A Single Voice (part 12 of 21)

The throne room of Edo Palace had become… darker of late.

Endymion only fully realized this change when he found himself forced to his knees on the stone floor of the dais. The shitennou, who had been his comrades and fellow leaders not so long ago, stood around him with their swords pointed in his direction. The throne itself, so often a place he frequented, was now occupied with Beryl’s unyielding form.

Casually leaning to one side, her elbow supporting her on one of the armrests while her legs were crossed at the other end of the seat, the tactician waved the shitennou away.

Hesitant eyes, especially from the youngest of the men, expressed their displeasure. She shot them a scathing glance, and reluctantly, the Prince’s former guardians sheathed their weapons and took several steps away from Endymion.

“You may leave.” She said to them curtly.

The men obediently followed her command, with the exception of Jadeite who departed the slowest, all the while casting angry blue eyes in Endymion’s direction.

Slowly, Beryl stood. Long fingers smoothed out the front of her dark dress. She smiled languidly at the Prince. “I would have you on your knees like that always, Endymion.”

Endymion’s dark eyes narrowed. No longer with swords held to his prone body, he drew himself to his full height. “I will not apologize for my actions.” He said. “You have held sway over my court far too long, Beryl.”

“And you think you can change that now?”

Endymion found he couldn’t meet Beryl’s gaze. The woman began to pace a lazy circle around him, the heels of her shoes echoing loudly off the stone walls.

“Too long have you had your head in the clouds, dreaming of the Princess of the Moon while your people have sat sequestered, stuck in this foolish treaty, stagnating here on Earth while the planets of the rest of the solar system advance and reap the benefits of their alliance with the Moon.”

“And how did you come to that conclusion?” Endymion asked bitterly. “When you came into my service three years ago, what made you come to hate the Moon Kingdom with such intensity?”

Beryl chuckled softly. She paused, her fingers touching her temple as though massaging a distant pain. “I hate their light.”

“Their… light?”

“All that is perfect and beautiful and pure. A mockery of the emotions we humans feel. Metallia made me see, she made me see what the Lunarians really are.”

“Metallia?”

“She is the antithesis to the light of the Moon, though her planet burns brighter than that tiny satellite ever could.”

“Then this power is controlling you.”

Beryl snorted. “Spoken like a true Lunarian, Endymion. She does not control me, but opens my eyes to the reality of the corruptness of the Moon peoples.”

The Prince stamped his booted foot on the floor. “The shitennou may believe all this rubbish that you’ve been feeding them, but I won’t. The dissent on this planet is born from you. All of this is about you.”

Her cocky sneer faded and Beryl found herself looking at her hands. When she finally spoke, her voice was a whisper. “It was supposed to be about you, Endymion.”

The Prince had sensed the fundamental shift in the tactician. She was no longer the cold, unfeeling woman she’d become. Instead, she was vulnerable, hopeful, so much the way she was years ago. “Beryl?”

“Everything was supposed to be for you, Endymion. Everything.” The tactician paced slightly, her gaze cast downwards to her fidgeting hands. “For the past three years since I’d been promoted as your aide, all I ever wanted was for you to acknowledge me.”

“I always acknowledged you, Beryl. You’ve been an excellent aide, and I always reminded you of it.”

“Not like that!” The woman seemed to recoil at the sound of her own voice. “Not like that.” She repeated in a whisper.

Endymion looked away knowingly. He was not so blind. “Beryl, I-“

“Do you really love Serenity that much?” The tactician interrupted quietly, finally making eye contact again.

Endymion sighed. “My heart has always belonged to Serenity. Maybe I could have loved you once, before this… Metallia corrupted you. I’m sorry, Beryl.”

“As am I.” Though her dark eyes watered, Beryl took the stinging rejection with grace and stood tall. “I only hope that when Metallia claims me again and you refuse our offer once more, she’ll take mercy on you.”

Endymion stepped forward. Beryl flinched at the soft touch of his hand on her shoulder. “I thought you said she wasn’t controlling you.”

“I lied.” She said with a wavering smile. “I’m weak.”

“I know you can fight this. Beryl, this isn’t you. This isn’t what you want.”

The tactician’s tentative smile tugged into a bitter sneer. Her eyes hardened. “What I want?” She snarled.

“Beryl…” But Endymion knew it was already too late.

Sensing the reemergence of that dark power, the shitennou returned to their leader’s aid, rushing into the room with swords drawn.

“I want you to leave this place.” Beryl growled, fighting Metallia’s control. She had the ability to take his life in that moment, and Endymion knew it. “I want you to leave the Earth.” Beryl proclaimed, “And in your wake, I will become Queen.”

