Sailor Moon - The Order of Black
Chapter Fifteen: Mercury's Gambit
Originally published 10/07/2015
Operating budgets, health and safety audits...by Selene, the Order of Black isn't an evil organisation at all. It's a bureaucratic nightmare! Titus lifted his gaze from the screen before him and sighed with weary resignation, resting his eyes a moment as he surveyed the command centre with pride. While my resolution to 'eat fish and take naps' only lasted a week, I think the last six months were quite productive.
With little by way of official business to occupy his time, he wound up tinkering with the equipment in the command centre. An upgrade to the computers resulted in a performance increase of 2.73%. A link to the satellite networks of several intelligence agencies gave them the ability to view photos and data from around the world as needed. But his proudest achievement by far had to be his repair of the teleportation pad.
Enabling it for cross-planet transport was impossible. Without the Eternity Main System to provide it with telemetry, there was just as much chance of disintegrating its passengers as transporting them. What he had been able to do, however, was reactivate it and tie it into the Senshi's communications network. Now, the girls could teleport straight in from about thirty meters out, their communicators acting as the command node. With their new method of entry in-place, Titus had arranged – via computer – a layer of concrete to be poured in over the top, effectively hiding the facility away from the labourers rebuilding the Crown Arcade above. The Sailor Senshi finally had a secure base of operations, along with a far more suitable place to hold official meetings.
"The Order of Black certainly loves its paperwork," Artemis grumbled. "So far I've drawn nothing but training reports!"
Titus allowed himself a quiet chuckle. "Be thankful for that, too. In my days as Serenity's Shadow, it was rare to find any physical records, let alone this level of detail. My investigation of Beryl relied mostly on eavesdropping and hearsay due to Earth's ...uncivilised technological state at the time. The modern age more than makes up for it, though. Backups and other redundancies such as cloud storage mean everything is out there, just waiting to be found. As long as you're willing to spend the time looking for it."
"You get way too excited about this stuff," Minako said, glancing up from her own screen.
"What can I say? I love my work."
She rolled her eyes at him. "Right."
Titus expected Luna and Artemis - after all, research was their primary role on the team these days – but when Minako showed up with them he'd been quite surprised. To the blonde's credit, though, she'd offered to help and she was doing just that, having already identified several points of interest among her own selection of files.
"Not that we're complaining," Luna said, turning her attention to the blonde, "But why did you offer to help us sort through all of this in the first place? It's not...well, it's not really your usual style."
"Oh, you know," Minako replied, with a shrug. "I couldn't just sit on my hands anymore."
Titus watched as Artemis opened his mouth, presumably to correct her...only to close it again a second later. She got one right for a change.
"What else am I supposed to do? Without a target to stomp on, this is as about as useful as I can be. Until they send more of those Hunter guys after us, anyway."
Yet again, I can't fault Minako's logic, Titus thought. I'm not sure I like this recent trend.
Luna seemed to agree. "How very...focused of you."
Artemis sighed. "Here we go."
The effervescent girl sprang back to life. "Well, I learned last night that I probably have psychopathic tendencies, and I've decided to try really hard not to let them impact my life negatively."
Luna's eyes bulged to twice their normal size. "Psychopathic tendencies?!" She shot Artemis a dirty look. "What kind of nonsense have you been filling the poor girl's head with now?"
"Me?!" he sputtered. "I didn't do anything!"
"Psychopathic tendencies?" Titus was unable to contain his laughter; it was the most ludicrous thing he'd heard in a long time.
"You would think it's funny," Minako said, with a pout.
"No, no," he assured her, still chuckling, "I'm not laughing at the perceived diagnosis, I'm laughing at how ready you are to believe it!" All he got in reply was a confused stare; clearly he needed to elaborate further. "Listen, we're hardly the best of friends, which I admit I may have had a hand in-"
"You messed with my head, and stole my memories of the Silver Millennium!" she snapped. "On top of that, you...well, you're kind of a douche."
