Sailor Moon X: Lunar Eclipse
a Sailor Moon/X-Men crossover
Chapter 35: A Second Sacrifice
9-16-2018
by Grey-X
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the creation and property of Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation. X-Men is the creation and property of Stan Lee, Marvel Comics and Disney.
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The Blackbird had finally cleared the atmosphere, the stars and vastness of space now before them. Still, it would take some time before the Blackbird could loop around Earth to approach Asteroid M. Provided, that was, the Sailor Senshi could board it first and sow confusion.
Xavier sat at the copilot's station, happy to let Cable handle most of the piloting duties. He had a good deal on his mind. First and foremost, he kept going over it again and again in his mind, the Sailor Senshi's chances. Xavier had gone over all the data on their old enemies. The Sailor Senshi had conquered beings rivaling and even exceeding the Master of Magnetism's power, and who were far more ruthless.
Still, he knew Erik Magnus Lehnsherr like no other. Part of him feared they still didn't understand just what kind of man he was, and what he was capable of.
Worse, Xavier couldn't help but dwell on what happened the last time the X-Men took the fight to Magneto like this. He had truly believed it would end the carnage forever, only to set in motion a horrible chain of events.
The Sailor Senshi have shown us a more hopeful future, though, Xavier mused. He stared out at the expanse of stars, then looked to Cable. Then again, we know better than most there are many possible futures, that nothing is truly set...
Xavier wondered what Cable was thinking. He had forged an odd bond with Chibiusa, a fellow time-traveler. This mission to Japan had been tumultuous, producing unexpected results. This partnership started as something forged out of necessity, but swiftly became something more. These girls went above and beyond, doing more than Xavier could have ever asked of anyone. Now he had to put aside his doubts and lead the X-Men to back them up.
"Got somethin' on your mind, Chuck?" Xavier looked up to see Wolverine standing in the middle of the cockpit, staring out at the stars.
"The same thing that's on yours, I'd wager," said Xavier darkly.
Wolverine snorted. "Yeah, last time we tackled Mags in orbit, it didn't exactly go swimmingly."
That's putting it mildly. That had been what triggered Xavier that day, seeing Magneto rip the adamantium right off Wolverine's bones.
"But ya got me through that, and then we got ya free and clear o' Onslaught," Wolverine went on. "Good thing we ain't lookin' at anythin' so dire in the long-term. Just get in, distract Mags long enough to snatch Naru and Umino, and get out."
"You sound even more eager to get underway than usual," said Storm, who was strapped in right behind Xavier.
"Matter of honor, Ororo," said Wolverine. "Made a lot of promises to Naru. Because I didn't deliver, wound up havin' to stab her through the gut instead. Helpin' to get her and her boyfriend clear of these psychos might help make up for that."
"Assuming the Sailor Senshi leave you any Acolytes or Brotherhood bozos to eviscerate, Logan," said Shadowcat, strapped in behind the pilot's seat. "Magneto just made this even more personal for them."
"The Brotherhood and Acolytes they can handle," said Cable. "The big man himself... That's a tactical puzzle, it could go either way." He delivered that assessment in his usual cool, collected manner. Still, Xavier noticed a subtle difference in Cable's tone. "Still, few would like to see those girls defy the odds and stick it to Magneto more than me."
"Any special reason, Cable?" Shadowcat added.
"Magneto has an even grimmer outlook on the future than me, the guy with every reason to be a raging pessimist," said Cable. "And along comes Sailor Moon, who embodies the polar opposite. Kizachi surely told Magneto about the future she represents. The mere thought that a vision more like Xavier's wins out over his must drive him mad. Who better to drive it home once and for all than the girl supposedly destined to make it happen?"
"Not to mention, we'd get to sit back and laugh as Mags gets clobbered by a bunch of teenage girls in short skirts," Wolverine added with a grin.
Despite himself, despite the gravity of the coming conflict, Xavier couldn't help but smile. Usagi even brought hope to these grizzled old soldiers, who had endured lifetimes of conflict and hardship. Still, he knew something still troubled Cable. Namely, that his nemesis might one day undo that bright future.
It was something to be puzzled out another time. Right now, they had more immediate concerns. They were still a good distance away from where Asteroid M lingered in orbit. However, they were not meant to reach it first.
The Blackbird's sensors picked up strange energy readings, just as Xavier could sense now-familiar thought patterns closing in fast.
Grinning, he issued commands to the Blackbird's systems. "Computer, display visual feed from the rear of the plane." At once, a holographic display screen sprang up before Xavier. A small, glowing sphere was shown amid the backdrop of the stars behind them. "Magnify," he said.
The image zoomed in, showing a translucent sphere of energy. It soared ever closer. Soon enough, Xavier could make out the five Inner Senshi forming a ring with hands joined, the rest of their team and Lockheed suspended within.
"Well, when you're right you're right, Chuck. Those little ladies are sure to beat us to that rock," said Wolverine.
"I believe that was the plan, Logan," said Storm. "I'm sure enough of a certain someone who's the best at what he does has rubbed off on them, ensuring they cause a good deal of havoc."
"Like I told Rei, I teach kids how to survive," Wolverine said gruffly.
Xavier said nothing as he watched the Sailor Senshi draw closer. It wasn't much longer before that sphere disappeared from the screen, only to emerge right beside the Blackbird. For whatever reason, their speed had slowed to match theirs.
Xavier turned to look out the cockpit's side window. While the rest of the Senshi were gazing ahead, Sailor Moon turned to look at the Blackbird. Her eyes met Xavier's, a strange look in them. Reaching out with his telepathy, he asked, "Are you prepared for this, Sailor Moon? Once you breach Asteroid M, there may be no escaping until you can subdue my old friend."