“Queen Beryl!” The shitennou dropped to their knees in reverence.

Beryl sauntered closer, examining Endymion with a detached gaze. “Or would you be so brave as to play the martyr? Give your life right here and now so as not to betray your planet?” Endymion remained silent. Beryl arched an eyebrow. “No? Then you would leave and betray your people who already think so little of you. Save yourself and run back to your Moon Princess with your tail between your legs?”

Endymion’s hands balled into tight fists. “It’s not running away if I plan on fixing this mess you’ve created.”

“Oh, Endymion, you’ve seen nothing yet.”

The exiled Prince of the Earth spun on his heel, his cape fluttering over his shoulder as he strode to the heavy wooden door. His hand paused on the familiar latch and he turned back boldly. The newly appointed Queen regarded him coolly.

“Beryl, I promise, I will find a way to save you.”

The Queen of the Earth snorted loudly before tipping her head back and laughing.

She felt Minako’s nude form spooned against her back. Despite the aches and pains that filled her consciousness, her disjointed mind drew a tangent that even Minako would be proud of, and she smirked to herself. Sleeping in the nude had been one Venusian custom that had taken some getting used to, but it was one that she would never want to do without now that she was accustomed to it.

Then, the memories hit her nearly as hard as Jadeite’s dagger had, and the time for flippant observations was over.

‘If I’m here instead of sick bay, I must already be forgiven.’

“How long have I-” Rei began, her voice hoarse from misuse.

“Only a day.”

“Only?”

“Shh.”

Rei felt Minako shift her body so that she was leaning over Rei’s back. Silently, her head came to rest on Rei’s shoulder. Gentle fingers danced along her side in a soothing motion, drawing the Priestess’ attention away from the itching pain of her healing wound. Mars’ senshi strength had mostly completed the job, but she was still mentally and physically weakened.

Rei basked in this tender touch and she soon found herself back in the space between dreams and consciousness when a very distinct sound of sniffling shattered her exhaustion like the thinnest ice.

“You’re crying.”

“I am not.” Minako sniffled.

The Priestess rolled her body towards her lover, doing her best to keep a wince from her expression as she eased her weight onto her back. She didn’t fool her commander, and the tears that pooled at the corners of Minako’s eyes spilled forth.

“Mina,” Rei reached out, pushing long, golden hair over the Venusian’s shoulder. Her fingers cupped Minako’s chin, but the woman turned her head away sharply.

“I should have trusted you!” Minako tried for anger, but tapped into desperation. Blindly flailing, she threw a weak punch in Rei’s direction. The Martian caught the shaking fist with an open palm and spun her grip to encircle Minako’s wrist, pulling the woman back down to her gently.

The Venusian settled with sobbing against Rei’s shoulder. “You were right, and I shouldn’t have let Beryl separate us.”

“Shh.” This time, it was the Martian’s turn to ease the other woman. “I didn’t know for sure. You were right, my senses were clouded ever since we’d landed on that planet.”

“But you tried to tell me, and my pride wouldn’t have it.” Minako’s breath hitched in her throat and she swallowed a sob. “What kind of partner… what kind of leader does that?”

“Minako, not every partnership is without dispute. Its only inevitable that two women as opinionated as you and I would argue once in awhile.” Rei chuckled. “Honestly, it’s a wonder we haven’t killed each other yet.”

Rei’s gentle laugh caused the slightest of smiles to tug at Minako’s lips. The Martian traced the corner of her lover’s mouth with a thumb. “And every leader has to make their own decisions, even if they’re wrong once in awhile.”

“But that was a terrible mistake to have made. I put both of us in great danger.”

Rei snorted. “I bested two shitennou and a crazy woman being controlled by a dark power. I fail to see where it was that dangerous.”

Minako had to decency to feign offence. “I could have taken Beryl myself, thank you very much, had you not interrupted me.”

“Well excuse me, Princess, for protecting what was mine.”

Minako smacked her lips. “Typical Martian response.”

“Got you to lighten up, didn’t I?”

Minako grabbed Rei’s wrist where her hand cupped her face and laid a lingering kiss to Rei’s palm. But then, her smile fell. She seemed to consider her words very carefully.

“Rei, I want revenge against Beryl.”

“Revenge?” The Priestess asked, not liking to hear such a dark word from Minako’s lips.

“She seems to enjoy tormenting me in particular.” Minako admitted.

“Don’t you see, Minako? She feeds off your hate. It makes her powerful. She wants you to lose your cool. And when you refuse to be swayed by her, you’re a better leader than her because of it.”

“A better leader?”

