Purging the World in the Blood of an Angel
Chapter Two: Saving the Savior
Black Beyond
Black_beyond@hotmail.com
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Here's the second chapter. I'm using my aunt's laptop so I don't know if everything came through okay. If it didn't I guess you'll just have to wait for the weekend.
And I refuse to post until I get six reviews. I know more than six people have to be reading this! For the love of flat-chested monkeys, people! Review! Don't make me stop writing just because you won't take four seconds out of your busy schedule to write a bloody message one line long!
Anyway, it's almost four in the morning. I'm going to bed now. Bye!
Update: I just realized I made a booboo. You can tell I'm working on another story! I forgot I was working with Zoisite and not Jadeite, like in my other top secret fic. I fixed it. Sorry for any confusion!!!
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Her internal clock told her it had been exactly twenty-five hours, forty-one minutes and odd seconds since she'd passed out when Usagi awoke. She was dazed for a moment, her eyes taking in the purple tones of the room. It took her a few seconds to recover all the details of the previous days. She cursed softly and punched the softness of the bed around her.
Just as she was turning to stand up, Kunzite walked in, bearing a tray of tea. He had rid himself of his bloody uniform and opted for a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt that read across in big, bold, white letters, "I used to be Schizophrenic, but we're okay now." It was funny, seeing the usually stylish man in such.
"Oh, you're awake!" He said, delightedly. "Kaioh-sama sent me in case. Ten'oh-sama had to leave for a senshi battle and then a race, but she'll return soon. Are you up to eating, Princess?" He looked concerned at her pale color.
She giggled. "I'm not a china doll, Kunzite-san. I regain strength faster than you think. I'm up to anything now, be it saving the world or a kitten. And you have a lot of explaining to do." She did not stand, but Kunzite suddenly found her to tower over him. How did she do that? "I want to know why you were in Beryl's army, the story behind it, and why you were stupid enough to engage in a petty duel with Zoisite if you pretending to be his ally?"
Kunzite grimaced. "Don't you think that your senshi will want to hear this as well?"
"I'm listening." They both turned to find Michiru leaning against the doorframe, looking quite comfortable. Kunzite winced again, but made no further argument.
"It started when Beryl attacked earth. The other planets had already succumbed to her power, the outer senshi not yet gone but they would be defeated soon. She took earth like a foot crushing an ant, and then she came after us. We four kings were protecting Endymion, the prince, in his palace hidden deep in the forest. She came upon us one by one, the other three first. If they did not agree to serve her she did the spiritual equivalent of scooping out their brains and putting a different set in. None of them wanted to serve her. They died. She possessed their bodies. They are as they are now."
Usagi's face was hard, but inside she was weeping.
"I watched them die-- painful, agonized, and powerless. And I saw the beings that replaced them. They were powerful and merciless. I know what I did was horrible, but if we were to ever come back against Beryl, someone would have to be hidden away in her ranks. And... I admit... cowardice played a part too. I did not want to die that way. It was not an honorable nor clean death."
Michiru made a harsh comment about that, something that was strong and odd out of the usually placid woman's mouth. Usagi looked up at her sharply, realizing this. Kunzite looked wounded.
"No, no." Usagi replied. "You don't remember, Michiru. It was the final desperation. When you remember it, you'll understand. People do things they don't normally do. In my final moments I impaled myself on my lover's sword and called Beryl a string of oaths I will never repeat. You chose to die quietly instead of invoking your final power and blowing up Neptune."
Michiru's expression did not soften but she said no more. Kunzite didn't know what to think of the princess taking up for him so readily, so he made a note to investigate it further. All he knew was that the princess had been reincarnated as a graceful young warrior maiden. He knew her name was Usagi. That was the extent of his knowledge. He did not know she was a Sailormoon from another universe, just that she was so beautiful, like the woman he remember, and so merciful, unlike her counterpart.
"So I agreed. I agreed to help. But I swear I never killed a senshi. I never seriously tried. I always messed up the scheme before any harm could come to one of your warriors. I always held back and let another do the work. I am guilty, however, and you have every right to kill me. I'll make no plea for my life. I don't deserve to."
This softened Michiru's eyes. For some reason, since he did not beg for his life, she liked him better for it.
Usagi was sharper. She saw something in the back of Kunzite's silver eyes, eyes like her own, and she knew he did not want to confess *this* secret to Michiru. She nodded. She had felt no lie in his words, and no man could lie before a daughter of Etern.
"You'll tell me the details later, I'm sure." She said. "But my instincts tell me you're not lying, Kunzite. So for now I trust you, unless you give me cause to do otherwise. And now you'll know my secret." In as few words as possible, she told him all.
Kunzite nodded. "That makes sense. You're Sailormoon, but not this Sailormoon." He looked sheepish. "I might offend you, Michiru-san, but your Sailormoon was a horrible fighter, a wimp, and not at all brilliant."
Michiru shrugged. "I know."
They all relaxed after that. Needless to say, an hour later when Haruka returned and found them all playing Scrabble with Kunzite waving around a dictionary ranting about how "dariye" was TOO a word-- in Lunarian-- she was a bit more than baffled.
~'~
"Minako, Ami, and Makoto all go to school with you. All of your classes will be with one or more of them. You've got you schedule memorized, right?" After a long night of hacking into the school's records, black hair dye, and scissors, Usagi was being escorted on a familiar path to school on the back of Haruka's motorcycle with a handsome young man with shoulder length dark, dark hair the color of midnight and eyes like the moonlight. She giggled, and hugged him harder.
"You bet!" She answered back, into his ear. She was having the time of her life. She'd never rode on a motorcycle before, and never with her arms wrapped around the rock-hard torso of a man powerful enough to take down the Tokyo Tower with a flick of his finger. It was a wonderful exhilaration.
Kunzite came to a screeching stop in front of the gates of Juuban, sending all eyes their way. He had adopted the morbidly funny t-shirts and black jeans as an almost trademark, and looked to be having almost as much fun as Usagi in his newfound freedom. True, he had to sacrifice his one vanity-- his lovely, long hair-- but it was well worth it.
"You're being envied." He helped her off the bike and embraced her tightly, whispering into her ear.
Usagi grinned, sending a sidewards glance to the furious boys and swooning girls of Juuban High. "I know. Isn't it fabulous?" She hugged him tighter and then released him. "It's good to have an ally, Zi-chan."
"It's good to be forgiven, Princess." He whispered back. And then with another screeching of tires and a sweep of a long leather jacket, he was gone. Usagi sighed. The Kunzite she remembered had always been unintentionally romantic beyond Love's dreams.
"Oh, Usagi! Usagi-chan!" Minako dashed across the schoolyard, her blue eyes wide as she giggled insanely. Makoto was not far behind. "Who was THAT? Oh, what a HUNK! I can't blame you at all! YOU GO!" She high-fived Usagi and then swept her into a victory dance. "What's his name? How old is he? Where'd you meet him?"
"Usagi-chan! You so go, girlfriend. How hot was he!?" Makoto was equally enthusiastic. "It's about time you found another guy since Mamoru dumped you! I hope he's fuming right now."
Usagi couldn't help it. She beamed, deciding to figure out the history behind her and Mamoru later. "His name," she thought fast, "Is Seitosei. He's nineteen, and I met him yesterday, after the fight."
Minako squealed. "Ooh, what an entrance! What an exit! Is that where you got the roses? How romantic?" Usagi nodded. Kunzite had stopped at a street vendor on the way and insisted on buying her two white roses to twine into her odango. She liked had liked the effect and miraculously they had not come out during the wild ride.
"Yo. Odango. Seems you've finally got a boyfriend. How much did you pay him?"
Usagi was indignant by the unfamiliar voice that jibed at her, and spun around on her heel to tell him off. Her gasp was not inaudible.
He looked very much like Mamoru. But there was something else, an almost feminine curve to the face. He was shorter, and his hair was brought back into a long ponytail.
"Seiya!" Makoto yelled angrily. "You leave Usagi alone!"
