Chances are my writing style sucks. Apologies, since I have no beta to proofread it.
The Men that Must Die, Part 5 - I Only Want to Say
In a decent apartment covered with plants and ornaments in the outskirts of the Minato prefecture lived a young amateur musician named Daisuke Aizawa. Twenty years old, enrolled at the Tokyo College of Music, and lead guitarist of up-and-coming teenage idol Venus Aino - Who, for all intents and purposes, was also his girlfriend, though they kept their relationship subdued to avoid the usual invasive tabloids. He lived and breathed music, and spent a good portion of his free time either practicing different styles of guitar playing, or busking in the streets of Tokyo, either on his own or together with his best friend and bandmate Agashi Okada. It was, after all, the way his mind and soul found to put his thoughts outwards.
As a surprisingly beautiful sunset of red hues shined its final beams upon that cold snowy day in Tokyo, Daisuke kept practicing his own self-imposed challenge on his apartment's balcony: Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill on the acoustic guitar. "Crud, I can never get it right," he lamented upon plucking the chords out of sync, then tried again. The chord progression per se was relatively easy, but the trick was to properly play the stop-and-go string plucks in time. In normal circumstances, he wouldn't mind trying again and again until he felt he improved, but at that time... He felt like it was all a waste of time.
"Daisuke?" A feminine voice called for him. It was his mother Tomie, a plastic artist by trade and passion and a spitting image of her son, except for the pixie haircut and the Kabbalistic Tree tattoo on her right forearm. She noticed that different from usual, he was not particularly content when playing an instrument. "Pushing yourself way too hard again, I suppose?"
Upon seeing her, the young man smiled. "Ah, mom... You know it just as well as me. An artist is never content."
"Oh, that's bull, and you know it!" Tomie chipperly affirmed. "Come on, there's something else in your mind."
Daisuke put aside his guitar, pondered for a while, and properly answered. "What would you say if I were to tell you... I would risk my life for something important?"
Her expression tightened a little bit, though not enough to look truly worried. "You know I'd always support you in anything you try to do," she simply said. "I'd simply say, go for it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?"
"I knew you'd be understanding. I sure have the best mom in the world!" Daisuke told her while drawing a big smile.
"And I have the best son ever!" Tomie said as she gave a quick hug to his pride and joy. "Now if you excuse me, I gotta prepare our night tea."
Daisuke saw his mother leave for the kitchen, unhappy for not really venting the true reason for his anguish. In fact, it only made him feel more upset. He pulled his shirt's collar and saw the mark Kunzite had branded right in the middle of his chest. He knew he was marked to die, and he knew both his mother and his girlfriend would suffer, not to mention Agashi, the rest of his bandmates and God knows whoever else. But he also felt it was necessary, somehow. Was that not the tale of Jesus? He also thought. Ah, hell, why am I comparing myself to Jesus? Different whole levels...
He got up, drew both a deck of cards and a pack of menthol cigarettes. He was down to one ciggie, and whenever he shuffled his deck, whatever card he drew was a Joker. This doesn't bode well, he thought. He picked up his guitar once more, and instead of further practicing Solsbury Hill, he started playing something ominous. Something sad and angsty. Something to force catharsis out of his system.
For the first time since he learned of the nuances of art as a form of expression, it didn't work.
Ten months earlier...
Just starting out with the band that the record company arranged, Minako was having a particular jam session with the lead guitarist Daisuke, where he showed the blond star in the making a nice ballad sung in English. The idea was to get inspiration on what to compose, which by demand of the label, had to be easy-listening but with a bit of honest feeling put into it.
"What is that song called again?" asked Minako as the guitarist finished the song.
"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, by Bee Gees," he answered. "Don't tell me you've never heard it.
"I think I did, but don't remember... But, it's beautiful! It's songs like this that I wish I could write."
"And you can!" the young musician assured her. "Don't feel pressured to do it all at once. It comes naturally when you truly put your heart into it."
"Can I really?" Minako asked with a pang of curiosity in her voice. "How?"
"See, music, like all art forms, are ways to express ourselves. The lyrics, like poetry, express deep feelings put to words. Sometimes it only makes sense to us, sometimes it clicks with everyone at once, especially when coupled with music. If... We can work together in this, I'm sure you can not only make likable music, but express yourself the way you want. Your anger, your worries, your love... Let it all out through your art. Write words, mesh together phrases that you feel are exposing what you wish to say, invent new ways to say something that has already been said..."
