The cover image is basically Astar's true form, as described in the previous chapter.
Once again, my immense gratitude to all readers from across the world.
Self-Discoveries, Part 5: Rebirths
As expected, Dis Pater's damned soul returned to an effigy prepared by his aide Fréamund. But something felt strange as soon as he realized he had returned to life. He was no longer able to move around, remaining stationary on the wall of a small room, lighted only by several candles. A pentagram was written with chalk on the floor below him.
"What is the meaning of this?" the villain complained. "Why am I immobile?"
"You did not follow my recommendation." The unmistakable voice of Fréamund could be heard as he opened the small door ahead of him. "I told you to lay low, and yet you insisted on pursuing the incubus and the Guardians. Very reckless, and dare I say stupid of your part. And now, in the attempt to have everything at the same time, you have lost the incubus, and your moving privileges, at least for now. I hope you use this time to think about what you have done, and what you should do from now on."
Dis Pater said nothing more. He was at his servant's hands now.
"But that's not to say you will be rendered useless, or that I am the one taking over. Oh, not at all. Take a look at what I brought."
From afar, Fréamund tossed four grey jewels towards the center of the pentagram. Dis Pater looked at them and recognized immediately what those were supposed to be. "Phantom Quartzes... Those are used for soul retrieval ceremonies! Could it be..."
"Exactly," resumed Fréamund. "While humanity and the Guardians deal with the Shoggoths, I will help you retrieve the souls of your former associates, the Heavenly Kings. Under your guidance, they will help us greatly in preventing the rise of Serenity and Endymion. Not to mention... they will be far more useful here than in the Hades. The outline of the pentagram is done, and the Quartzes are here. All I need is the blood of a child, and to be certain I have the right spell. Those will be provided soon."
"Ah, excellent! This is far from over," Dis Pater permitted himself to gloat. "Even if they do manage to recover their powers, and even without the Angel, we will persevere. I cannot thank you enough, dear Fréamund."
The mysterious helper chuckled. "Leave it all to me, Dis Pater. You will not be disappointed."
(xx)
There simply was no time to mourn Astar's demise, for there was imminent danger on the city once again, and there was only so much Sailor Moon could deal with alone. Even the Outer Guardians would be overwhelmed by the forces of the Shoggoths, and whatever else may come from Hell itself.
Inside the fireplace room of Rei's house, where the Guardians and the wise cats went inside, Setsuna brought in the incubus' parting gifts and sifted through them silently for a short while.
"So, is there anything useful in those?" Minako asked.
Setsuna at first seemed to ignore the question, but eventually, her expression changed to a more positive one. "Yes, there are." She picked up four flat, pale green jewels and handed them to Usagi. "These are Oneiric Chrysoprases."
"Oni-what? Chris-what?" Usagi perplexedly asked as she looked at the items she got.
"To put it simply, these jewels permit you to be in control of your inner selves inside your Dreamscapes. This way, you can purge the demonic presence that impedes you from transforming."
"I remember now... This magic harkens back to the Silver Millenium," Luna wondered aloud. "Crystal healing methods worked back then, and the Chrysoprases were used for the treatment of psychological troubles. But... how could he create these?"
"Some other time we can question about it," Setsuna affirmed. "What matters is that Astar's sacrifice will not be in vain after all. Now, for these to work, you have to sleep, and then Usagi will put them on your foreheads."
"Sleep at such a time?" questioned Ami. "You know we are all too nervous and upset to sleep..."
Without saying anything, the Guardian of Time then picked up a medicine blister pack from her purse. She broke a few pills off their casings and gave one for each of the Inner Senshi, excluding Usagi.
"And what is this?" asked Minako.
"Ambien," she answered. "Soichi and I use this whenever we can't sleep at night. We cannot wait for all of you to sleep in your normal schedule, so each of you will take a pill that will help you to sleep. Rei, could you please bring some glasses of water to aid in the swallowing of the pills?"
Rei agreed and left for her kitchen. Soon after, she brought a tray with four glasses of cool water.
"That goes to you too, Minako," Setsuna addressed the Guardian of Love. "While your powers weren't completely deactivated, you are still suffering from the effects of Astar's attempt to possess your inner self, and it needs to be purged."
"Ick... It's bitter," Minako complained and quickly downed her water glass.
"Did you actually bite the pill?" Ami asked, then downed her Ambien pill with a gulp of water. Rei and Makoto silently followed suit.
"Eh, it's either that or risk choking to death on it, come on," Minako excused herself.
"There's a very small probability of that happening," Artemis commented.
