DISCLAIMER:
Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi and other
companies. I don't own her (Grrr), and this story is written with the sole
purpose of entertainment without any intention of commercial gain. No
copyrights infringement is intended. ((Translation: I don't have any money, so
please don't sue me, I'm poor!))
What has happened before:
The first part of the debriefing was over, with the
agreement between all involved to meet once they knew more. Something that was
an unexpected surprise was Serena's healing of the Four Sisters, with the aid
of Sensei. On a more personal note, Mercury was shocked by the way Serena
briefly talked to her, asking her not to be called Usagi.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The scenes on the first part of this chapter
will take place simultaneously, meaning that they are developing at the same
time. So, try and not be confused.
* = Change of Scene
( ) = Thoughts
+ + = Computer Responses or Electronic Communications
COMMANDER
GALOS
CHAPTER 11: CONFESSIONS. PART 2.
Rei and Chibi-Usa stood immobile after the door closed
behind them. A wall partition obscured the view of the interior of the room,
but that wasn't what kept them in their places. For starters, Rei's mystical
senses were literally screaming at her that not one, but TWO immense sources of
spiritual energy were in the room with them. She had to breathe deep to keep
her from fainting.
For Chibi-Usa's part, she was also feeling the powerful
waves of power, albeit not as strong as Rei. She felt Rei tense, which didn't
help for her tranquility. Biting her lip, she wished she had with her her Luna
ball; she could use the extra comfort. Both were taken out of her mental swamp
by Serena's voice.
"Come in. I will be with you in a moment."
Taking a breath in unison, they walked around the partition.
What greeted them was something that they would remember for the rest of their
lives.
Serena was seated in a lotus position; the Ethereal was with
her, apparently in the same position. It was hard to tell for him because of
his robe. No, what was shocking was that the two of them were FLOATING IN THE
AIR a good two feet. Even more surprising was that, from Serena's eyes and
mouth, three streams of pure white light connected her with the Ethereal. Small
globes of energy were visible coming and going through those streams.
Rei felt a surge of fury coursing through her body. To her,
the scene displayed in front of her just confirmed her suspicions that Usagi
(she wasn't going to call her Serena) was being brainwashed, if not being
totally controlled by that… that creature! She dismissed the fact that Serena's
face was one of serene contemplation, as if the event was something common for
her.
Gritting her teeth, Rei screamed. "GET AWAY FROM HER YOU
MONSTER!" and without waiting for an answer, she jumped towards the Ethereal in
an attempt to rip him apart with her bare hands. However, she didn't get far.
She hadn't taken more than two steps in their direction when she hit an
invisible barrier, preventing her from approaching.
"Rei, calm down, nothing's wrong." Said Serena, her voice
calm and controlled. "And I would appreciate if you don't start shooting fire.
I prefer to keep my room as it is."
Rei, being who she is, began to hit the barrier with her
fists. Needless to say, her efforts were in vain. She kept hitting until, all
of a sudden, the barrier dissipated; the end result was that Rei, unable to
compensate, ended up sprawled on the floor gracelessly.
Chibi-Usa remained in her place, stunned by the sight and
Rei's reaction. However, when Rei hit the floor she couldn't help but giggle
nervously.
When the barrier dissipated, the three light streams
disappeared as well; at the same time, Serena and the Ethereal 'stood up', the
former adjusting her gray uniform, the latter just letting his robe as it was.
Raising an eyebrow at the sight of Rei and shaking her head, Serena turned her
attention to the little girl. Smiling gently, she said.
"Hello dear. Long time no seeing you. How have you been?"
Chibi-Usa just stared at the girl… no, young woman looking
at her. She didn't know why, but she felt safe in her presence. No, it wasn't
because she was Sailor Moon, she had deduced her identity when she had
witnessed the rest of the Senshi's transformations one day at the temple; that
and the 'coincidence' of Usagi's disappearance and that of Sailor Moon. No, it
was her presence. It reminded her of her mother.
The sensations that brought quickly overwhelmed her. In two
quick steps, the little girl had latched on Serena's leg, crying out loud.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't want to do it! Forgive me! I'm
sorry! I will be good now! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!!" she then let her tears
run down her face, unable to talk anymore.
Serena began to gently caress Chibi-Usa's hair, in an
attempt to calm her. "Shh, it's alright, everything is all right. There is no
need to cry little one. I forgive you." The last three words had the effect of
calming down Chibi-Usa, who was still sniffing.
While that was going on, Rei stood up and watched them
closely. Satisfied that Chibi-Usa was safe, she directed her attention to the
other room's occupant. The Ethereal hadn't moved from his position, apparently
also watching the exchange between his student and the little girl.
Rei looked intently, trying to discern anything; however,
the shadows covering his face and the robe didn't allow her to notice a thing.
Frustrated, she then decided to use her own psychic senses to gather
information. If this being was a threat, she would know for sure. Closing her
eyes, she concentrated and extended her senses towards the Ethereal.
(What are you trying to do, young one?) Rumbled a voice in
her head. Unfazed, Rei didn't answer, instead focused even more. (Very well.
Since you are so eager to learn… behold who and what I am.)
Without any more warnings, Rei's mind was assaulted by a
series of images and sensations; they came in such quantity and variety that
she couldn't cope with the amount of information suddenly being crammed in her
mind. In an eye blink, she saw… everything. The answers to all questions ever
made and still to be made, the secrets that weren't supposed to be known, the
whole truth about existence. All that and more was crammed inside her head in
an instant… and her mind broke down like crystal being hit by a hammer. Rei
didn't even have time to scream at the invasion; after all, her own being had
been reduced to the barest component. The little spark that constituted her
being was now floating amidst a sea of images, unable to comprehend a thing.
An undetermined amount of time later, Rei Hino, a.k.a.
Sailor Mars, returned to the land of the living. The first thing she felt upon
regaining consciousness was that she was lying on a soft bed. The second was
sounds… sounds that soon resolved to voices.
"Is she going to be all right?" asked a small, squeaky voice
that she didn't recognize at first.
"Yes dear, she will." Answered a second one, this belonging
to a young woman that she was certain she knew. "She needs to rest, that's
all."
