Darkury 10--the Final Chapter
Um, so... :)
Mercury watched as the two youma terrorized the food court. Athmos jumped on a table, kicking trays of food and drinks at the fleeing customers while Portmas threw the noodles from a shop into the chaos. It was anything but subtle, and as such it could not fail to attract the desired attention.
She fisted her hand, forcing back the weariness, just in time to hear Sailor Moon berating them from interrupting innocent shoppers. It was weird; she wished she could take just a couple of minutes with her once Princess to tell her to stop making the speeches--they simply did not work.
As she watched, it was clear that the remaining Senshi and Tuxedo Mask were tired. Jupiter’s lightning went wild and her kicks seemed to have less power than she remembered; Venus’s chain was shorter and duller; Tuxedo Mask refused to move from in front of Sailor Moon; and Moon seemed to have lost her sense of optimistic hope. “I’m sorry.”
A gentle hand brushed her arm, but before she could turn, Nephrite caught her attention by clearing his throat. Straightening, she glanced over to see him nod. The brushing hand grasped her shoulder, lending support and strength, but she stepped forward, away from it.
With a wave of her hand, she created the fog, quickly thickening it enough to limit visibility. She did not need to see to know the effect the fog would have on their opponents, but between the youma and the three of them, the knowledge would do little to aid them.
She ran into the battle, a stride’s length behind the other two. She called moisture to her hand, solidifying it, forming a sword.
Her target would move, but slowly, and, “Mercury! Please, I know you’re there. Please...” And she would lead her right to him.
“I’m right here, Princess.” She brought the sword around in a simple strike, easy to block and smiled at the sound of his cane blocking it.
Her focus narrowed. They outnumbered their opponents, were rested, and all of them were available to fight. Each of them knew what was expected, knew what they must do, and she did not did not need to split her focus.
There was just the clash of sword and cane, the dance and keeping the lead enough to draw him away from Sailor Moon.
She feinted to the left before bringing the sword around to attack from the right, driving him toward where Nephrite and Zoisite fought a stubborn Venus.
“No!”
Hot chain caught her calf, pulling her to the ground. She rolled, just barely dodging the cane that would have crushed her elbow.
Ignoring the pain in her leg, she quickly rose to her feet, but was knocked down before she could even raise the sword.
The blast dispersed the fog and knocked all of them to the ground.
A tall Senshi in teal moved to Sailor Moon, helping her to her feet, but her own attention was torn away as pain shot through her arm. Another Senshi stepped forcibly on her wrist. “Coward and traitor. I should kill you now.”
“Uranus! No! Please, don’t.” Uranus turned to see Sailor Moon, whole and unharmed but being held back by Neptune.
Adding a bit of pressure before she released her wrist, Uranus drew her sword to finish off the youma.
Neptune let go of Sailor Moon and looked at Mercury, “We protect the Princess now.”
***
“Uranus did a good job shattering your wrist.”
Mercury raised an eyebrow at Jadeite as he wrapped it.
“Nope, sorry.” He grinned at her, “Not as effective as Kunzite’s. You’ll heal quickly enough, and you have the added advantage of being out of commission for a couple of days, so lucky you.”
“Jadeite...”
Still looking at Mercury, he simply grinned more, “His eyebrow is raised right now, isn’t it?”
She nodded, and he sighed, “Ok...so I’ll just focus on setting your wrist and stop trying to lighten the mood...”
“Mercury...” She felt gentle fingers on her cheek and turned to look at Zoisite, “She’s wrong. You’re not a coward or a traitor. She has no idea what you went through, what you go through. You cannot let it get to you.”
“I know.” Mercury smiled slightly, her free hand reaching up to grab Zoisite’s. “I know.”
“There, done...not as well as you would have done, but, you know, two hands.” Jadeite moved out of the way before Zoisite could smack him.
