Sailor Moon-Violence and Corruption
Part 9: "A Gentle Hand on a Closed Fist"
By Bill K.
"So, Ami," Artemis began. Ami was carrying Artemis in her arms and
walking briskly, trying to cover ground quickly without jostling the wounded cat
as they headed to the hospital. "Do you remember anything about when you were
captured?"
Artemis felt Ami tense.
"I'm sorry if I'm bringing up bad memories," he said, "but we need to know
all we can about this new enemy."
"I understand," Ami whispered. She took in a steadying breath. "The
demon that possessed us is called Tenera. She's the minion of a being called
Talon Umbra."
"Don't know her. What's her goal?"
"To spread chaos and evil throughout the world. Artemis," and Ami
shivered, "this - - entity isn't human. She looks human, but I got a tremendous
sense of ancient evil from her. She deals in corruption and brutality for its
own sake and it's almost like she's done it for a very long time."
"And Sailor Moon stands in the way of her goal," Artemis said. Then he
heard Ami sniff. The cat looked up and saw tears running down her cheeks. "I'm
sorry, Ami. Was it bad?"
"It was horrible," Ami said softly. "I said and did things to my best
friend that I wouldn't do to my worst enemy."
Artemis rubbed his forehead on Ami's hand.
"Do you know where her base of operations is?"
"It was somewhere underground - - far underground. It was very hot."
"Hmm. A spirit of evil, underground?" Artemis thought a moment, then
shook his head. "Couldn't be."
Ami and Artemis got to the entrance of the hospital. They paused,
intimidated momentarily by what they might find inside.
"Well I doubt they'll let me in," Artemis mused. "I'll wait out here in
the bushes while you go visit Usagi and her family."
"If she'll see me," whispered Ami.
After checking with the reception desk to find where the Tsukinos were
housed, Ami figured Usagi would be in ICU with her mother. She decided to skip
the elevator, since ICU was on the third floor, and walked up the stairwell.
Midway up the second flight, she heard the fire alarm go off.
"Oh dear!" Ami gasped. She summoned her transformation wand and changed
to Sailor Mercury. Her nose immediately caught the scent of smoke. "It's
coming from the third floor!"
Mercury expected to see a tragedy in the making when she burst from the
stairwell into the hallway opposite from X-ray. She didn't expect to see what
she saw. Sailor Moon was on her knees, being choked to death by Tygos, the
other demon familiar in Talon Umbra's misbegotten retinue. Even more surprising,
Beruche of the Black Moon Sisters lay unconscious in the hall near them.
"No!" Mercury cried. "Mercury! Aqua Rhapsody!"
A wave sprang up from nowhere and surrounded Tygos. Mercury watched
tensely, waiting for Tygos to fall over from oxygen deprivation. But Tygos
merely turned and glared at Mercury with phosphorescent, hateful eyes while
Sailor Moon gasped for breath.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Mercury yelled desperately. A second wave slammed
over Tygos, knocking her away from Sailor Moon and quick-freezing around the
liquid already there.
Mercury ran up to Sailor Moon, but stopped uncomfortably five feet from
her. Sailor Moon looked up at Mercury, initially grateful to see her. Then her
features clouded over with uneasiness and she turned away in embarrassment.
"Usagi-chan," Mercury whispered, feeling like a knife was sticking through
her heart.
* * * *
Artemis waited nervously in the bushes, his tail swishing. He heard the
fire alarms and wondered what was happening. Without Ami being in possession of
her communicator, he couldn't even call her and ask. And to top it off, his leg
was hurting again.
A feeling made him turn. He spotted the senshi running up and his spirits
soared. They were all together and they were all back - - particularly one
senshi.
"Venus!" he called out from the bush. Venus stopped, stared until she
spotted him, then her face lit up.
"Artemis!" she screamed. Venus lunged forward, plucked the cat up and
hugged him to her breast. "I am SO SORRY for what I did to you!" she cried,
blubbering like a little baby.
"I know," he smiled gently. "You weren't yourself. It wasn't your fault.
If you had been yourself, you'd probably have killed me."
"I sure would have!" she sobbed happily. Artemis rubbed his forehead on
her face.
"I missed you, Minako," he said. "I'm glad you're back."
The other senshi smiled warmly. Finally Uranus, Neptune and Pluto moved
for the door to the hospital.
"Do you suppose the fire is the trouble?" Saturn asked Neptune, following
behind.
At once a security guard blocked the entrance.
"There's a fire in the building," he told them. "You can't go in until
the all-clear has sounded."
"We've got friends in trouble in there," Uranus said belligerently.
"We're going in."
