The Daughters of Fate
Part 2: The Beauty of Love
By Max-chan
Author's Notes: Okee dokee, here's the next installation to my Sailormoon fic. In case anyone is wondering, this IS a crossover with Ranma 1/2. A few things first though, in this version, I changed the battle scene in the silver millenium a little bit and I altered the timeline a bit but everything will work out. Oh yeah, sorry for the spelling and grammer mistakes but bare with me here, I'm still working on it. Okay, enjoy now.
Disclaimers: Sailormoon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
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The Queen of Venus smiled happily as she walked into the large Throne Room. She hugged the other Inner Queens who were just as pregnant as she and watched the people crowd around a beautiful silver crib. She knew who was in the crib. *The Great Prophesized one Princess of the Moon Kingdom Sarenity...* she thought sarcastically and disdainfully. *Well...* she though haughtilly *...my daughter shall be just as beautiful and everyone will fawn over her...*
Plastering a fake smile onto her lips, the Queen of Venus walked over to the crowd of people. She looked over and saw the two 7-year-old Outer Senshies, Uranus and Neptune along with the Guardian of Time stand amongst the Shadows. She sneered at the two children and continued on her way. The Senshi of Saturn was born a couple weeks ago on the same day as the Moon Princess, but nobody threw her a party. *And nobody should...* the Venus Queen thought *...Saturn, the most powerful senshi besides the Moon. Ha! She'll grow up to be just like her ugly, no-class mother. Just like those other two brats too, look down their nose at me! I'll give birth to the most beautiful senshi and she'll marry the most powerful King and then I'll show Salenity what she can do with her Moon Kingdom...*
As she neared the crib the crowd parted and people whispered at the Queen of Venus's legendary beauty which only caused the Queen's ego to boost more.
The Venus Queen reached the Moon Queen, a beautiful, radiant baby girl in her arms. The baby girl had magnificent glowing skin and curling dark, silver, glittering hair and large silver eyes that seemed like unendable depths.
"Why, Salenity, this must be the wonderful, legendary Princess Sarenity! Why she's absolutely adorable, may I hold her?" the Queen of Venus, Varisan, purred in a syrupy tone.
Giving the Venuisan Queen a soft smile, Salenity handed her pride and joy over. As soon as Princess Sarenity was in Varisan's arms she felt a warmth overcome her and her senses became more acute. The lights and colors seemed to be brighter and the room seemed magical, a soft song playing in her mind. Varisan felt a happiness overwhelm her, not knowing where it came from the Queen of Venus immediatly handed the Princess back to her mother.
The lights, colors, music, and magic ended abruptly like a tight-wound rope cut swiftly.
As Varisan smiled and walked away from the crowd she placed a hand on her bulging stomach and whispered harshly, "You are going to be beautiful, you hear me? I will not accept anything less then that!" And the Venuisan Queen received no less then beauty.
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Varisan screamed in agony and cursed at her awful fate as she gave birth to her only daughter. When the labor was over and the sweet sound of a new-born baby was heard, everyone in the palace sighed in relief.
"Bring her over here! Bring her over here!" the Queen repeated, anxious.
Extremely happy at the healthy baby girl she delivered, the mid-wife brought the baby girl over to her mother.
Looking in shock at her daughter, Varisan asked desperatly, "Where is her hair? Why is her face scrunched up like that? She looks slimy and like a lizard. That can not possibly be my daughter, the princess of Venus!"
"B-but your majesty," the mid-wife stammered, "All babies look that way when they are first born. Her hair will grow and she will also."
Tightening her lips, the Queen spat, "Did the Moon Princess look this way when she was first born?"
The mid-wife opened her mouth, but it was dry, "N-no, your majesty, but that is a special exception."
"Is my daughter not a special exception? Take her from my sight until she can be something that is worth looking at," the Queen sneered turning away her own new-born. Strangely, as only the mid-wife noticed, the new senshi of Venus, the Princess stopped crying at that moment and looked at her mother with what almost seemed like regret and pain.
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The 4-year-old Venus, as was her name, entered the Palace library, her long yellow dress dragging behind her tiny, dirt-clad feet. Her beautiful dress had dirt and mud on it and her short, golden-hair was tangled and messed, but she still held an adorable sight.
The Palace librarian, Sasami, looked up from her reading glasses to see her Princess enter. She smiled indulgently at the child, Venus was like a daughter to her since the little Princess spent most of her time at the Palace library even though she didn't know how to read.
Venus smiled up at the librarian and looked down as she blushed. Sasami's smile got even wider, the Princess was alsways so shy.
"Sasami," the Princess said so soft, Sasami almost couldn't hear it.
"Yes, Venus?" the librarian asked in fake curiosity. The child most likely ripped a page in one of the picture books and was feeling guilty about it.
"Sasami...I want to..." Venus continued, although her words seemed unable to escape her small lips.
"Yes..." Sasami gave a slight verbal push.
Quickly, Venus said in a rush, "Sasami, I want to learn how to read."
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The 7-year-old child plopped down on her favorite chair in her library. Yes, she considered it her library since she was the only one to use it. The chair was an old, dusty, cushiony, oversized red one with no fluffs and was pretty hard to sit on, but Venus thought it was perfect. Venus's shoulder-length golden-spun hair was wrapped in a tight bub/ponytail at the top of her head to keep it away from her eyes. Golden-rimmed glasses adorned her lovely blue eyes and a long, comfotorable, old yellow dress adorned her body.
Stacks of books aurrounded her chair and one was plopped in her lap. The books from this library weren't like any other though. They wewre books made in the past, the present, and even books that will be published in the far future. Venus especially loved mysteries and romance, but just about any book about anything will please her and keep her interested for days.
Smiling she turned to Sasami and gave her an thumbs up. Turning back into her chair she took out some clear tape and taped back the first addition to Little Women which she ripped by reading it and trying to train at the same time. Bad combination. Biting her lip, Venus continued her taping.
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The sun shined brightly down on the ten-year-old Princess Venus in her garden. She was bending over the future book, "War and Peace" as she sat on the stones outlining a large plant in the garden. Her hair was in it's usual tihght ponytail and she wore her regular yellow over-sized dresses.
Suddenly, sensing afigure approaching Venus looked up to see her maid rush towards her.
"Princess, Princess, come quickly,m the Queen wishes to see you!" the maid screamed. Venus's small eyebrows scrunched in confusion and horror. Through her ten-years of growing up she only saw her beautiful mother through the hallways. Rushing quickly, she stood up and ran towards the throne room, a forgotten book lying in the dirt and mud.
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The Venuisan Queen, Varisan, looked up as the door opened and her daughter rushed in. Assessing the girl, the Queen noted her imperfections and decided quickly then and there what to change and mold. She really didn't want to look at this girl that seemed to refuse to be as beautiful as Sarenity, but time was running out. Soon, Venus must be sent ot protect and train with the Moon Princess and the other Princesses and senshi. She must make this girl presentable.
"You called me mother?" Venus asked excitedly, looking in awe at her mother, the magnificent woman on the thrown. Oh, how she wanted to be like her when she grew up.
"Yes, you will soon be sent to the Moon Princess and become a senshi as you must know by now. I have to make you at least presentable to be brought into public. First thing to change, you must stop these frequent visits to the Palace library. The Royal Princesses do not spend their times reading and such, that is only for Mercury. Understand?"
A fear crept up the young child's back as she cried out, "But surely, I can read sometime when I am not busy?!"
"No!" the Queen said firmly, her strict voice vibrating around the large room, "You can not read books again until I allow you too or say you must."
Crying the Princess yelled out before running out of the room, "You can't change me! I'm not like other Princesses! I don't want to sit around and look pretty so I can catch a good husband! You can't take away my books!"
Smiling maliciously, Varisan said, "We'll see about that."
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That night Venus woke up to the smell of smoke and her intuition told her something was terribly wrong. Panic coursed through her veins as she rushed toward the door and tried opening it only to find it locked.
"Someone! Oh, please someone, please open the door!" she screamed, her panic escalating.
"Princess, you are awake?" the sound of her maid came through the other side of the door.
"Oh, oh, is that you Nanette? Please open the door, something is wrong!" Venus said in hope and desperation.
"I...I can't Princess. The Queen will not allow it," Nanette said aoftly, almost in apology.
"You know what is wrong, don't you, Nanette? Oh, please tell me! I can't stand it!" the Princess cried.
"The...the library..." Nanette choked out.
