Fatal Fury Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Rifts ❯ Chapter 27: Where Hope Lived, and Where Misplaced ( Chapter 27 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sailor Moon/Rifts Crossover (Revised Edition) By Simon Woodington

Chapter 27: Where Hope Lived, and Where Misplaced

She had delayed long enough. Just knowing that Luna had hope for them,
and the powerful sense that she ached in fear for her lost Princess,
finally overcame her guilt. Luna's world was coming together very
timidly, a piece arriving with each of the girls, and with Mamoru.
Luna could plainly feel that they were alive. There was no questioning
this distinct sensation, something she realized had always been there.
Was it due to their intimacy? Artemis confessed he felt so such thing,
but was also somehow also certain of their survival.

It was enough. For what else was there?

Usagi approached their apartment with trepidation and undue anxiety,
and did so in a blue kimono of a delicately flowered sewn pattern.
Carl had not mentioned its cost, but aware that such things came
rarely by the Isles (especially in necessity) she had offered kind
words of sincere gratitude. Her emotional welfare seemed to matter so
much to him. He was so kind, and... a gentleman. Only Mamoru had
treated her with such a high level of unbidden respect.

She regarded the thick oak door, noting its engraved details, and
feeling her mind descend into blankness, all of her preformed thoughts
disappating as her hand lifted up and tapped against the hard wood
surface. Instantly the door opened, and Luna, behind it, peering at a
sight it seemed she had nigh given up on. Yet they stood there, a mist
of discomfort among them, holding the two in place like pretty
statues. Luna was adorned in a pale purple kimono, her hair loosely
framing her head, and curling softly about her slender shoulders, two
odango atama upon her head very much after the style of the woman she
now faced.

'Usagi...?' her voice was quiet, almost wilting. Usagi merely nodded
faintly, her motion as dramatic as Luna's tone.

There was no dream here, no illusion, and no question. Luna made a
gesture, and Usagi followed her into the megerly furnished three room
pale blue walled apartment. She sat across from her - former? -
guardian on the green pillowed futon. They were quiet for the longest
time, both consumed by thoughts of the other, of themselves, and what
exactly had changed.

'You're beautiful,' Usagi finally stated, her mouth curling upward in
an slight smile. Luna's eyes fell to her hands as they caressed the
thick purple silk spanning her thighs.

'Thank you.'

Usagi awed at her voice. There was an added depth of womanly
sensitivity it seemed had been absent before, or perhaps not as
pronounced.

'Where is Artemis?'

'Practicing his Tai-Chi.'

'Oh,' she mumbled, scratching her recently manicured fingernails
lightly on the arm of the futon. Another luxury long missed, but
generously afforded by the gentle brunette Englishman. Abruptly, Luna
stood, and then bowed apologetically.

'I have prepared some herbal tea,' she intoned, mentioning its type
nigh inaudibly. Usagi nodded at the offer, and rose to assist her. The
purple haired woman raised her hand, but Usagi insisted, feeling the
awkwardness becoming unbearable. Luna was already filling the two
earthware cups as Usagi sat at the black laminate topped island.

'Milk?'

Usagi shook her head minimally.

'A little sugar, though.'

Luna merely nodded, gazing at her as she poured the substance, waiting
for her indication to stop. She gave it, and then Luna prepared hers.
It was odd for the pair, one for Usagi to see Luna's human beauty, and
for Luna to see Usagi as a grown woman. Both were lovely, and could
plainly see beyond it, to what had changed. Rather, that they had.

'Not klutzy Usagi-chan anymore,' Luna supposed knowingly.

'No. No more...' she faultered. 'Why did it happen?'

'I don't know. But I don't complain.'

'I didn't say that. Everything's so strange now. But Mamoru loves me
more now. Sometimes it's like nothing has changed.'

'Why should it? A thousand years could not seperate you.'

'Why not?' Usagi uttered in edgy tones, sipping lightly from her cup.
'Have you seen Minako? Half of her face is gone! Did she tell you she
was an assassin?'

'Hai,' she admitted. 'It was hard to hear. But I am more happy that
she is alive. I...'

Usagi raised her blue eyes and held them upon Luna's bright face,
which seemed full of hope, happiness, and optimisim, except that it
was not. Only a portion of these resided in her sparkling purple eyes,
in her pale cheeks.

'How can you do it? Mina said you had hope we could go back and win.
Is that what matters to you?'

