There were times when Lita wished she was deaf, or male or both, and this was one of those times. Sometimes she thought men, even those trained to be emotionless assassins or hard army men, could bitch and whine with the best of pms-ing women, and Lita has seen her fair share of the worst of those. She had of course been totally and utterly peaceful and not hormone driven during her pregnancy, yeah that was the truth her subconscious answered sarcastically. She had never given out to people in shops for starring at her, or chewing loudly or perhaps the best one yet, all men in general even at one point chasing down a young couple shouting at them about the sins of premarital, well in general pre death sex. To say the pregnancy had been expected had to have been the biggest understatement of the century.
And if the pain of a twenty hour delivery wasn't bad enough, without drugs, she had to be stuck with this pain in the ass "partner" and she used the term lightly in a mission she knew she could get accomplished a lot faster without the hang on, who obviously didn't know about her training. Well if the colonel hadn't deemed it necessary to tell him, like hell she was going to enlighten him.
Gripping her pendant, the only thing she had brought with her of her life on the base to remind her of her daughter, she hoped that she would be okay staying at Rei's. Who was she kidding, if she knew her daughter, she was probably already forgotten, lost in the sweetness of her Auntie Rei who believed in spoiling her child at least, while also training them in the ancient art of fire reading.
Thinking of her daughter, she realised that she hadn't had intimate contact with a man in over six years. Strangely her eyes went straight up to look at Turles behind the large sunglasses she had put on to stop him from trying to talk her out of the mission but also to block the glares he would send her way ever so often.
He really was a fine specimen of a man. Wide shoulders tapering down to a small waste, an obvious well developed muscular chest, long legs and arms that since she had a thing about them actually had on occasion made her drool. Even the short military hair cut only added to his appeal. Pity that she could and would never even think about going there, too many bad memories and a dislike of people who tried to control her actions by telling her what they thought she could and could not do. Something that really angered her, not that you could ever tell that, unless you were deaf, dumb and blind.
Drifting into a doze she calculate in her head how long it would take to reach the airport in the kingdom she was now suppose to rule for the next two weeks.
Turles watched as she dozed off, watching as the tension and stiffness that she seemed to get whenever she was in his presence left her and she finally relaxed. There was something about the way Lita handled herself that he found fascinating, a strange mixture of innocence and determination with a hint of danger. He wondered what secrets she hid, and fought down the anger at the people that had forced her to do something he felt she could not handle, as well as the obvious danger factors. The fact that he knew she liked the way he looked and yet fought the attraction ever step of the way, because he thought of laws in the army compound about dating each other, only impressed him more. Now the only problem he had was convincing her to do everything he said and to finally go out with him. Shouldn't be that hard, he thought, most women give into their desires eventually and Turles was nothing if not a patient man. He would just wait until she asked for his help on this mission, and then use that as a stepping-stone to convince her to go out with him. Simple!
LaterA week and a half later, Turles was ready to strangle the woman. She had gone out of her way to annoy him, and whatever he said she most often did the opposite. It didn't matter that he had years of experience in these types of matters she thought she knew best. Granted nothing bad had happened so far, and in fact most of her schemes had worked, but she had no way of knowing if they would work or not, or thought she didn't at least.
It didn't matter that they had been working together for the last week and a half, it didn't matter that he had saved her life at least three times from would be attacks from terrorists, granted ones that had fallen through but still he thought she should by now at least be starting to trust that he had her back.
But NO, Ms high and mighty still fought him at every turn, going against everyone of his orders.
Stooping low to avoid the raining gunfire, he winched as one bullet came precariously close to him, splitting the branch above him into tiny kindling. Feeling the adrenaline rush kick in, he thought there was nothing quite like matching your wits, intelligence and experience against an unknown foe, finding out whom in the end was the better strategist.
Looking to his right, he watched Lita get the same look that he had seen in many soldiers in his squad, the one that spoke of experience and a will to live, the one that told him this was not the first time she had been in a situation like this.
Watching as she expertly dodged bullets (like they were taught in the army- never travel in a straight line) rolling and sliding behind objects that were almost impenetrable to the bullets, he could feel his admiration for her grow. Moving out of the gun fire range, he had to marvel at the suddenness of the attack, one moment they were opening up the new forestry on the outskirts of the town of Lalia, guarded by her elite force. The next they were ducking bullets an d running for their lives obviously not what they had planned. But in his estimation, it was about time they actually made their move; after all they were only two days of the inauguration.
Coming to the edge of an overhang, that overlooked the majestic and beautiful Serenity falls, which ironically opened up to one of the deepest lakes in the world and was anything but serene.
