Hooray! (omg that word doesn't look right!) I finally did it! I want to thank you all for putting up with me during this slow and torturous time, but the wait is over. I have the update! To recap for ya (cuz it's been soooo long!) ; Serena decided it was high time four people we all know and love confessed how they felt, and so in one glorious day she hooked up the two resident geniuses and the resident Goddess of Love with the man of starlight, a stroke of pure genius for anybody! But what repercussions would her actions have? Shall we find out?
Thanks to all my reviewers and readers for putting up with me in the last couple of months. STAGE ON! ~Ebony~
Serena groped along the edge of her bed towards her night stand in a lazy effort to stop the evil ringing phone that protested so loudly that she get up at this ungodly hour.
Whichever ungodly hour it happened to be.
Finally succeeding in finding the damned thing she pressed a random button and put the phone to her ear. "he-" the phone was instantly jerked away from her ear when the ringtone began again. Shrilly. This time she focused on the buttons properly and answered the call. "Hello?" she asked groggily. "Amy? Do you even know what time it is?"
Serena listened half-heartedly. "Is it?" she glanced at the clock on the far wall sheepishly. "Oh, I thought it was earlier. What? Why am I still . . . because I didn't get to sleep until late last night!" she said indignantly. She listened some more. "Why do you want to know that?" the indignant expression was now replaced by a more curious, if puzzled, look. "Okaaay, yes I am working this afternoon." she glanced again at the clock; three and a half hours until she had to get ready and head out. "Ok, see you there."
Amy hung up and Serena stared at her phone for several minutes before reality kicked in.
"Oh god I am so late!"
Darien was pacing in his apartment when Pluto finally arrived.
"You're late." he snapped at her, "I'd have thought that as the senshi of time you'd have a sense of punctuality."
Pluto, to her credit, remained unruffled. "You seem anxious, my prince." she moved the Garnet Staff to her other hand and shifted slightly on her feet to get more comfortable. "Did something happen?"
"I tried contacting you earlier." Darien replied curtly.
"My apologies, I was within my Realm." she watched him for a few moments more. "Something has happened, am I wrong?"
Darien couldn't decide if she were mocking him or not. "Of course something happened! Do you think I would be like this if things were as they should be?"
"Might I remind you that you made the decision to leave our Princess and so left her open to other influences." Pluto's tone remained calm, although inwardly she was beginning to bristle slightly. "You were warned of possible repercussions and so-"
"To hell with that!" Darien interrupted her; he didn't want nor need the lecture. "Serena isn't acting how I thought she would. She just keeps getting closer to him! The Inner Senshi and the other two Starlights won't let me anywhere near either of them, not to mention that blonde that keeps popping up everywhere and-"
"What blonde?"
Pluto's normally neutral tones had become sharp enough to make Darien pause in his rant. He eyed her warily.
"About Amy's height, shoulder-length hair, brown eyes, pale skin, wears a choker with a symbol attached to it." actually now he thought about it that symbol looked familiar. "Not to mention the fact that I've seen her near or with Serena a few times now. Why?" he asked curiously. Upon seeing the normally olive-toned skin of Sailor Pluto go decidedly paler he felt an odd mix of concern and curiosity. "Do you know her?"
After a moment's pause and a deep breath, she nodded. "Yes, a long time ago." she looked to the floor and muttered, not quite quietly enough to evade his hearing, "I knew one of them was here, maybe another, our master always sent us in pairs, but I'd hoped it wasn't her."
"Who is she?" Darien was very curious now. "She kept talking of destiny as though she knew it intimately, and she spoke of meeting me before, but I can't remember her."
Although that wasn't exactly true, but he couldn't remember from where.
Pluto now faced a huge internal battle.
On the one hand, she possessed information that might enable her prince to reclaim what was his. This same information would therefore enable the birth of Small Lady, Pluto's young friend. She hadn't been able to check up on Small Lady Serenity because the future at the minute was torn two ways and she missed the pink-haired child greatly, as did Saturn.
