It's been a long time coming, but I've made it through the fifth chapter! I always want this story to come out just right, so I hope it doesn't disappoint. Thank you as always for the support and feedback, everyone words of encouragement on this story and others have made the world of difference in increasing my motivation to continue. :)
Halo
Chapter V – Darkness –
Buried within a forested mountainside, a stout aged door slept nestled amongst the rock. Branches cracked underfoot as a man cautiously approached the opening, checking over his shoulder for any signs of being followed. His gloved hand grasped the door's handle, forcefully pressing its brass lever, now dull and worn with time. The hinges wailed into the darkness, and the man picked up the lantern that had been waiting for his return. Pulling a lighter from his pocket, he ignited the flame, and pushed forward.
His footsteps echoed down the corridor as the candlelight lurched along the damp, stone walls. He breathed in the thick air, stained with the scent of moss and earth. With the lantern lowered to his waist, he dodged stubborn roots that had permeated the pathway. The shadows melted into a warm, crackling light, as the tunnel opened into a large cavern.
"You're late," a sharp voice resonated through the space.
"I'm sorry, my Queen." The man bowed deeply, clenching his jaw. Without a moment's hesitation he fell in line, mirroring the stance of his comrades: at ease in front of their sanguine haired leader.
"I don't want your apologies, Jadeite" the Queen barked, glaring at the man. "Report, now," she demanded. "Have you found the identity of the girl?"
Jadeite took a step forward, falling out of line, and cleared his throat hesitantly. "No, but-"
"No?" Her eyes flashed red with anger. "She's one girl," she seethed, raising a bony finger to illustrate just exactly how many one was.
"Yes, your majesty, but she has allies," the man explained, back rigid and features pointed. The man beside Jadeite looked over at him in surprise. "And the youma – "
"Others have awakened?" she interrupted, the news of more enemies far more pressing than any excuses.
"Just one," he rasped, swallowing anxiously.
"Has anyone suspected you?" she asked, brow raised and lips pursed.
"No, the disguises have helped me go unnoticed," he replied, earning a half satisfied smirk from the Queen.
"You will continue to search for her true identity," she commanded, and the general nodded, crossing his arm over his chest.
"Yes, my Queen." Relying heavily on his quick wit, and silver tongue, Jadeite had become adept at blending in, and he knew it was just a matter of time before he found a solid lead.
"It looks like your position at the morgue has paid off for more than just monsters, Zoisite," she praised. The man smiled smugly, side-eyeing his companions. "But your monsters are still getting defeated by that girl," the Queen snapped, causing Zoisite's grin to fade. "Make them stronger," she ordered, voice crisp and unforgiving.
"I will, your majesty," he promised, gritting his teeth.
"Nephrite, continue working with Zoisite. Our master needs more energy." Knowing no words were required, the man bowed his head in silent acquiescence. The Queen stepped closer, her movement causing the candlelight to illuminate her angular features, giving her the appearance of a serpent. "And Kunzite, I want the Ginzuishou," she hissed. Four pairs of eyes shot upwards, jaws slack with confusion.
"But Queen Beryl –" he began to speak, licking his lips when he caught her angry glare. He glanced at his comrades who were clearly no wiser. Had the Ginzuishou not been destroyed?
"It's here, we can feel it," she crooned, her hand stroking the beryllonite necklace that decorated her collarbone. "We need it," she growled, eyes pooling black and flashing crimson.
"Yes, my Queen." Kunzite averted his gaze,
"You are dismissed." She waved her hand, and the four generals made their leave single file down through the tunnel.
As soon as she was alone, Beryl turned her attention to the lead cauldron hanging over a fire, staring lovingly into the murky liquid. "Soon, my master," she cooed, gently running her finger across the bubbling surface, unaffected by the scalding heat.
Sailor Mercury knelt in front of the full length mirror in her room, staring at her reflection. She gingerly brushed her cheek, furrowing her brow when the girl in the mirror mimicked her actions. Her fingertips lingered on her tiara, and followed the length of the decorative bow on her chest. She touched the blue pearl studs that had appeared in her ears, gasping in surprise when a visor came down to shield half of her face. The glass flickered on, and a keyboard materialized in front of her. Amazed and overwhelmed she pressed her earring again, hoping to make it all disappear – she needed time to think.
The girl squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating all of her energy on returning to herself – returning to Ami. While something about her transformation felt so natural, so right, the logical part of her brain was fighting to understand exactly what was going on. She was Sailor Mercury, but how did she know that she was Sailor Mercury?
