Author Notes:
Story: Of Earthen Royalty
Chapter: Foreshadow of Memories
Rating: PG
Genre: Action, Drama
Summary: She was a child that survived the war, the war that ended the Silver Millennium. She was given a gift that allowed her to live until the reincarnations of the Royal Court were born. Fate had chosen for her to save the senshi once more, but can she do it? Alone? Even with her powers as the Senshi of Earth?
Japanese Word Translations:
Senshi- soldier, scout
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Kaori's eyes glittered as she watch the Hikawa Shrine. No one was there except for Rei's grandfather. And to be quite honest. . .he creeped her out.
She glanced around, the trees were colored in rusty shades as they shed their leaves.
Soon they would be bare.
The thought hit Kaori and she grimaced. Autumn was never her favorite season, but she knew that sometimes life needed to be sacrificed in order for life's proper rhythm to begin anew. It was an often depressing course of action to take but sometimes that is what is necessary to restore the natural order. Even in nature.
She sighed as a light breeze swept dried, crisp leaves past her.
But sometimes you still can't get used to it. . .
She looked once more at the shrine. Rei would be there soon. What would she think of Kaori working there? Would she be angry? Stunned? Would she see through it all?
Kaori gulped. Rei was perceptive enough to see through it. But could she get past everything else? It is difficult to see through blind spots. Kaori knew that. Well.
She looked hesitatingly at the shrine. What would she say when she saw the old man? When she saw Rei? Could her plans really work? Or was everything she had been doing for the past millennium been a waste?
Shaking the final though from her mind, she walked confidently into the shrine.
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There. In the moonlight. There she is. The princess. . .it has been so long. So long since I have seen her. It is amazing. . .she is still as elegant as ever. She looks so serene. . .I suppose that is how her mother chose her name. Serenity. Fitting.
"Serenity." My whisper catches her attention.
She turns her head slightly to me. Her gaze is mournful but I can still see the burning hope within her. Even after all this time, I can still see it. I envy her strength.
"Asa. . ." She whispers. She remembers me. But this just a dream, I know it is. But the dreams of senshi have been known to be prophetic. Maybe one day I will see her in this state in real life. In her state of elegance and beauty once more. But I hope it will be with that light that had shone in her eyes before. This vision of her seems tame compared to the one time I saw her before her death.
She's dead.
But can a princess really die? One of such innocence as her? With that burning light? It is difficult to believe.
But it still happens. The princesses of this galaxy have long since perished. Except for one. Though I no longer reign with my title, I still watch out for my people. I protect them. I cherish them. Each one holds a soul with a light within their deepest of crevices. Those crevices that lay within their heart. It is a shame that only few recognize what is within them. I suppose that is how the senshi were ordained their gifts. They can recognize the light and use it.
"Child of Earth," She says softly, her lips smiling slightly though her eyes are still sad. "Please, save those in need. You know your path. You understand the just way. Appreciate the law of order but do not stray from thy heart. It is more precious than all other ways. Follow thy heart." She whispers.
Then I watch, I watch the moonlight cast on her turn to a bloody glow, illuminating the sadness in her eyes.
"Follow thy heart." The red glow about her deepens. The moon's crimson glow deepens as well.
She begins to be swallowed by it. "Follow thy heart." Her gentle voice continues to whisper.
"Serenity!" Her form is disappearing. She can't leave me, not even in a dream!
I run to her. But it seems I am running an unending distance. I can't reach her. She is fading too fast!
"Serenity!" I cry her name, the desperation sounding.
Her eyes cast onto my form. I look up. Our eyes meet.
"Asa," She whispers. "Follow thy heart to victory and stay just. Some things work out on their own."
She fades completely. I drop to my knees. So close. I was so close to her. Will she come? Before the end? We will need her. The evil is far too close.
"Please. . .Serenity. . .save us. . ." My plea falls upon unhearing ears and the world around me disappears.
Blackness. All that is around is black. Just one solidified black. I feel it creeping.
Into my soul.
Fine. Take the soul but let the heart remain.
No!
