"I don't want anyone but you," he said, eyes clearing momentarily. He hesitated. What was he doing? This was the woman he loved; why did he want to harm her? Prince Endymion…he had to protect him. It was his duty, what he had been raised from birth to do.
 
Beryl had said….Beryl lies! He screamed in his mind. There had always been something off about her. Why hadn’t he listened to his gut instinct?
 
But Endymion…he had to protect him….from anyone, even if it meant the woman that he loved. She was messing with his mind, Beryl-sama had been right…NO! She’s been lying the entire time!
 
He felt like he was being broken over and over again as the brainwashing spell attempted to push down his thoughts. He struggled for all that he was worth but he felt himself loosing. Run, he mentally yelled at her, knowing that she was a warrior like he, ad would not flee from a fight, especially when her charges life was hanging in the balance. Please just get away from me; I don’t want to hurt you. I can’t stop myself.  
 
“Don’t you know I always get what I want?” his eyes dulled once more, he lunged, sword slashing at the woman in front of him.

As if the portal put a hex on him, Jadeite completely forgot about the initial plan to confront the Senshi, and instead just continued the slaughter he caused, induced by the bitter hatred he suddenly felt towards the Moon Kingdom and its inhabitants.

Yes, instead of feeling guilty for anything, he even enjoyed stabbing those innocent people, grinning every time they screamed and every time the scream faded. The good part of his heart which told him that it was wrong and that he should stop immediately was suppressed by the other – cursed – part that told him that the Moon Kingdom needed to atone for their wrongs, giving him no chance to find back to his real self.

---

“Hey, don’t run away,” he shouted to the dark-haired Lunarian that almost seemed to pee his pants while he was running after him with a big grin, the in blood covered sword in his right hand. “Hey, where are you going? Don’t you want to join your friend and enter hell?”
The Lunarian soldier turned around for a second, facing the cold, emotionless eyes of the blond knight and feeling nothing but the panic fear that flowed through his veins. “G- Go away,” he shouted panicked, increasing his pace and running as fast as he could when he turned around until he eventually stumbled and fell to the ground, unable to get up again.
 
He swallowed. He knew what was about to happen.
 
“See,” the Earthian knight started speaking again, rather relaxed than obsessed to get him since he knew he couldn’t escape anyway. “It is no use to run away. I will get you. Always. And if you even think – only for a second – that you got rid of me, you are wrong.”
Anxiety met the cold slate blue eyes of Jadeite, the Lunarian soldier hoping that he would show mercy and leave it at that. But he was proven wrong. His impulse to kill had entirely seized hold of him and without further ado, Jadeite raised his sword and drilled through the body of the defenseless soldier.
 
Triumphantly he turned around, proud of the 36 deaths he caused at the other side and was already about to go, find his next victim. However, he immediately stopped walking as he saw how, suddenly, several of his soldiers started to fall to the ground. What the?
Watching his surroundings, he then eventually found the cause for the sudden deaths of his soldiers: Flame arrows. In less than a second his eyes widened to their maximum, his mind already prepared for the picture he would see if he would turn around. Mars. She is here.


Trying to avoid her flames as well as her attention in general, he quickly left the place he stood at and walked in another direction, continuing his combat there.

Venus ran up to the queen, breathless; and began to explain the situation to her. The Queens eyes never left the window, watching that dull red hue on the edge of her kingdom-her planet. Her chest tightened, and she gripped the windowsill, feeling faint. Her vision faded for but a second, and she was on her knees, arms outstretched on the windowsill, her hands grasping for some support to help her up. Her panicked hand movement was as though she was reaching out to the hue on the horizon, trying to snatch it and pull it away from her kingdom. With a small grunt, Queen Serenity lifted herself up, panting.

She couldn't give in to her emotions now! Letting herself collapse at a moment like this! Disgraceful! She turned to Venus, her face still ashen from her recent spell and spoke:

"Make sure Mercury is evacuating citizens toward the palace. Inform the guards here of the status of the battle, and make sure their plans are efficient. Set up teams to surround the palace, and to help evacuate citizens here. Make sure to have someone keep an eye on supplies and weapons as well, and that there is a clear route for them to get to our forces."

Queen Serenity stood upright now, no longer leaning on the window for support. She was grateful for her dress, it seemed to hid that her knees were shaking quite well. She inhaled and exhaled deeply for a few minutes, then opened her eyes with a much clearer state of mind.

"Before you do any of this, tell me, Venus." She put up a wall around her heart, bracing herself for the worst of news, and began her onslaut of questions."Who was this prisoner that escaped? Were they involved in this invasion? How are our forces doing? How many casualties have there been? How much of the kingdom has been evacuated? Do you happen to know where Luna and Artemis are? Are they with Serenity?"

