A Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Fanfic:
"A Promise of Forever"
by: s16thunderjet
Chapter 5:
Seeing Red
In one corner of the still darkened room, a solitary figure laid wide awake, sleep eluding her the entire night. Sighing to herself, the blue haired girl slowly stood up, then glanced across the room.
She was surprised to find neither blonde nor brunette present, causing a fountain of worry to erupt inside her. A cold breeze blew at her rumpled hair, making her look towards the open shoji screen.
Sitting on the veranda and staring at the stars decorating the early morning sky was Makoto, the auburn haired girl captivated by the colors beginning to penetrate the gloom.
An inquisitive frown formed on Ami's lips as she walked towards her friend, soft but firm steps announcing her approach. If the brunette had heard her, she did not show.
"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" Makoto asked out of the blue, eliciting a surprised gasp from the other girl.
Ami found herself nodding in response, the emerald eyes staring up at her seemingly drawing her closer. She sat as far away from the other girl as she could without arousing any suspicion.
When did I become so uneasy around her? She wondered, bowing her head to avoid her friend's gaze.
The Senshi of Wisdom began to replay the events of the past few weeks in her mind, the blue haired genius going through every single detail that she could remember.
Beside her, a rueful smile plastered itself onto Makoto's lips, the Senshi of Thunder half expecting the uncomfortable silence stressing just how strained their relationship had become.
What relationship? She can't even look at me without flinching.
Chancing a glance at the girl sitting a good distance from her, Makoto noted the tension in those slender shoulders and the melancholy look on her face.
"I'm sorry." the brunette suddenly uttered, effectively snapping the other girl out of her reverie.
"What?" she asked, the confusion evident in her eyes.
"I'm sorry... for whatever it is that I did." she repeated, offering her an apologetic smile.
"Why are you..."
"I must have done something... for you to be like this." Makoto explained, earning her an incredulous look from her friend.
A series of responses welled up inside the Water Senshi, years of friendship the only thing stopping her from ruthlessly psychoanalyzing the Senshi of Protection on the spot.
Taking a few deep breaths to calm the scientist in her, Ami forced herself to study the bigger picture. There were more important things to worry about right now.
"I... I don't understand what you're saying." Ami chuckled rather nervously, hoping to get the other girl to drop it.
Makoto, however, saw right through her.
"You don't have to lie, you know? It's obvious from the way you've been acting." the auburn haired girl snorted, a wry smile on her face.
"Really Mako-chan, there's nothing wrong." she insisted, waving her hands in front of her for emphasis.
"You're restless when I'm near and you can't even look me in the eye. Tell me again that there's nothing even remotely unusual about that!" Makoto spat, barely contained anger flashing in her eyes.
Silenced by the truth in her best friend's words, Ami resigned herself to the fact that they were not going to escape this conversation without one or both of them getting hurt.
Realizing that the other girl was not going to budge anytime soon, the blue haired genius decided that she had done enough evading for the both of them.
"I... It's not you, Mako-chan. It's me." she uttered, inwardly berating herself for making use of the age-old cliché.
"Spare me the bullshit, Ami-chan! This is me you're talking to. I may not have an IQ of 300, but I'm not an idiot." Makoto practically growled, feeling geniunely insulted at her friend's response.
"How can you think so negatively of yourself? Why do you always presume that it's your fault?" Ami replied calmly, the Senshi of Wisdom barely able to keep herself in check.
"Because it's always my fault. That's how it's always been. That's how it always will be." the brunette replied a-matter-of-factly.
Head lowered to alleviate the frustration she was feeling, Ami sought every ounce of willpower she possessed in an effort to keep herself from verbally lashing out at the other girl.
For the love of all that is sane and holy... Serenity, please help me.
"So... whatever it is, I'm sorry, OK?" Makoto offered, sneaking a peek at her still silent friend.
Pushed past the final threshold stopping her from erupting like a volcano on Mars, an openly irate Ami glared at the Senshi of Thunder, practically snarling at the other girl for all she was worth.
"Shut up."
"What?" the auburn haired Senshi asked, blinking in utter surprise at the sudden change in her friend's disposition.
"Just shut up. Stop apologizing for something you didn't do!"
The Water Senshi's tirade caught Makoto completely off-guard, the taller girl clearly not used to seeing this side of the usually reserved and quiet girl.
"But I..." she began, only to be silenced yet again by the still furious Ami.
"I don't care if you think you're to blame for every wrong thing in this world! You didn't do anything to me! I'm the reason why I'm confused and disoriented! I don't need all this crap from you!"
Rendered completely unable to utter a response, the Senshi of Protection found herself at the receiving end of what seemed to be a long-suppressed rant.
She could only watch, part in disbelief at the fury she did not think her best friend could possess, part in awe at the radiant beauty that shone in those blazing cerulean orbs.
Pausing to gather her wits about her, she stared at the other girl with glistening eyes, the blue haired Senshi barely able to keep herself from falling apart.
"Stop blaming yourself and using your insecurities as an excuse. You're better than that and you know it." she pleaded, her voice was a mere whisper.
Poised to approach the clearly distraught girl crying in front of her, Makoto caught herself from rushing to the girl she loves and holding her in her arms.
Ami allowed herself a small smile at the gesture, noting that even with everything that has transpired between them, some things just did not change.
"I want you to make me smile and promise me that everything is going to be alright... like you always do." she uttered, her heart pounding at the prospect of being held by those strong, yet gentle arms.
