Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Princess and The Avatar ❯ The Senshi vs Scorpious ( Chapter 6 )

THE PRINCESS AND THE AVATAR

AUTHOR: Zpan Sven

E-MAIL: Zpan_Sven@hotmail.com

SUMMARY: Finding Mamoru in the arms of another, Usagi is saved from the Earth Prince's beating by a mysterious ninja and is brought into a world of mystical ancient tournaments….

CHAPTER SUMMARY: The allies have come together, but it's a battle of wits and ideals between the experienced shinobi Scorpious and the Senshi whom seem to balk at the idea of fighting and killing something that isn't a Youma. Meanwhile, their enemies gain more ground…

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Mortal Kombat or Sailor Moon. If you don't recognize it, odds are it's mine…

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Scorpious* is 19, the Inner Senshi and Usagi is 17, Mamoru is 23, the Outer Senshi (Neptune, Uranus) is 21, Pluto looks 24 but is over 5000, Hotaru is 15, Carmen* is 16, Scorpio* is over 100, although he looks around his late 20s early 30s. Normally I can't stand Rei/Sailor Mars, but for her fans, I'll be nice and change her character into something I can tolerate while trying to stay as true to her original character as I can. However, it's open season on Mamoru-baka. Kukukuku…

For pics of the crew, head over to my DeviantArt account: www(dot)zpansven(dot)deviantart(dot)com

“Speech”

`Thought'

_”Speech in a foreign language”_

_'Thought in a foreign language'_

-Sign language-

.Telepathy..

TIMELINE:Post-Chaos Arc for Sailor Moon, Post-Mortal Kombat 4. Major AU on both sides.

RATING: PG-13

WARNINGS: LVSY/Y

ARCHIVE: Fanfiction.net, Mediaminer.org, Ficwad.com, others please ask.

JAPANESE- ENGLISH DICTIONARY:

Hai - Yes

Iie - no

Kono yaro - jerk, asshole, ect

Bakayaro - asshole, jerk, ect

Onna - woman

hime-sama - princess

Youma - monster, demon

Ore wa - I am. A rough way to introduce one's self.

Atashi wa - I am. Very feminine way of introducing oneself; can be considered flirty, often used by young women and flamboyantly homosexual men.

Nande - What

Nani - What

Tsuki no Hime - Princess of the Moon

Tsuki - Moon

Fuku - uniform, primarily the type worn by the Senshi

Miko - priestess

Gakki - brat

Temee - bastard

Kisama - bitch/bastard

Wakizashi - a smaller version of a katana, usually the backup weapon

Bo Shuriken - dagger-like shuriken, often without a hilt and easily concealed within the hand

Hira Shuriken - normal star-shaped shuriken, ranging from three points to six or more.

Senbon - acupuncture needles, can be used as throwing weapons by ninja

Kunai - a throwing knife, larger then a bo shuriken, with a double edge and a hilt

Tekko - hand covers/wrist guards

Kyahan - shin guards

Tabi - split toe socks worn with the traditional sandals. Modern versions of tabi have a hard rubber sole, making them into footwear on their own, generally favored by ninja.

Shinobi - another word for Ninja. Assassin.

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CHAPTER SIX: THE SENSHI vs.SCORPIOUS

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The Senshi and the Chosen warriors of the Earth Realm were lead through the caverns by their new allies, rising higher and higher until they passed the narrow slit-like windows, their opened shutters allowing a fresh breeze to sweep into the corridors; the windows were tall but narrow, making it difficult for someone to climb through, but perfect for an archer or someone with a long-ranged weapon to take a snipers' position if needed. Many of the doors lining the corridors were closed but some were open enough to allow glimpses of different rooms, many of which appeared to be living quarters.

 

The temperature inside the fortress was cool, but pleasant with the stone walls shifting from being carved from the mountain's rock face to bricks of the same stone material; the wear on the stones showed their age and made the transfer almost seamless - but despite the fortress's age, it seemed to be as sturdy and impenetrable as the day it had been built. On the walls were silk wall hangings as old as the fortress, carefully tended and hung in a way that they would not be able to offer an intruder cover.

 

Their journey took them to the heart of the fortress, into a room with a large table; covering the table was a map of the world that seemed to shimmer in the lighting of the room. Several of the chairs were decorated in varying degrees, as though for specifically designated people, with four located where the corners of the square table had appeared to be cut off. Three of the chairs were occupied; the occupants were all female, but that seemed to be their only similarity.

