Sailor Moon - The Order of Black
Chapter Thirty Three: Eulogy I - Conflict
Originally published 03/01/2016
AN: So, I'm back after more than a month! I really wrote myself into a bit of a corner with Corey's little revolt against Usagi and the Senshi, and figuring out how to get myself back on track with my outline was hard work. I hope you find this a good read, even if it is a lot slower by comparison with the last chapter. Thanks for your patience!
Corey was in the worst pain of his life. His lungs burned with every breath, no matter how shallow, the wound in his chest stretching painfully as it expanded in rhythm. Okay, he admitted, as Rei's prayer continued, maybe Terror's flames hurt a little more as a whole. Dying didn't exactly tickle, in hindsight…but, then, neither does this. His sarcastic self-rant faltered as his gaze fell upon the patch of freshly-disturbed dirt at his feet, however; Titus' grave. I'm really gonna miss you, buddy…and I'm sorry.
The warm afternoon sun shone down through the trees, multiple rays of light casting an idyllic scene around the gathered Senshi. He watched as Rei continued the brief ceremony, still a touch uncertain about her involvement. Only a few hours earlier she'd been one of Titus' most vocal detractors, but it was an olive branch of sorts…
"We could bury him here, on the shrine's grounds…if you think that would be okay?" The miko seemed unable to meet his gaze, pausing awkwardly. "He was one of us, after all…even if we didn't always see eye to eye."
Corey winced as Ami threaded a needle through his skin for the umpteenth time, while Mamoru kept his glowing hands over the wound. "I don't know, Rei. After everything that happened, I just-"
"Hikawa Shrine is one of the Crystal Points," Chibiusa said quietly, with a gentle squeeze of his hand. "I kind of like the idea that Titus will be close by, even in a thousand years…"
Corey exhaled carefully, holding back a grimace as his lungs protested painfully. Arguing would have only led to another fight, and besides…it is nice to know Titus will still be with me in Crystal Tokyo, at least in a way.
Finished at last, Rei lifted her head and opened her eyes slowly as she surveyed the rest of the group. "I'm a little fuzzy on western customs, but would anyone like to speak?"
Nobody moved, as if they were all waiting for someone else. Ami finally stepped forward, though, a fresh tear slowly working its way down her cheek.
She was probably closest to him among the Senshi, Corey thought sadly, except maybe Minako…and that's a big maybe. Ami definitely seems to be taking his loss harder than the others, though.
"It seems silly," she said quietly, as she wiped at her eyes, "But Titus never made fun of me for being too smart, even as a joke. I never had to dumb myself down around him, either. I could be myself, as strange as that sounds…and he always had something nice to say amongst his smug little comments. A compliment, or some advice; the things we always said were lacking from him." She glanced down as a sniffle slipped out. "And we just…"
Makoto slipped an arm around her shoulders silently, guiding Ami back into the loose semi-circle the Senshi had formed with Mamoru and Corey.
Once again, there was an uncomfortable silence as they all looked at one another…until Minako took a hesitant step forward. "I'm going to miss our fights."
Rei cleared her throat nervously. "Minako-"
"Titus was a jerk," the blonde added, completely undeterred. "He had a bunch of nicknames for me, none of them nice, and he loved making me mad. I mean, it was probably his favourite pastime."
Despite her apparently unkind words, Corey couldn't help but smile. He knew where she was going with it, and it reminded him of happier times. He did love pissing Minako off…
"In spite of that, I gave as good as I got…and he even let me win every now and then." She turned a sad smile on Corey, hints of tears in her own eyes. "Maybe we were never best friends, but I always knew how much he cared for you, Corey, and I could always respect him for that. Even when I was kinda, sorta threatening to have him neutered..."
"That's your eulogy?" Artemis' snarky comment ended with a startled yowl as she kicked him in the rear. "Totally unnecessary!"
"Shush!" Luna hissed, as she stepped forward next and composed herself. "Our entire friendship was built on lies and, in a lot of ways, I never really knew Titus at all." Her eyes came to rest on the Guardian Knight as she continued. "I always admired his dedication, though, especially towards you, Corey, and your mission. I may have disagreed with his methods, often and loudly, but if I'm honest? I'm going to miss sparring with him." She dipped her head in a silent moment of introspection as she faced his grave once more. "Farewell, Titus. May the light of Selene guide you to peace."
Following Luna's example, the remaining Senshi added something of their own. Some were heartfelt, while others were a little more reserved. Corey listened with half an ear, staring down at the freshly smoothed-over dirt before him as doubt set in. Can this really be worth it? Are the lives of those who want to kill us really worth losing Titus? How can that be? No sooner had the thought entered his mind did he regret it, shame following as Justice dismissed it entirely. I made the right call. I'm just wavering because I lost so much, and stand to lose even more.
