1 Part VIII
The wind was cold on the way home. Loose papers that had been scattered along the street seemed to come to life with the slightest breeze that came and lifted them from their resting place. Yaten's mind raced. Images of what she had just witnessed raced through her head and unimaginable conclusions came from them. What was going on? Had Seiya seen what she had? She had to get home to talk to Seiya. Yaten knew that Seiya had to have known. That was really Usagi, she could feel it.
It took what felt like an eternity to make it up to their apartment and when she finally made it there was no sign of Seiya anywhere. "Where did she go?" Yaten asked flatly as she finished her search.
"She said she was going over to see Usagi, why?" Taiki asked momentarily looking up from her book. It was good to see her reading again. Before she had found comfort in her readings and lectures and the others began to get worried when she resorted to alcohol to solve her problems instead.
"WHAT!" Yaten screeched. "She can't do that. We can't leave her alone with her!" There was desperation in her tone, the kind that Taiki hadn't heard since the last time they were on Earth and they were searching for their princess.
"Why not? It's only Usagi." Taiki was confused to say the least, if anything she thought that Yaten would be happy for Seiya to have found her again and to finally be getting the attention from her of which she craved.
Yaten hurriedly threw her jacket back on which she had only taken off moments ago. "That's not Usagi. Seiya's in trouble. We have to go, NOW!"
Taiki wasn't quite sure what she was talking about but knew that she was serious and got up from her seat on the couch to follow Yaten out the door.
~@~@~@~
Everyone was out for the day, which left Seiya and Usagi at the temple alone. Seiya sat on the couch waiting for Usagi to return from her errands in the kitchen. It was uncomfortable but yet the greatest feeling in the world that she had at that moment. This was the only thing she had thought of since she first met Usagi so long ago and now her dream was coming true.
Usagi came into the room and noticed Seiya's eyes on her immediately, she smiled at her and took her seat beside the girl. "What are you thinking about?" She asked innocently enough.
Seiya smiled as she looked at her face. She was so perfect, just the way she had remembered her. "I was just thinking how nice it was to be able to be here with you." She said with her signature charm.
Usagi smiled and brought her head over to rest in the curve of Seiya's neck. "Funny, I was just thinking the same thing." The moment was perfect. "You have no idea how much I missed you." Usagi said as she brought her head up to look into Seiya's eyes.
Without hesitation but with much anticipation Seiya lifted the smaller girl's chin up and brought her face close to hers. She slowly closed her eyes as their lips met in a long awaited kiss. Usagi allowed herself to melt into Seiya's arms as Seiya deepened the kiss. Seiya's hand lightly brushed Usagi's delicate cheek and Usagi brought her hand up to rest on her chest. When their kiss was broken each sat and stared in wonder at the other.
Usagi leaned back in for another kiss but Seiya hesitated slightly before allowing her to proceed. What was she doing? Why would she hesitate to kiss this girl that she has dreamt of for so long? Was she still thinking about Kenada? What a fool she had been to allow herself to fall in love with that man. Wait, the only reason that she thought she loved him was because she believed that he was Usagi. What a malicious game to play with some one's heart.
Usagi broke away from the kiss to look at Seiya with a strange glare in her eyes. "Where were you?" She asked as she removed herself from the other girl.
"What do you mean? When?" Seiya was stunned that their kiss had suddenly been broken and by the question she was suddenly faced with.
"Just a moment ago, where were you? I was here but your mind was somewhere else." There was a tinge of annoyance in her voice.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Seiya said trying to look perplexed. She knew exactly what she was talking about. Her mind was on Kenada, but why did her thoughts of him have to continue to plague her? She knew the truth now why didn't she feel animosity towards him? Why did she feel so empty without him?
Usagi's face softened as she took Seiya's hand in her own. "I'd like to think that you want to be here with me, but if you don't please don't stay and hurt me." She said with a note of sadness in her tone.
"I would never do anything to hurt you!" There was shock in her voice. Seiya moved closer to take the girl in her arms. "And I do want to be here with you, I've always wanted to be here with you." She said as she pulled away one more time to see the reaction on Usagi's face.
Taiki and Yaten stormed in the room as Seiya and Usagi locked themselves in another kiss. "Seiya! What are you doing?" Yaten yelled.
