souna no miko
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all original characters mentioned in this story is owned by the great Takeuchi Naoko. There is no way I would claim them as my own. The song/s that will be used as part of the story are not mine either, they are owned by their respective writers and singers.
Chapter
9
Home at Last
After Haruko's volleyball training she went straight home, politely rejecting Minako's invitation to go to the Crown because she was already dead tired. After taking a long relaxing bath and eating her dinner she went straight to bed and fell asleep immediately.
In the middle of the night, a lavender light in front of her bed awakened Haruko. She opened her eyes and saw a girl with long black hair dressed in a Sailor fuku, which she recognized as Sailor Earth's, her own fuku, only a bit different from what she transforms into now. The girl smiled at her and said,
"Hello Haruko."
"W-who are you?" Haruko asked as she sat up straight.
"I am you and you are me." the girl replied.
"I don't understand. How could that happen? I mean -" Haruko was cut off when the pale skinned girl pointed a finger at her forehead and said,
"Close your eyes and you shall see what I mean."
With that, pieces of her past flashed in her mind. The day she was born, her first step, her first word, and her first booboo. She remembers the celestial palace, the warm embrace of her older brother, the loving kiss of her mother and father and the gentle smile that a young lady with long brown hair shares with her whenever she's afraid.
After that, memories of her first visit to the moon kingdom flashed in her mind. The first time she met Princess Serenity, her brother's would-be fiancée, the time she received her duty as a Sailor Soldier and the very first time she met Prince Alexis. She was only 6 and he was 8, but she felt something she has never felt before. Casseopeia, Caleb, Princess Michelle and Princess Serenity were the first few people who knew about her feelings towards the Prince of Uranus, but it didn't take long before other people, most especially the other senshis, noticed it. But it seemed like that the only person who didn't know about it was Alexis himself.
Everything went black after that and sad memories resurfaced. The death of her parents brought sadness to the whole earth kingdom. As everyone grieved, she received the celestial crystal and the Fate's rod from the three fates. The girl with long brown hair was sentenced to exile for some reason a seven-year-old like her wasn't able to understand.
Sadness filled her but after two years; her brother introduced her to four people whom she cherished all her life.
She remembered the day she first met her guardians when she was still 9. Her brother called them the starlights, but to her, they were someone else.
She remembered one who goes by the name of Soul and is known as Sailor Star Maker. He had long dark brown hair. He was the most logical and intelligent among the four. She remembered how they would spend lazy afternoons under the shade of the oldest oak tree in the palace reading books. She'd even recite her own poems to Soul and the latter critiques and praises them. He was always quiet and aloof and usually he'd rather be alone with one of his books than join them but deep inside he was really friendly and nice once he learns to loosen up.
Then there was Draco also known as Sailor Star Healer, the only guardian with long platinum hair and the most beautiful green eyes. He was a rough boy and would usually pick a fight with almost everyone that gets on his nerves, especially when people mistake him for a girl. She recalled how the other guardians would tease him because he looked effeminate enough to be one of her court ladies, he'd chase after them screaming at the top of his lungs. She also remembered how Draco had the most beautiful voice among all four guardians. She and Draco would sing together and sometimes he'd play the violin only for her. They were the ones who usually got along because they were the ones who were of the same age. Usually he's grumpy around most people but with her, he always has a story to tell and a song to sing.
Finally the twin stars, Caleb and Casseopeia, Sailor Star Fighter and Sailor Star Protector respectively. Both of them had long jet-black hair and soft eyes. Caleb was the most playful and most happy-go-lucky among her four guardians, but he was the one appointed to be the Starlights' leader. Haruko remembered how he becomes serious whenever he's on duty. His leadership skills can be compared to her brother's generals and his tactical skills were way better than anybody else in the kingdom. She even remembered how her brother and Nephrite ask Caleb for military defense and offense tactics. He's really practical and smart but very very naughty and playful. He is the complete opposite of her fraternal twin sister, Casseopeia. She's second in command and takes everything seriously. There are rare times where in she loosens up a bit, usually when it involves Prince Alexis of Uranus. The earth princess remembered that one time when Protector walked up to Prince Alexis and hit him on the nape and laughed out loud when the latter asked her why she did it. She was one of her most trusted confidante, aside from her two bestfriends of course, Princess Michelle and Princess Serenity, but unlike them Casseopeia knew most about her dreams and her hopes, but more importantly she knew her pains. When she's sad she runs to her, she was like the older sister she never had, being two years older than she was.
Haruko smiled as she remembered the days when she was in the celestial palace with her four guardians, which she considered her four trusted friends.
The very last memory that ran through her head was the engagement day of her brother and Princess Serenity. The Dark Queen attacked the moon kingdom in search of the Celestial Crystal. She saw blurry and faded battle scenes until the Dark Queen herself blasted her from behind. With her last ounce of strength, she contained the celestial crystal in a magic ball and let it wander off into space. The Dark Queen made her suffer before killing her off. The last voice she heard before drifting off into eternal sleep was of Sailor Uranus, pleading her to hold on and calling her by the name...
"Persephone."
Haruko opened her eyes and saw her past self smile at her, now wearing a powder blue halter gown.
"I've waited centuries for you and now you're back. Okairinasai Persephone-hime." Her past self said as lavender light emanated from her.
Soon the image of Haruko's past self faded and a small ball appeared in her place. Haruko reached for the ball and when she touched it, the ball dissolved and the celestial crystal appeared and entered her body. Haruko felt the warmth of the crystal and the power slowly flowing into her veins. Haruko looked out of the window, stared at the bright full moon, smiled and said,
"Tadaima. (I'm home.)"
Tsuzuku…