The young girl stood in the cold arena that was once a great civilization. She stood in the center of it, the lone, singular pillar a empty beacon of light. She was a small girl, just barely reaching her prepubescent years, her golden yellow hair cascading down her back and up to her hair in loops before filtering to the floor, to her lower back, tipping into her buttocks.
Her heart shaped bangs only shown her face as an innocent, round child▓s look, with her big, beautiful blue eyes glittering. She was quiet as she moved slowly, her eyes skimming for something.
▒Why?▓ Came the thought, a constant question as her eyes filled with tears. ▒Why wasn▓t I the one to be?▓
She sat down in front of the pillar, staring up at it with confusion and pain, anger laced in tautly as her lips trembled.
▒I do my best, I fight, I learn, I do everything possible. But in the end, it wasn▓t meant for me, I▓m nothing more than a failure..▓
Her head fell forward slightly. ▒Even she was graced by the presence of our Guardian Deity, Cosmos. Who protects us and selects those few with bright stars. I was never to be picked, I was never to be.▓
She remembered each time she was in public, each time her guards were away, that civilians, ne▓er do well people who scoffed and pointed. She bore the symbol of the family, didn▓t she? A bright, golden crescent moon upon her brow. Of course, it was joined by the symbol of earth, a circle divided into four, each individually colored in orange, blue, red, and green. She had been told it had been from her grandfather, God rest his soul.
But no one believed in it outside her family. It was rumored that only one could exist, that she was a fraud and not at all real. Her breath caught in her chest as her thoughts turned to her sister. ▒She was always slacking, fighting to not be Crowned Princess but anytime she did anything, she at least succeeded. She has the popularity of our people, their belief, even the powers of a Star blessed by Cosmos! Why am I the black sheep?▓
She heard a strange noise and looked up to her side, seeing nothing save for the emptiness of space. On a distant, lonely star, she sat hovering over the blue crystal called Earth. Unlike her sister, she had never ventured there for she wasn▓t yet allowed.
She was always the last to do something. She knew her parents loved her but she knew, too, of their bafflement of how she was, who she was, and why she was. She wasn▓t supposed to be born, she wasn▓t supposed to be a Senshi, and they didn▓t know of why any of this was possible and why it happened.
Again, she heard something, this time from her other side and turned, hurriedly standing up. She held her breath, grasping the necklace of a multi-pointed star charm in her fisted hand. ⌠Who▓s there? Show yourself!■ She demanded, albeit weakly.
⌠Princess?■ Came a soft, gentle voice. She relaxed instantly.
⌠Duscha?■ She called out again.
⌠Yes, I▓m here. I▓m sorry to be late, I▓m having some.. oof..■ The usually graceful teenager tripped over a moderate size of debris. Her navy blue hair was impossibly thick and long, pulled to the sides in low riding pigtails, tied by white bands that had trailing lines of beads scattered around it. Her violet eyes blinked as she took in the landscape.
⌠The old Pillar of Prayer,■ she breathed before her gaze settled upon the girl. ⌠Tendouko? Are you upset?■ She asked gently.
⌠No.. no, I▓m fine now,■ Tendouko couldn▓t help but wipe her eyes furiously, blushing. ⌠It▓s just I▓ve been so confused lately. Ever since Kousagi came home, she▓s changed. She▓s no longer...■ Tendouko trailed off.
⌠The lesser perfect one?■ Duscha smiled gently. ⌠As Crowned Princess..■
⌠I don▓t want to hear it!■ Tendouko said savagely before blanching. ⌠I▓m sorry...■
⌠Hey! A little help here? I hear voices but I can▓t follow it!■ Came a familiar voice.