Rei smiled sweetly. “You’re a fierce leader, Minako, but you have a gentle heart. It’s why I love you. You have to be stronger than Beryl. Don’t give into your hate.”

Minako offered Rei a crooked grin. “I thought I was the empathic one.”

Rei snorted. “I thought I was the possessive one.”

Cerulean eyes hardened. “I still want to get back at her for what she did to you.”

“Possessiveness doesn’t suit you.” Rei said quietly as she lifted her torso from the pillows. “Leave that to me.”

And then, the Martian claimed posession of the Venusian’s lips.

She’d long since excused the shitennou from her presence, and for the moment, she couldn’t care less what evil they were preparing in her name.

“Not in my name.” She spat bitterly. “In Metallia’s name.”

’Now, Beryl, that’s not fair. We are one in the same, you and I.’

“Metallia.” Beryl nearly whimpered. She collapsed to her knees, not far from where the man she loved so deeply had done the same. “I don’t want this anymore.” She cried weakly.

’You forget yourself, my child.’ The voice in Beryl’s mind dripped with darkness. ’Do you remember how weak, how insignificant you were when you first stumbled across me, three years ago?’

Beryl ground her teeth as an image was dredged from her memories and pushed into her the forefront of her mind by a dark hand that ghosted through her thoughts. Tendrils of that darkness threatened to taint even the deepest recesses of her soul with that touch. She shut her eyes, but knew this human reaction could not fool Metallia, and she still saw that which she tried to avoid…

She saw herself, three years past. An up and coming tactician, having made a name for herself by helping to unite the previously warring factions of Earth, she was assigned a dangerous task to test her worthiness of a position for which she had applied;

Aide to Endymion, Prince of Earth.

Her tiny shuttle shivered in the heat of the Sun’s corona. Metal warped and bent, but the tactician pushed the small craft to its limits, gritting her teeth as her fingers played across her diagnostic equipment, eager to fulfill her mission to analyze the recent surge in sunspot activity and identify its threat to her planet as quickly as possible so as to escape from that hellish place.

Only a little more… she eased the thruster engines gently to get just a little closer…

Frantically flashing lights suddenly accompanied the urgent beeping she’d reluctantly ignored. There was a creak. A groan. One wall of her craft bowed inwards. Her eyes shot up from her work to her control panel. Her fingers abandoned her diagnostic tools.

“No good,” she furiously tapped at the control panels above her head, “life support is about to-“

If the implosion made a sound, she couldn’t hear it for the roar of the Sun’s angry fires.

“But how-“ Beryl stared with wide eyes. Her corporeal form hovered within the hazy corona. Sunspots surged, ghosting harmlessly over her unprotected body.

’It was I who saved you, my child.’

A voice that was as dark as night and as cold as ice slipped into her brain like a midnight burglar. Beryl had to fight the urge to retch, to scream, to curl up and simply cry. The dark tendrils of the voice’s incorporeal fingers threaded paths through her brain, absorbing what could be used to its advantage.

“Who are you?”

’You do not know?’ The voice possessed a laugh that made Beryl’s skin crawl. ’I am you.’ There was a snort. ’Human, your kind has awoken me. And it will be your kind that will aide in my release from this forsaken planet so that I may reign over this solar system once more.’

Beryl found her sense and sensibilities, her very self, waver under the dark tendrils that invaded her mind. “What do you want of me?” She attempted disinterest.

’What do you want of me?’ The darkness echoed. ’Tell me that which you think is impossible, and I will grant it to you.’

“What I want…” Beryl’s dark eyes glazed over. Her body went limp. “I want… Endymion.”

The fateful vision of her first meeting with Metallia was mercifully stripped from Beryl’s sight. Her strength gave out, and she pitched forward, catching herself on the stone floor before the throne with her elbows, and she stifled a retching sob. But Metallia wasn’t done with her yet.

’I gave you my power, that day, and for three years you did my bidding, waiting for the right opportunity to reap your prize.’ The voice snorted. ’You thought Endymion would come around on his own, instead of utilizing my immense powers to your own ends. Foolish human! I will not break the terms of our deal due to your own stupidity.’

“But Metallia-“

’I will offer you more power.’

“More… power?”

’I have been holding back, but I feel your pitiful human shell may be able to handle more of my strength than I had previously given you.’

“But…”

’And with this power, you could crush the Moon Kingdom, crush the Princess that stole your Prince.’

“Crush… her.” Beryl’s eyes went blank.

’And with this power, you could make Endymion yours beyond your wildest imagination.’

“Make him… mine?”

’Yes.’ Metallia hissed.