"I can't let you pass," the guard reiterated.
Uranus produced the Space Sword, holding it in her good arm.
"Space Sword Blaster!" she shouted, aiming the energy arcs at the wall
next to the door. The wall exploded inward, opening a huge gap. "We're going
in," Uranus said to the guard, a challenge in her voice. They walked through
the gap unchallenged.
"Was that necessary?" clucked Neptune.
"I thought so," Uranus replied.
At once, Saturn froze.
"Sailor Moon," she whispered, then ran at top speed for the stairwell.
"Saturn!" cried Uranus, but the girl refused to stop. "Come on!" she
demanded, and the other senshi took off after her.
* * * *
Both Sailor Moon and Mercury recoiled as the ice exploded out, much as it
had after Beruche's attempt. Mercury looked up and saw, as the beaten Black
Moon Sisters saw, Tygos emerge unfazed by the attack.
"Craven traitor!" she hissed at Mercury. "Do not interfere with the will
of our mistress!"
She turned to assault Sailor Moon again. Mercury lunged at the ebon
menace, but Tygos lashed out with her left hand and sent Mercury crashing into
the wall.
"Ami-chan!" wailed Sailor Moon. She turned back to Tygos and saw the
crushing hands reaching for her throat.
Suddenly a swatch of deep violet crossed into her line of sight. Sailor
Moon inched back to gain a field of vision.
"Saturn!" she gasped.
Sailor Saturn was between them, the sharp tip of the Silence Glaive
pointed at the throat of Tygos.
"Retreat or die," Saturn hissed.
"Ah, the little death goddess," Tygos replied. If she had a mouth, Tygos
would have been smiling from the sound of her tone. "So, little death goddess,
would you kill me? Were the situation reversed, I would not hesitate in killing
you." Tygos stared into the young senshi's eyes, searching for her answer. "My,
we are so much alike, you and I."
"We are NOT alike!"
"We each possess the power of ultimate misery," Tygos said. "We wield it
in the palms of our hands like these small creatures wield knives and forks. We
merely serve different mistresses. But there is much common ground between us."
"Then if I am so much like you," glared Saturn, "you know I will take your
life if you try to harm my princess."
"Well said," Tygos replied mockingly. "And I see that you do not fear the
ultimate silence that will befall you as well, should you choose to act so."
Tygos paused, as if considering her options. "Very well, let us both die then
and with our deaths take these scuttling little insects with us. Let us both
create a monument of death and misery as paeans to the glory of our mistresses!"
Saturn stared at Tygos in disbelief. And in that moment, Tygos struck,
knocking the Silence Glaive from her hands. Saturn had only a second to realize
what had happened before Tygos sent her spinning to the floor with a wicked blow
to the face.
Tygos looked around and found Sailor Moon scrabbling across the floor past
Beruche's limp form toward the Moon Tier. She cut the distance between them in
three steps. Sailor Moon only had time to turn around before Tygos seized her
around the throat again.
"Do not resist," Tygos said with aloof confidence, squeezing Sailor Moon's
throat. "My Mistress requires your death. Accept your fate."
Sailor Moon struggled to pull out of the grip, but it was as strong as
before. Tygos held her hard and firm against all her efforts to pull free. She
felt for a fleeting moment the unrelenting specter of death brush at her
shoulder. More from pain than from fear, her eyes jammed shut.
Unexpectedly, the grip loosened. Sailor Moon's eyes opened. An arrow of
pure flame stuck out of the chest of Tygos, mere inches above Sailor Moon's
head. Tygos shifted to view the new threat and Sailor Moon peered over the
woman's hip.
"LET - HER - GO," Sailor Mars said. A flaming bow was in her hands.
Naked, blazing hatred was in her eyes. Jupiter and Venus flanked her and each
girl shared Mars' rage, while behind them were Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and
they weren't too happy, either.
"Impotent traitors," sneered Tygos, turning her back to them. "Haven't
you learned yet that your powers mean . . ."
Tygos didn't finish, for a second flaming shaft burst from her forehead,
just above and between her eyes. The demon hovered over Sailor Moon, frozen in
place.
Then she began laughing.
"All together then," Venus said, her eyes narrowing and her voice cold.
"Jupiter!" Jupiter roared. "Oak Evolution!"
"Venus!" Venus joined in. "Love and Beauty Shock!"
Electric bursts exploded on and around Tygos. A shock wave and another
flame arrow impacted as one. Tygos ignored them and squeezed harder.
"Space Sword Blaster!" yelled Uranus.
"Submarine Reflection!" Neptune cried.
"Dead Scream," added Pluto.
