Elegy for the Heavens
by Asura
Faded_Seraph@yahoo.com
Well, this is my magnum opus for BSSM, as it were.
This tale I imagine will reach considerable lengths, and my
current goal is to have a 13 chapter composition with a set
of omake and a final epilogue. In the first chapter, along
with the prologue, the protagonists will be introduced and
we'll get a look at basic life. From there, things will
expand to cover Crystal Tokyo, the Moon, the Solar System
and maybe a little bit even beyond that. However, of
importance is as always the fact that Bishoujo Senshi Sailor
Moon is owned by the one and only Naoko Takeuchi, wife of
my favorite manga artist. She owns the rights of the series,
along with Toei animation, DiC, and Cloverway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'To walk along the beach and bask in the sun, after the
fall... To let all the memories sweep back into my heart and
show me the truth of my actions... I ask for nothing more.'
-Jadeite
Prologue
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing is eternal. Nothing made by the hands of man,
at least, can last for all of time. Of course, there is the
question of whether or not time is finite, or if perhaps it
simply goes on without ever ending. Perhaps, then, it is a
loop that continues to chase itself for all time. Kingdoms
will be built, lives will be lived, people will grow old
and die and kingdoms will fall throughout the span of these
cycles, often imitating those that have come before them,
yet there are always slight differences as each age finds
its own identity and thus it is a spiral rather than a
circle.
Crystal Tokyo was the lifeblood of the Shin-Muun
kingdom that was young for its size and power. Ruled from a
castle on the Moon by Neo-Queen Serenity, who had fought
much in her time on Earth and had given much of her life to
create the utopian city. While she had possibly sacrificed
the most and expended the most effort, she was not alone in
giving much of herself to bring about this future city. Her
husband, the proud King Endymion, had been through nearly
as much. Further, to again an only slightly lesser extent,
each of the Sailor Senshi who had fought with her to defeat
the forces that had threatened their then-home. Earth and
their home were greatly intertwined with the fate of the
city.
Below them, of course was the Earth, which still
flourished and lived on, the majority of its people always
blissfully ignorant of the kingdom above them on the Moon.
The great battles that had been fought on the planet's
surface were never seen, and the people could never know
how many times they had come no more than an eyelash's
breadth from destruction only to be saved by the Sailor
Senshi who resided in the city on the Moon. It mattered
little though, for the people were safe in their lives and
content in going about the business of normal life.
Yet, in every great and perfect picture there is a
flaw. A splinter worms its way into the mind and brings out
the truth that something is eerily out of place. Out of a
million possible analogies, the closest to find the mark
was a simple consideration that it was like a single, small
crystal amongst a cluster of them that was cracked without
explanation. It was a thing that could be overlooked so
easily, and yet there was someone who saw it. A sign such
as that was unmistakable when it was noticed, and it was
easily taken as an omen of darkness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They were the two most distant of all the Sailor
Senshi, a fact related to their domains of power, but yet
it was not the obvious reasons of which one might think of
that kept them shielded from the others. Their domains were
Time and Ruin, the two provinces that most mortals would
fear to tread or even consider. For all their considerable
power, however, they were bound with responsibility and
strong hearts that shielded their abilities from abuse. The
real reason they were separated from the other Senshi was
the simple fact that their powers were constantly needed to
guard the Shin-Muun Kingdom from any threats it might face.
Such tasks required endless vigilance, and much of their
time was devoured by the creed that they followed.
"Setsuna-san, you must have seen it as well..." A
quiet voice spoke out in the dimly lit room that served as
the observation point for the Outer Senshi in their
guarding the system from threats born from without. They
also had taken up the duty of watching the inner system,
for the other Senshi were occupied with the maintenance of
Crystal Tokyo.
"I noticed just before it faded away. Where could the
Scrying Pool have picked up such an image, though?" The
voice that responded was a smoother, matured voice that was
befitting of a woman who could calm anyone with just a few
words. Despite that, there was no doubt that it was also a
beautiful and kind voice belonging to a woman who couldn't
be older than her mid-twenties, and, by appearances, that
would be true.
"I'm not sure. It doesn't make much sense, does it?"
The quieter, younger voice responded, while its owner
circled a round table some two meters in width. Its surface
was glimmering softly with black opalescence that gave no
definite reflection and seemed liquid in texture.
"None at all. It always gives us a source for the
images." Setsuna's response came with a tone of perplexity.
The situation was most unusual, and in most cases something
unexplained was not something good.
"We should go out to investigate. Michiru-san and
Haruka-san should search the Moon and the Western
Hemisphere of Earth. I'll go back to Japan and see if I can
find anything." She didn't need to mention that Setsuna
needed to remain there and watch the Scrying Pool. Next to
Michiru, she had the most powerful sense of intuition, and
she had the superior wisdom of her age as well as dominion
over Time to make her the best for the task of watching for
new developments.
"I'll let them know. Be careful, Hotaru-chan."
Setsuna spoke still with the affection befitting a mother
for a daughter, though she did not claim that right nearly
as greatly as did Michiru, who had been the most involved
with Hotaru's short time as a baby. Of course, her real
father, Professor Souichi Tomoe, still kept watch over her
despite the lengths of time that frequently separated their
visits.
"I will, Setsuna-mama." Hotaru's response was a kind
consideration of that time when they had been almost a true
family. They still were to a certain degree, but time had
matured the Senshi of Ruin past the point where she would
frequently address her in that familiar way.
The room fell quiet at that point, the only sound
present the echo of Hotaru's boots as she left the Room of
Watching for the rest of the Crystal Watcher's Spire.
Setsuna could not help but experience a bit of apprehension
as the other Senshi departed. What had happened did not
make sense. An image they had seen that had no sort of
identification was almost literally unheard of, thanks to
the powerful magical nature of the Scrying Pool. Numerous
times it had defended Crystal Tokyo from distant, if minor
threats, but it seemed as if for some reason fate had
suddenly denied them one of their most powerful tools:
Knowledge of what was coming.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 1: Yomigaero: Hidoi yume kara yaburo! - Jadeite's
Dawn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jadeite found the clothes he was wearing unusual.
Rather, it wasn't so much that they were unusual but more
the fact that they were so amazingly common that he found
them slightly disturbing. For the longest period of time
that he could remember, he had covered himself in the blue,
violet trimmed uniform that had been given to him before
the fall of the White Moon Kingdom. Wearing a pair of blue
jeans and a plain white T-shirt, he felt oddly out of
place. He couldn't deny the fact that the clothing was more
comfortable than his uniform had been, nor could he ignore
the fact that the uniform had become worn and battered with
the passage of time.
He had possessed a considerable amount of time to
think about the White Moon Kingdom over the last years, the
number of which he could not even recognize anymore. That
darkness that he had joined, and that had become an
intimate part of him, was fragile beneath its overwhelming
exterior, always turning inwards upon itself and ripping
its own supports to shreds. The foundation only remained
strong because the one who provided it possessed the most
brute force and cunning, and any that had even irked their
leader, Queen Beryl, had paid the price. Such had been his
fate.
Years, perhaps even decades or centuries, had passed
during the time he had been frozen in a hell of crystal,
forced to look upon an endless sea of those who would share
his fate. He had failed Beryl, but he had found his
salvation in the information he acquired in his final
defeat. However, she would not hear it, and he was cast
into crystal never learning the information that may well
have granted her victory. The Sailor Senshi, their powers
still untested and slumbering to a large degree, had
managed to best him time and time again thanks generally to
his own arrogance.
