Loving Moon

Stary Stary Night

~Starry Starry Night is one episode of the Cycles of the Moon.

It is about the Sailor Senshi's and Princes Serinity and their time in the Silver Millennium and how they met their lovers.

(As in the manga version of Sailormoon, their lovers crossed over to the 'dark side' and betrayed the Moonkingdom)

This story is about Sailor Jupiter and is written in first person. (seen trough Sailor Jupiter's eyes)

This is a romantic / drama fanfic.

Disclaimer: I don't own these Sailormoon characters, I just borrow them from time to time.

Please r&r

~ Angelhart

tenshishin@hotmail.com

I open my eyes. What time is it? I must have fallen asleep.

My eyes gaze at the stars. The sparkling jewels in the sky. I find them fascinating, just like lighting. They see everything, must know every secret there is. I wonder what it would be like to control those ancient lights. What power would they have? A person controlling the stars must have a peaceful mind, I think. And must have a lot of power as well…

I shiver. It is colder now. But I don't wanna be inside. Not just yet. The sky is so beautiful and although it is much warmer inside, close by the large fireplace, there is no wonderful view than out here. And there is another reason for me to stay out here: there is another ball inside. However I do like to go to it, most man are to overwhelmed by my size – for I am quite tall for a girl – and strength. I always seem to scare them off. And I don't wanna ruin the party, so I decide to stay here for just a little while longer.

I sigh deep and lean back. I gaze upon the stars once more. How many worlds would they brighten with their heavenly light? I sigh again and close my eyes for a short moment. So hard to believe that there could be wars going on, on those other worlds. All that unnecessary bloodshed. Violence… Although I am a true fighter in blood and soul, I hate wars as much as any other person. I enjoy the peace this kingdom is offering me, but I know that it could change any second, for there lies great power here. Power that can create worlds and destroy them as easy, as well. Such power could be dangerous in the hands of evil. I would rather die than give that much power to evil beings. And I know that every other Sailor Warrior agrees with me.

I get up and rub myself warm. The nights on the moon can be cold sometimes. I slowly make my way back to palace. I sneak trough a hidden passage, only I, the Senshi's and the royal family know about. This so I can avoid the party people. But as I make my way trough the palace to my room I can't resist taking a peak into the large ball room.

Huh? I never thought I would see this! Sailor Venus is dancing! What are the odds! I smile. Well well, it seemed that the cold hearted general, for I know him like that, has gotten the little adventurer on the dance floor. Silently I continue my walk towards my room as I am suddenly startled by the sound of music coming from the main living room, as I call it. A room for quit social time. Curious I slowly open the large door further and I thank the spirits that the door is silent.

Someone is playing the big piano. However his long hair is confusing, his posture is not female. How lovely, I can't even remember when someone played on the heavy black instrument. Somehow it suits him, even though I don't really know him. He seems so peaceful. I silently listen to the sweet music that is forming under his hands. This is no amateur. He knows what he is doing. I wouldn't be surprised if the stars would be dancing in the night sky.

Then he stops.

I gasp, for I somehow get the feeling he has noticed he's gotten an audience.

"You can come in you know," he speaks. His voice calm and deep. Then he starts playing again.

Slowly, a bit hesitating I close the door behind me and walk towards him. He says nothing as I stand next to him – he is quite handsome, but I lose my heart easily over men – but goes on playing. I don't know what he is playing, but it is really good. The music starts slow and then the tempo grows faster and faster.

I smile as sit on the piano. "Are you trying to impress me?" I ask with a teasing smile.

He doesn't look up; he is really into his playing. "No, not really," he answers.

I know him. I have seen him before, and his uniform reveals that I am right. He is a soldier in Endymion's army. My head frowns as I try to recall his name.

"Nephrite," he suddenly says, as if reading my mind.

I startle, did he just read my mind? Does he has the power to do that? I regard this stupid thought, for I know it is almost impossible to do such a thing. Almost…

I didn't notice his grin…

I listen silently, not thinking anymore, for I do not want to brake this moment any further. The tempo slows down and the music becomes really sweet en sensual. Then it stops…

I open my eyes – I had them closed to enjoy his playing to the fullest and let my soul be swept away by the music – and look a him. Slowly he starts playing again. Another song. This one is slow and kind of sad. I suddenly realize that I have heard that tune before. It is from a star shaped medallion that Serinity has. But how does he know it? Wait… I remember… I have seen Endymion with the medallion. Serinity must have given it to him. And Nephrite must have heard the melody.

