We do not own "Sailor Moon" nor any of the characters.
"SAILOR MOON ETERNAL"
The 6th Season of the Sailor Moon Saga
Chapter 2
"Return Upon a Starry Night"
"It's quiet tonight." A tall young woman muses to herself, looking out a window as she brushes an errant strand of short golden hair from her face.
It was the kind of night she liked—quiet meant no danger—and she had seen more than her share of that, despite her young age. But still, the chosen soldier of Uranus felt restless, uneasy with the calmness of late. At times her soul longed to be wild and free like the wind, for she was the wind. In quiet moments like these, when she could hear the wind whistling through the trees, she ached to be part of it, to let it take her away.
For the wind was intrinsically part of her, as much a part of her as Michelle was.
Alex Sokova knew people sometimes didn't understand their relationship, that they'd turn their bond with each other into something it was not. But other people didn't matter, she and Michelle knew what they had, what they meant to each other and that was all that mattered. Michelle mattered. She was the calm in Alex's wild soul's storm, Alex the strength upon Michelle's soft gentle waves. They complemented each other's weaknesses and strong points, were more than friends, more than just cousins.
Their souls were forever linked, a partnership that would last through eternity. It went beyond anything earthly, a spiritual bonding that few people ever experienced.
Alex smiles to herself when the aqua maiden comes to mind. Shaking away the peculiar feeling of uneasiness, she joins her companions in the living room.
A sedate dark woman, in a sedate dark part of the sedate living room wearing a sedate dark grey long-sleeve and sedate long skirt, named Susan, glances up from her paperwork when Alex enters the room. The two acknowledge each other with a simple nod.
As Susan returns her attention to her paperwork at her desk, she regards her friend. The two of them had never been very close, and would never have become friends if destiny had not brought them together. No two women could be more different: Susan with her calm and serene, subservient demeanor; Alex and her wild, imposing and rebellious temperament.
Susan de Venici watches as Alex and Michelle chat leisurely on the couch and, for a moment, envies their closeness. For this timeless Guardian stood apart from all others, loneliness her only true companion. She had spent so many long years in solitude that most would think she was cold and unfeeling.
No one knew her secret. No one knew her longing. No one knew her passion. Perhaps all the years in seclusion only fueled her passion more. It was a great passion—to love and be loved, to always have him near, to never be alone again. It was her secret wish, a burning desire that no one would ever know about. Time had sealed her away from a life like that. But no matter how all-encompassing it was, even time could never take away a woman's dreams. And in all her dreams, Susan sees him. Her forbidden dream, the man she longs for, the one with those alluring eyes. Those entrancing eyes that call to her, those beautiful eyes that smile only for her. Those violet eyes that haunt her every dream.
She idly recalls the time, not so very long ago, when she had "officially" changed her millennia-old name, Trista, to the more modern 'Susan.' She had done this as a small gesture to try to become more a part of this new world Time had given her another chance with. When Tara was given to their charge, Time had allowed its guardian of Pluto a certain amount of freedom from the Doorway, letting her live in peace on earth, as a part of a close knit family, together with Alex, Michelle and little Tara. Once Susan had begun living this "normal" life with them though, she found herself still to be distant, set apart.
Alex, Michelle and now even Tara had been reborn, changed from their Millennia selves. No longer were they only the 1000 year-old ancient Princesses of Uranus and Neptune, but now they were modern Earth-born Alex Sokova and Michelle Moreau, race car driver and concert violinist.
Princess Trista, destined to guard the Doorway of Time for eternity, had never "died" so long ago, and so had never been reborn in this era. She was an ancient, and from a different time. How she longed for her own "jewel" to have shined twice, as the others all did.
They belong here on earth now. In this century. In this time. Susan had longed to partake of this, and attempted to change her whole outlook to imitate life as her companions lived. She had changed the Silver Millennium name of Pluto's 'Princess Trista' to 'Susan de Venici,' learned to sketch and design fashions as her "career" and became a sort of mother to Tara. Yet still, after all this, something ached in her heart, something or someone she could not quite place…
Even if I knew who you were, dream-giver, I could never be with you. I belong to Time. So maybe it is better I do not know, Susan sighs sadly to herself, but…I will dream of you still...
Adjusting the clasp on her deep crimson shrug, Michelle smiles absently as her friend comments on the local news, she lost in her own thoughts. What's wrong with me tonight? She thinks to herself.
Why do I feel so strange? It's this vision, I'm sure of it. This dream I keep having over and over, always the same. I don't understand. Someone's calling to me, I am adrift on the ocean. I hear him again, yes, it is a familiar voice—so familiar…oh, who can it be? If only I could see him! All is see is light—a vivid pale green light behind him. What can this possibly mean? The sensitive psychic sighs aloud as she brushes a hand through her curls in frustration.
Visions are important. With them, I can see sight beyond sight, I can know things beyond knowledge, I can feel things beyond feeling. Why is this vision different from all the others? Why does it feel so…so…
Her thoughts trail off as that other presence once again enters her mind. But this time, he was calling to her, whispering to her, reaching out to her. In a dream, the oceanic maiden walks out of the house and into the garden. In a daze she looks towards the heavens, standing perfectly still, and closes her languid eyes, her hands covered over each other on her chest.
