Still not happy about not owning Sailor Moon and stuff. =(
Sometimes You Just Need to Believe Chapter 11
(Happy holidays everyone. I got you a cliffhanger! ^_^ Don't worry, I'll be bringing my notebook with me around on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so I'll be ready to type when all is said and done. but I wanted to get this up before I was so caught up I had no time. Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I love hearing from you! This chapter is entirely in Taiki's perspective. He may seem a bit OOC, maybe more than a tad sadly at times or maybe I'm just too hard on myself with things like that. I will say there is no light-hearted sidetracking in this chapter though. For the next couple of chapters it will be a bit dark. Bear with me though, better times will come. I promise!)
Seiya returned to the living room where Usagi was sitting on the loveseat waiting patiently. Yaten and I followed him inside. Seiya had taken a seat beside the White Moon Princess. I took my usual spot on the sofa as did Yaten.
"Is everything ok? I don't want to be a bother," Usagi said.
"Just household squabbles. You have a brother. I guess you can relate," Yaten said.
"Oh, ok. Now THAT I can completely understand! Shingo tries to listen in on my phone calls. It drives me crazy," Usagi said smiling.
"I see," I said. I tilted my head lightly observing her.
"Odango's mother has invited us to come to dinner for a nice home-cooked meal sometime. I promised her I'd ask you guys if you could make it." Seiya said sensing the tension in the room rise up again.
"Well, Monday we have school and then our afternoon is a bit tied up," Yaten said.
"But then we're slammed until Saturday morning," I added. "We could see if Monday night would not trouble your mother too much. We'll be in the area."
Yaten shot me a nasty look, but when her eyes met mine she knew this was mission related.
"I suppose that would be best then," Yaten nodded. "I need some fresh air for a bit." Yaten shifted to male form with a look of discontent. He stood wearing the standard suit he wore in public. "Don't wait up. I'll probably sweep some lucky beauty off her feet!" With a twist of his head Yaten walked out the front door.
"Have fun," Usagi called after him.
"Would you like some tea, princess?" I met her eyes solemnly. I had hoped to find some level of seriousness or even a spoilt princess playing at queen. I found neither.
"Oh, um…Yes, I'd love tea! But you don't have to call me princess. Its just too silly." Usagi was laughing. She was laughing at her title! "I mean it was kind of cool at first, but in the end it just feels lonely."
Seiya and I shot each other worried glances about our own princess.
I stood and went to get the tea ready. It was almost a perfect autopilot for me. Seiya never bothered and only drank it if he felt like it, while Yaten could never be bothered with that sort of thing. I could hear whispering and soft laughter. It was like lovers' laughter. When all was ready I placed the tea set on a tray and carried it out to the table. I sat opposite Seiya and Usagi who had been holding hands on the loveseat. Even when they came to the floor the two remained close. Usagi was maintaining a somewhat modest but flirtatious distance from Seiya.
"So, since you do not like to be addressed by your title I'll just get to the point, Serenity." I had her attention now. "Sailor Pluto has spoken to you correct?"
"Yes, but please just call me Usagi, ok," Usagi insisted. She appeared to be worried about something but would not say what.
"When were you going to discuss this with the rest of your senshi formally?" I was not about to let this opportunity slip.
"We don't really do things like that over here," Usagi said. "We just aren't that formal, I guess."
"Your mother was." Now I was staring her down like a stern teacher. Seiya was glaring at me but I no longer cared. "She made formalities at least in public with no exceptions, not even you."
"I don't remember actually. The few memories I have are so vague. Luna said that was just the way Queen Serenity had wanted it." Usagi lowered her head. She still seemed nervous about something.
I sipped my tea for a moment. 'This child has no training. She doesn't really even have a kingdom. Is this Earth that does not recognize her as leader really all the White Moon Princess Serenity has inherited?' I set down my tea cup and looked up. To my horror I saw a woman standing in the loveseat behind Seiya. She was transparent and literally stood in the furniture! She looked like Usagi, but this was not Usagi. She had cruel eyes from which she glared at Seiya. 'She really does look like Usagi, though.'
'No, Sailor Star Maker! Do not associate that creature with me! I will be free soon and then your brother may have her, but no sooner!' The wraith-like figure burned her eyes into mine as she spoke. 'I am Princess Serenity. Never intertwine that vapid girl with me again.' The woman vanished.
I must have sat too long looking into thin air. Usagi and Seiya were both giving me strange looks. "You mean neither of you saw…"
"Saw what," they both said in unison.