He felt thankful for his defeat, though. That dark
fate he had been dealt had given him time to think of his
own free will, without fear of Beryl's punishments for
dissent and free of the corrupting influence of the very
environment itself that had been the Dark Kingdom. Things
lost from his memory had returned in that cold blackness,
reviving parts of himself he had thought lost forever. He
could remember Beryl seducing him and making him see the
advantages of being on her side. Every moment was vivid and
undeniable in his painfully clear hindsight. Many times he
would have winced, had he possessed the freedom of
movement.
The memory of being used stung him, while the pain of
realizing the destruction he had wrought burned him with
guilt and brought forth a righteous anger long buried in
his heart. In that crystal prison, he resolved to not let
himself die, forsaking the peace of death for the chance,
however slim, to escape some day and try to correct his
mistakes. Beryl would know the wrath of one of Earth's Four
Guardians when the time came.
It turned out, as things often do, to not really be
his own choice when he was finally set free. It was quite
sudden in his own mind when one of the Sailor Senshi
appeared before him in his prison and raised up her weapon.
His world exploded about him, and he fell to his knees free
for the first time in what was easily years. Then it came
that they spoke, one needing answers, the other needing
reassurance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Awaken, Jadeite," she had said to him, in her young
and quiet voice that was all too serious. Vague flashes of
memories gave him her identity, that of the Senshi who
should not be there. Ancient warnings of dire tides were
awakened as he looked upon her, her purple sailor fuku
fluttering in the soft breeze that remained in the wake of
the destruction of all the crystal prisons.
"Saturn... What?" He wished he could better dignify his
return to the world of the living, but he was weak. Having
been unmoving for so long, he found it hard to call
strength to his muscles and make them obey his orders.
Despite the odds, however, he managed to bring himself up
to his feet. His pride still demanded that he stand tall
regardless of how weak he may be. "Do you resurrect me to
bring me death?"
"Only if you give me reason to kill you." Her
response was simple and as soft as her previous words. "I
do not like to kill needlessly. It isn't my forte." It was
then that she stepped back from him, her short height
making it hard to look up at him. "You've been down here a
long time, since nearly the beginning."
"The others still live on Earth, then." Of course
they must, if a Sailor Senshi was breaking him free of the
personal Hell Beryl had made for him. An eerie revelation
was brought about by that realization. The Dark Kingdom had
lost. There was no other way that she could be there. He
was given to mixed emotions at that point, perhaps humility
at the knowledge of defeat and, perhaps, faint satisfaction
that in the end those who were just had won out. "All of
them, I suspect?"
"Yes. I was the last of the nine to be recalled to
consciousness." Only the Sailor Starlights had appeared
later, and they were not of the Solar System. She found her
purple eyes focused on the blond king, little effort being
needed to discover that he was weakened greatly from his
time of imprisonment. "You are still tired. Lean on me, and
I will take you from this place. Do not worry, I will not
tell the others yet. They need not know."
"Why are you offering to help me?" A slight quiver in
his proud, commanding voice gave tangible sense to his
exhaustion and the fact that he had been trying to spot
something against which he could rest while speaking.
Nothing was there, however, aside from shattered crystals
and the failed bodies of youma that could not survive being
frozen. He was thankful that she made such an offer to him,
but he did not understand it. He was their enemy, after
all.
"Would you rather I cut you down while you are weak?
I can do so easily, but I refuse to do so until you have
regained your strength." Her voice was still quiet and
young, but it possessed strength of spirit that Jadeite had
not heard in someone for ages. Certainly his own voice was
commanding and powerful, but it didn't have the more gentle
compassionate strength that Sailor Saturn seemed to have.
"Besides, I make excellent green tea."
"I..." That was a bit unexpected, and he didn't know
how to answer it immediately. Such a shift from serious to
soft and playful was something of which he was incapable,
and yet it occurred to him that it was part of what had
made the Sailor Senshi what they were. "As you wish, then...
I am defeated, as are those I fought for. I have no road to
walk, now."
"Yet you were not beaten. How do you suspect that I
found you? Your energy still existed, and I traced it to
this place. However, if you feel it necessary to return to
that path you once took, we will battle, and you will
fall." Her words were no threat, he knew, but more a
solemn, quiet promise of fact. Against the Senshi of Ruin,
he stood little chance in a battle, despite the fact that
he had easily felled Prince Endymion himself.
"Very well, then," he finally answered after several
long moments of silence. The words were really prompted by
the fact that he fell down to one knee, unable to support
himself any further. "That road has been blocked off. I
have many new paths open..." What he spoke was the truth and
perhaps the most genuine thing he had said in over a
millennium. The Dark Kingdom was gone, and he was free of
its influence, even if he would carry the burden of it on
his shoulders for the remainder of his life. Yet, despite
that, he had nearly complete freedom over the direction his
life would take.
"Good. Thank you," She said to him, though he did not
understand why. He tried to work out the reason in his
tired mind, but he was interrupted by the soft feel of her
gloved hand on his back followed by another on his arm that
sought to help him rise. Then, his arm was around her
shoulders, and hers around his waist, as she used the
Silence Glaive, the weapon of nigh-infinite power, as a
walking stick to take them from the place where he had been
trapped for so long. Jadeite didn't look back, and could
not have at that point. However, even if he had possessed
the strength, he would not have.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So it had come to pass that he found himself sitting on the
front porch of the large house belonging to the Tomoe
family as what could easily be mistaken as a normal man
enjoying the spring sun and the sound of birds as they
celebrated the new season. Those who had known him when he
was one of the Four Guardians of Earth's Prince would
perhaps recognize him the most easily, for he had found to
a degree that calm, noble demeanor he once had possessed.
Sailor Saturn's reasons for freeing him seemed odd to
him, in a way. The best answer he had gotten had been a
simple 'I felt that in the times coming, you would be
needed.' He had seen no reason to question that, though,
and had accepted her intuition as the motivation behind her
actions. He certainly would not argue with them, for it had
given him a chance to redeem himself. It would not be easy,
and the hardest part he knew would come soon. The time
rapidly approached when he must meet and apologize to Neo-
Queen Serenity and her love, King Endymion.
The thought of meeting them again brought him a
considerable amount of anxiety. The memories were ever
burned in his mind of the forces of the Dark Kingdom
smashing through the defenders of the White Moon Kingdom
and killing those Princesses that been the Sailor Senshi.
The deaths of the future Queen and her beloved Prince would
have brought him to tears if he had possessed his heart
back then, but all he had done was stand and watch
impassively.
Such things were better left buried in the past, but
he knew that they'd be called to the surface when he met
them again. They could not forgive him, he was certain, for
what he had done, but it was necessary in his own mind to
offer some sort of apology and an offer of trying to right
the wrongs he had caused. What would they ask of him,
though, if they agreed? His consideration of the matter for
the day was interrupted by a young, cheerful voice from the
gates to the yard.
"Good afternoon!" came the call from the young Tomoe
Hotaru. Jadeite's gray eyes focused on the newly appeared
girl as she returned home after her day at school. She was
older, of course, and finishing high school. Her height had
increased considerably since she had been in junior high,
though she was still rather short. Her black hair had grown
a hint longer, but the style remained basically the same
straight cut it had always been. It formed a perfect frame
for her pale face and violet eyes. She was no longer sickly
as she had once been, free as she was of the corrupting
influences of darkness.
"Welcome home." Jadeite spoke the words quietly, much
as he always talked. He had gotten used to the daily
routine over the past few weeks. She would go to school in
the morning, dressed in her white and black school fuku and
he would assist her father with his work. He still didn't
know quite how Hotaru had convinced the man to allow him to
work with him, but they got along well and Jadeite's
knowledge was expanding into a new field he had never
considered before. "Did you have a good day?"