⌠Ah, Oceane,■ Duscha called out loudly. ⌠Come to this side!■
⌠I don▓t know what that side is,■ came an annoyed answer as another teenager popped her head into view. ⌠Aye.. Princess, there you are!■ A beaming African American beamed, her brown skin a creamy, smooth surface, her dark brown eyes playful. ⌠Oh boy! Hooky!■ She grinned widely. Her mahogany hair was up halfway in small, curly pigtails, the rest trailing haphazardly and unevenly to her shoulders. ⌠Hey Duscha! You found her first!■
She turned and shouted to someone. ⌠I win the bet! I told you Duscha would find her first!■
⌠For the last time, I didn▓t make a bet!■ Another girl appeared, her light brown skin covered in a thin layer of sweat. Her blue eyes glowered at the other as her turquoise hair was strewn in waves, despite it being in a half ponytail, tied by a large yellow bow. She was smaller than Oceane but taller than Duscha, who was a rather petite girl compared to her allies and friends.
⌠Well, Tendouko, you got us to trail after you!■ The girl crossed her arms and tried to look stern before a giggle broke from her side. ⌠What?■
A very tall, very pale girl stood just behind her, her brown hair tied up into flat, side buns, her bangs long that her eyes, specifically her right eye, was hidden from sight. But her left eye peeked out, a glittering red as a smile tugged on the girl▓s lips. ⌠Ah, Kassidy, it amazes me how much you try to act so bossy but you completely and utterly fail.■
⌠How so?■
⌠Easy, you crack under pressure,■ the girl teased.
⌠Oh, like you▓re one to talk, Primavera!■
⌠Leave Vera alone; you know she speaks only the truth,■ Oceane grinned.
⌠Why do people always pick on me?■ Kassidy threw up her hands in defeat, a grin forming. ⌠Okay, okay. Let▓s get our Princess home!■
⌠Yea!■ The four girls turned to hone in on Tendouko.
⌠She▓s been upset,■ Oceane commented. Tendouko▓s eyes twitched in growing annoyance.
⌠We need to do something about that,■ Kassidy agreed. It really did seem like they were ignoring her, as if she weren▓t there.
⌠A-HEM?■ She asked darkly.
⌠Shhh... we▓re trying to come up with something,■ Oceane stage-whispered.
⌠Guys!■ Tendouko began to tap her toe. ⌠Why did you come get me?■
The four kept whispering to each other. ⌠What are you planning?■
She didn▓t get an answer. This reminded her of something, a tactic that her friends always used. ⌠Are you stalling for time again? Why? Is there a surprise?■
Her depression fast fading, Tendouko loved surprises. ⌠What? What? Tell me!■ She flounced around them eagerly. ⌠Oh, please! The suspense will kill me!■
⌠Hmmm...■ Duscha rubbed her chin thoughtfully. ⌠How should we do this?■
⌠Oh, we can▓t tell her,■ Primavera said teasingly.
⌠Nope, we have to take her back,■ Oceane agreed.
⌠Come on, come on!■ Kassidy grasped Tendouko▓s hand with a big grin. ⌠And this time, stay with us!■ She ordered mockingly.
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Kousagi sat in her room, trying to breath. Her coronation dance, that day she came out to the world as not just the Crowned Princess but as well as a senshi.
She tried to think back but since coming back from the past, her memories were becoming fuzzy. She sometimes still missed it, for it hurt each time to think of that freedom. But she had seen what repercussions could happen if things didn▓t go as planned.
She looked up as Lune entered, her tail swishing. ⌠We finally found your sister,■ she said brightly. ⌠Little thing was playing hide and seek!■
⌠She▓s not little anymore..■ Kousagi looked out the window. ⌠Though she probably has to be dragged back. Is it me or has she changed in the last year I▓ve been gone?■
Lune sat on her haunches, her toes sticking up as she mused silently. ⌠I wouldn▓t know, really.■
⌠Well, maybe if I talked to her..■
⌠You have to get ready,■ Lune interrupted. ⌠Come on, now! Let▓s go!■
Kousagi sighed tiredly.
Meanwhile, Tendouko was being dragged back home, the giggles echoing in the air. The dome appeared, though it functioned over the entire planet so that air existed, the domes spotting around it were the only locations for fauna and flora to thrive in. This was the main dome, deep in the recesses of the Sea of Tranquility. The Queen had thought to leave the old ruins in the Sea of Serenity alone, to remember of the times before and what was done. It was a simple homage, only visited by the royal family.
