Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Different Story ❯ Chapter 02...In Search Of The Stones : Sailorjupiter ( Chapter 4 )

….Chapter 2 : In Search of the Stones - Sailor Jupiter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Ara ara, it's so beautiful here!” Jupiter beamed into the sky, briskly rubbing her arms. And it was indeed beautiful; the frigid beauty of the northern climate, where the sky was blue and perfect, and the air was crisp and clear. Still, it was a bit cold, even with her protective magic. “So, where are we, Alex-chan?”

“It's too clean for America. I'd hazard a guess, and say Canada, land of the undomesticated hockey fans, and rabid Francophiles. Visited Quebec once, actually,” she added musingly. “It was quite fun to listen to them call me names they didn't think I understood.”

The tall brunette laughed, turning `round in the soft grass. Nephrite's Kage stone had brought them to a small open area within a midst of tall pine trees, most of them soaring almost twenty metres over her head. The smell of greenery was redolent, and she inhaled greedily, glad for the clean scent after the polluted air of Tokyo. Then she spotted the sign, brows wrinkling in consternation as she tried mouthing the unfamiliar words. She knew she should have paid closer attention in English class… “Alex-chan?”

“Oui, p'tite? You find something?” the tall red-head queried, off to her left. Jupiter looked around beseechingly, but being unable to see her roommate and mentor was putting her off. They needed to mark her with a hatimaki or something. “Stop staring at my breasts, you lech.”

“Gome—“ she began to apologize, blushing wildly; then stopped, as she heard the snickering. “Alex-chan, you're cruel! You know I can't see you! Mou!” Folding her arms, the tall brunette scowled. “I think you enjoy this too much.”

Now she heard a snort, and an audible rustle of grass, probably for her benefit, as Alex moved closer. “Oh, yes, I absolutely love walking around as invisible as a ghost. I can do this well enough on my own without the magic.” More rustling; Jupiter ran her eyes over the ground, spotting the tell-tale folding of the grass to mark where her mentor was walking. “Ah, this sign. Says we're standing in the Marine National Park of Canada, part of the National Parks listing, Parks Canada Agency. In English and en Français. Also some telephone numbers and park hours. Oh, and that we're also currently standing on the shores of Marine Lake.”

“Are we here at the proper hour?”

“I don't think so. My watch is set for Tokyo time, still. Plus, I can't see it.”

Jupiter looked up into the sky, oak green marking the streaks of colour in the sky; oranges, pinks, soft shades of red and yellow. The sun was beginning to set. They had the option of wandering through the woods at night, in the dark, which she felt would be a rather futile gesture; or they could set up a quick camp, and wait until sunrise. She stamped a foot experimentally on the ground, a bit disheartened by the hardness, but considered it flat enough for one night's sleep. “I think it's too late to try searching for the Hi stone. And, I'm hungry! I've had a tough day of fighting the enemy. Let's make a camp and search tomorrow, ne?”

“Sounds fine to me. I don't think I'll be sleeping anyway.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So they spent the next hour of remaining daylight making a rough camp. Cutting down some pine branches with the Kage stone - which, Alex argued, wasn't going to stop working just because they used it as a knife, and it was indeed sharp enough - they made a small, springy bed for Jupiter and started a fire. The old-fashioned way, unfortunately, as they found out that Alex couldn't summon her pyrokinetic abilities to make one.

Then they spent half an hour fishing, which was more fun than they expected, mostly because they kept pushing each other into the ice-cold water, and generally acting like idiots. Scared away most of the fish in the process, which meant Jupiter was ecstatic when she managed to catch a medium-sized trout with her hands - seeing as they had no fishing line, all she had planned to do was use her soldier's speed to grab one. She was actually quite surprised that it had worked.

The Kage stone was put to use again to cut out the gills and inner bits, scales scraped off, and it went over the fire to cook. “It's just too bad we have no seasonings,” the tall brunette lamented for the second time as she turned the spit. She had snuggled comfortably into her pine branches, and though they pricked at her, she was actually quite cozy.

She watched as the rough stone was turned around in the air, as Alex examined it in the firelight. “Be thankful we even got the fire started. I'm still not pleased about that.”

“Alex-chan, don't give up hope! I'm sure, once you've returned to normal, you'll be fine!” Jupiter chastised her, drawing her knees close to her chest as the chill tickled her bones. Even though her soldier's magic threw off the worst of the cold, she could feel it trying to push in further. “Besides, the soldier of lightning is here. I could call down my power as well.”

“Just because nature starts fires with lightning strikes doesn't mean you should try. One Ben Franklin every five hundred years is enough.” The stone drifted through the air as if it were feather light instead of solid weight, to finally land in the tall brunette's lap. “You're cold,” Alex added rather obviously.

Setting her mouth, Jupiter shook her head. “Iie, not with such a powerful magic to warm me! I'm just restless. To be so far away from home, looking for a stone….”

She stared out across the lake, which had been turned into a rather lovely vista of silver in the moonlight. Tomorrow - or was it yesterday now? Two days ago? She had no idea on this side of the world - she was supposed to go on a date with Sommers-san. A real date, complete with a romantic dinner and maybe a moonlit stroll, all ostensibly to celebrate her victory over one of his top students. Up until now it had been mere training and glances out of the corner of eyes, quick meals shared afterwards to spend a little more time in each other's company. She had come home from such times with her head in the clouds and a smile on her face, and, she was sure, giving her roommate quite the emotional backwash in passing.

But of course, the mission had to step in.

Now she was scowling in the flickering firelight.

And she continued to do so, up until she went flying forward onto her knees with a short scream, the pine branches whisked so violently out from beneath her. She landed awkwardly on her hands and knees, mere centimetres away from being burnt. “Alex-cha-a-an! What was that for!”
“Tsk, tsk. The soldier of lightning was completely oblivious my sneak attack? What good are your senses if you're not using them?” The pine branches dropped as Jupiter craned her head around; she could hear the softest crunch of a boot heel smashing them down. “Sommers must be making you sloppy.”

Instead of answering, the tall brunette hopped back onto her feet, clenching her fists, ears straining for the slightest, telltale sound. When she heard it - a faint snap of a twig - she swung out, feeling something brush past her skin as she missed, and swore as a hand closed around her wrist. She went flying, but this time managed to land on her feet. “Yare yare,” she lamented, though she was beginning to smile; a spar was the perfect way to keep her from brooding. “It's not fair to fight, when your opponent is invisible!”

A whistling sound preceded the next attack, and she lifted an arm, blocking what felt like a kick. Pushing out, she heard Alex stumble back, and she rushed forward immediately to follow up with a shoulder. Of course, she missed, and went reeling onto her face. “And what happens when the enemy doesn't fight fair, and takes the blinding windows of opportunity you're giving them to skewer you like a cocktail weenie?” the tall red-head mused, from somewhere off to her left. “Use the Force, young sailor soldier. Trust your feelings.”

Ooo. Rolling back and onto her feet, Jupiter made a show of gathering magic to her hand, though it did serve a purpose in strengthening her soldier's power and her senses. She knew, from various practices over the months, that their guardian could use her own powers to block most of their low level attacks. So she used it now as she spun abruptly on her heel, releasing bolts of lightning in a wide circle around her, short-range as to not start the entire forest on fire.

A burst of light marked where Alex had blocked two of them, and she released another one, only to see it glance off. Sprinting towards the direction she'd run off, she leapt to tackle, and was rewarded by a body falling with a foreign curse beneath her. “Ya ta!” she crowed.

“Clumsy.”

“N-nani - ?”

Alex twisted beneath her and threw her off with ease. As she sprang to her feet, she blocked a punch automatically, before it even registered that one had been thrown. Another came in as she prepared herself, and she was too slow to slap it away, grunting as it connected with her ribs just hard enough to sting. “Itaaaii! I can't see what I'm blocking!” she cried as she tried vainly to block a kick, and mostly succeeded, only to receive a stinging slap to the face.

“It doesn't matter! Just do it, Jupiter. Don't try, just do!” Another punch, this one to her bicep.

Jupiter just yelped again, swinging a punch of her own that was easily knocked aside.

This continued for several minutes, the silence broken by occasional yelps of pain and cries for pity. But as they traded blows, the tall brunette became gradually aware of a strange tingling sensation that she at first attributed to the mass of bruises she was gaining. And it did seem to shiver her spine whenever a bruise throbbed.

But when one of Alex's hands actually missed her, swinging close enough to tickle Jupiter's bare skin, she felt the tingling grow stronger. Alerting her to the danger, and the near-miss. She was so taken aback that the next hit knocked her back on her heels for lack of preparation. “An electrical field…?” she murmured, looking up as that very tingle warned her that another kick was coming. She blocked it with ease.

Again, it alerted her as Alex retaliated with a second kick, and she blocked that one, too.

The next punch.

The grapple.

A third kick.

Soon, she was barely aware of anything except a fluid sense of movement as she blocked, spun, traded blows without a wasted breath. She was no longer a girl in a uniform, but a part of something larger, something infinitely more powerful. There was no sense of time; no sense of wasted motion. It was a dance.

It stopped as the blows stopped, and she lowered her arms.

But the field was still there. Her eyes opened comically round as she saw a shimmering outline in front of her, a tall figure with long hair and a lazy pose. “M-masaka…. Alex-chan, I can see you! A strange figure outlined in lightning.”

“Really?” The figure lifted an arm as if to inspect herself, though of course she couldn't see it. “You can see the electrical field of my body?”

“I think so. Sugoi! Does everyone look like that?” Elated, the tall brunette lifted her own arm, wiggling her fingers to see the current dance. Hers was infinitely brighter, more vibrant, more beautifully detailed.

Even though she could also see it slowly fading. She frowned, concentrating hard to bring it back, though she had no clue how; knowledge of the power made it flare briefly back into existence before a pinprick at the back of her eyes had her wincing. When she opened her eyes, the colours were gone.

“Yes, and no. Jupiter used to tell me that everyone had a different flavour. Quite the useful power it was, seeing everyone's electrical field. She could disrupt it when she was concentrating hard enough, and—“

A branch snapped somewhere close by.

Without hesitation, the tall brunette called power to her hand, turning to face the sound. “Who's there? Show yourself, immediately!”

Alex muttered, “It's not a park ranger, that much I can sense. But whoever they are, they're adept at shielding their thoughts.”

“Is that possible?” Jupiter murmured back, not relaxing her guard for a minute.

“If someone trains you, of course it is. And there are many people I've come across who do it naturally.”

The branches parted behind their campsite, and a young man stepped out. He certainly didn't look like any park ranger, with his clean but plain shirt and pants. And the long green hair that fell past his shoulders, a match to his eyes, also ruined the effect. Jupiter stared for a long minute, before remarking, sotto voce, “Suteki!”

It was followed in quick order by a mental reprimand for even noticing; after all, she had Sommers-san, didn't she?

“I apologize!” he said quickly, hands held up in apology. “I was returning home when I smelled something extremely good. Are you camping here? If so, I'll leave you alone,” he babbled as well, though somewhat haltingly. Most likely it was fear, considering he couldn't possibly see Jupiter in the light of the fire very well.

He seemed harmless enough, so the tall brunette relaxed. He was also quite cute, which she knew wasn't exactly good criterion for moral judgment, but she'd let it slide in this case. Then she felt an elbow jabbing her in the ribs, which she assumed was for letting her guard down in the first place - so she ignored it like a seasoned pro. “Daijoubu! After all, there's plenty to share, if you're hungry.”

When he smiled at her, she was certain her stomach was going to be too busy somersaulting all night for her to eat anyway. “Thank you. Fish is always a tasty meal,” he said, managing his words better.

Another elbow jab, and she was stepping away carefully, throwing a dirty look in Alex's direction before donning a smile for the stranger. Who was now staring at her with wide eyes as she cheerily said, “I'm sure the food will be finished in a few minutes. You can have a seat on these pine branches - oh, gomen, gomen, this one is snapped and pointy - instead, how about this log? It looks comfortable enough for a seat.” She hauled the fallen stump over, not even considering the seeming impossible task of a girl her size dragging a piece of wood that had to weight several dozen kilos.

