Unfinished Battles - (Part Two)

Awakening

Prologue

The memories... she wanted them to stop... they were all too familiar, and at the same time, told her nothing of the nameless faces that seemed to get further and further away as she chased after them. She was fourteen years old, just shy of her fifteenth birthday, but she had no expectations of celebrating it. Unable to sleep any longer, long legs dropped to the floor and stood, carrying her over to the nightstand and the mirror that revealed an exhausted young teenager, dark circles beneath her eyes, and no hint to the mysteries that plagued her each time that she closed her eyes.

She could try going back to sleep, but what was the point? Reaching for her jacket and a light pair of sweat pants, she put on a pair of old sneakers and walked outside. It was rare to see her up before the first rays of sunlight, but she needed time to clear her thoughts, to face her father. There was nothing normal about him, and he would instantly know something was wrong if he saw her ragged appearance, but how could she tell him that she was possibly going insane? She had never known her mother, and her father never spoke of her. Had she died? She wanted to ask him, but she didn't want to cause him an unnecessary amount of trouble.

The night was so quiet, almost peaceful... so why did she feel a sense of dread as she glanced towards the moon, her hand reaching for the small amounts of light that touched them? It felt as if the moon was a part of her, and she shed a single tear as she made her way towards the park.

He didn't have to ask... he already knew her nightmares had returned, despite his efforts to keep them contained. It seemed her one wish to have a normal life wasn't to happen, not for much longer, and his search for the other Guardians, Generals, or Endymion was proving rather difficult. At last, he might have found the younger of the group, Jedite, and it amazed him how similar his current life mirrored the one from the past. He had to find the rest, however, knowing that if he failed, their souls and lives were forfeit. Putting aside his investigation, he set a plate of pancakes and bacon on the table, Usagi choosing that exact moment to walk through the front door, a mixture of exasperation and resignation on her youthful face.

It amazed her how easily he knew her, his gaze missing nothing as she sat and barely touched her food. That alone was a strong indicator that something was troubling her; never mind the fact that he had the ability to read her mind if he chose. Glancing at the stack of files near his chair, she lifted the photo that sat on the top, a startled look flashing in her eyes. She knew him... not the name so much as the face. A long time ago her father had spoken of a group of children, all with special gifts or abilities like her own. However, unlike her, most of them would suffer for those oddities, humans often fearing and hating what they couldn't understand. She didn't have to ask to know that this boy was psychic, stronger than the girl with raven hair in her dreams.

A single name was written on the photo: 'Jedite.' Quietly, she set the picture down, refusing to say anything, to verbally admit that her dreams were much more. If she admitted to the nameless faces, then the nightmares were also true, and she'd rather remain ignorant of the answers to her questions for as long as possible, terror pounding away at her chest. She knew not to look her father in the eyes; Usagi didn't have to, her father was far better at his telepathic abilities than her ability to hide her thoughts from him. It wouldn't surprise her if he hadn't tried to take these dreams or nightmares away, but they always came back, night after night, and the anger that he felt at his inability to rid her of them, only made her feel even more helpless.

"Did you even sleep last night?" she asked him. Her father seemed to have a lot on his mind, consumed with a terrible sadness that had existed for as long as she could recall. It was as if he had lost far too much, the only thing keeping him going being her.

"I should ask the same question, but we already know the answer to both." She really didn't have anything to say to that, hating that he worried. "Did you at least finish your homework or study for your test this morning?" Her grades had taken an alarming turn for the worse, and she'd find herself surprised if she passed this year. It was possible, but she was beyond carrying at this point.

Serenity, just before he had dropped his scythe, had pre-warned of their awakening, but he had hoped for more time. Why were their memories emerging so much sooner in their lives, and why couldn't he sense the Negaverse? The Guardians had only just gained their powers before their battle with the Negaverse, and now they were even younger, without the training they had had on Lunaria. As powerful as he was, he should have been able to sense the enemy, but they had yet to make an appearance on present day, Earth. How had they managed to get so strong in the past? Twice he had been forced to destroy all life on Earth, and he'd have to do so again unless they managed to figure out what the enemy was doing and how?

