A/N: JEEEEEEEEESUS! I have not uploaded for this in a long time. Bet all y'all thought I had put this one in the writers graveyard. Not at all! Here is an action-packed revival chapter! Enjoy, you jerks!
WARNING! CAUTION! PERIL!: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS HIGHLY GRAPHIC GORE AT THE END. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS AND PREPARE YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY.
With love,
Korrupted
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own Sailor Moon. At all. Not one bit.
Haruka was panting heavily as she helped Makoto restrain the enraged attacker, Rei and Minako standing as a wall between the heir and the woman. She was still hurting, only three days back from her planet and already finding herself in the path of more violence. "YOU ARE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE UNIVERSE!" She roared at the girl.
Ami and Luna arrived on the scene, Lysander, Janis, and Amari at her back. "Another attempt on the Princess' life?!" The Knight seethed, instantly furious. "Crystal Chains."
Crystalline chains erupted from the floor at the summoning of the Moonlight Knight, binding the now petrified woman tightly. Lysander looked positively infuriated, the summoning reflecting that as it tightened more, the woman starting to choke. "Leave us. I will get any information I can from her." He growled. "Get Serenity somewhere safe in case there are more lurking."
Makoto scooped up her friend, the grey tunic slightly mussed from the struggle as she carried her back to her own room, turning to her commander. "Could you get some ice cream from the kitchens? It will help calm her." The Jovian requested of the armored blonde.
The warrior of light tore off to heed the request, Makoto entering Serenity's bed chambers, Luna sitting patiently on the bed with worry in her eyes. Unlike the Jovian's own room, it had crystals everywhere, soft light emanating from the multicolored stones to grace the area with various hues. It was tranquil, and inviting, and if Makoto was honest with herself, she spent many a night relaxing with the princess here. The gently glowing walls lit the features of the girls as they made their way to the bed, the auburn haired brawler setting he charge down delicately as Luna padded closer to worry over the blonde. "Another attempt, Luna." Makoto stated, answering the unvoiced inquiry.
Maroon orbs filled with concern tentatively watched the shaken girl as Minako hurried back in with a large bowl of ice cream in hand. "I don't understand." Luna muttered. "How are they getting in?"
"I'm not sure, Luna." Minako admitted, sitting next to Serenity reassuringly. "But I plan to find out."
Makoto smiled shyly at Haruka as she returned with the bowl of ice cream, taking it to give to the calming princess. Instantly, they young girl began to eagerly tear into the treat as her guardians giggled quietly.
Makoto felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, looking at Haruka moments before Michiru laced their hands together.
"C'mon, Tiger. Let's go." Haruka whispered to her.
Makoto nodded and allowed the tall blonde to lead her and Michiru out of the room, halting half way to the room she and Michiru shared to swiftly round on the younger guardian.
"Don't you put yourself in danger like that again, Mako! You could have been killed!"
Makoto narrowed her eyes, finding herself backed against the crystal wall. "It's my duty to protect Serenity, Haruka."
"You still need to be careful!"
"Haruka, what is your issue? I took an oath to protect her."
Haruka grin her teeth and finally seemed about to explode in rage. Makoto braced herself for a punch, a cruel word, anything.
Except instead, Haruka swooped in and kissed her on the lips.
Makoto felt her entire body go numb, her eyes wide open at the incredibly unexpected action. Her hands seemed to have their own agenda as they shakily drifted to Haruka's shoulders, her eyes drifting to half-mast. She was so confused. So confused, but at the same time, it made her chest feel fluttery with joy. She relaxed, but didn't move as Haruka's lips caressed her once more, then pulled away, causing the blushing Jovian to stare in trembling shock.
Makoto was panting, her emerald hues looking into deep midnight blue as her body trembled agreeably. Had the guardian of Uranus just kissed her?! She had only been back for three days, but she had kissed her in front of Michiru! Emerald eyes darted to the Neptunian, but was shocked that she looked unfazed, even calm. How could she be so calm when Makoto's heart was pounding so hard? And yet, the feeling of Haruka's lips remained on hers, the feeling blissful and making her half giddy.
The weight of the golden cuffs on her arms reminded her of what she had sworn to Serenity, that what Haruka had done wasn't supposed to happen, no matter how good it felt. "I... I need to get some air." Makoto finally managed.
She was so grateful that Haruka stepped aside to let her go, taking off at a full run. Makoto could feel the cool crystal floor below her bare feet, her heart hammering even harder. The garden; she had to get to the garden to clear her head. Maybe she could talk to Setsuna. Surely she would know what to do.
