Author's Note:
It was faster than I thought too! Anyway, has anyone noticed that the titles thus far have been derived from the anime? 'Beware the Rushing Clock' and 'The Moonlight Lights the Galaxy' – with very slight changes from yours truly. Onto the story, the beginnings of the plot are starting to be revealed! Italics indicate memory. Underline indicates speaking through the mind. Lastly, remember that there will be U/M and no U/S!
Disclaimer: If I had the rights to Sailormoon, the anime would still be going.
Black… Dark…. Empty… Lonely… Warmth… Light… Friendship… Fading, dying, crawling, and running, always out of reach, always ready at hand. Something in the nothing, shining, growing, blossoming, thriving, a cold something, a warm nothing, hiding face, gaining faith, what was it? A presence, something that touched the heart, and then tore it away, and at the same time, healed it. It wasn't understandable, and at the same time, perfectly clear, an illusion, a mirage, and a reality. A scream, a whisper, darkness, light, nothing, something, a tare, a caress, a crawl, a run…
Usagi opened one eye blearily to stare up into the night's sky; star's twinkling merrily in the black abyss. The light among the dark, she thought wearily, as both eyes snapped open – the sky extended beyond its usual reach. There was nothing to stop its rein; its boundary was non-existent, traveling in full circle around Usagi as she ventured to find its end. She endeavored to look at the floor on which she lay to find herself sitting on crystal – or was it ice? It drew no coldness, nor did it bite into her flesh in stealth to steal away her warmth, it did not sparkle as would crystal, but gave off a dull glow.
There was nothing here, nothing but the stars and the pathway, and whatever the pathway led to, for it was long and Usagi could not see an end to it. The air was dead, but she found that if she leaned in a particular direction, she'd gain the sweet smell that was life that tingled into sensation. It made her smile, and forget, to wander away from the pressing matter of her surroundings, and how she would return home. It made her feel loved and protected, made it seem as though time had slowed, and eventually, snatched it away and forced her to remember.
As the realization sunk through her, the individual bright lights of crystal caught her gaze, and held it, Usagi being forced into staggering upright. As she did so, the eight gems caught a breeze and blew to orbit around her, each forming a streak of light as they layered one over the other. She recognized them just as suddenly, as the jewels from her compact, and her eyes widened considerably as each planet's respective symbol formed in the center of each orb. They glowed as one, and feelings overflowed from each, love, despair, frustration, worry, comradeship, confusion, ecstasy, pride.
She could feel them surrounding her; Usagi could see each guardian senshi before her overlaid with their own individual light. There was Michiru, standing proud, violin striking sweet notes; Haruka lazily standing atop a podium, trophy glistening brightly in her hand. Hotaru leaning over a young child, hand posed in a scraped knee, and Setsuna looming over a bit of fabric, occasionally sticking a pin into one side. Makoto, nose pinned to a recipe book, whisk in one hand, Ami walking down the street, book scant inches from her face. Minako was standing before a relatively small crowd, singing soundlessly, and finally Rei, looming over a fire, signing signals endlessly and staring into the dancing flames.
Usagi found herself relaxing in their presence, but just as quickly the illusions dashed away, to live within the spheres once more. Then they, too, whisked away, taunting Usagi in mock slowness, only to speed away once more, then separate and turn back towards her, and then back at twice the tempo. She chased after them, determination setting over her features, "D – Don't leave me! Everyone! No! Come back! C - Come back!" The crystals did little more than shy away from her voice, as she stretched a hand to reach them, always coming up short.
It was then that she ran into an invisible wall, though this time she kept her balance and pounded against the barrier insistently. She pushed her forehead up against it and sobs racked her body, though this time she did not cry, and the orbs slowed their pace, as though each turned back to bid her farewell. Usagi pressed her palm up against the barrier, and clenched her jaw in frustration and closed her eyes equally so. Too much had happened in the last 24 hours, too much had been taken with not in return, and she had not a moment to think of what had just passed.
Are you… the possessor of the Cosmos? The question came unbidden throughout Usagi's mind, and burned through her reverie. It stung with fury and soothed her nerves; it was the same marvel that had initially woken her, and now it bid her inquiry instead of mental touch. This was a harsher being, it gave her hope then took it away, it was innocence collided with guilt, that bent ideals until it imposed trust. When she didn't reply, it pushed further through her head, pressing a footprint insistently before asking again, Girl, are you the possessor of the Cosmos?
