~Drops of Starlight~
By Strawberry Moon Rose
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi.
Chapter 48: Pursuit
"Seiya!" Usagi cried, pulling back. "Watch out!"
Fighter whipped around to see Xenon barreling right for them, arm wound back, about to strike.
"Star Crushing Nova!" Fighter slashed her sword. Beams of energy rolled off the blade, arching in star-shaped discs.
Xenon was too close to evade the attack. With a howl, she took the barrage. Somehow managing to tuck and roll, the guardian hit the floor with some amount of grace and sprang back to her feet. She looked mildly injured, but fully provoked.
Fighter stepped in front of Usagi protectively. She narrowed her eyes on her opponent. Xenon held her glare. For a moment, no one dared to move.
Then Xenon tilted her head and said, "Oh, Fighter, even after all these years you still make that same face when you're angry. How endearing."
Fighter cut to the chase. "Where's the brooch?"
"You think I'd be foolish enough to hand it over? God, I'm so tired of people underestimating me..."
Fighter clenched her sword. This was bad. How was she supposed to attack while keeping Usagi safe? Any step she'd take would leave the moon princess vulnerable. Without her locket, Usagi couldn't transform, and Fighter knew she couldn't defeat Xenon on her own - she was just too powerful. The only worthy opponent was Sailor Moon. Only Usagi could do this. That brooch was crucial.
Otherwise they'd be stuck in this stare down for who knows how long. Would the others ever be able to find them? If only they could get here somehow. Having more guardians would generate a bigger distraction. Xenon may possess more power, but their advantage lied in their numbers.
Fighter remembered Nephrite handing her Queen Keika's starseed. He had somehow managed to get it from Xenon. Fighter imagined being able to get the starseeds of Guihua, Krypton, Argon, and Neon from her as well. If they could be resurrected, they could fight too, essentially becoming that distraction she needed.
But could she do that? Fighter wasn't sure. In Nephrite's fleeting moments, she hadn't even thought to ask how he'd managed to get the Queen's.
A new fear came to her mind - Xenon summoning Keika's other guardians as pawns against them. It would be just like when Uranus and Neptune submitted to Galaxia's control in exchange for their starseeds. If it was a possibility, she and Usagi were definitely doomed.
Seconds ticked by. Could Xenon tell she was trying to formulate a plan? What was she thinking, glaring at them like that?
The hairs on the back of Fighter's neck rose. Suddenly she had the inclination Xenon was about to attack.
She was right.
"Butterfly Spell!"
Violet energy bursts in the shape of butterflies flew from Xenon's palm. Fighter grabbed Usagi's wrist, tugging her out of the way.
"Seiya-!" Usagi protested, tripping. It felt like her body was fighting off the effects of anesthesia. She didn't have the strength to run, not after Xenon drained so much energy from her.
Fighter felt the burning sting of the butterflies making their mark on her back. An agonizing cry croaked from her lips. Xenon just laughed.
That's Argon's attack! Fighter thought, gritting her teeth. So she's directly manifesting their power, huh?
While Xenon shouted another attack, the Starlight wasted no time retracting her sword blade into her star yell, scooping Usagi into her arms and taking off.
Fighter made it to the mouth of the cavern when more butterflies singed her shoulder blades and lower back. She nearly fell from the sheer pain of it, but Usagi's tight grip on her reminded her why she so desperately needed to get to safety.
The farther she fled, the darker it became. Fighter hugged Usagi close in her arms, taking a random left, then a right, and another right, then pausing at another fork and listening while holding her jagged breath.
"You can run, but you can't hide forever!" Xenon's voice echoed far away. That was good. But was she following them?
Click, click, click. Approaching boots. Yes, she was.
Fighter spent a good while trying to shake her. Her body moved on instinct, taking turns at random, shimmying through narrow spaces until she was far from the main tunnel. She had to slow down, as she couldn't see very well at this point. The veins of crystal in the ceiling and walls were less abundant. If they were lucky, the darkness could work to their advantage and provide coverage.
The Starlight hadn't realized the small crevice she'd worked her way into led to a dead end until she walked smack into the wall, bruising her forehead and the bridge of her nose.
"Damn it," Fighter whispered.
"Are you okay?" Usagi said quietly.
"Yeah..."
"You can set me down now. I just got weak back there, but I'm fine now."
"You sure?"
"Yes."
Fighter lowered the girl to her feet, but kept a hand on her shoulder. She could barely make out Usagi in the darkness.
Feeling blindly in front of them, and to all sides, Fighter tried to visualize her surroundings. The area they'd worked into was tight and narrow, only two feet wide, tops. The ceiling was inches above her head, with one tiny streak of crystal spiderwebbed in the rock, offering minimal light. The amplified echoing of their breathing was the only sound. In here, it was almost deafening.
"I don't think she'll find us here," Usagi murmured as silently as she could.
