Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife
Chapter Sixty-Six
"Please trust me—"
"No! No! What about the promise we made to each other?! These rings mean something! It's our promise!"
Endymion shut his eyes tight, clearly showing the effects of heartache. Just like her, he looked like if his heart was being crushed inside his chest. After taking another deep breath, he looked at her with glossy eyes, those beautiful ocean blue eyes that made her drown in its magnetic beauty.
"Serenity... heavens know how much I love you... heavens know how I devote my life to you, but I can't go with you... not this time..." he leaned down to rest his forehead on hers, "Moon Princess, since the very first moment I saw you, you had my fate and soul in your hands… please, don't ever forget it,"
"Please don't do this! Don't leave me! We can do this together!" Serenity pulled him closer between sobs, "Please, please don't leave me alone! I can't go on without you... I can't... End—" Her eyes widened when she felt Endymion gently drying her tears with his thumbs and took a deep breath, "Please keep the pendant close to your heart, don't let go of it... hold on to it," why wasn't he listening? She thought angrily as she leaned closer, she had to make him understand, she needed to make him understand. The ground beneath them felt like cracking, her whole world felt like cracking. She didn't know what to do; Sailor Moon had learned to plan her battles and attack, she prepared herself for any outcome—anything, except being away from her life partner.
"Endymion! Nooo! Don't do this! Don't leave me alone!" Serenity felt like if her heart was being ripped out of her chest. Never in her life felt more desperate. She took a deep breath to remain steady but her body was deceiving her, she was crashing, she was close to having a nervous breakdown. The desperation only peaked when she felt her husband's lips kissing hers with deep emotion and the next thing she felt was his warm breath in her ear that ended up condemning her spirit.
"Luna Reginae, cum subito primum vidi, tu animam tuam... meminerint fatum et tenere quicquid iuramentum. Placere parce mihi, sed suus habebat, aliquid quod fieri et non solum non facere. Te amo pulchra Serenitati, usque ad consummationem temporis."
Serenity let out a harsh and hasty breath and looked at him with panic. Her hands still clawed to his thick black military jacket, so tight, her knuckles felt numb. So tight, she felt like she could vanish if she let go. Her mind was screaming at her and at him for what was he trying to do; when she looked down at the key in his hand and his lips mouthing the words she couldn't understand but was sure it was something that was going to pull them apart she felt it—her soul tearing out of her. Her lips mouthed silent pleads, no matter how much she tried, he couldn't hear her—damn it, why he couldn't hear her?
Endymion looked into her eyes with tears falling from his and in one slow motion, he brought her hand to his lips before he turned over his shoulder to look at Saturn and nodded to let her know it was time to part ways. Serenity widened her eyes with horror when she felt being pulled away, she tried her best to hold on but an inexplicable force was stronger than any attempts she tried to stay with him.
"No!
"No!"
"No!"
"Endymion! Nooooo!"
And just like that, in a matter of seconds, her husband was gone.
"Endymion, my love... what have you done?"
Serenity opened her eyes and let out a heavy breath. There it was again, that cryptic moment playing in her mind like a curse. She had woken up the next morning feeling less lightheaded and a little more in control of both her body and emotions but still, that memory haunted her like a ghost. After thinking about the issue at hand, she had to listen to Kunzite, Venus, the queen from her dream, and even the same ferryman from the underworld who asked her to value the prince's decision to send her back home. He had his reasons, but that didn't mean she couldn't stop feeling mortified for him. She missed him horribly and she still felt like if her chest had been torn apart. It hurt, it throbbed, but she had to follow the princes' request, arm herself with courage, and be as strong as she could, for the sake of both.
As soon as the sun filtered its rays through the half-closed curtains, the princess pulled the covers back and got out of bed. It had been the first time since she got back that she had the will to stand up from the bed on her own and feel like she wasn't leaving her husband behind. Serenity stood by the window looking outside at the still dun color of the sky and the city slowly being painted by the warmth of the morning sun. She sighed, still feeling out of place; like she wasn't entirely home, like she didn't belong. Her slender fingers curled on the thick material of the black-out curtains and pushed them to the side completely to let the day welcome her and remind her that she was there for a reason and that she was alive. After another minute that felt like an eternity, Serenity turned on her heel and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower. Without really paying attention to anything that happened outside the bathroom door, she stood still under the hot stream of water thinking about her husband's words before parting ways. She couldn't stop thinking about it, she couldn't stop listening to his low voice whispering the words in her ear with so much sentiment, no, she couldn't get over it, and she couldn't push it aside either.
"Luna Reginae, cum subito primum vidi, tu animam tuam... meminerint fatum et tenere quicquid iuramentum. Placere parce mihi, sed suus habebat aliquid, quod fieri et non solum non facere. Te amo pulchra Serenitati, usque ad consummationem temporis,"
Serenity opened her eyes slowly, "Pulchra..." she mumbled with a soft, almost inaudible sob and let the ribbons of water mix with her tears as she repeated the word like a mantra a couple of times more and took a deep breath as she leaned her head on the wall. "Why did you have to say it in Latin, Endymion... you know I can't und—" she blinked her blue eyes with realization, "—erstand..."
O—o—O
After a while, the princess finally walked back to the bedroom wearing her blush pink fluffy bathrobe with a classic soft makeup done on her face and her hair done in her long-time famous style. Almost unwillingly, she stood by the nightstand looking down at Endymion's cellphone for a minute and decided it was probably time to slowly make her way back into the world. After losing hers in the battle with Asteria and Athamas, she thought she could use his in case she needed to call her parents, the girls, or the shitennou in the case of an emergency. She plugged it in the charger and turned it on before walking to the closet to pick an outfit to wear. She didn't know what the day would bring her, she didn't have anything planned or a slight clue on what to do but she had to make the extra effort to push herself from the bed that had been her safe prison for the last five days.
She had to try, she had to do it, for her.
It wasn't long before the sleek phone would start ringing several times catching the princess' attention. She walked back to the room fully dressed now and looked at the lock screen to check the list of notifications. After typing the code to unlock the screen—3003—their birthdays; her eyes felt the burn of tears when she saw he had changed his picture screen to a picture she took of them together; a random selfie she remembered taking on a dinner date at their now favorite ramen house. She remembered that day—it had been a bad one for both of them. He has had one of the worst days at the hospital since he started working there and she would have had one of Maya's famous tantrums and had stayed until late at the office fixing the designs she had made for that month's issue of the magazine. It was a Friday—that she remembered clearly, and it was late—very late. He had gone to pick her up at work and on their way back to Usagi's house, both realized they haven't eaten a single thing since their lunch break that usually happened to be around the same time so they could have a sliver chance to call and listen to their voices. That day, they didn't have that chance which had made everything worse.
After looking for a place to eat, one that wasn't too crowded or loud, they found a little ramen house in an alley close to a shopping area in Roppongi. Surprisingly, it was hidden enough to keep the party youngsters away, making it the perfect place for them to have dinner in peace. Not that they were exactly looking for a place with a romantic setting, they were far from feeling romantic, but the dim lighting inside sure made it a very intimate moment.
