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Author's Note: Thank you so much for everyone's limitless patience!!! I hope that this will suffice to curb appetites for the holiday season. I'll see you guys in the new year!! WooWoo!!!
I tried for a longer chapter this time--do you guys like the longer chapters or the shorter chapters better? Which would you like to see in the future?
This part of the story is a little more graphic RE: small, small amount of violence--just skip the part involving Beryl and Nariko on the balcony if you'd like to avoid it.
Oh!! One more thing (sorry!!!): what should I write in my summary? This is important. Anyone have any ideas?
I don't own Sailor Moon.
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Long red hair fell in soft, wind-blown waves to the stone of the balcony's floor as Beryl looked out into the dark abyss of the night-dark forest. Summer's warm winds had cooled to welcome a speedy fall, and the air that had once smelled sweetly of fir trees and flowers now exuded a less-pleasing aroma of slowly dying petals and the rot of fallen leaves. A waning moon hung low in the sky as though clinging tenuously to the clouds that surrounded its glowing form. . . how she hated the moon. . . .how she hated its brilliant presence. . . its disruption of the sweet, ebony night. Ebony. . . . She had once known a family with dark, ebony hair--the departed royal family nonetheless. They had ruled the kingdom which Beryl had now claimed as her own (and rightfully so as the supposed cousin of the Queen Shina). Under their rule, the kingdom had flourished and prospered; their rule was personal, and the family would often visit with the people of the land to see how their decisions in government had altered the life of those it affected.
They had been well-loved but nearly everyone. . .nearly everyone. . . .
"But there was one who did not cherish your ministrations, Shina," Beryl's lips peeled away from her moonlit teeth.
Beryl had seen that the royal family perished. The king, the queen, the would-be princess. . .everyone of the Shield's bloodline died by assassination--everyone except for Endymion. When the young boy had first managed to evade all tactical assassination attempts on his life, Beryl had thought that she would have to end his life personally; however, after sending one of her generals to observe the boy, she discovered that Endymion had suffered some form of shock-amnesia. He wandered aimlessly without memory of who or what he was, and--much to Beryl's luck--no one recognized him. Even with this stroke of luck, Beryl still thought it necessary to kill Endymion before he could become a threat. Had Nariko not forewarned Beryl of the advantages that would come with allowing the young boy to live, Endymion would not exist in the world presently; his life would have ended long ago.
"My queen, you should not concern yourself over such matters. They are in the past," a whispery voice warned in a nearly satiric tone.
"I told you to stay out of my mind, Nariko," Beryl hissed before turning to face the seemingly youthful soothsayer.
Nariko tossed her long honey-brown hair, as her hand touched her silky strands, the colour changed from honey-brown to a deep, intense ebony. "Forgive me, my queen. I only did so for your own good. Such thoughts of the past tie us down and limit our capacity to embrace the future. You must be stronger than that. . . you must be better. You must commit yourself to the future, my queen, because soon, very soon, all that I have foretold you will come into existence."
Beryl arced a thin red eyebrow at the shifty woman who stood before her. Nearly a head's length shorter than Beryl, the soothsayer seemed to impose a greater power than the fiery queen. The thought infuriated Beryl. Beryl tensed her hand and extended her spider-thin fingers towards Nariko. The soothsayer's face fell as she was thrown against the castle's exterior wall just left of the balcony, and she desperately clawed at the chance to regain her cool composure. Nariko was terrified of heights, and as Beryl let her dangle precariously--legions above the tall peaks of the fir trees so far, far below--Nariko's mind was swimming in a torrent sea of nausea and fear. And Beryl knew.
"Nariko. . . ?" Beryl's voice was filled with a twisted humour refined over centuries of hate-filled waiting. The soothsayer could not find a voice to respond. "Nariko. . . I think that you and I need to have a chat, Nariko. You haven't been very obedient lately. One might even accuse you of overstepping your clearly defined restraints."
"N-no. . . please. . . ," Nariko begged, her silver eyes were rolling wildly in her sockets. "P-please. . .my queen. . . ."
Beryl's dark eyes narrowed as she heard the woman supplicate for her release; it was pathetic. Beryl arched a finger, and Nariko's body was slammed into the stone floor of the balcony. Beryl had not allowed for Nariko to stifle the impact, and consequently, the soothsayer's chest and ribs had been crushed against the stone. Hot, sticky liquid oozed from Nariko's gaping mouth as she eased herself from the unforgiving hard ground. Beryl snorted her disgust with the soothsayer's inability to stand up to her presentation of power; Nariko behaved as though she was untouchable but was weak to confrontation.