Of course, she should have been far more on her guard to begin with, but before she was Makoto the Suspicious, she was Makoto the Kind. Her instinct - for what it was worth - told her the man was harmless, so she was going to do her best to be hospitable. There was hardly anymore to it than that. She set the stump in place, dusted it off, and set about turning the spit as he sat down slowly, still regarded her like some kind of mysterious apparition.

“So, this is Canada. I never expected it to be so pretty, so full of trees. We never learned much about your country in school, so I always thought it was all snow and hockey. Do you live around here?” She was making conversation, so she thought, as she sniffed the fish. “Even though this is a national park, ne?”

“I do live nearby. And this land is all I've known, so I've always thought it pretty.” He sounded thoughtful; as she turned around, holding the fish, he pulled a knife from his boot and held it out to her, handle first, to cut it. “Are you here at the lake for a camping trip?”

Across the way, the tall brunette could see her roommate pacing the shoreline; the imprint of boots, re-imposing themselves over and over, was barely visible. Frowning, she wondered what was bothering her. The guy couldn't be all that bad. “Ah, ano, a camping trip? Iie, I'm here on a mission. For a sick friend, I have to find a stone called “Nephrite.” He may die if I don't find it soon.” She cut the fish in half, then cut her piece into halves. Alex hadn't mentioned being hungry, but she'd probably eat her share anyway. Giving the man his half, she added, “I don't know where to begin looking. I was led to this spot, but the stone could be nearby anywhere.”

“Is that why a sailor soldier is looking for the general's stone?”

The crackling of the fire sounded impossibly loud in her ears; surely, she had imagined his words. She stared at him, this green-haired man, who was almost absurdly calm now as he ate his fish, licking his fingers clean like a well-mannered barbarian. A faint memory came to mind; of herself, laughing, at the recollection of an Earthen banquet, where they ate with their fingers and disdained silverware as barbaric shoveling tools. But they had eaten with a delicacy of hand that she had admired, that she was seeing now.

“Alex-chan,” she whispered faintly, still holding their fish.

One half was lifted from her hand, floating ridiculous in the air. “Oui, Jupiter; I've just realized it myself. Maybe he started out talking in rather bad English, but he's speaking an older language now….aren't you?” The fish was disappearing in small bites as it was waved in the air, used as she gestured. “Once, this land was part of the main kingdom of the Golden Kingdom, and they spoke the same language as we did.”

“N-nani? The Golden Kingdom….?!”

“Hai. I've heard of it in legend. As well, a group of lovely girls who protected the kingdom of the moon from harm; the sailor soldiers.” Finishing his fish, the man licked his fingers clean for the last time, and stared up at her as she gawked, still grappling with the notion. “I know of this stone you're talking about. I can take you there.”

Slowly, the tall brunette sat down next to him on the log. “How did you know who I was?”

With a surprisingly shy smile, he ran his eyes along her bodice, then up to her tiara. “Your clothing. Your speech; it's similar to mine, only different in some words. And only a soldier would ask for the stone of Nephrite when the world has lost its memory.”

Blinking, she absorbed what he was saying. He was right; when she paid attention, she could catch some of the strange words in his tongue that sounded archaic, close but not quite to her modern Japanese. That was why he had seemed so clumsy when he first spoke; he had figured her for a tourist and had used what little English he had known. But even that she had understood, which was impossible, as her English teacher would agree. She was horrible in that class.

Discarding the problem for later, she nodded instead. “I see. Well, I am the soldier of Jupiter, Sailor Jupiter. Can you truly take me to Nephrite's stone?” As an afterthought, she began to hastily eat her own meal, far less graceful at it than he. The gloves didn't help.

“Well…it is a secret I am not supposed to tell anyone. But I live here, in Medias Village, just a walk that way.” He pointed for their benefit, but all they could see was trees. “A village surrounded by trees, it's very hard to get to without guidance. Many who make it are given tokens for their example.”

Standing up, he dug into the pocket of his pants, finally withdrawing a rather plain silver disc strung on a leather cord. It had some ideogram carved into it that Jupiter couldn't read; it honestly looked like a pine tree with legs and arms holding a sword. But that seemed past ridiculous. “This pendant is my gift to you for such tasty food.” He held it out for her to take, so she exchanged it for his knife - after hastily wiping it clean on the grass. “Now, I'll take you and your magical guardian to the village.”

“How did you know she's a guardian?”

“In legend, only the most powerful could summon invisible beings. And they were usually guardians who could crush any enemies without being caught.” Shrugging, he added, “It seemed only natural. What else could she be?”

“What else, indeed,” Alex sighed, speaking both their minds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As they finally came to the clearing, Jupiter thought she'd weep with relief. Her feet were killing her. Apparently, “close by” meant something like “several stone throws away and three kilometres.” The moon was already beginning to lower in the sky, marking it well past midnight, though it was still bright and high enough to show the village as they came to a stop.

It had been the tiniest tickle of magic as they had walked through the trees that had Jupiter wondering if they didn't hide entirely from the 21st century; from the looks of it, they had succeeded admirably. The houses were sturdy but obviously hand-raised, all of them save for the farthest only a single story high. The smell of wood smoke tickled her nose, visible from every chimney. A sparkling clean stream cut the village in a rough half, traversed by rough-cut planks lain across the water. Nature, in a way Tokyo never truly saw. “I could live here,” she sighed.

“And we would welcome you, Sailor Jupiter,” their guide said with a smile.

They stood for a long moment as oak green eyes greedily drank in everything. Oh yes, she could very easily live here, free from the hustle and bustle of the city, her door always open and a pot always on the stove. (Or over the fireplace, in this case.) A lovely place indeed. But she shook her head finally, remembering the mission, and reluctantly turned away to face their new friend. “Now, can you show me the stone?”

He glanced up at the moon, then shook his head. “Apology. But it's getting late, and I must go home. You can safely look around before following; I live in that large house there.” Pointing, he indicated the far-off two storied building that practically loomed over the rest. “Perhaps tomorrow I can then show you the stone.”

“C-chotto matte! You said—“

“Enjoy my village! If anyone asks, you are the friend of George.” With that, he took off at a brisk jog, leaving them behind without another backward glance.

Alex cleared her throat. “Interesting fellow.”

The tall brunette scowled, folding her arms. “He didn't say he had a curfew! Now what will we do until morning?”

With nothing to do, they decided to walk. The village, for all of its rough quality, was actually quite large, not the small cluster of homes that Jupiter had envisioned, like something out of a museum exhibit. Juuban Junior High's football field would have just fit all of the buildings, with a little room to spare. It would have been an interesting bit of socialism and history if the sun was up, and everyone was available to talk to.

Unfortunately, everyone was smartly sleeping, which both of them should have wisely been doing. Jupiter felt the tug of jet lag with every step, which was rather curious considering it had been a near-instantaneous transport; every few minutes she caught herself in the act of yawning. If they had been home, she would've been asleep and in bed hours ago.

And for the love of the kami, she was going to miss school again.

Suddenly worried, she glanced sidelong to where she knew Alex was walking. With no enemies in sight for months, school absences had not been an issue. And she knew, being in effect now a foster child under the care of a legal guardian, that she could miss very few days of school before problems arose. It was a subject they had touched on after the tall brunette had learned of her new legal status, but had hardly clarified.

“Alex-chan, how will we explain this absence to the school?” she queried as they walked, crossing the rickety slats that passed as the bridge. “I don't think these Oppositio Soldiers will put their mission on hold for us to get back to class.”

The bitterness in her voice was audible, but she felt as if she deserved it. This was the second enemy attacking them for the sins of their future, events that had not even transpired and were, thusly, not even their fault. The Sailor Jupiter of the 21st century had not been responsible for the events of the 30th century. Not yet. Not for years, decades, centuries to come. And it was beginning to rather piss her off. What were they supposed to do, say, “I'm very sorry, whoever you are, for what I haven't done yet. I'll make sure to somehow change time so I'm not such an asshole in the future”? She supposed it wouldn't work with the Oppositio Soldiers clan any easier than it would the Black Moon clan.

“I'll think of something. Maybe wild dogs, or something. Bleeding sores. The plague? I hear that's coming back into vogue.” The tall red-head was playing with a pinecone - and the kami only knew when she'd grabbed it - which marked her as off to Jupiter's right and slightly ahead. “Because, you know, gods forbid you get back to class and thus receive a quality education before becoming the bane of their existence.”

“Not like it matters,” Jupiter muttered under her breath. Slightly louder, she said, “Ara, George-san must be the rich son, to live in such a large house.” She pointed ahead towards the two-story building across the grass, several flickering lights in its top windows revealing someone still awake. It also sat alone, with a wide expanse of grass surrounding it and giving it a buffer from their neighbors, as well as sitting on the edge of the tree line.

Alex was silent as they stopped walking, Jupiter's attention caught by the massive tree rising above them, its branches thick, and obviously very old. What was interesting about it was also that it was the lone tree on a small peninsula in the middle of the stream, as well as the fact it was most likely as old as the village itself. On a whim, she walked up to it, removing her glove with a quick jerk and touching the rough bark with her bare hand. In several places she could see where the bark had been carved away in the shape of glyphs she couldn't read, making up a pattern around the entire trunk. “So ancient….”

Her fingers tingled. The sudden flow of sensory input was incredible; she couldn't even find time to scream as the tree sensed her kindred spirit, giving her a rush of memories. It was an oak tree, older than the village; it had been a sapling when the soft humans had decided to build their homes around her roots. The soft humans had decided she was a protective spirit when a fatal disease struck their neighbors, but not a one of them. So they had, over the years, worshipped her, burying their leaders at her roots to nurture her growth.

Dimly, the tall brunette realized Alex was talking to her, trying to get her attention, but she couldn't speak. The oak was telling her about a young boy in the village from long ago, a boy who cast off his name and became Nephrite. He was a kind, if sometimes sarcastic, man, who grew up strong and powerful in divination; he could read the stars and tell you your fortune, swirl the tea leaves and give you an omen. After he had become one of Prince Endymion's generals, the oak had never seen him again, but had felt his power return. His heart had come home.

“Jupiter!”

Her hand fell away, and she sagged back into her friend's arms. This was remarkable; she knew she had an affinity with electricity, with the lightning she could call down, but trees? More specifically, with the oak? She never would have expected this. “Alex-chan,” she murmured, staring up into the sky.

“The next time you decide to talk to the trees, you tell me! Mon Dieu, you were just staring into space and ignoring me like I wasn't yelling in your ear.” Jupiter felt the grass behind her head as Alex set her down on her back. The weakness and shock that had come from the link was fading away, though slowly, so she didn't move to stand up right away; she figured she had earned the rest. “Are you all right?”

“Hai,” the tall brunette sighed. “Gomen ne, Alex-chan. I didn't realize I could…”

“What, connect with the oak trees? Don't be so daft, p'tite. The oak leaves are a symbol of Jupiter. You - Jupiter - used to talk to them all the time when you were chasing Serenity around on Earth.”

With a somewhat pained grunt, Jupiter sat up. Thoughtful, she looked up into the immense branches of the tree, marveling at the span of time it had been alive. Could she attain that lifespan? It was entirely possible, if the solar system remained reasonably sedate for the next millennia. It was also a bit scary to consider. “The tree told me about Nephrite.”

She took the silence as an indicator to continue, and added, “He came from here. His heart returned here, somewhere. That must mean his Hi stone.”

“Brilliant deduction, Holmes,” Alex sighed, the grass crumpling underfoot as she paced beside her. “But the tree doesn't know where, does it?”

“Iie. The tree merely said it felt it return.”

“Ah, marvelous. That makes the job so much easier.”

The wind lifted the leaves, rustling them like music. Smiling, Jupiter managed to get back onto her feet, though she still felt a bit like crumpled tin foil. Brushing the bits of grass off her legs and hair, she picked up her glove from where she'd dropped it, pulling it back on. “I feel so strange, now that the tree has spoken to me. As if the others in the forest are whispering to me as well; perhaps they are, trying to tell me their secrets.”

