"A White Rose, A Red Rose" - Chapter 4
Hello again everyone! This, once again, is Miaka. blah blah
blah, the usual everything,
disclaimers and all.
Disclaimers:
I don't own Sailor Moon, etc., etc. It you want a better
disclaimer they are out there, but not on this page. We ALL know
the disclaimer routine so I doubt you need another one.
And of course thanks to all the people who have complimented me on
the other stories! Expecially Chichiri, Sailor Venus, Sailor
Saturn, Alicia Blade, Melinda, Mareike, and any others that I may
have missed.
Oh, there was this story I was reading once, and I can't remember
the author or the title (yes, my memory is bad), so if any one can
tell me the title and/or author of a really cute story about
Jupiter in which she goes to Rei's school and is haveing trouble
with this guy that she does not like, she volunteers at the
hospital and so does she, oh, and also this is the story in which
she plays the Sailor Moon arcade game and uses the Jupiter
Desperation? Move and is accused of cheating. Well, if anyone
knows what I am talking about, tell me!!!! Nitehawk@silcom.com is
my lovely adress! I really don't mind e-mail!
Now, on to the story!!!!!!! ("Bwa-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!!" - Chichiri)
"A White Rose, A Red Rose" - Chapter 4
Usagi eyed her attacker warily. "Who do who think you are
attacking me like that?!"
she screamed furiously, trying to be intimidating but ending up
giggling. Her attacker
raised an eyebrow and then attacked again swiftly. Thrusting and
parrying swords clashed with expert skill. But despite the fact
her attacker was good, Usagi was the best. With the next move her
opponent's sword was out of her hand and Usagi caught it with
grace and skill.
"Usagi, you are still the best. No matter how hard I work at
this, you will always beat me, in fact no one can beat you."
Makoto laughed as she spoke.
"Makochan, I am not that good, it was just a stroke of luck
that I unhanded you."
Usagi handed Makoto back her sword, "Besides you are really
good, no one can beat you!"
"Other than you." Makoto corrected her laughing. "I have
never beaten you at sword play, and probably never shall either.
But what of it, I can still beat you in hand-to-hand combat."
Makoto's eyes glinted with play maliciousness and Usagi cowered in
mock fear.
"Spare me oh great Makoto, do not threaten me with your fist,
I beg you!" With that both girls were on the ground howling with
laughter.
"Oh . . . my side . . . water! Help!" the girls groaned as
they ran out of breath. All of a sudden the girls were drenched
by a down pour. Looking up, they saw Ami laughing.
"You asked for water, and you got your wish, so wipe those
faces clean and go change, it is almost time for lessons and you
know how Minako and Rei get when you
two are late, it is almost how I would imagine the end of the
world!"
Usagi and Makoto stood up ringing out their soaking practice
clothes "Thank you once again, Amichan, for your kindness to give
us this water, but next time I think a little less would do the
job," Usagi said grinning.
"As you say, my Princess, but do hurry and change, I am not
in the mood to
listen to Rei's ranting about how irresponsible you two can be, it
is like she were the
Princess, you really ought to do something about her, like maybe
take her voice away for a day or something . . ." Ami's words
drifted off as she saw the stunned looks on the faces of the other
two girls. "What, what's wrong?" Ami asked innocently.
"Girl, I never thought you had it in you!" Makoto said
laughing. "But we will hurry, personally I agree with you though,
about Rei."
Usagi rolled her eyes and then turned to Makoto saying, "Bet
you can't beat me back to our rooms!" and then she took off
running.
Makoto took off after her yelling, "Serena, you cheated! No
fair! But I'll win anyhow!" Makoto's voice faded off as the
distance between her and the training room grew.
Ami sighed. "Those two are the closest of us all. They are
so much alike and you can't help loving them both."
Ami turned back to the training room and waved her hand. As
she did so, all the excess water and mess disappeared leaving the
room clean and bright.
@-->-->---
Makoto finished changing before Serena and walked over to her
room entering without knocking. "Come on girl, we don't want to
be late!" More would have followed but she noticed Serena cast a
quick spell of invisibility on . . . what was that . . .a RED
ROSE!
