Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory
Act 40: The Ascension of Neo Queen Serenity
By: Sora Kazeno
The Queen slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the Death Phantom. They no longer showed doubt or any sign of uneasiness. "No…" She said softly. "Neo-Queen Serenity," she declared her new title out loud. The Maboroshi no Ginzuishou flashed brightly in her hand.
"Queen…?" Dark Phantom slowly repeated. "No matter. It just means I will control the Silver Millennium when I am done."
Neo-Queen Serenity stood still while the crystal between her fingers flashed several times.
Death Phantom found her actions to be strange. She stood there doing nothing.
"I don't understand how you plan to stop me with a light show," he taunted her.
A smile crossed the Queen's lips. "You haven't been paying attention if you think I've been doing nothing…"
Death Phantom cocked his head to the side in bewilderment. Her words confused him greatly. He dismissed it and attacked her. He was not going to let anyone stop him from achieving his ultimate goal when he was this close.
Neo-Queen Serenity didn't flinch as the black energy broke into two waves to the side of her, completely missing her. The Maboroshi no Ginzuishou began to flash within her hands. The energy disappeared before it came close to the other senshi many meters behind her.
"I don't understand," Death Phantom said in confusion. His powers seemed to be weaker than they were a few minutes ago. It did not make sense.
"I guess I should thank you really…" Neo-Queen Serenity said as she turned her gaze to the Death Phantom. "Since you blasted me away from the others to face an army of crystal creatures… I was able to finally understand why Haumea and Sedena were constantly in Tokyo."
"Oh?" Death Phantom asked intrigued by what she would say next.
"I found the crystals that amplify your powers," Neo-Queen Serenity said holding up a small black crystal. She crushed the crystal in her left hand, the shards falling onto the ground.
Death Phantom gasped and took a step back. Now he understood why he felt like his abilities seemed to dwindle. He did not notice it as much against the senshi because their powers were so weak. He was able to overpower Sailor Cosmos with minimal effort and he thought it was odd. But the Queen that stood in front of him was on an entirely different level. For the first time since the battle begun, he was worried. He began to doubt himself. He needed to try to come up with another tactic quickly. He wasn't sure how many crystals Neo-Queen Serenity had destroyed. He had to act quickly before she destroyed what was left. His Black Crystal flashed brightly. He was going to give it everything he had.
Neo Queen Serenity raised the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou over her head. She did not say a word as energy poured out of the crystal. It was clear she was struggling with his new wave of power.
Seeing her struggle, the Death Phantom smiled. "I guess the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou is not as powerful as everyone thought it would be, nor is the Guardian." He laughed. "All this concern over nothing!"
Neo Queen Serenity narrowed her eyes in deep concentration. She gasped slightly when she realized she completed her other objective. She could no longer feel small currents of dark energy throughout the city. The remaining black crystals that were placed by Haumea and Sedena were gone. She could now focus all of her power on the battle before her.
"What is this?" Death Phantom shouted in anger. He could feel his power beginning to slip away from him.
"All of your crystals are now gone," Neo-Queen Serenity declared in triumph. "Moon Crystal Power!" She exclaimed as a large burst of energy erupted from the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.
In one final bright flash of light, a wave of pure energy flowed over the Death Phantom. "No!" He shouted as the energy hit him. His body began to slowly fade away into nothingness.
The Maboroshi no Ginzuishou flashed one final time before it became enclosed in a sphere with wings to the side and an eight pointed star at the top, Sailor Cosmos' staff. Her heart racing, Neo-Queen Serenity slowly turned around to face the others. She wasn't sure if she was ready to live up to her new set of responsibilities. She was too young; she was supposed to have more time.
"Queen…" Sailor Callisto said loudly as she walked forward directing the other's eyes toward her. Once she was a short distance from the new Queen, she lowered herself to one knee. She bowed in respect. The other Moon Senshi followed suit.
Sailor Pluto gripped her staff tightly, frustration written across her face due to the current circumstances, but she was not about to break tradition of bowing to the new Queen. She turned to the other Outer Senshi and simply stated, "Protocol dictates we do the same."
Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune, and Sailor Saturn numbly nodded their heads and followed Sailor Pluto's example. The four of them bowed to the New Queen. Moments later, they were joined by the four Inner Senshi.
The Starlights lingered in the back, they always bowed down to their Princess, but this was different, it felt like they were betraying Princess Kakyuu.
Sailor Phobos smiled slightly at the scene she observed from the corner of her eyes. "You are members of the Royal Court now, are you not?" Her statement put everything in perspective for the Starlights. Seconds later, all the senshi bowed before their new Queen.
Prince Endymion watched the scene unfold before him. He was not a senshi and he did not serve the Silver Millennium. He felt out of place. He knew he should be standing next to the Queen with him wearing a lavender tuxedo. He watched her carefully, studied her. Something was off, he could see it in her eyes.
Neo-Queen Serenity looked at the senshi bowed down before her and felt embarrassed, "Guys, you can stand up…" She leaned her staff into her chest to adjust the gold bracelet on her wrist that somehow shifted up from her wrist to her arm; she had this bracelet for as long as she could remember. As soon as her fingers touched the bracelet, she gasped as hundreds of images flashed through her mind. The images contained memories from her past life, bombarding her all at once. A pearl ring appeared on her left pinky finger, the same ring Karin had warned the others about. It grew brightly, causing Neo-Queen Serenity more pain. Her hands clutched the side of her head and she took a several steps forward. Her eyes shut tightly. It was all too much at once, her entire past life being replayed before her. She collapsed to her knees.
The senshi rushed forward, Sailor Callisto reached her first, "My Queen, are you alright? What is happening?"
Neo-Queen Serenity squinted her eyes in pain. "Too many images…" she murmured.
Sailor Charon started at the pearl ring on her finger. She looked at Sailor Umbriel when she spoke. "Do you think her bracelet triggered some of her past memories… like Karin warned us about?"
Sailor Star Maker gasped, she couldn't believe she didn't make the connection sooner. "It would make sense… but I don't know how we can help her."
"What are you guys talking about?" Sailor Venus snapped. "And who is Karin?" Whatever the other senshi discussed seemed to be important and they were in the dark.
Sailor Star Fighter rubbed her arm against Neo-Queen Serenity's back to try to comfort her. It was all she or anyone else could do. "When we fought on that island against the Black Moon… Karin, the previous Sailor Cosmos, appeared with a warning about her last ability."
"Her last ability…" Sailor Uranus repeated slowly. "And you're just telling us this now?" She shouted at the Starlight.
Sailor Star Fighter narrowed her eyes at Sailor Uranus, but she did not dare leave the Queen's side.
"The last ability," Sailor Umbriel interrupted before more words could be exchanged between the two, "Is seeing the memories of an object. Or knowing the object's history. The ability is very difficult to control… and can be dangerous when not controlled."
"And we can't do anything to help her…" Sailor Charon added with frustration. "She's had that bracelet for as long as I can remember…."
"So you're saying… she is reliving all of her memories from her past life by touching her own bracelet?" Sailor Mercury asked in disbelief. Her eyes softened as she thought about how painful the experience must be for the Queen.
Neo-Queen Serenity mumbled something that was not in Japanese.
Sailor Callisto's jaw dropped… "Did you just…." She shook her head. "It couldn't be…."
"No, I heard it too…." Sailor Phobos said with shock in her voice.
Sailor Ganymede was thinking the clearest of the group and asked, "Are you alright?" She spoke in the ancient language of the Moon.
"… Yes…" Neo-Queen Serenity responded slowly. "I need to rest…" she whispered softly in Lunarian.
Sailor Pluto's eyes widened as she began to understand what was transpiring before her. "She… spoke in Lunarian…" She covered her mouth with hand in surprised.
"Lunarian?" Prince Endymion asked. He never heard of it as a language before. Then it clicked. "She's… speaking the ancient language of the Silver Millennium?"
Time had run out. She left the others to return to the library to search for answers. Sailor Pluto sighed as she closed another book. The book she believed would be the most promising did not live up her to expectations. She feared she could spend countless hours in this room and still yield the same results. It was time for her to move on.
The books suggested the crystal existed, but it would not be located on Earth. Now she had to find it. She would have to return to the place of her birth. The hard part would be telling the other senshi without raising suspicion. She couldn't tell the others the true nature of why she was leaving. She didn't know how Sailor Cosmos would react.
The planet of Pluto might offer her answers. She had to find the crystal if she would stand a chance of fixing everything. She refused to sit by any longer, yet, she had to let the others believe everything was fine. Yui would give everything away. It was necessary to maintain the element of surprise.
She sighed again. She needed to find a cover for why she would be gone for a while. It was only a matter of time until Usagi woke up.
"Now that Neo-Queen Serenity has awakened, what do we do next?" Rin asked the other Moon Senshi in the room.
"They seem to be doing well without us…" Ayane's voice was soft. She did not like the idea of abandoning the others so quickly after they were reunited, but they were essentially strangers to them. They possessed memories from another lifetime their Princesses did not.
"What are you suggesting?" Yui shot back with a glare. She still had to find a way to unite Prince Endymion and Neo Queen Serenity. She refused to accept the Starlight. She would fight alongside them in battle since they proved their worth, but it not mean she was willing to accept Sailor Star Fighter as a suitor. It was wrong.
