Title: Friends with Secrets
Genre: Humor/Drama
Rating: Tish?
Disclaimer: Not own. No sue.
Author's Notes:
All right here is the next installment of one of my fav stories. I've actually had it beta'd by two peeps! Have yet to find a beta who is great in grammar... one my my main Beta's is French. So, please just ignore any grammar mistakes and I hope it does not deter you from the enjoyment of the story. Enjoy!!
-=====================-
"I wouldn't fall asleep just yet." The voice made Usagi spring up immediately in bed, her eyes narrowed as her defenses jumped to alert-mode. She scrunched her sheets in her hands, prepared to use the stuffed animals surrounding her as weapons. Her eyes scanned the room but couldn't find the intruder.
"Who's there?" Usagi hissed, fear starting to clutch into her heart.
"I imagine you wouldn't remember me. I didn't remember you." Her voice was smooth and older than Haruka's. That made Usagi relax a bit.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Usagi squeaked out when suddenly it appeared out of nowhere. She felt it land upon her bed and she let out a terrified eep. She covered her mouth quickly to not wake up her family. She relaxed, deep red eyes staring at her intently. "Oh my gosh I'm losing my mind. Hi Kitty. Did you follow me home?" She breathed reaching out to touch the cat's head but the feline dodged quickly suddenly getting into her lap.
"Yeah, I did follow you home." Luna breathed and Usagi's eyes widened in horror. In a matter of seconds Luna was flying off the end of the bed and Usagi was under her covers in horror, trying to keep in her screams. Luna clawed her way back up and jumped upon Usagi's head quickly.
"Get off! Get off!" Usagi whimpered and pushed the cat back into her lap.
"I'm real. I'm talking. You're our Princess. Get over it." Luna's voice was harsh and immediately she found herself being thrown against a wall as Usagi threw back her covers and raced to her bathroom. Luna groaned and shook her head groggily trying to regain her balance. Her eyes widened and she quickly raced into the bathroom before the blonde could slam it shut.
"Holy crap, get the hell out of the bathroom!" Usagi hissed pointing to the door and Luna stared up at her.
"Why won't you tell them! You must know!" Luna said jumping quickly to the countertop. Usagi's eyes bugged out. Was this seriously happening? Was a cat yelling at her now about her future and past? This was ridiculous!
"All I know is that I am losing my mind because a talking cat is yelling at me!" She spat angrily at it, her frame starting to pace to keep her from losing her mind.
"Don't you remember me? Luna… Luna is my name. I'm your guardian! I've been looking for you Seren…" Luna tried, her voice betraying her emotion and Usagi spun on her quickly, her eyes wide.
"Don't say that name." She spat and Luna gulped stepping back.
"You do know." Luna hissed, a crestfallen appearance taking over her features. "Why… why have you been hiding?" Luna breathed and Usagi wanted to smack the cat out of existence.
"You can't be here. Get out." Usagi cried pointing to the closed door, not realizing even if the cat would leave she couldn't get out.
"They need you! I need you! Can't you see… how broken we are without you?" Luna suddenly cried and Usagi shook her head violently.
"You know nothing about who I am! I am not who you say! I will never be that person!" Usagi breathed heatedly and Luna shook her head.
"You are running! You are a liar!" Luna hissed angrily, the betrayal sinking into her skin. Usagi quickly grabbed the cat and Luna gasped, her claws wanting to extend but a spark shot through her that confirmed her deep suspicions. Serenity's power… It was surging through the girl and when they touched it had been a spark.
"Please get out of here. Never come back. Stay away from me. I'm protecting you. Don't tell them! Go Away!" Usagi cried in a rush, carrying the cat quickly from the bathroom over to her bedroom window. Without a second thought she tossed the cat towards the tree and turned away painfully, hoping the cat would not fall to the ground. She closed the window quickly and pulled the drapes. Her heart was racing and she grabbed her mouth to prevent a sob. They couldn't find out… they couldn't. They wouldn't understand! He wouldn't understand… it wouldn't make any sense to him. None of this made any sense!! She felt as if she was writing a novel where she knew the ending but all the fans wanted something different and she wanted to tell them not to want what they wanted but no one would listen… She growled, tears streaming from her eyes and finally she let out a scream. Her body collapsed on the floor, she couldn't take it. A past that haunted her so much but none of them understood… they thought her a saint when she was a demon. She wouldn't kill them again… wouldn't steal their future once more… Her bedroom door burst open and within seconds her parent's arms were wrapped around her, trying to calm her broken frame.
