I just want to do something I forgot to do in my last chapter. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed thus far and an extra special thanks to Kael, Krish and Shelley for getting on my case about updating. I also want to thank my long lost twin, Tiffany, for RPGing with me and giving me great ideas. Tiff…You will always be my Odango Atama! And Lyss…..that hurt! Owwwwwwwwwwwww!
And now….without further ado, Luna presents her redeeming chapter, Chapter Ten of Once Upon Another Time. -bows- Domo arigatō gozaimasu.
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Chapter Ten-
Usagi woke in a field of flowers. She blinked her sapphire eyes as she stared up at the cerulean blue sky, its perfection marred by a few white, fluffy clouds. She frowned as she slowly sat up, her hand going to her stomach. She noticed that she was no longer wearing the dress that Melli had given her, but a flowing white gown of silk organza and chiffon that shimmered silver in the sunlight.
She frowned again when she looked around her and saw nothing but flowers.
"Where am I?" She said aloud, hoping someone would hear her. She slowly stood and turned in a circle. "Ami-chan! Taiki-san! Melli-san! Clemency-san! Seiya-koi!" She called out. She listened for a response, but heard nothing but her own echo.
She walked a few steps in one direction, only to stop again. She crossed her arms across herself, her face full of fear and worry. She took a breath to call out again.
"Usako"
Her breath left her just as if someone had punched her in the stomach. She spun around and gasped, reclaiming the breath that she had just lost.
"Mamo-chan!"
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Seiya's heartbreaking sobs could be heard echoing off the buildings of the Sorenson property. Melli and Ami were now clinging to each other, crying uncontrollably. Maker was thinking of all sorts of unspeakable things she could do to the man in her grasp as tears went unchecked down her face.
Seiya suddenly reached out and took the Silver Crystal into his hand, never once letting go of Usagi with the other. He closed his eyes and pressed the crystal against her unmoving chest. Tears streamed from his closed eyes as a red light started to form around him, lifting his loose raven hair and causing grass and fabric alike to move.
"Seiya! Yamette!" (Stop it!) Maker cried, realizing what the raven haired man was about to do. Ami and Melli stared at him from across Usagi's lifeless body.
Seiya looked up at the auburn haired Starlight with hollow indigo eyes. "Ore wa naru. Amari utsukushī raito wa shinu tame ni katei sa re nai." (I have to. Such a beautiful light is not supposed to die.)
Maker pushed Captain Beaufort towards Clemency.
"Hold him."
Once she was sure Clemency not only heard her, but had a firm grip on the brown haired man, did she let go and knelt next to Seiya.
"Seiya, kore o shite wa ike nai. Sore wa abunaku. Watashi-tachi wa ushinau koto o dekiru koto ga deki nai," (Seiya, don't do this. It's dangerous and we can't afford to lose you) the violet eyed Starlight said.
"Kare wa nani o suru koto o kokoromi te iru ka?" (What is he trying to do?) Ami asked.
"Kare wa kanojo o tsurekaeru koto o kokoromi te iru," (He's trying to being her back) Maker said gravely.
"Nani?" Ami gasped
"Watashi wa kakujitsu de nai. Watashi wa Healer ga sore o ichido shi hontodo kanojo o koroshita koto o mi ta tada. Watashi wa okoru mono ga Seiya ni souzou shi tai to omowa nai. Tokuni kare ga kare no senshi no keitai ni nai node," (I'm not sure how, I've only seen Healer do it once, and it almost killed her. I don't want to imagine what will happen to Seiya. Especially since he is not in senshi form) Maker said, her violet eyes full of worry.
Melli looked at Ami, and the blue haired young woman tried to explain as best she could as Maker continued to try to get Seiya to stop.
"Kakyuu-hime nitsuite no nani ka?" (What about Kakyuu-hime?) Maker asked sharply
"Ore niyotte ga zannen de aru Kakyuu o ii nasai." (Tell Kakyuu I am sorry)
In a flash of bright red light, Fighter knelt where Seiya was just moments before. Melli and Clemency stared, wide eyed at the transformation. A look of astonishment, then pure hatred crossed Captain Beaufort's face as he recognized the raven haired senshi.
A glow of white started to come from where Fighter's leather clad hand rested over the Silver Crystal, combining with the red light that she was emitting. Is it grew brighter, the red glow around Fighter grew dimmer. With a soul wrenching cry, she called out.