One by one, the Guardians started to feel the effects of the sleep medicine that Setsuna gave them. Ambien was strong enough that they would not care for comfort when seeking a place to sleep, so each laid down on the floor, in different corners of the room.
"I hope this works," mumbled Usagi as she positioned the Oneiric Chrysoprases over their foreheads.
"Leave the rest to us," Setsuna told Usagi. "You and Luna should go home and get some rest. Later we can tell you how this went." Both agreed and silently left the guest room after looking at the slumbering Guardians one last time.
"I think I'll be more useful outside, to be on the look in the case that Shoggoth creature returns," Artemis said. Setsuna agreed with a short nod.
A few moments later, Fengari entered the room. He and Setsuna were left alone to oversee how the Inner Guardians would handle their journeys inside their minds. The young man picked up eight of the jewels that were now being kept on a side table by the entrance, as well as the four coins and two of the odd-shaped baubles.
"You have landed in quite the year, Young Lord," the Guardian commented.
"Indeed... But as you know, there is a good reason why I came here, and why all of this happened. Now if you excuse me, I must search for the Royal Consorts. They will be of utmost importance in the battles to come."
"You really are adamant in undoing the future, aren't you?"
"In a way, I already did, just by existing. And don't think this is undoing the future. Think of this as fine-tuning it, so they are all better prepared. And that is assuming they go ahead with the rise of Crystal Tokyo. Nothing is set in stone, and you know it better than anyone. Besides, you heard Astar's death throes, didn't you?"
"What do you mean?" asked the Guardian of Time.
"He had the power of the word, and he used it to create these items in the wake of his passing, to undo the burden of their lonely fates. He could have done anything with such power, and he decided to help the Sailor Guardians and the ones they decide are worthy of their love because he knew their duty was just as important as their personal dreams. They no longer have to follow that stupid and unnecessary chastity vow."
"We have already been through this, Young Lord. The vow is to keep them combat-ready and to not attach themselves to families. Love will be the death of duty."
Fengari simply shook his head. "You don't really believe in this, do you?" To this, Setsuna said nothing, looking down in silence. The young man resumed: "Think about it logically. If Haruka and Michiru can do it, so can they. Hell, so can you, if you wish so!"
"I... I can't..." She still hesitated and fumbled for words. She immediately thought of Soichi and how she never let him touch her, even though he was nothing but loving and careful to her since he recovered his functions.
"Now listen, all I ask of you is for your trust, nothing more and nothing less," Fengari resumed. "If this leads to failure, however... You are free to undo my works, and execute me if needed." He then handed a Time Key for Setsuna. "This key can only be used once, for a back-and-forth trip to the past. As you know, there is now a special golem guarding the Time-Space Door. When it asks for a password, say Guf and when it prompts you, specify the date and place to which you want to go. In this case, just choose July 15, 1997. I spent the entire day at Mamoru's old apartment, so it will be easy to find me." To this, Setsuna simply nodded.
"One more thing," he said as he pointed outside with his left thumb. "Does she know?"
"Nothing," the Guardian answered as she shook her head.
"Good. The less she knows, the better. Take care now, and let's hope we don't meet again as enemies. I'd hate for that to happen, you know. Be seeing you."
After the young man left, Setsuna started to wonder about what he intended to do, and whether it was alright to let him do it. One of the few memories she still had of herself in the Silver Millenium was that she swore to the late Queen Serenity that she would do all within her power to help her daughter rise to power again, but at the same time, she felt the ultimate decision had to be taken by Usagi herself. And she was now letting someone else interfere in the future, somebody willing to cease his own existence if need be.
"Am I doing the right thing, my liege? I fear this is not going to end well for any of us..."
(xx)
Ami's Dreamscape
Right off the bat, Ami saw herself in a familiar street in Shinjuku on a cloudy afternoon. A gaunt, bespectacled man in his 40's wearing a trenchcoat and a Panama hat beckoned at her. Behind him, there was a flaming shadow creeping up.
"Papa..."
"Hi there, my dear," the figure spoke. "You wanted to see me, right? Then, let's have a talk. Over pan bagnats and a chess match. What do you say?"
Ami smiled ever so slightly, knowing well what she had to do. "I'd love to."
Both sat down at an open-air café, where there was a mounted chess table. When prompted, Ami picked the black piece, and as such, her father would start the match. After a few movements and something of an advantage over her father, the Guardian finally broke the silence: "I always wanted to ask you this, papa... Why did you leave us?"
"I... Have a severe case of wanderlust. I think you should know that by now."