Serenity. As soon as she spoke her daughters name, the wall she placed up began to crack. "Where has Jupiter decided to take her? How is she? Is she hurt? Where you with her when the fight broke out?" The queen began to tremble violently, and she hugged herself tightly, in an attempt to stop the shaking. She tried some deep breathing exercises again, but it did little to ease the horror in her heart. "Do you know of Jupiter made it to this safe place? Serenity didn't see the battle...right?"

Tears began to spill heavily down her face. "Venus, please tell me...she wasn't on the field, right?" She looked up to Venus, her eyes wide with terror, her voice beginning to crack. If Serenity saw the battle-if her daughter saw the battle-if a blade was raised against her-NO! She shook her head roughly, to clear her mind of the horrible imagry that was overtaking her imagination.

Beryl listened as Zoisite talked to her. He told her he'd help destroy the Princess's guardians. It seemed that the other Shittennou had gone off to go find the guardians as well. Beryl decided it was best to stay with Zoisite, he could possibly lead her to the Princess. "Thank you." Beryl said to him, "I will follow you, that way if you find her I will be there." She knew that she could keep an eye on the other Shittennou some other way. They'd find the Princess and Beryl could finally get what she wanted. She could kill her and Endymion would finally be hers. Metallia's plans didn't matter to Beryl, all that mattered was Endymion. Soon, he will be mine! Beryl thought with a sneer.

Jupiter could see the look in his eyes waver for a long moment as he responded. What did he mean? Did he want to kill her, or was he trying to declare his love? Was it a sign that he was turning back to normal? This entire situation was making her head hurt... She wasn't the senshi who came up with elaborate plans, or academic solutions to problems, or could see the future, but.. she still had to do something. 

"Follow me then!" she said, just as he lunged for her. She twisted to dodge his sword swing and shoved past him, running farther down the hall with a destination in mind. Maybe if she could remind him of what they did together, he would stop acting like this.

Serenity rose and wrapped Jupiter in a weak embrace. “Please return safe Jupiter, I could not bear it if I lost you or anyone else.” Serenity released Jupiter and watched her leave. Serenity jerked at the sound of the thump, but hoped it was just Jupiter blocking the door.

Serenity had forgotten Endymion was in the room with her as she approached the crystal figure to pray. She didn’t know what  to say. She folded her hands together as she spoke.

“Oh guardians of the moon, please grant us all protection from this attack. Keep the people safe, protect the senshi and keep mother safe wherever she is.” Serenity said as she felt arms embrace her. When she looked up she saw Endymion and remembered he had been with them and had followed her into this room.

She tried to be strong, but the sounds of battle outside only caused her to tremble in fear. She felt tears well in her eyes as she pressed into Endymion’s chest. Tears spilled onto his sleeves as she cried, afraid of what was going to happen. Everything was a chaotic mess right now, and Serenity feared she would never see those she loved and cared for again.

She cried for the innocent people who were going to die because she fell in love with Endymion.

Her senshi had been right, the people of the Earth were not kind, nor accepting of her love for Endymion.
She felt safe in Endymion’s embrace, but his embrace was not enough to assure her everything was going to work out for the best. Serenity wished she could turn back time, or find a way to show those of the Earth she was not evil and after the possessions of the people of the Earth, but those thoughts also caused her pain because she could not bear a life without Endymion.

Meeting Endymion had been the best thing that had happened to Serenity. He opened her eyes to many things of the Earth. She felt free when she was with him. She could be herself, her goofy, spacey self. She enjoyed sitting with him in the gardens, dancing with him at the ball, and she very much enjoyed the kisses she shared with him. She felt pain imagining a life without him, but the pain also conflicted with the pain she felt at the thought of losing her senshi and her mother.


Serenity waited a moment before speaking, not knowing quite how to word her thoughts, “why did this happen?” she asked as she felt her legs weaken.

"Why did this happen?" 

Her quiet question and its weighted implications rested heavily on his shoulders. Why had it happened? What was Beryl's motivation for starting this - for turning the very Earth against him, against the Moon Kingdom? Envy of the Moon's technology? Fear of what they could do? Anger for the change they were working towards? Or... was it divine intervention? He held Serenity tighter, the bitterness of his thoughts darkening his mood to all but her. Relationships between the Earth and Moon were forbidden - it had always been so. Earlier he had thought of an explanation for the inexplicable law - that if the Earth knew of what the Moon had it would grow discontent and seek out war; that was reasonable. It made sense that scholars and philosophers would write it down and pass it on as divine law; but what if it were not so simple as cause and effect? What if this war was his fault, a punishment from beyond for daring to think himself above what had been written and boldly pursuing his heart?

