Disclaimer: STILL don't own Sailor Moon.... *sigh*
Pretty much no notes this time. I tried to get this chapter out quickly, since I left the last
one the way I did....people were pretty insistent that I hurry. Gee, the rating went up a bit, didn't
it? Mostly just to be safe. Looking at the kind of stuff that's in "Umbroso Estrella", I decided
PG-13 might not be enough. I'm not sure, though....
"YATEN-!!"
Chaos erupted in the safe house the instant that Yaten collided with Minako and tackled her out into the subway; Luna raced after them, faster than any human could possibly hope to be. Hotaru followed the cat, raising her pen and shouting her henshin command while in motion. Her impulsiveness was somewhat unexpected, but she wasn't alone in it- Haruka was only a half-step behind her adopted daughter. Even Ami, level-headed and practically a mirror of Taiki in personality, was quick to transform; Sailor Mercury had her visor out and scanning through the walls in an instant.
If the other Tsumetai were really out there, she would be able to spot them.
Seiya was a little stunned to find himself almost left behind. HE had always been the one to jump into action without thinking things through first....but there were other concerns. The Earth Senshi were chasing Yaten and Minako out of concern for the silver-haired boy's safety-
What the hell was he THINKING?!
An easy question to answer.
Simply put, he WASN'T thinking.
Of course, his irrational actions weren't completely unexpected. With the way Minako had attacked him before, and the way she had spoken to him only a moment ago....his silent brooding since arriving on Earth wasn't unusual- you could DEFINE Yaten with the word 'brood'- but Seiya (and, he assumed, Taiki as well) could see right through the false show of bravado.
"Seiya! Get Usagi! Get her out of here!"
"-hai!" Seiya was already spinning around by the time Taiki finished his sentence. He could guess what Minako- and the others?- were there for. Perhaps the blonde DID intend to retrieve her henshin pen, but there had already been an attempt to take Usagi's Seno, and chances were that the others were there to finish what Mamoru had left un-done. "Taiki, what are you going to do-?"
A muffled scream from outside. It was familiar....Minako? It certainly sounded like her.
Taiki's eyes closed for a split second as he reached for his Star Yell. When he opened them again there was a gleam of determination in them. "They don't stand a chance out there, against the other senshi. It may not be much, but any strength I have is theirs."
Seiya nodded. Different as we may be, Taiki and I can agree on some things.
"Maker Star Power! Make-Up!"
The familiar flash of light....
His hand on the doorknob, Seiya paused and turned back in time to see Star Maker leap out and onto the subway tracks. That same determination.... "good luck!" She called back at him, "protect her, Seiya!"
Of course he would. Of course.
"Odango!" The door burst open, the hinges straining under the force behind his shove. Beyond, Usagi woke with a start, nearly jumping out of her skin at the sound of his voice, and then whirled to look at him. He was across the room and had hauled her to her feet before she could even open her mouth. "We've got to move."
"Seiya, what-?"
But before he could say anything; "-Mercury Aqua Rhapsody-!"
The shout from deep inside the subway tunnel was faint but recognizable. The senshi were in trouble. If it was just Minako....Minako unarmed, not transformed....if it was just her then Mercury wouldn't have had to attack. What she had been saying was true. The other Tsumetai were, indeed, outside and waiting....
"Mercury!" Usagi's eyes widened. "What's going on?"
Seiya continued pulling her across the room, his grip locked firmly on her wrist. "They're here." He told her; "Minako and the others. We have a BIG problem....and I'm getting you out of here before-"
"No!"
No....? Seiya's stride faltered and he looked back at her. "Odango, if they get in here there's no way we can escape! We- YOU- have to get as far away from them as POSSIBLE! Now COME ON-"
"Seiya, no!" She wrenched her arm free, "I can't leave the others to fight-"
"You could die!"
"THEY could die!" Her voice cracked, "shimatta, Seiya! I WON'T leave them to fight on their own! I have the Ginzuishou- my power can save them. Maybe....it can save the others, too, the friends that I've lost. I can't run! If I run I'll never know! I have to TRY, Seiya! Please!"
