Chapter Thirty
Destiny
A new world was born. The old had gone, and the new had come. Crystal Tokyo was born. One by one through the crowds came loved ones they knew from the past. They celebrated together over the new world and rebirth that had taken place. Their families understood now that their children were Sailor Scouts destined to save the universe from harm. Everything was set right now.
At the top of the stairs where the victorious warriors stood, a bright light appeared. Soon, the apparition of the former Queen Serenity stood before them.
"Mom!" Neo-Queen Serenity called out.
Everyone bowed before the angelic ghost, but Serena and Kyoji ran up to their mother. The ghostly Queen smiled at her children then looked past them. "Princess Mars."
Raye looked up. "Your majesty?" Raye stood up and walked over to the Queen and stood in-between Serena and Kyoji.
The Queen held out her hand. Within her palm were two plain silver rings. Recognizing them, Kyoji and Raye's eyes flew wide open. Raye put her hand over her mouth while Kyoji's jaw dropped open.
"I've been saving these as a wedding present." She handed the smaller one to Raye first then the larger one to Kyoji.
"A wedding present?" Kyoji took his ring and slipped it on his finger.
The Queen reached up her hand and put it on Kyoji's shoulder. "This is when Raye and you marry in the future."
Kyoji looked back at Raye then back to Serenity. "But, I…We're so young. I mean just hours ago we were kids in high school…"
"And now we're in the future." Serenity smiled. "This is your destiny, Prince of the Moon. Do you love her?"
Kyoji silenced himself and looked at Raye again. "With everything in me," He answered. He faintly smiled, and she smiled back, taking his hand.
Serenity looked to her daughter. "Serena, dear, I'll trust you to put on a fabulous wedding for your brother and Raye."
Serena squealed. "I get to be the wedding coordinator?" She gasped again then ran off, dragging Darien behind her.
Serenity glanced over the crowd again. "Sakura."
The young girl stood up and came over. "Yes, your majesty?" She bowed her head very low. Serenity grabbed her by the chin and tilted her head up.
Serenity smiled. "Not only am I proud of you as a Queen but as a grandmother, child." She hugged the girl. "Your real grandmother is proud of you too."
"My mother?" Kyoji questioned. "Is she well? And my father?"
Serenity nodded. "Yes, they are well in Heaven." She pulled from Sakura's embrace. "I must go back to them now. My energy is almost spent." The Queen kept backing away, and soon she slowly evaporated into the air.
Everyone stood in silent amazement until Serena came back. "Come on, people! We've got a wedding to get rolling!"
Kyoji looked over at Raye. She instinctively looked over at him at the same time. They caught each other's eyes for a moment until Serena walked in-between them.
"It is bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding!" Serena exclaimed. "Kyoji get away from Raye! Raye get away from Kyoji!"
"Serena!" Raye hissed. "It's a little late for that now!"
Serena didn't pay any attention. "There's so much to do! Decorations! Outfits! Invitations…"
"I hope we are invited," A voice called out.
Everyone looked up. Two familiar figures stood before them. One was tall and strong with blonde hair, blue eyes, large scar over his left eye, and a crescent moon on his forehead. The other was graceful and beautiful with long flowing black hair. With them were a young boy with blonde hair like his father and a younger boy with black hair. There were three girls. Two with black hair like their mother, and one with blonde and blue eyes. All of the children bore the Moon symbol like their father.
Sakura stared for a moment as her eyes started to water. "MOM! DAD!" She ran forward into the arms of the newcomers. "KENSHIN!" She hugged the blonde boy. "TENCHI!" She touched the black haired boy. "KIKYO, REIKO, AOI!" She grabbed onto all of her sisters.
Kyoji and Raye marveled. Before them, stood the future versions of themselves. Kyoji looked at the man's scar then reached up for his own fresh scar over his eye. The future family walked forward as they joyously reunited with their daughter.
Kyoji kept his hand on his scar. "I don't understand. Beryl kidnapped me and almost changed the future."
"That was destiny all along." The future Kyoji answered.
"So everything that happened was what was actually supposed to happen?" The younger Raye asked.
The older Raye smiled. "Yes, everything is destiny."
They stood in wonder at each other for a few moments. The younger Raye reached out and took the hands of Sakura. "We'd be honored if you would come to our…well, your…wedding." She looked at Sakura. "I'd be honored if you'd be my Maid of Honor."
