A Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Fanfic:
"A Promise of Forever"
by: s16thunderjet
Chapter 1:
A Not So Unrequited Love
Moon Kingdom,
The Silver Millennium
The wind blew lightly as two people sat beside each other, the pair resting atop a hill overlooking the beautiful Moon Kingdom Palace of the Silver Millennium.
Their hands were linked together as they watched the Earth hover from behind and above the Moon Palace, decorating the darkness with blue and white all over.
"It's coming." one of them said, tone neutral.
The other's hand tightened its grip on the speaker's hand. The one who had spoken felt the other's fear and anxiety and squeezed back with the same intensity.
"I'm scared." the other spouted, lips trembling.
"Don't be scared. I will protect you."
"That's what I'm afraid of. I don't want you to get hurt."
"As long as we're together, nothing can touch us. Not even death. Trust me, Angel." the first one promised, voice filled with absolute conviction.
Though the use of the pet name brought a small smile to the scared one's features, it was not enough to keep them from wondering if this was the last time they would hear those words from their love's lips.
Sensing the dread and panic radiating from their scared lover, the first one offered a loving smile, opening their arms just as the other practically jumped in.
They held each other for a moment which seemed to last for an eternity, neither wanting to let go and somehow fearing that the embrace they were sharing would be their last.
Tears flowed down both their cheeks as they cherished every moment, knowing that should they lose today, everything that they had worked so hard for would be lost.
They were to approach the Queen later that day to fight for their relationship, hoping that the Queen would understand and see how much they truly love each other. They had to keep hoping.
"Whatever happens, I promise to love you, Angel. Forever."
"And I you, my love. Forever."
Present Day Tokyo,
Tsukino Residence
"Gaah! I'm gonna be late! Rei-chan is going to kill me!" Usagi Tsukino roared as she ran down the stairs, her long, blonde hair cascading in twin tails behind her.
"Oi! Take it easy! You're gonna wreck the house!" Shingo Tsukino screamed in return, mumbling something about annoying older sisters.
"Quiet, you! Mom, Dad, I'm going to Rei-chan's. I'll try to get back by dinner." Usagi cried and rushed out of the house, almost knocking over a number of potted plants in her haste.
"Take care, honey!" Ikuko Tsukino yelled from the kitchen, the mother of two sighing in relief upon seeing that her plants had been spared from hurricane Usagi's passing.
Gates of Time
Sailor Pluto looked on through her crystal viewing globe as the Princess of the White Moon ran from her home to meet up with the other Inner Sailor Senshi at the Hikawa Jinja.
She stood there watching even though she knew that something was about to happen that would change everything. She shivered slightly at the thought.
Even Queen Serenity didn't see this coming. She smiled sadly.
Her Garnet Rod magically appeared by her hand and she grasped it. She removed the Garnet Orb, her talisman, from the rod and held it above the viewing crystal.
The ball glowed brightly as Sailor Pluto closed her eyes and meditated. The light from her talisman surrounded her for a moment, then faded and receded into the ball.
Setsuna Meiou opened her eyes and walked towards the Gates of Time. She turned back sadly to the viewing crystal and saw the Moon Princess being bombarded with insults by the Princess of Mars.
Forgive me, Princess. But I must do what needs to be done. She thought resignedly.
With a parting glance, she shook her head slightly before disappearing through the gates.
"I said I was sorry Rei-chan! I didn't mean to be late!" Usagi cried, desperately trying to convince the fuming priestess.
"Oi, Rei-chan. You don't have to be that harsh." Makoto Kino chided, rubbing Usagi's back in an effort to soothe her weeping friend.
"Oh, forget it, Usagi! You're always late anyway." Rei Hino spat in return, crossing her arms over her chest and turning away in disdain.
"Let's just get back to studying, please?" Ami Mizuno spoke in a much more diplomatic manner, the blue haired girl trying as much as she could to diffuse the situation.
"Alright, fine. So what chapter are we in?" the fiery raven haired girl asked, leaning forward across the table to get her book.
Usagi let out a sigh that was a mix of consternation and relief. While she was thankful the Senshi of Mars had stopped scrutinizing her, she continued to wonder why Rei always made it a point to do so.
The teary-eyed Princess tensed a bit when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Looking up from her lap, she found Minako Aino smiling encouragingly at her.
"Don't mind her. She's probably got a lot of things on her mind." the bubbly Princess of Venus whispered in her ear.
Usagi smiled back at the other girl and nodded, but not before swallowing past the lump that had formed in her throat. Minako kept her smile on even as she turned back to the others.
The study session went on without a hitch after that. Apart from a little bickering between Usagi and Rei, everything was fine. As dinner time approached, each of the girls bid their good-byes.
