Hello, once again!
^_^
Well, this one was a bit longer coming then usual. I had a number of other
things pop up suddenly, but I'm back, and I've caught my stride! Of course,
many of you should know by now that my muse feeds on C&C. Please, if you
could see your way clear to sending me some, I would deeply appreciate it.
Click "Reply", or use the address conveniently provided up in the "Cc : "
line.
Anyway, here we go!
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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
OBLIGATORY LEGAL DISCLAIMER : None of these guys are mine. The Sailor
Senshi belong to DIC and Kodansha, while the Yoroiden are owned by
Sunrise and Graz Entertainment. Okay? So don't bother suing me. I'm a
student.
RONIN SUMMER : FLASHBACK
A Sailor Moon / Yoroiden Samurai Troopers cross-over
by Morgan Hudson (dataraven_659@excite.com)
Chapter Nine : Soulmates
It was another beautiful afternoon in the Moon Kingdom, and
as Queen Serenity held court in her throne room, Princess Serenity was
holding a small court of her own in the gardens. Fresh air and fun
had been the order of the day, and her six associates were eager to
comply. Two of these were new to the game, but more than willing to
play along. After all, the sun was warm, the air filled with the
perfume of flowers, and there seemed little else worth doing.
Cye smiled as he leaned back against the trunk of a singularly
comfortable-looking tree and strummed on his biwa, the feather drooping
from his hat and over his face, despite several attempts to blow it
somewhere less bothersome. After a few more tries, he gave up and
shrugged amiably. It was just too nice a day to complain.
Serenity herself sat nearby, skillfully braiding the hair of
Princess Mars and singing softly to herself. Mars was trying very hard
not to fidget, and seemed to actually be enjoying herself a little.
They made an odd pair, as the sun danced around them in the middle of
the garden : one with her long black hair and almost regal features,
dressed in a shimmering red gown, while the other, with her sunny blond
pigtails and friendly smile, seemed almost more beautiful in her own
simple white frock. With graceful ease, the Moon Princess stretched out
and plucked a lily, tucking it into the intricate braid she had formed.
Princess Jupiter sat over by one of the many crystalline
fountains that were found scattered about the vast gardens, idly
playing with the water as she shouted instructions to the young,
blue-haired elf standing nearby.
"All right, Rowen, spread your legs. Not THAT far, you'll fall
over! Now nock the arrow, yes, that's right, raise the bow..."
Rowen frowned slightly and did as he was instructed, muttering
softly under his breath. With a soft snort, he flicked his thumb and
knocked the thick blue pigtail he wore back over his shoulder. "All
right," he said carefully, as he pulled back the arrow carefully back
to his ear, "done. Now what?"
Jupiter grinned. "Oh, just hold that pose while I go get my
easel and some charcoal." The brunette laughed merrily as she hopped
to her feet and began walking back towards the palace.
Rowen groaned as his hand began to tremble. "I don't suppose
you could at least RUN?"
"Ladies don't run!" Jupiter's voice floated over the hedge.
Rowen mumbled something that was most unsutiable for delicate
ears, and bit his lower lip as he tried very hard not to lose his grip
and accidently shoot Princess Mercury in the leg. It looked to Cye as
though the boy was fighting a losing battle, and he considered warning
the girl when she stood up and walked away of her own accord. Well, he
decided, that was good, then. With a leisurely sigh, he sat back and
resumed strumming. Say, he noticed in passing, Mars looks quite lovely
with her hair up like that... perhaps he should tell her so...
**********
Mercury idly wandered over to the corner of the large clearing
she and her friends were currently in. Out of boredom, more than
anything else, she plucked a small flower and examined it. A lily, she
noted. Strange, that they would seem to be growing in such abundant
proliferation...
"Oh! That my young life were a lasting dream! My spirit not
awakening, till the beam... of an Eternity should bring the morrow."
A form flickered behind the hedges, a swift blur of motion that Mercury
felt compelled to investigate. Who, she wondered, was saying that?