'I better not say anything, after all, the Princess obviously
does not want it seen. But what was it that Minako had said about
red roses? That they were the symbol of some sort of undying love
or something? I had better ask Minachan about it,' Makoto decided
Usagi smiled at her friend hoping that she had not seen.
"So, you ready to go? If we do not get to the library in two
minutes we will be late, and you know as well as I what THAT
means."
Makoto smiled. "Yep, race you there!" This time it was
Makoto that sped ahead leaving her Princess to take the role of
the one offended.
@-->-->---
Minako smiled as she watched to girls fly into the library
and screech to a halt. Rei
looked unamused and Ami did not even glance up from her book.
This was all to much
of a normal occurrence.
"Well, I am impressed, you actually made it one minute early
today!" Rei said sarcastically.
Makoto shot Rei a glance that could kill and thunder began
to crackle above the fire princess head lightning would have
followed had not Serena intervened.
"Makochan, no lightning, I really would rather not have to
give out energy to heal both your wounds today, and Rei, watch
your tongue, we don't need your wise cracks." Everyone stared at
Serena and she blushed. "hee hee, I guess that was a little
harsh, sorry both of you," Serena said, blushing.
"Way to go Serena! Finally showing that you have a
backbone!" Makoto slapped her on the back. All the others could
do was stare. Finally snapping out of it, Minako asked Ami to
begin the lessons.
After the lessons were over, Makoto walked up to Minako and
whispered quietly,
"Minachan, I have got to talk to you about something. Could you
call a break before we
go and train?"
Minako raised her eyebrow. 'Wow, it must be something really
important for her to come to me, she always goes to Serena with
her questions!' "All right Makoto," was all she said. "OK
everyone, let's take a ten minute break and then meet at the
training grounds ready to go, we are training as senshi after all
today." The other three looked a
little startled but accepted it none-the-less.
Walking out of the room, Minako asked, "So, Makoto, what is
so urgent that it could not wait?"
"Mina, what does the red rose stand for?"
Makoto had Mina's full attention. "Undying, passionate,
eternal love. Why?"
"Mina, Serena has a red rose." glancing at Mina she was
surprised to see the senshi of love standing there like she was
paralyzed.
Makoto smiled evilly, if she was paralyzed, there was only
one thing they could do.
-ZAP!-
Mina immediately came to as the lightning hit her. "WHAT?!
SERENA HAS A
RED ROSE?! ARE YOU SURE?!" Not even noticing that Makoto had
zapped her Mina
was immediately screaming.
Clamping a hand over the screaming senshi's mouth, Makoto
hissed, "Calm down! If you scream like that everyone will want to
know what is wrong. Yes, Serena has a red rose, I went into her
room just as she cast an invisibility spell over it."
"We have to tell the Queen, she will want to know . . .
someone must be in love with
Serena . . . where else would she get the rose?!"
"NO! We are NOT going to tell the queen! Serena is hiding
the rose. It is her choice to make whether to tell the Queen or
not and for all we know she could have picked it herself." 'Not
that I think in the least that she did.' "Besides, it is her
honour that we must uphold, she is almost sixteen, she can care
for herself, and I will hurt anyone who goes behind her back or
even raises a pinky to hurt her, remember the rock?"
The last part of the statement was said in mock seriousness
and Minako laughed. "That poor rock, you didn't have to kill it!
No one could even find a pebble after you where through with it.
I feel sorry for anyone who would actually attack Serena. I don't
even want to think about what you would do to a living person!"
"So, I am a little protective, we all are. You have had your
moments as well."
"True . . . but protecting her is what we are sworn to do.
SO I guess I will keep her secret. This is NOT to go beyond our
ears unless it is to the Queen, OK?"
"So be it." With that Minako and Makoto both headed to the
training grounds.
@-->-->---
Usagi loved the feel of the wind on her face as she raced
across the plains with Makoto. The two had always been really
close, but after she became an official guard, she became like a
sister. Serena told her everything, well almost, she had never
told her about Mamoru. In fact, Serena had not told anyone about
him in the thirteen years that she had known him and she wanted
desperately to let someone know.
