Disclaimer: I do not own MGLN or Sailor Moon
The White Devil of the Moon
By Bissek
Chapter 9
Aspernor Tui
Mamoru found himself in an unusual situation. He was on his first date, with a young woman who he was extremely familiar with and yet knew absolutely nothing about. Apart from the very brief meeting that had been interrupted by Fate, this was the first opportunity he had had to spend time with the reincarnated Princess Serenity for non-work related reasons. Most of the time he had spent with her so far had been spent with her giving tactical lectures or observing as Signum smacked him senseless with a shinai.
Because of that he barely knew Serenity in her current life, even though he remembered quite a bit about the girl she had been in her previous life. As a result of this, he found himself looking at SerenityÆs current incarnation and seeing her previous one. The fact that the illusion created by the disguise pen she was using to ensure that she was not recognized as one of the magical girls who had ended up on the front page of the newspaper made her look like her previous incarnation didnÆt help.
That confusion was the reason why the first part of the planned date didnÆt turn out so well. Mamoru had remembered that Serenity had loved the open fields of Earth, where trees and flowers could grow freely instead of being confined in the climate-controlled greenhouses of the Moon. So he took her to a park in a different ward, the flower beds there being the closest thing to free-growing plantlife he could find in Tokyo. Serenity was unimpressed. In her worldview, the purpose of a park was to have open space for those outdoor activities which required large amounts of open space.
And that was the problem. He ultimately didnÆt know anything about SerenityÆs interests outside her work. From what her friends had said, it was entirely possible that she didnÆt have any. This was a problem, because he wasnÆt dedicated to the Senshi cause to the absolute exclusion of everything else anymore than the Senshi were. He had his own interests, his own hopes for the future once this war was over. He wanted to be a healer, not a warrior. He wanted a peaceful life with his beloved Serenity by his side. The second part of that was highly unlikely to come to pass if he couldnÆt find a way to relate to her.
Mamoru spent the afternoon trying to salvage the date. He wasnÆt particularly successful. Everything he remembered about the Serenity he knew and loved turned out to be totally useless in trying to connect to the Serenity he was dealing with now. As their time together came to a close, Mamoru was forced to concede that he had no idea as to how to advance his suit towards the princess.
Night fell over Tokyo. As most businesses closed down, two cats and a ferret made their way to the Crown Arcade.
ôSo you put your main base underneath an arcade?ö Yuuno asked.
Luna nodded. ôWith so many other people in their age group spending their free time there, we figured that the Senshi could gather there regularly without anyone paying any notice to it.ö
Sneaking into the closed arcade, Luna led the three of them to the Sailor V machine and called out the command phrase that caused the console to move aside, revealing the secret passage to the command center.
ôHow do you get in during the day without drawing attention to yourselves?ö Yuuno wondered as they headed down the stairs.
ôWe canÆt,ö Artemis admitted. ôThis is the only entrance, and any attempt to open it when someone else is in here would give the whole thing away. We really didnÆt think that part through.ö
ôFunny how the game machine hiding the entrance to your base is based on one of your people.ö
ôItÆs not a coincidence. I wrote the game as a training simulator for the Senshi. The hard part was getting copies into mass distribution without anyone wondering where the program came from. I was surprised when your friend managed to beat it on her first try.ö
ôYou wouldnÆt be if you knew Nanoha. When I first gave her Raising Heart, it took her less than two weeks to find the training mode, and she used it to run tactical simulations while she was at school continuously for months. Without once allowing her grades to slip or getting caught by the teachers.ö
Luna and Artemis exchanged a glance. ôWhy couldnÆt any of our recruits have been that dedicated?ö
ôWhen I think of all the effort it took just to get the girls to agree to do their duty as Senshi in the first placeàö Luna added.
ôNanoha was always a girl in search of a cause. ThatÆs why she stuck with being a mage even after the TSAB offered to take her first case off her hands and let her go back to being an ordinary girl.ö Yuuno admitted.
ôA pity she didnÆt find the cause she was supposed to serve back then.ö Luna muttered under her breath.
The three arrived in the command center. Yuuno shifted back to his human form and started looking around.
ôThis equipment is all in very good condition. You said that this was all originally built by the Moon Kingdom?ö
Artemis nodded. ôAnd itÆs still linked to the parts of the network in the Moon Palace that survived the war.ö
ôImpressive. So you think that we can use that link to recover the exact coordinates of the palace from here?ö
ôHopefully.ö
ôWell, letÆs get started.ö
It took some time to plan the lunar expedition after the coordinates were calculated. The list of who would be going had to be established. Patrol and training schedules had to be reworked to allow for those people to leave Tokyo without leaving a gap in the cityÆs defenses. But after a few days, Yuuno was transported to the ruins of the Moon Palace, where he set up a barrier that established a breathable atmosphere for the rest of expedition (Nanoha, Signum, Mamoru, the Senshi, and the Moon Cats), which soon followed.
ôIÆve never seen a site so perfectly preserved before.ö Yuuno said.
ôPerfectly preserved? This place is in ruins.ö Rei pointed out.
ôExactly. Thanks to the vacuum of space, the palace is in exactly the same condition it was the night it was attacked. Nothing has been moved since the dust first settled. There has been no wind or rain to erode the debris, no bacteria to break down organic materials, nothing. Do you have any idea how many thousands of historic sites that were barely a fraction of the age of this place have been completely dismantled by later civilizations for free building materials? The bodies are even still wearing their jewelry. Most sites would be picked clean of any obvious valuables within a generation, and everything is still untouched after millennia.ö
Looking down at a desiccated corpse wearing a necklace that seemed extremely familiar, Makoto shuddered. ôYou just think that because you canÆt recognize any of the bodies from their effects.ö
ôUhhà I see your point.ö
The group entered into the palace, travelling slowly as Yuuno carefully recorded images of everything they passed into his device. As they journeyed into the ruins, Luna and Artemis described what the various parts of the palace they passed through had been before the attack, which Yuuno also carefully noted down. Occasionally one of the Senshi would relate a story in regards to a specific location they passed through as the familiar sight triggered a memory from their previous lives.
ôThis is the Grand Ballroom.ö Artemis said as they entered an area that had contained quite a lot of open space before the ceiling had collapsed. ôAll major celebrations, court dinners, and entertainments took place in this room. This is where most of the court was at the time Metallia attacked.ö
The group started looking around. Yuuno started examining a number of crushed implements in one corner of the room that had probably been musical instruments before they had been thrown to the ground and trampled on in the confusion of an unexpected battle.
