Sailormoon Neo: #9 - Sono Unmei wa Utsukushikatta - Futatsume no Hanabira ga Ochiru - That Fate was Beautiful - The Second Petal Falls - By: Janelle Jimenez (miaka@bishounen.org) Official Webpage: http://www.sailormoon-millennia.net/ [http://bishounen.org/smmillennia/] "Karei-chan! Will you PLEASE entertain your brothers and sisters!" Rei called up the stairwell, her voice sounded irritated, but it sounded more like she was pleading. She had a very important dinner party to host in just under an hour, and her children decided that today was the day they'd throw temper tantrums and do other annoyances. This dinner party was for prospective investors for her husband, some of the guests were friends of Rei's. The famous racer Tenou Haruka, the world renown violinist Kaiou Michiru, the owners of the world-wide franchise 'Jupiter's Moon' Morino Masato and Morino Makoto. Also, fashion designer Meiou Setsuna and of course Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion. "Sure thing, okaa-san!" said Karei cheerfully, she called downstairs to her sisters, "Megumi-chan! Niji-chan! Come up to my room, we can play a game!" Moments later she heard two young voices giggling and running up the stairs. The first was the second oldest in the family, Megumi, who was ten. She was a very precocious girl who endlessly asked questions. Following was her sidekick, Nijiko. Nijiko was the quietest of the five Hisakino children. She was also doted upon, however, that didn't make her anything but even more shy than she was. Niji loved her big sister Karei, she felt proud to be able to tell people that the beautiful girl who sometimes picked her up from school was her sister. The two girls stormed into Karei's room, "Why's mom want us up here and not down there?" Megumi asked, she was rummaging through one of Karei's desk drawers. "Because you are being pests." Karei smiled, Niji hopped up onto Karei's bed. Megumi pulled out a picture of a handsome young man from Karei's drawer, "OOH! Who is this BOY? Is he your boyfriend?" Megumi demanded. Karei smiled again, "That's Aoikawa Shinji, isn't he cute?" Karei answered. "NO! He's a BOY, he's GROSS." Megumi said flatly before gently replacing the picture where she found it. "How about I read you guys a story?" Karei suggested glancing at her extensive manga collection. Most of it was Shoujo romance stories, the only exception was her collection of The Star Team. "Read this!" Megumi exclaimed pulling out tankubon (volume) 9 of The Star Team, on the cover was a drawing of several females dressed in skimpy Sailorsuits. Karei laughed inside, she knew that was hardly the kind of uniforms they wore back during the 20th century. "I love historical stories." Megumi said with a happy sigh. Karei grinned and opened the volume, "Last time in volume 8 of The Star Team, the Outer Stars had just informed the Star Soldiers that Shizuka Chou-chan was actually the Kurai no Miko (Dark Priestess) Star Saturn.." Karei read, she paled slightly. History did repeat itself at times. Just then, the door burst open and two figures wearing sheets for capes jumped in. In their hands were several weeds pulled from the garden, the boy on the left threw one at Megumi as he shouted, "TUXEDO STAR!" Megumi stood up and tossed the limp weed aside, "I absolutely will NOT forgive you! I am the Pretty Soldier Star Moon! In the name of the Moon, I will hurt you!" she shouted and threw a pillow at one of the masked boys, "STAR MOON SPARKLE LOVE ATTACK!" "Genjuuro, Seijuuro...what are you doing?" Karei asked addressing her twin brothers, both of them were nine years old. "Pretending we're Tuxedo Star. He's the only decent one in that stupid story." Seijuuro replied, he was older, so the more dominant of the two. "It's not stupid! It's a true story! And he does not shout out his name when he attacks!" Megumi exclaimed in the defense of her favorite manga/anime. She was probably the biggest fan of Star Moon, and it's not every day that the biggest fan gets to have the lead voice actress as a mother. Karei smiled, if only she knew that Okaa-san was Sailormars and her sister is Neo Sailormars, she thought. "Well, why don't you guys stay in here and leave Okaa-san alone... what do you want to do?" Karei asked closing the book. "Umm, well...why don't you just finish reading that? Not because I want to hear it or anything, just to make Megumi-chan happy." Genjuuro suggested, he stuck his hands into his pockets, trying to sound apathetic. Karei smiled again and reopened the book. Genjuuro and Seijuuro took their seats on the floor with Megumi while Niji sat in