Akari shifted her eyes at the others in the room before she spoke. "I feel the same way… almost as if we are in the way." She looked around the room to monitor the reactions of the others after her comment. She received a few head nods. "It has become clear to me… the others are a tight knit group and are capable of protecting the Earth. Perhaps it is time we took over the responsibilities the Outer Senshi had during the Silver Millennium. Haruka-san, Michiru-san, Hotaru-san, and Setsuna-san have established lives for themselves on Earth. I do not want to disturb them. But I feel the universe needs to be watched from the distance. We will become the first line of defense for any foreign invaders." She chose her words carefully.
"Foreign invaders? Aren't we little late for that?" Spat Nanami. It was obvious whom she labeled as foreign invaders.
"Enough!" Akari interjected. "I am tired of all the insults related to our Queen!" She struggled to keep her anger in check. She could only hold back her feelings for so long. "The Queen has made a decision you don't agree with. It will not be the last time. We are soldiers; we swore to protect the Silver Millennium. We cannot do that if we are arguing amongst ourselves. We have no control of whom the Queen chooses."
Nanami lowered her eyes to the ground. She was acting childish. She hated the Queen's decision… but she had to honor it, it was her duty as a senshi. "It may be her decision, but I know I can't accept it."
"What do you suggest?" Rio asked. "What are we supposed to do, leave?"
Akari sighed. They both made valid points. She looked over at Rin and Ayane. She needed to brainstorm with them. They needed to find a way to solve this problem once and for all or the team might not make it. They would not be able to protect their Queen during her time of needed if the team could not function as a single unit. Neo Queen Serenity needed all the help she could muster as she begins to take on new responsibilities associated with her ascension.
She ran barefoot through the marble halls. Queen Serenity stood at the other end of the room. "Mother!" Serenity shouted as she rushed over to her. She nearly tripped over her gown.
"It is alright, Serenity," Queen Serenity said sweetly. Her daughter slowed down to avoid running into the Queen. Queen Serenity smiled at her daughter. She had grown since the last time she saw her. Her eyes focused on the crown on her forehead. Her lips parted slightly, she immediately recognized the significance. Her hair was also white instead of a bright golden shade.
Neo-Queen Serenity embraced her mother tightly. "So much has happened since I last saw you in the Prayer Room." She wasn't sure what to tell her mother next.
"You've become Queen," Queen Serenity whispered. "I did not anticipate it at such a young age… but it suits you. I am proud."
"I'm not ready to be Queen…." Neo Queen Serenity said with uncertainty in her voice. "I'm not ready to leave Earth yet and live at the palace." She wasn't sure how her mother would react to her statement. It was tradition for the Queen to live in the palace.
"Serenity," Queen Serenity said in a firm tone. "Things are different than before. You already have another life on Earth. Besides, the Silver Millennium still needs so much more work before it is ready to be a fully functionally kingdom. The entire universe changed drastically after the attack on the Silver Millennium. I do not want you to feel obligated to return to the palace when you are not ready. Why can't you remain on Earth for a while longer while the kingdom is restored?"
Neo-Queen Serenity gasped in surprised. She couldn't believe her mother thought it was a good idea for her to remain on Earth. She had felt her mother would be disappointed if she did not live in the kingdom immediately. She let out a deep breath, relief washed over her.
"I don't want you to feel like it is a burden. I understand that you have other responsibilities. You need to protect the people of Earth," Queen Serenity reassured her.
Neo-Queen Serenity smiled at her mother. The bracelet on her wrist shifted, drawing her attention back to the object. Was it a dream? No, she remembered her memories from her past life. "Mother… something happened to me the other day."
Alarmed by the change in her tone, Queen Serenity asked, "What happened?"
"…Well, where should I start…" Neo Queen Serenity struggled to explain what happened during the final battle against the Death Phantom. The restoration of her memories was due to her abilities as Sailor Cosmos. "I guess… I should start by discussing the different abilities I have learned as Sailor Cosmos." She summarized the different abilities she learned and everything that happened which led to the defeat of the Black Moon.
"It must have been difficult to relieve all of your memories at once." Queen Serenity looked at her daughter. "But… what are you going to do now that you have to those memories back? What about the lost culture of the Moon?"
"It's just a lot to take in at once. It's all so strange to suddenly be able to speak another language….one that has not been spoken in over a millennium." Neo Queen Serenity smiled lightly. "I think over time I want to incorporate our culture in the palace." She smiled. "Thank you, mother. You have helped me so much."
Queen Serenity nodded her head. "It is time you returned to the others. I am sure they are worried about you."
Usagi's eyelashes began to flutter. She gradually opened her eyes and realized she was in Rei's room. She didn't remember how she ended up there. The last thing she remembered was the destruction of the Death Phantom and becoming Queen. Queen. It still didn't sound right to her. She wasn't ready for such responsibility. She had always pictured herself being in her twenties or thirties before she would receive her crown, not her teens. What she wanted didn't always live up to reality.
"Usagi, you're awake!" Rei exclaimed rushing over to her side. "You've been asleep for an entire day!" She hugged Usagi tightly.
"… A day?" Usagi mumbled back. Before she could say anything else, her stomach growled loudly and she tear dropped.
Rei's jaw dropped. She stared at Usagi for a few moments before she burst out laughing. She was glad Usagi was back to normal after the ordeal.
Usagi pouted. "If I've been asleep for a day I need food," she whined. "Rei-chan is being mean…" Her eyes began to tear up.
Rei sighed. "I'll see if Mako-chan is here." She stood up and began to walk to the door. "I'm sure some of the others are still here. Did you want any visitors?"
"…sure…" Usagi said with a smile. She forced herself to sit up more. She felt light headed.
Rei lightly closed the door behind her, leaving Usagi to her thoughts. She raised her hands over her head and stretched. She searched her memories, but things became hazy when she tried to remember the final battle against the Death Phantom, becoming Neo Queen Serenity, and recalling all of her memories. Did all of that really happen? Was she really Queen? She placed her head in her hands and slowly rubbed her temples.
A knock on the door caused her to look up in the direction of the sound. The door slowly slid open and several women entered.
"Princess…" Akari began. She cleared her throat to correct her wording, "Queen." Ayane and Rio stood behind her.
"…Queen…" Usagi repeated softly. "So… I guess it really happened…" She wasn't sure what else to say to the others.
The three women walked closer to her and kneeled on the floor. Their behavior made Usagi feel uncomfortable. "You don't have to do that…" Usagi said meekly. "It seems strange."
Akari, Rin, and Ayane slowly stood up. They waited for Usagi to say something else.
Usagi was silent, unsure of what to do next.
"We want to do everything we can to help you transition to the palace," Ayane spoke up first. She smiled warmly at her new Queen. She looked forward to returning home.
"I… I don't think I'm ready to return to the Silver Millennium… yet." Usagi thought of the conversation she had with Queen Serenity before she woke up. "I have a family on Earth… this is where I grew up during this lifetime. I don't think I'm ready to leave it behind."
"I guess I can't be that surprised." Akari looked over at the other two Moon Senshi in the room. "What can we do to assist you?"
"I… I don't know. It sounds strange… but I'm not sure what to do next now that the Black Moon has been defeated. I guess… I can try to live a normal life for a little while." Usagi rambled. "To not have to fight for the first time in years…" Usagi smiled. "I hope it lasts this time. I thought everything would be fine after Chaos, but then the Black Moon appeared."
"There will always be danger throughout the galaxies. We will do our best to protect you and the kingdom from danger…" Ayane's voice trailed off. An idea occurred to her, but she would have to discuss it with the others first.
Usagi sat at the kitchen table in Rei's shrine with Ami and Minako. Makoto was cooking by herself. The other girls tried to help her, but it made it more difficult for her to prepare the food.
"Where is everyone else?" Usagi asked. She was surprised she had not seen the others yet.
"The Three Lights had some event they had to go to… Yaten-kun and Taiki-san practically had to drag Seiya-kun away." Minako explained. "Haruka-san and the others left a few hours ago to go back to their place, but they should be returning soon. I think Mamoru-san went for a walk."
"Everyone has been worried about you, Usagi-chan." Ami added with concern in her eyes. "You scared us when you started to speak another language after becoming Queen."
"We didn't know what to do," Rei recalled the events in her mind. "All of a sudden, it was like you were a different person."
"…It was a lot to take in at once. For the longest time I wanted to remember everything from the Silver Millennium but now… it's frustrating. I remember things that we did together..." Usagi gestured to the other girls. "But none of you remember. I guess this is how the Moon Senshi felt when none of us remembered them." Usagi's eyes lowered to the table. "I'm not ready to leave Earth and be Queen. I want to stay here…"
"Usagi-chan, no one is forcing you to leave," Rei responded, alarmed by Usagi's sudden remarks.
"But as Queen of the Moon… I am expected to live in the Silver Millennium… but no one else lives there… and the palace isn't completely restored yet." Usagi laughed nervously.
"You still have to finish high school," Ami pointed out.
The other girls tear dropped. Only Ami would bring up the completion of school. Their conversation was cut short as Makoto began to bring food out to the table for everyone to eat.
"I can't believe she is Queen," Luna said to her two companions, Artemis and Mamoru.
Mamoru pushed his hands down further in his pockets. "Things were not supposed to turn out this way. I don't know what to do next other than to go back to school."
"We were all prepared for a future that doesn't exist anymore," Artemis said glumly. "I guess we had a lot of comfort knowing what was in store for us… now… it's all a mystery again."
"Not all of it… Usako has already had some dreams of this new future."
