Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Consequences: Book Two-An New Order ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

This is an A/U fic, etc. etc. etc.

I do not own Sailor Moon; I'm just a fan.



Sean!


Chapter Ten

From her spot near the control panel, Serena watched the strange dance that was happening on the Plutonian moon, Nemesis. She could fell the life on the small satellite and the darkness that threaten to over take it and destroy the people living there.

Endy came up from behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders, she looked up, and he bent and pressed his lips to her brow and sighed.

"The darkness is so palpable, it's unclear to me if there is any goodness on the moon at all." She whispered sadly. "It's destroying them."

He could fell it too. It was cruel and destructive. It was hate, lust, greed, vanity, pride, gluttony, wraith all rolled into one, it was Chaos, and it was calling his Princess.

"Try not to think about it, Serenity." He turned her chair around and pulled her up into his arms. "I will protect you."

Terran had returned from his conference with Plutonian planetary Senshi and guards. They had sworn their loyalty to Queen Serenity and to office of the Senshi of Time, never to an individual, Pluto was a republic, the only one in the system for the simple reason, their monarch was bound to the Time Gates.

Terran was pleased to note that strong the armies wore and how they accepted Princess Serenity that alone gave him hope that when they faced whatever it was on Nemesis they would not be facing it alone. He entered the control room of the sub-terrain castle and stopped dead in his tracks. Endy and Serenity were talking in hushed voices. He held her in his lap, her white wings almost closed in around them.

It looked as if Endy had finally learned his lessons. He turned away, gently pulling of Erebus' leash and he left the two alone. His prayers went out to Aphrodite and to Eros, he prayed that this would finally be the beginning of their life together.

By the time they appeared on Callisto, the battle was already underway. The Guardian of Callisto had sent his Senshi into battle against the two-gamma level Celestial Senshi and it was just a slaughter.

Atalanta's World Shaking cut across the frozen plains and wiped out a group of Senshi. Eros did not wait to see another attack like that. She whipped out her crystal sword and shouted, "Charge."

The Imperial Celestial Senshi came on to the field with weapons drawn and fire in their eyes. The Senshi of Callisto fell back as quickly as they could before the two warrior groups clashed.

They went in and broke off in two groups, Eros, Nike, and Persephone chased down Ananke while Atalanta dodged the furious attacks of Athena Diana, Bellona, and Xanthe.

When they caught up with the former Senshi of Pluto, Eros hit Ananke with a Love and Beauty Shock. Of course Ananke avoided the attack, yet she was not quick enough to miss Persephone's Silent Glaive Surprise.

Ananke hit the frozen ground face first, before she could get up, Persephone swung her glaive down and almost took her head. The wily former Guardian of Time evaded the attack as she swept the Saturian Queen, bringing her down hard on her back. Eros flung out, her Love Me Chain, the energy charged metal whistled through the air like a deadly snake ready to strike almost taking Ananke's head had she not blocked it with staff. Which was just the opening Nike was waiting for. She rammed her staff into Ananke's unprotected back. She spun around; swinging the heavy metal tipped staff around once and connected with Ananke's head. She tried to follow with her Flower Hurricane but the rouge managed to avoid the magical attack. Ananke rolling out of the way and came up in a low crouch. Blood trickled down from her right temple and but she was not out of the game yet. The former Senshi of Pluto came up with a twist of her staff and she made a beckoning gesture.

"Come on." She growled.

And the three Senshi did.

Atalanta dove out of the way of Athena Diana's frozen arrows. Bella's Fire Soul melted the area she had last bound from and she just barely missed being impaled on Xanthe's triton.

The Guardian of the Seas viciously ripped her weapon from the icy ground, tearing chunks of ice up as she whipped about to face the former Guardian of Skies and Winds. From the air, Athena rained shards of ice down on the traitor, but Atalanta countered sending a whirlwind at Mercury which sent her tumbling from the heavens. Neptune blasted Uranus with a wall of water at her. She pounded Atalanta mercilessly and Athena joined in. She created a cylinder of ice around Uranus and Neptune filled it and Athena capped it. Atalanta pounded on the walls of ice. She screamed and water rushed into her lungs.

