Chapter Seventeen: Love and Dragons
"Jo! What is Jupiter's status?"
"She is unharmed Tao-Ching-sama. It appears she has been caught by the golem controlled by Kodachi Kuno and has been taken to a rooftop outside of the present combat area. I can teleport her back easily. I apologize for failing to realize she was so close to the hull breach. The sensors in that zone are not yet functional."
"No. Hold on that. Usagi!"
"Yo!"
"Take the rest of the Senshi and provide support for Ai's group. That includes your group, Ranma. Do whatever needs to be done to get those golems to the power ship. It's too chancy to use the ships guns. We're gonna need to keep moving to avoid being shot down!"
"Got it."
"Kuno. Take Kagura and go play with that shield wall. The sooner it's down the better. From these scan's it's part of whatever spell Xi'an Chi is working on, and you can use your full force on em."
"I will endeavor to do my best."
"What about me?" Clove's voice came over the comms. "My leg is healed and my youki is fully restored."
Tao-Ching looked at the hologlobe of the med room. "You think you can do something to help out the JSDF troops? It appears Lo-Shen is occupied, and you're the only other U-class mage it looks like our side has."
Clove gave an evil chuckle. "That sounds like an invitation to rampage."
"Rampage all you like, just make sure it's against the enemy, kay?"
Konatsu giggled. "Don't worry! I'll make sure she keeps facing the right way!"
"Right. Jo, can you extend comms to everyone?"
"Not with the Mu-San, but I will dispatch drones to each group."
"Alright people let's do some damage!"
Kodachi was panicking.
What do I do? What do I do? I'm not supposed to know she's a Senshi! Akane-chan warned me that the Senshi have to keep their identities concealed! And I know she has to hate me now! What do I do!?
Makoto was still looking up at her, a strange look on her face. For several long seconds, neither of them moved…
Then a pair of blond twin tails landed on Kodachi's palm. "Hey Jupiter. You scared me by falling out of the ship like that! You're okay, right?"
The weird look on Jupiter's face vanished as she turned to the blonde and gave her a sheepish grin. "Uh, Yeah. I kinda should have made sure my footing was secure. When the ship got jarred, the floor fractured."
Usagi made a relieved face. Then she turned to Kodachi's mech. "Thanks for the catch. You're Kuno's sister, right?"
Kodachi nodded, still in a panic. I have to pretend I don't know who they are. "Um… um, you're Sailormoon?"
"Yep!" Usagi struck a pose with a victory sign. "We're here to help you guys!"
The ground rumbled as Kodachi heard Akane's yell of "Earthwave Strike!" and saw a couple of the mechs collapse, only to have their heads smashed by a red blur. Right after, Shan-Pu kicked another in the head, knocking it to where Ai cleaved in it half. Mousse strafed through a group as a shower of golden beams followed her, the combined assault utterly destroying almost a dozen. Mercury's shout of "Shine Aqua Illusion" surround another four, the water immediately being frozen by a barrage of bullets from Megumi.
Makoto's fists clenched as she looked down at the battle. Then she turned back towards Kodachi. She gave a stiff bow and an "Excuse me" before leaping down from the building to the ground below.
Kodachi almost reached to catch her again, but Usagi gave a huge relieved sigh. "Yowch! That was a close one. Glad I got here before she blasted you."
"Huh?"
Usagi turned back towards her. "Um, yeah. Akane told me I could trust you. So like, you know, thanks for saving Mako-chan. I just wouldn't expect her to thank you, Dachi-chan."
Kodachi hung her head. "I know. I don't deserve her forgiveness."
The blonde tilted her head. "Hey, I don't know exactly what happened between you two, but Mako-chan said something about you, like, um, being lovers, kinda." She blushed to her hairline. "Like-like that's totally okay and everything! I mean, like, Zhu-Shu's into girls and everything too, so, like, I ain't being judgy or anything, but I guess you had some kinda messy break up?"
She looked back over her shoulder as she heard Makoto scream "Sparkling Wide Pressure!" and five mechs exploded. A huge sweat drop was quickly wiped away as Sailormoon turned back to Kodachi. "So, like, yeah. Maybe it would be a good idea to avoid her for now?"
"Probably." Kodachi agreed sadly.
"Yo, Meatball head, whatcha doing?" Ranma landed on Kodachi's shoulder. "We only got like 20 mechs left. You don't hurry, you won't get to show off."
"Waaah, you're right!" She waved at Kodachi. "See ya."
Ranma laughed as she leapt away. "Don't mind her, Dachi-Chan. She'll talk yer ear off if you let her." She looked down. "Gotta say, you got a really sexy look going on here for being fifty feet tall."
Kodachi gave a non-committal noise and muttered "I should go help the others."
Ranma shook her head. "Hold up a sec, something is about to happen I think you are going to want to see." She pointed over towards the shield wall. "Should be any sec looks like."