"Nariko. . . . Nariko. . . ?"
Nariko pushed her body from the ground and stood, swiping the blood that dripped from her mouth away with her purple, brushed-cotton sleeve. "Y-yes, my queen?" Nariko's voice was satisfyingly meek.
"The moon, Nariko. You promised me my answer."
Nariko drew out a small wooden staff from her belt and held it at arm's length, pointed towards the aforementioned glowing form in the sky. "The moon is weakening, my queen. Your time is nearly here. If you time this as I tell you, the lunarians will cease to exist, and you will not be threatened by them any longer. Without the lunarians, your reign--your very life--will be safe and remain unquestioned. Well, it will be the first step to that means, anyway. You have yet to solidify a bond with one of this planet--you cannot continue to drain Gaia's energy--but once you do, you may continue to live here. Endymion will serve you well to this means."
"The moon, Nariko," Beryl's patience was once again wearing thin.
Nariko began to spin her rod, a image of a dark shadow cast itself over the moon. "You must time it precisely, my queen. When the moon is at its fullest moment in the heart of winter's coldest night, you must force the eclipse with your powers. You will succeed. The lunarians are peaceful and do not believe that Gaia can touch the Moon, and visa versa. You must time it well, my queen. I will assist you if that is your desire."
"Your descriptions are much too flowery, Nariko. When I ask you for an explanation, spare me your speech full of fine words; they are wasted on me and only work to fuel my temper."
"Of course, my queen."
Beryl gathered her deep violet skirts as Nariko stopped spinning her rod. The soothsayer slid the rod back into her belt and followed the taller woman inside the bare candlelit chamber. "What of Endymion?"
"Nothing has changed, my queen. He will do as you say."
Beryl considered the soothsayer's words, a smile crawled across her spidery lips. "As I say. . . . You are dismissed Nariko. Report to me should anything change. And, Nariko. . . ."
"Yes, my queen?" Nariko's voice quivered with fear of her queen's next request.
"Send me Hamish on your way out. He will be waiting outside of the chamber."
Nariko nodded and bowed low to the floor. Her skirt-covered knees briefly brushed up against the cold floor before she rose and left the room.
Beryl smoothed her thin fingers over the curve of her violet bodice. The soothsayer's whims seemed to have been temporarily calmed, but they would return. Of late, Nariko had been nearly eager to contradict or question Beryl's position--like a child testing a parent's limits. . . an especially annoying little child--one that had uses yet to fulfill. Beryl felt her skin crawl as though thin spider legs had scurried over the milky flesh of her exposed arms and had their venomous fang-like teeth knifing through the first layers of her skin; she recognized the sensation as Hamish's gaze.
Beryl turned to find the sorcerer in standing aloof by the door. The powerful being was in the form of a man: his preferred cast. "Nariko seems confident that all she has foreseen will succeed."
"I will not fail, my queen."
Beryl raised her red eyebrows before drawing them both in a downward arc. "You are prepared then?"
"Yes," the sorcerer smiled briefly before returning to his relaxed deportment. "The lunarians will not be a to threat you after the eclipse, my queen."
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Some colour had returned to Ami's ivory-rose cheeks, and Serenity delighted in her friend's gradual recovery. Nearly one month had passed since Shingo's death and the blue-haired woman had only recently begun to climb out of her depressive state. She had been curled in a blanket and tucked away in the corner of her bedroom window, her body perched on the thin wooden sill. Her eyes were faded and distant, even as the twin orbs fought to focus on Serenity. The taller, blonde-haired woman sat next to Ami and pulled her into the best hug their awkward hug would allow. Together, they stared at the oak planks lining the chilled floor, silent. . . waiting. . . .
". . . waiting for the sky to fall. . . ," Ami muttered before pulling the blanket closer to herself. Serenity tilted her head and offered Ami a confused gaze. The blue-haired woman smiled at Serenity and explained. "My father says that when the soldiers on the field are quiet, it seems like they're waiting--like the silence is preemptive of this great event. They--he and the other generals and commanders he served with-- would joke and say that they are waiting for the sky to fall, so that they could wake up from their nightmare and know life, and know love, again. Because the sky can't really fall, can it? If it did, you would know that you were dreaming, and then. . .then, maybe, just maybe, everything would still be okay. You know? So, maybe. . .maybe that's what I've been doing. . .waiting for the sky to fall. . . . That wouldn't be a bad thing, would it?"