As she tilted her head, she realized they were not only whispering sweetly in her ears, but welcoming her as though she were a sapling breaking free of the soil. They knew her power, and they were praising her for recognizing it within herself.

Hands touched her shoulders, squeezing briefly before retracting. The tall brunette recognized the display of pride; her roommate rarely touched any of them without a purpose. Casual brushes of the hand simply never happened in close company. Jupiter had at first thought it merely some kind of personal space issue - though every American she'd ever seen on TV seemed to love invading everyone else's space - until she realized the tall red-head had an almost rigid avoidance of physical touch. Unless they needed help, or they were engaged in a training exercise, she remained aloof and untouchable. “I'm surprised to see you grasping these intricacies of your powers so suddenly,” Alex said in the silence that followed.

“I don't know how I've done so, however,” Jupiter murmured, wishing fiercely that she could see her mentor's face. “Why now, of all times? Certainly, that time Kunzite created an electrical surge, I felt the disturbance; but since then, I haven't sensed the currents, nor spoken to the trees.”

“You nurture your plants. I've heard you talking to them; maybe on an unconscious level, you can connect with them as you can the oaks. But your electrical affinity…I wasn't sure if I wanted to push you to remember it. Certainly, it's useful to sense people, because we all give off an electrical field.” The sound of rustling grass was the only indicator once again to where Alex was, as she walked around Jupiter to touch the tree. “Unfortunately, the 21st century is also dependant on electricity, whereas the Silver Millennium got by on solar and crystal energy. You, Jupiter, didn't have to sort out the people from amongst the hum of power plants and light bulbs. I thought - and I still do - that pushing you to re-open that part of your senses would constantly overwhelm you.”

Unbidden, an image flashed into the tall brunette's head; a satellite image of the world, taken on the night side, that showed the continents as masses of golden twinkling lights. All of the porch lights and street lights and every other kind of illumination turned on for the moonlit hours, consuming energy to stay bright. Electricity captured by the hands of men.

It would be overload.

Grimacing, Jupiter queried, “But what about the others? Mercury? Can't she sense the water flowing through the sewers, the pipes? Wouldn't that be too much?”
“I don't know. I know she called her element that night in the gallery, but I haven't seen her really try again on that scale since. Though water is more abundant now in where it flows, I wouldn't assume it to be so trying on her; after all, water doesn't power the majority of the world's energy sources. It doesn't flow through the walls of every single building and street just to keep the lights burning.”

“But why now? Why can I do this now, when not before?”

“I don't know. Honest to fucking Christ, I don't. There isn't a Cliff Note's version on how to train you girls this time around. The last time around I had too many people offering help on how to train the guardians of their beloved royal family, and most of it was just ritual and workout. All of you had your powers; you just had to figure out how to tap them.” Now Alex sounded angry, though the tall brunette had a feeling it wasn't directed at her; still, it stung. “Now I have a gaggle of girls who aren't quite the same sailor soldiers they were the first time around, who aren't in full possession of their powers, who aren't even the beings they need to be to have all of those damned powers, and I'm the one who has to figure out what to do. Luna doesn't want to admit that she doesn't know either, and Artemis knows to stay out of the way.”

Jupiter couldn't quite keep the note of distress out of her voice as she asked, “Is it really so awful, Alex-chan? Are we really such trouble?”

She heard a faint sigh.

“No. No, you're not. It's just such a damned stupid situation. Serenity didn't think this very well through, and it shows. You're not the same people. You've lived entirely different lives, taken different things for granted. I never knew of a “Sailor Moon” to exist; it was Serenity's idea to give her that identity to hide her from the enemy - she knew the evil of Metallia could come back in some form and try again - and give her the chance to destroy them. And then I see Chibi-Usa become a sailor soldier herself, and I'm left out wondering how in the holy hell she could even be a soldier when it doesn't pass through the bloodline, and “Sailor Moon” never existed until this century to begin with.

“I don't know what makes you tick anymore. All I'm doing is guessing and hoping the shit works. I can't even base it on my own experience, because I was born with my power. It would've come out during puberty no matter if I was a drooling quadriplegic, and I'd have to cope with it, or cause some serious chaos around me. I still did for gods' sakes. You, and the others didn't have that; it took a pen with a magical trigger to force the power back into you and wake up that part of your soul that was a reborn Sailor Jupiter.”

The tall brunette stared into the spaces between them, unable to see Alex's face. Around the village, she could hear the trees again, their tones soothing the edges of her anguish. She couldn't blame the tall red-head for feeling despair or anger; she had been handed the equivalent of a box of parts without instructions, and only a memory of how it should look. Though she had proven time and time again that she cared about them and their welfare, it had to be difficult to be taking on the task virtually alone. And though the two felines had woken up with the purpose of finding them and giving them directions, they were never meant to truly train them; that would have been silly.

“Maybe we should find George-san and ask him for a bed, ne? Then we can rest until tomorrow. After all, we won't find anything in the dark,” Jupiter said finally, with a bit of forced gaiety. She didn't want either of them to sulk out there, depressed and sinking fast. A soft bed and time to relax sounded far better.

Alex chuckled quietly. “You could just tell me to shut up, you know.”

“Ne, ne, it's true! After all, what else can we do?”

“You could make some more new friends. That bunch of trees over there are leering at you; maybe they'll tell us where the Hi stone is, if you promise to give them a pruning.”

“Alex-cha-an!”

The oaks laughed in her ear as the tall red-head strode away, grass rustling in her wake. Cheeks reddening in embarrassment - the trees were laughing at her, for the love of the kami! - Jupiter followed quickly after.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Welcome to - oh.” The girl held open the door for a moment longer, staring rather rudely at Jupiter's uniform. Without another word, she stepped aside so the tall brunette could walk in. But she released the door before Alex stepped in; Jupiter could hear the smack of a ghostly hand stopping its closure before she allowed it to slam properly. Lips tight, the girl didn't even flinch before she walked away and disappeared into the kitchen.

“That was odd.”

“Hai…George-san would have told someone we were coming, I thought. Why did she act so angry at me?” The tall brunette peered into the kitchen, smiling at the sight of the hot fire instead of a conventional oven, rough hewn shelves filled with pots, a large dinner table with every setting clean for the next day. Loaves were rising on the counter; a pile of shells lay next to a bowl filled with nuts; a small butter churn was working on its own. All the girl was left to do on her own was kneading some more dough, which she seemed to be doing with a bit more enthusiasm than was necessary.

She was so engrossed in the act - which did, with repetition, serve to calm one's nerves adequately - that she never noticed Jupiter walking up behind her, peering easily over her shoulder at the powdery lump she was working. It looked far too sticky to her critical eye, so she said, “You should flour the dough some more, or you'll end up with a terrible loaf.”

The girl squeaked, her head whipping around to catch the tall brunette's easy smile. But she still didn't speak; in fact, if anything, she seemed to pull back further into herself as she turned away just as quickly, even though she did take her advice and dunked her hand into a nearby pot. Dough floured vigorously, she continued to knead as if Jupiter hadn't even offered her a single word.

Alex muttered, sotto voce, “Maybe she's not paid to talk?”

“It doesn't matter! That's still rude!” Unaware that she looked to be talking to herself, the tall brunette slammed a hand down onto the counter, startling the girl once more. “Moshi moshi! Why are you ignoring me like that! I was only trying to be nice.” Huffing, she gestured towards the well-floured dough hanging limp from the girl's hands. “The least you could do is thank me.”

The dough sagged even further.

Biting her lip, the girl dropped her eyes to the counter. “A-ano…I can't say such forward things. After all, you're master's bride-to-be.”

“I'm what?”

At the exclamation, the girl swung her head up, staring at Jupiter incredulously. “But you are! If he isn't marrying that other person anymore, why else would he talk to another girl?” Dropping the dough onto the counter, she began gesturing somewhat uselessly with her white hands, dusting Jupiter's skirt. “After all, master is going to marry a pretty girl of influence no matter what, because he's master.”

“I suppose so….but I'm not marrying George-san! That's silly. After all, I have someone else I like best.” The tall brunette smiled reassuringly as she shook the flour off her skirt. “Who is that other person, however? I'm curious to know.”

“A pretty girl named Mary, coming from the other village. Also, she's the master's daughter of that village as well.” Now that she knew Jupiter wasn't marrying George, the girl had a complete reversal of mood; her face brightened as she leaned in to talk, acting as though they were the best of friends. Maybe it hadn't been jealously after all; just a mistaken anger. “They resemble loveliness together. However, now, there's been trouble. Both masters do not approve.”

Jupiter frowned, tilting her head. “Why wouldn't they approve?”

“Because master has been angry at master for long before I was born. So they disapprove of marriage. A long-standing anger between our villages, it was. Perhaps, they won't ever be married.”

“That's terrible! If it's love, nothing should stand in the way. Surely a feud isn't worth it to separate them.”

Behind her, the tall red-head snorted. “That's what Romeo and Juliet thought too,” she muttered. She then bit back a yelp as Jupiter stamped on her foot in protest.

Then, the tall brunette sighed. “That's horrible. Love, happiness, and dreams should be protected. I guess it'll be up to me to get them back together, ne? Sailor Jupiter, full throttle ahead as the soldier of love's true defense!” Pumping her fist, she grinned at her fellow conspirator. “I'll bring them back together. You just wait.”

When the girl smiled in return, it was a beautiful sight; in a few more years, she'd be breaking some hearts of her own. She then threw herself into Jupiter's arms, hugging her a bit too tightly for comfort. The kid had quite a grip. “Thank you! Master needs that happiness!” When she released the tall brunette, she said, “The village is east of here, if you like to go. Now, everyone is sleeping. Perhaps Mary will not be.”

With those words, she bowed, and turned back to her work. Jupiter shrugged, backing out of the kitchen, trying to surreptitiously dust herself off; she knew the girl had to have left most of the flour on her bodice. No doubt she was leaving an interesting little trail out of the door. “Jupiter, please don't tell me you're going to be playing matchmaker now,” Alex hissed into her ear as she opened the front door.

A determined smile on her face, Jupiter merely replied, “Mochiron. After all, if a sailor soldier can't have that happiness, she can try her best to make sure someone else can.” Flashing the victory sign back at the tall red-head - or at least in her general direction - she added, “And what's the harm?”

“Not much; just the fact we're here, in the backwoods of Canada for gods' sakes, looking for a particular piece of rock. I could be going out on a limb in pointing out that doesn't include playing matchmaker for the chief's son, but, you know, I'm wacky like that.” A few twigs cracked underfoot as they continued walking, leaving the soft glow of the house lights behind. “Besides, since when have you decided you won't have a boyfriend of your own to play with? I thought Sommers was filling that role admirably.”

The insinuation went right over the tall brunette's head, as she seemed to be honestly considering the statement. As they went further along the tree line, the darkness grew thicker; absently, Jupiter lifted a hand, calling a bit of power to her hand to create a small ball of lightning that sparked and crackled. It was hardly sufficient for a source of light, but enough for them to see a few metres in front of them. “Sommers-san… It would be a lovely dream to have that happiness with him. But as a sailor soldier, what can I do? What would happen if I were to…if the future comes….”

Alex was silent for a moment herself, an invisible hand slapping back the branches of the trees as they walked by. Finally, she queried, “Are you still afraid of losing yourself in the future? Or is it something else? It can't be just a fling; every time you leave to see him, I'm practically choking on your happiness. You feel safe with him, even if something's holding you back.” There was a faintly bitter edge to the tall red-head's voice, though Jupiter didn't call her on it; instead, she looked away.

In her hand, the lightning wavered, growing dimmer.

“….I don't know what I'm afraid of.” It was practically a whisper; she was unaware that her mentor had stopped until a hand halted her progress as well, grabbing her upper arm. Turning, she could see nothing, of course, but a sense of eyes on her had her skin prickling with awareness; obviously, she was being scrutinized.

