*-----[ Supernova ]-----*

Chapter XII

The golden chain in Venus' hands vanished. Minako pleaded her apologies desperately to Seiya and Usagi, feeling the realization of defeat sink in. Usagi on the other hand had groped the rocks and Seiya's shoulder for the support to stand. She soothingly called to Minako that it was all right and that it wasn't her fault.

" So what do we do ?" Makoto questioned. She was angry at the place and the situation as she paced back and forth along the cliff.

Minako didn't answer but kept kneeling at the side, unable to take her guilty eyes off the two that were stuck in the depths.

Yaten went to reach over to put a hand of comfort on Minako's shoulder when he saw a crack from the cliff form beside her leg." Minako, get away from there !" He warned loudly and grabbed her hand.

She didn't have time to react but was yanked backwards in surprise as a piece of the cliff's side tumbled down into the depths.

A small rumbling sound was heard as Seiya looked up. Immediately he held tight to Usagi's waist, despite her pain-filled cry, and moved them out of harm's way. The piece of rock shattered as soon as it hit the bottom. Seiya turned his head to see Usagi's eyes clamped shut against his shoulder.

He rubbed her back, putting his mouth close to her ear." Odango…..it's okay." He whispered, leaning them both on the cliff's walls. Usagi's grip on him only tightened.

" Seiya…..we have to get out of here." She said in a small voice. Her tone was low but he could sense her determination.

" We will. Somehow……" Seiya looked around for a bit. The walls were high, jagged and steep. There was no chance in getting out that way. Looking left to right, Seiya examined each direction with a careful eye. The crack that they were both stuck in was quite big and possibly quite long. The crack must've run a long way.

Seiya turned his head upwards to the eerie slit of sky, to the top of the cliff." Taiki !"

In response, Taiki's head appeared not far from the side. He was being careful to not move anymore rocks." What is it ?" He asked.

" Can you see how long this crack runs for and where ?"

There was a moment of silence as Taiki's purple irises scanned the bleak terrain for Seiya's inquiry. The crack was long, longer than he had expected because it was as far as his eyes could see. Maybe more.

" It's quite lengthy." He yelled his reply back to Seiya." I can't see where it actually goes from here."

Seiya inhaled with a little bit of confidence. He regarded Usagi seriously but brightly." We might not be stranded down here after all." He said to her.

" How did--" Usagi started but stopped suddenly, looking puzzled.

" The crevice that we're in runs long that way." Seiya replied, pointing a finger to the left. Usagi shifted her eyes towards the dimmer passage between the cliffs." We can follow that path and hopefully they'll be a less steeper cliff so we can climb back up. If not, it has to lead us somewhere."

She nodded in understanding. This was their last resort.

" What ?" Came Taiki's voice from the top. He had only been hearing bits and pieces of Seiya's solution.

Seiya shouted." We're going to follow the rest of this gap and see where it leads unless you got any better ideas."

" What did he say ?" Ami asked as herself and Yaten tiptoed lightly to Taiki's side.

At first Taiki couldn't swallow Seiya's words. Then he translated for Ami." Seiya's suggesting we split up."

" Split up ? We can't do that." Ami replied distressfully.

" I know but it's inevitable. Look at the situation. It's a last resort." Taiki finalized, glancing at Yaten and the others.

Yaten had always thought that Seiya was a bit insane from the day he was born. He actually wasn't surprised that his comrade wanted to go off by himself. But considering what was happening, it was the only way.

" We have to agree." Yaten approved reluctantly. Then he yelled down to Seiya." One warning though ! The direction that the crevice goes in doesn't follow the suns. You'll get lost !"

" Ever heard of the word risk ?" Seiya's voice followed up." It's something we'll just have to take to get out of here. Once we do, we'll look for the suns."

Minako could believe that they were splitting up. She had a pleading expression on her face." Are you sure this is the only way ?"

" Positive." Taiki replied." And we're running out of time too. We have to keep in course, we're splitting up."

" Don't worry." Usagi yelled upwards." We'll be fine. Just get to the portal."

" I don't like this." Makoto commented uneasily." The whole thing of separating just feels so wrong. What if something happens to them ?" The brunette couldn't even begin to comprehend the different things.

" Knowing Seiya, it seems that luck has been on his side for quite some time. Hopefully that luck hasn't run out." Yaten responded.

One by one the Senshi bid an unsettling "see you later" to both Usagi and Seiya. Seiya had his hand clasped to Usagi as he led her down the rocky pathway. Before they disappeared amidst the turn of the tight cliffs, they both looked back for a last farewell. " Take care of yourselves." Rei shouted once more.

