All disclaimers apply where needed.
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Aello {1/2}
aka: Flash of Lightning
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"Why are you afraid of me?"
Jupiter looked at the warrior before her with lidded eyes, a gloved hand still pressed against her shoulder as the dagger bit into her flesh, with bright, fierce eyes glaring at her opponent. The dagger was, funnily enough, her own; Uranus had given it to her, during one of the few training sessions where the distant pair had arrived to spar. The battle had been fierce, though Uranus had won, but was impressed by Jupiter's fighting spirit, however hard she had try to keep that fact from showing. It was magical, of course, sleek and made of a strong gem that had no name but resembled the earth mineral, emerald. The handle was solid gold, emblazoned with the sign of Jupiter surrounded by oak leaves. Everything about it spoke of Jupiter: the strength and power behind the beauty, the fighter's green and the symbolism of truth the oak represented. She was Jupiter and couldn't be mistaken for any other.
Now it was used against her. The man had been too quick, too powerful and had the upper hand of surprise when he had pounced on her. After a quick, but intense battle, he had pushed her back, slamming her into a broken pillar and thrown her fallen weapon into her shoulder to keep her from unleashing her magic.
The moments were flying too quickly. A moment ago, she had been the loyal Sailor Jupiter, strong and sincere, with her Senshi friends regaining hope that perhaps they could win this war. Her friends had separated from her and various flashes of lights spoke about their progress. Uranus and Neptune had always pressed into them that remaining as a team to coordinate their efforts was more important than being solitary seemed to be forgotten. Even if they were to split, going in pairs was preferable. Inside her mind, she could imagine several multicolored lights: yellow, blue, and red with a shimmering white that took priority over everything else.
The blue flickered briefly, weakened, and faded away.
A moment ago, Mercury had been alive.
Now, Jupiter found her spirit dwindling, the fight weakening and her power drained. She was tired; her body ached from magical and physical wounds alike. Now, she had a knife, her own, no less, stuck into her shoulder and the triumphant enemy standing before her. Now, Jupiter found the prospect of death, defeat and failure an all too real reality.
"I'm not afraid of you." She said, glaring at him with her large, emerald eyes that were narrowed into mere slits.
"You're eyes tell differently, Senshi, and eyes are said to reflect the soul, you're true feelings."
Jupiter started. This was a Dark Kingdom soldier? She looked over the man carefully. The crisp, dull gray uniform was monotonous and simple enough; she had seen more of the other warriors slain were much the same cut. The shirt was buttoned up neatly, one flap overlapping the other, and the high, stiff collar protected him somewhat from the Moon's chill now that all power went into defense against the Dark Kingdom's onslaught. The long pants were surprisingly still clean, free from blood, and free from tears despite the mauling she had seen him do to one of the Lunar guards. Simple shoes, shiny and black, protected his feet. Overall, just like any other warrior.
That had been her first impression.
Unlike others, his uniform was lined with an elegant red, almost the shade of blood, and he was taller than most, towering over her so that she was forced to lift her chin proudly to stare into his eyes. His face reminded her of an honored gentleman, handsome beyond her wildest dreams, with warm eyes, refined features, and an aura of strength and honor around him. His hair was long, wavy, and a rich chocolate shade that hinted of red sometimes. Despite the barriers she had put around herself, Jupiter felt her heart melt.
He was also a familiar figure. General Nephrite, formally of the Golden Kingdom and under the command of General Kunzite, Second to the Prince himself, Endymion.
"I'm not afraid," she repeated bravely, meeting his lukewarm eyes half-heartedly. He was so handsome...how could she bear to kill him? She swallowed, a hand clasping around the handle of the blade tightly and pulled. The freezing pain that had once numbed her left shoulder lit afire until she bit her lip so harshly that it bled. The copper taste was bitter and she concentrated on the disgust she felt rather than the pain that had momentarily blinded her. General Nephrite arched an eyebrow at her, apparently impressed with her strength in being able to remove her own weapon.
"Very bravely said, Senshi. Whoever trained you was adept in making you pretend that pain is unreal." He taunted, somehow reaching through her haze of pain. It gave her something else to concentrate on, rather than her bitterness at the sore wound or her dwindling hope.
Jupiter smiled coldly at him, emerald eyes glinting as she straightened her back and peered into his brown eyes. She had met him several times, when Princess Serenity had disappeared often to meet secretly with her prince, and knew him to be a good man. There had once been warm glints of regal gold shimmering inside his gaze, always warming her insides and making her blush when he had complimented her several times. She had known his lordly and warm side. Respect and awe bubbled inside of her at his obvious knowledge in battle, though she rashly concealed it with the only gap between them: he was on the opposite side.
