It smelled so sweet here. It was warm and comforting. Venus consciously knew that her whole self felt dazed but she did not feel sick. It was as though a warm blanket had been wrapped around her shoulders after a cold bath.
Slowly she became aware that she had just passed away and now she sat where all things are born and die- the galaxy cauldron.
A warm hand wrapped around her own. Mars stood to her side smiling at her with those elegant violet eyes. As Minako took a better look around her, it was as if her friends had dissolved into her consciousness. All of her senshi stood around her wearing the same white dress.
"Our Princess," Pluto's voice seemed no less calming than the scene around them. "is fighting." Neptune hung on to Uranus's arm, Mercury was greeted by Jupiter's smiling face, and Saturn let go of Pluto's hand to open up their vision. There before them was Sailor Moon's battle with Galaxia and then Chaos.
As they watched the terrible fight, Mamoru stepped forward with Chibiusa in his arms. Mars did not let go of Venus's arm for a long while as the nine soldiers watched from the galaxy cauldron.
Finally, when it looked as though Sailor Moon would need their power, Mars released her hold and closed her eyes to send it. Venus did likewise.
When Venus closed her eyes and felt her power take flight she thought about her time as a senshi. From the times she had fought to save her princess to the moment she felt she had lost her powers to the Dead Moon Circus. She thought back to the moment she saw the princess and prince melt and the time they had healed the Earth after Saturn was born again. She thought back to when her friends had been kidnapped by the aliens from the future and the time Sailor V and Sailor Moon had saved Chibiusa from the Vampire girl. She thought about the times they had studied at Rei's or when they played video games in the late afternoon. She remembered the smells of Makoto's first dish after the battle with Metallia. And then the first time she met them all in the flesh after saving Sailor Moon from Zoicite and the first time talking to her though the sailor V game. She remembered seeing Tuxedo Mask lift her up after she fainted that day and the huge crush she knew Usagi had on the Earth Prince.
Her mind raced through her own many crushes and lovers all the way back to the time as Sailor V when she had her real first love- Higashi who was also her first enemy.
But no, there was one more. Her real first love was not Higashi, or even Ace the mysterious boy who confessed his love. No, it was Kunzite. The man from the silver Millennium. The man with silver hair and a voice like the ringing of a sword. She smiled to herself, her eyes still closed as she tried to remember it.
"Venus?"
That was it. At first she thought it was a memory, because her intuition told her there were no illusions in the Galaxy Cauldron. But this sound made her ears sing with vibrations. She opened her eyes and standing before her was he. He stood in a white button down shirt just like mamoru's but his face had etched on it some confusion.
When Venus said nothing he ventured to speak again.
"There are no illusions in the galaxy Cauldron so you must be dead."
She nodded. "Not for long. Sailor Moon is coming and I'll be going back to her."
"Ah." He grunted in acknowledge. His face looked unburdened. More light than Venus had seen it in this life and the final portion of their last. He seemed to understand her thoughts as she studied his features- they were just like when they had first met on her planet Venus.
"In the Cauldron, Beryl has no possession of my soul."
"Ah." She affirmed. She could see the youthful glow of his features. "You can't be reborn with us?"
"No." He looked as though he had come to terms with this a long time ago and was now just reassuring her. "But I visit the prince through the Kunzite stone he keeps with him in the form of a spirit. I can advice him and repent for my betrayal." Both of them knew he had sinned.
She didn't move from her spot for a long time. Kunzite wasn't bothered at all but stood and watched her.
No thought ran through her head as she lunged her body forward looping her around him and he, as naturally as blinking, held her close to his chest.
"It may not be for a long time, but Kunzite, when I finally die, will you…come to meet me?"
"I will. We'll be free then. And we can spend eternity together."
"You'll wait for me? All that time?"
"Can you promise me you'll fulfill your duty?"
"I promise I will."
"Then, oh Venus, I promise I will be waiting. By the time you come I hope I'll be forgiven so we can enter heaven together."
"I won't go without you. I loved you Kunzite."
"Stay that way Minako and I'll wait….I'll wait… I'll wait for you….."
"Minako-chan? What are you doing standing here alone? Usagi is waking up!"