Artemis hung his head dejectedly. "Yet another wonderful phrase you've learned from Corey."
"Douche or not," Titus continued patiently, "Take it from me, Minako, you're not a psychopath. Nor are you suffering from psychopathic tendencies."
"I wish I'd said that," the white cat muttered. "Oh, wait. I did, just last night!"
"But I checked the symptoms," Minako argued, as she raised her fingers and began counting. "I have almost no impulse control, I'm rude without meaning to be, I want instant gratification and I'm easily bored-"
All easily countered arguments, he thought smugly. "Neither does Usagi, Rei's far ruder than you, we live in an age of instant gratification, and attention spans on the whole are decreasing."
"But-"
"Minako, a psychopath is almost entirely incapable of forming emotional bonds with other people." Titus allowed himself a derisive little snort for emphasis. "I mean, I'm more of a psychopath than you'll ever be!"
Her face fell. "That can't be right. There has to be some kind of explanation for my...my..."
"Your stranger behaviour? Of course. You certainly have your quirks…but so do most humans. Perhaps you do have some underlying personality disorder of sorts, but I wouldn't worry about it. It certainly hasn't proved an impediment to achieving your goals so far, has it?"
Minako stared back at him warily. "I see..."
"As someone who wouldn't hesitate to tell you if I thought you were nuts, take it from me. You're a perfectly normal nineteen-year-old woman." He paused, then... "For the most part."
Her right eyebrow rose sharply...along with her voice. "For the most part?"
"You just got through telling us you're a psychopath," he retorted. "You can't expect me to just ignore that, can you?!"
The blonde opened her mouth to snap back, in their usual routine...but smiled instead. "Thank you, Titus. That actually makes me feel a whole lot better."
He shuffled uncomfortably at her gratitude. "You're welcome." I must be slipping. Minako and I don't get along.
"Wow," Luna observed, nudging him playfully. "How uncharacteristically nice of you, Titus."
"Yeah," Artemis agreed, swatting his tail from behind. "You big softie, you!"
"I can be nice!" he protested, as the fur on his back rippled irritably. "Sometimes…"
A brief flash of light from the teleportation pad signaled the arrival of one of the Senshi. Much to his consternation, however, it was Ami…and she was holding a stack of printouts.
"You!" she yelled, pointing right at him. "I want a word with you!"
Luna flashed right back to irritated. "What have you done now?"
"I'm sure I can't possibly imagine." It was a lie, of course, and not a very good one at that. Perhaps I've miscalculated this time…
Ami stomped towards him, holding up the printouts. "You did this, didn't you?!"
Perhaps he could bluff his way through. "Whatever do you mean?"
"I just received an email from my program's coordinator, telling me to take as much time as I need to - and I quote - look after my sick brother!" Ami's eyes flashed in an uncharacteristically dangerous manner. "Care to explain?"
Yes, he decided, his ears flattening unwittingly, I've definitely miscalculated!
"But you don't have a brother…" Minako said, as she pressed her fingertips together nervously. "...Do you?"
"No, I don't," Ami agreed, "Which made this email all the more confusing. Then, I started digging and found a birth certificate, medical records, school enrolments, exam results...a complete fictional life for this brother that doesn't exist. So, I started thinking. Who has the knowledge, skill and capability to craft such a perfect lie?"
Titus' ears pricked up unwittingly at the compliment, leading to a smug snort from Luna. Damn my ego! "You automatically assume I was the one who-"
"Oh, it was totally you," Minako scoffed. "I recognise that smug tone of yours!"
"Definitely," Artemis agreed.
"You're such an idiot," Luna muttered. "Who else would it be?"
Ami stopped before him and waited. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Titus?"
He took a deep breath, considered his options...and shrugged. "I assumed with the current situation as it is that you'd want to stay in Tokyo. Perhaps I overstepped my bounds-" He was cut off as she swatted him on the nose with the rolled up papers. "Alright, so I definitely overstepped my bounds! My usual efficiency has proved a detriment in this particular instance."
