dark energy shot to the heavens, an inhuman roar accompanying it. Everyone turned as one towards the destroyed building. Wendy landed, lightsaber ready.
From out of the rubble, a black form took flight. It was now clothed in obsidian colored armor, massive blade in hand once again. Massive wings had erupted from her back, akin to the wings of a bat.
"Well, Sailor Moon," Wendy commented as they took in this demonic form wearing the face of Galaxia," you wanted her to lose the bracelets. You have gotten your wish."
"Then why am I not happy?" Sailor Moon grumbled, her scepter coming up.
Galia shrugged. "Probably because I'm here, not in there weakening her. Not that I'm complaining. I've been wanting to get my hands on her for quite a while." She smiled at her mother. "Shall we?" she asked.
Shayera returned the grin. "We shall."
Hope Island
Gaia and the others watched as the titanic battle raged on, awe, fear, and shock warring in each person as the tide ebbed and flowed.
They had seen how Galaxia had steamrolled through every single defense line like they were nothing. She had tossed two Guardian and two Goddesses aside without much effort, showing her superior skill and experience in the face of greater power. She had reached the Diet Building within fifteen minutes of entering Tokyo, and was on the verge of total victory.
Then the arrival of a new Guardian, one that seemed to be able to match the Golden Senshi blow for blow, arrived, and engaged the enemy. She was soon joined by Sailor Moon, and the two of them managed to successfully fend her off while the Planeteers landed, and tried to get Kakyuu out of there.
Millicent covered her mouth as Galaxia knocked her niece off like she was a bug. Until she had seen Sakar, she had never seen such fury, such black malice on any person's face. Now she had seen her second such person. "How can anyone… just hate for no reason?" she asked.
Qui-Gon observed the screen for a second, the Force showing only so much of Chaos's history. If he had seen it all, he had a feeling he would have most likely gone mad. The human mind could only handle so much pain and suffering before it finally snapped. But what he did see deeply unsettled him. The entity had done such evil, that even the Sith of old couldn't compare to it. And at the same time, it simply acted as its nature dictated. "It is one of the balancing forces in this universe," he replied. "It is nothing but discord, hatred, and rage. It is every vice and sin in the darkest corners of every sentient being. And it is out for blood." He turned around. "Gaia, is there any way for us to get to Tokyo?"
Gaia shook her head. "I'm still recovering from our fight with Sakar," she replied. "Even combined, Zarm and I couldn't get all of you to the fight in time to make a difference." She sighed. "They are on their own."
Mary sighed, sending a silent prayer into the Force, asking it to look out for her daughter and her friends. 'Please, help Wendy and the others defeat this evil power. Help restore peace to the world.'
Because if they failed here, then nothing would ever matter again.
Chaos glared at the small group of warriors assembled before, the events that had transpired so unexpectedly reeling through her mind. She had never expected to see Shayera Hall alive and well, not after the events that had led to her downfall and inevitable sealing in a stasis pod. Apparently, Alania was now pulling out all of the stops, gathering allies new and old to help fight in this war.
And now, she faced Galaxia, the Senshi whore that had tried to lock her away for over five thousand years! Even though she didn't possess her henshin crystal, she was still a Trainee, and now an experienced warrior in her own right. Not to mention the aggravation that was Sailor Moon, who was now as powerful as her ancestor had been at her peak.
But now Chaos was stronger as well, more in control. The energy of over eighteen thousand Senshi was pouring through her, increasing her strength to near god like levels. The Sapphire Crystal, a relic of ancient Sparta and Galia's Henshin, increased that power even further. Even Shayera Hall wouldn't be able to stand against her.
But the loss of Galia…
Chaos was going to end that miserable wanna be Jedi child after she had finished carving the two Spartans into pieces. That hurt like nothing before it!
Galia took a step forward, her fists cracking rather audibly. Energy began to collect at her fingertips. "Let's take her," she growled, her usual shyness no longer apparent. Her modest personality always disappeared in the face of a battle, her ancient Greek training coming forward. In her heart, she was Spartan through and through.