If the gods were responsible for this... if he were the reason all of this had happened... 

But he was being foolish. The gods were myths and legends - all that mattered in this world were people, their thoughts, their dreams, their ideas, their ambitions. He needed to confront Beryl and find out why she was doing this. If he only knew the answer, he might be able to stop this before any more lives were lost. He might not succeed, but he needed to try. The sounds of the battle echoed down through the open ceiling towards them, the growing volume telling him that if he was going to make the attempt, it needed to be soon, before they found were she was hiding.

He took a quiet breath, the warning still forming in his mind, and pulled back to look her in the eye. "You must prepare for the worst, Serenity." He didn't want to cause her more heartache, but she needed to be ready.

"Queen Beryl is relentless, and she will destroy absolutely everything that is in her way to get what she wants. I will fight as hard as I can... but you must know that I might not come back." The idea of her waiting for him when he could not come to her was too painful for him to chance, and his own train of thought through his words reminded him of what was at stake. This could be the last time he ever saw her. He would fight for her, and would fight as hard as he could to see her again, but, if this were the last time... "I just hope you know how much you mean to me." The words caught in his throat; despite his intentions, it felt so much like a goodbye that he couldn't stand it. He was afraid. He pulled her close so she couldn't see his face, "You're in my heart."

Source:

Venus had never seen her queen so shaken before.

It was a sight akin to seeing one’s parent crying—to see someone you have looked up to and expected to know everything and be able to fix all your problems suddenly breaking down… suddenly showing you that they’re human. Queen Serenity was more of a goddess than anyone Venus had ever known. She was always so graceful, so sure of herself, so wise…

But this was the first time she had truly been in a crisis, and Venus got to see the side of her that wasn’t raised as a soldier. The way she was different from the senshi. Senshi were built for this; battles, crises, war. They were prepared for this moment. As much as their emotions might get the better of them, they had been trained to focus exactly when they had to.

But the queen had not. And it was terrifying to see her perfect façade crumble. They were all depending on her.

Venus was torn between embracing her—would that be too forward? Would that be presumptuous?—and letting her fall apart before her eyes, but as she was frozen in indecision, the queen pulled herself together. Something seemed to shift in her eyes; new determination.

Venus nodded at her orders. Mercury already was evacuating people to the palace. She’d told as many guards as she found on the way here about the battle, but she had left Mars in charge of the strategy for the most part. She would have to start working on that response team for the evacuated citizens so they weren’t confused. Weapons and supplies—she could do that too.

She tried to answer all the questions the best she could. “The prisoner was Prince Endymion—he had come here to warn us about the attack, but the guards mistook him for an intruder. We… we broke him out in order to find out the important information he carried.” She winced, hating this part. She should have just gone to the queen to begin with. “I do not know about the status of the battle yet since I have not been out there since it started. Mars is taking care of most of it. The same with the evacuation, but we must assume Mercury’s doing her job. Luna and Artemis’ whereabouts are unknown. Jupiter, Serenity, and Endymion were together last I saw them. I do not know where Jupiter has decided to take her; I figured the less people who knew the better. But it has to be somewhere in this palace, because it’s our stronghold. She’s fine. She was with all of us just before the battle started, but she was nowhere near the battlefield.”

Venus’ resolve shook when she saw the queen openly crying. She embraced her monarch gently but firmly. “My queen, you have entrusted your daughter’s life and safety in my hands. Please trust us to protect her. She is fine. She has been kept away from the battle in time. She will be alright.”

It was a promise that she couldn’t actually make, but Venus knew she would die keeping it.

“Please, Your Majesty. Right now we need you to focus on saving the kingdom. Be our queen.”

When Mars appeared with the army, Sailor Mercury felt no relief. She couldn't see them, as they were slightly beyond the city streets, where the Earth forces had arrived with their portal. But she could hear the cries of battle. The forces from the Earth still rampaged, those who broke through slaughtering those who lagged behind. She did her best to push them back, to rush forward and rejoin straggling civilians with those safely climbing the steps of the palace. There were so many. It was difficult to watch them all.

Her visor was down, collecting information at every turn. Her access to the Moon's central computer system flooded a torrent of data onto the screen. It felt as though it was directly filling her mind, leaving no room for fear or any other emotion. Her genius brain deftly absorbed and analyzed it, calculating while her body acted. She continued to fulfill the assignment her leader had given her, as best she could. Still, there were so many dead bodies. There were so many people she could not protect.

She checked the tallies, estimates provided by the artificial intelligence of the computer. There should only be a few remaining in the city that were not headed towards the Moon Castle. She ran through the streets, scanning everything she could see, searching for those who had not heeded her call. Sailor Mercury would not leave them here to die.

