Hello all my readers out there. I know that I haven't updated in like forever. I had started this chapter and than stopped it. I haven't worked on it since but I wanted to get something out there for all my readers. So here it is. I know this isn't up to my usual, but I haven't really had the time or the engery to twik(sp) it. So sorry. As usual I don't own Sailor Moon. I do own Jenny, April and Shannon. So here you go. Enjoy!!
My Friend. Why did you Leave?
The Awakening: Part 2
"Mom!" April yelped as she threw her arms around Haruka's neck.
Haruka wrapped her arms around her child in a huge hug. She drew her daughter closer as she closed her eyes, tears leaking from her eyes. I smiled as I watched them.
"Hotaru?" Shannon asked weakly behind me. I turned to see her lift her head from her hands. She was looking at Setsuna with a questioning look but with a wary look at the same time.
"Oh Shannon. Everything will be okay now." I rushed to her side. "Setsuna, why don't you say hello?"
Setsuna was watching us. I could tell that she was taking the sight of Shannon in. Shannon was tall, although you couldn't see that with her sitting at the table. Her skin was light compared to Setsuna's. Her hair was black with the tiniest hint of green to it. She kept it up like her mother's, pulled in a small bun at the back of her head with the rest following down her back.
"What's going on?" Setsuna asked finally.
"The Time Gate is calling to her. About 500 years ago she started to get this feeling. The first time it happen it scared us to death." I said.
"Well it's really bad this time." Shannon laid her head back in her hands.
"Setsuna, you haven't checked the Time Gate since we woke have you?" Haruka said.
"No I haven't. I've been by Neo-Queen Serenity's side. But since we're here I can take Shannon with me. But first things first." Setsuna came around the table. I moved away as Shannon stood up, finally. Setsuna held her arms open with a small smile on her lips. Shannon stood there for a moment than threw herself into her mother's arms.
"Mom." Shannon cried.
"Oh baby, my baby." Setsuna kissed the top of Shannon's head.
I stood off to the side and watched them with a smile and tears.
It was late morning when I finally got up and went to my library. Thomas was inside looking some papers over. He looked up when I stepped inside.
"Good morning Your Majesty." He said.
"Good morning Thomas." I answered.
I crossed to my desk. I looked at the papers covering a corner than sighed. There were so many things I needed to do before I left for Earth. We left in just a few days.
"Your Majesty, Princess Pluto and Princess Pluto have left for the Time Gate." Thomas had a weird look on his face when said this.
"Princess Pluto and Princess Pluto? Why not call Shannon Princess Shannon like you normally do? Than it wouldn't be confusing." I said giving him a smile.
"That would work." Thomas nodded his head. "When will you be leaving for Earth?"
"In a couple of days. Michiru and Haruka want to take a look at things in their castles, plus spend some time with April and Jenny." I told him.
"I see." Thomas looked at the paper he held in his hand.
"I'm going to see what everyone is doing." I headed for the door.
"Yes Your Majesty." Thomas nodded his head again.
I walked down the hall toward the courtyard. I looked around at my castle. As I walked outside I saw Jenny and April standing over by the outside training ground. I walked over to them.
"What are you two doing?" I asked noticing that they were both sweaty and dirty.
"We've been dueling." April said wiping some sweat from her eyes.
"Just getting some practice in." Jenny added.
"Ah, good for you two than. Where are your moms?" I asked.
"Not sure. They were both still sleeping when checked." Jenny looked back toward the castle.
"Well go take a shower and than get some lunch." I said smiling.
They both walked away leaving me alone with my thoughts. I walked toward the wall that surrounded the castle. In the 1000 years that I've been here I've walked next to the wall more times than I could count. It was such a pretty day, blue skies and a warm breeze. I knew that on Earth it would be cold. I wondered what the people of Earth are going to say when they find out how long they've been frozen. I looked up at the sky with that thought as I walked back toward the castle.
It was the night before we left for Earth and we were all in the dinning room having a huge dinner. The girls were talking excitedly to each other. I knew they were looking forward to seeing the Earth, finally. But there was something they didn't know yet.
"Shannon, April, Jenny we have something we need to tell you. When we leave tomorrow you guys aren't coming with us." Setsuna said.