Titus' death had distracted everyone from the real dilemma; what to do with Corey. Once his funeral was over, though, the question would pop back into their minds. He'd gone against the Sailor Senshi, sabotaging their plans by snatching up Rinjirou and absconding with him to London to prevent them from following. If Usagi was prepared to banish Titus for a few lies, what hope is there for me? There was fear, yes, of the future and his role in it, but also a strange calm. If she does banish me, so be it. If she doesn't, then it proves I was right. It proves her treatment of Titus was all about some display of power…and it proves she was a hypocrite.
"Corey?"
He turned to find Ami standing meekly before him. "Ami?"
"I just wanted to say…" The blue-haired girl seemed to waver momentarily. "I'm sorry. I don't think it was right, what you did, but…you were right about Titus. He deserved better, and I…I'm sorry."
A curt nod was all he could manage as his throat tightened painfully. Not from his injuries, but from grief. "Thanks."
"Come on," Rei said softly, as she took Ami's arm. "I think we could all use some tea."
Corey watched them go, unable to bring himself to follow. He just needed some time alone. Time for his emotions to sort themselves out. Time to think.
"Hey…"
Oh, god. Not her. Not now. He turned around again and found himself staring right at Usagi. She had company, too; Mamoru lurked nearby, on the edge of the treeline. Moral support, perhaps? His eyes drifted over her shoulder to a distant Minako; she gave him a small wave before turning and heading back to the shrine with the others. It seemed they'd conspired to leave the two of them alone.
"So…" Usagi stared intently at her feet, unable – or perhaps unwilling? – to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry sounds so clichéd, even a little hollow…doesn't it?"
You can say that again, Corey thought miserably, as he grunted affirmatively.
"I am, though," she added quietly, "I really am." One of her impossibly long ponytails sailed over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. "Look, I know things got heated the last time we spoke. Things were said by both of us that we maybe regret, and we didn't exactly end on a positive note, but...you have to know I never wanted anything like this to happen."
He was sore, tired, and emotionally drained, and he folded just like that. If she's willing to forget about the whole thing, who am I to disagree? "I know, Usagi. I-" A cough slipped out, despite his best efforts to hold it in, followed by another as his lungs suddenly fought for oxygen.
She winced immediately. "Mamo-chan could try and heal you some more, if you like? Maybe he can get your lungs working a little better, clear up some of that irritation?"
How long has she been calling him Mamo-chan again, he wondered. Hell, for that matter, how long has him healing people been a thing? "No, I'm alright. It's not so bad." He glanced at Titus' grave, a pang of guilt underscoring his next words. "I could be a lot worse off."
Her face fell momentarily, and she began to fidget nervously. "Well, with any luck we'll get a bit of a reprieve. Give you a chance to heal before the bad guys show up again."
Oh, damn it. Corey knew Usagi intended it as a frivolous bit of small talk, but after losing Titus he just couldn't let it go. There was Megumi to consider as well; was she really one of the 'bad guys'? The shame he felt in the next few seconds gave him a clear answer. I was wrong, about a lot of things, and I have to show her she's wrong too. "Oh, Usagi. You haven't learned a thing, have you?"
"I'm sorry?"
"The Order of Black," he said, shaking his head sadly. "They're not evil, not all of them. That thing in a Megumi skin-suit sure is, but the rest of them? They're just people like you and me."
Mamoru took a few steps forward, joining them to form a loose circle. "Calm down, Corey. You need to keep your breathing under control."
"Don't you see? The Black Paladins themselves have no idea Chaos is running the show. The majority of them just want to keep Earth safe, same as us. The only difference is they see you as a threat…and with what we now know about the old Moon Kingdom, can you really blame them?"
Usagi folded her arms across her chest. "I didn't come here to argue again."
"Well, tough, because we didn't finish last time."
Her hand clenched into a tight, shaking fist, but she didn't answer him.
Mamoru decided to step in for her. "That's enough, Corey."
"I don't think it is," he muttered irritably. "And while we're at it, you sure jumped back into her good graces in a hurry, didn't you?"
"Corey!" Usagi finally managed to speak. "I know you're upset, but-"
"You're damned right I'm upset!" he agreed, ignoring the rising pain in his chest. "You were all set to banish Titus for lying - to Rinjirou of all people, a guy we still can't trust! – even as you were planning to kill a bunch of people to save Chibiusa!"
Her enraged scream caught him off-guard. "Do you honestly believe I wanted to kill people, Corey?! I didn't! I still don't! I would have hated myself for it afterwards! Maybe my plan to sneak in wasn't perfect, but what other choice did I have? Leaving Chibiusa to rot in an Order prison cell? Going in alone? You tried, and we all know how that ended!"