Very slowly, Rei opened her eyes. At first her vision was
blurry, but soon the blurs resolved into a well-decorated room and two people,
a young blond woman and a small pink-haired girl. It wasn't long before
memories got connected to those images.
"Usagi? Chibi-Usa? What
happened?" she was mildly surprised hearing her own voice. It sounded more like
a frog's!
"Shh, it's ok Rei." Said Serena, placing a comforting hand
on Rei's shoulder to keep her down. "You suffered a psychic overload. You need
to rest and recover."
"What?" feeling her strength return a bit, Rei stood up,
albeit wobbly. Looking around, she promptly noticed the Ethereal standing in
one corner. "He… he did this to me! That… THING tried to attack me!"
It came as a total shock when Serena turned her violently
around and grabbed her arms. Even more shocking was the look of fury on the
blonde's eyes! "REI!! Apologize this instant! It was YOU who tried to attack
first, not him!"
(There is no need for violence, young one.) 'Said' the
Ethereal, drawing attention to him. (Granted, she tried to probe me, but it was
her inexperience what caused this incident. She needs to learn control, otherwise
this could happen again.)
Releasing a shocked Rei, Serena addressed the Ethereal,
bowing to him. "Yes Sensei, you are right." She then looked at Rei, her
expression and voice stern. "I sincerely hope you learned your lesson. NEVER
judge without knowing all the facts! This time, he was able to put you back
together. Next time, you won't be so lucky."
"But…" Rei didn't know what to think anymore. Things hadn't
gone as she expected. Worse of all [for her, anyway,] was that this person
behaved so… differently from the Usagi she knew. In the past, the blonde would
have been a sea of tears trying to comfort her, but now…
"No buts! Now, behave, or leave this room. Your choice
there." Serena kept her gaze focused on Rei's, not wavering for an instant.
When the Senshi of Mars averted her gaze, Serena sighed and softened her
expression. "I'm sorry Rei, but you needed to be told the facts. Now, get back
to bed and rest."
"I'll be fine." Said Rei, her voice subdued. She felt like
crying at that moment. More than ever, she felt bad for her actions, her guilt
resurfacing. A part of her was ecstatic that her friend… no, former friend in
her eyes, had matured so much. But a bigger part was crying, missing the ditzy
blonde that never raised her voice. This new-and-improved version… scared her
in a way, and she didn't know how to react anymore.
Seeing Rei calm down, Serena nodded and released her. She
then turned around and addressed Chibi-Usa. "Dear… we need to talk. And please,
no more lies. This is very important."
Chibi-Usa nodded, still shocked at seeing Serena behave like
that with Rei. Unable to say a word, she followed her to the small living room,
followed by Rei and the Ethereal.
* * * *
Luna-F had taken a seat in one of the chairs on her cabin,
holding Artemis in her lap. Luna-C was sitting in the table, staring intently
at the felinoid.
"So… you want to talk with me, big guy?" purred Luna-F,
scratching Artemis under his chin delicately. Needless to say, the white moon
cat was having a hard time to focus on the task with that treatment.
"I… I… yes, I… I mean… WE want to… to talk with you… ooooh
yes, right there! Oh, that feels good!" Artemis managed to say between purrs of
his own.
"Yes, WE want to talk!" exclaimed Luna-C, glaring daggers to
her two companions. "We want to know how do you know Usagi, what have you done
with her and… WOULD YOU STOP DOING THAT!?!?"
"Why? He seems to enjoy the treatment." Luna-F inquired,
having started to use her other paw to tickle Artemis' spine. At that moment
the white moon cat wasn't able to articulate a word, he was too lost in the
pleasant sensations running through his small frame. Luna-F hated having to do
this, but she had decided a long time ago to make Luna-C suffer a little for
her treatment to Serena. And what a better way than to gain the confidence and
trust of her companion? Yes, it was cruel, and she felt a few pangs of guilt…
but hey, she was a felinoid, and like all cats, she had a mischievous streak in
her.
Luna-C didn't dignify the taunt with an answer, instead she
asked. "Well? Care to answer?"
"Oh, all right." Sighing, Luna-F stopped her ministrations on
Artemis, placing him on the table next to Luna-C. Of course, the black moon cat
wasn't too happy seeing her companion unable to stand up, a silly grin on his
face.
Crossing her shapely legs and looking smugly at Luna-C,
Luna-F then began to talk. "Well, our story together begins around three years
ago, when I was just an aspiring cadet to join the Agency…"
* * * *
Jupiter, Venus and Tuxedo Kamen had been listening intently
at Syl's story for the last hour. None had been able to say a word since he
related to them his first encounter with Serena. When he related that part,
they felt satisfied remembering how Serena had dealt with Rubeus during their
rescue. But when he began to tell them about her time in the Academy, her
subsequent training in the Ethereal Citadel, then what they all had been
through during the last year of their voyage onboard the Star, they were
stunned, unable to articulate a world.
The person Syl was describing was nothing like the klutzy
crybaby they had known. Secure, graceful, with a towering intelligence that
easily rivaled Mercury's, and a mastery of the Ginzuishou that surpassed
anything they had seen in the past. At the moment, Syl was telling them about
what she had done in the last leg of their trip before entering this universe.
"… And she saved all of us by taking command of the shuttle.
Man, the silicoids of the Koprulu sector are something else. They shrug off any
kind of energy attacks, and their resistance to physical attacks is outrageous!
But she single-handedly kept them at bay, at the same time using that crystal
of hers to recharge the power cells of the shuttle. If she hadn't been with us
that day, the whole exploration group would have died there. I tell you this,
if she hadn't chosen to become an ambassador, by the time we returned back home
she would be swamped with medals and commendations, not to mention having her
own ship if she wants to." He then took a sip from his tea. Syl had been
talking almost non-stop and felt his throat dry.
"That… that's amazing." Muttered Jupiter, trying to
assimilate all she had learned. "All that doesn't sound like the Usa…" she
stopped herself when she noticed the glare Syl directed at her. "Sorry, the
Serena we remember."
"And she has you all to thank for that." Commented Syl.
"Why's that?" inquired Venus, intrigued by that.
