DRACO
It was later that evening, and it was pouring.
I was sitting on the balcony, just sitting and staring and thinking.
Shelby had finally gotten his own apartment, but all of a sudden I heard him saying…
“You know, if you keep leaving your door open, people are gonna break in?”
I turned around and he was standing in the doorway.
“Oh, hi.” I said, and gave him a smile. Wasn’t a very good one, I was sort of depressed.
“Okay. Spill it. Something’s up, isn’t it?”
“No, I’m just thinking.”
He came over to the balcony. “About what?”
“Nothing, really.”
He shook his head. “No excuse. I know you too well to fall for that.”
“Well.. it seems kind of stupid.”
“It’s not stupid if it gets you that depressed.”
“How would you know?”
He grinned. But it that kind of pressed, strained grin. “Voice of experience.”
“I’m just thinking about how badly my life has been screwed up.”
“It can’t be any worse then how mine’s been.”
“You’d be surprised.”
“Try me.”
I stood up and paced around the balcony.
“Well, I spent the first twelve years of my life being sent to orphanages in three different countrys, until I was twelve and finally allowed to live on my own, so I move to Tokyo.”
He nodded.
“So then, since I have no friends, no family… heck, I don’t even know my own true name, I stay in my apartment, and this cat starts hanging around the complex.”
He nodded again.
“And so, pretty soon I start feedin’ it and stuff, and one day it starts talking to me.”
He nodded. “Draco.”
“Exactly. And I think you can pick it up from there.”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“So,” I asked, “I told you mine, what’s your deep, dark secret?”
“Well,” He said. “That’s the reason why I was the one saying you were dead from after the fight while everyone else was still searchin.”
Okay. This I had to hear. I nodded.
“When I was maybe like six or seven, my brother died.”
“Yes?” I nodded.
“Well, I was there. With him. Well, not exactly. I was in the same area. But I couldn’t see him, couldn’t tell anything about when or where he was.”
“Oh.” What was I supposed to say?
“And for the longest time after, I kept holding out hope that he was alive somewhere. And well, I never really cared for another person, afriad that, well you know. And then I met you.”
I nodded.
“And when- I was just thinking of when he died, and how it was.. I didn’t want to go through it again.”
I nodded. “I understand.”
We spent just a few minutes relieving our thoughts and staring out into the rain.
“Hey Shelby?”
“What?”
“I’ve been thinking. If our lives are this messed up, what were they before?”
“Predicatable?”
“I guess. But it just seems weird.”
“Yeah. But I guess that’s how life is sometimes. Although I wish it wouldn’t do things like this.”
“Yeah.” I agreed. “I mean, this past chapter has been really sappy.”
“Yeah. But I guess Vicki just needed some sappiness in here somewhere.”
“Don’t let her hear you.”
“Do I look like I care? Oh well, forget about it.”
NeoConstellations Chapter Four
You know, life never stops bothering you.
Like now.
I was running down the street to Serena’s house.
Knocking on the door, shoving my way past Serena into the house and telling her some vitally important information.
“Serena! Look! Get your head out of your comic books and look!”
Draco had been cat-napped.
“What the! Lunaaaaa!”
“What is it, Serena, did they cancel the latest Sailor V movie?”
“Noooooo! Look at this!”
Serena grabbed the paper away from me and shoved it toward Luna.
“What? Draco’s been cat-napped by the Omega Constellations?”
“Yes!” I said. “And they still think I’m dead.”
“Oh. Well that’s good. Why did you run down here? They could see you!”
“Oh well! We’ve got to rescue Draco!”
Luna sighed. “Alright.How?”
“They say they want information on another Sailor Constellation!”
“Well, why don’t we give them one? Or two, perhaps?”
“WHAT?”
“Well, Serena, Tori, you two use the LunaPen and iRoPen to disguise yourselves as Sailor Constellations. And then we’ll get someone to ‘deliver’ you to the Omega Constellations. And won’t they be surprised when Sailor Moon and Pegasus show up?”
“Yeah…” I said. “Luna can deliever us.”
“Merrrrrow!?? What are you thinking?”
“Well, Draco’s your cousin. You’re closer to her than I am… was. So, you want her back.”
“You’re a genius.”
“Shall we do this now?”
“But shouldn’t-“
“Yes!” I said. “Let’s do it now. Right now.”
“Yeah!” Said Serena.
“Disguise Power!” Shouted Serena.
“Disguise Power!” I shouted.
“Turn me into…. Sailor Libra!”
“Turn me into …. Sailor Capricorn!”
“Whoa! I look cool as Sailor Libra!” Said Serena.
“Come on! I said. Let’s do this. Luna, get between us.”
“Millennium Crystal Power!”
“Moon Crystal Power!”
“Sailor teleport!”
A few minutes later we were standing in front of Gemini.
“Try to look evil!” I hissed at Serena.
“I am!” She hissed back.
“Luna.” Gemini said. “And, I suppose you want Draco as fair trade?”
“Of course.” Said Luna. “And I’m willing to give up Libra and Capricorn.”
“Well, you’re even giving me Zodiac Constellations, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Draco’s worth it.”
“Well then…. I suppse you may have her, if you so wish.”
“Fine. Give her to me.”
He pressed a few buttons on a keypad.
Draco appeared and ran to Luna. Of course she recongized me and Sailor Moon, but she didn’t show it.
“No strings attached.” He said. “Now, go!”
She dissapeared along with Draco.
I sighed. It was up to us.
“Excuse me, sir?” I said.
“Yes?”
“There’s something you need know.”
He raised one eyebrow. “And that is?”
Here goes nothing. I thought.
“It’s a private matter. Could you please close off this room?”
