Jaded Perspective
Part Four - A Turn For The Worse
By Skylark3
Rating: PG-13. I think.
----
Three girls walked down the street, side by side. Two were discussing the weather intently, while the blonde-haired one was concentrating more on the slice of cake she was eating.
"I couldn't agree more!" the girl with the long black hair was saying, "It's so unnatural!"
"Not only that," the blue-haired girl continued, "But those clouds should have brought rain hours ago. See how dark they are? That's because the water vapour has condensed and solidified in extreme amounts. I shouldn't be surprised if there's a solid block of ice in the centre of some of those clouds, by now!"
At this, the blonde looked at the other two girls. "Um. What are you talking about, Ami?"
"Serena, you're hopeless!" the girl with the dark hair snapped. "Don't you ever listen during science classes?" She paused, and corrected herself. "Actually, do you ever listen to anything anyone says?"
"Of course I do!" Serena pouted, immediately defending herself. "I think the question ought to be whether you will ever stop being so mean!"
"I wouldn't have to be, if you weren't so annoying all the time!"
Serena's cheeks were growing steadily redder. "Uuoh, Rei! That's not true!" The two girls stopped walking and continued to bicker childishly.
Ami walked on ahead, hardly aware that she wasn't being followed, as her mind was taken up with more important matters. Now it was only the three of them, not including the elusive Darien, left to fight an unknown evil. First Mina had been taken, then Lita had left... she sighed. Whatever this is, it's tearing us all apart, slowly but surely. Shaking her head sorrowfully, she looked over her shoulder and called to the two girls. "I'm going to the library - I'll see you later." She continued down the street, as the clouds grew ever darker and more numerous, and hoped that everything would turn out for the best.
----
Two figures stood alone underneath the vast canopy of trees that made up the wood near Tokyo. The taller one supported the other as she swayed unsteadily. A twilight aura seemed to surround the area as patches of light filtered through the rustling leaves above.
"Unngggh!" Lita clutched at the empty air as she attempted to regain her balance. "Taking the bullet train would have been so much simpler!" She looked up at the sky wistfully. I'll never get used to this.
Her companion smiled, and looked down at her thoughtfully. "I suppose teleportation would take some getting used to. Sorry about that!" He still couldn't understand why Lita's face was so firmly etched into his memory. She seemed so familiar to him... and yet, as far as he knew, they'd never met until the day before. To call it deja-vu was an understatement. That soft reddish-brown hair, those sparkling emerald-green eyes - everything about her seemed perfect. And he couldn't help feeling as if he'd always known her.
Lita sighed, having by now managed to steady her flailing arms. "No, forget it, Nephrite. At least we're here now." She couldn't help noticing that the sky here was just as dark as in the centre of Tokyo. Boy, this sure is one mother of a storm brewing up! She didn't mind the rain, or storms, but for some reason the idea of this one made her uneasy. Dismissing it as paranoia, she put forth a question to hide her concerns. "Are you sure this is the right place?"
Nephrite nodded. "I'm starting to recall a little... I'm sure this is the place," he lied. In actual fact, he wasn't sure at all. All he had was a vague recollection of some large mansion. Yet the area around here seemed almost familiar, and it surely wouldn't hurt just to take a look. Yes, he thought. There's certainly something about this place, even if I don't know what!
Taking a look around, Lita began to relax, letting out a pent-up breath. She peered cautiously through the many pine trees, trying to make out a trail or pathway. "Where should we start?" she inquired eventually, realising that nothing was to be seen. "I don't see how we should know where to begin looking!"
Her tall companion shrugged. "I suppose we'll just have to choose a direction and hope for the best."
"...In typical Serena style!" Lita muttered under her breath, then smiled despite herself.
----
Meanwhile, Rei was having trouble trying to reason with Serena. "Listen to me, will you?" The raven-haired girl tried to interrupt the blonde's constant complaining as they continued to walk down the lonely street. The dark clouds above had blackened and grown to such an extent that it appeared to be nearing twilight. Those few people who had considered leaving their houses in this weather were currently nowhere to be seen. "I thought we'd agreed to stop arguing until we got this sorted out!"
Her friend wiped her eyes, sulking. "I thought you'd agreed not to say horrible things to me!"
Rei was all ready to argue back, when she realised this was exactly what she'd been trying to avoid. "Oh... whatever. What really matters is that we've got to find a way to rescue Mina! And we won't get very far if we continue on bickering like we are now!"
Serena sniffed miserably, and blinked a couple of times. "You're right. I guess I forgot what the important things really were. But how are we going to return Mina to her senses with only the three of us, Rei?" She paused, waiting for an answer. "Rei?" Looking back, Serena became aware that the dark-haired girl had stopped walking, and was waiting behind her. She hurried back and waved a hand in front of her companion's face. "Hello, Rei? Are you listening to a word I'm saying?"