However, giving Prince Endymion that information would be a violation of several vows she had sworn when initiated as a Realm Guardian, including an oath of protection and loyalty to her master, the leader of the Realm Guardian team. Princess Serenity was forgiving. Sailor Etherea was not.
Etherea's interest in Earth had just been confirmed by Endymion's description of the girl; Sailor Celestia. Celestia was the Senshi of Discovery, the Guardians' equivalent to Sailors Mars and Neptune. If she was here, then answers would be forthcoming. The only question was how soon.
Another of Etherea's senshi had visited Pluto herself within the Time Realm. Sailor Asrar was the Senshi of Secrets, capable of knowing what a person would try to hide by observation and keen instinct. She was Etherea's version of Mercury and Saturn. Somehow Pluto did not think she had escaped entirely unscathed by that encounter.
The two had only completely failed their master once, but with dire consequences.
The presence of these two of Etherea's senshi told the Time Senshi a great deal:
Sailor Etherea knew that something was going on and wanted answers. Fast.
Sailor Etherea suspected where that something originated from.
They had been ordered to protect Princess Serenity and discover more about the problem.
This would make Endymion's winning over of Serenity very, very difficult.
It was a lot to weigh up.
"Pluto." Darien's tone was commanding. "What is it you aren't telling me?"
She bit her lip, still torn between duty to her prince and duty to her master.
"Sailor Pluto." his voice was even more stern, the dark eyes unrelenting in their gaze.
In the end, she gave him what he wanted.
Serena Tsukino, for the first time in over a year, burst through the doors to the Hikawa shrine completely out of breath having just run several miles in order to get to Rei's home and the meeting somewhat fashionably late.
Serena Tsukino, for the first time in over a year, had overslept.
The only other two in the room – Rei and Lita – blinked at her.
"About time you showed up, Serena." Rei said, frowning but nowhere near as scathing as she usually would have been. The previous day's events had instilled a somewhat grim admiration of her princess in Rei. Sure, she had already admired her for everything she had done and the distance she was willing to go for her loved ones, not to mention the entire universe, but this had been so different from the Serena she knew in the modern day. She had been almost like-
"Serena, want a cookie?" Lita lifted up the plate so that the blonde could see.
The blonde nodded. "Just a sec." she took several deep breaths. "I knew that going places on time was hazardous. I wasn't this unfit before!"
Even Rei had to smile at that.
It wasn't until Serena had munched her way through three or four cookies, and Lita and Rei had been discussing the previous day's events for a while, that something struck her. "Where are Amy and Mina?"
"I dunno," Lita shrugged, sipping her tea. "I called Mina this morning but her mom said she was still sleeping. And Amy hasn't answered her phone either."
Serena frowned; Amy always answered her phone. Had something happened? "She called me this morning, said she wanted to meet me and asked if I was working."
"And are you?" Rei asked her. When Serena nodded Rei resumed a thoughtful pose. "Hmmm. Why don't we go with you? That way we can hold the meeting there and we'll all be together."
"Are we inviting the Outers to this thing?" Lita asked suddenly. Serena and Rei looked at each other.
"Not yet. One of them is up to something. How else would Darien know everything he does?" Rei said eventually, for Serena was now staring at the table in front of her. "Until we know which one we don't involve them."
"But they're bound to get involved now! Serena just matched up two of her Inner Senshi with two members of the Starlight team. That's screaming of an alliance. Amara at least won't like it, she hates them."
"Which is why my money's on Amara; she's the one always preaching about the future and destiny and Prince Endymion." muttered Rei darkly.
Lita scowled at her; she didn't think it was Amara at all.
"The Outer Senshi can think what they like."
At Serena's words the two girls looked at her in surprise. Serena's blue eyes were firm and clear, radiating authority. She was the picture of the great queen she was set to become.
"But Serena," began Lita.
