Against All Odds

Author: tokyo_rabbit

Rated: PG13

Chapter 4

Declaration of War

~*~

Serenity found her sanity restored in the company of the Queen Mother and the four commanding Generals of King Endymion's army. As promised, Nephrite had shown her around the palace of Elysian. Its beauty inspired her. For such a cold and callous king, Endymion sure did live in a wondrous place, Serenity thought to herself.

The brunette man had then introduced her to the rest of Endymion's guard. Coming first was the intellectual and quiet Zoicite with his long, cream colored hair and gray, laughing eyes. Jadeite was the exact opposite in that he seemed to be the loudest and most mischievous of the four. He also seemed to be quite the lady's man, Serenity thought to herself, with his short golden curls, sly smile and baby-blue eyes. Their leader and commander was Kunzite, a tall proud man with stark white hair and startling beautiful sea-green eyes. He was also the one who kept them all in check, for even the gentle Nephrite could get out of hand occasionally.

When their duties weren't occupying their time, one of the four young men would seek the Princess out, inviting her to watch and even participate in their activities. Luna didn't approve of most of them, but Serenity had never been happier. Women had surrounded her, chastised her, and protected her all her life. The only man she knew was Artemis and he was a cat, well, for the most part. If the princess felt she had anything at all to be bitter about, it was the way she was shielded from the true joys in life -- one such example being a good game of cards.

"I do believe, Jadeite, that I have beaten you once again," Serenity's eyes shone with triumph as she revealed her hand to her new friend.

The blonde General blinked in disbelief before jamming his hands into his untamed hair and bellowed, "Again?"

Zoicite, who had been reading a book quietly on a nearby windowsill, looked at the table on the balcony-like landing where the two sat, "It would seem the pupil has surpassed the master."

"I don't get how you bloody do it!" he roared before dropping his head in shame, "Sorry, your Majesty."

At this, she grew angry -- not at his cursing but at his apology. She reveled in the Generals' lifestyle. Never had she thought it possible to have so much fun doing such trivial things. Of course, it wasn't very proper for a lady to take part in such things, but who the hell cared? She was free, in a sense, from her mother's strict upbringing. For now at least….

"I, sir, am offended by that comment! You shall never refer to me as ‘your Majesty' so long as I may permit it," Serenity squared her shoulders while shuffling the cards in an indignant manner.

At first, Jadeite was abashed, thinking she would in fact chide him for his language, but ended up smiling instead, the mischievous gleam that she had come to know and adore shining in his eyes. "I do think you've gotten a big ego, Serenity, with all of your winning. Perhaps we should up the stakes a bit?"

"What do you mean?"

"Jadeite," Zoicite's voice warned.

He turned to his comrade, an innocent look plastered upon his face, "What?"

The scholar shook his head, keeping his eyes level on the false virtue his friend displayed. Years of experience had warned him against such fronts, and Zoicite wasn't about to let the Princess gamble with Jadeite. No matter how good the man's intentions were-- which they weren't. Besides, what kind of friend would he be if he let Jadeite lose all his money?

"I see she's bested you again, old friend," Nephrite spoke a cool voice full of mirth as he made his way from the gardens to the stairs that led to the low balcony. Luna was by his side, disapproval clearly shining in her eyes.

"Yes, I do believe I have," Serenity wriggled slightly with pride -- it seemed she had found something other than ice-skating she excelled in.

"If only she took to her studies with as much enthusiasm," Luna commented, crossing her arms across her chest, black tail swishing knowingly.

"Luna."

"Do not whine. You know it is the truth."

The men chuckled as their Princess slumped in her chair in defeat. "Friends, we came not to chide you, Serenity, but I do believe we have a wager hanging in the balance as we speak," Nephrite interjected before the two women could continue any further.

"Wager…?" Serenity's ears perked up, her curiosity piqued.

"Ah, going at it again are they?" Zoicite stood, closing his well-worn book shut.

"What? Who?"

"You better believe it," the brunette General smirked, "Have been for the past hour or so."

"Have been at what for an hour?"

Jadeite stood, rubbing his hands together menacingly, "I smell a bet to be won today gentlemen."

"What bet?" Serenity's voice rose with her curiosity bursting at the seams.

