Hah, if you're worried that I killed off Mamoru, don't be. There is no way I would make things that easy for Rei. And besides, things are about to get a lot harder... yep, I just can't cut Rei a break. ^_^ Prepare for angst... well, more angst at least. ^_^ - Kirika ****** Aiaia walked into her Lady's suite and stopped abruptly when she saw who was there with the majestic beauty. It was that human female... Aiaia had never hated a human as much as she hated that girl. The brunette youma watched with disgust as the blonde slut snuggled up to her mistress on her throne of cushions, Lady Laodameia running her slender, delicate fingers through Sailor Venus' hair affectionately. Aiaia could hardly stand it. It wasn't fair. Why did her Lady have to like humans so much and not give a second glance to a youma? And even if Lady Laodameia wasn’t partial to youma, wasn't Aiaia's human appearance attractive? The youma was absolutely green with envy. She had decided that the next time she caught Sailor Venus alone, she was going to throw the girl out the window to a ten-storey fall. Aiaia could make up some excuse, like her mistress's mental domination had broken for an instant and rather than face a life of debauched servitude, Venus had chosen to kill herself instead. It wouldn’t be the first time Aiaia had ‘put down’ one of her mistress’s pets in a fit of jealousy before. Thinking about the human girl’s broken body on the streets below made the youma smile grimly, her mood brightening somewhat. Aiaia immediately came out of her private fantasy as Lady Laodameia turned her lovely eyes to the youma in silent question. "Tuxedo Kamen has been re-captured," Aiaia said somewhat breathlessly, getting flustered looking at her Lady’s pale, exposed skin that was revealed by her rather daring gown. Her mistress smirked, continuing to stroke Sailor Venus' long hair as the girl cooed blissfully. "Such a pity,” Lady Laodameia said mockingly. “He didn't know the limit of my power. The male thought when out of my sight he was out of my mind. I could read his thoughts even if I was on another plane of existence!" "Yes, my Lady. There were many casualties however and some structural damage to this floor," Aiaia went on with her report. Lady Laodameia waved her free hand in a dismissive gesture, her attention seeming almost wholly devoted to her new pet, Sailor Venus. "The other humans in this building still believe there is no tenth floor. Besides, more youma fodder where they came from," she said absently, her last idle comment cutting Aiaia to the bone. The brunette assistant lowered her head dejectedly to the plush carpet in front of her feet. Her mistress could be so cruel sometimes. "Y-Yes, my Lady... what shall I do with Tuxedo Kamen?" she asked in a subdued tone. "He is of no use to me... a broken toy. Kill him. Perhaps you could hang his body from Tokyo Bay's bridge...?" Lady Laodameia replied, tickling her blonde plaything under the chin, causing the human to giggle. Aiaia nodded eagerly. "Yes, my Lady," she grinned enthusiastically, her mood vastly improving. Lady Laodameia suddenly ceased fondling her prize and sat up straight, staring off into space. A seductive smile slowly began to spread across her pale, gorgeous features. "So... they found me... and with their minds all open..." Lady Laodameia murmured to herself, ignoring Aiaia's and even Sailor Venus’ presence. “Foolish...” The pink-clad woman's smile widened. "Ahh... such determination, such dedication... odd how such strong feelings of love can be mixed with such undiluted hatred... I merely need to stoke the glowing embers of abhorrence and of purpose..." Lady Laodameia suddenly looked at Aiaia, directly in her eyes, causing a shiver of delight to run down the aide’s spine. "Tell my youma followers that we will be having guests... I want them led here," she ordered. Aiaia simply nodded weakly, unable to pull her gaze away from her mistress's exquisite eyes. She then blinked, realisation dawning on her of what her Lady was actually demanding. "But, my Lady, you could be put in danger,” Aiaia argued, the concern evident in her voice, “wouldn't it be better if-" Lady Laodameia swiftly interrupted her. "No. I want them led here. I want to keep some..." she said, looking down at Sailor Venus. The girl gazed back up at her, unfettered adoration gleaming in her blue eyes. "It is a shame I never got the chance to break you in properly," Lady Laodameia whispered to Venus, while caressing one bare thigh, her hand disappearing under the human’s short skirt, "but it will be more fun this way. A loss will help to weaken your friends' minds even more so." The pink-haired woman leaned down and kissed Venus full on the lips, a kiss which the girl readily returned with equal passion, a few muted whimpers escaping her throat. Aiaia blushed furiously as she watched the heated kiss go on for several minutes, while grinding her teeth in jealously. The kiss finally