The world came tumbling down around the ten-year-old child. Unknown strength came through her as she jerked at the door and broke it down. Pushing her maid aside she ran down out across the garden towards the library building.
The sight she came to broke her child heart.
The library was in flames, dark black smoke curling up from it like evil claws, choking the Princess. Instead of trying to put it out, the guards were only trying to keep it from spreading to the other buildings. Venus fell to her knees and cried and sobbed.
Her library...her sanctuary...gone...As a child she had no mother, no friends, no family, the library and it's books replaced those things. The comfy red chairs were her bed. The celing was her roof. The books her food, water, and air. They were her comfort in her time of need, her strength when she needed it. Now it was gone. A cold hand sudenly clamped itself down on her shoulders.
Looking up, Venus looked into her mother's cold unfliching eyes and for the first time she didn't see a shining goddess there. All her life, the Princess had put her mother on a pedastal, a shining goddess to be admired from afar, but now, now she saw her mother for who she really was...a malicious, terrible human. Varisan no longer looked so beautiful in her daughter's eyes, she looked almost...ugly. The light that sheltered her true form from her child's eyes dimmed and faded out forcing Venus to face the truth.
Defeated, Venus sighed and said, "I give up. Make me, mold me, change me anyway you want to. I don't care anymore. My life is gone."
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During the three months ahead, Varisan made Venus into a shining, radiant blonde beauty with long thick golden hair and wonderful eyes not hidden by glasses. Venus walked like a Princess, giggled like a Princess...and thought like a princess. Soon, the small child came to believe that she really was this way...this no-brain girl who wnated no more in life then to look pretty and land a cute, powerful husband in the future. Venus didn't know that she lost herself during those three months.
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Princess Sarenity fidgeted beside her mother as they stood waiting in front of the space portal. Her mother had told her earlier that the first of her sailor senshi, the Princess Venus was to arrive today. Sarenity was told to be on her best behavior today.
Suddenly, a yellow light enveloped the portal and after it faded a beautiful lady and girl stood there. The ten-year-old bunny Princess watched in awe at the magnificent tall lady with flowinbg blonde hair and the little Princess beside her. Venus wore a long yellow dress and jewels sprakled around her. Her golden spun blonde hair was long and thick as her large blue eyes wandered curiously around the room before landing on the other Princess.
Varisan pasted on a large grin and went over to give the Moon Queen a polite but non-affectionate hug.
"Oh, Salenity, darling, it's been too long. How are you doing? Is this little Sarenity?" The 10-year-old Moon Princess looked up at the beautiful lady that stared maliciously down at her and she had to suppress a shudder. Suddenly, this lady wasn't so beautiful anymore.
"Hello, Varisan," Salenity said warmly.
"Have you seen my daughter, Venus? Venus, come over here, sweety," Varisan said, her voice dripping with sugar as she pushed her daughter forward for inspection.
"Isn't she just beautiful, Salenity? Now, Venus, you and Sarenity go and play now while Mommy discuss business with the Moon Queen," Varisan said as she pushed Venus and Sarenity out the hallway and shut the door.
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"Is that really your mother?" Sarenity asked, then immediatly blushed at her directness.
"Yeah," Venus sighed.
Sarenity looked at the other girl and smiled as she knew she had found a kindred spirit...the second one since her friend Saturn.
"Hi," she smiled shyly, "My name's Sarenity but you can call me Sere. What's your name?"
Putting her nose up in the air, Venus did a graceful curtsy as she said, "The Royal Crown Princess Venus of the 2nd Moon Alliance Planet Venus of the Inner Solar System also known as the future 2nd in command of the Sailorscouts, Sailor Venus." Sere stared in open-mouthed, wide-eyed wonder as she said, "Wow..."
Grinning, Venus stood up again and she giggled, "How did I do?" Seeing, the mischevious sparkle in the other girl's eyes, Sere smiled and said, "Wonderful." and in that one word a friendship was born.
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The 14-year-old girl glided down the hallway, her high-heeled diamond shoes clicking on the palace hallway. Her thick, beautiful blonde hair was tied with a white ribbon and she wore a long flowing gown of pure white. Her laughing blue eyes held laughter and their was an odd bubbly bounce to her step. A long white purse swung happily from her hand.
As she neared the Moon Palace library doors, the blonde head popped into the doorway before her entire body was in the doorframe. She looked at the blue-haired beauty with thick glasses reading a *very* large book, other books surrounding her.
Scrunching her nose in distaste and dropping her purse onto the table, the bubbly blonde laughed, "C'mon Mer-chan, let your books go for a moment. We have to go choose a dress for the ball tonight. Oh I can't wait! Just think, cute princes from everywhere will be there and you should see my dress, Mer-chan! It's yellow with beautiful diamonds hanging off of it. Mer-chan? Mer-chan? Are you listening to me?"
Mercury snapped out of her intent concentration on what she was reading and smiled as she took off her glasses. Standing up and looping her arm with Venus's arm, she said, "Yeah, wonderful, now let's go, Sere and the others are probably waiting for us."
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Venus ran into the library as she snapped on her golden earings. She wore an elegant yellow dress with a slit on the side and a curvy V cut in the front. Sighing she walked over to the table where she had dropped her purse earlier that day. Picking up her purse, Venus noticed the book Mercury had been reading earlier. Closing the big book, BVenus read the title in gold letters, "War and Peace..."
A feeling of deja vu hit her and suddenly Venus looked once again through the eyes of a 6-year-old in her library...of a tiny girl reading in her garden...reading in her chair...of a heartbroken child broken apart and built again by her mother's own hands...
Giving a choked sob, Venus spun around and looked at the mirror above the library doorway and what she saw broke her heart once again. A beautiful, regal blonde golden Princess adorned in jewels...her large blue eyes hidden behind long dark lashes... magnificent...beautiful...fake...
Behind those blue eyes held not the joy they once held when she opened a new book or read a new chapter...only a dull fake happiness of superficial things...that hair...that long mane of golden hair...a cover...a curtain on the fears that she never had before...fear that she wasn't beautiful enough...fear that she wasn't good enough...fear that all she had to hold onto and recommend her was her beauty...what happened to her confidence? To how she used to walk not with a forced skip...but with a truly cheerful and optimistic look on life...
What happened to her?
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With a lift of her chin, Venus ran out of the library and into the kitchen...a place she rarely went. Pulling out the drawers, she grabbed a large pair of sheers and with a quick, indifferent swipe, the sheers cut across her breathtaking mane...the golden curtain fell away... floating to the floor...lifeless...
Next came her wonderful, expensive dress until it was considered nothing but rags. The jewels came off then...diamonds...earings...gold...
Venus ran outside into the Palace garden and grabbed a handful of dirt and mud smearing it over her dress, face, and hair.
Her dirt face was streaked with tears of bitterness and pain. Lies...lies...oh how she hated the lies...what was she? Dazed and confused, Venus felt the Palace walls close in around her and she started to sufocate. All she knew was that she had to get out of here...out of the place where her lie had been acted out...where the Princess of Venus was...where her mother was...
She couldn't go to any of the inner planets because someone would surely spot her and take her back and she was too afraid to ever visit the Outer Planets unaided. There was only one planet close enough but wasn't in the Moon Alliance...the forbidden barbaric planet...
...Earth...
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Malachite slicked back his thick white hair as he grinned at his perfect 18-year-old image in the mirror. With a flip, he slid the comb back into his general's outfit back pocket.
"Off to the village again, Casanova?" a voice joked behind him and Malachite turned around and frowned at the three grinning guys.
"Funny, Jed. Now, where's Endymion?" he asked and the one called Jed shrugged as he said, "Off to train I guess. Said he wanted to be alone. I say he's in the village visiting the village girls just like you're about to do." With a sarcastic smile, Malachite patted Jed's shoulder, "Don't be jealous. They'll like you when you grow up and stop putting spiders in their hair while their sleeping."
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"Good afternoon, Lord Malachite," a shopkeeper said and Malachite smiled at him in greeting before continuing on down the path. The Marketplace was crowded at this time, full of buyers, sellers and traders. Of people performing and people eating. Seeing the jeweler's dark-haired, pretty, popular daughter, Bethy Sue standing by a wall with her friends, Malachite grinned and walked over.
The girls surrounding Bethy Sue scattered away like hens as he approached and Bethy mock curtsied as she said, "Good Afternoon, Lord Malachite."
