Disclaimer: I do not own any of the SM or DBZ characters in here.
Tenshi's Notes: Minna-chan! Well, here's the latest installment… despite one or two disgruntled reviews about the last chapter. You know, I'm going to say something that's been on my mind lately, and this will be the only time I address it. Try not to be negative, or attack me in your reviews. I always welcome constructive criticism but insulting me doesn't put me in a good mood. Despite the number of reviews going down, I still try to post relatively frequently, and I know I'm evil and hateful for cliffies. But see where I'm coming from. You work so hard on something you write, and you see the number of hits, but nobody likes it enough to write a simple review. I won't harp about it anymore like I said. If you like something you've read and this goes for ANY author's work, please, take 30 seconds out of your time, and tell them that.
Anyway, updates… due to lack of interest in the YYH/SM fic, I probably won't be continuing that one for a while.
Note to readers of Unforeseen: I have no intentions of finishing that fic. Gomen, I've dropped it due to several not so nice reviews about my style of writing, and overwhelming pressure to pair Goku and Usagi together. At the time I was writing it, I had written such a love triangle that I wasn't sure who would end up with her. BUT how was I supposed to pair somebody up with Trunks? I can't just pull someone arbitrarily out of a hat and just slap the two together. I like happy endings you see, so it was pretty tough for me to come up with something. For the sake of my sanity, I dropped it. I appreciate all those who have reviewed and followed it thus far. If things work out the way I hope it will, maybe some day I'll finish it. Demo, no further chapters will be posted.
This fic is almost done, and if things go as I planned, I'll be posting a new chapter for Goddess every three days or so. I'm devoting most of my time now fine tuning the details for Legacy, as well as two other co-author fics I'm working on. One is with my imouto-chan, Usa-chan… and it will be a FY/SM fic… with a spin like you cannot imagine. Another is a fic that I'm working on with BunnyS. And so far, it looks good ;)
To my usual chan's, thank you once again for everything. My other imouto-chan, Ivory, for having THE funniest reviews ever… *giggles* Really, she's almost had me fired so many times. Thanks to my wonderful reviewers who keep me going. And thank you for all your responses to "Reverof" (for a bittersweet fic, it has THE funniest reviews *giggles*)! To everyone else whom I've forgotten, gomen nasai! That's it for now… ja!
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Goddess: Chapter 8
"Trunks! I'm not an invalid!" Usagi protested weakly as he pushed her back on the bed once again.
"Do it for my peace of mind, okay? I don't think I can go through seeing you collapse again," He argued.
With a sigh, she leaned against the mountain of pillows that had been propped behind her head. Staring at the man she loved with a mixture of aggravation and tenderness, she pouted.
"Usagi…" He called out in warning as he sat on the bed, to the right of her. She knew him too well. He could never really resist any of her demands if she pouted like that. He felt himself weakening slightly. Don't… give…in! "If you're better by tomorrow, we'll go for a walk, okay?"
Usagi stuck her tongue out at him, knowing full well that he was right. She was weak, the attacks still occurring periodically. She had no clue as to what was going on. She had the sense that there was a sort of internal war happening in her body, and it probably had something to do with the entity. She had tried to communicate with it but all she ever received in response was the endless silence. She felt Trunks' strong yet gentle hands gently brush aside the lock of hair that had fallen over her eye and cupped her cheek. She rested her face against his hand, perplexed by what was going on with her, and what to do next. She had to return to her world, that much she knew. If she could, she would stay in this world, with Trunks and his parents.
"What's wrong?" Trunks asked, concern growing in his eyes.
Sighing, she shifted slightly and looked out the window. "I wish I knew what was going on. I always knew that I had other responsibilities but beyond that, I'm completely in the dark. Sometimes, I get these dreams…"
"What dreams?"
