-
Chapter 33
A tall woman stepped out into the clear moonlight, "Well done, well done! I am truly impressed. Have you been keeping up with your swordplay?"
I gawked for a moment, not quite believing my eyes, "You....you're alive?"
"And well. And it's not nice to gape, Jadeite."
My eyes narrowed and I lifted my sword, "I see the senshi had a small oversight on their part. No worries. I don't mind cleanup."
The woman gazed at me confidently, a smug smile on her lips, "Come now Jadeite. You surely remember the last time we fought. You had a little trouble breathing.....which is just as well. It's not nice to strike ladies."
Hatred boiled up to the surface and I snarled, and leapt at her. She disappeared suddenly and I turned to gain my bearings. She had reappeared on streetlamp post, her arms in a contemplative pose. "Still the hot headed man I have always known. Is this is how you treat an old friend?"
"As I said, so many years ago, no enemy of my prince is a friend of mine."
Beryl sighed and let herself float to the ground, "One thousand years have not improved your manners one bit. Although you seem to have made some new friends in the process."
I spotted the senshi rushing down the street towards us and I smirked, "I should have known. You were always a terrible tactician Beryl. Attacking down a street, against senshi in defensible position."
She showed a hint of anger at that exchange, "At least I still lead my armies. What are you but a washed up General pandering to the will of that Moon slut and her pathetic defenders?"
"You were defeated by those pathetic fighters. As you can see, there are more of them than before. They are stronger, more powerful than they have ever been. That you still believe that you can win is laughable. Your chances were long even when you had capable leaders helping you."
I lifted my chin imperiously and sheathed my sword, "You are pathetic."
Her eyes flashed and she backed up a step, hissing, "We shall see."
She breathed out slowly, calling to her disposal the vast magical reserves she had at her disposal. I braced myself preparing for an attack. It came from an unexpected quarters.
In an instant, she battered down my mental defenses, brutally and efficiently swiping knowledge from my brain before I could erect a shield. I snarled and prepared to beat her back, but she withdrew content with the information she had gathered.
Her eyes went blank for a moment, then a malevolent smile came over her face. "Ah Jadeite. You and your weaknesses."
"Beryl!" Sailor Moon stopped twenty feet away and her hands came up in a stylized position, "Rainbow Moon-"
Beryl's strong voice cut through the night, "Sailor Moon! We are old enemies, but I wish to offer you a temporary truce."
Sailor Moon stopped for a moment, "Why?"
"Because, I have something to offer to you. A gift of great importance. Information."
Mamoru stepped forward, his eyes narrow with hate, "What information? Why should we trust you?"
"Why, information of a traitor in your midst. The only information ever worth having," she gestured grandly, "I ask the gentleman in black to pull off his mask, to show the world who he truly is."
I glared at her, wishing I could strike her dead, but I did not budge.
Her smile turned evil once again, "If the gentleman will not reveal himself in the next ten seconds, then I will be forced to reveal him myself." Her voice turned to once of steel, "And I will not be so kind."
I closed my eyes in pure regret and glared at again at Beryl, wishing I could strike her down. Pulling off the cloak swathing my head, I let the senshi get a full glimpse of my profile, knowing the repercussions in full. Somewhere, I heard Rei gasp, "Ryan...."
"Ryan, you say, Sailor Mars? I am not familiar with these human names, so I can merely relate to you who I know him as. Look beyond the wrinkles Sailor Mars, the age. Look beyond the remorse and see your enemy for who he truly is, the Dark General Jadeite!"
I let loose a battle cry and lunged at her with my blade. She disappeared again, to reappear farther down the street, laughing uncontrollably. I trembled with anger that I could barely contain within myself. She called out gaily, "Thank you, Sailor Moon for your time. Until next time!"
Rei whispered to herself, "No...no...it can't be. No, no, no."
Ami tried to comfort her, "Rei-chan, it will be okay."
"How?" She screamed at the top of her lungs, "DAMN YOU, LIAR! You LIED to me! You lied...." her voice trailed off into a whisper and she wept bitterly.
Ryan moved forward to comfort her, pushing through the ranks of senshi to enfold her in his arms, "Rei-chan, please listen to me."
"You lied...you lied...liar...liar. You were an imposter. You lied to me...."
"I will not deny it. But that does not diminish who I am. I am still the man who would give his life for you...who loves you more than he loves himself."
She did not hear him and slowly pulled away. Her eyes slowly gained coherence and a heartbreakingly stone cast came over her face, "I don't know what to think anymore.....Goodbye Jadeite. Ryan....whoever you are." And she ran.