He went over to stand next to her by the wall and his tall form casted a shadow over hers, "Well, hi to you too Bethy. How are you doing?" Bethy blushed prettily at his nearness and smiled, "Okay, I guess."
Malachite gave her one of his heart-melting smiles and the girl was momentarily dazzled but the deep sound of the baker's shout broke their concentration.
"Give me back that loaf of bread, you little thief before I cut your guts out!" the baker's baritone voice shouted, but a child's tone screeched out, "Let go of me!"
"I'm sorry, Lord Malachite but I have to go," Bethy said quickly and dashed off before Malachite could get a word in otherwise. With a low growl, Malachite ran to where the crowd was and edged his way into the middle.
There, stood the tall, overbearing baker clutching tightly to the thin arm of a sooty, dirty little boy in large pants and a large shirt along with a large cape. The boy's face was hidden from view but Malachite caught glimpses of dirty brown, clumpy hair.
Walking over, he yealled out, "What's wrong?"
The boy turned to him then and Malachite stopped in surprise and shock. Behind long, dark lashes were a pair of large, startling crystal blue eyes that was like clear blue water.
"This brat stole my loaf of bread, Lord Malachite," the baker said humbly, but the little boy turned back to the baker and yelled out, "No, I didn't! I gave you that diamond watch for it!"
"Let me see this...watch..." Malachite said and the baker grudgibly handed over a very strange, unique diamond item. It was no mistake that that thing, whatever it was...was encrusted in diamonds and jewels...but it was like nothing he had ever seen before. It was a round object with one side made of diamond glass. Inside were strange numbers and two stick thingies that pointed at the numbers along with a third one that moved.
Putting it up, Malachite questioned the boy, "What is this?"
Instead of bowing meekly, the kid had the audicity to hold up his head and say in a haughty tone, "That's a watch. It tells time." The crowd burst into laughter and the kid looked around confused as though he didn't know what the joke was.
Handing the 'watch' back to the kid, Malachite took out three gold coins and gave it to the baker, "Here, that should be enough to pay for the bread and more." The baker nodded as he grumbled and walked back to his stall. The crowd dispersed and the Prince's first general looked down at the little munchkin boy that pouted with a bottom lip that was too red and magnificent to be given to a male.
Shaking his head of his thoughts, Malachite asked, "So, are you hungry? I know a place near by where we can eat." The boy appeared in indecision a second before his growling stomach made the deciaion for him.
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The white-haired guy looked in wide-eyed amusement at the plates and bowls on the table while the boy continued to eat ferociously from a large bowl.
"So...um...what's your name?" Malachite asked casually, trying to initiate some form of conversation with the weird kid.
"Vensghh," the kid said through a mouthful.
"Huh?"
"I said, Venny," the kid replied.
"Oh, well, Venny, how old are you? 13? 14?" Malachite asked in true curiosity as he looked closer at the boy, noting for the first time subtle things that other wouldn't notice... the slight, haughty lift of the nose...the way the boy kept his eyes downcast whenever possible and added a gruff tone to his voice.
Uncomftorable under the older guy's scrutiny, Venny shifted about and said as he kept his eyes and face averted, "Ahem...14...I'm 14."
"Venny...there's something weird about you...let's get you cleaned up," the general said suspiciously and Venny's eyes widened considerably before he answered, "Oh no, um... I have to go anyway...I'll see you...thank you..." With that, the kid rushed out of the resteraunt, Malachite chasing after him in a determined run.
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Out of breath, Malachite leaned over slightly to breathe in large gulps of air. When he looked up again, he saw the kid standing on a hill not faraway from him...his eyes wide with shock and surprise...his hands in the air. The white-haired general sucked in his breath...those eyes...those damn eyes...they were large, liquid blue orbs of such promise...too dangerous and daring...
Before Malachite knew what had happened, the kid ran over to him, grabbed his face between his tiny hands...and kissed him! But as soon as those soft, pouty, sweet lips touched his...Malachite knew Venny was really a girl. After awhile, Venny pulled back, sucked in her breath...and ran back to the top of the hill. Today seemed a day for surprises since a yellow light came down from the sky and before Malachite knew what had exactly happened...Venny was gone...and all proof that he was ever there...laid on the lips of an awed general...
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When Venus returned back to the Moon she pretended like she was before... because she knew her mother would do whatever it took to make her that way...but she also became more then what she was...she smiled more...she laughed more...there was a true optimistic bounce to her step...and when she knew nobody was looking, she asked Ami to take her to the library...only the senshi knew about her secret...and they loved her even more for it...of course, time passed and years went on and Venus grew until the night of the fateful ball that ruined it all...
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"You jerk! Come back here!" Venus cried as the Dark One ran away, laughing all the while through the garden. Picking up her shoe...Venus threw it but missed and she crossed her arms with a 'humph'. She had been set up with the Dark One just like the others had been...but all he did was insult her...insult her intelligence...her looks...everything...until she couldn't take it anymore and chased him...a very bad beat down intent on her mind...
"Excuse me, miss, is this your shoe?" a deep, laughing voice said behind her and Venus turned around saying in annoyed tone, "No, that is not my shoe. My shoe is over th-" but she didn't get to finish for what she saw just simply...stunned her. There stood a tall, very handsome guy in a completly white tuxedo...his hair was white as well. His grin was dryly amused and from one of his fingers hung her dainty golden slipper.
Malachite's smile slipped and he tempoairly forgot to breathe. There in front of him stood a pissed off, very gorgeous beauty with her hands crossed. She had long hair that could in no way be put into the term blonde...it was more then that...it was the sun emboddied in long streaks of silk...shining and thick...reflecting all the joy in the world. Her eyes were so very achingly familiar...eyes that had haunted his days and nights for years...dark blue, crystal clear, liquid joy eyes that shouted to him and demanded attention from the beholder. Her magnificently molded body was covered with a long, yellow silky dress.
They stood there for awhile, both too stunned to speak...but when Malachite finally got his voice back he had to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, "You remind me of a boy." Not exactly the right, suave thing to say to a girl who's just been through all the insults possible. With a grumble about how 'all guys were alike', Venus three her hands in the air and headed off.
Seeing his folly, Malachite grabbed her elbow and turned her around as he turned on his most devastating smile.
"What I mean to say was," he bowed deeply before getting up and grinning, "I would be honored if you will grant me your next dance."
Venus nodded dumbly and barely registered the fact that he pulled her closer into his arms...and his warmth...they danced to a slow waltz and she glided elgantly in his arm... after awhile the song and music stopped...and they slowed down...but didn't stop...
"The music's stopped," he noted offhandly.
"Yeah," she said softly.
"Maybe we should stop," he said, not meaning it.
"Yeah," she said as she gave him a dazzling smile...and they stopped...
He looked at her and started to bent his head and she raised hers...and their lips met...and deja vu came crashing through them...after they let each other go...still in each other's arms, the white general said, "Well, Venny, glad to see you again."
"You're and earthling!" she accused, pushing her way out of his arms...but all he gave her was a 'Yeah, and?' type of look.
"You're not supposed to be here! Do you know what kind of trouble you could get in going out of your planet's orbit? into one of the planets of the Moon Alliance...especially the Moon itself?" she practically shouted, her thoughts rambling and running.
"Well, excuse me, but I don't believe you were supposed to be on Earth those years before either. You're not exactly what we all call Earthling material. What are you anyway?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm Venuisan," she replied sadly and his eyes narrowed as he looked her over again and asked in a hard tone, "You're name wouldn't happen to be Princess Venus, would it?" and when she nodded he gave a foul curse.
A while later, he grabbed her and made her look at him...at the desolation in his eyes his face softened and he said, "Listen, Venny, it doesn't matter. We can still be together. We'll go away together...you and me..."
"I-...Malachite...I..." she began helplessly trying to come up with a reason not, but he just shook his head, "No, don't say or think or do anything, Venus. Just meet me on Earth on the hill tomorrow at dawn."
With that, he diasappeared into the shadows leaving a bewildered Venus behind.
"So, it seems little Princess Venus has herself an admirer," Venus gasped and turned around to stare face to face with the worst person in her life...her mother.
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"Dammit!" Malachite cursed as he watched the sun set. He had stood on this hill waiting for over 12 hours for a snotty, bratty Princess that didn't even bother to show up. Suddenly, a thought hit him...maybe she had ben detained...maybe she couldn't come...not because she didn't want to...but because she couldn't...suddenly a little red-haired girl ran up the hill to reach him...in her hand was a note...