Ami swatted his nose a second time. "You did not just give yourself a compliment as you admitted fault!"
"Stop hitting me!"
"Yes, Titus, you should have consulted me! Together, we could have come up with a solution that didn't involve a fictional brother and several other outright lies to my coordinator." She shook her head in disbelief. "How did you even do all this?"
He performed one of his famous cat-shrugs. "Computers."
The papers hit his nose a third time. "Don't treat me like Minako!"
"Hey!" the blonde called, with an indignant huff. "I'm not that stupid."
Ami blushed immediately. "Sorry. I know you're not stupid, I'm just-"
"Don't worry about it. Titus can have that effect on you…even if his irritating personality is just masking a tiny little cat heart of gold!"
He groaned irritably. "I say one nice thing to you and our relationship is ruined?!"
"You consider this ruined?!" Minako demanded. "What, you want us snapping at each other all the time?!"
"It worked!" Titus argued. "Now, I don't know what to expect from you!"
"Fine," she grumbled, folding her arms across her chest. "You stupid...idiot!"
Strangely, her pathetic insult actually made him feel better. Minako wasn't really so bad, but they had a dynamic that worked...and he didn't like change. It was nice to have friends though, despite the constant nose swats. He couldn't deny that.
"Presenting Paladin Smythe, Exalted Knight of the Undying Sun."
Endymion stood beside his father's throne, watching as the knight approached. He wore the typical plate armour of his order, the golden tint that lent them their nickname sparkling as it caught the light. He carried his helmet under his arm, removed in accordance with court etiquette. To wear a helmet before the king was a grave insult, and perhaps even sign of ill intent.
His father motioned the knight forward, smiling approvingly as he took a knee. "Arise, Sir Smythe. It has been far too long since one of your order graced our court with their presence."
"These are dark times, Your Majesty, and I fear our work keeps us far from the trappings of Elysion."
Endymion suppressed a tight smile. Smythe's tone was just deferential enough to avoid disrespect. It had been a little over two years since his last encounter with a Golden Paladin, and it appeared their opinion of his father hadn't improved much in that time.
"A pity." His father spread his hands apart in a gesture of magnanimousness. "What brings you before us today, then?"
"I bring word from the borderlands. We have countless reports of monstrous creatures roaming the countryside, burning farms and villages alike. Your people cry out for aid, Your Majesty."
"This is your plea?" The king sounded almost bored. "Are the Exalted Knights of the Undying Sun not capable of handling a few wandering beasts?"
"The beasts are but a symptom here," Smythe said flatly, "Not the cause. There are whispers of a witch named Beryl. She gathers power quietly in the shadows as her creations harvest energy in her stead. We-"
"Yes, yes, we have heard of this woman and her simple parlour tricks."
Endymion couldn't hide his frown. This was a Golden Paladin; his word carried weight. How can my father just ignore him like this?
"Our spies tell us she is little more than a charlatan, preying on the superstitious and weak-minded."
The Paladin seemed unimpressed. "With respect, Your Majesty, testimony from my brother knights confirms the tales. One saw her turn a man inside out with nought but a flick of her wrist. Such sights are beyond any mere trick of the eye!" His eyes flashed defiantly as he stepped closer to the throne. "I beseech you. Send out your army. Take back your lands. My order is scattered across the kingdom; we need time to regroup. Time this Beryl will use to further increase her power, and her reach. She must be removed now, Your Majesty, before she is too great a threat for even your armies to crush."
An impassioned plea indeed, Endymion noted. One my father will ignore as he has before.
"We must have proof of this woman's crimes," the old man said, proving him correct. "I'll not raise our armies on scattered whispers from frightened peasants."
"Is the word of a Knight of the Undying Sun not enough?" Smythe's tone bordered on insolence now.
