Amy wanted to cry, she wanted to scream at the orb for her friends to
get up, to get away, they were spotted, they were going to loose before
they even started fighting. What were they thinking? They didn't have much
of a chance against the negaverse back on Earth, coming here, they didn't
stand even a ghost of a chance, didn't they know that they would be spotted
the moment they landed?!!! She knew that of course the scouts didn't know,
but Luna and Artemis did. She knew that the cats knew much more about the
negaverse, there was no question that the guardians were aware that the
negaverse officials have the ability to see what is going on at any place
any time, this was a suicide mission!
"I don't get it, surely they are not so blindly loyal to you to willingly give up their lives just so they can attempt saving you, were you the only source of intelligence in the whole group, your guardians knew what the warp will do to them." Jaedite smirked, it looked like nothing changed over the time, they were just as uncaring of individual lives, only the greater purpose ever mattered to them.
"What exactly happened to them?!" Amy spun around staring at Jaedite almost angrily, as if saying 'just dare not to tell me'.
"Their energy has been drained, they used a portal to get here, when you pass through a portal like that there is no way to protect your energy from being sucked into it." It was Nephrite that answered.
Amy's eyes widened, why would they do that if it was common knowledge that they would be vulnerable if not dead when they landed? Her confused and desperate eyes darted between Jaedite and Nephrite begging for answers.
Jaedite just shrugged his shoulders.
"Sorry sweetheart, as much as I like you I have a duty to perform and right now I have intruders to take care of." Jaedite disappeared in a swirl of black smoke.
"Nehrite please?!!! What do I do?!" Amy's voice was so desperate right now. Her eyes gazed at him pleadingly hoping that he would have some answer for her, tell her something that would make some kind of sense to her right now. Unfortunately Nephrite just shook his head, there was nothing he could do, by now, Beryl must know of the intruders, if he didn't go she would question him why and then Amy's presence here would not go unnoticed for much longer.
"I'm sorry." he disappeared following Jaedite.
Amy knew that she could be watching what was happening in the orb, but she didn't feel like it, she didn't want to watch as her friends were taken captives.
Amy turned away from the orb clenching her fists so tight that her knuckles went white. This couldn't be happening, it was just not possible. Her friends were in danger, most likely they were going to die and there she was, just standing there, not doing anything, she was such a traitor. But what was there that she could do really, not much. She knew that Nephrite and Jaedite would be able to sense her if she tried to help the scouts and there was two of them, one of her, she couldn't go up against them. She wouldn't even if she could, her own word prevented her from doing so.
Tears of helplessness made their way down Amy's pale cheeks, she hung her head in defeat. Her tight fists unclenched and her hands hung limply at her sides, the momentary anger has drained from her.
"Luna, Artemis, what were you thinking." whispered Amy sadly.
Even if she never gave that word to Nephrite, it didn't matter, there was no way she could've helped her friends out of this one. For once, she wasn't betraying them right now, there was just nothing she could do.
Then who's fault was this, who's fault was it that the scouts were going to loose their lives. She thought she knew who's.
"Luna.Artemis." she gritted her teeth and her hands balled in anger again, this was their fault, the guardians knew "you filthy liars, you haven't changed at all, Nephrite was right about you.you knew.you knew and you sent them off to die." Amy didn't think that she was ever so angry before, these were the creatures that trained them, that she trusted, that she thought were there to protect and lead them, instead, they were there to observe that the mission was carried out, nothing else.
'But why would they send them off to die, this doesn't make any sense, their mission depends on our success, why kill us if you need us?' that was the rational part of Amy speaking now, the common sense. She did not know the answer for that question and that was puzzling her.
Somewhere back on earth the two said guardians were sitting on the roof of the cherry hill temple. Luna had her face buried in her paws, if cats could cry, then she was. Artemis was looking up at the sky with sad eyes.
"It had to be done, there was no other way to get it back, tell me that it had to be done." She whined at her companion.
"You know it did, there was no other way, the scouts would never be able to get the transformation stick out of there, this is the only way to get the power out of there, all of it."
"But they will die."
"They have to, when the last scout is dead, the respective powers will return to the guardians, us and the new stars will be born, it was the only way of retrieving Mercury power at the expense of their lives."
"Artemis, do you ever wonder, is this war worth it? Is this mission worth it?" Luna looked up her eyes sad like they haven't been since the Silver millennium when they lost the young warriors from the four kingdoms given to Queen Serenity.
"Yes Luna, I do wonder, but we are the guardians, not of the scouts, but of the power, we can not let our hearts get in our way."
Luna sighed, she knew that, probably even better then Artemis, they had little choice and as much as it pained her, if it happened again with whoever the new stars will be, she will let them die too for the sake of her mission, this was her curse.
Jaedite appeared in front of the fallen group, why were they here, this was like a collective suicide, it was just so stupid that he wasn't even sure what to do. They were all just lying there, he didn't even know if he was supposed to destroy them, they weren't in a fight, they were just a bunch of girls in their human shapes lying unconscious and one inch from being dead at his feet, somehow it seemed wrong to just destroy them, even for someone like Jaedite.
"Do you have any idea what do we do with them?" he questioned Nephrite, when in doubt, leave the thinking to someone in charge, that way there was always someone to blame in the end.
"We take them in, destroying them would be a waste, I'm sure that even Queen Beryl would agree to that, if we can take them in as captives then the better for us. Then it is up to her to deal with them." He walked up to fallen Jupiter first, she seemed the most awake of them all, even though she was unconscious now there was more chance of her waking up then anyone else.
First thing first, Nephrite removed Jupiter's transformation stick, then hurled her up over his shoulder. Jaedite followed his example doing the same thing to mars and Venus. Lastly, Nephrite picked up Sailor moon and they were gone.
Lita woke up first. The first thing she felt was numbness, her whole body felt like it was frozen and immobile. Her head hurt like hell. She tried to pry her eyes open, but that seemed to require all the energy that she didn't have. Only with the greatest amount of will was she able to pry them open enough to just peer out through the tiny slits into the darkness beyond.
Looking hurt, it hurt to think and her eyes wanted to be closed. She wanted to drift back to oblivion and not feel the pain. Slowly, her eyes slid shut as she was not able to keep them open any longer. She fell back into oblivion.
Malachite was there watching over the scouts. After Jaedite and Nephrite reported to Queen Beryl he was summoned, he wasn't told what for then, just that he had to watch the girls. They lay there mostly naked on what almost looked like operation tables only dark, and made out of living matter, the same matter that was the building material for everything here.
Their arms were outstretched to their sides and firmly attached to the 'tables' they were lying on. Their feet too were tied and secured. Malachite, after observing Jupiter who after resting over an hour was not even able to open her eyes, really thought that the restraints were highly unnecessary. They were all wearing loose black robes. Malachite was guessing that Beryl had some plans for them that she probably didn't wish the younger generals to know as he gathered considering he was the only one there.
He walked around looking at their pale faces, they were all so helpless, he didn't see why Beryl thought of them as such a threat, sure, they have ruined a couple of their plans, but that was nothing, they were merely a small obstacle in the path of the negaverce. At least it was true as long as Sailor Moon did not obtain the Millennium Silver crystal and did not transform into Princess Serenity, then there would be reason to worry, but right now, they were just children fighting a war that was not truly theirs.
Malachite almost laughed at the thought, just like he himself once was, he wondered what these 'children' would do now.
Amy paced the room back and forth until she thought she was going to be nauseated from going in circles. This was nerve-wracking, she couldn't stay away from the orb, she watched Nephrite and Jaedite take her friends to Queen Beryl, but from then on she was not able to watch, the orb would not listen to her, apparently Beryl took precautions against being spied on.
She sighed as she leaned against a cold wall, she was dizzy, tired and a nervous wreck. This was not doing her any good. She knew one thing, her friends were not going to be killed, or at least not yet. She had no idea what was going to be done to them but she highly doubted that it would be anything good, she dreaded finding out what Beryl decided to keep them for, for all Amy knew, there were things wore then even death itself.
She was hoping that Nephrite would have some news for her, but he didn't know anything, or he was not aloud to tell her, she was not sure. She sighed sliding down to the floor, she didn't like this. She didn't know what happened to her friends, she didn't know the guardian's intensions, she didn't know where Jaedite and Nephrite were right now either, they left right after they came back, apparently something came up with the next raid and it needed their attention.
Amy's relief as that at least it was Malachite who was watching the girls, she knew that at least he would not hurt them needlessly. For a while at least, the scouts were safe, or so she hoped. Now that didn't mean that she was safe, Nephrite and Jaedite were out, Malachite was busy, that meant that nothing and no one was keeping Zoicite occupied, that was not good for her. She had no idea where he was and she didn't think that she could protect herself much if he decided to pay her a visit like the last time. To say the truth Amy was a little nervous, there was no saying how far Zoicite will go.
"Now what do I do, I have to find out what happened to them and if there is anything that I can do, but I can't even leave the damn room for the fear of that maniac showing up."