“We do need to discuss how we go forward until Mercury’s wrist has healed.” Kunzite’s voice was all business, but she thought she saw the faintest traces of exhaustion in his stance and his expression. “You’re not good enough with your secondary hand to go into battle, though if kept far enough away you could still help with on the ground strategy.”
“Not without someone standing watch with her.”
Mercury blinked and looked at Nephrite, “I believe I could do so without needing protection.”
He shook his head, “Not the way Uranus was going after you. If she could get you alone, she would not hesitate. Your wrist is proof of that.”
Before she could argue Zoisite spoke up. “He’s right. Until you’re fully healed, I think you should stay out of the fighting all together.”
Kunzite nodded, “Very well. Though I do want any information you have on this Uranus, and on Neptune. I believe we just lost our advantage.”
***
“I don’t need to be protected!”
Zoisite tried to move toward her, but Mercury turned, glaring at the blonde Shitennou, “Don’t. Don’t you dare.”
Hands put up in surrender, Mercury turned her back on the other and moved to the small basin of water she kept, dipping the fingers of her hand into it. “I am perfectly capable of defending myself, even without a sword.”
“Are you really complaining about getting a break from fighting the Senshi? From attacking the Princess?”
She closed her eyes and sighed, her shoulders slumping forward.
“Take advantage of this. You have a couple of days of not seeing the pain in their eyes.” Arms slipped around her waist, and she felt herself pulled back a bit. “No one thinks you’re weak. No one is questioning your fortitude or your ability.”
Mercury nodded, and they stood there like that for a few moments, until she whispered, “She wasn’t wrong.”
“She was.” Zoisite grabbed her left hand and led her to the bed. Pulling her down gently, Zoisite cupped her cheek, “She was. She doesn’t know.”
When she opened her mouth to protest, Zoisite laid a finger over her lips. “Hush. She might have done different. She might have killed the innocent, but she cannot judge you. Nor does she know what you’ve done to fight even still.” Zoisite smiled and then leaned in, moving the finger, lips close enough that when the other spoke, Mercury could feel the movement against her own. “You might not believe this, but you are my hero.”
And then lips were on hers, an arm around her waist again, a hand against the back of her neck, guiding her down onto the mattress.
***
She braced herself in the tree with her good arm. Zoisite slept deeply--she had seen to that--and would not miss her for a bit.
It did not take her long to confirm that Sailor Moon was safely in her bedroom. She knew that someone had to be standing guard--she doubted the young woman was allowed to do anything without someone shadowing her, a precaution she completely approved of. However, it took her a couple of minutes to locate Venus. She was standing guard nearby, in full fuku, but she’d found an unobtrusive place from which to watch.
Careful not to be spotted herself, she slipped out of the tree and found a less difficult spot to conceal herself as she checked the Mercury Computer.
She smiled to herself when she found her target. Not surprisingly, she was in a park. It was early, yet, and Jupiter would prefer the freedom of the outdoors, and the nearness of plants.
Taking a deep breath, she stood and began to make her way to the park. Her wrist twinged when someone brushed past her, but her need for secrecy kept her from even a light groan.
She found Jupiter running on a trail, and she could not help but chuckle bitterly to herself. Only she could be utterly exhausted and still need to burn energy.
The expenditure of her own energy would attract attention, she knew, but if she were fast enough, perhaps it would not matter. Looking up to the clouds, she drew them to her, joined the droplets to make them heavier, until suddenly they burst. The rain was heavy and fast, and it did not take long before there were no civilians around, though Mercury regretted every wasted second.
Jupiter was smart, Mercury knew. Smart enough to know the rain wasn’t natural. Smart enough to transform rather than to flee, and she did not give her opponent long to wonder where she was in all this.
Instead she transformed as well and stepped out into the open.
“Not good enough to protect her?” The falling rain gave her plenty of water to work with, and she formed razor blades of ice she sent flying toward her opponent. “Need Uranus and Neptune to help you. Pitiful.”