"She's charging her attack." Bellona shouted. She notched to flaming arrows to her bow. Athena followed suit, Xanthe held her triton at the ready. Bright light filled the prison and the thing exploded. Chunks of ice and water spewed out in all directions. Atalanta fell to the ground, sodden, and choking. Bellona and Athena Diana released their arrows simultaneously. Atalanta looked up quickly and just avoided being pierced by the two warriors' arrows. Bellona dropped her bow as she and Xanthe ran forward while Athena Diana pushed frozen spikes to the surface. She managed to stab Atalanta once but the traitor pushed herself up into the air. Bellona ripped her sword from her scabbard and charged at her. For a tense moment, the two battled it out in the air, but even in her weakened condition, Atalanta proved that she was still the better swordswoman than the Martian Senshi. Her skill was far more superior that Bellona's. It always was. Contemptuously, Atalanta slapped Bellona to the ground and then she turned to the other two Senshi.

Bellona pushed herself up on her elbow her right had been clasped tightly against the wound in her left side. Above her, Atalanta drifted gently to the ground. Bellona growled low and menacing in her throat as she kept a watchful eye on the traitor.

"You are no Eros, Bella." Atalanta said flippantly as she "Sword play was never your game."

"Rot in Tartarus, you faithless villain." Bella hissed.

Atalanta calmly stood between the three Senshi. She lowered the blade of her sword, a crimson trail of Bella's blood dripped from the tip of Atalanta's Space Sword.

"Well this has been an interesting evening." She smiled wearily at her former compatriots. "Athena Diana. It has been a long time."

"Lana." The Mercurian Princess inclined her head briefly.

A wistful look crossed Atalanta's navy eyes as she accepted the gesture and the use of her nickname. "So distant and yet you refer to me as I am still your sister, Athena. Tell me, how is the little one?"

"Serenity?" She asked. Atalanta nodded. "She is heartbroken by your betrayal, Lana. We all are."

Atalanta looked away, she could see the light her kingdom in the distance. "I did not betray them or any of you." She said quietly. "I only turned against my brother and I died for my beliefs."

"The Queen will forgive all of your sins, Atalanta." Xanthe told her. "Just lay down your sword and surrender to us."

She looked at the Senshi of Neptune, a myriad of emotions playing in her eyes. "But will you forgive me, Xan," she asked her. Desperation in her voice as looked hungrily at the one she loved. "Can you forgive me?"

Without hesitation Xanthe said she could. It was in the past.

But it wasn't enough. Wiping at her streaming eyes, Atalanta asked if could forget Apollo and love her.

"No," Xanthe shook her head. "I love him. He is my soul mate."

Atalanta nodded. Pain was evident on her pallid features. "Then you understand why I can't go back." She asked brokenly. She raised her streaming eyes to Xanthe's. "I can't go on knowing you are with him. I can't live like that, not again. I would rather die a thousand deaths than to live a thousand days watching you in Apollo's arms."

"Lana, think of Uranus." Athena tried, "Think of the shame that your kingdom will bear when it is known why it Queen did not return. Can you live with yourself knowing how this betray will stain the House of Uranus?"

"I care not," she said hotly. Her right hand clenched tightly about the hilt of her sword as she stared longingly at her brother's soul mate. "Apollo will take my crown, for I have been branded a traitor by the Silver Alliance for my actions that day. However, that does not concern me. I never wanted to be Queen. I loved serving my Queen and I adored our Princess and there I was most happy. Yet it was to Xanthe that had I pledged my life. You, my darling one, was more precious to me than any crown or salutation I could have received as a Senshi. Xanthe, you alone were my reason to live and for hope. I love you more than my own life."

"I feel sorry for you." Xanthe said honestly, "Yet you cannot force your affections on me. I love Apollo. I always and I shall continue to do so until the end of my existence and beyond." Xanthe told her. "But, Atalanta you have a choice. Give up this foolish fantasy and surrender and have your life spared. Or you can continue to stand before us as our enemy and die this day. The choice is yours to make, but do not put me in the equation. For if you chose the later, I will kill you."

"Since I can't have you, I will not surrender." Atalanta declared. As soon as the last word past her lips, Atalanta renewed the attack. Harsh, cutting winds, charged with magical energy tore from her body and struck out at the three warriors.

"Xanthe, look out!" Bellona shouted just as the frozen ground beneath their feet exploded and sent them sinking into a large crater.

Athena Diana had avoided Bellona and Xanthe's fates, by taking to the air almost immediately. She charged in first, to give the other two Senshi time to free themselves and start their own counter offensive. Ice blue energy gathered in her hands as she prepared for her desperate attack. Athena slapped her palms together and sword of crystal and ice rose from her icy clasp. She leapt up holding her sword over head. She roared as the two blades connected.