Minako couldn't be more enticed by Daisuke's talk. She was more than inspired to put her feelings into words then and there... If only there were material for it, that is. A few silent moments passed where they stared at each other's eyes, lost in their respective colors. Both blushed when they noticed they spent way too much time staring at blue and grey. Daisuke cleared his throat and resumed his explanation. "So yeah, I think you get the gist of what I just told you."
"I sure do. I also have a couple of friends who are also into composing music," Minako mentioned, thinking of Ami and Rei. "Do you think they could help us out?"
"I don't see why not!" he affirmed in earnest. "You and your friends write the lyrics, while I and Agashi get to write the music, okay? Later we can discuss the proper share of credits, too. Just remember, every song ever composed is personal to its writer. Write and express what you, and you alone, want to say."
The blond girl sighed and daydreamed for a short while. "So... Can you play me something else? Something lovely, just like what you just played."
And the silver-blond-haired youngster picked up his guitar once more. "Sure, I'd love to."
(~~)
Diary Entry
How I missed putting my thoughts to paper.
This may not have been the ideal body, but little by little I am growing accustomed to it. Perhaps... I may not need the body of Adonis' proper reincarnation after all.
But what truly gets me is the necessity for love and companionship flaring up in my chest and in my loins at a constant rate. This I did not expect once I began having bodily functions once more. It appears to be purely physical, and yet...
No. I will not give in to this kind of caprice. I am here for a mission, and this is what I should focus on.
The Heavenly Kings were proven great as a mere diversion, even if I knew they wouldn't be able to hurt their former lovers. Without them to interfere in my father's plans, Fréamund was able to properly open a rift between the Universe and the Hades. And tonight, we shall have a feast of souls to prove it.
(~~)
Usagi, Ami, Makoto and Luna reached Hikawa Shrine earlier in the afternoon to offer some comfort to Rei in the wake of Yuuichirou's death. Grandpa Hino and his son Toshirou organized a simple, makeshift funeral in the fireplace room, and in the lack of Buddhist monks, they were the ones chanting Shinto prayers for the departed soul.
"Usagi..." Rei murmured while keeping her head low. "Forgive me."
"Huh? For what?"
"All those times you tried to hook me up with Yuuichirou, and I never accepted... You were the biggest proponent for us becoming a couple, and I never heard you... And now that it's too late, I regret it all..."
"It's alright, Rei," Usagi told her while offering a sympathetic embrace. "Please, be strong, like I know you are."
"I'm trying... I'm damn well trying, but it's so hard," the dark-haired girl answered while fighting back the will to cry. "It's so hard..."
Ami and Luna checked closer on the young man's corpse, but there were no signs of life, like there were on Ryo. His body was in rigor mortis, completely immobile, though serene in aspect. All it did was fill the blue-haired girl with more grief and anxiety.
Makoto herself was too moved to offer any consolation words - After all, it wasn't too long she had lost Shinozaki, and the sight of Yuuichirou's body wrapped in a linen shroud, missing his left arm and his right eye, only reminded of the circumstances of her own beloved's death. Her tears went down without so much a single sob.
"I sense an evil presence," suddenly murmured Rei. Soon after, Usagi felt her Compact vibrating. Evil was approaching the city once more. All four girls got up at the same time, for they were needed elsewhere.
"Grandpa, uncle Toshirou... We need to go," Rei warned her relatives.
Her grandfather nodded, and as the girls and the cat left, he murmured: "Good luck in your sacred mission."
(xx)
A whole rebellion was about to break out at the Tama Youth Detention Center when transferred inmate Kenzou Bunkamura started chanting non-stop inside his cell, even including bashing his hands and his head against the wall and the door. It appeared the constant noise annoyed the other prisoners so much, they threatened him with physical violence if he didn't stop.
"Pipe down, you!" a guard barked out as he slammed the door in Kenzou's face. "You've been chanting that shit ever since you arrived here!"
"Don't you guys understand? I have to do this! Otherwise, it will be time..."
"Time? For what?"
"FOR DOOM!"
Blood trickled from Kenzou's eye sockets, and soon after he exploded into a non-descript mass of entrails and blood that covered the guard that went to heckle him, and whose body joined the mass in complete obliteration. A sea of blood and innards inundated the cells and eventually the entire block, contaminating all the unfortunate inmates and workers that it touched.
The damned souls of the deceased in that macabre event formed a giant and visible mass that took the shape of a large skeleton that broke through the structures of the prison facility. In constant but lumbering steps, it crawled towards the megalopolis, and those that lived in the suburbs, disturbed by the sound of grating teeth piercing through their hearing, were the first to see the indescribably terrifying sight.