"Yes!" The strange voice seemed to urge her on, as she entered
the hedge maze. "Tho' that long dream were of hopeless sorrow, 't were
better than the cold reality... of waking life, to him that must be,
and hath been still, upon the lovely earth, a chaos of deep passion,
from his birth." Another flash turned the young princess' head, as her
mysterious quarry lunged past her, barely brushing her shoulder in
passing.
Finally, Mercury sighed and began to tap her foot. "All right,"
she said mirthfully, "are you quite done playing?"
With a deep chuckle, a patch of shadow stood and threw back its
cape. "You do realise," the man, clad entirely in tones of black,
pointed out, "that you are quite far from your friends? And no doubt
turned around in this tangled maze : why, I wonder if anyone would
even hear you scream."
"The only thing I fear," Mercury reminded the handsome young
man, "are bats. You don't plan on turning into a bat, do you, handsome
stranger?"
"The way I feel today, I just might." Mercury stood still and
smirked as the man began to circle her. "You are lovely," he whispered,
"in fact, quite ravishing."
"Does that mean you intend to ravish me?"
"The way I feel today, I just might."
Mercury found herself smiling. The mere possiblity was... quite
intriguing. "Your weeds are rather mournful," she said playfully. "Have
you not yet heard? The great Prince Ken has returned to our land! This
is to be a time of rejoicing, and yet your funeral garb seems
sorrowful."
"Seems?" The man sighed and stared at his shoes. "Nay, it is.
I know not 'seems', gentle Mercury."
"Truly? And whose death does Prince Ken mourn?" Mercury turned
and lay back against her love, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"The death of one yet to die." Ken sighed and rested his chin
on Mercury short blue hair. "I have a sensation, Mercury..."
"As do I, Ken."
"A sensation of doom?"
"A sensation of love, which is like doom. For if dooms be not
all horrible, I can confess : I am doomed to be yours."
"You should find a more stable man, Mercury." Ken smiled sadly.
"This one lives in a house of cards. I am playing the fool."
"Ken, I have a feeling that it is far more your style to play
others for the fool. And as for a house of cards, where better for as
accomplished a game player to live?"
"Do not think me easily led," Ken warned, "for I could resist
even your ample charms, Princess Mercury, had I but the will... and the
desire."
"You know," Mercury whispered breathlessly into the summer
breeze, "the Queen has declared Endymion and all of his generals
enemies of the State. Our engagements have been rendered null and void,
and I am yours for the asking..."
Ken smirked. "You would trade one villain for another? A poor
exchange, I think. Oh, Mercury, you are my conscience..." he kissed the
top of her head and spun her around, "my reason..." leaning down, he
gently pressed his lips against her own, "and," he whispered into the
nape of her neck, "my eternal damnation..."
Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, Ken managed to slide a
small jewelled pin into Mercury's hair unnoticed.
**********
With little noise, a man floated through the windows of Venus'
chambers. It was really quite easy, as she was in the gardens, and
doubtless sufficiently distracted by his turncoat. Brusquely, he
brushed aside the billowing curtains which had been drawn over the
windows.
He was of average height, and what could be seen of his face
seemed quite handsome. His almost delicate features were covered by a
gleaming harlequin mask, which went surprisingly well with the tuxedo
he wore. Glancing around the room, he idly drew a deck of cards from
his sleeve and began to shuffle them one-handed.
"Now," he muttered to himself, "if I were a vitally important
tome, where would I have hidden me?" The closet? The desk? Both wastes
of his time, although he made a mental note to go back and read that
diary some day. After a moment's thought, he snapped his gloved
fingers. "The bedroom!"
With a malicious smirk, he darted into the bedchamber and
hurled open the curtains. Well, he figured, there was a bit of a
disappointment : the biography was just sitting there on the bedside
table! He'd rather hoped for at least SOME kind of attempt at hiding
the damned thing.
"Really," he hissed, "I mean, I went and put it back in the
library : even re-covered the damn thing! It hardly seems fair that
they aren't putting as much effort into our little game. If you keep
this up," he said to the slumbering man in the bed, "I'll start to
think you don't like playing with me, Sage."
