Sailormoon Neo: #21 - Kono Kanashimi o Tsugunatte Morauzo! Senshi Doushi no Tatakai - You Will Pay For My Sadness! The Battle Amongst Warriors - By: Janelle Jimenez (miaka@bishounen.org) Official Webpage: http://www.sailormoon-millennia.net/ [http://bishounen.org/smmillennia/] Note: Much like in the previous episode with the Kageboshi Ninja, you will see some of the new names that certain Zodiac Senshi are getting. Hoshino Akimi looked down upon the largest monument in the cemetary of Crystal Tokyo. A gentle breeze lifted her hair, carefully setting it back down on her back again moments later. She ran her fingers along the letters set deep into the white marble, "Tien Lei, Sailor Sagittarius: May your arrows illuminate the galaxy." she said aloud, "That's a stupid epitaph." Fuyumi replied, hopping up onto a blank gravestone. "I would be insulted, if I were you." she added. "Fuyumi, get off that grave. That's disrespectful." Natsumi ordered, glaring at her sister with her deep orange eyes. "There's no one under here. What am I being dishonorable too? This lovely slab of marble?" Fuyumi asked innocently, cocking her head to the side. "So...this is where they're buried..." Harumi murmured, ignoring her sisters, her small hands tracing the word Gemini. "No, not where they're buried." said a voice from behind them, all eyes looked up and saw Neo-Queen Serenity standing before them. "We... we couldn't bring them back with us. Their bodies were annihilated when the Black Star Galaxy was destroyed, the Universe is their graveyard now.." she replied quietly. "How romantic." Fuyumi muttered sarcastically, Natsumi shot her another look, Fuyumi smiled innocently once again. "Your Majesty, don't be saddened. I know we, er, the Zodiac Senshi don't hold you responsible. I wish I could explain to you how we know. They've each been reborn in each of us, and...well, we're them, but we aren't." Natsumi said, feeling frustrated at her lack of ability to explain in a more clear way. "It's like, we don't remember events, but we know...I know...that I'm Tien Lei...and also Dokuno Shikami and Sailor Libra." Akimi added, gently touching the kanji for Sailor Scorpio. "Your Majesty, you must trust us, because your daughter does not. She has obviously not gone to the battle on the Golden Millennium yet..." Harumi said. "We MUST take the Opaque Prism away from the Silver Crystal and hide it. You can protect Earth with just the Silver Crystal." "It may be harder, but it's a sacrifice you must make. The joining of the three must NEVER happen. It would be without a doubt, the end of the Universe as we know it." Akimi concluded. Fuyumi hopped off her perch and gazed seriously into Neo-Queen Serenity's eyes, "You see, Your Highness, we are not only protectors of Princess Stella, but as reincarnations of the Zodiac Senshi, we also protect the descendents of the Golden Millennium--that means you and everyone else in the Universe." * * * * "Ryuu, why do you keep lying to me?" Kasumi asked quietly, her blue eyes staring at the ground. Ryuu was standing uncomfortably, nervously brushing his hair out of his eyes repeatedly, "WHY do you keep lying to me?" she repeated, louder this time. She was full of anger, but also sadness. She had almost thought for one moment that Ryuu actually loved her, or at least respected her as a human being. But this was proof he didn't, "I wish you never told me!" she cried, "I wish I never knew what you and...Seishi did!" she screamed, spitting out her words. She flung out her hand and struck Ryuu hard across the face, he blinked once to force back the tears. Not tears of physical pain, but tears of mental pain. He gazed at Kasumi as she ran away from him with tormented eyes. What was he doing? He sat down in the grass and buried his head in his hands. Meanwhile, Kasumi continued to run blindly, she could barely see where she was going through her tears. Finally, she got tired of of running and collapsed on a grassy hill. She pounded her fist into the ground, "How could he do this to me?" she screamed, "I hate them both, I hate them both." she cried, tearing out clumps of grass with her hands. She was filled with anger and sorrow, her heart shattered and stepped on. "Life has been so cruel to me," she whispered choking back her tears, "First I was born into a family that didn't want me, and doesn't even love me. I