Sailor Moon - The Order of Black
Chapter Twenty Six: Running Out of Time
Originally published 20/09/2015
"Well done, Corey." Sailor Pluto couldn't keep the smile off her face as the Space-Time Door finally went dark. It was difficult not being there for Hotaru, but the Guardian Knight seemed to have it all well in hand. What a difference six months makes, she thought, pleasantly surprised. Considering he seemed like nothing but a cocky simpleton when we first met…I'm glad I was wrong. She found it infuriating having to watch like this as her friends engaged this 'Order of Black' without her, but it was her duty; she'd already been away too long.
Theoretically, she could return to their time just a few minutes after leaving. It was an easy feat with her ability to move through time. Doing so wasn't nearly as easy to resolve with her personal thread through time, however. Like it or not, time had passed from her perspective…and she was beginning to feel its passage more than ever.
"I'm sure I never used to get lonely like this," she murmured, well aware she was speaking aloud, an all-too-common occurrence of late. "Not before I was resurrected as Setsuna Meiou, at least." There was a solution…though not much of one. Neo-Queen Serenity had once suggested she train another Guardian – an apprentice of sorts – to watch over the Space-Time Door in her absence. Pluto wasn't a fan of the idea for a multitude of reasons, not least of which was the monarch's primary candidate. "In what upside-down reality is Diana a good choice for Guardian of Time?!"
Her head snapped up, eyes scanning the mist around her. That's odd, she thought warily. For just a moment I was sure I was being watched. That was impossible, though. Nobody could reach her here. Not without one of the Crystal Time Keys, anyway, and they were all accounted for. That's not quite true, I suppose. There are a few powerful beings that might be able to navigate the vortex alone, but they're all dormant. Or dead. That settled it; she was clearly just imagining things. The boredom must be getting to me. Or the loneliness.
Literal time lacked meaning in this place. The Space-Time Door existed outside time itself, meaning a year could pass in a second, or vice versa. Pluto felt every second, though, a fact that did little for her melancholic state. She missed her friends. All of them. Hotaru, Michiru and Haruka. Usagi. I think I'd even settle for Minako and her inane chatter at this point. After taking a moment to consider exactly what that would likely entail, she changed her mind. By Selene, I really am going stir-crazy here!
Pluto almost missed it, lost as deep in thought as she was. A hint of movement in the mist, a shadow just out of sight; she wasn't alone. "Who goes there?"
No answer came, no convenient explanation for what she had seen. Whatever she had seen was the very definition of a ghost, gone without a trace as quickly as it had appeared.
Just as the Guardian of Time began doubting her own eyes, she saw it again. A person; of that Pluto had no doubt. A second silhouette caught her eye a moment later, then a third. "Halt!"
Six robed figures stepped slowly into the open air, black hoods obscuring their faces. They appeared familiar, yet she couldn't place them right away. Have I seen them in person, she wondered, or just through the Space-Time Door? It's so hard to remember sometimes.
Pluto slammed the Garnet Rod into the ground before her. "You trespass where none may stand. If you value your lives then turn back now, for all who break the taboo must be eliminated!" It was an old phrase, perhaps even a little tired, but some traditions had to be upheld.
"Sailor Pluto." His sinister tone sent a chill down her spine for reasons she couldn't explain. "The so-called Guardian of Time."
They had complied with her order to halt, for now. The Senshi frowned as his head lifted, revealing an odd, black mask beneath his hood. A pair of white triangles extended out from the forehead and jawline to almost meet at an elongated 'snout'. It was a familiar design…but she couldn't place it at that moment. "Who are you? Why have you come here?"
"You may call me Thorn…and I am here, as always, to serve the Black." He raised his right hand, and his companions drew swords from beneath their robes; four classic European broadswords…and an exquisite katana.
Black? As in the Order of Black? Pluto didn't believe in coincidence. Not when the literal timing was this close. "I will warn you one last time. Turn back; the Space-Time Door is not for you or your kind."
His finger rose towards her menacingly. "Kill her."