"I am Guardian Cosmos, guardian and Holy Spirit of the Cosmos Seed. Long ago, there were shining stars that came here like you, as perfect star forms. In my breast I held the cast-off shell of a small star. That star, too, carried strong brilliance like yours, Sailormoon." That was what had been said, the possessor of the Cosmos had been borne to the Cauldron before she had been. The Cosmos seed had been given to a senshi stronger than she, worthy, willing, and stable, accepting her solitude. "No. I do not know of whom you speak."
Do not lie to those you cannot yet see. The voice replied chillingly as soon as she had stopped her own response. Usagi opened her eyes after these words to stare unblinkingly outward among the stars, but they gave her no answer. The orbs had long since vanished without a trace of either their color or their attributes to mark their existence. They were gone now, and she knew within her heart they would not return to her – yet. Their presence may have disappeared, momentarily, but it would be so, and she would embrace its arrival.
Your friends leave, yet you do nothing. Is it that you have nothing to offer, having no Guardian, as you do not? You have the courage of Cosmos, to stand alone – Is that a false truth? The voice asked just as quickly, Usagi's head beginning to spin as the truth bombarded the closed doors of her mind. She'd shown no emotion when they had first vanished, she would not show any now. She'd once had the strength to stand alone, but that was in the face of saving her future, there was a pressing certainty, this held no such promise. Then the first string of words hit her, she had no Guardian.
"I have no Guardian? I am not Sailormoon? I would die fighting for my friends, but if I have no power…?" This scared her enormously, she'd had this heavy weight that protected her, warmed her, if it were gone… No, the Phantom Silver Crystal was her birthright, and it would stay as so until she chose to pass it onto Chibiusa. She was the only senshi capable of wielding its power; it would always be hers, a mark of her decadency from the Silver Millennium. A mark of the future, and it's sanctity, an assurance of the peace it would bring.
You have no Guardian. The voice repeated drawlingly, delving yet deeper into her mind until Usagi gasped beneath the sudden pressure. You have not been Sailormoon for some time, or any reincarnation of such. You no longer have tenure over the Phantom Silver Crystal, you are no longer of the Moon. The past has been changed to accommodate this. To gain power, you must accept this, and wield the Cosmos currently residing within you. Do you accept this? Or will you allow the light to be enveloped by the hunger of darkness?
The prospect of a sixth war froze Usagi, aided by the thought of not being borne of the moon sending tremors throughout her body. If she were not borne of the Moon, the past having been changed, then who was – who had rescued the world from the terrors of Chaos, and what now threatened this peace? Then the first strike was shot against her – who was destined for Mamoru if it were not she? Now she collapsed to her knees, and held herself together, burying her face within her hands, eyes fluttering to hold the sea of tears at bay.
"That gives me the choice between death and loneliness. If I sacrifice my own happiness, I can save their futures, their happiness?" Usagi was afraid of the silence that answered, but allowed no tears to fall as she awaited the fate sure to come. Mentally, she ran a checklist of all that would disappear, if this were to pass – the ring Mamoru had given her, her brooch, scepter… The things that could not be touched, friendship, love, and a life, Chibiusa's life would be taken away… would her memory stay to haunt her own self-pity?
Yes. You must rewrite the past – an alternate past, leading a new path, leaving new footprints. That is the mark of Cosmos. Do you accept this? Emotion left her, and all questions ran through her head until she was left with nothing, as the stars themselves seemed to burn and die, away from the pain. Her heart raced, twisting and plunging until she found it difficult to think, to find a loophole, or sudden happiness. All was in vain; there was no light to this darkness. Then a thought struck her, she would be the one to make that light, she'd illuminate the galaxy.
"Fine," As the word words escaped her, she regretted it, and attempted to stop, and pull the words back against her. A flame licked at her ankle, a white flame, engulfing her body in sudden hot fury that left Usagi unscathed. She felt something pulled away from her, but couldn't give face to it; it left her empty, and filled her needs. What was taken was just as quickly replaced, and energy erupted throughout her veins. She could feel the heavy existence of the senshi, among thousands of other presences she could not name.
The contract has been sealed. A short list flashed before Usagi's eyes, and she was slightly taken aback for her name had been scrawled elegantly, but not by her hand. Serenity. In black and white, at the bottom of the list, just below Selenity, this in itself caused her to lose faith. Her mother. Had signed away her own future, but for what purpose? Why had her moth – this woman – sought to destroy all that had been created? Why had those before her? It snapped to a close before her eyes. I will send you on your way, to Queen Metallia, to write the first words of the seal. You write in pen.
"Wait! Who are y-" The words ran over her tongue yet found no escape. Why had she signed away her future, her past, other's pasts, under the recommendation of a being she could only sense? Why had her – this woman's - name sat so idly under the 'contract'? The latter bothered her much more then the former, and she could not help but return to it, even as a swirling white light began to intertwine itself along her body. There was a sudden darkness rushing along the beams of this light, and as it hit her, she began to lose a dying battle, before finally wistfully allowing it to envelop the confused strands of her mind.
