Alone
Wind swept across the yellow tinted landscape, tugging at the stunning yellow-red Dahlia that grew in the sweeping gardens of the shining palace of Venus, Magellan. Of all the planets of the Silver Millennium, the planet of Venus was considered to be the most beautiful of them all, second only to the Moon.
There were no walls to separate the palace gardens from the rest of the beautiful flourishing planet. Beyond the yellow-red sea of flowers were grassy planes that were speckled with white roses of the moon that grew throughout the planet, much like the Dahlia of the Magellan gardens. The Moon Roses were a sign of blessing from the Moon Queen, that the Venus planet had been blessed above the rest. For it was on this planet that the leader of the Sailor Senshi lived.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, warning the people of the rain it would soon bring that would water the lands. The people though, were troubled by this sign of rain, for the planet's whether planet and very life depended on the Princess, the Leader of the Senshi. Everything about the planet was tied to her, there was no need for rain when the Princess' pure joy of life kept the planet alive, flourishing and well hydrated with plenty of clean, pure water. So at the sign of these thunder clouds the people grew concerned, wondering what had made their joyful, smiling princess sad.
"I thought you loved me."
Princess Venus stared out at her gardens, her face, which was normally occupied by a bright and beautiful smile, was expressionless and empty and the sparkle of joy and love that was normally in her stunningly blue eyes had gone out. The breeze that had been playing amongst her Dahlia now raced up towards her to sweep her long golden locks out behind her and tug at her flowing yellow gown.
"If you had truly loved me you would understand my decision and why I have to do this."
Venus screwed her eyes shut and bit her tongue, trying to prevent the scream of anger and sadness that was welling up in her chest. How had it gotten so far? Why did she let herself slip so far into something she could never have?
Something she would always be denied.
I was foolish to get so involved. She chided herself as she watched the first drops of rain begin to fall. I was stupid. Some Senshi of Love I turned out to be.
She sighed.
"My heart already belongs to another."
She bit her lip again, it was true. Everything she had said, her heart did belong to some one else. She had given her heart and her life away to that one person, and her heart could not be divided.
"Kunzite, I need to speak with you."
Already the general could tell something was wrong, never had he seen his love's eyes so sad and empty. She looked torn, her eyes were blood shot from crying away a sleepless night. She no longer seemed like the strong powerful leader he had come to know and love, instead she now looked like that of a warrior who had endured long hours of torture only to be eventually broken and left with nothing to hold onto or believe.
Something was definitely wrong.
"Venus," he whispered, touching her cheek and staring into her almost lifeless blue eyes, "What's wrong."
Again the Princess felt tears fall down her raw cheeks as she stared into the eyes of her love. She never hated the Moon Queen more than she did now, never before had she wished to disobey the Queen and do what she wanted for once! But this could not happen, she must do this, for her queen and for her own people.
Swallowing she wiped away her tears and put on what Kunzite had once lovingly called her "soldier's face." "Kunzite, I can no longer see you."
Kunzite stared at her, his face registering only shock, "What?"
"I'm sorry." Venus whispered, fighting to keep back her tears, "I should never have met you, you should never have loved me, we should never have been." She could not meet his eyes, "It is all my fault. My heart belongs to another. I had forgotten that I had already pledged both it and my life to that person. The Queen is right, we can never be."
"The Queen?" Kunzite repeated, then something dawned on him, "Venus, whatever the Queen has said please forget it. Disobey her just this once. I love you."
Venus was now fighting one of the hardest fights of her life, one between love and duty. "I can't, Kunzite. I just can't." she swallowed again and reset her "soldier's face." She stared up at Kunzite, her eyes blank and determined. "As the Leader of the Sailor Senshi I must set a role for the others and not disobey the rules of the Moon Kingdom. Our love is forbidden and so it must stay. I am..sorry." she had chocked towards the end, it was so hard to say those words.
Kunzite's eyes were now just as hard as her own, he was hurt and angry that she had just said those words. "That makes two of us." Venus felt her heart break all over again as silence fell between them.