"ODANGO!"
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"Mamo-chan!" She exclaimed, her sapphire eyes wide. "I don't understand. Where am I? What are you doing here? Where's Ami-chan and Maker? And Seiya? What's going on?"
"Usako," the tall, black haired man chuckled, "one question at a time."
Usagi closed her sapphire eyes for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. She opened them again to gaze upon the man who was once her destined. "Why did you never answer my letters?"
"I couldn't."
"Why?"
"Because I've been here, Usako. I never made it off the plane."
"Huh?" She asked, perplexed.
"Let me explain just were exactly here is, Usako. We are in the boarderlands. The place between life and death, at least for those of us who have guardian stars and planets."
"What?" She stared in disbelief. "You mean…..I'm……dead?"
"Technically, yes."
"That means…." Usagi trailed off, shaking her head.
"Yes."
She looked at the man before her. She felt a guilty flush creep into her cheeks. Thousands of thoughts ran through her mind. Most of them about Seiya. As she looked into Mamoru's dark blue eyes, many things came to her head to say to him, but only one phrase came out.
"I'm sorry," she said, looking down upon the ground, she hands clutching the fabric of her gown.
"For what, Usako? Loving Seiya?"
Her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped and looked at him, wide eyed in shock.
"What….I mean….how…." She stuttered, her cheeks turning a brighter red.
Mamoru smiled as small smile at her embarrassment. "It was how you said his name."
"Mamo-chan, I-" he raised a hand to cut her off.
"You don't need to explain, Usako. There's something else I need to tell you, and time grows short," he said, seeing a faint red glow behind her in the distance. The short blonde gave him a confused look.
"I've done a lot of thinking while I've been here. That's pretty much all there is to do here, besides waiting." He smiled again. "And I've been thinking about us. I saw the many great things we had, and I saw the things we were missing, Things I know I can't possibly give to you."
"Mamo-chan….."
"Usako, let's just leave it as it was, ne?" Mamoru smiled as he brought her into a hug.
Usagi wrapped her arms around the man she had once loved. "I will always love you, Usako. Just never in the way you deserve."
They stepped away from each other. Usagi looked up into his dark blue eyes and smiled. "You will always have a special place in my heart, Mamo-chan."
He smiled as he turned her around so she could see the red glow in the distance. He bent down so his head was right next to hers and whispered, "He's waiting for you."
Recognition flittered across her features as her sapphire eyes lit up with joy. She turned her head and kissed the dark haired man on the cheek. She stepped away from him one last time and looked at him. "Can't you come with me?"
"I'm sorry, Usagi, I can't. It's not time for me yet. Soon. I promise," Mamoru responded. She nodded once and flashed him a smile.
"I will see you then." She turned and walked away, her organza and chiffon gown flittering in the soft breeze created by the red light. She put her hand to her chest as she felt her heart getting warmer with each step she took.
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Maker, who had finally realized there was nothing she could do to stop her fellow Starlight, sighed in defeat and places her gloved hand on Fighter's shoulder while closing her violet eyes, lending the raven haired Light her strength as a golden glow formed around her.
Ami, Melli and Clemency watched in amazed silence as the two Starlights concentrated their powers, one on Usagi and one on the other. Fighter's lips moved, murmuring words that none save Maker could understand.
In a brilliant flash of white and red light, the crystal in Fighter's hand disappeared as she slumped over Usagi's body, breaking Maker's hold. Ami's hand shot out and touched the unmoving Starlight and released the breath she wasn't even aware of holding as she felt a faint pulse.
"Kanojo was iki te iru!" (She's alive!) She looked at Maker and saw the relief written across the tall Starlight's face. They didn't notice Usagi's chest rise and fall for the first time in over an hour.
"Miss Melli!" Clemency cried, releasing her hold on Captain Beaufort as she brought her hands to her chest in surprise when Usagi opened her sapphire blue eyes. Melli looked up at Clemency, then back down where she was pointing. She started when she saw the young blonde looking back at her. She quickly grabbed a hold of the blue haired girl's arm.
"Ami!"
Ami gasped as she looked at Usagi's face. "Maker!" She cried. "Fighter wa sore o shi ta!" (Fighter did it!)
Maker looked down in amazement as the blonde looked back at her. "Tsukino-san?" She asked, not quite believing what she was seeing.