Saturn didn't want to push her past the breaking point, but Usagi was far too much like her mother. Queen Selinity hated to trouble those around her, kept her emotions hidden with fake smiles, crying only when she thought no one saw or heard. Enough was enough; like her mother, he needed Usagi to understand that life wasn't something that you did on your own, but with the help and support of those around her. Not only was Usagi having continuous nightmares, but there were the physical changes as well, her blond hair and blue eyes gradually becoming silver.

Thankfully, most thought the silver in her hair was nothing more than a new fad or highlights, not realizing that she was the Moon Princess and Guardian of a thousand years ago. Her story had been buried in myth and legend. Sighing, he focused his mind, struggling to connect to any of them. If he couldn't sense them, neither could the Negaverse, and he had to hold on to that one hope. If he had to drop his death scythe a third time, he'd end it for the entire Universe, not just the Galaxy.

Usagi didn't bother to answer him, knowing he had her. She really had no explanation for her decline in grades, nor did she have the energy to change it. Her silver-blue eyes clashed with lavender ones, flinching slightly when she realized she was close to angering her father. He noted the exhaustion, her confusion, fully aware of her dreams. What did he need to do for him to rid her of them? Short of taking them entirely, he had little choice but to allow her to keep them this time. Putting down her sacked lunch, he crossed his arms, his aura spiking dangerously around him.

She understood that almost everyone feared this man; she couldn't even say that he had any friends outside of this house, not even at work. "Usagi," he softly spoke, his tone enough of a reprimand. He never had to yell at her; he didn't have to. "How far did you think to push my patience? Even I have a limit. Fail that test and we'll have an entirely different conversation when you get home."

Usagi paled. To her knowledge, her father had never disciplined or grounded her; not that she had ever given him a reason. Behind his anger, however, she saw concern, something she could do nothing to change. Her father wasn't like everyone else; he was terrifying and unapproachable to anyone other than his daughter; and yet she had no idea what he did while she was at school or the arcade. Did she even want to know? Maybe she could stay with Naru for a week; there wasn't a chance in hell that she'd pass today, and studying at the last minute wouldn't change that.

Only because of her perfect grades at the beginning of the year, might she make it to high school, but only barely. If something didn't change, and soon, she might as well drop out. Reading her mind, he slammed his hand against the kitchen table, causing her to jump in surprise. "Forget it, Usagi."

Usagi frowned; why did she have to have the one parent that could read her mind? So much for procrastination, not that he'd let her get away with it anyway. If he said no, then even she wasn't insane enough to defy him. Reaching for her lunch, she wondered how long he might ground her for? Hopefully that was all he did. He hated that look in her eyes, but enough was enough. Somehow, he'd find a way to shield her from those dreams, but for now he had to give her the motivation to move forward.

If she didn't show signs of improvement, he would seriously wipe her memories completely of the silver alliance, and never apologize for it. As far as he was concerned, Usagi had no business fighting the Negaverse... none of them did. He needed to find them... all of them, but for now he'd focus on the one he had found.

Jedite glared at the metal bars and white walls. Why did it matter if he had run away again? He had hated that last foster home, always having to wait for food, clothing... He couldn't count how many times he had gone hungry or the way they had hit him if he tried to take a blanket or pair of socks. As a result, he had often resorted to stealing to survive. This time no one was going to get him out, the precinct trying to decide where to send him.

He really thought that they might give him time, not expecting the sound of the keys turning in the lock. He hadn't wanted to stay in jail, but the moment the large man entered and filled his jail cell, he decided it was perhaps a better alternative. "Are you sure you want this one, Mr. Tuskino? He's as wild as they come."

Jedite scowled; what the hell did they know about him? They were fed, had a roof over their heads, and didn't have to worry if they were going to freeze at night. So, what if this guy could wipe the floor with him; he'd never beg. Scooting back until he was pressed against the wall of his cell, he turned around, refusing to acknowledge any of them further.

Suddenly a jacket wrapped around him, providing him with a warmth that he hadn't realized that he needed nor wanted. It was black and red, his favorite colors. For a moment, he almost cried, tears at the corners of his eyes. The relief from the biting cold was immediate. Shaking his head, he shrugged it off, refusing to accept the false offer of kindness. More than likely, it was all just for show, to make the law enforcement or social workers think he had good intentions when all he wanted was the money the government gave to foster parents. It wasn't real; this guy would just take it back and leave or toss him aside like everyone else had in his life. "I'm not here to foster you, Jedite. As for the money, I'm more than capable of taking care of you without government assistance."

