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Eternity, by Kristii
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I always wondered what happens to the Senshi when they retire
from service: who takes their place when they resign from duty--or
can they even relinquish their roles at all?
This is my own answer to that question...
A note: CT is a time thing, like AD or BC; 1 CT marks the year of
Crystal Tokyo's founding.
Comments -- aznvballgurl@yahoo.com
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Today is December 31, 999 CT.
Tomorrow, the world will change.
On the first day of the new millennium, Neo-Queen Serenity
will relinquish her throne to her daughter; the First Royal Court will
disband, after one thousand years of service. Tomorrow, in less than
twelve hours, all power will shift to the hands of Serenity III; a
new set of Guardians will replace those who have served since the
beginning, and the former Guards will finally be allowed to live in
peace...
So says, at least, the Neo-Queen Serenity...
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"Mars!"
The Lady Mars leapt up at the voice behind her, startled.
"What the--" Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in her visitor;
at that moment, she was the last person Mars had expected to find in
her quarters. "Pluto? What are you doing here?"
"There's been a problem." Pluto's eyes were unreadable as she
spoke, betraying no emotion whatsoever. "The Queen requests your
presence in the War Room immediately; the others are already waiting."
"What happened?"
"You'll see when you get there." And Pluto swept out of the
room, staff in hand; Mars hurried to catch up with her, knowing better
than to ask any more questions...
The Royal Court was already gathered in the War Room by the
time Mars and Pluto arrived; the Neo-Queen Serenity was seated above
her Guardians, a worried look in her eyes. King Endymion and Serenity
III, Mars noticed, were nowhere to be seen.
"Mars is here, Your Majesty." Pluto nodded toward the Queen,
moving to her side and bending down to whisper in her ear.
Mars took her seat by Venus as the two conferred, shooting an
inquiring glance at her commander. "What's going on?" She asked
softly, keeping her voice low.
"I don't know," Venus whispered back, her eyes on Serenity.
"No one's been told anything, but something big must be up-I've never
seen Serenity this worried..."
"I--"
Serenity spoke then, and Mars hurriedly turned toward her, her
conversation with Venus forgotten. "Senshi," the Queen said softly,
her voice loaded with strain. "I don't know how to tell you this,
but..."
She broke off, unable to continue, as seven pairs of eyes
looked curiously at her own. "Pluto--"
The Lady Pluto took over smoothly, gently squeezing the
Queen's hand as she faltered. "You're all slated for retirement
tomorrow," she said evenly, her voice devoid of all emotion. "The
Queen has promised you that you could live eternity out in peace, free
to pursue whatever interests you please, never again owing your lives
to the Palace or to duty."
"Yes," Venus said softly. "Why?"
"I--" The Queen spoke again, lowering her eyes from the
Senshi's inquiring gazes. "I--I lied. I'm sorry..."
There was a moment of incredulous silence; Mars was the first
to speak, her eyes filled with confusion. "What?!"
"I--" The Queen was on the verge of tears; the Senshi had not
seen her like this since the days before Crystal Tokyo. "Rei," she
said softly, and Mars was surprised by her words. Rei? How long has
it been since anyone has called me Rei? "Rei, Mako, Ami, Mina;
Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru... I'm sorry... I know I promised you that you
could retire tomorrow, but I can't--I can't--I didn't know--"
"We've had a few surprises," Pluto cut in dryly. "Your
daughters, it seems, have shown signs of aging."
"WHAT?!"
"It seems we neglected to consider one thing when we decided
on your retirement, Senshi," Pluto said quietly. "We drew from the
Changing of the Guard rituals of the Silver Millennium, but we forgot
one important factor:
"Only the children of two immortals will live forever."
"Oh my God..." Mercury blanched suddenly, the first to realize
the meaning of Pluto's words. "Pluto--oh, my God, you don't mean--"
"Yes." Pluto's eyes were dark, unreadable. "In those times,
Senshi were retired after one thousand years of service; their
daughters, sired of royal, immortal fathers, would then take their
places. We did not realize this, but... there are no immortal men left
now, save the King. Your daughters may live longer than the average
mortal, but they will die just as surely as their human fathers before
them..."
"Oh, no..." Mars' face drained of color, as did Venus' beside
her. "So you're saying..."
"The Royal Court of Serenity III, if instated as planned, will
not serve her past 1250 CT."
The room fell absolutely silent; Jupiter stood up very slowly,
her face white with fury. "What's your point, Pluto?" She asked, her
voice laced with rage. "Once this day is over, I am never putting on
this fuku again. We had an agreement here--I've done my thousand years
of duty; I'm not staying til the end of eternity!"
"Mako-" the Queen began, but Pluto cut her off brusquely:
"That choice is not yours to make, Jupiter." Pluto's eyes
still betrayed no emotion, and she levelly met the other girl's
furious gaze. "Sit down. Now." Something in her voice, however, was
more potent than rage; Jupiter shot her a look of death, but took her
seat, seething. "I'm sorry, Senshi, but the House of Serenity requires
your service. You will be expected to report to duty tomorrow as
usual, your loyalty transferred to Serenity III. Is that understood?"
For a long, long moment, there was no answer. Then, the Lady
Venus finally found her voice: "Lady Aino Minako," she said softly,
her voice barely audible, "regrets that her daughter cannot fulfill
her duties to the House of Serenity." She looked down at the table;
Mars saw a tear slide down her face, drop down to the smooth mahogany.
"If it so pleases Her Majesty the Neo-Queen Serenity, the Lady will
answer for her daughter's shortcomings, and fill her spot in the Court
of Her Majesty Serenity III...."
She could not continue any longer; pushing back her chair
abruptly, the Lady Venus fled the room, her face buried in her hands.
For a moment, all sat frozen; then, the Lady Mars spoke quietly: "Hino
Rei will serve," she whispered, "in her daughter's place, all the
roles and functions required of her by Her Majesty Serenity III."
And then she too stood, nodded toward the Queen, and left the
room quickly. The Lady Neptune's voice followed her out the door,
pledging resignedly to serve in place of her daughter...
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It was night now; the annual New Year's ball had begun
downstairs. Mars could hear the music floating up to her room as she
sat in the darkness, removed from the revelry. She had not moved since
she returned to her room from that afternoon's meeting; now, the music
finally stirred her to life again, and she stood slowly...
A small jeweled dagger lay on her desk; with one swift
movement, Mars seized it. She slid the blade from the hilt, watching
it glint in the moonlight. For a few seconds, she stood frozen,
watching the light dance over the jeweled metal; then, abruptly, she
snatched her passport off her desk and plunged the blade through the
white plastic cover...
This is the passport Mercury made for me yesterday, she
thought darkly, slashing the blade through the passport. We were so
happy then, preparing for our new lives; we thought we were finally
free of our oaths, finally free to live happy, finally free to think
for ourselves and not for Serenity...
The plastic shards fluttered to the ground, Hino Rei's first
photograph in over a millennium fluttering down with them. The Lady
Mars stared at the pieces for a long moment, then dropped to her
knees, sobbing:
Never again, she thought dimly, never again. Never again
will Hino Rei walk the streets of Tokyo... As long as Mars lives, Rei
Hino must die; and Mars can never resign now...
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