Chapter 14: Complete and Utter Destruction
She heard footsteps approach her from her place on the floor. Tears fell thickly from her face as the gravity of the situation accosted her. He wasn't stopping. Her Senshi, the Starlights, Mamo-chan, everyone in any way near her would die at his hands.
"Now, now," a mocking voice said from above her, "You still have your Inner Senshi and your dear prince…" a smirk was heard in the tone of his voice, "For a little bit, anyway"
She didn't respond, knowing it would just make him happy if she showed her anger or her rage at him. Instead she internalized it for the right moment. For when she would make him pay for what he was taking away from her.
A harsh hand grabbed her by the elbow and heaved her to her feet, holding her steady as she went to fall back down.
He turned her to face him, smiling serenely at her tear-streaked face. His thumb slivered to her eye ducts, wiping them of the tears that were pooling there dangerously. She watched with dead eyes as he brought his thumb to his lips, licking it sensually, "Heh," he said quietly, and his predatory eyes deep within her, "Yum"
"Leave her alone!" she heard Mercury scream towards them
"Don't you dare touch her!" Jupiter shrieked, sounds of her struggle surrounding them
"Sailor Moon!" Fighter roared and suddenly a bright red light flashed around the Starlights, the sounds of monsters shrieking in agony the only sound in the vicinity.
"I cannot allow you to do this," a tinkling voice said as the light cleared and showed a red figure walking towards them from behind the Starlights. Everyone stared in silence as the person approached them, "Your reign of terror must end, Courat"
"Kakyuu," Courat spat from beside her, his hold on her tightening immensely, "What are you doing out of your burner?"
"My Starlights, these Senshi, cannot die," the figure said, finally reaching them, revealing herself as the benevolent Fireball Princess.
"PRINCESS!" Maker cried, launching herself at her Princess
"My dear Starlights," Kakyuu-hime said to them, "I have missed you so"
A slight burst of hope popped up in Sailor Moon. Another strong princess was here with them, if they joined together, they might be powerful enough to destroy Courat.
"Please," a condescending voice said to them, and to her as well, "You think you can do anything to stop me?"
"We'll try, won't we?" Fighter shouted towards them, "Moon, evade!"
She brought down her heel harshly on Courat's toes, making him let go of her in surprise. She dodged out of the way as three attacks in unison went flying past her. She turned to watch as the figure went flying backwards.
They watched in silence as he stood again, wiping the long line of blood that emerged from his suit of armor. Sailor Moon and the Senshi around her smiled at the sight of blood.
"Don't get cocky now," his voice said as he approached them slowly, "You may have given me a scratch, but it was after thirteen Senshi attacked me. The three of you, Serenity, her Outer Senshi, her Inner Senshi and her bitch Prince- and I just killed the strongest of all of them," he shook his head condescendingly, "The statistics just don't work for you"
"Fighter, Maker, Healer," she heard Kakyuu-hime whisper to her Senshi, "We must combine our powers"
"Hai, Princess," Healer said and the four of them joined hands
"Oh, don't even think-"
"Star Fighter, Star Healer, Star Maker, Star Kinmoku, our powers combine to rid this world of evil, Star Meteoroid POWER!" four voices shouted in unison and a bright flash of light eclipsed everything around them.
Screams of pain surrounded them and when the light cleared, the monsters were gone from holding the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen who fell to the floor.
Courat had screamed in pain for an instant and they reveled in it.
He glared at them with fury in his eyes, "Do you think you can stop me!? ME!? Courat, the First Son of Earth! I feed on the power of your pain! Nothing can stop me! I destroyed your world! And I will destroy you!"
"No, you will not," Kakyuu-hime said strongly, her voice shaking in power
"I let you and your Senshi live, Kakyuu!" Courat shouted at her, "In return for your power, I left them alone! This is how you repay me? Forcing me to kill you all!?"
"You won't!" she shouted and immense amounts of power burst from her, streaking towards Courat. He raised his hand and the power stopped, "Do you really think you can destroy me with this? The power that I made my own so long ago?"
The power rose threateningly as it turned in midair, "Say your goodbyes, Kakyuu, Starlights. Our agreement is over, Kakyuu," and the power went flying back at the four figures standing in the middle of the street.
"Thanks for the help, that's all I'll be needing from you," Courat taunted
Sailor Star Healer, Maker and Fighter pushed Kakyuu behind them, bracing themselves for the impact.
"FIGHTER! HEALER! MAKER! KAKYUU-HIME!" Sailor Moon heard herself shout as she ran towards them
But she arrived too late. The blast of power ripped through the Starlights and their Princess.
They grimaced in pain as they fell to the floor, their Sailor Suits vanishing.
"We will always try to help you, Sailor Moon," a whisper came from Kakyuu, filled with pain, "I'm sorry for everything"
Sailor Moon collapsed to the floor by Seiya, her eyes tearing as she watched his face contort in pain, "Seiya!"
