Chapter 7- Until Next Time
A/N- I am sincerely so sorry about the uploads for this story. Everything that's happened should've been a perfect opportunity for me to write, but like most things, I lost motivation. But, I'm here now! (Though the only reason is probably because the sil mil clips in my new (unpublished) story inspired me once again. Enjoy!
PSA If anyone has (or knows someone who does) a full video/ audio recording, or even audio clips of the 2018-2019 Sailor Moon: The Super Live musical (any showing), please please PM me! I've been looking for quite a while and I will open a fic (or possibly art) commission(s) for anyone who can get me the full show, or even just a better collection of clips than the ones I've found scattered around tumblr and YouTube. Thank you!
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"Come and get me!" Serenity teased, lifting her dress up just enough so she wouldn't trip on it, and running through the plush grass and small streams in front of her. Endymion chased after her, though they both knew he wasn't running as fast as he could've, (he had to let serenity think she was going to get away for just a moment).
Chucking as the white princess tripped over a small stone, Endymion caught up to her, scooping her waist into his arms and lifting her into the air.
"Gotcha." He said playfully, and Serenity giggled in his arms, turning her torso so she could face him, and lower her lips onto his.
"Princess!" She heard Mercury call out for her.
(Serenity POV:)
I was still deep in a moment with Endymion, though I was mentally annoyed they'd come for me so soon. Breaking apart from his warm kiss I slid out of his arms and into the plush greenery below me. I didn't want to leave, not that I ever did, but today especially was so beautiful and amazing. It wasn't cold, but it was breezy and slightly cooler than usual. Endymion laid beside me, the soft clink of his armor and sword making soft clinks and rattles as he descended to my side.
"Serenity... I want you to know I'll always love you. Nothing could ever come close to my love for you." He grinned cheerily and turned his head toward me.
I blushed and slightly giggled, grabbing his hand in mine. "I'll always love you too Endy. No matter what happens to us, I love you."
"Okay break it up lovebirds, that's quite enough from you." Zoisite interjected, standing at our feet with his hands on his hips. I groaned.
"Already? It doesn't feel like it's been 3 hours yet." I said, sitting upright and brushing stray grass off my gown.
(Venus POV:)
This was my first time back on Earth since the last time I had been... it was odd, part of me just wanted to see Kunzite again. It had been a few days.
I sighed as I continued to climb the hill. Mercury and I had been searching for Serenity for about 15 minutes, checking all the usual spots and finding nothing, to which she assumed they were somewhere new, and more hidden. Every so often, I'd take a glance at Mercury's wrist to see if I noticed any changes to her rope, or to see if I saw a distinct trail of where it lead. Nothing. Slightly panting from our search, I heard laughing in the distance, and decided to pick up the pace a little bit. We were slightly behind from getting lost, and Serenity had a new portrait being painted in an hour, and she still had to change into her other clothes and get cleaned up. Making it to the top of the small forested hill, I brushed back the branches in my way as my eyes confirmed my worst fear.
Serenity and Endymion were soulmates.
I paused in shock as I went over what this meant in my head. We really couldn't separate them. The risk would be worse than it would be to keep them together.
I quickly put on a mask and went to walk up to the pair, but Zoisite had apparently found them before me, standing in front of the couple with his hands on his hips.
"Okay break it up lovebirds, that's quite enough from you." He said with a tone of humor in his voice. I heard Serenity audibly object.
"Already? It doesn't feel like it's been 3 hours yet." She said, rising to her feet as a few blades of grass slowly floated off her dress.
"That's because you've spent almost all of it running away from us." Mercury said from a few feet behind me, catching up to the rest of the group. I turned around to face the voice. She was slightly out of breath, and brought a gloved hand up to wipe her brow, attached to that gloved hand was the red translucent rope I was used to seeing, except it wasn't disappearing near the floor anymore. No, now it appeared to be going right through me... and connecting to Zoisite.
My eyes went wide.
"Oh my god." I said.
Mercury was Zoisite's soulmate. Zoisite was Mercury's soulmate.