"Don't forget people! We'll be meeting tomorrow at the Crown after school!" Rei called as Usagi, Ami and Makoto made their way down the shrine steps.
"We'll play that new Sailor V game, Usagi-chan! I'm gonna beat you!" Minako taunted playfully and waving at the other blonde.
"I'll be there!" Usagi replied with much enthusiasm, waving back at her 'twin' before following after their other two friends.
Once the three of them were out of sight, Rei turned to the blonde standing beside her. Minako had asked if the two of them could talk just moments earlier; and though the priestess had agreed, a part of her was still curious at the cause for the impromptu get-together.
For her part, Minako remained looking in the general direction Usagi and the others had gone, the effervescent smile still on her face as she seemingly kept her attention away from Rei.
Rei tilted her head to the side and kept silent, intently studying the Senshi of Love and Beauty. It was not often that Minako called her aside for something serious, that is, other than Senshi business.
"You don't have to be so mean to her." Minako started, her gaze still towards the shrine entrance.
Rei was effectively knocked off of her thoughts as the blonde's words sunk in, the raven haired girl blinking a couple of times as she pulled her head back, part perplexed, part worried.
What in the world is she talking about? She can't possibly know! Rei mentally rambled.
"What do you mean?" Rei asked in return, her tone that of innocence at her friend's implication.
"You don't have to hide it either, at least not from me." Minako continued, still facing away from her.
"I don't..."
"I know you love Usagi-chan." Minako interrupted, finally turning towards the stupefied priestess.
"H-how..." Rei stuttered, caught flat-footed and unable to even feign ignorance.
"How'd I know? I guess being the Senshi of Love has its perks. I've been sensing your love for her since the battle with Beryl."
Minako slowly made her way towards the veranda of the main house, then carefully sat down. She tapped the space beside her and after a bit of urging, snapped the frozen girl out of her trance enough to get her to sit down.
Fear was evident in Rei's eyes now that her well-guarded secret was known to someone other than herself. Upon seeing this, Minako reached out to the other girl and held her hands in her own.
"Hey, don't be scared. It's love. It's perfectly normal to love someone." Minako began gently, coaxing the raven haired girl to open up about her feelings.
"I... I'm sorry. I guess I spaced out a little. I'm not even going to try and hide it from you. In a sense, you are love personified."
There was a short pause and a deep breath as Rei tried to steady herself. Despite her curiosity, Minako kept silent and instead, offered up an encouraging smile.
"I guess the insult routine got a little old, huh? I thought it would work well into the next century. Cover up my feelings by being mean to her." Rei admitted with a mirthless chuckle.
Silence reigned for a while after that. Minako kept her hold on Rei's hands, trying to show her concern. Rei just stared down at their linked hands, clearly avoiding the other girl's gaze.
Suddenly, tear drops fell atop their hands.
"Rei-chan?" Minako asked worriedly.
"It's just so hard, Minako-chan. Back then, insulting her was the only way to get her attention. It was the one thing I had that Mamoru-san didn't." Rei started pouring out her thoughts.
"Yeah, at least after they regained their memories of the Silver Millennium anyway." Minako supplied, then shrugged, earning her a surprised look from the priestess.
"Ami-chan told me about the fights that Mamoru-san and Usagi-chan used to have. Those two fought as much as you and our Princess did." she answered the unspoken question in her friend's eyes.
"Artemis used to tell me that people who argue so much actually like each other. It's like that kindergarten thing, little boys tease the little girls because they like them." she added.
Rei allowed herself a small smile through the tears as memories of her earlier fights with Usagi came to mind. She could clearly see the two of them arguing as though it was something that they enjoyed.
"Makes you wonder, doesn't it?" Minako prompted.
"What do you mean?" Rei asked.
"Well, think about it. You and Mamoru-san have the same, shall we say, 'history' with Usagi-chan before their memories of the Silver Millennium were restored, right?" she began, and Rei nodded.
"Neither you nor Mamoru-san showed any romantic interest in her, and neither did she to either of you. You with me so far?" she asked, making sure that her and Rei were on the same page.
"Yeah. Your point?" Rei queried, her patience dwindling by the second.
"My point is, if their memories hadn't gotten restored, then either you or Mamoru-san could have ended up with her." Minako deduced, smiling proudly at herself from coming to such a conclusion.
"Are you crazy? Or are you trying to live up to the color of your hair?" the Fire Senshi cried incredulously.
"I resent that remark. A person's intelligence isn't determined by his or her hair color." Minako replied, scowling at her friend.
