Sailor Moon: An Ancient Force Rises Chapter 19: Episode 18: Koumei, a Sailor Moon + Warframe Crossover fanfic

Episode 18: Koumei

Usagi and Rei return to Earth, walking out of Haruka's apartment and heading to Usagi's car.

(Usagi) So. Wanna check out the Hikawa Shrine?- Oh!

As the two walked outside, they saw that the Sun was beginning to set.

(Rei) What, what is it?

Usagi pulled out her phone, beginning to fumble with the keypad.

(Usagi) Heh, gotta let my Mom and Dad know I'll be out a bit late tonight.

(Rei) Okay. And yeah, let's go to Hikawa. But what're the chances that Warframe will be there?

(Usagi) Dunno, but it's the closest one I remember how to get to.

(Rei) *Sigh* Sometimes I forget you're still just a little silly.

(Usagi) Hey, I'm cool with who I am. But no time for that, get in.

(Rei) Oh... please, just drive safe. I thought you were gonna kill us last time...

(Usagi) Rei, if I do that, we might miss that Warframe. No taking chances.

And with that, Rei jolted in her seat as Usagi backed up, and Usagi's tires screeched as she floored it on the streets of Tokyo.

As Usagi grinned with joy, Rei listened to the sound of the engine and the shifter as Usagi shifted, instinctively clasping her hands together and praying for her safety.

After just ten minutes, Rei heard the car slowing and looked around.

(Rei) Wow... and we're already here...

(Usagi) Yeah, better than taking longer.

Usagi got out, then so did Rei.

Usagi locked the car, and the two headed for the Hikawa Shrine, summoning their Warframes as they ascended the stairs.

The two walked up, and saw someone at the base of the main Shrine, bowed in prayer.

As the two entered the Shrine, they slowly walked into the middle of the courtyard.

As they stopped, the figure became clear. It wasn't a human. It was a Warframe. The Warframe ended her prayer and turned her head to see Garuda and Ember.

The Warframe nodded and gathered a pair of weapons at her side. A rifle and a polearm. Each bearing the same color schemes as their wielder. Red, White, Black and bronze, while sporting an orange energy.

As the winds blew upon the young night, the Warframe seemed to be like a doll on strings as it took in Usagi and Rei's forms.

(Rei/Ember) What the? She looks like a Shrine Maiden. How is that possible? She should predate ALL of Shino.

(Usagi/Garuda) More like she should predate EVERY religion.

(Rei) Hey... have you noticed something?

(Usagi) Yeah?

(Rei) While we've been talking, she's just been looking at us.

(Usagi) And?

Rei transferred out of her Warframe, standing in front of Koumei.

In one swift moment, Koumei ran up to Rei, embracing her in a tight embrace.

(Usagi) REI!

Usagi raised her crossbow at Koumei.

(Rei) It's fine. She's not hurting me at all. Maybe she just hasn't seen a person in a while.

(Rei) Koumei?

Koumei released Rei and stood before her, nodding.

(Rei) We need you to come with us. The Lotus needs you back with her.

Koumei stared at Rei for a second, before slowly shaking her head.

(Rei) It's okay. We're here to protect the Earth now. You can rest.

Koumei looked at Rei again for a minute, before turning around and beginning a walk to the Shrine.

(Rei) Koumei, wait.

(Usagi) Let me try.

Usagi walked towards Koumei, putting a firm hand on her shoulder.

As Garuda's hand touched Koumei, she jumped away, arming herself with her polearm.

The winds began to howl and a storm began to brew.

(Usagi) Rei! Get back in your Warframe. I got this.

Usagi summoned her talons, running at Koumei, and the two traded blows as Usagi tried to knock the Polearm out of Koumei's arms, just for her to parry Garuda's talons.

On one of the blows, Koumei was able to parry with enough force to knock Garuda back.

(Rei) Hey, you alright?!

(Usagi) Tricky little... I'm fine Rei. Just gonna kick this girl's ass.

Koumei walked to the middle of the path, and spread her hands out before her, as strings began appearing in her hands.

(Koumei) Ito...wo... maki tsukeru...