"Venus whats wrong?" I heard Endymion ask. Serenity has stepped toward me, and she looked concerned too.
"I... Nothing! I'm good, I promise, but you princess are going to be late if we don't get you out of here in the next few minutes." I said, brushing off any worry that was depicted on my face.
Serenity whined. "I don't want to V. Can't I stay?" She pouted at me, using the eyes that had deceived me many times before.
"No. Absolutely not." I sighed, motioning for serenity to follow. "Do you know what your mother would do if she had to reschedule this for the 5th time this month? We don't want her to be more suspicious than she already is."
"Fineeee." She said, taking extra time to stomp her small heeled feet into the ground in an act of defiance. I rolled my eyes and giggled, trying to distract myself from the newfound knowledge of my peer.
I had expected Serenity and Endymion, but Mercury... this was starting to get more complicated. At least the 2 weren't in any kind of relationship, though mutual flirting was definitely in order.
I grabbed serenity's pale hand in mine and started off to a larger clearing so we could get home, while Endymion trailed behind us decently close to wave and say things to Serenity. I sighed. Love.
(Mercury POV:)
As Venus started to drag Serenity home, I stayed a little further back with Zoi to get in a few moments of chat before I'd have to leave as well.
"I'm sorry about the other day, with Venus." I said staring at my feet as my boots crushed the small blades with every step.
"It's not your fault. If anything she just gave Kunzite a mini heart attack." He chuckled. "I'm not entirely sure he bought my story about leaving stuff out."
"I'm just not sure what's been going on with her... she's been out of it lately. And I'm not sure if it's just her being concerned about Serenity." I brought my eyes back up to face the group walking ahead of us. "I think we've all forgotten how dangerous us being here really is. How dangerous it is for you to talk to me." I sighed heavily. "If anyone found out... they would most likely be killed. We would be killed... I'm worried." I rubbed my arm slightly and bit my lip in concentration.
"I don't think they've forgotten what they're risking by being together. At least, I haven't forgotten." He grabbed my hand and shot me a small smile. "If facing death is what it takes to spend time with you... maybe it's worth it."
My breath caught in my throat as I peered up into his eyes. I could feel my face heating up by the second, and I quickly covered it with my hands. He just laughed and apologized for making me so flustered.
"I'm so embarrassed." I whispered from behind my palm.
"Hey... you don't have to hide." He said, pulling my arm back down away from my face. We were so much closer now, and I was sure my face was about as red as the flowers Endymion had growing just about everywhere.
He laughed softly and I felt myself starting to smile.
Maybe opening up to people wasn't too bad.
o0o
(Beryl POV:)
I sat running my fingers through my hair, deep in thought, musing over the words of this ancient spirit.
I had found it a few weeks ago, on a trip into the western territories to deliver some news regarding the palace. Nothing too important I suppose, but a chance to explore was not something I passed by. I loved seeing the corners of the earth almost as much as I loved seeing it's prince.
That was why I had listened to her.
While on my way back from my messenger duty, I heard a soft crash, and a distinct pull towards a secluded valley. I followed it. Not long after, I came across it. Or rather her.
Queen Metalia.
Is what she wanted to be addressed as. She promised me power, strength. Enough strength to make Endymion love me. In a display of this strength, she told me she planted roots in the earth. Said her power was implanted, and it was spreading. A few days later, crops were dying, and animals grotesquely slaughtered. She was not a hoax. In an act of desperation, I accepted the spirit's- no no, the queen's proposal. She wanted to take temporary host in my body, grant me extraordinary power and virtue. Long enough until she was able to gather enough life source from the planet to manifest her true form.
She told me everything. About how she fled Elysion, and the horrible things done to her there. How the Earth was seen as inferior to the silver alliance, how weak they believed us to be. And most importantly, she told me about Serenity.
Serenity was the princess of the moon. A pretty girl, but she was a lunarian. And she was in love with Endymion. My Endymion.