Her lips curved into a sad smile, giving the picture more value when she remembered that what had been the crappiest day ever soon after ended up being one of the best date nights. How she missed it, those simple moments—she thought. Usagi didn't mind being who she was, a soldier, a princess—whatever, she could be whatever, but as long as she was with him. Mamoru was her anchor, always has been. He kept her with her feet on the ground, like the earth prince he is. She could always have these simple moments and she would never change them for anything. It was the silliest of pictures, the exhaustion was clearly shown in both of their faces. Usagi's makeup wasn't even that sharp anymore; her mascara was slightly smudged on the outer corner of her eyes and she wasn't even wearing lip-balm to give some sort of glint to her lips. Next to her, Mamoru showed clear signs of fatigue; his always well-styled hair was disheveled from running his hand through it so much during the day, his eyes were puffy and almost droopy but both had a smile that showed how much they had missed each other day and that finally, the torture was over.
As Usagi stared at the picture she thought of how Mamoru taught her how to enjoy the little things in everything—he was, after all, a master of details. From a walk in the park to enjoy the simplest soba noodle soup, it was always a remarkable experience and that picture in his phone was the perfect example of it.
With a soft sigh, Serenity lightly tapped on the alerts on his screen and saw that many of the notifications were from the private chat he had with some staff members of the hospital, others were from other people she immediately recognized as doctors who were looking for a second opinion on some medical cases; there were some from Motoki asking where he was and if they were okay, some from a private group with old classmates from Med-School he was part of; some were from a man called S. Ikio and a few others were from none other but from Shimuta Chieko. Serenity hesitated a minute before tapping that specific window to read the list of unread messages despite knowing there was nothing going on between Endymion and her, but just knowing she is his ex-girlfriend and that she shares a past with him made her feel like she was talking to Beryl, somehow.
"Mamoru, sweetheart, please call me when you read this... I need to talk to you,"
"Sweetheart?" Serenity narrowed her eyes with discomfort and then saw she had sent a couple of pictures from different places around Tokyo with captions like, 'Remember this place?' or, 'Memories' or even a brazen 'This place reminds me so much of you.'
She wasn't happy, for sure, to see a woman that apparently had left their lives for good had been trying to stay in touch with her husband. Serenity was no stranger to these types of tactics, she was a woman, and she has had too many conversations with her friends to know this wasn't casual chatting. The woman in Endymion's phone was trying her best to make a comeback. Normally, she would dismiss Chieko's poor attempts, after the fight they had, Serenity no longer dared to doubt her husband had stepped way too far away from her and that his loyalty and devotion to their relationship was higher than any standard in his life, but it was the way she wrote, the words she used, and the following message what sent chills down her spine as she read the words:
"Mamoru, honey, where the hell are you?! I need to talk to you—it's important."
Serenity took a deep breath and exhaled with annoyance, "In hell... that's where he is, Chieko."
Minutes after, another message came in:
"I know you say you're happily married and all, but call me when you see this, I need to see you."
Serenity thought about texting the woman back but decided it was better if not; this wasn't her battle. Chieko wasn't her past. Putting the phone down, she went back to the bathroom to put another bobby pin on one of her messy buns that were coming lose when the phone started ringing. With a stricken face, Serenity peered from the bathroom and walked over to see who the caller was and froze when she saw Chieko's name on the screen. One. Two. Three times it rang but the princess decided to leave the call unanswered, staying loyal to her word. It's not her past. It's not her past. It's not her past.
Then another alert came, with a new message:
"Mamoru, what is going on? You do know I can see you're reading my messages, right? You know better than this. Where are you? We have been trying to reach you with no luck, I'll be meeting a client soon and will have lunch with daddy afterward, but, can we meet? It has to do with a conversation from some time ago,"
It's not her past. It's not her past. It's not her past—Serenity repeated in her mind but something inside her sparked, something important, something she heard Endymion say to her countless times:
"You are my present, and the only one I want to share my future with. You are my future, Usa."
"Future..." Serenity mumbled. To this, she felt a hot rush running through her veins and also, the need to text back. She grabbed the phone and quickly answered a simple: "Where?"
An answer didn't take long to chime in, "Kozue, at the Shinjuku Park Tower, of course,"
"Alright,"
"Can you be there around noon?"
"Yes,"
"Perfect, I will see you soon, then,"
Serenity put the phone down and sat on the bed, feeling a little battled and confused. She didn't know why she had answered back to Chieko like if she was Mamoru, she didn't know what she was doing but now, she had a strange fancy date with her husband's ex.
O—o—O
Megumi was drinking a cup of tea in the living room when she heard movement inside the bedroom and turned to see Serenity walking fully dressed and ready to go out; the soft, the elegant trail of flowery perfume confirmed it. "P-Princess!"
Serenity stood behind the sofa wearing a plaid soft pink and grey long coat over a soft gray knit sweater and skinny white pants, nude pointed-toe high stilettos in hand. She looked at Megumi with an unreadable expression in her face, "Good morning, Megumi."
Megumi blinked with surprise and put her steaming cup on the coffee table, "G-Good morning!" she looked at her with bewilderment. She didn't know why but she was hesitant to ask, she didn't know what to say but she did notice the princess shaky hands, "Tea," She thought it was best to offer than to ask.
Serenity blinked and without thinking it twice, she nodded, "Tea..."
Megumi didn't have to be said twice when she was already serving hot water on a clean cup and placed an organza bag with one of Jupiter's special blends of rose petals and chamomile and handed the cup to Serenity, who was now sitting on the sofa, next to her. "Where is everybody?" She asked before taking a small elegant sip. Megumi turned to grab her cup and followed the princess' moves, "They went to take care of some errands... but also, Lord Kunzite insisted that you should be given your space..."
Serenity felt a warm tug in her chest, this only proved how much he meant what he said and how he was trusting her. "It is good to see you up, Princess..." she heard Megumi say softly and nodded as she looked down at her pale pink tea, "You're probably wondering... what am I doing... where am I going," she shook her head, "But to tell you the truth, I don't even know it myself—" she looked up at Megumi and shook her head, "But I won't be able to figure it out if I stay in bed. No matter how much I want to, I can't do it. I need..." She sighed, "I need to remind myself what this is all for,"
Megumi was taken by surprise by this sudden change and rush of life in the princess spirit, it was like she has had an epiphany, something that urged her to get out of bed and step away of that morbid shadow that has followed her since her return.
"There is no minute I don't think about Endymion, there is no second that goes by without my mind showing me his face, of listening to his low voice every time I open or close my eyes. I am mortified, I am desperate... I can't function without him. It hurts to even breathe, but I need to stay awake so I can think of a way to bring him back and to do that... I first need to deal with other chapters from our lives, so we can carry on. "
"Princess?"
Serenity put her empty cup on the coffee table and slowly grabbed Megumi's hand, "Would you come with me?" Megumi tightened her grip on the princess' hand and nodded, "Of course. Wherever you need to go, Princess."
Serenity leaned her head on Megumi's shoulder and took a deep breath, "Thank you, Megumi, for everything." Megumi smiled and pulled the princess closer to her in a loving embrace, "Anytime—anything,"
Serenity blinked, "Anything?"
"Yes,"
"You are fluent with Latin, right Megumi?"
"You could say that, Princess."
Serenity snuggled in the maiden's arms and exhaled softly, "He said something... before we parted ways—it echoes in my mind... and while I do understand a tiny part of it, I can't figure out the rest... because well, I suck at Latin."
The comment made Megumi crack a light chuckle, "Well, it is a complicated tongue,"
"Incredibly complicated..." Serenity nodded, "But also... incredibly beautiful..." she pressed her lips for a moment, "Please forgive me because I am about to butcher it with my poor attempts to pronounce it, okay?"