Lightning struck a couple of feet away from her, “Are you that tired that you cannot hit me? How the mighty have fallen. You really should know better than being out here all alone.”
Another strike, this time closer, and she grinned as she moved closer to Jupiter.
“Why are you doing this? How could you do this?”
Mercury shrugged, “It’s who I am now.” More blades, this time larger, sharper, were sent toward her opponent, scoring wounds that would leave her hurting once the adrenaline wore off.
“You saved Phobos and Deimos...that is who you are!”
“A mistake, one I paid for dearly.” Her jaw clenched, “And one I won’t repeat.”
Jupiter shook her head, another strike just to Mercury’s left.
“If that’s the best you can do, there’s a room waiting for you. I wonder what Beryl’s plan for you would be...”
That did it, Mercury could almost see the energy building around Jupiter and called water to herself. Only as Jupiter released the strike did the other woman realize the blades had stopped, and as time seemed to slow down, Mercury saw the realization dawn on the other’s face.
The pain was excruciating, and she reveled in it, smiling as she fell once the electricity passed into the ground. “I’m sorry.”
Arms grabbed her, and she opened her eyes, expecting to see Jupiter. She need to apologize, to make sure she understood that there was no other way.
Instead, she saw Zoisite, sobbing and holding her. Looking past the blonde, she saw a horrified Jupiter. She closed her eyes again, frowning, as an aftershock caused her to arch..
“Why?”
With difficulty, she opened her eyes again. Jupiter knelt beside her, holding her broken wrist, drawing the rest of the electricity back into herself. “Only way. I’m sorry. Thank you.”
She shook her head slightly and then looked to Zoisite, “You shouldn’t be awake.”
“You didn’t drug me that well. No one could have slept through that.”
“Oh.”
“You really are my hero.” Gentle hands smoothed wet bangs from her forehead. “I wish there’d been another way.
“Maybe we’ll get another chance?” She took a shuddering breath, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Zoisite smiled and leaned down, tears mingling with the rain as she kissed her. None of the pain mattered to Mercury as she slipped into oblivion.
Mercury watched as the two youma terrorized the food court. Athmos jumped on a table, kicking trays of food and drinks at the fleeing customers while Portmas threw the noodles from a shop into the chaos. It was anything but subtle, and as such it could not fail to attract the desired attention.
She fisted her hand, forcing back the weariness, just in time to hear Sailor Moon berating them from interrupting innocent shoppers. It was weird; she wished she could take just a couple of minutes with her once Princess to tell her to stop making the speeches--they simply did not work.
As she watched, it was clear that the remaining Senshi and Tuxedo Mask were tired. Jupiter’s lightning went wild and her kicks seemed to have less power than she remembered; Venus’s chain was shorter and duller; Tuxedo Mask refused to move from in front of Sailor Moon; and Moon seemed to have lost her sense of optimistic hope. “I’m sorry.”
A gentle hand brushed her arm, but before she could turn, Nephrite caught her attention by clearing his throat. Straightening, she glanced over to see him nod. The brushing hand grasped her shoulder, lending support and strength, but she stepped forward, away from it.
With a wave of her hand, she created the fog, quickly thickening it enough to limit visibility. She did not need to see to know the effect the fog would have on their opponents, but between the youma and the three of them, the knowledge would do little to aid them.
She ran into the battle, a stride’s length behind the other two. She called moisture to her hand, solidifying it, forming a sword.
Her target would move, but slowly, and, “Mercury! Please, I know you’re there. Please...” And she would lead her right to him.
“I’m right here, Princess.” She brought the sword around in a simple strike, easy to block and smiled at the sound of his cane blocking it.
Her focus narrowed. They outnumbered their opponents, were rested, and all of them were available to fight. Each of them knew what was expected, knew what they must do, and she did not did not need to split her focus.
There was just the clash of sword and cane, the dance and keeping the lead enough to draw him away from Sailor Moon.
She feinted to the left before bringing the sword around to attack from the right, driving him toward where Nephrite and Zoisite fought a stubborn Venus.