"Nevermind. I think I need some fresh air as well. Seiya, could you see that this gets cleaned up, please?" The look in my brother's eyes told me he understood.
I left home in confusion. 'Where am I even going? I need to find out why that ghost woman said she was the real princess.' Completely lost in my own thoughts I bumped into someone who might have answers for me, quite literally.
"I'm so sorry ma'am.' I knelt down and began helping the woman pick up her groceries. 'Its Setsuna!' "Setsuna? Let me help you with this."
"Taiki?"
"Yes."
"No, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was walking."
"I wasn't either. Let's finish gathering all this up and I'll help you carry it home."
"You weren't going anywhere important, were you? I'd hate to have you waste time with this."
"No, I was just wandering. Besides, I was hoping to find one of the senshi. Its no problem at all, really."
I walked with her in silence until we reached her home. As we approached the door I noticed the empty driveway. "I thought your friends had a car?"
"Oh they must still be out. They'll be home soon. Hotaru will need her dinner and a bath before bed tonight." Setsuna paused and an uneasy look fell on her face. "Anyway, as thanks for the help and all, why don't you stay for dinner with us."
"Are you sure I would not be intruding?"
"Not at all. Besides, you said you were hoping to run into one of us and now you can have dinner with four of us." Setsuna seemed to be begging me for friendly company. I never took her to be the type so I was taken aback some.
"Ok. Setsuna, I was really glad it was you I ran into, albeit not literally of course." We had the groceries in the kitchen at last.
Setsuna was putting things away. "So you were hoping to find one of us?"
"Yes, actually. Forgive me if this sounds rude somehow, but is Usagi really the princess?"
"Sailor Moon most certainly is our princess. Why do you ask?"
"Well, she hardly seems to be taking the alliance seriously. She makes all the time in the world for Seiya, but hasn't even gotten around to discussing the matter with any of you on a decent level. She hangs all over my brother, when she knows she is betrothed to Endymion. She broke Seiya's heart once. I can't just sit back and watch her do it again. Worse than that, I had this hallucination when she was nearby…"
"What did you see?"
"What difference does it make? It was a hallucination."
"What did you see?" There were tears on Setsuna's face.
"If you must know, Princess Serenity stood though my living room furniture behind Seiya while the three of us were having tea. She said not to mistake her for that creature. She added that she would soon be free and that when she was Seiya could have the girl. You must think I'm crazy."
"No, I don't think you're crazy. How did Seiya and Usagi react?"
"Neither of them seemed to notice."
Setsuna stopped putting away the food and went to her room without a single word. Setsuna is a woman of action so I followed her, but only to her doorway. From there I could see her pick up what appeared to be the top of her staff. She was gazing intensely into it. She slumped down over it
"Its begun too soon! I have failed us all," Setsuna said barely above a whisper. She looked over to me. "Please come in. Shut the door behind you. I told you you weren't crazy. I will tell you the real story about the Silver Millenium. You are here to make an alliance. You deserve the truth Usagi never knew."
I nodded at her. Shutting the door I smiled at my luck. I turned toward her. "You know I will be sharing all of this with Princess Kakyuu."
"She knows, Taiki."
"She would have…"
"It is not in any book, but she knows. Of all the royal bloodlines in the galaxy that deserved to know the truth it was hers. They were a part of it. She was not allowed to tell you or anyone who was not in her direct bloodline. Even within the bloodline it is very selective and discreet who may have this knowledge. Before we begin, please pray with me and all of your heart that we can set things right. If we don't…Well, when my story is over only then can you understand." She looked at me and was unable to hide her fear. "Please Rei, wake up. Michiru, guide her faster. Hotaru, I cannot protect you anymore and I must bring out your awareness. At least two of us should know what happened so we can defend her from herself," Setsuna whispered.
I placed my hands together. I have never really prayed before. I never thought about religion much. I just know by the look in her eyes, that Setsuna has something worth worrying about. She's asking me to pray for her. 'Whatever or whoever is listening, please help us maintain the peace. All that matters is the peace. Let nothing break it.'
(I will post ASAP I promise! Maybe even on christmas morning since there are no kids here to make a run for the tree. If not Christmas Day then definetly later on that night. I'll be adding some things of my own into the Silver Millenium story that will incorporate what is known from the anime, and PGSM, but they both leave so much out that I need to bring my own things here so this is a bit tougher for me to do. Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoyed it!)