Shayera brought her hand up, halting her daughter in her tracks. "No, Galia," she said. "Sailor Moon and I will go in first, and try to remove the broach from her form. Then you get to help us rip her limb from limb. As only a Trainee, you'd be lucky to blind Chaos for a second."
"I see." The younger woman was disappointed, but she knew her mother was right. Apparently, being a Thanagarian soldier had proven beneficial. It had kept her mind sharp.
Chaos angled herself appropriately, her dark blade stepping forward. Then, she flapped her massive wings, and shot downward.
Shayera's wings erupted outwards, flapping hard as she followed her example. They met halfway, swords slamming together with enough force to shatter nearby windows, if there were any windows left to shatter in that area of the city. Separating, they flew forward again, blades clanging again as they passed each other. Chaos, who was simply more agile, turned around while the Guardian circled around, ready to attack again.
Except by this time, Sailor Moon had once again entered the fray, smashing into the dark creature's blind spot. Both fists dug right into the small of the back once again, retching a growl of pain from Chaos.
She promptly paid the Moon Senshi back with a hard elbow, then a whirl kick that cracked her across the jaw. The blow was sufficient in sending the Senshi flying back through the air.
But the attack had served its purpose. Shayera was able to move in quickly, smashing her feet into Chaos's face. Flipping over the villain, she grabbed her by her wings, and used her momentum to literally throw the creature through the air. Both women followed after her.
Archer staggered towards Kwame and the others, Janeway supporting him from the side. Both of them were amazed by how determined all three combatants were to win. If the newcomer was of any indication, they stood a good chance of succeeding.
Belldandy landed next to them, tracking the skies. "What happened?" she asked, catching sight of Galia for the first time. "And why is Galaxia standing here, and no one is trying to kill her?"
"If you're looking for Chaos, she, Sailor Moon and my Mom all went in that direction," Galia replied, pointing northwest of their position. "I also owe young Wendy here my life. She literally yanked me out of the creep."
"With the Force, and my own very delicate hand," Wendy added, grinning widely. "It'll make a great story for later."
"Story later," Susan got out, finally joining them. "Dealing with our enemy is a much better idea. Whoever that newcomer was, she is obviously good at what she's doing."
"Speaking of newcomers, who are you?"
"Susan Pevensie."
"Wendy Darling at your service."
"Ah… you're a little young to be her, aren't you? The last I recall, Wendy was over eighty years old."
Wendy looked a little miffed by that. "Mister Potter, when this is over, remind me to find the Timelord, and break my foot off in his bloody arse."
James shook his head, grinning. He really did like this girl. She definitely didn't take crap from anyone. "Will do, young lady," he replied. "Now, what say we go kill Chaos?" His fully regenerated hand flexed, clearly wanting to throttle the woman.
"Let's."
Almost immediately, the two Guardians, the Goddess, and one Jedi shot up into the air, heading in the direction of the battle.
Shayera was the first to catch up to Chaos, her fist smashing into the dark entity's face. Aside from almost rearranging her nose and mouth, the blow also increased the velocity in which she was hurtling backwards. And it hurt… a whole lot!
Sailor Moon launched a full powered attack at her, which only added to her woes. Moon's powers, which were healing, also made them the perfect weapon with which to harm her. And harm her, they did.
By the time the Dark monster hit the ground, having traveled more than thirty miles from the Tokyo city limits at nearly two hundred miles per hour, her armor was smoking, and some rather ugly blisters adorned her body.
And she was pissed off.
The second Shayera reached her, the dark entity struck hard and fast. Without Galaxia's power diminishing her own, she could put a great deal more into a punch.
The Spartan felt like she had just been hit by the omnipotent version of a bull. Her mouth slammed closed as she went upward about seventy miles, out of control.
Sailor Moon slammed into Chaos with the force of a gale of hurricane wind… and bounced off, like she had hit a brick wall. A couple of seconds later, she found out why.