"I get that, Professor. I'm more crazy than stupid, believe it or not," Sailor Moon replied. "I'm more worried about Naru than myself right now."
Xavier paused for a moment. "Fear not. You've made the right decision to waste no time mounting a rescue."
Xavier could see Sailor Moon smile a little. She turned to look back ahead as the Sailor Senshi gradually built up speed. Xavier looked ahead as well, just as Asteroid M was coming into view, still many, many miles in the distance.
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Naru dared not make a move, not while in Blob's grip and with Unuscione's psionic exoskeleton smothering her. Besides, even if she weren't in such a compromising position, she still felt too groggy from Magneto's electromagnetic jolts and Blob pummeling her. As strong as she was, Blob was much stronger. And even if she was willing to teleport and leave Umino behind, Unuscione's power could interfere with that. Better to play possum until she was in a better position to strike.
That is, unless they try something with Umino, Naru thought fearfully. Through squinted eyes, she made out Umino being forced to march ahead of them. She couldn't help but think back to the video footage from that hospital. And now Umino was in the midst of these maniacs.
It was a struggle, to force away that cold dread. It threatened to fill her heart because, surprisingly, of what was lacking there at the moment. Any sort of relief from seeing Gai Izumi struck down. Oh, she had been so tempted to rip his head off right in front of Erina Kizachi as she groveled to Magneto. In the end, though, Naru felt dirtying her hands with his blood wasn't worth it.
And then Sabretooth did the deed instead, leaving Naru with nothing but shock and horror from witnessing it. Nothing but a cold emptiness, and the realization that revenge would have brought her no peace.
Usagi and the X-Men were right all along, Naru admitted to herself, suddenly all too aware of the dried blood splattered on her face. I can't believe I was actually going to join these monsters!
Blob prodded Umino down a hall along the outer edge of the asteroid. Occasionally, they passed a window letting her see the stars outside. A grim reminder of the trouble the two of them were in.
Eventually, he was shoved through a large set of double doors sliding open. Blob carried Naru into what looked like some sort of medical bay. It was staffed by some people in lab coats. Whether they were human scientists and medics coerced to work for Magneto, or mutants themselves, Naru couldn't tell. Feigning unconsciousness, it was hard to make out any details.
"Put her in there, Dukes," came Cortez's voice. Blob lumbered over to some weird metal door that opened like a rolling gear. Naru had a nasty feeling she wouldn't be able to break out easily once put inside.
Now or never, I guess, Naru figured. She summoned up as much dark power as she could, willing it to radiate outward.
As Naru hoped, it caught Unuscione by surprise, and her psionic exoskeleton faltered. She flung globs of ooze at Unuscione and Blob's faces. Blob dropped her as he stumbled back in shock. The lab technicians jumped back in fright, and Naru was about to lunge at Blob.
That was when an electric jolt went through her. Naru crumbled to the floor, clutching her gut. Fabian Cortez stood over her, holding something that looked like a shotgun. No doubt loaded with 'shells' that could deliver quite a shock.
"Crafty little one, aren't you? And quite confident of your powers," Cortez jeered. Naru tried to stand, but could only rise to one knee. "But your level of power wasn't enough to conquer the Master of Magnetism, was it? Tell me, would you like more?"
Before Naru could stop him, Cortez laid a hand on her cheek. That was when she felt another jolt, but not of electricity. No, this was something else. She wasn't sure what Cortez just did to her, but it couldn't be good.
Finally, she rose to her feet, fixing to pummel Cortez now that he dropped his guard. But then she looked down at her fists. They were crackling with dark energy, but she hadn't called upon it. More and more built up against her will. Soon, her whole body was ablaze in the stuff, searing every nerve. Worse, her muscles felt horribly stiff, and her oil slick was now pouring out unbidden.
"What's going on!?" Naru demanded, staring down at herself in horror. "What've you done to me!?"
"Augmented your powers to the point you can no longer control them, child," Unuscione spat, finally ripping the glop off of her face. "Don't worry. Where you're going, that won't be much of an issue."
Even with her strength boosted, Naru couldn't stand her ground against a shove from that exoskeleton, being in such agony. She was flung into that small chamber. Once she hit the wall inside, metal tentacles snaked out to restrain her. Naru tried to pull herself free, but all of a sudden, her super strength was gone. Not only that, her oil slick was retracting, even though she hadn't willed it to.
"What in... What happened to all that power!?" Naru shrieked.
Cortez chuckled as he strode into the chamber. "Oh, just a little inhibitor field that neutralizes mutant powers." Naru's eyes widened in terror. In spite of all the misery being a mutant had brought, there was at least some comfort in being super tough. Now even that small comfort was stripped away.
She watched Cortez warily, wondering what he was going to do next. He held one hand just outside the chamber, motioning for something. One of the techs gave him something that looked like a hot glue gun. "And without your invulnerability, it will be quite easy to obtain a blood sample." Naru winced as Cortez stuck that thing in her arm. She watched helplessly as a tube filled with her blood.
"Since you've made it clear you will not serve Lord Magneto willingly, Osaka, we'll settle for studying this mutation bequeathed by the Dark Kingdom," Unuscione sneered. "The power that stymied a supposed demigoddess like Sailor Moon, and caused the downfall of her ancient kingdom? This should be interesting, indeed."
Naru said nothing, her throat closing up. Nephrite's power was going to be used for evil again? The thought sickened her. She struggled against the coils, but with her strength gone, it was pointless.
Cortez leered at her again as he stepped out of the chamber. Turning, he said, "Put the boy in the other one. Gently now, we all heard our lord's orders." Then the gear-door rolled shut, leaving Naru in near darkness.
Yeah, right. How long until you decide to torture the only other human on this rock for sport? Naru thought angrily. She had to break free and break Umino out. But without her powers, she was nothing.
