Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Knight's Work Is Never Done ❯ Floran's Last Stand ( Chapter 12 )

A Knight's Work Is Never Done

Chapter 12: Floran's Last Stand

 

By: Ginsan

 

 

"Exactly how long are you two going to watch me, anyway?" Jordan mused acidly, while glaring down at the two Mauians who were currently sitting on the top platform of the tower.

 

He'd been up here for an hour now, slowly walking around the tower on it's safety rail. 'Luckily', the power to the Tower's lighting systems was mysteriously malfunctioning on the top levels. No one down on the ground could see him.

 

Unfortunately for him, however, Mauians had better vision than most humans.

 

"As long as it takes for you not to jump. Seriously, what will jumping off here do anyway?"

 

Jordan spun around on one heel to stare Artemis in the eye.

 

"Look. I figure, I have about a fifty/fifty chance here. If you hapless fleabags can spot me up here, then so can those miserable Devourers."

 

"So that's what this has all been about then? Getting the attention of the Soul Devourers?"

 

At the sound of the softly melodic voice, Jordan spun around again, this time to be confronted with last person he wanted to see.

 

Ami was standing in the doorway of the stairwell. He couldn't make out her face though. This was partially due to the darkness he had created by taking out the lights, and partly because her bangs were covering her eyes as she stared steadily at the ground.

 

"What are you doing here?" he demanded harshly. "I thought I told you to stay away from me."

 

Ami continued to stare at the ground, while her right hand slowly clenched into a fist.

 

"You told me this," she suddenly spat, voice gone soft and hissing. "You told me that. Do this Ami, do that Ami. Damn it Jordan. What is wrong with you? I want to help you, but you keep trying to chase me off." She finally looked up at him, and he could see the tears flowing down her face. And the look of anger in her eyes. "Why do you have to play the hero all the time? Would it really hurt so much to work with us instead of ridiculing and cutting us down all the time? I love you Damn it. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

 

Jordan finally stopped his pacing and hopped down onto the landing. Though he was loathe to admit it, he could hear the cracks forming in his shell. To him, it was like hearing his own death knell. Jordan stared into her eyes for a pained moment, then abruptly turned away again and gazed out at the city.

 

"I'm sorry if I've hurt you," he muttered, then. "I never planned for any of you to even know what I was going to do tonight. I just don't want any of you to be hurt again." He was quiet a moment more as he stared out at the lights before them, then he turned back to her again. "I didn't want you hurt again."

 

Jordan never saw it coming.

 

One moment he was looking at her and in the next breath he was sitting on his butt and rubbing his jaw.

 

Ami towered over him, her fists still clenched tight. One of the knuckles bled down the finger of her right hand as she slowly began clutching her fists so hard they trembled.

 

"How dare you! We've been risking our lives to save this planet long before you showed up! Who the hell are you to decide that we shouldn't be involved?" She opened her eyes then, and glared down at him. "We're going to go on fighting whether you like the idea or not. But just think on this for a second, Jordan. If one of us happens to get hurt--or worse--because you decided not to be a Team player, it'll all be your fault. We don't know half as much about what we're facing as you seem to. But we're going to keep on fighting because that's what we do. We help people. Especially those who can't defend themselves." She shook her head then, expression disgusted. "I hope you can live with yourself, if something really does happen. I know I couldn't. Luna, Artemis, we're leaving."

 

Not wanting to argue, the two cats just followed her silently down the stairs.

 

Jordan remained where he was for several minutes after she left, still cradling his bruised jaw with a derisive expression on his face.

 

"Nice going jackass," he muttered scathingly. The teen finally stood up then, and turned back to the vista of Tokyo. It looked like the whole night was a bust now. Not only had his target not shown up, but the girl he wanted the most to keep out of harm's way just showed him the error of his ways. In nearly the most painful way possible. At that thought Jordan smirked. "Gotta admit though, she sure has one Hell of a right hook. Must be learning from Amara. "

 

Maybe it would be a good idea to go home now, and try again later. After all, there where other ways to try and flush out Floran.