"Odango...." not for the first time since meeting her, Seiya found her words echoing through his head. Why did she always have that effect on him? But damn it, she's right. A curt nod. "Right. But if you go, I go-" his Star Yell was out and ready. "I said I'd protect you and I swear to all the powers above that I will."
"Seiya-" Usagi reached up, brushing her hand against his cheek. "Arigato....thank you so much." And then she yanked the brooch from her pocket, the motion holding as much determination as Maker's eyes had. She wasn't going to run away this time. "Moon Eternal! Make-Up!"
"Fighter Star Power! Make-Up!"
Once they were both transformed, Star Fighter looked at Sailor Moon seriously. "Sailor Moon, this could be....hard....for you. Are you sure that you can fight the other sailor senshi....your friends?"
The blonde hesitated, frowning. "I....will do what I have to."
"So will I."
"Fighter...."
"Let's go." Fighter started for the door at a brisk walk. "When we get out there, stay behind me."
"Ne-" Sailor Moon dashed after Fighter to catch up and rested a hand on her arm, stopping her; "I know you want to protect me, but I can't try to heal the others- I can't use the Ginzuishou- if you don't let me fight! Fighter, PLEASE-"
Fighter's hands clenched into fists and her eyes focused on the ground. She didn't look up at Sailor Moon as she spoke; "I don't want you to get hurt."
"I know, but-"
The black-clad senshi spun suddenly, catching her arms, "you don't understand!"
"S-Seiya...."
"If you....got hurt, or killed...." Fighter's throat closed off and her grip on Sailor Moon's arms tightened ever-so-slightly. The blonde stared, wide-eyed, locked in the other girl's gaze; her heart clenched almost painfully. "Usagi...." the raven-haired senshi managed finally; "I love you. I LOVE you. You know that. I just....I don't know what I'd do if-"
"Fighter!"
Shoving the fight to the back of her mind for the moment, Sailor Moon threw her arms around Fighter's neck and hugged the Star Senshi tightly. Before Fighter- startled by the blonde senshi's actions- could say anything, she found the Moon Child's lips pressed firmly against her own, and blinked-
But....it was what she had always wanted....to be close to Usagi....
Her eyes closed and her arms wound around Sailor Moon's waist; a breathless moment later she opened her dark eyes again to stare into the blonde girl's crystal blue ones. "Usagi....I'm not even....it doesn't....I didn't think....I mean, I'm a girl like this and-"
"I told you I love you, too." Sailor Moon whispered, "I love YOU. You, Seiya, just you. I don't care if you're a man or a woman."
Though she had automatically slipped into using Usagi's real name when the situation had become serious, Fighter's mind still thought of her just as 'Odango'. She says- I never thought- I couldn't have believed....Odango....Kami-sama, how I love her! Her thoughts were practically incoherent through her joy, but she quickly jerked herself back to reality. "Odango, we have to-"
"Yeah." Sailor Moon smiled, her expression still pained, and pushed away from the Star Senshi. "Hai, Fighter. Let's go."
The whole scene had only taken a handful of seconds, Fighter realized. Some of the most important moments in life were the shortest....but now they had something to do. Her heart, her mind, her soul- her whole BEING swore to defend Sailor Moon. She had finally managed what she had thought impossible....she wasn't going to lose the love of her life, especially to other senshi.
Sailor Moon, for her part, was just as resolved. I'll fight for Seiya. And for my friends-
"I guess we're off."
"Hai-!"
They went from standing still to running full-out in the blink of an eye, and were out of the safe house just as quickly. Both skidded to a stop beside the subway tracks, looking frantically for the others-
"-Haruka-san! Abunai!-"
The shout of warning came from down the darkened tunnel and seemed to have come from Mercury; Fighter and Sailor Moon both spun in the right direction and immediately broke into a sprint, following the sound of their friend's voice-
-nearly a hundred yards down the tunnel, they encountered what they had been looking for.