go through sixteen years of hell before finding happiness, but it was so brief..." "My poor, poor, girl." said a voice behind her. Kasumi jumped up in surprise, she felt two strong arms wrap around her and turn her towards him, Masaya. "Masaya-san...I..." she stammered, quickly wiping away her tears. "You've been wronged, haven't you? By the man you love and the woman you hate." he murmured, kissing the top of her hair. "You don't understand, it's not that simple--" she said, "Kasumi, I understand completely. I know your whole story. You were born to Umino Ami and Umino Mitsuru, the second child. Amazingly enough, you were only born twenty years after Umino Megami, nonetheless you are still considered younger than some Neo Senshi born after you were because your body still has not aged past sixteen." he replied, Kasumi blushed slightly, "I don't think that's really any--" "After your birth, you were treated well, but never truly loved by your mother. While you where just a baby, Megami had grown up and was gaining the attention of the world with her amazing artistic talents and her beauty. She was friendly with everyone, while you where always a quiet child who liked to be to herself. Your mother was your sister's friend, but never yours. To make matters worse, Megami didn't play with you until you both had bodies of twelve and thirteen year old girls. However, by then it was too late, you hated your family. You especially hated your sister. She stole everything from you. She was better than you in everything, except intelligence--and your mother and father ignored that because your intellect leaves theirs in the dust." Masaya continued, Kasumi was in shock at how many details of her personal life he knew. She was terrified. How on earth did he know? "Then, you learned you were a Neo Senshi, finally something that you are better at than your sister--but did you know the truth? Do you know why your mother chose you? Not because she loved you, but because she knew how hard being a Senshi was and she didn't want to ruin Megami's social life." Masaya said. Kasumi's heart turned to ice. Was this the truth? Of course it was...it made much more sense than anything else. "The Neo Senshi then blamed you for chasing away Neo Saturn...but then the world was saved, and her memory was erased, and finally you could have Morino Ryuu. However, she seduced him. Like the disgusting filth she is, she stole him from you. Another woman who has ruined your life. You cannot trust anyone, can you Kasumi, especially none of the women in your life. They've all failed you, have they not?" Masaya asked. Kasumi looked away, her heart hardened by his words. Every single line of it was the truth! Gone was the saddness in her heart, replaced with anger. Wrath. She wanted to hurt all of them: Ryuu, Megami, Seishi, Mother. "I want to kill them." Kasumi whispered. Masaya smiled coldly, everything was going according to plan. "You want to kill all of them? Who will you attack first? Will you attack the most vulnerable? The one GIRL who caused the most immediate pain?" he asked, leaving hints as to who he wanted her to attack first. Kasumi didn't seem to hear his suggestions, she was already on her way to the Crystal Palace, "I want Seishi to feel the pain she's given me.." * * * * Princess Seishi Tranquility gazed at her reflection, she sighed discontentedly and threw a lily into the water, watching the ripples scare away various insects which landed around the water. She was still nowhere closer to knowing the truth than she was before she seduced Ryuu. How would she ever find out? Perhaps that act was not a part of her old life. Perhaps she did not love in her old life, and had to find something that was prevelant in her old life. She reached up and touched the crystal necklace which she wore around her neck. Power. It was such a beautiful thing, and it looked so right on her. She gazed back at her reflection and was started by what she saw there, for one moment she thought she saw herself as one of legendary Neo Sailor Senshi that everyone was talking about. The lily floated strategically over her breasts, making it for a moment that it was a brooch and it's long green leaves were bows. The Princess laughed slightly and bent over and picked the lily out of the water. Just then, a premonition told her she was in danger. However, she