Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon nor do I claim to. Naoko Takeuchi does.
I'll Be Here
Chapter Four: The Leader
The eternally pledged guardians of Princess Serenity, all in their transformed state, stood in the center of the training arena, waiting for Artemis' presence.
Because the Lunar ball was taking place the next day, the Queen required the Leader to be chosen for security reasons. It was announced the day before that the battle-selection of the Leader would commence that day. It would be their first sparring match against each other. The use of both elemental powers and weapons were permitted.
Sailor Mercury analyzed her fellow guardians. Venus and Jupiter still had trouble manipulating their elemental powers, but both had evidently improved since acquiring their powers. Mars, who seemed to be giving glares to Venus, had gained steady control over her element, but it was the Water Guardian herself who had almost mastered hers, being able to manipulate water into its other forms.
Artemis arrived, carrying the Lunar Sword, which would be given to the Leader in acknowledgment. Random pairs were drawn: Mercury versus Jupiter, and Mars versus Venus.
Mars, Venus and Artemis retreated from the center, moving to the outer section of the training arena, leaving Mercury and Jupiter in the center.
"Begin."
Taking advantage of her strength and Jupiter's weakness in ranged combat, Mercury immediately bounded backwards. "Shine Aqua-"
Fully knowing what Mercury was doing, Jupiter charged forward, both hands gripping tightly onto the hilt of her sword. Mercury managed to evade the oncoming attack, but Jupiter's next strike caused her to defend herself by using the blade of her sword.
Mercury deliberately took on Jupiter's blows with her own blade, to determine her opponent's skill in close combat. Jupiter's strikes were very powerful, making her arms sting with pain each time their swords collided.
Using the cross-guard of her sword, Mercury attempted to disarm Jupiter. But Jupiter's sword, a zweihander, was even more elongated than her own.
After giving the first strike Jupiter backed away from Mercury, but still close enough for close combat. Though the gash in her left arm was throbbing, and blood was dripping down her arm and onto the floor, Mercury kept her hold on her sword with both hands, ready for any oncoming attacks.
Mercury assessed the situation. Despite her extensive knowledge of combat techniques and strategies, and her understanding of body language, which allowed her to predict her opponent's movements, Jupiter's pure strength crushed any chances of winning in close range.
A change in approach was required.
Before Mercury could move backwards to fight in ranged combat, Jupiter went on the offensive again. Mercury's own sword was still centimeters away from piercing Jupiter's chest, while the tip of Jupiter's blade lingered mere inches away from her chest.
Mercury gazed into Jupiter's hazel eyes, before closing her own cerulean eyes as she relinquished, letting her sword fall to the ground.
"No, it is not necessary," Mercury told the medics who wanted to bring her to the infirmary so the slash on her arm could be healed.
"B-But-"
"I wish to stay here and observe the concluding matches," Mercury said. "I would also like to witness the fast-healing process when in this state."
The medics bowed their heads and exited the training arena. Mercury sat on the floor, before opening her laptop and began typing about her duel against Jupiter, and of Jupiter's fighting style.
Jupiter looked down at Mercury and felt faintly guilty upon seeing the white bandage wrapped tightly around the blue-haired girl's arm.
"Sorry."
Mercury stopped her rapid typing and looked up, slightly confused.
"For hurting you," Jupiter clarified.
"Oh!" Mercury said, surprised. "You need not apologize. We were in battle; it was to be expected."
Mercury smiled in reassurance, receiving a broad grin in return. She returned to her typing.
"It looks like Minako has done something again; Rei's glare is the most intense I've ever seen. She is even glaring at her whilst they fight," Jupiter commented. Her Lunarian had improved vastly in the past two weeks.
"It began this morning when she said something to Rei," Mercury answered. "I was unable to hear what she had said, but clearly it was something that offended Rei."
"Practically everything she says and does annoys Rei in some way," laughed Jupiter.
"It seems that way, doesn't it?" Mercury mused.
Jupiter asked, "Who do you think will win out of those two?"
Mercury looked up from her laptop screen, to observe the current duel between Venus and Mars. Venus had just dodged Mars' Fire Soul. Missing its target, the blazing fireball hit the eastern wall of the training arena.