Serenity blinked bleakly at Ami, not entirely following her speech. She carefully considered her response before allowing words to tumble recklessly from her mouth. Serenity removed herself from the windowsill and snatched an apple from Ami's eating tray that lay on the patchwork quilt covering Ami's bed. She gently tossed Ami the red-skinned apple. "Ami-chan, I want you to consider something for me, okay?"
"Okay, Serenity," Ami replied, dipping her head in encouragement and acceptance.
"I want you to close your eyes and envision the single-most perfect moment in your life. . .the moment when you were happiest and safest. . .the moment when nothing could ever possibly go wrong. Now freeze that moment, freeze that feeling--that happiness. I think that you have a choice, Ami-chan. If you could live in that moment forever, be eternally happy, never know anything outside of safety, would you? If I said that all you needed to do to live in that moment forever was let go of the apple, would you? If you were to let go of the apple, you could know that happiness eternally, never die, and forever live in love. You would never hurt, feel scared or unsure, fear death or dying; you would be safe, Ami- chan, entirely safe. All you have to do is drop the apple, and you'll never have to experience what life has to offer. You will never have to know an imperfect day, a bump or bruise, a tear, a different smile, a new face. . .a broken heart. . . ," Serenity paused and sat beside Ami again, her hands resting lightly on the overhang of the white-framed sill. "If you don't want to live in that moment of pure bliss and safety, eat the apple, and experience what it has to give you. . . devour life and absorb its lessons. But you don't have to, Ami-chan. Either way, we will all accept your decision."
A silence enveloped the room as the two young women sat side-by-side in quiet stillness. The red apple rested in Ami's delicate, lily hand: stationery. The floor planks were once again investigated by wandering eyes. When the moon's dim light crept across the floor which they watched with such intensity, Serenity rose and left the house, hugging Ami briefly before departing in silence. The blue-haired woman sat on the windowsill for a long time. The moon had crept over halfway across the sky's dark, diamond blanket when she finally rose, apple in hand, and rode her horse to Shingo's grave.
The snow had frozen solid over both Shingo's tombstone and burial ground, and the sky had begun to cry tears of thick flurries. Ami's knees were shot with pain when she slumped onto the ice-covered earth. Her bare hands tore at the ice in near-desperation. Blood poured from her fingers. Her nails doubled over backwards as slivers of ice and frost ruptured the skin beneath her fingernails, tearing the untouched flesh from her hard talons. She was in so much pain but unable to feel the hurt. When the ice had receded into an acceptable hole, Ami sat back and looked at her mad design. A hole of crimson snow and ice rested beneath Shingo's tombstone, over his grave.
"I've been waiting, Shingo. . .waiting for the sky to fall. . . . You are--were--my everything. . . . You held the sky up for me, and now I'm waiting for it to fall and crush me. . . just like you crushed me when you left me. . . . Only now, I want it to happen. I want it to stop, Shingo. I want it all to stop," Ami paused and dropped Serenity's gift into the blood-stained hole she had created. "I want the sky to fall and make me wake up from this nightmare, Shingo. . . . I want to wake up.
"You told me to be strong, Shingo, and I haven't tried yet. . . . I want to try now. I'm going to go away from here, Shingo. . . . I want to find a place where I won't wait for the sky to fall and crush me. . . . I want to live. . . ," Ami reached over to his tombstone and hugged it closely as though she was hugging her soulmate one last time before a final departure. "I'm going to go and live, Shingo. I'm going to be stronger now. Please keep me safe from the sky collapsing; I know you still watch out for me. . . . I love you, Shingo. Do not forget me."
Ami stood up quickly, her eyes tearing away from Shingo's place of final resting. She ran back to her horse and rode through the dark night, returning to her home. In her wake, Ami had left the blood-stained hole in the company of an apple core; she had made her decision.
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Endymion slung a saddlebag over his shoulder. When Nephrite had announced that he had located a place for the group of four to reside during the winter months, the soldier had experienced a horrible lapse in emotion. Endymion not been certain as to whether he was relieved to be rid of Serenity (the two had reverted back to their unusual insults and offensive bickering the day after sharing the rose), or if he would miss her. Endymion had, of course, dismiss the latter immediately; however, the thought still resided in his unconscious mind. He took a cursory glance around the room Lord Tsuniko had afforded him before opening the door and leaving the room.