Chaos, at the last possible moment, had folded her wings around herself, forming a near impenetrable shell. It was said that those wings could deflect the power of the Gods themselves. It was certainly living up to that reputation.
Chaos unfurled its wings, shaking them slightly. Never mind they were indestructible. She still had pain receptors in them, and she still felt the impact. If this kept up, they were going to be very, very sore.
Pushing the pain out of her mind, she darted over to the future Moon Queen, grabbing her by the neck. Charging forward, she started slamming her through every obstacle she could find, regardless if it was a car, a wall, or a tank. Then, with a powerful leap that sent them both airborne, she slammed them both through the streets, right into the sewer systems.
Unfortunately for Sailor Moon, Chaos landed on top, hands at her throat. "Time to die, Moon Princess!" she hissed, squeezing.
Moon felt spots begin to appear in her vision as oxygen was cut off to her brain. She grasped the hands on her throat, trying to pry them off, but Chaos's grip was too strong. And she couldn't exactly box the other fighter's ears, as they were protected by a helmet.
Fortunately, she was spared from trying to come up with a workable strategy by Shayera, who had righted herself and shot down, grabbing Chaos by the scruff of her neck. "Hands off the lady," she snarled, throwing her off. "Deal with me, first!" Her fist slammed into the side of the entity's head, launching her down the tunnel.
Sailor Moon rubbed her throat, simply enjoying the sweet, sweet feeling of air entering her lungs. "Thanks," she got out.
Shayera nodded. "Catch up when you can." She quickly shot off after Chaos, seemingly impervious to the stench of sewer waste.
"Wish I had that kind of detachment from my sense of smell," Moon grumbled, slowly standing up. She couldn't wait until the battle was over to de-transform. Nothing got rid of the smell than temporarily out of control energy.
Of course, she had the feeling that surviving the battle was going to be problematic for her.
Shayera had to finally come to a stop as she rounded a corner, sweeping the area with her gaze, both normal and supernatural. Chaos's unique bio signature stopped somewhere around here, which meant she was probably trying to lay a trap for them. That meant she had to be extra careful here. Within confined spaces such as this tunnel, her maneuverability would be severely hampered.
And she had no idea if Chaos could shift between her energy form and a corporeal form.
Despite the eons in which they had had to study unique omnipotent forces, the Guardians were still unable to correctly grasp the essence that is Chaos. All they knew for certain was that it obtained its power from the very place that Sailor Cosmos would in the distant future; the Galaxy Cauldron. It was the very reason why the center of the Galaxy had become its base of operations. There, its power was infinite.
They also knew that under certain circumstances; say, the Senshi daughter of a highly respected Spartan Guardian using a very dangerous entrapment ability, that Chaos could also possess a person, and utilize their powers and skills. If it ever managed to do that again, then they were all in a lot of trouble.
Now there was a new ability to add to their knowledge; Chaos could assume the form of people it had previously possessed, and most likely shift between the two forms on a whim.
A shadow moved at the corner of her vision. Shayera ignored it at first. It was just a rat scrabbling along the floor, looking for something to eat. Although that scrabbling appeared to be almost frantic, like it was running…
Her attention shifted just a few seconds before the attack was launched. Her own reflexes reacted in time, blocking the punch that would have most likely caved her head in. Unfortunately, she hadn't had time to take into account the surge of dark energy that was released on contact, and that immediately caused to jerk about in agony. Obviously, Chaos had learned a few new tricks over the millennium, including utilizing her own strategies.
The entity snarled at her, gripping her arms tightly. "You should have stayed in your little stasis pod," she hissed, eyes glinting maliciously. "You should have stayed gone, period!"
"And… I should have… brought my… mace," Shayera grunted, her hand jerking around erratically. "Oh… wait. I did."
Suddenly, Chaos received a blow to the gut by a particularly heavy implement. She let go in shock… and pain.
Shayera held up her trusty Thanagarian mace, grinning. "Did I happen to mention that I was a soldier in the Thanagarian military in Realm 4?" she asked pleasantly, energy crackling over the spiked ball. "Because this nifty weapon can disrupt magic in all of its shapes and forms… like your body, for instance. Here, let me demonstrate."
