Ok, I say this every time but I sadly do not own Sailor Moon. I really am sad about that.
(Ok, I must give props where props are due...Garnet Princess, you guessed something a few reviews ago that was correct and now you get to see it begin. ^_^ I just didn't want to tell you then. To everyone who has read, reviewed, subscribed, or any combination thereof, I thank you so much! I'm still excited about my story because I have so many of you who are enjoying it. Things begin to spiral downward from here on. I will not be pulling punches for anyone. As for this chapter, it is mostly in Serenity's POV. We all know that there are multiple sides to ANY Sailor Moon story. Every villain has a sob story of some sort or another. I wanted to offer some insight to madness. I hope you enjoy.)
Sometimes You Just Need to Believe Chapter 16
Usagi had never prayed for a day of school to last longer. 'I guess there's a first time for everything after all,' she told herself. The day seemed to fly by. Her only reprieve from her dread of visiting with Mamoru had been lunch with Seiya. They had run off to their tree again. It seemed everything about Seiya lifted her spirits and Usagi was more than happy with that. But now her school day was over and no matter how much she had drug her feet, she had finally arrived at Chiba Mamoru's apartment door and there would be no turning back. Her heart pounded nervously. 'I've never broken up with anyone before. I don't even know how to try. No! Usagi snap out of it. You will just tell him that you care about him and will always be there for him just not in that way. Now then, its now or never.'
Serenity felt stronger. Since yesterday afternoon and then later on after Mamoru and Endymion had seen her truth, she could feel the energy flowing through her spirit like blood through veins. 'Is it the truth that could hold the key to my freedom? I have much work to do.' Serenity smiled to herself. She had taken up residence in Chiba Mamoru's apartment. Not that he knew she was there. No, without the girl Serenity could not make her presence known…Or could she? She had not given that much thought. She had been content to simply be there with him. 'No, not him. HIM. This man is Endymion's keeper. To be close to Mamoru is to be close to Endymion.' The knock at the door came as no surprise to her. He had been expecting that twit of his so he could end their relationship. Once she had been dislodged from the girl this fact no longer bothered her. It would give her more time to help her prince wake up. She would still need to return to the girl every now and then since it made her stronger somehow. This would be put to good use awakening her senshi. 'I will just need to continue to make them aware. Perhaps that is what holds the key to unlocking my complete freedom
Serenity now knew and felt her purpose. She was faintly aware of the scent of tea but what struck her was how calm and quiet the conversation was between the two physical bodies in the room. It struck her as peculiar. Usually that former prison of hers was wild and either loud or loud and in tears. It was odd how calmly this child listened as her prince's physical counter cut her loose. Serenity could make out some of the words here and there, but the words did not matter to her. Those two were not the ones to worry about. Once she and Endymion were free and at full power those two would not even matter any longer.
Serenity decided to observe the two who sat before her. They were seated opposite one another on the living room furniture. Mamoru had his teacup pressed against his lips. Serenity found it amazing to watch this man. The pair really did look like her beloved prince and herself. She loved the way Mamoru would twitch his lip as he sipped his tea. He did this when it was too hot but this was his only telltale sign of dissatisfaction. He never betrayed things like that. The girl was far calmer than she had ever remembered. She was speaking calmly and softly rather than prattling on without stopping for breath as usual. She and Mamoru had broken their relationship but were still close to one another. It was like they had both cast off a burden instead of lost someone dear. They had moved on to discuss the one called Seiya. Serenity harbored no emotions either way for that one. She could even see 'his' body with 'her' spirit residing inside as one. It had not troubled her, though one day the information may prove to be useful.
'It will probably come to the two of us,' Serenity concluded observing Usagi. 'If she has any intelligence she will back off. I am the princess after all. MY senshi will know this and they will join with me. Serenity smiled smugly. Just being near the girl who was Sailor Moon made her feel stronger. She basked in the light of her aura. Her form felt the energy flowing into her…Filling her. Standing there enjoying the growth of power within her, Serenity realized she was materializing and did not know how to stop it. She fled for Mamoru's bedroom before it was too late. She wanted those two apart now. It would give her more time to awaken Endymion. If she appeared now it could all be undone.
Serenity managed to step through the bedroom door before she fell solid to the floor below. She had not been in a physical form for over one thousand years. She was almost like a child learning to stand on her legs for the first time. She needed time to practice, but time was one thing she did not have. The thud from her fall had not gone un-noticed. Serenity used her all to roll under the bed.
