34: Revelation
I was quite worried about Dyka's reaction to our night on Kastalle. I had good reason for it. Imagine, me, in the midst of a crime scene with a supposed criminal. Such a thing would be streaked on the pages of every holopaper in the galaxy. There would be an uproar. I would surely be thought to have helped her to escape, as would be commonly believed, and I would be arrested and jailed for it, left to languish into nothing.
How would she have found out? How would she react to our return? I was truly afraid.
It turned out that Dyka and Varuna had learned of Tsukino Usagi’s escape when she had returned home. Varuna had brought up her food for her, but when she found that the charge was gone, she alerted Dyka, who became enraged. She questioned the guard, who said he had only seen me leave the house. It was apparent then to Dyka that Tsukino Usagi could have only escaped by covert means. Indeed, she had gotten out without the guard noticing by climbing out of her window and escaping through the back.
It was a given that Tsukino Usagi would certainly be found at some point. Who could not help but recognize such a celebrity? So Dyka kept close watch on the news, and utilized her own channels (for, as I had already learned and still would learn, she had her ways) to find Tsukino Usagi. I was not of much consequence to her. But it was imperative to find the renegade defendant before she was destroyed by angry mobs...or she destroyed them.
She finally did find us on Kastalle, learning of the arrest and confinement. However, she then learned that I was with Tsukino Usagi. I could not be sure of her reaction to me. She certainly would not have been happy with me. But she would have been far angrier with Tsukino Usagi. The guard asserted to Dyka that I had left alone and that he had no reason to think I was in cooperation with the girl.
I did not, of course, know this chain of events until later. Nevertheless, I was not fond of meeting Dyka once more. I had good reason to fear what she would do with Tsukino Usagi. She did not take anything that she considered foolishness lightly.
-
So Dyka awaited our arrival in front of the house complex. She stood in front of the doors of the shuttle as it opened, and she watched silently as the pilot, Tsukino Usagi and I got out.
-H….. I attempted conversation as I came up to her. -…Hello, Dyka.
-Hello.
Her voice was low. My insides turned cold at this, for I knew she was enraged, and very dangerously so. She stared at the two of us, but mainly Tsukino Usagi, with a silent, stony expression of disgust upon her face.
-Well, they’re back, seema-ship! The pilot, not noticing the subtle tension, looked cheerfully at Dyka. -At least they aren’t dead. That would have complicated your life, huh?
Dyka said nothing in reply to the pilot. She simply looked at us. I could see the anger in her eyes, and I understood that Dyka was merely restraining herself in respect to the pilot. Without a single word, she motioned to us to follow her, turned away and marched right back into the house.
-….Well! The pilot smiled. -I’ll just leave you ladies to straighten out whatever needs to be straightened. My work is done. Bye!
With that, the pilot ran back into the shuttle and took off. I wasn't quite sure what to say to Tsukino Usagi at the moment; perhaps a warning that Dyka was angry would have sufficed. But I realized it was useless to speak to her when I saw that Tsukino Usagi was already on her way into the house.
Oh dear....... I shivered. Oh dear.......oh dear.......
My feet carried me so slowly. I did not wish to see Dyka's reaction to our adventure. I did not want to see what she would say about our arrest. I was frightened, and I did not want to know what would be done to us.
As I got closer to the door, however, I realized that I had little choice. I had made a choice and had to suffer whatever consequences I had to suffer.
And, if I could, I knew I had to protect Tsukino Usagi. I had to because I knew of Galaxia, that murderous creature of evil that had nearly taken my own life. She was connected to all of this, and I had to let Tsukino Usagi tell us how. It was no use to torture and hurt her; if she wouldn't talk on Kastalle, or on Veldanis, she wouldn't speak under duress by Dyka. Only genuine kindness could move her.
I had to get her to talk. It was the only way. I could only think that Galaxia was connected to what happened at the Galaxy Cauldron. How else would they have known each other.
And Kepe. I almost forgot about Kepe. Kastalle’s last words.
-....FOOLISH!
I entered the house and was met with a screaming match. Varuna and Dyka were yelling at each other, to my complete surprise.
-Listen!! Varuna was waving her hands. -We don't even know why she left! Maybe she just didn’t know any better because we were gone-
-She was a fool! Dyka was pointing dangerously towards Tsukino Usagi. -I don't like worthless fools. Worthless fools don't deserve my sympathy.
-I-
-Shut up.
Dyka's face turned towards Tsukino Usagi as she tried to speak. I couldn't see Tsukino Usagi's face from where I was, but I could see that she was slightly trembling at Dyka's presence.
-Like I said. Dyka stepped towards her. -I do not like worthless fools. I hate worthless fools. And I think you are the greatest, and most worthless fool I have ever come across, girl.
-....You know......
I saw Tsukino Usagi relax and, to my shock, stand up. I began to wonder where I had seen this before; the scenario seemed very familiar to me.
-I'll just take that as a compliment. Her voice was calm and low. -Dyka.
I had two different feelings towards Tsukino Usagi at this exchange. One of them was exhilaration, for standing up to Dyka directly. It took a lot of courage to face her, since I knew Dyka's wrath firsthand. Few ever stood up to her like that.