"Nephrite..."
Jupiter saw him glare at her, the image of his former personality fading to reform into his harsh demeanor as confusion darkened his eyes. "How is it you know my name and I do not know yours?"
She stared at him longingly. Wishing he would return to his senses, the Senshi of Storms gave him a kindly expression. "Because I knew you once, Nephrite, a long time ago. We used to be on the same side, you and I."
Nephrite gave her a doubting look, hatred and understanding warring inside of him as he watched this utterly fascinating warrior bite back her obvious pain, gather her pride again, and meet him as if she knew that she would win. As if she had already won where he could not. Her chestnut brown hair was neatly tied up in a ponytail, held high with a green ribbon decorated with a pink rose. Strands of the silky mane fell past her ears and gave her a kindly, if determined, look. The emerald in her eyes stormed and shifted, glittering in the flashing lights around them and the storm of Metallia above them highlighting their beauty. Her green, white and pink uniform of a Senshi made him pause, almost triggering something familiar inside him but not quite.
"You are delusional, Senshi." He decided at last, his eyes flickering into a deep and empty black once more as Beryl's hold over him tightened to speed his movements. Jupiter didn't dare respond, clenching her jaw and willing her mind to straighten and gather what little energy she had left. "Enough talk. Fight."
She saw him tense, narrowing his eyes until they were black slits and the energy gathering around him like black snakes. A tiny smile came to her lips, sad and resigning. The storm inside her, the aello, raged familiarly and she felt her forehead spark as the antenna buzzed into life. "As you wish, General Nephrite."
"I'm a King, Senshi."
Jupiter ignored the taunt, leaning away from the pillar now and focusing a part of herself to coddling the growing beat of thunder and lightning inside her. Gathering herself up to her full, imposing height, she shouted, "Supreme Thunder!"
The lightning sped towards him and the short distance between them was quickly crossed as the lime-green electricity shot forth with a vengeance. Nephrite was surprised by the sudden show of power and, so, was momentarily caught in the maelstrom of pure energy Jupiter had released. The aello wasn't large enough to harm him. Being a guardian much like herself, he wasn't the average mortal that her most simple attack could destroy. Nephrite winced at the painful attack, thrown back several feet at the strength of it. It was all the time Jupiter needed to shore her feelings away, narrow her eyes determinedly, and raise her arms defensively.
The pain wasn't as harsh after a moment, when the magic dribbled away, but it was nothing in comparison to the new respect he had for the Senshi. She had been mortally wounded and was obviously tired from her day's battling, but still remained a fighter. The Dark King gaped at her a moment before the darkness in his heart consumed him once more and he readied a small sphere of energy.
Jupiter's head was still reeling from the throw of energy and
had barely enough time to leap to the side, jarring her shoulder, and
muffle a cry as the pillar exploded and several pieces smashed into
her side. Tears filled her eyes rapidly but she refused to cry, not
in front of him, and to keep some sense of dignity around her.
"Give it up, Senshi, you'll never win. Run home to your
palace and let your armies handle the war." She heard sneered,
almost amused, by the enemy still in front of her as she clutched her
side with a grimace. The fuku hadn't been torn, but was dirtied
already, a small price to pay knowing that those pieces could have
broken her ribs if it hadn't protected her somewhat.
Jupiter felt his presence near her and the warm emotion she
felt inside rose again, feeling somewhat like her the aello she
controlled, but deeper and more fierce somehow. Warriors didn't act
like this. They attacked until one of them either died or gave up or
they themselves died in the process. Yes, they jeered, cursed and
did any other number of things to goad the other into reckless
thinking, but they didn't converse this way. They didn't have the
notes of sympathy, confusion, and pleading in their words or the
looks of pity they gave each other.
Still, when she tried to gather her courage to use more
powerful attacks, all thoughts melted away when she met his somber
eyes and remembered the warmth and laughter they once held. The
memories were too vibrant and the strange emotion she discovered
curbed her thoughts away from killing him.
"I won't give up, never, not to you, that witch or the
demon!" She muttered in a low voice, seething inside. The indignity
of being called a princess when she was Sailor Jupiter was
overwhelming! "And I have a name, Nephrite! As a Senshi, I'm not a
princess and I am far more capable than you to win this fight."
Nephrite smiled darkly at the words, knowing that she was
upset. Beryl had mentioned that the concept of confusing their
warrior and royal forms had become an annoyance to them; princesses
weren't supposed to do battle and were inept as warriors and they
felt they had to prove otherwise. "Don't give me the 'good always
triumphs', Senshi," he said carefully. "Because your kingdom would
be in serious trouble if you are all that stands between victory and
defeat."