 

* * *

 

Ami stormed down the stairs, not really paying attention to where she was. All she wanted was to get far away from the roof.

 

Away from Jordan.

 

Luna and Artemis exchanged glances as they followed her down the stairs. Neither one of them had ever seen her this mad. They needed to get her calmed down quickly, before she injured herself.

 

Artemis decided he'd try first. "Ami, you need to slow down. If you keep running down the stairs like this, you're going to hurt yourself."

 

Ami glared down at the white cat, as he ran beside her. "You know what? I don't care. Just leave me alone."

 

Ami ran even faster down the stairs.

 

Luna and Artemis raced after her. The further they went, the worse the sinking feeling in their guts became. Especially as they began running out of breath, and Ami began pulling ahead of them. Halfway down the tower, their fears for Ami were realized.

 

Ami's right foot come down on the stairs she was taking two at a time. As she swung her left foot around for the next step, she over extended. Thrown off balance, she grabbed frantically for the safety rail. Unfortunately, she grabbed it with her right hand. The blood still covering her hand made it slippery, and she slipped again.

 

She went down hard, slamming her left knee into a step on the way down. Luckily though, she was right at the landing. She hit it with her shoulder then her head, before skidding up against the wall. When she finally stopped, she curled up into a ball.

 

Luna and Artemis finally caught up to her, and rushed to her side.

 

"Ami, are you alright?" Luna walked up to Ami's face, noticing the large bruise forming, and the small cut that had begun bleeding.

 

She didn't answer, instead beginning to cry silently. After a moment, the crying began to slowly grow louder. She began slamming her injured right hand into the metal of the landing as her sobs took on a heart wrenching intensity.

 

After several minutes Ami finally stopped slamming her fist into the ground, and settled into a stint of body shaking sobs. Luna and Artemis approached her cautiously. Luna gently licked Ami's hand, and both cats found themselves snatched by Ami. She pulled them close, and quietly sobbed into their fur.

 

At a loss for anything to do in this situation, both cats simply let Ami clutch them. As she cried, they gave her all the support and understanding they could.

 

After about ten minutes of this, Luna and Artemis heard footsteps slowly descending the stairs. At first they assumed it was Jordan, finally coming down from the Tower. But then they caught a whiff of the person.

 

Their hackles began rising, as they hissed up the stairs. Ami took notice, and tried looking up at what drew their attention. Her eyes wouldn't focus properly however, through the haze of pain and tears.

 

"Jordan, is that you? Just leave me alone."

 

A sob wracked her body, as she tried sitting up and trying to keep her clutch on the struggling cats.

 

"Ami, that's not Jordan. It's one of the Devourers."

 

"We'll try to hold it off, and you try and get away. Or at least call for help."

 

Ami watched as the two cats leaped from her arms, and rushed the stairs. They both leaped at the creature, claws extended.

 

They were both batted aside by a slender hand reaching from the shadows. Artemis ended up knocked across to the other side of the stair well. Luna was slammed into the wall, to land beside Ami.

 

Stepping further from the shadows, the Devourer revealed itself. And Ami's blood ran cold.

 

Standing close to six feet tall, the female devourer was a sight to behold. It's legs looked human, but had thorns running up the shins to end in a large spike on each knee. The feet were clawed, and actually left deep scratches in the metal as it walked, now coming close enough for Ami to hear the sound. The legs tapered up to a waist that was so thin, it was practically non-existent. From there, it swelled up into a definite feminine torso. Long, and slender arms ended in even more slender hands. Each finger tipped by what looked to be serrated leaves for nails. From it's back, sprouted the same pod things as the Devourer Puppet that had captured her several days ago. Only these seemed longer, and more developed. The body itself, was covered in a mocking imitation of a Sailor Fuku. The skirt was designed much like theirs, but made of an assortment of serrated leaves, each one seeming to be different from the rest. The bodice was form-fitting with a neckline that plunged most of the way to her waist. The `outfit' even had vines in the back in the shape of a bow. Her face though. Ami knew that face very well.