[ Don't die……..] Yaten whispered mentally.

The Senshi prayed silently as both disappeared. They were without choice and had to keep moving.

From then on it became complete silence between them. All were lost in their own little world of thoughts as they mindlessly lifted their eyes to follow the blue circle in the sky.

Ami felt unsettled, willing her mind not to get carried away by terrible images of what might happen to Seiya and Usagi. She shivered against a breeze as she turned her head back one more time to the gap they just deserted.

Taiki however, tried to remain ever confident in Seiya's judgement. He would've done the very same thing and he was proud that Seiya came up with the idea. His only prayer lay with Seiya and Usagi's safety.

They trudged along the rest of the terrain. No trees, no grass, no life. Everything looked the same. Dead.

Yaten helped Minako down a steep step of rocks. He didn't even notice half of his actions because his mind was so occupied.

[ They made the right decision………What's wrong with you ?…….Have more faith…….]

Unfortunately, what was left of the Senshi didn't notice the nearby presence of shadowed figure. The being watched them closely. It pried into their thoughts, heard their worried hearts beating and swam through their emotions.

* * * * *

The gaping crack ahead of them didn't look like it was going to stop soon. Usagi put an exhausted hand upon her chest, as her weary limbs were ready to give up from under her.

" Seiya….Seiya please can we……" she started.

" Of course." He said immediately. Seiya brought her to sit down, watching her slump against the rocky wall in a tired state. The fall took a lot out of her and himself. He needed the break as well.

They had been walking for fourty minutes in their battered condition. The piece of Usagi's fuku, which was tied around Seiya's cut palm, was stained with seeping blood. He tied it tighter while giving out a faint wince.

" How's your leg ?" He asked, touching her knee.

Usagi hissed then attempted an encouraging smile." I'll live. It's only a small scratch." She forced a laugh." I feels like we've been walking forever, doesn't this stupid crack end ?"

" It'll only end if we find a cliff to climb up." Seiya replied, glancing around." If not, I know it's going to lead us somewhere."

" As long as I'm with you I don't care." Usagi said suddenly. She reached over a desperately and grabbed the hand that was on her knee. Carefully she brought it up to her lips and kissed his fingers softly." I just want this to all go away."

Seiya sat himself beside her and took her gently in his arms." I do too…..." He replied quietly.

" Usagi?"

" Mm hm ?"

Pause." Can I ask you something ?"

" Anything." She sighed out, leaning against him.

Another pause."……..Before we went to meet with the Senshi after we left your apartment with Taiki and Yaten.………..why did you tell us to go ahead ?"

Usagi then pulled back for a moment, her bright blue hues looking fully into Seiya's midnight blues. She suddenly remembered herself "eavesdropping" on his conversation with Taiki and Yaten about her. For a moment she didn't say a word.

" Seiya I…….I heard." She said softly.

" Heard what ?"

" I heard you, Yaten and Taiki talking about me……and about Mamoru." Usagi silenced Seiya before he could say anything." They were asking you if you were sure about me."

At that point Seiya looked down, turning away from her. In all the trouble of worrying about the Nova, he somehow had forgotten temporarily about the OTHER issue that pained him. A sinking feeling made its way into his stomach as the grim reminder. Maybe it was about time that they both confronted the facts.

" Don't I have the right to question that ?" He asked her with an unreadable tone." I know Setsuna said that there will be some sort of change in the future but…….Mamoru. He doesn't know does he ? Just like Luna doesn't know or Artemis or Haruka, Michiru."

Seiya stood up and walked a few steps away from her." I'm not blaming you for anything; I want you to know that. But…….is there really a future for us ? It's four years later and I still want that with you. After all the fighting, I don't want to pack up and leave like last time……..And seeing Mamoru return to you just as we leave."

Then he muttered," Yaten's right……this is probably is just some warped replay of what happened four years ago."

Usagi was taken aback after Seiya speech. It had a bitter edge to it, filled with memories and feelings from last time. Now she was going to clear things up, to tell him what she wanted with him, seeing that she never got the chance yet.

" Seiya ?" The blonde walked over to where he was standing. Softly she placed her hand on his back." With everything that's been happening, I've never gotten the chance to tell you. I-I've been meaning to."

Another unfelt breeze swept past them as Seiya turned around, looking into her honest eyes.

" What Setsuna said was right. The future has changed because I love you." Usagi said." We both changed it and even if I was stuck between the decision of you and Mamoru, I chose a world where I could be free…….and it was you."

