Sailor Moon - The Order of Black
Chapter Thirty Four: Eulogy II - Compromise
Originally published 19/01/2016
AN: Minako fluff/angst ahead...you have been warned! ;-)
"There," Minako declared, tying her trademark ribbon into place with a deft twist of her fingers. "All done!" The nineteen-year-old studied her reflection in the mirror a moment, brushing an idle strand of hair out of her eyes. "Perfect."
It was her intention to visit the mall and buy Corey an amazing present, but seeing a random couple kissing in the street got her upset again, necessitating a detour by her apartment for an uplifting change of clothes. A self-styled "mini makeover" as she called it. The orange sundress she now wore had additional sentimental value beyond its cheerful appearance; she'd worn it to impress Corey on the night of their one month anniversary.
"Just the thing to calm my nerves," she cooed, with a quick pirouette. "Plus, I look amazing! It really is true what they say. You can't be sad in a sundress!"
That was something of a fallacy, of course. Minako was still upset over the impending fight with her boyfriend; she was just hiding it better with a new coat of paint or, in this case, clothes and makeup. Perhaps it seemed stupid to some, but it was second nature to the Sailor Senshi of Love and Beauty. She'd been doing it for years!
As she collected her handbag and headed for the door, Minako was on a natural high. "I'm going to make up for staying quiet, I'm going to save our relationship, and I'm going…to…" She froze in place, her eyes locked on a familiar stuffed panda in the corner. "I'm going to screw it all up, aren't I?"
"That panda is called Take-chan…and I've had him since I was three years old! He's a symbol of love, Corey. Our love!"
"Huh…" Minako shook her head, backing away from the door…and the abruptly offensive panda. "It didn't make any sense, did it? And neither did my response." Another memory popped into her head unbidden, causing her newfound confidence to falter…
Jupiter looked her over, wincing sympathetically. "No offense, Venus, but you don't exactly look like you're up to the climb."
"I…you're right. I'm not." She felt guilty for slowing them down and frustrated by her inability to help. "I'll have to stay here."
"No, you won't."
Venus' heart skipped a beat as Justice turned his back and took a knee.
"I'm not leaving you down here by yourself," he said firmly. "It's not safe."
This was all very new and exciting; a man had never offered to carry her before.
"Climb on."
She stared dubiously at his shoulders, armour and all. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," he insisted. "Come on, Minako, you're tiny. I'll barely notice you…"
The troubled blonde continued backing up until she basically fell into the comforting embrace of her new armchair. "Corey's been carrying me from the start...before we'd even had a single date." Her fingers brushed over the pendant hanging around her neck, tracing the symbol of Venus etched into its surface. "He always puts me first…"
"Thank you so much for this. It's beautiful." She added a playful lilt to her voice as she toyed with her new pendant. "You know, it'll be our one month anniversary in a few days. I bet a matching bracelet would looking amazing…hint, hint."
"Ha," Corey chuckled. "Hint all you want, but I'm afraid I'm broke."
"What? You didn't…? You spent all your money on this?"
"It was the perfect gift," he countered, shrugging nonchalantly. "I knew I had to get it for you."
Minako just about teared up. "You're cute, you're sexy, you're funny, you're caring and you spent all your money on me? You are, like, the perfect boyfriend…"
She slumped in her chair with a sad sigh. "He really is perfect, and I couldn't even give him my lousy support! After he literally supported me up that elevator shaft, accidental ass-grab notwithstanding. And I wasn't really complaining at the time…"
"Oh, good…" Artemis clambered through the open window, an expression of distinct discomfort on his face. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."
"Sorry, Arty," she said, managing a faint smile. "I totally didn't enjoy it, I swear."
The white cat countered with a wry smile of his own. "Chibiusa was right about one thing; you are a terrible liar." He bounded across the apartment to join her on the chair. "What happened? I thought you were heading to the mall."
"Hm? Oh…" The blonde shrugged helplessly. "I may have had another teensy, tiny meltdown on the way."
He nodded sagely in return. "I assumed as much. You haven't needed one of your mini makeovers in quite some time."
"Well, it's been a heck of a day," she murmured, sinking further in her chair. "I guess it's silly, isn't it? Playing dress-ups to make myself feel better?"
"Everybody has something that takes their mind off their troubles. If yours is 'playing dress-ups', I say why not. It's far less self-destructive than some habits."
"I suppose so," she agreed quietly. "Titus did say I'm not a psychopath-"
Artemis' fur bristled immediately. "I said it first, and often!"
"-but I sure act like one at times, don't I?" Minako had barely heard him at all. "What was I thinking? I was going to buy Corey a present, like some magical Band-Aid for our relationship! What is wrong with me?!"
"You've had a rough day," he said, nuzzling her arm soothingly. "I think a little eccentricity is entirely understandable."
"Eccentricity," she echoed, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Why do I freak out like this? I mean, who thinks up something like that?"
"You do…but you usually come to your senses before it's too late."
"Maybe." Minako was unwilling to let herself off the hook, at least not that easily. "I was in denial all this time, Arty. It was never about the stupid present. Corey doesn't want some piece of materialistic junk from me, he never has! All he's ever wanted is for me to love him like he loves me, and I think I've done a lousy job of showing it so far."
Artemis's blue eyes widened in alarm. "Mina-"
"It's true," she said insistently. "I do love him that much, but I just…"
"What is it?"
