Hi everyone! Starlight Angel here. I wrote this story on a whim. It was
inspired by the song "Forever 17" by Zoegirl. I listened to the song
and cried at how true the lyrics were. Anyway, on with the fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own sailormoon and the chibi scouts, with the exception
of Rini,and Kara belong to Angel Raye. The song "Forever 17" belongs to Zoegirl.


Forever Seventeen
By: Starlight Angel


Madelyn stood before her parents as she awaited the verdict. They looked at their
daughter skeptically.
"Do you think she is old enough to go to a party with college students?" Hotaru
asked Anthony in a whisper as she watched Madelyn fidget. A thoughtful look crossed
Anthony's face. In a few moments, he nodded slowly.
"I don't see why not, she's a good kid and she's seventeen. She'll be joining the
other girls in college next year, and Kara will be there with her," Anthony answered
somewhat reluctantly, as if trying to convince himself.
Hotaru sighed dejectedly. He was right after all. "You may go," Hotaru stated.
A look of pure joy spread across Madelyn's face. "Thank you so much, mama, daddy!"
she exclaimed and hugged her parents. She then sprinted to her room to tell Kara
the news.

Never thought it would be me,
Living in a shattered dream
Could this be the end for me?

Madelyn stood in the front of the palace, waiting for Kara to arrive. She was ecstatic
that her parents had let her go to the party. She saw a car pull up and was slightly
disappointed when she found out it wasn't Kara. Instead, Maggie and Daisy stepped out
of the car.br
"Why are you so dressed up?" Daisy asked nonchalantly when she saw Madelyn's shimmering,
purple party dress and her hair pulled back by glittery white butterfly barets.
"I was invited to a party, and I'm waiting for Kara to pick me up," Madelyn answered.
Maggie frowned and shook her head slightly. "Madelyn, be careful," Maggie stated seriously.
"There is always alcohol at these kinds of parties."
Madelyn's head snapped towards the cosmic senshi of Pluto, and she nodded. Maggie, as Cosmic
Pluto, knew everything that was about to happen, and what would happen. "Don't worry, Maggie,
I'll be careful."
Maggie nodded as a white car pulled up and Kara stepped out.
"Are you ready to go?" Kara asked when she saw the other two girls.
Madelyn nodded and stepped toward the car. She had a feeling that Maggie was trying to
warn her of something that was about to happen. She turned around and waved at Maggie
and Daisy one last time before stepping into the car. The two girls waved back and
watched as the car drove off.
"Maggie, what's going on?" Daisy asked as soon as the car disappeared. She knew her friend
well enough to know that she was hiding something. Maggie's emotionless expression changed
to one of grief as soon as Daisy's question registered in her brain.
"We'll all have to be there for Madelyn when she finds out in the morning," Maggie said
softly as she turned her head in the direction of Madelyn's bedroom window. Daisy didn't
quite understand what her friend was talking about, but knew better than to question her
further since it would only cause Maggie more pain since she could not tell her any more
than she already had.
"Alright," Daisy said, and she and Maggie walked into the Palace.

What I wouldn't give to have,
A life to live, a day to plan
Instead I'll be forever seventeen

Loud music blasted through the house and people were busy dancing and drinking beer from
red, plastic cups. Madelyn had danced with a few guys she knew from school, and was
having a great time. However, she hadn't seen Kara for almost an hour, and was beginning
to worry. 'Where could she be?' Madelyn thought as she scanned the room for her friend.
She saw her over by the snack tables with a couple of girls Madelyn didn't know. She
had a cup with alcohol in her hands, and was a little tipsy. Madelyn walked over to
join the group, and preferably take the drink from Kara.
"Kara, I think you should stop drinking now before you make yourself sick," Madelyn said
as she reached over to grab the cup from Kara's hand. The brown-haired girl quickly pulled
it out of Madelyn's way.
"I won't get sick," Kara mumbled, "do you want to try a bit? It's actually quite good when
you get used to the flavor."
"No, I don't want to try it," Madelyn said sternly, remembering the time, years ago, when
Annika and Gloria had accidentally drunk wine at a palace party. One of the girls, who
seemed to be about 22-years-old, put a cup infront of Madelyn.
"Your friend is right, you really should try it once," the girl with light green hair said.
The other girl nodded.
"You should, it's good to try things at least once," the white haired girl urged. Madelyn
bit her lip and looked at the cup skeptically and grabbed in shakily.