Rei absentmindedly waved her off. "Wait... I can sense something!" She frowned, her brow creasing in concentration. "It's... evil. I don't know what exactly, but it's definitely evil."
"Oh, no! What is that supposed to mean?" Serena inquired anxiously. "Is it Mina? Is it the Negaverse? Do you think we ought to transform?"
Nodding, Rei started to fish around in the small bag she had slung over one shoulder. Taking out a small and slender pen-like object, she regarded it a moment and sighed. "I'd thought all this was well and truly over. Come on, we'd better find someplace safe."
The two girls hurried off in the direction they'd originally been heading.
----
Lita was beginning to lose her temper. "We've been walking around in these gloomy woods for more than an hour, and we've found nothing! It's cold, it's dark, and those little insects crawling about my feet are starting to bug me. Nephrite, I'm sorry, but I think this is all just a wild goose-chase." She felt guilty as soon as she'd said it. I'm not usually so easily upset. It must be the weather.
But her companion had hardly noticed. "No... look! Over there!" He pointed though the dense leaves.
Squinting, she could just make out a large, dark shape that vaguely resembled a house. "Well... it's something, at least! Come on!" With renewed interest, she pushed on through the trees.
As they cleared the last of the leaves, Lita couldn't shake the feeling that something was badly out of place. Before her stood a dark mansion with huge windows, and a spotless, shining red Ferrari was parked just outside, untouched by months of dust and rain. Yet none of this was what made her uneasy. For a moment she couldn't quite grasp what it was, until she suddenly realised it was simply the overwhelming presence of evil that emanated from the house. I'm no psychic, so if I can sense this, it must be truly formidable!
Beside her, the ex-Negaversian general sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "This is certainly it," he declared hesitantly. "This place is too familiar to be otherwise. But... I don't know... there's something wrong about this place."
Lita nodded silently, then jumped as a soft voice laughed out from the mansion.
"Well, you've got that right!"
Stepping out of the darkness, a small figure detached itself from the shadowy doorway. "I've been waiting for you, you know." it said. "It's too bad you're unable to remember, Nephrite. Especially since I have to destroy you!"
"Mina!" Lita exclaimed in shock.
The blonde girl took a few steps forward and smiled serenely. "Wrong!" She patted her head. "Oh, she's in there somewhere, but the poor little girl was just too weak to stand against the likes of me. Now, which of you will be first?"
Lita grimaced. She would have liked to show this person just what she thought, but if there was even a possibility that Mina would be hurt, it would all be for nothing. So instead, she growled, "If you're not Mina, then who are you?"
The girl laughed. "Come now. Don't act so surprised! Surely you knew I could never be truly vanquished? My name is Beryl, not that you'll live long enough to hear it again, Sailor Jupiter!"
Shocked and suddenly furious, Lita darted forward in a rush of rage. "Nephrite, get away from here!" She waited till he made himself scarce, then without further hesitation aimed a forceful punch at the blond. Her swinging fist laced through the air to connect with the girl's cheek-bone. The impact was enough to send the blonde stumbling back a few paces and fall to the pine-needled ground.
Still trembling with anger, Lita stood her ground with fists clenched, waiting for her opponent to rise. Time seemed to pass at an incredibly slow pace, as she stood alert and ready for danger. After a few moments, however, it dawned on her that maybe, just perhaps, this wasn't a trick. Cautiously, she took a step towards the figure hunched on the ground. "... Mina?" Oh, no! What have I done?
The humbled girl's shoulders began to shake, and soft sobbing noises could be heard, as Mina turned a tear-streaked face towards her friend. "I'm so sorry, Lita!" she choked out between sobs. Her face, smeared with dirt, blood and salty water, held an expression of utter sincerity. Lita found herself casting aside all doubts that this was really her friend. She felt horrified at what she'd just done, and promptly said so.
Mina shakily shook her head. "No. I genuinely needed that. I can't properly explain it, but Beryl really was controlling everything I did." Almost on the verge on bursting into tears once again, she continued. "It was horrible! Lita, don't think it was me that said those awful things!"
Lita sighed, and bent down to help her. "I'd never think that! I can understand jealousy, but there's no doubt that it wasn't you speaking just then!" She felt a little awkward - what could she say to Mina in this odd situation? A brief silence reigned as both the girls were at a loss for words.
Yet just as suddenly, the silence was broken. At that moment, Mina gripped Lita's wrist fiercely, and tried to push her away from the clearing. "You've got to get away from here! Beryl isn't gone completely - that punch only startled her a little."
