A.N:
Um. Here you go. Stuff builds up. People have been emailing me
wanting me to take this into modern day Tokyo. But... I don't know. I
don't think I've "rewritten" the plot too much, and I think modern day
Tokyo would go the same as we've always known it from Naoko's manga.
Anyway, this looks like it will be the second to last part... ;)
On a Wing and a Prayer
Part Seven: Doshite? (how, why)
By Antigone
It took so much effort, so much bone-aching strength just to open
her eyes, and even then there was nothing to see. The room blurred and took
form before her half-lidded bright eyes, dark through her thick eyelashes.
Serenity would have moaned, probably, if she had the energy. She
ached all over and felt so frightened, and alone. There was something thick
and invisible in her heart, a thread that pulled the power of the crystal and
lead to Endymion, to always keep him safe. She did not know when that bond
formed... when she had saved his life the first time, when she had first
pressed her rain-drenched lips to his, when she had looked into his eyes and
promised him life above her own? It all blurred together in Serenity's mind,
it was all she had to think about while she lay here, each heartbeat a
struggle.
All she could think about.
Endymion.
She was too weak to protect him now. What would he do?
Images haunted her at night, behind her eyelids Beryl laughed and
Endymion bent to kiss the evil woman's hand. Beryl was different somehow...
her green eyes black, and horns adoring her bony shoulders. And the princess
remembered screaming to Endymion, a different name, one foreign to her lips,
but her voice was still choked with love and fear and...
And she always woke up screaming, if not out loud, in her mind,
while the candlelight flickered and her friends watched over her side.
Most of all, some selfish, heartbreaking thought fluttered around
the outside of her introspection, lightly touching on all thoughts that entered
her mind. Princess Serenity was dying, she knew it in her soul and it chilled
the carefree child deep inside.
She didn't want to leave him. To never see Endymion again, or
feel his heart beat with hers. She didn't want to leave her friends, to miss
Jupiter's easy smile, Mercury's soft voice or Mars' quick sense of humor.
Serenity did not want to see the light leave Venus' eyes, or never feel her
mother's soft kiss on her forehead at night.
She didn't want to say goodbye.
She didn't want to die.
Tears burned her eyes but Serenity lacked the strength to sob.
The stubborn little girl inside her stamped her foot and dug in
her heels. I refuse to die!
'Hold on...'
~~
'Hold on,' The thought was the only thing burning in Endymion's
mind as he stumbled onto her balcony as night bloomed over the moon, 'please,
tenshi...'
It took him three tries to grasp the handle to the doors, feeling
dizzy and disjointed, and so light. His fingers finally closed around the
crystal knob, and the door pulled out, a soft warm wind trembling the sheer
curtains and obscuring his view of the room.
Endymion quickly walked through them, getting used to the change
in gravity, and ready for any guard or senshi who might have stood in his way.
Ready to challenge, ready to beg. Anything.
Slowly, light as a ghost dancing away, the white fabric of the
curtains fluttered over and out of his vision, and he could clearly gaze around
the candlelit room.
It was nearly empty. Huge, curtains and mirrors, bookcases and
pretty glass things, all spread before him in varying shades of silver and
white, illuminated with a strange blue light from the Earth. Doors led to
other rooms in her chambers, other balconies, servants quarters, guest beds,
but none of that interested the tortured prince who stood illegally in the room
of his political worst enemy.
Darting eyes fell finally on Serenity, laid out like a corpse on
the silken pillows and soft white lace blankets of her large bed. For a moment
Endymion felt his heart freeze almost painfully in his chest, she was so white
and still. Although he finally saw her chest rose and fell shallowly with each
struggled breath, the pain in his eyes did not abate.
Hesitantly, he made his way over to her bedside, eyes never
leaving her ashen face. How could this possibly be the same girl who had
laughed to joyfully in his arms? How could this have happened to someone so
undeniably and incredibly wonderful?
Unable to resist, he had to touch her, he ran graceful fingers
over her cool forehead. She stirred slightly, and something inside Endymion
broke, shattered, and his face crumpled as he pulled her too-light body into
his arms.
There was warmth, something golden and life giving, something that
finally, finally allowed Serenity the strength to fully open her eyes and
steady herself into Endymion's crushing embrace. Blue-silver orbs fluttered
open and small hands made their way, weakly, to broad shoulders, pushing ever
so slightly so she could look deep into grief-stricken cobalt eyes. Her soft
fingertips touched his damp face. The feel of his tears, hot against her skin,
made her own eyes water slightly.