Luna was silent. She knew what Mamoru alluded. "There is still a lot we don't know. I'm concerned about Usagi-chan. It is a long running tradition for the Queen to live on the Moon. But I'm sure she wants to remain here." Luna thought back to several conversations she had with Usagi in the past. She was worried about Usagi and how she would react if she had to leave the Earth before she was ready.
"But everything has changed. There shouldn't be any rush to return to the Silver Millennium," Artemis reasoned. "Luna, you have to be realistic… a lot of the old ways were abandoned when the Silver Millennium was destroyed."
"Tradition would have been broken no matter what timeline was followed," Mamoru stated. Had the timeline not changed, Usagi would stay on Earth and live in Crystal Tokyo. She never would leave for the Moon.
"…You're right…" Artemis slowly responded. "I guess we don't have anything to worry about after all."
"She's scared," Mamoru said softly. "I know she is terrified of this new role. She doesn't think she is ready for the responsibility." He paused for a moment. "And she won't let me help her…" Pain was heard in his voice. He should be the one there to comfort her, but she didn't want him anymore. She still cared about him… but it was different. He hated the change. He wanted more than anything to be there for her and to help her through anything.
Luna and Artemis exchanged glances with each other. They agreed with everything he said. They wanted to comfort Mamoru, but given the circumstances, what could they say to try to comfort him? Usagi was unlikely to change her mind. There wasn't anything they could tell him to ease his pain
Luna thought it was best to change the topic. "Usagi-chan should be waking up any moment. We should probably be there when she wakes up. I'm sure she will want to see everyone."
"Yeah," Artemis agreed, following Luna's lead.
Mamoru did not respond immediately. "I'll be back in a little while."
Luna was surprised by his response. He was beginning to distance himself from the others. "I understand you are frustrated, but everyone cares about you Mamoru-san." Luna watched him carefully for any sign of reaction.
Mamoru sighed. "I know what you are trying to do, but right now I need a little time before I head back. It is … challenging to know she is Neo-Queen Serenity… and I won't be standing beside her." He turned away from the two cats. "I need more time."
Luna could tell based on his body language he could not be persuaded by her or Artemis. "Very well…" She turned toward Artemis and nodded her head to cue it was time to leave, so Mamoru could be alone for a little while.
"Now that Neo-Queen Serenity has awakened, what do we do next?" Rin asked the other Moon Senshi in the room.
Akari was unsure how to bring up such a delicate topic but sooner or later the other girls had to be informed. She looked over at Rin and Ayane. Both girls nodded their heads in agreement. It was time for them to leave. Akari cleared her throat.
Many of the various conversations died off in the room, unsure of what Akarai's announcement would contain.
Akari inhaled deeply as she carefully chose her words. "After much discussion, we…" she gestured to the other Moon Senshi, "believe it would be best to protect the Silver Millennium from afar, much like the Outer Senshi had in their previous lives. Earth has…" She hesitated to count the number of senshi present, "twelve senshi already living here, a majority were reborn here. I believe we can best protect the kingdom by observing it from afar."
Silence was heard throughout the room.
"If we were to leave… where would we go… hypothetically?" Hana slowly asked the group. She wanted to hear the entire plan before any commitment was made to leave the Earth. "The Silver Millennium is not far from Earth."
"She doesn't mean the Silver Millennium," Nanami huffed. "You expect us to abandon our new Queen and live on one of the outer planets near the edge of the solar system." Nanami glared at Akari, waiting for confirmation from the senshi of Callisto.
"We are not abandoning Neo-Queen Serenity. We are protecting her from afar. We used to protect the Silver Millennium from afar on various missions. This time our base of operations would be on one of the distant planets rather than the palace," Akari tried to rephrase Nanami's words and give them a positive spin.
Rio smiled. Akari would never admit it out loud, but keeping the Moon Senshi at a distance from the Queen at the moment would be a good thing. Several of the Moon Senshi refused to accept her relationship with the Starlight. Some of them might never accept it. If they remained it was reasonable to assume some of the senshi would lash out at Sailor Star Fighter. The damage created could be unrepairable. "Given everything that has happened recently… I think it is something we should look into."
Yui and Nanami glared at Rio.
Natsuki did not verbally respond, but her eyes gave away her true feelings of frustration. Akari was playing the peacemaker rather than try to resolve the issue. She smirked slightly. How could the issue be resolved? She was unsure if Yui and Nanami would ever accept Seiya with Usagi. They wanted to see Serenity with Endymion. She doubted it would happen.
Ayane broke the silence, "Akari-chan, when you say outer planets are you referring to Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto? You don't mean Nemesis, do you?" Ayane asked, trying to understand the other woman's plan.
"Not Nemesis," Akari immediately clarified. "We should speak to the Princesses of those planets and see if we could use any of those palaces. We know that the Kingdom of Uranus is mostly intact."
"I think we would be better off on Neptune or Pluto," interjected Hana. "Solely because those planets are at the outer edge." She continued to think out loud. "If I remember correctly, the Kingdom of Pluto seemed to be intact. Do you think Setsuna-san would let us stay there?"
"Yes."
The senshi gasped and turned around when they saw Sailor Pluto standing in the doorway. "It is time I returned home for a little while. I have some… unresolved matters to attend to."
Yui turned to look at Sailor Pluto. Something didn't seem right. Why was Setsuna leaving Earth? Why was she in her fuku? Then it clicked. "You're going after the key, aren't you?"
Sailor Pluto turned her head sharply at Yui in an effort to silence her. She shot her a look.
Yui eye's widened. She was correct, but Setsuna did not want the others to know her true initiations. "The key to the kingdom." Yui quickly tried to recover; the others would be more suspicious if she continued to ramble.
"I need a break from everything here," it was a half-truth Sailor Pluto told them. "I would be honored to use my home as a new base of operation for the Moon Senshi. I could be of assistance setting everything up."
Akari knew Sailor Pluto was hiding the truth about whatever this key was but she was not going to argue with the Crown Princess of Pluto. She would be able to keep an eye on whatever Setsuna had planned. "That would be wonderful, thank you." She smiled with gratitude. "I know with your help we will be ready a lot sooner."
"So, who is going to tell Neo Queen Serenity we are leaving for Pluto?" Ayane asked with a half-smile.
The other women looked at each other without a word, no one wanted to volunteer for the task.
"Setsuna-san didn't waste any time leaving the shrine earlier." Haruka said to Michiru. Hotaru was in the bathroom, allowing them a few minutes to talk.
"Do you think it is related to the conversation you overheard between her and Yui-chan?" Michiru eyed the hallway to make sure they were still alone.
"I think they are related. Something is off with Setsuna-san. She has become more distant and secretive in the past few weeks."
"I feel like she is up to something. But I don't know what it could be. She seems to disappear frequently and for longer periods of time. I've tried to follow her more than once, but she always enters the time streams."
"Of course. She knows it is a place we cannot follow. I just wish that she wouldn't keep us in the dark. Whatever it is, I'm sure we could help her."
"She will tell us when she is ready." Michiru gasped lightly. "Do you think it is related to Usagi-chan becoming Queen so soon? You don't think…"
"No. She already told us nothing could be done to change the time line because of Sailor Cosmos." Haruka looked at Michiru thoughtfully. "You don't think she lied to us?"
"I have a hard time believing she would lie to us over something that serious."
Silence. They both wanted answers that neither one of them had. "I can't help, but wonder what will happen to the senshi next," Haruka said out loud.
Michiru nodded her head. "Our roles have changed. We are supposed to protect the galaxy from those outside our star system and three of them have now made this planet their home."
"And our Princess… no Queen… has awakened powers that originally belonged to someone from outside our solar system."
Michiru laughed at the irony. Haruka started at her puzzled by the reaction. After a few seconds, Haruka began to laugh.
Haruka stopped laughing and her tone became serious. "I guess we really do not have a choice…. But to accept them… for now. As long as they are important to Neo-Queen Serenity… we have to abide by her wishes." Her eyes shifted slightly, "I keep thinking of something Setsuna-san told us when we learned she was going to stay with him. We don't want to lose her because of a decision we do not agree with."
The door in the hallway opened and Hotaru's footsteps were heard approaching them.
Haruka and Michiru looked at each other and sighed. They wanted answers and to continue their discussion but they did not want to bring it up front of Hotaru. The last thing they wanted to do was give Hotaru false hope the time line could be restored. Hotaru would be crushed if it did not occur; it would be like losing Chibi Usa all over again.
Hotaru looked back and forth at Michiru and Haruka. "She's not back yet, is she? Where does she keep going?"
Her question caught the two women off guard. They didn't have a good answer for her and they didn't want to make something up and lie to her at the same time. "… I'm sure Setsuna-san will be back in a little while. When she runs out on …. Her errands…" Michiru tried to find a word that would sum up the Guardian of Time's actions. "She usually isn't gone too long. I'm sure it's very important."
"I tried to go with her earlier, but Setsuna-san said it was something she had to do alone." Hotaru frowned in disappointed. "I don't understand why I couldn't help."
"I'm sure she has her reasons," Haruka tried to make an excuse for Setsuna's recent behavior changes. She stood up and stretched. "We should head back to the shrine. Usagi-chan might have woken up… and when Setsuna-san finishes I believe she will return to the shrine."
Usagi wanted some fresh air and she needed to leave the shrine for a little while. She still couldn't believe she had become Neo-Queen Serenity. It didn't seem right. Until recently, she had also expected to have King Endymion by her side. It was no longer possible. She would be alone on the throne for a while.