"Yes, Princess," Megumi chuckled again, "I won't pay mind,"
"Luna Reginae,"
"Moon Princess,"
"Cum subito primum vidi,"
"Since the very first moment I saw you,"
"Tu animam tuam... mem-" Serenity squinted her eyes, knowing her attempts were poor, so poor, "Meminerint fatum, et tenere quicquid iuramentum. Pla-" she sighed, truly embarrassed, "Placere parce mihi, sed suus..." her brows knitted, "Suus habebat aliquid quod fieri et non solum non facere."
Megumi smiled at the sound of her broken pronunciation; it was adorable to see her try but also, it was impressive she could actually remember the words. She didn't move her arms away from the princess, "You had my fate and soul in your hands... pray for it, remember that, and hold on to that oath no matter what. Please forgive me, but it's something that has to be done and I have to do it alone."
"Te amo, pulchra Serenitati, usque ad consummationem temporis."
"I love you, beautiful Serenity, until the end of time."
Serenity felt her eyes burn with tears and tightened her arms around Megumi and stayed in silence while taking the meaning behind his words. Words she didn't allow herself to figure out until now but that now had left her thinking what was that he needed to do alone. After a couple of minutes, she pulled herself back and looked at Megumi with loving eyes and then at the clock behind ticking behind her, finally knowing where to go first, "There is something I want to show you..." she smiled softly and fluffed Megumi's turquoise infinite scarf around her neck while thinking how cute she looked in her little navy-blue dress with black tights and black booties. If she didn't know she was a woman with an ancient soul, she would think of her as a little sister, "Ready to go?"
Megumi nodded and followed the princess toward the foyer to get her purse, slip on her shoes and look for the keys. Once out of the apartment, Serenity felt like if the air in the hallway was thicker, colder, and frowned as they walked toward the elevator and pressed the button that would take them to the parking garage; Megumi widened her eyes when the princess walked over to Endymion's black car and pressed the alarm button to unlock the doors, "P-Princess?"
Serenity opened her door and turned to Megumi, "I am not going to put your life at risk, I promise. Our destination is a little far—it would take us forever to get there if we use public transportation and we are kind on a schedule..."
Megumi blinked, "Oh,"
Both women stepped into the car and put their seat belts on. Serenity started the engine and adjusted her seat and mirrors before driving out of the building's garage and into the busy city streets of Azabu-Juban. Much to Megumi's surprise, the princess handled the vehicle with as much ease the prince did. As they quietly reached for a red light, Serenity leaned her head back on her seat and exhaled softly when she stared at the empty paper cup she remembered Endymion had bought in a near by cafe because he needed his coffee fix while doing some errands the last time they were out. Heck, even the car smelled like him—this was pure torture.
"How long... was I away?"
Megumi diverted her view from the window to the princess behind the steering wheel, "Two weeks, Princess..."
"And... then?"
"Four days,"
"Two weeks and four days..." Serenity saw the light turn green and made a slow turn to her left and into a busier avenue and then after some good thirty more minutes later she drove into a much more tranquil neighborhood; Megumi noticed there were only a few houses around but the ones that were had impressive big lawns and lush gardens. It was a very private area—almost hidden away from the noise and the bustle from the city's crowded streets. With another smooth turn to the left, Serenity drove until they entered a much more secluded road that led to a house at the very end of the street and finally parked outside a house with a beautiful front lawn full of greenery and turned the engine off. Megumi leaned closer to look at the neatly cut grass and frowned slightly confused, "Princess?"
"Come," Serenity pushed back her all-time favorite black cat-eye shades, and grabbed the empty cup from the cup holder before she stepped out of the car while waiting for Megumi to join her at the elegant front door before locking the vehicle. "Where are we?" The maiden looked around rather disoriented.
Serenity turned to Megumi and used the keys in her hand to turn the locks and pushed the heavy dark wooden door open and stepped aside to let the young maiden go in first. Megumi's first reaction was to gasp in amazement as she looked around the spacious home. There were windows all over the house inviting the sun to warm every corner with its golden light. She walked past the spacious foyer and stood in front of three large sliding glass doors that went from floor to ceiling giving a full view of the big garden outside, "Princess... w-what is this place?"
Serenity put the cup over the kitchen counter when she heard Megumi asking and took a deep breath; the sound of her nude high heels tapping the wooden floors startled the maiden as she joined her side and slid open one of the windows to let the cool breeze from the garden flow into the house, "Our future,"
Megumi turned to look at the princess and frowned, "I-I don't understand..."
Serenity leaned her head on the frame and looked outside, "I fell in love with this house a few months after we made our engagement official—shortly after we finally set a date to marry. I loved it—everything from this house. It's not a palace... it's not even close to a mansion, but it's the perfect place for us to live. It has so much freedom, so much space, and light. I could see myself living here with Endymion, I could see us waking up on a Saturday morning and drink coffee on this deck while he read one of his books and I read one of my art and design magazines. I could see us having a family here, I could see us playing in this beautiful garden with our baby..." the princess smiled sadly, "After we returned from our honeymoon... we had this horrible fight because I had seen some things that made me believe he was seeing someone else behind my back but when he brought me here I found out he was just trying to surprise me... the person he was secretly talking to turned out to be an old friend of his helping him get this house. He was buying it for me. For us—our future..."
Megumi felt her eyes burn with tears as she listened to the princess' emotional words, "Princess..."
Serenity finally turned to look at Megumi with tears in her eyes but the sad smile in her face didn't fade "I asked you if you were fluent in Latin because I want to learn... I need to learn. I've been playing in my mind every single word he said to me over and over and over again and I have this strong feeling that he was trying to tell me something else between the lines... 'Remember I am yours, I am yours—please...' he repeated those words so much that has made me believe that he wasn't saying goodbye but I am still trying to put the pieces together," she turned to look outside while sniffling softly, "I am aware that I could lose this house... and it could be a possibility that we might never get to live here, it's fine. If it was other time, other reason, other circumstance... I would have gotten upset, but right now, all I want—all I care about is to find a way to fight for him, I need to find him and open a path so he can come back."
Megumi turned to look inside the spacious living room and the skylight in the ceiling that beamed the place with the most soothing light and agreed with the princess. It was not a palace nor a mansion like Serenity previously stated but it sure was breathtakingly beautiful; she had to admit that it was impressive the prince could afford a place like this. Wherever she turned to look, there was undeniable luxury and also a tranquil ambiance, something they always kept as a top priority—tranquility. It was a one-story house but with plenty of space and freedom to live comfortably. She could see why they both had liked it since they were both extremely special when it came to their privacy because as royals, they didn't get to enjoy such privilege so they valued it like the most sacred of treasures. Megumi's eyes widened when she felt the princess' warm hand taking hers lightly and motioned to follow her so she could show her the rest of the house. They walked down the long hallway with large windows that led to the master bedroom and showed her the amazing closet and private deck. Then she took her to see the other spaces as she told her about their plans for them, what would eventually become a study for her, an open space that could perfectly work as a library and an office for him, and another room they thought was best to keep as a future nursery. They walked out to the garden all the way back to a little cottage and got inside; Serenity went to open the windows to let the breeze get rid of the smell of solitude, "Come in," she said softly at Megumi who was looking around the spacious room full of light; it was not close to the size of the master bedroom but it was very decent in size and even had it's private bathroom and a little cute kitchenette, "I told Endymion that you could use this space as a rest area, we could put a comfy little couch here..." Megumi widened her eyes and turned to Serenity who was standing on one side of the room and extended her arms to measure the size of the furniture "And a cute round coffee table here so you can read comfortably while drinking your—"
"—Princess?"
Serenity turned to Megumi, "Yes?"
"This place..."
Serenity smiled, "You really weren't expecting us to leave you behind, now, did you?"
