Chapter Five: Tests and Shadows
Haruka looked around her. Her surroundings were hazy at first but quickly cleared into her apartment. "What the..."
"Haruka?" Haruka turned to see Michiru looking at her in concern. 'Am I in the past? I haven't seen this place since Crystal Tokyo.' Michiru smiled, "Haruka it is you!" She smiled. "How did your race go?"
"My race?"
"Yes, the one you were telling me about. Your race in Africa." Haruka froze. 'I'm a racecar driver... I'm the wind.' Michiru looked at Haruka in concern. "Are you okay? You don't look so well." Haruka shook her head slightly attempting to remember something important. A scream from outside grabbed her attention and she turned. "What's happening?" Michiru looked outside.
"The Sailor Senshi are out there. Don't go out..." Haruka pulled back from the window.
"Why do you sound so scared? Have you forgotten we're Sailor Senshi?" Michiru's face showed her confusion.
"Haruka, are you sure you're all right? We're not Sailor Senshi we're just normal school students." Haruka shook her head, "Then this isn't real. I have to rescue Koneko."
"Who?"
"Odango."
"Who's that?" Haruka frowned, "Usagi-chan." Michiru frowned, "We don't know anyone named Usagi, Haruka." Haruka stepped away.
"This isn't real. I'm going to find Usagi." She held her pen into the air. "Uranus Planet Power!" Golden light converged around her and when it was gone Sailor Uranus stood in front of a wall of mirrors. "Which way..." Laughter echoed in her ears and the evil queen appeared.
"You'll never find her." Sailor Uranus frowned, "I won't let you hurt her."
"Too late for that." An image of a bloodied and battered Neo Queen Serenity appeared. "I'll kill her soon." Uranus scowled and looked around. Four other hazy mirrors were behind her.
"I should wait for the others... I hope they make it through their tests." Duo stared at the person before him. "Usagi, you're okay?" Usagi turned and smiled brightly at him.
"You're late!" Duo blinked, "Late?" Usagi nodded, "You promised we'd go out to dinner tonight just the two of us." Duo stared at her indigo eyes questioning.
"This isn't real is it?" He asked sadly. Usagi frowned at him and stepped forward.
"You don't think I'm real?" Duo looked at her uneasily. 'She sounds and looks like Usagi...' He eyed her for a moment.
"What about Heero?"
"Who?"
"Heero, the person you love."
"The only person I love is you, Duo." She whispered before kissing him. Duo savored the moment and closed his eyes. "Now are you going to take me out or not?" Duo opened one eye to see Usagi looking at him hands on hips. He smirked and was about to answer when a thought occurred to him. 'This isn't real. I can't sacrifice the real Usagi for this one... can I?'
"What are you thinking about?" Duo sighed, "I know you're not real. I also know you only love Heero so no matter what I feel it doesn't matter." Usagi frowned at him in confusion.
"I don't understand..." Duo kissed her forehead.
"Goodbye, Usagi," He whispered before walking out the door. Duo walked out of the door and into a hallway full of mirrors. He turned to see Uranus.
"You passed huh? What did they give you?" Duo looked away, "Something I can never have in real life." The woman beside him nodded.
"It was the same here." Duo was about to ask what it was but realized he would have to admit his own. "Do you think the others will make it all right?" Uranus turned to the remaining three mirrors.
"All that is left are your friends." Duo nodded, "Wufei and Quatre should make it no problem at all. I don't know about Heero though I don't know what his will be."
Quatre looked around himself in confusion. One moment he was attempting to see through a grayish haze and the next moment he was in front of his Father. "Father???" He gasped in disbelief. The older man smiled.
"Quatre, are you staying home long?" Quatre nodded his eyes full of tears.
"But aren't you dead?"
"Do I look dead, Quatre?"
"No... but the people of the colony killed you because you wouldn't bow to Romefeller." The man stared at Quatre.
"Killed me? You know the colonies are at peace."
"Peace?"
"Yes, peace. The colonies and Earth are in peace too. Is something wrong with you?" Quatre shook his head wiping happy tears from his eyes.
"No... I'm fine, Father." Quatre looked around him. "Father... peace... everything is perfect here."
"What?" Quatre again shook his head, "Nothing..." He looked around him.