"Sage?" No response. "Well, THERE'S gratitude for you. I set up
the whole game, give him every advantage, then come all this way to
gloat, and he's sleeping through it!" The eyes behind the mask flared
red, and Kaito Ace lifted a single card between his fingers. As he
focused, an aura of crackling energy surroinded the thin square of
pasteboard. "It is time," he seethed, "for you... to WAKE UP!"
The glowing card streaked from his fingers, exploding into the
young man's chest and snapping his eyes open. For a moment, the blond
man stared around him in disorientation. Then, his green eyes fixed on
Ace, and narrowed. "You?" Sage struggled to get up, and flopped back
onto the bed, gasping in pain.
"Please, don't get up. You see, you're still going to die. I
just wanted you awake to enjoy the endgame." Ace smirked. "I'm afraid
I don't have any consolation prizes, but since it seems you will be
leaving us, how about a lovely parting gift?" The man reached into his
sleeve again and drew another card. "Here."
It was a tarot card, as far as Sage could see, and he groaned.
"Oh, no. I'm still... on a wild goose-hunt for those five knaves..."
"Huh. Running out of time there, me boyo. Better take care of
that pretty soon, I'd say." Kaito Ace stiffened as he heard the sound
of a door creaking open come from the other room. "Oh my, look at the
time. Love to stay and chat, but I'm on a very busy schedule, and
rather fond of breathing. Got to go, Princesses to kidnap and the tides
wait for no man. Thanks for the book, have a nice death, it was tons of
fun playing with you, BYE!" Tucking the biography under one arm, the
bandit leapt out the window seconds before the door to the bedchamber
opened and a familiar blond woman walked in.
**********
Venus was practically gnawing on her lip as she carefully eased
the door shut and turned the key in the lock. The court physicians had
been quite adamant, once she had gotten free of Serenity long enough to
"remind" them why they were so eager to cure Sage. Not a physical
poison, as they had first thought, but a spiritual one. Ace's monster
had envenomed Sage's ki.
She forced herself to take a calming breath, and wished she
could do something about the queasy feeling in her stomach. So, they
had said, that was that. Sage was as good as dead, and there was
nothing that anyone could do.
Nothing, at least, that any of THEM could do. She took another
deep and calming breath. As they did not seem to be working, she took
a few more. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward and rested her head
against the hard wooden door. This plan of hers wasn't going to be
easy. If Captain Kento heard wind of it, he'd have locked her in her
room. Or, more accurately, he'd have locked her in some other room.
"Ace..."
Venus' eyes snapped open as she stared at the grain of the
door. "Sage?" She asked softly, not looking over her shoulder. "Are
you awake?"
The scribe's voice answered her, weakly. "H-he... took it. He
took the book... we must... warn..."
"Shhh." Walking over to the bedside, Venus stretched out one
hand and pressed her fingers against the scribe's lips. "It'll be all
right, Lord Sage. You're... going to be fine."
"Where... am..."
"You are in my bedchamber, Lord Sage." Venus found herself
suddenly blushing. Odd, she thought, she hadn't had any problems with
him being there when he was unconscious. "You were injured fighting a
youma from the Dark Kingdom." Standing, she walked over to the
candelabra standing in the corner and began to light each candle in
order. "In the library, do you remember?"
"Yes..." Sage tried to sit up, then hissed and slumped back
down. "A-are you all right? Sailor Venus... she said that she-"
"I'm fine. Sailor Venus took very good care of me." Candles
lit, Venus exhaled a ragged breath and crossed to the other side of the
bed, where another candelabra stood. With shaking fingers, she drew a
fresh match and scratched it against the wall, beginning to light
those candles as well.
"Who are you?" Sage was quite pleased with himself for managing
to ask that question without stuttering. See, Ace? He thought to
himself vindictively, I'm already getting better! "A... member of the
Royal Guard?"
"Sort of, I suppose." Candles on this side of the room done.
By this point, the rather dark room was being filled with a rosy glow,
warm and golden as it flitted curiously over the contents of the
chamber. "You can call me... Neith, if you'd like." She blushed again.