Nanoha knelt on the floor and idly brushed away the dust. As she cleared a square of tiles, she froze in shock.
ôWhat is it, Nanoha?ö Yuuno asked.
ôIÆve been here before.ö
Too many details from NanohaÆs dreams turned out to have parallels to the events she had been facing to be coincidence. But for some reason, finding that a ballroom in an abandoned palace on the moon had the exact tiling pattern as the ballroom she had danced in during her recurring dream was what tipped the balance and made it impossible for her to deny that the SenshiÆs belief that she had been their princess in a previous life.
This was the room where she had danced with Endymion on the night she relived in her dreams. The room where a fairy tale happy ending abruptly turned into a nightmare, and ended with her ending her own life in despair. She recalled the evening in such detail that she honestly thought that she could repeat the dance from memory, despite having never taken dancing lessons in her life.
ôThere was a ball,ö She began. ôI was dancing with a young man. As the dance ended, there was a crashing sound û someone brute-forcing a barrier spell from the outside. After that, youma started attacking. The man I was dancing with and I ran.ö
Nanoha climbed to her feet and started running. She didnÆt need to look where she was going. She retraced the steps she had taken in her dream, making her way to the room where she had fallen.
Minako knew intellectually that she might end up finding her body when she agreed to come up to the moon, but that hadnÆt prepared her for actually seeing it. The remains of the previous Sailor Venus were easily identified by the uniform she wore. Even if it hadnÆt, she remembered receiving the various minor wounds that her old body sported, along with the deep gouge in her side that nearly reached her spine. Strangely, the crystal sword she had wielded in that battle wasnÆt with her body.
Looking around the room, she soon found the sword û impaled in the princessÆs chest. Had BerylÆs forces decided to add insult to injury in VenusÆs failure by using her own weapon to murder the girl she had failed to protect?
ôI eventually found myself cornered in this room. Then a woman who looked sort of like Minako-chan arrived.ö Nanoha said, continuing her story.
ôThe Queen had ordered me to save the princess,ö Minako added, taking over the story. ôShe didnÆt expect to survive sealing Metallia, and needed me to secure the safety of her successor. I fought my way here, and was able to defeat the youma attacking the princess, but I was overpowered by Kunzite when he arrived.ö
ôBeryl arrived shortly after that,ö Mamoru joined in. ôShe tried to kill Serenity, but I jumped into the path of the spell.ö
ôAnd you both died for nothing.ö Nanoha concluded to a chorus of gasps.
ôYou shouldnÆt say such a thing, Your Highness!ö Luna protested. ôSailor Venus and your betrothed sacrificed their lives to buy you time to escape. Just because they werenÆt able to buy you enough time doesnÆt mean that you should condemn them so!ö
ôThey didnÆt buy the princess any time at all,ö Nanoha corrected, ôBecause Serenity didnÆt even try to escape. Within moments of EndymionÆs death, she killed herself with VenusÆs sword. They died to protect a coward who dishonored their sacrifice by throwing her life away without sparing a thought for the people who depended on her. The only fault Venus had in this was in faithfully serving a child who did not deserve such loyalty.ö
There was an awkward silence as the others took in NanohaÆs declaration. The harsh, blunt assessment of her previous lifeÆs actions on the night of her death was something they werenÆt expecting. And while it did Minako good to know that the PrincessÆs current incarnation did not blame her for failing in her duty in a previous age, the reason Minako was considered to not be to blame was rather unusual.
ôThereÆs no need to blame yourself, Serenity.ö Mamoru said, putting an arm around her shoulders.
ôDonÆt call me that! That selfish, irresponsible, cowardly child is not me! IÆm Nanoha, not Serenity! Na. No. Ha!ö
Before anyone could say anything further, Nanoha fled from the scene.
Nanoha didnÆt want to believe the evidence that had she had seen. Her dreams had been true in every detail, and the actions she had taken in them were even more inexcusable than she had thought. Not only had she spat on the efforts of two people who had willingly died to protect her by killing herself before their bodies were cold, she had done so when an entire nation, with millions, possibly billions of lives had been counting on her.
She had been the heir apparent to the throne, with the Queen almost certain to not live through the night. Her subjects had been counting on the Queen, whoever that Queen was, to lead her people through times of trouble, which that night most certainly was. And Serenity had ignored that responsibility in favor of giving in to her own despair. If Princess Serenity had taken up the responsibilities of the crown, would the Moon Kingdom have made it through the night? Would some of her people have survived long enough for the next ship from Al-Hazard to arrive and request a rescue effort? The universe would never know, because Serenity ignored her duty for her own selfish impulses.
To make things worse, everywhere she looked, she saw something that reminded her of an event from thousands of years in the past. The room she passed on her right was where she was regularly tutored by a rather boring teacher. The terrace up ahead was where she had hidden while setting up a practical joke on someone, though she couldnÆt recall who or why. She couldnÆt look anywhere without memories of a life that she considered a point of shame threatening to overwhelm her.
NanohaÆs aimless wandering took her into what appeared to be the throne room. Stepping over the body of what looked like another Senshi of a previous era, Nanoha approached the dais. Lying in front of the throne lay the body of a woman who appeared to be the last Queen of the Moon Kingdom. Kneeling down in front of the woman who had placed her last hope for her people into the hands of a girl who failed that trust almost immediately, she touched the hand of the corpse.
As she touched the body, Nanoha felt the air stir. Knowing that wind did not occur naturally in a magically created atmosphere, she started looking around; wondering what had caused the change. It didnÆt take long to figure it out. Floating above the body was the image of a woman. From the identical outfit and jewelry she wore, the image appeared to be the Moon Queen as she appeared in life.
ôMy daughter.ö The queen began.
The Senshi were in shock. For over a year they had thought of the Moon Princess as an idealized figure, who was simultaneously a sacred martyr to the principles of Love and Justice that the Moon Kingdom stood for and a beacon of hope that the Dark Kingdom could be defeated. The spectacularly low opinion that the Princess herself had formed of her previous self was rather unexpected. However, the very fact that she was willing to condemn her previous self for her shortcomings implied that she had no intention of repeating the same mistakes gave them hope for the future.
Deciding that properly laying out SerenityÆs body would not cause any further impact to the research that the archeologist was conducting over what seemed to be virtually every single thing in the palace than had already been done by the battle; Minako carefully pulled the sword out of her chest and lowered the body onto the ground. The sword felt extremely comfortable in her hand. The weapon she had borrowed during the fight at the wedding seemed too short, too light, and oddly balanced. The sword she now held in her hand was perfect. Stepping clear of the rest of the group, she began swinging the sword in a half-remembered practice pattern.
