Sailor Moon - The Order of Black
Chapter Three: Coming to Terms
Originally published: 05/05/2015
"Why are you so hell-bent on retrieving the thing that killed your mother?"
Rinjirou's jaw just about hit the floor. "What?! How did it-"
"Not the Sliver in my possession, of course," Hino clarified. "She carried one of her own...just like you do. That was responsible for her death."
None of that makes any sense, he thought. Chaos Slivers killing people, my own mother included? It isn't possible. She died in battle, defending the innocent...that's what my father always told me! But now, the priest was telling him it was all a lie. How was he supposed to just accept that? "No, I don't believe you. The Order stands for good-"
"Oh?" The priest raised an eyebrow. "And what good has it done lately?"
"We've retrieved many Chaos Slivers and-"
"And that's good?" Hino asked, with a frown.
"Of course it is! We keep them safe...prevent them from falling into the wrong hands!"
The old man's eyes narrowed slowly. "And you're so sure the Order's hands are the right ones?"
"Yes! If not theirs, then whose?"
"Tell me, Rinjirou," Hino said, as he stared up into his eyes. "What does the Order of Black do with these Chaos Slivers once it acquires them?"
"They create new Black Paladins." He knew that was good. It had to be. Black Paladins served as the Earth's protectors; how could they be anything but good?
"And what do those Black Paladins do?"
"They defend the world. They stand for good-"
"The same answer again," Hino observed. "It's quite important to you, isn't it? Standing for good?"
"There is no higher calling."
The priest nodded thoughtfully. "Do you know what a Black Paladin really is?"
"What kind of stupid question is that?" Rinjirou retorted. "We're proud warriors of Earth who stand against greed, corruption, and the future tyranny of the Moon Princess."
"Yes, but what is a Black Paladin really?"
"I…I don't understand your question." Rinjirou admitted, shuffling his feet uncomfortably. Why was it all so difficult? I know I understood everything back in training. Nothing was unclear then...so what's changed?
"A Black Paladin is indeed a warrior...and a proud one at that. Your mother certainly fit that description. But beneath that, at their core…they're a human being. A human being who has been corrupted by a tiny piece of Chaos itself…and turned into a weapon." He began to pace back and forth. "The Chaos Slivers grant power and abilities far beyond that of any ordinary human, it's true, but they exact a terrible price in return. Almost every Black Paladin is doomed to a short life and a lonely death."
That...that's not possible. "What price? You're not making any sense!"
"It's all quite clear if you just open your eyes to the truth," Hino said, with a sad smile. "When was the last time you saw a Black Paladin older than forty? Other than the Knight-Captain?"
"I…I must have seen one somewhere. I'm sure of it." Why can't I think clearly? Why does everything seem so muddled? His eyes widened at the most damning question of all. Why haven't I asked any of this before? "It...it's a difficult job. Perhaps they retired, or...were promoted? Maybe they've moved to other bases-"
"Listen to yourself," Hino said, with a slow shake of his head. "You're in denial. They've lied to you, Rinjirou, and they've been lying to you…all of you…for a very long time."
How can I believe that, he thought frantically. The Order is home. The Order is family. He kept on repeating it over and over again in his head but the familiar old mantra wasn't calming him the way it used to. The Order is home. The Order is family.
"The Chaos Sliver inside you will eventually drive you mad," Hino said softly. "It will twist your mind, fill you with rage and hatred...until you lose all control of your impulses and become a mindless killer."
Rinjirou found the priest's pause for breath almost ominous.
"When that day comes a special type of Paladin will be sent after you. The Order calls them Hunters." He exhaled slowly, almost regretfully. "They will find you, Rinjirou, no matter how fast and how far you run...and they will put you down. Like a dog."
A cold feeling of dread spread out through Rinjirou's chest. "You're lying," he whispered. "The Order...they would never-"
"I know it's hard for you to hear, but such is the fate of almost every Black Paladin in the end..." The priest's voice dropped to a whisper. "Such was the fate…of your mother."
Something snapped in his mind. Whatever it was, it was basic and primal; a white hot rage that boiled over inside him, burning hotter than any anger he'd ever felt before. "No! You're lying! I found a home with the Order of Black, old man! Friends! Family! A purpose! They wouldn't take me in just to betray me! I refuse to believe that!"
