Chapter 1 - Anniversary
***********************************************************************
Hi there, everyone. It has been awhile since I have done anything on this story. I never found the inspiration to continue it until now (writers block). Hope you enjoy.
Sailor Moon is not owned by me, I am only borrowing the characters to create this story
***********************************************************************
Mina awoke to the alarm as she jerked into a sitting position looking around the faintly lit room.
"What? Artemis?" she spoke and yawned at the same time. She looked over to the clock and it read 6AM.
Rubbing her eyes she slipped from her bed and padded over to the bathroom, as was her daily ritual. Opening the shower she undressed and took her time as the hot water droplets eased the ache in her body and wiping away the remnants of sleep of the night before.
She hummed to herself and started to think of what she had to do this day and what courses were scheduled. Thinking which wasn't her strong point in the morning, she couldn't focus.
What did she have today? Today was.Saturday.
Then it hit her. She had no classes today. Then why did she set the alarm?
Shaking her head she got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself and went in search of Artemis.
"Artemis? Is there something we have to do this morning?"
No Answer.
"Artemis?" she spoke as she quietly went around her apartment in search of the feline.
A few minutes later she found a typed message on the dinner table. It read.
'Mina: Gone to the temple early. Don't be late. - Artemis.'
Oh shit! Scout Meeting.
Cursing to herself she went back into the bedroom and dressed as quickly as she could. At eighteen Mina had her own apartment with Lita. Right after high school they had moved into their current abode since it had been near the Rae's Temple and the University they were currently attending; Tokyo U. The same one Darien had graduated from last year and was now an intern at the Tokyo General.
Actually all of the girls were attending the University, all except Rae, who had since taken over her Grandfather's duties at the temple. Of course that didn't stop Rae from continuing her education with home courses. It was perfect so that she could still easily continue her duties at the temple.
What had been surprising was Amy turning down her chance to go to Germany for her schooling. When asked why she turned the chance of a lifetime, Amy had only told them that she hadn't wanted to leave her friends and left it at that. Everyone knew the real reason but didn't say anything.
Lita was taking culinary classes, which hadn't been surprising. Rei was taking Psychology courses; Amy was going in medical and she.
Mina smiled to herself. .Drama was her specialty.
They had all vowed to remain close and did so over the last few years ever since.
Mina frowned suddenly and slowly lowered her head in sorrow.
Serena.
Tears filled her light blue eyes as they slowly fell like droplets of rain from above. Serena had been the one to whom all the others had been connected until that fateful night.
Mina still remembered as if it had happened yesterday, the emergency beeping of her communicator, the hurrying attempts to reach her princess, the fire and then the explosion and searing pain that had gone through each and everyone of them as if a part of their soul had been killed and all knew then that Serena, their leader and Princess was dead.
The blonde covered her eyes with her hands as fresh tears filled her eyes and flowed like a river down her pale face. Still, after all this time, it hurt her to think of her.
Going into the bathroom, Mina quickly washed her face then dried her eyes to cover any traces of tears. Today of all days she had to be strong. As leader of the Inners it was her duty to protect the others and set a good example. She looked in Lita's room and knew before she opened it that she was gone.
Amara, Michelle, and the other Outers were to arrive as well. Amara had been the strongest emotionally as they had attended the funeral. Each girl had broken down to cry as the urn was placed on top a stone pedestal, carrying some of the ashes from the burnt home Serena had grew up in.
Ilene had been a pale fixture who sat too numb to cry or to feel. Ken had kept his arm around his wife, his face cast in sorrow and despair as he tried to keep the family together. Only Sam had felt out of place but had taken some comfort from Darien's own presence.
Though none of them had known why since it had been Darien who had looked worse then any of them and yet as the other girls had looked in his eyes, Rae and Mina had looked at each other in despair at what they saw and felt.
Darien who had lost his family already once before when he was a young child had lost his whole world once more and the shell that had once been had come up and his eyes though filled with sorrow and loss, also looked as if his heart was glaciating over like a river of ice.
It had been the last time any of the girls saw him again. They knew only little crumbs at what was happening in his life from Amy who found out things from her mother who was one of Darien's supervisors. They only knew that he had moved from his apartment, had no girlfriend and though he was nice and polite at work, he was as cold as the mountains when greeted in public.