The pattern turned out to be incredibly clumsy. While she might have remembered the techniques she used in her previous life intellectually, she had not regained muscle memory alongside her mental memories. After an overbalanced swing sheared through a piece of rubble and nearly took her own foot off, Minako decided to put the weapon away before she injured someone by accident.
ôYouÆve used a sword before.ö Signum noted.
ôIn my previous life. This is only second time IÆve ever held one in this lifetime.ö Minako admitted.
ôI think you could relearn fairly quickly. I could teach you if youÆd like.ö
Since one of the memories of her past life that Minako recalled far too clearly for comfort was exactly how much the wound that killed the previous Sailor Venus hurt, she agreed readily. Then Luna spoke up.
ôShouldnÆt we be going after the Princess?ö
Privately, Minako felt that Nanoha was likely to bite the head off of anyone who reminded her of her connection to the late Princess Serenity at the moment. Still, it was a good idea. It wasnÆt even very hard to figure out where she went. With all the dust and debris that had fallen on the floor during the battle and then went undisturbed for eons, the only people who had left footprints were the very people who entered the castle earlier that day. All they had to do in order to find Nanoha was follow the only set of footprints leading away from the room they were in.
As they traced NanohaÆs steps, they found more bodies. One of the bodies in a sizable pile of corpses wore the uniform of a Senshi. Rei knelt down in front of the body, noting the horrific gouges torn into its back.
ôThis was me.ö She gasped. ôI was trying to get these people to safety. One of the youma disguised itself as a civilian and managed to get itself included in the group of refugees. It killed me from behind while I was trying to fight off a different group of youma.ö
The group advanced past the body of the previous Sailor Mars. A few corners later, they came across a narrow corridor that hadà pieces of someone scattered about it. Makoto picked up a fragment of a skull wearing a tiara from under a forearm.
ôI was guarding the corridor, buying time so that the Queen could get to the Ginzuisho and use it. The hallway was narrow enough that I could hold it by myself without anyone being able to get around me, but they just kept coming. It got to the point where I just couldnÆt kill enough of them with one spell to drive them back long enough to cast another. I was forced to fight them hand to hand, and they eventually swarmed me under and tore me to pieces.ö
Makoto shivered, remembering the agony she had been forced to suffer as the youma dismembered her. She glanced around, trying to find something in the corridor she could focus on that wasnÆt one of her body parts. She eventually decided to resolutely stare at the ceiling until she was away from her death site.
Further along, they found the throne room. Visible from the doorway was the remains of another Senshi. This one had a large part of her body blown away.
ôI was keeping the Queen up to date with the status of the battle and relaying her orders out to the troops as she retrieved the Ginzuisho.ö Ami said. ôThe enemy broke in just as she was casting the spell to seal away Metallia. I threw myself in front of the Queen to buy her a few more seconds to finish the spell. I think I was the lucky one out of all of us. I died instantly.ö Thinking back on how they had fallen in their previous lives, the other Senshi were forced to agree with that rather grim assessment.
Directly behind MercuryÆs corpse was the throne room. Inside the group could see Nanoha, speaking to what looked like an image of the late Queen. The results of that conversation would further damage the SenshiÆs mental image of the world they lived in during their previous lives.
Nanoha blinked. The story that the QueenÆs spirit had told her had something wrong with it. She had to confirm that she had heard it straight.
ôLet me get this straight. YouÆre telling me that your sole heir was in the habit of walking away from her duties and sneaking not just out of your palace, but your entire country, and making her way down to Earth, because she didnÆt like the weather?!ö
The Queen nodded. ôShe longed to feel real wind upon her skin and stand under the light of the actual sun, rather than the artificial environment of the moon. Sheàö
ôAnd you let her?ö
The Queen froze at NanohaÆs interruption. Nanoha forcibly ignored the part of her mind that wanted to embrace the apparition that it considered to be its mother and continued.
ôSerenity was your only heir. You had a responsibility to ensure that she would be ready to take over the throne upon your death. And instead you stood aside and let her neglect her responsibilities and run off to another country on a whim û which she then did frequently enough to pick up a steady boyfriend there.
ôDidnÆt you ever think about what kind of ruler a girl who routinely skipped out on her responsibilities would make? DidnÆt any of your advisors mention that to you? Or were they all hoping they would be the real rulers while an incompetent queen sat on the throne?
ôDid you ever consider that a man who would court a princess who frequently neglected her duties on a whim might be someone intending to use her? Regardless of whether or not Endymion was that kind of man, it would have been all too easy for the husband of a queen who was unprepared for that role due to her own neglect to take over the responsibilities of the throne, and the power with it.
ôAnd that doesnÆt even go into the fact that you allowed your heir to leave the country without a security detail û several times. And the potential diplomatic consequences that could have erupted if anything happened to her while she was taking an impromptu vacation in another country. IÆm not sure which is worse û your daughterÆs irresponsible actions, or the fact that you allowed them to happen.ö
ôI was very busy with important matters of state at the time.ö The Queen began. If the woman had been corporeal, she would have been sweating. Her eyes were wide as she tried to wrap her mind around NanohaÆs accusation that she had failed her as both a mother and a queen.
ôWhen I was born, my father was in critical condition in the hospital. My mother was usually either with him or at work, and my siblings were either in school or working themselves. I spent most of my early childhood alone. Despite that, my parents still managed to teach me to take my responsibilities seriously. Something you failed to teach Serenity.ö Nanoha turned around, and noticed that the rest of the group had found her.
ôMy childàö The QueenÆs image entreated.
ôMy motherÆs name is Momoko Takamachi. Good-bye, your majesty.ö The QueenÆs face twisted in grief at the casual rejection.
It seemed that her previous life was a severe disappointment. What Yuuno had learned at first implied that Beryl was the one who was wholly at fault, but she wasnÆt the only person who had a role in creating the disaster that caused the destruction of this palace and everything else dating back to that time period. Had Princess Serenity taken her responsibilities seriously, or Queen Serenity attempted to do something about her daughterÆs behavior, the love triangle that set Beryl off would not have happened. While this didnÆt excuse BerylÆs actions, Nanoha felt that she probably would not like Princess Serenity if it were possible for them to meet in person. As far as she could tell, the only thing they had in common were some memories in which Serenity demonstrated conduct which NanohaÆs family wouldnÆt have tolerated in their common-born daughter, leaving a princess with no excuse for such actions.
Nanoha walked away from the dais and approached Yuuno.