Much to Endymion's surprise, Serenity was crouched by his door. He raised one of his ebony eyebrows and looked down at the small form legions below him. Serenity looked up at him slowly, her eyes rising from his boots to his blue eyes. She flushed pink and stood up, her size against him only improving mildly, and thrust a small package into his hand. Endymion balanced his saddlebag on his broad, muscular shoulder and opened the brown paper. The shirt Serenity had 'borrowed' all those nights ago during their bathroom incident lay folded and washed in the center of the package. Dried rose petals rested on the top of the white fabric. Endymion looked up and caught Serenity's crystalline eyes trying to catch some sign of his emotion or response.
Endymion retied the package and dropped it onto the floor. Serenity took it as some form of rejection and began to move away from him, but (once again) Endymion grabbed her petite hand. "Thank you."
Serenity stared at his hand as it enveloped hers. Awkwardness should have settled between them, and had either one thought to say something, it would have. However, Endymion and Serenity both lapsed into a content moment of quiet.
Endymion gazed down upon her head of golden-silver hair. She was so small compared to him, so petite and delicate. . .like a rose. Endymion was certain that he had only been able to clutch at her thorns before, but maybe. . .maybe now he would find something else. Maybe now this embodiment of perfection would not spike him. Serenity's bangs covered parts of her eyes, and Endymion struggled valiantly to keep himself from brushing them back. . .to keep himself from touching her. There was something about the way she made him feel--angry and frustrated and happy. . .deliciously happy--that drew Endymion closer to Serenity's smaller figure. The saddlebag slipped from his shoulder and fell onto the package on the floor with a soft thud. He didn't notice. She didn't notice. Time seemed to freeze and capture all of Serenity's beauty and spirit for Endymion to behold as his strong body moved closer to her. Serenity's innocent eyes watched Endymion's chest rise and fall at a faster rate, she could feel his breath on her hair. . . in her hair.
Without releasing her hand, Endymion brought his other hand to the smooth, soft skin of Serenity's face. The backs of his sword-toughened fingers lightly grazed the surface of her flesh, coaxing a flush of red to swarm her cheeks. He loved her reaction to him. Absolute innocence stood before him in the form of a wingless angel. . . complete and utter beauty in simplicity. Her eyes closed for a brief moment as his fingers continued to travel, a peaceful expression resting on her warm, dawn-tinted lips. The tips of his fingers moved down to Serenity's neck, and she gasped at being touched with such care. . .care from Endymion. He gently applied a pressure just behind her neck where her silky hair began. She did not fight him, and he easily tilted her head towards his lips. Her crystalline eyes reopened and were imploring as they searched his face for some sign of intention.
"Endymion?" she sounded. . .frightened. He wanted to comfort her and take the fear from her voice. His mind faded into the distance leaving only emotion and desire. . . desire to make Serenity happy. . .to make her entirely his.
But conveying this to Serenity proved more challenging than he had considered. Just when he could feel her sweet breath on his moist lips, Endymion felt a quick, acute pain scorch his groin. Doubling forward, Endymion let out a low groan and tried to comfort his injured area. Serenity's eyes were wide with surprise; she had not intended to knee his groin. She withdrew quickly, immediately regretting her irrevocable actions. In all of her life, Serenity had not known a greater desire than that which she felt when Endymion had first come close to her. . .but it had happened all wrong. No matter how much she wanted his kiss--her first kiss--she knew in her heart and mind that Endymion did not care for her, no matter what foolish crush she had developed for him.
Endymion groaned again, his voice a low growl. What had he been thinking!?! This was ordango-atama! Yet that desire. . .that swell of need that had engulfed his logical mind. . . .
"Endymion!" a new voice intercepted his thoughts. Serenity leapt back as though Endymion had threatened to slice her from navel to nose with his broadsword. The young woman took off down the hall as Nephrite entered from the other end. "Endymion! You're late! Can you not be on time for anything? Gizborne isn't just going to wait for us, you know!"
"Take it easy on him, Nephrite," Zoicite snorted as she emerged from the corner of the hall at the opposite end. "Our dear soldier-boy was trying to pull some moves on Serenity. I think that he's got too many pent- up urges. To think that he'd try to relieve some on a near-child!"
Nephrite shot Zoicite a condescending glare as she burst into fits of laughter. "You're no better than Endymion, Zoi. You're all making us late. Now lets go!"
Endymion stood up as carefully as he could, quaking in anger--mostly directed towards himself, but easily targeted at Zoicite. She didn't understand. . .he barely understood himself. . . . He didn't want to.
"Silence yourself, Zoicite," he finally snapped. Collecting his saddlebags and package from Serenity, he pushed past the seemingly male general and stormed down the hallway in the opposite direction of Nephrite. Zoicite took a moment longer to recover from her laughter; she had never seen Endymion screw up with a woman so many times.
