Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.
A/N: Thanks to everyone for sticking with me through the long delays! Makoto has always been my hardest character to work with so let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! :)
Chapter 10: Dark Jupiter
-Jupiter: Distant Future-
By the time they began to wake up, the light mist was on its way to becoming a downpour. A trickle of cool water splashed across the back of Hotaru's shoulders, bringing her fully awake. Chibi-Usa was still sound asleep in front of her so Hotaru rolled carefully away onto her back. At her movement, the princess groaned softly and turned toward her. She sleepily curled an arm around Hotaru's waist and buried her head in the crook of her shoulder.
Hotaru kept still, staring at the patches of gray between the leaves overhead. In her mind, she tried to pinpoint the source of the unease she was feeling. Even as she thought of the day ahead, her mind stayed stubbornly focused on the body pressed against hers. It was nothing unusual, of course, Chibi-Usa had crawled into bed with her countless times over the centuries. But then this wasn't the little girl who had wandered to her room after a bad dream. She decided that she simply hadn't grown accustomed to Chibi-Usa's new form. Feeling more settled, she relaxed and turned her full attention to the view overhead.
A far away rustle preceded another cascade of rainwater. Hotaru tensed, but Chibi-Usa had her firmly anchored in place. She could only squeeze her eyes shut as the water splashed across her face and neck. Beside her, Chibi-Usa squealed and sat up.
She looked around wildly before settling on Hotaru, her eyes narrowing in annoyance.
"I didn't do that," Hotaru said quickly, holding up her hands in surrender. Chibi-Usa frowned but was saved from replying as another gush of water landed between them. They jumped back instinctively, Chibi-Usa bumping against Ami's back and Hotaru nearly falling over the edge of platform they'd been sleeping on.
"What's wrong?" Ami's voice demanded thickly from behind the princess. She sat up and gazed blearily at Hotaru.
Hotaru glanced at Chibi-Usa, who was glaring upward suspiciously, and smirked. "Nothing," she replied. "It's just time to get moving."
They had a hurried breakfast of dried fruit and packed up the camp. It was raining in earnest now and, the moment they left the semi-shelter of the tree trunk, they were soaked. The fat raindrops obscured their vision and they were forced to take an even slower pace than the day before. Ami's eyes were once again hidden behind the blue visor as she tracked their movements. Hotaru had to take her word for it that they were going the right direction.
After an hour of slogging through the mud, Hotaru noticed that the area seemed suddenly brighter. She glanced up and, for the first time in two days, had a clear view of the sky. This area wasn't blocked by branches like the rest of the village had been. Dark gray clouds swirled overhead, tinged with purple from the sky behind them. The rain had intensified so that she had to hold a hand up and examine the sky through her fingers.
She was so intent on the storm above that she bumped into Chibi-Usa, who had stopped in front of her. "What-?" There was no need to finish the sentence. Ami had stopped as well and was examining a tree that had fallen across the path.
Hotaru moved closer, amazed. The weight of the trunk had caused it to sink deep into the soft ground but the obstruction still reached to nearly twice her height. She gazed down the length and could see a mass of dead, brown leaves in the distance. Chibi-Usa was next to her, examining the tree in amazement. Ami had a hand resting on the bark. The visor had gone, revealing azure eyes that were wide with horror.
Chibi-Usa noticed her expression and moved closer to her. "Ami, what's wrong?"
Ami shook her head mutely and withdrew her hand slowly. "I don't understand how this could have happened," she breathed. Her voice was almost lost in the staccato of raindrops around them.
Hotaru considered the trunk in one direction then the other. The branches near the top were spread out in a tangle that would probably cause further delays. She turned away toward what had once been the base. "Let's keep moving," she suggested. For some reason, the dead tree left her feeling extremely unsettled.
Chibi-Usa fell into step beside her and Ami reluctantly followed. The bluenette was still shaking her head and muttering under her breath. Ignoring the rain, she had her computer out and had once again disappeared behind the visor.