The priest took a few careful steps back. "That was quite the outburst. Tell me, young man…how long has it been since you received your Chaos Sliver?"
Rinjirou realised he was holding his daggers; he'd drawn them without even thinking about it, his fingers clenched around their hilts so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. The familiar coppery taste of blood filled his mouth – he'd bitten down hard on his bottom lip during his rage. He forced himself to take slow, steady breaths, and the anger began to fade...along with any patience he had left for this little farce. "Hand over the Chaos Sliver, Hino-sama, or-"
"Or what?" Hino's voice rose up in a clear challenge. "You'll beat up a defenceless old man? You'll kill me?" He shook his head emphatically. "No, Rinjirou...I'm an excellent judge of character, and you? You're not that kind of person. Your mother wasn't either…until Chaos claimed her mind." The only sound in the room was his sorrowful sigh. "Now, I'll ask you this one more time. Is this the life she would have wanted for you?"
A wordless cry of rage and frustration rose in Rinjirou's throat as he turned and stormed out of the shrine. He couldn't bring himself to kill the priest…but he couldn't listen to any more of his lies, either. I have to get some place quiet. I have to think! There are rational answers to all of these questions...I just have to find them!
A few hours later…
Rei stared at Usagi like she'd grown a second head. "You're going to trick Mamoru into proposing to you?!"
"Yep!" The blonde's smile was predatory, almost terrifying - it reminded Rei of a lioness stalking her prey. "He'll have no choice by the end but to declare his undying love and beg me to marry him!"
Luna's head hit the wall with a dull thud. "Selene help us all..."
Rei stared at her friend in disbelief; she'd actually drawn a complete blank on insults for once. "Uh..."
Makoto nudged her gently. "Just go with it. She's pretty serious about all this."
"I never would have guessed..."
They were sitting outside her room, waiting for Minako and Corey. Ami wouldn't be coming, of course; she was in Germany, finally living her dream of studying medicine abroad. Rei couldn't begrudge her for pursuing her dreams, but it just wasn't the same without her here. Especially with a potential new enemy on the horizon.
Luna made an attempt to change the subject. "When was the last time Haruka and Michiru checked in?"
My two favourite Senshi, Rei thought bitterly. They were in Europe at the moment; Michiru was on tour, of all things, and Haruka and Hotaru had decided to accompany her. Hotaru was a little depressed after Chibiusa went back to Crystal Tokyo. Hopefully her little European adventure has cheered her up by now.
"They were due to arrive in Brussels sometime today," Usagi murmured, as she stared down at her phone.
"Speaking of arriving..." Makoto glanced at her own phone and frowned. "Where are Corey and Minako? She's never been all that punctual but she has been doing better since she started dating him."
Usagi shrieked and scuttled backwards as a shadow dropped to the ground beside her. "Damn it, Titus! How many times have I told you not to do that?!"
Queen Serenity's former spymaster managed the feline equivalent of a shrug. "I apologise, Usagi. It wasn't intentional, I'm just...naturally stealthy."
"Do you know where they are?" Rei asked irritably. "We were meant to meet here at three!"
"They're on their way, but...brace yourselves. They're in a fight."
"A fight?" Usagi's brow furrowed in concern. "Why are they-"
Corey's voice echoed across the courtyard. "I don't understand why you're getting so upset over a friggen' panda!"
Right on cue, Minako appeared at the top of the steps, with Corey and Artemis right behind her. "That panda," she snapped, as she turned and jabbed a finger into his chest, "is called Take-chan...and I've had him since I was three years old! He's a symbol of love, Corey. Our love!"
"Huh?!" Corey seemed utterly dumbfounded. "I've only known you for eight months! That doesn't make any sense!"
Rei could sympathise; she was as confused as Corey sounded. But then, Minako's logic always has been a little screwy.
"You don't make any sense!" Minako retorted, as she stomped towards them. "Usagi?"
"Uh…yeah?"
"Would you kindly tell my stupid boyfriend that we're no longer speaking?"
Usagi hesitated a moment before turning to Corey. "Uh, Minako says-"
"I heard her," he muttered, as he shook his head. "I can't believe you're giving me the silent treatment over a stuffed panda!"
