A Second Chance
By Ryu Niiyama
Chapter 15
Atop Tokyo tower a lone figure drifted through her memories. She had been a fool…Shiva's words had been too telling and yet she didn't confront her for them. Shiva had seen her comfort Endymion and threatened by the soul bond between them, Shiva misconstrued their embrace. Delicate fists with the power to destroy the world clenched as wings, as white as freshly fallen snow flared in emotion. She trembled as she remembered what it felt like to hold Shiva within the embrace of her wings, what it felt like to soar with her within her arms. Why didn't Shiva see the truth? Why didn't Shiva know that for her heart, Serenity would have done anything. How could she misconstrue her love and passion as less? She closed crystalline blue eyes, seeking the past to give her the answers she needed.
She carefully watered the new blooms, their silver petals sparkling softly in the earthlight. Soon, they would be ready… she smiled softly wondering what they would look like adorning her beloved's sable hair. How beautifully her love's crystalline blue eyes would sparkle like sapphires. She thought of the betrothal bracelet she'd had crafted and she wondered how her love would look glowing in the earthshine as they were bonded before Selene. She was so lost in thought that she almost didn't notice the footsteps that shuffled nearby. Confused and alarmed that someone would enter her private gardens, she turned around to face the intruder and she let out a gasp at what she saw.
"Endymion! What…what has happened?!"
The Prince of Earth looked as if his world ended. So much so that she cast a quick glance to the sky to make sure that the Earth was still in one piece. His eyes were bloodshot and he seemed to be unwilling or unable to bank the steady flow of tears that dripped from his eyes. Distraught, she dropped the watering can and rushed to her beloved kinsman's side, pulling him into her arms. The raven haired prince clutched at her desperately and finally let the floodgates burst. For several minutes, she merely held him, rocking him gently and humming a Lunarian lullaby softly. Eventually he pulled back slightly and she produced her handkerchief and proceeded to dry his eyes and clean up his blotchy face.
"Endy…won't you tell me what is wrong?"
Endymion looked like he would cry again but instead he took a shuddering breath and nodded slowly. "My sister…she…she's…" The Prince of Earth couldn't bear to finish the sentence and he just bit his lip, shaking his head softly. Her heart breaking for him, she pulled him to her once again. "Oh Endy, I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…" She knew words wouldn't ease his pain; after all if she lost Tranquility, her younger twin brother, she would be devastated. 'Gods…what of Melinoe? Did she know yet?!' All she could do was offer her shoulder and be a source of comfort to him. She tangled her fingers within his short dark locks and laid a gentle kiss upon his neck. The prince let out a ragged exhale and pulled her closer as if she was the only thing keeping him standing...perhaps she was. A loss like this would never truly be healed, but she would do all that she could to aid him in weathering this terrible pain.
It seemed as if her silent strength was all that Endymion needed to let go as he fully gave into the overwhelming sorrow that he'd tried to hold at bay for so long. She held him until he was spent, and then she held him long after he could no longer even offer dry sobs. Rubbing the mourning prince's arms and back in comfort, Serenity carefully rose with her kinsman and led him though the gardens to his room where he wouldn't be seen. She gently helped divest the dark haired noble of his armor and led him to bed. Exhausted by his grief, Endymion was asleep in moments. Serenity waited a few minutes to ensure that her soul brother would not have nightmares before she rose and quietly exited his bed chambers. She had been so concerned with Endymion's well-being that she nearly walked into Shiva, who was standing across the hall.
"Shiva! What are you doing on this side of the Palace? I thought you and Lady Vishnu had a fitting today?" Fighter and Healer had similar rules of ascension and part of that was as Vishnu put it "being paraded around like a prized horse" Brahma was luck in that she would have another two years before she had to deal with attending court and being forced into public appearances. Given their similar fates, Vishnu had drafted Shiva to go with her for moral support and so that she could advise Shiva on choosing less utilitarian fashions.
Shiva smiled briefly but it didn't reach her eyes. Ever attuned to her lover Serenity reached out and clasped Shiva's hands, Endymion temporarily forgotten. "Selene's grace, my Sapphire your hands are like ice! Are you well?" The heir of Lunn leaned forward and pressed her forehead to her lover's trying to see if she was feverish. Shiva nodded and moved away, her movements stilted and Serenity's brow furrowed in concern.
"I'm fine Serenity. These are Prince Endymion's chambers are they not?"
Serenity nodded, thinking nothing of the question as she grasped her lover's arm gently and led her away from the Prince's bed chambers. "Yes, Endy is sleeping though, I just wanted to keep him company." Endymion's grief was not hers to share, so Serenity deflected the question even as her concern shifted to from her kinsman to her beloved's odd behavior. Shiva nodded, oddly subdued and Serenity felt her heart pang in alarm. She walked her lover to her bed chambers and moved to embrace her, ready to spend the rest of the evening nursing her beloved back to her normal good cheer. So focused on helping her love, the normally sure footed princess nearly stumbled when Shiva avoided her embrace. Confused, the princess of the moon watched helplessly as the princess of Fighter turned her back to her and began to hug herself tightly.
"I think…I think you should be with him."
The words rang out in the silence between them, their meaning briefly escaping Serenity's ken. Startling abruptly, the silver haired woman moved closer to her lover, reaching out but not quite touching her. "What? Shiva what are you talking-"
The heiress to Fighter's throne turned back around with blazing eyes, their tearful anger piercing Serenity's heart like a dagger. "The two of you are bound. He will be better suited to you…"
Serenity shook her head, refuting Shiva's flawed logic. "You are the one I love Shiva, Endymion is my kinsmen, but not my heart…why are you saying these things? You promised me did you not?"
Shiva closed her eyes; she wasn't the one that broke their promise. She was not the one having secret trysts in her private gardens, nor was she the one passing the evening in the Prince's bed chambers. Yet she couldn't be angry at Serenity, not really, she was bound to Endymion so it would stand to reason that she couldn't resist him after a point. Shiva would be her choice but never her fate…and she finally realized that in the end that still meant being second in Serenity's heart. She deserved better than that, and Serenity deserved to be with the one her soul was bound to. Yet Serenity was loyalty personified, she would tear her heart asunder merely because she foolishly promised Shiva first.
"It was a dream Serenity. Nothing more…I do not… I do not love you… not anymore."
Those familiar words slammed into a soul torn between lifetimes and blue eyes opened once again taking in the modern majesty of Tokyo Tower.
'It wasn't Mamo-chan…'
"Does that fill you with sorrow? Do you lament that I didn't love Endymion in that way?" The words were spoken with Serenity's cool, composed tones but there was such rage that broiled beneath the surface.
'No…well not in the way that you think. Mamo-chan has always been alone…even then wasn't he? You…we are the only family he has left.' Usagi Tsukino's empathetic, mournful voice hung heavy with sorrow on behalf of her intended.
