Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Cursed Destiny ❯ Chapter 8

The Senshi and Knights held hands in a circle. Luna and Artemis stood outside of the circle at the computer console.

"Ready?" asked Artemis.

"Hai," said thirteen voices.

"Power UP! Sailor Teleport!"

A light began to glow from each of the soldiers. A bright flash of light and they were gone.

"Do you think they'll be alright, Art?"

"One of their best warriors is gone and they have a newbie with them, I can only pray."

******************

"They are here your majesty."

"Very well. Tend to them as a divide and conquer method. That usually works."

"Yes your majesty."

******************

"Does anyone know where we are? Where's the huge castle of Io I always heard about?" asked Mars. She looked at the small building in front of them.

"This is the castle, my dear," said Tuxedo Flame.

"WHAT? It can't be the castle, it's so small!"

"The castle is huge, Mars, but we are only looking at the tip top to it. The only entrance used by the Jupiter royalty is right in front of us. The castle spans deep underground, not quite to the core, but still pretty far down," said Mercury.

"Well, let's get to it, then. Makoto will be anxious by now," said Venus and lead the group into the entrance station.

The room was dark, the only light coming from the outside. The door slammed shut once all of them were in.

"Kind of creepy, ne? Wish there was a light or something…" said Tuxedo Ice, "At least there aren't any enemies here."

Footsteps were heard.

"Spoke too soon."

"Who goes there?" yelled the stranger.

Tuxedo I responded with an attack, "Sakura Ice Blast!"

A light went on, showing the stranger to have stopped the attack. "Weakling." The light grew brighter to reveal…

"MAKOTO?!" gasped several voices.

"Mako-ko?"

She was dressed in a leather sleeveless outfit. It had openings on her sides and one in the middle of her chest. Her eyes were dead inside, like her very soul was gone.

The Outer Senshi hung their heads, they had thought something like this would happen, but they had hoped it wouldn't. Tuxedo Ice looked pissed that Makoto had been able to stop his attack. Tuxedo Heart looked amused and Tuxedo Flame…

"Makoto! You're ok!"

12 pairs of eyes turned to him. Mars, who was standing next to him, said in a warning tone, "Jadeite…"

He looked at her innocently, "What?"

Mars hit him over the head, "Baka."

"Owie"

"Welcome to the Legion of Jupiter," spoke a male voice from above. A figure jumped down and landed with a thud next to Makoto. "I am Lord Nephrite. You have met my newest warrior."

Tuxedo Thunder growled. He had to try.

"MAKO-CHAN!!" Apparently Sailor Moon had the same idea.

"MAKO-KO!"

Nephrite smirked, "Ahh, dear brother. She no longer answers to that name. She is the Guardian now, and she will kill all of you. Just to please me."

Brother? wondered Tuxedo Heart. He yelled out to Nephrite, "Who are you? Why are you wearing the sacred uniforms of the earthen generals?"

Nephrite's smirk widened to a huge smile, "I thought you'd never ask! I am the one banished unjustly. I am the sole survivor of the Silver Millennium Kingdom. I am the true Tri Prince of the Earth!"

The Knights just stared at him, the Senshi looked confused. Makoto stood there lifelessly, with no expression on her face at all. Her body was posed for defense, but her mind was not her own. Only her sad eyes held even a little of the old Makoto.

"You? The true Tri Prince? How did you come to that conclusion?" asked Tuxedo Ice.

"Well since that isn't my brother over there but his reincarnation, I am the one who has inherited the title and the power. So if you'll just hand over your ring, we can make everything right," Nephrite extended his hand out to Tuxedo Thunder.

"Like hell I'm handing it over. I was given this ring by two talking cats, it links me to Makoto, and I am NOT going to give it up just because you say so." Tuxedo Thunder glared at Nephrite. "So, `brother', if you want it, you'll have to take it from my cold dead fingers."

"As you wish," Nephrite said grinning evilly. He was about to snap his fingers when Sailor Pluto spoke up.

"You claim to be his brother, but I know that he was born an only child in this life. What say you to that?"

"Easy, he was my brother when he was alive in the Silver Millennium. Despite the fact that he has been reincarnated, his soul is still brother to mine. We do share that `special' link," another evil grin.

"Wait, you mean that you never DIED?!" asked Tuxedo Mask.

"Got it in one," said Nephrite.

"How did you stay alive?" asked Mercury.

"The power of my mistress and the desire to have what is rightfully mine have sustained me over the years. Now, it is time for you to go away and die," he said as he snapped his fingers. A trap door opened underneath them and down they went.

******************

"Owww, my aching head…" moaned Sailor Moon. "Is everyone else ok?"

No answer. She was alone.

"Minna?"

The sound of a door opening made her turn to her left. On the other side of the door were sandmen, at least 20.

"This isn't good."

The sand men charged. Sailor Moon held up her Eternal Moon Tier, "Silver Crystal Therapy Kiss!" It barely held the sand men at bay.

Oh, no, she though, what can I do now?! This won't hold for very long. I have to save Mako-chan, she gritted her teeth, I HAVE TO!!

Warmth blossomed in her chest and spread throughout her body. Her determination to save her friend and the love she felt had given birth to a new power, Element Power. In other rooms across the castle, the other Senshi and Knights could feel the effects of Sailor Moon's love and were powered up by it.

*********************

"Well, I must say, that was quite a show you put on out there for those soldiers."