With that, she gave an almighty war cry, swinging the mace in an upward motion.
James took note of the sound something smashing through concrete, and the sight of something soaring up into the sky near the edge of the city. "Well," he noted. "It looks like Shayera came with something other than her sword."
Potter and Wendy traded looks of intrigue. "Probably Nth metal," the Guardian supplied.
"Ah." Wendy frowned a little in confusion. "Question; what the bloody hell is Nth metal?"
Chaos felt her jaw scream in protest as she flew upwards. The preparation the Spartan had gone through was now bordering on ludicrous. Her sacred weapon and her Thanagarian mace? Apparently, she wasn't just interested in just beating her in battle. Shayera was aiming to turn her into her bitch, right after reclaiming her daughter's henshin crystal from her broken body.
And she was well on her way on doing that, as she rocketed upward, both weapons coming up. If she didn't club Chaos upside the head, she was going to run her through the chest. Neither option was acceptable in the dark entity's mind.
So she quickly decided that neither would come close to hitting her.
Shayera was almost breathing down her neck when Chaos suddenly stopped in midair, legs spreading out immediately, preventing either weapon from getting any closer to her. Then before the Guardian could react, she smashed both feet together, sandwiching the Spartan's head in between them with concussive force. A knee shortly followed, her blade slashing down.
Shayera saw the sword coming down, and was barely able to bring her own blade up in time to block it. The tip of the other blade still managed to nick her brow, drawing a speck of blood. The force of the blow sent her downward to the city.
Sailor Moon flew in from behind, her scepter powering up… and was stabbed through and through.
Chaos, perhaps sensing that an attack was approaching, had reversed her weapon, thrusting it upward and at an angle. The future Queen had been so close by then, she didn't have time to get out of the way.
The pain was tremendous. It took everything Serenity had not to lose her grip on her powers. Instead, she brought her scepter down, touching Chaos's head. "Moon Honey Therapy Kiss!" she gasped out.
Chaos screamed as she received one of the most powerful healing blasts she had ever received in her eternal life. She could literally feel the skin burning off of her face. The agony became so intense that she finally let go of her sword, flying away as quickly as she could. The sword vanished almost immediately.
With blood flowing freely from both entry and exit wounds, Sailor Moon slowly descended towards the Earth, fighting to stay conscious. The Crystal was already hard at work, trying to keep her alive long enough to reach the surface. She made it, standing unsteadily on two feet for a full minute.
But then, the ground rushed to meet her as she collapsed.
Shayera saw it all, and was incensed.
Sailor Moon was one of the most incredible people to ever grace the Milky Way Galaxy. Her efforts, her mere existence, had prevented the planet's destruction many times over. And her ability to make friends with just about anyone was legendary. It was those very traits that would allow her to build one of the greatest nations in any time period.
And now, she was dying from a wound that wouldn't close, no matter how powerful the healing spell was.
The Guardian righted herself in midair, and shot upward…
… Only for Chaos to spear her en route, sending them both back down to the streets once again. She immediately began pummeling Shayera senseless, a wild rage transforming her already burned face into a mockery of life itself. "Why won't you die?" she bellowed, balling her fists together and bringing them down.
Shayera blocked the blow with her forearm, grunting in pain as her muscles cried out in protest. She couldn't do much of anything until her head cleared, and Chaos wasn't letting up long enough for that to happen. Any rational thought she had was long gone, replaced by a berserker rage that few could match.
Potter brought her hand up, but lowered it almost immediately. "We can't attack from a distance!" she shouted to the others. "We'll destroy Shayera too!"
"And we won't make it in time to stop her from killing the Guardian!" Wendy added. "But let's see if I can pull her off of my friend!" She reached out with the Force.
Chaos felt an invisible hand grab her, and begin pulling her off of her nemesis. "Not this time, you English bitch!" she snarled, using her own power to grab the Force grip, and pull back.
