A Time to Love
Chapter 11
By the way, and contrary to 'popular belief', I don't own Sailor Moon. Damn.
Oh, well, thank you Naoko Takeuchi, for unwittingly allowing me and everyone else to use your people in stories. Tchau.
"Luna? I thought that you had sided with Sailor Mars?" Usagi stood and ground out the words, still stung by her feline companion's betrayal.
"Well, I thought about doing that, just out of spite for the crap you've put me through since I met you. You never wanted to fight, you cried all the time, you didn't want the Ginzuishou, and from the beginning you never willingly accepted your duties as former Princess and future Queen. However, Sailor Mars is not correct, either. A new threat has arisen, a threat that must age all of you to just past the age you were when you were all killed and sent to the future for reincarnation. Unfortunately, this threat has already begun to strike. On my way here, I saw a youma kill a young couple," Luna finished, icily eyeing the trio.
"That couldn't be. I would have felt a disturbance – one of us would have felt it!" Makoto was furious at the news, and she shot out of her chair and over to her window, peering out through the filmy curtains.
"That would be why I am here, dear Mako-chan. We must figure out how to monitor when this new breed of evil is striking. Obviously, this is something big. I don't know if the five of you, and also you, Mamoru, will be strong enough to take on the new. On top of that, in order to gain more power, we need the five girls to work together and reform the bonds of friendship among themselves. Pwah, all that fighting over boys," Luna sniffed.
Usagi sat back down. It was not a fight about boys, it was a dispute over the very power structure of the team, and Sailor Mars could not deal with not being the leader. Sailor Venus was hurting over being separated from Kunzite. Sailor Mercury was weak, as ever, and easily swayed by Sailor Mars's opinions, as the two girls had grown up together, sharing time at each other's courts during the Silver Millennium. Usagi felt completely betrayed by Mercury's siding with Sailor Mars. Friendships are important, but so is loyalty to your leader.
"Luna, what do you think we should do? Once we can bring Nephrite back to Makoto, we'll be able to get Minako to come back to us, with a promise of reuniting her with Kunzite. As for Rei, I don't what to do – I'm not sure that a promise of reuniting her with Jadeite will help our case, because they had such a stormy relationship, and I don't think that she would believe us anyway. And we all know that Ami will pretty much follow Rei's lead. Those two have always been so close, and I think that old loyalties, like old habits, will die hard with her," Usagi looked at Luna with tears of anger in her eyes.
"I can't promise that everything will go back to the way it was before the Team broke up right away, or that it will even be like that ever again. I can promise you that I will try to help you in any way I can, and I will be more supportive. Usagi-chan, I am so sorry that I let the other girls do this to you, and I am sorry that I left you without a guardian, but I can help you now, if you'll let me," Luna trotted over to Usagi, her eyes soft and motherly, "Oh, Usagi-chan, I was so angry that you weren't doing things the way I wanted you to do them. I thought that you were just refusing your duties; reverting to the brat we all lived with during the Silver Millennium."
"Not to break up this love-fest, but could we please move on to the part where you tell us what the hell is going on?" Mamoru strode over and put his arm around Usagi before lifting Luna to eye level to glare at her. "So, tell us – who are we fighting? Where do we need to go? Weaknesses? Strengths? How about helping with the other girls?"
"First things first: we need to get Nephrite and then Minako and Kunzite back into the fold. Then we can work on regaining Rei and Ami's trust. However, to get the other two Generals back, we will have to depend on the girls and Nephrite and Kunzite – we will not be able to beat this new enemy without unlocking your deepest powers, and to do that, you all must be complete," Luna informed Mamoru. "Now, kindly put me down so I may examine Makoto and see if I can find out what remains to be done about resurrecting Nephrite."