"Ami-chan... I..."
The smile did not leave the Senshi of Wisdom's lips even as she shook head to stop the other girl from blaming herself further. Rather, her smile broadened ever so slightly in resignation.
"We've been dancing around each other for weeks. I'm not even going to pretend that I understand what's happening between us... just that it's there, and it's starting to drive us both crazy."
Makoto's expression mirrored the look on the other girl's face, the realization that they had finally come to the same conclusion giving her some semblance of clarity.
"We're at war with an enemy in the guise of one of our own. We can't let ourselves get distracted by personal matters any more than we already have. But I..."
The blue haired genius paused to swallow past the lump that had surreptitiously formed in her throat; cerulean orbs staring intently as if waiting for some kind of affirmation from the other girl.
The Senshi of Thunder held her breath in anticipation, the taller girl returning her best friend's gaze with a sincere desire to restore everything to the way it was.
"I can't let it go on like this. Whatever it is, it's tearing us apart. We need to get it out in the open now or risk throwing away what we have for something so unfathomable, yet so easy to name."
"We wouldn't be like this if it were easy."
"But it is, you know. We're just too afraid to acknowledge it."
A moment of silence passed between the two friends, both welcoming the tranquility it brought; the tension that threatened to overwhelm them slowly dissipating.
Crossing the distance between them, Ami stopped about a foot away from the brunette before taking the other girl's hands in hers, a wide smile decorating her features.
"I'm not asking for anything more, not right now. I don't think I'm ready for it anyway. I just... I just want my best friend back. I want my Mako-chan back." she finished, eyes wet with unshed tears.
Without warning, a pair of arms wrapped around the Water Senshi like a blanket, enveloping her with a gentle warmth that made her feel safe and loved.
Not caring whether she would be punished for being too forward, Ami laid her head atop the taller girl's chest, tears streaming down her face as her own arms circled around her best friend's back.
Smiling brighter than the sun that had risen in the horizon, Makoto laid a soft kiss on the blue haired girl's temple, silently thanking the heavens for this chance at happiness.
"I'm sorry... for being so stubborn. I guess I've gotten so used to blaming myself that I didn't think I was hurting other people by doing it." she whispered, earning her a nod from the still crying girl.
After what seemed like forever, the brunette began to pull away, causing Ami to whimper ever so slightly. A soft chuckle escaped Makoto just as she bent forwards to be eye-level with the genius girl.
She gently cupped the Senshi of Wisdom's cheeks with both hands, her thumbs carefully wiping away the tears. Cerulean melded with emerald as the world around them faded until only the two of them existed.
"We'll figure things out once this crisis is over. Smile Ami-chan. Everything's going to be OK." she promised, a huge grin on her face.
A fountain of tears sprang anew at those words as the blue haired girl was overcome with joy. Ami nodded as she embraced Makoto, burying her face in the crook of the taller girl's neck.
"Unn." she replied, the smile never leaving her lips. She had her best friend back. She had her Mako-chan back. Nothing else mattered.
Saddled up in a plane flying some thirty thousand feet in the air, Mamoru could do nothing but glare at the clear blue sky, practically willing the craft to go faster than it possibly could.
Tightening his grip on the defenseless armrest beside him, he closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, confusion, betrayal and anger creating a dangerous imbalance.
The two other passengers sitting next to him had already asked to be transferred, both not needing psychic powers to feel the murderous intent coming off of him in waves.
Anyone magically or spiritually in tuned, however, would have sensed and seen the dark energy beginning to envelop him, effectively drowning out the light residing in his heart.
Minako tirelessly paced along the corridor outside Rei's room, the blonde contemplating whether or not to go in and relieve Usagi so that the other girl could get some rest.
She had taken a number of peeks throughout the early morning and could not help but be amazed at their Princess' determination to stay with their injured friend.
Sheer stubborness is more like it. She thought amusedly, her mind conjuring up an image of Usagi with her head bobbing up and down due lack of sleep.
The events of the past few days have brought with it tremendous amounts of melancholy and frustration to all of them, particularly the two people inside the room.
One can only wonder just how much of a physical, mental and emotinal barrage they can all take, seeing as there was still no clear end in sight.
Pausing in midstride, the Princess of Venus realized that she would not be able to accomplish anything just by walking back and forth and thinking to herself.
Here goes nothing. She decided, knocking twice before pushing the door open.
"Usagi-chan? It's me." she announced, letting herself in.
Turning from her vigil over the raven haired girl, the Princess of the White Moon offered the other blonde as much of a smile as she could, considering the latest developments.
"Sleeping beauty wake up yet?" Minako asked as she settled herself across from Usagi and on Rei's left side.
"She hasn't even stirred." her Princess replied worriedly.
Something akin to pity wormed its way into the Senshi of Beauty's heart at the sight. She reached across the bed and took Usagi's hands in hers, squeezing them in an effort to offer some semblance comfort.
"She'll be fine. Our Rei-chan's a fighter. Don't worry too much, OK? I'm sure she'll get through this..." Minako assured her.
... especially with you to come back to.
A genuine smile began to form on the Moon Princess' face, causing Minako to match it with a smile of her own. Silence reigned for some time after that, one comfortable rather than awkward.
She studied the other blonde's quiet interaction with the sleeping Senshi of Mars rather intently, the Goddess of Love's eyes focusing on what no one else can see and feel.
