Part 11:Sweet and Lost Goodbyes
As he held her in his arms, a deep desperation caught him and he called out with an air of urgency, "Minako!"
Her small body went rigged, warm, and shook (from glee or fear she did not know) all at the same time. He had never called her name. In fact, she had never heard a man's voice echo the vibrations of it all her life. It had a deep sound when it came from him: a thick sweet tone of highs and lows she never knew it could have. Her name, spoken from such depth and that sword- like sleekness she always loved to dream about hearing, let loose those sacred symbols of devotion. After the feeling of surprise swept away as quickly as it had come, she felt numb with bliss. She wanted him to say it again, although all her dreams at hearing his words just once had already been fulfilled. "Minako." He said again. She heard the same word and tones but this time gentler as if caressing the sound.
She moaned in the morning light. She hadn't seen him again all night. This morning they were to bid the people of the Earth goodbye and she was to return to her own planet. She put a hand to her groggy golden head and tried to blink back the dream that had slipped away.
"Oy." Was all she could dryly chock-out? She kicked off her blankets and lay in her bed staring up to the ceiling trying to recall the details of her dream. She hugged her body tightly in remorse for the thoughts that seemed to be fleeting as quickly as sand through a sieve.
Too soon there was a knock at her grand wooden door. "Princess of Venus?"
"Come in."
"You ready?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm up."
"Venus-Chan! You're not even dressed!"
"What? Oh yeah!"
"Eh, poor baby."
"What? I'm wearing a nightgown."
"But you can't give a farewell to the Earth people dressed in your worn out nightgown."
"Why not?"
So Makoto jumped on the bed began to tickle much to the protest of the squirming and kicking blond princess. The two played together as they had in childhood. Jupiter was the mother and the wise woman who cared for the silly child patting her on the head and nuzzling her nose into a child's cheek. Venus never minded it. Venus became Minako and Jupiter became Makoto. Their colors comforted each other. But sadness still lingered in the peaceful morning air (for one could not say it felt happy). This would be the last morning together in joy. It would be the last morning for a very long time. This sorrow could not be escaped.
Makoto helped Minako dress in something simple and lilac. Minako didn't put much effort into the dressing process but she had so much fun teasing the brunette, pretending to be a rag doll.
"Minako sit up!"
"I can't I can't!"
"Minako lift your head!"
"I can't I can't!"
"Minako don't scrunch your toes like that."
"I can't I can't!"
"Makoto, aren't you going to open the door? We're going to be late!"
"I can't I can't!"
"Ha. Ha"
And they went giggling out just to meet a slightly weary princess of Mars.
"Hey, hey!" Kunzite was poked awake. A grunt and he rolled back under his covers weary from the night before. He obviously didn't comprehend that three of his best friends were gathered around him staring at his sleepy form.
"Hey, hey!" Jedite poked a little harder. "Wake up already!"
"Hun. What do you want?" he swatted at them.
Zoicite spoke, "We're gonna go wake up Nephrite. He didn't get back into the palace until way too late!"
"Well so did I." He opened one eye to reveal the Prince, Zoicite, and Jedite crowded all around him with devious gleams in their eyes.
"But this is different! The princess of Jupiter didn't get home until round about the same time. Soooo-"
"GOOD MORNING NEPHRITE-SAN!"
Of course the tangles of brown hair rolled out of bed in a heap and groggy eyes searched wildly around for the murderer. Once the truth graced him he began to reach out to anything to give him hold to stand and ended up taking his bedside table apart, much to the delight of his friends. Then, anger, wham! Zoicite was hit from behind! Bam! Jedite was pushed backwards. Bop! The prince was on the floor anyway from laughing so hard, and one skillful dodge from Kunzite and Nephrite was back on the floor, his face smunched into the wooly carpeting.
"Very funny. Ho ho ho!"
The other three repeated, "Very funny! Ho ho ho!" and broke into fits and tumbrels of laughter.
"Today we bid farewell to the Moon." Zoicite sat on the bed.
"Not for forever I hope." The prince blushed a little as he admitted it. "I like it here."
"Yes, but this isn't where we belong Endymion." Zoicite brushed away the comment with a casual wave of his hand through the air. "We belong back home. We've been away so much recently anyway. It's time we returned home."