Koumei launched the strings from her hands and they began to create a colorful web of threads. Her voice was female, rasy and old.

One landed near Garuda and Usagi, not observing, touched it, feeling a searing heat rush up her arm.

(Usagi) AH! Hot! Motha... Mmmm That burned..

(Rei) Hey, what's wrong?

(Usagi) Hey, whatever you do, do NOT touch those strings. This one just burned my hand.

(Usagi) And call me crazy, but I SWEAR, I just heard that Warframe speak.

(Rei) What? Nevermind.

Ember armed herself with her silenced submachine gun, aiming, but struggling to pinpoint her target.

(Usagi) Oooh... this might hurt...

(Rei) Usagi... what are you about to do?

(Usagi) You'll see...

Usagi transferred out of her Warframe, and used transference to sneak behind Koumei, tripping her from behind.

Koumei tried to sit up, but Garuda held a talon above her throat.

Koumei stared up at Garuda before what seemed like a sigh, emanated from the Warframe, as the energy from but dissipated, and Koumei went limp.

Five small, intricate dice rolled from the Maiden's Limp Hand.

(Usagi) Hm? Dice?

All of the dice rolled onto sixes, and the Warframe came back to life, side stepping Usagi and using another ability.

(Koumei) Sadame... Wa...

The dice were rolled again, this time coming up with a total of 20.

As the total locked in, 20 charms came into existence, floating around Koumei.

(Usagi) Shit, Rei, looks like the Lotus was serious. This Warframe literally depends on Fate.

(Rei) Yeah, lets see how she likes THIS!

Rei threw her glaive, allowing it to travel near Koumei before forcing it to return, detonating it's ability to create a sharp and dangerous whirlwind around itself, doing so while Koumei was in proximity.

As the Glaive returned to Rei, the two could see scratches on Koumei's surface.

But to their surprise, the Warframe seemed terrified of the damage, as it was healed by the charms it had surrounding it.

(Rei) Shit! Those charms are healing it.

Koumei moved like a bunraku doll on strings as it moved like a puppet towards Usagi, with strange movements mixed with a few fluid and swift actions as it now stood directly in front of Garuda, putting her face directly in front of Garuda's.

(Usagi) Hah! I'm not some scared little kid!

Garuda slashed her talons at Koumei, before jumping back, and hitting a thread that seemed to be frozen, and another that seemed to be electrified.

As she hit them, Usagi felt a sheer coldness in her back, as well as white hot pins and needles jabbing her in the back as electricity currents arced Garuda's back and the cold nibbled on her.

Jumping away from them, Rei saw.

(Rei) Ooh.. Hey, you okay?

(Usagi) Yeah I'm fine, where is she?

(Koumei) I know your fate... Rei... Hino... Sailor... Mars... E...M...B...E...R...

Rer heard the voice of Koumei. Even though Rei was inside of Ember, she still felt the Warframe's impossible breath, and how it made her skin crawl as she slashed the Warframe away with her glaive.

Koumei jumped away, but grabbed Ember/Rei's hand and began to dance with her.

Not sure whether taken by surprise, confusion or by Koumei's influence, Ember dropped the Glaive as Koumei began to dance with her as Usagi tried shooting her with her Nagantaka Crossbow

(Usagi) Rei! What the hell are you doing!?

(Rei) Shit! I- I can't!- She won't let go! Shoot her!

(Usagi) Okay, I'll try not to hit you.

Koumei danced with Ember, guiding Rei in ways that made sure that either Usagi would hit Koumei, miss Koumei and Ember, or even an angle at which Usagi wouldn't be able to shoot from.

Even as Koumei moved wildly with a mix of stiff and fluid motions, she spoke to Rei, even as bolts hit her, she didn't so much as flinch.

(Koumei) I... know... your...FATE.

(Rei) Why do you keep saying that!? What do you mean, FATE?

(Koumei) I can show you your fate, Rei Hino, Shrine Maiden.

After taking another bolt, Koumei leaned in again as she removed the bolt.

(Koumei) I can reveal your future, Rei Hino, Sailor Mars.

