Sailor Moon: The Order of Black

Chapter Thirty Five - Rinjirou's Plan; The Sailor Senshi's Dilemma

Originally published 08/02/2016

"Goodnight, Usako." Mamoru brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead, smiling in relief that he had her back. "I love you."

"Mm…" She mumbled something incoherent and snuggled deeper into her pillow, asleep at last. He couldn't blame her after the day she'd had, either. First Corey and his attack on her leadership, then Chibiusa! The Guardian Knight was mad, sure, but he knew who had hurt Usagi more.

Her only thought was for Chibiusa's safety, he thought sadly. How can I condemn her for that? How can anyone? How could Chibiusa?! Corey, I can understand…but her? The bed creaked quietly as he rose, careful not to disturb her. It had been a very difficult day, that was for sure, and she deserved a little peace. Admittedly, the tension had taken its toll on him as well; Mamoru stifled a yawn as he backed towards the bedroom door, slipping into his living room and closing it quietly behind him.

"It's about time."

Mamoru whirled about, summoning a rose to his hand automatically, and spotted an unkempt head of black hair. Someone was sitting on his couch, entirely too casually for his liking.

"I thought she'd blubber all night." His uninvited guest's sarcastic tone was a big clue to his identity. "Must be tough being the Moon Princess, huh?"

"Rinjirou?" Mamoru's brow furrowed warily as he stepped closer. What was he doing here?

The other man turned, one arm resting across the back of the couch as he touched his forehead in a mock salute. "Your Highness."

"What are you doing here? How did you even get in?"

Rinjirou's eyes sparkled. "Magic." His deadpan delivery didn't last long, though, disappearing with an especially amused snort. "How do you think, genius? I picked the lock while you were busy in there with the weepy one." His head cocked to one side, a curious expression on his face. "I admit, it wasn't easy picturing the future Queen of Earth snivelling like such a baby. Does that happen often?"

"She's had a rough day," Mamoru said, through gritted teeth. "Do you really dislike her that much?"

"What's not to dislike? She admitted she plans to crown herself Queen someday." There had been a clear hint of amusement in his voice, but that now faded. "I'm not a big fan of yours, either, of course."

Of course, Mamoru thought sombrely. The Order of Black was founded by the last remaining Exalted Knights...by Smythe. It's no surprise they hate me just as much as Usako. That made Rinjirou's sudden appearance something of a concern. "What do you want with me?"

The former Black Paladin pushed himself to his feet, flashing a cocky smirk when Mamoru adopted a defensive stance. "Don't worry, Endymion. I'm just here to talk."

"So talk."

Rinjirou rolled his eyes. "Don't be so impatient! There are certain protocols that need to be followed first. Honour demands it." He walked around the couch and performed a brief but formal bow. "You had no obligation to patch me up, today or the time I was shot, but you did...and I'm grateful."

Mamoru sighed quietly. Perhaps I've judged him too harshly. "You're welcome."

"So, what does someone like you see in such a ditz anyway?"

Or not! After more than five years of dating Usagi – and dealing with her friends – Mamoru thought himself a fairly patient man…but Rinjirou was testing that theory right now. "What do you want?"

His shrug was entirely too nonchalant. "Regrettably, I need your help."

Mamoru couldn't help it; he laughed. "And you figured this was the best way to get it? Breaking into my apartment and insulting the woman I love?"

"In my defence," Rinjirou countered, with another shrug, "I insult most people I meet. Just ask Rei, or that vapid blonde moron, Minako. It's something of a, uh…personality quirk."

"I get it now. Rinjerko…"

His pained expression was worth it in itself. "Oh, hell. That actually stuck?!"

Mamoru rubbed his bleary eyes irritably. "If you really want my help, you'll start talking. Now."

"Right, right." Rinjirou seemed to consider his words carefully a moment before speaking. "I met my dead mother today, for the second time in as many weeks."

All Mamoru could muster in response was a blank stare. "I'm not really that kind of doctor..."

"Oh, ha, ha." The sarcasm was so strong up close that it almost stung. "I'm not crazy, believe me. It'd be a lot easier to deal with than reality!"

Another sigh followed. "Go on."

"She's…I don't know, acting on behalf of someone. Someone important."

Rinjirou's evasiveness was growing tiresome; Mamoru really did lack patience tonight. "Where are you going with this?"

The other man sighed irritably, a quick hiss of air from his lips. "Oh, fine, Mister Impatient. Hyperion, the Undying Sun, told me to seek you out and, with your help, reform his Exalted Knights."

This blank stare came even easier. "I just…I have no words."

"Just shut up and listen, will you?! He appeared as an impossibly tall man, shrouded in flame. He-"

"Wait," Mamoru said, his planned retort sticking in his throat. "What did you say?"

"A tall man, shrouded in flame," Rinjirou repeated, giving him a curious stare. "No features, just this blank silhouette..."

The same entity appeared to me, tied to the return of Endymion's memories. That changed things; it might even change everything. Mamoru gestured to the couch and moved to join him. "Alright, Rinjirou. You have my attention."