The venom in her voice was one thing, but what really surprised him was the self-loathing beneath it.
"All I've heard of late is how idealistic I am, how naïve…and when I actually made a difficult choice to save Chibiusa, all I heard from you was what a terrible person I was!" She sighed, short and sharp. "If you really know me at all, can't you see how I felt? How I feel now?!"
"You were still wrong," he said firmly. "You would have started a war, potentially killing dozens of people or more on both sides, and for what? Chibiusa wasn't even there!"
"This was a mistake," Usagi declared, throwing up her hands in frustration. "You're far too angry, too volatile to talk to right now!"
"Wouldn't you be?" he asked bitterly. "What if it was Luna who'd died?"
For a moment, he saw sympathy in her eyes, but then she shook her head. "I never would have put her in that position."
It was a throwaway line, one Corey knew she didn't mean the way it came across, but it still hit him like a punch to the stomach. It was my fault. If I'd been faster, stronger…
Usagi's hand flew to her mouth immediately, even as she reached out for him with the other. "Oh, Corey, I am so sorry-"
He straightened up, defending himself from her unintentional assault the only way he knew how; he walled himself off like he always did. Ever since Dad left. "Am I banished too?"
Her concern fell away, replaced with confusion. "What? No, of course not, you-"
"Why not?" All that mattered now was reaching her. To hell with the consequences.
Usagi didn't seem to have an answer for him. "Because…"
"You were prepared to banish Titus for a few lies," he pointed out, through gritted teeth. "But Iwent against you and the rest of the Senshi directly. By that logic, I should be banished at the very minimum."
All he got in reply was silence as she glanced over to Mamoru, suddenly looking very uncomfortable.
Corey took a step forward and watched with a curious sense of satisfaction as she backed up to maintain the distance between them. Despite their newfound tension, and the risk to their friendship, it actually felt good to actually take a stand for justice. "Well?"
"I…I don't…"
As he watched her flail for an answer, suddenly looking very much a frightened young woman just trying to keep up with destiny, his anger evaporated. "All he wanted was to help, the only way he knew how, and you all turned your backs on him. You threw him under the bus, just to keep Rinjirou happy." Disappointment bubbled up instead as he shook his head. "Well, now he's dead...and he died believing he'd been abandoned by the very people he was fighting to keep safe."
Usagi looked as if she might actually cry. Even Mamoru seemed taken aback by his bitter statement.
"You were wrong about him, Usagi, and you were wrong about the Order's headquarters. I know it in my heart. Worse still, you wouldn't listen...just like your mother. None of you would, and that is dangerous. You think of yourselves as infallible, beyond making mistakes. The good guys who know best…when the truth is you're as human as the rest of us."
Sure enough, he saw a tear sliding down her cheek. "Why are you saying these things?"
"Because you need to hear them," he said, quietly confident. "I'm no Sailor Senshi, and I'm certainly no glorified bodyguard. I'm the Guardian Knight of Justice, and I serve a higher purpose. I lost sight of that once, under your mother's rule, and I failed her because of it. I gave up, stopped trying, when I should have pushed even harder for change. Well, I won't fail you, even if it means taking a stand like today."
"Corey…"
He intentionally softened his tone. "You're my friend, Usagi, you all are, and I don't want to see our friendship end. So, I'm asking, no, scratch that, I'm begging you; please, don't ever make me choose between you and justice again…because it'll be justice every time."
Mamoru squeezed Usagi's shoulders as he stared at Corey warily. "You almost make that sound like a threat."
"It's not," Corey said, turning to study Titus' grave one last time. "It was a promise to a friend. One I intend to keep."
Usagi nodded gently, more tears falling now. "You are my friend, Corey...but how are we supposed to come back from all of this?"
"I don't know, Usagi." He bowed his head and sighed sorrowfully. "I just don't know."
Minako looked on fearfully as Usagi walked away from Corey, Mamoru in tow. The two of them had just spent the better part of five minutes tearing into each other, followed by what looked like tears. She had mixed feelings about the whole thing, her sense of duty telling her Usagi was right while her heart told her to stand with Corey, and it had left her completely torn. All she could think about was her own impending talk with Corey and how that might unfold…
"You obviously care about Usagi more than you care about me...and that's just not gonna work. We're done, Mina. Goodbye…"
Visions of their relationship crumbling promptly flooded her mind. Minako squeezed her eyes shut, hugging her own elbows tightly as she shook her head back and forth. "No, no, no, no, no…"
Artemis was nearly thrown from her shoulders in the display. "Mina, what are you-"
"Minako?"