"I've been looking for you," Usagi said. She walked over to Mamoru.
Mamoru looked up from the pond, surprised to hear Usagi's voice. "You're looking a lot better." He smiled at her. He wasn't sure what to do. Normally he would have rushed forward to hug her or he would have been there when she woke up. It was difficult for him.
Usagi stood next to him. She was unsure of how to start what she wanted to tell him. He needed to know the truth. "I haven't been completely honest with you…" She didn't look up at him.
Mamoru gasped lightly. "What do you mean, Usako?" What has she not been honest about? His mind raced, did she change her mind? The seconds felt like an eternity while he waited for her to elaborate.
Usagi bit her lip lightly. "…There is something that I didn't tell you…"
His heart raced, he couldn't wait any longer. "Usako, what is going on?" He couldn't fathom what she had kept from him. He thought she had told him everything.
Usagi's eyes caught a bench not too far from them. "Can we sit down first?" She was nervous and wasn't sure if her legs would give out any moment. She didn't wait for an answer and walked over to the bench to sit down.
Mamoru was stunned by her actions but followed her to the bench. He sat down next to her, waiting for her to speak.
Usagi stared at her hands; she didn't dare look at him. "It took me a while to realize something… something I didn't want to admit until recently." Usagi hesitated. "… I realized I couldn't be with you… knowing that Chibi Usa would never exist." She left out a deep breath. She finally told him the truth.
"Usako…" he murmured. He didn't know how to respond to her declaration. "Chibi Usa could still exist… but she never will if we are not together." He pleaded with her.
"No…it's not that simple Mamo-chan. I've already become Queen… that wasn't supposed to happen for some time."
"I don't understand, Usako. You once told me we couldn't let the future dictate our choices, but that is what you are doing."
"It's too hard for me otherwise, Mamo-chan. I just want to tell you the truth." Tears began to stream down her face. "I never wanted to hurt you… but I just couldn't… it's too painful. That's why I had to make a different choice. If I had never awakened as Sailor Cosmos, things would be different."
Mamoru's shoulders slumped. It always came back to that particular moment in time when she awakened as Sailor Cosmos, it changed everything. "I wish there was a way to go back and undo it." He expressed his honest feelings. He knew his wish would not be answered. He remembered what Sailor Pluto had told him when Usako left for Kinmoku. It was too late now. Too much had happened.
"At least we wouldn't have to worry about the Black Moon returning…" Usagi tried to find something positive in the situation. "The Earth can finally be at peace."
"But it comes at a high price." Mamoru countered. "The Earth was at peace before the Dark Moon returned in the old timeline."
Usagi didn't respond. She didn't know how to respond. "I didn't mean to hurt you again, but I felt like I had to tell you the truth. I was hoping you would understand."
"I understand what you are saying Usako, but it doesn't mean I have to agree with it." His voice is full of pain. He had tried so many times for her to change her mind, yet each time he was unsuccessful.
Usagi stood up abruptly. "I thought it would help you understand. I guess I was wrong." Usagi turned to walk away. She could feel frustration build. "I should probably be heading back to the shrine. The Moon Senshi will be leaving soon."
"Leaving..?" Mamoru repeated in a confused tone.
"They have decided to take the Outer Senshi's duties held during the Silver Millennium. They will protect this universe from afar. If you want to say good bye, we have to hurry back."
"I'll be there shortly." Mamoru slowly responded. He needed a few minutes to himself to process everything Usako told him.
Usagi paused at the bottom of the staircase. It was over. She could walk forward into this new timeline with no regrets and no more secrets about her feelings. Although it was difficult to tell that to Mamoru and admit to herself out loud; it needed to be done.
She inhaled deeply and climbed the steps as she had done so many other times in the past. Her steps slowed when she saw everyone standing outside in the square. Her eyes were drawn to the eight Moon Senshi and Sailor Pluto. Michiru, Haruka, and Hotaru stood to the left side of the group. Rei, Minako, Ami, and Makoto stood across them. The Three Lights were still absent.
Usagi expected to see the Moon Senshi in their fuku but not Sailor Pluto. Something wasn't right. She worked wordlessly to the others. "What is going on?" She directed her question to Sailor Pluto.
"After discussing the situation with the Moon Senshi, it was decided Pluto would be the best location to watch the galaxy from afar. I volunteered to assist them setting up their new base of operations," Sailor Pluto explained, struggling to keep her voice even.
"Setsuna-san would be invaluable getting us started," Sailor Callisto added. "When we spoke earlier we didn't know where we would go and Sailor Pluto presented us with an opportunity that would meet all of our needs." She stood silently, waiting for Usagi to say something.
"Oh…okay…" Usagi said slowly. "I think … that is a great idea!" She said with increased enthusiasm. "With Setsuna-san's help you can reach your goal a lot faster by working together. I'm happy when everyone works together." She was tired of everyone fighting each other. She turned her attention to Sailor Pluto. "Do you know when you will be back?"
"I'm not sure but I imagine it will be several months. Some work will need to be done on the palace. It is livable but it will take some time. We will also have to gather supplies." Sailor Pluto explained to the others. "Once we know what we need, Yui-chan and I will briefly return to collect supplies… we'll take a short cut to return here." She didn't want to say what the shortcut was out loud but it was easy to guess she meant it was the Time Streams.
"I can help you with supplies…or fixing up the palace," Usagi offered, knowing her abilities would benefit them.
"Thank you for the offer, my Queen… but this is something we need to do on our own," Sailor Phobos explained. She didn't want to involve the other senshi in their mission. "But… should we need your assistance, we will contact you," Sailor Titian added. She knew if things became very difficult they might have to request assistance. She hoped if the time came, there would be less tension among all of the senshi.
Ami was disappointed to see everyone leave. She hoped Rio would have remained on Earth longer. She wished to learn about Mercury and her past life. She was part of another culture and Rio was the only one that could teach her. She knew she wouldn't be gone forever.
One by one, the Moon Senshi said good bye to their respective Princesses. They were wished well on their journey. In a flash of light, the nine senshi left the Earth.
Usagi sat on the front steps of shrine, alone. The sun had already set and the stars were just beginning to shine in the sky. She looked at her watch. She sighed. Mamoru never came back to the shrine to say goodbye to the others. She knew it was going to be difficult to convince Mamoru to join in group activities until he leaves for America. She didn't want to lose his friendship.
Usagi stood up and stretched. She should head home but she was sure her mother would have questions based on reports she imagined aired on the news. The other girls already left. Rei was inside cleaning up.
She knew Seiya would come back here to check on her but it was getting late. She couldn't wait anymore and it was getting late. She went back inside to say her goodbyes to Rei. She slowly walked across the pavement to the large staircase as she had done so many times in the past.
But it seemed different this time. She was Queen. The burden of that responsibility weighted on her heavily. She paused to touch the pendant around her neck. The crystal caused her to smile. She had powers and abilities that allowed her to save everyone. She was stronger than ever before. She could travel across galaxies in mere seconds. She stopped the Black Moon from rising in the future. But she also had powers she did not fully understand.
She was free from having to fight. She could try to be a normal teenager, well as normal as possible. It was something she always wanted; to live a normal life and be a bride. That was still years from now. She slowly walked down the long staircase lost in her thoughts.
"Odango!"
Usagi vaguely heard someone call her name. She paused on the staircase to determine who called her. She redirected her attention to the bottom of the staircase. Her eyes focused on a single person approximately twenty steps down. "…Seiya…" She said softly.
Seiya rushed up the rest of the stairs, nearly tripping in the process to be by her side. Usagi laughed at his actions. She had done the same so many times in the past. She waited for him to reach the steps next to her. Seiya paused at the step below Usagi. For once, they were the same height. He hugged Usagi tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay. I tried to leave as soon as I could." He apologized for returning the shrine late.
"It's okay," Usagi reassured him. "I was asleep for a while and it gave me a chance to talk to everyone else." She rested her chin on his shoulder. She giggled slightly. It was weird to be the same height as him. "There wasn't anything you could have done."
"Regardless if I can do anything to help or not, I want to be here to help you." Seiya responded back. He slowly pulled away from her and kissed her on the cheek.
"Hmm… maybe… you can walk me home?" Usagi offered. It was late but she wanted to spend time with him.
"Sounds great." He smiled back at her.
They walked down the staircase without exchanging any words until they were almost at the bottom. "Oh… there was something that happened today. The Moon Senshi left."
Seiya froze on the step. "What do you mean they left?" Something didn't sound right. The Moon Senshi are supposed to be the protectors of the Silver Millennium that served the crown. How could they just leave?
"They thought it was best to protect us from afar since there are so many senshi on Earth."
"So many senshi on Earth…" Seiya repeated slowly. He sighed. "That is a nice way of saying they didn't want to be near the Starlights."
Usagi pouted. "You have to understand something Seiya." Her voice was firm. "In the past, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto protected the Silver Millennium from afar. They were rarely able to interact with any of the other senshi. It was really lonely for them." Her expression softened. "The Moon Senshi work best when they are together as a team. They are taking the place of the Outer Senshi by volunteering to protect us from the distance."
"Oh.." Seiya responded softly. He had always heard of the Inner Senshi at the Silver Millennium, he never once considered the Outer Senshi were essentially banished from the palace on their own mission.
"… Setsuna-san left with them. She offered use of her former home. Everyone thought it was a good idea since it is at the edge of the Galaxy. But I'm not sure how much work it would take to fix everything up."