Yaten's voice was a sobering agent for Seiya's thoughts as her head snapped up. "What are you doing here?" She asked blushing a bit as she realized what she had just been caught doing.
"Hello Yaten, Taiki." Usagi gave them a small wave.
Yaten just looked at Usagi like she was the lowest thing on the face of this Earth and quickly made her way over to grab Seiya by the arm. "We need to talk. NOW!" She said leaving no room for disagreement.
"Anything you have to say to me you can say in front of Usagi, you know that." Seiya replied trying to free her arm from Yaten's hold.
Yaten tightened her grip as Taiki looked on. "I would much rather speak to you in private if you don't mind." Yaten hissed between clenched teeth.
Seiya's eyes narrowed and then she looked over at Taiki to see if she could tell what this situation was all about. All that she saw in Taiki's face was confusion. Seiya stood, seeing no other alternative but to comply with Yaten's demand. "Alright." She said finally receiving her arm back from the shorter girl. "Will you excuse me for a minute?" Seiya asked Usagi with a smile to let her know that everything was alright. Usagi nodded and the two walked away leaving Taiki with her.
"What the hell is this all about?" Seiya demanded when she was sure they were out of hearing range.
"I should be asking you the same thing." Yaten retorted with more than a pissed look on her face. "What the hell are you thinking?"
Seiya was shocked, she had no idea why Yaten would be acting this way, then her thoughts drifted to Kenada again. "I thought you would be thrilled now that Kenada was single." Seiya's answer was said with a smart sarcastic edge.
Yaten's eyes blazed as she rose her hand to smack Seiya across the face. Her breathing increased. "You're such an ass!" She boomed. "You left him behind without even a second thought!"
The welt was already starting to form on Seiya's cheek as she held her hand up over it. "You have no idea what is going on. don't lecture me." Seiya's voice dropped as she turned so that Yaten couldn't see her face.
"Look at me!" Yaten's hand spun Seiya around by the shoulder to face her. "You don't think I know what's going on? Huh?" She reached her hand out to slide the door open to the next room where Taiki and Usagi were sitting. "Look in there. tell me what you see." She pointed to the two on the couch.
"I see Odango and Taiki." She said plainly not fully understanding what she was getting at.
"Really. Now what do you see when you look at Kenada?" Yaten questioned closing the door.
"What are you getting at? Why do you keep bringing him into this?" Seiya was becoming frustrated with Yaten's irrational string of questions.
"I went to Kenada's house today to see if he was alright." Yaten backed away from her friend a bit. "He wasn't. the man was completely disheveled and he seemed to be going out of his mind. He started becoming short of breath and looked as though he was going to faint. I moved quickly up behind him to break his fall. I took a good look at him yesterday. I took a long, good look at 'Kenada' yesterday and do you know what I saw?" Yaten paused to see if Seiya was going to dare reply to her question, or if she was going to react to the strange twist she had put on his name.
She didn't, Seiya's face was turned down, she was ashamed of herself and what her actions had caused Kenada. It was her fault that he was suffering and alone. just the way he didn't want to be.
"I know what Kenada really is." Yaten spoke barely above a whisper.
Seiya's eyes came up to meet Yaten's and Yaten saw the tears in her eyes that she hadn't seen in so long.
"You said it yourself. that's not Usagi. why are you here?" Yaten came up close to her friend for reassurance.
To Yaten's surprise however Seiya's mood suddenly shifted. "What do you mean why am I here? Look out there." Seiya pointed to the door. "That's my Odango, that's my Odango who wants me here. I'll do anything for her, or haven't you figured that out yet?"
"Then why did you leave her?" Yaten asked lowly as not to raise Seiya's anger any more than she had to.
"I didn't leave her, I came to her. Kenada is Kenada. Odango is Odango. I know the truth I can see it with my own eyes!" Seiya got up wanting nothing more to do with this conversation and moved towards the door.
"But can you feel it with your own heart?." Yaten said still standing across the room from where Seiya had left her.
Seiya didn't turn to face her instead walked through the door and back into the living room.
"Oh Seiya, I hope you know what you're doing."
~@~@~@~
Kenada's house was on the way. Yaten was already out of breath, she was panting and fighting to run as fast as she could. Good, the lights were on. She didn't bother knocking and just let herself in. It sounded like a cyclone in the small apartment as Yaten ran through it quickly searching for any signs of Kenada.
