The Choices We Make: part five
By Draegyn
Dragynne2000@yahoo.com.au
In the years after I gave my daughter to my sisters to raise a strange mentality grew and eventually became prevalent among my people. They began to view their absent princess as a saviour, a messiah, rather than a flesh and blood woman. I realise now how close to truth that philosophy became. Yet that did not aid my Senshi when they found they must associate with the reality. They grew up on legends of the mysterious princess who was Cosmos and yet was Moon as well. She was the most powerful Senshi in existence and yet she was still one of them. They were not expecting the woman she had become.
What should they have done when it Endymion made his interest in Serenity known? Or, even more shocking, when it was plain that she returned that interest?
How could they trust her then? From their perspective his conduct during the attack mislead her and then he seduced her with his looks the first moment she saw him. How were they to know that she saw further and more clearly than they could even imagine? That by doing so she saw him in a way that we would not believe possible?
They could not and did not and so a wedge was driven between them. Perhaps they could have been friends if things had been different. Maybe they could have been more to each than simply sister Senshi. My daughter loved them, never doubt that, but with them she never found the camaraderie that she might otherwise have had circumstances been different. Could it have been otherwise? Could the bond between them have become something more?
Perhaps but it is yet another thing that will never be known now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hino Rei was silent as she and her fellow Senshi strode down the street, or rather, as they meandered down the street. Serenity's antics were in no way conductive towards haste. Indeed, for all of the energy and quickness with which she moved the group was making progress at only a snail's pace. Violet eyes gazed at the blonde as she bounced, bounced, from shop window to shop window, inspecting the displayed merchandise with almost feverish determination. And while she and the other local Senshi watched in bafflement, the Starlights only spurred the… the… air headed princess on further!
"Sere! Come look at this!" the black-haired Starlight yelled.
There was a blond and white blur and soon a second face was pressed against the glass window of a pet shop. "Oooh! Seiya they're so gorgeous!"
"They're kittens aren't they?" the grey-haired Starlight asked as she joined the gawking pair.
Rei frowned, perplexed. She could hardly question the competence of any of the Greater Senshi that had come to help them. They had amply proven both their courage and their skill in the short skirmish but since then none had behaved in the way she believed any Senshi, must less a Celestial Warrior, should.
She could understand their desire to dress as civilians. She could understand the need for Terran names. She could even understand the Starlights masquerading as males. Uranus did the same whenever she was required to pose as 'Ten'ou Haruka'. She had to admit that so far they had drawn no negative attention to themselves, although it had become more than a little irritating when the four newcomers drew so many admiring glances from both men and women. Yes, creating aliases on Earth might be necessary, after all who knew how long the enemy would remain a threat? Yet she could not understand why not one of the four was taking anything seriously.
Why were they all behaving as if nothing was wrong? Even the short altercation that had happened earlier was more than enough to let the Senshi know that their enemy was dangerous. That both Pluto and Saturn's instincts told them it was more deadly than even Endymion had scared Rei and Serenity and her companions had said nothing to deny it.
Then there was Endymion himself. Rei was the Senshi of Mars and yet that man could make her hesitate. There was something stirring between him and Serenity and the intensity of it was felt by everything. For a moment in the park when the two had faced each other the world had paused. Minako might complain bitterly about the prince but Rei wonder if it would make a difference in the end. Could anything they say sway her? She may be playing at being human and concealing her true power behind the mask of Sailor Moon but Serenity was Cosmos and it would behove them all to remember that.
"Well Mina-chan, it seems that you ladies have some new friends. Would you care to introduce us?"
Rei flinched and whirled simultaneously. How could she not have noticed his approach? How could she have remained blind to the pervading stench of the grave that surrounded him? Jin's green eyes met hers in amusement and reminded her of what she should never have forgotten.
Death came on silent wings.
Endymion had arrived.
Rei braced herself. Death would find that its prey would not go peacefully, especially not when such a precious soul was present and under her protection. Before she or even Minako could reply another broke in.
"I don't think she likes you calling her Mina-chan," a sweet voice chirped. Prince, Senshi and generals alike turned to face the slender blonde. For an instant the sun hit the glass window behind her and she dissolved into light. Then the glared died away and once more a young woman with two golden blonde rivers of hair, each falling from a round bun, was staring at them with a thoughtful frown. "I think it's supposed to be Aino-san isn't it? Or should it be Minako-san? I'm not sure, I'm afraid I learned the language in something of a rush."