ôIÆd like to go back now, Yuuno-kun.ö
After the Princess was transported back to Earth, the Queen turned her attention to the other people present. The Senshi, noting that she was in formal regalia rather than a military uniform, knelt before her. The Queen gestured that they could rise, then turned her attention to her advisers.
ôLuna?ö The queen asked shakily.
ôYes, your majesty?ö
ôDo you think my daughter was right? Did I fail in my duties to her as a queen? As a mother?ö
Luna considered the PrincessÆs statements. She had pretty much accused the entire court of failing to prepare their future ruler for the throne, out either incompetence or ambition. The truly depressing thing was that when Luna examined the PrincessÆs logic, she was forced to concede that the Princess had a point.
Princess Serenity had been neglecting her duty when she made her unscheduled trips to Earth, and the court had allowed her to get away with it. That no immediately obvious consequences had resulted from these actions apart from a politically advantageous romance was no excuse. Had Endymion been a man with fewer scruples, he could easily have manipulated the Princess at will and effectively absorbed the Moon Kingdom.
Luna was more willing to forgive the PrincessÆs final actions than the Princess herself was: The Princess in her current life was a warrior and a trainer of warriors, and was expecting her previous life to live up to that standard. But that didnÆt change the fact that Princess Serenity had been hopelessly unprepared for the throne at the time of her death, and as one of the QueenÆs advisors, Luna and Artemis should have noticed that and brought it to her attention. They had not. And while that failure was a genuine mistake on their part, it was entirely possible that some of the other advisors may have wanted the Princess to be unready for the throne, for the very reasons that the Princess had just mentioned.
ôThe fault is not yours alone, your majesty. Artemis and I also failed to raise the concerns that the Princess raised against her previous lifeÆs actions.ö She said. Artemis nodded in agreement.
The Queen sighed. ôThat you also failed to notice my mistakes doesnÆt change the fact that I made them. And all of my people suffered for my failure.ö
ôNanohaÆs always been very dedicated to her duty. I think it stems from the time a Jewel Seed activated and damaged a couple city blocks the first time she tried to take a day off. It was pure chance, but convinced herself that she always had to be ready in case she was needed after that, even after the point where she wasnÆt working alone and could afford to rest.ö Yuuno pointed out. ôI can certainly see why she wouldnÆt approve of her past self doing the same thing repeatedly and getting away with it.ö
ôYou know my daughter well?ö
ôIÆve never met Princess Serenity, but IÆve known Nanoha for half her life.ö
Luna noted the distinction. Like the Princess herself, her rival didnÆt associate her previous self with her current one. While that was highly unfortunate, the reasons behind this disassociation held some hope for the Moon Kingdom. When the Princess finally took up the throne, the dedication inherent to her character in this life would make her a far better queen than she would have as Serenity. And she would have to take up the throne. Her very insistence that a person should take their responsibilities seriously meant that she was obliged to do so.
ôTell me of the woman she has become.ö
Confident that the future of the Moon Kingdom was secure, Luna listened as the archeologist started telling the Queen of the life of her daughterÆs current incarnation.
Fate had wanted to go on the Lunar expedition. But with so many other people already going on the trip, it was necessary for her to be on patrol in the city. She had just returned from an uneventful patrol when Nanoha arrived. Strangely, she had come back alone. Why had she needed to return ahead of the others?
ôI wasnÆt expecting you to be back early, Nanoha.ö She began.
Her friend clung to her without speaking. Whatever it was that had happened on the moon, it had clearly disturbed Nanoha severely. Fate took her away from the public areas of their base back to her room.
ôWhatÆs wrong, Nanoha?ö
Nanoha started to describe what she had experienced on the moon. The most detail was spent on the actions she had performed in her previous life which she found inexcusable in her current one, and how she started recalling more and more details of that life as she saw places that triggered the long buried memories.
ôIt was like I was drowning in SerenityÆs memories. There were a couple moments that I had to force myself to remember that I wasnÆt her.ö
Fate could understand why Nanoha was upset about that. It had taken her quite some time to realize that AliciaÆs memories were not her own. Of course, Fate had wanted them to be her own, as AliciaÆs time with their mother was much happier than her own.
ôAnd to make things worse, I think that Serenity was starting to affect my thinking earlier than that. When I first met EndymionÆs reincarnation, I was absolutely delighted to see him, and I didnÆt have the slightest notion as to why. Even after that one date, it didnÆt seem like we had anything in common. Would I have even been briefly interested in him had he not once been Endymion? Would he have ever been interested in me had I not once been Serenity? He even addressed me by her name on the moon. Was his interest in me real, or just an echo of a memory? How much of any of this is because of what people really want now as opposed to what the memories of people long dead wanted? How do I know whatÆs real?ö
Fate realized what the problem was. Nanoha needed an anchor, something that she could rely on that had nothing to do with her past life. A possibility occurred to her. Something that Fate had wanted to give Nanoha for some time, but had been unable to gather the courage to do so.
ôI never lived in the Moon Kingdom, Nanoha. What IÆm about to do is purely about us. Serenity has nothing to do with this.ö Fate said.
Then she kissed her.
As the Queen questioned Yuuno about her reincarnated daughter, she slowly started to fade. After she had vanished completely, the rest of the group started splitting up to do various tasks. The PrincessÆs advisor decided to continue his archeological examination of the palace, accompanied by Artemis and Luna. Rei decided that the court needed a proper funeral and had started transporting bodies to the courtyard, eventually dragooning Signum and the other Senshi into helping her. Yuuno, recognizing that these bodies were far more than historical curiosities in their eyes, simply requested that he be allowed to run a cursory scan of the bodies and document exactly where they had originally lain before they were taken away.
After the Senshi finished gathering all of the fallen bodies in the courtyard, Rei gave the last rites to the court of the Moon Kingdom and ignited the enormous funeral mound. The smoke from that pyre would be seen by astronomers on the Earth, inspiring considerable speculation about what could make what appeared to be a fire appear on an airless planetoid, but nobody would be able to focus a powerful enough telescope on the site in time to notice anything. The Lunar Fire would quickly become just another minor mystery, ignored by everyone except conspiracy theorists.
While Precia was glad to learn that her daughter had made a friend on her first day at school, she was surprised by the fact that this friend was a mage. Mages were supposed to be rare on this planet. That was why the TSAB only referred to it by a number and ignored it unless a dimensional disturbance large enough to be noticed by a ship intending to go somewhere more important occurred. The odds of someone just running into a mage were unbelievably low.