"A GASHADOKURO!"
It advanced slowly, but left a wake of visible destruction across its path from the Detention Center towards the city of Tokyo.
With no other choice, a state of emergency was issued by the prefectural government, with a warning being broadcasted by all of Tokyo's major media outlets. The people were advised to stay isolated at home until further notice.
The only people who dared to go outside and face the fearful sight were the Special Defense Forces. Tanks and artillery were deployed for the first time in decades, and a warning shot was released. It passed through the Gashadokuro, confirming the deepest fears of the contingent.
As it advanced, the gigantic yokai used its bony hand to grab four soldiers, crushing them on its grasp and letting their blood and remains fall like squeezed fruits. The vision was so terrifying, several of the remaining troopers ended up throwing up. The higher-ups decided not to deploy aerial bombardments. The war machinery stayed stationary, hopelessly waiting for their demise.
Before it could crawl inside the metropolis proper, Sailor Moon, plus Mercury and Jupiter, made it to its path, even if they were at a loss about what to do to stop it. "How do you suppose we can destroy that thing?" the leading heroine inquired.
"I will help you in this," a male voice requested.
All the present recognized the white-clad enigmatic hero. "You're Phantom Ace, right?" Sailor Moon asked. "How exactly can you help us?"
"My presence alone makes it flinch," he answered confidently.
"But... How!?" Sailor Mercury inquired.
"They recognize their superior in me, for I am his human part. Now make use of this, and attack its weak point."
"Weak point?" asked Sailor Jupiter.
"Its eyeball," came a familiar voice. It was Rei, still shaken but determined to eliminate the threat that loomed over the city. "The folk tale states its only vulnerable point is its sole eye. And if you check it closer..."
Sailor Mercury used her visor and mini-computer for further analysis. And indeed, the yokai had a semi-intangible eyeball on its right socket.
"Rei, do you have a plan?"
"This going to require every bit of energy in my body... But there is no other way. You must hit its eye to grab its attention towards me. Meanwhile... I will create a holy barrier with my spiritual energy."
"You can do it, Rei," assured Sailor Moon. "Stay alive."
She silently nodded, took a deep breath, then threw her hand to the heavens and called for her improved powers: "Mars Eternal, Make Up!"
As the other heroes ran towards the Gashadokuro, Eternal Sailor Mars prepared her ethereal bow, where the symbol of Mars shined mightly on its grip. "Ave Phoenix Strike!" She called as she shot three fiery arrows that formed a flaming bird, soaring towards its target. It hit the Gashadokuro's sole eye, which made it write in pain for the first time. Covering its eye, it could not see the advance of the Sailor Guardians and of Phantom Ace.
"Aqua Rhapsody!" Sailor Mercury then used the frozen moisture of the air ahead of them to create a sloped walkway towards their target. Phantom Ace, plus Sailors Moon and Jupiter went quickly towards it.
"Where the hell is Minako!?" the Guardian of Thunder asked. Nobody knew how to answer.
In the meantime, Sailor Mars split a few paper amulets and spread their pieces in front of her, chanting a special prayer that amped up her spiritual energy. "Holy ancient spirits, heed my call. Lend me your power, to protect your land and your heirs! Rin, pyo, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen!"
Her eyes glowed crimson red, and her call created a glimmering mass that slowly crept up and formed a barrier. Sailor Mars concentrated all her mind into raising it, while the others tried to divert its path towards the Guardian of Fire.
But once they managed to reach the Gashadokuro's skull, they saw none other than Kunzite atop it, mildly pleased to see his intended prey. "As expected."
The white-clad hero's blood ran cold upon seeing him. "You're here to kill me, are you not?"
"Just retributing the favor," the Heavenly King spoke in a grave tone. "After all, thanks to you... I became a full-fledged Heavenly King back then."
Obviously, this confused all the others.
"Save the history lesson for another time. Go ahead and do your duty, before I change my mind," Phantom Ace ordered.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Sailor Moon interrupted. "You're here to kill him!? Like the rest killed the others? But... Why?"
"Because he is my lover," the voice of Sailor Venus finally spoke out. All attentions turned to her, and the Guardian of Love was visibly upset, as if she was grieving before the act was consummated.
"You're here to see me die," Phantom Ace murmured under his breath.