Could have lived out every dream
Could have been most anything
Can someone wake me up?
I haven't lived yet
I'm only seventeen

She looked at the yellowish liquid in the cup and scrunched her nose. She looked around
her and saw the bathroom. Nonchalantly, she walked away from the girls, and dumped the
liquor down the sink. The two girls with Kara looked startled at what Madelyn had done.
"What did you do that for?" the green haired girl shrieked. Madelyn looked coldly at the
two girls with Kara.
"Because I don't want to stumble around like a drunk," Madelyn replied in a low voice, "come
on, Kara, we need to get you home."
Kara shook her head drowsily. "I don't want to, the party isn't over yet," Kara said
groggily. Madelyn grabbed her friend's arm and began to lead her from the party, ignoring
her drunken protests. "Madelyn! Let me go! I'm not a child anymore," Kara snapped as
she pulled her arm away from Madelyn's hand.
"No," Madelyn stated, "you aren't, but you're acting like one."
"Madelyn, do you need some help?" a girl with cerelean blue hair asked as she walked up to
the arguing friends. A look of slight relief washed over Madelyn's face when she saw Kara's
older sister, Yumi.
"Hai, thank you Yumi," Madelyn said gratefully, and the two girls dragged a fiercely
protesting Kara to her car.

God, did you forget,
I'm just a baby?
And I don't wanna be
Forever seventeen

"Madelyn, Yumi! Stop it!" Kara shouted as they pushed her into the car. Madelyn turned her
back her friend and shut the door they had pushed Kara through.
"Kara, shut up," Yumi suddenly snapped. Kara shut her mouth immediately and crossed her arms
in front of her and started to pout.
Yumi climbed into the driver's seat and Madelyn sat in the passanger seat. "That's better,"
Yumi mumbled as she locked the doors and started the car.

I'll never have a bed to make,
a test to take, a summer day
I'll always be forever seventeen

"Thank you for the ride home, Yumi," Madelyn said when they pulled up to the Crystal Palace.
Yumi looked up at her sister's friend and gave her a warm smile. "Thank you for watching out
for my sister, you're a good friend Madelyn."
Madelyn felt a smile spread across her face, "Thank you. Drive home safe, alright." She looked
at the back seat and saw Kara sleeping peacefully. The girls said good night and Madelyn
watched as the car drove off in the distance.

Could have had a family,
If things had worked out differently
Instead I'll be forever seventeen

Madelyn woke up to the sound of the telephone. She had somehow slipped passed her parents
the night before, and felt like she hadn't slept in days. She stumbled out of bed and into the
living room to see who had called. Madelyn watched as her mother picked up the telephone
and listened to the person on the other line. In a few moments, she saw her mother's skin go pale
and her hands begin to shake. Hotaru looked up at her daughter and she soon hung up the
phone.
"Madelyn, I think you need to sit down," Hotaru stated with a quivering voice. Madelyn
did as she was told, and she was suddenly wide awake when she heard her mother speak.
When Hotaru didn't say anything, Madelyn got impatient.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Madelyn asked, a trifle annoyed, her face betrayed the worry she felt.
Hotaru took a deep breath.
"Madelyn, when was the last time you saw Kara and Yumi?" Hotaru asked warily. Madelyn looked
at her watch, which she hadn't taken off the night before, and realized she had gotten home at
one o'clock the previous night.
"I last saw them about six and a half hours ago," Madelyn answered meekly, expecting her mother
to yell at her for getting home so late, but was surprised when she did not. "Why?"
"After she and Yumi left the party," Hotaru started slowly, "something awful happened."
Madelyn's eyes flew open in shock.