"What!?" They shrieked.
"But why not?" Shannon asked looking at her mom.
"Cause the Earth still isn't awake. For the first week or so it'll be nothing but all of us working like crazy to make Earth livable again. It's going to be cold and nasty. Not much fun for you guys. Trust me; you'll be better off here." Haruka said after taking a drink of her wine.
"But as soon as we can we'll be back for you. We promise. We're not leaving you guys again. Not like last time." Michiru said looking at her daughter, who was trying not to cry.
"Promise? You promise right? Please mom." April had gotten up from her seat and was walking toward Haruka.
"Of course. I promise. We all promise." Haruka got up and took her child into her arms.
It was really early in the morning as we made our way to the transportation room. The sun was still a couple of hours from rising. The girls had already gone up stairs with their mothers. I was at the bottom of the stairs waiting for someone.
"Tony, where are you?" I asked looking around. If he didn't show up soon I was going to have to leave without saying goodbye.
I waited a few more minutes but he still didn't show. I gave a huge sigh of disappointment. I guess he wasn't coming to see me off. In truth he has been acting kind of funny the last few days.
"Hotaru! Come on!" Setsuna called down the stairs to me.
"Coming!" I called back taking one last look around the moon lit court yard.
"Hotaru?" a voice called out of the darkness.
I whirled around so fast that my hair whipped out behind me. There he was stepping out from behind a corner of the castle.
"There you are!" I rushed toward him but stopped short when I saw him just standing there.
"Hotaru…I have something to say…I mean to ask you." Tony stump led over some of his words.
"Tony? Are you okay?" I was looking at him with a funny look.
"Hotaru!" Haruka was yelling for me now.
"Coming! Give me a second!" I yelled over my shoulder. I turned back to Tony, "I have to go. I'll be back soon."
I gave him a quick peck on the check before turning back toward the building with the transportation pad. As I making my way back the way I came I felt Tony grab my arm.
"Hotaru please wait one second." Tony was just holding my arm.
"Tony, I have to go. Its time." I said looking down at his hand on my arm.
"Marry me." Tony said with a rush.
I was struck speechless with this.
"What? What did you say?" I finally managed to get the words out.
"Marry me Hotaru. I know that I'm not a prince or even a lord but I love you. Look I even got you a ring." Tony rushed into a pocket a pulled a ring box out. He had let go of my arm and opened the box. The ring inside caught the light of the moon and shined with it. The stone was simple. It was a light purple with three tiny white stones around it in a half circle.
"Oh my, Tony." I breathed as I looked at it than back up at him.
"Well, will you marry me?" Tony asked as he looked at me.
"Yes." I whispered.
He took the ring from the box, took my left hand and slipped the ring on my ring finger. He than took my face in his hands gently kissed me.
"It's so pretty." I said looking at the ring.
"The stone is an Anhydrite. (1) The little white stones are diamonds. The purple Anhydrite is Saturn while the diamonds are Neptune, Uranus and Pluto. You and the girls." Tony held my hand up so we could see the stones better.
"I love it. I love you." I said throwing my arms around his neck.
We stood that way for a moment when we heard someone clear their thought. We broke apart to find Thomas and Haruka behind us.
"It's time to go." Thomas said while Haruka glared at Tony.
"I have to go, but I'll be back soon. As soon as I can." I gave Tony a kiss.
"I'll be waiting My Queen." Tony gave my left hand a kiss.
I walked back toward the building. Thomas had a small smile on his face as I passed him. Haruka on the other hand was snarling at Tony still.
"Haruka-papa, come on. We need to go." I grabbed her arm and pulled her behind me.
"You're too young to be married." Haruka growled as we climbed the stairs.
"I am not. Haruka I'm over 21, heck I'm a couple of hundred years over 21." I said, "We can talk about it later. I've made us late."
We entered the room with the teleportation pad. Michiru and Setsuna were hugging Shannon and Jenny. April rushed to me throwing her arms around me in a hug. I hugged the girl back.
"It'll be okay. You guys will be fine. It's just for a week or two." I said hugging Jenny who had come over to me.
"We know. Just that we're going to miss you." Shannon gave me a hug too.