"No," the king said, equally blunt. "Elysion's walls are strong. If this Beryl should come…we will outlast her."
"And what of the people outside its walls?"
"We shall entrust their protection to your order, Sir Smythe." His eyes narrowed coldly. "After all, you should prove more than capable of defeating a single woman…should you not?"
Mamoru hated his father at that moment. He saw him for what he truly was; a weak, self-absorbed coward who was crippled by greed and the fear of losing even one iota of his power. To willingly sacrifice your own people to preserve yourself was despicable…and he was ashamed to be his son.
He turned to the tall, brown-haired man beside him and gestured to Smythe. "Nephrite, please arrange a meeting with Paladin Smythe before he departs Elysion. I would very much like to hear more from him on this matter. And consult the stars; let's see what they have to say of this witch Beryl."
His friend smiled faintly as he bowed. "At once, Your Highness."
Wait…Nephrite isn't my friend. He's my enemy. At least, he was my enemy. His eyes narrowed as his confusion only grew. "No. This isn't right. You're dead…"
Nephrite faded away along with the whole throne room, disappearing into nothingness before his very eyes. A flare of intense light blinded him for a moment, slowly resolving into the outline of a man, shrouded in flame. It raised a hand towards him, and a booming voice erupted, seemingly within his mind and around him at the same time.
"You must learn more, Endymion. You must become more!"
Mamoru awoke with a start, drenched in sweat. Another dream, he realised, running a hand wearily over his face. He turned instinctively to his left to find Usagi…and fell off the couch. Of course Usagi wasn't here. The events of the night before flashed through his mind, bringing with them a terrible sense of loss.
She needs a break, he thought, recalling her tears. She said it isn't permanent, but she needed me to think about our relationship…and make a decision. It wasn't an ultimatum, at least not in her eyes...but it was hard to see it as anything else. Marry her or lose her. Simple.
In trying to spare Usagi pain he'd only caused her more, and that hurt him more than the thought of losing her. It wasn't the first time he'd hurt her, either; he'd broken up with her once before after his future self sent back nightmares urging him to do so. But just like now, it had only caused her more pain in the end.
A large part of his reluctance stemmed from his fears about the kind of ruler he would become. The kind of man he would become. Endymion seemed cold in so many ways, he thought bitterly. Just like my father. Is that what becoming a ruler does to you? I'm not so sure I want to rule Crystal Tokyo if that's the price I have to pay. How can I be there for Usagi, to help her through her fears when I can't even master my own?
"Perhaps Usagi would be better off without me," he murmured, as he finally rose to his feet. "But if we don't get married, what happens to Chibiusa?" There were so many questions to be asked if they didn't proceed as the future dictated they must. Mamoru buried his head in his hands and sighed in sheer frustration. There were just too many variables to consider as he made his decision.
He needed someone to talk to, but who? He couldn't go to any of the Senshi. They were polite, even friendly with one another…but they weren't friends. Not really. The age gap between them and their differing interests left them far apart, and without Usagi to bring them together they would probably never interact. And their first allegiance is to her, he decided. I can't trust them not to repeat what I say as soon as we're finished.
That left him with just one choice. Someone who might actually understand his dilemma, his crisis of self…because he'd gone through one of his own just six months earlier. Mamoru picked up his phone and made the call. "Corey, it's Mamoru. I, uh…I was hoping we could talk."
Megumi sat in the cafeteria, her tray untouched before her. She was far too distracted to eat, largely oblivious to the raucous din around her. Her whole world had been turned upside down, beginning with the revelation that her father was alive. Alive, she thought, and in command of what he called the Watchful Eye. From his explanation, it was best described as a cadre of fanatical Paladins responsible for enforcing the Order's will.
Not only that, but the Chaos Slivers that granted Paladins their power came with several unpleasant side effects, mindless rage chief among them. In her father's words, it fell to the Watchful Eye to 'do what must be done' and 'silence' them – a more polite word for kill – before they could harm any of their comrades or expose the Order to the world. Most troubling of all, though, was his proposal; he wanted her to join them.