"Michelle?" Jumping up in her bare feet and tight black slacks, Alex asks in worry as her friend abruptly gets up and walks out the door. She and Susan exchange confused glances as they follow her outside through the patio door.
"Michelle, what…?" Alex begins to repeat the question, when she herself stops suddenly in mid-sentence. Her eyes try to focus and her stance readies.
"The wind is changing." The sleek soldier of the wind announces conclusively as her white, strategically single buttoned-up shirt billows in the sudden breeze. She directs her gaze upward as well now, her dark golden eyebrows furrowing.
"Something is coming." The youngest member of the household announces softly as Tara runs out through the door as well, into the crisp night in only her thin summer nightgown. Susan looks from Tara to Alex and then back to Michelle, who suddenly raises both her pink chiffon sleeve arms in a welcoming gesture. Her hands appeared to be reaching out to some unknown force in the darkness above, a dreamy smile traced upon her lips.
"You're not alone. I'm right here with you." In a sweet voice projected in both mind and soul as well, Michelle whispers, barely audible, and the others turn to her, wondering what was to come from those mysterious words.
Hear me!
As beseeching music starts playing across the celestial heavens, a small greenish flickering suddenly appears in the night sky, quickly moving towards them. The closer it draws overhead, the stronger it glows. The four Outer Scouts watch in bewilderment as that mint shaded flame makes its way directly to Michelle in a flared flash as the stars themselves above seemed to be singing all during this muted encounter in destiny.
Before protective Alex's blinded, alert eyes could make an assessment as she was already quickly moving nearer to her best friend who was yet standing perfectly still with her hands reaching upwards before the garden fountain, the dazzling light transforms into the outline of a slender human.
He was donning a luxuriant grey military looking uniform, complete with bejeweled peridot epaulettes affixed on a satiny black and mint cape to his stylish shoulders. The silver haired young man's eyes were yet closed, though he wore a knowing smile on his face, his arms reaching out as he drifted slowly downward to Earth.
With her eyes, too, still closed, Michelle accepts his hands in her own waiting ones. With them, she pulls the svelte figure closer to her, enveloping around both in her welcoming blue-green haze, much to her tall golden haired partner's chagrin.
Alex eyes the all too familiar newcomer suspiciously, obviously not pleased with his presence. That's when a second figure cutting across the skies breaks through the veered off course sky at an alarming speed.
CRASH!
This excessively masculine figure of starry orchid stature skids across the ground, evidently trying to avoid those below, though coming within mere inches of colliding into Susan. Alex watches aghast on the other side of her now, too, as Susan instinctively helps this near miss traveler up to his knees.
See me!
"Pardon me, milady." As the deep voiced gentleman in his attractive soldier's uniform bestows a kiss brushed across the back of a stunned Susan's hand, the ancient keeper of Time feels as if time had stopped for her in the moment their eyes met.
"Oh! It's you…!" Susan could only manage a gasp as she clutches her throat over her grey sweetheart shirt's plunging neckline modestly with the other hand the chivalrous knight in shining armor had not yet claimed.
'Where there's two…' With a semi-expectant, displeased smirk at her swooning sister Sailor Soldiers around her, Alex Sokova starts to conclude sourly when a flash of light, a whoosh of air and something hot and cool at the same time slams directly into her from above. The pale blue force literally mows the normally rough and ready Sailor Guardian down, pinning her to the ground.
The impact knocks the wind right out of her—something that rarely, if ever, happened—and Alex feels something heavy crawling on top of her, a pale steel blue and grey piece of thick fabric veiling over her startled vision.
Her minds screams out danger signals in the hushed sense of secreted intimacy shared between herself and the unknown being that could not have had more precise laser aim to have fallen so targeted upon her if he'd tried.
Not just any man…It's that Fighter wolf!
He was so close she could smell his sweet, warm breath on her face, feel his muscular body pressed tight against hers which was all a-tangle within his endlessly long, curled navy blue ponytail. The hard-nosed race car driver feels a strange sensation beginning to grow inside, like none she had ever experienced before beneath the blue-grey cape the two were obscured under.
It almost felt as right as when she was under the hood of the car, working on her vehicle. No, even more thrilling—like when she was racing her Ferrari by the seat of her pants at over 300 kilometers an hour.
Touch me!
But then the brakes suddenly freeze up when a pair of limp hands wrap around and squeeze under the rear end of her pinned chassis.
Sayer Starr wakes up from the rough landing star travel his brother Robin was supposedly leading the three of them to the Moon Princess' invite, only to find his jangled head now easily resting on top of something soft and supple. In a daze, thinking it was his pillow, he buries his face in between the two pleasurably warm mounds peeking out of the white sheet.
How nice this feels. The lead singer thinks to himself, cozily drifting back to a dreamy sleep where he had been restlessly in search of another's tenderness. That's when the terse, no-nonsense words snap him to attention, back to reality.
"GET OFF ME RIGHT NOW."
He opens his dark blue eyes and finds himself staring at extremely close proximity into Alex Sokova's angry dark green ones once again.
As Alex angrily flicks off his cape and ponytail strewn all over her, Sayer jumps up as fast as he could, an embarrassed blush covering his face, after realizing what had just happened.
