The chronicles of the Moon
Chapter One
Usagi's head rested on her knee her breath was winded and strained. She inhaled the scent of salt and sweat as it tickled her nostrils. Her instructor stood a tall commanding stance over her; she typed in a few keys strokes adjusting the air settings on the ship. The oxygen levels dropped down eleven percent it was already 4 percent lower than she had been used to.
"You'll kill me if you lower the air anymore." Usagi gasped at the woman in front of her wondering how she was able to adjust so well.
Setsuna smiled at her pupil. "Princess you must be able to adapt to any surrounding you might encounter." Her teachers green locks hung in a short bob accenting her heart shaped face not a hair appeared to be out of place. Usagi had been under Setsuna's care and tutelage since before the Cold Empire had acquired the Silver Alliance. Even before her Kingdoms fall Setsuna had been a force to trifle with.
No sooner did she finish her sentence did she raise her staff; Usagi barely had time to dodged avoiding her leg being crushed. The lesson had once again been reinstated Usagi learned from an early age that weakness would be exploited under King Colds rain. Her own mother Queen Serenity had relinquished her kingdom and was currently the Kings right hand. With that the hopes of the lunarian citizens had been crush a few of the noble family's chose to flee while some had joined various resistance groups. The rest had been filtered in fitting the needs that best suited the empire.
Dodging the swings of her teachers iron rod she saw an opening and brought elbow to her opponent's eye using this as a distraction she kicked the back of her feet out from under her pinning Setsuna down with her heel.
"Don't call me Princess I will not be associated with that woman!" Usagi glared down at the green haired woman. While detesting the whole cold empire no one could take the place of the one she despised most; her own mother Queen Serenity. It was her mother that killed Edmond in cold blood in front of her very own eyes three years ago. His father had dared to lead a rebellion against the Empire. A futile attempt they never stood a chance no one did. Usagi had been fourteen at the time very much blinded by her love of the young Prince he spoke of a world untouched by the Empire. Stupidly Usagi had been blinded by love and believed such a place could exist. Edmond spoke of how they would start over on a beautiful paradise planet just the two of them. He was a prince so of course he was quite the politician with words. She let herself dream a foolish thing she was back then; never again would she let herself be so weak.
Usagi left the training center and made her way down the corridor to the medical wing. She walked over to a reptilian woman in a lab coat. The woman flipped through a few pages on a clip board and hissed in her native tongue to her blue hair nurse a lunarian woman that Usagi recognized. 'Ami' the name tickled something in the back of her mind a memory that she couldn't reach.
Ami lead Usagi to a chrome table and told her to undress. She almost hadn't understood the instructions Serenity was the only one who every spoke to her in lunarian.
"Speak to me in common tongue I don't wish to hear that filth." She striped from her training gi and rested on the table the coolness of the metal sent shivers through her. The harsh word surprised Ami she lowered her face to hide a blush of embarrassment. A red light scanned over the blonde girl's body the computer beeped signaled the reading was done.
"You punctured a lung again keep this up and I'll have to throw you in the regeneration tank." The reptilian woman said look at the readings Ami's computer had pulled up.
"Only if you're willing to join me." She would never be forced in a small space again. When she had been a small child she had an acute claustrophobia that thanks to Lord Frieza had been developed into a more serious phobia. How considerate of the Kings son to take the time to bother curing the young girls fear they told her when they had found her locked in a chest one week later cover in her own sick and filth.
"Heal me and be done with it all ready."
Ami scrubbed her hands before she sterilized the tools needed for the operation. Why couldn't the lunarian royal just heal in the tank it would take less than a minute? She however would never be brave enough to voice said opinions. She injected Usagi with a clear anesthetic and watched as sleep took hold of her princess.
An unexpected tune was brought on from the most unexpected of persons. Her mother was the last person she expected to see as she blinked awake. Usagi's Star locket rested in the Queens open hand as her soft humming sang in tune with the notes of the melody. The locket had been given to Edmond a few months prior to his death. Usagi recalled her mother picking up the locket from the Prince's neck after she had severed his head from his body.
"Mother?" Serenity snapped the locket shut shift to get a better look at her daughter. Her angelic looks caused many a foe to underestimate her. Usagi would not be fooled she knew how monstrous her mother could be.
"Serenity you disappoint me child. Next time you are injured you WILL use the rejuvenation tanks or I will see to it you don't wake up so pleasantly next time." Her mother was one of few who still dared to call her by her lunarian name.
"Mother forgive me I shall not disappoint you again." Usagi grabbed the fresh clothing that was lain out for her. A plum colored dress in which its train dragged on the floor Usagi gasped.
"Lord Frieza personally picked that one out for you off some remote planet before it was demolished. It's the only one left of its kind made from that material you should be grateful." The Queens gazed never left her daughter face. The plum fabric simmered it would look almost black against her ivory skin.
