Leaving

I was packed and ready to go before the Outer Senshi got a chance to say goodbye. I loved the Senshi with all my heart, but the bad luck that followed me everywhere wouldn't give them a chance to live. I had to get away.

So, in the middle of the night, I snuck out from my room. Leaving a note of my departure of course.

I stepped outside to the breezy Neptune air, tainted with the smell of the sea. I inhaled the salty air for the last time, knowing in the back of my mind, that I wouldn't return to breathe it once again. I squared my shoulders, mind set, and turned my back to the seaside palace of Neptune. In front of me stood my transport ship.

My mind set, my will sharp, I walked towards the ship that would take me away from the planet I was introduced to 9 years ago and fallen in love with ever since. A crunch of sand behind me brought me back from reminiscing the good times. Turning around sharply, I whirled to meet the face of the Captain of the Neptune Guard.

Oops.

"So, the Senshi of Dreams runs away from the very thing she is known for. Dreams." He smiled and walked closer to me, each step resounding loudly in my head. I was caught. He was going to make me stay on Neptune just like Uranus would've liked. I would get them killed. I didn't know how long my luck was going to last before my curse came back to haunt me and killed them off.

I wouldn't allow that.

"If you want to take me back for a long farewell to the Scouts, it's not gonna happen." Back then, I was a regular risk taker and jumped right into things sometimes. Usually the first thing that would pop into my head during a tight situation was my sword, Maboroshi.

My hand flew to my sword hilt. The Captain took notice.

"C'mon, no need for that. I won't turn you in." He walked over to me slowly with a gentle smile on his face.

It was the first time I realized how young he really was. Probably around 16 or 17. Spiked blonde hair and icy blue eyes. Wow.

I was in such a trance that when he touched my hand and gently pulled it away from Maboroshi, I hardly noticed and just flowed with it.

The Captain held my hand within his and pulled it closer to him, as he moved closer to me. Still, I was captured by his very presence. I was up against his armored chest now, his strong arms slowly wrapping themselves around me. At last, I was in his firm yet gentle embrace. Instead of being entranced, as I was earlier, I was just in shock.

The Captain of the Neptune Guard and…. me? I had never turned to look his way, but he was always keeping an eye open for me. I never noticed that he was always there for me in times of trouble. I never noticed any of this. I never noticed that he was giving all his heart to me all these years.

I never noticed…

He seemed to be mumbling something: "Don't go…please, don't…" he seemed to really want me to stay, but how was I to react to this??? All I wanted to do tonight was leave Neptune, not hear someone pour their heart out to me!

All of a sudden, he gasped in pain and jerked away from me clutching the place on his chest where his heart was. I was, (stupid me) still in shock, but came to when I saw him drop to his knees gasping for air in pain.

I ran over to him and placed a hand on his shaking body. He seemed to be mumbling something again, but more to himself than me.

"…no gasp …I will gasp …not …let you gasp ..take over…"

"What? Who's taking over? Shuhan-sama, tell me!" I knelt on the ground next to him.

"…please gasp Yume, gasp go…"

"No! Not until I find out what's going on!" I eased up a bit, "let me help you…"I reached out a hand to him, but he slapped it away.

"Don't! gasp …he's using, my gasp ..my…" there was a pressing pause then. His shaking had subsided, but his breathing was still labored. He continued. "my…love for you….to get to you…" Shuhan-sama finally lifted his face for me to see that he was being perfectly honest. I was shocked by his sudden facial change.

His brow was dripping with sweat; despite his pain, he still smiled at me, as he always used to. But his eyes. His eyes were filled with so much pain, both physically and spiritually. I could tell he was fighting inside of himself, a realm I would never be able to venture despite the fact that I was the Senshi of Dreams.

…so much pain…

Within seconds, his eyes squeezed shut and his body was racked with more pain.

Then, he stopped. The shaking was no more and he seemed to be all right. What a relief!

"Thank goodness you're—"

And then he kissed me.

Shock. Utter shock. I didn't move, I didn't blink, I hardly breathed. He loved me this much?

No.

He would never be so rash as to do something like kiss a Senshi.

And yet, I still couldn't move. I was so drawn into the kiss, that my body wouldn't move, even if my mind was racing.

Then, the Shuhan I knew pulled away and screamed, pain coursing through his body instead of being centered like before. He staggered away from me, shaking. I was about to run over to him, but he backed away again then yelled at me, "GO! Leave now before I—" his hand moved toward his belt and pulled out a long, menacing looking sword.

My eyes opened wide in shock. That person, that-that-that thing was in almost in full power now. Maboroshi slid out of its sheath with a hiss.

"No Yume-hime, please, leave!" the Shuhan I knew was speaking, though his eyes were clouded over.

Wait. Yume-hime? What the heck?! –Hime, me?! I was no princess! I had no planet to rule over, I was no princess! What was he talking about?

I heard him roar 'leave now!' seconds before he was feet away from me, blade drawn. I looked up just in time to parry the blow and jump backward. He lunged again. I parried. He lunged, I took to the defense. There were no gaps in his swift moves; left, right, downward blow, upward strike. He was Captain of the Guard and I was no match for his skills.

He lunged at me with a roar and our blades met with a clash of steel. We were in a deadlock. He took the chance to speak to me, though Shuhan's words were not his own, I noticed

"Yes, you are a Princess. One of the five whose galaxy was destroyed. The look in your face asks who could have the power to do such a thing? Who Yume-hime? Me."

I gasped.

He pushed his sword even further to my face.

"Yes, it was I who destroyed your pathetic little galaxy. I am also quite proud of this accomplishment too." The freak controlling Shuhan was laughing. Laughing. Laughing. If I were some princess like he said, I was not about to take this from some sick freak.

"Proud? Proud?! How dare you be proud of something like that!" my anger motivated me, and I pushed forward with strength unknown to me.

The next thing I knew, the Captain of the Neptune Guard was on the ground motionless, staring at me with someone else's eyes, sneering. His shoulder was bleeding profusely from the long slash he took from Maboroshi, yet he didn't flinch. Whoever was controlling Shuhan didn't feel a thing, but I bet Shuhan would when he woke up.

The sick freak laughed slightly and said, "Until we meet again Princess of Sakia." With that the being that inhabited Shuhan-sama took his leave and left me with a wounded Shuhan.

I was quite shaken by the whole experience but came back to myself when I heard Shuhan-sama's groan of pain. I rushed over to him and tore off a piece of my cloak. Cautiously, I bound his arm in a sort of sling and wrapped up his blood red shoulder.

Then, placing a hand on the Captain's forehead, I gently entered his Chamber of Mind. This place is where dreams are formed and the mind rests when unconscious. I walked among the crimson red mist of his mind and delved deep within my own powers. I sought the warm feeling inside of me and brought it forth. I relaxed and let the power flow through me, around me, out of me into the mind. I performed the spell 'Eximo Somnium' , Dream Release, and put his body to rest.

Quietly leaving his spirit lying there on the floor of the mist, I left Shuhan's Mind.

And just as quietly, I left Neptune.