"No, no. It's okay, Mako-chan." She wasn't used to the girl being so aggressive yet, but she could feel the aura of a senshi around Seiya. This was interesting. "Good morning. I didn't have to pay him anything. He said that after you, anyone would be an improvement." She retorted, and smiled to herself as she watched the boy's face flush.
"Nice one, Odango." He said sourly. She'd never insulted him back before. With a shock, Usagi realized he liked her. Oh, dear. Funny way to show it, though. "You're actually developing a brain in there. See you later!"
"Oh, nice one, Usagi!" Minako crowed. "Teaches you a lesson! Have at you, sir!" She yelled to his retreating back. "Et shoo, Boot!"
Ami, who'd joined them after Seiya had arrived, sweat dropped. "That's et tu, Brute, Minako."
Minako shrugged. "Whatever."
Usagi smiled. "I think he likes me." She commented. "He's kind of cute, too. If he weren't so snotty." Perhaps it's an act, she thought to herself. He seemed hurt by my insult-- what did he except?
She probed into his mind while he was still in sight and found it closed. She frowned. How peculiar.
"Earth to Usagi! Hello! Usagi! Come in! This is Minako! Ah, you were daydreaming about Seiya, weren't you? Ah, Seitosei is going to be jealous! I'm gonna tell him you were mooning over the school celebrity, instead of calling him a ponytailed pig, like you usually do."
Usagi's widened. Exactly what kind of girl was she in this world? "I call him that?!" She exclaimed. "How horrible of me! Where are my manners? Who is my mother? I never... not once... well, in the case of Mamoru... but that was different! He was following me around, practically stalking me, saying things about how Beryl wasn't that bad and he knew who I was! At least, I think he did. No, how could he? When I walked in I was normal.. or was I? I don't remember. I'll have to ask Rei when I get back..." She began to wander to her next class, still wondering aloud, her three friends watching her like she'd grown a new head that resembled Zoisite.
"Is it just me," Makoto stated slowly. "Or is Usagi acting ditzier than usual?"
But Ami's eyes were narrowed. "I don't know." But why was there suddenly a wisdom in Usagi's eyes that had not been there a week ago? And as for her eyes... they were so gray... almost silver....
"Ami! Don't you go into the Twilight Zone, either! Come on, the bell's about to ring. We should get to class. Odango Atama's on time today! How weird." Minako covering up her suspicious thoughts with a bright demeanor and dragged Ami to their next class, with Makoto following a still bewildered Usagi.
"I'm not sure... I'm really not. I think I remembering dehenshining... but perhaps it was only a dream. After loosing so many quarts of blood perhaps you're delirious for a while. I'm not sure. Perhaps I should do it again sometime... no, as Etern I cant loose that much blood... it'll just get replaced... hi Naru, how are you?... And you, Sensei Haruna? Hmm... I'll just have to ask Rei-chan..."
She sat down in a seat in the front row and took out her textbooks. She glanced idly at the board and noticed she was in Algebra II and saw that an assignment was due in ten minutes. She turned to the page and did it in five, all thirty problems, still muttering under her breath with a blank glaze over her gray eyes.
Haruna watched Usagi do the work and was bewildered. This girl, who was in danger of flunking the first semester, had just done work that she thought was at least five years over the blonde's capabilities like she was Mizuno, barely even noticing what she was doing. She was concerned, very concerned. She walked over to Usagi and laid her hand on the girl's forehead. It was ice cold, like touching a corpse.
"Yie!" She yelped and jerked her hand away. Usagi blinked and looked up at her, and finally took note of her surroundings. "Sensei Haruna! Oh, I'm sorry. I must have blanked for a moment." She smiled, trying to show that she was normal. "Here's the work that's due. I'm sorry I didn't do it last night, but the last week has been very chaotic to me. I'm sure you understand, right, sensei?"
Such a respectful tone and posture from a girl who regularly called her H-chan and slept through her class every day? For a moment Haruna felt that the appropriate response would be either to ask if the girl were feeling well or faint. But students were starting to file in and she had always been taught to never look a gift horse in the mouth. If some alien from Mars had replaced her worst student, well, so long as it acted like this, Haruna certainly wasn't going to raise a ruckus.
"Of course, Usagi-chan." She firmly replied, took the paper, and marched up to her desk and resolutely sat down. She noticed that Makoto, one of Usagi's close friends, was also giving Usagi a funny look as the blonde got up and approached a girl whom she had the same schedule and proceeded to write down all the assignments from yesterday to do before they were due. And more disturbing was the fact the girl didn't seem undaunted in the slightest she had a ten-page report due on the details of Alchemy in two hours. In fact, when Keiko rather hesitantly informed Usagi of this, she had beamed.
"That's wonderful! I've been needing an excuse to remember my lessons. This will be a challenge." And had flounced back to her seat and had began to write furiously.
She was three pages into the report and appeared to know exactly what she was writing about when the bell did ring. Haruna reluctantly stood up and opened her mouth to quiet the class and realized she didn't have to. Everyone was rapt with staring at Usagi, who actually looked intelligent as she scribbled madly in perfectly formed kanji.
Usagi noticed her teacher's stare and turned red. "Whoops!" She put a clean sheet of paper down and opened her math book again. "Sorry, Sensei Haruna. It won't happen again."
Haruna felt her knees tremble and her eyes loll, but kept herself together. "It's alright, Usagi-chan."
This was going to be one of those days.
And gym wasn't any better.
"Damn! Oh, damn! I can't stand this!" Usagi was changing for gym class. The other girls in the locker room looked at her strangely, especially Minako, who was changing beside her.
"Hey. What's wrong?" Minako pulled her shirt over her head and looked at Usagi. She seemed alright, no tears or bruises.
Usagi giggled. "Yeah. I'm just hyper. I feel like bouncing off the walls. What are we playing today? I hope it's not football. I hate football... how are you supposed to kick the ball into the goal with all the other people running around? It's stupid and crazy and... hey, it's raining. We can't play football. Yea!"
Now everyone *was* looking at her strangely.
"No, Usagi." There was definitely something up here, Minako decided. "We're playing volleyball." She noticed how her friends eyes brightened into an almost bluish color, but said nothing. Since when was Usagi so happy to play volleyball? She used to hate it!
She found out why, ten minutes later, when the first serve curved gracefully straight towards Usagi. Usagi's usual rescuer, a boy named Heero, jumped to hit it but Usagi was quicker. Using Heero's shoulder for leverage and even though she was a good two meters from the net. she jumped high into the air and with a resounding smack hit the ball and spiked it so hard that when it hit the other side of the floor-- nobody was crazy enough to try and stop it-- it bounced back up and hit a rafter.
Minako continued to be amazed, along with the rest of the class and the baffled sensei, as Usagi continued to play with a level of skill that even she, Aino Minako, would have found very unnerving had they been on opposite teams. And soon enough, it was just that. Everyone had given up with the blonde duo working together and Usagi had crossed under the net.
It was her serve. All eyes were on Minako as she frowned and bit her lip. She forgot she was in gym class playing against the leader of the senshi. She was back in England, and this was another tournament. She was playing against a player just like her, the best in the country. She was completely in her zone as she brought the hard white ball up and hit it with all of her force as a senshi.
Usagi smirked. She knew that power. But it was no match for Etern. Careful to lower her strength to match the adrenaline-filled Minako, she dove an impossible length and returned it like a bullet. The volley was endless and impossible, and there was no end to the highness of the jumps or the agility of the maneuvers. Left to right, right to left, it was dizzying,
"Enough!" Usagi yelled in a voice too deep to be her own. It was like a man's voice, deep and powerful. With a mighty punch the ball slammed into the ground two feet from Minako, who had made no move to counter it. Instead of Usagi she saw a tall sailor with hair the color of moonbeams and eyes like ice, with huge golden-tipped wings and a sailor fuku of white with golden sleeves and a skirt of rainbow, with a flowing cape also white. An eight-point star adorned her forehead and the space at the center of the bow and at the center of the beautiful skirt. She carried a staff not much unlike the one Sailormoon had used earlier, only this staff was topped with a winged orb and another star.
