Sailor Moon Aeons.
Book 2: Rebirth.
Act 4: Death Busters.
Episode 73: The Messiah.
By Razor Knight
Last update: January 19, 2014
Last edited: June 9, 2017
The base was relatively empty, but Ami had to admit it wasn't bad. While she spent a fair share of time there, she also found time to do other things. She had to, since she couldn't let her grades go down.
"I suppose we know who those two are now."
Ami smiled at Mako's comment. "Saturn gave Uranus and Neptune quite a beating yesterday, and today Haruka and Michiru missed school. Too much of a coincidence."
"I almost feel bad about punching them around like that. Almost."
ChibiUsa looked at Hotaru. "And what about knocking me out?"
"I already said I was sorry, but I'll say it a thousand times if that's what's needed for you to forgive me."
"I already forgave you, but that doesn't mean I won't tease you about it."
"Hmph."
"How cute, girlfriends for less than one week and already having their first grudge."
Ami looked at Minako for a few seconds before shaking her head. "... Minako, you really worry me, sometimes."
"Only sometimes? I'm losing my edge."
ChibiUsa looked at Terry, who was just sitting on the floor, with his two swords crossed in front of him, and his eyes closed. "What are you up to?"
Terry opened one eye and looked at her. "Trying to find something out about these."
"Oh, I should have known you would be fooling around with that."
"Fooling around?" Terry turned to look at Ami. "You've seen what this girl can do, and damn my ego, but if she can keep on using those powers without dying, then so could I."
"But-"
Usagi had been training on her own, but she knew she had to try settling this before it got worse. "We should let him focus, at least."
Ami sighed. "Why is it that you want more power? To save the world?"
Terry shrugged. "It would help me with that, yes, but I want to be stronger to protect you."
"What if you die?" Ami asked. Hotaru knew better than telling her she could revive him. It was clear Ami was letting her heart do the thinking right now.
"For you, I would die a dozen times."
"That doesn't-"
Usagi blinked as Terry silenced Ami with a kiss. "What is..."
"A kiss can be worth a million words," Minako said.
Ami broke the kiss and blushed. "Damn, I can't stay mad at you, can I?"
"Ami, I'm not going to force the sword to give me its power, but I've sensed something about it, after I saw ChibiMoon use her dual powers. Perhaps I had always been feeling that, but didn't know what it was."
"Or perhaps it's your imagination," ChibiUsa noted.
Terry looked at her. "Wouldn't you know-"
"I wish you guys stopped doing that," ChibiUsa muttered.
"Heh, you're right. Sorry."
Hotaru had, while the others talked, walked close and picked up the Saturn Dragon sword. "Interesting."
"What do you mean?"
"I can feel the sword's energy, its power seems to have increased."
"Wouldn't that be because you've leveled up?"
"It has spent years with you," Hotaru said. "Making as wild a guess as you, but this could mean the sword is reacting to your prodding."
"It could still be bad, you know? Even if you do unlock that second power..."
Terry looked at ChibiUsa. "Have you heard of a Senshi trying to use dual powers and failing?"
The pink-haired girl turned away and walked to the elevator. "Sorry, I shouldn't have told you even this much."
"What was that?" Mako asked as ChibiUsa left the room.
Usagi grimaced. "Hiding my 'job' from my parents was quite a burden to carry. I can't even imagine how hard it is for her to keep what she knows inside."
"Shit, let's just stop asking her that kind of things, then," Terry said. Yes, he was curious, but while a part of him wanted to become stronger, to protect Ami, something in his mind was telling him it could be too much for him to control. "I'll just have to figure this out on my own."
"Everything's ready, we can attack anytime."
"What if the other Senshi help them?"
"They may help, yes," Mimette said, "should we call the others?"
"No, they're busy. Our job is to get those Talismans to make sure their work isn't for naught."
"We will win, and make those kids pay for killing two of our kin."
"Don't let revenge cloud your judgment, Mimette."
"Don't worry, I won't."
Haruka was still recovering from the latest battle. It wasn't just the beating they both had taken, but realizing just what had happened. She wondered if any of the other Senshi had understood what it meant.
"She could have killed us both."
She looked at Michiru and nodded somberly. Yes, Saturn was seemingly going all out, attacking them with all she had, but - She was holding back. Despite what she had promised them, despite knowing it was a fight against time, not just against them. She knew what she had sensed. Sailor Saturn could have ended it all, killed them. Why didn't she? "Does she trust her leader that much?"
"I can guess she's earned their trust."
"Hmph, it's not like it matters now. Either one of us is a carrier, or we both are."
Just then, the TV turned on by itself, and Mimette's face could be seen in it. "There's nothing good on TV anymore," Michiru commented.