"Everything is perfect here isn't it?" His father looked up from his papers.
"I wouldn't say that, Quatre." Quatre looked around the room once more.
"You're alive everything is at peace this is perfect... I have to leave and save a friend. Goodbye, Father." Quatre pulled out his gun looking at it.
"I'm sorry," He whispered before aiming the gun at his Father and pulling the trigger. Quatre fell out of the mirror tears falling from his eyes. He saw Duo and Uranus nearby. "I'm glad you're both all right." Duo eyed the crying blonde.
"What happened, Quatre?" Quatre looked away, "I'd rather not discuss it." Duo nodded in understanding.
"I know Wufei can get through his no problem but Heero..." Quatre studied Duo for a moment.
"Heero should be fine. I wonder what their tests will be..."
Wufei stood silent his eyes scanning his surroundings.
"Wufei-chan?" Wufei slowly turned, "Merian?" A pair of chocolate brown eyes twinkled at him.
"Who else would it be?" Wufei scowled.
"This isn't real. Merian died a long time ago." Merian frowned, "I'm very much alive." Wufei turned away, "I know you're not. I have to rescue that woman."
"Woman... WUFEI!" Wufei turned and left walking away from her.
"I'm leaving." He walked down the road and out of a mirror towards the others the scowl still on his face.
Heero silently observed his surroundings. Everything that had been hazy a moment before had become solid. Two figures stood before him. One was his wife; Relena and the other was the mysterious shadow he now realized was Usagi. Relena smiled brightly, "Heero you married me not her. You can't just destroy a marriage like that." The mysterious shadow smiled sadly at him.
"She's right you can't just dissolve two marriages especially when a child is involved." Heero studied them both.
"This isn't real." The shadow glared at him.
"This is real, Heero. You should stay with your wife. I'm going back to my husband." Relena nodded in agreement to the other woman's words. Heero started to walk away when Relena grabbed his arm.
"Where are you going, Heero?" Heero stared at the shadow.
"To save her."
"Why?" Relena demanded rage in her eyes. Heero ignored her. A duplicate of the shadow appeared. "Heero, you have to get out of here now. Nephelina lied Usagi will be killed sooner than she told you. You don't have time to rescue her get out of here while it's still safe." The first shadow turned to the second.
"Don't listen to her, Heero she's an imposter!" The second shadow ignored her, "Heero, I don't want you to risk your life for me. If you don't leave now you won't have any future and Usagi doesn't want that."
"So you're not Usagi?" The second shadow shook it's head.
"Not exactly. I am her past life's form; Princess Serenity but I know all about her. I know what she sacrificed so long ago."
"What are you talking about?"
"I know of Usagi's last visit to your world how you two met and what she wanted to give up for you."
"Last visit?"
"I've tried to tell you but... I didn't think she wanted you to know the truth. You really shouldn't know it if you can't remember... I can't say anything more." Heero was about to say more when the shadow shook her head, "No, give me your hand." She stepped towards him and a girl resembling Usagi but younger appeared. A golden crescent moon with it's points upwards graced her forehead and a pure white dress her
body.
"It's good to see you again, Heero." Heero stared at her.
"You're the one from the Leo." The girl nodded, "Yes, Heero." She frowned.
"You really should get out of here now."
"I promised to save her."
"She won't blame you. The only thing that matters to her is that you're safe." Heero shook his head silently.
"No, how do I get out of here?"
"Give me your hand." Heero nodded and placed his palm in hers. She led him past the now feuding first shadow and Relena and towards a house. She opened the door and the two stepped out of a mirror. Sailor Uranus, Wufei, Duo, and Quatre turned and stared as they saw Princess Usagi and Heero.
"Koneko-chan?" The Princess slowly shook her head, "No, I am like a shadow of her soul left behind to keep Heero safe."
"Or to haunt me the rest of my life." The girl had the decency to blush.
"Sorry..." Duo stared at her, "So do you know where she is?"
"No, but I have to leave. Heero doesn't need me anymore and she does." She slowly turned towards him.
"Goodbye, Heero." She whispered before vanishing. Heero silently watched her go as his mind raced. 'Why... why can't I remember? I can almost see it but something is blocking me.' Sailor Uranus studied Heero.
"So which way should we go?" She asked showing the others that she had decided he would be their leader.