I could feel her take my heart into my hand and crush it. I hung my head low and then rose up to give myself some dignity. "Shall we get on with the judgement or should we just skip to the punishment itself?"
Usagi sighed and half chuckled, "We're not quite as capricious as your old...boss. But we do have some questions." She poked me suspiciously in the belly, "Like aren't you supposed to be dead?"
"A common misconception," I said with irony that could cut butter. I related to them the entire sordid story of my entombing and waiting and waiting to be released. My life in America, the dreams which had brought me here, my meeting with Mamoru, and other delectable topics.
It was cathartic, and although I suspected I was in no better a position than I was when I started, I felt better having gotten it off my chest. Humorously, 'At the very least, it will provide a bit of clarity in my life'
Usagi thought about it a moment and then turned to Mamoru, "Do you trust him?"
"With my life."
She sighed, "I was afraid you were going to say that. You'll excuse us of course, Jadeite."
I bowed at the waist and transformed back into street clothes before moving out of hearing range.
The conversation they held in the alley was brief but heated and I sighed. The senshi filed out of the alley in civilian clothing, with Usagi and Mamoru at the head of them. "Ryan, since you'll be working with us from now on, I think you'll need to know your teammates."
I grinned and Usagi gave me a solemn glare, "Mamoru was very persuasive. This is a great responsibility you're taking on. Do you understand me?"
"It's not exactly a new one for me."
"In that case, I believe you know most of whom you will be working with." She moved slightly, to reveal the three senshi that I did know and three more that I did not.
My grin died on my face when I saw the grim looks on most of their faces, "Um...nice meeting all of you."
Mamoru nudged me in the side and muttered, "They'll get used to you eventually."
"Yeah, I can see it in their faces." I sighed, "Thanks guys for the vote of confidence. I really do appreciate it and I'll do whatever I can to earn your trust."
Minako stepped forward, her face twisted uncomfortably, "From a warrior to a warrior, I shall take that as your word. Though I warn you. Betray us and the consequences will be most dire."
"I have seen betrayal. I KNOW betrayal, far more than any of you ever could. I have betrayed, been betrayed....But I will not betray you."
"Let us hope so, Jadeite. For your sake."
Chapter 33
A tall woman stepped out into the clear moonlight, "Well done, well done! I am truly impressed. Have you been keeping up with your swordplay?"
I gawked for a moment, not quite believing my eyes, "You....you're alive?"
"And well. And it's not nice to gape, Jadeite."
My eyes narrowed and I lifted my sword, "I see the senshi had a small oversight on their part. No worries. I don't mind cleanup."
The woman gazed at me confidently, a smug smile on her lips, "Come now Jadeite. You surely remember the last time we fought. You had a little trouble breathing.....which is just as well. It's not nice to strike ladies."
Hatred boiled up to the surface and I snarled, and leapt at her. She disappeared suddenly and I turned to gain my bearings. She had reappeared on streetlamp post, her arms in a contemplative pose. "Still the hot headed man I have always known. Is this is how you treat an old friend?"
"As I said, so many years ago, no enemy of my prince is a friend of mine."
Beryl sighed and let herself float to the ground, "One thousand years have not improved your manners one bit. Although you seem to have made some new friends in the process."
I spotted the senshi rushing down the street towards us and I smirked, "I should have known. You were always a terrible tactician Beryl. Attacking down a street, against senshi in defensible position."
She showed a hint of anger at that exchange, "At least I still lead my armies. What are you but a washed up General pandering to the will of that Moon slut and her pathetic defenders?"
"You were defeated by those pathetic fighters. As you can see, there are more of them than before. They are stronger, more powerful than they have ever been. That you still believe that you can win is laughable. Your chances were long even when you had capable leaders helping you."
I lifted my chin imperiously and sheathed my sword, "You are pathetic."
Her eyes flashed and she backed up a step, hissing, "We shall see."
She breathed out slowly, calling to her disposal the vast magical reserves she had at her disposal. I braced myself preparing for an attack. It came from an unexpected quarters.
In an instant, she battered down my mental defenses, brutally and efficiently swiping knowledge from my brain before I could erect a shield. I snarled and prepared to beat her back, but she withdrew content with the information she had gathered.
Her eyes went blank for a moment, then a malevolent smile came over her face. "Ah Jadeite. You and your weaknesses."
