Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory
Act 20: Training Day
By: Sora Kazeno
As continued from where the last act ended.
Princess Kakyuu escorted Sailor Cosmos the rest of the way down the banquet hall. The Sailor Starlights followed behind the duo. Sailor Cosmos could feel the eyes of the lavender haired senshi on her the entire time and gave her a sense of uneasiness. She knew she was an outsider here but her glare added to her jumpiness. Sailor Cosmos turned her head slightly to look at Princess Kakyuu, "who are the three in silver in the corner? Their outfits are similar to the Starlights."
"The three in the corner," Princess Kakyuu said confused as she turned her gaze to the corner to see the Three Stars. "Ah. They are called the Stars. The three young women are in training to become fully fledged sailor senshi one day. One day they will replace the Starlights. On Kinmoku many have held the title of senshi and once they fulfill their duty their role is passed on the next generation."
Sailor Cosmos was taken aback. "They aren't senshi their entire lives?"
Princess Kakyuu chuckled at her reaction. "That is correct. It is very different here compared to everywhere else. Our people naturally possess the powers of the stars which enables many of them to have the potential to be senshi. However, few can survive the training." Princess Kakyuu directed Sailor Cosmos to a seat next to Sailor Star Fighter and herself.
"You did great earlier," said Sailor Star Fighter as she squeezed her hand. She gave her a coy smile, "and you didn't trip."
"Seiya!" She exclaimed as she blushed. A few plates of food where placed on the table. The sight and smell of food led her to drooling. She reached a hand forward to grab one of the plates but Sailor Star Healer interrupted her.
Sailor Star Healer cleared her throat to gain Sailor Cosmos' attention. It worked. "You can't eat until the Princess does," she hissed at her.
Sailor Cosmos developed teary eyes as she stared at the food before her that she could not eat as she tried to ignore her growling stomach.
Princess Kakyuu laughed at her actions and reached for her plate of food. "Now we can eat!" She said as she smiled at Sailor Cosmos.
Once everyone at the head table had food the other guests in the banquet hall began to enjoy their food.
Sailor Cosmos was amazed at the food before her. Her plate consisted of some green, orange and blue vegetables and some type of meat in a white sauce. She quickly devoured the plate. Within a few minutes she was given another plate of food. Her eyes light up as if it was Christmas morning.
Having never witnessing her eating, Sailor Star Maker chuckled at the display before. Sailor Star Healer was also speechless as she continued to shovel the food into her mouth as fast as possible.
Sailor Star Fighter attempted to explain to her what the different foods were but after seeing how quickly she ate everything it was impossible for her to keep up in her explanations.
"It's delicious!" Sailor Cosmos said joyfully as she continued to eat more.
Several hours later Princess Kakyuu stood in front of her bed chambers, "thank you for escorting me." She said as she thanked the Starlights and Sailor Cosmos. She turned to face Sailor Cosmos, "your room is next to mine and the Starlights will be down the hall. Fighter will escort you and help you settle in." She wanted to try to give Fighter some time alone with Cosmos to nurture their relationship.
Sailor Star Maker and Sailor Star Healer bid goodnight and headed to their own quarters exhausted. They knew tomorrow they would resume their duties as senshi of Kinmoku. They wondered how Sailor Star Fighter will fare looking after Cosmos.
Once they were alone Sailor Star Fighter smiled at Sailor Cosmos, "I'm so glad you've come here Odango." She felt very nervous as to what would happen next. This was all new territory to her. She opened the door for Sailor Cosmos and an attendant stood there waiting.
"Whaa?" Sailor Cosmos didn't know to react to having an attendant waiting on her.
Sailor Star Fighter laughed at her once more. "You're royalty Odango, get used to it," she said with a grin as she retired for the night. She was in a hurry to leave since a part of her felt uncomfortable being around while still in her senshi form. She was at ease when she was Seiya around her. She wasn't sure how to handle this confusion and decided a goodnight's rest would be the best answer.
Sailor Cosmos placed her staff to the side. She had grown tired of carrying it all night even though she knew she needed to keep it near her. It was unheard of for her to be apart from the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.
Her bed was already prepared for her and clothes were placed a table for her tomorrow. The dress was pale blue. She brushed her hand against the fabric. She felt like she was living in a fairytale. It was very different than her life on Earth. Sailor Star Fighter's words rung in her ears that she is royalty. Her thought immediately turned to the Silver Millennium.
"You have a very busy day planned out for tomorrow and it would be best if you retired for the night," the attendant said with a warm smile. She was an elder woman in her fifties with jet black hair and occasion strains of gray. "Please let me know if you need anything. Do not hesitate to ask. My name is Rose."
Sailor Cosmos smiled and nodded as she tried to take everything in. All she wanted to do was sleep tomorrow. "What kind of schedule?" She asked Rose as she touched the soft cotton nightgown on the bed for her to sleep in. It was a king sized bed with a half dozen pillows placed near the headboard.