Karei's lap. Karei cleared her throat and began to read, "Last time in volume 8 of Star Moon, the Outer Stars had just informed the Star Soldiers...." (Notes: The Star Team, of course, is an anime which was based on the Sailor Senshi who defended the earth during the 20th century. Rei is the voice for Star Moon. Star Saturn's real name, Shizuka Chou, means Silent Butterfly. I put Star Moon into this fanfic mostly to either parody the popularity of the show, or to blatantly make fun of it. ^^;) * * * * A beautiful aqua-haired woman stared back at Michiru. Michiru set her Deep Aqua Mirror down. She was sitting on the couch of her living room, behind her was the kitchen. Haruka walked out, dressed in a suit and attempting to tie her tie. "Michiru, help me with this thing." Haruka said, Michiru smiled gently and walked over to Haruka, expertly tying it. Haruka noticed Michiru's mirror lying on the couch, "Is something amiss?" "I was just wondering, how long has it been since we transformed?" Michiru asked. Haruka looked up and pondered for a moment, "I'd say maybe 300 years, when we thought that Hotaru was Mistress 9, that was the last time. For everyone else, ever since Usagi became Queen." Haruka answered, "I often wonder why everyone else lost their power to become Sailor Senshi, but us two." "Maybe it's because we're...." Michiru began and trailed off, there was a smirk on her lips. "Michiru! What are you saying?" Haruka exclaimed, half in shock and half in embarassment. Michiru smiled slyly, "Maybe it's because we're not married." she replied. Haruka laughed and shook her head, "By now we have to know that the simplest explanation is never the reason." "I was thinking that maybe we've been kept as Sailor Senshi for a reason...Rei, Minako, Ami and the rest...maybe the reason they could never transform, even though they had the power of the Senshi within them, was because they had children to pass it on to." Michiru answered. "But, it isn't hereditary..it's destiny to become a Sailor Senshi." Haruka pointed out. Michiru nodded and sat down, "Maybe it is our destiny to stay as Sailor Senshi forever, to always protect the Earth and Serenity and all her descendents." Michiru said. Haruka looked out the window, "What brought upon all this thinking about our destinies?" she asked. "Neo Sailorsaturn left the Sailor Team, Haruka. She destroyed her transformation item. She was the only one who could destroy the enemies they fight now. They were barely able to handle them in the beginning, but now they're getting more difficult. Granted we aren't anywhere near as powerful as Neo Sailorsaturn, together we're more powerful than any of the Neo Sailor Senshi." Michiru answered. Haruka was quiet, she was gazing out the window again. She turned around and looked at Michiru intently, "Then maybe it's time we became Sailor Senshi again.." * * * * Vandium glanced at Technetium warily. Since Thulium's death, Queen Rage had ordered that Technetium be sent on every mission. Technetium was an inhuman creature, literally. It didn't have a brain, only a program. It was a robot taken with Rage from her world, an amazing machine. It could give blows which could kill in a single shot, however it had a very little defense. A slightly significant hit would send it reeling and damaged, but in just a few seconds it would heal itself. But Technetium was so fast and strong, that it rarely happened that anyone got a hit strong enough to cause damage. Vandium looked down at the Hisakino Household. Queen Rage had informed him that two people were going to be attendance, Tenou Haruka and Kaiou Michiru. Their duty was to kill Tenou Haruka. Vandium never knew how Rage always knew what events were taking place. She claimed that she remembered them, but that didn't make sense. It was obvious to him that she had some sort of Watcher, a crystal ball, or maybe perhaps she could see events in her mind. "Target. Located." Technetium said suddenly. Vandium cringed at his voice, it was so mechanical, not natural..it disturbed him. "Wait, don't attack yet. They might be expecting us. Queen Rage-sama said that they were very dangerous, they must know that they are being watched. It looks like there is going to be a party, it will lower their guard. We'll attack when they leave." Vandium ordered. Technetium mechanically nodded his head up and down, "Affirmative." * * * * "Michiru Oba-san!" Karei exclaimed and gave the familiar aqua-haired woman a hug. (Note: Michiru Oba-san is something close to Aunt Michiru.) Michiru smiled, "Hello there Karei, you're growing more beautiful every day." she