Chapter 23: Desperation

Celeste shoved her candy-striper smock deeper into her bag as she walked down the sidewalks. While the hospital did not require much from its volunteers, she had done so poorly that the program's director sent her home early. It was the perfect end to a lousy day.

'A string of lousy days,' she amended. She couldn't stop thinking about her nightmares or the fact that her transformation pen was broken. Without the pen, she couldn't become Sailor Sol, leaving Mara and Sofia as the ones to fight. 'What if our hunch is right and there are more enemies out there? Will they be enough? Could they survive the battles?'

Deep down, Celeste realized that she didn't believe the two girls would be enough against new enemies. While they had been able to defeat Eurus, it had been a weakened Eurus. She wouldn't be there in the next battle to even the odds.

And she couldn't bear the thought of losing either Mara or Sofia. Especially Mara. Her legal ward had become like a younger sister to her, giving Celeste a semblance of family again. She hadn't had family in such a long time, and she didn't want to let that go.

'How do I get my powers back?' she wondered. She had hoped that Setsuna would have some answers. After all, Usagi had lost her powers before but had been able to regain them. However, the Guardian of Time had disappeared and no one knew when she would return.

Celeste sighed. 'Why did you have to disappear now, Setsuna? Now, when I need your help?'

Shaking her head, Celeste did her best to dismiss the thoughts. Moping wasn't doing anyone any good. Besides, it was almost time for dinner and she wasn't in the mood to cook. She pulled out her cell phone to call Mara at the apartment.

However, a sudden blast of wind sent her flying, knocking her into a utility pole. Groaning, Celeste pushed herself up off the sidewalk. She tried to ignore the pain in her back as she stared down her attacker.

"It can't be," she said, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You're dead."

"Far from it, Sol." Laughing, Eurus sent another blast. "And I've been looking forward to this."

"Done!" Mara cried, slamming the algebra book closed. Selene mumbled something incoherent before curling into a tighter ball of fur. Deciding not to interrupt the cat's nap further, Mara headed to the kitchen.

She was warming leftover pizza for a snack when her communicator beeped. She quickly pulled the device out of her pocket. Sofia's face appeared, and something was clearly wrong.

"Mara, have you been watching the news?" Sofia demanded with preamble.

She fought the urge to laugh. "No. Honestly, you're going to have to get a hobby."

"This isn't the time for jokes," the other girl snapped, the uncharacteristic anger grabbing Mara's attention. "Some woman is attacking a park down by the harbor."

A wave of fear passed through Mara before she could suppress it. "Let me guess. She's got wind powers."

"She's got to be Notus, the next wind," Sofia confirmed. "I'm sending you the coordinates and I'll meet you there. Are you going to tell Celeste?"

Mara shook her head. "She can't help us. She would only get in our way."

She closed the communicator and ran to the balcony. She felt bad about saying that about Celeste, although it was true. However, they had little time for guilt. Mara quickly transformed and made her way to the roof, hurrying to get to the park.

For what seemed like the millionth time, Celeste reached for her transformation pen before remembering it was broken and therefore useless. She tried to fight back her frustration and rage as she dodged yet another windblast. However, one thought kept repeating itself in her head.

'If I couldn't defeat him as Sol, how can I beat him now?'

Eurus stopped a few feet away from her, obviously enjoying her situation. "Really, Sailor Sol, this isn't turning out to be as much fun as I had hoped. You aren't much with your powers, are you?"

He raised his arm to send another blast, giving Celeste a possible opening. Leaving herself no time for doubts, she rushed forward and began attacking. As the first blow landed, she noted the surprise in his eyes.

However, Celeste didn't pause. She kept pressing her advantage, striking at his vulnerable points. A punch to his solar plexus made him double over and stumble backwards.

Again, she didn't stop. She drove her elbow into his face, feeling the bone and cartilage crumble. Before he could even react, she whirled and backhanded him with her other arm, sending him to the ground. However, as he fell, he vanished.

"What the hell!" Celeste cried, glancing around the deserted lot.

An energy ball caught her in the shoulder, making the joint explode with pain. Before she could even find her feet, another hit her, doubling the pain. Groaning, she opened her eyes, struggling to get the pain-blurred figure into focus.

"Jonathan?"

The figure laughed. "You'll be wishing for your boyfriend, soon enough, Ten-chan."

