Writer's Notes: Thank you to all those who have read and especially reviewed, I adore hearing what people are thinking about the story. The parts of the story that are in italics are flashback sequences to the Silver Millennium. I will be using a few Japanese words and honourifics when writing this fanfiction, as well as numbering the chapters in Japanese. Here is a short list for those who are not familiar with them:
Japanese Words:
Senshi: refers to the Sailor Senshi, "warrior"
Fuku: the senshi's sailor uniform, "outfit"
Odango: refers to the hairstyle that Usagi wears, "dumpling"
Hai: "yes" or shows agreement
Arigato: "thank you"
Gomen (nasai): "I'm sorry"
Baka: "fool" / "idiot"
Honourifics:
-san (title of respect for males or females)
-sama (title of respect, the formal version of -san, for someone with a high rank)
-sei: added after the name of a planet, means "star" or planet (I used the English planet names rather than the Japanese names just to avoid confusion since a lot of planets are mentioned in some chapters)
-hime (rarely used suffix referring to "princess" or a beautiful woman)
-chan (informal version of -san used in cases of friendship, children or female family)
-jin (person [used on context of planetary nationality in this story])
If you care to read a longer summary than that posted previously, with some spoilers (if not, then scroll down to the chapter):
During the time of the Silver Millennium, Queen Serenity's sovereignty was challenged by her childhood friend, Queen Kalyke of the Earth Kingdom. In an attempt to avoid war, the Moon Queen surrendered to Kalyke's demands, and she offered her only daughter's hand in marriage to Prince Endymion, although Serenity was in love with another.
Sailor Starfighter loved the Princess Serenity from the moment she set her brilliant azure eyes on the Moon Princess, but Serenity's attentions were drawn only to men. Starfighter takes advantage of an ancient power, given to them by their guardian deity, to transform herself into someone that Serenity could love- -Seiya Kou.
In the midst of war, Starmaker and Princess Mercury fall in love, but devastation of her home planet threatens to tear them apart. Starhealer is almost as beautiful as Princess Venus, but the goddess of lust and beauty is not a lover of women. Starhealer betrays her morals, and allows the princess to transform her into Yaten Kou.
Beryl is rising through the ranks of Kalyke's army, and soon she attacks the Moon Kingdom. In her sorrow, Queen Serenity alters the memories of her daughter and her court, of the Starlight senshi, and sends them into the future. The marriage of Serenity and Endymion was meant to unite the kingdoms, it was meant to bring peace to the galaxy. In her death, Serenity wanted only that for her daughter.
But during the Earth's icy sleep before the Neo Silver Millennium, she had second thoughts. She awoke the quiescent memories in her daughter, and meant to return the memories to all the senshi, but Queen Kalyke thwarted her. Now, Seiya Kou must make the ultimate sacrifice if Usagi is to remember that she was once in love with him.
ni: wherein starhealer has nightmares
The kingdom on Earth's moon was magnificent in its last days before the self-stylised Queen Beryl unleashed her powers on the long-lived aliens. The azure waters and jade forests of Earth-sei glistened in the light reflected from the moon's regolith surface, painted against the canvas of the starry skies. The third terrestrial planet of the solar system was exquisite this night, but its beauty paled and faltered in comparison to the Moon Princess, Serenity.
A marble balcony, supported by spiral towers surrounded by ivory vine flowers, jetted from the Moon Palace. A lone woman stood with her hands clasping the railing, staring at the stars as the cool night air gathered its influence at her painted fingertips. Although the Earth loomed in the crystal blue eyes of the princess, so significant that it was almost all she could see, Earth-sei was not her focal point. In the distance, light-years away, a pale star came into existence, its aura flickering in a faint baby blue colour.
"Serenity-hime," a voice sounded from a corridor behind her.
She spun around, her face obscured by shadow. "Venus-chan?"
Princess Venus came forward, her golden-blonde hair swaying in the evening breeze. "A messenger arrived earlier from the Andromeda galaxy, mistress." She held an unrolled parchment in her left hand, creased to a point where the writing was almost unreadable; the guardian senshi had argued over who would be the bearer of unfortunate news.
She drew in a deep breath and recited the messenger's letter as she committed it to memory. "'He regrets to inform her highness, Odango-hime, that he was retained with the cross-galaxy guard and will not arrive tonight. If the princess of the high sky planet does not let him pass, then her royal Odango-hime will be relieved of one crowned monarch'."
The blonde princess's expression fell and she twisted away from Venus to hide the tears swelling in her eyes, threatening to spill over. "H-hai. Arigato, Venus-chan," she whispered in a broken voice, and listened as Venus's footfalls became softer and softer as she walked away.
When Prince Endymion of Earth-sei appeared in the gardens below, Serenity sighed and faked a smile.
. : .
Sailor Starhealer awoke with a start, beads of sweat glistening around her silver hairline. "Usagi-chan . . . Minako-chan?" she murmured, clenching fistfuls of white bed linens in her trembling hands.
Crimson lilies with soft white speckles were blooming across the imperial grounds and scattered along the sides of the cobblestone pathway that led to the gates of the castle. Shining stone, formed deep within the molten nucleus of the small planet, had been excavated and fashioned into a majestic palace worthy of the Queen's fiery beauty. Statues of generals and warriors lined the luxuriant green grass, and rose-tinged water trickled down to pool in reflective puddles at the cement bases.
The planet of Kinmoku was flourishing in the aftermaths of war.
Vacant emerald eyes, hidden behind the darkened glass windows of the castle, gazed across the field of flowers, watching as the petals danced with the winds. The sinking fire sphere cast its burnished light over the lilies and the woman's silver hair, joining its brother that had set only hours before. Two waning moons and one full moon emerged in the sky and threw moon-shadows across the grounds as the suns set below the horizon.
The soft scent of the orange osmanthus olive tree filled the humid air. Sailor Starhealer turned and caught the cherry-coloured eyes of her princess. She bowed awkwardly, her arms stiff at her sides, but Kakyuu tightly embraced her.
"My beloved Starhealer," she whispered and released her. She twisted toward the window, her washed-out yellow sleeve trailing across the stone of the windowsill as she pointed to the construction across the field. Princess Kakyuu momentarily glanced at her senshi, her fiery hair reflected in Starhealer's saddened gaze.
Starhealer cleared her throat, embarrassment colouring her cheeks a light pink colour. "I apologise, Kakyuu-hime, I should be working with the others."
The crown princess of Kinmoku-sei offered Starhealer a warm smile. "Starfighter's and Starmaker's work came to an end at moonrise. They have retired to their chambers for the night. Please join them and continue construction tomorrow," she asked in such a gentle tone that this was a request, not a demand.
"Slumber brings nightmares, Kakyuu-hime," Starhealer replied simply, turning away.
A frown tugged at the corners of Kakyuu's lips and she spoke in a soft voice. "The haunts of sleep are not a worthy adversary. Not for you, love. The kingdom in your dreams does not exist," she said, but only because she didn't know she spoke a lie. "Sleep tonight, for tomorrow will bring its own darkness."
Starhealer's eyes flashed with frustration and she clenched her fists at her sides.
"Control your temper around me, Starhealer," she counselled. "I am not your comrades." As a final act of comfort, she placed her hand on Starhealer's shoulder before she left Starhealer alone. As she disappeared down the corridor, Kakyuu silently begged the powers that brought Starhealer the dreadful night-dreams to let her sleep. Even for a night.
/end ni
in the next instalment:
san: wherein queen serenity visits princess kakyuu
