Title: Alive Author: Kali Witeblood

Rating: PG-13 Email: witeblood@yahoo.com

Genre: Songfic Band/Artist: P.O.D.

Disclaimer: Sailormoon isn't mine. The song isn't mine. 'Nuff said.

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Everyday is a new day

I'm thankful for every breath I take

Usagi stepped off her porch with a smile on her face, breathing

in the early morning air and holding her schoolbag tightly to her chest.

She felt newly invigorated, suddenly released from one responsibility

that spurred her to take on another. 'I'm so happy to still be here,'

she thought, noting the irony of it. 'Not more than a week ago I would

still be asleep. Still be dreaming of Tuxedo Kamen - Mamoru. Oh, my

Mamo-chan!'

The object of her affections had just appeared down the block

from her, and in her glee, she took off running, eyes only for him. Her

pigtails streamed out behind her, shining ribbons of gold easily recog-

nizeable to the tall man who had just turned the corner to come and get

her for school.

"Usako!" he exclaimed, happily, as Usagi ran into his arms and

they held each other tight. "Usako . . . I'm so glad to see you this

morning . . ."

I won't take it for granted

So I learn from my mistakes

A few moments later, a rather suprirsed Ami came up beside the

happy couple, eyeing Usagi warily.

"Usagi-chan," she said, smiling, "How are you this morning?"

"Refreshed and excited!" Usagi exclaimed happily. "I'm starting

all over again, Ami-chan. All over!"

Ami and Mamoru both laughed at Usagi's bubbling excitement,

finding it hard to resist her contagious bright mood.

"So, Usagi-chan," Ami said, slowly, "Would you mind too horribly

much to teach me how to play the new Sailor V game at the arcade after

school today?"

Then it was Usagi's turn to have wide eyes in amazement. "A . .

Ami-chan," she said slowly, glancing to Mamoru first to make sure she

had heard correctly. Mamoru nodded imperceptibly to confirm that she

had.

"Ami-chan, I'd be glad to teach you, but . . . why? I thought

you'd want to study considering how much time you missed against . . .

well, you know," Usagi said, glancing around quickly to make sure there

was nobody to overhear. "Since we started fighting against Chaos . . .

we lost a -lot- of time."

Ami grinned and nodded. "Absolutely, Usagi-chan," she said,

still smiling. "Life isn't all about good grades and studying, after

all!"

It's beyond my control sometimes it's best to let go,

whatever happens in this lifetime

Deciding not to question Ami's sudden change of heart or what-

ever motives she may have, Usagi and Mamoru both shrugged, then walked

down the street, hand in hand, towards Usagi's and Ami's school.

Rei, Makoto and Minako were all waiting for USagi and Ami when

they got to school, Makoto and Minako making catcalls and making jokes

as Mamoru kissed Usagi before waving at them and walking off. Usagi

blushed, but walked up the steps to her school proudly, fully knowing

of the envious stares she was recieving from all the girls already at

school, and shocked ones from anybody else who didn't care.

"Hey, Rei-chan," Usagi chirped, sitting down on a bench that

the trio had already claimed, with Ami sitting next to her. "What are

you doing over here? I thought your school started an hour earlier than

we do?"

Rei rolled her eyes and flipped her hair over her shoulder

haughtily before she hauled Usagi to her feet and gave her a big hug.

"For one thing, Usagi-chan," she said, laughing, "I wanted to

tell you how proud of you I am!" She nudged Makoto, still grinning.

"You and Mamoru-kun took off so quickly after the battle that none of us

got a chance to say anything, to say the least of where you've been the

past few days!"

Usagi's blush only grew deeper as her friends hounded her for

details of what had happened between her and Mamoru after Galaxia was

returned to normal and Chaos was defeated.

So I trust in love ( So I trust in love )

You have given me peace of mind

After school, four girls ran out of their school laughing,

jumping, and smiling. Two of which were receiving shocked, almost

afraid looks.

"Did you see the look on Haruna-sensei's face this morning?"

Usagi exclaimed, laughing and turning a kartwheel on the wide grass

lawn that stretched in front of the school. "I thought she was going

to have a heart attack!"

Ami, Makoto and Minako gave each other high fives as they

laughed and agreed in unison. "And Ami, the way you ran out of there

after the final bell rang was priceless!"

Ami blushed, very mildly, but looked very pleased with herself.

"I learned from the best, Usagi-chan!" she teased.

