A smile appeared on my face as my magic surrounded me in its comforting embrace. Summoning my weapon, I nearly laughed as when I felt its familiar weight; it felt right. I felt like this was the first correct thing that had happened today. I was so happy, I wasn't useless, helplessly running from everything, nothing could bring me down from the high I felt.
However, magically enhanced strength wasn't the only thing that my transformation brought me; and it wasn't pleasant. As my magic infused me a bit of the fog surrounding my memories cleared, and what I remembered blindsided me in a single heart wrenching moment. I remembered the last thing that I, Saturn; had done, and for that moment I hated my power.
The me that was Taylor had used my final power, dying to protect everything I loved.
The me that was Saturn had unleashed my accursed power, destroying everything I had loved.
Why!? Why had I done that!? I couldn't remember why! There had to be a reason, but I couldn't remember! No answers were forthcoming, and I felt futile anger chilling my bones. My time for self reflection was cut short as my transformation finalized. I needed some time to think and find answers, but, surrounded by potential enemies, I wouldn't be given that opportunity.
"Holy shit!" The nazi knight gasped, his cool confident tone evaporating. "She's actually Saturn!"
His declaration irritated me, his honeyed words from before had been lies. No-one had believed that I was truly Princess Saturn, although I too didn't want to accept my accursed mantle. I could only conclude that they had come to use me and my likeness, and the idea attracted my ire.
Snapping my gaze up to the man that had come to offer me protection, I flourished my weapon before bringing the haft down violently. "You!" I snarled, as my weapon cracked a tile next to my foot.
"Uh, yes Lady Saturn?" He answered dumbly.
"If you are to call me a title, use the correct one! I am Princess Saturn!" I rebuked. "You wear the trappings of a knight, do you also also claim to follow the tenants of such a role?!"
"Y-yes of course Princess Saturn." He seemed to snapped to attention before bowing at the waist. Not the correct supplication, I noted, but doubted that he knew the correct forms. "I am called Crusader, and I am here to bring you to the safety of Empire 88."
"Wait! Saturn he-" One of the other two capes behind me interrupted before I cut them of, silencing them with an out-held palm.
"If you make such a claim, then why do you follow the teachings of a foolish tyrant now more than a half century defeated?" I snarled, the fear that had consumed me earlier combined with the anger of my revelation that left me in a cold rage. "Do not the tenets of a knight include swearing to defend the weak and innocent, and to be a champion of right and good, against evil and injustice?"
"Uh- y-yes princess." He stuttered before he rallied. "I serve The Empire, and the good of the American people. Defending the innocent against the corrupt ideas of those that do not-"
"Ideas?!" I scoffed, ignoring the sounds of combat still ringing around the store. "You fight ideas with ideas and if yours is true you will not need to fear. In a battle of ideas the first to use violence has already lost! It is only when your foe has lost that fight that you defend what is yours, before striking back at the source; leaving no quarter! Now get out of my sight!"
The knight paused for a moment, glancing around to assess the situation, and noting that I was still surrounded by his squad of doppelgangers. "I am sorry princess but I must bring you to Kaiser." He said, a hint of nervousness in his tone.
"Then I too, will do what I must." I growled bringing my weapon to bear. Despite my anger I wasn't as confident as I sounded, I was still magically weak and he did outnumber me.
The surrounding ghostly images moved as one, some facing the two capes, but most closing in on me. The first knight stepped up, it's ghostly hands reaching out to me. Jabbing with my weapon, I extend out to my full reach, the magically infused blade slid through the image without any resistance. I was a bit surprised when the ghost had approached with what seemed to be unthinking confidence, it didn't even react when I countered. Its form shimmered and vanished before I spun readying myself for the next when they all stopped.
"Oh fuck!" Crusader gasped before he jumped back, his summons maneuvering around me to surround him in defensive formation. "RUNE!"
Keeping my blade forward in readied stance, I forced down my surprise. Why was he so scared, his summons had gone from blindly attacking to defensive in an instant? He had me surrounded, but he just gave up his troop's superior position.
A large boxed TV flew past me, reflexively I stepped to the side forming a point of a triangle so I could keep my eyes on everyone. Vector and Heat Sink stood readied, glaring intensely at the nazi. Vector lifted another TV like it had weighed nothing and sent it toward Crusader. The boxed TV flew straight with no arch until it seemed gravity remembered its job and pulled it to earth. I almost missed the fact that the box had slipped through the summoned knights but Crusader sidestepped it. I was slightly confused for a moment, because I remembered bouncing off of them like they were solid. Perhaps they could only act on living material and my glaive harming his creations had shocked him. He couldn't know that my weapon was part of me as much as my own arm was.