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Author's Note: Thank you so much for everyone's limitless patience!!! I hope that this will suffice to curb appetites for the holiday season. I'll see you guys in the new year!! WooWoo!!!
I tried for a longer chapter this time--do you guys like the longer chapters or the shorter chapters better? Which would you like to see in the future?
This part of the story is a little more graphic RE: small, small amount of violence--just skip the part involving Beryl and Nariko on the balcony if you'd like to avoid it.
Oh!! One more thing (sorry!!!): what should I write in my summary? This is important. Anyone have any ideas?
I don't own Sailor Moon.
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Long red hair fell in soft, wind-blown waves to the stone of the balcony's floor as Beryl looked out into the dark abyss of the night-dark forest. Summer's warm winds had cooled to welcome a speedy fall, and the air that had once smelled sweetly of fir trees and flowers now exuded a less-pleasing aroma of slowly dying petals and the rot of fallen leaves. A waning moon hung low in the sky as though clinging tenuously to the clouds that surrounded its glowing form. . . how she hated the moon. . . .how she hated its brilliant presence. . . its disruption of the sweet, ebony night. Ebony. . . . She had once known a family with dark, ebony hair--the departed royal family nonetheless. They had ruled the kingdom which Beryl had now claimed as her own (and rightfully so as the supposed cousin of the Queen Shina). Under their rule, the kingdom had flourished and prospered; their rule was personal, and the family would often visit with the people of the land to see how their decisions in government had altered the life of those it affected.
They had been well-loved but nearly everyone. . .nearly everyone. . . .
"But there was one who did not cherish your ministrations, Shina," Beryl's lips peeled away from her moonlit teeth.
Beryl had seen that the royal family perished. The king, the queen, the would-be princess. . .everyone of the Shield's bloodline died by assassination--everyone except for Endymion. When the young boy had first managed to evade all tactical assassination attempts on his life, Beryl had thought that she would have to end his life personally; however, after sending one of her generals to observe the boy, she discovered that Endymion had suffered some form of shock-amnesia. He wandered aimlessly without memory of who or what he was, and--much to Beryl's luck--no one recognized him. Even with this stroke of luck, Beryl still thought it necessary to kill Endymion before he could become a threat. Had Nariko not forewarned Beryl of the advantages that would come with allowing the young boy to live, Endymion would not exist in the world presently; his life would have ended long ago.
"My queen, you should not concern yourself over such matters. They are in the past," a whispery voice warned in a nearly satiric tone.
"I told you to stay out of my mind, Nariko," Beryl hissed before turning to face the seemingly youthful soothsayer.
Nariko tossed her long honey-brown hair, as her hand touched her silky strands, the colour changed from honey-brown to a deep, intense ebony. "Forgive me, my queen. I only did so for your own good. Such thoughts of the past tie us down and limit our capacity to embrace the future. You must be stronger than that. . . you must be better. You must commit yourself to the future, my queen, because soon, very soon, all that I have foretold you will come into existence."
Beryl arced a thin red eyebrow at the shifty woman who stood before her. Nearly a head's length shorter than Beryl, the soothsayer seemed to impose a greater power than the fiery queen. The thought infuriated Beryl. Beryl tensed her hand and extended her spider-thin fingers towards Nariko. The soothsayer's face fell as she was thrown against the castle's exterior wall just left of the balcony, and she desperately clawed at the chance to regain her cool composure. Nariko was terrified of heights, and as Beryl let her dangle precariously--legions above the tall peaks of the fir trees so far, far below--Nariko's mind was swimming in a torrent sea of nausea and fear. And Beryl knew.
"Nariko. . . ?" Beryl's voice was filled with a twisted humour refined over centuries of hate-filled waiting. The soothsayer could not find a voice to respond. "Nariko. . . I think that you and I need to have a chat, Nariko. You haven't been very obedient lately. One might even accuse you of overstepping your clearly defined restraints."
"N-no. . . please. . . ," Nariko begged, her silver eyes were rolling wildly in her sockets. "P-please. . .my queen. . . ."
Beryl's dark eyes narrowed as she heard the woman supplicate for her release; it was pathetic. Beryl arched a finger, and Nariko's body was slammed into the stone floor of the balcony. Beryl had not allowed for Nariko to stifle the impact, and consequently, the soothsayer's chest and ribs had been crushed against the stone. Hot, sticky liquid oozed from Nariko's gaping mouth as she eased herself from the unforgiving hard ground. Beryl snorted her disgust with the soothsayer's inability to stand up to her presentation of power; Nariko behaved as though she was untouchable but was weak to confrontation.
