Uninvited She really wasn't lying when she'd said that she was feeling bad. Makoto wound her way through the crowd. Pushing people out of the way if need be. She wasn't in a pleasant mood after her encounter with the other princesses. How could that woman do this? It was tricky and sly. She wondered if they were already telling the queen that she was leaving. Not that it mattered. She didn't care one way or the other right now. The pain in her arm had grown, and it was getting harder to walk. She was getting dizzy and nauseous. Sweat had formed on her face, and she knew it saturated the light shirt she was wearing beneath her jacket. 'Damn jacket.' She shrugged the thing off and shoved it into Shingo's hands. The boy had a worried expression on his small features. Makoto's muscles were stiff and cramping. 'What the fuck is wrong with me?' she thought. 'That Chimera just might get it's revenge on me after all.' She stopped, leaning up against a column that was a few paces from the doorway she had entered a while earlier. Through the ringing in her head, she could have sworn she heard someone scream. Was it her imagination? All around her, the noise in the room grew. People ran by her, some bumping her as they went. "Dammit!" she yelled, grabbing the next unlucky person who knocked into her. She held him close to her by his collar. "What the hell is going on?" she snapped, jerking him to attention. "It's a monster! A Negaverse monster is here! I don't want to die!" he screamed in panic, pointing in the direction from which he'd come. The people were now clogging the exits, trying to get out. She pushed him roughly in their direction. "Coward," she said to his retreating back. Making her way back through the crowd was bad. It was an experience she wouldn't wish to repeat in a thousand years. The pain in her arm and her head was now screaming. Still, she pushed forward. Grabbing people and pushing them from her path. Somewhere along the way, they seemed to get the picture and started to make way for her. Makoto reached a point in the crowd where she could break into a run. Finally, after what seemed forever, she arrived at the dias. She caught sight of the monster. 'Why do they always have wings?' she asked herself. It was a Harpy. The female creature hovered menacingly over the floor. The guards had it surrounded, but were hesitant to approach it. Catching site of the mutilated body of one of their companions on the floor, she could see why. The Harpy's hands and mouth were stained with blood and it laughed in an eerie, chilling way. Makoto noticed that the Queen was nowhere to be found. 'At least they were smart enough to get her out of here...What the hell is she doing here?' Seeing the Princess of Mars come to a halt a stone's throw away was a surprise. She would have thought that they'd have gotten her away from here as well. When she was soon joined by the other two princesses, Makoto was again stunned. The Mercurian had a small object in her hands, that her fingers were flying over hastily. The Venusian smiled and pushed the Martian forward. "Well I guess this is a great time to see if that practice has come in handy, Miss sure shot." The Martian glared at her. "Ami, what are its readings?" "Well, you're going to have to shoot it down. I doubt melee attacks will have much effect, unless you're lucky enough to get a hit in before it decapitates you like that unlucky fellow there," she gestured to the ground. "Otherwise, any element will do." She snapped the contraption shut in finality. "Oh, alright then..." she said. "Oh shit! Haruka, don't." Makoto turned to see the one she called Haruka run straight at the Harpy, brandishing a scimitar. He leapt at the beast's back, slicing easily through the soft tissue. The Harpy let out an enraged screak and turned on the tall man. He was fast, however, and dodged the coming blow, laughing. "Damn you Haruka, this isn't a game!" Michiru yelled from her place opposite the other girls. 'Why am I still standing here?' Makoto grinned and pulled her sword from its scabbard. "Oh come on Michiru. This ball was so boring, now it's starting to show promise." Michiru finally noticed Makoto was standing there. "Lookit these Moon-sissies run," she pointed her sword in the direction of the retreating crowd. "Oh great, not you too." Michiru growled. "You're staying right there." "Hey, I resent that. I'm not a moon-sissie!" a voice called from somewhere behind the other girls. Makoto didn't have time to look for its source. "Really now? You gonna make me?" her face took on a dark look as she lunged toward the fray. Makoto forgot her pain and concentrated on the hovering beast. The Harpy never saw it coming. With one great swing of her sword, she sliced through the beast's leg. The limb fell to lay with its earlier victim and the screaming Harpy launched itself higher into the air, out of their reach. "Not bad," Haruka said, "You're pretty strong to be swinging a sword with such force like that. I guess what they say of Jovians is true." He laughed, "You'd think the dumb-ass would of thought to take to the