The ebon-haired man bowed mockingly to a furious Minako. "Of course. My apologies Aino-san. Please forgive my atrocious manners." He did not wait for her to even acknowledge his words before he returned his regard to Serenity and Rei watched warily. Minako looked as if she were tinder ready to explode into flame and all of the inner Senshi were aware that the prince was more than capable of providing the necessary spark. Then there was the way that he was eyeing her princess. It made Rei more than a little nervous but there was nothing she could do without Serenity's express permission. A permission that would, most likely, never be forthcoming.
The forbidding man stepped past the Senshi towards his blonde target. "I am Chiba Mamoru, Odango Atama. Perhaps you would care to make the introductions as I do not believe Aino-san wishes to speak to me." He gently took her hand and began to raise it to his lips when Haruka snatched at his shoulder and wrenched him back.
The sandy-haired Senshi snarled, "Her name is Serenity, scum. Remember it!"
Power rose in a flood, freezing the Senshi where they stood. Mamoru's eye flicked to the princess' and for a moment he stared at her, not noticing when Kai pried Haruka's fingers from the green jacket that the prince was wearing.
"Serenity?" He lifted his eyebrow and deliberately raked the blonde with his eyes. "Serenity?" he repeated scornfully, not bothering to turn and face the Senshi. "I think not," he murmured and arrogantly stalked around the woman in question. "She reminds me of a bunny, don't you little Usagi? Usako?"
"What?!" there were several cries of outrage at this but the prince's spell held strong and they could not act on their dismay.
Rei fought the spell sullenly when the woman who was Starfighter caught her eyes. She ignored the prompting for patience held within the blue gaze. How dare he? Defiler! For the first time she truly understood why Minako loathed him so absolutely. He was not content to merely be evil he enjoyed flaunting it as well. She had known that for centuries but only now did it spark true hatred within her. The princess was not a part of their war. She was the epitome of all that was pure and good yet he did not scruple to use her. More powerful she might be but Serenity could not possible know the mind behind the fair face. If she did she would never consent to associate with him, let alone treat with him so familiarly.
"Don't worry," the delicate blonde commanded and smiled. It was as if the sun had risen with that smile and Rei found it impossible to shake of the endless magnetism that she had no doubt the princess was deliberately radiating. "I don't mind. Mamo-chan can call me Usagi if he wants to."
A wave of disbelief swept over the Senshi and Rei allowed herself to succumb. Even Mamoru's generals showed surprise at what the princess of the Moon Kingdom had decided to call their prince. Mamo-chan? How could anyone give the dark prince such an intimate nickname? Why would anyone?
Mamoru did not even blink. "Not Usagi, that is what they may call you if you wish," he insisted.
His hand lifted and softly began to stroke her cheek. Haruka growled again but it was in vain, Mamoru had gained the upper hand and his spell ensured that he kept it. Not even they, the Senshi, could break free of their arcane bonds.
Mamoru did not look away from Serenity but Rei felt a touch of malicious amusement in the magic that held her. "To me you are Usako."
She smiled at him and caught his hand against her cheek in one of her own. For an endless moment they did nothing other than stare at each other. Rei watched the frozen tableau helplessly. She wanted to do something, anything! She could not bear to see her beloved queen's daughter so endanger herself. Why could she not see the evil in him?
Then Serenity frowned and drew her hand away from her cheek so she could examine it. "You are the one attempted to steal my sword? It is your blood the rubies were created from?"
Rei blinked. How had she known? Did this mean she finally understood what Rei longed to tell her? She could not trust him.
Mamoru merely turned her hand over and traced a line on her palm. Usagi smiled gently. "That has been there since I was three days old."
"Oh?" he asked.
She nodded slightly. "It was formed when my mother ran my hand down the blade and consecrated me as the Moon's Senshi."
Rei finally realised what they were referring to, the scars that both bore were from the same weapon. They had been created in slightly different circumstances, his when he attempted to use the sword to kill a queen and she when sworn to serve that same queen but through centuries and lifetimes they had remained.
