THE SECOND STRING
Chapter 12: "Ultimate Solution"
A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
"Why would you do that?" Badiane asked, her expression confused and intimidated. Sailor Saturn had just proclaimed her intention to destroy the sentient interstellar body and herself with it. "I only seek friendship. I only seek companionship. I have been alone for so long."
"By keeping us prisoner?" Saturn snarled. "By plunging us into a fantasy world of dreams we never wake up from? You used my father against me to keep me docile! HOW DARE YOU!"
"How was I supposed to do it?" Badiane asked. "I waited for Chibi-Usa to fulfill her promise to me. I waited so long. But when she renounced me for the Dream Guardian Helios, and you denied her from me, I had to do something. I have been alone for so long."
"So you took us prisoner?" Ceres asked. "To keep you company in a dream state?"
"I could not face another moment alone," Badiane replied as if it was the perfect reason for its actions.
"And if we leave," Ceres continued, "what will you do then?"
Badiane didn't respond.
"Maybe go out and trap some other unsuspecting person in your dream coffins?" Juno rumbled angrily.
"Am I to go on alone for all of eternity?" Badiane asked plaintively. "I would go mad!"
"That's why you need to get out of here!" Saturn demanded, still glaring at Badiane. "I'm going to destroy this place so no one else falls prey to it!"
"With Silence Glaive Surprise?" gasped Ceres. "You'll be destroyed, too!"
"If it eliminates this place from existence, it's worth it," Saturn replied. "I'm not going to allow anyone else to go through what we went through!"
"No!" Badiane shouted anxiously. "Why must I be destroyed? Have I not the right to exist just as you do? Am I to be condemned because I desire contact with another sentient mind? You yourself must understand the pain I endure, Sailor Saturn, the pain of isolation and loneliness!"
"We can't teleport out anyway," Juno told Saturn. "Not without you."
"Don't be noble!" Saturn cried.
"I'm not," Juno grinned sadly. "Without you, we don't have enough juice to teleport. We all go, or we all have to stay."
Saturn's face crumpled up and she began to cry, pulling her glaive back to a neutral position.
"I can't. I can't sacrifice you four," Saturn whimpered through her tears. "Even if it means she gets away. I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Juno smiled. "We didn't want to leave you behind anyway."
"This is what I have missed my entire existence," Badiane said softly, contritely. "Mental manifestations of Pupuran and Perle and other thought creations are so woefully inadequate." The thought manifestation paused for a momentary thought. "Stay. Please? I will give you any dream you wish. You can be anything, do anything, go anywhere. All I ask is that you allow me to share your dream and be your companion."
"No!" barked Saturn. "I have a life, with people I love and people who love me! I don't want to live a fantasy! And I'm not going to be someone's puppet again!"
"So what do we do, Ceres?" Vesta asked, easing up next to her fellow Senshi. "You're the one in charge."
"What do you think we should do?" Ceres asked her.
"Take it out," Vesta said grimly. "No matter what it costs."
"Then that's the one thing we're not going to do," Ceres replied. "Gather up, everyone. We're leaving."
"We can't leave that thing behind!" exclaimed Saturn. "It'll just abduct someone else! Several someone elses! Maybe whole continents!"
"Calm yourself, Sailor Saturn," came a voice from behind. Everyone whirled and found Candide standing there, flanked by her temple maidens Ravonna and Fisheye. Ceres leaned over to Pallas.
"Are they really here?" Ceres asked.
"Yes, Ceres," Pallas squeaked. "The Horsie-Man's Mommy is real."
"Lady Candide?" Saturn said anxiously. "Why are you here? Did something happen to Usa?"
"My son and daughter-in-law are fine," Candide smiled, her silver white hair flowing in an unguessed breeze. "I am here to offer a solution, one that only I may offer." She turned to the thought manifestation of Badiane. "I know of your plight, Badiane."
"Speak, Mother of the Dream Guardian," Badiane said.