"I'll miss you guys too. Be good for Thomas and stay out of trouble." I walked over to the pad and stood with the others.
Just before we flashed out April said something, "Hotaru what's that on your finger?"
"You'll see." I gave her a wink as I became a shooting star.
We raced across space toward Earth. I couldn't believe that I was finally going home to Earth. The Earth grew larger as we got closer to it. It was still white and glowing in the darkness of space but it seemed to be glowing even more than usual.
Soon we raced through the atmosphere and were landing on the snowy ground. As we regained our true forms I looked around at the white landscape. Snow and ice everywhere. But before I could get a really good look around me something flung themselves at me.
"Hotaru-chan!" a voice screamed in my ear. Blond hair was in my face.
"Minako-chan?" I whispered cause I couldn't breathe.
"Minako let her breath." Michiru pulled the blond off me. I took a deep breath.
I looked toward the way Minako had come from. I saw three other people standing there, one in red, one in blue and one in green. I walked up to them as the one in green held her hands out to me.
"Mako-chan." I held out my hands to her. She took my hands, gave them a quick squeeze than pulled me in for a hug.
"It's good to see you kido." A black haired woman gave me a hug when Makoto let me go.
"Rei-chan it's good to see you too. Ami-chan you as well." I gave the blue haired woman a smile. She gave my shoulder a squeeze.
I bent down when I saw a black cat and a white cat come up to me.
"Luna, Artemis hello." I gave them each a starch behind the ears.
"Hello." They answered than stepped back.
I looked around than stopped when Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako parted the line they were in. Behind them stood two people, a man and a woman. The woman had long blond hair done up in a "meatball" style wearing a long white dress. The man was black haired wearing a black tuxedo. I walked up toward them, alone. I stopped a few steps away from them. With just a thought I changed into my sailor suit. What I was about to do I wanted to do as Sailor Saturn. I kneeled before them.
"Neo-Queen Serenity. King Endymion." I bowed my head to them.
"Welcome Sailor Saturn." Neo-Queen Serenity spoke my name softly.
"I've returned." I looked up at them, "Long live Neo-Queen Serenity. Long live King Endymion."
"Rise Sailor Saturn." King Endymion said.
"Hotaru-chan." Neo-Queen Serenity gave me a hug when I had rose to my feet.
"Serenity, its time." Luna, the black cat, had come up.
Neo-Queen Serenity looked down at a locket on a necklace around her neck. A bright light was coming from inside it.
"You're right Luna." Neo-Queen Serenity looked up at us who were surrounding her. "The Crystal is ready. Please form a circle around me."
We nodded as we did as told. I held hands with Sailor Neptune on my left and Sailor Venus on my right. I gave each of them a smile before I turned my eyes to Neo-Queen Serenity.
"My friends, we've been apart for far too long. The world has been asleep for the same time. It's time to wake the land from its long sleep, to wake the people of this fair world." Neo-Queen Serenity looked around at us. She smiled at King Endymion. "Let us wake them all up."
She held her hands in front of the locket where the light was coming from. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The locket opened to revile a large silver crystal. It floated in her hands before she lifted it over her head. It started to pulse with a sliver glow. I closed my eyes as the light got brighter. I could feel the power coming from the crystal. It streamed around me; the wind was starting to blow.
The air around me was getting warmer. The snow under my boots started to feel soft and squishy. I could feel something warm run along my skin. Sounds that I hadn't heard moments before were now reaching my ears. I took a deep breath, it wasn't crisp and cold anymore; it was warm and heavy.
The power from the Silver Crystal slowly stopped streaming around me. The wind stopped blowing so hard leaving a soft breeze in its place.
"Open your eyes my friends." Neo-Queen Serenity had a smile on her face when I opened my eyes.
I heard gasps from the others as we looked around. We were standing on top of a hill over looking the city. (2) The sky was a clear blue with soft wispy clouds. The ground under my feet was green with a new spring green color. Trees around us and in the city were in full bloom. I could smell flowers on the soft breeze. In the city below us the buildings that had been covered in snow and ice glittered with a new look. Just beyond them a huge crystal rose from the ground.
"It's beautiful." Sailor Mars said. She had tears in her eyes.