Usagi nodded weakly. She tried to sit up, but was prevented by a weight lying across her. She managed to raise her head and saw the unconscious form of Sailor Star Fighter.
"Fighter!" She cried weakly, reaching down to touch the Starlight senshi's raven haired head. She darted her sapphire eyes back to Maker, hoping the Starlight had an explanation. She was not disappointed.
"Kanojo was sore te aru, Tsukino-san, zenzin kizetsu shi ta. Tsurekaeru kanojo wa ōku no enerugī ni no ga tsune de atta." (She's fainted, that's all, Tsukino-san. She used too much energy to bring you back.)
"Baka Fighter," Usagi said lovingly, moving her hand so it was now caressing the Starlight's motionless face.
Ami caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head slightly and saw that not only was Captain Beaufort free, but coming straight towards Fighter with the sword that was stained with Usagi's blood.
"Maker!" She screamed, pointing behind the Starlight.
Maker stood and spun around in one quick movement. On a move to quick to be tracked, the tall Starlight had caught the brown haired man by the throat by one hand, and forced him to drop the sword with her other. She looked down at the man she towered over and smirked.
"Now, that, was the worst mistake of your life," she said in accented English With a swift movement, she threw the man across the yard.
Melli and Clemency gasped as they watched the tall woman throw the captain several yards away from them. They watched in horror s the man rose to his feet and charged the auburn haired Light.
Maker smirked again. 'No mistakes this time.' She thought to herself as she held her Star Yell in front of her.
"STAR GENTLE UTERUS!"
The orb of energy was twice as bright as it was previously. It slammed into the brown haired man, throwing him away from the group of six. As the light faded, they saw his burned body on the ground, impaled on the sword that had brought so much pain and heart ache this day. Maker slowly lowered her hands and sighed, de-transforming in the process. Taiki turned and lifted the unconscious raven haired senshi off of Usagi.
The blonde slowly sat up, with the help of Ami and Clemency. The eventually got her into a standing position. As Melli rose, Taiki spoke to her.
"May we intrude on you kindness for just a bit longer? Just until she recovers her strength," indicating the unconscious woman in his arms. "We cannot travel like this."
Melli glanced from Taiki, to the woman in his arms, to Usagi. She had to admit to herself that she was very curious about these young people that fate had placed into her life/ She nodded.
"But on one condition. I would like an explanation."
Taiki started to frown and opened his mouth to object when a voice spoke up.
"Hai."
They all looked at the young blonde whom Ami had been translating for.
"Tsukino-san, ore ga kangae nai-" (Tsukino-san, I don't think-)
"Iie, Taiki-san. Kanojo wa shinjitsu ni ataisuru. Zutto kanojo wa totemo shinsetsu de aru/ Sore wa watashi-tachi ga suru koto ga deikiru saishou de aru." (No, Taiki. She deserves the truth. She has been so kind. It is the least we can do.) She looked at Melli and nodded.
"Right then. Clemency, help, Taiki is it?" He nods. "Help Taiki get Seiya into a bed and resting. Usagi, you go with them I want you resting too. Preferably in the same room so we can talk later. Ami, can you help me in the kitchen?" Melli asked, taking charge of the situation.
"Yes," she said nodding. She released her hold on Usagi as Clemency turned and led Taiki and Usagi into the farmhouse. Melli and Ami stood in the yard until the door closed behind Usagi.
"Ami, I'm afraid I have another favor to ask," Melli said, looking at the blue haired girl. "Could you help me…." She trailed off, gesturing towards the body of Captain Beaufort. "Just so it's out of sight. Clemency can help me with the rest," she said quickly.
Ami gave the older woman a small smile and nodded. "Where do you want to put him?"
"The barn, I think," Melli said.
The two women walked over to the unmoving man and picked hum up, Ami at the head and Melli at the feet. They carried him as quickly as possible to the barn and covered him with hay.
"That should do it until nightfall," Melli said, brushing straw off of her dress. "What do you say we get cleaned up and make some tea."
Ami smiled and nodded, pulling a bit if straw out of her hair. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."
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I hope this chapter made up for the last one...I mean, come on, you all don't honestly think I would actually kill off Usagi, do you? Next chapter, Taiki tries to explain their genderbending ways to Melli...-.-'
Ja ne!.
Luna