Forgotten Dreams
Part Two
"Prince Endymion, the people of the Moon respectfully request assistance to defend our Kingdom from the invading forces."
The Prince's face had aged over a short period of time. Uprisings on Earth had cost him his family and left him the burden of ruling over the Planet. His beloved, Princess Serenity, was in danger and he could not be there to protect her. Indeed, the Prince could spare few soldiers to aid the Moon Kingdom. The Lady Venus felt a wave of sorrow for him.
"I will send my Generals. I regret there is not more assistance I can give."
Venus felt an extremely inappropriate surge of excitement at seeing Nikko again. She squashed it and made her next request.
"Queen Selenity requests you grant Princess Serenity protection on your Planet."
The Prince looked torn. His planet was rife with violence yet there was no telling how the Invading Negaverse would treat the royal family. He would also rather have Serenity closer to him.
"I grant the Princess asylum on Earth. Have two of the Generals escort her back to Earth. They will return once she is here to help with the warfare."
Venus nodded her acceptance.
"Good-bye, Prince Endymion. Be safe."
A weary smile crossed the Prince's face.
"You too, Venus."
The viewscreen blinked black. Venus stared at it a moment and then went to brief the rest of the Senshi.
"I don't want to leave you all, though."
Sailor Mars sighed in exasperation.
"Princess, your safety is of utmost importance. As long as you are alive, the Moon royal Family will be preserved."
"So I should live to pass along my genes only? I should just ignore the bonds of loyalty and friendship?"
The Princess glared at Mars.
"What about the bond of love, Princess?" Venus interjected before the fighting got too heated. The Princess turned to look at her.
"The Prince is suffering. Shouldn't you go to keep an eye on him? He needs your love, Princess."
The Princess chewed her lip in thought. She knew what Venus was trying to do. Venus was trying to use Serenity's love for Endymion as a means to get the Princess to leave peacefully. Serenity continued to chew on her lip as she looked at her Senshi. Venus sensed that the Princess was weakening.
"The Prince will send his Four Generals to the Moon. Nikko and Mizu will escort you back to Earth. Kaji and Kaze will stay here to help us."
Serenity met Venus's eyes for a moment. She stared into blue eyes much like her own. The Princess knew that Venus was determined that Serenity would leave the Moon before the battle with Beryl began. She crossed over to a window that overlooked the
Rose Garden. Serenity remembered the first time she had been there with Endymion. It
had been the first time they had met face-to-face. The pair had been corresponding for
a while, and when she learned that he loved roses, she had to bring him here. They had
escaped the formality of the Greeting Area as quickly as they could, eager to spend time
alone together. Serenity had barely noticed the way her Senshi were entranced by his
Generals. When they finally reached the Garden, they had grown shy. Silence reigned,
unbroken, except by a few pleasantries. Endymion and Serenity wandered the Garden for a
little bit before they reached the Garden's centerpiece. It was a hedge that had been
groomed into the shape of a heart. Interwoven between the green leaves were red and
white roses. Their petals were translucent in the sunlight, giving the roses a ghostly glow.
Local legend said that if you received a rose from the hedge, you would have the giver's
love for all time. The pair stood for a moment before Serenity broke the silence saying,
"I used to come here when I was a little girl, to hide from my governess.
She was from Mars, you know, and had the most awful temper. She used to scold me
fiercely if I got my dress dirty. But is it not beautiful?"
Serenity looked at the roses reaching for the sky and a ray of light fell on her
face. She seemed to be surrounded in a glow like the roses. Endymion stared at her,
entranced. He murmured, half to himself,
"Yes, Beautiful."
Serenity glanced at him sideways. She turned red when she caught him staring at
her so intently. Flustered, she moved away a little. Serenity heard him moving behind
her. Endymion placed a gentle hand on her should and Serenity turned around, almost
reluctantly. He was holding a blood red rose. Drops of dew still rested on its petals.
The Prince offered it to the Princess, saying,
"Take this as my pledge to always be by your side and to protect you. I swear that
no matter what this or the next lifetime brings, I will always find a way to your side."
Serenity stared into Endymion's eyes, a little startled. She felt a pull to him, a
bond that could not be broken by death or time. Yet she was so young and he was so much
older than she was. Really, they barely knew each other. A thousand other concerns crowded
into her mind. Yet as she stared into his eyes, Serenity caught a flash of vunerablity.