"Venus is rather flexible; none of Mars' attacks have fully hit her," Mercury stated as a beam of light was directed to the Fire Guardian. "As is Mars."
Mars sidestepped, evading Venus' attack. She ran towards Venus, left hand moving to make the symbols to conjure a fireball; gladius wielded in her other hand, ready to strike. Venus blocked Mars' blade with her own blade, before miraculously dodging the fireball.
"And both are almost equally skilled in their swordsmanship," Mercury said as Venus and Mars' swords clashed with each other. "Unfortunately, I am unable to predict who will be the victor."
Venus and Mars stood across from each other, both panting, and both wielding their swords. Neither looked away from their opponent. They were completely focused on each other. Neither was without injury. Both suffered from minor cuts and wounds; burns more specific to Venus. Their battle had gone on much longer than Mercury and Jupiter's because of their equal strength and flexibility.
They lunged forward. The training arena echoed with clangs as metal came in contact with metal.
Eventually, Venus had managed to disarm Mars, forcing the Fire Guardian's sword out from her hand. Mars tried to jump back, but Venus pursued. Pressing her body intimately against Mars' body, Venus pointed the tip of her blade at Mars' throat.
Shortly after the preliminary round between Venus and Mars ended, the concluding battle commenced: Jupiter versus Venus.
Jupiter immediately went on the offensive, swinging her sword in Venus' direction. Venus defended.
Just as Mercury had realized Jupiter's strength, Venus did too. She blocked Jupiter's blade, before flipping backwards to a significant distance away from her opponent. Venus effortlessly dodged a bolt of lightning, and sent a beam of light towards Jupiter.
The Lightning Guardian barely managed to dodge Venus' attack. Knowing that she would most likely lose in ranged combat against the lithe Guardian of Love, Jupiter charged forward.
Venus lashed out the Venus Love Me Chain, wrapping it around the blade of the zweihander. Feeling Jupiter instinctively pull on her sword, Venus smiled. She held enough pressure on her chain, before simply letting go when Jupiter pulled harder. As Jupiter lost balance, Venus leaped forward and held her smallsword at Jupiter's neck.
Seeing no possible means of escaping the Love Guardian's threat, Jupiter surrendered, loosening her grip on her zweihander.
The match was over. The Leader of the Guardians was revealed.
Sailor Venus.
It was somewhat surprising that Minako had emerged victorious, becoming the Leader of the Guardians. Her usual lighthearted and mischievous mannerisms were a bit misleading, making her seem unfit as Leader. However, it was only Rei who doubted the selection. Makoto, having fought and lost to the Guardian of Love first-hand, recognized Minako's swift thinking and movements. Ami had observed Minako in her matches against Rei and Makoto, and had noticed this too. She had also seen that Minako was indeed capable of strategic logic in the few games of chess she had participated with the Venusian Princess.
Earlier that day.
"Argh, no! What if I get a cut or bruise on my face?" exclaimed Minako to Rei as the Guardians walked down the hallway leading to the training arena. "If Mama sees it tomorrow…"
Rei stifled her laugh, placing a gloved hand over her mouth. Minako looked at Rei, pouting. "I'm serious! Mama really spoils me; she treats me as if I was a child."
"That's probably because of how you act," Rei said, laughing fully, hand no longer covering her mouth.
"But even she acts like that! Papa really indulged the two of us, leaving Grandmother always to scold us," Minako said, grinning. "I'll introduce you to my parents tomorrow!"
"Umm, okay. Thanks."
Minako sighed. "But really, why do we all have to fight now?"
Rei did not reply, knowing that Minako already knew the answer and was not really asking.
"I don't see the rush; Serenity has attended the Balls on countless occasions with nothing ever happening to her," Minako said. "Plus, there are already plenty of guards in the Palace. I doubt anything will happen."
When exposed to unfamiliar things that one cannot fathom, or something that defies one's past experiences, a person's primary reaction is disapproval, to judge and criticize.
Rei had grown accustomed to the various different personalities of the other Princesses in the two weeks she had spent living in the Lunar Palace. Having been brought up on the hostile and battle-hungry planet was most likely the reason of Rei's initial annoyance to the Venusian Princess' rather flippant behavior. And it was still this attitude of Minako's that irritated Rei sometimes.