"So that's why you left me and mama..."
"It could be... But whatever the true reason is, it's not your fault. Why would it be? Don't tell me you have beaten yourself over this all these years..."
Ami lowered her head as one of her knights got taken down by a simple pawn. "I confess... I did."
"Listen, dear. I..." He managed to take over control of the game, eliminating her queen and a bishop in subsequent turns. "I know I'm just a figment of your mind, but this much I can tell you. Any lasting feeling over my departure will only make you feel bad in the long run. Look at how this affects you even now." At that moment, the shadows that slithered on his back started to grow in size.
The Guardian then realized she needed to come to terms with her mixed feelings over her father. "You're right. I let this affect me way too much, even if I didn't show it, and I told myself many times I didn't mind. But I did. And you know what? It should have never bothered me more than necessary. You are still my father, and you still care about me. I know it. And I... I forgive you for anything you may have done against me and Mama."
Not only did she regain the advantage at the game, but the shadows behind her father also subdued until they faded away completely.
"Excellent," the man spoke with a happy tone. "That's what you wanted to say, and I'm glad you no longer bear ill will towards me. So tell me, Ami..." He was down to his king and a knight. "I forgot to ask you this, and you don't need to answer me if you don't feel like it. But, is there anybody you like? I mean, as a boyfriend, or girlfriend if you are into it."
The girl blushed a bit as she moved her last rook forward. "Oh, is that a way to throw me off?"
"Oh, no! Not at all!" He said as he edged his knight closer to his king. "Hmm, on second thought, it kinda-sorta is, but it doesn't hurt to ask now, does it?"
"Well... I have. We haven't spoken in a little while, and we are not quite together yet because he is in Germany now... But I have someone in mind. I'm sure you'd love to meet him someday." One more move from Ami's knight. "Checkmate," she exclaimed. Indeed, her father's king had no way to escape the reach of Ami's final pieces.
"My, oh my. I tip my hat and take it off for you!"
"But papa, you're not even wearing a hat," she answered with a short snicker.
"Oh, well then, watch this." He then picked up his bucket hat that hung from the ear of the chair he was sitting on and put it back on his head. He tipped it, and took it off once again. Ami permitted herself an even bigger grin at her father's display of pride and joy. At that moment, she noticed the shadow that permeated her father's figure had completely faded away.
"When do you figure we can see each other again, papa?" Ami finally asked as they got up.
"This much I can't be certain, my dear. You know how I'm always on the road, but you know I eventually contact you, right? Now go see somebody else you need to talk to. Until next time."
Somebody else? Who could it be? Her father turned around and got lost in the sea of people with indistinguishable features. Unsure where to go, she remembered what Astar mentioned about her Dreamscape. She entered the first door she found, and found herself in a very familiar environment: her old home, where she lived when her parents were still married. But as soon as she approached the corridor that led to all the main rooms, she could hear both her parents arguing as they did. Little Ami was there, hidden behind the door so that neither one of them could see her while they undergo their daily spat over how to properly raise her.
"They're fighting because of me..." little Ami murmured as the first spikes began to rise from her body. "They won't be together anymore because of me!"
The older Ami simply crouched beside her younger self and tried to offer some solace. "It's not your fault... None of this is your fault. Your parents love you just fine. They just can't be together anymore because they found out they have several differences, but that doesn't mean they don't care about each other, and especially about you. So... Don't be mad at your parents for that, okay? They will care for you, one way or another. And you don't need to be afraid anymore."
Little by little, her spines started to break out of her body for good.
"Do you mean... I am not alone?"
"Of course not. You were never alone, and you won't be alone. And always remember: What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, okay?" She then gave a quick kiss on her forehead and waved goodbye. The little girl was smiling timidly and recovered her confidence as her older self went towards the front door. Ami turned around once more and saw again the scene where her father left home for the last time.
"I love you, Ami," her father said as she embraced Ami as a child. "Even from afar, I will always love you. Always have, always will. See you!"
The Guardian of Water had to hold back her tears before leaving the house. Once she went outside, Ami found herself recreating the scene where she last saw Ryo in person. He, too, was covered in shadows. She knew she also needed to come to terms with this, but this time, she knew what she needed to say.
"Will I ever see you again?" Ami asked.
"Someday. I promise." He said with a frank smile and then turned away.
"Ryo, wait! Don't leave me!"
He actually stopped in his tracks and turned around. His shadows started to slowly fade away. "I'm not leaving just like that. You know I wouldn't leave you without reason. I wouldn't stop talking to you without reason either, and you know it."