She skidded around a corner, heading towards an unidentified marker, but when her blue eyes looked up she felt herself freeze.

That familiar blonde hair.

Zoisite.

Kunzite had always imagined the moment when he would valiantly lead his men in the battle that would save the Earth.

But never like this.

This was complete, utter chaos. His most-trusted warriors were gone, and Kunzite found himself standing, sword in-hand, eyes searching for the blonde hair he knew he was going to stain with red.

He would not forgive her for her manipulations. He was here for revenge, and to protect his prince and his planet. As displeasing as Beryl was, it was thanks to her that the Lunar threat was being put down.

He stood behind his leader, her bright red hair sticking out among the moon's bright white layout. For some reason, the angry color only furthered Kunzite's fury against the moon. He needed to find Venus and vanquish the main threat against their cause. She was the strongest warrior, and she needed to suffer for her crimes.

He turned to Beryl. "My lady, with your permission, I would like to hunt down the queen's lead soldier."

He led Beryl through the town that was being evacuated or had already been so, their sections following suit, but soon enough he excused himself leaving to her his own section of the army, giving them the order to slaughter what needed to be slaughtered and to lead the Queen of darkness to the Moon Castle. Surely the princess would be where her people was. He had no idea if he had guessed right and he wouldn't wait with them to find answer to this wonder.

There was a whole other matter for him to attend.

He walked the empty streets, his eyes not even faltering from the path opening before him. The noises of the war were further behind or further ahead. Perhaps there were in those streets some remaining lunarian that hadn't find a shelter and if he actually caught a glance of some civilian running away upon seeing him, Zoisite didn't react.

He didn't care how many died and it didn't matter how many he killed. The Princess and her guardians had to die first. Let the army do what it was supposed to do: kill everything in its path.

As for him... he preferred a more refined kind of exchange.

He stopped as a familiar figure left another street for the one he had been walking on.

Mercury.

“So you did split up.”

He pointed out, a very small smile floating on his lips. It wasn't any of those he had given her the last time they were able to speak face to face. It was sardonic, but also empty. He slowly observed her features, as if the war wasn't raging around them, as if he wasn't there to kill her.

“Perhaps should you leave while there is still time." He almost sounded concerned for her safety, but there was a darker gleam in his eyes, something malicious. “My last gift to you in honor of this game we played.”

This was not the way she had wanted to see him. The coldness of his eyes hurt her, although she couldn't have explained exactly why. She stared at the figure before her, who looked like someone she had considered her dear and close friend, but she could find only vestigial traces of that man. This person was someone else. His words sounded foreign and strange. Her body remained tense and poised, mindful of the ongoing battle even when her focus was elsewhere.

"Perhaps you should leave, while you still have honor," she replied. Her voice sounded firm and cool, although she felt none of that. Her own turbulent emotions welled up inside her, fluttering and confusing. She couldn't acknowledge them right now.

"Why are you doing this?"

This wasn't the man she knew. With a kind of queasy sickness, she realized that she might never see that man again. That thought felt like a slow poison, corroding something inside of her that she hadn't even acknowledged or understood before. Her dreams from earlier today would not be realized. This war would change everything, regardless of the outcome. They could never go back to that balcony again, where he had shown her a rose for the first time.

Dammit! He had forgotten how quick she could be when she wanted to. He turned, managing to keep his balance as he stalked after her, sword kept loosely at his side.
 
“Do you really wish to play cat and mouse with me, Sayen, you know that never ends well,” he taunted as he followed her. He had been one of the best hunters on Earth. Did she really think that she would escape him? Or is she trying to lead me somewhere? Not that it would matter. He would get her in the end and he was a patient enough man to do so.

Beryl nodded yes to Kunzite who wanted to go in search of the Princess's lead soldier. She knew that, that girl would be a hard person for Kunzite to beat, but her powers were strengthened and so were his, thanks to Metallia. 

Then she followed Zoisite. He led her through the town, and it was abandoned, most likely evacuated. But soon he left her, but gave her a portion of the army to lead her to the Moon Castle. He was a smart one, thinking exactly where the Princess would be best protected. She smiled a wicked smile and continued on with the army to the castle. When they got there she commanded them to leave her and go fight the Moon Kingdom's army. She alone would search for the Moon Princess, she wanted to be the one to kill the Princess, for stealing the man she wanted.

“Why?”

He repeated in a scoff, not impressed. She had wits. He had always appreciated this from her. She talked back, she fought back, but the nerves she had to use that simple and not so innocent question. After all, they both knew why. They had used the Shitennou to get past the Earth's defenses and to Zoisite's shame, it had almost worked.