Mamoru opened the door with caution and urged Usagi to stay back. His blue eyes scanned the room. He moved to his closet. When the closet proved to be empty of intruders he checked under the bed. His eyes locked with Serenity and grew wide.
Much to Serenity's relief, Mamoru made no mention of her to Usagi. Instead he led the girl out of the room telling her his neighbor must have the volume too high on his television. Serenity allowed herself to slide out from under the bed. She even managed to pull herself up to sit on it. Sitting was difficult for her. There was nothing to guide her spine. It cracked painfully and shot stabbing pains throughout her as she forced herself to sit straight. She noticed a book on the night table and picked it up. It was a human biology book that had revolting pictures of human organs and used language that Serenity could not quite understand. It was not long before she found herself once again in Mamoru's presence.
"Just how the hell…Who the…" Mamoru's voice was filled with confusion and anxiety.
"Endymion, I do not know how I am here. I am certain though, that I need not introduce myself."
"But you're Usako." Mamoru still held the girl close to his heart and it seemed doubtful that he would drop the nickname any time soon, if ever.
"No, I'm not. Just as you, Chiba Mamoru, are not my prince. That girl was my prison as you are Endymion's. Yet I feel no anger or fear in his stifled aura. You two are more alike and so it would seem that he is content."
"What do you plan to do?"
"I do not yet know even what I can do now. Will you help me please? I can offer you little in this world except my gratitude."
"Serenity I…"
"Princess Serenity. You may be Endymion's keeper, but you are not HE." Serenity glared at Mamoru sharply.
"I'm sorry. I'm just…Usako never…"
"I told you we are not the same, she and I. Why is that so difficult to accept?"
"Its just a lot to take in, that's all."
"Do not fear. I need a guide. I choose you. I need assistance in acquiring my senshi."
"But Usako?"
"She is not the princess. The senshi are mine to command. She has proven herself in her own way. I would accept her if she were trained up a bit more and learned some common manners."
"But she…"
"Is capable of wielding this…" Serenity opened her heart to reveal her Silver Crystal.
"But Usako will die without that!"
"For whatever reason it would appear that when I came into my physical body, she retained her crystal. I am quite puzzled by this. Perhaps it is because I resided in her so long. Setsuna would know best." Serenity's grin was almost evil as she allowed the time senshi's name to flow from her lips.
"She is busy for a few days homeschooling Hotaru. I'll give her a call and make arrangements for her to come here when she can. I'm sorry to say this, princess, but it would be best if you stayed here and not go out at all until Setsuna can figure out what is going on exactly."
"Will you let him come to me?" There was sudden desperation in her voice.
"What?"
"Will you allow Endymion to sit and talk with me? Just once in a while? I want to hear HIS words. And I want to see him look at me as only he knows how."
"I'll try, but I'm not sure how."
"You do it at night."
"Then I'll just try to pretend I'm dreaming. For now I was going to fix something for dinner. Are you hungry?"
"Yes, Mamoru, I am famished."
Mamoru snickered slightly. "You know, you're not as different from Usako as you'd like to think." He smiled warmly at his guest.
At first Serenity had been taken aback in insult by the jest, but when she saw the warm and friendly tone behind it she stopped herself from becoming defensive. Mamoru whipped up dinner swiftly. It was a simple vegetable ramen with bean curd. Certainly the meal was not anything impressive, but Serenity accepted it with grace and ate to match.
While Mamoru had been cooking she had managed to walk to the table unaided. She was finally coming into her physical body again. It was kind that Mamoru did not mention her obvious lack of coordination. Mamoru himself was just a nice man. Why that girl could not see it was beyond Serenity's comprehension.
There were other aspects of Usagi's personality that Serenity could not, and did not want to understand. She shuddered remembering the feel of that grand sword during the battle with Galaxia. How she had wanted to make that steel dance. But that girl…Chaos had been right to say the child had no senshi pride. That sword was a work of art and the sniveling girl had barely managed to bring herself to touch it. For that small moment Serenity had controlled her hand. She had lost that control the moment her grip was secure. 'No matter. When I have set Endymion and myself free she will no longer matter.'
"Have you finished? I'll take care of the dishes," Mamoru said as he smiled kindly at Serenity.
"Oh, yes, Mamoru."
