57: "Thus Spoke Zoroaster"
When the legions of hell mounted the hill and saw a man dressed in a mask and tuxedo staring back at them, wielding a cane, the couldn't help but laugh. Those women they had been fighting were also dressed a little silly, but female warriors tended to be a little more exotic and flashy anyway—and besides, they had proved themselves much stronger than they appeared. But this guy? What was he going to do? Twirl his cape at them? Hit them with his top hat? Poke them?
"Come on," he goaded, smiling arrogantly. "Come and get it. I promise I'll only make it mildly excruciating." The creatures laughed harder, and surrounded him with the intent of finishing this nuisance quickly. Tuxedo Kamen grinned as they lunged at him, vaulting high in the air to avoid their blows, pelting them with a barrage of roses, each one piercing like the darts of Thanatos. As he touched down, his staff extended to several meters; a single twirl knocked down thirty. As the monsters regrouped, he buried one end of his staff in the ground, clutching onto the other as it grew, missing a bone-breaking collision. From his high perch, he raised his staff and pummeled his enemies, using its great length to snipe them in mid-air. Spotting a more serious group charging in, he threw his staff, bowling them over with surprising strength, then clutched onto his cape, using it to soften his descent. A humongous, muscular ogre caught him from behind, crushing with terrible strength.
"What is this?" it bellowed. "A silly costume?"
"No," he grunted, teeth flashing with dauntless charm. He snapped his head back, catching the monster's eye on the brim of his hat, then flipped backwards, draping his cape over the ogre's face. "It's a weapon!" he shouted, tightening and pulling on his cape until the monster's neck snapped. He withdrew the cloth and raised his hand, summoning his staff. For good measure, he smashed the butt end of it on the ogre's ribcage. Three more stood before him as he dusted himself off.
"Evening, gentlemen," he saluted.
Rat-tailed Jimmy is a second hand hood
He deals out in Hollywood
Got a '65 Chevy, primered flames
Traded for some powdered goods
Jigsaw Jimmy He's runnin' a gang
But I hear he's doin' okay
Got a cozy little job, sells the Mexican mob
Packages of candycane
Out whipped the staff again, before any of them could react. It cracked against two skulls while the third charged at him, teeth bared and arms thick like posts. Quickly he removed his mask, flicking it like a shuriken; it buried itself deep in the ogre's temple, but the beast kept charging. Tuxedo Kamen grinned, waving his cape like a matador, darting aside at the last moment. The ogre heedlessly charged on, turned around when he realized he had been fooled, and got a crushing blow in the jaw as Tuxedo Kamen wound his fist out. As the monster tottered, he withdrew his mask, spun around, and knocked the creature's knees out from under it, sending it falling.
He's the one they call Dr. Feelgood
He's the one that makes ya feel all right
He's the one they call Dr. Feelgood
Just then he spotted a massive army closing in on him. With a crafty smile, he plucked but one rose, holding it close to its face and breathing in deep its sweet fragrance. The army thundered in closer, but Tuxedo Kamen merely held the flower before him, admiring its color. Finally, he released it into the air, where it sailed on a breeze towards the army. Just before it could be trampled, he threw a second flower at it, causing both to burst in a massive explosion of petals, which rained down on the army, blinding and smothering them. Six roses found their way between his fingers in the meantime, with another clutched in his mouth. With a flick of his wrists they flew, shattering into a crimson shower at their apex, putting an end to the army.
Cops on the corner always ignore
Somebody's getting paid
Jimmy's got it wired, law's for hire
Got it made in the shade
Got a little hideaway, does business all day
But at night he'll always be found
Selling sugar to the sweet
People on the street
Call this Jimmy's town
More pressed on, some even coming out of the ground. Tuxedo Kamen coolly fought them off with pinpoint precision, his staff whirling so fast it was nearly invisible. Three managed to clutch onto him, but his elbows jerked left and right, the staff knocking them loose. A leap into the air avoided flaming arrows; his cape deflected them without the slightest scratch or cinder. More shot through the sky as he touched down, but a well-thrown flower knocked them out of the sky, some even sailing back to their masters. Grinning roguishly, he watched as a massive hulking monstrosity tore through the ranks, mercilessly plowing through them on its way to crush this brash upstart who dared mock them.
