Treason
4
(Neptune and Uranus)
At least I wasn't in a jail cell, rotting away without cause or meaning somewhere. I was simply confined to the quarters of my room. What could they really do to control a Sailor Senshi gone bad? My entire imprisonment depended on the loyalty of my fellow Sailor Senshi to the crown of Kinmoku-sei. I didn't doubt their loyalty the way I was doubting my own, if it came down to it, I knew anyone of them would kill me to protect our Princess. Comforting thought, ne?
The trial had taken up a good portion of the morning and extended on into the afternoon. I shook my head with a smile. I was still thinking in terms of Earth's measurement of time. After five years their customs and beliefs were bound to be beaten through my thick skull at some point. It was now time for dinner to be served. I wasn't even allowed to eat with everyone else.
"I thought you'd like company." Kintra's voice once again invaded my thoughts and caused me to look towards the door of my room. He stood tall next to a palace servant carrying a bottle of wine.
The young girl bowed to me as she saw my attention focused on her. "He wouldn't let me carry the trays." She started and my eyes went to Kintra once again. He had two red-crusted serving trays in his hands, I was assuming they were our meals, while he left her to carry only the bottle of wine.
"We can't be having a pretty girl such as yourself be burdened by the amount of food this bottomless pit consumes, now can we?" He winked towards the girl sending her entire body into a blush.
"Oi oi…" I moaned as I tried to contain my laughter from witnessing him laying his charms on unusually thick for this poor girl. "I seem to recall your stomach being bigger than mine." I shot back at him, sure she was a servant girl, but I wasn't going to let him make me look bad in front of anyone.
Having had enough flattery for one day, the servant girl retreated from my room and left me with my company and food. Kintra stifled a laugh as he carried the covered trays to the table near the window. I watched him walk by and followed him. I was very glad to have company; since I was already assuming these were some of the last hours I would be able to take advantage of in my life I didn't want to spend them alone.
"What's so funny?" I asked, he had obviously found something amusing concerning me, and if I didn't direct him I doubt he would have offered it up.
He smiled as he lifted the lid of his meal. His dark green hair was pulled back in his usual ponytail, but somehow had become disheveled and was very unkempt. "Nothing." He answered back but it was masking another laugh. "I just find it amusing that you can resort back to your old self in front of a blushing servant girl, but you're cowering before the entire empire of Kinmoku."
I could feel the heat coming to my face as I took my seat across from him. "I am not." His brow raised and his eyes shot me a look that couldn't be mistaken as anything but skeptical. "I told you, I'm not so sure of my own innocence here."
"Seiya," Kintra sighed allowing his jade green eyes to close momentarily for effect. "You've always lived your life like a candle in the wind. Nothing could effect you, you were completely unwavering and that is the spirit you're missing now."
I looked at him and instantly hated him for his knowledge. "Maybe I've grown up." I mused knowing full well that this wasn't the correct answer.
"You'll never grow up."
"Oi!"
He stared at me with a smile on his face. I had no incline of what he could have been thinking. I watched as he shoveled food into his mouth, ah hell who was I to criticize, he was still neater than I usually was. "So now growing up means becoming a withdrawn coward?"
My eye twitched at his comment and I found it hard to look at him and his smug stance. Did he come here to help me dig my hole my mind had already sunk into? What did he really know? I was sure he knew more than what he had let on, but what did he really know about what was going on in my mind? "What happened to you?"
"Nani?" I had apparently thrown him off guard. He stopped consuming his dinner and looked up at me waiting for my explanation.
"Your hair." I pointed out. "You're a mess."
A blush came over his face and my mind quickly went to the servant girl that had accompanied him to my room. A new round was starting and this time I had the upper hand. "Well?" I asked, not letting him get out of this one.
"You're not eating."
"You're avoiding my question."
He set his utensils down and picked up the bottle of wine to pour out two glasses. "I had a run in with one of our 'less graceful' guests this afternoon." He drank down a good portion of his wine, but I didn't even bother to reach for my own. "I was minding my own business-"
"That would be a first!" My comment earned me a narrowed eye stare.