Shaking her head firmly, Lita replied, "Not on your life! We might not have been the best of friends lately, but I'm not going to let an out-dated Nega-creep take you over again! Besides," she added rather sheepishly, "I told Nephrite to leave, and he's our only route out of this maze of trees."
"No, you don't understand." Mina grumbled. "I can feel her lurking around in the bottom of my mind somewhere. She's going to return any moment now, and there's nothing I can do to stop her!"
For a fleeting moment, Lita considered her options. It would be so easy to just walk away, to satisfy the tiny part of her heart that was still hurt and vengeful from the previous day's argument. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to just turn her back on a friend, even if there was a chance it could turn out to be a mistake. "No. I'm staying."
Mina slowly shook her head, then. "You're making a mistake..." Yet, she smiled. "I suppose it's just as well... I need the company. Why don't you lie down while you wait for Beryl to make her next move?"
Nodding, Lita suddenly realised how tired she was. It was as if... something about this gloomy place was sucking the energy from her. "Maybe you're right, Mina." she agreed sleepily, sitting down on the scattered pine-needles that were in abundance throughout the clearing. She yawned, and resigned herself to an uneventful wait - and yet, she was truly so incredibly tired... and come to think of it, Mina wasn't the type of person to get upset this easily, even considering the present circumstances...
----
Nephrite had meanwhile wandered off to investigate the mansion in the hope that it might restore at least part of his memory, and confident that Lita could handle Mina. Odd that I should forget so much... He still felt that he'd known Lita from some previous part of his life - but all else drew a complete and utter blank. Why then, did he feel so strongly toward her?
As he approached the door, it swung open before him, propelled with an unseen force. He jumped back, a little startled. The event itself was not what surprised him - it was simply that he was becoming somewhat wary of the things that Lita had deemed unusual'. The previous night, she had talked to him about what was considered normal' in Tokyo, and what was not. This, he realised, fell unmistakably within the not' category. He looked quizzically at the open doorway for the briefest of moments, then decided eventually against entering. There was something about the place that mildly disgusted him - not so much the depressing atmosphere the place conveyed, but rather the sense that something horrible awaited him within. Something from his past. I suppose some memories are best left buried, he thought, with a slight shudder.
The building, for all its grandeur, held nothing more for him. Maybe he wouldn't abandon the car, though... he smiled at the thought. How typical of him, always opting for style over practicality. And just for a fleeting second, he thought he recalled a glimmer of his past. But, as usual, it vanished as quickly as it came. With a sigh, he turned back the way he'd come, and made his way back towards Lita.
The first thing he noticed as he made his way back was the sight of Mina bending over her sleeping companion and - surely unlikely - lifting her up in her arms. He found himself staring at the scene, and somehow wasn't surprised when the blonde looked directly up at him.
"So, Nephrite." she stated flatly. "What is it to be? As you've already noticed, I have your friend here at my mercy. It's up to you - join me, or die?" She smiled, an evil grin that looked amazingly out of place on her fair face. "Oh yes - I was never really out of action... I can act convincingly when I have to."
It took a while for the news to sink in. "Beryl..." he noted, the name tasting bitter and harsh on his lips. "Who exactly are you? Why should I join sides in a battle I know nothing about?"
"Come, now." Mocking reproach hovered about her words, tainting and cruel. "I wouldn't have thought that you could ever forget me - not after all that you've done for me."
"Done for you?" Nephrite echoed, vaguely confused. This Beryl...' He was at a dilemma whether or not to trust her. His instincts seemed to warn him, to urge him to stay away from her - especially now that she had Lita. And still, if he had helped her with something in his past... surely he could trust her? So why was he disgusted by her every word - and why did he feel so furious towards her all of a sudden? "Damn my past!"
Mina - Beryl - curled her lip further upwards in a tight smirk. "How truly said. Perhaps you do remember something, after all." Her voice suddenly lowered to a soft whisper. It teased him, taunted at his weakness. "There is no hope for you, Nephrite - not while you aim so low. Have you noticed how little you fit in this pathetic little city? You are not one of those hopeless children who are a mockery of life." She paused, gesturing to Lita. "You see her? Notice how easily I was able to overcome her. She and others like her believe they have the power to rule the world, but you - you, my dear Nephrite - are more than she can ever be."
He made as if to interrupt, but at the last moment thought better of it. He shut his mouth with a frown, and shook his head instead. How can I believe what this girl is saying? I feel as if Lita is the only person I can trust... perhaps even more than I can trust myself. But he listened in silence, for the wrong choice could mean everything, especially when he had so little to lose.
