Standard Chibi Tenshi Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing, so don't sue me. But if you use any of the ones I create, I'll sue! *grins* I need all the money I can get! ;)
Author's Notes: Minna-chan! Thank you everyone for being so patient and wonderful in waiting for the last chapter AND conclusion to Unexpected Destiny. I had a ton of fun writing this and hopefully, the last chapter and conclusion won't be too disappointing! I just wanted to say a special thanks to D-chan and Jade Nova for being there for me! Again, italics denote thoughts, and hope you all enjoy :)
***************************************************
Chapter 13
Setsuna ran through the Time Gates, trying desperately to track down the entity that was wreaking havoc. If she couldn't stop it, then all hell would break loose. The world as everyone knew it would no longer exist. She suddenly felt a powerful ominous presence behind her. Whirling around with her staff in hand, she was surprised to see nothing but an empty space.
"Who's there?" She demanded with a confidence she did not feel.
An eerie laughter flooded the void. "I can sense your fear, Guardian. Or shall I call you Setsuna?"
She gasped in shock as she scanned the void frantically, trying to get a glimpse of the enemy.
"You won't be able to see or recognize me in this form. Perhaps you'll better remember me as…"
Mist flooded the area mysteriously. Swirling and finally solidifying, the mist gathered in a form that she recognized. A scream of disbelief emerged from her throat before it finally disintegrated and enveloped her.
***************************************************
Usagi's head snapped back suddenly. Her eyes widening in shock, she yelled, "Kami-sama, iie! Not Setsuna!"
Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru looked at her simultaneously.
"Something's wrong with Setsuna-mama, isn't there?" Hotaru's deep purple eyes filled with tears.
"Yes, we must hurry up. I must send us all to the Time Gates to save her."
"You can't, Usagi! The ginzuishou will…" Ami cried out.
"That was the old me," Usagi said gently, smiling in reassurance. "Nothing will happen, I promise you."
She stood in front of the group of people that had started to gather near her. She closed her eyes, and simply visualized the ginzuishou. She stretched out her right hand, and in the palm of her hands, a small ball of light appeared, before materializing into the form of the ginzuishou, as they all knew and recognized.
"It's a part of you now…" Rei whispered.
"As it always was, and always will be."
In a blink of an eye, they all disappeared.
***************************************************
As they reappeared in the Time Gates, the exclamations of shock could be heard, echoing through the void.
"That was the strangest thing I've ever been through," Quatre remarked with a thoughtful look on his face.
"First time transporting, huh?" Makoto grinned.
Usagi, Heero, and the rest of the Outer Senshi stared at Setsuna, who was standing in front of them. Usagi's eyes narrowed as she took in Setsuna's ki. It's not her…
You see the same thing too, ne?
She glanced over at Heero in surprise, with a little smile that touched her lips. Good. Your powers are increasing I see.
"Show yourself," Usagi commanded much to the surprise of everyone present, except for the Outer Senshi.
Setsuna let out a deep booming laugh that sent shivers up everyone's spines.
"Foolish mortals. You think you can stop me? If the Princess uses her ginzuishou again, she will die."
The smirk that crossed Usagi's face threw many people off.
"Do I look weak to you?"
"Quit hiding behind a weak woman and show yourself," Wufei yelled out, much to the amazement of the other pilots.
Again, the laughter sounded. "I have none of your mortal qualms about using someone else's powers, much less the fact that she's a woman."
Setsuna's face changed suddenly. "You can't control me! You can't take me! You want something in me that I don't have!"
The group stared in shock as there appeared to be a battle inside Setsuna's body that no one could help out with. Unexpectedly, she collapsed to the ground as a ghostly mist left her body. Usagi ran over to Setsuna and held her gently. Setsuna's eyes fluttered as she struggled to speak. "It's… the evil is…" She tried to utter before she passed out. Usagi felt a rage building in her as she laid Setsuna back to the ground. Looking at the Gundam men, she called out, "Watch her." She faced the entity that now hovered in front of her. Then, seven women jumped in front of her without warning. Haruka glared at her in slight disapproval.
"It's our duty to protect you, koneko-chan."
Usagi smiled to herself. She didn't really blame Haruka and her over-protective instincts. No one had seen her fight with her new abilities and powers. She would allow this… for now, until she was forced to intervene. Heero looked over, as if catching her amusement. With a tiny grin and a nod that signified he understood, he slowly backed off as well. Five Gundam pilots watched in open-mouthed fascination as the seven women began transforming.