Atalanta glared at Athena, the color drained from her eyes as they were filled with an intense with light. "Space Sword Blaster!" She roared. Her attack threw Athena backward through the air, but she caught herself in the air.

Athena drew herself into a ball, her wings closing around her. Atalanta charged forward, she swung her blade down as she threw out her left hand, bright, blinding white energy filled her eyes and spilled down to her arms and raced to her hands. "Space Turbulence." She shouted.

At the same time Athena released her fully charged attack. She threw her wings open and ice particles gathered before her in a ball and it begin to glow. The thing exploded and in its place was a harp of ice and silvered sapphires hovered between her hands. Athena quickly snatched the harp from the air and strummed her fingers over the crystal wires. She called out in a voice filled with steel, "Aqua Rhapsody."

The two attack met and collided with an explosive force that caused the very air to vibrate.

Xanthe rolled to her feet; she looked back and saw Bellona had risen. She tucked her triton behind her and turned her attention to the Senshi battling it out. Athena Diana was drawing strength from the frozen moon beneath her feet and was beating Atalanta back. But it wasn't going to be enough. Desperation was fueling Atalanta and she was not going to stop until she killed them or died herself. She looked back beyond Uranus and Mercury and in the distance could see Eros, Nike, and Persephone's battle with Ananke.

********

Eros called out "Chain Wink Sword!"

Persephone followed quickly with her, "Death Reborn Revolution." Dark violet light and brilliant gold collided with the dark red of Pluto's Chronos Typhoon. And the effect was worst that what a nuclear bomb could ever do.

Atalanta went sliding back of over the icy ground, screaming in pain. Mercury had slapped her back with her wall of solid ice. She rolled helplessly to a stop and Atalanta laid on the ground. Her fuku was torn and blood stained and her body was battered. Her injuries were server, but not life threatening. Athena Diana had surprised her. She had never though of the little Mercurian Princess as deadly warrior. She always assumed there was something that kept the blood-crazed beast at bay in Athena.

Athena grabbed her by the neck and slammed Atalanta's head into the ground repeatedly in the hopes of killing the other woman quickly. Bone shattered at the force of her grip as Athena continued with her painful punishment. Atalanta cried out as she grabbed at Athena's long ice coloured hair. Athena would not let up; she ignored her own pain, her attention focused only on ridding the system of Uranus. However Atalanta was not about to end her life that way, not without making sure that Xanthe was going to be with her in the afterlife. Atalanta fought through the pain as she reached out for her sword. Her fingertips brushed over the hilt and she grabbed it desperately. Once the sword was in her hand, Atalanta drew it up, quickly reversed her grip on her to plunge the blade deep into Athena's right tight. The Mercurian Princess screamed out in pain and let Atalanta go and Atalanta threw her off quickly, but that final act seemed to drain what was left of her energy.

Weakly, the Uranian warrior rolled onto her left side. Her head hurt and her body was ready to collapse from the strain of the protracted battle. Atalanta feared that she would not survive another onslaught from the other two fresher Senshi.

Blessed Zephyrus, she was did not know if she could live even if the wounded Athena came at her right now. She reached up and held her left hand to her broken scalp; blood dribbled from her nose and mouth and it completely soaked her white blonde hair. She should have given in, but a Senshi never quit it was not in their nature to stop fighting until death had claimed them and even then it was still questionable. Although she was exhausted and sorely injured, Atalanta looked up through fall of her hair and knew that she was not suffering alone. With unwavering eyes, she watched Xanthe rise purposely to her feet. She put aside her mirror and Atalanta's hand sought her cutlass. It was now their turn to dance.

She levered her up, using her left arm and her sword to rise.

"Deep Submerge!" Xanthe waited only for Atalanta to move into a low crouch before she attacked. Atalanta rolled out of the way and came quickly to her, feet, but her balance was off and she fell right into Xanthe's next attack.

The water Senshi swung her triton round and hit Atalanta's wounded side with the flat side. She turned it, the rod slammed into Atalanta's chest. Uranus staggered backwards, before going down on one knee.

She raised her sword to block Xanthe's next attack, but had the surprise of her life. Xanthe body seemed to shift as she came charging at the Atalanta, she became a living body of water and she dissolved right before Atalanta's eyes. The Uranuian Senshi looked about wildly for the warrior of water came and then to her horror, Atalanta was once again wrapped up in a wall of water. Only this time, she was caught up in Xanthe.

