Chapter 23 - The Final Test
AN: I am posting all the remaining chapter now, enjoy. Something special happens in this chapter!
Rei knew her way through the Crystal Palace with a blindfold on. Rei had them at the door to the throne room before Milliadros could bat an eye. The door to the throne room could only be opened by members of Serenity's court and Rei pressed her palm against the wall near the dor and the electrical system scanned her hand and beeped to acknowledge her acceptance. The doors slid open to reveal a tragically beautiful sight.
Serenity sat upon her throne, so beautiful and still, Endymion was on her right, his hand resting on hers and a little girl was seated on Serenity's right. Like the rest of Crystal Tokyo they were encased in crystal. At the sight of this Rei's eyes began to water as she remembered her last moments here in the throne room before the crystal freezeover.
Milliadros' eyes brightened with joy at the sight of Serenity. There she was, his key to ruling the world, as it should have been. He gestured for his soldiers to put down the other three girls and from the corner of her eye Rei could see that Makoto at least had woken up.
-Mako are you okay-
-Uh, my head feels terrible but at least I'm alive-
-When I give you the signal attack whoever you can, okay? I need you to cause a huge commotion-
-Consider it done-
-Consider what done?- a new voice joined the conversation.
Mako quickly relayed the news to Minako and a hazy Ami who was also just waking up. They both confirmed they understood and Mako used her thunder powers to fry the rope around her hands and inconspicuously she freed her feet. She then set free Minako and Ami, all the soldiers attention was on Milliadros as he circled the royal family with morbid wonder. No one noticed their captives moving.
"Soldier, my hammer if you please," Milliadros invited and a soldier came forward carrying a sledgehammer that Milliadros took smiling widely. Rei's eyes widened when she realised what he planned to do as he advanced on Endymion.
"Goodbye King Endymion," Milliadros said respectfully bowing his head as he raised the SledgeHammer above his head, preparing to destroy the King.
-Now!- Rei screamed in her head and that of the girls and all four of them sprang to life. Rei threw herself at Milliadros pushing him away and due to the weight of the SledgeHammer Milliadros fell backwards. Rei then used her powers to create a wall of fire around the royal family.
Mako used her thunder to stun the soldier nearest to her then she quite easily picked him up and flung him against the nearest crystal wall effectively knocking him out. Due to the commotion more soldiers came running in. Minako quickly did a sweep kick and knocked the legs out from two guards, elbowing both of them in the head. Ami surveyed the scene then created a mist of bubbles to block them all from view while Minako and Makoto lashed out at whoever was closest.
While trying to keep her concentration Rei reached for her basket and took out the small dress. Quick as can be she clumsily threw it over Small Lady's head then reached for the bigger dress. This dress she pulled around Serenity. Lastly Rei grabbed the cape she had made for Endymion but the sound of loud yelling and familiar cries made her turn her head and she saw Duo running into the room to knock out a soldier that had Minako by the throat choking the life from her. Minako fell into Duo's arms momentarily gasping for breath before she was off again attacking other soldiers. Wufei looked like an absolute thundercloud as he reached the soldier who had just socked Makoto in the jaw and Wufei did some unspeakable things to the solider until the solider was nothing but a bloody pulp. Quatre was busy protecting Ami but the cold look in his eyes as he shot whatever soldier came near her showed Rei how truly devoted Quatre was to his wife. This Quatre was different to the polite young man they had come to know and love, this Quatre was a cold hearted solider, and Rei could see why he had been chosen as the leader of the Gundam pilots. Trowa was nowhere to be found, in his place was someone Rei had been waiting two months to see.
-Heero- just saying his name filled her with a joy she couldn't explain.
Her concentration lapsed and she felt someone grab her around her neck.
-Milliadros- she realised she had forgotten to take care of him properly. Heero took one look at what was happening to Rei and pulled out his gun and aimed. He had his orders not to kill Milliadros but Milliadros had dared to put his dirty hands on Heero's wife. Milliadros saw his death in Heero's ice cold eyes and changed his mind releasing Rei and running into the shadows. Rei looked at Heero and saw that because his attention was on her he had forgotten to look behind him and a solder was aiming his gun right at Heero's head. He was going to kill him.
It all seemed to happen so fast. Rei flung the cape behind her and opened her mouth to scream just as the soldier pulled the trigger.
"Heero!" she screamed pointing behind him, her voice soft and coarse from lack of use, but like always he heard her and Heero turned and dodged the bullet as it came ripping through his shoulder and out the other side.
As soon as she had spoken Rei realised what she had done and she saw Milladros turn and flee as the girls and guys had gotten control of the remaining guards who didn't know what to do now that their master had left. Rei let out a great cry of pain and threw herself to the ground, the tears falling from her eyes as she pounded the crystal ground with her small clenched fists, not caring that they bled.