"Usagi! What is the matter? Are you all right?" Her mother breathed panicked trying to calm her daughter's fears.
"A nightmare Mamma… A nightmare." Usagi wept than buried her face in her father's neck. A nightmare… that would never end.
-=-
Ami's small frame slumped against Makoto's as a yawn escaped from her system. Her droopy eyes stared at the sickly awake blonde before them and she let out a breath.
"What's the emergency?" Makoto yawned out, Rei standing sleepily beside her bed, her violet eyes staring at the comfy confines she had suddenly been yanked out of. Minako was way too awake for six am. Rei sucked in a breath trying to open her eyes, her vision taking in Makoto and Ami now settled at the foot of her bed. She wondered if she should tell the genius her school shirt was on inside out…
"It's her." Minako breathed with a shake of her head, her body was trying to hold in her panic, her excitement and her sheer fear about the idea. She had spent the last four hours figuring it out. Putting all of the pieces together they had missed and her intuition couldn't be wrong. Too many things made sense with the revelation… she just wanted them to confirm it as well. Makoto raised an eyebrow at her, the other two not awake enough to respond.
"Who?" Makoto drawled out and the small patter of quick feet filled the room as two felines rushed in, the white one followed by a slightly limping black.
"What happened to you?" Rei hissed suddenly taking in the ragged form of Luna as she stumbled next to Artemis. She glanced up at the Fire Senshi than looked back to the ground.
"She fell out of a tree." Artemis shot back and Minako looked at them curiously. She hadn't seen them since her chat with him around three. It didn't matter, her mind was set and she had something important to tell her senshi. She had to talk this out with them… had to find the truth.
"She's been lying to us. Rei, full report on your time with Usagi-chan yesterday." Minako spat and Ami pushed herself up, her eyes opening a bit more. Usagi was a rather sensitive subject for her… Rei blinked and than stood straight.
"We went to a comic book store. She and I discussed super heroes. She has weird taste in comics…" Rei began yet when her eyes caught Minako she quickly got back down to business. Minako was in no mood to hear off beat comments. "She said she loves female superheroes but would never want to be one. She seemed a little to understanding about keeping secrets. On our way out she suddenly looked ill. My comminicator went off and than she vanished, saying she had to get her purse but it was hanging on her arm…" Rei said, confusion over the actions still bothering her.
"You mean she wasn't around when Sailor Moon was." Minako said quickly, her voice cracking with emotion and Rei's eyes slowly widened as that thought began to dawn on her.
"Wait… are you suggesting that Usagi is Sailor Moon?" Makoto asked and Ami pushed herself to her feet.
"This isn't funny." Her voice was quiet and a bit annoyed. "Usagi is a pure hearted wonderful person. She would not knowingly know and not tell us." Ami spat, her frame moving towards the door and that thought hit Minako again. She loved Usagi-chan. She knew they all did and what she was suggesting was rather cruel. If Usagi knew she was Sailor Moon, the Princess and had been lying to them… especially even faking memory lapses. Minako shook her head. She had to continue, had to find the truth.
Stepping in front of Ami, she continued.
"Fine. Let's not follow that trail of thought. There is another way… Do any of you remember the affair?" She questioned, her voice a bit desperate and Rei was a bit alarmed at Minako's show of vulnerability.
"Affair?" Makoto questioned, glancing at Rei nervously.
"The affair between our Serenity… and Prince Endymion." Minako mumbled, her gaze falling to the floor and Rei pushed herself from the wall.
"You mean our 'Princy pants who hates alien's' Endymion!?" Rei suddenly yelled, her muscles starting to tense.
"He is hot." Makoto confessed and Luna glanced at the senshi of strength than to their leader. This was the rather far-fetched route to discovering Usagi as the Princess but perhaps the girls would grasp this one better. Minako was their leader for a reason.
"What does any of this have to do with Usagi-chan? She isn't in love with Mamoru-san. They are just friends. How can you be jumping to such conclusions? Usagi just may be another senshi!" Ami spat and Minako shook her head.
"We cannot be so naive Ami-chan. She did not just casually forget our identities. She is hiding from us." Minako spat and the senshi of water blinked a bit taken aback. Her mind racing to find answers.
"What if she doesn't know she is the princess?" Ami tried and Rei walked towards them. She grabbed onto Ami's shoulder comfortingly, knowing of all of them Usagi meant something special to Ami. She was Ami's only link to a normal life. Minako blinked.