She held the stick that allowed her to change, turning it over in her palm. She smoothed her fingertip over the golden planetary symbol that perched proudly at its top – is that how she knew? Examining the stick closely, she realized that the two halves separated, and pulling them apart only revealed that it really was a pen. She grabbed a piece of paper from her desk, and dragged the nib across its surface leaving an unremarkable trail of ink. There had to be more to it.
Ami removed her glasses to rub her eyes, cleaning the lens with the corner of her shirt before sliding them back on. She stared briefly at her advisory, and with delicate fingers wrapped around the body, she tried to unscrew it, finding that it only went in circles, never loosening. Her inability to dissect the utensil only fuelled her curiosity, and she became convinced that the answer was hidden inside. Grasping the decoration, she twisted and pulled, lips pinched together as she used all her strength in an attempt to take it apart. Nothing.
She growled, and threw the pen across the room, failing to miss the picture frame that had stood proudly on the corner of her desk. She grabbed a fistful of hair, and released a restricted breath – Ami was not known for losing control. She rushed over to pick up the fallen memory, staring at the photo through the glass. She absentmindedly traced the faces in the picture; they had been so happy.
Her father had insisted on taking her to Tokyo Disney – a place she never really had any interest in visiting. She had driven him mad that day, with an endless stream of impossible questions about every character they encountered. Eventually he stopped dead in his tracks, grabbed her by the shoulders, and looked her square in the eye.
'Not everything has to have an answer, my love. There's still magic left in this world.' "Magic," she whispered, placing the picture back on her desk and picking up the pen. "Is this magic?"
Needing an escape, Ami quickly changed into her swimsuit. She grabbed a towel, and headed down to the first floor of her apartment building, which was home to a large, indoor pool. She swiped her card at the door, tapping impatiently against the handle as she waited for the lock to release.
Ami kicked off her flip flops, and tossed her towel onto a nearby chair, grateful that none of her neighbours were out for a midnight swim. She stood at the edge of the pool, wiggling her toes in anticipation as she inhaled the comforting scent of chlorine. The water beckoned to her, and she dove into its cool embrace. The waves washed over her, drowning the unanswered questions that muddled her mind. Ami breached the surface of the water feeling rejuvenated with the realization that it didn't matter why or how. What mattered was that she was Sailor Mercury, the solider of water and intelligence.
Across town at the Tsukino household, a delicate hand slithered out from underneath the covers, wildly batting at a shrieking alarm as the sun sluggishly made its ascent, rays of carmine and amber blurring into the waking sky. Usagi sat up straight in her bed, tiredly blowing the bangs from her face. She begrudgingly pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top, ignoring Luna who was watching her in bewilderment.
"What are you doing?" the feline wondered, stretching her paws in front of her.
"I have to train harder, and be more prepared," the blonde chanted, the words still stinging. She knew he was right. Rendered speechless, Luna was able to do nothing more than stare after her slack jawed. She would readily admit that she was impressed; finally Usagi was taking some initiative. "I'll be back," the girl called, grabbing her cell and earbuds as she headed out of her room.
Usagi began with a brief set of stretches on the small patch of grass in front of her home, before taking off down the street towards the park. The music blared in her ears, yet despite her valiant efforts, she could not drown out her thoughts. She had so many questions that continued to be left a mystery, and she could feel herself suffocating under their weight.
She finally reached the park, and paused, noticing the shattered bank that had been her fighting ground not too long ago. A shiver ran up her spine, and her heart ached; he hadn't been there. Feeling the tears prick the corners of her eyes, Usagi turned her attention to the path in front of her, noticing a familiar figure approaching from the distance.
"Mamoru?" she called curiously, her feet carrying her closer as she pulled out her earbuds. He didn't answer; his face was rigid and his eyes pointed forward. "Mamoru!" she yelled again, waving her hand, still earning no reaction. Irritation coursed through her petite frame, and she quickly became determined to get his attention.
She continued towards him, still ignored despite her flailing arms and cries to be noticed. She furrowed her brow as he remained stoic, until she was close enough to tap him on the arm.
"Odango?" He snapped out of his reverie, his face softening and shoulders relaxing.
"What is your problem?" Usagi spat. "I called you like ten million times."
"I'm sorry," the man stammered, taken aback by his surroundings. Mamoru glanced at his watch - 6:45am. He had no memory of going to sleep, let alone of waking up and leaving his house. He ran an aggravated hand through his hair as he mulled over his predicament.
"So?" Usagi's impatience jolted him from his thoughts and he was brought crashing back to reality.
"So what?" How long had Usagi been standing there?