"Beryl!" Sailor Moon stopped twenty feet away and her hands came up in a stylized position, "Rainbow Moon-"
Beryl's strong voice cut through the night, "Sailor Moon! We are old enemies, but I wish to offer you a temporary truce."
Sailor Moon stopped for a moment, "Why?"
"Because, I have something to offer to you. A gift of great importance. Information."
Mamoru stepped forward, his eyes narrow with hate, "What information? Why should we trust you?"
"Why, information of a traitor in your midst. The only information ever worth having," she gestured grandly, "I ask the gentleman in black to pull off his mask, to show the world who he truly is."
I glared at her, wishing I could strike her dead, but I did not budge.
Her smile turned evil once again, "If the gentleman will not reveal himself in the next ten seconds, then I will be forced to reveal him myself." Her voice turned to once of steel, "And I will not be so kind."
I closed my eyes in pure regret and glared at again at Beryl, wishing I could strike her down. Pulling off the cloak swathing my head, I let the senshi get a full glimpse of my profile, knowing the repercussions in full. Somewhere, I heard Rei gasp, "Ryan...."
"Ryan, you say, Sailor Mars? I am not familiar with these human names, so I can merely relate to you who I know him as. Look beyond the wrinkles Sailor Mars, the age. Look beyond the remorse and see your enemy for who he truly is, the Dark General Jadeite!"
I let loose a battle cry and lunged at her with my blade. She disappeared again, to reappear farther down the street, laughing uncontrollably. I trembled with anger that I could barely contain within myself. She called out gaily, "Thank you, Sailor Moon for your time. Until next time!"
Rei whispered to herself, "No...no...it can't be. No, no, no."
Ami tried to comfort her, "Rei-chan, it will be okay."
"How?" She screamed at the top of her lungs, "DAMN YOU, LIAR! You LIED to me! You lied...." her voice trailed off into a whisper and she wept bitterly.
Ryan moved forward to comfort her, pushing through the ranks of senshi to enfold her in his arms, "Rei-chan, please listen to me."
"You lied...you lied...liar...liar. You were an imposter. You lied to me...."
"I will not deny it. But that does not diminish who I am. I am still the man who would give his life for you...who loves you more than he loves himself."
She did not hear him and slowly pulled away. Her eyes slowly gained coherence and a heartbreakingly stone cast came over her face, "I don't know what to think anymore.....Goodbye Jadeite. Ryan....whoever you are." And she ran.
I could feel her take my heart into my hand and crush it. I hung my head low and then rose up to give myself some dignity. "Shall we get on with the judgement or should we just skip to the punishment itself?"
Usagi sighed and half chuckled, "We're not quite as capricious as your old...boss. But we do have some questions." She poked me suspiciously in the belly, "Like aren't you supposed to be dead?"
"A common misconception," I said with irony that could cut butter. I related to them the entire sordid story of my entombing and waiting and waiting to be released. My life in America, the dreams which had brought me here, my meeting with Mamoru, and other delectable topics.
It was cathartic, and although I suspected I was in no better a position than I was when I started, I felt better having gotten it off my chest. Humorously, 'At the very least, it will provide a bit of clarity in my life'
Usagi thought about it a moment and then turned to Mamoru, "Do you trust him?"
"With my life."
She sighed, "I was afraid you were going to say that. You'll excuse us of course, Jadeite."
I bowed at the waist and transformed back into street clothes before moving out of hearing range.
The conversation they held in the alley was brief but heated and I sighed. The senshi filed out of the alley in civilian clothing, with Usagi and Mamoru at the head of them. "Ryan, since you'll be working with us from now on, I think you'll need to know your teammates."
I grinned and Usagi gave me a solemn glare, "Mamoru was very persuasive. This is a great responsibility you're taking on. Do you understand me?"
"It's not exactly a new one for me."
"In that case, I believe you know most of whom you will be working with." She moved slightly, to reveal the three senshi that I did know and three more that I did not.
My grin died on my face when I saw the grim looks on most of their faces, "Um...nice meeting all of you."
Mamoru nudged me in the side and muttered, "They'll get used to you eventually."
"Yeah, I can see it in their faces." I sighed, "Thanks guys for the vote of confidence. I really do appreciate it and I'll do whatever I can to earn your trust."
Minako stepped forward, her face twisted uncomfortably, "From a warrior to a warrior, I shall take that as your word. Though I warn you. Betray us and the consequences will be most dire."
"I have seen betrayal. I KNOW betrayal, far more than any of you ever could. I have betrayed, been betrayed....But I will not betray you."
"Let us hope so, Jadeite. For your sake."