"You... You're right." His shadows started to subdue as well. "Silly me of thinking you would abandon me just like that."
"Abandon you?" Ryo said while stifling his laugh. "Never ever! When you wake up, if you truly wish to make this work out, seek for me. You know where I am."
"Absolutely. I will! Thank you very much, Ryo..."
His shadows were lifted completely by now. "No problem, I also thank you very much for making me the best man I could possibly be, that you know already from the letters we exchanged. I'll wait for you in the waking world. Now go get it."
"Huh? Get what?"
"Your powers, of course," the young man said as he faded away.
Immediately after, a bluish crystal floated just ahead of her. Too strong for any sketch of doubt to take over her, Ami grabbed it, and felt a warmth run through her entire body. "I see now. This is my Sailor Crystal, the symbol of my heritage as a Sailor Guardian. I had to fend off against the things that hurt my resolve in order to retrieve it in my mind..."
Her body was completely covered in a pale blue glow. In her heart of hearts, she was able to declare:
I am Ami Mizuno, daughter of Saeko Mizuno and Hoshinori Usui. I am also Sailor Mercury, Guardian of Water and Knowledge, heir to the Throne of Pallas, sworn to protect the Neo-Queen Serenity and the new world that awaits us.
(xx)
Rei's Dreamscape
Rei appeared in a dimly-lit room, where she saw her mother laying on her bed, pale and sickly. Her grandfather and her uncle Toshirou sat beside her without being able to save her from the illness that consumed her from inside.
"Father... Brother Toshirou... Rei... I'm sorry..."
Those were the last words that Risa Hino uttered before finally passing away.
"Mom..."
A little after, two other men in traditional clothing entered the room and started the proceedings to prepare her body for the funeral and cremation. And her father? Nowhere to be found. At that moment, she felt abandoned, and the flames of what would be her lifelong sorrow were lit. Besides the other people, those were the only visible lights in the room.
"I am alone..." she whispered.
Rei edged closer to her child self. Both looked each other in the eye, and the grown one finally managed to give the little one a tender and necessary embrace. "No. No, you're not alone. You have people who care for you. See? You still have your grandfather and your uncle. And soon, you will have the best friends you could possibly have. And you will grow up to be strong. Trust me."
"Will I really?" Little Rei asked, now more relieved of her sadness. The older Rei smiled and nodded.
The flames subdued, and the room was lit completely. The shadows of her childhood trauma fully dissipated, Rei left through the room's main door, and eventually found herself outside the temple. It was a blue sky morning, and the smell of wet earth and cherry blossom flowers was strong. Following Astar's description, she saw the man-shaped mountain looming right there next to the Shrine's limits. The sight was enough to make Rei wince a little, but she knew she had to get over that part of her life, so she went to the foot of the mountain, where she noticed the weather around her getting heavier and drier.
"Father..."
The mountain's rocky façade crumbled and revealed the real man behind it. Takashi Kakihara, Rei's father. "What do you want?" he asked in a grave tone.
"I want to... I will speak to you. And you will listen."
At that moment, it was Rei's turn to grow to the size of her father. Their gazes met, but rather than Rei feeling intimidated as she usually was when in his presence, this time it was Takashi who slightly stepped back.
"Do you have any idea how much I suffered for you not being there in my times of need?" The Guardian started. "Do you know how hard it was for your father-in-law to raise me in your stead? Is your stupid career more important than your own offspring? Are money and power thicker than blood? Answer me..."
At that moment, she felt her own body raise some kind of fire within. "ANSWER ME!"
"Who do you think you are talking to, young lady?"
"To something that is not a man, that's for sure! You were never there for me. Never. And if you were never there... You may as well no longer exist! BEGONE!"
Nothing happened. Rei's father still stood there, darting a look and a headshake of disapproval.
"I exist, and I am a reality in your life. You will not get rid of me by closing your eyes and screaming at me until I disappear."
What really hurt Rei the most was that her father was right. She finally understood belligerence was not the answer to this issue. After a deep breath and a sigh, Rei finally addressed: "Then... Let's have a civilized talk."
Immediately after, the scene changed to inside a fine restaurant, where they sat on a table facing each other once more.
"To answer your questions you asked me before," Takashi started. "Perhaps they are, perhaps they aren't. As you know, I came from dirt-poor origins, and I wanted something, anything, to rise above."
"Does that give you the right to just leave me like that?" asked Rei incisively.
"Well, maybe. But don't take this as the absolute truth. Whether this talk reflects the truth of the real me, it remains to be seen in the waking world. I am nothing but the impression you have of me, you know. What matters here... is how you will deal with me from now on. Will you let your pain and anger over me consume you forever?"