air sooner. Damn, now we can't reach her." He frowned in disappointment. "Who says we can't?" Makoto smiled. "I'll fry her ass." She raised her hand, about to summon her element when something slammed into the back of her and arms pinned her own to her sides. Her mask, jarred from the impact, flew from her face to land on the ground before her. "Hey! What the hell are you doing!" She looked over her shoulder, to see Boarder looking frantic. "Let me go, now!" she ordered. "I won't. Milady, you can't use your element. You'll surely kill yourself. Don't you feel the fatigue anymore? You're wounded, remember?" Boarder's eyes pleaded with her. "Yes, Makoto, don't use your power. Let everyone order you around, as usual." Everyone's head snapped around at the voice. Queen Beryl smiled wickedly at them all. It was like she'd just appeared on the dias. They were stunned. "Now there's a target that can't fly off." Haruka stated. "Don't bother," Makoto said, "she's not really here." Haruka looked at her, confused. "You're right," Rei said, looking at Makoto. "I don't sense her there." she gave Makoto a questioning gaze before turning back to the queen. The Harpy still circled above them. "Don't you find my party favor amusing? I know one of you was having fun..." she smiled at Makoto and Haruka. "What are you doing here?" Rei asked. "Why are you tormenting us?" "Oh, you know, the usual. Just reminding you of your inferiority. Have to keep you on your toes you know." She looked around, her gaze searching. "I see you have rushed your coward of a queen off to some safe haven. Well, soon no place will be safe for the likes of her. Let her know this, as well as her daughter." "Leave this place, you witch," a young man in armor shouted at the woman. "You will never touch Usagi. I'll kill you first." "Manners seem to be in short supply here. Then I guess I'll be going now. I'm sure you'll find some use for my little present." The Harpy cried out overhead, making some of them look up. "And as always, I leave the invitation to my own palace open to you all...In fact, all invitations are still open." she looked directly into Makoto's eyes. Makoto's head began to hurt again. 'Damn her.' "Farewell for now then." Beryl laughed and disappeared from the dias. They all stared at the spot in which she had just stood moments before. "What the hell was that all about? She's never done that before." Minako said. "A message? But it's obvious she hates us. Why remind us of that fact?" Ami said. "I think there's more to it than that," was Rei's cryptic reply. Their party favor reminded them of its presence by doing a series of dives over their heads. "We should take care of her first." Haruka pointed with his sword. Makoto looked up and frowned. "Fine!" She wrenched Boarder's arms from around her and stood, charging her energy. "No!" she heard two shouts from behind her. 'This has gone on long enough, I just wanna go to bed.' that was the last thing she thought, as the pain hit her full force. "Gaaaah!" she yelled clutching her head with both hands. She felt someone grab her shoulders as she went down on her knees. The pain was unbearable and she could feel her energy leaving her. What energy? She had none left. Why had she thought she could draw on reserves that weren't there to begin with? Falling backwards, into arms she couldn't see, Makoto heard a voice yelling her name. The last thing she saw was the Martian letting a flaming arrow fly straight at the screaming Harpy. ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Everything fell into place for Rei the second the mask hit the marbled floor of the hall. All the strange vibrations weren't foreign to her anymore. If she'd known what to look for, she would have spotted it right away. Thunder. That was one of them. Femininity. That was the other misplaced vibration. She'd been looking at a mortal human man with her senses. Not an immortal, female princess of Jupiter. The element of thunder was so uncommon to her. For Makoto was the last Jovian with royal blood. They were such a proud and fearless race who usually died in battles and by unnatural means. Hardly any Jovian royalty lived longer than seven mortal life-spans. Some didn't even make it past three. When Beryl appeared before them, she was shocked to find that Makoto knew the woman wasn't there. She was some sort of hologram. Ami had explained this concept to her a while back. Something about projecting an image of one's self or an object. She said that, with the proper technology, it could be done from great distances. That ruled out seeking the woman's hiding place; she'd be long gone before they got there. Upon finding out that she was wounded and drained, Rei knew she had to do something, fast. Makoto looked like she would be stubborn enough to try anything at that moment. Her eyes burned with something akin to insanity. The adrenaline going through her veins might have been acting as a pain killer. The two behind Makoto weren't having any luck stopping the woman from what she was about to do. Rei lifted her bow, and even as she heard the Jovian cry