"It was a little slow, but I learned some interesting
things," replied Hotaru as she walked along the stone
walkway to the porch. "I'm glad the day is over though.
I've been wanting dinner for a while now." Such was the way
it happened each day in that respect as well. Sometimes
they'd pause for a few minutes and he'd listen to the
details of her day while others she'd head inside to start
fixing dinner. Oftentimes it would also occur that Jadeite
would help with it in an effort to show his appreciation
for being allowed to stay there. When it came that dinner
was prepared and that Hotaru, her father the Professor, and
Jadeite seated themselves at the kitchen table and
proceeded to enjoy the meal that they had prepared.
Work was generally not a topic for the dinner table,
and Jadeite did not ever seek to intrude on the father and
daughter, who spent a good deal of their time discussing
various matters of school and life. In the end it usually
tallied up that Jadeite had made only a few comments on
general matters. Sometimes of course they talked to him as
well, and he enjoyed those moments greatly. Secretly,
though, he actually also enjoyed the quiet time he spent
watching them. The Professor truly loved his daughter, and
Jadeite found that admirable.
So life went on, each day much the same. Oddly
content and pleased with the current situation, no one ever
voiced a complaint. However, there was always a sense that
Hotaru was waiting for something that only she knew was
coming. In turn, Jadeite also seemed to anticipate
something, finding himself able to read both her and the
feelings of the world around him. The times would demand
action of them some day soon. However, that day was not yet
upon them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Springtime in Japan brings about a miraculous
occurrence that appears each year without error. While it
shows some variance in its choice of time to actually
appear, typically the end of April is the chosen time for
the cherry trees to blossom. That burst of new life brings
out many festivals and celebrations among the people of the
land, as it in a way represents the entire spring in
itself.
A single glance out any window of the Tomoe home made
the season obvious. The air was filled with the soft light
pink petals of the cherry trees as they fell from the
flowers and filled the air like snow, swirling in the wind
and covering anything that happened to lie near the trees.
It was a beautiful sight that drew many observers from the
people of Crystal Tokyo, particularly people who worked and
enjoyed going out on lunch breaks to enjoy the scenery.
Two such people who sat outside with simple lunches
watching the cherry blossoms were Jadeite and Professor
Tomoe. In all actuality it wasn't lunch time anymore, that
hour having passed some time ago. They had spent a long
time working in the laboratory, and time had slipped away
from them. While the Professor did the majority of the
scientific work, Jadeite spent much of his time gathering
the necessary materials and ingredients for whatever
project was on cue for the moment. He also found that he
was gradually becoming more able to offer insights into the
work.
As Jadeite slipped off his lab coat and enjoyed the
fresh air on his arms that were left uncovered by his T-
shirt he speculated as to why he was able to offer more
help as time had gone on. It seemed that he was beginning
to remember things he hadn't been able to recall since the
Silver Millennium. In that time, he had become a powerful
warrior, but more importantly he had been a strong magician
as well. His knowledge of arcane science had been great,
and had in fact been why he had been selected to become a
Guardian of the Earth, which in turn gave him even greater
knowledge of magical secrets. He had always been a fast
learner for those things, and it seemed that he was
beginning to pick up on them again.
For his part, Jadeite had to admit that Professor
Tomoe was a genius. Considering the man, he found it
interesting to consider that had Earth and the Moon not met
such a bitter roadblock Professor Tomoe might well have
been selected to be a Guardian of the Earth for his own
brilliance, or at the very least, an apprentice to them. It
brought a faint rueful smile to his face when he considered
the idea. They had never had many apprentices, and Jadeite
had failed to ever train one to completion. His best
student had been lost to his own differing beliefs, and had
been cast out in a slight schism at the behest of the
Moon's political influence. Jadeite had always suspected
that the man wanted to take the Moon as his gem, but he had
never been an evil person. The Professor fortunately lacked
those types of qualities.
Still, Jadeite didn't have much reason to really
consider the idea of an apprentice. He still needed to
confront King Endymion and, above all else, apologize for
nearly killing him. Even so, he couldn't help but feel a
little bit of pride in the fact that he had been able to
best him, though they had both been far weaker than they
had been in the Silver Millennium. He felt too that he
could give him his loyalty safely if it was accepted, and
if he was right about the personality of the King, he would
be forgiven. He had to prepare himself for the possibility
of that failing, though. What would he do if he were
refused the chance to become a Guardian of the Earth again?
The answer presented itself simply enough.
"Papa!" Hotaru had returned home from another day of
school, her darkly dressed form appearing amongst the
cherry blossoms at the end of the front walk. Jadeite
allowed himself a slight smile as her father rose to go and
give her a hug. She looked pretty, in that moment, as she
stood there before she ran to meet her father, with the
cherry tree's petals around her in a soft breeze that also
lifted her dark hair slightly to the side. She wore a black
fuku to school those days, which was supposed to have more
white on it than it actually did. Somehow she'd managed to
convince the school to let her wear the darker colors.
"Hotaru-chan!" the Professor said as he embraced her.
He even lifted her up a bit, though he quickly put her back
down. "You're getting too big for me to do that anymore.
For that matter, you've been past the little girl stage for
a long time." Hotaru needed only to finish one week of
class before she would be graduated from high school. She
always tried to attend class regularly, but sometimes she
had to attend to the duties she possessed born of being one
of the Sailor Senshi. She handled it well, though, and the
others had not minded letting her remain on Earth to finish
her schooling. Truthfully, she had learned enough from
Setsuna and also from Ami that she had no real need to go
to school, but she enjoyed the experience since no one in
the classes feared her anymore.
"Sheesh, Papa," she said, giving a wounded look to
her father. "I'm not that big, am I?"
"Of course not, daughter," replied the Professor. She
had grown taller and was as slender as she had always been,
though she was not of an unhealthy frail build anymore.
Professor Tomoe had little trouble lifting her, but he had,
as he was prone to do, been teasing his only daughter.
"We have to celebrate the sakura season," she said,
turning to look at the petals as they floated through the
air slowly before she turned to look at Jadeite, who had
just risen from the porch and walked down the front walk to
join the two of them. As with their meals, he didn't like
to intrude on private moments, but he also found her
drawing him to her. "You have to come too, Jadeite."
"You sound as though you've already concocted a plan
of some sort," spoke the blond man, his lips curving into a
faint smile. As she had planned a celebration for her
father's birthday not that long ago, it was hard to imagine
that she didn't have some idea in mind.
"Of course! You had both better make sure you're not
going to be locked up in that laboratory on the weekend."
Her tone was slightly demanding, but she knew they wouldn't
disagree with her. She was too precious to her father for
him to make her feel bad because they had to work, and she
suspected that Jadeite would come with her simply because
he felt as though he owed her. She hoped, though, that
Jadeite would agree because he wanted to.
"I'm sure we'll be able to arrange it, dear," said
her father as he turned to head into the house. "For now,
though, we've got a little more work to do, right,
Jadeite?" Professor Tomoe looked to Jadeite as he went,
beckoning the former Guardian of the Earth to follow him.
"Yes. There's much left to be done, though I am proud
of the progress we've made." Jadeite responded with his
typical cool, formal tone, giving a glance at Hotaru before
starting on his own way in. "I'll help fix dinner as soon
as we're finished in the laboratory."