Wendy flew forward against her will, more shocked than anything by her newfound predicament. Apparently, primal emotion was more powerful than the Force any day of the week. It was a little something she would have to keep in mind for the next time.
She also knew that the second she reached Chaos, the entity's fist was going to become very well acquainted with her skull, and possibly with everything in it. She wouldn't survive their final meeting.
Luckily for her, someone intervened before that became a reality.
Sailor Moon, still bleeding out, was able to stagger to her feet. Through sheer will, knowing that there wasn't a chance in hell of her surviving now, she moved forward.
The plan wasn't to fight Chaos head on. She was too powerful for that, and she was in far better condition than the Moon Princess to win such a contest. Instead, it was all going to go on a gamble. A gamble that a good friend of hers used in another lifetime, to defeat an even more powerful being.
So, Moon, moving so fast that Chaos didn't even have time to react, ran up to her, grabbing the entity from behind. "Let's take a flight, express," she hissed, wings flapping hard.
Wendy, who had been pulled forward by Chaos, suddenly found herself reeling backwards as the entity's grip suddenly vanished. She was hit by a shockwave as the Moon Princess suddenly shot towards the heavens, taking their nemesis with her. It had all happened so quickly, she didn't fully grasp what was going on.
James did however, and his eyes widened. He observed their trajectory, the speed in which Sailor Moon was flying, and immediately guessed what desperate strategy was being utilized. "Is she going to do what I think she's going to do?" he asked his wife, real worry and shock shining through.
Potter nodded, tears beginning to form. "She is," she whispered, sending a silent prayer to the Moon Queen. "By Merlin, she is."
Moon pushed herself harder and harder, taking both of them higher up into the sky. Her wings flapped, increasing her speed, while her blood continued dripping down her body. She ignored it, ignored the lightheadedness, focusing solely on her destination, on her final task. After all, in a few moments, it wasn't going to matter anymore.
Chaos struggled mightily, trying to flip around so she could throttle the Moon Princess, but was unable to. Her grip was unyielding, her determination too great to overcome. "You think you can kill me by cold vacuum?" she shouted. "I can survive in space without any difficulty!"
Moon smirked a little at that. Evil could be so stupid sometimes. "I'm not aiming for space!" she shouted. "In fact, we've got a one way express ticket back to Earth, Chaos… and a little faster than how we left it!" Ah, they had reached the midway point of their final journey. "We're going down together, at long last!"
And Chaos screamed in impotent fury as the Moon Princess suddenly swung them both around, hands gripping leathery wings, and began what would most likely be a fatal descent to the ground…
James was the first to locate them, and his eyes widened even further than before. "Here they come!" he shouted.
"Isn't there any way for us to catch Sailor Moon before they hit the ground?" Wendy asked frantically.
Shayera shook her head sorrowfully, rubbing her throat. "The Moon Princess has her hands on Chaos's wings, to prevent her from using them to avoid death. If we try to teleport her away, then Chaos will also live." Her gaze shifted towards the little fireball shooting towards the ground, frustration and helplessness warring within her. For a being who could do anything, being unable to do just that was a bitter pill to swallow. "In this case, there is nothing we can do."
The young girl turned to observe the same thing, tears leaking from her eyes. Only now did she truly understand true sacrifice. Only now did she realize just how dangerous the life of a hero was, how much sacrifice is required.
She hoped that she could be half as selfless in the future, if her time ever came to make such a choice.
None of them were sure as to what was happening, nor would they ever be able to completely grasp it. They would never understand the sheer powers that were clashing, nor the ancient battle that had culminated eons before it was supposed to. And they certainly couldn't realize just how long the war had really gone on.
All they truly knew was on this day, a hero died saving them, while she was still fighting on another world.
Eternal Sailor Moon's speed had long since reached a point past her escape velocity, her iron grip on Chaos still going strong. Her wings were flapping furiously, as every bit of power was pumped into them. Her mind was focused on this one final task.
Chaos continued to struggle, her power coming out in every direction. Several little blasts struck her captor, eliciting new injuries, but the Moon Princess was at a point beyond pain. It no longer matter what the Dark Senshi did. They had reached the point of no return.