'She's strong,' Athene thought, waiting for an opening. Notus stayed surprisingly close to Hecate, meaning that Athene would have to risk injuring her friend. When a windblast did find its mark, she rushed in before Notus had a chance to attack Hecate further.

"Sudden Revelation!"

Notus dodge the attack easily. "You're going to have to do better than that, girl."

"I will," Athene replied, as the words of a new attack filled her mind. "Athene Psyche Meltdown!"

Screaming in pain, Notus clutched her temples. Athene moved closer, prepared to deliver more physical attacks. However, as the woman looked up suddenly, the girl realized that her enemy had been faking the majority of the pain.

Athene quickly backed away. But she didn't notice the seesaw immediately behind her. If the situation hadn't been so dire, it might have actually been funny. She shouted in surprise as she fell backwards. Her surprise quickly turned to pain as her leg hit the ground at an awkward angle, something giving way in the limb.

"Sudden Revelation! Psyche Meltdown!" Athene hoped the combination of attacks would buy her some time. Not daring to look up at the enemy, she tried to scoot away quickly using her hands and her good leg.

"Hecate Darkest Night!"

Athene was grateful when the shadows covered her, hiding her from Notus. However, she knew that the trick wouldn't work long. She tried to get away from the enemy as far as possible.

Notus, for her part, seemed amused instead of disappointed. She turned to Hecate with a smile. "You're the one I wanted anyway, dear."

"Well, here I am," Hecate growled, pointing her glaive at Notus.

Celeste tried to ignore the pain in her ribs as her chest heaved in a battle for air. She had lost track of how many times she had been hit by one of the electrical balls. She had given up wondering how Eurus and now Scorpios had been resurrected. She had bigger problems as the moment.

For example, her enemy had literally backed her into a corner, preventing any means of escape.

'Just like our last battle,' she fumed. Her only option had been her Celestial Phoenix attack, her final attack. Without her powers, she couldn't even do that. 'I don't want to die like this!'

Scorpios smiled at her, watching with relish as she swayed on her feet. "Well, Sol, again, you were not up to the challenge. Perhaps you'll have better luck in your next life. Any last requests?"

Her thoughts turned to Jonathan. Sometimes he was so much like her, it drove her crazy. Would he ever forgive himself for not being able to help her? And Mara. What would happen to her ward if she died? Would the girl be sent to a foster home, her life disrupted again by death?

"What? No final banter?" Scorpios asked, puzzled by her silence. "If you'll beg, I'll make it quick. Well, relatively quick. Everything's relative, you know."

'I don't want to die like this!' To her surprise, Celeste felt no shame as her eyes filled with tears. 'Damn it, I want to live!"

Then, a warm wind surrounded her, warming her inside and out. Scorpios faded from her sight to be replaced with an orange-red light. The pain, the grief, everything melted away as a new clarity fell over her.

"Sol Star Fire!"

The new attack filled the lot. Breathing a little easier, Celeste sunk to her knees. She glanced around her, still wondering what had happened.

"Well done, Sol. I knew you could do it."

"Mara!"

Athene limped forward in a desperate rush to get to her friend. The other girl was struggling weakly to her feet, using her glaive for support. Their eyes locked briefly. 'We're not going to win this,' they seemed to realize. Reluctantly, Athene turned her attention back to Notus.

"Enough of your interference, girl!" Notus shouted.

The windblast sent Athene flying through the playground. Hecate watched in horror as Athene fell into a crumpled heap at the base of the slide. The girl didn't move and only moaned when Hecate screamed her name.

"Now, where were we?" Notus asked, turning back to Hecate. She smiled. "Ah, yes. I was about to take you to my master. He's been waiting for you."

She grabbed the wounded girl by the wrist, preparing for their departure. She didn't the movement of the glaive until it was too late. Jerking the blade free from her body, Notus merely stared at her prisoner.

"Why?" she whispered.

Hecate gave a mirthless smile. "You and the others have hurt innocent people. For that alone, you should die. But you also have hurt my friends. That makes it personal."

"Aeolus will like you a lot."

"Notus, let her go!" Athene cried, using the edge of the slide to prop herself up.

"No. However, if you want an exchange, tell Sol we will contact her shortly." Using the last of her strength, Notus made them disappear.