"I know," she responded with a small grin. He was
always helpful if he could find a way to be, and Hotaru
found it to be a curious thing that someone of whom she was
told to have been so evil could be so polite and actually
kind. Still, she knew that things had been much different
when Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Mercury had met
him. She found herself looking forward to when he'd be
around her to help, though. However, it was time to go and
take care of her homework, so she followed them inside with
her school pack slung over her shoulder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was almost like being kidnapped, in a way. Jadeite
fortunately had expected the trip, but the way that Hotaru
had gathered both himself and her father had left no room
to back out if either had wanted to. She seemed immensely
satisfied, if a bit nervous, once they were safely on the
way to the Kameido Tenjin. Kameido Tenjin was more of a
shrine than a park, but it served both purposes well. Not
only was the time right for the Sakura Festival, but also
the Wisteria Festival as well. The wisteria typically took
precedence over the cherry trees at that time of year,
something that actually worked out well thanks to the fact
that the people would have their attention somewhere other
than on the cherry trees.
"I can hear the sounds of the festival already,"
remarked the Professor, who was just a bit ahead of Jadeite
and Hotaru as they neared the steps leading up to the
shrine and the marvelous gardens and trees around it. It
was situated atop a small rise, just high enough that one
couldn't see the shrine and its details from the streets.
Soon he had begun making his way up the stairs, pausing at
the top to look about.
"They sound as though they're having a pleasant
time," spoke Jadeite in idle response as he came to a halt
behind Hotaru, who had joined her father near the top of
the steps. Jadeite wondered for a moment why they hadn't
continued all the way up the stairs, but he understood when
he reached the same point on the stairs. Tents and booths
lined the stone pathways of the shrine, with people
visiting them and enjoying the particular features offered
by each separate booth. There was a myriad of kimonos in
varying colors, the traditional wear for such a festival. A
few suits also stood out, but even the men wearing the
formal wear seemed to be enjoying themselves.
"Of course they are. It's a festival," said Hotaru,
turning to look at him for a moment with her violet eyes
before looking back. It wasn't truly the booths and people
that garnered the attention of Hotaru, Jadeite, and the
Professor, though. Instead, it was the gardens. Cherry
trees, wisteria, bamboo trees, flowers, and plants were
spread out across the grounds like a blanket of nature,
almost all of them in bloom. It was hard to miss the sakura
petals as they drifted through the air on a slight breeze,
also, and it only enhanced the beauty of the scenery.
"Only natural, I suppose. It's an impressive place.
I've not seen its like since..." He trailed off, not
finishing his sentence. Instead, he changed the subject.
"Are there many other shrines and parks around the area?"
The last time he had seen such things, he had been in the
prime of his days as a Guardian of the Earth. Much of his
time had been spent accompanying Prince Endymion or working
on magical formulas and other various tasks associated with
his position. Vacations had never been common, and even
after what had been a seemingly infinite period of time, he
could vaguely remember the sights of one such vacation.
What startled him was the fact that he also remembered his
companion on that day.
"Sure. This is Crystal Tokyo, after all," said the
Professor. "There's Kiba Park, and also Kameido Tenmanyu."
He paused and tried to think of some of the others. They
weren't all located downtown, naturally, but they were
spread throughout the area.
"Tomioka Hachimangu is another one," said Hotaru,
chiming in. "And there is, of course, the Hikawa Shrine,
where Rei and her grandpa live. I really wish we could have
gone there to celebrate." Her words brought only a simple
nod from Jadeite, who understood well the wisdom of
avoiding Rei. If she saw Jadeite, she'd likely react in a
hostile manner. He had, after all, tried to kill her as
well as Ami and Usagi. He didn't think Ami would be as much
a difficulty, since she was the calmest and most logical
one of the entire group, but he also knew, like Hotaru,
that the situation could become very volatile if they
discovered that he had returned, and worse, that Hotaru had
been responsible for that return. It could almost be
interpreted as betrayal, if things weren't explained
carefully.
"Well, we're here now, so we had best make the most
of it," said Hotaru's father, adjusting the white kimono he
was wearing. It was an unusual color choice for a man, but
he seemed to be perfectly matched to the outfit, which
featured soft blue highlights in places and a family crest
on the back. "I'm sure you have plans for us, though,
dear," he added, looking towards his daughter with a soft
smile.
"Was it that obvious? First, since we're here, we
wander around and enjoy the sights, and then tonight, we
have to go to dinner at the new café down the street. I
found an ad for it in the paper this morning, and made
reservations." Hotaru launched into the itinerary with
enthusiasm, but it was tempered by her calm nature, making
her sound much more mature than most girls were at her age.
"It is certainly a fine day," said Jadeite quietly.
"It sounds like a good plan." He turned a slight smile on
Hotaru then, before beginning to walk forward so that he
could inspect the various events of the festival, his
kimono softly fluttering in the wind about him. Hotaru had
insisted on, with her father's permission, getting him a
kimono specifically for the occasion, and the dark violet
color suited him well, particularly with the sheen it
possessed. It was a noble appearance of a different sort
for him, of an antiquity that was young compared to him but
still flavored with a rich tradition.
"Come on, Papa!" Hotaru said, looking back to him as
she chased after Jadeite. "Hang on! Let us catch up!" She
caught up to him quickly and walked at his side while her
father trailed behind them a short distance. He was close
enough to converse with them, and so they talked as they
perused the various events of the festival. Jadeite was
somewhat quiet and reserved, as was typical for him, and
the Professor was similar. Between the two of them, though,
they kept up decent conversations with Hotaru.
Rei Hino had once been the Princess of Mars during
the Silver Millennium. Jadeite did not speak of it, but he
remembered her with a somewhat surprising clarity. Their
relationship had been a close one in that shining age and
he remembered being pleased whenever they found free time
to spend together. As it had so many other things, though,
Queen Beryl's ambition had brought an end to that. He had
betrayed her, and he could quite clearly recall watching
her die. The problem was that the shrine was very similar
to one he had once visited with her, and a single image
remained in his mind from that day of her amidst the
various plants and blossoming life.
Rei could not know that Jadeite had been revived. If
she had any memory of that period so long ago she would be
more willing to fight him than any of the other Sailor
Senshi and she would find it much more difficult than any
of the others to trust him in what he sought to do. It was
also quite clear in his mind that they could likely not
achieve even the most tenuous of friendships after he had
betrayed her and the White Moon Kingdom, yet the loss of
any chance at ever being with her again did not trouble him
as much as it might have. He wasn't sure why, and it was
much of the time during the Festival that he was silent
that was spent trying to determine just what that reason
was. Eventually, his eyes landed on Hotaru again.
"The sun will begin to fall soon. We should think
about going to dinner," spoke Jadeite to Hotaru as she
turned to look at him. For a moment he was stricken by the
way her hair floated up with the turning of her head and by
the way her eyes connected to his as he spoke. Things had
been quiet for several moments as they all stood watching
the cherry blossoms along the paths that were arranged in
rows behind the event booths, and, while he suspected that
he might startle her when he spoke, she seemed very much at
ease and calm. There was something else though, that jarred
a reaction within him for an instant. Something within her
eyes when they had met his had put his inner debate to
rest.
"He's right. We don't want to miss our reservations,"
said her father as he turned and gestured for them to
follow him on the path away from the Festival.
"I'm feeling hungry, anyway, so we had better hurry,"
responded Hotaru as she let her eyes linger on Jadeites for
a moment. She noticed the faint calm that had fallen over
his own troubled gaze when she looked at him. No one else
would have likely noticed the slight hardness to his eyes
that had been present most of the day, but Hotaru had been
very conscious of it. If he hadn't been enjoying himself,
she would have felt very bad for having made him come out
to the Festival. Then, though, the worry had faded away.
Whatever it was had disappeared, and the timing left little
doubt that it had been something about her that had put it
to rest. She smiled as she turned to follow her father, and
for some reason fought to hide a slight blush that was
growing on her inexplicably.
by Asura
Faded_Seraph@yahoo.com
Well, this is my magnum opus for BSSM, as it were.
