Chapter Seven
It's Coming for You
The three remaining guardians and Jack all took in their surroundings, and though Jack was rather confused, the guardians were about to loose it. "Usagi, please tell me I'm having a nightmare right now." Mercury quietly said as she stared at the scene in front of her with a look of sheer terror.
"If you're having a nightmare Ami then I'm having the same one." Sailor Moon replied as she clutched her guns in a white knuckle death grip.
"Please no, not this place, not again." Jupiter quietly cried as she trembled in her shoes.
"You know this place?" Jack asked in a surprised tone.
"Mhm." Sailor Moon quietly answered, frozen in both place and speech as she stared at the horrors unfolding around her.
"Too well, and I don't care if Aku's here, I wanna leave." Mercury cried as she lifted a shaky hand to her transporter watch.
"No Ami, we can't run, not after all the sacrifices our friends have made. We have to face our greatest fears and stop Aku, we promised to do it no matter the cost." Sailor Moon replied with a small breath.
"I know Usagi, you're right. I'm sorry, I'm being a coward right now. It's just..." Mercury started to say, until a familiar person slammed down next to them.
"EREN! Stop it, this isn't right what you're doing! You can't do this!" The person yelled in a frantic tone.
"There's no point trying to talk to him, he's not gonna stop." Another person replied as they and a small group landed next to the first figure.
"Y-you're still alive. I'm so glad." Mercury quietly cried as she stared at the familiar black haired woman in front of her.
"Ami? Ami what are you doing back in my world?! How did you get here?!" The woman shouted in complete shock as she ran over to Mercury.
"We've been chasing a monster through the multiverse. It's good to see you again Mikasa." Mercury quietly said as she hugged Mikasa.
"I've missed you Ami." Mikasa quietly said as she hugged Mercury back. "Where're the others? It's odd that it'd just be you three, and that guy whoever he is." Mikasa quietly asked as she hugged Mercury back. Mercury only shook her head as she lightly cried into Mikasa's shoulder. "What's wrong Ami?" Mikasa asked as she lightly stroked her finger's through Mercury's hair.
"They're dead Mikasa, they're all dead. Rei, Mina, Kaede, they were killed." Mercury answered as she lightly sobbed into Mikasa's shoulder.
"I'm sorry Ami, I'm so sorry." Mikasa quietly said as she hugged Mercury tighter.
"I hate to sound so insensitive right now Ami, but we need to go Mikasa, we have to stop Erin." Armin said as he gently pulled Mikasa away from Mercury.
"Stop Eren? Stop him from doing what?" Sailor Moon asked with a confused expression.
"Erin's taken possession of the founding titan, the original titan. With the power it granted him he awoke the dormant colossal titans that were inside the walls, he started an event called the rumbling. He's going to lead the rumbling to Marley and destroy everything beyond Paradise Island." Mikasa explained with a sad expression.
"Why should you care? Aren't they the ones who tried to kill everyone of Eldian birth, the ones who killed Sasha and so many others? They're the one's who sent the titans to your shores in the first place right? Why would you care if Eren wipes them out or not?" Sailor Moon asked with a straight face as she stared at Mikasa.
"Because two wrongs don't make a right. Our ancestors abused the powers of the titans and used them to enslave and terrorize the world for centuries, the people of both Marley and even the entirety of the world still have a deep hatred for our people because of that dark past. So they did the things they did over the past hundred years as retaliation to our ancestors cruelty. But if we let Eren do this then we're no better than Marley or our ancestors. If we ever want the hate and death to stop then we need to stop focusing on our past hatred and focus on building a future of respect and understanding. That's the only way this nightmare will ever end." Armin explained with a small frown.
"That's just like you Armin, the brains. You always had a knack for looking at the full picture, that's why so many of us look up to you and accept you as a leader." Jean said with a grin as he put a hand on Armin's shoulder.
"So what can we do to help?" Sailor Moon asked as she looked at Armin for guidance.
"We need to stop Eren by any means necessary. I know how horrible this sounds but... will you help us kill Eren?" Mikasa asked with a few tears.
"Kill Eren? But Mikasa, I thought you loved him?" Sailor Moon asked in a horrified tone as she stared at Mikasa.
"I do, but this isn't right. We can't let this genocide continue, he has to be stopped Usagi. Our hearts and souls to the cause." Mikasa cried as she clutched her scarf in her hand.
"I don't know what to say Mikasa, I'm sorry that it's come to this." Sailor Moon quietly said as she gently hugged Mikasa.
"It's okay, we do what we have to do." Mikasa replied with a sniffle. "Come on, we need to get going. There's an airship waiting for us a few miles from here." Mikasa said as she started running across the rooftops towards what use to be titan country.
"Hey, is that guy in the white gonna be okay getting around without ODM gear?" Armin asked as he looked back at Jack.
"Don't worry, I jump good." Jack replied with a smile as he jumped in the air, leaping over three rooftops before landing.
"Jump good's an understatement." Conny said in a shocked tone as he and everyone else stared at Jack.
"He's from a different universe." Sailor Moon chuckled as she followed Mikasa.
"That's so exciting! What's your universe like?! Did you come from the same universe as Usagi, or do you hail from a different universe than that even?! Wow you're incredible, just amazing! Let me see you jump again, I've gotta see you do a super jump again!" Hange babbled in excitement as she stared at Jack with wide eyes filled with surprise and excitement.
"Can it four eyes, we've got work to do." Levi grumbled as he dashed past Hange.
"Oh man. Is that, is that Eren?" Sailor Moon quietly asked as she stopped suddenly and stared up at what may have been the largest creature she'd ever seen. The creature was massive in size, it was four-hundred and twenty meters tall. The main body looked like a massive rib cage connected by a spine that had large pointy bones coming out of each side, they extended outward like a V. Hanging in front of the rib looking structure was what looked like the upper half of a basic human skeleton. Finally, at the tip of it all was the head of Eren's titan.
"That's Eren in the form of the founding titan. He now commands all of the titans, including all the colossal titans from the walls." Mikasa quietly answered as she stared at the giant skeletal titan that was storming its way towards Marley, with almost two-hundred and fifty-thousand colossal titans in tow.
"Enough chit chat, we need to get to the airship so we can try and get ahead of this and stop Jaeger from committing genocide!" Levi shouted as he he sped forward.
"Right." Hange replied as she and everyone else followed Levi to the air strip. Twenty minutes later everyone had arrived at the airstrip, but they weren't expecting to find what they did.
"Damn it, the Yeagerists have completely locked down the airstrip." Levi said as he stared at an airfield that was over run with armed guards.
"The Yeagerists? Who are the Yeagerists?" Sailor Moon asked as she also stared down at the airfield.
"A psychotic group of people who believe in what Eren's doing, they think he's some kind of great leader who's gonna lead the Eldian empire into a new era. They don't care if every other person on the planet is killed, they're insane." Hange explained through gritted teeth as she stared at the airfield.
"So what do we do?" Jupiter asked as she looked at Levi.
"What other option do we have, we kill or be killed." Mikasa answered as she drew her swords from her sheath.
"They can't be talked to or reasoned with?" Mercury quietly asked with a sad expression.
"You can't reason with a lunatic Ami, it's them or the world. Are you with us or not?" Levi asked as she glanced over at Mercury.
