At the sound of footsteps and a new voice, Rei turned quickly, her heart sinking when she saw the group entering. As far as she could tell there was only one way out of this room, and they were blocking it. And that woman… she knew her.

Beryl.

As she demanded for the crystals and the princess and aimed her gun at the latter, Rei stepped forward to block the bullet’s trajectory, putting Usagi behind her. She reached for one of her arrows and notched it on her bow with practiced ease, aiming for the woman.

“Over my dead body,” she stated, her gaze determined and challenging, fury boiling behind them.

She might have brought an arrow to a gunfight, but she was pretty sure she could still release it faster than the bullet could rip through her. Because she believed it to be so.

Ami heard the voice behind her and turned around and saw Beryl and 4 other men guns pointed at them. She didn't move but then saw the bodyguard Rei move in front of the princess and aim an arrow at Beryl. Ami knew that Miss Rei was good with a bow but wondered what good it would do. She started to think of a way out of the room with them all being alive first and another way out with the crystals or without them.. She begin to look around without moving to much..trying not to cause them to shoot her..

The fabled pirate queen...!

She couldn't believe that this was happening to them. The red-haired woman glowered at her over the barrel of the gun, her eyes seeming to smoulder with a reddish-orange fire. There was such hatred lurking there, currently focused solely on the princess. It would have made Usagi shiver, but she found that she couldn't move. She felt paralyzed, unable to breath or even to hear her heart beat in this hostile situation.

The princess didn't want any harm to come to her friends or anyone else on this mission, yet upon hearing the woman's demands her arms instinctively tightened around the Rainbow Crystals in her grasp. Hand these over? Give them up? She had spent so much time desperately trying first to convince others that the crystals were real, and then to acquire them. How could she just hand them over to someone else, especially when she was so close to uncovering their secret?

Her shock lasted long enough for Rei to maneuver in front of her. Seeing the back of her bodyguard, the long raven hair, broke her trance. Rei had her arrows, and she was an excellent shot, but Pirate Queen Beryl brandished a gun as did her henchmen strategically placed around the room.

"Be careful, Rei...!" she whispered, staying close to the other young woman.

She couldn't concede. But she also couldn't let anyone get hurt. Everyone was here because of her. This was her mission and her responsibility. Those brilliant blue eyes peered around Rei, looking at the pirates assembled before them. Even as she clutched the Rainbow Crystals tighter, she knew that she'd never value any possession above human life. She believed that they could make it out, somehow...

But if any of their current antagonists took a shot, Usagi would be the first to rush forward to save someone here because of her quest.

Minako froze as she heard the sounds of other people approaching, and at the voices, she turned a blue steel glare in their direction. Pirates.

Her own gun sat useless in its holster on her hip, and Minako cursed herself for not having drawn it just in case something like this happened. There had been that black-sailed ship, after all, but the mystery of the strange statues had distracted her and now she was trying very hard not to move so as to not anger the pirates even more.

From the corner of her eye she saw Rei boldly maneuver herself between Beryl and Usagi, while also drawing her own weapon.

While on one hand, Minako admired the action, she also wanted to yell and roll her eyes. Leave it to Rei to do exactly what the enemies said not to do, consequences be damned. Still, Rei struck an impressive figure, and if they all survived this after such a daring move, Minako would make sure to write many a song in honor of Rei's determination.

After the exasperation wore off, at least.

Minako turned her attention to look around for any openings within the ranks of the pirates. Slowly, ever so slowly, she began to move her hand down towards her own weapon, whilst turning the angle of her body to hide the fact. She just hoped that the pirates were focused mostly on Beryl and Usagi rather than a lowly little barb off to the side.

Just a little further and she'd have a decent grip ready to help Rei in whatever crazy action she took next - or to take a crazy action of her own, perhaps.

Host note: Usagi's actions were sanctioned by Aurae! <3



Despite the movements and reactions, Beryl remained silent and unresponsive, her dark glare still trained solely on Usagi and now Rei as she stepped in front of the Princess. Her crew looked to their pirate queen, waiting for her orders, their own weapons still trained on their specific targets.

For a moment, all was silent.

And then Beryl spoke. "As you wish."  

