'Now all of a sudden, some strange things are happening to me.' ------------------- Mars paced around the garden anxiously. It was true. Everything that damn helper had told her was true. According to Ami, her body was being rapidly overthrown by dark energy, and she had no idea how to stop it, short of trying to have the Queen purify her with the Silver Crystal. Rei tried to hold back the shudder that ran through her. It explained her arm spasms, but it certainly didn't explain why she wasn't showing any other symptom of the dark energy. Mercury had chalked it up to her powers holding at bay for now, but she had warned that should it start to take control, it would be fast, and almost unstoppable. She had promised the bluenette that she would speak with the Queen, first thing in the morning, because the very idea of something crawling under her skin gave her the chills. Ami had reluctantly agreed, so for now, Mars was alone with her jumbled thoughts. "Do you believe me now?" the Helper asked cheerily. 'Or not...' "You again." Rei muttered darkly. "Do I ever get a break? It hasn't even been an hour." "And what fun would that be?" "Just tell me what you want." the fire soldier snapped tiredly. "With that attitude, I find it amazing that you've managed to land anyone at all, much less that hot little blonde number..." "Bite me." "Now, be nice. I don't want to have to pull a repeat, especially since your head just stopped hurting." Mars tried to give her visitor a withering death glare, but found it impossible in the endless black. "On to business then!" "Business? What business??" Mars demanded angrily, but she had already found herself back in her domain, under the ever-present glow of the Earth. Rei blinked in confusion. 'Well, that was strange. Stranger than usual anyway. No warnings, no games. Makes me really damn nervous.' "Rei?" Mars spun on her heels to find the one person she had been going out of her way to avoid. 'Of course.' The soldier stiffened, her discomfort fairly obvious. "I've been wanting to talk to you about what happened, but lately it's been impossible to find you." her princess murmured quietly. "I'm sorry." Mars replied awkwardly, suddenly feeling like she was a small child again, trying to play grown-up. "It's ok. Have you been doing alright?" 'Oh yeah, sure. Just going a little crazy is all...' "Yes, I'm doing fine." "And your arm?" Serenity questioned, "Much better." Rei said with a forced smile, rotating her arm for emphasis. "Good. I worry. I guess I'll always worry." "Don't do that, you'll get wrinkles." Mars murmured quietly, thoughts drifting to Venus and a conversation they had had that morning. "It's funny." Serenity replied with a sad smile. "Every time you think of her you get that look in your eyes." Rei swallowed uncomfortably, not knowing what to say. "I remember when that look was for me." The fire soldier stiffened. "How...how did you know?" The princess shook her head. "I may be slow sometimes, but I'm not blind. In fact, I was even down right cruel at times." "Cruel?" "Yes. I found myself feeling so guilty that I couldn't return your feelings, so I'd start, I don't know, trying to give you something." "I don't understand." Mars whispered. "I started to go out of my way to find an excuse to just touch you." the princess admitted, pink tinting her cheeks. "I'd grab your hand, or brush past you purposely, all kinds of dumb things." "I think that makes me the slow one. I just thought you were being friendly." Rei replied, suddenly feeling very old. The princess sighed. "And then you got hurt, and I guess I realized it wasn't just guilt anymore. I really cared for you." "Then, the whole Endymion thing..." Mars murmured, adding the pieces together. "Exactly. And it was all just bad timing on my part. I should have spoken up sooner, but I see that you two are so happy, and I can't imagine wanting to ruin that. Serenity said with a sigh. "It wasn't my intention to bring down any more stress on you guys, especially you. You had so much to deal with already, and I only complicated things. For so long I felt bound by duty, and with things standing as they were, it looked as though I'd finally break those chains. I felt like I wouldn't have to settle for something I didn't want for the good of my people. So, I tried reaching out and taking what I had always wanted before." She laughed, but the tone didn't reach her eyes. "Didn't work, did it?" Her blue eyes met Rei's, and the fire soldier was struck by the sharp pang of guilt. "Do you want to know what the worst part was?" the princess asked in a near whisper. "I couldn't even talk to my best friend about it." Mars swallowed thickly. "It wasn't, I mean, I didn't know..." The princess shook her head. "I just hope you're happy. That's all. If you really care about her, and she can honestly make you smile, then that's all I need to move on, you know?" The soldier nodded. "I do care about her, and it was actually because of you that I found the courage to say something, so without you, no one would be happy. Well, Haruka is the sole exception I think..." Serenity looked puzzled. "What did I do to her?" Mars let out a short laugh, and waved her hand. "Don't worry about it." The princess gave her bodyguard a nervous look. "I just hope this won't ruin our friendship." Rei smiled, and pulled Serenity close for a hug. "Of course not." she murmured into golden locks. "If anything, I'm a dummy for not coming to you sooner to clear this up." The princess laughed cheerily and threw her arms around the soldier's neck. "You may be a dummy, but you're our favorite dummy, right Venus?" Mars turned her head slightly to catch sight of Minako, stepping forward from behind a column. "It's the truth." Venus said