Chibi-Usa kept glancing sideways at the trunk as they walked along its length, frowning. It had been just a fallen tree in the woods before, but Ami and Hotaru were both clearly bothered by it. Their reactions made the anomaly seem somehow more sinister.
They kept silent as they trudged along until Ami closed her computer with a snap. The visor retracted and she shot a glare at the tree. "It just doesn't make sense," she said dismally.
Hotaru, who had taken the lead, glanced back over her shoulder. "What doesn't?"
Ami gestured hopelessly at the seemingly endless length of wood beside them. Chibi-Usa and Hotaru both looked at the fallen tree then back at Ami. Her dark brows drew together in thought but she didn't elaborate. Shrugging irritably, Hotaru continued forward, her pace quicker than before.
It was some time later that they reached the end of the tree. A short way ahead, a huge dead stump blocked the path. Hotaru's eyes drifted from it to the jagged edge of the tree. Behind her, Ami gasped sharply. She spun around, expecting some danger, but Ami's eyes were locked on the ragged stump.
"Impossible," she breathed, stumbling to a halt. She seemed dazed by the sight before her.
Chibi-Usa rushed to her side. She moved to lay a hand on Ami's shoulder but stopped just short of contact. "What is it?"
The visor was back across Ami's eyes and her hand moved rapidly across the keyboard of her computer. "Broken," she murmured. "I thought maybe the roots, but…"
"What's the matter?" Hotaru demanded. Her arms were crossed and her glare was trained on Ami's shielded face. When there was no reply, she huffed and stepped back. "We need to keep moving."
Chibi-Usa shifted to stand beside Hotaru and laid a calming hand on her arm before facing Ami as well. "Ami?"
Ami shook her head and snapped her computer shut. "These trees were made from the DNA of the strongest specimens on Earth. I designed them to withstand the strongest winds and their roots are nearly as deep as they are tall. Nothing on the planet should have been able to do this." She shook her head as though denying what she was seeing.
"I doubt that anything from this planet did do it," Hotaru replied. Ami looked lost as she gazed questioningly at the younger woman. "The man in the village warned us about this, remember?"
Ami's eyes drifted back to the stump but Chibi-Usa lost focus as she remembered the comment Hotaru was referring to. "Makoto?" she breathed.
Hotaru nodded grimly. Ami's attention snapped back to them. "But if she did this…"
She didn't seem able to finish the sentence, but she didn't need to. Chibi-Usa had read the reports as well. The power it would have taken to do this kind of damage was far beyond anything they'd ever seen the Soldier of Thunder exhibit. If she had managed this kind of carnage, it could only mean that she'd achieved the goal she'd set when she left. In her solitude, she'd found the strength she'd been searching for; the strength she had been sure she possessed. It meant that they would be facing an even more formidable opponent than they were expecting.
For the first time in weeks, she found herself recalling the conversation they'd had with Ami on Mercury. 'Some part of you knew it might come to this. Otherwise you wouldn't have brought her to protect you.' She wondered if they would have any chance at all of getting through to Makoto. And if they didn't, there was only one other option.
"We need to keep moving." Hotaru's voice brought her back to the present. Chibi-Usa shrugged the straps of her pack higher onto her shoulders and forced herself to turn toward the path. Ami sighed beside her, the sound nearly lost in the din of the rain. Hotaru was right, their only choice was to keep moving. They would find out soon enough if there was enough left of Makoto to save.
They passed several more trees with deep cracks and damage that could only come from repeated strikes. Many of them were charred around the edges, hinting at the electrical energy behind the attacks. Hotaru tried to focus only on lifting each foot from the mud and moving forward.
When they reached another bright clearing, she looked around for the fallen tree that had opened up the sky. It took a few moments to pick out a small, rustic shack through the rain ahead.
"Is this it?" Chibi-Usa asked, her tone somewhere between nervous and excited.