"We didn't come here to get involved in a war, we came here to stop Aku. I'm sorry Mikasa, but I don't know if I can do this again. I'm just getting over the last time I had to kill, I don't wanna go through that again." Sailor Moon quietly answered with a sad expression.
"I understand Usagi, wait here while we take the airfield." Mikasa quietly said as she and everyone but the guardians and Jack headed to the airfield.
"Am I a coward?" Sailor Moon quietly asked as she looked back at her friends.
"Not at all Usagi, in fact you are quite brave. It takes a lot of strength to admit that you're scared and that you can't do something, I don't blame you for not wanting to go through that again. There are many things I've done in my travels that I've come to regret, even if all of them couldn't have been avoided. I regret having to kill those women who worshipped Aku, it wasn't their fault they'd been brainwashed by his evil, but I killed them anyways. They were not much older than you, I have always felt bad about that." Jack answered with a sad expression.
"I'm sorry Jack, that must've been horrible." Sailor Moon replied as she gently hugged Jack.
"It was, but I accept it. I did what I had to do to live, but even so, the decision was made no easier by that fact." Jack quietly said as he hugged Sailor Moon back.
"The rumbling's really moving, I'd give it another one to two hours before it reaches Marley." Jupiter informed as she watched the army of colossal titans move ever further into the distance.
"Maybe we should get down there and help them secure a ride then, we're running out of time." Sailor Moon said as she started running towards the airbase.
"What about Aku?" Mercury asked as she and the others started following Sailor Moon.
"What about him? He's nowhere in sight, but according to the transporter watch he's still in this universe. So until we can find him we might as well try and help Mikasa and the others." Sailor Moon answered in a firm tone.
"Understood Usagi." Jupiter said as she followed Sailor Moon to a hanger.
"Right on time, get in." Levi ordered as he hung his head out the door of a blimp.
"Yes sir." Sailor Moon replied as she and everyone else got on the airship.
"What the hell?!" Mercury suddenly screamed when she caught sight of some of the other passengers.
"What is it Ami?" Hange asked as she looked at Mercury.
"What is it?! Why the hell is that brat on this ship?! She's the one who murdered Sasha in cold blood!" Mercury screamed as she pulled her gun out and pointed it at a young girl. The girl couldn't have been older than twelve, her brown mid length hair was tied in a pony tail, and her eyes were wide with fear as she stared down the barrel of Mercury's gun.
"I'll kill her, I'll kill her for the pain she caused my sister!" Jupiter shouted as she grabbed the girl by her collar and slammed her against the wall.
"No! Let her go!" Another child yelled as he ran up to Jupiter and punched her in the side. Jupiter just back handed him to the ground.
"Stay the fuck down kid, or you'll be next." Mercury said through gritted teeth as she slammed her foot on the boy's chest and stared down at him. He looked about the same age as the girl, he had short blonde hair and haze colored eyes.
"I don't care what you do to me, just let Gabi go!" The boy yelled as he stared up at Mercury.
"That's enough you two! Let them go." Levi ordered as he stared at Mercury and Jupiter.
"But, but she killed Sasha. Don't you think she should pay for that?" Jupiter asked as she held her gun to the girl's head.
"We don't kill children Mako, I don't care what she's done. I didn't know Sasha long, but I know that she wouldn't want you to do this, she wouldn't want either of you to act like this." Sailor Moon said as she looked at Jupiter, then at Mercury. "Let them go, we've taken enough lives over the past year. There's no reason to take two more." Sailor Moon quietly said as she looked down at her feet.
"But..." Jupiter said as she looked at Sailor Moon, then back at the girl.
"Do what you will, but before you do, think about how much pain you both suffered just from killing adults in an active battle. How bad do think you'll feel if you kill two children in cold blood? It would haunt you both forever." Sailor Moon quietly said with a sad expression. Mercury and Jupiter both held their guns to the head's of their respective targets, fighting within themselves. "What would the girls think if they saw this? Do you think they'd be okay with this, to see their mommies holding two children at gun point? Make the right call." Sailor Moon said as she looked up at them once more.
"Damn it." Mercury quietly cried as she lowered her gun.
"What have we become Ami?" Jupiter quietly cried as she did the same thing.
"We're monsters, we're no better than Aku." Mercury cried as she slumped down to the floor.
"I'm sorry I did what I did, it was wrong of me to kill that girl. Sasha. I only saw a devil, but I was ignorant and blind. She was such a good person, and I've regretted that for so long now. Especially after I met her family, even after I did that horrible thing, they still cared for me, they treated me like any other orphan that they'd taken in. They didn't hate me or kill me, even though I deserved it. Mr. Braus spared my life. I was handed to him in ropes, and he was given a knife and allowed to do with me whatever he wanted. He didn't hurt me at all, he set me free, and they took me in. I didn't deserve that, I didn't deserve any of that. I've regretted what I did ever since that day, the lies I've been fed my whole life. I wish I could take it back, I really do." The girl cried as she curled into a ball on the floor.
"What's you're name?" Sailor Moon quietly asked as she looked down at the girl.
"G-Gabi." The girl cried as she looked up at Sailor Moon.
"Come here, it's okay. We're not gonna hurt you Gabi." Sailor Moon quietly said as she picked Gabi up and held her.
"I'm not a baby." Gabi cried as she clung to Sailor Moon.
"Even big girls need a hug sometimes." Sailor Moon said with a smile as she comforted Gabi.
"Thank you so much for not killing her." The young boy thanked as he looked at Mercury and Jupiter.
"We're sorry that we ever considered it, we've just had a really bad time lately. Death has surrounded us for so long now that we risk being consumed by the pain it brings. The numbness that comes with repetitive loss. We're willing to kill without mercy or regret, so long as it spares or avenges the ones we love." Mercury quietly said with a sniffle as she wiped a tear away.
"What happened to your friends, if you don't mind me asking?" Armin asked with a sad expression.
"They were killed in battle, fighting a monster called Aku. It's the root of all evil in the multiverse. That bastard killed everyone, each one in a more horrifying way than the last. Minako was killed in an explosion when we destroyed a factory of his that was producing robots, Rei was killed in an alternate universe when she was impaled by a spike made from Aku's own body, and Kaede was killed by my own hand. She was bitten by a zombie that Aku rose from the dead, I killed her because she turned into one and she was trying to eat my face. I killed my own sister." Jupiter cried as he held her head in her hands. "When will this nightmare end Usagi? I can't take much more of this." Jupiter quietly sobbed. Everyone was shocked and heartbroken at this information, even Levi couldn't help the surprised and saddened look on his face.
"That's terrible, we're so sorry." Mikasa said as she hugged Jupiter as tight as she could.
"I just want this all to end." Jupiter said with a sniffle as she held onto Mikasa.
"I know it's a bad time everyone, but we're here." Hange informed as she looked out the window, seeing that they were now above Marley, or what was left of it.
"This is a nightmare." Sailor Moon quietly said as she looked out the window. Parts of the city had been completely flattened by the army of titans, smoke and fire enveloped the surrounding area, and though they were too high to see them, they knew that the ground was littered with bodies.
"We'll be landing in a few minutes, so prep your gear and prepare yourselves." Levi ordered as looked at everyone around him.