Naru hung her head, tears falling as hopelessness sank in. She had no idea how long she stood there bound up, crying. Eventually, however, she became aware of someone calling her name. It began as a faint whisper, but then it resounded clearly in her mind. And the voice... A voice Naru never expected to hear again.
Eyes drenched with tears snapped open as Naru picked her head up. "Naru, can you hear me?" Naru blinked back more tears. It couldn't be, this was impossible! There, in this chamber with her, was this ghostly figure of Masato Sanjoin in his Dark Kingdom uniform.
"Nephrite!?" Naru cried in disbelief. "H-H-How in, w-w-w-what did... This is impossible! I-I-I-I saw you die! A-A-A-And that stuff you disintegrated into transferred your power, right?"
"That was the idea, yes," said Nephrite. "But it wasn't just a few extra strands of DNA I wound up leaving you that night. I left a piece of myself in you, a piece of my soul, so to speak. To further ensure your protection."
"A p-p-p-piece of your soul, protecting me?" Naru asked, confused.
Nephrite nodded. "It's the reason even a telepath like Charles Xavier cannot touch your mind, and you're almost invisible to things like Cerebro and Sailor Mars's spiritual sense. The dark powers we Shitennou received from Queen Beryl, it can now protect your body. But I wanted to make sure your mind was protected as well, and that no one seeking to do you harm could find you."
Naru's lip quivered, the tears still falling. All this time, she thought she had lost Nephrite forever. Now it turned out he was still protecting her in so many ways.
"But now, none of that's doing any good," said Naru. "This chamber's got something that neutralizes your powers as well as mine. And they've got my blood, and the mutant genes we got from Queen Metalia. Your powers will be used for evil again..."
"Not if you can help it," said Nephrite with a smile. "I can help you break free, to make sure my gift stays with you alone."
"W-W-What? Y-Y-Y-You can get me out of here?" Naru stammered.
Nephrite's smile went from a warm one to a sad, resigned one. "Yes, Naru, I won't hesitate to sacrifice what I have left for you again."
"S-S-S-Sacrifice!?" Naru shrieked, horrified.
"It's the only way," said Nephrite. "While I laid dormant in your psyche, the protection I offered was passive, so to speak. But with a conscious effort, I can block the effects of Magneto's inhibitor field. Doing so, I'm afraid, will strain what's left of me, to the point I will be gone for good."
"N-N-No, Nephrite!" Naru cried. "You have no idea, what it was like seeing you die in my arms! I-I-I-I can't go through that again!"
"We both know it's what must be done," said Nephrite reassuringly. "You've found true love since then, and he needs you now. I ask but one thing of you, Naru. Please tell King Endymion... Tell Mamoru Chiba that I beg his forgiveness for letting myself be duped so. Tell him I did what I could to thwart Sailor Moon's enemies. Maybe, with this one last sacrifice, I will have truly earned redemption. Please, Naru, tell him, and live your life to the fullest once you make good your escape..."
Even with tears blurring her vision, Naru could see that Nephrite's ghostly form was fading. "No, Nephrite! Don't leave me again!" she pleaded.
But it was too late. Nephrite faded away entirely. Just as he did, she could feel it. The power, the strength, it all flooded back into Naru's body.
For a moment, Naru still hung there, bound by the coils, sobbing. To find some part of Nephrite's soul survived, only to lose him again just as quickly.
But then she reflected on what Nephrite had said. He was counting on her to set things right. Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, Naru pulled against the metal coils. They didn't budge. No doubt Magneto made these strong enough to resist her, should the inhibitor field fail.
Hang on a second. They can restrain me at my base strength level, 45 tons, Naru figured. But do I still have that boost from Cortez?
Naru took a deep breath, then pulled against her bindings with all her might. The strain was painful, downright excruciating, but she could feel the coils giving way. Naru pulled on them even harder, screaming. She could feel the wall behind her shaking, struggling to resist her boosted strength.
With one last defiant roar, Naru ripped the metal tentacles off the wall. She paused only long enough to tear them off her body completely, then screamed again as she punched at that gear-door. It only took a few good hits to send it flying across that med lab.
She stepped out, seeing those people in lab coats staring in disbelief. One was a woman with orange skin and blue hair. So they were probably mutants, after all.
Not that it mattered if they were fellow mutants. Magneto had caused her so much grief already. Now, thanks to him, what little bit of Nephrite that had remained was gone for good.
Screaming again, she used black lightning to knock out one of the lab workers, then another. When she rounded on the last one, that girl with orange skin, Naru saw she had gone for a weapon similar to what Cortez shot her with.
Snarling, she sent out a tendril to snatch it away. Naru was about to blast her like the others, but then noticed something on the workbench beside her. A tube of freshly-drawn blood.
"I don't know what it's like here on this mutants-only hunk of rock," Naru sneered as she drew closer, relishing her terror. "But there's still this expectation that medical information be kept PRIVATE!"
She fired a bolt of black lightning so powerful at that workbench, the orange-skinned woman was flung aside, knocked unconscious like the others. The tube's contents were splattered everywhere, charred. In case some of her blood had been stored elsewhere, Naru cut loose, making black lightning arc all over the lab. Best to use Cortez's power boost while it lasted. Computer terminals and storage cabinets full of specimens were blasted apart, rendered useless.
For a moment, Naru just stood there, breathing heavily as she took in the destruction. She was dimly aware of the power boost finally fading. Sighing, she walked over to the other gear-door and dug her fingers into it. She forced it open, and Umino stumbled out. Unsurprisingly, they didn't bother to restrain him with those metal tentacles.
"N-N-Naru, you escaped!?" Umino asked, incredulous. "I-I-I-I heard Cortez say something about your powers being neutralized..."