ended, to the youma's relief, Lady Laodameia extracting her tongue from Sailor Venus' ravished mouth. "You will wait for the other Sailor Senshi in the receiving room outside my door," Lady Laodameia instructed the blonde girl, in a tone as if she were addressing a small child. "You will kill any senshi who tries to reach me until they are all dead or you are. Do you understand; they want to do me harm and we can't have that, can we?" Sailor Venus nodded with her lips slightly parted, straining her neck upwards, clearly wanting another kiss from her mistress. "Go now," Lady Laedameia chuckled, smiling at the cute pout that her pet gave her in response. Sailor Venus faithfully followed Lady Laodameia's order, and let the definition of physical beauty out of her embrace, sliding off the large cushion pile and to the floor with an encouraging pat on the bottom from the woman. Venus walked out of the goddess’s suite, swaying her hips suggestively all the while. She didn't notice the death glare Aiaia gave her. But at least the youma would be rid of the competition soon. Or until the other surviving Sailor Senshi were turned into slaves of course. ****** The three Sailor Senshi waited in a stairwell, having just transformed into their alter egos, and were ready to charge up to the tenth, and highest, level of the Rihga Royal Hotel. Artemis had pointed out the shattered window where Tuxedo Kamen's rose had flown out, and it was on the very top floor of the building. All the senshi and the two cats had agreed that the tenth floor of the luxury hotel was highly likely to be the location of the youma base, and where Minako and Mamoru were being held. The plan was that two Sailor Senshi would take the elevator up to the top floor and cause havoc amongst the youma forces, distracting them while the remaining three would come from the stair entrance, and search for their two captured friends. Meanwhile, Luna and Artemis would wait outside the hotel in relative safety. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Uranus had volunteered for the more dangerous task of distracting the youma. Sailor Mars would have taken the job, but she hadn’t wanted to leave her princess’s side. Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Moon stood anxiously in the stairwell, waiting to hear Jupiter and Uranus engage the youma. Mars spared a glance at Mercury. She looked worried, no doubt thinking about Sailor Jupiter. It must have been hard to have your loyalty split between your love and your duty. At least Sailor Mars' duty and love were rolled into one divine package that was Sailor Moon. Mars let out a barely audible sigh as she gazed at her princess. The blonde had been giving her strange looks all night, almost if... the Fire Senshi shook her head. No, it couldn't be that. "I hear something," whispered Mercury, capturing Sailor Mars' attention. Sailor Mars strained her ears, and then heard twin wordless battle cries followed by a series of inhuman shrieks. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Uranus had arrived. "Wait for a moment or two," Mars said casually, leaning against a wall, "let them draw most of the youma to them first." Sailor Mercury swallowed nervously, but nodded. Sailor Moon merely gave Mars another weird look again. After several minutes, with Mercury fidgeting restlessly all the while, it was time to go. Sailor Mars took the point, easing open the door to the top floor a crack, and taking a cautious look around, the sounds of fighting echoing down the hallways. Youma corpses littered the floor, their many varying shades of blood staining the walls and lush carpets. But some of the carcasses were old; Mars noticed that some of the bloodstains had dried up. She surveyed her surroundings further, noting the multitude of red roses stuck in the walls, in the ceiling, and of course, in the fallen youma. So. It looked like the ‘great prince’ had escaped by his self after all. Seeing no live youma in the vicinity, Sailor Mars opened the door fully and stepped quietly out into the hall, signalling Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury to follow with one hand. Mars' princess gasped when she saw all the roses decorating the hallways. "H-He must have tried to fight his way out," she whispered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Oh, Mamoru is so brave..." Sailor Mars bit down on the wisecrack that was trying to escape her mouth. Rescuing the Tuxedo Kamen was going to be harder than she thought at this rate. "Come on," Sailor Mercury whispered earnestly, "we can use the angle of the roses to determine where he was coming from. That is, if he's still here, or in the same holding area." The trio of senshi moved silently down the hall, Mercury leading the way this time. Once they got to the end of the hallway, Sailor Mars pressed herself against the wall and peeked her head out, peering down the intersecting corridor. "All clear. Minako and M-Mamoru