"Do you think I'm crazy, Artemis? Is that why I can't just be happy with what I have? Am I headed for the brink again, just unable to see it?"
"Ah…" His ears flattened immediately. "That old chestnut." He sat back on his haunches with a deep sigh. "Minako Aino, you are just as crazy now as you were on the day we met."
"Well, geez, Artemis, I was kinda hoping for a little reassurance!"
"Which is to say," he continued, glaring at her for the interruption, "Not all that much. You've always been somewhat hyperactive, but that's the Minako I remember. The same Minako I know now."
She blew her overgrown fringe out of her eyes with a mopey huff. "You have to say that since you're my friend."
"No," he countered, "I have to say it because I swore long ago that I'd always be honest with you."
"Honest…" That reminded her of her last fight with Corey. "A promise…"
"That's right. I made a promise to watch over and guide you, and-"
Minako leapt to her feet, struck by a sudden spark of inspiration. "That's it!"
Artemis tumbled to the floor, managing to land on his feet this time. Barely. "Minako!"
"Honesty! Promises! Sacrifice! Don't you see, Artemis? It all makes perfect sense!"
"Maybe it does, but you don't!" he grumbled. "You know I can't read minds, right?"
"I made Corey promise last time," she cried excitedly. "He promised to be honest about his feelings!"
"And?"
"And that's the answer! I wanted him to be honest about his feelings but I'm not being honest about mine! I need to confide in him, I need to show him I really do love him as much as he loves me! More than I love Usagi!"
Artemis' tail swished back and forth rapidly. "You may not be crazy, but these mood swings of yours still make me uncomfortable."
She silenced him with a brief glare. "Shush! I'm having an effigy here!"
"I assume you mean epiphany…"
"That's what I said. Eulogy!" It was all becoming clear. Minako knew what she had to do to prove her love, and regain Corey's trust. All I have to do now is actually go through with it. That will be the hard part.
"If you're gonna stare, you may as well come do it over here."
Chibiusa rose from her hiding spot in the bushes with a guilty swallow. She didn't know how Corey had spotted her, but his invitation made it clear he had. "I didn't mean to spy."
"It's alright," he called, waving her over. "I could use the company anyway."
Perhaps fifteen minutes had passed since her confrontation with Usagi, time she'd spent wandering the shrine's grounds in a haze of hurt and confusion. Everything seemed so upside-down right now; everyone looked like themselves, but their thought processes and actions were far from the friends she remembered. Still, Corey seemed largely himself. Older even, more like the man she knew from Crystal Tokyo. Serious and focused over the younger, sarcasm-spewing version she'd first met here.
"I don't want to intrude," she said, realising she was already sitting beside him.
"That didn't stop you sitting you down though, did it?" His brief laugh ended with a painful sounding cough, reminding her of the injuries he'd suffered rescuing her.
It could have been even worse, she thought glumly, plucking out several individual blades of grass in a physical expression of the guilt gnawing away at her insides. Not only did I nearly get Corey killed, but I'm responsible for the death of his best friend.
The Guardian Knight clasped his hands together in his lap as he stared off into the distance. "So, that was one hell of a tirade back there. Very impressive."
Her cheeks warmed slightly. "You heard that, huh?"
"It's pretty quiet up here; sound carries remarkably well."
"Well, she needed to hear it," Chibiusa said stubbornly, forcing down any feelings of guilt she felt for yelling at Usagi. "I don't know what happened to her, but she's…she's not the Usagi I remember."
Corey glanced down at her. "Are you so sure about that?"
"Sailor Senshi don't kill! Only as a last resort. Only after every other option has failed." It was all she had heard from a young age, a message that had only intensified since she began training in earnest to become a fully-fledged Sailor Senshi in her own right. "There's no way Ma-"
His emerald eyes studied her intently, convincing her he'd definitely picked up on her near-slip.
"No way would the Usagi I know ever consider killing people," she added, quickly correcting it. "No way at all."
"Not even to save your life?"
She shook her head mutely. Not even then. Not Usagi. Not…Mama.
Corey took a breath but held a moment, obviously thinking. "I was angry too, you know. I even said a few things I regret. But I never believed Usagi actually wanted to kill anyone."
Maybe Chibiusa was being stubborn…but she didn't care. "That's beside the point." He was pressing her against the wall now, and she didn't like it. She can't just give up on her principles like that. None of them can!
Adding to her frustration, he didn't seem to care that she didn't care. "If she's guilty of anything, it's failing to think clearly about the situation…and we've all been there." A hint of guilt entered his own voice as it dropped to a whisper. "Some of us not so long ago."
"You don't understand!" she cried, finally losing her composure. "She's Sailor Moon, Corey, a legend in Crystal Tokyo! She's the example everyone else aspires to, that I aspire to! If she can falter like that, then…" Her words failed her, sticking in her throat almost painfully. If Usagi can falter…if Mama can falter…
"Then anyone can." Corey pulled her into a gentle hug as he sighed again. "I understand, I do…but it isn't so cut and dried. You need to realise Usagi's scared in the same way."
"Scared? What does she have to be scared of?"
"The future," he said softly. "Becoming Neo-Queen Serenity…your mother."
His direct mention of Usagi's true – eventual – relationship to her shocked her into silence. She may understand it, but she'd long seen her mother's younger self as more of a big sister figure. It made it easier to reconcile in her head, easier to leave when that time inevitably came.
