Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Hearts in time ❯ Secrets Kept ( Chapter 16 )

Hearts in Time part 16: Secrets Kept
By
Lance the Flamesniper

"They'll need to find out eventually," Setsuna said as she looked up into Lance's eyes. It had been several hours since they'd left the church as husband and wife. It was something impulsive on both parts, but it seemed so right. They'd gone to the home Setsuna shared with Amara and Michelle. They'd not been idle...or quiet for that matter.

"I know my love," Lance replied as he pulled her closer. "When the time is right I shall tell them."

Setsuna snuggled into his warm embrace. "I can't believe we're married."

Lance smiled down at his wife. "I hope you aren't complaining?"

"Never! You make me feel like the luckiest woman on Earth. Unfortunately you'll have to return to the temple soon."

"I wish that were not so," Lance sighed as he got out of bed, his lithe, muscular frame moving with the grace of a dancer. Setsuna's eyes followed his movements hungrily while the moonlight through the window displayed him in delicious detail as he hunted for his clothes. Lance however stopped moving as he felt her eyes on him.

"Enjoying the view?" Lance asked amusedly.

"Of course."

"You make me feel bad about having to leave...."

Setsuna eased from under her blankets and practically flowed toward him. "You don't have to leave yet," she replied huskily as her lips met his.

*******

Amara lay awake in bed as the two in the next room resumed their activities. She never knew that two people could be THAT loud. Amara turned to ask Michelle what to do about the noise, only to find her sound asleep. Amara's eyebrow twitched. Unknown to her, Michelle had put earplugs in when they arrived home and had been peacefully sleeping ever since.

With a slight grumble Amara laid back down. "It's going to be a long night!"

******

Malachite glared into nothingness as he planned his attack. There were reasons that he hated Lance Jayd. Reasons that he kept secret for eternity. For Prince Lance...Lance Jayd.... whatever name he chose to use, had killed dozens of warriors including Malachite's best friend and fellow General Obsidian. Malachite frowned. Had that damnable Swordmaster not slain him he might have been sent forward like the rest of the Negaverse Generals.

Malachite had seen the fight, though no one else did. He still remembered it to this day....

******

The battle was pitched. The Moon Kingdom's forces were faltering though the cost was becoming deadly especially at the city gates. The survivors from the battlefield had retreated into the city' outer citadel and were now preparing to defend the Millennium's capital to the last warrior. Here were warriors of every kingdom. There were Martian Archers with their deadly aim; Uranian paladins with their long knives; and Jupitari Axe fighters and dozens of others. However, these manned the walls. The men at the main gates numbered only three.

There at the main gates was a Venusian who was skilled with a whip. There was a Jupitari swordsman, his broadsword crackling with lightning then there was their leader. Clad in dark green battle armor, a black cape billowing in the Lunar wind. Sheathed at his side was a Katana. Warriors would come; warriors would get cut down then a cheer would rise from the walls. Around the gates lay dozens of fallen negaverse warriors when Obsidian arrived.

Obsidian was a tall warrior, seven feet tall with black hair, dark eyes and a malevolent smile. In his hand was a massive Scimitar and on his forearm rode a massive shield. His confidence was borne from slaying many brave defenders. This would be easy. "One side fools! Death has come for you if you do not."

The leader had waved his allies aside. "Death comes for us all. However it is not your face it wears. I will not move. This gate is mine. I have claimed it thus. Take it if you can. Otherwise...NONE SHALL PASS!"

With that there came a cheer from the walls, a cheer that was echoed and that reverberated over the ranks of the Negaverse. Obsidian snarled as he charged only to have his blade met with a gleaming blade made of starsteel.

"Bad form warrior, we have not been introduced," the swordsman said as calmly as he would have had this been nothing more than a spar.

"I am Obsidian! General of the Negaverse!" The monster of a man roared as he parried a strike from the Gate defender.

"Obsidian is it? Very well. Allow me to tell you my name then," the green armored man growled as he sheared his enemy's shield in half with a lighting fast stroke. "I am Prince Lance of Pluto. Master of the Shadow Storm technique."

Obsidian grabbed his scimitar in both hands as he squared off against the prince. Lance for his part had taken a half crouched stance, his Katana held in a reverse grip. Obsidian swung his blade only to have it met with a series of rapid-fire return slashes. By the time Malachite got to a better vantage point, Obsidian was bleeding from a dozen wounds along his arms while his opponent didn't have a scratch on him.