'Usagi-chan,' she began, still excerising her seniority despite their
seperation and harsh experience. 'I learned something from Artemis.
When he was struggling with me after... It is difficult to say this.'

Yet before the words came to her mouth, gazing at Usagi uncertainly,
an ache in her chest, the image came to her mind, and her friend
grasped it.

'Oh no... not you,' she muttered, her eyes watering suddenly. 'Not
you!'

Luna squinted at her, and hissed abruptly, a very cat-like thing which
indicated that her feline nature had not been destroyed by the
transformation. Her face eased, the emotion remaining and ebbing in
low throbs in the core of her being. She reached out and grasped her
hands, squeezing them in an effort to communicate the calm of her
soul.

'What does it matter, Usagi? It hurts, yes, but I won't let it
restrain me. I have Artemis, Minako, Mamoru, and you, and you are far
more important to me than any pain I will ever experience.'

Usagi read it, not by searching her aura, nor by psychically
perceiving it amongst the complication of her consciousness, but by
peering through the windows to her soul. Her smile was uneasy and
frightened, yet as she came to terms with her guardian's confidence,
it brightened, taking possession of her entire face.

Minako was right. There was hope.

---

:This is crazy, Makoto! Do you want to suffer first hand the
consequences of paradox?:

She refused to hear this.

:What about Hanlan, young one? What about Ayana!? Would you deny your
child life because of your selfishness?:

:You don't understand, you've never had children. It will be worth it:

:Fool! What do you truly know of me, even after our brief association!
Perhaps I misjudged your soul when I believed you to be righteous and
loving! Did not Phate make it plain enough? This is well beyond you...
this is sheer insanity! You are not a Goddess, this is not your choice
to make!:

:I'm not asking your permission, Ellison. I'm doing this for the
greater good!:

:Even if you only consider the betterment of yourself?:

Ineloquent silence.

:So be it. This foolishness is yours alone. Don't expect me to rescue
you from it. Goodbye, foolish child:

The road carried on, drawing itself nigh a park clouded over with
trees, only to see them tremble and halt their movement, taken by some
unseen frigid wind.

'Ami!'

Trepidation, anxiety, and anxiousness fluttered angrily in her heart,
tearing at her cognitive senses. Panic ripped furiously within,
bringing tears of rage to her eyes and she drew her broadsword and ran
full tilt towards a destination she would never see.

'Makoto, you would be making a dire mistake if you do this,' uttered a
voice from the shadows.

From the darkness, it could have been anyone, a tall blond with figure
that could raise the dead, or kill with the right motion of hip, or a
homely yet subtly attractive brunette with wiles that would make the
blond seem chaste... if not for her voice.

It was so damned familiar.

She halted, turning to face the source, tears burning her cheeks.

"Usagi-chan?" she called hesitantly, hardly believing she could ever
sound so calculated, so cool - so dark.

A deep dulcet chuckle met Makoto's ears.

'No, but close. I am Tsukino Jisuruka,' and the form behind the voice
peeled forth from the absence of light. Long, slender legs proceeded,
to start, following to similarly built hips - slim, yet raging - to a
waist befitting that of a wasp, a small torso with small well formed
breasts.

Makoto could have mistook those curves for Mina, or even for Ami, who
had been one the more shapely of the senshi - six years past. Her
hair, the short purple lengths, in the style of her sister's... no!
What had drawn that forth? Usagi did not have a sister! Makoto found,
however, that she could not ignore the physical representation of that
possibility. Her face, that face, however, offered a more unique
story.

It was her. A more darkly attractive version of her friend, yet
nonetheless, unmistakable. Her glare was as harsh as it was sultry, as
evil as it was seductive.

Despite her anger, Makoto felt a faint blush rise in her cheeks.

'I know why you're here,' the woman stated with slightest trace of a
smile.

Words faltered. What could Makoto possibly say?

The shady woman set her feet upon the asphalt, and regarded Makoto
with a direct curiosity. In response, Makoto felt herself flinch, not
quite knowing why.

'How do you fare? How is Hanlan? Is he gentle or rough behind closed
doors and shuttered windows...?' There was a distinct pause between
each question. Not one of thought, one of teasing.

Makoto's nostrils flared as she scowled. The chuckle returned. She was
struck by the condescending quality that this strange woman was
relaying.

'A dominant woman like yourself surely doesn't mind a little
submissiveness every once and a while,' she replied seriously, a
callous smile darkening her face.