"She's still growing too, struggling to become the person she thinks she needs to be…without really understanding who that person is. I think, sometimes, I forget that. Like today." Corey ran his hands over his face, rubbing it wearily. "Her mother hangs over her head, too; all she wants is to do better, to be better."
"You sound almost sorry for her," Chibiusa observed, somewhat confused. "After she threatened to banish Titus and everything?"
"She's my friend…something I need to do a better job remembering." He shook his head abruptly, a look of annoyance on his face as he switched to English. "Christ, if Dawkins could only hear me now."
She spoke enough to pick up on the key points. "Your old mentor?"
"I've never told you about him."
"Not yet," she agreed, managing a mischievous wink, "But you will. Someday."
It didn't seem to bother him overly much. "I miss him…just like I'm going to miss Titus."
Chibiusa's guilt returned, stronger than ever. "I wish I'd gotten to know him better. He saved my life back there, and I barely know a thing about him."
Corey remained silent a moment. Then… "He could put away pizza like nobody else I've ever met in my life…except maybe Usagi." A faint smile blossomed on his lips as he reminisced. "It was nuts! He must have had a subspace pocket in his stomach to be able to eat so much."
She managed a faint laugh at his joke, but a sliver of guilt lay beneath it. Titus should still be here. It isn't fair that I'm alive and he's not. If I'd just stayed away…
"I'll miss those nights the most, I think; pizza and some crappy B movie. I was never all that bothered but Titus loved sci-fi and horror the most. Anything with hammy acting and terrible special effects."
"I'm sorry…" It just slipped out…much like the tear that ran down her cheek. "I'm so sorry, Corey."
"What? Why?"
"It's my fault," she whimpered, wringing her hands anxiously. "It's my fault he's dead! If I had only listened to you and stayed out of it-"
Corey's face slackened into an emotionless mask. "Don't do that."
"But it is my fault!"
"Fine!" he snapped, suddenly angry. "You really want to do this, Chibiusa? Okay, let's play 'What If.' What if I was faster, fast enough to avoid Chaos' attack? What if I was stronger, strong enough to get up off the floor and save you myself? What if Rinjirou hadn't gotten caught trying to save Megumi? What if I'd just kept my mouth shut and gone along with Usagi's plan?" His tone softened abruptly as he broke eye contact. "What if Titus had followed his own advice…and not played the hero?"
His meaning was clear, even if Chibiusa didn't like it.
"Do you understand?" His voice hardened again after her silence. "Do you?"
She managed a curt nod.
"Look long enough and you can assign blame to anybody, yourself easiest of all." He closed his hand around her shoulder and squeezed gently. "Let's just blame the evil monster that killed him…and be done with it. Okay?"
Her guilt was slowly fading, but she suspected it wouldn't be that easy to get rid of entirely.
"Everything used to be so simple," Corey said, with another sigh. "It was just me, Dawkins and Titus against the Dark Kingdom. We were the good guys and they were the bad guys. Now, it seems like I have to question everyone…and maybe everything."
"The world is rarely so black and white." Chibiusa was speaking before she realised it, the words just popping into her head out of nowhere. "Those of kind heart and noble spirit will strive for true, ideal justice…but recognise when it is impossible to achieve. In such moments they will seek compromise, for good…and the betterment of all."
He studied her curiously. "That sounds almost familiar. Who said it?"
She giggled, relieved to feel some of her anxiety melting away with it. "You did. Roughly a thousand years from now…to a Princess who was worried about becoming Queen someday."
"Oh…" His eyes widened as he finally got it. "Oh!"
"Yeah." She wrapped her arms around him gently, careful to avoid his wounds. "I know things seem grim right now, Corey, but believe me when I say it's going to get better. You're going to get better."
He blinked a few times, still apparently stuck on her earlier revelation. "Future me sounds a hell of a lot smarter than I am…"
"I don't know if he's any smarter," she admitted, with another giggle, "But he's definitely wiser. The perks of being a thousand years older, I guess." A sad little sigh of her own followed. "I miss him. Er, you. Everyone else, too. Home. I'd even take a Small Lady right about now…"
"Home…" Corey slumped a little himself. "The last place I want to think about."
"Huh? Why?"
"Minako will be there. We'll just end up fighting about all this." His head dipped. "I'm tired of it. All of it."
Some things never change, Chibiusa thought. Corey and women is one of them! "She's not mad. Not really, anyway. She actually seemed more worried about you two than you are."
There was a glimmer of hope in his eyes now. "Really?"
"Really," she assured him. "She has doubts of her own, Corey, I heard it in her voice. Just talk to her, be honest, and fix this." If you don't, she continued silently, I might be short a friend when I get back to Crystal Tokyo, and without Fumiko's help I'll never pass math!
He managed a tight smile for her. "It's funny, it sounded like I was meant to be guiding you."
"You'll get your chance in the future," she retorted, with a wink. "For now, though, it's my turn."
"Thanks…Small Lady."
Chibiusa couldn't suppress her own smile at his all too welcome gesture. I know it's stupid, but it actually helps.
"I make no promises…but I'll give it some serious thought."
She nudged him playfully. "That's all I ask, Sir Justice."
His smile dropped into a familiar scowl. "Oh, don't start that again!"