"I'm sure it will be fine. The nine of them working together will be able to accomplish a lot."
"I tried to offer them assistance on making any restorations but they told me it was something they wanted to do on their own." Usagi sounded disappointed she wasn't able to help them.
"I'm sure if it something they can't handle, they will ask for your help." Seiya tried to think of another way to present his view to Usagi. "Think about how many times you tried to save the Earth on your own so you didn't burden anyone else."
Usagi stared at Seiya. Her jaw slightly dropped as she understood what Seiya meant. They were displaying the same stubborn streak Usagi used countless time to save the Earth. "But I always did that to protect the Earth…."
"And they believe it is the best way to protect you. I agree with their plan." Seiya's voice softened. "There are a lot of galaxies out there and not all of them are peaceful." He frowned as he continued, "some of the neighboring star systems by Kinmoku are not always peaceful. They keep their distance because of our Princess." He couldn't break the habit of referring to Princess Kakyuu as anything other than his Princess. "And once they realize Sailor Cosmos has been reborn they will likely become less aggressive."
Usagi eye's widened. "They fear Sailor Cosmos that much…?"
"Yes." Seiya responded without hesitation. "Sailor Cosmos is legendary in the star systems around Kinmoku. Remember there were Sailor Wars trying to find the next Sailor Cosmos."
Usagi paled. "Sailor … Wars…" Everything began to click. She was expected to be the peace keeper of the galaxies. Her responsibilities as Neo Queen Serenity meant she needed to protect this galaxy. Her responsibilities as Sailor Cosmos meant she was expected to help all of those in need. She sighed.
"I will be there to help you every step of the way." He placed his arm around her shoulders.
Usagi blushed. "…Seiya…" She reflected on all the support she received from him through this ordeal when Chaos returned, becoming Sailor Cosmos, and now Queen. "If I have you, it might not be so bad." She smiled warmly at him.
A few weeks passed.
Everyone tried to adjust to a "normal" life. Haruka continued to run and prepare her next racing season with more events. Michiru took on a few new projects and would be serving as concert master in a few performances in Japan, China, and South Korea. Hotaru continued to attend school. She was starting to settle in to her new life. She continued to miss Chibi Usa, but was beginning to make peace with the loss.
Mamoru withdrew and seemed to have the most contact with the Outer Senshi. He turned his attention back to his studies. It was the only way he could try to block everything else out.
Rei became more involved in an archery club at school, as well as increase her duties around the shrine. Ami continued to study hard and was taking college exams in Europe and America to become a doctor. Makoto continued to cook and finally joined a culinary group at school. She was looking for a part-time job in a bakery. Minako was struggling with passing class, just like Usagi. Minako continued working on improving her singing. She wanted to jump start her career when she graduates from high school. Usagi spent as much free time as she could with Seiya.
The Three Lights were writing a new album, recording in the studio, and completing promotional events to generate excitement for their upcoming tour.
Lunch was ending in the classroom. It was not uncommon to see Usagi, Minako, Makoto, Yaten, and Seiya eating lunch together.
Seiya sighed. "I don't want to sit through more acts today. Yesterday was brutal," he complained.
"Acts..?" Minako asked unsure of what he was referencing.
"We began auditioning for opening acts for the upcoming tour," Yaten explained. "Some of them… are really bad. I wish we didn't have to sit through them."
"Opening act?" Usagi repeated slowly not completely understanding what they meant.
"When a band goes on tour it is common for another upcoming band to play before the main band. It is great exposure for new talent," Seiya tried to explain it as simply as he could to Usagi.
Usagi turned to Minako as an idea struck her, "Minako-chan… you've always wanted to start your idol career… why not try to be an opening act?"
No one spoke while they processed Usagi's proposal.
"…be the opening act…" Minako slowly repeated while she pondered the possibility. "I…I don't know if I'm ready for that." Doubt began to set in that she wasn't ready to be shoved into the spotlight. Thousands would be at the Three Lights concert. They were talking about an international stage.
"I think you should try out," Seiya encouraged her. "We already know that you can sing and there is still plenty of time for you to write new material too."
"You should give it a shot, Minako-chan!" Usagi encouraged her. "All you have talked about is being an idol. This is your big chance!"
"…" Minako tried to smile but she was hesitant.
"What have you got to lose?" Yaten finally asked. "I know that you sing better than many of the other people that already auditioned. You have your letter, you've already won a contest, and the Earth is at peace. What would possibility hold you back?"
Minako's jaw dropped slightly and her eyebrows widened. She listened to Yaten's words and gradually began to smile with confidence. If she was able to be on tour with them, she would be able to travel around the world with Yaten. "… when… when would I audition?"
"I think tomorrow is the last day. Spend today getting ready so you'll be ready for it tomorrow?" Seiya suggested. "Just so you're aware, there are a lot of people that have input on the final decision. It's not just us." He wanted Minako to audition but he didn't want Minako to feel like she would automatically be joining them.
"I understand. I don't want special treatment either. If I am selected I want it to be for my abilities." Minako expressed herself in a firm tone. She wanted to be an idol but she wanted to earn it rather than have it handed to her.
Minako sat nervously in the waiting room the following afternoon. This was her big moment. The last 28 hours were a blur to her. She spent as much time as she could practicing and trying to rest. She didn't want to strain her voice. She was glad she had spent times the past couple of weeks working on her voice. She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. This was different than the contest she won. She would performance in front of thousands and be on stage with Yaten. She smiled at the thought of spending all of that time with Yaten.
She shook her head abruptly side to side. She could daydream about performing with Yaten later on. She had to stay focused on her audition. She closed her eyes tightly and mentally ran through her performance again. She wanted it to be perfect.
"Aino-san." A young woman in a dress jacket with a mini skirt holding a clipboard came out into the waiting room of the studio.
Minako stood up and smiled brightly.
"This way please," the woman said and began to head back into the studio. She led the way down a long hallway. Her high heels clicked loudly on the tile floor.
Minako followed behind her without a word. Her heart beat loudly with each passing step. She tried to calm her nerves. She didn't want to be nervous.
The woman stopped outside a room. "The audition will take place in this room. Good luck."
"Thank… thank you," Minako responded while trying to flash a bright smile. She needed to display confidence in her abilities and translate it to the stage. Minako entered the room silently and stood by the door. She waited to be acknowledged by the others before she walked over to the microphone.
She looked over at the table. The Three Lights, two men in their mid-thirties, and a middle aged woman sat at the table. She assumed these were the other people Seiya mentioned. She had to impress all of them. She could do this.
"Go ahead," The dark brown haired man next to Yaten directed. He gestured with his hand toward the microphone. "I understand you already brought music in when you first arrived. When you are ready we will begin."
Minako nodded her head and walked over to the microphone. She took a deep breath once she stood in front of the microphone. She nodded her head at the judges she was ready to begin. A few seconds later Route Venus began to play. She lightly tapped her toes inside her shoe to feel the beat. She didn't want her tapping foot to distract them. She opened her mouth and began to sing. She felt nervous the first few bars. She closed her eyes and imaged being at home. Her voice became stronger. Before she knew it, the passage ended.
The judges sat their wordless for a few moments.
The same man from earlier thank her for her audition and was told she would hear something from them next week after they have heard all of the auditions.
Minako thanked them and left the room. Once she was outside, she exhaled deeply. She felt confident in her performance. All she had to do was wait. She was sure she could handle it.
Two days later, Rei glared at Minako. "We know are waiting to hear back from them Minako-chan but give us a break!"
"But look at it this way Rei-chan, if I get to go, you can help me write some new songs!" Minako responded gleefully. Her plan to stay calm was not succeeding and it was driving the other girls nuts.
Ami looked up from her book. "Minako-chan you have to study for your exam tomorrow. You don't want to fall behind in your studies and take a make-up exam."
"Ah Am-chan! You know how to kill the moment!" Minako grumbled back at her blue haired friend. She plopped down on a cushion near the table.
"But if you don't pass Minako-chan… how are you going to practice and be at rehearsals if you are chosen?" Makoto held up Minako's notebook.
"…" Minako tried to come up with a retort but she knew that Ami and Makoto were correct. She had another large exam and she couldn't afford to spend extra time after school for the make-up exam. She needed to keep that time available as she tries to launch her career. She looked over at Usagi hunched over a book in deep concentration. "No way…" she murmured. She inched over to Usagi in disbelief. Minako slowly crept up behind Usagi to see what she was studying so intently in her notebook. She peered over her shoulder. "Usagi-chan!"
The sudden sound behind Usagi startled her. "Ahhh!" She exclaimed throwing her hands up in the air. Her notebook fell onto the table along with the manga she was reading. Usagi threw her hands over the manga to try to cover the book up. It was too late; the other girls saw the manga.
"Usagi!" Rei chided her. She was about to yell at her some more but decided against it. "I guess if you want to fail and be left behind, keep reading…" She shot Usagi an indifferent glance.
Usagi fell for the bait. "That's not fair Rei-chan! You don't have the same struggles we do at your school!"
"I still have to study like the rest of you," Rei countered back. She still had to study and complete her work in order to graduate.
Ami didn't look up from her textbook. Makoto sighed. Minako frowned and rummaged around in her bag until she found her other notebook.
Usagi and Rei continued to argue back and forth.
