Chapter Text
Under the Red Moon
Sailor Senshi Mini Bang 2020
Epilogue
Blush Red
***High Queen Serenity***
The moon was red-hued as she stepped across the surface and peered at the planet that seemed like a marble on the horizon. She had waited and watched, silent and alone, for many long years for a perfect series of events. All her efforts had been focused on the battle her daughter had just faced a few nights before, and the long awaited fulfillment of the ancient prophecies.
“My Queen,” a soft voice came from her left and Queen Serenity turned to look at the specter of her husband and Soulmate, Pontus, who she had lost several years before Metalia turned Beryl to her will.
A cry of delight escaped as she ran for him, reunited at the last. “Pontus, oh Pontus, how I’ve missed you!” she wept.
“I’m here,” he whispered, his ghostly fingers trailing down her neck.
Serenity clung to him at the last, when her spirit was finally free to join the others she loved so much. She, like King Endymion, had stayed behind, waiting for this day, but now they would both be free to move on to the next life, which was finally possible with the curse of Metalia broken.
His voice was hardly more than a whisper as he said, “Let’s go home.”
As a parting gift, Serenity swept out her arm and let the light of her own soul fly across the heavens, waving goodbye to the young ones she had watched, and loved, for so long. Then she turned and followed Pontus into the next realm.
For the first time in over a hundred-thousand years the moon in the sky was empty and devoid of life. The trapped spirit of the long forgotten Queen was free, reunited with her love, and ensured that she would soon be reborn in a world with a much brighter future.
***High King Endymion***
Many long years had passed. Years when a silent king roamed the earth, his spirit unable to pass into the next life until the prophecy was fulfilled. Tonight, with the red moon high in the sky, King Endymion walked the beaches of Tokyo, his eyes drawn to the crowd of youngsters laughing and splashing one another on the beach.
In particular, Endymion, the High King of earth, and not the first to bear the name, watched the young man who was the reincarnation of his beloved son. He had been with him, in spirit, through all the trials and tribulations of his life, and knew the pain resting in the heart he tried to hide. His young son had faced such horrible loss.
Looking at young Mamoru, and what a fitting name that was, one couldn’t tell he had been unhappy most of his days. Mamoru now had his arm around the waist of Usagi, Serenity’s reincarnation, who was giggling as she tried to stuff seaweed into his pockets. The look of love and adoration on her face, and the blissful happiness on his spoke all the words that the King had wished to hear.
Soon he would be moving to the next life, and he would be ready, knowing that they were safe, happy, and together. As soulmates should be. He had lived no more than a half life since his wife had died, taking their unborn daughter with her. That day was the worst of his life, even more than the end of all things. Still, his daughter had been reborn as well, and was currently throwing sand at a boy who stared at her adoringly. And his wife would soon be in his arms. How long would it take for the moon to reach it’s fullness in the night sky? He could no longer wait to see his other half.
“Endymion, I’ve come.”
Spinning on his heel, Endymion wept as he caught his first sight of Demeter in well over a thousand years. “Wife,” he managed to choke out, and then she was running for him and in his arms and everything was right with the world again. "Oh Demeter!"
"I've missed you," she breathed onto his cheek, and though she was nothing more than a ghost, as he was, he felt the warmth of her breath and the feel of her hand in his. "You can come home with me."
"Yes, my love," Endymion whispered, lost in her eyes. "One more gift," he said, bending to touch his hand to the grass along the edge of the beach. There a tiny sprout lifted up from the ground, spearing up towards the bright red moon. The tree would grow healthy and strong, unharmed by wind or tide, and would be a beacon of light and hope to the young future rulers of the solar system.
Then Endymion wrapped his arm around Demeter and kissed her soft cheek. His spirit passed on into the Cauldron without another look back. She was with him, and that was all that mattered now.
***Luna***
Luna felt a sudden shiver race down her spine. Looking up, she could see the moon, high in the sky, at it’s fullest. She knew that in that moment the Queen had moved on. A tear formed in her eye. She could not weep fully in her current form, but she began to sing a melody without words. She remembered it well, for she had heard it once before, when king Pontus had passed. It was the song of Serenity and Pontus’ Soul-Bond, and it would go on forever.
“Are you alright?” Artemis asked. He nudged against her and followed her gaze to the sky. “We knew they would finally be free,” he said softly. “They will see their soulmates again.”
Luna swallowed and turned to look at him. “Then I’m happy. Tonight love has won. Love and hope have the victory. But what will tomorrow bring? Metalia was evil, true, but her presence kept other monsters at bay. What will come after her?”
“I don’t know,” Artemis said. “Let the kids have tonight. They’ve earned it.”
Luna chuckled. Not only had they all agreed to tell their parents everything, but the young warriors had come to them earlier in the day and said they wanted to continue training, just in case. They were certainly entitled one night when they could just be teenagers in love. But if they didn’t behave themselves she and Artemis would kick their butts.
“I can’t wait to see Usagi when she gets back,” Luna admitted. “She’s been dreaming of Mamoru for so long, without much hope until recently. She needs to just be a girl for a night.”
“I was thinking,” Artemis said, and Luna almost snorted when she noticed he was blushing, “the kids aren’t the only ones who deserve a night of fun. I thought we might go on a date of our own.”
Surprised and pleased, Luna agreed. Taking one last glance at the sky, and a moment to say goodbye to a woman she had truly loved and respected, Luna hopped down off the railing and followed Artemis into the house. Usagi’s bedroom was a mess, but for once Luna didn’t think about scolding her little blonde charge. She was too busy wondering where Artemis wanted to go for their date.
***SailorSilverLadybug***
Far away, in a land vastly different from Tokyo, a middle-aged woman set down her cup of hot chocolate and leaned back in her chair. The work was done, the story told, and her characters were safely on precious dates that would begin a life of love and joy for each of them. She pondered the young heroes and all the things that would come for them in the days that followed. She was overjoyed to return Minako's parents to her, and to laugh when she wrote all about how Ikuko and Kenji already knew their children's big secret.
Life was good for her characters. Not so much for those who weren't in the pages of her story. The cold air raced by the house, making a whistling sound through the trees. It was quiet outside. Many people were staying home, unable to heal the way heroes in the stories did. She wished she could write happy endings for everyone, but she knew that wasn't possible.
Instead, she looked out the window. Taped near the top, on computer paper she had grabbed hastily, was a poorly-drawn figure of Sailor Moon, her hair slightly lopsided and her arms fading into nothing. It wasn't a good likeness of her favorite young heroine, but it still made her smile as much as it had the day the inspiration had hit her. For our middle-aged woman had been writing one afternoon, months before, when she had remembered an often forgotten detail about Sailor Moon's first transformation. She had a mask.
At the time, she had giggled, and raced to grab her colored pens and pencils. She had scribbled out the drawing in less than an hour, while her husband had rolled his eyes at her silly tongue poking out of her mouth while he played tug-of-war with one of the dogs. But our middle-aged woman had been inspired, and when she held up that drawing to show her husband, he had smiled and nodded in approval and asked that she hang it in the window where everyone could see.
The drawing wasn't like the others she had made of Sailor Moon over time. In this drawing, Sailor Moon was wearing a pretty face mask over her mouth and nose, and over her head were the words, "Be a Hero. Wear a Mask."