She froze, opening one eye to find Chibiusa staring back at her in confusion…and a hint of suspicion. Her hand flew to the back of her head in a familiar display of embarrassment as she laughed nervously. "Oh, uh, hi, Chibiusa!"
"You're acting weird," the pink-haired teen replied, with narrow eyes.
"Hahaha…still the same old blunt Chibiusa, despite the growing up, huh?" Minako swallowed with an unusual amount of difficulty. "I'm okay. Better than Corey, anyway." Her guilt only grew in response, and she sighed wistfully. "I just wish I could help him somehow."
"I can't imagine what he must be feeling right now," Chibiusa agreed, apparently happy to disregard her 'weird' behaviour, at least for the moment.
Minako reached up to scratch behind Artemis' ear affectionately. "If I lost Artemis, I'd…well, I don't even want to think about it. To lose him right in front of me too?"
He nuzzled her cheek in response. "I'm not going anywhere, Mina."
"You'd better not," she agreed, stroking his cheek gently. "You're like a furry little father to me, remember?"
The cat stifled a groan. "How could I forget?"
Chibiusa cleared her throat. "What's going on, Minako?"
"Hmm?" There was only really one thing the girl could be referring to, and Minako wasn't exactly thrilled to be the one to explain it. "What, uh…what makes you think there's anything going on?"
A single pink eyebrow arched sharply. "Because Usagi and Corey just finished arguing like I've never seen, even in my time, and you're an appallingly bad liar."
Artemis nodded sagely. "She's got you there, Mina."
"I'm not that bad!" she countered, with a dramatic sniff. "I lied to my parents for years about being a Sailor Senshi, and they never even suspected…" She trailed off in response to blank stares from both of them. "Er, I'm not really sure what part of that was meant to be a good thing…and you, young lady, are a little blunter than you used to be!"
The girl continued to stare in silence, her red eyes boring right into her.
"Right," Minako agreed, shuffling her feet uncomfortably. "It's, uh...it's complicated."
"So simplify it."
The blonde suppressed a frustrated groan herself. This wasn't what she wanted to do, at all, but she could either talk to Chibiusa or talk to Corey…and she really didn't want to do the latter. Not after a certain daydream from earlier. Daydream? More like…day nightmare. Or should that be day-mare? What would be the right way to say that?
Chibiusa's patience finally began to display some cracks. "Minako!"
"Right, right. Sorry!" She took a deep breath…and began. "We, um, disagreed about how best to get you out of the Order's hands. As a team." An odd sense of shame accompanied her explanation and she knew the reason for it right away. We were wrong, weren't we? It feels like we were.
"Uh huh?"
"Usagi wanted to sneak into their headquarters, the fastest option, but Corey was against it. He felt the risk of unnecessary deaths was too great, so we…we hit a bit of an impasse."
"You mean you argued."
"Argued isn't really a strong enough word," Artemis murmured, his tail brushing against the nape of Minako's neck as it twitched briefly.
The blonde bowed her head in contrition as she relived the fight. "Corey was the only one of us who disagreed with her or, at least, the only one of us willing to speak up." Her own role in the morning's events filled her with yet more guilt. "I mean, we couldn't even speak up in Titus' defence!"
Chibiusa frowned, her brow furrowing deeply. "Titus' defence? First Rei says that thing about not seeing eye to eye with him, and now you? Why did he need defending?"
"Usagi-" No, Minako thought quickly, it isn't fair to blame this all on her. "We…it was decided Titus should take a leave of absence to, um…consider his recent behaviour?" Her clumsy attempt to diminish their attack on him failed miserably, even from her own perspective.
"You…you were going to banish Titus?!" Chibiusa sputtered, utter disbelief on her face. "And Usagi was ready to kill people to save me?!"
"We weren't ready to kill people…" It was a weak defence; Minako could hear it with her own ears as she trailed off. We were prepared for it, though, weren't we? We said as much with our silence, I guess…but when I think about it now? I still don't want to kill anyone. A chill ran down her spine as she remembered Sailor Fury's final moments on her living room floor. Never again!
"Minako?"
She barely heard Chibiusa as she talked more to herself than anything in a long-overdue critique of her earlier actions. "We were happy to send him away, and for what? A few measly lies…to Rinjerko of all people? But we would have fought our way into the Order of Black's main base just on the chance you were somewhere inside? Why? To avoid a fight with Usagi ourselves? To say we did our duty as Sailor Senshi?" Minako shook her head unconsciously. "What happened to me? I was Sailor V, I stood for love and justice…and I meant it! Have they just become buzz words now, something we shout at opponents before a fight?"
Artemis nuzzled against her cheek once again. "Mina, you know that's not true."
"After today, I just don't know anymore," she admitted, more conflicted than ever. "I'm supposed to be the leader, Arty. When did I become just another follower?"