“No!”
Hot chain caught her calf, pulling her to the ground. She rolled, just barely dodging the cane that would have crushed her elbow.
Ignoring the pain in her leg, she quickly rose to her feet, but was knocked down before she could even raise the sword.
The blast dispersed the fog and knocked all of them to the ground.
A tall Senshi in teal moved to Sailor Moon, helping her to her feet, but her own attention was torn away as pain shot through her arm. Another Senshi stepped forcibly on her wrist. “Coward and traitor. I should kill you now.”
“Uranus! No! Please, don’t.” Uranus turned to see Sailor Moon, whole and unharmed but being held back by Neptune.
Adding a bit of pressure before she released her wrist, Uranus drew her sword to finish off the youma.
Neptune let go of Sailor Moon and looked at Mercury, “We protect the Princess now.”
***
“Uranus did a good job shattering your wrist.”
Mercury raised an eyebrow at Jadeite as he wrapped it.
“Nope, sorry.” He grinned at her, “Not as effective as Kunzite’s. You’ll heal quickly enough, and you have the added advantage of being out of commission for a couple of days, so lucky you.”
“Jadeite...”
Still looking at Mercury, he simply grinned more, “His eyebrow is raised right now, isn’t it?”
She nodded, and he sighed, “Ok...so I’ll just focus on setting your wrist and stop trying to lighten the mood...”
“Mercury...” She felt gentle fingers on her cheek and turned to look at Zoisite, “She’s wrong. You’re not a coward or a traitor. She has no idea what you went through, what you go through. You cannot let it get to you.”
“I know.” Mercury smiled slightly, her free hand reaching up to grab Zoisite’s. “I know.”
“There, done...not as well as you would have done, but, you know, two hands.” Jadeite moved out of the way before Zoisite could smack him.
“We do need to discuss how we go forward until Mercury’s wrist has healed.” Kunzite’s voice was all business, but she thought she saw the faintest traces of exhaustion in his stance and his expression. “You’re not good enough with your secondary hand to go into battle, though if kept far enough away you could still help with on the ground strategy.”
“Not without someone standing watch with her.”
Mercury blinked and looked at Nephrite, “I believe I could do so without needing protection.”
He shook his head, “Not the way Uranus was going after you. If she could get you alone, she would not hesitate. Your wrist is proof of that.”
Before she could argue Zoisite spoke up. “He’s right. Until you’re fully healed, I think you should stay out of the fighting all together.”
Kunzite nodded, “Very well. Though I do want any information you have on this Uranus, and on Neptune. I believe we just lost our advantage.”
***
“I don’t need to be protected!”
Zoisite tried to move toward her, but Mercury turned, glaring at the blonde Shitennou, “Don’t. Don’t you dare.”
Hands put up in surrender, Mercury turned her back on the other and moved to the small basin of water she kept, dipping the fingers of her hand into it. “I am perfectly capable of defending myself, even without a sword.”
“Are you really complaining about getting a break from fighting the Senshi? From attacking the Princess?”
She closed her eyes and sighed, her shoulders slumping forward.
“Take advantage of this. You have a couple of days of not seeing the pain in their eyes.” Arms slipped around her waist, and she felt herself pulled back a bit. “No one thinks you’re weak. No one is questioning your fortitude or your ability.”
Mercury nodded, and they stood there like that for a few moments, until she whispered, “She wasn’t wrong.”
“She was.” Zoisite grabbed her left hand and led her to the bed. Pulling her down gently, Zoisite cupped her cheek, “She was. She doesn’t know.”
When she opened her mouth to protest, Zoisite laid a finger over her lips. “Hush. She might have done different. She might have killed the innocent, but she cannot judge you. Nor does she know what you’ve done to fight even still.” Zoisite smiled and then leaned in, moving the finger, lips close enough that when the other spoke, Mercury could feel the movement against her own. “You might not believe this, but you are my hero.”
