16
Usagi started to make her way back towards the palace. Walking slowly, she tried to think about what to do next. It seemed to her that Queen Beryl had already won. She had tow of her friends, her family and now she had her fiancée fighting for her. Her lips quivered as she lowered her head. The warm tear flowed down her cheeks.
"You coward!" Rei yelled as she slapped her across the face.
Usagi fell to her knees. "Maybe that is all that I am," she said. As she buried her face in her hands. Stayed there on her knees as she cried out her frustration and loneliness.
Rei and Minako stood in shock as they tried to figure what had just happened. Queen Beryl had just left with her two helpers. She explained to them that they should get ready.
"That can't be. It's impossible," Rei said.
"Where's Ami when you need her?" Minako asked.
"That doesn't matter. We saw what they can do. Having her explain to us what they are won't make a difference," Rei said.
Minako looked down and sighed. "It would still be nice to have them here," she said.
Rei looked over. "I would change the subject if I were you," Rei warned as she looked over Minako's shoulder. Minako turned around and saw Usagi slowly making her way towards them. They both gasped at the sight. The queen looked as if she had just been horribly defeated. Her face was stained from the recent tears and her hair carelessly hung in her face. It looked as if she had given up.
"Usagi?" Minako asked.
Usagi looked up, her face was cold and distant. Even though her face didn't show it, she was happy that they were still there. At least she still had them. "She wasn't lying," she said with tears beginning to return. There was a feeling of defeat that she could not get rid of. She looked off towards the side and shook her head. Letting out a laugh of irony, she looked down. "I thought I was doing the right thing, I really did," she said. She then looked up. "All I wanted was for her to come after me. I know that's what she wants the most, but I guess I was stupid enough to believe that no one else would be in danger. I leave them and she takes them," she said.
Minako and Rei just stood there for a second. Neither of them knew what to tell her. She had been trying to protect the others. It wasn't like she just forgot about them or just got too scared to do anything. "You thought you were doing the right thing, and to be honest, I think she would have found a way to get to you no matter what," Minako said trying to help.
Usagi looked over at her. She knew what she was trying to do, but it wasn't helping. She knew it was all her fault, all of it was. "No, it is my fault," she said and then look towards the palace. "Maybe I'm just not ready to be the queen. I obviously can't make the right decisions. And the wrong decisions always come back to hurt those around me," she said starting to cry.
Rei bit her lip. She knew how to get Usagi to do what she needed, but hated it. "Usagi!" she snapped getting her to quickly look up at her. "You're the queen now whether you like it or not! You're right! This will be hard, but no one said that any of this was going to be easy! Now tears won't solve anything! If you want you're family back I suggest that you stop your crying and figure out a way to do that!" she yelled.
Usagi flinched. It hurt Rei to see the way that she was reacting to it, but that was the only way that she knew how to get through to her. Usagi just stared up at her. The tears were still rimming her blue eyes. "You're right," she said as she started walking towards the entrance of the palace. "I'm going to g o see if Luna's still here and on my side," she said and then started walking towards the entrance of the palace.
Minako watched her leave and then turned to Rei. "How could you?" she asked with disbelief.
"How else was I going to get her motivated to fight?" Rei asked.
Usagi slowly walked into her room. There was a dim light that showed through the window. "Luna?" she asked.
The black cat jumped down from the bed and walked over to her. "Yes my queen?" she asked.
"That's not funny," Usagi remarked and then sat down at the small table. There was a brief silence as she looked down and thought through what she was going to say. "Luna, I think I should go to the dark kingdom tonight," she said.
Luna looked at her in surprise. "Why?" she asked.
"My friends, my family, they're stuck there and I think that I should go and get them back," Usagi said.
Luna looked up at her. "You know how dangerous that is? You could end up losing Rei and Minako to," she warned.
Usagi looked up. "No, they're not coming," she said and then quickly looked over at Luna. "And you're not going to tell any one that I am leaving," she warned.
"You'll get yourself killed," Luna said.
"So? My mother died to set every one free didn't she?" she asked. Usagi knew how dangerous it was, but she had to keep in mind that she was responsible for every one's life now. It was all on her shoulders and she was not about to risk other's lives for her own protection.
Luna just looked down in defeat. She was right, her mother had died so that every one could be sent to another life and be happy. That was all she wanted and she gave her life for it. She couldn't tell her mom not and now she couldn't tell Usagi not to.
"You promise you won't tell?" she asked sounding desperate.
Luna nodded. She hated the idea, but if that was what she wanted, she had to let her. "I just don't know if I'll be okay with it," she said. "Can I at least come? In like a purse or something?" she asked.
Usagi just stared at her. "I mean, I don't see why she would want a cat," Luna tried to explain.
"No, you stay here and look after things. You'll be the only one who knows where I am. That way if anything happens here you can come and get me," she said. Luna just nodded in agreement.