As the two combatants rushed towards the ground, Serena Tsukino felt nothing but peace. Her life flashed before her eyes, every single decision she had made, every battle she had fought, had led her to Crystal Tokyo, and then to this moment. And soon, very soon, she would be reunited with her family. She would finally be free.
She flashed back to another life, to the Moon Kingdom. To Princess Mars, her dear, fiery, and most aggravating protector. The woman with whom she shared a deep bond of sisterhood with. To sweet Venus, the Senshi who was most like her in so many respects with whom she enjoyed gossiping with on matters not of the state. Strong, unbreakable Jupiter, who was a pillar of strength and determination that no one could break. Her beloved Prince Endyimon, who risked incarceration and death to be with her during those fateful final days. His love was the one thing she wished she never did without.
And of course, Mercury. Her adopted sister. Not the strongest of the Senshi in terms of power, but the greatest of all time. She was the most loyal of her royal court, the one who stood by her no matter what. The one who fought Queen Beryl to the last breath… and beat her. It was a feat she would repeat in this lifetime.
Her thoughts finally turned to her daughter, her sweet, sweet Rini, and her past self, the memories of those carefree days soothing her even more as her death swiftly approached. 'At least she will still have her parents,' she thought, a smile gracing her face. 'I hope… I hope she will grow up to be happy, and-,"
And then… impact.
The shockwave from their impact spread across the city, shattering all surviving windows and knocking down buildings that were by now too weak to handle it. Luckily, no one was nearby when they struck, but everyone in the city lost their balance from the resultant aftershock.
In the days to come, some would remember the sheer force that had been unleashed by their impact, how the air and the ground literally heaved to. Others would recall the massive impact crater that formed right in the center of the city.
But most would remember the day, as the day one of the greatest heroes of any age finally fell.
Archer, Janeway, and Susan reached the crater first, quickly followed by the three Guardians and Wendy, all of them recoiling instinctively from the sheer heat of it. The smoke billowing up from it was more than enough to obscure their sight.
But slowly, ever so slowly, a single figure emerged from the battle zone, blood trickling from her mouth, both eyes almost completely red. For a few seconds all of them tensed… before seeing who it was.
Neo Queen Serenity limped forward several feet more, before finally collapsing to the ground, and moved no more. She had de-transformed, revealing what once had been a beautiful white gown, but was now little more than rags. A gold tiara with precious stones, the only thing on her that appeared to be indestructible, slid off of her head, skidding across the pavement. An object fell from her hand, revealing itself to be the Sapphire Crystal, still contained within its locket.
Janeway knelt down next to the older woman, slowly rolling her over, checking for a pulse. It was extremely thready, almost too weak to be detected. Her breath was equally shallow, and blood bubbled from her mouth. It was entirely possible that she wouldn't last long enough for the EMT's to stabilize her. Even Voyager probably wouldn't be able to help her now. The fact that she was still alive was nothing short of a miracle.
Galia landed right in front of her, picking up her crystal. "Maybe I can heal her," she said, voice shaking as she knelt down on the other side. "I have to be able to…"
"There's nothing any of us can do," Shayera whispered sadly. "I'm still recovering, and so are the Potters. Chaos has seen to that, Galia."
Neo-Queen Serenity's unfocused eyes suddenly did focus on Galia, somehow knowing it was her fellow Senshi. She smiled. "Is she…?"
"You did it, Sailor Moon," Galia replied quietly. "You stopped Chaos." She gently brushed through golden strands, soothing the dying woman. "You saved everyone, including Princess Kakyuu."
Serenity nodded, a small smile emerging on her face. "Good… that's all that really matters now." A small cough erupted at that, fresh blood bubbling to the surface. "Galia… I'm sorry… that Crystal Tokyo won't be created now. You… would have… loved it." She coughed, more blood coming up. She felt Galia's hand stroke through her hair, and relaxed, her vision starting to go dark. "If you should see Rini… tell her… I am forever proud of her and everything she's done. Tell her… that… I'll always be… with her… no matter what…"
"…I promise, your Majesty," Galia replied, even though she didn't need to say it aloud, or anything else for that matter. Because when she looked into those eyes again, there was no light within in them. She checked for a pulse and breathing… and got neither.