"Usako!" a voice called, and Usagi spun around to spot Mamoru

standing at the curb. "Usako!" he called again.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi squealed, and launched herself from the group

into her boyfriend's waiting arms.

Makoto rolled her eyes, while Minako and Ami sighed whistfully.

"Some things will never change," mused Ami.

I, I feel so alive

For the very first time

I can't deny you

I feel so alive

Once the group of five reached the arcade, Motoki was there to

greet them all with chocolate milkshakes, on the house.

"Mamo-chan, did you have something to do with this?" Usagi

asked innocently, while Ami, Makoto, Minako, and the newly arrived Rei

went to try their hand at the Sailor V video game.

Mamoru merely winked at Usagi and led her to a booth, promising

her anything that she wanted, anything that would make her happy.

"Mamo-chan, I promised Ami-chan I would teach her how to play

the Sailor V game!" Usagi pointed out as Mamoru started kissing her

playfully, holding her tight in his arms.

"But Usako . . . mmm I don't want to let you go. You were gone

from me for too long!"

"Mamo-chan," Usagi muttered, good naturedly, "I'm going to be

gone for longer after being dragged away by four angry young women when

my best friend who's a certified genius gets beaten by a normal, every

day video game!"

"I think she has a point, Mamoru-kun," Motoki pointed out, set-

ting another round of milkshakes down on the table Mamoru had led Usagi

to. "Ami-chan's getting her butt kicked over there."

Usagi glanced over to the game console, and sure enough, the

words "Game Over" were flashing in big, bold red letters across the

screen as Rei, Minaok and Makoto tried their best to console Ami on her

loss.

"I'd better get over there, Mamo-chan," Usagi pleaded, squirm-

ing her way out of his arms and joining her friends at the game.

I, I feel so alive

For the very first time

And I think I can fly

Mamoru sat at the booth, smiling as he watched Usagi race across

the cafe of the arcade to the game and then nearly crash into Makoto as

she turned around.

"Usagi-chan sure has changed this past week," Mamoru mused to

himself as Motoki came up beside him to observe the five girls laughing

and joking around with each other.

"Gee, ya think, Mamoru-kun?" Motoki teased, wiping his hands on

a cloth and stuffing it into an apron pocket. "What happened, anyway?

I thought it would take nothing short of a miracle to get good grades,

grace, and attentiveness out of that girl, but I haven't seen anything

of the sort happening lately."

Motoki paused, scowling slightly as he observed Usagi closer.

"Not unless you count that freak accident out at the TV towers last

week. Did you hear about that, Mamoru-kun?" Motoki asked, "I don't

remember if you were back from the States then or not."

Mamoru nodded, his face suddenly very serious. "Yeah, Motoki-

kun, I heard about it. Usa-chan told me about it . . ."

"Well?" Motoki prompted.

Mamoru sighed and rolled his eyes. "Usa-chan and some of her

classmates were on a tour when it happened. They got out, thankfully.

That might have something to do with her change." Mamoru got up from

his seat then, a smile back on his face.

"Whatever caused it," he declared, "I don't care. I'm happy

that my Usako is happy, and I'm happier still that she's alive to share

my life with."

Sunshine upon my face

A new song for me to sing

After Usagi had sufficiently taught Ami how to defeat some of

the more henious monsters on the latest Sailor V game, the five girls

plus Mamoru gathered out in front of the arcade for a small, impromptu

senshi meeting.

"Luna says everything's clear," Usagi said, pouting slightly

while holding on to Mamoru's arm as an apparent example. "I don't know

why she wants to have another meeting today."

Ami and Rei exchanged pleased glances, almost glad to see some

semblance of their old friend retained in the new, somewhat improved

version of their leader.

"Luna didn't say it was an actual -meeting-, odango atama," Rei

teased, gently, and was satisfied when Usagi promptly stuck her tongue

out at her.

"Well, then what does she want?" Ami requested quietly, in her

typical fashion.

"Well, to be completely honest, I don't exactly know." She

glanced quickly to Usagi, then Mamoru. "She did, however, say one thing

that I don't think you're going to like, Usagi-chan," Rei replied.

Usagi narrowed her eyes at Rei and gripped Mamoru's arm tighter.

"She's not going to try and replace me now, is she?" she muttered.

Rei laughed and put a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "Once an Odango

Atama, always one. She said that it was girls only."