"It is within my power to grant you an everlasting dream," Candide told her. "In that dream, you will never be confined, never be threatened and never be alone. Your sub-consciousness can roam the universe while remaining here in your orbit, the perfect companions always by your side. Ironically, it is the fate you offered the Senshi."
"Interesting," Badiane mused. "But it will not be real."
"No more real than the dreams of these five that you were willing to inhabit," Candide replied. "But they will be your dreams and no one else will be robbed of theirs. And my power can construct dream companions which will be far more complex and interesting that Pupuran or Perle."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then Sailor Saturn will destroy you," Candide said frankly. "It would be a great waste, but it is the only other way to protect the universe from your desperation and to protect you from the crushing solitude you endure."
Everyone waited while Badiane considered the proposal.
"I have little alternative, don't I?" Badiane spoke up finally. There was resignation in her voice. "I did not wish to become a threat. I was - - in love, in a way. Chibi-Usa offered me the first friendship I had ever known, even if that offer was just a flight of fancy in my imagination. If Pupuran and Perle offended, they acted only according to their characters."
"We understand," Candide told her. "Have you decided?"
"I accept," Badiane said solemnly.
Ravonna and Fisheye stepped up so they were even with Candide. She joined hands with her temple maidens and raised her hands above her head. Badiane slowly closed her eyes. Then the thought manifestation and the castle behind it dispelled like smoke.
"The deed is done," Candide pronounced. "The entity which controls this space sleeps for all eternity. It will know peace and contentment through the dream I have granted it." She turned to the Senshi. "The threat is ended, due in no small part to your efforts. I thank you."
"What did we do?" Saturn asked, clearly bothered by events.
"You protected your Princess and my son," Candide said. "And you were willing to protect a universe from a sentience driven to desperation at the cost of your own life. Go home now. Go and rest until you are needed again."
Candide joined hands with her temple maidens and faded from view. The Senshi gathered to engage Sailor Teleport. Juno glanced at Saturn and saw she was still bothered by events.
"Hey," she said, touching Saturn's arm. "We do what we can with the tools at our disposal to defend others."
"I'm not sure I was defending anyone," Saturn murmured. "I'm not sure I wasn't just seeking revenge."
"Well I think you were thinking of us rather than revenge," Juno told her. "'Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends'."
"Father Melendez teach you that?" Saturn asked.
"Nope," Juno smiled. "Read it in a book."
The Senshi transport bubble landed on the aeropad atop the Crystal Palace. There to meet everyone was the King and Queen and all of the elder Senshi.
"Papa! Mama!" Saturn exclaimed. She ran up to Haruka and Michiru and hugged them both tightly.
"Hey, Firefly," Haruka said, rubbing her back as she held him. "Hope it wasn't too rough on you."
"When did you wake up?" she asked them.
"About two hours ago," Michiru replied. "Luna and Endymion filled us in on what happened. Apparently Endymion got it from Lady Candide." She brushed at Saturn's bangs. "If you want to talk about what happened, we're both here."
"Maybe later," Saturn croaked out, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm just so glad that you're all right! That everyone is all right!"
The other Senshi were face to face with King Endymion. Queen Serenity was by his side and the elders stood behind them.
"Lady Candide was very complimentary to you five," Endymion told them. "Let me add my thanks and that of the entire kingdom."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Ceres nodded.
"Yes, you all did wonderfully," Serenity added. "I've never been more sure than now that I made the right decision in choosing you four to be Usa's Senshi."
"Of course, Luna will want to debrief you five," Endymion said, then smothered a smile when he heard Vesta moan. "But I think that can wait. Why don't you all go, relax and decompress a little. Be in the Senshi meeting room at, say, eight?"
"Pardon Pallas, King Endymion-Sir," Pallas spoke up, "but eight o'clock is past Pallas's beddie-bye time."
Serenity nudged him playfully. Endymion smiled.
"Oh, of course," he said. "Then let's make it seven. And I'll ask Makoto to supply some milk and cookies."