'Please' she thought 'Hate me. Make this easy on my and just hate me, Kunzite. Please!' she begged silently.
Finally the general spoke, "I loved you, Venus, and I thought you loved me too."
At this Venus snapped, her emotions breaking through her "soldier's face" like waves over the sand, "Damn it Kunzite! Don't make this any harder on me! Do you think I want to do this!" she screamed, tears flowing openly down her face, "I loved you and still love you as I have loved no other! If you had truly loved me you would understand my decision and why I have to do this!"
Venus felt that once again tears were making their way down her cheeks. She had left right after that, not waiting for Kunzite to respond for fear that she might not be able to listen without breaking all over again.
The rain was not coming down in buckets, drenching her in cold wet drops that mingled with her tears. Her hair became as lifeless as she felt as both it and her gown clung to her now shivering body. And she once again found herself lost in loneliness. Something she had not felt since she had met Kunzite. And in that moment of loneliness she accepted what she had been trying to deny all her life. That the Senshi of Love can never have what she stands for. The Senshi of Love must always walk alone.
"Princess?"
Venus wiped away her tears and turned to smile sadly at her cousin Hesperus, Knight of Venus. Normally this title would be passed onto the first born male of the direct royal family but as Princess Venus had not siblings the title was granted to her first born male cousin. Hesperus was more of a brother to her anyways, she could tell him anything and he would listen. He was loyal and brave and always managed to make her laugh.
He was dressed in his battle armor, she noted as she listened to the sound of the rain striking the gold and red armor. To counter her long hair he wore his wavy golden hair short, only a tad longer than Prince Endymion's, but his eyes were the same as her own, bright blue and shining with the joy of life.
"Hesperus," she greeted him. Her voice was soar and rasping from long hours of crying, "You are ready to leave then?"
Hesperus nodded, "Yes, Princess." He replied, his eyes full of concern, "You sure you'll be okay?" Princess Venus nodded.
"Yes."
Hesperus stepped towards her and patted her head, "Please smile for me, little morning star." He begged, using her childhood nickname, "Please?"
Venus had to comply and broke out into a wide smile despite the aching that was still in her heart. "Remember if you die I'm going to personally kill you, Hesperus." She teased.
Hesperus laughed, "Better watch myself then, I'd rather be fed to a pack of wild cats than have to after me." He hugged her and pecked her on the forehead, "See you later, little goddess."
Venus watched him go and sighed, feeling her loneliness sink in once again. As it turned out she would only be left to it for a short amount of time, and when it was interrupted she dearly wished she had just been left alone.
"Princess Venus!" Artemis came skidding out onto the drying balcony, the storm having rained itself out just as Venus had cried herself dry.
"Artemis, what's wrong?" she asked, kneeling next to the panting white cat.
"Earth……….humans……..Serenity……….help." Artemis panted, unable to catch his breath and deliver the full message.
"Artemis, I can't understand you." Venus said, trying hard not to smile at the sight Artemis made.
Taking a deep breath the cat calmed himself and delivered the message which would spell doom for the Venus Princess. "The humans have attacked, we're at war and Princess Serenity is on Earth."
Venus stared at Artemis, all thoughts of laughter banished from her mind. "Damn!" she shouted as she got to her feet, "Artemis, tell the people to prepare for war. I want all who are fit and willing to fight at the Moon in five minutes to protect the palace. Send messages to the inner senshi and tell them to meet me at the Earth Palace. Then send word to the Outer Senshi, tell them under no circumstances are they to leave their posts. The Moon Kingdom must be protected!"
"Princess!" Artemis called as Venus turned away, "What if…" he did not need to finish, Princess Venus knew what he meant.
"They are not to leave their posts." She repeated before jumping onto the railing of the balcony. She was ready to fulfill her duty as a Sailor Senshi. She was ready to give her life to the one she had chosen over her one true love. She was ready to die.
"Venus Power, Make Up!"