Holding my ground I kept all the capes in my vision, two more ghost knights charged me and I cut them down with a twirl of my glaive. Crusader ducked behind a display of DVDs as Heat Sink sent a shimmering yellow beam at him, the beam missed and continued till it ignited a distant couch. I didn't care that the other two capes seemed to be helping me. My emotions were such a mess that I didn't care who was friend or foe; I was alone.
"Rune!" Crusader yelled, as we all stood at a stale-mate.
"Saturn you should go; we can cover you!" The man in grey, Vector grunted.
"I am getting very tired of people telling me what to do!" I hissed back, I was about to say more when a loud clattering noise sounded behind me. With a flourish of my glaive I spun around to see the girl in red and black nearing us, the crumpled car hood she rode was even more ragged than before. I was stressed, and angry and with the number of potential enemies seemingly increasing, I feared that I would have to defend myself with lethal force. I didn't want to have to kill anyone in my confused state, but my level of restraint was quickly wearing thin.
"What!? I just buried Aegis under an entire shelf but he won't-" She cut off as she floated closer and spotted me. "Oh shit! She's actually Saturn!"
"Uh Maybe, you take care of her; get her to Kaiser!" He ordered, worry painted his every word. "I can handle these two!"
"Me! Why the fuck! I'm not suicidal!" She gasped.
"She can cut through my knights!" He argued. "Just stay away from her-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Vector yelled with his hands raised high, interrupting everything. "I think we just need to all calm down, I think we're all stressed because it turns out- ahh who am I kidding, Heat Sink!"
And like that the five of us burst into motion. The duo moved, Vector fell up toward the ceiling and Heat Sink launched another beam of yellow light at Crusader. I lost sight of those three as Crusader retreated into the electronics section.
My attention was on the girl called Rune, as she sent two brown boxes at me. Batting both projectiles away with a twirl of my pole-arm I sent her a glare that caused her to squeak in alarm and dive to the ground, breaking my line of sight behind a rack of merchandise. The tight corridors of the aisles severely hampered my movement, but in my magically enhanced state I easily jumped on top of the rack Rune had hidden behind. I was pleased that it easily handled my weight with hardly a wobble. What didn't please me was when I saw Rune floating back toward the ceiling two racks filled with clothes hovering at her side.
"Please don't kill me, I'm only following orders!" She whimpered and sent a rack in my direction. The clothing was a much better projectile than I first expected as the individual articles came off in a wide cloud. Ducking under the metal rack I attempted to flick a clump of clothing away only for it to wrap around the butt of my weapon. It slowed me down as the next rack of cloths zipped toward me. Jumping away I again avoided the metal rack only for another clump of clothes to hit me. It didn't hurt but it did throw me of course and I landed on the edge of a shelf that gave way with a 'clunk.' Without the support of the shelf I fell into the middle of an aisle catching myself on all fours, as boxes rained down around me.
"I'm sorry!" I heard her call fearfully as I pushed myself to my feet. I was angry and lost. We didn't need to fight, I just wanted to be left alone to I could think and come to terms.. Why wouldn't they just leave me alone?!
Jumping back up to the top of a rack I saw that Rune had collected more ammunition that hung around her in a lazy spiral. With a growl I set my weapon before me, ready for her attack. She didn't disappoint as a stream of various merchandise came at me. Balancing carefully I spun away avoiding some radios, and with a upward cut I sliced a flat screen television in half so that the pieces split on either side of me. Twirling my weapon defensively around me I deflected a barrage of items that had swung around for another attack. Breaking the projectiles apart or cutting them seemed to disrupt her control and it gave me an opportunity to attack. Rune gasped as I jumped forward, and it was only because of her quick reaction that I was only able to cut away a corner of the hood she rode on. A faint smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as a familiar strip of red fabric fluttered down as I landed.
After that surprise she kept her distance from me, running just as often as she would turn to throw more projectiles. I was unable to close the distance as it was very difficult to dodge or deflect projectiles, all while trying to keep solid footing in a store that was becoming a state of ever increasing ruin. However, I can say that her fear was amusing and the exercise was certainly a good way to shake the rust off.
"Oh God! Please don't use your final power thing, I'm not worth it!" She yelled as she zoomed between two aisles running her hands along rows of goods. The items she touched moved to follow her as she zipped away, glancing back to ensure that I was well outside of strike range. I was so frustrated, she was too fast and the increasingly chaotic state of the store slowed me while I defended myself from her bullet hell. If I had the magical energy to use a ranged attack I wouldn't be forced to chase her down. Several of her projectiles had made it though my defenses and while they didn't hurt too much I would eventually be worn down.
