You know guys; I was wondering... do you know if cats smile? Well--- ANYWAY.
It's been a LONG time since I last saw Sailor Moon, over six maybe seven years ago, so some things may not be as clear, because HEY, give me a break, okay?! Since I watched the Spanish version, which as far as I know, is unedited, I don't know what things in this episode were cut and what weren't, hell, I don't even know what episodes were the ones that they cut off! Doesn't that suck?
Okay, okay I'm rambling! My own version --hehehe, don't ya' love me?-- of episode 40, I don't know the English translation, though, 'Mizuumi no densetsu youkai! Usagi kazoku no kizuna', is the Japanese title. First season!
Please send me all your feedback it is much needed. REVIEW!!!!
Err... Disclaimers apply, because I don't own Sailor Moon, so if you're thinking about suing me, turn around, the wall is calling you. Sailor Moon belongs to Kondancha, Toei, err, who else? Evil DiC and of course THE incredible and amazing creator, Naoko-sama! You rock!
Thank you to Petchan for her constant rambling, and Michelle, her unending stories, she's not even finished the first when she's already on the third! We love you the way you are!!
Okay, I'm over now... please sit back and enjoy.
Love,
Andrea
P.S.: "Don't forget the popcorns!"
---
"When your heart gets broken,
You start to see the cracks in everything.
It's my belief that the world is out to harden us,
And it is our mission never to let it."
- From the TV show Felicity
Mirrors of Pain
By Andrea
Come and leave somehow, lights to the world
The sun is rising.
From the moon and the earth to the stars.
Simple wings are simply pulled apart.
My bone is beginning to shake.
Reach out your hollow flame...
Ohh you're hangin' so weird and strange...
Ohh, your brightest days,
They're just ending.
Your darkest days,
They're just beginning now...
"Yellow Light"
- Remy Zero
Luna woke up with a huge yawn, stretching out her paws. The sun was filling the room with it's warmth, her eyes traveling over the bed, where it was neatly folded, the desk, jammed to the hilt with never opened books, the partly opened closet doors-- her eyes went with a jump back to the bed. 'Where the heck is Serena?' she thought. Her eyes snapped to the bedside alarm, 7:35 a.m..
So okay, Luna started freaking out. Who was awake at this ungodly hour!?! Certainly NOT Serena. And least of all if it was a SATURDAY MORNING!!!!
She rushed through the door, and as deeper and deeper she went into the hallway, she noticed all the doors ajar, and beds, like Serena's, folded neatly. She ran downstairs, maybe they were having breakfast. She quickly dismissed the idea as she saw that the table was clear, and there was no one on sight.
Luna was starting to get worried, it was strange that Serena had gone out and hadn't let her know of her whereabouts. She ran to her room again. The pink device instantly caught her attention. Serena's communicator! With a bunny stationary post-it attached to it. "On to a trip to the hot springs, we will stay the night. Your food is right beside the stove on the counter. Serena."
Luna smiled when she saw the scratched 'f' on the word 'stove'. Serena will never change. Just then, the communicator began beeping loudly. Raye's face appeared on the small screen.
"Luna?" She asked confused, "where's Serena?"
"She went to the hot springs with her family. They were gone when I woke up this morning."
---
There was a huge red GAME OVER on the gameboy's screen, "ahhh, it's not fair!"
"Yoouu..." Serena began, "lost!" She emphasized her point by snatching the game from Sammy's hands, "my turn!"
"Hey, what's your problem?" Sammy grabbed the game back.
"My problem!?" Serena squeaked, yanking the game back.
And back and forth the little thingy went, Serena and Sammy yelling at each other in the small interior of the car.
"That's enough you two!" Ahh, I was wondering where she was.... Ilene glared at the two from the front seat, "Sammy, be a gentleman and give the game to your sister."
"Gentleman?" Serena barked in laughter, "he?" And just when she rudely grabbed the game from the glaring Sammy, her precious golden locket slipped from her pocket.
She gasped loudly when Sammy took it and began jingling it around, stretching his arm when Serena tried to get it back, "Give it to me!"
"Okay, okay, you don't have to be so peevish!"
"That's a beautiful locket you got there." Her mother said sweetly.
Steam seemed to come out of her father's ears, "where did you get it?"
