Thank you for reading this. As you can see, this is the third chapter to be rewritten of my story Do You Remember, which was my very first fanfic.
I'd like to take a moment and thank all the readers and websites and peeps in the SM community who have made this experience one of the best of my life. Even when things at home and on the net we're the best they could be, so many of you stood up to the challenge of trying to be there for me.
THANK YOU!
Please visit my website www.usagi-carter.com aka A Haven For Lovers, my friend's website - www.dawn-mist.org aka Archive Of The Mists and don't forget to email me! webmistress@usagi-carter.org !!!
Do You Remember
Chapter 3
By Usagi Carter
Re-written: August 13, 2003
~~
"I'm not the best person to train you," Usagi started as she and Mayo stood facing one another. They were standing in a deserted gym that Setsuna had brought them to. The building was sealed, how Usagi didn't know, by the magic of Sailor Pluto, so that no one, be it senshi or civilian, could walk in while Usagi was training Mayo.
"Why's that?" Mayo questioned as she and Usagi began to stretch their muscles.
"Because up until last year, I was the worst of the senshi when it came to training. I couldn't land correctly when we did leaps and teleports," Usagi explained as Mayo shot her a surprised look. "I always fell on my butt. I also have possibly the worst attacks - my first was a tiara, my second a wand. I've never had attacks that stemmed just from my power, I've always had to use a symbol of some sort to perform them."
"I wonder why that is?" Mayo asked as the pair took defensive stances and began to spar with one another. "I mean, you're supposed to be the most powerful of the senshi, next to Pluto and Saturn."
"Setsuna's been giving you history lessons, hasn't she?" Usagi grinned as Mayo ducked an incoming punch.
"Yes, she has."
"I'm not one of the most powerful. Each of the senshi have their own set of abilities, strengths and weaknesses, and unfortunately, they are all greater than my own."
"Is that because you were never supposed to fight?"
"I wouldn't say that, I would say it's because I never wanted to fight." The revelation caused Mayo to falter for one second, giving Usagi the advantage of using a leg sweep to take her down. "Surprised?"
"Slightly. Has it really been that bad?" Usagi extended her hand to help the older girl to her feet, debating on how to answer that question for her friend.
"That depends on who's telling the tale. Did Setsuna explain to you about Chibi-Usa?" At the mention of the pink haired time traveler, Mayo smiled.
"She did."
"Things were horrible in the beginning, because I didn't want to have all this responsibility. I whined a lot, and I do mean a lot, especially when we discovered Serenity and I were the same person. It hurt when Mamoru was taken, and then we didn't remember. After that, after we got our memories back, I figured things would get better." Usagi sighed as she recounted those early battles. "The only thing that got better was my habit of whining. The war with the Dark Moon was possibly one of the darkest times in my life, both present and future. To find that my daughter had been dragged into the fight because I wasn't strong enough was almost too much to bear. To know that she was in the past, frightened and searching for the crystal because I was injured made me really rethink what I was doing."
Mayo watched curiously as Usagi spoke. In the weeks since they'd started to really train, she noticed that Usagi showed very little true emotion, something Setsuna had pointed out was not typical Usagi behavior. As she spoke of the pink haired princess who would be her daughter, Mayo noticed the pain and heartbreak on Usagi's face multiply. "Being a senshi isn't all roses and hearts and fighting for what you know is right. It's about dealing with everything that comes your way, about being true to yourself, and about doing what you think is best with your life, not what destiny or fate think is best. I don't think I've ever really regretted bringing Luna home with me, or with taking up my mantle as Sailor Moon, but I regret not being able to protect my child. I regret her ever having to experience the pain of battle, the fear that comes from facing an enemy, the heartbreak that one experiences when they know they will lose those they love. I'm supposed to carry this almighty power, one that stems from the Silver Crystal, but I don't." Mayo stared at her like Usagi had two heads.
"If I did, I'd have been able to protect my loved ones better. That's why I say the others are more powerful. Not once have they ever hesitated when it came to their powers. I never wanted to fight, looking back on it now, because I didn't want to risk losing those I cherished most in this world, because I didn't like knowing I was killing things, even evil things. I've felt over the last couple of years that I'm becoming like those I seek to vanquish."
"But Usagi-chan, you've saved everyone, more times then they'd probably care to count. How many times have you used the power entrusted to you to stop..."
"That's enough for today," Setsuna spoke as she entered the room. Usagi was babbling and scaring Mayo, and Setsuna knew it. "Usagi, Mamoru is here to pick you up. I will see you at the temple in an hour."
"Of course." Bowing to Mayo, Usagi followed Setsuna's unspoken command.