The Senshi felt the aello inside her storm in pure rage; all
thoughts of being contrite and making him remember what he once was,
who he was, diminished. The lightning showed in her eyes, making her
seem more beautiful as her forest green aura flared brightly around
her. Her gloved hand clenched and suddenly her wounds numbed to a
bearable cold on her body, making her feel lifeless. Whatever part
of her had carefully retained her humanity leashed it tightly until
her eyes were as cold as gems, like a pair of stars. She was Sailor
Jupiter, warrior sworn to protect Princess Serenity, the Alphito, at
all costs, even her own life.
And General Nephrite was her enemy.
Raging, she struck out physically, swiveling about to kick
him back as her gaze settled on him again. His powers may have been
powerful, maybe equaling or better than her own, but she had her
aello on her side. The storm inside her strengthened as her body was
fairly afire with energy. Her 'Flower Hurricane' would do, she
decided silently, and only had to wait until either the aello had
enough energy to support the attack or her own rage and fighting
instincts fueled it on its own. At the rate her anger had been
built, the latter seemed like an all too real possibility.
Amazed, he shifted back to avoid the kick from the leather,
ankle high boots she wore, gazing at her face. They were creased in
anger, denial, and fear. Her emerald eyes were twinkling like stars
when moisture gathered at the curves of her cheeks. "The stars once spoke of a rose," he said carefully, "but
that it would be forgotten in confusion, lost forever if it was
broken." The princess was obviously confused, blinking but narrowing
her eyes suspiciously. "You are a rose, Senshi Jupiter, but one with
many thorns. Empress Metallia could use your strength." He couldn't
bear to part with her or kill her if it came down to it. Nephrite
wanted time to sort out this strange warrior, who fought with all her
heart and took his along on a leash without hesitation.
"Never! I would never betray the Alphito! I would never
leave my Princess, liege and friend!" She shrieked, angered as much
as Mars could have ever been. Betray Serenity? The disgust made her
stomach clench at the mere thought of it! "Unlike you, my loyalty to
my friend would never be questioned! What of your Prince, the great
man you protected for the galaxy? You betrayed him." "I serve Queen Beryl, and the Empress Metallia, Senshi, not
some weakling Earth Prince." He spat, though the tremors broke into
him at his words. He paused, allowing his words to settle and
wondering why she looked so sad. "Fine, Senshi, have it your way,"
he murmured, smiling silkily and evilly, then shored up all the alien
feelings of warmth far away in stone.
They fought for an eternity and a moment, it seemed.
Nephrite's hold over negative energy, with Metallia so close, had
increased and Jupiter's fighting spirit continually fed her powers
through the endless aello she possessed inside. But why their
powerful attacks had missed at every chance, they shuddered to think
of. The warm amber eyes danced in her memories so that, every so
often, a tiny tear slid down her cheeks even though she fought hard
to control it and he wondered what she thought of. A lover? "Supreme Thunder Dragon!" She shouted, commanding the large
beast towards him as it roared and thundered towards the man. Her
aello was dissipating inside. Jupiter didn't know if she should just
give in for this fight and see if she could be of any use to the
other Senshi. They were getting no where, neither helping the battle
or defeating it. Already, she could feel Mars weakening inside her
mind, though the red was still there, burning brightly. Venus...she
was half-gone, but on a dangerous twinkling stage, as if she was gone
but wouldn't let herself go. She needed to find out what was
happening, find out where Princess Serenity was, and re-group with
what was left of her friends. But, she couldn't leave this fight
without knowing the outcome. They had gone too far already.
Barely, the mass of lightning rushed past him, its tail
whipping into his arm and burning into him. He gritted his teeth as
the shocks of electricity flooded into him, numbing him a moment.
Sailor Jupiter still fought, though her eyes were dimming, and it
amazed him. Was her loyalty that fierce that she would never give
up? To what, that fragile princess who was still a child! What had
she called her? The 'Alphito'?
"Selene, help me," Jupiter hissed under her breath, watching
him shift ever so slightly from the attack which was, well, quick as
lightning. Weak, she dropped to one knee, catching her breath and
closing her eyes to stop her tears from falling to the bloody soil.
As much as she hated to admit it, they were even, equal.