Footsteps echoed in the large, spacious castle, the off-white walls shimmering clean as a regal lady moved with ease. Clad in a pink ruffled dress, pink hair up into rabbit ear shaped odangos, red eyes peered out as a golden yellow crescent shimmering upon her brow as she continued down the long hallway.
She stepped out into the gardens, moving slowly and with precision. She stilled, in the middle of wild red roses, blossoming their sweet scents as she closed her eyes momentarily.
A wind picked up, swirling into a torrent in front of the Queen, forming into a slight woman. By all means, she looked young but her eyes opened, revealing an age unfathomable.
⌠Momma..■ Mirai Queen Serenity smiled wistfully. ⌠I so rarely get to see you.■
Sailor Cosmos, reborn from her lasting battle against Chaos, was a sight of elegant beauty. Her hair tied up into single round odangos, she still bore the beaded ornaments with a yellow crescent moon inside each one. Upon her brow was a crescent moon placed upon a four pointed star. Her earrings were yellow crescent moons with short twists of metal dangling. Her hair had four beaded wings ornaments, one on each side of her part. Her choker was a yellow beaded chain, a yellow crescent moon in its center.
Her collar was stripe-less and gold, the edge lined in white ruffled fabric. Her brooch was a eight pointed large star, a crescent moon placed above and in its center. Two sets of wings jutted out that were as long as her front view of her chest. Her bodice was white and full figured, save that she had no shoulder rolls or anything else upon her shoulders. Her waistband was a set of two transparent, silver bits, dipping slightly in the front to disappear behind a yellow crescent moon. From the crescent moon was a single set of white wings, four long tails dropping down to knee length. The colors of blue, green, orange, and red glittered on one each of the four tails. Her skirt was double layered save that upper level opened in the front, each on the sides of the crescent moon. It was a yellow, transparent fabric, the underskirt gold and heavy.
Upon her hands, her fingers were laced by rings with round orbs on each top upon all but her thumbs. She wore metallic knee high boots, the top pointed and just off the top was a beaded line, a yellow crescent moon at its center. At the sides of her heels were three white beads, with tiny wings jutting from each side.
⌠Lady Serenity..■ Sailor Cosmos smiled at her. ⌠I▓ve come for my granddaughter▓s coronation. How could I miss it?■
⌠Where have you been?■ The pain etched in Mirai Queen Serenity was clear in her voice.
⌠Let▓s not discuss business, yet,■ Sailor Cosmos gave a slight smile. ⌠Please.. let▓s forget those issues and try to bring a good day.■
⌠As you wish,■ Mirai Queen Serenity nodded. ⌠I need to make sure everything is all set.■
⌠I▓ll be around,■ Sailor Cosmos watched her leave before slowly turning to gaze at the roses. Her eyes brightened with tears as she touched one to turn at a sudden sound.
Tendouko was watching her, eyes wide with fright. ⌠I.. I▓m so sorry... my lady,■ Tendouko stuttered.
Sailor Cosmos relaxed instantly, a smile shining on her face. ⌠Oh, Tendouko-chan, how long has it been?■
⌠What?■ Tendouko looked around wildly. ⌠I.. know you?■
Sailor Cosmos chuckled. ⌠That▓s right, you were but a baby. I remember holding you in my arms..■ Sailor Cosmos▓s eyes grew wistful. ⌠You▓ve grown up so beautifully. You look so much like my Endymion..■ The sadness only lasted a moment as she brightened again. ⌠Are you looking forward to Kousagi▓s ceremony?■
⌠Um.. yes, I suppose,■ Tendouko looked uncomfortable.
⌠What▓s wrong?■
⌠Oh.. well, it▓s nothing, really,■ Tendouko turned away. ⌠I have to get ready.■
⌠Tendouko?■ Sailor Cosmos▓s voice was gentle as the girl looked over her shoulder. ⌠Do you know? That deep within you lay something wonderful? Something that I▓ve always cherished...■
Tendouko▓s face was marred by a frown. ⌠What? What do you mean?■ She turned slowly but Sailor Cosmos nodded and disappeared without saying anything else.
Tendouko▓s hand snaked to her chest, grasping the necklace as she tried to think of who that was.