Serenity shifted under the combined glares of all her senshi. She reluctantly shook her head.

Playing so many roles all at once, Minako; the Princess’ friend, the senshi’s leader, and general inquisitioner, paced around Serenity’s seat restlessly. “You just decided that you had to see Endymion, and somehow convinced Makoto-chan and Ami-chan into spiriting you to the Earth’s surface?”

“I can’t explain it,” Serenity found her hands extremely interesting, “something in me just insisted it was the right thing to do. Even though… it seems to have caused nothing but pain and hardship.”

Haruka scowled. It had taken the combined effort of both Michiru and Makoto to keep her from nearly throttling her Princess when the transport shuttle had come back with the urgent message from their runaway Princess and her two delinquent senshi that they were returning from Earth with a botched mission, Minako, and a badly injured Rei.

Curiously enough, it had been Minako herself, despite having her mission and her very life compromised, who had taken most of this in stride.

The Venusian ceased her restless pacing and leveled her gaze on her Princess for a long moment. Finally, a defeated half smile tugged at her lips. “Somehow, Serenity-chan, I want to believe that you knew what you were doing,”

Haruka issued a discontent growl that reluctantly faded when Minako shot a longing gaze in Rei’s direction.

“Because if you hadn’t pulled that ridiculously dangerous stunt, where would that have left Rei and I?” Minako fidgeted slightly, and stared at her hands. “We would have been separated by Beryl and the shitennou with the secret of our identities exposed without our knowledge.”

All the guilt, all the self recrimination that Serenity had harbored in her watery blue eyes suddenly threatened to spill forth. “Minako-chan…”

The Princess devolved into crocodile tears and launched herself into the leader of her guard’s arms. Minako couldn’t help but hold the girl close. All the while, her thoughtful gaze lingered on Rei as they both seemed to consider the same thing, ‘maybe there is more to Serenity’s whims than meet the eye.’

The room itself seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief, as though the tension had threatened the structure’s very integrity.

But it only lasted so long.

With a furrowed brow, Haruka suddenly dropped to the ground. One knee and one palm to the stone floor, she seemed to concentrate on something distant. Seconds later, Michiru and Rei leapt to their feet, albeit the latter did so slowly, her injuries hampering her movements.

Another moment later, there was a soft, but distinct rumble.

Makoto frowned. “Not thunder.”

“Its from the ground.” Haruka said quietly, analyzing the gentle tremor through her palm.

“Quake.” Rei and Minako spoke the word simultaneously, having experienced ones of far greater magnitude during their stay on Earth.

With a disappearance as subtle as its arrival, the gentle rumbling vanished.

Haruka rose to her feet, a frown on her face. Ami stopped tapping at her computer. Her blue diagnostic screen blinked out of existence. “It has reached even here,” she said quietly, “despite the magics that protect this satellite.”

“Ami-chan?” Makoto asked.

“Natural disaster.” The Mercurian whispered. “I’ve received reports from all the planets that Mother Nature seems to be reacting to the increased activity in sunspots, resulting in increased natural disasters.”

“So, the link between the Sun and the Earth is conclusive.” Minako said uncertainly.

“Yes, as well as the link between the Sun and the other planets.” Ami looked to Minako. “The reports have piled up on yours and Rei-san’s desks while you were on Ea-“ Ami swallowed her words at the quiet whimper from her Princess, “while you were on your mission.” She amended. “The planets closest to the third planet - Venus and Mars, have experienced a marked increase in natural disasters in just the past several days. Venus’ volcanoes have experienced an unprecedented surge of activity, and dust storms on Mars have reached epic proportions.”

The Venusian and the Martian narrowed their eyes. Rei began to pace restlessly.

“What of Mercury,” Michiru asked, “the planet closest to the sun?”

Ami avoided Michiru’s gaze. “The temperature increase has driven our population to underground bunkers designed for such massive fluctuations in the Sun. The gas giant can be unpredictable. My people are not unprepared.”

“But this is no coincidence, is it?” Haruka spat.

“No, Haruka-san. I don’t believe it is.” Ami confirmed.

“And after all this, we’re still no wiser for our next steps.” Makoto drove a fist into her palm.

Minako stood tall. Her hands tightened into fists. “We wait for Beryl to make her next move. We’ve no other choice.”

There was mixed reaction to their leader’s declaration. Rei’s lips formed a thin, white line, Haruka slammed her open palm against a pillar, and Makoto turned her back on the group. But it was Serenity who was the first to see the door swing open.

“Endymion!”