"You can be more." Beryl continued, staring at him so intensely he thought he might almost suffocate in the cold depths of her eyes. "If you would join me, like you did once before..." The smirk vanished, to be replaced with an anguished, pleading gaze. "Do you remember? The glory, the wonder? You almost had the world - several worlds - in the palm of your hand, Nephrite. Yours to share with a few others as gifted as yourself." She blinked, a tear forming at the corner of one eye. He found himself moved beyond words, as this beautiful, blonde-haired girl broke down before him - and yet, part of him persisted in feeling repelled by her very presence.
"All you have to do... is join me." she sobbed, seemingly barely able to hold Lita's limp form any longer. "I..." and at this, she appeared to be choking on her words, "I beg of you, help me. Help me like you did before - before you lost your memory. We were so close to succeeding... you have to trust me! I am weak, but with your help we can be strong together. I need you! And you need me even more. How would you like to live your life as if locked up in a cage, surrounded by people who are mere imitations of life? Knowing that you have the potential to be so much more?"
She seemed so sad, but Nephrite couldn't help but notice that some of the words seemed a little strained. Almost as if she were having to force herself to beg his help... as if she were not quite telling him the truth. In addition, the part of him that trusted Lita seemed to be overly wary of this girl. He slowly shook his head once again. "I'm sorry... but I don't think I can just abandon Lita this quickly. It is... rather difficult to explain, but I don't think I could ever help you - at least - not while you seem so set on harming her."
"What?" Beryl, shocked out of crying, seemed for a fleeting moment enraged. It lasted only a second, however, then she lapsed back into tears. "You see what you've forced me to do?" she cried out, "Must I kill her to prove my point? She is worthless!"
"No! Please - don't hurt her!"
"Well..." A sly little smile graced her lips. "If you come with me... I might consider letting her go..."
He sighed. It felt wrong - but it seemed that he had little choice. "Fine. I'll come."
"Of your own free will?"
"Of my own free will." he repeated, beginning to wonder whether he had made the wrong choice, after all...
"Good." Beryl smiled, all traces of sorrow instantly vanishing. Nephrite had a sudden feeling of uneasiness. "Now, let me show you something..."
----
Darien found himself in the centre of a vast, desolate landscape. What - where am I? he thought, looking in all directions in utter perplexity. Am I dreaming? The place certainly seemed like a dream - all he could see was brown earth for miles in every direction. It seemed to be set in a state of permanent twilight also, everything was perfectly still and silent. He took a few steps forward, somehow expecting a change, but nothing occurred. The only sounds he could hear were those of his own footsteps and breathing. "What a lonely place this is!" he declared aloud, feeling the need to somehow lessen the utter silence, but his words were swallowed, stifled by the very bleakness of the landscape. Is this torture? he wondered, taking a seat on the soft soil. Have I done something that shall be punished for centuries, or shall I wake from this empty place as if from a dream?
Nonetheless, as he pondered this over, he made out a shape in the distance - the form of a sleeping person. The sight comforted him somewhat - knowing that he wasn't quite as alone as he'd assumed. He stared in its direction for a moment, then stood once more. As curiosity got the better of him, he determinedly began to cross the barren earth.
----
Ami's face was obscured by the mountainous piles of books stacked upon each other at her desk in the library. Hmm... and to think, I'm only five chapters ahead of my class? I've been spending too much time in shopping malls these holidays, I think! She closed the book she had been reading with a sigh, and reached for another. Hardly had her fingertips brushed the cover, however, than a sharp beeping rang out from her carry-bag under the desk.
Heads turned towards the source of the sound, and Ami found herself blushing furiously as she became the subject of many angry stares from various other people in the library. "Excuse me." she apologised hurriedly, as she fished around in the bag for the source of the noise. It came from her small computer, and flipping it open, she stopped the alert with the touch of a few keys. What she saw on the screen drew a surprised gasp from her lips, which resulted in yet more heads turning in her direction.
Burning with embarrassment, she replaced the computer and stood to leave. I have more important matters than studying right this moment, I think!
----
From a conveniently-placed alleyway, the sailor-suited soldiers publicly known as Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars emerged.
"Right." Sailor Moon determinedly placed her hand on a hip and strode forward confidently into the quiet street. "Okay, you Nega-creeps! I demand you come out and show yourself!" She waited...
And waited...
"Fine. You be cowards, then." she declared, feeling rather foolish, to the air. "See if I care."
Sailor Mars sighed. "I never said there were youma involved, Meatball Head! All I know is that I can feel an evil presence about this area."
Dropping her pose, the other girl pouted. "Well, that could be anything! For all we know, it might be only someone who's in a very nasty mood right now... or something, anyway. We could have transformed all for nothing!"
"No... there is something. And it's more than a trivial matter, that's for sure." She turned, scanning the street carefully. The feeling of evil was flooding through her senses, setting her defences on alert. "I just can't seem to pinpoint where or what it is."