At that moment, she noticed her surroundings being consumed by darkness. It was her negative feelings over her father's abandonment, and she could feel the cold touch of those feelings licking her body once more. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply, then gave her answer. "No. No, I won't."
"Good. I am very glad of hearing this, and I am very proud of you for taking this instance." Takashi's expression alleviated and he ever gave out a small but perceptible smile. "Perhaps I may never tell you this in real life, but deep inside, you wanted and yearned for a moment like this. You are visibly feeling better."
"I sure am, aren't I?" She said as she permitted herself a small smile. "...Thank you."
The man silently got up and offered his hand for a greeting. Rei did not hesitate in retributing. After a quick blink, the environment around her changed back to the outside of the temple of her mind. The man-shaped mountain that represented her father's brutal presence was no more. But Rei felt there was still work to be done. She went back to the temple.
"Happy Birthday, Rei!" The Inner Guardians, plus Luna and Artemis, loudly congratulated Rei as soon as she entered. It was an exact replication of her last birthday party, a private but meaningful congregation.
"Thanks a lot, everyone!" Rei gladly answered as she entered the guest room.
"Yum! These are delicious!" Usagi said as she stuffed her mouth with appetizers. "Makoto made them just fine, Try 'em, Rei!" But then, Usagi tripped on a chair, pratfalling and dropping all the appetizers on the floor. "Oh, no! I'm, uh... I'm so, so very sorry!"
In any other occasion, Rei would have called Usagi a plethora of names similar to stupid and clumsy. But she knew that would only hurt her friend deep inside, and she would feel hurt as well. So instead, she tried another approach. "Usagi... Be more careful next time, okay?"
Usagi was obviously impressed at her friend's gregariousness. "Rei... You're not mad?"
"No, not at all! I mean, if anyone should get mad here, it would be Makoto. Isn't that right?" Makoto simply laughed at that, waving her hand in a motion that simply stated it was no big deal for her as well.
"I'm so lucky to have you as a friend, Rei! LUCKY!" The Guardian shouted as she clung to Rei's arm.
And Rei retributed with a full embrace. "So am I to have you, Usagi. So am I."
"There is one more person you need to talk to, Rei!" Her grandfather barged in. "You know very well who that is!"
All the girls winked at the same time, and her grandfather chortled a bit. Rei felt a pang of embarrassment, as she knew exactly who they were talking about. She nodded and then left through the same door she came in. Instead of the front garden, however, she found herself at the Tamachi train station, where she saw a certain familiar figure with his back turned to her.
It was Yuuichirou, and he was indeed badly burned due to the years of mistreatment at her hands. His clothes and his duffle bag were charred, and most of his skin was covered in severe burns that would leave a lesser man hospitalized and needing skin grafts. Even his hair was mostly burned out, exposing a pained look in his eyes. He was just about to board the train when Rei called for him.
"Yuuichirou, wait! Uh... I'm so sorry for everything. You have done so much for me already, and I never properly expressed any form of gratitude. Thank you for everything..."
Just by saying this, Yuuichirou's burns healed, his expression lightened up, and even his long and tousled hair grew back. But Rei felt that wasn't all she wanted to say.
"Say, wanna hang out sometime?" she asked.
He drew his usual awkward but earnest smile. "I'd love to, but I have to go, the flight to Zurich-"
"When you come back, silly!" She said as she pinched his cheek. Her touch, this time, did not cause him to catch fire.
"Sure. I will be back. Until then, stay with this." The young man then gave a quick peck in her lips before boarding the train. As she flustered heavily, Rei realized that was exactly what she had always wanted in Yuuichirou: for him to be more assertive and honest with his feelings for her, and less dependant on her approval to do things. They waved goodbye at each other, with Rei walking to the edge of the platform as she saw the train depart and turn around the corner.
"From now on, I will be true to my feelings," she told herself as she felt relieved. As a matter of fact, she never felt so light in her life before. So light, she was actually floating upwards, towards the Sun. But as it was, the Sun itself became Rei's own red Sailor Crystal. She had conquered the darkness within her mind and her heart, and now it was time to come back for her duty. She grabbed the Sailor Crystal and as she was covered with its magic, she said:
I am Rei Hino. Daughter of Risa Hino and granddaughter of Shukichi Hino. I am also Sailor Mars, Guardian of Fire and Passion, heir to the Throne of Minerva, sworn to protect the Neo Queen Serenity and the new world that awaits us.