The following morning…

"Oh, it's such a wonderful day!" Minako gave up her grip on Corey's hand to perform a very cheerful twirl…right into the path of an elderly couple approaching from the opposite direction. "Gah!" It was all she could do to stop – barely! - teetering on her tip-toes as her arms pinwheeled, vainly attempting to prevent the collision. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as their eyes widened in surprise and fear…

"Come here, you." Corey yanked her out of harm's way with his typical good timing, setting her back on her feet at his side mere moments before she would have bowled them over.

"Watch where you're going!" the old man grumbled. His scowl would have been impressive if not for the death glare his wife shot Minako; now that was terrifying!

"Eep…" The blonde bowed deeply, nearly throwing Artemis off her shoulders for the second time. "I am so sorry!" She felt her cheeks burn as the woman muttered something about 'the youth of today' under her breath. "Oops…"

The white cat pulled himself back into a slightly less precarious position. "Really, Mina!"

"Well, I'm sorry!" she said, with a deep pout, "but I'm just so happy! For the first time in a long time, I'm not worried about going crazy. It's like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders! Like I'm finally free!"

"I'm very happy to hear that," he replied calmly, "but I'd be even happier if you could watch where-"

He trailed off into a startled yowl as Minako's toes caught on a crack in the footpath, sending both of them tumbling to the ground.

"…you're going."

She leapt back to her feet effortlessly, dusting herself off to hide the embarrassment she felt. "I'm okay!"

"I'm not so sure," Corey muttered, scooping up a clearly unhappy Artemis with one hand.

"Oh, shush!" Minako shoved him, albeit playfully. "I know I said you could call me crazy, but you're being a little liberal with it, don't you think?"

He shrugged carefully as Artemis, clearly opting for safety, climbed onto his shoulders instead. "I call it like I see it, Minako, you know that."

"Well, keep it to yourself," she retorted, only a little annoyed by his good-natured teasing. "If I have to impose a daily limit on crazy jokes, I will!"

Corey cracked a wry grin in return. "Now that's crazy!"

Artemis re-entered the conversation with an exasperated sigh, still trying in vain to smooth down his bristling fur. "If you two are finished, could we take a moment to talk about our meeting with the rest of the team? Before we get there?"

Minako wrinkled her nose in disapproval. "Spoilsport."

"No, he's right." Corey exhaled slowly as he glanced at the distant Hikawa Shrine in concern. "It's not gonna be easy facing everyone again after yesterday."

She intertwined her fingers in his and squeezed gently. "I already told you, Corey, I'll handle everyone else."

"And I told you I don't want to make things difficult between you and the others."

Artemis peered down at her sombrely. "Corey's right, Mina. You two were able to work things out in your rather unique way, and I'm glad for it, but that doesn't mean it will be so easy with everyone else." His pale blue eyes were full of concern. "You already went through a rough patch with Usagi, not all that long ago, in fact. Do you really want things to get that bad again?"

"Oh, let them be mad," Minako countered, waving him off dismissively. "They'll come around sooner or later, and until they do? I get my cutie all to myself!"

Corey sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose painfully. "Don't get me wrong, I'm loving cool, calm and collected Minako, but maybe you should be a little more worried."

"Nope," she declared, squeezing his hand yet again. "Nothing's bringing me down today!"

That confidence remained steadfast right up to Rei's door, finally diminishing a little as Minako slid it open and felt her friends' stares. Maybe Arty and Corey had a point; this is gonna be tough!

Usagi sat front and centre, looking surprisingly relaxed with all things considered. She rested against Mamoru – for physical and emotional support, perhaps? – while gently stroking Luna's fur as the cat purred in her lap. Rei and Makoto sat to her right, the two fellow Senshi Minako thought most likely to fight Corey for his actions yesterday. Ami sat off to one side, across the room from everyone else but still very much a part of the group, leaving Chibiusa – their only guaranteed ally – between them.

The pink-haired teen leapt to her feet and hugged Corey warmly. "I'm so glad you two made up!"

He brought one arm up around her back with a smile. "What can I say? I got some great guidance."

Minako flashed a quick V-sign and snuck in a hug of her own, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Thanks for making me think about it all, Chibiusa. That was a huge help!"

"Anytime," she chirped, finally releasing her and returning to her seat.

That left them standing alone before the group again. One down, Minako thought, surveying the rest of the room. Only everyone else to go.

Usagi caught her by surprise by speaking first. "I'm glad you made up too. If you'd been driven apart by all of this, I just…" She trailed off a moment, but flashed a faint smile. "Well, let's just say that I ship Minako and Corey, and I wouldn't want to see that happen."

It was a rather touching moment from their leader, one Minako was extremely grateful for. Perhaps, despite Corey and Artemis' fears, they might actually be able to put it all behind them.

"And," Usagi continued quietly, "after giving it a lot of thought…I owe you an apology, Corey." There was a barely perceptible pause as she inhaled, seemingly nervous. "You were right to fight me over Titus. I just wanted him to respect me and acknowledge my authority as the leader, but...I went about it the wrong way. I tried to make him respect me with a threats, but respect has to be earned...and I wasn't deserving yesterday." She glanced down as Mamoru squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "I'm sorry. For that, and for…well."

Corey nodded silently, leaving her staring back at him expectantly.