She blinked and Usagi stood taller than she should have seemed, directly opposite Minako on the court. Usagi was rather pale, as though she too had shared the vision.
"Minako?" She asked uncertainly. In truth she had let her aura overtake her for the briefest second, too quick for the humans to see but she was unsure if Minako had seen or not. If she had, that was it. Her secret was blown before the inner senshi.
But Minako only blinked again. "Oh, nothing. I just really spaced out for a second. Wow." She shook her head to clear the fuzz. "Yeah. Anyway, that was an awesome game you played."
Usagi giggled loudly. "I guess all of Luna's training must finally be paying off. Wow, I didn't know I could do that." She put a hand behind her head and did her best to look like Shingo when he was really acting stupid. Apparently it was a good imitation of Their-Usagi, for Minako laughed and nodded.
"Neither could I. Heh heh, I guess we got caught up in the game... everyone's staring at us..."
~'~
"Zi-chan!" Usagi squealed, as the pale man in black screeched up to the gates just as she walked out. He climbed off the beautiful bike gracefully and crossed the yard quickly, turning every girl's head and even some of the boys'. In one sweeping motion he swept her into his arm and spun her around, her laughing madly.
"Stop! Stop it!" She shrieked, and he set her down, not noticing the three dehenshined senshi behind her staring at him. "Zi-chan, you baka. You'll make people start getting ideas about us." She winked at him and he laughed, a bold baritone filling the air.
"Hi, I'm Minako." Minako marched forward and stuck her hand out. He took it briefly, recognizing who she was instantly. The bow was a dead giveaway. "This is Makoto and this is Ami. Are you Usagi's boyfriend?"
Kunzite blinked, and then grinned. This was Princess Minako, alright, in one of her acting roles she played so well. He could see the calculating shrewdness behind her eyes.
"I'm sorry, if I told you that, I'd have to kill you. And it would be very wrong of me to deprive the world of such beauty as yours." He smiled dashingly at her and she almost swooned. Oh, who the hell CARED if he were evil, with a smile like that? And besides, what were the chances Usagi's new boyfriend would be evil?
"Yeah..." Makoto had stars in her eyes. "Like my old boyfriend..." Ami and Minako rolled their eyes and Usagi looked confused, but took Kunzite's offered arm and couldn't help a smile.
"Gomen, minna-chan. Zi-chan and I have something to do."
Ami's eyes went wide. "But, Usagi, we have a... a... club meeting! At Rei-chan's! She'll absolute kill you if you don't show up! And... uhm... Sorry, Seitosei-kun can't come."
Kunzite looked amused. "I can't keep you from your responsibilities, Usagi-sama. I'll just pick you up. Where does Rei-san live?"
Usagi hoped desperately that she knew. Giving the senshi a nervous glance she gave him the address of the Hiwaka Shrine, before Beryl's takeover, before the streets were renamed. Thankfully this seemed to be right, for they said nothing. Usagi said to meet her there in about an hour. This too, seemed right.
He made to leave and Usagi pulled him into a tight hug and whispered careully into his ear.
"I might have made a big mistake today. If there's a problem I'll contact you. I may need rescuing. Ja, Kunzite."
He nodded. "Sayonara, Usagi-sama." And then he was gone. Usagi sighed. If only Mamoru weren't her prince... she could honestly learn to love that man...
She wasn't sure of the way to the Hiwaka shrine, so she followed the other three, her head down. They had been walking a while, talking about stupid things like clothing and boys, things of no true interest to Usagi anymore, when a hush fell over the other three.
"Look." Makoto said, in a very low tone. "It's Mamoru-san. He's with Motoki's little sister again. Do you think he likes her?"
Usagi looked, not quite understanding of the funny looks Minako and Ami were giving her. It was indeed Mamoru, in an awful green jacket, a girl about a year older than Ami beside him. They were in front of the Arcade, talking. Mamoru was smiling at her.
"That's nice." Usagi shrugged. "What about it? They look nice together."
Ami glanced at her again doubtfully. "Are you sure you're okay, Usagi? You're not going to cry again?"
Makoto grinned. "Atta girl, Usagi! You show him you don't need him! You ought to go by the arcade later with Seitosei and show him just what he's been missing. I hope he dies of jealousy." She added something under her breath that was probably vulgar and about Mamoru's mother.
"He's looking this way." Minako still sounded uncertain. "Oh, I can't believe him. How could he do that to you, Usagi? And he still hasn't given you a good reason? Just that he doesn't want to go out with a little girl like you?"
Usagi started. She was a WHAT? That stupid... at least her Mamoru had never dared... oh, that son of a... She felt her face burn with anger. "Minna, I will be right back." For some reason she felt like revenge. It was probably just stress and indignation, but no man called her a little girl. Not after what she'd been thought and not after she'd become what she was.
All they saw was a glimmer of Usagi's aura and her muttering under her breath. "Senshi, don't be alarmed. Luna-- Luna taught me this." She fibbed quickly, and then was a blinding flash of light and a woman stood in Usagi's place. It took a moment for them to recognized her.
"Usagi!" Ami and Makoto breathed at the same time, but Minako said nothing. She was too stunned, for this was the same woman she had seen on the Volleyball court, only minus the stars and fuku. Instead, she wore a pretty black dress, and her hair, now silver, cascaded freely down her back. She was in no way older, but more mature. Her gray eyes flashed at Mamoru.
'See what I really am?' She taunted him mentally. He started and stared at her, his blue eyes wide. 'You think I am a little girl. I am Sailor Cosmos, you fool. I am more than you will ever see again in any millennia. You will never own me. You will never control me. You will never see me. Not like I see you. And I see a coward inside you. And don't bother pointing me out to Uzasaki: only senshi can me in my true form when I decide to show it."
"Why?" He yelled.
The senshi looked at her curiously.
'Because I am only when I am. Because no true mortal may see me and live.' the lines of her body flickered and a golden-blonde Usagi in dumpy school fuku stood. "Because only a god is worthy!" She replied in a carrying shout.
"Baka Odango Atama!" He shouted back. She merely turned her back on him. "Minna, I'm sick of the immature baka. They continued
Mamoru, however, kept fuming. He was furious with her, that she had not insulted him in return, that she had displayed her power in full daylight, and that she had walked away. That she had not cried.
"Mamoru? Are you alright?" Uzasaki asked, worried. She watched as he turned and punched the side of the wall angrily. He looked more livid than she'd ever seen the usually controlled man, and didn't know quite what to do.
She was about to ask, but there was a loud beeping noise. It was his beeper.. or something. She wasn't sure when they stared making beepers that doubled as watches... and phones?
"Mamoru-san, this is Rei. There's trouble at the temple. Everyone get here fast. I can't do anything alone against this one."
Mamoru cursed very loudly, apologized to Uzasaki, and then took off at a run. He went for the rooftops and transformed as he ran, the extra boost o speed allowing him to reach the street in front of Hiwaka in minutes. He took in the scene and was floored. Sailormoon was fighting gracefully with a long staff, and her fuku was strange.
She wore a Sailor Fuku with a skirt of shimmering gold. The bows were silver, sparkling with some unknown glitter. The locket was in the center of the bow on her chest. A silver tiara was on her forehead, and a dark violet gem inside it. her movements were sure, and she fought to kill, not wound, as they usually did, against the four youma.
He could see Uranus and Neptune, but instead of fighting they were keeping the inner senshi from distracting Sailormoon-- or helping her, which Jupiter was screaming that Sailor needed desperately.
Yet, she obviously did not.
"Moon Firelight Beam!" She shot a nasty looking arrow-shaped beam into one of the youma's stomachs. It went straight through and left a gaping hole. The youma let out a horrible scream and collapsed into dust.
She fought two of them physically, while the third agitated the other senshi. He paid closer attention to his ex. The youma were attacking quickly, not giving her time to shout an attack. But regardless she seemed to be fairing well, with her staff and her kicks. But she was becoming frustrated.
"That's enough!" She screamed, finally. With a mighty heavy she shoved the butt of her staff hard into the purple youma's face with a crack and then, whirling so quickly she was little more than a blur, with the sharp crescent at the top sliced cleaning across the green one's back. "Moonlight Silverstar Embrace!" She yelled, and then the two youma were dust.