 

Floran smirked down at the helpless girl, as she casually glanced at the unconscious forms of Luna and Artemis.

 

"Ah, such a pity. I think I broke them a bit early. I had wanted to have a bit of fun with them first. Such a shame." She smirked down at Ami as she came even closer. "Guess I'll just have to make your death last instead."

 

Ami didn't even have time for a scream as Floran's left hand transformed into a vine and lashed out towards her.

 

* * *

 

Jordan continued to stare off at the skyline as he pondered his next course of action. It wasn't very hard to figure what needed to be done.

 

First, of course, he'd have to find Ami and apologize to her. She didn't deserve to be treated the way he had treated her. Hopefully it wouldn't be too painful an experience. He'd rather avoid having to go back to the hospital again so soon.

 

Second order of business was finding a new way of attracting Floran. Hopefully the real one this time. These Puppets of hers were getting to be rather annoying.

 

He leaned up against the rail as he mused on his thoughts. He was about to start heading home, when he suddenly dropped to his knees.

 

Emotions ripped through his head almost faster than he could comprehend them.

 

Anger, mostly directed at him. Followed quickly by horror, and then an incredible amount of pain.

 

Before he had even realized what he was doing, Jordan was on his feet and sprinting to the stairwell. He was actually yanking the door open, when the Fear hit him.

 

He froze in his tracks, as the emotion of terror washed over him. After a few seconds though, the feelings simply stopped.

 

He blinked his eyes several times, before he was able to focus. Jordan stepped back from the door and tried to sort out what had just happened.

 

He knew the feelings weren't his, but whose were they? Ami's, obviously. She was the only other person around. But what had caused it, and how had it happened in the first place?

 

He stood for a moment, trying to sort things out. All of it lead to questions he would have to try and answer later.

 

"Hello Prince. Are you enjoying the view tonight?"

 

Jordan whipped around, looking for the source of the voice. He knew who it was of course. It was the reason he was here after all.

 

"Come on out Floran, and show yourself. Where are you hiding?"

 

"Hah. I'm not hiding. I'm simply where I'm supposed to be. Higher than you."

 

Jordan looked up at the top of the Tower. There, standing right on the tip, was Floran. Staring at what she clutched in one of her arms sent Jordan to levels of rage he didn't know he possessed.

 

Wrapped tightly in several vines, Ami hung limply in Floran's grasp. She was conscious, but the glazed look in her eyes was evidence of the amount of pain she was in.

 

"Stooping to using hostages again I see. Afraid to fight me without a handicap you cowardly bitch?"

 

Floran laughed as she stared down at him. "Hardly, little Prince. I'm simply following orders. I'm giving you a choice."

 

Floran held Ami out at arms length, while a blade formed of leaves, appeared in her other hand.

 

"A simple matter really. Join the Queen, or..." She put the tip of the blade to Ami's throat. A small drop of blood appeared, and slid down the blade. "The girl dies."

 

Jordan glared up Floran, as he thought over his options. There was really only one to make after all.

 

"Give it up Floran. I will never join your Queen. In fact, you can tell her she's at the top of my list. One of the few people I will really enjoy killing. Now, let the girl go." With his final words, a blade of shimmering green energy appeared in his left hand. "If you spill so much as one more drop of her blood, I swear I will make you beg for death before the end."

 

Floran simply smirked down at him. "Very well. If that's your decision, I hope you can live with your choice. Catch."

 

Her face twisted into a malicious smile, as she with drew her blade. Then hurled Ami as far away as she could, watching her go over the edge of the tower.

 

"Happy? I let her go as you asked." Floran broke up laughing, as she grinned at Jordan. "Choice Number two. Get revenge, or save the girl. The clock's ticking."

