A/N: So, I was able to get back into the groove of writing between working like a dog and sewing my cosplay. And so I was able to finish this chapter sooner than I expected. Don't forget that I have the song playlist for this fic on my profile in case you want to hear the songs that inspired the chapters. This one is heavily influenced by the song lyrics.
WARNING: Strong language, adult content, dark themes, violence, and... That's really it for this chapter. A rather tame one in that regard.
With love,
Korrupted.
Disclaimer: I STILL DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON! But I am geeking the hell out about the reboot.
Makoto stared at the crimson painted woman, her eyes looking at her body, but knowing it wasn't her at the same time. Her hand reached out, but the tips of her fingers hit the glass surface, pressing her palms against the cool pane as the other her giggled. "See? You're trapped out here. Dammit Mako, this is why you can't have nice things." The cruel brunette spoke in a vaguely kind voice that seemed to be reserved only for her.
Makoto was reeling from the words as she pressed harder against the glass. Where was she? What was going on? The memories flooded back as she recalled the roar of the airplane engines, screaming in terror on the floor just before she mentally reached out for the only thing that was stronger than her own mind; Dark Makoto. The evil entity had been willing to both control the body and protect the true mind by sealing it away in a sort of amnesia filled corner of their mind, turning a small portion of her own psyche into a guardian for the now docile girl.
"I remember now..." Her green eyes were wide as she slumped against the glass, panting in horror. "Who... Who did we kill...?" She couldn't truly believe that she had actually killed, but that amount of blood couldn't be from herself, the body shrugging as she returned to trying to wash her arms clean. "Well, which one do you want to hear first? There are three corpses from us."
Makoto felt her heart clench in terror; had she killed her friends? Had she killed Ami? Rei? "A-all three. Tell me." She weakly demanded, watching Dark Makoto standing straighter as she took a deep breath. "Kiro, Hakuno, Tenchi." Were the three names, images of the dead or dying men filtering into the real Makoto's mind, recognizing each one as three of the four attackers.
She felt like everything was spinning wildly, her green eyes looking around the expanse of nothing around her and then the glass pane that was the mirrior before her. "Oh Kami-sama... Iie... Iie... I can't..." She keened, out of breath and dizzy, Dark Makoto leaning closer to the surface that seperated them. "Hey, hey! Mako, keep it together, dammit!" The cruel woman ordered, her voice laced with worry.
She wasn't certain why, but she struggled to obey the other her, taking slow, deep breaths to regain composure. After a few minutes, the Dark Makoto seemed to feel she had gathered her wits enough to keep cleaning off the blood. "We just have that last fucker and then we can go to the senshi." Her green eyes narrowed as an insane smile filled with malice spread across her lips. "I'll make them pay for leaving us like that."
Makoto felt her chest tighten in horror, staring at the dark counterpart shaking her head in an attempt to feebly convince her otherwise. It made the soldier of courage feel sick to think that she would fight, and possibly kill, her friends. "Please, please, don't do this... It doesn't have to be this way." Makoto begged, her hands flush against the surface of the glass as tears ran down her cheeks. If only she could appeal to that shred of decency that was only for her, that Dark Makoto only held for the real senshi of Jupiter.
The insane girl clenched her jaw even as a strained grin appeared on her lips, a shuddering giggle escaping her as Dark Makoto watched the crimson tinted water swirl down the drain. "Hai, it does." Was the simple reply, though their eyes didn't meet. Dark Makoto had to protect the girl; this wasn't an option. Those damn senshi had betrayed her once before, so what was to keep them from doing so again? What would keep them from deciding to kill her since they all knew that she was physically stronger than all of them? "Why does it have to be this way...?" The guardian of thunder begged.
The evil entity finally looked into the sobbing woman's eyes, her own emerald hues full of cold, detached resolve. She would kill senshi and that Ichiri man, and damn anyone who was fool enough to stand in her way. "Because I won't let us be betrayed again. Can't you see I'm doing this for you? They will die. And it will be a beautiful bloodbath."