"I don't believe this," Chibiusa whispered, clenching her fists tightly. "What went wrong? It's only been a few months since I was last here, right? What happened to all of you?!"
Minako shrugged helplessly, at a loss for words. I can't even answer my own questions, let alone any of hers.
The teen stared off into the distance, watching as Mamoru comforted Usagi. Finally, she spoke again, a faint quiver in her voice this time. "Excuse me. I need to talk to Usagi."
Minako raised a hand hesitantly as the she marched off. "Um, Chibiusa? I'm not so sure that's…a good idea." She sighed in weary resignation and shook her head. "She's gone."
"That's not going to be good," Artemis agreed, with a wince.
"Not at all." Minako leaned back against the wall of the shrine and checked the time on her phone. It was getting later in the day; time was running out to make up her mind. "What am I gonna do, Arty? I don't want to go home. It means Corey and I will have to talk, and that means we're gonna fight."
"You don't have to fight…"
"Maybe not," she muttered, "But we're going to. It's unavoidable." A quick puff blew her bangs out of her eyes as she sighed again. "I abandoned him, Artemis, turned my back on him when he needed me most. How are we not going to fight after something like that?"
The cat stood carefully so as not to dig his claws into her shoulders; she'd taught him well. "I wish I had an answer for you, Mina, but I don't."
"You always used to give such great advice." One question seemed more urgent than any other, too. "Do you think we were right to side with Usagi? Was I right?"
Artemis was silent a moment, clearly deep in thought. "You know I was wary of Corey at first. I didn't know him very well, and I didn't like how fast the two of you seemed to be moving. But, with that in mind…he's a good man, Mina, and a worthy Guardian Knight of Justice." He hesitated just a moment, his eyes darting to the ground and back. "He's earned my respect in that regard, and if he thought it was wrong…"
"What?" she sputtered. "If you agreed with him, then why didn't you say so at the time?!"
"I…" The cat was clearly unhappy with his answer. "I tried to stay on the fence but, in doing so, I fear I didn't do a very good job of guiding you or the other Senshi."
"I can't really be too mad," Minako admitted, too drained to bother arguing further. "I tried to do the same thing and keep all neutral like Sweden."
"Sweden?"
"Yeah. You know, they have those guys with the puffy pants and the big, pointy sticks?"
Artemis buried his face in his paws. "Mina, it's always difficult to tell with you, but I think you mean Switzerland."
She blinked slowly. "I do?" Her finger tapped against her cheek as she considered it. "I guess you could be right. The place with the holy cheese, right?" Her hair whipped back and forth as she shook her head emphatically. "But none of this is important! I was wrong, wasn't I? We all were!"
"This isn't about you being wrong so much as…inflexible in your approach." His ears flattened briefly. "That, I fear, comes down to the rigid sense of duty I helped instill in you so many years ago. You're the perfect Sailor Senshi, always thinking of others before yourself and-"
"That's not true," she argued, making a sudden realisation. "That's not true at all!"
"What? You're always willing to-"
"I always defer to Usagi on Senshi matters, but in the rest of my life I'm about as selfish as it gets!"
The cat sighed. "Mina-"
"This whole time I've been worried about losing Corey…but for my own selfish reasons! I haven't given any thought to how he must feel, apart from his grief over Titus. He must be worried about us too, but it didn't even occur to me until now. I think..." Her eyes widened as it all came together in her mind. Our constant fights, Corey's need for space... "I've been taking him for granted, Artemis. I...I'm a terrible girlfriend!"
"Come on, Mina, that's not-"
"It is true!" she insisted frantically. "All I do is take and take and take! Then, when Corey's all tapped out? I push him for even more!" Guilt continued to gnaw away at Minako's insides as she continued her excited revelation. "I bullied my way into living with him, I whine and complain when I don't get what I want, and today, when everyone pushed to send his best friend away? I joined them, however tacit my approval might have been!"
She could practically see the anime-style sweatdrop on his head. "You know what tacit means but you manage to confuse Sweden with Switzerland?!"
"Geography and Japanese are two very different things!" she snapped irritably, "And that's beside the point! I have to show Corey I do appreciate everything he's put up with from me. I have to show him that I do care about him as much as Usagi, as much as he cares about me!" Her thumb and forefinger came to rest on her chin in a sign of deep thought. "But how? How do I prove that to him after today of all days?"
Artemis groaned loudly. "Minako, please, don't start obsessing-"
"That's it!" She slammed her fist into her palm excitedly, stars filling her eyes. "A gift! But not just any stupid old gift. It has to be the most amazingly thoughtful gift in the history of, well, gift giving!"
The cat literally face-planted from her shoulders. "Ow…"
Minako barely noticed. "You okay, Arty?"