Then, there was the prickle of something else.

In tandem, they dropped to the ground, feeling the searing heat blast over their heads. Lightning; Jupiter's soul recognized it without having to see. They rolled away from each other and to their feet as a cluster of evergreens exploded behind them, tragic victims who just happened to be in the way. “How dare you attack us in such a place of nature's beauty? Come out so I can punish you properly!” the tall brunette snapped, calling power to her hand.

The only response was another volley of lightning, though when it missed, it took out a massive patch of grass instead. Angry, Jupiter broke into a sprint, because the bright flash of the attack gave her what she needed; a target. She felt its power gather as she came closer, and she leapt into the air as the creature - humanoid - snarled something indescribable and threw off another attack.

“Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!”

“Ittaaaiii!” it howled as the magic hit, though in the flash of impact, the tall brunette realized she had merely hit its arm. Spinning around quicker than before, it leapt up to collide with her in midair, pummeling her with its fists. “Bad, bad, bad! You hurt meeee….!”

“I'll hurt you worse still!” Jupiter grunted in return, hitting the ground in a less than graceful landing; they fell apart, rolling across the grass.

They lay in the darkness for several minutes, panting. Not only could they still not see one another - well, that was basically the entire problem. Jupiter marveled at the irony, considering the tall red-head had been pushing her to spar only a few hours ago under the very same circumstances. “Kuso,” she muttered, her eyes sweeping the darkness for a spot of light. The night was clear, but the trees were so thick and dense that the moon simply couldn't shine through their branches

She could hear the creature - who, close up, had resembled a white-haired crone holding what looked to be lightning rods in its hands - shuffling around, trying to find her as well. It was somewhat comforting to know the enemy was just as inept as she was in the dark, though the creatures the enemy tended to employ seemed to be dumb as rocks no matter what the flavour. And this one in particular she couldn't recall ever fighting before. She was pretty sure she'd remember one that threw around her element with the aim of a blind man.

Relying on gut instinct, she called power back to her hand. Her ears guessed a distance of several metres off to her left, as the creature was not taking care to be quiet. It then screamed shrilly in unison with the sound of a hollow thunk; it sounded as if Alex had found a nice sized tree branch to crack it with. “Jupiter, three metres to your left, one metre high! Now!”

Releasing her attack, she saw, in the flash of light, the creature rolling back and forth on its knees, holding its head. The tree branch simply floated behind it, though it was dropped and presumably fled from as the magic hit. This time, her aim was dead on.

Something unpleasant splattered her face, and she sighed. Now she was glad for the darkness, because she had a feeling she would be even more upset if she could see what it looked like. It felt lumpy and gross, even through her gloves, as she scooped it off. “Why does the enemy explode so unpleasantly? Can't they just turn into smoke, or maybe sparkles, like on TV?”

“Because real life is usually about as messy as good sex,” Alex replied out of the darkness, sounding amused. A pair of invisible hands helped to pick off the other unidentifiable bits Jupiter hadn't noticed off her bodice and arms - she shivered when her imagination gave her far too crystal clear a picture of what a particularly squishy, jelly blob could look like - and they worked in silence for several minutes. Then: “Speaking of good sex…”

“N-nani!?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You know, maybe this Nephrite guy wasn't such an asshole after all. Not if he lived in a place like this.” Marduk sighed in appreciation as she lay back in the dirt to look up at the ruined building. It had obviously been forgotten and abandoned centuries ago, if the dust layer was telling the truth, though from the looks of the footprints, kids from the villages were finding their way there often enough. She'd found the remnants of a fire pit as well.

One thing she hadn't found was the general's stone. She had been so sure it would come back to the ruins, and she had arrived with her usual smug demeanor intact, convinced she'd find it. It had taken only fifteen minutes of searching to realize she was wrong. She'd been furious, and had destroyed a good section of the cavern with her screaming fit, glad she was alone to vent her frustrations. Generally, she was the one who brushed off her problems like water off a duck's back; even in the face of death, she'd accepted it with rather cool aplomb. Dying was hardly something you could escape from, though once she'd been proven wrong and brought back, she'd been a little annoyed that it had happened in the first place.

She was also the first to suggest a stronger tactic, or a faster means to an end than this pissing around Sin had sent them to do. So she thought with her fists better than her head. Big deal. It got her through the day, barring that one time she'd had it out with Nergal; she simply saw no reason to fret the details, when a good punch or simply ignoring the problem worked just as well.

Now she had to think, damn the man.

Chewing on a thumb nail - a childish habit she just couldn't break - she continued to stare up at the building and the jagged ceiling of the cavern, shielding her eyes from the drifting dust. She wasn't honestly sure if Nephrite had even lived in the place, if the villages above were any indication; though maybe the building had been the home of the equivalent of the feudal lord, and the villages his tenants. That meant she had to search the damn villages to find the blasted stone, which would be far more difficult with people wandering around.

And of course, she had to find it before the soldier of Jupiter did. Though from what she had heard of the girl's 21st century heart, she was probably helping a kitten cross the road or some such nonsense, which gave her plenty of time. “Kindness is overrated,” she announced to the ceiling, sitting upright with a roll of her ass. “If everyone just tended their own, everything would be fine.”

“Perhaps, ne, Marduk? And the Neo Queen would not have driven the Black Moon people from our planet, after they rejected her offer and kindness, and they would not have returned seeking vengeance on all of us fools who had accepted, and we would not be here now, discussing this.” The ponytailed blonde's footsteps were muted in the dirt, though her arrival had been as silent as the grave. Marduk turned to glance at her dismissively.

“If, maybe, so. No matter what, this plan is stupid. I'd really rather just find the bitch and squash her like a bug. One of those very nasty ones from legend.” She waved her fingers in a careless gesture, unconcerned. “Is that why you came to bother me, Sin? To make sure I haven't swatted her?”

“A very real concern, when no one's watching you.”

Marduk waved off the comment, glancing aside. “So every problem has become a nail, when one is carrying a hammer. Is that a wrong way to view the situation? The legendary sailor soldiers may not be as strong in this time as they are in ours, but they've still harnessed plenty of power to their hands. They can still have us trouble, the longer we play with them.”

Toying with a handful of hair, Sin stepped carefully across the dirt, grimacing at the tumbledown look of the buildings. Having grown up, as they all had, in the shadows of a ruined Tokyo, made her instinctively loathe anything so worn and neglected. Seeing the cleanliness and straight vistas of the 21st century that the sailor soldiers had lived and breathed and carelessly forgotten made her ever anxious to finish the game, just as it did the others; but she had patience. She needed to grasp the trump card first, that holy stone that would give them the power to fix a tragic mistake.

“Hai. There's always the possibility of trouble. At the school, they proved that. And though our trickery has put a stumbling block in the path of legendary guardian, she's not stopped.”

“Exactly. I have no problem engaging them in battle; the fight is hardly a concern. But that they could still foil our plans! Sin, let me simply kill Jupiter. Forget this stupid game of cat and mouse. I'll kill the soldier of Jupiter, and take the stone and crush it between my hands.” Gesturing grandly, the deadwood-haired brunette mimed the very act of crushing, twisting and wringing her hands before flicking away the imaginary dust. “Game Over.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Even though he's my sensei, I want to be close to him.” Nothing but the sound of footsteps in the grass and the hooting of owls. A wilderness vibrant at night in a way Tokyo never could be, with its concrete and glass. It was beautiful and amazing. Jupiter looked up towards the snatches of starry sky she could see through the branches, wondering which one of them was her planet; she dimly recalled that you could tell planets apart from stars because they didn't twinkle. All of the dots above her twinkled merrily. “But he's so gentle with me, and I think…I think he feels the same way. But he's waiting for me to say.”

Touching her breast, and the stone tucked within her bodice, she recalled Conrad's smile as she'd left his dojo last; in memory, she could see the affection in his eyes, the way they lingered on her face. “I don't know why I continue to keep my silence. Perhaps it's because of our future, and I know I'll have to set him aside. The fear that, again, an enemy will be the death of me, and he'll be alone.”

“So instead of giving it a chance, you'd rather beg off, so you're both miserable?” Something in Alex's voice had her pupil looking around curiously, even though neither of them could see one another. Not necessarily anger, but….something not happy that Jupiter couldn't put her finger on. “Are you sure it isn't commitment phobia? Because that's a rather piss poor excuse. `Oh, if I just remain apart from him, he'll be less hurt then if we were together and I met a grisly death.' Haven't you watched those movies? They always end up worse.”

“Commitment phobia? How could that be? I want that happiness! I want those dreams! Why in the name of the kami would I run from them without such a reason?” Jupiter queried, her voice rising in disbelief and anger. Never mind the dream that the youma had given her, repeating the theme of so many others; it was easier to argue, to deny, than face the truth she didn't even recognize for herself.

A hand stopped her dead, which was really beginning to annoy her. It wasn't the tall red-head's fault, she knew, but the inability to see her mentor was growing old already. Of course, if her ire wasn't up, it probably wouldn't even bother her quite as much. “Hai?” she asked tersely.

“Because your parents left you before you had a chance to grow up, and grow independent of them. Because you've been tossed around schools and friends like a bouncing ball, unable to stay in one place for any length of time. Because you've died once, and could die again. Because it's easier to continue the trend than face up to the fact someone may actually stay, and you won't know what to do.” That invisible hand reached up, brushing her face, and tucked back her loose strands of hair. “I know because I was the same way for a long time. It cost me two affairs, and by the time I was ready to make that commitment, they died. Now, I don't know if I can do it again.”

“But they died. They died, just like I could die.” Leaning into that touch, the tall brunette wasn't surprised to feel a sudden lump in her throat. “And I don't want to cause that pain.”

Alex sighed, resting her hand on Jupiter's shoulder. “But the point is, we still spent the time we had together, instead of worrying over those details. We both knew something could happen to either one of us, but we went for it. We had our happiness. And yes, it makes me lonely now, missing them, but at least, for a little while, I was happy. I wasn't alone.”

“Who was it?” Jupiter swallowed the lump, trying to steady her voice. She was a sailor soldier on a mission, damn it, not some teary school girl. And it wasn't so hurtful, really, to be confronted with the issue of her phobias; it was the fact that, even if she found happiness, the pain still loomed. “Was it….was it during the Silver Millennium?” she asked, as they continued on their walk. Already she could see the faint glow of light ahead that meant an open plain, and the second village.

“Yes.” Curt, simple, and to the point.

But, she'd never been known to take the hint, not when it could lead to some juicy detail. She was smiling already in anticipation, brushing past the pain. “Who was it? Did I know him?”

The tall red-head laughed rather ironically. Did she know him, indeed. “Yes, I suppose you did, at that. And that's all I'll say, so don't ask again.”

“Alex-chan, don't hold out on me! After all, you pried into my affairs so easily. I'm allowed to ask questions!”

“So you say.”

“Alex-cha-a-an,” Jupiter wheedled. She heard a gusty sigh.

“No. I'm not telling you about it. It's painful enough to bring it up. And the others….well, that I can chalk up to youth and stupidity. The first one wasn't even a real relationship, for gods' sakes; it was a hope, and it was crushed rather hard.”

“How? I can't imagine you ever being a silly girl, really. You're so smart and mature.” The tall brunette expected at the very least a laugh; instead, all she heard was a faint snort.

The moonlight was almost painful to her eyes as they approached the clearing, and she winced, shading her face. Why, when people would most certainly travel between the two villages, was there no method of false light on the path? It had only occurred to her now. She'd been lighting their way with her ball of lightning, which gave off a small amount of glow, but if she could harness her magic in such a way, surely they could do something to ease travel.

So lost in her thoughts, she was almost startled when Alex spoke again. “Of course I was once a silly girl. It may've been a long time ago, but everyone goes through that phase. And I wasn't necessarily a silly girl when it happened, just naïvely hopeful. After all, I'd gotten to him first, and I thought he felt somewhat similar; I think he did, but I was just too young. And then, I'd stupidly suggested he be nicer to my friend, whom he had to work with, and who was a few years older than me, and he became more than friendly. It was a bit of a blow, but considering that I don't think she was ever aware of it - I don't think anyone else was, except my father - I weathered it pretty well.