Mina shook her head. So much hurt. So much sadness.
Grabbing her purse she closed the door to her apartment and went down to the crowded streets below and disappeared.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
"Where is that blond airhead? She should have been here half an hour ago. Today of all days she has to be late." Replied a fiery temperamental redhead
Lita looked at her friend and sighed deeply. "Don't start that now Rae. Especially TODAY!" she stressed out loud.
Rae blushed a bright red and looked quickly away in guilt. "I'm sorry" she whispered.
"As you should be Rae. Mina doesn't know what time we were to meet since I never stressed a time only saying before noon." Artemis mentioned.
The white feline shook his head in reproach and eyed his charges as he heard foot steps racing up a flight of stone steps and he knew Mina had finally arrived.
"Hi Girls. I would have been here sooner except the bus was late. Is everyone here?" She asked as she finally caught her breath from the exertion from running up the steps of the Temple.
From the corner a blue haired girl, holding a medical book shook her head.
"No Mina. The Outers will meet us when we arrive. Only Darien is missing." She said the last part in more than a quiet and sad whisper.
Rae heard it though. "Darien is coming with us?" she asked at once a little of the darkness that each of them felt lighting up a little at the mention of their prince.
"Maybe." Was all Amy said before going back to her book.
Mina looked at the disheartened crew and knew she had to take control back at once.
"Come on ladies we have to hustle if we are to get there before more people get out of bed." She said as she hardened her voice and took command of the tiny group.
The girls all nodded as they made there way to the meeting place.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
The Inner Scouts arrived at the meeting place in time to see Amara pull up in her sports car along with Trista, Michelle and Hotaru getting out. Darien was nowhere in sight.
The outers approached the lonely group and it was some time before any of them spoke as each girl looked for sometime in the others, trying to comprehend what the future now held for them; Their Princess dead, the Prince in hiding. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.
However today did matter, their meeting did matter. This place did matter. Mina looked around the deserted cemetery at the stillness of the wind and the warmth ness of the sun had no bearing here. In the cemetery rows upon rows of stones and names of loved ones that had passed away.
Today only one stone stood out from all of them. To their right stood a lone stone marked grave with a silver urn in the middle with two vases on either side filled with summer flowers made the white stone less harsh though it seemed to brighten with their presence. Upon the Stone mound was the name of their beloved Princess.
SERENA TSUKINO - BELOVED DAUGHTER AND FRIEND
"And to those who knew the real her, savior to the world and Princess." Amy said out loud to the words that they were all thinking. Mina looked at everyone and pulled herself together. "Everyone Transform!!!"
"Venus Crystal Power!"
"Mars Crystal Power!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power!"
"Mercury Crystal Power!"
"Uranus Crystal Power!"
"Neptune Crystal Power!"
"Pluto Crystal Power!"
"Saturn Crystal Power!"
As each girl transformed each remembered the times they shared with Serena both as friends and as comrades.
When all had transformed they each brought forward a small parcel and one by one, beginning with the Inners with Mina and ending with Hotaru, kneeled in respect facing the stone saying a little prayer.
When all were done all you could see in perfect unison bright long stem flowers in different colors of their planets in harmony.
Today was significant. Today was the anniversary of Serena's death 2 years ago. All was quiet. The whole universe seemed to standstill for a minute to celebrate and remember the heroine. This was her time. This was her place.
When it was over, they all said their farewells until the next time. No more was said. The outers and inners went their separate ways.
No one saw the figure dressed in black approach the gravestone and looked at what was there. If someone had seen him they would have seen him slowly fall to his knees before the grave and his hands some up to his face as tears fell from the shadows of his mask.
This was the only time he let all go, this was the only time when he cracked under the strain of his loss. For many minutes he stood their crying and muter words of love and sorrow then grow angry and hammered his fist onto the flat surface of the stone many times until he collapsed from exhaustion. He held the stone in an embrace for what seemed like an eternity many minutes as if it were a lifeline and his beloved.
The figure then stood up as regal as one could, looked down at the stone and said, "Goodbye my meatball head." With that his face underneath the mask became cold as he stepped away from the stone and disappeared into the trees.
Right below Serena's name on the stone, laid out perfectly above the others' was one deep red rose.