"I presume you are talking about me." An amused voice rang in the room.
Amy jumped to her feet as if burned, it was too good to be true for him to actually leave her alone for that long, he was just waiting till they were completely alone, great.
"Zoicite, I have other things to worry about then you." She growled a threat hoping that she could intimidate her. The little time she spent in this place caused her to learn to show some teeth once in a while, there were a lot of creatures here that she dealt with that didn't understand polite, she guessed that Zoicite was one of them.
"Well, well, look how we changed and it's only been a week." He grinned knowing well that Amy would hate the idea of being influenced by the negaverce.
Amy wanted to bark a comeback, but she decided against it, he was only trying to get to her, she shouldn't react to him like that.
"Don't you have anything better to do?"
"Not really Amy, everyone is out, you must be so lonely, I thought I'll keep you company." He grinned but it was more like a wolf bearing his teeth rather then any form of human smile, Amy had to suppress the urge to shiver, he was looking at her like pray.
"Leave." She was getting angry and inpatient, and also scared, if he didn't leave soon she might be in big trouble, it didn't look like there was anyone there to get her ass out of this mess.
Before Amy could even blink she was slammed painfully against the opposite wall by Zoicite's energy. She would have been pinned to it by his ice too if she didn't react and move in time.
She vaguely realized that his attack was way stronger then it has been the last time he has paid her a visit, but it was still no where near how strong it could have been, he was toying with her. Apparently he didn't want to kill her, he just wanted to toy with her, torture her, draw out his revenge.
'How sweet' thought Amy bitterly. She was in full alert, watching his every move, ready for his attack. He was grinning that psychotic shine was back in his eyes. 'blessed Mercury, he really is insane. Malachite must have the patience of a god to put up with someone like Zoicite'
"Now, why would I listen to what you say, I think I'm the stronger one here, you are not to tell me what to do." He sounded cocky.
'Maybe I can talk him out of this' thought Amy with not much home to that. She doubted that Zoicite could be reasoned with.
"Zoicite, is it revenge that you want?" she dared to ask.
"Maybe" he was slowly moving towards her.
"Don't get any closer Zoicite, you may be stronger, but if you attack me I will fight back, you won't take me down that easily."
"I don't doubt it." If possible, Zoicite's horrible grin widened. The next thing Amy remembered was him moving faster then she could react, he jumped straight at her knocking her back, then he disappeared. He appeared behind her and hit her from above throwing her to the ground. Then he disappeared again and appeared in front of her standing above her with a triumphant smirk on his face.
'So much for fighting back' thought Amy, apparently it wasn't just power that she lacked, it was skill too. Zoicite was way better trained then she was, and not surprising, she was trained by two house cats.
Amy found herself angry again, she let two cats train her for a war and thought that she could fight, that was such a brilliant idea. She didn't think that none of the scouts could fight properly, well, maybe Lita could a little, but she had someone else to thank for knowing how to fight, not Luna and Artemis.
"What a great fighter you are, Amy." he spat out her name in disgust. "I have more of a challenge shooting down negaverse bugs then beating you."
Amy guessed that was supposed to be an insult, but right now it wasn't registering in her head very well as it was still ringing from Zoicite's blow.
'I have to get up' thought the girl desperately as she shook her head a little in an attempt to clear it. Raising herself up on her elbows she found that getting up was harder then she thought, apparently she didn't realize just how hard she was hit the first time. 'Shit, this is not good, not good at all, I'm completely defenseless' not that her defense helped her much when Zoicite attacked but lying at his feet was worse then loosing to him when she was at least facing him.
"Look at yourself, you are pathetic." He sounded happier saying it then he should've, he wasn't disgusted at her being pathetic, he was glad to see her like that. "Well wise man, you were not trained by a pair of tuna eating house pets." She groaned as she pulled herself up into a semi standing position.
That comment apparently got Zoicite's attention. He looked like he was in wonder for a few moments, he has never heard the guardians being referred to as 'tuna eating house pets' somehow, the statement was amusing. It didn't even matter that the statement came from the person he couldn't stand, the creature that he despised and wanted to hurt more then anyone else, the statement was ridiculously funny.
Before Zoicite had a chance to think more of it he was laughing at the thought of the scouts being trained by two cats in the image that Amy presented him. He imagined Luna and Artemis sitting somewhere on the couch with bowls fool of tuna giving orders to the scouts on how to fight the negaverce in between swallowing the fish.
Amy looked up in shock, he was laughing. She hadn't intended him to laugh, she thought that he would hit her on the head for being sarcastic or something, the last thing she expected him to do was fall for her humor. It didn't matter though, this was her chance. Zoicite was distracted, he was laughing and not paying attention to her.
Apparently the former mercurian has underestimated Amy thinking that she would not attack him when he wasn't ready for her, big mistake. Before Zoicite could have a chance to come to his senses Amy sprang to her feet and delivered a quick punch to his face followed by an equally quick kick to his midsection.
Zoicite doubled over in pain. To say the least, he was shocked, he wasn't expecting an attack, he thought that he has won. It appeared that the 'tuna eating house pets' have taught the girl at least something, either that or there was more to Amy then most people knew.
Amy had to act fast, she had to get Zoicite out of here, this was hers and Nephrite's dwelling, he was not welcome here. It never registered in her head before, but this was her home now and her home needed to be protected against intruders. Amy could not let Zoicite recover enough to fight her or she would surely loose, she had to act while he was still immobile. Summoning her new power for the first time in order to fight she called for ice and it answered her call. A rain of icicles showered the man before the girl.
Zoicite's eyes widened, if he didn't move now he would have many extra holes in his body that he didn't need and certainly didn't want. He disappeared in icy mist just before Amy's attack had a chance to hit him.
'That was too close' thought Zoicite as he appeared behind Amy. To his surprise she reacted faster then he expected and blocked his punch just before he hit her. She barely did though, Amy was not as fast as he was. She was able to dodge his punch, but not his next attack.
Apparently Zoicite miscalculated the strength of the attack he sent at her because the force of it knocked Amy out. The girl lay motionless on the cold floor. A thin blanket of ice covered her whole body.
"Oh shit, Nephrite is not going to like this shit, fucking scout lover." Growled Zoicite, he came here to torture her a little, he knew that he wasn't supposed to kill her because if he did, there would be hell from the older general. Malachite told him how serious Nephrite was about the girl, if Zoicite seriously harmed her there was no telling how angry Nephrite could be.
Zoicite was just like Malachite said, a grown up child with too much power, he liked to play and bully while he could, but he went too far and now he was scared of the punishment.
"Shit, I shouldn't worry about the damn woman, for the sake of all evil, she is a mercurian princess, she is not welcome here, an enemy. I have every right to kill her if I want." But despite his words Zoicite came near the unconscious girl. Pressing two fingers against her neck he searched for a faint pulse. He found it, Amy was weak, but she was alive. 'I hate you so much, even in loosing you cause me problems' he growled in his mind as he used his energy to chip of the bits of ice that where covering most of her body. Picking her up with disgust he threw her carelessly onto the bed and threw Nephrite's blanket over her, she should warm up with time.
Giving Amy one last disgusted glare Zoicite was gone from the room.
Malachite paced the room patiently looking over the sleeping bodies of his enemies. Their vulnerability made them beautiful, their weakness made them precious, their broken hearts, deceived and defeated made him want to keep them. If they were his he would, but they belonged to someone else.
He stopped near Serena. Her face was pale and calm, her previously pink lips took on a bluish tint, and there were dark shadows under her closed eyes. Her long golden hair lost its shine and spilled like a river around her fallen head. She looked almost dead and he would have thought she was if not for the barely visible rise of her chest.
He wanted to smile when he tilted her head a little with his gloved hand, instead he frowned. He could not feel the coldness of her fair skin through the material of his glove. Yanking it of he tried again, then a small smile made itself visible on his face. Yes, this was what he wanted for a long time, to run his fingers across her face, feel the smooth cold skin, touch it for himself and know that she was no longer a threat.
She was like a rose that in the wilderness bears sharp thorns but when it is cut down, it's thorns are taken of and it is placed in a vase to please the eye of it's killer until it's beauty wanes and it dies in its captivity.
"Enjoying yourself?" he heard a cold voice ring through the room, he felt her powerful presence and he bowed before his queen.
"Just a little your majesty." A small smile still lingered on his face, he could allow it to show in front of Queen Beryl, she didn't know why it was there and it was always amusing to puzzle her and watch her try to decipher his various expressions.
"You must be wondering why I called you here."
"Indeed Queen Beryl, I was just going to ask you." Malachite voice sounded the same as it would if he was saying 'state the obvious yet again, your oh so great majesty' a mocking politness.
Beryl wanted to crush him with her power then and there, his tone with her was annoying her but he managed to say nothing wrong and she would loose what little popularity and a powerful ally if she had destroyed him for seemingly nothing. Because of course only Malachite himself would know what he was getting annihilated for, she did not doubt that he made that sound as bold and in her face on purpose, just to spite her.