"Usagi." Mercury said as she gently nudged Sailor Moon.
"Yeah Ami?" Sailor Moon asked as she looked at Mercury.
"How many people can you carry while flying?" Mercury asked in a firm tone.
"I don't know, I've only ever carried one person at a time before. Why?" Sailor Moon asked with a confused expression.
"Because I found the needle in the haystack." Mercury said through gritted teeth as she stared down at a large black object.
"You don't mean..." Sailor Moon started asking, until Mercury interrupted.
"Yep, he's using the colossal titans as cover." Mercury informed as she pointed at the black object. Sailor Moon looked out the window and knew instantly that the object was Aku, he was hiding in the middle of the horde of colossal titans.
"The hell he is." Sailor Moon said with a stern expression as she walked over to the door.
"What are you gonna do Usagi?" Mikasa asked as she stared at Sailor Moon.
"Kill the thing that took my family." Sailor Moon answered as she opened the side door of the airship, then leapt out of it.
"Does this thing have parachutes?" Mercury asked as she looked at Mikasa.
"Yeah, why?" Mikasa asked in a worried tone.
"Because we're not leaving our princess alone." Mercury answered as she looked around for the parachutes. "You coming with Mako or are you gonna wait to land?" Mercury asked as she grabbed a parachute and strapped it on.
"What do you think?" Jupiter asked with a grin as she walked over by Mercury and grabbed a parachute for herself.
"Good luck everyone, we'll try and keep Aku from interfering with your mission." Mercury said with a straight face as she walked over to the door.
"Good luck you two, and please be safe." Mikasa said with a smile. Mercury and Jupiter lightly nodded in response, then they jumped from the airship without a second thought.
"I suppose I best go as well." Jack said as he grabbed a parachute and put it on. "Now how do I use this thing." Jack asked as he looked at the parachute and the cords hanging from it.
"Pull the blue cord really hard, if that doesn't open the chute then pull the red cord really hard." Hange explained as she pointed at the blue and red cords on the parachute.
"Oh, like this?" Jack asked as he yanked the blue cord as hard as he could.
"Not right now, you're still on the ship you dumbass!" Levi shouted as he stared at Jack.
"I didn't knooooow!" Jack shouted as the chute opened and he was sucked out of the plane. While Jack worked on getting control of his chute, the guardians were just about to touch down on a nearby roof.
"How are you doing Mako?" Mercury asked as she looked at Jupiter.
"Not as bad as I would've thought." Jupiter answered as she and Mercury landed on the roof.
"I don't think Aku knows we're here yet, let's get in close and ambush the bastard." Sailor Moon said as she gently landed next to Mercury.
"We'll follow your lead Usagi." Jupiter replied as she and Mercury stood on either side of Sailor Moon.
"Alright, let's go then." Sailor Moon instructed as she started leading them towards Aku. While the guardians made their way to Aku, he was reveling in the destruction going on around him.
"Ah. There's nothing like the screams of suffering people, I should've come to this universe years ago! Ha ha! These creatures would give even the Samurai a tough time." Aku said with a wicked grin as he stared up at a colossal titan.
"Here's what we're gonna do. I'll hit him from behind with my feathers, but I need you two to split his attention. Hopefully Jack will show up soon and we can hit from all four sides at once." Sailor Moon instructed as she pointed at the positions she wanted Mercury and Jupiter to go to.
"Sounds good Usagi, be careful." Jupiter replied as she and Mercury started to split up.
"You both do the same." Sailor Moon quietly said as she got into position behind Aku.
"Usagi." Jack quietly said as he bounded over a rooftop and landed next to Sailor Moon.
"Perfect timing Jack, I need you to attack Aku from his front. Mercury and Jupiter are gonna hit him from the sides while I hit him from behind." Sailor Moon informed as she spread her wings as wide as she could.
"Good plan Usagi." Jack replied as he quickly maneuvered to Aku's front. "AKU!" Jack shouted as he stared up at Aku.
"Samurai Jack, it's been a little while. What took you so long, were you all busy mourning the death of that little guardian. What was her name again? Europe or something. HA! The way she suffered was delightful, and the fact that she was killed by her own sister only adds to the pleasure! I couldn't've wished for a better outcome. The look on the green one's face when she pulled that trigger, it was spectacular!" Aku maniacally laughed at Europa's horrifying death.
"You're wicked deeds have gone on for long enough Aku, this is where you die demon." Jack said in a firm tone as took a fighting stance and held his sword outwards towards Aku.
"I think not Samurai, for this is where you all die. I on the other hand, shall escape as usual. Bye bye Samurai." Aku said with a smile as he prepared to run away.
"You're not going anywhere Aku, angelic feather barrage!" Sailor Moon shouted as she flew up behind Aku, then launched dozens of blessed feathers into his back.
"AH! You again!" Aku shouted in anger as he spun around and stared at Sailor Moon.
"Don't forget me Aku!" Jack yelled as he leapt into the air, then brought his sword down on Aku's head, splitting him straight down the middle. The two halves of Aku took their own smaller forms and started running in opposite directions, but the guardians had planned for everything.
"Where do you think you're going bub!" Jupiter shouted with a grin as she leapt up from between two buildings, then threw a sparkling wide pressure attack at Aku.
"Other than hell!" Mercury shouted as she appeared from a similar spot and fired a barrage of icicles into Aku's face.
"Fools! You think such a cheap tactic can stop me?! Think again!" Aku shouted as the two halves merged together in the center of everyone. Aku tried not to show it, but he was scared. He was surrounded on all sides, and two of his attackers could do serious damage to him, and to add to the problems they were all directly in the path of the rumbling. "If I'm to be destroyed then I'll be sure to take you all with me!" Aku screamed with ferocity as he extended an one arm at Mercury and another at Jupiter, knocking them both back several feet.
"Ah! Oh that son of a bitch." Mercury groaned as she slammed into the ground.
"You okay Ami?" Jupiter asked as she slowly sat up and rubbed her head.
"Yeah, just caught me off guard as all." Mercury answered as she slowly got to her feet.
"Both of you, get out of there now!" Sailor Moon shouted in a panicked tone.
"Huh?" Mercury and Jupiter both asked in confusion, until an enormous shadow was cast over them. "Look out!" Jupiter shouted as she jumped backwards, narrowly dodging the foot of a colossal titan.
"Oh shit!" Mercury screamed as she rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding being crushed. Though Mercury had avoided one titan, she'd inadvertently rolled directly into the path of another one.
"AMI!" Sailor Moon screamed in horror, flying over to Mercury on instinct alone.
"I can't die yet, my girls need me!" Mercury panicked as she stood up, but she had no time to move. Nothing short of a miracle could save her now. Mercury closed her eyes and waited for death, but instead she felt a huge amount of force against her side. "Usagi." Mercury quietly said as she looked in the direction the force had come from. Everything seemed to move in slow motion after that. Mercury watched as her princess, the one she was sworn to protect, took her place under the titans colossal foot. In an instant Sailor Moon was gone, and in her place stood a massive skinless foot. Mercury hit the ground like a sack of bricks, and she could only stare at the foot that had taken her princess. "USAGI!" Mercury screamed in horror as the titan continued to walk forward, never having even felt the young guardian as it trampled her to death. "NO! It should've been me! I was the one meant to die!" Mercury cried as she ran over to Sailor Moon's body. There was no hope of life, Sailor Moon had been crushed to death by the colossal titan, never having even felt what hit her.
