Awakening: the Return to Terra

A Bishujo Senshi Sailor Moon Fanfiction

Aniah

AniaHope@aol.com

* * *[pic]THANKS TO USAGI! THIS NOT MISTRESS 9, MINNACHAN! THIS IS HOPE!

 

Minna! Although I put this with the rest of the Window Seat installments, I did not plan on it being a chapter!

 

Disclaimers: BSSM belongs to Naokosama, DiC, Pioneer…yada yada yada

 

Thank yous: Hotaruchan-Angela-Phoebe-Orianna-Rouge-Silenciachan for her computer…Darklingchan for trusting me and giving me insight where I needed it

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The White Prince of Nemesis sipped at his wine. Leisurely, he and his subordinates watched the Ayakashi Sisters and his queen swim in the coolness of a Ronanite lake. Rubeus, however, as well as Hope/Amethyst, were nowhere to be seen.

Serenity liked the water. Of course, being in it made her strongly miss Mizuno Ami, the Senshi Mercury, but she was almost to the part of her grieving where she could go about her life easily whilst in public. Only when caught alone for a period of time would her memories of the Sailor Senshi overwhelm her. "Mamoru…" she whispered, looking at her expanding stomach, "I do not think this child will be ChibiUsa."

Just then, the aforementioned lovebirds arrived. "Hi!" Rubeus and Hope were arm-in-arm. "My father let the cabinet meeting out early." Since the apparent death of Darain of Kipturon, Hope had been much more laid back and unhostile. Likewise, Kurenaino Rubeus had made no secret of their love. Allen of Darom was unwilling to have his daughter wed a man from another universe, even if parallel. No one knew whether Hope would return with the Black Moon to the Crystal Tokyo Terra or not.

Hope stripped down to her suit, which matched the color of her and Dimando's eyes. "C'mon," she begged of Rubeus, who said nothing, but complied to being led out onto the jetty. The Ronanite Princess dove in, relishing the feel of her Element washing over her. Dimando set his glass down and joined his admiral on the dock, violet cape snapping in the brisk breeze.

"Milord?" Rubeus snapped a military-style bow and turned back to watch the water-nymphs.

"Have you made your decision, then?" Dimando kept his eyes on Serenity, who was speaking with Hope. Rubeus touched a hand to his chin, thinking a moment.

"I believe, Dimando-sama, that I shall return to Nemesis, or Earth, whichever you choose. My first duty is to the Throne, but I will not be sad if Hope comes with us."

"Nor will I, Kurenaino. Her diplomacy is an asset to us, and you know that I have offered her a place. From the view of a monarch, though, I think she shall stay here." The Prince and Rubeus continued talking, till an hour had flown by. The Ronanite sun was setting, time to head back into Verdonia.

"Serenity?" Dimando searched the surface of the relatively calm lake. "Amethyst---" he turned, "where did she get off to?" Hope responded that she was still in the water.

"I will look for her, Prince," she replied. "Do not fear…" She made a fluid dive and stayed under. He returned his gaze back into the now choppy water.

"Serenity!" He cried, eyes wildly flashing. He gasped, seeing her head come up. The water started churning, freezing. "No!" Dimando roared, throwing off his cape and diving in himself, unheeding the cry of his muscles as he met with the icy water.

"Goddess…" he whispered, and mists cleared. Crystalline ice was forming around the Moon Princess now, and one orbed tear fell from her cheek. Her eyes focused on Dimando for a nanosecond, and then were dulled by the comatose shell she was now encased in. "My queen…" Dimando fell to his knees on the solid water, pleading the heavens for his Serenity. I did not mean for you to be like this. It was not my fault!

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The White Prince sat up quickly, sweat pouring from his brow. He looked toward his immediate right, which was Serenity's usual place at his side. With a sickening lurch he saw that the sheets lay smooth; no one had slept there recently. Dimando was back in reality; back on Crystal Tokyo's Terra. Hope and Rubeus had come back with his entourage. "But where did she go?" he whispered, throwing the sheets off of his lithe, pale body and tying on a pair of drawstring pants. He went up to a panel set on the wall, and touched his forefinger on the pad. Serenity he typed, and an inset showed her to be in the infirmary. The child? He wondered, dressing quickly and taking a swig of ale before recapping the decanter and placing it aside.

"My Prince?" Ayakashi Cooan sat outside of one of the rooms of the physicians' ward with her sister, Beruche.

"What's happened?" He asked anxiously, going toward the door. "Is the Queen all right?"

"Petz told us not to let anyone in, Dimando-sama. If it pleases you, sit with us. Rubeus woke when Hope did, and he'll be along shortly. Petz, Calaveras, and Hope are all attending the Queen," Beruche said sensibly. "Besides, you would be the first to know, ne?" Relieved, the Prince agreed and took a seat.

They sat. Sat. Sat. Suddenly a cry came from the inner chamber. The White Prince bolted, and his glass shattered. "You've got to let me to in there," he pled with his subordinate. "I have to be with her!" Cooan, Beruche, and Rubeus held their ruler back.