I was right the first time. There really is something there. She noted internally, now more convinced than ever of her initial learnings.
She thought of a way to open up a conversation on the said topic without making it sound like an interrogation. Before she could voice her thoughts, however, her Princess had already begun to speak.
"Minako-chan... what would you do if you were in love with two people?"
The gears in Minako's brain decided to take a vacation at that exact moment, leaving the blonde Senshi to stare vacantly at the Moon Princess.
She had not expected the other girl to be that straightforward about such a serious situation, and yet, with everything that has happened recently, she could not say that she was completely surprised.
For her part, Usagi kept her attention on the still unconscious Rei lying in front of them, inadvertently missing the almost dumbfounded look on her friend's face.
"There's this couple... they're so in love some people say they're actually destined for each other. They're already engaged, but the guy keeps on leaving the girl, making her feel lonely and unloved."
Usagi paused momentarily, a wry smile decorating her solemn face as memories of what is now her most hated place in the entire world came to mind.
Airports... She groused, her lips pursing into a frown.
Minako remained quiet and still, however; her eyes glazing over at some of the words that somehow succeeded in penetrating the fog that enveloped her mind.
Couple... destined... guy leaving... girl alone... feel lonely... unloved. Goddess help me!
"The girl then has these dreams that's sorta like a mixture of her memories and her fantasies about this other gi... person that she used to have feelings for."
Usagi fumbled, the blonde Princess blushing ever so slightly at her own words. She glanced shyly at Minako, hoping that the other girl had not picked up on the slip.
It was only then that she noticed the frozen, semi-attentive state her friend was in. Usagi waved her hand in front of Minako's face, snapping the other blonde out of her reverie.
"Guy and girl in love. Guy leaves girl alone, girl feels unloved. Girl fantasizing about old crush." Minako replied almost mechanically, blinking her eyes rapidly as if to regain her focus.
Usagi had to bite her lower lip to keep herself from laughing at the other girl's antics. Minako smiled sheepishly at her Princess, a reddish hue coloring her cheeks.
"Sorry. Go on." Minako prompted, earning a nod from Usagi.
"The girl knows that she isn't supposed to have intimate dreams about her previous, ah... crush, let alone entertain the idea of having her feelings developing into something deeper."
She paused for a moment as she looked back at Minako, checking to see if the other girl was still listening. She received a small smile and a nod for her troubles.
"She understands that her and her fiancé are destined to build a beautiful future. What she can't figure out is if they really are fated to be together, then why is she having feelings for someone else?"
There was a slight tremble in Usagi's voice as she finished, the Princess of the White Moon almost overcome with tension as she virtually bared her soul to her 'twin'.
The Senshi of Love took a moment to digest all that had been said. There was no doubt in her mind that Usagi was talking about herself and that forced her to become more careful with what she was going to say.
The fate of the world could be decided in the next few minutes. She thought gravely, the Leader of All the Senshi feeling the burdensome weight of responsibility on her shoulders.
'Personal feelings aside, huh?' She mused, her previous thoughts coming to mind.
Usagi Tsukino. Eternal Sailor Moon. She, who fights for justice and love, was now seemingly doomed to partake in the eternal struggle between fulfilling one's duty or granting their heart's desire.
Minako could only smile at the irony of it all.
"Under normal circumstances, I would say something like 'To hell with destiny. Go! Be with the one you truly love.'" she began in jest, a small smile adorning her face.
Usagi's brows furrowed slightly in confusion, the blonde Princess not entirely sure where her friend was going with this. Something at the back of her mind told her, however, that her secret had been revealed.
Silent for a moment, the Princess of Venus reminded herself that while she was indeed the Leader of All the Sailor Senshi, she was also one of Usagi's closest and most trusted friends.
"You know, if this were the Silver Millennium, I would most likely be court marshaled for what I'm about to tell you." she uttered, a rueful smile on her face.
"Minako-chan?"
"If you love her, then go for it." Minako repeated. This time though, she really meant it.
"Uhm, don't you mean, if the girl loves her previous cru..."
The Moon Princess trailed off as Minako just smiled indulgently at her, the Goddess of Beauty shaking her head and silently imploring the other girl to stop denying her feelings.
"Forget about destiny. Forget about Crystal Tokyo. You've always followed your heart, Usagi-chan. Don't stop now." the blonde finished, reminding her Princess about the most important thing in the world.
"You're right..."
"Of course I'm right. I am the Senshi of Love after all." Minako declared rather smugly, wiggling her eyebrows playfully at the other blonde.
"... you would've been court marshaled for saying something like that." Usagi uttered, her lips upturned into a rueful smile.
"What?" Minako asked, the blonde more surprised than incredulous.
The melancholy look on Usagi's face served to drive chills down Minako's spine, the other girl's almost nonchalant expression nowhere near what she was expecting.
She anxiously wondered whether her Princess had finally lost all her marbles or if she were stuck in some ridiculous nightmare where duty had become more important to Usagi than love.
"But..."
And then, a glimmer of hope.
"... we're not in the Silver Millennium. We're just ordinary girls
who happen to be living extraordinary lives. Nevertheless, we deserve to find love and keep it... and fight for it if need be."
"Then fight, Usagi-chan."
"How can I? I'm not even sure what I should be fighting for. I'm not... I don't even know who I really love anymore..."
The confession hit Minako like a tidal wave, the Senshi of Love rendered completely speechless. Never in her life did she think she would ever hear Usagi say something like that.