The onslaught pummeled Tygos. Nothing short of Galaxia herself should
have been able to stand up to the combined might of six Sailor Senshi raining
their strongest attacks down on her as one.
Sailor Moon dropped to the floor, free of Tygos' choking grip. She gasped
desperately for precious oxygen, the only thought in her mind being survival.
Tygos endured the assault, then slowly straightened and turned around.
"Impossible," marveled Uranus.
"Again," Tygos gestured grandly. "Attack me again, and again and again if
you choose. I am Tygos, right hand of Talon Umbra. I AM brutality! I AM
cruelty! I AM pain and suffering, and the blow delivered in malicious anger, or
fear and suspicion, or ignorance and hatred! Rain your righteous vengeance down
on me and I will laugh at you, for you only strengthen my hand!"
She whirled around and snatched up Sailor Moon by the front of her fuku.
A hand gripped Sailor Moon by her blonde hair and the demon turned back to the
senshi.
"Watch and learn the hopelessness of your cause!" she bragged to them.
"Watch as I twist your patron's head from her shoulders and toss you her
lifeless body!"
Tygos turned back to Sailor Moon when she felt the girl's hands on her
right arm. Sad, wide, tear-stained blue eyes turned up to her. A small,
feminine mouth moved to form words. Tygos paused for a single moment, lingering
to hear her victim beg for mercy before delivering the killing stroke.
But all Sailor Moon said was, "I forgive you."
And Tygos recoiled as if splashed by acid.
Eyes bulged. Mouths dropped. It was a miracle. Tygos, who just moments
before had weathered the strongest attacks anyone could muster and sneered her
contempt, staggered back, her white eyes wide and fearful, as Sailor Moon seemed
to effortlessly ascend to her feet. The fragile-looking girl radiated a silver
glow that was warm and bright and soothing, until she shone like a sun. The
senshi, and the Black Moon Sisters, and all the unfortunate civilians who had
been trapped on the floor with them during the battle stared at Eternal Sailor
Moon in all her glory. Tygos, though, cringed in naked terror. Sailor Moon
glided over to her and knelt down beside the trembling demon.
"Don't be afraid," Sailor Moon smiled, reaching out to Tygos. "I just
want to be friends."
"You have failed, Tygos," the voice of Talon Umbra echoed in the demon's
mind. "I condemn you to your fate."
Sailor Moon clasped the demon's hand gently. Tygos shrieked in pain,
causing Sailor Moon to recoil in surprise and horror. The obsidian form of
Tygos began to swiftly disintegrate until it was dust on the floor. Everyone
seemed to stare down at the remains in stunned surprise. An eerie silence took
over the battleground.
"I don't understand," whispered Sailor Moon, staring at the dust.
"I guess it wasn't worthy of you, Dumpling," Uranus said in a hushed,
reverent tone. She extended the hand on her good arm and helped Sailor Moon to
her feet. Neptune was beside her, staring as if she'd seen a holy revelation.
It made Sailor Moon feel very uncomfortable.
"I am happy you are safe," Pluto said, kneeling reverently at Sailor Moon's
feet, "My Princess."
"My faith in you never wavered, Sailor Moon," Saturn said, staring at her
like she was a rock star.
"Could you four stop this," Sailor Moon replied uneasily. "You're really
creeping me out."
Then her eyes focused on a sight between the shoulders of Uranus and
Neptune. It was the four inner senshi, hanging back and openly uncomfortable.
They saw that she was looking at them. Sailor Moon swallowed.
"Sailor Moon," Jupiter said finally, timidly. "We have to apologize to
you. What we said and did to you was indefensible."
"No," Sailor Moon said softly, her eyes cast down.
"Yes," Mercury replied adamantly. "We were tainted by cruelty and
weakness and that taint was used as a weapon against you. We owe you
reparations beyond mere words."
"I shouldn't have given you a reason to think those things," Sailor Moon
said with a trembling voice. "You give so much to me and I give so little back."
"You give us more than we could ever hope to repay to you," Venus told
her. "You give us the light of hope and the warmth and kindness of your soul."
"I only reflect what you give to me," Sailor Moon replied. "I'm nothing
special. You four are the special ones."
"Don't say that!" Mars said, tears streaming down her face. "You are the
single most wonderful, beautiful, magical person who has ever walked on this
Earth! We are not worthy of you, but we beg you to forgive us just the same."
Sailor Moon looked down uncomfortably.
"Well if I'm so special, why do you yell at me so much?" she asked in a
small voice.
The corners of Mars' mouth began to curl up. Despite her efforts to
suppress them, the giggles began to shake her body even as tears streamed down
her face.