"Are you deaf or something?" she yelled, "I asked you what you were doing here so early."
"Oh," he shook his head, trying desperately to work through his confusion. Something was off with Mamoru recently, and he couldn't figure out the origin of his problems. His body ached, and he spent his days concealing yawns. He was becoming forgetful, and was constantly finding himself in places he never recalled going. "I'm…" he struggled to think of a plausible answer, "just going for a walk." He shrugged, "I couldn't sleep. I keep having these weird dreams." Mamoru admitted, swallowing nervously; Usagi was the first person he had told about his nightmares.
"About what?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. Mamoru smiled at the lack of judgement.
"I can't even remember now," he lied, knowing full well that he could never forget the images that plagued his mind: death, destruction, and darkness, yet in the middle of it all was a silver light, one shining beacon of hope. His lip twitched, and he quickly tried to change the subject. "What about you? Why are you out here?"
"I thought I should try to get in better shape," she mumbled, looking down at her feet – it wasn't completely untrue. "You know, since I'm always drinking milkshakes, and eating junk food, and stuff…" Her words trailed off, and Mamoru frowned disapprovingly; her shape was perfect.
"I see," he nodded, his heart begging him to pay her some sort of compliment. Usagi eyed him warily when he didn't take the chance to make a quip at her. She leaned forward, causing Mamoru to take a step back.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "I just need my morning coffee." He flashed a pasted-on smile, praying that Usagi could not see through his façade. The girl nodded; with the amount of coffee he drank, that seemed plausible enough. The couple stood in awkward silence, fighting the words that failed to make it through their lips. Usagi's pulse echoed in her ears, and she swallowed nervously as Mamoru's gaze dropped to her mouth.
"I should get going," she stuttered, catching the disappointment in Mamoru's expression.
"Yeah," he agreed, "you definitely don't want another detention," he half-joked, winking playfully.
"I'll see you later." Usagi smiled, and Mamoru tipped his chin. Sticking her earbuds back in, Usagi sprinted home, hoping to dispel some of the excess energy that had flourished due to her encounter.
An hour and a half later found Usagi sprinting through the school hallways, skidding around the corner and into her seat in record time. Dropping her bag to the ground, she wiped the sweat from her brow, panting as she tried to catch her breath. She glanced around the room, stifling a gasp when her attention fell on a familiar head of cobalt hair. Everything in her life had changed, yet there was Ami toiling away at her work, like always. The girl turned in her seat, flashing the blonde a friendly smile and short wave.
Usagi crinkled her nose; she had found the adjustment difficult. For days following her first transformation, Usagi had hunkered down in her bedroom, feigning sickness. She had locked the window, and refused to let Luna in, convinced that she was hallucinating. It wasn't until the second youma attacked that she had come to terms her reality.
The heroine kept an eye on her companion, waiting for that pivotal moment of realization, but it never came. She watched in a state of subdued awe as the new solider giggled at Naru's ridiculous stories during lunch. She chewed absentmindedly on the end of her pencil as Ami volunteered correct answers in class. She seemed completely normal. She seemed almost happier.
"Usagi?" The blonde's skin prickled, and her breath caught in her throat.
"Ami," she breathed, placing a palm flat against her chest. "Is class over?" Usagi asked, as she looked around the room to find her peers heading out the door.
"Yes, it is." Ami giggled at the perplexed expression on her friend's face. "I meant to ask earlier, but do you think we could have a meeting at your house?" she wondered, subtly rocking on her heels. "About, well you know…"
"A meeting?"
"I have some questions, and I thought maybe Luna – and you of course – might have some answers," she said hopefully, brows raised and eyes glimmering through her glasses.
"Oh." Usagi's stomach dropped, but she lacked the heart to deny Ami's request. "Sure." She pasted on a winning smile, and busied herself with packing her bag.
Having made a pact not to talk about solider business in public places, the walk home fell into an awkward silence. Usagi was locked in an internal battle, as she tried to figure out what was wrong with her. She wanted to know Ami's secret - how she was so willing to accept this complete upheaval - yet feared asking would make her sound weak.
It wasn't long before the girls had settled in Usagi's room. Ami unpacked her laptop, opening to a list of prepared questions as Usagi shoved a cookie into her mouth; it had been a long day.
"Ami has questions," was the only explanation that the blonde offered as she flopped onto her bed. "Ami, Luna, Luna, Ami," she introduced them formally, flicking her wrist between the two.
"It's nice to meet you?" Ami said, unsure of how to proceed. She knew that she should be completely shocked by a talking cat, but it really didn't seem all that strange.