Megumi was horrified at first, but with more and more thought she found herself beginning to see a justification for their existence. The Order of Black had to continue; she believed that more now than she had when she first joined. They alone were capable of checking the Moon Princess's power, and that of her Sailor Senshi. Someday, she would attempt to reform her mother's kingdom, and war would begin in earnest. Without the Order to defend it, Earth was already lost.
It was an extreme view, but one she couldn't fault. Not entirely. Like it or not, the Order was in need of soldiers. How many would volunteer to serve if they knew it meant eventual madness and death? Megumi didn't know the answer, but how could the Order take that kind of risk with so much at stake?
"Megumi!" Harry Wilson's boisterous Lancashire accent tore right through her thoughts. "How are you feeling? Any better?"
She managed a tired nod and a smile. "I'm coping. Thanks for covering me the other day." The huge English Paladin was a member of her squad, and as close to a friend as anyone in the Order...with the exception of Rin. And he's dead, she thought bitterly.
"No problem. We all have to look out for each other, right?"
We do, don't we, she agreed silently. "Right you are."
He eyed her tray hungrily, and her dessert in particular. "Not eating today?"
She could see where this was going. "I'm not really hungry, no."
"Mind if I nick your cupcake?" he asked, with a cheeky grin. "They were all out when I got here."
"Sure, Harry," Megumi said, with a quiet laugh. "Help yourself."
"Cheers. See you at afternoon muster." He wandered off, half her cupcake already in his mouth.
Could I really do it, she asked herself. If he was about the expose the Order, and I was given the order to kill him...could I do it? Her father had raised her to respect honour and duty above everything else – the ancient samurai code – but could she really kill someone like Harry in cold blood? Her first and only true allegiance was to the Order, and by extension Earth itself. If his death became necessary to ensure the Order could continue its mission, then... "Perhaps I could…"
Ami wandered down the street in silence, trying to decide what to do with herself. She was still mad at Titus if she was honest. He had definitely crossed the line, but she had to admit a grudging admiration for his work at the same time. If she didn't know any better, even she'd believe she had a sick little brother…and he was right; she did want to remain in Tokyo. It was frustrating having to take a break from the German program, placing her dreams on hold again, but she wasn't bitter about it. At least not towards her friends, or even Titus…but it would be a lie to say it didn't hurt a little.
Her sudden change in plans also left her with little to do. Her mother didn't know she was back yet – that was going to require some thought to explain – and Ryo had work, thinking she'd be back in Germany by now. She was close to the shrine, though, and that reminded her of a certain chess playing Paladin.
A match would be just the thing to take my mind off it all, she thought, and it will give me a chance to get to know Rinjirou better. After all, chess reveals a lot about a person. Whether they're cautious or bold, a tactician or a gambler…it's all information we can use. The more she thought about it, the better she felt. I've been away for too long. The least I can do is provide analysis, like always.
Ami reached Sendai Hill in no time at all and climbed its familiar steps up to the Hikawa Shrine. A cursory glance around the courtyard hinted that no-one was there; perhaps Rei was in her room. She knocked twice, but got nothing but silence in reply; the miko wasn't here.
"Ami?"
She flinched as she span around, embarrassed by her startled response. A familiar dark-haired man in shrine robes studied her curiously. "You remember me. How are you, Rinjirou?"
"I'm…alright." His answer was hesitant, as if he weren't sure. "Rei's not here, I'm afraid. University, I think."
Ami kicked herself mentally. Of course she is. "Right. I keep forgetting." She stared out at Tokyo over the treeline, taking in its sights. "I haven't been around very much over the last few months."
"Germany, right? You're going to be a doctor."
"Someday." I hope. "I'm taking a little time off." She was uncertain exactly how much she should tell him, finally settling on Titus' lie. Strangely, it made her feel bad. "Family emergency."