"Not know? How do you not know who you are?" She breathed and Makoto shook her head.
"Maybe Ami is right." Makoto tried and Rei let out a breath.
"I knew I was a Senshi before I knew my grand past of being some Princess on a planet that was destroyed a thousand years ago… Ami may have a point. Usagi may not know. Perhaps she is scared and these powers make her want to hide. She may be afraid we wont' be her friends if she is some comic book hero." Rei said rationally and Ami nodded quickly, immediately liking that idea.
"It would have been a perfect time for her to come clean when we exposed our identities. Instead she acted like nothing had happened… I know many people who have experienced trauma… none look that composed or have such erased memories as she did. We all believed her cause we wanted to. We should have seen through it right there and confronted her." Minako said and Ami started to feel her heart heavy.
"And the article. I suddenly feel so blind but we should have known then… she discovered her powers when she was ten in that forest. She's known for over five years. She may not know she is our Princess but she should have told us." Makoto said and Ami shook her head.
"She is scared." Ami rationalized and Minako let out a breath.
"What the hell is she so scared of?" The blonde hissed and Ami's eyes widened.
"How about the Negaverse and those ridiculous generals who are constantly trying to kill us! Usagi isn't exactly Super Woman here." Ami spat and Rei nodded. That was a good point. Still…
"So let's say Usagi knows. It's almost negligent to think she is not a Senshi anymore. She is hiding from us. There has to be some reason why… but here is another point. Why does she Sailor Moon like a ghost?" Rei voiced, reminding them all of Sailor Moon's ghastly appearance the day before.
"Knock Knock?" A musical voice said beyond them and immediately Ami rushed to the door. She yanked it open and Michiru's bright eyes looked at her a bit alarmed, Haruka raising an intrigued eyebrow.
"Tell them that Tsukino, Usagi is not Sailor Moon!" She demanded and the two outer senshi's faces deadpanned. "You know who she is! Tell them Usagi would never lie to us! Tell them!" Ami spat, her voice rising as her chest tried to keep up with her hurried breaths.
"You know who she is?" Minako spat, her eyes widening in anger as she stalked towards the older senshi. Michiru pressed her lips together, uncertain how they suddenly found themselves in this situation.
"We were just coming to pray." Haruka said a bit uneasily and suddenly a hand grabbed on her lapel and yanked her inside the room.
"Tell them!" Ami yelled and Michiru sucked in a deep breath, the anguish passing through Ami's small frame affecting her more than it should.
"We cannot tell you what we do not know." Haruka breathed, her voice steady as she eyed the aquatic warrior.
"Do not lie to them any longer…" The voice was defeated and the whole room fell deathly silent. "You must know. Tell them she doesn't want to be with us. Tell them that she doesn't want to believe who she is…" Luna's voice was almost unrecognizable. Artemis stepped closer to her and tried to give her comfort but she moved away.
"What do you mean she doesn't want to be with us? Doesn't want to believe what?" Minako said quickly, the possibility of answers suddenly coming intoxicating.
"How do you know this?" Makoto hissed, the attention of the room flying to the small feline.
"I confronted her this morning." Luna breathed, her small frame settling on the bed slowly. "She threw me out of a window." The cat confessed and Minako cast a look at Artemis, his blue eyes focused solely on his other half.
"Threw you out of a… are you all right?" Rei asked rushing to the feline but the cat flinched from her, making it very clear she didn't want to be touched.
"She knew about Serenity… forbid me to say the name in her presence. Said she was protecting us but her rejection of us was pretty clear." Luan said, bitterness lacing her voice and Minako turned her head to see Ami digest that.
"It isn't like that." Haruka breathed, the broken voice of the cat making her break in her story. Immediately she was up against a wall, anger flying towards her from the small senshi of Mercury.
"Tell me! Tell me it isn't her! Tell me this is some huge misunderstanding!" She screamed, her eyes wide begging the wind Senshi to deny it, to tell her that her new best friend wasn't lying to her, wasn't hiding from her. Haruka was at a loss for words. Her eyes darted to her partner and Michiru only stared with horror at the whole situation. She felt the burden upon her. They had come here to figure out a way to help their Princess. To perhaps channel her spirit in the great fire but… but this was unexpected. She turned back to the anguished small girl before her.
"I can't." Haruka breathed and immediately she slid down the wall, Ami's grip lessoning as suddenly a scream tore through her, sending her frame falling backwards. Makoto caught her quickly and Luna turned away painfully, knowing exactly how the girl was feeling.