"That's right," he called, "bring your pretty face over here. I've got a surprise for ya!"
He's the one they call Dr. Feelgood
He's the one that makes ya feel all right
He's the one they call Dr. Feelgood
He's gonna be your Frankenstein
I've got one thing you'll understand (Dr. Feelgood!)
He's not what you'd call a glamorous man (Dr. Feelgood!)
Got one thing that's easily understood (Dr. Feelgood!)
He's the one they call Dr. Feelgood (Oh, yeah!)
Kneeling down, Tuxedo Kamen placed his gloved hands on the ground, waiting patiently for the behemoth to come within range. Within moments it was almost close enough for him to feel the monster's hot breath. It held a tow truck in its arms; all Tuxedo Kamen had was the earth beneath him.
"See ya!" he laughed, as an enormous vine sprang out of the ground, smashing into the monster and lifting it (and the truck) into the air. The vine immediately coiled around the monster and thrust it back to the ground, practically shattering every bone it had—and just for good measure, the tow truck fell back down right onto its head, smashing it to jelly. Tuxedo Kamen yawped in surprise, then turned to face the surviving demons.
He'll tell you he's the king of these barrio streets
Moving up to Shangri-La
Came by his wealth as a matter of luck
Says he never broke no law
Two time loser running out of juice
Time to move out quick
Heard a rumor going round
Jimmy's going down
This time it's gonna stick
"Come on, you guys!" he grinned, tapping his cane against his palm. "That can't be all you've got! I mean, you could at least pretend to be a challenge!" As he grinned at the masses, the ground shook with the approaching footsteps of a massive giant. An ear-splitting bellow from the depths of hell scattered birds and beasts alike, and from out of the dark night, a massive head poked through, half covered by flaming red eyes, the rest by teeth and horns and sharp protuberances. The monster lumbered into view on four titanic legs, bellowing and gurgling. The entire horde started shrieking and scrambled for their lives, making way for the monstrosity. Tuxedo Kamen stared up at the titan, Ravana in his full glory, and pointed at it with a smile.
"Now that's more like it!"
He's the one they call Dr. Feelgood
He's the one that makes ya feel all right
He's the one they call Dr. Feelgood
He's gonna be your Frankenstein
Instead of merely ducking or weaving out of the way as Ravana's massive claw struck, Tuxedo Kamen timed his jump so that he could grab onto the gangly black arm as it swooped overhead. He vaulted up the wiry muscles and took another jump onto the monstrous shoulderblades, which were so gaunt they could serve as enormous blades. The bony structures actually tried slicing him as Ravana's body shifted; he threw a flower at both, leaped backwards, and smashed the end of his staff against the monster's back. Ravana's head twisted around completely to face him, issuing foul smoke that dissolved his flowers instantly. Tuxedo Kamen flailed his cape in an attempt to dissolve the smoke, but the head lurched out, stretching the neck well beyond normal physical limitations, and more smoke surrounded him. The next rose he threw melted in mid-air; he hastily swerved his staff at the Demon King's head, but it merely bounced off, and the monster clenched its enormous sharp teeth over it. Even Ravana couldn't break it—he hoped—but he could wrench it away, leaving Tuxedo Kamen unarmed. Unable to act, he hurried to the shoulder, narrowly avoiding a swooping arm, and slid down back to the earth.
Let him soothe your soul, just take his hand (Dr. Feelgood!)
Some people call him an evil man (Dr. Feelgood!)
Let him introduce himself real good (Dr. Feelgood!)
He's the only one they call "Feelgood"
"Let's see if you like this," he said, but before he could call the earth to his side, a barrage of powerful attacks struck Ravana from all directions, temporarily stunning him. Tuxedo Kamen was left equally bewildered. "Um, okay, I didn't do that, but...I'll take it!"
