Life's Lessons
A Sailor Moon fanfic by Kristin Renee Taylor



Chapter 25 –

It was impossible.

Blow for blow, kick for kick, Uranus matched Makoto, steadily forcing the Avatar further and further away from Rei and Neptune. Makoto’s breathing was ragged. She was having trouble focusing her eyes. Although Uranus probably hadn’t picked up on it yet, Makoto’s right arm, the one she used the most, was beginning to tire. Her stab wound, only partially sealed by Hotaru, was beginning to burn; a hasty glance had shown her that the front of her shirt was slowly turning red.

She leaped away from Uranus. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!" At the start of the battle, she had tried an Oak Evolution, and had almost blacked out from the pain. Each successive Sparkling Wide Pressure was harder to use than the last. Her own attacks were killing her.

Uranus batted the attack away and walked steadily towards her. After their initial dialogue, the Senshi hadn’t spoken. It was unsettling, fighting a foe that didn’t show pain or anger. Who didn’t slow down. Who didn’t get tired. And who’s only goal was to see you dead, no matter how long it took.

Maybe, if Makoto had been at one hundred percent, maybe she would have had a chance.

She backed away, wondering if she still had the strength for another Sparkling Wide Pressure or if she should switch to the Supreme Thunder, when her foot snagged a piece of metal. She tripped.

Uranus leaped into the air. Drew the Space Sword.

Makoto closed her eyes. This was it.

Arms scooped her up, and she was flying. Startled, Makoto opened her eyes. "Trackless?"

Amber eyes smiled at her. "I watch you." They landed on an over-turned hovercraft, and Trackless set her down. "You stay. We fight now." He pointed. A group of Ku’dath had surrounded Uranus.

Uranus turned, found Makoto and smiled. "They are foolish, these creatures. So quick to throw away their lives." She pointed the Space Sword at Makoto. "I will kill them all before I deal with you."

Trackless stiffened and snarled an order. Three of the Ku’dath leaped at Uranus.

Makoto grabbed Trackless’ arm. "You idiot! You can’t fight a Senshi!"

Uranus smirked. The Sword flashed and two of the three fell to the ground, beheaded. The third she caught by the throat with her free hand, crushed his windpipe, and tossed him to the ground. She regarded the remaining Ku’dath with open disdain. With a furious howl, the rest of the group lunged at her.

Makoto whirled on Trackless. "Tell them to retreat!" Beneath her hands, Trackless was as rigid as stone. His eyes flicked back and forth, watching the carnage below. "Trackless!" He ignored her.

A body slammed into the hovercraft with enough force to rock the entire vehicle. Trackless’ paralysis snapped. Roaring, he leaped into the fray.

Uranus turned towards the new threat. Ignoring the Sword, Trackless charged her. At the last possible moment he ducked, went under Uranus’ swing, and tackled her to the floor. He leaped up immediately. Grabbed Uranus by the arm and spun, hurling her off the ground and into the air. The Senshi crashed into a pile of wreckage.

Panting, ears laid back flat on his skull, Trackless glared in the direction he had thrown Uranus. Eventually, he relaxed, and, surprisingly, grinned at Makoto. "See? You safe now."

The Space Sword erupted from his chest. He looked at it, surprised, then collapsed to the floor.

"No!" Makoto screamed.

Uranus tugged the Sword free. She sneered at Makoto. "I told you I would kill them."

"You…" Flecks of electricity gathered around Makoto’s fists, slowly becoming a storm that surrounded her body. She closed her eyes. Trackless… The storm escalated, became a hurricane of power with her at the center, calm, collected, and utterly untouched. Her fatigue was gone; she knew if she checked that her wound would be gone as well.

Uranus said, "You are a pathetic human. You are too weak to pose a threat to Me."

"Uranus!" She didn’t feel the actual transformation. One moment she was herself- "Killing those whose only crime was to obey an order is an act of violence that I cannot forgive!" –and the next she wasn’t herself. No, she was more than herself.