"Uh, yeah, thanks for breaking my...um...fall?" Whipping his grey and steel blue cape over his shoulder, Sayer tries to lighten the moment with a cocky grin at the Sailor Soldier he had memorably clashed with before. Plugging her rumpled shirt's disturbed button back together, Alex gives him a sideways glance and brushes herself off, swiftly standing up to her full tall height again. She shifts her gaze over to the others, suspiciously scrutinizing Michelle and Robin who were still clutching each other's hands.
Susan glances up at Alex and the young man who had pummeled into her, glad they were both unharmed from such a fall. He was one of the three Starlights—the Sailors who had become their allies in the war with Galaxia a year and a half ago. As for the young man in front of her, the Star Soldier she'd recognized as Sailor Star Maker, however, was not so lucky. As she helps him up, he winces ever so slightly.
"What's wrong?" Susan asks the tall figure at her feet in concern. Her long deep green hair cascades all around in the misty darkness over the handsome young man's white, orchid-lined cape which was askew over his crisp grey uniform's amethyst jeweled epaulette broad shoulders.
"No, please. I'm perfectly all right. I believe it is simply a sprained ankle, Miss…?" Looking up at her in his natural endeavor to act so valiant and gallant, Terry Starr nearly collapses again, his ankle suffering from far worse than the straightforward sprain the stoic soldier admitted to.
Those eyes! Those beautiful magenta eyes! She's the one—the one I've dreamt of, the one I've waited for. How lovely she is! Even more beautiful than I ever could have imagined! The usually clinical intellect stares at the slender, tan skinned female in wide-eyed awe to feel much pain at all.
Susan stands, staring captivated right back at him, the same exact awestruck expression on her face. From the moment his eyes met hers, she knew.
Violet eyes. Mesmerizing violet eyes which have haunted my dreams ever since I can remember. It's him! Terry Starr is the man of my dreams!? The one I've waited all eternity for... She trembles with the thought. Oh, is this what it feels like, this wonderful, joyous feeling? She smiles up at him timidly, offering her arm for support, not quite knowing what to say.
Until, all at once, in this timeless moment, when he courteously takes her arm in his so gently, this forgotten child of the underworld suddenly found the words her heart had longed to say for lost, solitary millennia.
"Please, come inside." Susan smiles warmly, inviting this injured, yet fascinating visitor into her home.
In a misty dreamworld, two lonely souls reach out to one another, discovering an awesome new world now opening to them. Adrift on the ocean but no longer alone, with their hands still entwined, Robin and Michelle levitate over it, still wrapped in the pale bluish-green light. The calm waves gently crash at their feet, their eyes locked in a dreamy gaze. They stay like this for what seemed to them an eternity, until Robin finally suspends the comfortable, yet wordless silence.
"You were the one calling to me?" He asks the only other occupant of this thrilling new world their link had just unlocked.
"But weren't you the one I heard whispering my name?" Michelle replies, confused for the first time concerning her innate clairvoyant abilities.
"In my vision, I was drifting on the ocean, lost and alone." Robin explains.
"So was I." Michelle answers, sensing something new was awakening.
"I felt your presence." He looks directly into her true blue eyes, feeling a profound sense something important was happening.
"You appeared to my dreams." Michelle professes to his minty green ones.
"You reached out your hand." Robin gazes down at his no longer empty hands.
"And you took mine." She smiles sweet, now squeezing his hands almost possessively.
"Where are we?" Robin asks, finally breaking their eye-lock, gazing around at the ocean scene just at the break of an unfamiliar dawn.
"We must be inside each other's minds." Michelle concludes, also taking in the psychic landscape.
"That means we can reach into each other's soul." Robin adds profoundly.
"I've never done this before." Michelle whispers softly.
"Are you frightened?" He asks curiously.
"No, because I'm not alone." Michelle begins to tremble.
"I'm not alone. I'm right here with you." Pleased, Robin assures her, hand to her cheek as he hears her greeting to him from earlier that made his once half a soul leap for pure joy.
"I'm right here with you." She repeats meaningfully, embracing the touch.
He smiles, finding himself lost in the ocean of her blue eyes. Through those eyes he enters her soul—a soul the mirror image of his—beautiful and elegant, sensitive and full of longing—a longing that made him finally understand his own. A longing to be understood and cared for soulfully, not just of this world, to never be left alone in any reality. Suddenly Robin Starr feels strong emotions overtake him, wanting to be lost in her eyes forever, for once to share himself totally with another, in a prayer to never awaken from this new dream.
Michelle feels his soul beside hers, and surprises herself by welcoming him in, for Michelle was generally distrustful of men, from past experience. But he was decidedly different from all others. He was special.
She reaches out into his soul and finds it a reflection of her own. Elation fills her heart as she senses their souls begin to merge, becoming one with each other, and realizes that this just may be that beautiful destiny she'd been anxiously waiting for.
"Thank you, Miss." Terry smiles warmly at the frail little thing and she giggles sweetly, as Tara Tomoe dashes in first to hold the screen door open for them. She reminded him of his young friend, Misa, and he felt an immediate liking for her.