 

Jordan spared her a momentary glare, before vanishing from the platform.

 

* * *

 

Ami struggled weakly against the vines, but it was no use. They were too tight, and getting tighter still. Quickly sapping what little strength she had left. She couldn't even maneuver enough to get to her Henshin Wand.

 

From the top of the tower, all she could do was hang limply, waiting for Floran to finish her off. She knew none of the others could possibly arrive in time to help. After all, none of them even knew anything was wrong. Jordan might be able to help, but after what she had said and done to him, she wasn't sure. He was already probably long gone.

 

Her thoughts were suddenly driven from her mind, as the vines suddenly tightened around her, causing a groan of pain.

 

She could hear Floran talking to someone, but the pain was too intense to focus. She couldn't even make out what Floran was saying. It sounded like she was taunting someone.

 

She suddenly whimpered again in pain, as something sharp stabbed into her neck.

 

Through the new pain coursing through her, she could make out Floran taunting the other person again. She couldn't make out the conversation exactly, though she did grasp the meaning of the last word.

 

"Catch."

 

Her eyes suddenly widened, focusing through the pain as shear terror overwhelmed her.

 

She watched in morbidly slow motion as she went flying over the edge of the observation platform. This was it. This was how she was going to die. Splattered at the bottom of the tower. As she fell, some abstract part of her mind wondered who would turn her homework in for her in the morning.

 

She was wrenched out of her morbid thoughts when the vines suddenly snapped, and fell away from her. Once again, that abstract part of her brain noticed that several of the pieces looked cut, and were still smoldering.

 

"Hang on, this could get bumpy."

 

Ami gasped, as arms scooped her out of the air. Looking up, the fist thing she saw was the nicely colored bruise on his jutting chin. Jordan grunted with the effort it took to hold her, even as he tried to smile at her.

 

"Yah know, you might want to consider a diet. Just a thought."

 

All Ami could do was stare at Jordan as he carried her to a nearby building. Or at least, what was flapping behind him was carrying them.

 

Somehow Jordan had sprouted a pair of wings. Wings which were trying frantically to both slow their fall and angle them towards the building's roof.

 

The wings themselves were impressive enough to take her breath away. Spanning about 7 meters, they were beautiful in their own right. It was the feathers specifically, however, which caught her gaze and held it. Each feather was a bright and brilliant white in color, so much so that they seemed to glow slightly. The truly impressive part was the bright, silvery green tinge that ran down the edge of each. This part of the feather actually did glow, as though they were lit from within. As a whole, the wings left an after image in the air after each flap, stray feathers looking like trailing sparkles.

 

After a moment of staring, Ami finally noticed that they in fact hadn't hit the ground, as well as the fact that Jordan had wings.

 

"You have wings. How do you have wings?" She sounded ridiculous, but all things considered, Ami suspected she had the right.

 

Jordan cracked another smile at her words, as he tried slowing down for a landing. "All you could think of to say huh? Well, this is probably going to be a bumpy landing, so hold on."

 

As he veered in to do so, Ami wrapped her arms around Jordan's neck. It was far from a smooth landing, but neither one of them ended up with more than a few bruises.

 

After he picked himself up, Jordan helped Ami sit up against the stairwell.

 

"You should probably call the others for help. I'll keep Floran busy for a while. I think she's a little angry right now." He smirked that trademark smirk as he glanced back at the tower, where a shining green bubble could be seen at the top of the spire. "Not so easy to teleport out of a force field."

 

He looked back down at her, then, when she didn't respond right away. "Look, I know you still probably hate my guts right now, and I'm gonna make it worse. Please, stay out of this fight. If you wanna kick my ass later, fine. Just stay here right now, where it's safe."

 

After offering her a weak smile, Jordan turned around, and faced the tower. A moment later, Ami was caught in the backwash as he flew off. A single feather landed on the ground next to her.