“You know, I always wondered why you were not as eager to connect with a man as your friends were. Perhaps the idea simply repelled you. I can understand that; it must really need someone without pride or self-respect to accept such a degrading task.”

His voice was calm and collected, but there was an underlying disgusted note in his tone. Beryl's words, Beryl's influence... no, she wasn't influencing any of this. She had opened his eyes, but to face the woman he had actually respected and welcomed into his life... this woman who was part of this all along... It actually didn't leave him as indifferent as he'd hoped. He was angry but not sad. There were no emotions left within him to regret or feel remorse.

“You will not have to pretend anymore. We saw right through you. I did not know you had it in you, but then again, you only let me see what you wanted me to see.”

"Somewhere in this castle..." Queen Serenity repeated this to herself at least three times, as if in a trance. She inhaled and exhaled, and focused on Venus and her words-her embrace. She gently placed her hands on Sailor Venus' solders, and pushed herself free from the hug.

"Thank You, Venus." Queen Serenity spoke with a tone of increased severity. "I'm sorry you had to see that. Be sure to tell the shoulders stationed here exactly what you have told me; that the princess is inside the castle, and to guard it with their lives."

Queen Serenity's heart shook when she had heard that the Earth had been taken over by a darkness. Were her nightmares prophetic of this? If she could remember her dreams, could this have been at all preventable? No, it mattered little now. Looking back on what could have been, or what should have been would dangerously distract Queen Serenity from the turmoil and war in the present.

She looked around her. She could hear screams and cries and shouting of men, women and children. The people of the moon-her people-needed her. Queen Serenity sucked in a breath, straightened her solders and began to walk up the balcony stairs. Once she reached the top, she leaned over and began to shout commands and words of encouragement.

"Women and Men of the moon! Today, I fear, Is a day that will forever strike fear into our hearts! It has shattered the very balance of our lives, and have rocked our beliefs to the core."

The murmuring stopped. All eyes were on her.

"But let not this day take away our hope, good people of the moon! We exist to protect-to defend! We've existed to look over the earth, and our kingdom will live another day to do so!"

Her eyes flashing with determination, Queen Serenity spread her arms wide in a powerful gesture. "As long as we have the Silver Crystal, we shall not fail! Our families will not perish, and our worriers will not die in vain!"She then thrust an arm to her chest. "I, myself, will use the silver crystal to erect a barrier!"

Queen Serenity then clasped her hands together in a prayer. She knelt down, and closed her eyes. A bright light began to gather in front of her and the beams of gentle light showered on the crowd. Queen Serenity snapped her eyes open, and the light materialized itself into a scepter. With it's long pink base, and tipped with a golden crescent moon, it floated to her, and she grasped it out of the air with both hands. Lifting it as high as she could, she shouted:

"SILVER CRYSTAL! COME TO MY AID! FOR THE SAKE OF THE MOON!"

There was another flash, followed by a bright blue glimmer. Light was generating in the very center of the crescent moon, and when all was over, the silver crystal appeared and opened up like a lotus flower blooming in the castle garden. The Queen looked out to her people once more.

"This barrier will let all citizens of the moon move freely inside and outside the plaice, so to our warriors, you can leave and enter the plaice as you deem fit! Continue to distribute supplies and bring back the wounded! Sustain your positions! For our future! For the Future of the moon!"

Queen Serenity Knelt down once more, gripping the wand tightly. She looked up to the heavens and screamed:

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"

The Silver Crystal began to glow brighter and brighter and a thin, beautiful blue aura was growing across the outside of the castle. Onlookers gazed out the window in awe as this aura swiftly crawled across the entire grounds, until a full semi-circle was complete.

Serenity, I hope you can sense this. Wherever you are, I will protect you!

Jupiter winced at that name he called her by, but didn't respond. Nephrite had started using it when they were alone a few month ago as a term of affection, but hearing him say it now felt twisted, like being stabbed with your own weapon. 

"I know this palace better than you do!" As she continued to lead him on a chase, Jupiter pulled off one of her gloves and threw it to the side, revealing the hand woven cloth and wooden bracelet around her wrist.

She remembered getting it from Nephrite as a sudden gift after he pulled her aside one night. She still had no idea how he had made it or how long it had taken him, but she wore it every day after that, only taking it off to make sure it didn't get wet. He had to at least remember some of that, right? Jupiter hesitated, and then removed the bracelet and tossing it behind her so that it was directly in Nephrite's path.