"Fine. I'm sorry for making that comment. But what you're suggesting is really..." she paused, not really knowing how to describe Minako's idea without going back to the whole hair color issue.
"Possible? Only natural? One big, giant could-have-been? A dream come true?" the Senshi of Love interrupted, drawing a glare from the still speechless raven haired priestess.
"Pssh! Fine. If you don't like that idea, then try this. What if you and Usagi-chan were the ones in love with each other in the past? You two would be together now!" the blonde exclaimed.
"You really have gone off the deep end haven't you? That's even crazier than your first idea!" Rei cried out vehemently.
"C'mon Rei-chan! It's only logical." Minako said a-matter-of-factly.
"Minako-chan, that's like saying that Usagi only loves Mamoru-san now because Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion loved each other in the Silver Millennium." Rei said.
"Exactly! Ara, don't say a word about that to Usagi-chan, OK?" Minako asked sheepishly.
"What in the... Wait a minute. You've thought about this before, haven't you?" Rei gasped, disbelieving what was happening.
Minako paused for a moment, trying to decide whether she was going to share her thoughts on the subject with Rei. She knew that even with Rei's love for Usagi, she would be the first to admonish her.
She glanced at her friend and noted the burning intensity in her eyes, no pun intended. Her decision made, the Senshi of Love nodded as she began.
"Well, don't tell anyone, OK? You remember when Luna said that our powers give us other abilities? Like you can read the fire better than anyone..." she drifted.
"Mako-chan can sense when it's going to rain, Ami-chan can swim like a fish, and you, the hopeless matchmaker." Rei finished for her.
"Well yeah, but that's just the tip of the ice cream cone." she said confidently.
"Iceberg." Rei corrected her, and for a moment, the priestess wondered just how Minako could be credible one minute and the exact opposite the next.
"Whatever. Anyway, I admit I love to pair people off together, but that's only because I can sense their feelings for each other." she said, sharing one of her secrets.
"Are you telling me, that you can feel other people's emotions? Like I can read people or see into the supernatural because I'm psychic?" Rei asked.
"Something like that. But only their 'love' feelings, if you get my drift." Minako lifted her eyebrows, her eyes twinkling slightly.
"So what you said earlier, about you sensing my love for Usagi since the battle with Beryl..." Rei drifted upon seeing Minako nod excitedly.
"Yup. All true." the blonde reiterated.
The Senshi of Mars paused for a moment as she tried to digest everything that her friend had just said. An idea was slowly forming in her head, but she refused to acknowledge it.
She was a Senshi of Princess Serenity, but she was first and foremost Usagi's best friend. Keeping Usagi happy was not just her duty as a Senshi, it was also her responsibility as a friend.
Nevermind that Usagi's happiness would mean spending the rest of her life with Mamoru, her one true love. Nevermind that Rei would be alone while the two of them spent eternity together.
All that mattered was that Usagi was happy.
She has not let anything get in the way of the Prince and Princess' relationship in the past, and she certainly was not going to let anything hinder their relationship now.
Even if it meant having to sacrifice her love for her Princess.
"So what does your ability have to do with anything?" Rei asked, deliberately trying to misunderstand Minako's words.
"Sheesh. You don't have to play dumb." Minako replied, seeing the act all too clearly.
"Hey! I'm not playing dumb." the priestess replied, blushing slightly at her foiled attempt to act, well, dumb.
"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, long story short, I've always wondered if Usagi-chan really did love Mamoru-san, and vice versa, or if it's only because of their past lives." Minako concluded.
"Are you saying..." Rei swallowed, prompting the blonde to finish for her.
"Yup. I don't see the red string tying them together."
"Huh?" Rei asked, knowing she looked as dumb as she sounded.
"You know that legend? It's said that two people who are destined to be with each other are tied together by a red string." Minako explained, lifting her pinky to demonstrate.
Rei opened her mouth to say something, but found that she had lost all thought. There was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind, and she cursed inwardly as she tried to keep it from surfacing.
"You've been reading too many manga lately." she said casually, drawing a gasp from Minako.
"It's true Rei-chan!" the Senshi of Love insisted.
"I think your 'love radar' is broken or something." the priestess insinuated, waving her hand as if to ward off anymore explanations from Minako.
The Senshi of Venus crossed her arms over her chest and huffed in frustration. She thought that she had somehow gotten through to her stubborn friend, but found that it was not an easy feat.
"I don't understand you, Rei-chan. I'm trying to tell you that there's a possibility that you and Usagi-chan could..."
"Don't. Please. I'm feeling better now, Minako-chan. You don't have to give me false hopes."
"I'm not! I'm trying to tell you that a relationship between you and Usagi-chan..."