"If I really love Mamo-chan and we're destined to be together, then why am I feeling like this? Why do I feel like I'm in love with Rei-chan?" Usagi cried, utterly and honestly confused.
"Are you really? In love with her, I mean." Minako asked rather carefully, afraid of upsetting the other blonde even more.
The Moon Princess' initial response was a deep sigh, followed by furrowed brows and pursed lips. Finally settling into a perturbed smile, she bowed her head slightly as she replied.
"If you asked me that earlier, I would have told you that you were crazy. But now..."
Breath held in anticipation, whether it was for another confession or for a denial, Minako could only watch, helpless, as a flurry of emotions flitted across her Princess' face.
Choosing to spare her blonde friend from making a declaration she was clearly not prepared to make, the Senshi of Beauty broke the silence for her, a small smile on her lips.
"Take a break and get some rest, Usagi-chan. Let me watch her for a while." Minako offered, earning her an almost immediate rebuttal from the other girl.
"It's OK. I want to be here when she wakes up." Usagi replied with an appeciative smile.
Pausing to contemplate her next words, she eyed her Princess with a mix of pride and compassion. Deciding to take a different route, she reached across the bed to take Usagi's hands into hers.
"Why don't you prepare her a meal instead?" the Senshi of Love began.
"What? But I can't cook!" Usagi blurted out in alarm.
"Neither can I. Between the two of us, though, I'm sure you can at least heat-up some leftover soup without messing it up." she added.
"But I..."
"Besides, I'm pretty sure Rei-chan wouldn't care what kind of food it is as long as you're the one who made it." Minako finished with a wink.
The Moon Princess blushed redder than an overly-ripe tomato at the other blonde's words. Coughing into her fist, she stood up, laid a soft kiss on the Senshi of Fire's forehead, then proceeded to the kitchen.
"Mars! Flame Sniper!"
Dressed in Silver Millennium garb, Princess Mars let the arrow loose from her bow, sending it flying across the Hikawa Jinja's courtyard and towards its target.
Eternal Sailor Moon found herself rooted to her spot in utter disbelief as she watched the flaming attack come closer. Before it could connect, however, there was a flash of black followed by a loud thud as a body fell to the ground.
Crimson mixed with ebony as blood began to pool around the fallen figure. Falling to her knees, the Princess of the White Moon could do nothing but weep at the sight of her lifeless love.
"Wake up! You can't be dead. You said that you would never let me go. Keep your promise to me, please..." the blonde cried, but to no avail.
The love of her eternal life was dead.
"Setsuna? Are you even listening?" Haruka spat, her brows furrowed at the perpetually silent Senshi of Revolution.
Snapped out of her reverie, the dark green haired woman turned to the seething blonde, the nonchalant expression on her face irritating the Senshi of Flight even more.
"You felt it too, didn't you?" Michiru interjected, her features clouded with confusion.
Refusing to voice her thoughts, Setsuna closed her eyes as if to think of an alibi. Opening them, she found three pairs of eyes staring back at her, one furious, another skeptical, still another hopeful.
No point in trying to hide, but I can't admit it either.
"Whether I felt it or not is irrelevant. Right now, we should be focusing our energies on keeping the Princess' alive. That is our primary mission." she answered, hoping the other's would take it.
"You're right, as always. Anyway, their feelings won't matter once we get rid of that traitor. Then we'll have killed two birds with one stone." Haruka growled, glaring out the window at nothing in particular.
Both Michiru and Hotaru nodded in silent agreement, leaving the Senshi of Time to ponder the situation carefully. Things were not going as planned, but a little nudge in the right direction should do it.
"We may need to rethink that, seeing as the Princess won't allow any harm to come to Rei-san." Setsuna uttered, causing the other three to look at her in surprise.
"That's never stopped us before." the Senshi of Wind answered, her her hands balling into fists.
"No, it didn't. I'm pretty sure Hotaru-chan remembers that all too well." the ruby eyed Senshi replied, tilting her head towards the youngest Senshi.
Haruka's jaw clenched tight, part in frustration, part in guilt. The sandy haired Senshi avoided her surrogate daughter's pointed gaze and instead glowered at Setsuna for all she was worth.
"Don't you dare blame all of that on me. You were there! You knew that it had to be done. The same way that we have to do this now because no one is going to do it!" Haruka snapped.
"Yes, I was there. I admit I did nothing to prevent hurtful things from happening to our daughter. But yes, it had to be done, no matter how much I regret having done it." Setsuna whispered.
The Senshi of Rebirth remained silent, the dark violet eyed girl choosing to ignore Setsuna's attempts at swaying the vote. Michiru had seen enough, however, as she stepped in to keep the situation from escalating further.
"We can't change the past no matter how much we want to. What's important is the present. We need to do something now so we won't have any more regrets in the future."
Smiling in gratitude at her lover, the Senshi of Flight walked towards the dark green haired woman sitting in the center of the room, hoping to get her to understand.
"I'm not doing this because I want to. I love those girls. I'd sooner cut off my arm than purposely hurt any of them, but I have no choice." Haruka began.
Absolute silence was the Senshi of Revolution's reply, forcing Haruka to try a different tactic, one that she had hoped she would not need to use.
"If we don't stop them, everything will change. Crystal Tokyo will not come to pass. More importantly, Chibiusa will never be born. Is that something your conscience can carry for all eternity?"