"True. What I did to him was wrong, I wanted to punish myself but I didn't think about how it would hurt him."
'And Shiva?'
Serenity sighed and her stoic expression cracked under the weight of her pain. "I should have given chase…I should have demanded that she explain to me why she sought to end our union."
'I can't love her just because you did Serenity…don't you see? That has always been our problem. I fantasized about Tuxedo Kamen because he was an unobtainable Prince. A safe convenient dream, only he wasn't. He is a man with his own hopes and dreams and feelings…lost and searching for a place to belong. What if that is why Seiya-san cares for me…'
Serenity shook her head, assuaging her counterpart's fears. "She doesn't remember. Shiva is within her true, but they aren't like us… they…she isn't torn between memories. Seiya's love for you, is for you Usagi."
'You are going to have to trust me…I can't live my life as two people.'
"I loved her Usagi. So much….I swore I'd love her until the stars died out."
'I love her too.' She paused realizing how true that was, how her brilliant smile brightened her day, how her concern moved her…she too cared for the wandering star. Seiya's steadfast companionship and friendship had always been a joyous comfort to her. Fighter had always been willing to bridge the gap between their two teams, even before they learned the truth of one another. 'But I alone have to find out how I love her. If what I feel for her…if there is any potential in it to grow into the love between lovers I can't live half trapped in a past I can't return to.'
"I understand." Part of her wanted to remain in control, to go to the woman Shiva had become and give her the grand and consuming love they had both been denied. Yet her present incarnation was correct. Seiya Kou was not Shiva Fautari and if she tried to force her to be it would be no different than her coerced courtship with Endymion. She couldn't keep hurting those closest to her. The fallen princess of the moon turned and looked at her reincarnated counterpart. Usagi Tsukino was no longer a woman-child trying to fit a role beyond her ken. She was ready to stand on her own two feet…as herself.
"I would like to give you a gift however…you have a right to your blood…to a heritage far more majestic than a palace on a dead moon. And you will need the strength to protect those you love…no matter how you love them. I give you the last of my strength and I entrust this battle to you…Usagi Tsukino…whatever you choose, whatever you become, know that you do so as yourself and with you own will. I am not the reason why you are strong, I am not the reason why you are victorious. Selene's Blessings upon you."
And then she was gone and a young woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders collapsed to her knees with a shuddering sob. Serenity's personality and power had been both and burden and a comfort. It was her strength when an ordinary girl had the fate of the world thrust upon her unsuspecting shoulders, yet it was a shackle, diminishing her when others only wanted the shining princess. Usagi had believed that it was for the best that she fade, that Usagi Tsukino give place to Serenity as she was the one that would lead, the one that would rule. No one else cared what dreams Usagi Tsukino possessed… No that wasn't entirely true. There was a wandering light that saw Usagi and not the Messiah and Princess. She wondered what Seiya was doing at this moment, if she still lay sleeping in Usagi's bed, unaware of the decision that had been made. No matter, she ached to see her friend and avail herself of Seiya's good cheer.
Nodding in resolve, Usagi channeled her power, and leapt into the night.
Miserable and embarrassed that her father had sent her home for the evening, Momoko attempted to make the most of a rare evening in. Her parents were grooming her to take over their restaurant but also to have a well-rounded education to allow her the opportunity to shape her own future as much as possible. The pursuit of that vaunted education seemed beyond her grasp as her heart lay embroiled in turmoil.
She couldn't focus on her homework, her thoughts drifting to gentle Diana and her adorable if not somewhat vexing tendency to vanish at a moment's notice. When would she see the beautiful teen again? Why didn't she think to ask for her number or email at the very least?
She looked up when she saw the grey feline scratching at her window. The kitten was now an adult but Chibi-Usa's unique pet was easy to recognize with or without her distinctive bell collar. Happy to see the cat all grown up, yet concerned with her sudden appearance the young restaurateur opened the window and let the feline in.
Expecting an elder cat, given how old she was when she met Diana as a kitten she was surprised when the gunmetal grey feline leapt into her arms with the grace and vigor of a young adult cat. No time to process the dichotomy, Momoko let out a chirp of laughter as Diana nuzzled against her face and offered little cat licks, purring steadily all the while. The teenager cuddled the cat closer, loving the warm silk of her fur and the rumbling purrs that proved the feline's absolute contentment. She felt her spirits lightening instantly, yet there was still the pang of sadness that made her stomach feel like it was full of lead.
"Oh Diana, I'm so happy to see you. What are you doing all the way out here, eh? Look at you, such a beautiful cat… Your fur reminds me of someone. She's beautiful, just like you Diana…you even share the same name. I wish she would come to me as easily as you have…"
Momoko didn't notice that the cat's purring stopped immediately and amber eyes snapped open at the words. The human continued stroking silken fur while the Mau within her embrace turned beet red with embarrassment and longing.
"Diana!" Momoko rushed to grab her coat to chase after the feline, worried that she might be responsible for losing Chibi-Usa's beloved pet. Yanking open the door, the young woman nearly screamed and staggered back as she saw someone standing at her door. Quickly hands reached out and steadied her and pulled her close and she found herself nose to breasts of the savior she'd been longing for.
"Diana?"
"Hello Momoko-san." Momoko tried not to swoon at the way the other girl practically purred her name and she blushed before stepping back to give Diana room to move. She looked conflicted for a moment before worry for Chibi-Usa's cat won out."I'm sorry Diana-chan, but I have to go! Chibi-Usa-chan's cat just ran away from here!" Amber eyes warmed at the concern that animated Momoko's face and she reached out again to place her hands upon the human's shoulders.
"I will help you find Chibi-Usa-sama's cat."
"Really? Thank you!" The grateful smile that lit up Momoko's face made a blush flare upon the young Mau's face and the meaning of what she was offering temporarily escaped her comprehension. It was only after they began their walk through the nearby streetways in search of their quarry that Diana's folly made itself known to her. The Mau struggled to keep her tail languid and limp, hoping that it would be assumed to be a fashion accessory rather than an actual appendage even as she berated herself internally.
Diana knew what she was doing was inane; helping Momoko look for a cat that was standing right beside her. However she needed to something to place some distance between herself and Momoko. Her mother would have been appalled at her reckless display of affection in her feline form. Diana blushed at the memory of being cuddled close in the young human's arms even as she nuzzled and licked her pulse point. She couldn't believe it, all of her training and restraint fled like it had never even existed.
Had she gone into heat early, or was she just mad? Surely one of the two would explain her behavior. Yet she ached for Momoko's scent once again, the steady thump of her heartbeat, the warmth of her embrace, the feel of her skin against Diana's face. The Mau squeaked as she realized that she'd begun to purr at the thought. Her mother was going to kill her if she found out about this.
'Control. Breath and focus. Calm down, Diana, just calm down!'
