The idea for this story came to me while I was listening to some music by Loreena McKennit. I really love her stuff, and the lyrics in the story come from her song "All Souls Night." I just want to say that as great as it would be to own Sailor Moon and all of the cool characters, it just ain't happening.
Enjoy and please, please Review!
All Souls Night
Chapter 1
Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides
Figures dance around and around
To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness
Moving to the pagan sound
"Oh look!" cried the young blond woman as her gaze caught the shards of light on the distant hills. She rushed toward an open window of the enormous castle at the edge of the valley, and leaned forward, intent on getting a closer look. Beyond the opening, lush green landscape spread for miles and miles. The twilight hour cast a witchy green glow to the numerous hills, and a cacophony of colored lights illuminated several rivers that cut through the mounds.
"What's going on Minako?" she asked breathlessly, her voice hushed in reverance as she stared at the beauty before her.
Lady Minako grinned at the childish glee visible on her friend's face, a look she had not seen for quite awhile.
"I had forgotten, you weren't here with us this time last year. Your mother had wanted you to return to the Moon early for some noble's wedding reception or something."
"My mother..." A look of sorrow briefly crossed Serenity's face. She thought back to that fateful day, when her happy life's bubble burst. Her mother had been ill for several weeks, but Serenity hadn't realized it was anything serious until ...one she was roughly jerked awake by one of the Council Ministers and hurried to the Throne Room for a quick Transfer-of-Power ceremony. Disoriented and afraid, the young quivering girl hesitantly read from the book thrust in front of her face and in a matter of minutes the bubbling Princess became temporary Queen of the Moon Kingdom.
Days turned into weeks, and soon it became apparent how the weight of power had taken its toll on the young woman. She rarely smiled anymore and she was constantly overwhelmed by the addition of a new responsibility. She would have withered away inside rather than admit to the world that it was too much to handle, but her close friends had sensed her silent pain and had taken matters into their own hands.
A few days ago, the girls cornered their Princess as soon as she left a policy meeting.
"Sere, you need a break. This temporary transfer of power was too much for you! If you keep working at this rate, you'll wither away into nothingness!" The girls had cried. After intense persuasion by Ami and serious threats of physical removal by Makoto, Serenity had agreed to a brief vacation to Earth to visit Minako's second cousin.
"It all looks so different from the Moon. This planet is full of mystery and magic," Princess Serenity murmured softly as she gazed out the window to the rolling hills in the distance. The sunset cast a golden glow on Serenity's face, and her usually bright blue eyes looked a deep turquoise.
If she listened hard enough she could almost hear the inner pulse of the planet. An almost eerie glow encompassed the large groups of villagers beginning the long walk to the hills where people had already started constructing enormous bonfires.
"My cousin told me tonight is 'All Souls Night'. In this part of Earth they have a tradition celebrating the souls of the dead by sending candle-lit lanterns on waterways heading toward the ocean and lighting bonfires on the hills."
Minako tilted her head at a sudden thought. Lips twitching she laughed, "Rei would love this, the little pyro!"
"What would I love?" Lady Rei walked over to the two blondes hovering near the window, her eyebrow arched and her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "What have you two been up to? You've been standing there for almost half an hour!"
"Rei, look outside!" Serenity directed, "Have you ever see so many colorful lights?" As the Princess eagerly turned to pull Rei closer, she tugged hard on her arm. Unfortunately, she tugged too hard and a portion of the dark-haired girl's filmy sleeve tore. Rei looked down at the large rip in her favorite silk dress and then glared at Serenity murderously.
"Now you've done it Odango! This was one of my favorite dresses! Why do you have to be so childish? Haven't you ever seen the All Soul's Night celebrations before?" Rei looked at Serenity irritably, but at the sudden sadness in her Princess's face, Rei felt immediate remorse. This was the first time Serenity had been truly enthusiastic about anything since the illness.
Weeks ago, Serenity would have cried buckets at the slightest raise in tone of voice from her fiery friend, but now, her face simply tightened.
"I'm sorry Sere, I..." Serenity cut Rei off with an abrupt hand motion.
"You have nothing to apologize for. I am sorry I ripped your dress," Serenity whispered coolly and turned back toward the window. Although Serenity's voice was respectful, it was surprisingly... emotionless. Distant. As if a barrier had been raised between her old self and her new self, and her old self was not allowed to come out anymore.
Rei sent Minako a stricken look and opened her mouth to say more when a young woman with short blue hair and a young woman with long brown hair entered the hall.