 

The one in the dark red chair with the kanji for fire encircled by the four comma-like tomoe representing the elements carved on the high back was red-haired, the casually plaited hair the color of dark flames; her eyes were a fiery reddish-orange and under the harsh light of the room her skin was white. The woman rose as they entered, her tired face taking a slight smile at the sight of the group formed by the Chosen of Earth, the Inner Senshi, Usagi, and her own ninja. “Welcome to the War Room. I am Pyre, Grandmistress of the Sa'hill.”

 

She didn't look old enough to be the leader of a ninja clan - despite the lines of exhaustion on her face that she wore like badges of honor, the red-haired woman looked barely legal age; her garb was simple, a white tunic with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows to reveal on her wrists black leather tekko, black breeches, and a crimson sash belted at her waist. She waved a hand at the other two women: “My fellow GrandMistresses - Terra and Tundra.”

 

The woman called Terra was sitting in a brown chair with green trim, the kanji of nature surrounded by the four tomoe; she was earthy and athletic, her skin a rich caramel with a green tinge to her dark hair, drawn back in a simple thick braid of hair at the back of her head. Like Pyre, her attire was simple - a white sleeveless tunic, brown breeches and a forest-green sash at her waist; clasped around her powerful biceps were bronze bands and black leather tekko protected her wrists and the back of her hands. Terra smiled at them and Makoto of Jupiter could feel a familiar power thrum between them; she was a nature elemental, just like her; the GrandMistress even had green eyes like her.

 

Tundra seemed the polar opposite of Pyre as her name suggested, her blue chair having the kanji of ice in the center of the four tomoe; her hair was a pale blue that bordered on white, pulled back in a severe bun at the back of her head, making her pale features seem sharper and pointed. In the stark lighting of the War Room, the icy woman's skin appeared to be as white as her long sleeved tunic and contrasted sharply with her black breeches and tekko; the only splash of color was the icy-blue sash at her waist. A shiver went down the spine of the Mercury Senshi as her eyes locked with the arctic blue-white eyes of the GrandMistress; the young bluenette didn't need her own abilities to tell her this was an Ice elemental like herself - in fact, the sheer cold that radiated from the woman's spirit made the young Senshi wonder if she was even human.

 

Lieutenant Blade and Lui Kang stepped forward for the Chosen of Earth and with a serene smile, Usagi seemed to glide forward; instantly her Senshi knew she was in tune with her past self, Princess Serenity. The petite blonde's head tilted as she curtsied, spreading her hands palm up to show peaceful intentions.

 

“Lady Pyre. Thank you for hosting us in this time of crisis,” Usagi murmured as she slowly straightened. “Atashi wa Tsukino Usagi, Guardian of the Ginzuishou.”

 

“And the young woman supposedly kidnapped by a member of my clan,” the red-haired kunoichi murmured, amusement in her fiery eyes.

 

“Rescued would be far more accurate. Our common enemy managed to sink their claws into my fiancé and Scorpious-kun interceded,” the small blonde murmured, diplomatically ignoring the arching of the older teen's brow as she shot a look at the towering ninja; a wicked gleam promising much ribbing appeared in those fiery eyes.

 

Off to the side, a door opened, admitting a pair of people, male and female carrying trays; the pair set the trays on a long side table pressed against the far wall, setting up a snack buffet. Their forms were shadowy, the lights of the room focused over the table casting the corners into shadows without the other lights of the large room turned on.

 

“Sasuke! Sasori!” A female voice called out the pair of names; rushing towards the group was the woman --she resembled an older Pyre, her long red hair was shot through with silver and white threads and there were faint laugh lines around her mouth and crow's feet at the corners of her Reptilian green eyes. The older woman's garb resembled her young counter part, only with a golden-green sash in place of a red one.

 

Scorpio bit back a groan before stepping forward, opening his arms to embrace the red-haired woman that barreled into him. “Awww, Mom, don't call me that in front of Outsiders…”

 

“I wouldn't if you would be a good son and not have me worrying for how long you've been gone, Sasuke! Or don't you remember what I did to you the last time you pulled this very same stunt?” She retorted, pulling back and looking up at her son, a crimson brow arched.

