Jade Blossom Part 3: The conclusion

Ursula, there is not much time.

Sailor Jade heard the voice clear as anything, but it didn't seem to come from anywhere, it hummed and clanged all around with no recognisable tone or expression. It just spoke simply Ursula, get the Jade Katana, it's the only way of beating him…

She found her own voice, harsh and painful Where are you?! Who are you? She screamed, then looked around. She recognised the place, the shops, people bustling quickly by, the hum of trains in the background and the monotonous voice of a platform announcer.

Why are we in London Liverpool Street station?

It is a very valuable place in your memory, I brought you here to talk to you, it is important you get the Jade Katana, go to the garden in the park and everything will become clear. Hurry now…you are going to wake up soon…

BUT-

Goodbye Ursula my dear…

The dream world melted away bit by bit and slowly Sailor Jade roused into consciousness.

"Hurmble hurmble…" The voice was barley recognisable

"Wha? … " She murmured as bits and pieces of her began to work again, painfully she opened her eyes and focused on the blurry shape of Constantine. It was a black shape on a purple black back ground, but after blinking she made him out clearly.

He had changed; he had sprouted whiskers, his cat like eyes were now literally cat eyes with black slit irises, his ears now were pointed and poked out of his neat ponytail and his skin was orange and black stripped fur. He grinned with a pair of lengthened incisors glittering like prongs.

"Sailor Jade, how are you feeling? Hope you are not feeling too bad about the ambush, but it is so… necessary in the circumstances. I couldn't exactly tell you what I intended could I?"

"What… did… you… do… with… Grace?"

"Nothing, I like to toy with my food I'll admit, but I am also a sporting feline."

He waved his cane and in a puff of black smoke, Grace appeared in a cage. "This pays me back for last time don't you think? My tail hasn't been the same since you know," he purred and a black striped tail swished round from behind him and flicked the cage. Grace hissed and squealed angrily "You sick, twisted cat!"

"Thank you."

Sailor Jade tried to move, but her legs and arms were chained up and she had barely any energy as it was. "Let her go!" She cried pointlessly.

"Certainly, but firstly you'll have to tell me why the sword is. Then I'll let the miserable rodent go."

Ursula…

"I… don't know where it is…"

Yes you do, take him to it Ursula…

"Oh dear, I do hate it when people lie. You have to, it's your family's sword."

"It's…"

"For Gods' sakes don't tell him Sailor Jade!" She could hear Grace's cries from a long way off.

"The garden…"

"Ah, the garden, where exactly?" Constantine's purring tone was getting on her nerves.

"I don't know…"

"Well, it's a start at least. The sword should be fairly easy for you to find, after all, I do have your poor Auntie Rat here don't I?"

He stepped back and with another wave of his cane the cage disappeared with Grace still in it. "Mantissa will be most pleased, once she is put in a new body and has the sword. Then… well, I'm sure you can guess the rest," he smoothed a whisker back elegantly.

"Take over the universe? Kill me?" Sailor Jade felt a pang in her stomach, fear.

"Got it in one, always thought you were an intelligent girl. Mantissa will be glad to see you, she's been meaning to meet you for a while my dear Sailor Jade."

"Why does she hate me so much? Why is she going after me?"

"I am not sure, I can't exactly ask her can I? All I know is that I should find the sword and bring you to her," Constantine swished his tail. He look away for a moment "She gave me so much, my powers, my were-cat gift, I can summon monsters and jump between your world and the Dark Dimensions which is where we are now." He turned violently and his cool tone snapped into a hiss "I will see her beautiful face, gaze upon her once again and we shall be together!"

Sailor Jade shut her eyes to avoid the rain of angry spittle. Constantine suddenly looked shocked, "Forgive me, one of the disadvantages of being a were-cat is that I sometimes get a bit… agitated… I lose some control. I suggest you co-operate dear Sailor Jade."

She opened her eyes and found herself staring into his cat eyes.

I don't think he's kidding Ursula; go to the garden you'll find it there.

"Shall we go? Time is getting on," Constantine said.

"Okay."

Sailor Jade was worried that she was listening to voices in her head, but it did not look like she had a lot of choice. They arrived in the garden, the leaves, flowers and tree rustled as they approached. Constantine covered his nose with his handkerchief and dabbed his eyes "Hurry Sailor Jade, the hay-fever's killing me!"

"Grace, where is she?"

Another wave of the staff and she appeared in the cage "Nooooaaaawww," his tone was slurred and menacing "Where'sh the shord?"