"We're glad we finally found you." Luna smiled, impressed by the girl's drive. "How has your transition been?" Luna wondered, and Usagi's ears perked up, crossing her fingers that Ami's change wasn't as flawless as it came across.
"I was skeptical at first, but it feels like this is who I've always been meant to be." The new warrior smiled, and Usagi fought back a frown. Why couldn't she feel like that?
Luna and Ami chatted for a while, as the feline filled the girl in on the defenses that the magic provided. She explained what youma were, and talked about how there were still more soldiers to awaken. The guardian tiptoed around Sailor Moon's mysterious counterpart, wanting to avoid another argument. Usagi half listened, but her mind began to wander, first to her meeting with Mamoru in the park, and reluctantly to Tuxedo Kamen. It still pained her that he hadn't showed.
"Have you ever looked into where these monsters are coming from or what they are?" Ami asked, fingers hovering over the keyboard. Usagi sighed as Luna praised her friend for another 'insightful question'.
"I dunno." Usagi shrugged – did it really make any difference? "I like to call where they come from the Negaverse," she explained, eyes brightening at her coined term.
"The what?" Ami cocked her head to the side.
"The Negaverse," she repeated, "doesn't it sound like an evil monster place?"
"Usagi," Luna chided, casting a disapproving glance.
"I picked up a sample of the monster from outside of the bank on my way to school –" Ami's hands wrung nervously in her lap – would they think she was weird?
"A sample of the monster?" Usagi bolted upright, her face twisting with disgust.
"Well, of its ashes," Ami said, digging a small baggie filled with black power from her backpack. "I thought maybe if we could analyze it, we might learn something."
"Excellent idea," Luna praised as Usagi cautiously plucked the sample from Ami's hand.
"So how do we analyze it?" she asked, nose scrunched and head cocked to the side as she inspected the contents.
"I was thinking that maybe I could," Ami suggested, "as Sailor Mercury," she added, allowing her deep seeded intuition to guide her.
"Of course, your visor should be equipped with the appropriate technology." Luna grinned; Sailor Mercury was definitely a most needed and welcome addition.
"Is it okay if I transform here?" Her companions nodded, and Ami threw her hand into the air, uttering the words that Luna had taught her the day before. A blast of blue light filled the small bedroom, and Ami felt the energy of her new power surge through her. The light vanished, and Sailor Mercury was left behind.
"Huh," Usagi stated, clenching her eyes shut to rid her vision of the white trail left by Mercury's magic. "It feels like it takes way longer."
Sailor Mercury swallowed as she activated her visor, her hands balling into nervous fists. Taking a deep breath, she pushed forward, instinctively knowing what needed to be done. Usagi opened the baggie, and Mercury held out a gloved palm.
"Put some of the sample in my hand," she instructed. Usagi grimaced, and carefully tipped some of the ashes out. "Here goes nothing." Mercury focused on the ashes, trying to follow the lines of data that flashed across the screen.
"So?" Usagi asked, perched anxiously on her knees. Luna hovered over her shoulder, unaware that she was holding her breath.
"Still analyzing," Sailor Mercury replied, eyes narrowing as she concentrated. A shrill beeping interrupted the silence, and a faint gasp escaped Mercury's lips.
Luna tiptoed closer. "What is it?"
"Human."
"What?" Usagi's lip trembled, as she struggled to process the information.
"A large percentage of their makeup is human," Sailor Mercury reiterated, pouring the handful of ash back into the baggie, and dusting off her glove.
"Youma are people?" Usagi's face paled, and she felt a tingle run up her spine.
"Well, they were at some point," she explained, trying to work her mind around the data. "They have definitely been altered by some external force, but their core-"
"Is there a way to change them back?" Usagi's eyes wavered, and her voice trembled – she had not signed up for this.
"I don't know." Sailor Mercury shook her head, bushing back the bangs that fell across her face.
"Perhaps scanning one during a fight will provide us with more details," Luna suggested, and Mercury bobbed her head in agreement.
"What do we do now?"
"All we can do for now is wait," Mercury said, allowing her guise to fade.
The girls spent the rest of the evening buried in shallow discussions and piles of homework, directing their thoughts anywhere other than what they had learned that afternoon. When it came time for Ami to leave, Usagi walked her to the door, stumbling mid-step and grasping her ears.
"Usagi? To Are you okay?" Ami rushed to her friend's side, placing a hand on the girl's back. The blonde managed a nod, and as she straightened her posture, Ami would have sworn she saw a glint of silver in her eyes.
"We have to go."