Lita was about to open her mouth to comment on the unreality of the situation when Turles held up his hand in an obvious signal to be quite.
Straining her ears after glaring at him she too began to hear the sounds of at least seven oncoming people's foot steps, and considering they weren't yelling out to the princess (lita) to tell her they were her people, Lita somehow didn't think this was good.
Unfortunately for Lita the only way out was to jump into the placid grey water of the lake to escape and considering she couldn't swim and indeed was actually afraid of deep water, she didn't see this as a viable option.
Watching Turles check the lake doing a quick visual of the surrounding area, she realised she might not actually have a choice.
Jump and or death? Some choice she thought sardonically.
She knew damn sure which one she was going for, Turning back to the jungle decisively, sure that she could take on the people that were following her, she started when a large calloused hand wrapped around her slim pale arm. Not turning around, she spoke from the side of her mouth in a whisper, "leave me alone. I am not going swimming and there's no way I'm going over that, not for you, not for anyone. The guys that are following us should be easy enough to take care of between the two of us!"
Turles knew he had too bring out the heavy guns " I never asked anything of you, and I'm not going to now," he answered " but if you won't do it for yourself, do it for the mission, there's no doubt in my mind that those guys will kill us. And if not for our lives, then think of your young daughter. What is she going to do without you?" not giving her time to think, he had slowly been pulling her limp body closer and closer to the edge. Stopping suddenly, he tilted her head up and looking her in the eyes, for once spoke what he was feeling "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, your to important for that, but you have to trust me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you" by now his voice was gruff with emotion that he had never really felt the need to use before.
Obviously warring with herself, Lita searched his eyes, testing the sincerity that she saw there. Seeing it not change even with the intensity of her truth finding stare, she decided for once to trust her emotions and wrapping her small hand in his larger one, she offered him a symbol of her trust rather then a word.
More thankful then he could ever imagine, he whispered a thank you to someone above who was obviously looking out for him, and winked at Lita playfully.
Seeing a spark of light come to her eyes he grinned as she started to whisper/curse at him "so help me, if you let me die, ill come back and make your life helll ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" as she was talking he had been walking her closer and closer to the edge till she was falling while letting out a surprised shout.
Suddenly time stopped and a little fairy Usagi appears, crystal coloured wings beating lightly to keep her afloat, while a curious Bardock followed "why exactly did you stop them now? I mean this isn't exactly important?"
Usagi smirked at the old Saijins, "au contraire my pseudo daddy… in law-ish thing… damn that's confusing. But on with this, this is the moment that Lita began to trust him, and with Lita that has always been the most important thing. Without trust, Lita wont share the most important part of herself which means her burden will be twice as heavy then the other scouts. As soon as I saw this, I knew given time even after I return and have t share the power out, that they will eventually be happy together, because they have a strong base"
Turning away from them, she waved a hand and the two disappeared once again. So I was wrong my friend, you didn't need help you just need a push in the right direction and now I know exactly how to help you.
"Let's go home." Usagi said to Bardock.
"But don't you still have to oversee Mina?"
"ah, no!" she smiled" I believe I shall trust in Mina's growing powers as the goddess of love, and trust her judgement. She's never in my long memory every gone after a guy, instead leaving them to do the chasing. Because she had made an effort with this guy, I know that this guy is strong, intelligent, and truly good like his father. He will not be a risk for using the powers selfishly and that is all I need to know. As for Hotaru she's always been cautious, a habit of a lifetime is not going to suddenly change when faced with something that impacts greatly on everyone's future"
Bardock just grimaced, unaccustomed to the logic of such a weird little "queen". This mushy crap was still very new to him.
Disappearing alongside her to return to Queen Serenity to plan how Usagi was going to return.
Blank. Blank. Bank… blank faces prevailed in the tiny room that passed for a dorm bedroom back at the college. It wasn't even just the guys faces that remained blank, it was their fiends faces as well, those who they had brought it to try and help them in a final bid of desperation. But the one person they really needed, the one person that had the answers to at least two of the girls final destinations could not be found on the planet, around it, or even in the many universes around.
Obviously deciding that the girls were indeed worth their effort, with out much thought, they never realised that that decision would be the easiest one they made in the ten hours since the girls had disappeared.
Little sleep and even less food were given way to very short tempers and considering the strength and capabilities of the five guys in the room, patience was in very short supply and without it, unfortunately there would be a lot of damage and even more trouble to answer for.