"Are you Lord Malachite?" the little girl asked innocently and when he nodded she gave him a note saying, "A beautiful blond lady named Venustold me to give this to you." and with that she ran off. With a frown, he opened the letter and read in immaculate, perfect handwriting:
Lord Malachite,
Are you still there? Ha! How pathetic. I'm sorry if I didn't come but did you really think I was going to give up my place as one of the most powerful soldiers of all time or jepordize my future role as Queen of Venus just for a little, barbaric Earthling guard. You aren't even a Prince, Malachite. Don't try to reach above yourself...I'm a Princess, fool...not one of your village girls. It was fun for awhile but I'm tired of you so why don't you go off and leave me alone. Ta-ta now.
- Royal Crown Princess Venus
With a growl, Malachite crumpled up the piece of paper in his fist as his eyes shot sparks of hatred and pain. All those years...years of torment at dreaming of a blue-haired angel...then meeting her and falling in love again. That...that...brat! With pain, hatred and anger clouding his soul and blackening it, Malachite looked up to see a tall, red-haired woman not far from him.
Narrowing his eyes, he spat out, "What do you want?"
"Merely a small proposition for you, Lord Malachite..." Beryl laughed as the hill was covered in darkness...
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Venus sat at the table at the ball as she watched the Moon Princess dance with her Earth Prince...the loneliness and depression still ate at her soul...a year...
It had been a year since...since Malachite...where was he now? Did he still remember her? Or did he marry some other sweet Earth girl? She couldn't blame him... couldn't at all...but yet the regret still tasted bitter and resentful in her mouth. Looking at Sere again, Venus gave a faint smile...she was happy for her Princess...happy that she finally found her Prince...but she couldn't help but be resentful that Sere hadn't met her Endymion sooner... so that Earth could be open to the Moon sooner...so that her and Malachite...
Her thoughts were interrupted as the music suddenly stopped and everyone gasped as the room was cloud in darkness. Suddenly, a blast of fire and light burst into the high ceiling, bursting a big hole into it. Dark creatures flew in from all over and in thecenter stood a reigning dark, red-haired evil Queen who landed in the center with an evil grin. Beside her stood four men...four Earth men...four Earth generals...now wearing thew Evil Queen's colors. One of them being Malachite.
Everyone gasped in fear at Beryl's sudden entrance and Queen Salenity of the Moon made her way to the front as she yelled, "What is the meaning of this Beryl?"
"Why, just my victory," the Queen said and at that moment all hell broke loose. The evil demons and minions ran through the people, like dark hungering shadows seeking and devouring the light...the light and soul of all the people there. In a flash all the senshi were transformed and Venus started her battle. The...Things...kept coming on to her...jumping at her out of nowhere and she fought them off desperatly as she continued to hear the screams and cries of those around her. Yet, she didn't stop...couldn't stop.
But she knew she couldn't make it longer...her body was weakening under the pressure and the creatures continued to relentlessly attack her...never seeming to decrease in number...another slice on the arm...a gash appeared across her thigh...blood pouring everywhere...but then of the creatures jumped onto her...and bit her in the neck...and the blood kept on pouring until it was just too much...
....and she fell down hard on the marble dance floor in a pained heat...every cell in her body screaming in agony and pain...the stings of her wounds lay open and bare as she felt the agonizing physical pain. There was a saying of how you're entire life flashes before your eyes the moment before you die...but that didn't happen with her...she only saw on memory... her worst of them all...
#########Flashback##########
She stifled a cry at her mother's sudden appearance in the garden. Had she heard it all? Did she know everything?
"Hello Varisan," she said tensly...nervously as her mother's mouth smiled viciously...evilly...horribly...
Before she knew what she w as doing, the innocent, love-sick girl bursted out, "I'm going with him, Varisan and you can't stop me."
That was when her mother's smile faded and the dark blue eyes glinted with evil intent and hatred...and Venus winced...for that hatred was to familiar...directed at her all of her life when her mother bothered to care enough to look.
Walking over purposefully, Varisan slapped her daughter across the face...the crack ringing loud and clear through the empty garden. Venus didn't bother to turn her head around, her eyes full of tears of regret, shock and unendless pain.
"You little slut! I will not have you sully my name and my wonderful reputation. You will not ruin me, you hear?! I am not going to be the laughingstock of the galaxy just because my idiot daughter ran off with a barbaric Earthling. Those people are animals!" her mother screeched and Venus slowly turned her head around to stare into her mother's eyes...
...and for the first time in Varisan's whole, entire life...she felt genuine fear...
The teenaged girl looked at her straight in the eye...only the clear crystal blue eyes were blank empty of any emotion left...no hate, no anger, no pain.
Venus opened her mouth and said in a surprisingly, calm, hard tone as she raised her head, "I pity you, Varisan. Think about that when you lie in your cold grave." With that, the famous 'golden Aphrodite' turned and walked away. Her shock wearing off, Varisan shouted out, "You can't be so selfish! What about Sere? Your beautiful Moon Princess? What about the other brats you call friends? Do you know what could happen to them because of your harsh action?!"
Venus stopped cold in her tracks and turned around, "What do you mean?"
Seeing she had an advantage, Varisan gave a dry turn of her perfectly molded lips, "You're smart, girly. You know that the Moon Alliance and Earth has never exactly been on pleasant terms. On the edge of War even. Everyone from the...and everyone on Earth wants a war...they all want blood from the other planet...the Lunarians want blood because they hate and despise the other barbaric planet...Earth wanting blood because the Moon's very existence threatens it's lifespan. Only, Queen Salenity has been desperatly been trying to keep the peace...but they're all waiting...all waiting for a sign...any sign at all...for war. By one of the Royal Princesses and Sailor scouts running off with an Earthling, a revolution will erupt from the planets in the Moon Alliance...the Earthlings will see this as their advantage and attack... and everyone's precious little Silver Moon Princess will die in the battle of it all."
Varisan relished in seeing first the doubt, then indecision, then raw pain slash across her child's features. Venus bit her lip and tried to deny it...but she knew the truth...she knew her mother hadn't been lying...giving a sob she ran off deeper into the garden.
After awhile, she stopped and looked up at the blue planet...Earth...where he would be waiting for her...and all she could do was cry and whisper, "I'm sorry, Malachite."
########End of Flashback#######
Her memories stopped as she felt the demons and creatures being pulled away from around her. Using all her energy, Venus focuseed her blurry eyesight on the tall figure standing in front of her. Blood coated her eyes, blinding it...but she would always remember that white, blinding hair...
He wore a dark suit...not at all fit for his character...and his face was a hard mask of indifference and boredom...his eyes a dull blank.
Reaching her hand up, Venus managed to rasp out, "Malachite-"
He bent down and grabbed her reaching wrist in a tight grasp. With an amused lift of his mouth...a sardonic glint in his eyes, he twisted her wrist and she gasped out in pain.
"Poor little Royal Princess Venus," he chuckled in her ear before she felt the kick in her abdomen...a kick so strong that it sent her flying towards the wall.
When she smashed into the wall, her vision was gone and all she heard were sounds...
"Come with me, Prince Endymion and be by my side..."
"No! I will never go with you!..."
"Sarenity!...Stay back!..."
"Endymion!"
"Sarenity!"
And suddenly, all the pain was gone and all she felt was a blessed numbness and she somehow knew she was no longer in her body.
"Farewell my Princesses, may fate guide the way," an angelic voice said somewhere far off.
But before she left the world in which she was in, Venus's subconscious whispered three words, "I'm sorry, Malachite."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ami yawned as she worked over the homework on her desktop. She was really tired from what had happened earlier with Hotaru...but she was only 30 chapters ahead...she was failing horribly...
Suddenly, the shrill sound of the phone rocked her out of her thoughts and she sighed as she picked it up.
"Hello," she said in a bored tone, though she didn't mean to be impolite...never that.
"Hi. Ami-chan? Is that you?" a girl's voice said from the other end.
Ami sat up in her seat as she asked in shock, "Minako? Is that you? What's wrong? Are you crying?" The girl on the other line sniffed some more and Ami could tell through her intuition that Minako had been crying.
"No, Ami, I'm alright. Can you do me a favor, though?" Mianko asked bravely as she sucked in her breath.
"What is it?" the blue-haired girl asked softly.
"Can you lend me your copy of War and Peace?"
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Author's Notes:Whoa! This is probably the longest chapter I've ever written up to date.E-mail me at silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com. Comments and criticism welcomed.