"Tomorrow you are scheduled to have your first training session with Sailor Galaxia at dusk. Princess Kakyuu has other events planned for you but I am unsure of their nature. I shall return tomorrow at seven unless you are in need of anything else?"
"No," Sailor Cosmos said as she noticed the balcony door. She turned to face Rose again, "thank you."
Rose bowed her head slightly and left the room. She softly closed the door behind her.
Sailor Cosmos touched her crystal brooch and she reverted back to Usagi. She quickly changed in the nightgown provided to her and opened the balcony door. She was exhausted but she wanted to take one more look at Kinmoku before she retired for the evening. In the far distance were many lights and assumed it was a major city. She looked to the right and noticed a crescent moon and several very bright stars that formed an arch. She looked to the side of the sky and noticed a full moon. She wasn't sure how it was possible to have two moons that appeared so different from each other. She sighed as she looked up at all the twinkling stars. A yawn reminded her how tired she was and turned around to enter her room. She knew she would have more time another night to stare the night sky.
Usagi mumbled in her sleep as someone tried to wake her up. The shaking persisted. "Five more minutes Mom.." Usagi grumbled into her pillow.
Rose laughed at her remarks. "I'm sorry Usagi-san but you can't have five more minutes," Rose said as she shook the bed more forcefully.
The sound of a different voice startled her and she opened her eyes. She was confused for a moment when she saw Rose. She sat up and looked around the room. She wasn't in her room. Then she remembered where she was. She left Earth yesterday and is on Kinmoku.
"Breakfast will be in twenty minutes with the Princess," Rose informed her as she went into a large walk in closet to fetch a pair of shoes.
"Twenty minutes?" Usagi exclaimed as she jumped up. "I should have gotten up sooner!" She began the mad dash around the room to gather her belongings to be presentable to the others.
Rose chuckled at the scene before her. She liked Usagi's carefree attitude. It was refreshing when she compared her personality to other guests in the past.
Fifteen minutes later Usagi was dressed, washed up and ready for breakfast. Rose escorted her down several hallways to a small room near the gardens.
Princess Kakyuu was already seated and sipped on hot tea. Princess Kakyuu smiled when she saw her, "good morning, Usagi-san." She preferred to use san at the end of her name to demonstrate her respect and gratitude for everything even though Usagi was many years younger than her.
"Princess Kakyuu," she said with a slight nod and then decided to curtsey before her.
Princes Kakyuu chuckled at her actions. "When we are alone you do not need to be as formal. The grandeur is needed when it is a part of a royal function. I consider you a close friend and therefore no extra steps are needed."
Usagi felt herself relax and sat down next to Princess Kakyuu. A small cup was placed near her. A few moments later an attendant with short green hair poured her tea. All of the attendants wore pale orange dresses. "Would you like anything added to your tea?" She asked.
"No," Usagi said with a smile. "Thank you."
"Did you sleep well?" Princess Kakyuu asked as she tried to make small talk as she waited for breakfast to serve.
"Yes," said Usagi as she took a sip from her tea. "The room is so big."
"I'm glad you like everything," Princess Kakyuu said as she took another sip from her tea. "The Starlights will be joining us for lunch. They have been training since dawn and will be for a while longer."
Usagi frown as she learned it would still be a while before she would be able to see Sailor Star Fighter. It was clear she was disappointed by the news. Her eyes lit up when a plate full of eggs and bacon were placed in front of her. She was also given a small bowl of rice and toast.
Princess Kakyuu noticed the pattern of an easy way to make Usagi happy. Giving her a lot of food to eat. Usagi didn't talk anymore as she ate in silence. Princess Kakyuu followed suit.
After they were done Usagi beamed and said, "that was delicious! It must be wonderful to have good food to eat all the time."
Princess Kakyuu looked at Usagi and on a whim she said, "how about if we make a slight detour and see how the Starlights training is proceeding?" She asked her with a wink.
Usagi grinned and nodded her head up and down.
"I'll lead the way," Princess Kakyuu said as she stood up. "On the way there I will fill you in on the progress of restoring the planet."
Usagi stood up and walked next to Princess Kakyuu as she listened intently. "As you can see the palace has been restored. Many of the cities are on their way to recovery as are the small towns. I wanted to focus on everything else rather than the palace but the villagers and those in the cities insisted since they were thankful for the end to the madness as they called it." Princess Kakyuu paused for a moment before she continued, "it is difficult to restore an entire kingdom."
Usagi thought about the Silver Millennium and the last time she had seen it and its destruction. "Yes…" she said as thought about how it would look if it is restored. "I would like learn how to restore a kingdom myself."
"I heard in the olden days the palace on Earth was beautiful but everyone always compared it to the Silver Millennium. I wish I could have seen both to draw my own conclusions," Princess Kakyuu said as she tried to discuss the situation delicately.
"One day you will!" Usagi said with determination in her eyes.
Princess Kakyuu was taken aback by the fierce displayed in her eyes. It was the same look she had before she fought Sailor Galaxia. She had set a goal for herself that she would not give up on until the task was complete.