(xx)
Makoto's Dreamscape
Makoto found herself in the vast forest that Astar had described as composing her own Dreamscape.
"This is it," she told herself as she closed her eyes. "I have to face my traumas."
Shortly after making an effort to concentrate, the Guardian felt a chilly wind coming from one of the trees. She touched it and found herself transported to the same park where she broke up with her ex-senpai. Just like that day, it poured hard. A small crowd of faceless people was present, and all of them murmured offenses against her.
"My God, aren't you a bit too tall?"
"She's huge! And I mean, huuuge!"
"Haven't you heard? She gets into fights with just about anyone that looks at her funny. Better keep your distance..."
Not only were the words hurtful, everyone around her formed her former senpai's face. She felt increasingly uncomfortable, but giving up was no option at that point.
All of them spoke at the same time: "Who else but I would be able to love you despite being yourself? Do you love me? You still do, don't you?"
"No. No, I don't. You are nothing but an illusion."
"Really!?" The voices and people then fused into a single entity. One single Hideki was left, and while his face was fully visible, his body was pitch black, as if covered in deep darkness. The violence in Hideki's face was also palpable, as if he intended to attack her at any moment. "If I'm really an illusion, then you should not have a problem with my presence inside your head. Look at me."
Makoto could not bear to do it, and looked away instead.
"LOOK ME IN THE EYE, YOU SLUT."
"I am not a slut!" she affirmed as she finally forced herself to look into Hideki's eyes. "If I'm a slut for sleeping with you, what that makes you? And even if I were an easy girl, it is none of your fucking business!"
"Oh, I see. You hate me then. I don't mind. It's not like I would notice anyway. The only one you truly hate is yourself. You know it! Now, go ahead. Let the hatred burn and consume you."
The shadows in Hideki's body created tentacles that tried to reach out to Makoto. But she knew this was a trick of her own mind to enter her usual loop of self-loathing. "No, I don't. In fact... I will let you go."
Just as the dark appendages were about to touch Makoto, they were drawn back to their source. Hideki himself seemed stunned.
"That's right. You were nothing, and you will be nothing like you are supposed to be. Next time we ever meet... I'll simply ignore you."
Just like that, the shadows were no more. Hideki now had a perfectly normal body beneath his neck. And rather than complain or quibble back, Hideki simply smiled and left. "About damn time, huh? See you around!"
It was this easy? I don't believe it, she thought. And indeed, her mind was slightly at ease after Hideki left, her uncertainty about her image being resolved. The rain had even stopped completely, to symbolize this turned page of her life.
But when she turned around, she saw herself on some kind of meadow, except her surroundings was immersed in light. She saw a couple standing right ahead of her. The man had short brown hair and was decently groomed, while the woman was an exact copy of Makoto, except with her hair tied in a large braid that fell all the way to her waist. Makoto's eyes widened as she recognized the couple and ran towards them.
"Mom! Dad!" She exclaimed as she went to their loving embrace. "I don't want to ever separate from you anymore..."
"But you must," Her father sadly retorted. "We are just part of your entire being now. And you have grown into one fine woman, even without us."
"Who could have thought our daughter could be important in saving the world?" her mother proudly stated. "But you know as they say... Sometimes, you can be your own worst enemy. If you just let yourself waddle in negative emotions over things beyond your reach..."
At that moment, the environment started getting stained with what looked like blots of ink. "Oh my..." Makoto muttered as she realized the pain of not having her parents also hurt and hindered her.
"But always remember... We will be with you, in your heart and in your mind," her father stated.
"Take care of yourself, and be good to your aunt Shizune," her mother said. "Until we meet again!"
Makoto was pouring tears when the image of her parents once more faded from her presence. The blots of ink across the landscape faded, but did not disappear entirely. After she wiped her eyes, she saw another image: Herself as a child, sadly sitting on a swing set. Suddenly, another kid appeared. It was none other than Shinozaki, also as a child.
"Mako? What happened?" the boy asked.
"Nobody likes me..." the younger Makoto replied while still looking at the ground beneath her.
"What do you mean?" Little Shinozaki replied. "Your auntie likes you, doesn't she?"
"I know," she answered while blushing. "I mean..."
His friend still looked forlorn, so he decided to cheer her up somehow. "Mako, uh... If nobody likes you, I do! If nobody appears to be with you, I will be there! If some jerk appears to beat you down, I'll beat them down! If nobody wants to date or marry you, I will!"
Little Makoto giggled, and her expression brightened up enough to let a wide smile open, showing a small gap where a baby tooth used to be. She then lifted her hand, pinky finger sticking out. "Pinky promise?"