Malachite wanted to grin, he hadn't said anything contradictory to her authority, it was just how he said it that as he could see made his Queen fume and wish to kill him just because he was getting to her. It was just one of the few little joys of life that is position in the negaverce allowed him to enjoy.
"What do you say if we put these very able bodies to our good use, turn them against their people, the ones that they are supposedly meant to protect?"
"Queen Beryl, might I point out that while it is possible to brainwash most of them, it is not possible to brainwash Serena, being the moon princess makes her mind immune to any kind of brainwashing."
"That was not what I meant Malachite, I am very much aware of miss moon's unique abilities, there are other ways of changing her mind, after all, she is only human and if you did not notice a perfect opportunity for changing their minds has presented itself to us, or rather, should I say, was presented to us by those annoying guardians." Beryl grinned showing of her pointed row of white teeth, she looked like a shark grinning rather then a woman.
Malachite nodded catching where she was coming from. The scouts were hurt, abandoned and sent on a suicide mission nearly against their will. It was not hard to convince the generals to join forces with the negaverce after they have been betrayed, what made the scouts any different?
"I understand your majesty, did you want me to do it?"
"Yes, I did, pick one of them, whichever one you think would be most likely to rebel against the rest of them at this point."
"Only one?"
"Their strength is in numbers, they only won for this long because they were together, you will not break any one of them if there is more then one."
Beryl made sense, he knew that already. What a miracle, the woman was actually using her brain for a change, maybe there was a light in the end of the tunnel, well, in that case he better hurry up and make his way through before the cheep light bulb went out. One might laugh at such a comparison, but it wasn't too far from the truth, Beryl rarely used her sense and when she did one had to take advantage of it fast because it didn't last long.
"What will happened to the other ones?" he asked looking at the girls lying motionlessly before them.
"I will send them to different parts of the negaverce to fend for themselves without their power or a way to get back to earth, they won't remember ever arriving here because they never awoke and therefore will think that they were separated by the portal, they will blame all of it on the guardians and will turn against them on their own, all I will have to do is take them in after when the environment itself breaks them."
She was really on the roll today, thought Malachite as he found that her plan just might work, there was just one problem that must've never occurred to Beryl, they were human and as such very weak, meaning, they would not survive out in the wilderness longer then a few days without their power.
Malachite was going to tell her but by the proud sparkle in her eyes decided that shattering her illusion of success would be not a good thing for him. He didn't particularly care about what happened to the girls, neither did he care if Beryl's plan will succeed, he just wanted to get this over with, as long as the brats were not bothering him, he did not care what Beryl decided to do with them.
"Great idea Queen Beryl, they will crawl back to you in no time when he harsh outdoors breaks them." He smiled pleasantly at her even though he knew that unless there was a miracle the scouts will be all dead and her plan will fail in less then a week.
"Well, pick whoever you want now and the rest I will deal with." She disappeared grinning like a clown, completely unaware of her miscalculation.
Malachite looked around, he could break every one of them if he wanted to, problem was, he didn't. It would be much easier to just destroy them, it was Beryl's weakness that she liked to play with her enemies, she was taking her chances. Malachite did not like to take chances, but he had no say in this.
Sighing he decided to pick Lita, not because he thought that she would be easiest to break, but just because she has woken up and would not be fooled if she found herself elsewhere. Sending her out there might've been a wiser decision, she would have more chances surviving as she was stronger, but it defeated the purpose if she knew that she was sent there by Beryl rather then ended up there as a result of something going wrong with the portal.
Shaking his head he walked up to her and released her from her binds. Wrapping her in the blanket that she was covered in he teleported to his room. Zoicite was out somewhere and Malachite thought that he knew where, but he was pretty sure that Amy could take care of herself, if not, then he was hoping that Zoicite would have enough sense not to hurt her for the fear of Nephrite.
Lita was places on the bed in Malachite's private room, he didn't think that it would be a good idea if Zoicite walked in on her. The next thing that happened was Malachite got her dressed in the same way and fashion that Amy got her new outfit. It did not suit Lita at all, unlike Amy who almost made the boring grey of the uniform look nice, but of course Malachite didn't care about that.
He would have to wait for her to wake up and then it would be the start of long boring talks, lots of needless yelling, deception, lies, convincing and generally everything that he didn't want to do. Or he could just tell her the truth and tell her to deal with it, it was up to him, knowing Beryl she would forget about the existence of the scouts as soon as they stop showing up on her orb as disturbances to her plan, she wouldn't even remember that Lita is here. After all, she forgot about the existence of Sailor Mercury as soon as Sailor mercury was out of the picture.
Malachite sat down rubbing his temples, he did not want to bother himself with any of this, in his opinion it was so useless.
Amy woke up shivering and with the biggest headache. She was on the bed and there was a blanket over her. 'Ow, how sweet of you, you bastard' she thought about Zoicite as she drew the blanket closer around herself. She was really cold and the ice around her has melted making her all wet.
This was no good, she had to get up, crawling out of her bed she sneezed, she had no idea how to dry herself and Nephrite was still somewhere out with Jaedite, it didn't seem like they were coming back any time soon. She shivered again as she thought about Nephrite and how warm it was near him, how comfortable she felt in his arms, how secure. All of a sudden she was all alone, she didn't know how long it has been and suddenly she remembered the others.
She extended her senses trying to see if Malachite was back yet. Her luck, Malachite was and Zoicite was nowhere in sight. Amy really didn't know if she could just show up at his doorstep, he might've offered her comfort once, but would he be willing to do so again, and would it be right to got to him when Nephrite was out? She didn't want to think about that, she was cold, wet and she wanted answers, the only person who could help her was Malachite, she had no choice but to go to him. Amy just hoped that wherever Zoicite was at, he was going to stay there just a little longer.
The former Mercury teleported herself to just outside Malachite's dwelling. She did not dare to show up inside in case she was not welcome, he would know as it is that she was there.
Malachite has almost fallen asleep when he felt a presence just outside. At first he gave it no attention because he thought that it was just Zoicite back from wherever he was. He decided to wait for the younger to come in before he can reprimand him for being absent devil knows where. But as he waited the energy signature stayed outside. That puzzled Malachite, Zoicite never stalled no matter what trouble he was in, what was he waiting for? Curiosity got the better of Malachite and he teleported outside to see.
To say the least he was surprised, there was Amy, soaking wet, shivering and looking miserable. She looked up at him with her pure blue eyes clouded by worry and some amount of pain.
Malachite wanted to almost laugh despite her horrible disposition and her look of complete misery. He thought that she was Zoicite, their energies were so alike he has mistaken her for him and he even thought that Zoicite might be hurt because her energy is lower then his, it seemed almost comical to him how easily he was misguided, and there he thought that he knew Zoicite well.
Amy looked at him with wonder, there was a look of amusement on his face, was he laughing at her? Apparently he guessed her thoughts as he shook his head.
"I thought you were Zoicite, no wonder I was surprised that you stayed outside. Come in, tell me what happened when you get dry, and I'll tell you what happened too." He lead the way walking back inside.
Amy was surprised and delighted, no questions, no weird looks, no pity, he was just going to help her and ask questions later, how nice. She followed him not saying a word. Inside, she stood patiently as he gave her a new set of clothing in the same manner Nephrite did earlier. She was worm again and she was mostly dry. He gave her a towel for her hair and before she knew it they were sitting in chairs her sipping a warmed up energy shake, she needed her energy.
"Let me guess, my little unrelated brother paid you a visit?" he started looking at her.
Amy nodded and smiled, she was not mad at Zoicite for some reason, she just recognized that she had to stay clear of him, but she wasn't mad at him. There was also something endearing about Malachite calling Zoicite his little brother, she guessed they were in a way.
"Are you hurt?" he continued satisfied with her answer, he didn't need the details of the visit.
Amy shook her head satisfied that she didn't need to talk.
"Malachite-sama, do you know anything of the others?" she was expecting him to know what she was talking about and he certainly did.
"One is still unconscious in the other room, the rest are scattered across the negaverse with no powers, it's up to them to survive"
The news brought both hope and sorrow to Amy. Honestly, she expected all to be dead, now there was at least hope to save one of them and maybe, by some miracle the others would survive, if Malachite knew where they were she could help them.
Malachite noticed the flutter of hope in Amy's eyes and shook his head.
"I have no idea where they are, searching them out in the vastness of the entire negaverse would be like looking for a particular sea shell in all the oceans of the Earth, it is practically impossible.
Amy hung her head, she knew how impossible it was if he didn't know the exact location.
"Thank you Malachite-sama." She stood up and bowed ready to leave him, he has already helped her way more then he had to, and she was not sure when Zoicite was coming back.
"Amy, you can see your friend, I don't care about Beryl's plan, she will forget it by the end of this week, do what you will she is your friend." This was perfect for Malachite, he was not really doing anything for the scout himself and he was getting rid of her at the same time, he did not want to deal with the girl, she was no longer a threat and they had no need for her. This whole plan Beryl devised was useless.