As the two friends approached the forest, they slowed to a
trot and began to talk. After about a half hour of mindless
chatter, Makoto finally came down to business.
"Serena, why do you have a red rose?" she asked in a
straigtforward manner.
Usagi paled visibly despite the fact her skin was already
pure white. "Don't even try to deny it, I saw it this morning
just before you cast your spell on it."
Serena looked straight into Makoto's eyes as she answered.
"Makochan, I know that I
never told you about the rose, and you are probably angry with me
for keeping a secret
from you, but I have never told anyone about it at all. So what I
am about to tell you, you
must promise never to tell a soul without my permission."
"Promised."
Serena smiled. "You have no idea how good it is going to be
to finally tell someone. You see, I met this boy almost thirteen
years ago, when I was three, and have never told anyone about him.
I have never actually seen him, so I don't know what he looks like
and I don't know where he is from or where he lives, but we seem
to have some sort of link. See, I can feel his emotions, if I want
to I can see his thoughts, though I don't do that one 'cause we
promised each other never to look into each other's minds unless
absolutely necessary. Anyhow, on my twelfth birthday, he sent me
the rose. It was supposed to be white, but it became red when it
went through me, probably because of my love for him. He has
never shown any indication that he loves me, or at least any more
than a brother would a sister, and I have never told him how I
feel . . . "
Usagi stopped short as she glanced at Makoto. Makoto had a
dreamy, far-off expression on her face. After a little while, a
sigh escaped her lips.
Serena began to giggle at the sight Makoto made.
"That is so beautiful Serena," Makoto said sighing again.
"You love him so much and yet you never told him because he has
never indicated that he loves you the same way. No wonder you
keep the rose hidden. The locket is from him as well, is it not?"
"Actually, we made the locket together. It opens only at
our touch and plays music to match the feelings of the one who
holds it."
Serenity took the locket in her hand and gently touched it.
A soft, almost sad melody filled the air as the locket opened in
response. The two girls sat on their horses in silence, listening
to the melody the locket played. It seemed to weave a spell over
them and capture them in its notes. A couple of tears slipped
from their eyes and rolled down their cheeks. When the tune came
to an end, Usagi gently closed the locket and let it drop back
onto its chain where it hung, as always, around her neck.
"You really love him, don't you?" Makoto asked, barely above
a whisper. Fresh tears
gleamed in the Princess's eyes and she smiled, nodding. "Do you
know what color his
energy is?" Makoto asked, suddenly, sitting up straight on her
horse
"Gold, why?" Serena responded, puzzled by her friends
actions.
A bright smile burst forth on Makoto's face and she laughed,
"Serena, we now know where he is from! Remember a couple of days
ago when we had that lesson about magic colors?"
"And Amichan told us that each planet has its own predominant
color . . . "
"That means he is from Terra, or at least has some Terran
blood in him. But Terra is the only planet in the galaxy that is
not apart of the Silver Millennium."
"But there are ambassadors from Terra coming in a few days
to see about making a treaty, and I have to go to every single one
of the meetings." Serena wrinkled her
nose and Makoto laughed.
"But if they do make the pact then maybe you will be able to
go down to earth and find him, it should not be too hard, I would
imagine the pull between the two of you would increase as you got
closer."
"And he does owe me a duel . . . "
"Serena, you plan on fighting the poor man?!"
"Well, we challenged each other when I was five, and he is
the whole reason that I took fencing and archery and all." Serena
looked a little impish.
"I should have known. All this determination and spirit just
so you could beat some guy. Well Serena, I certainly hope he is
worth it, I definitely want to meet him, so can I be Maid of
Honor?"
Blushing bright red, Serena replied, "Don't jump too far
ahead Makochan, he does not even know that I love him and I don't
even know if he even feels for me that way."
"Don't be ridiculous! Every other man that has seen you has
fallen madly in love with you, so why shouldn't he? I mean look
at how many offers of marriage you have had! Every Prince in the
galaxy is after you, including my own brother!"