The crack of the gun going off echoed within the room, loud and striking.

Usagi moved in an instant, slipping around her bodyguard, shoving Rei to the side and out of the way as the Rainbow Crystals clattered to the floor, forgotten.

Beryl's bullet found its mark in the Princess instead.

Quote :

Goal: React to Usagi's severe injury, with a focus on how your character feels about her. Feel free to show reactions to any other things too!

Bonus: At one point in your post, mention feeling a sensation as your character worries/reacts/etc, a tingling and powerful sensation, that somehow feels kind of familiar.

Try to reach this goal by September 11th!

Ami continued to watch as Rei aimed her arrow and saw Minako slightly moving. Then it happened, Beryl took a shot aiming at Rei but The Princess pushed her out of the way and took the shot instead. This first made Ami gasp in horror and tears started forming on her face. She then felt something else..another feeling...something that too her felt like it might have happened before and she ran over and tried to catch Usagi before she hit the ground. She needed to help her right away, but her tears were coming out so fast.."Princess!!" She knew how to help someone who had been shot..but right now she needed to help herself too.

Haruka gritted her teeth as soon as she heard the pirate queen's voice. It played out exactly like it would in her worst nightmares; and her and the princess' crew were quickly outnumbered.

And the bodyguard challenged Beryl. She shot, and the princess shoved her out of the way; getting hit instead.

Her ears ringing from the gunblast, Haruka couldn't breathe. She watched as the doctor was right by her side. She screamed something, but Haruka couldn't focus. She wavered, unsteady on her feet with weakened knees. Her voice caught in her throat, and a burning, tingeing sensation welled in her chest.

Was this shock? Rage? Despair? It was hard to tell-this sensation was the same as when she looked at the blade on the stone figure. It was worse then a sense of deja-vu. It was as though she was watching history repeat itself-a history she had know prior knowledge of.

And again, this scared her. But not so much as the princess wounded body lying in the doctors arms.

"No..." Haruka croaked out, her tongue feeling as heavy as led. Still feeling as though she herself were somewhere else, she turned to the infamous pirate queen, and drew her blade with an rather unsteady arm.

"Ye witch. Ye cur! I'd kill ye meself before I'd let the gallows have ye!"

Beryl would not get away with this. Not again.

ooc:

As the gun went off, Rei also let loose the arrow. However, she did not have time to see where it landed, because the next thing she knew she was shoved aside, Usagi was in front of her, and the pain she expected to come from the bullet wound never came, and then Usagi was on the ground, and there was blood.

Her brain was unable to comprehend what had happened. Usagi was behind her. This did not compute. Why would she be bleeding now, when it should be Rei…? Had one of the other pirates shot her?

It took her a long time to make sense of it.

The fact that she had failed utterly in her job. The fact that Usagi had protected her, when it should have been the other way around. As realization that her greatest fear had come true finally dawned, Rei staggered back. She stared at Usagi’s prone body almost as if she were in shock. Denial coursed through her still, not wanting to admit that this was real. It couldn’t be. Because she was Rei freaking Hino and she never failed at anything she did. Because she was fast and excellent and could not possibly have been beaten in speed by a clumsy princess who could barely stay on her own two feet most of the time.

The world’s noises died down around her as her focus narrowed to just one thing. Usagi, dying in front of her.

When denial finally left, anger replaced it. Anger at herself for being such a failure. Anger at Beryl for daring to hurt her princess. Anger at Minako, who promised to watch her back and hadn’t. Just layers and layers of fury piling themselves on top of each other.

Heat filled her blood, and she could literally feel it coursing through her veins. The sensation was oddly familiar, though she could care less about that now. She only knew of the flame and the fury, consuming her from within. Her vision became blurred as the emotions overwhelmed her. She wanted to run to Usagi, knowing she needed to put pressure on that wound. She wanted to yell at her for being stupid and threaten her so that she wouldn’t dare to die. She wanted to shake that frail body to make her come to her senses and never do something this stupid again.

But then her gaze moved toward Beryl and her men, and fire filled her eyes as she let out an anguished cry. “You’re going to pay for this with your lives!”

It all happened so fast.