I let myself be taken away by the soft sweet melody. The whole night I listen to Nephrite's playing. And I enjoyed every moment of it. For those hours, my soul was in heaven… Reaching towards the stars…

* * *

I wake up, stretching like a lazy cat. Last night… the music still lingers in my ears. I smile and my eyes sparkle like the stars that are just as vivid in my mind. O no. I lost my heart again. I fall so easily in love that it is almost annoying. Every time I tell myself that it is different this time, real. Magical. But I am not a devourer of men. I enjoy their company, but true love, yet still remains unfamiliar to me. Will I ever feel it? That feeling that can tame even the furriest of warriors, that can turn sane persons insane. That feeling that can warm you in the coldest nights, without fire, for it is the fire of passion itself. Will it ever tame me?

I arch my back longing for a touch. A man's touch. I can't hardly wait to see him again. This one is a catch I cannot pass. My heart is giddy and anxious. And after my morning routine of patrolling I am daydreaming, while searching.

Disappointed that I couldn't find him, I join Sailor Mars and Mercury for a spar outside. Between battles, we talk about the usual girl stuff and rumours. And we talk about men. Sailor Mercury remains quite silent as Mars and I gossip about the guys around. And in a wild moment I blabber out his name.

"Hmrph," mumbles Mars. "Not my type."

I hear Mercury giggle.

"I don't trust him, he's got sneaky eyes."

"You cannot judge a book by it's cover Mars," says Mercury in my defense.

I smile. That's right. Looks are deceiving. And I my opinion he's got the sweetest eyes I've ever seen.

"Say… Are you in love again?" I hear Mars say in a distance that could be miles away.

As I turn around I notice the sudden heat in my cheeks. Mercury smiles sweetly. I cannot hold back the sigh that escapes my lips. I suddenly feel like a teenager again…

* * *

Days passed by me like sand in an hour glass. There in a moment, gone in a flash…

I am reading, but the words hold no meaning to me, for my true mind is somewhere else. It has been a couple of days now, and even though I saw Endymion and Malachite, I didn't saw Nephrite anywhere around. He must still be on earth.

I rest my head on my arms on the book and sigh in disappointment. I look out the window and see the stars in the far distance. What if he already has someone? My heart jumps at the thought. And the thought hurts.

Then my view is gone. I look up against a uniform and as I raise my head further I encounter deep blue eyes.

He smiles friendly.

"I've heard you where looking for me. Your friend, I believe her name is Mercury, showed me the way to the library."

Mercury! How wicked! I look at him with no words to say. My heart is pounding like a young bird trapped in a cage. He grins at the sudden affect he has on me. I am blushing and I have no excuse to use. But I must say something!

"Your playing has left a mark on me, which I cannot ignore." Okay, that sounds really lame, but it was the best I could think of at that time. I was already surprised there where even real words coming out of my mouth, with a throat so dry.

"I see," he says. He moves his head a bit like a cute little puppy would do when it would hear a strange noise. He is so handsome; I am on the verge of drooling.

"What are you reading?" I hear him say in far depths of my mind. Then my book is gone.

Wait a minute! I let him read that!? Heat is running to my cheeks as his eyes gaze over the pages of my romance novel: you know, those books where the men are hero's and seduce their beloved ones in the most sensual way… O no! He cannot be reading that page. It is that part of the story where things are about to heat up…

I see no change in his facial expression… but then… a smile – no more a grin – appears on his face as he closes the book slowly. He looks at me and I swallow. For me the temperature in the library has raised enormously.

You know… there is a life out there. One even better than in these books.

With a trembling, sweaty hand, I've managed barely to get the book back into my possession. "Well," I said – and I cannot believe my voice is so steady right now – "There hasn't been anyone yet to show me such a life…"

O gods! I cannot believe I just said that in such a challenging manner. I must have lost my mind. And where did that sensual look I made come from? If I would be looking in a mirror right now, I wouldn't believe it would be my own reflection I would see. This sudden bravery is to his liking, for he smiles and his eyes seem to have a strange glint; almost sexy.

"If you let me, I'd would like to introduce you to that world."

My heart must have stopped for a second, for I just stopped breathing. This sounds like a really old pickup line, but by the stars! he makes this line sound so good! I take his hand and let me be lead outside. While I was trying to catch the fish, it seems that fish has now caught me…

***

We talked, for what seemed like days. His life as a general, the beauty of earth, the stars. He is total in astronomy. Well seems like we've got a big thing in common, for so am I. As the night slowly falls, we sit down on the soft grass, gazing up to the sparkling lights in the dark curtain that is called night.

