The Pulse
Part 16
Author: Nyneve
WAHHHH!!!!!!!! IT'S THE LAST PART OF THE STORY ALREADY! Thank you everyone who's been loyal in the reviews. You guys rock! Anyways, this is the thrilling conclusion to The Pulse, and it's got a little song in it called "Dante's Prayer", by Loreena McKennit. I really hope someone's actually heard this song so that they'll know how pretty it is. If not, oh well. I would like to let everyone know that I will be writing a sequel to this, however, I intend to write it after my next Sailor Moon/Gundam Wing crossover, which I will give a short preview of at the end of this story. And, without further adieu, the final chapter of The Pulse
-Nyneve
*A thousand apologies everyone. The reason it has taken so long to post this is because I lost the disc with this and all of the other chapters of "The Pulse" on it. Again, I apologize for any inconvinience this may have caused anyone.
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"There is no way in Hell you can be serious. We actually have to kill them?" Lita cried incredulously.
Kairos nodded regretfully. "It's the only way. Besides, they gave their word that they would do what we asked, in exchange for your revival."
Raye looked at Quatre. "You did that, for us?"
"Well, we couldn't let you die, could we?" he answered.
"If it has to be that way, could we please just spend some time alone before…" Duo trailed off.
"Of course. You have three hours," Chronos answered.
"THREE HOURS?" everyone except Heero, Wufei, Trowa and Trista cried.
"Yes. Any longer and the Bios Crystals will start to corrode again," Kairos explained.
"So," Trista said, "When Night and her daughters attacked us, the reason we all became so weak was because the Thanatos Crystals were corroding the Bios Crystals inside of us?"
"Yes. And you have three hours before it starts again," he replied.
Everyone was silent for a while. Then suprisingly, Trowa spoke (AN: Shock shock!).
"What will happen to the Senshi after we die?" he asked. The Gods of Time looked at the five women.
"That is their decision," Chronos said solemnly. Mina took a deep breath.
"I guess, we'll go back to our timeline. What's keeping us here?" After you die she added in her head.
"The next three hours are yours. But Heero, Duo, Quatre, Wufei, and Trowa must all be dead in that amount of time. Farewell," Chronos said, disappearing.
"We truly are sorry, and we pray you'll all meet again in a better place," Kairos added, following his comrade.
"Well, now what?" Lita said after they had gone. "Any ideas Amy?"
The blue-haired genius shook her head. "We can't avoid this. I just…" she paused, and gently removed Duo's arm from her shoulder. "I need to be alone." With that, she disappeared into the forest. Immediately after, Duo flashed them all a mischievous smile and followed her.
"Hm. Quatre, you want to go for a walk?" Raye asked. Her voice and expression were calm, but Quatre could see a desperate pleading in her eyes.
"Sure," he smiled, taking her hand in his and leading her towards a treeless hill.
Without a word, Heero turned and started to walk away. Of course, Mina fell into step next to him. But to everyone's surprise, he made no move to get her to leave him alone.
Lita looked from Wufei to Trowa and Trista. Sensing that the couple should be alone, she walked over to Wufei.
"Let's check out the area over here," she suggested, pointing to an area away from the secluded clearing. Wufei gave her a disapproving look.
"Why?" he asked.
"Just do it you idiot," she hissed, grabbing the collar of his jacket and dragging him away.
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When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone
Amy sat beneath a tree, crying softly. Why did everyone she loved have to die? What did she do to deserve this cruel punishment?
"Amy?" she heard Duo calling her name.
"No, you idiot," she whispered angrily to herself. "Don't make this any harder for me."
"Found you," he said, poking his head from around the tree. Quickly, she turned away so that he wouldn't see she'd been crying. But it was too late.
"Aw, come on Ames. Don't cry. I hate it when you cry," he said, touching her shoulder. She turned to look at him.
"If you don't want me to cry, then make this easier for me," she murmured.
"Anything," Duo replied.
"Hurt me, in any way, shape or form," Amy ordered. He looked at her as if she had just grown an extra head.