Very slowly, the ruby eyed woman turned to look at the other girl, her face devoid of any emotion. Internally, Setsuna could not help but smile as Haruka played her part to perfection.
Glancing carefully at the Senshi of Destruction, Setsuna noted the slight change in the young girl's countenance. Clearly, Hotaru was already preoccupied with something more important.
Very good, Hotaru-chan. This is as much a test for you as it is for everyone.
Realizing that she had been quiet long enough, the Senshi of Time decided to spare Haruka and Michiru the torture of trying to convince someone who did not need any convincing.
"Above anything else, the Princess must come first. I apologize if any stray emotions almost led me to believe otherwise." she answered somewhat stoically, though inside, she was practically grinning.
"We'll find an alternative, Setsuna. But if there is none..." Michiru trailed off.
"Agreed."
With that, the pair exited the living room, bidding the remaining members of their family goodnight. Inwardly, the dark green haired woman apologized for using them, but she knew that there was no other way.
"Uhm... Setsuna-mama?" Hotaru finally spoke, drawing the Senshi of Revolution's attention to her.
The all-knowing look in those ruby eyes caused the young girl to falter, the Senshi of Rebirth needing to recompose herself as she addressed her surrogate mother.
"Last night, at the Jinja... when Usagi-san and Rei-san were... I think... I think I felt Chibiusa. She was there, Mama." she uttered.
"There's no way of proving that, Hotaru-chan. You were probably just feeling the effects of Usagi's emotions or it could've very well been your imagination." Setsuna offered.
The dark violet eyed girl dwelled on it for just a moment before grim determination settled into her features. She stared defiantly at the older Senshi, her eyes narrowed.
"No. I'm sure it was her. That means Crystal Tokyo still exists, doesn't it?" she asked hopefully, the underlying question not lost on the other woman.
And that Chibiusa is alive.
A cryptic nod was all the reply she got.
"Then there's still time. We can still stop Usagi-san from making a very big mistake." the Senshi of Destruction practically growled as she strode out of the living room.
I'll do everything in my power to keep you alive, Chibiusa, even if it means going against your mother to do it.
Setsuna could only watch as her daughter exited the room with more than just protecting the future on her mind. Leaning back, she let out a huge sigh, thankful that her task was done.
For now.
Rei stood amidst the rubble and destruction that was once known as the most glorious and most powerful empire in the Silver Millennium, the Kingdom of the White Moon.
Around her, the stench of death lingered as the dilapidated bodies littered the remains of the Moon Palace, its pristine walls demolished, its white marbled floors smashed to the cold, unforgiving ground.
The sounds of fighting were no more, the anguished cries of the tormented finally rendered silent by the call of the afterlife. Where life once flourished, only nothingness remained.
Unable to move or speak on her own, the raven haired girl allowed herself to be transported by an unseen force. Floating above the ruins, she could not help but whimper at the devastation.
Ahead of her, a glimmer of hope shone weakly across the now barren wasteland. In the darkness of oblivion, a lone survivor stood clinging to the last vestiges of her existence.
The Senshi of War found herself being lowered to the surface once more, her body hovering, but not touching the floor. In front of her lay her worst nightmare, causing her to throw up in absolute horror.
Clutching the Legendary Silver Crystal in her fragile hands, Queen Serenity knelt beside her lifeless daughter, tears of agony rolling down her cheeks.
Beside her lay Prince Endymion, the Princess' destined love chosen to further the line of Serenity and help continue the grandeur of the Kingdom. The same man who had inadvertently caused its demise.
"In the end, it didn't matter who my daughter ended up with, for the Kingdom was already on the path to annihilation." the Queen spoke, her fingers brushing against her daughter's frigid lips.
Seemingly invisible to the distraught monarch, the Senshi of Mars could do nothing but weep at the sight of her fallen love, her ethereal form preventing her from touching her Princess.
"I wish the two of you were given the chance to experience the beauty of true love. I know that even with the impending war, the two of you would've been happy until the very end, you and your Rei-chan..."
Amethyst eyes snapped wide open at the mourning sovereign's words, confusion written all over her disbelieving features. Questions flooded her mind, but silence was all that she could muster.
Desperately needing some form of explanation, Rei willed herself to move, but only succeeded in passing through the Queen's body. Dropping to her knees, she watched, helpless, as the Crystal began to glow.
"This will never be enough to atone for my mistakes, but I pray that you will all be able to start over with your new lives. May true love triumph and may happiness fill all your hearts."
A gentle radiance shone from within the Legendary Silver Crystal, enveloping the universe with its magnificent light. Slowly, Rei found herself beginning to fade from reality.
The Fire Senshi did not fight it for she already knew that she did not belong in this era. She knew that she was only a pilgrim in this sea of memories and that she needed to return to her own time.
To her utter surprise, Queen Serenity turned to look at her with those sad, rueful eyes, as if begging for forgiveness and understanding for everything that has happened.
Before the raven haired priestess could form some sort of reply, the brilliance of the Legendary Silver Crystal blinded her until she was forced to close her eyes.
Blinking gingerly as she adjusted to the light coming from the setting sun, Rei opened her eyes to see Makoto and Ami to her left and Minako, Artemis and Luna to her right.
"Hi." she managed weakly, her throat parched.
"You're awake! Thank goodness!" Luna was the first to react, tears of gladness falling from her eyes.
"How are you feeling? Do you need anything?" Ami asked, relief evident in her features.