"Huh. That's weird." Minako made a big show of looking for him before throwing her hands up in 'confusion'. "I thought I heard something…but there's nobody here!"
Corey groaned as he ran a hand over his face. "So, now I'm invisible?"
"There it is again!" She was proving herself a much better actress than Rei would have assumed. "Whatever it is, though, it sure sounds stupid!"
"Don't you think you're being just a little crazy about all this?" he asked.
"Don't you think you're being an inconsiderate jerk?!"
Rei sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. This is painful to watch!
Corey smirked triumphantly. "I thought you couldn't see or hear me?"
"Well, you're…that's…I mean…" Minako let out an annoyed groan. "Oh, damn it!"
"He's got you there, Minako," Makoto said, with a wide grin.
"Oh, shut up!" the blonde snapped, as she locked an angry glare on her boyfriend.. "I'm so mad at you right now!"
"What are you even fighting about?" Usagi asked, as she followed suit. "What did you do, Corey?!"
"Me?!" he sputtered. "I-"
Minako cut him off mid-sentence. "He won't let me bring three of my stuffed animals over to his new apartment. Three! Apparently, they're too girly for his cool new wannabe bachelor pad!"
"I never called it that…" he muttered. "And I wouldn't even need a new apartment if you hadn't trashed the old one."
Titus perked his head up. "That is true-"
"Shut up, Titus!" He recoiled in fright as Minako locked an impressive death-stare on him. "Terror's the one who blew a hole in the wall. I was helping!"
"Yeah," Corey said grumpily, "but who tore a massive hole in the ceiling and knocked out the other wall with an errant Love and Beauty Shock?"
"IT'S NOT MY FAULT HE BLOCKED IT, IS IT?!"
"Oh, gods!" Rei groaned as she grasped her ears in pain; Minako's voice had just reached a whole new level of shriek - Luna, Artemis and Titus were actually howling in pain!
"It's like nails on a chalkboard," Makoto cried. "From hell!"
Usagi shoved Corey hard. "For god's sake, just give her what she wants before she does that again!"
"It's not just that!" Corey argued. "You've got more clothes in my wardrobe than I do in the whole apartment! Your hair-dryer's been sitting on the bathroom basin for weeks, and you've used the new kitchen so much you've already started two fires-" He shut up abruptly as he went pale.
Rei glanced at Usagi, then Makoto. "Has he seriously only figured out what's happening now?"
The tall American raised a trembling finger towards Minako. "You…"
Usagi sighed. "Wow...you really are that dense."
"We live together?!" Corey cried, as he advanced on his girlfriend. "I see it now! You've been sneak moving in for weeks!"
A nervous laugh slipped from her lips, all traces of anger suddenly gone. "Um...surprise?"
Corey sank onto the steps behind him slowly, apparently lost in thought.
"I..." Minako trailed off too. "Um..."
Luna cleared her throat loudly and glared at them both in turn. "If you two are quite finished with your little domestic, do you think we could get started?"
"Pull yourself together, big guy," Makoto said, as she slugged him in the shoulder. "You'll be fine."
He grunted noncommittally as stared at the ground before him.
Minako shot a nervous glance his way, then sat quietly with a quick nod. "Sorry, Luna."
"Well," Luna said, as her fur slowly smoothed down again. "You requested this meeting, Rei, so I'll leave the rest to you."
The miko clapped her hands together nervously as she stood. Where do I even begin? She rubbed at her forearm absently; the cut under her sleeve was itchy. "So, we had a visitor this morning…"
Rinjirou's mind was a jumbled mess as he hurried down the street. The priest's words echoed over and over again in his head. It will twist your mind, fill you with rage and hatred. You'll become a mindless killing machine. They will find you. They will put you down...like a dog.
"He was lying," he murmured, desperate to convince himself. "He had to be lying." No matter how much he wanted to believe it, though, there was a strange quality of truth to the old man's words. He wanted to listen.
But the Order is home, he thought. The Order is family! They wouldn't do these things, would they? It was inconceivable...but he did have doubts of his own. The Order I believe in wouldn't have ordered an old man's death. It should be enough to retrieve the Chaos Sliver; Hino-sama doesn't have to die. A sharp sigh escaped his lips as he slowed to a halt. I don't know how to think, or what to believe. How do I decide who's right?