Usagi's attention was redirected when they stopped walking and she heard sounds of a battle. She looked over and saw the three Starlight breathing heavily and seemed to be worn down. No one had noticed them yet.
The trainer was a woman in her late twenties with short blond hair. She was tall and wore a short shirt and sports bra. Her body was very tone. "Is that all you can do now?" Sasha taunted the three of them. "Earth has made you soft. Before you left you were much stronger. It makes me wonder how you survived the battle against Chaos!"
Usagi took a sharp intake of breath at the mention of the word Chaos. It made her feel uneasy.
Princess Kakyuu cleared her throat to acknowledge their presence. She wasn't sure what direction the conversation would lead but she did not want a confrontation.
"Princess!" The four exclaimed and quickly bowed down to her.
"Considering the long journey they endured yesterday I think they have practiced long enough today, don't you Sasha-chan?" Princess Kakyuu said as she turned to face her fully.
"Yes of course," Sasha said without making eye contact. It was the Princess's way of ending the session without giving her a direct order.
"Oh, you may all rise," Princess Kakyuu said as she realized the others were still kneed before herself and Usagi.
Sailor Star Fighter smiled at the sight of Usagi but the smile was short lived when she noticed the downcast look in her eyes. It was clear bringing up Chaos still upset over recent events. She felt a lot of guilt over her actions even though she was not in control. No one blamed her but it didn't prevent her from blaming herself.
Princess Kakyuu took notice of the quick change in Usagi's mood. She turned to face the Sailor Starlights, "we will see you for lunch in a few hours, Usagi-san and I will be spending the rest of the morning together while I give her a tour of the palace."
They had countless thoughts running through their minds but Ami, Minako, Rei and Makoto did not say anything as they sat in their usually booth in Crown.
Ami couldn't stand the silence any more. "I can't believe Usagi-chan left Earth so easily."
The other girls nodded their head in agreement. They all thought the same thing but weren't sure how to approach the topic.
"What I'm struggling the most with is how she just gave up on Mamoru-san like that. It was like she suddenly ran to him. Did we miss something?" Asked Minako in an angry tone. She wanted answers to her questions and the person that could answer all of her questions wasn't even on the same planet.
Rei refused to make eye contact with the other girls. Usagi had confided in her about what really happened and she did not want to lose her trust.
Makoto eyed her suspiciously. It was no secret that Rei and Usagi were always close and Usagi would often talk to Rei about any dreams or issues she has had. "Rei-chan you know something that you haven't told us. I can see it in your eyes."
Rei winced at her harsh words. "I'm sorry Mako-chan. Usagi told me things in confidence and I don't want to lose her trust."
"Her trust!?" Minako fired at back at her. "She broke our trust when she left! What about Mamoru-san's trust?"
"Keep your voice down," Ami hissed at Minako. Several people in the cafeteria were staring at them. "You are drawing too much attention."
Minako fumed as she stared at Rei with an icy tone.
Rei sighed. She was in a tough spot. They were angry at Usagi more than anything and wanted answers that only she could provide at the moment. She stirred her drink as she contemplated her next action. "I want to keep Usagi's trust and the explanation should come from her… but I don't know how long she will be gone." Rei hesitated as she thought about what she was about to do. "Usagi told me…. her and Seiya-kun…. had a moment."
"A moment?" Ami asked confused she didn't understand the code word Rei used as a way to avoid telling them what happened directly. They would have to piece it together.
Minako gasped loudly as her eyes widened in shock. "You mean… they…. they kissed!?"
The other girls started at Rei for confirmation. Rei decided if they guessed the information she wouldn't break Usagi's confidence per say. "Before we go on I don't want Usagi to know about this." The other girls nodded their head in agreement. They needed answers about their Princess. Rei nodded her head.
"When?" Minako asked Rei trying to receive more information from her.
Rei shrugged her shoulders in response.
Ami quickly caught on to Rei's plan. "Was it before Chaos controlled her?"
Minako raised an eyebrow at Ami. "Ami-chan!" She was amazed at her directness to find out more information from Rei.
Rei nodded her head in agreement.
"Mamoru-san received his memories back right before Usagi-chan became Sailor Cosmos," said Makoto as she thought out loud. She turned her attention to Rei, "did Mamoru-san have his memories back yet?"
Rei shook her head no in response. "It was right before," she added. She couldn't hold it in anymore. "She talked to me the day before she left that she was struggling with what to do. I told her she needs to figure it out for herself but I never dreamed she would actually leave and just give up on Mamoru-san like that."
"None of us ever imagined it," said Minako as she began to relax in her seat.
"Usagi-chan had mentioned that Crystal Tokyo was gone… and so was Chibi Usa-chan," said Makoto as she took a sip of her drink. "I guess it was too much for her." Makoto said as she looked at the faces of each of the other girls. "I mean can you imagine how she felt? She saw her future that she prepared for and after one of the most terrifying battles everything was different."