"Uh, cutie?" Minako nudged him gently, recognising his reluctance. "Maybe you have something you wanna tell Usagi in return?" This was usually his forte, reading a situation and looking for the compromise…but perhaps he was too close?

"Right," he murmured, finally looking up. "I, uh…I let my emotions get the better of me yesterday, at Titus' funeral, and I said some things I regret. For that, I'm sorry too. You didn't deserve all of that."

Luna let out a happy sigh. "There now, isn't that better?"

Rei evidently disagreed. "That's it? You're not even going to mention what you did yesterday?"

"No more salt to rub in Usagi's wounds?" Mamoru added, clearly still holding a grudge.

Minako had to fight hard to keep from cringing. Geez, Mamoru, trying to get back into Usagi's good graces, much?

"No," her boyfriend replied, just as flat. "I'm not going to mention it." His emerald eyes narrowed in determination. "I still believe I was right, Rei, and I won't be bullied into an apology."

"Bullied?" the miko countered, genuinely surprised. "Is that what you think this is?"

Makoto's ponytail bobbed as she shook her head slowly. "Meet us halfway here, Corey. You have to admit you weren't exactly a good friend yesterday. I mean, you jeopardised Chibiusa's life when you sabotaged our plans to save her!"

"Says you," the teen muttered, with a sidelong glare.

"I prevented you going off half-cocked and killing people," Corey said, sounding just as tired of it all as Usagi. "Let's not pretend you're innocent victims in this, Makoto. I went off with Rinjirou to save lives-"

"And you nearly got yourselves killed, along with Chibiusa! If Ami hadn't figured out a way to track your blinks…"

Ami didn't say a word. If anything, she almost shrank into her little corner of the room even further.

"Can't you see how selfish that was?" Makoto asked sadly. "What if you had died? Did you even stop to think about Minako? About the rest of us?"

That put a damper on the blonde's good spirits, but she knew Corey wouldn't see it like that. Would any of us, if we were standing up for what we believe in?

Sure enough, he remained as dispassionate as ever. "I'm here to discuss Chaos, not yesterday. Let's get on with it."

Minako closed her eyes as Rei fired off an angry retort. It was lost, however, amidst a rising swell of heated words and arguments. Luna tried to rein them in but nobody was listening. They were all too focused on Corey and his 'betrayal'.

"…was selfish!"

"He saved me, didn't he?!"

"…stuck around, helped us ensure there were no deaths!"

"Hey…" It emerged quietly at first, surprising even Minako. She swallowed and attempted a second, louder interjection. "HEY!" When that failed to grab everyone's attention, she stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled extremely loudly…giving her the room's undivided attention. "Ha. That, uh, that worked a little better than I expected."

Artemis, largely quiet to this point, nudged her gently. "Go ahead, Mina."

"This is so messed up." The words came surprisingly easy; her mind was so much clearer free of her anxiety over her mental state. "Things were so much simpler when I was Sailor V. Love and justice, good and evil; it was all so clearly defined and easy to understand."

Ami finally spoke. "Where are you going with this, Minako?"

She reached behind her back and produced a familiar pair of red glasses. "I think, in a way, I was the strongest I've ever been as V. I didn't hesitate in standing up and affirming my beliefs. Love, justice? They weren't just a set of tired, old clichés I rattled off before a fight, I really meant it!" A sad sigh slipped from her lips. "I think, somewhere along the way, I forgot about that part of me. I think we all did."

Luna exchanged a confused look with Artemis, who shook his head 'no'.

"Usagi, you're our leader, our Princess, and our friend. We all swore to serve and protect you, true, but we also claim to serve justice…and yesterday?" She took a deep breath…and committed. "I think you were wrong. We all were."

Usagi slumped back against Mamoru, a mix of stunned surprise and hurt betrayal flashing across her face. It tore painfully at Minako's heart, but she knew she meant what she'd just said. If I'm really going to be the leader someday, I have to be willing to stand up for my own principles as well. Not just for Usagi.

"So, you caved," Rei scoffed, leaping to Usagi's defence with a derisive snort. "Big surprise there."

"I didn't cave," she retorted angrily, "and I think that's the surprise, given I've consistently sacrificed my own happiness for six years now, all in the name of duty!"

"But how can you go along with this line of thinking?" the miko asked, pressing a hand to her chest. "Like you said, Usagi's our leader, our Princess and, most importantly, our friend. You should be able to trust in her to make the right decision, Minako. We all should!"

"That's right," Makoto agreed, eyeing Corey sombrely. "What's friendship without trust?"

Minako opened her mouth to respond but was beaten to the punch by her boyfriend.

"I trust Queen Serenity…and she broke my heart time and time again. You say friendship is trust but how can I trust any of you to do the right thing, especially after yesterday?"

It was Luna who answered for the Senshi, flicking her tail cautiously. "What do you mean, Corey?"

"You were all there," he said, casting his gaze around the room, "in the Silver Millennium. You knew what was going on just like I did…and you turned a blind eye to it, just as I did." The guilt was as clear as day in his voice. "Perhaps you were more like bodyguards back then, but you all saw the injustices of Queen Serenity's reign, and you did nothing."

