Seiya
Seiya held the unconscious Serena in his arms. He tried to hold in his tears but they fell on the porcelain skin of the woman below him. The tears fell just below her eyes making it look as if Serena was crying too. He didn't know what happened one-second she was fighting and the next she was on the ground.
The other sailor scouts appeared on the edges of the reservoir. They ran to the two women lying on the ground dazed. Seiya noticed that Lita wasn't there but he didn't dwell on the thought. He remained on the ground hugging Serena as the scouts helped their fallen comrades up.
"What did you do to them?" Rei was storming to toward the starlights clearly upset.
"We did nothing. But we should have. Those two maniacs dragged Serena here and attacked her!" Yaten was pissed. Normally he would settle with challenging death glares but he knew that Rei had passed the line.
"She didn't just sit here and play victim like she likes to do!" Rei pointed to Haruka and Michiru who were being supported by Ami, Mina, Setsuna, and Hotaru. "Someone really kicked their asses." Rei looked down at the blonde lying on the ground, it was clear she blamed Serena. Without warning she took her heel and dug it into Serena's stomach. The blood that erupted from that singular spot was unimaginable. Seiya quickly stood up. He knew on Earth it was wrong to hit a girl. But if Serena wouldn't do it he would.
Everyone looked at Seiya as Rei fell to the ground with a red cheek. "That is more that you deserve you bitch. This didn't stop Rei she would already up again and posed to kick Serena.
Uranus shouted, "Stop! Rei, that is enough. You don't want to do that."
Rei was beyond angry why wouldn't the ditzy blonde stay down. "Why shouldn't I do that? If I do this now, she won't get in the way later."
"Rei, she's not Sailor Moon anymore, she changed. She's… Cosmos." Michiru looked terrified to even say the name. It was as if saying Serena's name would elicit some attack from her that would land Michiru and Haruka back on the ground.
Seiya sunk back to the ground to pick up Serena. The movement caused Serena's bangs to fall away from her face, uncovering her star insignia. Seiya watched as he saw Rei curse to herself, no doubt because she didn't want Serena to be more powerful. He carried the girl only two steps before a shine came. Instead of Serena in his arms there was Sailor Cosmos standing alone.
"Remember, remember the oath." Cosmos's voice was dead and her eyes as purple as Pluto's.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Rei took a swipe at Cosmos. But the solider slowly stepped to side easily dodging the blow. Her eyes turned green and she quickly grabbed the fiery girls arm-twisting it behind her back. Seiya had to grin at the painful expression on Rei's face.
Cosmos replied in Rei's ear, "Your time will come soon." She then unhenshined and Seiya caught Serena in his arms. Rei was ready to retaliate.
Rei
The raven-haired girl's hand was behind her head ready to be launched. However someone behind grabbed her fist. It was Amy.
"It's enough Rei. Serena won. It's just sad now." Ami's deep blue eyes dug into Rei's. It was almost unbearable for her to hear something like that.
"I am your leader. And you will not talk to me in such a way." Rei was sick of being looked down upon.
"Speaking of that… We think we should apologize to Serena." Rei looked away and Ami noticed. "Rei we need Serena back. IF you keep losing these battles…"
"You will NOT talk about such things in front of out opponents."
"When were they, when was Serena our opponent. We dropped her because we need someone strong fight the youkai. This is not about your personal grudges, this is about Earth and protecting it." Rei broke. She had enough of everything. Holding a single fireball she shoved it into Amy's stomach. The petite woman flew backward.
Setsuna and Mina were immediately on top of Rei. The woman was ready she was encircled with more fireballs and a maniacal smile on her face. They other stood down giving up on the woman. They feared she was beyond reason.
Rei was irate. How dare that wrenches take away her position. She worked hard for them. She gave everything up for them. And this is how they repay her. She felt betrayed. She felt used. She felt like… Serena. She couldn't return to the apartment with Darien. Not after that train wreck last night. She chose to meander around a shopping mall.
Seiya
He was worried. It had been a couple of days since the show down between Haruka, Michiru and Serena. Haruka and Michiru had woken up already from the daze that Serena put them in. However Serena hasn't woken up since she told Rei off. All she had done was shift between herself and Cosmos a few times.
The only time he was able to do something useful was when Serena broke out in sweat. He had to place a cloth of cold water on her forehead. Serena moaned and turned to the face the wall.
Seiya walked to the kitchen and took a seat. It was a solid half an hour before the doorbell rang. Seiya knew there was nobody who would be coming Serena's apartment. He looked through the glass circle on the door and saw nothing. It was odd. The elevator and staircase were both in view from the glass so he would see someone leaving.
He hesitantly opened the door to still saw no one in front of him. "Gosh, why don't people ever look down?"
Seiya automatically looked down to follow the voice. A little kid was standing in front of him. The only problem was that this little boy looked exactly like the one in the park that attacked Serena. "Who the hell are you?" It was totally out of character for him to say that. And he knew it but if this little boy came back for a second round, right now was not a good time.
"I'm your son. My name is Natsume." Seiya was dumbfounded. This was not possible was it? But then again Serena got a visit from her child from the future.
"Wait are you from the future or something?" Seiya was sure that was the wrong question. Perhaps it would have been better to ask who the mother was. Seiya glanced at Serena.
"I'm not from the future. There is the theory that everyone has an essence even before they are born. It is what determines the morality of each person. Like if my essence saw a bunch of people dying, my essence in my live body will remember and become corrupted."