"Oh." Rinjirou actually mustered a sympathetic smile. "I hope everything's okay."
"It will be, I'm sure," she murmured, as she mulled over her earlier plan. "Say...since Rei's not here, and I have a rare free day, would you be interested in that chess match I suggested last time?"
"Uh, sure. I'm all finished with my duties for the time being." He still sounded like a soldier, the way he said 'duties'. "You wanted to play now?"
"If that works for you," she said, with a friendly smile. If I can come to understand the way he thinks, it could be a major benefit in the event of future conflict between us. That's what I do, after all; data analysis and tactical thinking. Ami wasn't the strongest Senshi, and she'd long made her peace with that. I'm the best at what I do though, she decided, and I'm going to help any way I can.
They were seated on the steps of the main hall in minutes, about to get underway. That was one of the beauties of chess; setting up the board took almost no time at all. Rinjirou's second move was a gambit, one not many players traditionally used. A surprisingly bold move so early in the match, but a trick I've seen before.
She countered accordingly and sat back, waiting for his response. "How long do you think you'll stay on at the shrine?"
His calculating blue eyes studied her closely as he made his next move. "I haven't really decided. It'll depend on…I mean, Hino-sama still has so much left to teach me, you know?"
It was a lie, but one she'd expected. Rei's grandfather had likely told him to lie to anyone who asked, and she wasn't exactly being honest herself. "I understand. It's beautiful here, isn't it?"
"There's a certain peace to this place," he said wistfully, moving his knight in another surprising use of tactics. "I can think here. There's no noise or distractions. Not like the city."
"Absolutely." He was thoughtful. That meant he was at peace with his nature as a killer, or Grandpa was right and he wasn't one at all. Ami responded with a gambit of her own to counter his first…and he saw right through it, collecting her bishop as a trophy. "Well spotted. Have you played for long?"
She noticed him stiffen; it was slight, but enough for her to see. "My father used to play me when I was younger. He said it was good for the mind." His expression was unreadable, almost blank – this was someone quite accomplished at hiding his emotions. "That all stopped after my mother passed, but I continued playing whenever I could. It's…it was one of the only interests we shared."
Ami settled on leaving that particular topic alone. She understood absentee fathers all too well with her own situation growing up, and she was barely comfortable sharing her feelings with her friends, let alone someone she hardly knew. Rinjirou doesn't come across as a killer, though. That means-
He rose to his feet cautiously, a determined glare focused behind her. "Ami, you need to get out of here. Now."
She glanced over her shoulder and felt her blood turn to ice in her veins. Two tall figures stood in the centre of the courtyard, wearing black, hooded robes and odd, pointed masks over their faces. These must be the Hunters the others were talking about.
"Did you think we wouldn't come for you after the Sanctuary, traitor?" The Hunter was a woman, her voice cold with just a hint of rage beneath it. "You've cemented your betrayal now, working with the Moon Princess and her servants."
"What's going on?" Ami asked, playing dumb. "Who are these people?"
"That's not important," Rinjirou said quickly, moving to stand between them. "They're here for me, not you. You're innocent…and you need to run. I'll make sure they don't follow."
I can't help as Ami, but as Sailor Mercury… "I'll get help, call the police-"
"They can't help," he assured her. "Now, run!"
She leapt to her feet and dashed into the trees, as if circling around to the bottom of the hill and the road. Not that she went very far, of course, instead ducking into the bushes to wait for her moment.
"We'll find her," the woman called, in what was clearly a taunt. "No witnesses, remember?"
"You won't hurt her," Rinjirou replied, oddly calm. "You won't hurt anyone ever again." Ami watched as he pulled two daggers from his robe. "I've been expecting you, Hunter, and I won't lose again."
"Excellent." The second Hunter was male, from his voice. "Perhaps you'll die with some dignity after all." He drew a long sword from beneath his robe and stepped forward. "For the Black!"