"What?" Megumi widened her eyes twice in size, Serenity walked over to her and linked her arm with hers, "The minute you came into our lives—you became part of this family. It's a small guest house, yes, but it has its privacy and it's also independent of the rest of the house, so, we thought it was perfect for you to have your own space without having to live alone—it's perfect for you, of course, if you want to."
Megumi felt her eyes burning with tears, she was completely moved. It truly moved her to know they considered her as a member of their family and that they included her in those plans, in those dreams that took so much time for them to build and shape into a reality.
"I want to fight for this..." she heard the princess say softly, "I'm angry Megumi... I'm tired of them doing whatever they please with us... they think they have succeeded and I can't take it as such. I won't accept it," her crystal blue eyes narrowed, "Queen Gaia once did it—she fought for the future she wanted to live, she fought for her husband, her people, her family—her son. She fought against them and she won," she turned to the maid with a determinant glare, "I will do it too—I will fight for my husband, my people, my family and I will win. That is what made me get out of bed... this house—what it represents. The dream this house holds inside." Her eyes widened when she saw Megumi wrapping her arms tightly around her and broke into sobs. "M-Megumi..."
Megumi felt the princess' pain but even feeling as broken as she was, she had harbored a strong, determinant energy that was urging her to move forward. She never doubted why the terran prince was so in love with her; she was undeniably beautiful, elegant, and kindhearted, but she was also fearless and strong. In every battle they have encountered since she appeared, Megumi she has never seen the princess quit or hesitate despite how terrified she might have been. She has faced every enemy like a true soldier and she had survived hell itself. Princess Serenity was far from being a classic fairy tale princess, she was a sailor senshi and she was married to none other than a polemarchos and it showed.
Serenity held onto Megumi for a while longer and then pulled back and dried her tears gently, "Thank you, Princess, for showing me this place... for making me a part of this dream. Please be sure that whatever battle we must face, I will not leave your side and whatever the outcome is... with us... it has to be for the best."
"I know, and I thank you for everything you have done for me and for Endymion," Serenity smiled softly and looked down at her wristwatch and sighed softly, "I have to be somewhere else in thirty minutes... so we will have to leave soon," she smiled softly and held Megumi's hand as they walked out of the room, "But first, let me show you the kitchen."
O—o—O
"What is this place, Princess?" Megumi looked up at the high tower with awe and turned to Serenity who was giving her keys to the valet. The princess pursed her matte mauve painted lips as she gracefully walked toward the entrance, "Remember those chapters I was telling you about?"
"Yes,"
"Well, this is one of them..."
They entered the modern and elegant lobby of marble and gold and walked straight to the elevator; Serenity pressed the button marked with a golden star and stayed silent until the doors opened for them right at the lobby of one of the fanciest restaurants in Tokyo: The Kozue.
Megumi was welcomed with a fancy smell of coffee and leather and the soft jazz music playing in the background. She looked around and saw the waiters and waitresses walking from one side to the other wearing an elegant black uniform, giving its place it's elite flair. As they walked to the hostess waiting for them, the beautiful woman turned to them with a polite smile, "Welcome to The Kozue. Do you have a reservation?"
"No, not exactly. I am meeting with someone. I have an appointment,"
"Of course, under what name?"
"Chiba Mamoru,"
The young hostess widened her eyes and blinked, Serenity noticed it was almost as if she recognized the name but for now she pushed it aside, Mamoru wasn't the only one sharing that family name, "Oh, right, yes, Shimuta-san is expecting to see you—right this way, Chiba-san,"
Serenity and Megumi walked behind the girl in silence; Megumi immediately understood that she had to go back to address the princess as Usagi and without any royal honorifics. As they moved closer to the table, Serenity spotted the always fashionable Chieko in an elegant emerald green dress coat with a silk floral scarf around her neck drinking chilled white wine while talking to a man older than her by several years and turned to look at her with genuine surprise. They had chosen to sit by a tall window to enjoy the amazing Tokyo view from the high tower in a more private area in the restaurant.
"Shimuta-san, your appointment has arrived," The hostess addressed Chieko and her companion. Chieko blinked with surprise, "U-Usagi-san..."
"Would you like me to bring the wine list for a tasting, Shimuta-san?"
The man next to her stood up as soon as he saw Usagi stand by the table and looked at her with a polite yet familiar smile and turned to the hostess, "No, that would be all." He nodded, "Please give Uda-san my thanks for the table."
"Certainly, Shimuta-san," The young hostess bowed her head; Serenity turned to the hostess to thank her and waited for her to leave. She turned to the elegant woman in green, "Good afternoon, Chieko-san,"
Chieko blinked the surprise from her eyes, "Good afternoon..." her eyes quickly spotted Megumi standing by her side but no Mamoru, "Well, this is a surprise..." she turned to the man standing next to her still very much startled, "Daddy, this is Tsu—I'm sorry, Chiba Usagi, Mamoru's wife."
"Of course," The impeccable looking man in a navy suit and black tie bowed his head and shook Serenity's hand with much politeness, the faint wrinkles around his eyes showed he was probably in his fifties, but there was no doubt the man was fit and had a keen sense of fashion. He looked like he took good care of himself, "I heard much about you, Usagi-san, it is very nice to finally meet you face to face. I am Shimuta Ikio—Chieko's father and an old friend of Mamoru's."
"Nice to meet you, Shimuta-san," Serenity shook the man's hand and immediately recalled the name she had seen on Endymion's cellphone and connected the dots and she also remembered seeing him at the wedding ceremony. She blinked out of her train of thought and turned to introduce Megumi, "This is my cousin, Megumi, I hope it's not a problem—"
"—Not at all, nice to meet you Megumi-san," Ikio invited them to join them at the table, "Please,"
Chieko arched her brow while staring at Usagi a with evident annoyance and confusion, giving Usagi notice that she wasn't entirely glad to see her instead of Mamoru. Usagi turned to place her purse on the polished wooden hanger at their side of the table and turned to Chieko again with regal confidence, "You are probably wondering why I am here instead of Mamoru. The one answering your message earlier wasn't him but me, Chieko-san."
Chieko turned pale and blinked with surprise, "What?"
"Mamoru is away—for work." Usagi crossed her hands over her lap to disguise their shakiness, "I lost my phone by accident a few days back so he lent me his until his return,"
Megumi had to admit that the princess had some edge when she wanted to be blunt and direct, this was a side she had not seen from her since she was used to seeing her being always so sweet, playful, and even a little clumsy. The woman sitting next to her was determinant, regal, defiant, and almost cutting—fearless. Chieko on the other side, was not much pleased for meeting with her ex's wife but there was nothing she could do at this point but to go along with the situation.
"Mamoru is always going an extra mile in everything, isn't he?" Ikio said between a light and elegant chuckle and took a sip of his coffee and smiled warmly, "He has been like that since he was a little boy." Usagi nodded and responded the man with the same gesture. Chieko sighed softly and put her glass of wine aside "He has always been a very hermetic person—he is impossible to read,"
Before Usagi could answer to her comment, Ikio took the lead of the conversation and excused his daughter's brash behavior with a soft sigh, "I am Mamoru's legal and financial advisor—I was close friends with his late parents and I also worked as their advisor until their passing." He watched the princess politely accepting the cup of green tea that was served in a fancy porcelain cup with a golden rim and continued, "When he had the age to be seen as a legal adult, Mamoru hired my services and became an important client on my firm. Over the years, I have been advising and taking care of every detail concerning his assets—you probably know this by now, he meets with me a few times a month to discuss these matters,"
"Yes," Usagi nodded and put her cup down with much elegance, remembering every time Mamoru told her he was going to be late because he had to meet with his lawyer. She never really understood why he had to do it so religiously every single month, or, why he had a lawyer for that matter, but he never failed and she never asked. She never felt it was a secret, the truth was there for her to grab but she always felt it was something too private and too delicate to just randomly ask Mamoru. He never avoided her questions whenever they were but she didn't really feel comfortable going that deep into his life—the life before her, and if not asked, he never really cared to talk about.