Susan helps him inside, leading him to the couch. She scoots up her long pencil skirt and kneels on the floor to gingerly lift his left ankle up. He grits his teeth as pain shoots up through his body, but somehow it didn't hurt as much as he expected it would.
Maybe it's because of her gentle touch, the pain fading with the thought. Susan carefully rolls up the cuff of his pants, exposing his ankle, all swollen and black and blue. She gasps lightly, sympathy apparent in her magenta eyes looking up into his soulfully.
Looking into those familiar eyes, he feels the pain disappear almost completely.
"Tara?" Susan turns to the child with a hopeful expression on her face.
The little sprite comes to him and Susan moves aside. Tara locks her gaze with his, her purple eyes large and mysterious as she places her tiny hands on his ankle. She begins to glow and then the glow spreads to him. Terry feels a strange warmth and then suddenly, the pain was gone.
Tara removes her hands and the swelling and discoloration were no longer there. Terry looks at her in surprise. She opens her eyes, so peaceful and serene, but then she dizzily sways forward and he catches her in his arms. She felt so small and fragile, he suddenly feels protective of her.
"I'm fine now." She wheezes out, "Just a little spell." Her little voice was so sweet and delicate.
"You didn't have to do that for me." He smiles gratefully, looking down at the small form in his arms.
"No, I wanted to because…" She pauses shyly, "because I like you and your singing so much, Mr. Starr." Even Tara, who didn't get out much, could not escape the famed 'Three Lights' infectious fandom. And Terry had always been her personal favorite.
Shocked, but pleased by this child's refreshing honesty and sweetness, he stands up and squeezes her gently.
"Thank you, I like you as well, Miss Tara." He tries out the name. She beams from ear to ear to hear the shortened, affectionate version of her name, Hotaru, said in his melodic low voice. "And I am eternally indebted, lovely maiden."
Susan smiles at this exchange, though surprised a bit by Tara's boldness. The child was usually painfully shy. But yes, she thinks to herself, there is something special about him. He is so gallant and kind, too, he has the power to draw us out from our lonely shells.
Out of the corner of her eye Susan notices Michelle still holding hands with Star Healer and was not surprised to see Alex standing near them, her hands on her hips, an angry expression on her face at Star Fighter in the doorway.
Fighter—I mean, Sayer Starr, Susan smiles inwardly, trying to familiarize herself with their civilian names here on earth. But why is he not coming into the mansion as his brothers, Robin and Terry, have? He was instead still in the entranceway, longingly gazing back out at the stars.
Susan feels the tension building in the room, a large part of it coming from Alex. She remembers that Alex and Michelle had had problems with the three men in the past and she herself, though never really having met them face to face, had doubted the Starlights' intentions for a time. But they had turned into valuable allies and were dear friends of the Princess.
And his eyes are so enchanting—the eyes that have always been with me… Susan's mind can't help but wander back to Terry. Suddenly she feels someone looking at her and turns to see him studying her. She blushes crimson red, a guilty expression on her face.
"Did you say you are here for the wedding?" Susan tries to cover it up quickly by making pleasant conversation the lonely woman had studied to employ.
"Yes, she sent for us." He responds gently.
"Well, the wedding isn't for two days yet, but the rehearsal is set for tomorrow afternoon—"
And her next sentence Susan would never be able to explain. "Please, you're welcome to stay with us." As soon as it comes out she feels shocked and mortified she could ever be so bold, yet still, inside she feels a bit pleased with herself for saying it.
"Kind of you, Miss…?" He trails off, not knowing her name.
"de Venici." Susan answers, almost in a shamed whisper.
"Miss de Venici." Terry's violet eyes sparkle at her as he repeats it softly.
"Yes, I think that's a splendid idea." Michelle finally rejoins the conversation, although still holding Robin's hand.
"We're all going to be part of the Prince and Princess' ceremony! Just wait until you see my bridesmaid's dress!" Tara pipes up excitedly, her eyes not being able to leave Terry.
Alex couldn't believe her ears. "Hold the phone. They are not staying here." Her low voice begins to rumble the order.
"Oh, Amara," Michelle smiles in that wheedling way. "Don't be an old stick in the mud!"
"I think the Princess will be so happy to see them again." Tara adds quietly.
"Yes, Alex, they were invited by the Princess, so we should—" Susan starts.
"I can't believe you three!" She erupts, throwing her incredulous hands up in the air.
"These are men…I think." She emphasizes the word, eyeing the three of them disdainfully.
"We can easily make other accommod—" Terry meekly tries to calm the storm.
"You stay out of this." Alex booms in his direction, then suddenly rolls her eyes and spouts: "Fine, do as you like."
Then she shoots a glare directly at Sayer.
"Just stay out of my face." She storms out the door, shoving past him pointedly.
"Really, we don't want to cause any trouble," Terry says apologetically.
"Oh, don't mind her, she'll come around." Michelle tries to explain. "…Eventually." She shrugs with a giggle, disarming them all to smile.
"Please make yourselves comfortable," Susan gestures towards them, "I'll make us some tea." Terry looks to Robin whom he finds inside his little own dream world. Then he turns to Sayer, only to find him no longer present, and Terry wonders where his lately more troubled sibling went off to back on this planet Earth that had so changed their outlook on life.
