Sailor Moon - Rise of the Exalted Knights

by Lisseas

Chapter Twenty-Four: Truth And Consequences

Posted: 01/07/2018

The front gate of Juuban High School was a welcome sight for Usagi, and she allowed herself a tight, fleeting smile. We actually did it. We're all coming back in one piece. She wasn't exactly riding the same post-battle high as some of her friends but, given what they'd just accomplished, she couldn't exactly fault them. It was the coming storm that kept her from feeling truly celebratory, along with the armour-clad form of Justice atop the roof, his long, black cape fluttering in the breeze.

"He did what he felt was right," Sailor Pluto observed from beside her.

"I suppose he did." The Guardian of Time's words did little to quell the disquiet in her heart, though. He was so against us killing anyone, but he executed the Black Death without a second thought. How is that supposed to make me feel?

Somewhat alarmingly, Jupiter leapt to her defence immediately. "Really, Setsuna? What he felt was right? How is it any different to what he accused us of planning before London, or what happened that night at the shrine?"

"It was a last resort."

Usagi closed her eyes in preparation for the explosion. Rather predictably, however calm, Venus had gone to the defence of her boyfriend.

"It figures you'd take his side again." Sailor Mars' tone was far less snide than the words she spoke. She almost sounded disinterested, like she was commenting because she felt she had to. "He killed someone, Minako, however you want to dress it up."

"We've all killed people before," Venus pointed out, surprisingly calm given prior arguments. "Sure, maybe they weren't human, but does that really matter? The difference is it was always a last resort until…well, until the Order kidnapped Chibiusa."

"Justice's logic was sound," Pluto agreed, without emotion. "The Black Death was not going to stop killing. He revelled in it, as he made clear in his final moments. The Guardian Knight of Justice made a difficult decision to prevent further injustices by taking action. In this case, that action was-"

"Murder!" Jupiter sputtered. "I can't believe we're even debating this! We weren't fighting. The guy was lying helpless on the ground, barely alive, and Corey murdered him! Something he was all too quick to accuse us of for even considering a rescue of Chibiusa." She raised an eyebrow at Venus. "You're really just letting that slide?"

"I'm not getting into this again." Rather than fight, Minako began walking away. "If you can't see the difference between what happened tonight and what almost happened in London, Corey was right. You never will." She patted Usagi on the shoulder with a tired smile. "I love you, and you know that, but we were wrong…and I've accepted that. I hope you can too."

Usagi mulled it over as her friend walked away, disappearing into the school. Sailor Mercury, silent for the whole exchange, offered a curt nod and a sad smile of her own before following suit. For at least a little while now, Sailor Moon had been uncertain about the path she was on, and it seemed she was finally standing at the crossroads of her future. Could she really pull back towards the path of idealism as defined by her younger self, or had she walked the pragmatic road for too long now?

All I know is I'm tired, she confessed silently. So tired. I don't like seeing my friends divided like this. It isn't right…and I'm beginning to see what Corey was so worried about. I've never asked Rei or Mako to defend me like this, but here they are before I can even speak for myself. When did they become so overprotective? For that matter, why has it taken so long for me to see it?

A familiar warm hand wrapped around her own, rousing her from her thoughts. "Usako."

She smiled automatically as he squeezed, leaning against him almost automatically. "Mamo-chan." He was a welcome distraction, at least for the next five minutes. Just a brief rest, and she could get on with the next task. Just five minutes...

Entering the school was surreal, to say the least. Word of their victory had spread, and the citizens of their little 'safe zone' were beginning to celebrate. Usagi couldn't fault them for it, even if she wasn't able to cheer alongside them. It just didn't feel right. Their victory over the Black Death - and Chaos by association - was really only half the battle. Her frightened lies to Rinjirou had been exposed, and he would be coming for the truth shortly, she just knew it. That was a fight she wouldn't win through strength of magic alone…and it was far closer than she expected.