Part 2: The Beauty of Love
By Max-chan
Author's Notes: Okee dokee, here's the next installation to my Sailormoon fic. In case anyone is wondering, this IS a crossover with Ranma 1/2. A few things first though, in this version, I changed the battle scene in the silver millenium a little bit and I altered the timeline a bit but everything will work out. Oh yeah, sorry for the spelling and grammer mistakes but bare with me here, I'm still working on it. Okay, enjoy now.
Disclaimers: Sailormoon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
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The Queen of Venus smiled happily as she walked into the large Throne Room. She hugged the other Inner Queens who were just as pregnant as she and watched the people crowd around a beautiful silver crib. She knew who was in the crib. *The Great Prophesized one Princess of the Moon Kingdom Sarenity...* she thought sarcastically and disdainfully. *Well...* she though haughtilly *...my daughter shall be just as beautiful and everyone will fawn over her...*
Plastering a fake smile onto her lips, the Queen of Venus walked over to the crowd of people. She looked over and saw the two 7-year-old Outer Senshies, Uranus and Neptune along with the Guardian of Time stand amongst the Shadows. She sneered at the two children and continued on her way. The Senshi of Saturn was born a couple weeks ago on the same day as the Moon Princess, but nobody threw her a party. *And nobody should...* the Venus Queen thought *...Saturn, the most powerful senshi besides the Moon. Ha! She'll grow up to be just like her ugly, no-class mother. Just like those other two brats too, look down their nose at me! I'll give birth to the most beautiful senshi and she'll marry the most powerful King and then I'll show Salenity what she can do with her Moon Kingdom...*
As she neared the crib the crowd parted and people whispered at the Queen of Venus's legendary beauty which only caused the Queen's ego to boost more.
The Venus Queen reached the Moon Queen, a beautiful, radiant baby girl in her arms. The baby girl had magnificent glowing skin and curling dark, silver, glittering hair and large silver eyes that seemed like unendable depths.
"Why, Salenity, this must be the wonderful, legendary Princess Sarenity! Why she's absolutely adorable, may I hold her?" the Queen of Venus, Varisan, purred in a syrupy tone.
Giving the Venuisan Queen a soft smile, Salenity handed her pride and joy over. As soon as Princess Sarenity was in Varisan's arms she felt a warmth overcome her and her senses became more acute. The lights and colors seemed to be brighter and the room seemed magical, a soft song playing in her mind. Varisan felt a happiness overwhelm her, not knowing where it came from the Queen of Venus immediatly handed the Princess back to her mother.
The lights, colors, music, and magic ended abruptly like a tight-wound rope cut swiftly.
As Varisan smiled and walked away from the crowd she placed a hand on her bulging stomach and whispered harshly, "You are going to be beautiful, you hear me? I will not accept anything less then that!" And the Venuisan Queen received no less then beauty.
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Varisan screamed in agony and cursed at her awful fate as she gave birth to her only daughter. When the labor was over and the sweet sound of a new-born baby was heard, everyone in the palace sighed in relief.
"Bring her over here! Bring her over here!" the Queen repeated, anxious.
Extremely happy at the healthy baby girl she delivered, the mid-wife brought the baby girl over to her mother.
Looking in shock at her daughter, Varisan asked desperatly, "Where is her hair? Why is her face scrunched up like that? She looks slimy and like a lizard. That can not possibly be my daughter, the princess of Venus!"
"B-but your majesty," the mid-wife stammered, "All babies look that way when they are first born. Her hair will grow and she will also."
Tightening her lips, the Queen spat, "Did the Moon Princess look this way when she was first born?"
The mid-wife opened her mouth, but it was dry, "N-no, your majesty, but that is a special exception."
"Is my daughter not a special exception? Take her from my sight until she can be something that is worth looking at," the Queen sneered turning away her own new-born. Strangely, as only the mid-wife noticed, the new senshi of Venus, the Princess stopped crying at that moment and looked at her mother with what almost seemed like regret and pain.
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The 4-year-old Venus, as was her name, entered the Palace library, her long yellow dress dragging behind her tiny, dirt-clad feet. Her beautiful dress had dirt and mud on it and her short, golden-hair was tangled and messed, but she still held an adorable sight.
The Palace librarian, Sasami, looked up from her reading glasses to see her Princess enter. She smiled indulgently at the child, Venus was like a daughter to her since the little Princess spent most of her time at the Palace library even though she didn't know how to read.
Venus smiled up at the librarian and looked down as she blushed. Sasami's smile got even wider, the Princess was alsways so shy.
"Sasami," the Princess said so soft, Sasami almost couldn't hear it.
"Yes, Venus?" the librarian asked in fake curiosity. The child most likely ripped a page in one of the picture books and was feeling guilty about it.
"Sasami...I want to..." Venus continued, although her words seemed unable to escape her small lips.
"Yes..." Sasami gave a slight verbal push.
Quickly, Venus said in a rush, "Sasami, I want to learn how to read."
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The 7-year-old child plopped down on her favorite chair in her library. Yes, she considered it her library since she was the only one to use it. The chair was an old, dusty, cushiony, oversized red one with no fluffs and was pretty hard to sit on, but Venus thought it was perfect. Venus's shoulder-length golden-spun hair was wrapped in a tight bub/ponytail at the top of her head to keep it away from her eyes. Golden-rimmed glasses adorned her lovely blue eyes and a long, comfotorable, old yellow dress adorned her body.
Stacks of books aurrounded her chair and one was plopped in her lap. The books from this library weren't like any other though. They wewre books made in the past, the present, and even books that will be published in the far future. Venus especially loved mysteries and romance, but just about any book about anything will please her and keep her interested for days.
Smiling she turned to Sasami and gave her an thumbs up. Turning back into her chair she took out some clear tape and taped back the first addition to Little Women which she ripped by reading it and trying to train at the same time. Bad combination. Biting her lip, Venus continued her taping.
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The sun shined brightly down on the ten-year-old Princess Venus in her garden. She was bending over the future book, "War and Peace" as she sat on the stones outlining a large plant in the garden. Her hair was in it's usual tihght ponytail and she wore her regular yellow over-sized dresses.
Suddenly, sensing afigure approaching Venus looked up to see her maid rush towards her.
"Princess, Princess, come quickly,m the Queen wishes to see you!" the maid screamed. Venus's small eyebrows scrunched in confusion and horror. Through her ten-years of growing up she only saw her beautiful mother through the hallways. Rushing quickly, she stood up and ran towards the throne room, a forgotten book lying in the dirt and mud.
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The Venuisan Queen, Varisan, looked up as the door opened and her daughter rushed in. Assessing the girl, the Queen noted her imperfections and decided quickly then and there what to change and mold. She really didn't want to look at this girl that seemed to refuse to be as beautiful as Sarenity, but time was running out. Soon, Venus must be sent ot protect and train with the Moon Princess and the other Princesses and senshi. She must make this girl presentable.
"You called me mother?" Venus asked excitedly, looking in awe at her mother, the magnificent woman on the thrown. Oh, how she wanted to be like her when she grew up.
"Yes, you will soon be sent to the Moon Princess and become a senshi as you must know by now. I have to make you at least presentable to be brought into public. First thing to change, you must stop these frequent visits to the Palace library. The Royal Princesses do not spend their times reading and such, that is only for Mercury. Understand?"
A fear crept up the young child's back as she cried out, "But surely, I can read sometime when I am not busy?!"
"No!" the Queen said firmly, her strict voice vibrating around the large room, "You can not read books again until I allow you too or say you must."
Crying the Princess yelled out before running out of the room, "You can't change me! I'm not like other Princesses! I don't want to sit around and look pretty so I can catch a good husband! You can't take away my books!"
Smiling maliciously, Varisan said, "We'll see about that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night Venus woke up to the smell of smoke and her intuition told her something was terribly wrong. Panic coursed through her veins as she rushed toward the door and tried opening it only to find it locked.
"Someone! Oh, please someone, please open the door!" she screamed, her panic escalating.
"Princess, you are awake?" the sound of her maid came through the other side of the door.
"Oh, oh, is that you Nanette? Please open the door, something is wrong!" Venus said in hope and desperation.
"I...I can't Princess. The Queen will not allow it," Nanette said aoftly, almost in apology.
"You know what is wrong, don't you, Nanette? Oh, please tell me! I can't stand it!" the Princess cried.
"The...the library..." Nanette choked out.