Minako felt the guilt and shame rising up within; Mina's guilt and shame. She did turn a blind eye to it all. Duty demanded she obey her Queen…and she did. Just as I've followed Usagi. Like yesterday…

"I know my own heart," Corey said softly, "and I know I'll never let that happen again. But all of you? You knew what Usagi was proposing and you fell in line with her anyway, just like you did in the past. So, I'll ask you again; knowing that, how do I trust you to do the right thing and stand up for what you claim to believe in?"

Usagi's eyes widened slightly as she sank back against Mamoru, looking even more drained than she had a moment ago.

As for Minako, she swallowed back sudden disgust - with herself! She'd seen the effects of blind and obsessive devotion first hand; it had ruined Corval! Was she guilty of making that very same mistake over two lifetimes?!

Her friends were quiet too, even Chibiusa who bore no guilt herself. Usagi was clearly uncomfortable with the notion, while her friends displayed a conflicting range of emotions.

"Now," Corey said quietly, "It's done. I can't change it, nor would I. If you can't accept that…" He left it unsaid, but his meaning was clear; I can always leave.

Makoto was the first to speak, leaning forward with her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "But how are we supposed to just forget about this?! You turned on us!"

"By remembering that you're friends," Chibiusa said gently, glancing at Usagi meaningfully, "and that you still care about each other."

"But are we still friends?" Rei sounded much sadder than Minako had expected. "Friends don't turn against each other. I'm sorry, but they just don't! They fight over silly little things and they might even call each other names, but they also stick together through thick or thin." It was as melancholic as she'd been in quite some time. "You broke our trust, Corey, and despite what you say it isn't so easy to move on from that."

"It isn't our place to question Usagi," Ami agreed timidly, finally looking up from her hands. "Minako raised a valid point, but…" She removed her glasses and rubbed at her eyes. "She's our friend, and it shouldn't be difficult to trust in her judgement, right?"

Makoto nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Right."

Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no! Minako's heart sank and she began to fret again. For a moment, it seemed like Corey had reached them…but even his impressive powers of mediation had failed this time.

"Who says?!" he retorted, finally displaying a little anger. "What kind of friendship is that? Did any of you even stop to ask Usagi if that's what she wants?"

Usagi slumped even further against Mamoru, tears welling up in her eyes. Minako felt guilty for the role she'd played to this point, but that was tempered by the fact her eyes had been opened. Corey is right. We don't even think about it anymore, do we? We love Usagi so much that we just agree no matter what, the very kind of blind devotion I remember from Mina. The scariest part is, even now, it feels right…

"That's not…" Makoto stumbled, caught off-guard by his argument. "That's not what we did. Facing an enemy, a human enemy? It's difficult, yes, but we have to defend ourselves!"

Corey pressed his attack. "And a frontal assault on their stronghold is self-defence?"

"Yes! I mean, no…I just…" The tall brunette appeared confused. "We had to save Chibiusa. What were we supposed to do, just leave her a prisoner?"

The pink-haired teen stood, arms folded across her chest. "I wasn't even there."

"You're clouding the real issue," Rei protested, looking uncomfortable with his reasoning as well.

Not content with merely observing, Mamoru waded into the fight now. "You were asking us to leave Chibiusa in captivity, Corey. Be fair; how on Earth where we supposed to do that?"

"I asked nothing of the sort! All I wanted was some level-headed thinking from everyone! You and Usagi are meant to be better than that!"

Mamoru's nostrils flared. "There was no way we could leave her in their hands a second longer than necessary. To do so would have been abandonment by any other name!"

There was a loud thump as Chibiusa stomped her foot hard against the floor. "I wasn't…even…THERE!"

Figurative chaos descended as Rei and Makoto joined the argument. Minako looked on helplessly as the people she loved most in the world tore into one another, powerless to stop it. Usagi looked like she was about to cry, and Ami wasn't far behind her. I'm supposed to be leading them, she thought, in utter despair, but I don't know how to stop this. I don't know how to reach them!

An ear-piercing howl cut right through the din as if in answer to her prayers. Luna leapt from Usagi's lap, right into the centre of the room. "That's enough!"

Silence ensued as everyone turned to stare at her in stunned bewilderment. She had been known to yell on occasion, when she deemed it necessary, but it had been a long time. Even Artemis was surprised.

"I have kept silent for most of this nonsense, hoping you'd eventually see reason…but it appears that was too much to ask." Luna's eyes scanned the room, lingering on each member of the team in turn. "Chaos, the root of all evil, has returned…yet you're sitting here bickering like immature schoolgirls! We should be planning for its arrival, not going around and around in circles debating who did what and why!"

Rei raised her hand. "But-"

The black cat skewered her with a reproving stare. "Usagi is more than capable of defending herself should she want to. She doesn't need you two fanning the flames and causing more trouble!"

The miko shared a look of contrition with the tall brunette beside her and bowed her head, keeping whatever else she might have said to herself.

"As for you, Justice?" Luna's ears flattened as she turned to Corey. "I understand your concerns, I do, but this isn't helping. You've made your point, now it's time to let everyone reflect on it. Repeating it ad nauseam is only going to lead to more conflict."

Artemis blinked slowly. "Selene help me, I love it when you get all stern like that!"