"Does she know?" Rei yelled, quickly racing to Ami's side and Minako felt like she couldn't breath. "Does she know she is our Princess!" Rei cried out and Michiru felt tears well deeply in her eyes.
"Yes." Haruka whispered, knowing her words carried the weight of a thousand poison arrows. "She knows. She knows everything. It was taught to her when she was awakened." Haruka whispered quietly and Makoto felt as if someone ripped out her insides, her frame falling next to Ami's as the young girl began to kick and sob.
"She loves you." Michiru breathed quickly stepping inside the room. "You have to understand…" She began and Minako shook her head quickly.
"Have to understand what? That she has been lying to us… that it's ok to be with us but not us as her senshi? As her guardians?!" Minako's voice was full of venom and it stung deeply into the others in the room.
"To protect us…" Luna breathed, confusion lacing her voice.
"There is more to this…" Haruka began but Minako shook her head, her features moving quickly towards her.
"It seems pretty cut and dry. I want to know everything and I want to know it now." Minako growled and Haruka let out a breath.
"We found her when she was just awakened." Michiru began with a slight gulp and Haruka shot a look of warning at her. "She was almost eleven. She was full of excitement and dreams… she remembered all of you but didn't know if you existed. We helped train her but as more memories came back to her… as she learned of…" Michiru trailed off and than quickly shook her head, she herself still dealing with the end of their world.
"Learned of what?" Minako hissed and Haruka shook her head.
"You shouldn't be asking us this. This is not our story to tell." Haruka said sternly and Minako's eyes narrowed as she spun on the senshi.
"You were there… you were there when we remembered. When we awoke. You let us cry in agony thinking she was dead!" Minako screamed, her voice choking as the emotion welled within her. "You let us suffer!"
"We had made a vow. A senshi is bound to her oath!" Haruka yelled, her face hardening. Without warning Minako attacked her. The blonde's fist flew across the older senshi's face and Haruka rose immediately to retaliate. Michiru was around her in a second, yanking her backwards.
"Get out. You knew and didn't tell us! You kept her to yourself!" Minako screamed pushing the two out the door. "Get out!" She cried and Michiru gasped, her partner being shoved into her as suddenly the door was slammed into their faces.
"It wasn't like that!" Haruka yelled, anger flaring in her as she pounded quickly on the door. Her face stung where the younger girl had hit her… hit her with her anger, her hurt and the betrayal she felt. Michiru quickly grabbed onto her.
"Don't. We need to leave. They won't hear us now. Not in the state they are in." Michiru said quickly and Haruka let out a breath. She let her frame be pulled away from the door but her eyes still stared at it.
"She is going to hate us." Haruka breathed and Michiru let out a breath, Usagi's image popping into her mind.
"She probably does already." Michiru breathed painfully and Haruka spun, staring at her with surprise. "Let's go…" Michiru breathed pulling on her more and Haruka looked back at the door, the cries of anguish and pain still emanating from it.
-=-
To say the least, this was the hardest day she'd ever had and she wasn't even out of bed yet. It was just that feeling. The one you get when you know something was going to happen today that will really screw up everything. It made her pull the covers over her head and want to hide in the warm cocoon she had created. She could play the nightmare thing to her parents and she might get out of school. Doubtful but her parents were sympathetic last night. Probably because she was having a nervous breakdown. Being a teenager sucked. Her mom tried to sooth her that it was just these few years and after that everything would be fine.
"Yeah right." She muttered to herself as she forced herself to the floor. Slowly she crawled to the bathroom and with a foot shut the door securely. She had to think positively. Maybe Luna didn't tell the girls about her. Not like she had admitted anything… Usagi thought as she slowly loaded her toothbrush with toothpaste. Although she did throw the cat out of her window and forbid her to ever speak her old name. She shook her head quickly. That girl's name, not her old name. She groaned and stuck the toothbrush in her mouth. Even in her mind she couldn't get things straight. With a sigh she looked into the mirror and continued brushing. It took her a second to realize her image was not brushing her teeth with her. Slowly Usagi's eyes widened as the blue eyes in the mirror narrowed.
"You threw my guardian out of a window." The voice spat at her and Usagi coughed, toothpaste splattering all over the mirror. Quickly Usagi pulled the toothbrush from her mouth.
"You are getting a little bit creepy here!" She spat at her reflection and Sailor Moon leaned towards her.
"Oh, I'm really threatened by the teenager who can't accept her destiny." The girl spat and Usagi gasped a bit offended.