"They're all alive!"
Fighter nodded to the blonde's exclamation, but wasn't nearly so enthusiastic. Things were going all wrong....Mercury and Maker were standing semi-back-to-back and almost up against the wall of the tunnel, pinned there by Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter; Uranus was facing Neptune head-on, pain evident in her eyes. Fighter didn't doubt, though, that if it came down to it, Uranus would defend herself and her friends at the cost of her former-partner's life; Saturn was holding her Glaive out to protect herself from Pluto and her Garnet Rod, and Healer....where was Healer?
"You certainly took you time, Love."
"Ah-!" Sailor Moon spun at the sound of that voice and stared in fear at the person who had spoken. "M-Mamoru-"
"You!" Fighter spat, whirling.
Tuxedo Mask stood with his arms crossed, his staff hanging from his right hand. "And the Love Triangle appears again." He tisked with a partially-contained smirk; "and you actually told her you loved her. Usa-ko, I'm surprised at you. I never would have thought it possible you would fall for a woman."
He uncrossed his arms and took a step forward.
"Stay BACK you bastard!" Fighter pushed Sailor Moon back, stepping in front of her.
"Of course, she's not always a woman, is she?"
"You-"
"Always the heroine." A sigh and Tuxedo Mask tilted his head to the side. Stretching his arm out, he tapped Fighter's shoulder with the tip of his staff. "I wasn't around to tell you before, but I'm here now-"
Fighter's hand flew up to slap the staff away.
"-so here's what I've been meaning to tell you." The man chuckled darkly; "stay the hell away from my-"
"I'M NOT YOUR ANYTHING!"
Tuxedo Mask blinked at Sailor Moon's outburst. "My, my...."
"Sailor Moon-"
The girl shoved Fighter out of the way, facing down Tuxedo Mask with a glare. "You're NOT the Mamoru I knew."
"Quite right."
Sailor Moon's hand flexed and the Tier appeared. "So I don't care what I-"
"You stupid little-!"
His hand came down with impressive force, knocking the Tier out of her hand and throwing her backwards. A muffled thump and a yelp of pain were all that told of Sailor Moon's landing on the cement. A second later Tuxedo Mask bent slightly, preparing to leap-
"STAR SERIOUS LASER!"
The blast skimmed Tuxedo Mask's shoulder, singing the fabric.
"Shimatta!"
"Don't you TOUCH her!" Fighter shrieked, interposing herself between them.
The man stopped, smiling slightly. "That certainly was impressive." He reached up and brushed his shoulder. "Jealousy is a good look on you."
Fighter seethed, unsure of what to do. Inside, she was ready to kill him herself....but Usagi had wanted to attempt healing her friends.... what should I do? I should just kill the kisama and get it over with-
No. She wouldn't so that to Usagi.
But then what could she-?
"Well," Tuxedo Mask sighed, "this is more trouble than it's worth, I think. Besides-" he waved a hand down toward the other end of the subway tunnel. "There's more interesting things I want you to see."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"
A shrug and the masked man leaped from the sidewalk area, "oh, Usa-ko, if only you knew what we had in store for you-"
And he vanished into the shadows.
Fighter stared after him for a moment, surprised. Why in the world would he have-?
"Fighter...."
"Odango!" She jumped down to the tracks next to Sailor Moon, "are you alright?"
"Hm. Hai." The girl nodded, wincing. "That hurt."
"I'm sure."
"What....what did he mean 'more interesting things'?"
"I don't know, but it's awfully quiet all of a sudden-"
They were both quiet for a moment, listening. Nothing. The others were just as silent as they were. What had happened to the fight? There was nothing....were they even still alive? If they were THIS silent-
"We have to see if they're alright."
"Hai."
Fighter knelt down and began to help her to her feet, only to find another gloved hand join hers in pulling the Moon Child up as someone stepped up next to them. The black-haired senshi tensed, head snapping up....and she grinned in relief when upon seeing Mercury's friendly face.
"Shimatta! Mercury, you scared me."
