(BGM: Persona 4 - Reverie)
His senses were suddenly assaulted by the soft touch of a slender hand, slowly winding its way through his hair. Unconsciously, he let out a soft sigh of content, as what he perceived to be his body settled itself to wake.
"Are you awake now?"
The high pitched tones of Usagi's daughter's voice softly wove themselves into words within his mind. For a moment, he puzzled why it was her voice he was hearing, rather than the natural quiet tones of his beloved. It was then that his mind recalled the events it last experienced, and he realized where he was.
"As awake as I can be…kit."
Eyes still closed, he heard, rather than saw, the smile in her voice.
"I'm glad…I'm so glad…"
"…why?"
She looked at his silent form, lying still with the back of his head nestled in her lap. Had she not spent god knows how long in this place, she would have been confused as to his query. But instead, she answered with one of her own.
"You would leave Hotaru-chan like that?"
"…I don't know. I'm tired kit. I'm tired and it doesn't look like things are going to be much fun for long…I just don't know. I've lost one home already…and with the way things are going I'm likely to lose another. I don't want to stand around and watch my home die…but at the same time…I don't want to fight anymore…"
"I…don't fully understand…but I think I somewhat do. I can't blame you…after I first became me again…from being her…I was horrified. I didn't want to be around anyone…let alone myself…and I know Hotaru-chan felt the same way, when she remembered…"
"…but what happens to those who don't regret their actions? What if someone merely accepted that's what had to be done…even if they didn't like it? What does that make me?"
"A stronger man than I've ever known. You're not a bad person Kai. You do…and have done…things that some people would consider bad…but…you did what you did because nobody else could, or would, do it…besides, who is an individual to choose for all what is right and what is wrong?"
"…it's not as strong as your mother's…but you've got the Comprehension down…I'm surprised, I thought I wouldn't run into any others…"
"I'm trying. I'm learning. And…I have to thank you Kai…if you hadn't done what you did…"
"I know…you'd be dead."
She shook her head, the motion sending her slightly elongated ponytails sweeping across his face, making his nose twitch and forcing him to open his eyes, to see a strange look on her face.
"I…I feel so free now. I feel like I can take on the world…not so much win but I could still try! …and it's all thanks to you…I was so scared…We were so scared…scared that we'd lost you…I didn't know if her plan would work…but…"
"What…plan?"
"When you were fading…"
"You mean when you-
She blushed. "Yeah…she transferred Our light into you…while Our darkness kept hold of Our body. I…I kept you here…bound to life…not that Death put up much of a fight…"
He looked hard at her. "You fought Death?"
"More like she slowly walked towards you and then I put myself in between the two of you…I think she smiled at me…and then she just shook her head and left."
"I guess I wasn't supposed to die then…if she was working slow enough for you to intervene…"
"I know…I know you might not be thankful…and I don't blame you…but…at least…see what's going on? If you don't want us to…I…we'll…stop them from saving you next time…if you really want that…but…at least see what's happening."
"You don't know?"
Again she shook her head.
"No I've…you've been unconscious for a while. Time…doesn't matter in here so I don't know how long. But since my light is in your body…"
"You need me awake before you can connect with the other you."
"Yeah…I don't think we need to repeat the…uhh…entrance…for me to leave you, but I know you have to be awake…plus…it's…cozy…in here."
"…you've met them then."
"Yes…and I can tell you, the only reason I'm here is because they allowed it…and I swear, I won't tell anyone."
"…good…I guess…I better see what's going on then…"
Helping Hotaru
Chapter IX: Mistakes Come Full Circle!
The Sailor Senshi's Fate.
(BGM: Rockman ZX - Awake)
I'm surprised nobody was in there…
It felt like she didn't leave intentionally…they must have made her go get food or something, I know Hotaru, and she wouldn't just leave you like this.
And the other you?
Kai slowly walked the halls of the infirmary wing of the Guild. While he didn't know where he was, he and Chibi-Usa could sense the familiar traces of energy that Hotaru gave off, along with the more powerful strands of Black Lady.
Probably the same. That or she just picked a bad time to need to pee.
I think I'm beginning to have a bad influence on you.
He passed by a reflective window.
Hey…why's your hair got white in it?
Immediately his head snapped to the window. His eyes widened in shock and Chibi-Usa felt something start to build within his Mindscape…before it suddenly stopped. Kai shook his head.