His teeth were lengthening, the fur on his face was growing and the muscles under his clothes.

"I don't know-" Sailor Jade began and a huge paw swatted her round the face and knocked her to the ground.

"I WARRRNNNEEEDDD YOU SHAILOR JADE!" Constantine's handsome uniform was torn as his arms and legs grew strangely into paws and his face shrunk into a wild cat's "MANTISSA! THISSS ISH FOR YOAAAUUUU!"

And he sprang towards her; teeth bared and claw out. A were cat.

Sailor Jade rolled out of the way, but not in time to avoid a claw ripping along her side. Sailor Jade screamed and held her side. She struggled to her feet, tears springing in her eyes and her whole body was aching.

Don't cry, she told herself, get a grip-

"Sailor Jade!" She heard Grace shriek somewhere far off.

"I'm okay…" she muttered

"LOOK OUT!"

She turned in time to see Constantine leap towards her, she grit her teeth.

"JADE STING!"

The ball of venom filled spikes hit the were-cat full in the stomach, flinging him hard against a tree. Sailor Jade jumped into him, pinning him there.

Don't let him think, fight him down! Teeth and claw!

Flinging desperate punches into his stomach, each one hurting hard, she tried to keep him down. He shook her off and she landed painfully.

"GET UP!"

She struggled to her feet and realised she couldn't fight. Nothing wanted to co-operate, her head swam and the pain in her back her side was unbearable. She was aware of Constantine charging her, she spoke softly "Mother, I hope you were proud of me…"

Then suddenly she was aware of a light. Green and throbbing it filled the garden, blinding Constantine and causing him to scream like a lion in pain. She felt a… well, she wasn't sure what it was, a feeling of warmth through her veins and strength returned to her limbs.

Ursula, my love, I knew you'd find it.

It was different to the other voice, it cared and it loved. It caressed her tired mind as she struggled to think.

In her hands, a sword formed. The embroiled pattern against her gloves, the light, practical weight of the blade and the skill to use it.

The knowledge struck her.

She raised the sword above her head.

"JADE BLADE…"

The blade glowed, like a bright candle in the dark.

"STRIKE!"

She thrust it forwards and a beam of green light shot from the sword and the full force hit the baffled Constantine. He roared in pain, curled up and disappeared in a flurry of purple and black smoke.

The silence echoed.

Sailor Jade tried to wrap her head around what had just happened and groaned.

"Well done my girl! I knew you had it in you!" Grace cried.

Sailor Jade hit the sword into the lock and it broke instantly, letting Grace out.

"Oh Ursula, you look-"

"Like I was hit by a train?" Sailor Jade dabbed her side, it was dripping. Her back still rang with ice-like pain and her head ached. "How are you going to explain this to your parents?" Grace asked.

"Simple, I won't have to," Sailor Jade said.

"What?"

She held up the sword, closed her eyes and said "Healing Flower."

A torrent of petals surrounded her and closed around her wounds. Healing and cleansing, she felt new again. The pain melted away and the tiredness was replaced with a flow of energy.

She opened her eyes, Grace was staring, her little rodent mouth open wide.

"How…?"

"In that flash, I remembered… when I was Ursula Jade. A doctor, a warrior and a protector, I remembered the moves with the sword and the way she used to fight. The garden, it was so beautiful, but it was destroyed in the battle. A fragment lodged itself here on earth, right here where we stand. It was only a seed back then but it grew into this… imagine, one day it will be like it was… it is like a shield against evil. It blocks the energy slightly and makes them weak. That was what gave Constantine the hay fever and what made him lose control."

Sailor Jade's gaze fell on the roses glinting in the corner. "It all came in a flash…"

"Very poetic my dear. It certainly saves me teaching you."

"But there is still things I need to find out. My mother, I thought I heard her speak to me. There were other things I saw, a palace, a woman with grey hair and a princess with blonde hair and a guy in a tuxedo."

"That would be the Moon Kingdom, Queen Serenity, Princess Serena and Prince Darien."

"Who are they?"

"It's a long story…"

"Fit for another time?"

"Yes."

As they walked away, Ursula thought she heard something. She turned, there was nothing there… but she could have sworn…

I love you my dearest one… don't be fooled by the first thing that comes into your head, but look deeper. You'll find me soon. Good bye for now…

It was like listening to a whisper.

Ursula caught up with Grace, the voice echoing over and over.

How…

Soon…

Is

Soon?…

The End.