She couldn't have explained exactly why she did it. Rei was her bodyguard. She knew what that meant. The dark-haired young woman had vowed to protect Usagi from harm... she had sworn her life to save that of the princess. In other situations that they had been in, it seemed different. Standing back and letting someone else fight for her may have made her uncomfortable, but she did it.

But Rei had never gotten hurt. Not seriously. They had never been in that kind of danger. They had always had the advantage. Usagi had never truly been afraid.

When Beryl fired her gun, it was like something sparked in Usagi's mind. She heard the hammer as the trigger was pulled, and all she could think about was Rei, in danger. Her best friend, in danger. In danger because of her. Because she had to go on this voyage, on this island, to this strange white building, with these stones. Because she hadn't given the Rainbow Crystals up when the pirates made their demands.

She imagined herself kneeling over Rei's prone body, sobbing, and it felt like something that had happened before... not exactly, but similar.

And she just couldn't bear it.

The bullet struck her, lodging in its target, successfully shielding her beloved friend. The sensation took her entirely by surprise—like a massive weight had collided with her, not a small piece of metal. Something enormous. Heaver than a cannonball. It shook her to the core, knocking the wind from her lungs. She didn't even feel the fall that came immediately after, her legs no longer able to support her.

She heard voices, but they were muddled and distant, as though spoken in tongues.

I'm so sorry, Rei... I just... I couldn't let you get hurt because of me...

Somehow, she already knew, she had hurt the other woman even more deeply.

Everything happened in an instant, and in the flurry of sound and action, Minako closed the remaining gap between her hand and her gun and pulled out the weapon, firing a shot at the nearest pirate - a man with white embroidery. She knew her mark was true and she turned her attention onto what had happened towards the center of the room.

At first, all she saw was Rei. A threat on her lips, fire and rage burned in her eyes. For a moment, Minako could have sworn she'd seen flames dancing off Rei's skin.

But it was then she saw a prone figure on the ground. A figure with long blonde hair.

"Usagi!"

The word tore through her without her even thinking. She wanted to rush to Usagi's side, to help somehow, to see the damage - no, she could already see the damage.

She could see the blood.

Minako's own anger burst forth at that, first at herself, for not reacting quick enough in all of this, second at Rei for not protecting Usagi like she was supposed to, and thirdly towards the pirates - because of course it was damned pirates behind all of this. She clung to her fury. Anger was easy, anger wasn't painful and didn't threaten to send her to her knees in anguish. If she just focused on that one emotion, she wouldn't let herself get caught up in wondering if Usagi was still alive.

She has to be.

A sensation gripped at her chest, making her skin flare up with heat, so warm and bright on her fingers. It almost felt powerful. She didn't understand it, and she didn't want to try to, not when there were other things to focus on at the moment.

Leveling her gun at Beryl, Minako waited, searching for the best opportunity to attack again, the same words echoing over and over in her head.  

She has to be.

Beryl's look of triumph lasted only a moment as Rei's arrow sunk through her right shoulder. She cried out, stumbling backwards, but the man nearest to her helped her regain her footing. The anger in Beryl's eyes was strong, but was no where near the intensity of those who now looked to her as a true enemy.

She opened her mouth to say something, a threat perhaps, or a curse, but she stopped as she saw the princess lying in a pool of her own blood. It was a prize she hadn't intended to have just yet - there hadn't been enough gloating or torture for Beryl's tastes - but this worked fine. Instead of taking out the protective treasure chest, she had gotten to the precious content inside.

She laughed at Rei's words, but winced as the movement pulled at the arrow lodged in her shoulder. "It looks to me that you are the one already paying. Such a good crew, to have let your princess take the first bullet. Just look at her. She's dying and you choose to spend your time threatening me." Beryl smiled, wicked and dark. "Don't you want to say your goodbyes? Don't you care?"

Quote :

Goal: React to Beryl's words! Bonus points for mentioning a specific memory between your character and the princess, or a reason why your character likes her so much. Something that shows that your character really does care!