"Some water would be great." Rei answered, grateful for the concern.
"Here."
The raven haired girl gratefully took the glass offered, pausing to thank Makoto before taking a sip. Silence reigned for a moment as tension filled the entire room.
Glancing at the people around her, Rei could feel more than see the regret and guilt coming off each of them in waves. She knew those emotions well; she probably would have done the same thing.
"It's OK, guys. I understand. Thank you for protecting Usagi." she uttered, a geniune smile on her face.
The Senshi of Fire suddenly found herself buried under a pile of girls and cats as they all showered her with warm hugs, soft kisses and the occasional tears.
"It's good to have you back, Rei-chan." Minako said, the blonde truly thankful in more ways than one.
"I never really left, Blondie." Rei chuckled, causing the others to join in the laughter.
As happy as she was with all the attention she was getting from her friends, the Shinto priestess found herself wondering why her Princess was nowhere in sight.
Before she could voice her question, however, the door opened to reveal the love of her eternal life carrying what looked to be a tray of food, head bowed down in sadness.
Looking up at the strange noises coming from across the room, Usagi's eyes grew impossibly wide in disbelief, the blonde rendered utterly speechless.
Sitting up on the bed in all her injured, but recovering glory was her best friend. The Senshi of Mars had a huge grin on her face as she regarded the other girl.
"Only you would think of food at a time like this!" Rei teased, hiding her joy behind that well-placed crack.
It had an adverse effect, however, as Usagi refused to let herself be baited into one of their typical friendly arguments. Time seemed to come to a standstill as all sound and movement came to a halt.
"Rei... chan?"
That mere whisper was all the warning they all got as the tray of food fell to the ground, scattering soup, apples and whatnots all over the floor.
Minako barely had time to move herself and the cats out of the way as Usagi flung herself into the raven haired girl's waiting arms. Around them, the world faded as though they were the only people who existed.
Ushering their friends out of the room to give the pair some much needed privacy, the Senshi of Love and Beauty could not help but smile at the beautiful sight.
Thank you, Goddess. Thank you. She thought, closing the door gently behind her.
Altered Space,
where time does not rule.
"Why?"
The enraged cry reverberated throughout the darkness, carrying with it the endless suffering the solitary figure has had to endure for the centuries.
"Why her? Why can't it ever be me?" it growled desperately, screaming its frustration into the unknown.
The scene floating dimly in the void began to fade until it was replaced by the image of an increasingly agitated Mamoru haphazardly running throughout the insanely busy airport.
A maniacal grin slowly spread across the shadowy figure's lips as it reminded itself that all was not lost; that even with the loss of the Princess, there was still a way to exact revenge.
"One way or another, everything will end tonight, Usagi. That's a promise."
"Usagi? Are you still with me?" Rei whispered softly, her arms tightening ever so slightly around her Princess.
"Mmmm..." Usagi mumbled, burrowing herself deeper into the warmth of the other girl's embrace.
An indulgent smile made its way towards the Senshi of Fire's lips, and though she would very much love to spend eternity nestled like this, she knew that there were a multitude of things that had to be discussed.
Where to start? She wondered distractedly, Usagi's gentle breath tickling her throat.
Looking down at the blonde head tucked snugly under her chin, Rei inwardly thanked whoever was watching for giving her a glimpse of what paradise could be like.
I love you, Usagi. She thought wholeheartedly, knowing that this never would have been possible if her best friend had not stood up for her.
"Thank you for believing in me."
Though she knew that mere words were nowhere near enough, Rei thanked her Princess with absolute sincerity, laying a feathery kiss on the other girl's forehead in utmost gratitude.
"You're welcome. I've always believed in you, even though you're always mean to me." Usagi replied, pulling back slightly to stick her tongue out at Rei.
The raven haired priestess mirrored Usagi's antics to a tee, the pair chuckling heartily as they shared another one of their infamous tongue wars.
Eyes misting over, Rei realized that she has missed this.
It was the one thing she had with Usagi that Mamoru would never have and that realization gave the Senshi of Mars some semblance of satisfaction.
On what some would consider an insanely childish level; beneath the teasing and mean streaks, her and Usagi had formed a bond that some would consider utter madness.
They were friends. The best of friends, at that. Lovers come and go, but friends are forever. And in their case, forever was more than just a word.
It was a promise.
"Makes you wonder how I became you're best friend, doesn't it?" Rei muttered, earning her a quizzical look from the blonde.
"Alright. Who are you and what have you done to my Rei-chan?" Usagi uttered with a raised eyebrow, pretending to scrutinize the other girl's authenticity.
Usagi's antics were lost on Rei, however, as the Senshi of Fire found herself blushing redder than the skirt of her Sailor fuku, her brain shutting down at what she had just heard.
'Her' Rei-chan?
"Ah... w-wha...?" was all Rei could manage, causing Usagi to roll her eyes in amusement.
"You're timid and quiet, somewhat subdued actually, and you sound a bit unsure of yourself. What happened to the snide comments and biting insults?" the blonde challenged, arms crossed over her chest in feigned arrogance.
Understanding that the Princess of the White Moon was just trying to cheer her up, Rei willingly allowed herself to be lured into her best friend's ploy.
"Do you really want me to start reciting all your faults? Crystal Tokyo would be upon us by the time I finish!" she teased the other girl mercilessly, a series of taunts ready to counter Usagi's adorable pout.
