Hi again!
You know, I'm kind of pleased with myself? I managed to finish this one a
lot faster than I thought I would. Anyway, please feel free, as always, to
drop me a line and let me know you're all still breathing. (hint : Send C&C!
Come on!
You know you want to... ^_~) Seriously, even just a quick "hello" is always
appreciated.
Anyways, once more unto the fic, my friends!
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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 Eight :
The palace of Queen Serenity was abuzz with speculation. After
his volcanic departure mere days ago, rumours about Prince Ken were
the topic of the day , and nobody was immune. Stories swept the castle
like a tide : first, he had commited suicide in despair, then he was
joining the forces of Queen Beryl to enact a bloody revenge upon
Serenity for ignoring him. Other tales had him serving in Endymion's
forces, under an assumed name, or wandering the barren wasteland of
his home planet, seeking survivors.
"My personal favorite," Jupiter said with a smirk, "is the one
where he's locked away in Venus' bedchamber, and doctors everywhere
are trying to heal him of his wounds."
"Yeah," Venus said with a fake grin, "that's a good one all
right! Like I'd have some guy locked away in my room!" Speaking of
Sage, she thought to herself, perhaps it was time to make her excuses
and go check up on the young scribe.
"Or then there's the one where Ken snuck into Mercury's
bedchamber and has been staying there ever since!" Jupiter chuckled,
and hid it behind one gloved hand.
Mercury and Mars shared a glance, and Mercury cleared her
throat uncomfortably. "Why, Jupiter! I would never hide Ken from his
sister! I can assure you, he is NOT staying there!" He left two days
ago, she added silently, and I haven't seen him since. So there.
"I almost wish you were, Mercury." Sailor Mars folded her arms
and leaned back against a column of pure alabaster, one of the many
which encircled Serenity's throne room. "At least then, I would know
he was safe... he's all I have left, my only family. I hope he is
doing well, wherever he is."
"Where's the Princess? Anyone seen her?" Venus asked with a
expression of disgust as she scanned the crowded throne room. "I mean,
I realise that we're JUST her ultra-powerful guardians and friends, not
like there's a reason we should be keeping tabs on her or anything..."
Jupiter shrugged. "Probably ran off to Earth again. You know
how much she loves it down there, boss. We keep telling her not to, but
the girl just can't stop herself! Hells, you even followed her down
last time, and it didn't help anything!"
"Let her have her fun," Mercury suggested, "she's not hurting
anybody."
"True," Venus conceded, as she joined Mars in leaning against
the wall, "unless Ace likes fresh air and ocean beaches as much as
she does..."
Jupiter blinked. "Pardon?"
"Nothing. Just thinking out loud." Venus forced another smile,
and quashed her fellow Senshi's next question with an ease that spoke
of years' practice. "Shhh! The Queen's making her entrance!"
A fanfare of trumpets blared through the crowd, seeming to part
a path with their sound alone as courtiers of all shapes and sizes
leapt out of the way to let their Queen pass. She was radiant, seeming
to nearly glow as her pale ivory skin and gleaming silver gown
reflected the sunlight streaming through the high arched windows
bracketed by columns. Even her hair shone radiantly, as pure and white
as her gown, despite the appearance of eternal youth on her face. With
infinite grace, she mounted the small steps leading to her crystalline
throne, and sat, facing the mulititudes she had summoned.
"My people," she said, with a sorrowful smile, "I fear I have
come before this court to bear both great and tragic news. As we are
given with one hand, the other takes away. Prince Endymion, and his
entire army, have been captured and defeated by the forces of Queen
Beryl."
The resultant gasp was almost deafening, as hundreds of people
realised the depth of such a tragedy. Endymion had been well-loved by
the people, with no man willing to call him enemy, and countless eager
to know him as a friend. To picture the handsome and refined youth that
they had known in defeat seemed almost ludricrous.
"Queen Serenity!" The crowd parted again, as a young man with
the long and pointed ears of an elf stepped forward, lifting an arm in
entreaty. "Is my brother dead, then?"
The Queen tilted her head to one side, her silver eyes scanning
the crowd for her beloved daughter. "We... are not certain, good Rowen.
Should your brother be alive, I fear he must be treated as an enemy of
this court. It would seem Beryl may have turned him to her side.
Furthermore, in face of this news, we can only assume that Jadeite WAS,
in fact, involved in the attack on Mars only a few days ago." Her eyes
fell on the dark haired girl who was trying to fade into the woodwork.