Was this Tomoe girl a TSAB plant? Precia shook her head. Precia herself hadnÆt known what school Alicia was going to attend until a few days before she started going there. If the TSAB had been able to figure out where Alicia was going to school that quickly, they would have already locked up both of them.
It was good that Alicia had been able to make a friend so quickly. The fact that Alicia was now indisputably alive meant that the TSAB couldnÆt try to kill her if they managed to track them down, but Precia knew that she would be separated from her beloved child sooner or later. She had done her best to ensure that Alicia didnÆt know û knowing that her mother was both terminally ill and considered a wanted a criminal for trying to help her child would only make the girl worry û but there would come a time when either the TSAB would try to take her away or her failing health would give out completely. She needed to find a way to ensure that Alicia would be cared for once that time came.
The doorbell rang. Precia went to the door to meet her daughterÆs friend.
ôGood afternoon, Testarossa-san.ö The girl said.
ôYou must be Hotaru. AliciaÆs told me about you. Please comeàö Precia started. Then she lost her breath. She started coughing, dropping to her knees as she fought to breathe. She heard Alicia arriving in the entry way and gasp in shock at what she saw.
ôMother? WhatÆs wrong?ö
Precia didnÆt answer. She couldnÆt have even if she wanted to. She hadnÆt wanted her daughter to learn of her condition, especially not like this! Unfortunately, her dying body wasnÆt complying with her wishes.
Suddenly, Precia felt strange warmth flowing through her chest. Her lungs started to clear, and she could breathe again. As she wiped the blood from her mouth, Precia realized that she felt better than she had in months. The illness that was slowly destroying her hadnÆt gone away, but it had been driven back.
Precia had been living on borrowed time for years. But now it seemed that there was a cure for her own health problems as well as her daughterÆs. Precia looked up into the face of the girl who given her new hope for the future.
Alicia gasped in shock. One moment her mother was fine, the next she was on the floor, coughing up blood. What had happened?
ôMother? WhatÆs wrong?ö She asked.
Her mother didnÆt answer. She just continued to cough. Alicia didnÆt know what to do. SheÆd never known her mother to be sick before. Had something happened to her while she was sick?
Hotaru made her way towards her motherÆs side. Alicia watched as Hotaru placed her hands on her motherÆs back. Endless seconds passed. Beads of sweat formed on HotaruÆs forehead. But slowly, her motherÆs breathing eased.
ôAre you alright, mother?ö Alicia asked as her mother slowly climbed to her feet.
ôI-itÆs alright, Alicia. ItÆs past now.ö Her mother said.
ôWhat was that?ö
ôSomething I caught while you were ill. DonÆt worry; it isnÆt something you two are likely to catch from me.ö
Alicia didnÆt find her words very reassuring. She could tell that her mother was worried, even if she didnÆt want her worrying. But her mother didnÆt appear to be willing to talk about it, and she didnÆt want to push.
Alicia turned to Hotaru. Their friendship had started as the result of a coincidence, their being the only mages in their school. Now that happy chance had saved her mother. Alicia was very glad that she met her first friend.
Meeting the Testarossas was the first piece of good fortune to happen to Hotaru since her mother died. She had never before healed someone without the person she helped responding with revulsion to her unusual ability. Having someone thank her and offer to help her learn more about her abilities was a wonder.
For the first time in her life, Hotaru had an actual friend. Her friendÆs family had welcomed her without reservations. Life was wonderful.
She was so focused on that simple fact as she headed home that she was surprised to find herself stumbling as one foot slipped. As she climbed to her feet, Hotaru realized that something strange had happened.
She had completely lost all feeling in the toes on her right foot.
Omake: The consequences of NanoFate
Nanoha Serenity Small Lady Chiba (Also known as Picoha) walked through the woods outside the Tsukimura estate. An event had happened in these woods that had caused Crystal Tokyo to never come into existence, and Puu-chan had sent her back into the past in order to ensure that the event in question didnÆt happen. If she failed in her mission, her parents would never marry, and she would cease to exist as her timeline vanished from existence.
Picoha brushed the twigs that had caught in her odangos as she walked under low-hanging branches as she made her way to her destination, a kitten of enormous proportions. She had to ensure that a certain person was kept distracted so that she would never meet her mother. Her life depended on it.
A rustling ahead of her preceded the arrival of a blonde girl who for some reason was carrying a bunny plushie. The girl narrowed her mismatched eyes at Picoha.
ôAre the time traveler trying to break up my mamas?ö The woman girl.
ôWho are you?ö Picoha asked.
ôMy name is Vivio Takamachi. I was sent back in time to deal with someone trying to alter the past so that my mamas donÆt meet. Is that you?ö
This girl was another time traveler, one sent to thwart her mission! There was only one thing to do. Picoha had to defeat her fast enough that she would be able to ensure that history unfolded properly. In the distance, Picoha could see a figure in black flying towards the giant kitten. She was running out of time.
ôMoon Prism Power, Make Up!ö She called out, transforming into Sailor Chibi-Moon.
ôSacred Heart, Set Up.ö Vivio countered, causing her to abruptly age a decade and change into a black bodysuit.
ôPink Sugar Heart Attack!ö Picoha cried, firing a series of magical hearts at her enemy.
Vivio leapt over the attack, kicking as she did so. Picoha was knocked down by the blow. A second strike knocked the Pink Moon Stick out of her hands. Picoha struggled to her feet. She had to win this fight. Crystal Tokyo depended on it. Her very existence depended on it.
The next ten seconds were very long for Picoha. Her opponent gave her a swift, brutal, and very efficient beatdown, followed by a binding spell once Picoha was no longer able to fight.
ôNoà I have to stop ità If I donÆt, Crystal Tokyo willàö She weakly protested.
The kitten in the distance vanished. Flashes of pink and yellow light showed that her mother had met the person she was supposed to be kept away from. A crash in the distance announced the end of the battle between the two.
Nanoha Takamachi fell to the ground in a clearing a ways away. When she woke, her mind would be focused on the girl who had beaten her, and would wonder why her beautiful eyes looked so sad.
In that moment, the destinies of Nanoha Takamachi and Fate Testarossa became intertwined. In that moment, Nanoha started down a path that took her away from the world that she would find her first love with a man who in this life was named Mamoru Chiba for the second time. In that moment, the world which Princess Nanoha Serenity Small Lady Chiba was born ceased to exist.
Picoha faded from existence along with the potential future that created her.