"Really?" Sakura beamed.
The younger Raye nodded.
The rest of the Sailors came forward to look at the future family. It was absolutely amazing to see what Kyoji and Raye would grow up into.
Mina pondered for a moment. "So, you had six kids, eh?" The Sailors looked over the six children that the future Kyoji and Raye had with them. The future Kyoji and Raye glanced at each other. "Well…" They uttered at the same time. The future Raye touched her stomach. "I'm pregnant again."
"Seven kids!" Mina exclaimed.
Hayate crossed his arms and looked at the younger Kyoji and Raye. "You guys have seven kids?"
"Seven?" Kyoji gulped.
The future Kyoji and Raye looked at each other again. The older Raye pondered for a moment. "Actually, we're having twins."
"Eight?" The younger Raye asked, almost smiling.
The younger Kyoji fainted.
"Kyoji!" Raye tried to catch him.
Serena outdid herself. The throne room of the Crystal Palace looked more wonderful than it had ever before or ever will again. She loved her brother and best friend so much that she planned the wedding of the century. The room was draped in the finest white tapestries, the floors polished to shine, and exotic flowers from all over the universe gave off wonderful fragrances.
Before the platform of the throne, were the bridesmaids: Ami, Lita, Mina, and Sakura, the Maid of Honor. On the other side, Hayate, Eiji, Diego, and King Endymion stood as groomsmen. And in the center of the platform, Kyoji stood with Neo-Queen Serenity staring down the aisle.
She came down the aisle in the purest of white. Guiding her down the aisle, her grandfather beamed proudly—a day he never thought he would see with his health. Her blushing and smiling face was veiled from the world as she slowly headed down the aisle. Her dress was long sleeved and tight at the top but bushed out like a prom dress on the bottom. Radiant and beautiful, she made her way up to the platform where Kyoji eagerly took her hand.
It was Neo-Queen Serenity who could pronounce the marriage of royalty in the realm of the Golden Millennium. In that moment, she was serious, poised, and graceful as she started the ceremony. She was still the goofy and silly Serena Tsukino of Tokyo, but the Princess that was inside of her all along started to shine.
As the Queen ran through the vows, the future Kyoji pulled off his ring and motioned his wife to do the same. As the younger Raye said "I do" the older Raye mouthed to her husband. The older Kyoji did the same when his counterpart said the same. They exchanged rings quietly in their pew as the new couple exchanged their silver bands for the first time in this life. All of them thought back to the first time the exchanged the rings in the past.
"I now pronounce you King and Queen of Mars, Prince and Princess of the Moon Kingdom, Prince and Princess of Crystal Tokyo, and Husband and wife." Serena threw her arms up in their, breaking her serious note. "Kiss her!" She winked at Kyoji.
Kyoji looked up at his sister and shook his head. "I will." He learned forward, taking his new wife into his embrace, and kissed her. Unnoticeably in the pews, the older version of the couple shared in a kiss too.
The reception was just as beautiful as the wedding. People laughed, ate, danced, conversed, and had a wonderful time. People from all over attended.
"What do you think?" the young Kyoji asked, as he danced with his future daughter.
"About what?" Sakura asked.
"Getting to see your parent's wedding before you're even born?"
"It's an experience that I'm sure nobody's ever had before." She smiled.
Kyoji spun her around then pulled her close to him. "Is there something wrong?"
"You mean besides the fact you're a terrible dancer?" Sakura faintly giggled.
Kyoji gave her a serious look.
Sakura shrugged. "I don't know." Her eye caught the balcony.
Kyoji looked over at where Sakura's attention was at. He peered through the opening leading out to the balcony. A lone figure stood out in the darkness. "Why don't you get some fresh air?"
"I don't need any fresh air? I didn't say anything about fresh air?" Sakura got defensive.
"Sakura," Kyoji said, already developing the fatherly tone.
Sakura sighed. "I'm afraid."
"You defeated Beryl, and you're afraid of talking to someone?"
"I was scared of Beryl too."
"But you did get through it, right?"
Sakura shrugged. "I guess so."
Kyoji stopped dancing. "Sakura, what are you afraid of?"
"Rejection," Sakura looked sad.
Kyoji sighed gently and put his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "If you never go talk to him, you're giving yourself exactly what you don't want. You've already rejected yourself, and you're not with him. Take a chance. He may reject you, which he'd be a fool to, but at least you would know."