Sailor Moon looked around once again, considering if perhaps she'd missed something vital. She still thought it seemed to be a wild-goose chase, in a way. Yet if Rei's psychic senses had picked something up, who knew? It was at times like this that she wished she could be at home playing the latest Sailor-V video game. She waited only half-expectantly, but nothing appeared, or even moved. In fact, as Mars began to tap her foot impatiently, it began to dawn on her that perhaps the street was a little too quiet. A sign of warning? Or was it already too late? That, combined with the ominous weather, seemed quite unnerving, to say the least. She turned to her companion.
"Mars?"
"Hmm?"
"This place... it's just a little bit too quiet, don't you think?"
About to reply, Mars opened her mouth... but found herself biting back her words, as out of the corner of her eye, she saw the tiniest flicker of movement and turned instead to perceive a shimmering, rippling effect in the air that was so tense with the anticipation of rain. She had seen this before, on numerous occasions, and knew exactly what it meant. "Sailor Moon, watch out!"
Both girls leapt back, barely just before two figures shimmered into existence. Or rather, three figures - one in the arms of a familiar-looking blonde girl.
"Lita!" Sailor Moon cried out upon seeing the brunette's sleeping form, surprise showing on her face as she took a few steps toward the three, but was forced to stop when she felt Mars' restraining grip on her wrist. What has happened to her? Anxiously, she watched as Mina slowly placed Lita's body on the hard bitumen of the street. She would have rushed to her side at once, but for the raven-haired scout's strong hold on her arm.
"Don't you see?" Mars hissed in a hasty whisper from behind her, "Nephrite's taken them hostage! Don't be so careless!"
Her eyes narrowed, realising the logic of it. Oh Mina, Lita... If only you hadn't been so trusting. But now it was too late to simply wish the pain away. If only. She knew she didn't yet know the whole truth, but she didn't have the time to even attempt figuring it out. It seemed that her only choice was to act, and do so as fast as possible. Her friends were undeniably in need of help, and she was going to make damn sure they got it!
Feeling the grasp on her hand loosen as Mars shifted her concentration, she quickly wrenched her hand free. Taking her
traditional stance, she cried out in determination. "I am Sailor Moon! I fight for love, and for justice also! Nephrite, release my friends or I shall punish you in the name of the Moon!"
"And I am Sailor Mars! Take away the spell you put on Mina!"
Thankful as always for her friend's backup, Serena felt more confident. She glared at Nephrite angrily, willing him to give in. Yet to her surprise - and partial relief - she didn't get the reaction she'd been expecting. Instead, her opponent blinked. Twice. "Do... I know you?"
Sailor Moon's pose, though confident in appearance, faltered at this comment. Could it be that he really couldn't remember a thing? There was hardly a soul throughout the whole of Japan who had not heard of the Sailor Scouts, but apparently Nephrite did not recognise her. "I..." She trailed off, suddenly conscious of not knowing what to say.
Matters were then made even more confusing, as Mina stepped forward, an amused smile gracing her face. Her actions at that point in time seemed so precise and graceful that even Sailor Moon was notably surprised. "Mina? You're not really on his side, are you?"
Lowering her head slightly, the blonde spoke quietly through strands of hair. Disgust could be heard in the soft undertones of her voice, rippling anger that threatened to overspill at any second. "I am not on Nephrite's side, Sailor Moon. He is on mine."
----
The distance was further than he'd thought. A good ten minutes or so had passed, and he'd had nothing to do but listen to the soft footfalls of his feet against the earth. Or so it seems, he thought absently as he at last began to approach the sleeping form. Who knew how time might pass in this dismal place? But then he was there, and his mind immediately turned to other things at hand.
The figure was lying on her side (for it was female, that much he could see), with her back to him. The first thing he noticed was the cloud of long, golden hair that fell around her like a silken shroud.
"Not Serena...?" he gasped, hoping it was not so. She doesn't deserve to be trapped in a place like this... nobody does.
However, it wasn't Serena at all, but Mina. With a sharp intake of breath, Darien fell to his knees at her side, searching her face for signs of life. She was as still as the surface of a calm ocean, her only movement being the slightest of breaths every few seconds. Her otherwise flawless skin was tinged with the paleness of death - not quite there, but much too close for comfort.
Darien had no need to examine her further to know that she was hanging in the balance between life and death. Perhaps then this place was a sanctuary for the hopeless. A metaphorical waiting-room in which to attempt to fight the call of death. Whatever had happened to Mina to bring her to this forgotten universe was evidently holding her purposefully in this limbo of sorts. So why was she unconscious? Was her soul so buried underneath charms and enchantments as to never awake again? Why was he even here at all - had he too unknowingly fallen under some misfortune? He did not fully understand, if at all.