The moral dilemma he faced wasn't his only problem. He'd managed to encounter a Sailor Senshi on his first day in Tokyo...which meant they now knew he was here. She'd fought well, but his abilities had clearly caught her by surprise; an advantage he wouldn't have in any further encounters. In addition to the danger, her appearance had led to further questions. Hino-sama intervened, tried to stop our fight...even when she was winning. That's another point in his favour...isn't it.
His hotel lay ahead...and the shrine behind him. Rinjirou wavered as he stared back and forth between them and tried to decide between two possible destinations...and two possible choices. "What do I do?"
"So we have another enemy on our hands," Usagi murmured, with a frown. "I was really hoping the Revenant Knight would be the last one."
Minako looked similarly depressed. "A few years off would have been nice."
"You said it," Makoto agreed, as she folded her arms across her chest. "After all the crap we went through with the Revenant Knight and his little band of murderers, too..."
Rei managed a silent nod. She was far too preoccupied with this 'Rinjirou' and his sudden appearance to dwell on the other implications. I don't know who this guy is, or what this 'Order' is about...but it all hints at something far more sinister. And Grandpa, despite my doubts...is somehow involved. That worried her more than anything else; it was impossible for her to imagine her grandfather as anything more than the harmless old pervert he appeared to be, but the evidence was overwhelming. He knew the guy's name. He brought up this 'Order' they were talking about. No matter what I think he is involved...and I need to know how.
"I could watch the shrine," Corey offered. "Keep an eye on things in case your stranger comes back?"
She smiled faintly. "I appreciate the thought, Corey, but I can handle that." She sighed sharply. "Besides, Grandpa didn't seem all that worried when he was talking to this 'Rinjirou'." No, she continued silently, he even tried to stop our fight before it could begin.
"I'll do some research," Titus declared, stretching lazily as he stood. "I'm no Ami, but I can surf the web with the best of them."
"I hate to break it you, Titus," Makoto said, with a quiet laugh, "but nobody says that anymore."
Minako's reaction was far less subtle; she laughed like a hyena. "You're like a furry little old man who's trying to convince everyone he understands technology!"
Rei actually had to hold back a laugh of her own - Titus' death-stare was just as impressive as Minako's from earlier...even if it didn't stop her laughter.
"A secret 'Order' with invisible warriors..." Luna murmured, as she turned towards Artemis. "Does any of that ring a bell with you?"
"None," he admitted. "Rei, you're certain he said 'I live to serve the Black'?"
"That's what he said," she agreed. Right before he tried to kill me.
"I'll add it to my search criteria," Titus grumbled, still glaring daggers at Makoto and Minako.
"Hey," Usagi said softly, as she reached out to squeeze Rei's shoulder. "Are you sure you're alright? You said he made you ill."
"I'm fine," she assured her. "It was just a little nausea." I feel guilty for holding back about the rest, especially the fact that Grandpa knows my secret, and maybe everyone else's too...but I have to talk to him first. About a lot of things...
"High Seeker Thorn. Thank you for coming."
"I live to serve the Black." The hooded man's voice was harsh and flat; almost mechanical.
Elder Haim leaned back in his chair, his fingers locked together before him. "Have your Hunters been keeping an eye on Paladin Payne?"
"He made contact with the priest a few hours ago...but left the shrine without the Chaos Sliver."
"Hino is still alive, then?" He heaved an irritated sigh. "That is a pity, but we shan't write young Rinjirou off just yet. I'll speak with him...remind him of his duty and give him another chance to prove his loyalty to the Order."
"Why? Kill him now, Elder. Once a traitor, always a traitor."
"Your dedication to the cause is as admirable as always, old friend," Haim replied, with a chuckle, "but let us not forget. A second generation Paladin is a rare and valuable commodity...one we can't afford to simply throw away, if it can be avoided. He will have one last chance to kill Hino...and prove himself a loyal brother of the Black."
"And if he will not obey?"
"Then he shall face your Hunters...and they will return with two Chaos Slivers."
Minako glanced nervously at Corey again as she walked alongside him in silence. He hadn't said a word to her since the shrine…and he was having much more success using the silent treatment against her than she had with him. In a familiar moment of self-reflection, she was once again forced to wonder if she really was insane. Sane people talk about this sort of thing, she told herself. They don't just go ahead and do it!