"You can't even let us apologize right, you little bubble-head!" Mars said
between giggles. That got Sailor Moon to giggling.
"You are so mean to me!" Sailor Moon giggled out. The two girls stared at
each other, desperate to push through the barrier between them.
"Oh, Rei!" Sailor Moon finally squealed.
"Usagi!" and the two girls fell into each other's arms, hugging each other
tightly and sobbing anew. Mercury, Venus and Jupiter, their own eyes moist,
crowded in and turned it into a group hug.
"You inners play the strangest games," Neptune whispered, smiling. She
felt Uranus's good arm wrap around her from behind. She leaned against the
willowy woman and caressed Uranus's cheek with her hand.
"I'm taking you to the Sweet Shop and buying you anything you want!" Venus
told Sailor Moon.
"I accept!" Sailor Moon cried.
"You can read any Manga I have anytime you want!" Mars proclaimed.
"Thank you so much!"
"I'm going to bake you a cake ten feet tall!" Jupiter offered.
"Oh, bless your heart!"
"And I'm buying you that blue dress you had your eye on," Mercury added.
"Oh, you guys are too much! I'm going to cook you all a great big dinner
to thank you all!"
"I thought you forgave us," Mars jabbed.
Sailor Moon glared for a second. Then she grabbed Mars and hugged her
again.
"I'm so happy I'm going to let that pass!" squealed Sailor Moon, crushing
Mars to her. "Just don't push it." All the senshi got a laugh from that. Then,
suddenly Sailor Moon sobered and pulled away. "Mama," she whispered.
The memory of the injured Tsukino family brought everyone back to Earth.
They looked around and saw the medical personnel were already back to work,
clearing the debris of battle and tending to the patients in the damaged ICU.
Sailor Moon seemed stricken and unsure as to what to do.
"Find a quiet place and change back," Mercury whispered in her ear.
"We'll cover for you."
Sailor Moon looked gratefully at Mercury, then headed quickly for the
stairwell.
* * * *
The first moment of Tygos's rebirth found her in heavy chains. She was
secured to the floor of the underworld lair of her mistress, forced to her knees
by her bonds. Her head was anchored by a metal collar around her neck so that
she could not raise her head above the level of her back, forcing her into a
position of supplication.
Twisting her head around, Tygos could see above her a rock formation that
resembled a spout. Pooled behind that spout was a crevasse of bubbling molten
lava. She could see the pool was churning and lava flow would inch up the spout
to the point where it would almost spill over, then fall back. The night black
creature strained at the chains holding her, but for all of her vaunted strength,
they held fast.
To her horror, a small dribble of lava spilled over the lip of the spout
and landed squarely on her back below the trails of her silvery hair. Tygos
bellowed out in agony as the searing lava burned her obsidian flesh. The
screams echoed through the cavernous underground lair, seemingly for no one to
hear.
But someone did hear. The click of footfalls on the rock drew Tygos from
the haze of anguish she felt. Her white eyes tried to focus on the green four
inch pumps approaching. They stopped just short of her. Tygos inched her eyes
up and saw Talon Umbra stood before her.
"Why?" Tygos asked pitifully. "I am just now born, Mistress. What have I
done to displease you?"
"You have demonstrated the temerity to question my right to punish you as
I see fit," Talon Umbra replied calmly.
Tygos lowered her gaze. "I beg my Mistress's forgiveness," she whispered.
"If I may ask, how long am I to suffer for my sin?"
"Until I choose to release you," the devil in the green silk dress replied,
the merest hint of annoyance in her voice.
Talon Umbra turned and walked away. The screams of Tygos echoed behind
her as another dribble of lava scorched the demon's back. She brushed her hands
back through her mane of curling brown hair, fluffing it out as she walked
unhurriedly to her throne of stone. Tenera waited to the left of the throne
placidly. Talon Umbra poured herself into the throne and reclined leisurely.
"My Mistress," Tenera said deferentially, "your foe remains in your path."
"You speak of things I already know, Tenera," Talon Umbra replied
distantly.
"Allow me the glory of being the weapon of your next strike."
"No, Tenera. You failed me once before in a previous life. No, Sailor
Moon has proven to be as formidable as I suspected. Only a direct confrontation
will give me my opportunity for victory."
"Then allow me to deal with her aspects," begged Tenera.
"That will not be necessary," Talon Umbra replied, her cold red lips
curling into a confident smile. "Sailor Moon's guardians will be dealt with.
Sailor Moon will face me alone."
"You would lower yourself to dealing with underlings?" Tenera asked. "You
would expend your precious time and energy on lessers?"
"Not at all, Tenera. They will come to me."