"Hey!" he heard a familiar woman's voice calling. "Who's the idiot that's taking this titanic turkey all on their ow..." He turned and saw Sailor Venus approaching, who was understandably surprised to see him. "Whoa! Hey there, stud! Been a long time!"
"Yeah, this idiot's been pretty busy."
"Oh, you heard that? Sorry!" She giggled nervously but put her head back in the fight as Ravana shook free. Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto were trying to keep it still, while Saturn and Mars prepared for a big finish. The latter took notice of him and went into shock.
"What the...? Mamoru?! Just where the hell have you been all this time!?"
"Come on, ladies," he grinned, throwing several roses on Ravana's feet, pinning them to the ground, "I already got plenty of grief from Usagi when I saw her!"
"Ah, so she knows you're here," Pluto called. She had to careen out of the way as a powerful beam emitted from the Demon King's mouth. Great thick clouds of the poisonous smoke billowed out, but Uranus blew them away, and Neptune washed off what her partner missed.
"She knows, all right." Venus smiled at him.
"So, when you saw her, did Usagi kiss you or punch you?"
"Both," he answered humbly. She winked and snapped her fingers at Mercury.
"Ha! Totally called it."
"Yes, you're right, dear. Now please keep focused."
"Hey," she laughed, blocking an attack with a barrage of beams, "focus is my middle name!"
"I thought it was Izumi," Jupiter muttered.
"Girls, could we please!?" Uranus shouted. Venus grinned bashfully, but soon her eyes were deadly sharp, and she hung a line around Ravana's jaw to make up for her behavior. He snapped down on it, breaking it, but Mercury countered quickly, shooting dozens of ice needles at his chin. Mars and Saturn finally unleashed their own strength, consuming a huge portion of his body with their blast, but Ravana countered by clawing at the ground, disrupting their balance and flinging debris everywhere. They were soon buried; he belched smoke in their general direction, and screaming pierced the sky. Tuxedo Kamen threw three fast roses at the monster's head and neck, drawing its attention away. He found his staff discarded on the ground, used it to vault into the air, and struck hard on the monster's skull until it shook him off. Jupiter had just dug Mars out of an early grave, while Saturn helped herself out. She leaned heavily against her glaive as the monster, and countless more of his minions, surrounded him.
"As if this fight wasn't ugly enough," Neptune sighed. She squinted sharply as the skies lit up; even Ravana cringed. Ea and Nanna descended, lighting up the darkness, giving life anew to the crumbled ground. The demons quailed, but were compelled to remain by their master, who glared furiously at the gods.
"Perhaps we can be of some service," the moon-god said. "This monstrosity deserves vengeance only we may dole out. Focus on the rabble and we shall dethrone their king!"
"He's tough," Jupiter warned him. "You might end up needing our help after all."
"Perhaps." He then smiled at her. "I would welcome it, Jovian-sailor." She blushed a little, but there was no time to bask: seven hideous creatures were surrounding her, and more were coming in to overwhelm the Senshi.
I've got one thing you'll understand (Dr. Feelgood!)
He's not what you'd call a glamorous man (Dr. Feelgood!)
Got one thing that's easily understood (Dr. Feelgood!)
He's the one they call Dr. Feelgood (Oh, yeah!)
"You wanna make the call, tux man?" Uranus smirked. Tuxedo Kamen returned her wry expression.
"Come on, Haruka, you're a big girl. You don't need me to hold your hand."
"Well said...but I'll listen if you've got any ideas."
"What can I tell you?" he said, holding his staff aloft. "Try not to have too much fun."
"No promises!" The Senshi mounted their final charge, their voices singing in the dark.
…...
Neither Sailor Moon nor Nergal spoke for a long time; they were content to stare at each other: one with a perverse fondness, the other with wearisome anger. There was no sound but the cold, stiff wind, and the faint murmur of the battle behind her. Slowly, she raised her scepter up, preparing herself for whatever nightmarish device this creature could concoct. He remained still, though, if not more amused, but finally turned himself around fully. He said nothing, so Sailor Moon felt obliged to end the silence.