It moves quickly. . .I feel the black invading my body. Right to the heart. It is trying to take over me.
No!
I won't let it! Serenity told me to follow my heart, I will. I won't let this darkness invade it, control it.
It is mine! And mine alone!
"Leave me!" I feel a burst from my heart. I won't be controlled. Simple as that.
I feel energy welling inside me. I feel myself strengthening. Where is this energy coming from?
I see Serenity for a moment, like a snapshot in my head. And then I feel an explosion.
An explosion from deep within me. It sends out waves of emerald light, driving back the darkness.
The darkness leaves. I fall to the ground. My knees hit a hard concrete.
What? That wasn't there before. . .before it was just like an oblivion with a moon, Serenity, and myself.
But now there is concrete. I look at the ground quizzically. This wasn't here before. Neither was that.
Upon the smooth, ivory ground lay a shadow. What could be casting it? It is certainly not a shadow from myself. I look up, my eyes widening as it slowly climbs the image set before it.
The Moon Kingdom!
It can't be! I'm not supposed to be seeing this! Queen Selenity. . .she said that no one would set their sights on it in its magnificence again.
But this is my dream.
Isn't anything possible in dreams? But if this is a prophetic dream, how can it show a dead kingdom?
I gag. My breath suddenly became trapped in my lungs. The palace. . .the darkness is destroying it!
It is crumbling. . .Serenity. . .Are you in there? Please, I pray, please be safe.
The palace. . .crumbling. . .death. . .people. . .hurt. . .pain. . .two orange eyes.
Two glaring orange eyes appear in the dark sky before revealing the body attached to them.
I know who this is. . .
Red hair.
The memories. . .
Blood-red hair.
Are so painful. . .
Vengeance in her soul seeping through her eyes.
How can I forget that look?
Her features gleam with hatred.
It destroyed my life.
Queen Beryl.
You bastard.
I glare at her as she raises her hand and unleashes a blast of energy. It heads toward defiant warriors.
The Sailor Senshi.
Sailor Venus. Sailor Mars. Sailor Mercury. Sailor Jupiter. Dead. All dead.
Murderer.
I growl as I leap to attack her. But I pass right through her. This really is a dream. . .I can't help anyone. I must watch. I must watch the brutal destruction of the gem of the galaxy.
I stand still, rooted to my spot. It can't be. . .please. . .don't let him die by her hand.
"Endymion. . ." My voice is hoarse and quiet.
"NO!" I scream as I see him leap at Beryl. "Endy!"
This can't be happening. Everything is in slow motion. He leaps. She snickers. The princess cries. The princess leaps. The two are thrown into the air. They touch. Their fingertips barely grazing one another. She snickers. Jaded lightning hits them.
My eyes cloud. My heart feels hollow. This could not have happened. Losing each other like that. . .Separated when they thought they had made it. To touch each other just once more, that was all they wanted.
And she destroyed it.
Just like she murdered the kingdom.
My heart sears with anger.
She will die for this. If I couldn't destroy her before, then I will destroy her this time. I will not allow her to take this planet like she took the Moon. Never. Never will I allow her. She will die in the cruel way she took their lives. Only this time the life that is taken will be of just cause.
That much I will see to.
Kaori bolted up. Her heart thundered in her chest. She looked around wildly. Her room was still the same. One closet on the far side of her room. A nightstand beside her bed. A small lamp, an alarm clock, and a picture of Endymion placed on it.
She looked at the picture with a feeling of nostalgia. It wasn't fair, they shouldn't have died like that.
She glared out the window near her bed. It just wasn't fair. What did they do to deserve that? Love each other? Disgusting. No one should die like that.
She let out a frustrated sigh and sank back onto her bed. She was getting tired of waiting. She had been doing it for so long. . .But just a little more. . .Tomorrow everything would pick up. She could finally begin to teach the other senshi of who they truly were.
Finally, destiny would begin to reveal itself to everyone.
Finally.
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"And you know what she did?" Rei said angrily as she told her friends what happened the day before.
"What?"