To be continued.
***********************************************************************
Hi there, everyone. It has been awhile since I have done anything on this story. I never found the inspiration to continue it until now (writers block). Hope you enjoy.
Sailor Moon is not owned by me, I am only borrowing the characters to create this story
***********************************************************************
Mina awoke to the alarm as she jerked into a sitting position looking around the faintly lit room.
"What? Artemis?" she spoke and yawned at the same time. She looked over to the clock and it read 6AM.
Rubbing her eyes she slipped from her bed and padded over to the bathroom, as was her daily ritual. Opening the shower she undressed and took her time as the hot water droplets eased the ache in her body and wiping away the remnants of sleep of the night before.
She hummed to herself and started to think of what she had to do this day and what courses were scheduled. Thinking which wasn't her strong point in the morning, she couldn't focus.
What did she have today? Today was.Saturday.
Then it hit her. She had no classes today. Then why did she set the alarm?
Shaking her head she got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself and went in search of Artemis.
"Artemis? Is there something we have to do this morning?"
No Answer.
"Artemis?" she spoke as she quietly went around her apartment in search of the feline.
A few minutes later she found a typed message on the dinner table. It read.
'Mina: Gone to the temple early. Don't be late. - Artemis.'
Oh shit! Scout Meeting.
Cursing to herself she went back into the bedroom and dressed as quickly as she could. At eighteen Mina had her own apartment with Lita. Right after high school they had moved into their current abode since it had been near the Rae's Temple and the University they were currently attending; Tokyo U. The same one Darien had graduated from last year and was now an intern at the Tokyo General.
Actually all of the girls were attending the University, all except Rae, who had since taken over her Grandfather's duties at the temple. Of course that didn't stop Rae from continuing her education with home courses. It was perfect so that she could still easily continue her duties at the temple.
What had been surprising was Amy turning down her chance to go to Germany for her schooling. When asked why she turned the chance of a lifetime, Amy had only told them that she hadn't wanted to leave her friends and left it at that. Everyone knew the real reason but didn't say anything.
Lita was taking culinary classes, which hadn't been surprising. Rei was taking Psychology courses; Amy was going in medical and she.
Mina smiled to herself. .Drama was her specialty.
They had all vowed to remain close and did so over the last few years ever since.
Mina frowned suddenly and slowly lowered her head in sorrow.
Serena.
Tears filled her light blue eyes as they slowly fell like droplets of rain from above. Serena had been the one to whom all the others had been connected until that fateful night.
Mina still remembered as if it had happened yesterday, the emergency beeping of her communicator, the hurrying attempts to reach her princess, the fire and then the explosion and searing pain that had gone through each and everyone of them as if a part of their soul had been killed and all knew then that Serena, their leader and Princess was dead.
The blonde covered her eyes with her hands as fresh tears filled her eyes and flowed like a river down her pale face. Still, after all this time, it hurt her to think of her.
Going into the bathroom, Mina quickly washed her face then dried her eyes to cover any traces of tears. Today of all days she had to be strong. As leader of the Inners it was her duty to protect the others and set a good example. She looked in Lita's room and knew before she opened it that she was gone.
Amara, Michelle, and the other Outers were to arrive as well. Amara had been the strongest emotionally as they had attended the funeral. Each girl had broken down to cry as the urn was placed on top a stone pedestal, carrying some of the ashes from the burnt home Serena had grew up in.
Ilene had been a pale fixture who sat too numb to cry or to feel. Ken had kept his arm around his wife, his face cast in sorrow and despair as he tried to keep the family together. Only Sam had felt out of place but had taken some comfort from Darien's own presence.
Though none of them had known why since it had been Darien who had looked worse then any of them and yet as the other girls had looked in his eyes, Rae and Mina had looked at each other in despair at what they saw and felt.
Darien who had lost his family already once before when he was a young child had lost his whole world once more and the shell that had once been had come up and his eyes though filled with sorrow and loss, also looked as if his heart was glaciating over like a river of ice.
It had been the last time any of the girls saw him again. They knew only little crumbs at what was happening in his life from Amy who found out things from her mother who was one of Darien's supervisors. They only knew that he had moved from his apartment, had no girlfriend and though he was nice and polite at work, he was as cold as the mountains when greeted in public.