"I'm fine," he managed, voice muffled by the tiles beneath him. "But you're-"
"No time for idle chit-chat!" she declared, clenching her fist in determination. "I've gotta get to the mall and find Corey's present! It's going to blow him away…once I figure out what to get him, of course!" A cloud of dust actually sprang up behind her as she sped off down the hill. "Our relationship must be saved, no matter the cost!"
Artemis pushed himself to his feet, shaking his head to clear the stars from his vision. "By Selene, I worry about that girl sometimes. I just hope she figures it all out soon...for both their sakes."
"Usagi!"
The blonde pulled back from Mamoru instinctively as Chibiusa called out from behind her. In all their haste to exit London - and their concern over Corey and Titus - Usagi hadn't really had much time for any sort of meaningful conversation with the girl beyond simple comfort. "Chibiusa, I-"
"What is wrong with you?!"
Her angry demand caught Usagi completely by surprise, leaving her unable to respond with anything but a sputtered squeak. Such genuine outrage was a rarity from Chibiusa, at least from previous experience, and it wasn't what she'd expected at all.
"You tried to send Titus away right before he saved my life? You were prepared to kill people so you could rescue me?!" The teenager's furious glare seemed to cut right through Usagi as she planted both hands squarely on her hips. "What the heck happened to you since the last time I was here?"
"I…" Try as she might, nothing would come out. Her mind was a mess of conflicting emotions. I was wrong about Titus, wasn't I? I was angry…just like Chibiusa is now. There's no way around it. Grief, guilt, regret, even just a touch of stubborn, righteous anger all her own competed within her for control. I wasn't wrong about rescuing her, though!
Mamoru raised his hands before him. "Calm down, Chibiusa. You haven't heard the whole story."
"I know enough," she retorted, refusing to back down. "You'd really willingly kill people, Usagi? All in my name?! Don't you understand how that makes me feel?! You're meant to be better than that!"
"I didn't want to kill anyone!" Usagi protested, finally finding her feet. "But when I heard about your capture I just…I wanted, no, I needed to bring you home safe and sound!" She reached out imploringly, dismayed to see Chibiusa full back out of reach. "We would have snuck in with Rinjirou, but after Corey-"
"After Corey stopped you, that wasn't an option anymore." The pink-haired teen shook her head in apparent disgust. "It doesn't matter whatyou planned. The facts are I wasn't even there, and once you got inside there would have been deaths. I saw the Order of Black's dedication with my own eyes. They would have fought you...and deaths would've been unavoidable." Chibiusa's eyes finally dipped, staring at the ground bitterly as she seemed to deflate. "You never would have let the Senshi do something like that if it was you being held captive!"
She's right, Usagi told herself, in a silent confession. When did I become okay with death? Was it after Despair and Pride? After the Revenant Knight? They were human once…and I killed them without much regret at all. I saw them as having made their choice, unrepentant to the end; is that how I've been viewing the Order of Black? She could see a lot of her fourteen-year-old self in Chibiusa in that moment. Her skinny, almost lanky built, her longer hair; she looked like her...but it was the righteous, burning anger in her eyes Usagi recognised the most. That used to be me when deaths were on the table. I would always fight for another way, a better way. When did I lose that?
"I'm just glad someone stood up as the voice of reason," Chibiusa muttered, "Because I would rather die than have people die for me. It's too high a price to pay."
"Don't say that," Mamoru pleaded, appearing as distressed as Usagi was by her declaration.
"My Usagi believed in the ideals of justice! She would never do such a thing, and I can't believe you aren't even sorry!"
"I should be sorry for wanting to keep you safe?" Usagi may have been conflicted, but there was no way she would ever apologise for that. "Chibiusa-"
The teen stomped her foot, abruptly angry again. "Don't Chibiusa me! You're not my Mama, not yet. You're not supposed to be!" She tipped her head back with an angry huff and marched off in the direction of Titus' grave. "I am so mad at you right now!"
Mamoru slid his arm around Usagi's shoulders; it was more of a comfort than he likely knew. "She'll come around, Usako. She just needs time, same as Corey."
Usagi practically collapsed against him, desperate to believe him. I just wanted to become stronger, to be a better ruler than my mother…but does that mean losing the girl I used to be in the process?
The Council Chamber was dimly lit as ever, a dozen or so scattered candles serving as the only real source of light. They cast a dull, amber hue over bare walls devoid of any markings but for a single, large Order sigil directly behind the 'head' of the table. It was an ambiguous determination, of course. The circular table had no true sides or head, but the impressively ornate chair before it would seem to disprove that theory…as did the presence of the Order of Black's nominal leader.