"I've come to stop you."
"Have you?" he laughed. She glared.
"I will succeed. Don't think for a moment I won't."
"Quite the contrary," he replied arrogantly. "You have been an immense help to my cause for some time, moon-sailor. In all honesty, I could not have achieved so much, and at such great speed, were it not for the intervention of you and your peers."
"What are you talking about?" she snarled. "I never once helped you!"
"Oh, you did," he countered carelessly, "you just weren't aware of it. You see, in order to call my cherished Ereshkigal back, I had to summon gigantic quantities of power. One does not lightly break down the door between death and life. Granted, I contributed my own when I could, but by and large, I depended on the sacrifices of others."
"You mean all those people who were killed when—"
"I do not," he interrupted sharply, "and perish the thought! I mean the gods. I mean the Druj, and the demons, and all the malevolent forces you have thrown yourselves against these past few months. Every time one of them met their end, I was entitled to all the life-force they possessed. When I released Azhi Dahaka from his prison, and all the other evils, I had meant that as my act of revenge. What I did not expect was that there would be a force that could counter it, and so give new depth to my designs. So you see, moon-sailor, when I said you were helping me, I meant it. Every time you triumphed over your enemies—or mine—it helped open the doorway a little more. Once Ravana is disposed of, the process shall be completed." He smiled and gave an ironic bow, leaving her stunned, quaking in her boots.
"Then...what will happen when..."
"This sort of door remains closed for a reason. I should think that life and death itself would have no meaning soon after, for the dead would be able to pass freely, and would dwell among us. Those who perished once the deed is done, whether by nature, accident, or murder, would simply remain as a...well, how does one define it? They would linger, in perpetuity, until the world itself crumbles to dust." He smiled, and the implications of what he said struck her like a battering ram.
Sailor Moon wanted to deny what he said, imagine it to be madness or nonsense, or some awful design meant to blot out her spirit, but in her new-found maturity she saw the truth of his words. All of the misery, the pain, the hardships, the suffering, the losses...everything that had resulted from the evil spread across the country, had been nothing more than a means to an end, merely a prelude to this final act, which would overshadow everything else. It left her sick; she gagged and forced the bile down. New fury sprang to life as hot tears flew from her eyes. Words could not express it; she could only make a guttural howl.
Nergal weathered her raw emotions patiently, and rebuffed her when she made a foolish charge.
"What you are experiencing is merely the shadow of my own helpless fury. You now have a meager comprehension of the loss I felt, and can perhaps understand the lengths I would go to so that—"
"You bastard!" she growled, standing once more, body burning bright with hate. "Don't you dare! You and I are nothing alike! What sort of sick, monstrous thing are you?! Why did you do all this? What was it for? How could revenge make you feel any better?"
"Well, I did say you only understood a little," he murmured, not entirely to his guest. "Perhaps if you were to lose someone you loved to unjust means, you might begin to appreciate my—" Sailor Moon could take no more; she flashed with iridescent light and smote the darkness around her, becoming Eternal, furious with righteous anger. The world had scarcely seen such terrible wrath before; even Nergal was in awe. Silently, the grim goddess thrust her scepter at him, damning him with her awesome presence.
"Really, now, moon-sailor, put it away. The door will open regardless of your actions. All it requires is Ravana's destruction: stop it and he continues his rampage; stop him and my goal is complete. Killing me would have the same effect, and I would but return in a moment. You see, moon-sailor, everything has been arranged in my favor. I cannot lose and I cannot be stopped."
"This discussion has finished," she answered. "In the name of the moon, I shall right wrongs and triumph over evil."