Instead of pouting, however, Usagi flashed her most radiant of smiles at Rei, captivating the other girl completely and rendering her utterly speechless.
"There's my Rei-chan."
Yes, I am yours Usagi. If only I can tell you the truth...
"Please tell me if something's bothering you, Rei-chan. We're best friends, right? And best friends don't keep secrets from each other!"
Usagi continued on with her speech, practically lecturing the other girl on how one should treat one's best friend. Rei, however, was already in deep contemplation, her conversations with Minako coming to mind.
"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.
The proverbial light bulb flickered open in Rei's mind, giving the raven haired girl the final push, that ounce of courage she needed to ultimately tell the other girl how she really and truly felt.
"I love you, Usagi!"
The silence that followed was deafening, making Rei second-guess her decision. With everything out in the open, though, the Fire Senshi knew that there was no turning back.
"I know you're with Mamoru-san and no, I have no plans of breaking up the two of you." she began, hoping to explain herself before Usagi reacted negatively.
"I'll understand if you never want to speak to me again, but I... I just wanted to tell you the truth. It's the least I can do after everything you've done for me."
Sneaking a glance at her stoic best friend, Rei silently prayed for forgiveness if her confession had indeed succeeded in traumatizing the other girl.
That did not deter her in the slightest as she stepped forward to finish what she set out to do. Reaching forwards, she grasped Usagi's arms in her hands, then looked her Princess in the eyes.
"That's it. No more secrets. I promise."
Rei did not know whether to be saddened or relieved at Usagi's response, or lack thereof. She had expected her Princess to at least be angry about it and had, up to now, been waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Don't you have anything to say?" she asked rather boldly, wanting to get her punishment over with.
"Hmm?" was Usagi's quiet, if a bit inane reply.
"Y'know, 'I hate you, Rei-chan!' or 'If only we were in the Silver Millennium, I could have you court marshaled for what you did!'" she babbled, causing the blonde to burst out in laughter.
Staring at Usagi as though the other girl had grown a second head, Rei wondered if her confession had succeeded in driving her Princess completely insane.
"Sorry. Minako-chan said pretty much the same thing to me earlier. Makes you wonder how harsh the Silver Millennium was if two of my Senshi are both scared of it."
That well-placed jab earned Usagi the tickling of her life, the Moon Princess finding herself squirming and giggling helplessly in her best friend's arms.
At that moment, the Fire Senshi forgot all the guilt and anxiety that had been plaguing her being. Usagi was laughing wholeheartedly and without a care in the world.
And she was smiling.
She was smiling at Rei in the same way she smiles at Mamoru.
With absolute, unconditional love.
And when Rei realized this, she felt her heart skipping a beat. She wondered how she could have missed it, the warmth and tenderness in the blonde's touch, the unspoken passion in her cerulean eyes.
She feels the same way. She... she lov...
A flash of light caught her attention, one that cruelly brought the inwardly elated Senshi of Mars back down to earth. In that instant, all Rei could feel was her own heart breaking apart.
"Rei-chan? Are you OK?"
Snapped out of her desolate reverie, the raven haired priestess found herself gazing forlornly at Usagi, the other girl looking on a bit worriedly.
"Sorry. Got something on my mind. You were saying something?" she offered rather shakily, forcing a smile on her lips.
"I said, 'Thank you, Rei-chan.'" Usagi repeated.
"'Thank you'? What for?"
"For protecting me. For always taking care of me..."
"It comes with the job..." Rei interjected jokingly, the look in Usagi's eyes and the tone of her voice making the priestess somewhat uncomfortable.
"For loving me."
It took all of Rei's willpower and concentration not to react openly to that, her spiritual training helping her school her face into a neutral expression.
Breathing deeply to keep herself composed, she calmly returned her Princess' gaze, the momentary silence allowing her to formulate some sort of a response in her mind.
"I love you, too!" Usagi declared, cutting off any form of reply from the other girl.
"You... you don't mean that..."
"I do!"
"Usagi, you don't have to pretend just so you can thank me." Rei practically snapped at the blonde, feeling somewhat insulted at what she thought her friend was doing.
"But I'm not pretending. It's the truth! I do love you." Usagi uttered with utmost certainty.
"You always confess your love while wearing an engagement ring from someone else?" Rei's words dripped with venom, making the other girl flinch ever so slightly.
Eyes drawn to the diamond encrusted white-gold band on her finger, a searing pain pierced through Usagi's heart like one of Rei's flaming arrows.
The confusion Usagi had felt only days earlier came rushing back like a tsunami, throwing her emotions into chaos as she once again found herself in a downward spiral of myriad proportions.
"I... I..."
"Listen Usagi. Whatever it is you think you're feeling is just an illusion. It's not real."
Lost in a whirlwind of incertitude, the Princess of the White Moon remained in a state of shock, her tired and weary mind seemingly unable to process what just happened.
Never one to give up so easily, Rei tried a different and more direct tact, one the raven haired priestess was sure the other girl would react to.
"Remember Mamoru-san, you're fiancé? The man you want to marry? He's the one you really love." she uttered, and even she was suprised at how bitter she sounded.
Her words seemed to have the desired effect as some semblance of life returned to the blonde's eyes. Snapped out of her self-imposed stupor, Usagi gazed at her best friend as if pleading for an anwer.
"How can you be so sure? I don't even know what I want anymore..."
she admitted, helpless tears streaming down her cheeks.
