Chapter One: Heartbreak! Makotos Memories
"Hurry Tiger! Go while you still can!" the young Princess cried to one of her best friends. An old tiger roared at her. It was afraid. Who wouldn't be? The commotion of the noises all around the Princess and her Tiger was deafening.
The transportation room was unusually full. It was one of the most high tech places on Jupiter, since the war planet usually relied on strength rather than technology. Of course, being a part of the Silver Alliance required such a room to allow easy transportation between planets for diplomats. The room was jam-packed with frantic citizens and a few cowardly warriors escaping in ships and teleportation tubes.
Princess Makoto of Jupiter was in her battle uniform, which the tiger had rarely seen her out of since the Princess became thirteen. That was only three years ago. Her normally shiny and carefully tied back honey brown hair was strayed and matted. Several cuts and bruises marred her face. Her hair tie had long since been lost in battle. Several strands of hair stuck to her sweat stained and dirty face.
The Tiger, who had been the Princess's longest friend, companion, and confidant, looked at the Princess questionably. Princess Makoto attempted to push the large feline into one of the transportation tubes.
"Nephlites' forces are getting closer." The Princess said to herself more to than the Tiger.
It was obvious to tell. The citizens and soldiers came in faster, each more bloody and than the last. Finally, after a few seconds, the Princess of Jupiter and her Tiger were the only living beings left. The others had either fled via the transportation tubes and ships or were dead. In the tigers panic, it had given up strength and Princess Makoto was able to shove him in. "Don't worry," The Princess comforted her friend. "You're going back to the Amazon lands, where they found you before you came with me." The Princess managed a weak smile as she entered the destination and the confused Tiger faded away.
Ever since the Princess was born, she had been with that Tiger. As soon as she could be fed, the Tiger had been by her side. Pets were so rare on Jupiter, since the planets gravity would crush smaller weaker animals like kittens and rabbits. Princess Makoto and her Tiger had been inseparable. Of course, the Tiger was two years older than her, but that was because it would not survive on Jupiter as a baby. So in a lot of ways, the Tiger was like her older brother. Her suitors despised it, believing Princess Makoto loved the Tiger more than anything. And in truth, the Princess of Jupiter did. That was why she was taking such care to send it back to the Amazon lands.
Just as her calloused and battle worn hands were punch in her own destination on the keypad near the tubes, she was knocked into the nearby wall by a dark energy blast. Princess Makoto slid to the floor, her head swimming. She was able to make out a dark familiar outline.
"Well, well, well. The Princess and Guardian of Jupiter is finally at my feet." A calm and deep casual voice chuckled.
"Nephlite." The Princess wheezed. The former General of Jupiter smiled. He knelt down on one knee, taking her chin in his gloved fingers. Princess Makoto scowled, as she knocked his hand away. She could already see the dark aura around him. The raw negative energy given to him by Beryl, his new Queen and Mistress. Dark shadow minions were behind him, some covered in blood. And shadow minions did not bleed.
Nephlite let out a loud, mocking laugh, which made Makotos' ears ring. He leaned in close, resting his forehead against hers. A sarcastic and somewhat psychotic grin was etched across the Dark Generals face.
"I finally have power to match yours, Mako-chan. Now I can protect you. Isn't that great?" his eyes were like that of a child getting a BB gun for Christmas. "It's always been the other way around, right? You always protected me. I had no power to protect you, but you were always the Protector. After all, you WERE The Senshi of Protection! Hehehe…and now…" he was overcome in a fit of psychotic giggles. The Princess's face stayed stony, though her nose crinkled slightly at the smell of Nephlites' breath, which held the stench of copper.
"And now you can't even save yourself from me, Princess! But that's ok now!" Nephlite laughed, like it was the funniest thing in the world. He cradled the silent Soldier in his arms. Nephlite seemed to be holding her like a Father to his little girl, but the Princess could feel it. He was holding onto her as a scared child, not a comforting man.
"Beryl's made you insane." Princess Makoto stated plainly. His face turned from gleeful to frightened and angry. He roughly grabbed her by the shoulders and stared at her straight in the eye, as if he was waiting for her to laugh and apologize. The Jupitarian Princess held the same cold, blank look in her eyes.
"SILENCE!" he backhanded his former beloved hard. The back of her skull smashed into the metal wall.
"Don't you SEE?" Nephlite screamed in her face. "Beryl wanted us to be together! That's why she gave me this, you see? So I can protect you. She wanted me to be happy, and she wants you to be happy too!" he explained frantically. It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than her.
"I did it for you. She did it for us!" he cried, as disbelief came into his own eyes, at his own realizations of what he had done came upon him. Tears came down his eyes, as he realized the truth. He leaned over to his Princess, and she, at last, saw what she wanted in his eyes. Sanity. Nephlite caressed her cheek with the back of his gloved hand and smiled. She smiled back sadly. The General lightly pressed his lips upon those of his Princess.
