ALL THAT GLITTERS
Chapter 10: "The Flower Amid The Thorns"
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
"That's the Princess!" Sailor Pallas shrieked.
She and Sailor Ceres had arrived and seen what everyone else had seen. Just meters away, in the leafy grip of one of the native stalks, a desicated and drained Sailor Moon hung limply. Her eyes stared out blankly, blindly, from deep in the recesses of her orbital sockets. Her parched, withered lips were drawn into a hideous smile.
"Is she dead?" Pallas cried.
"Not yet," Juno forced herself to say. "I thought I heard her speak."
"Well we have to get her out of there!" Sailor Vesta roared impotently.
As if on cue, Sailor Saturn started forward. Her glaive rose over her head, the blade angled to fall like a mighty guillotine at the slight violet senshi's merest behest. Her intent was clear: to sever the leaves gripping Sailor Moon and end the plant's process of sucking the girl dry.
"Saturn, don't!" Ceres cried.
Saturn stopped, then whirled impatiently on her fellow senshi, silently demanding a reason.
"She'll feel it, too," Ceres told her. "Any cut you make into that stalk, Sailor Moon will feel it!"
"It's the quickest way to get her away from that plant!" Saturn argued.
"I think Ceres is right," Juno warned. "In her weakened state, the pain and shock might just kill her."
"She's dead if we don't," Saturn countered, sadly examining the almost mummified remains of what was once her best friend. "If she has to go - - I'd rather it be as a person and not plant food."
"Hey, maybe Pallas can pull those leaves away without hurting her too much," suggested Vesta. She hurried over to Sailor Pallas and knelt down, gripping the girl by the upper arms. "Can you try that, Pallas? I'm sure you can do it."
"Pallas will try for The Princess," Pallas nodded immediately. Vesta gave her an encouraging smile and Pallas beamed.
Stepping away from Vesta, Sailor Pallas moved until she got a clear angle at the stalk. Her hands went up before her, pointed at the stalk holding Sailor Moon.
"Beautiful Incantation!" called out Sailor Pallas.
Invisible hands seemed to grip the leaves holding Sailor Moon. Instantly the stalk began to resist, drawing tighter around its prey. In response, Sailor Pallas knit her brow and mentally pulled harder. A silent tug of war ensued between the towering stalk and the littlest senshi of the group. Each sought the spent and rapidly fading prize in the stalk's grasp.
Out of nowhere Pallas noticed hands closing around her upper shoulders. Startled, she glanced back. Sailor Vesta had her. She didn't say a word. She just exuded an aura of belief and confidence - - confidence in Pallas. Pallas puffed out her chest and smiled, that broad, child-like grin that so belied her age but not her heart. Then she hunkered down and poured on the power.
And the leaves began to pull away. Reluctantly they loosened from around Sailor Moon They fought every step of the way, but the invisible grip around them was suddenly too strong, too hard to resist. Their grip was slowly, inexorably pulled away until Sailor Moon limply slid out and flopped on the ground.
"Pallas did it!" the blue senshi squealed.
But no sooner had she spoke then Sailor Saturn stepped in. With a magnificently graceful pirouette that would put a ballerina to shame, Saturn brought the blade of her glaive around and cleaved the stalk near its roots with a single stroke. The stalk fell to the ground, dead and ignored by its killer. Only Sailor Ceres could hear its death scream.
Saturn sank to her knees next to Sailor Moon. She could see her friend was deeply in agony, both from the physical deprivation she was undergoing and from the wrenching disappearance of Helios from her mind. Weak grunts emerged from her lips and her eyes stared out in lonely, desolate remorse. Without hesitation, Saturn extended her hands to her friend's chest.
"Saturn, don't!" yelled Sailor Juno. "You could kill yourself trying to heal her!"
Saturn shrugged weakly. "Doesn't matter," she whispered.
Amid the mists that made the limbo housing the Door of Time what it was, Sailor Pluto stood sentry duty as she had for a thousand years. For her, little time had passed since she left the post in the care of Diana, yet she knew that four years had passed. At the time she wasn't sure she was coming back. She had seen the path that led to this point and knew her death was not inevitable. She had only hoped her gentle Lady would not choose that path, if only to spare her the ordeal she was currently undergoing. She had seen the image, of her young Lady in her Sailor Moon guise, withered and teetering near death.
A tear trickled down her soft cheek.
"My life was not worth this, My Lady," she whispered to no one but herself. "How I wish you had never set upon this path."
"The Princess does what she thinks is best," came a soft, throaty purr. Pluto glanced behind her, embarrassed at having been caught in her emotionalism. Diana sat, watching her with that uncanny air of all-knowing bliss that felines possessed. "She may not always do right, but she acts with only the best of intentions."
"Best intentions alone do not always create wisdom," Sailor Pluto responded, coloring at the crack in the timber of her voice. "It would have been best for all had she not attempted to rescue me."
