The scenes from this chapter are taken from Episode 48 of the PGSM Live Action.
Chapter 24 - DAY OF DESTINY (PART II)
Kunzite had been where I expected to find him. At the edge of the Dark Kingdom. He had snarled at me and prepared to battle once he noticed my presence.
"Kunzite. I once promised to give you a chance to take revenge. This is your chance."
His eyes were fierce as he glared at me. There had been no need for further words. I had wanted to give him the fight he wanted. It was my fault that he had suffered so much pain and if killing me would lessen his agony, I would give it willingly. It had also been a chance to rid the Earth of Metallia once and for all. If my life was to be forfeit, I had wished it could be taken in a more meaningful way than taking my own life.
The fight had been ferocious, as Kunzite bore down on me with all the rage he had held within him, while my wish to give him a fair fight had made me ward off each blow with my full strength. Kunzite proved to be the better fighter in the end as with one final swing of his sword, my own sword went flying past the trees.
This is the end.
I waited for my execution as Kunzite poised himself for the final kill. It was then I felt Metallia's power slipped from my control as her survival instincts warred with my own desire to end our lives. Primal urges thrashed against my wish to remain still, to wait for death, begging for a violent response to this threat to our lives.
Kunzite paused mid-slash. He had felt the power. His eyes widened as realization dawned upon him.
"What was that?! That is... Master... you're not thinking... you want to die together with Metallia?!"
"It has to be done." My reply had been curt.
"Master... you haven't changed at all." Frustration coloured his tone. Looking at me, Kunzite's gaze turned grim. He knew what I had decided and he was ready to perform his task. During that instant, we were comrades once more, just as we had been in our past lives.
Kunzite. I'm sorry for making you do this. Forgive me.
I had closed my eyes.
All of a sudden, I was shoved to one side and I had stumbled onto the ground. My eyes snapped open to witness a sword being plunged into Kunzite's body.
"Jadeite! You!" The last of my Shitennou. His betrayal had been absolute. He had received orders from Beryl to kill me, and had bided his time while Kunzite and I fought. But Kunzite had pushed me aside. He had been willing to kill me but his instincts had taken over when I was in danger. He had used his own body to protect me. Jadeite stood by in confusion, in a state of shock. He couldn't understand why Kunzite had shielded me.
At that time, I was not able to understand it either.
"Kunzite! Why...!" I rushed over to him and futilely tried to staunch the blood gushing from his wound.
"Master... in the past life... you abandoned the planet... for the princess... but now... you're ready to give up your life for Earth... to die together with Metallia..." His voice was weak as his life slipped away in front of my eyes. I had clenched my teeth. It was not supposed to be like this. Kunzite was supposed to live a normal life after I was gone.
"Jadeite! Your Master is not Beryl! Our Master... is right in front... of us..." With that, Kunzite faded away and a kunzite stone appeared before me.
After hesitiating for a moment, Jadeite chose to ran away.
"KUNZITE!" Agony ripped through me. The Shitennou. My friends. Nephrite. Zoisite. And now Kunzite. I no longer had the strength to endure the pain. I had tried to hold it in as best as I could but Metallia was strong as well as devious. She had sensed my weakening and unleashed her power on me. The onslaught of negativity strained the walls I had built to contain all the volatile emotions within me. I could do nothing to stop the explosion.
But there had been something I could do.
I ran to my sword.
"Mamoru!" It could not be. But it was. Usagi.
She had been taken there by Mio. It was the worst thing that could have happened. I had not wanted her to see that. But I no longer had a choice. It was then or never.
I raised the sword.
"NO!" Usagi's anguish-filled cry stopped me in what was to be my final act. The moment's hesitation had been what Metallia had needed. Her essence overpowered me. I was no longer myself. It was as if I had been shunted to the smallest corner of my brain. I no longer had control over my actions. I could only watch.
Images of violence filled our minds as Metallia teleported all of us to the plain meadow.
"Destroy... the... planet..." I had declared in a disembodied voice that was not my own as my feet strode towards Usagi and Mio. My movements were Metallia's. She had begun calculating how best to plan their demise. In horror, I had struggled against the bonds that trapped me in my own body but it was to no avail. I had been supplanted from my own body. With Metallia in full control of my body, her only aim was to destroy all.
Mio had been the first victim. With Metallia s full power, it had been too easy to obliterate Mio. With one blast of power, she was gone. Her pleading and running away had only fuelled Metallia's twisted sense of humour. She had exulted at Mio s end.
Usagi had been next.
I had been powerless to help and could only look on as Usagi transformed into Sailor Moon and we began to battle. Usagi's look had been one of determination. I knew her and I had recognized that she was trying to use the power of the ginzuishou to help me. But it was no use. Metallia was too strong and Usagi had not had time to adjust to her power. She had not been able to use the full power of the ginzuishou. Her moon rod shattered from Metallia's energy blast.
It was then the senshi arrived. But they could not stop Metallia, who deflected their powers easily and had swatted them away as if they were flies. Usagi's horror as she watched her friends being pummelled had been excruciating to watch.
"Mamoru... is this really... the end? I can't... I can't do it!" Usagi's cry had been heart-wrenching. She had fallen onto the ground, her hand clutching a sword, spasms shaking through her whole body. It was my sword, from my failed attempt at suicide earlier. She had remembered the question I had posed to her.
"Usagi. If someone else who wants to destroy the Earth appears again, you will defeat him, won't you?"
I had not wanted her to be the one. I had not wanted her to be in so much pain. I had not wanted to be the one to take the smile from her face. I had known she would never smile again. But no matter how much I had tried to avoid this fate for us, it had come to that. There was no other way.
Usagi. You have to do it. We have to protect the planet. I will not blame you in the slightest.
I had tried to project my wish to her even as Metallia directed my body to stride towards Ami to deliver the killing blow.
"Stop!" Usagi had screamed. She had stood up, grasping onto the pommel of my sword with one hand. Metallia's attention had been diverted and moved towards Usagi instead.
"Why...?" Usagi's voice had been broken. Silent sobs racked her whole body. "You... didn't you tell me... that we... from tomorrow onwards... we can meet... whenever we want again...?"
The small part of my essence that was not been controlled by Metallia had cringed at witnessing Usagi's agony. My heart had shattered at her despair. I had to help her in any way I could. It had been the last thing I could do for her. As Metallia readied for another blast at Usagi, I fought back with every last vestige of strength. It had not been enough to stop Metallia, but her aim had skewed slightly and Usagi had been unhurt. It had given her the time to once again call upon the power of the Ginzuishou and filled the sword with her power.
With one last bleak look at me, Usagi began to run towards me. "Mamoru!" It had been a heartbroken call, one last chance to call my name.
Using the last shreds of my willpower, I threw everything I had left in me to hold off Metallia's attack on Usagi. Metallia's essence roared within me as she started to throw off my resistance. The effort to rein her in caused my body to tremble violently. It took only a few moments for Metallia to dominate once again but it had been enough time for Usagi. She had reached me at last and the sword plunged into my body.
The rest had been darkness.
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A/N:
And the last chapter is coming up! Wow... this fic started out as a whim but it has taken me months to complete. Do stay tuned for the grand finale. ^_^ And oh, please do review! Please?