“They were rather good for each other, I have to admit. I don't know if I could have done the same for him, honestly.” They stopped at the edge of the clearing, looking into the quiet, sleeping village that bore a remarkable resemblance to the one they'd just left. Only, the houses were bigger overall, and no huge oak centered the village. “After that, I just went out and slept with whoever I met in the clubs who wanted a good fuck.”

Jupiter's reply stuck in her throat. Honestly, she wasn't even sure what she could say to such a statement. She might've eavesdropped on some of the dirtier conversations in the girl's locker rooms at school, knowing her fellow students were playing around with their boyfriends as if they had no concern whatsoever for propriety, but this was different. Never had she had someone flat-out tell her that they'd slept around with no regard for monogamy or even love, not someone she considered a friend. She couldn't even comprehend the morals it took - or lacked, perhaps, was a better way of putting it - to do such a thing. Noticing her silence, Alex said flatly, “You asked. If you didn't want to know—“

“Iie, that's not…well…how could you do such a thing? That's terrible! Not to be at least together and committed before having sex?” she stammered in return.

“I didn't have that option. You don't know, and you couldn't understand. I didn't need the sex, but in those situations, simple closeness wasn't an option. People you meet in bars don't want to just cuddle. They want more, and I gave them that, just to feel someone else with me that wasn't judgmental, that wore their emotions out in the open that I could wrap around me like a blanket so I wasn't alone. If I didn't do it, I'd go crazy; literally crazy.”

Without another word, the tall brunette turned away and walked into the village proper, passing a sign that undoubtedly announced the name, but she couldn't be bothered to look. She felt cold; she felt completely overwhelmed. She didn't want to say anything, because she didn't know what to say that wouldn't sound like disapproval, because she had no right to do such a thing. And she couldn't help but feel that it was wrong for her to feel that way, because she had no understanding of what her mentor went through to be driven to such depths. If Conrad wasn't in her life, beckoning to her with a smile and by simply being there, she wasn't sure if she might not have found herself in the same situation, simply out of loneliness.

Silence seemed better than hypocrisy.

To her credit, Alex seemed to recognize it. They simply walked, their footsteps uneven through the grass and on the hard packed dirt path, all alone in the night as everyone slept. Jupiter was now sorely wishing she was doing the same, instead of going off on this insane mission of love's labor.

“I think that house is where Mary lives.” The tall brunette finally broke the silence with this revelation, pointing through the houses towards the one she meant in particular.

“What makes you say that? The size, the pillars, or the angry looking old man standing at the front door?” Alex replied in amusement. Either she wasn't angry that Jupiter was disturbed with her dallies, or had let it drop, because she certainly didn't sound upset in the least.

And it was definitely some kind of house. Even the two-storied mansion George lived in wasn't quite as grand. This one was built out of stone, like a real castle, complete with the aforementioned pillars, and an elderly, surly looking man standing in front of the door. He had to be Mary's father. “Do you think he'll recognize me as George-san did?” the tall brunette murmured, pausing next to a kidney-shaped pond that sparkled next to the house itself.

“No way to know until we try it.”

“Hai.” Squaring her shoulders, Jupiter walked with confidence up to him. It wasn't a good sign when he turned to look at her with suspicion.

It was an even worse sign when he shoved her back, not even giving her a chance to speak. He was barely taller than her, maybe a centimetre at most, but his width gave him quite a bit to work with, and she nearly stumbled as she fell back. “You must be from Medias village, being a face I've never seen before. We don't talk to people from that village.” As she steadied on her feet, he dealt her another blow, this time hard enough to drop her onto the path, nearly hitting her head as she rocked back. “Leave Mishii village at once! Or I won't be as kind next time you approach me!”

“N-nani!? You didn't even give me a chance!” Jupiter protested, only to wilt as he glared at her. She scrambled up, rubbing her tailbone, backpedaling hastily. “On second thought, maybe I was a bit rude not to announce myself first.” All but running, she beat a hasty retreat. Stopping with a quick pant of exertion, she turned to glance over her shoulder.

He grunted his approval and turned away, scanning the village.

“Well, he didn't recognize you. That could be a plus.” Hands brushed off the bits of grass and dirt as the tall brunette pondered the situation, wondering how to get around him. She had retreated to the opposite side of the pond, safely out of his old eyesight, and all she could see was a single row of windows on this side of the house, all of them on the second floor. Neither of them were lighted, which wasn't surprising; the old man may've been standing guard, but it was barely the end of night. The sky hadn't even coloured with the sun's first rays yet. He must have been quite paranoid that George would try something if he was up and about like some sentinel soldier already.

“Hai, hai, but for him to be up so early just to guard the door? It must be some kind of disagreement,” Jupiter sighed, dropping her eyes.

Something shiny glowed with fading moonlight next to her boot.

She knelt to pick it up immediately, though common sense should have told her it couldn't be the Hi stone; its twin, Kage, didn't even respond. But she held it up higher to see its detail, only to recognize it as the token medallion George had given her, strung on an actual chain and shined to a polish. Someone had taken care of it lovingly. “Alex-chan, look at this!”

“Ano, ne…”

Startled, the tall brunette spun around and onto her feet, holding the token tightly in her hand. “Who's there?”

“Up here! In the window high.”

Looking up, she saw a light on in the window just above her head, when it had been dark only a few moments previous. Framed beautifully by the aged wood was a blonde girl with short bobbed hair and dark eyes, her fingers busy buttoning up her blue dress. She looked as if she'd only just woken up. “May you bring that up here?”

“This token? Is this yours?” Jupiter held it up for confirmation, and, as the girl nodded, she queried as well, “and are you Mary-san?” Another nod, though this one was accompanied by a bright smile. “Then I'll be happy to give it back to you.”

“And here we go, through the window like the prince climbing Rapunzel's hair, only there's no hair, and you're not quite the dashing hero in the storybook,” Alex mocked, lifting her roommate up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside was a sturdy, comfortable room of wood and shelves full of books and knickknacks, and a bed smoothly made. Mary herself seemed full of energy and cheer, reminding them both uncannily of Usagi and Minako; she held out both hands for the token, clasping it to her breast like a favoured, cherished toy. “Thanks to you for bringing this to me,” she said graciously, dropping a curtsey. “I apologize for my father's rudeness.”

“Don't even consider it! His rudeness is his own business, not mine. I came on a mission, after all, and I won't be stopped.”

“But are you from Medias village?” Mary fingered her token anxiously, dark eyes beseeching. “Is it true, my father's words?”

Jupiter gestured, waving the insults aside. “Not truly. I've come from there, on my mission. In exchanging for helping you, I'm hoping you can help me.”

Mary's face lit up like the dawn outside. “George! You come from George!”

“Shhh, not so loud, Mary-san! Your father is upset, ne? We don't want anyone to hear you!” The tall brunette touched a finger to her lips, signaling for quiet, and the blonde bit her lip. Definitely just like Usagi and Minako. “Yes, I've come from George-san. Do you want to see him? I'll take you with me.”

“Nothing would make me happier. To be with George makes my world sweet.” Mary sighed, winding the token's chain around her fingers. “But since our villages have anger, the way is dangerous at night. To keep anyone from talking, the woods have been dark. And now, lately there have been fierce bakemono since my father's anger.”

“The youma picked a good time to come back,” Alex muttered into Jupiter's ear.

For her part, the tall brunette seemed calm at the prospect. After all, dawn was finally breaking, and there would be light; any creature they might encounter she could easily dispatch in such conditions. And she had Alex around to help protect Mary as she fought. “Daijoubu! How do you think I came here? I can fight those monsters easily. I have that power.”

Mary's sweet smile coincided with the sudden pounding on the door. Just as quickly, her face drained of all humour as they heard her father bellow, “Mary! I can hear talking; who is there with you? Not that dirty girl from Medias! Mary!”

“Dirty girl? Nani!? How rude!” Jupiter snapped, looking around quickly. A quick glance out of the window confirmed someone down below, obviously waiting to see if she'd take the same way out as in; kami-sama, but the man was paranoid. The only other way out was the door that Mary's father was currently doing his best to beat down. “Shimatta…trapped.”

“What can we do? George is my happiness. I want to see him!” Mary cried in a plainly heartbroken tone, gripping the token so tightly her knuckles had gone white.

“I'm thinking! I'm thinking!”

“Jupiter, come over here and look at this.” A book had lifted up into the air, tapping on a section of wall opposite the bed. It sounded hollow; as the tall brunette took a second look, she realized it was an old door, plastered over. Only by looking closely could you see the outlines of it through the wall. “Mary, where does this door lead?” the tall red-head queried, apparently unconcerned with the notion that she couldn't be seen.

The blonde's entirely frightened look didn't stop her from stammering, “I don't know,” in reply.

“Well then, let's find out, ne?” Taking a step back - she could barely hear her heels striking the wood anymore, so loud was the pounding - she kicked a hole through the door. Another good blow opened it up further, just wide enough for them to wriggle through. She grabbed Mary's hand and squeezed in, pulling her with.

The dust in the air had them all coughing. It wasn't a room, but a hallway, long forgotten by the layer of dust; several crates sat nearby, which Jupiter appropriated for a simple blockade of the door. “That should do it,” she coughed, waving her hands frantically to clear the air. “They won't follow us, these boxes weigh at least 80 kilos each! Now, to figure out where we are; a secret passageway?”

Mary took a long look around, frowning pensively. “I don't know. This house, it has age; it was built long before I can say. It was the house of every village master.” Thoughtfully putting the token around her neck, she smiled at its dull luster in the darkness. Seeing that, Jupiter looked around herself, finding a small candelabra with old but serviceable candles on a nearby crate. Lighting them with a small spark, the hallway flared into detail around them: wooden paneling on the walls, crates and jugs stacked neatly, sconces on the walls, and a thick layer of dust over everything. “Maybe so, it leads to the old ruins. To the god's house.”

“The god's house?”

Tentatively they began to walk, their footsteps making them the first visitors in untold years. It was rather creepy. Jupiter never would have expected to be roaming an old, maybe haunted, hallway in her search for Nephrite's stone. “Who was the god?” she asked quietly, remembering the oak tree.

“The god was Nephrite.”

Coming to the first turn, Jupiter stopped completely. “Nephrite? The god was Nephrite?” Touching her breast automatically, she looked over her shoulder at Mary's sweet face. “In the old ruins? But the tree told me it never saw him return until his death.”

Mary cocked her head, looking puzzled. “The oak tree of Medias village told this? Surely, it is the god of Medias village. But the god of the ruins was the god of us all. He would be a prince, maybe. And that was his home.”

“So the tree wouldn't have seen him. He would have been going to the ruins instead of the village. And the ruins are probably the remains of the old fortress the Golden Kingdom would have made them build for their generals,” Alex deduced, taking the candelabra easily from the tall brunette's hand. “The stone could have easily returned there.”

“Thank the kami if it did,” Jupiter sighed. Then, seeing Mary's blank stare, she gasped. “Kami-sama, I've been so rude myself…! Mary-san, domo; my name is Sailor Jupiter. The voice you hear is my sensei, the—“

“Alex. I'm not usually invisible like this; it's hard to remember no one can see me at the moment.” The candles dipped in an approximation of a wave, to which Mary curtseyed.

“I'm pleased to meet you. Jupiter-san, I was unsure if you were truly a soldier. I wanted to spare any embarrassment. But who is Alex? Is she a soldier too?”

“Something like that. Now that we're all introduced, can we keep walking? I can hear Mary's father trying to push the crates out of the way.”

In unison, the tall brunette and the shorter blonde turned their heads, as if they'd see his head pop through the hole like a demented jack any minute. “That's an excellent idea,” Jupiter mumbled, turning to see the candles already gone around the corner. “Alex-chan! Matte!”