Despite her black fur, Luna's blush was plain to see as she concluded her tirade. "You all claim you're adults, now act like it!" Her tail twitched again as she turned and relinquished control of the floor, an opportunistic smack to Artemis' head notwithstanding. "Idiot!"

Silence followed, everyone avoiding eye contact with one another as they reflected on what had happened. Finally, though, Usagi spoke up. "We're hurting right now, that much is clear, and the issues we face aren't going away overnight…but Luna's right. Arguing over and over again won't help anyone but Chaos; it's only gathering strength while we squabble…and that can't continue."

Rei slumped in her seat, abruptly tired. "Right."

Corey nodded wordlessly and sank to the floor, joined by Minako a moment later. She took a hold of his hand and squeezed, reassuring him with her presence alone.

"So," Usagi said, studying them all once again. "Where should we start?"

It hadn't been easy following the Black Paladin below. He seemed to shift in and out of focus, making it difficult for Sailor Saturn to keep her eyes on him. Almost like they didn't want to see him, marking the ability as one they'd seen from a former Order of Black soldier named Rinjirou; 'Shadow Walker.'

"It must be nice, not having to worry about being spotted."

The Sailor Senshi of Silence glanced wearily at her friend and comrade, Sailor Uranus, barely able to resist an eye roll. The taller woman was watching the street like a hawk though, despite her flippant comment, making it a little more difficult to condemn her for it. It was just her way of lightening the mood, after all…though it wasn't working very well. Saturn's stomach was fluttering uncomfortably, a physical manifestation of the strange, unrelenting dread that had haunted her all evening. "I don't know that this was such a good idea."

"What else were we supposed to do?"

Neptune leaned forward, nodding in agreement as she joined them on the edge. "The Order of Black are a proven enemy…and a dangerous one at that. If they're searching the city for us, better we turn the tables on them, learn what we can, and return that information to Sailor Moon and the others."

"We could have at least waited until she replied to us first…"

"I've tried the communicators and her phone," Uranus said, about as blunt as she could be. "If she wanted to talk to us, she would have already...though I'll admit, I can understand why she might feel that way."

"We've made some terrible errors in judgement," Neptune agreed, in quiet discomfort. "Missteps."

Saturn found it refreshing to see them so self-reflective after so many years of near-arrogance. Maybe they had finally changed for the better?

"Of course, it doesn't help that Tinman probably tossed us under the bus the second he popped back to Tokyo."

"He wouldn't do that!" she protested, regretting her outburst immediately.

"Oh?" Uranus shared a saucy wink with Neptune. "Are you sure you're being entirely objective here, Sailor Saturn?"

"It's not like that," the younger Senshi muttered, embarrassed by their mention of her crush. "He's a nice person, Uranus. You just got off on the wrong foot, that's all."

"Now that's something of an understatement," Neptune said, with an uncharacteristic giggle.

Uranus laughed as she tussled Saturn's hair, much to her consternation. "Tinman and I get along just the way I like it; badly. I don't need to be his BFF to fight beside him."

"…" There wasn't much she could say to that. "I can't argue with you there." They'd proven to be a most effective combination in battle, despite their mutual dislike of one another.

"Great!" The Sky Senshi turned away and gestured to the street. "Now, if you're done being all mopey, can we get back to following this guy before we lose him?" She didn't wait for an answer, taking off in a run and clearing the next street with ease.

Neptune's amused smile did nothing to reassure Saturn, but she hefted her Glaive and followed the older woman anyway, hoping her bad feeling was just nerves.

"What do you think, Corey?" Usagi asked, all business now. "Was it really Chaos?"

His first response was a noncommittal shrug. "I never fought the original, but it hit hard. Harder than anything I've faced before." He pressed two fingers to his chest unconsciously, right over his wound. "It punched through my shield like it wasn't even there. My armour too. Not even ol' Jerkface could do that."

Rei stared at him warily for a moment before turning back to Usagi. "How could it possibly be Chaos, though? You destroyed its physical form, dispersed it! How could it reform itself so quickly?"

"Perhaps it's a duplicate?" Ami suggested, appearing infinitely more comfortable with this topic. "All we know is it claims to be Chaos. It could be a forgery created by the Order of Black, in the same way they managed to recreate the Revenant Knight's Constructs."

Artemis' tail began to twitch back and forth in a clear sign of nervousness. "But to what end?" He let out a contented purr as Minako began running her fingers up and down his spine, as much to soothe her own nerves as his. "What purpose could they have for such a creature?"

"That…I'm not so sure on," the genius admitted, staring back down at her hands. "It seems unlikely, I agree, especially given those Constructs were nothing special."

"It was Chaos." All eyes turned to Chibiusa as she stood again, looking very much the frightened little girl they'd all met several years before. "I know it was."

"How?" Mamoru asked gently, reaching out to grasp her hand.

She didn't fight him. "It knew me."

Usagi seemed to put aside any awkwardness between them, standing to hug Chibiusa. She didn't try to pull away either, something Minako was glad to see. "What do you mean? How did it know you?"

"It called me Small Lady, like Wiseman did. It said I had a piece of it inside me, and…it took it." Giving herself a moment to breathe, Chibiusa calmed a little. "It…it reached inside my chest, pulled out this black orb…and said there was only one more piece left to find."