"Oh, Mina." He whispered her name sorrowfully, brushing back a lock of hair that had fallen across her face. "You have to wake up. So many people need you. Think of your friends, think of your family." He sighed. It would probably be all in futility - but he knew he had to try. "Mina, you must try to resist whatever has placed you here. Do you hear me? Promise me you'll try, for the sake of us all. For Serena, especially for Serena."
He thought, then, that her eyelids trembled slightly, and smiled with a careful hope. Maybe he was getting through, after all.
----
Mina' gestured, and Nephrite instantly vanished with Lita, gone from sight. "You see," Beryl continued, "Your precious friend Mina is no more. Thanks to the combined forces of her powers as Sailor Venus and the buildup of negative energy she recently attained, I was able to gradually overcome her, and so here I am. You know me, I believe, as Her Royal Highness Queen Beryl."
"Her royal highness, my arse." Mars muttered scornfully, though her eyes were wide with shock and fury. "We killed you!"
Sailor Moon nodded vehemently. "How can you still be alive? It's just not possible! The Silver Crystal couldn't have been defective, surely!"
----
"Ah, the Silver Imperium Crystal." Beryl lifted her head defiantly and held out a delicate hand, deliberately ignoring the questions. "That is mine, I believe. Give it to me now, and I may consider making your deaths a little less painful than I had planned."
The brightly-clad Sailor Scout's hand moved involuntarily to the shining tiara that rested upon her forehead. An air of denial hovered around her like a shield. "I'm not handing anything over!"
"Especially not until we make sure Lita's in safe hands." Mars added, shifting her position slightly. "Don't think we're fools. You made that mistake last time you fought us."
"And if that klutz hadn't used the Crystal, you'd still be dead, Sailor Mars." Beryl retorted impatiently. "What a sorry bunch of warriors' you were. It took five of you to even attempt to challenge me. This time, however, I'll make sure I get what is rightfully mine. As for your pathetically trusting friend, she's staying here with me. She can watch you all die, one by one." She smiled. "So I repeat, give me the crystal."
"Never!" With a cry filled with anger, Mars instantly leapt forward and began her attack. "Mars Fire Ignite!"
It was a crimson star, a blazing inferno that erupted on cue from the scout's pointing fingers. Unexpected and sudden, time seemed to slow in that crucial instant. The street was no longer the place where couples could wander along hand in hand, or where busy business-people could hurry to and from work. It was now only the ground they stood upon and the air they breathed. To those present, all that mattered now was survival. The battle had just begun, and Mars had used it to her advantage. Indeed, as she reflected upon releasing her fiery blast, Beryl had been remarkably stupid. Why talk and gloat, when you could be using the precious time to strike your enemy? Strange, certainly.
Sailor Moon's eyes watered a little at her closeness to the intense heat, but she felt horror at what her friend was doing. "No, stop! You might hurt Mina!" But it was too late, and she could do nothing but watch the streak of flame impact upon the form of the person who had once been her close friend, for Sailor Mars was as fast and accurate as the fire that was the basis of her attacks. "No..."
Beside her, Mars crowed triumphantly as Beryl staggered back from the blast, scorched and all pretenses of negotiation gone. "Not so sorry now, are we?"
But the battle had only just begun. Mars had had her moment of triumph; now, she suddenly found herself in the direct line of attack as a fierce stream of dark energy came heading towards her from Beryl's uplifted hands. "What? Hey!" She dove aside barely before the black wave of power passed by where she had been standing.
"Moon Tiara..." Sailor Moon, having by now abandoned the notion that it was Mina they were opposing, was in the full swing of her attack. Only then seeing the ferocity of Beryl's blast, she had no time to dodge. Searing pain swept through her left side where the energy her grazed her body, and she faltered. It hurt, but she found herself forcing back the pain in determination. She'd certainly braved worse - much worse - in previous encounters, and knew she had the strength to
fight on. In fact, she remembered Beryl's power being greater than this. Could it be... was she weak, or just holding back?
This is no time for musings, Serena! she chided herself, thinking of what Luna would say to her carelessness. Focusing her attention, she hurriedly turned once more to the important task of renewing her attack. This time she was careful to stay alert.
"Moon Tiara Magic!"
"Mars Fire Ignite!"
From the tips of Mars' outstretched fingers burst a flaming spiral, heading at a furious speed towards the spinning tiara thrown by Sailor Moon. The two attacks coalesced in mid-flight, taking on the appearance of a glowing, red crescent moon. For a moment, it looked as if the fire-coated tiara might miss Beryl, who had leaped deftly out of the way, but at the very last instant the tiara swerved almost of its own accord. Beryl's eyes widened, as she turned her head to see it approaching too close for comfort.
And she was gone.
A few particles of dust curled slowly downwards, borne to earth. All was still.
