Chapter 2: Never Enough.
Luna wandered through the dark grimy alleyways feeling truly lost for the first time in a while. Luna had seen them all bicker and tease each other at times argue too. But this? Where had this come from?
Unbeknownst to Usagi, Luna had already been lurking around the temple grounds long before Usagi came, she'd seen and heard every single word yet she did not hint Usagi in on her presence, too fixated on the words being spoken in the room.
She'd seen the tears that had flown down her princesses face before she ran off. She felt overwhelmed - she didn't know how she felt. She'd contemplated on confronting the Senshi or running after Usagi. She'd decided on the latter, but of course, things never quite turned out as one hoped or planned.
xxx
Luna paced back and forth, uneasy and unsure of what to do. She was unaware of all the noise she was making. Others weren't so unaware.
Luna was so lost in thought that she did not hear the speaking within the room once more resume.
"Do you girls hear that? Or is that just me?"
"Eh, probs just the wind. Didn't know if should wear my mini skirt or not because of it...cause it's quite small, ya know? Still wore it though. And I have no regrets." A voice giggled.
Someone snorted, "Not surprised, that's so typical of you Minako."
"Hmm, no. it doesn't sound like the wind, it's more of a gentle tapp- wait, is that scratching?!"
Luna's long nails had started to drag along the wooden flooring.
Shuffling was heard before the temple's door was swung open with a resounding bang.
Luna squawked in alarm.
"Luna.." Rei stared at the Mau cat with wide eyes, a small sliver of panic creeping up her spine.
...How much had she heard? SHIT. Shit. Shit. Shit. she did not know how she would deal with Luna's expected wrath if she'd heard every single word of their conversation.
"What are you doing out here?"
At this Luna raised an eyebrow, "You called a meeting, did you not?" she deadpanned. She had a plan.
"Ah yes, we-"
"You can tell me exactly what you girls were discussing once I'm inside," she scowled. "I'm freezing and i'd appreciate if you didn't keep me waiting."
"Of course, forgive me Luna-chan. Come inside, come inside, i have warm milk and cookies…" she trailed off, watching the black cat in trepidation. The Mau cat proved to be alarmingly unpredictable at times, she seemed...okay right now, besides a little agitated but that could easily be from the cold weather. Luna hated the cold. She suspected Luna hadn't actually heard anything or she at least hoped she hadn't. She imagined Luna would be ballistic if she had - she was undeniably loyal to Usagi, no matter how much she might argue with her at times.
Luna strutted past her, tail raised high, into the warmth of the temple, where all the girls sat cosy in blankets with cups of hot drinks and baked goods.
"What was it Re-?" Minako paused as she saw Luna walk into the room. "Oh." she said.
Glaring slightly at her, Luna walked past her and sat near the fire, relishing in its warmth.
"Hello Luna." called a soft voice, she turned to look at Ami who smiled sweetly at her. She wanted to claw that smile right off her face. Instead, she reluctantly returned the smile and hummed in response.
"So, uh, what were we discussing again girls?" Rei started, looking around at all the girls, hoping that one of them could think of a reasonable lie, but Luna wasn't having it.
"None of that." she stated sharply. "I know exactly what you girls were on about. I-"
"We can explain!"
"Its...its um, um, er?"
"Hear us out."
"QUIET." Luna shouted. "Calm down girls...i'm...i'm not mad at you, as surprising as it may be." No, i'm absolutely appalled.
"What?" Ami asked in clear shock.
The girls waited in anticipation for Luna's answer. They'd expected the exact opposite from Luna. Luna who while sometimes disgruntled at Usagi's behaviour and bad habits, was also undeniably loyal to Usagi.
"No, i'm afraid I have to agree with you, though it saddens me to admit it. Usagi held so much potential, and yet she wastes it. She does not appreciate the power she holds, she is not mature enough to be a leader, she is irresponsible, often lazy, a slob, she's thick, she finds it difficult to grasp basic concepts. She is ungrateful and unworthy of the power she holds. She is to put it simply, a disappointment."
The girls stared at Luna with wide eyes.
"Well, I for one could not have said it better myself. I always told you lot she didn't deserve any of it. But did any of you listen? Nooo ...it was always Usagi this and Usagi that. I for one am glad you've all finally come to your senses. We'll all be much better off without that lazy dumpling clinging onto us and holding us back. Thank goodness and good riddance." Rei ranted.