"Uhh, should someone tell those ladies that they're naked when they transform?" Duo whispered loudly, much to Usagi's horror. Was this what we look like when we transform?! She thought incredulously. "Hey, someone wipe the drool off Trowa's face, will ya?" He called out.
Seven senshi stood in front of them, staring at the enemy intently.
"Their skirts… short… so much leg…" Trowa muttered to himself though the other men around him heard.
Usagi and the rest of the women couldn't help but be mortified. The transformation in itself was astounding. They now stood in front of the men in something resembling sailor outfits. Perhaps the most shocking one of all was Hotaru. She now looked about fifteen or so.
"Hey! She's not a kid anymore!" Duo yelled out.
Hotaru smiled, as she made her way to the four Gundam pilots. "My powers were required. If I was a child, I couldn't fulfill my duties."
"What are you doing?" Quatre asked curiously.
"Someone needs to protect you. You don't have our powers," she said simply.
"We don't need protection from a weak onna like yourself!"
In a blink of an eye, Hotaru had swept the sharp edge of her staff in the direction of Wufei, stopping just short of cutting his skin.
"You were saying?" She responded sweetly as the other men erupted in laughter.
"Oh God! Not one, but two females! Wu-man, you're becoming one of them!" Duo roared in hilarity.
"INJUSTICE!!!"
The entity made a choking sound, drawing everyone's attention towards it.
"Damnit, don't you people realise I'm prime evil here? And you're having this… this…" It sputtered angrily. "I never get taken seriously, not even when I was Mamoru." And with that, the mist reassembled itself to a form that everyone recognized. A sound resembling a gasp got caught in Usagi's throat as she stared in blank horror at Mamoru, the man she once thought she had loved. As she stood there mutely, frozen in shock, the Outer Senshi glared at Mamoru, eyes spitting with hatred.
"For what you did to our princess, you will pay!" Haruka shot out.
Mamoru merely smiled evilly. "About time, I got the attention and recognition I deserve."
"Shiny Aqua Illusion!"
"Burning Mandala!"
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"
"Venus Love-me Chain!"
"World Shaking!"
"Deep Submerging!"
As the Senshi sent their blows towards Mamoru, Sailor Saturn frowned suddenly as if sensing that something wasn't quite right. He merely smiled at them as the attacks bounced harmlessly off him, much to the scouts' dismay.
"Masaka!" Sailor Uranus yelled in disbelief.
Mamoru began charging up as a black glow began surrounding his body. Dark lightning began flaring from his body, crackling and spreading its tentacles in odd discharges. Without warning, the glow hit its pinnacle and sent a huge bolt their way.
"Silence Wall!" Sailor Saturn cried out, using her attack to protect the Gundam pilots. The rest of the Senshi were not as lucky. They were sent flying in various directions, their screams of pain mingling in horrific harmony.
Meanwhile, Usagi was experiencing the effects of seeing Mamoru again. After all that had happened, the man she thought she had once loved stood in front of her, ready to destroy her. He wasn't even who he claimed to be. Lies, lies, lies. Her head throbbed with the pain of it all. Was nothing real anymore? Did no one tell the truth? Did Endymion ever exist or was his past self this evil entity still? And Selenity… did she know all of this? A deep rage began flowing through her body as she thought of all she had been through, how she had been torn apart from her real love, how she and Heero had been manipulated like pawns in some big chess game that they still did not fully understand. It was too much. It was just too much. As the cries of the Senshi fell upon her ears, her power levels suddenly surged. Mamoru's attack came towards them but Usagi and Heero somehow remained unscathed. Heero had used his own body to shield her, but he felt the flow of energy jump between them as their bodies came in contact. All of a sudden, Usagi let out a harsh cry as a white light enveloped her, blinding all around her, except for Heero. A crashing tidal wave of power swept through the void, carrying most of the people present along its path. When the fallen Senshi opened their eyes, what they saw gave them not only the shock of their lives but also gave them hope.