Mamoru's face fell. "Why didn't you mention any of this before?"

A little fire reignited in Chibiusa's eyes. "Because you were all so busy giving Corey a hard time that I didn't have a chance!" She pulled out of Usagi's embrace and sat down, cooling off quickly. "Besides, it wasn't exactly something I wanted to relive."

The room went quiet, until Ami cleared her throat. "I, uh…I have a theory."

Luna had none of her customary patience left. "Well, don't leave us in suspense, Ami!"

"Is it possible Chaos is somehow reassembling itself? Collecting pieces of the various aspects Usagi has destroyed over the years to make itself whole again?"

All the colour drained from their leader's face. "I don't like the sound of that."

Corey, still a little pale after his ordeal, seemed to blanch further. "Now that I think about it, it was a little pissed. Annoyed, almost…with Megumi, then Rinjirou. The whole Order of Black, even. It called her a foolish little girl, like it was looking down on her."

Chibiusa nodded slowly. "It did. And the way she died, it…it was like it was playing with her. Enjoying itself."

"It's no big deal," Makoto declared, her voice filled with bravado. "We'll figure out a way to stop it, I know it." Her eyes darted around the room anxiously. "Right?"

It was Rei who asked the inevitable question. "How?"

The door slid open to reveal a smirking Rinjirou. "That's where I come in."

"Oh, great," Minako muttered, glaring daggers at him, "it's you."

He ignored her completely. "It must be said, listening to the vaunted Sailor Senshi squabble like little kids was a lot of fun…but time is short."

Rei sighed tiredly. "Rinjirou-"

"I'll be brief." His eyes wandered the room, finally settling on Usagi. "I don't like you, the idea of you. We set aside true monarchy centuries ago, and now you want to bring it back?" He shook his head. "I don't claim to know the future the way you do, but I don't imagine people will just give up their freedoms so easily."

She stared back at him impassively, her usually expressive features completely blank.

"Still, I wasn't worried. Through Rei, I'd been exposed to a side of the Sailor Senshi the Order hadn't shown me. The kind, honourable side that didn't kill. The good side." His expression darkened. "But I saw another side of you yesterday, when Justice came to recruit me. Your own Guardian Knight saw something in you that disgusted him…that scared him. If not for us acting first, you would have killed the very people I want to save. Innocent people with no idea of the truth behind the Order of Black. Innocent people who just want the same thing you claim to; a safe and secure Earth."

Usagi still said nothing, meeting his gaze unwaveringly.

"I don't trust you, any of you." Rinjirou's determination finally began to subside. "But, it's obvious to me that Chaos is a far greater threat to this world than you are…at least for the moment. So, with all that in mind, I'm willing to look past our differences…and work together to stop it."

"How magnanimous of you," Makoto muttered, folding her arms across her chest.

"I told you," Minako said, with a shake of her head. "Rinjerko!"

"Zip it, er…"

"What?" she countered, raising a single eyebrow. "Come on, then, let's hear it!"

He was clearly caught off-guard, struggling for something to say. "Min…nuts-o?"

Rei groaned loudly. "Gods…"

Corey quite literally facepalmed. "That was terrible!"

"Look, do you want my help or not?" Rinjirou snapped, planting his hands on his hips.

"I still haven't heard the reason we need your help," Makoto retorted, glaring right back at him.

Mamoru looked up, fingers pressed tightly to the bridge of his nose. "Perhaps you should try that all again? Without insulting people?"

The former Black Paladin rolled his eyes. "Fine." He took a deep breath and began pacing back and forth. "All of the stuff I already said, with one key addition. Hyperion, the Undying Sun…a god…has recruited me to reform his Exalted Knights." At their collective silence, he sighed irritably. "The old order of knights that preceded the Order of Black?"

"Ohhh," Minako said loudly, with an emphatic and utterly unconvincing nod. "Those guys!"

Rinjirou looked at Corey in disbelief. "Seriously, what the hell do you see in her?!"

"Be very careful…"

"Right, right…" He stared irritably at Minako for a moment longer before clapping his hands. "So, to recap, I am going to reform the Exalted Knights of the Undying Sun…" More irritation flashed across his face. "With Endymion's help."

It was Mamoru's turn to shuffle uncomfortably as all eyes locked on him. "I was going to mention it eventually…but we got side-tracked."

"And you really think this is a good idea?" Usagi asked, concern in her eyes.

He glanced at Rinjirou a moment. "No, I don't, but something brought Endymion's memories back, Usako…and I believe it was this Hyperion. Like it or not…and it's much closer to not-"

The other man scoffed. "The feeling's mutual."

"I think I need to do this." Mamoru took her hand gently and smiled. "Besides, if it is Chaos back for revenge, we're going to need all the help we can get."

"Well…" Usagi pondered it a moment, finally managing a reluctant nod. "We've never really turned away help when it's offered, have we?"

"Great," Rinjirou declared, clapping his hands together once more. "Since you're so amiable, I'll need to borrow your boyfriend for a while."

"What? Why?" She recoiled quickly. "Mamo-chan? You didn't say you'd have to go anywhere!"

"Hyperion always was a touch demanding." A stout old man stepped through the doorway, hands on his hips. "They've been given a quest…and it isn't wise to keep an old god waiting."

