After the Battle by Katrina Kadabra
Chapter 17
The walk away from the shine was very slow. What else could it be, Lady Serenity supposed. Although she was happy her parents' were finally at peace, it was a bittersweet time. Even though death came to a star eventually, something in her had always hoped they would be together forever.
It was ultimately Kaiya who broke the silence, as she glanced shyly in Maigo's direction. He had not entered the shine with the children, but he had been watching from a distance.
"I'm sorry you didn't get your memories back," she said.
"No," said Maigo, shaking his head. "Don't be. The way I was going about it, willing to fight you and even hurt you, I didn't deserve to have my memories back."
Lady Serenity cocked her head as if to disagree with Maigo. Whatever his originally intentions, he had ultimately taken a stand away from Oni's side, and there was no shame to be had in that.
"Well, Kaiya, why don't you try and find his memories for him?" she suggested.
"Me?" Kaiya gasped, almost dropping the Garnet Rod on the ground. "I... can't do that!"
"Why not?" Lady Serenity inquired. "You're Sailor Pluto, aren't you?" Kaiya shifted her feet. That was true enough but...
"Please just try Kaiya," Maigo asked. Kaiya sighed. Something in Maigo's voice stirred her, making her want to try harder.
"Alright," she said, holding up the time staff. "But don't get all angry with me if something goes wrong."
Maigo smiled. "Of course not." At this, Kaiya closed her eyes and tried to concentrate her energy on Maigo. It was essential she be connected with him first, before she attempted to look into his past. Through the darkness, she felt a soft light. Buried deep under years of serving Oni, Maigo's original personality was kind, she could sense that. Now to uncover the memories buried deep within him...
"Guardian of time," she whispered. "Show me this young man's past."
On Kaiya's command, a warm purple light began to pulsate from the orb's center, surrounding both her and Maigo. As the light flared, Kaiya's eyes seemed to follow it off into another place.
"You are a Sailor Knight," he whispered. "But originally you did not have your planet. You were born from a dark power, who was searching for the power of the white moon and the cosmos crystal."
"Oni," Maigo whispered, but Kaiya did not respond.
"You arrived on the moon when you were about eight, during the reign of Queen Serenity of the Silver Millennium. She took you in and began to train you as a knight of the Solar System. Both of your attacks, like those of Sailor Saturn, were highly destructive and therefore could not be used. Queen Serenity granted you a sword of power to defend the princess with. In this time, you began to develop a desire to defeat the Dark Kingdom. But before you could do this, Queen Beryl attacked, destroying everything. You, like the others, were reborn, but in the 30th century instead of the 20th. When Oni found you, he decided to put you to work for him, promising you the truth behind your faded memories."
Suddenly, Kaiya opened her eyes, coming back from the trance that using her power had apparently put her in. Groggily, she rubbed her head.
"Was I right?" she asked.
"Dead on," Maigo said. "It's coming back to me now. Only one thing - Oni told me I had another name besides Maigo. What is it?"
Kaiya thought for a moment, still rubbing her eyes. She had heard another name while under the power of the Garnet Orb. What was it?
"Your real name is Shinwa," she said, smiling.
"Shinwa," the boy repeated, allowing the syllables to flow slowly over his tongue. "I think I like it." He smiled at Kaiya and she returned the favor. As the children headed off on towards Crystal Palace, the queen slowed her pace alongside her husband, her eyes still watching the sky.
"I guess it's true... they're never returning?" Lady Serenity asked sadly.
Helios shook his head. "Physically, I'm quite certain we will not see them again. But they're spirits are with us, as ours will be with Lilith and Adam when we pass on."
The queen smiled. Her king always did have a way of saying things to soothe her spirit just as it needed. And now, and she looked into the bright blue sky, she could almost feel her mother and father's loving eyes looking down at her... they would always be together...
"Usagi! Usagi-chan!"
Usagi stirred. A voice was calling out to her. She opened her eyes to see a figure standing before them, with flowing silver-white hair and a crescent moon on her dress. Around her stood Usagi's allies, and at her side was her love, Mamoru. The atmosphere was quiet, their bodies surrounded by nothing but swirling clouds.
"Queen Serenity!" she gasped as the figure came into full view. The old queen nodded, clasping her hands together in happiness.
"I've waited a long time for you, my lovely daughter. You did well."
Usagi shook her head. "I don't know if I believe that. I was always a crybaby, and I hesitated in battle many times."
At this, Ami stepped forward. "That's not true. You've grown so much from when we first met you," she said. "You've become much stronger."
"And what is an achievement without growth?" Hotaru asked.
"Yeah, don't be hard on yourself," Yuuichiro added on. "You did a great job."
Usagi smiled and looked over her friends. Many long hard battles lay behind them, and in front of their children. Thinking back on it, there were probably many things she would've changed. How she fought, how she raised Chibiusa, how she carried on her day to day life. But that life was behind her now. She had no regrets.
"Mamo-chan," she whispered, turning to her prince. "Do you remember what you said to me on our wedding night?"
"I believe so, yes."
"Say it again, just one more time."
Mamoru smiled and put his arms around her, a loving expression Usagi could, and would, forever lose herself in.
"Even someday when we disappear, and new stars are born... Sailor Moon, you will always be invincible. The most beautiful shining star."
The End!
=Quote from the end of Stars, book 3.
Author's Notes: Well, what does everyone think? Right after I finish a story, I always like to go back and review how I think it went. I'm not happy with this story as I've been with others - I think it was far too spread out and the cast was too big. (Boy, I'm full of complaints.) But on the positive side, I'd like to think I did something different and I'm still pretty happy with it. I hope readers are as well. (And I hope you'll accept my apologies for taking forever to finish this. I really should have written the ending first when I was most inspired to do it. ;; Live and learn I guess.)
For the record, as far as this story goes, no the original senshi are not coming back. I think Sailor Moon after so many seasons becomes a bit too predictable, ignoring the fact that even though the senshi have longer lifespans than normal people, eventually they will be gone. This doesn't mean I hate the characters or I'm totally obsessed with death, I just think it makes for a more realistic story. My impression from reading Sailor Moon was that after the senshi's children grew up, their planetary powers would be passed on, as Queen Serenity passed hers onto Sailor Moon. Anyways, thanks for reading. I have a new story that will be coming up soon, so I hope everyone enjoys that too.
-Katrina K.