"Dreams about my past. I… I don't remember much about it. My dreams are always dark, hazy… and all I can hear are my own screams and flashes of needles." She shuddered in memory, and Trunks immediately wrapped his arms around her, offering her comfort. "When I came to your time, Setsuna had brought me there. She just looked at me with those sad eyes and said she could give me six months of normalcy. She apologized for the type of world she brought me to, but she said it was a place where I could help out. At first, I was stunned. I had never seen such destruction in my life. But then, I met you." She ended softly, turning around to look into his eyes.
Trunks felt as if his tongue was lost somewhere in his mouth. Those beautiful blue eyes stared at him with such trust and devotion.
Breaking away her gaze, she continued. "Setsuna can freeze time, but she could not keep it that way forever."
"The woman who beat me on the head with a stick?"
She giggled. "You went down pretty quickly. What happened to my big strong man?"
Somehow, Trunks managed to blush and look offended all at the same time. "She got me by surprise," he growled out, causing her to laugh even further.
"You sound so much like Vegeta-sama."
"Who's taking my name in vain?"
Both heads turned around to stare at the Prince of Saiyajins. Trunks believed that his poor system could not handle any more shocks for the day. His father was notorious for spending all day training, especially at this time. But here he was, gracing them with his presence. Usagi's face brightened at the sight of the surly Saiyajin.
"Vegeta-sama! You've come to visit?"
Vegeta grunted in response. "I wanted to see if you were still a weak woman."
Rather than taking offense, Usagi laughed at him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you cared or something."
To Trunks' immense shock, his father coloured slightly (only very slightly) before growling, "Shouldn't you be resting instead of talking?"
"You're just upset because I tickled you," she grinned mischievously.
This time, the slight colouring turned into a full-fledged flush as Vegeta's eyes widened, as he looked from Usagi to his son. Trunks chuckled, causing his father's deadly glare to shift towards him.
"Hnnph. I will get you when you feel better," he muttered, though his eyes had grown just a touch softer with paternal affection towards the blonde.
Her smile faltered as she felt something pass through her. It was different from the energy-absorbing attacks that had wracked her body. It was awareness of her sailor senshi. They were weakening severely, a disturbance within the order of the planets.
"What's wrong?" Both men asked simultaneously, noting the expression that had crossed her face.
"I have to go back. My senshi… they cannot fight without me. That much I know."
Vegeta stared at Usagi in shock, causing the blonde to giggle. "Gomen, Vegeta-sama. The expression on your face was funny." Her face sobered quickly before resuming. "I'm needed. I'm a warrior in my world… not like you or Trunks, but our powers come from our planets. In my past life, I was the Moon Princess."
Both men had no doubt in their mind that what she was saying was the truth. Trunks remembered how she looked bathed in the moonlight's glow as its beams worshipped her.
"It sounds crazy I know, but I am. I was destined to be with Prince Endymion during the Silver Millenium where my kingdom existed on the Moon. We were all unfortunately destroyed and my mother with the last of her strength sent us all to Earth, to be reborn and to have new lives."
Trunks' eyes darkened in jealousy as he thought of Usagi being with another man. He knew it was juvenile and disgustingly immature but he couldn't help it. Usagi tilted her head slightly to look at him, almost as if she could gauge his thoughts. Smiling gently, she reassured him. "I may have been a Moon Princess in my past life, but that's exactly it. It's in the past."
A thought occurred to him suddenly. "Who is Mamoru then?"
She sighed, not really knowing how to answer. "Mamoru was Prince Endymion," she replied, much to the dismay of Trunks.
"HIM?! That caped moron is your destined love????" He yelled.
"Was, you dolt. Setsuna erased my memories of you. I didn't know who you were," Usagi retorted.
"But… but…" He sputtered.
"I didn't exactly give myself to him, you know!" She shot out, causing Vegeta to chuckle.