 

* * *

 

"ARGH! That insufferable bastard. How dare he trap me like this. I don't care what the Queen wants anymore, I'm going to kill him."

 

"Aww. Looks like someone doesn't like her bug jar. If you wanna kill me so badly, I can let you out."

 

Jordan flew around to where she could see him, as he called forth the power of Phaeton. This time, he opted not to use the helmet or the cape. In their place, metal bands appeared down the length of his wings, adding some much needed protection.

 

Floran stared at him in momentary shock, which quickly turned into a feral smile as the energy field collapsed. "So the little Prince wants to play after all. I'll be happy to oblige. Just remember, I won't be holding back this time."

 

She leaped from the tower towards Phaeton. As she flew through the air, large dragonfly wings sprouted from the pods on her back. Not expecting it, when she slammed right into Phaeton he was thrown off balance and the two of them began falling out of the sky.

 

Floran would lash out with Vines, and Phaeton would mange to slash them away, only to have to dodge out of the way of her thorn vines as they aimed to shred his wings. Returning the favor, Phaeton lashed out with several energy Shards, causing Floran to veer off, or risk loosing her own wings. Using the chance to gain some distance and altitude, Phaeton streaked upwards with Floran in hot pursuit.

 

* * *

 

Ami watched the battle helplessly from the roof. Even if she wanted to fight, with the injuries she had taken in her fall earlier, she couldn't. All she could do was clutch her communicator, and hope the others arrived quickly.

 

From where she sat, she could see occasional flashes of light. Either Phaeton's green energy, or the sickly yellow of Floran's venom. Occasionally, the flashes would come near the bottom of the tower, other times from well above it.

 

"What the Hell is going on?"

 

Ami looked up to see Uranus and Neptune walking up to stand next to her. Behind them, she could see the others starting to arrive as well.

 

"Phaeton is fighting Floran."

 

"In the air?"

 

"Yah, in the air."

 

Ami looked up again at the fight, and this time instead of holding her communicator, she clutched the feather. As she held it, she felt a warm feeling flow from it and move to the back of her mind. Comforting, but urgent. Gasping, she looked up at the Scouts with wide eyes.

 

"You all need to get down to the bottom of the tower. He's going to bring her down to the ground so you can finish her off."

 

"How do you know that?" Uranus looked down at her puzzled, then back up at the fight. "You Telepathic all of a sudden?"

 

"I don't know. Maybe. But you all need to go now. He can't keep that up for much longer."

 

The Scouts all exchanged looks. Mini-Moon stepped forward after a minute, and knelt down by Ami.

 

"You all go. I'll stay with Ami. I'm pretty worthless in this kind of fight anyway. We'll be fine."

 

With a nod of their heads, the other Scouts all jumped from the roof and hurried to the base of the Tower.

 

* * *

 

"Give it up Prince. You're no match for me. You may be able to avoid my attacks for a while, but I'll hit you soon enough. And your pathetic attacks are nothing more than a minor irritation."

 

Floran swooped down on Phaeton, her Leaf Sword scything an arc through the air, fully intent on taking his head. Phaeton responded by deflecting it with his sword, and blasting a handful of his energy shards into her face. With her momentarily distracted, he managed to maneuver up above her, and spot the arrival of the Scouts down below.

 

"Ah good. This was taking too long anyway."

 

Phaeton collapsed his wings against his back and dropped straight down on Floran, just as she cleared away the last of the shards. She looked up just as he slammed into her back, gripping her wings.

 

"Pathetic little fool. You've just handed yourself to me on a silver platter."

 

Her vines whipped out to wrap around him, seeking to bind him tight, even as they began flipping around through the air.

 

"Actually,” he continued in an almost pleasant voice, “I'm planning on using you as a buffer for when we hit the ground and they finish you off."