Sakura pondered for a moment then grabbed Kyoji in a hug. "You're going to be a great dad someday."
Kyoji hugged back. "I hope so."
Sakura pulled away and walked off the dance floor towards the balcony. Once she reached it, she took a deep breath and stepped out into the darkness.
The younger Raye walked up to her new husband. "Is everything alright with Sakura?"
Kyoji looked towards the balcony. "She's fine." He turned quickly and grabbed Raye in a tight embrace. "I think it's time for the tango!"
"You can't dance!" Raye looked confused.
"Why does everyone say that?" Kyoji asked.
Raye reached up and brushed the hair out of his eyes. "You may be able to command legions of warriors, but honey, you can not dance to save your life."
Sakura gingerly walked through the darkness. The sky was clear and beautiful but there were a few scattered clouds that caught the moonlight and glowed in the sky. She approached slowly towards the shadow that stood on the edge of the balcony. She was a few feet behind him, but she could move no further. Her heart pounded and her legs went numb.
"Is there something you want?" He faintly asked.
"No! No! Not at all!" Sakura scurried over to balcony, keeping a few yards between herself and Kazuki. She looked over the balcony across Crystal Tokyo. It really was extraordinarily beautiful that night. "I just needed some fresh air."
Kazuki looked over, nodded, then returned his gazed towards the city. The two of them stood silent for a very long time. As she stood there in the silence, the words of her future father echoed through her mind over and over again. If she didn't tell him, she would never have any chance of being with him, even though she felt there was no chance anyway. She started to open her mouth.
"Kazuki, I like you!" She blurted out then regretted it.
He backed away from the balcony. She closed her eyes in humiliation. She scolded herself over and over again in her mind.
"I'm sorry. I'm being dumb." She uttered. "I won't bother you anymore." She turned around and started to walk away.
A hand went around her wrist and pulled her back. She was terrified as he pulled her closer to her. She closed her eyes, feeling tears well up. "Kazuki, I'm sorry I bothered you, I just…" Her words were cut off. He kissed her.
Her heart pounded, her joy exploded, and her mind raced to one thought—it was her first real kiss. He pulled back from a mesmerized girl with a smirk. He was terrible with words so he tired a different strategy—it must have worked, she was happily dazed. He turned back towards the balcony. After a moment, she did the same, but still kept distance between them. As her hand hung freely at her side, it was soon clasped by his hand. She looked up. The shy boy with green hair and beautiful purple eyes actually smiled. "I like you too."
At the entrance to the balcony, they stood with smirks on their faces. He held her tightly from behind while she leaned back against him.
"They're cute," The older Raye smiled.
"Well…" the older Kyoji sighed.
"What?"
He pondered for a moment. "Nobody's good enough for my little girl, but I suppose he'd be the best for her."
Raye faintly hit his arm. "You know they're prefect for each other."
"That's for fate to decide," Kyoji said.
Raye looked back to Sakura and Kazuki. "Destiny has weaved them together. I can tell."
The older couple sighed then turned back towards the reception party. They looked across the room to the younger version of themselves sitting at the wedding table. They headed back into the party.
It was an overwhelming feeling. They sat together in the darkness with their hands entangled. By the moonlight, their hands were illuminated, and their silver rings reflected brightly. They were finally together after a long journey of pain, suffering, and confusion. He was an orphan boy who was raised by the cruel Master Tenzen. She was abandoned by her father, lost her mother, and used by men over and over again. Now here they were in Crystal Tokyo sitting next to each other on their bed. Merely days ago he was a student at Matsumura High, but now he was a Prince, General, husband, and soon to be father. She was once a student and miko girl, but here she was in a reborn future.
She looked up at him, catching his eyes. After everything she had been through, she finally found him. She understood her past, corrected her present, and stepped into her future. Everything about her past, present, and future connected through this man. She loved him throughout eternity, time, and space. His hand went to her stomach, and her hand went over his. Their child, from the Moon Kingdom, was now on the way. Destiny had weaved such a miracle to save this little one that would eventually save them all.
He looked at her, straight in the eye. They stared each other down for a moment until he kissed her. After a few moments of his advances, she leaned back onto the bed. She hadn't been with him since the Moon Kingdom. They were now husband and wife again. He stared at her for a few moments again. She reached up, and pulled his head down towards her. She kissed him then smiled, swelling with happiness. Destiny had been kinder to Sailor Mars this time around.
THE END