Episode 14 - The forbidden attack. The Yoakezuishou appears!

Calcite sat alone, leaning against a large white pillar of the gazebo. Her orange hair danced in the hands of the gentle wind. She had skipped out on the latest meeting called by the Earth soldiers. She knew they would want answers for what had happened the previous night but she did not feel like talking any more. She was weary. The conflict from Obsidian as well as with her comrades was draining her mental strength ever more with each passing day. She wondered when Opalite would strike.

Voices could be heard in the courtyard drawing ever closer. Calcite's tired eyes moved to the source. Two faces became clearer to her as they approached, but they paid no attention to her. In response she did not call out, but instead, silently watched them move past her. "Ran, Tyr," she thought, "you can never know the burden I have carried with me all this time."

"I remember your faces on that day....." Calcite mused.

"It seems like forever ago that I committed that awful sin. I remember *her* face as well. Those tears, a string of glistening pearls trickling down her face, were so fragile and yet so powerful." Calcite's eyes clamped shut as she felt a pain in her chest.

"Your blood on my weapon, we both died that day. Your last look into my eyes broke my heart and yet I cannot bear any tears for you, my queen. My punishment... Since that time I have not been able to shed a single tear."

A warm hand touched Tektites shoulder causing him to jump from his seat. He whirled around to find Rhodonite behind him. "Rhodonite-senpai!" he panted as he held his hand to his chest.

"You don't need to be so nervous around me, Tektites-kun. I won't bite," the older man said with a smirk.

"A-are you sure?" Tektites said in a small voice, too low to hear.

"What?"

"N-nothing," he stammered.

Rhodonite shook his head before proceeding. "Empress Opalite-sama has commanded us to return to the blue planet and confront Calcite once again."

The black-haired man was only silent. His mouth hung slightly open in dismay. Rhodonite looked toward him intensely. His eyebrow raised in question as he approached, stopping mere inches from the other's face. Then he spoke, this time, less friendly. "I will not allow you to become weak."

Tektites uncomfortably shifted his gaze from the other's cold stare. After much hesitation, he followed after his comrade.

Calcite began to hear much commotion and entered the palace to find people in a panic. Royal soldiers were swiftly marching past her, none stopping to speak to her. Her swift walk soon turned into running as she searched for the Sailor Soldiers, any of them, in hopes to get an answer as to what was going on. Her voice was cracked and her heart racing as she called out, almost in a panic herself. Finally she spotted the pink hair of the princess. "Princess Serenity!"

At first there was no response from the woman but when she called out again the princess heard her. "Calcite-san?"

"Princess, what's going on?" she panted as she approached, finding the Sailor Quartetto with her.

"They've finally attacked. They've brought a large army of charon with them, more than before. The others sailor soldiers have already gone out."

"What?! We have to go now!"

"Of course!" Vesta answered roughly.

The princess held out the Star Rebirth Broach and called out loudly "Moon Celestial! Make Up!" When she was transformed, she led the others toward the battle. Not too far from the palace they came upon their enemy, already victorious. The sailor soldiers were all in the cold and empty grasp of charon high in the air above them. A familiar voice burned in Calcite's ears. "Calcite-kun," Rhodonite sneered, "you come to the battle too late. There is nothing more you can do for them save surrendering yourself to us."

Defeat dully glowed in Calcite's eyes. Sailor Moon reached out to her and gently touched her arm. "Calcite, don't give yourself to them. We can still win! Everyone, let's go!"

Few charon were defeated before Sailor Moon and the Quartetto were snatched up by others. Still unwilling to give up, a frustrated Sailor Moon became motionless as she closed her eyes. A glow began to shine around her body and with this she managed to cancel out the void of the charon holding her captive. Her victory was only momentary as Tektites caught her before she had time to react. The tricks that Calcite had taught her would not work on beings of light. She squirmed and wiggled only to find herself trapped for sure. Tektites lifted the two of them into the air with the others and the charon holding the Quartetto followed forming a semi-circle around Calcite.

"Well, well, Calcite-kun, it seems that you've run out of allies to fight for you. What will you do now?"

Calcite hung her head dejectedly. Rhodonite smiled at her defeat, almost feeding off of it. "It's time, Calcite-kun. Come back with us or prepare yourself for the consequences."

"Please Calcite-san, just come back with us," Tektites begged.