"Yeah! Pinky promise!" he answered while linking his own right pinky finger to hers.
"Miyage! Time to go home!" A male voice spoke from afar.
"Oh, it's my dad. Some other day we talk and play, okay? See you, Mako!"
The older Makoto saw the scene and felt a huge flush all over her face and a heat in her bosom. She had never felt like this, except when pining over an attractive guy. But this time, she knew, it was pure and honest love, even if permeated with childish innocence. She went to where her younger self was sitting and noticed she was happily swinging back and forth.
"Isn't it great to be loved?" The older Makoto approached and pushed her younger self to swing back and forth. "Because you most certainly are. You have your parents looking from up above, you have your aunt Shizune, you have some of the best friends you could possibly have... You have it made!"
Little Makoto smiled once more. "You're right! I am loved, and I am happy! Push me more, I want to touch the sky!"
And push she did, to the point little Makoto could spin a full circle around the swing set.
"Mako! Time to go!" She recognized the voice from her aunt Shizune.
"Coming! Thank you, miss! See you!" Little Makoto beckoned as she happily went to her aunt's arms. This way, the dark stains disappeared completely, and soon after, the sea of light that permeated the place finally revealed a more familiar urban setting. And just ahead of her, a green jewel floated. Makoto recognized it as her Sailor Crystal, and she wasted no time in grabbing it, feeling its power flow through her veins, and declared:
I am Makoto Kino. Daughter of Hitomi Kino and Masaru Mokudera, and niece of Shizune Kino. I am also Sailor Jupiter, Guardian of Thunder and Courage, heir to the Throne of Frigga, sworn to protect the Neo-Queen Serenity and the new world that awaits us.
(xx)
Minako's Dreamscape
The Guardian of Love found herself at her home's main corridor, and the very first thing she saw was her younger self running around in a tizzy. But then the fun romp ended when her mother appeared from the kitchen with an upset expression, pulled her ear, and beat her backside with a wooden spoon.
"Ouch! AARGH!" Little Minako cried.
"You little shit!" her mother Retsuko screamed concernedly. "Do you see in what state you left the house? How many times have I told you not to run around the house after I cleaned it? You're grounded! Off to your room now!"
Little Minako ran off while holding back her tears. Alone in her room, she could finally shed them while facing down on her pillow and hugging the first plushie she could find. She didn't notice when her older self entered and sat beside her on the bed.
"What happened?" the older Minako asked to her younger self.
"Mama hates me... and Papa is away all day... Someday... I will find someone that loves me, and takes me away from here. Someday..."
"There, there, pumpkin," Minako said as she gently patted the child's head. "Your mother may be rough, but she loves you."
"No, she doesn't!" little Minako cried out. "She is always screaming at me, and telling me I'm useless..."
"You're not useless and you know it..." Minako said as she caressed her child self's hair. "Don't hate your mom for this, okay? She has her own frustrations, but she means well. She would never beat you up or truly hurt you. You just have to... Understand her, you know? Just as she will one day understand you."
"Will she really?" Little Minako said as she wiped off her tears and drew a slight smile. And the older Minako nodded in confirmation as she got up and stood by a corner of the room
"Mina? I'm coming in," Retsuko said. She seemed concerned when she sat by the little girl's side, who looked ashamed.
"Mina... I'm sorry for beating you. But you know how it is, I spent the entire day cleaning the house and doing all the other chores, and those aren't easy to do, so I ended up getting very upset. Still, I shouldn't have done what I've done..."
Little Minako recovered her resolve. "I'm... Mama, I'm sorry too."
Both embraced and smiled at each other. "Starting tomorrow, you're no longer grounded, okay?" Retsuko told her daughter with a conciliatory smile. "Just play outside, and be careful not to come in dirty."
"I'm home!" A male voice bellowed from below.
"It's your papa!" Minako's mother gladly said. "Let's go greet him."
"Yay! Let's go!" Little Minako said as she walked hand-in-hand with her mother.
At that moment, Minako realized she had indeed no reason to bear grudges to her mother. Both of them knew each other meant well.
"Make peace..." she mumbled to herself as she left home and walked by her old street, remembering what Astar said about the one thing that disturbed her most in her life. "I am a Sailor Guardian... But I am also me. And it's time to prove to myself I can conciliate the two."
Dressed in her Sailor Guardian outfit, she went to the main gate of her old junior high school, where she recognized her old classmates, Hikaru Sorano and Gurizaku Amano. She had grown apart from them after she started acting as Sailor V, and she wanted to make up for her lost time. "Hey, guys! Wanna hang out?"