"Like I said, minding my own business, when I was unexpectedly knocked to the ground. When I picked my head up to see just what in the world could have hit me, I came face to face with Tsukino-san." He paused a moment, possibly to study my reaction, but I knew better than to let my mood show through, no matter how difficult it was. "She apologized and I helped her up."
Kintra began eating his meal, every once and a while taking what he found appetizing from my plate as well. I waited with baited breath for him to continue, to tell me what happened next but his words never came. The anxiety was building up in me but I kept my calm façade. After quite some time went by I couldn't take it anymore. "So what else did you do with her?!" I questioned probably a bit more eagerly than I should have, and unfortunately I had aided to Kintra's premeditated amusement.
"Nothing, I just talked with her."
"And?"
"And what?"
"And what did you talk about?" Again I had spawned a spark of entertainment in his eyes and kicked myself inwardly for doing so.
"Eat." He was almost demanding it of me. I shoved my plate towards him and crossed my arms. I was in no mood for eating. What was the point now? I could be dead tomorrow!
A long sigh came from him as he slouched back in his chair. Even from his reclined position, his long arms could reach the wine glass still resting on the table. "We talked about you." I relaxed a little seeing as how I had gained some ground in this battle and listened on. "Usagi asked me how I knew you and I explained to her that I was a Starlight too. She confided in me that she wanted to see you and that being here and not being able to talk to you was killing her."
"Did she tell you how pathetic she thought I looked sitting up there on trial?" I asked self dejectedly.
"You, more than most, have always had the grace to hold yourself in situations like these, don't loose that now." The stern look that he was sending me now silenced my tongue and opened my ears back up. Kintra was the same age as me, but yet he always acted as though he was my guardian. "I asked her what her Prince would think of her longing for the attention of a senshi."
"It's not like that!" I spat back, furious that he had even suspected Odango to harbor any such feelings.
"I know. I could tell by her reaction. She just looked at me as though I had asked her this in another language. I can see why you were attracted to her, her mind is so pure."
"Shut up-"
Despite my pleas for him to end this conversation he went on. "I clarified my question. I asked her if she loved you."
My heart stopped beating and the breath I was taking got lodged in my throat. Although I already knew the answer to his question it still scared me, perhaps there was a bit of hope still left within me that I had missed something, that maybe she did return my affections.
"She just answered even more confused than before that she loved her Mamo-chan and asked me why I had asked her such a question. I just laughed and passed it off, that's when I ran into the servant girl on her way to your room." His eyes passed over my face and I could feel them sensing my feelings. I was pissed, and could I have directed it any more with my body language it would probably have been impossible. "Don't be mad with me Seiya."
"I'm not mad." I lied.
"Yes you are." He shot me the same demeaning glance he always did when we were drifting apart. "I don't know what happened on Earth, you didn't tell me anything about that remember? All I have to go on is what I've gathered from Taiki and Yaten, not to mention that god-forsaken trial."
"If you've spoken with Taiki and Yaten about it, I'm sure they wouldn't leave Odango out of the picture."
"Odango?" He questioned me and this made me rethink my position. "Who's Odango?"
If he didn't know who Odango was… "Odango is Usagi, that's what I called her."
"Taiki and Yaten didn't mention a word about any Odango or Usagi in connection with you. My only clue to that was from the trial and her desperate longing to see you, though now I know it was due to friendship."
He had truly not known of the situation. Did Yaten and Taiki leave Odango out so that my position would stay innocent in Kintra's eyes? If so, doesn't that mean that they too doubted my innocence? "You want the whole story?" I asked knowing full well his answer. "I'm sure what Taiki and Yaten told you about the first four years of our existence on Earth will suffice you, the part in question, the whole reason for this trial started a little less than a year ago at an airport in Tokyo, Japan…"
~@~@~@~
It was like a rotten vision of de ja vu. Here I was being escorted down to my place, to sit and listen to more of the history that was going to end my life. Kintra was right, I was letting this drag me through the mud, it was going to stop now. I straightened up and looked at Kintra to make sure he saw my effort. To my dismay he wasn't in his seat, my eyes only met with the unsure smiles of Taiki and Yaten. I knew that he wouldn't miss this trial and began to look around for him.