A couple minutes passed and nothing happened, giving them a shred of hope. Their eyes adjusted, just slightly, and Fighter could see Usagi nibbling on her lower lip.
"We need to get your brooch back," Fighter said.
"I know. If she figures out how to use the silver crystal..." Usagi didn't finish the sentence.
"Where is it, Bun Head?"
"The crystal? It's in the brooch."
"No, I mean your transformation brooch. What'd she do with it?"
"Oh. I saw her tuck it into a pocket at her skirt. That was a while ago, though. She could have it someplace else by now..."
Fighter was quiet for a moment. Thoughts formed in her mind like the stalagmites around them. It was only a matter of time before Xenon discovered their location. They had to come up with a plan, pronto.
Usagi shifted, trying to get comfortable, but it wasn't easy. She was angled awkwardly against the cave wall, and had held the position for the past few minutes out of fear of making too much noise. But her back was beginning to ache. Her legs burned.
"Here, sit down," Fighter told her. "You need to save your strength."
The Starlight pressed herself against the craggy wall, allowing Usagi a little more room to get comfortable on the damp floor.
"S-Sorry," Usagi whispered, jabbing her more than once. It seemed like no matter which way she turned, she was squishing against the Starlight. Usagi was grateful for the dark, so the heat rushing to her face wasn't noticeable after she realized she'd had her hand on Fighter's bare thigh for way too long.
"It's okay." Fighter smiled, despite the situation. Usagi's body heat was comforting. Her strawberry-vanilla scent was proof that she was really there.
Fighter crouched beside her, all a jumble of limbs. "I don't know what I would've done if something happened to you. I'm glad you're alright, Bun Head."
"You too." Usagi felt for her in the darkness. When she identified Fighter's shoulder, she pulled her in for a tight hug. Fighter winced.
"Sorry! Did I hurt you?"
"It's nothing. Just that last attack."
"Let me see," Usagi insisted. Fighter managed to pull her shoulder forward and turn the other way. She felt Usagi's fingertips running along her upper back, leaving a pleasant tingling trail in their wake. Fighter suppressed a shudder as Usagi touched her, sweeping her ponytail aside.
"Does this hurt?" Usagi whispered, her fingers skimming over a slightly swollen patch of skin that felt warm to the touch.
"No," she lied. It was uncomfortable as hell, like a hornet's sting. Fighter had been hit by Argon's Butterfly Spell attack once on accident when she was younger during a training session alongside Keika's guardians. She'd spent the rest of the day scratching at the painful welts until Keika sent her to the infirmary for an herbal remedy. Argon, being the sweetheart she was, had apologized profusely, even though it wasn't her fault.
It wasn't in this instance either.
"Seiya," Usagi whispered, sounding worried, "you got hit so many times…" Her hand trailed over her lower back, finding more sores.
"I've had worse." Fighter turned back to face her. It was true, Galaxia had beaten them horrendously during the war. Xenon had nothing on her. Yet.
"If you say so." Usagi didn't sound convinced. "How did you get here anyway?"
"The same way she brought you here, I imagine."
"So the others...?"
Fighter shook her head. Then it was like a lightbulb went off over her head. Why hadn't she thought of it earlier? She pulled out her star yell and said, "I can try and contact them."
"Good thinking!"
Fighter touched a button on her headset. Would this even work? Xenon could have them in a whole different dimension.
"Earth," Fighter dared to say aloud. She cringed as her voice echoed louder than she liked. "Sailor Star Maker," she whispered, the words trickling from her lips like air.
The feedback static crackled in her ear. Seconds snailed by. Her stomach sank. It hadn't even taken this long to reach Sailor Star Lover on Kinmoku.
Usagi's big blue eyes were anchored on her in anticipation. Up went her eyebrows, as if to ask, Any luck?
Then came Maker's distorted voice in her ear, "Fighter?"
"Maker!" Fighter brightened. "Yes, it's me."
"Where are you? Are you okay?"
The lead Starlight spoke swift and low, getting her teammate up to speed.
"Mercury says to stay on the line," Maker said. "She may be able to draw from your coordinates."
The next few minutes passed in hopeful silence. Sailor Mercury's voice cut in and out over the static. Fighter cupped her hand over her earpiece, smothering the light her device produced. The last thing she wanted was to give away their position.
While she was ecstatic to reach the others, unease began to creep in. It had been too long since escaping Xenon. Shouldn't she be after them by now? Was she giving them a head start?
Suddenly Fighter feared she would foresee her contacting the others. If they ever needed a blindspot in Xenon's foresight, it would be now.
"Fighter, it seems-" Maker's voice garbled.
"I didn't catch that last part."
"-a...in the...if you two-"
"You're cutting out." Fighter touched the earpiece. "Maker-"
The line died.
"Maker?" Fighter pressed the connection button. Twice. Nothing.