"Well, it has been more than a month since I last spoke to him, which is why I got concerned. He has never missed an appointment with me, he has never missed a call or hasn't left a message unanswered. I knew he had been in touch with Chieko because of the house he recently negotiated, so, I took the liberty to ask my daughter to contact him for me while I was away for business these couple of days—I am sorry if this has caused a problem," he peered at Chieko then at Usagi and gave her an apologetic look, "I would have liked for us to meet at my office, but, I just landed and Chieko already had the appointment scheduled with him, I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience, Usagi-san,"
"No, not at all, Ikio-san, and please, call me Usagi," Serenity shook her head politely. Ikio smiled and turned to open his elegant briefcase and took a portfolio with a golden rim before putting his wire-rimmed reading glasses on; he turned his attention to the waiter who was approaching them at the table and raised his hand to stop any interruptions and continued, "Last time we met, Mamoru talked to me about some changes he wanted to make to his legal paperwork and as my client, I followed his instructions." He handed Usagi the fancy leather portfolio and asked her to check its contents carefully; Usagi pushed her cup aside and began reading the documents in silence; it didn't take her long to catch on and froze in her seat when she realized what she had in her hands.
Ikio pushed his glasses back and took a deep breath truly wishing his daughter was not there to listen what he was about to say because he knew what it could cause, also, because it was a serious matter. He always said it was Chieko's unapologetic character what brought ruin to the relationship she and Mamoru once had and it never landed on good grounds since she never really like to admit her flaws. It was because of her ambitious and spoilt behavior what pushed Mamoru to make a decision and walk away from their relationship. Deep down, Ikio accepted it was something that was not destined to happen, they were too different to function as a couple, their views on life were completely opposite so were their dreams for the future and while he had high hopes, in the beginning, it didn't come as a surprise when Mamoru decided to put an end and move on with his life without touching his heart to ever look back.
"Months before your wedding, Mamoru asked me to make considerable changes to his will—as his wife, you have the right to know and also, something he wanted you to be aware of. On our last meeting, he made a great emphasis on how he wanted to leave everything in strict order because as he said, and I quote: 'It is not just about me anymore.'" Ikio leaned forward and underlined a few sentences with his closed pen for Usagi to put close attention to, "With the purchase of the house, his assets and value, of course, have increased due to the property's location. I was informed by Chieko and later by Mamoru himself, that the property was going to be under your name so we worked on the house scriptures and had them validated by a notary to have everything in order as soon as possible. It took us some time, but now I would only need your signature to make this legal and official. I've been wanting to meet with him to discuss some pending things concerning the other matter as these are not the final documents—it is a long process and much to cover, as you can read there."
Usagi continued reading the papers in her hands and felt like her heart was racing a hundred miles per second in her chest. She knew Mamoru had a place among the elite and wealthy people and that he knew several influential names—Reika's family, for example. She also knew he had an economic stability that could easily give him a more than comfortable life without the need to work the countless hours he did at the hospital but what she was reading was beyond she ever imagined he actually had—what she never dared to ask. Chiba Mamoru had a serious wealth, more than she could even fathom; more than just a comfortable heritance. For what she was reading in those pages, he had stocks and important shares in many high-profile financial companies he still kept working and reinvesting up to this day in his late father's place with the help and advice from none other than the man sitting across from her and now, he was trusting and sharing all this to her as well.
"Everything you see here... and even the things you can't see, but you know I have, are yours."
Endymion's words echoed in Serenity's mind as she watched Ikio handing her his fancy Mont Blanc pen and pointed out the spaces where she needed to sign, right next Mamoru's strong and elegant signature. This was an impressive level of authority—not to mention responsibility. How could he be so damn sharp and take care of serious things like these with so much control and without losing his mind from a very young age? Considering the many things he took care of on a daily basis and how he even made time to be a masked hero, how he could do this too? She thought in complete shock. It was so much to process in just one take, sure, he had done it for years but the immense responsibility he had over his shoulders and with so much at stake was overwhelming. One error or wrong decision on his end could cause serious problems not just for him, but for hundreds of people that invested in these businesses and worked for the solid company his family built from the ground. A solid company she knew about from countless articles she read or worked on when working at the magazine and that up until now learned it turned out to be related to her husband—her Mamo-chan, the simplest, most humble man she has ever known, humbler than Motoki and that was saying a lot.
Much of it was there, written in bold numbers and fancy names and words—his past. For years she didn't pay mind but it had finally hit her, it finally made sense. Mamoru was reborn into this world with the life of a modern royal. He was given a place in a very wealthy and influential family and lived in a modern version of a palace and as expected for every 'royal', there were too many demands he had to live up to accomplish and honor his family name and legacy.
The only difference between his previous life as a crowned prince and this one as a prince with no crown was that he had lost his family sooner than it happened before. He knew what hunger was like, he knew solitude and abandon, he knew what it was like to be in pain, he knew what it was like to be cold and to be misunderstood. He had to learn to stand up for himself and make his way back into this world without a family, without a home to go back to. He lost his identity, his memories—at the young age of six, Mamoru lived trapped in the irony of having everything and nothing at the same time. To the eyes of all these people sitting in their luxurious chairs and drinking wine from engraved crystal glasses, the woman sitting across from her included, the young modern prince had fallen from grace and had become a pauper—a commoner, and much to their surprise, that is how he decided to continue living even after he was granted permission to cross the golden bridge of wealth when he became of age. He liked anonymity because he was free from judgment, free from absurd expectations and lifestyles—because he could be himself. The prince never lost faith despite the challenges thrown in his way and he eventually found her, the girl with the hair of moonbeam—her, Tsukino Usagi. His Serenitati.
The trials and obstacles life put in his way, he overcame them with success and without knowing anything about his divine origins. That is when Kunzite's words finally hit home and made her understand: Mamoru was strong and he had an impressive drive to be better. He was strong by his own merits and as a simple human being and it made her think with wonder just how strong he could get if he used his divine power.
Usagi finished signing the papers and handed back Ikio's pen and the sleek leather portfolio, "Alright," the man said as he double checked the documents and smiled, "All in order with the property, just like he wanted."