Lawrence Haim. What an utter disappointment he'd turned out to be. Once a fiery proponent of the Order's continued expansion, near-fanatical in his adherence to its dogma, old age had sapped him of any remaining resolve. He was now cautious to the point of cowardice, ever concerned with the lives of the men and women under his command. It was frustrating to the point of madness to be right on the cusp of victory…yet held back by one stubborn old fool's refusal to commit.
The masked woman who strode confidently into the room had Megumi's face, her voice, and even a reasonable facsimile of her movements and mannerisms…but she was dead. Her body served as just another mask for the creature within to hide behind, as 'Thorn' had before her. It considered his loss more of a minor annoyance at this point, with little real impact on its plans, but it would make any efforts to manipulate Haim more difficult. 'Thorn' was the Elder's longstanding friend and ally, while Megumi was but an unknown whelp by comparison. It's of little consequence, it decided. Haim will serve one way or another. I've waited a millennia for this day, far too long to leave any of this to chance…
The old man glanced up, apparently startled by her sudden appearance. His brow furrowed, first in a moment of confusion before annoyance set in. "Why are you wearing that in here?! The High Seeker must be losing his touch to allow such a lapse in judgment from one of his servants."
"Indeed he has lost his touch, Elder." Megumi's voice was still unfamiliar after several centuries of a certain grating, mechanical tone. Her softer, more pleasant voice just didn't sound right. It was too...nice.
"It's…Paladin Shoto, isn't it?"
A quick search of her memories confirmed Haim had indeed met Megumi on a few occasions. Just a snippet of her voice was enough to jog his memory? That's going to make things much more interesting.
"You're so quick to tarnish your master's name?"
The old man was quite the talented orator, his tone revealing little of the annoyance it knew he felt. How touching. He really does consider Thorn his friend, regardless of their difference in station. Despite its pressing plans for the Order of Black, it saw no reason it couldn't indulge him a moment longer. After all, if it could convince him to declare war on Sailor Moon and her friends naturally there was far less risk of being discovered too soon. There was still one more aspect to recover...but it was close. Too close to risk Haim ruining everything with his lack of stomach for a fight. "I fear I bring terrible news, Elder. High Seeker Thorn is dead." It added just a touch of bitter anger for effect, enough to sell her attachment without drawing too much attention to the why. "He was murdered just a few short hours ago…by the Sailor Senshi."
Haim did not disappoint, growing pale as he sank back in his chair - or throne, more like. The old fool really cared, failing to realise four different men had worn Thorn's mask throughout their 'friendship'. "I can't believe it. How did they…?"
"They probed one of the Watchful Eye's facilities, outside the main compound." It left out any explanation of Small Lady and her abduction from Crystal Tokyo; Haim needed to be angry with the Sailor Senshi, not focused on frivolities. "The High Seeker confronted them without fear, as any loyal servant of the Black would…and they struck him down." Just a hint of sorrow now, and regret. Perhaps even guilt? "He shielded me from harm. Ordered me to retreat, to report their attack and ensure our retribution was swift."
It could see the conflict on his face, the struggle between a desire to avenge his friend and his apparent natural inclination for patience. "Your master was a close friend for many years, Paladin, and I shall miss him terribly."
He was almost too easy to manipulate at this point. Its victory was assured. "His loss diminishes us all."
"Indeed," Haim murmured, as his eyes bored into the polished surface of the table before him.
Enough grief, it decided, growing tired of their game. "When do we strike back, Elder? Those of the Eye are eager to see his death avenged. Honour demands it!" Snippets of the woman's fiery exchange with Knight-Captain Harcourt following Rinjirou's 'death' seemed appropriate. It would be sure to finish that pathetic wastrel in time, too.
"Do not presume to tell me what honour demands, Paladin Shoto." Haim's rebuke was unexpectedly harsh; it appeared he'd found some of his old fire after all. "I must summon the Council and discuss any reprisals in full before we commit to action. The Sailor Senshi have proven far stronger than anticipated, and I will not be pushed into making a rash decision!"
"More discussion?" Anger welled up within it, threatening to overwhelm its hold on Megumi's body. He should be angry. He should be playing along by now! "They have declared war on us, Haim! We must strike back at once!"
He appeared to overlook her improper use of his last name. "The Senshi have targeted us of late, true, but their sudden aggression must have an explanation." His weathered brow wrinkled even further, a sign of his bewilderment. "Something is very wrong here. Payne's treason, the Senshi's attacks? It's all connected, I'm sure of it...as if an unseen force wants us at war with one another…"
A slow clap echoed around the room as 'Megumi' began to applaud. There was no point denying the truth anymore; it seemed the old man was still very sharp and more than deserving of his position. "Oh, very good! Your intuition serves you well...even after all these years."