Rinjirou parried with his own blades, sparks hitting the stone as the steel clashed together. The taller man lunged at him again, driving the former Paladin back.
The woman raised a gauntlet-clad hand; it was surrounded with dark energy. "Crippling Veil!"
Her intended target was able to duck under her blast; Rinjirou dashed forward, right at her comrade, and fell back in a baseball slide that took the Hunter's legs out from under him. As the masked man crashed to the ground, Rinjirou thrust down with one of his daggers and stabbed the blade into his back. It seemed he had a propensity for unorthodox tactics in hand-to-hand combat as well.
The woman drew her own sword and drove at him, swinging down with force. He deflected her blow but lost hold of his remaining dagger in the process. Rinjirou needed help, and Ami was going to provide it whether he wanted it or not. She reached back for her power stick and held it high.
"Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!"
The familiar power of Sailor Mercury coursed through her body as her clothing melted away, replaced with her Senshi fuku and skirt. Her arms came up across her chest as she focused her power and fired off her first attack. "Sabao…Spray!"
A thick mist rolled across the courtyard, engulfing Rinjirou and Hunters alike. Opponents always saw it as a useless 'attack', failing to grasp its true purpose as a diversionary tactic. I only need to buy Rinjirou enough time to recover, she thought, as she dropped her visor over her eyes; it allowed her to see everything with perfect clarity.
"What is this trickery?" the female Hunter snarled, stalking Rinjirou through the fog. "Another Senshi ally, traitor?"
Mercury dropped to the stone beside him…and was dismayed to find his remaining dagger pointed in her direction.
His tone was terse. "What do you want?"
"I'm here to help you," she retorted, "Whether you like it or not!" A shadow appeared in the fog; the male Hunter. She leapt back, avoiding his blade as he swung in her direction, and danced around him to land a kick to the back of his head.
"I don't want your help!" Rinjirou snapped, as he exchanged blows with the masked woman again. "I want nothing to do with you, or your Princess!"
"Crippling Veil!"
Mercury's argument was cut off as an intense pain erupted from her eyes, her vision going dark with it. It was a sharp, burning pain, worse than almost anything she'd felt in her life. It's a blinding agent of some sort, she thought frantically, but how did she get it into my eyes from such a distance?!
Something struck the back of her leg and her back hit something hard – the ground.
"I get to kill a Sailor Senshi and a traitor. This day just keeps getting better." The female Hunter was standing over her, or at least it sounded like she was.
Mercury scrabbled backwards – at least, she thought it was away from her opponent – but flinched anyway at the clang of steel on steel.
"You defend her?!" the Hunter snapped, incredulous.
"Honour demands a life for a life!" Rinjirou called, as another metallic crash echoed throughout the courtyard. "Besides, I hate you a whole lot more than I hate her right now!"
The downed Sailor Senshi was able to pull herself to her feet, albeit unsteadily. He defended me, she realised, as several more clangs rang out around her. Her sight began to return as the pain subsided, slowly but surely. Whatever she used on me, its effects are short-lived but potent. Crippling Veil indeed!
The former Paladin was locked in a furious battle with the female Hunter, and seemed to be focused on avoiding her strikes rather than deflecting them. The fog was beginning to dissipate, leaving them exposed…and the second Hunter was on the move again.
Time to step things up, Mercury decided. I've never attacked another human before, so I'd better be careful. "Shine Aqua Illusion!"
He raised his forearm, a strange swirling mass of black energy spreading out from it to catch the ball of ice and absorb it effortlessly. Her visor detected several familiar readings. Negative energy. Chaos. That fits with what we know about these Paladins so far.
"A good effort, Senshi, but we do not fall to your kind so easily."
His arrogance is just another weakness to be exploited, Mercury realised. Perhaps another gambit? "Sabao Spray…Freezing!" She focused the blast on his feet instead, encasing them in a thick layer of ice that froze him in place.
The Hunter didn't even so much as struggle; he just stared at her from beneath his mask. "You made but one mistake."