"Are you crazy? I can't do that!" he said. "Why would you want to be hurt in the first place?"
"Because, then I'd hate you, and it wouldn't be as hard to kill you," she answered.
"But, I don't want to hurt you, and I don't want you to hate me," Duo whispered. "Ames, I know this isn't fair. I thought that when you came back, I'd be able to get to know you better, that I'd get to be with you."
"And it didn't work out, did it?" Amy smiled slightly.
"No. But that's where you have an advantage. Yeah, I'll be pushing up daisies, but you'll be able to think of all the things we did do. That night we had dinner was great, wasn't it?" he said. Amy nodded.
"Well, until Alecto showed up," she said.
"Forget Alecto. She's dead. Because you were brave enough to fight her," Duo said. "You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for Ames."
"Really?" she asked, squeezing his hand. He smiled.
"Of course. Hey, you'll get over me. I know it," he replied.
"But I don't want to get over you. I love you Duo," Amy said, kissing his cheek gently. Duo blushed and brushed a strand of hair out of her face.
"I love you to Amy. You know what? There have been tons of times I might've died before this. But I'm glad I'm going now instead of then," he murmured, pulling Amy to her feet. "I'm so lucky that I've experienced love."
"Me too," Amy agreed. This time, Duo kissed her lips passionately, not wanting to ever let go.
Finally, he pulled away, and tears were in both of their eyes.
"Do it Ames," he said, then stepped back and stood, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "I'm ready."
"All right. Good bye Duo," she whispered, then spun around. "Shine Aqua Illusion!"
The wave of water hit its target directly, and in a matter of seconds, Duo was encased in a block of ice, cutting off air and heat.
Amy gently caressed the ice in front of his face for a moment, then turned and walked away.
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I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars
"It's beautiful up here, isn't it?" Raye asked quietly.
"Yes. The sky is so clear tonight. You can see so many stars," Quatre agreed. They were on the hill, staring straight up into the sky. But neither of them could forget that one of them would not live to see the dawn. Gently, Raye turned Quatre's face towards her.
"Why didn't you just let me die, Quatre? It would have been easier for both of us that way," she asked. He blushed violently, and turned away.
"Answer me Quatre. If it's because you have feelings for me, you should know the feeling's mutual. There's no reason to be embarrassed," she said.
He paused, trying to find the right words to say to her. How could he tell her that she meant more to him than anything? That he would have gladly given up his life to protect her, instead of the other way around? Finally, he looked her in the eyes.
"Raye, you're so different from me. You can come right out and say when you care about someone. I can't do that. When you were hurt, I spent hours trying to find a way to show you how much you mean to me. And I--"
Her lips met his, cutting off his words. Quatre blinked in surprise, then gently put his arms around her waist. They stood like that for several minutes, before Raye finally looked up at him.
"There. If you had so much difficulty explaining things, that should have cleared everything up," she said. He could only nod. Raye laid her head against his chest as she continued.
"You know what? You're the first person I've ever truly loved. It's funny. I swore I would never love anyone, because I would become selfish and demand all of their heart and destroy them. But I just don't think so anymore." She grinned slightly up at him. "But then again, I'm like you. I just can't explain it."
Even in their sadness they both had to smile at that.
Quatre gently ran his fingers through Raye's hair. "Raye?" he asked quietly.
"Hm?"
"I love you. That's all I wanted to say before."
"I know," Raye replied. "I knew you loved me the first time we met. I felt the same thing for you."
"I'll miss you more than anything," Quatre whispered, trying to hold back tears. But when he notice his lover's face was already soaked, he couldn't stop them.
"We'll meet again. I swear it," Raye murmured, burying her face in his chest. Gently, Quatre tipped up her chin and kissed her again. Then, he pulled away.
"Do it now Raye. I don't want to spend one more minute like this," he said. Raye nodded.
"I'll use an ofuda, so you won't feel a thing, okay?" she said. Then, she embraced him one last time.
"Goodbye, Firebird," Quatre murmured, giving the raven-haired girl a new name.