Usagi floated slightly above them, a pure silvery glow surrounding her body. Her hair had gone platinum just like the time before, and it hung well past her feet as she stared blindly at Mamoru. Her blue eyes had a glazed look to them, as if she was unable to see anything but the evil in front of her and all the pain it had caused in all their lives. Holding her arms above her head, she did a flurry of movements that were missed by most. Her hands suddenly in front of her, a cry emerged from her throat as a blazing white light appeared from her hands and exploded from them, speeding towards Mamoru. The impact left Mamoru slightly injured, wincing in pain as he fell to the ground. As the Senshi and pilots blinked, she had somehow appeared in front of Mamoru. They began sparring, the likes of which no one had ever seen before. The speed at which they fought was incredible, and to most of them, it just looked like sequences of lights flashing. Heero narrowed his eyes as he observed the fight. She's fast, but I know she can go even faster than that. With a sudden smirk on her face, Usagi increased her punches and kicks so drastically that everyone present was stunned. She landed blow after blow with deadly accuracy and strength. Unable to hold up under the onslaught, Mamoru disintegrated back to his original form. Usagi stepped back, slightly out of breath, and absolutely furious with herself. I should've just destroyed him with my ki blasts.
Without warning, a sudden chill in the air caused goosebumps to rise on her flesh. The power level surge gained her attention immediately as her head snapped around to look at Heero. He glowed with a deep blue flame as he made his way over to her. Her eyes softened just slightly as she stared into the eyes of the man she loved. As they held onto each other's hands, a strange power began to flow between them, rising with great intensity. The silver light and deep blue flame merged, creating a new energy no one had ever seen before. She turned around slowly, still holding on to Heero's hand, feeling the strange tingle and warmth course through her veins. Staring in the direction of the entity, she sent a thought to Ami. I need your help. Use your freezing powers in the direction that I'm looking at.
Ami's eyes fluttered open from where she lay. She was unable to believe how powerful the entity… no, Mamoru was. Suddenly, a thought appeared in her head, sounding like Usagi's. I need your help. Use your freezing powers in the direction that I'm looking at. Her eyes flew to Usagi's as they met in silent communication. I understand, Ami thought. Her body groaned painfully in protest as she dragged herself up to a standing position.
"Shabon Spray Freezing!!"
As Ami sent her attack towards the entity, Usagi and Heero stared into each other's eyes.
I know what to do, Heero.
I do too, Usagi.
A strange groan could be heard from the void, coming from the entity as Ami's freezing attack struck. Usagi and Heero both looked at the section that had now frozen over. Eyes narrowing, the energy left both their bodies, speeding in a flash of silvery blue light. An unthinkable thing happened with the energy at that moment. It somehow split up, as the blue flame sped towards the frozen mass, causing it to melt. As the liquid began dripping towards the ground, a silver light encircled the mass, zapping it out of existence. A chorus of gasps could be heard all around the void as Usagi and Heero stared at each other blankly before passing out.
***************************************************
Usagi felt as if she were drifting in the fog surrounding the room. She looked around in confusion as she tried to figure out where she was. With a sudden start, she realised that her clothing had changed. The sheer beauty and elegance of her dress left her speechless. It hugged the upper part of her body closely before falling down gently in a series of chiffon-like layers. Gold arm bands with intricate patterns adorned her upper arms. Her silvery white hair were pulled back in two simple buns with strange gold metal somehow woven into them. As she turned around, she found Heero floating next to her. She let out a soft gasp as she took in his deep blue armor with silver edgings and a lethal-looking blade that hung off his left hip.
"Do you know where we are, tenshi?" He asked softly.
"I don't know…" She replied honestly.
"I think we are in the homes of the gods. Mount Olympus, as it is sometimes known."
A mythical apparition appeared in front of them. She looked almost human, except for her strange tilted gold eyes that shone at them in recognition and faintly see-through body. Deep purple hair flowed down her back, almost as long as she was tall. Dressed almost entirely in white much like Usagi was, she gleamed with a light that was almost blinding.
"My poor eyes," Usagi complained, holding her hands up to shield them.
"We're going to go blind at the rate you people are going," Heero said dryly.
"Gomen nasai, Usagi-hime, Heero." A lovely voice called out even though her mouth made no movement. A sudden intake of breath from Heero and Usagi caused a musical chime of laughter to sound out. "Of course, you do not know me. How silly of me to forget." Heero moved forward to stand protectively in front of Usagi.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" He demanded.
"Like Setsuna is the Guardian of the Time Gates, I am the Guardian of Destiny."
"Why are you here? Why are we here?" Usagi asked softly.
"The power of your love have brought the two of you back together again, and despite all obstacles, you have managed to fulfill the prophecy in a way. But this is why you are here. I have brought you here to answer a question. It is up to you. It is entirely within your power to destroy the gods since this is what fate decreed. However, such actions are not without consequences. The past as you know it may not exist and therefore alter the future."