Super Sailor Jupiter opened her eyes, glared down at the startled Senshi. "I’ll punish you in my own name, the name of Jupiter!"

She was whole.

A hammer of water smashed into Rei, hurling her back against a wall hard enough to crack the thick cement. The pressure vanished and she stumbled forward and fell to her knees.

Neptune walked towards her, still unscathed. As strong as Rei was, she hadn’t been able to touch the Senshi. Every one of her attacks had simply been absorbed in a wall of water. "You are obviously inferior to Me. Why do you not simply give up and die?"

"And give you the pleasure of killing me off?" Rei stood. "I don’t think so."

"So arrogant." Neptune’s hand lifted and the waterspout knocked Rei back, through the wall and onto the street beyond. She landed on pavement, on her stomach, in a pool of water. Coughing, she tried to get up.

Neptune kicked her in the side, flipping her over. "I am disappointed, Rei. I expected you, at least, to be some sort of challenge." A hand closed around her throat and she was lifted into the air. "Instead, you have proven yourself to be disgustingly mortal."

Rei managed a smile. "I’m still more of a Senshi than you’ll ever be."

Neptune’s eyes narrowed. She tightened Her grip.

"Look! It’s Lady Neptune!" Neptune turned as people crowded around Her, babbling in awe or surprise or both. Rei seized on the distraction, kicking Neptune in the stomach. The startled Senshi’s grip loosened, and Rei dropped to the ground, scrambling away.

Somebody helped her up. "Are you okay?" Rei ignored the man, looking behind her.

Neptune laughed. "Now, Hino Rei, I shall show you how pathetic you truly are." A hand was flung out towards Rei.

Rei stared. She wouldn’t-

"DIE!" The ground quaked as water exploded upwards. People screamed as the blast hurled them aside. Rei had barely enough time to shove away the man that had helped her before the wave crashed down, sweeping them off their feet. The torrent carried Rei backwards into a streetlamp, pinning her against the metal. Pain exploded through her body.

The force of the water slackened, drained away, and she fell to the pavement, wheezing. Neptune grabbed her hair and jerked her head up. "How does it feel to be so utterly worthless, Hino Rei? To know that you can do nothing, nothing, to save these people?"

Rei spat in Neptune’s face.

Neptune wiped the spittle off casually. "Stubborn as a brick…" She dropped Rei and stood, facing what remained of the crowd. "I see I will have to continue the lesson." She spread Her hands. The ground rumbled ominously.

"…no…" Rei tried to stand, failed. "No…" Neptune’s laughter sparked a flame in Rei’s soul. Rage filled her, hotter than anything she had ever known in her life. "No!" Fire burst into existence around her, burning away her sodden clothing, melting her pain.

Neptune turned, surprised. "What-"

Rei stood. Hands clenched into fists, she let the transformation wash over her. She said, "Killing people that revere you? How dare you call yourself a Senshi!" In the back of Rei’s mind, she heard thunder echo, and she smiled grimly. She formed the Flame Sniper and lifted it.

"For the sake of my name, the name of Mars, I’ll show you how a true Senshi fights!"

Glass cracked.

Leaning on the back of Mae’s chair, Ami tensed. Without moving her head, she slid her gaze to the boarded-up gap in the laboratory wall. Odd…Her imagination usually didn’t include sound effects. Well, she thought with a faint blush, not any sound effects that involve breaking glass.

"Doctor Mizuno?" Mae was staring up at her.

Ami brought her attention back to the monitor, and Mae. "I’m sorry, Mae, I wasn’t listening. What were you saying?"

Mae had taken over working at the computer console. She gestured to the monitor. "The computer’s detected some sort of strange energy signature. I’ve never seen anything like it."

"Energy signature? What kind? And where’s it coming from?"