"Usagi!" Sailor Saturn squeezed her way through the growing crowd clogging the hallway, her glaive held tight against her shoulder for safety. "Sailor Moon, it's Rinjirou! He's here."

Mars tensed. "Already?"

"Yes, and he hasn't come alone."

Uranus strode up, rolling her eyes. "The bastard travels with quite an entourage these days."

Tall enough to see over most of the crowd, Mamoru squeezed Usagi's hand again gently. "Yes, so he does. More than a dozen Exalted Knights."

Pluto nodded slowly. "All of them, I believe."

Sure enough, the rhythmic clank of metal-on-metal was already growing louder. Usagi bowed her head, resigned to what was next. "They're here for answers." Again, it wasn't a question; she had expected this, though she'd hoped for more time to gather herself.

The crowd began to part with a few muffled gasps and murmurs, moving slowly with uncertainty. A mass of golden-armoured men and women stepped through the gap, Rinjirou at their head. Usagi's heartrate quickened at the sight of blades and guns; the Knights seemed almost ready for battle. As Rinjirou stepped forward, his cold blue eyes flicked from Senshi to Senshi, openly studying them for their reactions.

"A display of power," Mercury said quietly from beside her.

"An unnecessary one," Mars agreed, much louder. She clearly intended for Rinjirou to hear her. "You don't need to make threats, you know."

"We don't have subspace pockets to hold our weapons," he retorted, with a familiar roll of his eyes. "The only threats here are in your imagination. We're just here for the answers we were promised." A moment passed as he stared down the miko. "We can leave our weapons outside if you like, though that doesn't seem very trusting of your allies, if you ask me." The sarcastic note to his voice didn't change the fact it was a very real challenge; he was referencing Usagi's earlier lie of omission.

She silenced her friends with a simple look. "That won't be necessary." After further consideration, she motioned them towards the rear of the school. "This way. The auditorium is large enough to hold everyone. You came for answers and, as promised, I'll give them to you."

Usagi proceeded to tell the tale of that night at the shrine once again. It hurt just as much to relive it now as it had going through it in reality, and there was the added shame of confessing to Rinjirou and the rest of her friends all over again. There were grumblings, even accusatory growls from some Exalted Knights, though Rinjirou was always quick to silence them. He never spoke himself, simply raised his hand and continued to listen. Unreadable, really, beyond a lingering sense of righteous anger. It was unclear if that was limited to the initial lie itself, or in response to what he was hearing now.

"…and that's it," she concluded, almost meekly, simultaneously relieved at not having to carry the burden of the lie anymore. "It was my decision to act…to save our friends…and it was my decision to withhold the truth from all of you. I can only hope you understand those decisions were born out of fear rather than malice. Concern for the lives that might be lost if our alliance broke down."

There was no response initially. Rinjirou himself seemed to deflate a little, like he'd been puffing his chest up this whole time and the truth had crushed the air from his lungs. Usagi couldn't blame him, either; her last couple of sentences felt entirely too political, even for her. It was the truth, but she'd dipped into her poli-sci classes without even thinking; perhaps even unconsciously channelled her mother, Queen Serenity. Not that there was time to be self-reflective, for the Exalted Knights were beginning to stir. Some more vocal than others.

"So, this is the supposed peace of the Sailor Senshi?"

"You fell for an obvious trick, and you expect forgiveness after murdering those people?!"

"You're no better than the damned Hunters!"

Usagi just sat on the edge of the small stage in silence. This was exactly what she'd feared. Most, if not all of these Knights, were former Order of Black Paladins. How else were they supposed to feel? Rinjirou wasn't trying to reign them in anymore, either. He just stood in their midst, his arms folded across his chest. A few of her friends had begun to move too, just enough to make defending her easier. She recognised the patterns, the subtle shifts in body language. They feared a fight. A brief flash of light from the rear of the auditorium marked the arrival of Corey, too. He just leaned back against the wall for now, though, studying the room without committing to anything.