Usagi's eyes flew towards Heero, and upon meeting his deep blue gaze, she knew her answer.
"The only request I would make is for us to be together and the gods to leave us alone from now on. I've lived through enough lies and interference in all my lifetimes," she responded with a catch in her voice. Heero heard the pain in her voice, and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly.
Her gold eyes flashed in understanding, sadness, and something they couldn't decipher. "The gods will leave you alone, that much I can do. The rest… is unknown."
"What?" Heero cried out in disbelief. "After all the pain she has endured, after all the lies she was fed and led to believe by her own mother, after all that you and the gods have put us through, you cannot keep us apart."
A sudden smile touched her lips. "Destiny works in mysterious ways. The gods will pay in one way or another for interfering. However, you need to understand. You choose your own fate. You make your own destiny. Just as you and Usagi somehow found each other through the different timelines and dimensions, you will decide whether or not you will be together. I believe that the Fates owe you that much."
Wind ruffled the calm of the void, stirring the mist that had surrounded them. As the area cleared, Usagi and Heero were startled to realise that the Guardian had disappeared and that they were back on their beloved hilltop.
"Oh Heero… do you remember?" Usagi asked as her eyes watered in memory.
Lacing her fingers with his own, he simply nodded, too overcome by the wealth of emotions that soared through him to speak coherently. Pulling her closer to him, Heero gently pressed his forehead against hers, his Prussian blue eyes staring into her bright blues. Tears spilled from her eyes, slowly trickling down her cheeks. With his other hand, he gently wiped them aside. Unable to take their eyes off each other, their faces leaned closer and closer until a sudden noise startled them.
"I'm sorry for ruining the moment," Selenity said apologetically.
A deep sigh managed to escape Heero as he glared at the moon goddess in exasperation. Usagi turned around slowly to look at her mother. Waves of mixed feelings flooded her senses, causing her to become speechless. She wasn't too sure how she felt towards her mother at the moment, much less what she would say. Heero put a protective arm around Usagi as she leaned into him, almost drawing strength from him. Selenity stared at her daughter with deep regret.
"I'm sorry for so many things, my child, including keeping you and the one you love apart," she offered simply.
"I… I'm just not sure if I can trust you anymore, Mother. You lied to me. You deceived me. You put me together with a man who… who hurt me," Usagi sobbed out. "You gave me fake memories. You told me nothing of the prophecy and what they would do to Heero. You will never understand what you put me through or how much that killed me." Heero wrapped his other arm around Usagi, pulling her closer as she looked at her mother tearfully as if begging for answers.
Selenity's eyes widened in shock and pain. What have I done?
"Usagi… I… I don't know what to say. I honestly thought at that point I was doing what's right. I saw what would happen to you if you and Heero were together. I didn't want to lose my only daughter."
"That wasn't your choice to make!" Usagi cried out passionately. "What kind of life would I have if I was with someone I didn't love? Would you have been happy seeing me live half a life with a man who tried to kill me?"
"I didn't know that, Usagi. I swear I didn't know. The gods must've left me out of the loop about the entity they created. I knew they would try to harm either you or Heero. I… I selfishly convinced them to destroy him. I didn't guess for a moment that they would use Endymion. I didn't know. I… I thought they would just put Heero away somewhere. I didn't think they would actually kill him," Selenity offered brokenly.
"We were a threat to their existence, Selenity. If we had known everything right from the start, I would've taken Usagi with me and hidden some place safe," Heero interjected quietly.
"I don't think I can ever forgive you. All the lies… all the deceit that you put me through… all the suffering… all I ever wanted was a normal life. I only wanted to be with the man I loved. I guess it was too much to ask for, huh?" She shot out cynically. "I want to go home. Home with Heero." Usagi pulled out from Heero's arms and walked away. (AN: Somewhat ironic statement, but you know what I mean! ^-^)
Heero looked at Selenity with an odd mix of compassion and anger. "All she ever wanted was the truth, but you couldn't even give that to her. Usagi may come around some day and forgive you, though I wouldn't count on that for a while." He nodded in Selenity's direction before running after Usagi.
Selenity stared out emptily at the view by the hilltop. She had tried to save her daughter, but she only succeeded in driving Usagi away. "I'm so sorry my child. I feel your pain, more than you'll ever know. For my past wrongs, I can give you that dream that you've always longed for." She whispered softly as she closed her eyes in tears. Somewhere off in some other dimension, the Guardian of Destiny smiled in approval.