"Fighter, hang in there." Kakyuu whispered down to me, she must have mistaken my puzzlement for worried desperation.
I nodded back in a demonstration of my strength. "Where's Kintra?"
"Seeker?" Kakyuu asked referring to him by his senshi name. Her eyes picked up and she pointed in the general direction of the Sol Senshi. I followed her direction and saw Kintra speaking with Odango a few steps away from her senshi. What was he doing? Jealousy once again entered my body, as much as I tried to fight the feeling it was still ever present. Even though I know Kintra would never do anything of the sort, it still made my blood boil.
"Be seated!" Developer shouted signaling the start of the trial. I watched as Kintra made his way back over to his seat beside Yaten (who was cursing Zankou under his breath already, not to mention sending him death warrants with his eyes). When he sat down he must have noticed my gaze upon him, for he looked up and greeted me with a smug smile and a wink. The nerve.
"Zankou you have the platform." Judge 13 announced waving death himself to the floor.
"Thank you your Grace." He nodded his head and turned towards the audience. "Sailor Neptune, Michiru Kaioh please take the platform."
Haruka stood as Michiru rose to descend to the platform below. A true gentleman trapped in a woman's body. I wanted to snicker but felt a blush sweep my features as I thought of my own situation. As though she was floating on air, Michiru gracefully took her place before Zankou. He seemed to be impressed by her poise.
"What was your relation to the defendant?"
"I once joined him and his band mates in a joint concert and I too fought against Chaos with them." Self-confidence radiated from her as she spoke clearly with a straight face giving no signs of her true intentions. My heart was already beating faster, it was too early in the morning for this.
"So you were allies?"
"No."
"But you just said that you fought Chaos with them, did you not?" Zankou was already delighted with this morning's proceedings. The crowd had already broken out into their hushed gossip but none of these things effected Michiru.
"They were aliens from outside of our solar system, as well as the enemies we were facing. It is my duty as a member of the Outer Solar System to protect the inner planets and my Princess from outside invaders. I never accepted them until they took my place in saving my world."
Leave it to Michiru to shine the truth, nothing like throwing in a little reference to our heroics. I had to smile, it didn't seem as though she was out to get me, but she always seemed less pigheaded than Haruka.
"Why did you call them invaders? If they were on your planet fighting for the same cause, why didn't you accept them as allies?" Zankou had no way to manipulate Michiru's statements so far and was digging deeper to find the real dirt.
"Their purpose was never stated to us, their side was never clear. We didn't know what their purpose was on Earth and they avoided contact with us whenever possible."
"I see, and why do you think that was? Wouldn't it have been to their advantage to recruit the help of the resident Sailor Senshi of that planet to help them search for their beloved Princess?"
This trial was beginning to accuse all three of us and I wasn't liking it. I didn't even have to look at Taiki and Yaten to know that they were having the same feelings as me.
"From what you've seen of my attitude so far, would you have thought me a pleasant adversary to seek help from?"
Before I could control myself my body let forth a chuckle and those of the audience and Zankou himself soon joined it. "I'll be the one asking the questions here." Though he seemed light-hearted about the situation on the outside, I had my doubts.
"If you're going to ask questions here, I suggest you stick to ones that have a bit more merit to the trial and accusations at hand." Michiru stated and rose from her seat dignantly clearly displaying that she wanted nothing more to do with Zankou.
That hurt. I smiled and looked at Zankou. He was furious and when Judge 13 gave Michiru the ok to go back to her seat he wasted no time in making his way straight towards him and Kakyuu. While the trial was temporarily delayed, much to my pleasure, Yaten took this chance to run up to where I was sitting.
"Did you ever think she would do that?" He smiled, his green eyes shining brightly as he looked over towards Michiru's retreating form. "That was great!"
