Evening Star
With the Coming of the Dawn
Chapter Six
The Scouts stood in awed and surprised silence. Sailor Moon's eyes opened wide as she looked onto the beautiful shinning Sailor Star.
Wow…was Moon's only thought
The creature sneered, its eyes narrowed. It sniffed the air.
"It is you," it croaked.
Before another rational thought could cross Sailor Mars' mind as she stared through bloodshot eyes up at the monster atop her, it lunged off of her towards the mysterious soldier standing not 40 feet away. The creature's claws dug deep as it, with immeasurable animalistic reflexes, pushed itself off of Mars lying prone beneath it.
"Aaaahhhh...rrrgggg..." Mars moaned in pain, trying hard to keep her composure. Jupiter was at her friend's side in a heartbeat.
"Mars! Are you okay?" Jupiter asked worriedly as she helped Mars to sit up, supporting her when she realized Mars couldn't hold herself up. It didn't take long for Jupiter's suit to become saturated in blood.
"I will be…" Mars forced herself to say through the pain.
***
"Mars!?" Sailor Moon reacted to her friends cry, turning round suddenly to face her laying there on the ground, only to be forced to the side by the sheer might of the creature as it tore past her – towards a, as of yet, unmoving Sailor Star.
Confident that her beloved guardian was safe and being tended to the others, Sailor Moon turned horror filled eyes towards the young woman that continued to stand her ground not twenty feet from her - the early morning sunlight glinting off her beautiful uniform. The creature was quickly closing in on her, yet still the Unknown Soldier refused to defend herself - letting the creature, fangs and claws bared, to draw even more near…
"Look out!" Sailor Moon cried, running towards Sailor Star in a vain attempt to try and stop the massacre she was certain was about to take place.
***
The creature was almost on top of her, but Aurora just let it come. This minion was no threat to her and she knew it. With a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, she waited until the creature was just bout ready to go in for the kill …
***
Sailor Moon stooped short when she realized she was not going to make it in time. Panic gripped her in ways unimaginable, her whole body shook and tears came to her eyes.
Why won't she move?! Can't she see that thing is going to kill her!? Please! Sailor Moon cried out into the night, Please do something ! she pleaded with the Sailor she hardly even knew by name.
***
It didn't take the others long to realize that their Princess was running foolishly after the creature that had threatened to destroy them not so long ago.
"What the hell is she doing?!" Jupiter cursed under her breath.
"Trying to save her," Mars breathed heavily, nodding in Sailor Star's direction.
"Bloody hell," Jupiter swore, "Venus!"
"I'm already on it Jupiter, " Venus cut in, already on the run to stop Sailor Moon from getting herself killed.
But Sailor Moon had already stoppedrunning. Venus came to rest beside her, about ready to kill Sailor Moon herself for making such a suicidal move, when she saw her friend's eyes widen in horror. Turning her head sharply, the Soldierof Love and Beauty gasped at the sight she saw. The creature was practically at the throat of the new Sailor, and still she had yet to make a move in her own defense. Her guardian instincts overpowering the rational thinking part of her mind, Venus prepared to attack the creature to throw it off guard. Only one swift movement from the mysterious soldier stopped her.
At the very last moment, Sailor Star leapt into the air above the creature, looking down to see it charge right through the space she had occupied mere moments before. The Scouts watched wide eyed as the Shinning Sailor turned in mid air to fall gracefully, silently, to the ground below – already facing the unsuspecting creature.
The creature became disoriented, blinded as it was by the sunlight Sailor Star's body had been shielding its eyes from. Star stood silent behind it, watching it with the gleam of a hunter that had finally caught its prey in her silvery eyes. The wind blew through the barren alley, catching up the tendrils of Star's silvery blonde hair. She smelled the air. It was crisp, clear – and held the promise of beauty and serenity for her later – if she could only get through the next few moments. This gave her strength.
The early dawn rays cast long shadow across the alleyway, shadows of tall buildings and the ladders of fire escapes. The light of the sun was richly deep and golden; not the bright white light of midday. It was intense, and forced even Sailor Star to shield her eyes against its brilliance. Through tightly squinted eyes she could see the creature turning its head from side to side, trying to locate its prey. Not allowing it the chance to gather its bearings, Sailor Star called forth her powers.
Preparing herself, she threw down her hands to her sides and began the summoning.
"Starlight Incineration!"
The creature heard the words all too late. It spin round, wings spread wide, eyes wild, only to be hit by a stream of silver fire. The flames wiped round its ebony scaled body, and burned through the soft membranes of its wings. The scent of burnt flesh, alien to Earth, diffused throughout the alleyway, causing the spectator Scouts to gag.
"Ooohhhh!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, her heart breaking at the awful sounds emanating from the creature, now under heavy assault from Sailor Star. Even covering her ears wasn't enough to block out the screams.
Mercury did say it was only young…inexperienced…maybe it didn't know what it was doing was wrong…Sailor Moon tried to justify the creatures actions, her heart bleeding so to hear its screams. Not being able to bear it any further, Sailor Moon cried out, much to the surprise of her Guardians.
"Please! Stop it!"
Sailor Star only quickly looked behind her to see Sailor Moon's pleading blue eyes, brimming with tears. Such a soft heart she has…almost too soft to be the Soldier she is… Realizing the time had come, and past, to end this, Sailor Star decided not to let the creature suffer any more than necessary. Holding her hand down and out from her side, she called forth her bow.
"Bow! To me!"