“Of course.”
He pressed some more buttons.
“There. Now, what were you going to say?”
“That, Gemini, your luck has run out.”
Before he had a chance to say anything, I knocked the controls out of his hand.
“Millennium Crystal Power!”
“Sailor Libra” followed my lead. “Moon Crystal Power!”
“What the?”
“Hah!” I said triumphantly. “Thought you’d gotten rid of me, didn’t you Gemini?”
“This is a hoax.”
“ I am Sailor Pegasus, leader of the Constellations and defender of the law, I shall always triumph of all evil that I fight and protect those who are hurt by injustice! In the name of the constellation Pegasus, I shall punish you!”
“I hate saying that.” I continued.
“I am Sailor Moon, the champion of justice. I shall right wrongs and triumph over all evil, and that means you, Gemini. In the name of the Moon, I shall punish you!”
“Nice speeches.” He said.
“Gemini, it’s two to one, where the rooms sealed off. You have nothing and we have two Silver Crystals.” I said.
“Why should I listen to you?” He said. “You’re dead.”
“Well then, how I can I prove I’m not?”
“Just try something.”
“Okay.” I said. “This is going to be fun.”
I punched him sqaure in the jaw.
“I always wanted to do that.” I said.
He winced. I smiled.
“That prove it?”
“Yeah… that proves it.”
“Now, Gemini, are we talking terms or are we talking nonsense like we have been?”
“Terms.” He winced again.
“Good.” I pulled out my star communicator… “calling Shelby, Zodiac Constellations Delta, and Draco.”
Sailor Moon pulled out her communicator. “calling Inner Sailor Scouts, Luna, and Artemis.”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“Think maybe this is a little too excessive?” I asked Sailor Moon.
“Maybe… but go ahead.”
“Get to Gemini’s now. We sort of need you.”
“But…” Said Draco.
“Come.” I said, and logged off.
Shelby was the first one there. “I had a minute.” He said.
I was not impressed with his humor.
Lita came, and transformed into Sailor Jupiter.
“This is taking too long.” Said Gemini.
“You.” I said, taking one step toward him and raising one fist, “Are the one who is risking his life by talking.”
“Yeah…” He said.
“So, shut your big mouth!” I shouted.
He started to say something, and then shut himself up.
“Good.” I said. “As long as we’re clear about that.”
When everyone got there, Gemini finally gave up and so we dragged him around with us.
Shelby said something that Draco disagreed with.
“I’m a talking cat, and as a talking cat, I feel that I have things to say.”
I headed off to find Cassiopeia.
MEANWHILE….
CASSIOPEIA
I looked at Leo like he was insane.
“I’m a talking dog, and as a talk-“
“SHUT UP, LEO!” I yelled. I didn’t want him bothering me.
“-woof.” He finished meekly.
“That’s better.” I finished.
“You’re sooo mean!” He said quickly, “I’m not doing anything for you any-“
I held up a dog biscuit.
He stood and begged.
“Hmm..” I said. “…wonder how these things taste?”
PEGASUS
Cassiopeia was chewing on a dog biscuit.
I got her attention real fast.
“Cassiopeia,” I said, “I know pets and their owners are supposed to have a special bond, but that’s just taking it too far if you ask me.”
“Pegasus!” She gasped. “No! You’re dead!”
“No I’m not.” I said.
“Of course you are! I saw you! You’re dead!”
“I repeat: NO I’M NOT!”
“Yes you are!”
“NO I AM NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Anyway…
Cassiopeia and Leo ended up surrenduring.
This went on for awhile.. .
So finally we had them all up together and surrounded. And they sort of knew that and gave up temoraily.
In short, they surrendered, if only temporarily, and we were now considering what to do with them.
One option was to simply illiminate them.
They didn’t like that too much and neither did we.
Another option was to destroy the evil inside them with the Millennium Crystal.
They didn’t like that too much.
Another option was to let them go.
We didn’t like that too much.
Finally, we just decided that this storyline had gotten way too weird. It was then that the option of leaving one person with the memories of the group and then sending all of us back to our original destinies and timelines sprang up.
We didn’t like it, but it was the only sensible option.
We choose it.
Draco was chosen to be the one with the memories. We would go back to the exact point in time after the star seed mission and before I took a “little vacation”.
Which ment that Cassiopeia was dead, I never fell in love with Shelby, Gemini never changed so that I felt I never had to take the vacation, and Orion still existed, and Chibi-Canis didn’t.
For me, that meant losing Shelby, the Scouts, and the Zodiac constellations.
For Shelby, that meant losing me and the future that he now had.
For Gemini, it meant pretty good news. Except that he [the way he was] didn’t really exist anymore.
For Cassiopeia, it meant death.
For Chibi-Canis, it meant never existing.
For Chibi-Ursa, it meant nothing but everything at once.
And for Draco, Leo and Hercules, it meant that there would be no destiny for them, no hopes and no dreams, they would dissapear through time to live where they fit in, where no one would question them.
And Sagittarius and I had to do it. The only way was to rejoin the Millennium and Platnium Crystals.
We set the date for right now. Better now then never.
The Sailor Senshi left and the Constellations (and Shleby) were left alone.
I stood to one side, and Sagittarius to the other.
The crystals joined and one by one, they dissapeared.
Until only me and Shelby were left.
“Shelby…” I said quietly.
He shook his head sadly, refusing to look at me.
I was slowly crying.
I knew that I had to, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.
Then, at the same time, we lifted our heads, seeing each other for the last time.
The pain in his eyes matched the pain in mine.
Then slowly, he began to fade.
As did I.
And I forgot everything about him, about me.
The Constellations were no more.
As was I.
Destiny has no meaning…