"Yaten? What are you doing here?" Kenada asked not really caring from his seat next to the window.
"Kenada. you have to come with me." Yaten stopped and tried to catch her breath. Her chest was heaving up and down with each deep breath she took.
Kenada began to express interest in the situation at hand. "Wait slow down. what are you talking about?" He asked curiously as he came to stand next to her.
"Se. Seiya's in trouble." She finally got out when her breath caught up with her. "A new enemy showed up. she's fighting besides that fake Sailor Moon. I know it, I know something is going to happen to her." Yaten's eyes were searching Kenada's face to see how he felt or for any sort of reaction. Her eyes were wide and dancing with fear. She was scared. She was actually scared. She didn't know if Kenada would actually come and help her after what Seiya had done to him. But he had to, he just had to.
"Sailor Moon?" Kenada asked dumbly resorting back to his nonchalant approach to the conversation. "I thought Sailor Moon was a good person? That's what I heard at least." Kenada was about to turn away from her to go back to what he had previously been doing but Yaten's hand stopped him.
"Usagi. please. I know you still love her. please don't let your pride get in the way of saving her." Yaten said but then noticed that Kenada was about to play dumb with her again. "Yes, that's right I know who you are. You passed out in my arms earlier and changed back. I put you to bed and left."
Kenada's face dropped. "What can I do? How do I know that girl isn't really the real Sailor Moon? Maybe I am the fake and I'm just finding it out now. Maybe I was lied to. I screwed everything up so far, this wouldn't be such a big surprise."
Yaten's eyes widened with surprise, her hands came up to rest on Kenada's shoulders. "You are the real thing. You are the girl who saved all of us from Galaxia all of those years ago. I can feel the brightness of your star and now I know that's how Seiya found you."
Seiya. Without another word Kenada rushed into the bedroom and grabbed Eternal Sailor Moon's broach. Kenada and Yaten transformed in a brilliant flash of light. When they were done Sailor Moon pulled Healer into a warm embrace to thank her for bringing her back to her senses. "Now let's go save Seiya!"
~@~@~@~
The wind was cold on the way home. Loose papers that had been scattered along the street seemed to come to life with the slightest breeze that came and lifted them from their resting place. Yaten's mind raced. Images of what she had just witnessed raced through her head and unimaginable conclusions came from them. What was going on? Had Seiya seen what she had? She had to get home to talk to Seiya. Yaten knew that Seiya had to have known. That was really Usagi, she could feel it.
It took what felt like an eternity to make it up to their apartment and when she finally made it there was no sign of Seiya anywhere. "Where did she go?" Yaten asked flatly as she finished her search.
"She said she was going over to see Usagi, why?" Taiki asked momentarily looking up from her book. It was good to see her reading again. Before she had found comfort in her readings and lectures and the others began to get worried when she resorted to alcohol to solve her problems instead.
"WHAT!" Yaten screeched. "She can't do that. We can't leave her alone with her!" There was desperation in her tone, the kind that Taiki hadn't heard since the last time they were on Earth and they were searching for their princess.
"Why not? It's only Usagi." Taiki was confused to say the least, if anything she thought that Yaten would be happy for Seiya to have found her again and to finally be getting the attention from her of which she craved.
Yaten hurriedly threw her jacket back on which she had only taken off moments ago. "That's not Usagi. Seiya's in trouble. We have to go, NOW!"
Taiki wasn't quite sure what she was talking about but knew that she was serious and got up from her seat on the couch to follow Yaten out the door.
~@~@~@~
Everyone was out for the day, which left Seiya and Usagi at the temple alone. Seiya sat on the couch waiting for Usagi to return from her errands in the kitchen. It was uncomfortable but yet the greatest feeling in the world that she had at that moment. This was the only thing she had thought of since she first met Usagi so long ago and now her dream was coming true.
Usagi came into the room and noticed Seiya's eyes on her immediately, she smiled at her and took her seat beside the girl. "What are you thinking about?" She asked innocently enough.
Seiya smiled as she looked at her face. She was so perfect, just the way she had remembered her. "I was just thinking how nice it was to be able to be here with you." She said with her signature charm.