But then there was the other feeling. This one was one of fright. Tsukino Usagi was putting herself in grave danger.
For I had seen this happen before. I was violent, and I could be very dangerous if made to be that way, but Dyka could be far more so. She was the calmer, more powerful one of us. And when her temper was gone, a price would be paid.
-.....You......
I saw Dyka's fist raise up. I could see the rage in her eyes at the thought of being talked down to by a Vika - a Vika! - and having her insult being thrown back at her. It was that terrible night, all over again. Only this time, I was watching it as an observer.
-........YOU...........
Varuna looked too scared to do anything. She was always very timid. Tsukino Usagi wasn't moving out of the way, even as Dyka was visibly and rapidly losing her self-control. I don't think anyone of the three saw me. But I was scared.
So I began to move. I willed myself. I felt my chest heat up at the thought that I had to save Tsukino Usagi from Dyka.
-YOOOOOOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But never in my thoughts did I think I would do what I did.
*WHAM*
I could feel her hit directly upon my outstretched tentacles. It was quite horrible, and my whole body shook under the weight. I could hear Tsukino Usagi's cry as I staggered back in pain under Dyka's attack, and I may have almost stepped on the shocked soldier. Indeed, I prepared myself again for Dyka, who looked even angrier at my resistance than she did at Tsukino Usagi's comment.
-....YOU!! She opened up her other hand. -STAY OUT OF THIS!
-Dyka! Don't!
I heard Varuna's feeble protest, and I knew she was getting ready to attack me with her power. But that was perfect for me. For then, I merely wrapped my tentacles around Dyka's other hand while she concentrated and brought her down to the ground. I didn't do it as hard as I thought I could, but it didn't matter. I simply overpowered Dyka and dropped her on her back.
-THEMIS!
-....Floritiuse.....
-Stop.
Dyka stared at me from the floor, her rage turning into shock. She obviously didn't expect me to do what I did. I admittedly did not expect to do it either, at least not at first. Yet, somehow, in the end, I couldn't bring myself to hurt Dyka, at least not intentionally.
-We..... My voice was shaking as I spoke. -We....can't....do this.
-Let me go.
I let go of Dyka. I was angry, but it was not an anger I had felt before. It was almost as if my anger correlated to the strange feeling of heat within my body, for as I spoke, I felt an overwhelming amount of heat inside me. Yet I wasn't sweating, and I didn't feel ill. But I digress; I can't describe it well.
-We....can't.....DO THIS! I spoke again, more forcefully than before. -I......Dyka, look at us!
-I am loo-
-No! LOOK AT US!!
There was a moment of silence. I took several deep breaths and started speaking again. This time, I was louder.
-LOOK!! I was almost screaming. -Look at us FIGHTING! What are we doing!? This is WRONG! We can't DO this anymore! Why are we doing this to ourselves!
-I-
-SHUT UP!
Dyka was startled by my sudden force of voice. I, too, was startled, but it felt good. And once it started, I found I was unable to stop.
-It's my turn. I felt the heat turn up within me. -All you've done is talk down to me. But now it's my turn. You don't know anything. ANYTHING! You know NOTHING of what we suffered tonight! I have seen something so terrible.....my voice cracked. -Kastalle is dead. Jyanda is dead. Zra is dead, Brutus is dead, millions and billions of others are dead...all because of the same person.
-.....what.....
-I saw her. We saw her. The woman who was with Tsukino Usagi at Galaxy Cauldron.
-...................what................
-And she has been operating under our noses. I turned and pointed to Tsukino Usagi. -She's not the enemy! She SAVED me! But all she has gotten in return is our hatred. How can we save the galaxy if all we do is hurt each other and ignore the REAL threat!?!
With this, I turned and took out from my sailor suit the brooch that Galaxia had left. I dropped it right on Dyka's chest.
-Here's the proof. I backed off at this. -That was her seal. Her name is Galaxia.
-.................Galaxia.
I had certainly expected a reaction from Dyka; after all, this was a monumental moment, when the truth would be shown to Dyka, and to Varuna, and perhaps to the whole universe. The reaction I got, however, was not what I had expected.
-.....This....... Dyka was staring at it, yet her eyes seemed distant and cold. -Where....did you get this.
-I-
-Where did you get this.
-From....Galaxia.
There was a silence in the room as Dyka slowly stood up. She looked at me, then at the brooch. Then she looked down at her uneven leg, before looking back up at the brooch. She began to shake, and her fist clenched tightly over the gold jewel.
-This....... She held it so tightly that her fist began to bleed. -This is........that.....that......bitch.
I gave a gasp at Dyka's curse. She paid no mind to me.
-So...... Dyka looked at Sailor Moon with some scorn. -She is alive. After all this time…I guess you do have a use….
At first, I was unsure what in the universe I had stumbled upon. I was not expecting what I was getting from Dyka, since I had no clue what she was talking of. However, as I saw her look down at her leg - the sign of her imperfection - it suddenly hit me.
-Melkweg!? I cried.