Nephrite heard her prayer and grinned slightly, though it
tore at him like a demon to know that what he was doing was breaking
her glorious spirit. "Go back to your friends, Jupiter, and maybe
you won't have to die alone! Stop this fighting, you can't win." He
heard her draw in a shaky breath, and for a heart stopping moment, he
thought that she would surrender and join his side.
"Never." She raised her head to glare at him bravely. "The
aello burns within me and my Alphito, not to mention my friends,
count on me to stop your filth from damaging anymore of our peace."
Jupiter gently stood again, raising a fist over her heart. Nephrite
started and mentally cursed at allowing her indecipherable
personality effect him so. The gashes on her arms, legs and the
large, wet, red spot on her shoulder was a fierce and powerful
reminder to all the damage, the pain, he had given her. He saw the petals begin forming, tiny green, gold and pink
blossoms exploding and leaving only their silky petals to fly gently
around them. He saw the fierce storm in her eyes and the resignation
that she understood was her last chance. Metallia watched through
his own eyes, peeking through his heart and soul, smiling at the
broken girl readying her last try. *Now! Kill her!* Jupiter's
knife came flying into his grasp and Nephrite's golden embers faded
as Metallia's negativity took hold and pushed him away momentarily.
*You're mine, pretty soldier!*
A flash of emerald cut through the beginnings of the storm
and a cry filled the air, choked off in a sob. Metallia smiled, her
work finished, and drew away to look at the battle through the eyes
of others. And a tiny breeze filled the area again, dust swirling,
as if the Moon mourned the loss of one its protectors. The dagger
cluttered to the ground, melting away into tears and seeping into the
grayish soil.
Sailor Jupiter stood there, shaking. Eyes, skin, lips,
limbs--she was trembling uncontrollably. Immediately, her gloved
hands touched the gaping wound in her stomach, muffling a groan a
pain and closing her eyes tightly at the amount of red on her
uniform. The pain was there, a cold burning that ate her insides
like an anthill, burrowing into her until she thought that she would
be emptied. Tilting her chin up, she opened her eyes weakly and
stared at Nephrite in shock. Then, uncontrollably and obliviously,
she began to cry.
"No...Jupiter!" Nephrite caught her body as she fell forward
and, despite their clashing loyalties, clung to each other. Her
gloves smeared blood onto his sleeves, but he didn't care at the
moment, simply trying to will warmth into the shivering body. The Senshi heard her name, reveled in the tenderness, but the
reach wasn't quite there. "Don't let go of me, Nephrite, please,
hold me," she sighed, burrowing her face into his vest and closing
her eyes dismally. She had failed, and that hurt worse than any
wound Metallia or Beryl could have given her. The aello's rumble
slowed inside her, but, somehow, she could feel its tenderness, too,
gentle like a star's glow. The fingers loosened on the gray material
and she leaned against him further.
His hand brushed and caressed her hair's silky mane, her cold
skin, and simply held her close. "Never. You can't leave."
Nephrite felt something burst inside of her and, abruptly, all the
stiffness left her. "No! Jupiter!" He pulled his head away to look
into her eyes.
The storm had disappeared. All the power of her Senshi
blessing had been washed away, the glamour had shattered as he took
on as something more than a man and an enemy of her liege and her
life. Darkness grew deep inside them, true, but now her green eyes
shone like a pair of stars. Her lips, naturally tinted with a rose
coloring curved at the edges as his eyes caught hers. Her long locks
of brown hair clouded her strong, elegant, and feminine face and he
could think of no other angel more beautiful than her.
And, suddenly, he remembered. Everything.
The laughter, the long walks, the spars...the first time he
saw her, bravely defending her goddess-like princess with her body as
she caught sight of Nephrite. The time when, after being cajoled by
her liege to let her and the Prince alone, they spoke and walked in
the towering forests where the love of plants shone in her eyes. His
admittance about the star's whispers into his dreams and her dreamy
acceptance of that ability, the gentle smile that she understood what
it was like to be different followed it quickly. He remembered the
fascination with roses, delicate pink ones, and handing a bouquet to
her after she had lost a spar to him. The brightness of her blush
and smile...
"Nephrite...I-I don't know what to say." Jupiter had
murmured, her eyes twinkling like jewels. She looked at the
blossoms, just beginning to open. With motherly fingers, she
caressed the petals and smile gently, looking back up into his
eyes. "Thank you."
A warm feeling bubbled at the look on her face. "You're
welcome, my lady." Nephrite completed a courtly bow, smiling at her
enigmatically.
"Quite the gentleman, aren't you, Lord Nephrite?" She
giggled, blushing ever so slightly rosier. Following his lead, she
curtsied awkward, much more since she had the long stemmed roses in
her grasp and because she wore her rather short Senshi uniform.