"Um…" Mae typed quickly. "I can’t tell. Whatever’s making the signature is creating an immense amount of magical radiation and the computer can’t penetrate it to get an exact location. But, I can narrow it down to…" The computer beeped and Mae gasped. "It’s coming from the Palace. Above us!"

From above..? Closing her eyes, Ami visualized the throne room and tried to teleport there.

Nothing happened.

Cursing softly, Ami stared at the ceiling. Why can’t I teleport? Is it because of-

Glass shattered. Something whined piteously.

Mae shot to her feet, upsetting her chair and nearly colliding with Ami. "What was-" Ami clamped a hand over her aide’s mouth, eyes focused on the wooden boards.

A hand thrust out from the gap in the boards, clawing the air. A second joined the first. Then a third. The whines changed in pitch, becoming those of hunger.

Ami backed away, drawing Mae with her. "No sudden movements." It was amazing how calm her voice sounded, especially with her heart threatening to burst out her chest. "Don’t run. Just keep backing up."

With a loud crash, a fist burst through one of the boards, breaking it. A head popped through the hole, and Ami heard Mae stifling a shriek. Although humanoid in appearance, the creature’s skin was completely smooth, lacking all facial features, even a nose. Serenity’s clones had gotten free.

The thing shoved. Wood broke, and it heaved until most of its upper body was free. Three others broke down the wood, struggling to escape, and Ami swallowed a gasp of her own. They were evolving as they came out, two had eyes and mouths, and one had even developed bizarre spikes all along its body.

It was more than Mae could take. She tore free from Ami’s grasp and, stumbling, tried to run for the door.

As if suddenly aware that its prey was fleeing, the first clone’s head snapped up, swiveled to follow Mae’s progress. A sudden heave and it spilled onto the floor. Moving on all fours, it charged across the floor towards Mae.

"Shine Aqua-" A second clone tackled Ami, and they crashed into a table, with the thing on top of Ami and trying to claw her face off. She threw it off. Climbed to her feet. Another landed on her back. Fangs sank into her left shoulder and she screamed. Twisting frantically, she reached behind her, caught the thing by the neck and sent a blast of power through its body. It fell to the ground, writhing in agony.

Ami turned. "Mae!" Her aide was pinned against a wall, held there by the first clone. The thing’s skin had burst open on its face, making way for an elongated muzzle full of teeth. It snapped at her, trying to bite her throat, but her frantic flailing kept it from succeeding. Mae shrieked.

 Movement out of the corners of her eyes forced her to duck, and the clone sailed over her head. It twisted in mid-air, landed on its feet on the floor, and launched itself at her again. Ami barely dodged, and the sharp, stinging pain along her cheek told her it had still managed to tag her. Next time it wouldn’t miss.

If they didn’t get out there now, they never would.

I’m not a hero. Ami spun, spied her coffee mug miraculously untouched and scooped it up. I’m a scientist, not a fighter. The clone leaped at her, snarling. She swung the mug – I must be crazy! – and connected with the thing’s head. The mug shattered, spilling hot coffee all over her hand and the thing’s face. It screeched and stumbled past her, clawing at its face.

Ami picked up a broken table leg. With a loud yell, she charged the clone holding Mae and swung the improvised weapon as hard as she could. The blow landed at the juncture of neck and shoulder with a loud crunch, and it sagged. Mae kicked it away from her.

Ami grabbed her arm. "Let’s go!" Mae didn’t move, and Ami turned around.

Ten clones surrounded them, bodies in a permanent state of flux. And more appeared every second from the gap in the wall. Ami’s shoulder throbbed; she could feel the muscle stiffening, hindering the movement of that arm. With Mae behind her and the wall behind Mae, Ami tightened her hands on her makeshift weapon and realized that no amount of planning was going to save them this time.

However… There was one option.

No, Ami thought, glancing around. I can’t do it. Not again. I won’t be like Her!

Even if might cost you your life? Ami’s own words echoed in her ears.