Usagi smiled and brought her head over to rest in the curve of Seiya's neck. "Funny, I was just thinking the same thing." The moment was perfect. "You have no idea how much I missed you." Usagi said as she brought her head up to look into Seiya's eyes.
Without hesitation but with much anticipation Seiya lifted the smaller girl's chin up and brought her face close to hers. She slowly closed her eyes as their lips met in a long awaited kiss. Usagi allowed herself to melt into Seiya's arms as Seiya deepened the kiss. Seiya's hand lightly brushed Usagi's delicate cheek and Usagi brought her hand up to rest on her chest. When their kiss was broken each sat and stared in wonder at the other.
Usagi leaned back in for another kiss but Seiya hesitated slightly before allowing her to proceed. What was she doing? Why would she hesitate to kiss this girl that she has dreamt of for so long? Was she still thinking about Kenada? What a fool she had been to allow herself to fall in love with that man. Wait, the only reason that she thought she loved him was because she believed that he was Usagi. What a malicious game to play with some one's heart.
Usagi broke away from the kiss to look at Seiya with a strange glare in her eyes. "Where were you?" She asked as she removed herself from the other girl.
"What do you mean? When?" Seiya was stunned that their kiss had suddenly been broken and by the question she was suddenly faced with.
"Just a moment ago, where were you? I was here but your mind was somewhere else." There was a tinge of annoyance in her voice.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Seiya said trying to look perplexed. She knew exactly what she was talking about. Her mind was on Kenada, but why did her thoughts of him have to continue to plague her? She knew the truth now why didn't she feel animosity towards him? Why did she feel so empty without him?
Usagi's face softened as she took Seiya's hand in her own. "I'd like to think that you want to be here with me, but if you don't please don't stay and hurt me." She said with a note of sadness in her tone.
"I would never do anything to hurt you!" There was shock in her voice. Seiya moved closer to take the girl in her arms. "And I do want to be here with you, I've always wanted to be here with you." She said as she pulled away one more time to see the reaction on Usagi's face.
Taiki and Yaten stormed in the room as Seiya and Usagi locked themselves in another kiss. "Seiya! What are you doing?" Yaten yelled.
Yaten's voice was a sobering agent for Seiya's thoughts as her head snapped up. "What are you doing here?" She asked blushing a bit as she realized what she had just been caught doing.
"Hello Yaten, Taiki." Usagi gave them a small wave.
Yaten just looked at Usagi like she was the lowest thing on the face of this Earth and quickly made her way over to grab Seiya by the arm. "We need to talk. NOW!" She said leaving no room for disagreement.
"Anything you have to say to me you can say in front of Usagi, you know that." Seiya replied trying to free her arm from Yaten's hold.
Yaten tightened her grip as Taiki looked on. "I would much rather speak to you in private if you don't mind." Yaten hissed between clenched teeth.
Seiya's eyes narrowed and then she looked over at Taiki to see if she could tell what this situation was all about. All that she saw in Taiki's face was confusion. Seiya stood, seeing no other alternative but to comply with Yaten's demand. "Alright." She said finally receiving her arm back from the shorter girl. "Will you excuse me for a minute?" Seiya asked Usagi with a smile to let her know that everything was alright. Usagi nodded and the two walked away leaving Taiki with her.
"What the hell is this all about?" Seiya demanded when she was sure they were out of hearing range.
"I should be asking you the same thing." Yaten retorted with more than a pissed look on her face. "What the hell are you thinking?"
Seiya was shocked, she had no idea why Yaten would be acting this way, then her thoughts drifted to Kenada again. "I thought you would be thrilled now that Kenada was single." Seiya's answer was said with a smart sarcastic edge.
Yaten's eyes blazed as she rose her hand to smack Seiya across the face. Her breathing increased. "You're such an ass!" She boomed. "You left him behind without even a second thought!"
The welt was already starting to form on Seiya's cheek as she held her hand up over it. "You have no idea what is going on. don't lecture me." Seiya's voice dropped as she turned so that Yaten couldn't see her face.
"Look at me!" Yaten's hand spun Seiya around by the shoulder to face her. "You don't think I know what's going on? Huh?" She reached her hand out to slide the door open to the next room where Taiki and Usagi were sitting. "Look in there. tell me what you see." She pointed to the two on the couch.