"We are sorry, Princess. He, and all of his associates, are also to be
considered our foes. As of this moment, for Endymion or his troops to
set foot in this court is to be their death.
"However," Serenity added, "we have far happier news, as well.
Of late, an attack upon this very castle has been halted by our own
Sailor Venus. A youma attempting to infiltrate us was caught and
destroyed before any harm could be done!"
"Oh," Rowen muttered softly to the minstrel standing next to
him, "so Sailor VENUS halted that youma? All by herself, as it would
seem?"
"Nice to know that nobody was harmed," Cye answered in a low
whisper. "I'm sure Sage will be relieved to know that those injuries
are figments of his imagination."
A large hand in a leather glove softly slapped each young man
in the back of the head, as a large and burly wall of a man glided up
behind them with a stealth and agility that was just unfair in a man
of his size. He was clad in a suit of armour, over which had been
thrown a dark velvet surcoat and cape. He glowered at the two from the
depths of his bristling beard.
"You've got a choice here boys : stop your bellyaching or
put on some sundresses and join the rest of the ladies! The Queen
knows far more than either of you dolts, and if ye don't shut up, she
might be forced to learn you both the hard way. What if the Dark
Kingdom got wind of what you two are blathering about? They could have
spies anywhere!"
"Furthermore," Queen Serenity continued, unabated, "I regret
that the tragedy of losing one hero must taint the return of another.
I feel the loss of Endymion, as do we all, but I hope you shall join
me in welcoming a friend into our fold : Prince Ken of Mars!"
The court burst into grateful applause as a familiar young man
in red armour entered the large and crowded room, pushing his way
through the throng as countless admirers reached out to pat his arms,
slap his back, or simply tug on his long black cape. Prince Ken was
perhaps the only warrior in the entire Moon Kingdom who could hope to
lead their forces to victory, if Endymion had failed!
With great pomp and ceremony the raven-haired prince of Mars
knelt before Queen Serenity and bowed his head. "My Queen," he said
simply, and his rich, vibrant tones seemed to reverberate through the
throne room, "I fear I have been a fool. In this time of great need, I
wish you to know that my blade is yours to command."
Serenity smiled. "For this relief, much thanks. Let us have no
more ill feelings, Prince Ken. Please, say that you understand?"
"Oh, I understand you perfectly, My Queen." Ken slowly rose to
his feet, a dark gleam entering his blue eyes. "I assure you, I know
where my TRUE loyalties lie. My foes shall be crushed before they even
know what hit them."
**********
"I don't like him," Rowen said simply, as the crowd began to
file out of the throne room to give Queen Serenity and her newest
general some privacy to discuss strategy. "I mean, I'm sorry, but not
that long ago he went after me with a sword. Call me crazy if you
want, but I have trouble convincing myself that the psychopath we
tangled with in the garden and the guy kissing Serenity's slippers are
the same person."
Cye shrugged, and readjusted the biwa slung over his shoulder.
"Well, I wasn't there, but maybe it was just a mistake of some kind?"
Rowen looked at his friend as though the lad had just said that
fire was cold. "HE SWUNG A SWORD AT MY HEAD! What did he think, that
it would bounce off?"
Kento tossed back the velvet lined cape he wore. "Damn thing
keeps getting caught in my joints," he grumbled, and finally gave up.
With a grunt, he tore off the offensive length of cloth and hurled it
into the distance. "Listen, Cye," he explained, "you may not have been
there, but I was. That Prince Ken is not a well man, if you ask me. Now
maybe he's gone off somewhere and got his head put back on straight,
and maybe he hasn't. But I will say this : ask me yesterday, and I'd
have said he was more likely to swallow broken glass than apologise to
the Queen."
"Great," Rowen moaned, "he's in charge of our defenses, and I
for one am pretty sure he wants us all dead. So what do we do?"
Kento snorted as he began to walk away from the two youths.
"We pray to all the gods we know that we're wrong. And we watch our
backs."
**********
"I didn't want to say anything in front of Mars," Venus
whispered to Jupiter as the two women were hustled out of the throne
room with the rest of the mob, "but isn't Ken acting a little... odd?"
Jupiter crossed her arms and considered her friend's words.
"You know," she said after a few seconds of thought, "he DID seem a lot
calmer than usual, especially considering the way he stormed out of
here a few days back. I mean, I haven't seen Ken in a while, but I seem
to remember him being a lot more, well, like how Mars used to be."
"Exactly! Ken was just like his sister : spirited, proud, hot
tempered... he would never back down, even if he was in the wrong!"