"No, no buts. I am the leader of this team, and that includes the Outers. I am the princess, and it's time I started acting like one. It is my duty to set up alliances, and while I might take your individual views into consideration it is me that gets the final say. Amara is the only one that utterly hates the Starlights. The rest just don't trust them. I trust them with my life." Serena took a deep breath. "They need to accept that."
Both girls were silent, eyes wide. There was several minutes of silence. Serena's eyes never wavered.
"Well," Rei said at last, "That answers that question."
Lita could only nod; she was both impressed and a little worried. Serena was finally starting to come into her own; she had to admit that she never liked seeing the Outers pressuring Serena on a matter which, in her view, wasn't entirely black and white. Besides, Darien was being an ass. Even Amara would have to admit that.
But still, the idea of perhaps having to go up against them . . .
Rei, meanwhile, was watching her silently with proud eyes; in her opinion Serena had always been far too lenient with the Outer Senshi, with some questionable results. But in this the girl had stuck to her guns, so to speak, and it was paying off. She was growing up again.
Serena stood and offered them a smile. "Come on, let's head over to the café. We can go the long way through the park. It will give us some time to talk."
The other two smiled and stood up too, happy to join their princess on a leisurely stroll in the sunlight.
Serena was bored.
Rei and Lita were sitting at a nearby table, working on homework. Serena had done all of hers already, not that there had been much to do, and was just about to do something drastic to liven up her boring shift, like maybe drop something loudly and see how high the girls could jump, when the little bell on the door tinkled softly.
She looked up, startled out of reaching for said steel coffee pot, in time to see Blaze walk in with a knowing smile.
"My usual," she said quietly, "And get something ready for the sweethearts; they'll be here in a minute." Serena grinned and obliged her. She had just handed the tray to Blaze, and the red-head had just got out of the way in time, when something blonde pounced on Serena over the counter.
"Sere you are so dead! But I love you too much! Thank you thank you thank you!" Mina trilled.
As it turned out Serena hadn't needed the coffee pot; Rei was now furiously dabbing spilled ink from her fountain pen off her homework with a napkin.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to have done, Mina." Serena laughed innocently. She knew very well what it was but wouldn't let on if she could help it.
"You were never much of an actress Princess." laughed Mina happily. "But I'll forgive you for this act of deception, and for the other." she winked and Serena giggled. "They're still wondering how you managed it! Can you believe it? Twice in one day did our fair Princess have a stroke of genius! Twice did her daring schemes bear fruit." she wagged a finger. "But not once did she consider that which she herself denies."
This was answered by a very unintelligent "Eh?"
Mina only winked again and sauntered off to another table with Yaten, who mouthed a thanks at Serena from over his shoulder.
The Moon Princess was still trying to get over Mina's dramatics when the second couple entered. Taiki had an arm around Amy's waist and the girl was blushing slightly. They walked straight up to the counter, where Serena already had a tray of tea and cake waiting for them.
"On the house." Serena winked. Amy's blush deepened a little more and Taiki offered the blonde a smile.
"Thank you, Miss Tsukino, I don't know if this would have happened if you hadn't intervened." he said.
Serena waved a hand dismissively. "Of course it would have. I just sped things up." then she winked. "And it's Serena, remember?"
Taiki nodded, smiling again; Serena couldn't remember the last time the violet eyes had been so warm. "By the way," he added, "I decided to get this for you. It's not much in the way of a thank you, but I suppose it's a start." he produced a rose from his pocket, one of the most stunning she had ever seen; pearly white with a faint rosy blush to the tips of the delicate petals.
"Thank you, Taiki. But really, I didn't do this to get anything, I did it because you guys mean a lot to me." she accepted the bloom.
"I know," Taiki replied. "Which is why I got this for you. The species' name is Serenity." he winked at her wide baby-blues. "And don't think I don't know you have an ulterior motive, Moon Princess." when she blushed pink at having been found out he nodded and joined Amy at Mina and Yaten's table.
Serena amused herself for a few minutes with watching the two new couples laugh together. It was sweet. Mina and Yaten went together like gold and silver, sunlight and starlight. Amy and Taiki were like blueberries and chocolate.