"Can you make mine beer?" Vesta said. Endymion gave her a look. "Guess not."
By this time, Serenity had eased over to Saturn. Once she disentangled from Haruka and Michiru, Saturn turned to the Queen.
"Oh, Queen Serenity, I'm so glad you're all right!" Saturn exclaimed.
"And you were a big part of why we're all right," Serenity smiled. "You stopped being afraid of your power long enough to let it be the difference in stopping that - - whatever it was." She noticed Saturn's expression cloud up and touched the girl on the shoulder. "Saturn, Candide told me what you were going to do. I understand why you're upset. I would be, too, if I had been driven to that extreme. But you were going to do it to protect people. And when it would have meant the death of your friends, you held back. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Yes, ma'am," Saturn replied, looking down.
"Now if Haruka and Michiru can spare you, I think you're going to want to look Yutaka up," Serenity smiled mischievously. "He's got a surprise for you."
Saturn stared up at the Queen curiously. Then she gave a cursory nod to her guardians and scurried off for the elevator.
"Are we REALLY going to do this?" sighed Haruka.
"Yes, Haruka, we're really going to do it," Michiru replied sternly. "Hotaru is eighteen. That's nearly as old as we were."
"It's just . . ." Haruka sighed, more loudly.
"Let go, 'Daddy'," Michiru said, giving her a knowing smirk.
"It'll be all right, Haruka," Serenity beamed. "Love will make it all right."
Haruka gave the Queen a very sour look.
"Hotaru Tomoe desires entry," announced the Environmental Control Computer. Yutaka bid her in. Hotaru entered, saw Yutaka and jumped into his arms.
"I'm so glad you're home safe!" Yutaka said, squeezing her to him. Hotaru put her arms around his neck and tried to squeeze against him even more. "Was it rough?"
"I'll tell you about it later," Hotaru said as he set her back onto the floor. "I missed you the entire time I was gone." They kissed, passions rising with each moment. "Queen Serenity said you have a surprise for me?"
"Artemis found a loophole in the whole 'quarters' thing," Yutaka told her. Excitement lit up Hotaru's eyes. "As one of the Princess's Senshi, you're entitled to quarters of your own. And if you decided that you wanted a roommate, the rules say that roommate would qualify as a dependent and . . ."
"YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO MOVE OUT!" squealed Hotaru. She leaped up onto him and kissed him again. But as she slid back to the floor, she sobered. "But you said that you didn't want to get married until you could support a wife."
"And my new job is probationary," Yutaka added. "So my parents have agreed to let me stay with them for three months. And in ninety days, if I'm still employed there, I could maybe propose to a certain beautiful goddess who has her own quarters."
"Like me?" Hotaru smiled.
"And if, during those ninety days, said goddess wanted to invite me over to keep her from being too lonely . . ."
"Oh, it's perfect!" Hotaru exclaimed. Then she sobered again. "I wonder what Mama and Papa are going to say."
"They already know," Yutaka told her. "Artemis ran it past the Queen and she ran it past them. Your Dad wasn't too thrilled about it, but she didn't object. Still, I'd ask them just out of courtesy."
"I'll do it right now!" Hotaru beamed. "Yutaka, do you know what this means?"
"That I get to share quarters with a goddess?" Yutaka replied.
"Goddess," Hotaru scowled playfully.
At seven-forty that evening, five tired Senshi left the Senshi meeting room in their civilian identities. Four of them headed for the quarters they shared, while the fifth tagged along for company.
"That didn't go too badly," Jun proposed.
"Not according to Luna," grunted Ves. "Can anybody do anything right in her eyes?"
"She made some valid points," Hotaru spoke up. "We really shouldn't have been caught like that."
"If I'd been a better leader, maybe we wouldn't have," Cere sighed.
"Yeah, maybe we wouldn't have," Ves added.
"Thanks, Ves!" scowled Cere.