"Is not going to happen!" Rei's voice thundered across the yard, and Minako almost jumped in surprise.
The two were silent for a moment; Minako thinking that she may have pushed her friend a little too much too soon, Rei desperately trying to keep herself sane.
"Silly Minako-chan. If the others heard you saying those things, they'd get pretty upset. It's one thing to play matchmaker, it's another to endanger the future of an entire planet." she said with a smile.
"Rei-chan..." Minako whispered, seeing through the forced smile her friend had on her face.
"Those two, their love has been bound by destiny and will surely be enforced by fate. No force on Earth, the Moon, or any other planet can break that." Rei stated, her eyes hardening.
"I... I don't know Rei-chan. What I do know is that even if there isn't any chance of breaking destiny's hold on our lives, you should tell her how you feel." Minako said calmly, not wanting to antagonize her friend.
"I don't want her to hate me. I can handle the loneliness, but the hate, I can't handle that. Things can just stay the way they are. We don't have to be anything more than friends. I'm content with that..." Rei said, whispering the last part.
"Are you? Truly? She'll never hate you. You're her best friend! You think she doesn't love you, but what if she does? Your love doesn't have to stay unrequited, Rei-chan." Minako insisted.
Rei felt all the anguish that she had enclosed in her heart for the past few years suddenly become too much to bear. She burst into tears as she slumped forward into Minako's waiting arms.
She had been looking for an outlet and was extremely grateful that Minako was there for her. She was thankful for the soothing voice and the loving arms holding her.
The blonde did not know whether to throttle her friend for being so stubborn and cowardly, or to weep with her for being so loyal and self-sacrificing.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Rei-chan. I'm sorry." she apologized, deciding to rest her case for the moment.
Rei nodded against her shoulder, thankful for the respite. She knew that their conversation was not over, but was thankful that Minako had chosen to continue it some other time.
"Thank you, Minako-chan." Rei said, moments later.
"No problem. Now, cheer up! I'm not used to this subdued version of you." Minako teased.
"And I'm not used to this serious you either." Rei teased in return.
They stared at each other for a moment, then chuckled heartily. Both felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders. One was happy to have cried her heart out, the other happy to have helped.
Their laughter though, was interrupted by the sudden beeping of their communicators.
"Eternal Sailor Moon! Look out!" Sailor Mercury cried as the youma swung at the Princess of the White Moon.
The Senshi were currently battling a youma that had appeared in Juuban Central Park. Eternal Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter arrived first with Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus following after.
Sailor Mars pushed Eternal Sailor Moon out of the way, just as the youma's attack connected. The Senshi of Fire hissed in pain as she felt the youma's claws dig into her side.
Shit! She cursed internally, clamping her eyes shut to keep the tears from falling. The two Senshi landed on the ground, with Sailor Mars on top of Eternal Sailor Moon.
"Mars? You're bleeding!" Eternal Sailor Moon gasped in alarm.
"I'm fine. Just get rid of that thing!" she growled.
"Supreme Thunder!" Sailor Jupiter roared as she attacked the youma, covering for the pair.
It was the first time in a long while that an enemy had appeared in town. The Senshi were partly thrilled to be fighting again and partly worried at the same time.
"Mars Flame Sniper!" Sailor Mars cried, aiming the flaming arrow to the arms and legs of the youma. She felt the wound at her side open a bit more with her movement, causing her to ground her teeth in pain.
Damn! That hurt!
"Now Eternal Sailor Moon!" Sailor Venus told their Princess.
"Silvermoon Crystal Power Kiss!" Eternal Sailor Moon bellowed as she used her attack on the youma.
"You may have beaten me, but you cannot break the promise of love!" the youma screamed its warning.
The youma was engulfed by the light from Eternal Sailor Moon's attack and was turned into dust, but not before saying something that left all of the Senshi thinking.
Altered Space,
where time does not rule.
The figure snarled as it watched the first of the youma that had been sent to attack the Senshi be destroyed. It was to be expected, though. The Sailor Senshi were not that easy to defeat.
"Soon." the figured whispered, dark amethyst eyes glinting in the darkness.
The phone rang loudly in the living room as Kenji Tsukino emerged from the kitchen, a frustrated look on his face as his dinner was rudely interrupted.
He grumbled to himself loudly as his brows creased, a spoon held tightly in his right hand while he reached for the annoying phone with his left.
"Tsukino residence." he breathed into the phone, completely doing away with the pleasantries.
"Ah... err... is Usagi home?" a male voice answered.
Kenji's right eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.
"Not at the moment, Chiba-san." he replied, glowering at the young man on the other side of the line.