(xx)
It was almost time for Mamoru to come back to Japan, and the young man couldn't wait for it. On that morning, he woke up with feverish sweat, nausea and shortness of breath. Nothing he took from his first aid kit made any effect, and he knew why: It was the planet itself that hurt him. Something dark was going on, and he needed to assist the Sailor Guardians as soon as possible.
"So, are you feeling fine?" Asanuma asked as they walked the dormitory blocks down to the cafeteria.
"Yeah, no biggie," Mamoru lied. He didn't want to concern his friends at Harvard, lest he'd implicate them as well in his secret struggle.
Alongside Ittou Asanuma came his Linguistics colleague, Kazuchika Endou, who led the entourage that translated the strange tome they found, and whom Mamoru helped out in some manner. After proper introductions, the three of them sat on the campus' cafeteria for breakfast and to discuss what they had translated from the strange tome so far. For the most part, it was a back-and-forth between Asanuma and Endou.
"You know who authored this book, according to its cover?" Asanuma asked rhetorically. "A person by the name Titor. What can you infer from that?"
"It's a man, and he's a time traveler, I guess," answered Endou, intrigued.
"Could very well be. Or maybe this is all an elaborate prank in which the guy tried his hand to write a new Voynich Manuscript and this all means nothing?"
"If it is... It's very well elaborated, filled with literally otherwordly tales of societies that inhabited the other planets of the Solar System. Imagine that!"
"So anyway, what did you guys find during the week?" Endou then asked.
"I... Found some requirements for the rise of the supposed final kingdom of Earth," Mamoru had to give out half-story since he actually managed to translate his part completely. It was, after all, a tome written in the languages of the Silver Millenium, and his dormant memories somehow made him have a better grasp to what exactly it read.
"In my case, I found something about ancient rulers," Asanuma intervened. "It's quite a tale, and didn't make much sense."
"Really now? Care to tell us?" asked a curious Mamoru. To this, Asanuma showed them his manuscript and compared to the text and images.
"HEAVENLY KINGS"
Four valorous leaders and warriors which form the personal guard of the Prince/King of Terra, as well as one part of the duumvirate of the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter.
They must die to take their vows in the river Styx, train their combat skills in the Hades, then come back to life.
They may keep their names given at birth, but in some manner or other must adopt these names from the old Order of Jade: JADEITE, NEPHRITE, ZOISITE, and KUNZITE.
Asanuma then showed an illustration of four men in military clothes, each holding hands with a woman in a regal dress. All the figures looked incredibly familiar to Mamoru.
They must take for wives the Sailor Guardians - Warrior Princesses/Queens of the Galactic Commonwealth - to guarantee a stronghold in the rulers' defenses, and a clean and powerful offspring. The couples are to honor in equal parts their role in defending the Terran Prince and the Lunarian Princess, and rule upon their kingdoms with fairness, honor and love. Each couple must sire a single child, a woman which will inherit their mothers' Planet Crystal.
Once their daughters are of age to acquire their sacred powers, the Kings must look for the next batch, slay them so they can reach the Styx, then return them to life through the Dark Gems in possession of the King of Terra. The chosen men will receive the needed items shortly before their death.
Love is not a factor in the choosing of the Kings, for there may be complications in the long run. The Sailor Guardians may fall for weak and unable men that are not fit for ruling and fighting, which will greatly impair the livelihood of the people they are responsible of taking care of.
There are special occasions in which another person may rule upon their respective planet, such as a relative. This can only happen if a Heavenly King was not found in time, or the Sailor Guardian is not of age. In the rare occasion the Heavenly King and the Warrior Queen do not bear a female heir, she must be immediately sought after among the populace at large, with the male heir serving as an interim ruler.
"After this, you can see an extensive list of all these so-called Heavenly Kings, and what I believe are data like the length of their reigns and such," concluded Asanuma.
"So, Mamoru, what did you find?" Endou asked him, which snapped him out of some kind of trance he was upon hearing of this.
"Oh, yeah... Check it out, this part of the book describing the supposed kingdom that may appear from out of nowhere." The young man then pointed to a two-page spread where a crystalline structure with a couple holding hands in front of it. Turning the page, a description of the place:
"THE PALACE OF SHEER CRYSTAL"
Home of the King and the Queen of the Galactic Commonwealth, symbolizes the End of History and the beginning of the Eternal Utopia. The most magnificent structure to ever be erected, it cannot be built by human hands, but rather rises upon itself after certain requirements are met.
It is founded upon five points, each representing one of the five planets of the Inner Solar System, kept by their respective rulers.
