A/N: Thank you everyone for all of the kind reviews. I'm glad people are still interested in reading my little story. I know it's been kind of a slow start, but don't worry. Things will be picking up soon :). I know there's not a ton of Seiya in this chapter, but the next one will be packed full of him ^_^
Also, please excuse any typos or mistakes in this chapter. My awesome beta has been busy the past two weeks, so she wasn't able to proof-read this chapter, but I wanted to get this up. I tried to find everything I could. Hopefully, it's not too bad ^^;.
Fireflies
Chapter Seven
Communications down
I float without
A light to lead me back
I'm lost again
They say silence is golden
Loneliness never shined like this
Fireflies illuminate your eyes
The moon will lead me back to earth again
-Crystal Tokyo, 30th Century-
Chibiusa was bored. Unlike most fairytale Princesses she had read about, she found being an only child to be particularly lonely.
The pink haired girl had begged her parents throughout the years for a sibling – brother or sister, she didn't care. She was just so tired of being the only child in the palace. They hadn't given into her pleading, however, stating that they just didn't have the time for another child, that it wouldn't be fair to the baby, and would lessen their time with her as well. Though, sometimes Chibiusa could swear that she could see the longing in her mother's cerulean eyes.
The Princesses' only saving grace in the Kingdom was her friend Helios, though she didn't see him as much as she would have liked. Being the official priest and advisor to King Endymion kept the him quite busy most of the time. But when he could, he would spend as much of his free time with her that he could manage, playing games, reading, or just talking. Chibiusa cherished those moments.
Of course, the Princess also had Diana, her own personal advisor and guardian, but it was kind of difficult to draw or play games with someone who didn't posses opposable thumbs. While Diana could take on a human form, it was only done when absolutely necessary, and Chibiusa assumed that playing a game of tag in the gardens wouldn't be worth the drain on her energy and strength. The tiny grey kitten was currently fast asleep at the end of the bed.
Her parents were away on what they refereed to as a "second honeymoon." They claimed it was to rekindle the fire in their relationship. Neo-Queen Serenity had tried to explain to her daughter that sometimes grown-ups needed time to themselves so that they could stay close and in love after so many years. Chibiusa didn't really understand why they would have to leave their home, a place they supposedly loved, to keep their love alive, though. She assumed that being only nine years of age that she was just too young to understand.
Helios had stayed behind, much to the Princess' delight, though she hadn't gotten to see him much. As the advisor to the King, he was having to fill in for several of Endymion's duties to the kingdom.
With a heavy sigh, the young Princess sat up from her bed, careful not to wake the snoozing cat, and gazed around the room trying to find something to entertain herself with. She had countless amounts of toys, new and old, however, nothing was appealing to her.
Her bedroom was huge, much too large for someone to have all to themselves. The walls were painted in a soft baby pink, the snow-white carpet was made of the softest material. White, thick heavy curtains made of the finest silk laid over a sheer, pink organza adorned the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Her toys were all organized neatly in hand-woven baskets, lined in built-in shelves along the walls. Her walk-in closet which was large enough to house a separate bedroom, and was filled from top to bottom with the finest clothes, that she more than likely would only wear once, if she managed to go through the lot once before she out grew all of them.
The Princess even had her own en-suite bathroom, the walls and floor covered in a rose pink marble and glass mixed mosaic tile. The stark white counters were topped with white granite with splashes of silver throughout lined the walls opposite the matching shower and toilet. In the center of the room, was an over-sized marble bathtub that was large enough for her to swim in.
Groaning in frustration, Chibiusa exited her bedroom and began to wander the halls of the Crystal Palace, in hopes of finding someone, anyone, who might want to play with her, Luna-P hot on her trails.
Unfortunately for the Princess, most of the chamber maidens and palace staff were too occupied with their daily tasks to acknowledge her presence. Chibiusa even considered going back to her bedroom and waking Diana, but thought better of it. She might have been bored, but she certainly wasn't cruel.
Resigned, she decided to head towards the palace chapel. Perhaps Helios would free long enough for a game of chess.
"Everyone is so busy," Chibiusa mumbled to Luna-P. "I wish mom and dad were here. They always have time for me."
Frowning, the Princess slowed her steps, placing her hand on the cool tiled wall to balance herself. She had started to feel a little funny – nausea hitting her small body hard, causing her knees to start to buckle.
Luna-P beeped and whirled around her frantically. Chibiusa started to use it to call for help, but just as suddenly as the nausea hit, it was gone. "I'm okay," she insisted, straightening herself as she wiped a few beads of sweat from her brow. "That was really weird."
The toy cat whistled in response, circling the Princess once more, assessing it's charge. "I'm fine, really," the young girl smiled reassuringly. Shaking her head, the Princess continued her journey to the chapel, where she found Helios, seated at his desk going through some paperwork.