Kunzite listened but did not speak. All the time he had spent here, he had never felt quite fulfilled. But he was starting to miss his own bed and quarters.
'Still." He pondered. What was this dreading feeling of practically impending doom that he should not nor could not return home?
His gaze turned to the window now streaming a white light. He spotted the tiny white flakes floating though the invisible streams of air. He shut his eyes and the voices of his friends faded out.
She opened her eyes again and the strong black stallions galloped off at a thick pace racing past the pearl gates of the great palace of the moon a good mile away from them now. The dirt from their black hooves still echoed in the late morning air. Through it she could barley see the carriage vanish behind a large wall of greenery.
"Good bye!" she called again.
She had shaken hands with each general exactly the same way. She smiled the same way and apologized lightly once that could not have had the talk with Kunzite as she had promised. He had nodded and it was forgotten. She was extremely disappointed that had had not said anything directly to her. But how could she have expected more when she herself was so cold?
She felt two hands wrap around her own which was hanging by her side.
"Minako-Chan, it's time to go." Rei gently tugged on her friend's hand.
"Hai, Enyalis-San. Let's go."
They were almost at the place of departure. Kunzite had not said a word. None of his friends were very worried. The man would often dip into his own thoughts and be wordlessly consumed for hours. The outside shook and jostled the men around but his gaze was as steady as ever. Since they called one last farewell to the princess of Venus out of the window, the men had said nothing. They sat, almost uncomfortably, without much talk. A word or two, an empty sentence but still, thoughts and heart had been left back at the sparkling palace of the Moon.
A great gasp broke the clatter of the horse's hooves.
She tightly held the princess of Mercury in her arms. She stepped back and wove her fingers tightly together.
"Farewell." And she mouthed 'Ami-chan' just before bright blue light enveloped her slender body and took her far away into the deepest reaches of space, her heart and soul ripping her though the very fabric of stars. She'd be home momentarily. Now only she and the princess of the moon stood in the large room. The browning drapes seemed to drip with sorrow and loneliness.
"Serenity. Don't cry. Don't cry my princess." The two embraced. Minako felt warm in her arms. "I'll be back to see you soon."
"Minako-Chan, I don't want you all to go."
"But I have to Serenity. I need to go and protect my people now."
"I know that. But I have this horrible feeling."
Minako stared at her princess. Serenity bit her thumbnail and ashamedly shook her head.
"It's nothing. I know you miss your home. I would miss mine."
The Venus enfolded her arms around the white haired girl.
"It'll be OK. I won't let anything happen."
"She's that way sir. But I don't think you'll make it in time. She's about to see the planetary princesses off to their own homes."
"Thank you sir." Kunzite tried very hard to walk at a fast past so as not to look like he was rushing. Once beyond the cautious eyes of the servant, Kunzite did break into a heavy jog.
The price of the Earth had forgotten something. What, Kunzite did not know, nor did he care to find out. But it gave him a chance to see Venus again. The echoes of what had just happened flashed through his mind.
"I'll go with you." All the others raise their eyebrows in his sudden change of composure.
Kunzite was still frowning though. He had to hurry. He just wanted to say goodbye to her. It really didn't make any sense at all once said allowed. But Kunzite hadn't gotten that far yet. He was still in motion. His steps turned into a half run. If he missed her, what would he do?
"Good bye Venus." Serenity smiled and her hand slid away from hers as Venus stepped carefully back into position.
"Ok. Is everything ready?"
"Yes my lady."
Twelve steps, ten steps, eight steps. He was so close now he could see the door. Now there was no stopping his emotions. He stopped the part of his brain that focused of balance, on pride, on speech, and on his sworn duty to his prince.
In that moment, he lost something. In the very miniscule instant he forgot his prince and a small crack was opened in his mind. A very tiny bit of darkness was allowed to see inside. Although he could not feel its effects, surely it was there. But Kunzite did not realize it. He could not feel it. He did not care. But still, it was there.
And the rippling golden hair reverberated in his mind. He reached out for the far end of the door's frame and pulled himself the last few inches to view the room.
He saw.
Princess Serenity turned with a start like a startled rabbit. Her eyes were a little puffy and her face had one fresh tear upon her white cheek. She was alone in the room. A small flicker of golden light was all he saw from the corner of his eye-the last of Venus upon the moon.
He had missed her.