This tale I imagine will reach considerable lengths, and my
current goal is to have a 13 chapter composition with a set
of omake and a final epilogue. In the first chapter, along
with the prologue, the protagonists will be introduced and
we'll get a look at basic life. From there, things will
expand to cover Crystal Tokyo, the Moon, the Solar System
and maybe a little bit even beyond that. However, of
importance is as always the fact that Bishoujo Senshi Sailor
Moon is owned by the one and only Naoko Takeuchi, wife of
my favorite manga artist. She owns the rights of the series,
along with Toei animation, DiC, and Cloverway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'To walk along the beach and bask in the sun, after the
fall... To let all the memories sweep back into my heart and
show me the truth of my actions... I ask for nothing more.'
-Jadeite
Prologue
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing is eternal. Nothing made by the hands of man,
at least, can last for all of time. Of course, there is the
question of whether or not time is finite, or if perhaps it
simply goes on without ever ending. Perhaps, then, it is a
loop that continues to chase itself for all time. Kingdoms
will be built, lives will be lived, people will grow old
and die and kingdoms will fall throughout the span of these
cycles, often imitating those that have come before them,
yet there are always slight differences as each age finds
its own identity and thus it is a spiral rather than a
circle.
Crystal Tokyo was the lifeblood of the Shin-Muun
kingdom that was young for its size and power. Ruled from a
castle on the Moon by Neo-Queen Serenity, who had fought
much in her time on Earth and had given much of her life to
create the utopian city. While she had possibly sacrificed
the most and expended the most effort, she was not alone in
giving much of herself to bring about this future city. Her
husband, the proud King Endymion, had been through nearly
as much. Further, to again an only slightly lesser extent,
each of the Sailor Senshi who had fought with her to defeat
the forces that had threatened their then-home. Earth and
their home were greatly intertwined with the fate of the
city.
Below them, of course was the Earth, which still
flourished and lived on, the majority of its people always
blissfully ignorant of the kingdom above them on the Moon.
The great battles that had been fought on the planet's
surface were never seen, and the people could never know
how many times they had come no more than an eyelash's
breadth from destruction only to be saved by the Sailor
Senshi who resided in the city on the Moon. It mattered
little though, for the people were safe in their lives and
content in going about the business of normal life.
Yet, in every great and perfect picture there is a
flaw. A splinter worms its way into the mind and brings out
the truth that something is eerily out of place. Out of a
million possible analogies, the closest to find the mark
was a simple consideration that it was like a single, small
crystal amongst a cluster of them that was cracked without
explanation. It was a thing that could be overlooked so
easily, and yet there was someone who saw it. A sign such
as that was unmistakable when it was noticed, and it was
easily taken as an omen of darkness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They were the two most distant of all the Sailor
Senshi, a fact related to their domains of power, but yet
it was not the obvious reasons of which one might think of
that kept them shielded from the others. Their domains were
Time and Ruin, the two provinces that most mortals would
fear to tread or even consider. For all their considerable
power, however, they were bound with responsibility and
strong hearts that shielded their abilities from abuse. The
real reason they were separated from the other Senshi was
the simple fact that their powers were constantly needed to
guard the Shin-Muun Kingdom from any threats it might face.
Such tasks required endless vigilance, and much of their
time was devoured by the creed that they followed.
"Setsuna-san, you must have seen it as well..." A
quiet voice spoke out in the dimly lit room that served as
the observation point for the Outer Senshi in their
guarding the system from threats born from without. They
also had taken up the duty of watching the inner system,
for the other Senshi were occupied with the maintenance of
Crystal Tokyo.
"I noticed just before it faded away. Where could the
Scrying Pool have picked up such an image, though?" The
voice that responded was a smoother, matured voice that was
befitting of a woman who could calm anyone with just a few
words. Despite that, there was no doubt that it was also a
beautiful and kind voice belonging to a woman who couldn't
be older than her mid-twenties, and, by appearances, that
would be true.
"I'm not sure. It doesn't make much sense, does it?"
The quieter, younger voice responded, while its owner
circled a round table some two meters in width. Its surface
was glimmering softly with black opalescence that gave no
definite reflection and seemed liquid in texture.
"None at all. It always gives us a source for the
images." Setsuna's response came with a tone of perplexity.
The situation was most unusual, and in most cases something
unexplained was not something good.
"We should go out to investigate. Michiru-san and
Haruka-san should search the Moon and the Western
Hemisphere of Earth. I'll go back to Japan and see if I can
find anything." She didn't need to mention that Setsuna
needed to remain there and watch the Scrying Pool. Next to
Michiru, she had the most powerful sense of intuition, and
she had the superior wisdom of her age as well as dominion
over Time to make her the best for the task of watching for
new developments.
"I'll let them know. Be careful, Hotaru-chan."
Setsuna spoke still with the affection befitting a mother
for a daughter, though she did not claim that right nearly
as greatly as did Michiru, who had been the most involved
with Hotaru's short time as a baby. Of course, her real
father, Professor Souichi Tomoe, still kept watch over her
despite the lengths of time that frequently separated their
visits.
"I will, Setsuna-mama." Hotaru's response was a kind
consideration of that time when they had been almost a true
family. They still were to a certain degree, but time had
matured the Senshi of Ruin past the point where she would
frequently address her in that familiar way.
The room fell quiet at that point, the only sound
present the echo of Hotaru's boots as she left the Room of
Watching for the rest of the Crystal Watcher's Spire.
Setsuna could not help but experience a bit of apprehension
as the other Senshi departed. What had happened did not
make sense. An image they had seen that had no sort of
identification was almost literally unheard of, thanks to
the powerful magical nature of the Scrying Pool. Numerous
times it had defended Crystal Tokyo from distant, if minor
threats, but it seemed as if for some reason fate had
suddenly denied them one of their most powerful tools:
Knowledge of what was coming.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 1: Yomigaero: Hidoi yume kara yaburo! - Jadeite's
Dawn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jadeite found the clothes he was wearing unusual.
Rather, it wasn't so much that they were unusual but more
the fact that they were so amazingly common that he found
them slightly disturbing. For the longest period of time
that he could remember, he had covered himself in the blue,
violet trimmed uniform that had been given to him before
the fall of the White Moon Kingdom. Wearing a pair of blue
jeans and a plain white T-shirt, he felt oddly out of
place. He couldn't deny the fact that the clothing was more
comfortable than his uniform had been, nor could he ignore
the fact that the uniform had become worn and battered with
the passage of time.
He had possessed a considerable amount of time to
think about the White Moon Kingdom over the last years, the
number of which he could not even recognize anymore. That
darkness that he had joined, and that had become an
intimate part of him, was fragile beneath its overwhelming
exterior, always turning inwards upon itself and ripping
its own supports to shreds. The foundation only remained
strong because the one who provided it possessed the most
brute force and cunning, and any that had even irked their
leader, Queen Beryl, had paid the price. Such had been his
fate.
Years, perhaps even decades or centuries, had passed
during the time he had been frozen in a hell of crystal,
forced to look upon an endless sea of those who would share
his fate. He had failed Beryl, but he had found his
salvation in the information he acquired in his final
defeat. However, she would not hear it, and he was cast
into crystal never learning the information that may well
have granted her victory. The Sailor Senshi, their powers
still untested and slumbering to a large degree, had
managed to best him time and time again thanks generally to
his own arrogance.