The world came tumbling down around the ten-year-old child. Unknown strength came through her as she jerked at the door and broke it down. Pushing her maid aside she ran down out across the garden towards the library building.
The sight she came to broke her child heart.
The library was in flames, dark black smoke curling up from it like evil claws, choking the Princess. Instead of trying to put it out, the guards were only trying to keep it from spreading to the other buildings. Venus fell to her knees and cried and sobbed.
Her library...her sanctuary...gone...As a child she had no mother, no friends, no family, the library and it's books replaced those things. The comfy red chairs were her bed. The celing was her roof. The books her food, water, and air. They were her comfort in her time of need, her strength when she needed it. Now it was gone. A cold hand sudenly clamped itself down on her shoulders.
Looking up, Venus looked into her mother's cold unfliching eyes and for the first time she didn't see a shining goddess there. All her life, the Princess had put her mother on a pedastal, a shining goddess to be admired from afar, but now, now she saw her mother for who she really was...a malicious, terrible human. Varisan no longer looked so beautiful in her daughter's eyes, she looked almost...ugly. The light that sheltered her true form from her child's eyes dimmed and faded out forcing Venus to face the truth.
Defeated, Venus sighed and said, "I give up. Make me, mold me, change me anyway you want to. I don't care anymore. My life is gone."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
During the three months ahead, Varisan made Venus into a shining, radiant blonde beauty with long thick golden hair and wonderful eyes not hidden by glasses. Venus walked like a Princess, giggled like a Princess...and thought like a princess. Soon, the small child came to believe that she really was this way...this no-brain girl who wnated no more in life then to look pretty and land a cute, powerful husband in the future. Venus didn't know that she lost herself during those three months.
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Princess Sarenity fidgeted beside her mother as they stood waiting in front of the space portal. Her mother had told her earlier that the first of her sailor senshi, the Princess Venus was to arrive today. Sarenity was told to be on her best behavior today.
Suddenly, a yellow light enveloped the portal and after it faded a beautiful lady and girl stood there. The ten-year-old bunny Princess watched in awe at the magnificent tall lady with flowinbg blonde hair and the little Princess beside her. Venus wore a long yellow dress and jewels sprakled around her. Her golden spun blonde hair was long and thick as her large blue eyes wandered curiously around the room before landing on the other Princess.
Varisan pasted on a large grin and went over to give the Moon Queen a polite but non-affectionate hug.
"Oh, Salenity, darling, it's been too long. How are you doing? Is this little Sarenity?" The 10-year-old Moon Princess looked up at the beautiful lady that stared maliciously down at her and she had to suppress a shudder. Suddenly, this lady wasn't so beautiful anymore.
"Hello, Varisan," Salenity said warmly.
"Have you seen my daughter, Venus? Venus, come over here, sweety," Varisan said, her voice dripping with sugar as she pushed her daughter forward for inspection.
"Isn't she just beautiful, Salenity? Now, Venus, you and Sarenity go and play now while Mommy discuss business with the Moon Queen," Varisan said as she pushed Venus and Sarenity out the hallway and shut the door.
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"Is that really your mother?" Sarenity asked, then immediatly blushed at her directness.
"Yeah," Venus sighed.
Sarenity looked at the other girl and smiled as she knew she had found a kindred spirit...the second one since her friend Saturn.
"Hi," she smiled shyly, "My name's Sarenity but you can call me Sere. What's your name?"
Putting her nose up in the air, Venus did a graceful curtsy as she said, "The Royal Crown Princess Venus of the 2nd Moon Alliance Planet Venus of the Inner Solar System also known as the future 2nd in command of the Sailorscouts, Sailor Venus." Sere stared in open-mouthed, wide-eyed wonder as she said, "Wow..."
Grinning, Venus stood up again and she giggled, "How did I do?" Seeing, the mischevious sparkle in the other girl's eyes, Sere smiled and said, "Wonderful." and in that one word a friendship was born.
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The 14-year-old girl glided down the hallway, her high-heeled diamond shoes clicking on the palace hallway. Her thick, beautiful blonde hair was tied with a white ribbon and she wore a long flowing gown of pure white. Her laughing blue eyes held laughter and their was an odd bubbly bounce to her step. A long white purse swung happily from her hand.
As she neared the Moon Palace library doors, the blonde head popped into the doorway before her entire body was in the doorframe. She looked at the blue-haired beauty with thick glasses reading a *very* large book, other books surrounding her.
Scrunching her nose in distaste and dropping her purse onto the table, the bubbly blonde laughed, "C'mon Mer-chan, let your books go for a moment. We have to go choose a dress for the ball tonight. Oh I can't wait! Just think, cute princes from everywhere will be there and you should see my dress, Mer-chan! It's yellow with beautiful diamonds hanging off of it. Mer-chan? Mer-chan? Are you listening to me?"
Mercury snapped out of her intent concentration on what she was reading and smiled as she took off her glasses. Standing up and looping her arm with Venus's arm, she said, "Yeah, wonderful, now let's go, Sere and the others are probably waiting for us."
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Venus ran into the library as she snapped on her golden earings. She wore an elegant yellow dress with a slit on the side and a curvy V cut in the front. Sighing she walked over to the table where she had dropped her purse earlier that day. Picking up her purse, Venus noticed the book Mercury had been reading earlier. Closing the big book, BVenus read the title in gold letters, "War and Peace..."
A feeling of deja vu hit her and suddenly Venus looked once again through the eyes of a 6-year-old in her library...of a tiny girl reading in her garden...reading in her chair...of a heartbroken child broken apart and built again by her mother's own hands...
Giving a choked sob, Venus spun around and looked at the mirror above the library doorway and what she saw broke her heart once again. A beautiful, regal blonde golden Princess adorned in jewels...her large blue eyes hidden behind long dark lashes... magnificent...beautiful...fake...
Behind those blue eyes held not the joy they once held when she opened a new book or read a new chapter...only a dull fake happiness of superficial things...that hair...that long mane of golden hair...a cover...a curtain on the fears that she never had before...fear that she wasn't beautiful enough...fear that she wasn't good enough...fear that all she had to hold onto and recommend her was her beauty...what happened to her confidence? To how she used to walk not with a forced skip...but with a truly cheerful and optimistic look on life...
What happened to her?
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With a lift of her chin, Venus ran out of the library and into the kitchen...a place she rarely went. Pulling out the drawers, she grabbed a large pair of sheers and with a quick, indifferent swipe, the sheers cut across her breathtaking mane...the golden curtain fell away... floating to the floor...lifeless...
Next came her wonderful, expensive dress until it was considered nothing but rags. The jewels came off then...diamonds...earings...gold...
Venus ran outside into the Palace garden and grabbed a handful of dirt and mud smearing it over her dress, face, and hair.
Her dirt face was streaked with tears of bitterness and pain. Lies...lies...oh how she hated the lies...what was she? Dazed and confused, Venus felt the Palace walls close in around her and she started to sufocate. All she knew was that she had to get out of here...out of the place where her lie had been acted out...where the Princess of Venus was...where her mother was...
She couldn't go to any of the inner planets because someone would surely spot her and take her back and she was too afraid to ever visit the Outer Planets unaided. There was only one planet close enough but wasn't in the Moon Alliance...the forbidden barbaric planet...
...Earth...
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Malachite slicked back his thick white hair as he grinned at his perfect 18-year-old image in the mirror. With a flip, he slid the comb back into his general's outfit back pocket.
"Off to the village again, Casanova?" a voice joked behind him and Malachite turned around and frowned at the three grinning guys.
"Funny, Jed. Now, where's Endymion?" he asked and the one called Jed shrugged as he said, "Off to train I guess. Said he wanted to be alone. I say he's in the village visiting the village girls just like you're about to do." With a sarcastic smile, Malachite patted Jed's shoulder, "Don't be jealous. They'll like you when you grow up and stop putting spiders in their hair while their sleeping."
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"Good afternoon, Lord Malachite," a shopkeeper said and Malachite smiled at him in greeting before continuing on down the path. The Marketplace was crowded at this time, full of buyers, sellers and traders. Of people performing and people eating. Seeing the jeweler's dark-haired, pretty, popular daughter, Bethy Sue standing by a wall with her friends, Malachite grinned and walked over.
The girls surrounding Bethy Sue scattered away like hens as he approached and Bethy mock curtsied as she said, "Good Afternoon, Lord Malachite."