"If you hadn't kicked her out, if you hadn't diminished her
so much," he then spared a glance at Tuxedo Mask, "or broken her heart in such
a cruel manner, she wouldn't have joined us. Your loss, our gain."
The three defenders of earth cringed hearing those words.
But what hurt them was the single fact that Syl was telling the truth and they
couldn't deny it. However, Tuxedo Mask made an attempt to defend himself.
"I… I had to do it. It was the only way to keep her safe. I…
I didn't know…" he was rudely interrupted by Syl, who leaned atop the table and
stared him straight in the eyes.
"Oh, I see. So, you took her heart, broke it with your
'loving' words, flaunt in front of her your newest conquest, ignored her pleas,
lavished with your affections the same girl that stole Serena's family from
her, and instead of comforting her after your battles you just kept stepping on
her heart. Oh yes, very loving."
Tuxedo Kamen didn't know what to say to that, shocked by the
knowledge Syl showed of their relationship. All of a sudden he felt a prick on
his neck, similar to what he felt during battle when an enemy was about to
attack him. Turning around, he noticed that the few people still in the lounge
were staring at him, and none looked happy. It was obvious that all had been
listening to what was being said.
Undaunted, Syl then addressed the two Senshi. "And you. You
were supposed to help her! Heck, you were supposed to support her!! But what
did you do? Instead of understanding her, of listening to her, you got
impatient. You didn't see the person behind the hero; you just saw the hero
being overwhelmed by what was happening around her. So, what's your conclusion?
"She's become worthless to us, so let's kick her out. We
don't need a useless person like that, so why bother with understanding her?
After all, who needs her? We can deal with these problems by ourselves."
Upon hearing those harsh words, the two Senshi just stared
at the table, unable to contradict them. After all, that was exactly what their
actions said about them… and that had been exactly what they had done.
Syl leaned back on his seat, and after taking another sip
from his cup, he added. "But of course, those are not my words. That's what
Serena told me one day when I asked her about why she had chosen to join the
Agency."
Nobody said a word for a few moments, each caught in his or
her own thoughts. Finally, Venus muttered. "We… we're sorry. We're so sorry…"
paying closer attention, Syl noticed that the Senshi of Venus was trembling
slightly; and finally, a couple of tears splashed on the table's surface.
Syl sighed at the sight, and a big part of the resentment he
felt towards these people evaporated. "Look, you don't have to say sorry to me.
You have to apologize directly to Serena. Now, knowing her, she might very well
forgive you; you know she has a heart as big as a galaxy!" he chuckled at his
own metaphor, but knew it was accurate. "I know she still thinks of you as
friends, otherwise she wouldn't have renounced to all she has achieved within
the Agency in order to save you from that beast.
"But a word of warning here." The Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen
stared at him upon hearing that. "She might forgive you, but if you want to
regain her friendship and trust, you all have to work VERY hard. You all made a
big number out of her mind, and that's something that can't be forgotten with a
few 'sorry's." Syl then stared at Tuxedo Kamen. "And you. You say you love her.
Perhaps she still loves you, but not like she did. You want her heart back?
Fight for it on HER terms, not yours. Right now, consider yourself lucky if she
even talks back to you."
The trio of defenders nodded mutely, pondering what Syl had
said. Finally, Venus asked something that had been bothering her since the
beginning of his recount of events. "Excuse me, but… how well do you know her?"
Syl leaned back on his seat, choosing the words. Keeping his
eyes closed, he began to talk. "I can't say I know her very well, but enough to
consider her my friend. Heck, more than that… I consider her a little sister.
I'd do anything for her…"
* * * *
"… She's always supported me." Said Luna-F, sighing deeply.
"She's the reason I was able to graduate from the Academy and become an
officer. She's always been there, encouraging me and never letting me give up.
And I've tried my best to return the favor."
The two moon cats had been listening raptly at Luna-F's
recount of her three years with Serena. For them, it had been hard to believe
that Serena and Usagi were one and the same. Luna-C couldn't help but feel
proud of her former charge, she had matured tremendously and became what she
had always expected her to be: a true princess.
"You're really fond of her, aren't you?" asked Artemis.
"You have no idea." Said Luna-F, smiling. "I'd do anything
for her. I owe her a lot, and I plan to pay my debt to the best of my
capabilities."
"And… how well she did in her studies?" inquired Luna-C,
unable to think of anything else to ask at the moment. "When she was with us,
she tended to… well, to sleep in classes!"
Luna-F chuckled at hearing that, puzzling even more the moon
cats. "Oh, she still did that, and does once in a while! But, all things
considered, it was expected from her." She quickly added something to that last
comment before either Luna-C or Artemis could ask. "Look, what she was going
through was a growth spurt. Heck, those things can wreak havoc on anybody! That
was her way of trying to adjust to her new body, which was literally changing
from day to day. But she has cooped well. Hey, we even ended among the top
twenty of our class!" said Luna-F, a smile full of pride appearing on her face.
Luna-C looked down at the table, feeling dejected. She
couldn't believe she had lost so much time from Serena's life… how she missed
the blonde's accomplishments, not being able to offer her support, to watch
with her own eyes the blossoming of such a wonderful person… Sniffing a little,
she couldn't help but mutter. "She doesn't need me…"
Therefore, it came as a complete surprise when she felt a
paw gently lifting her face until she was staring into Luna-F's eyes. Seeing
through tear-filled eyes, the black moon cat noticed that those eyes were
filled with sympathy and… something else she couldn't identify.
"Don't give up so soon." Luna-F said softly, smiling gently.
"Granted, Serena has grown up, it's only natural; but she still has need for
her friends, and you are her friend in her eyes. You did a great job taking
care of her, just… keep doing it, ok?"
"She's right, you know?" said a voice next to Luna-C. She
looked to her right and noticed Artemis' concerned expression. "She still needs
you, and I don't think she'll turn her back on you. She hasn't done it yet,
right? And I doubt she'll ever do." And to her utter surprise, Artemis began to
nuzzle her in an attempt to comfort her. She was so overwhelmed that she didn't
refuse the attention.