"You are quick, fool," Obsidian growled. "But it is time to end this!" With that he charged.

Lance sighed as he batted the blade aside with enough force to send it flying. "You are right General. It is time to end this." Lance seemingly became a blur as his blade slashed downwards in a diagonal slash from right shoulder to left hip, then turned slashing upward from right hip to left shoulder. He continued the motion, this time coming parallel to Obsidian's neck....

"NO!" Malachite screamed as Obsidian died.

Many days later the main gates fell.... but only after the three who were guarding it were sent to do other things.

With that memory in mind Malachite renewed his planning.
*****

It was just before sunrise when Matt and Wraith awoke. Though they'd slept an entire night they still both agreed that it felt like a wrecking ball had hit them, though they didn't know that it was because of Lance's shiatsu sleep strike or the fact that they'd slept all night in a crumpled heap. All they knew is that somehow they'd foolishly fell asleep giving Lance his chance to betray Setsuna.

"I can't believe we were so stupid!" Wraith growled as he took stock of the room. Its futon was half made, indicating that someone had slept there, the closet was open and there were clothes missing. Wraith's eyes returned to Matt with a look of disbelief.

"I think we lucked out and he stayed in," Matt summed up.

"I'm not so sure. He's not here now," Wraith pointed out as the two friends began their search.

They looked outside. They checked the Furo and got glared at as Raye had just gone in there for her morning bath. They looked in the fire room. They were just about to give up and admit that Lance had managed to slip past them when they heard someone in the kitchen singing.

"Oh she is my dear my darling one. Her eyes so sparkly, full of fun! No other, no Uhhhther can match the likes of her. Oh she is my dear, my darling one! My smiling, and beguiling one. I kiss the ground she walks upon...my pretty Suna girl!"

The two friends could only blink at that before running to the kitchen. Inside was the sight of Lance, clad in his Dark green and white robes, around his neck though they couldn't see it was a simple gold chain on which hung a simple gold band. He seemed completely oblivious to his two friends as he stirred the Miso soup he was working on for breakfast.

Lance for his part knew someone was behind him. He could feel them watching him. He was glad for the few hours of sleep he'd gotten before returning to the temple. Even with that he was back early enough that he'd managed to deceive his friends by messing up his bed and putting his laundry in. "Have a seat my friends. The fare for Breakfast won't be much since the priestess hasn't sent me to the market this week, but there should easily be more than enough."

"My, aren't we chipper this morning," Wraith grumbled.

"Yeah! What has you in such a good mood?" Matt added as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Why nothing is wrong my friends! 'And the day's at the morn; morning at seven; the hillside's dew-pearled; the lark's on the wing; the snail's on the thorn: God's in his heaven- All's right with the world!' " Came Lance's reply.

"Enough with the Robert Browning rhyme response," Matt growled. "What are you up to?"

"Why would I be up to anything? I had a good night's rest and awoke early," Lance answered his smile a little too wide.

"You're up to something," Matt replied.

"Me? What would make you think that? I am merely a whisper carried away by a moonlight shadow," Lance replied as he semi-quoted a song verse.

"Yeah a whisper who had a plan for something last night. A plan that involved heading out to meet Sailor Pluto. A plan that we were trying to block. Now we just woke up having missed an entire night. Now what are you up to?" Wraith growled.

Lance took a sip of his miso, a bite of his broiled fish then a few grains of his rice. He paused as if considering the taste of his food, opened his mouth; then closed his mouth as if reconsidering. "Can you keep a secret?" He asked finally.

"Yes!" Both shouted.

"So can I," Lance replied as both his friend's faces dropped. "But do not worry my friends, you will know soon enough. I have a meeting to attend to at Tokyo tower, later today and I have to get ready soon. So if you'll excuse me," Lance finished as he left the table.


******

Malachite knew what was expected of him. Necros expected him to challenge Lance Jayd. Necros would get his wish. However, Malachite was no fool. He had discovered that Necros had a secret. A secret so important, that if Lance Jayd ever learned it, there would be nothing to prevent him from attack Necros head on, suicidal as that would be.

"If I fail this battle Necros, it will still be I who laughs the loudest," Malachite said to himself. "With my last breath I will tell Lance of your crime, and of the Twin sister he never knew."

With that Malachite smiled. Yes even in death he would win.

TBC
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