Author's Note:
Yes, another fanfiction. As before, the disclaimers go as follows:
My email address is Guardian4@atlantic.net. If you want to email me about my story, please put fanfiction in the subject line. Sailor Moon was made by Naoko Tacheuchi, I don't own it.
Also, Rei and Mamoru never went out, k? And Kunzite and Zoisite are not lovers. I also used the relationship between the Shitennou from the manga, not the anime, which means they don't hate each other. I also use only the manga attacks for the Senshi. (Since in the Manga, Mars doesn't have Fire Soul and only talismans in the first season, I'm going to borrow a second season one, even though she doesn't have her Star Power transformation.)
Hidden Truths
Chapter 20
It had been two days since the battle and Mamoru could see that Rei's grandfather was slowly declining into illness, which he knew would lead to the old man's death. But he knew he couldn't care less if he died, now that his granddaughter was dead.
His Usako had managed to call her mother and tell her that she was staying at the Shrine before crawling into Rei's bed and not moving from it for two days. Yuuichirou half-heartedly a few of the chores for the Shrine, but did not much else.
Luna was the worst. She was utterly distraught about her Senshi's deaths and her now drawn in charge's attitude. Artemis did nothing more than lay on the porch outside the Shrine for hours constantly, staring off into another world that only he could see and occasionally sighing at his thoughts or perhaps his memories.
He had no idea what to tell Minako and Ami's parents. Minako's parents had called twice a day for the two days, and Ami's mother once a day, but none in the Shrine ever picked up the phone. They knew who they were on the line, and without something plausible to tell the families, Mamoru had no wish to talk to them.
Mamoru leaned on the post of the Shrine, just outside the door and looked at the shining sun. This wasn't like it was supposed to happen. Absentmindedly, he sent his psyche to talk to the Earth, hoping She could comfort him. Whether he had realized it or not, She had always taken care of Her prince whenever She could.
And through her comforting presence, he felt the Shitennou. He couldn't have been more shocked when Kunzite spoke to his spirit, admonishing him.
//You promised us you would live if we died.//
//I am,// he protested.
//No you're not,// contradicted Zoisite, //you're merely existing.//
And then it came to him, the one question that was so simple to ask Her. He sent his psyche plummeting towards the heart of the Terran Spirit. //Can you resurrect the Senshi and Shitennou?//
//Normally, my sweet child, no, but for you I might be able to. Since they were more than normal humans, possessing such magic as they do, I might be able to, but I cannot do it alone,// She warned. //You must help. You have the connection to Me that you might be able to draw their spirits to you. While you do that, I might be able to give them life.//
//What will it cost me in return?// Mamoru had watched too many movies and read too many books, been in too many battles, to not know that every move had a price, and the higher the move, the higher the price.
//Nothing, since it is an ability, not magic. But depending on many times you have used your psyche ability will depend on how long it will take for them to make it back to you.//
//Psyche ability? I've never resurrected someone before at all!//
//Not resurrect, but talking with the spirits; doing anything that involves the psyche.//
//Please! Please, let's try!//
//All right, my child prince. We will try.//
He gave an exultant cry, one so filled with happiness and joy that it drew five depressed people unwillingly to him.
"Mamo-chan? Are you all right?"
He turned to her sad and distraught face. "Usako! I can bring them back! The Senshi!"
She clutched her heart. "Don't say something like that again, Mamo-chan. That really hurt."
For once in his entire life, Mamoru ignored her. He ran to the middle of the walkway and thrust his arms to his sides, looking up at the sky. His psyche stretched out of the bonds of his body and reached out, touched each of his Shitennou and his beloved's Senshi.
When he touched them, a link formed, one lasting long enough to show them the way back to the living. There was shock, yes, that they could be brought back, but above all, overwhelming happiness to see their two friends again.
Mamoru's golden aura flickered around him as he concentrated, a smile plastered on his face and scaring the other five watchers near to death, thinking he had gone insane from grief.
And then he was done. The Earth had told him that She was doing Her part and that they would probably be there soon, but had no way of knowing when. Even that couldn't dampen Mamoru's spirit. He rushed and twirled Usagi around and around, tears of happiness falling from his eyes.
"What did you mean, Mamoru, when you said you could bring them back?" asked Rei's grandfather quietly.
He set his blond angel down and turned to the older man. "I can bring the Senshi back to life. I called their spirits and the Earth said She would do what She could. She said She didn't know when they would be back, but She said they would be."
"You can do that with anyone?"
"No, only with the Senshi and Shitennou because of what they are."
The five faces looked at him skeptically and moved away from him silently, none believing what he said.
Mamoru, for his part, waited eagerly each day for one of his friends. It was the next night that he had another believer to his cause.
Usagi slept fitfully, like she had been doing ever since the battle. She was terribly afraid Mamoru, the only reason she hadn't killed herself yet, had gone insane. Bring them back? Impossible.
She turned over and looked up. And saw a vision. She was surrounded by a red aura and her red dress fell around her in waves. It was Rei, in her princess dress!
"Usagi…" The voice sounded different, a wavering quality as if she was in and out of the spirit world.
