A/N: A very long time, I know. Sadly, that's just how it is, I'm a terrible procrastinator. Anyways, shall we move on? I wasn't going to mention it, but did anyone else notice that moron's review? It severely pissed me off and I hope that such an impatient and unimaginative bastard gets a swift kick in the ass. I have no tolerance for reviewers such as this person and I just know that the same exact, word for word, review has left an ugly spot on many a writers review pages. Maybe it's fuel to the fire, but I just haaad to rant that out. Sorry, onward!
Disclaimer: I write this for me and people like me who enjoy fanfiction. No profit is being made out of this story.
00000000000000000000
Title: The Eternity Bride
Chapter One
00000000000000000000
Outside the lights of a barely sleeping Tokyo, a tall, darkly tanned man blinked into existence. A few strands of amethyst colored hair stirred in the slight wind having escaped the confines of a small ribbon. His deep eyes glanced lazily around him, uncaring of his current surroundings. The lights of the city caught his focus and they snapped into intense observation of the tall structures beckoning him.
He already knew this was the place. It was different from his own, a change in time and location, a change in culture. Akio's passion had pulled him here. His need and desire to own the Bride and know Eternity had found this place, this Tokyo, for him.
"She is near, so close." He whispered to the wind.
The Prince could already feel her presence. She was on the wind and he could smell her. The power she held was immense and it rippled in the air alluringly. He opened his mouth and hid his crazed eyes to taste the air, the sweet taste of her enough to finally set him in motion.
"Lead me, my precious Bride, lead me to Eternity."
The Lost Prince moved with assurance, confidence that spoke of terrible times ahead.
00000
"Usagi! Come on now! Don't be so shy!" Minako giggled as she pulled her Princess off her bar stool, closer to the thriving bodies that made up the dance floor.
"Mina, please! I'm really not such a good dancer!" Usagi tugged her arm back, ready to slide back to her bar stool when Makoto stepped in her way.
"That's a load, Usagi. You're just in a depressed funk! You're one of the best dancers! Let loose, it's alright." The tall brunette swept a comforting arm around her leader, hugging her close.
"We are all here, nothing is going to go wrong. No evil Prince will attack you." She winked and Usagi gave her a weak smile in return. The Princess turned with determination and took Minako's hand, ready to join the rhythm.
Only she knew she couldn't enjoy it the way they wanted her to. Mamoru's leaving after the rise and quick fall of the evil Endymion had left the leader of the Senshi shaken. True, she had managed to finally put to rest the soul of Endymion, banished away with his ancestors, and the now free and purely human Mamoru Chiba had left for America. Her fears hadn't ended there though. Something was still off. Something still felt like it was coming.
Usagi grinned and giggled as her Senshi danced for her, bumping hips and cheering her. She moved as fluidly as ever, moving to the music in time.
The façade wasn't enough though. The Princess could feel it in her bones.
All eight Guardians would not be enough.
0
Akio immediately knew that this city was for him. Tokyo was alive with power and blissfulness. So light but with such deep, dark shadows that any creature could sink in to them and flourish. It was all so utterly perfect.
The closer to her he became, the thirstier he was. He could feel her purity now, nothing like Anthy's tainted soul. He scoffed at that pathetic attempt now. What had he been thinking? Pretending a Witch was a Bride when a pure Bride had been so easy to obtain all along?
"Even a Prince can be fooled by the loveliest face."
0
Michiru had been keeping close tabs on her Princess ever since Endymion had surfaced his true intentions. The weeks that followed showed her an intensity in Usagi she had only seen in battle and now it seemed a constant. An emotion always just under the smile and bright eyes. Usagi felt strongly about her premonitions of impending evil. The aqua haired beauty had seen flashes of evil in her mirror and knew Usagi was right. Trouble was upon them.
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind did she feel Usagi stop moving on the dance floor. She turned around and found the other Senshi staring, alert and tense. Usagi's eyes had become wide with fear before steadiness came back to the crystal blues and she nodded for the Senshi to leave.
They were a force as they moved at a high set pace out of the club and into the streets of Tokyo.
"Usagi?" Michiru heard Setsuna question.
"Kitten?"
"No, there isn't time! We have to transform!" Usagi already had her broach in hand as the group continued their run to a safer place. Every eye searched for an unoccupied dark alley.
"Now, everyone!" Their Princess whispered fiercely. They all raised their wands to the night sky but watched in amazement as their leader whispered her power and transformed. Several flashes of light went by and the Senshi of the Silver Millennium crowded around Serenity Moon.
"Moon?" Mars scarcely breathed, unable to feel any foreign energy. Moon was tense, her eyes unmoving as she focused elsewhere.
"We have to move! The Princess isn't safe here!" Saturn forewarned, begging that they begin to run.
Serenity Moon merely nodded in consent and her team followed as she jumped up the side of the building and began to move towards the sea.
0
The lost Prince moved more swiftly now, following his passion without worry of losing the trail. He felt so alive here in this world. A new energy had attached itself to him and was aiding him in his search. Akio felt he could not lose. Once he was in the presences of his Bride, she would not refuse him.
0
"Princess!"
"Serenity!"
"Usagi!"
Her Senshi cried for her to stop. They had reached the sea and the land only went so far. She breathed heavily, clutching at the protected Silver Crystal on her chest.
"Usagi, tell us what is going on." Mars demanded evenly, staring straight into her Princess's frightened crystal eyes.
"She doesn't know what it is, Mars!" Venus growled out, shifting protectively towards her leader.