Venus stroked her chin and absently swatted back a few free strands of
blond hair. "I swear," she muttered, "I need to start wearing a ribbon
or something... my point is, Ken might realise he was wrong, he might
even regret his decision, but he would NEVER call himself a fool in
public."
"Well, who knows?" Jupiter shrugged as they seperated from the
herd and began walking down a slightly more deserted corridor, their
heels clicking of the ivory tile. "Mars certainly hasn't acted the same
since her planet got destroyed, has she? Maybe Ken had a change too."
"That's what worries me, Jupiter. Because if the Ken I remember
had said he was a fool, I'd assume every word he said after was nothing
but the worst of lies." Venus made a face and threw her hands in the
air. "But, we have no proof. I don't know, it's late, I haven't slept
in days... I'm probably just jumping at shadows again : it's been one
of those weeks for me." She groaned. "I'll be in my room. If anybody
needs me..."
"Got it covered, boss." Jupiter grinned. "If anyone not named
Serenity asks, I haven't seen you all week."
**********
Venus made it at least two feet into her room before she
collapsed. Fortunately, a large and overstuffed armchair was nearby,
and thus broke her fall. With a weary groan, she sat back in the chair
and closed her eyes. She actually couldn't remember the last time she
had gone to sleep : she was pretty sure it had been last week some
time.
"No rest for the wicked," she moaned, "and the good shouldn't
need any. I just hope Ace is taking a nap, too..." Arching her back
and stretching her arms above her head, she yawned and forced herself
to her feet. Whatever sadists were in charge of deciding what gowns
were fashonable, she wanted to have a long and earnest discussion with
them. Her bodice was cutting off her circulation, and she kept tripping
over the intricate mass of skirts swirling around her ankles. They were
the first to go once she stepped behind her dressing screen.
After a few minutes, she re-emerged, dressed in a simple white
robe that hung at her calves. The sleeves were a bit long on her, and
the attached hood tended to flop over her face and make her look like
a ghost, but it was the most comfortable clothing she owned. Plus, it
still smelled vaguely like Sage, and that was a bonus in her book.
Even as she was curling in her chair for a long afternoon nap,
the door glided open and a familiar white cat sauntered in. Halfway
to her, the golden crescent moon on his forehead shone, and enveloped
his body in light. A tall and aristocratic man clucked his tongue and
brushed some non-existant detritus from the sleeve of his silver
jacket as he stood up from his crouch on the floor. "Damned cat hair,"
he murmered to himself, "I think I'm getting allergic..."
"Artemis!" Venus raised her head and smiled at the man as he
smoothed back his long white hair and glanced over at her. "Whatever
are you doing here, my friend? I had thought our lessons for the week
long finished! Is it to be a pop quiz on Moon History, then?"
"Oh, I'm not here for you today, Venus!" The young man smiled,
revealing just the slightest hint of fang. "I have been sent by...
someone... to see after the health of young... Sage, I believe his
name is."
"Someone?" Venus looked suspicious. "The Queen, by any chance?"
"I didn't say that," Artemis responded, and wandered towards
the adjoining bedchamber. "He's in here then, is he? Lovely room!" He
stared at the rather sterile chamber, little more than bare stone and
shaded windows. "All the comforts of home, quite." With a sour face,
the cat-turned-man looked down at the young scribe. "Somebody's
sleeping in your bed," he noted professionally.
"That's Sage," Venus explained wearily.
"Is it, now?" Artemis stretched out one arm and clasped his
hand over the boy's brow, closing his eyes as the moon mark on his
forehead began to glow. Slowly, his eyes reopened. "Oh, dear," he
whispered, "it would seem it IS."
Venus sighed and leaned against the door frame. "Please,
Artemis! Can't you just tell me what's going on here? Why is Sage so
important all of a sudden? What has the Queen and the Dark Kingdom so
eager to see him destroyed?"
"The Queen would NEVER destroy Sage!" Artemis snapped, then
quickly recovered his usual aplomb. "I cannot tell you what I do not
know myself, Venus. I may be one of the Queen's most trusted gaurdians,
but that does not mean I'm privy to all of her secrets. What I CAN
do," he added softly, as he guided the girl back towards her chair,
"is tell you a story. A fairy tale, if you will."
"A fairy tale?" Venus raised one eyebrow. "Is this fairy tale
true, by any chance?"