"Morons," he commented as the infamous smirk crossed his lips. The twosome blushed, rivaling each other in the shades of red they could turn. "I think I will join the two of you on your trip back to Usagi's world. It will be amusing to see how the Earthlings fight in your world." Cracking and popping a few knuckles, he continued saying, "Plus, it's been a while since I've hit or killed anyone." Suddenly, his face frowned as an all-too-familiar ki approached. "Kakarotto…"
"Goku-san!" Trunks exclaimed, excited to see his friend.
"Trunks!" A man shouted before giving Trunks a healthy pounding on his back. "What are you doing back here? And who's this?" His black eyes took in the beautiful blonde propped up by the biggest stash of pillows on the bed, staring at him.
"This is Tsukino Usagi…" Trunks wasn't sure how to continue. What should he call her? Were they anything at this point?
"It's his woman," Vegeta added helpfully, causing Trunks to choke and Usagi to blush, though she made no move to deny it. Smiling at Goku, she noted an unmistakable air of friendliness about him. He was a bit taller than Trunks was, spikey black hair (though not as pointy as Vegeta-sama's) and gleaming black eyes.
"Goku-sama," she called out, bowing her head slightly.
Goku's eyes widened as he took a few steps back. "Vegeta's the prince, not me. Just call me Goku. Daijoubu ka, Usagi?"
She nodded, as she began getting out of bed, and having not been on her feet for a while, her legs ended up crumbling beneath her. Trunks managed to catch her though they both ended up on the ground. Vegeta stood over them (AN: Doesn't he feel tall for a change? ^-^), and began alternating yelling at Usagi for being a baka onna and Trunks for being the moron that let her get out of bed. Goku chuckled at the sight, rather amazed at Vegeta for behaving like a regular human. Grinning slightly, he went over and punched Vegeta in the arm, drawing his attention and allowing Trunks to help Usagi up.
"What the … what did you do that for, Kakarotto?" Vegeta snarled.
"You were in the way. You wouldn't want your poor daughter-in-law to lie on the cold ground would you?" Goku grinned.
A light beam flared in the palm of Vegeta's hand, alarming Usagi. "Don't tempt me…"
"Vegeta-sama!" She called out, her brows furrowed with worry. "Did Goku hurt you?" She asked innocently, watching in puzzlement as the Prince of Saiyajins turned an unhealthy shade of red. Trunks burst out in laughter before disguising it as a cough as his father glared at him. Goku chuckled as Bulma poked her head into the room.
"I bet my husband has something to do with this," she observed.
He turned and turned his death stare at his wife. "Woman, you are annoying me. I am going on a trip to stop the children from killing themselves. I don't want a scene from you."
Bulma fumed slightly before she decided to turn the tables on him. "Just means less cooking for me. Ja ne, honeypie."
This time, the room exploded in laughter.
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"I can feel your presence. You've grown much more powerful, haven't you my pet? You can't hide from me much longer," it said as an evil smile spread across its ugly purple lips.
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Setsuna watched from the shadows as the horror dawned upon her. Usagi was returning back to her world. The Master had sent his minions in an attempt to weaken her senshi and thus draw her out. The Outers had managed to hold them off for a bit, but even still, they were nothing without her. Nothing without Megami-sama. She had to stop him, and save Usagi, even if it meant sacrificing her life.
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Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru stood together, glancing at the sunset. A sudden breeze stirred the calm, foreshadowing the storm to come.
"They're all returning," Hotaru commented, her purple eyes scanning the horizon as if searching for someone.
"I can feel her presence, and other powerful ones as well."
Michiru turned to stare at her partner. "It's time" was all she said as they nodded in agreement.
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Minako jerked her head back in sudden awareness, startling the rest of the senshi.
"Gomen, gomen." She apologized, knowing full well that the girls were probably irritated with her at this point. She hadn't been able to concentrate and she was getting weird vibes, which was strange considering she was the Senshi of Love. Wasn't it supposed to be Rei's job? She felt the familiar energy flow through her, somehow feeling connected to Usagi at that very moment.
I'm coming home, minna-chan. I'm coming home.