Jumping down into an aisle I avoided two large packages of bottled water, only to growl after I heard a loud wrenching sound. Jumped back up I was shocked to see that she had reloaded with an entire support column, the roof held but I could see the beams had bent slightly. With a twirl I positioned my glaive behind my back, blade down, my legs crouched and ready. I took a moment to look around searching for something that would gain me an upper-hand, but I was surprised when Rune didn't attack.
My confident stance seemed to put her off of a continued fight as she held both her hands out. "Wait, okay! We don't need to fight, how about you just come with me and talk. Kaiser didn't want this, I know I don't want this!"
She didn't seem to know that at the moment she had a decisive advantage, as long as she kept her distance I was forced to stay on the defensive while chasing futilely after her. I was just waiting for her to make a mistake, and perhaps that is what she feared. "If Kaiser wanted to talk he would come himself or at the very least politely request a meeting. He didn't, instead he sends you to take me by force!"
"Not by force! Uh- Crusader just wasn't thinking." She denied, deflecting the blame. "If you join us you'll be a symbol that the people will rally behind, so much good could be done!"
"A symbol for hate." I snarled. "I would rather die, even if it would mean taking you and your entire empire with me!"
Her mouth gaped open and closed several times as she hung dumbfounded in the air. Any further interactions was cut short as a nearby fallen rack shuddered, moving upward with a metallic screech.
The person in red I had seen falling from the skylight earlier slipped out from underneath it. Whoever it was, seemed to stress Rune ever more as she pulled her floating pillar closer. As he stood I got a good look at him, while I couldn't see his face I guessed that he was young. The frayed state of his costume concerned me as did the suspicious wet spots on the red fabric that could easily be his blood. He however, didn't seem to be overly concerned as he took a moment to look between Rune and I. His eyes widened when he saw me and he opened his mouth to speak, but the only sound that came from his lips was a gurgling noise followed by a splash of blood. A flash of concern passed through me but he seemed to be only annoyed as he wiped the blood away with the back of his hand before fixing Rune with an angry glare. Without breaking eye contact he twisted his neck creating an ominous deep popping noise.
"Yeah, no!" Rune gasped, before looking up, angling the column before smashing it into a skylight. The glass shattered and she swiftly floated through the hole she had created.
Sending a glare at her retreating form I stayed where I was, I didn't want to chase fruitlessly after her especially now that she was outside with more room to avoid me. If she was willing to leave that was enough from me; for now. The boy in red made a motion to follow her but his head turned to look at me and he stopped. My memory tugged at me, giving me the vague sense of 'good guy', and since he wasn't attacking me or demanding anything I relaxed slightly. A bit of annoying paranoia reminded me that perhaps the reason he wasn't demanding anything was because he couldn't speak.
He gave me a small wave and smiled without showing any teeth. He was able to grunt, as he nodded giving me a thumbs up. While men might be able to communicate with grunts and simple gestures, it wasn't a skill I possessed and at the moment had no desire to learn. Turning, I looked out from my vantage point, the store was a mess. There was a trail of destruction that I recognized as the path I had taken while chasing Rune, merchandise scattered and lay broken in a fan like pattern. In a corner near the front black smoke was steadily spreading, creeping along the ceiling. The smoke was thick enough that I was barely able to see the letters 'Deli' over the counter. One of the main entrances I could see had shattered glass scattered along the floor where a squad of black clad soldiers stood defensively, multicolored lights flashing behind them.
The situation inside the store seemed to be settling down despite its ruined state, and I didn't hear anymore gunshots or screams. However, I needed somewhere safe so that I could figure out my fractured memories. While I was still strong physically, I was rapidly approaching my limit emotionally. And, there was another was squad of black soldiers that were heading in my direction that I didn't want to deal with. Looking up I decided to use the exit that Rune had created, and readied myself just in-case she hadn't fled completely.
Jumping through, I was glad to see that the grey expanse was empty besides the domes of translucent glass and breaker boxes. Rune couldn't be seen, I suspected she had flown away before going to ground to hide. Stepping away from the broken skylight the boy in red followed me, defying gravity as he floated through. Turning to look out over the city, I wished that things would make sense. I was just about to walk to the edge of the roof when three sharp snaps interrupted me.
Looking back the injured cape pointed at me, before holding his hand out flat and then pointed down. That was easy enough to understand, 'you stay here.' A flash of annoyance shot through me, I wasn't a dog to be snapped at and ordered around! I was starting to miss Greg, he was awkward, and lacked manners but he seemed to sincerely care.
"What!" I snapped. "I've been attacked, kidnapped, and nothing makes sense. I need to sit down and try to figure out why I'm not dead!"