Amy's eyes shone with happiness and gratitude, he was letting her help whoever was in the next room, he wasn't going to stop her. She had an idea that babysitting some girl was not what Malachite would rather be doing. He had enough trouble babysitting Zoicite and it would only create problems when Zoicite freaked that there was a sailor scout in the next room, it was too much unnecessary fuss for Malachite to want to deal with. So he was letting her deal with it instead.
"Thank you, thank you so much." She bowed again, she wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him, he was being generous in getting one scout out of shit that Luna and Artemis deliberately threw them in, but Amy really didn't think that he would appreciate her outburst of emotion.
In a blink of an eye she was gone from the room, she was back in her and Nephrite's room. She wanted to get something first. Nephrite no longer hid her transformation tool as she could no longer use it so she was free to take it. When she had retrieved it she was back in Malachite's room leaning over Lita and stroking her hair gently.
"Lita, my friend, I thought I'd never see you again, I'm so sorry." Amy whispered as she put her transformation stick into Lita's hand and closed her fingers around it. She also brought all other transformation sticks that Jaedite and Nephrite left in the room after they first came back and placed it in her pocket.
"Why give them to her?" she heard Malachite's voice from behind.
"So she would think that she is the only one left alive and not ever come back."
"She won't remember how she got them or how she got back."
"Doesn't matter, she'll just think that she had a black out, hit her head and can't remember what happened, got temporary amnesia, suppressed the memory of such a horrific event, anything, she won't wonder much about it, it's natural for humans."
Malachite nodded and then he was gone leaving her to do whatever she wanted.
Taking one last look at Lita Amy smiled.
"Goodbye my good friend, be safe." She gave her a small hug and for a moment she was gone, then she was back only Lita was not there any more. Amy stood up, it was over, she would not see any of them again, but at least one of them would be safe from now on, she knew that Lita would not fight this war all alone.
When Amy was back in her room Nephrite was there too, he looked at her with wonder in his eyes.
"You could have gone with her."
Amy shook her head.
"I wanted to stay with you, I am free now, I don't have to worry about the other side now, there is no other side, they are not coming back."
Nephrite knew he should be happy, but somehow he wasn't, there was just something there that made him sad, maybe it was the pain in Amy's eyes, or even the fact that he knew now, there was nothing to stop him from this victory, but there was just something sad about this moment.
Amy threw herself into his arms and cried, she cried for her loss, she cried for the earth because it was doomed, she cried just because she wanted to cry. They stayed like that for a long time until Nephrite pulled away from her and looked down at her thoughtfully. He has known for some time but he wasn't sure if he should tell her, but now he was, she has chosen him when she could've left, she's been down to earth, she could've stayed. Instead, she came back, she has chosen her destiny herself, for the first time. He knew now that he could tell her.
"Amy."
She looked up at him a little puzzled, a little worried, more curious though.
" I love you." There, he said it, it was the time, everything was decided, she had decided, she was staying with him and he could finally freely tell her without imposing it on her, he could just tell her.
Amy smiled, she did not say she loved him, she was not sure yet, she didn't say she didn't, because she didn't know yet, but she was willing enough to accept his love, maybe with time she could be sure, then she will say to him 'I love you too'. For once, Amy did not feel the obligation to reply to him something that she wasn't sure she meant just because she was expected to say it, it was wonderful.
He understood. Nephrite drew her back into his embrace and kissed her, it was not like the comforting kisses he gave her before, this was passionate and powerful and free. This might or might not be their first night together, he wasn't sure. They would just go with the emotion wherever it led them.
Back on Earth Lita woke up on the cold ground. She has gotten some of her strength back and was able to look around. She didn't remember how she got here. By the surroundings she could tell that she was back on Earth, but how was that possible? She couldn't remember anything. Glancing down when she had pulled herself up she saw all the transformation sticks in her hand and also that she was naked. More so to cover herself then anything else she had transformed into Sailor Jupiter.
'This can't be, I can't remember this happening, they can't be gone!' she thought as she stared blankly at the transformation wands. And then it dawned on her, they must've fought, the others must be dead, she made it out alive and back to Earth somehow and she must've hit her head because she didn't remember anything, either that, or she was in such a shock that her mind has repressed it.
Lita fell to her knees and cried hysterically shrieking like a banshee in the middle of the night tearing with her hands at the earth below. She was back, she was alive, everyone was gone! She was all alone! Stupid Luna, stupid Artemis, stupid war! She didn't want to fight any more, war only took away lives! War has destroyed her own life, how was she supposed to go on, how was she supposed to face Darian and tell him that Serena was gone, this was so unfair, she wished she had died with them. She cried and sobbed and cried some more.
At that moment Lita hated the world, hated the guardians, hated the negaverce and hated this whole war. She swore to herself that she will no longer fight, no matter what.
Luna and Artemis were still waiting for their plan to work, but a lot of time had passed and now there was a miracle, Jupiter was back, she has transformed on earth, but how was that possible?
"This can't be, this is not right, she should be dead!" Artemis was upset, if she was back alone that meant that the rest of them were gone and they had to deal with Jupiter on her own, by all expectations, a very angry Jupiter.
"We have to find her!" Luna jumped of the roof following the signal she was getting from Lita.
They found Lita limping back home, at the pace she was going it was not hard to catch up with her.
"Lita! Wait!"
"Lita, what happened?! Where are the others?!"
Luna and Artemis shouted together, they expected her to be angry, but they did not expect the reaction they got. They thought she would want answers and explanations, they were prepared to lie, but she just stared at them hate etched on her face.
"Stay away from me! Get away and take your war with you! They are dead, all of them are dead and you sent us all to die! You knew we had no chance, you sent us to die for your mission! Stay away from me you demons, I don't care about your war, I don't care about your mission! Fuck you! Screw you both and your fucking objectives! I've had enough!"
Luna suddenly turned serious and dropped the worried act, apparently Jupiter was not kidding.
"Very well, if that is how you want it, then be it. I want the transformation wands back." She spoke calmly, perfectly composed even though on the inside her heart was crying for their lives, on the inside she was a broken soul, the river beneath the ice of the now cold and deceiving exterior.
"What for?! So you can give it to someone else and make them give their lives for your purpose?! I don't think so, you filthy liar!" Lita yelled. The next thing Luna and Artemis saw coming at them was a fatal for them if it hit thunderbolt. They jumped out just in time landing on all fours with a warning hiss.
Lita didn't wait for them, she ran as fast as her tired and battered body allowed her to run, stumbling, falling, crawling, getting up and running again. She would not let anyone else suffer like she did, she would not let anyone else fight and die for their mission.
"Artemis, what do we do, we failed, she won't ever listen to us again."
"We will have to finish what the negaverce hadn't finished for us, I hoped it would never come to this, but now we have to." With that the moon on his forehead glowed and soon there stood a tall man with white hair and a gold crescent on his forehead.
Luan followed his example and in minutes beside the man stood a woman in a yellow and black dress with long black wavy hair and bright eyes.
"I'm sorry Lita, I didn't want it to end like this, but I can not let you decide the Earth's destiny, the few have to be sacrifices for the many." She whispered and a tear rolled down her fair face. Then the two figures were gone into the darkness of the night.
Unknown to them another figure clad in a black tuxedo was too storming into the night, his heart full of his own grief.
'I was wrong, they have changed, they are worse now.' Thought Darien, but as soon as that though came to his head, it was gone without a trace, just like all the other snippets of his lost memory. He will protect her, just like she will protect the power. Lita unknowingly has appointed herself a new guardian, fighting for neither side and against both, he would help her, from the shadows like he always have.
Somewhere in different parts of the negaverce Mina, Serena and Raye were waking up to find themselves in unknown places, cold, hungry, hurt powerless and all alone.
"No, no, no! We haven't done anything wrong, we should have passed thorough the portal properly! Why?!" cried out Mina as she buried her long fingers into the hot sand. She was stranded in the desert, hot, with no water, just rocks and sand and scorching sand. Some distant part of the negaverce and she was supposed to survive, on her own. Even her power, she gathered she has lost it in the portal. Tears ran down her face, this was the end, or if somehow she could survive, a beginning of a new life.
A similar thing was happening to Raye, only she was freezing in a different kind of desert, a desert of ice. Wind howled around her, snow blew in her face and her tears froze on their way down her cheeks.
Same thing was happening to Serena who was crying like a little child stranded among rocks, rocks, mountains and more rocks. They were separated, all alone and in the worst conditions possible, what chance did they have to survive? And if they did, will they ever get back to Earth? Was it worth getting back to Earth at all, after all, they might not find it in the same way they have left it. This was the end of their lives, or the beginning of completely different lives, whichever one it was, nothing will ever be the same.