with a grin. Rei blushed lightly. "And how long have you been there?" The goddess tossed her head and crossed her arms. "Honestly, what kind of guard would I be if I let this trouble maker wander around wherever she pleased, every night at this hour?" Serenity smiled sheepishly. "Hey. I don't do it every night." "But she had the trouble maker part down." Mars commented quietly. "You see him?" Venus nodded in agreement and mouthed the word, 'ready?' "After you, gorgeous." The blonde flashed her a dazzling smile and sprang into action, leaping up into the branches of a nearby tree and hitting an unseen 'guest' hard. Mars shifted positions with the princess, standing in front of her protectively. One of the palace's own guards tumbled from the tree, landing awkwardly on the ground, head first. Venus landed beside him perfectly , flashing a 'V' with her fingers, and tossing his crossbow out of reach. A soldier patrolling the area nearby rushed over at the sounds of commotion and gaped at the scene before him. "I don't understand." He sputtered uselessly. "I was just over here. I don't know when he got up there." Venus nodded her head. "It's alright. Get Jupiter, she might still be up. We may need the help." "Y...yes sir!" he stammered, immediately running for the barracks. Serenity grasped the back of Rei's shirt firmly in her hands, clearly in awe. "How did you guys do that?" Minako smiled and flipped the would-be assassin over on his back. "That's why the pay us big." Mars smirked. "They don't pay us at all, Mina." "They do!" Minako insisted, nudging the unconscious man with her boot. "They just don't pay you." "Whatever." Rei sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her finger and thumb. "You'd think we'd get a break once in a while." Her shoulder throbbed angrily, and she had to shake off the feeling of panic that ran through her at the memory of Ami's words. "Can't do that." the blonde muttered absently, slapping the soldier in the face to try and wake him. "You'd get fat and lazy." "Tch." Mars looked over her shoulder at her princess. "I'm going to help her, ok? You stay behind me. I don't know what he might pull." Serenity nodded slowly in comprehension, still looking a little frightened. "Don't worry. You've got both of us right here." Rei said reassuringly. The small hands on her back tightened their grip, causing the fire solider to chuckle quietly. "Hey. You have to let go you know..." "But...you don't even have any weapons, or armor..." "She'll be alright." Venus replied, giving the princess a grin. "I'm more worried about what she'll do to this guy." "See? So you can let go now." Mars said gently. Serenity released her death grip, and the soldier knelt down next to her leader. "He's definitely one of our troops." Minako muttered. "I was afraid of that. It looks like her reach is expanding. Did you kill him?" Venus frowned. "Of course not. He just bumped his head. Hard." Mars glared at the soldier on the ground, her anger building. "He's young." "It's easier to promise young people things, I suppose. Most turncoats are younger. They still think they can have it all." Mars smirked. "What's wrong with wanting it all?" Venus gave her a confused look. "What's that supposed to mean? You know we can't have everything." Rei shook her head. "Sorry. I guess I'm just feeling a bit out of it tonight." she shifted slightly and flexed the fingers in her left arm. "I just hate traitors." She picked up the man's wrist and turned it over, searching for the mark that would identify which brigade he belonged to. "Ugh." she growled in frustration and dropped his limp arm in disgust. "He's one of mine." Jupiter came tearing across the grounds, still looking rather bleary eyed. "Aw come on." she panted out, once she reached her comrades. "I had just gotten to lay down." "Sorry, but I need you to get Serenity back inside. I don't want to entrust her to anyone else right now, at least not until we find out what the hell is going on." Minako said, looking rather tired herself. Makoto eyed the unconscious man, and looked back at Venus. "Aw hell, he's one of ours..." "Yeah. Which is why I think it would be best if the princess didn't see this." Mars growled. Jupiter stiffened. She traded a concerned look with Minako, and moved to Serenity's side. "I'll take her in, and leave her with Mercury. But I'll be back out. Just...don't do anything rash Mars." Rei raised an eyebrow. "Do I ever do anything rash?" Makoto gave her a nervous grin and took the princess' arm. "Come on. I think it's past your curfew Lady." Venus waited until the pair had moved out of sight, and turned her attention towards her fiery partner. "Maybe we should do this in the morning?" "No. I'm going to take care of this now. No one is gets away with something like this while I'm around." Rei replied, cracking her knuckles. Minako winced. "He may have been under someone else's influence. It may not have been his fault." "Yeah, would you be saying something like that had he hit her?" The blonde fell silent. "Thought so. Wake up time!" she announced, drawing back her fist and ramming it into the man's cheek. The young man snapped awake with a howl of pain, clapping his hand over his cheek. "Much better. Now that you're with us, do be kind and tell me why you were going to shoot our princess." The man's eyes darted wildly between the women. "Wh...what?" Mars sighed tiredly. "Look man, you're one of my own, so I know you're not stupid." He looked at the fire soldier strangely, as though seeing her for the first time. "I was following orders." "Who's orders?" Venus questioned. The man flinched. "She should know the answer to that." he replied quietly, pointing a shaky finger at the Martian. "She's following them