No deadline for this, but I'll be posting the next plot-moving bit after a couple of days, or once the majority of our cast has posted <3

Ami was trying her best to help Usagi while trying not to get frustrated by Beryl's remarks. Ami Remembered who the princess was so very kind to her before and during the trip. She wanted to stand up and give that women a piece of her mind but right now only cared about trying to save the princess. When Beryl asked if we wanted to say our goodbyes or if we really cared.. she finally spoke while still doing her doctors duties, "Goodbyes? not if I can help it..The princess has done so much for me..not just me but the others as well..she wouldn't give up on us...I sure as heck am not giving up on her!!"

Haruka screamed.

It was a battle cry; A cry of anguish, and a cry of despair. It echoed from the very depths of her being.

"I'LL KILL YE!" Haruka,  darted for the wretched hag. Darting this way and that, zigzagging from left to right, both arms up in both defense and attack. Her blade in one hand, and a balled fist in the other, she practically leapt into the frey of the Pirate crew, her blade ready to parry any blows that would befall her, her other arm up and ready to land a few good punches.

"This be for For the treasure!" Haruka shrieked in the heat of the fight.

"FOR THE PRINCESS! FOR THE SILVER MILLENNIUM! ROT IN HELL!"

At least her arrow flew true, though it did not hit the pirate’s heart the way she hoped it would. But Beryl’s words sliced through hers in a way no other weapon could. To let your princess take the first bullet.

Tears of anger and anguish filled her eyes. When she had been abandoned by her father because he blamed her for her mother’s death, Rei had felt unwanted anywhere. She had wandered all over the realm until the princess took her in. Not just because she recognized Rei’s skills but because she could see the loneliness and wanted to over her love. Usagi had given her a home and a family. And the idea that now all of it was going to be ripped away hurt more than anything.

With trembling legs, she knelt beside Usagi’s body and looked into her eyes. Her voice cracked when she said, “You’re an idiot. You still haven’t changed since I met you.” Her words were harsh, but her expression shattered. “Do you not understand what the purpose of a bodyguard is? What am I supposed to do if you died, Usagi?” she demanded, grabbing the princess’ arm.

“What am I supposed to do without you?”

This was never what she had intended. This was to be a voyage of discovery, one for solving great mysteries. The risk of danger always lurked; the high seas remained a lawless place in many ways, but somehow she expected little to disrupt their boat beyond the occasional storm. She would see so many foreign places. She would meet new people, recruiting their knowledge and intuition for her mission, and they would become her friends. She would discover the Rainbow Crystals and learn their secrets, surrounded by camaraderie.

Minako had been an interesting part of the adventure. The bard had a bright nature that matched Usagi's own. The two found themselves in harmony from the moment they met, taking advantage of opportunities to cause double the trouble. And yet there was a focused element to Minako that Usagi lacked. Sometimes, in the blonde's blue eyes, she noticed something else lurking there. Something she longed to reach out and connect with.

The young man on the ship posed a mystery, but she found herself drawn to him from the start. So handsome, with eyes bluer than the ocean they sailed on. But also a mind rich with information—he could impart so many facts without the slightest bit of effort. His cartography demonstrated the skills he had acquired, and when she read his notes on the fauna the group encountered it gave a vision into a warm heart. There was so much about Mamoru that Usagi still longed to discover... would she ever have that chance, now?

Her faithful friend Ami served dutifully as their doctor. Usagi appreciated the young woman's compassion and intelligence. She made sure they were all kept in good health and good spirits during this journey. Ami worked tirelessly at her post, always putting others before herself. Usagi wished that she could be known for her gentle kindness, like Ami...

Rambunctious Vesta kept Usagi amused during weeks of nothing but ocean all around. Her tales of all the animals she had seen and worked with sometimes seemed like they could not possibly all be true, but Usagi adored hearing them all the same. She enjoyed the casual nature of the spitfire's personality, never treating her like an outsider.

Cabin girl Hotaru was so quiet and gentle, and Usagi felt protective of her from their first meeting. She seemed so sincere and sweet. Something about her made Usagi wish she had a little sister to dote on, rather than being an only child. There were others she had known with siblings less appealing, but Hotaru worked so hard and tried so much. Usagi found it all so endearing.

The sailing master was yet another met on this voyage. So elegant. So strong-willed! She was truly a force to be reckoned with, and she managed to do so without ever losing a hint of grace. Usagi wondered if she could ever be like Michiru. If she could ever be a lady with such strengths.