The corner led to a set of stairs - of which the banister was sagging from the plaster walls; no one dared use it - and another hallway full of the very same crates and jars. It was considerably shorter, as it led to yet another set of stairs, the walls thin enough for them to hear conversation within the house. And the conversation was undeniably angry; it sounded like Mary's father, angry that his daughter had escaped, and that he couldn't follow them. Jupiter hoped and prayed that there were no other identifiable doors into the forgotten passage.

Down at the bottom of the stairs, besides the usual crates and jars, was a door and another corner. A quick peek inside revealed nothing but almost choking dust, the same damned crates, and the same damned jars. Out of curiousity, Jupiter finally cracked one of the crates open. “Uniforms?”

“Well I'll be damned. That's the sigil of the Gold Army. All of the village men must have had their own uniform to march off to battle in, before everything fell. They would be useless now anyway, except for museum pieces.” A soft prod at the fabric produced a slimy muck, at which Jupiter and Mary both gagged in disgust. “Or not,” Alex amended, laughing at their faces. “I guess no one thought to put a protection spell on them.”

“No one would have guessed that the Silver Millennium's destruction would be their downfall as well,” Jupiter said softly.

Down the hall further they found a table with a row of moldering books that looked to be, at best guess, chronicles of the general and the Golden Kingdom. They were so far gone as to be unreadable however, the pages so soft they left fingerprint indentations, the words slurred together. Empty barrels that most likely held water also filled the hallway, their insides moldy and reeking horribly of rot. All three were holding their noses by the time they reached the door at the very end, a heavy affair with a crossbar lock that had to weigh several hundred kilos. Jupiter nearly killed herself lifting it up.

Braced for yet another hallway and the ubiquitous crates and jars, they were pleasantly surprised to find themselves looking into a stone cavern instead. “Ara, we're underground,” Jupiter remarked, taking a deep breath of chill, clean air. A drop of water splashed on her head, and she added, “and it's wet.”

“Most underground caverns are, Jupiter.”

“Oh, but fascination! The ruins are hard to find. Only foolhardy and silly types find ways in. They're hidden by time passed.” Mary picked up her skirt, which was trailing in the damp, and carefully dipped a hand into the rippling pool next to the path. It seemed ridiculous to scold her, so they let her be; the water was probably cleaner than the sanitized, boiled H20 that came out of their pipes at home.

Fetching a smaller crate down the hallway, they tucked it into the doorway to keep the door from closing completely - who knew if they'd have to retreat back into the house - and continued walking. The path had long ago been paved with brick, though time and growth had rendered it slippery as an ice rink. “Railings would have been a smart idea,” the tall brunette grumbled after she fell for the fourth time, knocking her knee into the stone wall. (Which had come after the creative cursing she'd let loose with after the third time she'd gone down.) “I'll be bruised and sore tonight for this.”

“But it's an adventure!” Mary said with a clap of her hands, completely oblivious to Alex's snort. “All will be well.”

Such a statement never boded well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You know, it's amazing how utterly and beautifully green the 21st century is. The queen could have brought this back to us. Her power and that damnable stone could have done it. And yet, our families toiled in the cold for the will of a dominating bitch.”

Marduk swung her legs lazily as she sat high within the oak tree, holding up to the sun a piece of what looked like green glass cut octagonal. Within its depths, a swirl of power was visible, though you had to be of a keen eye to see it. “And for the want of this chunk of gem, a soldier would fight me. Even without the ability to travel in time to see the result, they're utterly, boringly, predictable.”

She had been finally amused to find the stone high up within this particular tree, after exiting the ruins in the middle of Sin's lecture on the mission and responsibility: “Marduk, you need to have faith in this. Simply killing her does not accomplish our goals—“

Blah, blah. The girl needed to simply stop talking for a while. Marduk was growing weary of arguing with her. She'd left without another word, leaving Sin to most likely stew over the fact she'd had the audacity to do it, and found herself wandering into Medias. Taking absolutely no notice of the fact that it was still dark out, she cast out a net of her power, searching for an inkling of the stone. Much to her surprise, she found it fairly easily. All it had taken was a quick wander in through the front of the tree, as the inside was carefully hollowed out - and yet, the tree was alive! - and up the carved sets of stairs to this particular wide branch.

There it had sat, as if someone had carelessly thrown it up.

So now she had the stone, and she had to merely wait for Jupiter.

She'd taken to watching the sun rise, and it was indeed beautiful in a way the sunrises at home couldn't compare. In the coldness of the surviving world, the sun always rose with a gleam across the ice and snow, turning everything bright and sparkly. Not much stood in the way of its rise; not buildings, not large trees, not much at all.

Here, the trees did block it, but it gave it a subtle mystery; the appearance of the sun came after a good hour of lead-in, the sky colouring beautifully beforehand, signaling its approach. And perhaps being this far north gave it a different look as well. It also signaled the awakening of the village beneath her feet, but she took about as much notice of them as an ant hill.

Abruptly, she felt the song of one of her charmed rocks, alerting her to Jupiter's arrival at the ruins. Curious; she hadn't expected the tall brunette to deduce their existence quite so fast. It meant a quicker end to this ridiculous mission, but it was still a bit startling. Standing, she stretched her arms and back, reaching for the sky with her fingers. “Ara ara, Jupiter, you've done better than expected,” she sighed. Tucking the stone within her pocket, she called on her gifted magic and teleported back to the ruins.

Already she heard voices as she re-appeared, standing inside the largest building; she had searched it thoroughly, concluding that it must have been the main house, for all the time she'd spent staring at it. Her footprints still marked the floor. She hadn't been able to read the markings over the doorway either, which had caused her no end of anger. “This is the home of Nephrite, ne, Mary-san?”

The sweet blonde nodded her head, holding up her skirts with both hands - a fruitless gesture, Marduk noted, as the hem was dark with wet and mud. Both girls looked as if they'd gone for a tumble on the slick stones; perhaps a youma had shown up. The deadwood-haired brunette had no idea where the monsters would show up, as she merely opened up time for them to come through. “Yes, Jupiter. This would be the god's home.”

“Quite a place, too,” a third voice remarked, and Marduk cursed silently. The Guardian, damn her. Whatever time had done to her had not stopped her from meddling. “They even put his face above the door.”

Coming closer, she could see Jupiter leaning up on tiptoe to look at the very image: a carved and painted likeness of the general in profile, in the white royal uniform of Earth. “What does it say, Alex-chan?” she queried.

“'Here is the house of our lord and master. Nephrite. The general of some name I can't pronounce, one of the four holy kings of our sovereign.'”

“'Some name you can't pronounce'?”

“Hey, Earthen dialects could have named the province, you know. Just because I may have known a few of them doesn't mean I can read them, or pronounce the colloquial.”

Marduk ground her teeth in frustration. So close; the idiot girl had no idea she was even there! Complete carelessness in the 21st century! Sin and her simpleton's plan was folly, and yet, she had to follow it. Clenching her fists to keep from lashing out, she stepped forward and into view, a truly mocking smile lighting her face. “Yare, yare, Sailor Jupiter. I didn't expect you to find this place so very quickly.”

Jupiter leapt back quicker than she expected, placing herself in front of Mary. Dropping into a defensive stance, she snapped, “I'm hardly stupid. You must be one of them. Tell me who you are and what you're doing here!”

“Tell you who I am? Not this time. And the Guardian had better not touch me, or I'll never reveal to you the location of your precious stone.” Marduk smirked as she felt the subtle touch of air across her skin, signaling someone close by. “Hai, I know she's here.”

“Then impress us. Or I'll simply take the information out of your head,” the voice said coolly next to her ear; despite herself, she actually shivered. Jupiter she understood well as a soldier following orders, generally soft otherwise; but the Guardian sounded as if she truly meant it. Again she cursed Sin and her plan.

Shaking it off, she focused on Jupiter again. “The stone isn't here. I've already looked. And a fitting tomb for a man steeped in deceit and treachery, I'm destroying this cavern shortly. So I suggest you all leave, before this game is unfortunately cut short by a bad case of death.” Laughing at her own joke, she lifted her hand, firing a bolt of energy up through the roof, and into the cavern ceiling itself. The entire place shook with the impact, and as they reeled, she teleported away before they could stop her.

Mary screamed, covering her head as rocks tumbled down. Jupiter assessed the situation quickly before her mentor even said a word, grabbed the blonde and threw her over her shoulder, and ran like hell. Marduk's old footsteps led them away from the ruins, and they followed them almost desperately as the cavern fell to pieces behind them, destroying possibly every trace of Nephrite's history. “That was a ridiculous gesture,” Alex gasped as they continued to run, trying to outrace the plume of dust and dirt that followed them.

“I don't like her,” was all Jupiter said in return, not quite as winded as the tall red-head, but finding it hard to run with a wriggling girl draped over her shoulder.

The tunnel finally began to slope upward, the bright sunshine visible through an open exit hole. A set of steps led up to it, and Jupiter set Mary down so they could ascend properly and give her arm a rest. Alex made some sort of noise and collapsed promptly into the grass once they were out. “Guhhuuuuhhhh.”

Jupiter leaned back against a huge boulder, catching her own breath; from the looks of the dirt, the boulder had once covered up the exit, but had recently been shoved aside. Marduk's doing, most likely. She was indeed tired and sore, not only from their marathon and her tumbles, but a youma had attacked them halfway to the ruins, and she was also sporting a nice slash across the back of her calf from it. Being a matchmaker was tougher than she thought.

A shadow darkened her face. Whipping her head up, she was beat to the punch as Mary cried, “George!” and flung herself at the startled young man, nearly knocking him back into the lake. The lake? Puzzled, Jupiter craned her head, spotting across the way the very fire pit and shelter she'd made, confirming that they had made it all the way back to Marine Lake. Kami-sama, they'd walked all the way back to the damned lake….

“Jupiter, thanks to you for bringing Mary to me.” Blinking, she realized George was talking to her, though the kick to her shin should have alerted her. “We're both now very happy!”

“You don't need to thank me. It was all I could do to help. But, it doesn't solve the problem of your marriage at all. Is it possible to make everyone forget the argument between your villages?” And was it possible for her to finally get on with her own mission? Even if she was dedicated to the idea of their happiness through her intervention, she was also beginning to itch at the bit over the Hi stone. And that Oppositio Soldier needed some discipline taught to her.

Mary and George looked at each other in a moment of bewilderment.

Alex sighed, from wherever she lay. “What pissed off the villages in the first place?”

“We don't know,” they echoed.

Jupiter huffed a bit of hair out of her face. “That doesn't help. Maybe we could try an exchange of gifts for peace?”

“Just as long as it isn't fruitcake,” Alex noted dryly.

They remained in silence for several minutes, thinking it over. Having no clue of the marriage rituals in the village, the two had no clue what to suggest, and the happy couple just seemed content enough to gaze into each other's eyes. After a few more minutes, they were practically eating one another with their looks, and Jupiter coughed loudly to interrupt them; she felt a tad bit jealous, that was for sure. “Is there anything we could give Mary's father to soothe him?” she queried after getting their attention.

“Perhaps, there is the stone of the general,” George finally offered. “The god of protection could tell us.” Jupiter's brow twitched.

“But I need to take the stone back to Japan with me! Though I suppose, if we offer it at least, I can still retrieve it, ne? It's only a symbol.” The tall brunette smiled; finally, they were getting somewhere. She'd get the happy couple together, and find the stone at the same time. “Is the god of protection the large oak tree?” she then queried, remembering the incident from earlier.

“It is. Though we'll need to crafty. Everyone is forbidden from going up to the sunlit branches, as my father says.” Jupiter frowned.

“Why?”

“It is as he says.” George shrugged, obviously having never considered the reasons why.

“Fine, fine.” Jupiter waved it off, looking to the blonde attached to his arm. “Mary, will you wait here for us while we find the stone?” Her brow crinkled as Mary shook her head. “Why not? You can't come with us, surely; George-san's father could see you and get angry.”