He felt thankful for his defeat, though. That dark
fate he had been dealt had given him time to think of his
own free will, without fear of Beryl's punishments for
dissent and free of the corrupting influence of the very
environment itself that had been the Dark Kingdom. Things
lost from his memory had returned in that cold blackness,
reviving parts of himself he had thought lost forever. He
could remember Beryl seducing him and making him see the
advantages of being on her side. Every moment was vivid and
undeniable in his painfully clear hindsight. Many times he
would have winced, had he possessed the freedom of
movement.
The memory of being used stung him, while the pain of
realizing the destruction he had wrought burned him with
guilt and brought forth a righteous anger long buried in
his heart. In that crystal prison, he resolved to not let
himself die, forsaking the peace of death for the chance,
however slim, to escape some day and try to correct his
mistakes. Beryl would know the wrath of one of Earth's Four
Guardians when the time came.
It turned out, as things often do, to not really be
his own choice when he was finally set free. It was quite
sudden in his own mind when one of the Sailor Senshi
appeared before him in his prison and raised up her weapon.
His world exploded about him, and he fell to his knees free
for the first time in what was easily years. Then it came
that they spoke, one needing answers, the other needing
reassurance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Awaken, Jadeite," she had said to him, in her young
and quiet voice that was all too serious. Vague flashes of
memories gave him her identity, that of the Senshi who
should not be there. Ancient warnings of dire tides were
awakened as he looked upon her, her purple sailor fuku
fluttering in the soft breeze that remained in the wake of
the destruction of all the crystal prisons.
"Saturn... What?" He wished he could better dignify his
return to the world of the living, but he was weak. Having
been unmoving for so long, he found it hard to call
strength to his muscles and make them obey his orders.
Despite the odds, however, he managed to bring himself up
to his feet. His pride still demanded that he stand tall
regardless of how weak he may be. "Do you resurrect me to
bring me death?"
"Only if you give me reason to kill you." Her
response was simple and as soft as her previous words. "I
do not like to kill needlessly. It isn't my forte." It was
then that she stepped back from him, her short height
making it hard to look up at him. "You've been down here a
long time, since nearly the beginning."
"The others still live on Earth, then." Of course
they must, if a Sailor Senshi was breaking him free of the
personal Hell Beryl had made for him. An eerie revelation
was brought about by that realization. The Dark Kingdom had
lost. There was no other way that she could be there. He
was given to mixed emotions at that point, perhaps humility
at the knowledge of defeat and, perhaps, faint satisfaction
that in the end those who were just had won out. "All of
them, I suspect?"
"Yes. I was the last of the nine to be recalled to
consciousness." Only the Sailor Starlights had appeared
later, and they were not of the Solar System. She found her
purple eyes focused on the blond king, little effort being
needed to discover that he was weakened greatly from his
time of imprisonment. "You are still tired. Lean on me, and
I will take you from this place. Do not worry, I will not
tell the others yet. They need not know."
"Why are you offering to help me?" A slight quiver in
his proud, commanding voice gave tangible sense to his
exhaustion and the fact that he had been trying to spot
something against which he could rest while speaking.
Nothing was there, however, aside from shattered crystals
and the failed bodies of youma that could not survive being
frozen. He was thankful that she made such an offer to him,
but he did not understand it. He was their enemy, after
all.
"Would you rather I cut you down while you are weak?
I can do so easily, but I refuse to do so until you have
regained your strength." Her voice was still quiet and
young, but it possessed strength of spirit that Jadeite had
not heard in someone for ages. Certainly his own voice was
commanding and powerful, but it didn't have the more gentle
compassionate strength that Sailor Saturn seemed to have.
"Besides, I make excellent green tea."
"I..." That was a bit unexpected, and he didn't know
how to answer it immediately. Such a shift from serious to
soft and playful was something of which he was incapable,
and yet it occurred to him that it was part of what had
made the Sailor Senshi what they were. "As you wish, then...
I am defeated, as are those I fought for. I have no road to
walk, now."
"Yet you were not beaten. How do you suspect that I
found you? Your energy still existed, and I traced it to
this place. However, if you feel it necessary to return to
that path you once took, we will battle, and you will
fall." Her words were no threat, he knew, but more a
solemn, quiet promise of fact. Against the Senshi of Ruin,
he stood little chance in a battle, despite the fact that
he had easily felled Prince Endymion himself.
"Very well, then," he finally answered after several
long moments of silence. The words were really prompted by
the fact that he fell down to one knee, unable to support
himself any further. "That road has been blocked off. I
have many new paths open..." What he spoke was the truth and
perhaps the most genuine thing he had said in over a
millennium. The Dark Kingdom was gone, and he was free of
its influence, even if he would carry the burden of it on
his shoulders for the remainder of his life. Yet, despite
that, he had nearly complete freedom over the direction his
life would take.
"Good. Thank you," She said to him, though he did not
understand why. He tried to work out the reason in his
tired mind, but he was interrupted by the soft feel of her
gloved hand on his back followed by another on his arm that
sought to help him rise. Then, his arm was around her
shoulders, and hers around his waist, as she used the
Silence Glaive, the weapon of nigh-infinite power, as a
walking stick to take them from the place where he had been
trapped for so long. Jadeite didn't look back, and could
not have at that point. However, even if he had possessed
the strength, he would not have.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So it had come to pass that he found himself sitting on the
front porch of the large house belonging to the Tomoe
family as what could easily be mistaken as a normal man
enjoying the spring sun and the sound of birds as they
celebrated the new season. Those who had known him when he
was one of the Four Guardians of Earth's Prince would
perhaps recognize him the most easily, for he had found to
a degree that calm, noble demeanor he once had possessed.
Sailor Saturn's reasons for freeing him seemed odd to
him, in a way. The best answer he had gotten had been a
simple 'I felt that in the times coming, you would be
needed.' He had seen no reason to question that, though,
and had accepted her intuition as the motivation behind her
actions. He certainly would not argue with them, for it had
given him a chance to redeem himself. It would not be easy,
and the hardest part he knew would come soon. The time
rapidly approached when he must meet and apologize to Neo-
Queen Serenity and her love, King Endymion.
The thought of meeting them again brought him a
considerable amount of anxiety. The memories were ever
burned in his mind of the forces of the Dark Kingdom
smashing through the defenders of the White Moon Kingdom
and killing those Princesses that been the Sailor Senshi.
The deaths of the future Queen and her beloved Prince would
have brought him to tears if he had possessed his heart
back then, but all he had done was stand and watch
impassively.
Such things were better left buried in the past, but
he knew that they'd be called to the surface when he met
them again. They could not forgive him, he was certain, for
what he had done, but it was necessary in his own mind to
offer some sort of apology and an offer of trying to right
the wrongs he had caused. What would they ask of him,
though, if they agreed? His consideration of the matter for
the day was interrupted by a young, cheerful voice from the
gates to the yard.
"Good afternoon!" came the call from the young Tomoe
Hotaru. Jadeite's gray eyes focused on the newly appeared
girl as she returned home after her day at school. She was
older, of course, and finishing high school. Her height had
increased considerably since she had been in junior high,
though she was still rather short. Her black hair had grown
a hint longer, but the style remained basically the same
straight cut it had always been. It formed a perfect frame
for her pale face and violet eyes. She was no longer sickly
as she had once been, free as she was of the corrupting
influences of darkness.
"Welcome home." Jadeite spoke the words quietly, much
as he always talked. He had gotten used to the daily
routine over the past few weeks. She would go to school in
the morning, dressed in her white and black school fuku and
he would assist her father with his work. He still didn't
know quite how Hotaru had convinced the man to allow him to
work with him, but they got along well and Jadeite's
knowledge was expanding into a new field he had never
considered before. "Did you have a good day?"
