Hi everyone! I hope you are all having a great weekend :D As I said last time this is more of a mini-chapter, much shorter than normal, but I hope you all still like it. And as a bit of a bonus, there are two POVs instead of just one lol.

Music: Blue Caravan by Vienna Teng (The lyrics really don't match with what's going on but it's more the overall feeling of the song that I feel fits well with this part.)

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Crystal blue eyes shone down at Fighter. Wet with stars that glistened around their edges, the tears cascaded over dark lashes, bursting as she closed her eyes as she blinked. Galaxies streamed down Usagi's alabaster skin. Pink splotches speckled her cheeks, hot and vivid in the moonlight night. Usagi was alive. She was safe.

"I can't…" Usagi's words cracked and fell away.

Fighter willed her hand to move, to reach up and brush away her tears. But her body was too tired to listen. Her arms numb by her side. Beneath her chest, slender barbs bloomed and coiled around her body. The darkness seeped into her.

Usagi's forehead bowed down to meet hers. Warmth spilled out from her crescent moon emblem, enveloping her body. Seiya fought to keep her eyes open, to focus on the girl above her. The room clamored around them: stale dust and rubble-filled the air, a faintly sweet scent of burnt nickel, the electric aftermath of the battle filled her nose; boots pounded against the marble floor; faceless shouts from all directions suspended in the night, unanswered, above them. Everything beyond the small world that had been created for the two of them was still chaos.

"Don't think that you can get rid of me so easily. You still owe me those sweets you promised. And what type of bodyguard would I be if I didn't protect you." The lull of sleep pulled at Seiya. Her eyelids weighed down, too heavy to keep open. Cerulean eyes vanishing behind her lids.

Darkness blanketed her world, its embrace curled around her like a starless night sky, a vast and deep expanse that promised a moment of tranquility. Blissful silence that was untainted by the poisonous nightmares of her past, free of the screams of her people. But she couldn't accept the relief that her unconscious mind offered.

Usagi's tears rained down on her. Each one an unspoken wish, a plea for her to stay. They pulled her back.

It's going to be okay. I'm not going anywhere Odango.

Fighter summoned the last dregs of her strength, "You know I could never leave you, not when I just got you back." These words were the only comfort she could offer as her body slipped away from her.

The world fell into blackness and the tide of sleep pulled her gently under. One thought cocooned around the fading spaces of her mind as she drifted further and further away. This time she hadn't failed. She'd saved Usagi.

A shriek pierced through the darkness, what remained of the blurred edges of her body were enveloped in a white-hot light.

Pain.

Unending pain sprang through her. But it wasn't the burn under her skin or the darkness that bore deeper into her body that made her strain against the current that dragged her down. Usagi's cry shattered the world around her as Seiya fought her way back, clawing up towards the surface. But the undertow cinched tighter around her and dragged her further down.

This couldn't happen again. Just when she'd finally succeeded in protecting those she loved. She was trapped, slipping further and further away. Inky black fingers pulled at her mind, unconsciousness abducting her. Usagi's cries, the last notes of the world beyond rang in her head. An overwhelming knowledge engulfed her, unsoothable anxiety, a truth like a dagger's edge sliced through her.

She failed again.

/

The shoji door's wooden frames rattled against the translucent white paper sheets as the warm evening breeze swept through the shrine's courtyard. Beads of sweat rolled down Rei's forehead, her skin already crusted in a layer of salt, as the fire's oppressive heat bore down around her. Toes scraped against the straw tatami mats behind her followed by the pop of cracking knuckles. Her brows furrowed as she struggled to focus. She inhaled slowly, the burning cedar filling her lungs as she settled back into her meditation. A coughing fit broke out behind her and Rei's temple flinched, her shoulders tensed up towards her head.

"Do you see her yet?" Minako's attempt to keep her voice to a whisper came out as a muffled yell. coughs shaking her body.

"No, for the third time I still haven't been able to find her yet." The muscles around her jaw tighten, her concentration lost again. "Maybe if you could keep quiet for a second, I would be able to." She said through gritted teeth.

"Sorry!"

Rei shifted slightly on her knees. The stiff silk of her red hakama pants stuck to her moist skin. She focused again on the enigmatic flames, their secrets covered in smoke and ash. Her mind cleared, she released her senses and fell into the dark void.

Minako sneezed, rattling the door.

Rei released her hands and sighed. Her consciousness drifted up towards the real world. The blackness faded away and she sank back into her body. She dabbed the sweat from her face with her long white sleeve, almost cool against her skin, and turned around to face Minako. Even in the dimly lit room, Rei could see the fuchsia spring to her cheeks. Minako half bowed as she glanced back sheepishly, her fingers twirling about one another.