AN: sorry about the last chapter and me accidentally mixing up Malachite's and Nephrite's names when I was talking about them, I hope I didn't do any stupid mistakes like that in this chapter. Also, this is a big twist in the story, there is the beginning of multiple plot lines and a long struggle for survival as you can see, this should be interesting. Review and tell me what you think. I've started many new and unexpected things, so please tell me if you like it and if I should continue. Thanks to everyone who reviewed so far, your reviews mean a lot to me and they really motivate me. I take into considerations any helpful ideas that you might have for me, I love ideas and if I like your idea you might find it in the story. Till next time and please review, review and review again! -Cyanide-
"I don't get it, surely they are not so blindly loyal to you to willingly give up their lives just so they can attempt saving you, were you the only source of intelligence in the whole group, your guardians knew what the warp will do to them." Jaedite smirked, it looked like nothing changed over the time, they were just as uncaring of individual lives, only the greater purpose ever mattered to them.
"What exactly happened to them?!" Amy spun around staring at Jaedite almost angrily, as if saying 'just dare not to tell me'.
"Their energy has been drained, they used a portal to get here, when you pass through a portal like that there is no way to protect your energy from being sucked into it." It was Nephrite that answered.
Amy's eyes widened, why would they do that if it was common knowledge that they would be vulnerable if not dead when they landed? Her confused and desperate eyes darted between Jaedite and Nephrite begging for answers.
Jaedite just shrugged his shoulders.
"Sorry sweetheart, as much as I like you I have a duty to perform and right now I have intruders to take care of." Jaedite disappeared in a swirl of black smoke.
"Nehrite please?!!! What do I do?!" Amy's voice was so desperate right now. Her eyes gazed at him pleadingly hoping that he would have some answer for her, tell her something that would make some kind of sense to her right now. Unfortunately Nephrite just shook his head, there was nothing he could do, by now, Beryl must know of the intruders, if he didn't go she would question him why and then Amy's presence here would not go unnoticed for much longer.
"I'm sorry." he disappeared following Jaedite.
Amy knew that she could be watching what was happening in the orb, but she didn't feel like it, she didn't want to watch as her friends were taken captives.
Amy turned away from the orb clenching her fists so tight that her knuckles went white. This couldn't be happening, it was just not possible. Her friends were in danger, most likely they were going to die and there she was, just standing there, not doing anything, she was such a traitor. But what was there that she could do really, not much. She knew that Nephrite and Jaedite would be able to sense her if she tried to help the scouts and there was two of them, one of her, she couldn't go up against them. She wouldn't even if she could, her own word prevented her from doing so.
Tears of helplessness made their way down Amy's pale cheeks, she hung her head in defeat. Her tight fists unclenched and her hands hung limply at her sides, the momentary anger has drained from her.
"Luna, Artemis, what were you thinking." whispered Amy sadly.
Even if she never gave that word to Nephrite, it didn't matter, there was no way she could've helped her friends out of this one. For once, she wasn't betraying them right now, there was just nothing she could do.
Then who's fault was this, who's fault was it that the scouts were going to loose their lives. She thought she knew who's.
"Luna.Artemis." she gritted her teeth and her hands balled in anger again, this was their fault, the guardians knew "you filthy liars, you haven't changed at all, Nephrite was right about you.you knew.you knew and you sent them off to die." Amy didn't think that she was ever so angry before, these were the creatures that trained them, that she trusted, that she thought were there to protect and lead them, instead, they were there to observe that the mission was carried out, nothing else.
'But why would they send them off to die, this doesn't make any sense, their mission depends on our success, why kill us if you need us?' that was the rational part of Amy speaking now, the common sense. She did not know the answer for that question and that was puzzling her.
Somewhere back on earth the two said guardians were sitting on the roof of the cherry hill temple. Luna had her face buried in her paws, if cats could cry, then she was. Artemis was looking up at the sky with sad eyes.
"It had to be done, there was no other way to get it back, tell me that it had to be done." She whined at her companion.
"You know it did, there was no other way, the scouts would never be able to get the transformation stick out of there, this is the only way to get the power out of there, all of it."
"But they will die."
"They have to, when the last scout is dead, the respective powers will return to the guardians, us and the new stars will be born, it was the only way of retrieving Mercury power at the expense of their lives."
"Artemis, do you ever wonder, is this war worth it? Is this mission worth it?" Luna looked up her eyes sad like they haven't been since the Silver millennium when they lost the young warriors from the four kingdoms given to Queen Serenity.
"Yes Luna, I do wonder, but we are the guardians, not of the scouts, but of the power, we can not let our hearts get in our way."
Luna sighed, she knew that, probably even better then Artemis, they had little choice and as much as it pained her, if it happened again with whoever the new stars will be, she will let them die too for the sake of her mission, this was her curse.
Jaedite appeared in front of the fallen group, why were they here, this was like a collective suicide, it was just so stupid that he wasn't even sure what to do. They were all just lying there, he didn't even know if he was supposed to destroy them, they weren't in a fight, they were just a bunch of girls in their human shapes lying unconscious and one inch from being dead at his feet, somehow it seemed wrong to just destroy them, even for someone like Jaedite.
"Do you have any idea what do we do with them?" he questioned Nephrite, when in doubt, leave the thinking to someone in charge, that way there was always someone to blame in the end.
"We take them in, destroying them would be a waste, I'm sure that even Queen Beryl would agree to that, if we can take them in as captives then the better for us. Then it is up to her to deal with them." He walked up to fallen Jupiter first, she seemed the most awake of them all, even though she was unconscious now there was more chance of her waking up then anyone else.
First thing first, Nephrite removed Jupiter's transformation stick, then hurled her up over his shoulder. Jaedite followed his example doing the same thing to mars and Venus. Lastly, Nephrite picked up Sailor moon and they were gone.
Lita woke up first. The first thing she felt was numbness, her whole body felt like it was frozen and immobile. Her head hurt like hell. She tried to pry her eyes open, but that seemed to require all the energy that she didn't have. Only with the greatest amount of will was she able to pry them open enough to just peer out through the tiny slits into the darkness beyond.
Looking hurt, it hurt to think and her eyes wanted to be closed. She wanted to drift back to oblivion and not feel the pain. Slowly, her eyes slid shut as she was not able to keep them open any longer. She fell back into oblivion.
Malachite was there watching over the scouts. After Jaedite and Nephrite reported to Queen Beryl he was summoned, he wasn't told what for then, just that he had to watch the girls. They lay there mostly naked on what almost looked like operation tables only dark, and made out of living matter, the same matter that was the building material for everything here.
Their arms were outstretched to their sides and firmly attached to the 'tables' they were lying on. Their feet too were tied and secured. Malachite, after observing Jupiter who after resting over an hour was not even able to open her eyes, really thought that the restraints were highly unnecessary. They were all wearing loose black robes. Malachite was guessing that Beryl had some plans for them that she probably didn't wish the younger generals to know as he gathered considering he was the only one there.
He walked around looking at their pale faces, they were all so helpless, he didn't see why Beryl thought of them as such a threat, sure, they have ruined a couple of their plans, but that was nothing, they were merely a small obstacle in the path of the negaverce. At least it was true as long as Sailor Moon did not obtain the Millennium Silver crystal and did not transform into Princess Serenity, then there would be reason to worry, but right now, they were just children fighting a war that was not truly theirs.
Malachite almost laughed at the thought, just like he himself once was, he wondered what these 'children' would do now.
Amy paced the room back and forth until she thought she was going to be nauseated from going in circles. This was nerve-wracking, she couldn't stay away from the orb, she watched Nephrite and Jaedite take her friends to Queen Beryl, but from then on she was not able to watch, the orb would not listen to her, apparently Beryl took precautions against being spied on.
She sighed as she leaned against a cold wall, she was dizzy, tired and a nervous wreck. This was not doing her any good. She knew one thing, her friends were not going to be killed, or at least not yet. She had no idea what was going to be done to them but she highly doubted that it would be anything good, she dreaded finding out what Beryl decided to keep them for, for all Amy knew, there were things wore then even death itself.
She was hoping that Nephrite would have some news for her, but he didn't know anything, or he was not aloud to tell her, she was not sure. She sighed sliding down to the floor, she didn't like this. She didn't know what happened to her friends, she didn't know the guardian's intensions, she didn't know where Jaedite and Nephrite were right now either, they left right after they came back, apparently something came up with the next raid and it needed their attention.
Amy's relief as that at least it was Malachite who was watching the girls, she knew that at least he would not hurt them needlessly. For a while at least, the scouts were safe, or so she hoped. Now that didn't mean that she was safe, Nephrite and Jaedite were out, Malachite was busy, that meant that nothing and no one was keeping Zoicite occupied, that was not good for her. She had no idea where he was and she didn't think that she could protect herself much if he decided to pay her a visit like the last time. To say the truth Amy was a little nervous, there was no saying how far Zoicite will go.
"Now what do I do, I have to find out what happened to them and if there is anything that I can do, but I can't even leave the damn room for the fear of that maniac showing up."
"I presume you are talking about me." An amused voice rang in the room.
Amy jumped to her feet as if burned, it was too good to be true for him to actually leave her alone for that long, he was just waiting till they were completely alone, great.