Luna barely managed to conceal her rage. How dare she.
Minako laughed, "Isn't this great though! Its just, wow."
Makoto grinned, "I get you, girl. This. This makes everything so much easier."
"Indeed. I'm so glad we don't need to put ourselves against you too Luna. I'm happy you've seen the truth too."
They all nodded at this.
"Usagi is not fit to lead us." Rei stated solemnly.
"Too true. Well, you girls will need a new leader once you've confronted usagi. Have you decided who will lead you?" Luna questioned, licking deftly at her right paw.
"We've all decided on me." said Rei.
"Uh? Excuse me? No, we didn't."
Rei huffed in annoyance, staring down at Minako condescendingly. "Minako. No one wants your ditzy ass to be the leader, I swear you're nearly as bad as Usagi at times. Why the hell would anyone want you to be the leader?"
Minako's face grew red, both in anger and humiliation. "How fucking dare you! If anyone should be the leader it should be me. I unlike some people have experience. I don't just think I should be the leader because I have an ego the size of the fucking titanic. I think i should be the leader because unlike some people I actually have the damn skills to be one. And I know for a fact you don't. You'd just order us around; you wouldn't even consider or listen to anything we have to say when it comes to making important decisions. You're just a bossy ass bitch."
She most certainly was Luna thought to herself, whilst reluctantly admitting to herself that Minako's speech was quite impressive.
Makoto whistled. "Damn girl. That was...damn, i'm not quite sure I know who should be the leader anymore."
"Makoto?!" Rei screeched in outrage.
"What?" she shrugged in response, "She made some good points."
"Yes, though she could have worded it with a little more decorum." Ami gave Minako a pointed look.
"I-"
"Enough. Whether or not you manage to decide in the end, it wouldn't matter. I'd need proof. I'm not having another 'Usagi' all over again. You all have a shot, a chance at being the leader. We cannot have another Usagi. Whether or not you want to be the leader is not a choice you get to make. It is mine and Artemis' - i'll inform him of everything later. I will run a series of tests, each one just as important as the other. You will all have to do your very best in each one and I will have you all make an oath before doing these tests. They will prove to me who's truly worthy."
What a load of-. Honestly. She could care less about who got to be the leader in the end. She just wanted to put the senshi through hell with the tests she was planning on coming up with. The likelihood of them not being in utter agony one way or another was slim.
There were serious consequences for treason after all and Luna prided herself on knowing each and everyone. Queen Serenity would be proud.
A few more words were exchanged before Luna left.
And the senshi were all thinking along the lines of who'd've thought? Luna wasn't so loyal after all.
xxx
That had all been precisely an hour ago.
She really wasn't too sure about what she was doing. She wanted to make the senshi pay, that was for sure. Yet at the same time, she wanted to know why? Where had the sudden change of hearts come from? Rei had always been somewhat jealous, but to this extent? Ami too? What on earth? Ami had always been logical and kind, she'd always been a dear to Usagi and she'd hardly ever complained about Usagi. The same went for Makoto and Minako too.
She couldn't even begin to comprehend how Usagi felt; the soft cracking of her heart...and the saddest thing Luna thought was that no matter how much the girls despised Usagi, Usagi would always love them. They'd been a part of her and she'd never be complete again. How could she when they'd all ran off with pieces of her heart.
She sighed. What to do, what to do…it was all a big mess.
She went home in the end. Somewhere where a girl would desperately need her by her side.
X
Arriving home, Usagi did not go and confront Luna as she had planned. Hit with a sudden sleepiness she instead flopped onto her bed and fell asleep promptly, tired from all the crying and heartache she'd endured that day.
Heartache…
...wasn't it crushing to know you did your very best, gave it your all...but it was still not enough, never enough. She'd never be good enough.
X
Pluto blinked slowly, watching as the timeline unravelled until it was nothing but a thin string torn off at the ends.
Huh. How peculiar, she thought. Something must've changed drastically; it was probably just another enemy. But this was odd, usually, the timeline wasn't so unsteady - that, and another enemy? Already? It'd only been a week or two since Nehelenia. Ah, oh well. It couldn't be too bad, she's sure the timeline will fix itself soon enough. After all Crystal Tokyo is perhaps one of the few things that usually always came back and set itself in stone. Through all her years here it'd been constant. It always reappeared. Hmm, mysteries, mysteries, she thought airily. She thrived for them. And she'd solve this one too. After she had some of that green tea Haruka was keen on making though of course. She needed breaks too you know.