"The deed is also attached to those documents, now is officially yours." Chieko said as she handed her father a slimmer version of the portfolio Serenity just handed to Ikio and looked at her with an envious glare and forced smirk, "Congratulations,"
"He's a good man—Mamoru." Ikio said with melancholy as he closed his leather suitcase, "I am sure Natsuo and Harumi would be proud to see the kind of man he has become on his own merits. The success he has with his career as a doctor has nothing to do with any of this... he did that all by himself and never lost focus on what mattered. I am a witness of it." He smiled softly, "I wish I—" his eyes widened when he felt his phone ringing inside his jacket and took a quick glance at the caller and stood up, "Please excuse me a minute, I need to take this call... I won't take long,"
"Yes, of course," Usagi smiled politely. Ikio stood from his seat and walked away to answer his call. Megumi finished her tea and looked at Chieko surfing through her phone and then turned to Serenity, "Usagi..." she still found it too strange to call her that, but she had to play the part, and after all, it wasn't so bad—she was beginning to like it—her bunny name. "I will go take a small tour around the gardens if that is alright with you,"
Usagi smiled, silently thanking Megumi for the gesture and nodded, "Sure, I'll look for you when it's time to head back home," she watched at the brunette grab her small purse and nod her head in respect at Chieko and turned to Usagi, her green eyes were fixed with Usagi's clear blue ones and arched her brow. Both women were finally given their moment to look at themselves without distractions; Chieko paid more attention to Usagi's looks and immediately understood why Mamoru would fall so deeply for her. The woman had a breathtaking beauty; her long shiny hair with different hues of silver fell graciously down her back from the elegantly wrapped buns on her head. It looked like if they were rays of moonlight; the way her long fringe fell over one side of her eyes, framing her oval shaped face. Her makeup was classic and simple with perfectly painted lips in a velvety mauve color and her clear blue eyes framed by long dark lashes and thin dark liner. She could see that just like her she had a sense for fashion and while she didn't flash all the high-end brands like she did, Chieko could tell she knew how to style and look effortlessly chic.
Much to Chieko's misfortune, Mamoru's wife was gorgeous and prepared, she could see the elegant quality in every move she made and it was bothering her more than she knew it should, taking notice that there was more to her than what she got to see when she first met her. Chieko was every man's desirable woman, and in her bratty mind, she always believed Mamoru was hers and that he was going to come back to her, one way or another. After he disappeared from her life, she went on to have the lifestyle she wanted and not too long after, she married. At twenty, she was living with a man almost ten years her senior just to increase her status in society and the value on her wallet. She had it all, the beauty, the body, the wealth, and the luxurious lifestyle she always said she deserved. She led a hectic, very busy life where there was always a social event, was a gala, a charity dinner, an elite party that required her presence, but when the lights went off and the glamour stopped, she always felt a bitter knot in the back of her throat whenever her thoughts wandered about Mamoru, the one that got away.
The moment they met and started talking again, it stirred something in Chieko's mind and heart but it was not until the negotiations for the house ended and parted ways when she started feeling the aftermath of what happened in the past with them and how her decisions have affected her life. Everything suddenly came back to her, the anger, the need, the longing, and it all manifested in gusts of angst that pushed her to the very limits as to try to contact him again for the stupidest of reasons just so she could feel close to him again and find a way to rekindle that old flame that once sparked between them.
She found it an irony that both sides of the spectrum of Mamoru's life were now meeting face to face. Both feeling defensive and overprotective over the same person. Chieko took a sip of her wine and put the glass down with elegance, "It's good to see you are doing well, Usagi-san, but I really must ask... why are you here? Why did you pretend to be Mamoru over the phone and came to meet with me? You could have said he was out of town and this could have been scheduled for some other day."
Usagi did the same, as she slowly put her cup of tea down and gave the woman a quizzical glance, "You said it was urgent, no?"
Chieko blinked, completely startled by Usagi's blunt answer. The silver-haired leaned back in her chair and looked at the fashionable woman with curious eyes and crossed her arms, "Is Mamoru important to you, Chieko-san?"
Chieko arched her brow, "What?"
Usagi tilted her head to the side with wonder when she started to notice Chieko's sudden change in her body language; she would sit straighter and would nervously avert her gaze from hers from time to time to try to dissimulate the discomfort of having to answer that particular question. The woman had a pride and she had to keep it intact, as always.
Usagi thought about telling her to stop calling her husband, she envisioned a whole conversation where she would extensively explain how she didn't want her near him and act like a jealous wife but none of it came the minute she saw her again and she understood she no longer felt intimidated by Chieko. She was over it, but the more she saw her fidgeting in her seat, the more she came to the conclusion that unlike Mamoru, Chieko hadn't let things go—she was still tied to him somehow. With a soft sigh, Usagi leaned forward and pressed her lips together in a tight line for a second, "You know, Chieko-san, Mamoru barely ever mentioned anything from that relationship,"
"I am not surprised,"
"Really?"
"I thought I made myself clear that day when we met."
"You did,"
"Then I don't see why you are asking me such thing," Chieko's voice took a bitter turn as she leaned back in her seat, "I remember saying how things didn't work out for us in the end,"
"And yet, here you are," Usagi made a good homage to her name by keeping her voice calm and serene but her gaze was piercing and almost intimidating. There was not a single trace of innocence in her crystal blue eyes; Usagi knew exactly what she was doing and while she promised to leave this matter behind them, it was clear that Chieko still had unfinished business and wanted to do what she always did when something caught her attention; invade and conquer without minding about the consequences, without caring about the people that might get hurt in the process.
"I came with my father to have lunch... what does that have to do with your question?" Chieko frowned, taking a more defensive posture.
"You told me you were meeting a client—it's alright, Chieko-san," Usagi took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "I see you used your father's concern as an excuse to contact Mamoru because you know you wouldn't be able to see him under other circumstances. The paperwork and negotiations with the house were over, there was nothing else that would make you be in the same room together. Not alone, at least."
Chieko crossed her arms defensively, "I don't see where are you going with this, Usagi-san,"
"Situations like these made me understand and accept that somehow, you are a part of his life. Since Mamoru is your father's client and friend, you will always know things about him as much as he'll know things from you. You will run into each other at the same places or events and you'll cross words. I know, it's inevitable because of his position in society, and I understand, really, I do. It doesn't bother me because I trust him," Usagi looked into Chieko's eyes with fearlessness, "But I don't trust you."
"Oh?" Chieko cracked a light chuckle, "You don't?"
"No," Usagi shook her head, "I just don't know how far you would be willing to go just to get whatever is that you want."
Chieko felt like the woman across from her on the table was stripping her security with one look; her natural instinct was to try and counteract Usagi's icy glare with cynicism, like she always did as a mechanism of defense, "If you trust me or not, that is really not my problem, Usagi-san. It's really not my fault if you feel threatened by—"
"Threatened?" Usagi arched a brow in a very Mamoru-like manner and let out a gentle scoff, interrupting the woman, "No, no—don't mistake manners with insecurity, Chieko-san," she shook her head, "This isn't about you being intimidating or in this case... threatening." She shook her head gently, "No, this is about you being aware that the man you have been trying to charm is married, and that I, as his wife, demand you—his ex-girlfriend—to give me the respect I deserve,"
Chieko froze in her seat and blinked dumbfounded at Usagi, who still had that same serene posture. The woman let out a weak chuckle and shrugged her shoulder, "I don't know what you're talking about—the man I have been trying to charm? What is that supposed to mean?"
Usagi sighed, "Look, Chieko-san... just because I haven't said much about it doesn't mean I don't know what's going on. It's practically impossible to ignore the list of messages you have sent Mamoru ever since he started the bidding for the house. You have called him after hours to 'talk', you are insistent and careless. You call him your sweetheart—but I must remind you, he's not your sweetheart, he's not your honey, your darling, and he's definitely not your hunk. Yes, you hold a piece of his past, you are a part of it—as I said, it's inevitable, but I am his wife, and we have a future to focus on; to put it simply, I don't find it appropriate,"
"I am a friend calling another friend—I don't see the harm in that. If a friend has a problem, they call friends for advice. Mamoru and I go way back, and we share a lot of things in common as old friends."
"That is the thing, Chieko-san, I don't think you are friends. Old or new, friends don't need an excuse to meet."