"Would it?" Diana argued. "I'm certainly glad to have you back, and I don't doubt the others are as well. I admit part of it is selfish. Filling in for you was quite the daunting task, though I will say I've gained - - a new perspective on you. 'Walking a mile in the other person's shoes' and all that. We're all much better off with you back."
"Perhaps you would not say that," Pluto replied sadly, "if you knew what I know."
"Perhaps not. Then again, you do know what you know and yet you returned with her."
"She would not have left without me and we would both have perished," Pluto mused gloomily. Then a tiny smile grew on her mouth. "My Lady is quite stubborn."
"Isn't she?" Diana replied. "Therefore there's really no point in berating yourself. You were up against a force you couldn't control, just as I was when I failed to stop her from going after you. Buck up."
Pluto stared down at the gray feline. There was still some of the effervescent, wide-eyed kitten left in her, despite the solemnness of maturity. It stirred memories of the kitten frolicking at the feet of The Princess when she would visit, back when she was still Pluto's Small Lady and would visit her in limbo.
The mysterious senshi of time knelt down and stroked the cat's back. Diana arched happily.
"This is why I chose you, of all the residents of the palace, to stand in for me," Pluto said. "Of everyone, your intelligence and perspective best qualified you to do this. Thank you, Lady Diana."
Diana blushed. "Lady? Oh my, you honor me, Sailor Pluto. I only did the best I could. It was nothing special."
Pluto stroked her again. This time Diana noticed the melancholy had returned to the senshi's face.
"This still troubles you," Diana said. "Is it truly that bad? Is The Princess in that dire of a situation?"
Sailor Pluto stroked the cat again and said nothing.
Michiru returned to the quarters she shared with Haruka and Hotaru. She had just finished her physical therapy session at the medical clinic and she was leaning heavily on her cane. Though she was seeing improvement, the microwave tissue regeneration bombardment was a taxing process and always left her sore afterwards. Aside from the progress in restoring her legs, the only other benefit she got from it was the rubdown Haruka always gave her legs.
The woman had hands that could tempt a saint. And it might just get her mind off of worrying about Hotaru.
"Haruka," Michiru called out. "I'm back."
But the living room was empty. Slightly disappointed, Michiru hobbled over to the bedroom. Haruka was probably in the computer room with the Queen and the others. But as long as she was there, it wouldn't hurt to be thorough.
Their bedroom had an outer window looking out onto Crystal Tokyo. It was seven feet high and arched at the top like the European castles of old. And there, her long frame curled up in the windowsill, sat Haruka. She stared up into the sky, her sandy blonde hair dangling just out of her eyes. The mood on her face was one of expectation - - no, not expectation - - anxiety. There was a tense anticipation of the worst in her that was just so very Haruka, even after all these centuries. And, as it always did when she was like this, Michiru felt her heart go out to her lifemate. She hobbled over. As she neared, the sound of her cane and scuffing feet on the floor caught Haruka's attention. The woman turned to her and extended a hand. Michiru grasped it and squeezed it.
"You're worried about her, aren't you?" Michiru observed.
"Aren't you?" Haruka replied.
"Of course," Michiru answered, "but I'm going on with my life. Haruka, she means as much to me as she does to you. But she's chosen to lead a life that involves risk. You can't put your life on hold every time she sets out to guard the Princess."
"How much choice did she really have?" Haruka challenged. "How much did any of us ever have? She's only fifteen. She should be laughing and playing and dreaming about love and the future, not risking her life somewhere out there." Haruka nodded up to the heavens.
"We always have a choice," Michiru cautioned her. "We may not always like the choice we're given, but we always have a choice." Michiru put her arm around Haruka and nuzzled in close. "Hotaru is a very dedicated, very intelligent girl. She also has a great gift that she's chosen to use to help others. We can worry all we want, but we have to respect her choice."
"But what if we lose her?" Haruka asked after an embarrassed pause. "She's only been with us for two years, and that's been split between ten centuries." Haruka seemed to want to say more, but she pulled back into her shell.
"Go ahead," Michiru whispered. "Let it out."
"I wish," Haruka began. "I wish we'd been family since the start. I never thought I could love anyone as much as I love you. But that girl has become so important to me. I waited a thousand years for her. I don't want to lose her now. I still want to be her 'papa'."
Michiru squeezed her more tightly, trying to console her.
"It's probably our penance for trying to kill her so long ago," Haruka hissed bitterly.
"Now, now. Haruka, what's in the past is done and can't be changed."
"Except by the Princess. That's what started this mess."
"All right, it's done and SHOULDN'T be changed. We were wrong. All we can do is learn from it and be better people. Guilt is something that eats at us until nothing usable is left. Do yourself a favor and expel it."
Haruka returned to glumly staring at the heavens.
"She's going to come back to us," Michiru told her. Haruka didn't respond. So Michiru closed her forearm across Haruka's throat lightly. "Say it with me. 'Hotaru is a bright and shining star in the heavens'."
"Hotaru is a bright and shining star in the heavens," Haruka parroted.
"'And she will come back to us'." Haruka stayed silent. Michiru lightly punched her shoulder. "Say it."