"They were, but... There was something Cortez hadn't counted on," said Naru. "I'll... explain later." Naru didn't think she could deal with going over what happened, anyway. Nephrite, gone for good...
She just stood in place again for a moment, trying to sort out her feelings. Naru turned when she heard Umino pick up that weapon. "I-I-I-I don't think you want to bother with that," she said dismissively. "This isn't like one of those stupid PC shooters from..."
Naru stopped when she saw Umino prep the weapon like a pro. Noticing Naru's blank stare, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "I've got an uncle who's a cop. He... showed me how to handle the heavy artillery." Naru smirked, but it faded when Umino said, "C'mon, Naru. Our work's not done."
"What do you mean?" Naru asked.
"Well, Magneto won't be using that blood sample to recreate Queen Beryl's power or whatever, that's good," said Umino. "But what about Kizachi's Sentinels? We've got to find Asteroid M's computer core. It's time for me to go futzing with the Sentinels' data again, don't you think?"
"I think you're getting ahead of yourself." Naru marched past him. "I'm taking point. Just because you have a big gun doesn't make you THE big gun."
"Never said it did," Umino protested.
The doors to the med lab slid open. Naru poked her head out to peek right and left. Thankfully, it didn't look like anyone noticed their breakout. "C'mon, Umino, let's go find those computers," said Naru. "Eclipse and Gearbox, off on another crazy escapade involving Sentinels..."
"I told you, Naru, that word means... Oh forget it," Umino grumbled as he fell in step behind her.
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Sailor Moon looked over her shoulder one last time, the Blackbird fast receding from view. Looking back ahead, she saw Asteroid M coming up fast. It was such an unsightly thing. A hunk of rock floating in space with domes bubbling up out of the top like some weird growths, all manner of weird constructs jutting out everywhere. And somewhere in that ugly mass of stone and metal, Naru was being held prisoner.
Hold on, Naru! We're coming for you and Umino! Sailor Moon thought, hoping that Naru was hanging on to hope herself. Time to fix things by coming to the rescue, just like old times.
It was weird, really. The X-Men first made their mark fighting Magneto after he planned and plotted on the original Asteroid M, and her father was there that day. She began her duties as Sailor Moon saving Naru from the Dark Kingdom, who eventually developed mutant powers of her own. Another way everything was coming full circle.
The Sailor Senshi sped closer to Asteroid M. Sailor Moon wondered just how far it was now. Too bad their minds were no longer linked, and she couldn't just see Mercury's visor readout through her eyes. She missed it already, that sense of connection to all her friends. Worse, according to Xavier, once they got on board it was likely Magneto or Exodus would set up interference, blocking his and Cable's telepathy.
Sailor Moon had to admit that scared her. The X-Men had lots more experience dealing with these guys. But it was up to the Sailor Senshi to clear the field.
Sighing, Sailor Moon was about to ask how much longer it would be. Mercury spoke up just then. "We're less than ten kilometers from Asteroid M, now. According to Fury's intel and what Xavier told us, our target should be above that docking bay on the right side. We punch through that, and..."
"Wait just a minute!" Mars cried suddenly. Sailor Moon looked over to see a bemused, wide-eyed look on the Shinto priestess. Lockheed looked quite intrigued, as well.
"What's wrong, Mars?" Chibi-Moon asked. "Are you... sensing something weird?"
"I was led to believe Exodus generated interference that would make such a thing difficult," Neptune added.
"Yet I'm sensing something I definitely SHOULDN'T be," said Mars. "Dark power, just like what the Shitennou gave off with their auras, coming in clear as a bell!"
"What in... Did they brainwash Naru already or something!?" Sailor Moon cried out fearfully.
Mars shook her head. "I... don't think so, Usagi. I'm sensing some anger, but not outright malice. It's just as if whatever kept Neptune and I from locking onto Naru before, it's been stripped away."
Neptune fished out her mirror to test that theory. "Mars is right. I can pinpoint Naru's use of dark energy better than ever before."
"What could've made Naru lose whatever it was that hid her from the Deep Aqua Mirror, Mars's spiritual sense, Cerebro, what have you?" Tuxedo Kamen asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine. Hopefully, it's not because Magneto's done something to her already," said Venus.
"I'm more worried about what Magneto's JUST done," said Mercury uneasily. "Dr. McCoy was right about Magneto expecting us to use the Sailor Teleport. Some sort of magnetic barrier has sprung up over the entire asteroid. He knows we're coming."
"The ENTIRE asteroid!?" Jupiter spat incredulously. "That thing must be nearly two kilometers wide!"
"Just about," Mercury confirmed. "We shouldn't be surprised. With the way the X-Men kept warning us about his power, we should've anticipated this."
"Then... how do we get through?" Chibi-Moon asked.
Sailor Moon kept looking ahead. The rocky exterior of Asteroid M was coming up fast, and she swore she saw the flicker of Magneto's barrier. Now that Naru would be easier to track, they couldn't just turn back.
"Wait a minute... Magneto knows about how we used the Sailor Teleport to reach the other asteroid. But does he know what we can do WHILE teleporting? I doubt Kizachi saw THAT," said Sailor Moon.
"And the barrier's power must be spread pretty thin," Uranus added.
"Then it's settled. We go right through Magneto's defenses!" Jupiter cried.
It was a gamble, but one that all the other Sailor Senshi were willing to make. They nodded in approval, looking right ahead. Sailor Moon concentrated, feeling more power well up from the other four Inner Senshi.
"Sailor... Planet... ATTACK!" the five of them bellowed in unison, right before they rammed into that flickering, crackling barrier. It was like hitting a brick wall in the middle of space, yet Sailor Moon could already feel it giving way. She drew on more and more power for the attack, determined to punch through. Naru and Umino were somewhere on that hunk of space rock, and they were counting on the Sailor Senshi to rescue them one last time.
