Part 19: The Genocide of Mercury

Her face had gone pale when she heard it, he thought, almost accusing her at that very moment, she was rejecting him- just as Beryl predicted she would. He had to be there that night at that moment to see what she would do. He couldn't resist changing his appearance for a moment to get her to dance with him. She seemed preoccupied so he could be sure she wasn't in love with her guardian boy. It was interesting to find out however; that the cat that so often nipped at her heals was the tall lanky man at dinner parties.

But there wasn't much more that could surprise him.

He waited until he was sure the princess of Mercury would crack under the weight of it. He was surprised she had ignored it for so long. If she had gone to check what was causing her pain, perhaps they would not have been able to pull it off. Lucky for him and his friends, she was not so wise as everyone assumed.

When she finally screamed and fell to the floor, he revealed himself. But like clockwork, Venus turned to find the source and he stepped aside during the only time something else would sufficiently take her attention. He watched as she filled the room with the noxious gas of Venus, filling the heads of the twisted Moon people with complacency. He wasn't fooled, of course. His mind was filled with the Princess and her mission and his own desires.

He almost chuckled to himself when he thought of how he had once been so hurt every time she smiled with no love. Now it only fed his anger towards her and her friends.

Behind his angry thoughts, he couldn't help but like the way she looked back on the ballroom with a diplomatic glance- devoid of imitation joy.

Because he couldn't use dark magic within the Moon palace without being detected, he waited until he got outside before returning back to the base with Queen Metailia's power.

When Venus came in to Makoto's room she had to pass several people going the opposed direction. One of them was the doctor. Venus gave him a quizatory look but he shrugged and brushed past her- bag in hand.

When the last person had exited, Venus turned around to see who was left in the room. She felt the edge of her black dress brush against her calves. It felt cold in here and she unwittingly placed her hand on her upper arm and crossed into the room.

Behind Mars sitting in a chair by the bed, and Jupiter kneeling beside holding Ami's hand, she saw a frightening sight.

The Princess of Mercury, usually so noble and brave with a soft but plump face, looked poisoned. Her skin was pale and thin. It turned almost blue with the lack of what looked like nutrition. She was thinner and more frail than Venus had ever seen her. She was beginning to sweat and her dark blue bangs were starting to stick to her shinny forehead- a dark strand or two stuck to her delicate white cheek. Her hands twitched- one freely in Jupiter's and the other clinging to the blankets next to her. She looked as though she were in serious pain. The princess of the Moon stood by her mother who stood fixed in place at the foot of the bed intently watching the squirming girl.

As Venus walked in, Mars turned and hurriedly stood.

"Venus-" She began.

"Mars-u..Nani yo?"

"I don't know." The two of them turned to face Queen Serenity who was still staring intently at the panting young woman in the bed.

"I think." She paused, scrunching up her face. "The problem is in her mind. She's not hurt."

"Not hurt?" Jupiter snapped. "Then what is happening to her? What can we do?"

The Queen, understanding the pressure in the room was calm as she said, "Nothing. I cannot tell tonight. But I, and Sailor Mars will stay with her. And you, Princess of Jupiter may remain at her side as well." She chose to call them by their appropriate names to emphasis their roll in being there- Mars to use her psychic abilities to find as much as she could and Jupiter for moral support.

The Queen continued, looking into Venus's eyes. "There are other things you need to be doing Venus. Please, take Serenity and put her to bed. Then you may go about your other duties. " Her look was meaningful. She meant perhaps, to find out what may have caused this to happen to only Mercury. Venus would read what she had read that day; look into where she had been, and whom she had spoken to.

But Venus also knew too well her role to find out why she had seen Kunzite at the ball. He wasn't invited so there was something very unusual in itself. But how could she be sure it was really him? She would have to look into it. The Queen continued.

"Luna, would find Artimis's for me please?" Venus had not seen the ball of fluff wrapped around Serenity's leg.

"Hai your Majesty."

"Come on Serenity." Venus extended an arm to her little friend. "Let's go."

Serenity was very reluctant to part from them but after several moments of silence from her mother, she staggered toward Venus.

She whispered, "Do I have to?" to Venus' shoulder. Venus took Serenity's hand into her own. It didn't seem as small as it had before. She was truly growing up to be a woman and it scared everyone.

"The question is…'must I' Serenity. Not 'do I have to'. Come."

Serenity held tightly onto Venus's arm until they got to her room.

Venus entered in after and looked under her bed. She walked in the closet and around all the furniture. She ran her hand along the curtains and mentally surveyed the room for any other disturbances. As Serenity finally pulled on her night gown she asked, "What you doing Minako-Chan? Looking for something that might hurt me? I'm fine."

"Do you want me to stay here with you tonight?" The fact that Venus had not responded with a reassurance unnerved Serenity just a little bit,

"Yes Minako. I'll be just fine." She smiled warmly. "We'll figure everything out. I promise. And everything will be just fine."

'Do you promise that too Serenity?' Venus gave a weak smile, a kiss on the forehead, and swept from the room. The door didn't have a lock and she didn't bother blockading it. It would only worry the poor princess.

Venus's duties began in Mercury's bedroom. As she searched the different places in the palace and went over the many things she found nothing but she had many hours to think. It was late by the time she had heard that scream and the hours were easily forgot. Venus was immersed in her fruitless work. The night was nothing but constant darkness but for the lights she, herself, turned on. By the time Venus reached the enormous library everyone who had been at the party were already home and had been asleep for many hours.