No more hiding…I think I understand now…why I found myself split in two that day…
What do you mean?
I'll tell you later… He sniffed the air. I smell food. That's probably where Hotaru and the others are.
He continued his pace, gently levitating small potted plants and the like around him, making sure his power was still under his control.
Why though? I've been out cold for who knows how long. That…and I feel different. Something's changed, and the white streaks are part of it. If I'm right…I think I might just be back to my Original strength.
You mean…
Yeah, the strength that could stand up to Sailor Saturn.
Woooooow. But I wonder why?
I've got an idea…but…we'll see.
Boo.
"Come on Hotaru-chan…you have to eat something."
"I'm not-
"I hate to agree with them. Even if it's something small you ca-MASTER!"
The long pink-haired teenager jumped up from her seat, vaulted over the table, and crushed Kairyuu's head to her chest, all with a brilliant smile on her face.
"Master's awake!"
A slightly higher pitch of her voice flowed into everyone's ears, as they were processing what the hell Black Lady was talking about.
"And Zero-nii-san is about to suffocate from our tits, other me. Give him air."
Immediately the elder looking Chibi-Usa let go of Kai who stumbled backwards, panting.
"Bloody hell! I mean shit that'd be a great way to go but I'd rather it be Hotaru's…"
Black Lady smirked. "I could arrange that if you wish Master."
"I think Nii-san has had enough assaults of that nature, other me. Or did you forget how I got in his head in the first place?"
A slightly transparent shape of the true Chibi-Usa grasped Kai's hand and guided him to a wide leather couch that was immediately vacated by its occupants to offer their Lord a space to sit.
Understanding what her light half was doing, Black Lady grabbed Hotaru out of her seat, the smaller violet haired girl giving a small squeak of surprise as she dropped her pastry on the table. The elder Chibi-Usa then dropped the pale girl on Kai's lap, congratulating herself for a job well done.
Kai gave a small groan as his still waking body protested the impact, but snaked his arms around his girlfriend's smaller frame almost instantly. He gave a weary smirk at her.
"…man Hotaru, can't even clean yourself properly without me around can you?"
The girl flushed bright red as she caught the hidden meaning in his words, and was about to give him a playful smack when she felt his tongue dart out and slip along the edges of her lips. She blinked as he seemed to look to the sky, puzzled.
"Damn…I'm not one for filled doughnuts but whatever you had's got a pretty weird berry mix…"
His girlfriend just gave him a watery smile and buried her face in his neck, all too happy he was alive and well.
"Chibi-Usa!" Usagi ran to give her future daughter a hug…and fell flat on her face as she passed straight through her.
"Yeah…that's…gonna happen."
"Wait what-
"Psychic Manifestation. It's a slight illusion created from my will. As such-
"You can interact with things, because it's your intention, but things can't interact with you."
"Exactly."
"Ok. Are-
"Yes, I'm still in your head. This is just a projection."
"…I could, and should continue this…because it would be frustratingly hilarious in some way…but there're more important things to focus on."
The transparent image of Chibi-Usa plopped down next to Kai and Hotaru.
"My Lord."
Everyone looked to the speaker, one of the Mercenaries eating in the room. The room silenced itself.
"While there is a specific meeting room for such events, if it is My Lord's will, we can vacate this area for as long as you need it."
Kai just stared at the man. "uhh…yeah, sure. Sorry for interrupting your meals."
"It is our honor My Lord. There are other mess halls in this guild."
"Oh…alright then."
After the last merc had cleared the room, the Senshi group sat around in front of the couch housing Kairyuu, Hotaru, and Chibi-Usa's transparent form. Black Lady was behind Kairyuu, her hands massaging his temples, while Hotaru worked his shoulders a bit.
"I swear…this has got to be what a young king feels like…alright…first thing's first. What happened? That's the big question."
Hotaru piped up. "Can you tell us what happened when you went through?"
"Alright, the short of it is that someone fucked around with the gate, and by someone I mean Setsuna. So Chibi-Usa went to a different future than the one she should have. Supposedly it's the same line, because her older self recognized me when I popped out the other end, but I don't know what happened with Mother…"
"Oh…we won."
Everyone looked at Chibi-Usa.
"We did? Ok…before we get into that…how the hell did you end up with Charon's Touch on you?"