"Well, perhaps, in as much as ALL such tales tend to have a
kernel of truth to them." Artemis gently eased the girl into the
overstuffed armchair and grabbed a nearby blanket, tucking it around
her as he spoke. "Now, I shall begin my story by saying 'Once upon a
time', as that is how such stories begin. Once upon a time, there was
a beautiful young princess. Oh, she could teach the torches to glow
bright! She shone amongst her peers like a diamond in a bag of coal.
And this did not go unnoticed by the men of her court, all of whom were
competing for her hand."
"Hmmmm. And did they win?" Venus asked drowsily.
"Not exactly," Artemis admitted as he sat in a crouch next to
the girl. "You see, the princess controlled her own heart, as she was
quite eager to tell her mother." The pale man shuddered slightly and
held himself. "Oh, her mother was a forceful woman! Harsh, at times,
but fair. A just and regal ruler of her people, but still... a bit
cold, distant at times, even to her own daughter. I suppose it was only
natural for the girl to rebel, and fight against the choice her parents
had made for her fiance. She had found another man, you see. One she
felt was far superior to some strange warrior she had never even met.
Of course," he added sadly, "she was wrong, as most young girls are
when they seek to find their love."
Venus smiled. "No Prince Charming, then?"
"Oh, he was a Prince, and he was definitely charming, too."
Artemis made a face. "TOO charming, in fact, which is where the
problems began. You see, as it turned out, this man was already
engaged... to one of the Princess' closest friends, to boot. The
Princess broke off her relationship with him, and they both agreed
to never tell her friend. The poor girl was afraid it might break her
friend's heart, you see."
"Well," Venus interjected, "problem solved and lesson learned.
Lovely story, Artemis. Good-night!"
"The problem was far from solved, and the lesson much harder
to learn than that, my dear Venus. As it turned out, this princess had
left the man a little too late, as it were. She found out a few days
after he had left that she was with child. It was a fine predicament
she was in : either she had to confess to sleeping with her friend's
fiance, or she had to kill the child -which she could NEVER do, or
she had to try to lie and decieve every single person she knew. She
couldn't do that alone, of course, as she had no skill for lies.
"She turned to her personal advisor for help, and he arranged
things so that she would go on a long 'diplomatic journey' that
conveniently never left her room. For the next nine months, she hid in
her chambers, fed and cared for only by that one poor man. The pressure
he was under... well, I can only assume it was unimaginable! When the
time came, he made for a poor mid-wife, too : he had to rely on the
help of his own sworn fiancee, and pray that she could keep a secret."
Artemis smiled. "But legend has it that the delivery was perfect, and
at the end of the day they had a beautiful child. A child, might I add,
that was in danger the moment it was born. If anybody ever learned of
its existence, the entire court would have been in disgrace! There
were a great many people, that girl's own mother among them, who would
sooner see that baby dead before allowing such a thing to happen.
Worst of all, the father had no idea the baby existed! He was already
married, and the princess was afraid that her own fiance, who she had
learned too late was most worthy of her love, might abandon her."
Venus yawned and let her eyes close. "What happened then?"
"The child was hidden, of course." Artemis shrugged and
stroked his hair self-consciously. "Taken away where it would be warm,
and safe, and cared for. The poor girl who was its mother could only
guide and aid the child through agents as it grew : she could never
risk even seeing it, for fear someone might make the connection. She
married, and soon after had a second child, which she lavished with all
the love she had never been able to give her son, a thousand times
over. The father of that ill-fated child had a daughter of his own, and
the two girls became close friends, as their mothers had been before
them. Princesses, the both of them, sharing a brother they never knew
existed. The boy grew too, as boys tend to, given time, and soon became
a young man. Heir to two thrones, if he ever found out, which was why
he could never be allowed to know, no matter how hard he tried. It was
feared that he would be enraged, feel cheated of his destiny, and
perhaps turn to the side of his parents' enemies."
Venus hadn't said much lately, and Artemis glanced up to see
the blonde girl with her head tilted back, her chest rising and falling
with a slow rhythm. With a sigh, he let his form slip back into that
of a small cat.
"But the mother couldn't resist," he whispered as he hopped
gently onto the sleeping girl's lap, "and she had to see her son. But
you see, she got caught by one of her subjects, and she became afraid,
afraid that this subject suspected her. You see, someone like this
subject, someone who knew both of the boy's sisters, might -just
might- be able to recognise his bloodline. So, she sent her trusted
advisor to check on them both, and he found that all was well. Or, so
he would later report." Leaning up, the talking cat rubbed his head
against the girl's neck and then leapt back to the floor. "And now,"
he concluded as he padded towards the door, "I shall end this story by
saying 'Sleep well', as that is how these stories end. Sleep well,
sweet Venus."