"She's hurting."
"She's in pain, and she's facing one of the toughest battles of her life right now, her own doubt."
~*~
"Why?" the question rang out from Usagi as clear as a bell. She looked on in contempt at the senshi and even Mamoru.
"Because we care about you, because we love you, and we can't stand seeing you like this and not being able to help!" Raye shouted as Usagi glared at her.
"Look..."
"No Usagi-chan, you look. TALK TO US!" the outburst came from the normally placid Hotaru, which only served to bring the situation to life for Usagi.
"If Amy-chan's scan is correct, if it's Dark Moon energy surrounding him, then it means there's a possibility that...HE is back. I don't know what kind of frame of mind he's in, or if it's the same person who saved me from Wiseman. After everything that happened, not only to us but to Chibi-Usa and the future, I don't know if I can face that, or him, again."
"Guess what, we're a lot stronger than we were then," Makoto started, gesturing to the four senshi of the outer planets. "Your team is complete and whole now, do you think we'd let something happen to you?"
"Do you think WE would let something happen to you?" The new voice caused gasps to travel through the group of girls and Mamoru. Haruka, Hotaru and Mamoru glared at the three new comers while the others smiled.
"TAIKI, YATEN, SEIYA!" Usagi cried out as she jumped up from her position next to Mamoru and threw her arms around the three boys.
"Hey there good-lookin'!" Seiya laughed as he hugged her back, before stepping back to let the others hug her as well.
"Long time no smell," Minako started, causing everyone in the room to abruptly stare at her.
"Mina-chan, it's long time no see, not smell," Amy corrected for the blonde.
"Whatever, we haven't smelled them in a while either!" As soon as the words left her mouth, Minako noticed everyone sweat dropping. "WHAT?"
"Never mind," Raye mumbled as she shook her head, turning her attention, like the others, back to the three boys that had entered her temple.
"How?" the question came from Makoto, who was smiling a broad smile.
"Believe it or not, our reward for working so hard to rebuild our planet," Seiya cheerily spoke trying to disguise the real reason they were here.
"Rigggggghhhhhhhht." All eyes turned to stare at the Senshi of Wind, who was leaning back, arms crossed over her chest, and eyes glittering with rage directed at the three boys. Seiya hoped the emotion in his eyes would relay to Haruka, this one time, that he was here to help, not hinder, the situation.
For her part, Haruka saw the misery and plea in his eyes and only narrowed her look at him. Something was wrong, otherwise they wouldn't be here, as Setsuna had said they weren't coming back after the last round. "Ruka-chan, be nice!" Usagi countered as Haruka stared at the odango haired princess and then back at Seiya. The man was still lustful for a taken woman! Haruka shook her head at him...he had nerves that much she'd admit, especially since he was standing less than a foot from Mamoru and not flinching.
"There's more to why you're here, isn't there?" Hotaru's question came completely out of left field for most of the group. The three males swallowed in panic. "Setsuna-mama said you'd never come back after the last time you were here, and I can think of only one reason why you'd be allowed to return. Something's going to happen to Usagi-chan, ne?"
"We won't lie to you, part of the reason we're here is to make sure nothing happens," Taiki spoke as Usagi turned doe-like eyes on Seiya. Her face showed her anger clearer then it ever had.
"Not you too!"
"Usagi, whether you like it or not, you play a vital and pivotal role in the balance of the universe," Yaten started as he watched Usagi stare at Seiya, who looked away because he couldn't take her accusing stare. "We're here to make sure you stay safe, just as your own guardians are. We wouldn't be here if Sailor Pluto hadn't told our own princess that we were needed in this new battle."
"You know what, I'm sick and tired of everyone treating me like glass! I am not going to break!" With that, Usagi ran from the room, leaving behind dazed and confused senshi.
~*~
"Usa!" Seiya called out. It had been a few days since the meeting at the shrine and Usagi still wasn't speaking to any of the senshi, including the Stars or Mamoru. Seiya watched her stiffen in response to the questioning glance the girl with her was giving her.
"Seiya-kun," Usagi spoke as he approached the duo. "Mayo-chan, this is Kou Seiya. Seiya, this is Taiyou Mayo, a friend of mine and Setsuna-san's."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Seiya spoke, smiling his best smile for the silver eyed, black haired girl.
"Likewise. Usagi-chan's told me a lot about you. Usa, I'll see you later, all right? My shift starts in forty-five minutes and I'd like to take a shower before hand."
"Of course, Mayo-chan. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon for..." Usagi stopped before she blurted out what it was she and Mayo would be doing in front of Seiya.
"It was a pleasure to meet you Kou-san."