She realized, with a bit of surprise, that he was as nervous as she was. All her doubts
began to vanish into mist. She reached for the rose, willing her hand not to shake.
Serenity said softly,
"I accept your rose. I will treasure it always."
Endymion's hand came up to cup the side of her face. His thumb gently brushed her
cheek as he moved closer. Serenity tilted her head up as he bent his. They kissed, gently
at first, and deepening in intensity as emotions flowed through the bond between them.
Serenity knew in that instant that she would love him for all her lifetimes.
Lost in her memories of the past, the Princess did not hear her Senshi calling her
at first. Only Jupiter's hand on her shoulder shook her from her reverie. Staring into
Jupiter's concerned green eyes, Serenity realized that as much as she loved her Senshi,
she needed to be with Endymion. If she was fated to die, Serenity wanted to be with him.
Turning away from the window, she looked at each of her friends, as if memorizing their
face. Finally, she met Venus's gaze. She raised her chin proudly and said,
"I will go."
With that brief sentence, the Moon Princess left the room. Not for the first time,
she wished she had the ability to fight by her Senshi side. Now she was running away to
let her friends defend her Kingdom, leaving them behind to die. Serenity struggled to
hold back her tears until she reached the privacy of her chambers.
Mercury carefully shut the door behind the fleeing Princess. As soon as the lock
clicked, Mars burst out,
"That wasn't fair, Venus. You forced her to choose between Endymion and us. Did
you see her face? She was heartbroken!"
Venus cut off Mars's tirade with an icy glare. She spoke slowly and forcefully,
"The Moon Princess's safety must be guaranteed. Beryl will attack the Moon Kingdom
before attacking the rest of the Inner Planets. With Serenity at Earth, we can concentrate
fully on defeating the Negaverse. If we fail, the entire galaxy will fall anyway. I believe the
Earth Prince has an evacuation plan set up. Even if we cannot defeat Beryl, we may be
able to buy them enough time to escape. We all know that Serenity must go to Earth. It
does not matter how it is accomplished as long as she leaves the Moon!"
The last sentence cracked across the air like a whip. The other three Senshi stood
as still as statues. Venus sighed and aged before their eyes. She was their leader and had
been a Sailor Senshi for much longer than any of them. From the lines of worry etched on
her face, it was clear that she was as concerned about the future and Serenity as they were.
Mercury stepped towards her saying,
"Minako..."
She trailed off as Venus gained control over her emotions, the mask slipping back
into place. She issued orders, once again an in control and competent leader.
"Mercury, contact the Outer Planets. See how their defenses are coming along. Examine
their strategies for any weaknesses. Jupiter, Queen Selenity is insisting on throwing a ball
for the Earth Generals. Set up look out posts in the Gardens and set up a make shift armory
near the ballroom. Have the troops standing ready. Mars..."
Venus hesitated and her mask slipped a bit. She gave a slight shake of her head, as if
denying her weakness. She continued,
"Mars, assist the Princess in getting ready to leave. Tell her to pack as if she will
not be coming back."
The other Senshi flinched at that blunt statement, but remained silent.
"I will be in my room, coordinating plans with Earth. We will need more supplies in
case of a siege. The ball is set for when the Earth is a quarter of the way across the
sky. The Generals should be here before then."
She stopped talking and a long pause stretched across the empty space. They all
knew there was much to be said, but none could find the right words. Finally, Venus unlocked
the door and opened it, saying,
"I will see you all tonight."
With those last few words, she disappeared into the Hallway.
Mercury slipped quietly into her room. She didn't have much time to spare, but she
felt the need to call Mizu. She knew it was stupid, that she would see him in just a few
hours, but the need was so strong. Mercury connected with Mizu's personal communicator,
hoping he would be in his quarters. There was a short beeping sound, and then the words,
"General Mizu, here."
He wasn't looking at the communications screen, but rather at his computer. He was
frowning and Mercury's heart twisted. His normally immaculate blue-black hair was rumpled
as if he had been running his hands through it. Mercury felt a pang of regret that times
of war had come now, just when she had found her soulmate. Mizu said impatiently,
"Yes?", finally looking up. When he saw Mercury, a smile crossed his face, easing
some of the weariness in his aqua eyes. He spoke again, his smooth voice sending ripples
down Mercury's spine.