"Why didn't you just talk to me?"
She jumped, startled by his unexpected question. "Um...I'm not sure."
"Minako."
"Right." He's not in the mood, she thought, as she fidgeted nervously. "I…I thought you'd think I was insane."
Corey snorted quietly. "For wanting to move in together?"
"Uh-huh."
"As opposed to sneaking your way in gradually over a few weeks like all the other sane people?"
"Well, of course it sounds crazy when you put it like that!" she grumbled. "I just...I love staying with you, Corey. I love sleeping beside you, and I love waking up in your arms. I hate the nights I spend at home...away from you. But you never brought it up...so I just started bringing stuff over, hoping you'd pick up on my hints. Then, when I realised I'd already moved half my room into your apartment, I started getting nervous...and I guess maybe that's why I've been so snappy lately. I felt guilty for making that decision on my own...but I was also mad at you for not asking me. I really, really wanted you to ask me…"
Corey ran a hand through his hair. "Don't you ever worry that we're moving too fast? I mean, I practically live with you already and there are some days when you just drive me insane-"
"Are you breaking up with me?!" she demanded, suddenly terrified. "I'm so sorry, I know I shouldn't have just-"
"What?!" He pulled her into a tight hug and stroked her back gently. "No, Minako...god, no! I'm not breaking up with you. Jesus, you jump straight to that?"
"Well, I don't know! My mind just jumps to conclusions sometimes...you know that!" She let herself relax in his embrace, happy for the moment of closeness after spending most of the day yelling at him. "Would living with me really be so bad?"
His chin came to rest on the top of her head as he pulled her in tighter. "No...it wouldn't. I was just-"
"Caught by surprise?" Minako felt him nod and sighed quietly. "I'm sorry, Corey. I should've just asked you straight up."
"That would've been nice," he admitted, with a gentle sigh of his own. "Spending so much time with you was great, at first. I felt like I needed it, after it was just me and Titus for so long, but…god, Minako, you drive me crazy sometimes! You know that, right?"
"I know." She tilted her head back and placed a gentle kiss on his neck. "You still love me though."
"You know I do." He kissed the top of her head and sighed again. "Look...this isn't how I imagined this conversation going, but most of your stuff's already at my place anyway, so..."
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. "Wanna move in with me?"
"Yes!" She stretched up on her toes, ready to kiss him...and hesitated. "Our fight's over, right?"
Corey responded with a smile and a kiss. "Fight over."
She pressed her lips to his in a kiss of her own, and smiled as she lay her cheek against his chest. "So I can bring Take-chan around?"
"Sure," he agreed, with a quiet chuckle. "He is a symbol of our love, after all."
"So long as you understand that means Hime and Yuko are coming too."
"Who?" he asked warily.
Minako rolled her eyes in mock irritation. "The pink bear on my nightstand and the frog in the corner, by the lamp. They're best friends. Bringing Take-chan without the others is pointless…and mean."
Corey's grin began to fade. "Well, you did ask for three…and I guess it is our apartment now…" He took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Sure, bring 'em over."
She couldn't resist teasing him, just a little. "I don't know…maybe after all the emotional trauma our fight caused, I need four...or even five?"
"What?!"
"I'm kidding!" she assured him, with a mischievous giggle. "Three is just fine." For now. She linked her arm in his and let her head rest on his shoulder as they resumed their walk home. Our home, she thought, with a contented sigh. Despite Crazy Minako's best efforts...everything worked out once again.
AN: Corey and Minako didn't play such a big part in the chapter originally, but it felt right to showcase their relationship a little after spending so much time with them in Last Guardian Knight. She's a little mental, and he can be clueless...but they somehow find a way to make it work, lol.
Rinjirou's beginning to doubt the Order of Black, but he still has a lot of unanswered questions. As does Rei, about Rinjirou, the Order, and Grandpa. Some of those questions will be answered in the next chapter; stick around, it should be fun.
This will likely be the last 'quick' update - I had the prologue and first two chapters written before I started posting the story. I had intended to hold onto this one until I'd finished chapter four but I felt bad for ending the last chapter on a cliffhanger, as mild as it was, and decided I couldn't keep you guys waiting. Thanks for your reviews and feedback, as always - I'll be back with another chapter shortly.