Chapter Three: Confrontation
Sailor Uranus stood slowly, slightly disoriented through her long journey. An unfamiliar breeze brushed against her face, as if asking who she was.
This is it...she's here.
Uranus quickly spotted a large castle, made of glimmering red stone. A smirk formed on her lips.
Too easy.
Fighter heard the heel clicks of Healer's boots just ahead, turning a corner. She sharply rounded the corner as she approached it, knocking a servant over flat. She didn't bother to apologize, she just kept running. Damn! Since when was Healer so...fast? She could just make out her silhouette at the end of the hallway.
"HEALER!" She managed to yell, her voice echoing stonily back at her. Healer didn't stop, so she decided to save her breath for running.
"Well, she's gotta stop sometime.." she joked to herself, if only to lift her spirits.
Healer could hear Fighter behind her, but she wouldn't stop. The nerve of her, treating her like a child! She heard a strange whisper in the back of her mind, but brushed it off as resonance from Fighter's shouts.
Sailor Uranus strode purposefully to the castle, going over her plan in her head. Should she hold the ruler hostage, demanding the empath she contacted to come forth, or else? Should she mesh in with the staff, and wait til the necessary person was revealed? No and no. The second took too long. The first? Too messy.
Healer made the last stretch to the gate of the castle, her legs throbbing. They felt weak and rubbery under her weight but she kept pressing onward. Hot tears slid down her cheeks. She didn't even understand why she was so upset. But she was.
She noticed a figure ontop of the hill, in a gleaming white suit. Wind seemed to swirl around the figure.
She slowed down her pace a bit.
Who's that? She wondered to herself.
Uranus's eyes widened as a question floated into her mind.
Who's that?
That powerful connection...Uranus smirked, walking forward to close the distance.
We've met before
Puzzled, Healer stopped short. She'd certainly recall someone with such a strong presence, almost the same as her princess or comrades. Alarm bells were starting to go off. She heard Fighter catching up, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was glad her leader hadn't just let her run off. With long strides the figure on the hill drew closer. Healer decided the figure to be female, based on attire and body shape, though her hair was lobbed off short. With long strides, the figure closed the distance to mere feet. Healer could hear Fighter's labored steps drawing closer.
"And so the canary flies straight to my cage."
Healer's eyes widened, as she realized she'd fallen into the trap of the person she'd been trying to uncover from a distance.
"H-how did you?"
Without answering, Uranus grabbed Healer's hand, quickly putting her in a headlock just as Fighter reached the scene.
"Put her down!" Fighter screamed, star yell appearing.
"Now, that's not a very bright idea is it?" Uranus stated plainly, covering her body with Healer's.
"Healer..." Fighter whimpered, and for the first time, Healer noticed that Fighter had been crying all along.
Healer struggled to reach out to her with her gloved hand. Instinctively, Fighter did, too.
In a flash, Fighter lost her whole world.
"Neptune?"
"Yes?"
"Mission complete. I'm coming home."
Fighter dropped to her knees, stricken. How did this sort of thing happen? One moment, she's right on the heels of her lover, about to tell her how she can't bear to stand the thought of losing her. The next it's happening; her worst nightmare.
When your heart stops beating, how do you go on living?
Maker and Kakyuu jerked uprgiht in unison, feeling something very wrong. With a glance out the window, Kakyuu saw a streak of light. Her eyes narrowed.
"No one had permission to leave." she said vehemently, striding purposefully out of her room.
Maker chased after her. "I think something's wrong."
Kakyuu blinked her crimson eyes, heavily decorated with makeup.
"No, something's not wrong. Fighter's life just fell apart around her."
Maker gasped. "How do you know?"
"I can hear her cries...can't you?"
Maker closed her eyes slightly, and sure enough, heard them.
"Healer.." the two said in unison, switching to a run. They soon found Fighter, sobbing on her knees on the castle lawn.
"What happened?" Maker demanded. Kakyuu shoved her aside, slipping her arms around the starlight leader.
"I need to go." Fighter said shakily.
"Go where?" Kakyuu asked gently, tears welling in her eyes.
"I need to go after her."
"You can't. You're my prime guardian. Who knows what'll happen next?"
"So..you want me to abandon her? Forget that she was my best friend, the one who holds my heart?'
"No..I do not wish you to forget or abandon her.. Just accept that your mission isn't the same as hers." Kakyuu said as gently as possible, though the words were just as harsh as a freight train. Fighter stood, shaking off her princess's arms.
"I'm appealing to the court."
Kakyuu bit her lip. "Very well. Do understand, by the time the court convenes, and if they accept your proposal..it will most likely be too late."
"You..refuse to give me your permission to leave, then?" Fighter asked in astonishment.
"It is not my place to give. On one hand, I want you to go after her, and the both of you to return safely. But it's not my place to risk myself, and the rest of Kinmoku for one starlight. As dear to me as she is, and as important to me as your happiness is. Forgive me, Fighter."