"Usagi!" Jupiter shouted as she rushed over to Mercury, narrowly dodging a few colossal feet as she did.
"She's dead Mako! Usagi's dead because of me!" Mercury cried as she grabbed Sailor Moon's body and held it.
"No. This can't be real, Usagi can't be dead. We failed her." Jupiter cried as she also held onto Sailor Moon's lifeless body, unable to believe what she was seeing.
"What are you two doing, we can't stay here, we'll be trampled to death?!" Jack shouted as he ran over to Mercury and Jupiter.
"Usagi's dead." Mercury cried as she cradled Sailor Moon's body in her arms.
"Usagi." Jack quietly said in a shocked tone as he knelt down by Sailor Moon. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. If I'd just stopped Aku in the past, none of your friends would be dead right now. I'm sorry." Jack apologized as he gently squeezed Sailor Moon's hand.
"Ami, we need to finish this." Jupiter said with a sniffle as she put her hand over Sailor Moon's.
"I know. But I just can't let her go." Mercury cried as she clung to Sailor Moon.
"We don't have a choice." Jupiter quietly replied as she pressed the return button on Sailor Moon's transporter watch, sending her back to their home universe. "Let's make sure she didn't die in vain, it's time to finish this." Jupiter said as she slowly got to her feet.
"For Usagi, and everyone else." Mercury replied with a sniffle as she stood up. "AKU! Show yourself coward! This ends here and now!" Mercury screamed at the top of her lungs, frantically looking around for her cowardly opponent.
"So it shall! Without the winged pest, you puny little girls have no hope of defeating me." Aku arrogantly stated as he appeared in front of Mercury and Jupiter.
"There is always hope Aku, so long as good exists so to shall hope." Jack replied as he held his sword at the ready. Aku stared at his three remaining opponents, and they stared back at him. In that moment, everything else seemed to fall away. The sound of marching titans and screaming people fell on deaf ears, the quaking of the ground became unnoticed by the four warriors as they prepared for what would certainly be the final battle. The tension in the air could've been cut by Jack's sword, but yet each side remained still, waiting for the other to move.
"Die!" Aku suddenly shouted, launching several spikes towards his opponents as he did. Mercury and Jupiter both dodged the flying spikes, while Jack opted to just deflect them with his sword. Jack charged straight at Aku while Mercury and Jupiter flanked him on either side.
"No where to run Aku, you die here and now!" Jupiter shouted as she prepared an attack.
"If I can't run then I'll fly!" Aku replied with a grin as he took the form of a large demonic bird and soared into the air.
"Not without us coward!" Mercury yelled as she fired her grappling hook into Aku's wing, then pulled herself up to him.
"Right behind you Ami!" Jupiter informed as she fired her anchor, having it fall just short of Aku's wing.
"You're not skipping out Mako!" Mercury yelled with a grin as she grabbed Jupiter's anchor out of the air and clung to it.
"Thanks." Jupiter said with a small smile as she reeled herself up to Aku's back.
"Get off, you're weighing us down!" Aku shouted in anger as he began to plummet towards the ground.
"That's the idea jackass! You're going down Aku, literally!" Jupiter yelled as she pushed down on Aku's head, spiraling him towards the ground.
"Damn you guardian!" Aku shouted in anger as he crashed into the ground.
"Die demon!" Jack shouted as he jumped at Aku, trying to impale him with his sword. Aku barely managed to squirm out of the guardian's grip and avoid being impaled.
"Enough!" Aku yelled with rage. He looked at Jupiter and before anyone could react he shot her with his laser eyes. Jupiter didn't even have time to scream, the lasers hit her square in the chest and blasted out of her back. In the time it took her to blink, Mercury had lost the love of her life to a cheap trick from a demon.
"Mako." Mercury quietly said as she watched Jupiter for a second. The holes left by the laser were still glowing red in Jupiter's chest, the beams were so hot and fast they cauterized Jupiter's wounds as they entered her body.
"Ami." Jupiter quietly said as she fell to her knees, then dropped face down on the ground. Mercury couldn't even speak, all she could do was stare at her fiancé's body. In less time than it took her to blink, Jupiter had been taken from her. Mercury was now the last guardian.
"Now then, shall we finish this pathetic fight?" Aku said as he looked down at Mercury.
"You... you killed them. You killed them all. You took everyone from me! You killed my whole family! You mother fucker! I'm gonna bury you Aku, I'll kill you if it's the last goddamn thing I do!" Mercury screamed in rage as she stared at Aku. The heat around them produced by the colossal titans suddenly vanished, being replaced by a frigid cold that could only be described as magical. The ground turned to solid ice, an ice that even the extreme heat of the titans walking over it couldn't melt. In a matter of seconds the world around them had become as cold and barren as Mercury's heart.
"Your little magic tricks won't be enough to save the two of you. This is where you both die, and I, Aku, take over the multiverse. You have no chance." Aku said with a smile as he stared down at Mercury and Jack.
"Give me your sword Jack." Mercury ordered as she held her hand out to Jack.
"Okay." Jack quietly replied as he held his sword out to Mercury, fearing what may happen if he refused.
"This is for my family, you die here and now Aku. My heart and soul to the cause." Mercury said through gritted teeth as she held Jack's sword in her hands and took a fighting stance.
"Such brave words for such a weak child. Fine, if it's a duel you want, it's a duel you'll get." Aku replied as he changed his form to match Mercury's height and build. "Now this will be more fun." Aku said with a grin as he held his hands up.
"You can have fun in hell Aku, because that's where I'm sending you." Mercury replied as she gripped the sword in both hands, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Such big words for such a small pest. Let's finish this, once and for all Sailor Mercury." Aku said as he stared at Mercury. Mercury charged Aku as fast as she could, swinging Jack's sword at lighting fast speeds. Aku dodged most of the attacks, but Mercury hit him once, slicing him almost completely in half.
"AH! Insolent fool, you'll pay with your worthless life!" Aku shouted in anger as he drove a fist into Mercury's side, breaking several of her ribs on contact.
"AAH!" Mercury yelled in pain as she rolled to the side, clutching her now broken ribs.
"You are weak guardian, there is no place for the weak in my multiverse." Aku said as he walked up to Mercury and kicked her in the side, further agitating her broken ribs.
"It's a good thing...this multiverse...isn't yours." Mercury said through gritted teeth as she slowly got to her feet.
"It will be, once I kill you and take that sword. All shall be mine!" Aku said as he swung his fist at Mercury. Mercury blocked his attack with the sword and his fist disintegrated as it slammed into the blade. "AH! You annoying bug, why won't you just die?!" Aku screamed as he kicked Mercury's legs out from under her, breaking one of them as he did.
"Because, everyone's...hopes are...riding on me. I will not...let you enslave...the multiverse." Mercury choked out as she leaned on Jack's sword like a crutch.
"You won't let me?! You can't even stand!" Aku shouted as he kicked Mercury in the chest, crushing her sternum and knocking her flat on her back. "Any last words, Sailor Mercury?" Aku asked as he held a massive foot over Mercury, preparing to crush her to death under it.
"There's always someone bigger." Mercury said with a small and painful smile.