Rei was half-asleep during the meeting, Ami could see how exhausted she was from still trying to find a way to save the woman they loved, even though it was pointless. The bluenette was growing worried about how the strain could affect the priestess, but the other senshi around them were still bickering about what was to be done. Over the last few weeks, there had been many such meetings with the senshi and shitennou, all of them ending in verbal arguments between the ones who felt that there was no option but to kill Makoto, and those who swore there was another way. Last meeting had seen Haruka nearly come to blows with Zoisite, Michiru stepping in to calm her butch lover before they destroyed the shrine's fire room. "ENOUGH!" A voice shouted over the din, Ami seeing Rei snap to attention and wipe her mouth a bit. 'So, she had been sleeping after all.' Ami mused.
All eyes turned to Usagi, looking at the standing blonde as her blue eyes sparkled with an unfamiliar emotion that they rarely saw in the clumsy princess. "Stop fighting, right now." Her voice was what could almost be a low growl if it had come from anyone else. Usagi just simply didn't make such sounds, and everyone stared at her in shock as she went on. "Why must we chose now if we have to resort to killing Mako-chan? Are some of you really so quick to consider her lost?"
Minako shot to her feet, her own blue orbs glaring at their princess. "Usagi, she's killed three people! THREE! She almost killed you once, and she injured ten guards when she broke into that prison to kill Tenchi! Next time it could be one of us, and the real Mako would never kill a human. Even Rei herself said that all hope was lost on her." The idol gestured to the miko who openly flinched, Ami placing a hand on the tired warrior's shoulder to attempt a bit of comfort.
"Iie. She said it was a possibility, and if that was to be the case, then we would be forced to use lethal force on her." Nephrite whispered, his blue eyes on Ami. He knew that Minako was concerned with the safety of their princess, but the commander of the senshi was becoming almost over-zealous in her efforts. He could almost see Dark Makoto's justification of wanting to strike the down as quickly as possible. "There is still the chance of her being somewhere in the mind, simply trapped."
Ami cleared her throat, gaining the attention of everyone. "I believe we must fight Makoto, but we can't simply attack to kill on sight. She would never attack us to kill if it was one of us. She didn't when I was Dark Mercury. Why was I given the chance to prove I was still good, but not Mako-chan?"
The room went dead silent as they weighed their options, Kunzite speaking next. "I agree. We must first see if the real Makoto is truly no longer there before we assume the worst." His stern eyes landed on Zoisite and Minako. "We can't turn into that which we fight in our haste to protect. Makoto may still be in there. Have you truly forsaken your friend already?"
Minako had been seething, ready to spit out a crude few choice words when the meaning of his sunk in. Had she really forsaken the senshi of courage so quickly? Her thoughts turning back to almost three weeks prior, when Dark Jupiter first arrived. She had been the first to attack, the one who had instigated the fight that had left her ankle a bit sprained for six days. The warrior of Venus had never really given it much thought, the safety of the princess her only concern, but now she could see that she had already given Makoto up for lost. She, the commander of the senshi, had given up hope on one of her comrades. Makoto never would have done that.
Usagi cast the eldest general a smile of gratitude before taking in a deep breath through her nose and drawing herself up to her full, meager height as a strangely powerful air of confidence swirled around her. "We will not search out Dark Jupiter, but we will defend ourselves if she comes. Do not kill her, but subdue her. Do I make myself clear?" The blonde young woman commanded, evoking the presence of the queen she would one day be.
"Hai." Everyone replied respectfully, Rei relaxing visibly at the new orders. She felt confident that she could defend herself against Makoto, but still she wanted to find a way to undo this curse that had been thrust upon the thunder warrior. If she couldn't, then how would she ever get the chance to confess herself to the green eyed fighter?
Makoto was looking around the darkness that surrounded her, noticing other patches of light randomly spaced in this place she had found herself in. The Dark Makoto was currently occupied in the shower, the true mind wandering cautiously through the silent nothing towards another patch of light, confused at how she was only just now seeing them. The brunette peered through another portal, seeing Minako's empty room through the glass of her mirror before backing away swiftly in shock. Her green eyes scanned the no longer so dark expanse, noting more of these areas of light than she had originally spotted, or even identified a few moments before. "Nani...?" She whispered in confusion as she glanced through another such opening to see her body taking a shower, her vantage point clearly from the reflective metal shower head.