"You did a fine job, Cere," Hotaru said. "Don't let her kid you."
"Anybody want to go out?" Ves proposed. "I feel like someplace where your glass of beer vibrates on the table from the music. Someplace where hot guys are on the prowl."
"Palla-Palla is going to go beddie-bye," Palla-Palla said, trying to keep her drooping eyes open.
"I'll be on vid-phone with Hideki," Cere replied.
"I've got a guy and I'm very happy with him," Hotaru added. "Besides, I'm not much for 'loud'."
"Jun?" Ves asked.
"All I want right now is a cozy bed and a good book," sighed Jun.
"What a bunch of old ladies," huffed Ves. "Well, since none of you are coming with me, I've got first dibs on the shower."
The five arrived at the quarters of the Asteroids. Cere lingered at the door after the others went in. She turned to Hotaru.
"You really did a good job as leader," Hotaru told her. "If Usa's ever out again, we're in good hands."
"Thanks," Cere smiled. "We couldn't have done it without you. You did a pretty good job controlling all that power that's hiding in that body. With a little practice, you could almost be as powerful as Usa."
"Probably not," Hotaru shrugged. Cere touched her arm.
"Probably so. Today was a step," she said. "Just keep working at it."
Cere went into her quarters, leaving Hotaru in the hall. What Cere told her was what Usa always told her. Was it a line a leader used to encourage someone under her? Or could it possibly be true? Hotaru thought about asking her guardians.
It would give them something to talk about other than her potential marriage to Yutaka.
"All that happened?" gasped Usa.
She was back from her honeymoon and they were practicing Tai Chi together in the gym. Usa wore a vibrant pink halter that bared her midriff, pink mid-thigh tights and pink athletic shoes. Hotaru was in a dark violet long-sleeve leotard and leggings, choosing violet only to keep Usa from mercilessly teasing her about the black leotard she'd worn previously. The conversation had started out with details about the scenic cabin in Elysian, but drifted to the battle with the sentient energy.
"Hotaru, I'm so sorry!" Usa exclaimed. "You should have called me!"
"And interrupt your honeymoon?" gasped Hotaru in shock. Then she grew a devilish grin. "That might have prevented the conception of Sailor Cosmos."
"Hotaru, I'm serious," grumbled Usa.
"We handled it, Usa," Hotaru said. "It got hairy for a time, but we handled it. The five of us work together pretty well."
"No joke. That's why I depend on you five so much," Usa grinned. She sobered. "A sentient energy field - - and it was in love with me?"
"Fixated, more likely," Hotaru corrected her. "That's what Mizuno-Sensei said. When I look back, I kind of feel sorry for what it went through. Then I think of what it did to me and that kind of changes."
"What was it like, seeing your dad again?" Usa asked. "I only know him as head of the Deathbusters. I'm guessing he wasn't always like that?"
"Kind of melancholy," Hotaru replied. "Because I knew how he was going to end up, I think, sub-consciously. It was nice to be reminded of how it was - - before - - but that part of my life is past. Badiane wanted me to be happy in my past. But my past didn't have you, or Yutaka, or the Asteroids. I'm so much better off now"
"Watch your form," Usa cautioned. Hotaru straightened. "I'm glad to hear it." They moved in unison. "So, has Mom been assaulting you with wedding plans? I can go yell at her if you want."
"It's OK. It makes her happy. Although I think Michiru-Mama would like to make a few suggestions," Hotaru smiled and Usa smiled back. "I keep telling her she has to wait for Yutaka to ask me first."
"Like that's not going to happen," grinned Usa.
"Don't count your chickens," Hotaru cautioned. "I was thinking of a traditional Japanese ceremony - - if he asks me - - to make Hino-Sensei happy. I don't really care, just as long as Yutaka and I are married."
"I feel you, girl," Usa replied. Then she grew puzzled. "But what do chickens have to do with it?"
Hotaru fell to her knees, her laugh was so long and hearty.
END