Sensing her presence, the white haired man looked up, a warm smile playing on his face. He stood and bowed deeply before her. "Your Highness," he greeted her fondly. "you look even more lovely than you did yesterday."
Heat rushed to Chibiusa's cheeks as she gestured for him to stand at ease. "Stop that, Helios. You know I'm not that comfortable with you being so formal."
The man grinned as he took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her soft skin. Gingerly releasing her hand, he walked over to his desk and pulled a chair out for her. "What can I do for Her Highness this morning?" he asked as he headed back to his own chair. "My guess is that you are bored and are looking for entertainment?"
The Princess' blush deepened. The man knew her so well, despite the five year age difference between them. Chibiusa, even at her young age, knew that this was the man she was going to marry. She was thankful that there were no such laws in her kingdom that would force her into marrying someone of a Royal bloodline. She could marry for love, for that is what her mother had fought for, for so long.
However, whenever Chibiusa mentioned this to her mother, Neo-Queen Serenity had insisted that her daughter not give her heart away so young, or so freely.
"You have such a long, beautiful future ahead of you," she had said. "there is no need to attach your heart to someone so young. You may meet someone many years down the road who might take your breath away, and you will have nothing left to give." she had pulled her daughter into her arms, hugging her close. "You don't want to give your heart and soul that kind of turmoil."
The haunted look in the Queen's eyes had sent shivers down the Princess' spine. She often found herself wondering if her mother had experienced such pain, but the look in her eyes told her everything she needed to know.
"Are you, perhaps, here looking for a rematch?" Helios asked, pulling Chibiusa from her thoughts. His amber eyes were glistening with amusement.
She smiled. "I think you are the one looking for a rematch, Helios. Considering I've won the last two in a row." she paused, giving him a knowing look. "Though, I'm fairly sure you always let me win."
Helios chuckled as he leaned forward, arms on his desk. "Well, I can't win every game, Otome, otherwise you would not come seeking retribution quite so often."
Chibiusa blushed from the use of his pet name for her and was about to respond when she felt it again, the nausea settling in her once more. Placing her hand over her eyes, she urged the room to stop spinning.
"Otome?" Helios' voice was strained as he practically catapulted over his desk, racing to her side, praying to himself that he had just imagined what he had just seen. "Are you alright?"
Just like before, the feeling passed quickly, much to the Princess' relief. "I think so. I felt this before, on my way here. Maybe I'm getting sick or something, but I feel okay now. It doesn't seem to last very long." she smiled at him reassuringly.
"My Lady," the priest's already pale skin had turned nearly translucent with fear. "you are most certainly not okay. Y-you just.." his voice trailed off.
The look on his face made Chibiusa began to worry her. "I just what?"
Helios swallowed hard as he gripped her hand. "You...you flickered."
-Earth - Present Day-
"Usagi!" Ikuko called up to her daughter's room. "Hurry up! You're going to be late for school!" she sighed as she headed to the kitchen. "Not that there's anything new about that."
Usagi finally emerged from her bedroom, bounding down the stairs as quickly as she could, nearly tripping on one of Shingo's roller-blades in the process. "Pick up your skates, you brat! I nearly broke my neck!"
"He's already gone, Usagi."
The young woman groaned. This morning was just not going her way at all. Once again, she hadn't gotten much sleep. Luckily, Luna had stayed up with her most of the night and kept her company. The blonde smiled slightly when she had told her mentor about her upcoming date with Seiya. She had laughed at the star-struck expression formed the small black cat's face, remembering Luna's brief infatuation with a certain silver haired Starlight with intense, olive-green eyes.
Not having time for a proper breakfast, Usagi grabbed a granola bar from the kitchen pantry, waved a quick goodbye to her mother, and raced out the door.
She wasn't surprised that the girls weren't waiting for her this morning. She figured that since she was running so late, that they couldn't wait any longer and headed to school. She was surprised, however, to see Haruka's blue convertible waiting for her at the curb, said owner leaning against the hood with her arms crossed over her chest. She smiled at the younger girl as she approached. "Good morning, koneko-chan."
"Haruka!" Usagi exclaimed, racing towards her friend and wrapping her arms around the taller woman. "What a nice surprise! What are you doing here?"
The older woman grinned as she hugged the girl tightly. "What? I can't just drop by and offer my Princess a ride to school?" releasing her, Haruka stepped back and opened the passenger door for her. "Your chariot, m'lady."
Blushing, Usagi smiled and climbed into her seat. "You must have excellent ESP skills. How did you know I was running late?"
Jogging back over to the driver's side, Haruka took her place behind the wheel. She gave Usagi a knowing grin as she turned the keys in the ignition, the soft purr of the engine sprang to life and she pulled away from the curb. "I figured that not much could have changed, koneko-chan." she paused, her face suddenly becoming serious. "I need to talk to you."