"Zoicite, I have other things to worry about then you." She growled a threat hoping that she could intimidate her. The little time she spent in this place caused her to learn to show some teeth once in a while, there were a lot of creatures here that she dealt with that didn't understand polite, she guessed that Zoicite was one of them.
"Well, well, look how we changed and it's only been a week." He grinned knowing well that Amy would hate the idea of being influenced by the negaverce.
Amy wanted to bark a comeback, but she decided against it, he was only trying to get to her, she shouldn't react to him like that.
"Don't you have anything better to do?"
"Not really Amy, everyone is out, you must be so lonely, I thought I'll keep you company." He grinned but it was more like a wolf bearing his teeth rather then any form of human smile, Amy had to suppress the urge to shiver, he was looking at her like pray.
"Leave." She was getting angry and inpatient, and also scared, if he didn't leave soon she might be in big trouble, it didn't look like there was anyone there to get her ass out of this mess.
Before Amy could even blink she was slammed painfully against the opposite wall by Zoicite's energy. She would have been pinned to it by his ice too if she didn't react and move in time.
She vaguely realized that his attack was way stronger then it has been the last time he has paid her a visit, but it was still no where near how strong it could have been, he was toying with her. Apparently he didn't want to kill her, he just wanted to toy with her, torture her, draw out his revenge.
'How sweet' thought Amy bitterly. She was in full alert, watching his every move, ready for his attack. He was grinning that psychotic shine was back in his eyes. 'blessed Mercury, he really is insane. Malachite must have the patience of a god to put up with someone like Zoicite'
"Now, why would I listen to what you say, I think I'm the stronger one here, you are not to tell me what to do." He sounded cocky.
'Maybe I can talk him out of this' thought Amy with not much home to that. She doubted that Zoicite could be reasoned with.
"Zoicite, is it revenge that you want?" she dared to ask.
"Maybe" he was slowly moving towards her.
"Don't get any closer Zoicite, you may be stronger, but if you attack me I will fight back, you won't take me down that easily."
"I don't doubt it." If possible, Zoicite's horrible grin widened. The next thing Amy remembered was him moving faster then she could react, he jumped straight at her knocking her back, then he disappeared. He appeared behind her and hit her from above throwing her to the ground. Then he disappeared again and appeared in front of her standing above her with a triumphant smirk on his face.
'So much for fighting back' thought Amy, apparently it wasn't just power that she lacked, it was skill too. Zoicite was way better trained then she was, and not surprising, she was trained by two house cats.
Amy found herself angry again, she let two cats train her for a war and thought that she could fight, that was such a brilliant idea. She didn't think that none of the scouts could fight properly, well, maybe Lita could a little, but she had someone else to thank for knowing how to fight, not Luna and Artemis.
"What a great fighter you are, Amy." he spat out her name in disgust. "I have more of a challenge shooting down negaverse bugs then beating you."
Amy guessed that was supposed to be an insult, but right now it wasn't registering in her head very well as it was still ringing from Zoicite's blow.
'I have to get up' thought the girl desperately as she shook her head a little in an attempt to clear it. Raising herself up on her elbows she found that getting up was harder then she thought, apparently she didn't realize just how hard she was hit the first time. 'Shit, this is not good, not good at all, I'm completely defenseless' not that her defense helped her much when Zoicite attacked but lying at his feet was worse then loosing to him when she was at least facing him.
"Look at yourself, you are pathetic." He sounded happier saying it then he should've, he wasn't disgusted at her being pathetic, he was glad to see her like that. "Well wise man, you were not trained by a pair of tuna eating house pets." She groaned as she pulled herself up into a semi standing position.
That comment apparently got Zoicite's attention. He looked like he was in wonder for a few moments, he has never heard the guardians being referred to as 'tuna eating house pets' somehow, the statement was amusing. It didn't even matter that the statement came from the person he couldn't stand, the creature that he despised and wanted to hurt more then anyone else, the statement was ridiculously funny.
Before Zoicite had a chance to think more of it he was laughing at the thought of the scouts being trained by two cats in the image that Amy presented him. He imagined Luna and Artemis sitting somewhere on the couch with bowls fool of tuna giving orders to the scouts on how to fight the negaverce in between swallowing the fish.
Amy looked up in shock, he was laughing. She hadn't intended him to laugh, she thought that he would hit her on the head for being sarcastic or something, the last thing she expected him to do was fall for her humor. It didn't matter though, this was her chance. Zoicite was distracted, he was laughing and not paying attention to her.
Apparently the former mercurian has underestimated Amy thinking that she would not attack him when he wasn't ready for her, big mistake. Before Zoicite could have a chance to come to his senses Amy sprang to her feet and delivered a quick punch to his face followed by an equally quick kick to his midsection.
Zoicite doubled over in pain. To say the least, he was shocked, he wasn't expecting an attack, he thought that he has won. It appeared that the 'tuna eating house pets' have taught the girl at least something, either that or there was more to Amy then most people knew.
Amy had to act fast, she had to get Zoicite out of here, this was hers and Nephrite's dwelling, he was not welcome here. It never registered in her head before, but this was her home now and her home needed to be protected against intruders. Amy could not let Zoicite recover enough to fight her or she would surely loose, she had to act while he was still immobile. Summoning her new power for the first time in order to fight she called for ice and it answered her call. A rain of icicles showered the man before the girl.
Zoicite's eyes widened, if he didn't move now he would have many extra holes in his body that he didn't need and certainly didn't want. He disappeared in icy mist just before Amy's attack had a chance to hit him.
'That was too close' thought Zoicite as he appeared behind Amy. To his surprise she reacted faster then he expected and blocked his punch just before he hit her. She barely did though, Amy was not as fast as he was. She was able to dodge his punch, but not his next attack.
Apparently Zoicite miscalculated the strength of the attack he sent at her because the force of it knocked Amy out. The girl lay motionless on the cold floor. A thin blanket of ice covered her whole body.
"Oh shit, Nephrite is not going to like this shit, fucking scout lover." Growled Zoicite, he came here to torture her a little, he knew that he wasn't supposed to kill her because if he did, there would be hell from the older general. Malachite told him how serious Nephrite was about the girl, if Zoicite seriously harmed her there was no telling how angry Nephrite could be.
Zoicite was just like Malachite said, a grown up child with too much power, he liked to play and bully while he could, but he went too far and now he was scared of the punishment.
"Shit, I shouldn't worry about the damn woman, for the sake of all evil, she is a mercurian princess, she is not welcome here, an enemy. I have every right to kill her if I want." But despite his words Zoicite came near the unconscious girl. Pressing two fingers against her neck he searched for a faint pulse. He found it, Amy was weak, but she was alive. 'I hate you so much, even in loosing you cause me problems' he growled in his mind as he used his energy to chip of the bits of ice that where covering most of her body. Picking her up with disgust he threw her carelessly onto the bed and threw Nephrite's blanket over her, she should warm up with time.
Giving Amy one last disgusted glare Zoicite was gone from the room.
Malachite paced the room patiently looking over the sleeping bodies of his enemies. Their vulnerability made them beautiful, their weakness made them precious, their broken hearts, deceived and defeated made him want to keep them. If they were his he would, but they belonged to someone else.
He stopped near Serena. Her face was pale and calm, her previously pink lips took on a bluish tint, and there were dark shadows under her closed eyes. Her long golden hair lost its shine and spilled like a river around her fallen head. She looked almost dead and he would have thought she was if not for the barely visible rise of her chest.
He wanted to smile when he tilted her head a little with his gloved hand, instead he frowned. He could not feel the coldness of her fair skin through the material of his glove. Yanking it of he tried again, then a small smile made itself visible on his face. Yes, this was what he wanted for a long time, to run his fingers across her face, feel the smooth cold skin, touch it for himself and know that she was no longer a threat.
She was like a rose that in the wilderness bears sharp thorns but when it is cut down, it's thorns are taken of and it is placed in a vase to please the eye of it's killer until it's beauty wanes and it dies in its captivity.
"Enjoying yourself?" he heard a cold voice ring through the room, he felt her powerful presence and he bowed before his queen.
"Just a little your majesty." A small smile still lingered on his face, he could allow it to show in front of Queen Beryl, she didn't know why it was there and it was always amusing to puzzle her and watch her try to decipher his various expressions.
"You must be wondering why I called you here."
"Indeed Queen Beryl, I was just going to ask you." Malachite voice sounded the same as it would if he was saying 'state the obvious yet again, your oh so great majesty' a mocking politness.
Beryl wanted to crush him with her power then and there, his tone with her was annoying her but he managed to say nothing wrong and she would loose what little popularity and a powerful ally if she had destroyed him for seemingly nothing. Because of course only Malachite himself would know what he was getting annihilated for, she did not doubt that he made that sound as bold and in her face on purpose, just to spite her.
Malachite wanted to grin, he hadn't said anything contradictory to her authority, it was just how he said it that as he could see made his Queen fume and wish to kill him just because he was getting to her. It was just one of the few little joys of life that is position in the negaverce allowed him to enjoy.
"What do you say if we put these very able bodies to our good use, turn them against their people, the ones that they are supposedly meant to protect?"