I've feel so at ease now. As I lay on my back, I close my eyes for a short moment, to feel the stars' presence even within me. As I enter the peace of my own mind, I feel the softness of brushing lips against mine. Barely touching they move over my lips, descending down to nuzzle my neck – and I arch my back to this sweet caress – before going up again, this time pausing just above lips. My body is unconsciously trying to draw his closer. Softly his lips touch mine, harder now. I slowly open my mouth to give in to the deepest of kisses.

So this is what it is like to be loved. Now novel can describe even what is happening to me now. Like an instrument he plays me drawing the sweetest music out of me. No one knew how I had envied that piano that night. Just to feel his touch, even barely, sends wonderful shivers down my spine throughout all of my body, that has now started to live a life of its own uncontrollably. I pull him closer, nothing in the universe can stop this moment from happening. No novel comes even close to what real life has to offer..

As he kisses me passionately I ask of him, my only wish I would like to experience at least once in my life…

"Please take me to the stars…"

He smiles and that handsome body holds me closer.

That night he took me straight to heaven…

***

I turn around in my sleep. A soft voice whispers in my ear: "Come to earth with me."

I smile and stretch myself. For a moment is seemed he was asking me to live on earth with him, but I notice soon that he is talking about a visit. I nod. I would definitely like to see that wonderful little planet up close. I hear the stars shine brighter there…

***

Serinity is so excited. I know she is even more curious about the planet than me or any of the other senshi's. I see Sailor Venus standing in the background. I know she tries to keep her love affair a secret, but she doesn't know that we all already know about her and the icy general. They have quite the passionate relationship. One time, as I was making my way up to the training room I saw them making out against the weapon collection on the wall. They didn't saw me, they only had eyes for each other. I carefully made my way out of the room, without them knowing I was even there for a split of a second. The next day Sailor Venus had a terrible back ache. She said she had hurt herself while training. Only I knew otherwise.

It seems that their relationship is different based than the one I seem to have with Nephrite. Theirs is based on lust and adventure, while ours is based on love and a share of heart and mind. I don't know which is better. For Venus the relationship she has seems to work fine. She is a much wilder spirit than I am. I am not blunt about the wild things of sex, but I am smart enough to know that making love against the weapon arsenal isn't such a good idea for someone's health. But I guess these things can be easily forgotten in a moment of mere passion. Love is a drug indeed. It enables you to act in a way you would never act normally. And it disables all the conscious thinking of your mind, making you act by pure instinct, being lead by the fiery way of passion.

My whole body is anxious to see Nephrite again. I don't know if the senshi's know about me and him, and I sort of actually don't even care if they do. I am happy and he makes me feel so powerful. I didn't know a woman could have such an effect over men. Just the way we act, we behave, can make them act on pure basic lust. If you ask a man anything on the high of ecstasy and he will do it for you without hesitation. A power that could easily be abused. But it can be reverted as well. For we women are just as vulnerable when it comes to that as a man, although we like the think we are not. I never knew I had some much passion inside of me. Seems to me the right love can draw it all out…

***

The earth is indeed an incredible place. I gently squeeze his hand like an anxious little schoolgirl. The surroundings are almost the same, but yet even very different. It is hard to explain, but I feel more at ease here. It feels all so natural, while on the moon the Moon Scepter has created the living environment for us.

Nephrite shows me around this wonderful place. They have the cutest animals on this planet. I wish I could take them all home with me. But I notice that Nephrite didn't bring me here just to show me the animals. And at the secluded spot, close to a beautiful lake we share our love again. And although the sky was a deep blue, I was taken to the stars again. They have never been so close to me before I met him. My life can be truly envied…

***

A sudden noise wakes me up at night. It's a sound of someone screaming.

"Venus!" I cried. I sit up straight, seeing Nephrite standing in the hall. He is talking to someone; Endymion. I follow them as they run towards the room where Sailor Venus is staying in. I am suddenly being pushed aside, and as I turn around I see Venus running trough the hall. She seemed angry and sad at the same time, as I quickly could read her face. As I look back I see Malachite standing in the doorway of her room. He seems to share a short moment of eye contact with Nephrite and it is as if they share a whole conversation just by looking in each other's eyes. There is a strange grin on Malachite's face. I shiver. Something about him, gives me the chills. I don't like this man one bit!

As I decide to try and trace Venus, a sudden hand on my shoulder stops me from walking away. I see Nephrite shake his head. He is right. She might be better of alone right now. What can I do anyway? I probably be only in her way. She might just wanna go and blow of some steam outside.

***

The days on earth passed quickly. I never knew what had happened that one night; and I never asked. It was none of my business anyway. Back on the moon I noticed they got back together, for their cries of passion could be heard all over the palace.