Xanthe was choking her. Water was rushing into her throat, her ears, and eyes. She was trying desperate to drown her, to choke the very life from Atalanta. In her liquid form, Xanthe pounded relentlessly on Atalanta's injuries, she forced the wound in her side to open wider, she tore are her crushed cranium…But she blasted away.

Atalanta lay on her knees, vomiting up water and blood. Warily, she watched as the water together, forming a gel like substance. Atalanta drew in a weak breath as she laid a trembling hand on the surface of the Joven moon. She reached deep within her soul for the power she knew that was there, she pulled it up and screaming with all the pain and hatred she felt, Atalanta took out her rage out on the defenseless satellite.

The ground beneath their feet shook violently, but the four warriors were to far gone to pay it any mind.

Eros had a strangle hold on Ananke's neck. She and Nike had torn through Ananke's armor and were now pounding on semi protected bone and flesh. The blows Eros had been applying to Ananke's spine could have crippled a hundred of the strongest warriors. Nike could have reduced their internal organ to soup. But it was the mental nightmare was inflecting on Ananke would have reduced the bravest warrior to a huddling ball of fear.

Yet Ananke was no weakling. She was stronger than the strongest, braver than the most fearless warrior. She had walked into hell a million times and faced a terror far greater and more relentless than any had ever seen and more. Therefore Ananke refused to be brought low by these three insignificant beings.

She fought the Gods before and won. She had cheated death and was yet to face judgment. Let Death, Life, and Love battle her, Ananke swore on her own soul that she would be victorious.

Atalanta was sure that explosion could have been seen as far way as Terra.

Terra, the place all their dreams were supposed to come true. Their new world or that was what Ananke had told her when she agreed to held see the Moon fall. It was what she had to believe in when she ran her sword through her own brother's heart and stole Xanthe's life from her. She held on to that as she stood by impassively and let Metallia through the Outer Gates. It was what she prayed for when the darkness claimed her and prayed for a cleansed memory and a life with Xanthe. And for a few years, she had had the one she loved and Terra was almost theirs.

She wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. Here she was on one of the moons of Jupiter, her memories fully intact, she was now a Celestial Senshi, but a traitor to her home world and to Silver Millennium. And even more so, she did not have Xanthe.

Atalanta pushed herself to her feet; cold determination pushed aside her morose thoughts. If she were going to die, she was not going to do it alone. Apollo was never going to have Xanthe, not in this life time or the next, she was going to see to it personally.

"Forgive me, Xanthe." She whispered before she charged towards her target, roaring, as she brought her sword up. Senshi were taught to annihilate all who stood before them. No mercy was to be shown to the enemy.

"Xanthe," Athena Diana shouted even as she fired arrow after arrow into Atalanta's body. "Get out of the way."

Xanthe raised her triton; she was not going to run.

"Aro Ryo Tan San!" Bellona shouted and threw her spell at her, but nothing would stop her.

With a scream filled with pain, lust, and agony rang through the air as jumped up to bring her sword down upon Xanthe's head.

"Good-bye, my love." Was her silent prayer and aloud she roared, "Space Sword Blaster!"

It was as if time stood still at that moment. Athena and Bellona were rushing forward to their comrade's aid. The soul energy that fueled Atalanta's attack gave it the extra strength to destroy everything that came into the range of the sword's light. Xanthe realized at that moment she was going to die. But she was not going without taking Atalanta with her.

She called out her own counter attack as futile as it was; she was going to kill Uranus. The two attacks met, but the brilliant, blinding light absorbed the vibrant aqua and the attack came relentlessly at the brave warrior as made her peace with the Gods and her Queens.

Apollo. She faced her death without fear only sadness.

"Xanthe!" Bellona shrill screams echoed across the plane.

Atalanta's attack fell on Xanthe in a savage wave of energy and light. Athena and Bellona were forced to shield their eyes against the burning brilliance that filled the sky. When the light died down, the two warriors rushed forward, prepared to see both their sisters dead on the frozen floor.

The first they cross was Atalanta's staring corpse. A massive amount of her chest had been ripped out and a river of blood flowed downward towards the body-no there were two… Athena Diana clasped her hands over her mouth to hold back the sobs of joy that threaten to rise at any moment.

"Xanthe!" She cried happily as her sister Senshi pushed herself up into a seated position.

An armored arm draped itself around the aqua haired sea warrior as Apollo sat up. Xanthe looked at the Atalanta's corpse and with a cry, turned to Apollo and buried her face in his armored chest.

"It's alright, love," he whispered. His body moving in a gentle sway as he consoled her, "No one will ever hurt you again."