They walked for a time more, Momoko focused on looking for her friend's lost cat while said cat alternated between mortification, attraction and confusion. She couldn't let this charade go on much longer, it wasn't fair to Momoko, she knew and yet seeing the maiden so worried about her wellbeing even if she didn't realize that she and the feline they searched for was one in the same.
Still, she would have toend this charade soon enough. They couldn't just wander around Tokyo all night after all. "Wait right here, Momoko-sama I think I see something." The Mau rushed off into a side alley, preparing to change back into her feline form to end this farce, when her sensitive hearing picked up on screams. Confused, the Mau scrambled up the nearby wall and fire escapes to reach the closest rooftop. Focusing her hearing, she could discern screams and bestial roars, coming from the direction of Tokyo Memorial.
Worried that a place of healing and the workplace of Mercury-sama's mother was being attacked, Diana dropped from the rooftop, landing easily in a crouch…in front of Momoko. The human let out a gasp and staggered backwards, confused that a human could perform such a feat and remain uninjured. Diana let out an inhuman whine in the back of her throat, before apologizing profusely and grabbing Momoko into a bridal carry. The human teen squirmed and screamed and kicked as the Mau clambered up to the nearest rooftop and leapt towards Momoko's apartment. Depositing the frightened human within her abode, and grateful that the rest of her family hadn't returned, Diana leapt from the windowsill that she'd used to enter, racing towards Tokyo Memorial.
Seiya awoke with a start.
She was alone within Usagi Tsukino's apartment and she surged from the warm bed, looking for the owner of the apartment. Carefully, she wandered through the space, confused by the stale air that denoted that Usagi had departed hours ago. Frowning, the starlight made another circuit before calling out hesitantly.
"Usagi-san?"
Surely she would have woken her if there was trouble so Seiya assumed that either Usagi had business to attend to or couldn't sleep. The thought didn't ease her mind however. It didn't matter to the starlight that Usagi was the Messiah or Sailor Moon, in the end she was the woman Seiya adored and she wanted to know if she was safe. The starlight sighed softly and she paused as she realized that she had moved about with no pain. Confused, Seiya dashed to the nearby bathroom, and removed her shirt, leaving her pristine skin bare as she turned to and fro to assess the damage.
The leader of the starlights had been so caught up in her miraculous recovery that she almost didn't hear the startled squeak that sounded behind her. Confident in her warrior ability and unconcerned about her nudity, the alien turned to face the intruder. She smiled softly when her eyes alighted upon Sailor Moon, staring at her with a burning gaze, shocked and unblinking.
"Se-Seiya-san, you? Uh…Are you?"
Oblivious to her friend's flustered state, Seiya reached out and grasped Usagi's hands. "Usagi-san, did you do this? I thought it would be another few days before I would feel like myself again." On impulse, the naked starlight pulled the floundering super heroine into a hug and rocked them together in her excitement.
Somewhere within Sailor Moon's brain, the little voice that held reign over her desires and sexual impulses waved a flag in surrender. The heroine had to exercise great effort to remember how to breathe as she felt the warm though innocent press of Seiya's form against her own. At least she didn't faint this time and she was thankful for the small mercy. The starlight pulled back, still grinning in exuberance and Sailor Moon mentally shook herself.
"Usagi-san? What's wrong?"
"Uh…you….uh, aren't you cold?"
Seiya blinked and Usagi was reminded that despite their ability to blend in, the Starlights weren't from Earth, and they didn't grow up with the same restrictions and taboos. It hadn't occurred to Seiya that the sight of her nude form would have any real impact upon a fellow female that she was not courting, especially one that merely saw her as a friend. Usagi could still feel the echoes of Serenity, her mind no longer dormant in the face of the power of her ancient soul. She didn't feel what Serenity herself felt, but she was more aware of Seiya than she'd ever been, even when the Starlight wore the illusion of a male form. She belatedly realized that all Seiya had were the clothes that she'd worn from the hospital.
Blushing furiously, Usagi let her transformation fade and she moved to the nearby closet. She picked out a powder blue sundress and a pair of panties before turning and thrusting them somewhat haphazardly at the Starlight. "H-here, you should be able to fit this… I'd loan you a bra but we aren't the same cup size." Usagi assured herself that she'd only looked to guess at Seiya's size, nothing more…the heat that was currently broiling her blood was merely embarrassment, surely.
"Stars knows there are few things more tortuous in the universe than an ill-fitting bra." Seiya expressed the sentiment with the gravitas of a woman with sisters that were of differing sizes to herself. Usagi smirked with the joy of being the only daughter in her family, with only having to fend off Minako from her clothing from time to time. Nodding in thanks, the starlight moved swiftly to the bathroom to shower and change. As soon as the door clicked closed, Usagi slid to her knees, her heart and unexpectedly, her libido battered and weary.
The young woman tried mightily to regain her equilibrium yet when Seiya emerged, Usagi found her emotions turned on their head once again. The sundress flowed airily down her body, the cut sitting slightly higher on her than it would have upon Usagi due to her height. Seiya's beauty had always been arresting, but she felt as if she was seeing the starlight with new eyes. No longer was she hidden by the trappings of suits nor bruised from intense battle, this was simply Seiya Kou and she was…
"Beautiful…"
Seiya blushed to the very color of her trademark flower and Usagi realized that she'd spoken the whispered declaration out loud. Yet Seiya's reaction seemed odd to Usagi; after all Seiya had been a teen idol with mobs of adoring fans even now drooling and jockeying for her favor. Why did the awestruck words of one woman stain her cheeks and place that soft, pleased smile upon her face?
Seiya moved towards the door, absently raking her hands through her long hair. "I should go Usagi-san. I'll need to get my double out of the hospital and I really should check in with my siblings." An unforeseen nervousness settled between them like a heavy cloak and Usagi found herself mourning the easy kinship they had shared. Seiya nodded and began to move away, but Usagi moved with a grace not usually attributed to her and snagged the Starlight's wrist. For a moment her mind flashed upon the past and she remembered a bracelet that Princess Serenity wore after Shiva left Lunn. It had been a betrothal bracelet, one that Serenity had fashioned herself for her beloved…one that she'd worn in penance after she lost her.
"I…Seiya…I don't understand. Why did you return?"
Seiya smiled a brilliant smile that almost belied the tears that began to brim in her eyes. She spoke her reason with a steady voice, before she gently extricated herself from Usagi and gathered her shoes and exited the apartment. Yet her words reverberated within the blonde's heart, unchaining the shackles that destiny had placed upon her for so long.
"I came back for you, Usagi-san. To help you, to protect you."
Sailor StarMaker's great wings beat in lazy rhythm as they held her aloft and stationary high above the city. Ami had vanished…she'd followed the dragonblood's rapidly departing signature but she was no match for the partially ascended human's speed, at least not if she wished to remain undetected.
