Hero by Firebird Phoenix
Chapter XI
Lita and the boys sat anxiously waiting for the Jade Emperor to read his ruling, the seconds passed by like minutes and the minutes like hours, Ken'ichi on the other hand didn't look worried at all, he was sure of himself, in his mind he was going to win and Lita would be left crying unable to do anything about the changes he will make.
"I have heard all arguments and it is obvious to me that Shadow Earth needs a guardian to the highest degree, but now I choose who shall rain over Shadow Earth, although you are both equally qualified I must choose who would bring an ever lasting peace and who would be best to deal with the Youma attacks. King Ken'ichi you have strength, power and experience as King. Princess Makoto, you are strong, have great power, and have experience dealing with Youma's, but I reflected on the age old proverb, with age comes wisdom, and so I must choose who has been trained in ruling a world, let it be known through out the universe that the Guardian of Shadow Earth is now and shall forever be... Princess Makoto!" banging his mallet the Jade Emperor made his ruling official. Tears of joy fell down the guardians face spinning on her heels Lita hugged Hiero.
"We did it Hiero, we did it!" Lita cried
"NO!" bellowed Ken'ichi slamming his fists on the table, his eyes burned with fire that matched his face.
"She can not be named guardian!" yelled Ken'ichi
"Oh but she can, King Ken'ichi and has, Come forth Guardian" Said the wise Emperor, Lita approached the Jade Emperor.
"I the Jade Emperor name you Guardian of Shadow Earth and let it be known that among your many other names you shall also be known as Sailor Shadow Dragon, guardian of Shadow Earth." Just as the emperor finished his speech Lita was hit by a large blinding bolt of lighting when the light faded there stood Lita in an Eternal inform, knee high white boots with a outlined gold Japanese dragon circled each boot and a small dragon insignia at the top, her three layered forest green, leaf green and light green skirts had the same gold dragon encircling them all, her longer back bow was a transparent green with two forest green ribbons, her front bow was transparent, her hair tie was now two emeralds, her necklace now had a gold trim around it.
"Your Honor?" asked Ken'ichi
"What is it now?" asked the annoyed Emperor
"I asked for possession of the Gundam Pilots souls." Said Ken'ichi, the entire courtroom gasped
"But they are alive, how can you ask that?" questioned the governor
"Each one of the boys is guilty horrible crimes I demand that right." Said Ken'ichi
"Hum, once that act has been issued the souls in question must be name to a higher being and sense King Ken'ichi in the only one asking it, I am forced to grant him possession of the boy's souls." Said the Jade Emperor just as the Emperor was going to bang in mallet.
"I ask for possession of the boys souls as well." said Lita, the Jade Emperor stopped his mallet and placed in down.
"Very well tomorrow, we shall decide the owner the pilot's souls." The Jade Emperor exited his court room and Ken'ichi left in quite a huff, but Lita stood silent Lily gently tapped Lita on her shoulder turning to face her.
"What have I done Lily?" Lita chocked out Lily put her arm around Lita's shoulders,
"What you had too Lita, what you did was best you know that you don't have the time to pout over your decision you need a plain, you could play the kindness card again and see if it works, I mean look at Hiero before he met you he was lifeless and in the little time he spent with you has made him into a whole new person I'm sure the Jade Emperor will take that into account." Lita smiled at Lily she did stand a good chance of wining but the boys have led such violent lives the emperor might choose the strict master instead of her. The boys had returned to the house, Duo of course protested but Lily told him it was best to leave Lita alone at this time, Lita returned to the house shortly after and plucked herself down in a chair, rested her elbow on the arm and her forehead in her hand.
"Lita what did Ken'ichi ask for?" asked Duo who cautiously approached her, all of the boys were there Quatre and Trowa sat in chairs against the side wall Wufei was leaning on the doorway siding and Hiero was standing in a shadowy corner like is usually did, sighing Lita began to explain.
"Ken'ichi has asked the Emperor; too basically give him your souls so he may own them forever."
"Can he do that?" asked Duo who was overwhelmed by these turn of events
"Sadly yes, when a human(s) has led a bad life like killing a lot of people, when that human dies a higher being can set claim on the soul." Said Lita
"But were not dead yet." Said Quatre
"True, but all of you committed these crimes at such a young age, because of that Ken'ichi can claim your souls before you die."
"What will happen if Ken'ichi wins?" asked Hiero his face half hidden by shadow
"He will own all of you for eternity." Lita whispered, Duo slammed his fist into a wall nearly punching a hole threw it.
"Is there anyway we would end up not being property of someone." Asked Duo annoyed and angry
"No, only if I could prove you never did those crimes you are accused of." Lita hadn't looked any of them in the eye sense this conversation first began
"That's it, were screwed" Said Duo flopping down into a chair
"You asked for our souls too, right?" asked Wufei
"That's right."
"If Ken'ichi wins; what will he do with us?" asked Duo his eyes hidden by his bangs
"Most likely force you to fight for his cause to conquer the world, five good fighters joining his cause he will jump with joy... Wait a minuet that's it!" exclaimed Lita
"What's it?" asked Duo
"I can use his battle back on Jupiter to win this, what he did was vary unworthy of honor, honor is of great importance here and too attack another planet in a truce is cowardly and if he's that he can't own souls."