"That makes absolutely no..." Aku started to say, stoping in confusion as Mercury used the last of her strength to roll to the side. "Sense?" Aku asked as he stared at Mercury. A second later Aku was flattened under the foot of a colossal titan.
"Like I...said asshole, there's always...someone bigger." Mercury chuckled as she slowly and painfully got to her feet. "This...is where you die, Aku." Mercury quietly said as she limped over to a now flattened Aku, dragging the sword behind her like a sack of bricks. "In the name...of the moon, I'll punish you." Mercury quietly said as she held the sword's tip over Aku's chest. "This ends now Aku." Mercury calmly said as she drove the sword into Aku's chest.
"NOOOOOO!" Aku shouted in horror as he was absorbed into the blade.
"It's finally, over." Mercury quietly said as she dropped the sword and fell to the ground.
"She beat you Aku, your reign of terror has come to an end demon." Jack quietly said as he picked up the sword, which still held Aku within its blade. "Now be gone demon, never again shall you harm any world!" Jack shouted as he drove the blade into the ground, banishing Aku from it and back into the depths of the underworld. "You did it Ami, you saved everyone and did what I could not. You bested Aku in battle and put an end to his evil once and for all." Jack said with a small smile as he looked at Mercury. Jack's smile turned to a look of sorrow when he saw that Mercury wasn't moving. "Ami?" Jack quietly said as he sheathed his sword and ran over to Mercury. "Ami, can you hear me?" Jack asked with concern as he gently picked Mercury up.
"Mako." Mercury quietly said as she pointed a shaking hand at Jupiter's body. Jack carefully carried Mercury over by Jupiter, then laid her down next to her fiancé. "I love you...Mako." Mercury said with a breath as she went limp. Jack knelt in front of the two young women, heartbroken at the pain they'd endured, the pain he felt responsible for.
"I'm sorry, this is all my fault. I wish I could make it right, but all I can do is take you home." Jack quietly said as he gently took Mercury's hand in his own. Jack was shocked when Mercury's finger curled around his hand, but thinking it was just a reflex he checked for a pulse before getting his hopes up. A few seconds later though, his hopes rose as he felt a steady pulse on Mercury's neck and small signs of breathing. Mercury hadn't died, she'd only passed out. "Let us get you two home." Jack quietly said as he picked Mercury up, then pressed the return button on Mercury's watch, taking all three of them back to Mercury's home universe.
Unaware of what was going on, Tony and the rest of the NCIS team, with the exception of Abby, sat with the bodies of the fallen guardians. "I can't believe they're all dead. There wasn't even anything we could do to help them." McGee quietly said as he stared at the four bodies in front of him.
"Ami, Mako, and Jack are the last hope for the entire multiverse." Tony quietly said with a small frown as he looked up from the bodies at his team.
"Do you think they still have a chance?" Ziva asked as she looked at Ducky.
"I want to believe that they do, but hope is fading." Ducky replied with a sad expression. A small flash caught everyone's attention, and they all prepared for what they thought would be another dead guardian that needed to be tended to.
"You're home Ami, you're home." Jack quietly said as he stood up and looked at everyone. "Ami is alive but badly injured, Mako and Usagi did not make it though. Their deaths were not in vain however, Aku has finally been stopped. Sailor Mercury was the one who delivered the fatal blow. She saved the multiverse from his evil." Jack quietly informed as he held Mercury in his arms.
"Is she alright?" Vance asked as he walked over to Jack.
"She is beaten and broken, but she's alive. I wish I could say the same for Usagi and Mako." Jack quietly replied as he looked down at Jupiter.
"Sailor Mercury's the last guardian? She's the only survivor?" McGee quietly asked as he approached Jack.
"I'm sorry, but she is all that remains of the guardians." Jack quietly replied with a few tears.
"Get her to the med bay, and hurry. Tony, help me with Mako." Vance ordered as he looked at Ducky before kneeling down by Jupiter's head.
"Yes director." Tony replied as he knelt down by Jupiter's feet.
"Let's lay her with her friends. We'll move them to cold storage and prepare a transport home for them. They've earned a hero's welcome." Vance quietly said as he and Tony gently moved Jupiter's body over by the others. "Everyone, present arms." Vance ordered as he saluted the fallen guardians in front of him. Everyone in the vicinity immediately stopped whatever they were doing in order to pay their respects to the fallen Sailor Guardians. "These five warriors will be honored as the fallen soldiers they are, treat them as we would any other casualty. Let's bring these women home." Vance ordered as he lowered his hand.
"Sir yes sir!" Everyone answered as they all lowered their arms.
"McGee, please go get Abby from the lab, tell her to bring the girls to the med bay." Vance ordered as he looked at McGee.
"With all due respect director, do you really think the girls should see Ami in the condition she's in?" McGee asked in a sad tone.
"I think they should be given the opportunity to see her, just in case her condition worsens. They deserve to see at least one of their loved ones alive, even if it's only for a short time." Vance replied with a sad expression as he looked back at the dead guardians in front of him.
"Yes sir." McGee replied as he left the room and started heading towards Abby's lab. While McGee went to the lab and Mercury was taken to the med bay, Abby was entertaining the puffs with one of her best skills.
"And when we add this to this, it changes color. Neat right?" Abby asked with a smile as she added a chemical to a beaker of liquid and lightly stirred it.
"That's pretty. Can I taste it?" Bubbles asked with a smile as she reached for the beaker.
"Goodness no. It may look pretty, but it would dissolve your insides." Abby replied as she set the beaker aside.
"Oh." Bubbles replied with a surprised look.
"Can we put more stuff in that liquid nitro detergent stuff Abby?" Buttercup asked with a big smile.
"Liquid nitrogen, and sure. Here, I've got an old dried out marker." Abby said with a smile as she gripped the marker in some tongs, then dipped it into the liquid nitrogen. "Who want's to do the honors this time?" Abby asked as she pulled the marker out of the jug.
"Me! Me!" Buttercup cheered as she waved her hands around.
"No fair Buttercup, you smashed the apple!" Blossom whined in protest.
"I want to smash something!" Bubbles yelled with enthusiasm.
"I have some more dried out markers in the drawer, hold on." Abby said as she turned around and grabbed two more markers out of a drawer. "Here we go, now let's put these guys on ice; or more accurately, liquid." Abby chuckled as she dipped the markers into the jug.
"Do you have a minute Abbs?" McGee asked as he walked into the room.
"Just a sec McGee, we're dipping things in liquid nitrogen." Abby chuckled as she pulled the markers out of the jug and set them on a table. "Now give it a second to warm up a bit. Fun fact about liquid nitrogen, it's so cold that when it touches your skin it actually leaves a burn. It's so cold that it boils on contact with skin, neat right?" Abby asked with a smile as she picked the markers up and handed one to each puff.
"Woohoo! Buttercup smash!" Buttercup yelled as she spiked the marker on the floor, shattering it like glass.
"Me to!" Bubbles cheered as she and Blossom smashed their markers.
"What's up McGee?" Abby asked with a smile as she looked at McGee.
"It's over Abs, he's dead." McGee quietly said with a serious expression.
"Dead? Are you sure McGee?" Abby whispered as she pushed McGee back a little bit and closed the door behind them.