The four broadsword-wielding figures surged into action, spreading out around her. There were few things Pluto considered truly 'strange' but they were one of them. All four were of exactly the same height and build, even with the robes confusing matters. They strode in unison, moved in unison, as if perfectly synchronised. Then, they struck. Pluto brought up her staff, absorbing one vertical cut as another swung at her midsection. She dipped her own weapon to deflect that hit then lashed out in a sweep, toppling one of her attackers, before burying the Garnet Orb in another's face. Her swings did little damage, though; they seemed to recover immediately.
"Bureido…"
Her eyes snapped towards Thorn; he was still, seemingly content to watch, but the sixth and final of his soldiers was moving. The katana in her hands – it was clearly a woman's voice – was now glowing a brilliant violet as she entered a backhanded spin, a move Pluto had seen Justice perform before.
"Storm!" A rippling surge of energy erupted around the blade in her hands as the woman completed her manoeuvre, hurtling through the air before splitting into multiple ragged bolts as they converged on the startled Senshi.
Pluto summoned her strength and withdrew, the Garnet Orb shimmering as a dull, ruby shield burst into existence around her. The first bolt dissipated harmlessly, but with each successive hit the dome weakened considerably. There's something terribly wrong here, she decided, as she straightened up once more. Her attack did far more damage than it should have, like my own abilities were somehow weakened. It was another alarming sign; Pluto had encountered such power before…but for it to be here now was impossible!
There was scarcely time to regroup as her initial assailants swarmed around her, raising their swords. Pluto went on the offensive again, lashing out with her staff repeatedly, but it was no use. She had little time to react, no space to move; every attack she dodged led straight into another. They're trained to fight Sailor Senshi, she realised, disturbed by the very notion. Every movement and attack is planned to deny me any chance to concentrate and summon an attack. Her attention was also taken by the mysterious 'Thorn'. He was clearly the leader of this group, yet he'd not moved an inch since the attack began. Why were they here? The Space-Time Door was dark and wouldn't respond to just anyone. What was their goal?
The masked woman dove on her with a powerful downward cut; Pluto brought the Garnet Rod up to take the hit, grimacing as a painful shockwave ran down its length and into her forearms. She was able to ward off two more strikes before a fourth nicked her shoulder, drawing blood. Her concern began to mount. They're far more skilled than I thought, and they have the edge in numbers. Just as a tinge of fear began to form in her heart, though, the Guardian of Time spotted an opening; the remaining four had spread themselves out as their comrade attacked…and that left her with room to move. I'm not done yet! "Dead Scream!"
Her staff unleashed a destructive purple orb right into her nearest opponent. The blast tore through his robe but faltered as it reached some sort of matte black armour beneath. It mattered little to the end result, however; he flailed as he was knocked backwards by the impact, taking one of his fellows down with him. The katana-wielding woman closed in again, but Pluto caught her in the head with a follow-up swing, staggering her. This fight is far from over, she thought, emboldened by her success. I can still drive them…off?
Thorn raised his right arm, hand outstretched towards the Space-Time Door…and it sprang to life in complete defiance of everything she'd ever learned about it.
Her heart sank, and her confidence along with it. "Impossible! How did you…?"
The masked woman glanced over her own shoulder, right at Thorn, before breaking off her attack to dart for the glowing portal.
"Stop!" Pluto rushed after her but found her path blocked by the four robed men once again. She hit one with a second snap Dead Scream but was dismayed to see it dispersed against the same strange armour. "You can't!"
The woman sheathed her katana and stopped before the Space-Time Door, staring into its depths. A brief nod from Thorn was returned before she stepped forward and disappeared from sight. Thorn's mask turned toward her briefly as he began to move, closing in on the Door himself.
"I order you to stop!" Pluto screamed furiously, raising the Garnet Rod high. "Chronos Typhoon!" The whirling maelstrom of purple energy tore into the men around her, scattering them and knocking all but one to the ground. Her display of power had the desired effect; Thorn had stopped, now turned to face her once more. It gave the Senshi a chance to look into the Space-Time Door…where she saw familiar crystalline spires. Crystal Tokyo?!
The ominous 'Thorn' clapped his hands together once. "Enough." Her attackers froze and withdrew in perfect unison as before…yet she was still penned in.
"No-one has such power over time but me. No-one mortal, at least." This was her chance. She could get him talking, recover some of her energy. Formulate a plan.