"I think so," Ami said slowly. She pulled out her computer and typed quickly. They watched as she turned her head slightly left and right before her lips turned down in a pout. She lifted a hand, trying to shield her visor from the downpour. Finally she shut her computer and shoved it back in her pocket. "Yes, I think so," she repeated more confidently.
"You're not sure?" Hotaru's question sounded like a challenge and Chibi-Usa shot her a sideways look.
Ami gestured hopelessly at the deep purple sky overhead. "I can't see clearly, there's too much rain."
Hotaru frowned and Chibi-Usa jumped in before she could comment. "The man in the village didn't mention anyone else living out here. This has to be it."
The others nodded and the three of them considered the structure before them. Like the houses in the village, it was lifted above the ground by thick stilts and a rubber-covered ramp led to the front door. The whitewashed walls were battered and gray and there were bare spots on the roof where shingles had blown away. One of the windows in the front appeared to have been broken and was haphazardly covered in rough boards. Chibi-Usa grimaced. It looked like the whole structure would topple in a strong wind.
"Well," Hotaru said, squaring her shoulders, "Let's see if anyone's home." She strode toward the house as fast as the swampy ground would allow. Ami and Chibi-Usa trailed behind, both looking around furtively. As they reached the door, a gust of wind blew shards of dead leaves around their feet. After a brief hesitation, Hotaru raised a gloved hand and knocked.
Chibi-Usa braced herself but after a long minute, nothing stirred except the rising wind. A deafening boom of thunder startled her badly and she spun around, scanning the area behind her. The rain poured down around them, so that she had to constantly wipe her eyes to see, and nothing was visible beyond the shadowy outlines of trees.
She turned back, pressing close to Hotaru's side. "What should we do?" she had to shout to be heard over the storm.
"Maybe she isn't here?" Ami suggested. She sounded as though she hoped that was the case.
Hotaru looked back over her shoulder, squinting against the downpour. "There's only one way to find out." With that, she twisted the knob and shouldered the door open. The screech of rusted hinges was loud enough to alert anyone present and Chibi-Usa flinched, expecting to be greeted by a bolt of lightning.
After a tense second, the three stepped across the threshold. Ami stared around in amazement. Despite the outside appearance, everything in the room was clean and well cared for. She took a few hesitant steps in, considering the freshly swept floor and gleaming surfaces of the wooden furniture. The house was a single room, with a hammock in one corner. Several blankets were folded neatly beside it. A cold hearth took up most of one wall and a teapot and single cup sat on a small table beside it.
Behind her, Chibi-Usa pushed the door closed and they were immediately engulfed in silence. Ami wandered to a corner where fresh roses stood in a plain vase on another table. She reached out to feel a velvety soft petal. The blooms were larger than anything she'd seen on Earth. She turned back to the room. It was neat and rustically beautiful, just like Makoto.
The suite they had shared in the Crystal Palace had been similarly well kept. No matter what was going on around them, Makoto had found a way to keep some peace and beauty in their lives. She remembered that there were always fresh flowers beside the bed. Ami wondered when she'd stopped noticing the little things Makoto had done for her. She wondered if that was one of the things she'd done to drive Makoto away.
She frowned at the direction her thoughts were heading. Instead, she forced her mind to the image of the fallen tree, hit with such force that it had cracked all the way through. Regardless of the person in her memory, that was who they were about to face.
"Should we just wait here for her?" Chibi-Usa asked, looking up from a wreath of woven branches hanging on the wall. She and Ami looked at each other before turning to Hotaru. The raven had her back to them, bracing her hands on the windowsill as she looked out. "Taru?"
"I thought I heard something," Hotaru murmured as she peered outside. The rivers of water flowing over the glass made it impossible to see anything, but both women moved to join her.
After a moment, Ami heard it too. A distant shout. From a very familiar voice. "Makoto…" She tore away from the window and threw the front door open, straining to hear her voice again.