"Excuse me. I am in grade 9 thank you very much. We don't make huge life decisions until we are in grade 11!" She growled wiping her mouth roughly.
"Yeah, well I have already made your decision. Give me my body!"
Usagi had to admit she was a little impressed. In all the years she's fought with her alter ego she had always been polite and a bit of a push over. Now she was fighting for what she wanted. True… she wanted to take over Usagi's body and totally kill everyone but at least the girl had gusto even though their was a snowball's chance in hell she was going to succeed.
"Sorry. My body. Get away from it!" Usagi cried reaching for the door handle to escape.
"They know."
As the doorknob turned in her hand she knew that she would never escape those two words. It had the effect of an icy bucket of water tossed into her ribcages. Immediately her heart exploded and froze at the same time. She spun, blonde strands flying as she encountered her own eyes, just older and wiser and full of guilt from crimes that had festered over a thousand years.
"I can be different. We can be different. They need me. Please…" Usagi stared at her fingers as they pressed into the glass, begging to be freed and she shook her head violently.
"You're lying! I can explain. I can fix it. When they know they won't want you!" Usagi cried yanking open the door and quickly shutting it as she raced to get ready for the day.
"They may not want you either." Sailor Moon whispered quietly as her gaze slowly fell, her image vanishing once more into the prison between time and space.
-=-
He was trying to listen. He was almost positive Mamoru was saying something very important about his feelings and the whole situation with him making out with Usagi in a tuxedo. He blinked.
"You did it again?" Motoki hissed absently and Mamoru let his head fall helplessly into his hands, a groan his only answer.
"I am such an idiot." He heard between fingers and Motoki let out a breath. He contemplated telling Mamoru he wasn't an idiot and this was all planned out that he and Usagi would be together forever… but he was still a bit pissed at his best friend for constantly making out with his underage best friend so he was going to let him suffer a while longer. He opened his mouth to retort when the doors to the Crown Karaoke Center slid open. Immediately his attention was drawn and he jumped over his counter to grab onto the new customer.
"I can't talk right now. I have to see them. Are they here?" She asked quickly, holding up a hand to Motoki and the blonde nodded.
"Yes, but I have to talk to you. It's an emergency." He said quickly and Mamoru glanced at the two with wonder. Usagi's eyes met Mamoru's and immediately she walked into his arms, hugging him tightly. He returned the hug eagerly, gently kissing her forehead in greeting.
"Good to see you. Love you. Bye." Usagi breathed, taking in a whiff of his scent before she proceeded onto matters that were no doubt about to implode. She walked past the two men and Motoki immediately walked after her.
"I don't think you understand. Usagi-chan." Motoki spat and she shook her head, walking towards the right room. He lunged forward and caught her, sending them both tumbling to the floor. "Don't go in there!" He spat through his teeth and Mamoru blinked looking at the two with wonder as they struggled on the ground, Usagi trying to get to the door and Motoki determined to hold her back.
"See Usako… He doesn't like your new friends either." Mamoru hissed and both stilled. Slowly they shot the upperclassman a look than immediately began fighting once more.
"I have to! Motoki I have to go in there." She hissed, her eyes wide staring into his own, hoping to communicate she knew exactly what was going on.
"They might kill you." He mumbled through tight lips and Usagi's eyes widened in horror.
"What?" She squeaked out when the door before them was suddenly thrown open. Two sets of eyes shot up to see very firm emerald orbs staring down at them with no expression.
"Makoto-chan." Usagi smiled lightly and the brunette let out a breath.
"Just who we wanted to see." She mumbled reaching down with a hand to pull the girl to her feet. Usagi gulped a bit over Makoto's rather strong grip and Motoki scrambled to his feet. He was about to offer an excuse to talk to Usagi quickly but the door was slammed in his face before he could even utter a hello, Usagi now behind it.
"Oh crap." He hissed and slowly glanced towards his best friend who was staring at him with a bit of worry. "She didn't pay." Motoki said a bit dejectedly as he pointed towards the door. Mamoru raised a worried eyebrow than produced a few yen and placed them on the table.
"Maybe you need sleep old friend." Mamoru said softly and Motoki let out a breath, watching his friend depart rather sadly.
"Well, at least I'm not making out with my younger, really hot best friend who is about to be barbequed by four really pissed ancient warriors." Motoki spat under his breath.
-=================-
If it is a little short have no fear... The next chapter is already half written.
Till then I can't wait to hear what you thought about this chapter.
Keep in Touch.
God Bless,
Marronett