"Oh, but I am far more than any mere mortal." He folded his arms across his chest…and she was not at all pleased to see his men do exactly the same thing. "Haven't you figured it out yet, Senshi?"
Pluto had…but she wanted desperately to reject her own conclusion. Only an ancient being of great power could have navigated the vortex to reach this place…but there are no such beings left. At least, there shouldn't be."What business do you have in Crystal Tokyo, creature?"
He laughed, a cold and mocking sound indeed. "You would have me reveal all my secrets? I'm afraid not, Guardian. You'll just have to figure that out for yourself."
"I will not allow you passage," she said, raising the Garnet Rod determinedly. "Turn back now."
Thorn's shoulders rose beneath his robe in a shrug. "As expected." He clapped his hands again. "Kill her."
They struck as one, swords slicing through the air towards her. The Senshi of Time anticipated their movement, though, and leapt back to create some distance. "Dead Scream!" Her attack rushed out at one of them, his robe already torn by a previous hit, and struck him in the chest. The same matte armour dissipated the hit…only she finally realised the truth. Not armour. It is him! "How could you have access to these creatures?!"
"My Shadow Men?" Thorn asked, his voice hinting at a sly smile. "An amusing diversion from an old nemesis of mine…but effective nonetheless, once refined. Do you like them?"
An old nemesis? The Revenant Knight? Pluto's eyes widened in fear and doubt as she realised exactly who it was she now faced. "You were destroyed. Sailor Moon destroyed you!"
"And yet, here I am. Resolute as ever. Eternal." He raised his hand and unleashed a devastating blast of negative energy, almost black lightning. It coursed over her body with a crippling, near-paralysing pain worse than anything she'd ever felt before. The Constructs around her tossed their own weapons aside, familiar talon-tipped bursting through their gauntlets as high-pitched shrieks filled the air.
This wasn't good. Not at all. These Constructs seemed resistant to her attacks, stronger than any of the previous types they'd encountered in the past. And there was also the matter of the woman who had gone through the Space-Time Door already; there was no telling what havoc she was causing in Crystal Tokyo.
Pluto's distracted state caught up with her a moment later as a set of black claws tore into her side, and the Constructs piled on, dragging her to the ground. More claws tore into her flesh, raking across her skin as she cried out in pain. The Garnet Rod hung loose in her grip...but it was still in her grip. It shook as she dug deep and summoned a final, desperate attack. "Chronos Typhoon!"
The Construct that had drawn blood was destroyed outright, torn apart in the maelstrom as another was flung out of sight, far from the Space-Time Door. There, she thought, struggling to stand, I have an opening. If I can only...
Another of Thorn's blasts tore into her, shredding her fuku over her midsection and raising large, red welts on her skin. The pain was unbearable, sapping her remaining strength in an instant. She fell forward onto her knees, held up only by the two Constructs that seized her arms.
The masked 'man' leaned in close, a low, mocking chuckle rising from this throat. "I'll give your best to Small Lady."
"Small...Lady?" Her ragged whisper was the best she could manage in her condition. "What...do you want...with her?"
"I want nothing with her, but she carries something precious. The key to a plan one thousand years in the making." His fingers extended and closed around her throat, beginning to squeeze. "Goodbye, Senshi. Fear not, for your friends will join you shortly...along with your Princess."
Black spots began to cloud Pluto's vision, her brain protesting the lack of oxygen. I have to get away, she thought, desperate. I have to warn them...it's coming! Her gaze fell on the Space-Time Door; the portal was dark for the moment but it was her only chance. She just needed time to focus. All of her remaining strength went into the Garnet Rod...to form another shield. The ruby dome extended out from the Orb at its tip, manifesting physically and forcing a surprised Thorn and his Constructs back.
The Guardian of Time struggled to her feet, lurching unsteadily towards her only escape. She closed in on it, imposing her will until it shimmered faintly and revealed the skyline of Crystal Tokyo. Just a few more steps!
"Where do you think you're going?"
Her side exploded in burning pain as another dark lightning blast tore through her flesh. Pluto's legs fell out from underneath her, sending her toppling forward and through the threshold. She struggled to regain her focus but the pain and disorientation were too much. The vortex buckled around her as it shattered, sending her hurtling off-course and into the untamed mists of time itself. Her sight grew darker as she fell uncontrollably, fear now clutching at her heart, until it failed her completely. Pluto was was left adrift in silence, falling until a strange, peaceful calm claimed her...