On one hand, I could expose their relationship, and have her beheaded, though it would only result in the untimely death of my prince as well. On the other hand, I could wait it out, and execute the foul princess myself. In the right time of course.
But, there was a few problems with her plan. I was one person. The prince and princess were guarded by 8. I needed to drop those numbers. Metalia already had her claws in the Earth, so they instantly became a more favorable target. More easily swayed.
The moon kingdom had to fall.
o0o
(Venus POV:)
I drew a shaky breath as Mercury successfully was making the princess say her farewells so we could get back home. Rubbing my upper arm with my fingers, I sighed uncomfortably. Truth be told, I was worried about well, everything. My dumb decision to see soul bonds was now burdening me with the information that this was more complicated that we originally thought. How long were we going to let this run it's course? They were no where near falling out, or losing love, and as more time goes on it would only get worse.
They couldn't get married.
Why were they chasing this? This dream that in reality couldn't be more than a fantasy? Queen Serenity had made the decision not to accept the terrans into the Silver Alliance this year. That meant things were even more complicated. I knew not my mother or many of the other queens really had a good acceptance of Earth-
"V." I heard from slightly behind me. I turned my head back to lock eyes with Kunzite, who had his arms crossed in front of him, and came to meet me at my right hand side. I caught a glimpse of a very pink rose tucked behind his left ear. Stifling a laugh, I pointed it out.
"Nice hair accessory." I chucked.
"Courtesy of your princess." He smiled a little and gestured to the very empty clearing in front of me. "Looks like she's escaped you once again." My eyes widened as I realized Serenity had completely run off. AGAIN. We were going to have to reschedule her portrait for the 6th time. I prayed queen Serenity would pay no mind to the oversleeping excuse. Peering out towards the left, I saw Mercury and who appeared to be Zoisite running full speed into the distance. Probably chasing the escapees. I felt the corners of my mouth turn up slightly as I thought about my princess. She was so free from all the worry surrounding her. What I would give.
Kunzite cleared his throat to get my attention, and smirked when I caught his eyes. "I think they've got it handled."
Still holding our eyes together, I felt heat rise to my cheeks.
"I want to show you something. If that's okay." He asked me softly, grasping my hand in his, and delicately dragging it back near the palace, releasing it then with clear intention I was still supposed to follow. Once we had finally entered the large expanse of the main hall, he directed me into a smaller, yet still expansive room that appeared to be some sort of conferencing room, or room to hold meetings or strategic planning.
Grabbing a folder labeled with nothing but "parasite" he slid it across the table to where I was standing and took a seat on the other end, crossing his arms and watching me closely.
Taking a seat and pulling the folder closer to me, I opened it, and pulled out a gallery of photos. Many depicted a crater surrounded with dead grasses, others depicted disfigured and clearly dead animal figures. A few others showed a series of human figures covered in a collection of unappealing sores and cuts.
"Those are new. First reports of that happened yesterday." He spoke.
"What is this?"
He sighed. "We've been calling it the parasite. It came, whatever it is, from the Sun almost a month ago. These all began happening shortly after. But.. it's consistently getting worse. And we've already decided it to not be natural. Something is causing this."
I grimaced as I stared down at these photos. "Why show this to me?"
"Someone needs to know. If anything happens to the Earth entirely, including me, now you know."
"What about Serenity? And Endymion?"
He stood from his chair. "It hasn't made it's way to this central region yet. It's barely spreading between the north-west right now. Once, or if, it gets serious, we will be shutting down their escapades."
I nodded silently. "Thank you. For telling me." The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and he walked to the door, holding it open for me exaggeratedly.
"Ladies first."
I rolled my eyes and softly chuckled. When we exited, the sky was already dark, and I could faintly hear Serenity giggling. Kunzite went to stride ahead of me, his cape softly brushing against my leg. I bit my lip in thought, quickly running over my thoughts I made a split second decision.
Now or never. Time's running out.
Before he could get very far, I tugged his cape, and slightly jogged to reach him.