 

Phaeton managed to flip them around again, so he was on top. Planting a boot on her back, he yanked as hard as he could and was rewarded with a horrid screech of pain as Floran's wings were ripped off. At the same time, she managed to look down and spot the Scouts and the waiting trap.

 

Her vines began whipping at Phaeton frantically, growing thorns which quickly began ripping into his face and wings. Blood began to flow down his face, and bloody feathers began to fall around them. It was all in vain though, as a moment latter, they both slammed into the ground. Phaeton threw up his Energy Shield, absorbing just enough of the impact to keep it from being fatal. Not that Floran would appreciate what awaited her.

 

Phaeton was thrown into unconsciousness from the impact, and knocked clear of Floran. As soon as he was away, the Scouts attacked.

 

"Mars Flame Sniper!"

 

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

 

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"

 

"Uranus Space Sword Blaster!"

 

"Neptune Submarine Reflection!"

 

"Pluto Deadly Scream."

 

"Rainbow Moon Heart Attack!"

 

With all Scouts attacking at once, and Saturn slicing her with the Silence Glaive, Floran was done for. Her body quickly crumbled and turned into dust. A brief evening breeze blew it all way, leaving her gleaming Black Soul Gem laying on the ground. Uranus quickly grabbed it as the others gathered around Phaeton.

 

He was a mess. Again. Most of them were in awe of his wings, though there was little of them left now. Floran had done a number on them. Blood flowed freely, and there were entire patches of feathers missing.

 

Just as they were wondering what to do with him, his Armor dissolved away and his wings seemed to shrink, until they disappeared completely. Jordan lay on the ground now, clothed in torn blue jeans and the tattered remains of his shirt. They could see several bruises on him, and his face was still bleeding slightly. But at least he was much easier to handle this way.

 

* * *

 

Jordan awoke to a cool rag gently wiping his face. He winced and hissed out in pain when the rag touched one of the deeper scratches on his face. The rag was quickly yanked back. A quick glance around the room told him he was somewhere in Temple. It also told who was tending him. If his ribs hadn't hurt as much as they were, he'd probably laugh.

 

"Is this revenge for telling you to stay out of the fight?” he grunted. “I suppose I should be grateful you're using water and not alcohol."

 

Ami glared down at him as she dipped the rag into a bowl, and rung it out. She started dabbing at his scratches again, not bothering with being gentle this time.

 

"I don't know why I'm even bothering. You're just going to go out and try to get yourself killed again." She dabbed at a rather nasty cut on his forehead, and made sure it hurt as she did so. "You know, after you saved me, I thought you might have actually changed. I see now how wrong I was."

 

Jordan have a sharp hiss of pain, then reached out and snatched her hand, keeping her from poking his wounds again. "I said you could kick my ass later, and I meant it. I'm glad your safe." He tried sitting up, but thought better of it, when a wave of nausea hit him. Woah, bad idea. He eased back carefully, blinking the dizziness clear.

 

Ami managed to pull her hand away from his grasp and sat back, glaring at him again. Jordan took the opportunity to look her over, and frowned.

 

"Shouldn't you be in bed as well? You don't look so good."

 

"Argh!" Ami threw the wet rag at him, and leaned over so that her angry face loomed over his. "Do you have any idea why I'm in this condition? It's because of you. I was so upset over what happened on the Observation deck that I tripped on the stairs and practically fell right into Floran's hands. Honestly, I don't even know why I'm still here. I could be home and in bed instead of standing here, fighting with you yet again. I really should have learned my lesson by now. You're nothing more than an arrogant, uptight, egotistical, self-righteous, masochistic, bas- Urk!"

 

Ami's tirade was cut short as Jordan reached up and grabbed her, pulling her in for a kiss. She tried to struggle free at first, but Jordan managed to keep a hold of her. After a few seconds, she finally gave in and stopped struggling.

 

Both of them were completely oblivious to the several sets of twinkling eyes peering at them through a crack in one of the screens.

* * *