The inner senshi, however, were having trouble with the last youma. Tuxedo Kamen abandoned all pretense of not being there and jumped in to help.
Sailormoon watched. The youma was almost gone, and she was so absorbed she didn't noticed when Zoisite snuck up behind her.
"Pay back for last time, you little sailor bitch." He muttered angrily and sent a huge ki blast at her back.
"USAGI! WATCH OUT!" Uranus shouted, and Sailormoon turned. She saw the blast and the only thing she could do was let the power she had tried desperately to hide take over. Her staff began to glow and using it as a makeshift baseball bat she slammed it into the sphere of energy. It deflected the brunt of it away, but she was injured, blood too dark to be human running down her fuku. She winced but readied herself to fight.
Zoisite was surprised. She had moved much too fast for him and it appeared as though his blast had just suddenly turned and vanished. But his eyes lit up at the blood-- he'd managed to get her anyway. Good.
"So, Sailormoon." He said, rather rudely. "Did you kill him or did you just let him go and he's too afraid to come back?"
Sailormoon laughed. "If you mean Kunzite then perhaps I should ask you. He was gone when I went inside." She pointed her staff threateningly. "You should run away, little king, and tell Beryl that the Daughter of Etern demands she recant her declaration of war upon the senshi."
"The who?" Zoisite mocked. But Beryl's loud voice sounded in his mind.
This Daughter! Ask about her. I am curious. Do not yet attack!
Zoisite scowled. He opened his mouth to do as directed, but Sailormoon grinned at him.
"Oh, your queen is curious, ne? Beryl, I know you're listening. I protect the Daughter! I am the only one who knows where She is and if you want the wrath of her Father and the Universe to oppose you, please, continue wreaking havoc upon the innocent people of this planet. Make the Daughter even more angry than she already it. I remember you well, Beryl. Always a bitch. A cowardly, base-born, gaudy whore who was more likely to spit than to speak!"
I've had enough of you! Beryl screamed. A swirling black portal opened beside Zoisite and the tall king shrunk away, terrified of the tall woman who emerged.
"Beryl, how nice to meet you, finally. The last time I saw you I believe I was in the middle of disemboweling myself. I apologize for my previous rudeness." Sailormoon gave her a slight bow. "I trust you'll forgive me."
The senshi stood, watching, wary of the new arrival. Tuxedo Kamen was all but floored. When had his klutzy odango-chan become to courageous and strong? It was very strange.
Beryl, too, thought this new development was remarkable and worthy of distrust. But in her memories she recalled the image of someone quite distinguishable disemboweling themselves. Her eyes widened and she did a double take on the petite moon warrior.
"Princess Serenity?" She asked, in blatant disbelief. "Can it be?"
Sailormoon smiled prettily. "Of course it can be. And is. I'm very flattered you remembered me, Beryl. I do remember hearing you screaming something about how I should have waited so I could have died a proper, pain-wracked death. Let me assure you that taking a dull blade and plunging it through my abdomen was a rather agonizing experience, so you should not be entirely disappointed."
Beryl, in spite of her growing fear, managed a smirk. "Sassy little bitch, as usual, Little Princess. Not so little, I see. But you are growing into your title. I trust now you will not sob over the body of your prince this time while I kill all you hold dear. No, you seem to be quite the fierce little Amazon in this life." She extended one hand, a plan formulating in her mind.
"I would like to hear all about it. Tell me how this sudden change occurred in you. Tell me everything. Join me."
Sailormoon didn't accept the offered limb. "Beryl, do not insult my intelligence. We both know you are no match for Etern. It is your deepest fear; I see it in your eyes. Why are you doing this? Has my mother ever done you such a grievous injury? Did Endymion choosing the moon over you really hurt you so much?"
She wondered the answers to so many questions. But they could not be asked all at once, and as long as they were talking she learned much and didn't have to fight. The wound in her side grew painful but she did her best not to let it show. From what she recalled Beryl loved to talk. She would see how helpful that would be, now.
Beryl sniffed. She knew the moon brat was up to something but saw no harm in chatting before she killed the weakling. "Yes! You are of no comparison to me!"
Sailormoon smiled kindly. "But he's just a man. I didn't care for him then, and nor do I now. You saw how he treats me. He'd treat you the same. He's the worst kind of male, one who thinks all women must be protected. And he'll die. IN a few years he will grow old, not like you or I. Do you want to watch him grow feeble and gray and waste to nothing? Do you really?"
Uranus was shocked. There was an almost friend sisterly bond between Beryl and Sailormoon, an understanding, sort of. Neither seemed willing to argue with the other and they seemed to get along rather well. She noted that Zoisite was just as disgruntled with the new events and frowned.
What was their princess up to? Surely she had a plan, and wasn't talking to the enemy like they were old pals for nothing.
Yet... the more she looked at Sailormoon's open gray eyes and at Beryl's wary, red ones, she began to suspect neither really had a true strategy. They were sizing each other up, true, but...
She didn't know how to explain it, but it was like... relief. Yes, relief. That someone else knew what it was like to be so much alone. An empathy, a knowing that "You understand me. You understand what it is like. I would that I would love you, but you make it so I can not. Why is it so?"
Yes, that was exactly it, Uranus realized. Exactly so.
Beryl contemplated this, her hard mask dissolving to a sigh. She closed her eyes, and then opened them again, and her voice was resigned. "I suppose not. But... you are my enemy. I must kill you. I will rule this planet." But she didn't sound so sure.
Sailormoon grasped that unsureness. This was the Beryl that had killed herself, a thousand years away. A doubtful Beryl, a Beryl who realized she had no real reason.
"Why?" She demanded softly. Zoisite sensed his queen's wavering mind and was speechless. "Why must you be my enemy? Why must you rule this pathetic dirtball? Its inhabitants are crude and filthy, and it has no real value at all. Your kingdom is much greater. Why must you be uncontent with the dark kingdom?"
ENOUGH! A booming, deep, inhuman voice screeched from Beryl's mouth. YOU WILL NOT CONVERT MY LOYAL SERVANT WITH YOUR LUNARIAN SORCERY! I WILL DEAL WITH YOU LATER, CHILD OF SERENITY! BERYL, ZOISITE, COME! NOW!
Beryl was shocked. Never had Metalia spoken so angrily before. She turned and stomped into the portal, intending to give her mistress a tongue-lashing as of never heard before loudness. Zoisite groaned, seeing the queen's humor, and followed.
Sailormoon shrugged. "At least they've gone and no one's dead yet." She smiled cheerfully and turned to face her senshi. It was then she noticed they all stared at her like she had four or five new head and each was a teletubbie replica. "What?" She demanded.
"That's it!" Mercury shouted. "That's so it. I don't know who you are or where you came from, but you ARE NOT SAILORMOON!" She stomped forward and jabbed her forefinger into Sailormoon's chest. "I just scanned you, you imposter, and you reek of an energy that is not even vaguely human and has so many different properties not even the Mercury Computer up at the moon can tell if you're friend or foe! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU??"
"Ami, you are so unlike your sister at times you frighten me." Sailormoon hugged the blue-haired senshi happily and skipped out of her reach. "I am so Sailormoon. Ami, you know as well as anybody that no one else can use my broach. Besides, just because I had a little too much chocolate and tried to snog Beryl doesn't mean I'm not me."
Mercury looked like she desperately wanted to hurt Sailormoon, but lowered her head in defeat. "You're right. No one can trick the broach." But her eyes narrowed again. "Your aura?" She questioned, confident she now had the imposter.
Sailormoon arched an eyebrow at her. "I received a power up, as my previous strength wasn't enough to off the big bad smelly things. And with the power up I got some of my memories back, you know, how to do awesome tricks and stuff. So of course my aura's a bit screwy. Yours would be to." No, it wouldn't. "I would never lie to you." Yes, I would.
Looks like someone has a secret... don't worry, it's good. It's really good. Why do you think I love AU fics? You get to control everything.