"Kun-" grabbing the top part of his collar with both of my hands, I stood on my toes and pressed my lips against his. He had bent down so the height difference wasn't making me wobble anymore, and had snaked a hand around my waist, the other one already in my hair. I let go of his collar with one of my hands, and moved it to the back of his head, brushing past a few locks of hair and his earring before I could secure it. I softly broke away, slinking down to my feet as I took a deep breath, and grabbed his hand, palm up, with my fingers. His eyes were somewhat illuminated by the harsh moonlight, grey lilac boring into my cornflower blue. Carefully slipping off his left glove, I took another breath, and hastily explained.
"I need to feel you."
Using his now ungloved hand, he gripped my chin, tilting it up, and pressing his lips down against mine once more. His tongue parted my lips softly, and found its way into my mouth as I stifled a soft moan, reaching my hand into his hair again.
This was all we had.
(Adonis POV:)
I was on Earth for the first time, here for some extra training. The queen had picked her favorites of the guards, and sent them for some education briefing on a few different planets. I got chosen to go to Earth. It wasn't a bad place, but it was certainly a change of pace from what Venus was like. I had actually been heading out for the night, having completed everything, when I took a breath in the rays of the white moon.
That was when I saw her.
Barely illuminated by the glow of the moonlight, she trailed out of the Golden Kingdoms palace with a man not far ahead of her. Watching for a moment longer than I probably should have been, I caught her run up to him and steal a kiss.
Princess Venus was involved with a Terran.
I wasn't sure what to feel, anger, jealousy, sadness, hatred. Maybe a mix of them all. I narrowed my eyes, unable to peer away from the exchange of passion unfolding before me.
Why him?
o0o
(Mars POV:)
I ran a hand through my long raven locks. Making eye contact with Jupiter, I was unsure whether or not I should tell her about what I had seen in the fire. It truly complicated things. I was doubting my growing relationship with Jadeite. What did the vision mean?
Destruction, Serenity's untimely death... Terran swords...
Should I worry her with it? The fire had never been wrong, though there was the odd event in which one could change the future. Were we too far gone?
I heard the large door open, and I turned my head to view the new intruder. Queen Serenity walked in cautiously, obviously not pleased her daughter was missing. Jupiter was spewing something to her, trying to probably distract her from the fact Serenity had been MIA for the last 6 hours. Not interested in whatever Jupiter was saying, I interrupted her chatter with a bold question.
"Queen Serenity... have you ever been in love?"
o0o
(Kunzite POV:)
She had instigated it, and truth be told, it was all I had ever wanted. She was so intoxicating, so sweet.
Pushing her against a tree for leverage, I let a hand wander down her body as her legs wrapped around my waist. As if a curse, a moment of clarity ran through my head.
"V-" I said breathlessly. "V we can't."
She was breathing heavily, chest rising and falling at the pace of her sensual breaths.
"W-why-" She attempted to pull me back down to her. "Why not?" I could faintly hear the playful yelling of Endymion in the background, followed by Serentiy's childlike screams.
"That for one." Running a hand through her hair, I adjusted the deep red bow in the back of her head. "You have to go."
"Why are we so complicated." She chuckled, resting her head against my chest.
"Beats me." I said humorously, brushing a piece of her hair behind her ear.
"Okay." She patted her hands against my chest and looked up at me, smoothing out her skirt that had ridden up dangerously high. "I guess... I'll see you soon." She peered up at me with eyes that seemed to hold the same idea I did.
'This might be the last time we can meet like this.'
If the Earth went to hell. Odds are Venus wouldn't be stopping by anytime soon.
Grabbing her hand as she turned to leave, I kneeled and pressed a delicate kiss upon the glove.
"Until next time." I smiled and caught her return the expression.
"Goodbye Kunzite." She held her gaze for a moment longer than probably necessary, and sprinted off towards the sound of Serenity's laughter.
"Goodbye Venus." I said to no one, slipping the pink rose that had still held its place behind my ear into my ungloved hand. I had forgotten to give it to her.
'Until next time'
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