His fingers stilled and he met her sapphire eyes intently. His very silence bespoke danger but Serenity was unconcerned. She continued almost absently, "The sword was originally created to protect the Moon princess… me but events did not pass as planned and it was decided that I was to wield it." Of her own accord she held her other hand palm up for his inspection. "This was made several hours ago when the blade tested me and recognised my taste.
She reached for his other hand and Rei could not decipher the expression in her eyes when she looked up. Slowly his fingers began to stroke own again, rhythmically massaging the skin of her palms. "Two scars for me, two scars for you," she told him, "There is power in that. A tie to bind us together."
"It is nothing compared to that which already exists."
Rei was not the only Senshi that glared.
Jin snickered and Mamoru turned. His eyes flicked over the motionless Senshi, a not so small sneer in their shadowed depths. A small smirk appeared for a moment before his customary stone façade returned but, before he could act on whatever twisted whim had struck him, a delicate hand touched his shoulder.
"Who are your friends Mamo-chan?" Serenity asked. For a moment Rei wondered if her princess could read the prince as Rei could not but then dismissed the thought as useless fancy. If Usagi could see past the man's impenetrable mask then she would have banished him. The empty darkness that the human shell concealed was not something that even Cosmos could accept easily.
Whatever maliciousness he might have been planning vanished like smoke and he looked at the slender blonde beside him with an expression in his eyes that Rei could not decipher. It could not possibly be affection… could it?
Of course not! Not even his generals had the power to touch his heart. He was incapable of true emotion. A thousand years she had guarded the world against him and never once had she seen anything from aside from the rare display of annoyance. He might have cheated death but his soul had not and it was long since dead.
Whether in affection or simply to deceive her further, Mamoru answered her question. "The one with silver hair and icy eyes is Tatsuo Kai." Mamoru motioned at the man in question and then drew the princess closer to him so he could murmur something in her ear. Rei gritted her teeth at his casual manhandling of the blonde but she was still incapable of acting.
Serenity nodded and moved away a little, although the man's arm remained over her shoulder. "It is an honour to meet you Tatsuo-san."
Kai's lips twitched and his icy pretence cracked for a moment. "I do believe that you are the first to honestly claim that it is an honour Serenity-hime."
Serenity rolled her eyes and Rei watched blankly as she treated the general as if he were an old acquaintance. They had not been given the opportunity to inform Serenity of the history of any of these men but surely she could sense echoes of some of the atrocities they had committed? Mamoru might have lulled her into false security but surely the generals had not done so as well?
"Just Usagi-chan, Tatsuo-san."
Kai raised an eyebrow in a manner acquired from his prince. "Oh? But are you not a princess? You are Queen Serenity's daughter, yes? That would make you a princess."
The blonde princess' eyes were sad as she answered. "Technically I guess but please, just let me be Usagi now."
Rei did not understand. Was the princess not proud of her heritage? Or was it that she regretted the need for her to be raised away from her mother? Possibly could she even perceive it as abandonment and resent the queen? No, Rei could not believe that the last was the answer but then why did Serenity seem to feel uncomfortable with her position among her people?
"As you wish Usagi-chan."
"The blonde with the short hair is Saori Jin and the one with the ponytail is Samidurai Zairen." Mamoru continued indicating each man in turn. Both Zairen and Jin nodded. "The last is Acoma Neko." Once more he bent to whisper in her ear and Rei was startled when a small breeze carried a soft name over. "Nephrite." He was introducing them to her by their true names!
Serenity's nose scrunched slightly as the brunette man nodded at her. "Neko? But isn't that a cat?"
Neko smiled slightly. "I can see in the dark Usagi-chan."
Her frown did not ease and Rei saw the amusement in Mamoru as he watched the byplay. "I don't understand," the blonde protested, "Why's that so important?"
"It's not something most humans can do," Neko explained patiently.
"It's not?"
Neko shook his head seriously but his brown eyes were amused when they met his prince's over her head. "Usagi my prince? I don't think so." He addressed the princess again, "No, my curious, little Koneko, it is not normal for most humans to see in the dark but then none here are normal and some I would guess are not even human." He looked pointedly at the spot where two of the disguised Starlights stood. Rei was not the only one surprised when, with a whisper of power too quick to identify, the two Senshi broke free of the spell. Mamoru's eyes narrowed at what appeared to be a black-haired boy that bore a great resemblance to himself and then his gaze moved back to Usagi where he blinked and nodded to himself.
