Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments and good hints on where you want the story to go ….ps: I got an A in CHEM! HURRAY! '
Chapter Twenty Five: The Final Shard: Who dies?
Zoisite bowed with his arm across his chest, a small bead of sweat racing down his forehead, he was nervous. Queen Beryl looked down to him, her temper at an all time high.
"Are you certain?" She shouted. She was well aware of Zoisite's plan and his puppet youma Akio, who proofed to be just as evil as their dark kingdom. He swallowed hard and faced her.
"Only the royal members of the moon kingdom can have that signature. I'm afraid this means that Sailor moon, Usagi, is the moon princess." Zoisite tensed up as she watched his Queen's hands move slowly around the globe of her staff. The energy they had collected came in good use, but they were still far behind schedule.
"If I could make a suggestion my Queen?" Interrupted a fairly attractive looking male with long silver blue hair. He stepped into the light, bowing to the evil Queen. She smirked and nodded for him to proceed.
"Now that we know who the moon princess is, we can easily attack her at our leisure, but if she finds the last crystal shard before us, she will be able to summon the pieces we possess." He explained calmly. Zoisite did not know that the princess had that ability and seemed shocked that her powers over the crystal pieces extended so much.
"Hmm, continue Malachite." The Queen considered where he was going and wanted to know what he had planned to do to avoid that happening.
"My suggestion is to look for the last piece. With it, we'll have four in total, than we can attack Usagi Tsukino and take back the rest. Without their leader, the senshi will crumble." Malachite laughed. Zoisite and Queen Beryl agreed to the plan and left Malachite and Zoisite in charge to make the necessary arrangements.
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In the dark dungeon in the world of hate, Malachite and Zoisite coordinated their attack on the last holder of the crystal shard.
"We will need youma Akio to ward off any attacks we get from the senshi if they arrive." Malachite was determined to do this right the first time, and wanted everything to be calculated to the last digit. Zoisite nodded with a smile. They were finally going to get back at the senshi and sailor moon for all the hassle they had caused.
"Sailor moon must be punished greatly for her meddling, I will have youma Akio pay her back." Zoisite laughed loudly with Malachite equally pleasured by the thought of the moon senshi dead.
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The senshi had been running restlessly around the city, hoping to get a lead on the last holder of the crystal piece. It was vital to find that host in order to be the stronger side.
"I found him!" Sailor moon shouted swooping down from the building as her crescent wand guided her. But before she could get to the poor cat, Zoisite appeared, throwing his black crystal at the fat furry creature. She gasped as her senshi team mates and Tuxedo Kamen jumped down to her side.
"Yo, youma Akio?" Zoisite summoned as she watched the kitty turn into a large beastly animal. Youma Akio stepped out of the dark shadow's of the night.
"Hello Usagi" He smirked. The cat had fully turned into a creature and the crystal shard flew out of his body into the night's sky. Tuxedo Kamen raced with Zoisite to get it, while the Senshi stayed back to fight the youma Akio and the cat monster. They both growled and started to attack, non stop. The senshi were struggling to dodge the strategic attacks.
"What's wrong Usagi, having troubles defending yourself." Youma Akio laughed as Sailor Jupiter jumped to save Sailor moon from being hit by one of the youma's more intense attacks. Sailor moon got to her feet, she was ready, to do what she was destined to do.
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Tuxedo Kamen and Zoisite were physically battling to get the crystal shard. No one was able to touch it yet. The fight continued on, and they exchanged harsh words with each other. Tuxedo Kamen could feel Sailor moon's need for protection fading, meaning that she was handling things fine on her own. Which surprised him.
"You're not going to get this crystal Tuxedo Kamen! The dark kingdom will prevail!" Zoisite laughed.
"Ah that horrible laughter! Stop it!" Tuxedo Kamen shouted throwing yet another batch of deadly red roses, this time, he got a hit. Zoisite stopped in mid air, falling to the ground. He was shocked and mad, he struggled to his feet staring back at the Tuxedo hero.
"I win." Tuxedo Kamen smirked taking the last crystal piece in his possession and dashing off into the night's sky. Zoisite cursed, falling back to the ground.
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The senshi were finally getting the upper hand, by combining their attacks in various ways, they were able to subdue the cat monster. The furry beast fell to his knee's licking his badly wounded arms.
"Sailor moon! Now!" Shouted Sailor Mercury with her foggy strength. Sailor moon positioned herself directly in front of the cat monster and raised her wand. After a blast of sparkles the cat returned to it's fat self. She was relieved but suddenly she flew back violently hitting the pavement. Youma Akio had hit her with a round of sharp cash. The senshi gasped, running to aid her, but he was relentless sending more and more sharp cash their way. His movement sped to a point where it almost seemed he was vanishing.
"Stop throwing your tacky cash around like that!" Sailor Mars stood up recovering from multiple hits and sent flame after flame of intense fire. Jupiter and Mercury combined their powers to one very electrically charged stream of hydro. Venus pooled her power with Mars, they were all getting good hits, but it wasn't enough; he was not stopping.