Mars loosed arrows with a fury causing fire to rain down on the enemy soldiers.  A few stray soldiers would attempt to climb her hill only to find themselves engulfed in flames before meeting their end.  Though she did not possess super strength, Mars was trained for battle.  Chaos would not cloud her mind, her combat skills had been honed by disciplined training, the heat of the battle only caused her flame to burn brighter.  She spun a swift round kick into the soldiers chest, an arrow piercing him before he had reached the dirt.  Questioning thoughts fought to take her attention, why was the Earth attacking, why were the Shitennou not on their side, why was Jadeite not here with her, what would be the consequence of this battle? Mars pushed the thoughts aside, there was no time for philosophy and the sense of betrayal only fueled her desire to fight, to lead the Moon army to victory.  She stole glances at the Captains but knew that they would handle the soldiers well, there was no need for her to micromanage, only take out as many enemy soldiers as possible.

He didn’t know what compelled, but he reached out to grab the item as she threw at him, recognizing it. Why was she throwing this back to him? Did it mean nothing to her anymore?
 
~~~
 
It had taken him a while to get all the materials he needed to make the bracelet. It was a tradition of some of the peoples of his land to hand make a bracelet such as this as a sign of affection and as a promise to always be there for each other. He wanted to do it right and had ordered in the proper wood and cloth to make it.
 
Not an expert whittler, he had taken his time, working the wood little by little until the wood was a perfect circle, and the holes to hold the cloth were just the right size; neither too large or too small. Next he had taken the finest silk, not wanting the band to chaff her wrist, and cut it into strips, then carefully wove them together; green and pink – her colors – and red – his –  symbolizing their union.
 
Wanting to choose the perfect flower to be the symbol that he would carve into the wooden disk, he consulted the starts on three separate nights, wanting to make sure that it was right. A rose, the symbol of their love and union would be a rose. Painstakingly, he carved the rose into the wood, and then selecting paints he knew would last, painted it a delicate pink, using red to shade and a vibrant green for the leaves.  
 
~~~

His head throbbed as the memory faded. He remembered being nervous when he presented it to her, unsure of her reaction. He knew that their duties came first; would always come first, but he had wanted something to show how much he loved and cared about her, how he would be there for her as much as his duty would allow.
 
She had been overjoyed, handling it with the utmost care, swearing never to take it off. Had it all been part of some elaborate ruse, as Beryl claimed it was? Snarling, he threw the bracelet against the wall, as he continued their game of cat and mouse.
 

Behind him, the bracelet fell to the ground; the force of which he threw it against the wall caused a crack to form down the center of the rose.

He ran as quickly as he could up the spiral stairs that hugged one side of the room, his arms holding his sword in place, his breath coming quick but even, and his lips remembering hers in a way that promised to never forget them; part of him felt he should not have kissed her, but his heart demanded nothing less - her admission of feelings for him had elated and defeated him, the look in her eyes made any other choice impossible, and, truly, if he was going to die tonight, her lips on his was no final defeat.

ADDY'S CHALLENGE COMPLETE:

Everything that the prince had said was true. Beryl, that flame-haired woman calling herself Queen, had warped and twisted his closest companions and guardians. The Zoisite she remembered, the one she had spent happy hours with in deep discussions, he no longer existed. This haughty, sneering man before her had replaced the other. This revelation formed as much as she could take, and his words didn't hurt her. She felt like the icy water she could control--unchanged by outside forces.

"You see nothing; you are blind, now."

Her tone was flat, not with defeat but with a lack of emotion. Unlike his own, there was no underlying disgust. There was nothing. This was not the animated eloquence of their previous engagements tête-à-tête.

She looked deep into his eyes. The action might have made her wince, earlier, but she no longer felt that stab of betrayal. In those eyes she saw nothing. She should have known better than to feel for him. Her mind could have given her a hundred reasons to keep him at a distance. If only she had heeded her brain, instead of following her heart. Now she paid the price for those fleeting moments.

What could she even say to him? His ears were filled with clay. His eyes were bound with cloth. Sailor Mercury felt the weight of hopelessness pulling her heart down through the ground, parting it from her body. The punishment she had brought upon herself.

"The things you accuse me of are as false as your misplaced duty. I expected better from you. I see that was foolish of me."

Serenity listened as Endymion spoke. His words did little to calm her fears, but he had been honest. This Beryl woman was out for apparent revenge. But why? What had anyone on the moon ever done to her?

Serenity rested her head against Endymion’s chest as he told her how much she meant to him. Serenity held back tears at the thought of losing Endymion, the man who had won her heart from the moment she saw him.