should be behind one of these doors, I think," stuttered Mars. She had trouble getting *his* name out. Sailor Mercury nodded in agreement. "You're right. Let’s hurry up; Jupiter and Uranus can't hold out forever." All three Sailor Senshi began warily checking doors, praying that there were no youma waiting behind any. Sailor Mars decided to concentrate on investigating storage rooms and closets. The youma would probably pack the two prisoners in there. At the third storage room she tried, the raven-haired girl found a collapsed man with a cape draped about him lying on the floor, his chest rising and falling slowly. Sailor Mars looked at Tuxedo Kamen dispassionately and took in his battered body, differently coloured towels scattered about the floor around him, having somehow fallen off their shelves. She turned her head towards Sailor Mercury and Sailor Moon and started to open her mouth to call them. But instead Mars stopped in mid breath, her mouth halfway open. She turned her hard gaze back to the injured prince. Wouldn't it be easier just to torch him, burning him until there was nothing left? Sailor Mars could say it was a youma she had destroyed; there would be no remains for identification. Tuxedo Kamen suddenly stirred from his slumber, his eyes opening a crack, interrupting the miko’s dark thoughts. "Rei... is that you? Oh no, I'm dead aren't I?" he croaked out in a weak voice. "Not yet," Mars answered coldly. The Senshi of Fire felt one corner of her mouth twitch unconsciously. She could feel the black flames of hate burn higher and stronger in her heart, threatening to consume it. Yes... it could work. Sailor Mars could finally carve her own destiny. The other Sailor Senshi would never know... they would assume the youma had killed him. Sailor Moon would be devastated of course, but who better to pick up the pieces and comfort the distraught princess than her faithful bodyguard and best friend? Sailor Mars' lips twitched more, pulling her mouth up into a smug, sinister half-smile. Mars looked back at Sailor Moon, seeing the reason for her existence. It would be so easy... here and now she could take the reigns of Fate and guide them to her own happiness. The princess and prince couldn't have a future, a destiny, if the prince died in Sailor Mars' flames. Sailor Moon turned her head and met Sailor Mars' intense stare. "Did you find them?" she asked, her voice waveringly slightly. Sailor Mars looked into her only love's shiny blue eyes, seeing the hope in them. Hope for her friend's safety, and the safety of her true love, Tuxedo Kamen. Sailor Mars blinked rapidly. What had she been thinking? Murder her princess's soul mate? How could she even consider such a thing?! Mars had sworn an oath that she would get Sailor Moon's prince back for her, and she would *not* break it. Sailor Mars may be doomed to eternal loneliness, but Sailor Moon was not. And Mars would not deny Sailor Moon her lover... even if it were not her. The undying flames of love for her princess strengthened and rolled over the black fire of hate in the miko’s heart, overwhelming them. Sailor Mars put on a smile. "Yes, I've found Tuxedo Kamen... but he's hurt," she said. Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury hurried over to the storage room, Sailor Mars stepping out of the way. "Mamoru!" cried Sailor Moon, kneeling down beside her love and hugging him. Tuxedo Kamen's eyes fluttered open more and turned to Sailor Moon's face. "Usa-ko..." He gave a strained smile, which he must have thought would be comforting for Sailor Moon. "Oh, what have they done to you?!" sobbed Sailor Moon as she looked at her lover’s beaten body, tears starting to roll down her face. Sailor Mars could watch no longer. She turned away from the sight and leaned against the wall by the door, swallowing hard. Sailor Mercury smiled sympathetically at the heart-broken girl. Mars ignored her. She didn't need her pity. Sailor Mars ground her teeth in determination. She had already settled her feelings back at Makoto's apartment. Mars would protect Sailor Moon, nothing more. So that's what she would focus on; it was the reason she had come back to her princess in the first place, or had she forgotten? Sailor Mars clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles cracking as she blocked out the two lovers' whispers of affection. Duty. That's all Sailor Mars had, the duty to protect her princess. But she would do that duty like no other senshi; nothing would harm Sailor Moon, every threat to her love’s safety would be erased by her hand. Sailor Mars turned towards the storage room entrance as Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon staggered out, the blonde supporting the prince. Sailor Mercury moved to Tuxedo Kamen's other side, giving extra help. "It's all right," the man stated, "I can stand." The pair of Sailor Senshi let Tuxedo Kamen go, but he swayed a little on his feet causing Sailor Moon to move to