"Of course Mother I'll be sure to thank Lord Frieza next time he is near our sector of the universe." Usagi lied with a grace that living in the Cold court had taught her.
"Excellent." Serenity clapped her hands together as she glides to her daughter's side slipping the star locket over Usagi's neck. "I've been meaning to return this to you it was your grandmothers neckless you know. It didn't come from your grandfather it was actually another suitor that your grandmother had to turn down for the sake of the silver moon alliance. She knew that she had to sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of the alliance. You will wear it along with the dress to the dinner to celebrate Lord Frieza's return home."
A raven hair maiden cleared her throat as she poked her head into the medical ward. She held herself with an elegance that radiated off of her. The Queen motioned her to come toward them she kneeled before the two. Usagi couldn't help but feel that the girl looked out of place on the floor.
"Serenity this is Rei she has been hand trained by the captain of my guard she shows great promise. From this day forward Rei will be at your side as your guard." Something was off the Queen never had felt the need to give her a guard before. Almost as if sensing her distress she explained. "Think of her as a gift for besting Setsuna this was your first Win against her if I'm not mistaken."
Usagi hadn't really called it a win she had been so pained and agitated at the time she didn't really register what had happened.
"Now you've wasted enough of my time child get dressed and meet us in the dining hall at once you will be eating at the head table don't be late." And with that Serenity left.
Rei was still knelt down below Usagi the blonde didn't know what to make of her. She for sure didn't trust her and would have to find a way to get rid of her as soon as possible. However there was much bigger fish to fry at the moment. She walked to the decontamination chamber of the ward it would have to do since there was no time for a shower. Rei's eye never left her even as she stayed knelled Usagi winced.
Usagi slipped the dress over her nude form once she was sure she could pass for clean. Rei reached for her princess hair Usagi stilled.
"Usagi please let me help you." Usagi let the girl style her hair into two tight buns curious of what she would do.
"You called me Usagi?" The Princess held the other girls gaze.
"I've been watching you for some time now I know you detest being called Serenity even if you are my Princess." Rei gave her a warm smile.
What did she mean that she had been watching her? Was Serenity spying on her if so what for? Usagi wanted to drill the girl but there was no time.
Usagi held her head high as she entered the room all eyes were on her of course she would be the last one arriving.
Frieza tight smile made her heart drop she knew she would get through the night with at least a few new scars be it emotional or physical.
"Usako my dear you look simply radiant I knew that dress would be the perfect fit for my little Princesses collection." Frieza's voice was soft and commanding.
Purple would of course be his favorite color on her nothing seemed to give him more pleasure than seeing her battered and broken. It seemed to be even better when he was the one doing the breaking.
"Thank you my Lord nothing more gives me pleasure." Usagi bowed slightly before joining the rest of her dining party.
"Where is that little monkey of your Son? I do so enjoy watching them fight for my amusement." King Cold returned his attention back to his son.
"My little Prince is off collecting a way ward monkey at the moment. Poor thing is probable dead their really too stupid to be left to their own devices but my little Vegeta is a stubborn thing." Dinner progressed without anyone paying much mind to Usagi she slipped away as soon as it was possible.
Rei accompany Usagi much to her distain back to the medical wing to retrieve her health report before Frieza could see that she was still not using the regeneration tank. Rei grabbed Usagi and pulled her quickly behind a door covering her mouth.
"Frieza wants to prepare his ship for departure at once and set course for planet Namek." A blue fish headed alien told his dock supervisor.
"Namek never heard of it there isn't anything special about this place." The dock man said looking at the planets coordinates.
"There's more to this place than you would think." The fish headed alien looked around making sure the coast was clear then he said in a hushed voice. "Dragon balls they apparently can grant any wish and our Lord has his eyes on taking these dragon balls for himself." The two aliens continued down the past the medic wing to the docking area to prepare Frieza ship.
Usagi's mind was reeling any wish! With any wish she could wish Edmond back she felt hope swell in her chest for the first time since he died. Rei she would need to ditch Rei and there was so little time she would have to beat Frieza she would be no match for him if he beat her to the balls. Rei's hands were still firmly clasped to Usagi it was almost like she knew the girl would flee.
"We have to be smart about this you can't just run out to the deck now with Frieza's men preparing his ship." Usagi struggled against her.
"There are no we in this. I will be going alone what do you care if I go after the balls or not." Usagi finally free herself from the other girls grasp.
"One day you will become our Queen I as do many of your lost subjects wait for the day that you will rise up to reclaim your throne. When that day does come I along with many are ready to rally together to fight for you." She spoke with such passion Usagi almost believed her. So that's what her mother wanted. She wanted to know if Usagi was planning on starting a rebellion.
The truth of the matter was she could carless about the whole Cold empire or reclaiming her throne. She had a chance to get Edmond back the rest of the universe could burn for all she cared.