"Yes, Aku's dead. But there's something else, it's Ami." McGee quietly said with a sad expression.
"What happened to Ami? Please tell me she didn't get killed." Abby quietly begged as she stared at McGee.
"No, no she's alive. But..." McGee replied, trailing off at the end.
"But what?" Abby asked in a frightened tone as she stared at McGee.
"Abby, she was the only one. The other guardians, they... None of them made it Abby, they're all K.I.A. I'm sorry." McGee quietly said as he fought back tears.
"All of them?" Abby asked in a horrified tone as she fell back against the door.
"I'm so sorry Abby, Ami's the only survivor, and we don't know if she's gonna stay that way or not. She's injured and unconscious, she hasn't woken up yet." McGee quietly explained.
"Who's gonna tell them?" Abby asked with a few tears as she peaked through the window at the puffs.
"I don't know, but I don't expect you to do it. However they need to go see Ami in the med bay, or they may not get a chance to do it later." McGee quietly said as he turned to walk away. "I'll give you some time with the girls if you need, or I can stay. Whatever you need Abby." McGee informed as he stopped and looked back at Abby.
"Go McGee, I'll talk to the girls." Abby replied in a sad tone. McGee lightly nodded, then he turned and walked away. Abby took a deep breath before walking back into the room.
"Ha ha! I am Buttercup, destroyer of office supplies!" Buttercup yelled with an evil laugh as she dunked a stapler in the liquid nitrogen.
"Buttercup! Why would you put Abby's stapler in there, she's gonna be really mad at us now?!" Blossom yelled as she stared at Buttercup.
"Sorry, I got a little carried away." Buttercup replied with a nervous laugh.
"Uh oh, I think we're in trouble." Bubbles quietly said when she noticed Abby standing by the door.
"We're sorry about the stapler Abby, and the note pads, and the plant, and most of your pens." Blossom apologized with a sorry expression.
"Don't worry about it, it's just junk that I can replace." Abby quietly said as she walked over to the girls, then sat down in her chair.
"What's wrong Abby, you look sad?" Bubbles asked as she sat on the desk in front of Abby.
"Yeah. I am girls." Abby replied with a small sniffle as she looked at Bubbles.
"Why Abby? Did we do something to upset you?" Blossom asked in a worried tone as she stared at Abby.
"No, it's nothing you girls did. But there's something I need to tell you." Abby replied as she patted the desk in front of her. Blossom and Buttercup both sat down next to Bubbles on the desk. "Girls, I'm sorry to have to say this, I know you've heard more of this news than any child should ever hear, but I have to do it. Your aunties are..." Abby started to say, until Blossom interrupted her.
"They're dead, aren't they Abby? Aku killed them like he killed our daddy, didn't he?!" Blossom asked in an angry tone as she stared at Abby.
"He did. I'm sorry girls, he killed them all." Abby quietly said with a sad expression.
"But our mommies are okay, right Abby?" Bubbles asked with a few tears.
"Oh Bubbles." Abby cried as she hugged all three puffs. "Mako was killed in the last battle, and Ami's injured. They don't know if she's gonna make it. I'm so sorry girls." Abby cried as she held onto the puffs.
"Our Mako mommy was killed to?! Everyone's dead?! What about Ami mommy, is she still alive?!" Blossom cried as she clung to Abby.
"She is Blossom, but she's very hurt. They don't know if she's gonna make it, that's why we need to go see her. She's in the med bay with Ducky, he's gonna do everything he can to help your Ami mommy." Abby explained as she slowly stood up. "Come on girls, let's go see your mommy." Abby quietly said with a sniffle as she lead the puffs out of the lab. While Abby walked the puffs down to the med bay, Ducky and Palmer were already hard at work doing everything they could to help Mercury.
"How do her vitals look Mr. Palmer?" Ducky asked as he cleaned some of Mercury's wounds.
"Not as good we'd like, but they're stable enough that we don't need to take any kind of drastic measures. If there's one thing this young woman is it's a fighter." Palmer replied as he looked at Mercury.
"That she is Mr. Palmer. She continued to fight her foe to the very end, despite not only her extensive physical injuries, but the psychological ones as well. She's the bravest person I've ever met." Ducky quietly said as he gently wrapped Mercury's broken ribs.
"I'll get the splint on her leg. I wonder how this could've happened, to have both her tibia and fibula not just broken but snapped clean in two. There must've been some serious and precise force behind that strike. How she kept fighting in her current condition is far beyond me Doctor Malard." Palmer replied as he wrapped Mercury's leg.
"I wonder the same thing about her sternum, the injuries are consistent with repetitive sets of CPR, but according to Jack she never received any comprehensions. Whatever caused this break came in one solid blow. The strength and will power she had is unimaginable, to keep fighting in a way that she could go toe to toe with Aku in this condition would be beyond that of even Gibbs's will power to break a suspect. I hope she receives the respect and appreciation she deserves, that and the rest of her friends. Their sacrifices saved all of existence from a horrible fate at the hands of that demon." Ducky said with a sad expression as he and Palmer finished patching Mercury as best they could.
"Ducky." Abby quietly said as she gently knocked on the door.
"Abigail, please come in." Ducky said with a smile as he waved Abby in the door.
"You brought company." Palmer said as the puffs floated in behind Abby.
"Yeah, Vance said that I should give them the chance to see Ami. Just in case, you know." Abby quietly explained with a sad expression.
"She's strong Abby, stronger than any of us have given her credit for. She's beaten and broken, but I think she'll live." Ducky informed with a small smile.
"Thank goodness. How bad are her wounds?" Abby asked as she walked over by Mercury and gently took her hand in her own.
"Her left tibia and fibula are both broken clean in half, she has sixteen broken ribs, a crushed sternum, and extensive bruising to her epidermis. She also has numerous mild to moderate cuts and scrapes over most of her exposed skin. With that being said though, I believe she'll be fine, physically anyways. The psychological damage that she's endured however, is most likely extremely extensive. She's the last serving guardian. I would not be surprised if she was wrecked with survivors guilt once she awakens and everything starts to come back to her. It is for that reason that I believe it best that we get her home to a local medical facility before she wakes up." Ducky explained as he gently placed a hand over Mercury's forehead. "She's going to have a very long and difficult recovery, but she's strong and capable. I believe in her." Ducky said with a small smile as he looked at Abby.
"Pardon the intrusion everyone, but have any of you seen Jack?" Vance asked as he walked into the room.
"No director." Ducky answered with a straight face.
"If you see him have him meet me in M-TAC please, we need to tell the world that Aku's been defeated." Vance instructed as he left the room
"Abby, is Ami mommy gonna be okay?" Buttercup asked with a sad expression as she looked up at Abby.
"Yeah, I think she's gonna be okay Buttercup. It's just gonna take a while." Abby answered as she patted Buttercup's head.
"When is she gonna wake up?" Bubbles asked as she floated over Mercury's head.
"I don't know Bubbles, but she'll wake up eventually. Just give her time to rest a bit, she's very tired after what she did." Abby replied as she looked at Bubbles.
"Do you think she'd be sad if we left to get some lunch, I'm really hungry?" Blossom asked as she looked down at her stomach.
"No, I think she'd want you girls to be taken care of." Abby answered as she started walking towards the door. "Come on girls, let's get some food in you." Abby said with a smile as she looked back at the puffs and waited for them.