Mina shook her head. So much hurt. So much sadness.
Grabbing her purse she closed the door to her apartment and went down to the crowded streets below and disappeared.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
"Where is that blond airhead? She should have been here half an hour ago. Today of all days she has to be late." Replied a fiery temperamental redhead
Lita looked at her friend and sighed deeply. "Don't start that now Rae. Especially TODAY!" she stressed out loud.
Rae blushed a bright red and looked quickly away in guilt. "I'm sorry" she whispered.
"As you should be Rae. Mina doesn't know what time we were to meet since I never stressed a time only saying before noon." Artemis mentioned.
The white feline shook his head in reproach and eyed his charges as he heard foot steps racing up a flight of stone steps and he knew Mina had finally arrived.
"Hi Girls. I would have been here sooner except the bus was late. Is everyone here?" She asked as she finally caught her breath from the exertion from running up the steps of the Temple.
From the corner a blue haired girl, holding a medical book shook her head.
"No Mina. The Outers will meet us when we arrive. Only Darien is missing." She said the last part in more than a quiet and sad whisper.
Rae heard it though. "Darien is coming with us?" she asked at once a little of the darkness that each of them felt lighting up a little at the mention of their prince.
"Maybe." Was all Amy said before going back to her book.
Mina looked at the disheartened crew and knew she had to take control back at once.
"Come on ladies we have to hustle if we are to get there before more people get out of bed." She said as she hardened her voice and took command of the tiny group.
The girls all nodded as they made there way to the meeting place.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
The Inner Scouts arrived at the meeting place in time to see Amara pull up in her sports car along with Trista, Michelle and Hotaru getting out. Darien was nowhere in sight.
The outers approached the lonely group and it was some time before any of them spoke as each girl looked for sometime in the others, trying to comprehend what the future now held for them; Their Princess dead, the Prince in hiding. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.
However today did matter, their meeting did matter. This place did matter. Mina looked around the deserted cemetery at the stillness of the wind and the warmth ness of the sun had no bearing here. In the cemetery rows upon rows of stones and names of loved ones that had passed away.
Today only one stone stood out from all of them. To their right stood a lone stone marked grave with a silver urn in the middle with two vases on either side filled with summer flowers made the white stone less harsh though it seemed to brighten with their presence. Upon the Stone mound was the name of their beloved Princess.
SERENA TSUKINO - BELOVED DAUGHTER AND FRIEND
"And to those who knew the real her, savior to the world and Princess." Amy said out loud to the words that they were all thinking. Mina looked at everyone and pulled herself together. "Everyone Transform!!!"
"Venus Crystal Power!"
"Mars Crystal Power!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power!"
"Mercury Crystal Power!"
"Uranus Crystal Power!"
"Neptune Crystal Power!"
"Pluto Crystal Power!"
"Saturn Crystal Power!"
As each girl transformed each remembered the times they shared with Serena both as friends and as comrades.
When all had transformed they each brought forward a small parcel and one by one, beginning with the Inners with Mina and ending with Hotaru, kneeled in respect facing the stone saying a little prayer.
When all were done all you could see in perfect unison bright long stem flowers in different colors of their planets in harmony.
Today was significant. Today was the anniversary of Serena's death 2 years ago. All was quiet. The whole universe seemed to standstill for a minute to celebrate and remember the heroine. This was her time. This was her place.
When it was over, they all said their farewells until the next time. No more was said. The outers and inners went their separate ways.
No one saw the figure dressed in black approach the gravestone and looked at what was there. If someone had seen him they would have seen him slowly fall to his knees before the grave and his hands some up to his face as tears fell from the shadows of his mask.
This was the only time he let all go, this was the only time when he cracked under the strain of his loss. For many minutes he stood their crying and muter words of love and sorrow then grow angry and hammered his fist onto the flat surface of the stone many times until he collapsed from exhaustion. He held the stone in an embrace for what seemed like an eternity many minutes as if it were a lifeline and his beloved.
The figure then stood up as regal as one could, looked down at the stone and said, "Goodbye my meatball head." With that his face underneath the mask became cold as he stepped away from the stone and disappeared into the trees.
Right below Serena's name on the stone, laid out perfectly above the others' was one deep red rose.
To be continued.