"Oh…well…I was there for about a week. And I kinda…stumbled into a camp full of people who were plotting against the Queen…and they kinda captured me. It was about a few hours later that the Future Senshi, lead by the older me apparently showed up and captured them all…but…I got caught in the crossfire. That spell hit me…but didn't seem to do much. It wasn't until an hour or so later that the effects started…"
Usagi was glaring harshly at Setsuna from the moment Kai made his claim. Setsuna would have stayed silent…had she not recognized the name.
"Wait…Charon's Touch? That spell was lost…millennia ago!"
"Yeah well it was found again."
"But…it's supposed to be impossible to break! What did you do?"
"Well, after knocking you Senshi off your asses for what, the fifth time so far in my life? The Kit here showed up, giving off the shimmer of one who's under Charon's Touch."
Ami, holding a pad and pen, asked. "What does that spell DO exactly?"
"It's a death sentence basically. It forces the victim to slowly fall into a depression based on half truths of events in their past. You see, the thing is it doesn't drive the victim to suicide or anything, it just causes them internal strife. The second effect is to poison the victim's internal balance. The reason why it's so dangerous is because it's especially effective against those who have a Light alignment. Their inner light starts fighting harshly against their inner darkness, which is now corrupted by the Touch. What happens then is that the battle within, slowly becomes a battle without. The victim begins having memory lapses, sudden flashes of sickness…and then marks appear on the skin, much like tiny black and white puss balls. But they aren't. They're marks left behind by the internal strife.
So what happens then is that eventually the mind shuts down to compensate for the sudden internal stress…and then once that happens…the victim can never awake. Because once the subconscious mind overrides the conscious mind's natural system of waking and sleeping, and forces it to continuous sleep, the battle escalates to the point where if for an instant either side gets the upper hand, the victory will force an imbalance of energies within the victim's soul, and will shred it to bits."
Everyone but Setsuna gasped. Chibi-Usa looked horrified for a moment…before her other self spoke.
"But you broke us out of it."
"Yeah…I'd…unintentionally done it once before…"
"How?" Setsuna stared at him like he was some sort of…unknown. "How could you…how did you…"
"The problem…with Alignment targeting spells…is that there exist those who have two or possibly more alignments. The second problem, is that for some people those alignments are polar opposites."
"…Black Lady." Chibi-Usa spoke.
"…I think I understand now Master…"
Kai nodded. "Yes. Chibi-Usa had at one point been coerced to embrace her inner darkness. Seduced by the power of Death Phantom, her massive stores of Light energy corrupted into Darkness, and mutated her into Black Lady, a dark parallel of who she would naturally grow into. Even though she reverted to herself, a small fragment of her soul was still 'tainted' with darkness. That part however, resonated with her Light, and therefore went dormant. The thing about Charon's Touch is that it can be overcome…if one accepts the Corruption. If one's will is strong enough that they can grasp hold of the negativity, the dark power, they can wield it, and by doing so, allow the darkness to run its course, and purge itself from their system.
Because Charon's Touch is a false darkness, a dark alignment would immediately be able to purge themselves of the corruption, because they know it isn't their darkness. But a Light alignment usually fights darkness, be it their own, or others'. So…I simply made her accept her darkness."
"How though?"
"He taunted me." They all looked to her.
"He made me believe that what I was thinking, was real. He fooled me into thinking he thought me weak, useless…and I grew sad. But then I grew angry, because I KNEW I wasn't useless. But he kept hurling truth after truth, even though his intent was false, his words weren't. And it made me mad…it pissed me off to no end…and I tried to fight him. But he blocked me, evaded…moved…and kept talking. Not words of encouragement…but insults, taunts…everything he could to get me madder and madder…and then I gave up. I stopped fearing the part of me that was Black Lady. The part of me that wanted to rip his head off and shove it up his ass. (Here, the Senshi blinked at her wording.)
And I stopped fighting. I stopped fearing…and I accepted the power. I accepted my darkness as part of me…even though I didn't know I was…" She looked at him.
"Why did you stand there? Why did you let me almost kill you?!"
"Because you had to. If I'd moved, the cycle would have just repeated itself. I'd have won, and you'd have figured that even WITH your darkness and light acting as one, you weren't good enough. You'd go back to caging yourself, and it would be for nothing. No…I took the hit because it ended the cycle. I stopped the continuing loop."