"My Lady, I give you greetings. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Mercury opened her mouth, then closed it again. She wasn't sure what to say, wasn't
sure why she called. There had just been a vague sense of foreboding and the urgent need
to see his face. She glanced away from the screen. Mizu's smile faded as he leaned closer.
"Ami, my love, what's wrong?"
Mercury glanced sharply at the screen. Ami...it had been so long since she had heard
her true name. Ever since Beryl's plans to attack the Moon Kingdom were discovered, the
Inner Court had switched to Senshi mode. She hadn't worn anything except her Mercury Fuku
for weeks now. It seemed like her normal life as a Princess and as Ami were just forgotten
dreams. Now there was only Sailor Senshi Mercury, in charge of defense tactics. She met
Mizu's eyes and simply said,
"The Princess has agreed to evacuate to Earth."
Mizu sat back in his chair, letting his eyes roam over his Lady's face. He could sense
her anguish, despite the great distance, it was so strong. He knew that for the Princess to
willingly agree to leave the Moon, Venus must have pulled out the heavy artillery.
It also meant that they believed the Moon Kingdom would not withstand Beryl's attack. Mercury
and the other Senshi would probably end up being..NO! Such thinking would only lead to more
heartache. He knew of nothing to say to ease his Lady's pain and that was hurting him enough.
"Ami, my Lady, I will be there soon. Remember, Princess, no matter what happens, I will
always find a way to you."
A chill as cold as the Ice she wielded crept down Mercury's spine. She ignored it,
latching on the words as the comfort they were meant to be. She gifted him with a rare
smile, her aquarium eyes turning soft.
"I eagerly await your arrival, my love. Now, I must go or Venus will assign me to
monitoring the Cooking Pits again."
Mizu let out a low chuckle. Inclining his head, he said,
"Farewell, my Princess."
"Farewell, my General."
Mercury clicked the screen off, staring at the blackness. Mars was the Psychic one
of the Inner Senshi. Yet Mercury could not shake the feeling that she just bid her love
good-bye forever.
Jupiter paused at her work, to wipe the sweat off her forehead. She and the other
Senshi had swords specially crafted for them. But those were lightweight, not as heavy
as the clunkers the Moon Army used. She vowed that if they survived the Negaverse attack,
she was going to kick Venus's ass on the Training Field. If they survived... Jupiter
dropped the remaining sheathed swords into a waiting footman's arms. The poor man staggered
under the weight, but Jupiter didn't notice. She was thinking about the last time that
she and Kaze had been alone together. They had gone to the top of Chronos's Peak, which
overlooked the entire Moon Kingdom. They had brought a picnic and ate it, letting the wind
rustle through their hair. The pair talked of many things. Jupiter began to talk about the
last ball that Queen Selenity threw. The Generals' training schedule had not allowed Kaze
to attend. As she spoke about who danced with who, the food, and the music, Jupiter failed
to notice how stiff and quiet Kaze was becoming. Finally, when she reached for a piece of
cake, she noticed how stormy his eyes had become.
"Kaze, what's wrong?"
"I thought you loved me."
His reply was curt. Kaze pushed himself up and walked away from her to the edge of
the cliff. The wind began to blow harder. Jupiter was immobilized by shock for a moment
and then stood up, cake forgotten.
"What are you talking about? Of course, I love you. We're soulmates."
A tinge of hurt colored Jupiter's voice. Kaze whirled around, the steel in his eyes
matching the silver in his raven hair.
"That love didn't stop you from slutting around with all those other men."
Jupiter's hurt was replaced by crackling rage.
"What? You...You BASTARD! How dare you accuse me of fu..."
The wind began to howl a warning, drowning out the rest of Jupiter's question. It
began to grab at their clothes, pulling. The wind also brought out ominous gray clouds.
It blocked out the sun, casting a shadow over the pair. They were so involved with each
other that they failed to notice.
"Have you ever listened to yourself? 'Oh, he was so handsome. And such a good
dancer. He reminded me of my old boyfriend, Frank. But Frank's arms were much more muscular.'
What do you expect me to think?"
"Well, you could try trusting me! Have faith in me and our love."
"Love? You don't know the meaning of the word!"
Thunder rumbled a second warning in the background. The wind began to push at them
now, urging them away from the edge. The two were still oblivious.
"So not only am I a slut, but now I don't have a heart?"