"And that means me," he leered. "So be it; you may try your hand. I must admit, I would like to contest with the power that slayed Azhi Dahaka. Would the one who killed the father of all gods be able to match it?" At this his hands crackled terrible energy, darker and stronger than anything she had hitherto known. It then expanded, growing even stronger, pushing beyond the brink of her wildest imaginations. Such was the force emanating from his body that it caused the world to buckle beneath him, opening a huge crater in the earth, blowing away everything in range. Even Eternal Sailor Moon bent under the mighty force; she had to exert tremendous power just to resist this opening onslaught.
My mother was a witch, she was burned alive
Thankless little bitch, for the tears I cried
Take her down now, don't want to see her face
All blistered and burnt, can't hide my disgrace
Nergal's teeth shone white as lightning crackled around him; his eyes were like the sun, his whole body burning with an intense radiance. His laughter shook the planet, sent Eternal Sailor Moon stumbling, flying helplessly. A twitch of his mouth caused her to slam back to the ground; a low growl flattened her. She let out a shriek, repulsing his outstanding energy, her light glittering pale compared to his own. Then she stood, flickering, and was, in an instant, immediately behind him, scepter outstretched. Both bore cuts; droplets of blood touched the ground.
Twenty seven, everyone was nice
Gotta see 'em, make 'em pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Thick arms sprouted from his back, coiling around her, but she grew wings and shredded them to bits. She performed a physics-defying backflip just as an enormous sickle rose out of his shoulders, narrowly missing bifurcation. Flying overhead, she sent a beam of focused energy onto his head; it scoured the world and could be seen from halfway across the planet, even from her namesake satellite. Nergal whipped around, his natural arm climbing, belching a blast. She landed, threw an energy projectile; he clutched it in his hand, and it whirled to life, shredding mercilessly. Black tendrils coiled around it, renting it; the shards flew into Eternal Sailor Moon's body, cutting faster than she could react.
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, Yes I am
She thrust her arms into the sky, bidding the moon aid her. Nergal twisted into a warped spire, drilling into her, one face turning into hundreds, their eyes and mouths opening, oozing blood and locusts and countless writhing things. Eternal Sailor Moon grabbed hold of the spire, despite the searing pain it brought, and crushed it with her strength; the light burned on both sides, and each recoiled, issuing smoke. Nergal's coughing was only matched by the laughter that pierced colder than death.
As I watched my mother die, I lost my head
Revenge now I sought, to break with my bread
Takin' no chances, you come with me
I'll split you to the bone, help set you free
Great whirlwinds rose to his bidding, ripping the sky apart. He launched an endless barrage, carrying Eternal Sailor Moon into the sky, where she was mercilessly battered. She broke free, however, with a shattering thrust, her hands shaping a harp made of pearly material. The strings she played issued sacred melodic fire, ten invisible bolts for each one plucked; they stole into Nergal's body and shot light through it, scalding intensely. He roared with agony and lurched back, on the ropes. Eternal Sailor Moon came to a gentle land, battered and bloody and caked with dust, her outfit in tatters. She held the scepter up and stared with those same furious sapphire eyes.
Twenty seven, everyone was nice
Gotta see 'em, make 'em pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Nergal's jaw cracked open, issuing a demonic screech and hideous bile that covered her instantly. The oozing, sticky, rank slime burned horribly, but it could also move on its own, wriggling into her ears, her nose, her mouth if she screamed, any opening it could find. Her eyes were just being enveloped, and felt like they were being pulled from the sockets, when the voices cried out to her, distant wailing of the damned—and ones still alive.
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, Yes I am
"Don't kill me please!" they wailed. She froze where she stood; it was her mother's voice, only entrenched in more sorrow and suffering than any human had ever endured. "Usagi! Don't kill me! I'm trapped in here—HELP! Don't kill me KILL ME!" Suddenly a shriek tore her apart; it was Naru's voice, screeching louder than any human could, loud as a wail in hell. "KILL ME PLEASE GOD KILL ME IT HURTS WHY Usagi, please don't MAKE IT STOP I can't take it anymore WE'RE TRAPPED I'm going to die I WANT TO DIE I'm begging you BEG YOU KILL don't PLEASE stop GOD MAKE IT STOP NOW WHYYYYYY..."