She could feel it. His, no, Beryl's dark aura was overpowering his last light of goodness. She could feel his thoughts come into hers.
'It's too late.' She could hear him. But he was not speaking. It was his voice, inside her head. The gift of telepathy was a small gift the General of Jupiter shared only with the Royal family of Jupiter, of which Princess Makoto was now the last. 'This is the last of my pure life force. The Darkness will soon destroy it. Princess, you know what you must do. There is no pure life left on this planet.'
'I know.' Tears leaked through Princess Makotos beautiful green eyes. 'That's why I weep. Because I know. And…'
'I was so blind.' Nephlites thoughts interrupted hers. The antennae on the Princess's tiara rose up. The dark minions behind them began to panic as the golden tiara, as well as Nephlite and Princess Makoto, became engulfed in swirling crackles of electricity.
Their final thoughts were the same.
'To know nothing means eternal happiness.'
From the Earths Moon, everybody could see the planet of Jupiter sparkle with the shimmering bolts of Sailor Jupiter's last attack. And the first line of the Silver Millenniums defenses.
---
Makoto shot up from her state of sleep. She peeled off of her sweat-drenched sheets. Through her tiny apartment window she could still see the full Moon. The cold wind was blowing through the open window, despite the August weather. Makoto wrapped her sheet around her and softly padded over to the window to close it.
She rested her forehead against the cold windowpane, letting the bitter cold reach her skin. Immediately, goose bumps rose up on the back of her neck, arms, and legs. Makoto let out a soft sigh as she wrapped her arms around herself. She'd been having dreams from her past ever since she had reached her Eternal form.
Out of the corner of her eye, Makoto glanced at one of her plants. She blew a strand of hair away from her face in frustration and approached it. Handling one of the leaves in her hands, she carefully inspected it. A growl rose in her throat. There was nothing she could do. It was from the cold.
The world was changing. None of the Senshi knew it would happen so quickly. She knew when the nuclear winter was coming. All of the Senshi knew. Right after the day of Makoto, Usagi, Ami, and Reis graduation, they received a prophesy from Sailor Saturn and a confirmation of Sailor Pluto. The Nuclear Winter was to come by Princess Serenity's 20th year, eventually freezing over the entire world.
And then ten thousand years later, after the Earth had had a chance to heal and replenish itself, Serenity would awaken as Queen. And, with her Ginzuishou she would awaken all of those with pure hearts.
With the Ginzuishou, she would perform miracles, and grant immortality to herself, her guardians, and all who wished it. She would reign with her King and her little Princess. The Neo-Silver Millennium would be the most prosperous civilization ever.
After they had received their prophecy, Sailor Saturn, the Senshi of Rebirth had given all of the Senshi their final forms. Eternal. That was six months ago. Usagi had celebrated her Nineteenth birthday three months ago in Italy. And now it was August, the nuclear winter slowly but surely beginning.
Ever since then, after Makoto transformed into Eternal for the first time, Makoto had been having dreams of her previous life on Jupiter. She had to work harder to control her powers, almost shocking everybody with static electricity. Her strength doubled as well. She was as strong as, if not stronger, than Sailor Uranus. Makotos hair was also taking a more reddish tint to it. Not only that, but everything was reminding her of Nephlite and Tiger.
Makoto let a small frown cross her face as she made her way to the kitchen. The only Tiger she had ever known had been her enemy. The Senshi of Electricity poured water into her favorite teakettle. Makoto could still remember how long she had been sick from waiting in the rain for so long. Waiting for him…
She put the teakettle on the stove and set on the heat. Reaching up into the cupboard to get her favorite rose petal tea bag, Makoto could still feel an ache in her heart. She had really felt something special inside for him. He had reached a part of her that she had let nobody reach. A part she always kept hidden from everyone. From boys, her friends, her fellow Sailor Senshi…
Makotos concentration was broken as the sounds of the ringing phone pierced her thoughts. She dropped the box of tea bags in her surprise. Makoto swore. She kicked up the box into her hands and set it on the counter as she walked briskly into the living room where her cordless phone was. Grouping around for it in the moonlight, she finally grasped it, and pressed the Talk button.
"Hello?"
"HIIIIIIIIII!" a familiar shrill high-pitched hyper voice made Makoto cringe.
"Hey Mina-chan." Makoto said calmly. "You have any idea what time it is?"
"NOPE!" the blonde cheerfully yelled on the other line. "I'm in New York, remember?"
"Yea…that's right. So, what's up?" Makoto asked as she made her way back to the kitchen, with the cordless phone tucked between her shoulder and her ear.
"I didn't wake you up, did I? I forgot how the time zones are different in New York!" Minako giggled. Makoto smiled faintly as she reached into the cupboard for a teacup.