Together, they straightened, both smiling, and, before they could
suppress it, they burst out laughing.
"Please, not so informal, Lady Jupiter. It's Nephrite."
"Only if you call me Jupiter." She retorted easily,
snappish, as her eyes glinted. He agreed, nodding. Then, softly,
returning her attention back to the bundle of peach-pink roses in her
arms, she said, "These are beautiful."
"An ancient tongue once called them 'calyce', though it's
more of a name then a reference." He said matter-of-factly, watching
her intently. She nodded at the fact, but her eyes were carefully
scrutinizing each petal's gentle curve. Then, surprising him with
her answer, she said bluntly, "I would want these...calyce at my
wedding. They would be so beautiful, don't you think?" and he
returned smoothly, "Yes, the color fits you, Jupiter." For some
reason, a tiny snap cut into him at her words. He hadn't heard
anything about a wedding, especially Jupiter's. Though the Moon and
Earth were not on good terms, he should of thought that Jupiter would
have mentioned something to him about it. "Your wedding?" He
prompted at last.
Jupiter laughed at his question, and her blush returned to
her cheeks. "Oh, no, I'm not to be wed anytime soon, Nephrite. My
duty will not allow it, since Princess Serenity is still but a child
and looking for a consort." She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully,
and added, "But Prince Endymion seems a good and likely candidate if
all goes well. They are truly in love. Until she is wedded, I
cannot." She had been unable to hide the sorrowful note in her voice
from him.
"We are alike then." Nephrite murmured. "My entire life is
given to my Prince and everything hinges on his decision, ascension
to the throne, and safety. It is like..."
"...there is no me, unless they deem it so, that I sacrificed
everything for them." She finished quietly, gazing at him. For a
long moment, their eyes met and it wasn't until Jupiter got a dreamy
look in her eyes again at the memory. "But someday I hope to
marry. Just...I hope that someday is soon."
"It will be true though, you will get married," he affirmed.
Jupiter nodded and whispered, "Yes, someday."
Nephrite felt something inside him break and knew that,
whatever was written in his eyes, Jupiter read it, understood, and
forgave. Tighter, he held her closer, trying to make her live and
drawing out his sensing capabilities to find a healer to help stop
her bleeding, which had already soaked the front of his shirt.
Jupiter simply let him, somehow uncaring if she should live or not.
She was dead already, betrayal and defeat gnawing at her soul like a
rat. She looked inside herself, in her mind, and skimmed over the
remaining lights.
The burning flame had been snuffed, and the sunspot looked
none the better, weak and flickering. Jupiter sighed. The same
feelings of failure must have been felt by all of them. Inwardly,
she wished Mercury and Mars luck wherever they were now and that
their deaths had been quick ones. "Jupiter, no! You have to hold on...the aello can support
you, can't it?" Suddenly, he seemed very childlike, the appearance
of the mysterious and perceptive man disappearing as helplessness
settled.
She smiled weakly and felt her blood thud gently inside her,
slow and slowing. "The aello...isn't a...power, an entity...or a
blessing. It's...here," she placed a hand over his chest. Nephrite
nodded, grasping that slim hand that could wield so much power.
A sudden scream pierced the air. But this time, instead of
being simply disheartened, Jupiter's eyes dimmed to a pale tone and,
if possible, her skin color paled even more. A burst of light
surrounded the palace a moment and the scream was cut short.
The white orb fluttered, then died, imploding in a burst of
hot light.
Jupiter felt the same echo of pain, horror, and loss
fluctuate through her body, blood and bounce off her soul in freezing
shivers. Convulsing, stiffening in his arms, Jupiter's eyes
fluttered and she moaned softly. "Serenity..." she cried in a
breath, and, this time, the single tear that dribbled from her eye
spoke of more sadness than all the words in the world.
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Why the strange words, like "aello", "Alphito" and "calyce"?
--'Cause most fics I've read they use the translated Japanese and
English, and I thought it would add flavor if I used some
Greek/Latin/whatever else might pop up. ^_^;;
--Yes, I researched the words and, though I might have misused them, I
have a creative liscense and I'm willing to use it with this (poor
excuse, I know, but...) so there! ~_~
Why the changes in writing styles/views?
--Because... ^_~
That's it for now, though the explanations wouldn't have been *that*
earth shattering, though the next part's explanations will be a bit
more. ^_^ Originally, this would be only 1 part, but *nooooo*, it
had to be a bit too long... *sighs*
Email's nice...appreciated immensely... ^_~
~Lady Heartfire~