Mary only smiled, leaning up to kiss George on the cheek. “I'll return to the house. Why, father may be very angry now! I'll be taking my wait there. Surely you will all arrive soon with the stone. And we finally will marry!” Kissing him again, she reluctantly released his arm, then flung herself back to kiss him one last time before picking up her skirts and disappearing into the woods.

They watched her go, though the tall brunette was rather annoyed that she'd gone through all the trouble to get Mary out of the house, and there she was, going right back. Comparisons no longer stood in the face of the girl's complete naïveté; even Usagi wouldn't be so thoroughly dense. And now she had another long trek through the woods to return to Medias, and the oak, to look forward to, when all she really wanted to do now was fall back onto the grass and sleep.

In fact, she was already lying down on the soft green, snuggled up on her side. Maybe just a nap, they wouldn't mind. The sweetest warmth enveloped her from head to toe, and she sighed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several hours later, they were back in Medias. Jupiter was solidly convinced that she had to have lost at least several kilos over the last day from walking and running. It was just too bad she wasn't on a diet regimen so she could at least feel victorious about it. She would've gladly kept the weight on as a trade for a day of sedentary. Her short nap was definitely not going to cut it.

Walking through the village during the daytime was a startling contrast to the quiet, somber night; though it had to be a ridiculously small population, it looked as though everyone was outside. Children ran in circles chasing one another, laughing as they played tag; women in long skirts stood in doorways talking with one another, or carrying baskets of laundry. Men clustered together in conversation. And every single one of them stopped what they were doing to watch Jupiter and George walk past, heading for the oak. “So much for stealth,” Alex muttered.

“Just what I was thinking,” the tall brunette sighed.

As they approached the tree, several people actually appeared to be heading to cut them off. “Not good,” George remarked, not in the least bit subtle with his own staring. “Father must have announced his rules lately. They would try to halt us.”

“They can't stop if they don't see us. Keep walking.” George gave the tall brunette an odd look as her mentor said that, but complied at her nod.

Glancing over her shoulder, Jupiter watched as the people who had been following them began to blink in confusion, slowing their pace. Apparently, Alex was still more than adept at using her mental powers, even in her ghostly form. Considering the size of the crowd, it was quite an accomplishment. “Alex-chan, sugoi,” she whispered, earning a nudge in the ribs. “Can you do that to everyone?”

The tall red-head snorted. “Why do you think no one else is chasing us? Now hurry up, I can't keep doing this forever. Their minds run a little bit like yours; quite a bit of static. I can't keep holding on much longer.” She gave Jupiter another nudge, pushing her along.

George led them to the opening in the trunk which, in the darkness of night, they had taken no notice of; a perfectly round arch long worn smooth by the touch of thousands of hands. Past it and inside was somewhat humid, the living wood of the tree having soaked up the sun's heat and the wet nutrients from the ground. The dirt was hard packed from the footsteps of the same people, almost shiny.

Jupiter ran her eyes along the walls with an almost glowing awe, amazed at the union of mad-made and nature; the oak, the very one she had spoken to, was still alive despite the hollowing of her core. She could feel it. And, as she removed her glove slowly and touched the soft wall, she felt it return her acknowledgement lovingly. Yes, it was still alive. “Amazing,” she sighed, removing her hand and sliding her glove back on.

“Isn't it, though? It constantly amazes me, the longer I remain in this century.”

Marduk smiled slyly as she leaned against the wall, watching George's face as it turned several shades of confused and suspicious. After all, she was no one he had ever seen before, and yet, she was in their sacred tree. She smiled even wider as he took a threatening step closer, hands balling into fists. “Ara ara, Jupiter, it looks as if your friend is threatening me.”

“He isn't the only one, after all.” Marduk's eyes opened wide in sudden fear as she was flung bodily up tight against the wall, limbs pinned roughly in an X shape. “Just the only one who can't fling around a bit of power.”

“How cruel of you, Guardian-sama; may I call you that? Surely I'm allowed.”

“Nope.”

She shook her head in despair, sighing. “How cruel.”

Jupiter frowned, taking a step forward. The growing sensation of the Kage stone at her breast responding to the Hi stone was not quite painful; quite strangely soothing, really. But it told her what she needed to know. “You have something I've been looking for. If you hand it over nicely, we won't need to fight.”

“Aren't you so sure of yourself? But I forget; you're the same as me, at times. Always so straightforward. The strong soldier, who thinks with her fists.” Her smile gone, Marduk was pensive as she hung in her restraints. “Possibly, like many others who never gave it a thought.”

She shut her eyes as she recalled that particular day, walking aimlessly through the streets of their lonely city. After all of the fighting and the suffering, everyone seemed to classically forget what had happened; that the Black Moon had disturbed them at all. It was so very Tokyo to cast aside any suspicions or fears.

After a while, she had come upon a pair talking in the shadow of a recently restored shop, arms full of its wares - shoes, if she remembered correctly - completely oblivious to her presence. “Our queen has been good to us in all these years after the ice,” one, a young woman, had said quite innocently. She looked as if she'd never really had to work hard, like so many others; most likely she'd been smart enough to focus in the restoration of business than labor. Marduk might have ignored them as she always had, but the words stopped her in her tracks. Their queen? Good to them?

“Hai, hai! After all, the power of the holy stone is so marvelous to keep us in peaceful times. Where would we be, if our silver queen had no Ginzuishou?”

“Where would we be? Where, you say? Possibly, still in a lovely green world, where enemies and demons were not attacking us for that very power!” She'd strode right in between them, forcing them apart to stare at her in appalled fascination. “What has that power done, except for lure the very evil that caused the ice? The fabled demons of the Dark Kingdom…the Black Moon, who so recently destroyed us…the legendary aliens of the Death Busters! And at the end, the enemy Death Phantom! What madness infects you all that remembers its power as a blessing, instead of the curse it truly is?”

Both of them had done nothing but gape; as she expected. Disgusted, she'd turned away, leaving them to stare in their stupidity, and returned the way she had come. “How do they live with themselves? How can they not see so plainly?”

“They cannot see, when they've been blinded by the radiance of a holy stone.”

“Nani…? Who is that? Reveal yourself!” The voice had simply laughed.

“I understand you now, young lady. Your disgust for those around you as they cavort in ignorance.” Marduk had looked away, searching for a body to match the voice; the only ones she encountered were the two idiots down the road, still staring at her. Most likely they now thought she was insane for talking to herself. As if it mattered to her what they thought.

She turned back around, facing an empty row of buildings and, rising above all, the tall spires of the palace. “Ignorance, yes. If only they looked back into history….! The books are there, saved from the ice. Mercury gave us all the key to their treachery, and no one looks for the truth. Everything repeats.”

“Ara ara, you truly have my notice. It's true what you say; that the Ginzuishou and its power are the cause of suffering. I, Shaman Apsu, am gathering people like yourself for a special purpose. We must reclaim history. We must prevent the battles for the holy stone. Will you help us?”

“Sou yo. I'll gladly do this. If you have such magic to prevent those tragedies, I'll gladly fight, Shaman Apsu.”

“Then come, to my hands…..”

“….to your hands, Apsu-sama,” Marduk whispered, as she opened her eyes. “Hai. Never forget the treachery. Sailor Jupiter!” she said in a louder voice, lifting her head. “You may have come this far, much to my surprise, but you won't go any further.” Tensing her muscles, she called upon the power Apsu had given her, wrenching her body free. She heard a stifled curse and smiled, knowing she had hurt the Guardian. “The stone is mine, Jupiter!”

She fled upwards on the carved staircase as Jupiter shouted for her to stop, smiling wider as she felt the presence of youma; it would keep them busy. “Come back!” Jupiter shouted again, watching her vanish from sight. “Shimatta!”

“Jupiter, we have company! Stop yelling after the damned bitch, we'll catch her later!” Alex snapped, and the tall brunette turned around to see a pair of slender figures appear in the middle of the tree.

“Youma….!? Inside of the protection god?”

Both figures smiled. Tall and slender, they mirrored one another perfectly; a male and female with bald, smooth heads, their skin blue and gleaming. With a gesture, they raised a sudden and startling fog so thick and hot it left them gasping for air. “Sailor soldier,” the female sighed into the mist.

“The element of lightning is thwarted by the element of water. This will be your proper end.” The male's voice echoed across the hollow as a hand loomed from the fog, snatching at George's face. It was slapped away by an invisible blow, and he scowled fiercely. “Another.”

“Flower Hurricane!” The storm of petals cut through the fog easily, though they were dodged by the female with ease. Hitting the opposite wall, Jupiter cringed as the oak's pain ripped through her awareness as loudly as if she'd been bodily touching the tree itself. She felt a moment's confusion as she realized that she had to be more careful, completely unaware that the male was right behind her.

The fierce blow he dealt her head had her seeing stars. She crumpled onto her knees, gasping in pain. “Kami-sama, ittaaiii,” she moaned, bracing herself to roll to the side, avoiding another hit. But she could still barely see in front of her due to the haze, and once she rolled twice, she was out of sight. “Alex-chan!”

“Conveniently, they have nothing for me to sense, so don't look to me for help!” the tall red-head shouted across the room. “You're on your own.”

Oh, hell. She rolled again as she heard a whistle of air, though she was admittedly straining to hear it; her ears were still ringing. Raising a hand, she scattered her deadly petals again, smiling in triumph as she heard the female yowl in pain. “You're not as helpful as I expected, sensei!” she retorted as she leapt to her feet, fingers searching for a body. She caught a slender wrist, which she then yanked close. Calling power to her free hand, she pressed it against a soft breast as the youma hissed.

“We've come again to defeat you, sailor soldier. Death does not stop the loyal.”

Jupiter only tightened her grip as she struggled and murmured, “Flower Hurricane.”

Surprisingly, there was no big explosion or gooey mess; merely a puff of ash that scattered immediately. Frowning at the ease with which she'd defeated one - though if they were Beryl's reborn creatures, she was admittedly more powerful than she'd been facing them the first time - she opened her hand to let the rest float away. “Youma! I've already destroyed one of you. I won't hesitate to destroy the one who remains who dared desecrate this sacred tree.”

Calling power to her hand, ready to face the lone creature, she was quite puzzled to see the fog lift. Soon she could see George's face as he cleaved to the wall, looking around in curiousity; he caught her eye and shrugged. “Is it over, Sailor Jupiter?”

She looked down at the scattered ashes. Then, a second mess of ash that lay near the door. How amazing. She fought back a relieved laugh, trying not to shake her head at the absurdity. “I guess so, George-san. That's the first set of twin creatures I've ever seen do that. Usually, we have to kill them both.”

“Be grateful for small favours, n'eh?” Alex's voice laughed from the stairs. “Though I don't think I've seen it before either. I like it.”

“Hai, hai. Now, let's go! We have to get the Hi stone!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The deadwood-haired brunette watched as they came out of the darkness of the tree, walking across the wide branch, looking none the worse for wear. “Surprise, surprise.”

“So you say. Now, the Hi stone.” Jupiter held out her hand, not really expecting to receive the stone, but she wouldn't be adverse to having it so easily.

“How silly! Do you honestly expect me to just hand it over? Sailor Jupiter, you've gone from surprising me to disappointing me.” Marduk's disappointed headshake was hardly unexpected. She took a step back, removing from her pocket a glinting green object which she held up to the light. Through the soft leaves, the sunlight turned it into fire. Teasingly, she tipped it to catch a particular ray, looking away as it became too bright to even look at. “You'll have to fight me for it if you want….it….n-n-nani!?” she stammered.

The sudden tremble of the oak knocked them all off their feet. Marduk cursed as their branch nearly bent in half, throwing them in opposite directions; she went down. The sky flashed before her eyes as she fell, watching their horrified faces grow smaller, tumbling to land in a painful heap in the shallow water. Free of her hand, the Hi stone landed in the grass, a shining speck she could hardly see. She couldn't yet move; her body was screaming at her for being so damned stupid and refused to budge for pain.