"It is isn't it?" Neo-Queen Serenity laid an arm around her friend's shoulder.
"We should probably get to the palace. The people are going to wonder what's going on." King Endymion said to his wife.
We all nodded.
Soon we had made our way to the Crystal Palace. We stood outside it for a moment looking up at it. It looked like it reached to the heavens.
Neo-Queen Serenity raised a hand and laid it on the crystal. A door appeared in front of her. The doors opened on their own. In we went. The hall we stood in was long and filled with light from the many crystal windows. Before we could take even a few steps inside we heard a noise behind us. We turned to see a crowed of people standing just outside the crystal wall.
"I guess now's a good time as any." I heard Neo-Queen Serenity mumble to herself.
"Before you go out there hang on a moment. Please." Sailor Venus held a hand up to stop her queen. Neo-Queen Serenity stopped with a raised eyebrow. "Just watch." Sailor Venus turned to us scouts. "We need to line up along side the door. Inner on this side, outers on the other side."
We nodded before heading out the door. The people backed up as we came outside. I could hear them mumbling as they saw us.
"The Sailor Scouts." Someone said.
"I've never seen them this close before." Someone else said.
"Are you going to tell us what's going on?" A man near the front of the crowed yelled up at us.
We merely looked at him than turned our eyes back to the door way. King Endymion walked through the doorway. He stood in the middle of the way for a moment looking at over the people before him. They quitted down a bit when they saw him.
"King Endymion." Sailor Venus bowed her head in greeting. She was standing closest to the door on the right.
Sailor Uranus bowed her head as well; she was the closet on the left. We were in ranges. It went Sailors Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury on the right. On the left it was Sailors Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and than me.
"King Endymion." Sailor Pluto and I said as he walked past us.
He stepped in front of the coward and stopped. Some of the people stepped back again. King Endymion looked at them for a moment than turned back to the door. We scouts looked back at the door as well. The coward of people behind us fell silent as Neo-Queen Serenity stepped out. She stood framed inside the door way. The soft breeze that was blowing blew some of her hair away from her. Sun light gleamed off the little crown that sat on her head.
"Neo-Queen Serenity." Sailors Venus and Uranus said together.
Neo-Queen Serenity walked down the steps between the lines we made up. She reached out her hand to her husband. He took it in his own, gave her a smile before turning back to the people of Crystal Tokyo.
We scouts lined up along side them. With one mind we dropped to one knee, raised our heads to look at them and with one voice said, "Long live Neo-Queen Serenity! Long live King Endymion! Long live Crystal Tokyo!"
The people around us mumbled when we said all this. I could understand why they were confused.
"People of Tokyo, now Crystal Tokyo, I am Neo-Queen Serenity. Please hear me. It has been 1000 years since Earth was covered in ice and snow." Neo-Queen Serenity said. "I have woken the Earth from its long sleep. I know many of you are finding this hard to take in. In front of you, you can see the Sailor Scouts. Have they ever lied to you? As to who I am you may remember Sailor Moon. I am she." Neo-Queen Serenity looked out over everyone in front of her. "Please take some time to try to understand all that has happen to you. Even though you've been asleep for years your body isn't ready for long periods of time yet. Soon you'll feel tried and must rest. As you can see the city is fine, your homes are safe."
I could see some of the people in the coward yawning and trying to cover it as Neo-Queen Serenity gave her little speech. As she ended her talk she turned to go back into the palace. The coward of people started to thin out. The scouts closest to the King and Queen followed behind them when three people stepped out of the coward. Two men and a woman.
"Wait! Please wait!" the woman called out.
I saw Neo-Queen Serenity freeze when the woman called out. She slowly turned around to look.
"What can we do for you?" Sailor Mercury, who was closet to the people asked.
"My daughter and son-in-law are missing. They were together by us when the ice came. We can't find them." The woman said, she was almost in tears.
I turned and looked at Neo-Queen Serenity. She was slowly making her way down the stairs toward them. She stopped right in front of them.
"Mama." Neo-Queen Serenity whispered.
"What did you say?" the woman, who I now recognized as Tsukino Ikuko, Neo-Queen Serenity's mother.