"Resurrect? Nephrite? Can we do that – he was our enemy recently, and I don't know how this could work. But I miss him so much… I can't even explain it, I want him so much. I wake up waiting for him to come to me. I know that I have something for him, and I want him back and I want him now!" Makoto moaned, sighing heavily and plopping down on her couch. She wrapped her arms around herself and rocked backed, her eyes closing, while Luna padded over to look at her
"Well, you seem to be approximately seven years older than when I last saw you. Combining your power with that of Usagi and Mamoru will be enough to bring Nephrite back. We shall wait till the full moon, when the old power is most available, and then we will be able to perform the ceremony," Luna looked from Makoto to Usagi and Mamoru, "The next full moon is in a week. In that time, we need to get Minako to come and see this happen, so we can prove to her that we will be able to do the same for her and the other girls."
"Are you serious Luna? We'll be able to bring him back to me, whole and without Metallia's taint?" Makoto had stood up at that point, and her eyes were blazing with hope.
"Yes, Mako-chan, but be aware that you will have to help him survive in this world. Bringing him back without evil means bringing him back with little to on experience with this world. Chances are good that he will need you to explain a lot about living here, because he was reincarnated as an adult thanks to Beryl and Metallia, and even that little experience will be gone when we erase their touch," Luna tried to explain to the girl – now the woman.
"Mako-chan, we'll all help. I know that as soon as Minako sees how this goes, she'll support you, too. The Ginjuishou will help magnify our power, and I will throw my entire self into bringing him back for you," Usagi said, standing as well, looking into Makoto's eyes, "Now, Luna, can you use your magic to fix our school situation?"
"Done! And done!" Luna said dramatically, turning to Usagi and Makoto, "The school will have record of you two having already graduated. All those who are ont part of your court will remember you as being older. Unfortunately, you still have to finish emotionally and mentally maturing, because I can't do that for you."
Usagi looked down at Luna, "Why did you have to do that for me as well?"
"As soon as you use the Ginjuishou, you will age just as Makoto has. Your hair has already grown, thanks to Mamoru and his – shall we say, virility?" Luna eyed Mamoru suspiciously.
"We need to speak to Minako, and soon. Friday night is the full moon, and we need her –"
"Need me to what?" Minako appeared behind the group, peering suspiciously at them as they huddled together and whispered.
"We need you to come with us Friday night, during the full moon so you can see what I meant: I will help all of you get your lovers back from the Silver Millennium. Luna has explained the process to us, and we want you to at least witness it, if not take part," Usagi was exhausted and it showed as she spilled her guts to Minako in an attempt to make her cooperate.
"All right. I'll be there. It was never that I wanted to lead the Team, Usagi, but I want so badly to see Kunzite again," Minako said with tears in her eyes, "And who's the lady you're standing with? Her boobs are so big I thought she was Makoto."
"It is me, you dolt! This is what has happened as a result of our disloyalty! We broke the Team up, and the enemy has taken the chance to become so strong that we have to age in order to fight it," Makoto screeched.
"So this will happen to all of us, eventually?" Minako asked Luna.
"Yes, and much sooner than we all anticipate, I believe. Come with us Friday night, take part in the resurrection, and by the next full moon after, we will be strong enough to bring Kunzite back," Luna pleaded with the blonde, who finally nodded her assent.
"Yes, I'll be there. Yes, I'll help. We can finally right our past's wrongs, with love and justice!"
NOTES: I know this was short, and kind of loopy, but I've been stressed, and I wanted to start bringing some of the characters full circle. And, by the way, for those of you who think my version of Usagi is a bitch – you say it like it is a bad thing to be. Being called a bitch should be considered a mark of merit – it means that you have been able to stand up to those who oppose you, to stand for yourself, and for those not as strong as yourself. The reason she appears to be so mean is because she is confused and lonely, and that is one of her defense mechanisms. Any woman who has been called a bitch should take as such – it just means that you are strong, and the person who called you a bitch is envious, jealous, and a little scared.
That sounded like a PSA, did it not?
Anyway, I wanted to let you know that it may be a while before I update again (college mid-years), but the next chapter will be a villain chapter (so I can finally introduce them and square their motives away for you), then probably the chapter afterwards will be the resurrection.
read, review, message, email – I love you all!
love and other indoor sports – ladykyo