The ornately designed bow materialized in Star's hands has the flames died down on the creature's body. Curled up in a small ball, it was now nothing more than a quivering mass. Sailor Star frowned. Sailor Moon's reaction to all this had affected her strangely. She saw the creature now, in a different light; a light in which is was more than a minion of the Sorceress, but where it was a living, breathing being. One she was causing to suffer greatly. That reality did not set well with her. But, forcing these conflicting emotions down deep in her heart, she made ready to end its suffering all together.
Drawing a silver arrow from the quiver, she pulled back her bow and called out,
"Star Fire Arrow!" The arrow soared through the air. Just moments before it was about to strike, Star finished her incantation. "Ignite!"
The arrow hit its mark, strong and true. With one last dying wail, the creature became engulfed in flames…and slowly faded from existence.
Nothing moved. No sounds were made, save for the occasional rustling of scattered trash, disturbed by the wind. Five women, younger than the one that stood with her back to them still, were left not knowing what to think.
Jupiter watched the Star Soldier warily, fearing that this powerful being could be a threat to her princess and friends. She stood, stance broadened, ready for battle. Her jaw was set firm and her eyes never wavered from their vigil on Sailor Star. This strange soldier may have gotten the better of the creature, but she would not get the better of her!
Mercury beheld the new Soldier with a mixture of awe and scientific wonder. This Sailor's powers were unlike anything she'd ever come across. They seemed to be the light, where the creature's powers were the darkness. As powerful as it had been in the ways of evil, this Soldier was even more powerful in the ways of good. It was if her powers existed specifically to combat the evil that had created the creature - as if they had been created for that purpose alone. Taking out her computer, Mercury continued on with her investigation of Sailor Star.
Venus stood by, feeling rather indifferent. She viewed all of what had happened with a slight sense on innocence. She didn't perceive the new Sailor as a threat. Instead, she decided to patiently await the outcome of this…interesting evening and see what was to become of it.
Sailor Moon looked to the older, young woman with absolute awe and humbling respect. She had, in every respect of the phrase, stars in her eyes. She was completely enthralled with this Sailor of the Stars, and being the kind hearted soul she was, Sailor Moon couldn't wait to have the chance to meet her, to talk to her. Oh, the questions she had!
But Mars felt differently. Much differently. Supported still by Jupiter's strong embrace, she was able to keep herself standing. Her mind was a whirl with a lifetime of conflicting emotions; emotions buried deep. Her soul felt as if it were being torn apart by a war that was raging, one between good and evil. A war for supremacy. So occupied were her senses that she did not feel the pain of her torn flesh, nor hear the subtle drips of blood sounding against the pavement. The raging storm inside of her was a result of only one being – Sailor Star. The vibes her senses picked up on from her contradicted even themselves. One moment, Mars perceived this Sailor Star to be good… the next…it was all too shrouded in shadow to tell.
Shaking her head, Mars tried to clear her mind but found she could not. Therefore her wariness of the new Soldier remained, her eyes burning as she beheld the one who called herself Sailor Star.
***
The sun had lost its blinding brilliance, so no longer did the silver eyes of the Star Guardian have to be shielded against the light. With her back still to the Scouts, Aurora bowed her head in shame.
Her mind's eye taunted her with images of pure, innocent crystalline eyes, brimming with tears. Blue eyes, looking to her in agony, pleading for her to justify her actions. Aurora felt a sickening panic rise up within her as realization dawned.
I'm a murderer.
Now no longer could she run from the darkness. It was a war she had raged for quite some time – against the anger, the feelings of betrayal, the pain – slowly these emotions had ate away at her, leaving her soul bleeding and war worn. She had disillusioned herself to believe that she could keep the darkness within her at bay – but it was a part of her. She could no more escape it than she could defeat it.
Standing now, with the purest soul in the Universe not 20 feet behind her, she knew she had no right to taint that purity with her evil. Compared to Sailor Moon she was darkness, she was destruction.
With her one small cry for mercy, the Moon Princess has brought the once strong and proud Sailor Star to her knees in shame and self-loathing.
I have no right to be here. They are still young, still innocent. And I…I am a…a killer. How many minions have met their end at my hand? 3, maybe 4? How many creatures like the one I've just destroyed? Countless numbers.
Sailor Moon would have healed the creature. She wouldn't have destroyed it. Neither would have the others. The Moon's Soldiers protect and heal. I have done nothing but destroy.
Coming here, reveling myself… it was a mistake.
Aurora felt her heart constrict, her chest tighten. And the unfamiliar warmth of falling tears was felt on her cheeks. She was prepared to leave, right then. No talking to them, just leave. She knew she could. She knew she would never have to reveal herself again. She could simply make herself disappear – like her family did. But something stopped her.
A familiar presence made itself known in her mind. The presence caressed her hurting heart, soothed her paining soul - taking those burdens upon itself. Words felt, not spoken, gave her strength and reassurance. The self-loathing subsided as reason and rationality was brought into the hell Aurora had created for herself. The presence whispered to her that her actions were not that of a murderer, but of a warrior protecting her Queen. The creature could not be healed, the presence told her, for it had never been pure to begin with. One cannot heal evil – it cannot even be destroyed. But it can be held at bay for a time – and that was all you have set out to do, Sailor of the Stars. Keep the evil at bay.
Tears continued to fall upon the barren plains of Aurora's cheeks thought they were not tears of pain, but tears of relief. Her worst fears had not been realized - she had not fallen to the level of the Sorceress - and for this realization she had but one being to thank.
Thank you Firewalker, Aurora's heart sighed, full of love and compassion for her life long friend.
A mutual feeling of love spread through her as Firewalker responded to her thanks. Filled with strength and love from her beloved Guardian Sailor Star bore herself up, held her head high, and turned to face the Soldiers and Princess of a Moon Kingdom long since destroyed.