"Queen Beryl, might I point out that while it is possible to brainwash most of them, it is not possible to brainwash Serena, being the moon princess makes her mind immune to any kind of brainwashing."
"That was not what I meant Malachite, I am very much aware of miss moon's unique abilities, there are other ways of changing her mind, after all, she is only human and if you did not notice a perfect opportunity for changing their minds has presented itself to us, or rather, should I say, was presented to us by those annoying guardians." Beryl grinned showing of her pointed row of white teeth, she looked like a shark grinning rather then a woman.
Malachite nodded catching where she was coming from. The scouts were hurt, abandoned and sent on a suicide mission nearly against their will. It was not hard to convince the generals to join forces with the negaverce after they have been betrayed, what made the scouts any different?
"I understand your majesty, did you want me to do it?"
"Yes, I did, pick one of them, whichever one you think would be most likely to rebel against the rest of them at this point."
"Only one?"
"Their strength is in numbers, they only won for this long because they were together, you will not break any one of them if there is more then one."
Beryl made sense, he knew that already. What a miracle, the woman was actually using her brain for a change, maybe there was a light in the end of the tunnel, well, in that case he better hurry up and make his way through before the cheep light bulb went out. One might laugh at such a comparison, but it wasn't too far from the truth, Beryl rarely used her sense and when she did one had to take advantage of it fast because it didn't last long.
"What will happened to the other ones?" he asked looking at the girls lying motionlessly before them.
"I will send them to different parts of the negaverce to fend for themselves without their power or a way to get back to earth, they won't remember ever arriving here because they never awoke and therefore will think that they were separated by the portal, they will blame all of it on the guardians and will turn against them on their own, all I will have to do is take them in after when the environment itself breaks them."
She was really on the roll today, thought Malachite as he found that her plan just might work, there was just one problem that must've never occurred to Beryl, they were human and as such very weak, meaning, they would not survive out in the wilderness longer then a few days without their power.
Malachite was going to tell her but by the proud sparkle in her eyes decided that shattering her illusion of success would be not a good thing for him. He didn't particularly care about what happened to the girls, neither did he care if Beryl's plan will succeed, he just wanted to get this over with, as long as the brats were not bothering him, he did not care what Beryl decided to do with them.
"Great idea Queen Beryl, they will crawl back to you in no time when he harsh outdoors breaks them." He smiled pleasantly at her even though he knew that unless there was a miracle the scouts will be all dead and her plan will fail in less then a week.
"Well, pick whoever you want now and the rest I will deal with." She disappeared grinning like a clown, completely unaware of her miscalculation.
Malachite looked around, he could break every one of them if he wanted to, problem was, he didn't. It would be much easier to just destroy them, it was Beryl's weakness that she liked to play with her enemies, she was taking her chances. Malachite did not like to take chances, but he had no say in this.
Sighing he decided to pick Lita, not because he thought that she would be easiest to break, but just because she has woken up and would not be fooled if she found herself elsewhere. Sending her out there might've been a wiser decision, she would have more chances surviving as she was stronger, but it defeated the purpose if she knew that she was sent there by Beryl rather then ended up there as a result of something going wrong with the portal.
Shaking his head he walked up to her and released her from her binds. Wrapping her in the blanket that she was covered in he teleported to his room. Zoicite was out somewhere and Malachite thought that he knew where, but he was pretty sure that Amy could take care of herself, if not, then he was hoping that Zoicite would have enough sense not to hurt her for the fear of Nephrite.
Lita was places on the bed in Malachite's private room, he didn't think that it would be a good idea if Zoicite walked in on her. The next thing that happened was Malachite got her dressed in the same way and fashion that Amy got her new outfit. It did not suit Lita at all, unlike Amy who almost made the boring grey of the uniform look nice, but of course Malachite didn't care about that.
He would have to wait for her to wake up and then it would be the start of long boring talks, lots of needless yelling, deception, lies, convincing and generally everything that he didn't want to do. Or he could just tell her the truth and tell her to deal with it, it was up to him, knowing Beryl she would forget about the existence of the scouts as soon as they stop showing up on her orb as disturbances to her plan, she wouldn't even remember that Lita is here. After all, she forgot about the existence of Sailor Mercury as soon as Sailor mercury was out of the picture.
Malachite sat down rubbing his temples, he did not want to bother himself with any of this, in his opinion it was so useless.
Amy woke up shivering and with the biggest headache. She was on the bed and there was a blanket over her. 'Ow, how sweet of you, you bastard' she thought about Zoicite as she drew the blanket closer around herself. She was really cold and the ice around her has melted making her all wet.
This was no good, she had to get up, crawling out of her bed she sneezed, she had no idea how to dry herself and Nephrite was still somewhere out with Jaedite, it didn't seem like they were coming back any time soon. She shivered again as she thought about Nephrite and how warm it was near him, how comfortable she felt in his arms, how secure. All of a sudden she was all alone, she didn't know how long it has been and suddenly she remembered the others.
She extended her senses trying to see if Malachite was back yet. Her luck, Malachite was and Zoicite was nowhere in sight. Amy really didn't know if she could just show up at his doorstep, he might've offered her comfort once, but would he be willing to do so again, and would it be right to got to him when Nephrite was out? She didn't want to think about that, she was cold, wet and she wanted answers, the only person who could help her was Malachite, she had no choice but to go to him. Amy just hoped that wherever Zoicite was at, he was going to stay there just a little longer.
The former Mercury teleported herself to just outside Malachite's dwelling. She did not dare to show up inside in case she was not welcome, he would know as it is that she was there.
Malachite has almost fallen asleep when he felt a presence just outside. At first he gave it no attention because he thought that it was just Zoicite back from wherever he was. He decided to wait for the younger to come in before he can reprimand him for being absent devil knows where. But as he waited the energy signature stayed outside. That puzzled Malachite, Zoicite never stalled no matter what trouble he was in, what was he waiting for? Curiosity got the better of Malachite and he teleported outside to see.
To say the least he was surprised, there was Amy, soaking wet, shivering and looking miserable. She looked up at him with her pure blue eyes clouded by worry and some amount of pain.
Malachite wanted to almost laugh despite her horrible disposition and her look of complete misery. He thought that she was Zoicite, their energies were so alike he has mistaken her for him and he even thought that Zoicite might be hurt because her energy is lower then his, it seemed almost comical to him how easily he was misguided, and there he thought that he knew Zoicite well.
Amy looked at him with wonder, there was a look of amusement on his face, was he laughing at her? Apparently he guessed her thoughts as he shook his head.
"I thought you were Zoicite, no wonder I was surprised that you stayed outside. Come in, tell me what happened when you get dry, and I'll tell you what happened too." He lead the way walking back inside.
Amy was surprised and delighted, no questions, no weird looks, no pity, he was just going to help her and ask questions later, how nice. She followed him not saying a word. Inside, she stood patiently as he gave her a new set of clothing in the same manner Nephrite did earlier. She was worm again and she was mostly dry. He gave her a towel for her hair and before she knew it they were sitting in chairs her sipping a warmed up energy shake, she needed her energy.
"Let me guess, my little unrelated brother paid you a visit?" he started looking at her.
Amy nodded and smiled, she was not mad at Zoicite for some reason, she just recognized that she had to stay clear of him, but she wasn't mad at him. There was also something endearing about Malachite calling Zoicite his little brother, she guessed they were in a way.
"Are you hurt?" he continued satisfied with her answer, he didn't need the details of the visit.
Amy shook her head satisfied that she didn't need to talk.
"Malachite-sama, do you know anything of the others?" she was expecting him to know what she was talking about and he certainly did.
"One is still unconscious in the other room, the rest are scattered across the negaverse with no powers, it's up to them to survive"
The news brought both hope and sorrow to Amy. Honestly, she expected all to be dead, now there was at least hope to save one of them and maybe, by some miracle the others would survive, if Malachite knew where they were she could help them.
Malachite noticed the flutter of hope in Amy's eyes and shook his head.
"I have no idea where they are, searching them out in the vastness of the entire negaverse would be like looking for a particular sea shell in all the oceans of the Earth, it is practically impossible.
Amy hung her head, she knew how impossible it was if he didn't know the exact location.
"Thank you Malachite-sama." She stood up and bowed ready to leave him, he has already helped her way more then he had to, and she was not sure when Zoicite was coming back.
"Amy, you can see your friend, I don't care about Beryl's plan, she will forget it by the end of this week, do what you will she is your friend." This was perfect for Malachite, he was not really doing anything for the scout himself and he was getting rid of her at the same time, he did not want to deal with the girl, she was no longer a threat and they had no need for her. This whole plan Beryl devised was useless.
Amy's eyes shone with happiness and gratitude, he was letting her help whoever was in the next room, he wasn't going to stop her. She had an idea that babysitting some girl was not what Malachite would rather be doing. He had enough trouble babysitting Zoicite and it would only create problems when Zoicite freaked that there was a sailor scout in the next room, it was too much unnecessary fuss for Malachite to want to deal with. So he was letting her deal with it instead.