He gave me a thumbs up before walking over to a nearby metal breaker box, sitting down on it before patting a spot beside him.
"No!" I scoffed, only slightly feeling bad for yelling at someone who couldn't respond. "I can barely remember anything and the majority of people that have hidden their faces have been either rude or violent!"
He paused, looked around the roof before he slowly raised his hand and tugged off his mask. Now that I could see his face I decided that he was handsome despite what looked to be a rising black eye. Without his mask I noticed why he wasn't speaking, a dark bruise surrounded what looked to be a mangled misshapen throat. I didn't know how he was breathing, but with the slow repetitive rising of his shoulders indicated that he wasn't in danger of asphyxiating. His gesture of unmasking was appreciated, but I still didn't feel very trustful. I did feel bad as he raised his eyebrows and gave me a hopeful thumbs up.
Sighing I tried to relax, but a flicker of light out of the corner my eye caused me to ready myself. With a spin of my glaive I pointed it defensively at the light that was rapidly approaching. The flicker of light slowed and turned into a blue and silver clad man that alighted on the roof. His mouth was slightly agape as he slowly approached.
"Saturn?" He whispered quietly. "Taylor, it's true?! I was briefed on my way here but I didn't really believe it."
"Who are you?!" I demanded, not lowering my weapon. I was again confused, everyone besides Greg had simply called me Saturn. Did he know my other identity? "How do you know that name?"
"I-I'm Legend, I mean I-" He muttered, before cutting himself short. "There was mention about you being confused, but you are Saturn; yes? Also known as Taylor Hebert?"
"Yes! I mean- I don't know!" I yelled, before taking a breath, and running a hand through my hair. "I remember killing Leviathan and-, then I woke up in a park. I don't know how or why, but I just want to go home and think."
"We can do that, we'll contact your father and get everything figured out." He nodded, his hands open passively.
My heart dropped into my stomach as flickers of memory accompanied a wave of emotions that overwhelmed me. My father, Taylor's father, whatever. It made my confusion even worse and I couldn't deal with that right now. Wrapping my arms around myself I hugged my glaive close, I wanted to go home, somewhere safe where no-one could bother me. Memories of two homes filled my mind, but only one of them was a place I could confidently call safe. Relaxing as best as I could I cast my mind outwards, searching for the thing I desperately knew had to be out there. My magic didn't disappoint as I sensed the familiar aura I knew so well, I was going home.
"N-no I will figure this out on my own." I stuttered in answer, while reaching deep within myself. With my weakened magic this would exhaust me, but since I was going to the seat of my power I would make it.
"Taylor, its alright, come with-" He was cut off as my magic blasted out from me, whipping up dust and forming a purple corona. "Wait! Saturn, I don't want to fight! Don't do anything rash!"
"I'm not fighting!" I grunted with strain as I pushed my weakened power, reaching out to the distant yet familiar target.
"Then what- Taylor please!" He said shielding his eyes from the wind my magic created.
I gasped as I felt the connection form, a rush of tingles running down my spine and through my limbs. Raising my glaive to the heavens I chanted, my voice echoing with magic. "PLANETARY TELEPORT!"
A disorienting moment later I fell forward to my hands and knees, a thin layer of off colored snow parting around my hands. Gasping for breath, I shivered as a light but frigid wind blew my skirt and hair. Looking around I was stunned by a the alien landscape I saw. This wasn't what I had expected, all of my memories seemed to have something missing; but this was all wrong. Everything was cast in dim light and the sky was colored with a slight yellow hue. It couldn't be right, the landscape was a frozen wasteland, This wasn't Titan.
Looking up higher I saw something that confirmed where I was with a terrible certainty. "No!" I yelled desperately
Hanging overhead was the source of my power, my beautiful ringed planet; Saturn. I despaired, trying to deny what I saw, but as my exhaustion faded I knew it was true. I felt strength flow into me, the majority of my magic recovering from being so close to where I belonged.
I didn't want to believe it when I had transformed, everything I had loved was gone; it was all my fault. I screamed tugging at my hair trying to remember why before it hit me. The rebellion, and the moon princess's death! I had been called to wipe the solar system clean, giving it a fresh chance to start anew. But as I looked around it didn't feel like any good had come from it. Without the queen's extreme magical power to give them life, the planets would revert to the lifeless rocks that physics demanded. Without my own magic to protect me, I would have expired from the hostile environment of my own moon. My castle wasn't here, and none of my subjects were alive to welcome and comfort me.