"Likewise." Seiya watched the girl walk away before he turned to Usagi. "A new friend?"
"That's none of your business, thank you very much."
"Come on Usa, you can't really be mad at us!"
"You're right, I'm not mad, I'm disappointed and betrayed, is that better?" Usagi shot him a withering look.
"Usako..."
"NO! STOP!" Usagi abruptly screamed at him. "No one, and I mean no one, but Mamoru is allowed to call me that, not you, not Diamond, not..." When she realized what she'd said, the walls around the emotional tidal wave Usagi had brewing inside crumbled. When she started sobbing, Seiya looked surprised before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.
"Talk to me," he spoke an indefinite amount of time later, when her sobs had turned to hiccups.
"I'm so scared. I don't want to face it all over again." She didn't have to tell him more than that. Shortly after Mamoru had gone back to Harvard after the defeat of Galaxia, she and Seiya had sat down and discussed their pasts, as close friends often did. He had listened, painfully, as Usagi had recalled all those vivid and emotional battles that had fused to her memory and stuck out the most in her mind. The worst of these seemed to be the battles with Beryl, the Dark Moon, the Deathbusters, and finally the Dead Moon Circus. He knew when they'd last spoken that she hadn't said the battle of Galaxia, as it had been too fresh, and the wounds too deep at that point to even utter a word about.
"Usagi, we're here to keep you safe. Your senshi, your friends, they have so much more experience and power now, do you think they'd let something happen to you? After all you've been through, do you doubt their abilities? Do you have no faith in them?"
"No, I have every faith in them, it's my doubt in me that I'm worried about." She was scared - scared that she wouldn't be able to stop it this time, as last time she'd had to drag her future child into the battle to win.
"You shouldn't doubt yourself. You're the strongest warrior of all, and the bravest as well. Not to mention wise, just, and fair. Don't you think that, as Queen, you could have prevented all that happened in the future?" When she shook her head at him, he smiled a sad smile. "Everything you've had to face with the Dark Moon, the Deathbusters, and the Dead Moon Circus, you're future self knew you'd have to face, and your family and friends would have to face, to become what you are meant to become."
"Seiya..." Usagi whispered as she looked up at him, saw the faith in her that shone from his eyes, and smiled. "Arigato."
"Now, how about some ice cream? If I recall correctly, Crown is just around the corner, ne?"
"Let's go!"
I'd like to take a moment and thank all the readers and websites and peeps in the SM community who have made this experience one of the best of my life. Even when things at home and on the net we're the best they could be, so many of you stood up to the challenge of trying to be there for me.
THANK YOU!
Please visit my website www.usagi-carter.com aka A Haven For Lovers, my friend's website - www.dawn-mist.org aka Archive Of The Mists and don't forget to email me! webmistress@usagi-carter.org !!!
Do You Remember
Chapter 3
By Usagi Carter
Re-written: August 13, 2003
~~
"I'm not the best person to train you," Usagi started as she and Mayo stood facing one another. They were standing in a deserted gym that Setsuna had brought them to. The building was sealed, how Usagi didn't know, by the magic of Sailor Pluto, so that no one, be it senshi or civilian, could walk in while Usagi was training Mayo.
"Why's that?" Mayo questioned as she and Usagi began to stretch their muscles.
"Because up until last year, I was the worst of the senshi when it came to training. I couldn't land correctly when we did leaps and teleports," Usagi explained as Mayo shot her a surprised look. "I always fell on my butt. I also have possibly the worst attacks - my first was a tiara, my second a wand. I've never had attacks that stemmed just from my power, I've always had to use a symbol of some sort to perform them."
"I wonder why that is?" Mayo asked as the pair took defensive stances and began to spar with one another. "I mean, you're supposed to be the most powerful of the senshi, next to Pluto and Saturn."
"Setsuna's been giving you history lessons, hasn't she?" Usagi grinned as Mayo ducked an incoming punch.
"Yes, she has."
"I'm not one of the most powerful. Each of the senshi have their own set of abilities, strengths and weaknesses, and unfortunately, they are all greater than my own."
"Is that because you were never supposed to fight?"
"I wouldn't say that, I would say it's because I never wanted to fight." The revelation caused Mayo to falter for one second, giving Usagi the advantage of using a leg sweep to take her down. "Surprised?"
"Slightly. Has it really been that bad?" Usagi extended her hand to help the older girl to her feet, debating on how to answer that question for her friend.
"That depends on who's telling the tale. Did Setsuna explain to you about Chibi-Usa?" At the mention of the pink haired time traveler, Mayo smiled.
"She did."