Minako let out a whoop and danced around with joy. "No

Artemis!" she cried happily, "No more hounding about what I'm going to

-do- with myself! I'm free!" She started to spin around in circles,

attracting strange looks from people passing by. "For one night of my

life, I'm FREE!"

Tell the world how I feel inside

Even though it might cost me everything

The other four girls shared embarassed looks and Usagi slowly

released her grip on Mamoru's arm.

"I guess I'll talk to you later, Mamo-chan," she said, somewhat

sadly, but excited that she got a night with the girls. "I'll see you

tomorrow, ne?"

Mamoru nodded, squeezing Usagi's hand before releasing it. "Of

course, Usako," he murmured softly, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek

before turning to go. "Ja, minna."

With the five girls waving at him as he walked away, Mamoru

felt a strange inkling begin to grow inside of him until he felt he

would explode with the amazing feeling that he had now come to know and

to treasure.

The remaining group turned and began to walk the opposite dir-

ection, towards the Hikawa Shrine that Rei was still helping to take

care of.

"Okay, Rei-chan, spill," Makoto demanded the second Mamoru was

out of ear shot. "I know you know what Luna wants, and I think we all

know that -we- want to know as well. Now."

Rei nodded, shoving her hands into the small pockets in her

uniform skirt. "Luna told me she had something very important to

discuss with us," she said quietly, casting looks around the group every

so often to look for eavesdroppers. "She didn't tell me exactly what,

but from what she said, I think it's safe to say that it could only be

one thing."

"What is it, Rei-chan?" Usagi asked, sensing the time to be

serious was at hand.

"I think she wants us to . . . come clean to the public, if you

will," Rei said, hesitantly.

Now that I know this is beyond my control

'cause I could never turn my back away

"WHAT?" five girls voices chorused as they sat huddled around a

low table still filled with various food and goodies.

"You want us, Luna, the sailor senshi and prime target for not

only the paparazzi, but the -mob-, to reveal our civilian identities to

the public?" Minako screeched.

Luna hopped down from her position on a windowsil to weave in

and out among the girls seated on the floor.

"It was a TV studio, girls," Luna chided, "There were video

cameras actively recording in there, anyway. One or more of them may

have caught you transforming, and again, one or more of them may have

survived the tower's collapse." Luna sighed and finally jumped up on

to the table, finding a clear spot to sit and curling her tail around

her haunches before adressing the five girls again. "Don't you think

it would be easier to get a couple of steps ahead of anybody who may

recover those tapes?"

All of the girls but Usagi grumbled a sort of agreement, but

Usagi herself scowled and glared in Luna's direction.

"Luna, I don't see how you can be so foolish as to want to do

something like this."

Five heads simetaneously whipped to look, aghast, at Usagi, who

had by now stood and was glaring at Luna with angry tears boiling in her

eyes.

"For years, now, the girls and I have risked our lives every day

out there, on the streets, for this city, and for the world. And for

what?" She cried. "Every day, there's more tabloids than news about

the mysterious senshi who always seem to show up whenever there's

trouble." She whiped furiously at her eyes and locked them onto Luna's,

making sure Luna could not look away.

"Now, this is finally all over. The very thing that corrupts

magic to the point of pure evil hell bent on destruction is gone, and

you want us to face yet -another- problem? Luna, I don't know if you

see this at all and by the way you're talking, you obviously don't, but

this may be the only chance the girls and I will -ever- have to lead a

normal, teenage girl, life!"

Now that I see you

I can never look away

The entire room was silent, so silent you could hear a -whisker-

drop, but nobody said anything. Usagi had the floor, but she was

finished. They couldn't take their eyes away from her. For the first

time since battling Beryl, Usagi willingly took on the form of their

princess - their true leader. It was difficult for them to grasp.

"Usagi-chan," Rei whispered softly, but then blinked and shook

her head, kneeling in front of Usagi and correcting herself. "Iie . . .

Serenity-sama."

Her eyes were trained on to Usagi's as the other senshi joined

her on the floor as the crackling tension in the air gradually began

to fade. Finally, Usagi spoke.

"Stand up, minna," she said, nervously, waving her hands around.

"It still makes me feel ackward when you do that!"

All four girls were instantly on their feet, offering their

apologies, only to be waved away by Usagi. "Don't apologize, minna,"

she was quick to assure them. "It was as new to me as it was to you.

Trust me!"