Seeing the two moon cats were trying to coup with what they
had learned, Luna-F stood up and silently went to her closet. She had a
sparring session, and she had been looking after it the whole day. She had
removed her blouse when a sound WHACK was heard along with an irate female
voice.
"What do you think you're doing?!?! Stop staring at her!!"
"But…"
"NO BUTS!! Now close your eyes before I claw them off your
face, you pervert!"
A smirk was set on Luna-F's face the whole time she changed
clothes.
* * * *
Mercury had been looking around the research section with
awed-filled eyes. Upon entering, the chief scientist had welcomed her and began
to guide her towards who would be her link with the Agency's scientific group.
During the short walk, she couldn't help but ask what they were doing. The
research area was as big as her school's gym, filled with all kind of
equipment. Benches were located everywhere, each containing equipment and
computer screens, not to mention a wide assortment of analysis and research
units. Mainframes lined two walls, busily at work trying to decipher whatever
research was in progress.
Most young male aides and not-so-young ones focused their
attentions on the scantily clad young Senshi, making her blush. She was trying
so hard in stopping feeling embarrassed that she didn't hear what was being
told to her once she and her companion arrived to where they were heading.
"Sorry, you were saying?" said a now beet red Mercury.
Sighing, the main scientist repeated himself. "I said, I
want you to meet the person who will aid you in the research." Mercury raised
her eyes and noticed the person standing next to the scientist. It was a man of
around thirty years old, dressed in a light blue version of the uniforms all
onboard wears. Black hair, taller than her by at least a head, and two dark
brown eyes meet her gaze.
"Young lady, this is Maximillian Hathaway, one of our best
young scientists. I'm sure you two will work well together." Said the chief
scientist. "Now, if you excuse me, I have to return to my work." He then
addressed the other scientist. "Whatever she needs, be sure you give it to her,
understood?"
"Yes sir."
Once they were alone, Hathaway addressed Mercury. "So, I've
been told you have some set of data that might help us to stay alive in the
fight ahead."
"Yes, that's right." Said Mercury, taking her computer out
of her subspace pocket. The young scientist stared at the small device, an
eyebrow raised. "But I'm not sure if your computers are compatible with mine."
"In that case, let's find out, ok? We'll use my station." He
then turned around and headed towards a bench located in the back; Mercury
followed him, trying her best to ignore the looks she received. Finally, they
arrived at his station. On the bench was what appeared to be some kind of gun,
or at least the components. On the computer screen was a 3-D representation of
the same, rotating slowly. She didn't have a chance to examine it closer since
Hathaway touched a couple of keys on a nearby keyboard and cleared the screen.
"All right, lets see what we have here." He then produced a
cable with multiple fiber optics on it. "Where is the I/O jack of that thing?"
Mercury looked at the cable, blinked a couple of times and
looked at the Mercury computer. Turning it around, she sighed. "Looks like it
doesn't have one."
"Mmmm, so how do you use it?" inquired Hathaway, puzzled.
His puzzlement turned into wonderment when Mercury touched an earring and her
visor came into existence. "Oh dear… we were right… ensign Moon was right! It
is possible!!" Without waiting for an answer from the puzzled Senshi, he turned
around and opened a window on the screen. The face of the main scientist
appeared on it. "Sir, we're going to need a sensor suite and total use of one
of the mainframes."
+ Consider it done. Give me ten minutes and you'll have
mainframe D for your use. + With that the window closed.
Mercury didn't say a word for a couple of minutes, during
which an aide brought a small black box, which Hathaway connected with the
cable to the terminal on his bench. It was until he finished installing it and
running the interface program that she finally talked.
"Excuse me, but what do you mean that ensign Moon was
right?"
"It was something we discussed during the periods she served
on this section." Said Hathaway, looking up from the screen and fiddling with
the sensor suite. "She mentioned a couple of things about your sensors, and I
developed the theory that, in order for them to work, they have to be based on
multi-planar and extra-dimensional theories. The problem with that was that,
for us to develop something similar, the whole system had to be one big momma!
It was ensign Moon who pointed me in the right direction, saying that if most
systems just overlapped and the sensors were limited to one multi-purpose
array, the unit would be portable." He then pointed towards Mercury's visor.
"That is your array, and if my guess is right, your computer
uses the same analysis programs for different tasks. And as for a power source,
you just proved my theory! By transferring the unit from one dimension to
another, the transfer is translated into energy, which is stored for later use.
Simple, really."
Mercury just stared at the young scientist, dumbfounded. She
had never wondered what made the Mercury computer work; being satisfied that it
did. But what truly shocked her was the fact that it had been Serena who
pointed out the basics! She suspected that her… former friend had grown up, but
never to that level! "She… she did tell you all that?"
"Oh yes!" said Hathaway, his work finished. He then looked
at her, his eyes slightly glazed. "You know? It's such a pleasure to work with
her. She seems to grasp things that escape other's perceptions… not to mention
that she always have a smile and an encouraging word for everybody. Heck, we
almost had a riot a couple of times asking for her to be assigned to one of us!
Everything just runs smoothly when she's around."
Mercury just sighed, feeling dejected. Taking a seat on a
nearby stool and placing the Mercury computer next to the sensor suite, she
said. "Yes… and I had to ruin it all."
Hathaway looked at her, intrigued by her actions. After a
couple of moments, realization downed on him. "So… you are one of those who
shunned her, isn't it?" he sighed when she nodded. "Well, personally, I don't
think it was your fault entirely. You all did that as a group, so you all have
to correct that as a group. You being here helping just proves to me that you
want to make things right once more." It was in that instant that a chime was
heard from the screen. Turning his attention to it, he noticed that the
connection to Mainframe D was ready. He then addressed Mercury. "Well, let's
get going then."
They worked feverishly for the next hour. Hathaway had asked
Mercury to run a brief scan of his sensors while he did the same. Once the
adequate frequencies were established, it was easy to establish a connection
between the two systems. While Mercury sent small data bursts, Hathaway ran the
obtained data through a series of programs, mainly a translation one. By the
end of the hour they had a stable communication link running smoothly.
