Sailor Moon - Rise of the Exalted Knights
by Lisseas
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Shadows of Chaos
Posted: 23/01/2018
The Black Death loomed over Justice, his new, hybrid form the stuff of nightmares. It was purer than a Chaos Paladin; a less confused melding of bird and man. Clean black feathers and a long ebony beak in the centre of his face; piercing crimson eyes narrowed as he readied his sword, its blade shimmering with violet menace.
The Guardian Knight rose slowly to his feet, wincing beneath his armour. He'd taken a decent hit just now, and it didn't look to be letting up. The bird-monster advanced again, talons clicking against the floor with every step. An Exalted Knight came at it from the side, their identity obscured behind their armour and helm. They struggled a moment before the former Hunter lashed out, tearing open their chestplate. A second hit threw them several feet, leaving them motionless on the floor.
"Is that the best you can do?" the Black Death asked with a wild cackle. "Do you see now how foolish it was to forsake Her love?"
"Love?!" Rinjirou lunged at him, Solguard blazing in his hand. "Don't make me laugh!" He slid under a clawed hand and slashed at its calf, cutting through a little of the beast's dark aura. The negative energy lit up, smouldering briefly like a cotton ball over a match. An encouraging sight, but they'd clearly need a lot more damage to hurt him for real.
Seizing the momentary distraction, Justice went at the Black Death again himself. Justiciar flared white with the power of Selene as he brought it down hard on the monster's flank. The blade stuck, evaporating some of the fibrous strands and tearing more still free, but it wasn't enough; the beast himself remained unharmed. An inhuman screech sent a shiver down his spine as the bird-monster barrelled past him, right at the Exalted Knights in his wake. They were quickly scattered, and one poor individual snatched up in his oversized fist.
"Bear witness," he proclaimed coldly, gripping the Knight's neck in his other hand, "To Her power."
Justice felt the bile rise in his throat as the Black Death pulled, tearing the unfortunate Knight apart with ease. He'd seen many terrible things by this point, but this was new…and certainly the worst. It caught him completely off-guard, and he found himself backing up. Selene had restored their link in totality, right? He was as powerful as he was ever going to be, and it still wasn't enough!
"Pull back!" He moved to shield the remaining Knights as they regained their footing, the grisly mess that had been their comrade lying at his feet. This was familiar. Comfortable. Safe. Protecting other people. Keeping them safe. They'd drawn the preacher away from Sailor Moon and the others, after all. They could retreat now. They could-
"You'll do no such thing!" Rinjirou did exactly the opposite and charged the Black Death, slashing at his protected midsection with near-reckless abandon. "They're fully trained soldiers, Justice. They do not need babying!"
A tiny kernel of rage flickered to life in the Guardian Knight's chest, though he swallowed it down. "Are you seeing the same fight I am?! We can't touch him! Fighting is just going to get them killed!"
"Then so be it!" The Knight-Commander grunted in pain as a massive fist caught him right across his shoulder. "They knew the risks before they signed on, and they want this bastard dead as much as we do!"
"For Earth!" growled one Knight in agreement.
"And the Undying Sun!" cried another.
"Now get out of the way," Rinjirou snapped, with a righteous glare, "And let them do their duty!"
Sure enough, the three Knights at Justice's back fanned out and attacked as one. They hacked at the Black Death's feathered hide with their swords, firearms deemed useless early on. He laughed again, unleashing more violet plasma from his own blade to knock them down. The remaining Knight drove at his belly with their sword but couldn't get through; they were skewered for their trouble, falling to the crystalline floor where they lay still.
Rinjirou dove at the bird-preacher's exposed back and dug Solguard deep into his protective aura. An agonised shriek tore from his beak, flames licking up his feathered shoulders. He whipped about with surprising speed and ripped the dark-haired man from his back, driving him into the floor. His clawed foot stomped down, but Rinjirou was already rolling to safety and back to his feet. Smoke curled into the air behind him as he turned, revealing a patch of burned and bloody feathers; somehow, Rinjirou had gotten through.
"Get your head in the game, Justice! You-" There was a moment's hesitation from the Englishman as a scowl darkened his features. "You're a much better swordsman than I am, alright? Now, man up and get back in the fight, you wanker!"
The Guardian Knight knew the insult was intended to anger him...and he let it happen. The tiny spark of rage he'd felt earlier blossomed, igniting into a full-blown inferno. He glanced again at the mess of gore behind him, once a living, breathing person, and embraced his anger. No more. No more deaths at the hands of this sociopath!
