Saw this coming from a long way off

[odango_hime]

To the casual observer, Usagi seems to be just taking a nap, but upon closer inspection, one can easily see the strain on her face as she fights with an unseen terror. Occasionally, the symbol of Venus flickers faintly on her forehead, but the illumination doesn't last for long, and, whenever it does show up, there's edges of darkness around the

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[boundtowater]

Mercury stood over the clearly suffering girl. She considered; the Princess was a threat, and Metallia even more so. The right option was clear; it was obvious.

However...

Mercury closed her eyes, the sound of rushing water heard as the symbol on the forehead glowed as she called upon the power of Mercury to try and purify the girl, concentrating on the dark energy that was Metallia. "You've stayed long enough," she says firmly.

Have the *seethe* icon to make up for not having an evil icon XD

[odango_hime]

Usagi's eyes fly open, but they're not their normal pristine blue. Instead, they're black as night, with red sparks glittering in their depths. "Ha," she says, her voice much, much darker and colder than normal. "You think you can remove me, silly girl? No one has the power to match Metallia."

Usagi - Metallia, rather - sits up, eyes glowing as she faces down Mercury. "However," she says, flexing her hands. "If it's a fight you want, then come, taste defeat and drain the cup of futility to its very dregs."

Lawl.

[boundtowater]

Mercury tilted her chin upward, flashing into her Princess Senshi form without a word. "You do not frighten me," she replies simply, water already forming a barrier around her, "I've seen worse." Even as she spoke, water coiled around Metallia's legs and ankles, attempting to restrain her.

Oh dear, it's going to be a race to see if Mercury or Venus win first ♥

[odango_hime]

Metallia's eyes narrow, and she sends a blast of darkness at the ice, which cracks. "Two can play at that game," she sneers, before raising her hands and sending a wall of black ice at the Princess Senshi. "Try and worm your way out of that!"

[boundtowater]

The black ice shatters as Mercury smashes it, her blade in her hands before she even summons it. "Cheap tricks will not work with me," she scolds.

[odango_hime]

Metallia's eyes narrow. "Then have this!" she cries, forming a ball of darkness and hurling it at Mercury with all her might. There's thousands of years of rage and hatred built up in that ball.

[boundtowater]

Water... Planet Mercury... Grant me strength...

Her fully-powered Mercury Crystal glows from her chest, powering the sword as she slices the dark energy in half before aiming another slash at the girl's chest. Unlike most of her alternates, she was unafraid of harming Usagi.

[odango_hime]

Metallia falls back on the bed, clutching her bleeding chest in shock. Then her eyes narrow, and she gets back to her feet, holding out her hands again. Another ball of darkness forms between her hands, but this time, it has the power of the Dark Kingdom behind it. Metallia knows how to draw on her realm, even though it's been long destroyed, and she flings it at Mercury, determined to end her.

[boundtowater]

Metallia's not the only one to live thousands of years. Turning her sword to the side, she catches the dark energy with the flat of her blade, she keeps it away, even as a few shreds of energy make it past, making deep lashes at her cheek and body. She summons enough strength to swing her sword hitting the attack out into the distance like a paranormal baseball. "This is the end!" cried Mercury, moving to stab both Metalia and Usagi in the chest.

[odango_hime]

Metallia tries to put a hand up to stop the blade, but she's too slow, and she screams as she's stabbed in the chest, arching as darkness erupts from her, boiling like a stormcloud. No matter how hard she tries, Mercury's proven too strong for her, and as Usagi falls lifelessly on the bed, Metallia hovers in the air, her dark, insubstantial face a mask of rage. "You won't get rid of me that easily!" she cries. "I can still work some magic, with or without a human body!"

[boundtowater]

Water wrapped around Usagi like a cocoon in an attempt to heal the wounds and save the girl, Mercury glaring at the entity that was Metallia. "And I can still attack you fine!" she replies, "Mercury Aqua Mirage!" She swings her sword down, sending a freezing wave of water at the villain.

[odango_hime]

Metallia flings her arms up to protect herself, but once more, Mercury proves too fast for her, and ice forms around her dark shape. There's one last despairing scream, and then the ice shatters, taking Metallia with it.

Usagi lays still on the bed, wrapped in water, and though at first it looks as though she's gone, Mercury seems to have acted in time. The chest wound slowly heals, and then Usagi's eyes flutter open, confusion on her face. "What happened?" she whispers, clearly having no immediate recollection of what just passed.

[boundtowater]

The water dissolved as Mercury shifted back into her Princess form, her wounds already healed. "You were possessed by Metallia," she explains simply, "I decided to eliminate the greater of two evils."

[odango_hime]

Usagi blinks at the 'lesser of two evils' comment, but lets it slide, already guessing this is a Mercury who doesn't like her very much. "Thank you," she says, brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead. She's exhausted, but feels much better than she has for a long time. The long standing anger and hatred which had seemed rooted in her very being is dissolved, and she feels herself for the first time in months. "I really appreciate what you did for me," she adds. "I know you don't like me, but I'm still grateful to you for saving my life."