"I'd like for you to call me Neith." Venus smiled shyly and reached
behind her, untying the ribbon that she had applied to hold her hair
back. With a soft sigh, she shook loose her waterfall of golden locks.
"Neith... that's a very pretty name." Sage grinned and folded
his arms over his chest. "F-for a very... pretty girl." Why was the
room beginning to spin?
"You think I'm pretty, Lord Sage?" Venus swallowed the lump in
her throat and walked over to the small box that rested on the bedside
table. Opening it, she removed several small packets and laid them on
the floor, briefly touching each with the match she held.
"No." Sage felt his eyes drifting shut, and struggled to open
them. "You... are..." Damn it, no stuttering! Whatever was wrong with
him, by all the gods and demons, he was going to get this out! "Are...
very... beautiful." Come to think of it, that had taken a lot out of
him. Maybe if he just closed his eyes for a second, just for a rest,
it would be all right.
Venus held her breath as she lit the last of the incense. This
was a stupid plan. She shouldn't do it, it would probably just kill her
as well... she looked up at him and sighed. Oh, if he didn't have those
damned eyes! So open, and trusting, deep pools of green that were
almost out of place on him. As she looked, her own eyes widened
slightly. She HAD seen those eyes somewhere, on a different face :
softer, more feminine, with long brown hair...
Sage... and Jupiter? Could it be? She nearly dropped the match,
and quickly blew it out as it burned her fingertips. She swallowed
again, and wished the butterflies that had taken up residence in her
stomach would at least relax a little : she felt like she would soon
be ill. "I thank you for the compliment, Lord Sage."
**********
Ken shuddered and clutched himself, wrapping his cape around
his body to ward off the chill that wasn't there. Is this, he wondered,
what I have become? I was so damn right... how did things go wrong?
With a sorrowful glance, he looked down at his open hands. In one, lay
a slightly battered chess piece. In the other rested three small and
unobtrusive pins, their jewels gleaming up at him. A wonderful game,
this plan was to be. He would teach them all a lesson, play them all
for fools. A fine game. What kind of man played such a game?
Was he having fun yet?
"Ken! I've been looking for you!"
With a guilty start, Ken leapt into the air and spun, drawing
the omnipresent sword hanging by his hip. "What? Why? What do you
want?"
The blue haired youth raised his hands defensively. "Hey,
relax, Ken! I just came to talk." He smiled nervously and rubbed the
back of his head. "I, uhm, just wanted to welcome you back... and,
hey!" Bending, Rowen scooped something off of the ground and Ken's
eye twitched. "Looks like someone dropped a chess piece..."
"It's mine! Give it back!" Ken's hand moved faster than Rowen
could track it, blurring out and enveloping the noble piece in the
darkness of his glove. "I need that!"
"NEED it? Why, are you planning a chess match anytime soon?"
Rowen scratched behind one of his long, pointed ears and shrugged.
"Listen, I just came because I promised a beautiful and sad young lady
that I would deliver Prince Ken a message."
"Message?" Ken relaxed slightly. "What message?"
Rowen dug into a small bag hanging on his hip and pulled out a
pair of crimson, star shaped earrings. Ken knew them like he knew his
own thumb : his entire life, a similar pair had hung from his own
lobes. "My message," Rowen explained, "is that your sister still loves
her brother. I don't know what you're doing, but I know it wouldn't
hurt you to at least see her."
Ken swallowed and focused on the gems burning into his palm as
he took the offered token. "I assure you," he said regally, "a visit
to Mars was the next stop on my agenda."
"Rowen!" With a large grin, the princess of Jupiter leapt over
the hedge and landed gracefully. The elf looked a trifle upset, Ken
noticed, and smirked to himself. "I've been looking all OVER for you!
Come on, I still want to paint your glow!"
"Jupiter, I've told you a million times that elves don't
glow..." Rowen glanced over at Ken, who chuckled.
"If you will excuse me," he said calmly, "my duties call." He
left, brushing past Jupiter.
"Ow!" Jupiter cried out as her long ponytail of lustrous brown
hair was yanked backwards suddenly.