Megumi couldn't believe her eyes. She stood in the heart of the resurgent Moon Kingdom, one thousand years in her own future. This was Tokyo, yet different; great crystalline spires jutted out of the skyline, standing in stark contrast to the remaining buildings from her own time. It made no sort of sense she understood, given the amount of time that had passed, but she couldn't argue with what she was seeing.
She stood in the middle of a street but there were no cars in sight. People wandered by periodically, but not in the great crowds she remembered from the Tokyo she knew. They paid her little mind, in fact, and she finally realised why. Shadow Walker. I'm still unused to having it. That was always Rin's trick, and now… Megumi pushed any thought of him from her mind, as difficult as it was, and forced herself to focus on the mission. Rin's gone. I'm here on an important mission, and I can't let random thoughts like that distract me.
Her thoughts turned instead to her father and the other members of the Eye she'd left behind with him. It was against her nature to flee from a battle…but it had always been the plan. It seemed, as the Eye's junior member, that she was to be coddled. Megumi was less than impressed, but it was duty; her personal feelings didn't matter. They'd be along soon, she was sure of it.
Megumi focused on studying her surroundings instead, taking in every detail. The street was well-lit, but she saw no trace of power lines or generators. Was it some sort of magical energy? Of far more interesting note was the great crystal spire to the east, towering over everything else in view. Could that be a palace? The place that lends this city its name? With nothing but time to kill, she reached up, pushed back her hood and removed her mask before flagging down the nearest passer-by.
"Excuse me." It was surprising how easily she slipped into a London accent. Too long away from my home, I suppose. "I've just arrived in the city, from…" Realising England may not even exist anymore, Megumi adjusted her cover story on the fly. "From overseas, and I'm curious. What is that?"
He looked about thirty, a thin man with thick-rimmed glasses, and he wore a look of concern. "That? That's the Crystal Palace. Everybody knows that."
"I've been…away. Cloistered, very busy with my studies, you know?"
"Oh." It was a terrible lie – even Megumi knew that – but he seemed to buy it anyway. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. That's where the King and Queen live, along with the Sailor Senshi."
Megumi affected an air of surprise; she was committed to the role now. "They live in that thing? It's so…big."
"Mm-hmm. It's impressive, no doubt."
The timing seemed right for her next question. "Are you…happy? Being ruled by a queen, I mean."
"What? Of course." Her new friend seemed genuinely surprised by her question. "We live in peace, protected by the Sailor Senshi. Nobody grows old or gets sick. Nobody dies. What's not to be happy about?"
It sounds like a utopia, Megumi thought idly. But the Order couldn't have gotten everything wrong. There must be some sort of dark side to all this I'm not seeing. "It just seems so…odd. People of the twentieth century were fiercely anti-monarchist. Everyone really loves the queen unequivocally?"
"Oh, you're a historian?"
"Er, yes. Yes, I am." It was as good an explanation as any…though she found all this cloak and dagger activity rather tiresome; it was much easier to simply announce your intentions and fight your enemy. "I'm still surprised she was able to take power so easily."
"I wasn't around for Queen Serenity's ascension personally – I'm too young – but by most accounts it was a relatively peaceful transfer of power."
He was too young? This is a thousand years in the future! His earlier statement began to make more sense. Nobody ages, gets sick…or dies. Is that the true power of the Silver Crystal? No, it can't be that perfect!
"Only…" His cheerful façade finally began to show its first crack. "There was that uprising. The one a few centuries back?"
"Oh, right, that uprising." It sounded promising, whatever it was. "What, er…what do you remember about it? It'll be useful for my…paper."
"Not everyone was happy with the queen's rise to power. Some rebelled, using dark magic to attack Crystal Tokyo." There was definitely a touch of discomfort in his voice now. "Dozens of innocent people were killed, but the Sailor Senshi destroyed the rebel stronghold and captured the ringleaders. It was then that the queen performed her cleansing."
"Her cleansing?" That sounds ominous. "I, uh…I remember it well."