Chapter Two: Saving the Savior
Black Beyond
Black_beyond@hotmail.com
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Here's the second chapter. I'm using my aunt's laptop so I don't know if everything came through okay. If it didn't I guess you'll just have to wait for the weekend.
And I refuse to post until I get six reviews. I know more than six people have to be reading this! For the love of flat-chested monkeys, people! Review! Don't make me stop writing just because you won't take four seconds out of your busy schedule to write a bloody message one line long!
Anyway, it's almost four in the morning. I'm going to bed now. Bye!
Update: I just realized I made a booboo. You can tell I'm working on another story! I forgot I was working with Zoisite and not Jadeite, like in my other top secret fic. I fixed it. Sorry for any confusion!!!
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Her internal clock told her it had been exactly twenty-five hours, forty-one minutes and odd seconds since she'd passed out when Usagi awoke. She was dazed for a moment, her eyes taking in the purple tones of the room. It took her a few seconds to recover all the details of the previous days. She cursed softly and punched the softness of the bed around her.
Just as she was turning to stand up, Kunzite walked in, bearing a tray of tea. He had rid himself of his bloody uniform and opted for a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt that read across in big, bold, white letters, "I used to be Schizophrenic, but we're okay now." It was funny, seeing the usually stylish man in such.
"Oh, you're awake!" He said, delightedly. "Kaioh-sama sent me in case. Ten'oh-sama had to leave for a senshi battle and then a race, but she'll return soon. Are you up to eating, Princess?" He looked concerned at her pale color.
She giggled. "I'm not a china doll, Kunzite-san. I regain strength faster than you think. I'm up to anything now, be it saving the world or a kitten. And you have a lot of explaining to do." She did not stand, but Kunzite suddenly found her to tower over him. How did she do that? "I want to know why you were in Beryl's army, the story behind it, and why you were stupid enough to engage in a petty duel with Zoisite if you pretending to be his ally?"
Kunzite grimaced. "Don't you think that your senshi will want to hear this as well?"
"I'm listening." They both turned to find Michiru leaning against the doorframe, looking quite comfortable. Kunzite winced again, but made no further argument.
"It started when Beryl attacked earth. The other planets had already succumbed to her power, the outer senshi not yet gone but they would be defeated soon. She took earth like a foot crushing an ant, and then she came after us. We four kings were protecting Endymion, the prince, in his palace hidden deep in the forest. She came upon us one by one, the other three first. If they did not agree to serve her she did the spiritual equivalent of scooping out their brains and putting a different set in. None of them wanted to serve her. They died. She possessed their bodies. They are as they are now."
Usagi's face was hard, but inside she was weeping.
"I watched them die-- painful, agonized, and powerless. And I saw the beings that replaced them. They were powerful and merciless. I know what I did was horrible, but if we were to ever come back against Beryl, someone would have to be hidden away in her ranks. And... I admit... cowardice played a part too. I did not want to die that way. It was not an honorable nor clean death."
Michiru made a harsh comment about that, something that was strong and odd out of the usually placid woman's mouth. Usagi looked up at her sharply, realizing this. Kunzite looked wounded.
"No, no." Usagi replied. "You don't remember, Michiru. It was the final desperation. When you remember it, you'll understand. People do things they don't normally do. In my final moments I impaled myself on my lover's sword and called Beryl a string of oaths I will never repeat. You chose to die quietly instead of invoking your final power and blowing up Neptune."
Michiru's expression did not soften but she said no more. Kunzite didn't know what to think of the princess taking up for him so readily, so he made a note to investigate it further. All he knew was that the princess had been reincarnated as a graceful young warrior maiden. He knew her name was Usagi. That was the extent of his knowledge. He did not know she was a Sailormoon from another universe, just that she was so beautiful, like the woman he remember, and so merciful, unlike her counterpart.
"So I agreed. I agreed to help. But I swear I never killed a senshi. I never seriously tried. I always messed up the scheme before any harm could come to one of your warriors. I always held back and let another do the work. I am guilty, however, and you have every right to kill me. I'll make no plea for my life. I don't deserve to."
This softened Michiru's eyes. For some reason, since he did not beg for his life, she liked him better for it.
Usagi was sharper. She saw something in the back of Kunzite's silver eyes, eyes like her own, and she knew he did not want to confess *this* secret to Michiru. She nodded. She had felt no lie in his words, and no man could lie before a daughter of Etern.
"You'll tell me the details later, I'm sure." She said. "But my instincts tell me you're not lying, Kunzite. So for now I trust you, unless you give me cause to do otherwise. And now you'll know my secret." In as few words as possible, she told him all.
Kunzite nodded. "That makes sense. You're Sailormoon, but not this Sailormoon." He looked sheepish. "I might offend you, Michiru-san, but your Sailormoon was a horrible fighter, a wimp, and not at all brilliant."
Michiru shrugged. "I know."
They all relaxed after that. Needless to say, an hour later when Haruka returned and found them all playing Scrabble with Kunzite waving around a dictionary ranting about how "dariye" was TOO a word-- in Lunarian-- she was a bit more than baffled.
~'~
"Minako, Ami, and Makoto all go to school with you. All of your classes will be with one or more of them. You've got you schedule memorized, right?" After a long night of hacking into the school's records, black hair dye, and scissors, Usagi was being escorted on a familiar path to school on the back of Haruka's motorcycle with a handsome young man with shoulder length dark, dark hair the color of midnight and eyes like the moonlight. She giggled, and hugged him harder.
"You bet!" She answered back, into his ear. She was having the time of her life. She'd never rode on a motorcycle before, and never with her arms wrapped around the rock-hard torso of a man powerful enough to take down the Tokyo Tower with a flick of his finger. It was a wonderful exhilaration.
Kunzite came to a screeching stop in front of the gates of Juuban, sending all eyes their way. He had adopted the morbidly funny t-shirts and black jeans as an almost trademark, and looked to be having almost as much fun as Usagi in his newfound freedom. True, he had to sacrifice his one vanity-- his lovely, long hair-- but it was well worth it.
"You're being envied." He helped her off the bike and embraced her tightly, whispering into her ear.
Usagi grinned, sending a sidewards glance to the furious boys and swooning girls of Juuban High. "I know. Isn't it fabulous?" She hugged him tighter and then released him. "It's good to have an ally, Zi-chan."
"It's good to be forgiven, Princess." He whispered back. And then with another screeching of tires and a sweep of a long leather jacket, he was gone. Usagi sighed. The Kunzite she remembered had always been unintentionally romantic beyond Love's dreams.
"Oh, Usagi! Usagi-chan!" Minako dashed across the schoolyard, her blue eyes wide as she giggled insanely. Makoto was not far behind. "Who was THAT? Oh, what a HUNK! I can't blame you at all! YOU GO!" She high-fived Usagi and then swept her into a victory dance. "What's his name? How old is he? Where'd you meet him?"
"Usagi-chan! You so go, girlfriend. How hot was he!?" Makoto was equally enthusiastic. "It's about time you found another guy since Mamoru dumped you! I hope he's fuming right now."
Usagi couldn't help it. She beamed, deciding to figure out the history behind her and Mamoru later. "His name," she thought fast, "Is Seitosei. He's nineteen, and I met him yesterday, after the fight."
Minako squealed. "Ooh, what an entrance! What an exit! Is that where you got the roses? How romantic?" Usagi nodded. Kunzite had stopped at a street vendor on the way and insisted on buying her two white roses to twine into her odango. She liked had liked the effect and miraculously they had not come out during the wild ride.
"Yo. Odango. Seems you've finally got a boyfriend. How much did you pay him?"
Usagi was indignant by the unfamiliar voice that jibed at her, and spun around on her heel to tell him off. Her gasp was not inaudible.
He looked very much like Mamoru. But there was something else, an almost feminine curve to the face. He was shorter, and his hair was brought back into a long ponytail.
"Seiya!" Makoto yelled angrily. "You leave Usagi alone!"