"Well, that's it." Said Hathaway, raising his arms and
stretching. "Now we let the mainframe to munch on the data and see what we can
come up with." He then looked at a digital clock on a nearby wall. "And just in
the nick of time!" turning around, he raised his voice. "Hey, I'm going to the
gym! Who wants to wager?"
To Mercury's surprise, most of the scientific staff gathered
around them, exchanging small notes and what appeared to be money being passed
to Hathaway. Ten minutes later he was organizing the notes and placing the
money on a small metallic box, which he closed and secured with a small key.
Turning in her direction, he asked. "Want to join me? Ensign
Moon is going to be there as well."
Mercury just nodded and followed the young scientist out of
the research section. Once they were walking down the corridor towards one of
the elevators, she finally asked. "What was that all about?"
Hathaway smirked at the question, but he answered it. "Well,
every day ensigns Moon and Luna have a sparring match. And let me tell you,
those matches are something else! We just bet on the duration of the fight, who
connects first, who makes the most defensive maneuvers, stuff like that. I hope
I can get in a good place, I don't want to miss one bit of the action!"
"I see…" muttered Mercury, suddenly very curious of what
other surprises Serena had under her sleeve.
* * * *
The gymnasium on deck 19 was packed. It looked that
everybody who wasn't on duty had gathered there. Comments were running all over
concerning the match they were about to witness; however, those weren't the
only comments running around.
The last part was more than obvious when silence fell upon
the arrival of Syl, Jupiter, Venus and Tuxedo Kamen. The three newest arrivals
onboard the Lucky Star felt uncomfortable under the stares they were receiving.
Even more, since some of them were just right hostile. It was Syl who broke the
silence.
"All right everybody, knock it off! This is not the time,
ok? Now, let's have some fun together!" most of the presents nodded at his
words, but the rest just kept staring at the new arrivals until they finally
relented and returned to their halted conversations. Syl took advantage of the
lull, guiding his companions to one side of the sparring mats. The area was
about the size of a normal gym where free style gymnastics were performed; the
mats themselves were of a light blue.
"What was that all about?" inquired Venus, still uncomfortable
after such cold welcoming.
Syl sighed, knowing it wasn't going to be easy for them.
"Well, to make a long story short, Serena is a very well esteemed member of the
crew. Almost everybody feels comfortable around her, and she returns the
attentions with a bright smile and attitude. Thanks to that, she's forged a lot
of friendships onboard. And everybody onboard knows about her past from one
source or another. To put it bluntly, if it hadn't been for her asking for you
to be left alone, right now you'd have picked up a lot of fights to avenge her
honor."
The two Senshi and their companion cringed at the news. They
should have expected something like that, but were unprepared for it
nevertheless. It was at that moment that silence reigned once more; they turned
around to see Mercury arriving with another man. They felt sympathy for their
fellow Senshi when she seemed to shrink under the stares she received. It
wasn't long until the new arrivals joined them.
"Hey, Sylpheed! Are you ready to make your bet?" asked
Hathaway, taking out from a pocket a small black booklet and a pen.
"Not now Hathaway. I don't want to steal your money."
Answered Syl, smirking.
"Ok, your loss, my gain!" said Hathaway, smirking as well.
He then turned around and began to take the bets from the crowd.
"Are you ok Mercury?" inquired Jupiter, placing a hand on
Mercury's shoulder.
"Yes, I'm fine. It's just that… what happened? These people looked
ready to… to attack me!"
"I'll tell you later." Said Venus, placing a hand on the
other shoulder. She was rewarded by Mercury relaxing.
She was about to say something else when once more, the
crowd turned silent. The difference this time was that the silence had a
nervous feeling on it. When she and the rest turned towards the entrance, they
noticed that Serena had arrived, along with Mars and Chibi-Usa… and someone
else. The three Senshi and their companion immediately noticed the discomfort
on Mars' attitude, as well as Chibi-Usa's. And they could understand it, since
they could also feel something strange coming from the robed figure.
However, their feelings became more confused upon seeing the
smiles and encouraging words the majority of the presents were giving the
blonde, who returned them with a dazzling smile of her own, even shaking hands
with some [A fact that made Tuxedo Kamen bristle.]. The Senshi couldn't help
but lower their gazes when Serena walked next to them; what made them
uncomfortable was the look she directed at them: completely devoid of feelings
or empathy towards them. The only sign she made was a slight nod acknowledging
their presence. After leaving Chibi-Usa under Tuxedo Kamen's care, she bowed to
the Ethereal and headed to the dressing rooms. Meanwhile, the Ethereal joined
Syl, who nodded in his direction and turned again to wait for the spar to
begin.
The now gathered Senshi were trying to regain their mental
footing when the crowd began to cheer once more, this time to the last arrival
of the day. The group once more looked towards the entrance, seeing Luna-F
entering the gym with the two moon cats, one on each shoulder. However, they
also noticed that the felinoid was petting Artemis, while Luna-C was trying her
best not to scratch either of them.
When Luna-F reached their position, she handed Artemis to
Venus and Luna-C to Chibi-Usa. Before heading to the dressing rooms, she
addressed the white cat. "See you later big guy; and remember, you are going to
have dinner with me." After giving him a saucy wink, she walked to her
destination, her tail and hips swinging seductively. Of course, the sight
caused Artemis to gulp heavily, not to mention to sweat.
Of course, the event didn't go unnoticed. It didn't take
long for rumors to fly around, for Hathaway to start taking bets and for
Jupiter and Venus to start teasing the poor moon cat. And that's not counting
the way Luna-C was being restrained by Chibi-Usa, Tuxedo Kamen and Mars to
prevent her from doing something she might regret later… 'might' being the
operative word.
The two friends
greeted each other warmly in the dressing room, immediately going to their
lockers and beginning to change clothes. Serena decided to use her favorite
training outfit: gray cotton half-top, a spandex half-supporter and leggings,
forfeiting any kind of footwear. Luna-C for her part decided to go forward with
her own plan, going for what could be described as a battle bikini made in
reddish metal.
One thing was for certain. This match was going to rise the
temperature of the male population on board the ship a few degrees.
Luna-F was about to leave the room when Serena's soft voice
stopped her.
"Luna, can I ask you a big favor?"
"Sere, you don't have to ask." Said the felinoid, smiling.