"And that explains why Black Lady was holding you through a portal…"
"Alright…your turn. What happened when she brought me here?"
Hotaru answered him. "A few minutes before the other Chibi-Usa's gate opened, the shadow of you coughed up blood and dropped to the ground from a wound much like yours…"
Chibi-Usa cut in. "Oh yeah…that explains why you feel weird Nii-san."
Kai turned to her.
"Not long after Death left, the other you showed up. He said something like 'this isn't how I planned it, but now is the time for us to be whole again. As strong as your will is, his is stronger. I know what he seeks in this, and I agree, it must be stopped. Returning to One will make him too strong for Death to claim. Keep him safe little one.'"
"Dammit…I wanted to kick his ass first…"
Usagi just remembered. "Wait…you said the Senshi attacked you?!"
"Yeah. Don't know why though…"
"Umm…" Again, all eyes were on Chibi-Usa.
"I know…why…Nii-san…"
A raised eyebrow.
She looked at him…took a deep breath and steeled her emotions.
"You cheated on Hotaru."
That drew gasps from everyone but Kai and Black Lady. Kai's eyes widened…and then narrowed.
"With…who."
Chibi-Usa looked down for a moment…and both of her answered.
"Me."
Everyone froze.
"…the one I met?"
"Yeah…she told me that you told her that you refused to do such a thing with a child, and since she was no longer a child…"
He turned away and glared at a wall, his mind going too fast for Chibi-Usa to keep up.
"did…anyone tell you how She died?"
Chibi-Usa tilted her head for a moment. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss. Right in the face, charged by a full background Sailor Planetary Alignment."
"…I see." Indeed he did. It all made sense…and then she continued.
"But…uhh…I wasn't…the only one…"
His head snapped to her, his theories suddenly becoming much more possible.
"Who."
"Ami."
"…that…makes…sense. Too much sense….Fuck…" he sighed. "Alright…thanks little lady…"
"Master…you know something don't you?"
"She wasn't dead."
They all looked at him…well, they tried to. They were too confused so they just glanced in his direction.
"Sailor Moon's attack wasn't enough to kill Mother."
"Nii-san how do you-
"Because I pulled a goddamn Revan."
"A…what?"
"Revan…to pull a Revan is for someone to either believe, or know something that threatens the very existences of either untold innocents, or the ones one loves. To pull a Revan is to purposefully and tactically alienate any and all who follow you in any way shape or form. To pull a Revan is to have utmost certainty that you will not survive your goal."
"…why me then? Why Ami?"
"You know the answer to the first question."
Black Lady mused. "Well…I am sexy…"
Chibi-Usa rolled her eyes. "I'd do me."
"…you've been in my head faaar too long kiddo."
"Hey, that was all me there."
"Right. Anyway, no, I'm not so shallow, even while pulling a Revan, to have that as my reason."
"…alienate…wait…You…you purposefully hurt Hotaru?"
"Apparently." His voice was like steel. "To go to such lengths…the future me obviously knew for a fact this was not a battle he could win, and live through at the same time. And I know how important I am to Hotaru…"
"She'd…be crushed…"
"With little hope of rebuilding…if not that…"
Chibi-Usa finished everyone's thoughts. "She'd destroy everything hoping that in the end it would bring you back…"
"So I must have realized, the only way to stop that from happening…was to make her hate me."
"And…nothing makes a woman hate a man than when he goes and fucks her best friend. Oh, apparently you're like a god in the sack by the way."
That make Kai stop and close his eyes in moderate irritation, laced with slight mirth. "Thank you…kit…for that…lovely mental image."
"Oh quit being sarcastic, I know what you saw."
"Hrrrfurkl god dammit woman would you not bring that up? I'd just finished repressing those images!"
"The hell for? I'm friggin HOT!"
"Exactly! Hello, newsflash I have a girlfriend?!"
"Oh come on if Hotaru saw me then she'd probably wanna do me too."
"…"
Chibi-Usa snorted as Kairyuu tried and failed not to imagine that happening.
"the time for perversion is not now. The time for perversion is not now…"
"We could have scented oil…or maybe a big whirring Jacuzzi…"
"Get out of my heaaaaad! Stop making me imagine…"
"You know you love the thought."
"I'm trying my damndest not to admit that to myself and you are not going to stop me."