Furrowing her russet brows, the tactician of the starlights mentally compiled everything she knew about her lover. If she was somehow becoming a biological Mercurian then she would go towards water to create her den. Maker quickly pulled up her tactical computer and ran through the list of water sources in Tokyo; she didn't think that Ami would leave the city. She ran a quick scenario analysis and determined that Tama Gawa would be the most likely water source that Ami would chose for her den.
She couldn't track Ami normally, as she had no access to the Sol Senshi's communicators and she didn't want to raise suspicion by trying to hack them. Mauve eyes fluttered closed and Maker tapped into the power of her mantle. Though this was not her world, nor the star that her starseed had been birthed from, but she knew the resonance of Ami's lifeforce. As StarMaker her right was the accounting of life itself. She'd felt it in battle and peace, in lovemaking and in anger and the necklace she wore insisted that their souls were bound. Her eyes snapped open as she could feel the pull of Ami's unique energy but there was such darkness and confusion…and longing. Maker pulled back slightly from the connection as she realized that Ami had noticed the touch of her power. The Dragon's Tear flared and Maker could feel her soulself held fast as Ami tugged at her insistently.
'Come to me.'
She could feel the other woman's intent within her starseed. Knowing she had no other choice now that she'd been revealed, Sailor StarMaker flew towards the answering pulse of her beloved.
Ken Anderson panted as he reached Tokyo General and he found nothing short of pandemonium as the place was in the middle of an evacuation order. Police herded patients and faculty alike as sounds of chaos and destruction reached his ears. Using the chaos to his advantage, the artist rushed into the facility, only being seen by an officer too late to stop him.
He knew that Akane kept an office on the third floor and he didn't hesitate to run to the nearest stairwell and rushing to the third floor. His lungs and legs burned, but Ken Anderson would be damned if he'd abandon Akane when she needed him. Bursting through the stairwell doors, frantic eyes darted to and fro, looking for any signs of life. Sparing no thought to his own safety the artist rushed towards Dr. Mizuno's office only to find it empty. Consumed with finding the mother of his daughter and the undisputed love of his life, the artist darted from room to room, hurdling debris with frantic ease. He called out for Akane, praying in his heart that he had not lost her one last time.
The soft sounds of crying tugged at the sprinting artist and he skid to a stop, nearly falling to the floor as he found the source of the mournful noise. A room full of collapsed debris and flames brightly seared his vision, nearly causing him to miss the small hand that lay under the debris, scrambling for a perch of some sort to aid in gaining freedom.
"Hold on!"
Ken rushed forward, pulling off his jacket and using it to shield his hands and to give him leverage, he carefully pried fallen ceiling tiles and broken beams, clearing a path to the trapped child inside. The artist gasped when he found a little girl beneath a larger form that had acted as a shield for her. With trembling hands he turned the injured adult over, a whimper of pure pain ripped from his throat.
"Akane!"
Super Sailor Pluto was furious with her counterpart. To think that Melinoe could be so irresponsible. How could she not think that there would be repercussions to her decision? At least that explained why Chibi-Usa had returned to the past. Something was going to happen that would alter the future…drastically so.
She gripped the time key staff. The thought of Helena or Kaori being the source of the temporal disturbance gutted her. Yet she would not make Melinoe's mistake…she would not abandon Kaori. And if possible she would get Helena to see reason. She had to make this right…and she would do whatever it took to make that happen. She would tend to Helena when she struck again, but for now, she had an apology to make to an incredible young woman that had captured her heart.
"There you are beautiful warrior."
The tallest starlight turned at the silken whisper, confused and shocked that she could be approached so easily and taken unawares. Maker's eyes widened as she took in Ami's current form. She had become a full blooded Mercurian dracokin. The closest analogy humanity had to them was the Naga, yet it was not a serpent that influenced their form, instead it was that of a dragon. Logically, Maker supposed she should be afraid, but an ancient familiarity with this form only led to arousal and serenity when gazing upon her. With a thought, she dismissed the wings of a Starlight and moved towards the other female, hands spread open to pacify.
"Ami-"
"You speak the name of a coward and a fool. I am Mercury."
Maker twitched at the slight to her beloved's character and the blue haired Mecurian threw back her head and laughed. Before her laughter had even faded, Mercury surged forward and coiled about Maker's body, the heavy, silken coils warm and surprisingly gentle. Taiki gasped as she felt the Dragon's Tear around her neck respond to Mercury's power and she felt her Senshi transformation unravel as if she had dismissed it herself.
As an aquatic predator, Mercury's form was lithe, powerful muscle sheathed in silken scales. Ami had grown stronger than Taiki last remembered her to be, but this form left no doubt to her prowess and might. With a lover's familiarity, Mercury passed warm hands across Taiki's back, holding her with desire and possession lacing her touch.
"She is neither… please let me help you, Zoicite did something to you, Ami-" Taiki bit off her words with a gasp as the coils that held her captive constricted in warning.
"I'm very well aware that you possess an exquisite memory, dearest one. So I'll not repeat myself again. I am not so afraid of what I feel for you that I will let you run from my side. I will not use the company of lesser beings in an attempt to distract my heart. This dragon lays claim to you."
Taiki blinked, searching her memory for any information she could remember of the denizens of the planet Mercury. She could feel the Dragon's Tear around her neck boiling, reacting to the madness that warped her beloved's soul, taking depthless clarity of passion and love and churning it into a maelstrom of possession and ribald lust. Yet before Taiki could react, she found herself released just as easily as she had been captured.
"I can taste the rejection you wish to offer beautiful one. I am not so weak as to force you, and you will come to your senses in time." Mercury moved back, returning to a more humanoid form although her eyes remained reptilian.
"Please, come with me." Taiki reached out, but Mercury took a step back, shaking her head even as a rueful smile tugged at her lips.
"You are not ready yet. Soon. Until then, wait for me sweet one."
With that, the altered senshi leapt into the nearby river, diving deep beneath the waters and swimming with a speed that was incomprehensible to the starlight. Taiki waded into the water, looking to and fro, forlornly realizing that the other woman was gone and she could not follow. She could not summon her power and she frowned at the depth of connection that Ami had to her soul. Sighing softly, the tallest starlight began to head back home on foot.
Across town, Chibi-Usa closed her communicator staring at the blip near the area that she knew Momoko's apartment was located in. Diana's bell was also a tracker and communicator. She wasn't surprised that Diana went to Momoko even though she knew the Mau was only making matters worse for herself. She could only hope that her retainer and sister at arms wouldn't shatter her own heart so far away from their home.
One thing Chibi-Usa had never done since returning home was look into the histories of the friends she'd made in the past. It was horror enough that she had never physically met Sailor Saturn and no one would answer her questions about Hotaru's whereabouts. Aside from a mild hostility from Uranus-sama, and one she obviously kept tightly checked out of deference to Chibi-Usa's station, it was as if Hotaru had never existed in the future.
