White Christmas (Version 2.0)

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            Winds whistled loudly outside of the temple doors. Four beautiful girls sat around a fire, chatting animatedly. Although they were filled with joyous news and good spirits, they seemed incomplete without one of their number. It was as though one of the 'Three Musketeers' had finally fallen.

            It had been like this for a while now. Almost three years to be exact. Three years ago, Galaxia had been defeated. There had been no new threats; nothing out of the ordinary, and so Usagi's being had quickly escalated into the personage of Neo-Queen Serenity. There was, however, a problem.  Usagi could not handle the Silver Crystal on her own; and Mamoru, though he pledged his undying love day-in and day-out, kept putting their wedding off, telling her that it wasn't time, or that there wasn't enough money for them to start a family.

            This was the problem, without Mamoru (Or any spouse for that matter), she couldn't continue to control the crystal. It was almost as if the crystal controlled her. Usagi had to build her life around it, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't manipulate it. Thus, side effects were evident. She was often ill, coming down with different cases of different viruses constantly; she, on occasion, could become very forgetful, or have a mild case of amnesia; and sometimes her mind-set would regress into pre-teenage years.

            Today, she had amnesia. None of the senshi would dare go to see her, for fear it would make the amnesia permanent. Ami had calculated that, although it was good for normal amnesia victims to be around their normal life and scenery, Usagi was not a normal amnesia victim. Unfortunately, everyone found it hard to be without Usagi. She was their hope… their guiding light. And every perception they had of the future was quickly coming to a dark, crashing, and ominous end.

            Rei looked up at her friends, her dark hair shading her deep, violet eyes. "This isn't right."

            Ami, who had been more silent then usual, finally spoke. "What isn't?"

            "This!" Makoto yelled angrily, her green eyes flashing like unsettled seas. "All of this! Usagi having to go through this."

             Minako, who had said only a little more than Ami, spoke next. "It's Mamoru's fault, you know."

             Everyone was grave at this statement, before another starling outburst from Makoto.  "She's right! If stupid Mamoru would just marry Usagi, things wouldn't be like this!"

            Rei nodded. "I know. He keeps putting it off… the crystal is going to consume her very life-source next."

            "She needs a break. She doesn't need all this pressure to control the crystal and have a perfect life and get married," Ami said, her turquoise eyes solemn.

            "She needs a holiday…" Minako said softly. "She needs to get away from all of this stupid 'have too's."

            "A holiday would be nice… but where too?" Rei questioned.

            "No place on earth… she would feel connected to the world…" Makoto said as a silence swept coldly through the room.

             Suddenly Minako's eyes burst with life. "I know just the place! And making the arrangements can be easier then anything!"

Ami blushed, knowing exactly where Minako wanted to send Usagi. "Minako-chan, are you sure that's… wise?"

              "Where?" Makoto questioned.

             "Kinmoku."

            The silence that covered the room now was a ponderous one. Everyone wasn't sure exactly what to think of this idea. Would Usagi be happy there? Would it get her mind off everything, and get her body on the right track? Would it be okay,… knowing that Sailor Star Fighter would be there… and even possibly Seiya?

            "We'll see. Maybe Kakyuu-hime can give us advice on what to do," Rei said softly. Everyone nodded slowly, each buried in their own thoughts.

            Usagi sat in her bed, or at least she was pretty sure it was her bed. It was hard to tell these days… was she really Usagi? Or was she Neo-Queen Serenity? Or was she even one of those two?

            A golden box glittered next to the bed, holding what Usagi knew to be the Silver Crystal. That much she remembered. She knew it was her duty to protect and use the crystal. For what purpose right now, she didn't know.

             Mamoru constantly avoided her, not physically though, he pledged his undying love everyday, and saw her to take her out once a week (provided that she was well enough or sane enough to be able to comprehend the things that he was saying to her and things he was doing to her). But there was a distance in his voice, and a detachment in his being. It was as though he wasn't sure how he felt about her anymore.

            Usagi's heart pained at this, but she pushed it off into the back of her mind, telling herself that it just wasn't worth it. Mamoru loved her! She knew that without even having to think about it.

            And that was the problem. She didn't contemplate her feelings, she didn't think about other possibilities; why should she, after all? Destiny was set out for her like a gleaming banquette, filled with wonderful things. But it was a banquette that was intangible, untouchable… and unbelievable.

             "Destiny is permanent, and everything is just how I want it to be…"  She forced back tears, before she felt a strange sensation wash over her. Blinking ferociously, she then looked at the clock. Something was odd about it, as if she was having some sort of … premonition.

            "Oh my gods! The girls!" She ran out of her bedroom. How could she have forgotten? Was she really getting to be that bad? So bad that she actually forgot her friends?

             "Usagi!" Rei smiled as she opened the door, to find Usagi mid-step.