support him once again. However the prince waved her away and steadied himself. "I'm fine," he said reassuringly, plucking his missing hat and mask from what seemed like thin air and putting them on. "I just have a score to settle with someone..." He balled one hand into a fist and scowled in anger. "Have you seen Sailor Venus?" inquired Sailor Mercury. Tuxedo Kamen face crumpled at the mention of the Senshi of Love. Sailor Mars knew it couldn't be a good sign. "She's... not the same. The leader of the youma did something to her, brainwashed her..." he said as Sailor Moon starting dabbing at the cuts on his face with a towel taken from the pile on the floor. "Where is this youma leader?" asked Sailor Mars in a monotone voice. Tuxedo Kamen looked at Mars, as if just really seeing her for the first time. "You're alive! I thought I was hallucinating before..." "No, you were not. Where can I find the leader?" Sailor Mars asked again, her voice hardening somewhat. "I can show you," Tuxedo Kamen said grimly. The group of four advanced down the hallway, the corpses of all kinds of youma getting more and more dense as they went. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Uranus had obviously had some fun. They turned a corner and saw the other two senshi waiting outside two large, ornate, wooden double doors. Both Jupiter and Uranus were breathing heavily and sported numerous cuts and bruises on their bodies but otherwise looked all right. "They just ran away," panted Sailor Uranus. "Yeah, those cowards, all you have to do is kill a dozen or two and they lose all nerve to fight you," added an equally breathless Sailor Jupiter. Sailor Mercury abruptly threw her arms around Sailor Jupiter and embraced her tightly, which the brunette returned just as eagerly, the intimate display surprising Sailor Mars and the others, especially since their normally quite shy friend had initiated it. After a moment, Mercury loosened her hold and looked up at the tall senshi. "Just a dozen?" she said with a raised eyebrow. "Or two," Jupiter replied with a smirk. Sailor Uranus chuckled. "You two better cut that out; if Luna saw you do that during Sailor business she'd go ballistic." "Luna isn't here," Jupiter said, grinning impishly. Sailor Mars looked on at the two lovers' hi-jinks, watching without expression. She refused to look at Sailor Moon and fantasise. The Senshi of Fire was done with things like that. "We found Tuxedo Kamen," Mars declared rather harshly, cutting off anymore banter. "And the leader of the youma is behind these doors. Let’s go." Sailor Mars marched towards the double doors, aware of Sailor Moon giving her the peculiar look yet again. The raven-haired girl pushed open the doors and moved inside the finely decorated room, the other senshi and Tuxedo Kamen on her heels. To everyone’s shock, Sailor Venus was standing on the opposite end of the room, near another set of high double doors, appearing none the worse for wear at all. She didn’t appear surprised at the sight of Sailor Mars and her companions, as if she had been expecting them. "Minako..." Sailor Moon whispered, taking a step towards her friend. Tuxedo Kamen put a restraining hand on the blonde’s shoulder, holding her back. "She's not the Minako we know anymore," he warned gravely, "she's with *them* now." Sailor Venus ignored the conversation and glared at the group. "I won't let any of you near her, you fiends!" she cried out vehemently. "In the name of Venus, I will punish you!" Sailor Moon shook off Tuxedo Kamen's hand and approached the Senshi of Love nevertheless, albeit with prudence. "Minako... don't you remember? It's me, Usagi..." Sailor Moon said softly, pointing to herself as she walked slowly towards the other blonde. Venus stood stock still for a second, as if recollecting something. "Usagi...? Yes... I remember..." she said, a wide smile growing on her features. Sailor Moon met the smile with one of her own and moved more quickly towards her friend, her arms slightly outstretched and eyes bright. All of a sudden Sailor Venus' smile turned into a demonic sneer. "CRESCENT BEAM!" Sailor Mars beat Tuxedo Kamen to the punch, leaping upon Sailor Moon and pushing her to the floor before anybody else could react. The ray of energy ripped across the Fire Senshi’s back as she fell on top of her princess, tearing her fuku and singeing flesh. Sailor Mars grabbed on to Sailor Moon and hastily rolled the two of them behind the protection of a love seat. The miko heard Uranus curse and Venus fire another bolt of yellow light at the other Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen, forcing them all to dive for cover. "Minako..." Sailor Moon whispered again, her voice thick with emotion. Sailor Mars felt another fire start to flare up inside of her, the fire of duty, of determination... of vengeance. It blazed hotter than ever before, as if fuelled by some outside source. Someone had tried to kill her princess. Someone