He smiled up at her with difficulty, "Hey, Usa"
"Don't leave me…please…" she whispered to him, her hand reaching to grab his, "I can't do this without you"
"You have Mamoru," Seiya whispered back, "You have your Inner Senshi, they'll never leave you alone. And we'll be with you as well. Fighting as long as it takes"
She brought his hand to her face, holding it dearly, her heart crying out in pain at seeing her dearest friend being taken away from her.
"I promise…" Seiya whispered, "I'll be there for you…"
His grip on her hand loosened, and she shrieked in pain, "SEIYA!"
He smiled at her one last time before he faded from her view, taking the other Starlights and Kakyuu with him, closing his eyes peacefully.
Her Inner Senshi streaked to her, but were forced to stop as Courat teleported by her.
"Sailor Moon! Look out!" Venus called as they resumed racing to her.
Courat once again seized her and pulled her to her feet.
Agony seared through her skin as he held her, making her gasp in pain. She whirled around, and slapped him as hard as she could, sending him teetering away from her.
Sailor Moon ran towards Tuxedo Kamen as fast as she could, and once reaching him, buried her face into his chest, sobbing loudly.
"Just leave her alone, Courat," Tuxedo Kamen said, holding her within his arms lovingly, "You've already destroyed her world once, how many more times are you going to do it? Don't you understand that she doesn't want you?"
She heard the fury in Courat's voice, "NEVER! I will never leave her alone! I don't care what she wants. She is MINE! I hunger for her body, for her soul. And I will not rest till they are mine and mine alone!"
"Leave them alone!" she cried, heaving herself away from Tuxedo Kamen's chest, turning to face the monster, "What did Hotaru, Setsuna, Michiru, Yaten, Kakyuu, Taiki and Seiya do to deserve this!?"
"They protected you," he spat, his eyes only on her, "Haven't you learned that everyone who protects you dies protecting you?"
Agony rushed through her at these words, knowing them to be true. She brought her friends into things like this. She was a danger magnet- and if she didn't stop it, everyone else would die.
She…she couldn't let that happen.
"We would give our lives a billion times more if we could!" Mars shouted at him
"We would!" Venus cried as he looked at them, "She's a true friend, brightens our world just by smiling. We love her. You just lust for her!"
"Then DIE for her!" he shouted in a fury, power burst from his raised hands, flying straight at Mars and Venus.
"NO!" Sailor Moon cried, racing in front of them, holding her rod above her, "NO!" She felt power burst from her, surrounding them with bright light which collided with the darkness.
Dust blew over her and she closed her eyes, accepting it.
It cleared away in silence, everyone waiting for something to happen. She stepped from it, followed by Mars and Venus, dirty from dust and breathing heavily.
"Moon! Are you okay?" Mercury called quickly
"Hai," Sailor Moon responded, her unforgiving eyes on Courat, "We're fine"
Mercury and Jupiter rushed to them and the four of them stepped in front of her, facing Courat angrily.
A red rose flew at him, he dodged out of the way by floating into the air, "Hah! Do you really think that is going to hurt me?" he said tauntingly to Tuxedo Kamen
"It wasn't supposed to!" Tuxedo Kamen said as he launched himself at Courat, his sword flashing into his hand. He slashed at where Courat was, but Courat dodged out of the way once again. Kamen turned in mid-air and parried Courat ruthlessly. Courat teleported behind him and heaved a kick at him, sending him tumbling to the floor.
He landed in a heap on the floor, Sailor Moon rushed to him, pushing through Jupiter and Mars' cover of her, "Tuxedo Kamen!"
Footsteps approached her for what felt like the millionth time, mocking her in their slow, ominous pace.
"Mamo-chan?" she whispered, brushing his hair from his face. He moaned, and she saw the caged look in his eyes. Courat was doing something.
"Hmm," Courat said as he finally reached her, "Who do you think I should kill first, Serenity? Your Inner Senshi or your dear Prince?"
"Don't do this…Courat," she pleaded up to him, "Leave them alone, please"
"Beg," he hissed down at her, victory in his voice, "I want you to beg me"
"Please…" she whispered, tears falling thickly from her eyes, "I can't lose them again"
"What will you give me in exchange for their lives, hm?" Courat said, kneeling down so he was in front of her, his hand grasping her chin to meet his gaze, "What can you possibly give to me to stop this?"
"I'll- I'll do anything," she whispered, her eyes closing as she gave up the entirety of her soul to Courat
"NO!" Tuxedo Kamen moaned from beside her, struggling against what was holding him, "Don't, Usako! You know the second he gets what he wants he'll kill us! He'll kill us all!"
"How about I give you a little reprieve?" Courat whispered down to her, "Let you think it through a bit?" he leaned into her, kissing away her tears and then kissing her deeply, the salty taste of her tears on his lips. "Just so you know," he whispered, millimeters from her lips, "The terms are exactly what you think they are. Give yourself and your crystal to me, and the rest of your friends can live"
His eyes plunged into her, the coldness from them engulfing her into darkness.