"Those who refused chose exile instead, and were banished from Earth forever." He shook his head slowly. "I can't understand it myself. Who in their right mind would want dark magic around? Count me among the queen's proud supporters, I'm glad she cleansed the world of its taint. Everybody's a lot happier without all that evil around!"
Megumi was horrified; it was all beginning to make perfect sense. Serenity, she…she used the Silver Crystal to cleanse the world? Is that why everyone loves her? Did she use her power to brainwash the planet into obedience?! And who rose up? Was it us? "These rebels…do you remember who they were?"
"Not really," he replied, entirely too nonchalant for her liking. "They returned a few years ago, calling themselves the Black Moon Clan. The queen and the Sailor Senshi forced them into exile again, even brought everyone who was lost back again-"
That wasn't important to her right now. "But what of the Order of Black?!"
He looked right into her eyes as he answered. "The order of what?"
Megumi turned away, shaken to the core. "Thank you for speaking with me." It was impossible. The Order would never simply allow this to happen, she thought. They would have revealed their existence to the world, drummed up support for an open offensive. Are we so easily forgotten? Did this new Queen Serenity remove all traces of us? Were we erased from history when she coerced the world's people into following her? Is that what happened?
"We have confirmation, then. Good."
She jumped, turning – with some difficulty – to see her father; the faint distortion around him a sign Shadow Walker protected him from view. "High Seeker, you made it." Only three of her brothers were with him, though; had the fight been more intense than expected? "What of the Senshi?"
"She is lost in the great void of time itself. A fitting punishment, I think." He moved past her towards the distant palace. "We now have proof of what we've always known; the Progenitor was correct. A terrible future indeed awaits our world, for the Moon Princess will twist it into a mockery of itself. These people are but sheep, unwitting puppets who fail to realise they've been enslaved."
Part of Megumi almost protested. They hadn't spoken to anyone else. They only had one man's view to base their opinions on…but she believed. Earth had fallen once before, betrayed by the Moon; an unfortunate history it appeared doomed to repeat. "We won't let that happen. We can return to our time, prepare for war-"
"Not yet." Her father's carried an odd tone, almost anticipation. "We will investigate further, and see for ourselves how deep the corruptions runs."
She followed obediently, replacing her mask and hood as Shadow Walker shrouded her in a cloak of anonymity once more. The Order of Black had been validated, their sacred mission avowed. A dark future indeed awaited Earth; the Moon Princess and her Senshi would seize power and perform 'the cleansing', a great injustice by any definition of the term. It was clear now more than ever; they had to be stopped.
Usagi Small Lady Serenity - still Chibiusa, though only to herself - hurried down one of the palace's many corridors. Her brain actually hurt after the study session she'd just been put through, and she couldn't get enough distance between herself and her tutor. "That was rough."
"Fumiko certainly can be a little exacting." The small, grey cat riding atop her shoulders nuzzled her cheek in response. "It did help, though, didn't it? No doubt you'll do better on your next exam."
"I'd be disappointed if that was all for nothing," she grumbled. "I fail one lousy math quiz and Mama goes off the deep end! It's not like she was a straight A student herself!" There was a lot of vitriol in her voice but the truth was she couldn't be too mad; Fumiko had taken time out of her own studies to help her and she did have a better understanding of the material now. 'Miko really does know her stuff, she admitted. She's gonna be an amazing teacher one day. Just like her mother.
"Princess!" The form of address was respectful…but the tone was anything but.
"Oh, boo," Chibiusa muttered, before forcing a brilliant smile. "Ceres! I was just looking for you!"
The pink-suited leader of the Sailor Quartet folded her arms across her chest. "Uh-huh. I'm sure it was difficult, considering I was waiting in the training room like we agreed. You're late for practice."
"Yeah…" This was going to be unpleasant. "The thing about that is…I can't make it today."
Ceres' right eyebrow twitched, eerily reminiscent of an angry Minako. "You cancelled last week too."
"I know I did, but I already made plans to see an old friend, and-"
"Pluto," the Senshi said, with a weary sigh. "You haven't seen in some time, have you?"