 

Scorpio - or, as his mother addressed him, Sasuke - cringed at the memory of his baby pictures splayed on welcome banners all over the fortress he'd been born in. “Last time I was gone for thirty years with sporatic contact, this was only a couple months, and I was looking for a certain hardheaded gakki…”

 

Scorpious growled deep in his chest as he glared at his brother, his golden eyes flashing in annoyance as he spoke through gritted teeth, “I didn't need your help - I was doing fine on my own.”

 

“Sasori!”

 

The towering ninja ignored his mother's reproachful tone as he addressed Pyre. “This is not the time for pleasantries. War is at hand and there is an invasion to prevent. Several of our allies need training and we need information, immediately.”

 

“Who needs training?” Sailor Mars asked incredulously of the towering ninja.

 

Scorpious was never the sort to be polite - he lacked the training in many common manners so his words were blunt and considered down right rude: “You do.”

 

“Excuse me?” The outraged gasp came from Sailor Venus, whom was considered the most veteran fighter of the Inner Senshi.

 

“You are not fighting Youma,” Scorpious reminded them, his scowl causing hard shadows to form on his already harsh features. “You are fighting highly trained killers whom specialize in hand-to-hand combat. Some are trained in the use of magic, some training in specific weapons, even elements. You have speed, agility, strength, and a rapid healing factor, but you do not have the training nor the will to kill something that is not a Youma. These people are honorless, underhanded, and will kill you the second your back is turned if you do not kill them first.”

 

“They're human aren't they? Can't they be purified with the Ginzuishou?” Usagi murmured, frowning; wasn't that what was supposed to happen in Crystal Tokyo, purify the humans so there will be no evil in their hearts…?

 

“Purified?” Lt Blade asked in confusion.

 

“I don't know all the Ginzuishou is capable of, but I was told by one of the older Senshi that in a future she saw, the Ginzuishou could be used to remove the evil from the hearts of humanity, to remove the inclination to do evil…” Usagi explained, trying to recall all the mysterious Sailor Pluto had told her of the possible future.

 

“So it removes their free will,” the arctic voice came from the woman called Tundra; there was a faint accent to her words that sounded vaguely Spanish.

 

“Pardon?” Usagi asked, confusion on her features.

 

“Everyone has the free will to do good or evil. To remove the choice of doing evil hampers, even disregards their free will entirely,” the icy woman elaborated with a hint of annoyance in her monotonous voice.

 

“Oh!” The petite blonde's eyes widened in understanding. “I believe that's what it'd do. I…I can't recall everything - my memories of that life are so vague and many haven't returned to me…”

 

“It'd be better to kill them; death would be kinder then removing their free will,” Scorpio murmured, his eyes darting over to Scorpious.

 

“Kill them or `purify' them, you still don't have what it takes to defeat them,” the taller, younger shinobi snapped. “If you do not attack them with the intent to kill them, you're signing your own death warrant - after they torture you of course. Do you think Lt Blade was exaggerating about the type of people that exist within the Brotherhood? She's not. Servants of Shinnok are one of three types: mercenaries whom fight for their greed, sadistic monsters such as Hadeon, or people whom are enslaved against their will.”

 

“But…they're human…” Sailor Mercury whispered. “They could be saved…”

 

“Human beings have the greatest capacity for kindness,” Sailor Jupiter added. “If guided to the…”

 

The tall Senshi trailed of when she saw Scorpious grab the hem of his worn black tee-shirt, yanking it up and off to expose his broad chest and shoulders; curling around from his back, stark against his tanned skin were deep gouging scars. His golden eyes were emotionless as he looked down at Jupiter. “Human beings are also capable of great cruelty. To change someone from evil to good, they must be properly motivated, but some are born evil, such as Hitler. But if the footage of the Holocaust, the statistics of how many died under his regime does not prove that some are inherently evil, perhaps this will.”

 

The tall shinobi turned away from them, presenting them his back. Sailor Mercury's gloved hands flew up to cover her mouth in shock, the blood draining from her face to render her a sickly white. Behind her, Sailor Jupiter staggered backwards, her high ponytail swishing as she shook her head in disbelief; she bumped into the stunned Sailor Venus, whom had lost her healthy tan. The raven-haired Sailor Mars stared, her violet eyes tracing the deep disfiguring scars on the shinobi's broad back.