I, I feel so alive

For the very first time

I can't deny you

I feel so alive

As Usagi walked back to her house later in the afternoon, there

was a noteable spring in her step. She felt complete, whole in a way

that she had never felt when she was with Mamoru. She felt lighter and

a new sense of purpose and belonging was beginning to dawn in her mind

that made her feel like turning kartwheels in the streets and singing at

the top of her lungs.

"So, you have finally accepted your fate, I see?" a soft voice

said from somewhere behind Usagi. Usagi spun around and spotted

Setsuna standing not too far behind her, leaning casually against a

lamp post. "I have never seen you so care free except when I was

watching you from the gates before you found Luna."

"Setsuna-sama!" Usagi squealed in delight, and wrapped her

arms around the taller woman in a hug. "It's so good to see you! Where

have you been hiding this past week?"

Setsuna smiled and held up her hand, palm up, opening it to let

a small charm dangle from her finger. "I was looking for this,

actually, Usagi-chan," she said.

Usagi reached out and gently took the charm from Setsuna's

fingers, observing it closely as the jewel facets caught the fading

light and sparkled like snowflakes and fire. "What is it, Setsuna-

sama?"

"Usagi-chan, please . . . you no longer need call me sama. It

is too formal." Setsuna dipped her head minutely instead. "Rather, let

us be friends, onegai?"

Usagi looked shocked, but then smiled warmly and wholeheartedly

agreed.

I, I feel so alive

For the very first time

And I think I can fly

"So tell me, Setsuna . . . chan," Usagi flushed at the requested

friendship at first, but quickly became comfortable with it. "What is

this thing, and why give it to me?"

At first, Setsuna merely shrugged her shoulders and began walk-

ing down the street in the direction of Usagi's house. "It's something

your mother made me promise I'd give to you after you'd made your first

major accomplishment, Usagi-chan," she admitted, softly.

"Defeating Galaxia was my first major accomplishment?" Usagi

asked, slightly apalled, but still slightly amazed.

Setsuna laughed, her dark eyes twinkling in merriment. "No,

Usagi-chan, it wasn't Galaxia that your mother meant when she gave that

into my care," she confided. "It was getting your senshi to loosen up

and accept life as it comes." Seeing Usagi's puzzled glance, she

continued. "Ami-chan, for example. She's no longer about books and

studying, is she not?"

Usagi nodded slowly, understanding slowly beginning to grow, and

as she held the small charm up to the light again, she realized what

Setsuna had meant.

"You mean allowing the senshi to live?"

"Usagi-chan," Setsuna said, softly, stopping once more to turn

and face Usagi directly. "Usagi-chan . . . what you would have done for

your friends against Galaxia is the very thing your mother did when she

sent you and your senshi and the rest of us into the future," she

admitted. "To sacrifice ones self for the greater good is the greatest

accomplishment you, as the future monarch of a global community, could

ever make."

Now that I know you

I could never turn my back away

And now that I see you

I could never look away

"So, my mother?" Usagi asked, her voice suddenly trembelling

with emotion. "My mother is still alive somewhere? Setsuna-chan?"

Setsuna smiled and took Usagi's hand affectionately. "Yes,

Usagi-chan, your mother is alive somewhere."

"Where?" Usagi immediately demanded. "When can I see her again

Setsuna-chan? When?" She pleaded, her big blue eyes tearing up with

the thought of seeing her long-lost mother again.

"Not yet, I'm afraid," Setsuna revealed carefully. "Unfortu-

nately there are still a few things that need to be taken care of here

first."

"Oh . . ." Usagi breathed, her eyes immediately filling with

sadness.

"But what this is, Usagi-chan," Setsuna continued, lifing

Usagi's hand back up to have the charm dangle in front of her face, "Is

sort of a communications device." Setsuna smiled at Usagi's puzzled

expression. "Every full moon, you only have to remove the ginzuishou

from it's setting in your brooch, and replace it with this crystal

instead. It will allow you to communicate, and, at the new moon, allow

her to project a sort of holographic image of herself to you."

"Really?" Usagi exclaimed, staring at the crystal in a new

amazement. "I can do that?"

Setsuna only nodded.

"Thank you, Setsuna-chan!" Usagi cried, throwing her arms around

the older woman once more, before backing away quickly while a blush

grew on Setsuna's face. "Thank you so much!"

Setsuna smiled and placed a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "If you

hurry, Usagi-chan," she whispered, "You might be able to catch her."

Usagi once more looked puzzled.