Mamoru cleared away the dishes and led serenity to the living room. He left long enough to wash the dishes and set them to dry before walking back to the princess. "I'll sleep in here so you can have the bed. I think that would be more comfortable for you."
Serenity nodded.
Mamoru got himself a pillow and blanket. He checked to make sure the alarm in the bedroom would not go off and scare Serenity in the morning and in it's place set the one on his cell phone. When he returned to the living room it only took one glance to see that she was waiting for him to keep his word. She yearned to speak with Endymion, and he had promised to try. "I am normally asleep when I let him dominate my dreams."
Serenity nodded but the hope still shown bright in her eyes.
Mamoru sat down and leaned far back into the sofa trying hard to relax. Something told him this was wrong, but he knew if Usako were free of the princess her dream of being a normal girl could come true. Nothing should come between her and her dream. Slowly Mamoru felt as if he were drowning, sinking to the bottom of a swimming pool. The discomfort of inhaling water was what finally held him fast. This was how he felt when he slept, but now he was awake and powerless within his own body.
Endymion turned to Serenity. Confusion overcame his face. Mamoru had given him the body before. He had even materialized by himself for a while as two aliens had wrought havoc on Tokyo. And NEVER had Endymion seen Serenity out and free since he had saved her from Kunzite's blade. He had left her immediately then, though his spirit was hovering when she destroyed everything in his name. He knew what she had done that day. He had some idea as to how they came about their bodily prisons. Saturn had spoken to him. He could not tell Serenity any of this. That would be like issuing death warrants for all of her senshi. Serenity had found a way to break the rules. "What have you done?"
"Are you not pleased to see me, love?"
"Of course I am, Serenity."
"Then why should anything else matter?"
"You know, I know what you did all those years ago."
"It was all for you, my love. And now, it has almost come to be."
"Serenity, I do love you. This is just not OUR time. Can't you try to accept that and learn the lessons shown you by the shadows?"
"We are the rightful rulers of this place. Why can we not build our paradise?"
"Serenity, I want our paradise as much as you do…But look around." Endymion guided his bride-to-be to Mamoru's balcony. "This is not OUR world yet."
Serenity looked over Tokyo in sadness. "Endymion, I have seen this world through that girl's eyes long enough to know this." She turned to Endymion. "That is why I say we take it now. The world and it's people would adapt. It could be just like home again."
"Serenity." Endymion embraced the princess. "Please be patient. All will come to pass. It just has to." He clung to her tightly and kissed her with every bit of one thousand years of pent up love and longing he held. When he pulled his lips from hers he could see the love sparkling in her eyes. "Please, Serenity…Let it wait…For me?"
Serenity pulled away. Her face melted from lovesick to horrified. "Wait," she whispered. "WAIT! Endymion, we have waited long enough. We are powerless now, but I have found a way to fix that. You would deny me?"
"No, I could never deny you. I just believe there is a reason, a good reason, that you should still be with Tsukino-san. Mamoru teaches me about this world. I am learning sciences we never dreamed of. I am learning the plight of the average person. Surely you are learning something from Usagi?"
"She only knows to cower or run in fear, wail like she is dying, stuff disgusting foods into her face…"
"And love and compassion! Or have you not been paying attention? Serenity, please go home to her and rest. Observe and learn what you can. I am begging you. We don't want to repeat the past." Endymion placed special emphasis on the last statement and leaned in to kiss Serenity once more.
Serenity slapped Endymion across his face. Tears had filled her angry eyes. "I will be free. And when I free you, you will know just how happy we can be. Until then I take my leave of you. Stay in your cage since it pleases you so. But I will be caged no longer." Serenity stressed the last part and fled away from the apartment. She had nowhere to go. She simply could not, would not stand to hear Endymion tell her she was wrong. 'I will show him. He'll see I was right.'
Mamoru's body fell onto the tiles of his balcony. He had been aware of the conversation between the couple. Now he was trying to soothe his mind back into place. Endymion had retreated fast urging Mamoru to do something with genuine fear behind his plea. It was getting late, but Setsuna would not mind the call given these circumstances. Still, Mamoru decided to call her cell so that he did not disrupt Hotaru's bedtime routine. He reached into his pocket and searched for the right number.
"Mamoru-san? This is a surprise," Setsuna said.
"Setsuna, we have a problem…A big one…"
Setsuna could tell that Mamoru was winded. "Are you alright?"
"Yes I'm fine. I think we've all been deceived. Our memories have been compromised."