"The Queen needs time alone with the Royal Daughter, Prince," Petz came out with Calaveras, both wiping their hands with a towel. "Amethyst is bathing her now, and we changed the sheets. She shall call for you when Serenity is ready." Motioning to her sisters, the Ayakashi Four left the room.

"I…" The Prince made an ungainly plop into the chair, "…am a father?" He was joyed, and shocked. After all of the hell that Serenity had been through, he had honestly never thought that she would be the mother of his child. "We will need to send out naming invitations," he said absently to Rubeus.

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Tears streamed down Serenity's face. Her hair was completely down, falling over her shoulders and down the sides of the bed. Hope sat at her side, brooding. "You cannot let your past take over your life," she said at last. "It will make you, the Prince, and the Princess miserable."

"But how can I honor the memory of those I love when he killed them?" Serenity asked bitterly. "What name could cover that much anguish?" Hope looked at the violet-eyed, golden-fuzz haired little girl.

"Aishara," she replied. "Love song." Serenity grimaced, and shook her head slightly.

"A long time ago, in my first life, Mamoru gave me a locket that played the most beautiful melody. That locket was what eventually connected us in the end, after we had lost our memories. I cannot give my one daughter that name," she trembled. "What could I call her that would not cause me to cry every time I spoke her name?"

Hope ran the back of her hand across her forehead, and stood up. "I am not the one to help you," she said gently, "this is a decision both the Prince and you must make." Cross at Serenity's never-ending weakness, she opened the door. Rubeus, Dimando, and the Sisters all looked up expectantly. "My Prince," she cautioned him, "be gentle." Lips pursed, and tears in her eyes, Hope left the room. Was this how my mother felt, when Allen took my brother away from her…not even an hour after his birth? Did she want to punch a wall? Was she afraid for his life? Hope strode quickly through the Nemesian embassy, toward her room. It had not changed much since their return from Ronan, but a color portrait of her parents in full court regalia hung discreetly near her vanity.

The anguish in the former hotel, then embassy, now residency of the Black Moon clan did not lessen over time. Strong, well-measured steps made their way down the corridor outside Hope's room. "Amethyst? Can I come in?" Rubeus wsa standing outside her door.

"Leave me!" She yelled back, curling up on her small, comfortable bed. Why did I come back? Darain…no. Darain's not…here. She sighed.

"Please, Amethyst. Are you all right?" Rubeus was clearly worried. Standing up with difficulty, she opened the door slightly.

"I…I will be," she let him in.

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Serenity had pulled the clean duvet around her and under her, like a bedroll. Under it she clenched it's folds tightly, even in sleep trying to keep her midsection from being uncomfortable. Her exhaustion was the only reason she was asleep; otherwise the pain would have overwhelmed her. Of course, she had refused any painkiller, she wanted a natural birth.

Dimando stood over her, gazing at her tense figure. Tenatively he ran two fingers down her jawline. She shivered, grimaced, and tensed even more. Cape swirling, Dimando turned to the gauzy bassinet. A fidgeting, medium- sized infant stared back at him with his own eyes. "What would we name you, little one?" he asked, half to himself, and held out a pale finger. Smiling, he shook her attached hand gently, and stroked her cheek with the other hand. "You are as beautiful as your mother."

Serenity stirred, blinked, and sat up. A look of fearful pain crossed her face, but she quickly sculpted it away. Dimando clenched his teeth just as fast, and bent to kiss his wife fiercely. "How do you feel?" he asked, half-sitting on the bed, and taking her into his arms.

"Please, that hurts," she stood unsteadily, and tottered her way to the baby's bed. Bending slightly, she picked up her daughter. The movement was easy, as if she had had experience cradling newborns. Eyes distant, she crooned to it for a second, lost in her own thoughts. Damn the rabbit! Settling herself carefully, she showed the Prince how to hold his child. She pulled the warm duvet around her, and watched with critical interest as Dimando gazed at the girl.

"Shall we name her?" he asked softly, a pleased expression crossing his face. Serenity pursed her lips, and shrugged. She was still tense, and he knew that it was not just her muscles; she still feared him. Even after he had shown her that she was more significant then anything else in his life, she still…despised him. No, she was too good to hate, she could only fear.

Dimando quenched the moment by handing the baby back. "I believe my subordinates and subjects will be disconcerted if she does not carry a gemstone or mineral name," the Queen digested the information, but made no move to reply. "We will have to settle this, one way or another. If you do not speak your opinion, you will have no say. It's simple as that, Serenity."

She glared defiantly back at the Prince, resolve, for once, hard as stone. "You have made me bear this child, and you will force me to care for her. I will not love a thing that is the union of revenge and jealousy."

Stifling the urge to throw a fist at the wall, Dimando regained his decorum, and stood. We will raise this child with love, and I will give my heart to you, once again. If you cannot accept it, then it is you who is the evil one. "I love you, Serenity," he reminded her, as he left.

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1 Thus, the cycle begins again

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