Before she knew it, Makoto found herself in the garden, panting amid the flowers. However, Setsuna smiled up at her from the rock that the four of them would gather at. "Mako. I knew you'd be here. Come, tell me what's on your mind."
Not for the first time did Makoto find her ability unnerving, but useful. She walked over, sitting on the grass at the elder Senshi's feet. She knew she was blushing, but the redness from running covered it. What was this feeling she had around her closest friends? "Sets... I... Haruka, she..." Her face was scalding hot as the memory of the kiss played again. "She kissed me."
Makoto knew that Setsuna knew, but it was nice that she was letting her actually say it. She went on. "And... I felt... It felt amazing. But the vow." She looked at Setsuna desperately. "Sets, please don't tell, please!"
Setsuna smiled warmly at her, nodding. "I would never dream of it." She reached down, caressing Makoto's cheek. "You've had feelings for her for a while now. The same as she has had for you."
Makoto stared at her blankly. "Feelings?"
Setsuna retracted her hand and nodded. "Those warm flashes you've had. The blushing, the fluttering of your heart. You've had a crush on her. You've started caring for her like your aunt cared for Selene."
With that, it all clicked for Makoto. She understood everything so much better, and felt herself sink a bit more on the grass. She had been so nervous around Haruka, and Michiru, and yet Haruka hadn't been stopped by Michiru. Did the Neptunian have feelings for her too?
"I'll leave you to your thoughts, Mako." Setsuna breezed, leaning down to kiss her forehead softly before walking away.
Makoto felt her blush creeping higher, but remained there for a few more minutes just to think. She felt something cold touch her shoulder, looking around as tiny flakes of snow began to fall around her. Snow was fairly uncommon on the moon, but when it happened, it was never expected and almost always became a blizzard. Quickly she stood and began to head back to the castle, still thinking over everything from her talk with Setsuna.
"It's so nice out. I would love to study the snowfall." Ami mentioned happily to the table filled with almost every Senshi; Michiru and Setsuna were absent.
Everyone was looking at the young bluenette in silent shock over their bowls of ice cream. How could she find the blizzard outside nice? It had to be a Mercucian thing.
"Unless we are also skiing, you're on your own, Ami." Rei stated blandly.
After a few moments, everyone started giggling at the comment from the more stoic girl. Minako looked at one of the guards near the door, winking at him as she used her tongue to lick the ice cream off of her spoon seductively. The guard blushed faintly as he watched her, utterly hypnotized by her actions.
Rei nudged her with her elbow, nodding at Makoto before glaring back at Minako. Muttering an apology to the occupied Jovian, Minako finished her snack innocently before walking over to the guard. She stroked his chest and tilted her head, the guard following her without hesitation out towards the rooms. Just as Makoto distractedly finished her ice cream, Lysander arrived with a second bowl. "Ah, Mako. Finished already?" He beamed.
The Jovian looked up at him, then at her empty vessel, not quite sure when she had eaten all of it. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts about Haruka, and now Michiru. "Yeah. Guess I was hungry, huh?"
He laughed and placed the bowl in front of her, taking charge of all of the empty ones strewn about the table and leaving. Makoto pulled it towards her in disinterest, poking at it with her spoon several times. Serenity watched her for a few moments before poking her arm lightly. "Mako? May I have it?" She inquired, her blue eyes as large as possible to try and sway her guardian.
"Yeah, sure." She instantly relented.
Squealing in joy, Serenity grabbed the bowl, starting to swiftly eat the contents. Ami smiled at the sight, Rei sighing heavily while Haruka excused herself. Makoto watched her leave in silence, her attention turning back to Serenity when she let out a loud belch, scooting the empty bowl back to Makoto.
"Very lovely." Rei scoffed with a small smile.
Lysander returned to get the remaining bowls as the girls began to disperse further. "I heard the lake is frozen over." He said to both Makoto and Serenity. "Why don't you both try to go ice skating on it?"
Serenity beamed, Makoto nodding a bit more sedately. "Yeah. I guess we should practice outside if we have the chance."
The blonde squealed in excitement. "Let's go get changed! Thanks Lysander!" She took hold of Makoto's hand and tugged her out of the room.
Makoto smiled down at her friend watching her yawn a few times. "You sure you want to skate?"
Serenity grinned widely. "Of course!"
They both went into their rooms, finding their skates and thickest cloaks. Makoto changed into a thicker dress as well as slip into her fur lined leather boots, halting to look into her mirror for a few minutes in thought.