"Things were horrible in the beginning, because I didn't want to have all this responsibility. I whined a lot, and I do mean a lot, especially when we discovered Serenity and I were the same person. It hurt when Mamoru was taken, and then we didn't remember. After that, after we got our memories back, I figured things would get better." Usagi sighed as she recounted those early battles. "The only thing that got better was my habit of whining. The war with the Dark Moon was possibly one of the darkest times in my life, both present and future. To find that my daughter had been dragged into the fight because I wasn't strong enough was almost too much to bear. To know that she was in the past, frightened and searching for the crystal because I was injured made me really rethink what I was doing."
Mayo watched curiously as Usagi spoke. In the weeks since they'd started to really train, she noticed that Usagi showed very little true emotion, something Setsuna had pointed out was not typical Usagi behavior. As she spoke of the pink haired princess who would be her daughter, Mayo noticed the pain and heartbreak on Usagi's face multiply. "Being a senshi isn't all roses and hearts and fighting for what you know is right. It's about dealing with everything that comes your way, about being true to yourself, and about doing what you think is best with your life, not what destiny or fate think is best. I don't think I've ever really regretted bringing Luna home with me, or with taking up my mantle as Sailor Moon, but I regret not being able to protect my child. I regret her ever having to experience the pain of battle, the fear that comes from facing an enemy, the heartbreak that one experiences when they know they will lose those they love. I'm supposed to carry this almighty power, one that stems from the Silver Crystal, but I don't." Mayo stared at her like Usagi had two heads.
"If I did, I'd have been able to protect my loved ones better. That's why I say the others are more powerful. Not once have they ever hesitated when it came to their powers. I never wanted to fight, looking back on it now, because I didn't want to risk losing those I cherished most in this world, because I didn't like knowing I was killing things, even evil things. I've felt over the last couple of years that I'm becoming like those I seek to vanquish."
"But Usagi-chan, you've saved everyone, more times then they'd probably care to count. How many times have you used the power entrusted to you to stop..."
"That's enough for today," Setsuna spoke as she entered the room. Usagi was babbling and scaring Mayo, and Setsuna knew it. "Usagi, Mamoru is here to pick you up. I will see you at the temple in an hour."
"Of course." Bowing to Mayo, Usagi followed Setsuna's unspoken command.
"She's hurting."
"She's in pain, and she's facing one of the toughest battles of her life right now, her own doubt."
~*~
"Why?" the question rang out from Usagi as clear as a bell. She looked on in contempt at the senshi and even Mamoru.
"Because we care about you, because we love you, and we can't stand seeing you like this and not being able to help!" Raye shouted as Usagi glared at her.
"Look..."
"No Usagi-chan, you look. TALK TO US!" the outburst came from the normally placid Hotaru, which only served to bring the situation to life for Usagi.
"If Amy-chan's scan is correct, if it's Dark Moon energy surrounding him, then it means there's a possibility that...HE is back. I don't know what kind of frame of mind he's in, or if it's the same person who saved me from Wiseman. After everything that happened, not only to us but to Chibi-Usa and the future, I don't know if I can face that, or him, again."
"Guess what, we're a lot stronger than we were then," Makoto started, gesturing to the four senshi of the outer planets. "Your team is complete and whole now, do you think we'd let something happen to you?"
"Do you think WE would let something happen to you?" The new voice caused gasps to travel through the group of girls and Mamoru. Haruka, Hotaru and Mamoru glared at the three new comers while the others smiled.
"TAIKI, YATEN, SEIYA!" Usagi cried out as she jumped up from her position next to Mamoru and threw her arms around the three boys.
"Hey there good-lookin'!" Seiya laughed as he hugged her back, before stepping back to let the others hug her as well.
"Long time no smell," Minako started, causing everyone in the room to abruptly stare at her.
"Mina-chan, it's long time no see, not smell," Amy corrected for the blonde.
"Whatever, we haven't smelled them in a while either!" As soon as the words left her mouth, Minako noticed everyone sweat dropping. "WHAT?"
"Never mind," Raye mumbled as she shook her head, turning her attention, like the others, back to the three boys that had entered her temple.
"How?" the question came from Makoto, who was smiling a broad smile.
"Believe it or not, our reward for working so hard to rebuild our planet," Seiya cheerily spoke trying to disguise the real reason they were here.
"Rigggggghhhhhhhht." All eyes turned to stare at the Senshi of Wind, who was leaning back, arms crossed over her chest, and eyes glittering with rage directed at the three boys. Seiya hoped the emotion in his eyes would relay to Haruka, this one time, that he was here to help, not hinder, the situation.