"Sorry, It's all the smoke, it just got in my nose and I tried to keep it in but…" Minako looked down at her hands.

"Don't worry about it. I should take a break for a bit anyway." Rei moved closer to her friend, away from the fire's heat, "I don't know why I haven't been able to find her again. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I've never tried to deliberately contact someone from the future this way. I'm not even sure if I can. Visions have always found me, not the other way around."

"I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out. If Chibi-Usa was able to find you, then I'm sure you can too." Shadows danced across Minako's face, her golden hair tinged with a glow of red from the flames. "Was it like when the Dark Moon Clan attacked the future or was it different?"

"Different, but I'm sure it was her." Two ruby red eyes flashed before Rei. The tiny girl faded in and out of existence as Rei's hands slipped through Chibi-Usa's body, unable to hold onto her. Rei, please, you have to help me… I don't want to go. She shook her head, eyes squeezed shut. The image burned into her mind vanished.

Beneath the scent of burning cedar another lingered, buried; a sour putrid smell that left her mouth dry, a lump forming in the back of her throat. The smell had lingered since her first vision and refused to leave the room, no matter how many times she'd aired it out.

It had only been a day since Chibi-Usa'd appeared and Rei'd called Minako, who was filming down in Kyushu. Minako'd taken the first plane back to Tokyo and come straight to the shrine where Rei was still struggling to find the young girl again. Minako's constant fidgeting hadn't done anything to help matters either.

"I think Mamoru's seen her too. He mentioned something to me at Haruka and Michiru's house. I don't know what to do Minako. We have to find a way to help her."

"Have you talked to Mamoru about it?"

Rei's mind flew back to their time together. The anger that radiated from him, consuming the room with an ominous aura. The shadow that lurked behind his eyes, sunken from lack of sleep. Unease had followed her ever since. While she told the others that the Outers were gone she chose to keep Mamoru's reaction to herself. "No. I think he needs some time to himself for a bit. He wasn't quite himself."

Minako nodded and stared into the fire, indigo eyes glistening. "It doesn't make sense though. Why would she come to you and say the future is fading when Setsuna said that she's already outside the timeline somewhere? Not that I don't trust your visions but Setsuna was so sure. Even she wouldn't have been able to stay that calm if she thought Chibi-Usa was in danger. She's like a second mother to her.

"What if it's something else Rei? What if it was a dream or some other force is trying to manipulate you? Like when King Endymion sent false visions to Mamoru.

"Oh!" Minako shot forward, almost losing her balance, excited by her idea. The tatami mats crunched under her hands as she caught herself. "Or what if Neo Queen Serenity sensed that things were changing, that their timeline was in danger and sent Chibi-Usa away? Maybe she's on her way here again?"

"I know what I saw, it was her Minako. She wasn't okay, she needs our help." Rei snapped, her words coming out harsher than she meant. With everything they'd been through, why couldn't Minako take her visions more seriously?

"It seems like you're trying to brush this whole thing off. And what were you even thinking going so far away at a time like this? Who knows when something might happen. Usagi's gone, time is missing, we all should be here."

"I came back as fast as I could. Besides, even when Galaxia was here you all still encouraged me to follow my dreams and I'm so close. I can't give up on it and wait here in case.

"I'll always be here when you guys need me but I still want to make my own way in the world doing what I want to." Minako leaned back on her hands and stared up at the opening in the wooden ceiling, the night sky veiled by the smoke, "To be honest these past three years have been such a nice break. Not having to worry about the next boogeyman around the corner. To have some time to do what we want to before Crystal Tokyo comes and it's back to being Guardians full time, forever. It's nice to just be Minako for a change instead of Sailor Venus. Don't you ever feel like you want to just be yourself for a bit?"

Rei ignored the question, "Is that why you weren't worried about Usagi running away? Do you not want Crystal Tokyo to happen?" A part of her was shaken by what Minako said. The world she had clung to for so long shifted beneath her.

Other than Usagi, Minako had been their leader since they'd all found one another. She was the first Guardian to awaken, always ready to lead them into battle. How could she be so ready to give up their reward for everything they'd done, the peace they had been promised?

"I mean, I really wasn't that surprised. I could tell that Usagi liked Seiya when the Starlights first came to Earth, though I have to admit even I didn't see this coming."