Rei's jaw just about hit the floor. "GRANDPA?! You're back?!"

"Rei!" He made a beeline for her, arms wide open…and received a clip across the ear for his trouble. "Ow!"

"Where have you been all this time?!" she growled, eyes wide and full of fire. "I've been worried sick about you!"

"Yes, I can feel your concern," the old man grumbled, rubbing his sore head. "Very touching...and Rinjirou and Mamoru weren't the only two Hyperion contacted." His irritation faded as he turned to the former Paladin. "Your mother…you've seen her?"

Rinjirou nodded slowly. "Yes. I don't understand how she's back, but…she seems to be in Hyperion's service."

Grandpa slipped into Rei's chair, ignoring her indignant glare. "Sawako urged me to reach out to old friends and allies, like-minded individuals and members of the Order who supported a return to our roots." He clasped his hands together in his lap. "We're far from done yet, but your Knights will have support upon their return."

"Support?" Ami asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"Yes," he agreed, "the Exalted Knights will have many of the same needs the Order of Black has now. Arms, armour, food and other supplies, transport…the list goes on."

"And you organised all that?" Rei sputtered. "You could barely keep this shrine running smoothly!"

His brow furrowed with annoyance. "I'm not quite the senile old fool you think I am, granddaughter." His familiar, boisterous laugh followed, echoing throughout the room. "At least, not all the time!"

Corey rose slowly to his feet and locked eyes with Rinjirou. "It sounds like you're building an army."

The other man didn't even blink. "To stop another one, yes."

"And once it is stopped?"

"There'll be plenty of time for such talk later," Grandpa insisted, waving the Guardian Knight off. "I told you already, keeping an old god waiting is not a good idea." He gestured to Mamoru. "You two have work to do."

"Right…" Rinjirou abruptly lost some of his cockiness. "There's just one small problem there. I, uh, I don't actually know where we're going."

The girls all but crashed to the floor with a collective groan, Mamoru resisting but just barely. "You don't?! You left that out of your sales pitch last night!"

"All Hyperion said was 'you must journey to where it all began'!" he countered, defensive. "That's a pretty vague clue considering all the Order really taught us in Exalted Knights 101 was 'their god left them high and dry and they all died'!"

The future King froze mid-retort, then blinked. "Caer Denerdhing."

"What the?!" Minako peered at him worriedly. "Are you having a stroke?"

Usagi's eyes flew wide open. "What?! Mamo-chan?!"

"No, I remember it!" he said vehemently, pacing back and forth. "From the past, my past! Smythe, I remember him telling me the Exalted Knights were based at a fortress named Caer Denerdhing. The order was founded there!" His brow wrinkled in deep concentration. "Now, all I know for sure was it was far to the north-west…"

Rinjirou snapped back into action. "Hino-sama, do you know it?"

"Hmm…" The old man gripped his chin thoughtfully. "I know where it was, yes. Wales, or at least the country known today as Wales…but I'd wager not much of it is left standing after a thousand years."

"Still," Mamoru said, "it's a good place to start."

"Agreed!" Grandpa slapped him on the arm good-naturedly. "We should leave at once!"

"Hold on just a minute!" Rei's sudden screech drew all eyes to her. "Who said you're going?!"

He drew himself up, suddenly looking far less withered and vulnerable than usual. "I did, Rei."

"No," she said firmly, shaking her head for emphasis. "It's too dangerous and I won't allow you to-"

"Rei." His voice was as hardened as any of them had ever heard. "I know you're concerned, but I am well and truly old enough to make my own decisions." He softened, pulling a faint smile. "I'll be fine."

"Hino-sama, if I may?" Rinjirou stepped forward with a quick, respectful bow. "I'll keep him safe, Rei. You have my word."

Her angry, violet eyes darted back and forth between the two of them…but she eventually relented. "You'd better…or you'll be sorry!"

"I don't doubt it."

Usagi couldn't hide her disappointment. "Do you really have to leave right away? I was hoping we'd have more time to talk..."

"There's no time to waste," he answered apologetically. "With Chaos back, we need allies and fast."

"Well, then," Rinjirou declared, extending his hand almost as a challenge. "Wales it is."

Mamoru accepted that challenge without hesitation, shaking his hand firmly. "Wales it is."

Hotaru listened to her friends talk with half an ear. Even now, despite returning safely to their hotel, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"What a waste of time," Haruka muttered, dropping onto the bed with an irritated sigh. "Two hours spent following that Paladin, and for what? All he did was circle the city!"

Michiru sat at the small dressing table, brushing her long, aqua hair. "A scout, perhaps, searching for us?"

That made sense to Hotaru. Yes, the Order of Black clearly had the numbers to send a squad but one solitary man with near-invisibility was much harder to spot. For the Senshi, and the general public.

"Perhaps." The blonde woman reached for her phone. "Still no word from Usagi either."

Michiru lowered her brush, frowning uncertainly. "This long a delay is strange. Should we try using the communicators again?"

"Well…it's only six in the morning in Tokyo," Haruka said, tossing her phone onto the bed. "No point worrying just yet, I suppose." She glanced up at a sudden knock on the door. "Who the hell is that at this hour?"