"What do you need?"
Serena sighed, trying to calm herself a moment. It wasn't
easy for her to say it, but she needed it. "Luna… for this sparring… I want to
ask you.
"Please, can you go all out?"
Luna-F stared at her friend, shocked. Granted, their
sparring matches were another league entirely, one that so far, none of the
crewmembers on board the ship could hope to enter. But this petition… they
never went all out in their matches. "Sere… are you sure? Are you feeling all
right? We can leave this match for another day, you know?"
"No Luna, I need it. I… I have a lot of things I need to
sort out, and right now I need a very intense workout."
The felinoid stared at the blonde intently, trying to
discern her intentions. What she found deep in those blue eyes was a girl in
emotional turmoil without a vent for her feelings. Luna understood in that
moment that Serena needed to give vent to those emotions or she would crack
under the pressure. And she knew the reason… her former friends' presence was
wrecking havoc on her dear friend.
Steeling herself, Luna-F nodded. "All right. I'll hold
nothing now."
Serena smiled brightly at her friend upon hearing that.
Unable to contain herself, she embraced the felinoid, who returned the gesture.
"Thanks Luna, I really appreciate it."
"No prob, Bunny. Now, how about we give our audience
something to remember, ok?" seeing her friend nodding in agreement, Luna
released her; both friends then walked out of the dressing room, ready to work
out some frustrations to the best of their capabilities.
When the two combatants walked into the sparring area, a
loud cheer from the people gathered there welcomed them. Waving in
acknowledgment, they began to warm up, preparing themselves for their match.
While they were getting ready, the Ethereal 'said' to Syl.
(Something is wrong.)
"What do you mean, ambassador?" inquired Syl, intrigued.
(Our friend's emotions are in turmoil. She has lost focus.
I'm afraid that this is not going to be a normal encounter.)
Syl turned his attention to Serena, trying to gauge her… and
what he found scared him. On her face was a look of determination that he had only
saw when she was in dire straits, or some friend was in danger. And that only
meant one thing.
Luna-F was in great danger.
However, when he looked in the felinoid's direction, he
noticed the very same expression. That, combined with what he had seen on
Serena earlier gave him a very bad feeling. A cold chill ran up and down his
spine, and a cold sweat appeared in his forehead.
Their warm-up finished, the two combatants took their
positions in front of each other. After bowing, they assumed their stances.
From the start all present with combat experience immediately noticed that
Serena was more into defense, while Luna-F's stance showed a more aggressive
approach.
They remained unmoving for a minute, on which the tension
mounted to almost unbearable levels for the spectators. Then, without any
external sign, they jumped simultaneously at each other, Luna-F emitting a loud
roar.
The match was on.
When they jumped, Hathaway began to collect his bets, happy
of having won a big share of the wagers by guessing the time between their
bowing and the actual beginning of the fight.
Luna-F opened the battle with a series of fast punches,
while Serena either weaved around the hits or blocking them. More than one
person winced at the sounds of flesh against flesh, and rumors began to
circulate. The people who had witnessed previous encounters immediately noticed
that they were going stronger than before. However, they marveled at how Serena
simply ignored the effects on the punches.
The attack concluded, Serena went to the offensive, her own
punches and kicks forcing Luna-F a few steps back. All of a sudden, Serena
switched to a series of high jumps, kicking with all her strength at Luna-F's
upper body. The felinoid was forced to duck or block the incoming hits. On the
last jump, Serena overextended her kick and Luna-F took advantage of it.
Grabbing the appendage, the felinoid twisted and sent Serena to the floor,
hard. However, the blonde kicked Luna-Fs arms, forcing her to release her leg.
Using the momentum to twist in mid-air, Serena used her hands to absorb the
shock when she hit the floor; rolling away at the same time, she immediately
assumed her stance. The crowed went wild at the maneuver.
The Senshi watched the fight astounded. Never in their lives
had anyone expected to see their friend fighting in such a way. Heck, they were
still fixed on the idea of seeing her crying and whining at the physical
exertion! However, the person fighting in front of them showed a coordination,
grace and agility that rivaled their Senshi forms… and her fighting knowledge
surpassed even Jupiter's, the official brawled of the group!
Meanwhile, Luna-F recovered from the unexpected hit. It had
numbed her right arm slightly and used the small time for Serena's recovery to
recover herself. As soon as the blonde was back on her stance, the felinoid
went back to the offensive; this time, she used a series of swipes aimed at her
midsection. Serena again weaved around the hits, but the impact had taken its
toll on her arms. The last swipe went through her defenses, hitting her hard on
the abdomen. The hit was followed by a hard axe kick to her left shoulder,
forcing Serena to her knees. However, she rolled to the right, barely avoiding
a straight punch-knee combo. At the end of the roll, she extended her leg,
kicking Luna-F on the knees, sending her to the mats. Both combatants
immediately rolled away from each other. The maneuver sent the audience in a
paroxysm of cheers.
However, they felt silence when they heard Serena's voice.
"Well… I think this is enough warm-up, don't you agree?"
said Serena, panting a little.
"You read my thoughts." Answered Luna-F, smiling. Extending
her claws, she added. "Now, shall we dance for real?"
"Fine by me." Serena said. As soon as
she said those three words, the sigil on her forehead began to glow.
On the sidelines, Syl tensed. "Oh dear lord… no, they have
to be kidding!"
Intrigued by his words, Mercury asked him. "What's going
on?"
"This… is no longer a sparring match." Murmured Syl, keeping
his eyes fixed on the two warriors. "They are going to fight all out!"
The Senshi gasped at the news. They had thought that Serena
was fighting at her full capability, but Syl's words brought down the fact that
they hadn't seen a thing yet. It was in that instant that the real fight began.
In unison, both Luna-F and Serena jumped high, almost
touching the ceiling of the gym. When they reached the apex of their jump they
began a series of vicious punches, kicks and swipes. The most amazing thing was
that they seemed to float in the air, their movements defying gravity. Their
attacks seemed equally matched until Luna-F gained the upper hand. Taking
advantage of Serena overextending a right hook and subsequent torso movement,
the felinoid hit Serena on the mid-back with a double punch, sending her
sprawling to the floor. When she hit the mats, the impact sent a concussion
wave that was felt by all present. On her way down, Luna-F extended her right
leg, claws extended. The spectators gasped at the sight; for them, things
didn't look good for Serena. It seemed that the blonde was about to have her spine
handed to her… Literally.