**********
"I can assure you, My Queen," Prince Ken replied for the tenth
time, "I know where my loyalties stand. I shall be yours unto death,
Serenity. Unto death."
The Queen smiled and reclined on her gleaming crystal throne.
"I am relieved, Prince Ken, as I am sure your sister is as well.
Please, if you could go to her? I'm certain it would do the girl a
world of good if you were to apologise to her."
"Of course, My Queen. I shall do so immediately." Ken bowed,
dropping to the floor and genuflecting with his left arm balanced on
his right knee. He stared at the tiles as though trying to memorize
their design as he heard the Queen of the Moon Kingdom stand and walk
past him. The doors to the throne room slammed, and he shivered. Alone.
At last.
A soft chuckle floated through the now vacant room, and Ken
grimaced. "Of course, My Queen," it sang in mockery, "I shall do so
immediately. Where did I leave my spoon, and would you please GAG ME
WITH IT?" A sibilant rustling soon reached Ken's ears, and the young
Prince of Mars looked up. He stared straight forward, focusing on the
empty throne in front of him instead of the constant hiss of shuffling
cards that echoed through the shadows of the courtroom, longer now that
the torches were burning low in their brackets.
"Wonderful performance, Ken. You do 'loyalty' quite well."
Kaito Ace's shoes clacked loudly on the tiled floor as he orbited the
man, shuffling his cards incessantly. "Hells, you nearly fooled ME.
You wouldn't be planning to fool ME, would you Ken?"
Ken's features didn't even twitch. "I know where my loyalties
lie, Kaito Ace. You know that my blade is yours to command."
"Fine words." The handsome young man in the tuxedo sneered as
he finally circled in front of his armoured compatriot and dropped into
a crouch. A gloved hand shot out faster than Ken's eye could follow
and pinched his face in a painful grip. "I'm sure Queen Serenity was
reassured by them. Today's Lesson : I AM NOT QUEEN SERENITY." The man's
eyes suddenly flared, glowing with an unholy light. "I am a somewhat
less trusting soul, you see. I have come too far to let one such as
you trip me at the finish line."
"If you don't trust me," Ken replied calmly, "then you don't
trust me. Our mission will proceed regardless."
"You had best hope that it does, Prince Ken." Kaito Ace leaned
back on his haunches and reached up to the mask he wore. For the first
time, Ken was treated to the true face of Kaito Ace. A fine man, with
handsome, bishounen features and a worried look in his eyes. "You see,
we are in fact the lesser of two evils, here. Queen Beryl has been
listening to plans from several of her new Generals, and the defeat of
the Owl has whetted her taste for conquest once more. Kunzite's scheme
to kidnap and ransom the Moon Princess is Plan A. You don't want to
know what Plan B is."
"An all-out assault, of course." Ken shrugged, causing his cape
to rustle. "Why not do so from the start?"
Ace smiled. "Well, there's this woman... she doesn't exactly
like the Dark Kingdom much, and if we were to act openly, she might...
express... her displeasure. We don't want that."
"She can destroy you?"
"She can arrange things so we never existed to begin with." Ace
chuckled once more. "Although I'm told she looks smashing in a
mini-skirt, so it can't be all bad, right?" He winked, and Ken had to
chuckle himself.
"So," he said, standing and stretching, "how fares our plan,
by the way?"
"Oh, wonderfully." Ace grinned widely, then suddenly scowled.
"Which is me using sarcasm to drive home the fact that things are, in
fact, going horribly, thank you very fucking much. We still don't have
that damn book, do we? Venus has the book. That qualifies as a BAD
THING."
"Have no fear, Kaito Ace." Ken clapped his fist to his
chestplate, then snapped his arm straight forward in a warrior's
salute. "I shall rip open Venus, and every other Senshi, until the
biography is returned!"
Kaito Ace, also known as Danburite, stood as well and donned
his mask once more. With the familiar eyepiece in place, the dapper
young man was once more his usual cold and sinister self. "See that
you do," he said icily, and began to walk away. Halfway to the door,
he turned and looked back over his shoulder. "My cards are uncertain
about you, Prince Ken of Mars. Always remember : you are a traitor now.
You belong to us..." Gloved fingers flicked, and a single card whirred
through the air between them, digging deep into the stone floor.
"...or you die."
*********
To Be Continued...