The rustling wind swept in through the slotted windows and brushed Rei's hair against her face. She could almost feel her mouth drop open. "What do you mean you know?" She chose to leave the second part of her question unsaid. Why didn't you say anything?

"I'm the goddess of love, of course I knew." Minako smiled smugly to herself, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "You would have to have been blind not to see it, though that doesn't bode well for Ami and Makoto. When Seiya was here Usagi's feelings for him always felt so tightly wound, twisted up with worry and guilt about Mamoru. I couldn't really make sense of what exactly she felt for Seiya. If it was just a schoolgirl crush or a deep friendship or something more, but it was easy to see she cared about her. So it wasn't that shocking to find out where she'd gone.

"And to be honest I've felt Usagi's love for Mamoru fade over the years. It was barely there when we saw her at hanami, the threads that bind the two of them were frayed and worn, though the ones between Serenity and Endymion seemed as strong as ever. You know I've never really understood why those two have strings for both of their lifetimes. I've never noticed that on any of us and we're descendants of the Silver Millennium too" -

Rei cleared her throat and Minako laughed. She hadn't realized she was rambling.

"So this has been happening for the past three years?"

Minako nodded, "Ever since Mamoru returned after Galaxia was defeated. But Usagi never brought it up and so I never asked. It wasn't much at first, but especially this past year something's been off between them. But it's been hard to tell exactly… it's not like we've all seen much of each other. I figured she would tell us when she was ready. If there was ever anything to say."

Rei could barely take it any longer. How could everyone know about this and just accept it, knowing that it would put everything, everyone, they'd known in danger? How was she the only one who seemed to be worried at all about their future? How were the others so ready to move on?

Haruka's face flashed before her, steely blue eyes fixed on Rei, I will not be responsible for forcing her into a future she doesn't choose for herself. Or is that what you are saying we should do? Her breath caught in her chest and the lump in her throat grew. What could they do? Did they ever really have a choice in their destiny?

This was not the first time Usagi had tried to run away from her destiny. Years ago, after Usagi's memories of her life as Princess Serenity and the Silver Millennium were restored, Usagi had wanted to stop fighting. To turn her back on her duty to the people of their world. Rei had called her a coward for giving up, for wanting to hide from the path they had been set on. The others, while not as vocal about it, agreed with her. They all knew they had a predestined role to play and they were willing to make the sacrifices needed. And in the end, they'd sacrificed everything.

But with this, why was she the only one who seemed to care about their responsibilities anymore? How was this any different?

I couldn't...

Minako's sharp gasp cut through the still of the room, the rustling wind from earlier silenced. The whites of Minako's eyes grew; her pupils shrank to pinpricks. Streaks of gold and crimson splattered against the wall, binding around their shadows.

For an instance Rei couldn't move, mortified that she might have spoken those words aloud. But the finger Minako raised wasn't pointed at her but out towards the front of the room.

"Rei, the fire!" She managed to get out, her voice almost breathless.

She turned. Her heart skipped a beat - the fire wasn't moving. Its blazing tongues suspended in the air, trapped in place.

Rei sprang up and tore the door open, darting out into the courtyard. Minako followed closely behind. A delicate pale pink petal from a Sakura blossom was caught in the air, suspended in front of her nose. The fireflies that littered the grounds all trapped in place, their glowing lights stagnant beacons. She reached out and grabbed the petal but it wouldn't move.

The world stood still as time stopped.

A crackle, the snapping of wood bursting in the flames and falling into the ashes below, ruptured the silence. The world sprung back to life. Everything unaware of the danger that lurked around them.

"What just happened?" Minako spun around on her heels, eyes still wide.

Rei's heart sank to her stomach, like the time she'd seen the visions of Tokyo consumed by flames and destruction, her friends shattering into pieces before her. It was all happening again. Their world was in danger, but instead of being its savior, this time, Usagi might be the cause.

Rei looked down at her hand, the silky petal resting in her palm. A gust of wind blew up and carried it away, a tiny pink nymph dancing on the breeze. "Time… It's just like Setsuna said, Time cannot sustain itself in a vacuum. Time is stopping."

/

I know this chapter was really short in comparison to my usual ones but I'm still catching up lol. I do have the next chapter almost completely edited so it will be up in two weeks! And shockingly it's will be the longest one yet... what's wrong with me. I think after Chapter 15 it'll be another three week break before the next one but we'll see. Work has been insane recently and I've found that it's much harder to find free time in the summer than it is in the winter, shocking I know lol.

Thank you as always for all of the wonderful comments and reviews. I love reading them! I hope everyone is going well and staying safe. See you all in two weeks :)