"Do you think she left because she was scared?" Asked Ami as she brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. "But I guess we won't know until she returns."
"The other question will be…. the status of her relationship with Seiya-kun," said Minako with an arched eyebrow.
The other girls looked nervously at each other.
Princess Kakyuu gave Usagi a thorough tour of the palace and a crash course on some of the history associated with the people of Kinmoku. It was overwhelming for Usagi and she could only take in so much at a time.
A ruby haired attendant rushed to Princess Kakyuu and whispered something in her ear. Princess Kakyuu frowned at the information she received. "I'm sorry Usagi-san but I have an important matter I must attend to. Fighter is most likely in her quarters. Perhaps you can pay a visit?"
Usagi smiled at the suggestion. She had barely seen Seiya since last night and wanted to talk to him. She still had a lot to sort out with her feelings and she wanted to talk to him. She felt it was important that he knew everything about how she felt. "I'm sure I can find it," Usagi said with confidence. The palace is large but she believed she could find her way.
Usagi turned around and walked the opposite direction of Princess Kakyuu and the attendant. She tried to retrace her steps. For the first five minutes she was fine. But then every corridor began to look the same. She felt relieved when someone else approached her. She wore a knee length navy blue skirt and a silver shirt. She found it odd that her skirt was short since every else's gowns her long. Her lavender hair cascaded down her back.
Shiori was not as thrilled to see Usagi. "Odd," Shiori said as she addressed her, "I almost didn't recognize you with blonde hair. I didn't realize your hair color changed as a senshi. I guess Earth Senshi are very different than Kinmoku. My name is Shiori."
"Ah, yeah…" Usagi said. She wasn't sure how to response to Shiori's words. Then it dawned on her, "were you one of the senshi in silver last night?"
"Oh? You're a little smarter than I thought you would be," taunted Shiori as she looked Usagi up and down.
"Did I offend you somehow?" Usagi asked her suspiciously.
Shiori's eyes flashed. "You can say that. You know you broke Fighter's heart last time. I hope you don't plan on doing that again."
Usagi gasped and took a step back.
"You don't deserve her… but I have to wonder what changed? How did she suddenly become good enough?" Shiori added as she continued to walk past Usagi. She grinned evilly.
Usagi stood there stunned by her harsh words. She was amazed at the icy reception she received from her. She thought about the question Shiori asked her about how Seiya became good enough for her. Seiya spoke those words to her when they were on top of the school roof in the rain. She was speechless by his words that evening. He had always been enough but she had Mamo-chan at the time. She had a renewed sense of guilt on how things ended. She needed to let him know how important he is to her and how important he always has been to her. Shiori was gone and she was once again alone in the corridor. She continued to the end of the hall and turned right. She recognized the area where she ate breakfast this morning. A short distance later she was down the corridor she started this morning. She smiled at her accomplishment.
The smile faded when she realized she had no idea which of the rooms was his. Each door looked identical. She had a one in three chance she would choose the correct room. She knocked on the door closest to her. There was no response. There was another room to the right and the room next to it was hers. As she came closer to the door she began to hear noise from within. She knocked on the door.
"Just a minute!" Seiya called loudly as more shuffling sounds continued. "I know it's here somewhere…" he mumbled to himself as he opened the door. "Odango!" He exclaimed with a huge grin. He hugged her tightly. "I'm glad you're okay. You seemed upset this morning and I wanted to make sure you were okay."
Usagi hugged him back tightly and said, "I'm okay now."
They broke the embrace and Seiya led Usagi into his room. His room was in utter disarray. There were clothes everywhere, crumpled pieces of paper, open drawers with containments dumped on the floor. Usagi stared at everything wide eyed.
Seiya noticed her expression and laughed. "I'm in the middle of trying to find a song I started the last time I was home."
"A song?" Usagi asked, surprised that he continued song writing even after the Three Lights were disbanded. "What is the song about?"
"…" Seiya hesitated as a blush began to creep over his cheeks, "you."
"I've love to hear it," said Usagi as she looked around as the mess. "If you can find it…" She teased him back. "I wonder what your fans would think if they knew you lived like this?"
Seiya laughed at her quick remark. "Well… creative genius' usually have messy rooms."
"Maybe I can help you find it?" Usagi offered as she looked around at all the papers on the floor near her feet.
"Sure," said Seiya and he returned to one of his drawers and continued to dump more objects on the floor. "I thought I put it in here." He spoke to himself. "Oh wait!" He exclaimed as he pulled out a sheet of paper. "This is it!" He exclaimed triumphantly. "It's not done though."
"Can I read it?" Usagi said as she tried to peer over his shoulder.
Seiya was paused as he looked at the lyrics. He thought about it for a moment. He had the girl now and it explained a lot about how he felt leaving the last time. "Sure."
