Act Nine: Requiescat In Pace
Hand in hand with Mamo-chan at my side we walked the final steps of the Hikawa Shrine a soft smile playing across my lips when I saw Rei-chan setting on one of the shrines benches her head resting on Minako's shoulder. "Usagi-chan," Rei-chan said being the first to spot me as she rose to her feet. "Usagi-hime," Minako-chan said with a mischievous smile that made me giggle while Rei-chan rolled her eyes the two reminding me of another couple I knew. "Ohayo minna," Ami's voice said as she and Mako-chan came up the steps side my side Ami-chan leaning into Makoto's side, the taller brunette casually draping her arm over the smaller girls shoulders. "So you are here early after all, they are up here Haruka," Sets-chan said appearing at the top of the steps first talking to us and then turning her head to yell down the staircase. "Ohayo hime," Haruka-san said being the first to top the stairs. "Ohayo Usagi," Michiru said after letting out a sigh and I couldn't help but laugh as Rei-chan and Minako-chan turned pink realizing why I had giggled earlier when they had greeted me.
"Today we go to face Beryl, and the evil she awakened long ago Metalia, a being of the great nothingness, Chaos," Sets-chan said stepping forward. "Only the light of the Illusion Silver Crystal can stand against Metalia, but as we all know Usagi-chan, you no longer can become Sailor Moon sense your awakening as the princess. So it will be our task to make sure that our princess is safe until she can stand before Metalia, and allow the light of the Ginzuishou to purify the darkness." "I will be at your side the entire way Usa," Mamo-chan said to me causing me to blush. "We will not leave your side," Minako-chan said as Rei-chan, Ami-chan and Mako-chan nodded their heads in agreement. Haruka-san, was about to speak when another voice interrupted her. "An interesting plan, though as long as I can breath I shall not let it come to pass," Kunzite said as he walked up the steps to the shrine his broadsword already drawn.
"Venus, take the princess and go," Michiru-san said as she Haruka and Sets-chan took a step in front of myself and the others. "Sets-chan," I said wanting to help her but Mamoru's grasp on my hand tightened and when I looked up at him he softly shook his head, and I understood, they wished to do their duty, and nothing I could say would change their mind. "Let's go princess," Minako-chan said holding out her hand and with a deep breath I took her hand softly whispering "be safe," to Haruka-tachi as with Mamo-chan at my side, myself and my senshi fled the temple in order to confront Beryl and Metalia. ["Always from a distance," Haruka said grasping her bracelet. "Protectors of her light," Michiru added her bracelet in her free hand. "For the princess shall we always fight," Setsuna said as the three yelled out, "Uranus Planet Power," "Neptune Planet Power," "Pluto Planet Power," and then saying together, "Make-Up," becoming the guardians of the outer Sol System and gates of time once again.]
Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon
"At least Hippolyta will be safe," Kunzite said causing the outer soldier's eyes to widen. "You remember her," Uranus asked as the leader of the Shitennou turned to her with a sad smile. "Sense being bathed within the light of the Ginzuishou, but there is no hiding our thoughts from the sorceress. We were reborn in this time and place just as you, but foolishly listened to Beryl who said she could help us remember who we truly were, but the price, was our souls. My brothers, Zoicite, Nephrite, Jadeite they are safe with Panacea, Horea and Alexa; at least I can find some peace in that. I was to kill the princess, or watch my master die at their hands," Kunzite said darkly. "Whose hands, Kunzite, what has Beryl awakened," Pluto asked leveling her staff at their very dangerous opponent.
"The Kurai," Kunzite said his blade leveled at Pluto as he answered. "Shadows of the senshi each created to destroy one of the Royal Guard; they are as formidable as their counterparts," he said a hint of sadness in his tone. "Why do this then, why not help protect our princess, by protecting Hippolyta," Michiru asked him. "By doing as asked by Beryl I am protecting her, from myself, by facing you," he said sliding into a stance that would easily allow him to either attack or defend with the slightest of ease. "So we have no choice then," Uranus said holding out her right hand, which glowed with a soft golden light that when faded revealed a golden handled sword with an curved blade that had three jewels embedded into it, one sky blue, the second aquamarine, and the third garnet. "Iie, we do not," Michiru said in agreement holding out her own hand that glowed in the same golden light before it faded revealing an ornate mirror with a golden frame. "Behold, the Garnet Orb," Pluto said as the top of her staff glowed. "The Deep Aqua Mirror," Neptune added the glass of the mirror in her hands shinning at the call of its name. "The Space Sword," Uranus added the three jewels embedded into the metal of her blade glowing.