After another dodge as she continued dancing with Rei, Koumei leaned in again.

(Koumei) I can show you your FATE, Rei Hino! Operator of Ember, Princess of the Iron Kingdom of the Orokin Empire!

At that, the last Charm flew to Koumei's aid as another bolt lodged itself in Koumei's chest, and she removed it.

And Koumei leaned in, even closer than the other times.

(Koumei) I know who you are.

Koumei then pushed Rei to Usagi's side, unnerved.

(Usagi) Hey, what's wrong? What did she do?

(Rei) Usagi, she... I don't know how... but... she spoke.

(Usagi) Yeah, like, her abilities right? We already heard that.

(Rei) No, she actually spoke, full words, sentences, like a person. She even knew WHO I was in the Orokin Empire.

(Usagi) Hm... Rei. I wanna go. Let me get a look firsthand.

Ember put out her hand in front of Garuda.

(Rei) Are you crazy, NO! We need to contain her and return her to the Lotus, not dance around until the sun comes up!

Garuda calmly put Ember's hand down, as she sheathed her talons and holstered her Crossbow over her shoulder.

(Usagi) SO. You wanna dance, let's.

Garuda put out her hand, and Koumei hesitantly walked towards her, and took it softly, before pulling Garuda into an intricate dance, just as she had done with Ember.

(Usagi) Alright, lets do this.

As Koumei led the dance, Usagi began to match the Warframe's movement, her dance slowly getting more fluid and in tune with Koumei's, following her movements, before matching them with her own.

(Koumei) My... stars... I cannot believe... it is thee...

Koumei's voice changed. The raspiness and old gave way to a smooth and mature voice, one that seemed calm as she danced with Garuda, avoiding her touch with Garuda's talons.

(Usagi) Oh? You know me?

(Koumei) Of course, I know you. You are Usagi Tsukino, Local Mechanic...

(Koumei) You are Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Moon.

(Koumei) But you...

Koumei nodded while tilting her head fondly at Usagi.

(Koumei) You are Serenity. Princess Serenity of the Silver Millenium, heir to the Queen Serenity.

Koumei finished the dance before letting go of Garuda.

(Koumei) To each of these faces you hold, past, present and future... I know your fate.

(Usagi) And what does that mean?

(Koumei) I, have the ability to show you your fate, so allow me to-

The energy flickered around Koumei, and she fell to the ground.

(Usagi) H-Hey! Are you okay?

(Rei) What's wrong?

(Koumei) H-Hah... I-It seems that I've never saw my own fate, as it came into my arms...

Koumei's energy began flickering rapidly.

(Koumei) It seems that I will finally be able to rest now...

Koumei looked up at the night sky, seeing the Moon.

(Koumei) H-hah... Was Lua always so b-beautiful?

Usagi walked a few steps away, before transferring out of Garuda, and going back, kneeling at Koumei's side, putting a hand on the Warframe's cold face.

(Usagi) For as long as I can remember...

(Koumei) W-Wow...

The energy flickered again, and Koumei's light faded even further.

(Koumei) I... I always loved to dance, in the olden days... It looked similar to this... I would dance, wondering if I would ever get to hold someone so unique and special...

(Koumei) B-But... I was resigned to this form after I was struck down during the later stages of the rebellion... Can you believe it? The Orokin loved preaching, but they tore down a Shrine Maiden...

Koumei's hand shakily rose to hold Usagi's hand, and Usagi held Koumei's, feeling the cold metal slipping through her fingertips. Koumei held out her other hand, to which Rei did the same as Usagi, and accepted.

The two held Koumei's hands, feeling the grip weakening.

(Koumei) T-Thank you Princesses... for granting a lowly Tenno... no, a Poor... lowly Dancer and Shrine Maiden ... a dance with yourselves...

Koumei's grip tightened, but to Usagi and Rei, it wasn't by very much.

(Koumei) I'm scared... Hah. A fully grown woman like myself, scared... begging royalty for comfort...

(Usagi) It's okay, we're here. We'll stay with you.

A drop of yellow-Orange energy dropped down Koumei's chiseled face and fell to the Shrine's floor.