'What do you want?!' she snapped, placing the tip of her blade to the
female creature's throat. She did not tense.

'Embarrassed? Really, there's no need to be... I understand such
feelings,' she grinned.

'Jupiter!'

Makoto snapped instantly to the voice, forgetting everything but her
destination.

'Usagi...' she whispered, feeling the time had passed her. As this
realization swept over her, anger grabbed her soul, and rendered upon
it the writ of passionate fury.

A long, harsh cry was uttered out from the core of her being, making
Jisuruka startle, and take back from her. Before, however, she could
ask for more than two steps, the threatening blade took at her
shoulder, slicing the black fabric and bringing forth a crimson mark.
The woman staggered back with a low grunt, and gripped her shoulder,
blood painting a partial glove upon her hand.

'Damn it Makoto... I'd thought you'd learned!' she cried, drawing her
free hand up to clasp into a fist. Makoto abruptly felt an impulse to
duck, though her body did not seem too eager in complying.

Jisuruka placed her left hand on Makoto's chest and uttered softly:

'Dire Force!'

When she realized that the sensation of her chest exploding was not
genuine in manifestation, she became suddenly quite intimate with a
tree. As she gathered her wits, Jisuruka grabbed her by the bangs of
her hair and slammed her head against the tree, indicating clearly who
had control.

'It's pretty -' she swore with a casualty Makoto did not enjoy '-
simple Makoto. I could kill you now, and you'd be out of my hair,' she
snarled deeply, turning Makoto to face her as she kicking her knee
into her stomach. 'But I need to leave a warning to your little party
of bitches.'

'What are you talking about...?' she gasped faintly, blood curling at
the corner of her lip.

'The Resistance, and those tarty little twits you call cavalry!'

'I don't,' she coughed, 'know what you're...'

'Doesn't matter to me...' she clenched her open hand and hovered it
above Makoto's left cheek. 'You don't even have to talk... just wear
this!'

She dragged her nails across the fleshy part of her face, and Makoto
cried out, thrashing at her and throwing her back.

'You bitch!' she yelped, holding her bloodied face.

'This is just the beginning you human loving whore,' Jisuruka cursed
evenly. After a moment of seeming study, appreciating her work, she
spoke:

'The next time I see you, I will kill you,' as she faded into nothing.
'...and that is to say nothing of what my sisters will do to you
before then!'

Stark fear held Makoto, hating this creature, hating her with her
soul, wanting desperately to kill her, cursing her mark.

"Makoto!"

She twisted in his arms as he shook her, gentle as a baby. The world
forsook her for a time.

:Makoto Kino Ireson!; Ellison snapped harshly. :Wake up!:

Her eyes blew open as blast doors shattered with concussion waves of
violent force.

"Hanlan...?!" she muttered wearily, waxing weakly from the attack.

"You're bleeding babe!" he got to his feet and drew her easily into
his arms. Her eyes, half-lidded, took to him stunned, as a lost child.

---

To tell you plainly, Hanlan was quite angry. For the wound would heal
only stubbornly, was certain to scar, and there was not a single thing
he could do about the entire matter. He never took such things
lightly, even when it was best to; it was not in him. Makoto's fear
transcended his own, for she was sharply aware of the power of the
woman, and her nature. Kai somehow seemed to have a subtle awareness
of Jisuruka, though, she admitted, it was not her own.

"Osaka has been watching them," she stated, frowning slightly at
Makoto. "They've made some countermeasure of some sort. I don't know
what, though..." she shrugged.

"I swear it was Usagi," Makoto frowned bitterly. "But she only used
Usagi's family name. She did mention something..."

...that is to saying nothing of what my sisters will do to you...!

"...uhm... she said... um... she has sisters." For the first time in a
while, she was deathly frightened. She pressed her fingers slightly to
the bandage of the wound, and winced. "It shouldn't hurt this much."

"Definately a spell, and tricky stuff too," Aaran explained. "Made up
of two parts; a tracer, and physical manifestation thingy. Lotsa fun."

"That would explain why I have broken ribs and a concussion," Makoto
blinked, her eyes weary from the pain alone.

"I've done what I can," Demelza stated, clasping her hands in her lap
as she sat. "The wounds are magical in nature, and beyond my ability
to heal."

'Sisters? I haven't heard anything...' A none-too-vague scowl appeared
upon Kai's face as she stood and began pacing. Her eyes settled on her
mother, who looked the least on edge.