***************************************************
Conclusion
"USAGI!!! I can't believe you! You're going to be soooo late!" Minako yelled out as she attempted to hurry one very late silvery blonde-haired girl.
"I know, I know!" Usagi screamed back, gathering as much of her dress up in her arms as possible as she sped down the little path to the church.
As they finally made it to the back door, they were greeted by a group of extremely annoyed women.
"I should've known better than to let you watch out for our odango atama," Rei grumbled around a mouthful of pins, while trying to put up the curls that had tumbled loose.
"Mina-chan! How could you?" Makoto berated along with a disapproving Ami.
"Koneko-chan," Haruka remarked with an amused note. "Late for your own wedding even."
Hotaru had reverted back to her ten-year old self. Dressed prettily in light lavender, her eyes shone reverently at Usagi.
"Three boys, and one girl. You look so pretty today! Heero won't know what hit him!"
A chorus of gasps and chokes greeted her, staring with open-mouthed shock.
"Hota-chan!!!" Michiru cried out, unable to believe her ears.
"Breathe, Usagi! BREATHE!! Heero won't like it if he finds his wife-to-be unconscious!!" Rei encouraged while pounding Usagi on her back.
"Three… boys… one girl…" Usagi panted, somewhat sounding like she was in labour at the moment, dragging in deep breaths to try to save her oxygen deprived brain.
Makoto and Minako were standing there, bubbling with mirth, giggles threatening to escape. Finally, it erupted, exploding out of them with a great force.
"THREE boys, ONE girl, and one busy couple!" Makoto shrieked in laughter.
"And you look so pretty today!" Minako chortled.
A normally stoic Ami sat there amidst the madness before she doubled over in laughter too.
"Hota-chan! No more secrets for today, ne?" Haruka chided gently, even though she was grinning herself.
Hotaru's smile was all innocence. "What did I say?"
***************************************************
Heero felt as if his heart would explode out of his chest at the moment. Usagi was late! She couldn't have changed her mind, could she? She wouldn't do that. She couldn't. I don't think I could stand it. Suddenly, he was jolted from his thoughts as the braided Gundam pilot slapped his back heartily.
"Out of all of us, I never imagined that you would be the first of us to get married. Married!" Duo exclaimed, looking amazed at the concept.
"Don't worry. Your turn will come," Heero responded, thinking of a certain blond-haired, blue eyed woman who seemed to get into as much trouble as Duo did.
"She's showing up. I know she will. Knowing Usagi-chan, she's probably running behind schedule," Duo reassured with a wry grin.
"You think maybe she's still mad about the way I proposed?" (AN: Woah! Heero! You talk so much now!)
"The picnic was sweet, and on a hilltop to boot. How romantic," Duo mumbled while rolling his eyes. "Carrying the biggest picnic basket I've ever seen though," he remembered thoughtfully.
"Which brings me to my question, Maxwell. How is it that you and the gang just happened to be there?" Heero demanded with a glare as Duo flushed and squirmed under the intensity of Heero's gaze. "It wouldn't be that a certain nosy braided pilot happened to find the ring I was going to give Usagi, and then just happen to share the information with everyone?"
"Hey! It wasn't this nosy braided pilot for once," Duo retorted defensively.
"Nani?!"
"Where's the baka onna? Isn't there supposed to be a wedding today?" Wufei grumbled as he made his way over to the altar, ignoring the exclamations of "how rude" from the guests.
Heero narrowed his gaze on Wufei as he suddenly pointed his hand right at the black-haired pilot.
"What?" Heero said with a smirk. "You didn't think I'd bring a gun to my own wedding, did you?" He then began to chuckle at the looks of astonishment on his friends' faces.
"Oh, he got you good, Wu-man."
"For the last time, Maxwell, it's Wufei, NOT Wu-man! You're just jealous because I found out about Heero's proposal first, saw the ring, and got all sorts of favours from the girls as they wanted to find out what it was going to look like." Wufei retorted smugly. Then a look of dismay crossed his face as he observed one not-very-happy groom glaring at him. Duo snickered at Wufei's expression.
"Confession signed, sealed, delivered!"
"Omae o korosu… after my honeymoon." Wufei breathed a silent sigh of relief and made a mental note to keep a low profile once Heero was back.
Heero grinned to himself as he remembered how he proposed. They had been sitting under a tree in the park, and Usagi had completely devoured the contents of the picnic basket. She snuggled up to him contentedly as he wrapped his arms around her. Suddenly remembering what he was there for, he reached behind his back and pulled out a box as he slowly moved away.