Eternal Sailor Moon had passed away.
Janeway's head bowed as the Golden Senshi started crying, hearing Shayera start mumbling a prayer to the Gods she believed in. Another brave soul had died fighting evil, one who was as pure as any person could ever be. She had earned her rest, many times over. Except this time, the rest was permanent.
The captain of Voyager was not a very spiritual person. She was a scientist, who always challenged every scientific and spiritual concept around her. But today, on this day of days, she found herself doing the one thing she hadn't had done since she was a child.
She found herself praying to God.
Susan watched the scene before her, her gaze distant as she remembered her family, taken before their time. Though they were now in Narnia, once more ruling the great lands under Aslan, they could never to Earth.
Unlike her, who could never die… until her unknown task was done.
Molly's eye shone with tears as she watched the impossible happen. She couldn't believe it. She had known Sailor Moon for years, and had always assumed the woman to be un-killable. She was Tokyo's ultimate defender, Earth's greatest hero.
But now, as she watched Sailor Galaxia mourn over her body, Molly now knew that very few were truly un-killable. And her best friend wasn't one of them.
The tears fell down her face as she remembered everything that had happened over the last day. First Melvin, now Sailor Moon. Who would be next?
"Serena…" she whispered, "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry you could never tell me the truth. I'm sorry for everything."
And she was sorry for everything that would never come to pass.
Hope Island
Silence reigned.
Every one present in the Crystal Chamber was grieving, having just witnessed perhaps one of the most selfless acts of heroism. Even Zarm, who was usually immune to such things, was uncharacteristically silent.
Gaia turned away from the screen, trying to marshal herself. "We have very little time to grieve right now," she said quietly. "Smith is preparing for his push to Mexico. We need to be ready."
Mary brushed a tar from her eye, then centered herself, breathing in and out. Gaia was right. They would be allowed to bury their dead, but only after the battle was over. Their enemies were on the move, and would not stop until they were all dead. Like it or not, they were all that was now capable of standing against the Death Dealer.
And they had to win, so Sailor Moon's sacrifice was not in vain.
George looked up, his eyes uncharacteristically grim. He had been sitting on the sidelines while his family risked their lives protecting this world. "Do you need another set of hands there?" he asked.
"Two sets of hands," Millicent interjected. "We may not be able to brandish a pistol, but we can help with preparation."
Mary was about to put a lid on it, but then realized where this was coming from. She also knew that nothing short of knocking them out and tying them up would deter them.
Gaia nodded grimly. "Why not? It's not as if we'll live if Sakar wins." She turned around, staring at the screen. "We leave in two hours," she said.
Lunar, Inland Sea
Rini suddenly stopped in her tracks, her body shuddering as a cold chill suddenly shot through her, totally at odds with the warm breeze blowing off the fresh water sea. Someone she cared for had just died, but who?
Suddenly, her eyes widened with shock. There was only one possible explanation for it, one that she had thought was impossible. "No… it can't be."
Sailor Moon and Darien had both noticed that their future daughter was no longer beside her, and turned around. "Rini…?" she asked, taking in her gaze. "What's wrong, honey?"
The little girl looked up, tears forming in her eyes as she figured it all out. "Mommy," she whispered. "I don't know how, but she's dead, Serena. My mommy's dead!"
Everyone turned around at that silent statement, eyes widening as Serena and Darien knelt down, gathering her up in a family hug, all of them realizing what that meant.
The future as the Senshi knew it was gone forever. Rini was now the only survivor of the Thirtieth Century. A blip in the cosmic balance with no time to call her own. She was an orphan before she was even born.
And there was nothing any of them could do to change that.
Well, here is the next chapter of Armageddon. Please read and review, let me know if there is a way I can improve upon this. I really would like the input.