Alex strides into the breezy summer night, across the lawn, until she reaches her favorite spot, by an old wooden fence, put there years before the estate was built, under a once stately, now sprawling cherry tree. Somehow, whenever she came here, she could calm whatever storm raged within her and leave this crazy world behind, at least for a few moments. The tense woman closes her eyes, seeking out the peace she came for.
"This is a pretty spot." A silky voice whispers in the darkness, not startling her as much as she would have thought before.
Her eyes snap open, in shock to find Sayer Starr standing there in front of her, leaning against the tree, hands in his palace uniform's grey pockets.
"How the hell did you find me here?! Are you stalking me?!" Her voice strains with surprise mingled with resentful anger. No one knew about her secret getaway—no one, not even Michelle, from whom she kept no secrets. Here, it was just her and the wind and no one else—until now.
"Nope. Just had a feeling and it led me here." He shrugs. "Besides, if I lived in this place, this would be my special place away from it all, too." Sayer smiles that crooked smile of his that most women found so alluring.
How does he know all this? Her mind races in disbelief. What is it about him in particular, that makes me feel so crazy?
"I used to have a place just like this when I was on Kinmoku as a kid. You know, where you can find yourself again when it seems life was turning upside down. And only there in the midst of windblown trees everything was still right side up." He gazes up a distant look in his bright eyes.
Shocked by how much his words ring true for her as well, Alex finally lets her guard down (a little anyway) and actually smiles, although small and almost unnoticeable.
"Sounds like one of your catchy ditties, seasonal star idol." With a belittling name for him Alex scoffs, then her eyes soften ever so little when his wary eyes scatter along with his long tail of hair, away on the breeze. "Don't you have somewhere like this on your new planet?" She asks, sincerely interested, though her eyes still teased.
"Nope. Never found it." Their eyes lock for a moment, something unspoken passing between them on the rustling winds surrounding the unlikely pair.
"Well, nobody else knew about this place of mine…until now." She breaks the gaze, looking away.
"I'm sorry." His brows furrow, and he bites his lower lip, "I really didn't mean—"
"It's alright. For some reason I really don't mind all that much, Fighter, since I've found I could trust you with the important things." She chuckles at his apologetic face, acknowledging him as a fellow fierce warrior on the battlefield she came to respect once upon a time.
He can be…cute…at times. Shaking that thought, she turns walking quickly towards the house. Sayer looks confused and stands up straight. Alex stops and turns around with a smirk.
"If you're staying, you might as well come inside as well." Then, as an afterthought, she adds with a wicked undertone, "Before everyone wonders what we're up to out here in the dark." She raises her adult eyebrows at him and continues towards the house.
"I'm beginning to like how this woman thinks," Sayer smirks to himself out loud as he trots after her rapid wake.
And for the first time in a long time, he almost forgets the painful aching in his heart.
When Alex walks calmly back in the door with Sayer close behind, Michelle sighs with relief. Not the argument, not the explosion she half-expected from the two of them, considering their past—ahem—difficulties.
Normally Michelle was just as suspicious of men as Alex and would have nothing to do with them—but these three were different. They were Sailors after all, with a mission of protecting a galaxy similar to her own. They had formed an uneasy alliance previously, but now Michelle felt she could trust them—at least one of them she felt she could trust with her very soul. Quietly sipping her tea, she glances at the silvery-haired young man seated next to her and finds her gaze met by his soulful green eyes. She looks down, coyly.
He is different from anyone I've ever met. Emotion sweeps over her as she remembers the soft touch of his hand in hers, the wondrous feeling of sharing her mind with his, and how she wanted to never let him go. She was glad they were going to stay here. Now she could talk with him, be with him, get to know him more. He's so different from before. I feel I I know him so well already, just from those few moments we joined, but I want to know even more.
Robin… The name whispers through her soul, and she trembles. Am I losing control? She looks up to find his eyes still upon her, with the expression of a man who has just discovered something he never knew he didn't have.
Then let's discover it together, she thinks losing herself in his eyes.
"Oh, I'll fix up the spare room for you, Robin." Michelle says hurriedly, suddenly feeling Alex's disapproving eyes upon her again. She jumps up and scurries away before her protector cousin has a chance to say anything biting to the contrary.
"Really, we don't wish to impose." Terry speaks, believing that a true gentleman should not intrude upon ladies living alone.
"Oh no, you're not imposing at all. We are so happy to have you here." Demurely smiling, Susan responds warmly even though she sees Alex rolling her eyes at she and Michelle both.
"Yes, you can have my room." A small voice squeaks out from behind him. He turns to see little Tara carrying some sheets and pillows in her arms.
"Oh, I couldn't take your room." Terry looks down at her.
"I've already set it up and everything. I'll sleep with Susan-mama." Tara looks up to the tall man hopefully.
"No, that's your room, Miss Tara. I can just sleep on the couch." Terry smiles reassuringly.
"Oh, but you can't! I mean...your ankle—it's not all healed yet. You need a good bed to properly heal. Doctor's orders!" The small young girl insists, her pushy voice eager.