Continued in part 10
Part 9: "A Gentle Hand on a Closed Fist"
By Bill K.
"So, Ami," Artemis began. Ami was carrying Artemis in her arms and
walking briskly, trying to cover ground quickly without jostling the wounded cat
as they headed to the hospital. "Do you remember anything about when you were
captured?"
Artemis felt Ami tense.
"I'm sorry if I'm bringing up bad memories," he said, "but we need to know
all we can about this new enemy."
"I understand," Ami whispered. She took in a steadying breath. "The
demon that possessed us is called Tenera. She's the minion of a being called
Talon Umbra."
"Don't know her. What's her goal?"
"To spread chaos and evil throughout the world. Artemis," and Ami
shivered, "this - - entity isn't human. She looks human, but I got a tremendous
sense of ancient evil from her. She deals in corruption and brutality for its
own sake and it's almost like she's done it for a very long time."
"And Sailor Moon stands in the way of her goal," Artemis said. Then he
heard Ami sniff. The cat looked up and saw tears running down her cheeks. "I'm
sorry, Ami. Was it bad?"
"It was horrible," Ami said softly. "I said and did things to my best
friend that I wouldn't do to my worst enemy."
Artemis rubbed his forehead on Ami's hand.
"Do you know where her base of operations is?"
"It was somewhere underground - - far underground. It was very hot."
"Hmm. A spirit of evil, underground?" Artemis thought a moment, then
shook his head. "Couldn't be."
Ami and Artemis got to the entrance of the hospital. They paused,
intimidated momentarily by what they might find inside.
"Well I doubt they'll let me in," Artemis mused. "I'll wait out here in
the bushes while you go visit Usagi and her family."
"If she'll see me," whispered Ami.
After checking with the reception desk to find where the Tsukinos were
housed, Ami figured Usagi would be in ICU with her mother. She decided to skip
the elevator, since ICU was on the third floor, and walked up the stairwell.
Midway up the second flight, she heard the fire alarm go off.
"Oh dear!" Ami gasped. She summoned her transformation wand and changed
to Sailor Mercury. Her nose immediately caught the scent of smoke. "It's
coming from the third floor!"
Mercury expected to see a tragedy in the making when she burst from the
stairwell into the hallway opposite from X-ray. She didn't expect to see what
she saw. Sailor Moon was on her knees, being choked to death by Tygos, the
other demon familiar in Talon Umbra's misbegotten retinue. Even more surprising,
Beruche of the Black Moon Sisters lay unconscious in the hall near them.
"No!" Mercury cried. "Mercury! Aqua Rhapsody!"
A wave sprang up from nowhere and surrounded Tygos. Mercury watched
tensely, waiting for Tygos to fall over from oxygen deprivation. But Tygos
merely turned and glared at Mercury with phosphorescent, hateful eyes while
Sailor Moon gasped for breath.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Mercury yelled desperately. A second wave slammed
over Tygos, knocking her away from Sailor Moon and quick-freezing around the
liquid already there.
Mercury ran up to Sailor Moon, but stopped uncomfortably five feet from
her. Sailor Moon looked up at Mercury, initially grateful to see her. Then her
features clouded over with uneasiness and she turned away in embarrassment.
"Usagi-chan," Mercury whispered, feeling like a knife was sticking through
her heart.
* * * *
Artemis waited nervously in the bushes, his tail swishing. He heard the
fire alarms and wondered what was happening. Without Ami being in possession of
her communicator, he couldn't even call her and ask. And to top it off, his leg
was hurting again.
A feeling made him turn. He spotted the senshi running up and his spirits
soared. They were all together and they were all back - - particularly one
senshi.
"Venus!" he called out from the bush. Venus stopped, stared until she
spotted him, then her face lit up.
"Artemis!" she screamed. Venus lunged forward, plucked the cat up and
hugged him to her breast. "I am SO SORRY for what I did to you!" she cried,
blubbering like a little baby.
"I know," he smiled gently. "You weren't yourself. It wasn't your fault.
If you had been yourself, you'd probably have killed me."
"I sure would have!" she sobbed happily. Artemis rubbed his forehead on
her face.
"I missed you, Minako," he said. "I'm glad you're back."
The other senshi smiled warmly. Finally Uranus, Neptune and Pluto moved
for the door to the hospital.
"Do you suppose the fire is the trouble?" Saturn asked Neptune, following
behind.
At once a security guard blocked the entrance.
"There's a fire in the building," he told them. "You can't go in until
the all-clear has sounded."
"We've got friends in trouble in there," Uranus said belligerently.
"We're going in."
"I can't let you pass," the guard reiterated.