Setsuna reached for her talisman. 'So now Mamoru-san knows.' "Is it Usagi-chan," she asked knowing full well what his answer would be.
"Well, I think I have a good idea of what really happened," he said as though he had not heard her question. Usako and I broke up tonight."
"You did what?" Setsuna had feared, but not yet seen this moment coming. "Mamoru, there is much to say and I think it needs to be done in person. I will be there soon. Would you put some strong coffee on? It will be a long night."
"Yeah, sure. I had already prepared myself to sleep on the couch."
"Why? Do you have guests?" Setsuna hoped she was hiding the fear in her voice.
"I did, but Serenity took off."
Setsuna mumbled something incoherently and dropped her phone to the floor. 'This is bad. There's almost no way to hide it when she begins trying to gather the senshi.' Not knowing how she was moving her body, Setsuna managed to pick up her phone. Mamoru had been calling to her frantically. "I'm alright…I just…She left on foot, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
"Good? You have a funny idea of what's good, Setsuna."
"It means she must not yet be able to use any of her powers yet. Stay there and keep Endymion away from any harm…But especially keep him away from the princess."
"He's the reason she left. They had an argument."
"I'm leaving now. Pray she doesn't find me." Setsuna hung up the phone. She ran from the steps towards Mamoru's place. She did not notice Haruka and Michiru looking down at her.
"Michiru, she had her talisman out in the open."
"This is no ordinary wave. This is going to be a tempest the likes of which we have never seen." Call Rei. I'll fetch Hotaru. We're checking into a hotel and keeping this child as far away from her as possible. Whatever she wants MY daughter for she'll have to get through me to have it," Haruka said protectively.
The moment she saw Michiru get her phone, Haruka went to wake Hotaru. Hotaru had not asked to sleep in their room tonight which may mean they were too late to stop whatever Setsuna had set in motion, but Haruka would be damned if she would allow Hotaru to be sacrificed to stop it this time. She was quiet when she opened the door. Hotaru was asleep on her back with her head facing away from the wall towards the center of the room. Ever-so-gently, Haruka stepped towards her adopted daughter. She ran the back of her fingers over Hotaru's sleeping face. "Hotaru-chan. Sweetheart, its time to get up."
Slowly Hotaru's amethyst eyes opened and focused on Haruka. "Papa, why do I have to get up now?"
"Sweetheart, we need to get away from home for a bit."
"Is something wrong?" 'I can't go…Setsuna said she'd open a portal for me so no one would hurt me.'
"We think so sweetie. We're going to stay in a nice hotel. How does that sound?"
"Ok…Haruka-papa?"
"Yes," Haruka asked as she began to stuff some of Hotaru's clothes into a backpack.
"Could I stay with Minako tomorrow night?"
"If her mother doesn't mind I don't see why not. It's a school night for her, you know."
"Yes, papa."
"Ok, grab anything you may need for the next few days. I'll get your toothbrush and medications from the bathroom." Haruka turned and left Hotaru to gather what she wanted.
"And so Serenity's revenge has begun. There is no safe place. Not for any of us," Hotaru whispered.
"You ready? Come on and get in the car," Haruka said poking her head back in the room.
Nodding, Hotaru stood up with her teddy bear, her favorite sweater she grabbed from her chair, and her journal she lifted off her desk. 'Michiru-mama will know something is different with me. This will not end well.' When Haruka turned to run to the car Hotaru grabbed for her purse and checked it for her henshin stick and communicator. Gulping in one last breath, Hotaru left the safety of her room. A tear ran down her face as she realized her mission had to take presidence over ANY of the senshi's lives…Including Sailor Moon. Hotaru watched as the house grew smaller and turned her attention to the moon hanging in the sky when they rounded the corner. 'Nothing in this lifetime will ever be the same from now on,' was all Hotaru could think of as she drifted off to sleep.
(Ok, so we will start to see more of the princess now, and yes I will give her similar powers to the ones in PGSM. I loved those. ^_^ I know I dumped a lot here in this chapter. The breakup without even hearing the words. (Yeah that was probably not very nice of me but I didn't think Serenity would be paying attention to the words.) Serenity fleeing into the night. Setsuna going to see Mamoru about the whole thing. Haruka and Michiru stealing off into the night with Hotaru. And Hotaru's predictions. Well, I have said it would be getting darker. I'll try to post real soon I promise!)