"Thank you, thank you so much." She bowed again, she wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him, he was being generous in getting one scout out of shit that Luna and Artemis deliberately threw them in, but Amy really didn't think that he would appreciate her outburst of emotion.
In a blink of an eye she was gone from the room, she was back in her and Nephrite's room. She wanted to get something first. Nephrite no longer hid her transformation tool as she could no longer use it so she was free to take it. When she had retrieved it she was back in Malachite's room leaning over Lita and stroking her hair gently.
"Lita, my friend, I thought I'd never see you again, I'm so sorry." Amy whispered as she put her transformation stick into Lita's hand and closed her fingers around it. She also brought all other transformation sticks that Jaedite and Nephrite left in the room after they first came back and placed it in her pocket.
"Why give them to her?" she heard Malachite's voice from behind.
"So she would think that she is the only one left alive and not ever come back."
"She won't remember how she got them or how she got back."
"Doesn't matter, she'll just think that she had a black out, hit her head and can't remember what happened, got temporary amnesia, suppressed the memory of such a horrific event, anything, she won't wonder much about it, it's natural for humans."
Malachite nodded and then he was gone leaving her to do whatever she wanted.
Taking one last look at Lita Amy smiled.
"Goodbye my good friend, be safe." She gave her a small hug and for a moment she was gone, then she was back only Lita was not there any more. Amy stood up, it was over, she would not see any of them again, but at least one of them would be safe from now on, she knew that Lita would not fight this war all alone.
When Amy was back in her room Nephrite was there too, he looked at her with wonder in his eyes.
"You could have gone with her."
Amy shook her head.
"I wanted to stay with you, I am free now, I don't have to worry about the other side now, there is no other side, they are not coming back."
Nephrite knew he should be happy, but somehow he wasn't, there was just something there that made him sad, maybe it was the pain in Amy's eyes, or even the fact that he knew now, there was nothing to stop him from this victory, but there was just something sad about this moment.
Amy threw herself into his arms and cried, she cried for her loss, she cried for the earth because it was doomed, she cried just because she wanted to cry. They stayed like that for a long time until Nephrite pulled away from her and looked down at her thoughtfully. He has known for some time but he wasn't sure if he should tell her, but now he was, she has chosen him when she could've left, she's been down to earth, she could've stayed. Instead, she came back, she has chosen her destiny herself, for the first time. He knew now that he could tell her.
"Amy."
She looked up at him a little puzzled, a little worried, more curious though.
" I love you." There, he said it, it was the time, everything was decided, she had decided, she was staying with him and he could finally freely tell her without imposing it on her, he could just tell her.
Amy smiled, she did not say she loved him, she was not sure yet, she didn't say she didn't, because she didn't know yet, but she was willing enough to accept his love, maybe with time she could be sure, then she will say to him 'I love you too'. For once, Amy did not feel the obligation to reply to him something that she wasn't sure she meant just because she was expected to say it, it was wonderful.
He understood. Nephrite drew her back into his embrace and kissed her, it was not like the comforting kisses he gave her before, this was passionate and powerful and free. This might or might not be their first night together, he wasn't sure. They would just go with the emotion wherever it led them.
Back on Earth Lita woke up on the cold ground. She has gotten some of her strength back and was able to look around. She didn't remember how she got here. By the surroundings she could tell that she was back on Earth, but how was that possible? She couldn't remember anything. Glancing down when she had pulled herself up she saw all the transformation sticks in her hand and also that she was naked. More so to cover herself then anything else she had transformed into Sailor Jupiter.
'This can't be, I can't remember this happening, they can't be gone!' she thought as she stared blankly at the transformation wands. And then it dawned on her, they must've fought, the others must be dead, she made it out alive and back to Earth somehow and she must've hit her head because she didn't remember anything, either that, or she was in such a shock that her mind has repressed it.
Lita fell to her knees and cried hysterically shrieking like a banshee in the middle of the night tearing with her hands at the earth below. She was back, she was alive, everyone was gone! She was all alone! Stupid Luna, stupid Artemis, stupid war! She didn't want to fight any more, war only took away lives! War has destroyed her own life, how was she supposed to go on, how was she supposed to face Darian and tell him that Serena was gone, this was so unfair, she wished she had died with them. She cried and sobbed and cried some more.
At that moment Lita hated the world, hated the guardians, hated the negaverce and hated this whole war. She swore to herself that she will no longer fight, no matter what.
Luna and Artemis were still waiting for their plan to work, but a lot of time had passed and now there was a miracle, Jupiter was back, she has transformed on earth, but how was that possible?
"This can't be, this is not right, she should be dead!" Artemis was upset, if she was back alone that meant that the rest of them were gone and they had to deal with Jupiter on her own, by all expectations, a very angry Jupiter.
"We have to find her!" Luna jumped of the roof following the signal she was getting from Lita.
They found Lita limping back home, at the pace she was going it was not hard to catch up with her.
"Lita! Wait!"
"Lita, what happened?! Where are the others?!"
Luna and Artemis shouted together, they expected her to be angry, but they did not expect the reaction they got. They thought she would want answers and explanations, they were prepared to lie, but she just stared at them hate etched on her face.
"Stay away from me! Get away and take your war with you! They are dead, all of them are dead and you sent us all to die! You knew we had no chance, you sent us to die for your mission! Stay away from me you demons, I don't care about your war, I don't care about your mission! Fuck you! Screw you both and your fucking objectives! I've had enough!"
Luna suddenly turned serious and dropped the worried act, apparently Jupiter was not kidding.
"Very well, if that is how you want it, then be it. I want the transformation wands back." She spoke calmly, perfectly composed even though on the inside her heart was crying for their lives, on the inside she was a broken soul, the river beneath the ice of the now cold and deceiving exterior.
"What for?! So you can give it to someone else and make them give their lives for your purpose?! I don't think so, you filthy liar!" Lita yelled. The next thing Luna and Artemis saw coming at them was a fatal for them if it hit thunderbolt. They jumped out just in time landing on all fours with a warning hiss.
Lita didn't wait for them, she ran as fast as her tired and battered body allowed her to run, stumbling, falling, crawling, getting up and running again. She would not let anyone else suffer like she did, she would not let anyone else fight and die for their mission.
"Artemis, what do we do, we failed, she won't ever listen to us again."
"We will have to finish what the negaverce hadn't finished for us, I hoped it would never come to this, but now we have to." With that the moon on his forehead glowed and soon there stood a tall man with white hair and a gold crescent on his forehead.
Luan followed his example and in minutes beside the man stood a woman in a yellow and black dress with long black wavy hair and bright eyes.
"I'm sorry Lita, I didn't want it to end like this, but I can not let you decide the Earth's destiny, the few have to be sacrifices for the many." She whispered and a tear rolled down her fair face. Then the two figures were gone into the darkness of the night.
Unknown to them another figure clad in a black tuxedo was too storming into the night, his heart full of his own grief.
'I was wrong, they have changed, they are worse now.' Thought Darien, but as soon as that though came to his head, it was gone without a trace, just like all the other snippets of his lost memory. He will protect her, just like she will protect the power. Lita unknowingly has appointed herself a new guardian, fighting for neither side and against both, he would help her, from the shadows like he always have.
Somewhere in different parts of the negaverce Mina, Serena and Raye were waking up to find themselves in unknown places, cold, hungry, hurt powerless and all alone.
"No, no, no! We haven't done anything wrong, we should have passed thorough the portal properly! Why?!" cried out Mina as she buried her long fingers into the hot sand. She was stranded in the desert, hot, with no water, just rocks and sand and scorching sand. Some distant part of the negaverce and she was supposed to survive, on her own. Even her power, she gathered she has lost it in the portal. Tears ran down her face, this was the end, or if somehow she could survive, a beginning of a new life.
A similar thing was happening to Raye, only she was freezing in a different kind of desert, a desert of ice. Wind howled around her, snow blew in her face and her tears froze on their way down her cheeks.
Same thing was happening to Serena who was crying like a little child stranded among rocks, rocks, mountains and more rocks. They were separated, all alone and in the worst conditions possible, what chance did they have to survive? And if they did, will they ever get back to Earth? Was it worth getting back to Earth at all, after all, they might not find it in the same way they have left it. This was the end of their lives, or the beginning of completely different lives, whichever one it was, nothing will ever be the same.
AN: sorry about the last chapter and me accidentally mixing up Malachite's and Nephrite's names when I was talking about them, I hope I didn't do any stupid mistakes like that in this chapter. Also, this is a big twist in the story, there is the beginning of multiple plot lines and a long struggle for survival as you can see, this should be interesting. Review and tell me what you think. I've started many new and unexpected things, so please tell me if you like it and if I should continue. Thanks to everyone who reviewed so far, your reviews mean a lot to me and they really motivate me. I take into considerations any helpful ideas that you might have for me, I love ideas and if I like your idea you might find it in the story. Till next time and please review, review and review again! -Cyanide-