"Yes, please do, Tara can certainly stay with me." Susan says encouragingly, meekly gazing into the tall, mahogany haired young idol's entrancing eyes once again.
Terry glances at her and then back at Tara, her little features verging on tearful disappointment should he refuse.
"Go on, Ter," Sayer puts his two-cents in. "I'll take the couch." He smirks, poking at his magnanimous chest proudly. Terry smiles, turning to Susan and Tara,.
"You've all been more than kind. Thank you. Are you absolutely certain about those 'doctor's orders,' Miss Tara?"
"I'm sure…sir." Tara adds the honorific humbly, not sure how to address the tall, stunningly gorgeous rock star looking so kindly down at her from his imposing height of six foot two.
"For a young lady who goes out of her way so much for me? Tara, please…just call me 'Terry.'" He gently smiles at her.
"Terry." She whispers timidly, as her mesmerized eyes meet his smiling ones.
"Good." Terry Starr's orchid eyes genuinely sparkle.
"It's your bedtime anyway, Tara. Let's get what you need from your room." Susan dutifully attends to her responsibility, despite her pounding heart. She motions for Tara to move along, but the child doesn't respond, standing fixed in some sort of daze.
"Tara, say 'goodnight' to everyone." Susan prompts.
"Oh," she says, Tara's cheeks turning rosy, "Goodnight, everyone." She starts to follow Susan down the hall and then, suddenly, turns and stops. "Goodnight, Terry." She almost whispers.
"Goodnight, Tara," he says kindly, "and thank you." She just giggles sweetly, then scurries down the hall.
That left Alex alone with the three visitors. An uncomfortable silence takes hold of the room as she sits there, her arms folded defiantly before the trio of 'men.'
"How have you been, Miss Sokova?" Terry tries to make conversation with the obviously pensive female before them.
"Fine." Alex answers simply. Terry looks to Robin with raised brows to prompt him to speak now.
"And how are all of the Inner Soldiers?" Robin searches for something to talk about after Terry's purple eyes enlisted his aid.
"Fine," she repeats in a clipped tone.
Terry and Robin look at Sayer and shrug, not knowing what to say.
"Has there been any trouble?" Sayer asks on a more serious note, one fighter to another.
"Not since you left." The meaning was obvious in her tone. Terry smiles and Robin snickers.
"Hey, at least I got something outta her other than 'Fine.'" Sayer defends himself with a shrug.
Alex tries to keep a smile hidden. He's so strange, even when I insult him. She thinks to herself, rolling her eyes. Just then, Michelle comes back into the living room.
"Here are some pillows and things for you, Sayer." Michelle piles them on the couch next to Sayer.
"Terry, Susan and Tara have your room all ready. It's this one over here." She points to a door with the name 'Tara' written on it.
"Oh, goodnight then, everyone, Miss Moreau, Miss Sokova." He nods in her direction, and she nods back. Terry hesitantly gets up and walks down the hall as Susan appears and opens the door for him.
"I hope it's all right." Susan says humbly.
"It's perfect." He answers her with a smile, drowning himself in her timeless eyes which he still couldn't believe he'd finally found.
"Here are some extra sheets and a nightshirt and some clothes Michelle—uh—found." She says, a little embarrassed. "I hope they'll fit you," she says worriedly as she folds and refolds, busying herself, now trying to avoid his eyes.
"I'm sure they're fine." As she hands the clothing to him, their hands touch and she feels that sudden rush, that quivering inside again. She quickly pulls her hands away and moves towards the door.
"Goodnight…Miss Susan. I thank you for your tender care and generous hospitality from the bottom of my heart." With a demonstrative hand over his heart, Terry calls after her, in more than a passing reference to opening her home to he and his brothers' sudden unexpected arrival.
"Good night." She hurriedly closes the door behind her, not knowing what to do about the churning emotions this singular individual caused her once silent soul.
Terry smiles softly at the closed door. What a beautiful woman, he thinks as he takes off his uniform and changes into the nightshirt she had given him. In so many ways, he finishes his romantic thought, reminiscing of the delicate hand which gave him these clothes.
Michelle turns to Robin. "Yours is this way." She gestures down the hall. "Do you care to follow me?" The fluttering lashes entice more than ask the silver haired young man.
Robin obediently does so, not noticing Alex's warning glances directed at Michelle who just smiles sweetly back. Never before have I ever imagined a smile so perfect, a face so beautiful, eyes so entrancing, he thinks to himself, blindly following her aquamarine lead down the hall.
The whole world could collapse right now, and I wouldn't even notice. What's wrong with me? Wake up, Robin! She's just an earth human—nothing more. Isn't she? I can't trust them—not a single one. That's my policy—isn't it? But I've trusted Sailor Moon before, she's the whole reason we're here.
Or is she? He remembers the muse calling to him in his dreams.
It's you, isn't it? He looks at the aqua curls bouncing jauntily in front of him. I'm so confused! Are you the reason I'm here? Michelle elegantly pauses in front of a door and opens it with an elegant flourish that makes him smile.
Robin stops short, losing his breath as he enters. Inside, over a dozen masterpieces hung on the walls, gorgeous interpretations, some of the simple beauty of flowers, some of endless flowing landscapes, all showing the considerate talent of an artist extraordinaire, the likes of which Robin had never encountered before. The paintings spoke to him, reached out to him, portraying a beauty and depth he could only have ever dreamed of before.