Both smiled and agreed to take a walk through the city together, like old times. She could still remember Amano's stupid jokes and the occasional gaze from the geeky boy, since he had a minor but very palpable crush on her, and Sorano's near-endless compendium of trivia and quotes from all sorts of sources. Those used to miff Minako, but this time, she was all too glad to hear them all again.
"Did you hear about the exploits of the Sailor Guardians," Sorano commented.
"Man, aren't those something," Amano said, visibly awestruck. "They combat all sorts of danger and never get beaten! I'm under the impression they're can't be human!"
Minako was amused at how none of them suspected a thing about her own nature as one of the heroines they praise.
"Wouldn't it be nice to be a Sailor Guardian?" Sorano commented again.
"I think... It would be great!" Minako commented. Suddenly, she didn't feel bad about being a Guardian herself. Even if they didn't tell her up front, she had the admiration of her friends and acquittances, and even if it was a long hard job, especially for a teenager like her, there was still time for good times. All she needed to do was to go after them, herself.
"Guys, thanks a lot for this," Minako gladly commented.
"Whenever you want, call us in real life, okay?" Sorano said with a smile. "See you!"
"I'll calibrate my puns and quips for next time," Amano joked once again. "See you around!"
When Minako entered an adjacent building, she saw herself on a volleyball court packed with spectators in the seats, and while her team wore normal uniforms, she was still in her Sailor Guardian garments. And a shadow monster was just about to attack from behind the other team. But at that moment, she still saw the ball being prepared for the final spike. She jumped towards the ball and hit it with such strength and speed, it became a light projectile that felled the shadow figure in one clean swoop. Immediately after, the referee whistled... and signalized that Minako's team scored a point. Not just any point, but a match point, in the final tie-breaker set. All her teammates, expressionless as they were until that moment, drew smiles and carried her for a victory lap around the court.
As she opened her eyes once more, she was on stage for a show with her band, and the place was filled to the brim with fans that came to see her perform. From behind, some kind of shadow beast lurked and cheered all the same. The unseen emcee then blared out: "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome... VENUS AINO!"
The crowd cheered once more, and Minako finally realized she was doing exactly what she wanted for herself: to conciliate her duty and her own dreams. She and her band put on a lively performance of Shocking Blue's Venus that had the crowd in raptures. Little by little, the shadow beast dissipated, leaving only the masses behind to cheer on her. Minako basked in the glory of the public's appreciation, and the applause did not cease even with the jerking of the curtains. A blink later, and she saw an orange jewel floating ahead of her. Minako couldn't be happier in seeing her Sailor Crystal materialized, and just like her other sisters-in-arms, she took it and felt its power take over her.
I am Minako Aino. Daughter of Retsuko Aino and Eiichi Kinshibe. I am also Sailor Venus, Guardian of Love and Beauty, heir to the Throne of Ishtar, sworn to protect the Neo-Queen Serenity and the new world that awaits us.
(xx)
All the Guardians opened their eyes and got up at the same time. A strong glow of pure energy emanated from their bodies as their Jovian symbols glistened in their foreheads and their respective Transformation Pens materialized and floated ahead of them. Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako took them, rose them to the heavens, and called forth for their powers once more.
"Mercury Planet Power, Make Up!"
"Mars Planet Power, Make Up!"
"Jupiter Planet Power, Make Up!"
"Venus Planet Power, Make Up!"
All of them transformed, and all of their auras glowed stronger than ever before. With their resolves recovered, and the infernal influence purged from their souls, they have finally returned to complete their sacred mission in the best possible time.
Setsuna gave a relieved and satisfied smile upon seeing her sisters-in-arms returning to form. "Welcome back, everyone."
(xx)
While all of this transfigured, another mysterious figure watched as the Shoggoth slowly crept through the shadows of the hills that overlooked Tokyo's outskirts. The mere sight of this man was enough for it to retreat without further belligerence.
Clad in all white, sporting long, platinum-blond hair and wearing some kind of ballroom mask, he silently observed as the city turned on its nighttime lights. He too possessed a light of his own, from the deck of cards he drew out of his pocket.
"So, it has come to this..."
Three guesses as to who this mysterious man is. The first two don't count!
litakino1987: Para que sepas, estoy siempre agradecida de tus aportes y ansiosa por tus próximos reviews. Muchas gracias!
Next chapter will be an intermission of sorts before moving ahead. We will finally see what was up with a certain couple.
Best regards from The Hospitaller Knight.