And then lips were on hers, an arm around her waist again, a hand against the back of her neck, guiding her down onto the mattress.
***
She braced herself in the tree with her good arm. Zoisite slept deeply--she had seen to that--and would not miss her for a bit.
It did not take her long to confirm that Sailor Moon was safely in her bedroom. She knew that someone had to be standing guard--she doubted the young woman was allowed to do anything without someone shadowing her, a precaution she completely approved of. However, it took her a couple of minutes to locate Venus. She was standing guard nearby, in full fuku, but she’d found an unobtrusive place from which to watch.
Careful not to be spotted herself, she slipped out of the tree and found a less difficult spot to conceal herself as she checked the Mercury Computer.
She smiled to herself when she found her target. Not surprisingly, she was in a park. It was early, yet, and Jupiter would prefer the freedom of the outdoors, and the nearness of plants.
Taking a deep breath, she stood and began to make her way to the park. Her wrist twinged when someone brushed past her, but her need for secrecy kept her from even a light groan.
She found Jupiter running on a trail, and she could not help but chuckle bitterly to herself. Only she could be utterly exhausted and still need to burn energy.
The expenditure of her own energy would attract attention, she knew, but if she were fast enough, perhaps it would not matter. Looking up to the clouds, she drew them to her, joined the droplets to make them heavier, until suddenly they burst. The rain was heavy and fast, and it did not take long before there were no civilians around, though Mercury regretted every wasted second.
Jupiter was smart, Mercury knew. Smart enough to know the rain wasn’t natural. Smart enough to transform rather than to flee, and she did not give her opponent long to wonder where she was in all this.
Instead she transformed as well and stepped out into the open.
“Not good enough to protect her?” The falling rain gave her plenty of water to work with, and she formed razor blades of ice she sent flying toward her opponent. “Need Uranus and Neptune to help you. Pitiful.”
Lightning struck a couple of feet away from her, “Are you that tired that you cannot hit me? How the mighty have fallen. You really should know better than being out here all alone.”
Another strike, this time closer, and she grinned as she moved closer to Jupiter.
“Why are you doing this? How could you do this?”
Mercury shrugged, “It’s who I am now.” More blades, this time larger, sharper, were sent toward her opponent, scoring wounds that would leave her hurting once the adrenaline wore off.
“You saved Phobos and Deimos...that is who you are!”
“A mistake, one I paid for dearly.” Her jaw clenched, “And one I won’t repeat.”
Jupiter shook her head, another strike just to Mercury’s left.
“If that’s the best you can do, there’s a room waiting for you. I wonder what Beryl’s plan for you would be...”
That did it, Mercury could almost see the energy building around Jupiter and called water to herself. Only as Jupiter released the strike did the other woman realize the blades had stopped, and as time seemed to slow down, Mercury saw the realization dawn on the other’s face.
The pain was excruciating, and she reveled in it, smiling as she fell once the electricity passed into the ground. “I’m sorry.”
Arms grabbed her, and she opened her eyes, expecting to see Jupiter. She need to apologize, to make sure she understood that there was no other way.
Instead, she saw Zoisite, sobbing and holding her. Looking past the blonde, she saw a horrified Jupiter. She closed her eyes again, frowning, as an aftershock caused her to arch..
“Why?”
With difficulty, she opened her eyes again. Jupiter knelt beside her, holding her broken wrist, drawing the rest of the electricity back into herself. “Only way. I’m sorry. Thank you.”
She shook her head slightly and then looked to Zoisite, “You shouldn’t be awake.”
“You didn’t drug me that well. No one could have slept through that.”
“Oh.”
“You really are my hero.” Gentle hands smoothed wet bangs from her forehead. “I wish there’d been another way.
“Maybe we’ll get another chance?” She took a shuddering breath, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Zoisite smiled and leaned down, tears mingling with the rain as she kissed her. None of the pain mattered to Mercury as she slipped into oblivion.