Jupiter landed a minute later, holding an embarrassed George in her arms. Marduk wasn't surprised to see him snatch up the stone. “Thank the kami we've gotten it,” the tall brunette cheered, smiling at him. “Now, your fathers won't argue over this.”

A white rage blurred Marduk's vision, and she forced herself up onto her hands and knees, spitting out water. “Iie! You're not getting away that easily! I may have stumbled and lost the stone, but I challenge you! You won't walk away from this.” Crawling onto the bank, she nearly slipped and fell on her face as the mud under her boots squished smooth. She was dirty, in pain, and growing more pissed by the minute, and she would have blood. “Fight me, Sailor Jupiter! I am the Oppositio Soldier Marduk; I am your adversary!”

The tall brunette stared at her curiously for a moment, head cocked. When Marduk's glare grew vicious, she turned her glance away. “Alex-chan, go with George-san. You need to take the stone to Mary-san and her father. I'll join you later, ne?”

“Are you sure, Jupiter?” The tall red-head was at Jupiter's right, Marduk deduced. “You don't have to fight her. We've got the stone.”

Jupiter shook her head. “Iie. I'll do it. Just go, and take George-san with you, to safety.”

“As if I'd hurt your precious male,” Marduk finally sneered, watching as he passed her by, eyeing her with similar contempt. Once they'd gone and were safely out of earshot, she turned back to the sailor soldier who was still giving her that annoyingly curious look. “Now come on, Jupiter! I didn't come here to have you stare at me like some idiot child.”

“Why are you so angry? I haven't done anything to you. Not yet. The Sailor Jupiter of the 30th century is not me.” The tall brunette looked away again, noting out of the corner of her eye that they were the center of attention. Oh well; at least she could tell them that one of the legendary sailor soldiers was ridding their village of a dangerous enemy. It was certainly an excuse she longed to be able to use in Tokyo sometimes. “The oak can feel your anger. Even nature rejects such hatred.”

Marduk choked on her sudden laugh, eyes growing wide. “Are you trying to tell me that the tree deliberately threw me off? Yare yare; you must think me as stupid as the rest of the sheep. It won't save you from my intentions! Dark Thunder!”

The attack threw Jupiter back across the stream even as she raised her arms to block the blow, landing painfully on the hard packed dirt. Biting back her cry of pain, she simply shook her head. “That kind of fierce attack won't work on me, Marduk. Supreme Thunder!” she shouted, flinging her power back at the deadwood-haired brunette, using the recoil to roll backwards and onto her feet.

Most of the village had to be gathered now, watching as they eyed one another warily, separated by the soft trickle of water. Tossing her head back, Marduk smiled grimly. “I suppose you're faster in this time than I expected. But I was given the power to match you; iie, to defeat you! Apsu-sama promised me that!” She sprung forward, leaping the stream as Jupiter backpedaled, slamming into her like a wrestler; they both went down, punching and kicking each other. “But I can't argue with my regular method!”

“Too bad it's a flawed skill!” the tall brunette countered, catching her fist. She planted her boot in Marduk's gut, rolling back again to fling her up and off. As they landed, they exchanged blows again once they got to their feet; though Jupiter knew she had plenty of training to one-up the girl, Marduk had the element of surprise on her side. An untrained fighter was unpredictable and almost worse than one trained. “Why do you have to fight me? No matter what, I'll have to defeat you. My duty is to discard people like you who would destroy our planet.”

“Destroy! I'd call it more an act of protection, ridding this planet of the holy stone. Hearing you say that only means you can't see the truth, just like everyone else.” Marduk grunted as she caught a punch across the chin, returning the blow to Jupiter's shoulder. “You're as brainwashed as the rest of them! Dark Thunder!”

“Flower Hurricane!”

The two attacks collided as they leapt out of the way, ripping apart the grass. People were screaming; several branches caught on fire, and Jupiter flinched at the oak's wail of distress. “Gomen nasai,” she whispered faintly, dodging another blast of lightning as she backtracked over the stream. “Marduk! Stop this! With these people standing around…”

“So what? If our mission is a success, they'll never remember this. Don't try to talk your way out of this fight.” Another volley of lightning was sent Jupiter's way, blocked by a hastily thrown Coconut Cyclone.

The tall brunette retreated further, trying to think. What could she do to bring an end to the battle without hurting the oak or anyone else? With the villagers so close, she didn't dare throw her lightning anymore, and her other attacks simply couldn't continue blocking Marduk's vicious power. And that was all she seemed to have in her repertoire; lightning, as benefiting a god of thunderstorms.

Her eyes drifted down towards her boots. The girl was standing in a particularly soggy patch of ground as she glared at Jupiter, hands clenched into fists. Lightning sparked, but of course, didn't effect her in the same manner as it would a human; there was magic, and there was nature. Her own lightning wouldn't harm her.

So Jupiter called down the sky.

Raising her hands, she reached for the clouds that hung in the blue sky, praying that her god would hear. “Jupiter-sama, send me your power. Lightning, that which I call my own, strike! The soldier of Jupiter is asking for your help!” she cried, spreading her fingers, reaching deep inside her soul to that place where her magic resided, reaching for the knowledge of storms and their explosive power. Somehow, she knew she could do this; Jupiter had known; Jupiter had called down the lightning from the skies.

Marduk had the oddest look on her face; a look which quite plainly said she was terrified. It was entirely out of place on her, though it was quickly replaced by one of pain as the skies split, and the lightning found its mark.

It missed her by two metres.

But the shock, traveling through soggy ground and wet feet and up and up, threw her quite far.

Jupiter lowered her arms. “If it weren't for our particular powers, you could have been killed,” she murmured to the wind. “If I weren't so kind, instead of the cruel person you think of me, you would have been killed.”

Far off, she could see Marduk struggling up onto her feet, surrounded by a loose crowd of people. She pounded her fists into the ground, letting loose a frustrated scream; then she shouted, “This isn't the end, Sailor Jupiter! Maybe my power doesn't match yours, but I'll still defeat you!” With that proclamation, she vanished.

“Of course,” the tall brunette sighed. Scraping the mud off her boots, she turned to the oak and removed her glove to touch the bark. When the oak's relief at her safety flooded through her, she had to smile and laugh. “Arigatou! I'm glad you're safe as well. I was quite worried for a while.”

It wished her well before she removed her hand, and she bowed to it properly in respect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Shut up, you boring old man!”

“Are you telling me to shut up! You shut up! You caused all of this!”

“Kami-sama, they're both cranky old men,” Jupiter groaned, palming her face as they continued to hurl insults at one another. She wasn't sure if it was a positive sign to realize she understood everything they said, instead of mentally puzzling out their archaic words. It mostly meant she couldn't block them out.

She had gone back to George's house to see if he was waiting for her, only to find him and his father together. When they had told the old man where they had found the Hi stone, he had, to put it kindly, gone into conniptions ranting and raving about “that guy.” Frankly, she wasn't convinced she was hearing it right, and he was in fact cursing. “I'll bet it's his fault! All his fault!” he fumed, pounding his fist on the table. “We'll go there right now!”

So they ended up walking to Mishii village in silence, punctuated by the old man's completely random comments. It was, despite that, a lovely walk; the sunlight gave the trees a particularly lively glow, and it was certainly less creepy than it had been several hours earlier. George had said absolutely nothing except for, “I hope Mary is happy.” Alex had been so silent that the tall brunette had almost completely forgotten she was there.

They walked right up to Mary's front door where the old man then proceeded to barge right in before she or George could protest, walked right up to Mary's father, and shouted, “In the tree!? You jerk!” And it had just snowballed from there.

Half an hour passed before they finally began to simmer down and started speaking in tones reserved for decent conversation. “This guy wanted to marry my sister, can you imagine that? My loving sister! I couldn't stand for that!” Mary's father said, gesturing rather rudely at George's father.

“Of course you could have! You were just jealous!”

“I was not! She was my sister!”

The tall brunette twitched an eyebrow as Alex groaned next to her. “Mon Dieu, not again. Am I cursed to eternally point out the obvious? First cousins, for gods' sakes! Why didn't either of you old bats ever bother to tell your children that?” she queried.

Both men seemed obvious to the fact she was invisible, or maybe they were as accepting as George had been; neither batted an eye. “Well, I didn't want George to marry her anyway!” his father argued.

“And I didn't want Mary to marry him either!” her father retorted.

“So, all these years and arguments came from you two being mad at each other? That's it?” Jupiter asked quickly, hoping to stave off another round of name calling. The happy couple, for their part, seemed somewhat dazed; they stared across the room at each other as if seeing the other for the first time.

Mary's father glared at her, as if she'd said something entirely rude herself. “Of course not! That's stupid! I just wanted nothing to do with them, if they were going to take my sister away! But it didn't matter, even after I hid the Nephrite stone. He still married her.”

“I knew it! All of my words came true after all! It was you who stole it from the ruins! You threw it up into the branches of our protection god!” George's father howled, pointing his finger in accusation.

“QUIET!” Jupiter shouted over both of them. They cowed instantly, backing away from her. She glared at each of them in turn. “This is ridiculous. If I understand, the village chief from Medias wanted to marry the sister of the village chief of Mishii, ne? The chief of Mishii didn't want that, so he stole the Nephrite stone to stop the marriage, but no one knew it was him. So the chief from Medias married her anyway, but made up bad stories about the chief of Mishii because he thought he was guilty. And because of this, the two villages have been rivals since the marriage?”

When they simply nodded, she shook her head in despair. “What a kind of grudge! Mary-san, George-san, you'll have to tell everyone the truth. Tell everyone in the villages what happened between the chiefs so this rivalry will end. And I want you two to apologize!”

“You want me to apologize to him?” George's father said incredulously.

“I won't apologize to him until he apologizes to me!” Mary's father retorted, folding his arms.

“Me? You apologize first!”

“What? You apologize first!”

“You started this! You apologize first!”

“No, you started this! You apologize first!”

“No, you first!”

“No, you!”

“No, you!”

“No, you!”

“No, you!”

They froze in mid-shout as Jupiter grabbed them both by the shoulders and hauled them in close, yelling, “Will you just apologize already!?” She let go as they reluctantly shook hands, continuing to glare all the while. “There; was that so terrible?”

“It doesn't make me any happier,” Mary's father muttered. Jupiter rolled her eyes; she could hear Alex snickering.

“Nothing would, at this point. Now, will you stop this rivalry? The villages have suffered for your stupidity.”

“Yes, yes,” George's father grumbled. “But I'm not happy about it.”

Jupiter sighed, glancing at George. He was still staring at his bride to be, though the tall brunette wasn't sure if everything had turned out as wonderfully as she'd hoped. She may have put an end to the rivalry, but the happy couple had turned out to be the happy first cousins instead. That had to put a real damper on their relationship. “George-san, is this all right? Mary-san, are you happy?”

Mary looked at her with a sad, sad smile. “I'm not sure.”

“I don't know either. Why couldn't our fathers tell us? They knew of our love. Now this.” George reached into his pocket, removing the Hi stone. He hefted it, staring into its green depths for a long moment before he held it out to her. “Perhaps this was meant to be. After all, you came for this stone. It's no longer ours to hold sacred.”

“George-san….I'm sorry. I really meant for you to be happy.” She accepted the stone, deftly touching it to its partner. They merged into one marvelous gem in a show of light, a perfectly oval green. Tucking it back into her bodice, she kissed him on the cheek. “Arigatou, George-san. Please find happiness.”

“You're a very peculiar girl, Sailor Jupiter. I wish you could stay.” He smiled at her, and, as he turned his eyes to Mary, she could see the look in his eye; cousins or not, they loved each other, and were unlikely to stop. “But even if you don't, we'll find our way.”

“Hai, hai. I have faith in you.”

They crowded the door to watch her leave, waving, looking like any normal happy family. She only looked back once to wave back, laughing to herself suddenly. “What's so funny, chere?” Alex asked, as she continued to giggle.

“Happiness. You can find it everywhere, can't you? Even in such a strange situation.” She laughed again, now quite happy herself, as they headed home.