Seiya stepped forward and while her manner could not be called friendly it was decidedly more approachable then the Planetary Senshi's suspicious hostility. "I'm Kou Seiya. My brother here his Yaten and the one near… Michiru? Is that what you call yourself here Ne… lady of the Sea?" He did not wait for answer that the disguised Neptune would never give, but continued regardless, "He's Taiki."
"He?" Jin drawled scornfully.
Taiki responded just as contemptuously, "One must often manipulate one's appearance to foster certain assumptions that may be beneficial. I would have thought that you had the intelligence to have realised this o'king of illusion."
"Taiki," Seiya said repressively and the brunette Starlight fell silent. Seiya turned to Usagi and paused a moment. Her lips twitched before she said seriously, "'Odango' we should be going. The ladies here need to be enlightened as to their unwelcome visitor and we need to plan."
One golden eyebrow moved slightly before she nodded. "I know my friend." She turned back to Mamoru and smiled brightly at him. "I'm sorry Mamo-chan but Seiya's right. We have to go. I don't suppose you would release the rest of my friends now?"
"You're asking?" he exclaimed in mock surprise.
She nodded primly. "It is impolite to break another's spell abruptly."
His eyebrow rose and for a moment the shadows in his eyes lightened. "That did not stop you before," he commented wryly. She simply sniffed delicately and ignored his aspersions, which caused him to smirk. Then he glanced at the Senshi who were all glaring daggers at him and grunted. "Must I Usako? You aren't aware of how annoying they can be yet."
Serenity rolled her eyes at him. "I'm sure they would love to say something similar about you. Besides I know full well that you find them amusing rather than annoying." Rei was not the only one present who could hear the grinding of teeth. She glanced at Minako in sympathy, her instinctive respect for the princess had won over her irritation but that did not make Mamoru's snide remarks easier to bear.
"True," the dark prince sighed and without a word the bindings of power faded away.
Immediately Haruka and Makoto began to herd the princess away from her sinister companion. The Starlights bowed slightly at men and then followed the three silently. Rei trotted in their wake while Ami and Hotaru, Saturn's alias, dragged Minako after the departing group behind her. No doubt the sullen blonde would love to get her claws into the Terran but not even her Senshi powers were going to keep her from developing an ulcer if she continued in this manner.
"We will meet again later Usako!" Mamoru's slightly mocking voice called.
Rei ran into Taiki when she stopped and suddenly stepped back. The Senshi of fire spat out her sister's brown hair and turned to see Serenity pushing through the Senshi. "Later Mamo-chan?" she called out.
Michiru attempted to stop her but the princess shrugged her away gently. "They need to know this as much as you do," she insisted. Rei had an intuition of what she meant and the blonde's next words confirmed it. "Why don't you all come with us? We're going to get something to eat and catch up on old times. Gossip and stuff like that."
"I'm sure Mamoru-san would not enjoy listening to so many females," Rei said in a futile attempt to dissuade her princess.
"On the contrary, Rei-san," he murmured as he strolled into their midst. "I would very much enjoy listening to you all."
Damn! However she was not willing to concede a total victory. Quickly she interposed herself between the prince and the princess and manoeuvred her princess away from him. She drowned the blonde's protests under a deluge of information, elaborating on anything that caught her fancy while she kept a wary eye on Mamoru. Serenity did not seem to mind being waylaid and with eight unfriendly Senshi prepared to fall upon him like wolves not even he dared to press the issue.
Last time they had been caught unaware. Never again. And if it was the last thing they would do they would ensure that Serenity was safe from him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Chaos' purpose seems to be little more than aimless destruction," Taiki told the large group. The warriors where scattered throughout a room in the shrine Rei ran. Usagi was pinned between Minako and Setsuna to keep Mamoru away from her and they were all finishing off the meal that Rei and Makoto had created between them. "By the theft of a Senshi's starseed it can either turn said Senshi against her sisters or simply murder her. It gains power through such thefts…"
"So if it's so powerful then why hasn't it taken over the universe?" Zaire asked.