This must be a dream…
An impenetrable black void surrounded Rinjirou on all sides. It was almost tangible; he could feel its presence around him, a terrible, all-encompassing doom clamping down around him.
"Hello? Anyone?"
His plaintive call went unanswered, lost in the darkness. There were no clues to his surroundings, no echo indicating a room or chamber of any kind. Just a vast, black ocean of nothing…and the sudden, menacing chuckle of a familiar enemy. One he'd heard several times without realising its source.
"Chaos…"
The monster that had taken Megumi from him, snuffing out her flame with almost casual disregard and denying her the warrior's death she would have surely preferred. Then, dissatisfied with simply killing her, it went a step further in its perversion and possessed her corpse, denying her a peaceful death. His stomach lurched at the mere thought of its crimes…before he remembered something a touch unsettling.
"I was in its grip, being thrown around the room like some sick plaything...until the Senshi came and brought me back to the shrine." He glanced around once again, convinced of its ethereal nature. "It must be a dream…but for what purpose?"
His answer came roaring from the darkness like the crack of thunder, a deep, booming voice coming from everywhere at once. "This is no dream, Rinjirou Payne." It was powerful and authoritative, yet somehow distant despite its clarity.
Rinjirou turned slowly on the spot, searching for its source but finding nothing in the darkness.
"This is the source of what little power you presently hold; the sliver of Chaos embedded within your chest."
"I'm…within my own Chaos Sliver?" It made no sense to the former Paladin, yet he felt little fear. The past weeks had held countless trials and, in truth, he found these theatrics far more annoying than anything else by now. "Who are you?"
His mystery conversationalist ignored him completely. "Time grows short. Earth faces a threat more powerful than any in its history, one brought about by the arrogance of its so-called protectors."
"The Order of Black."
"Indeed," it answered approvingly. "Look around you, Rinjirou Payne. What do you see? How does it feel?"
"I see...nothing," he said uncertainly. "It's cold and dark."
"Exactly. The fate of Earth should Chaos and its New Order prevail."
It's 'New Order'? It's taken over completely? Rinjirou tried to ignore the wording, hiding his newfound distress with an irritable snort. "So why tell me? I tried making a stand and Chaos beat me like a dog! Even the Guardian Knight was defeated, and he's far more powerful than I am. Chaos is too strong, it controls my Sliver." What began as defiance ended with a defeated whimper. "I can't help anyone."
A familiar hand brushed his cheek. "We went over this the last time we spoke. I didn't raise you to give up."
"Mother?" His head snapped up as he looked for her. "You're here?"
"I'm always here," she said softly, appearing out of the darkness with the same radiant smile he saw in his dreams. Tall and slender, jet black hair tied back in a ponytail; she was just as he remembered. "Every day since I left, watching over you."
"You're real. You're…?" Any initial relief evaporated almost immediately as he remembered what he had learned. "But how? You're dead! Murdered by Thorn and his Hunters!" No, he decided, this isn't right, and I'm not buying it. I don't believe in ghosts…but I've seen powerful entities manipulating the rest of us for their own gain!
"Rin-"
He pulled away and folded his arms across his chest. "If you really are my mother, cut all the cryptic nonsense and talk to me. I'm tired of these games."
Her sad eyes stared into his a moment…until she nodded. "The Order of Black is verging on collapse. Chaos has infiltrated every facet of the organisation…" She pressed her hand gently against his chest, her lips forming a thin, white line. "Every Paladin."
The sense of foreboding in the back of Rinjirou's mind exploded into abject horror. "The Slivers?!"
"They are Chaos, Rin. Pieces of the whole. The Progenitor believed we could harness its power, even learn to master it, but he was wrong. It was a fallacy, one every Elder has propagated since. It lied to them, Rin, as it always does."
His mind was racing, almost overcome with despair. "Nobody has any idea what's coming! They'll be slaughtered, or worse!"
"And you can do nothing to stop it." The same voice from earlier returned, as powerful as ever. "The Order of Black must fall and pave the way for the return of their forebears."
His mother nodded gently. "The Exalted Knights of the Undying Sun."
"Right," Rinjirou muttered, "A long-dead order of holy knights abandoned by their god. I'm sure they'll be a big help."
"Not abandoned!" There was a clear touch of haughty indignation in its voice. "Never abandoned. It was fear and impatience that drove them blindly into battle before they were prepared. They chose to spurn my guidance, marching on the Witch and her Queen without adequate strength, relying on so-called divine protection I could not grant."
"You?" It all began to come together. "Then, you're-"
"The Great Undying Sun," it boomed, clearly proud. "The Bringer of Light, Father of-"
Rinjirou rolled his eyes automatically, despite the situation. "A simple 'Hyperion' would have sufficed."
"Rin!" his mother hissed. "You're addressing an old god. A little respect, please!"
He forced himself to ignore her, as much as it hurt; her part in all of this was still unclear. "What am I to an old god? What could you possibly want from me?"
"The time is nigh for my Exalted Knights to return to the world, and I would have you lead them, Rinjirou Payne."
He deflated just a little. "…Me?"
"You show great potential. A passion for Earth, your fellow man, and a remarkable resistance to the taint of Chaos. What more could I seek in a champion?"