Turning her head to look where the redhead was pointing, she saw a small speck that her mech magnified. She gasped as she realized it was a giant feather, and perched on top of it was a pretty young woman, and…
"Onii-chan?"
No sooner had she identified her brother than the katana in his hand shifted forms to a giant falchion, enveloped by a red sheen. He took the stance for his hundred strikes attack, and her HUD flared brilliantly. Then the entire city shook as an immense wave of magical energy utterly eradicated an entire third of the circle of ships.
Ranma whistled. "So that's what it looks like. Man, I heard Ukyo describe it, but that is just ridiculous."
Kodachi blinked. "What the hell onii-chan? When did you learn that?!"
Ranma chuckled. "Yeah, apparently that's a rather powerful artifact weapon known as Tetsusaiga. It's your family's heirloom sword."
"That ratty old sword that's been sitting in the shrine collecting dust? It looked like it would break if you swung it too hard!"
"Yeah. It's the sword of Inuyasha. And I would probably not go saying 'ratty looking' to the sword. Kuno says the soul of the priestess Kikyou is in it, and I've heard she can be short tempered."
"I see. And who is the girl with the feather?"
"If you want my opinion, your new Sister-in-Law."
"Huh? Tatewaki has actually found a girlfriend?"
"So it would seem. And he hasn't even tried glomping me or Akane since she hooked up with him. Hell, he's been downright nice. I might have to stop thinking of him as a clown."
Kodachi stared at him, which wasn't easy given their size differential. "My brother is sane now?"
"Sane, rational, hell, he's even verging on heroic. He stopped claiming to be a hero, and actually started acting like one. Even Nabiki seems to be impressed. It's amazing what actually being in love can do for a person."
"I see. I shall have to meet this girl who has worked such magic on my brother."
"Yeah, Kagura is pretty impressive herself. She's a witch who can control wind, among other things. And her sister Kanna is a Spirit Mirror. She's cute as a button, but a little weird. Ying-Ying says she's still learning how to be human, since she's a Tsukumogami."
"I see." She turned back to the battle with the mechs as the last couple fell. "Oh, um. I really should get going. I can't just stand here doing nothing while my comrades are fighting."
"Sure you can. That's kinda the point, actually. Akane told me to come keep you away from Mako-chan so you don't 'accidentally' get hit with a Lightning Dragon." Ranma shrugged. "Sorry Dachi. Wait till they finish and we can ensure she doesn't forget we're on the same side."
Kodachi sighed. "She… she has every right to kill me for what I have done. I can only hope she allows me to make amends before she takes my life."
"Yeah, we aren't going to let her kill you, Dachi. I ain't gonna ask what you did, but given you were the Black Rose at the time, it's not exactly your fault. I didn't really believe it at first, but I can't deny that you and Black Rose are two very different people. Your ki signature is even radically different. Ying-Ying tried to explain about 'split personalities' to me, but all I really got is that you are you, and Black Rose is not you. You should start realizing that too, sounds like."
"Whether it was the Black Rose, or me, it won't change what happened. I stole her heart, and caused her enormous pain." She watched another mech disintegrate from lightning, and sighed. "I can only hope she allows me to give her heart back and make amends."
Ranma hopped down from her shoulder to the palm of her hand and looked up at her. "Dachi-chan. Do you remember what happened when the Black Rose tried to break Shan-Pu's spine?" she asked quietly.
Kodachi nodded. "You almost broke my wrists to save her."
"Yeah, well, I ain't the best at being in love, but what you did then made me realize that I couldn't stand by and cower in my fears while someone I cared about was hurt. So let me ask you, are you still in love with her?"
"What? We're in the middle of a warzone, Ranma."
"Don't dodge the question, Dachi-chan. She's down there, fighting, and I am here keeping you from joining you because there's still something going on between you two." Ranma sighed. "God's I wish Zhu-Shu wasn't a prisoner up on that ship. She's so much better at this. But if you two were just exes, there wouldn't still be such strong feelings. So please, tell me. Do you still love her?"
Kodachi looked away. "I-I don't know. My memories…they are… fragmented. I can't recall exactly what I did or have done when I was the Black Rose. But yes. She was my first real love, my first true love. But the Black Rose destroyed that. I- I think I raped her, Ranma. I don't know for sure. I can't remember. When my mother killed herself, everything went… even darker. Makoto and Raijin, they- they were the only light I had, and Black Rose took it away."
Ranma nodded. "Yeah. My dad is a bastard too. He's done horrible things to me in the name of 'training'." She looked behind her at a mech exploding after Ayeka clove it in two before turning back to Kodachi. "Ya see, thing is Dachi-chan. I don't think Mako-chan actually hates you. Sure, she acts all angry when she sees you. I saw that back at the Club on opening night. You were moping so much you probably didn't notice that when the girls were leading her out of the room after her little temper tantrum, she looked back over her shoulder at you. And what I saw on her face wasn't anger. It puzzled me why she looked so concerned about you because I didn't know she'd been your girlfriend." She reached out to place her hand on Kodachi's faceplate. "People don't look at someone they hate with eyes so filled with pain and longing."