Usagi turned to her friend, confused. "Oh? What about?"
"We spoke to Mamoru."
The blonde suddenly found the fingers that were intertwined in her lap very interesting. "Oh."
Haruka briefly took her eyes off the road and glanced at the younger woman. "Are you okay?"
Usagi nodded. "I'm actually doing a lot better," she admitted. "It was really hard at first. I mean, we've been together for so long – there's so much history." she paused, considering her words. "We're supposed to have a future together. Chibiusa..." she couldn't finish. Just saying her name caused her throat to close up with emotion.
Haruka could hear the pain in her friend's voice. "I know this is difficult for you, but Chibiusa is what I came to talk to you about."
Usagi went rigid in her seat, desperation and panic flowing through her. She had to force herself not to grab onto her friend while she was driving. "Did Setsuna look into the future? Does she still sense her? Is she okay?"
The older woman nodded, eyes straight ahead. "So far, yes."
The Princess of the Moon felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders, but it was short lived. The look on her friend's face sobered her rather quickly. "What is it?"
Haruka took a deep breath. "She's starting to fade out, Usagi. Setsuna checked this morning. The process is slow. We're not entirely sure how long it will take for her to completely disappear."
Usagi could feel her world begin to crumble around her. Her future, one she had been certain was set in stone, was quickly becoming nonexistent. She could live without being with Mamoru, that she knew now. But she could not – would not – live without her daughter, but how could she have one without the other? Her voice was weak when she finally spoke again. "What can we do?"
"Well, like I said, the process is slow –"
"Is she in pain?" Usagi interrupted, wringing her hands together worriedly, and chewing on her lip so hard that Haruka was afraid she'd severe it.
She shook her head. "No, it's only causing her short bouts of nausea. No physical pain. But for now, Setsuna is keeping an eye on her progress. From what she described, it's like looking at an old television with bad reception when it happens. We're not sure how to stop it without you guys being together, but Mamoru made it clear that you need to live your life and be happy – and he's right. You, more than anyone else, deserve happiness, koneko-chan."
Usagi's eyes began to tear up. She had some of the best friends anyone could ask for. "Do you mean that, Haruka? I mean, I know how much this affects all of you..."
Haruka smiled as she pulled up to the school. "Usagi, our first duty is to you. To protect you, and your legacy, and that also means your happiness. The universe knows how much you have already sacrificed for us. As for what happens to the future...well, we can't force you and Mamoru to love each other, to be together. Chibiusa is a concern, but we are keeping an eye on her. For now, live your life, be happy. You, more than anyone else, deserve happiness. Just remember that you and Mamoru will eventually have to make a very difficult decision."
The Guardian of Uranus reached over and wiped the tears from her Princess' cheeks. "Go on, koneko-chan, you're going to be late." she reached over to her glove compartment and handed the young woman a tissue.
Usagi thanked her and wiped her face. "Thank you, Haruka. For everything." she embraced the older woman quickly before exiting the car, but paused as she closed the door and turned back to her friend. "I-I have a date with Seiya on Saturday. Sh-should I cancel it?"
Without realizing it, Haruka had gripped the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned white. He just couldn't wait, could he? The moment he finds out she's single, he has to pounce. She slowly released her fingers, flexing them to regain her circulation. On the other hand, Seiya does care for her, and can protect her. She would be safe with him. Finally, she shook her head. "No, keep the date. Have some fun. Just...just be careful."
The happy and relieved expression on the young woman's face eased Haruka's nerves and she smiled. If Usagi was going to date someone, she supposed she could do worse.
Waving goodbye to her friend, Usagi ran inside the school.
"Oi, Odango! Slow down, this isn't gym class."
Turning around, Usagi found Seiya leaning against a group of lockers, waiting for her. She hadn't even seen him. The smile on his face made her insides feel funny. "Hi,"
Smiling fondly, he moved towards her. "Hi. I've been waiting to walk you to class." It was then that he noticed that her eyes were red and slightly puffy. His smile faded around the edges. "Hey, are you okay?"
She nodded. She had a lot on her mind, things that she knew she would have to explain to him eventually if they truly were going to try to pursue a relationship. Usagi still had to figure out how she was going to juggle her future and her present. Chibiusa was still alive and safe, she just had to make sure it stayed that way.
She was a roller coaster of emotions. But for now, she was going to take Haruka's advice and live.
Surprising them both, Usagi reached down and intertwined her fingers with Seiya's. She could see his shock quickly fade into a pleased, happy smile, which she returned. Mimicking his words from the day before, she began to pull him towards the classroom. "Come on, Mr. Idol. Let's get to class before we get detention."