"And don't forget you're also a..."
A crack of lightening drowned out Kaze as the wind let out a mournful cry. Jupiter
reeled as if he had hit her. Her eyes widened with pain and a sheen of tears blurred her
vision. Kaze looked stunned as if he realized what he had just said. He moved
closer to her and reached out a hand, saying,
"Makoto, I am sorry. I didn't mean..."
Tears spilled from her eyes as she slapped him, the sound carried by the wind to
echo over the Moon Kingdom Valley. Jupiter turned and ran towards the mountain path,
stumbling a little. Thunder rumbled again and the clouds opened, giving forth cascading
sheets of rain. Kaze felt like weeping along with the sky when he realized what he had
just destroyed. They were soulmates and he could feel her agony. It stabbed at him, like
a dagger. Kaze groaned and took off after her. The rain had made the path slippery. The
water from his hair also dripped into his eyes, making it hard for him to see. Kaze called
Jupiter's name, screaming to be heard above the wind and thunder. His throat was sore and
swelling, when he finally caught a flash of green. He headed toward it, filled with a sense
of relief. The relief turned to pure terror when he noticed it wasn't moving. Jupiter lay in a
crumpled heap, her auburn hair turning redder with her blood. Kaze fairly flew across the
wet rocks in a frantic attempt to reach her. Kneeling over her, he could see a gash on the
side of her head. She must have slipped on the rocks. Kaze was momentarily paralyzed by guilt.
A whimper of pain drew his attention back to Jupiter. Her eyes were half opened and she
whispered,
"Kaze, it hurts."
At the sight of her emerald eyes dull and clouded with pain, Kaze snapped out of it.
He would NOT lose her. He began to murmur to her, trying to see if she was injured anywhere
else. Her hands were badly cut, but nothing seemed to be broken. He gathered her up in his
arms, rambling disjointed apologies. Kaze's whole being was fixated on getting her back to
the Moon Palace. He began to make his way through the rocks, sheltering his Lady from the
rain with his own body. Kaze lost track of time, only conscious of the fact that he had to
keep moving. He finally reached the back of the Palace, cold, wet and exhausted with worry.
Kaze used the last of his strength to command the wind to blow open the kitchen entrance.
The doors flew open with a crash, thoroughly startling the Kitchen Staff. He gave them a
weary smile and said,
"Nothing like the direct approach."
He staggered inside and ended up next to the Second Chef's First Assistant. Kaze gave
Jupiter to the man gingerly, saying,
"Get her to the infirmary, quickly!"
With that sentence, he collapsed on the floor, promptly fainting. The next thing
he saw was Jupiter's beautiful face, leaning over him. A large bandage covered part of
her head, the white contrasting nicely with the red in her hair. She smiled when she saw
he was awake.
"Fourteen stitches, I'll have you know. I better be getting one hell of an apology."
She stopped speaking and her smile faded. The emerald in her eyes deepened as she
waited for him to speak. Kaze was so glad to see the she was all right, that he would do
anything.
"I apologize from the depths of my heart for questioning you and for not trusting
you. I was a bastard and you deserve far better than me."
Kaze choked on the last sentence. The thought of Jupiter leaving him hurt more
than the multiple bruises that were making themselves known. To his ears, the apology was
woefully inadequate. He opened his mouth to try again, when she spoke first.
"Did you really carry me down the Peak?"
Kaze pushed himself up, noticing finally that they were in his quarters and he was
lying in his bed. He gave a nod, saying,
"Yes, and it was very difficult."
He winced as he maneuvered himself into a sitting position.
"You may be a Princess, but you aren't light."
She mocked frowned at him and lightly punched him on the arm. He willed himself not to
flinch. Kaze turned serious.
"I would carry you to the ends of the Universe to keep you safe. I love you; I
will always be there when you need me. I vow this to you."
Sailor Jupiter blinked and realized she had been staring at a wall of shields for
five minutes. She let out a laugh and began pulling the shields off the wall. Still, she
couldn't help remembering what had happened after he gave her his vow. They had a long,
long discussion on what exactly merited jealously and how such emotion should be expressed.
She wasn't about to let him get away with just an apology. Oh yes, Jupiter really made
Kaze squirm before he let him express his gratitude for her forgiveness. Jupiter smiled
at the memory. She could hardly wait until he arrived, so he could express his "gratitude"
again. Jupiter began to whistle as she continued moving the weapons.