I looked at the two men; the older man with glasses was Tsukino Kenji, Neo-Queen Serenity's father while the younger man in his late teens was Tsukino Shingo, Neo-Queen Serenity's younger brother.
"Mama, it's me." Neo-Queen Serenity had tears in her eyes.
"Serenity, we should take care of this inside. Please come inside with us." King Endymion put an arm around Neo-Queen Serenity's shoulders. She nodded as he led her back up the steps.
"Please come inside." Sailor Neptune said to the Tsukinos.
They followed her with weary looks at each other. As we all filled inside the palace the doors behind us closed. Our footsteps echoed around the hall as we walked. I had no idea where we where going, I only followed behind.
Soon we reached a door. The King and Queen went inside. We followed them inside. As I entered the room I looked around to see that we were in a room that had some love seats inside. King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity sat down on one while Neo-Queen Serenity's parents and brother sat down on another one.
"Mama, Papa it's me." Neo-Queen Serenity said again.
"You look like my Usagi but…" Ikuko started but she looked at her husband before she said anything else.
"I have a feeling it is you, but I'm so confused. Please is there something you could tell us that only Usagi would know?" Kenji asked.
Neo-Queen Serenity's brow grew tight for a moment while she thought. Her face brighten a second later.
"Daddy, you always wanted me to marry Gurio (3). Shingo I helped you make a Sailor Moon doll for Mika. Mama you once locked me out of the house when I got a bad grade at school." Neo-Queen Serenity said.
Ikuko looked at the Queen for a moment, her hand was shaking, but with a gasp she flew from her seat to throw her arms around the Queen.
"Usagi, why didn't you tell us?" Ikuko asked after she hugged her daughter for awhile.
"I couldn't. I couldn't tell you I was Sailor Moon because I didn't want to put you in danger." Neo-Queen Serenity said as her mother sat by her side. "I don't know where to start. I guess I should start at the beginning. 2000 years ago there was a kingdom on the moon, The Silver Millennium. The Queen of that time was named Queen Serenity, my mother. She was a kind ruler and the people of the solar system loved her. Her rule was peaceful but when I turned 16 something happen. A woman who lived on Earth hated the moon kingdom. She didn't like the peace but most of all she hated me. I had fallen in love with Prince Endymion of Earth. The woman had fallen in love with him as well. But he didn't love her, having fallen in love with me. She attacked the Moon Kingdom, killing Prince Endymion. I saw it happen and so I killed myself. Queen Serenity found out what had happen and so she used the Imperium Silver Crystal to destroy the woman's forces, lock them away. In doing this she also saved my soul and Prince Endymion's, plus my court's. She sent all of us to the future, 1000 years into the future. We reborn here on Earth, reborn with out our memories of the Silver Millennium. But she sent two with some of their memories to the future." Neo-Queen Serenity looked at her family as she said all this.
"Who? Who did she send?" Ikuko asked.
"Luna." Neo-Queen Serenity pointed to the black cat sitting in Sailor Mercury's lap.
"Luna? You mean your cat Luna?" Kenji and Shingo looked at the cat who eyed them back.
"Yes she sent me to the future." Luna said.
"She spoke! She talked!" the Tsukinos were surprised.
"Yes she talks, sometimes too much. Not only her but Artemis was sent to the future too." Neo-Queen Serenity mumbled some of that under her breath.
"I heard that." Luna looked at the Queen but than turned back to the Tsukinos. "I was to find the Moon Princess, but first I had to find Sailor Moon and the Sailor Scouts. I found Usagi. She became Sailor Moon after whinny and complaining. We found the others over time. Artemis has already found Sailor Venus but she wasn't known as Sailor Venus than but Sailor V."
"I think I'm getting this. Usagi is Sailor Moon or was. And now is Neo-Queen Serenity. But I don't know about the rest of you." Ikuko looked around the room at us.
"You know them Mama. You've meet them all. Sailor Mercury is Ami, Sailor Mars is Rei, Sailor Jupiter is Makoto, Sailor Venus is Minako, Sailor Neptune is Michiru, Sailor Uranus is Haruka, Sailor Pluto is Setsuna and Sailor Saturn is Hotaru." Neo-Queen Serenity said.