A/N: A lot of reviewers have mentioned that they didnÆt like the notion of Mamoru/Nanoha. Well, the romance in their previous lives only got them to the point of initial attraction, which only really helps to get a foot in the door. Mamoru had the opportunity to get to know Usagi as a person well before they started actually dating in canon, which he hasnÆt had here.
Sailor Venus had been trained to use a broadsword. The weapon she used at the wedding was a kodachi. Different size, different balance, meant to be used with a different style.
The Senshi have had over a year to adjust to remembering events from their previous lives, and didnÆt consider said lives to be a point of shame. As a result, they didnÆt find the additional memories awakened by visiting the Moon Palace to be overwhelming.
WhatÆs happening to Hotaru? Think AÆs.
The White Devil of the Moon
By Bissek
Chapter 9
Aspernor Tui
Mamoru found himself in an unusual situation. He was on his first date, with a young woman who he was extremely familiar with and yet knew absolutely nothing about. Apart from the very brief meeting that had been interrupted by Fate, this was the first opportunity he had had to spend time with the reincarnated Princess Serenity for non-work related reasons. Most of the time he had spent with her so far had been spent with her giving tactical lectures or observing as Signum smacked him senseless with a shinai.
Because of that he barely knew Serenity in her current life, even though he remembered quite a bit about the girl she had been in her previous life. As a result of this, he found himself looking at SerenityÆs current incarnation and seeing her previous one. The fact that the illusion created by the disguise pen she was using to ensure that she was not recognized as one of the magical girls who had ended up on the front page of the newspaper made her look like her previous incarnation didnÆt help.
That confusion was the reason why the first part of the planned date didnÆt turn out so well. Mamoru had remembered that Serenity had loved the open fields of Earth, where trees and flowers could grow freely instead of being confined in the climate-controlled greenhouses of the Moon. So he took her to a park in a different ward, the flower beds there being the closest thing to free-growing plantlife he could find in Tokyo. Serenity was unimpressed. In her worldview, the purpose of a park was to have open space for those outdoor activities which required large amounts of open space.
And that was the problem. He ultimately didnÆt know anything about SerenityÆs interests outside her work. From what her friends had said, it was entirely possible that she didnÆt have any. This was a problem, because he wasnÆt dedicated to the Senshi cause to the absolute exclusion of everything else anymore than the Senshi were. He had his own interests, his own hopes for the future once this war was over. He wanted to be a healer, not a warrior. He wanted a peaceful life with his beloved Serenity by his side. The second part of that was highly unlikely to come to pass if he couldnÆt find a way to relate to her.
Mamoru spent the afternoon trying to salvage the date. He wasnÆt particularly successful. Everything he remembered about the Serenity he knew and loved turned out to be totally useless in trying to connect to the Serenity he was dealing with now. As their time together came to a close, Mamoru was forced to concede that he had no idea as to how to advance his suit towards the princess.
Night fell over Tokyo. As most businesses closed down, two cats and a ferret made their way to the Crown Arcade.
ôSo you put your main base underneath an arcade?ö Yuuno asked.
Luna nodded. ôWith so many other people in their age group spending their free time there, we figured that the Senshi could gather there regularly without anyone paying any notice to it.ö
Sneaking into the closed arcade, Luna led the three of them to the Sailor V machine and called out the command phrase that caused the console to move aside, revealing the secret passage to the command center.
ôHow do you get in during the day without drawing attention to yourselves?ö Yuuno wondered as they headed down the stairs.
ôWe canÆt,ö Artemis admitted. ôThis is the only entrance, and any attempt to open it when someone else is in here would give the whole thing away. We really didnÆt think that part through.ö
ôFunny how the game machine hiding the entrance to your base is based on one of your people.ö
ôItÆs not a coincidence. I wrote the game as a training simulator for the Senshi. The hard part was getting copies into mass distribution without anyone wondering where the program came from. I was surprised when your friend managed to beat it on her first try.ö
ôYou wouldnÆt be if you knew Nanoha. When I first gave her Raising Heart, it took her less than two weeks to find the training mode, and she used it to run tactical simulations while she was at school continuously for months. Without once allowing her grades to slip or getting caught by the teachers.ö
Luna and Artemis exchanged a glance. ôWhy couldnÆt any of our recruits have been that dedicated?ö
ôWhen I think of all the effort it took just to get the girls to agree to do their duty as Senshi in the first placeàö Luna added.
ôNanoha was always a girl in search of a cause. ThatÆs why she stuck with being a mage even after the TSAB offered to take her first case off her hands and let her go back to being an ordinary girl.ö Yuuno admitted.
ôA pity she didnÆt find the cause she was supposed to serve back then.ö Luna muttered under her breath.
The three arrived in the command center. Yuuno shifted back to his human form and started looking around.
ôThis equipment is all in very good condition. You said that this was all originally built by the Moon Kingdom?ö
Artemis nodded. ôAnd itÆs still linked to the parts of the network in the Moon Palace that survived the war.ö
ôImpressive. So you think that we can use that link to recover the exact coordinates of the palace from here?ö
ôHopefully.ö
ôWell, letÆs get started.ö
It took some time to plan the lunar expedition after the coordinates were calculated. The list of who would be going had to be established. Patrol and training schedules had to be reworked to allow for those people to leave Tokyo without leaving a gap in the cityÆs defenses. But after a few days, Yuuno was transported to the ruins of the Moon Palace, where he set up a barrier that established a breathable atmosphere for the rest of expedition (Nanoha, Signum, Mamoru, the Senshi, and the Moon Cats), which soon followed.
ôIÆve never seen a site so perfectly preserved before.ö Yuuno said.
ôPerfectly preserved? This place is in ruins.ö Rei pointed out.
ôExactly. Thanks to the vacuum of space, the palace is in exactly the same condition it was the night it was attacked. Nothing has been moved since the dust first settled. There has been no wind or rain to erode the debris, no bacteria to break down organic materials, nothing. Do you have any idea how many thousands of historic sites that were barely a fraction of the age of this place have been completely dismantled by later civilizations for free building materials? The bodies are even still wearing their jewelry. Most sites would be picked clean of any obvious valuables within a generation, and everything is still untouched after millennia.ö
Looking down at a desiccated corpse wearing a necklace that seemed extremely familiar, Makoto shuddered. ôYou just think that because you canÆt recognize any of the bodies from their effects.ö
ôUhhà I see your point.ö
The group entered into the palace, travelling slowly as Yuuno carefully recorded images of everything they passed into his device. As they journeyed into the ruins, Luna and Artemis described what the various parts of the palace they passed through had been before the attack, which Yuuno also carefully noted down. Occasionally one of the Senshi would relate a story in regards to a specific location they passed through as the familiar sight triggered a memory from their previous lives.