She blinked; if she was thinking about food then it must be time for dinner. But now that she thought about it those two were a little like chocolate and blueberries.
Walking into the kitchen she glanced at the digital clock on the cooker; 17:37. "Jonathan?"
"I'm here bunny." a young man with short black hair and eyes like green glacier ice looked over the top of a book. "We got an order that's more than toast?" he teased lightly.
She ignored the quip; she could cook far better than she used to be able too, but anything too complicated still hung her out to dry. "Yeah, my order." she grinned when he fake-groaned. "Some of your delicious curry and rice wouldn't go amiss right now." she added sweetly.
Jonathan grinned. "You only like me for my cooking."
"Don't I just." she teased him.
Jonathan had joined the café not long after she had, a replacement for a god-awful chef that their boss had already hired. The guy hadn't been a brilliant cook – worse than Serena used to be in fact – and had been arrogant and rude to boot. Jonathan was a god-send. Serena felt a sisterly sort of love for him, and the pair of them acted like brother and sister as well. His cooking rivalled Lita's.
"One bunny-rabbit dinner of lettuce coming up." he grinned, already looking for the requested meal in the freezer; he made up fresh meals at the end of each week and froze them so that he wasn't cooking the staff's at the same time as the customers'.
"You're a sweetheart." she told him as she returned to her post at the till. Serena sighed, then looked around before turning to Blaze, who was sitting at the counter to her left. "No Seiya?"
Blaze shook her head gently, a soft and knowing smile playing on her lips and in her eyes. "Not today, he had some things to take care of." When she saw Serena's eyes dull slightly, a signal she recognised very well from the Silver Millennium, she added "However, I believe he'll be back tomorrow."
The blue eyes brightened again and Blaze hid the smile from her lips now, though her eyes softened perceptibly. Like Mina and Amy, she knew what Serena hadn't recognised in herself. She was also amused, for Thuraya had predicted this for years; the Siriun Empress would be thrilled to know she had been right.
Thuraya would never let them forget it.
At the table meanwhile, the two new couples were deep in conversation about the Moon Princess.
"But it doesn't seem fair." Mina persisted, her lovely eyes glistening with unshed tears. "This is just like her to make sure we're all happy. Next thing you know she'll be setting Lita and Rei up with guys. But when will she get a happy ending? When will she be able to follow her heart like a person should be allowed?"
Yaten put an arm around her shoulders and nodded; he agreed with her. "She did this for us. Yes she may have wanted to create an alliance between the Tankei and Solar systems, but she knew we already felt like this and decided to create that alliance through us."
"Exactly!" Mina whispered, sweeping a hand out to gesture to them all. "An alliance born out of love! Even her mother back when this was the Silver System didn't succeed with this. Selenity tried, we all knew she tried, but even then I had the feeling that things weren't quite right. And everything happening now with the Prince proves it."
"It does seem a bit odd." Amy admitted, thinking. "I remember how happy Serenity was when Endymion proposed and her mother said that the marriage could happen. Of course then the Dark Kingdom attacked us and so things didn't end very happily. But in this life she hasn't been as happy with Darien."
"What do you mean?" Yaten asked. Taiki was interested as well, for the Starlights didn't know much about Darien other than he had been dead when they'd all thought he had abandoned Serena.
Mina ticked points off on her fingers. "When we first awakened when the Dark Kingdom returned, he worked against us, helping us only when it suited him." Another finger. "Then, when he found out Serena was Sailor Moon and Princess Serenity, he developed strong feelings for her." another finger. "Then he nearly died. Then he got kidnapped, brainwashed, and began trying to kill her."
Yaten nearly choked on his drink and Taiki raised both eyebrows.
"I know." Amy said with a smile, "we reacted that way too."
"Next point." Mina waved away the chatter impatiently. "He died."
"What?" Yaten hissed, utterly incredulous.