"Nah. Neighbors woke me up." Makoto lied.
"Don't you tell stories to me Mako-chan! You've been having dreams about your past too, haven't you?" Makoto couldn't help but chuckle. Minako was her best friend, and at times, like her older sister. Nobody even knew that Minako was older than Makoto, if only by five months.
"Yea. But how did you…"
"Because everybody's been having them, silly!" Minako exclaimed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Mostly the Inner scouts, though Ami wasn't sure whether or not you would have them because technically, Jupiter is an outer planet. So tell me Mako-chan, which Dark General was it?"
"Huh? Dark General?" Makoto questioned.
"Yea. In our pasts, there were Generals who used to be on our side, and then they turned over to Beryl. I've been having dreams about Kunzite, you remember, one of the last Generals with the tan and the silver hair? He was such a cutie…oh yea! And Ami has had dreams about Zoicite. He was one of the first guys you fought when you became a Sailor Scout, the rose petal guy. Remember?"
"Ahuh…" Makoto confirmed, somewhat dazed. "Wait, you've heard from Ami?"
"That's right! She's still in that Medical School in Germany, Usagi's just now returning from Italy, and Reis still managing her Grandfathers temple, oh Mako-chan, is she mad at me for missing her Grandfathers funeral?"
"No. The funeral was surprisingly large. Her grandpa had a lot of friends, so I'm sure if you were there she wouldn't have noticed you. She barely had time to say hello to me, that's for sure."
"I'm sorry." Minako said sympathetically. Her demeanor quickly reverted back to its old self. "Poor Mako-chan, nobody pays attention to you," she teased playfully.
"Poor blondie Minako, having to go back to being Sailor V in New York by night and trying out for a gazillion auditions a day." Makoto teased back.
"And you think I haven't heard of the mysterious winged fighter Soldier Jupiter protecting Tokyo?" Minako giggled. "And don't you dare deny it either, I have something to say and you keep making me get off topic!"
"All right! I deny nothing!" Makoto confessed, "So what was it you called to say Mina-chan?"
"Surprise! I'm not in New York anymore! And Usagi got back from Italy, and Ami's back from Germany! We're all here at Reis temple!" Minako burst into another fit of giggles. "I drew the short straw so they made me call you up this early and invite you for breakfast at Reis temple!"
Makotos mind went blank. All the Senshi were back. Her friends who she hadn't seen in a year were back! But, all of them coming back at the same time, and arranging a meeting at Reis temple, well, that never came up with good results.
It was not Minako on the phone asking "Mako-chan? Hello? Are you still there?" that brought her back to reality and present thought, but the whistling of her own boiling teakettle.
---
The image of Makotos shocked face became distorted with ripples of water. A large tigers paw dipped into the cool pond, as if trying to reach the face in the water.
"It's not healthy to be watching a girl that long." A hawk crowed. The tiger looked up at the night sky, and saw his hawk friend fly out the lush green trees. His hawk friend landed right next to him. The tiger groaned and rolled onto its side, facing the hawk. Through its lazy half closed and tired eyes, the tiger could make out the hawk shooing away some of the fire flies that liked to fly by the pond with its wings.
"Why do you care so much? It's not like there's much else to do." The tiger retorted. It nuzzled the cool green meadow, it's fur and whiskers becoming one with the green grass.
"She's all you've been looking at. The Jupiter Senshi, I mean." A fish piped in, as it swam up to the edge of the pond. "Everything!" it continued. "Her dream, her soul, her thoughts, her life, past and present. The only reason you haven't been looking at her future is because Master Helios said you couldn't do that in the dream pond!"
"Don't make me eat you, Fish Eye." The Tiger growled.
"Oh hush!" Fish Eye playfully splashed at Tigers Eye with its tail. Tigers Eye bared its teeth at his fish friend.
"Knock it off, both of you!" Hawks Eye exclaimed, flapping his wings in attempt to calm them down.
"You stay out of this!" the Tiger and the Fish yelled at Hawk Eye.
"Ooh, I'm scared. What're you gonna do Fish Eye? Splash at me?" Hawk squawked. He flew out of the way just in time to avoid Tiger Eyes massive claw swiping at him.
"You're more of a chicken than a hawk." Fish Eye grumbled.
While Fish Eye and Hawks Eye argued, Tigers Eye turned back on his stomach. He let his focus back to the pond. It was showing him the past.
"It's true." The image of a blonde boy was saying to Makotos own image. "Most people who dance here become couples afterwards."
Tigers Eye let out a sad sigh as he recognized which vision this was. Hawks Eye perched himself between the two ears on top of Tigers Eyes head. "I remember this one." Tigers Eye said.
The image in the pond shifted. As always, Fish Eye could not be seen as he swam in the water.
"Thank you, for waiting so long" the vision Tigers Eye was saying to the vision Makoto. A smile reached Makotos features.
