Death's voice echoed through the castle. It was a mournful laughter that threatened any Shadow that dared to disturb it. The Princess lay in its arms dead and unmoving. Her arms splayed out to the sides with scratches and wounds covering every visible part of her body.
It would not be long before her Crystal emerged and took her from this hell to be reborn but Death would not let go until the final moments. It was love, if you could call it that, which kept pulling her back to it in the afterlife. Pain, suffering and darkness was the only way Death knew how to show affection. It hated itself for it and wished Life would prevail, but that would never be the case.
Death rubbed its nails down her cold, wet cheek, taking notice that they were scratching into her face. Little droplets of blood trailed down the side and hit the now-red silk dress it was wearing.
Life and Death are the same entity. A two-faced being that both brings happiness and sadness when needed. While it is genderless, its deadly side prefers to take the form of a woman while the good takes the form of a man, but often changing faces. They govern the lives of every crystal in existence and decide who lives and for what length of time. However, they yearn for each other. Life yearns for the pain and for the suffering, while Death yearns for the Light within Life. A light that is always so close to and yet so far away.
As the Princess of Light lay in her arms, Death continued to laugh her sad song and wish for the world to be different, even if just for a moment.
Before long the body began to disperse, as if a cloud of cold air breathed in an early Winter morning. Death's hold tightened and she stopped smiling. She pulled her up closer and kissed her on the cheek. After carefully placing the fading body on the floor she picked her dress up in her hands and left through the Shadow door, refusing to turn around or look back at the mess she'd created.
Usagi immediately leaned up in her bed, yawned and looked towards the bright window to the side of her.
Mum must have come in and opened the curtains, she thought.
After rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and checking the clock, realising that she would be late for school she quickly jumped out and got dressed. She grabbed her book bag and shoved her pencil case inside. Her homework sat on the desk in front of her and, scowling, she picked it up and put it in too. Usagi spent the night daydreaming and when she had finally remembered her homework she was too tired to do it.
Footsteps hurriedly tapped down the staircase as she made her way to the kitchen and took a piece of toast. She ripped a piece off and stuffed it in her mouth, barely taking the time to chew.
Ikuko, her mother, waltzed around the corner and took a look at the mess that was Usagi's hair. "Lucy, you stayed up all night again." Lucy - a new name for a new life.
Usagi gulped another piece down. "Chew your food or you'll choke." She sighed and said under her breath, "Silly girl. Probably didn't even finish her homework."
Usagi heard her and guiltily looked away, pretending to fix her hair in the reflection on the toaster.
While still gorging on the last of her breakfast she finally left for school after saying a quick full-mouthed goodbye to her mother. "Bye mum! Have to go or I'll be late again." She waved and bolted out the door, leaving it to slam shut behind her.
Ikuko flinched as the sound rang in her ears and began cleaning the trail of crumbs left behind.
It had been sixteen years ago that Usagi was in Death's world, frightened and alone. She made a promise to herself this time. This time she would try live a full life with the one she loved and would not feel or even see the same suffering so soon after finding happiness.
Usagi ran towards the bus stop, hoping the bus hadn't left yet. Upon reaching the stop and asking another student from the same school she found it had yet to arrive and she would be on time for once. She took a seat on one side of the bench and smiled to herself while remembering where she was.
Seventeen years ago Usagi sacrificed herself to destroy the Heart Snatchers. It is pitiful, really, how things turned out. While she died the others continued on living and growing and perhaps even forgot about her.
She shook her head and made a slight laugh to herself for thinking such a silly thing. There is no way they would forget their Princess.
Mamoru was a teacher now, nearly twice the age he was before, and was teaching English at her school. Originally Usagi was a student at another high school but, upon finding Mamoru here, convinced her mother and father to let her transfer.
Usagi did not know what to do. Should she one day tell Mamoru who she is? What would be the point? He is much more than twice her age. What would the world say about their relationship?
Her head bowed down a little as tears threatened to form.
At a time like this there were only four people she wanted to speak to. Mina, Lita, Rei and Ami, wherever they now are. She could not find any trace of them through the people she knew in her past life. Motoko Furuhata was not much help as he claimed to honestly not know where any of the girls had gone to, even Usagi. He made the presumption that Lucy and Usagi looked and acted very similar and even asked if the two were related. Usagi, no, Lucy denied it and quickly left the arcade where he still worked, vowing never to return. She was afraid to be found out. Many things made her afraid these days.