"Distance is just a test to see how far love can travel."
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Title: The Story We Never Knew
Book 1: What They Didn't Tell Us
Chapter 1: Second First Meetings
Author: Sailor Song
Editor: Meesa
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Darkness swarmed all around her. She felt it flowing through her veins. It was in the very air she breathed.
'Where am I?'
Usagi opened her eyes and struggled to get her bearings. She knew the bed that she lay on was not her own. Everything was dark but for a small beam of light coming in from a high window. With the little energy she had she was able to sit upright to get a better view. Her eyes adjusted to the room and she could see it was nearly empty except for her and the bed she occupied. She closed her eyes quickly much like a child would who longs for a bad dream to disappear. She opened them again to see nothing had changed. She tried for a second time only to find everything was the same. Realizing she wasn't getting anywhere, she tried to focus on how she got into her current predicament. She searched for any memory that would tell her what happened right before she had blacked out.
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Flashback
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"Those eyes are the same that greeted me," his voice echoed through the room. Cold eyes met her own. She felt her body pull up towards him and could hear shouts through the room. Her body weakened, her vision darkened, and Chibi-Usa slipped from her grasp. His arms grabbed hers and he whispered lustfully into her ear, "I had wanted to capture the child as well, but you are what I really came for."
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End Flashback
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"That man!" she winced angrily and grasped a hand to her chest. She cried out in shock when she found that not only was her locket missing, but she was no longer wearing her senshi uniform. Instead of a sailor fuku she was in a revealing, white, floor length outfit that vaguely reminded her of her future self's dress. Her eyes and hands frantically searched around her for any sign of her locket. Her heart leapt when she grasped the small compact lying beside her.
'Now to find a way out of here.' As she scooted towards the edge of the bed, a chilling sensation swept through her. She wasn't alone in this room. Someone was here… watching her.
"I see you are awake. Most people would have been asleep for days." She knew that voice. She had only heard it once, but that was enough to leave a lifelong impression. Usagi followed it to find the owner leaning in the shadows across the room. "But not you," he stepped into the light. "Sailor Moon."
He walked towards her, staring into the eyes of the girl who was destined to become the woman he longed for. How beautiful she was to him, even in her youth. If only her eyes held the warmth for him as she had for her precious Mamo-chan. Oh, but how soon she would.
"Welcome to the Black Moon's castle. I am Prince Dimando." He waited for her to respond, but she said nothing. "I fear you may find trouble transforming yourself here. You cannot use your crystal when you are so close to the Black Poison Crystal, Sailor Moon, or should I address you as would-be Neo-Queen Serenity? Oh, but that sounds too formal." He pulled her up to him with little effort and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I shall have to call you Usako."
Fury awoke within her, and using all reserve strength she was able to push him away.
"I will never be yours, Dimando! Mamo-chan is the only man I will ever love!" Usagi was livid. How dare this man kidnap her, and then call her by the name her beloved gave to her. Unfortunately, she didn't get the response from him she'd been looking for.
Instead the room echoed with his cold, empty laugh.
"Ah yes, that weak King Endymion. I assure you, Serenity, he will not be the only man you love." He grabbed her at the waist and pressed her body intimately against his own. "You will be mine."
Usagi trembled at the presence of him against her. She shuddered at the thought of being so close to a man other than Mamoru. Turning her head away, her eyes welled up in disgrace.
"You cry for him?" Dimando whispered. "What a heart you have to cry for the one who has put you through hell the last few months. He, your protector, abandoned you!" He released her and watched as she crumpled to the floor in tears. "I'll leave you with your thoughts," he said frustrated. This was not how he wanted to see her again.
Usagi never heard him. Painful memories flooded her mind.
"Stop it! Don't get so close to me."
"I want to end it with you."
"The string of Destiny has been cut."
"I DON'T LOVE YOU!"
"Mamo-chan," she cried, curling herself into a ball on the ground. The air was heavy and this place was draining all of her strength. She could only lie there as the words kept repeating themselves.
"I DON'T LOVE YOU!"
"I DON'T LOVE YOU!"
"I DON'T LOVE YOU!"
"USAKO!"
She gasped. Then, as though it had been blocked from her mind another memory began to surface.
"I gave you those nightmares to test your love for one another. I had to be certain whether or not your love could survive any obstacles for you will face more difficulties in the future."
'King Endymion...' Usagi thought as everything became clearer. With her strength gradually returning, she wiped her tears and stood. 'I have to get myself out of this place. I promised Chibi-Usa I would help her mother. I will save the future… my future.'
Usagi crept slowly towards the door, half expecting it to open at any second. It never did. Assuming it to be locked, she charged the door hoping to knock it loose. She was surprised, however, to find herself not running into the door, but through it. Her dress was not very accommodating for her escape stunt and caused her to trip and land face first on the floor. She quickly looked around afraid someone had seen her flying from the room, but she was safe. Not a soul was in sight. In an attempt to find a way out she began to wander the dark halls of the citadel.
Escape became more and more hopeless as time went on. Her strength was draining rapidly and she felt as if she was walking in circles.