What was she going to do about Haruka and that kiss? She didn't want to keep it a secret from Serenity, but how would she tell her? Makoto looked at the door quietly, frowning a bit as she touched the golden cuff on her left arm. It would be just them on the ice; perhaps she should talk to her then about all this. She couldn't keep this a secret from her forever.
With a deep breath, Makoto made up her mind and walked towards the door that linked their rooms, knocking on it hesitantly. "Serenity? I need to talk to you about something."
She opened the door to see the girl in question completely passed out on the bed, one foot awkwardly in an ice skate that she had probably been trying to take back off. Typical Serenity; putting on her ice skates only to take them both off again because she wasn't actually supposed to wear them yet. Makoto smiled vaguely before taking off the skate, moving Serenity to lay more comfortably on the bed before tucking her in.
As a bit of an afterthought, Makoto took hold of a quill, ink, and piece of paper, writing a brief note that she had to talk to her as soon as she returned. After tucking it next to the pillow, she decided that a bit of ice skating would help clear her head. After all, she would be alone and no one could try to condemn her.
Taking up her skates and slinging them over her shoulder, Makoto started off through the glowing crystal halls, making her way outside. The blizzard had picked up, the wind not as biting as she had expected, but still cutting through her cloak slightly. As she trudged through the fresh snow, she noticed a figure pacing by the lake, walking over to stand a good distance away. As she drew closer, it became clearer that it was Haruka, that older woman having changed her armor out for heavy, thick tunic and trousers. Finally, their eyes met as she halted before her, both blushing.
"Hey, Haru." She stated.
"Uhhh... Hey, Mako."
Makoto fidgeted slightly, moving to hold the skates in the air between them. "I came to ice skate, but if you want to be alon-"
"No!" Haruka half shouted, reaching out for her. After a moment, she cleared her throat and tried to stand more upright. "No, it's okay. I actually would like to watch you skate. I hear you're really great at it."
Makoto smiled, her posture relaxing. "Alright. I have to put them on, but I'd enjoy having company as I skate, I suppose."
She sat in the snow as she daintily removed her boots, replacing them with her skates. Haruka helped her stand, both looking away with a blush as they stood mere inches from each other. Deftly, Haruka led Makoto to the lake, watching as she gracefully moved towards the center of the frozen surface. It was almost otherworldly how smoothly she moved, as if she was born to glide upon the ice like a goddess. Haruka sat on a nearby stump, watching her young friend and crush glide around.
Makoto was skating around the lake with an easy smile on her features, her reddish brown hair flowing behind her like a proud banner. Her heavy clothing kept the worst of the chill at bay, her sun-kissed cheeks already rosy from the winter wind as her verdant hues swung back up to Haruka while the older woman sat on the stump. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest as the memory of the kiss returned, the slight flush from cold turning into a deep red of shyness, ducking her face a bit to hide the color from her friend. This wasn't supposed to happen, she wasn't supposed to be feeling this way for anyone, especially not her closest friend. She made a pass around the lake backwards to gain speed before leaping into the air.
The moment her skates hit the ice, the Jovian gracefully pivoted and made yet another backwards stride, this time towards the dead-center of the frozen lake. Another leap into the air, this time with her long limbs tucked closely to her body as she spun twice. Her skates once again hit the ice, but there was a terrible cracking sound as what she thought had been thick ice gave way under her, Makoto's expression almost comical with bewildered disbelief as she dropped into the frigid waters.
The shocking cold of impact was painful, the warrior of courage using every bit of self-control to keep from screaming out her oxygen as her thick clothing and skates dragged her slowly downwards. Her powerful arms tried to cut through the sharp, numbing liquid around her to pull her back to the surface, but it was useless. Fumbling fingers began furiously untying her skates, half ripping the items off as her lungs burned from holding her breath, the warrior finally swimming hard towards the hole she had fallen through...
When her hands met solid ice.
Makoto hit the thick barrier with her fists, struggling to not exhale the worthless air in her lungs. Where was that opening in the ice? She finally couldn't manage holding her breath for another second, and weakly hit the ice as she pushed out the air, sucking freezing water into its place. The young woman bucked violently, thrashing about in panic as it filled her lungs, choking. Her limbs flailed pathetically as she shuddered, unsure of how she could manage to defeat this obstacle when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled.