"Nariko. . . . Nariko. . . ?"
Nariko pushed her body from the ground and stood, swiping the blood that dripped from her mouth away with her purple, brushed-cotton sleeve. "Y-yes, my queen?" Nariko's voice was satisfyingly meek.
"The moon, Nariko. You promised me my answer."
Nariko drew out a small wooden staff from her belt and held it at arm's length, pointed towards the aforementioned glowing form in the sky. "The moon is weakening, my queen. Your time is nearly here. If you time this as I tell you, the lunarians will cease to exist, and you will not be threatened by them any longer. Without the lunarians, your reign--your very life--will be safe and remain unquestioned. Well, it will be the first step to that means, anyway. You have yet to solidify a bond with one of this planet--you cannot continue to drain Gaia's energy--but once you do, you may continue to live here. Endymion will serve you well to this means."
"The moon, Nariko," Beryl's patience was once again wearing thin.
Nariko began to spin her rod, a image of a dark shadow cast itself over the moon. "You must time it precisely, my queen. When the moon is at its fullest moment in the heart of winter's coldest night, you must force the eclipse with your powers. You will succeed. The lunarians are peaceful and do not believe that Gaia can touch the Moon, and visa versa. You must time it well, my queen. I will assist you if that is your desire."
"Your descriptions are much too flowery, Nariko. When I ask you for an explanation, spare me your speech full of fine words; they are wasted on me and only work to fuel my temper."
"Of course, my queen."
Beryl gathered her deep violet skirts as Nariko stopped spinning her rod. The soothsayer slid the rod back into her belt and followed the taller woman inside the bare candlelit chamber. "What of Endymion?"
"Nothing has changed, my queen. He will do as you say."
Beryl considered the soothsayer's words, a smile crawled across her spidery lips. "As I say. . . . You are dismissed Nariko. Report to me should anything change. And, Nariko. . . ."
"Yes, my queen?" Nariko's voice quivered with fear of her queen's next request.
"Send me Hamish on your way out. He will be waiting outside of the chamber."
Nariko nodded and bowed low to the floor. Her skirt-covered knees briefly brushed up against the cold floor before she rose and left the room.
Beryl smoothed her thin fingers over the curve of her violet bodice. The soothsayer's whims seemed to have been temporarily calmed, but they would return. Of late, Nariko had been nearly eager to contradict or question Beryl's position--like a child testing a parent's limits. . . an especially annoying little child--one that had uses yet to fulfill. Beryl felt her skin crawl as though thin spider legs had scurried over the milky flesh of her exposed arms and had their venomous fang-like teeth knifing through the first layers of her skin; she recognized the sensation as Hamish's gaze.
Beryl turned to find the sorcerer in standing aloof by the door. The powerful being was in the form of a man: his preferred cast. "Nariko seems confident that all she has foreseen will succeed."
"I will not fail, my queen."
Beryl raised her red eyebrows before drawing them both in a downward arc. "You are prepared then?"
"Yes," the sorcerer smiled briefly before returning to his relaxed deportment. "The lunarians will not be a to threat you after the eclipse, my queen."
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Some colour had returned to Ami's ivory-rose cheeks, and Serenity delighted in her friend's gradual recovery. Nearly one month had passed since Shingo's death and the blue-haired woman had only recently begun to climb out of her depressive state. She had been curled in a blanket and tucked away in the corner of her bedroom window, her body perched on the thin wooden sill. Her eyes were faded and distant, even as the twin orbs fought to focus on Serenity. The taller, blonde-haired woman sat next to Ami and pulled her into the best hug their awkward hug would allow. Together, they stared at the oak planks lining the chilled floor, silent. . . waiting. . . .
". . . waiting for the sky to fall. . . ," Ami muttered before pulling the blanket closer to herself. Serenity tilted her head and offered Ami a confused gaze. The blue-haired woman smiled at Serenity and explained. "My father says that when the soldiers on the field are quiet, it seems like they're waiting--like the silence is preemptive of this great event. They--he and the other generals and commanders he served with-- would joke and say that they are waiting for the sky to fall, so that they could wake up from their nightmare and know life, and know love, again. Because the sky can't really fall, can it? If it did, you would know that you were dreaming, and then. . .then, maybe, just maybe, everything would still be okay. You know? So, maybe. . .maybe that's what I've been doing. . .waiting for the sky to fall. . . . That wouldn't be a bad thing, would it?"