out in pain, she loosed the arrow, sending it flying towards the Harpy. It struck her, burying itself in the creatures chest. Screaming in pain, it fell to the ground below, hitting the floor with a loud crunch. Haruka moved in front of Michiru to shield her from the light spray of blood that followed its impact. It then lay in an expanding pool of the thick red liquid. Walking over to it silently, Haruka beheaded the Harpy with her scimitar, then turned to some of the guards who still stood by helplessly. "Get some others in here to help you clean this mess up," she said in a commanding tone. Then looking over to where Makoto lay in the Jovian woman's arms, with Ami scanning her vitals, she said, "And get a healer in here as fast as you can." Some of them made to go, and others continued to stare at the carnage before them. " Move, now!" Gathering their bearings, the guards rushed to fulfill her commands. Rei sighed and looked over to Minako, who was smiling somewhat forcefully. "Nice shot," she said simply. "Thanks," Rei grunted, then added in a barely audible tone, "I was aiming for its head..." '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Everything fell apart for Ami the moment the mask hit the floor of the hall. She stared at a face that was the complete opposite of what she had envisioned. She'd imagined that a handsome male visage lay beneath that ornate black mask. Instead she found a feminine face of wild beauty. Sweat soaked bangs fell over dark green eyes, that burned with rage. Her face contorted in pain and anger as she struggled against the arms that bound her from behind. She shouted at the woman to free her. The woman's words shot panic through Ami's mind. And at once she realized that this was the Guardian of Thunder. If she used her power in such a state, then she might cause herself great pain. She could only hope that the woman was strong enough to bind the princess of Jupiter for a little longer. When Beryl appeared, Ami's attention was torn between the evil queen and the injured Jovian. She and Rei confirmed that the woman was a hologram, how the Jovian princess knew, Ami could not tell. When the woman disappeared, instinct took over as the Guardian of Thunder broke loose of the woman holding her. Ami retrieved her computer and ran towards the woman, even as the other began charging her powers. Her heart beat against her chest so fiercely that she was afraid it might burst. "Don't!" She yelled, but her shout was drowned by the screams of the Harpy above. Then another scream joined it as the Jovian went down on both knees, clutching her head in pain. 'No.' Ami was almost there; everything seemed to slow down. "Lady Makoto!" Shingo yelled, as the woman behind her caught the princess and laid her gently on the cold floor. Out of her peripheral vision she could see an arrow being loosed. Rei was attacking the creature now. Finally, Ami came to a stop, dropping to her knees next to the Princess of Jupiter. She gave the woman a glance and flipped her computer open, a green line and several other small panels began moving in unison. Her fingers flew hastily over the small buttons. "Wow!" Shingo breathed over her shoulder, his voice was shaking with worry. "I've never seen anything like it before in my life." "I'm checking her vital signs. What happened to her that she's in this state?" she asked Shingo. "Um...Lady Boarder, you should probably tell her." he replied, looking to the other woman. She nodded. "On our way here, the princess engaged in a fight with a Chimera that was aboard the ship. She was wounded." She said this, indicating Makoto's arm. "She, of course, didn't think anything of it and came to the ball anyway. I can't be sure, but I think she may have made it worse by trying to tend the would herself," a half smile came to her lips, and was gone an instant later. "She might have. We won't be sure until we get her to a place where she can be tended to. What I am sure of, though, is that she is poisoned. It's been in her blood stream for a while. The Chimera must have been poisonous." She tapped the screen several times, trying to identify the poison and its cure. She wasn't ready for this. Her training had only begun two years ago, and her shaking hands validated her thoughts. Though her hands betrayed her, Ami's mind was fast at work. The calm facade, in fact, was calming the two before her, though she didn't notice. She gradually gained control of her shaking hands, as she became more frustrated with herself. 'What type of poison is it? It should be here somewhere. My computer always has the answers. Why now, of all times, would it not?' The guards arrived with a stretcher and crouched next to the three of them. 'Dammit! What am I supposed to do now?' She looked up from the computer, and at the faces around her. They were all hopeful, and held the same question. 'But I don't have the answer.' Ami felt defeated. She slowly closed the useless gadget she held, and steeled herself to confirm how very incompetent the Princess of Mercury truly was.
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