Chieko leaned back in her chair completely knocked down by Usagi's statement. Usagi narrowed her blue eyes, "You haven't been around enough to be considered one, not a close one, at the least. Yes, I know you two have known each other for years and maybe you shared something important in the past, things probably I am not even aware of but this isn't the past anymore. I wouldn't mind if you were a friend but that is not what you are really after, so, to answer your question, Chieko-san, I am here to mark a line and ask you to respect our marriage."
Chieko didn't have a chance to respond to Usagi's demanding words because of Ikio's sudden return but things were more than clear between the two of them and there was nothing much left to be said. The look in Usagi's crystal blue eyes was enough to make her understand she was more than just a beautiful woman; Chiba Usagi had an elegance and a poise that not even her, who had all the luxury at her disposal could match, but the most striking fact about her was how despite her sweet voice and gentle manners she knew how to make herself respected and that is when it made sense why Mamoru was so devoted to her.
Ikio claimed his seat again as he adjusted his tie and gave the silver-haired a soft smile, "I am sorry, I needed to take that call—it was quite urgent,"
"I understand, Ikio-san," Usagi smiled, "You are quite dependable so I am truly not surprised,"
Ikio chuckled and turned to his uncharacteristically silent daughter with a frown, "Chieko, are you alright?"
"Yes, yes I am alright," Chieko looked down at her glass of white wine and took the last sip and looked down at her watch, "In fact, I have to meet with a client, so, this would be it for me," she turned to grab her nude colored Birkin bag and turned to her father, "We will have to postpone our lunch for another day, daddy." She pushed her chair back to stand up and turned to Usagi with a stern look, "It was nice seeing you, Usagi-san. This would be it on my end of the deal. The property is officially yours," she arched her brow and smirked with cynical galore, "Please give Mamoru my regards. Tell him not to be a stranger."
Usagi smiled with the same defiant attitude, "Thank you, Chieko-san, sure, I will, but you know, he is always so busy,"
With nothing left to say, Chieko turned on her heel and walked away, waving her hand to some familiar faces that were having lunch at the restaurant as she made her way toward the lobby and into the fancy elevator. Ikio looked a little startled and ashamed as he turned his attention to Usagi, "Ah..." he sighed, "I have the feeling that I need to excuse my daughter's behavior, once again,"
"What do you mean, Ikio-san?" Usagi tilted her head a little confused; Ikio shook his head, "I don't know how much Mamoru has been willing to share, but, I suppose you are aware that—"
"—They had a relationship some time ago, yes, I know." Serenity nodded and took another sip of her tea. Ikio nodded, "A complicated one, I must add. Mamoru has had a challenging upbringing... I am sure you know this but, well, that chapter of their lives was never fully concluded on my daughter's end."
"Ikio-san?"
"Chieko is a complicated woman, Usagi, that is all I can say without sounding like a careless man." The apologetic look in Ikio's face soon softened, revealing a much-caring smile, "You two make a beautiful couple. I can tell Mamoru is beyond happy and very much in love by the way he always speaks of you, he admires you very much."
"Really?" Usagi felt her cheeks blushing, "H-He does?"
Ikio nodded, "Oh yes, definitely." He took a sip of his coffee, "In his words, you take his breath away every single day,"
"He takes mine," Usagi said with a hint of melancholia; Ikio reached out to pat her hand gently, "Your wedding was beautiful, I was very moved with your vows," Usagi widened her eyes with realization, "You were at the wedding,"
"Yes," Ikio pulled back slowly, "I was there for the ceremony, but sadly, I had to take a flight that same night for to attend a business that didn't allow me to stay for the reception."
"I remember seeing you talking to him briefly after the photo session..." Usagi blushed, "I am so sorry I couldn't be there to greet you, I was very much all over the place." The sweet comment pulled a chuckle out of Ikio, "Don't worry, I understand. That happens with every bride on their wedding," his brown eyes looked at her with admiration, "You brought light into that young man's life, Usagi... I would dare to say you are a miracle to him. I don't have the words that would express my gratitude for all you have done for him."
Usagi smiled with teary eyes, "He brought light to mine, Ikio-san. He's my life."
"It shows... the love between you, it's something truly beautiful to see." Ikio smiled softly, "That young man is very hard to decipher. He has an unbreakable spirit—it is very rare to see him smile,"
"Yes," Usagi chuckled, "He is one of a kind."
"That he is, Usagi," Ikio nodded and turned to close his briefcase, "Well, I believe it is time for me to let you continue with your day—I feel like I have stalled you for too long,"
"No, not at all, Ikio-san,"
Ikio smiled, "There will be more documents for you to sign and more things to discuss and cover, but it will be better if we address all of it with him present, of course."
Usagi felt like if a splinter had settled in her heart and nodded slowly, "Of course, I understand."
Ikio pushed back his chair to stand up and went quickly to help Usagi stand from her chair like a true gentleman, "So, when is Mamoru coming back?" Usagi felt like if her blood had frozen in her veins for a minute with Ikio's question, "Uh," she turned to the older man and gave him a soft smile, "Soon—I am hopeful it will be any day now,"
Ikio grabbed his briefcase and extended his arm to invite Usagi to walk first, "After you," he walked behind the silver-haired woman and after a few handshakes and waves from acquaintances and friends he met at the restaurant, he finally caught up with Usagi at the elevator and pressed the lobby button. As they both waited for it to take them down, he smiled softly and leaned his head back, "Usagi, whatever my daughter said or did... please, don't pay mind. I know I should not do it, but I apologize for her behavior."
Usagi stared at her blurry reflection on the stainless-steel doors in front of her and smiled softly, "It's alright, Ikio-san, don't worry. She is not a bad person... she is just... lonely."
Ikio sighed sadly, "My daughter is the kind of person that never takes a no for an answer—her lifestyle is the result of a whim, and well, unlike Mamoru, she has started to know what living in regret is like. As her father, it costs me much to look the other side, but I know there is not much I can do." He looked at the blinking numbers and turned to Usagi, again, with that same apologetic smile on his handsome face, "Please give Mamoru my regards, tell him not to be a stranger. I know he is very independent and has a very tight schedule, but I can't help feeling concerned whenever I don't get a word from him."
"Of course," Usagi smiled in reassurance and nodded before walking out of the elevator, "Thank you for everything, Ikio-san,"
"Have a good day, Usagi-san. It was very lovely to meet you. Please feel free to reach out for me if there is anything you need while Mamoru is away."
"Likewise, and thank you again, Ikio-san,"
Ikio bowed his head in respect and turned to walk away leaving Usagi behind as he quickly took another incoming call on his way out of the fancy hotel lobby. The princess turned and found Megumi sitting in one of the lounge sofas, waiting for her. She immediately stood up and went over to her with worry, "Everything alright, Princess?"
Serenity nodded and tucked a strand of chocolate hair behind Megumi's ear, "Yes,"
Megumi walked along with the princess to the valet parking and went to take her seat behind the wheel as soon as they brought the car back. She arranged the rear-view mirror to her height again and slowly joined the busy streets of Shinjuku, the special ward in downtown Tokyo. Her control on the wheel and attention on the road were impeccable, but her mind was still fixed on what just happened with Ikio and then with Chieko.
"I saw that lady—she had a stricken look in her face as she walked out of the elevator," Megumi kept her gaze at the people crossing the streets and the busy businesses, "May I ask, Princess, who is she?"
Serenity took a moment to answer the maiden's question and took a deep breath, "Beryl..." she turned to a very shocked Megumi when they stopped at a red light, her crystal blue eyes completely covered by her cat-eye shaped frames but the intensity of her glance was there, "I think of her the same way I think of Beryl... a woman that let her own ambition take over her—her name is Shimuta Chieko." The princess turned her attention on the road ahead of her and continued driving, "She is the person that helped Endymion with the paperwork for the house but also... she is..." she pursed her lips, "An old friend of his... from this time."