Trunks warily rubbed his head, grimacing slightly at the pounding headache that had started shortly after they realised that they would have to find the girls, without cheating and searching for their energy, and using only what they knew about them to find them. And considering that not much talking was done they were basically going on impressions and things other then how the girls looked, that they had noticed. Being warriors they had a certain advantage, but even that was a very small consolation when they had only another hour and a half before the search began. Going from experience, there was always a time scale and since they didn't exactly know what the time frame was, it was yet another thing to contend with.
"okay, so we basically know everything about their appearances, what injuries they may have had, what clothes they look best in, but no actual knowledge bar the fact that they are intensely loyal to one another?" trunks deep voice summarised what they had learned in the last few hours.
Four heads nodded sadly in agreement.
"Okay, so we're getting an over all few of them as people. Their loyal to one another, protect each other at any cost, but are most especially protective of Usagi. So therefore, they revolve around Usagi, so Usagi is the key. We find Usagi, we find the rest." Happy with his logical though stream, the others nodded in agreement.
"But" Vegeta started " the problem is that we don't know Usagi, we don't know were she is which is what we have to find out I know, but not even the girls seem to know were she is."
Goku had been silent for many hours, lost in a thought so deep that even his nods of agreement were just habit.
"But I do!"
Shocked eyes turned to him, and shrugging his shoulders sheepishly, he scratched his head half heartedly, "Or at least I have an idea were ill find her. She spent enough time looking at it. I don't know why and I don't really care as long as she's there."
"Where?"
"The moon"
Vegeta's face went white with shock. "But that's not possible. They'd be dead. I won't have that. There not equipped to deal with the gravity up there especially since the gravity on it has increased since the mad scientists in the twenty first century drilled to the centre to experiment on it."
"There royalty, Vegeta, more powerful then we imagine, then we've seen. If only Piccolo was here to explain, he knows them, he knows what's happening and why its happening." Trunks voice spoke lazily as if it was common knowledge
"I don't care, I'm going, I know she's there." Goku headed outside.
Shrugging his shoulders, Gohan followed, "We don't have much else to go on do we?"
Leaving them to ponder the question he wasn't surprised to see the two outside a few minutes later. Making sure know one was around slowly they rose to the skies and towards the moon, which could clearly be seen in the summer sky.
Landing on the moon, the waited for their bodies to adjust as they slowly took time to survey the surrounding area, and were shocked to see the obvious remains of a civilisation on the moon's chalky surface, indentations from passing meteor's, craters not being able to hide the evidence as cleverly as many would have liked. But to Vegeta, having himself, destroyed many many planets and civilisations, it was clear. There had once been a great war on this small, unwanted rock in the sky.
Walking slowly among the rubble and unstable craters littering the ground, they made their way half way round the small planet were they came to the top, were what once had obviously been a garden, with a large fountain in the middle, its remains still there, did they stop.
Looking as far as their more then adequate eyes could see, they decided to separate and cover the ground more thoroughly.
Back to back they headed off in separate directions, and each not more then five miles from each other came across a group of statues, their utter beauty untouched by the elements or the meteors that had ruined much of the planet.
Flowing limbs, encased in shocking marble flowed as if they people they had been based on had been caught and turned to stone as the moved. Each statue covering a range of motions, their faces caught in a range of different emotions.
But strangely all the same person, no matter how different they appeared.
Gohan gazed at the six different Mina's, how he knew it was her he didn't know, but he had instinctively known, even though each statue looked nothing like the woman he knew.
He first was dressed in a strange fuka, short skirt, with her hand's held away from her body in a v sign.
The second was of a woman in a gauzy material, doves resting on various parts of her body, roses crawling along the gauzy material as if they were one, her hair short, almost even with her skull, showing off her ethereal face.
The third, was of a woman, a princess, her body covered in a corseted dress, her forehead graced with a weird symbol, what looked like a heart with a line coming from it to him, the end of her dress lined in golden hearts.
The fourth, was of another warrior in a bikini like top, and tight shorts, with a whip hanging from her right side and long black boots covered much of her legs, her hair in tight braids along her skull, a large necklace around her neck, and the uplifted form of a tattoo on the side of her face.
The fifth was perhaps the strangest, the long limbs of the woman, in cased in a body suit, large wings sprouting from her back covering her face, a large sword hanging from her small dainty hands, almost bigger then her whole frame.
The last one was the one Gohan instinctively recognised. The one his mind had made the assumption concerning all the statues about. The one that was actually the most familiar to him. It wasn't what she was wearing, or they way she looked, it was the way she starred at him, even though the eyes were lifeless, he knew the eyes. He had starred at those eyes long enough.
Steeping forward to touch the statue, he winched at the sound that echoed through the silence of the place. Bending down, he wondered what the noise had been, and pulling the ivy that covered the ground away, he frowned at the script that started to appear.