He closed on the beast from behind in three long strides and brought Justiciar down on his back with a heavy, clubbing blow. He struck again and again as the preacher tried to turn, moving with him to stay in his blind spot. The aura gave way after the third strike, and the gleaming blade tore a ragged gash in his armoured hide.
"Still you persist?!" The Black Death turned, pain now visible in his crimson eyes. "What do you hope to accomplish here? What will this actually lead to?" He glared down at the defiant Rinjirou, and the two Knights behind him. "Say you do somehow manage to defeat my Lady. What then? After all that fighting, all the blood and death and destruction, what then?" His beak parted slightly in what could only be an approximation of a smirk; that much was clear from his voice. "You know what's coming, Rinjirou. What the Guardian Knight is fighting for. He will strike you down in defence of his Princess, just as easily as he would me. Why fight with him now?"
Justice tensed, awaiting the same answer. After everything that had happened, he almost expected a turn. I couldn't even really blame him…
"Because…" The shorter man raised his head, icy blue eyes locking on the preacher. "I hate you and your lady a whole lot more than I hate them right now. We can work out our differences when that monster you call mistress is dust!"
Relieved, Justice allowed just a hint of his old irreverent self to slip out. "Like he said, Tweety. You and your lady are going down!"
"I wouldn't be so sure!" The Black Death reared back, his eyes blazing with evil intentions. "You will not stop Her ascension! You are like ants beneath Her feet, and I shall crush you as such!" He darted forward suddenly, tossing Justice aside like an afterthought. Rinjirou was pushed aside by one of his Knights; they cried out as the monster's beak tore into their neck, slicing through their armour like it was made of paper. The other leapt onto his back, hacking at him with a knife with little visible effect. The preacher tossed them aside and turned on Justice, laying him out with a concentrated hit of negative energy.
As the Guardian Knight twitched, struggling to rise, the click of talons against the crystalline floor marked the Black Death's approach.
"Hear me, my Lady, and accept my gift! The Guardian Knight Justice and the Pariah Payne. Their heads, at least..."
"So…"
Sailor Moon couldn't help but shudder as Chaos' silky voice fluttered down the staircase, equal parts confidence and malice. It was both familiar and alien all at once, and decidedly unsettling.
"You're finally here."
She willed herself calm, and focused on the climb. Just one step at a time. It had always known they were coming. It wanted her on edge. Distracted.
Still, it persisted. "What's your plan, I wonder? You defeat me, of course, but…what then? Take your destined place as queen? Rule the world?" It's feminine voice – itself an illusion – took on a mocking edge. "No. We both know you aren't ready for that. You're barely holding it together as Sailor Moon; what hope do you have leading an entire world?"
"Ignore it," Mars said, brushing past her.
"Try to tune it out," offered Mercury, a little kinder in her approach.
"Yeah," Venus agreed quietly. "It's just trying to freak you out."
Trying, Moon echoed silently, her spine tingling with another chill. It's doing better than trying!
"It's scared," Uranus muttered, clenching her hands into fists. "We need to be ready to capitalise on that fear."
Sailor New Moon stared at her incredulously. "You think it's scared?!"
"Why else would it be playing these stupid games? It doesn't need to."
Pluto sighed. "You underestimate Chaos' penchant for cruelty, my friend."
"It is playing games, though," said Jupiter, joining Mars in the lead. "That 'offer' to spare everyone if they turned on us, and this whole recreation of Crystal Tokyo?"
"Who says it's a recreation?" New Moon countered, her voice breaking slightly. "What if this is how it all started now?"
Jupiter responded with a snort. "Because that's ridiculous." When nobody else answered, she locked eyes with Pluto herself. "Right?"
"Time is fluid. This is…" The Guardian of Time trailed off abruptly, appearing to reconsider her choice of words. "Our current timeline is unclear. This could all change again, or…"
"Or this is now how it happens," Moon whispered. She could feel it in her heart. Chaos had spent all this time studying them, studying her…and it had conjured a world at odds with her innermost fears. It's right. I'm not ready to be queen, to rule this world…and those are the stakes. Chaos wins, and we lose…or we win, and we still lose.
As if sensing her thoughts, Mamoru took her hand and squeezed it gently. Oh, how she wished it had eased her mind…but it fell flat. Still, they were close now and she had to press on. Regardless of their future, they had to stop Chaos. Too many lives were at stake. Bolstered by her righteous thoughts, it took little time to reach the top of the stairs...and Chaos' throne room.