"Amazing." The word finally whispers through his lips, his eyes dancing with excitement.
"Do you like them?" Michelle asks inquisitively as she smoothes her soft pink skirt down modestly.
"Like them? What a magnificent collection!" Robin answers in all honesty, a rare enthusiasm in his voice.
"I use this room as my studio," she gently alights on the edge of the bed.
It takes a moment for her words to sink in. "Your studio? These are all your works?!" He states in astonishment.
"Yes." She giggles demurely, unable to contain herself at his mind's discerning art compliments.
"You are a truly talented person, Michelle Moreau." Robin says, taking a seat on the bed next to her as his eyes greedily enjoy the true artwork his sensitive soul admired.
"I don't know if it's talent. Maybe more inspiration." She says modestly, looking down. He takes both her hands in his—something he'd never do before tonight—and looks clearly into her blue eyes.
"Then you must have a lot of both," he says significantly, squeezing her hands. He looks into her deep eyes and watches the praise make her blush, her face even more lovely because of it. She was a work of art in herself, an elegant splendor radiating from her very being.
No, she is not merely human. He thinks, hopelessly sinking into the endless fathoms of her blue eyes.
She is a goddess—one I never knew existed until right now.
As Michelle's elegant brow raises almost coquettishly, Robin wonders if she was able to hear even his stray thoughts, a pink tinge of shame crawling up the nape of his neck, considering, as she continues her coy smile back at him with the amused response.
"Why thank you, kind sir."
Sayer watches as Alex immediately starts pacing after Michelle and Robin leave the living room. She's like a caged animal, he thinks to himself. Loosening his military suit jacket's gold trimmed neck, Sayer Starr sits admiring Alex's sleek movements. His dark eyes trace her finely toned arms, her tall, shapely, feminine figure she tried to hide under those slacks and long sleeves.
Can't fool me, Sayer smirks slyly to himself. You are a woman—and a pretty good-looking one at that. The indiscriminate man in him can't help but think as the thoughts creep into his mind while he views the Sokova woman purposefully stalk around in that billowing loose white shirt and tight, tight black pants he had already become well acquainted with this night of nights.
Eye-candy tight. Whoa-oh! He catches himself. There I go again, thinking with the heart of a boy! Stop it now, Starr. Of all the people on Earth—why does this one drive me batty?
"So!" He suddenly spurts out, trying to change the racy subject spinning in his own mind. "Just you and me left, huh?" He tries to smile simply pleasantly more than with any of his usual flirt.
Alex spins around, meeting his eyes coolly and snipes, "Sometimes life is cruel."
"Ouch." He smirks, pretending to be hurt, slowly grasping her strange sense of humor, which was, in fact, not that much different from his own. "Care for a quick game of strip poker? I'd like to show you how flexible I am at it. No limit." Sayer proposes the double entendre game flirtatiously, propping his chin on his upturned hand as he lounges across the couch that was to be his resting place for the remainder of the night.
She takes one glance at the comical look on his face, chuckles slightly at how inane this creature was, then shakes her head.
"Go to sleep." She orders him. "We're up early tomorrow for the rehearsal. Or don't stars sleep at night?" Alex tosses one more saucy lure out at the baited foreign soldier from across the galaxy.
"Yes, ma'am, we do. Just make the wish and I'm yours." Lowering his eyelids, Sayer friskily says with a mocking salute. Alex rolls her eyes once more and leaves, exasperated at how changeable this flexible alien was.
She walks into Michelle's room to find her friend absent. Not letting her suspicions run rampant, she goes to Susan's room, hoping to find her cousin there.
"Alex?" Susan looks up at her, from the dressing table where she was brushing her voluminous locks of forest green hair.
"Never mind." Alex abruptly says after looking around, her temper flaring. She practically slams the door shut behind her.
"Oh my." Susan says, seeing Alex's temper in action before. Then shrugging it off, she continues to brush her hair at her mirror and begins to hum softly, a gentle peaceful feeling washing over her. She glances over at Tara who was sprawled on the bed, busily writing in her diary. Susan smiles, How kind-hearted of her to give up her room for a stranger. Tara is a very sweet girl. And yes, there is undeniably something extraordinary about this man whose eyes I've known for millennia… She smiles dreamily at her reflection in the mirror.
"…he is so sweet and kind to me and has beautiful purple eyes—just like mine! He is so very, very tall and handsome, too, and his voice is heavenly. He likes me, too, I know he does because he told me to call him by his first name, 'Terry.' Terry, what a glorious name! Just writing it makes my heart flutter! Oh, Diary, I think he's just so perfect. I think, I think—I'm scared to even write it! No, I won't be afraid! I'll write it anyway! I think I'm in love! Oh, Terry, you're so wonderful! Tara sighs happily as she closes her diary and takes extra-special care to lock it, hiding the key in her nightshirt pocket. She stretches across the bed, a warm happy feeling overtaking her.
Susan senses Tara was finished and goes to tuck her in. She covers her small form with the blanket, brushing the loose strands of hair from her eyes. "Comfortable?" she asks in her motherly way.
