It's been three years since I last hoped to see Usagi again. Trying to be positive is difficult these days, although it seems that Usagi will never return. A wisp of me silently awaits her arrival, but my cynical side disputes that, saying she is dead.
I wonder what it's like, inside the Galaxy Cauldron, neither born nor dead. I can only hope that wherever she is, she is reunited with the ones she loves. I do know, however, that because of her unselfish passion to save the world and the people she loves, Earth was not destroyed. For that, I thank her.
Usagi isn't an easy person to forget. She's one who appears in your fondest memories: in your happiest times. Her happy-go-lucky attitude when nothing was right, and her eloquence when she spoke words of comfort, were qualities to remember. I don't believe she ever judged or belittled anyone, making those whose personalities were unknown to others her friends forever.
Earlier today I attended a funeral in remembrance of Sailor Moon and all of her Sailor Soldiers. It was so ironic when most of the town showed. I'm not trying to downplay them, for they were grateful for everything she did, but they did not know the true sacrifice she made. To them, she was simply a being whose purpose was to protect, not a person who had her own wishes and dreams, and who had a family and loved ones just as anyone else. The hardest part of all this however, was seeing Usagi's loved ones there.
It was I who decided to break the news to them, a daunting task, especially after the funeral. I can remember the shock on their faces when I revealed to them that Usagi was, in fact, Sailor Moon. I don't think the realization of her disappearance dawned on them until sometime after I left, although they greatly expressed their gratitude of me for telling them. Of course, they wanted to know all the details of how I knew, so I ended up telling them the many clues I had picked up over the years. I had figured they wanted to know about her true past, so I told them how, in fact, she was royalty and eventually how I was her sister. It wasn't something I minded talking about. Later that day, I left, not realizing what the day had in store for me.
After that, I had walked home, overstepping the cracks embedded in the stone sidewalk and trying to keep my head up, although gravity seemed to be pulling it down. Reaching my house, I slowly turned the key to the Osa-P front door, walked in and again latched it. Osa-P had been closed that day out of respect for the death of the Sailor Soldiers. Angrily, I ran up the steps to my room. I knew the difference. There was nothing I could do about it though. A glint in the corner of my room caught my eye, and suddenly the tears came. I hadn't said anything to Usagi's family about this: this secret inside of my room. I had an idea how much it would pain them to know.
This morning, before the funeral, something strange happened. As I was in a train of thought, on the park bench next to the cherry blossom trees, a light appeared in the sky. Not a light like the sun, but a star. It looked as if to be quickly advancing toward me, although I hadn't an idea how that was possible. It was a tiny light, and it landed in my hands. It held a great warmth and closeness and I didn't want to let go of it.
It split into four, no five different lights. So small, they were, but they emitted great auras of power. The glowing white one stayed shining in the middle, but each other one was a different color. I can still see it now, the blue, red, green, orange, and white lights. Again, the woman I now know as Queen Serenity appeared from the white light. She told me that this was her star seed, and that she had brought the star seeds of the inner soldiers, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. She told me that they would be needed soon, and to keep them safe. Before I could ask her where Usagi was, her image faded. Now, they sit silently on my nightstand, held by their case, until the day comes that they will be needed again. This will be the day that Crystal Tokyo is born.
I curled up into a little ball, in my comfort position on my bed, and I went to sleep. Tears stained my face and my pillow as I drifted off into the faraway reaches of dreamland.
In my dream, I was back in the past, three years ago, when I was fighting for my life. It was after I found out that I was Princess Naru. I was standing there watching destruction rain down around me, and even though I knew my true self, I didn't know what to do, because the ginzuishou was bound to Usagi's star seed and not mine. I prayed and hoped for safety and protection, looking inside myself to find the inner strength that the Queen had told me about. Suddenly, I felt my star seed emerge. It turned into a glowing white crystal. I became Princess Naru again. A protective shield formed around the world, and a light wave washed over everything. Then, I collapsed, staying awake long enough to see the sunshine return and the buildings reform, becoming the old world I was so familiar with. I knew that had been why I was awakened: to bring the world back from the brink of destruction.
I awoke to familiar surroundings, realizing that I was, in fact, in my bedroom. Queen Serenity had said that the time of awakening would be soon, but how soon? I noticed the star seeds were glowing more brilliantly than they were before I fell asleep. Slowly approaching them I removed the casing that held them in. One by one they glided to the middle of my room, forming a horizontal lunar crescent shape. Queen Serenity's faded figure appeared, along with four of the inner soldiers. I was ecstatic to again see the friends I knew meant so much to Usagi. Queen Serenity's white aura began to flow around each of them and they materialized in my bedroom. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I had expected some sort of message, but certainly not this. As we all turned to face the Queen, her figure disappeared, leaving her faintly glowing star seed, and sadly, we knew that she could not help us any longer. Touching it very carefully, I placed it delicately into a jewelry case of mine, one that seemed to have been made for it, and I put it again on my nightstand. To this day even, Usagi does not know that I have it. I don't know how she would react if she ever found out.
I spent the next day telling them of all that had happened in their absence, and of course, how I was related to Usagi. This surprised them quite a bit. After all, to them I had only been Naru, Usagi's friend. I told them that I could not transform, but that I had some sort of power within my star seed, which I used to protect the Earth as best I could. Apparently this made me very powerful, since even Usagi needed to transform to power up. Until then, I had never thought anything of it, other than the fact that it's my duty.
Soon, it hit me. The world already thought the soldiers were dead. We couldn't just leave it this way. I realized that somehow, it was I who would have to announce it to the world. What I didn't understand was, if the sailor soldiers were back and Usagi was still missing, then what was their purpose? There was no princess to protect.
Suddenly, bits of information unlocked in my mind. I was supposed to lead them as their princess until Usagi returned. I learned of Usagi's second transformation locket, and how it was stored in her room somewhere, locked away. I needed to obtain it.
Walking to Usagi's house I understood that I would have to explain Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako to Usagi's parents, and my purpose for being there. It wasn't so bad really, but I was worried of how they would take it. I didn't want to give them false hope. God knows I've had enough of that for many years now. Ringing the doorbell, we stood tensely, in anticipation of the reactions of Usagi's family.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of the Sailor Moon manga or anime nor am I affiliated with any of its owners or producers.