For the One I Love

Chapter Twenty-One: Lost Battle

"Save me..."

Deafening. The impact of those two words together were deafening, like a thunderclap in a silent night. They resonated with such force that Fighter felt her heart plummet into an abyss, leaving a hollow echo in her chest. Her hands grew clammy, slick with sweat and her pupils dilated as every ounce of color drained from her face, rendering her pale as a ghost. She struggled to breathe, doubling over as if the wind had been knocked out of her.

From the moment she first laid eyes on Demande in Crystal Tokyo, she had subconsciously feared this moment. The relentless nightmares that had plagued her sleep surged to the forefront of her mind- Princess Serenity's agonized screams, trapped in Demande's merciless embrace as he tightened his grip around her and laughed vehemently. They had been a stark warning of what would ensue if she meddled with time any further, a warning she foolishly ignored.

Now every terrifying detail was no longer a mere dream, but a living, breathing nightmare. Serenity's safety hung by a thread, the Moon Kingdom's demise imminent as the world's future crumbled around her. And the horrifying truth was even more undeniable- Fighter was the one responsible for it. All of it. The very essence of existence trembled, threatened by her reckless actions.

"Fighter!" Healer hauled Fighter to her feet, jolting the Starlight from her daze back into the present moment. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Fighter stared back at Healer, her eyes vacant with horror. "I caused this." She whispered, her voice quivering. "It's all my doing. I was warned... warned this would happen, but I ignored it. I ignored all of you. I was stubborn, and now I-"

"Enough!" Healer's patience snapped and she forcefully shoved Fighter away. Fighter blinked up at her, stunned by the sudden forcefulness. "There's no time for your self pity! Damn right this is all your fault, but wallowing won't save Usagi. So pull yourself together and fix it! Or have you given up on saving her?!"

Fighter stared at Healer a moment before looking through the wind to the scene unfolding above, where Princess Serenity and Demande hovered. "N-no." She stammered, determination igniting in her once again. She pivoted towards the Sailor Senshi as she tried to swallow down her anxiety. "Blast the megalith!" Fighter shakily yelled. "C'mon! Just try it." She added as they continued to glare suspiciously at her.

"Alright." Venus said finally. "Hold on to me." Directing Jupiter and Mars, she stood the best she could. "Crescent-" She inhaled deeply, wobbling. "Beam!" A golden beam erupted from the end of her fingertip and struck the prodigious stone. But the beam disintegrated, leaving no trace of damage.

"Me next." Jupiter exchanged positions with Venus. "Supreme Thunder!" Electricity crackled all around it, but again, nothing happened. "Urgh."

Demande let out a roar of laughter. "Useless."

Fighter glowered. They had to try something else. "We're out of options. You have to ambush him."

"What?! No!" The Senshi collectively protested. "We already told you, we could hit her!"

"Wounds recover." Maker said blatantly. "If you do nothing, you'll lose her as well as your kingdom!"

"She'll fall!"

"We want her to fall." Fighter insisted. "Once she's safely with us, you can attack without reservation. Listen, when you've-"

"No way!" Mars barked.

"Listen!" Fighter repeated. "He's going to have a hard time maintaining a hold of her, hang on to the Silver Crystal and try to shield himself. When she falls, Mercury can skew his view and slow her landing with her Bubble Spray so we can catch her. You can do that, right?" Fighter nodded towards Mercury.