took it in stride and simply tossed the lily over her shoulder--it fell to the ground as solid ice. As she turned around, she saw an attack heading her way. Seishi didn't blink as a purple aura appeared around her and disintigrated the ice. She stared blankly at the blue haired girl who was walking towards her, her eyes full of hatred and determination. Ah! Morino Ryuu's cute girlfriend, she thought to herself, or former girlfriend. "ONORE! FIGHT ME!" Neo Sailormercury shouted. Seishi cocked her head to the side, fight? She was struck with a sudden realization, she HAD to be one of the Neo Sailor Senshi. Why else would this girl demand that she fight her? Furthermore, how did she recognize her as a Neo Senshi unless she was one also? But how could she fight back if she didn't remember how to? "Aqua Ice Purification!" Neo Mercury shouted, throwing a ball of blue ice towards the Princess. Once again, the purple aura surrounded her and burnt the ice away. Mercury cried out in frustration and began to frantically throw attack after attack at Seishi, surely the forcefield had a limit. Finally, one attack came through. Seishi screamed in pain as her skin turned to ice, slowly, limb by limb. Everything around her faded away as the pain took over her mind, suddenly she heard a voice in her mind speaking. Was it herself? "Seishi..." whispered a voice in her mind, "Seishi, remember." Seishi closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, she felt a wave of power wash over her. In it's wake were memories, everything about her past she now remembered. Her mother. Her father. Ryuu. Her body began to shine with a purple aura that blasted away the ice. Seishi stood up, eyes blazing. She held up the crystal petal to the sky, "SATURN COSMIC POWER, MAKE UP!" she shouted and quickly transformed, glaive in hand. She smiled coldly at Neo Mercury, "What was this, ne, Mercury-chan? An assassination attempt?" she asked. "You will pay, Shino Seishi, for all the pain you've given me." Neo Mercury answered, her blue eyes locked on Neo Saturn's. "You're going to die in the process. You know I'm much stronger than you are..." Saturn replied. "Don't be so arrogant." Mercury snapped, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." she recited in perfect english. Saturn frowned slightly, then smirked. The Silence Glaive vanished as she held out her hand, a hexacle shining above her glove. "Silence...Death..." she began, Mercury quickly got into position and a ball of blue ice appeared in her hands, "Aqua Ice..." she chanted, "SONG!" "PURIFICATION!" they both shouted, and two raging attacks flew towards both Senshi. The attacks then met with an immense explosion that shook the Earth, surely everyone on Earth felt the massive power of the two strongest Sailor Senshi. A cloud of dust and flowers flew into the air, and when it cleared two Senshi came out victorious. Both Mercury and Saturn were protected by shining auras, but there was another addition to their appearance. On both of their backs were beautiful wings of an angel, not translucent like when they transformed, but solid. However, they were not made of feathers and bone. Instead, Mercury's beautiful silver wings were made of shining ice, while Saturn's deep black wings were created from the shadows of Earth. "If I cannot kill you by magic.." Mercury began, she spread out her hands and two streams of blue energy eminated, "Then I shall do it by sword." she finished, the blue energy coming together to form a beautiful, long sword that almost looked like it was made of ice itself. Neo Saturn smiled, raising up her right hand, the Silence Glaive appearing. "You know you can't win, Kasumi-chan. Why do you even bother? You can't beat me in anything. You'll never defeat me in a fight, and you'll never have Ryuu's heart." she said with a cold smile. Neo Mercury's eyes blazed, "SHINDE!" she screamed, and lunged directly for Neo Sailorsaturn's heart. Neo Sailorsaturn moved like a flash, but Mercury was able to keep up with her. Their weapons clashed in midair, she felt pain as the blade of the Silence Glaive fell lightly upon her face. She loosened the grip on her sword, feeling it cut through something, but she wasn't sure what. "STOP IT!" someone cried, Mercury groaned as she was forcefully shoved away from Neo Saturn. She heard Saturn scream as someone dragged her off as