Serena saw the look, "uhh, it was a gift."
"From whom?" Her father enquired through gritted teeth.
"Err, from a--a--- a friend!"
Her father saw red. "A FRIEND!?" He came completely between the front seats, "what kind of friend!? As in a BOYfriend!?"
"Ken, grab the wheel!" Ilene shrieked, but he seemed not to hear her, or chose to ignore her. She promptly grabbed him by the shoulders and SHOVED him back to his seat; pointing a dangerous finger at the wheel, "drive." Was all she said, her eyes, on the other hand, spoke volumes of torture and punishment if he did otherwise. Don't ya' LOVE that woman?
Serena let a shuddering breath, her eyes on the passing trees outside, but she caught her mother watching her, when she turned, her mother slowly turned around, a knowing smile playing across her lips. Serena smiled, too.
Serena had been staring into nothingness when she felt the car slow down, until they came to a complete halt. Her eyes went to the locket in her hands. Unconsciously she had taken it from the pocket and had been caressing it with her thumbs. She put it back to her pocket, chanting in her head: I'm strong; I'm not going to cry... over and over.
She gasped when she saw her surroundings. A few meters from them, was the most amazing lake that she'd ever seen, not that I've seen many, she thought. She ran out of the car, to stand in front of the clear water. It was cold, the air, there was something about it, she didn't quite know, and the water was so deep and blue, it drew her in.
Her eyes snapped from their trance when she heard the softest of music begin to play. The locket! She gently pulled it out from her pocket, and saw the golden moon rolling gently with the music. Her eyes closed involuntarily. The soothing melody washing over her body, it had been some time now, since she had last heard it play for her alone.
Her eyes began to fill with tears. 'I'm strong, I'm not going to cry, I'm strong, I'm not going to cry...'
"Hey, mud head! What are you doing?" Sammy called, "get over here!"
She rubbed her eyes gently, taking away the unshed tears, and tenderly closed the golden lid. It seemed a burden was suddenly over her shoulders when the melody ceased playing; perhaps it had always been there?
---
"I feel evil energy coming from this lake..." Queen Beryl commented, wondering.
"Yes, My Queen, I felt it, too. It's like... " Malachite paused.
"...Some sort of youma, but it seems it's dormant." Endymion said, "That's why we never knew, but now there seems to be a strange energy that's bringing the beast to life."
"Well," the queen drawled, "then, if that's what it craves..."
"Yes, my Queen." Endymion bowed, and then he was gone in a surge of darkness.
Beryl raised a sardonic eyebrow, "Something else?"
Malachite paced, "Endymion."
"What's wrong with him?" She asked, uninterested. All Malachite seemed to do lately was complain about Endymion this, Endymion that. Beryl almost smiled, jealous... the fool.
"He's acting.... strange--"
"Strange?" There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "why's that?"
"Yes," he cleared his throat, "I'm not sure, but I believe he's getting his memory back."
"What makes you think that?"
"His behavior."
"That can't happen." She hissed, leaning forward. "Keep your eye on him."
"As you wish."
---
"Ohh, it's very hot!" Ken said as he joined his wife in the water.
"Sammy, what's wrong?" Ilene asked when she noticed Sammy was the only one who wasn't in the water, "get in, it's cold out there."
"It's unisex!" He snapped, "I'm NOT getting in there with Meatball Head and you, mom!"
"Stop whining, and get IN!" Ilene almost barked, "or I'll get you in myself!"
Serena moved closer to Sammy, unnoticed, then grabbed his hand and yanked him to the water, laughing hysterically.
There were bubbles on the surface, but there was no Sammy. She looked around, but couldn't seem to find him. A shriek escaped her lips when there was an enormous splash in front of her and her towel was taken away. Serena sank deeper into the water, a blush covering her cheeks, "give it back!"
Sammy fanned the towel around triumphantly, laughing away.
"Mom!" Serena whined, "Tell him to give it back!"
Ilene gave Ken a slap on his shoulder, "don't laugh or I'll take yours away, too." She warned, "Sammy..." Was all she said.
Message received. Don't mess with Ilene Tsukino when she gets THAT look on her face!
"Look! There's someone down there!" Sammy pointed somewhere near the lake overviewed below.