said. Karei blushed slightly and looked around, "Where's Haruka Oji-san?" she asked, (Note: Haruka Oji-san is like Uncle Haruka.) Michiru looked around as well, "Oh there she is, she's with your father talking about how she won the Indy 500, I'd bet." Michiru said shaking her head gently. "Are you guys going home soon?" Karei asked, the party had gone very well. Hopefully, her father would have five new investors. Karei hardly ever saw Michiru or Haruka, they were both on tour so much. This was the first time in a long time that they'd been home. "Unfortunatly, I'm sorry I didn't get to talk to you more today, but I promise we'll do something tomorrow or later this week, or shop or something." Michiru answered. Karei smiled happily, Michiru was her favorite of all her mother's friends. They had the most in common, she thought. Last time Michiru was here, Michiru taught her her special technique in painting. Now everything that Karei painted looked almost professional. "That sounds great, Michiru Oba-san." Karei smiled. At that moment Haruka walked up by Michiru, she looked tired. "Ready to go?" Haruka asked, yawning slightly. She looked at Karei and ruffled her hair slightly, just like she did when Karei was a child. "Oyasumi nasai (Good night), Haruka Oji-san." Karei grinned and gave Haruka a hug. She opened the door for both of them, Haruka and Michiru walked out together. Karei stood in the doorway waving to them, suddenly a dark feeling passed over her heart. An image flashed before her mind. Blood. Death. "ABUNAI (Watch out)!!!" Karei shouted, Michiru turned around quickly and her eyes widened. "HARUKA!" Michiru screamed, she ran towards Haruka and shoved her forcefully out of the way. By now Haruka was wide-awake, she looked up in surprise and caught Michiru in her arms. "Michiru, what's going on?" Haruka asked, Michiru slowly raised her head, her eyes filled with pain. Haruka choked on her words, her hands came in contact with a warm sticky substance on Michiru's body. She brought her hand to her visionary range. Blood. Karei's mouth hung open in silent sobs, she reached blindly for the door knob, throwing it open, "OKAA-SAN!" she screamed and ran inside of the house. Haruka lowered Michiru to the ground, it was obvious now what had happened. She had been impaled in her back by a long dagger-type object. However, the object was nowhere to be found, only a deep wound. Michiru weakly opened her eyes and opened her mouth, "Har.." "Don't talk, don't move. The ambulence will be here in a moment." Haruka whispered, "Haruka...don't give...don't give up until you've won..." Michiru urged, she cringed in pain again. Haruka's eyes were flooding with tears, "Stop talking." she said forcefully. Michiru shook her head slightly, a distant smile forming on her lips. "Haruka...remember...remember long ago...when I said that 'Life without Haruka...wasn't worth living..?'" Michiru asked, tears from Haruka's eyes fell on Michiru's cheek. Michiru weakly raised a hand to push a strand of blonde hair out of Haruka's eyes. She kept her hand there, "Michiru, please..don't talk.." Haruka begged. Michiru rest her finger upon Haruka's lips and closed her eyes for a moment, she opened them once more. "Haruka...at least...at least I know...my life was worth living.." she said weakly, she closed her eyes. "I love..." she began...but she never finished, her hand fell to the ground limply. Haruka remained motionless, in shock. Moments passed, nothing happened, several cherry blossoms flew by Michiru's body. Haruka squeezed her eyes shut, tears falling out of them and wetting Michiru's blouse. In the distance she could hear the wail of the sirens on the ambulence racing towards the house, it made her tears fall harder. Haruka pounded her fist to the ground, in an anguish tainted voice, her screams cut the silence, "Michi..Mich...MICHIRU!!!!" "Damnit, we hit the wrong one." interrupted a cold voice in the air. Rage filled Haruka's eyes as she heard the words. She looked up to the location of the voice, the roof of the Hisakino household. "KISAMA! What do you mean YOU HIT THE WRONG ONE?!" Haruka screamed. Vandium waved his hand at Haruka apathetically, "She got in the way, YOU were our target." he said coldly. "Well, how does it feel to have YOUR love taken away from you?" Haruka's eyes narrowed, anger burned inside of her...she'd kill them, kill them all... "I will NEVER...NEVER forgive you for this." Haruka shouted, she held her hand out and a blue wand appeared. She grabbed hold of it and raised it to the sky, "Uranus Crystal Power...MAKE UP!" *** To be Continued ***