On with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around, I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, wounds deep and neat
Like a double dozen before ya, smells so sweet
She was going insane; she was losing her mind. There was enough left of it to understand this, at least, and thank goodness, for the voices never stopped: they constantly implored her to help them, to kill them, and a hundred other things too jumbled and horrific to describe. It was ceaseless, and on top of all that, the gunk spat by Nergal had nearly suffocated her, and soon she would be absorbed into all this. She couldn't move, speak, or even think without being battered everywhere; she couldn't even weep. Sheer willpower, and a desire for peace and freedom, was what broke her free. The slime was hurled off, or burned as she stood gasping, eyes wild with terror and hate, body bent over, on the verge of losing itself to unrestrained madness.
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
"Is that all you've got?" she demanded.
"No," he answered quietly.
I'll make my residence, I'll watch your fire.
You can come with me, sweet desire.
My face is long forgot, my face not my own
Sweet and timely whore, take me home
He soared majestically into the air, borne not by wings but his own fierce will. Cascades of light erupted from Eternal Sailor Moon's body, and she followed close, piercing the sky. He flew higher, firing thick black droplets, each one screeching with the voices of her loved ones in agony. If they touched her, they sent a cold pain through her body that accumulated and expanded with each moment, but there were too many to weave around, and no attack or defense she brought up could guard against them all. Instead she bore it, burning brighter as she slowly caught up to him, and they danced together in the sky, flitting around one another like peregrines competing for a kill.
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, Yes I am
The crackling energy building in Nergal's hands shot out, narrowly missing her. It shot again, coiling around. She broke free, issuing a searing bolt that dug a canyon into the ground. He fired again, and their combined powers sent them both reeling to the ground, where they struck hard and struggled to stand. Nergal rose first; he gazed down at his body, bleeding profusely, then stared at Eternal Sailor Moon, who was leaning on one knee. A second blast hit her directly in the forehead, and she fell.
My soul is longing for, await my heir
Sent to avenge my mother, sleep myself
My face is long forgot, my face not my own
Sweet and timely whore, take me home
Her tiara broken, her hair flowing freely, her clothes all but destroyed, she rose again, a blank expression on her face. Their energies met on the field, each repulsing the other, sometimes gaining an advantage only to be pressed back by what seemed the stronger force. The two fields finally exploded, canceling each other out, knocking both god and goddess back, where they lay flat on the ground.
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man!
Nergal's laughter stirred her from incapacitation, and she roused herself just in time to see him grinning and leering. She wanted to continue fighting, even unto her last breath, but even in her most powerful state, her body and mind could only handle so much, and this fiend had taxed both well beyond anything she had faced before. Still, she would never forgive herself if she faltered, and so she stumbled to her feet, always on the verge of total collapse. Nergal moved as well, but not to fight; he gave her an assuring wave.
"So I was correct!" he coughed, wiping the blood from his mouth. "The two of us are equally-skilled. We could wage our war until the sun blackened and the stars fell, yet would be no closer to a victor. Not that there would be need for it, of course." He nodded behind him, where a large portal of swirling dark energy had amassed. Eternal Sailor Moon had caught glimpses of it during the encounter, but as she had been fighting to maintain body, mind, and spirit, had paid it little heed. Now it drew all of her thoughts. Without speaking she knew exactly what it was, how it had come about, and what it would be used for.
Then, right before her eyes, the portal increased in size. Large enough for anyone—or anything—to pass through.
"She is here," Nergal said, his face lit with unrestrained joy. "Ravana has been vanquished! Let all the world make way for her arrival! Bend thy knee, moon-sailor, for the advent of the Queen of the Dead!"
Eternal Sailor Moon let out a scream and used all of the power she had, and much that she did not, in closing the gate. The swirling vortex didn't so much as quiver. She sank at last, beaten and empty.