"Fine, I'll just mess around with your head later."
"please don't. I'd for once like not to fall into the eternal trap that the majority of guys do when faced with the prospect of two hot women joining them in the bedroom."
"And that- (Here, Black Lady stood up suddenly, a bright smile on her face) is complete and total proof of Kai's loyalty to Hotaru."
Kai blinked. "YOU! Little…rrrrggg! WORDS! Will be had!"
"Now, now Nii-san, you don't wanna make your girlfriend deaf do you?"
"…you're still in my head you know."
"And?"
"They don't call me the biggest dreamer for nothing brat."
Chibi-Usa blinked. "…oh…fuck me…"
"Indeed. You versus my imagination. My very vivid, gamer imagination."
"…no spikes please?"
"I make no promises."
She hung her head, defeated.
"You never answered the second reason." Hotaru's voice was clipped…even though inside she was confused as to whether to be laughing at the by-play that just happened, or depressed that her boyfriend had apparently eyed her best friend.
"I love you Hime-chan."
She waited a moment…and her heart spoke for her. "…I love you too Zero-kun."
He kissed her gently. "And that's why I…" He paused as if he was about to change something. "…I went to Ami as well."
Ami looked at him. She was blushing slightly, her thoughts racing around the subject of her and Kai in bed…when something broke through.
"Because…of that day?"
"Even though it was accidental, I did give you your first true orgasm. That type of thing…tends to stay in the subconscious for a while. If I'm right…you've got a bit of a thing for me now don't you?"
She flushed heavier…but nodded. "I'm…I-I can fight it off. It's just…difficult sometimes. It's not so pressing that I can't properly think but…well…"
"It happens to all of us, don't worry. Now…Ami-chan…you know the other reason?"
"…" She thought for a moment. She glanced over her notes and came to a realization. "Resonance."
Everyone else was puzzled. "And this is why you're on my 'Senshi I'd rather spare if it came to me or them' list."
Heads whipped back to him so fast…
Thank you… Ami thought in her mind as loudly as she could.
"But anyway, yes. Resonance. Because I know how much Hotaru loves me, I know that there'd be too much of a chance she'd forgive me for banging Little Lady."
"Wouldn't be so damn 'little' then now would I?"
"Imagery, it stops."
She pouted.
"But…if I fanned the flames of hatred from another source…"
"Them…"
Hotaru had figured it out.
"You had sex with Ami as well…to make them hate you. And if they hated you…then I would be faced with a choice. If you'd just had sex with Ami, I'd obviously choose you…but…"
"By doing both, you're more inclined to go with them."
"But why?" Usagi.
"Because I love her. And because I love her, I'd rather be the one to drive a painful blade through her heart…and give her a chance to live…than have another do it, and her die for no reason."
Usagi finally understood.
"You wanted her to be able to hate you…so she'd find someone else to love…and be happy."
"And that Little Lady, is why her Comprehension is brighter than yours right now."
"…she knew didn't she? You told mommy."
Back to him.
"I'm gonna guess so. She didn't look angry to see me. Actually quite puzzled…and a bit sad after I'd taken down the Senshi in a single blow. I guess the future me told her his plans, if only so that way someone would know…and who better to tell than the one woman in the Universe who has an Ideya of Comprehension that shines almost as brightly as my own?"
Haruka sighed. "I guess we have some work to do then."
(BGM: Fate/Stay Night - Emiya)
Kai's demeanor shifted so suddenly, Chibi-Usa's head snapped to his direction.
"We? No. There is no 'we.'"
"Nii-san…come on…you don't really-
"You know what I think."
"But there's no proof!"
Kai gave a harsh laugh. "No proof? Perhaps not the destruction of my original world, but after that, everything life-threatening that happened to me, the worst moments, were by the hands of the Senshi, because of the damn Moon Kingdom."
They all froze. Makoto was bewildered. "You can't be serious!"
"First Death. At the hands of Sailor Saturn, while following a request from Queen Serenity herself, the very pinnacle of the Moon Kingdom."
Hotaru lowered her head.
"And then let's not forget your unprovoked attack on me just because a shadow being that happened to have my visage was draining dream energy from an innocent."
Makoto and Rei looked away, ashamed.
"Then came your attack on me after Mistress Nine was defeated."