Uranus produced the Space Sword, holding it in her good arm.
"Space Sword Blaster!" she shouted, aiming the energy arcs at the wall
next to the door. The wall exploded inward, opening a huge gap. "We're going
in," Uranus said to the guard, a challenge in her voice. They walked through
the gap unchallenged.
"Was that necessary?" clucked Neptune.
"I thought so," Uranus replied.
At once, Saturn froze.
"Sailor Moon," she whispered, then ran at top speed for the stairwell.
"Saturn!" cried Uranus, but the girl refused to stop. "Come on!" she
demanded, and the other senshi took off after her.
* * * *
Both Sailor Moon and Mercury recoiled as the ice exploded out, much as it
had after Beruche's attempt. Mercury looked up and saw, as the beaten Black
Moon Sisters saw, Tygos emerge unfazed by the attack.
"Craven traitor!" she hissed at Mercury. "Do not interfere with the will
of our mistress!"
She turned to assault Sailor Moon again. Mercury lunged at the ebon
menace, but Tygos lashed out with her left hand and sent Mercury crashing into
the wall.
"Ami-chan!" wailed Sailor Moon. She turned back to Tygos and saw the
crushing hands reaching for her throat.
Suddenly a swatch of deep violet crossed into her line of sight. Sailor
Moon inched back to gain a field of vision.
"Saturn!" she gasped.
Sailor Saturn was between them, the sharp tip of the Silence Glaive
pointed at the throat of Tygos.
"Retreat or die," Saturn hissed.
"Ah, the little death goddess," Tygos replied. If she had a mouth, Tygos
would have been smiling from the sound of her tone. "So, little death goddess,
would you kill me? Were the situation reversed, I would not hesitate in killing
you." Tygos stared into the young senshi's eyes, searching for her answer. "My,
we are so much alike, you and I."
"We are NOT alike!"
"We each possess the power of ultimate misery," Tygos said. "We wield it
in the palms of our hands like these small creatures wield knives and forks. We
merely serve different mistresses. But there is much common ground between us."
"Then if I am so much like you," glared Saturn, "you know I will take your
life if you try to harm my princess."
"Well said," Tygos replied mockingly. "And I see that you do not fear the
ultimate silence that will befall you as well, should you choose to act so."
Tygos paused, as if considering her options. "Very well, let us both die then
and with our deaths take these scuttling little insects with us. Let us both
create a monument of death and misery as paeans to the glory of our mistresses!"
Saturn stared at Tygos in disbelief. And in that moment, Tygos struck,
knocking the Silence Glaive from her hands. Saturn had only a second to realize
what had happened before Tygos sent her spinning to the floor with a wicked blow
to the face.
Tygos looked around and found Sailor Moon scrabbling across the floor past
Beruche's limp form toward the Moon Tier. She cut the distance between them in
three steps. Sailor Moon only had time to turn around before Tygos seized her
around the throat again.
"Do not resist," Tygos said with aloof confidence, squeezing Sailor Moon's
throat. "My Mistress requires your death. Accept your fate."
Sailor Moon struggled to pull out of the grip, but it was as strong as
before. Tygos held her hard and firm against all her efforts to pull free. She
felt for a fleeting moment the unrelenting specter of death brush at her
shoulder. More from pain than from fear, her eyes jammed shut.
Unexpectedly, the grip loosened. Sailor Moon's eyes opened. An arrow of
pure flame stuck out of the chest of Tygos, mere inches above Sailor Moon's
head. Tygos shifted to view the new threat and Sailor Moon peered over the
woman's hip.
"LET - HER - GO," Sailor Mars said. A flaming bow was in her hands.
Naked, blazing hatred was in her eyes. Jupiter and Venus flanked her and each
girl shared Mars' rage, while behind them were Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and
they weren't too happy, either.
"Impotent traitors," sneered Tygos, turning her back to them. "Haven't
you learned yet that your powers mean . . ."
Tygos didn't finish, for a second flaming shaft burst from her forehead,
just above and between her eyes. The demon hovered over Sailor Moon, frozen in
place.
Then she began laughing.
"All together then," Venus said, her eyes narrowing and her voice cold.
"Jupiter!" Jupiter roared. "Oak Evolution!"
"Venus!" Venus joined in. "Love and Beauty Shock!"
Electric bursts exploded on and around Tygos. A shock wave and another
flame arrow impacted as one. Tygos ignored them and squeezed harder.
"Space Sword Blaster!" yelled Uranus.
"Submarine Reflection!" Neptune cried.
"Dead Scream," added Pluto.