Ami began to rub her forehead. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to focus on her work while listening to Usagi and Rei banter back and forth. She tried to be patient. Normally after a few minutes they would stop. But it kept going. Her eyebrow twitched. She slowly lowered her book, glaring at both of the girls through her glasses. Neither of the girls noticed the change in her demeanor. They kept going. Ami's fingers clutched the book tighter. The book was now lower than her face. Fire began to light behind her eyes. She couldn't take it anymore. "That's enough!" She yelled at both of them.
Ami's sudden outburst silenced everyone.
Usagi gulped and grabbed her notebook off the floor. She quickly flipped through the pages until she reached the correct section.
Makoto covered her mouth with her hand. She didn't want to start laughing out loud.
Minako tapped her fingernail lightly on the table while she reviewed the materials.
Rei slowly began to flip through an English book.
Ami smiled at the silence. She picked up her book again and resumed studying.
The weekend passed. Minako tried to keep it together. It was getting close to a week. Who would contact her? She waited as patiently as she could inside the classroom. She was going to ask Seiya or Yaten if a selection was made. Why did it seem they were later than usual this morning? She subconsciously tapped her foot on the floor. She was tired of waiting. She looked at her watch. Class started in five minutes. They should be here by now. She stared at the door. A few last minute students wandered in, just in time.
Usagi quickly scrambled to her seat.
Minako's head shot side to side for any sign of Seiya. It was common they would walk in together. Yaten was still absent.
"Usagi-chan, where are they?" Minako whispered. She had to know what was going on before class began.
"Oh.. they have some music thing they had to do today. None of the Three Lights will be in school today," Usagi stated in casual tone, as if it was common knowledge.
"They what!?" Minako screeched. "Don't they know I have to talk to them!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.
The classroom became dead silent. All of the students stared at Usagi and Minako.
The classroom door slide shut and the teacher entered the classroom. All of the students stood up to face the teacher and bowed. Usagi and Minako were thankful the teacher chose that moment to enter the classroom and break up some of the tension.
"Are you going to see them after school?" Minako asked Usagi as soon as the last bell rang. She spent most of the day thinking of plan to see the Three Lights and what she would say to them.
"Not today," Usagi said glumly. "Seiya is going to be busy the next couple of days and I'll probably only see him in school."
Minako's shoulder's slumped and hung her head. Her next chance to see them would in school tomorrow. She couldn't just call them to ask or show up at their apartment.
"Did you want to do something today?" Usagi asked, noticing Minako's mood.
"I have volleyball practice today but I will be free after school tomorrow?"
"Sure." Usagi gathered her belongings into her book bag. Everyone had after school activities today. She debated about returning to manga club. But it didn't meet today. Usagi left the classroom and headed to front of the school to exchange her shoes.
A short time later, Usagi was walking out the front gate with the other students, alone. She sighed. Everyone had their own activities now. She wasn't ready to go home yet but wasn't sure where she could go. She hadn't seen Motoki in a while. She smiled. She could relax and play a few games.
Twenty minutes later she entered Crown. Much to her dismay, Motoki wasn't working today. She was about to give up when she heard a familiar voice.
"Kitten?"
"Haruka-san?" Usagi said in surprise. She hadn't expected to the senshi of the wind inside the arcade. But then again, she first met Haruka in this arcade playing a game. The same racing game she just finished. "I'm just surprised to see you here."
"I can't race in my car yet so this is the next best thing," Haruka explained standing up. She noticed Usagi was alone. "Are you by yourself today?"
"Yeah… everyone else had other activities."
Haruka laughed. "Michiru is at rehearsal and Hotaru has her own school activities. She's really thrown herself into school."
"Err…" Usagi responded, thinking about her studies she has neglected.
"This is your last year?"
"Yeah."
"You should make the most of it. As long as you pass, right?"
"Hmm." Usagi nodded her head in agreement. Something else bothered her. "Haruka-san… has Setsuna-san come back?"
"No." Haruka sounded annoyed. "I thought we would have heard something by now." Haruka tried to disguise her feelings but was unsuccessful. She was hurt by Setsuna's sudden departure and tried to hide the pain. She glanced at her watch. "I have to be going. I'm supposed to pick up Michiru and Hotaru soon."
Usagi nodded her head. Haruka left the arcade without another word.
Usagi couldn't help but feel Haruka was avoiding her to an extent because of her decision. It was her turn to sigh. She left the arcade and began to walk home. She was happy but the others still couldn't accept she could be happy with anyone other than Mamoru. It wasn't hard to figure out why the Moon Senshi left. Usagi knew the real reason. Not all of them could accept her choice. She wasn't as naïve as they believed. She encouraged their decision since she knew it would lead to less friction among the senshi. She knew she would see them again one day. She hoped time would improve the relationship.
"Odango!"
Usagi turned her head to the side at the sound of Seiya's voice. He was with Yaten and Taiki. The three of them were at school today. She smiled at them and greeted them. "Did everything work out yesterday?"
"Yes," Seiya said with a large grin. We decided on some important things for the tour." He walked over to Usagi while Taiki and Yaten continued on to their respective classrooms to give the two some privacy. He placed a hand up near Usagi's ear to whisper, "I hope Minako-chan is at school today. Yaten has to tell her about an important decision that was made yesterday."
Usagi gasped. "Do you mean…?" Her voice trailed off.
Seiya winked at her. "We should go to the classroom. I sure you want to see Minako-chan's reaction."
Usagi nodded her head. She quickly finished changing her shoes and gathered the rest of her belongings. They walked quickly to the classroom. They were down the hallway when they heard Minako scream.
Usagi tear dropped. "Maybe it is a good idea we weren't in the classroom when she heard the news." Usagi laughed.
Seiya smiled. "I wonder how much damage she did to everyone's eardrums."
Several students and teachers rushed to the classroom to understand the source of the disturbance. When they entered the classroom, Minako frantically tried to explain to a few teachers everything was okay and she received exciting news, causing her to scream. She apologized repeatedly. She was about to have detention since the teachers did not believe such an outlandish story.
"It's true," Yaten interrupted one of the teachers. "We informed her she was chosen to sing with us on tour after graduation."
The teacher turned to look at Yaten, surprised Minako was speaking the truth. Taiki and Seiya nodded their heads in agreement. The teacher looked at Minako sternly. "I can understand why you are excited but screaming is not appropriate in school. I expect you will not have another outburst like this again in the future."
Minako nodded her head repeatedly, "No sensei." She agreed. Deep down she knew she was luck to not receive a consequence; it was because of Three Lights. It was no secret in the school they received special treatment. Minako sat quietly until the teacher left. She turned to Yaten, Taiki, and Seiya to thank them repeatedly for helping her avoid detention.
"Along with extra rehearsals, you will have to keep your grades up," Taiki lectured. "You have to complete high school in order to tour with us. You will also need to pass your exams, we can't have you miss rehearsals to make up exams." He turned to Seiya, "we had enough issues with Seiya in that department."
"Hey!" Seiya shot back. "It was only two exams."
"But we had to reschedule practices because you couldn't keep it together. I don't want to have to do that again," Yaten complained. "It's rare we have days off and you caused us to lose some of them."
Seiya didn't respond because he knew they were right. One exam was during the time they participated in a musical and the second time was related to time he spent with Usagi at her house rather than preparing for exams later in the week. "I'm sure Minako-chan will be fine. I know she won't fall behind… Ami-chan won't let her!"
Minako eagerly nodded her head. "… thank you for this opportunity. I won't let you guys down!"
Ten minutes later, class began. Usagi sat quietly in her seat only half paying attention to the teacher's lecture. The Three Lights would be gone over the summer. Now Minako would be gone with them as well. Ami would likely be in some school program or starting college over the summer semester so she could become a doctor sooner. Rei would be working at the shrine. Makoto would be working and preparing for culinary school. Michiru would probably be on tour and Haruka would be racing. Maybe Setsuna would be back in time for the summer. Mamoru would be in America. She sighed. The summer after high school graduation was supposed to be a lot of fun but her summer was shaping up to being boring. She would have to talk to Naru to find out her summer plans. Everyone was doing something exciting and moving forward toward their goals.
Their goals. What are her goals? She wasn't sure any more. She knew she needed to finish restoring the Silver Millennium. It would be easier now that she has the rest of her memories but it would not take all summer. Perhaps she could visit the Moon Senshi on Pluto.
She used to have a simple goal, to be Mamoru's bride. She wasn't ready to think about anything like in her new relationship, despite what some of her dreams implied. She pouted her lips and lightly tapped her pencil on her desk.
"Usagi-chan, I have to cancel the plans that we made yesterday," Minako said with a lot of enthusiasm. "I have to go to the studio to sign contacts."
"I understand. Have fun Minako-chan," Usagi tried her best to display a bright smile. She was happy for Minako but she wasn't used to being on her own so much. In the past she would have spent all of her extra time with Mamoru. She hadn't talked to him since she first awakened as Neo Queen Serenity. Everyone is moving on and Usagi felt stuck. "We can do something later in the week or on the weekend. I know how important this is to you."
"Thanks Usagi-chan!"
Seiya noticed Usagi looked a little down. "Are you okay Odango?"
"I'm fine," Usagi tried to reassure him. "You should get going so you're not late for rehearsal. I know that you're really busy preparing for your tour."
"Rehearsal can wait a little bit, it's not like they can start without me," Seiya said in a playful tone.
"It's okay Seiya. Really. We can spend time together later this week," Usagi tried to encourage him to head to practice. Normally she would have loved to spend a few extra minutes with him. But she wanted to be alone to process everything.