Something inside told Serena not to look. But then, it was too late; she was already leaning over the ledge of the pool. A hot/cold feeling crept inside of her; it was burning her inside out, as if she were scared. It's him! "I'm not feeling well," she whispered, then wrapping the towel tightly around her body, "will you excuse me--", Serena was gone in a dash.
"You know, I'll never understand that girl," Ken sighed.
---
Running late for school was already training enough, for Serena dressed in a millisecond, and was out in an instant, grabbing a coat on her way. She ran down the steps, almost tripping, but never stopped. Her heart beat triple time and not just because of her exertion, she could recognize that body anywhere.
She had seen him standing there as if looking for something... or someone. What was he doing here anyway? And she had come here specifically to have time for herself and away from him... he always seemed to be everywhere. Everywhere she was, at least. Was he following her around?
Serena wanted nothing more than to smack him across the head. How dare he follow her, even after he already hurt her countless times before?
Serena fumed.
"Where the hell are you?" She hissed, looking around. She gasped. Her eyes fixated on the beautiful statue of a petite woman in the arms of a handsome man. How-- Serena closed her eyes as the soothing melody, once again began to play, the sweet notes washing over her body.
Her eyes opened slowly, the presence was behind her. His aura was enveloping her with a tickling heat; she turned around, facing him.
"Darien..." she whispered faintly.
That name again, his body had a... reaction to that name, especially when it came from her. "My name's Endymion." He said coldly, his voice hoarse.
She still had her back to him, and she felt her hands were lightly trembling. The anger from a few moments ago vanished, leaving her with a sudden rush of exhaustion and fear. She was nervous, almost... afraid.
Not of him....
"What are you doing here--?"
"Serena?"
Serena jerked around at the sound of her mother's voice not too far away, ready to warn Darien-- Endymion to hide, but to her surprise, he was no longer behind her. I should have expected that, she thought.
"Right here!"
"Honey," her mother walked to her, slightly out of breath, "why did you run out?"
"Uhh..." Serena looked around, "oh, I saw this statue from up there and I just wanted to- to- to get a closer look!"
She sighed heavily.
"You know," her mother started, merriment and enjoyment in her voice, "this is where your father and I first met."
"Really!" Serena beamed, "that's so beautiful!"
"That's when I heard about the legend." Ilene walked around the statue, contemplating.
"About them?" Serena pointed to the lovers of the statue.
"It's a bit sad, though." Ilene sighed, "There was this girl, a very beautiful princess, who fell in love with a knight. Turned out that he was in love with another girl." She sighed, "The princess was heartbroken. She started hating people, hating the world. The sweet interior of the beautiful princess was becoming bitter. She was jealous."
"So what happened?"
"Some people say that a man fell in love with her, but that she was never able to love him completely, so he went to the moon to wait for her, but her soul was too bitter and she turned into a monster."
"And that man... he's still waiting for her?"
Ilene tucked Serena under her arm, "I believe so. But the lovers trapped the monster into the bottom of the lake."
Endymion over-heard the story from behind some trees, a plan running in his mind. Somehow, the monster was coming back to life, and he could tell why. Somewhere, some place very near, he could sense a very prominent amount of energy.... magic. Someone.... his eyes traveled to where Serena and her mother were standing. No, he smiled coldly, it couldn't be her. The girl couldn't have that amount of power, it couldn't be possible.
"Honey," Ilene smiled, "when you get a boyfriend, would you please introduce him to your father and me?"
Serena looked up, surprised, "of course I will." Serena smiled.
"Let's go back, it's getting cold out here, your father will probably be wondering where are his women."
Mother and daughter laughed.
"Would you mind--?"
"Go," Ilene interrupted, "but don't stay long or you'll catch a cold." And with that Ilene kissed her daughter on the cheek, leaving with a smile and a wave over her shoulder.
"Thanks."
---
Endymion paced around the edge of the lake, when he spotted Malachite watching him. He'd known he was here, he had sensed his presence a few moments before. "What are you doing here?"
"Keeping an eye on you."
"Why?" Endymion's voice turning colder and angrier.
"Orders from the queen."
"Tell the queen that I don't need your help." And with that, Endymion turned around to finish what he's started, promptly ignoring Malachite's presence.