I stood sniffing back the tears that threatened to fall, I wouldn't accept that everything was gone. The queen had been both powerful and wise, if I had been reborn then the other guardians should have been too. I was the kingdom's trump card, only to be brought out as a last resort, the others had to be out there somewhere.
Raising my glaive I gathered the magical strength my planet had restored to me, before bring the haft down. A ring of purple magical energy spread out away from me as I struck the ground. Thrice I expelled my magic, it was crude, but it should attract their attention. I waited with baited breath certain that it wouldn't take them long to investigate my signal. Slowly as time passed, minutes or maybe an hour, and a creeping despair crawled up my spine.
Shaking my head, I raised my weapon to gather more magical energy, and three more blasts shook the icy ground. As I waited, I vehemently denied the growing doubts in my mind. I wasn't alone, I couldn't be, fate wouldn't be that cruel. But as time continued to pass without any hint of my allies, the shadow of my fears darkened.
I wracked my mind for answers. I was Saturn, guardian and princess of the planet that shared my name. However my castle was nowhere to be seen, no ruins, no magical echo, nothing. I was alone with all that I thought familiar gone, now existing only in my fragmented memory.
My name was also Taylor Hebert, a girl that had become a cape after my former best friend had shoved me in a locker filled with refuse. Desperately searching all my memories for answers I began to see another picture. Now that I could think and see myself through another mindset I realized that I didn't want to think of myself as Taylor. The me, Taylor had hated herself and feared her own power. I hadn't known all I could do, because I was afraid to try. It was clear to me now that I was forced to examine both sets of memories.
More ideas came to me now that I was thinking clearly. The moon never had a magical kingdom, not for all of recorded time. Even if I had been reborn hundreds of thousands of years after it's destruction there should be some evidence. Without an atmosphere the traces of an entire civilization should still be around. The moon was well mapped, and partially explored, something should have been found. There was even an unfinished moon base up there, and it was certainly not a kingdom.
Wracking my mind for any answer, I thought of the foe I had defeated. Leviathan was a extra-solar, extra-dimensional abomination, it didn't belong here; and maybe my power didn't either. Alternate dimensions were already an established phenomenon with cape powers. If Earth Aleph was a thing, was the Silver Millennium something similar? I didn't know and a part of me knew I was searching for some answer as to why my allies weren't responding to my signal.
Gathering my power I sent my magical distress signal for a third time. I didn't know how long I had been on Titan and I looked around the landscape with a renewed eye. Walking around my immediate surroundings a part of myself marveled at where I was. With both despair and wonder I realized that I was the first person to set foot on this planet. If not the first person, then the first person in a very very long time; it was so bitter-sweet. It was quiet here but there was still a faint wind that blew along the rocks and ice. A trickling sound caught my attention and I found what looked to be a tiny stream of extremely clear water flowing down hill. Without thinking I dipped my hand into the stream, before yanking it back with a gasp. My magic seemed to scream as it strained to protect me from the violent chill surrounded my hand. Looking at my gloves the 'water' seemed to be boiling, bubbling along the magical fabric before it evaporated into nothingness. Liquid methane, a distant part of my mind informed me, as I rubbed my hands together to rid myself of the odd sensation. Again I was struck with the longing for home, this time I didn't only desire my castle.
There were still people that knew me back on Earth. People that I still loved, and needed the protection I could offer. The thought chilled me as much as the atmosphere did. Even with the techniques that Saturn's memories brought to my mind, they wouldn't have been enough to defeat Leviathan. There were still two Endbringers that I could only kill with my final power. I was, or Saturn had been a defender of the solar system. Even if the Saturn part of me was from an alternate dimension this was my solar system, and it needed help.
However I doubted I could do it alone, I needed help. Climbing the highest rise I could see I reached the summit and looked around. Nothing I could see was similar to Saturn's memories, and I didn't want to accept it. Pulling up all the magical energy I could, I screamed sending my power rushing outwards in a burst that left a haze of sparkles hanging in the air. Again falling to my knees, I shivered as the dregs of my magic struggled to keep me protected from the atmosphere's chill.
Pushing myself back I tucked my skirt under me to prevent the ground from evaporating under my butt. Propping The Silence Glaive against my shoulder and between my knees, I curled up and waited for allies that weren't going to come. I didn't want to go back to Earth and deal with what waited for me there. I didn't want to have to deal with gangs intent on using me for my power. I didn't want to confront a father I had been distant with for years, and lied to for months. I didn't want to be go back only to have to use my final power to defeat another extra-solar monster. I didn't want to go home only to die again.
There on top of a hill of ice, surrounded by liquid gasses I couldn't hold it any longer. I cried, my tears rolling down my cheeks before falling to the ground and instantly freezing solid.