"Let me walk you to school tomorrow," Seiya stated, trying to figure out when he would be able to spend more time with her. His schedule was pretty packed after school for the next several days.
"Sounds good," Usagi said with a smile. Seiya and the other Lights left with Minako a few moments later. The smile quickly disappeared from Usagi's face. She touched the pendant on her neck for a few moments. She always wore the necklace in case she was called back to battle. Usagi slowly gathered her things and she was the last student to leave the classroom. She collected her shoes and walked out of the front gate. She wanted to be a million miles away. She gradually walked forward with her head down. Her head snapped up when she realized as Sailor Cosmos she could do just that. For the first time in the past few hours, she smiled a genuine smile.
Neo Queen Serenity inhaled deeply as she walked around the palace grounds. She felt better after restoration of some of the living quarters. There was still a lot more that needed her attention but she wasn't ready to do everything at once. There wasn't a need to fix it all right away.
She paused outside of the prayer room, reflecting on the last conversation she had with her mother inside this room. There wasn't a rush for her to take up residence on the Moon. But somehow, just being here calmed her.
She walked out onto the balcony to stare at the Earth as she had done countless times in the past. The Earth looked so peaceful from here, just as the Moon looked peaceful from the Earth. A bright star to her right caught her attention. She turned to look at the bright star. It wasn't a star, but rather the planet Venus.
Venus. When was the last time she was on that planet? She did not have a recollection of being on the planet or in the palace. It gave her an idea. She wanted to explore the different plants in the solar system. She debated if she wanted to explore the planets on her own or with the respective princesses of each planet. It was a decision she would make at a later date. The Queen smiled, she had a goal.
Seiya stretched his arms up in the air as he exited the studio. His eyes widened when he witnessed a shooting star heading to Earth. He became alarmed at the sight until he began to realize the object was slowing down and heading to the Juuban District. He looked at his watch and decided it wasn't too late to make one more stop before he retired for the evening.
Thirty minutes later, he stood outside a familiar house. Usagi had seemed down at school and he wanted to check to make she was alright. He also wanted to confirm the shooting star he witnessed was Usagi returning to Earth and not something or someone else.
Seiya knocked on the front door. He waited a few moments before Ikkuko came to the door.
"Seiya-kun, I'm surprised to see you here this evening," Ikkuko said in a surprised tone. "Usagi just came home a little while ago." She let him into the home. She was too tired to be star struck this evening. "If you want to talk to her for a little while go ahead but not too long. It is a school night."
"Thank you," Seiya said, gratefully she would let him visit for a little while at 8pm at night. "No more than an hour," he assured her.
Ikkuko nodded her head. Seiya took off his shoes and began to head upstairs to see Usagi. He paused outside the door, thinking of what he would say to her. Was he nervous? What did he have to be nervous about? He knocked on the door.
"Just a minute!" Usagi said from the other side of the door. A few minutes later, Usagi came to the door still in her school uniform with a hair brush in her hand. Knots were everywhere in her long hair, no longer in odangos.
Usagi's jaw dropped. She did not anticipate he would visit her so late at night. "Seiya… what are you doing here?"
"Is there anything wrong with visiting you?" He teased her. "You seemed a little down at school today; I wanted to make sure you were okay. Thought I'm a little surprised you're still in your school uniform."
Usagi raised an eyebrow at Seiya to remind him he was also in his school uniform. He looked down at his uniform and laughed. "I see your point." He laughed. "I saw something among the stars a little while ago and it looked like a shooting star that landed in this direction."
"Yeah…. I decided I want to go to the palace for a little bit today. There is still a lot of work to do. Every now and then I go there," Usagi said slowly. She resumed brushing her tangled hair. "Uggh…" Usagi groaned trying to avoid her brush being stuck in the knots.
Seiya chuckled. "I guess I never realized how long your hair is." He took a few steps closer to her trying to figure out how he could be of assistance. "Anything I can do to help you?"
"…no…" Usagi pouted she was about to retort that Seiya didn't know what it was like to have long hair and stopped herself. Her brush became stuck halfway down her back in an area she couldn't reach.
Seiya burst out laughing.
Usagi flailed her arms behind her back trying to grab her brush in vain. It was impossible for her to reach. "Okay… maybe I do need some help." Usagi waited patiently for Seiya to help her.
"Hmmm…" Seiya said, lightly pulling on the hairbrush. "Wow… this is stuck quite a bit." He carefully began to untangle a small section of her hair that was wrapped around the brush. "This might hurt a little bit…" He began to pull a little more and was able to free the brush. He was about the hand the brush back to her but decided against it. He gently began to brush her hair. "You would only get the brush stuck again with the knots."
"Hey!" Usagi retorted back. She was about to whip herself around to face him but then she remembered she would only end up yanking her own hair. She crossed her hands against her chest. "Just try to not to pull it too much."
They didn't talk for a few moments. "Odango…several strands of your hair seem to be either white or silver…"
"Yeah… I've been noticing that the past several weeks, ever since I became Neo Queen Serenity. I guess I'll eventually have white hair all of the time. It is going to weird…" She thought back to the version of Neo Queen Serenity she had seen in Crystal Tokyo years ago with blond hair. "Maybe… it also has something to do with being Sailor Cosmos…" she pondered.
"Why would that change things? It's not like you…" his voice trailed off when he recalled she knew what her future was supposed to be. "Sorry…" He said softly and continued to brush her hair.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. Change is good," She said with a smile. She waited patiently for Seiya to finish. A few moments later he was done; her hair was finally free of knots. He handed her hairbrush back to her. "Thank you…" She walked over to her dresser and placed the brush on top. She turned around to face him her hair cascading to the floor. "Sometimes I wonder if it is too long." She shrugged her shoulders. "How was rehearsal today?"
He was surprised by her question. "It was fine… just long. Taiki wrote a new song we are working on… we seem to have a slight difference of opinion on a few of the lyrics. But I'm sure we will figure it out soon. Minako-chan signed all of the contracts today. Afterward she realized she still needed to tell her parents. She is old enough to make her own decisions but… she's not sure how to tell them what she decided."
Usagi raised her eyebrow. "I'm sure they will be fine. She is starting her career and it is something she has talked about ever since she moved here from England." She sighed. "Everyone seems to have summer plans already." It was clear she was disappointed.
"You still have plenty of time," Seiya said, trying to comfort her. "I'm sure you will find something fun to do. Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he mentally kicked himself. "Right you have a kingdom to rule… but that isn't for a while."
Usagi smiled. "I am going to work on the palace for part of the summer but I don't really have many goals past that."
"I'll help you come up with some," Seiya said.
Usagi smiled. "Maybe I'll travel a bit… see what is beyond this solar system."
Seiya's face became serious. "Odango that could be really dangerous."
Usagi pouted. "I have these new abilities and I want to be able to do more with them. I can travel among the stars and to the other end of the galaxy in span of a few moments. You can't tell me you don't enjoy the feeling Seiya."
He couldn't argue with her. "How able if we talk about this later? I was hoping to spend some time with you for a little while." He walked over to her and held her hands in his. "I've barely been able to see you these past couple of weeks outside of school and I can only imagine how difficult it is for you."
"It has been a little rough…" Usagi slowly admitted. "But it is important to you and I want to do what I can to help."
"You're always more concerned about others more than yourself," Seiya held her tightly in his arms.
Minako slumped down in her seat. She looked miserable.
"Minako-chan, are you okay? I thought would be ecstatic after signing the contracts yesterday." Usagi was caught off guard by Minako's gloomy mood.
"My parents freaked out yesterday. They are under the impression that I am touring with three guys and no one else. I tried to explain to them there will a large group of people traveling with us but they seemed to be focused on the idea that I'm the only girl going. They are threatening to kick me out of the house if I go on tour after graduation. I'm not sure what to do."
"Throw you out…" Usagi repeatedly slowly in disbelief. "There has to be something that can be done for them to feel better about you going on tour. You can't be the only female on the tour."
"Usagi-chan! That's it! It's a brilliant idea!"
Usagi stared at Minako in an utter loss of words. "… what is?" She blinked a few times, still not understanding what Minako meant.
"If you come with me, I won't be alone and I know they will be okay with it! My parents love you. I'm sure the other won't mind and then you've be able to see Seiya-kun."
"…" Usagi's jaw dropped. She didn't know how to respond to Minako's proposition.
"I'm sure they would understand and wouldn't mind!" Minako didn't wait for a response and ran out of the classroom to look for the other members of the Three Lights.
Usagi stared at the empty chair in front of her. She still hadn't completed processed everything yet. If she was able to go with them, it would solve several of her issues. She would be able to see Seiya more, she could explore new places, and have summer plans. Then there were her parents. She wasn't sure how they would react even if she was traveling with Minako. She didn't want to get her hopes up. Normally she could be trying to pursue this new idea but with her abilities as Cosmos she could appear on the other side of the Earth within seconds. Before she knew it, she began to daydream of what it would be like to be on tour with the others.
Minako sat down in the seat next to her. "I don't get it; I thought Seiya-kun was going to walk you to school today."
"He did but he had to talk to the school about rehearsal and make up work," Usagi explained. She looked at the clock, "He should be back soon."
Several minutes passed before Seiya and Yaten returned to the classroom, only moments before the teacher. Minako pouted and knew she would have to wait until lunch.
Minako slowly watched the time tick by anxiously. As soon as the class was dismissed for lunch, Minako stood in front of Seiya's desk. "I think Usagi-chan should come with us on tour. I really think it would smooth things over with my family." Minako boldly stated to Seiya.