(Koumei) Fate... was so KIND to me this night...

In a few moments, the last of Koumei's energy dissipated.

The Warframe went limp, her grip completely gone as her dice rolled onto the ground, five of them now showing a combined number of 30. The highest and luckiest roll that the Dice Maiden could roll.

(Rei) Usagi... what now?

Usagi stared at the Warframe's dimmed features, still looking for some kind of life.

Rei laid down Koumei's hand, but Usagi seemed to have tightened her grip, almost desperately holding onto Koumei as her own hand shook.

(Usagi) Y-Y-You go to the car, okay? I... I'm gonna stay for a moment.

(Rei) Usagi... she's gone. She's been laid to rest.

(Usagi) I. KNOW. THAT.

Usagi knelt down.

Usagi transferred into Garuda and Princess carried Koumei down the steps of the Shrine.

(Usagi) You just don't get it...

The two made it down the rest of the steps without a word, as Usagi laid Koumei in the back seat of her car.

Afterwards, the two sent their Warframes back to the Moon, and then Usagi drove.

But the longer Usagi drove, Rei could see that they were going the wrong way.

(Rei) Um... Usagi? You're going the wrong way, Haruka's is-

(Usagi) SHE'S. COLD.

Rei was quieted what sounded like anger, and hurt in Usagi's voice.

As the two pulled up to Usagi's house. She parked on the curb.

(Usagi) I'll be right back.

Usagi ran into her house, and less than a minute later, she returned with a solid red blanket.

Usagi nestled the blanket over Koumei, the blanket softly gliding over the Warframe's metallic body.

(Usagi) Okay.

The two drove to Haruka's, but Usagi seemed to want to say something as she glanced over at Rei every few minutes, with a sad look in her eye.

(Rei) Usagi...? Is there something you wanna tell me?

(Usagi) *Sigh* Yeah...

(Usagi) Sorry about getting so worked up earlier. It's just that... that Warframe. She... reminded me of you, a-and when I looked at her fading away... it was like I was watching you fade away, like when we sacrificed ourselves for the first time.

(Usagi) She... I just couldn't leave her like she was.

(Rei) Oh... I see. So that girl stirred up some bad memories?

(Usagi) No... not like that, but... she did remind me of the feeling. The feeling of losing you and the others, and being completely helpless to get you all back, like I was fighting a losing battle that got worse the more I struggled. Like... I know I'm going to lose, and it's going to hurt. Hell, it's gonna hurt so very much, but I keep fighting, even though it hurts just the same, sometimes even worse...

(Rei) Oh...

(Usagi) Heh, even her ability was the same as yours. Foresight.

(Rei) Yeah, you're right.

The two talked some more before arriving at Haruka's where Usagi used Garuda to carefully carry Koumei to the portal, and then to the Lotus.

(Rei) Hello Lotus. We've... returned.

The Lotus was monitoring her systems before she turned around, seeing Koumei wrapped in a blanket, being carried by Garuda.

The Lotus seemed to smile as she spoke to the pair.

(Lotus) I see. Well done Tenno.

(Lotus) I see you got a chance to meet her as her true self...

(Usagi) Yes. Now what do we do?

(Lotus) We will set her with the other Warframes. I do not know how we can lay her Warframe to rest in the physical sense, but I believe this is the best thing we can do for her. To preserve her.

(Usagi) I see.

The Lotus led the two, going down the corridors and eventually getting to the Vault, where Usagi laid Koumei, keeping the blanket over her, before letting go of Koumei.

Before she left, Usagi held Koumei's hand under the blanket.

(Usagi) You... were a wonderful dancer, and Shrine Maiden. I'm glad Fate brought us together.

Usagi let go of Koumei's hand, before the three exited the Vault.

(Rei) I wonder how the others will do once they learn about this part of the mission.

End of Episode 18: Koumei

Author's Note:

Hey! Sorry for the short episode. And Merry Christmas to Everyone! I know it's short, but I think I wanna do all of the encounters like this, then we'll head on back to the long episodes. Promise. See Y'all in the next one.

~Emerymiles2004