"I see Odango and Taiki." She said plainly not fully understanding what she was getting at.
"Really. Now what do you see when you look at Kenada?" Yaten questioned closing the door.
"What are you getting at? Why do you keep bringing him into this?" Seiya was becoming frustrated with Yaten's irrational string of questions.
"I went to Kenada's house today to see if he was alright." Yaten backed away from her friend a bit. "He wasn't. the man was completely disheveled and he seemed to be going out of his mind. He started becoming short of breath and looked as though he was going to faint. I moved quickly up behind him to break his fall. I took a good look at him yesterday. I took a long, good look at 'Kenada' yesterday and do you know what I saw?" Yaten paused to see if Seiya was going to dare reply to her question, or if she was going to react to the strange twist she had put on his name.
She didn't, Seiya's face was turned down, she was ashamed of herself and what her actions had caused Kenada. It was her fault that he was suffering and alone. just the way he didn't want to be.
"I know what Kenada really is." Yaten spoke barely above a whisper.
Seiya's eyes came up to meet Yaten's and Yaten saw the tears in her eyes that she hadn't seen in so long.
"You said it yourself. that's not Usagi. why are you here?" Yaten came up close to her friend for reassurance.
To Yaten's surprise however Seiya's mood suddenly shifted. "What do you mean why am I here? Look out there." Seiya pointed to the door. "That's my Odango, that's my Odango who wants me here. I'll do anything for her, or haven't you figured that out yet?"
"Then why did you leave her?" Yaten asked lowly as not to raise Seiya's anger any more than she had to.
"I didn't leave her, I came to her. Kenada is Kenada. Odango is Odango. I know the truth I can see it with my own eyes!" Seiya got up wanting nothing more to do with this conversation and moved towards the door.
"But can you feel it with your own heart?." Yaten said still standing across the room from where Seiya had left her.
Seiya didn't turn to face her instead walked through the door and back into the living room.
"Oh Seiya, I hope you know what you're doing."
~@~@~@~
Kenada's house was on the way. Yaten was already out of breath, she was panting and fighting to run as fast as she could. Good, the lights were on. She didn't bother knocking and just let herself in. It sounded like a cyclone in the small apartment as Yaten ran through it quickly searching for any signs of Kenada.
"Yaten? What are you doing here?" Kenada asked not really caring from his seat next to the window.
"Kenada. you have to come with me." Yaten stopped and tried to catch her breath. Her chest was heaving up and down with each deep breath she took.
Kenada began to express interest in the situation at hand. "Wait slow down. what are you talking about?" He asked curiously as he came to stand next to her.
"Se. Seiya's in trouble." She finally got out when her breath caught up with her. "A new enemy showed up. she's fighting besides that fake Sailor Moon. I know it, I know something is going to happen to her." Yaten's eyes were searching Kenada's face to see how he felt or for any sort of reaction. Her eyes were wide and dancing with fear. She was scared. She was actually scared. She didn't know if Kenada would actually come and help her after what Seiya had done to him. But he had to, he just had to.
"Sailor Moon?" Kenada asked dumbly resorting back to his nonchalant approach to the conversation. "I thought Sailor Moon was a good person? That's what I heard at least." Kenada was about to turn away from her to go back to what he had previously been doing but Yaten's hand stopped him.
"Usagi. please. I know you still love her. please don't let your pride get in the way of saving her." Yaten said but then noticed that Kenada was about to play dumb with her again. "Yes, that's right I know who you are. You passed out in my arms earlier and changed back. I put you to bed and left."
Kenada's face dropped. "What can I do? How do I know that girl isn't really the real Sailor Moon? Maybe I am the fake and I'm just finding it out now. Maybe I was lied to. I screwed everything up so far, this wouldn't be such a big surprise."
Yaten's eyes widened with surprise, her hands came up to rest on Kenada's shoulders. "You are the real thing. You are the girl who saved all of us from Galaxia all of those years ago. I can feel the brightness of your star and now I know that's how Seiya found you."
Seiya. Without another word Kenada rushed into the bedroom and grabbed Eternal Sailor Moon's broach. Kenada and Yaten transformed in a brilliant flash of light. When they were done Sailor Moon pulled Healer into a warm embrace to thank her for bringing her back to her senses. "Now let's go save Seiya!"
~@~@~@~