Usagi unfolded the sheet of paper and began to read:
Could we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now
I'm praying that this stairway
Leads somewhere, like Heaven's door
And when you get there don't look down
Don't look down, don't look down
I remember the first day of school
When you walked right next to me
You taught me everything that I know
And you always knew what to say
Time goes on, now every word
In every damn song reminds me of your face
You were a part of me, you were a part of me
I didn't know everything I've got
Now I know that you are gone
Feel you right here next to me
Though I know you've moved on
But the hardest thing of all
Is knowing I didn't get to say
You were everything, you were everything
Could we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now
I'm praying that this stairway
Leads somewhere, like Heaven's door
And when you get there don't look down
Don't look down, don't look down*
"It's beautiful…"Usagi as she finished reading the lyrics… "It was really hard for you to leave Earth last time… I could only imagine what it would have been like if you had to do that again… without me."
"I never want to have to find out," Seiya said as he leaned over and kissed her on the lips.
A knock on the door disrupted their tender moment. They were informed it was time for lunch.
Usagi stood nervously in front of Sailor Galaxia. She knew there was a crowd of speculators around. She couldn't see them but she knew they were there. They wanted to witness her power and if she was as powerful as Princess Kakyuu claimed she was. She wore the same pale dress she put on this morning. She felt exhausted as she tried to take everything in that she learned today. But she knew she had to complete her training session. Part of the reason she was here was to learn how to control her powers.
"Pull out your transformation item," directed Sailor Galaxia.
Out of habit, Usagi pulled out her brooch. She stared at the heart shaped compact with wings.
Sailor Galaxia smiled as the gesture. "I see you are still not used to your new powers. You've instinctually reached for your old ones. Take a good look at it one last time. While you are here it will not be used. The powers associated with it are now obsolete."
"They are not obsolete!" Usagi tried to argue with her. She had a difficult time casting aside her birthright.
Sailor Galaxia held up her right hand to silence her. "Think back to the last time we fought. I destroyed your tiare. Your new powers restored it."
Usagi bit her lip. She knew Sailor Galaxia was correct but she did not want to admit it.
"Your tiare purified others but some no longer need to be purified. There is where the power of stars will give you an advantage. It is time to become your new identity," said Sailor Galaxia. She knew she would have to take her training slowly due to Usagi's history.
Usagi looked at her compact one last time before she put it away. She placed her right hand on the crystal on her neck and felt the power which resided within. She closed her eyes and focused her thoughts. "Cosmos Crystal Power, Make Up!"
Sailor Galaxia shielded her eyes from the bright white light. She wondered how much she would be able to teach her and hope she never lost control of her powers again. They were lucky last time and she didn't think they would be fortunate a second time.
Once Sailor Cosmos completed her transformation she approached her. "I've sure you've noticed the eight rings on your fingers. Each ring represents a different power you possess. On Earth I witnessed four of them: defense, offense, healing and time travel. Today we will focus on defense."
"I will attack you and you will block it," explained Sailor Galaxia. "I know you have never used these powers in your current state and there will be some trial and error." She chose her works carefully. She didn't want to say that Chaos had control over her powers when so many had gathered to watch this training session.
Sailor Cosmos placed her staff in front of her and gripped it with both hands. It seemed simple enough.
Sailor Galaxia raised her left hand and gather a sphere of energy within her palm. With a flick of her wrist the energy hurled at Sailor Cosmos.
Sailor Cosmos did not speak but the crystal on her staff flashed as white energy intercepted Sailor Galaxia. She struggled against Galaxia's attack.
"You are holding back too much. You could have crushed that within seconds," said Sailor Galaxia. "Do not be afraid to release your power."
Shiori watched from the distance and snorted. "This is the great Guardian?"
Seiya narrowed his eyes at her but before he could speak Taiki came to her defense. "Considering she has never had proper training as a senshi she is doing quite well."
"Proper training?" Shiori retorted back at Taiki. "How can a senshi not have proper training? What is she some kind of princess or something?"
Yaten, Taiki and Seiya laughed at Shiori remarks. Their laugher upset Shiori as she waited for an answer.
Once Seiya was able to stop laughing he responded, "she is a Princess… and much like Kinmoku her kingdom was destroyed when she wasn't powerful enough to prevent it."
Shiori's eye softened at his remarks. As much as she didn't like Sailor Cosmos no one should ever be helpless and witness their kingdom's destruction.
"She stopped Chaos when we could not," said Yaten and he turned his attention back to Sailor Cosmos' training.
With a final push Sailor Cosmos was able to dissipate Sailor Galaxia's attack.
"We're going to trying something a little different this time," Sailor Galaxia instructed her, "instead of causing the attack to vanish I want you to push the attack back and reflect it at me."
Sailor Cosmos pouted her lips as though about how she would accomplish the task she was given. "I've never done anything like that before… I normally run from the attack."
"You don't need to anymore. You have the power to stop them and return to the sender. You can not be so nervous let go of your powers."
"Now what is she doing?" Complained Shiori from the sidelines, "she is too weak."