Then, support from an unexpected voice of reason: Grandpa Hino leapt onto the stage. "All of you, please! Let us not forget the Order of Black as a whole believed Chaos' lies for centuries! In fact, everyone here has bought into its machinations at one point or another! It is the ultimate liar, a true master of manipulation. If it were your friends at stake that night, if you the ones watching? Can you honestly say you would not have been swayed in the same way?"

One particularly stubborn Knight scoffed loudly. "It wasn't Chaos that fooled her, but that Hunter!"

Grandpa rolled his eyes with surprising vitriol, reminding Usagi for just a moment of Rei. "And you don't think Chaos had input? The Black Death was its puppet as much as anyone."

That seemed to silence the loudest critics among them…until Rinjirou finally spoke up. "He's right."

A spark of hope sprang up in Usagi's chest. Maybe we can still salvage things.

"There isn't a man or woman here who can say they haven't been fooled by Chaos before." He took a step towards the stage, most of his Knights now calmed or even sitting. "But I won't pretend this doesn't make me angry, because it does. All I've heard from the moment I first met you is how you aren't the villains the Order of Black made you out to be. That you were better. Practically infallible." He turned on the Senshi, his eyes flashing with rage. "You told me to 'trust in our Princess'. Well, this is what blind trust and loyalty gets you. Hubris! You believed you were better than anyone else, but when the chips were down you rushed in like any other frightened child would and you killed those people!" The bitterness practically dripped from his words. "I turned on the Order for far, far less…"

Usagi swallowed, trying to push down the nausea now swirling once again in her stomach.

"But…" Rinjirou turned back to his Knights, raising his voice. "Hino-sama is right. We've all fallen for Chaos' lies, one way or another. Me? I was fooled into forcing another one of its Slivers into my skin, very nearly kicking this whole mess off a few weeks early." His cold, blue eyes locked on Usagi again. "That doesn't mean I don't care about what you did, though. I am furious on behalf of each and every one of those poor souls you slaughtered. I hope you remember their faces for the rest of your unnaturally long lives, because you should!" His shoulders rose with a particularly deep sigh. "But worse still is the betrayal. After everything you said about friendship, and alliances, your first thought was for yourselves. You made the decision to lie to me and my Knights." With another snort, he glared up at Usagi. "Do you recall when we first met? The very first conversation we had, right before Justice whisked me off to London to stop your last try at an unwitting massacre."

Jupiter glared right back at him. "What's that got to do with-"

Usagi silenced her with a quick shake of her head, a hot flash of shame rushing through her. It wasn't something she'd considered, but she knew exactly where he was going with his point and it was both valid and damning at once.

"You apologised on behalf of Titus, your furry little spymaster, after he lied to me. You assured me it wasn't your way, that he'd be punished, yet…here we are." Rinjirou's lip curled back in a sneer. "You get it? That is why I'm angry. The hypocrisy. Your hypocrisy." The edge to his tone continued to grow sharper as he gestured to her. "Was that just the first lie, Your Majesty?"

Usagi glanced sidelong at Mamoru, desperate for anything to break his diatribe, but he simple shook his head sadly. He said it already. This was my decision. He didn't agree, and he's right. I have to bear the consequences myself.

"It doesn't matter, I suppose, because the result is the same." The sarcasm faded, leaving only a very real anger behind. "How am I supposed to trust you now? How can I believe anything you say? How am I supposed to accept the fact you're better than anyone else in this godforsaken world when all the evidence staring me in the face tells me you're not?!"

Mars stepped further forward, now standing right beside her. "That's uncalled for!"

"Yeah!" Jupiter agreed, over folded arms. "There's no need to be so-"

"You still don't get it, do you?" Rinjirou shut them down with another growl. "You can't have it both ways. You don't get to present her as this infallible paragon of virtue after everything I've seen! The fact you'd even try proves me right! You're out of touch, Senshi. You don't see how far you've fallen from your ivory tower, and that is what makes you dangerous. The Order of Black was right on that, if nothing else."