Usagi savoured the last bite of her chocolate dessert and then put the spoon down with a sigh. "For all of its power Chaos is crippled," she answered, "In this universe all existence is created from a balance between chaos and order. Chaos does not have that balance…"
"And Cosmos does," Seiya finished soberly. Her ocean-blue eyes were affectionate as she looked at Usagi. "Cosmos's soul is a frame made of crystal and within that frame she teems with life. Now what else is crystal but the ultimate physical example of order? And is not life chaos?" the dark-haired woman asked rhetorically. "She possesses more power than any Senshi before her and Chaos fears her."
"It's also obsessed with her," Yaten noted in disgust. Usagi's cheer faded further at the reminder. Yaten's voice became obnoxiously cheerful. "Buck up Odango, it's a good thing in the long run." The green-eyed woman looked at her audience seriously. "If it weren't for its utter dedication to seeing Cosmos on her knees before it then the universe would most likely have been destroyed centuries ago."
"Cosmos refuses to make sacrifices," Seiya explained.
Usagi was stricken. Surely they did not truly believe that the end justified the means. "Kinmoku and Kakyuu exist because that is so!" she snapped sharply.
"We know. If we did now agree then we would not be here." Seiya looked at her reproachfully and she felt remorse build. How could she have doubted?
"So many worlds have died because of this war," she murmured in sorrow. That was why she doubted. Because she could never be certain that she had helped matters rather than hindered.
"And so many reborn anew," Seiya reminded her.
Usagi could not bring herself to meet her friend's eyes. She could have ended this war centuries ago and then so many worlds would never have been damaged but the price had been unacceptable to her. It seemed that no matter what road she chose to travel innocents would be killed. What was the good of the Senshi of life if all that she left in her wake was death?
"Princess?"
Usagi looked at Setsuna unhappily. "It's the reason that it's been drawn out for so long," she said quietly. She swept her gaze across the gathering and forced each to meet her eyes. "Do any of you even have an inkling of the kind of power that would be released if Chaos and Cosmos were to battle?" None of them judged her but neither could they absolve her. Only when she met Mamoru's intense stare did she feel some ease. It was unnecessary, she knew that, but she tried to justify herself to him. "Every time such a battle happens and Cosmos looks to be gaining the upper hand Chaos would ring the death knells of a world or even an entire solar system and Cosmos would be obligated to undo the damage while her enemy fled. A thousand years this has been happening. Do you have any idea how long that is?"
"We all understand," Kai answered quietly and Usagi frowned suddenly. Her eyes darted from prince to general in startled comprehension. Empathy for the weary man rose in her. Duty drove them hard but for both of them the heart was by far the harsher taskmaster.
"Only a thousand years?" Ami asked.
Usagi looked at her in confusion for a moment and then understanding came. The Senshi wars had never reached this far. The Senshi of the Moon Kingdom were ignorant of its history and causes. "The origins of the being known as Chaos are far older than that," she told the other woman. "Chaos was a part of the primal fabric of the universe, an unseen but very much felt force of nature. However when Order was given a way to physically manifest itself Chaos attempted the same but where Order did so in the form of an inanimate object Chaos attempted to do so as a living being. It went mad."
Minako frowned. "I don't understand. Why?"
"No balance," Seiya reminded her. "And that causes madness."
"What about Order then?" Jin asked.
Mamoru blinked and Usagi saw the knowledge in his eyes. She smiled in confirmation. "The Ginzuishou," he said.
For a moment the Senshi scowled at him out of reflex and then they realised what he had revealed. "The Crystal!" several of them exclaimed in shock.
"Well," Makoto said after a moment's thought, "Considering how powerful it is we're lucky that it didn't try the same thing as Chaos. Could you imagine what it would be like in human form?"
Usagi kept silent. None but she needed to know that such an occurrence was not only possible but also a reality. Once more Mamoru's eyes probed hers and once more he understood what she had not said. This time, however, he did not speak his findings aloud. That would come later she saw, when he had the opportunity to isolate her mother. Usagi pitied the queen but found her sympathies in question. He saw that as well and took a gloating pleasure in it.
"As I was saying," Usagi spoke quickly, attempting to distract him. The dark prince in such a mood might not repel her as it did the Planetary Senshi but that did not mean that she liked it. "Chaos has been around since the beginning of time but it was only a thousand years past that it began stealing starseeds and turning Senshi against Senshi. There was war."