"No, no. It's okay, Mako-chan." She wasn't used to the girl being so aggressive yet, but she could feel the aura of a senshi around Seiya. This was interesting. "Good morning. I didn't have to pay him anything. He said that after you, anyone would be an improvement." She retorted, and smiled to herself as she watched the boy's face flush.
"Nice one, Odango." He said sourly. She'd never insulted him back before. With a shock, Usagi realized he liked her. Oh, dear. Funny way to show it, though. "You're actually developing a brain in there. See you later!"
"Oh, nice one, Usagi!" Minako crowed. "Teaches you a lesson! Have at you, sir!" She yelled to his retreating back. "Et shoo, Boot!"
Ami, who'd joined them after Seiya had arrived, sweat dropped. "That's et tu, Brute, Minako."
Minako shrugged. "Whatever."
Usagi smiled. "I think he likes me." She commented. "He's kind of cute, too. If he weren't so snotty." Perhaps it's an act, she thought to herself. He seemed hurt by my insult-- what did he except?
She probed into his mind while he was still in sight and found it closed. She frowned. How peculiar.
"Earth to Usagi! Hello! Usagi! Come in! This is Minako! Ah, you were daydreaming about Seiya, weren't you? Ah, Seitosei is going to be jealous! I'm gonna tell him you were mooning over the school celebrity, instead of calling him a ponytailed pig, like you usually do."
Usagi's widened. Exactly what kind of girl was she in this world? "I call him that?!" She exclaimed. "How horrible of me! Where are my manners? Who is my mother? I never... not once... well, in the case of Mamoru... but that was different! He was following me around, practically stalking me, saying things about how Beryl wasn't that bad and he knew who I was! At least, I think he did. No, how could he? When I walked in I was normal.. or was I? I don't remember. I'll have to ask Rei when I get back..." She began to wander to her next class, still wondering aloud, her three friends watching her like she'd grown a new head that resembled Zoisite.
"Is it just me," Makoto stated slowly. "Or is Usagi acting ditzier than usual?"
But Ami's eyes were narrowed. "I don't know." But why was there suddenly a wisdom in Usagi's eyes that had not been there a week ago? And as for her eyes... they were so gray... almost silver....
"Ami! Don't you go into the Twilight Zone, either! Come on, the bell's about to ring. We should get to class. Odango Atama's on time today! How weird." Minako covering up her suspicious thoughts with a bright demeanor and dragged Ami to their next class, with Makoto following a still bewildered Usagi.
"I'm not sure... I'm really not. I think I remembering dehenshining... but perhaps it was only a dream. After loosing so many quarts of blood perhaps you're delirious for a while. I'm not sure. Perhaps I should do it again sometime... no, as Etern I cant loose that much blood... it'll just get replaced... hi Naru, how are you?... And you, Sensei Haruna? Hmm... I'll just have to ask Rei-chan..."
She sat down in a seat in the front row and took out her textbooks. She glanced idly at the board and noticed she was in Algebra II and saw that an assignment was due in ten minutes. She turned to the page and did it in five, all thirty problems, still muttering under her breath with a blank glaze over her gray eyes.
Haruna watched Usagi do the work and was bewildered. This girl, who was in danger of flunking the first semester, had just done work that she thought was at least five years over the blonde's capabilities like she was Mizuno, barely even noticing what she was doing. She was concerned, very concerned. She walked over to Usagi and laid her hand on the girl's forehead. It was ice cold, like touching a corpse.
"Yie!" She yelped and jerked her hand away. Usagi blinked and looked up at her, and finally took note of her surroundings. "Sensei Haruna! Oh, I'm sorry. I must have blanked for a moment." She smiled, trying to show that she was normal. "Here's the work that's due. I'm sorry I didn't do it last night, but the last week has been very chaotic to me. I'm sure you understand, right, sensei?"
Such a respectful tone and posture from a girl who regularly called her H-chan and slept through her class every day? For a moment Haruna felt that the appropriate response would be either to ask if the girl were feeling well or faint. But students were starting to file in and she had always been taught to never look a gift horse in the mouth. If some alien from Mars had replaced her worst student, well, so long as it acted like this, Haruna certainly wasn't going to raise a ruckus.
"Of course, Usagi-chan." She firmly replied, took the paper, and marched up to her desk and resolutely sat down. She noticed that Makoto, one of Usagi's close friends, was also giving Usagi a funny look as the blonde got up and approached a girl whom she had the same schedule and proceeded to write down all the assignments from yesterday to do before they were due. And more disturbing was the fact the girl didn't seem undaunted in the slightest she had a ten-page report due on the details of Alchemy in two hours. In fact, when Keiko rather hesitantly informed Usagi of this, she had beamed.
"That's wonderful! I've been needing an excuse to remember my lessons. This will be a challenge." And had flounced back to her seat and had began to write furiously.
She was three pages into the report and appeared to know exactly what she was writing about when the bell did ring. Haruna reluctantly stood up and opened her mouth to quiet the class and realized she didn't have to. Everyone was rapt with staring at Usagi, who actually looked intelligent as she scribbled madly in perfectly formed kanji.
Usagi noticed her teacher's stare and turned red. "Whoops!" She put a clean sheet of paper down and opened her math book again. "Sorry, Sensei Haruna. It won't happen again."
Haruna felt her knees tremble and her eyes loll, but kept herself together. "It's alright, Usagi-chan."
This was going to be one of those days.
And gym wasn't any better.
"Damn! Oh, damn! I can't stand this!" Usagi was changing for gym class. The other girls in the locker room looked at her strangely, especially Minako, who was changing beside her.
"Hey. What's wrong?" Minako pulled her shirt over her head and looked at Usagi. She seemed alright, no tears or bruises.
Usagi giggled. "Yeah. I'm just hyper. I feel like bouncing off the walls. What are we playing today? I hope it's not football. I hate football... how are you supposed to kick the ball into the goal with all the other people running around? It's stupid and crazy and... hey, it's raining. We can't play football. Yea!"
Now everyone *was* looking at her strangely.
"No, Usagi." There was definitely something up here, Minako decided. "We're playing volleyball." She noticed how her friends eyes brightened into an almost bluish color, but said nothing. Since when was Usagi so happy to play volleyball? She used to hate it!
She found out why, ten minutes later, when the first serve curved gracefully straight towards Usagi. Usagi's usual rescuer, a boy named Heero, jumped to hit it but Usagi was quicker. Using Heero's shoulder for leverage and even though she was a good two meters from the net. she jumped high into the air and with a resounding smack hit the ball and spiked it so hard that when it hit the other side of the floor-- nobody was crazy enough to try and stop it-- it bounced back up and hit a rafter.
Minako continued to be amazed, along with the rest of the class and the baffled sensei, as Usagi continued to play with a level of skill that even she, Aino Minako, would have found very unnerving had they been on opposite teams. And soon enough, it was just that. Everyone had given up with the blonde duo working together and Usagi had crossed under the net.
It was her serve. All eyes were on Minako as she frowned and bit her lip. She forgot she was in gym class playing against the leader of the senshi. She was back in England, and this was another tournament. She was playing against a player just like her, the best in the country. She was completely in her zone as she brought the hard white ball up and hit it with all of her force as a senshi.
Usagi smirked. She knew that power. But it was no match for Etern. Careful to lower her strength to match the adrenaline-filled Minako, she dove an impossible length and returned it like a bullet. The volley was endless and impossible, and there was no end to the highness of the jumps or the agility of the maneuvers. Left to right, right to left, it was dizzying,
"Enough!" Usagi yelled in a voice too deep to be her own. It was like a man's voice, deep and powerful. With a mighty punch the ball slammed into the ground two feet from Minako, who had made no move to counter it. Instead of Usagi she saw a tall sailor with hair the color of moonbeams and eyes like ice, with huge golden-tipped wings and a sailor fuku of white with golden sleeves and a skirt of rainbow, with a flowing cape also white. An eight-point star adorned her forehead and the space at the center of the bow and at the center of the beautiful skirt. She carried a staff not much unlike the one Sailormoon had used earlier, only this staff was topped with a winged orb and another star.