Sitting on the bed of her now fully decorated bedroom, Rei looked at a gold necklace. The colors surrounding her room consisted mainly of various shades of red. The only other color that graced her bedroom was the golden silk that covered her firm, large pillows. Her bed sheets, also made out of fine silk, were scarlet in color. Drapes, thick and crimson fabric, concealed the glass door leading to the porch connected to Ami's. Rei had also requested a fireplace in her bedroom, after having found out that Makoto had had a kitchen installed in her dormitory. The fireplace was rarely used though, as it was the warmer season on the Moon, which was far warmer than Rei had ever experienced on her home planet. But it was just pleasant knowing that she could sit in front of the fire if she ever needed to meditate, as she often did as the Flamen Martialis.
The golden chain was her mother's. Anseris had worn the chain every day until she gave it to her daughter, knowing that she was not going to live much longer. It was a fine, yet simple, chain that she received from Barrex. Being a gift from her father, Rei understood why her mother always wore the necklace, but she found it mystifying that her father actually had given a gift to her mother.
The Fire Guardian knew that her parents' marriage was arranged to help the political standing at the time. Though Anseris truly loved Barrex, it was not because of love that they wed. Barrex never really cared for Anseris; he only saw her as his 'possession'.
Apparently the five-year long war on Mars had made the defiant Martians incredibly stupid and much too bold; it was suicide trying to take siege of the mighty Phobos-Deimos Castle. Or rather, the five-year long war had not satisfied their battle-lust.
However, it seemed that the "mighty" Phobos-Deimos Castle was not all that strong after all. The Martian Empire, ruled by Barrex, had lost valuable Commanders and warriors from the suicide attack. It had also lost its Queen.
The nine-year old Martian Princess watched as her mother was rushed to the infirmary, her entire blouse bloodstained from the large wound on her chest.
Protesting against the several guards holding her back, Rei followed her mother into the infirmary. Everything seemed to be in fast-motion, watching the medics bound her mother's chest with bandages.
"The bleeding won't stop!"
Rei saw her mother's eyes flicker, going in and out of consciousness.
"The blade penetrated her lungs!"
Rei heard strange flopping sounds, coming distinctively from her mother's chest. Now, it seemed that the medics knew what the Martian Queen was suffering from. The wound was restricted by some sort of airtight bandaging. Rei watched as another medic came forward, and inserted a plastic tube that was connected to a canister with clear liquid into her mother's chest via the wound.
Rei saw her mother's eyes stop flickering, remaining closed. Though the young Martian Princess seemed unperturbed on the outside, she was extremely terrified. But as she inspected her mother closer, she noticed her mother's chest, though faint, rise and fall periodically.
In the following twenty-four hours, Rei stayed by her mother's side, along with a medic who was watching over Anseris for any signs of infections or complications. Rei noticed that her mother was bluish. She could see that her mother was very weak; the few times Anseris had been conscious were extremely brief.
Shortly afterwards, Anseris passed away. Due to hemorrhaging, Rei had overheard the medics say.
Not once did Barrex come to his wife's side.
And despite this, Anseris loved him to the end.
"Wow! Those burns healed really fast! Amazing…" Minako said as she examined herself in the mirror, wearing a thin, red, short-sleeved dress. "Hmm, not this dress."
Going back into her wardrobe, she thought, 'Rei seemed extra annoyed with me today…'
Minako tried to recall of everything she had said to Rei that day, or anything she might've heard for that matter, that would have annoyed the Martian Princess to that extent. Unable to find anything, she brushed it aside. 'I'm probably just paranoid since she was throwing fireballs at me. Anyway, tomorrow's the Lunar Ball! I'll get her to dance with me.'
A/N: Both Makoto and Ami's swords are two-handed, Zweihander being German for two-handed, while Minako and Rei's are one-handed. Gladius is Latin for sword.
Pneumothorax, which is caused by the collapse of the lung/s, is what Anseris suffered from. It can result from a penetrating chest wound, i.e., sword wound. The flopping sound Rei heard was the punctured lung.
I re-did this chapter because I think I didn't make a few things clear enough the first time around. Not that much of a change, though. I will work on chapter five later this week. Also, looking for a beta-reader, so just send me a message or give me a contact address if you're interested. Thanks for reading!