The Queen is the direct offspring of an Angel and a Goddess. The King's forebears are a prophet, a sage, a warlord and a natural ruler.
Should the rulers be strong of heart and kind of soul, the kingdom will be MERKABA. Everlasting peace and prosperity shall come for commoners and patricians alike.
Should the rulers be weak-willed, given to the darkness that dwells in their hearts, and corrupted in their soul, the kingdom will be CARCOSA. Unspeakable creatures of unknown dimensions shall roam and terrorize the Universe forevermore.
"Neat," commented Asanuma. "I heard of those words before, but only in fictional works. So, anything else?"
"Ehh... Nothing else." In reality, he was omitting a few things he found, so as to not alarm nobody else. "Let's just assume this is just an elaborate work of fiction and go from there."
After returning to his dorm room, Mamoru could finally unload his anguish in a deep sigh. The structure he saw drawn there... It was exactly like the royal palace of Crystal Tokyo. And the two rulers that stood in front of it were himself as the future King Endymion, and Usagi as the Neo-Queen Serenity. And the whole thing about the Heavenly Kings, their relationship with the Sailor Guardians, as well as their roles... It all made Mamoru's head spin like almost nothing else did. Especially since it all made sense, somehow. But he couldn't explain to anyone near him this was all true, and he was an important piece of this "otherwordly tale" as Asanuma had put it earlier.
What truly disturbed Mamoru, however, was what he intentionally left out. The biggest factor in the rise of this kingdom, which he omitted from Asanuma and Endou... was the life force of all of humanity.
Eternal Utopia, where death dies ignominiously, spelled the other page. The use of life force would not signify the death of humanity and of all life on Earth, but all its contrary: A full stasis, like a moment frozen in time, of either a good or a bad period in which nothing changed.
Is that really what I would want in a position of power? Is that what Usako would want, if we ruled the world as King and Queen? Is that right for the World as a whole? The questions revolved around Mamoru's head. Little by little, the state of unrest in which he started his day came back.
Sitting in front of his open side drawer, he saw three green jewels of different shapes and textures. "Where did those come from?" He told himself. Mamoru picked them up, analyzed them, and felt nothing unusual. But still, he decided to keep them. If they appeared so suddenly, it is because there was a reason... Which came just as he put them back on the jewel box: The Shadow Gems!
Loud knocks on his door broke Mamoru's concentration before he could rationalize further. He got up, opened it, and saw Endou wide-eyed as if he was spooked by something.
"Endou? What happened?"
"Dude, turn on to CNN! There's something major going on in Tokyo!"
(xx)
All the waking world's attentions were gazing at the terrifying sight of a giant skeleton crawling towards Tokyo. Japan's SDF was a complete sitting duck at the situation, and the witnesses that isolated themselves in the fleeting comfort of their homes couldn't help but hold to their sanity by a thread. Older people were on the verge of collapse, reminded of the horrors of World War II and of the folk tales of their youth beings concretized.
Only the Sailor Guardians could help, but one had her own conflict with two belligerent men that diverged briefly the matter at hand.
Eternal Sailor Mars kept chanting her prayer while the glimmering barrier still rose up. The more time passed, the Gashadokuro approached further and perhaps even faster, and the Guardian of Fire was losing her usual bluster, faltering on her resolve and reflecting on her power. "No... This has to work... This has to! Make it quick, girls..."
Noticing the people atop its skull, the Gashadokuro stopped its crawl and tried to swat everyone with its bony hand... Only for it to be parried by Sailor Jupiter's Mjolnir Thunderclap.
"What the hell," Phantom Ace lamented. "I thought it would not attack us..."
"Kunzite... Or Aniruddha, whatever. We were together in the Silver Millenium, were we not? You and your other bastards clawed your way from Hell to kill the men we love, thinking you could be with us, is that right?" To this accusation, Kunzite did not answer. "Answer me, you monster!"
"This I cannot tell you," he resigned himself to say.
"I... I can't hold it any longer!" Sailor Jupiter complained as the Gashadokuro's hand was almost quashing her. "Sailor Moon... Help me out here!"
The leader of the Sailor Guardians helped her companion by going to her side while releasing some of her holy magic to reinforce the materialized mallet of sheer lightning.
Sailor Mars was on the verge of collapsing when the Gashadokuro finally stepped into her trap, enticed by its allure. As soon as it touched the barrier, the yokai started to dematerialize, the souls that composed its body quickly transported to the Hades. The stationed SDF troopers, as well as the people of Tokyo at large, released a collective sigh of relief when the fearsome sight was no more.