'I was so warm. And yet, for some reason I was so nervous. I think I know why now.'
Yet again, the image in the pond changed. It was Makoto. She looked different. Makoto was more regal, and she held her head higher. She was wearing a lovely green dress in what looked like an old castle. The Princess of Jupiter was kneeling in the halls with a tiger. Music was playing in another part of the castle.
"I don't want to go out there and be with the others. I'm so glad that there's barely any dances on Jupiter, but still…" Princess Makoto scratched her pet tiger behind the ears.
"I wish you could dance with me." The Princess said wistfully. "I bet you'd be more fun to dance with then all of those stuffy arrogant…"
"Ahem…" a cough interrupted Princess Makotos rants. She turned around and put on a fake smile. "Ah, General Nephlite! What are you doing here on the Moon Kingdom? Don't you have duties to take care of back on Jupiter?"
"I should be asking the same thing about that infernal tiger. Really Princess, do you find it necessary to bring him everywhere?" he scoffed. "Surely at least I would be a more suitable dance partner." He finally said. The General reached out a gloved hand. Princess Makoto stared at it.
"Please?" his tone turned softer. "That Beryl lady from Earth is wanting to dance with all the other Generals, and she's not taking no for an answer." Nephlites eyes stared straight into hers. The poor Princess couldn't resist his intense gaze.
"All right." She submitted. "You owe me for this." She took his hand.
"Of course, Princess" Nephlite agreed as he pulled her up from her kneeling position. He led her off to the ballroom. Princess Makoto turned over her shoulder to look at her tiger.
"Don't worry!" she comforted the tiger. "I'll come back, and we'll dance!" she winked at it, and the tiger's ears perked up. The Princess laughed before Nephlite dragged her off.
The image faded, and returned to just Fish Eye swimming around in the pond.
"We already know this." Hawk Eye said.
"Yea!" Fish Eye agreed. "Even though this one is new, you already knew that you used to be her pet."
The dream pond rippled again, much to the Amazon Trios surprise.
This time, it didn't show Tigers Eye or Makoto. It showed a little girl with pink hair talking to a Pegasus in what looked like a nice comfortable room of an average 20th century house.
"I don't understand!" the little girl said to the Pegasus. "How could Mako be in love with somebody she just met?"
"Sometimes it's possible for people to fall in love at first sight." The Pegasus replied. "Maybe some day you will too."
The two were interrupted by a scream. The pink-headed girl hurried downstairs of the house. A blonde, older girl with a similar hairstyle as the smaller girls was holding a phone.
"What's wrong Usagi?" the little girl asked. The older girl was holding the phone, her hands trembling.
"Mako-chan…" the older girl stuttered. Her eyes were wide in shock. "She..she…hasn't come home from that dance yet…"
The image was distorted by Fish Eye jumping up right through it.
"You never told us you made her wait so long!" Fish Eye exclaimed.
"It's not something I wanted to brag about." Tigers Eye explained calmly. "What triggered that vision, anyway?"
"I did." A feminine voice from behind a tree said. She softly stepped out from her hiding place. It was the young Princess of Neo-Tokyo. Standing tall and proud was the pink haired princess. She was much older than her younger counter-part in the vision. She now looked the same age as the Sailor Moon that the Amazon Trio had fought in the past. She looked older, and more mature. Her pink hair was not short anymore, but long, if not longer, than her blonde mother.
"Hello, Princess!" Fish Eye exclaimed happily. "What brings you to Elysion?"
"Oh!" The Princess looked down and blushed. A shameful smile crept across her face.
"I was just looking for He….um..never mind. I apologize for listening in. You…" Princess Serenity stepped forward. "Tigers Eye, Helios has told me about you. And I still remember, from the 20th century." She trailed off. The princess kneeled down in the cool green grass in front of Tigers Eye. Hawks eye flew over to the nearest tree branch.
"You have feelings for her. Your heart is true now, and your intentions are pure. Is that correct?" she asked. She took Tiger Eyes head into her hands staring at him straight into his eyes.
"Yes, Princess. It is true." Tigers Eye purred.
"Well then," Princess Serenity released Tigers Eye and fingered her silver chain. She pulled out a silver crystal, and an odd looking key.
"For the benefit of Sailor Jupiter, I will help you."
---
Hey! Sailor Leo here! I'm back, with my writing, and a fresh new idea. Don't you worry, I have a full plan drawn out to finish this!
So, what is the new Princess's plan for our love-struck Tigers Eye?
So, who is this mysterious person who is blowing up cities across the world? And how can he be two places at the same time? WHAT? They're twins?! And they're children of who?! Can't wait for the next chapter: Surprise! Beryls Twins?!
We will finally have revenge for our mother!
It's settled then! We'll have a training trip in the mountains in one week.
You sure are a fine skater, Miss Makoto.