Serenity blinked bleakly at Ami, not entirely following her speech. She carefully considered her response before allowing words to tumble recklessly from her mouth. Serenity removed herself from the windowsill and snatched an apple from Ami's eating tray that lay on the patchwork quilt covering Ami's bed. She gently tossed Ami the red-skinned apple. "Ami-chan, I want you to consider something for me, okay?"
"Okay, Serenity," Ami replied, dipping her head in encouragement and acceptance.
"I want you to close your eyes and envision the single-most perfect moment in your life. . .the moment when you were happiest and safest. . .the moment when nothing could ever possibly go wrong. Now freeze that moment, freeze that feeling--that happiness. I think that you have a choice, Ami-chan. If you could live in that moment forever, be eternally happy, never know anything outside of safety, would you? If I said that all you needed to do to live in that moment forever was let go of the apple, would you? If you were to let go of the apple, you could know that happiness eternally, never die, and forever live in love. You would never hurt, feel scared or unsure, fear death or dying; you would be safe, Ami- chan, entirely safe. All you have to do is drop the apple, and you'll never have to experience what life has to offer. You will never have to know an imperfect day, a bump or bruise, a tear, a different smile, a new face. . .a broken heart. . . ," Serenity paused and sat beside Ami again, her hands resting lightly on the overhang of the white-framed sill. "If you don't want to live in that moment of pure bliss and safety, eat the apple, and experience what it has to give you. . . devour life and absorb its lessons. But you don't have to, Ami-chan. Either way, we will all accept your decision."
A silence enveloped the room as the two young women sat side-by-side in quiet stillness. The red apple rested in Ami's delicate, lily hand: stationery. The floor planks were once again investigated by wandering eyes. When the moon's dim light crept across the floor which they watched with such intensity, Serenity rose and left the house, hugging Ami briefly before departing in silence. The blue-haired woman sat on the windowsill for a long time. The moon had crept over halfway across the sky's dark, diamond blanket when she finally rose, apple in hand, and rode her horse to Shingo's grave.
The snow had frozen solid over both Shingo's tombstone and burial ground, and the sky had begun to cry tears of thick flurries. Ami's knees were shot with pain when she slumped onto the ice-covered earth. Her bare hands tore at the ice in near-desperation. Blood poured from her fingers. Her nails doubled over backwards as slivers of ice and frost ruptured the skin beneath her fingernails, tearing the untouched flesh from her hard talons. She was in so much pain but unable to feel the hurt. When the ice had receded into an acceptable hole, Ami sat back and looked at her mad design. A hole of crimson snow and ice rested beneath Shingo's tombstone, over his grave.
"I've been waiting, Shingo. . .waiting for the sky to fall. . . . You are--were--my everything. . . . You held the sky up for me, and now I'm waiting for it to fall and crush me. . . just like you crushed me when you left me. . . . Only now, I want it to happen. I want it to stop, Shingo. I want it all to stop," Ami paused and dropped Serenity's gift into the blood-stained hole she had created. "I want the sky to fall and make me wake up from this nightmare, Shingo. . . . I want to wake up.
"You told me to be strong, Shingo, and I haven't tried yet. . . . I want to try now. I'm going to go away from here, Shingo. . . . I want to find a place where I won't wait for the sky to fall and crush me. . . . I want to live. . . ," Ami reached over to his tombstone and hugged it closely as though she was hugging her soulmate one last time before a final departure. "I'm going to go and live, Shingo. I'm going to be stronger now. Please keep me safe from the sky collapsing; I know you still watch out for me. . . . I love you, Shingo. Do not forget me."
Ami stood up quickly, her eyes tearing away from Shingo's place of final resting. She ran back to her horse and rode through the dark night, returning to her home. In her wake, Ami had left the blood-stained hole in the company of an apple core; she had made her decision.
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Endymion slung a saddlebag over his shoulder. When Nephrite had announced that he had located a place for the group of four to reside during the winter months, the soldier had experienced a horrible lapse in emotion. Endymion not been certain as to whether he was relieved to be rid of Serenity (the two had reverted back to their unusual insults and offensive bickering the day after sharing the rose), or if he would miss her. Endymion had, of course, dismiss the latter immediately; however, the thought still resided in his unconscious mind. He took a cursory glance around the room Lord Tsuniko had afforded him before opening the door and leaving the room.