"Terribly sorry," Ken explained, "I seem to have caught my ring
in your hair. Fare well." Reaching up, he carefully pulled free his
ring and deposited another of his precious jewels.
"Wait a minute..." Jupiter asked curiously. "Do you happen to
know whether or not elves glow?"
"Of course elves glow," Ken answered as he walked away. "You
just need to rub their ears long enough."
Jupiter grinned at Rowen, who smacked himself in the forehead
and began cursing in several different tongues. Now he'd NEVER get rid
of her...
**********
Sage took a breath and struggled to stay awake. What was that
smell? Some kind of flowers, he thought. With a few seconds, he could
figure out the breeds. There was red -no, LAVENDER- rose, violet,
huckleberry and a hint of heather, and one other. Was that
wintergreens? It was intoxicating, whatever it was.
"Enchantment, virtue, faith, and admiration," Venus whispered
under her breath as she straightened and took a final, calming breath.
"Conjoined in harmony, we beseech the gods let two become one." Such a
simple solution, she tried to convince herself. A spiritual poison that
was killing her Sage. His soul was imbalanced, seeking an anchor.
Her soul could be that anchor. As soulmates, she reasoned, the
venom would be diluted, spread across two spirits instead of one. They
should both be fine. They should both be fine. A simple solution. All
she needed to do was... forge the link.
Sage was still trying to sit up, and she gently pushed him back
down. "No," she said as firmly as she could, "you shouldn't."
"B-but we have to... to stop Ace!"
"We will, Lord Sage." Smiling sadly, Venus leaned forward and
brushed aside the young man's blonde bangs. She kissed his forehead,
and watched with little surprise as a crescent moon flickered briefly
in response. "But you are still quite weak... from your injuries."
She brushed her lips against his, and kissed him. It was the first time
she had ever done so... while he was awake, that was. "Do you love me?"
Venus asked the scribe as their lips parted.
"I... I think I do." Sage blinked. He had most deliberately not
been saying that since the day they met. Why in the hells would it
just slip out now? Something about the incense, he thought : it was
almost as if he felt she would sense the truth, no matter what he said.
She was very nervous, he suddenly noticed, as she kissed him again,
somewhat fiercer than before. What was with that scent? It must have
been affecting him : he was starting to see double. And smell double,
and feel double, and hear double...
Venus smiled and circled around the bed, sitting on the matress
with her back to the young scribe. She nervously began to pull on the
strings of her bodice.
**********
"Princess! I would speak with you."
Serenity and Mars both looked up, as did Cye. The first two
responded out of confusion : as both were princesses, it was unclear
which was being referred to. The third responded out of curiosity : he
was DAMN sure he wasn't a princess. Regardless, all three saw the same
caped form striding towards them.
Princess Serenity rose to her feet and set down the brush she
had been applying to her friend's hair. "Prince Ken, I am afraid I will
have to ask you to lower your voice. You're disturbing the squirrels!"
Ken blinked at the blonde girl in momentary confusion. "I...
apologise, Princess. I seek merely to speak with my sister. Alone, if
possible."
Serenity looked over at Mars, who nodded slightly. "Very well,
Ken : Cye and I shall take our leave. However, I feel it only fair to
warn you that I shall hold you accountable for any harm you do my
friend." That said, the blonde girl gestured, and Cye hopped to his
feet, following her out of the clearing.
An uncomfortable silence followed. Ken actually began to dig
into the dirt with the toe of his boot, then realised what he was doing
and forced himself to stop. "I would have words with you," he said at
length.
"You mentioned that, brother." Mars continued to stare off into
space, refusing to turn her head.
Ken chuckled softly. "Your friend didn't quite finish her job,"
he murmured as he walked over and sat behind her. "You look quite
foolish."
"It is my right to look however I wish. I was of the opinion
you did not care."
"Oh, come on." Ken reached out and grasped her hair, twirling
it expertly in his fingers. "I used to watch mother do this for you all
the time. Even did it once or twice myself, if I recall correctly...
let me do what little I can."