The ceiling stretched out above them as the room opened up, impossibly high. The walls stood at least a hundred feet apart, immaculately-carved pillars bordering the loosely oval chamber. Torches lit the way forward, carved into the crystal itself; violet flames danced in the breeze despite a distinct lack of any windows. A royal purple carpet led to a large, crystal throne. It jutted from the floor, surrounded by a small dais, and there, draped across it, was Chaos itself. The creature still held the form of Megumi Shoto, a cold smirk stretched across her long-dead lips. She'd been pretty once, in that girl-next-door sort of way…but Moon saw things differently. She was gone, and this was just a corpse denied its rest. Another victim Chaos had to answer for.
"Welcome." Chaos rose slowly, spreading its arms wide. "What do you think of my humble abode?"
"The décor needs work," New Moon muttered, apparently forgetting herself in the moment.
"How very droll." Chaos stared down at her, unblinking. "Such sarcasm is unbecoming of you, Small Lady."
"Don't call me that!" There was no trace of fear now. "You don't have the right."
It chuckled and turned instead to the elder Moon. "I'm so very happy you could make it. The end is almost upon us, and it just wouldn't feel right without you here."
"I'm glad…?"
A thin black mist started rising around it; Megumi's eyes glowed red with Chaos' power. "I've waited so long for this moment." It stepped closer, stretching out its hand almost longingly. "Serenity. Sailor Moon. Usagi…Tsukino." Each and every word dripped with menace. "My most frustrating adversary. A rival. A nemesis, and yet…you are perhaps my proudest achievement."
Moon stiffened as if struck. "I'm nothing of yours."
"No?" it asked, head tilting to one side. "You exemplify the very essence of my existence. Growth through adversity. Strength through pain." Somehow, it seemed legitimately confused. "Are you really going to deny it? Without me, you'd still be that frightened little girl in the jewellery store, crying about how unfair this life is." Pacing back and forth, it finally came to rest against its throne. "It's ironic, isn't it? Without your interference, I'd have turned this miserable little planet into a graveyard a dozen times over, and yet…here, at the end…I'm almost sorry I have to destroy you."
Mars snorted disbelievingly. "What a terrible conundrum for you."
Again, it ignored the taunt. "I don't suppose you'd ever…? No. No, of course not." It turned away, an air of disappointment to its voice. "I suppose there's nothing for it. I'll have to kill you, but…not yet." An ominous gleam shone in Megumi's eyes as her expression darkened. "I may admire you, Princess, but you have caused me immeasurable frustration over the years. The time has come for you to pay for your sins."
"You have nothing to fear," Mamoru whispered from behind his mask. "We're with you."
"But are you? Are you really?!" Chaos looked him up and down almost dismissively. "Hmm, yes. You are, of course…but what about the rest of your little band?" It swept its gaze over the Inner Senshi. "I wonder. Are you all quite as determined to stand by your princess?"
"What a stupid question!" Mars snapped angrily.
"Of course we are!" Venus hollered, glaring back at it.
"You speak with such conviction, but can you really trust her to deliver you to safety when even she doubts her own ability?"
"We stand as one," Mercury said firmly.
"Right," Jupiter agreed, cracking her knuckles. "United behind Sailor Moon."
The room grew darker as the mist spread out, enveloping the torches. Chaos drifted forward, hands clasped before it. "You forget, Senshi; I know you. I have held your Star Seeds in my hands. You all have doubts; each and every one of you. You long for futures all your own, free from her influence and all of this…Senshi nonsense."
Venus raised her right arm, sighting down it as she had so many times before…but, when she spoke, it was with an odd, defensive edge. "Shut it, creep!"
Moon was reminded quickly of the Revenant Knight's efforts to divide them. He used Minako's fears for our friendship against us, but this? This is different. Chaos is so…confident. Like it really does know something I don't…
Chaos simply grinned in response. "I've seen it. Tasted it. Your regrets, your…frustration, even anger! Buried deeper still, however, is such resentment! You hide it well, of course; so well that your dutiful little minds may even believe it isn't there…but I know better. I've seen your true selves…and so shall you."
It vanished with a sinister cackle, leaving them alone in the throne room…or so it seemed. The violet flames flared, illuminating the mist just enough to reveal something moving within its depths.
Jupiter took a small step forward. "What is that?"
Mars immediately moved to defend Sailor Moon. "Be ready. It could be anything."