-----------The Following is an Account of the Last Moments of Princess Venus of the Sailor Senshi. As Recorded by Sailor Pluto of the Outer Senshi, Guardian of Time and its Gates------------
Venus ran through the halls of the Earth Palace, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps of pain and sadness. Her tears mingled with the blood that splattered her cheeks, blood that she had shed and the blood of friends long gone to a hopefully peaceful rest.
Venus wept for her bitter and cruel fate as she continued making her way towards the Moon Princess. The Fates must love watching her suffer and their games were so cruel and heartless Venus laughed. It was a chocked, strangled laugh that sounded dead and almost evil, but it was a laugh that fit her fate perfectly.
That Sailor Venus the Senshi of Love would be the one to end the lives of her friends' loved ones. That she, who wanted nothing more than to see all her friends live long love-filled lives, would be the one to bring them the most pain and heartbreak.
She had watched them kill her friends and in her rage she, in turn, had killed them. Only Jupiter had taken her own love down herself before meeting her own fate later, dying as a broken warrior. Both Mercury and Mars had both fallen to the blades of their loves, leaving Venus to end the former Generals' lives.
Now there was only one left, the one she knew she too would have to face in battle. The one she did not know if she would be able to defeat.
Finally she found them, Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. The Prince had taken his love back to the farthest reaches of the palace so he could protect her but now the army was on its way and none of them were safe.
"Princess!" Venus felt joy rushing through her battle weary body as she spotted the one to whom her life belonged.
"Venus!" the terrified Moon Princess rushed forward and hugged her long-time friend, ignoring the blood and dirt that caked her Venus' body. The Senshi returned the hug, embracing the one she had given up so much for.
An unfriendly chuckle ended the happy reunion and almost stopped Venus' heart.
"How cute, one final embrace before your deaths." Venus pulled away from the Princess as she turned to face the intruder.
"Leave now." She ordered, her voice strong and commanding, cold and emotionless with blue eyes that reflected the emotions on an even greater level.
Prince Endymion pushed Serenity behind him, "Kunzite, why are you doing this?" he demanded but Venus did not allow her former lover time to answer.
"Prince, get Princess Serenity to safety." Her voice again was cold and commanding but the Prince did not obey for the Princess would not allow it.
"No Venus, please! You'll die if you stay!" she begged, weeping for the fate she knew would befall her friend if she did stay and fight.
Venus' eyes were fixed on Kunzite as she called forth the Moon Saber, a gift given to her by the Moon Queen as a sigh of Venus' role as Leader of the Senshi. "Then, Serenity, I will die and face it like a proud and strong Sailor Senshi."
Stepping forward she stood with her sword at ready as she declared in a loud and ringing voice that filled every corner of the room, "I am Sailor Venus, Guardian of Love and Leader of the Inner Senshi, Protectors of Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom! And in the name of Venus I will defeat you!"
With that she charged and entered what would be the second hardest of her life, which she knew did not have much time left in it. She charged and prepared to kill the one man she loved, knowing that these were her last moments.
Hers and Kunzite's blades met with a horrible clashing that made Venus' ears ring and her arms shake, but she did not back down. Nor did she waver or break when she saw the hatred in Kunzite's eyes. She was done crying and no matter how much it pained her to do so, she would kill Kunzite for the sake of protecting her princess.
She was, and always would be, the suffering servant. The one who gave up everything for her Princess, she was the one who would sacrifice the most for the one to whom her life belonged.
This was the fate of the Senshi, this was their life. This was her life which she accepted. One she would follow even if she had to do so alone.
The battle seemed to rage on for hours with Endymion and Serenity standing witness to the horrible fight between the two who had once loved each other as much as they did. They watched as Venus drew the first blood, slashing Kunzite's shoulder. They watched as he returned the blow, striking her across the leg. And they watched as everything they knew and loved fell apart before their eyes.
As their fight grew in ferocity and speed a dark shadow came and stood in the door way through which both fighters had entered. The dark figure watched as the two battled but unlike the Prince and Princess the dark figure felt no remorse as she watched the blood flow and the battle continue.