Seiya was mystified by the word essence; he imagined the cinnamon essence that rose from Princess Kakyuu's fires. He then attempted to run his hand through Natsume's face. But instead he scratched the little boys face. He was pretty with blue eyes and dark hair. "Why are you here? Where is your mother?"
"Your body can tell that something horrible will be coming but you are blinded by something. You can't see it. Little the youkai, they have gotten smarter. They have changed to look like people the sailor scouts will know but there are flaws. They have no birthmarks and do not know the habits of the people they imitate."
Seiya looked at the boy, "That explains a lot. The youkai didn't have that birthmark on your face. You dodged my last question, who is your mother?"
"You never will tell me. You will just say that you love her but you loved the woman before immensely before you met her. She changed you life."
Seiya looked at Serena. He loved her immensely he knew that for sure. Did that mean that he would end up with someone different? It was hard thinking he would love someone else in fact it was impossible.
Lita
She was in pain. So much pain she could literally kill herself if she had enough strength. She was on Jupiter. She didn't know why or how but somehow she made it to her home plant, her birthplace with none of her powers, and none of her physical strength.
Right before she magically appeared on this planet she heard Serena's voice, "Remember. Only then will you find the thunderstone."
Well for half the day she had wandered though the streets of the capital city. She asked many of her subjects where the thunderstone was but her people refused claimed only the royal family knows. When she said that she was the princess each and every one of them laughed hysterically.
At first it was just irritating but now it was getting worse. She looked at her legs there were electrical burns all over her legs. At first it was just her feet but as the hours dragged by they spread to the rest the rest of her body. But it wasn't just her legs it was her arms and wrists. Now it was moving to her face and chest. She didn't know for sure but she had a thought that if the burns fully engulfed her body she would die.
What surprised her the most was the burn marks. They didn't bleed. But they hurt as if they were and the clothing rubbing her skin wasn't helping. A thunder tiger was eyes her from the edge of the forest. The yellow eyes were hungry looking at the limping and crying woman like it was easy bait. It lunged.
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!" A small flick of light danced in the sky but that was it. It was hard to think about her situation. She fought through Beryl, the Doomsayer, Mistress Nine, and Galaxia but it she would die by the hands of a tiger the same tiger that she had raised as a cub.
The tiger lunged; Lita raised her hands to protect her face. The tiger caught her by both wrists, biting into her burns, and tossed her into a broken tree. A branch that was tougher than it should be jabbed in to her back. She knew she couldn't stand up like that. Remember.
What the hell does that mean? All she knew that it was clear her physical strength wasn't going to help her. It was lacking in its ability to aid her. The strength made things easier but maybe not always right. Rei was stronger than Serena in mental capability. But no matter how hard it was for her Serena always made the right choices. Rei had an affair with Serena's fiancée and she was awarded with Serena's position as leader.
I'm an idiot. Lita could only see the error in siding with Rei now. She for the longest while had support Serena. She owed Serena her life. They had a friendship… an oath.
The oath that she took in the Silver Moon Millennia was too powerful for her to forget. She swore to defend, to support, advise, and love Princess Serenity for all eternity till death separated her from her princess. It was then that she began to weep. She had betrayed her princess and betrayed herself. Looking down at the burns on her body she could only imagine how much she deserved them.
The tiger was upon her now. The last thought in her mind ran through her head, I am sorry Serenity. The tiger stopped he was so close she could feel his breath blow her hair back. Then it approached her and started to lick her face. "Mako!" Lita wrapped her arms around her tiger tightly. But her grip was too strong and Mako coughed. "Oops sorry." Then she realized her strength was back and from her chest emerged a green and yellow diamond shining ever so brightly. The thunderstone.
"Yeah!"
It took a while but after Lita got over her happiness she rode her tiger to her home, the palace. The subjects were thrilled to see their princess's return. And as soon as she walked through the palace doors her torn earthen outfit disappeared. She turned into a green gown. There was a boat neck with a short sleeves and crushed diamonds littered on the dress toward the bottom.
The green shimmer spread across the palace floors, climbing the ceilings. Lita ran to the window. The green shimmer was even outside engulfing the entire planet. When it disappeared everything had turned to crystal green crystal. Serena's voice was ringing in the air, "This is no longer Jupiter, it is Crystal Jupiter. Your princess is no longer Princess Lita but Astral Princess Lita of Crystal Jupiter.
Lita was back on Earth but she could still feel the pain of her electrical burns. She looked at her wrists. All the burns were gone except for around her wrists. They remained puffy red. She knew this was a symbol for her to remember the oath and ever forget it again.
Serena
She opened her eyes and looked around. Seiya was leaning over her. "Thank God your awake. Are you okay?" Seiya had bags under his eyes.
Serena sat up and placed her hand on Seiya cheek. "You know how I said I needed to make the crystal system? Well Jupiter is complete it is now crystal Jupiter. It just took a lot of energy to do."
Seiya grabbed Serena in his arms, "Thank God you are okay." He kissed her hard. It was the most passionate kiss Serena had ever had.
The young couple was lying in bed and Serena stared at the ceiling. She knew that Jupiter had remembered her oath. Serena knew that Lita had learned her lesson. It was the only thing not as severe as her mother had suggested and that was death. Leaving the User of lighting and thunder with just electrical burns on her wrists forever was better.
Lita tried to make dinner but her hands hurt too much to stir the soup. She couldn't help crying form the pain but she deserved it and she knew it.
Darien flipped over in his sleep it was so peaceful to be in bed with a woman.
Rei was still awake. She knew she should never have let Darien touch her tonight. She knew she shouldn't have returned to his apartment but it was too late.
It seems like everything was too late.