Sailor Moon struggled against him once again and cried out to the woman below. "Calcite, don't listen to them. Don't do i--aaaghhhhh!" Her words were cut off as a charon's obolus struck her chest. Similar screams of pain echoed all around as the other soldiers were struck by the coins. Fifteen Sailor Crystals shone brightly. However, the charon did not yet take the crystals into their possession. Instead, they awaited the command of their leader. Rhodonite raised an eyebrow.

Calcite was shaking, not from fear, but in anger. A strange wind brew through the once unmoving air. It moved her hair and clothes in an unearthly manner as she reached for her weapon. "I will not do as you command, Rhodonite-san."

As her sword was unsheathed the light of the Sailor Crystals shone down on it, causing the metal to reflect a rainbow of colors. Calcite was warmed by that light and looked up into the eyes of the princess, seeing once again her queen's innocence gently reflecting back. "It's as if you were here with me. I will be strong, my queen." She whispered to herself.

Sailor Moon could not hear what Calcite had said nor read her lips, but she saw something when she looked back into her eyes. Calcite's face reflected an unnaturally calm expression. "Calcite-san...!" Moon cried in a panic.

The Sword of Orion was raised high in the air and a shimmering light came forth, not from the sword but from Calcite herself. Sailor Ran and Sailor Tyr felt themselves lost in emotion as they saw the light. "Its the light of the soldier of the Balder moon," Ran stated.

Rhodonite waited calmly as he tried to anticipate his opponent's next move. "Calcite-kun, this is ridiculous. Your power cannot free your friends, nor can your tricks save this planet. You know as well I do that without the power of the Yoakezuishou there is not even the slightest chance of you stopping us."

"I know that," she stated simply.

"Your queen is dead and her Crystal long gone. Give up this futile game!"

She ignored him and instead focused her gaze onto Tektites. He saw something awful reflecting on her face but there was no time. She cried out in a powerful voice and attack that none, not even her comrades, had heard before. "Mistletoe Pathos!!!"

It was all over in an instant but the scene seemed to play out in slow motion. Her weapon seemed as if it had transformed, yet not, as it glowed strangely. Calcite allowed it to guide itself and accepted it as it plunged into her gut. She clenched onto the handle of the sword and fell to her knees. Screams echoed from all directions as those who had come to care for this woman cried out. Tektites alone was silent as he watched in disbelief. Horror filled his eyes as he saw the blood fall from his beloved.

No longer able to hold herself up. Calcite fell forward, her body impacting hard with the ground. Emerging from her body was not one, but two Sailor Crystals. One shone so bright that the army of charon once threatening their world were filled with the light and disappeared. The sailor soldiers dropped to the ground.

Tektites released Sailor Moon and ran to Calcite, taking her in his arms. Her blood stained his skin as he clasped onto her body. He pulled back slightly as he watched her clothes melt away leaving her nude. Seconds later new cloth materialized around her, the uniform of a sailor soldier. A small tiara rested on her forehead. "Why did you have to do this?" Tektites sobbed over her.

Her eyes were closed and she sounded as if she was having trouble breathing. A weak voice came from her but somehow it still sounded strong. "I had to become a soldier worthy of honor."

Tyr spoke, a melancholy tone present, leaving the other soldiers unsure whether they were speaking them or only to themselves. "I once heard that for Sailor Balder no living creature could harm her except one small plant on her planet, the mistletoe. That was why she was chosen to protect our queen. While we could die at the hands of our enemy, her life was protected. She alone was worthy to serve Eos-sama."

"She really was protecting her all this time..." Ran trailed off.

Tears fell from Tektites eyes. Calcite flinched as one of the tears fell over her closed eye and trailed down her cheek. A small smile was on her lips. "I'd forgotten... what tears felt like."

Tektites felt her body go limp and his eyes were vacant, as the pain overwhelmed him. He looked up from her body for the first time at the Sailor Soldiers, her people. Alarm overtook their once sad faces but before anything could be said or done he was struck with a sharp pain in his back. He weakly peered over his shoulder to find Rhodonite standing behind him. No word or cry came from Tektites before he fell over his lover's body. Quietly, Rhodonite spoke. "I told you I would not let you become weak."

Without another thought, he turned his attention to the two crystals floating in front of him. The smaller one he ignored but turned his attention to the one with the incredible glow. "Finally, the Yoakezuishou... Opalite-sama, I have succeeded."

He reached out with a trembling hand, excited over his victory. Before he could touch it the crystal emitted a light so bright that he had to back away, shielding his eyes. The light seemed to scare him off and he retreated, leaving the soldiers alone to their fate.

The girls just stared in wonder at the event playing out before them. "The Yoakezuishou," Sailor Moon whispered in awe.

End Episode 14.