Author's Note:
This is a sequel to Angelic Embrace. I thought about doing it, but I didn't until someone told me they thought a sequel was possible. You will really want to read the first one to find out what's going on.
As we all know the names of the Senshi, there's no need to go there, except to say that I use the Japanese names.
For a review, I'll list the names of the Shitennou:
Keagan Kris MacNeal (Kunzite)
Nick Michael Canter (Nephrite)
Jace Daniel Taencer (Jadeite)
Zale James Indiano (Zoisite)
You can contact me at Guardian4@cox.net.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Last Journey
Chapter 16: On the Danger Line
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With rage, the Senshi stalked through the monotonous gray and drab green halls. Kunzite kept them going mercilessly, feeling no tiredness or irritation. His attention was completely focused on his goal. Nothing penetrated his determined mind.
Strangely enough, they met not a single thing as they moved through the maze of corridors, not even guard-droids. At first they were grateful for it, as it enabled them to conserve their energy, but after so long the only sound of their shoes on the floor and echoing down the hall really began to wear on their nerves.
"Kunzite, where is…everything!" demanded Mars, itching to release some of her nervous energy. And itching to deliver some revenge for Yuuichirou.
Finally it seemed to dawn on Kunzite through his single-minded intensity and he stopped walking. He looked around suspiciously. "I don't know…it's almost as if they're expecting us and are waiting for us."
"That's impossible," hissed Uranus. "They couldn't possibly know that we were going to be here. I'm not disputing that they know probably know we are here, but how could they know in advance?"
"Maybe they just don't have any guards?" Jupiter suggested doubtfully.
"Unlikely," Neptune responded, glancing at the mirror in her hands. "I don't see a thing."
Pluto, who had been silent since speaking down in the dungeons, suddenly lunged with a screamed, "Jupiter, look out!"
The Senshi saw in a blink the droid made of some kind of sticky substance headed straight for her at high speed before the Time Guardian slammed her to the floor.
"Meteor Strike!"
Uranus' hand closed into fist over her heart. The earth exploded around her in a circle and a meteor hurtled down from the ceiling toward her. It connected with the stones circling her and seemed to bounce off it and veer toward droid.
The droid saw it and simply looked at it. At the point that the meteor would have hit it, it suddenly threw itself at the approaching threat and covered it like a thick red outside layer. The magical attack faded away and with a smug look, the droid re-formed into its somewhat humanoid form.
Uranus' partner wasn't as shocked as her and immediately jumped into action.
"Grand Stream!"
An ocean of water surrounded Neptune and she twirled twice, her arms thrust out to direct her water. The water flew up and fell like a waterfall over the droid and it screamed as the water broke down the jelly-like-substance that made up its form.
There was nothing in front of them anymore except for a pool of goo, even though they waited to see if anything else would attack them.
Nothing did.
"I guess this place isn't as empty as we thought," Mars muttered as the two Senshi stood and straightened themselves out.
"Let's move on," Kunzite ordered, though he made sure to pay attention to the outside world around him and not just his thoughts.
They ran into only two other droids, each of which were easily defeated by Mars' Final Burst and Kunzite's Sword for the King.
"Does this hallway look like the last one we just went through?"
Jupiter's companions took a close look at the walls and floors, coming to the startling conclusion that it did.
"We're wasting time down here!" Kunzite snapped. "Where the hell is exit?"
Both Mars and Neptune immediately concentrated on their psychic and talisman abilities. There was an uncomfortable silence while the others waited, ready for any attack that might come.
After a moment, Neptune looked up and regretfully shook her head. "There's something about this place that's messing with my mirror. Every time I try to ask for a direction, it shows me three different paths, none of which that we have found in the first place."
Mars, though, had some more uplifting news. Her eyes were far away as she looked at Kunzite. "There's a hidden staircase behind that wall. The rest of this floor is nothing but a circle and we've been gone around it three times."
Kunzite followed the Senshi's pointing finger and pulled out his sword, Endymion focused in the center of his mind. "Sword for the King!"
The blade glowed brightly, casting shadows all over the area. He drew it in a quick arc near the floor and made a decisive gesture at the wall. Three consecutive blasts shaped like sword blades spiraled around in a circle headed straight for it. With an explosion worthy of a first-rate Silver Dragon by Venus, dust, stone, and mortar flew high in the air.
Pluto waved away the particles of debris from her face and commented dryly, "If they didn't know we were here before, they know now. That attack reverberated throughout the complex."
The Shitennou gave her a quick glare and stalked up the stairs, the Senshi hastening to follow.
~~~~~~
They heard the wall being magically rebuilt behind them and it was then that they knew it had been a trap. Stone suddenly became permeable like a sponge and flexed on either side of them.