"That is a smart plain Lita; you know Ken'ichi is going to use what happened on Jupiter against you." Said Lily who had just entered the room
"Yea I know, but I'm going to bed it's going to be a long day tomorrow." Lita bid everyone a good night then headed off to sleep
"What happened on Jupiter?" asked Duo
"Now that is Lita's tale to tell." Lily went to sleep
"What could have happened that might cost Lita the fight?" asked Duo
"Something bad, or else she wouldn't be worried about it so much." Answered Hiero, it didn't take long for the long day to take its toll. The next morning Lita and the boys sat in the court room waiting for the trail to start.
"The trial for the Gundam Pilots souls shall now commence. King Ken'ichi shall speak first." Announced the governor
"Thank you governor, Your Honor these boys are soldiers merciless killers willing to take innocent lives to complete their mission be it a five year old child or an entire colony. These boys don't even know the meaning of the word remorse, these boys don't need kindness or whatever Princess Makoto would offer them, they need discipline and punishment for their crimes, they will never change they have gone to far to come back; would you give these criminals to a traitor to her people and king? I wouldn't how are we to know she wouldn't turn to evil and use these boys to execute her wicked plains. Princess Makoto betrayed her people before and she would do it again in a heartbeat to prove her point. In closing your Honor do not entrust these souls in the hands of a traitor." Ken'ichi sat back down with Lita glaring daggers in his back, calming herself she prepared for her speech.
"Your Honor, King Ken'ichi has accused me of many things, calling me an untrustworthy and a traitor, but if anyone was a traitor to Jupiter it's him. During his so called quest to rule the galaxy our people starved, he demanded ¾ of all the food for his campaign, if anyone refused you would be sent to prison, the people had to scrounge like rats for any amount of food. And heaven for bid you had an able teenage son for you could bet your bottom dollar his soldiers would come for him, boys as young as 13 were forced to fight, and if you refused you would be dragged out of your home and forced to watch your family die by some horrible means. I am not ashamed of what I did, in fact I'm proud of it, any ruler be it king or queen is nothing but a servant to his people, he is there to bring order not chaos not too send children to die in a useless battle time and time again. If what I did for my people was wrong then throw me in chains but do not sent these boys into the hands of a madman." Lita sat back down and sighed heavily, the emperor held his chin in his hand considering the arguments.
"I find myself at a stand still, both parties give valid points so I must ask for one of the humans to give a testimony of his life." The boys talked amongst each other
"I'll do it." Said Hiero
"Why you she's my sister."
"That's the point Duo the Jade Emperor might not consider your testimony sense your brother and sister." Said Quatre
"Fine you win."
"I'll do it." Hiero sat up
"Come forth human." Hiero did as he was told standing before the Jade Emperor he could feel the accusing eyes of the god's and goddess's on his back it was almost unbearable but he could also feel Lita eyes upon him and all the others melted away and didn't matter anymore.
"Well speak up; don't keep the Jade Emperor waiting." Said the annoying governor
"Honorable Emperor," Hiero started, "I have been a soldier all my live, I cannot remember a time when I was not in training to become one, over the years of vary hard training I became lifeless I couldn't feel anything no hatred, sadness, joyfulness, or love I was a lifeless shell. It became so I would crave for a battle I could fight because then my life had purpose a meaning. But not anymore I thought I lost my soul that I would never be a normal person but I've learned that I never lost my soul that it was just in hibernation, all I have to do was awaken it and I did but it wasn't a church or a moment in life like the perfect sunset, the person I am now these emotions I have are all caused by one person your honor, it was Princess Makoto that gave me this gift, we all know she didn't have to help me but she did, no one asked her she did it out of the kindness of her heart. I am living proof that kindness can help an impossible soldier like me and the others more then discipline. I have known Princess Makoto for three months and look what I have become, I don't want to fight anymore I want to live peacefully with Lita. And I believe with every fiber of my being that if we are given to King Ken'ichi we will be forced to fight and then I might lose my soul again. Thank you your honor." Hiero sat back down all of the pilots just stared at him in disbelief never in all their lives would they have believed that Hiero would have changed so much in such a short time. The Jade Emperor held his chin and considered his chose.
"King Ken'ichi if I am to think of Princess Makoto as a traitor to Jupiter which in my opinion she isn't I would also have to consider your actions as well and I strongly believe you don't want that so I must consider your testimonies on those maters inadmissible, and I shall base my judgment on the boy's actions. And in conclusion to that I believe you humans should be punished for your crimes severely but that is for your master to decide. I rule in favor of...King Ken'ichi." The banging of the Emperors mallet rang in Lita ears as her world crumbled.
"It is my belief that King Ken'ichi can punish you accordingly." Said the Jade Emperor
"Thank you, your honor you have chosen wisely." The governor brought out five crystals attached to gold chains, a beam of light shot from each crystal and hit each boy a ball of light left them and went into the crystal, green for Duo, dark green for Trowa, dark blue for Wufei, yellow for Quatre, and blue for Hiero. Lita collapsed into her chair unable to stand she glared at the Jade Emperor who sat quietly.
"Come now, time to go home." Ken'ichi called to the boys, their minds protects but their bodies followed him out the court room and out of Lita life forever, Lita got up and marched right up to the Emperor of course the governor tried to stop her but she just pushed him out of the way.
"Why did you give them to him? You know what he'll do." Lita was shaking in anger, the Emperor smiled slyly and winked at Lita.
End Chapter.