Kunzite immediately grabbed Phantom Ace and jumped away, knowing well of the holy aura being released which could affect him before his personal mission was done. Sailor Venus naturally followed them, landing on her feet.
Moon, Mercury and Jupiter fell to where Mars had passed out, whereas Kunzite and Phantom Ace fell several feet away, at the foot of a hill. Such a fall would have made lesser people splatter all over the floor, but instead, they all got up, hurt but whole.
"You're one tough nut to crack," Kunzite complained to Phantom Ace as they got up. "Did you know that?"
Phantom Ace simply laughed. "That's what my mom always said. Can I at least... Give one last goodbye to Minako?"
"What... No, Phantom Ace!" Venus cried out just as she arrived. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I believe you noticed a pattern. Your sisters-in-arms lost the men they have chosen in this day and age, and the same is about to happen to you. Yet, there is a good reason for this, and it is for your own good. You have to let me go..."
"No... NO! I WON'T!"
"Don't be stubborn, Venus," Kunzite affirmed. "He is right."
"Shut up!"
Phantom Ace drew his last cigarette, lit it, and took a puff. Afterward, he drew a deck of cards from inside his shirt. "See? Hanafuda cards. They always bring good fortunes in their predictions." He shuffled the deck and drew three cards. "Butterflies. Death. The Fenghuang. Rebirth. Kotobuki tanzaku. Long life. Nothing to worry about."
Sailor Venus was too aghast to make heads or tails of Phantom Ace's strange prediction.
"Do it," Phantom Ace requested Kunzite. The Heavenly King pointed his palm towards him and gathered dark energy for quick release, and in instinctive response, the Guardian of Love pointed her index finger against him.
"I'm going to blow your head off..."
Kunzite simply shook his head. "That to me is no problem."
"DO IT!" Phantom Ace yelled.
"No! NO!"
Two shots of light. Two male bodies plummeting on the floor, their heads with bleeding fatal wounds. One girl in complete shock fell to her knees, her face and breast sullen with blood, skull shards and grey matter.
Something inside Minako's mind snapped upon wiping her face. Her eyes widened and twitched, her throat stifled a scream, and her lips opened a grin. The smile was not of happiness, irony or relief. It was a sign of her mind, playing tricks on her body while slipping towards the edge of sanity.
When the other Sailor Guardians managed to find the aftermath of the event, with Sailor Jupiter carrying Mars on her side, all they saw was the smoldering ashes of what was once the reborn body of Kunzite, and the body of Phantom Ace without the upper left part of his head.
As always, Sailor Moon was the first to offer a helping hand to a grieving friend. "Are you alright?"
She snickered for a bit before she answered. "I just lost... The love I always wanted... And you ask me if I'm alright?"
"Venus... I'm so sorry."
"Shut up."
"Excuse me!?"
"You heard me! Spare me your phony sympathy, will you?"
Sailor Jupiter intervened. "What's the matter with you, Sailor Venus!?"
"Do you have... Any idea of what this mission does to one's mind?" Sailor Venus answered while sobbing. "Did you think... It wouldn't take a toll on my mind!?"
"It takes a huge toll, and we all know it," argued Sailor Mercury. "That doesn't excuse you from lashing out like that."
Venus trembled as her tears trickled down. "Then what the fuck am I supposed to do? I'm sick and tired of running around in these ridiculous suits, looking like a tacky tart, shooting silly frilly beams, and hoping peace on Earth comes when the right bad guy is down and out. It never comes! Never!"
"ENOUGH!" Sailor Mercury yelled. And if she yelled, it meant something serious was about to go down. "Venus, you have no idea what you are talking about!"
"Don't I really? Or did you convince yourself into thinking you have any idea?"
"Do you think you're the only one who lost the man she loved!?" Sailor Mars managed to speak, barely able to stand on her feet with the help of Sailor Jupiter. "Ami, Makoto and me... We also saw the men we loved... murdered, right before our very eyes! The pain you have... We all share it."
Sailor Moon tried again to approach the grieving Guardian. "I... Understand you must be hurting and upset..."
"No, you don't!" Venus yelled while snapping Sailor Moon's hand. "Especially you, Usagi! You still have him, the destined heart-throb of your dreams, with the ugly green jacket and his stupid purple pleated pants!"
This naturally upset Sailor Moon. "Don't talk of Mamo-chan like that!"