"Ah... yes. Uhm... Tsukino-san, could you please tell her that I called?" Mamoru Chiba asked.
"I will." he snapped after a moment's hesitation.
Without waiting for a reply from Mamoru, he slammed the phone hard enough to make it bounce. He trudged back into the kitchen, welcomed by bewildered stares from both his wife and his son.
"Who was it?" Ikuko asked, placing some soup into his bowl.
"Mr. You Know Who." Kenji growled, reaching for his rice bowl with his chopsticks.
Ikuko looked to her youngest child for a little help, but Shingo just shrugged back at her. The Tsukino matriarch shook her head in defeat as they finished their meal in silence.
Mamoru pulled the phone away from his ear and saved himself from damaging his ear drums. He stared helplessly at the phone and wondered if he should try calling Usagi's friends.
It was around 5:30 AM in the United States, and he had been in the middle of studying for an exam when he felt Usagi transform into Eternal Sailor Moon.
He hurriedly ran from his bedroom to his living room where the phone was located, and dialed the number of the Tsukino home. It had taken him four tries before he could finally get connected.
He had been tempted to put the phone down when Usagi's father answered, but decided that her safety was far more important than saving himself from the wrath of his beloved's father.
Usako. Please be careful. He prayed, looking up at the early morning sky.
For the first time since he decided to go back to the United States to finish his studies, his thoughts were plagued by doubts if he had done the right thing.
"How is she?" Usagi asked, a little teary-eyed as she looked down at the sleeping Rei.
Her and Minako had carried Rei back to the shrine after the fight to treat her wounds. Ami and Makoto had gone out to investigate, while Luna and Artemis contacted the Outer Senshi.
"She's OK, now. Just unconscious. She's lost a lot of blood." Minako reassured the other blonde.
"Thank God." Usagi said, breathing a sigh of relief.
Minako carefully watched the Princess of the White Moon out of the corner of her eye. She could not help but feel Usagi's distress over the matter of Rei. That was perfectly understandable.
But beneath that emotion lay another. Totally different in form, intensity and foundation. She concentrated, trying to see if what she felt was just confusion. Taken aback, she found that it was still there.
She thought back to her conversation with Rei earlier that day, and almost turned away from Usagi as she remembered her misgivings about the Moon Princess' relationship with the Prince of Earth.
Her thoughts also reminded her of the latter part of their talk, and she wondered if her statements regarding the possibility of a relationship between Usagi and Rei did have some basis after all.
Could it be? She wondered, looking at their Princess in shock.
She was both relieved and worried with what she felt from Usagi; relieved because Rei's love might not be one-sided after all, and worried because that feeling should not even exist.
The Senshi of Love grit her teeth as she stopped herself from slapping her own forehead. She was happy that she was right, but at the same time, she was not happy that she was right.
Even after everything that she had told Rei earlier, and no matter what her personal feelings on the issue might be, Minako still felt that it was her duty to protect the future of the Earth.
Rei-chan's right. I am crazy. She concluded, sighing resignedly at her own confusion.
She then turned to look at the resting form of Rei, and felt that even with closed eyes, the priestess had already regained consciousness. Rei probably faked sleeping to avoid any confrontation with Usagi.
"Usagi-chan?" Minako asked, a plan forming in her mind.
Usagi looked up from her vigil over Rei. Her eyes were red and quite puffy, what with all the crying she has been doing. She sniffed a couple off times as she waited for her friend to continue.
"Hmmm?" she asked, looking at the other blonde.
The Senshi of Venus stole a glance at Rei while Usagi's attention was on her, and found the 'sleeping' girl alternating between gazing longingly at Usagi and glaring at her. Minako had to muffle a giggle.
"Don't worry too much. Rei-chan's a tough cookie. She'll pull through." she said, starting a conversation.
"I know that. But I just can't help worrying. She's died one too many times for me already, you all have! I can't take it happening again." Usagi said in return.
"We'd gladly give our lives to protect you, Usagi-chan. Duty or not, we'd still protect you because we love you. I'm pretty sure everyone agrees with me on that." Minako declared.
"You guys shouldn't have to do that. I'd rather lose to the enemy than lose any of you." Usagi uttered, feeling genuinely miserable at the pain she had inadvertently caused her friends.
"Please don't say that! Cheer up a little will ya? You wouldn't want Rei-chan to see you like this, right? You'd never hear the end of it!" Minako reminded her.
Usagi chuckled lightly, a smile forming on her grief-stricken face. She turned her complete attention back to Rei and her smile grew immensely.
"I can just imagine the insults that would be pouring out from this fiery one's mouth." she whispered, then slowly reached down to lay her fingers on Rei's lips.