"I remember the last time you did this," Mars whispered softly
as Ken continued to braid her hair. "It was right before..."
"I remember." Ken continued to deftly weave his elder sister's
raven hair. "It was right before the palace got attacked, on Mars. You
were sitting in your room, and I was braiding your hair, and you
were talking about Jadeite. You really did love him." He bowed his
head. "I was... wrong... to blame you for that. People cn do strange
things when they're in love. Sometimes... they'll believe almost
anything. DO almost anything. There was no way you could have known."
"I truly did think all was for the best."
"I know you did. The Dark Kingdom can be cunning, I know that
now. I know a great many things now, to my regret." Ken hesitated
briefly, then slid the jewelled stickpin into his sister's braid.
"I wanted to let you know, Mars, that... that I am still your brother.
And I have to confess, I am glad that we will be on the same side once
more."
Mars smiled as she turned around and pulled her brother into
a warm embrace. Ken looked flustered for a moment, then eagerly
returned it. "I'm sorry, too," she whispered, "I'm sorry I did what I
did to you. If you were in love with Mercury, I should have been happy
for you, instead of getting in your way."
"You... doubtless felt betrayed," Ken responded, "an emotion I
am all too familiar with. The important thing is that we have all
chosen our paths, and now we must try to help each other walk them.
Else we may lose all." He smiled, and stroked his sister's hair. "Now,
go. I have much to think about, and I would not keep you from getting
your braid fixed. Your brother has no doubt made a bad situation far
worse."
Mars laughed in concert with the boy, who looked so much like
her, and rose to her feet. "Will I see you again later?"
"Sister, if you did, you'd soon get sick of seeing me. I
wouldn't be surprised if you decided you never wanted to see me again."
The girl laughed. "Never! Fare well, dear brother. I love you."
"And I you, dear sister. Now go. Leave your boring little
brother to his thoughts and plots. Enjoy yourself."
**********
Once, Prince Ken of Mars hadn't been able to get enough time
alone. He had hidden in various places all over his castle, doing all
in his power to avoid people. Libraries, guest rooms, even closets had
all been little more than his latest hiding place back then. Even after
falling in love with Mercury, and learning to his eternal surprise that
she returned his love, he had merely changed his priorities slightly.
Then, he had needed hiding places big enough for two.
Of late, he reflected, he had been spending far too much time
alone. He found his taste for it diminishing with time. Every time he
was alone, it was really only a matter of time before...
"How fares the day, Prince Ken? You were supposed to take care
of Sailor Venus for me." Kaito Ace once again managed to sneak up
behind Ken, who found this habit unnerving. He suspected he could have
his back against a solid stone wall, and Kaito Ace would find a way to
sneak up behind him.
"I did the best that I could, Ace. I planted the gems on
Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury, just as you instructed. I would have
tried for Venus, but she left while I was with Mercury. I couldn't get
to her in time, and I haven't seen her since."
"Ah, no worries." Kaito Ace grinned amiably and sat down next
to his associate. "I got the book, and even managed to fit in most of
my scheduled gloating. All in all, I think I would colour this plan
'successful'. You're sure that the gems are planted?"
Ken scowled. "Yes, Ace. One in each girl's hair, as you told
me. I CAN follow a simple order, you know : I'm not some stupid youma."
"Excellent!" Ace smirked and removed his mask, revealing the
bishounen features of Danburite. Reaching into his sleeve, he produced
a number of silk scarves and began to polish the lenses of said mask.
"When those gems absorb the earthlight tonight, our worries will be
over!" He finished polishing his mask and examined it critically in
the sunlight. "I have to tell you, I'm actually starting to feel good
about this little assignment. The Five of Swords haven't been gathered,
the book is in our possession, and by now, our dear friend Sage is well
on his way to Heaven."
"But what about the Sailor Senshi?" Ken asked carefully. "Won't
they get in our way?"
"Ken," Ace said with a slight laugh, "thanks to those gems you
planted, the Sailor Senshi won't just stay out of our way : they'll
kidnap Serenity for us!"
**********
To Be Concluded...