"I thought for sure I was done for!"
"That one took Zankou down a notch or so." Yaten and I were cheering for Zankou's misfortune until Taiki came to be the damper on our little party.
Taiki shook his head, his brows knitting in frustration. "She riled him up just before Haruka could take the stand." His hand came up to massage his temples to relieve his circling mind. "It's like beating a bee's nest before trying to get the honey!"
Yaten and I looked at him silently. Maybe Michiru wasn't on our side.
"Stop consorting with him!" Zankou scolded as he realized what was going on. Yaten answered his commandment with a 'humph' and a haughty attitude before nonchalantly taking his seat beside Kintra who was grinning broadly.
"Zankou, call the next person." Judge 13 cut in before more of a confrontation was allowed to take place. He was not looking forward to Yaten having to take the stand today and I could only imagine what madness would in sue from it.
Zankou growled clenching his fists beside him in anger. "Sailor Uranus, Haruka Ten'ou please take the platform."
The moments that Haruka walked from her seat to the platform took place so slowly I would have sworn it was suspended animation. Each footstep she took made the echoing in my chest louder. It felt like watching a horrible accident, so gruesome that you knew the outcome couldn't be good, but at the same time you couldn't tear your eyes away from it. When she took her place, she sat as though this was an everyday event for her and she was just sitting down to watch television. From where I was sitting, her blond hair disguised her eyes, giving me no insight to her current frame of mind.
"Please explain your relationship with the defendant." Zankou was distracted, the previous incident with Michiru had knocked him off his high horse.
"There's nothing to explain, there was no relationship." Haruka stated bluntly.
"You had no contact with Seiya while he was on Earth?" The question was rightfully provoked, what would she be doing on the platform now if she had nothing to do with the trial at hand?
"None that I could help." I heard Yaten's snicker and caught the wink Michiru sent down to her lover. There was a tugging at the corner of the blonde's lips and some of my fears were mysteriously laid to rest.
"Ten'ou-san, could you please elaborate on your answers for us? What was your attitude towards Seiya?" Zankou was again becoming frustrated with the questioning and looked as though he was suffering from a migraine.
"Hostile." Haruka smiled. "Oh wait, you wanted me to elaborate, ne? Let's see. I wanted to rip every vital organ from his body and in not so many words just make his day really bad."
I was shocked and so was everyone else in the room. My eyes were wide and nothing I could do would bring them back down to normal size. She did it, she openly pronounced her hate for me and at the worst time. Haruka-tomboy was my executioner, maybe they would let her perform the actual task when it came time seeing as how she just expressed her dislike of me so clearly.
Kakyuu's face was appalled and low obscenities were escaping Yaten's mouth while Taiki just stared unbelievingly. To tell the truth, I had no idea where Yaten had acquired such a large string of foul language, and I wasn't even sure if they all WERE the same language, but it was clear that none of them were good.
Sadistic pleasure shone on Zankou's face at her words, but before he could produce another question she continued cutting him off. "BUT… Now I owe everything to him." The crowd was silent, this wasn't exactly what you would have expected to hear after such a display. "He protected my world, my princess and my future in my place when I no longer could. I know he held the same belief and admiration for our princess that I did, and therefore I came to trust him completely."
The old disgusting form of Zankou hesitated. "Isn't that the point?" I was confused and it was an emotional battle between the audience and the witnesses. The same people who only a moment ago were enraged by Haruka's statement, now admired her. These same people were now questioning Zankou's motives as they saw me in nothing but clear shining light. It felt good. "You just stated that you didn't question Seiya's devotion to your princess when you died? Where was his devotion to his own princess? Can a senshi be devoted to more than one princess?"
"You don't want to see that he's innocent do you?" Haruka crossed her arms and smirked at him. "It's just killing you that you really can't manipulate all that is being said. If he hadn't supported my princess and devoted his efforts to her AFTER Princess Kakyuu had died then we never would have seen her again. You're blatantly misconstruing every situation here."
"That's enough." Zankou roared… and he still had to face Yaten.