She did not know what to say, there were no words really to respond to what he had just said. Serenity was expecting she would not see him again. She gazed up at him as she spoke, “and you are in mine.”
Before he left, she felt his lips on hers. It was  a soft kiss that she had not wanted to end. She closed her eyes as a tear ran down her cheek. When Endymion finally left, Serenity returned to the Crystaline figures and closed her eyes as she sent a prayer to whatever gods were protecting the moon, “Please keep Endymion safe. Keep everyone safe.”

Just as she finished her prayer, she felt the presence of her mother’s power. She rose and glanced around but did not see her mother, but knew wherever she was, she was safe for now and was doing her duty to protect the moon.


She hoped her mother could sense that she was safe, and hidden, at least for now.

Zoisite's mind was too far off to even be shaken by the coldness he received. If anything, her reaction actually confirmed Beryl's lies. They had been nothing more than targets for this Kingdom's need in power and eager to set foot on Earth. If he had payed attention to the details, if he had paid attention to the people, he would have seen. The despair, the fear, the hopelessness. This race was not one meant to fight, to war and to slaughter. They were peaceful and completely terrorized by their invasion.

But he only saw the Moon's armies retaliating, the soldiers readying themselves for battle or charging. Something in the back of his mind, a voice even whispered that they knew all along. They knew they would come, maybe even implanted the idea of war in their mind, played them until the very end. It was easy not to be blamed when the other parties attacked first.

His mind didn't make any sense anymore.

There wasn't even an inner voice left to scream at his brain to fight and wake up from this nightmare.

“Funny you should speak of duty when your princess is going to die all alone, without her guardian by her sides.”

He charged his hand, the green energy swirling around his fingers. It was thrilling to feel such power within him.

“Perhaps is there a special hell for people like you.”

He grinned as he threw the energy sphere in her direction, unsheathing his sword as soon as it had left his hands. He then charged towards her, losing a lot of his practical thinking as the anger that was never his filled his mind. She needed to die. It was his mission. It was what needed to be done for the sake of their Kingdom.

OOC:

This recklessness exemplified the changes of this Zoisite from the one she knew before. He said words he couldn't back up with rational thought and analysis. He acted on whim and fancy, ruled by his fleeting anger that Beryl placed within him. That was truly the part that was painful for her to watch. There was a wildness now that she had not seen before; it was a product of the infection turning his mind from truth and wisdom. It made her pity him, even as he attacked.

She easily stepped aside as the blast of energy--some kind of power granted by the evil forces that now mastered him--exploded nearby. A quick scan from her visor confirmed that no civilians were injured.

Even the advance with his blade showed little of his practice and experience, the anger clouding everything. She couldn't just ignore this; her heart ached to see it.

"My princess is not alone, and I am doing my duty to her by protecting her kingdom," she replied, jumping deftly out of the way. Her booted heels were steady here; this was her home and these streets were those she knew well.

"With this unprovoked and unexpected attack, we were left to evacuate the terrified people that her family protects and grants safety to," she continued, wondering if anything she said would actually reach his mind through the fog that wicked magic had filled him with. "The arriving soldiers aimed to slaughter them in the streets, adults and children alike. There is no courage or integrity in such actions."

She felt her fingertips twitch with a desire to protect herself with her powers and fight back, but she wanted to prolong that if possible. Her mind knew it was not to be, but her heart continued to whisper that maybe there was something that could be done to bring him back. She was pulled in opposite directions by two forces, unable to choose. As soon as she thought she could be entirely cold, she felt that twinge in her chest of warm emotion. But she didn't want to admit that to him--not here. Not like this.

He noted she had easily avoided the spheres. He landed where she had been seconds before, feet effortlessly keeping his balance as his sword lashed into thin air. He turned his head so he assess her current location. He steadied himself on his feet, his hand clutched around the handle of his sword.

“Did you not know there are casualties to have in a war?” He scoffed wildly.

They were the ones manipulated and, of course, the lunarian were the victims. Beryl was right. They were monsters, the kind that needed to be annihilated. 

“I am not here to prove my valor, I am here to protect the Kingdom I pledged loyalty to. But you, you came down first, playing around in matters that were none of your concerns! If we had seen it sooner...”

He was a soldier. Never his heart should have been interested in anything else than his duty. He had been a fool, he had been blind, but now he had the chance to take revenge on her. He wanted her to suffer. He gritted his teeth, still annoyed by the obvious failure of both of his attacks – he that usually was a prideful fighter and a skilled one at that – his hands charging with green energy once more.

“Be assured that your princess will burn for her manipulation of our prince's heart.”

Jupiter slowed down as the footsteps behind her stopped. Did Nephrite finally stop? For a moment, she had hope that the bracelet had worked, but then the footsteps started again and she was forced to run once more. But there was an instant where he hesitated, she thought, so maybe her hope wasn't pointless. She turned the next corner and ran into...a dead end. She cursed and turned to find another path to see Nephrite closing in on her. She could fight him right here if she wanted to, but after that moment of believing he was still savable, she couldn't do it.