"A bet between the three of us, Serenity," Zoicite explained, "You see, our dear King and Kunzite have a competitive flare—"

"You can say that again," Jadeite, snorted.

"As I was saying," the genius shot the other man a look before continuing, "They are somewhat competitive, especially against each other. Most often they can be found sparring as a way of venting their frustrations of one kind or another."

"And Endymion has been very terse as of late."

"Will you ever shut up? Both of our dear friends being as they are and we being who we are—"

"We can't help but wager on who's going to win during their next match," Jadeite finished, who barely caught the book that was hurled his way.

"That's barbaric!" Luna sniffed, much the way a mother would.

"It's brilliant and we're missing it!" Jadeite bounded from his chair then stopped, bowing slightly, "No offence meant, of course."

Serenity watched the men as they began to enter the castle with grins on their faces until they stopped and turned, giving her questioning looks, "Aren't you coming, Serenity?"

"Well, I…." She looked down at her hands in remembrance of how the King had affected her the last time they interacted outside of the routine breakfasts every morning. First, he wooed her then dumped her on her bottom. Twice.

"He'll most likely be in a fit if he sees you, which shall only increase my chances all the more." Nephrite offered a generous smile, which cheered her up some.

Jadeite and Nephrite each offered her an arm as she merrily bounded over to them, ignoring Luna's disapproving looks. Linking her arms with theirs, they started on their way to the room where the two men in question were conducting a match.

"Did you bet against the King, Nephrite?" she asked brightly.

The General chuckled and answered, "No, I bet for him. It seems that when our dear friend's temperament is somewhat high, his skills improve…. Odd really."

Zoicite, standing beside Luna, only shook his head, smiling as he addressed her, "You are welcome to come as well, Madam."

"I suppose I'd better, just in case those two leap at each other's throats again, and to ensure your so-called friends do not corrupt my charge any further than they already have," she sighed, resignedly taking the General's arm.

~*~

Never was there a more magnificent sight to be seen as two glistening, hard-bodied men exercised their awesome power with a good fencing match. They were like two big cats, dancing dangerously with their claws and teeth drawn. Even Luna agreed silently with her Princess as the two entered the training room and gasped at the glorious spectacle.

Now, if only their tattered shirts would fall off completely…. Serenity stopped her thoughts and bit her cheek to bring rational thought back into play. How could she be thinking such things? It was her enemy and good friend for goodness sakes! Not two slabs of meat… then again…. No! "Last I saw them, Kunzite was up two touches," Nephrite explained.

"Excellent," Jadeite beamed, characteristically rubbing his hands together once more, "I like those odds."

"Who—" Serenity licked her lips, stopped to take a deep breath to find her voice which seemed to be caught in her throat, "Who has won more times than naught?"

"Hmm…? Oh, that would be Endymion, usually. They seem to interchange leadership every so often. It keeps us on our toes really," Zoicite offered.

Her crystalline blue eyes avidly watched Endymion -- her sworn enemy -- flex his muscles and move about as if he were born into this world wielding a sword. He enchanted her as he met his Head Guard blow for blow, depthless blue eyes flashing with the fire of battle and his jaw set grimly to achieve the task.

"Beautiful…." The word escaped her lips without thought, barely audible save for one person who heard-- the man on her right, Nephrite.

The sound of cloth being torn brought her out of her breathless reverie as the man she vowed to hate for all eternity let out a grunt when the end of Kunzite's foil met skin through the gauze-like shirt that barely concealed a thing.

"Three up, from the looks of it now," Jadeite gleefully tallied.

Serenity let out a gasp at the sight of blood seeping from the new wound. Storm colored eyes flew for an instant towards her, connecting with her own, before returning to the fight at hand.

"And this is where the tide turns," Nephrite declared, folding his arms across his broad chest confidently.

Indeed it seemed to be so, for Endymion then began to push his General back with renewed vigor. As the match drew on, touch after touch came and soon the King exerted a golden aura that could be seen by all present. It pulsed and wrapped its owner with a protective fierceness that had Serenity's heart skipping. She recognized the power to be that of the Golden Crystal. How she knew this, she wasn't quite sure, because her own powers were limited and would remain so until the day she inherited the Silver Crystal.