The onslaught pummeled Tygos. Nothing short of Galaxia herself should
have been able to stand up to the combined might of six Sailor Senshi raining
their strongest attacks down on her as one.
Sailor Moon dropped to the floor, free of Tygos' choking grip. She gasped
desperately for precious oxygen, the only thought in her mind being survival.
Tygos endured the assault, then slowly straightened and turned around.
"Impossible," marveled Uranus.
"Again," Tygos gestured grandly. "Attack me again, and again and again if
you choose. I am Tygos, right hand of Talon Umbra. I AM brutality! I AM
cruelty! I AM pain and suffering, and the blow delivered in malicious anger, or
fear and suspicion, or ignorance and hatred! Rain your righteous vengeance down
on me and I will laugh at you, for you only strengthen my hand!"
She whirled around and snatched up Sailor Moon by the front of her fuku.
A hand gripped Sailor Moon by her blonde hair and the demon turned back to the
senshi.
"Watch and learn the hopelessness of your cause!" she bragged to them.
"Watch as I twist your patron's head from her shoulders and toss you her
lifeless body!"
Tygos turned back to Sailor Moon when she felt the girl's hands on her
right arm. Sad, wide, tear-stained blue eyes turned up to her. A small,
feminine mouth moved to form words. Tygos paused for a single moment, lingering
to hear her victim beg for mercy before delivering the killing stroke.
But all Sailor Moon said was, "I forgive you."
And Tygos recoiled as if splashed by acid.
Eyes bulged. Mouths dropped. It was a miracle. Tygos, who just moments
before had weathered the strongest attacks anyone could muster and sneered her
contempt, staggered back, her white eyes wide and fearful, as Sailor Moon seemed
to effortlessly ascend to her feet. The fragile-looking girl radiated a silver
glow that was warm and bright and soothing, until she shone like a sun. The
senshi, and the Black Moon Sisters, and all the unfortunate civilians who had
been trapped on the floor with them during the battle stared at Eternal Sailor
Moon in all her glory. Tygos, though, cringed in naked terror. Sailor Moon
glided over to her and knelt down beside the trembling demon.
"Don't be afraid," Sailor Moon smiled, reaching out to Tygos. "I just
want to be friends."
"You have failed, Tygos," the voice of Talon Umbra echoed in the demon's
mind. "I condemn you to your fate."
Sailor Moon clasped the demon's hand gently. Tygos shrieked in pain,
causing Sailor Moon to recoil in surprise and horror. The obsidian form of
Tygos began to swiftly disintegrate until it was dust on the floor. Everyone
seemed to stare down at the remains in stunned surprise. An eerie silence took
over the battleground.
"I don't understand," whispered Sailor Moon, staring at the dust.
"I guess it wasn't worthy of you, Dumpling," Uranus said in a hushed,
reverent tone. She extended the hand on her good arm and helped Sailor Moon to
her feet. Neptune was beside her, staring as if she'd seen a holy revelation.
It made Sailor Moon feel very uncomfortable.
"I am happy you are safe," Pluto said, kneeling reverently at Sailor Moon's
feet, "My Princess."
"My faith in you never wavered, Sailor Moon," Saturn said, staring at her
like she was a rock star.
"Could you four stop this," Sailor Moon replied uneasily. "You're really
creeping me out."
Then her eyes focused on a sight between the shoulders of Uranus and
Neptune. It was the four inner senshi, hanging back and openly uncomfortable.
They saw that she was looking at them. Sailor Moon swallowed.
"Sailor Moon," Jupiter said finally, timidly. "We have to apologize to
you. What we said and did to you was indefensible."
"No," Sailor Moon said softly, her eyes cast down.
"Yes," Mercury replied adamantly. "We were tainted by cruelty and
weakness and that taint was used as a weapon against you. We owe you
reparations beyond mere words."
"I shouldn't have given you a reason to think those things," Sailor Moon
said with a trembling voice. "You give so much to me and I give so little back."
"You give us more than we could ever hope to repay to you," Venus told
her. "You give us the light of hope and the warmth and kindness of your soul."
"I only reflect what you give to me," Sailor Moon replied. "I'm nothing
special. You four are the special ones."
"Don't say that!" Mars said, tears streaming down her face. "You are the
single most wonderful, beautiful, magical person who has ever walked on this
Earth! We are not worthy of you, but we beg you to forgive us just the same."
Sailor Moon looked down uncomfortably.
"Well if I'm so special, why do you yell at me so much?" she asked in a
small voice.
The corners of Mars' mouth began to curl up. Despite her efforts to
suppress them, the giggles began to shake her body even as tears streamed down
her face.