"Are you satisfied now?" Nergal wondered, giving her a glimpse as he focused on the portal. "Have you exhausted every attempt? Are there no more tricks to conjure? Even you must now admit defeat, moon-sailor." She said nothing; she didn't even move. She wanted to weep from the frustration of it all, but the tears would not come. Every comfort was stolen away.
A moment later, she thought she heard the planet moaning with fear.
Another, and Ereshkigal took her first steps onto the soil.
Nergal said something, but Eternal Sailor Moon couldn't hear the words. His rapture was evident, and from the glimpse she got from Ereshkigal, hers was as well. But such a beauty! Even Nergal, with his twisted hate and monstrous glee, had been fair to look at: sad, humble, but magnificent, much like a king that had been dealt a terrible fate, only to face it boldly, without hesitation. Ereshkigal was unquestionably Queenly, from the bottom of her fragrant feet to the silken veil that covered most of her head. Her face had a covering as well, but Eternal Sailor Moon could distinctly make out curvy lips, a strong nose, dark eyes, and smooth, shining, ruddy skin that suggested Middle Eastern or Oriental heritage. It was no wonder Nergal loved her, and went to such lengths to bring her into this world. Even if she were a devourer of souls, Eternal Sailor Moon might have done the same for such a magnificent presence.
She and Nergal embraced, gazing into each other's eyes, long enough for Eternal Sailor Moon to recover a little and stand up. Slowly, the lovers parted, Nergal's smile now lingering on her.
"Beloved, this is the moon-sailor, Tsukino Usagi. She and her celestial guardians made your return possible."
"Then I owe them my gratitude. Yet how was this accomplished, my only?"
"By bringing to ruin many lives, so that their blood might open the Door. But do not fret, my cherished, for those lives were wicked and base, and Ravana's was the last."
"Then are they Sages?"
"No," he said slowly. "In all honesty, I am not quite sure what they are. Usmu called them 'heroes'. If he knew they were responsible for breaking open the Barrier, I am sure he would have a different title in mind."
"Perhaps. O, my one, I have not yet been in the living realm for an hour, yet I can tell it is not our land. Why have you summoned me here?"
"Because here is where our fellows emerged from their epochs of hiding. Here is where Sages reincarnate dwell. Here is a land of heroes and servants, a land that calls forth dread demons whose blood was shed in your name. They call it Yamato, Nippon, Japan."
Ereshkigal took a moment to look around her, even though at present, there was really nothing that would differentiate the land as uniquely Japanese. It could have been any country in the world for all she knew. Yet something else told her that something was amiss.
"No, my living dream. Why have you summoned me here?"
"To be with me, O starlight. To restore your honor and your name. To bring justice to those who have tarnished you."
"But my heart's yearning, doing so will open the doorway of the Dry Lands, and I swore to Enlil, upon that very same honor, that I would never do that again."
"Enlil is dead."
"But my word is not." He paused for a moment.
"It couldn't be helped, my glory. I had to have you back," he added, his voice quavering. He seemed weak, desperate, lonely. Nergal had mentioned his sorrow to Usagi before, but this was perhaps the first time she really got to see it. Ereshkigal smiled warmly, embracing him with gentle arms.
In very much the same way Usagi had often embraced Mamoru.
"For that, always, I am happy. But it must not be. And O, my sunrise, we do not belong here. This is not our land. This is not our time. How many countless ages have passed since our names have faded and our temples turned to dust? They have forgotten, my King. They have moved on. We must do the same."
Nergal was just about to speak, but Ereshkigal's eyes implored him, quietly and with great love and dignity. He had been able to dismiss gods, demons, Senshi, and civilian alike, but he would always listen to his wife, and would honor her words. He sighed deeply.
"That is your wish?"
She nodded, leaning into him.
"If I am with you," he managed, his voice trembling and cracked, "I shall know no other existence. Whether we are here or there, in the stars or in the ground, beyond all thought or crowned with gold, I am content. I need nothing else."
