MoonDragon: This chapter is seriously lacking, I know. I can't even make excuses, all I can offer is an apology. You see, I wanted to get this chappy up quick because I'm leaving for Indianapolis tomorrow morning and might not be able to type for the rest of the week. My grandma might have cancer so we're going over to check on her. I feel there's not enough detail in this one, not to mention it's a lot shorter than the others. I rushed so badly on this one. Sorry, when I come back maybe I'll fix it. Then I'll write a whole bunch other chapters to make up for this one.
Quick note- Nokemono means 'outcast'
Unspoken Memories
Chapter 6
"This is where you're living?" Artemis inquired as they were positioned outside of an apartment door. Usagi was fumbling with the keys in her pocket after transforming back into her civilian form several moments ago. "Why aren't you at your home?" With a victorious 'ha,' feeling the cool metal of the keys, the teen unlocked her room and they all stepped inside.
"Um, well… ha ha, the enemy kind of knows who I am," she laughed nervously watching as Luna stiffened. "So, I change my whereabouts once a month moving from apartment to apartment. Mama and papa were so surprised when I asked to move out and asked about a million questions. I told them it was for me to finally get serious with my life and they bought it. If they didn't send me money once a month I'd probably be on the streets right now…" Usagi kicked off her shoes and left them by the door moving to the windows. Opening the blinds she smiled. She was on the eighth floor and the view was breathtakingly beautiful.
Quickly entering the small patch of kitchen the place offered Usagi pulled out a crystal vase to put the roses in. Placing it by the window she stroked the sand textured petals yawning. She was tired.
"What do you mean the enemy knows who you are?!" the black feline exploded. "How do you let them know things like that? Your identity should be kept secret above all else!"
"Oh, like I could help it!" she retorted messily throwing herself onto an armchair trying to get just a bit of rest. "I didn't know they were watching me at the time, and it was dark out so I just figured no one could see me." Luna ranted on about how irresponsible that was as Usagi whimpered at the treatment covering her ears. On the inside a bubbling feeling of warmth floated in her chest. It had been so long since the cat had scolded her like this. Even though it wasn't enjoyable, it was nice; even welcomed by the golden haired girl.
Artemis leaped up onto the small coffee table in front of Usagi and sat down. Luna remained on the floor scanning the new place where she would be staying. The walls were tinted to a soft cream color which connected to a tan carpet by a borderline of wood that circulated around the rooms. Truthfully, Usagi didn't find it to be that bad, but she would prefer to paint it over so the walls were pink. She would be leaving in a couple of weeks though and felt she could live with it until then move.
"So, Usagi, you mentioned the new enemy… earlier…" His tone became soft afraid that bringing up the situation with Mamoru and the girls would upset Usagi. Her eyelids closed just a bit, but besides that there was nothing else she showed. She tried to shake those thoughts out and push them to the furthest corner of her mind. "Brief us on what we've missed out on," Artemis asked with eyes full of curiosity. Hearing the subject being approached Luna, too, hopped onto the table beside her white companion. Usagi looked at them scratching the back of her head.
"I don't know a lot, actually," she replied getting a disbelieving look from the two. Realizing how that must've sounded she shook her head waving her hands in front of her. "No! I mean, I do know some things, just not all of it." Usagi's head dipped into her shoulders feeling a bit of embarrassment. She didn't know if it was strange or not; to be fighting for two years and still not know all of the details. She assumed it meant she was slow, though.
She couldn't help her lack of knowledge. During the time when the Dark Kingdom was active, being run by Queen Beryl, Luna and Artemis had been doing all of the research. Sure, she and the senshi would get together trying to find out their plans, but it wasn't officially her job to know their main objective. When she first started to search, Usagi had no idea how, or even where, to begin. This new threat certainly wasn't advertising their work by handing out flyers in the super market, and it wasn't like she could just look the information on the internet. 'What am I supposed to type in, "Mysterious villains who no one knows about"?' When the two asked about what she did know she began her report.
"It's so weird. At first I didn't believe it and thought it was just some joke. The enemies are… senshi," she revealed. "Nearly right after I sealed your powers I met up with them after taking care of a youma they sent out. It wasn't anything like I expected it to be. They even curtsied in my presence listing off their names… but now that I think about it they might've just been making fun of me. I mean, who curtsies in front of others anymore?!" Realizing the might-be true revelation she started getting off subject and complained at how rude and insulted she felt. Usagi began making up plans to get back at them, which included spitballs and name calling. Hearing Luna's cough brought her back into the matter at hand making her blush, continuing. "They called their group Nokemono."