 

The blunette Senshi of Mercury, training in the field of medicine to be a doctor swallowed her rising bile as she visibly traced the vicious scars gouging through the thick, powerful muscles of his back, extending from the trapezius, curling around over the deltoids, latissimus dorsi, and obliquus externous to reach his front and trailing over his gluteus medius to underneath the waistband of his tight, faded blue jeans. The sheer scar tissue that was hidden beneath the skin…the pain the scars must cause him in colder climates…

 

“What did...Who would…Why would?!” The petite Senshi didn't realize she'd spoken her disjointed thoughts out loud until the shinobi before her answered.

 

“A barbed cat'o'nine, a Lin Kuei named Mindbender, and because I disobeyed his orders,” Scorpious replied as he turned, pulling the tee-shirt back on to cover the scars. His eyes met Usagi's and found no shock, no horror or pity in them, only understanding for the pain he must have endured; she'd seen them more often then many others around him and when Typhoon treated his injuries, the Senshi didn't get a good glimpse of him shirtless.

 

“Orders?” Sailor Mars asked hoarsely, her voice almost unrecognizable. “What did he want you to do…?”

 

“It was a test, of my loyalty to the Lin Kuei. You see, I was not born in their order - I was one of those stolen as a young child, but more importantly, I was the child of the Shuri Ryu clan, their enemy so they assigned Mindbender to my training to ensure I would be loyal to them…” Scorpious seemed to trail off, lost in memories. “I was a child then, ten I think. They brought a child they had captured on their raids, a child they considered useless because she was mentally impaired. I think she was eight, maybe younger….”

 

“What…?” Sailor Venus murmured, confused.

 

“I was to prove my loyalty by killing her with my bare hands,” the bleakness of his voice as he turned his gaze down to look at his scar-covered hands as though seeing them differently then they; perhaps he did, with his unknown past, his unknown deeds. “I refused. Mindbender was furious and…I don't remember all of it but I remember lying in a pool of my own blood, watching him torture her, kill her, and I was completely helpless to stop him.”

 

The shinobi dropped his hands, straightening his back and shoulder, his golden eyes sharp and hard as he looked at the shaken Senshi, his voice hard. “The Brotherhood is full of people worse then Mindbender. They are too dangerous, too powerful to incarcerate. They must be crippled or killed. That is the only option open to you. You will train and when the time comes, you will kill. If I have to help beat that knowledge into you, I will.”

-

-

-

What passed for day had arrived and the armies of the squat fortress went through their drills while their leaders planned. Located deep in the subterranean levels of the dark fortress was a level dedicated to the worship of Shinnok; it was not just a hall of worship, it was here the High Priestess lived and meditated, communing with the Fallen Elder God. The Hall of Worship was at the same time simple yet ornate to the point of what some would considered tacky - rectangular in shape, the walls were covered in elaborate tapestries that depicted the greatness of their God and at the farthest end, hiding the entrance to the High Priestess's Quarters was a massive shrine.

 

The heavy smoke of incense drifted through the stagnant air, wafting along with the soft murmuring chants of the young woman sitting in a lotus position before the altar; she wore a robe made of a thin, nearly transparent material that was made from the reeds of the underground springs that were plentiful in the numerous subterranean caverns of the twilight Realm. The room had poor ventilation, and when a sudden hot breeze carrying the scent of charred flesh suddenly blew through out the Hall of Worship, the chanting stopped mid-word and the Preistess's eyes opened, her head tilting back far enough for her robe's hood to fall back and her dark reddish-orange hair to tumble down her back.

 

“I hear, Oh Great One…I obey…!” She breathed softly. “I will tell Father to prepare!”

 

When the hot breeze ended, the scent of charred flesh remained to linger with the incense; the Priestess rose gracefully to her feet, despite the long time she'd spent sitting in her prayers and the hard leather soles of her slippers click-clacked against the tiles as she darted from the altar. The Priestess of Shinnok only paused to grab her heavy cloak, tossing it over her shoulders in order to protect her from the cold of the fortress's corridors as she rushed to the War Room.

 

Her father needed to know of their enemies gathering, of the meddling Temporal Guardians seeking to aid the Guardians of the Silver Orb. The Brotherhood must be mobilized to delay them before they could gather any more strength!