She found herself boxed in as Venus mirrored the priestess, guiding her back a few steps. The mass within the dark resolved into four distinct figures, human in shape. They twitched periodically in odd bursts of movement, not entirely natural. Of various different heights and builds, they appeared to be slim, with odd, flared waists or…skirts?
"It can't be them," Moon murmured, thinking back to the Sailor Marauders. "Please, not again." Just seconds later, her eyes widened in shock as her theory was completely demolished. Oh, no…
"What…?" Mercury's jaw hung wide open as she lowered her computer.
The mist parted slowly, revealing four Sailor Senshi; Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus, only…they weren't quite themselves. The newcomers were jet black and featureless, as if carved from ebony; a Construct-like appearance, if a little more detailed. They continued their sporadic twitching, fanning out to stand before their real-life counterparts.
Shadow-Mars – as Moon thought of her – was first to speak, raising a clenched fist. "My destiny has taken everything from me. My home, my future; my very life! I've given it all for Usagi! How much is enough?!"
"I'd do it all again gladly, too!" the miko fired back angrily. "That isn't how I feel at all!"
"Of course it is," Shadow-Mercury replied, almost mournful by comparison. "I was so close, Rei. I had a future in Germany. I was well on my way to achieving my dreams…but here I am, dragged back to Tokyo again. All because the world needs Sailor Moon and her Sailor Senshi."
The real Mercury was aghast. "Perhaps I do feel a little trapped sometimes, but that's not-"
"Trapped?!" Shadow-Venus echoed, every bit as biting as her real self could be when provoked. "At least you got some semblance of a normal life! I've been doing this longer than any of you! I'll never be an idol at this rate, or a teacher! All so Usagi can sit back and be a queen!"
"And do we even get so much as a thank you?" asked Shadow-Jupiter with an angry snort. "No! Not from Luna, or Artemis, or even Usagi herself! It's always about her. Her problems. Her future. What, the rest of us don't matter? Oh, I forget. We're only here to keep her safe and make sure the future happens the way it's supposed to!"
Stunned, the real Venus and Jupiter shared a look of shocked indignation before pointing back in unison. "Untrue!"
Chaos' mocking laughter echoed around them, unseen and everywhere. "Behold, Senshi: your secret selves. Admit it or not, you all carry these resentments in your hearts…and they shall be your undoing."
Uranus took a step forward. "You're forgetting the rest of us. Your cute little creations are dust."
"Oh, you're not forgotten, Uranus. Merely…uninvited."
The dark mist swirled between them and intensified; the Inner Senshi were suddenly cut off. Moon jumped forward and found it solid! She could see her friends, but she couldn't reach them, and that filled her with dread. Something terrible was about to happen; she could feel it.
"Now," Chaos growled, addressing Mars and the others. "Prove your devotion. Prove me a liar and defeat your shadows…if you can."
The Shadow-Senshi attacked as one, rushing to target their real selves. They moved too fast and got too close for magic, forcing the Senshi into hand-to-hand. Mars struck first, landing a kick to her own double's chest as Mercury and Jupiter were surrounded.
"Back off, you fake!"
Venus stuck with her, the two Senshi now back-to-back. "This is just like the Minako-Paredri all over again!"
"You mean Mirror-Paredri. Right?"
"Uh…sure?"
Moon pounded against the mist but found it solid as a rock. She pressed a gloved hand against it and focused, but even the power of the Silver Crystal was rebuffed. "Stop it!" Her fist bounced off it over and over again without success as her fear and frustration grew. "Leave them alone!"
"Stand aside!" Pluto raised her staff and whipped about. "Dead Scream!"
Uranus joined her, slamming her fist into the floor. "World Shaking!"
Their attacks unleashed as one, surging forward to tear through the malicious haze…before fading as the barrier seemed to absorb them. Saturn leapt forward and swung her Glaive through its outer edge, but succeeded only in tearing free a few wispy fibres.
"Now, now." Chaos' disembodied voice sounded positively gleeful. "This is their fight, Princess. You're merely a witness here."
Venus swung her chain at Shadow-Venus, but her double anticipated the move and ducked under it. The blonde found herself tackled unexpectedly and pulled to the ground by her hair, raising her fists in a desperate effort to fend off a series of wild, clubbing blows. The Construct's fists were wreathed in violet light, negative energy adding to the onslaught. It wasn't long before the Senshi of Love had stopped moving, beaten into unconsciousness. Mars was next to fall. She missed on an attempted counter-attack and left herself open. Mercury's dark double lashed out with an obsidian boot, catching the miko's knee and bending it inwards with a wet snap. Mars shrieked in pain as she struggled for balance, an easy target for Shadow-Mars; she was speared to the floor and beaten down like Venus.