            "Rei! I'm so sorry I forgot! I didn't mean to! It just-"

            "Oh, don't worry about it Usagi!" Minako poked her head into the apartment, interrupting Usagi mid-sentence.

            "But… I…" She thought for a moment, "What day is it?"

             "Monday, at five fifteen in the evening," Ami said, coming into the room after Minako. Makoto followed her, and all four of them were smiling broadly.

            "But… But we were supposed to be together on… Saturday…" Usagi's face fell. "Missed it… by a mile… didn't I?"

             Makoto gave her a hug and everyone joined in.

             "Usagi… we know you've been having troubles lately…." Makoto said, trying to sound cheery. "And we think you should go on a vacation… take a holiday."

            Usagi blinked. Everyone seemed to be wearing the same mysteriously chipper façade as Makoto… and it worried her. Deeply.

            "Where to?" She questioned tentatively. "And how long?"

            "Three weeks. And don't worry about the crystal, we've talked to Setsuna and she said there's a way for just the senshi to take care of it for a short period of time," Rei smiled, taking Usagi's hand.

            "And you don't even have to pack!" Minako grinned.

            Usagi was now totally worried and confused by everything. Where was she going, and why didn't she need to pack? When was she leaving? Would she be back in time for Christmas with Mamoru and the girls? What was with all those odd smiling faces?

            "What are you not telling me?" she questioned suddenly. "Where am I going?"

             "You're leaving tomorrow, Rei and I are going to escort you there and then you'll be properly primped and polished to your hearts content," Makoto said this with bright gleaming eyes.

             "Anou… but where am I going? And what about Christmas? I hear there'll be snow this year!" Usagi nearly whined.

             "Christmas will be spent there, but we'll come and spend it with you!" Minako said happily, "We'll stay the last few days there after Christmas, then all of us can come back together!"

            "What about Mamoru?" For some reason this was the first time she noticed that she had fallen out of the habit of calling him 'Mamo-chan'. Strange…

            "He's staying here. We want you to enjoy yourself…" Ami said quietly, smiling just a little too much for her normal character to allow.

             "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there? About Mamoru?" Usagi questioned, with worry lining her voice.

             Everyone's face suddenly seemed sheepish, and they averted her gaze.

             "Mamoru… wasn't at his house yesterday… nor today… we think he's gone… again…" Minako said tentatively, so not to upset her friend.

            This did not surprise Usagi, although it pained her beyond belief. She felt tears come to her eyes as she pushed them back. "Oh… I see…"

            He'd done this before, just disappear for days at a time. He would call her from his cell phone and talk to Usagi, but she never knew where he was. It worried her, she was so… hurt that he couldn't talk about it with her. She pushed the feeling aside, although it felt as though he was placing the entire burden on Usagi on purpose.

            "Usagi, you'll have a wonderful vacation. You'll be relaxed and calm… and when you get back everything is going to be okay," Rei hugged her tightly.

            "So…" Usagi asked again, "Where am I going?"

            She stood there, frozen as Rei and Makoto said their good-byes. She had come down with the flu (thanks to the crystal), but she hadn't forgotten her holiday. It was all she had thought about last night. She couldn't sleep, nor eat.

Kinmoku

            Only in her dreams did she ever go there. She couldn't even possibly imagine what it would be like to see all of them again. Taiki, Yaten, and… Seiya.

            It had been three years since she saw Seiya. Would he remember her? Would he recognize her? She suddenly wished she wasn't so sick, and looked so crappy. Was this the crystal's last attempt to finish her off?

            Seiya. She suddenly remembered how she felt around him. How he always made everything seem so happy, every situation so funny, but holding to it a seriousness that couldn't be broken. He was wonderful, handsome, compassionate… and although he was cocky and could definitely be self-absorbed sometimes, he was the most endearing friend she could possibly imagine.

            She had thought about him a lot since he left. She thought about what could have happened, if Mamoru hadn't come back or if he had stayed on earth. But then she quickly pushed those thoughts out of her mind… it wasn't right to Mamoru, or to destiny, to be thinking such things. Even though… she wished…

            "Usagi! Ready to go?" Rei asked her voice chiming with cheer, and breaking Usagi's deep thoughts.

            She nodded slowly. "Hai…" She whispered, her voice hoarse, both from her cold and from the tears she was suddenly fighting back.

            "Great! Kakyuu-hime, is ready to welcome you with open arms!" Makoto grinned, "Your holiday will be wonderful! I promise!"

            "I hope so…" Usagi whispered as a golden light swallowed the three young women. "I hope so…"

Notes:

            Well I finally got off my rear and did it. I decided to re-write White Christmas, you can see that I'm keeping the first three chapters in their original format, because it was about the fourth chapter I started to go berserk. Anyway… wish me the best of luck!!