Nephrite's hand pinned her shoulder to he the wall she was backed against, and his body blocked her's from moving any more. She could feel his breath on her, and their noses almost touched. She stared into his dull eyes and felt warmer, even though he still had a sword to cut her with. Just what was wrong with her, reacting to him as if they were just playing around? 

"This is just like the time we sparred in the woods..." Jupiter said, the adrenaline causing her to grin. If he hesitated again, she could slip away.

They both liked testing their strength, and doing it against each other seemed natural after they met. When Mars and Jadeite were covering their shifts on watch, Nephrite had dragged her into the thick forests surrounding the Earth Kingdom, and they had their match. Neither of them were the kind to pull punches, and both ended up winded and tired with a new set of scrapes under their clothes. The fight had ended when he had pinned her to a tree trunk, and she had been too exhausted to throw him off her. She remembered giving in with a tired laugh, and his grip relaxing slightly as they stared into each other's eyes.

Venus nodded at her queen’s command, relieved to see her more like herself again. She watched as a couple more different emotions flit across Queen Serenity’s face. As she began speaking to her people, Venus slipped away, knowing she still had a lot of tasks to get done. She informed as many guards as she could to protect the palace at all costs, but at the last minute decided not to mention the princess being there. The fact that the Earth people had been manipulated made her worry that the same could be done to Moon Kingdom’s own army, and if they knew too much… that knowledge could become a boomerang for them. They knew the queen was there, as well as the majority of civilians now, it should be enough to dedicate their forces to protect it.

As she stepped outside the palace into the true chaos, she felt the Silver Crystal’s power wash over the perimeters of the palace, creating some sort of powerful barrier over it. Feeling better about the added protection for Serenity, she went into the throngs of battle, joining their soldiers in cutting down their opponents, searching for her sisters, dreading to see who she might find instead.

"This unjustified attack is not protection."

She thought of their past conversations, discussing theories and new information. Refuting each other's viewpoints occurred in a lively and respectable manner. Ideas adapted and modified to incorporate proven information and discarding the erroneous. The books they had shared provided ample topics of conversation in their discourses. She had saved so many of his notes, tucked into the cover of a newly-delivered volume, and Mercury had always expected that he had saved hers. That was so different from this moment.

"The Princess has done nothing wrong; their feelings for each other are natural and true. He thinks for himself. He is the one without his bonded guardians, not she."

How could he be so thoroughly convinced of such false claims? It was his wit and intelligence she had softened for. She could have remained cool and kept him at arm's length if only he had not proved himself to be something like her equal in logic and thought. Again and again, he repeated the phrases he must have been indoctrinated with, parroting useless and empty words. How could she make him see the grievous errors in his equations?

His threats of hurting Serenity stung, but she refused to respond to such cheap bait. Her eyes focused on the energy he was gathering, reading the levels of the dark and malefic stuff. This power that Beryl harnessed to amass and equip her forces was truly great and awful. How could they have failed to notice it.

She still resisted summoning her own magic, even to toss back his blows, but they couldn't continue these evasive maneuvers forever.

Artemis glanced around the town. The evacuation process was nearly complete, and Mercury was assisting the few remaining citizens left.

"Our job here is done, Luna," he said to her. "Now we must stand by the Queen. That is our duty."

Just as he finished talking, he noticed the Queen on the palace balcony, addressing her people. She proceeded to use the Silver Crystal to form a barrier around the palace, one that the people of the Moon will still be able to cross though.

"This is bad..." he thought half out loud. "It is dangerous to use the Silver Crystal to such an extent... It might even take a toll on her health."

"Let`s go, Luna," he turned to her one more time as he made his way to the side of their monarch.

There was nothing else that they could do at this point.

OOC:

After receiving Beryl's permission, Kunzite ruthlessly traveled across the field of battle. His status as the leader of this shittenou and Earth's army became known to all Lunar soldiers, and it got to the point where they would purposely avoid confrontation.

Cowards. They know that this is their day of reckoning.

After effortlessly slicing his sword through the chinks in multiple Lunars' armor, Kunzite saw it.

Saw her.

The traitor who had manipulated his thoughts and emotions. The devil woman who had been planning to destroy him and his prince all along. The best friend of the woman who had turned his prince into a blind, thoughtless puppy.

Making sure she couldn't see him, Kunzite took several large steps forward, sword held tightly in hand. He stopped just behind her and extended his arm, pressing the tip of his sword against the small of her back.

"It's over, Venus."