Usagi inhaled uncertainly, a deep, shuddering breath. Is this how Mother felt as the Moon Kingdom crumbled around her? "So, what are you saying?"

"I won't throw away Earth's future out of spite," he conceded grudgingly. "You'll have our support, for now. Until Chaos is stopped." His jaw worked silently as he considered further. "But no further."

Mars' anger seemed to fade a little. "Rinjirou, this-"

"Thank you." He didn't let her finish. "Thank you for reminding me that you do need to be checked. I see now what happens when you're allowed to buy into your own hype, and it makes my future that much clearer."

The miko tried again, albeit with more confusion. "You-"

"If you should succeed in bringing about the global monarchy the Order feared, my Knights and I will be here. Watching. Waiting. Ready to provide that check to your power…should you need it." He turned on his heel and headed for the door, a murmur of approval rippling through his troops. "We'll see you on the streets. There's still plenty of work to be done."

The Senshi watched him go, a stunned silence settling over them…until Venus stirred. "We'll see you on the streets, you jerk!"

Usagi stared at her, incredulous, still in shock at the events that had unfolded. Others, however, had a less kind reaction.

"Really?" Jupiter asked, shaking her head.

The Senshi of Love sighed despondently, a faint blush rising in her cheeks. "I just didn't want him to have the last word again."

The brunette mulled that over. "You know what? I get it."

Mamoru re-joined Usagi, placing an arm around her shoulders. "I know it doesn't feel like it, but you did the right thing. We'll work our way back from this, and there'll be no more lies or secrets. We can start clean again."

He's right, she agreed silently. It doesn't feel like it at all.

Silent so far, Mars seemed to waiver like she couldn't decide what to do. Then, without warning, she leapt off the stage and dashed after the Knights, disappearing through the auditorium doors quickly.

Grandpa Hino seized Usagi's wrist gently before she could move. "Let her go." He was quite reserved compared to his typical boisterous self. "They need to talk, though I fear neither of them are quite ready."

Jupiter frowned. "Ready for what?"

It was Venus' turn to roll her eyes. "They like each other! At least, they did…" She bowed her head sadly. "It's not looking so good for them now."

The events of a few minutes ago were forgotten in an instant; Usagi felt only sympathy for Rei.

No, it isn't.

Mars stormed through the double door and into the hallway, the rage building and building within. It just kept cycling. Rinjirou's arrival at the shrine. His initial hostility, even outright hate for the Senshi. His growth and gradual acceptance of their viewpoint. She'd come to tolerate him, even like him the way he had her...but now it was all going wrong. He'd looped back around somehow, back to Order fanaticism. She had to fix this somehow, make him see reason!

Of course, we screwed up, she conceded, still seething, but Usagi owned it. She told them the truth in the end. Like Grandpa said, who wouldn't have believed that trap? Why is he so hung up on this? We didn't tell him because we knew he'd overreact. Just like this! Somewhere deep down inside, she knew he wasn't overreacting, but how could she accept that? How could she admit he was right without also acknowledging Usagi was wrong? No, she decided, this is all Chaos' fault somehow. This was all part of its plan at the shrine. It wants to drive a wedge between us. Rinjirou's just falling for it the way we did earlier!

She spotted his unruly mop of thick black hair and shoved her way through the mass of gold-armoured Knights. A few growled unpleasant rebukes, which she was more than happy to return. A few more shoves later and she was closing in on him. "So, that's it? A not-so-subtle threat, a storm-out, and we're finished?!"

He turned immediately, already rolling his eyes. "Not a threat, Rei. A warning, that's all."

"Call it whatever you want," she shot back, "But I took it the way I know it was intended!"