The legs of a chair screamed across the flagstone floor as Serenity jumped to her feet. She was across the room in split seconds, but Haruka was faster. The Uranian stepped in front of her Princess and blocked her, while leveling her jewel-encrusted sword at the Earthling. Endymion skidded to a halt, his cape fluttering before him, threateningly close to Haruka’s blade.

“Traitor,” she barked, “you abandoned your peoples to flee to the Moon?”

“I’ve been exiled.” Endymion spat. “Beryl has banished me from my lands.”

“Banished you?” Minako asked, “then that makes her-“

“Queen.” Endymion confirmed.

“Uncontested?” Haruka prodded.

“The shitennou?” Endymion tried for a laugh, but managed a desperate squeak. ”They’ve been corrupted by Beryl’s power long ago.”

“Metallia.” Minako spat, the name reluctantly familiar on her tongue.

Endymion nodded. “And the people of Earth? I’m afraid they’ve been corrupted long ago as well.”

Haruka’s sword titled slightly, its edge catching the room’s light and reflecting it brightly. “And yet you seem to have escaped this corruption.”

Serenity poked her head from around Haruka’s protective form. Endymion’s expression softened. “I think… the only thing that has kept me untainted from Metallia’s darkness… is her.”

Serenity stepped forward, trying to skirt around her tall protector, and Haruka stepped to the side to put her behind her once again, her eyes never leaving Endymion. “I still can’t have you staying here and compromising the Princess’ safety. You’re too much of a liability.”

“With all due respect, Haruka-san, no one is safe anymore.”

The Uranian’s hazel eyes hardened, and in Endymion’s dark gaze, she knew he was right. Reluctantly, she lowered her sword.

With the threat gone, the former Prince of the Earth shouldered his way past the proud guardian and enveloped Serenity in his arms.

Thank you everyone for the wonderful reception of the last chapter. All your comments are a huge encouragement. Please continue to let me know what you think!

This chapter probably answered a lot of questions that have been hanging around for the past several months, and obviously, things are going to get much (much) worse before they get better, so keep hanging in there! We’ve just passed the halfway point. :)

Blue wolf – hope the whole ‘Minako nursing Rei’ scene hit the nail on the head. You also alluded to a plot device that I’ll be using later, but I’m going to remain hush-hush for now.
Krampus – yes, this is AU. ‘Nuking the whole damn planet’ aside, the Titanic’s still going to hit an iceberg, but the course of history’s already been altered, so don’t expect a canon ending in the slightest.
Tenkaichi – thanks for that! I always worry that my scenes are short and disconnected from one another. I’m glad the separation seems to make sense to you.
Hanyou – sometimes I think a device like a nearly mortal injury is only cause for the inevitable ‘being nursed back to health scene’. Would you say? .
Haruka’s Knight – yes and yes! The Earth is so going on a rampage soon.
LicketySplat – does Serenity’s need to travel to Earth seem a little clearer now? In addition to creating havoc with her presence and inadvertently helping Minako and Rei to escape, I think she’s starting to learn more about who she is, and what powers she might have.

OOO

Preview, Chapter 13: The Darkness Corrupts

One amethyst eye cracked open swiftly. Rei’s breath caught in her throat and she focused on her sense of hearing. It was faint; soft, mournful piano notes carried on a cool breeze. She realized she was depending on the wrong sense, and reached out instead with her spiritual abilities.

Suddenly, the piano’s song became much louder. It was accompanied with a message - less a worded command and more a thought embedded in the tune. All Rei knew for certain was that if she didn’t obey its call, harm would come to the one she cared for most. She wasn’t sure how, but she knew it was all too possible. And that was not acceptable.

Rei slipped from Minako’s bed. Her nakedness was instantly clothed by Mars’ fuku.

Sensing the surge of her lover’s transformation, Minako opened sleepy eyes. In her sleep-fogged confusion, it seemed as though Mars’ back was to her, her sword drawn protectively where the crimson warrior stood guard at the foot of the bed. She blinked again, and only Rei stood before her. Perhaps her eyes had deceived her.

“Rei?”

“Shh.” The Martian leaned down to plant a light kiss on Minako’s forehead. She busied herself with pulling the thin sheet closer to the Venusian’s nude form. “Can’t sleep. Going to make some tea. Go back to sleep.”

“But-“

“For me?” Rei asked. It pained her to deceive Minako, but a simple, tangible, irrepressible fear overrode her guilt.

“’K.” Minako mumbled tiredly. “Love you.”

The soft, crimson glow of Mars enveloped Rei once more and she smiled softly. “’More than the air I breathe.” She whispered, though she knew the Venusian had already returned to sleep’s embrace.

The crimson warrior didn’t bother with the door.

She leapt out the window.

And she ran.