His quiet confidence was unnerving. "And that is?"
"You assume I have no ranged capabilities." He raised his hand, negative energy crackling around it. "Shadow Barrage!"
Several ebony bolts erupted forth, right at Mercury. She avoided them as best she could, wincing in pain as one grazed her ribs. Rinjirou was struck in the shoulder and spun to the ground.
Rather than press their advantage, however, the apparent leader signalled towards the trees. "Pull back, Inquisitor. We have failed."
The woman began her withdrawal, clearly reluctant. "You won't escape us next time, traitor. We will end you the next time we meet!"
A bloody but defiant Rinjirou glared back at her. "I was just about to tell you the same thing."
The Hunters vanished from sight, but Mercury had no difficulty tracking them with her visor as they moved through the trees. Eventually, they left visual range; confident they were really gone, she let out a weary sigh and turned towards her companion.
He was clearly wary of her presence. "I could have taken them."
"It didn't look that way from where I was standing," she countered, irritation easy to muster at that moment. The Order's conditioning must run pretty deep. Even with everything Titus said he learned at that Sanctuary facility, he's still distrustful of us. "Thanks for the save, by the way. That Crippling Veil ability she has was...unpleasant."
"You may have saved my life when you intervened." He was clearly reluctant to admit it. "Honour demanded I do the same...but we're even now."
Was it simply honour, she wondered, or is he just putting on a gruff face? "Yes, I suppose we are. Must we be enemies, though?"
"You're a threat to this world, whether you see it or not," Rinjirou replied, with no hesitation. "The Moon Kingdom of old was a corrupt, hypocritical mockery of justice. They claimed to guide Earth, to watch over and protect it…but it was all a lie. Where were they when Beryl showed up? Where were they when famine struck?" He shook his head. "No, the moon did nothing for Earth but hold it back, and your Princess will not reform that same, tired institution on our world."
Mercury had nothing to say to that; it was clear he wouldn't be swayed by simple conversation. "Say what you will about the Moon Kingdom, or even my Princess…but we aren't the ones killing people. Innocent people…like the girl you were with earlier." It was a test; what would his response be here, away from Ami's eyes?
His eyes snapped wide open as he looked around. "Ami! Is she-"
"She's fine. They were far too focused on you to threaten her." It seemed he really did care, if not for her specifically then at least for innocent life. That was comforting, and meant there was hope for him yet.
"Good." Rinjirou seemed to deflate, losing his edge. "I don't want anyone else hurt because of me."
"I'm glad to hear that." She took a slow step backward; it was time to end this conversation. "I don't claim to know what the future holds, Paladin, but the Sailor Senshi stand for Earth as you do. That means we're on the same side…whether you're willing to admit it or not." She leapt back into the treeline and down the hill, prepared to loop back as her civilian self. I can only hope that sinks in, Rinjirou, because your actions today weren't that of an enemy. You're a decent man…and I hope you can come to see that we're not the threat you think we are.
AN: I don't really have an awful lot to say about this chapter. Obviously the focus was on Ami and Rinjirou (then Mercury and Rinjirou) - I wanted to show her more analytical side at work trying to decipher his personality and determine his threat level. Then, admittedly, it felt like it was time for a little action and we knew those two Hunters were still lurking around...so I brought them back for a visit.
The opening scene was really just intended as a bit of light-hearted fluff, but it DID bring Ami back to Tokyo, at least for a while. It's sad that her dreams are on hold again but hey, she's a Sailor Senshi; when duty calls, you have to answer. Titus and Minako's relationship has been a weird one to watch unfold, too; it's largely antagonistic, but in a teasing, almost friendly way and their interactions in this chapter sort of proved that. He CAN be nice, when he's not being an arrogant douchebag, lol...but that's what makes him so much fun to write!
Thanks as always for your reviews and thoughts, and for any recent favourites - they're greatly appreciated. Until next time, everyone.
Lisseas