Thankfully, Uranus was on the money. Magneto's power was spread too thin, over too wide an area. Without warning, it finally gave way to their onslaught, and their sphere sped ahead, smashing through solid rock.
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It was like someone had taken a hammer to his head. Magneto fell to his knees, one hand clutching his helmet, while the other went over his heart. Some of the Acolytes who were with him in the topmost dome rushed to his side. He hardly heard their confused pleas, his head was throbbing so.
Rather than focusing on the present, Magneto's mind suddenly drifted back to the past. It was just like that day at Cape Citadel. His magnetic barrier should have protected him as he went about securing that nuclear arsenal. Instead, without warning, he found himself under attack by a mysterious force, which soon breached his defenses.
It had been the five original X-Men. Months of planning and preparation, all for naught, as those five youngsters swiftly drove him off. And it was what began a long history of struggles and strife. Though once, he had tried to walk their leader's path, his old friend, but it only ended in heartbreak and misery.
Now, history was repeating itself. Even though he saw the Sailor Senshi coming, sensing the strange energies of their teleportation effect and watching from this dome, the end result was the same. They struck in a way he was unprepared for, and an all-encompassing barrier was breached yet again.
And this time, it's not just five costumed youths, Magneto thought grumpily, slowly rising to his feet. I could see it, even from this distance. The Inner Senshi teleported in with the rest of their team.
"Lord Magneto! What's happened!?" Magneto could finally make out a voice. Frenzy's.
"Is that eagerness for action I sense in your voice, Joanna?" Magneto croaked. "I do hope so. Asteroid M has just been boarded. The Sailor Senshi somehow smashed through my defenses." It was embarrassing, really. He had scolded Unuscione once before, saying Blob was right to be hesitant to draw the Sailor Senshi's attention. Now, he had ignored his own advice.
"Penetrated your defenses? So easily?" Exodus scoffed.
"I'm afraid so, Paris," said Magneto. "And the Sailor Senshi are dangerous enough, but I fear the X-Men may be right behind them."
"I took the liberty of running some sensor sweeps," came Mystique's silky voice. Magneto turned to see Mystique standing over a computer console. "As far as I can tell, no one's following the Sailor Senshi."
"And if they were, surely your magnetic powers could detect the approach of their Blackbird," Exodus added.
"You would think so," said Magneto. He levitated himself higher, to get a better look out from the dome. Space and an expanse of stars stretched out before him, yet no sign of the X-Men's fabled craft. "Charles and his X-Men... They've had much more experience infiltrating my space stations. And Charles would not stand by as his newest allies rush off to face us on our home turf. The X-Men will be right behind them, mark my words."
"Then we'll just paste the lot of 'em!" Frenzy spat, pounding her fists together.
"Don't get overconfident. Their combined might proved difficult to overcome back in Tokyo," Magneto reminded her. "But yes, we must act swiftly before the X-Men find a way aboard. Though I wonder if the best strategy is to let some of the Sailor Senshi find their way to me."
"Any special reason?" Mystique asked.
"Part of their plan to get the X-Men aboard may involve distracting me so the Blackbird's approach goes undetected," said Magneto. "I suspect they will split off into two teams. One fights their way through the asteroid so they can confront me, while the other tracks down Naru Osaka and Gerio Umino. And since I'd rather not lose yet another orbital station, leading them to a secluded section on the asteroid's far end might prevent Sailor Moon taxing Asteroid M's structural integrity to its limit."
Exodus raised an eyebrow. "You suspect the girl is THAT powerful?"
"From what Erina Kizachi told me, that Ginzuishou connected to her life force is comparable to an Infinity Stone, at the very least," said Magneto. "From what I've seen, it would be best not to test that supposition. Sailor Moon had little patience with me before. I suspect she has next to none now."
Magneto floated closer to the dome. He still couldn't see the Blackbird, yet he could sense Charles was out there, even if he wasn't using telepathy. They had known each other too long for him not to. And now he sought to mentor Usagi Tsukino, this little girl supposedly destined to succeed where both of them had failed. Before that, though, before this day was done, the Master of Magnetism just might fall before her.
Magneto studied his faint reflection in the glass. His eyes narrowed, eyes that betrayed weariness, and the anger that coursed through him with every tortured beat of his heart. And even Sailor Moon, someone professed to embody love and forgiveness, took little pity on him. Perhaps with good reason.
"Raven, Paris, rally your teams," said Magneto at length. "We sweep every level of Asteroid M, every subsection. We find the Sailor Senshi and capture them alive, if possible. Failing that, we do what must be done. And failing that, pull back and let the team seeking me out reach their goal."
He could sense Exodus's unwillingness to let any intruders reach the man he revered, but said nothing. He left with Frenzy, right before Mystique exited the domed chamber, leaving Magneto alone. He took another moment to stare out into space and at his reflection, wondering just what he had brought down upon himself.
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Naru hoped she radiated confidence as she led Umino down Asteroid M's halls. Umino was putting on a good act himself, with the way he carried himself with that weird shotgun, but he had to be scared out of his mind. He'd be an idiot not to be, considering any of the Acolytes would have pulped him already if not for Magneto's strict orders. And even that was no guarantee.
Why were the two of them cursed to be caught in the middle of these things? It was part of what had led Naru to reject both Magneto and Xavier's offers. Better not to be a pawn of anyone, and carve out her own place in the world, Naru had thought. Of course, things didn't quite turn out that way. And now, the two of them were stuck in the middle of this huge rock floating in orbit.
Did she dare try teleporting off? Out of the question. Naru had no idea what the limits of her teleportation abilities were. It was several hundred kilometers to Earth's surface. The risks of coming up short were too great. She probably couldn't survive in space, and Umino DEFINITELY couldn't.