Swiftly, she moved away from that one, backing away into where these portals seemed to join; it appeared that each of these light patches lead to reflective surfaces that she could use to look into the outside world from her prison. "Freedom in a cage..." Makoto snarled, her emerald eyes narrowed in frustration.
She could feel her own anger amplified by the insanity that the evil entity created, suddenly fighting to keep herself from being swept away by the intoxicating madness that would spiral her rage out of control. The senshi of the storms had to figure a way out of this place; she wasn't entirely sure how much more she could handle. Her eyes darted around in hopes of finding some method of escape, only to clutch her head helplessly when there was none for her. This wasn't something that Makoto could Supreme Thunder to death and destroy, and for the warrior, the thought of being against an enemy she couldn't beat into submission was a nightmare. Still, the brunette took a deep, cleansing breath as Rei had taught her before wandering back over to the portal that lead to the mirror in her own bathroom and spotting the evil entity trying to figure out how to create the illusion of sanity in her expressions. "Oh, hey! Mako, can you help me out here? Normal seems really hard to fake." Dark Makoto prompted as she stood clad only in black boxers and a black lace bra, her ear to ear grin tainted with malice.
The true Makoto clenched her jaw tightly, her hands balled into fists at her side as she responded in a cold voice, "Go fuck yourself."
The body threw her head back and let out a stuttering laugh. "Huh, that sounds like a plan! I think I'll do that first. Be back soon!" She crooned, leaving the young woman dumbstruck and blushing slightly as she moved to the door. "Because next I plan to kill the senshi instead of that fucking bastard, Ichiri." And with that, the insane version wandered out of the bathroom and turned off the light.
Makoto was flustered by the brash statement that the evil personality was taking her crude quip on a more literal level, but she knew that she had to find some way to warn the others before it was to late. She could recall that Dark Jupiter had been able to appear in the real world to more than just her and influence her surroundings, but how was a mystery to her. If only there was some way to get through... Makoto braced her hands against the glass that separated her from the real world and pushed as hard as she could against it, feeling it give slightly under the strain of her force. She pushed harder, trying to break the glass moments before the sensation of a thousand knifes being thrust into her caused her to screech in pain and crumple to the seemingly invisible floor below her, panting to try and catch her breath; it had been excruciating and easily one of the worst pains she had felt aside from being attacked by those four men. As the brunette lay there, trying to collect her resolve, she also fought back her tears. Crying would solve nothing, and she had to be strong for the others, her friends lives were in her hands. "Maybe I... I'm too far gone..." The lightning wielder whispered, feeling a surge of panic rising in her chest.
She shook her head to clear it, angrily chewing her lip as she sat up. She couldn't live this way, like a prisoner able to only watch and beg for the Dark Makoto to stop killing her friends. But she had to remain calm so she could try to create a plan, otherwise it surely would be her downfall. 'Too bad Ami isn't here... She always knows what to do.' The busty woman thought with a sad smirk, taking a deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth.
It was the same technique Rei had shown her while she had been staying at the temple, Makoto continuing the slow, even, calming breaths to focus. 'In and out, Mako-chan.' She could almost feel Rei next to her, breathing in that same steady rhythm as she cleared her mind completely.
Rei was sitting in front of the sacred fire of her shrine, gazing into the dancing flames as she began breathing deep, slow, calming breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth. The flames crackled in the hearth while she continued, feel an odd tug in the back of her mind; it wasn't harsh, or dangerous, but more like that of one of the children tugging on her hand to get her attention if they needed her for something. The miko hesitantly followed it, her violet eyes sliding shut while her mind drifted away.
-Rei opened her eyes once again, finding herself in a strange place that was split into two halves; the half she was kneeling on was like the flames of the temple fire, the other half was endless blackness in all direction, but small, curious shapes of light were appearing there. She knew she wasn't scrying, but still she was someplace similar in a way, finally seeing a figure kneeling in the same position she was before her as everything stopped moving, her heart pounding harshly in joy at the sight of the real Makoto breathing in time with her. "Mako..." Rei managed to whisper, seeing emerald green eyes flutter open and focus on her.