"Look up, Usagi-chan, and you'll see. I have to go back to the

gates for now, but I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Hai, Setsuna-chan! Thanks again!" Usagi cried, spinning and

dashing down the street towards her house.

And now that I know you

I could never turn my back away

And now that I see you

I believe no matter what they say

Late that night, Usagi sat in her room, her senshi gathered

around her with worried expressions on their faces.

"Her mother said she hadn't responded to anything for the last

three or four hours, ever since she got home from the shrine," Ami said

quietly, gazing into Usagi's eyes for some hint as to where her best

friend's mind had gone.

"That's probably why she called me then," Rei muttered, glancing

out the window and fidgeting nervously where she sat. "Setsuna-sama

did visit me the other night and warn me that something like this might

happen . . ."

All eyes locked onto Rei, glaring, almost accusing.

"Hey, I'm sorry minna, she told me I couldn't tell anybody. She

just wanted to make sure there was somebody who would make sure that we

wouldn't all . . ."

Rei trailed off as a soft aura began to surround Usagi slowly,

gleaming off of her hair and her eyes glowing with a serene light as she

slowly raised her head to look outside, her eyes steadily resting on the

full moon. "Ma . . ."

Rei sighed, visibly relieved, while the other three girls' eyes

were shocked wide open and exchanged aghast expressions with each other,

hardly able to believe what they were hearing coming out of their

leader's mouth.

Before anybody else had a chance to react, the light surrounding

Usagi grew to such an intensity that they all had to shield their eyes

else they be blinded by the steadily increasing light. When the light

faded, and they were able to look at Usagi once again, she wasn't there.

Instead, a regal form sat, hair of spun silver pooling around

her feet where she sat, and her eyes glowing a cool misty blue as she

blinked once, reached up to feel the tiara settled on her mass of curls,

blinked again and was suddenly reverted back to Usagi, shaking her head

with a dazed, but happy expression on her face.

"Usagi-chan!" Ami exclaimed happily and threw her arms around

Usagi, while Usagi only smiled, nodding at Rei's inquisitive glance, as

the other girls expressed their relief around her.

I, I feel so alive

For the very first time

I can't deny you

I feel so alive

"Usagi-chan, what happened?" Rei and Usagi lounged in her room

in the early morning hours, Ami, Makoto and Minako long gone, while Rei

stayed behind to discuss the course of the previous evenings events with

Usagi. "Setsuna-sama did tell me you'd go into a trance of some sort

for a while, but never hinted as to what . . . and then when you shifted

earlier . . ."

Usagi smiled and turned to face Rei, her eyes still the

shimmering ice blue that they had become before. "Rei-chan," she said

softly, almost in awe. "I saw my mother!"

It was then that Rei noticed the new amulet hanging around

Usagi's neck, and realized what Setsuna had done.

"She gave you that?" Rei asked, pointing at the item hanging

from a thin gold chain. "Setsuna-sama?"

Usagi nodded, embracing the small charm with her hand and

smiling down softly at it. "She gave it to me so I could communicate

with my mother, now that the threat is gone . . ."

"Setsuna-sama . . . said the threat was gone?"

Usagi smiled wider, "Well, any that was any major threat to us,

anyway. Any that might try to get to my mother and change the way

things were meant to be . . . yeah."

"She said that?"

Usagi laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Rei-chan, you know better

than that . . . she didn't say that, exactly . . ." Usagi once again

smiled down at the charm in her hands. "It's in the things she does

that tells me these things. She could never say anything, but she could

never hold anything back from us, if we were only to look for it."

Rei settled back against the pillows she was leaning against,

appraising Usagi quietly. "You really are becoming her, aren't you?"

she asked, softly.

"Who, Rei-chan?" Usagi replied, innocently.

"Serenity."

I, I feel so alive

For the very first time

And I think I can fly

The girls went to bed when the sun was on it's slow incline

above the horizon. Rei, puzzled. Usagi, happy. Before Usagi closed

her eyes, she cast one more glance to the sky, clutching the necklace

tightly in her fist. "Arigato, mama," she whispered to the sky, then

shut her eyes and fell asleep.

In her dreams, she was victorious once more, her wings spread to

their full wing span, and she was sweeping through the skies feeling

glorious, and for the first time, even though she didn't feel it after

she defeated Chaos and freed Galaxia, she felt free. The bonds and

burdens of fate and honor no longer clung so tightly to her . . .