"There are so many people outside!" exclaimed Lady Makoto as she and Lady Ami walked over to the group. Ami glanced at Serenity's impassive face and gave Rei and Minako a questioning look. Rei shrugged helplessly and glanced at Minako, who looked at Serenity worriedly.
Ami tried to lighten the mood and tapped Serenity's shoulder, gushing cheerfully, "Minako's cousin is inviting all sorts of distinguished guests to the feast tonight." Makoto gave Ami an approving nod, but Serenity just smiled hesitantly and remained silent.
Inside however, she was torn by thoughts of uncertainty and unhappiness.
'Goddess, I can't be brave tonight, pretending that everything is all right to a bunch of strangers who don't really care anyway' she thought, 'I'm sorry Mother, but I can't, not tonight. For once I just want to be real, without hiding behind this frigid noble mask that stifles me in tradition and duty...'
Minako stared worriedly at her silent friend and sighed. Lately Serenity had become more and more distant, holding her feelings inside instead of throwing tantrums and having her usual crying fits. All the girls noticed Serenity's smiles growing more and more strained each day. She stayed awake until dawn poring over petitions and treaties, and dark smudges were appearing under her eyes from lack of sleep. Minako sensed that one day the glass exterior holding her best friend together would shatter and the beauty and love housed deep within Serenity would be scattered across space and time, lost forever. That thought startled the Princess of Venus, and she silently prayed that her premonition would never come to pass. Serenity looked up at Minako and pasted a smile onto her face; a smile that did not quite reach her darkly lit eyes.
"Don't worry about me so much, Mina, I'm fine," Serenity lied calmly. She gave Mina another weak smile and turned to Makoto, saying "Would you all be terribly upset if I cried off on tonight's banquet? I was hoping to catch up on some rest and this is supposed to be a vacation, isn't it?"
Ami, Minako, Makoto, and Rei looked at each other, and Rei opened her mouth to argue but then Ami stepped forward to hug her Princess. After a few seconds the others joined in, and for a little while things were back to the way they used to be with the inseparable five-some. A feeling of warmth and camaraderie fell over the group, a feeling they had not truly felt since Serenity had taken over the Queen's duties. However, with a shout from outside reality intruded and the girls parted reluctantly.
Serenity smiled gratefully at her best friends and the girls linked arms to walk down the hallway They split off amidst lots of laughter and smiles toward their perspective rooms to begin preparing for the evening's festivities.
Minako walked with Serenity to her room and as she opened the door, she cried excitedly, "I have the best idea! Why don't you go to the villager's local celebration? You could wear some common clothes and blend in. No one to tell you what to do or what to say..." Minako broke off suddenly, afraid that Serenity would laugh at her childishness. Serenity thought for a moment and nodded her head approvingly.
"That is a wonderful idea Mina! I think I just want to get away from Court life for a little while, you know, not be the center of attention for once." As Minako left she promised to send a maid by with an outfit that would easily blend in with the crowds of villagers walking to the hills.
Serenity stared thoughtfully at her reflection in the mirror and gave a small smile as she remembered the hug they had all shared in the shadows of the hall.
'I have not felt this way in a long time,' she thought sadly, 'Taking over Mama's duties has been so hard and I have hardly any time for my friends or fun...' Serenity turned away guiltily and twirled her long blond hair with her finger.
"I shouldn't feel this way, it's not Mama's fault she got so sick. As the Princess I have a duty and with that comes certain obligations," Serenity recited to her reflection. But she knew, deep down she knew something was missing. Even before her mother's illness, sometimes when she was around her best friends she would be overcome by acute pangs of emptiness and loneliness. As if she wasn't exactly whole, as if part of her soul was waiting to be filled. And the extra strain of taking over her mother's duties had just accentuated her internal solitude.
'Sometimes,' she thought sadly, 'Sometimes I just wish I were a normal girl who didn't have to worry about trade relations with Mars, or civil war on one of Jupiter's moons. But I just have to ... accept this. It will get better, over time...' Serenity didn't feel as reassured as she would have liked. And her reflection did not offer any comfort or words of wisdom.
She had never told the girls her disquiets because she didn't want to seem weak compared to them, but certain nights she wondered, what if...
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden break in the silence- the rhythmic beating of drums had snaked its way from the hills and into the Princess's room, penetrating every corner with its potent pulse. Serenity walked to her window and peered at the bonfires and festivities in the distance.
'One night, just one night to leave the charade and be myself,' she thought, 'and then I'll return to being temporary Queen of the Moon Kingdom.'