Minako found her eyes transfixed on the two. Usagi regarded Rei like someone would do her lover. The Senshi of Venus saw something in the eyes of the Moon Princess and found herself surprised. She could have sworn that she had seen this somewhere before.
What in the?
Another image flashed in her mind, one where Princess Serenity sat in a field of flowers, with the Senshi of Mars laying by her side. Serenity's fingers were very much touching the lips of the Fire Senshi.
It was only for a moment though. Minako shook her head and found herself looking at Usagi and Rei again, with Usagi's hands clasped in front of her in worry.
Was it just my imagination? Or was it a memory? She thought, her confusion growing even more.
"Minako-chan? Are you alright?" Usagi asked, snapping the other blonde out of her reverie.
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, just thinking." Minako blurted out nervously.
"Oh... OK. Well, I'm gonna go home for a while. My mom's probably worried. I'll just pick up some clothes then I'll come back later. Could you watch her for me, please?" Usagi asked.
"No problem Usagi-chan! I, the divine Goddess of Love and Beauty, Sailor Venus, Minako Aino, will guard Rei Hino until you return!" Minako announced formally, earning her a tap from Usagi.
"Oh, you! Thanks! See you both later!" Usagi said as she closed Rei's door behind her.
A number of steps and the sound of another door opening and closing later, Rei opened her eyes and sighed, thankful that Usagi had left. She did not know if she could fake being asleep any longer.
It was then that she noticed a slightly stoic Minako. Rei sat up gingerly, leaning back on the headboard. She waved her hand in front of Minako until the other girl blinked and turned her attention to her.
"Oi! Are you sure you're OK?" Rei asked, both a little annoyed and worried.
"Yeah... just got things on my mind. You should be lying down, you know? Usagi-chan would kill me if she found out I let you up!" Minako cried, urging the injured priestess to lay down.
"I'll do that later. My back's already starting to hurt from all that laying down." the raven haired girl complained, her hand making its way down her aching back.
A moment of silence passed between the two. Minako still had her thoughts stuck on that image she had seen earlier. Rei though, was trying to get a vibe on why Minako was acting strange.
"Rei-chan..." Minako said, a little later.
"Yeah?" Rei asked in response.
"What do you remember of the Silver Millennium?" Minako inquired.
"Hmm... not much really. Bits and pieces. Most of them are of the final battle. Why?" Rei eyed the inquisitive blonde. She wondered where this conversation was coming from, and where it would lead to.
"Nothing really." Minako uttered quietly.
Rei studied the girl sitting beside her. She still could not get any sign or vibe on how Minako was feeling, or where her questions where coming from.
A part of her was telling her, however, that Minako's question was somewhat related to their discussion earlier that day. Rei did not know how to feel about that.
"Minako..."
Much like their laughter earlier that day, their conversation was interrupted by the incessant beeping sound of their communicators.
Sailor Uranus looked down at the winded Sailor Senshi below them. It was the second time that night that the Inner Soldiers found themselves fighting a youma. This time, it was in Downtown Tokyo.
She found out from their answering machine that Luna and Artemis had called earlier to inform them about the first attack. They were not expecting to have another attack in a space of two hours.
The Senshi of Wind and Flight looked on worriedly as her fellow Senshi were having a hard time dealing with this youma. They were already down one soldier even though Sailor Mars was still in uniform.
"Uranus? Should we help?" Sailor Neptune asked her partner.
The stoic Senshi said nothing. Her usual mask of countenance was disturbed only by flashes of apprehension. Her hands were already balled into fists, laying tensely at her sides.
"You know we can't, at least not yet. Setsuna just asked us to watch them, and intervene only if Eternal Sailor Moon's life is at risk." Sailor Uranus answered through clenched teeth.
Sailor Neptune looked away from her partner as Eternal Sailor Moon's battle cry ripped through the quiet night. The youma screamed in agony as it was obliterated on the spot.
The Senshi of Sea and Affinity smiled inwardly, pleased with the result of the battle. She felt her partner loosen up a bit, and let out the breath she had been holding.
"Ara, Uranus. Were you actually worried that they'd be beaten?" she teased.
"I wasn't really worried about that." Uranus answered, not biting into her partner's teasing.
Sailor Neptune's smiling face turned grim as she followed her partner's gaze. She then understood why Sailor Uranus was both relieved and worried.
"Will it really happen? Is it really strong enough to break destiny's hold? Is the fate of Crystal Tokyo really in their hands?" Sailor Neptune wondered out loud.
For that, Sailor Uranus had no answer. And even if she did, she did not say anything.