Venus was breaking, she knew this. Even as she tried desperately to continue their battle she could feel her heart breaking and her will to continue disappearing. She felt white hot pain like nothing she had ever experienced streak across her side, leaving a shallow but serious wound behind. She fell to one knee and stared up at the panting Kunzite.
"Kunzite!" she panted, "Why?"
"He can not hear you, Senshi." A dark voice rang through the room, "His heart belongs to me now."
Venus did not care who had spoken, she did not care that she was about to die. She only had thoughts and eyes for her only love. "Please, Kunzite, I don't ask you to spare my life. But don't leave me alone." Her voice was a mere whisper, "You promised I'd never have to be left alone to watch as my friends moved on as I know they will. You promised you'd always be there to love me so I would not be left to bear the sadness of the ages alone. You promised."
Again the voice laughed, "Foolish, Senshi, you can not reach him! He is mine! Kunzite, kill her!"
For a moment both of them paused. And in that moment Venus saw something in Kunzite's eyes. A single tear trickled down his cheek.
Venus' eyes flashed as she was suddenly filled with the strength her planet and people had to offer her. With a surge of strength she was on her feet, her body fed by the raw energy that was her planet's core. The raw energy that she knew was dying along with both her people and her planet.
"Kunzite, let us go together to the realm of the dead! Let us make one final eternal journey! Let us take it together!" with a final surge of strength she ran her love through, feeling Kunzite's blade pierce her heart at the same time.
Pain broke the spell, Kunzite's eyes opened in time to see his love fall into his arms as the two collapsed to the ground. Their blood mingled and stained the marble floor, forming a large puddle around the two dying warriors.
"Venus, no….my precious morning star." he whispered, his hands shaking as he brushed her hair out of her face, she looked even more beautiful now in death than she ever had in life. She smiled up at him as they began to fade.
"Kunzite…I'm….sorry. I love you…my dear Kunzite."
The general wrapped his arms around her and felt her do the same he could feel tears run freely from his eyes as they embraced one last time, "Are you ready, my love?" he gasped out, managing one final smile, "Are you ready for our last journey together?"
Venus felt tears well up in her eyes as she thought of the journey they were starting out on. One they would walk together until the end of time and beyond. A journey where there would be no pain, no duty, no death.
There would just be them.
"Us." She thought as her tears flowed once again.
She hugged Kunzite closer to her and smiled more brightly that Kunzite had ever seen her smile, "Yes, Kunzite, I am ready."
As Venus breathed her last though a strange feeling came over her. This was not the end, no, this was far from it. Her death now was only the beginning of a new life. A new hope.
"I am sorry, Kunzite, but we will have to wait a little longer before we can explore the universe together. But wait for me, Kunzite. Love is eternal and no matter how far we may be or what our future holds for us, we will meet again in love.
"Until then I will fulfill my duties.
"For the Senshi of Love can never have what she stands for. The Senshi of Love must always walk alone."
---------Kunzite and Venus died in each others arms just before the deaths of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. They died smiling in the joy of their love. Both fulfilled their duties as guardians of their Prince and Princess. They are eternally honored as heroes of Time and of Love. May they rest in peace and explore eternity together and may they never be alone.---------
---You all loved Silence so much that I decided to try my hand at another one shot. I hope you all like it. I wanted it to be really kind of sad and with a bit of a depressing ending. Venus is my favorite of the Sailor Senshi so I did a lot of online reading about her. I couldnt help but notice that Venus always seems very alone. She gives up a lot so she can serve Serenity so I felt she deserved a good story.
Heh, I actually started crying as I finished writing the story. And I still tear up everytime I read it. So yeah, I'm really proud of this story.
I do still welcome constructive criticism. Don't be afraid to give it becuase i love it just as much as I love the ones where people tell me how much they enjoyed the story.
So please Reveiw!
Thanks for reading! --bows--
-catgirl Serenity