Crimson eyes squeezed tightly shut, pushing away that thought and she could feel the heat of her sigil beginning to flare the more she thought about Hotaru and she knew she had to refocus on the task at hand. Still she hated to think that Momoko-chan had lived a full life and died long before Diana was born. To make matters worse, Chibi-Usa would spend centuries as a child, so there would be no way for her to help either of her beloved friends. Diana was far younger than Chibi-Usa but her life force had been tied to her charge. Chibi-Usa knew that it was a Mau ritual, as Luna and Artemis were bound to her mother and Venus-sama respectively in her time.
Despite their feline appearance Mau were devoutly loyal beings, a leader that had earned the love and loyalty of a Mau knew no fiercer guardian. Chibi-Usa knew that Luna had not yet reached that point with Usagi the Elder, though she cared for her greatly, but perhaps that was for the best. Mau imprinted heavily upon their charges, and neither of them were ready yet for the bond that would one day be forged between them. Chibi-Usa had been fortunate that her own Mau advisor had such a fiercely powerful will, for she was certain that was the only thing that saved Diana from being corrupted when Chibi-Usa became the Black Lady. She could only hope that same unwavering will would hold as her heart was battered in this strange time.
Chibi-Usa summoned her link to the Ginzuisho, the eldritch artifact once again in her mother's possession and she screamed as unseeing eyes looked into the future. No longer at the cusp of war as it had been when she left, for humanity had fallen as the Earth itself took back its autonomy. The world was green, lush but there was nothing else…the forests were barren of non- plant life, the seas empty…there was nothing… and yet the world thrived.
Emotion lanced through the connection and Chibi-Usa fell to the floor thrashing as she was overwhelmed. These were not the thoughts of a human….they were shaped by humanity, but they were inhuman. Human emotion spiked into an intensity that a human could not maintain, but without any sense of human empathy.
Life….Grow…Rivals…Destroy…Mate…Possess…All is Ours…
Usagi Serenity Chiba only caught a glimpse of silver blue eyes, set in a face hard and uncaring half shrouded in vines and the other in darkness, before she passed out, overwhelmed by the echo of the solidifying future.
Kaori looked up at the sound of her doorbell ringing. It was days like this that she wished that she'd been more inclined to use her wealth to distance herself from the world. Yet like her parents before her she refused to have an army of maids or butlers at her beck and call to act as a filter between herself and the rest of humanity.
Kaori opened the door, not entirely surprised to find Setsuna standing there. She was a budoka and the daughter of a Matsumoto, she wouldn't let the time senshi see how much she'd hurt her. "Meioh-san, please come in." With an easy grace that she didn't feel Kaori stood aside to allow Setsuna entrance.
Setsuna placed her shoes by the door and moved into the expansive entry way. She tried not to flinch at the hard set to Kaori's thick shoulders, hating the tension Helena and Melinoe's foolish choices placed there. Kaori shook her head, ready to push Setsuna away, ready to dismiss this wonderful thing between them.
"Meioh-san, I-"
"Setsuna. My name is Setsuna, Kaori-san."
"I think that we should-"
Setsuna never considered herself a gambling woman, but for this, for a love that Melinoe walked away from, she would put everything on the line. The verdant haired senshi raised her hands in a placating gesture, slowly closing the distance between them before she placed soothing hands onto tense biceps.
"No, please. Hear me out. I swear to you if you don't accept my answer…you'll…you'll never hear from me again."
Kaori looked at the hands that had held her, that had protected her, that had loved her and she felt some of her resolve slip. With a sigh, she blinked against the sting of tears and looked into pleading crimson.
"Very well."
Setsuna's thumbs began to stroke absently against Kaori's skin, the action grounding her before she took a breath to speak.
"I know how this must look to you Kaori, but I swear to you there is nothing I wanted more than to wake to you in my arms this morning. I didn't come here to seduce you yesterday and I most definitely didn't return you to your home with that as an expectation."
Kaori blushed as she remembered how this woman saved her life and returned her parents' guitar to her, but then they'd… and Setsuna left her after…the musician frowned. She'd never had a one night stand before; in all honestly she rarely dated but that had more to do with her falling for those she couldn't have rather than being considered unsuitable for courting.
"I realize that quite frankly that despite the fact that we have met, have even worked together, we don't actually know each other and that makes the fact that we made love seem very…convenient."
Setsuna actually blushed and Kaori couldn't help but notice how delicate the flush made her look. Her mind recalled the beautiful night they shared together. She had never known a more passionate and giving lover and in return Kaori had given all of herself. The familiarity and tenderness in Setsuna's voice began to sway her, breaking down walls that she'd carefully constructed after she woke up alone. The soft earnestness in her eyes tugged at something within the young woman and she found the anger that she wanted to cling to… simply gone.
The verdant haired woman could sense a change in her newfound beloved. Smiling softly, with a shyness that was somewhat uncharacteristic of her, Setsuna reached out a hand and Kaori looked down at it. Hesitant silver blue met warm crimson and then fingers intertwined in a perfect fit as if they were always supposed to be this way, together.
The thought gave both of them hope to face the future.
Mamoru rose gingerly, grateful for the hospitality of his friends but knowing every moment that he spent with them put them in danger. He couldn't stay here, not with that woman hunting him. The Prince of Earth gathered his clothes, the snow gear too warm for Tokyo's milder weather and he moved towards the door.
"Not even going to say goodbye?"
The dark haired man turned, finding Rika and Motoki standing in the entryway that led to their bedroom, their features matching mirrors of concern and mild annoyance. Mamoru exhaled slowly, looking away momentarily before squaring his shoulders and setting his clothing down. With careful, measured steps, he moved to stand a few feet from his friends, feeling the weight of their concern and the shame of their estrangement. Solemnly, the dark haired man sunk to his knees and bowed until his forehead touched the ground. He could hear the twin gasps of shock, but he had to offer them something, even if it was nothing more than his gratitude.
He keeps his head bowed until he feels a hand on each shoulder. Blinking back the bitter sting of tears, the dark haired man looks up and catches the watery smiles and glistening eyes that they offer him. They pull him close and for a moment Mamoru's guilt leaves him. Their embrace feels like home, feels like family. He clutches them closer briefly before pulling away. He can't drag good people into this, he can't lose anyone else like he lost his parents so long ago.
He opens his mouth to speak, but words fail him, yet Rika steps closer and spares him the effort. "Wherever you go, Mamoru-san, you have a place with us. Please be careful." Mamoru stares into Rika's calm eyes, seeing an understanding that makes him gasp. She knows, and when Motoki clasps his shoulder again he realizes that they both know the truth. The thought humbles him and he nods haltingly. The couple pulls back and he drifts towards the door, gathering his clothes and his shoes. With one final glance behind him, Mamoru slips into the night as the door softly clicks shut.
"…Thank you…"
Within the apartment, Rika and Motoki hold one another, terrified for their friend but knowing that he needed to walk his own path.
