We're Almost to the End
“Minako!” A girl’s voice called out to her. “We’re going to be late!” Makoto ran past her down the long hallway wearing a sleeveless pink gown that was held up by silken straps tied behind her neck, the ends trailing softly down her exposed back.
Rei came up from behind her and pulled on her right arm, dragging her down the white halls, the brown haired girl already out of sight. “Of all days, Minako…..” her voice trailed off.
Minako tried to grasp her surroundings. She didn’t know how she found herself in the hallways of the Moon Palace. The last thing she remembered she was outside-
“You’re not going to wear that are you?” Rei asked, looking over the blonde haired girl as they ran.
She looked over at Rei and noticed that she also wore a pink colored gown that seemed to flow around her body as if it had a life of its own. The front of the dress was layered so that the gown seemed to wrap itself around the raven haired girl. Then she looked down at her arm being held tightly by the girl in front of her and noticed that she wore her sailor fuku, her once white gloves were now stained a coppery brown. Interesting, she didn’t remember falling -
“We’re never going to make it if you have to change first. It’s too late now though.” They stopped running as they reached a set of tall white doors. Rei pulled on the large silver handle and shoved Minako through. She stumbled as her orange heels caught on the carpeting, but righted herself when a strong arm reached out and caught her from her right side. Kunzite stared down at her, looking handsome as he was dressed in his Shitennou uniform and ceremonial armor. They started to walk slowly down the red lined carpet. Panicked, Minako turned her head and looked back to see Ami behind her wearing the same pink dress as Rei, only her dress had longer sleeves to it. Next to her stood Zoicite, who was dressed in similar armor to Kunzite’s. They followed at the same slow pace behind her and Kunzite, arm in arm, whispering to each other as Minako had often seen them do.
“It’s ok, Minako,” Kunzite whispered reassuringly to her. “We’re almost to the end.”
Her eyes looked up at his not understanding what was happening. As she looked around she noticed rows of benches surrounded their walk way, several hundred sets of eyes watched them passing by, their faces were a blur. What was at the end -
“Smile my Princess,” Kunzite whispered before kissing her cheek and giving her a gentle shove to the left. Serenity smiled softly, wearing a flowing white dress. The other Senshi came to stand next to her, all watching as their paired Shitennou took their place at Endymion’s side. For a moment they were all together again. But why would they have been lost to -
“Endymion and I are married now,” Serenity whispered to her. “I never want to be apart from him again, and now I won’t have to be, we’ll be together here forever.”
Here? Where was here? Endymion reached for Serenity and kissed her. Minako watched them for a moment as they parted and stared into each other’s eyes. She looked out to scan the crowd but found that everyone was gone. The rows of benches that once held hundreds of spectators were now empty. Confused she turned back to Serenity but found she was alone at the altar. What was happening? Where did everyone go? What was she missing?
She ran over to the exit on her left and pulled the door open, cautiously stepping into a pitch black room. A loud creak could be heard as the door fell shut behind her, trapping her in the vast emptiness. Her hands reached out around her, trying to find anything, and gasped when another hand grasped her own tightly, their fingers becoming securely intertwined. Kunzite stepped in front of her and somehow they became illuminated in the darkness.
“We’re at the end now, Minako.”
The end? Words would not come to her as she allowed herself to be embraced by him.
“I’m sorry that it happened this way. I love you.” He kissed her and a single tear rolled down her cheek.
“Minako,” a voice called faintly around her. She would not allow herself to be released from Kunzite’s grasp despite the familiarity of the voice calling to her. The magic that illuminated them slowly faded out until there was nothing but darkness.
“She’s gone, Artemis,” Luna whispered softly to the white haired man kneeling over the form of the still blonde on the ground. Blood surrounded her small frame, her white fuku and blonde locks stained by the sticky substance. The fighting surrounding them had come to an end once Queen Selenity called upon the awe-inspiring power of the Silver Crystal. Luna and Artemis had gone in search of the Senshi but were horrified to find that one by one each had been mercilessly killed. There was nothing left of the Moon Palace, it’s once beautiful essence was now tarnished by the same evil that blackened out the blue planet the Princess had been so infatuated with. The only thing that was left of this serene civilization was the two advisors from Mau and their dying Queen. Only the soldier of death with her blessed glaive of silence could end all of their suffering now.
“We’re at the end now, Minako.” Tears rolled from Artemis’s eyes as he kissed his charge on the forehead one last time. “I’m sorry that it happened this way. I love you,” he whispered softly as he stood up slowly, allowing Luna to wrap her arms around him sympathetically. They looked once more at Venus’s body, taking the time to glance at the silver haired Shitennou who laid at her side, his blood intermingling with her own. His hand had clasped tightly around her’s, their fingers securely intertwined.
Luna looked up to Artemis with sad eyes. “We need to go to Selenity, we’re almost to the end.”