"She actually came to the shrine! Now she thinks she can work here! Can you believe it?" She slammed her fist on the table in the arcade as if to emphasize her point.
Ami nodded while Usagi grinned mischievously.
"So, Rei, why do you have such a grudge against this girl? Think she's trying to steal your Grandpa away from you?"
Rei glared at Usagi as Mokoto came over to talk to them.
"Hey," He greeted cheerfully.
"Hi!" Usagi said slightly too loud.
Ami winced as she greeted him more quietly.
Rei shot Mokoto a flirtatious smile and said hello.
"So, what's up? Anything new?"
"No, nothing here, what about you?" Rei said quickly before Usagi could answer. The blonde girl glared at her. Rei pretended not to notice, but a small smile creased her lips.
"Not much here, but," He glanced around the arcade. "I think I have to get going, the arcade is getting busy." He nodded towards the people milling around and coming in.
"Alright, bye," Ami smiled as both Rei and Usagi glared at her. She cowered slightly as Mokoto walked away.
Usagi continued to glare at her as Rei caught sight of something else. Someone walked in the door. Someone with the uncommon hair color of pink. Someone with shadows deeps within her crimson eyes. Rei instantly recognized the figure that stepped into the arcade. She scrutinized her carefully.
The figure, whom she now knew as Kaori Chikai. She eyed her carefully, something wasn't quite normal about her. She seemed to possess many abnormalities in her aura. Starting with the simple time discrepancies. There are few who have their auras aged beyond their time, and when they did, it was usually only a few years past their time. And it happened only if a person suffered extraordinarily traumatic events.
But this girl was different. Her aura seemed to be aged one thousand years past the girl's age. And surely the girl was only thirteen or fourteen, right? Right? Rei became nervous as the girl glanced at her with an odd gleam in her eyes.
::She's trying to read me:: Kaori thought as she began to hide other secrets in her aura. She hid them carefully, making sure Rei would be unable to see them. ::But what will she do if she can't read me? She probably knows too much already. Oh well. I was prepared for that. I guess I will just have to confuse her. Perhaps. . .:: A gleeful smile played on her lips for a moment before she went over to Rei's table.
"Hello," Kaori greeted, acknowledging all occupants of the table.
Rei narrowed her eyes. Something was definitely differently about her. . .
"Hi, I'm Usagi," The blonde girl stuck out her hand. Rei scowled at Usagi's friendliness. Couldn't she tell that there was something wrong with Kaori?
Kaori smiled brightly, no matter what, she could always see the light in Usagi's eyes.
"And I am Kaori," She gave her a genuine smile.
"Kaori? Are you the one working at the temple?" Ami asked.
"Yes, I just came over to say 'hi' to Rei. I'm so happy that her grandfather was gracious enough to give me a job at the temple." She smiled sickingly warm at Rei.
Rei grimaced. She wasn't stupid. She knew Kaori was only try to play with her, but she wouldn't let her. She would play with her. She only wished she could see more of her opponents cards. But Kaori seemed to be shrouded in mystery. What was she going to do?
Maybe. . .
Rei tried to read her aura once more before sighing inwardly. Kaori knew too much. She knew that Rei was trying to read her aura. That meant that Kaori also knew how to read auras otherwise she wouldn't have been sensitive enough to notice Rei's probing.
"It was of no problem," Rei said sweetly while her eyes flashed dangerously.
Kaori grinned at the unspoken challenge and responded in kind. "I am still very grateful."
Kaori looked at her watch, "Well, it is time to get going, I have to start my first day at the job!" She said brightly before looking at Rei again. "Didn't your grandfather say that you were supposed to show me how to do everything?"
Rei growled silently. She was trying to control her. She wouldn't let that happen. But, yet, she knew that she was needed at the temple. Her grandfather couldn't handle all the chores on his own and she wouldn't leave him alone with Kaori. Not if she had anything to say about it.
Standing up slowly, she bid her goodbyes and walked toward the exit of the arcade. She walked through the door with the unknown entity known as Kaori beside her.
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AN:
I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, I will have the next chapter out as soon as I can. And don't forget to review^_~