too." Mars shot to her feet, yanking the man up by the front of his tunic. "Would you care to rephrase that?" she growled dangerously. "Who's side are you on anyway?" the soldier whispered, his eyes growing wide. "I can smell her all over you. You're just like me." Rei swallowed hard, burning holes through the man's eyes with her own. "Venus. I think you should leave." The blonde stared at Mars in complete confusion, near panic etched over her beautiful features. "What are you talking about? And what is he talking about?? I'm not leaving you here alone!" "I think you should." Mars replied slowly. "If you stick around for this, you're going to hate me." "Hate you for what??" "Things are about to get ugly." The soldier in her iron grip laughed weakly. "You're going to kill me aren't you?" Rei shook her head. "I don't know. Depends on how much I can beat you before you lose consciousness again." His eyes showed no fear as he stared back at her. "Go ahead. The killer in me is the killer in you." Mars jerked back, as though she had been struck. The helper. Those were the words the helper had spoken to her before. That's what he meant. She must have gotten to him too. "What did she promise you?" Rei cried, shaking him hard. "What was so wonderful that you were willing to sell your soul?" "Ask yourself that!" he snapped back. "You're just as guilty! The only difference is, all you have to do is shake on it! So kill me already! I'll save you a seat in Hell, traitor!!!" Everything in her field of vision went blood red. She threw the man to the ground and jumped on top of him, pounding her fists into his face. Dimly, through her blood soaked haze, she could hear the Helper laughing. "See? It's all business. How do you like our business, Mars?" 'Shut up. Just shut up.' "Why? You look like you're having so much fun!!" 'God, why can't I stop?' "Because, you'll be one of them soon. It's no longer under your control." The man's face was no longer recognizable. 'Why are you doing this to me?' "But I didn't do this. You're doing this. All I did was tell that sad little man what he wanted to hear. I needed you to see what you are becoming. I wanted your beloved to see what you are becoming." 'Oh god, Minako.' "That's right. How do you think she likes you now?" But the fire solider couldn't stop, no matter how hard she fought to regain control of her limbs. Her fists screamed in pain, and her left arm felt as though it were truly on fire. Had she been able to turn her head, she would have checked. The helper laughed again. "The show is just about over. I'll be seeing you." Suddenly the Martian's world was upside down. She went blind for what felt like seconds, but had obviously been much, much longer. She snapped back to reality and found Jupiter, Venus, and a very disoriented Uranus holding her down on the ground. Her muscles burned, her head was throbbing, and her fellow soldiers were really starting to get heavy. "Thank God. I think she's coming out of it!" Venus cried weakly. "You alright Mars?" Haruka asked thickly, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Wh..." Mars stuttered. Jupiter let out a relived sigh. "What the hell happened to you?" "I don't know." Rei admitted weakly. Her friends released her, and Haruka helped her to her feet. The fire solider could hardly breathe, and her legs were shaking terribly. "Mars...your arm..." the wind soldier said quietly, gesturing to it with a nod of her head. Mars looked down to discover her left arm, all the way down to her hand, had turned a very unhealthy dark grey. Her hands were covered in blood. Hers, the soldier's, her friend's, she had no idea, but it looked like she had put up one hell of a fight. Her comrades looked beaten, covered in wounds. When the Martian's eyes landed on Venus, tears sprang to her eyes. The blonde's perfect features were marred by ugly gashes on both sides of her face, but she was still trying to smile, just for her. Mars fell to her knees, feeling sick. ' I did that. I did it all.' Uranus knelt in front of her, taking her swollen, blood soaked fists and wrapping them carefully with strips of cloth. "I don't know what's going on, but I do know for sure that the person who just beat us senseless wasn't you. We'll figure it out, ok? Don't blame yourself." Mars grasped her arm in a death grip. "Haruka. Listen to me. I need you to do something for me." "What?" the blonde asked quietly. "Kill me." "What??" the others cried in unison. "You have to!" The fire solider demanded, tears spilling over at last. "Kill me, lock me up, whatever it takes! There is something really dangerous going on inside my head, and I don't want to hurt anyone!" Haruka threw a glance back at the others helplessly. "Argh! I hate to say it, but let's just throw her in a cell, at least until we can get Ami down here." Jupiter said, frustration evident in her voice. "We can't lock her up!" Venus cried. "Do it!" Mars snapped., vision blurring as her arm began to burn. "I don't want to lose control again!" Haruka nodded. "Then you'll forgive me for what I'm going to do?" "Yes." Rei growled out between clenched teeth as her world spun. The wind soldier whipped a dagger out of her boot and hit Mars on the back of her head with the heavy pommel, effectively knocking her out. "What the hell are you doing?" Venus cried, pushing Haruka out of the way and catching Rei as she slumped forward. "Do you want to fight her again?" Uranus asked darkly. "None of us had the stomach to even hit her the first time. This is just to keep her quiet until we know for sure what's going on." Minako gently pushed dark, damp bangs out of Rei's eyes and kissed her forehead. 'Whatever it is, we'll beat it.'
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