Pulling the rest of the ivy away, he started sweeping the dust and dirt away, he read the writing on the ground, written in mosaics. Searching his memory, he realised the writing was ancient namek. Trying to remember, it suddenly came to him in a flash of insight what it said. Who am I?
What the… he wondered. Maybe this was a trick. This could be the actual final test. Not trying to find exactly were they were, but finding them as who they were now.
That said he thought, what did these other women have to do with Mina?
Bending to the bases of the statues, he ripped away the ivy and started counting up the names. Sailor Venus, Aphrodite, Princess Venus, Guardian V, angel V, and finally just M.
Well obviously the last one was Mina he thought, but why so many different women. Was she really all these people at one time? But then who was she now? And how was he to decide which was the real one. Which was the one he wanted.
Wiping his face, he made an instant decision. The other woman, they had obviously been powerful, but the woman he wanted, the woman he knew belonged with him, was simply Mina. It didn't matter to him what she had been, just what she was now. Reaching forward he traced the lines of her face, closing his eyes, and bringing to his mind her face, his imagination feeling the softness of her skin under his fingers. Breathing out slowly, he turned away and went off to look for the other guys, hoping that they had found Usagi so he could find his Mina.
He stopped in shock as he felt warm fingers enclose his right arm. Afraid to look back for fear it was a figment of his imagination, he nether less forced himself to.
Mina stood before him, in her princess gown. Her hair tied away from her face, the orange of her dress contrasting and enhancing the natural paleness of her skin and the gold of her hair.
"How?"
"Because you choose right. It didn't matter who I was or what powers I have. They don't matter to you," gesturing behind her towards the statues.
Smiling, a small curve of her lips, that didn't quite reach her eyes, she wrapped her hand through his, "come, we have to find the others"
Following what was obviously a path well known to her, he wasn't surprised to slowly find himself and the others that joined them with Lita and Ami, leading them, Trunks and Hotaru following them.
Coming to a clearing, the guys stopped surrounding Goku who stood in front of two women, one obviously a gentle queen, a crescent moon on her forehead, her hair in two balls atop her head, her dress long and gauzy looking, crescent moons holding the bodice up, pale wings spread broad from her back. The second was dressed in a sailor fuku in white, a strange symbol on her forehead, the same balls on her head, a long staff resting on the ground in beside her as she sat on the ground in front of the queen in obvious readiness for anything.
The small pond shimmering in the light in front of the statues.
Goku didn't look back as they arrived, nor did he acknowledge them, until Lita, Ami, Hotaru and Mina stood beside him.
"Who was she?"
The women did not show shock at his use of the singular, for it was obvious to him that he was the one their princess had been waiting for all her lives. The one who knew all sides of their queen.
"She was Princess Serenity"
"She was Sailor Moon"
"She was sailor Cosmos, protector of the universe."
"She was our light"
"She was our friend" Ami's voice broke on this, silent tears falling down her face.
"She was the reason we will fight for this planet, fight for the peace she would have wanted even if she is not here to enjoy the fruition of her dream." Mina's voice remained strong even though she to had tears running down her face.
"She was simply Usagi, and she was everything to us!" Lita finished their thought stream, and silently each went up and laid a small stick in green, purple, orange and blue with different symbols atop each, at the base of the statues.
Goku felt happiness at what they were saying, that his mate was so loved, and yet didn't feel the sadness that rested in each of the girl's hearts, knowing that Usagi wasn't dead.
"She was mine!" clenching his fists at his helplessness at the situation.
A time of silence fell of them each remembering the happier times with their friend; no matter the length of time they had known her.
"And I always will be!" the voice came from before them but as each looked about them searching for the source no one could find.
Their hands instinctively going to the pendants around their necks seeking their knowledge, seeking their assurance.
Slowly they started to glow, and just as suddenly the pendants floated up from around their necks, out of their hands, and shot an intense beam of light towards the pond. The pond began to glow, its irredescent light swirling around the pool for what seem like eons, abruptly the water shot up into the air, and just as quickly was gone, leaving the form of a female bathed in white light.
Slowly the form began to take shape, the wings on its back shielding it from the group slowly unfurling to release the body it had protected for so long.
Resting on her toes a top the now placid water, the wings gone in a burst of stars, Usagi stepped down in to the waiting arms of Goku. Wrapping her arms around him she hugged him. "It's been so long since I was last with you, last felt at peace." Goku simply hugged her, thankful that he had her back.