Yaten overheard the conversation and sharply turned his head in their direction.
Seiya was surprised by her sudden request. He was more surprised that Minako made the request and not Usagi. "It is something I was thinking about…" He turned to face Usagi. "What do you think Odango?"
"I… er…" Usagi wasn't sure how to react. "… won't I be in the way?" Usagi stammered.
"Odango, I don't ever want you to think that you are in the way," Seiya said with a hurt expression on his face. "We will have to practice a lot at each new venue but I think it would be a great idea. You can keep Minako-chan out of trouble."
Usagi's face began to brighten until she thought about telling her parents. "I not sure how my parents would react…"
"Absolutely not!" Kenji told his daughter. "I'm not going to have to run around the world with some boy."
"I'm also going to be helping Minako-chan. She needs my help," Usagi tried to reason with her father.
"Dear…" Ikkuko said placing a hand on her arm, "She is old enough to make her own decisions. Even if we don't agree with them. What are your plans after graduation Usagi? Are you going to get a job?"
"I… well I'm sure working with tour could help me find a job when I get back. How many people would say they traveled with a band on an international tour?"
Kenji wasn't buying it. "No Usagi. You have to focus on your future."
Usagi sighed. "But I'm never going to have a traditional future dad."
"What do you mean?" Ikkuko asked, not understanding what Usagi meant.
"I have spent nearly the past four years saving the Earth time after time as Sailor Moon. I already know what my future will be. At some point… I have to resurrect the rest of my former home on the Moon and be its Queen. But before that, I want to enjoy the time I have left before I take on those responsibilities."
"What do you mean return to the Moon?" Kenji eyed her suspiciously.
Usagi debated for a moment how she could explain it to her parents. "It would probably be easier if I show you." Usagi touched her pendant and without a word, Tsukino Usagi was replaced by Sailor Cosmos. She walked over to her parents; she needed them to understand what her future would entail. "I've always wanted to show you this place." The three of them disappeared in a flash of light.
Ikkuko blinked her eyes slowly as the light faded. She rubbed her eyes. Once they began to refocus, her jaw dropped. She was no longer standing in her living room but on a pearl white marble balcony. A blue orb in the sky caught her attention. She focused on the object and her eyes widened. It looked like Earth. She gasped loudly when she started to piece things together. "Usagi… are we…. Are we…." She couldn't bring herself to look finish the sentence.
Kenji was speechless. He tried to form a coherent sentence but was unsuccessful.
"Yes it is the Earth," Sailor Cosmos said, walking over to the balcony. "This is one of my favorite places in the palace."
"I remember you told us, you were once a Princess on the Moon but I never imagined…" Ikukko said in awe.
"Well… I'm actually not a Princess anymore…" Sailor Cosmos closed her eyes and her body began to shimmer. Her fuku lengthened to a floor length dress. The star on her forehead was replaced with a crescent moon. "During the last battle, my powers awakened as Neo Queen Serenity." She smiled at her parents. "Welcome to the Silver Millennium."
Kenji finally found his voice. "So this is what you meant, not having a traditional future." He was finally beginning to understand. "So you're saying you will one day return here, permanently?"
"Yes…" Neo Queen Serenity said softly. "I wanted you to understand what is in store for me. I have to be ready to defend the Earth."
"I just don't want you to have your heart broken," Ikkuko responded with concern. "Does Seiya-kun know all of this?"
"Yes…" Neo Queen Serenity said trying to determine how much she should reveal of Seiya's true self. "He is aware and he's given up a lot already for our relationship… he left his home to be here."
"But the Earth is small and it is easy to travel with the resources he has," Ikkuko said, not understanding what Usagi was really telling her.
Kenji looked at the Queen closely. He was able to read between the lines. "His home… is that far away…" He didn't need to elaborate.
Neo Queen Serenity closed her eyes and slowly nodded her head. She didn't have to say anything more.
Kenji sighed. It was time to negotiate. "I know that if you wanted to, you could travel back and forth all the time?" He looked back at the Earth. "It felt like seconds passed between standing in the livening room and being here."
Neo Queen Serenity smiled and nodded her head.
"Then you will be expected to see us at least two times a week and one of them will be for dinner. And you have to pass high school." He began to understand the gravity of the situation. Usagi was an adult and should be able to make her own decisions. She was asking for permission rather than doing whatever she wanted. She had the ability to do anything she wanted. She would never have a traditional future. He looked over at his wife. Ikkuko nodded her head.
Neo Queen Serenity smiled widely. "Thank you." She hugged both of her parents tightly. "I'm so glad I don't have to hide this part of my life from you anymore." A few tears escaped her eyes. She felt a sense of relief to have everything out in the open. "Let me show you my kingdom."
The next hour was spent walking around the palace. The Queen enjoyed showing them the palace and answering their questions. Her voice became serious, "You can't tell anyone about this place. The Earth isn't ready to know of its existence yet."
"Of course," Ikkuko said. "I don't think anyone would believe us even if we told them."
Neo Queen Serenity giggled and covered her mouth with her hand. Her mother was correct. "There is one other favor I wanted to ask, Minako-chan's parents are struggling with letting her go on tour. Can you talk to them? But they don't know she is a senshi. You are the only one's parents to know the truth."
Makoto and Minako entered the classroom the next day. Minako ran over to Usagi and hugged her. "I don't know how you did it, but your dad somehow convinced my dad it was a good idea!"
Usagi smiled. "I'm glad everything worked out." Knowing that Minako wouldn't have issues with her family, she could finally let everything sink in. "We're actually going on the tour…" Usagi said gleefully. "I can't believe it!" She began to jump up and down.
Makoto smiled. This was the Usagi she expected to see. Things were finally starting to return to normal.
A month later, Usagi looked up at the Moon out of her window during the first snow fall of the season. She smiled. Everything seemed to be gradually falling into place. She was happy. She just wished everyone could get along. Setsuna had not returned yet. She was still helping the Moon Senshi. She rarely saw Haruka, Michiru, or Hotaru. They were still keeping their distance from her. She didn't want to sit back and do nothing anymore. She needed to find a way to bring everyone together in one room.
"I just want everyone to get along Luna," Usagi said breaking the silence.
"I'm sure they will come around at some point," Luna reassured her. "They might just need some more time."
"But how much time should I give them? It has already been several months. I want us to be a united team. I know at some point, Earth will be in danger again and we are stronger when we work together."
"That is true Usagi-chan, but I can't help but believe some of them feel like they are not needed after your new powers awakened."
"…" Usagi knew Luna was correct. "It's not like that. I still need them. I can't do this alone." She stared at Luna. "How can I bring everyone together?"
A knock on Usagi's door interrupted them. "Usagi, you have to help us set up the Christmas tree!" Ikkuko voice rang from the other side of the door.
Usagi looked at Luna and smiled.
Usagi looked around the room. The Inner and Outer Senshi, The Three Lights and Mamoru all came to Rei's shrine. It was the first time they were all together since the final battle against the Death Phantom. She wished Setsuna would have been able to come but she was at a critical point with the Moon Senshi and was unable to leave. She wished the Moon Senshi would have also attended but that would be for another time. First she wanted the other relationships to mend.
Things were awkward at the beginning. No one knew what to say to Mamoru other than to ask him about his studies. Small talk was made between Michiru and the Three Lights about concerts and tours. Hotaru spoked mostly with the Inner Senshi. At Michiru's insistence, Haruka wished the Three Lights luck on their upcoming tour.
Usagi watched the group making small talk. It was a start. It would take time and she never expected everyone to become best friends but speaking terms was an improvement.
Usagi's smile faded. The carefree expression she bore moments ago was gone. She turned her head to the side, in the direction of the door leading to the outside. "Someone is coming." She stood up quickly rushing to the door. An eight pointed star flickered on her forehead.
The symbol on Usagi's forehead caused alarm to the others in the room. The mark also gave them a sense of dread. They followed behind Usagi without another word.
Usagi stood outside in the courtyard, ignoring the light snow falling. Her eyes focused on the stars. Her right hand clasped the crystal pendant around her neck.
Seiya reached her first. "Odango, what's going on?" Seiya asked, as he stood next to her. The others weren't far behind them.
"They will be here any moment," Usagi responded, her eyes continued to stare at the night sky. As if on cue, three shooting stars pierced through the night.
Taiki gasped. "Is that…." His voice trailed off. The stars seemed to be heading toward them.
Yaten's eye's narrowed. He had seen this before.
Haruka took a few steps forward, anticipating an attack of some sort. She wanted to be prepared. Michiru stood next her. She raised her arm above her eyes to shield them as the light became brighter.
"So much for a holiday party," Makoto said grimly. She assumed their time of rest was over. She glanced over at Minako, Rei, and Ami. The other girls all bore similar expressions to herself, concern of what was to come next.
Mamoru stood there silent. He is still frustrated by his lack of power compared to the others and now it seemed he would have to call upon his limited abilities.
Everyone shielded their eyes until the light began to dim. Seconds ticked by while the light slowly decreased.
Three familiar figures dressed in black stood before them. Sailor Star Protector turned her attention to the Three Lights, "You have to return to Kinmoku with us immediately." It was clear from her tone this was not up for debate.
What's going on Kinmoku? Find out in the next chapter as the new arc is beginning!
Act 41: Homecoming
Thank you Kikis87 for all your help editing!