Haruka had screeched when she watched Makoto fall through the ice, leaping to her feet and dashing across the thick snow as quickly as her clothing would let her. By the time her boots hit the ice, she was crying in fear for her younger crush, sliding around in her desperation to save her friend. Twice, she fell painfully onto her side, scrambling to her feet once more as she rushed to the broken ice. "Mako?! Mako! MAKO!" She screamed, sobbing as her mind jumped wildly in fear. Was she dead? Drowning? Frozen?
A dull pounding on the ice off to her left drew the blonde guardian's attention, slipping over to hear it louder. The sounds were faint now, and Haruka knew she had very little time. "Sky Strike!" She cried out, creating a new hole in the ice as the noise from below went silent.
Haruka instantly saw Makoto sinking in the clear waters, thrusting her arm into the freezing liquid up to her shoulder, hissing in pain. Her fingers closed around the Jovian's bicep just above her cuff, and the butch woman pulled with all of her might, slowly dragging the soaked girl out of the water and onto the ice. Quickly, she began checking for breathing, but the wonderful sounds of Makoto coughing up water was more than enough, tugging away the outer cloak from the water-logged woman and replacing it with her own. The cold wind bit at her heavy clothing, but already her smaller companion was shivering heavily. "Mako... Hey, Tiger. It's gonna be okay, I promise. Let's get you back to the palace." The warrior of the sky spoke in a shaking, but calm voice, wrapping her charge in the cloak tighter and hoisting her into her arms.
Makoto wasn't normally this heavy, but her clothes were soaked, ice collecting on her hair as her hand gripped the wool tunic she was wearing. The Uranian began to swiftly walk through the thick snow towards the crystal structure. It had only taken ten minutes to venture out to the lake, and Haruka was terrified that it would still be longer than Makoto could survive. Her arms were numbing from the cold cloth in them, but not a single protest escaped her; she had to get the girl she loved to warmth and fast. "Haruka!" A voice behind her called moments before a hand touched her shoulder.
The woman whirled around to see Lysander's wide green eyes, the worry clear on his face. "What happened?!" He inquired hastily.
"M-makoto needs to get to the palace! She fell through the ice." She replied, tears falling from her midnight eyes.
The Moonlight Knight looked utterly horrified. "Mako?! But where's the Princess? Is she alright? Did she fall too?"
"She didn't come with us, we have to get Makoto back inside!"
Lysander nodded gravely, his hand at Haruka's back as he helped her trudge through the snow, Makoto still shivering horribly in her arms. "How did you know where to find us?" She questioned, making better time now that the Knight was helping them.
"I saw someone fall through the ice from the palace gates and came as quickly I could."
The warrior of Uranus furrowed her brow slightly. "But... You came from near the lake..." Were her hushed words of confusion.
The black haired Knight halted, his eyes hidden by the thick bangs. Haruka was shivering slightly, the woman in her arms trembling far more violently as her teeth chattered loudly. "Lysander, we have to get her warm." She urged, cradling the freezing woman closer. Makoto was growing so cold, and time was slipping away from them to make sure she survived.
"It wasn't supposed to be her..." Was the faint whisper.
Midnight blue eyes leveled with hidden green. "What?" Was the bewildered question.
The Moonlight Knight lifted his gaze, tear filled mossy green filled with a defiant, hollow anger. "Crystal Chains." He growled in a deadened voice, and before the blonde could react, crystalline chains erupted from the ground and tightly wrapped around both her and her charge.
"Lysander! What in the name of the MOON are you doing?!" Haruka bellowed in confusion, struggling to move in the bindings.
"Shut up! It wasn't supposed to happen this way! None of this was supposed to happen!" He shouted back, the man holding his head in his left hand, his right a shaking fist at his side.
The tall soldier was staring at him in shock, not understanding what he was talking about at all. "Please, we have to get her into the palace!" Fear was rising higher in her chest, panic clouding her mind.
The agitated man shifted and began to pace, still holding his head. "This wasn't supposed to happen! Makoto was supposed to be in bed, and safe. It was supposed to be Serenity."
Those words made all thoughts in her mind go silent, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Lysander... What are you talking about..?" She asked in a breathless voice. The recent assassination attempts on Princess Serenity couldn't have been his plan. That was impossible. He had been part of the Knights since before her birth, he had practically been their brother, their uncle.
He stopped pacing, Lysander's eyes wild and full of a dark fire. "I wasn't supposed to get attached, not to any of you. But Makoto was like her... I couldn't risk losing her too. So..." He licked his lips hurriedly. "I dosed her ice cream with one of Unaziki's sleeping medicines. She would be sleeping, and then Serenity would be out here alone. She would die, and Makoto would be safe. Everyone would have realized her food had been drugged."