"She's scared," Seiya said out loud. "She doesn't want to lose control of her powers again." Seiya took a few steps forward and emerged out of the shadows which allowed Sailor Cosmos to see him for the first time since the training began.
"Seiya?" She said in alarm. "What are you doing here?"
Seiya tried his best to reassure her, "Odango you can't keep living in the past. Chaos is gone but there is still evil out there somewhere and you have to be ready for it."
Sailor Galaxia narrowed her eyes at him, "enough." She said as she waved him away with her hand. "We don't have time for this." She quickly gathered a larger amount of energy than before in her hands and flung it at Sailor Cosmos.
Sailor Cosmos had seconds to act and barely had time to put up a shield from the attack. She knew Seiya was close by and it honed her concentration. She couldn't let him be hurt when he tried to help her. She narrowed her eyes and felt her power wash over her. With a downward motion to the right she changed the direction of the attack and sent it back to Sailor Galaxia.
Sailor Galaxia dodged to the side of her former attack. She realized that it was no longer her original attack but Sailor Cosmos had added some of her own energy and she refused to be on the receiving end of the improved attack. Sailor Galaxia smiled as she looked at Sailor Cosmos for the first time. "Now we're getting somewhere."
Usagi felt relaxed after dinner. The rest of her training session was simple and she excelled quickly at the tasks she was given. Word spread quickly throughout the palace of her training session and how she bested Galaxia. Their doubts about her powers were gone. They knew they had witnessed only a fraction of her true potential. The other rumors were about speculation on her relationship with Fighter. Many found it odd that the Starlights preferences had changed to male forms rather than female when there were not serving as senshi. Usagi ignored what everyone whispered.
"I'm surprised at how quickly the sun sets here," said Usagi as she looked out the window and the darkened sky.
"It is not that different from Earth. The hemisphere would be similar to the winter season on Earth where it is colder with short days. Kinmoku is further away from a star than Earth. However, the star that supports this galaxy is naturally larger," said Taiki as he enjoyed explaining scientific matters.
Usagi looked at with his a puzzled expression. She understood the beginning but never thought of the Sun as a star. "Okay!" Usagi said brightly as she turned her attention back to night sky. "The stars are much brighter too."
"Kinmoku is unique in that way," said Seiya as he put down his glass. "The moons reflect less of the sun's light than on Earth which allows more of the light from the stars to shine." Seiya hesitated for a moment and then stood up. "What to do you say to stroll outside to look at the stars?"
"Eh? Sure!" Usagi said as she stood up next to Seiya. A few minutes later they were both outside.
Usagi was distracted by the crescent of one of the moons. It was the same one she saw last night. She then turned to her gaze to the left and looked at a circular cluster of stars. "So pretty…" she said to no one in particular. She felt Seiya's eyes on her and she turned to look at him. She felt uneasy when she realized he was staring at her.
"The stars beauty pales in comparison of yours," whispered Seiya in her ear.
A blush crept across her face. He always seemed to know what to say and was able to constantly cause her to have the same reaction.
Seiya chuckled at her reddened face. "It's good to see that I still have that effect on you." He ran a hand threw her hair and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.
Usagi smiled at his actions. He was so affectionate towards her and made her feel loved. "It's so beautiful here… so different from home." Her eyes became distant as she thought about home and how everyone was. She wondered if they were all still mad at her for her abrupt departure.
Another young woman looked up at the moon but with different emotions. She glared at the moon in anger. She didn't speak and struggled to be able to discuss Usagi's actions yesterday.
"You can't glare at the moon all night," Michiru said as she walked over to Haruka with a cup of hot tea. Haruka did not respond to her comments. She raised an eyebrow at the lack of response she received. She knew Haruka could be very stubborn when she was upset. "There was nothing either one of us could do last night," she said as she tried to comfort her partner.
"I'm going to take care of Seiya once and all when they get back. And send him back to wherever he came from without her," Haruka said through clenched teeth.
Setsuna looked up from the newspaper before and said, "it was Usagi-chan's choice to leave with him. No one forced her to go."
Haruka turned her attention to Setsuna, "you're awfully calm about this!" She stomped over to Setsuna. "How can you be so calm when everything you've known and prepared for has changed?"
"This is not the first time an event has caused history to be re-written, nor will it be the last. I do not sense we are headed to a path of destruction. The current future… seems peaceful so I will believe in the Princess…. whether or not I agree with her decisions."
"It is still his fault!" Haruka shouted as she redirected the blame to Seiya once more. "It will be the last mistake he will ever make on this Earth," said Haruka in a venomness tone.
"Who will protect you from the Princess' wraith?" Asked Hotaru as she spoke up for the first time in the past hour, since Haruka began her glaring contest with the moon. "Your powers pale in comparison to Sailor Cosmos."
Setsuna looked over to Haruka and she was finally silent. Haruka might want to take out her revenge against Seiya but Hotaru was right when she reminded her that Usagi would not let Haruka hurt Seiya. She would protect him with everything she had.