"It was only because of Cosmos that so many of the Kindred were saved," Yaten said grimly. "She and Galaxia fought side by side until only Chaos remained. Unfortunately Chaos was unwilling to concede defeat. Rather than face Cosmos it possessed Galaxia's body and fled."
"And for the last thousand years it has led her a merry chase across the universe," Taiki added, "Ten years ago it brought the hunt to our world and everything was almost destroyed in the battle that followed. Our princess was killed and most of our system was devastated. Only Cosmos' arrival and Chaos' subsequent departure saved us."
"Then she returned Kakyuu to life," Seiya whispered, "And restored Kinmoku. We swore to stay be her side until the threat that Chaos posed was ended."
Usagi smiled gratefully at the trio and then sobered. "While it is on Earth there's nothing we can do about it."
"We need to get it off-world so you can deal with it," Hotaru agreed emphatically.
Taiki shook her head. "It was watching the battle wasn't it? Then it knows we're here." She motioned to herself and her fellow Starlights. "It knows us and it knows that we follow in Cosmos' wake. It won't allow itself to be lured to where it has no leverage against Usagi."
Usagi saw Rei open her mouth to comment when Kai interrupted. "Why is Cosmos not here helping us plan then?"
They did not know that queen Serenity had sent her daughter away to become Sailor Cosmos? They did not know that the position of Sailor Moon had been created to ensure that the absent princess remained bound to her mother's people? Usagi blinked in surprise. She would never have even considered the possibility that these men did not know of her duel destiny. She looked from Kai's pale eyes to Mamoru's dark ones. He knew and had known before they had met. She had never considered that he might know but his guards might not. Pale lips curved up in amusement at her surprise and Mamoru turned to his generals.
"Usako is Sailor Cosmos."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mamoru allowed himself a trace of amusement as he watched his guards but behind that amusement a cold flame had once more begun to burn. It confused him, this flame, for it spoke of a passion that was no longer possible for him. Even the animosity that he held for the Senshi and their queen was rather mild in comparison to this. He did not quite understand the reason for the flame's existence yet and that was reason enough for him to conceal it.
Her looked across the table and met her sapphire eyes. His… Usako. She was the daughter of a woman that he held absolutely no respect for and yet she, herself, inspired a great deal more than respect within him. He felt the dead and barren part of his soul starting to quicken in her presence and it was obvious to him that they were bound in an inexplicable way. The question was did he want to be so bound?
He had spent a thousand years denying all ties but those to his generals and now he was offered something that promised to be infinitely more intimate than those. Love was a weakness; of this he held no doubt. Love, friendship and other such sentimental drivel held no value to him for none were anything other than transient products of hormones. Even before experiencing the emptiness of death he had done everything within his power to emulate it and had, in no small way, succeeded. Now she came. With her she brought the dross that cluttered the mind and he wondered if perhaps there was a way to accept it without becoming weak.
A thousand years ago he would not have hesitated. Had it been offered to him before his alliance with Beryl and Metallia or even as he hurled his sword at the silver queen's back then he would have welcomed it. It would have ended his agony of yearning and filled him with joy, but from the moment that he had felt the bite of a crystal blade he had found his ease in another manner. True death had slipped around him and covered him with its dark cloak and what he had started himself was finished. It was so easy to endure when you no longer cared, to be dark, evil, cruel, malicious, and a thousand other qualities that most would condemn. Such minor considerations as ethics and what was right were easy to cast aside and then the world was abounding with possibilities.
He discovered a thousand ways to amuse himself and invented a thousand more. That many of them lured the Senshi into opposition with him only increased their attraction. They were the ultimate challenge and he fulfilled two purposes each time he began their little war anew: first he staved off ennui and second he worked out his frustrations on those who truly did deserve his attention.
They and their queen… he did not hate them, they were not worth the effort but always a part of him felt that they were responsible for what he had become. It was because of them that he had come to relish the pain of others and so it was only fitting that the bulk of that pain be theirs. He had never understood why he had instinctively felt that way. Now, looking into the heavenly blue depths of their princess' eyes, he began to see consciously what his heart had always known.
They hated him.
Good.