Fighter nodded solemnly, fresh tears filling her eyes.
Maker rested her hand on her leader's shoulder, a silent comfort, before she gave her peace to express her feeling of loss. Kakyuu soon followed.
Fighter was not at the breakfast table that morning, as expected. She locked herself in her room, her face buried in her pillow. Gripped tightly within her hand was Healer's formal jacket, the only item that escaped being washed of her scent.
"Healer..I miss you..I want to go after you..."
The punishment for leaving is death.
Fighter growled. Of course she knew that!
"I could just..never come back.."
Betrayal isn't in your blood.
Sometimes, she hated being a starlight. The will of Star Fighter within her acted as a second conscience, just in case she got a crazy idea of screwing things up. If it weren't for that, she'd take off. She couldn't give a damn if they killed her when she returned. She just had to know that Healer was safe.
Just wait. Kakyuu put a rush on the appeal. You know that already. She cares, she does. It's not her place to call, just like it's not your place to disobey.
"Shut up!" Fighter ground out, removing her brooch, throwing it carelessly. She could feel her sailor uniform dispersing, not caring at her nakedness as she lay on Healer's bed, grateful for the limited peace.
If only I hadn't said that, if only she hadn't misunderstood me, if only she hadn't run off...
Sleep slowly overcame Seiya as she went over her doubts in her mind, over and over again.
Healer slowly came to consciousness, struggling to stretch. Her shoulders ached, her hands bound tightly behind her. Panicking she looked around.
"FIGHTER!" she yelled, hoping this was just a mean prank.
Footsteps echoed in the darkness, but she couldn't make them out.
"Fighter..eh? Must be your lover..you kept calling to her in your sleep." the voice was rich with amusement.
"What do you want?" Healer hissed.
"You."
Healer made her best attempt to spit in the direction of the speaker.
"I need you to locate the talismans."
"I'd rather die."
"That can easily be arranged. Someone of your..higher mental standing won't submit to torture. No worries, I know I'll get you to cooperate."
Healer laughed. "I don't take bribes."
"Not a bribe..coercion. Sure, you could take torture..but could you stand the site of 'Fighter' being tortured?"
"She's tougher than she looks!"
"Hmph. Perhaps so..but to see her dead at your feet..that's a scene that'll persuade you."
"You wouldn't dare!" Healer yanked and pulled at her restraints, giving no indication at the pain she was in from such movements.
"No..I wouldn't. As long as you cooperate."
Healer hung her head. It was quite possible, that given the chance, Fighter would be able to beat this haughty woman. In fact, she knew she could. But what if Fighter was surprised? Lured? Told that if she didn't fight, she'd be brought to see her?
"F-fine..just don't get her involved."
Uranus strode forward, her face coming into the light for the first time during the conversation, a smile peeking at her lips.
"Uranus. Nice to meet you."
Healer was almost immediately freed, suddenly aware of a second presence, behind her, that had just cut her bonds.
Healer stood quickly, hellbent on running. As she took a step, her blood dropped to her feet, dizziness and nausea overcoming her.
"Shit. Grab her!" Uranus shouted.
Healer was vaguely aware of arms wrapping around her as her world was surrounded in darkness.
Uranus swore over and over, irritated that the 'initiation' ended with her subject passing out.
"You must've tied her too tightly, love. Not everyone likes it so rough."
"Can it, Neptune." Uranus said harshly as her lover tended carefully to the petite woman, now laying in a comfortable bed.
Neptune bit her lip as the harshness in her lover's voice stabbed at her heart. Fleetingly, she wished she was in Fighter's position. At least her lover put her well being above all else.
"You still think this is a good idea?"
"It's the only one I've got." Uranus muttered, stalking out of the room.
Neptune sighed wistfully, the long gone days of gentleness and love gone from her life. Now it was training, plotting and hard work. Not that she minded, but without an ounce of love to sweeten things, it was becoming unbearable.
"Forgive us." She whispered softly, leaving the room.
In her dreams, she could hear Fighter calling to her. She stopped, knowing that she had to find her, had to grasp onto her. That she'd never see her again if she didn't. She looked and looked, but couldn't find her. Fighter's voice drew further and further away, until all she heard was the soft echoe, now her own voice, clinging desperately to the hope that she'd be found.
Healer leaped up in bed, sweat pouring down her face, panting heavily.
"Fighter.." she whispered. What a strange dream. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. She gasped as she failed to recognize the surroundings. Out the window, she saw an unfamiliar sky, the stars dimmer than she'd ever seen them before. A single silver moon hung in the sky, just a sliver showing. It's presence seemed menacing, unlike the soft orange glow of Kinmoku's twin moons.
Healer whimpered as it dawned on her that it wasn't a dream. She wasn't on Kinmoku anymore. She had no idea where she was..or where Fighter was. Desperately, she clawed with her mind to find Fighter's presence..but found nothing. It was startling, like waking up and finding yourself missing a piece of you.