Haruka felt like she had been punched in the gut, panting and staring at him in hurt disbelief as it all sank in. "What..? You... You mean..."
He turned his gaze down to look at the frosty auburn hair of the freezing woman held captive by his chains in her friend's arms, her expression scrunched with pain as she shook from cold, hypothermia starting to set in. "I'm so sorry... You were supposed to be safe..." Tears ran down his pale cheeks. "I wasn't supposed to lose someone I cared about again."
That snapped the sky soldier out of her numb confusion, her eyes pleading. "Look, please... Lysander, please let me take her to the palace! Please, you can kill me after, torture me, anything! I can't lose her... I... I love her."
Mossy hues snapped up to hers again. "Shut up! Just shut up! It's all your fault!" He accused, half-crazed sounding. "Why did you have to let her come out? You were her friend!"
'By the Sky, he's not even listening to me...' She realized, trembling harder. So, the butch switched tactics. "Please, I have to get her warm. You don't want to lose her, right? Let me take her to somewhere she'll be safe."
Lysander looked at the Jovian again, his features softening. "She had her mother's smile... My sweet Molly... Makoto was just like her. I could protect her where I had failed before." He wasn't seeing Makoto any longer, but a child long since dead. However, his expression darkened, and was replaced by one of sorrow. "No... I'm so sorry, Makoto... I'm sorry."
The man pulled Makoto from Haruka's grip, the blonde struggling against the crystal bindings frantically. "No! You son of a bitch, give her back! SHE'S FREEZING TO DEATH YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" She bellowed, watching him hold the shaking woman -ice riddled cloak and all- to his chest.
A crystal dagger appeared in his grasp, his smile empty and sad. "They killed my family. I was away and a battle broke out on Ceres. They died because the Moon Kingdom passed cruel laws. Those barbaric laws caused so many wars." He placed the blade to Makoto's collar, her trembling opening cuts on her frighteningly pale skin. "The Dark Kingdom helped me bury them, and I will not let them murder other innocent people. No more children butchered. No more senseless fighting. Only darkness, and the peace it brings."
Haruka was fighting for all she was worth against the chains, crying uselessly as the typically rose bud pink lips of the stubborn guardian of lightning had a blue tint of death edging onto them. More shallow nicks were opened on the pale skin of her throat as Makoto opened her eyes, normally lively emerald a dull green tone of hazy vagueness. "For the love of the SKY, Lysander! Please, PLEASE just give her to me!" The butch sobbed piteously.
Makoto was so cold. Everything hurt, and she couldn't feel her body all too well anymore aside from soreness and the bone-chilling cold that was freezing her very soul. A far part of her mind was confused as to what she was doing, who was holding her as she opened her eyes weakly to see Haruka chained tightly in crystal, the guardian screeching at someone to give her back to her. What in thunder's name was going on? The arm around her seemed familiar, like an old friend or relative holding her close, so why did the older warrior sound so scared?
And that was when she felt the blade cut into her skin, warm blood leaving tiny trails down the cold surface. Her head turned to glimpse white robes, black hair, and a dagger, but she would know him anywhere. He was like her brother. A father at times. "L-l-l-l-ys-s-sand-d-d-ander...?" She slurred out in a thick voice that was woozy with frost induced sleepiness.
Lysander was holding a dagger to her throat? Lysander, the man who had so kindly tried to warm the cuffs for her when she was five? Lysander, the Knight who sparred with her? Lysander, the knight Lacira had entrusted her very life with? Lysander, the man she considered the closest thing to a father? It was impossible to believe, but the razor sharp edge of the blade cutting her again was a very harsh reminder of reality. He was going to kill her? Kill them? If hypothermia had set in so badly already, Makoto was fairly sure she would be sobbing right now at this betrayal. "Shhh, it's okay, Makoto. It will be over very soon, I promise." He whispered in a gentle tone to her, the shaking woman struggling not to shut her eyes and fall into the sleep she so desperately wanted to.
"Mako! Tiger, stay with me!" Her friend pleaded. "Don't you fall asleep on me!"
"Shut UP!" Lysander's cold and enraged voice caused the fading warrior to open her listless eyes again. "You... I'll kill you first." He snarled, letting his captive fall weakly to the snow as he raced towards Haruka.
The half-frozen Senshi of Jupiter forced her head to shift, wishing that somehow, some way, she could save Haruka. Even though she could barely reach out to her, she would do anything to keep her safe, she loved Haruka. She loved her, and Michiru. Her frost-bitten fingertips reached out for the bound guardian of the winds as a horrible agony erupted in her chest, and a sound that she never thought she would hear again enveloped her fading mind.