" Odango I--"

" Please let me finish Seiya." Usagi answered gently. She seemed to glow now." When I heard you talking to Taiki and Yaten, that moment I made that decision. I told you to wait for me because I wanted to call Mamoru. He knows that I'm in love with you……..and that I want to be with you….I know it hurt him but he somehow found it in him to accept it."

It was a startling revelation. Seiya's doubts were being swept clean that moment. An unbelievable light inside him seemed to make the black whirling of the Nova disappear for a few blissful seconds. He just stared at her wide-eyed with a mouth almost hanging open.

Usagi's eyes brightened immensely as her face broke into a smile. A smile of adoration and love. Then Seiya looked down at her, his eyes gazing over her angelic face. For a moment he couldn't believe it. This joy felt unreal. But it was real wasn't it ?

Needing some more convincing, Seiya quickly captured Usagi's mouth with his. Closing his eyes in passionate happiness he held her body firmly to his and put his whole being into that one kiss. Free from caring about where they were and free from doubt and pain, Seiya just wanted to pursue it.

Usagi felt Seiya's touch surge high through her body, making her toes curl from such a kiss. She didn't want to come up from air, she wanted to drown.

Softly, Seiya pulled back, smiling like he hadn't smiled in a long time. Usagi looked happier than ever, seeing for the first time in four years the old Seiya from before. She didn't see the battered soul or the tortured man, she saw Kou Seiya. The one she loved.

Seiya gazed down at her and thought to himself, [ …….She's mine…….and I'm hers……. ]

* * * * *

" Do you see anything further ?" shouted Makoto from the bottom. She shielded her eyes and squinted from the sharp rays of the blue sun as she looked up at Rei.

Rei was perched on the branch of something that resembled a tree. But it wasn’t wood that's for sure. The raven-haired girl balanced herself in a steady squatting position to scan the further landscape.

After a moment came," No. I can't see anything. It's just more rocks." She sighed.

" We've been walking for hours." Ami said, tinkering with her hand held computer. Flashing grids danced over the blue visor she wore over her eyes. She clicked a few more keys and turned in the direction that Rei was scouting out.

" What's wrong ?" Yaten asked Minako who had been very quiet since they left the gap.

" I just keep thinking about them….Seiya and Usagi." Minako replied in a quiet voice." I don't like the feeling that I'm getting that we spilt up. It was the only way, I know that, but I can't help it."

Yaten cracked an attempt at an encouraging huff, " I know I'm probably going to kick myself later for admitting something as ludicrous as this but……" He said sighing." Seiya knows what he's doing. He's an idiot but he knows what he's doing and I trust him. He'd never let ANYTHING happen to Usagi……you should know that by now."

" I know and I'm sure of that."

" Then stop being all worried."

" How can YOU not be worried ?" Minako asked him.

" I didn't say I wasn't."

" You didn't say you were."

Yaten rolled his eyes." Did I have to ? With all this crap that's been happening, do you think I'm not worried ?"

" Alright, alright. I was just asking." Minako replied as Rei dropped down from her perch.

" There's nothing else we could do." Rei said to the rest of them." Setsuna's directions are the only platform we have in this place. We have to keep following the sun."

Taiki nodded and went ahead to proceed to the next heap of giant stone steps.

As they moved on, the hills of solid rock grew bigger around them, signaling that they were in a different place. The ground was dry and cracked; looking like puzzle pieces that didn't fit together.

A faint roaring from above was heard suddenly, startling them all. The Senshi stopped in their tracks and began to glance around. The blue sun wavered high over their heads; the sky started to darken from cobalt gray clouds.

Taiki's eyes lifted upwards, giving the sky a peculiar stare. The first roaring they heard was the rumbling of thunder. It echoed again, that time a little louder and closer to where they were standing.

Ami's visor blinked, the moving target swept over her eyes and pointed towards the clouds. "Rain." She ended up saying, regarding the same direction everyone else was looking towards.

" Come on, we should keep moving." Makoto suggested when a cold breeze flew past her. She rubbed her hands together." If it starts to rain I guess we could find somewhere until it stops."

" Yeah." Rei agreed." Let's go."

They walked a few more paces as the rumbling got louder. The bright blue of the sun was vanishing around them while being darkened by the clouds that hovered above. A flash of light through the sky made the Senshi start to walk faster.

" Ow, shit, what the hell ?!" Yaten suddenly shouted. The others quickly whirled around towards the silver-haired youth. Yaten hissed loudly with a wince of pain, gripping his left wrist with his hand. They had all stopped walking.