'What about Osaka? Wouldn't she know?'

Kai held her with a dark, uncertain look.

'She might, I'm not sure. We'd have to go see her.'

Rather abruptly, Makoto turned to Mai.

'Mai, so sorry. So very sorry!'

A harshly thoughtful look penetrated Mai's gentle features.

'Why, Makoto? This isn't your fault.'

Makoto's pain restrained her words. She set aside her coffee, and
stood, turning away.

'You would not have been involved if I did not come. I drew you into
this.'

'This is why I rehired you,' Mai smiled, rising to meet the long time
sensei of her children as she paced, drawing her to a sudden halt.
'We're hatamoto.'

Makoto's eyes fell.

'You have done so much for my daughter and I...'

"Babe?" spoke a deep, yet gentle voice. Immediately, Makoto's eyes
shot upwards, catching Hanlan standing just in the doorway, Ayana in
one thick arm. "It's 'cause she cares."

'You understand Japanese, Hanlan-san?' Mai inquired with a slight
smile.

He pointed to his head, and shrugged.

"Kinda. Mostly through Mako. I guess I'm learning it a bit." He
stroked Ayana's forehead delicately, careful not to wake her.

"Oh Ayana..." Makoto sighed slowly, in dark tones. "Mai? Would you
mind...?"

She shook her head, stepping up to Hanlan, arms open.

"Not at all."

Hanlan proffered - with much hesitance - Ayana to Mai. It was a moment
before he let her go, smiling as he did. Mai bowed her head slightly,
and was gone. Hanlan and Makoto bowed to Kai, who smiled sheepishly
from position of what seemed partial entombment, dismissing themselves
to their own then shared room. Hanlan quite expected Makoto to run
into his arms, and was half surprised when she did not. Watching her,
he finally perceived the matter; something inside held her in place. A
frown replaced the smile he wore, and he approached her.

"What is this? What'd Jisuruka do? I mean, besides that..." He
caressed the bandage, and her cheek with the back of his fingers. She
flinched back. "What'd that bitch say?"

"That's not it," she whispered, but refused to speak further.

"Listen, darlin'... whatever it is, we can deal. Don't run out on me."

Abruptly, she realized that was exactly what she felt might save her.
From what? From all of this.

:Why? We've been apart for so long! Why should I want to run...?:

:It has become a defensive reflex; Ellison observed. :Consider it,
young one. You very nearly ran when falling in love with Hanlan:

:Hai. And? You weren't there. Living was a privilege. The less I had,
the less I could lose:

:Things are different. You have stability in your life that has
escaped you until now:

:Are they really? I think they've just kind of set back with the
threat of this strange woman! And my personal life... it's only
half-real. My friends are still in danger:

:I do not know in reality that this woman is as much a threat as you
percieve her to be. Do you forget that you are allied with a Rune
Weapon of considerable power?:

:No of course not. But if she's faster than me, wielding you means
nothing:

Ellison was silent. She could not deny this.

:I appreciate your concern for your friends. I wish you to be happy,
Makoto. Your emotional welfare, is, indeed, mine:

:I hadn't considered that. I'm sorry:

:I was not seeking an apology. You have never done wrong by me, dear
one:

:What about our arguement before I met Jisuruka?; she offered this
with restrained hatred.

:Makoto, we had no such arguement. Believe it or not, at the time I
was conversing with your husband, and answering various questions of
my ability:

:I believe you. Hm... that's something we've never talked about. We
should:

:Undoubtedly. Makoto, I sense you still fear the future. I would ask
you to remember that Shirinaui clan has been exceedingly generous, and
I cannot forsee any reason why their manner should alter. You did not
enjoy such protection before our meeting:

:Why do you think I chose to be a Cyber-Knight? Han may have started
out a jerk, but he always protected me; she explained somewhat
heatedly. :You may be in my mind, Ellison, but you don't know me. Not
by a long shot:

:You are right, dear one. But if we are to survive, and be victorious,
we must come to know each other better:

:I guess we haven't been working very hard at it... seven years is a
long time to not work that out!:

:I agree:

Gradually, as she faced her until recently distant husband, Makoto's
heart twisted against her soul, as she felt her emotions rend, coming
to lean towards Hanlan, and though flinching, not running, nor wishing
escape.

"Oh Goddess Hanlan, I'm sorry..."

Hanlan's eyes fell upon her, and sensing the pain within, drew up to
her and offered what little comfort he could, though his efforts were
grand.