Rinjirou's cocky arrogance – the manner in which he usually carried himself – was gone. He had been well and truly floored by the…entity and its offer. I could still save some of them. I could bring Chaos down, take vengeance for Megumi…
"I do not make this this offer without provision," the old god warned him. "The Golden Crystal has long been absent. Endymion must be returned to the throne, his birthright, and the Exalted Knights must serve as his guardians once more. The way it was, the way it should be."
That's one hell of a provision, Rinjirou thought sourly. How am I supposed to trust Endymion and his future Queen after what happened today? The Order might be wrong on a lot of things, but I'm still not convinced the future is one of them. He shook his head faintly, uncertain. "I'm not sure…"
"You wish the power to stand against Chaos, don't you? The power to avenge your friend Megumi?" God or not, the smug arrogance in Hyperion's voice was easy to hear. "It's yours to take. You need only accept my terms."
He ground his teeth in frustration, fully aware he was being manipulated but unable to disagree. He has me. If I'm going to avenge Megumi and stop Chaos, I have no choice but to accept. However… "Very well. I will do what I must to keep this world and its people safe."
Rinjirou recoiled, raising his arm to shield his eyes as a brilliant flash of light blinded him. The ghostly afterimage of a man shrouded in flames appeared before him, easily eight feet tall. It reached down and placed a burning hand on his chest.
"Then let it be done."
A pleasant warmth seeped into his chest, seeming to follow every vein and nerve as it spread out to his extremities. The same warmth grew hotter, however, until it ignited and became a searing pain focused in his chest. Somehow, impossibly, he felt something within him evaporate, something he had never been fully aware of until now…and the heat withdrew.
"Seek out Endymion," the burning man boomed. "Together, you must journey to where it all began, retrieve my blade, and speak your vows. That is your trial; succeed, and you will have proven worthy of my power and leadership of my Knights."
Rinjirou's chest still ached; it almost felt as if he'd lost something. "You can't be serious. A sword?!"
His mother began to frown. "Rin-"
"We don't have time for these stupid games! You're a god, can't you just magic it here right now?!"
Hyperion only chuckled in response. "You have spirit, Rinjirou Payne, I'll give you that…but take care you don't presume too much upon my favour as your predecessors did. I offer you power, true, but I won't carry you. Hard work and dedication must come first."
Rinjirou stared up at his flame-shrouded face in disbelief. "What is this, a self-help seminar?!"
"RIN!"
He cringed unwillingly, the sound of her voice all-too-familiar. I still don't know what her role is in all this, but she certainly sounds like Mother. Come to think of it, when did she vanish again?
Hyperion flared brilliantly and, in another flash of light, disappeared. His disembodied voice echoed out of the darkness, moving the very air around him. "Seek out Endymion, find my blade and make your vows. Then, go forth with my blessing and reform my Exalted Knights anew. Chaos is a blight upon this world; it must be burned clean."
"But you haven't even told me where to go!" Rinjirou cried, frustration setting in again. "Where it all began? Where what began?!"
"Rinjirou?"
He looked around, confused. Was the darkness shrinking around him? "Mother? Is that you?"
"Rinjirou!"
"I'm right here!" he called. "Where are you?"
"Wake up, you idiot!"
Something struck him in the face and he sat up, immediately regretting the reflex. Every part of him ached, from head to toe, and the sudden light was too much for his eyes. As his vision returned, the first sight that greeted him was a familiar, angry miko. "Oh, hey…"
"Hey?" Rei folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. "That's all you have to say to me?"
"Pretty much," he answered, biting back a pained grimace. His chest still ached with that same sense of loss. What the hell did Hyperion do to me?
She sighed irritably and sat on the edge of the bed. "Typical." Her violet eyes lost some of their fire. "You were talking in your sleep, some pretty unsettling stuff. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Aside from hurting pretty much all over, that is.
"What were you thinking, running off like that with Corey?" She wasn't as angry as he'd expected, a little more disappointed than anything. "You said you'd help us get Chibiusa back, then you left."
He was still confused by what he'd seen…but not confused enough to let that stand. "I did say I'd help, without bloodshed…and from that perspective, I received a better offer."
"A better offer?!"
"You know I want to save as many Black Paladins as I can," he said quietly, "And Justice offered the chance to ensure even less were hurt or killed. I won't apologise for taking him up on it." There was little else to say, really. Except maybe one thing. "If you can plot to kill so many of those I used to call brother, maybe the Order of Black is right to fear you."
Her face fell; clearly, he'd struck a nerve. "You don't mean that."
"I don't know what I mean anymore," he muttered, meaning it completely. There was a part of him that wanted nothing more than to be closer to her…and another that found her reprehensible. "Did you even look for another option? Did any of you?"
"I want to lie, but…" Rei hung her head. "No."
He swung his legs off the bed despite their painful protest. "I've gotta go."
She leapt to her feet after him. "Wait!"
He shook his head irritably. "I can't talk to you right now, Rei."
"I get that, but this is important!" Her fingers closed around his wrist. "I can't feel you!"
"What?"
"Just now, when you woke up, I thought something felt different, but I only realised what it is now." She looked him over, clearly concerned. "Your Chaos Sliver. I can't feel it anymore."
Her words struck him like a lightning bolt. That's it, he thought, as he raised a hand to his chest. He took it. Hyperion took my Sliver…and with it, the only real power I had.
"What's going on?" she asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "What aren't you telling me?"