Makoto couldn't help the tears that were spilling from her eyes, part of her certain that she had accidentally fallen into the insanity that had been trying to coax her into giving up, and part overjoyed she was seeing some form of Rei before her. Insanity fueled vision or not, she had missed the miko so very much. Her sad smile was filled with relieved desperation, knowing that her friend and crush could plainly see that she wasn't the evil woman who was currently doing... Kami-sama knows what in her bedroom. "R-rei..." The tall fighter choked out amid the sobs, her hands gripping the pants of her gi that she still seemed to be in. "I don't know what's wrong... It's like I'm too far gone... I k-killed three people..." The warrior stated sadly, watching the other soldier shake her head in refusal.
"Iie. You didn't, the Dark Jupiter did." Rei tried to reassure her, feeling fear welling up inside of her. She had at least found that the real Makoto lived, but now she had to figure out a way to try to save her. She could see that this was wearing on the fighter, being trapped here and isolated aside from the madness of her other self. "Mako, listen to me. We can still fight this, together. The others will help us to fix this and get rid of the Dark Makoto. Just please, trust us. We can save you."
Makoto wasn't fond of the idea that she needed saving, clutching her head before looking at the girl she so desperately wanted to tell that she believed her. "You don't understand, Rei-chan! It's like living with a curse! I can't escape, I can't run, I can't fight back. It's driving me insane!" Her voice dropped as she thought of the guilt she felt for her murdered tormentors. "It's killing me a bit more every day..." Her green eyes leveled with amethyst hues as she stated, "Something I despise is going to try to take my life..."
The shrine maiden gasped softly at the thought of Dark Makoto destroying the senshi of Jupiter, her jaw set stubbornly. "Iie! Makoto, we will find a way to defeat her." But then quiet words of, "Then you better hurry. She's going to try to kill you all today." Made her freeze.
It was absurd, trying to imagine fighting the insane girl, but she had to do it. She opened her mouth to admit her love for the brash fighter, to speak what she had felt when the other woman stiffened and looked about, then gave Rei an apologetic glance. "Gomen, but you have to leave before the other one knows." Shoving at Rei to knock her backwards. "MAKOTO!" Rei yelped in surprise and frustration, feeling like she was speeding away from the amazonian warrior and back towards her body, hearing a vague whisper she didn't quiet catch.-
Rei gasped and panted, glaring in her anger before standing. She had been so close to Makoto and now she had no idea if she would ever be able to talk to her again. However, she had to call the others and inform them of what she had discovered, grabbing her communicator and dialing up Ami first.
Makoto had pushed Rei the moment she had sensed the deranged version of herself re-enter the bathroom, watching the miko being yanked backwards sadly. "I love you." She whispered, knowing it wouldn't reach her; if she did perish, it wouldn't be fair for the senshi of flame to hear those words and dwell upon them.
Swiftly, the powerhouse stood and wandered back over to the mirror that her now a bit relaxed body was before, blushing furiously that she really had taken her words seriously. Dark Makoto was smirking at her, placing her hand against the mirrored surface as she spoke. "Hey there. Guess I'll get going now. Time to kill those traitors." Her face was a twisted mask of joy and fury, a tear falling from her left eye. "They won't dare hurt us ever again."
"Please, you don't have to do this. I sacrificed myself for Usagi, and she had tried to get help. Please, just, just don't hurt them!" Makoto pleaded, placing her hand against the glace where the other's was, trying to appeal to the cruel her. "We're safe, right? They won't come after us, so we won't need to fight. Please, please don't kill them."
For a moment, all was silent, both Makotos were silently standing in a perfect reflection of each other aside from the expressions; one angry, the other pleading. Finally, Dark Makoto spoke. "I can't take that chance, Mako." Her grin was unstable as her eyes moved to the left in thought. "Now, who should I kill first...? Ami, or Rei?"