"As always, we are of the same heart. And I shall be content even in the deepest reaches of oblivion with my lover by my side, he who cleansed the Dry Lands and brought sweet eternal water to its dusty shores." She kissed him, weeping, the two embracing so deeply they nearly became one. At length, Nergal looked up to Eternal Sailor Moon, his expression unclear.
"So there you have it, moon-sailor. My beloved and I shall part after all, and with her power added to mine, we will close the doorway behind us, and trouble you nevermore. Think what you will of the exchange between our two peoples, whether it be evil or laced yet with some good. But ere this enters your mind, fair hero, a final thought lingers. What will you do when we are gone?
"Oh, I have no doubt that you will celebrate our loss, take a great respite, let out myriad sighs of relief. You will say 'we have won' and make the darkest nights bright with your music and merriment. But once it has all settled, what you will be left with? Long years of nothing, I'll warrant. Your heroics will have nothing to prove themselves against. Your powers shall grow dull, and your bellies will gnaw at you with a hunger that cannot be satisfied. You say you want peace, you want freedom—but it is only through chaos and strife that you truly live. Conflict is your ultimate savior, your great remedy. You will die for want of...what was your expression? Ah yes, wrongs to right and evils to triumph over. Your kind needs people like me, moon-sailor. You may always triumph, but you will always need something to triumph over. Argue if you like; they are but empty words to the cold and bitter truth.
"What might have happened if the gods had not awoken from their long slumber in that great quake that started all this? I wonder. Would you have been able to reunite with your friends, or would you have kept apart? Would you still have found meaning in your life, or would every moment be drudgery and regret? Would people still chant for the moon-sailor, or would you remain forgotten, as we had been forgotten? Would, one day, you have been the ones who disturbed the peace of some distant civilization, desperate to return to happier days of yore? Perhaps not. But it's something to think about."
With that last parting shot, Nergal and Ereshkigal sunk into the earth, slowly fading away, until only his flickering eyes and flashing teeth were visible. Then, they were gone. Eternal Sailor Moon was alone on the hill, the wind stiff at her back. Alone, with only those thoughts to keep her company, for goodness knows how long.
But gentle arms in time found themselves around her, and she looked to see Tuxedo Kamen embracing her, disheveled from battle but still very beautiful, smiling so warmly that she might share in it. Before she could turn around, a hand touched her shoulder, and Sailor Mars was on the other side of it. She was badly bruised, bleeding, limping, leaning against Sailor Mercury, who looked like she had been buried alive. Sailor Venus showed her bright face next, though one eye was blackened and closed; Sailor Jupiter's nose was broken, and the bow in her hair had snapped, unfurling dirt-encrusted hair. Never in their whole lives had any of them ever been so radiant or precious.
She felt someone rubbing her hair, and saw Sailor Uranus behind her, an arm around her lover, with Saturn and Pluto in tow. Sailor Saturn's smile seemed brightest; she took Eternal Sailor Moon's hand into her own, holding it very gently. Hers was joined by Uranus and Neptune, then Jupiter's, Pluto's, Mercury's, Venus's, Mars's, and finally, by Tuxedo Kamen.
Together they stood, basking in a hard-won victory—but more importantly, together.
Final notes:
Just as I couldn't resist portraying Tuxedo Kamen as a badass (I know, strange), I couldn't resist putting in Dr. Feelgood by Motley Crue. Because when you're fighting a gigantic King of Demons, you need a sweet song to go along with it. As for the climactic final battle, nothing but Diamond Head's Am I Evil would suffice. Not One-Winged Angel, not Duel of the Fates, not Through the Fire and the Flames, not even The Riders of Doom from Conan the Barbarian.
The title of this chapter is a variant of Thus Spake Zarathustra (the theme song from 2001: A Space Odyssey). Zarathustra, an ancient Persian prophet that the Mesopotamian people would immediately be familiar with, was known as Zoroaster in Greece. There's no religious implications there; I just thought it would be a really cool second-to-last chapter title.
Hopefully, everything will either be wrapped up, settled, or satisfied by the next, and last, chapter.