If only she knew; she would not have been so calm about the shift.
X
She ran, stumbled along the way, her legs ached, but no. she could not stop. She wanted to get away from them as soon as possible, she wanted to sever herself from their hatred; she only wanted to feel love. And so she ran to him.
His arms had always made her relax, soothed her very being as they cherished her fragile body. So strong, so secure.
Love, love, love.
Oh, how she wanted to be right by his side, no matter how many times he became seemingly lost to her she still loved him so dearly. How could she not? In her eyes he was perfect.
He, like others, too held a large part of her heart, his name stitched upon it.
She soon reached the apartment complex. She calmed herself for a few minutes, allowing her heart beat to return to its usual beat. She wiped her eyes, brushed her hair through her fingers and applied a bit of tinted pink balm to her lips and the apples of her cheeks... She wanted to look at least somewhat pleasing in his eyes. It was all for naught.
She stood horrified at the scene before her eyes. She should've noticed something was off, yet she pushed the slight nagging feeling at the back of her mind away. It was for those reasons that she did not give the glittery heels nor the discarded wine bottle, tray of chocolates or even the stray shirt that laid innocently on the ground a second glance.
Too caught up in her grief until it was put to a halt. Only to be replaced with utter shock, horror.
For through the centimetres wide gap of the partially open door, she saw him. With her.
They lay on the silken sheets of the bed together, nothing but a mess of tangled limbs. His hair was being pulled on eagerly by pretty little hands, their bodies meshed together in pleasure. He was kissing her so passionately, roughly even. His hands were all over her; grazing her thighs, squeezing her ass and grabbing at her breasts. He kissed her slender neck tenderly, sweetly, sucking on it harshly leaving hickeys and the like. And she responded so eagerly, gasping and moaning and screaming so loudly, her nails digging into his back before they too moved, one hand pulling his head down harder as he ravished her chest, the other stroking his cock.
She couldn't stop staring - her body was frozen in place. It wasn't the nakedness or the sex that was affecting her so much. It was the intimacy of it all.
The sweetness of it, how he was rough yet at the same time so affectionate and caring. It was the way they looked at each other. The familiarity of that exact gaze struck her hard. Mamo-chan had looked at her like that before too, the first time he confessed his love to her.
She couldn't stand the love in their eyes as they looked at each other.
And it brought on so many unanswered questions.
She couldn't focus. It was too much, far too overwhelming. This was most definitely not a fling and she couldn't stop the despair that overtook her. How long had this been going on for?
After all, Mamo-chan didn't fall in love easily.
And the way those two had carried out their actions..well..it was obvious to anyone that it was not only lust that drove them but love.
How convenient, she thought. Discovering so many false facades in a day, she couldn't figure out whether she was being blessed or not. One heartache to another.
What else? Was she going to go home only to find she'd been put aside their too?
'Ah, Usagi. Look it's our new daughter. Her names Akari. Isn't she perfect?'
The thought was somewhat ridiculous as was the imagery but after all, she'd seen today? Who knew? She'd never been the greatest daughter and she'd disappointed her mother who knew how many times with her lousy test results. And she hadn't been very attentive towards her family either in fact she'd been rather negligent when it came to them. How often did she spend time with them nowadays anyway? Not nearly as much as she should, she thought.
Who knew? Maybe Luna was secretly advising someone else to be the new bloody moon princess too.
Too much. Too much. Too much.
She escaped to the park somewhere she'd always found solace in.
xxx
Usagi sat up with a gasp. The memory from just a few hours ago replaying over and over in her head. She couldn't stop thinking about the touching the kissing the- the-the. She broke. Tears flooded from her like a broken dam. She sobbed and she gasped and she panted and panted and the tears, oh the tears. They wouldn't stop falling and she'd been oh so sure she'd cried herself dry earlier that day.
The door creaked open slightly and a figure popped their head in.
A gasp sounded through the room, "Usagi? Usagi?!"
She looked up surprised, "Mama…?"
X
Will check through for errors again soon. Ideas are appreciated and i'd love to know what you think so far; i'm struggling with this story.
As for that lil bit of intimacy between Mamoru and ? I've never written anything remotely sexual so I have no idea if that was absolute shite or not.
thanks for reading xxx