ôThis is the Grand Ballroom.ö Artemis said as they entered an area that had contained quite a lot of open space before the ceiling had collapsed. ôAll major celebrations, court dinners, and entertainments took place in this room. This is where most of the court was at the time Metallia attacked.ö
The group started looking around. Yuuno started examining a number of crushed implements in one corner of the room that had probably been musical instruments before they had been thrown to the ground and trampled on in the confusion of an unexpected battle.
Nanoha knelt on the floor and idly brushed away the dust. As she cleared a square of tiles, she froze in shock.
ôWhat is it, Nanoha?ö Yuuno asked.
ôIÆve been here before.ö
Too many details from NanohaÆs dreams turned out to have parallels to the events she had been facing to be coincidence. But for some reason, finding that a ballroom in an abandoned palace on the moon had the exact tiling pattern as the ballroom she had danced in during her recurring dream was what tipped the balance and made it impossible for her to deny that the SenshiÆs belief that she had been their princess in a previous life.
This was the room where she had danced with Endymion on the night she relived in her dreams. The room where a fairy tale happy ending abruptly turned into a nightmare, and ended with her ending her own life in despair. She recalled the evening in such detail that she honestly thought that she could repeat the dance from memory, despite having never taken dancing lessons in her life.
ôThere was a ball,ö She began. ôI was dancing with a young man. As the dance ended, there was a crashing sound û someone brute-forcing a barrier spell from the outside. After that, youma started attacking. The man I was dancing with and I ran.ö
Nanoha climbed to her feet and started running. She didnÆt need to look where she was going. She retraced the steps she had taken in her dream, making her way to the room where she had fallen.
Minako knew intellectually that she might end up finding her body when she agreed to come up to the moon, but that hadnÆt prepared her for actually seeing it. The remains of the previous Sailor Venus were easily identified by the uniform she wore. Even if it hadnÆt, she remembered receiving the various minor wounds that her old body sported, along with the deep gouge in her side that nearly reached her spine. Strangely, the crystal sword she had wielded in that battle wasnÆt with her body.
Looking around the room, she soon found the sword û impaled in the princessÆs chest. Had BerylÆs forces decided to add insult to injury in VenusÆs failure by using her own weapon to murder the girl she had failed to protect?
ôI eventually found myself cornered in this room. Then a woman who looked sort of like Minako-chan arrived.ö Nanoha said, continuing her story.
ôThe Queen had ordered me to save the princess,ö Minako added, taking over the story. ôShe didnÆt expect to survive sealing Metallia, and needed me to secure the safety of her successor. I fought my way here, and was able to defeat the youma attacking the princess, but I was overpowered by Kunzite when he arrived.ö
ôBeryl arrived shortly after that,ö Mamoru joined in. ôShe tried to kill Serenity, but I jumped into the path of the spell.ö
ôAnd you both died for nothing.ö Nanoha concluded to a chorus of gasps.
ôYou shouldnÆt say such a thing, Your Highness!ö Luna protested. ôSailor Venus and your betrothed sacrificed their lives to buy you time to escape. Just because they werenÆt able to buy you enough time doesnÆt mean that you should condemn them so!ö
ôThey didnÆt buy the princess any time at all,ö Nanoha corrected, ôBecause Serenity didnÆt even try to escape. Within moments of EndymionÆs death, she killed herself with VenusÆs sword. They died to protect a coward who dishonored their sacrifice by throwing her life away without sparing a thought for the people who depended on her. The only fault Venus had in this was in faithfully serving a child who did not deserve such loyalty.ö
There was an awkward silence as the others took in NanohaÆs declaration. The harsh, blunt assessment of her previous lifeÆs actions on the night of her death was something they werenÆt expecting. And while it did Minako good to know that the PrincessÆs current incarnation did not blame her for failing in her duty in a previous age, the reason Minako was considered to not be to blame was rather unusual.
ôThereÆs no need to blame yourself, Serenity.ö Mamoru said, putting an arm around her shoulders.
ôDonÆt call me that! That selfish, irresponsible, cowardly child is not me! IÆm Nanoha, not Serenity! Na. No. Ha!ö
Before anyone could say anything further, Nanoha fled from the scene.
Nanoha didnÆt want to believe the evidence that had she had seen. Her dreams had been true in every detail, and the actions she had taken in them were even more inexcusable than she had thought. Not only had she spat on the efforts of two people who had willingly died to protect her by killing herself before their bodies were cold, she had done so when an entire nation, with millions, possibly billions of lives had been counting on her.
She had been the heir apparent to the throne, with the Queen almost certain to not live through the night. Her subjects had been counting on the Queen, whoever that Queen was, to lead her people through times of trouble, which that night most certainly was. And Serenity had ignored that responsibility in favor of giving in to her own despair. If Princess Serenity had taken up the responsibilities of the crown, would the Moon Kingdom have made it through the night? Would some of her people have survived long enough for the next ship from Al-Hazard to arrive and request a rescue effort? The universe would never know, because Serenity ignored her duty for her own selfish impulses.
To make things worse, everywhere she looked, she saw something that reminded her of an event from thousands of years in the past. The room she passed on her right was where she was regularly tutored by a rather boring teacher. The terrace up ahead was where she had hidden while setting up a practical joke on someone, though she couldnÆt recall who or why. She couldnÆt look anywhere without memories of a life that she considered a point of shame threatening to overwhelm her.
NanohaÆs aimless wandering took her into what appeared to be the throne room. Stepping over the body of what looked like another Senshi of a previous era, Nanoha approached the dais. Lying in front of the throne lay the body of a woman who appeared to be the last Queen of the Moon Kingdom. Kneeling down in front of the woman who had placed her last hope for her people into the hands of a girl who failed that trust almost immediately, she touched the hand of the corpse.
As she touched the body, Nanoha felt the air stir. Knowing that wind did not occur naturally in a magically created atmosphere, she started looking around; wondering what had caused the change. It didnÆt take long to figure it out. Floating above the body was the image of a woman. From the identical outfit and jewelry she wore, the image appeared to be the Moon Queen as she appeared in life.
ôMy daughter.ö The queen began.
The Senshi were in shock. For over a year they had thought of the Moon Princess as an idealized figure, who was simultaneously a sacred martyr to the principles of Love and Justice that the Moon Kingdom stood for and a beacon of hope that the Dark Kingdom could be defeated. The spectacularly low opinion that the Princess herself had formed of her previous self was rather unexpected. However, the very fact that she was willing to condemn her previous self for her shortcomings implied that she had no intention of repeating the same mistakes gave them hope for the future.