"It's going to happen!" A loud whisper resembling Mina's came from the tree.
"SHHH!!! They can hear us, you know." Duo berated just as loudly. "What the…?!" He exclaimed suddenly as he lost his hold on the branch. His flailing arms grabbed the closest pair of legs nearby, causing a "domino effect".
Without warning, a group of people tumbled from the tops of tree, previously hidden by the foliage. They landed in a tangled mess, narrowly missing hitting the not-so-happy couple. Usagi stood up, fuming at the group. Eyes flashing, she yelled at them.
"You bakas! I can't believe you guys would spy on such a big moment! Now you've ruined it!!" Seven faces flushed in embarrassment, cowed by her fury. She suddenly noted two faces attempting to blend into the mess of bodies. "And even you, Haruka?? Ami?!"
"Koneko-chan…" Haruka said placatingly.
An ear-piercing wail emerged from Usagi's throat as she burst into tears and ran away from them. The men merely widened their eyes, before one of them suddenly regained enough wits to go chase after her.
"I didn't know such a sound was possible from a human," Quatre mumbled as the girls grinned at him.
"Okay, nobody move! Whoever's hand is there, pull it slowly away, unless you're a girl, and available." Duo exclaimed. Much to his disappointment, the hand did indeed move away.
"Wufei, your face looks really red." Hotaru observed.
"NANI?!!" Duo yelled out as he tried to jump away from the crowd of people, only succeeding in creating a bigger tangle.
Amidst the tangle, one voice called out, "That better be a female touching me!!!"
Heero finally managed to catch up to Usagi. Grabbing her shoulders gently, he spun her around slowly. Her crystal blue eyes were filled with tears, causing his heart to wrench slightly. Taking her smaller hand into his, he began speaking.
"Tenshi, it's okay. I mean, yeah they're idiots for ruining the moment, but you have to admit, we should've anticipated it, right?" Glancing briefly at her, he realised she was still too upset. "If it'll make you feel better, I'll kill them." He said in all seriousness. Her eyes flew up quickly before she broke out in shaky laughter.
"Oh Heero…"
"Since meeting you, I've been a different person. I've discovered emotions, sides of myself that I never thought would exist. You brought it out. You made me a better person. Without you, I don't know what I would do."
Usagi felt more tears welling in her eyes as she listened to Heero.
"This wasn't exactly how I planned it, but…" He got down on one knee, and produced a beautiful ring. "It's not much but I'm hoping that my love for you will compensate. Will you marry me?"
Smiling beautifully through her tears, she replied, "Need you even ask? Yes, of course. Yes!" Flinging her arms around him, she kissed him passionately as he tumbled backwards onto the grassy hill.
"WOOHOO!!" Duo yelled out excitedly, only to groan loudly in pain moments later as Mina whacked him on the head.
"Baka," she admonished as she, along with the other women present, blinked back tears of happiness.
The music changed without warning as Heero glanced down the aisle expectantly. Hotaru stood there at the doorway, looking at him and smiling. The wedding was going to go through, Heero thought, feeling the tension slowly drain from his body. Time seemed to crawl by as Hotaru made her way to the front. He and Usagi had argued over how many bridesmaids to have at the wedding. If she had her way, all her friends would've been parading down it. And we would never get married at that rate, he thought wryly. With a wink, Hotaru moved towards the left. Then came a vision that Heero would remember for as long as he lived. Silvery-white curls were piled on top of her head as her veil trailed behind her. Her wedding gown was magnificent in its elegance. Ivory cap sleeves covering her shoulders, the dress hugged her upper body closely before flowing out, caressing her legs with each step she took. Tiny diamond earrings adorned her ears, as the matching necklace shimmered in the lights. Though he always found her beautiful, today, her radiance and beauty took his breath away.
A small smile touched her lips as she observed Heero's reaction. She had kept it a secret from him, dragging the girls from mall to mall, hunting for the perfect dress. Kami-sama, he looks so handsome today. He was dressed in a tuxedo, something she was not used to seeing him in. A charcoal bow fit snugly around his neck as the black jacket fit his broad shoulders to perfection. His hair was slightly tamed today, though it still hung over his deep blue eyes. Just the way I love it.
Aishiteru tenshi.
Aishiteru Heero.
She yearned to run to him though she fought hard to control herself. It seemed an eternity had passed before she made it to his side. As he held out his hand, she placed her hand in his. A strange tingle of electricity flowed between them, as it usually did when they touched. She had found it strange at first, but now she couldn't imagine being close to him without feeling that.