"General Kunzite?" Princess Serenity inquired.
As he held her in his arms, a deep desperation caught him and he called out with an air of urgency, "Minako!"
Her small body went rigged, warm, and shook (from glee or fear she did not know) all at the same time. He had never called her name. In fact, she had never heard a man's voice echo the vibrations of it all her life. It had a deep sound when it came from him: a thick sweet tone of highs and lows she never knew it could have. Her name, spoken from such depth and that sword- like sleekness she always loved to dream about hearing, let loose those sacred symbols of devotion. After the feeling of surprise swept away as quickly as it had come, she felt numb with bliss. She wanted him to say it again, although all her dreams at hearing his words just once had already been fulfilled. "Minako." He said again. She heard the same word and tones but this time gentler as if caressing the sound.
She moaned in the morning light. She hadn't seen him again all night. This morning they were to bid the people of the Earth goodbye and she was to return to her own planet. She put a hand to her groggy golden head and tried to blink back the dream that had slipped away.
"Oy." Was all she could dryly chock-out? She kicked off her blankets and lay in her bed staring up to the ceiling trying to recall the details of her dream. She hugged her body tightly in remorse for the thoughts that seemed to be fleeting as quickly as sand through a sieve.
Too soon there was a knock at her grand wooden door. "Princess of Venus?"
"Come in."
"You ready?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm up."
"Venus-Chan! You're not even dressed!"
"What? Oh yeah!"
"Eh, poor baby."
"What? I'm wearing a nightgown."
"But you can't give a farewell to the Earth people dressed in your worn out nightgown."
"Why not?"
So Makoto jumped on the bed began to tickle much to the protest of the squirming and kicking blond princess. The two played together as they had in childhood. Jupiter was the mother and the wise woman who cared for the silly child patting her on the head and nuzzling her nose into a child's cheek. Venus never minded it. Venus became Minako and Jupiter became Makoto. Their colors comforted each other. But sadness still lingered in the peaceful morning air (for one could not say it felt happy). This would be the last morning together in joy. It would be the last morning for a very long time. This sorrow could not be escaped.
Makoto helped Minako dress in something simple and lilac. Minako didn't put much effort into the dressing process but she had so much fun teasing the brunette, pretending to be a rag doll.
"Minako sit up!"
"I can't I can't!"
"Minako lift your head!"
"I can't I can't!"
"Minako don't scrunch your toes like that."
"I can't I can't!"
"Makoto, aren't you going to open the door? We're going to be late!"
"I can't I can't!"
"Ha. Ha"
And they went giggling out just to meet a slightly weary princess of Mars.
"Hey, hey!" Kunzite was poked awake. A grunt and he rolled back under his covers weary from the night before. He obviously didn't comprehend that three of his best friends were gathered around him staring at his sleepy form.
"Hey, hey!" Jedite poked a little harder. "Wake up already!"
"Hun. What do you want?" he swatted at them.
Zoicite spoke, "We're gonna go wake up Nephrite. He didn't get back into the palace until way too late!"
"Well so did I." He opened one eye to reveal the Prince, Zoicite, and Jedite crowded all around him with devious gleams in their eyes.
"But this is different! The princess of Jupiter didn't get home until round about the same time. Soooo-"
"GOOD MORNING NEPHRITE-SAN!"
Of course the tangles of brown hair rolled out of bed in a heap and groggy eyes searched wildly around for the murderer. Once the truth graced him he began to reach out to anything to give him hold to stand and ended up taking his bedside table apart, much to the delight of his friends. Then, anger, wham! Zoicite was hit from behind! Bam! Jedite was pushed backwards. Bop! The prince was on the floor anyway from laughing so hard, and one skillful dodge from Kunzite and Nephrite was back on the floor, his face smunched into the wooly carpeting.
"Very funny. Ho ho ho!"
The other three repeated, "Very funny! Ho ho ho!" and broke into fits and tumbrels of laughter.
"Today we bid farewell to the Moon." Zoicite sat on the bed.
"Not for forever I hope." The prince blushed a little as he admitted it. "I like it here."
"Yes, but this isn't where we belong Endymion." Zoicite brushed away the comment with a casual wave of his hand through the air. "We belong back home. We've been away so much recently anyway. It's time we returned home."
Kunzite listened but did not speak. All the time he had spent here, he had never felt quite fulfilled. But he was starting to miss his own bed and quarters.