"Ami-chan!" Sailor Moon exclaimed; "w-what happened?"
"It's difficult to explain," Uranus said from the sidewalk two feet above.
"They left." Maker told the two. "All of them."
Fighter looked around; Mercury continued to help Sailor Moon to up; Uranus and Maker were standing side-by-side on the walk above; Saturn was just behind them. And still....where was Healer-?!
"Yaten-?"
"He ran the other way after Minako." Saturn said softly, "they....disappeared down the tunnel."
"That's what Tuxedo Mask was talking about."
"Huh?"
"That's what he was talking about, Fighter." Sailor Moon repeated; "he wanted us to see something-"
Shimatta!
Fighter turned to face the direction the blonde was looking.
I'm going.
"I am too." Sailor Moon's hand touched Fighter's arm. She seemed to have read the Star Senshi's thoughts. And before anyone could speak, she broke into a sprint. After a moment's hesitation, Fighter swore mentally and then raced after her. "It's Healer!" The blonde called back, "I KNOW it is!"
"How do you know-?"
"I just do-!"
"But you-"
Behind them, the other senshi had all muttered surprised yelps before chasing after.
"Sailor Moon! Odango, come on! Wait-!"
"Fighter!" Sailor Moon stopped suddenly, making Fighter nearly run into her back. The other senshi slowed to a stop just behind them. "Look! Healer-!"
"Healer-?!"
Several hundred yards down the tunnel, Healer stood. And a few feet away from her was Minako; the blonde girl stared coldly at the Star Senshi. Both were silent....Healer's gaze was icy, but pain-filled....
Silence....
"What's she doing?"
"I...don't know."
Silence....
"You want your wand," Healer said flatly after a moment. She closed her eyes, seeming to concentrate, and held her right hand out in front of her, the Venus wand clasped tightly in it. "Here." Her eyes opened. "Take it. If we're going to do this, let's do it right."
"....." Minako's lips pressed together and she took a handful of steps forward.
"Take it."
The blonde reached out cautiously-
"Yaten!" Fighter couldn't help herself, "don't-"
"Shh." Sailor Moon's hand on her wrist made her stop. "She's doing something, I can feel it....watch."
"But-"
Healer continued to hold the wand out; "take it, Minako."
Another hesitation.
"Take it."
Fingers touched the wand and then Minako grasped it tightly.
But so did Healer-
"Hey!"
"Minako, trust me-"
"You- you- what are you-!"
Healer stared at the girl, then closed her eyes again as Minako continued to tug at the wand, trying to free it from the Star Senshi's strong grasp. Concentrating....and Minako cried out in shock when a bright light flared from Healer's palm-
"-NO!"
"What-?!"
"Yaten-!"
"Minako-!"
Fighter squinted against the brightness, shielding her eyes....
....and when she managed to see past it again, Minako was slumped in Healer's arms, her eyes closed. As Fighter and the other senshi watched, Healer carefully lowered the blonde to the ground, cradling her in her arms as if she would break. Never had Healer shown so much emotion, but as she held Minako her green eyes shone with tears.
Fighter could feel her pain.
"I'm sorry, Minako." Healer said softly, "I had to-"
"I-it's okay...."
"Minako-!"
The girl opened her eyes. "It's okay....because I'm..."
The silver-haired senshi couldn't stop the tears that streamed from her eyes. "Gomen nasai, Minako-chan."
"But I'm...." her voice trailed off and she took a shuddering breath, "arigato."
"She did it....Healer did it....she used her own energy....her love....I could feel it....her power and her healing energy...." Sailor Moon whispered, her own eyes brimming with tears; "Minako's healed, but...."
"She's already had her Seno taken." Ami said, "she can't-"
"She's dying." Maker stated. "Minako is dying."
____________
Me: Man, I really don't like this chapter. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. Oh well....I might re-do this chapter later on. For right now it'll stay. Why'd Mamoru-baka want Usagi to see what was happening between Yaten and Minako? You'll have to wait and see! Ja! ^_^