"Okay." All three puffs replied as they floated out the door.
"Get well soon Ami, the girls are gonna wanna see you." Abby quietly said as she left the room. While Abby took the puffs to get some food, Vance was on his way to M-TAC when a thought crossed his mind.
"I bet I know where to find him." Vance said to himself as he started heading towards the main area of the base. A few minutes later Vance walked into an open area, the same place the fallen guardians had been laid upon their return. "Jack." Vance quietly said as he stared at Jack, who was kneeling on the ground with his back towards Vance.
"Where were they taken?" Jack quietly asked as he stared at the place the guardians had been laying.
"A special room where their bodies will be preserved until we get them home to their families." Vance answered as he walked over to Jack.
"A cold room. We use to use similar methods to preserve meat in the winter since smoking it was harder to do in that harsh season." Jack quietly said as he slowly stood. "This isn't just a social visit, is it Director?" Jack asked as he turned and looked at Vance.
"No. With you being the only person capable of letting the people of the world know what's happened, I need you to come with me please." Vance instructed as he gestured to the door.
"Why me, anyone here could tell people that Aku is dead?" Jack asked in a confused tone.
"Because you were there, you'll be able to answer questions that no one else can." Vance answered with a straight face.
"Ami would be better at doing something like that, we should wait until she can tell her story. After all, she was the one who finished Aku, the one who avenged all of his victims." Jack replied as he looked away from Vance and back at the spot the guardian's bodies had been.
"Very well. I'll leave you alone then." Vance quietly said as he left the room. After a short walk Vance arrived in M-TAC where he would debrief the secretary of defense.
"Sir, SecDef's on line one when you're ready." A woman informed as she looked from her computer towards Vance.
"Bring him up." Vance instructed as he stared at a large screen in the center of the room.
"Yes sir." The woman replied as she hit a few buttons, a few seconds later an older man in a formal military uniform appeared on the screen.
"Mr. Secretary." Vance said as he stared at the man on screen.
"Deputy Director Vance, I wasn't expecting to be talking to you. Where's that guardian, Sailor Moon I believe? I figured I'd be talking to her." The man asked in a firm tone as he stared at Vance.
"I regret to inform you that Ms. Tsukino was killed in battle." Vance informed in a sad tone.
"And the others?" The man asked with a blank expression.
"All dead sir, all except Sailor Mercury." Vance informed in the same sad tone.
"That's unfortunate. Please bring Ms. Mercury in so I can speak with her." The man ordered in a detached tone.
"I can't do that sir, she's currently in the med bay. She's unconscious and severely injured sir." Vance replied as he stared at the man on screen.
"I need something here Vance, I've got half of Washington breathing down my neck for answers. How long before I can speak to her?" The man asked in a slightly agitated tone.
"I don't know sir, I guess whenever she recovers enough to wake up." Vance spat back as he glared at the man on screen.
"Watch your tone director, don't forget who you're speaking to." The man said in a slightly upset tone.
"I know exactly who I'm speaking to, sir! Another pencil pushing Washington blow hard who doesn't give a damn about the lives he's thrown at this issue! Do you know how many bodies we've recovered over the past month, thousands! Thousands of our soldiers have died trying to protect this country from an unimaginable evil, and nearly every Sailor Guardian that returned to this base came back in the arms of another guardian! We've run out of body bags, sir! We ran out of hope long before Mercury was brought back to us, broken and alone! Yet despite the overwhelming physical and psychological pain she endured in a matter of two hours, she kept her emotions in check and got the job done! She killed Aku and freed the multiverse from his evil! So I think that girl's earned some rest, sir!" Vance shouted at the man on screen.
"You're right. I'm sorry Director, I should've been more sensitive to the situation. Forgive my lack of empathy. I'll be sure to let everyone know what happened, and I'll make sure to remind the world of the sacrifices it took to achieve this outcome." The man replied in a more compassionate tone.
"Thank you sir, and I'm sorry for my lack of respect before. I just feel so bad for those girls and their families, they don't even know about the deaths yet." Vance quietly said in a sad tone.
"I'll have the Vice President contact the Japanese embassy so they can relay that information to the proper people in Japan. Any idea when the bodies will be returned to their homes?" The man asked with an empathetic look.
"As soon as possible sir, the bodies are in cold storage and a transport is being prepped as we speak. But we're going to wait until Sailor Mercury is well enough to travel." Vance answered with a serious expression.
"Understood, I'll leave you be to tend to the guardian's home coming arrangements. God's speed Director." The man quietly said just before the screen went blank.
"Get me an update on the transport to Japan." Vance ordered as he looked at a man who was behind a computer.
"The plane is fueled and waiting at Fire Base Charlie sir, all it needs now are its passengers." The man informed with a plain face.
"Thank you." Vance thanked as he left the room.
"Hello Mr. director man!" Bubbles said in a happy tone as she floated up to Vance.
"Bubbles, what are you doing here, I thought you were going to get something to eat with with Abby?" Vance asked with some surprise.
"I did, and then I wanted to go see Ami mommy. Is she still sleeping?" Bubbles asked with a smile.
"I don't know Bubbles, but most likely. Your mommy is very tired right now." Vance answered as he gently grabbed Bubbles out of the air and held her. "Let's get you back to Abby so she doesn't get worried, plus I'm sure you're a hungry little girl." Vance said with a smile as he carried Bubbles towards the mess hall.
"I hope they have ice cream, the professor always let me eat ice cream after my meal, but only if I finished my veggies." Bubbles giggled.
"I'm sure they'll have some kind of treat for you." Vance replied as he carried Bubbles into the mess hall.
"Oh thank God! I was so worried about you Bubbles, you can't just wander off in a base like this." Abby scolded as she took Bubbles from Vance and hugged her. "Your mommy would've been devastated if something had happened to you. Don't ever wander off like that again Bubbles, do you understand." Abby said as she hugged Bubbles even tighter.
"I'm sorry Abby." Bubbles apologized as she hugged Abby back.
"Thank you Director." Abby thanked as she looked at Vance.
"You're welcome Abby. Listen girls, we're preparing a plane to take you and your mommies home to Japan. Your aunties are gonna be taken home as well. So I need to go and talk to some people and do some work to get everything set up for that. Okay girls." Vance informed with a small smile as he looked at the puffs.
"Okay." The puffs replied as they either munched on their food or just stared at him.
"Please keep an eye on them Abby, if you need help I can have Palmer or someone come help you watch them. He's great with kids." Vance informed with a small chuckle.
"Thanks Director, but I think I can manage. Especially now that everyone knows not to wander off." Abby replied as she gently tousled Bubble's hair.
"Alright, I'll leave you all to it then." Vance said as he left the room. Just after Vance left the room his phone began to ring. "Hello." Vance said as he answered his phone.
"Director, this is General Braxton of Fire Base Charlie. The transport is standing by, when would you like us to begin the boarding process?" The man asked in a calm and professional tone.
"Stand by, I'm checking on Sailor Mercury's status right now." Vance informed as he walked into the med bay. "Doctor Mallard, is she ready?" Vance asked as he stood in the door and looked at Mercury.
"Yes director, Ms. Mercury is stable enough to be safely transported home." Ducky answered with a small smile.