He went over to stand next to her by the wall and his tall form casted a shadow over hers, "Well, hi to you too Bethy. How are you doing?" Bethy blushed prettily at his nearness and smiled, "Okay, I guess."
Malachite gave her one of his heart-melting smiles and the girl was momentarily dazzled but the deep sound of the baker's shout broke their concentration.
"Give me back that loaf of bread, you little thief before I cut your guts out!" the baker's baritone voice shouted, but a child's tone screeched out, "Let go of me!"
"I'm sorry, Lord Malachite but I have to go," Bethy said quickly and dashed off before Malachite could get a word in otherwise. With a low growl, Malachite ran to where the crowd was and edged his way into the middle.
There, stood the tall, overbearing baker clutching tightly to the thin arm of a sooty, dirty little boy in large pants and a large shirt along with a large cape. The boy's face was hidden from view but Malachite caught glimpses of dirty brown, clumpy hair.
Walking over, he yealled out, "What's wrong?"
The boy turned to him then and Malachite stopped in surprise and shock. Behind long, dark lashes were a pair of large, startling crystal blue eyes that was like clear blue water.
"This brat stole my loaf of bread, Lord Malachite," the baker said humbly, but the little boy turned back to the baker and yelled out, "No, I didn't! I gave you that diamond watch for it!"
"Let me see this...watch..." Malachite said and the baker grudgibly handed over a very strange, unique diamond item. It was no mistake that that thing, whatever it was...was encrusted in diamonds and jewels...but it was like nothing he had ever seen before. It was a round object with one side made of diamond glass. Inside were strange numbers and two stick thingies that pointed at the numbers along with a third one that moved.
Putting it up, Malachite questioned the boy, "What is this?"
Instead of bowing meekly, the kid had the audicity to hold up his head and say in a haughty tone, "That's a watch. It tells time." The crowd burst into laughter and the kid looked around confused as though he didn't know what the joke was.
Handing the 'watch' back to the kid, Malachite took out three gold coins and gave it to the baker, "Here, that should be enough to pay for the bread and more." The baker nodded as he grumbled and walked back to his stall. The crowd dispersed and the Prince's first general looked down at the little munchkin boy that pouted with a bottom lip that was too red and magnificent to be given to a male.
Shaking his head of his thoughts, Malachite asked, "So, are you hungry? I know a place near by where we can eat." The boy appeared in indecision a second before his growling stomach made the deciaion for him.
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The white-haired guy looked in wide-eyed amusement at the plates and bowls on the table while the boy continued to eat ferociously from a large bowl.
"So...um...what's your name?" Malachite asked casually, trying to initiate some form of conversation with the weird kid.
"Vensghh," the kid said through a mouthful.
"Huh?"
"I said, Venny," the kid replied.
"Oh, well, Venny, how old are you? 13? 14?" Malachite asked in true curiosity as he looked closer at the boy, noting for the first time subtle things that other wouldn't notice... the slight, haughty lift of the nose...the way the boy kept his eyes downcast whenever possible and added a gruff tone to his voice.
Uncomftorable under the older guy's scrutiny, Venny shifted about and said as he kept his eyes and face averted, "Ahem...14...I'm 14."
"Venny...there's something weird about you...let's get you cleaned up," the general said suspiciously and Venny's eyes widened considerably before he answered, "Oh no, um... I have to go anyway...I'll see you...thank you..." With that, the kid rushed out of the resteraunt, Malachite chasing after him in a determined run.
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Out of breath, Malachite leaned over slightly to breathe in large gulps of air. When he looked up again, he saw the kid standing on a hill not faraway from him...his eyes wide with shock and surprise...his hands in the air. The white-haired general sucked in his breath...those eyes...those damn eyes...they were large, liquid blue orbs of such promise...too dangerous and daring...
Before Malachite knew what had happened, the kid ran over to him, grabbed his face between his tiny hands...and kissed him! But as soon as those soft, pouty, sweet lips touched his...Malachite knew Venny was really a girl. After awhile, Venny pulled back, sucked in her breath...and ran back to the top of the hill. Today seemed a day for surprises since a yellow light came down from the sky and before Malachite knew what had exactly happened...Venny was gone...and all proof that he was ever there...laid on the lips of an awed general...
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When Venus returned back to the Moon she pretended like she was before... because she knew her mother would do whatever it took to make her that way...but she also became more then what she was...she smiled more...she laughed more...there was a true optimistic bounce to her step...and when she knew nobody was looking, she asked Ami to take her to the library...only the senshi knew about her secret...and they loved her even more for it...of course, time passed and years went on and Venus grew until the night of the fateful ball that ruined it all...
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"You jerk! Come back here!" Venus cried as the Dark One ran away, laughing all the while through the garden. Picking up her shoe...Venus threw it but missed and she crossed her arms with a 'humph'. She had been set up with the Dark One just like the others had been...but all he did was insult her...insult her intelligence...her looks...everything...until she couldn't take it anymore and chased him...a very bad beat down intent on her mind...
"Excuse me, miss, is this your shoe?" a deep, laughing voice said behind her and Venus turned around saying in annoyed tone, "No, that is not my shoe. My shoe is over th-" but she didn't get to finish for what she saw just simply...stunned her. There stood a tall, very handsome guy in a completly white tuxedo...his hair was white as well. His grin was dryly amused and from one of his fingers hung her dainty golden slipper.
Malachite's smile slipped and he tempoairly forgot to breathe. There in front of him stood a pissed off, very gorgeous beauty with her hands crossed. She had long hair that could in no way be put into the term blonde...it was more then that...it was the sun emboddied in long streaks of silk...shining and thick...reflecting all the joy in the world. Her eyes were so very achingly familiar...eyes that had haunted his days and nights for years...dark blue, crystal clear, liquid joy eyes that shouted to him and demanded attention from the beholder. Her magnificently molded body was covered with a long, yellow silky dress.
They stood there for awhile, both too stunned to speak...but when Malachite finally got his voice back he had to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, "You remind me of a boy." Not exactly the right, suave thing to say to a girl who's just been through all the insults possible. With a grumble about how 'all guys were alike', Venus three her hands in the air and headed off.
Seeing his folly, Malachite grabbed her elbow and turned her around as he turned on his most devastating smile.
"What I mean to say was," he bowed deeply before getting up and grinning, "I would be honored if you will grant me your next dance."
Venus nodded dumbly and barely registered the fact that he pulled her closer into his arms...and his warmth...they danced to a slow waltz and she glided elgantly in his arm... after awhile the song and music stopped...and they slowed down...but didn't stop...
"The music's stopped," he noted offhandly.
"Yeah," she said softly.
"Maybe we should stop," he said, not meaning it.
"Yeah," she said as she gave him a dazzling smile...and they stopped...
He looked at her and started to bent his head and she raised hers...and their lips met...and deja vu came crashing through them...after they let each other go...still in each other's arms, the white general said, "Well, Venny, glad to see you again."
"You're and earthling!" she accused, pushing her way out of his arms...but all he gave her was a 'Yeah, and?' type of look.
"You're not supposed to be here! Do you know what kind of trouble you could get in going out of your planet's orbit? into one of the planets of the Moon Alliance...especially the Moon itself?" she practically shouted, her thoughts rambling and running.
"Well, excuse me, but I don't believe you were supposed to be on Earth those years before either. You're not exactly what we all call Earthling material. What are you anyway?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm Venuisan," she replied sadly and his eyes narrowed as he looked her over again and asked in a hard tone, "You're name wouldn't happen to be Princess Venus, would it?" and when she nodded he gave a foul curse.
A while later, he grabbed her and made her look at him...at the desolation in his eyes his face softened and he said, "Listen, Venny, it doesn't matter. We can still be together. We'll go away together...you and me..."
"I-...Malachite...I..." she began helplessly trying to come up with a reason not, but he just shook his head, "No, don't say or think or do anything, Venus. Just meet me on Earth on the hill tomorrow at dawn."
With that, he diasappeared into the shadows leaving a bewildered Venus behind.
"So, it seems little Princess Venus has herself an admirer," Venus gasped and turned around to stare face to face with the worst person in her life...her mother.
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"Dammit!" Malachite cursed as he watched the sun set. He had stood on this hill waiting for over 12 hours for a snotty, bratty Princess that didn't even bother to show up. Suddenly, a thought hit him...maybe she had ben detained...maybe she couldn't come...not because she didn't want to...but because she couldn't...suddenly a little red-haired girl ran up the hill to reach him...in her hand was a note...