"Paladin Shoto?"
She reached up for the mask on her face and removed it reveal her blood-spattered face, casually tossing it onto the table before him. "Yes…and no."
His eyes widened in shock. "What's happened to you?"
"Oh, this?" She gestured to the trail of blood that had seeped from her lips to her collarbone. "I died, Elder. A few short hours ago…along with the former High Seeker." Her hand extended, the same way Thorn's had when he ended her life, locking Haim in a similar hold. It was glad he'd resisted; it meant it could finally repay him for years of meddling.
Its invisible grip had the desired effect. Fear. "What are you...how are you doing this?!"
"Oh, Lawrence…it's almost a shame it has to end this way." It stopped trying to hide, allowing a burst of negative-energy to escape Megumi's body. It manifested as a familiar flash of ruby light from her eyes. "You really weren't so bad, as far as pitiful little human go. Until you got old, of course…and weak."
Haim's fear subsided, replaced with a steely determination that hinted at the young man he'd once been. "If you're not Shoto, who or what are you?"
"You forget me so quickly, old friend?" It began to squeeze like it had with Megumi, a smile forming on her lips as it felt his withered heart in its grasp. Slowing, slowing…growing weaker with every beat. "The body changes but the mask is always the same."
The fear appeared again. "Thorn?!"
"Thorn was but a name. A contrivance to divert attention as I regained my strength, feasting for centuries on the fear and hatred of a thousand Black Paladins." It squeezed again, delighting in his cries of pain as it contorted Megumi's cold, dead lips into a perverse smile. "That fool Smythe made a deal a thousand years ago. Did you really think I wouldn't come to collect my due eventually?"
Haim was growing weaker by the second, but that didn't stop the recognition finally dawning in his eyes. "You…you're…?"
"At last," it crowed, Megumi's soft voice shifting to become something thoroughly more unpleasant. "With these, your last breaths, you finally begin to understand. To believe you could use my power all these years, even claim to master it, and not pay a price? Such arrogance!"
Somehow, impossibly, Haim drew a pistol from beneath his robes and fired a shot into her arm. "I'll never surrender to you! None of us will!"
It laughed, a cold, smug chuckle that finally sounded familiar to its borrowed ears. "Now, that's the Haim I remember from so long ago!" It slapped the weapon from his hand and increased its hold on his chest. "But it's too little too late, I'm afraid. You will serve me, Haim, just like poor Megumi…and so will your whole, precious Order!"
"May the world forgive us for the evil we have loosed upon it." The old man's voice was little more than a ragged whisper now, his eyes rolling back in his head as he faded. "I live...to serve…the Black…"
It brought her right in close to his ear. "I am the Black…" Her fist closed completely and Haim's heart imploded with a familiar wet squelch. He went limp, slumping back in his chair, his now dead eyes staring up at the ceiling. 'Megumi' slowly clambered onto the table and loomed over him, purplish-black energy crackling between her fingertips to cast a grim and hellish light over her blood-smeared face.
"Now, old friend, let's get you back on your feet. We have a war to plan…"
AN: Well, like I said up front, this was definitely a slower, more character-driven chapter, but I'm largely happy with it (at last). Three completely different drafts, more than a month between updates...I really felt for a while I'd screwed myself by going off-plan with Corey's continued development! But, with a lot of thought - and some much-needed advice and brainstorming from metalgear, thanks mate! - I managed to get this one finished.
I hope you find everyone in-character. My big concerns were Chibiusa's scene with Usagi, and then I suppose Usagi's second argument with Corey. I tried to ensure everyone felt justified in their beliefs and on Chibiusa in particular, being a little older by this point - if it isn't clear by now, she LOOKS fourteen or so - I really saw her as a reflection of how Usagi felt as that age. Chibiusa is a princess in her own right, AND a full-blown Sailor Senshi by this point; I couldn't see her just accepting such a radical departure from Usagi and co without having something to say. Especially coming from what's supposed to be a more idealistic time in Crystal Tokyo.
I did try to inject a little comedy where I could - mostly through Minako, bless her - but overall it was still a relatively somber experience writing this. Titus was a favourite of mine as I said after killing him, and it didn't feel right to have everyone, Corey included, just move on without any sort of grieving process. I largely glossed over the rest of the girls in this one due to limited space, but I will touch more on how they're feeling re: Titus and Corey the next time out. Rinjirou too, after losing Megumi; I chose to insert the final scene with 'Megumi' and Haim in his place for pacing and momentum.
If you enjoyed reading it, let me know with a review or a message. Hell, let me know even if you didn't; constructive criticism is always welcome! Thanks for the couple of favs that came through since last time, too, you know who you are. Fingers crossed the next chapter doesn't take another month this time!
Lisseas