She blinked and Usagi stood taller than she should have seemed, directly opposite Minako on the court. Usagi was rather pale, as though she too had shared the vision.
"Minako?" She asked uncertainly. In truth she had let her aura overtake her for the briefest second, too quick for the humans to see but she was unsure if Minako had seen or not. If she had, that was it. Her secret was blown before the inner senshi.
But Minako only blinked again. "Oh, nothing. I just really spaced out for a second. Wow." She shook her head to clear the fuzz. "Yeah. Anyway, that was an awesome game you played."
Usagi giggled loudly. "I guess all of Luna's training must finally be paying off. Wow, I didn't know I could do that." She put a hand behind her head and did her best to look like Shingo when he was really acting stupid. Apparently it was a good imitation of Their-Usagi, for Minako laughed and nodded.
"Neither could I. Heh heh, I guess we got caught up in the game... everyone's staring at us..."
~'~
"Zi-chan!" Usagi squealed, as the pale man in black screeched up to the gates just as she walked out. He climbed off the beautiful bike gracefully and crossed the yard quickly, turning every girl's head and even some of the boys'. In one sweeping motion he swept her into his arm and spun her around, her laughing madly.
"Stop! Stop it!" She shrieked, and he set her down, not noticing the three dehenshined senshi behind her staring at him. "Zi-chan, you baka. You'll make people start getting ideas about us." She winked at him and he laughed, a bold baritone filling the air.
"Hi, I'm Minako." Minako marched forward and stuck her hand out. He took it briefly, recognizing who she was instantly. The bow was a dead giveaway. "This is Makoto and this is Ami. Are you Usagi's boyfriend?"
Kunzite blinked, and then grinned. This was Princess Minako, alright, in one of her acting roles she played so well. He could see the calculating shrewdness behind her eyes.
"I'm sorry, if I told you that, I'd have to kill you. And it would be very wrong of me to deprive the world of such beauty as yours." He smiled dashingly at her and she almost swooned. Oh, who the hell CARED if he were evil, with a smile like that? And besides, what were the chances Usagi's new boyfriend would be evil?
"Yeah..." Makoto had stars in her eyes. "Like my old boyfriend..." Ami and Minako rolled their eyes and Usagi looked confused, but took Kunzite's offered arm and couldn't help a smile.
"Gomen, minna-chan. Zi-chan and I have something to do."
Ami's eyes went wide. "But, Usagi, we have a... a... club meeting! At Rei-chan's! She'll absolute kill you if you don't show up! And... uhm... Sorry, Seitosei-kun can't come."
Kunzite looked amused. "I can't keep you from your responsibilities, Usagi-sama. I'll just pick you up. Where does Rei-san live?"
Usagi hoped desperately that she knew. Giving the senshi a nervous glance she gave him the address of the Hiwaka Shrine, before Beryl's takeover, before the streets were renamed. Thankfully this seemed to be right, for they said nothing. Usagi said to meet her there in about an hour. This too, seemed right.
He made to leave and Usagi pulled him into a tight hug and whispered careully into his ear.
"I might have made a big mistake today. If there's a problem I'll contact you. I may need rescuing. Ja, Kunzite."
He nodded. "Sayonara, Usagi-sama." And then he was gone. Usagi sighed. If only Mamoru weren't her prince... she could honestly learn to love that man...
She wasn't sure of the way to the Hiwaka shrine, so she followed the other three, her head down. They had been walking a while, talking about stupid things like clothing and boys, things of no true interest to Usagi anymore, when a hush fell over the other three.
"Look." Makoto said, in a very low tone. "It's Mamoru-san. He's with Motoki's little sister again. Do you think he likes her?"
Usagi looked, not quite understanding of the funny looks Minako and Ami were giving her. It was indeed Mamoru, in an awful green jacket, a girl about a year older than Ami beside him. They were in front of the Arcade, talking. Mamoru was smiling at her.
"That's nice." Usagi shrugged. "What about it? They look nice together."
Ami glanced at her again doubtfully. "Are you sure you're okay, Usagi? You're not going to cry again?"
Makoto grinned. "Atta girl, Usagi! You show him you don't need him! You ought to go by the arcade later with Seitosei and show him just what he's been missing. I hope he dies of jealousy." She added something under her breath that was probably vulgar and about Mamoru's mother.
"He's looking this way." Minako still sounded uncertain. "Oh, I can't believe him. How could he do that to you, Usagi? And he still hasn't given you a good reason? Just that he doesn't want to go out with a little girl like you?"
Usagi started. She was a WHAT? That stupid... at least her Mamoru had never dared... oh, that son of a... She felt her face burn with anger. "Minna, I will be right back." For some reason she felt like revenge. It was probably just stress and indignation, but no man called her a little girl. Not after what she'd been thought and not after she'd become what she was.
All they saw was a glimmer of Usagi's aura and her muttering under her breath. "Senshi, don't be alarmed. Luna-- Luna taught me this." She fibbed quickly, and then was a blinding flash of light and a woman stood in Usagi's place. It took a moment for them to recognized her.
"Usagi!" Ami and Makoto breathed at the same time, but Minako said nothing. She was too stunned, for this was the same woman she had seen on the Volleyball court, only minus the stars and fuku. Instead, she wore a pretty black dress, and her hair, now silver, cascaded freely down her back. She was in no way older, but more mature. Her gray eyes flashed at Mamoru.
'See what I really am?' She taunted him mentally. He started and stared at her, his blue eyes wide. 'You think I am a little girl. I am Sailor Cosmos, you fool. I am more than you will ever see again in any millennia. You will never own me. You will never control me. You will never see me. Not like I see you. And I see a coward inside you. And don't bother pointing me out to Uzasaki: only senshi can me in my true form when I decide to show it."
"Why?" He yelled.
The senshi looked at her curiously.
'Because I am only when I am. Because no true mortal may see me and live.' the lines of her body flickered and a golden-blonde Usagi in dumpy school fuku stood. "Because only a god is worthy!" She replied in a carrying shout.
"Baka Odango Atama!" He shouted back. She merely turned her back on him. "Minna, I'm sick of the immature baka. They continued
Mamoru, however, kept fuming. He was furious with her, that she had not insulted him in return, that she had displayed her power in full daylight, and that she had walked away. That she had not cried.
"Mamoru? Are you alright?" Uzasaki asked, worried. She watched as he turned and punched the side of the wall angrily. He looked more livid than she'd ever seen the usually controlled man, and didn't know quite what to do.
She was about to ask, but there was a loud beeping noise. It was his beeper.. or something. She wasn't sure when they stared making beepers that doubled as watches... and phones?
"Mamoru-san, this is Rei. There's trouble at the temple. Everyone get here fast. I can't do anything alone against this one."
Mamoru cursed very loudly, apologized to Uzasaki, and then took off at a run. He went for the rooftops and transformed as he ran, the extra boost o speed allowing him to reach the street in front of Hiwaka in minutes. He took in the scene and was floored. Sailormoon was fighting gracefully with a long staff, and her fuku was strange.
She wore a Sailor Fuku with a skirt of shimmering gold. The bows were silver, sparkling with some unknown glitter. The locket was in the center of the bow on her chest. A silver tiara was on her forehead, and a dark violet gem inside it. her movements were sure, and she fought to kill, not wound, as they usually did, against the four youma.
He could see Uranus and Neptune, but instead of fighting they were keeping the inner senshi from distracting Sailormoon-- or helping her, which Jupiter was screaming that Sailor needed desperately.
Yet, she obviously did not.
"Moon Firelight Beam!" She shot a nasty looking arrow-shaped beam into one of the youma's stomachs. It went straight through and left a gaping hole. The youma let out a horrible scream and collapsed into dust.
She fought two of them physically, while the third agitated the other senshi. He paid closer attention to his ex. The youma were attacking quickly, not giving her time to shout an attack. But regardless she seemed to be fairing well, with her staff and her kicks. But she was becoming frustrated.
"That's enough!" She screamed, finally. With a mighty heavy she shoved the butt of her staff hard into the purple youma's face with a crack and then, whirling so quickly she was little more than a blur, with the sharp crescent at the top sliced cleaning across the green one's back. "Moonlight Silverstar Embrace!" She yelled, and then the two youma were dust.