However, Serena surprised all present by rolling to the
side. Luna-F's attack easily pierced the reinforced mats, the impact once more
sending shockwaves through the floor. Without wasting a second, Serena
initiated a series of incredibly fast punches. Luna-F desperately evaded them,
blocking the ones that she couldn't, wincing when those few hits found their
mark. An unexpected side effect was that Serena's punches packed enough force
to compress the air in front of them, something the people standing behind
Luna-F found out. The crowd was sent to the floor when the air waves hit them.
The attack finished, Luna-F initiated a counteroffensive
slashing viciously at Serena, forcing her to dodge and move all around the
fighting area. The final steps took them in front of the Senshi, who were
frozen in their places by the savagery displayed in front of them.
With a terrible roar, Luna-F raised her claws high above her
head, and slashed with all her might. Serena crossed her arms in front of her
face in an attempt to protect her head, at the same time taking a step back.
However, she wasn't fast enough… one of Luna-F's claws managed to make contact
on her forearm, making four deep gashes on her tender flesh. Blood immediately
was sent spraying in the direction of the slash.
The Senshi screamed at the scene, intent on jumping into the
fray. However, they stopped cold in their tracks when some drops of Serena's
blood hit them.
Tuxedo Kamen noticed that some drops had landed on his
chest, staining the white shirt he was wearing at heart's level. Mars saw,
horrified, that the blood droplets had stained her gloves. Mercury raised a
trembling hand to her tiara, taking it off; to her shock, the blood had stained
it. Jupiter noticed that the blood had stained her short boots, the red blood
contrasting brightly again the green. Looking at Venus, she saw that her
companion now had some red freckles on her face, the drops concentrated mostly
near her mouth.
Luna-C and Artemis saw, mouths agape, that their moon sigils
now sported a drop of blood.
Getting out of their shock, they were about to charge and
pummel Luna-F when a deep voice rumbled in their heads.
(Stay where you are. You are not to interfere in this
fight.)
"WHAT??" shouted Mars, her fury giving her the strength to
face the Ethereal. "That… that BEAST hurt our friend, and you want us to stay
put??"
(This is something that needs to be done. And that 'beast'
as you call her, won't harm your friend any more. Now, watch and pay attention.
If you try to interfere, I'll be forced to stop you.)
Mars clenched her fists, frustrated. Finally, she nodded and
addressed her friends. "Let's stay here."
The Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen were about to retort when they
heard Serena chuckling; immediately they turned their attention to the fight.
"Nice hit." Said Serena, raising her wounded arm. To the
amazement of all present, her wounds began to glow a silver light. In a matter
of seconds the ugly gashes had disappeared, not even a scar was visible. "Shall
we continue?"
"By all means." Luna-F answered, her smirk growing into a
full-fledged smile. Without more ado, the fight resumed.
The combat continued in that vein for almost an hour, none
of the warriors giving quarter. More than one, including the Senshi, wanted to
stop the fight, but the determined look of the fighters made them stop. All
presents winced upon the sounds of punches hitting flesh, and more than once
the sound of a bone cracking was heard.
By the end, both combatants were panting heavily. Serena
sported a black eye and was holding her ribcage. Luna-F wasn't in better
condition, cradling her left arm and limping.
"It's been fun." Managed to say Luna-F between pants. "Now,
how about we finish this?"
"I couldn't agree more." Said Serena. Once more, they
assumed their fighting stances, albeit wobbly. Luna-F launched a last swipe at
Serena's abdomen, using all her remaining strength. The spectators gasped when
they noticed that the blonde didn't make an attempt to move out of the way.
Time seemed to slow down. Everybody watched as if in slow
motion when Luna-F extended her claws to their fullest and strike at Serena.
Right when it seemed that the felinoid was going to gut
Serena, the blonde sidestepped away from the attack. In one fluid movement, she
grabbed the extended claw and tugged at it. The maneuver caused Luna-F to lose
her balance and fell to the now ruined mats. When she turned around she
suddenly froze.
When Luna-F was falling, Serena followed the movement, her
left arm crooked and hand extended in a knife strike. When the felinoid turned
around, Serena's hand was just a hairbreadth from her exposed throat.
Time resumed its normal pace in that instant.
"Do you yield?" Serena asked.
All present hold their breaths, waiting for the answer.
Luna-F saw impassively at the extended arm. Considering her
options, she reached a conclusion. Breathing deeply, she relaxed.
"I yield."
As soon as she said those words, Serena stood up, smiling.
Extending her arm, the blonde helped the felinoid to stand up, both wincing at
the effort. As soon as both were on their feet, they embraced warmly, albeit
awkwardly because of their injuries.
"Good match." Said Serena on her friends' shoulder. "Thanks,
I really needed that."
"No prob Sere." Answered
the felinoid. "Yes, it was a good workout. Let's do this again, eh?" the two
friends giggled at the idea. When they separated, they finally noticed what was
going on around them.
Syl and the Ethereal were the first ones to reach them,
closely followed by the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen. He was the first one to talk.
"What do you two thought you're doing?? And look at you,
you're a mess!! And look at this place, it's wrecked!! What insane idea got in
your minds to make you fight like that!?!? Just wait until the captain finds
out, he's going to chew and spit you both!"
"Syl, you're a sweet." Said Serena, giving him one of her
dazzling smiles.
"Oh, don't be such a worry wart!" added Luna-F. "It was all
in good fun, after all!"
"Fun… Fun??… FUN!?!?! Girls,
you're insane, you know that!?!?!" seeing the happy expression on their faces,
he sighed and dropped his head. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?"
"Nope!" chorused the two friends.
(It was an interesting match, young ones.) Transmitted the
Ethereal. (I'm glad to see that you two regained your balance. You had me
worried for a moment there, but you managed to do fine.)
"Thank you Sensei." Said Serena. "Yes, I needed that."