"Run!"
Following Kunzite's lead, the six of them pelted for the exit at the top of the stairs. Rocks and other limestone fell from the ceiling and making them jump over obstacles. Almost as if the very ground was like water, it rippled beneath their feet and made the running treacherous at best.
Neptune screamed in pain as a large chunk of falling masonry caught her back.
"Thunder God!"
Jupiter's attack ripped through the stone that had pinned the fallen Soldier.
"Keep running!" Kunzite screamed. "Jupiter!"
"I got it!"
Using the inborn strength of someone born on the Jovian planet, Jupiter picked Neptune up in her arms and proceeded to run desperately. It took all of Mars and Pluto's strength to keep Uranus running forward and not backward toward her beloved. Neptune was unconscious, but she did not seem to be critically injured.
"It's just ahead; keep running!" Mars panted, her hand firmly gripping Uranus' arm and towing her forward.
"I don't think you'll make it, however. I, Crimson Rubeus, won't allow it."
The air wavered and the man with bright red hair materialized, floating slightly above them and not even caring about the shaking staircase and stones that threatened to brain him if it hit him.
"Astral Drain!"
Mist covered Pluto's running body and the jewel on her tightly gripped staff glowed bright red. Bracing her feet abruptly, she thrust the key-shaped end toward Rubeus. Pale purple light sprouted around her, tossing her hair into the air. Maroon rays flew from her Time Key to the man.
He held off her attack narrowly. "Go!" the Senshi of Time screamed, keeping her staff pointed straight at Rubeus and keeping up her barrage of power.
"We're not leaving you here!" snapped Uranus, but she was already being thrust through the door by Kunzite by the time she finished speaking.
Mars, with a backward and painful glance, followed.
Kunzite motioned frantically for Jupiter, lagging behind because of the weight in her arms. The Soldier of Protection was looking weary and tired, but the determination in her eyes proclaimed that she would run until she could no longer move at all.
As she passed the Soldier of Time, standing stock still in the middle of the continuing rubble, her green eyes met with those garnets. For half a second, it seemed as if time had slowed down and Jupiter remembered when she had first met her, talked with her in the alley with mistrust.
But most of all, she remembered when she had met with Setsuna in the park and the others for the first time and she had introduced herself.
@-----
"I am Sailor Pluto, guardian of the Gate of Time. It is time for the Princess's Inner Guard and Court to awaken. Mercury, Mars, Venus," She looked straight at Makoto, "and Jupiter."
………
Her shoulders were tight and taunt as she turned around to the blond woman. "We must be careful. If the enemy hears even a wisp of a Senshi, we'll be up to our ears in youma, daemons, and whatever else he might think up. It is imperative that no one knows who and what we are. With these five arguing about it at the top of their lungs it is a wonder the entire block doesn't know who and what we are by now."
Makoto glared at Setsuna and her hands clenched into fists. "Look, it was you who came to me! I didn't ask for this! You'll just have to deal with a few questions that you refuse to answer. I'll just leave."
Setsuna looked at her with calm eyes. "You wouldn't leave."
@------
The moment ended as quickly as it had begun. Her legs had not stopped moving and she was at the door in moments. Uranus was already waiting and jerked the Soldier of the Depths from her arms. Jupiter, after an assessing glance at Kunzite, jumped over the debris that was now trying to clog the doorway.
"Sword for the King!" While Kunzite's magical attack distracted Rubeus, he yelled, "Pluto, come on!"
She broke into a run and let her attack drain out. The Shitennou kept the man busy as the Time Guardian lunged the last few feet and into collapsing doorway. Arms helped their companion still trapped just as the last of the huge boulders collapsed, trapping Rubeus inside.
Jupiter collapsed to her knees, gasping. "Is he dead?"
"I certainly hope so," retorted Kunzite, breathing just as heavily as the green Senshi.
"Well he may be, but I'm certainly not."
Tiredly, they looked up and saw the woman that they had expected. It only seemed to irritate her that did not seem surprised or shocked at her arrival, only tired.
To recover her bearings, she continued on pointlessly, as the Senshi weren't listening, "While Rubeus and I may have fought a lot, we were still clan members. You will pay for his death."
Kunzite, his sword already out, pointed it at her, looking suddenly much more awake than he had been before once her posturing was done. "Then let's get down to it, shall we?"
~~~~
End Chapter 16.
I know I'm evil for ending it there. Okay, this story is almost done and I figure about two more chapters left before then.
On a side-note, I now have a website, folks! So if there are any Senshi/Shitennou romance readers/writers, please check it out, as it has been created to host such stories. If you would like to submit, please read the submitting page, that's all I ask. Thanks!
It's called, We Loved, Forever