"Uranus, Neptune, we'll be waiting for you," Mimette said, and a map of the city with a marked spot appeared as she said that last bit. "I hope you give up peacefully, but knowing you, you'll want to fight. We'll be waiting."
Haruka looked at Michiru, who nodded. "It's time."
Usagi saw Pluto appear inside the room. "Uh, hi?"
"There's a few of you missing," Pluto said.
"I can tell them to come here," Aiko noted, "this is about those Talismans, right?"
"Yes. The Witches will attack Uranus and Neptune today."
"And you want us to help them?" Usagi asked.
"No, I want you to let the enemy do what they have to do."
"I won't let anyone die. Not even them," Usagi said.
"I agree with Usagi," Hotaru noted, "however... I know you enough, Setsuna, to know there's something you won't tell us."
"There's something I can't tell you." Pluto said, then looked to the side as the elevator's doors opened. "Hello, Princess."
ChibiUsa flinched. "I knew it. It's happening today?"
"What is-"
"She can't tell you," Pluto said, "but you'll have to trust me. The path to winning this war is through a few difficult choices. The first of them is happening right now."
"If you know who this Messiah of Light is, shouldn't you be helping them?"
"I'm helping her, in my own way," Pluto said.
"You're not telling us why we should trust you," Terry noted.
"Because I'm a Senshi, and so are Haruka and Michiru."
ChibiUsa shook her head. "Usagi... Mom, I'll tell you why you should trust her." She knew Pluto was staring at her, but also knew Pluto trusted her enough to know she wouldn't say anything too direct. "Honestly, they didn't tell me all the details of this war, which is good because it's already too hard to keep what I know inside. But listen... I've known Pluto longer than any of you. I consider her my friend. I know she would not raise two girls and teach them how to fight, just to have them be sacrificed so some unknown being swept in and killed the bad guys."
"How can you-"
"Because I trust her. If you can't trust her, at least trust me."
Usagi smiled. "I trust you, but it's hard to just stand here and do nothing."
"Never said you have to do that. Uranus and Neptune will not be able to resist for too long after it all starts-"
Aiko looked up. "They're moving. The Witches are just sitting around, but Uranus and Neptune are heading their way. They must have called them there."
"We have to go-"
Pluto interrupted Moon. "You have to wait."
"What? No way!"
"Please, Princess, trust me."
Usagi was about to protest again, but saw something in Setsuna's eyes. A hint of... Sadness? Guilt? She realized ChibiUsa was right. This woman wasn't heartless. She wasn't going to let her protegees be killed. "Okay, I'll wait for your signal."
Teruru saw the two Senshi run in, and sighed. "Well, so much for you giving up peacefully."
"Why fight, anyhow? We'll get you sooner or later. All your fighting has been for naught."
"No. If we let you get the Talismans, then our fight would have been pointless. That's why we must resist until the others arrive."
"What makes you so sure they will show up to help you?"
"They will," Neptune said, "Now if you're not going to start, then I will. Deep Submerge!"
Villuy rose a shield and laughed. "I don't see a reason not to kick you around for a while."
"Damn, we have to help!"
"Moon, don't interfere."
"But-"
Teruru turned to the side and flinched. "Shit, all of them here? I'll take care of them."
Pluto looked at the large energy blast Teruru had shot, then did the one thing the enemy wasn't expecting: She reached for it, causing it to change its course, hitting only her.
Mimette blinked in awe. "What- How can she- That's not-"
"I think I broke her brain," Pluto mused. "Listen, we will not do a thing until after you're done, so do what you came here to do."
Moon frowned at that, but then shook her head. "We won't let you get the Talismans."
Uranus looked at Neptune, who nodded. They looked up at the two Witches, then Uranus took Neptune's hand in hers. "Do your job, Witches."
"Just like that?" Mimette asked.
"I was never completely sure about this, that I would be strong enough to sacrifice someone for the sake of this world," Uranus said.
"But it's okay. If it's the two of us, then we won't have to regret anything."
Moon was about to say something, but saw Pluto's look. She was impossibly calm right now. Yes, this woman knew what she was doing. "They're ready to sacrifice themselves for the world's sake... They really are Senshi after all."
Uranus smiled as she heard that. "I'm glad you see that now. Farewell."
Mimette frowned. "Hmph, enough drama, just die!"
Moon saw the blasts hit both Uranus and Neptune, who fell to the ground as their crystals floated up. She then sensed movement to her side, and saw Pluto was walking forwards.
"Hey, what the hell is this? Those aren't Talismans either!"
Pluto chuckled at Mimette's outburst. "I am surprised at how little your group really knows. Talismans are linked to these crystals, but the crystal and the talisman are a different thing."