"But that's impossible!" Artemis busted out. "There was never any other senshi. It has always been Sailor Venus, Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Jupiter! They were the only warriors in the Silver Millennium."
"Yes, in the Silver Millennium," Luna cut in getting into specific details. "The alliance that Queen Serenity created making a peace treaty with those planets; a time of prosperity and growth in civilization. It didn't include the entire Milky Way galaxy. Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and Pluto were not a part of it."
"Ah, that's what they called themselves! All of them except someone named Sailor Pluto. No one like that was there, just the other three." Usagi sat there thinking for a moment. "Wait, why weren't they a part of the alliance?"
The gold-silver haired girl wish she knew more about her past life as Serenity. She knew bits and parts, but not everything was there. She knew it would never completely return to her because now she was a different person. She wasn't the Moon Princess training to take over someday from her mother; she was just an Earthling trying to be a high school student. Before it had never mattered to her whether or not all of her memories came back, but now it did slightly. With what Luna told her, maybe they were fighting due to something that happened 1000 years ago.
"Their economy was no good, simple as that. In fact, they were so poor they were barely able to keep their kingdoms under control. Most families had to struggle to the point of near-death just to get enough money to buy their children something to eat. There were so many crimes and lack of complete leadership that Queen Serenity assumed it would be worse for the Silver Millennium to allow them to join. In no way would it improve their peace, only demolish it, so when those planets asked for help she turned them down."
Usagi sat disbelieving her adviser's words. She had no idea her mother rejected help when others begged for it. The queen was such a kind, gentle person, but maybe that was just a front when she was around. In the memories she still had she couldn't recall once ever seeing the queen shout or frown until the Dark Kingdom wiped everyone out. Of course, when outside matters involving other planets arose she was always shooed away and told that she was too young to get into that kind of stuff yet. It was too political for her young mind to understand.
"I wonder if Nokemono are the princesses of those planets reincarnated like you girls are," Artemis wondered aloud. "Maybe all they want is revenge for being abandoned."
Usagi pondered over his words. That actually seemed to make sense. Whenever they summoned youma the monsters always targeted her, not the civilians. Sometimes they even sent out multiples in groups on the same day just after Sailor Moon trying to knock the heroine down. It drove her to the point of near insanity. Her life was so stressful she couldn't remember the last time she could just completely and utterly relax without any worries these past two years. Not only did she have to wake in the middle of the night to battle, but she also had to juggle school and get grades at least good enough to advance to the next grade. If there plan was just to make her life miserable for revenge it was certainly working.
Nokemono wouldn't even show themselves anymore, but Usagi knew the reasoning behind that. As Sailor Moon she could easily wipe them out with the powers she gained from the Silver Crystal and from her off-hours training. If they clashed it couldn't even be considered a match. It would be more like a human facing off against a fly; no challenge. They would be able to fly off the walls dodging with all of their might, but in the end they'd be squished without much effort.
Usagi felt empathy. If these girls really were the reincarnated souls of the planet's princesses she could see why they wanted her harmed, maybe their goal was to kill her even. She was the daughter of the mother who wouldn't offer assistance in their time of need. Heavens knew they had the military strength and many helping hands to spare, but they were still thrown aside. Uncared for. Ignored. She couldn't even imagine how that must feel. When she tried to all she felt was hollowness in her soul making her feel empty.
"It's a possibility," she whispered. Usagi wiped at her eyes fighting to keep awake. With everything that happened today she forgot just how tired she really was. Her sleep was interrupted by a youma last night and she had to fight again during that incident in the park. Then there was the part about the old senshi and Mamoru. That left her not only physically exhausted, but mentally as well. Luna saw her yawning and sighed.
"Usagi, you seem so tired. Why don't you get some sleep? We can pick this up in the morning," Luna said getting off the table. Stretching the leader nodded moving to her single bed scraping her feet across the carpet along the way. Luna and Artemis left the apartment through the door closing it on the way out. Luna probably only left so she could talk to Artemis about this more while she slept. Usagi realized she hadn't even bothered to close the door when they entered while she was walking to her bedroom wondering how they got out without her help. When she thought about it that was a horrible mistake. Anyone could've heard their conversation. Then again, only adults lived here and most were at work, so they were luckily saved.
Falling onto her comfy bed she sighed clutching a pillow to her chest. Too much had happened today and it left her completely drained. If there was another attack later she might not be awake enough to defeat it. She tried to push everything away as she snuggled under the covers dreaming about the next day and her plans to gain the senshi's friendship back as well as Mamoru's love.