"Match!" Zoicite whooped, clasping Jadeite on the shoulder, "I do believe that puts Nephrite and I ahead, does it not? Financially? Eh, friend?"

The man who supported Kunzite grumbled in compliance while the two sparring combatants bowed respectfully and set their foils upon their designated rack. The two fire cats walked towards the small group of spectators to grab their towels. Jadeite immediately went to his fellow General to begin ‘coaching' him on how Kunzite needed to start winning more often, for the bets he was losing were amounting to quite a sum. That in turn earned him a highly annoyed look.

Endymion gave Serenity a glowering stare, only to have it ignored. She walked towards the racks and began to inspect the foils.

"Such magnificent workmanship…." She commented, fingering the silver weapon.

"I did not know dainty princesses knew of such robust and brutish things," the King commented, wiping his brow of perspiration.

Taking a foil from the contraption, she held her arm out straight and closed one eye in concentration, "I did not know deceptive and cowardly Kings knew how to fight so well."

There was a noise of approval coming from the group of on-lookers that sounded suspiciously like laughter and encouragement. "And I suppose you know how to fight? I thought it was frowned upon that the Silver Court's angel," he stressed the word while shooting his one time friends a death look, "should fight at all -- lift a finger really."

"It is against the law for her to fight," Luna supplied, "The punishment is most severe for those who would even attempt to teach her such a thing."

"Severe?" Kunzite asked, brushing off Jadeite's desperate pleas.

"It is death."

Taking the blade carefully at its center, the Princess balanced the instrument and nodded in satisfaction, "I know how to fence, if that is what you are wondering, mighty pompous one."

Everyone within the room directed their attention to Serenity as she flipped the blade into the air and caught it by its intricately crafted handle, "Quite well in fact."

"Who...?" Her guardian's mouth dropped agape, "Who would do such a thing? I do not believe it."

"Is it really so hard to believe?" Dropping her arm to her side, Serenity looked at her long-time friend with an almost hurt expression.

"Yes," Endymion stated firmly, not allowing Luna an opportunity to gently put down her Princess.

"Well, I could prove it." This earned her a series of mixed responses as her proposal was met with looks of disbelief and displeasure (mainly from Luna's standpoint), intrigue, and surprise.

"Are you saying you would fight me?" Endymion asked cautiously.

Jadeite jumped forward to clasp his King on the shoulder, "My money's on you."

"Why not?" The Moon Princess smiled coyly, enjoying his skepticism.

"If you haven't noticed by now, you are a girl, and as your advisor has already stated, it is death to teach you any form of defense at all."

Instead of giving a verbal response, she set the blade down and approached Luna, "Grant me permission to don the uniform of a Soldier, friend."

Her advisor almost shook with fury, "Only those destined to be a Sailor Soldier may wear one. You know that!"

"Just this once, and I promise I will be extra girly from now on," she pleaded.

The Mauian almost opened her mouth to deny her wishes with a strong scolding, but Endymion's eyes held a masked darkness within their depths when he ordered quietly, "Do as she says."

"Your Highness, you cannot—"

"Luna," came his stern interruption.

All the men in the room stiffened, for they understood what it was the Princess was asking. She could never be a Soldier, for it was not her destiny to be so. Only those born with the special Star Seeds -- the center of power within a being -- could become a Soldier, the female deity warriors, or their male counterparts, Warriors; these entities fewer in number amongst the Sailor Soldiers. Despite the fact Serenity was to inherit the most powerful Seed of all -- the Imperium Silver Crystal -- it simply wasn't meant to be.

Luna resigned, closing her eyes and clasping her hands in what seemed a gesture of prayer, but not before shooting everyone a loathsome glare for having her commit such treason. She began to glow within a corona of soft yellow light and it expanded until Serenity became a mass of light. Soon, before them all stood the Princess dressed in a pure white Sailor uniform, gaining a startled response from everyone. With foil in hand, she strode toward the circle indicating those optional boundaries set aside for various training techniques held within the vast chamber. Placing her feet in a wide, perpendicular position, Serenity raised her arms in the common fencing stance, silently beckoning the King to accept her challenge.

Jadeite for once was speechless and looked on in disbelief as Endymion grabbed his own weapon and joined Serenity in the center of the designated fighting area, "I can't believe they're going to go through with this."