Haruka, Setsuna and Michiru all flinched, and bowed their heads.
"Oh and lets not discount the fact that Schala died because I was too busy making sure Hotaru didn't right off and kill Haruka back at the school, when I honestly should have."
"But the other you said-
"FUCK what he said! …she didn't…deserve to die."
They all were silent.
"And then there was the time I DIED from a poisoned blade meant for Michiru, oh and then I almost get Chidori'd by Jupiter in the future while looking for Chibi-Usa, oh and then I damn near get killed by the little girl herself in order to save her life!"
Not a single sound.
"Proof enough for you there kiddo?"
"…yeah. But…I ask you this…are you going to put Hotaru in that position? Are you willing to-
"She won't have to choose."
Everyone looked at him, Hotaru tensed up, afraid.
"Hotaru, is Hotaru. Sailor Saturn is Hotaru, but Hotaru is Hotaru first. If Hotaru needs my help, I'll help. The rest of you can go suck on a bullet."
Silence. It seemed he was good at doing that. He tapped Hotaru's side, and she stood solemnly. He stretched and motioned for Chibi-Usa to rise.
"Time to go kiddo."
She just nodded quietly. Black Lady came around from behind the table and gave Kai a tight hug.
"If you ever need my power, Master, it's here."
Gawd I'm bored.
Osaka Naru, friend of Usagi's and once a target for nearly every possible negative force in the world trying to get to the Senshi, was wandering around…oddly enough not too far from the hidden entrance to the Guild.
She sighed deeply, bored out of her wits, and slightly lonely…when she heard a clattering sound in an alleyway near her. Ignoring her instinct to flee from the unknown, she took a step towards the shrouded path.
"Hello? Is someone there?"
A loud, pain filled coughing filled her ears. The brunette quickened her pace, passing a dumpster to find a battered red-haired woman wearing chipped, broken armor, bleeding on a wall next to it.
"Oh my god! What happened to you?! Just hang on, I'll-
"NO! No…it is…too late for me…"
The woman spoke with a soft yet powerful tone. From being around Kai and the others so long, Naru could tell, this woman was a fighter, and a damn good one. If so, then what could beat her down so badly?
"There is…little time for me…life…would only end just as quickly…"
Confused, Naru knelt down next to the woman, determined not to let the woman die alone.
"I…thank you…for your concern but…no…if I continued to survive…they would just end me…" She looked up at Naru, her eyes a brilliant green.
"You…your aura…it feels…familiar…"
"I'm sorry…I don't think we've met."
The woman gave a short, pain filled laugh. "Ha! No…no, it's not that…you are…bathed in the aura…a familiar power…but…it is not yours…" She scooted down the wall a bit more, to lean against it.
"Oh how fate toys with me…a survivor…and I thought I was the last…child…heed my final words…my last request."
"Anything."
"Tell the protectors of this world…that She is coming…the Great Devourer of Worlds. Tell…tell my brethren…the other Survivor of our home…tell them…that I am sorry…that I could not survive long enough to meet them."
She concentrated and a long scroll appeared in the air in front of her.
"Give this…to my brethren…tell them…if they are truly of our kind…they will know what this is…and how to open it. Tell them…within…is the only weapon that can defeat Mother…"
Naru clutched the scroll to her chest. "I will. I promise." But…why is this all I can do? Why can't I fight as well? …because I am weak…because I don't know…anything…
The woman watched as the girl radiated multiple colors. None of them matched her natural aura, but all of them seemed to resonate as one. Perhaps…yes…after all…It knows I am to die here…It will require a new master…
"…child."
"Yes?"
"I…am Lady Harken. However…that…is merely a Title. A title…that I wish to pass on."
"I…don't understand."
"You…wish to protect this world…your home…correct?"
"I…I don't-
In a small flare of crimson light, a gleaming scythe appeared next to them.
"If this is your wish…take hold of this blade. Azraeil shall be your guide…the key to your will."
"…I…"
"If that is your will, take hold. My power…will become yours."
"…" She sat there, looking at the scythe.
"…I accept."
"Kai-san!"
A blinking Kai looked over to the horizon, where Naru was running towards him and the Senshi group as they stepped back to the realm of the living from underground.
"Naru?"
The others fanned out behind him, just as confused.
"I…I have…something…"
"Easy kit…take a breather for a minute."