Malachite glared at Endymion through narrowed eyes, and then he was gone.
Endymion smiled. He focused his energy, and then released it in a burst, the darkness swirling, spiraling into the bottom of the lake, summoning the beast.
Endymion felt the energy abandoning his body, leaving him weak and almost breathless. At first there was no reaction, and he started thinking that he used all his energy in vain, but then, a huge explosion and a ... something emerged from the water.
Endymion smiled at the long tailed, mermaid-like beast, but his smile faded when the beast advanced towards him. He knew he was too weak to be able to sustain a fight with it. The beast approached him, but then stopped, a few meters from him. It had a very scrutinizing look on it's face, her eyes looking straight into his, like trying to see through, and then she smiled shiny fangs, and retreated.
He saw her look in the distance, a frown creased her face, and her smile disappeared, a sudden look of hatred on her narrowed black eyes. Endymion levitated to have a better look of where the beast was going, when he saw the girl from earlier. For some unknown reason he felt something very, very deep inside of him sink, he didn't know what, but he had felt it strongly.
---
Serena watched her mother go up the steps, and she finally let her emotions rule over. She collapsed on her knees, head to the ground. Her body shook from her broken sobs. She had never felt so lonely or miserable in her entire life. But when her mother had so sweetly inquired that she should let her know of any boyfriend… that, had done it.
She had a boyfriend ... who didn't want her anymore.
Bitter tears ran down her face. And then that with the legend, her parents meeting for the first time in this place, finding Endymion here, her mother telling her about boyfriends and worst of all, the locket. This trip wasn't turning out as she would have expected. It all reminded her even more that she was alone and that Darien no longer existed, for she couldn't fight against Endymion, it was asking for the impossible.
"Serena!" She gasped when she heard her father calling her.
"Meatball head!"
Great, just great. Here she was feeling completely miserable, and her entire family was searching for her. Don't they know when a girl just wants to be left alone?
There was a hiss of air, Serena looked up and her heart sank. Definitely they don't know when a girl wants to be alone.
Approaching with a fierce expression was a- a mermaid-like youma. It stopped in front of her, a look of total hatred and murder in its eyes. Serena faltered, never in all the youmas she'd fought, had one had this kind of look of bloody murder in their eyes. Never, this one was ... different.
She could feel an immense aura coming from the monster. Serena faltered. Its aura wasn't evil... it was more like-- she could feel the hurt and loneliness coming from the monster. Its pain and suffering was almost palpable. Suddenly, it hit her. This wasn't a regular youma, heck, it wasn't even a youma. At least, not a Negaverse youma.
She had to be careful, and keep quiet, her family was near, and she just knew that this thing wouldn't hesitate in hurting or killing them. The hell with hesitation, it WILL kill anything that stands it its way. All her hopes disintegrated when she saw her father out of the corner of her eye.
Her hands started trembling. Think fast. Can't transform, "Dad, run!" Act fast.
Serena ran to where her father and Sammy were standing. Coldness invaded her heart, where the hell is my mother? "We have to run!" Her voice was frantic, as she pushed her father and brother in the opposite direction of the monster.
"Serena, you're acting stranger than usual." Her father began, refusing to run, "why don't-- what the...."
Her father's words froze in his throat, looking over her shoulder. Okay, maybe now they'll run. The monster approached, moving fast, a shriek escaping its blue lips. Serena stared in horror, and almost barked in sarcastic laughter as her father picked a stick of wood.
Was he planning on fighting the monster with that? He's got to be kidding me! "Dad, there's no use, that won't stop it!" Serena insisted, "We have to run!"
"Sammy, Serena, get back!" He ordered. There was a sudden scream. Her father's eyes went blank for a moment, and a piercing yell escaped his lips, "Ilene!"
"Mom!"
On its way to Serena, the monster had spotted Ilene standing a few yards back, proceeding to swing its tail towards Ilene, throwing her a few meters back. Ken ran pass the monster, ignoring it, to his fallen wife, but the monster wasted no time and surrounded Ken with it's tail around his neck, choking him.