"Rei-chan," she whispered, sobbing, "I wish you were here."
"Usagi, don't cry. I am here." The voice took on more substance and the red aura began to fade.
When it was gone completely, Usagi thought to see her friend gone as well, but she still knelt there, next to her own bed and watching her princess with compassionate eyes.
"REI-CHAN!!!"
Her scream was enough to wake the whole world. She thrust herself into her friend's arms, inadvertently tumbling them backward because of Rei's precarious balance on the tips of her toes.
And then the doorway was filled and when Rei turned, she saw her grandfather standing there, disbelief and tears in his eyes. Yuuichirou stood behind him, his jaw practically touching the floor in shock. Mamoru was behind them all, grinning like a world-class idiot.
"I got here first, since this is my home and I am the most spiritually inclined," she said to his implied question.
Usagi sobbed with happiness in Rei's arms and Rei looked down at her, noticing her princess dress. She mentally shrugged. Why not keep it? It was a nice dress and she could wear it on a date with Jason.
Luna and Artemis worked their way through the throng of legs, where the female cat promptly fainted in shock. Artemis looked around and asked, "Where is Minako-chan?"
"She isn't here yet. We will come in one by one. It takes a lot of time and energy to get here." She smiled and stood up, Usagi forced to let go or stand up with her. "Mamoru-san…thank you for bringing us back."
He had tears in his eyes. "You would think I wouldn't?"
"But that took a lot out of me, so I think I'll go to sleep now. Usagi, move over. What are you doing sleeping in my bed anyway?"
And she was back, that fiery princess, and Usagi laughed joyously. "I can't believe your back. I shouldn't have doubted you Mamo-chan."
"Let's get some sleep," Mamoru suggested and managed to lead the other dumbstruck males from the room.
Kunzite came back next, when they were eating breakfast and nearly scaring everyone half to death when he suddenly appeared with a silver aura around him and dressed like a prince of old. Mamoru jumped to his feet and enveloped him in a rib-breaking hug that left Kunzite breathless and no little shocked at his normally emotionally reserved prince.
They invited him to sit and eat breakfast with them and that was how it was until they were all back. They would pop up at the most unexpected times and scare some poor person half to death.
Rei's grandfather had seemed to get his vitality and zest for life back when his granddaughter had shown up. Whenever the spirits would come, they would say something profound, compassionate, or serious, and then in a few minutes would be back to their normal personalities, be it cheerful, serious, or quiet.
After Kunzite came, it had been Ami, a full day later. She had shown up when Usagi had been in the bathtub, full to her chin with bubbles. A happy squeal announced her enjoyment that she was back. Ami had come out of the bathroom in her princess dress covered in bubbles and water. It appeared that Usagi had not cared about her nudity in the face of the resurrection of her friend. Ami had been blushing profusely when she had left and could barely accept the mini computer back from Mamoru's hand and knowing smile.
Nephrite had been next, two days later. They found him sitting in a tree at night, watching the stars. The cawing of the crows had drawn Rei from her sleep to calm them down and found the reason they were so upset. The man had plopped himself down in their tree, on their branch. She had sent him, brown/bronze aura and all, to Mamoru's room, who had been overjoyed to see him.
It hadn't been all that long, more like a day later, when Minako announced her presence. She had gracefully, practically glided up the stone stairs to where Usagi had been sitting, watching the horizon. The dying sun had bathed her already golden form into a bronze red color.
"You did well against Beryl, Princess," was what she said first. Then she proceeded to squeal, "Usagi-chan, do you see this awesome dress?! I can't wait to wear it on a date with Keagan!"
For Keagan's part, hearing Minako's voice was like tossing cold water on a fire. He jumped and left the Shrine at top speed. When he saw her standing on the steps, gossiping like old with Usagi, his composure broke down and he actually cried when he saw her. It had been enough to send Minako and Usagi into shell shock, seeing the composed man weeping.
Jadeite had appeared in Rei's room at night, which had been vacated by Usagi for fear of death the day after Rei had gotten back. They had kissed passionately just before Rei's grandfather threw him from the room with a curse.
Oddly enough, Makoto and Zoisite arrived together, the last of the warriors to appear. They were chatting about nonsense things as they sat on the top of the stone archway above the stairs. They said they had waited an entire night, two days after Jadeite had come, for everyone to get up. When she had seen Usagi, Makoto still in her princess dress like the other Inners had shown up in, jumped down to bear hug her friend. Zoisite had shown up in his princely finery like the other Shitennou and embraced his prince, a little less wildly than Makoto did.
As soon as Ami and Minako had gotten back, they had been practically ordered by the residents of the Shrine to call their parents and inform them of where they had been. Of course, the 'where they had been' part had been left up to them.
Mamoru slowly reached out his psyche to the Earth. She responded sluggishly.
//Thank you for bringing my friends back,// he told Her.
//Thank yourself for doing what you did. But I am tired after that. I must sleep, but I will talk to you again, my dear sweet child-King.//
Mamoru didn't understand until a long time later why She had called him king.
End Chapter 20.