had threatened her princess's life. And like all threats to Mars' only love, that someone would PAY! A Crescent Beam blasted through the love seat just above Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars' heads, burning a hole in the wall behind them. Mars ignored it and stood up, revealing herself openly as a target despite the danger. The fire inside her burned like fury, her mind focusing only on the thought of protecting her princess. Sailor Mars pulled out an ofuda. "Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen. Akuryou taisan!" The miko causally threw the ward in the air in front of her, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards once again. "FIRE SOUL BIRD!" A Fire Soul flew out from her fingertips and collided with the ofuda, combining with its divine power and bursting into a blazing phoenix, before the bird shrieked furiously towards Sailor Venus. Sailor Mars was distantly aware of people shouting, and something pulling at her leg. And also mad laughter. But she blocked out all distractions. There was a threat to her princess to be dealt with. Sailor Venus' eyes widened in panic as the bird of flame rocketed towards her, its fiery beak open and ready to consume its prey. The Senshi of Love dived desperately to her left, trying to evade the vengeful flames. But the phoenix corrected its course, crashing into the girl's back and exploding, setting her fuku ablaze. Sailor Venus screamed in agony and rolled frantically on the carpet, somehow managing to smother the flames out of existence. Sailor Mars walked with murderous intent towards the prone figure, the corners of her mouth jerking upwards to curve into a sinister smile. The fire of duty devoured everything inside of Mars, the inferno hotter than the flames of Hell, her lavender eyes smouldering with self-righteous hatred for the one who would attack her princess. The Moon Princess's bodyguard bent down to the half-scorched threat, wrapping her hands tightly around its throat and hauling it viciously up onto its feet. She squeezed at the threat's air passage attempting to snuff the very life out of it with her bare hands. The threat batted feebly at the Senshi of Fire’s arms, trying to save its pathetic existence. Didn't it know that Mars was its executioner? It had attacked her princess, a crime that was punishable by death. As Sailor Mars crushed the throat of the threat, she became aware of people pulling at her, trying to restrain her. Mars heard a hysterical voice call her name from miles away, a voice she recognised. It was her princess who was calling her, no doubt encouraging her bodyguard to make the threat to her safety suffer. Suffer? No... Mars' princess wasn't like that. Why would her compassionate princess want someone to suffer? Sailor Mars concentrated, controlling the inferno within her heart and mind. The Fire Senshi's eyes refocused, coming back to reality to see Sailor Venus' blue oxygen-deprived face in front of her, the girl's hands dangled weakly by her sides. Sailor Moon was crying and screaming at her to stop, pulling on her arms with all her strength, just as the other senshi and Tuxedo Kamen were. Sailor Mars let go of Venus as if scalded, her limp body dropping to the floor. Mars looked down at her friend in pure disbelief. No... NO! What had she done? What had she DONE?! Sailor Mars’ arms fell like lead weights to her sides, her lavender eyes wide and mouth open, totally stunned. Sailor Mercury and Sailor Moon knelt quickly by Venus' side, the Senshi of Water desperately checking for a pulse on the blonde's black and blue throat. Sailor Moon sobbed, tears streaming down her face as she held on to one of her friend's limp hands. She looked up at Sailor Mars with tear-flooded blue eyes and suddenly the Fire Senshi knew with terrible realisation what was in the look her princess had been giving her all night. Fear. But now it wasn't just fear, but horror, shock, and confusion as well. Sailor Moon's blue eyes looked into Mars' lavender ones and seemed to ask the question 'why?' over and over again. Sailor Mars took a step backwards, shaking her head weakly, at the same moment Sailor Mercury began CPR. But it was her princess's accusing eyes that made her retreat. Fear and horror. Sailor Moon looked at Mars as if she were a monster. But the blonde girl was right; she *was* a monster. Sailor Mars couldn't take her true love looking at her that way. Mars hadn't just killed her friend, but she had killed whatever platonic relationship she used to have with Sailor Moon. Twin tears trickled out of her amethyst eyes, eyes that had a broken appearance, the teardrops running down her face unchecked. Now Sailor Mars truly had nothing left. And behind the two double doors, she heard a woman laugh. Mad laughter. The laugher of the victorious. ****** To be continued... Author's ramblings: Yes, I'll be mean and stop there.
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