Off to the left she saw a flash of light, accompanied by a faint yell. Heedless of the pouring rain, she darted down the ramp toward it. It was impossible to move fast through the quagmire, but soon she reached the shelter of the nearest tree. She waited, almost too excited to breathe, and was rewarded by another flash and shout. She veered further left and continued forward. She could hear her companions' labored footfalls behind her, but it was mere background noise, like the storm raging around her. The next shout was even closer. She rounded a wide trunk and stopped short.
Makoto stood with her back to her, less than twenty feet away. Her clothes looked like a homespun mix of fur and leather, making her lean form look bulky. Her hair fell in loose, tangled waves around her shoulders. Ami felt her breath catch in her chest as she stared. It almost didn't feel real. It had been so many years and she had long since convinced herself that she would never see the other woman again.
"Makoto?" Her voice was a choked whisper that was lost in the howling gale. She took a breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and took a few steps closer. "Makoto?"
The reaction was immediate. The tall figure spun around, her arm arcing over in the same motion. Ami barely managed to drop to the ground in time. A bolt of lightning flew over her head and crashed into the tree behind her.
Makoto's teeth were bared in fury and she strode closer, raising her arm for another attack.
The mud sucked at Ami's hands, but she managed to push herself up to her knees. She looked up at the woman towering over her and their eyes met.
Makoto's anger changed to confusion and she slowly lowered her arm to her side. She opened her mouth but closed it again as Hotaru and Chibi-Usa stumbled up to them. Makoto's emerald eyes were shot through with streaks of black and they narrowed to irritation as she took in the three people in front of her. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, glaring between them.
Ami felt a hand under her arm and let Chibi-Usa help her back to her feet. Hotaru glanced at the slightly smoking crater in the tree behind them before her gaze hardened on Makoto. "We were looking for you."
"I've been training," she replied dismissively, gesturing behind her. Ami looked past Makoto and saw a half dozen fresh chunks missing from the nearest tree trunk. Makoto looked at her again. "So what was so important that you would drag yourself away from your work to see me?" she sneered.
Ami was stung by the tone, but kept her face impassive. "Usagi needs us."
"Oh?" Makoto crossed her arms, seeming bored with the conversation. "Why is that?"
"She's sick," Chibi-Usa answered. "She needs all of you."
Makoto's mouth twisted and she shrugged sullenly. "So why come to me? That's her area of expertise, not mine." She jerked her head toward Ami.
"It's not a normal sickness." Hotaru moved closer and matched Makoto's hostile pose. "The entire city has been affected. It's some sort of dark energy and it's taking over everything. Even the youma have been coming back."
Ami looked over sharply at that. Chibi-Usa bit her lip guiltily and glanced away, but not before the others caught her expression.
Makoto watched her as well and let out a harsh bark of laughter. "Oh, they didn't tell you that part?" Ami dragged her gaze back to her former lover. She couldn't respond, but Makoto didn't need her to. She was sure the answer was obvious. "Well, apparently some things haven't changed." She glared at Hotaru. "I see you've been taking lessons from Setsuna," she spat.
"It's not like that," Chibi-Usa insisted, looking pleadingly at Ami. "Haruka called a few days ago to tell us about the attack. With everything else going on, we just hadn't had the chance to tell you yet."
Ami looked at Hotaru, willing her to speak. Despite Chibi-Usa's words, she suspected there was more to their reasoning for keeping her in the dark. However, they could discuss that later. Right now, she had to stay focused on their goal.
"That doesn't matter right now," Ami managed, looking steadily at Makoto. "The Queen needs us."
Makoto straightened, cracking the knuckles of one hand with the other. "Well, I suppose I could take care of it for you." She grinned, but it held none of the warmth that Ami remembered. "A few youma would hardly be a challenge for me. When are we leaving?"
"You'll come with us?" Ami asked, amazed. She had expected it to be a little more difficult than this.
Makoto shrugged. "Of course. I'll take care of them and then come back here."
"Well, we won't be going straight to the city," Chibi-Usa pointed out. Makoto raised her eyebrows I question. "We've got to go to Mars and Venus first."