Venus was fervently reading over and open book when her body couldn't take it anymore and Venus fainted asleep.

In her very short dream Minako envisioned her silver haired prince with his broad sword. He tipped it to her and bowed graciously. She had seen this scene many times before and she knew what was to come. He would fight with her until she fell into his arms. Then, smelling his sweet white clothes she would look up at him he at her. And they would stare until she woke up.

This is time though felt different. Though they fought with passion as usual something was different in the way he attacked. She wasn't as ready had she had been in other dreams. Perhaps it was his frown instead of a smirk. One misstep backwards and she fell off a long cliff. She reached up to take hold of him but he did not reach out to her. The wind rushed by her ears and she knew somehow that she would land in the bone-crushing ocean below and be suffocated there.

A scream echoed like the wind around her and she reached up to her mouth to stop its steady flow when she impacted the surface waking her violently up.

But the yelling didn't stop. And it wasn't her own lips that the shout came from. Franticly she jumped up and chased after the sound throwing books out of her way.

'Go, Go. Go.'

"Ami-Chan stop!"

"No no! Let me go I have to go!"

"What's wrong Ami? Tell me what's wrong!"

"It's Mercury! I have to go!"

Makoto was having more of a problem keeping Mercury down than Venus had ever seen her have. Ami was positioned at the window of Makoto's bedroom. Obviously Ami had just woken up and took her friend by surprise. The strong Brunette was doing everything she could to keep her from jumping out but struggling against failing arms and legs in every direction.

""Let's me GO MAKOTO!" As she said so, so it was.

Mako was so surprised by the sobriety of the name she was put off guard and as Ami twisted around to head for the door, the grip on her was loosened and she was set free.

Venus stood just outside the doorway and watched as Ami ran by still looking pale and tortured but not nearly as sick. With a flame in her tender eye, she caught Venus's gaze and time seemed to slow down.

'Ami what's wrong?' she asked.

'Look out Minako.' Ami silently replied.

Ami sprinted away out of view of everyone and transported back to her home planet.

Mars came from behind Venus and took her half into her arms. The hand resting on her shoulder was trembling and her left side cradled to Venus's left side was very cold. Venus reacted by touching her lightly back but didn't look away from the last place she had seen her Blue Lady until Makoto's voice came from the doorway.

"What is going on?"

Serenity came around the corner near where Princess Mercury had disappeared. She had a frightened look in her swirling blue eyes as she rushed to Venus's cradle.

"Minako-Chan. Ami-san was so scared."

She cuddled into her. Venus felt for a moment that Serenity might actually know why.

She felt Makoto's hand slip around her own waist touching Mars's side and her other hand rested on the Moon princess's shoulder. The four of them stared down the hallway together in confusion and defeat.

The sky was a still dark blue morning behind them. The sun had yet to come up.

But as the yellow tint finally reached the perpetually perfect sky, heavy footsteps could be heard coming closer.

All four ladies stood to face whomever it was.

Three young men tired, dirty and pained entered the room and bowed. They stood awkwardly and said nothing. One stared at his feet though out of breath.

"You majesties." The middle began. " This is a Mercurial Scout. He has come with terrible news-"

The other interrupted, "We would have found him earlier but he had been knocked out just out side the city limits."

"Speak." Mars demanded.

The young man hid his bruised face and seemed more terrified than before.

"Speak!" She shouted with anger in her limbs.

The Moon princess came forward and with soft tears in her eyes, pleaded.

"What?"

His eyes were as blue as anything. They fiercely resembled their dear friend's.

Up to this point Venus felt as though she were still in her dream. If she took another step backwards she would fall crashing into the murdrous ocean below her. Also, like her dream, these past few hours slipped though her fingers. Her memory of all this was faded and dark. But no matter how many lifetimes she lived she knew that she would remember this moment. It echoed in her mind etched everytime she thought of protecting her friends.

It was an infectious scar.

Up to this point she had been in a dream but when he lifted his head to them they could see the rivers of cleanliness through caked dirt on a young boy's face. He had been crying. He seemed to look right at Venus when he said it.

"The Earth has attacked Mercury."

Venus stood dumbfounded, slapped across the face. She even reached up to touch as if the blow had caused her physical pain.

"No."

"No." she said. And walked out the room.

Um I haven't heard form anyone but two people…Please RxR. Even if you wanna yell at me for not updating. I still wanna know…How much I really suck.

Angry Girl: hey :D miss sarah! OK in the end? Well we'll hafta seeee won't we? We'll also just have to wait one more chapter to see if Kunzite really is behind this or not. I love that you are so full of questions- it makes me smile to big. And I'm glad you hate her. She's a mean old lady. Bleh. And as for the end being happy? I've already written it. So…I'm not going to tell you!

I really look forward to hearing what you have to say each chapter so please stay with me. :sniff: I love yah show mush. Thankies again Miss Sarah.

Vchanny- You don't hate me? O.o; Thank goodness. I'm writing more to inspire YOU to write more! I look forward to it! Yayyyy! And please keep reviewing me- I love to hear your sweet comments. They always make me giggle. --

Um that's it for reviews this time. I'm sorry I suck so bad. I never update and my writing style has changed over the years- But I'm still in love with this story. For what I Can see- we've got 6 more chapters to go. Are you going to hate me? Will you stop reading right now?

Please dun't leave me all alone.

Please please leave a nice review. :smile-weep:

As for the rest- who votes for a happy ending:muhahahah:

All my Lovelove-

Vbabe