Rinjirou had no answer for her. He barely even had one for himself. I only know one thing. I've got to get to Endymion and figure all this out. I have to secure his help…one way or another.
Minako wandered across the courtyard of the Hikawa Shrine, trying her best to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. Coming back here had taken all her courage, but she'd made it. Now, she just had to find Corey…and she had a pretty good idea where he'd be. Sure enough, as she set foot on the grass beyond the tiles, she spotted him sitting quietly by Titus' grave. Her heart actually hurt at seeing him so lost, almost broken; this was a far cry from his typical, confident self.
She approached him slowly, still uncertain of herself. We have to talk eventually, though. It might as well be now...while I have the guts to do it. "Hey. I thought I'd find you here."
He had his back to her, but didn't seem surprised by her presence. "I didn't really want to go home."
Minako settled down on the grass beside him, smoothing her dress over her legs for modesty's sake. After a moment's hesitation, she let her head fall against his shoulder. It felt nice after all the anxiety of the day. Peaceful, even. The calm before the storm. "Me neither."
"You changed," he noted, almost casually. "I love that dress. You always look great in it."
"It's the perfect day for a sundress, and I needed a little pick-me-up."
Corey remained silent, staring off into the distance. He could be difficult to read at the best of times, but she was sure there was a touch of nervousness beneath his external calm.
I can't blame him either, she thought sadly. My heart feels like it's going to jump out of my chest! An awkward silence wasn't very helpful, though, so she pressed on with her plan. "We, uh…I think we'd better talk."
"Yeah," he agreed quietly, sitting up a little straighter. "Probably."
"It's not what you think," Minako assured him. "Not yet, at least. This is something that I've kept to myself, for a long time now, but…you deserve to hear it. We promised to be more honest about our feelings with each other, and in the spirit of that promise…"
"What is it?"
She took a deep breath, remembering Artemis' advice. If this all backfires and Corey runs screaming, I'm going to lock that cat in the Alcatraz of laundry hampers! "I…am afraid I'm going to lose my mind someday. For real."
Corey blinked slowly. "You're serious?"
The blonde nodded reluctantly. "Everyone makes fun of me for being 'crazy', but it's not a joke. Not for me. I swear, some days I can even feel myself teetering on the brink…and it's getting worse. You can't tell me you haven't noticed. Sneak moving in to your apartment, fighting about Take-chan, that time I kicked in Mako's door because I thought you two were doing weird sex stuff-"
"That was a week ago..."
"Now is not the time for jokes!" She didn't like the way her voice quivered, not one bit. "What if I'm the next Sailor Fury, just waiting to happen? Some deranged lunatic running around killing people?"
"Hey…" Corey pulled her into a half hug, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "That is never going to happen, you hear me? You're not that kind of person, and you never could be."
"Well, sure, not right now," she countered, fidgeting nervously, "But I almost lost myself once. Is it a complete stretch to worry it might happen again?"
"When did you…?"
Minako bowed her head, finally ready to admit her secret shame. "Right after Usagi stopped Galaxia. I had trouble coming back from my second death in as many years…and I nearly lost it. I didn't know who the real Minako was anymore…but, with Artemis' help, I just barely held on. He talked me back from the brink of hysteria, and… over a week or so…I was able to put myself back together." She let slip a long shuddering sigh of shame and trepidation, her confession complete. "Ever since, I've worried I'll find myself there again someday…and this time I won't be able to come back from it.
"Today was the closest I've gotten to that breaking point. When you and Usagi were fighting, I could feel myself being pulled in two directions at once. Like Sailor Venus and I were struggling for control of my body." She buried her face in her hands, reflecting on what she'd just said. "Wow. I wouldn't blame you for thinking I really am crazy after that."
He kissed the top of her head gently. "You're not crazy, Minako. Maybe a little neurotic, I guess, but then most people are to some degree."
"So I'm neurotic?" she repeated miserably. "That's just crazy by another name!"
"Do you know what you'd say right now if you were crazy? How sane you are. That you're not crazy." He shook his head gently. "You mentioned Sailor Fury, right? Think about her. She protested she was sane pretty much nonstop as loudly as she could, but you? You're practically convinced you've lost it already…which tells me one thing." He mustered a small smile. "You're not crazy, and you never will be."
"But the crazy things I say and do, the way I act-"
"That's just you. The mangled proverbs, the occasional bouts of hysterical silliness? It's all you, and I love it as much as I love the rest of you." Corey even managed a quick chuckle. "If Red Bull Rampage Minako didn't scare me off, I don't think you ever could."
It was like the eye of the storm. Minako felt a sudden, serene peace within her as all her anxiety and fear melted away…leaving her surprisingly cognisant. "You really mean that, don't you?"
His arms wrapped around her just a little tighter. "You're not crazy, Minako, just a little nuts...in the cutest possible way."
The blonde relaxed against him, finally able to think again for what seemed like a very long time. "I like that. I think…yeah. From now on, you're the only person who gets to call me crazy. As a term of endearment."
"Sure thing."
Minako sat up, wiping an errant tear from her eye. Everything about today just seemed so small, so inconsequential after that. "It's weird, but…after telling you all that, our current problems just don't seem like such a big deal."
He shuffled uncomfortable beside her. "For you, maybe."