"Yes, very!" The teenager says excitedly, snuggling into her pillow. Susan smiles at the child's enthusiasm. It has been an exciting night, for all of us, I think.
Alex feels the adrenaline building as she quickly makes her way to Michelle's studio. She's been gone too long. What could she be thinking! We swore off men long ago—what's so different about this one? All men are the same! Could she be falling for him? That—that shrimp?! Oh Michelle, Michelle, what am I supposed to do? I've promised to protect you—from everything—especially men.
She was about to slam open the studio door when she heard a voice call out to her from down the hall. Bristling, Alex readies herself for a confrontation, not quite knowing what to expect as she reaches the door.
"Amara, what are you doing?" Michelle's voice says in confusion. Taken by surprise, Alex fumbles for her words.
"Oh-I-uh-was just-uh…"
"Looking for me," Michelle finishes, a knowing smile creeping across her lips.
"Well—uh…" Alex starts again, a guilty expression on her grinning face, until she gives up with an endearing shrug.
"I was just making myself a cup of Earl Grey. Would you care to join me?" Michelle smiles knowingly, her discerning eyes dancing with laughter at her suspicious friend, always glad to be "one-up" on her.
"Uh, no thanks, I'll just turn in—it's been a long night," Alex makes the excuse, her culpable fingers toying with unbuttoning the one and only fastener securing her white blouse over her full bust, as she weakly tries to cover for herself. I don't want Michelle to think I don't trust her. I do. It's that Starlight I don't trust. No matter what he may have been in the past, he is a man now, and you can never trust a man. Why did I ever allow the three of them to stay here! Hmph, I'll just have to watch them very carefully.
The full house slowly settles down, a quiet calm taking over. Susan smiles at the peaceful sleeping child lying next to her. The guardian of Time closes her eyes, and the song pervading her soul begins again. Its unending melody now accompanied by the vision of a pair of wisteria eyes and a deep voice with a melody of its own, guiding Susan into the world of dreams.
Robin lies awake in an unfamiliar bed, so many questions in his mind, so many answers in his heart. I never thought I could feel like this. Has it only been a few hours since we left home? Did I just meet her tonight? It seems I've known her all of my life.
He could see one of her paintings from where he laid, his eyes drawn to it. It was a beautiful sunset over the endless ocean, sparkling in golden hues.
She must understand my love of art. How captured in its beauty is true emotion far above ordinary things. And few people, in any world, could ever be able to understand this. She does. As much as I have a bond with my fellow Starlights, sometimes I feel they don't understand me, not really. Here I finally found someone who does? Someone who would understand my sensitive nature and share in it? Can we even sense each other's very thoughts?
"Are you there? Can you hear me?" In sudden curiosity, his mind abruptly projects into the darkness, urgently needing to know.
A pause. Silence. Doubt begins to sneak in. Then the fear of being left alone once again grips his heart.
"I'm here." Michelle's gentle voice wafts through his mind. Relief sweeps through Robin Starr's body and his pale face suddenly colors as the normally conceited, smug and apathetic Starlight feels strangely shy and bashful.
"Am I—disturbing you?" Robin asks, uncharacteristically considerate, as he endeavors into this new and thrilling realm.
"No, no. I was just thinking about you." She whispers into his mind.
"So, we can sense each other's thoughts." He concludes softly, beginning to become curious and shocking himself to want to explore this fascinating fresh facet further.
"Read each other's mind." She agrees with a pleased smile to sense his interest to share in this world she usually traveled in alone before.
"I never knew I had this power." He whispers in the darkness in complete awe of all the possibilities his inward, self-possessed soul was now yearning to uncover.
"Exciting, isn't it?" Michelle's mind whispers enticingly, glad his curiosity was as piqued as hers now that they had discovered this link with one another.
"Why are we whispering?" Robin's mindwhispers back nonetheless.
"You're right—no one else can hear us." She thinks with a soft giggle that caresses Robin's soul.
"No one at all." Robin projects dreamily, basking in that different yet alluring feeling.
"Just the two of us." Michelle starts whispering again as if sharing a secret desire.
"I'm glad you're here with me, Michelle." The Sailor of the Star Healer felt he could open up his hidden heart to this fellow sailor soldier who held the same unique gift as he.
"So am I, Robin." Neptune's mental deep sea embraces his equally sensitive mystery in awed curiosity of this exciting new realm to explore.
''I'm not alone.'
'I'm not alone.'
The two of them lying in their separate rooms smile to each other the synchronized thought in the darkness. However, their quixotic, dreamy mood was rudely interrupted by a strange sort of growling coming from the direction of the living room.
"What's that noise?" Michelle mentally inquires in alarmed worry, about to jump out of bed, the soldier in her expecting imminent danger.
"Oh, don't worry, it's nothing." Her psychic partner reassures her. "It's just Sayer snoring." Robin smirks. "You get used to it."
Alex moans audibly, her head buried tightly under her own pillow now, covering her ears, trying to muffle the sound—but to no avail.
"Arghh! That…man! He must do it just to annoy me on purpose! I knew I shouldn't have let them stay here!" She groans, pulling the pillow even more tightly around her ears.