Mars watched herself as she turned around in a little circle. The full skirt of the
deep violet dress swished. The color set off her eyes, but she frowned at her reflection.
The Ball was about to begin and the Earth Generals had not arrived yet. Mercury had
attempted to contact Earth, but there was some sort of interference. Communications were
also unable to reach the other Planets. The Moon Kingdom was locked in a dead zone. There
was a theory that Beryl created the interference to prevent the planets from coordinating
a defense. It was certainly plausible, but Mars had a feeling that it wasn't quite that
simple. She knew how much Prince Endymion cared for Serenity and, as much as she hated to
admit it, Venus was right. The Princess needed to be evacuated from the Moon. Without
the escort of the Earth Generals, the Senshi had to change their plans. It had been
decided that Jupiter and Mercury would take the Princess to Earth a little after the Ball
started. Venus and Mars would stay to keep the crowds calm and marshal a defense if needed.
Mars turned abruptly from her mirror, her hair whipping against her face. Damn it, she
didn't have a good feeling about this at all! Kaji would have found some way to contact
her. The Generals would only let something of grave importance stop them from helping to
protect the Moon Princess. Kaji would only let his duty to his Prince or a crisis stop
him from seeing her. Had the Earth been attacked? Had the Negaverse destroyed all of them?
NO! No, she would know if she lost him, if he was dead. Mars gave a little growl of
frustration. She walked over to the bed, her high heels clicking on the marble floor.
She picked up the matching purple evening bag that contained her Mars pen...just in case.
Walking over to the door, she opened it and stepped out into the hallway. The Inner Senshi
had agreed to meet in Venus's room before the Ball in case any other problems arose. Mars
prayed fervently that things would proceed smoothly, that the Princess would be safe, that
they would defeat Beryl, and peace would again reign. She let herself dream a little about
free time and what she & Kaji could do with it. A soft smile crossed her face as she traveled
the few yards to Venus's room. Yet when Mars reached Venus's doorway, the stench of depression
rid her of the smile. Jupiter, wearing her Fuku, was leaning against a wall with a hand
over her eyes. Mercury was garbed in a floorlength white silk gown and was staring out a
window, her hands clenched tightly together. Venus was standing in the middle of the room,
talking urgently to another person. They had their back to the door and Mars couldn't see
their face. Venus caught sight of Mars over the person's shoulder and gestured her in. Mars
entered the room and the figure turned to face her. It was Prince Endymion. Mars let out
a gasp and she spoke,
"Where are they? What has happened?"
The Prince looked awful. His eyes were dull with exhaustion and pain. Mars nearly
fainted at the force of his grief. She whispered,
"No, he's not dead. I would know it. He's not. What happened?"
Jupiter let out a strangled sob.
"Then Beryl has them."
Mars couldn't take it anymore. She snapped.
"Damn it, Makoto! Will somebody just tell me what the hell happened?"
She looked around the room with wild eyes. Ami caught her eyes for a moment, but then
looked back out the window, a tear trickling down her cheek.
"Rei..."
The Prince caught her attention, his voice hoarse.
"Rei, their ship disappeared. No one knows where they are."
Minako moved next to Endymion.
"That's not all, Rei. Long range sensors show that a tremendous amount of power
was released on Saturn."
Rei's mind whirled with the impact of that statement.
"That means..."
"Sailor Saturn used the Silence Glaive. Pluto, Uranus and Neptune are likely to
have fallen as well. Beryl is on the move. Projected numbers say she'll attack soon,
probably tonight."
Rei groped behind her for something solid. She sank into a conveniently placed chair.
Her purse hit the floor with a clunk as it slipped from her fingers. Her beloved, her
soulmate, had been taken from her. Her fellow Senshi and their worlds had been destroyed.
Her Planet, the Moon Kingdom, they would be destroyed. The future, peace, were no longer
anything, but forgotten dreams. Rei bowed her head and let the hot tears rush from her
eyes. Ami and Makoto came from their isolated places to sit beside her, one on either side.
Minako crossed over to stand behind her, placing her hands on Rei's shoulder. Together, they
grieved for their friends, their worlds, their soulmates, and themselves. They all knew it
was almost certain that they would not survive the coming battle. They wept together, four
women united in their grief and broken hearts. Endymion stood alone in the center of the floor.