The inner senshi, however, were having trouble with the last youma. Tuxedo Kamen abandoned all pretense of not being there and jumped in to help.
Sailormoon watched. The youma was almost gone, and she was so absorbed she didn't noticed when Zoisite snuck up behind her.
"Pay back for last time, you little sailor bitch." He muttered angrily and sent a huge ki blast at her back.
"USAGI! WATCH OUT!" Uranus shouted, and Sailormoon turned. She saw the blast and the only thing she could do was let the power she had tried desperately to hide take over. Her staff began to glow and using it as a makeshift baseball bat she slammed it into the sphere of energy. It deflected the brunt of it away, but she was injured, blood too dark to be human running down her fuku. She winced but readied herself to fight.
Zoisite was surprised. She had moved much too fast for him and it appeared as though his blast had just suddenly turned and vanished. But his eyes lit up at the blood-- he'd managed to get her anyway. Good.
"So, Sailormoon." He said, rather rudely. "Did you kill him or did you just let him go and he's too afraid to come back?"
Sailormoon laughed. "If you mean Kunzite then perhaps I should ask you. He was gone when I went inside." She pointed her staff threateningly. "You should run away, little king, and tell Beryl that the Daughter of Etern demands she recant her declaration of war upon the senshi."
"The who?" Zoisite mocked. But Beryl's loud voice sounded in his mind.
This Daughter! Ask about her. I am curious. Do not yet attack!
Zoisite scowled. He opened his mouth to do as directed, but Sailormoon grinned at him.
"Oh, your queen is curious, ne? Beryl, I know you're listening. I protect the Daughter! I am the only one who knows where She is and if you want the wrath of her Father and the Universe to oppose you, please, continue wreaking havoc upon the innocent people of this planet. Make the Daughter even more angry than she already it. I remember you well, Beryl. Always a bitch. A cowardly, base-born, gaudy whore who was more likely to spit than to speak!"
I've had enough of you! Beryl screamed. A swirling black portal opened beside Zoisite and the tall king shrunk away, terrified of the tall woman who emerged.
"Beryl, how nice to meet you, finally. The last time I saw you I believe I was in the middle of disemboweling myself. I apologize for my previous rudeness." Sailormoon gave her a slight bow. "I trust you'll forgive me."
The senshi stood, watching, wary of the new arrival. Tuxedo Kamen was all but floored. When had his klutzy odango-chan become to courageous and strong? It was very strange.
Beryl, too, thought this new development was remarkable and worthy of distrust. But in her memories she recalled the image of someone quite distinguishable disemboweling themselves. Her eyes widened and she did a double take on the petite moon warrior.
"Princess Serenity?" She asked, in blatant disbelief. "Can it be?"
Sailormoon smiled prettily. "Of course it can be. And is. I'm very flattered you remembered me, Beryl. I do remember hearing you screaming something about how I should have waited so I could have died a proper, pain-wracked death. Let me assure you that taking a dull blade and plunging it through my abdomen was a rather agonizing experience, so you should not be entirely disappointed."
Beryl, in spite of her growing fear, managed a smirk. "Sassy little bitch, as usual, Little Princess. Not so little, I see. But you are growing into your title. I trust now you will not sob over the body of your prince this time while I kill all you hold dear. No, you seem to be quite the fierce little Amazon in this life." She extended one hand, a plan formulating in her mind.
"I would like to hear all about it. Tell me how this sudden change occurred in you. Tell me everything. Join me."
Sailormoon didn't accept the offered limb. "Beryl, do not insult my intelligence. We both know you are no match for Etern. It is your deepest fear; I see it in your eyes. Why are you doing this? Has my mother ever done you such a grievous injury? Did Endymion choosing the moon over you really hurt you so much?"
She wondered the answers to so many questions. But they could not be asked all at once, and as long as they were talking she learned much and didn't have to fight. The wound in her side grew painful but she did her best not to let it show. From what she recalled Beryl loved to talk. She would see how helpful that would be, now.
Beryl sniffed. She knew the moon brat was up to something but saw no harm in chatting before she killed the weakling. "Yes! You are of no comparison to me!"
Sailormoon smiled kindly. "But he's just a man. I didn't care for him then, and nor do I now. You saw how he treats me. He'd treat you the same. He's the worst kind of male, one who thinks all women must be protected. And he'll die. IN a few years he will grow old, not like you or I. Do you want to watch him grow feeble and gray and waste to nothing? Do you really?"
Uranus was shocked. There was an almost friend sisterly bond between Beryl and Sailormoon, an understanding, sort of. Neither seemed willing to argue with the other and they seemed to get along rather well. She noted that Zoisite was just as disgruntled with the new events and frowned.
What was their princess up to? Surely she had a plan, and wasn't talking to the enemy like they were old pals for nothing.
Yet... the more she looked at Sailormoon's open gray eyes and at Beryl's wary, red ones, she began to suspect neither really had a true strategy. They were sizing each other up, true, but...
She didn't know how to explain it, but it was like... relief. Yes, relief. That someone else knew what it was like to be so much alone. An empathy, a knowing that "You understand me. You understand what it is like. I would that I would love you, but you make it so I can not. Why is it so?"
Yes, that was exactly it, Uranus realized. Exactly so.
Beryl contemplated this, her hard mask dissolving to a sigh. She closed her eyes, and then opened them again, and her voice was resigned. "I suppose not. But... you are my enemy. I must kill you. I will rule this planet." But she didn't sound so sure.
Sailormoon grasped that unsureness. This was the Beryl that had killed herself, a thousand years away. A doubtful Beryl, a Beryl who realized she had no real reason.
"Why?" She demanded softly. Zoisite sensed his queen's wavering mind and was speechless. "Why must you be my enemy? Why must you rule this pathetic dirtball? Its inhabitants are crude and filthy, and it has no real value at all. Your kingdom is much greater. Why must you be uncontent with the dark kingdom?"
ENOUGH! A booming, deep, inhuman voice screeched from Beryl's mouth. YOU WILL NOT CONVERT MY LOYAL SERVANT WITH YOUR LUNARIAN SORCERY! I WILL DEAL WITH YOU LATER, CHILD OF SERENITY! BERYL, ZOISITE, COME! NOW!
Beryl was shocked. Never had Metalia spoken so angrily before. She turned and stomped into the portal, intending to give her mistress a tongue-lashing as of never heard before loudness. Zoisite groaned, seeing the queen's humor, and followed.
Sailormoon shrugged. "At least they've gone and no one's dead yet." She smiled cheerfully and turned to face her senshi. It was then she noticed they all stared at her like she had four or five new head and each was a teletubbie replica. "What?" She demanded.
"That's it!" Mercury shouted. "That's so it. I don't know who you are or where you came from, but you ARE NOT SAILORMOON!" She stomped forward and jabbed her forefinger into Sailormoon's chest. "I just scanned you, you imposter, and you reek of an energy that is not even vaguely human and has so many different properties not even the Mercury Computer up at the moon can tell if you're friend or foe! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU??"
"Ami, you are so unlike your sister at times you frighten me." Sailormoon hugged the blue-haired senshi happily and skipped out of her reach. "I am so Sailormoon. Ami, you know as well as anybody that no one else can use my broach. Besides, just because I had a little too much chocolate and tried to snog Beryl doesn't mean I'm not me."
Mercury looked like she desperately wanted to hurt Sailormoon, but lowered her head in defeat. "You're right. No one can trick the broach." But her eyes narrowed again. "Your aura?" She questioned, confident she now had the imposter.
Sailormoon arched an eyebrow at her. "I received a power up, as my previous strength wasn't enough to off the big bad smelly things. And with the power up I got some of my memories back, you know, how to do awesome tricks and stuff. So of course my aura's a bit screwy. Yours would be to." No, it wouldn't. "I would never lie to you." Yes, I would.
Looks like someone has a secret... don't worry, it's good. It's really good. Why do you think I love AU fics? You get to control everything.