Makoto immediately crossed her arms again, leveling a furious glare at the princess. "Why?"
"She said that we needed all four of you-" Chibi-Usa began but wasn't allowed to finish.
"Of course!" Makoto exploded, turning on her heel and striding a few steps away. "I should have known!"
"Makoto…"
"We don't need them. I'm stronger than I've ever been."
"It's not just about strength," Hotaru insisted. "This darkness is more than a physical presence. She was sure that it would take all four of you to fight it."
Makoto paced back toward them until she stood mere inches from Hotaru. Hotaru didn't back away, but her whole body tensed. "Why don't you just say what she really meant?" Makoto snarled. "The rest of us aren't enough for her. Why did you even bother coming here when you could have gone straight to Mars?"
Ami moved cautiously closer until she was within arm's reach of the brunette. "Makoto, it isn't like that. She needs all of us together." She hesitantly put her hand on Makoto's arm.
Makoto stared down at her hand for a moment before jerking away. "You don't need to lie to me," she said bitterly. "I'll come with you, but don't expect either of us to make any difference to her."
Ami wrapped her arms protectively around herself, staring at the ground as she backed away. The words brought all of her own doubts back to the surface. Would it really help anything to have them all back together? It seemed more likely that the entire cycle would start over, ripping open the barely healing wounds of the past.
"Makoto." Chibi-Usa bravely moved closer to her, her garnet eyes soft with compassion. "I know how it seems, but it's only because you're not seeing things clearly right now. The darkness in the city is in you as well. It's making you act this way. We helped Ami, let us help you too."
She focused on Makoto's face as she reached out with a trembling hand. She touched her fingers lightly to Makoto's chest, over her heart, and closed her eyes. Everyone was silent. Chibi-Usa's jaw clenched and her brows drew together as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Finally, she dropped her arm and stepped back, looking worriedly at Hotaru. "It's not working," she said tremulously.
"It's alright," Hotaru said gently, her expression softening as she moved closer to her. "Just try again. It's inside of you, just try to focus."
"Try again," Ami joined in. "You know we can't bring her back like this."
Makoto had calmed, watching Chibi-Usa, her scowl returned as she turned to Ami. "What does that mean?" she demanded.
"The darkness inside of you," Ami said earnestly. "If we brought you back to Crystal Tokyo like this, it would only make things worse."
"Well, you've just got all the answers, don't you!" Makoto shouted furiously. Her hands balled into fists and faint currents of electricity crackled to life across her knuckles. "You always did! I suppose you just expect me to listen to you and fall in line?"
"No!" Ami stepped back in alarm. The lines of black in her eyes were thickening. Soon it would overtake the familiar deep green. "I only meant-"
"I know what you meant!" Makoto exploded. "But you don't really know anything! They've been lying to you, making you think that they needed you. Well, if you were strong enough to fight for them, why did they come to me?"
"Makoto, please," Chibi-Usa pleaded. "We can help you."
"I don't need your help!" Makoto screamed. "I don't need her! I don't need any of you!"
"Makoto-"
"No! Leave now!" Makoto's eyes had gone completely black and her expression was crazed.
Ami shrank away from her fury but Hotaru moved closer, facing Makoto without fear. "You know we can't leave you here like this," she said softly. Even with the rain and raging wind, they all heard her clearly. "If you won't let us help you, you only leave us one choice."
Makoto's mouth set in a tight line as she stared down at Hotaru. The ground around her seemed to churn and shift and thin green vines shot upward from it, intertwining and growing rapidly toward Makoto's outstretched hand. In a shimmer of green, they tightened together and solidified into a long green staff. She gripped the weapon tightly, facing Hotaru.
"Go ahead then," she growled. "We'll see if you're strong enough to defeat me."
Hotaru gritted her teeth and called her glaive, feeling its solid weight as it materialized in her hand. She stared into Makoto's black eyes. "We don't have to do this," she said softly. Makoto didn't reply. She didn't need to. The words were empty and they both knew it.