And then there was the captain. So brash, and so suave! Haruka managed to direct the boat and the crew with an expert's intuition, the sharp eyes always looking out towards the distant horizon. She seemed to stay two steps ahead of what was happening around her, always planning and reacting with impeccable timing. Even with her duties, she managed to interact with the crew and guests, polite and often flirtatious, keeping things lively even in the face of uncertainty.

Usagi thought of Rei, gently chiding her no matter what she did. The dark-haired young woman took everything about her appointment so seriously... and she was always by Usagi's side. Always watching. So quick to scold, but equally likely to indulge and comfort. Someone she could always rely on... Someone who mattered so very much to her.

How could she have ever imagined that it could end like this?

Don't you care?

Minako glared, though the grip on her gun slackened. Of course they cared! Everyone cared about dear Usagi so much, how dare this pirate queen insinuate that it could ever be anything different?

She remembered seeing Usagi for the first time, amused at how her hair was like two golden ribbons, long and trailing. There was kindness in the other girl's eyes, and a passion for the quest she sought help for. Minako knew right away she wanted to help, wanted to be around this girl more. She was a princess, but Minako had been quick to forgo those formalities. The Princess would always be Usagi to her. The clumsy girl who was kind and loved to snack on treats, a girl who was quick to laugh and full of beautiful smiles that could brighten up a room.

And now...

Minako wanted to close her eyes to the reality. No! Usagi couldn't be dying. How could such a warm person full of life be lying on the ground, fading away?

How could it be possible?

Minako heard the others react - Ami with an inspiring speech, Haruka reacting with a quick motion and a yell on her lips - but it was Rei and the fallen Usagi that stole Minako's attention. The harsh tone in Rei's voice broke Minako's heart all over again. She had no words to comfort the other woman, but she could feel the same pain.

How would they ever be able to deal with losing Usagi?

Beryl continued to look rather smug at the things going on around her, basking in the pain and the sorrow. She became more alert as she noticed Haruka rushing at her. She raised her gun, wondering how the blonde woman could move so fast. A blow connected as she began to pull the trigger.

The room exploded in a brilliant flash of light, blinding and warm. It sought out all of the shadows and eradicated them, leaving nothing but the brightness.

A tingling could be felt upon the skin, almost as if being caressed by numerous soft feathers. Whispers echoed in the air, unintelligible, but somehow familiar. They continued, many voices melding together, before becoming distant until there was only quiet.

Silence.

The light began to fade, allowing people to see once more. The pirates were gone, having been lost within the light. It was unclear if the villains had left of their own accord, or if the strange light had something to do with it.

But once more, the light drew all attention as it began to condense, bathing a single figure in its contained brilliance. It pulsed, and one by one, the Rainbow Crystals were drawn towards it, sinking into the light and adding its own mix of color. growing. As the last merged into the ball of light, Usagi's entire body glowed with it, shimmering in all the colors of the rainbow. Her wounds began to close, her skin regained its proper color.

She was being healed.

Once the wound closed completely, the light gave one last pulse, filling the room once more, though this time it was softer, and of many different colors. The light sought out each of the remaining people within the room. They, too, were bathed in a specific light.

And then, all at once, the lights disappeared, leaving behind each of them in a strange set of clothing so very similar to the statues that decorated the room.

Miraculously, Usagi began to stir, a faceted crystal orb now lying upon her chest.

None of them knew what had happened, what this all meant. There were memories peeking past dark curtains from long ago, tickling at them, but still vague and hard to recall. It would take time before they really understood what had just happened between them.

All they knew was that the light had given them a gift today, and that, one day, they would perhaps know the reason why.

And they would learn it together.

The End.

Quote :

With that, I will call this officially finished! I apologize a million times for the strange timeline in which this event took place, but I sincerely hope you enjoyed it all the same! I had a lot of fun with this crazy AU and all of you, so hope you had fun too! xD

Here is a prize for all of you who have participated! They were created by the talented Sailor Mercury! (thank you so much Bubbles!! <3) Please feel free to grab it for your collection!



Thank you all again for your wonderful participation!