well. "Stop it! You are both Sailor Senshi, how could you fall into fighting one another!" shouted Neo-Queen Serenity, her face held a look of anger, "Usa-chan, haven't you taught your Senshi anything?" she demanded. Usa-chan blushed with embarassment then anger, "I try my hardest, MOTHER. Please don't put the blame on me." she said slowly, suppressing her anger. Neo Mercury rediverted to the one who had knocked over, her eyes came face to face with worried silver eyes. "Fuyumi-san?" she asked, surprised as to why her school friend was at the Crystal Palace, "What are you doing here?" she brought her fingertips to her face and stared in horror as blood stained her white gloves. "Don't worry Kasumi, it's just a tiny cut. It'll heal without a scar." Fuyumi answered soothingly. Neo Mercury tried to look over to where she thought Neo Sailorsaturn had fallen, but she wasn't there. "What about Seishi?" she asked, not even wondering how Fuyumi knew who she was, or caring if she knew Neo Saturn's true identity. "It seems you damaged her more, but in a different sense. Your sword cut off a good two or three inches from her hair." Fuyumi said, she reached her hand out and helped her friend stand up. "I'm extremely angered with both of you. I want to see you in the throne room in fifteen minutes, get cleaned up first." Neo-Queen Serenity declared, "You should be glad the Star Senshi were here, or God knows how we would have stopped you from killing each other." Neo Sailorsaturn stood up, wordlessly. Her fuku melted away and was replaced by a black dress, not the same one she was wearing before the battle. Her hair was much shorter now, almost shoulder length. The sword had left the ends cut unevenly, but strangely enough, the new style suited her. "I believe you're forgetting to realize something, Serenity." Seishi began, "I know my past, I know everything now. I never respected you before, but now I despise you. How dare you erase my memories, the knowledge of my mother. This is the second time you've made someone forget her." she spat. Neo-Queen Serenity was speechless, no one had been so impertinent with her--not since she was just a child. Seishi turned to Neo Mercury, her face remained emotionless, but her eyes looked at Neo Sailormercury in a different light...respect? Seishi walked forward and touched Kasumi's face, Seishi cringed lightly as her energy drained to heal Kasumi. "You're a formidable opponent, Umino Kasumi." she whispered into her ear and pressing the strands of fallen hair into Mercury's palm. She then walked off, without a glance back. * * * * "Ah, My Masaya." Usako sighed, resting her head in Masaya's lap, his hand reached out to stroke back her black curls. "My darling little Princess, how much longer must we wait?" he asked. She turned her head and looked into his green eyes, "Not that much longer, Masaya. Have you been successful in seducing Neo Mercury?" she asked. Masaya's eyes shifted nervously, "Yes, she's off trying to destroy Neo Saturn...but..." "Don't give me exuses, Trent." she sad seriously, sitting up. "It's absolutely mandatory that you get the two strongest Neo Sailor Senshi out of the game!" "My love, I don't understand this situation at all. Why don't you tell me the truth, instead of just ordering me to do things without reason? Why do you want to hurt your family like this? It doesn't make sense to me...why are you looking for the other treasures from the Golden Millennium?" Masaya asked helplessly, "You'll find out soon enough, My Masaya, My Prince." she whispered sinisterly. Masaya looked at the girl in surprise, such a twisted look on the face of an eight year-old bothered him. "I'm going to make them pay, Masaya, for all they did to my mother. I'm going to kill Neo-Queen Serenity for what she did." she whispered, "How are you going to do it? There's guards everywhere--" "It's simple, my Masaya." Usako replied, cutting him off. She reached into her small coinpurse and pulled out a beautiful shining jewel, the color of the sun and it radiated in a similar fashion. Light reflected off the iridescent surface, but it also seemed to make it's own light. The intensity seemed to make Usako appear much, much older than she actually was. A strange image that flickered like a candle. Usako smiled coldly, staring at the beautiful crystal, "This, Masaya, is the key to everything."