With tears falling freely from her eyes, Raye pulled out a scroll and stuck it on his forehead.
His eyes glazed over and his body went rigid, then collapsed to the ground. To finish it off, a flaming bow and arrow appeared.
"Mars Flame Sniper!" she called. The arrow flew from the bow and landed in his chest, causing his still body to burst into flame.
She was still crying as she turned and ran away from the inferno.
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Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
"Heero! Wait!" Mina called, trying to catch up with him. He paused and glanced back at her for a moment.
"What?" he asked, zero emotion in his voice. Mina caught up to him, then stared hard at him.
"I want to talk to you," she said seriously.
"Hn," Heero grunted, then turned and continued walking. However, Mina stayed right behind him, reminiscent of when he was chasing her down the country road.
"Fine then. You walk, I'll talk. First of all, I wanted to thank you," she began. This took her "prey" by surprise.
"For what?" he asked.
"For backing me up when you caught me in that…wherever it was. You know, where I pretended to be a cleaning lady. I don't know what might have happened to me if you hadn't saved me," she explained.
Heero didn't say anything. He was busy arguing with himself about why he had even bothered to help her in the first place. Did he feel some sort of concern for her? Or was it that she was better at playing mind games than anyone he'd ever met before.
Meanwhile, Mina continued.
"Second of all, I don't think you're as cold and heartless of a person as you pretend to be. I have no idea about your past, but I have the feeling you were raised to be this way," she paused, and stared him in the eyes.
"Heero, don't try and lock up your feelings. All that will come of it is your own destruction," she urged.
Heero's eyes were locked with Mina's. He couldn't look away, as if she was hypnotizing him. She was putting him under the spell of her own beauty and pure heart. But then, a strange question pierced the blanket of doubt she was smothering him in.
"Why do you care so much? You don't even know me," he asked, a slight tone of anger in his voice.
Mina was taken aback. Well, now how would she handle it? Nevertheless, her own heart had prepared an answer.
"I don't have to have a reason to care. The fact is, I love you. And don't spend any time trying to get me away from you, because I already know that you don't have any feelings for me. You didn't love Relena, so I know you could never care about me. But that doesn't change the fact that I love you more than my own life," she explained.
In most cases, Heero would have been extremely annoyed. Wasn't it unfair enough he had to deal with Relena? Now he had the unwanted affections of a giggly blond airhead who couldn't keep her nose out of other people's business.
But were they unwanted? It was true, he found Mina a lot more tolerable than Relena. For some reason, the understanding that he didn't love her made him well…attracted…to her. Which made no sense whatsoever.
Sensing his inner confusion, Mina turned away, preparing to leave. However, she had one thing left to say.
"Heero, you have one more thing besides my love. You have my pity. Pity that you can't recognize your own human emotions, simply because you're not strong enough to overcome the obstacles that have laid in front of you since God knows when," she paused, and looked back at him. Tears were in her eyes. "Good bye Heero."
As she turned to leave, Heero grabbed her wrist, without even knowing why.
"Don't go, Mina," he said, calling her by her first name since they'd met.
She looked back at him curiously. Once again, her sapphire blue eyes cast a spell upon him. But this time, it was different. He finally understood everything. All…well most…of the mysteries of his own heart were solved.
"Mina, I'm sorry that I can't show you my feelings. I can't even understand them myself. I was trained to be the Perfect Soldier, and I was taught that emotions were useless. Maybe if they hadn't been forced out of me, I'd be in love with you. But I'm not sure I am. And I don't have the time to figure it out," he explained.
She let out a choked sob, then threw her arms around his neck.
"Heero, it doesn't have to be this way. I won't kill you, and I'll wait until you do have your heart figured out," she offered.
"You can't do that Mina. If you don't kill me your Shard will start to corrode, and you'll die," he said.
"No I won't! I can be strong Heero, if you have faith in me! It doesn't have to be this way," she cried, trying to convince herself more than Heero.
Gently, he wiped the tears from her eyes, then kissed her forehead.