"Thank you, your majesty. I do love that expression on their faces when they saw my beloved was their enemy." Nephrite caressed the listless Makoto. "Finally, after one thousand years, she is mine."

The queen smiled a humoring smile. Nephrite did not notice. He was too entranced by his new possession. Soon, the queen thought, I must get rid of him. As soon as those Senshi are dead, then it will be useless to keep him. For now, he will remain in my graces…for now.

"Shall we watch them die your majesty? It might be most amusing."

"Very well," the queen waved her hand lazily and several screens popped up in front of her. Each screen showed either a Senshi or a Knight. The main screen was on Sailor Moon, her fear was magnified fifty fold. A smaller screen to the right of Sailor Moon showed Tuxedo Thunder. Makoto's eyes, vacant as they were, seemed to be staring directly at him. Nephrite did not ignore this.

"Yes, my love, watch him die. He will never bother us again. He will be a distant memory and we will be together forever." He smiled up at her. "Now, let us enjoy the show…"

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?!" screamed the queen. She stood up and pointed to the screen showing Sailor Moon. A glow was coming off of her and spreading to the other screens and to the other soldiers. Each glowed with their holy light and easily overpowered the minions. "THOSE WERE THE LAST OF THE MINIONS, YOU FUCKING MORON!! NOW THEY'LL COME HERE AND MESS UP MY BEAUTIFUL THRONE ROOM. FIX THIS AND FIX IT NOW!!!!!"

"Uh-uh-uhv-of course you majesty. I'm on it. Come, my love, we have business to attend to," Nephrite grabbed Makoto's hand and ran out of the room.

Tuxedo Thunder had landed in the same room as Tuxedo Mask. "You ok over there Thunder?"

"Considering my twin brother from one of my past lives has stolen my only love, trapped us in here and said that we are going to DIE here, I'm just peachy."

"I meant physically."

"Oh…I'm fine, just a bruised butt."

"Good, `cause here comes the opposition."

A door slid up and revealed the underlings of lightning and sand.

Mask got up and took a defensive stance. Thunder did likewise. "Did you ever think that you'd be fighting for your life just to be with the woman that you loved, Thunder?"

"Nope, did you?"

"Never once crossed my mind. But you know what? It's worth it, don't you think?"

Thunder was about to answer that when the enemies charged. Dodging fiery punches and kicks were the least of his problems right now. He had to get past these things in order to get to Makoto. He had to save her from his brother, he just had to. He was concentrating on his fighting so much that he nearly missed the voice inside his head. A female voice crying out," Oh, no, what can I do now?! This won't hold for very long. I have to save Mako-chan, I HAVE TO!!"

We all have to, thought Thunder. Mask was yelling something at him. "Can you feel it? A new power has been born! Trust your instincts!"

My instincts? He felt a warmth in his chest. He started to glow with power, very faintly. He thought of the first time he had seen Makoto, looking so sad. Of when he had been able to meet her, touch her skin for the first time, of the terror in her eyes when he had first tried to kiss her, of the acceptance and longing at the banquet earlier. The warmth in his chest grew, spreading to all of his limbs. He could feel the others, see their sacred lights burning the demons around them, Mamoru glowed a golden color, Usagi was silver. Kunzite was an orange gold, Jadeite a fiery gold and Zoi was a blue gold. How beautiful, he thought. He turned his head to the left and saw Ami burning a silver blue, Rei a silver red and Minako was a silver yellow, like butter. His body felt so light, like he could fly. He turned to his right, Haruka was a swirling silver blue and Michiru was a sea green silver. Hotaru and Setsuna matched in their colors, silver purple and silver dark green. It was all so surreal. Something was buzzing around him, humming, actually. He looked and saw the Yuma, angry that their attacks meant nothing. He tilted his head and waved a hand to motion then away. They went flying into the stone wall. Neflite noticed his hand, it was glowing a greenish gold color. He softly said, "Thunder-Earth Element Power."

"Moon Element Power."

"Earth Element Power."

"Mars Element Power."

"Flame-Earth Element Power."

"Pluto Element Power."

"Venus Element Power."

"Heart-Earth Element Power."

"Uranus Element Power."

"Neptune Element Power."

"Mercury Element Power."

"Saturn Element Power."

"Ice-Earth Element Power."

Blinding colors erupted from each room, swirling together to create the holy white light of the solar system. The Yuma were burned away, gone, never to be ordered around again and the path to the throne room was wide open.

*********************

The soldiers slowly found each other, slowly walked to the throne room. Mamoru held Neflite back, "Nef, I don't think you should be in the front, stay in the back with Usagi."

"But why?"

"Neither you nor Usagi are going to be able to fight Makoto. The others and I can take her down…"

"You can't! You'll hurt her!"

"Neflite, as your prince, I am ordering you to stay in the back. We'll try not to hurt her, we'll knock her unconscious as soon as we can, that way she won't be trying to kill us and she won't be hurt, ok?"

Neflite grumbled.

"Nef, it's our only solution here. It's not perfect, I know, but it's the only thing I can come up with. If you can think of something better, I'd welcome it."

"No, I can't think of anything better. Ok, I'll stay in the back. I am the weakest here, anyways. I've never fought anything other than those things."

Mamoru smiled. "Don't worry. We'll get through this." He turned away from Neflite and softly said, "I hope."