"Are you Lord Malachite?" the little girl asked innocently and when he nodded she gave him a note saying, "A beautiful blond lady named Venustold me to give this to you." and with that she ran off. With a frown, he opened the letter and read in immaculate, perfect handwriting:
Lord Malachite,
Are you still there? Ha! How pathetic. I'm sorry if I didn't come but did you really think I was going to give up my place as one of the most powerful soldiers of all time or jepordize my future role as Queen of Venus just for a little, barbaric Earthling guard. You aren't even a Prince, Malachite. Don't try to reach above yourself...I'm a Princess, fool...not one of your village girls. It was fun for awhile but I'm tired of you so why don't you go off and leave me alone. Ta-ta now.
- Royal Crown Princess Venus
With a growl, Malachite crumpled up the piece of paper in his fist as his eyes shot sparks of hatred and pain. All those years...years of torment at dreaming of a blue-haired angel...then meeting her and falling in love again. That...that...brat! With pain, hatred and anger clouding his soul and blackening it, Malachite looked up to see a tall, red-haired woman not far from him.
Narrowing his eyes, he spat out, "What do you want?"
"Merely a small proposition for you, Lord Malachite..." Beryl laughed as the hill was covered in darkness...
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Venus sat at the table at the ball as she watched the Moon Princess dance with her Earth Prince...the loneliness and depression still ate at her soul...a year...
It had been a year since...since Malachite...where was he now? Did he still remember her? Or did he marry some other sweet Earth girl? She couldn't blame him... couldn't at all...but yet the regret still tasted bitter and resentful in her mouth. Looking at Sere again, Venus gave a faint smile...she was happy for her Princess...happy that she finally found her Prince...but she couldn't help but be resentful that Sere hadn't met her Endymion sooner... so that Earth could be open to the Moon sooner...so that her and Malachite...
Her thoughts were interrupted as the music suddenly stopped and everyone gasped as the room was cloud in darkness. Suddenly, a blast of fire and light burst into the high ceiling, bursting a big hole into it. Dark creatures flew in from all over and in thecenter stood a reigning dark, red-haired evil Queen who landed in the center with an evil grin. Beside her stood four men...four Earth men...four Earth generals...now wearing thew Evil Queen's colors. One of them being Malachite.
Everyone gasped in fear at Beryl's sudden entrance and Queen Salenity of the Moon made her way to the front as she yelled, "What is the meaning of this Beryl?"
"Why, just my victory," the Queen said and at that moment all hell broke loose. The evil demons and minions ran through the people, like dark hungering shadows seeking and devouring the light...the light and soul of all the people there. In a flash all the senshi were transformed and Venus started her battle. The...Things...kept coming on to her...jumping at her out of nowhere and she fought them off desperatly as she continued to hear the screams and cries of those around her. Yet, she didn't stop...couldn't stop.
But she knew she couldn't make it longer...her body was weakening under the pressure and the creatures continued to relentlessly attack her...never seeming to decrease in number...another slice on the arm...a gash appeared across her thigh...blood pouring everywhere...but then of the creatures jumped onto her...and bit her in the neck...and the blood kept on pouring until it was just too much...
....and she fell down hard on the marble dance floor in a pained heat...every cell in her body screaming in agony and pain...the stings of her wounds lay open and bare as she felt the agonizing physical pain. There was a saying of how you're entire life flashes before your eyes the moment before you die...but that didn't happen with her...she only saw on memory... her worst of them all...
#########Flashback##########
She stifled a cry at her mother's sudden appearance in the garden. Had she heard it all? Did she know everything?
"Hello Varisan," she said tensly...nervously as her mother's mouth smiled viciously...evilly...horribly...
Before she knew what she w as doing, the innocent, love-sick girl bursted out, "I'm going with him, Varisan and you can't stop me."
That was when her mother's smile faded and the dark blue eyes glinted with evil intent and hatred...and Venus winced...for that hatred was to familiar...directed at her all of her life when her mother bothered to care enough to look.
Walking over purposefully, Varisan slapped her daughter across the face...the crack ringing loud and clear through the empty garden. Venus didn't bother to turn her head around, her eyes full of tears of regret, shock and unendless pain.
"You little slut! I will not have you sully my name and my wonderful reputation. You will not ruin me, you hear?! I am not going to be the laughingstock of the galaxy just because my idiot daughter ran off with a barbaric Earthling. Those people are animals!" her mother screeched and Venus slowly turned her head around to stare into her mother's eyes...
...and for the first time in Varisan's whole, entire life...she felt genuine fear...
The teenaged girl looked at her straight in the eye...only the clear crystal blue eyes were blank empty of any emotion left...no hate, no anger, no pain.
Venus opened her mouth and said in a surprisingly, calm, hard tone as she raised her head, "I pity you, Varisan. Think about that when you lie in your cold grave." With that, the famous 'golden Aphrodite' turned and walked away. Her shock wearing off, Varisan shouted out, "You can't be so selfish! What about Sere? Your beautiful Moon Princess? What about the other brats you call friends? Do you know what could happen to them because of your harsh action?!"
Venus stopped cold in her tracks and turned around, "What do you mean?"
Seeing she had an advantage, Varisan gave a dry turn of her perfectly molded lips, "You're smart, girly. You know that the Moon Alliance and Earth has never exactly been on pleasant terms. On the edge of War even. Everyone from the...and everyone on Earth wants a war...they all want blood from the other planet...the Lunarians want blood because they hate and despise the other barbaric planet...Earth wanting blood because the Moon's very existence threatens it's lifespan. Only, Queen Salenity has been desperatly been trying to keep the peace...but they're all waiting...all waiting for a sign...any sign at all...for war. By one of the Royal Princesses and Sailor scouts running off with an Earthling, a revolution will erupt from the planets in the Moon Alliance...the Earthlings will see this as their advantage and attack... and everyone's precious little Silver Moon Princess will die in the battle of it all."
Varisan relished in seeing first the doubt, then indecision, then raw pain slash across her child's features. Venus bit her lip and tried to deny it...but she knew the truth...she knew her mother hadn't been lying...giving a sob she ran off deeper into the garden.
After awhile, she stopped and looked up at the blue planet...Earth...where he would be waiting for her...and all she could do was cry and whisper, "I'm sorry, Malachite."
########End of Flashback#######
Her memories stopped as she felt the demons and creatures being pulled away from around her. Using all her energy, Venus focuseed her blurry eyesight on the tall figure standing in front of her. Blood coated her eyes, blinding it...but she would always remember that white, blinding hair...
He wore a dark suit...not at all fit for his character...and his face was a hard mask of indifference and boredom...his eyes a dull blank.
Reaching her hand up, Venus managed to rasp out, "Malachite-"
He bent down and grabbed her reaching wrist in a tight grasp. With an amused lift of his mouth...a sardonic glint in his eyes, he twisted her wrist and she gasped out in pain.
"Poor little Royal Princess Venus," he chuckled in her ear before she felt the kick in her abdomen...a kick so strong that it sent her flying towards the wall.
When she smashed into the wall, her vision was gone and all she heard were sounds...
"Come with me, Prince Endymion and be by my side..."
"No! I will never go with you!..."
"Sarenity!...Stay back!..."
"Endymion!"
"Sarenity!"
And suddenly, all the pain was gone and all she felt was a blessed numbness and she somehow knew she was no longer in her body.
"Farewell my Princesses, may fate guide the way," an angelic voice said somewhere far off.
But before she left the world in which she was in, Venus's subconscious whispered three words, "I'm sorry, Malachite."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ami yawned as she worked over the homework on her desktop. She was really tired from what had happened earlier with Hotaru...but she was only 30 chapters ahead...she was failing horribly...
Suddenly, the shrill sound of the phone rocked her out of her thoughts and she sighed as she picked it up.
"Hello," she said in a bored tone, though she didn't mean to be impolite...never that.
"Hi. Ami-chan? Is that you?" a girl's voice said from the other end.
Ami sat up in her seat as she asked in shock, "Minako? Is that you? What's wrong? Are you crying?" The girl on the other line sniffed some more and Ami could tell through her intuition that Minako had been crying.
"No, Ami, I'm alright. Can you do me a favor, though?" Mianko asked bravely as she sucked in her breath.
"What is it?" the blue-haired girl asked softly.
"Can you lend me your copy of War and Peace?"
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Author's Notes:Whoa! This is probably the longest chapter I've ever written up to date.E-mail me at silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com. Comments and criticism welcomed.