Sailor Moon's heart pounded in her chest, mirroring her fists as they slammed against Chaos' forcefield. "Stop! Stop it!"
The Shadow-Senshi were tireless, and they now outnumbered Mercury and Jupiter four-to-two. The Senshi put up a valiant effort but eventually succumbed in turn, beaten down until they lay bloodied and bruised with Mars and Venus. Only then did their doubles relent, retreating in unison. Moon let out a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived; they summoned magic of their own: purple flame for Mars, crimson bubbles for Mercury, violet lightning for Jupiter, and an ebony chain for Venus.
Chaos reappeared behind her in a dull violet flash, hands on her shoulders. "Save them…"
"Get off her!" Mamoru rushed it, rearing back with his cane. A new barrier popped into existence in an instant, knocking him off his feet with ease. "Usako, I-"
"Save them from me," it whispered again, ignoring him completely. The words themselves felt cold, despite the absence of breath against her neck. "Save them…"
Moon wrenched free of its grasp and raised her Tiare defiantly. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"
Again, the mist swirled, almost solidifying at the point of impact. The golden blast made headway, at least for a moment. Tiny curls of dark, cloud-like matter drifted skyward as it dug into the barrier, an impressive beginning…until it wasn't. The mist rushed back into place, replacing any mass it had lost and snuffing out her attack completely. An icy ball of dread settled in Moon's stomach as she let her Tiare fall. It's Michiru all over again…
New Moon placed her hands against the barrier, sheer terror on her face as the Shadow-Senshi drew near. "Please don't!"
The Construct-Senshi advanced in silence, their expressionless 'faces' far more sinister than any real display of emotion could have been. They unleashed their attacks one by one, mirroring the order that Moon had met her friends; Mercury was engulfed in a thick, choking fog, gasping for breath as she clutched at her throat. It was worse for Mars; she writhed in agony, mouth stretched wide open in a silent scream, her body wreathed in purple flames. Jupiter knelt in place, eyes wide open as she was wracked with convulsions; her double's lightning arcing across her form. Venus more than made up for their silence with her cries of pain as her back was lashed again and again by her double's chain, leaving wide, bloody tears in her fuku and skin.
Moon spun in place and levelled her Tiare at Chaos. "Let them go!" There was no anger in her heart, though; only the fear of her younger self, realising how powerless she truly was in this moment.
"Save them!" the creature growled, with a smug cackle. "If you can…"
Her second attack was cancelled out in half the time, the swirling barrier more than a match for her power. The fear and frustration welled up within her, tearing from her throat as a frantic, tear-filled confession. "I can't! I can't, okay?! You won't let me!"
The Shadow-Senshi stopped in unison, their magic fading at once. Moon looked on in silence, feeling more tears slide down her cheeks. The shame set in quickly; she could feel the stares from Pluto and the others on her back. Chaos stepped through the misty obstruction, sinking slowly into a crouch to inspect Mars in particular, reaching for her face…
"Don't! Please don't-"
It brushed a loose strand of hair off the miko's face and leaned in closer. "Can you hear her, Rei? She can't save you…because I won't let her." It turned slowly, looking over the rest of her friends. "Usagi can't save any of you...because I won't let her." Strangely, it seemed almost disappointed as it stood.
The whole thing hit Moon like a punch to the stomach. Everything was going wrong. Again. A series of unpleasant memories flashed through her mind, one after another. The shrine; a bloody Megumi laughing as she stabbed Sailor Neptune over and over, blood spilling on the stone tiles as the knife flashed under the moonlight. Why am I failing now when everyone needs me the most? Why can't I stop this?!
A tired sigh fell from Megumi's dry, bloody lips; Chaos was putting on a show. "My pride in you is fading, Usagi. Perhaps you're not the great achievement I believed you to be after all."
Now back on his feet, Mamoru raised his cane in warning. "Leave her alone!"
Its tone only grew sharper. More spiteful. "I thought you were strong. You've defeated me at every turn, and yet…here we are." The red of the creature within shone again in Megumi's eyes. "Where's the Sailor Moon who refused to die? Who cast me into the Galaxy Cauldron? Where is she?!"
"I don't know!" It was a stark, hollow confession. "I just don't know!" Between sobs, she made out another voice; another her within. Why can't you stop this? What's wrong with you?! Why can't you save your friends?!