"Dad!" Sweat covered her hands, as she frantically searched for her broach. Oh my God... Serena started getting VERY nervous, and VEEERYY scared. She tightened her grip on the broach, "Moon--"
There was a faint hiss of air, and then the monster yelped in pain, retreating its tail from Ken's neck. Ken fell to the ground, roughly gasping for air. After his breath resembled something close to normal, his gaze settled on the lying form of his wife. "Ilene..." he whispered. He crawled to her, gathering her in his arms, brushing her hair off her face. His eyes grew soft when she opened her eyes.
---
Serena watched in relief as her father slipped from the monster's fierce grip. Actually, he didn't slip; the monster had suddenly released him, grabbing its tail in pain.
Her attention was then centered on the curious little red rose stabbed to the ground... Her gaze wandered up the path from where the rose had come from, and her heart froze in her throat. Darien... Endymion... Tuxedo Mask... standing up there... on a tree...
Their eyes met, and for a flashing moment, his eyes smiled at her-- not smiled, but something seemed to spark in them. A very familiar spark, if you may ask.
A frown creased her brow, he looked almost... tired, maybe even weak.
"Go and hide!" Tuxedo Mask ordered Ken. He watched as Ken weakly stood to his feet, helping his wife. He called Sammy and Serena to come hide with them.
Blood trailed down the monster's tail, her hatred seemed to fuel up even more. Her attention fully on the caped man. Tuxedo Mask descended with his cane in hand, determination written all over his features.
The monster swung her tail towards Tuxedo Mask, but he dodged it, throwing a few roses in his wake. He extended his cane, hitting the monster in its shoulder and chest. He collapsed to his knees, weak.
Serena watched in frustration, as Tuxedo Mask got weaker and weaker by the moment. Frustrated that she couldn't do anything, not with her family here. She had to get away, and transform as quickly as possible. Tuxedo Mask needed her, urgently.
Serena watched amazed, "Venus Crescent Beam!"
"Look, it's the Sailor Scouts!" Sammy enthused, "the warriors that stand for love and justice!"
That's MY line! Serena fumed. Now in not the time... God, I feel like Luna was here.... She took advantage of her family's entertained state to sneak away...
...And transform.
---
Tuxedo Mask fought and dodged every attack the beast threw at him, and his could feel himself weakening, he was even breathless. It really pissed him off that he had used all his energy to revive this thing, and all it did was attack him.
Not really, actually. The thing didn't attack you, you attacked it.... because it was going to attack the girl,-- it ticked him off.
He dodged another blow. Was he falling for this girl? Although not an ordinary girl --he threw another rose, hitting the beast in the face.
---
The sailor scouts threw several attacks at the monster, and they could sense it getting weaker, but it still wasn't enough.
The first attack had been from Sailor Venus. She had send a powerful beam, hitting the monster square in the back, but it only turned around as if the beam was nothing more than a mere fly.
Then there was Jupiter. With fierceness she called for thunder, waves of electricity surrounding the beast in its magnetic grasp.
And still nothing.
Mercury didn't even try, for she knew already that the monster was immune to water. She continued to press buttons into her mini-computer, continuously, trying to find it's weak point.
On the other hand, Mars' powers seemed to have the strongest effect on the monster. Attack after attack, the monster began weakening, but Mars weakened three times faster. The aura that surrounded this creature seemed to shield it from any harm, it looked like it absorbed the scout's powers.
Either way, it was getting weaker.
"Venus, watch out!" Sailor Moon, just arriving, called out to Venus.
Venus, who had been on the way to make her retort about Moon's tardiness, almost didn't duck from under the monster's whipping tail. "Thanks!" Venus said to Sailor Moon.
"It has been receiving all of our attacks, and it just seems to absorb them!" Mercury said, agitated.
But it was when the combined attacks of Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Mars, that the monster finally gasped out if breathless agony. The electric beam of power from the senshis, hit the monster square in the chest, bringing it down.
Sailor Moon had already taken out her Moon Wand, readying her attack. She called out her attack, power surging all around and throughout her, concentrating in the wand. Sailor Moon released her power, waves crashing against the beast, who screamed in agony.
A bubble of silver light appeared around the monster, surrounding it with its healing power. There was a hiss of air, almost sweet, followed by a hum. From within the silver light, a black-haired woman murmured a song. Her eyes closed, her hands, prayer-like.