He kissed her lightly on the lips, "See you soon, Serenity"
He let go of her chin and stood, brushing his pants in an unconcerned manner. With one final smirk sent around at everyone he teleported away.
He walked slowly through his lair, wincing as the monsters around him took care of his cuts and bruises. Surprisingly enough, those damn Senshi had actually hurt him. But he could feel their deaths feeding him with untold amounts of power. He would never again be weak with this power.
He controlled the universes now. There were but four Senshi remaining against him- and his Serenity.
He chuckled as he sat in his throne, his bruises and cuts clearing away as time passed. It was only a matter of time before Serenity said her goodbyes to everything she had once known and embraced him once and for all. He had finally broken her enough completely so that she'd do anything to please him- or at least keep him from killing her Senshi and Mamoru.
But he would kill them. Because they would come after him anyway. And Serenity would join them against him. It was written. She'd never chose him over them- no matter the dangers. Until they were dead, they had her soul and her heart.
He'd be killing them sooner rather than later he knew. She wouldn't give up herself completely until they were gone. But once they were gone, she was all his.
He smiled to himself, his eyes lighting up. It would be like taking her for the first time. It'd finally be all of him taking all of her.
His breath caught at the beauty of it. He knew he was completely insane, his obsession for Serenity and Endymion's taking of her from him had long ago corrupted his mind and his body, but he didn't care. He never had. As long as he got Serenity, everything was worth it. And he'd get her- no matter what.
He'd already waited centuries, traveling through the darkness in vain search of her, and he could wait a little longer. But he didn't need to chase anymore- she'd come to him soon enough.
"Bring the crystal," he said to the nearest monster, which scurried away and returned with a large crystal ball. It had once been Beryl's and he had found it buried in the rubble of her lair- his lair now.
"Show me Serenity," he ordered it, waving his hand in front of it, focusing his dark power on it. It obeyed his every command. That was how he had known where the Senshi had been this afternoon when they had all been together.
He found it funny that they had chosen to run at that moment. He had never thought the Outer Senshi would run- especially not after he had forced them off the Earth and trapped them off of it. That had taken so much of his power as they kept beating on the hold- but eventually he knew he needed more power so he could finally defeat them once and for all.
The fall of these Senshi was just...his destiny. He had been made to gain all this power so he could take his Serenity for himself once and for all. They would conquer the Earth- with no Senshi to stop them it would be no problem- and he'd finally have what was supposed to have been his.
Endymion had had his chance- and he had failed, horribly. Now he would never again have the chance to take what was rightfully Courat's.
Prince Courat had been a weakling in the past, but he had finally shed his past.
The new King Courat would be the supreme ruler over Earth and all other planets- he would control everything that happened. And Serenity would rule by his side, his Queen for all eternity.
His body begged for her, his soul begged for her. She was the only thing that made his entire existence seem worth anything.
The crystal ball misted over, revealing a collapsed beauty- four others surrounding her.
"Show her," he whispered, "Show her all I have done, all she has done. All the death and destruction that comes from her fighting"
He set nightmares upon nightmares on the girl, who writhed as they entered her now darkened mind. She might need a push to convince her to leave the fight against him.
It would kill the others, he knew, if she left them. And he wanted them to suffer. Suffer for all they had taken from him, for all they had. He was beyond jealous of them. It burned within him, the desire to make them feel the pain he had felt when he had been ripped from her vicinity.
He knew the true person he wanted to curse was Queen Selenity, but she was gone- and she had left the Inner Senshi and Endymion to take care of her daughter in her place- thus they were the ones who would pay.
And whoever got her love would suffer.
Because he never would.
They were too different. He loved pain, suffering. She loved…love, she was the purest creature that had ever walked the universe. And he was the most tainted.
But he would have her regardless of her love. And he would destroy those who did get her love.
The next time she acted out, he'd bring around her parents and little brother. And he'd finally kill the ones he had been itching to kill when Scott had first stepped into the house and made him pretend to be something he wasn't.
He would watch her cry as her hope drained away in the form of the lives of those she loved. Then would she bend to his every will.
Her heart, her body, her soul would be his.
"Sleep," he commanded the people in the crystal ball. The Senshi fell to the floor, "Imagine life without your Princess," he whispered harshly.
The crystal flashed to the car down the road and to the figure inside, who had been keeping watch over the house where his love slept- making sure she didn't go anywhere.
"And you," Courat said, "You suffer in nightmares!"
The man in the car writhed as horror upon horror flew through his dreams, polluting his thoughts.
He'd thought he could corrupt Endymion's love for Serenity, but it had taken more of his power than he had thought. When his control over him had slipped as Serenity lay dying, Endymion had regained his senses. No. It was impossibly to destroy their love- he had to destroy him to destroy the love. And he would.
He'd destroy anything in his way from taking what was his.
Serenity would be his once and for all.