Jedite couldn't help but look at the man. He knew he hadn't said anything, and yet every question or fear running around in his head had just been answered. Could this man read his mind? The knowing smirk was answer enough. That day, he learned two things: first, there were no secrets from Mr. Tuskino. Second, you didn't challenge him, the officers having deserted them the moment they had opened the door. Why would they let such a man have him if they were so afraid of him? "I'm not going," Jedite growled. Life on the inside wasn't that bad; was it?

"It depends on how attractive you are to the other males." The man wasn't joking, and they both knew it. Picking up the jacket, he placed it back around the boy's slender shoulders, satisfied that he didn't throw it off again. "It's cold at night; keep it on."

"I'm used to it," he snapped, anger and distrust in his hazel eyes. There were signs of bruising on his pale cheeks, and with a gentle pressure, Saturn turned the boy's face to the side. "Is this really how you wish to continue? It's no different on the inside than where you came from."

"Eventually I'll find my own strength..." That sounded pathetic, even to his own ears, but he hated showing signs of weakness.

"Not if you stay in jail," the man taunted, going so far as to ruffle his hair. "Asides from no longer feeling cold; are you not hungry?"

"Did you mean it?" Jedite pondered, his fingers touching the warm leather. Reaching over, Saturn zipped it to his neck, a silent declaration that the jacket was his and his alone. "I don't have to give it back or share it?"

"It's too big for Usagi, and she prefers blue or pink."

"Usagi?"

"My daughter." He didn't mention that the paperwork was already in motion to adopt Jedite; money had a way of cutting through a lot of red-tape, and if that didn't work, he had other ways of getting what he wanted. Jedite wondered if she was his real daughter, or like himself. Why did he suddenly care, anyway? As soon as they realized how expensive it was to take on a foster child, especially more than one, they'd want to get rid of him; they always did.

Jedite covered his ears, wanting to shut out the man's voice. He did want what the man was offering; it was all he had wanted since they had taken him from his older brother. Was this a cruel joke? Everyone hated him, and as soon as they found out about his ability... hot tears slid down his face. He couldn't do it again, fear and panic staring back at Saturn.

Watching the boy, he realized how much he had fallen into despair, no longer trusting anyone to take care of him as they should have done. It amazed Saturn how cruel the humans truly were, and he wanted to understand why his daughter had wanted to save this planet. As far as he was concerned, only a handful of them were worth the effort.

"Why are you doing this?" Jedite roared, uncaring that he was shouting at a man everyone seemed afraid of. "I'm fine on my own! I'm tired of starving, and I'm tired of having to give up my coat or blankets. Did you know, in the last place, I slept in the basement, right in front of the fire... it was the only way to stay warm, and embers from the fire would burn my skin! It hurt, but if I cried... If you're just going to hit or toss me away; leave me alone!"

The boy was so desperate to keep Saturn at a distance, despite wanting otherwise, that he didn't care if he sounded more angry than hurt or frightened. Saturn wished he had found this boy sooner, and he wondered if this was something he'd have to deal with each time he found one of them? "I believe I had a bed in mind... not the floor." Was this man for real? Jedite couldn't help but smile, turning his head around to face him. "I'd prefer it if you chose a room other than the basement to sleep in, however. The attic isn't too bad; it has as much room and space as one of the main or guest bedrooms."

"Do you always do that?" Jedite grouched, a little annoyed that this guy could read him like an open book.

"Perhaps if you weren't constantly thinking of running away..." Jedite scowled... there went that idea. "I supposed that's always an option, but try it out and for now focus on school."

Jedite hadn't been to school in close to a year, and he gave the man a shy smile. What did he really have to lose? Even if the guy did ditch him later; the idea of being fed and having his own bed appealed to him. Saturn didn't fail to pick up the memories of an older brother, the boy screaming as a group of men bought and took him away from the orphanage.

Shocked, he stood and turned away, not wanting the boy to see the rage and death swirling so close to the surface. He wondered if the boy was Zoicite; they had been biological brothers in the past and it would make it that much easier to track him down if that were the case now. Writing something down, he handed it to an officer as he walked out of the precinct, Jedite following close behind. Yes, the boy did have thoughts of running away, but he seemed hesitant, watching Saturn for signs of deception. Saturn vowed not to give the kid a reason, wanting him to have more reasons to stay, than to run.