Her voice, airy and quiet with lack of use, murmured through dry
lips.
"Am I dreaming?"
~~
On Earth, there are places hidden in shadow, that the silvery
moonlight cannot reach, that the darkness covers and hides, where evils
converge and dark power is strong beyond belief.
In one of these places, a hollow cave of dripping water and echo
of the underworld, Beryl knelt, long hair streaming behind her, no longer
gleaming with the red highlights she was so proud of as a vain lady of the
court. Her hands were clasped together, long red nails digging into her own
flesh, purple-hued lips curled into a sneer. Her lips moved soundlessly, her
face locked in a grimace, her body humming with pent up evil power.
A footstep sounded behind her.
Dark lashes lifted and Beryl blinked a few times, slowly, a small
smile grew on her face, eyes gleaming a shocking black-red.
"Yes?" She turned.
Endymion's generals stood there, gray-clad, in a perfect line.
Kunzite had his white-gloved fist pressed to his heart.
"We await your orders, Queen Beryl."
Perhaps Beryl would not have sought Metelia had her jealously not
triumphed over her human soul, yet perhaps Metelia would not have chosen Beryl
if she did not sense Beryl's weakness for power, for Endymion. Metelia already
knew the secrets of the moon kingdom, of the magical place where angels dwell.
And wanted it. Had always desired it. And now she had found her way, through
Beryl and the ancient magic of teleportation that had remained unknown to the
Earth people for centuries upon centuries.
Outside the cave her troops stood. Row upon row of thousands of
soldiers, ready, tall, proud, and born of the Earth weeping beneath their feet.
~~
At Serenity's hazy question, Endymion seemed to snap back to
reality, pulling away from her slightly and gently releasing her back upon the
bed.
"Go-gomen," he said shakily, "have I hurt you, at all?" his eyes
seemed, if possible, to grow even more anxious and miserable as he brushed her
hair back from her face ever-so-gently.
She shook head, thin eyebrows knitting slightly, dismissing his
concerns. Again, her fingertips found their way to his face; slowly running
over the streaks his dried tears had left behind, "Iie. I am not hurt," for a
moment her lips shook, caught between a brilliant smile or a heartfelt sob,
"how can I be anything but wonderful if you are here with me?"
Before her tears could win the battle, he leaned in to kiss her
softly, his lips barely brushing her own, taking care to be gentle. He tried to
pull away, when with surprising strength her slim arms wrapped around his neck,
unwilling to let him go. She pressed her lips to his desperately, tears
already leaking out from her closed eyes. 'Iie. Iie, aisuru, you cannot leave
me.' Her hands dug into his shoulders. He was her strength; she was recovering
so quickly now that he was here, and couldn't be close enough to him…
Weakened by the time spent separated, Endymion did not resist as
she pulled herself closer to him, he didn't even try. His arms tightened
around her, and he murmured her name into yards of silken hair before her hands
guided his lips to hers yet again.
For a few long moments nothing was spoken between them, everything
confusing and horrible in their lives was forgotten. Shuttering with her
sudden returning vitality, Serenity took triumph in every heartbeat pounding in
her ears, every breath that wasn't a struggle, every movement she could make so
easily. Yet there was something still wrong, something impure and extremely
frightening balled inside of her… the dark energy she had absorbed deep inside
her. But, for now, she felt so safe in Endymion's arms… she kissed him again,
and then rested against his chest, shutting her eyes.
Breathlessly, he leaned into her embrace, for a moment letting a
ghost of a smile rest on his lips for a few seconds. "You are supposed to be
sick."
She shivered a little, "Hai, demo, I feel better," then one blue-
silver eye opened, blinked dark lashes and widened in shock. Pulling away from
him, the Princess worked her mouth for a few moments before she whispered in
horror, her face a mask of fear.
"How did you know?"
And he knew he had to tell her everything. And quickly.
For a moment fear filled Endymion like nothing he had ever felt
before. The desire to keep Serenity safe clouded his mind as it never had in
times past. To see her sitting before him, so small and pale, hair down and
falling around her, white nightdress slipping off one thin shoulder, gorgeous
eyes wide and looking at him as if she dreaded the news she knew he had to tell
her… oh, god, should something happen to her…
She had risked her life just to keep him safe, this perfect person
before him might have ceased to live if only to save his pathetic existence.