Athena looked away from the touching scene. She reached up to push the ice blue strands of her hair from her face, in her mind's eye, and she could see the battle as it raged on.

*******

Eros did a back flip into the air, just avoiding a direct hit from Ananke's Typhoon. Persephone jumped in, a quick drop to her left heel, she went into a sit spin with her right leg, and glaive out that got Ananke in the leg and waist.

The rouge Senshi cried out as another wound opened up on her sorely injured body. She stumbled back and tripped one of Nike's traps. A blast of green lighting shot up and wrapped around her. Eros came down, swinging her double swords, Ananke parried one blade by another snuck in and stabbed her in her left lung.

Blood rushed in, filling the lung rapidly. She started to cough, her lifeblood dribbled from her lips, in a constant rain. But they could not end it there.

The first rule of being a Senshi: Show no mercy.

Eros kicked Ananke full in the chest, knocking her to her back. Ananke tired to raise her staff, but it was knocked away and Eros cut off the hand that was holding it.

Second rule: Be swift.

Ananke looked up into the face of the Golden Venusian, hoping for compassion, but she only saw cold amber eyes. Still she tried to plea.

"Please," she croaked, "Eros, please…"

Eros rammed the point of her crystal sword into the frozen ground and held her mother's sword in both her hands and held it over Ananke's heart. "You destroyed our world for a child who would have destroyed another," she her voice was flat and just about as welcoming as death. "How dare you ask for mercy when you showed none?"

"Eros…" She cried, but it was cut off by a gurgling scream as Eros plunged the sword into Ananke's chest.

Third rule: Annihilate all who stand in your way.

Eros roughly pulled the Great Sword of Venus from Ananke's chest. As with Beryl, she sat about the gruesome task of dismembering Ananke's body. She decapitated her, cut off her other hand and both her feet. Finally she reached down and removed the Senshi crystal from the traitor's chest.

When she was done, Eros straighten, her eyes locked upon the eight-pointed star in her hand. She looked up to see the others standing around, looking at the body of the former Senshi of Time, Ananke of Pluto.

Wordlessly, Eros stepped back and Bellona stepped forward. The Princess of Mars held out both her hands, palms raised and a fire leapt from them and engulfed the corpse.

"Is she dead?" Nike asked gravely.

"I pray to Aphrodite that she is so," Eros said furiously. "I pray that she is."

On the Moon, Queen Serenity entered the Gates of Time and found her new Senshi staring into a particular part of time intently.

"Patricia," Serenity said as she came closer to her, "The former Guardian is dead. Eros has the crystal that will make you a Celestial."

"I know, my Queen," she replied absently. "But that is not why I asked you to come here?" Serenity raised a delicate silver brow in question. But Patricia went on. "There is a temporal disturbance in the Sagittarius Galaxy, it just appeared when Ananke was killed."

Serenity stared at the Gates of the Present curiously and then she felt it.

"Goddess." She clasped her hands over her mouth.

Patricia turned to her and saw that Serenity was white as sheet, her eyes were wide and glassy with unspoken fear.

"Your Majesty, what is?" She demanded anxiously.

Serenity could not answer, it was what she had she had feared most.

On Pluto, Princess Serenity's bolted upright from her sleeping position in Endymion's arms.

"Wha-what is it?" He asked quickly, in his mind he was calling his guardians to his side.

Serena laid a gentle hand on his shoulder as she stared into nothing for a moment, then she blinked.

"Ananke is dead," she whispered sadly.

"That's good," Endy replied almost chipper, "Who killed her?"

She looked at him strangely, and then she answered. "Eros."

He grunted his approval. "That one's pretty handy with a sword." He yawned broadly before reached up to kiss her lush lips. "So how do you want to celebrate…" He looked around the semi-lit room, confusion was clearly etched on his face. "What the hell-"

Serena slipped off his lap and held out her crystal to contact her mother. A few seconds of mental conversation, Endy saw that she was paler than normal. He stood up and went to her quickly.

"Serenity, what's wrong?" he asked as he turned her around to face him. She threw herself into his arms, clinching to him as her body shook horrible. "Serenity, please," he did not know what was going on, but her fear was so strong that it was creeping into his mental walls. "Tell me what's wrong?"

She looked up at him, her silver eyes were swimming in tears as she brokenly told him, "Chaos is coming."





This is the end of Consequences: Book Two-An New Order







Remember: NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, DON'T READ IT.

See ya!