The brunette panted for a moment, and then stood up. Chibi-usa was the first to notice something.
"Naru-chan…what's that red stuff on your shoes?"
The girl looked puzzled for a moment, and then looked down.
"Oh dammit…didn't think that'd happen…" She shook her head and reached into her schoolbag, pulling out a long scroll.
"This…I ran into someone…she…she died."
Gasps all around.
"This…this is…"
"She said…she was sorry she couldn't meet you face to face. She said that The Great Devourer was coming…and to be ready."
He grabbed the scroll lightly, looking it over. Suddenly he drew a small dagger and swiped his thumb over the blade. Blood dripped onto the scroll.
"…"
He stood there, unmoving, as his blood seemed to reverse direction and crawl into unseen lines all over the scroll…before it glowed red and seemed to leap out of his hands before unfurling. Runes, Kanji, Letters, Symbols…they all seemed to glow on the long roll of paper before flying off and into the air in front of Kairyuu.
Apparently he understood it all, as his eyes widened. The ink gathered into the air, combining into one shining multi-colored orb, that seemed to fire small strands of energy into Kai's chest before the orb itself flew into him, alighting his body with a myriad of colors before the glow faded.
He bowed his head, silent as the information assimilated within his mind.
It was then that his body seemed to flicker, like a bad television image. What seemed like glass, shattered from around him, revealing little difference…save for his wings being extended unleashed…and his hair…
His hair had turned stark white.
The air around him distorted, random swirls of hazy matter appearing around his body before he flickered over to behind Naru in the blink of an eye.
A transparent but obvious haze of power surrounded him. And he surprised everyone…by wrapping his arms around Naru's waist and burying his face in her neck.
Naru was stunned. She could feel a soft wetness rolling down her neck. Is he…crying?
He just gripped her tighter and spoke in a voice that only Hotaru had heard…and only once, on a day when he lost control of everything.
"Thank you."
Naru's eyes widened as she came to the realization, YES he was crying. She reached up and held his arms for a few moments, closing her eyes. It's almost like…I can feel his pain. But…what was in that thing that would make him of all people…
He pulled away. Turning he began to walk away from the group, into the empty street.
"Kai-kun wait!"
He stopped, turning slightly. Hotaru froze as dead, broken looking eyes stared at her from behind strands of white. The distortion around him seemed to grow, exponentially, and violently, before he suddenly vanished with a very loud tearing sound.
Damn. Alternate Title. "A LOT OF SHIT HAPPENS."
What the hell was in that scroll? We'll find out soon enough. And yes, older Chibi-Usa is fucking HOT as hell. Man, Kai's got a LOT to think about. And what's with the hair?
D&S Master: Huh, interesting, I didn't catch the CT reference myself. The thing is, Chibi-Usa really DID come in with a Time Key. Plu gave it to her in the R season, or whenever it was that she first appeared. Back when she had the hots for the guy who would eventually turn out to be her father's past self.
Haha, trust me, that was just what happens when you fuck around with a very confused and worried Kai. Zero…well…you'll see.
Taeniaea: been a while, but here's the next one.
A Glimpse into the Future…
"Hey…Hime-chan…why's your stick glowing?"
"My sti-…wait what?"
It was true, Sailor Saturn's transformation wand was floating between them, glowing.
"I think…it wants us to do something."
"Like what? What could this possibly do to change the tide? We're getting whupped!"
"I dunno…we could call out the incantation."
"I…don't think I can transform twice."
Pluto groaned from nearby, and spoke.
"Men…cannot become Senshi."
"Why the hell not?"
"They just can't."
"Has anyone tried?"
"…no…but…"
Despite the situation, Minako gave a pained giggle.
"Do you really want to be dressed like us?"
He stared at her, deadpan.
"Venus, if it won this battle for us I'd let the goddamn thing turn me into a woman, permanently."
The wand seemed to pulse.
"I think it's growing impatient."
"I guess…it's worth a shot…right?"
"Ready Hime-chan?"
"I guess."
After all…I am connected to the planet Saturn…
They rose their hands together, palms facing the pulsing wand. Mother's twisted form stared with boredom, believing nothing they did would help their cause…
She was wrong.
Together, they spoke as one.
"Saturn Planet Power…MAKE UP!"
And with those words, the wand loosed a fierce blinding violet flare…
And everything changed.