How could he ever have let that happen? She mustn't be hurt, not now not ever.
How was he supposed to look her in the eyes and tell her his
people were coming, bent on destroying her kingdom, her home, and everyone she
held dear? What could he say to that?
Nothing, he realized as he took her gently into his arms,
preparing to warn her of the impending attack, nothing but the promise that she
would not die.
She would never die.
'I swear it.'
~~
If her sickness had made her pale before, now she had gone
completely white, her eyes wide and the lightest color they had ever been,
nearly completely silver in the fading earthlight.
"Selene save us," she whispered after he had told her of all the
danger approaching her. Approaching them. "This is all my fault," she
murmured, eyes falling to her hands, thin and so small, how could these hands
of hers have destroyed her own kingdom? How could hands so small save them?
"Iie," Endymion said, forcefully, his voice heavy, "No, Serenity,
it is not your fault. It was not us."
He pressed his lips to her forehead, still kneeling next to her
bed as she sat there worriedly. "It was not us."
Serenity lifted her eyes to his, the blue reflecting into them,
fading them to soft blue. For a moment a time stilled.
"Nothing this pure and perfect could have caused so much evil,"
his eyes locked onto hers, searching, drowning.
"But-"
Endymion cut her off with a quick shake of his head, "You made me
believe in goodness and magic and love and… how… how could that cause anything
but peace?"
Serenity tried to lower her eyes but found she could not tear her
gaze from the impossibly blue eyes beseeching her from beneath dark lashes.
"I should never have gone to Earth."
The words were in her throat, resting just on her tongue, but her
heart and soul would not give her the breath to say them. She loved him, and…
she could not regret that.
"I broke a lot of rules to come here to you tonight," he murmured,
"I understand your guilt. But my kingdom is lost," here his voice wavered,
true pain clouding his eyes. His kingdom, his life, how… as prince… could he
have let his happen? How could he have possibly stopped it?
For a few moments of silence the two lovers could just stare at
each other, each feeling the hollowness deep inside with the knowledge of their
birthright and the responsibilities they bore, and all they risked.
"Were we wrong?" his voice was hoarse, and it was her turn to
comfort him.
She kissed him, softly, slowly, taking her time as she pulled away
to meet his eyes. "No. I'm not sure how I know, but I know," she pressed her
hand over her heart, "this could never be wrong. Not in a million years."
Blue eyes warmed slightly, he ran the back of his hand across her
cheek. Turning her head, Serenity brushed her lips against his fingers, for a
minute the sensations of silk skin, warm breath and the softness of the hair at
the nape of her neck traveled up Endymion's arm until he felt he couldn't even
see straight.
Gathering her into his arms, he kissed her, returning the energy
she had given so she would never loose him to Beryl. She responded with the
desperation of someone who knows everything might be coming to end all too
soon.
Serenity pulled back suddenly, falling backwards into the circle
of his arms, and he tumbled onto her bed in the unfamiliar gravity.
Breathless, he looked her questioningly for a moment, and she
reached up slowly to brush some wayward black hair away from his eyes, her eyes
meeting his in the light of the last few hours of the night.
"Stay with me," she implored him.
"Forever," he said huskily, and then they both lost themselves in
another soul searing kiss.
~~
"Tomorrow night." Mars stood, hands behind her back and clasped
together to keep them from trembling horribly. "They attack tomorrow night,"
the psychic's purple-hazel eyes did not meet the gazes of the senshi gathered.
The girl felt responsible for not seeing this sooner, not stopping this while
she could have. How could she have been so blind? How could she not have…?
Sensing Mars depression, Venus put a hand on her shoulder, waiting
patiently until the priestess raised her gaze to her leader. Then, light eyes
into dark, Venus smiled. "This is not the time for blame," the girl said,
showing wisdom beyond her years.
Mars nodded, eyes falling back to the floor.
"Tomorrow night," Jupiter murmured, and all eyes turned, slowly,
dreadfully to the rising sun, "it is now day. They attack tonight." Her
correction threw the senshi into silence.
All knew this might be the last sunrise they'd ever see; yet none
could force the words out through the lumps in their throats.
"Minna," Mercury's soft voice was the first one heard a few
minutes later, jumping with kept in sobs, "I… I just wanted to say, well, tell
you how much you mean to me," she lifted her head, meeting all their eyes,
proud of her words and unashamed of her tears, "you are my best friends."