"A past lover...?" Megumi blinked a little dumbfounded by the revelation; Serenity sighed softly as she made a right turn to enter Minato-ku and frowned, "I don't doubt she still has feelings for him and that is really not my problem, but the sad thing about love is that it can easily be mistaken with caprice and that is what makes it dangerous because the same thing happened with Beryl."
During her time in solitude, Megumi always questioned the red-head's motives to commit the horrible crimes that lead to the deaths of so many people, the terran monarchy and the prince and princess included. She found it hard to understand why a person would sacrifice her sanity for a cause that would only bring horror and pain to innocent lives and how she could feel satisfaction upon seeing everything crumbling down beneath her feet. She remembered Beryl before she became a mistress of evil, a queen to a kingdom of darkness and the host of a very malicious creature. Beryl was a beautiful woman with an unknown background, but somehow, she climbed her way up to meet the royal family and even stay at the palace with a solid guaranty to marry the terran prince.
Megumi could see what the princess was trying to say and she was finally getting closure on the matter. Beryl was a woman who could have had a different life, a much more honest one if it wasn't for ambition; she got too obsessed with everything the prince represented and she, just like many girls around the golden kingdom, saw him as a valuable prize to be won. In this time, Chieko was like Beryl, she lived to fulfill her ambitions not minding their cost or consequences, not minding of whoever that stood in her way. With Beryl's caprice came the fall of an entire kingdom and the imminent death of the prince she so much wanted for herself, but in Chieko's case, she was miserable, she knew she had it all and still lived an unhappy life and as a result, she ended up doing desperate attempts to get the prince's attention and have him for herself. This time there was no evil being possessing anybody, but the mind of a capricious person was dangerous enough to cause great havoc and that is why Serenity went to that meeting, to prevent it.
The rest of their ride back home was quiet, the princess would sigh from time to time alerting Megumi there was something else the princess wasn't willing yet to share. She peered at her without Serenity noticing from time to time to check on her and widened her eyes when she saw a slow tear trailing down her cheek that broke the maiden's heart into tiny pieces. She was not sure why, but she felt there was something else behind her decision to step out of the apartment and as she would say, start dealing with other chapters of their lives. There was a melancholic aura around Serenity and the nostalgia in her voice was starting to hint Megumi she was silently bidding goodbye to everything she represented by being just Usagi and it worried her because she knew well how far she was willing to go for those she loves.
O—o—o—o—O
'It's getting colder outside; the weather is being unforgiving..." Michiru said softly as she looked out the window. Her face had a somber, depressed look as she turned to look at Haruka sitting on the sofa with a lost stare. Setsuna had her long key-rod in her hand and monitored the status of the gates as she looked at her garnet talisman, "The currents in time are stable, the door has not been forced to be opened," she took a deep breath and sat across the sky senshi with the same somber look in her face. "It is so tranquil it unsettles me—there is no gap we could use to cross,"
"But you have the power to open the gates," Haruka frowned, "Why not try again?"
Setsuna shook her head, "It is harder than it sounds. It would be very dangerous to open the gates again, this isn't about breaking a divine law anymore, every time a gate is opened, the space continuum becomes vulnerable and it can cause serious consequences, there is a reason why it's considered a taboo." Her garnet eyes darkened, "The amount of beings and spirits traveling through it is considerable—it would be like welcoming them into this astral plane."
"He had everything planned..."
All eyes landed on Hotaru who was sitting cross-legged on the shaggy dark blue carpet with her head hung low. Since their return from the Underworld, Hotaru had been awfully reserved and silent but despite her always calm demeanor it was more than clear to the other girls that she was gravely affected by being the only witness of the heartbreaking moment when the prince and princess parted ways. The young senshi of silence shook her head with deception but still kept her gaze down, "It would not matter if we crossed the Gates of Time, Hades has ways to change the course of his realm—the Underworld is a maze of dead valleys. It is not as easy to go there as one would think, I myself, cannot establish a connection either meaning that by now Father has given the order change the seal on all gates."
"Because he already has what he wanted," Michiru muttered and looked down at her golden mirror. Haruka leaned her head in her hands and took a deep hasty breath, "For the first time, I don't know what to do—I am at a complete loss..." she shook her head and looked up with clear worry in her eyes, "I don't know what to do..." Michiru sat next to her beloved and put her hand on Haruka's shoulder, "I talked to Minako today... she is doing better,"
Haruka turned to look at her and narrowed her deep blue eyes, "Is she, really?" Michiru sighed softly as she put her cup of tea on the table, knowing exactly what her lover meant, "We have to go see her,"
"I can't look at her in the eyes and pretend nothing happened, not after the things I have done..." Haruka shook her head, "Not after betraying her the way I did..."
"Haruka,"
"The girls are upset, not to mention the Shitennou, I went against their Prince,"
"That is behind us, Jupiter is right, Uranus, now it's not the time to be divided,"
"Divided..." The sandy blonde stood up with a frustrated sigh and started pacing around the room, "I have lived like an honorary senshi—unlike them, I never felt different, I never cursed my nature. I did everything as instructed when the fall on the Moon happened, I had to unlock the power of the talisman to join the others and call for Saturn. I have obeyed every order the gods have given me and yet, I do not feel this is how things are supposed to go, this isn't right," she shook her head, "They have won but it doesn't feel right. I remember the Andromedian soldier asking what side we were going to take after the Prince's awakening—either the one from the gods or the one from hell and right now, hell feels like a safer option than heaven because at least we know demons aren't playing any games."
Hotaru finally looked up at the blonde senshi and narrowed her deep violet eyes, "Hades is not done, that I am sure. To him, I am a tool of destruction and it will not be long until he summons me to swing down my glaive again, but until then... all contact between us has been silenced. I can't reach him."
"Saturn, did the Prince tell you anything else?" Michiru asked with hopes of finding a new lead, something they might have missed between the lines of the events, "Anything that could give us a hint?"
Hotaru shook her head, "No, I didn't get much time to speak to him... but the more I think about it... the more I believe he didn't fight Father on purpose,"
"What do you mean?"
"Hades is a god who knows how to negotiate to get what he wants, but for what I witnessed, Prince Endymion does too. Father would never grant a favor, much less to him, of all people," Hotaru lowered her gaze, "I didn't get to see him after the Princess was saved. We very much said everything we could have said and declared our stance after we knew of Princess Serenity's location."
Michiru looked down at her golden mirror, "Our priority is to keep the Princess safe because no matter how days have been, there is an eerie energy in the air..."
Setsuna turned to look out the window and saw some frost accumulated in the rim of the large window and let out a soft sigh, "The much we can do right now is to prevent any possible threat that might come from Hades' realm,"
"It's not just Hades..." Hotaru pushed herself off the floor and looked out the window, also noticing the frost forming outside, "It is every single being that has ever wanted the energy that lies deep inside this planet—there is a reason why Earth has always been targeted and without its guardian, anything can happen at this point," she closed her violet colored eyes with worry, "Anything."
The Divinity Series is rated M. Violence, cursing, and intimacy may occur.
I do not own Sailor Moon, just this plot and some of the characters.
A/N: In case you haven't but would like to know more about Ikio and Chieko and other references mentioned in this chapter, you can find them in "Divinity: A day in the life, Shades of Blue: Midnight, Indigo and Royal".