Time seemed to stop and the sound started to fade as a stream of light parted the skies from the moon, calling her. Sailor Moon saw through the light, a man standing at the end of the passage, hands outstretched. The girl finally opened her eyes, the color of deep violet; she approached Sailor Moon, and for some reason, Sailor Moon wasn't afraid.
As the girl neared, a pink glow formed in her cupped hands. She handed Sailor Moon a red rose. Sailor Moon stared at it, the color was so deep, so ... red, her eyes flew to Tuxedo Mask, who was watching her. The girl also looked at Tuxedo Mask, and smiled. When Sailor Moon raised her eyes again, the girl was already floating up towards the sky, into the arms of her prince.
But before they were gone, the faintest of whispers reached Sailor Moon's ears: "Thank you..."
Tuxedo Mask was about to leave when she caught his attention; just when she was about to disappear she mouthed the word 'love', and something like a pink snowflake fell from the sky, touching his face, and vanishing upon contact, leaving him with a warm tingling sensation.
As soon as the princess disappeared, so did Tuxedo Mask. Sailor Moon's eyes fell to her hands.
---
"I should had treated her better when I had the chance!" Sammy cried, "I should had been a better brother! I should had given her that stupid game! And now-" He sobbed, "-now that-that monster just- ATE HER!" And a new torrent of tears began.
"Well, I want a soda, a chocolate hot-fudge sundae, a pizza, pepperoni if you don't mind, for me AND my friends and of course, the game!" Serena came out from behind a tree, girls in tow.
A smile formed on Sammy's lips, before he squish-squashed and mopped it away, "I was just practicing for my school play next Thursday."
Serena smiled, "sure."
"Serena!" And she was abruptly yanked into the embrace of her mother. Serena hugged back, "mom, really, I'm fine!" She patted her mother's back, "really, pret-ty, pret-ty FINE!"
"Oh!" Ilene dried her eyes, "I thought that you were now part of the digestive system of that monster!"
Serena sweat dropped, BIG-time, "we're fine. I ran into the girls around an hour ago, they came hear with-- a tour-guide, but I think he got scared by the monster and ran, and now my friends are here ALL alone and by their selves, with no family here to protect them, and you see, they're all scared and hungry and tired and alone and scared and tired and hun--"
"I get the POINT!" Ilene said through gritted teeth.
---
Ilene and Ken had gone off to a walk around the lake, and to finally have some time to themselves, meanwhile Sammy played video games inside the house.
The girls were having a nice relaxing time in the onsen, their bodies totally spent from their recent fight. It had been a very tough one, but finally they had succeeded, together, and with the help of no other than Tuxedo Mask, no less!
But still, Serena felt sad. Even after the fight, where he obviously had defended and protected her from harm, he still kept his distance, and coldness towards her. It stung to the deepest part of her being.
"Hey, girl, cheer up!" Lita called, from the other side of the onsen.
"Yeah!" Mina splashed Serena hard on the face.
"Hey!"
"Next time, pay--" Raye splashed Serena, "ATTENTION!!"
"So, how did you guys know I was here?"
Amy smiled, "Luna told us."
"Figures!"
"Oh my God, give it back!" Raye barked, "Lita I swear I'll burn you ass if you don't give my towel back!"
All the girls laughed.
---
Endymion watched from some distance. He just couldn't tear his attention off Serena. Serena? Since when did he start calling her by her name? A blush almost made its way to his face.
No!
He will have none of that. In this world where we live, there's no place or time for foolishness. He had to stay strong, for his queen, even if he gets sidetracked, or even lost.
He will have to focus harder on his goal, and let no one, not even her, get under his skin, for he had realized that every time he was near her, he felt warm, and cozy, but he will not allow himself, he was a warrior, and so was she, and warriors fought, as he no doubt will fight her, because in the end, one warrior always dies.
Only, he still wasn't sure whom...
The End
Through no light the darkness seems to be
So very strong
How does one alone against the world?
Find the strength to carry on?
What happened to the way we used to love?
It seemed as though life had just begun
But now that love has come and gone to fade away
Like the setting sun
Cuz' you won't let me in.
"Let Me In"
- Save Ferris
Copyright May 2001, Andrea.