Kodachi shook her head softly. "Please, don't. Don't give me hope. I don't deserve hope."
"Nah, Dachi-chan. Everyone deserves hope. It's what makes us human."
"I am not human, Ranma. I'm a youkai."
"Yeah? So what? It doesn't change a thing. I was there that day too, remember? We're all monsters here. It not our differences that matter. It's what's in our hearts." She grinned sheepishly. "At least I think that's what Zhu-chan would say. I'm kinda winging it here, ya know?" She turned to look to where the others were taking out the final few mechs. "Anyway, I don't know if you'll patch things up. I don't even know if you can. But Makoto's a good girl, and so are you. You both deserve a chance to make things right, and you are not going to get that chance by simply lowering your head and begging her to chop it off. So when we go down there, even if she's screaming and ranting and acting like she wants to murder you, remember, you can only make amends if you are alive to do so. Because if you did do what you are afraid you did, it's gonna take more than an apology to make it up to her, Dachi, and you need to live up to your responsibilities." Her eyes shifted away from Makoto to the angelic mech hovering protectively overhead. "And truth to tell, you got another girl you need to live for just as much. I don't think Mousse would forgive you for throwing away that life she saved."
Kodachi lifted her face to look at her personal angel and sighed. "But how will she feel to know I still have feelings for Makoto?"
Ranma shrugged. "Can't say for sure, but according to Shan-chan, Amazons tend to have multiple partner marriages far more often than not." She gave Kodachi a smug grin. "For all I know, she might be planning to give you a harem whether you've thought about one or not." She pointed down to where the others were gathering at the base of the ship. "So, let go down there and see what happens, shall we?"
Kodachi nodded, then took a deep breath and straightened her back before jumping down.
The soldiers were barricading the road, watching the horde of mecha and troops advance down the remains of the highway. They had cheered to see a part of the wall annihilated but it hadn't changed the fact that they felt they were doomed. The metal giants weren't something they could fight. Even the strongest youkai among them were still less than a third their size.
But they were prepared to fight anyway. After the first wave had suffered such heavy losses, a full squadron of the JSDF had joined them, and human and youkai stood side by side, determined to do as much as they could to save the rest of the city, and the civilians who would die if they failed. Above them on the buildings still standing around the rubble of central Tokyo, every mage in the accord who could be summoned stood ready to assist with spells and shielding magic. None of them thought they would be enough, but they were prepared to sell their lives at as high a cost to the invaders as possible.
But before the mechs were in range, something happened. In a swirl of golden light someone appeared in the roadway midway between them. The white haired girl raised a hand to the approaching army and for some reason, they hesitated. Then she spoke in a voice that everyone on both sides heard clearly.
"Hear me. I am Clove Draconis of the Musk. Depart from here or you will face me. I will not allow you to harm these people. Your master is distracted with his casting, and without him, you stand no chance against me."
Puzzlement swept across both sides as questions like "is she crazy" could be heard. Then some of the most powerful mages realized that behind her, row after row of hexagrams were forming on the ground between her and the JSDF troops.
Their lead mage, Rin, was staring as well. "What is this power? Just how much youki does she have? And how can she inscribe so many at once?" Then her eyes narrowed as she realized there were cloaked shapes everywhere among the hexagrams. Almost a thousand Ninja's scurried through the darkness inscribing the sigils with incredible speed before vanishing in small puffs of pink smoke. Rin gaped. "She's –she's distracting them while setting up a shield wall? And using shadow clones to do it? Is she a ninja mage?"
Then what appeared to be the lead mech broke away from the approaching troops. In three steps it crossed the short distance between the invaders and the girl, swinging it's sword down like it was swatting a fly.
But rather than dodging, the girl caught the blade with one hand. The mech tried to pull back for another swing, but the blade wouldn't budge. The girl gave it a sadistic smile.
"I see. So this is your answer. Very well. You have chosen death. I shall enjoy delivering it to you."
The last hexagram was drawn, and the last shadowy ninja vanished as the sigils flared and a wall of flame erupted in front of the JSDF troops to make a barrier. The girl laughed as she pushed the sword back with enough force to stagger the mech. Then she swiped her hand in a clawing motion, and the mech shredded.
"For so long, I have repressed myself, held myself back because I felt guilt for the destruction I cause. But tonight, you have given me a cause worthy of releasing my rage. For that, I thank you." She gave an evil chuckle that carried across the battlefield.
Then she flickered, and where she had stood was a girl no longer, but a dragon. Jet black scales glittered in the lights of the fires. Her tail lashed as she stepped on the remains of the mech she had shredded, metal crushing like tin foil beneath her claws as she dug something out of the rubble. For a few seconds, the struggling form of the pilot could be seen before he was tossed in the air, and massive jaws snapped shut. The dragoness licked her lips.
"Time to feast."
Then the screaming began…