"Akane! Akane, can you hear me?!"
Ken Anderson swallowed down the panic and the bile that tried to rise as he knew that he would be of no use to his ex-wife if he lost his focus. Carefully, the artist extracted the girl and the doctor from the rubble. He didn't know if moving the blue haired woman's prone form was dangerous but he had to risk it at this point. Otherwise Tokyo Memorial would be a tomb for them all.
The artist began looking for something that he could use to make a makeshift gurney out of when a roar so loud that it shook the windows echo though the hall. Frowning, he suspected that he was going to meet the reason that the hospital needed to be evacuated in the first place.
He could hear heavy footsteps padding down the hall, the gait more in line with a four legged creature than a bipedal one. Quickly, the artist grabbed a shaft of rebar from the nearby debris, brandishing it like a sword or a club. When the creature came into view, blue eyes blazing, Ken nearly dropped his makeshift weapon as he stood face to face with a creature of legend and myth.
The Manticore.
Mamoru finished tucking the final items he would need into his duffel bag. He wouldn't take much, knowing that he would need to travel light so that he could get a head start on his pursuer. Yet there was one final task that remained.
Usagi.
He didn't want to involve her, but he knew that if he merely left in the night he would put her in danger because she would waste time trying to find him. Usagi's soul always pulled at his, but he wasn't sure if their connection went both ways. Still he called forth his transformation rose and clutched it to his chest, calling for her, begging for her to heed his voice.
The Prince of the Earth was so lost in thought that he startled when he heard the soft thump at his open window. Somewhat dramatically, he clutched a hand to his heart. Is that what he sounded like when he visited her? It's no small wonder that Usagi never shrieked for all she was worth at the unexpected sound.
"Mamo-chan, you're alright!"
Suddenly the prince found his arms full of wiggling, grateful blonde. For a moment he let himself indulge, let her concern wash over him like a balm. Yet he knew he couldn't take comfort in her relief. Not now…perhaps never again.
"Usako, we need to talk."
Usagi nodded as if she expected his words and he was stuck by the paradox that Usagi Tsukino represented. Caring and loving, clumsy and inept, yet wise and powerful…woman, ruler and warrior in one. Yet it wasn't Serenity's light that made her shine, Usagi's boundless love gave her strength, and she shared that strength with others, determined to build a world of peace and love. Her love was like grace, but he knew that it would never be his to have, at least not in the way he needed her to be.
It was time to let her go.
He wanted to give her words of fond farewell, to soothe her with quiet strength, yet he found his hands trembling as he realized that he would release her. The woman he loved…the woman that though she didn't admit it didn't love him in the same manner. She reacted to him with sterile, exaggerated yet ultimately chaste affection, he wasn't a man to her, he was a prince…a caricature…a dream. Yet he was certain it was not a failing of Usagi's; she merely hadn't found the one that she could love, completely and honestly. His mind flashed briefly upon stories told about another with raven hair and blue eyes, yet there was no distance, no admiration for a concept but rather genuine affection for true flesh and blood. He could feel his jealousy trying to feed and grow, but it was easily outpaced by affection and relief. She would not have to spend her life wearing a mask. For him, that was enough.
He caressed her cheek because he wanted her to know he cherished her and because he wanted to keep something to himself when his broken heart came to take him to task. Yet he saw her gaze change, the empty, waxen look of a girl that longed for a magical prince gave way to the sharp, clear, present features of a woman that wanted an equal. He smiled then, grateful at least that he would not have to be the one to break her heart. Her words began, slow and hesitant on his behalf, yet they gained in strength as she found herself buried in expectation and destiny.
"Mamoru..Mamo-chan, I will always love you. You will always be my protector, my brother, my King. But we aren't…we tried to make that love into something that it wasn't…and I don't want to. I want to love with all of my heart Mamo-chan…I could become your wife but, I would never have that love that I seek with you. I want…a love that isn't perfect but real, I want a love that will walk with me and not lead me through."
Mamoru smiled at his Sovereign, his sister, his Queen…how had he not truly seen her radiance until now? He no longer saw the cold, distant pain of Princess Serenity and her regret; only the brilliant determination and compassion of Usagi Tsukino. Even though he understood, even though this was exactly what he wanted, he felt his heart break a little more knowing that he would never get the chance to love this woman. Blinking back tears, Mamoru nodded, she was right…a love half lived would only breed resentment and anger and he didn't want that for her…for them. He would take the place his soul demanded, he would be her kinsman. He let his hand drift away exhaled softly, knowing the worst of it was over.
"I understand Usako, truly I do. I think in some ways I sought my lost family and past within you and it was unfair to ask you to shoulder that burden. I too, want to be able to love with all my heart…but I think …I need to find out what that means first. Still, no matter what my sword shall always be yours to wield as you see fit." He needed her to understand that this was not her fault…and it wasn't his either. He needed her to understand that he could not be her match, but he would always be her partner. Yet it warmed him to see her concern, shining so clearly in her eyes.
"Mamo-chan, your heart is so kind, so full of love and I know that one day you will find the one that will fill you with purpose the one that you will love until the stars die out." Reverently, Usagi removed her promise ring and held it out to her beloved brother. "One day you will find the one this ring truly belongs to."
Mamoru nodded, his eyes wet as he took the ring from his former intended and placed it into his pocket. Even though he understood why they were ending their courtship, he couldn't quite ward off the heartbreak and the feeling of inadequacy. He knew that would hopefully fade in time but for now, it was a quiet agony. He nearly flinched when he felt Usagi's familiar touch against his cheek, chaste, yet still full of affection.
"Where will you go?"
The Prince of Earth held Usagi's hand against his face a moment longer before stepping back, breaking her hold. "I don't know yet. This creature hunts me. Perhaps if I force it to give chase it will give you and the others time to figure out how to defeat it."
Usagi grimaced, her face worried for her kinsman. "That's too dangerous, stay. Stand with us!"
Mamoru shook his head. "I can't, Usako this thing that hunts me…there is a drive…a will behind our enemy's every action and it is an unyielding one. If I stay here it will put your lives in danger. Please, I need the senshi and the starlights to figure out how to end this threat. You can't do that if you are babysitting me. It will be alright Usako. You will find a way. You always do."
He nearly tumbled off balance when she crashed into him, hugging him tightly and he swayed with her gently, gathering some of her strength to give him courage. After a long moment she pulled away, and turned her back to him, heading towards the window. He shielded his eyes from the brightness of her transformation and when he blinked his vision back to normal, she was gone.
He conjured a rose of purest white and laid it upon his bed.
"Good-bye Usako."
Pain lanced over her like fire, but she welcomed it, she called it to her to baptize her in flame. She let it fuel her rage, her heartache and her determination and with it she forced herself to wakefulness. Sight, sound and smell assaulted her in disjointed, screaming sensation and she swallowed down nausea with some effort. Rolling to her feet, she called the fire to do more than just scorch her bones and sear her nerves.