"Sailor moon, use your tiara!" Tuxedo Kamen shouted leaping down to her side with the last crystal piece in his hand. She smiled at him, feeling confident in her strength and ability. She took off her tiara and with all her might hit youma Akio. He was finally stunned.
"I'll get that crystal back you wait!" Zoisite shouted, and with his black crystal increased the youma's power a thousand fold. He grew in size and madness.
"Usagi! I'll have YOU!" He shouted charging after her. The senshi and Tuxedo Kamen stood in front of Sailor moon protecting her from getting hit.
"No, don't!" She shouted calmly. They all looked back at her unsure what she was saying.
"I can do this. Believe in me." She smiled. The senshi and Tuxedo Kamen exchanged glances at each other hesitant, but she insisted again. Zoisite laughed madly at their pathetic conversation as his puppet youma powered up for his hardest attack. The team stepped away and back, allowing Sailor moon to walk forward. She looked deeply at the youma Akio screaming her name. She thought back to the young woman she saw in his apartment, how sad she was when she looked back at her. She remembered back to Endymion's dead body, his final words to her.
'I'm doing this for peace, for safety…'
"AND FOR THE MOON!" She shouted. Suddenly the crescent mark appeared on her forehead, the ancient spot exploding in light. Zoisite was shocked and was trying desperately to move out of the way…but it was too late.
When the light disappeared, Sailor moon was standing triumphantly with her crescent wand above her head. The youma Akio had been flung back violently. His body had transformed back to Akio.
"Usa..sagi" He angrily mustered deep in his throat. The helpless naked man lay dying. Suddenly all the deeds he did plagued his mind, and he became remorseful.
"Save me! Please I don't want to die! I don't want to go to hell! Save me!" He shouted hysterically. He was at Usagi's mercy, and what she decided to do, would be done. She took a few steps closer, her eyes hidden by her hair. She thought back to when she begged for mercy, to the other woman he had taken advantage of; to the young woman at his apartment who was living in hell everyday because of him.
"You didn't show any compassion…so I won't show you any." And with that said, she looked to the ground as he spit up blood. Seconds later, he died, still begging to be saved. The senshi and Tuxedo Kamen came to her side, amazed by her power, but at the same time; feeling her sadness for taking a human life.
"You'll never get away with this." Zoisite stuttered, trying to get to his feet. But it was no use, he too was dying. His body was rejecting life and energy and with a bloody cry, he fell down dead.
It started to rain gently. They stood there and watched Zoisite's body disappear into nothing. Akio's body still lay dead on the cold pavement, and at first they had thought of covering his body and taking it to a proper place; but they followed Usagi's lead; and left him behind.
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"Usagi-chan?" Luna asked gently. The girls were all standing outside of Rei's temple. They were all very silent, no one really knew what to say to cheer Usagi up, or to make things feel right. She smiled looking at her feet, even though it felt bad for letting Akio die, she knew that there was no other way. He would never truly be remorseful, he would never care. It was still raining, and though the atmosphere carried a heavy sadness, it was beautiful out.
"Usagi?" They all turned around to see the young woman from Akio's apartment. She wasn't smiling and her movement was slow. Usagi was surprised to see her there. The woman walked up to them, completely drenched in the rain.
"It's funny, I never walked in the rain before. Always thought it would be horrible. But it's really nice." She spoke softly, gently smiling. Her eyes were watery. Usagi's eyes started to glaze as well. She felt that she had saved her, but couldn't undo what was already done.
"Are you okay?" Minako asked gesturing for her to come in the shelter of the Temple. The young woman smiled looking up to the sky, allowing the rain to wash her body. She felt like it was cleansing, the stains of Akio's tyrant abuse coming clean.
"I'm okay." She smiled back at Usagi who could only stare at her feeling sadness building up in her belly. She was able to escape Akio from doing her harm because Mamoru saved her, but no one saved the young woman before them.
"I'm sorry…I couldn't save you …" Usagi softly whispered. She had saved one girl from harm in Akio's apartment but didn't save her when she needed it. Usagi looked down to her feet wanting to cry. The young woman smiled more brightly.
"You…you did save me. Thank you." The woman bowed and started to walk away into the rain. She glanced back once smiling at the group before disappearing down the stairs. Usagi felt better. The fear of making the wrong decision was no longer looming over her, she saved the young woman; she saved many young women. What defines a human from a monster? And she decided that it was the heart that helped her to kill Akio and not just her mind.
"Usako? Are you alright?" Mamoru asked putting his hand on her shoulder, watching her smile grow. The girls started to relax and smile more content.
"Strange, how tonight, with all this rain; it still looks pretty out" She smiled looking up at the sky with Mamoru and the girls. The full moon shone down on them, the earth was right now, at least for just one night, peaceful.
So whatcha think? Did I kill Akio and Zoisite justly? On the next chapter: Malachite steps in and a final attack is planned on the senshi and Sailor moon.