(AN: This is somewhat based on Christian weddings, but I opted to do a non-religious sort of theme. I'll do my best to make it as sappy as possible!)
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the joining of two people deeply in love in the presence of their friends." The minister stopped briefly, looking indulgently at the couple who stood in front of him, with only eyes for each other. "Who has the rings?"
"I do," Hotaru called out softly as she stood beside them.
"Marriage is a commitment, a pledge to share the rest of your lives with the one you love. You have chosen the other to explore the journey of life, to experience the happiness and sadness that it has in store for the both of you. Do you, Yuy Heero, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
"Do you, Tsukino Usagi, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
Reaching over, Heero took one of the rings and placed it slowly on Usagi's finger. Eyes never leaving her face, he promised, "With this ring, I pledge my love and commitment." Her eyes shone with tears and happiness as her trembling fingers placed the other ring on Heero's finger. "With this ring, I pledge my love and commitment."
Loud sniffles could be heard coming from the front row.
"By the power vested in me, and as witnessed by your friends, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now… ahem!" The minister cleared his throat at the newly weds who had apparently long since forgotten the existence of the rest of the world as they kissed.
"It's so beautiful," Rei murmured as she dabbed the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief. Wufei sat next to her, blinking rapidly, trying to hold his emotions back. Mina, spying his attempts to be subtle, poked him and giggled.
"Are you crying, Wu-chan?" She teased, only to stiffen up slightly in fear as Wufei glared at her. With Duo at the front, he had thought he would get a break. Now this blond seemed to making it her life mission to taunt him.
"Did you say something, you weak onna?" He yelled as his eyes mysteriously dried up.
"Hey, you leave her alone, Wu-man!" Duo shouted from the altar.
"My name is NOT Wu-man," Wufei bit out through clenched teeth.
The minister stared in open-mouth amazement, wondering what on earth had happened. He had a couple who could not take their eyes (or their hands) off each other and a fight that was threatening to break out.
"Excuse me," he called out politely, only to be ignored as the rising din drowned him out. "PEOPLE!!!!"
Everyone fell silent as they turned around to stare at him. Heero and Usagi finally pulled away from each other, a slightly dazed look on their faces before flushing in embarrassment.
"I now present to you, Mr and Mrs Yuy."
Happy and a few tear-filled faces greeted them as they walked back down the aisle. Unbeknownst to them, a figure hovered close by, a sad smile on her lips.
"All my love to you, my daughter."
Usagi stopped suddenly, turning back to glance at the altar.
"Something wrong?" Heero asked, concern written on his face.
"Iie. I could've sworn I felt somebody back there," she said as she shrugged. Placing her hand behind his neck, she pulled his face in closer for a kiss.
"I love you, Mr. Yuy."
With a crooked grin that tugged the corner of his lips, he replied, "I love you, Mrs. Yuy" before kissing his wife with a passion that astounded those who knew him.
"There goes our perfect soldier," Duo commented wryly. "And the first of us single fellows to go!"
"You'll join his ranks soon enough, baka." Wufei retorted.
"No way! I'm going to remain single. Ahhh the freedom to…" Duo trailed off as he was distracted by Mina walking by Makoto.
"You were saying?" Wufei smirked.
***************************************************
A little girl ran towards him, tears brimming from her deep blue eyes. Her platinum blond hair trailed behind her as she flung herself at him. With a slight grimace, he picked her up as he felt the tremors shaking her little body.
"Which one is it this time, musume-chan?"
"Hiroki," she hiccuped as she referred to his oldest son.
All his three sons were natural born troublemakers. Not unlike their mother, he thought wryly.
"BOYS!" He roared as a thundering of footsteps could be heard entering the room.
Three young faces looked at him guiltily. Hideki and Takashi, the twins, were already causing much havoc at the age of five. Both had blond hair and blue eyes just like Usagi did. Hiroki stood with his back straight, almost as if he knew he was in trouble. Dark brown hair fell and covered his deep blue eyes.
"What did I tell you about bullying your little sister?" He berated, as his three-year old daughter sniffled in his arms.
"It wasn't bullying! I didn't mean it. Hideki and Takashi wanted to see if the wrestling moves Haruka-sama showed me would beat the ones Wu-sama showed them. Then, Sora came along and she wanted to play."
He sighed in exasperation. Haruka and Wufei. From now on, those two were only going to be allowed supervised visits with his sons.