Stepping out of his arms and yet keeping her hand firmly tucked within his, she turned to her friends, "My guardians, my friends, I stand before you now, not as Usagi, But as Neo-Queen Serenity, and what you just witnessed was not only the return of me, but the finish of our time in this dimension. Even as we speak, we are returning to the one Ami froze, to where Piccolo and Sailor Pluto are already waiting, and your Planets are awaiting your return."
Stepping for ward she hugged her friends "We're going home!"
Trunks wasn't the only one thinking a certain question but he was the only one who actually put it to words "Just what the hell is going on?"
Centuries later:
I've never regretted any of my decisions, looked back and thought I could have done better but never regretted them. Writing down all that has happened to me, and my best friends, their husbands and all that have impacted us, I can only hope that the path we have started will be smooth enough for the children that will follow us.
The crystals that have always protected us have become strong as the bond with our husbands have grown and the power that we share will eventually pass on to you and I can only hope that you will be strong enough for the task you undertake.
The next few pages is a history of were you all started, the people that came before you and the people that will come after. The people that have impacted us, and the people that have changed us for the better. For all those who come after us, I want to tell you about my guardians and the people that have made this universe and many others a safe place for many billions of people, aliens and things alike.
My husband Goku, a former Saijins warrior and I have been together for almost five centuries and have never been happier. We laugh, we argue but above all we care about our people. Nobody is perfect least of all us. We had five children, three powerful girls and two powerful sons.
They now guard the dimensions, replicating the set up that have kept this universe safe for the last millennium.
My first-born daughter, Rini is off course taking my place in this dimension.
Rei and Wu fei had four children, two sets of twins, ironically four girl's which I have to say didn't sit well wit Wu fei at first but I have never seen a more doting or over protective dad then he, and even though he is married to Rei he doesn't understand the courage and conviction and the utter stubbornness that run through her blood.
The children off course take after her, and now each has taken their place in each dimension.
Mina and Gohan had the smallest number of children at three, but saying that they perhaps have been the most valuable. Two of their children have become scientists and work alongside Ami's children in helping improve and better the many dimensions, sharing the knowledge evenly.
Lita and Turles had four children, two male and two female two of which have moved to the ethereal plane, where they help in the balancing of plants on all planets.
Finally and perhaps the most unusual of all is my little shy scientist, Ami. She married Vegeta and has regular arguments. I'm told the girl has a temper that scares even the mighty kind of the Saijins. They split their time between the two planets, which was reinstated at the request of Vegeta by Lita, Ami, Michiru, Haruka, Hotaru and I, and then blessed by the goddess of love.
Ami was the most blessed as she had over ten children, Four of which followed her into science, two of which joined Lita's children on the ethereal plan, after they joined together as only saijins could, husband and wife if you will. Three joined the other children in the different dimensions. And finally her eldest, Ariana, who is more like her mother and father then any of her other children. In Her I sense a great leader, with the strength of her father and the courage and brains of her mother. She has already taken her mothers place allowing Vegeta and Ami to return to Vegeta Sai, and build up the planet to be something they could be proud of.
Since we have had children the power has been divided between them, and yet not taken from our source. Together our children are as powerful as us, but separate they only have a fraction. That doesn't negate the fact that the eldest will have the protection of the planet crystal, but because of the fact we evolved to guardians, I to sailor Cosmos, guardian of the universe, our guardian powers remained with us, since we were the anointed ones. As I write this we prepare for the final undertaking, were we will be encased in crystals, and our souls will cross over to the other plane, or paradise, as it is known to champions of which there have been many since the start of time, alongside our husbands.
Because we are immortal, the guardians, and our husbands live long but can be killed, they have decided to come with us safe in the knowledge that should they be needed, we can be called back.
To you our descendents, I want you to know we will always be with you, and should a great evil call upon you we will be there as we have always been.
And so I say finally, to my family and those that come after me go in peace, and remember I love you.
Find happiness everywhere no matter how unexpected, and remember to love unexpectedly is to love intensely.
In the name of peace and justice, We are the guardians, and we will protect the future of our children.
Bless the children.
Neo queen Serenity and King Goku.
Queen Rei and King Wu fei.
Queen Mina and King Gohan.
Queen Ami and King Vegeta.
Queen Hotaru and King Trunks.
Queen Lita and King Turles.
Okay its finally over, I'm not sure if it's the ending I wanted but it seems to fit. Its changed so much from what I started with, but I have to say it seems to have evolved as I have.
Thank you to those who have reviewed, those who have given me critique which I have tried to use.
Just thank you. I've finally finished one… do a little happy dance… Yahoo…never thought this day would come….
Willow1986 writing for the last time on this story…that's so weird…
Farewell for now.
Willow1986