For her part, Haruka saw the misery and plea in his eyes and only narrowed her look at him. Something was wrong, otherwise they wouldn't be here, as Setsuna had said they weren't coming back after the last round. "Ruka-chan, be nice!" Usagi countered as Haruka stared at the odango haired princess and then back at Seiya. The man was still lustful for a taken woman! Haruka shook her head at him...he had nerves that much she'd admit, especially since he was standing less than a foot from Mamoru and not flinching.
"There's more to why you're here, isn't there?" Hotaru's question came completely out of left field for most of the group. The three males swallowed in panic. "Setsuna-mama said you'd never come back after the last time you were here, and I can think of only one reason why you'd be allowed to return. Something's going to happen to Usagi-chan, ne?"
"We won't lie to you, part of the reason we're here is to make sure nothing happens," Taiki spoke as Usagi turned doe-like eyes on Seiya. Her face showed her anger clearer then it ever had.
"Not you too!"
"Usagi, whether you like it or not, you play a vital and pivotal role in the balance of the universe," Yaten started as he watched Usagi stare at Seiya, who looked away because he couldn't take her accusing stare. "We're here to make sure you stay safe, just as your own guardians are. We wouldn't be here if Sailor Pluto hadn't told our own princess that we were needed in this new battle."
"You know what, I'm sick and tired of everyone treating me like glass! I am not going to break!" With that, Usagi ran from the room, leaving behind dazed and confused senshi.
~*~
"Usa!" Seiya called out. It had been a few days since the meeting at the shrine and Usagi still wasn't speaking to any of the senshi, including the Stars or Mamoru. Seiya watched her stiffen in response to the questioning glance the girl with her was giving her.
"Seiya-kun," Usagi spoke as he approached the duo. "Mayo-chan, this is Kou Seiya. Seiya, this is Taiyou Mayo, a friend of mine and Setsuna-san's."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Seiya spoke, smiling his best smile for the silver eyed, black haired girl.
"Likewise. Usagi-chan's told me a lot about you. Usa, I'll see you later, all right? My shift starts in forty-five minutes and I'd like to take a shower before hand."
"Of course, Mayo-chan. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon for..." Usagi stopped before she blurted out what it was she and Mayo would be doing in front of Seiya.
"It was a pleasure to meet you Kou-san."
"Likewise." Seiya watched the girl walk away before he turned to Usagi. "A new friend?"
"That's none of your business, thank you very much."
"Come on Usa, you can't really be mad at us!"
"You're right, I'm not mad, I'm disappointed and betrayed, is that better?" Usagi shot him a withering look.
"Usako..."
"NO! STOP!" Usagi abruptly screamed at him. "No one, and I mean no one, but Mamoru is allowed to call me that, not you, not Diamond, not..." When she realized what she'd said, the walls around the emotional tidal wave Usagi had brewing inside crumbled. When she started sobbing, Seiya looked surprised before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.
"Talk to me," he spoke an indefinite amount of time later, when her sobs had turned to hiccups.
"I'm so scared. I don't want to face it all over again." She didn't have to tell him more than that. Shortly after Mamoru had gone back to Harvard after the defeat of Galaxia, she and Seiya had sat down and discussed their pasts, as close friends often did. He had listened, painfully, as Usagi had recalled all those vivid and emotional battles that had fused to her memory and stuck out the most in her mind. The worst of these seemed to be the battles with Beryl, the Dark Moon, the Deathbusters, and finally the Dead Moon Circus. He knew when they'd last spoken that she hadn't said the battle of Galaxia, as it had been too fresh, and the wounds too deep at that point to even utter a word about.
"Usagi, we're here to keep you safe. Your senshi, your friends, they have so much more experience and power now, do you think they'd let something happen to you? After all you've been through, do you doubt their abilities? Do you have no faith in them?"
"No, I have every faith in them, it's my doubt in me that I'm worried about." She was scared - scared that she wouldn't be able to stop it this time, as last time she'd had to drag her future child into the battle to win.
"You shouldn't doubt yourself. You're the strongest warrior of all, and the bravest as well. Not to mention wise, just, and fair. Don't you think that, as Queen, you could have prevented all that happened in the future?" When she shook her head at him, he smiled a sad smile. "Everything you've had to face with the Dark Moon, the Deathbusters, and the Dead Moon Circus, you're future self knew you'd have to face, and your family and friends would have to face, to become what you are meant to become."
"Seiya..." Usagi whispered as she looked up at him, saw the faith in her that shone from his eyes, and smiled. "Arigato."
"Now, how about some ice cream? If I recall correctly, Crown is just around the corner, ne?"
"Let's go!"