"You have to kill me now Mina. If it'll make you stronger, you have my faith," he said.
She stared up at him again. "Heero, if we ever get a second chance…"
"I promise to tell you how I feel. Now do what you have to do," he said.
"All right." She took a step forward, then pointed her finger to his heart. "Venus Crescent Beam Smash!"
The beam of yellow light cut through his body. He let out a small gasp, then fell forward into her waiting arms, dead. She laid him tenderly on the ground and held his cold hand while her anguished tears fell on his chest. Finally, she leaned over and kissed his icy lips, before walking slowly away.
Then the mountain rose before me
By a deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and the fire
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"What do you want onna?" Wufei asked, annoyed. Lita rolled her eyes.
"You're clueless, you know that?" she accused.
"About what?" he narrowed his eyes.
"Ugh!" she threw her hands up in the air. "Never mind. A woman-hating b****** like you would never understand matters of the heart."
"First of all, I don't hate women. Yes, I think they're weak. Yes, I think they're useless, but I don't hate them," he explained.
"Oh, that's so much better," she muttered, then looked around. Somehow, she had dragged the annoying Chinese boy to a small bend in a river. The river wasn't deep, but it was swift and cold.
Wufei glanced at her a minute, staring into the black water. Then, he rolled his eyes, sat down on a rock, and began to meditate.
Meanwhile, Lita lay back and looked up at the thousands, millions, billions of stars littering the ebony ceiling above her. Were these the same stars she would see at home, where she'd be in the morning?
But not before I kill Wufei. Oddly, she had expected it would be different for her, because she had no romantic interest in him. However, she had come to respect him as an opponent as a person. She even felt as though he was her friend, in some odd way, shape or form.
"Hey," she called, startling him out of his meditation.
"What do you want now?" he asked, getting extremely irritated. But to his surprise, the girl across from him was smiling.
"I just wanted to tell you, I'm sorry," she apologized.
"For what?" Wufei asked suspiciously.
"That I have to kill you. If it were up to me, I wouldn't. Because despite the fact that you're a male chauvinistic pig, I've come to like you, sort of. As a friend anyways," she explained.
He was quite taken aback at this. The loudmouthed, short-tempered, martial arts fanatic thought of him as a friend.
"Well, um thank you, I guess," he said, still slightly in shock. Suddenly, he had a similar comment for her as well. "And just so you know, I don't think that you're weak either."
Lita grinned mischievously. "Wow. That's like, the highest compliment a girl can get from you, right?"
Wufei rolled his eyes, and was about to resume his meditation, when Lita stood up and stared down at him.
"Hey, now I have to ask you a favor, okay?" she said.
Sensing what it was, Wufei stood up as well. "What is it?"
"I'm going to kill you now. Put up a damn good fight, okay?" she said, then leapt up and kicked him in the chest.
His prediction correct, he rolled to the ground, then back to his feet. Immediately, he started throwing punches at Lita's head. A few hit their target, but she was just too fast.
However, when she tried to attack as well, her opponent's defense were also extremely agile. Once again, the rivals were too evenly matched. That is, until Wufei managed to knock Lita into the river.
She coughed and sputtered, then rose out of the river. However, she was smiling. As was Wufei.
"You're an excellent fighter, onna," he said, then stepped into the river as well. Lita laughed and shook her head.
"You never were good with names were you, Wufei?" she asked, knocking him down in the water so that he was just as soaked as she was. Then she stepped out of the river.
As she turned around, the antenna rose out of her tiara.
"See you around Lita," Wufei said softly.
"Yeah. See ya," Lita repeated, as the lightening energy built up in her tiara. "Supreme Thunder Crash!"
The bolts of lightening shot out of the antenna and were attracted to the tallest wet thing in front of them, Wufei.
There was a sickening crackle and a splash as the electrocuted corpse fell into the river.
Lita waved slightly at the river, then turned and walked away.
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
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Though we share this humble path alone
How fragile is the hear
Oh give the clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars
"So, have you decided what to do?" Trowa asked quietly, his arm around the Guardian of Time.