They were afraid of him.
Even better.
They did not trust him.
How perceptive they were.
They believed that he would hurt their queen.
Given the opportunity, of course.
They thought he would hurt their princess.
Never.
He could almost laugh at himself and he would have if habit had not been so ingrained. That he, of all people, felt so strongly and so deeply was absurd and it was for one of the hated Senshi at that! The greatest villain in history was in love with the Senshi daughter of the wretched queen of the Moon Kingdom! What an incredible jest fate had played.
Mamoru had never been one to indulge in self-deceptions and he was more than brutally honest with himself. He would accept the gift his Usako offered, the gift of herself. He would accept it and treasure it but first it would be necessary to ensure that it would not be snatched from his grasp. Chaos may be fixated on Cosmos but Mamoru's own sentiments dwarfed that obsession.
He stood abruptly, his generals instantly following his lead.
"What are you doing?" It was the golden Minako who growled at him and for the first time in many years Mamoru did not bother to antagonise her. What was the purpose? With Usako present there was no need for him to find amusement in a lesser woman.
"I am leaving Venus," he answered coldly.
The Senshi looked as if they were unsure as whether they should celebrate or scowl. Then his blonde angel rose to her feet as well. "I had hoped that you would help us," she told him regretfully.
"Princess!"
Almost invisibly Usako flinched and Mamoru had to swallow a disgusted comment. Did these Senshi truly know so little of she whom they professed to serve? "Your mother's Senshi and I would not work well together Usako. And I am sure that you are aware that I truly would not care should each and every one of them die. Only for you did I help them, never again will I or my generals do so."
She smiled regretfully. "I know Mamo-chan," she agreed, "But I had hoped…" She trailed off and gave a small shrug. The darling gesture enchanted him and he stepped towards her but two of the Senshi jumped between them.
"Princess, he's not trustworthy."
"You shouldn't let him near you."
Mamoru snarled in derision, his patience ended. "You're rather late for that aren't you?"
Minako raised her head defiantly at him and declared dangerously, "You've heard what she had to tell you and were about to leave of your own free will, don't let us stop you." For all of the venom she injected into her tone the Senshi of Venus could not conceal the slight tremor of fear that ran through her and this only added to the scorn Mamoru felt for them.
Kai started to move towards the blonde fool to answer the implied insult with force but Mamoru shook his head. He would not see his generals initiate violence in Usako's presence. Fools or not, the Senshi were a part of her Kindred.
"You are an evil son of a bitch Endymion. It doesn't not matter what you look like or what century it is or how old you are. You are evil."
"How can someone with such a beautiful soul be evil?" Usako's soft question halted the flow of the blonde twit's tirade. The Senshi were startled and then horrified. Their voices began to rise in outrage and disgust. Only the three women who were her companions seemed willing to listen to her yet she persisted. "You see a desert when you look at him, a barren, empty wasteland. But the desert in such a state still bears its own harsh beauty and then it rains and the desert blooms such that there is nothing to compare with it. Mamo-chan is just waiting for the rain my sisters but even now his soul is so beautiful that it burns me."
For a moment he saw. He truly saw himself as she did and he felt the shadows flee from the blaze in her eyes. Then Minako gestured and the Senshi pulled his beautiful rabbit away from him, ignoring her protests.
She thrust her face towards his and hissed. "You are a monster. I don't know why Serenity can't see it but we can and we won't let you near her. She is our princess and we will protect her from you."
Behind her a pair of sapphire eyes shuttered and Mamoru felt a wrath rise within him as had never happened before. Only the unfamiliar Starlight Senshi seemed to notice what he did. He saw a faint hint of sorrow in their expressions and much of his anger turned to ice.
These deluded wretches who called themselves Senshi had no notion of what Usako was. They patronised her or idolised her, often doing both simultaneously, but she neither desired nor required either. She wanted their friendship, not their worship and she needed their trust, not their condescension. They thought that she was merely the most powerful of their kind born and still refused to listen to what she had to say if it contradicted their own beliefs. They were utterly ignorant of how much more than that she was. They presumed to declare that they would protect her from him when they had caused her more pain in the last few minutes than he ever would.