"My money's on Serenity," Nephrite said quietly, Zoicite nodding.

"Kunzite...?" The curly haired General looked to his superior, color draining from his tanned face.

"I shall also place my money on the silver spitfire," he said in a low neutral tone.

Luna could only watch from the sidelines as her stomach performed nauseating flips somewhere near her feet. The match began with the usual formalities of respect. Serenity then hurtled towards her opponent with surprising agility and speed. Endymion barely missed a series of Serenity's advances, expecting nothing like the powerful onslaught he was receiving from the Princess. What he wanted to do was humor her and let her get in a few hits, making her feel good about herself and her poor talents – with the intention of gently putting her back in her place before claiming victory. Naturally, this was what he had in mind -- but to hell with that! He was actually straining to meet her attacks.

"Why," Serenity purred, concentrating on keeping him in retreat, "whatever is the matter, your Majesty? You look stunned."

That's an understatement; he thought harshly when she nicked him, putting her at one to nothing. This GIRL was beating him!

"Try! Give me something to work for!" Her demanding tone infuriated him. Switching his mind from its dumbfounded numbness to the hard, unrelenting Warrior he was, he began to shift the advantage towards himself. His shock was his handicap and it was slowly ebbing away with every advance she made. They remained stationary as each struggled for a few moments before Serenity took two steps back, forcing Endymion to take one forward. Then she jumped back when his attack nearly struck her.

"I cannot watch," Luna declared, and sunk to a bench, placing her hands over her objecting stomach.

Jadeite soon joined her -- pale faced and stuttering while the others stood watching the exchange intently, their eyes holding the two dancing figures aptly with earnest. It was like watching a panther and sprite court one another -- an interesting thought which was more intriguing to watch.

Endymion's mind raced. How in the hell was he supposed to get a hit on her? Firstly, he didn't want to be incinerated by her Guard when they learned he had scratched her, and secondly, it didn't sit right with him that he should cut her simply to win. His eyes focused on her bow flailing about with her light, spring-like movements.

Serenity gasped as she heard the slicing of material. Looking down, she saw one of the ribbons of the sacred uniform fluttering to the ground.

"Does that count?" Jadeite asked, leaning over towards Luna, who in turn gave him one of her infamous looks that sent him into hasty retreat, "Ay, sorry. Just asking."

"He doesn't want to cut her," Kunzite's cool words stated as his pale-green eyes scrutinized the fight taking place with a Warrior's trained eye.

Again, the blonde General was about to ask, but thought better of it as the woman next to him already looked like she was about to faint dead away from indignant anger and horror. The clashing of metal rang true and loud as it reverberated off the walls, gaining the attention of all.

Zoicite stepped forward, eyes never leaving the scene before him, "Do you see it?"

"I do." Kunzite answered.

Nephrite's arms slowly dropped to his sides as he saw it as well, knowing that all present could see it just like he. The Princess was radiating in her own silvery light, matching that of the King with his aura of power. Gold met Silver and the two mingled, intermixing with one another in a seductive rhythm. It was awe-inspiring to see the light receiving one another so fluidly, but the exchange created something startling at the same time.

"I think someone should end this soon before—" The white haired General found himself cut off in mid-sentence by a loud clang as a foil was sent skidding across the wooden floor, disarming an opponent.

Endymion looked at Serenity in stark disbelief, fire in her eyes, blade hovering inches from his throat. She had disarmed him in a moment of weakness. Breathing heavily, she lowered her foil and set it aside smoothly on a nearby rack. That was all Luna needed to see before she rushed forward, looking her charge over in a fuss.

"Where...? Where in the world -- who would dare--" She stuttered in rage, "Who would dare teach you how to fight?"

Serenity looked over the cuts Kunzite and she had inflicted upon Endymion. Stepping forward, she gingerly touched them with genuine concern in her eyes. Endymion watched her intently and caught her hands in his, "I want to know the same thing. Where did you learn how to fence like that?"

She watched the wounds heal up with a measure of curiosity. Looking into the King's eyes, she answered the question on everyone's lips. Who would forfeit their life to teach the Moon Princess to defend herself?

"My mother…."