Chibiusa shook her head emphatically. "No, and I know time doesn't have much meaning for her but this is the day we planned, and-"
"Fine." Ceres cut her off with a curt nod. "You can miss today, but in return expect you to make up for it with an extended practice session tomorrow. You claim you want to be a great Sailor Senshi, just like your mother? Hard work is how you get there."
Ceres can be so strict, she thought wearily. "Alright, Ceres, I promise. Double practice tomorrow."
The leader of the Quartet shook her head again. "Go on, then. Say hi to Pluto for me too, okay?"
"Will do!" Chibiusa called, as she hurried off. "Don't go too hard on the rest of the girls!"
"No promises there, Princess. Vesta's gotten lazy again of late; she needs a good kick in the rear!"
The trip down the Crystal Staircase was quick enough, the primary divider between the public areas of the palace and the residential wing where her parents and the Sailor Senshi lived. She spotted an odd sight at the bottom; a tall, blonde man in golden armour was speaking with a far more familiar brown-haired man. He wore a suit and tie, the armour of his station more of a rarity these days, but he still held a commanding presence.
"Oh, an Exalted Knight," Diana noted. "I haven't seen one of them in Crystal Tokyo for some time. I wonder what business he has with Sir Justice?"
Diana's overly formal address gave Chibiusa an idea. She moved in behind the Guardian Knight and waited for him to finish his conversation. As soon as the armoured man moved off, she grinned and made her move. "Why, good afternoon, Sir Justice. How do you fare on this fine day?"
He rolled his eyes as he turned, providing a glimpse of his younger self. "Cute, Small Lady. Real cute."
Chibiusa feigned nausea at the – in her opinion – outdated form of address. She much preferred the name Usagi these days, or Rini from a select few friends. Even Serenity was acceptable, on those few formal occasions that warranted it. Small Lady made her sound like a little kid, but she was fourteen now; she wanted to sound as grown up as possible. "Okay, okay! Truce?"
"Nice of you to cave so quickly," he said, with a sly smile. "How was the study session?"
"Very helpful," she admitted grudgingly. "I don't know how Fumiko got so smart, but I'm glad she's willing to tutor me when I fall behind."
"She's definitely smart," Corey agreed, a touch of pride in his voice. "Selene knows where she gets her study habits from, though, because it sure wasn't me or her mother. She's almost…"
"Ami-like?"
He sighed wearily as he glanced up at the top of the stairs. "Yeah. Minako's obsessed with getting her into sports, or boys…though I can't say I'm too fond of the latter."
Chibiusa giggled at his predictable response. "Well, I'll keep trying too. Maybe I can convince 'Miko to come to Senshi training sometime, even if it's just to hang out."
"I'd appreciate it. She could use the change of scenery; studying's all well and good but I worry about her sometimes." He glanced down at his wrist and frowned, abruptly changing the subject. "Anyway, where are you off to? Shouldn't you be at training?"
"Why?" His sudden interest was suspicious, to say the least. "Did Mama ask you to check up on me?"
"I'm not saying that."
She stuck her tongue out playfully. "That's a yes, then."
"Could be," he replied, shrugging casually.
God, he's so frustrating sometimes! "I'm going to see Puu. Er, Setsuna!" Chibiusa mentally slapped herself across the back of the head. All those protests about wanting to sound grown-up and I just undid it all with one stupid slip-up! "I know she gets lonely at the Space-Time Door, even if she won't admit it, so I promised I'd visit."
"We're going to surprise her with a piece of her favourite cake," Diana announced cheerfully.
"Well, just make sure you're back tonight. I don't want to have to be the one to tell your mother you've gone missing. Again."
"Yes, Corey." Chibiusa couldn't help but roll her eyes this time. "You used to be cool, you know."
He snorted, clearly amused. "Please. I was never cool and you know it."
"Oh, right. How could I forget? See you later!" She rushed by him, through the entrance hall and out into the afternoon sun. It glistened off the city's many crystalline spires, reminding her all over again of just how much she loved Crystal Tokyo. She did miss the twenty-first century and all her friends - a fact confusing to some - but it just wasn't the same. It was difficult to explain but they were different people here; she remembered growing up with them versus hanging out with them.
Corey was closer to his younger self than most, but even he was more reserved these days. She had an inkling something had happened in the past, possibly centuries back, that had changed him…but nobody ever talked about it. On the other hand, Minako's maturity was far more pronounced. That didn't mean she didn't have her moments of insanity – focused largely around her daughter – but it seemed motherhood had changed her for the better.