It was a sound that Makoto could only describe as the world exploding.
"Get her in the water!"
"Those clothes, we need to get them off of her!"
"Oh MOONLIGHT, what happened?! You're both covered in blood!"
Makoto gasped in horrible agony when she felt her body being lowered into warmish water, her mind ready to shut down from the extra pain that she couldn't handle. However a hand slapped her cheek, shocking her awake again, groggy. "Mako, stay with us!" She heard a gentle voice command, someone sobbing nearby.
"Itcsh so coooooold..." She slurred vaguely, another slap making her groan irritably.
"C-com-m-me on T-tiger... St-stay aw-w-wuh-wake." The chattering voice of Haruka pleaded from her side.
As her eyes drifted shut again, a slap jolted her once more. However, she also felt someone climbing in with her, bare arms wrapping around her stomach and pulling her into a slowly warming body. It was at that point that the lightning guardian realized hazily that she was naked, her fingertips still a bit dark from the frostbite. Her eyes had regained the faintest spark of life to them as they struggled to take in a terrified looking Michiru, a livid yet worried Setsuna, and a mortified and sobbing Serenity. Where was Haruka? As if to answer the unspoken question, the arms around her tightened, a cool yet oddly tacky forehead resting against her trembling shoulder blade. "Please, don't leave us... Don't leave me..." Was the whisper too soft for anyone but the thawing Jovian to hear.
The gold cuffs on her biceps were painfully cold, but the water was gradually warming up, green eyes looking at the water that was slowly being dyed crimson from their bodies. Her shivering body still hurt badly, but it was improving due to the woman holding her so close, and the obviously medicated water that was warding off the frostbite that had set in on her. Makoto numbly lay her right arm over her tall protector's, leaning back into the shockingly busty woman's embrace for both warmth and comfort. Her head turned just enough to see the red blood that stained the sandy blonde locks of the butch behind her, the tacky vermillion gore that coated them both. "H-har... Ruka..." She managed, clarity returning at a snail's pace to her.
Serenity moved closer, her right hand cupping one of Makoto's cheeks in her pale hand. "She's still freezing! Michi, can't we make the water hot already?" The red-eyed heir begged in a choked voice.
"I'm afraid not. It could kill her, Serenity."
Setsuna swooped in. "Makoto, what is the day?" She questioned in a slow, steady voice.
"Th-the sevent-teenth of B-bright Moooooooon..." The auburn woman slurred almost drunkenly.
"January, that's right. Very good. Do you know where you are?"
"P-palac-c-c-ce..."
"Yes. Now, who is your twin?"
"S-s-sakura."
The eldest of the princess' guardians smiled faintly. "She'll be fine with time." Was the statement to the other women, the shivering female leaning closer still to her friend.
Betrayal curled in her chest, her broken memory zeroing in on Lysander holding a blade to her throat. The man she had admired and considered family had tried to not only kill her and Haruka, but the princess she was sworn to protect. What kind of monster did that? And speaking of which... "Whu-where's L-lys-s-s-sander...?"
The silence was thick, heavy, but Haruka spoke in a solemn voice. "He's dead now. Very, very dead. You made sure of that, Tiger."
Rei was trudging along behind Ami somewhat reluctantly as they searched the snow-covered grounds for Lysander's body. Neither of them could believe what they had been told. There was no way he would have done this, but they had seen Haruka; they had seen her wild eyes and her blood-soaked appearance. They had seen Makoto riddled with ice, blood, and frostbite.
"By the Flame..." Rei gasped, covering her mouth as Ami stared in slack-jawed horror.
Lysander was barely even identifiable, his remains mostly in one area. A nearby tree seemed to have exploded at him, the shards embedding themselves into his body before sprouting into a new tree. Wooden limbs had burst forth through his body, gore dangling from the far off ends like sickening ornaments. His legs had been nearly completely shredded, his arms twisted and torn from the rest of his body near the top of the tree. His head had been ripped apart, his skull split open from the part of the trunk that had gone out through his sternum and back in through his mouth.
Ami had never seen anything so grotesque, Rei unable to look at it any longer. However, Ami had to admit that she had never even read about the secondary power being used by any Jovian like this before. In all of her studies of their powers and abilities, this horrific display was new and deeply disturbing. Clearly this had to be the fault of the Outer branch influencing her too much.
No Jovian should be able to beckon such horrific power over wood like this on command.