"Room service."

It was a woman's voice, muffled through the door yet undeniably cheerful. Hotaru sat up on her own bed, the fluttering in her stomach intensifying. "I don't like this."

"We didn't order anything!" Haruka called back irritably, rolling her eyes with scorn.

The woman knocked again. "But I have the slip right here. Room four-oh-three, right?"

"Geez!" The tall blonde slid off her bed and headed out into the small living area. "Listen, we didn't-"

There was a loud explosion, forceful enough to shake the bedroom too. Michiru's eyes went wide in fear as she rushed to the doorway. "Haruka!"

Hotaru followed…and what she saw chilled her to the core. Her friend lay bleeding on the floor, the splintered remains of the door littered around her. A tall figure in a black, hooded robe stood in the doorway, the now-familiar mask of a Hunter peeking out from underneath it. The similarities ended there, however; this was no ordinary Hunter. Their aura was entirely different from the others she'd seen before, as thick and black as the robes they wore. It curled off their body, jutting out into the air around it, absorbing the very light itself.

Michiru wavered beside her, seemingly torn between rushing to her love's side and presenting more of a unified front with Hotaru. Eventually, Sailor Neptune's pragmatism won out and she relented, a hand dipping into her subspace pocket for her wand.

"You've eluded us for some time, Senshi. We would never have suspected the famous Michiru Kaiou, yet here you are."

Hotaru was surprised. A Huntress, not a Hunter, and she'd used her own voice for the 'room service' charade. But where it had been sweet and cheerful, it was now cold and flat.

"And you…" A hint of almost joyous fulfilment entered her voice. "I've been searching for you for so long now…Hotaru."

A faint groan came from Haruka as she lifted her head, gingerly trying to sit up. "Oh, hell…"

The Huntress raised a hand into the air and, with a brief, barely discernible shimmer of air, another two of her kind appeared behind her. "You have something that belongs to me."

Hotaru felt almost physically ill. There was something immensely familiar about this woman, though she knew they'd never met. Another time, another place, a voice whispered in her mind. The body has changed but the mask is always the same…

Haruka managed to drag herself to her feet. She had several large splinters embedded in her skin, a stomach-churning sight, but she was steady enough to limp over and join them. "If you want Hotaru, you'll have to go through me first."

"And me," Michiru agreed, revealing her transformation wand. "Neptune Crystal Power, Make Up!"

"Uranus Crystal Power, Make Up!"

With two quick flashes of light, Sailors Neptune and Uranus flanked Hotaru instead…and the younger girl wasn't about to let them take on all the risk themselves.

"Saturn Crystal Power, Make Up!"

Uranus whirled about to point right at the Huntress. "Protected by the planet of the Distant Sky, the Guardian of Flight, Sailor Uranus!"

Her lover stepped up beside her. "Protected by the planet of the Deep Sea, the Maternal Guardian, I am Sailor Neptune!"

Saturn was rarely one for speeches…but she felt obliged. "Protected by the planet of Silence, I am the Guardian of Destruction and Birth…" She brought the Silence Glaive up defensively. "Sailor Saturn!"

And, with a confident nod to one another, they continued in unison, "On behalf of our Princess, we shall punish you!"

AN: *wince* Yes, yes, it's a cliffhanger...but when was the last time I stuck you guys with one of them? I will say I had a whole other scene written that follows right on from here but it needed more work and I was already growing tired of staring at this chapter so...here we are.

Where to start? Rinjirou and Mamoru are now on their way to their new subplot, one I'm hoping will keep them front and centre even as the focus turns to the Sailor Senshi - after a REALLY long time, too! I love writing Rinjirou, having a character completely unafraid to be a colossal douche-bag to other people lets me tease Usagi, Minako...all of my favourites, really, without it feeling forced. Let's face it, Usagi COULD be a crybaby, Minako COULD be nuts...Corey turned a blind eye to a lot of that because, as some have pointed out, he's probably just as nuts as everyone else is!

With that said, I couldn't just press the reset button on everyone's relationship. Minako committed to Corey AND her principles with (I hope) a nice flashback to her V persona, while the others got into another war of words with a clearly unapologetic Corey. Things are going to be messy for a while, I think! :-\ It makes my job as author more difficult, but it feels a lot more natural. And let's not speak too much about the utter convenience of Grandpa Hino's reappearance save for "IT WORKED ON THE SHOW!"

Finally, last but not last, I FINALLY managed to bring the Outer Senshi back. It's been a while, and I didn't plan on keeping them absent so long, it just worked out that way with all the other plots going on. They are back, though, and we'll kick off the next chapter with the continuation of their battle with "the Huntress" - you all know who it is, lol!

Thank you as ever for your continued readership and support. I got some wonderful reviews after a couple of weeks - SapphireWolf, sailorv, thank you! - and metalgear, you have of course been wonderful as always with your beta reading and general feedback. Thanks to everyone else who's just enjoying quietly in the background, as well, I appreciate you too! :-) Back with more soon, as always.

Oh, almost forgot, I have a poll up on my profile asking for your thoughts on Rei and Rinjirou's "relationship". If you have a spare moment, take a look and cast your vote!

Lisseas