"Usagi, are you all right?" asked a worried Mars, who sent a
venom-filled stare in Luna-F's direction. She flinched when she noticed the
disapproving looks Serena sent her way.
Chibi-Usa embraced one of Serena's legs, crying softly.
"Don't do that again! I was so worried for you!"
"How dare you hurt her??" shouted Jupiter, clenching her
fists and facing the felinoid. "I should…"
"You should do nothing Jupiter." Said Serena, causing the
Senshi to look at her, shocked. "This was just a friendly spar, and I asked her
to do it anyway. Now, stop this childish behavior right now!" Jupiter looked at
Serena, hurt by the words, but relaxed. However, she gave Luna-F a stare that
promised lots of pain. The felinoid shrugged the look, ignoring the furious
Senshi.
In that moment the ship's doctor approached, followed
closely by four nurses carrying a couple of gurneys. "All right, you two, in
the gurneys now!" the two ensigns were about to protest when he raised a hand,
halting them. "No buts!! You two are going to the infirmary, and that's final!"
he smiled satisfied when his two patients obeyed his command, albeit
reluctantly. One of the nurses was forced to gently remove Chibi-Usa's grasp
from Serena, the former not wanting to leave the blonde alone.
"Don't worry, little one." Said the doctor, kneeling in
front of the young girl. "I'll put them back together and they'll be as good as
new before you know it."
"Promise?" hiccupped Chibi-Usa.
"Promise." Standing up, he walked out of the gym, closely
followed by the nurses pushing the gurneys.
With the action over, the crowd began to disperse,
commenting the match. Mercury idly noticed that Hathaway was busily collecting
the bets, as well as paying the fortunate few that won. Taking a deep breath,
she addressed her companions. "Let's go to our rooms." Taking her tiara off and
examining it, she added. "We… need to clean off, after all."
The others nodded, leaving the gym in silence.
* * * *
It was late, the night cycle on board the Lucky Star
indicating that was around one in the morning. The majority of the crew was
deeply asleep, however there was a lone visitor on observation deck 3.
After displaying once more her healing abilities, Serena had
been declared fit after an hour of unwanted treatments. However, Luna-F hadn't
been so lucky. She had to remain in the infirmary for the night until her
cracked ribs healed, not to mention the multiple fractures on her left arm.
Serena felt guilty, but Luna-F waved it off as unimportant, saying that she
should have been more careful, and promising that next time Serena wouldn't be
so lucky.
She had been on the deck for almost an hour, unable to
sleep. The next day was an important one; that's when she, along with the Four
Sisters, the Senshi and the command staff were going to plan their next step.
During the whole time, she had watched as the ship completed four complete
orbits, watching four sunrises and four sunsets in that period of time.
Her musings were interrupted when she sensed the approach of
another visitor. Without turning around, she waited until the new arrival stood
next to her, her eyes focused on the planet at her feet, her arms crossed in
front of her chest.
Both remained silent for a few minutes, until a male voice broke
it with one word. "Beautiful."
"Yes, it is." Serena said softly. Once more, silence
permeated the atmosphere until Serena spoke. "What are you doing up? You should
be resting with the rest."
"Couldn't sleep. And it seems you couldn't too." Answered
her companion.
"I have too many things in my mind right now." Said Serena.
Silence fell in the deck once more, no one moving.
"Why?" Serena asked, her voice firm but soft.
"What do you mean?" inquired her companion.
Turning around, Serena faced him. "Why, Mamoru? Why did you
break up with me? You never told me the reason."
Tuxedo Kamen flinched slightly. He had expected the question
to come, but still it caught him unprepared. Serena waited patiently for him to
answer. Gathering his courage, he finally talked.
"Because I was a fool. I was scared, didn't know what to
do." He then related to her about his dreams, describing how the voice in the
dream warned him that on their wedding day she would die.
"That was the only thing I could think of to keep you safe."
Confessed Tuxedo Kamen. "I thought it was the right thing to do."
"I see." Said Serena, nodding. "So, instead of trusting me,
you pushed me away."
Tuxedo Kamen looked down at his feet, ashamed and unable to
look her in the eyes.
"Congratulations," continued Serena, "you got your wish."
Uncrossing her arms, she reached into her subspace pocket, drawing a small
object. Tuxedo Kamen immediately identified it as the moon locket he had given
her during the Silver Millennium. "I don't think I'll need this anymore, so I'm
giving it back to you. Take it."
Tuxedo Kamen remained frozen in his place, staring at the
small locket. With a trembling voice, he said. " I… no, it's yours. I… can't
take it."
"All right." Said Serena. Then, to Kamen's shock, she
dropped it to the floor. The impact opened it, the haunting melody that once
represented their love filling the deck.
Turning on her heels, Serena left the observation deck,
leaving a stunned Tuxedo Kamen alone. Before leaving, she talked over her shoulder.
"You should go to sleep, tomorrow is a very busy day." When the door closed
behind her, she finally relaxed her control on her emotions, allowing the tears
she had kept in check roll freely down her cheeks.
On the observation deck, Tuxedo Kamen slowly dropped to his
knees. Very gently, he took the discarded locket in his trembling hands.
Cradling the small object against his chest, he only
murmured over and over again, while tears rolled down his face.
"I'm sorry Usako… I'm so sorry."
TO BE CONTINUED.
Author's notes:
Well, another chapter ready. Sorry for the delay, but we
know that Fanfiction.net has been having troubles. Let's just hope those
problems can be solved soon.
Now, for those who think that Serena/Usagi's actions by the
end were harsh, let's remember: she's no longer the crybaby we all know in the
anime and manga. She's matured. And let's face it: Tux-boy had it coming for a
long time!!!
Once more, my thanks go to all those who have reviewed this
story. I'm amazed by the acceptance it has received, and it warms my heart your
reviews. You all know the drill by now: REVIEW!! I want at the very least ten
reviews, or this project is canned! Is that clear? Good, now review!
Once again, my deepest thanks go to my good friend, editor,
pre-reader and taskmaster Yohann DeSabrais. Without your suggestions for the
sparring match, it would have been lame. Thanks pal!!! ::HUG::
Ok… that's all for now. Later!