Rinjirou seemed on the verge of snapping at her before instead waving a Knight closer. "Edwards, I have…unfinished business here. Lead the troops back to base. I'll be right behind you."

The tall man with the shaved head looked her up and down with clear disdain. "As ordered, sir." He made a circular gesture with a single raised fist before pointing towards the exit. "On me, Knights."

Mars waited for the clatter of their armour to fade before leaning in closer. "You're wrong about us. About her. Usagi."

In an unexpected response, he sighed wearily. "What is it about her, really? Minako, I understand. She's an idiot, and the big brunette seems more brawn than brains, but you and Ami? You're both smart. Analytical." She saw real confusion in his eyes, which bothered her even more. "What is it about her that turns you all into such…zealots?"

There was no hesitation. Mars didn't need time to think. "She really is that good."

Rinjirou snorted in amused disgust. "Until she isn't."

"Stop it!" She regretted her outburst immediately. It would only serve to reinforce his argument. He didn't need the help. Besides, she knew she was no zealot. None of them were. Usagi was her friend, and a good person. The best she'd ever known. That was all. Why wouldn't they want to protect her, keep her safe as they fought to save the world?

His expression remained neutral, but she could see a hint of something like…disappointment? Yes, it was definitely disappointment in his eyes.

Mars cursed inwardly, realising she'd been silent too long. "She just made a mistake. She-"

"What was the mistake?" he asked matter-of-factly. "Was it killing those people, or choosing to hide it from me? Oh, wait. That's two mistakes, isn't it?" A hint of the same anger began to mount behind his words. "There's London too, of course. Justice and I stopped it, but it still counts. That's three." A moment passed as he studied her curiously. "How many is too many? Why does she get a free pass, Rei?"

"Because…" Rei – for that's who she truly felt like at that moment – was shocked to discover she had no answer for him. The last several weeks had been a nightmare. Her friendships had been stretched almost to the breaking point. She'd been forced into decisions she'd never even considered having to make. There had been no time for introspection, for second-guessing herself or anyone else.

I just followed, she admitted to herself. I was so quick to turn on Titus, on Corey…even Minako, when they questioned Usagi. The realisation hit her like a tsunami. I don't even think about it. I just go with it. Whatever she says. Anyone who disagrees is just…wrong. Why am I so trusting of her? Why is it so hard to go against her?

Another voice, also her own, answered the question. Because you know she'd follow you anywhere without question, and you owe her the same.

Still, she struggled to articulate her point. She just stared back at Rinjirou, her mouth opening and closing without really saying anything. "Because she…she's…"

"Because she's your Princess." He sagged momentarily, like all the life had left him. "And you'll never put anyone or anything else before her." He straightened up, his blank, emotionless mask now back in place. "I keep holding out hope that things might change, that you might come around, but…I see it now. That, above everything else, is what makes you and the rest of the Senshi so dangerous, Rei. That kind of blind devotion to anyone is bad enough, but when you combine it with the power to destroy the whole planet?"

She recoiled as if struck, crossing her arms tightly beneath her breasts. "You don't really believe that we could ever do that!"

His cavalier shrug was immensely frustrating. "It doesn't matter what I believe. You could, and what really terrifies me is none of you are even willing to acknowledge the possibility. Asolute power corrupts absolutely, or so they say. Who says that doesn't happen to Usagi when she's sitting on that global throne we both know is coming?" He leaned in closer, his voice taking on a pleading tone. "You said it yourself just now that she's made mistakes. How can it possibly be a bad thing to have someone on the outside keeping an eye on things?"

"That is not what you alluded to," she retorted, with a hint of ice, "And I maintain the world won't need you. Usagi's a good person."

"Yeah, well…" Rinjirou sighed in bitter disappointment. "They also say the road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Mars' temper once again threatened to boil over. More than Sailor Senshi and Exalted Knight, there was something else at stake here. Something she'd been reluctant to admit to even herself for the longest time. Something that had driven her to chase after him now.