Could I have just one more day
A chance to learn from my mistakes?

Hotaru paused again. "Yumi and Kara got hit by a drunk driver."
Madelyn gasped and tears began to fill her eyes. "Are they alright?"
Hotaru shook her head. "I'm sorry, baby, but, neither of them made it."

In a matter of a moment,
Life fell before my eyes
And now I'm looking at the
meaning of the miracle of life

Tears streaked down Madelyn's face and she brought her hands to her face and sobbed.
Hotaru quickly rushed to her daughter's shaking form and enveloped her in a comforting
hug.
"Mom, *sniffs* it shouldn't have happened," Madelyn choked through her sobs. "I was in
the car with them last night. It's all my fault! It should have been me instead."
"Mady, it's not your fault. You didn't know that this was going to happen," Hotaru
said reassuringly as she rubbed her daughter's back, silently thanking god that her daughter
hadn't been in the car at the time of the accident. Madelyn didn't argue, she just continued
to cry for her friends.

Where are we going without even knowing His love
The answer is deep inside

Ariel was surprised to see Maggie show up in her room. "Hello Maggie."
"Ariel, I think you need to go and visit Madelyn, she needs you right now," Maggie
stated bluntly.
A worried expression flashed across Ariel's face, "What's wrong, what happened?"
"Madelyn went to a party last night with her friend Kara. Madelyn got a ride home
with Kara and her sister Yumi, and after Madelyn got home, something terrible occured,"
Ariel's eyes widened as Maggie continued, "Kara and her sister got hit by a drunk driver,
and they did not survive."
Without another thought, Ariel dashed from her room, and sprinted towards the Saturn
quarters.

So don't give up,
You haven't lived yet
You're only seventeen

Ariel opened the door to the Saturn quarters without knocking, and looked through the
rooms for Madelyn. She finally found her in the living room sobbing on her mother's
shoulder.
"Madelyn," Ariel said softly as she walked up behind her friend. Madelyn lifted her
tear streaked face toward her best friend, "I heard what happened. I'm so sorry."
Sobs escaped from Madelyn's throat and she stood up and hugged Ariel tightly as she
burst into a new flood of tears.
"She's gone, Ariel," Madelyn said with a grief laced, trembling voice. Ariel hugged her
friend tighter and let her cry.

God did not forget,
You're just a baby

Ariel put her hand on Madelyn's shoulder as they watched Yumi and Kara's funeral. Madelyn was
trembling slightly as she watched her other best friends' coffins being lowered into the
ground. It had been a hard few days for everyone who knew Kara and her sister, and with heavy hearts,
they watched the young girls being put in their graves.
"It shouldn't ended this way for them," Madelyn said weakly, she had barely eaten or slept
since she heard the news.
Ariel squeezed Madelyn's shoulder in comfort, "I know it shouldn't have, she was a good
friend to you, and she had a bright future ahead of her."
"Kara was only seventeen," Madelyn stated dryly after a long pause. "And I could have
been in the car with her."
"Thank goodness you weren't there when they were hit," Ariel said softly to herself, "I couldn't
bear to lose you, Madelyn. You're my best friend."
Madelyn smiled slightly and nodded in agreement, "You're my best friend too."
"We'll get through this together, Madelyn. I promise you," Ariel said as the two girls
walked away from the funeral, knowing that they could get through anything as long as
they supported each other.

The End

So what did you guys think? I know it was kind of depressing, but it is a very real thing
in our lives today. More teenagers are killed in car accidents than any other cause of
death. That fact and the song lyrics made me write this. Please let me know what you thought
by reviewing!
~Starlight Angel~