She turned to face him, an almost gleeful grin spreading across her face. "No, it really isn't so bad! If I can tell you my deepest, darkest secret…I can tell you anything! I mean, I've been thinking about us all day, right? I know just what I want to say!"
"Maybe I was wrong-"
"Shush!" she hissed, with a light slap to his arm. "I'm tired of feeling bad about us. Let's just get it all out in the open and bury the ketchup!" The last line slipped out in English; she wasn't sure about the Japanese translation.
His blank stare made it painfully obvious she'd gotten something wrong.
"Not, uh…not quite right, huh?"
Corey shook his head slowly, an incredibly pained expression on his face.
She shrugged and shifted gears again. "Never mind. Let's just talk this out so we can go home!"
"…Go ahead."
Minako pressed a hand against her chest and cleared her throat politely. "I don't agree with what you did. Siding against Usagi and the rest of us so definitively? I think it was rash and unnecessary. I think you let your temper get the best of you, and that led you to act in the heat of the moment. You should have stayed and tried to talk things out with us."
A familiar defiant fire began to burn in his eyes. "But you-"
"Furthermore, as me, Minako? Watching you blink away so easily, turning your back on me and the life we've built together? That really hurt me, Corey. I wondered how you could do that to me…until I realised I'd done exactly the same thing to you a few minutes earlier." Corey was still defensive but she could see some of the fight leaving him. Her clarity of thought and eloquence were surprising for her as well, but she'd been agonising over this very conversation all day; she should have a good idea of what to say by now!
"I'm Sailor Venus. I'm supposed to lead, but I didn't do a very good job of that today. I tried to stay on the fence, like Sweden – uh, Switzerland! – but that didn't help anyone and I ended up deferring to Usagi anyway. In doing so, I turned on Titus, and you…and for that, I'm truly sorry. If I'd been just a little more vocal, maybe I could have swayed the others. Maybe things wouldn't have escalated to the level they did. Maybe you wouldn't have left with Titus...and all this could have been avoided?"
Her boyfriend sagged, evidently mollified. It appeared he wanted a fight about as much as she did; not very much.
"But, we shut you out. Made it all but impossible for you to find that third option. We're the Sailor Senshi, and yes, we're sworn to protect and serve Usagi…but that doesn't necessarily mean blindly agreeing with everything she says. That was our failure, Corey, a failure to exercise our own morals. A failure to think critically, to be objective about her plan and what it truly entailed.
"We aren't as sneaky as we like to think. If we had infiltrated the Order of Black's headquarters, an awful lot of people might have died…on both sides…and I don't like that idea. Not one, little bit." A terse sigh of relief – and nervous tension – slipped from her lips as she came to her conclusion. "So, with all of that in mind, I can see why you felt you had to act. I may not approve, but…I can at least understand."
His eyes seemed almost glassy. "You've been giving that a lot more thought than I figured."
Minako shrugged. "Hey, I may be kinda hyper but I'm not stupid."
"No, you're not," Corey agreed, shuffling uncomfortably in place. "I, uh…I appreciate it, by the way. This was never about you taking my side completely. I just wanted someone to acknowledge what I did, that I had a valid reason, and…for what it's worth now…leaving you behind wasn't easy at all. It hurt…just like it hurt that you didn't have my back."
"That's great!" Her hands flew to her mouth immediately as she realised how that sounded. "Er, not that you were hurt. That you're being honest about it. Keep going!"
"I think I created a monster…"
"Oh, boo!" Minako wrinkled her nose in a largely mock display of irritation. "I was honest with you, Corey, and you promised you'd stop holding back after our last fight. Just talk to me!"
He uttered a miserable sigh. "I suppose it just feels like, sometimes…you'll always care just that little bit more about Usagi than me."
Her enthusiasm faded quickly, guilt and doubt rising in her heart to replace it. His response wasn't a surprise – she'd almost expected it after her earlier self-reflection – but it still hurt to hear it. "Cutie, you have every right to say that. I haven't exactly been a very good girlfriend, have I?"
Corey seemed a little guilty himself. "Hey, don't say that…"
"It's true. You've put up with so much from me since we first met and all I ever do is complain that I want even more. I've been whiny, pushy and selfish, I haven't listened to your concerns, and I'm sorry. I promise you, that all stops today."
He smiled uncomfortably. "It's okay, really-"
"I must be a little nuts," she admitted, with a bitter laugh. "I got all obsessed over finding you a gift. A stupid present that would prove how much I love you and magically fix all our problems. Luckily, I actually listened to Artemis - eventually - and realised how idiotic it all was…but then I thought of the perfect gift after all. Something I could give you to show I care. Something that proves I love you just as much as Usagi. More even. Something that's…" Her stomach began to flutter again. "Well, I hope it really is good for both of us and our relationship."
He stared back at her warily. "Should I be nervous? Because I am."
"I…" Minako forced herself to stop and take a deep breath. Courage, she thought determinedly. It's not going to be permanent. Just until we work past this.
"Minako?"
"Remember when you said you felt like maybe Artemis was right? That we were moving too fast, too soon?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, um…" She was finding it far more difficult to get out than anticipated. After all, she thought in a panic, I don't really want him to say yes! "I was thinking…if it would help after Titus and, well, all of this…" I just have to be strong now. "Maybe I could, um…oh, god, this hurts…" Minako took a one final deep breath and forced it out. "Maybe I should move back home with my parents and we could give our relationship a little reset?"