"This is all fine and dandy to you, isn't it? We'd get to serve as your flunkies, while you get to frolic around with the guy you love! Or is that the guy you convinced yourself into loving because of destiny, like we most likely did with those... those... Heavenly Kings or what have you?"
"What the hell... has gotten into you!?" Sailor Jupiter cried out.
"I'll tell you what has gotten into me!" Her eyes were wide open, and the smile on her face, insincere and instinctive, opened even wider. "I don't want to be a Sailor Guardian anymore!"
All the others gasped upon hearing this.
"What the fuck!?" Sailor Mars spat out. "You can't just give up on being a Sailor Guardian!"
"I can and I am!"
By this time, everyone was seething in rage in one way or another. "I didn't ask for this. None of you did. And look what it did to you. You're in a constant state of alert, unable to carry on a normal life... A life that will go on forever, without family and loved ones, whom we will outlive! Whatever dreams we may have... To succeed on our own, to pursue happiness and purpose... Destiny will go out of its way to burn it all down, so we can carry this goddamned duty! Do you really want to suffer this?"
"We have all suffered. We all have died and came back! And we have risen above it all, time and time again," argued Sailor Jupiter. "We can still pursue our dreams and carry our duty! Wasn't that what Astar wanted for us? I'm sure neither he nor Sailor Moon wouldn't want either of us unhappy in any way..."
"Indeed, I don't," Sailor Moon pleaded. "For all of you... I'd give up everything! But still... The dangers in this world, only we can combat it."
"Is that it? Are you... resigned to this fate? To live forever, fighting and hoping, time and time again, for the end of something that will never end? To live for God knows how long, battling every threat that ever appears in a Universe that constantly throws threats upon itself every single day, while everything and everyone we ever care about dies and rots away?"
No one answered.
"Your silence speaks more than any half-assed excuse. So please... Don't come after me. Not tomorrow, nor ever. The least I see you, the better. Consider this my formal release request. Goodbye."
"Sailor Venus!" Mercury shouted as she turned her back.
"Let her go," Sailor Moon requested. "She doesn't want to be helped. She made her choice... and we should respect it."
Detransformed and with a lowered head, Minako started her long way home, stopping only to carry the corpse of Daisuke Aizawa, still in his Phantom Ace garments. There was no one that did not shed tears upon her abandonment, especially Minako herself. All she wanted at that moment was to disappear, preferably once and for all. To close herself, far away from judging sights. That day, it was Daisuke. Some other days, it will be her parents and relatives. In other days, her classmates and acquaintances, one by one. All things would pass, except for her and the future Queendom she foolishly swore to protect... And all she could do was bury the dead and see them turn into dust, their names and deeds left behind.
Only two men rejoiced upon the sight of Minako Aino renouncing to her duty as a Sailor Guardian, hidden from their sight.
"Damn that Aniruddha... He destroyed my human body!" Dis Pater complained. "And they made short notice of the giant skeleton. Poor Kenzou... His sacrifice was in vain! But I guess it doesn't matter now, does it?"
"Indeed," Fréamund added. "But let us concentrate on the aftermath. Venus is broken, and she has given in to the darkness in her heart. It won't be long before the others give in as well."
"The seeds of discord are well planted among the Sailor Guardians. Something gained after all, dear Fréamund. Let's see what father has to say about this."
(xx)
Mamoru only felt worse upon seeing the breaking news about the Gashadokuro creeping around Tokyo. Once Endou left, he vomited on his bathroom, his body sweltered in a constant fever, his head felt constantly dizzy, and to make matters worse, the skin on his arms and torso showed red blots. For all people knew, he was having a severe allergic reaction to something, but only Mamoru himself knew the truth: The Earth was on severe danger, and he, as the personified protector of the planet, was the one who suffered the most from the ills that, unbeknownst to him, Hell itself was inflicting.
He reached for the jewel box in his drawer, in the quasi-vain hope to see if it could help. Now, there were four green gems on his possession... And they floated ahead of him, projecting images of Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite and Kunzite.
"Master Endymion, how glad we are to see you again," first spoke Jadeite. "By this time, you must be aware of who we were, and how we came to be, is that not right?"
"Heavenly Kings..." Mamoru felt a mixture of joy and apprehension at their sight. "Yes, I am aware. So it's true, you were... My personal guard in the Silver Millenium."