Within seconds the mantle of Mars flowed into her once again, right and powerful and she looked at the carnage around her. She was in a hospital, that much was certain, but the area around her room had become a ruin. She paused as she felt an energy, residual and weak but bittersweetly familiar. That energy had kept her room intact; she could feel it saturating the walls and the windows, holding everything together, against its desire to be torn apart.
Carefully, she walked to the door and opened it, conjuring an ofuda for use in case the energy was a barrier rather than a protective ward. If someone was trying to trap her here they would find themselves sorely disappointed. Any anticlimactic thoughts of the ease that she was able to exit her hospital room were utterly destroyed as she gazed upon nothing but destruction. Rubble and exposed wiring littered the walls and the floors, water from a broken main seeped and pooled steadily on the floor and small fires littered about, not strong enough to consume, but still drawing enough oxygen to seed further destruction.
She walked forward as best she could, picking her way through the rubble and debris. There were bodies as well, some of the hospital staff, many more of patients. They were crushed under rubble and some had been broken and mangled and burned. She wished that her princess was here, she would have stopped this from happening, she was certain of it. The Senshi always endeavored to keep their battles away from the general populace, the world had enough war; it would do no good for Earth to find out that it was merely one stage in a galactic scale conflict. Panic, pandemonium and far too much death would be the only result.
The sounds of a monstrous roar drew the hurried footsteps of high heeled feet and steady hands knocked a flaming arrow and fired into the thick, leathery flank of the monster. Tanzanite eyes narrowed in righteous outrage as the monster turned from the frightened and somewhat familiar man it was attacking only to roar at her in challenge.
Blue eyes that were startlingly familiar gave her pause for a moment, causing her to lose her tactical advantage as the surprisingly agile beast charged at her. A dark raven mane covered a lion like body while a barbed tail lashed and whipped menacingly while dripping poisonous venom. Mars tucked and rolled out of the way, summoning several ofuda and throwing them somewhat haphazardly behind her. She heard the beast howl as the natural energy of the flame burned away the impurities of darkness and she turned swiftly and began to chant.
"Rin, Pyou, Tou, Sha-!"
Before she could finish, a somewhat labored and clumsy swipe of the manticore's forepaw threw her back. Mars grunted and rolled, absorbing the blow, annoyed that the creature had been able to interrupt her. When she attempted to struggle to her feet, the beast tackled her and bore its massive weight onto her shoulders.
It leaned forward with snarl, the power of the ofuda revealing misshapen human flesh and she squinted as her mind told her that she should recognize the creature above her. Mars struggled, unable to get any leverage and the man eater unhinged its jaw, preparing to feed. It pulled energy from her, sapping her reserves with ravenous ferocity and Mars felt her tense limbs go lax and unresponsive. Dimly, she heard more of the weakened foundation crumble and an anguished cry filled the room.
"Enough. Begone foul creature."
The creature let out a roar of such pain that Mars felt her ears pop as it was engulfed in blinding light. She forced her eyes open when she felt the structure of paws pressed against her shoulders change into something small and familiar…human. Blue eyes set in a young, frightened face before it too succumbed to the cleansing power. Weakly, Mars reached out to hold the child close, her hands passing through his form as he was cleansed out of existence. Briefly, she caught the glimpse of silver, endless silver of hair and fuku before she passed out in exhaustion.
"What are you doing Mamoru Chiba?"
Mamoru paused and let out a sardonic bark of laughter before he turned to face the newcommer. "Funny, I'm not all that surprised to see you here. Although you have some nerve after what you did to me…"
"I'm sorry, my counterpart felt-"
The prince glared at his elder self, annoyed and confused that he would work with an enemy of Sailor Moon. Incredulous, he stomped over to the future ruler and raised his hands as if he wanted to grip his lapels, only to turn in a huff and run his fingers through his hair.
"Your counterpart?! You are working with that woman?"
"What? How do you know about Pluto?"
Mamoru merely started pacing at the question, realizing abruptly that he and the king might not be talking about the same things.
"Setsuna-san? …what are you talking about? No the woman that attacked Yuuchiro-kun and I!"
"…Woman?"
The dark haired prince turned back around and raised his hand, halting any further response from the king. He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting back the headache that always bloomed when dealing with his cryptic future self. What made him become like this? What kind of future was Crystal Tokyo if it turned him into such a man?
"Tell me what you think is going on King Endymion."
Before the King could say anything another visitor landed on the sill of Mamoru's window and this time it wasn't a Senshi. "You aren't going anywhere…either of you."
"Kunzite?!"
Both prince and king only had time enough to speak the Shitenno's name before he rushed them both.
Ken's hands shook slightly as he brushed them over Akane's brow briefly. He failed her, in every possible way. He remembered the woman in brilliant silver, her eyes blue and sharp and cold as ice. He begged and pleaded with her, before pointing to the rubble where Akane and the child lay half buried. For a moment her face had cracked its stony glare before she turned away. He stumbled after her begging for her help, knowing, just knowing that if she could eradicate that monster that had destroyed so much, she could help him save Akane.
She shook him off and he wailed in grief before he returned to the rubble. His hands clutched at concrete and metal, not caring how it cut and dug into his flesh, he had to get her out, he had to help… Somewhere dimly in the back of his mind he heard the silver woman kneel down and touch the unconscious Senshi that had tried to save them. He wasn't sure which of Ami's friends she was but he couldn't focus on her, not when Akane…not when she… He was able to pull the child from under Akane's weight and he set her unconscious form aside so that he could return to helping the woman he still loved. He'd freed up enough of the rubble that he could get to her upper torso.
The damage…had been… horrific.
Still, Akane couldn't, she wouldn't die here, not when Ami needed her, Ken knew she was too damned stubborn for that. He reached out and felt for her pulse…but it wasn't there. 'No…' He wasn't a doctor so he just did it incorrectly at first, he was certain of it. She wasn't gone...it was him...his hands were shaking after all. He tried again, again… again and he could find no evidence of life. His mind spiraled into a cacophony of despair and denial his soul screamed and thrashed until he thought that it would snuff out in an attempt to find her.
It was then that the silver woman returned; the unconscious woman cradled in her arms as if she weighed less than a feather. The hard glare of her eyes was still there but when she cast her gaze to the woman in her arms, she softened before she looked at him again. In her gaze, indifference melted away to understanding.
"You are blood bound to that woman. Without her, you are thrown into chaos." She spat out the words like an accusation, but there was such grief that laced her cool tones as well. Before he could respond her body began to glow until everything was covered in the silver light.