All business, he made as if to turn away. "I can see there's no getting through to you. I'm-"

"That's it?!" she snarled, cutting him off. "Conversation over? It was you who made this such an 'us and them' thing! Are you so sure there are no other options?" Her feet carried her forward without thought until she was almost touching him. "What about the future? What about…?" She faltered a moment, then surged forward past the line that, so far, neither of them had been willing to cross. "I like you, and I know you like me too. What about us?!"

"There is no us." His flat, unemotional response stung far more than an angry snarl ever could have. "There can't be. Not like this." A ragged, shuddering sigh tore through him. "I wish things could have been different, I really do."

It felt like a fist had closed around her heart. "Rinjirou…"

"Perhaps…if Mother had never joined the Order of Black? If I'd had a normal life, maybe grown up in Osaka?" The beginnings of a wistful smile played across his lips. "We might've visited Tokyo. Passed by a shrine in Azabu-Juban and decided to stop. Maybe offered up a prayer or two and met a surly miko..."

Don't cry. She repeated it internally like a mantra. Do not cry. Don't you dare let him see you cry!

His melancholy withdrew, leaving the man she knew him to have become behind. The sad smile was gone, his lips pressed into a thin, bloodless line. "But that's not how things turned out." He took two steps to the side, recreating the initial distance between them. "You're a Sailor Senshi, loyal to your Princess above all else…and I'm an Exalted Knight, loyal only to Earth. My place in this world is here. Between it…and you." Another sigh, another few steps back. "Thank you for saving me from myself, and from Chaos, but…" His expression hardened. "This is goodbye, Rei. We won't be meeting like this again."

As he turned and walked away from her for the second time that day, Mars' own stubborn pride began to take over. She embraced the anger, the rage…if only to stop the pain of loss from taking over. He wants it this way, and so be it. I don't need any man, or anyone to be happy! Only my duty to Usagi and this world. I…I'm glad he made it such an easy decision to forget about him!

But, as she turned back to the auditorium...and the pity she knew she'd get from her friends...a sliver of doubt crept in. I'm glad. I am.

I am.

AN: I'm not dead!

Seriously...I'm not.

Without going too far into the details, I had other priorities I had to focus on the last couple of months which, unfortunately, left me with little time or inclination for writing. After sorting that stuff out and putting my own self-imposed deadlines out of my head, I was able to rediscover the itch and finish off this chapter. It's very different from the rough draft I had after posting Ch. 23, but it is a much better 'tying up loose ends' effort that will let me move into the final act of the story AND the who saga begun years ago with Last Guardian Knight.

I know some of you were carrying a torch for an eventual Rei/Rin romance, but it just wasn't meant to be. I gave serious consideration to both endings there but, when it all came to a head, I couldn't reconcile Rinjirou choosing Rei over duty to Earth. It hurt him badly to reject her, I hope that came across, but he's doing what he thinks he has to for the future of Earth the same way Rei is. Life doesn't always give us a happy ending, unfortunately. I also hesitated to be that author that conveniently pairs up every single Senshi with an OC or something. Just doesn't seem realistic.

As for Usagi, I hope to have her back on the 'right path' from here. It was interesting exploring her character and seeing how far from idealism I could stretch her before she snapped back and I think I have the answer. This all serves as a lesson, I think, that she failed to learn from her past life, from her mother Queen Serenity, from events of the anime or even from my earlier works. This is 'rock bottom', if you will, and it'll be fun for me to rebuild her back into who she needs to be given where we all know the story of Sailor Moon eventually leads (Crystal Tokyo).

I'm past promising regular updates like the old days - life just doesn't currently give me the option - but I am feeling cautiously optimistic about the next few chapters and the conclusion itself. Thank you in advance for your reviews, thoughts, feedback, even just your readership. I hope you'll continue to enjoy the story until its ending.

Cheers,

Lisseas