She could hear voices down the corridor. As quietly as she could, she crept closer hoping they would guide her to an escape passage. Too tired to stand on her own, she began to use the walls to support her movement. She made her way down until finally, she was in earshot of the voices she'd heard before. There were two men speaking. One of the voices she easily recognized as Dimando. The other was unfamiliar. Unable to hold herself up any longer, she slowly slid down the wall and eavesdropped in on the conversation from the floor.
"What is the real issue here?" she heard Dimando ask.
"Brother, I do not think she is capable of taking anymore energy from the Black Poison Crystal right now. I believe she absorbed so much so fast because of the Ginzuishou. She may be conflicted by her feelings for Endymion, but she cannot take another boost this soon."
"She can, Saffir, and she will." Everything else became a blur to Usagi as she succumbed to sleep from her loss of energy.
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"What is she doing out here, Dimando?" Saffir asked his leader.
"I didn't lock her in. There's no need to cage my future bride. This will soon be her home," he spoke while scooping her into his arms. He turned to take her back toward her room.
"I don't think it is wise to fully trust her until you are sure she is on our side," Saffir said concerned. He had to walk at a quickened pace to keep up with his brother. "You shouldn't fall in love with her again. At least, not until she succumbs to the dark crystal."
Dimando stopped, but didn't turn. "Saffir, I appreciate your concern, but I will have Serenity one way or another. Besides, she only needs a few more boosts from the dark crystal and she will be on our side. Until then, keep any intruders away from my fortress."
Saffir could only watch him walk away. "I just don't want you to get hurt again." His whisper was lost in the eerie halls of the palace.
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Dimando kneeled next to the bed Usagi lay on as the dark energy began to flow once again. After this enhancement she would be one step closer to becoming his. He knew he could keep her safe and love her more than her future husband. This child could not possibly know the pain she would soon be put through. Not by some new enemies plotting to destroy the earth, but by the very man she loved so dearly.
"Soon, Serenity…" he whispered and kissed her hand.
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Meanwhile
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Mamoru had reached the edge of his patience. First, his future self sent him relentless nightmares when he was forced to watch Usagi die over and over again. Then, while he was protecting Chibi-Usa, he had lost his love to the man in white he later learned was called Prince Dimando. Now, the link between he and his soulmate was silent. He had no idea if she was asleep, frightened, or if she was even alive…
No… he wouldn't let himself consider that option. She was strong, maybe more so than him. She was alive wherever she was being held. He just needed to find his way to her.
He knew he could get his Usako back, that didn't faze him. What worried him was not only the lustful way Dimando looked at her, but his future self's reaction to seeing the self-proclaimed prince. Had King Endymion been physically able, Mamoru was certain he would have killed him. Never had he seen himself so full of anger. Once they had vanished, the king's eyes filled with pity for his younger self.
So now, he was in a glider that was headed towards a dark, crystal-looking palace outside of the war torn city of Crystal Tokyo. This was where the enemy had set up their operations. This was where SHE was.
Mamoru prayed for some sign that she was safe. With their link gone he wasn't sure what to expect. It wasn't because she blocked him. Even during the break-up neither of them closed it. That way he knew when she was in trouble. Probably why she knew he was lying to her and especially to himself when he declared time and again that he didn't love her. How could he not love her? He only broke up with the extraordinary girl because he couldn't risk her life for his selfish needs.
That was behind them now. It was time for him to save Usagi and then this future world. When they got home, he would make everything up to her in an attempt to save their relationship.
'Just let her be safe,' he prayed inwardly. 'I will never make her cry again, just let her come back to me. Usako, Please come back to me."
As he neared the dark palace, a multitude of emotions began to rush through him, which could only mean one thing. She was awake. She was reaching out to him. Now he knew where to go.
I had to resubmit this and my account was locked. Grr….
Now that I have gotten myself back into writing I am having a great time. I want to thank all of the kind reviewers of my previous story for their input and I hope you have the chance to check this one out.
This story is different than any I've ever done or any I've ever read (and believe me… I've read A LOT!). While it focuses on Usagi and Mamoru's relationship, it will follow a mixed Sailor Moon timeline of both anime and manga. I'll start with something from the actual story we know, then branch off with a character's thoughts or situations that could have taken place and will be relevant later in my story's timeline. The reason I'm even saying this is because I've read stories that pretty much follow the manga or anime word for word and I didn't want my readers to think I was doing that. I am simply building my own story into what we know. I have a definite direction that I am very excited to explore.
The story begins in 'R' season where they visit the future, it will move to the creation of Crystal Tokyo, and the entire thing will eventually end in the future. Mamoru had broken up with Usagi and they aren't quite back together yet. I never considered that episode where Usagi has the same dream as Mamoru their reconciliation so this is my version of all of the events surround it (past and future). With that said (don't want to give away too much of the plot) I hope you enjoy.
"..." is for speaking
'…' is for thinking
(AN:...) Author sidetracking
Disclaimer: I'm just using this one for the whole thing. Obviously I do not own Sailor Moon. I am just a poor, broke college student trying to get into her field of study.
P.S. Any author's notes will be at the bottom of the chapter. None of the quotes are mine, but they will either help set the tone, or help you gain insight to what one of the characters is feeling (though you may not know which one). I will site the authors if I know who they are.