The first noise to break the silence was the click' of a red heel on the bitumin. Mars looked apprehensively at the pile of dust before her. "Does this mean it's over?"
Barely noticing her aching side, Sailor Moon was on her toes with delight. "She's moondusted! Again!" The next moment, the two girls were caught up in congratulating each other heartily - which seemed a little unusual, but appropriate nonetheless.
By the time they noticed the two immense beams of dark energy that hurtled towards them, it was a tad too late to do anything about it.
----
Though her first reaction had been that of triumph, she had been upset when Beryl had appeared to disintegrate. With her enemy's death, all chances of somehow rescuing Mina would be abandoned, it would be impossible. She would have cried later, if she had been given the chance. How could she go through life without the smiling, cheerful face of her golden-haired friend? Mina could always find the postive aspects of any situation. She had a knack for making others feel better, and her cheery manner was both heart-warming and admired.
Now, as she glared stonily into Beryl's sky-blue eyes, she hated her enemy even more.
The blast of energy had forced her to revert back to her schoolgirl state, stripping her of any advantage she may have had. The silver crystal had been stolen from her. The whole of her right side was throbbing unmercifully, and her left had long since passed into a stage of partly-numb agony. Right at this moment, she just wanted to cry. How ironic then, that the tears which were burning away at her insides chose not to rise to the surface.
Perhaps it was because she felt guilty. Guilty that she, the sailor-suited soldier who fought for love and justice, could not carry on any longer. Guilty that she had not been able to save her friend. Guilty that she had underestimated their most powerful rival. Or was it simply the guilt she felt because she felt mostly concerned for herself at this moment? Still, she found herself wishing heartily that she could be at home right then, safe and secure. How could it have ended this way? she thought in despair, blinking her eyes angrily even though they remained dry. If only I hadn't been so dense as to fall for Beryl's illusion!
Beside her, Rei sensed her friend's anguish. She turned her head to look her in the eye, somehow managing a wavering smile. "Don't despair. It's not over yet, Sailor Moon."
"How?" It came out as a croak, barely audible. She felt the bile rise in her throat with the word, and clamped her mouth shut.
"Ami." Rei whispered, her lips quavering more than ever, evidently biting back tears that for her were more than willing to show themselves. "She'll come... I know she'll come."
Beryl chose that moment to wander casually up to the two fallen girls. The silver crystal hung on a glittering chain about her neck. It shone with a radiant light even in the twilight of the sun-deprived city - impressive, yet seeming somehow out of place. Serena's eyes finally began to water, silent tears that reflected the silver of the crystal. Surely, all was lost.
"Ah, how the mighty have fallen!" Beryl sighed, fingering the crystal lightly, her nails tapping against its hard surface. "I haven't finished with you, though. Once I establish my reign over the Earth, you shall know what pain truly is!"
An expression of utter disgust crossed Rei's face. "Go to hell!" For an instant it seemed as if the force of her determination alone would be enough to let her stand; she pulled herself awkwardly to her knees - only to be pitched backwards by a hard kick to the stomach. The sound of skin being torn was sickening and horrific, but somehow, Rei refused to cry.
Serena's own stomach felt unstable as she saw a red stain colour the material of Rei's shirt as the blood seeped through. "No!"
Then she was vomiting, her weak form convulsing as her stomach emptied its contents. This was the ultimate humiliation, the mark of complete helplessness. Beryl knew this, making no move while Serena Tsukino, Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity lay in an ever-expanding pool of her own bile.
This could well be her darkest hour.
----
She couldn't be sure exactly when it had started. Afterwards, it had seemed so distant and confusing that her memories were a little warped and greatly uncertain. It had begun as if she was drifting in and out of consciousness at first, and then it seemed that she was simply held within the thralls of deep slumber. Still, she knew she was not always alone.
She couldn't be sure of where she was, or who her unknown companion was, or even who she was. At times she felt as if she were about to recollect a fragment of memory, but whether it was from this era or the past one, she could not be certain either. And there was the odd moment when she felt as if she was being split into two different directions entirely, struggling to retain her identity and purpose, though she couldn't remember what exactly it was.
But then there were also times when she recalled events with a surprising clarity. This was one of them.
She was Mina, and she was in trouble.
----
Rei closed her eyes. She closed them in the hope that everything would vanish the moment she did. She closed them to keep out the tears, that she might at least have that small conquest. Tears are the beginning of ruin. Once you start... stopping is impossible. She winced, her fingers tentatively brushing the surface of her deepest, most recent wound, and gritted her teeth through the strain. You are a coward, Rei Hino! she told herself. Hiding away like this and hoping a miracle will save you! What use could you be if you do nothing? A coward!