Eternal Sailor Moon blinked her eyes as she tried to focus them. She wasn't sure where she was at first. The sky was bright blue without a cloud to be seen. The sun felt warm against her skin. She looked down and noticed a garden of roses. Red roses.
"Why did you do it Usagi?" Yelled Super Sailor Chibi-Moon with tears in her eyes as she looked up at Sailor Moon. "How can you give up on Mamo-chan like that?"
Sailor Moon looked down at the younger girl before her. "It's not like that…" she tried to reassure her but she felt like she didn't know what she could say to comfort her.
"As soon as you became Sailor Cosmos you rushed to the future to kill my parents! What kind of message is that supposed to send? You wanted to destroy your future with Mamo-chan?" Sailor Chibi-Moon continued to scream at her. "How can you run to the arms of someone I've never met? Someone that isn't Mamo-chan!" Sailor Chibi-Moon collapsed on the group and began to sob. "You didn't…. even try to fight for my life…"
Sailor Moon felt her heart breaking as she heard the words of the younger girl. What could she say to someone that was supposed to be her future daughter? The only thing she could do was to continue to listen to her angry words.
"My mother always taught me that Sailor Moon is not supposed to give up no matter how difficult things were! You didn't give up against Pharaoh 90 and even brought Hotaru-chan back! You saved the New Moon! You've also taught me that! Was it all a lie?"
"Of course not Chibi Usa!" Exclaimed Sailor Moon as she finally found her voice. "I've never given up an anything and I won't. It is not who I am!"
"You gave up on Mamo-chan and because of your selfishness… I'll never be born… can you live with that?"
Usagi woke up screaming in her bed. She grasped her chest with her hands as she tried to calm herself. She breathed heavily as she thought about the nightmare she just had.
The noise created a huge commotion in the hallways and the door burst open with Yaten, Taiki and Seiya entering. Princess Kakyuu stood behind in the hallway until they were sure the coast was clear.
"Odango are you okay?" Seiya asked as he entered her bedroom. She seemed to be okay other looking extremely upset about something. He sat down on the edge of her bed in his pajamas.
Once Taiki and Yaten knew she wasn't hurt or under attack they walked back out in the hallway to inform Princess Kakyuu she was alright and probably had a bad dream.
Princess Kakyuu quietly entered the room with Seiya and Usagi and spoke softly, "perhaps you should stay with her for a while Fighter? May sure she is alright."
Seiya turned to acknowledge Princess Kakyuu and nodded his head, "of course," he said. He turned his attention back to Usagi whom was sitting upright with her hands on her lap.
Usagi hadn't told Seiya anything that happened yet and she was afraid to tell him what she had seen. If she started to explain it she didn't think she could without crying. She didn't want this cloud to hang over them.
Once they were along Seiya tried again, "Odango what happened that upset you so?"
Usagi remained quiet as a few tears streamed down her face. She turned to face Seiya for the first time since he returned the room and sat on the bed next her. She began to cry into his arms. Seiya didn't say anything for a few minutes and head her tightly. She would tell him when she was ready. Minutes passed without any answers.
Ten minutes later Usagi finally stopped her tears. She sniffled a little as she looked at Seiya. "It is horrible… Chibi Usa kept yelling at me that she was gone because I was selfish. She kept screaming at me that I gave up on her… because I gave up on Mamo-chan…" her voice trailed off when she spoke his name. She knew Seiya didn't like to hear her say his name but she couldn't explain what happened without saying his name.
Seiya rubbed his hand on her back. "It's okay Odango," he said as he tried his best to console her. "Just let me know what I can do." He wanted to ask her about her thoughts on what Chibi Usa told her in her dream but she was too upset at this point to discuss what she thought.
"Can you stay for a while… until I fall asleep?" Usagi asked timidity. It felt funny for Seiya to stay with her throughout the night.
The follow morning Sailor Star Destroyer was on a mission. She was upset that Fighter had missed the morning practice. Maker and Healer informed her of what happened which caused her anger to boil. Every step she took she could continue to feel her rage increase. She had tried her best to comfort Fighter when she returned from Earth last time. She had vowed to never let Usagi hurt Fighter again. Usagi's presence on Kinmoku changed everything. Loose strands of lavender hair covered a part of her eyes and she flung her bangs to the side.
Once she arrived outside of her doors she hesitated for a moment as she tried to decide whether she should enter without permission. Fighter was supposed to participate in a training this morning and she neglected her duties as a senshi. She made her decision. She placed her hand on the door and flung it open and marched in.
Seiya was sound asleep in a chair next to Usagi's bed while Usagi was sound asleep. Seeing them so close to each other increased her anger. She did not want to have to pick up the pieces again. She inhaled sharply, "Is there where you've been all morning? Fighter you missed your morning session!"
The loud noise startled Seiya and he fell/jumped out of his chair and crumpled on to the floor. He scrambled to stand up as he tried to understanding what was happening.