"Easy, easy." Usagi cautioned as her and Makoto lowered Rei onto the bed. The Senshi of Fire had once again sustained injuries from the battle, though most of them resulted from trying to protect Usagi.
"I'm fine Usagi! Geez. You don't have to fuss over me that much." Rei snapped, a little irritated. But deep inside, she was overly ecstatic.
"If you didn't throw yourself onto the youma's path this wouldn't have happened!" Usagi admonished.
"If..." Rei stopped herself from continuing the conversation. She felt tired and bruised, and did not want to have an argument with Usagi.
"Where are those things coming from anyway?" Makoto asked as she joined the rest of them on the floor.
"And what did they mean when they said, 'You may have beaten me, but you cannot break the promise of love!'? It's not like youma to have something that scripted." Minako commented.
"I've been doing all types of searches and scans. Nothing has come up." Ami supplied, letting out the breath of frustration she had been holding.
"And with Rei-chan still injured, she can't do a fire reading." Luna added from her resting place beside Ami.
"I could do a fire reading right now..." Rei began, trying to sit up when a hand gently pushed her back down.
"No! You need to get well first. Then you can do a fire reading." Usagi insisted.
Rei relented without much argument, much to Usagi's appreciation and everyone's surprise. The Senshi of Fire must really be tired to give up that easily.
"Well, we'd better be prepared for the worst." Luna reminded them as she nuzzled Ami's thigh.
"She's right. Until we figure out just where these things are coming from, we have to stay alert." Artemis voiced his agreement from his perch on Minako's lap.
"Agreed. Keep your communicators with you at all times. We should probably try to get some rest, though. It's almost midnight." Luna added.
"So it's settled then. Let's get a move on people." Makoto said as she stood from the floor.
Ami and Minako followed suit, with Luna and Artemis preparing to leave as well. They all picked up their things which were scattered all over Rei's room, then headed for the door.
"Aren't you coming Usagi-chan?" Luna asked when she realized that Usagi did not stand with them.
"Someone has to stay with Rei-chan, Luna. Both Yuuichiro-san and Grandpa Hino are still at the Shinto retreat." Usagi said, her voice thick with worry.
"Go home Odango Atama. I'm fine." Rei reiterated.
"You're nowhere near fine. I'll stay here until you get better. And if you don't want my help, then as your Princess and future Queen, I'm ordering you to accept it!" Usagi insisted.
"Fine. Geez. Stay if you want." Rei muttered, then turned her body away from everyone else.
Luna studied her blonde charge for a moment, then decided that Usagi did have a point. The black guardian cat nodded her approval and was rewarded with a warm smile from their Princess.
"OK. Don't forget to give your mom a call, Usagi-chan. See you both tomorrow."
Luna and the others exited Rei's room after that. All except for Minako, who stood hesitantly at the threshold as she watched the pair bicker over Rei's wounds.
"Minako-chan? Is there a problem?" Artemis asked, his brow creased.
"Huh? No... nothing. Let's go." Minako replied sullenly, closing the door behind her.
The bewildered Senshi of Venus walked past the startled Artemis, still dwelling on the subject of Rei and Usagi. The white guardian cat followed his charge as they made their way out of the shrine.
"Artemis?" Minako asked as they approached Minako's apartment.
"What's on your mind?" Artemis asked, looking up worriedly at Minako.
After a moment's silence and hesitation, Minako shook her head. She forced a smile on her haggled features and stepped inside the apartment, with Artemis following suit.
"Minako-chan?" Artemis wondered, a little worried.
The blonde haired Goddess of Venus did not turn back to him, let alone answer. Artemis looked on as the usually happy-go-lucky young woman entered her room with nothing on but a robe and a frown.
"What now?" Haruka Tenou asked, sipping on the cup of coffee.
The three Outer Senshi were seated across from each other around a table on the outside veranda of their mansion. The two women had found Setsuna sitting there after they got home from the city.
"Until our real enemy shows up, we can't do much about it." Setsuna answered, hands in her lap.
"But is your information correct? What if it's not?" Michiru Kaiou questioned the older woman, grim determination replacing her usually calm and graceful features.
"The information is certainly correct. I have seen and felt it from the Gates of Time. I don't remember what happened in the past, but I can see the future clearly." Setsuna said, her tone neutral.
"Can't we just kill..."
"You know we can't do that! It's technically not her anyway. At least, not who she is now." Setsuna interjected, a bit disgusted with Haruka's suggestion, but not really surprised.
"So what? We wait for her to become it? Is that what you're saying? Are you willing to risk the Princess' life like that?" Haruka retorted, tone a bit accusing.