Much to Endymion's surprise, Serenity was crouched by his door. He raised one of his ebony eyebrows and looked down at the small form legions below him. Serenity looked up at him slowly, her eyes rising from his boots to his blue eyes. She flushed pink and stood up, her size against him only improving mildly, and thrust a small package into his hand. Endymion balanced his saddlebag on his broad, muscular shoulder and opened the brown paper. The shirt Serenity had 'borrowed' all those nights ago during their bathroom incident lay folded and washed in the center of the package. Dried rose petals rested on the top of the white fabric. Endymion looked up and caught Serenity's crystalline eyes trying to catch some sign of his emotion or response.
Endymion retied the package and dropped it onto the floor. Serenity took it as some form of rejection and began to move away from him, but (once again) Endymion grabbed her petite hand. "Thank you."
Serenity stared at his hand as it enveloped hers. Awkwardness should have settled between them, and had either one thought to say something, it would have. However, Endymion and Serenity both lapsed into a content moment of quiet.
Endymion gazed down upon her head of golden-silver hair. She was so small compared to him, so petite and delicate. . .like a rose. Endymion was certain that he had only been able to clutch at her thorns before, but maybe. . .maybe now he would find something else. Maybe now this embodiment of perfection would not spike him. Serenity's bangs covered parts of her eyes, and Endymion struggled valiantly to keep himself from brushing them back. . .to keep himself from touching her. There was something about the way she made him feel--angry and frustrated and happy. . .deliciously happy--that drew Endymion closer to Serenity's smaller figure. The saddlebag slipped from his shoulder and fell onto the package on the floor with a soft thud. He didn't notice. She didn't notice. Time seemed to freeze and capture all of Serenity's beauty and spirit for Endymion to behold as his strong body moved closer to her. Serenity's innocent eyes watched Endymion's chest rise and fall at a faster rate, she could feel his breath on her hair. . . in her hair.
Without releasing her hand, Endymion brought his other hand to the smooth, soft skin of Serenity's face. The backs of his sword-toughened fingers lightly grazed the surface of her flesh, coaxing a flush of red to swarm her cheeks. He loved her reaction to him. Absolute innocence stood before him in the form of a wingless angel. . . complete and utter beauty in simplicity. Her eyes closed for a brief moment as his fingers continued to travel, a peaceful expression resting on her warm, dawn-tinted lips. The tips of his fingers moved down to Serenity's neck, and she gasped at being touched with such care. . .care from Endymion. He gently applied a pressure just behind her neck where her silky hair began. She did not fight him, and he easily tilted her head towards his lips. Her crystalline eyes reopened and were imploring as they searched his face for some sign of intention.
"Endymion?" she sounded. . .frightened. He wanted to comfort her and take the fear from her voice. His mind faded into the distance leaving only emotion and desire. . . desire to make Serenity happy. . .to make her entirely his.
But conveying this to Serenity proved more challenging than he had considered. Just when he could feel her sweet breath on his moist lips, Endymion felt a quick, acute pain scorch his groin. Doubling forward, Endymion let out a low groan and tried to comfort his injured area. Serenity's eyes were wide with surprise; she had not intended to knee his groin. She withdrew quickly, immediately regretting her irrevocable actions. In all of her life, Serenity had not known a greater desire than that which she felt when Endymion had first come close to her. . .but it had happened all wrong. No matter how much she wanted his kiss--her first kiss--she knew in her heart and mind that Endymion did not care for her, no matter what foolish crush she had developed for him.
Endymion groaned again, his voice a low growl. What had he been thinking!?! This was ordango-atama! Yet that desire. . .that swell of need that had engulfed his logical mind. . . .
"Endymion!" a new voice intercepted his thoughts. Serenity leapt back as though Endymion had threatened to slice her from navel to nose with his broadsword. The young woman took off down the hall as Nephrite entered from the other end. "Endymion! You're late! Can you not be on time for anything? Gizborne isn't just going to wait for us, you know!"
"Take it easy on him, Nephrite," Zoicite snorted as she emerged from the corner of the hall at the opposite end. "Our dear soldier-boy was trying to pull some moves on Serenity. I think that he's got too many pent- up urges. To think that he'd try to relieve some on a near-child!"
Nephrite shot Zoicite a condescending glare as she burst into fits of laughter. "You're no better than Endymion, Zoi. You're all making us late. Now lets go!"
Endymion stood up as carefully as he could, quaking in anger--mostly directed towards himself, but easily targeted at Zoicite. She didn't understand. . .he barely understood himself. . . . He didn't want to.
"Silence yourself, Zoicite," he finally snapped. Collecting his saddlebags and package from Serenity, he pushed past the seemingly male general and stormed down the hallway in the opposite direction of Nephrite. Zoicite took a moment longer to recover from her laughter; she had never seen Endymion screw up with a woman so many times.
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