"Duty be damned, for one night anyway," Serenity spoke fiercely to her reflection. She yanked off her dress and awaited the arrival of Minako's maid, who would bring the clothes that were her ticket to a night of anonymity and freedom.
Enjoy and please, please Review!
All Souls Night
Chapter 1
Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides
Figures dance around and around
To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness
Moving to the pagan sound
"Oh look!" cried the young blond woman as her gaze caught the shards of light on the distant hills. She rushed toward an open window of the enormous castle at the edge of the valley, and leaned forward, intent on getting a closer look. Beyond the opening, lush green landscape spread for miles and miles. The twilight hour cast a witchy green glow to the numerous hills, and a cacophony of colored lights illuminated several rivers that cut through the mounds.
"What's going on Minako?" she asked breathlessly, her voice hushed in reverance as she stared at the beauty before her.
Lady Minako grinned at the childish glee visible on her friend's face, a look she had not seen for quite awhile.
"I had forgotten, you weren't here with us this time last year. Your mother had wanted you to return to the Moon early for some noble's wedding reception or something."
"My mother..." A look of sorrow briefly crossed Serenity's face. She thought back to that fateful day, when her happy life's bubble burst. Her mother had been ill for several weeks, but Serenity hadn't realized it was anything serious until ...one she was roughly jerked awake by one of the Council Ministers and hurried to the Throne Room for a quick Transfer-of-Power ceremony. Disoriented and afraid, the young quivering girl hesitantly read from the book thrust in front of her face and in a matter of minutes the bubbling Princess became temporary Queen of the Moon Kingdom.
Days turned into weeks, and soon it became apparent how the weight of power had taken its toll on the young woman. She rarely smiled anymore and she was constantly overwhelmed by the addition of a new responsibility. She would have withered away inside rather than admit to the world that it was too much to handle, but her close friends had sensed her silent pain and had taken matters into their own hands.
A few days ago, the girls cornered their Princess as soon as she left a policy meeting.
"Sere, you need a break. This temporary transfer of power was too much for you! If you keep working at this rate, you'll wither away into nothingness!" The girls had cried. After intense persuasion by Ami and serious threats of physical removal by Makoto, Serenity had agreed to a brief vacation to Earth to visit Minako's second cousin.
"It all looks so different from the Moon. This planet is full of mystery and magic," Princess Serenity murmured softly as she gazed out the window to the rolling hills in the distance. The sunset cast a golden glow on Serenity's face, and her usually bright blue eyes looked a deep turquoise.
If she listened hard enough she could almost hear the inner pulse of the planet. An almost eerie glow encompassed the large groups of villagers beginning the long walk to the hills where people had already started constructing enormous bonfires.
"My cousin told me tonight is 'All Souls Night'. In this part of Earth they have a tradition celebrating the souls of the dead by sending candle-lit lanterns on waterways heading toward the ocean and lighting bonfires on the hills."
Minako tilted her head at a sudden thought. Lips twitching she laughed, "Rei would love this, the little pyro!"
"What would I love?" Lady Rei walked over to the two blondes hovering near the window, her eyebrow arched and her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "What have you two been up to? You've been standing there for almost half an hour!"
"Rei, look outside!" Serenity directed, "Have you ever see so many colorful lights?" As the Princess eagerly turned to pull Rei closer, she tugged hard on her arm. Unfortunately, she tugged too hard and a portion of the dark-haired girl's filmy sleeve tore. Rei looked down at the large rip in her favorite silk dress and then glared at Serenity murderously.
"Now you've done it Odango! This was one of my favorite dresses! Why do you have to be so childish? Haven't you ever seen the All Soul's Night celebrations before?" Rei looked at Serenity irritably, but at the sudden sadness in her Princess's face, Rei felt immediate remorse. This was the first time Serenity had been truly enthusiastic about anything since the illness.
Weeks ago, Serenity would have cried buckets at the slightest raise in tone of voice from her fiery friend, but now, her face simply tightened.
"I'm sorry Sere, I..." Serenity cut Rei off with an abrupt hand motion.
"You have nothing to apologize for. I am sorry I ripped your dress," Serenity whispered coolly and turned back toward the window. Although Serenity's voice was respectful, it was surprisingly... emotionless. Distant. As if a barrier had been raised between her old self and her new self, and her old self was not allowed to come out anymore.
Rei sent Minako a stricken look and opened her mouth to say more when a young woman with short blue hair and a young woman with long brown hair entered the hall.
"There are so many people outside!" exclaimed Lady Makoto as she and Lady Ami walked over to the group. Ami glanced at Serenity's impassive face and gave Rei and Minako a questioning look. Rei shrugged helplessly and glanced at Minako, who looked at Serenity worriedly.