"It was a little slow, but I learned some interesting
things," replied Hotaru as she walked along the stone
walkway to the porch. "I'm glad the day is over though.
I've been wanting dinner for a while now." Such was the way
it happened each day in that respect as well. Sometimes
they'd pause for a few minutes and he'd listen to the
details of her day while others she'd head inside to start
fixing dinner. Oftentimes it would also occur that Jadeite
would help with it in an effort to show his appreciation
for being allowed to stay there. When it came that dinner
was prepared and that Hotaru, her father the Professor, and
Jadeite seated themselves at the kitchen table and
proceeded to enjoy the meal that they had prepared.
Work was generally not a topic for the dinner table,
and Jadeite did not ever seek to intrude on the father and
daughter, who spent a good deal of their time discussing
various matters of school and life. In the end it usually
tallied up that Jadeite had made only a few comments on
general matters. Sometimes of course they talked to him as
well, and he enjoyed those moments greatly. Secretly,
though, he actually also enjoyed the quiet time he spent
watching them. The Professor truly loved his daughter, and
Jadeite found that admirable.
So life went on, each day much the same. Oddly
content and pleased with the current situation, no one ever
voiced a complaint. However, there was always a sense that
Hotaru was waiting for something that only she knew was
coming. In turn, Jadeite also seemed to anticipate
something, finding himself able to read both her and the
feelings of the world around him. The times would demand
action of them some day soon. However, that day was not yet
upon them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Springtime in Japan brings about a miraculous
occurrence that appears each year without error. While it
shows some variance in its choice of time to actually
appear, typically the end of April is the chosen time for
the cherry trees to blossom. That burst of new life brings
out many festivals and celebrations among the people of the
land, as it in a way represents the entire spring in
itself.
A single glance out any window of the Tomoe home made
the season obvious. The air was filled with the soft light
pink petals of the cherry trees as they fell from the
flowers and filled the air like snow, swirling in the wind
and covering anything that happened to lie near the trees.
It was a beautiful sight that drew many observers from the
people of Crystal Tokyo, particularly people who worked and
enjoyed going out on lunch breaks to enjoy the scenery.
Two such people who sat outside with simple lunches
watching the cherry blossoms were Jadeite and Professor
Tomoe. In all actuality it wasn't lunch time anymore, that
hour having passed some time ago. They had spent a long
time working in the laboratory, and time had slipped away
from them. While the Professor did the majority of the
scientific work, Jadeite spent much of his time gathering
the necessary materials and ingredients for whatever
project was on cue for the moment. He also found that he
was gradually becoming more able to offer insights into the
work.
As Jadeite slipped off his lab coat and enjoyed the
fresh air on his arms that were left uncovered by his T-
shirt he speculated as to why he was able to offer more
help as time had gone on. It seemed that he was beginning
to remember things he hadn't been able to recall since the
Silver Millennium. In that time, he had become a powerful
warrior, but more importantly he had been a strong magician
as well. His knowledge of arcane science had been great,
and had in fact been why he had been selected to become a
Guardian of the Earth, which in turn gave him even greater
knowledge of magical secrets. He had always been a fast
learner for those things, and it seemed that he was
beginning to pick up on them again.
For his part, Jadeite had to admit that Professor
Tomoe was a genius. Considering the man, he found it
interesting to consider that had Earth and the Moon not met
such a bitter roadblock Professor Tomoe might well have
been selected to be a Guardian of the Earth for his own
brilliance, or at the very least, an apprentice to them. It
brought a faint rueful smile to his face when he considered
the idea. They had never had many apprentices, and Jadeite
had failed to ever train one to completion. His best
student had been lost to his own differing beliefs, and had
been cast out in a slight schism at the behest of the
Moon's political influence. Jadeite had always suspected
that the man wanted to take the Moon as his gem, but he had
never been an evil person. The Professor fortunately lacked
those types of qualities.
Still, Jadeite didn't have much reason to really
consider the idea of an apprentice. He still needed to
confront King Endymion and, above all else, apologize for
nearly killing him. Even so, he couldn't help but feel a
little bit of pride in the fact that he had been able to
best him, though they had both been far weaker than they
had been in the Silver Millennium. He felt too that he
could give him his loyalty safely if it was accepted, and
if he was right about the personality of the King, he would
be forgiven. He had to prepare himself for the possibility
of that failing, though. What would he do if he were
refused the chance to become a Guardian of the Earth again?
The answer presented itself simply enough.
"Papa!" Hotaru had returned home from another day of
school, her darkly dressed form appearing amongst the
cherry blossoms at the end of the front walk. Jadeite
allowed himself a slight smile as her father rose to go and
give her a hug. She looked pretty, in that moment, as she
stood there before she ran to meet her father, with the
cherry tree's petals around her in a soft breeze that also
lifted her dark hair slightly to the side. She wore a black
fuku to school those days, which was supposed to have more
white on it than it actually did. Somehow she'd managed to
convince the school to let her wear the darker colors.
"Hotaru-chan!" the Professor said as he embraced her.
He even lifted her up a bit, though he quickly put her back
down. "You're getting too big for me to do that anymore.
For that matter, you've been past the little girl stage for
a long time." Hotaru needed only to finish one week of
class before she would be graduated from high school. She
always tried to attend class regularly, but sometimes she
had to attend to the duties she possessed born of being one
of the Sailor Senshi. She handled it well, though, and the
others had not minded letting her remain on Earth to finish
her schooling. Truthfully, she had learned enough from
Setsuna and also from Ami that she had no real need to go
to school, but she enjoyed the experience since no one in
the classes feared her anymore.
"Sheesh, Papa," she said, giving a wounded look to
her father. "I'm not that big, am I?"
"Of course not, daughter," replied the Professor. She
had grown taller and was as slender as she had always been,
though she was not of an unhealthy frail build anymore.
Professor Tomoe had little trouble lifting her, but he had,
as he was prone to do, been teasing his only daughter.
"We have to celebrate the sakura season," she said,
turning to look at the petals as they floated through the
air slowly before she turned to look at Jadeite, who had
just risen from the porch and walked down the front walk to
join the two of them. As with their meals, he didn't like
to intrude on private moments, but he also found her
drawing him to her. "You have to come too, Jadeite."
"You sound as though you've already concocted a plan
of some sort," spoke the blond man, his lips curving into a
faint smile. As she had planned a celebration for her
father's birthday not that long ago, it was hard to imagine
that she didn't have some idea in mind.
"Of course! You had both better make sure you're not
going to be locked up in that laboratory on the weekend."
Her tone was slightly demanding, but she knew they wouldn't
disagree with her. She was too precious to her father for
him to make her feel bad because they had to work, and she
suspected that Jadeite would come with her simply because
he felt as though he owed her. She hoped, though, that
Jadeite would agree because he wanted to.
"I'm sure we'll be able to arrange it, dear," said
her father as he turned to head into the house. "For now,
though, we've got a little more work to do, right,
Jadeite?" Professor Tomoe looked to Jadeite as he went,
beckoning the former Guardian of the Earth to follow him.
"Yes. There's much left to be done, though I am proud
of the progress we've made." Jadeite responded with his
typical cool, formal tone, giving a glance at Hotaru before
starting on his own way in. "I'll help fix dinner as soon
as we're finished in the laboratory."