"What happened?" Usagi mouthed.
"We lost them." Fighter sat for a moment, then tried again. "Earth," she commanded. "Sailor Star Healer."
A high-pitched whine of feedback squealed in her ear. That usually went away after a second, but this time it remained.
"Kinmoku. Sailor Star Lover," she tried, just to see if it would work. Only feedback. Damn it. She had a bad feeling about this. Fighter squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them. "We need to go," she whispered, making a move to stand.
"Where?" Usagi stumbled to her feet, bumping her head against the cave wall. "Ouch…"
Fighter steadied her. "We're sitting ducks here. Let's find another place to hide so you can properly rest. Somewhere farther away. Maybe if you can gather enough strength, together we can confront her head-on."
"It's inevitable, isn't it?"
"Yes, I think it is." Fighter's gloved hand stroked her face. "Bun Head… No matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you. And I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you from this disaster I've brought here."
"Seiya..." Usagi placed her hand over Fighter's. Her voice cracked. "I love you too."
The Starlight leaned down, somehow finding her lips perfectly in the dim light.
Usagi felt the familiar press of skin, the familiar taste of her mouth. It was different this time - there was something stronger in the way Fighter kissed her. More raw, like this could be their last kiss if things went awry. That thought terrified her.
When Fighter pulled back, Usagi stretched on her tiptoes and kissed her again, once, twice, and three times more, loving the chuckling sound Fighter made when she gave in each time.
Finally, they untangled and the Starlight said, "Let's go."
There was more bumping into each other as they squeezed out of the narrow passage. Fighter led the way with one hand straight out in front of her. Usagi was on her heels, keeping a palm on her back so she didn't lose her.
When the tunnel widened, they could move faster, but they chose not to sacrifice stealth over speed. Fighter wished she had paid better attention before - was the path leading them right back to the main cavern or farther away, into the unknown? The amythest-like crystals provided no sense of direction anymore, all glowing the same now. But they couldn't waste too much precious energy wandering.
After hiking for some time, they stumbled into another vast cavern. The far wall loomed twenty foot in height with a cracked webbing in the center, perfect for rock climbing. The flat top of the stone appeared to be plenty big for the both of them to fit onto, and would provide a safe vantage point.
If they could scale it, Fighter could keep watch while Usagi rested and she formulated a plan. They needed to buy as much time as possible, in case the others were able to teleport to them.
"There's no way I can climb that," Usagi said once she realized what Fighter was thinking. "I failed gym class pretty much every year."
"That doesn't surprise me."
"Seiya…"
"Here, get on my back."
"Are you sure? I'm probably too heavy..."
Fighter knelt and motioned for her to get on, piggy-back style. With a shrug, Usagi wrapped her arms around Fighter's shoulders and hooked her legs around the taller woman's hips. When Fighter rose to her feet, Usagi clung tight, and even tighter when she started to scale the rocky wall.
Hand over hand and foot over foot, she climbed. Fighter's sailor guardian gloves and boots provided decent grip. It was humid in the cave, and with Usagi's additional weight, Fighter found herself breaking a sweat by the time she reached their new hiding spot.
She helped her over safely, letting Usagi use her shoulder as a step while keeping a hand on the blonde's lower back to steady her. When Usagi got on the ledge, she turned around on her hands and knees and extended a hand down to Fighter, helping her up.
Fighter settled, exhaling. This was much better. She could see in all directions now. They were still hidden far enough back on the ledge that she'd see anyone below well before they'd be spotted.
The Starlight tried to make herself comfortable. What she'd give for a cushion or a tall glass of ice cold water. She extinguished the thought they would be left in this place for so long they would perish of dehydration.
Usagi sat close, resting her head against Fighter's shoulder. Fighter intertwined their hands and began pouring her energy into her. Immediately Usagi felt the power of the stars flowing into her system in pleasant, cosmic waves. After just one minute, her headache dissipated.
Usagi's eyelids were heavy, so she closed them, catching one last glimpse of Fighter's star yell in her hand. The crescent moon in the middle of the device struck her as odd once more. Was it a coincidence that both of their weapons had each other's symbols on them? She played with the harmless thought as she dozed off.
Fighter suddenly felt lethargic. She eased up on the amount of energy she was giving Usagi, but the fatigue came on fast and hard. What was going on? This feeling was unnatural. It wasn't right.
Fighter blinked, forcing herself to stay awake. They couldn't both sleep now. An icy feeling settled in her bones. Was it her imagination or were her limbs starting to tingle? She blinked again. Double vision.
It was then that she noticed the violet gas settling in the air like a fog. It poured in from the mouth of the cavern and crept up fast in the air around them.
Fighter tried to form Usagi's name on her lips. She tried to stand. She tried to extend her sword. But her body did not obey.
The fumes invaded her nostrils. Her eyelids came down and everything went black.