He found himself in Akane's condo, and she lay unconscious in his arms, unconscious and not dead. Ken carried her to her bedroom and placed her gently within silken sheets and warm covers. He allowed himself a moment to check his phone, to see what news was trending about Tokyo Memorial but there was only news about an evacuation due to a gas leak. The hospital had been cleared and the patients returned to their rooms. No destruction, no death, it was as if it was nothing more than a nightmare. Yet he knew what he saw, he knew what he'd lost. Staring into her face, watching her chest rise and fall as she breathed, he allowed himself a few moments to weep. She was alive. He promised himself in that moment that he would stay by her side. It didn't matter that she that she didn't' love him; it didn't matter even if she had found someone else. He would at least be there for his family if they needed him, the fates had given him a glimpse of hell, and he would never go back.
She cradled the dark haired woman close as she walked the long staircase to the jinja. Her power slowly curling about the prone senshi's soul, keeping her safely trapped in slumber's embrace. She shouldn't have undone the damage that her Other had caused, yet seeing the flamebearer so wounded after trying to save the mortals… Hearing the man's pain as he realized that his beloved one was dead, took her back to a time when she had done the same. She watched the light fade from her beloved's eyes, her beloved's blood coating her hands. Her Other did this, bringing disorder and death where there should be order and life. She failed before, but she would bring about Order, but for now she would attend to the flamebearer.
Twin caws sounded overhead as she entered the jinja, easily locating the bedroom of the miko in her arms. With a whisper, the power of Mars unraveled, slowly, gently like the caress of a lover, leaving the woman within. She carefully laid the raven haired woman upon her bed, azure eyes light with some forgotten memory. A gloved hand reached out and caressed the sleeping woman's brow before she leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against the sleeping woman's.
She faded from the room, the kiss unbroken.
Diana sprinted as fast as she could and she rounded the corner skidding to a stop as she noted the familiar surroundings. "What in the…Momoko-sama's…how?" She strode forward, confused as she realized she was standing in front of Momoko's abode once again. The grey haired Mau had little time to ponder her situation as the door abruptly yanked open and Momoko screamed and staggered back. Automatically, Diana reached out and tugged her close, pulling the shorter woman into a faux embrace.
"Diana?"
The Mau felt as if she was underwater. What was going on? She'd been Small Lady's retainer long enough to know a temporal loop but what caused it? Was Momoko in danger? She nearly startled when a warm hand reached out to grasp a forarm and another caressed her cheek. Diana struggled to bite back a purr and her eyes warmed perceptively as she looked into those of the gentle human.
"Diana?"
She smiled softly at the woman that had been her most favored of Small Lady's friends from the past, reaching up to grasp the hand that pressed so sweetly against her cheek. "Hello, Momoko-san." The human started to speak before she jolted and jumped back as if burned.
"I'm sorry Diana-chan, but I have to go! Chibi-Usa-chan's cat just ran away from here!"
Not knowing if the quest for her feline form triggered the temporal distortion, Diana reached out with soothing hands, drawing Momoko closer. "That's alright Momoko-san, that's the reason why I stopped by. I was out walking with Chibi-Usa-sama when her cat crossed our path. Chibi-Usa-sama took her home. I saw that we were near your home and I assumed that she'd just left from here." It would seem breathing in Momoko's wonderful scent gave her enough sense of peace that she could speak the lie with no hesitation. Momoko exhaled in relief and Diana's heart swelled at the touching concern for her well being, even if the human didn't realize it.
They gazed into each other's eyes, the moment slowing becoming charged with something more than simple concern and Diana locked her muscles to keep herself from drawing closer. That was why she ran in the first place she couldn't afford to-
"Diana? Um…there is a social at my school in a few days and I was wondering if…"
"-I'd love to!"
She wanted to roll her eyes at the sqeak that entered her voice, but she found herself unexpectedly rewarded for her enthusiasm as Momoko surged up and pecked a kiss against her cheek. Before, the Mau could react or even process more than the blush that was rapidly staining her cheeks, Momoko rushed back inside, eyes twinkling.
"I'll get your number from Chibi-Usa-chan and I'll call you! Good night!"
Diana swayed softly as the door clicked closed, her tail absently swishing behind her. That wasn't what she meant to do at all, but she couldn't find the energy to be angry with herself. Not when her cheek still burned from the warm press of Momoko's lips.
"Good night, Momoko-san. Pleasant dreams…"
With as pleased smile the Mau drifted away, her steps light with her joy. Perhaps if she had been more focused, she would have noticed a black cat with a crescent moon upon her brow step out from the nearby alley… a frown of concern upon her feline features.
Setsuna watched as Kaori walked out in the prototype dress that she'd crafted. She always prided herself on her professionalism, but there were some decidedly unprofessional thoughts running through her mind right now. She watched her dress clinging to Kaori's exquisite form and she felt her focus completely vanish into thin air.
Standing slowly, the time senshi moved closer to her model, placing her hands upon her powerful shoulders. "The dress looks good so far Kaori-san. However I will need to make a few modifications. I'm going to need to take a few more… measurements." Kaori blushed as she heard the sultry timbre of Setsuna's voice, realizing that the notoriously dedicated workaholic was actually distracted by her. Before she could reply, Setsuna leaned forward and captured her lips with consuming, sensual intent.
The time senshi moved to drop the straps of the dress, causing it to slide silkily off of her lover's form. When Kaori stood in only her underwear before her, Setsuna took her hand and began to lead her to her bedroom. When they crossed the threshold, the only warning the time senshi had that something was wrong was the quick sense of vertigo. Instincts piqued, the senshi kept the mortal woman behind her as she glared at Sailor Pluto. Annoyed that a potentially pleasant evening had been ruined and concerned by the gasp that she heard behind her, Setsuna grit her teeth.
"Damnit, Melinoe! I though we agreed that you wouldn't keep doing that!"
Endymion paused, he could feel destiny solidifying and determining the future. This was the point in time he could never change. He had altered so much but this moment seemed permanently embedded in Time's flow. Still, he wondered why that was; the Emperor was supposed to be a version of him that had achieved the future of his heart. Yet the Emperor's cruelty and disdain for those he should have loved frightened the King. He knew that he made his choice for selfish reasons, but it hadn't always been this way. He wanted to help ensure the future would be a bright one and if the woman he loved returned his affections truly there was no harm in that was there? He had seen the despair that allowing time to run its natural course would bring…the Crystal Throne left bereft from grief.
He closed his eyes and ripped off the mask that had defined his station for so long. How many times had he failed? How many times had he watched his moonlight fall to enemies she had defeated so easily in his memories? How many times had he returned to the future and find nothing changed? To find that she was still not the one her heart chose despite their soul tie? Bound as kinsmen but never lovers…was he chasing a lie?
His younger self had looked at him with such disdain. He had only wanted to make her happy…but what good was that if he wasn't the path she wanted to choose? What good was gaining her love if it meant he became a monster? He couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't undo the damage, the alterations he'd caused, but perhaps he could return the future to its true course….perhaps that would be enough to save them all.
11/2018
R. Niiyama