Usurper
Venus rounded the corner, heading her way down into the wing of the palace that housed the Royal Family. Deep chimes signified the late hour, and she couldn't wait to fall back into her warm bed. It had been an eventful week, as diplomats the world over came and went. She paused in her patrol route long enough to stretch, joints popping tiredly.
When they had traveled to the future as teenagers, no one had told them how much work Crystal Tokyo would actually be.
Her ears pricked when the sounds of hushed voices reached her position and she immediately stiffened, drawing back into the shadows. Cerulean eyes narrowed when she caught sight of Mars, poking a tousled head out of the door that led to the Queen's chambers before ducking out into the hall.
Venus relaxed, and was about to call out when the Queen followed suite. There was a muted conversation, and it looked like it wasn't going well. Rei was waving her hands as she talked,
she is so angry
and Serenity grabbed her arm, head bowed. Venus pressed back further into cold stone, though her blood was surging, burning and wild in her veins. She watched, stinging eyes and jaw clenched, as the former priestess broke, pulling their sovereign to her, mumbling fragmented words into silver hair.
I don't want you to burn.
The Queen leaned forward into the embrace, catching the lips of her guardian up into a tangled mess and Venus felt her knees sag as the world blurred. She pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling the hot sob that threatened to wrench out.
Does she need to take everything?
Venus thought of a rainy evening, years ago, when she had picked up the broken pieces of Mars, putting them back together in a darkened bedroom, running fingertips over ancient scars to soothe away worries and pain.
She thought of whispered promises and scorching tears, while the Queen tugged on the hands of her trophy, disappearing back into the bedroom.
And it starts all over again.