" What's wrong ?" asked Taiki, moving back to him.

For a second Yaten didn't say anything. He kept clutching his wrist and looking down at it. His grip didn't loosen even when he met Taiki's eyes.

He swore under his breath again and attempted to release it." It burns…." Yaten finally said.

Taiki took at look at Yaten's wrist. It was a painful purplish-red color. He started to reach over to touch it until Yaten smacked his hand away." That's going to hurt !" His comrade seethed.

Just then another yelp was heard from behind Taiki. Ami had dropped her computer onto the dry ground, making a loud clatter. She was holding her forearm." Taiki, it's….from the sky." She stammered as a faint hissing sounded and swirls of smoke misted around her.

A large drop fell upon the uneven cracks of rock. More smoke as the substance ate away at the ground. Another rumble of thunder sounded about and the next thing they knew, the sky had disregarded them.

" The rain !" Makoto said. She moved quickly to the side but not fast enough to move again to dodge the drops. They starting to come down fast, littering the ground. The burning drop of liquid seized her leg. Makoto's eyes went wide and feeling as if her leg went limp. The brunette stumbled towards Taiki." Run….just run !"

Taiki didn't nod but instead wove his arms through Makoto's, helping her along.

Yaten's pushed Ami forward from the splattering above. It was starting to come down as each of them emitted a shriek from being pelted by the burning drops.

* * * * *

" Seiya, what's happening ?" Usagi asked, looking straight at the sky. She drew closer to him in reaction.

Seiya sensed a note of quivering in Usagi's voice, pulling his attention upwards. The sky was darkening from behind them, accompanied by the rumble of thunder. It was darkening at a fast rate and was coming up behind them.

He couldn't answer her question until a drop fell on his already bleeding arm. The pain was excruciating. It was like his whole body went limp and couldn't move. Seiya couldn't breathe, nor could he even speak from the burn that drop of rain caused.

Usagi screamed his name in worry, clutching his arms to see what was wrong. Unfortunately, the burning drops began to fall and they caught her as well.

Before they both knew what was happening, they had stared to run forward as their only instinct. The rain was already covering their heels.

* * * * *

Breathless with running, Rei managed to question," What the hell is going on ?!" She clamped her eyes shut for a moment at another burn on her arm.

" If I'm not mistaken…!" Taiki yelled ahead to her, panting." The rain probably has a pH of less than the neutrality of seven !"

" WHAT was that ?!" Rei bellowed in confusion. Chemistry wasn't big on her part.

Taiki corrected himself quickly as the group dashed forward." I mean, the rain is probably

acidic !"

" Look out !" Yaten screamed on the on-slot from the blinking sky. The rest of the Senshi didn't wait to look up. Every stinging burn that touched them fueled their running pace.

Even the futile attempt at rolling his sleeves down, Taiki's long legs moved faster. He was practically carrying Makoto in his flight as his eyes darted left and right to look for a haven of shelter.

Suddenly Minako spotted a hole on the nearby wall of rock ahead of them. She wasted no time in pointing." Hey guys ! Over there !" She yelled, directing their attention. Their pace increased but so did the rain.

Ami's hand clutched tightly to her computer and winced from another burn. She felt like she had sores all over her body. The dizzying fumes that the drops created by hitting the ground were invading her senses. As more drops hit the ground, the intoxication began to swirl around her head. Ami could barely feel her feet as they struggled to run towards the direction of shelter. Her misty blue eyes blinked as her mind swam in the blurry fumes.

Finally, as each of the Senshi stumbled into the cave, the fumes had already begun to blind their consciousness.

Makoto slumped forward from Taiki's loosened grip. She put a hand to her aching head and closed her eyes. She didn't know the moment after her body gave way and fell forward.

Rei and Minako had only been half-aware that Makoto was now lying on the ground when the fumes caused them to go out just like their comrade.

The last thing Yaten saw was Taiki trying to help him up until his senses gave way into the darkness. Taiki had collapsed against the stone wall of the cave.

* * * * *

As they kept running, the high cliffs of the crevice that they were in, parted. It led them into a gorge. And much to their dismay there was a dead end straight ahead. The high wall of rock that blocked their escape path bounced up and down in Seiya's view as he and Usagi desperately tried to elude the rain.

" Dead end !" Usagi cried panicking.

Seiya frantically began to look around." Don't worry, there's a way out !" While they ran, his eyes searched right and left for a way out………any way out of the current situation.