"What are we suppose to do then?! Wait for this evil to find us?" Mars returned, stepping forward. Neptune halted them both.
"We won't have to wait." All eyes turned to Neptune and she looked up, showing her mirror. An image of themselves appeared. "We are already found."
It hit all at once, an overwhelming dark presence behind them. The Senshi shifted as one, instinctively closing around their leader, following her already locked eyes to a figure not thirty feet away.
"Here you are my Bride. You are far more delicious in person." The figure spoke in delighted tones, the moonlight lighting his features.
"Who are you?!" Uranus demanded, her sword glinting.
"No one to you. To my Bride, everything." His piercing emerald eyes never swayed from the shielded Princess. He stared as if there wasn't a single body there to look past.
"There isn't a single recognizable reading off him, He's like-"
"A lost soul." Moon finished Mercury's confused thought.
"Tell us your name." The Princess demanded, moving closer in her circle, feeling Mars and Pluto grab her arms tightly before she broke out of protection altogether.
"It is Akio, my Bride. I am your new Master, come to me." He answered with unconcerned softness, holding his arms open for her.
Serenity felt the shock course through her as her body struggled to comply.
"You are not her master!" Uranus cried as she grabbed Moon around the waist, stopping her from walking forward.
"What are you doing here?! Why Serenity? Why now?" Pluto questioned as she held tightly to Moon's arm.
"Who are you to question me? I am a Prince and she is my Bride! You will release her!" Akio growled, throwing out his hand with force. Serenity's body gave a lively jerk and the other Senshi dove forward to stop her.
"I-am – not – to be mastered!" Serenity struggled to say through gritted teeth. Her body was not obeying! It was as if neither her head nor her thumping heart could control it!
Akio let out a chuckle, walking closer to them, stopping mere feet away from the Senshi.
"Eternity awaits us, my Bride! Why do you fight so?" He asked inquisitively and peered into her eyes as the Senshi's powers flared to keep him back.
"I see, my Bride has a conflicted heart! I understand, I know how it is." He smiled and Serenity's eyes widened in shock at his knowing look.
"I know how to get you to come to me then. We shall play a game, my favorite game." Akio flicked his hand and suddenly the Senshi cried out in pain, grunts and small screams causing Serenity to tear away from them so she could help.
Her body was hers again as she watched her guardians fight off hundreds of small knives. Panic filled her as to what to do for them and she swung her focus back to the self-proclaimed Prince.
"What is this Akio? Why are you hurting my loved ones?!" She cried, tears stinging her eyes.
"The game, my precious! They are now the players, the duelists! This is how we play my Bride." He said as he stepped beside her, talking closely to her ear as her body suddenly forced her to watch her Senshi fight off the knives.
"The game is a duel for love, an emotion you seem to favor so much. I am the Master, the Prince. You are the Bride who will lead the Champion to Eternity. Each of them is a Duelist. They will fight the Master for your hand. They win, they keep you. I win, well, it's quite obvious." He laughed deeply, ignoring Serenity's many tears. Her Senshi were telling her no, she shouldn't give in.
"And if I ignore this game and fight for my loved ones?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
"It is your choice my Bride. They can die now or play the game. Either way, you will be my mine as will Eternity."
She flinched as he traced a hand over her cheek.
"Release them." Serenity demanded in defeat. The knives vanished as her Senshi rushed forward in hopes to protect her. She halted them with a shield, Mars and Pluto at the forefront, trying to force their way through.
Serenity wiped away her tears. She tore the Crystal from her chest as Akio laid his hand upon her shoulder, beginning to change her to his image. A flowing white gown appeared as she threw away the Crystal.
Her last image was that of the Crystal disappearing as it passed between Mars and Pluto, safe away from her.
0
"What the hell was that?! What are we supposed to do now?!" Makoto yelled, filling the already tense air of the Hikawa Shrine.
The Senshi had moved into action the second Serenity had disappeared. Pluto had left for the Gates of Time with Saturn to search for clues across the Time Stream. The others had moved straight for the Shrine. Rei disappeared into the Fire room, unflinching as she gazed into the heat, looking for answers.
Michiru remained close to Rei, staring intensely into the Mirror as Ami typed furiously on her compact computer, cross referencing the information they had gathered from the things Akio had said. Meanwhile, Minako, Haruka, and especially Makoto were left to thinking out what had happened and how it had happened so quickly.
"Calm down Mako! Now isn't the time to be upset. Usagi bought us time with this...game. We can't be going hot headed when she needs us!" Minako forced her to sit and fell down beside the brunette. Haruka nodded in agreement.
"Duelists though? Only Haruka can truly duel out of all us and from there we only have seven other chances." Makoto hung her head and let out a sob.
"Stop it. We can do this. Usagi has faith in us and we will win! We already have an advantage against this Akio."
"I think he has more against us, right now Haruka." Minako admitted weakly and Mako nodded in agreement.
"No, he is far worse off. If it's the Crystal he's after, he won't get it. Usagi hid it before she was taken."
At this, Ami looked up from her computer shaking her short blue hair.
"Unfortunately, the way he was talking, he doesn't know anything about us or the Crystal."
"Then what could he want?" Asked Makoto, waiting for an answer.
"I don't know but Usagi is definitely the tool he's going to use to get whatever it is."
00000000000000000000000
A/N: Alright, things are started along. It could have been more but I really don't want to introduce Utena and Anthy until the next chapter, so bare with me. I hope you enjoyed it and please review!