"Excellent, thank you Doctor Mallard." Vance thanked as he put the phone up to his ear. "Begin when ready." Vance instructed in a firm tone.
"Right away sir." The man replied as he hung up the phone. "Alright everyone, let's get these soldiers home." The man ordered as he looked at a group of soldiers.
"Sir yes sir!" Everyone replied as they all walked into the base to begin boarding the fallen soldiers and guardians for their trips home. A couple of hours passed as the fallen were loaded onto various planes to be taken back to their homes. While Ducky continued to watch over Mercury, the rest of the NCIS team was busy entertaining the puffs.
"Alright Buttercup, you think you can top that?" Ziva asked with a grin as she stepped back from a punching bag.
"Definitely." Buttercup answered with a grin as she floated over to the bag. "BOOM!" Buttercup yelled with joy as she struck the punching bag as hard as she could, breaking it off its chain and sending it flying into a wall.
"Remind me not to get on your bad side." Ziva chuckled as she patted Buttercup's head. "Nice job kiddo." Ziva said with a smile.
"Hey you two, are you having fun?" Vance asked as he walked into the workout room.
"More than we should be Director." Ziva answered with a smile.
"I'm glad to hear that, but it's time to go. Ami's been loaded onto the plane and it's set to take off in twenty minutes. So grab your things and let's get going." Vance instructed as he waved everyone out of the room.
"Hooray!" Buttercup cheered as she dashed out of the room.
"I'm glad she's so excited to be going home." Ziva chuckled as she and Vance followed Buttercup out of the room.
"Me to." Vance replied with a smile.
"I can't wait to go home to grammy and gramppy." Bubbles said with a smile as she and Blossom floated next to McGee and Tony.
"I'm sure they'll be happy to see you girls again." Tony replied as he lead them to the airstrip.
"Hi there little ladies, are you ready to go for a ride?" A young woman in a flight suit asked as she approached them.
"Yes please, we've never been on a plane before." Bubbles answered with a smile.
"That doesn't surprise me, what would flying little squirts like yourselves need a plane for? I heard a rumor you could lift this thing over your heads, is that true?" The woman asked with a smile.
"Yep!" Blossom answered in a proud tone.
"That's amazing, you ladies sure are something else." The woman giggled as she patted each puff on their head. "Come on then, let's get you girls all settled in." The woman said with a smile as she lead the puffs onto the plane.
"What are those long boxes with the red dots on them?" Bubbles asked as she pointed at five long boxes in the middle of the plane, each of which were covered by a Japanese flag.
"Um. That's a, a complicated question to answer." The woman replied as she looked at one of the boxes.
"No it isn't. Come here girls, take a seat." Tony instructed as he sat down. The puffs casually flew over by him and sat down as well. "You see girls, in our country when people are killed in a battle, they're taken back home in long wooden boxes called a casket. We drape a flag over the casket as a sign of respect and remembrance of what they died for. Your mommy and aunties gave their lives to protect not only their country, but their entire universe. So as a sign of respect and remembrance to them we draped a Japanese flag over each of their caskets. It's customary to keep the coffin covered with the flag until the burial. I'm not sure how they do things in Japan, but in our country we have a service for the fallen and we fold this flag and present it to the surviving family members. So that's what we're doing with your mommy and aunties, at least until we get them home. Then Japan will honor them in whatever way is customary for their country." Tony explained with a sad smile.
"Okay." Bubbles replied as she looked at the caskets again.
"Come on girls, let's get settled in so we can take off." Tony said as she held his hand out to Bubbles.
"Okay." Bubbles replied as she took Tony's hand and went with him onto the plane, followed by Blossom and Buttercup.
"Is everyone aboard?" Vance asked as he walked onto the plane.
"Yes director, we're all set for take off." Ducky answered as he strapped himself in.
"Alright, let's get this bird in the air." Vance ordered as he sat down and strapped in.
"Copy that sir." One of the pilots replied as she put her headset on. "Control, this is eagle one requesting clearance for take off. Over." The pilot said into her radio as she started pulling the plane onto the runway.
"Affirmative eagle one, you're clear for take off. Be advised, you will have air support for the duration of the flight. Two F-15s have been scrambled to escort you from here to the border of Japanese air space, from there the Japanese Air Force will take over the escort detail. Final destination is Haneda Airport, ETA is O-700 hours. God's speed. Over and out." A man informed over the radio.
"Copy that control, over and out." The pilot replied as she started increasing her speed down the runway. A couple minutes later the plane was air born and on it's way to Japan.
"Get comfortable girls, it's gonna be a good seven hours or so before we land." Tony informed as he looked at the puffs.
"Can we play games?" Bubbles asked with a small smile.
"Sure Bubbles, what do you girls wanna play?" Tony asked with a smile as he looked at Bubbles.
"Let's play tic tac toe." Bubbles answered with a giggle.
"Sounds good to me, I'll grab a pen and pad." Tony replied as he got up to grab a pen and some paper.
"I wonder if Ami mommy will wake up soon." Blossom quietly said as she looked at Mercury.
"She probably won't wake up until after we land, she needs her rest." Ducky replied with a sad expression.
"Okay." Blossom qui said as she floated over by one of caskets and laid on it. "This is Mako mommy's, she still looks so pretty." Blossom quietly said as she closed her eyes.
"You let her see Mako's body?" Vance quietly snapped as he looked at Ducky and Palmer.
"Of course not, none of them were present during anything involving the bodies. She's most likely just talking to herself, letting her memories become verbal thoughts." Ducky replied with a straight face.
"So that casket might not even be Makos?" Vance asked with a small frown.
"It actually is hers, each casket was engraved with it's occupants astronomical symbol. The symbol that looks like a decorative four is the symbol for Jupiter. However the symbol is currently covered by the flag, so unless she has x-ray vision then it was just a lucky guess." Ducky quietly explained.
"How do you know which is which then?" Vance asked with a curious expression.
"Because I helped load them, they were loaded in the order they died. Which is why Mako's casket is so close to the bay door." Ducky quietly explained as he looked at Jupiter's casket.
"Do they know that, because she also seems to know which casket contains Mars and which one Sailor Moon is in?" Vance asked as he watched Blossom float over to each casket and hug it.
"Why are auntie Usagi's insides all squishy? What happened to Usagi?" Blossom cried as she looked at Vance.
"What do you mean squishy?" Vance asked with a confused expression.
"It looks like the time I dropped my strawberry jelly sandwich and Buttercup stepped on it, the insides are all moshed." Blossom explained as she started to cry even more.
"They have x-ray vision." Abby suddenly said as she ran over to Blossom and grabbed her. "Come here Blossom, you shouldn't snoop on your aunties and mommy. It's rude to do that. I know you're curious and that you're sad and scared, but sometimes it's better not to know. Do you understand sweetie?" Abby asked with a small smile as she cradled Blossom in her arms.
"Yes." Blossom quietly answered as she snuggled up to Abby.
"Come on, let's go sit down and we can play a game or see if I can get some videos to work on my phone." Abby suggested as she sat down and held Blossom in her lap.
"I miss my mommy and aunties, and my daddy." Blossom cried as she snuggled closer to Abby.
"I know Blossom, I know." Abby quietly replied as she did her best to comfort Blossom.