"Haruka..." Michiru whispered, her hand reaching out to hold on to her lover's fists. The sandy haired Senshi relaxed a bit, but her eyes did not leave Setsuna.
"You don't understand. None of us will until we find ourselves in the same position." Setsuna replied, quietly.
"We probably never will." Michiru concluded.
The light from the candle flickered slightly as the wind blew gently through the open window and into the room. Rei was sleeping on her bed, with Usagi sleeping beside her in a futon.
Both women, along with the rest of their friends have had a tough night battling unknown youma. They were all mentally and physically drained, except these two were also emotionally drained to the core.
For this reason, neither felt a shadow slowly creep into the room, and hover lightly over them. The shadow carefully formed itself into a hand and gently caressed Usagi's cheek like that of a lover.
"Soon, my Princess." the words could be heard, but the speaker could not be seen.
The shadow then floated over towards the bed, where Rei lay in deep slumber. It studied the injured young woman for a moment, then laid its hand above Rei's injuries.
Pleased with itself, the shadow removed its hand, then held its position above the sleeping priestess. Instead of touching her cheek like it did to Usagi, the shadow laid a kiss on Rei's forehead.
"Just a little more..." it whispered, again through unseen lips.
End of Chapter 1
Author's Notes:
1. OK, since people actually lived on the moon back in the Silver Millennium, I'm assuming that the moon is just like how the earth is, in the sense that it has an atmosphere and that it relies on the sun for light and other stuff, ergo, the idea of a sunrise and sunset.
2. "Angel" - I really love this pet name. I've always thought that it was the perfect pet name since she sorta looks like one with the wings.
3. When did Luna say that the Senshi can get other abilities related to their powers? Well, I don't recall Luna saying that at all. I just made that part up, especially Makoto being able to sense when it's going to rain, and Minako's ability to feel/read people's love emotions. Rei being able to read the fire and Ami being able to swim like a fish are actual abilities possessed by them.
4. All the youma that appeared in this chapter look like your typical youma. The same goes for the rest of the youma that will appear in the later chapters. Sorry. Just couldn't think of how a youma would look like right now. :)
5. I know that the Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss attack is supposed to turn humans who were turned into monsters back into humans. I don't know what kind of effect the attack has on a youma, but I just made it so that any other enemy/monster that wasn't previously a human be turned into dust. (That explanation sounds kinda confusing... blech.)
6. About the whole Usagi and Mamoru deal...
Before I get flamed by any of the readers, I would like to say that I sorta altered something in the original storyline of the Sailor Moon ANIME.
I did write that Usagi and Mamoru only showed romantic feelings for each other after they had regained their memories of the Silver Millennium. Officially, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask did show some 'signs of love' for each other (though I can't think of a concrete example right now) even before they regained any of their memories, but I didn't think that they really counted as 'signs of love' because Sailor Moon had no idea that Tuxedo Mask was Mamoru, in the same way that Mamoru didn't know that Sailor Moon was Usagi. Usagi loved and adored Tuxedo Mask, but despised and really couldn't stand Mamoru Chiba. Mamoru was 'in love' (or 'in like,' or 'in lust') with the Princess in his dreams, who we later find out to be Princess Serenity (a.k.a. Usagi of the past), but he was absolutely annoyed with Usagi and didn't show any form of affection for her whatsoever.
So to prevent any complaints, I am now telling everyone to disregard any 'signs of love' between Usagi and Mamoru before their memories of the Silver Millennium were restored. The line of reasoning in the fanfic works with that mindset.
7. About Minako's feelings...
a. She's trying to be a good friend to Rei
In a sense, she wants Rei to be happy, and she feels that Rei will feel better once she tells Usagi how she feels. If it works out, then good for her. If it doesn't, well, at least she doesn't need to hide anything anymore. Believe me, keeping secrets from the people you love isn't good for the soul.
b. She's trying to be a loyal Senshi to Usagi
She has a sworn duty to protect the Princess of the White Moon at any and all costs. In this case, she knows that Usagi loves Mamoru (even though she has a few misgivings about that topic) and that the two of them will become King and Queen of Crystal Tokyo in the future. Part of her duty is to protect the future of this planet, and that future can only be possible if Usagi and Mamoru stay together.
Well, she's basically confused. She's torn between wanting to be a good friend, and being a loyal Senshi, not to mention the fact that she thinks Usagi and Mamoru's love isn't as destined as everyone believes.
All comments, suggestions, criticisms and the like, please click the 'Review' button below.
All Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon characters copyright to Naoko Takeuchi. They are used without permission. Please do not sue me, I don't have money.
©2004 Shirley Joy Gadia, all other characters used in the fanfic and the story itself, all rights reserved.
Thank you!