They’re waiting for you to fail, the more irrational part of Ami’s soul said. And when you do, they’ll tear you to shreds, and then they’ll kill Mae. One of the clones scooted closer and Ami swung at it. It scooted back into the circle, but it was closer than it had been. They were all moving in.

"Doctor Mizuno…" Mae’s voice was shaky, and she was pale, but she was smiling weakly. "I’m sorry your coffee was too hot."

Ami glanced at her. Somehow, she managed a smile of her own. "I’m not." Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. I can’t believe I’m doing this… And released the power.

It came faster than she expected: a blizzard of snow and ice and pain, the kind of pain you feel when you go indoors after being outside way to long and the frozen parts of you start to thaw out. Parts of Ami, the parts that had frozen when Mercury had possessed her, and, even older, the parts that had died when Usagi had died, were suddenly alive, painfully alive, fully alive. A thought came: I’m me again…

Just that fast, it was over. She was surprised to feel tears on her cheeks.

"Doctor Mizuno!" Mae’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. The clones were attacking them.

Super Sailor Mercury lifted her hands, stroked the air in front of her. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" Torrents of ice water appeared, flinging the creatures back. Unable to take the onslaught, they scrambled away, clambering over each other in their haste to get away from her.

Mercury turned. "The door, quickly!"

Mae obeyed immediately, running for the door. Mercury followed her, tossing an occasional Shine Aqua Illusion at any clone that tried to attack.

They made it to the hall in one piece, and Mercury slammed the door. Closing her eyes, she placed both hands flat on the door, and sent her power cascading through it. When she pulled back, the door had been frozen shut; a slab of thick ice preventing entry or exit.

Mercury backed up. "That should hold them. At least for a while." She caught Mae staring at her. "What is it?"

"You… you are…" The poor woman looked like she had just had a face to face encounter with God. Or her childhood idol. "You didn’t say the speech." She blushed immediately and looked away.

Mercury laughed. "Yeah, I guess I forgot. I’ll say it next time."

The floor beneath them rumbled and Mercury glanced up, her good mood vanishing as she remembered the real threat. "Mae, gather anybody you can find and get them to a safe place. Preferably someplace outside. There is a sewer system in the lower levels of the Palace. If the main entrances are blocked, make your way down there."

"Where will you be?"

"Where else? Saving the world again." Mercury said. Turning, she sprinted down the hallway, searching for a way higher up.

Hopefully, there would be a world left to save.

Serenity smiled to Herself.

Everything was going exactly as She wanted, exactly as She had planned. The three Inners had finally embraced their Senshi aspects, and it was only a matter of time before the three Outers did, as well.

Speaking of Time… "Saturn."

The Senshi of Death ripped Her Glaive free from the mutant’s body. Bleeding as it was, it still tried to attack Her and She kicked it in the face. It fell to the ground, alive but unconscious. Saturn ignored it as She turned towards Serenity. "My Queen?"

It would be such a waste to see Saturn die, but a plan was a plan. Closing Her hand over the Silver Crystal, Serenity allowed some of Her power to wane. It wouldn’t do to overwhelm Hotaru and have her die before she was supposed to. She said, "I must continue onwards if I am to be ready in time. Deal with the two humans and then follow Me."

Saturn turned, gazing off across the throne room where Hotaru and the still unconscious Minako was. An expression similar to but not quite distaste flickered across Her features. "Highness…"

"Is something wrong, Saturn?" Serenity asked sweetly. If Saturn didn’t obey… She must obey. I have no time to deal with Her Myself.

Saturn glanced again at Her counterpart. Finally, She said, "As You command."

Now, Serenity allowed Her smile to show. "Good. Very good." Calling power to Her, She opened a hole in reality and stepped through, to Her next destination.

 Legal Stuff:

I don't own any of the Sailor Senshi. Er… the Descendants. Or is it the Avatars..? Whatever. I only own the original characters.

This has been a production of Blueberry Enterprises.
www.geocities.com/sailorfalcon/