"Then, he forgot all about her." she thought about it. "Although we did too, because she wanted us all to be normal and we only met her through the Senshi business so that's not entirely his fault, although when she tried to wake him up he was still horrible to her and said she was crazy. Though he did protect her subconsciously because the Moonlight Knight-"
"Mina, you're off topic." Amy prompted her gently.
"What? Oh, right, sorry." she cleared her throat and continued. "Then, he broke up with her and utterly ignored her for months because of some stupid dream that his future self had sent to him so that he would break up with her, which was his lame-brain idea of protecting her and he nearly got her killed as a result. He also made her jealous of her own kid for gods' sakes!"
"Her own kid?" Taiki asked quietly, "But surely she's too young?"
"Rini was from the future." Amy explained. "She'd returned to try and find the Silver Crystal, which was missing in her own time, and to find Sailor Moon and get her to help rescue her mother, who was actually Sailor Moon in the future as Neo Queen Serenity."
Yaten looked from Mina to Amy with wide green eyes. "That makes no sense!"
"I'm guessing you told them about Rini and the whole escapade with the Dark Moon Family." Lita said, moving her chair over to join the conversation. "Yeah we found it weird too. Serena and Darien went so red when they found out the little munchkin was theirs! I nearly died!"
"Moving on!" Mina said sternly. Now Rei was listening as well. "Anyway, he turned against her when we fought Nehalania, although that was because he got a shard of enchanted mirror in his eye . . ."
"Mina, what's your point?" Rei asked impatiently.
"I know, I'm sorry, bad Venus. I'm trying to point out why I thought things were screwy." Mina laughed sheepishly.
The silver-haired young man beside her, however, was looking at her like she was screwy. "I think the whole story is screwy, Mina. It sounds insane. Future this, future that, you're own kid coming back to your teenage years for a visit . . . are you telling me you don't find any of this weird?" he appealed to the others.
Lita looked at him. "We're Senshi." she said bluntly. "Since when is anything not weird?"
"But all of that . . ."
"Are you saying you've never had anything like any of it happen to you?" Rei asked.
"Well, there was the thing with the Owlettes." Taiki mused. When he saw them all look at him he muttered "Don't ask." They shrugged. "But no, other than that our enemies have been fairly normal. I mean, we've dealt with the normal type of psycho, if there is such a thing. Even Galaxia."
"Yeah, I have to admit she was our most normal type of enemy we ever had." Lita said thoughtfully. "I mean, apart from Tin Cat and Aluminium Siren. They could be a little weird. But they were more normal than any of the others."
"Don't get me started on Galaxia!" Mina hissed. "He died before anything even happened! And he throws roses for gods' sakes! And it's a wonder that cape of his never got caught on anything and choked him to death beforehand."
Rei raised an eyebrow. "I take it you've felt like this for a while now?"
"Since he broke up with her over a dream." Mina said stubbornly. "I always thought that if he was truly meant to be with her then he would have used it to find a way to save her other than breaking her heart."
"Jeeze Mina, don't hold it back, tell us how you really feel." Lita said dryly.
"Don't sit there and tell me you haven't had doubts." Mina snapped. "I know you had them once or twice, especially since Galaxia."
Warily Yaten placed a hand on her arm and she calmed down.
"Of course I have." Lita replied soothingly. "After seeing how she was with Seiya, and then watching her with Darien after, I thought it looked and felt a little weird. And with the way the two of them have been acting . . ." she shook her head. "It's all very well talking about it now, but what are we going to do about it?"
They looked at each other in silence.
"Give her what she wants and needs most of course." Mina said at last. "Give her Seiya."
"And how do you propose to do that?" Rei enquired lightly. "She won't acknowledge those feelings in her. I doubt she even knows how she feels."
Amy looked around the group that was silent again. They noticed the glint in her eyes, a glint that wasn't usual found there. "The same way she gave us what we wanted." She looked at each one in turn, her eyes settling on Mina, the resident Goddess of Love. "We set them up."