So she forced her eyes to open once more. Things looked even worse than before...
"Serena..." she hissed. Beryl's eyes flicked down to her, but from her fallen, sorry-looking friend came no response. Rei wondered if she was even conscious any longer, and moaned in defeat. But no, Serena's head slowly turned in her direction, a vague hint of recognition on her face. Abruptly, Rei was struck by the distant expression in the blonde's eyes - a dulled, almost-empty affliction that cast an invisible shadow over her entire presence. Serena appeared to have
given up.
Well, she wasn't going to if Rei had anything to do with it! I owe her this much, and more. "Serena," she repeated, more confidently. "Use the Silver Crystal." With the hand closest to her peer, she reached out to clasp the girl's shaking hand. "Now, do it."
Beryl had unsurprisingly overheard, and a trickle of laughter escaped her lips. "That's highly unlikely. I hold the crystal as of now. It belongs to me. The closest you'll ever get to it from now on is in your nightmares."
To Rei's surprise, Serena shook her head the fraction of an inch. "No." she whimpered, raising the tremoring hand that Rei still clasped firmly. "The crystal will never be yours."
There was no further action needed, nor was there any warning whatsoever when rays of blinding light burst forth from the Silver Crystal. Rei felt a slight throbbing from the hand that was holding Serena's and looked at the other in wonder. The girl amazingly looked wide awake once more and was glaring at her rival with a fierce kind of determination she had seen only once before. Her fingers were spread wide but her hand was steady. Though it was hardly a good occasion, Rei felt she had to smile.
"Never." Rei echoed her friends' previous words through her teeth. You can do it, girl!
----
Darien took in a breath, as the girl's eyes fluttered open. "You're awake!"
Mina looked at him, an odd expression on her face. "You... I know you, don't I? Your name... Darien, isn't it?" It was hard, so hard to remember anything at all. It was as if she wasn't entirely here - as if part of her was disappearing into some kind of void or limbo. However, looking around caused her to think again. Could she already be there? She didn't recognise the desolate landscape upon which she lay, but it didn't seem as if it could get much more miserable. Was this death, then? It was hard to tell. Hell, everything was hard to tell. She couldn't be sure of what she knew or why she knew it. Even her few definite memories seemed to conflict with each other. Wasn't this young man before her a dedicated university student? Or some kind of emperor who lived in a shining palace below skies of the brightest blue she'd ever seen?
And who was she? This bothered her most of all. Mina, the ditzy romance-lover seemed hazy and far away. She knew it was her, but along with those recollections came a flurry of different ideas and perceptions. Wasn't she Sailor Venus, who fought for love and justice - the leader of the scouts? Or was she the famous, idolised Sailor V - hero of computer games and movies? Or even... the princess of a distant world, whose doom was to be slaughtered at the hand of a lover? Everything was just so difficult to follow - if things could just become a little clearer it would be all right. It seemed obvious that it wouldn't be the case, though. She decided the best course of action would be to wait and see what came next.
Sure enough, her un-identified companion nodded, smiling a little. "Darien it is. I was hoping you'd wake. I don't know what I'm doing here, and I suspect you don't either. I guess we're stuck in this together."
It was almost a relief to hear his reply. At least one thing was clear, now. "No... no, I don't know why I'm here. I really can't remember much at all. If you don't understand, it's not exactly likely that I will!"
He nodded, again. "No, of course not. But... Mina, I just ask you one thing? What is the last thing you can recall? Please, just try. For your own sake, try!"
She didn't even need to try to tell that it was a hopeless task. But she still did, even if was only to please this man. Sure, she recalled fragments of information here and there, but it was all confused and mixed up. The whens' and wheres' were utterly lost to her. Her last memory? It could have been anything, and she found herself admitting this. "I'm sorry - I don't know the last from the first. Does it really matter?"
Her companion's head seemed to fall a little lower at her answer, but she had expected that reaction. Strands of dark, ebony hair fell over his forehead as he sighed, and unconsciously he lifted a hand to brush them aside. "I know you don't understand, but yes. It does matter. You - my friends and I are worried about you. Something... happened... and we know you're in trouble. One thing is for sure - you shouldn't be here, wherever here is."
Mina pulled herself to her knees, trembling as she did so. Why did she suddenly feel afraid? As far as she could see, there was nothing dangerous in sight - only endless brown earth and a starless sky. Yet she had the most peculiar notion that her situation had somehow improved from a few moments ago - perhaps that was why she had woken in the first place. Even as she thought of it, the twilight seemed to become a shade lighter.
Inspired by the hopefulness she felt at this sign, she turned to Darien and smiled. "Thank you - thanks for being here. I know at least now I'm not alone." She settled herself into a comfortable position on the soil and sighed. "I guess all we can do now is wait."