"Heero?"
He turned around to see his wife, waddling towards them. She was almost seven months pregnant. They had teased Hotaru mercilessly about being wrong. Hotaru merely shrugged when she was confronted. "I wasn't wrong. I just told you three boys and one girl. That was as much as I saw at that age. How was I to know that you were this active? I can't account for all activities you know."
"Kaasan!" The children chorused as they hugged their mother tight.
"You're getting bigger, kaasan." Sora chirped brightly.
Heero cringed inwardly. 5…4…3…2…1
"WAAAAAH!" Usagi wailed as she ran off as fast as she could in her current state.
"Sora-chan, what did I tell you about your mother being sensitive about her weight?"
"What's sensitive?"
"You don't tell her she's getting bigger, baka onna." Hiroki rolled his eyes. Heero glared at his son, causing him to back up slightly.
"We're going to have a little talk about how much time Wufei spends with you boys. In the meantime, look after your sister."
Sora's eyes became wider as she glanced at her brothers.
"Hiroki-niisan, what's this bright thing here?" She asked as she pointed towards a light glowing in the palm of her right hand.
"Nani?!" He exclaimed. "I thought Wu-sama said girls weren't supposed to get those powers too."
Giggling in delight, she observed the light float up from her right palm before bursting like a bubble. Then, Sora took off in the direction of her room. Her brothers merely stared at her in shock.
"We're going to have to watch her now. She's only three, and she can already do tricks!"
"At least she doesn't have a tail like you, Hiroki." Takeshi remarked.
***************************************************
Heero found Usagi in their bedroom with her back turned to him. Wrapping his arms around her (or at least somewhat around her), he held her close as she leaned against him.
"Did I tell you how happy you make me? And how much I love you?" He whispered in her ear. He felt her body tremble and shake a little as she turned around to face him.
"Probably as happy as you make me, and as much as I love you."
Gently tipping her chin upwards, he leaned forward to kiss her. As their lips touch, the familiar energy leapt between them, running through their blood. Suddenly feeling a motion from the region of Usagi's stomach, they sprang apart. Usagi giggled as she observed Heero's look of shock.
"I think this one's going to be feistier than the others," she remarked, much to her husband's dismay. Grinning, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face closer to hers. "You have to admit though, it's fun getting into trouble."
A smile crept on Heero's lips. "It sure is, tenshi. It sure is," he murmured before his lips descended upon hers with a love that did not fade in the past seven years but grew with a promise and intensity with each passing year. It would seem that the two destined lovers finally created their own destiny, one that allowed them to be together for as long as they should breathe. And perhaps much much longer after that.
***************************************************
Well minna-chan? What did you think? I can't believe I *finally* finished a story! This is soooo shocking! *giggles* I hope you weren't too disappointed with this. *prays and crosses fingers* I had a hard time coming up with a suitable ending. As I wrote more, I found myself creating more questions. I tried to end it as neatly as I could. And I know, it's not really a typical "happy" ending per se between Usagi and Selenity, but I just felt that it would take time for a person to forgive someone for such a big lie, even one as compassionate and loving as Usagi. That's just my take on things. And oh yeah, the entity/Mamoru deal? Even *I* didn't expect that ;) It came to me in a moment of utter madness at three a.m. in the morning (You should try talking to me then. I make no sense at that time of night). And I also chose to grant Usagi's wish to be normal, which explains why she has no memories. But it also leaves room for further exploration (me and my sequels), ne? *grins*
I have a few requests to ask my readers now. First of all, please review! Let me know what you liked about Unexpected Destiny, what you didn't, and what you would've wanted to see more of. Since this is my first completion of a big fic, I would like feedback to know what I can do for my next one! ;) This brings me to my second request. I'm thinking of working on the side story to His Touch – Usagi/Ryouga's Story. However, I haven't seen Ranma ½ in ages and I NEED help on this! If you know a lot about the various characters/interactions, please please write me at chibi_tenshi24@yahoo.com Also, I'm thinking of working on another story, which has the potential of being another mega huge fic. It will be a DBZ/SM crossover, and will feature some interesting twists (that I've figured out so far at least) and warping of timelines. And I've been *really* wanting to work on a sequel to Trunks and Usagi's Story as well! *giggles* So, another thing is, I need you readers to vote on which you would like to see first! Having said all that, thank you to all the wonderful reviewers who've been with me since Chapter 1 of Unexpected Destiny. You guys keep me going! Ja ne for now!