She wasn't disappointed by Corey's reaction; he froze up completely.
"You know…" she continued meekly, "Date a little more, establish more clearly defined boundaries – admittedly more for me than you – and then, when you're ready too…we could try this whole living together thing again?"
"I…I don't know what to say," he admitted slowly. "You'd really do that for me?"
Minako resisted the urge to scream "NO!" straight to the heavens. "I would. I love you, Corey, and if it will help you, and us, moving forward…I can handle it." I don't know how well I'll handle it, she admitted miserably. I already feel like I want to die and he hasn't said yes yet!
Corey studied her silently for another few seconds…then began to laugh. It started out as a low and reserved chuckle but quickly escalated into an uncontrollable howl. "Oh, man! Maybe I was wrong! You might just be insane after all, Minako!"
She wasn't getting the joke. A familiar twitch in her right eyebrow signalled her irritation. "I bare my soul…and you laugh?!"
He shut his mouth immediately. "Oh, god, I am so sorry, but…well, you're nuts!"
"If that's how you feel-" Her fiery retort was muffled against his chest as he pulled her in close for another hug.
"After everything that happened today, after losing Titus…losing you too is the last thing I want." He pressed his lips gently to her forehead. "Knowing you would make that sacrifice for me, despite your obvious hatred of the idea?" He shook his head gently. "It's enough to know you really do care that much…and that you're really trying."
Minako's anger faded quickly, and she relaxed in his embrace again. "I was kinda hoping you'd say that."
"Maybe things aren't perfect between us," he admitted, "And maybe it's going to take time, but…I love you, Mina."
She snuggled against him, practically purring. "And I love you."
Corey shifted, letting her fall further against his chest until his chin was resting atop her head. "This won't be easy to put behind us, though. Everyone else-"
"You let me worry about everyone else," Minako whispered, too content to care at that moment. It wouldn't be easy, he was right there, but they'd handle it like they'd handled everything else life - or her own insecurities - had thrown at them.
"But-"
"They're my friends, Corey, our friends…and they'll understand. Maybe they'll be mad at first, but I say who cares? I'm sick and tired of choosing duty over love and sacrificing my own happiness for my life as a Sailor Senshi. This time, I'm choosing love. I'm choosing you!" Her tirade complete, she skewered him with a pointed glare. "Got a problem with that?"
"Well, no, but I don't want to cause any more trouble between-"
She sighed wearily and clamped her hand over his mouth. "Oh, would you just shut up and kiss me already?!"
"Mmf, mmhmm, mff."
"Oh, right." She pulled her hand away with a mischievous wink. "You were saying?"
Corey's lips captured hers without further delay and, for that moment, at least, all was right in Minako Aino's world.
AN: Well, I ended up making this a two-parter after all, retroactively labeling the last chapter "Eulogy I - Conflict" to precede "Eulogy II - Compromise". A lot of the themes just seemed to carry over, especially in Chibiusa's scene and Corey's semi-reconciliation with Minako. Much like with Usagi, I didn't want to hit the reset button on their relationship too quickly...but a conversation with metalgear - seriously mate, maybe I should just give you a co-writer credit on these last couple of chapters! - convinced me all they needed was a clear sign of Minako actually compromising for once. We've seen a lot of give and take - mostly giving from Corey and taking from Minako - and this was the first time she really felt like she was understanding her own behaviour for me. Offering to "hit the reset button" on their relationship, despite desperately wanting to avoid it, seemed like the perfect "crazy" sort of gesture she might come up with and the rest wrote itself from there. Corey just wanting SOMEONE to admit he had a point seemed very in-character; he isn't out to convince people he's right, he DID the right thing as far as he's concerned, but like everyone else he likes feeling validated...and her conceding he had his reasons for acting, even if she doesn't agree with WHAT he did, seemed like a more realistic conclusion to their current dramas. As Corey said, things aren't perfect between them yet, but the immediate crisis is over.
Aside from that, I really wanted to continue to move the main plot along after Chaos' "meeting" with Elder Haim last time out. This time it's Rinjirou getting a kick up the backside from "Hyperion", the old god and patron of the original Exalted Knights. Again, I intended to leave his mother's appearance ambiguous. Is she really there, or is she all just Hyperion playing mind games to get what he wants? Rin's starting to question that himself, but it was essentially an offer he couldn't refuse and I'm looking forward to his meeting with Mamoru. I noted down a few lines already and let's say Rin's typical blunt approach leads to some snarky back and forth immediately!
Lastly, Chibiusa. This is a different take on her character, I know, but the more I push Usagi towards "growing up" into a more complex character the more I see Chibiusa as the mirror image of her younger self, so focused on what's "right" and "good". Some of you vehemently agreed with her tirade against Usagi last chapter but I want to stress Usagi isn't wrong as such; it's just a more pragmatic viewpoint. Maybe the Sailor Senshi DON'T kill...but they've never fought human opponents before. Not in this lifetime. Maybe that isn't an option anymore? Who can say?
Anyway, I'm rambling, lol. I try to keep these short but this was such a stacked chapter character-wise that I had a lot on my mind. Maybe I'm seeking validation the way Corey was? ;-) Thanks as always to everyone who read, and to those who reviewed as well. Not too long left before the climax now, and according to my outline we will be seeing the Outer Senshi again next chapter. Sorry for the wait!
Lisseas