"Indeed," Nephrite confirmed. "More than that, we were your friends. But we strayed from the path, and unspeakable tragedy split us. The time has come to rekindle the bonds, but now... With new companions, fit for battle and for ruling, to break the Cycle once and for all."
The images of the Heavenly Kings dissipated, and then showed the images of four young men in apparent sleep.
"I know two of them... Under less than pleasant circumstances, that is," Mamoru said, referring to his past encounters with Ryo and Yuuichirou. "But the other two... I'm afraid I don't know them."
"Don't worry about it," Zoisite reassured him. "We also barely knew each other, if at all, when we became Heavenly Kings ourselves."
"But now, Master, it is a different occasion," Kunzite finally spoke. "Different from us, and different from our predecessors, these men earned the honest love of the Sailor Guardians. These men are currently treading in the Underworld due to our actions, as the bloody tradition demanded, and it is up to you to bring them back in their due time."
Mamoru nodded. "And why are you doing this?"
"We love the Sailor Guardians in our own way, and we want them and their descendants to be happy," Jadeite answered. "Even if we never truly loved each other when we were together, we nurtured something special for each other nonetheless. And though their history is sullen with blood and violence, including what we have done, we do not wish them to suffer any longer than they already do."
"Us and them, we shall help in the closing of the gap between Hell and Earth, from both ends," added Nephrite. "Just now, Tokyo is being run over by demons of all sorts, and things will only get worse if none of us act in time."
"Hell... Is that what is causing this?"
"Exactly," Zoisite warned. "And as such, it is of utmost importance that you must return to Tokyo at once. For one, the earthly bodies of the chosen ones lay in their death-like slumber there. You may have an idea of the grief the Sailor Guardians must be going through without them... All we ask is for you to understand why we have done what we did."
"Use these jewels upon them," Kunzite finished. "These will serve as their new Star Seeds. Deposit them on their foreheads, and they will awaken once they complete their training and take their vows. Waste no more time, Master, and do your part in the Holy War that awaits us."
"One more thing," inquired Mamoru. "The tale of the Eternal Utopia... Of Merkaba and Carcosa... Is it true?"
To this question, the Heavenly Kings silently looked and spoke to each other. "It's up to you and your beloved," Kunzite answered. "Do what you believe is better for you and for all the Universe. We shall accept what you order."
"Very well then. I will carry on this duty. Thank you... My friends."
They all smiled and nodded, and then their images disappeared. The sight was enough to relieve Mamoru of his illness and his anxiety, if only for the moment.
He got up, searched around his wardrobe for his travel luggage and started taking off all the clothes and belongings he had kept. "That's it. I'm returning to Tokyo right away. I hope it's not too late..."
(xx)
Atop a hill near the field where the Gashadokuro's remains fell, Dis Pater and his dark servant Fréamund found an unlikely sight: Some sort of pig's head on a spike, oozing blood and pus from its holes, with flies hovering in circles around it. Both kneeled as the head opened its empty eyes.
The first to speak was Fréamund, recognizing the one about to speak to them. "He of the many names, let me call you with the one you have chosen. Lord of the Underworld, Lucifer."
"Oh, my dear father," spoke Dis Pater. "I thank you greatly for this opportunity. How do they say? Oh yes... Thy will is done!"
"And I, Dis Pater, commend you for a job well done," the effigy spoke in a guttural voice. "Do not worry for your earthly reincarnation. Your work so far has been satisfactory in my eyes... But why stop here? Do you not wish for power beyond your reach? Even the Gods that are coming shall bend to your command."
"I... Was never one to give in to the appeal of power positions, father..."
"Oh, my child, do not think of this as a position of power," the pig's head kept talking, now emitting a glow through its dead eyes. "Think of it more as a supervision title, to oversee humanity, and assure they no longer stray from their path and hear despots like Serenity and Endymion."
"This I do not mind doing," Dis Pater spoke while smiling. "Yes, I accept it."
"Splendid! I trust you can make a good job. Leave the rest to me. I shall summon my Legionnaires to oversee the next course of action, considering the Heavenly Kings are once more under my current domains. As for you, I already have something in mind for you and your helper."
"And what shall it be, father?"
The pig's head gave out what could only be described as a malicious grin. "Begin the proceedings for the rise of Carcosa."
Thanks to all my followers and casual readers who suffered so far. You're few but very cherished!
Gracias especial a ti litakino1987, que acompañas el fic sin reproche y dejas tus muy bienvenidos reviews!
Next chapter: How the villains came to be, from the Silver Millenium to the present day.
Greetings from the Hospitaller Knight.