***

Weeks passed. Faster then I could even apprehend. One night I dreamt I was in a foggy place. I saw Nephrite's figure like a dark shade in the distance between all that fog. But as I tried to get to him, the distance between us seem to widen. I woke up, panicked, clutching against my love. He never knew where my sudden fear came from, I never told him…

Dreams hold the future…

***

I am scared. The taste of the future was bitter and sour. I cannot let go of the thought that I will loose him. Drawn into the darkness behind the fog. I talked to Mercury, our specialist in analysing dreams. Or so we think. The fog could stand for some sort of confusion. Like a fog entering your mind, clouding it when you are supposed to be clear of head. Pulled away from me. My love. My sweet love, are we growing apart so soon? No. NO!

I will not believe this. I refuse to. Not when I found happiness, I will not let it be taken away from me. Futures can be changed…

***

I dreamt that dream again. This time it gripped my heart as well. Seeing him being pulled away, tears a part of my heart away as well. That night I was the aggressor. That night I dominated him, giving him all my love, passion and fire; pulled form the deepest of my soul. Nearing a shattering climax I let my tears flow freely…

I will not loose you my love. Never…

***

I wake up. Alone. Later that night I saw him and Endymion leave for earth. There seemed to be some trouble on that planet.

Darkness descended upon my aching heart as I saw him leave. Into the darkness…

I've slept a restless sleep. Darkness laughing. I was crying…

***

Days past… Weeks…

I was right. Mercury was night. I would never see him again. Not the Nephrite I knew…

***

Another ball. I stand alone. Hiding behind a corner as Endymion is talking to Serinity. I couldn't resist. I have to know what is going on, even if it means invading their privacy. I have seen their faces on the dance floor. Gone was the passion that holds them so fiercely. An expression of deepening sadness was lying beneath their usual fire.

War? Metallia? I do not understand. Slaves of darkness… Nephrite… I feel tears escaping my eyes. World destruction. The Moon Scepter. O, we are all in so much danger, but right now I don't seem to care at all.

Nephrite my love… How can I save you?

Darkness descends upon the moon. A devilish queen appears before them. Tearing them apart with brute force as a shattering explosion pulls this kingdom apart. I follow the senshi's outside. Sailor Venus is yelling commands I hardly hear. I cry silently. This cannot be happening! Nephrite!

I fight blindly. I kill, shatter blood, but am barely aware of any of this chaos. My mind is one blank void. Mars calls for help, but I am to late, for warriors fight me and delay me. I see her killer and I call on Jupiter for it's devastating power. I blast him into oblivion with one hit he didn't expect. I kneel beside Mars' lifeless body. Pressing it against me I cry out to the night sky.

Why? Why is this happening to us? I don't understand… Why is power so desirable. Love holds so much greater treasure…

I think I will never understand…

Letting her go, I face myself to battle again. But just as I call to Jupiter once more I can feel his blue eyes rest upon me; like a knife trough my back…

I slowly turn around, afraid of what I might see. He hasn't changed and yet has so much… There is a darkness hiding behind his eyes. The sensual glint has changed into an evil one. I call Jupiter and send it's attack towards him.

He is not Nephrite anymore.

Before I know it he is standing behind me. One arm around my waist, the other around my neck. A hand gently caresses my hear away from my neck. His hands are so powerful…

I cry out to the night sky. I see his reflection in the stars and stretch out my hand to touch him. But it is only an illusion of my imagination. A picture projected by my aching heart, for the Nephrite I loved, no longer exists.

His hands move; fast. And before my eyes close for ever, I gaze upon the sky…

The stars didn't sparkle this night.

~

author's notes:

Thanks for the nice reviews!

As you will notice this is a whole different story than the one with Malachite (Kunzite) and Sailor Venus. This is because these two (Nephrite and Sailor Jupiter) are totally different persons with different personality's. While Malachite was the one with the cool and ice demeanour, Nephrite is the ladies man. And as in the series, Jupiter looses her heart easily over men. I tried to keep this fic as close to the personalities as I can. Well hope you've liked it!

Sorry, I know: many of these '***', but I just cannot do this fic without them. Still I find this fic to my liking.

Please R & R. Positive reviews are good for a writer's ego J and serious criticism creates a good writer!

By the way:

Sorry that it took a while to upload this fic, but I am quite a busy person. Work, studies, my novel, my website, and I write other fanfics, too. There will be other episodes of the Cycles of the Moon, but I cannot promise they will be uploaded fast.

~ Angelhart

Other episodes of the Cycles of the Moon that are already posted:

- The Cycles of the Moon: The Eyes of Death (Malachite (Kunzite) and Sailor Venus)