"These are the legendary Talisman's," the three said as Kunzite smiled. "So you did have them, I am glad Beryl's attentions lay elsewhere, this is one thing she will never learn, from myself at least," Kunzite said. "Prepare yourselves," Kunzite said rushing forward with incredible speed for holding such a large blade towards Neptune, though Uranus was just able to meet his blade the force of the blow taking her to a knee. Even though she was concerned about Haruka, Michiru cleared those thoughts for her mind as she focused on the task before her and didn't waist a moment as she pointed the Deep Aqua Mirror towards Kunzite. "Submarine Reflection," she yelled out as silver sparking energy emitted from the mirror and toward the lone Shitennou, who did not waste a single moment as he removed the pressure of his blade from the Space Sword swinging himself and his broadsword in a perfect arc avoiding the attack and causing Neptune to scream out in pain as her mirror fell to the ground and she clutched her side.
"Michiru," Uranus said coming to her side in an instant. "Don't….do not lose your focus Haruka," she said gasping for breath. "Dead Scream," Pluto cried out her attack stopping Kunzite from striking the senshi of the outer sol system down. "Foolish woman," Kunzite said turning towards her allowing Uranus to tend to Neptune as he rushed forward while Pluto simply smiled twirling her staff in a perfect arc the Garnet Orb glowing with immense power as it struck Kunzite on the side of the head sending him reeling, though the Shitennou's blade had pierced Pluto through her center. "Now…." was the only word she whispered as the light left her eyes and she fell backwards in a graceful arc to the ground. "World Shaking," "Dark Energy," Uranus and Kunzite yelled at the same time both attacks striking home, and Haruka smirked when Kunzite fell to his knees first though she soon followed him.
"Domo….arigato….Hemera," Kunzite said as the light left his eyes and he fell gently to the side being reduced to nothing more than dust. "Haruka," Michiru said from behind her as the senshi of the wind turned causing Michiru's eyes to widen at the sight of blood that Haruka was covering with her gloved right hand. "It's cold….koishii," Michiru said as her henshin slowly faded away revealing her civilian attire. "I know koibito," Haruka said with a cough taking Michiru's hand in her own instead of wiping the trail of red from her lips as she lay beside Michiru unable to draw her into her arms as she wished as her henshin slowly faded away as well, her strength gone. "Your hand is warm Ruka-chan," Michiru barely whispered her eyes closing. "Hai, yours as well Michi-," though Haruka never finished her sentence as the light faded from her eyes as they slowly drifted close a warm, content smile playing across her lips just as it was on Michiru's.
The three bodies of the senshi began to glow, Haruka's a soft sky blue, Michiru's a calming sea green, Setsuna's a gentle garnet that rose into the sky towards a crescent moon that had just began to appear in the darkening sky, their bodies fading to nothing their star seeds like shooting stars returning to the heavens above. ["Requiescat In Pace, oh ye lonely soldier who guarded the gates of time with the Garnet Orb, your only companion; may you and the star crossed lovers of the Outer Sol System at last find your rest, no longer to bear the cross all senshi carry," the spirit of Selene said her ghostly figure looking down upon the earth from the dais where her spirit watched over the planet were all of her subjects had been reborn. "Oh my precious daughter, may you and your senshi, as well as the prince you love be safe," Selene said her focus now on what had been known to the Lunarian's as Point Zero, though those of Earth now called it the Artic Circle.
Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon
With tears falling freely from my eyes I stood by Mamoru's side his arm draped around me in comfort as Minako who had been holding my other hand and keeping me ever moving away from the Shrine let go and walked over to Ami-chan, Rei-chan and Mako-chan. "Minna henshin yo," she said as the three who nodded as they each grabbed their bracelets. "Venus Power," "Mars Power," "Jupiter Power," "Mercury Power," "Make-up," the four cried out at the end of one becoming my senshi once again. Without a word I took the Ginzuishou allowing the light of the Illusion Silver Crystal to change me once again into the princess, while with his magical rose, Mamo-chan became Tuxedo Kamen. We quickly formed a circle and after focusing our powers yelled out as one, "Sailor Teleport," as a rainbow of colors that represented each of us shot into the air before we vanished from the small park that resided just outside of the Hikawa Shrine.
When the four of us landed a cold blast of artic air blew by but I did not shiver as I saw the snow flakes going around a shield of silver energy, that I realized was the Illusion Silver Crystal's energy. "Form a four point diamond formation around the prince and princess," Venus not Minako-chan in that moment said quickly taking charge. "I will be the head, Mars, Jupiter you are my point and side, Mercury take the back," and with a nod everyone simply did as they asked. "No matter what happens now, our princess must reach Metalia, lets go," she said as we slowly moved forward through what was quickly becoming a blinding snow storm, it would seem that Beryl knew we where indeed here, and the sorceress was not going to make this easy on us.
* To Be Concluded *
Authors Note
This act may not be as long as most of those you have seen for this fan-fiction, but I feel that the amount of emotional impact it holds, more that makes up for it. The end draws nigh, I am afraid to say.
So until our next meeting,
I humbly remain a . . . .
KuRSeofTime