"You will regret those words Venus," he promised emotionlessly as the shadows returned to him and the darkness once more shrouded his being. Magic was being roused by all present bar Mamoru and the Greater Senshi. He felt more than one of the Moon's guardian Soldiers attack him in vain just as he felt the efforts of his four sworn companions frustrate those attacks. He watched as tolerance for their Lesser Kindred withered in the eyes of the Starlight Senshi and he watched as Usako's eyes filled with pain.
His power exploded into being.
When it returned to dormancy only he and eight others remained standing. Queen Serenity's Senshi were scattered across the room unconscious. Mamoru repressed the vindictive urge to bring further pain to the pathetic lumps. Usako would not allow it no matter that they deserved it.
"It is beyond me how they managed to keep you contained for so long," Taiki observed calmly.
Mamoru ignored her in favour of his Usako. While he cradled her face between his palms and pressed his lips to hers Jin answered for him, "Everything has more value if it is fought for and only the Senshi pose any kind of challenge to us. Besides, the prince found them amusing."
"Life can become pretty monotonous after a couple of centuries," Neko agreed, "And if you don't want it to become a burden then you need something resembling a purpose. Tormenting any associated with the Moon Kingdom can serve quite adequately."
Kai said nothing but then he was watching Mamoru with a mixture of surprise and complete understanding. Mamoru didn't really care at that moment however. A small part of his mind absently took note of these events but the larger portion was totally involved with the woman in his arms. His eyes drifted shut as their lips moved together. Their lips and his hands at her cheeks were the only points at which they touched and from them heat spread to engulf the both of them.
Could anyone else know the ecstasy that he found in her embrace? No. He was the first, and the last also he determined, to ever hold her so. No other would ever taste of her in such a manner. He would ensure that with every gram of power at his command. Usako, Serenity, Moon, Cosmos, one and all, she was his. Only and ever his. He would possess her utterly and completely and in every manner possible. Her body, her mind, her heart and her soul would all be given to him and if not then he would take them but her kiss told him that it would not be necessary. She was willing to give him everything he desired at that very instant. If he so wished then their tender, heart-wrenching kiss could become something so much more and a deep and abiding hunger within him demanded that he make that wish. Not for nothing had he embraced rigid discipline though.
He pulled away.
Her sapphire eyes fluttered open, slightly dazed. For that more than anything in his long existence he felt a sense of accomplishment. At that moment he would have done anything to be able to build on that accomplishment however reality would not wait.
"Do you trust me?" he asked her in a whisper.
"Always," she promised.
He would never be able to describe what he felt when she answered him. Yes, felt. Bone-deep and as undeniable as the sun, it swelled within him and all he could do in reply was caress her cheek gently before pulling away and striding out of the shrine. Moments later his generals were once more at his side, the shrine and the Senshi left behind them.
"My prince?" Kai asked softly.
Mamoru continued to stride purposefully down the street. "We are going to ensure that, no matter what may come, she will be safe and I don't give a damn what methods we use."
The four men were silent as they processed this.
"I take it we're going to see an insane primal force about a deal," Neko stated after a moment.
Mamoru kept his eyes in front of him. "Right first time."
"And then it's happily ever after… or at least back to business as usual with a very attractive blonde thrown in?" Jin quipped lightly.
Mamoru smiled and if the Senshi could have seen it they would have been up in arms instantly. "Not exactly," he answered coldly, "Before that I will have to see a queen about a certain decision she made and then… well then I will make sure that everyone in this universe knows that Usako is mine."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After so much time I can admit that I not only feared the Terran prince but also envied him. So easily did he know and fully understand the enigma that was my child and so fiercely protective of her did he become in such a brief passing of time. And so it was that he was forced into the path that he took. As ashamed as I am to admit it, my Senshi gave him no other option. At all costs 'his' angel must be allowed to survive and to his mind the Senshi only hindered her chances. So he sought out Chaos.
There was no place on Earth that was hidden from him and so it was not long before he found the entity. For Endymion's consent to hunt in his territory and licence to run amok Chaos in turn granted the prince the complete safety of his generals and his mate. For the sake of my daughter's life Endymion essentially condemned his entire world to death. Chaos was evil, cruel, malicious and insane. Endymion was evil, cruel, malicious and frighteningly sane.
The bargain that was struck was in every sense a pact made with the devil but which party played what part I wonder?