Mars opened a dark, swollen eye, wincing painfully. "What…the hell…is wrong with you?" A ragged cough interrupted her speech. "Get it…together…Sailor Moon!"
Chaos shushed her, dismissing the Shadow-Senshi back into nothingness with a wave of its hand. "I know it's hard to accept, Senshi, but she can't save you."
Jupiter rose on a trembling arm, barely able to get off the ground. "Shut it…monster."
"She can't save you," it repeated, with the hint of a smile, "But I can." The mist vanished as it turned, bypassing Moon without so much as a glance…to approach Uranus. "She couldn't even save Michiru, but I can."
The Sky Senshi punched it in the face. Hard. "Bullshit! It was you who took her away from me in the first place!"
Rather than anger, Chaos seemed almost pleased. It caught Uranus' fist as she swung again and flashed a bloody smile. "And I can bring her back to you."
"It's lying," Venus groaned, rolling slowly onto her side.
"It always does," Pluto added, glaring at the creature with unmasked disdain. "And you know that, Uranus. At least you should."
Chaos snorted at her. "Is it really so hard to believe?" it asked, spreading its arms wide to indicate the very walls around them. "I created all this from nothing. I gave your old friend the Inquisitor a second life. Do you really doubt I could do the same for your love…Haruka?"
Uranus withdrew, avoiding eye contact. Moon had known her long enough to see the subtle conflict behind her expression; the turmoil beneath the surface. Please don't, Haruka. Not again.
"I can reunite the two of you, and all I ask in return…" Megumi's lips parted in a wide smile. "Is that you kill Sailor Moon."
Several of the Senshi gasped, but not Moon. She'd seen this coming the moment Chaos first made its offer. Pluto and Saturn too, it seemed; they were already moving, staff and Glaive at the ready. Still, it was Uranus herself who was most unsettling of all. She wouldn't look at anybody. Not even Chaos.
"After all…" it whispered, turning to lock eyes with Moon one more time. "Is this world really worth saving without Michiru alive to share it with?"
"Don't…listen to it!" Jupiter finally made it to her knees, breathing heavily through gritted teeth. "It's just another lie!"
Mercury tried and failed to sit up, collapsing on her back with a whimper. "We're your friends…"
Pluto was more forceful. "I warned you after the last time that I would brook no further treachery." Her expression softened for just a moment. "Please. Don't do this, my friend. Not again."
Saturn, too, seemed hardened…though a single tear rolled down her cheek. "We can't let you."
Uranus finally lifted her gaze, staring silently at Moon. She seemed detached, almost absent. "All I've wanted to do since that terrible night is just hold her in my arms one more time." Tears of her own began to fall, staining her cheeks. "Just tell me why. Why couldn't you save her, Usagi? Why couldn't you bring her back to me?"
"Haruka, I…I'm sorry." Moon felt crushed beneath the weight of her past failures. Every last one of them. "She was too…I mean, I wasn't…" She hung her head and sighed miserably. "I just wasn't strong enough."
That seemed to set off a switch in the other woman. The hair on Moon's arms stood on end as Sailor Uranus straightened up, her eyes just off from direct contact with her own. "I told myself, after Michiru died, that I would give anything. Do anything...if it meant having her back." Her palm came up, a ball of roiling amber energy drifting just above it; World Shaking. "For her, I…" Her eyes narrowed into slits, her face going slack in a neutral mask. "Sailor Moon. Usagi, I'm sorry, but…"
Moon just closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. Oh, no…
AN: *Braces for rage* Okay, yes, it's been more than two months since my last update and I left you with a cliffhanger, BUT...in my defence...this is how I always planned for this chapter to end. That, and I already have a decent chunk of the next one outlined. Writer's block sucks, but at least I managed to work on something else until I got this one finished. Right?
Chaos is super fun to write. I don't know what it is about this incarnation pretending to be a woman (when it's effectively genderless, I assume?) and a goddess (or Goddess, if you listen to the Black Death) but I'm having a blast with how over the top evil it is, just like the anime. Hopefully you're all enjoying it too. I have some time off booked for the start of February, so I'm hoping to get the last couple of real chapters finished, at least. There'll likely be an epilogue of sorts like most of my previous stories, but as it'll effectively be an epilogue for my entire alternate universe of Sailor Moon fics, that may take some time. The plan is to at least get the main plot resolved before I go back to work. Fingers crossed, anyway.
As ever, I look forward to any feedback you feel like sending my way. Thanks again for your continued interest and support, and a belated Happy New Year to you all!
Lisseas