" Where ?! I don't see anything !"

The high cliffs that surrounded himself and Usagi were still too steep. They couldn't climb up and even if they could, there wouldn't be enough time to make it out without being fried by the rain.

They had no time to regard the wide-open space of the rocky gorge when Seiya's searching pupils widened in discovery. He gripped Usagi's hand tightly and began to run faster.

" Over there !" He hollered pointedly at the dead end. Seiya quickly scanned a large crack that punctured the rocky wall.

Usagi almost thought her feet wouldn't keep up with Seiya. He was running so fast that she was practically being pulled like a rag doll. Being choiceless, she struggled to keep her feet moving as they approached the wall.

The crack that Seiya spotted was large enough for them to fit through. Seiya fell a few paces behind Usagi as he let her squeeze through first.

Panic was rising quickly in Seiya's veins as Usagi's body disappeared slowly into the crack. The onset of rain was already upon him. The intense drops pelted him as he quickly scrambled into the crack behind Usagi. Seiya was in such a hurry to escape the rain he barely noticed the harsh scrapes the tight walls of rocks were creating on his body.

Usagi stopped with her back crushed against the rock wall. " Seiya ?" she called. The atmosphere ahead of her was getting darker as they appeared to be deeper in this tight cave. Her hand strained to reach him, urgently needing to know that he was still there.

Seiya felt Usagi's flailing hand and quickly grasped it tightly. " It's okay….. I'm here." He said reassuringly." Keep going Odango, it's going to be alright."

" Okay." The blonde responded, breathing tightly. The fact that it was turning dark in this small cave as they went deeper evoked some dreadful thoughts in Usagi's head. Nonetheless, she kept her hand clutched to her companion's.

" Seiya, don't let go." She pleaded, edging forward.

" Never."

Where they were both going now, neither of them knew as they both walked away from the light and into the darkness. The faint rumbling of thunder could barely be heard now because the sound was being swallowed up by the black of the cave.

* * * * *

Yaten shifted on the hard ground. His limbs were sore and he moaned in protest when he moved them. His head seemed to be pounding slightly as he tried forcing his eyes open.

With a hazy mess for a mind, Yaten blinked a few times to capture his surroundings. He struggled loosely to remember what happened before he passed out…….passed out ?

The cave was bathed in a glaring red light. Everything was tinted with the angry color and it made it harder to see than with the bluish tint of the suns.

Yaten managed to raise himself to a sitting position against the wall. Right beside him, sitting slumped, was Taiki. Weakly, Yaten shook his companion.

" Taiki….." He croaked softly. He shook him harder when he got no response.

Taiki came back to the surface with the same dizzy feeling knocking his brain. His surroundings weren't clear and the red glare from outside the cave wasn't helping. Unable to say anything at first, he spied four other bodies that were starting to move near him.

" The rain…." Taiki murmured, the memory coming back. He remembered the intense fumes that barricaded his consciousness, causing him to black out. The others probably went through the same thing.

One by one, they all felt the aftermath of feeling from passing out. Neither of them knew how long they have been down. The rain seemed to have stopped and the fumes appeared much lighter than before. The only difference was the red glare.

" What ?….." Minako trailed off, seeing everything in red. Her eyes squinted at the harsh color tone as she slowly moved herself towards the opening of the cave. Immediately, her cerulean blue irises were drawn to the sky.

The sky was bold red and hanging, not to be missed, was a bright red circle. Far off in the distance were three smaller circles. Each one of them was the color of faint blue.

" It's night time." Minako heard Taiki say.

" What ?"

" I said, the day's gone. It's night now."

Ami also looked to the sky and mused, " Remember Setsuna had said that Eidoran has three suns. Each one of those suns is blue and one moon, which is red. It may seem like the daytime of the three suns is longer but it's not. The night with the red moon surpasses it."

" I remember." Makoto said." Everybody okay ? How long have we been out ?"

Rei shrugged." I don't think any of us knows that. I'm guessing for quite awhile since it's night. We're supposed to keep following that though." She said pointedly at the three ghostly blue circles in the sky.

" Can we rest just for awhile ?" Minako asked." A few minutes."

The others nodded in agreement. No one was in the mood to get up.

Yaten moved nearest to the entrance of the cave. He slowly scanned the red terrain. Everything looked different under this light. It appeared harsher and more menacing than before. It was going to be harder walking this world.

If only they didn't split up. If only the damn ground didn't play such a sick trick by taking away two important individuals. Yaten shook his head mentally. His worrying was starting to get the best of him……and he didn't like it.