"And she will come back to us," Haruka whispered, dropping her gaze.
Michiru nuzzled her cheek again.
"When?"
"Soon," Michiru replied softly. She looked up into the heavens as she nuzzled Haruka's cheek, praying that fate wouldn't make a liar out of her.
Ami sat back in her chair. With her head tilted back, she closed her eyes and rubbed her hands over her face.
"Getting to you?" Artemis asked.
"A little eyestrain," Ami murmured, "coupled with some mild tendonitis in my shoulders. Given how long we've been at this, I'm not really surprised. Although I am surprised at how long you've held up."
"I get lots of sleep," Artemis replied.
"I'll certainly vouch for that," Luna added sarcastically.
"I love you too, Slinky," Artemis said.
"Not in public!" Luna hissed.
"I don't mind witnessing affection being passed between the two of you," Ami told her. "After all you are married."
"It isn't that," Luna began.
"She doesn't like me calling her 'Slinky' in public," Artemis finished.
"It's not proper!"
"But it fits," Artemis leered. "Rowr."
"Uncouth," sniffed Luna.
Ami couldn't suppress her grin. Just then Rei and Makoto walked in.
"What are you smiling at?" Makoto asked.
"Nothing," Ami twittered.
"Any progress?" Rei asked.
"Yes," Artemis sighed, "we've eliminated an entire quadrant of space. Only three more to go."
The two newcomers both sagged.
"Maybe Endymion's having better luck," Makoto offered, ever the optimist. "Maybe Usa and Helios are off holding hands somewhere and just don't want to be disturbed."
She walked over to Ami and began massaging the woman's shoulders.
"How are you holding up?" Makoto asked her.
"Oh, a lot better now," sighed Ami. "You always give great massages, Makoto."
"Sometimes it pays to be strong as an ox and just as dumb," Makoto grinned.
At once Serenity burst into the room. Minako was on her heels and from the excitement the pair shared it was clear something had broken.
"What is it?" Rei asked, sensing Serenity's hope. "Good news?"
"Endymion's found her!" Serenity exclaimed. "She's on some strange planet full of corn stalks! She's alive!"
"Jolly good news, indeed, Your Majesty!" Luna cheered, speaking for everybody.
"What planet?" Ami wondered. "Does he know why she went there?"
"No, we don't have any . . ." Serenity began. Then her features clouded over and her euphoria died on the spot. Everyone stared at her uneasily as the queen's expression transformed from elation to shock.
"Serenity?" Rei inquired, sensing her mood crash more deeply than the others did.
"No," Serenity mumbled, numb and confused. "It's all wrong."
Ceres, Vesta and Pallas stood and watched with growing anxiety. Juno knelt on one side of Sailor Moon's withered body while Saturn knelt on the other. They all watched helplessly as Saturn's hands descended onto Sailor Moon's upper chest near the collarbone. Instantly Saturn's eyes rolled up into the back of her head.
"Vesta?" Sailor Pallas whimpered. "Is The Princess going to die?"
"Not if we can help it," Vesta replied with a gruff whisper. She didn't trust her voice to hold up if she spoke louder.
"Aqua Initiation!" Juno called out. She held her hands over Sailor Moon's body as she did it.
"What are you doing?" Ceres asked.
"Same thing I did when Saturn needed help," Juno told her. "I'm using my water powers to try to rehydrate her. Maybe - - maybe it'll take some of the strain off of Saturn."
Punctuating the statement was a strained grunt from Sailor Saturn. Everybody looked over to her. Stress lines were beginning to form under her eyes.
"Saturn, be careful!" Ceres wailed. "You're doing too much!"
"Vesta?" Sailor Pallas whimpered. "Is Miss Saturn Ma'am going to die, too?"
"I don't know, Stupid!" Vesta barked. "I-I just don't know! Damn it, I hate being helpless like this!"
"Just guard our backs, Vesta," Juno said, keeping her hydration process going as she spoke.
"I ought to just turn into a fire-breathing dragon or something," Vesta snarled through clenched teeth. "Burn all of these blood-sucking plants to the ground!"
"What would that accomplish?" frowned Juno.
"Revenge!"
Juno turned up to her sister without losing her concentration.
"'Vengeance is an act of hatred, not of love'," Juno quoted. "'Anyone acting to avenge a loved one demonstrates more love of self than of that loved one'."
"Don't throw The Queen's quotes in my face!" snapped Vesta.
"Maybe you ought to listen to them," Juno snapped back. "It'd keep you out of trouble."
Another groan from Saturn punctuated the argument.
"Saturn!" Ceres squealed. She grabbed the slight senshi and jerked her away from Sailor Moon. Saturn struggled to get away and return to her friend, but Ceres held on as best she could. "You're going to kill yourself! You're using too much energy!"
"But she'll die if I don't!" sobbed Sailor Saturn, wanly grasping for the body of her friend just out of her reach. "She'll die."
And the slight wind rustled eerily through the leaves of the stalks surrounding them.
Continued in Chapter 11