Same for reappearing right above Earth's atmosphere and burning up as they fell into it. She couldn't even feel the spots in Tokyo that she had tagged. Maybe she would when Asteroid M passed over Japan, but who knew when that would be?
Well, in the meantime I can tag some spots on this rock, in case I need to make a quick exit, Naru thought to herself. She willed some ooze to flow down onto her hand, and idly flung it between some rocks jutting out. Granted, that's a last resort, as I still can't figure out how to not roast my passengers alive. There were just no good options. They were alone up here, up against some of the sickest minds her kind had to offer. And because of them, Nephrite sacrificed the only bit of him that survived!
Nephrite gone, her mother gone. Her friendship with Usagi strained, possibility to breaking. A country where half the people wanted her head. Even if they made it off this rock, she didn't have much of a life to go back to. And first, as Umino insisted, they had to find the computers housing all the information on Kizachi's Sentinels, and destroy them.
FINDING the damn things was the real challenge. They had been wandering quite a while, and had no idea where they were going. Perhaps she shouldn't have been so quick to destroy every computer in that med lab. Umino probably could've brought up SOMETHING of use.
"You OK, Naru?" Umino asked suddenly.
Naru sighed. "Just... angry with myself, for letting anger rule me for so long," she admitted. She fumbled for the right words as they passed a huge set of double doors. "Let's face it, we've probably never needed Sailor Moon more than we do right now. And now we're beyond her reach, assuming she's willing to go this far after everything I did."
"I... wouldn't be so quick to count her out," said Umino.
Naru stopped, turning to Umino. "Why's that?"
Umino had a weird look in his eyes. "You passed out right before the Sailor Senshi and X-Men arrived. They hit Magneto and his gang HARD. And the way Usagi unloaded on Magneto... Look, the point is, if the Sailor Senshi can use that teleport to reach this asteroid, then maybe..."
A blaring klaxon suddenly interrupted Umino, and flashing lights went off. "Oh great. Well, I guess our escape wasn't going to go unnoticed forever," Naru grumbled over the alarms.
But Magneto's booming voice bellowed throughout the hall. "Brotherhood, Acolytes, be aware that intruders have boarded Asteroid M! The Sailor Senshi have arrived! I repeat, the Sailor Senshi have boarded Asteroid M, and the X-Men will not be far behind. Find them, and deal with them, by any means necessary!"
Naru and Umino stared at other for a moment. Even though he had predicted something like this, Umino looked just as shocked as Naru felt.
Sailor Moon really had followed them all the way out here, already? They had underestimated not only what the Sailor Senshi could do, but what they were willing TO do. Naru had attacked them viciously many times, sneered at the very notion they were heroes.
None of that mattered to Usagi. She was coming to the rescue anyway, like she always did.
Naru just stood there, flabbergasted, not quite believing it despite how Magneto wouldn't send out a station-wide alert otherwise. It took a moment for Naru to notice Umino tapping her shoulder.
"Uh, Naru, it won't do us any good if we get pulped before we find the Sailor Senshi," Umino whispered.
Naru turned to look down the hallway. A few dozen meters ahead of them, the path curved. Despite the flashing lights mucking with her eyes, Naru could glimpse shadows coming around the curve. And some muttering could be heard over the alarms.
"I think I heard somethin' down this way, Cortez," Blob drawled. "Get yer pea shooter ready, but watch where ya point it!"
"Worry not, Dukes. This time I'll smother those Sailor Senshi before they even know we're there!" Unuscione snarled.
"Oh great, them again," Umino grumbled. "They won't be too thrilled to see us out and about."
Naru grabbed Umino's wrist and took off back the way they came. She wouldn't risk a fight right now, not with Umino out in the open. She was tempted to teleport back to one of her tagged spots, but again, she had Umino to worry about.
They doubled back, stopping at that doors they had passed earlier. Umino wasted no time prying open the security panel to mess with the wires. For a moment, it looked like they were in the clear. Naru heard something hiss and click within those doors. But just as it sounded like they were about to open, something fizzled within the panel.
"Oh great. Guess Magneto's not exactly perfect when it comes to whipping up stuff in an orbiting rock," Umino spat
Naru looked back down the way they came, then at the door. Those three mutants would round the corner any second. "Umino, were the hydraulics or whatever inside these doors disengaged?"
Umino looked perplexed. "Yeah, I think so. Why would that..." Naru's oil slick poured out, slipping in between the crack in the double doors. Then she willed it to force the doors apart, just enough for she and Umino to slip through. "Oh yeah," Umino muttered as he slapped the panel back in place, then followed Naru inside.
They were temporarily plunged into darkness as Naru let the doors slide shut again. Moments later, they could hear Unuscione and Cortez arguing just beyond them. Naru clenched her fists, expecting them to come in and search the place. But they passed on by, none the wiser.
"Good thing most of Magneto's cronies aren't too swift," Naru whispered. By then, their eyes began to adjust to the low light. The two of them looked around, seeing crates stacked everywhere.
"Hmmm, some sort of storage area? This seems a bit off the beaten path to be useful to stash stuff," said Umino.
"Still, let's have a look," said Naru. "It'll probably be a while before the Sailor Senshi can find us. Maybe we can find you another weapon or something."
Naru took the topmost crate off the nearest stack. It was hard to tell, given her strength, but that crate sure seemed lighter than she would have guessed. Doubtful this one had anything useful for Umino. Still, she opened it up. But whatever she was expecting, it certainly wasn't what she found inside.
She just stood there, not quite believing what she was seeing. Umino walked up to take a look. "Well, now we know why this spot's off the beaten path," said Umino dryly. "I guess this is where Magneto stashes stuff he can't quite throw away, but puts it out of sight and out of mind."