'Still." He pondered. What was this dreading feeling of practically impending doom that he should not nor could not return home?
His gaze turned to the window now streaming a white light. He spotted the tiny white flakes floating though the invisible streams of air. He shut his eyes and the voices of his friends faded out.
She opened her eyes again and the strong black stallions galloped off at a thick pace racing past the pearl gates of the great palace of the moon a good mile away from them now. The dirt from their black hooves still echoed in the late morning air. Through it she could barley see the carriage vanish behind a large wall of greenery.
"Good bye!" she called again.
She had shaken hands with each general exactly the same way. She smiled the same way and apologized lightly once that could not have had the talk with Kunzite as she had promised. He had nodded and it was forgotten. She was extremely disappointed that had had not said anything directly to her. But how could she have expected more when she herself was so cold?
She felt two hands wrap around her own which was hanging by her side.
"Minako-Chan, it's time to go." Rei gently tugged on her friend's hand.
"Hai, Enyalis-San. Let's go."
They were almost at the place of departure. Kunzite had not said a word. None of his friends were very worried. The man would often dip into his own thoughts and be wordlessly consumed for hours. The outside shook and jostled the men around but his gaze was as steady as ever. Since they called one last farewell to the princess of Venus out of the window, the men had said nothing. They sat, almost uncomfortably, without much talk. A word or two, an empty sentence but still, thoughts and heart had been left back at the sparkling palace of the Moon.
A great gasp broke the clatter of the horse's hooves.
She tightly held the princess of Mercury in her arms. She stepped back and wove her fingers tightly together.
"Farewell." And she mouthed 'Ami-chan' just before bright blue light enveloped her slender body and took her far away into the deepest reaches of space, her heart and soul ripping her though the very fabric of stars. She'd be home momentarily. Now only she and the princess of the moon stood in the large room. The browning drapes seemed to drip with sorrow and loneliness.
"Serenity. Don't cry. Don't cry my princess." The two embraced. Minako felt warm in her arms. "I'll be back to see you soon."
"Minako-Chan, I don't want you all to go."
"But I have to Serenity. I need to go and protect my people now."
"I know that. But I have this horrible feeling."
Minako stared at her princess. Serenity bit her thumbnail and ashamedly shook her head.
"It's nothing. I know you miss your home. I would miss mine."
The Venus enfolded her arms around the white haired girl.
"It'll be OK. I won't let anything happen."
"She's that way sir. But I don't think you'll make it in time. She's about to see the planetary princesses off to their own homes."
"Thank you sir." Kunzite tried very hard to walk at a fast past so as not to look like he was rushing. Once beyond the cautious eyes of the servant, Kunzite did break into a heavy jog.
The price of the Earth had forgotten something. What, Kunzite did not know, nor did he care to find out. But it gave him a chance to see Venus again. The echoes of what had just happened flashed through his mind.
"I'll go with you." All the others raise their eyebrows in his sudden change of composure.
Kunzite was still frowning though. He had to hurry. He just wanted to say goodbye to her. It really didn't make any sense at all once said allowed. But Kunzite hadn't gotten that far yet. He was still in motion. His steps turned into a half run. If he missed her, what would he do?
"Good bye Venus." Serenity smiled and her hand slid away from hers as Venus stepped carefully back into position.
"Ok. Is everything ready?"
"Yes my lady."
Twelve steps, ten steps, eight steps. He was so close now he could see the door. Now there was no stopping his emotions. He stopped the part of his brain that focused of balance, on pride, on speech, and on his sworn duty to his prince.
In that moment, he lost something. In the very miniscule instant he forgot his prince and a small crack was opened in his mind. A very tiny bit of darkness was allowed to see inside. Although he could not feel its effects, surely it was there. But Kunzite did not realize it. He could not feel it. He did not care. But still, it was there.
And the rippling golden hair reverberated in his mind. He reached out for the far end of the door's frame and pulled himself the last few inches to view the room.
He saw.
Princess Serenity turned with a start like a startled rabbit. Her eyes were a little puffy and her face had one fresh tear upon her white cheek. She was alone in the room. A small flicker of golden light was all he saw from the corner of his eye-the last of Venus upon the moon.
He had missed her.
"General Kunzite?" Princess Serenity inquired.