Usagi woke up to the commotion and didn't say anything as the silver suited senshi continued to yell at Seiya. One glance at the senshi and Usagi instantly knew it was Shiori; the girl that already disliked her because she didn't return Seiya's love the first time around. She sat there stunned at the boldness of Shiori to enter her room without permission to yell at Seiya.
Sailor Star Destroyer continued to yell at Seiya and the more she said the more Seiya was becoming upset. "That's enough Shiori!" Seiya yelled at her. His tone caused her to stop. "Outside, now," his tone was icy as was the look in his eyes. Seiya waited until they were outside before he continued the conversation, "you had no business rushing into Odango's room. You are still a senshi in training and I don't have to explain my actions to you."
"Yes, I am a senshi in training but even I know the importance of duty! Your first priority is Princes Kakyuu and you can't do that if you are completing your training!" Sailor Star Destroyer yelled at Seiya with clenched fists.
Seiya rolled his eyes. He had heard this before and he knew it wasn't true. "That's enough!" He hissed at her, "I've done nothing but protect the Princess for several years. I am capable of protecting others along with the Princess."
Sailor Star Destroyer narrowed her eyes in slits. "She is not your princess." She spun on her heel and walked off down the hallway.
Mamoru listened to the dial tone on the telephone for a few seconds before he placed the telephone on the receiver. He was conflicted on what he should do. His college was giving him another opportunity to enter their program and he would have to start in the upcoming fall, in roughly four months. Usako was supposed to be back before July in time for classes to resume. He would have a month or two before he would have to leave for college.
Mamoru walked over to counter and pulled out a glass from the cupboard. He needed a drink while he thought things over. He pulled out a bottle of sake and began to pour himself a glass. He knew he needed to talk to her again and try to convince her but he had no idea what frame of mind she will be in once she returns to Earth.
He was upset with himself for not talking to her again before she left Earth. He had been up all night trying to figure out what he was going to do or say to her as he tried to make sense of everything after he left Rei's. By the time he had come up with a plan it was early morning so he continued to stay up knowing the girls would be Crown soon. Rei would call him. At some point out of sheer exhaustion he fell asleep and missed several telephone calls Rei had made. By the time he finally woke up it was nightfall and she was gone. He drank more sake.
He picked up his glass and walked over to a picture of the two of them on his shelf. The picture used to include Chibi Usa but she vanished. But if Chibi Usa vanished from the time line why did he still remember her? Since the time line changed why hadn't everything come crashing down? He drank more sake.
He sat down on his couch and rubbed his temples. The more he tried to make sense of things the more his head hurt. He wished he could go back in time and change a few things such as not breaking up with her when he received dreams from his future self. In fact he should beat up his future self… that doesn't exist anymore. Mamoru sighed as he continued to think about the predicament he was in.
"I'm worried Artemis," Luna said as they sat on Minako's bed. "Things were never supposed to be this way."
"I know Minako-chan has been upset since Usagi-chan left. I know the girls are as well but they don't want to talk about it anymore," said Artemis as he remained on the lookout for Minako. He knew she would be upset if she overheard them talking. "I'm worried what will happen when Usagi-chan returns."
"There is a lot of descent among the senshi due to Seiya-kun," Luna said as she repositioned herself. "I'm not sure if the girls will recover from it."
"I can only imagine what Haruka-san will have planned upon their return," Artemis said. He coughed when he heard footsteps seconds before Minako entered the bedroom.
She opened her eyes and blinked several times. She wasn't sure why she was here or how she arrived at her current location. She realized she surrounded by a crystal structure. She was trapped. Her heart raced as she thought about what it meant. She pressed her gloved hands again the crystal as she tried to look for a weakness or a way out. She smiled when she found a crackle in the crystal. She pushed her hands tightly against the crystal and it cracked a little more but it was not enough to free herself. She gathered energy in her hands as she quietly whispered her attack. The crystal shattered and she fell forward onto the ground.
Her sailor fuku was similar to another senshi's original fuku except for the gold trim around the bow, shoulder sleeves, and skirts. The top skirt was charcoal gray and the underskirt was a smoke gray. She wore knee high black boots with a white band along the edge, white gloves with charcoal colored bands with a matching choker and collar. The front and back bow were dark brown. She had short black hair with the back tied in a knot on the top of her head.
She looked around the room and realized her seven other comrades where still enclosed in crystal. She had no idea how to help them but knew of one person that could help them. She had to return to the Silver Millennium and find the Moon Princess.
* The song lyrics are from "Airplanes" by Travis Garland which is a remake of the song "Airplanes" by B.o.B. Check Youtube for an awesome Seiya/Usagi music video.
A new senshi and seven others tucked away somewhere… any guesses?
Usagi is starting to adjust to life on Kinmoku while the senshi continue to be anxious for her return on Earth. It is definitely going to be interesting when Mamoru sees Usagi again!
Be on the lookout for the next act with more clues to the mysterious senshi. Usagi continues her training but not without… issues. Act 21: Usagi Doubts her Decision