That made perfect sense, but it wasn't what Naru was reflecting on at the moment.
Her jealousy and resentment toward Usagi had simmered a long time. She had desired to be a Sailor Senshi, to radiate such confidence and beauty, to be able to help so many. As it turned out, that sort of destiny wasn't hers to follow. Instead of a graceful princess, she became a monstrously strong freak oozing filth. But Makoto had pleaded with her, tried to tell her another destiny awaited, if she only made the right choice.
Naru had scoffed at that notion. What destiny could be grander than finding out you were a reincarnated princess and warrior, with a duty to protect the whole world? And yet it was as if she was destined to find this, a clear reminder of the path she should have chosen.
Thanks to her rage and bitterness, however, she instead tried to forge her own path. Lashing out at everyone who offered a helping hand, letting grief consume her. Only to realize far too late that that was exactly what Erina Kizachi wanted from the beginning. She allowed her grief over losing Nephrite and then her mother to boil over, letting herself be duped like Nephrite had been by Queen Beryl. And in the process, refusing to honor her mother's last words and final wish.
The Sailor Senshi weren't to blame for Nephrite's death, or her mother's. They were superheroes, but they weren't perfect. Yet Naru lashed out at them all the same, even as they tried to make up for their mistakes. Regardless, the Sailor Senshi were coming to her rescue.
As she stared at the crate's contents, Naru reflected on what Makoto and Kitty said were her mother's last words. Then, she thought back to what Nephrite expected her to do.
Her terrible choices had brought things to this point, and there were still choices to be made.
But there, at last, Naru made her most fateful choice.
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Coughing as she clutched her aching head, Sailor Uranus picked herself off the floor. The blaring alarms and flashing lights going off everywhere, followed by Magneto's station-wide alert, weren't helping matters either. She could feel cold stone underneath her knees before slowly standing up, along with a rush of air.
Opening her eyes as she turned around, she saw Sailor Mercury using Shine Aqua Illusion to plug the hole they had made in the side of Magneto's base. Uranus could see other hallways just beyond the hole before it was sealed. By using the Sailor Planet Attack, they must have penetrated quite deep into Asteroid M.
Uranus wasn't the only one stunned by the blowback. Many of the other Sailor Senshi were just picking themselves off the rocky floor. And right behind her, Uranus heard stifled sobs from Sailor Moon. Turning around, she saw Sailor Moon just standing up, rubbing her bottom. "You OK, princess?" Uranus asked, raising an eyebrow.
Sailor Moon choked back another sob before smiling weakly. "I'll survive. Using the Sailor Planet Attack while teleporting isn't too hard. It's sticking the landing afterward that's the challenge." She smiled again as she accepted Uranus's hand for help up.
"Well, we made it aboard Asteroid M," said Venus. "But this place is even bigger than Fury and Xavier said. Now what do we do?"
"We stick to the plan," said Neptune coolly. "One team locates Naru and Umino, while the rest carve a path of destruction and converge on Magneto."
Mercury's visor was still out. She was scrutinizing something on the readout while punching commands into her computer. "I'm picking up intense electromagnetic distortions on the far end of the asteroid. It's got to be him."
"And if what Professor X said about his old buddy is anything to go by, the anger and sorrow this guy radiates along with electromagnetic waves should be a beacon for me as well," said Mars. "But what about Naru? I'm still getting pings of dark energy. Is it the same for your mirror, Neptune?"
Neptune gazed into her mirror. "Yes, I'm still picking up faint traces of dark power. Much closer to us than Magneto."
"Then it's decided," said Sailor Moon. "The Inner Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen split into two teams, and we make our way to Magneto. The rest go after Naru and Umino."
"I've been thinking about that, princess," said Uranus. "Is there any special reason Neptune and I shouldn't face Magneto again?"
"Uhhh, because he took you two apart the last time?" Chibi-Moon pointed out innocently, but with a wry smile. Lockheed, perched on her shoulder, stuck his tongue out at Uranus.
Uranus growled at them, but Mercury quickly cut in. "Also, we may need the Sailor Planet Attack again."
"And we don't have any time to argue about this," Tuxedo Kamen added. "Magneto saw us coming, and no doubt he's sent the Brotherhood and Acolytes after us. We must stay on the move."
Uranus sighed in resignation. "Very well, we'll locate and rescue Umino and Naru. Just... don't do anything rash, Odango."
Again, Sailor Moon smiled weakly. "What, like pick a fight with one of the most dangerous supervillains ever on his home turf?" she asked innocently.
Uranus smiled in return. Sailor Moon was doing a better job than usual of covering up her fear. She knew the girl well enough to see how terrified she was.
The Inner Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen took off one way, leaving Uranus to trudge down another. Neptune fell in step beside her, glancing down into her mirror. Lockheed flew over their heads and fluttered just ahead of them, while Chibi-Moon brought up the rear.
For a good while, they made their way quietly through the halls of Asteroid M, Neptune only occasionally giving out directions. So far, there was no sign of Magneto's minions. That suited Uranus just fine. There was a good deal on her mind, not to mention she was concentrating herself.
But given how close she and Neptune were, it was little surprise she sensed something was amiss. "Something on your mind, Uranus?" she asked, her nose still in her mirror.
"Other than how I'd much prefer making that arrogant sod Magneto pay, instead of tracking down the little brat who also thrashed the both of us? Twice," Uranus spat bitterly.
Neptune chuckled a little. "Well, it's also a matter of rescuing Umino. He certainly didn't do anything to deserve this."
"True, very true," Uranus admitted. Umino had done the unexpected, standing up to Naru and refusing to commandeer those Sentinels. It was possibly what finally began to sober Naru up. "Still, I can't help but wonder if Naru is truly worth the bother," said Uranus.