The two nearly fell off their horses laughing. "Now I know
why you have refused them all, but just remember Serena, if he
ever hurts you just let me know and I will hunt him to the end of
the universe until he pays for the injury." Makoto said joking,
but both of them knew that if it ever did come down to it Makoto
would not hesitate to defend her Princess.
@-->-->---
The next few days were busy ones at the palace as everyone
prepared for the coming of the Terran ambassadors. Rumors flew
that even the Prince and King were coming to see about the treaty
and only a few seemed to know what was true and what was just a
rumor any more.
The Princess and her guard were among those few and they
spent endless hours talking about it, or at least the guard did.
During these talks Serena would usually sit back and just listen
to the mindless chatter. It was rumored that the Prince of earth
and his generals where extremely handsome and the Ladies spent
endless hours preparing
themselves for their arrival.
Serenity stayed out of the conversation for one main reason,
the Prince. Serena had not gone around to every planet in her
kingdom to learn nothing, she had studied diligently and had
discovered that every single planet had at one time or another
joined the Silver Millennium through a marriage to one of the moon
princesses.
So, understandably, Serena was worried. She knew that all
her mothers intentions were good, but when it came down to it her
marrying the Prince might be the only way. . . and she had no
desire to marry some Prince, especially the Prince of Terra.
It was rumored that the reason that the Terrans had never
joined the Millennium prior to this was because they were a proud
and arrogant people who felt that all other races were beneath
them, and by joining the Kingdom not as leader, but as equals was
felt to be below them. But if her mother desired her to marry the
man, she would.
Makoto looked at Serena to catch her sighing and wondered
what was running through her thoughts. She was the only one of
the four guards who did not tease Serena about the Prince, but
then she was the only one who knew that Serena's heart was already
taken, not claimed, but definitely taken. She knew that something
was worrying her Princess and knew it had to be something to do
with this visit, but what? If only this Mamoru guy would hurry up
and make his claim for her, for who could deny the marriage of two
people who had a soul bond, for that is what it had to be. Soul
bonds were rare, but when they happened no one could keep the two
people separated, and Makoto was sure that was the relationship
between her Princess and Mamoru.
@-->-->---
"So, what do you think of the Princess?" Nephrite asked
Endymion with a smile on his face.
The guard had been teasing him endlessly for the last month
about the girl. She was
said to be the most beautiful and powerful woman in the galaxy
despite the fact she was
not of Terran blood. Rumors circulated about the foreign beauty
like wildfire, and no one knew what was true and what was not.
"I have told you before and I tell you again, I care nothing
for this girl. I am sure she will be a fine ruler someday, but I
want nothing to do with her other than business matters. If we
must join the Silver Millennium, so be it, but I don't see what
that has to do with me and the Princess."
"Don't you?" Zoycite asked. "I mean all the other planets
joined the Millennium through marriage, marriage of the heir to
the throne to one of the Princesses, and as there is only one
Princess, you might be required to marry her."
Zoycite would not have spoken had he known what effect it
would have had on the Prince. Endymion heart gave a sickening
lurch and his face turned pale. 'Marry her? I can't marry her, I
love Usako. . . but then I have no claim on her. She has no idea
that I love her and she has never said anything about loving me,
but still, can't marry the Princess, I don't love her. Usako
always said that no one should marry other than for true love . .
. ' Jedite alone knew the cause of the Prince's reaction to the
news and quickly grabbed Endy out for some fresh air.
"Jade, I can't marry the Princess Serenity. . . " Jedite
smiled wryly and answered
"I know what you mean, but if it comes down to it, will you
marry her for the sake of your kingdom?"
Endymion looked sick, "I would, you know I would." The
Prince put his head in his hands and just sat there.
@-->-->---
Well folks, what do you think? Exciting? Boring? So awful that
you think it should just be tossed and never looked at again?
PLEASE tell me. I LOVE E-MAIL AND I ALWAYS RESPOND TO IT! My
address is Miaka2001@hotmail.com. Thank you and God bless you.
(
geocities.com/element_sprite)