"I'd decided what I'd do long before we even me. However, I dread doing it," Trista answered sadly.
But inside, she was thrashing with anger. She was an ageless goddess. Even if she hadn't been fated to kill Trowa, their love still could never happen. Even if they spent their lives together, he would grow old and die, and she would remain the same lost, lonely soul she had been in the previous millennia before this.
At these thoughts, she grew even more angry. She had learned years before that life in all spectrums was unfair. It was wrong of her to put herself before the balance of the universe.
"Don't be sad," she heard a whisper. Turning her head, she stared into Trowa's emerald eyes.
"I'm more angry than sad. You don't understand what it's like, living eon after eon, era after era, completely alone. Then when you fall in love it's like paradise that's taken away just after you arrive. I've never felt this before, for anyone," she whispered.
Trowa was silent for a while. So Trista did love him, just like he loved her. In a way, it was a blessing as well as a terrible curse. Without her love, he probably would have remained the cold, empty shell of a soul that he was before, tortured and tormented by his own psyche. Then again, there would have been nothing left to live for, and the cruel chore that lay in front of his beloved would be easier to complete.
"I'm sorry it has to end this way," Trista murmured, caressing his cheek. "I had hoped that, even if I couldn't be with you, I could still watch you from the Gates of Time. But after tonight, I can't even do that."
"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for things you can't control," he said. Then, he leaned forward and kissed her lips.
And with that kiss, all of their pain, sorrow, and fear went away. No matter what happened, they were part of each other now. Neither of them would be separated; neither of them would be alone.
"Everything will be all right now, I promise," Trista whispered, grasping her staff, then pulling Trowa to his feet.
"We'll see each other again, won't we?" Trowa said, knowing the answer was yes.
"And in not too long of a time, I see…" Trista predicted. Trowa nodded, then touched her hand.
"I'll love you forever Trista," he murmured.
"Yes. I shall hold you in my heart until the universe is no more," she agreed, then raised her staff.
"Farewell."
Trowa closed his eyes just as he heard her call out her attack. Moments later he felt the orb of energy smash into his body, forcing a pained cry from him.
A single, silver tear fell from Trista's eye as her loved one's body was ripped apart. It fell to the ground, where it lay like a small crystal.
Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above theses earthly cares
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The five Senshi gathered together in the clearing. Off in the distance, they could see a large sparkling block of ice, a ruby fire, and shadows cast by lifeless corpse. They could hear a rushing river, and smell the smoldering air.
"So this is it then," said Lita, the only Inner Senshi who had not cried.
"They're gone. All of them…" Raye murmured, the only Senshi who had helped her lover admit his feelings.
"But they're not gone forever. No, I doubt Duo would go down that easily," Amy said firmly, who was arguably the best loved of all of them.
"We'll see them again, won't we Trista?" Mina asked hopefully, the only Senshi whose lover could not rest in peace.
"Yes. But now we must return to our home. Queen Serenity, King Endymion, and Small Lady are waiting for us," Trista replied, the only one of them who knew what lay in store.
The other four nodded, then glanced in the directions they had left their lovers. Meanwhile, Trista unlocked the Gates of Time, and the others stepped through, leaving their hearts behind.
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me…
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The End! I'm sorry all of you fans! But, like I said, THERE IS A SEQUEL! Expect it around…spring. Which, where I live (Wisconsin) does not come for a very, VERY long time. However, I promised a preview of my next Gundam Wing/Sailor Moon ficcie, so here it is!
The Search For Usagi: Preview
One day she was there, the next she was gone. Her friends looked for her for over a year, and they didn't find her. Finally, the all gave up. Well, except for Rei and Minako. Meanwhile, a new war is being fought on Earth. The three "Sacred Colonies" have rebelled against the Earth Sphere Unified Nation, and with their mysterious agents, the only thing that can stop them is the Silver Crystal. So, it looks like the Princesses of Mars and Venus are going to have to work together with the five Gundam Pilots if any of them are going to survive!