The Senshi of Mars could only watch as Usagi gingerly wrapped her arms around herself, the most powerful Senshi that ever existed reduced to a weeping mess.
"Everything's going to pieces, my entire world is falling apart."
Rei wanted to reach out and take the suffering girl into her arms, to apologize for being selfish and not thinking about what her best friend was going through.
The more logical part of her, however, told her that she needed to curb her emotions, that she needed to keep her distance to keep herself from getting hurt again.
"And yet, when I'm with you... I feel safe and loved. In the midst of all this uncertainty and confusion, I know in my heart that you love me." Usagi uttered in absolute conviction.
Rei almost faltered at that.
Sensing that she had somehow broken through her best friend's impenetrable wall, the Moon Princess pushed forward, deciding to once again bare her soul in an effort convince the other girl.
"So please believe me when I say that I love y..."
In a move that was both unprecedented and downright dishonorable, Rei placed a ward on Usagi's forehead, effectively rendering the blonde unconscious.
"Rei... chan?" Usagi whispered in disbelief as she felt herself being pulled into her best friend's arms, her surroundings slowly fading before her.
The last thing Usagi felt was Rei's warm tears falling onto her cheeks. Unable to fight the drowsiness, the blonde finally allowed her eyes to flutter closed.
And in that last bit of wakefulness, Usagi heard Rei's promise.
"Don't do this Usagi, because I'm not gonna let you go. Not even, not even if you ask me to."
With that, Usagi ultimately succumbed to Morpheus' call. Sometime later, Rei willingly joined her. And for the first time in what seemed like forever, their tired and lonely hearts finally beat as one.
Breath haggard from practically flying up the seemingly endless steps of the Hikawa Jinja, Mamoru paused as he glared at the empty courtyard, beads of sweat adorning his face as he strode towards the main house.
Slamming the front door unceremoniously open and generally making a ruckus, he purposely ignored the footfalls coming from the living room as he frantically searched the halls for Usagi's presence.
Where the hell are you hiding her, Hino?
His thoughts in shambles, the Prince of Earth could not contain the low growl that emanated from his throat as his worry for Usagi and his anger at Rei just about drove him insane.
Turning the corner, he found himself face to face with what he assumed to be the door to Rei's room. Whispering a short prayer to the heavens, he reached for the knob, hoping that her Princess was safe.
The sight that greeted him made his blood run cold.
"Fucking... traitorous bitches..." he ground out through clenched teeth, fists balled so hard his fingers drew blood; pure, unadulterated rage consuming the last vestiges of his sanity.
Ahead of him and utterly oblivious to the murderous tension filling the room were Rei and Usagi, the pair holding each other like lovers that had just been reunited after an eternity of being apart.
There was a soft gasp of surprise behind him, but the irate Mamoru paid it no heed, the feeling of betrayal pushing him past the threshold, allowing the dark, evil aura to envelope him completely.
Then, in a voice dripping with absolute, irrepressible hatred, the crown Prince of Earth and destined King to Neo-Queen Serenity uttered words he never thought he was capable of saying.
"I'll kill you... Usagi!"
Hotaru bolted upright on her bed, her entire body drenched in cold sweat. Her eyes were wide with worry and fear as she turned to look at the moon through her window.
She paled even more at the sight.
"It's here." she whispered, the symbol of Saturn flaring up on her forehead as she leapt out of bed and raced through the house to wake up the others.
Outside, the moon was blood red.
End of Chapter 5
Author's Notes:
1. Ami's IQ is 300-ish right? I saw it somewhere... either a manga or an anime episode. Or was it from a website? Gah. Can't remember. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
2. Everyone's probably wondering why I gave Makoto the "It's all my fault" mentality. That idea stemmed from the fact the she is the Senshi of Protection, but she can't seem to protect those she cares about the most.
First it was her parents in the anime/manga, but that's a bit of a stretch, especially since she was only a child when they died. In this story though, she along with everyone else has been consistently unable to protect Usagi from their enemy. Then there was the part with Ami getting hurt and all. It's more of a guilt thing, like she has all this power (she's technically one of the more powerful Senshi) but she can't put it to good use. Gah, can't explain it better than that, but I hope you guys get the general idea.
And no, I'm not saying that Makoto's feelings are bad/negative; that's not the reason why she's thinking that the rift forming between her and Ami is her fault. She's just too immersed in the idea that everything bad that's happening in the world is because of her. I hope I don't get misinterpreted on that.
3. Sailor Fuku - To those who don't know, this is what the Senshi wear when they transform. It's their uniform of sorts, but I didn't want to use the word uniform because if sounded so plain and boring so I used fuku instead.
4. For the life of me, I cannot remember what Usagi's engagement ring actually looks like. So I just made a general description of a ring I saw on the Internet. Hope that isn't a problem.
5. Can Rei's wards be used on people who aren't possessed? I really don't think so. Honestly? I was a bit stuck on that part and I didn't know how to end it without making it awkward. I mean, that entire sequence was all talk between Rei and Usagi, so I had to find a way to get them to fall asleep together but without any big confessions and revelations that would get them 'together' together. In short, Rei's wards became a plot device. Hope that doesn't draw too much negative attention.
6. Morpheus - Greek God of Dreams (or is it Roman)? Sorry, I'm too tired to check. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
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.
©2007 Shirley Joy Gadia, all other characters used in the fanfic and the story itself, all rights reserved.
Thank you!