Neptune shook her head. "Even if we discount how she turned the tide against Mastermold, the girl willingly turned herself in afterward," she reminded Uranus. "She was taking another step to make amends. I was... truly shocked by that choice. It made me rethink a lot of things, especially about mutants in general."
Uranus looked to her quizzically, and Lockheed and Chibi-Moon's curiosity was piqued as well. "What about mutants?" Chibi-Moon asked.
"As this whole mess began to bubble over, I came to think it was dangerous. How these people could have such awesome power due to a freak of fate, untied to any purpose or destiny," said Neptune. "You held similar sentiments Uranus, don't forget. And my run-in with Rogue... Well, THAT shouldn't have improved my outlook any. But the more time we spent with the X-Men, and saw how they kept choosing to do the right thing no matter what, I softened my stance."
"And now Naru's choices show she's turning away from what made her Eclipse persona so horrific, I get it," said Uranus. "Still, you can't blame me if I remain hesitant to trust her, or completely forgive her."
"None of us have to. It's not up to us to judge her. Naru agreed to stand trial," Neptune pointed out. "We're merely here to bring her back so she can."
"I suppose that's one way of looking at it," Uranus admitted. "Still, I'd feel much better if..." Uranus stopped in her tracks, sensing something was wrong.
"Oh great. What?" Chibi-Moon demanded.
"Even here in this asteroid, I can hear whispers on the wind," said Uranus.
"Consider yourself fortunate," said Neptune. "Will all the water contained in reservoirs and pipes, there's no seas to whisper to me."
"Yes, it's VERY fortunate. There's danger lurking close by, something hauntingly familiar," said Uranus. Lockheed seemed to sense something too, as there was an urgency to his fluttering about now.
"Neptune, could it be Naru? Have we closed in already?" Chibi-Moon asked.
"I don't think so. The last reading I got was still a good distance away, on some level below ours," said Neptune.
"Then let's assume it's something else, something decidedly more hostile," said Uranus, producing her Space Sword.
The three of them stood their ground, ready to pounce as soon as an enemy tried to ambush them. Uranus could even see flames brewing within Lockheed's mouth as he flew about.
Unfortunately, the immediate threat wasn't around them, but underneath. Even with her senses on alert, Uranus was taken by surprise when the floor beneath her crumbled away. Neptune and Chibi-Moon cried out, reaching for her, but it was too late. Uranus fell into the sinkhole, which sealed itself up as soon as she tumbled through, cutting off all light.
Uranus felt herself sliding down some sort of transport tube. Oh great, will this thing spit me out into space!? Uranus wondered, already fearing the worst.
After a few moments, though, it deposited her someplace else. A more brightly-lit portion of the asteroid, with panels and plating lining much of the chamber's walls, though some orangish-brown rocks still jutted out.
Clutching her Space Sword, Uranus rose to her feet. "OK, that wasn't random. One of you clearly wanted to separate me from the others. Show yourself!" Uranus demanded in English, her bellowing voice echoing in the chamber.
She half-expected Magneto to emerge and take credit. Instead, a set of double-doors slid open. In stepped a huge man in a ragged brown longcoat, with an unkempt mane of blond hair.
"Ya got that right, Tenoh," said Sabretooth. "Out of all them Sailor Senshi, you're the one who's tickled my fancy the most."
"Is that so?" Uranus spat. She wasn't exactly flattered by Sabretooth telling her this, having a good idea why he felt this way, thanks to both Gambit and personal experience. Sabretooth was a bloodthirsty hunter, pure and simple. No doubt he saw her as the most entertaining game among the Sailor Senshi.
"Yep. Can sense stuff on the wind, right?" Sabretooth asked in a taunting voice. "Well, I can feel it in my bones, practically smell his stink on the wind. The runt's comin', ain't he? Figure I can give 'im your head as a welcoming gift."
"Come and take it," Uranus dared, raising her Space Sword. Snarling, Sabretooth dashed into the chamber, claws bared.
He was just as swift and lethal as before. Uranus managed to keep him at bay, but his speed and strength were still considerable hurdles to overcome. And just as before, even the most devastating wounds she inflicted with her sword healed almost instantly, while the pain from his punches would linger for Uranus.
Worst of all, now that Sabretooth knew Uranus was willing to go in for the kill, he took extra pains to make sure she couldn't strike at his throat. Instead, thanks to his speed, Sabretooth eventually grabbed HER by the throat. Uranus feared he would poke the claw on his thumb through her windpipe and finish her. Instead, he hoisted her up and delivered a few body blows.
Ugh, not as excruciating as when Rogue does it, but I'll still be feeling these in the morning, Uranus grumbled silently as Sabretooth tossed her aside. He could've finished me right there, but instead he just wants to drag this out, make me suffer. She slowly rose, Space Sword still in one hand and clutching her gut with the other.
"Got some fight left in you. Good," Sabretooth sneered. He drew close again. Then he roared, readying himself for a lunge. But just as his feet left the floor, something blasted him away. Something... black.
Eyes widening in surprise, Uranus looked to the direction that blast came from. It came from the open doorway, beyond which there was still darkness. A figure slowly stepped into the chamber's light. Uranus's eyes were assaulted by a bright yellow and blue. Some sort of form-fitting suit worn by a girl.
The girl looked over to Sabretooth. Uranus gasped, seeing it was Naru. There was no fury in those eyes anymore, or anxiety, or confusion. Just a cold determination. As Uranus stared, she got a better look at what Naru was wearing. Namely, what was on that suit's belt buckle. A circular X emblem.
It was one of those old X-Men uniforms. Somehow, Naru got hold of one, ripped off the sleeves, and put it on. Before, Uranus still had mixed feelings about this girl. Now, Naru made it clear where she stood.