Ami tried to lighten the mood and tapped Serenity's shoulder, gushing cheerfully, "Minako's cousin is inviting all sorts of distinguished guests to the feast tonight." Makoto gave Ami an approving nod, but Serenity just smiled hesitantly and remained silent.
Inside however, she was torn by thoughts of uncertainty and unhappiness.
'Goddess, I can't be brave tonight, pretending that everything is all right to a bunch of strangers who don't really care anyway' she thought, 'I'm sorry Mother, but I can't, not tonight. For once I just want to be real, without hiding behind this frigid noble mask that stifles me in tradition and duty...'
Minako stared worriedly at her silent friend and sighed. Lately Serenity had become more and more distant, holding her feelings inside instead of throwing tantrums and having her usual crying fits. All the girls noticed Serenity's smiles growing more and more strained each day. She stayed awake until dawn poring over petitions and treaties, and dark smudges were appearing under her eyes from lack of sleep. Minako sensed that one day the glass exterior holding her best friend together would shatter and the beauty and love housed deep within Serenity would be scattered across space and time, lost forever. That thought startled the Princess of Venus, and she silently prayed that her premonition would never come to pass. Serenity looked up at Minako and pasted a smile onto her face; a smile that did not quite reach her darkly lit eyes.
"Don't worry about me so much, Mina, I'm fine," Serenity lied calmly. She gave Mina another weak smile and turned to Makoto, saying "Would you all be terribly upset if I cried off on tonight's banquet? I was hoping to catch up on some rest and this is supposed to be a vacation, isn't it?"
Ami, Minako, Makoto, and Rei looked at each other, and Rei opened her mouth to argue but then Ami stepped forward to hug her Princess. After a few seconds the others joined in, and for a little while things were back to the way they used to be with the inseparable five-some. A feeling of warmth and camaraderie fell over the group, a feeling they had not truly felt since Serenity had taken over the Queen's duties. However, with a shout from outside reality intruded and the girls parted reluctantly.
Serenity smiled gratefully at her best friends and the girls linked arms to walk down the hallway They split off amidst lots of laughter and smiles toward their perspective rooms to begin preparing for the evening's festivities.
Minako walked with Serenity to her room and as she opened the door, she cried excitedly, "I have the best idea! Why don't you go to the villager's local celebration? You could wear some common clothes and blend in. No one to tell you what to do or what to say..." Minako broke off suddenly, afraid that Serenity would laugh at her childishness. Serenity thought for a moment and nodded her head approvingly.
"That is a wonderful idea Mina! I think I just want to get away from Court life for a little while, you know, not be the center of attention for once." As Minako left she promised to send a maid by with an outfit that would easily blend in with the crowds of villagers walking to the hills.
Serenity stared thoughtfully at her reflection in the mirror and gave a small smile as she remembered the hug they had all shared in the shadows of the hall.
'I have not felt this way in a long time,' she thought sadly, 'Taking over Mama's duties has been so hard and I have hardly any time for my friends or fun...' Serenity turned away guiltily and twirled her long blond hair with her finger.
"I shouldn't feel this way, it's not Mama's fault she got so sick. As the Princess I have a duty and with that comes certain obligations," Serenity recited to her reflection. But she knew, deep down she knew something was missing. Even before her mother's illness, sometimes when she was around her best friends she would be overcome by acute pangs of emptiness and loneliness. As if she wasn't exactly whole, as if part of her soul was waiting to be filled. And the extra strain of taking over her mother's duties had just accentuated her internal solitude.
'Sometimes,' she thought sadly, 'Sometimes I just wish I were a normal girl who didn't have to worry about trade relations with Mars, or civil war on one of Jupiter's moons. But I just have to ... accept this. It will get better, over time...' Serenity didn't feel as reassured as she would have liked. And her reflection did not offer any comfort or words of wisdom.
She had never told the girls her disquiets because she didn't want to seem weak compared to them, but certain nights she wondered, what if...
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden break in the silence- the rhythmic beating of drums had snaked its way from the hills and into the Princess's room, penetrating every corner with its potent pulse. Serenity walked to her window and peered at the bonfires and festivities in the distance.
'One night, just one night to leave the charade and be myself,' she thought, 'and then I'll return to being temporary Queen of the Moon Kingdom.'
"Duty be damned, for one night anyway," Serenity spoke fiercely to her reflection. She yanked off her dress and awaited the arrival of Minako's maid, who would bring the clothes that were her ticket to a night of anonymity and freedom.