Her folks looked us over, trying to place us. Shingo looked like he was about to fall asleep right there on the love seat. His mother covered a yawn with a hand.
"I think that's enough for now. Everyone is tried and it's been a long weird day." Mercury spotted the yawn.
"Of course." Neo-Queen Serenity said getting to her feet, "Mama. Daddy you'll stay with us?"
"Yes." Kenji nodded.
I moved away from the door as the King and Queen lead their family from the room. Some of the other Sailor Scouts followed behind them. Mercury, Pluto, Venus and Mars followed the King and Queen.
"Do you think we can power down now?" Jupiter asked looking around.
"I think so." Uranus said powering down.
We all powered down after she did. I looked around at the others. I didn't want to meet Haruka's eye, since she was staring at me. It was dead silence in the room. I could see the others looking back and forth between me and Haruka.
"Is something the matter?" Makoto asked.
"No nothing's the matter Mako-chan." I pushed some hair away from my face.
Makoto and Michiru gasped in surprise as something caught their eye. I had frozen when they gasped. I slowly lowered my hand to see that the ring on my finger had caught the light and glitter at them.
"Hotaru-chan what's that?" Michiru came over to me and took my hand in hers.
"Um…" I was starting to blush I could feel it.
"That…that boy asked her to marry him before we left Saturn." Haruka growled.
"Is that true?" Michiru asked me. I nodded blushing even more. "Oh Hotaru! That's wonderful!" She threw her arms around me in a hug.
"Wow. Let me look." Mako-chan rushed over, gripped my left hand and took a look at my ring. "So pretty. Lucky you Hotaru-chan."
"Thanks." I said trying not to blush anymore, although I knew that wasn't going to happen.
"She's too young." Haruka snapped. We looked over at her. She was glaring at me.
"I am not! I'm over 21. Why am I telling you this all again. We've already had this conversation on Saturn. I'm like 21 times 800 years. If you want to start acting like this, like a mom do so with April not with me." I stepped toward her. Michiru and Makoto looked over with mouths open. I never talked this way to Haruka before. But than again I had 1000 years under my belt.
"But…" Haruka looked at me like I was mad.
"I'm going to look around." I turned back to Michiru and Makoto.
"Want me to go with you?" Makoto asked.
"No that's okay. I'll be alright by myself." I threw her a smile as I opened the door.
I walked down the hall. Everything around me was in crystal tones, whites, gray and silver. The floor was a blue but with the crystal walls and windows it looked gray. I followed the hall way and when it turned into a large room with halls leading to other parts of the palace, I stopped. The ceiling was high and doomed. Light streamed down on to the floor from the crystal windows high in the doom. I stepped into the light and looked up. The sunlight was warm. I looked around and spotted a set of stairs. I wondered where they lead. I climbed the stairs.
Up and up I went. What I didn't notice when I was down on the ground was that there was a ledge high up by the doom. I made my way up there and looked down. The floor of the room had a circle pattern. It looked like it had pizza slices taken out of it. As I looked closer I gasped. In the center of the circle was a smaller one. Inside the smaller circle was a crescent moon. Around the smaller circle in the pizza slices were the planetary sibyls (4). The sunlight was making the signs on the floor glow.
I looked around as I walked along the ledge. Soon I spotted a door up there. I opened it to revile a roof top garden. I went out into the garden letting the door close behind me. I looked back and saw that the garden ringed the dome. I walked around enjoying the sunlight and green trees. Looking up toward the sun I saw that I was still inside a crystal. (5) But I could still feel the wind blowing, it was almost like the crystal was not only see through but side less. It was strange. Walking around the garden I noticed some benches lining the path. I sat down on one that sat under a tree. It was peaceful sitting there in the sunlight and the light breeze that was blowing. I looked down at the ring on my finger as it caught the sunlight. I smiled thinking about Tony on Saturn. Soon I was feeling tried, sleepy sitting there in the sunlight. I curled up on the bench I was sitting on, thinking a nap wouldn't hurt. Soon I fell asleep.
There you go. This is all that I've written. Like I said I know it's a bit different from my norm but I wanted something to give to you guys. Plus I kind of want to get through some parts of this time so I can get to others. Please read and review. If you review I might update faster.