Teruru saw the two crystals fly to Pluto. "Hey, what-"
Pluto smiled. "If you knew what you were looking for, you would have found talismans each and every time. As it stands, your lack of information is the reason why, right now, the Messiah of Light is about to awaken."
And before anyone could ask anything else, the two crystals shone with light, and two items appeared. A sword and a mirror. Pluto reached out her hand, and the orb in her staff flew out. "Each Senshi has a special tool linked to their soul. A Talisman. Normally it would be up to each Senshi to find out how to bring these forth, in due time, but in order to win this war, a few rules must be broken."
Moon saw the three talismans float to her, and circle her. "Hey, what's going on?"
As the talismans circled Moon, the two crystals floated back into Uranus and Neptune, who staggered up. "The Messiah..."
Moon finally understood what they meant. "Wait, you mean I-"
"The Messiah of Light, the strongest Senshi of them all," Pluto said, "but let's save the explanations for later."
Teruru glared at Moon. "The Messiah of Light? That girl? Hah!"
Moon saw Teruru charging up for an attack, but that wasn't important right now. There were words repeating themselves in her mind, and she knew exactly what they meant. She rose her hand, her Ginzuishou appeared in it, but it was wrapped in a golden light, which was gone as quickly as it had appeared. The crystal was now inside a golden brooch, and she looked at it, smiling. "Moon Cosmic Power!"
The transformation took only a second, and when it ended, Moon was wearing mostly the same suit as before, except her boots and gloves were longer, and white, and her skirt had also turned white.
Teruru frowned. "I don't care for a little power up, I'll destroy her and then the rest of you!"
Pluto was smiling. It would have been easier for her to kill both of the Witches, but she had already seen the outcome of this battle. Moon was more than enough to take care of them.
Moon saw the beam shooting at her dismissively, and just like Pluto, she let it hit. "I don't like killing, even evil beings like you. Leave now, if you want to stay alive."
Teruru was shocked. She was one of the strongest Witches, and this Moon girl hadn't even bothered dodging her attack? She saw Moon's gloves start shining with energy and flinched. "Oh, screw this."
Mimette saw her ally leave, and knew things were not looking good. The Senshi weren't attacking, they were just waiting for their Messiah to act. Perfect, if she could close in, she could kill her before she shot. "Die!"
Moon rose her hands, aware of Mimette's approach. The Witch was charging up, probably intending to release her attack at melee range, but Moon would not let her do that. "I gave you a chance, you didn't take it." She lowered her hands, energy cracking around her gloves, and her crystal lit up as well. "Moon Cosmic Wave!"
Most of her friends looked at the large energy beam she shot, as it blasted through Mimette, and the building behind her, before vanishing. And Mercury was the first to find her voice, as she saw the numbers in her visor. "What the fuck..."
"Ami's cursing," Venus noticed.
Mercury blushed slighly. "Oops. But guys, her power right now is a hundred times higher than it was in Star level. She could beat even ChibiMoon without blinking."
Moon smiled at that, then fell to one knee. "Ow."
"Are you okay?" Dragon Earth asked.
"I'll live, but I don't think I would be able to shoot another one of those- There weren't any civilians in that building, right?"
Dragon Sun shook his head. "Mira sent a message to me, they cleared the area while we were busy, just in case."
Uranus and Neptune came walking to them. Uranus was holding the sword, and Neptune was holding the mirror. "We... Would like to apologize to you."
"This war isn't over yet," Moon said, "but we can win this, together."
Neptune blinked at that. "You mean-"
"You're Senshi too," Moon said, "we might have different methods, but we are fighting for the same thing."
"This is almost too easy," Uranus commented.
"Well, I think any grudge we may have against you... Saturn did a good job at conveying it to you already." The others all nodded at that.
Saturn looked around. "Hmph. As usual, Pluto is gone."
Mercury saw a figure appear in her visor. "Aiko?"
"Pluto is here. She says you should come back to the base when you're done there."
"Okay, I'll tell the others," Mercury said. "Pluto's in our base. I guess she's waiting there to tell us what our Messiah has to do now."
Moon blushed slightly. "I don't like that nickname."
Neptune noticed something, and gave Dragon Mercury a short glare. "Stop staring."
Mercury chuckled. "That's a birth defect of his."
"Nice way to put it," Dragon Mercury muttered. "I only stare at pretty girls, though."
"Sorry, she's taken," Uranus said, getting a few surprised looks from the others.
"I guessed as much," the Dragon said, "not that you're bad to the eye, either."
Dragon Venus shrugged. "Let's go back before this gets any weirder. Mass Teleport."
A/N: Yeah, it's villain death season again.