"I know," she responded with a small grin. He was
always helpful if he could find a way to be, and Hotaru
found it to be a curious thing that someone of whom she was
told to have been so evil could be so polite and actually
kind. Still, she knew that things had been much different
when Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Mercury had met
him. She found herself looking forward to when he'd be
around her to help, though. However, it was time to go and
take care of her homework, so she followed them inside with
her school pack slung over her shoulder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was almost like being kidnapped, in a way. Jadeite
fortunately had expected the trip, but the way that Hotaru
had gathered both himself and her father had left no room
to back out if either had wanted to. She seemed immensely
satisfied, if a bit nervous, once they were safely on the
way to the Kameido Tenjin. Kameido Tenjin was more of a
shrine than a park, but it served both purposes well. Not
only was the time right for the Sakura Festival, but also
the Wisteria Festival as well. The wisteria typically took
precedence over the cherry trees at that time of year,
something that actually worked out well thanks to the fact
that the people would have their attention somewhere other
than on the cherry trees.
"I can hear the sounds of the festival already,"
remarked the Professor, who was just a bit ahead of Jadeite
and Hotaru as they neared the steps leading up to the
shrine and the marvelous gardens and trees around it. It
was situated atop a small rise, just high enough that one
couldn't see the shrine and its details from the streets.
Soon he had begun making his way up the stairs, pausing at
the top to look about.
"They sound as though they're having a pleasant
time," spoke Jadeite in idle response as he came to a halt
behind Hotaru, who had joined her father near the top of
the steps. Jadeite wondered for a moment why they hadn't
continued all the way up the stairs, but he understood when
he reached the same point on the stairs. Tents and booths
lined the stone pathways of the shrine, with people
visiting them and enjoying the particular features offered
by each separate booth. There was a myriad of kimonos in
varying colors, the traditional wear for such a festival. A
few suits also stood out, but even the men wearing the
formal wear seemed to be enjoying themselves.
"Of course they are. It's a festival," said Hotaru,
turning to look at him for a moment with her violet eyes
before looking back. It wasn't truly the booths and people
that garnered the attention of Hotaru, Jadeite, and the
Professor, though. Instead, it was the gardens. Cherry
trees, wisteria, bamboo trees, flowers, and plants were
spread out across the grounds like a blanket of nature,
almost all of them in bloom. It was hard to miss the sakura
petals as they drifted through the air on a slight breeze,
also, and it only enhanced the beauty of the scenery.
"Only natural, I suppose. It's an impressive place.
I've not seen its like since..." He trailed off, not
finishing his sentence. Instead, he changed the subject.
"Are there many other shrines and parks around the area?"
The last time he had seen such things, he had been in the
prime of his days as a Guardian of the Earth. Much of his
time had been spent accompanying Prince Endymion or working
on magical formulas and other various tasks associated with
his position. Vacations had never been common, and even
after what had been a seemingly infinite period of time, he
could vaguely remember the sights of one such vacation.
What startled him was the fact that he also remembered his
companion on that day.
"Sure. This is Crystal Tokyo, after all," said the
Professor. "There's Kiba Park, and also Kameido Tenmanyu."
He paused and tried to think of some of the others. They
weren't all located downtown, naturally, but they were
spread throughout the area.
"Tomioka Hachimangu is another one," said Hotaru,
chiming in. "And there is, of course, the Hikawa Shrine,
where Rei and her grandpa live. I really wish we could have
gone there to celebrate." Her words brought only a simple
nod from Jadeite, who understood well the wisdom of
avoiding Rei. If she saw Jadeite, she'd likely react in a
hostile manner. He had, after all, tried to kill her as
well as Ami and Usagi. He didn't think Ami would be as much
a difficulty, since she was the calmest and most logical
one of the entire group, but he also knew, like Hotaru,
that the situation could become very volatile if they
discovered that he had returned, and worse, that Hotaru had
been responsible for that return. It could almost be
interpreted as betrayal, if things weren't explained
carefully.
"Well, we're here now, so we had best make the most
of it," said Hotaru's father, adjusting the white kimono he
was wearing. It was an unusual color choice for a man, but
he seemed to be perfectly matched to the outfit, which
featured soft blue highlights in places and a family crest
on the back. "I'm sure you have plans for us, though,
dear," he added, looking towards his daughter with a soft
smile.
"Was it that obvious? First, since we're here, we
wander around and enjoy the sights, and then tonight, we
have to go to dinner at the new café down the street. I
found an ad for it in the paper this morning, and made
reservations." Hotaru launched into the itinerary with
enthusiasm, but it was tempered by her calm nature, making
her sound much more mature than most girls were at her age.
"It is certainly a fine day," said Jadeite quietly.
"It sounds like a good plan." He turned a slight smile on
Hotaru then, before beginning to walk forward so that he
could inspect the various events of the festival, his
kimono softly fluttering in the wind about him. Hotaru had
insisted on, with her father's permission, getting him a
kimono specifically for the occasion, and the dark violet
color suited him well, particularly with the sheen it
possessed. It was a noble appearance of a different sort
for him, of an antiquity that was young compared to him but
still flavored with a rich tradition.
"Come on, Papa!" Hotaru said, looking back to him as
she chased after Jadeite. "Hang on! Let us catch up!" She
caught up to him quickly and walked at his side while her
father trailed behind them a short distance. He was close
enough to converse with them, and so they talked as they
perused the various events of the festival. Jadeite was
somewhat quiet and reserved, as was typical for him, and
the Professor was similar. Between the two of them, though,
they kept up decent conversations with Hotaru.
Rei Hino had once been the Princess of Mars during
the Silver Millennium. Jadeite did not speak of it, but he
remembered her with a somewhat surprising clarity. Their
relationship had been a close one in that shining age and
he remembered being pleased whenever they found free time
to spend together. As it had so many other things, though,
Queen Beryl's ambition had brought an end to that. He had
betrayed her, and he could quite clearly recall watching
her die. The problem was that the shrine was very similar
to one he had once visited with her, and a single image
remained in his mind from that day of her amidst the
various plants and blossoming life.
Rei could not know that Jadeite had been revived. If
she had any memory of that period so long ago she would be
more willing to fight him than any of the other Sailor
Senshi and she would find it much more difficult than any
of the others to trust him in what he sought to do. It was
also quite clear in his mind that they could likely not
achieve even the most tenuous of friendships after he had
betrayed her and the White Moon Kingdom, yet the loss of
any chance at ever being with her again did not trouble him
as much as it might have. He wasn't sure why, and it was
much of the time during the Festival that he was silent
that was spent trying to determine just what that reason
was. Eventually, his eyes landed on Hotaru again.
"The sun will begin to fall soon. We should think
about going to dinner," spoke Jadeite to Hotaru as she
turned to look at him. For a moment he was stricken by the
way her hair floated up with the turning of her head and by
the way her eyes connected to his as he spoke. Things had
been quiet for several moments as they all stood watching
the cherry blossoms along the paths that were arranged in
rows behind the event booths, and, while he suspected that
he might startle her when he spoke, she seemed very much at
ease and calm. There was something else though, that jarred
a reaction within him for an instant. Something within her
eyes when they had met his had put his inner debate to
rest.
"He's right. We don't want to miss our reservations,"
said her father as he turned and gestured for them to
follow him on the path away from the Festival.
"I'm feeling hungry, anyway, so we had better hurry,"
responded Hotaru as she let her eyes linger on Jadeites for
a moment. She noticed the faint calm that had fallen over
his own troubled gaze when she looked at him. No one else
would have likely noticed the slight hardness to his eyes
that had been present most of the day, but Hotaru had been
very conscious of it. If he hadn't been enjoying himself,
she would have felt very bad for having made him come out
to the Festival. Then, though, the worry had faded away.
Whatever it was had disappeared, and the timing left little
doubt that it had been something about her that had put it
to rest. She smiled as she turned to follow her father, and
for some reason fought to hide a slight blush that was
growing on her inexplicably.