8 8 8 8 8
Pain. Much too much pain. It clouded over his mind in careful stealth, as though afraid he would notice. It ripped, tarred, destroyed, and fed upon the pain that came in response. Just as suddenly it was gone, but it had smuggled something important away, something had been replaced with a something else. This second something bore both name and face where as the first was nothing save dust – and a voice, a scarred, dirtied voice. It hid, scared, at the back of his mind where he could not reach it, whimpered at a touch, and rippled as though it were water.
Another something slipped away, and yet another filled the gap, and yet another, and another, and another. These something's had left definite imprints on him, for good and ill, and now they left him, leaving another in its own place. It was as though an artist had sculpted an image of perfection, and now chiseled yet further into disproportion and unbalance. It left a sudden fall against, well, something, which could not be stopped. These memories were given flight, and stole away in secret, as though to rid themselves of another's presence.
He wanted to give chase, but found himself paralyzed, as he called after the retreating illusions. They bid him no farewell, no catching glimpse of what hid within their depths, only an outward face, one covered with false wishes and wills. One remained, having already been jarred out of position however, it fought against the sudden upwind, and held. The one that had cowered away in fear and doubt, it remained, but was hidden by streaks of yellow and red… He could see it happening, as though fictional characters ran about in his mind, each representing one of these something's.
8 8 8 8 8
Usagi opened her eyes slowly, the light bringing a sudden onslaught that momentarily blinded her. Shielding her eyes, she turned her back against the light, placidly ignoring it before snapping her eyes open once more with realization. Staring back at her was the pale pink of her own wall, dresser set to the side nearest her head, paper basket stationary beside it. She bolted upright until she sat on her knees, mouth dropping as a sudden hope filled her lungs and made her breathe out happily. It had been nothing but a dream!
As soon as this hope had kindled, it died down to burn coals, as she turned to face forward, she caught site of her school uniform. Her Juuban Junior High uniform was hanging in the closet – the light blue of skirt and collar only marking the obvious, aided by the red of the bow sitting center. Another detail caught her eye, the lack their of brooch sitting center; the ribbon lay tied, yet there was nothing but the knot. Her panic began to rise; perhaps what the being had told her, had been nothing save truth. Fear clouded her thoughts, and still more tears leaked from her eyes as she hugged her knees to her chest.
8 8 8 8 8
Usagi had, in some miraculous way, gotten herself dressed; noting the digital readout of her clock was phenomenally 7:00 a.m. She'd thus far managed to get a temporary hold over her emotions, and eaten breakfast, noting Shingo's lack of growth bitterly. She had not noticed a decrease in her own stature, however, nor had her parents, who occasionally glanced at her over raised toast. However, Usagi had encountered yet another heartbreak as she walked to school alone.
She now sat stiffly upon the stone steps leading upward toward the school, having tried the doors to discover both locked. She'd set her bag to lean against her calves, and proceeded to stare endlessly as others of 'her own' class passed. Some had waved, and Usagi had attempted meekly to reply, praying silently for the arrival of Naru, or even Umino. Neither seemed to be about, and few bothered to set on either side of Usagi, for the lack of shade and the beating rays of the sun. "Tsukino-san."
How dare someone break her revere, her depression? Nevertheless, she raised a hand over her brow and looked up, only to wish she hadn't. Standing before her, head blocking the greater glow of sun, stood Ami, her own book bag held with both hands tentatively as she gave Usagi a slight bow of her head and a polite acknowledgement, "A-Ami-chan…" She stuttered in response, her own chest retracting until air could no longer be forced into her willing lungs.
Usagi slowly rose, hesitating momentarily as she realized she stood above Ami, before hugging the other crushingly. Ami stiffened significantly, fists turning white against the brown leather of the bag, confusion crossing her exemplary features. "A-Ah…" She began, unsure of herself, Usagi whimpering lightly, "Tsukino-san, I – well… We aren't exactly the best of friends, I would appreciate your, ah, release of me, please." Usagi felt her momentary happiness drain away, slowly and painfully.
8 8 8 8 8
"I'm sorry, my darling Serenity, I have failed."
That chapter was somewhat hasty too, I've got to stop doing that! Anyways, I highly doubt that the something you think the something is is not the something that it actually is (wow…). Anyway, I thought I'd be giving out answers, seems as though I've only started more questions! Oh well, the chapters get longer (by a page, at the least) from here onward, but I'll try to get a chapter up a week.