Ami was her opposite, in a way; she was far more mellow these days, having finally learned that it was okay to let her hair down every now and then. Rei, too, for that matter. She wasn't quite as prone to anger as she had once been. And Mako. Mako was like Corey, very similar to her younger self while maintaining a more serious side beneath. Most noticeable, though, were her parents. Chibiusa knew Usagi and Mamoru were the same people she now called Mama and Papa, but things were so different in the past. They were her friends first, not her parents, even though she knew they cared for her just as much as they did now. And then, she remembered sadly, there are those who are no longer with us at all…
"Princess?" Diana asked questioningly, from atop her shoulders. "Are you alright?"
Chibiusa shook off her melancholy and smiled. "Of course, Diana, but why so formal? Is your mother giving you etiquette lessons again?"
"Well, we are in public," the cat countered, before clearing her throat nervously. "I was wondering, though. Do you think Mistress Pluto will agree to your mother's proposal? About taking me on as an apprentice Guardian of Time?"
"Er…I wouldn't push Pluto too hard on that one. I…" Chibiusa trailed off as an odd, shimmering form appeared before her.
"Princess?" It slowly resolved into a tall man in a black, hooded robe. He wore an odd, creepy mask beneath.
A second figure appeared beside him, similarly attired; a woman, from her voice. "Could she be…?"
Chibiusa glanced about, spotting three more shimmers closing in on her from the sides. Whatever they wanted, whoever they were, she got the feeling it wasn't good. I'm not far from the palace, she reasoned, and there are patrols all over the place...but I should back up. "Isn't it a little late for Halloween? By about a thousand years?"
Her attempt at bravado was a failure. "The Princess' future daughter. The hairstyle is different, but a close enough match with the etchings in the archives to mark her as Lunarian royalty."
The fourteen-year-old backed away cautiously, glancing about for guardmen, only to bump into one of the mystery figures. He snagged her by the arm, clamping down around it painfully.
"What do you intend to do?" the woman asked uncertainly.
"Brought back to our time, she could be a valuable tool as leverage. With her we might even leash the Senshi…ensure they comply with our directives."
Princess, Chibiusa thought, panicked. Sailor Senshi? Bring me back to their time? Are they from the past?
"Do we really want to-" The woman beside him seemed unconvinced, at least, if not outright hesitant.
"Anything that spares the lives of our noble Black Paladins must be attempted," he growled. "Now, take her!"
Chibiusa didn't plan on sticking around to be their captive. She span and hit her captor with a palm-strike, right under the chin just like Mako had taught her so long ago. His grip loosened enough for her to pull away and she did so, stomping on his foot for good measure. The scattered witnesses finally got the idea that something was wrong and screamed as he drew a sword…but her compact was already in her hand.
"Moon Crisis, Make Up!" Sailor Moon – she'd dropped the Chibi from her Senshi name as well – let the Spiral Heart Moon Rod shimmer into her hand and set her feet, waiting for an attack.
"Most interesting." The leader seemed impressed. "Now it's clear how this Sailor Moon factors into the hierarchy; she is the Princess of our time." The woman at his side unsheathed a katana, any trace of hesitation gone.
A fourth figure shimmered into being beside her, lunging for the pink-skirted Senshi. She leapt into the air and landed on his head, using it to push off for a larger leap even as he tumbled to the street. As they turned to face one another again, she spotted something that terrified her; razor sharp black talons protruded from his gauntlets. A Construct, here?! But Usagi destroyed the Revenant Knight!
It shrieked, sending a chill down her spine, and lunged for her again, its claws tearing through the air between them.
Sailor Moon raised her weapon and focused just like Usagi had taught her in the past. The difference this time, though, was the Spiral Heart Moon Rod; she could use it to amplify her attacks. "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!"
The robed Construct froze and shrieked again before disappearing under a huge, concrete-like pink heart, crushed to powder. Moon had little time to feel satisfied, though; the woman was moving in on her in tandem with her remaining comrade. They're trying to fence me in! The second man was likely a Construct as well; she could see the glistening tips of its claws as it raised its hand. What it did next, though, caught her by surprise.