"You can't even let us apologize right, you little bubble-head!" Mars said
between giggles. That got Sailor Moon to giggling.
"You are so mean to me!" Sailor Moon giggled out. The two girls stared at
each other, desperate to push through the barrier between them.
"Oh, Rei!" Sailor Moon finally squealed.
"Usagi!" and the two girls fell into each other's arms, hugging each other
tightly and sobbing anew. Mercury, Venus and Jupiter, their own eyes moist,
crowded in and turned it into a group hug.
"You inners play the strangest games," Neptune whispered, smiling. She
felt Uranus's good arm wrap around her from behind. She leaned against the
willowy woman and caressed Uranus's cheek with her hand.
"I'm taking you to the Sweet Shop and buying you anything you want!" Venus
told Sailor Moon.
"I accept!" Sailor Moon cried.
"You can read any Manga I have anytime you want!" Mars proclaimed.
"Thank you so much!"
"I'm going to bake you a cake ten feet tall!" Jupiter offered.
"Oh, bless your heart!"
"And I'm buying you that blue dress you had your eye on," Mercury added.
"Oh, you guys are too much! I'm going to cook you all a great big dinner
to thank you all!"
"I thought you forgave us," Mars jabbed.
Sailor Moon glared for a second. Then she grabbed Mars and hugged her
again.
"I'm so happy I'm going to let that pass!" squealed Sailor Moon, crushing
Mars to her. "Just don't push it." All the senshi got a laugh from that. Then,
suddenly Sailor Moon sobered and pulled away. "Mama," she whispered.
The memory of the injured Tsukino family brought everyone back to Earth.
They looked around and saw the medical personnel were already back to work,
clearing the debris of battle and tending to the patients in the damaged ICU.
Sailor Moon seemed stricken and unsure as to what to do.
"Find a quiet place and change back," Mercury whispered in her ear.
"We'll cover for you."
Sailor Moon looked gratefully at Mercury, then headed quickly for the
stairwell.
* * * *
The first moment of Tygos's rebirth found her in heavy chains. She was
secured to the floor of the underworld lair of her mistress, forced to her knees
by her bonds. Her head was anchored by a metal collar around her neck so that
she could not raise her head above the level of her back, forcing her into a
position of supplication.
Twisting her head around, Tygos could see above her a rock formation that
resembled a spout. Pooled behind that spout was a crevasse of bubbling molten
lava. She could see the pool was churning and lava flow would inch up the spout
to the point where it would almost spill over, then fall back. The night black
creature strained at the chains holding her, but for all of her vaunted strength,
they held fast.
To her horror, a small dribble of lava spilled over the lip of the spout
and landed squarely on her back below the trails of her silvery hair. Tygos
bellowed out in agony as the searing lava burned her obsidian flesh. The
screams echoed through the cavernous underground lair, seemingly for no one to
hear.
But someone did hear. The click of footfalls on the rock drew Tygos from
the haze of anguish she felt. Her white eyes tried to focus on the green four
inch pumps approaching. They stopped just short of her. Tygos inched her eyes
up and saw Talon Umbra stood before her.
"Why?" Tygos asked pitifully. "I am just now born, Mistress. What have I
done to displease you?"
"You have demonstrated the temerity to question my right to punish you as
I see fit," Talon Umbra replied calmly.
Tygos lowered her gaze. "I beg my Mistress's forgiveness," she whispered.
"If I may ask, how long am I to suffer for my sin?"
"Until I choose to release you," the devil in the green silk dress replied,
the merest hint of annoyance in her voice.
Talon Umbra turned and walked away. The screams of Tygos echoed behind
her as another dribble of lava scorched the demon's back. She brushed her hands
back through her mane of curling brown hair, fluffing it out as she walked
unhurriedly to her throne of stone. Tenera waited to the left of the throne
placidly. Talon Umbra poured herself into the throne and reclined leisurely.
"My Mistress," Tenera said deferentially, "your foe remains in your path."
"You speak of things I already know, Tenera," Talon Umbra replied
distantly.
"Allow me the glory of being the weapon of your next strike."
"No, Tenera. You failed me once before in a previous life. No, Sailor
Moon has proven to be as formidable as I suspected. Only a direct confrontation
will give me my opportunity for victory."
"Then allow me to deal with her aspects," begged Tenera.
"That will not be necessary," Talon Umbra replied, her cold red lips
curling into a confident smile. "Sailor Moon's guardians will be dealt with.
Sailor Moon will face me alone."
"You would lower yourself to dealing with underlings?" Tenera asked. "You
would expend your precious time and energy on lessers?"
"Not at all, Tenera. They will come to me."
Continued in part 10