Mars lifted her head, and Venus reached for Mercury's hand,
Jupiter's arm around the smallest senshi's shoulders.
"I'll never for-I mean, I-" A blush stained Jupiter's face
slightly, "I'm not good at this sort of thing," she muttered, but at that
moment, in her friends' embrace, it didn't matter.
"I would gladly fight for you all," Venus said, her voice ringing
strongly in the room, "as I would the crown. My friends," here even her voice
suffered as she choked back sobs.
Four gloved hands grasped each other's as the senshi stood in a
circle, facing each other, eyes proud and full of love for each friend and
sister connected in an ancient show of loyalty.
"For the crown of the moon," Venus said.
"For the pride of our heritage," Mars added.
"For the future of our children," Mercury said,
"For a million more sunrises on the kingdom of the moon," Jupiter
said.
"For our people, our princess, and our friends," their voices rang
out together, their pledge heard by no one but themselves and the rising golden
orb christening the sky with its light. It still had quite a journey across
the star-studded sky before it set that night, the final time it would set on
the lovely kingdom of angels.
~~
Venus hurried across the hallways in the early morning, her
footsteps hardly making a sound. The attack might not be as surprise as the
Earth would like it, but they still had such little time to prepare. Already
the people of the moon were as busy as the proverbial beavers, running around
like a hive of bees, panic and fear as heady in the air as stress and
discouragement.
And the Princess was sick.
And the Queen was nowhere to be found.
And Endymion disappeared completely from any surveillance they
could find.
And the Earth attacked in less than 12 hours.
This did not bode well.
She had a feeling her sudden urge to burst into uncontrollable
gales of laughter was a side effect of rising hysteria.
"Venus!" Only one person had a voice that melodious and beautiful,
yet commanding and wise.
"Your majesty!" Venus turned on her heel, and knelt before the
taller woman.
"Rise," the Queen said, her voice uncharacteristically rushed, "I
assume everything that can possibly be done, is being done?"
Venus nodded, her eyes stayed on the ground, for she was terrified
of seeing fear in her Queen's usual confident gaze.
"My daughter," Serenity said, after a moment, "is recovering."
At this, the senshi's head bolted up, and she looked at the
crystal the Queen held suspended in the air above her flawless palm.
It glowed and pulsed with the normal light, no abnormalities or
spurts. A small thread of power still wound itself around Princess Serenity's
heart and body, and always would now that she had tapped its power, it would
always be in her, keeping the darkness at bay and draining her until she
eventually died from its effects. The Queen explained this to Venus, who found
it difficult to breath from the confusing it caused her.
"So she's still…dying…?"
The Queen was silent for a moment, "She chose to do what she did,
and when we win this war, we'll concentrate on saving her. Right now, however,
she is safe for some time." Relief was evident in her voice, although her face
was that of someone just discussing political business on a causal day.
It was unspoken law, a Queen first and a mother second. Yet Queen
Serenity had always held such a fondness of her little daughter, and it was
times like this, her face stoic but her eyes full of tears, that it really
showed.
"Serenity," Venus murmured, her mind filled with thoughts of her
friend, "thank se-" suddenly the senshi cut off her thoughts, her face pale.
"Oh my gosh! Serenity!" And the girl turned so quickly her boots
slipped on the marble beneath her as she turned in a flurry of blonde hair and
ran to her Princess's chambers.
'How could I have left her side all night?'
~~
It was still early morning, and the entire kingdom moved as if
they could hear the ticking of the clock counting down until doomsday. Mothers
and children were locked safely behind palace walls, while men and women, from
farmers to market people, prepared to save the Queen and kingdom they held so
dear. The army, guard and senshi swallowed their fear at being dreadfully
unprepared and outnumbered, and drilled and planned and hoarded even as the
clock struck seven in the morning.
Yet of all the emotions predominant that day, there was one
unshakable feeling of sadness that rose above all else. The Earth, that
beloved, loyal orb they lived only to protect… was the focus of all the
destructive powers they had.
How could they ever raise their arms against Earth?
Yet how could Earth betray them so?
There were tears and there were worries, and there was questions, oh so
many questions, but one simple word said it all: Doshite?
~~
Okay, email me now.
::Antigone taps her fingers impatiently and checks her watch::
;)
(
geocities.com/element_sprite)