"Life Siphon!" He was no Construct at all!
A hail of sickly-green bolts erupted towards her, closing in fast. Moon ducked and weaved in a manner reminiscent of the Sailor Moon of old, but was clipped by the third blast and that left her vulnerable. A fourth and fifth struck her dead-on, a cold-stinging pain spreading throughout her body from the impact points. She fell to her knees, suddenly weakened; his attack was somehow draining her of her strength.
"Princess!" Diana's panicked cry was cut off abruptly with the sound of something – or someone - hitting concrete.
"Diana?!"
The katana-wielding woman dashed past her…and the world shook as something struck the back of her head. Before she could topple, though, her other attacker punched her in the side of the head; this time everything around her went dark for a second. She'd never been hit like that before. Moon hit the ground at last, barely conscious, but she could still feel the pain as something else struck her in the ribs. A boot?
"She's down!" the woman snapped, from somewhere above her. "Leave her be!"
"You would defend the enemy?!"
"I would defend your honour as a Black Paladin, something you seem content to throw away!"
"Enough!" That was the leader's voice, cold and ominous. "We have company."
There was a dim flash on the periphery of Moon's vision, followed by a far more impressive blast as one of the robed figures fell. Her struggling brain finally placed it as a probable Crescent Blade Slash, meaning Justice had arrived.
"Small Lady!" Corey's voice cut through the confusion with ease. "You! Get away from her!"
Moon could barely lift her head, the previous attack still draining her strength. "D-Diana. Corey. I'm here…" There was a sudden crackle like thunder. At first she thought Jupiter might have arrived, but Corey's grunt of pain a moment later proved otherwise. More screams surrounded her, the tell-tale tingle of powerful magic hitting her skin.
"Megumi! Get the Senshi through the portal and go!"
"But-"
Moon placed the leader's voice at last. "Now!"
More screams followed as another blast of whatever he was throwing flew by her. Her vision faded further, the dark magic saturating the area only exacerbating her condition. The ground was moving beneath her, though; someone was dragging her.
"Don't move." It was the woman with the katana. "It will only make the effects of the siphon worse."
Moon could make out a dull outline of her robe and masked visage; she was pulling her along by her arms, but everything was so dark around her that the Senshi couldn't make out where.
"Small Lady!" Corey's panicked cry was joined by another familiar voice. "I'm coming!"
"P-Papa?" She clutched at the ground in vain, gloved fingers catching on it even as they failed to slow her movement. Nothing more than a muted groan would slip from her lips; it felt like she was on the verge of a deep sleep. A strange source of power grew nearer, more tingling on her skin pointing to powerful magic. There was another blast from above, followed by a sinister chuckle. There were more screams, this time of pain…and she was enveloped in a cold, dark silence.
"Help…me."
AN: This one took me a while to figure out. I had the rough plot-points covered – Pluto's loneliness, Megumi's interrogation of a citizen, and Chibiusa's 'a day in the life' moment and abduction – but it proved challenging to stitch it all together into a cohesive narrative flow. In addition, I'm admittedly a little rusty writing everyone but Megumi. I think they turned out well, though some may be a little displeased by the apparent ease with which Pluto and Chibiusa were defeated. The Order of Black is a professional paramilitary organisation, though, and they're trained to fight Sailor Senshi. And, with this chapter, hopefully it's clear that 'Thorn' isn't exactly who he says he is. Not quite.
I also expect there may be some critique of the length. At 6300+ words it's certainly the longest work I've posted for a while, but after two weeks I didn't feel so bad about giving you guys a longer read. I could have cut some of Pluto and Chibiusa's reflective moments, but I didn't want to just pop in and have them fight right away. It's been some time since we last saw them and I wanted to explore how they felt and coped with being away from everyone else. I hope it wasn't too slow, anyway.
So, with this chapter the main plot is inching closer and closer to open warfare between both sides. I hope that means my writer's block will start to dissipate – I have got a decent outline together for an opening to the next chapter – but who can say anymore? Thanks as always for reading and reviewing Order of Black; it helps with motivation when I'm sitting in front of a blank Word document trying to figure out where to begin, lol. More to come soon!
Lisseas