Deciding that properly laying out SerenityÆs body would not cause any further impact to the research that the archeologist was conducting over what seemed to be virtually every single thing in the palace than had already been done by the battle; Minako carefully pulled the sword out of her chest and lowered the body onto the ground. The sword felt extremely comfortable in her hand. The weapon she had borrowed during the fight at the wedding seemed too short, too light, and oddly balanced. The sword she now held in her hand was perfect. Stepping clear of the rest of the group, she began swinging the sword in a half-remembered practice pattern.
The pattern turned out to be incredibly clumsy. While she might have remembered the techniques she used in her previous life intellectually, she had not regained muscle memory alongside her mental memories. After an overbalanced swing sheared through a piece of rubble and nearly took her own foot off, Minako decided to put the weapon away before she injured someone by accident.
ôYouÆve used a sword before.ö Signum noted.
ôIn my previous life. This is only second time IÆve ever held one in this lifetime.ö Minako admitted.
ôI think you could relearn fairly quickly. I could teach you if youÆd like.ö
Since one of the memories of her past life that Minako recalled far too clearly for comfort was exactly how much the wound that killed the previous Sailor Venus hurt, she agreed readily. Then Luna spoke up.
ôShouldnÆt we be going after the Princess?ö
Privately, Minako felt that Nanoha was likely to bite the head off of anyone who reminded her of her connection to the late Princess Serenity at the moment. Still, it was a good idea. It wasnÆt even very hard to figure out where she went. With all the dust and debris that had fallen on the floor during the battle and then went undisturbed for eons, the only people who had left footprints were the very people who entered the castle earlier that day. All they had to do in order to find Nanoha was follow the only set of footprints leading away from the room they were in.
As they traced NanohaÆs steps, they found more bodies. One of the bodies in a sizable pile of corpses wore the uniform of a Senshi. Rei knelt down in front of the body, noting the horrific gouges torn into its back.
ôThis was me.ö She gasped. ôI was trying to get these people to safety. One of the youma disguised itself as a civilian and managed to get itself included in the group of refugees. It killed me from behind while I was trying to fight off a different group of youma.ö
The group advanced past the body of the previous Sailor Mars. A few corners later, they came across a narrow corridor that hadà pieces of someone scattered about it. Makoto picked up a fragment of a skull wearing a tiara from under a forearm.
ôI was guarding the corridor, buying time so that the Queen could get to the Ginzuisho and use it. The hallway was narrow enough that I could hold it by myself without anyone being able to get around me, but they just kept coming. It got to the point where I just couldnÆt kill enough of them with one spell to drive them back long enough to cast another. I was forced to fight them hand to hand, and they eventually swarmed me under and tore me to pieces.ö
Makoto shivered, remembering the agony she had been forced to suffer as the youma dismembered her. She glanced around, trying to find something in the corridor she could focus on that wasnÆt one of her body parts. She eventually decided to resolutely stare at the ceiling until she was away from her death site.
Further along, they found the throne room. Visible from the doorway was the remains of another Senshi. This one had a large part of her body blown away.
ôI was keeping the Queen up to date with the status of the battle and relaying her orders out to the troops as she retrieved the Ginzuisho.ö Ami said. ôThe enemy broke in just as she was casting the spell to seal away Metallia. I threw myself in front of the Queen to buy her a few more seconds to finish the spell. I think I was the lucky one out of all of us. I died instantly.ö Thinking back on how they had fallen in their previous lives, the other Senshi were forced to agree with that rather grim assessment.
Directly behind MercuryÆs corpse was the throne room. Inside the group could see Nanoha, speaking to what looked like an image of the late Queen. The results of that conversation would further damage the SenshiÆs mental image of the world they lived in during their previous lives.
Nanoha blinked. The story that the QueenÆs spirit had told her had something wrong with it. She had to confirm that she had heard it straight.
ôLet me get this straight. YouÆre telling me that your sole heir was in the habit of walking away from her duties and sneaking not just out of your palace, but your entire country, and making her way down to Earth, because she didnÆt like the weather?!ö
The Queen nodded. ôShe longed to feel real wind upon her skin and stand under the light of the actual sun, rather than the artificial environment of the moon. Sheàö
ôAnd you let her?ö
The Queen froze at NanohaÆs interruption. Nanoha forcibly ignored the part of her mind that wanted to embrace the apparition that it considered to be its mother and continued.
ôSerenity was your only heir. You had a responsibility to ensure that she would be ready to take over the throne upon your death. And instead you stood aside and let her neglect her responsibilities and run off to another country on a whim û which she then did frequently enough to pick up a steady boyfriend there.
ôDidnÆt you ever think about what kind of ruler a girl who routinely skipped out on her responsibilities would make? DidnÆt any of your advisors mention that to you? Or were they all hoping they would be the real rulers while an incompetent queen sat on the throne?
ôDid you ever consider that a man who would court a princess who frequently neglected her duties on a whim might be someone intending to use her? Regardless of whether or not Endymion was that kind of man, it would have been all too easy for the husband of a queen who was unprepared for that role due to her own neglect to take over the responsibilities of the throne, and the power with it.
ôAnd that doesnÆt even go into the fact that you allowed your heir to leave the country without a security detail û several times. And the potential diplomatic consequences that could have erupted if anything happened to her while she was taking an impromptu vacation in another country. IÆm not sure which is worse û your daughterÆs irresponsible actions, or the fact that you allowed them to happen.ö
ôI was very busy with important matters of state at the time.ö The Queen began. If the woman had been corporeal, she would have been sweating. Her eyes were wide as she tried to wrap her mind around NanohaÆs accusation that she had failed her as both a mother and a queen.
ôWhen I was born, my father was in critical condition in the hospital. My mother was usually either with him or at work, and my siblings were either in school or working themselves. I spent most of my early childhood alone. Despite that, my parents still managed to teach me to take my responsibilities seriously. Something you failed to teach Serenity.ö Nanoha turned around, and noticed that the rest of the group had found her.
ôMy childàö The QueenÆs image entreated.
ôMy motherÆs name is Momoko Takamachi. Good-bye, your majesty.ö The QueenÆs face twisted in grief at the casual rejection.
It seemed that her previous life was a severe disappointment. What Yuuno had learned at first implied that Beryl was the one who was wholly at fault, but she wasnÆt the only person who had a role in creating the disaster that caused the destruction of this palace and everything else dating back to that time period. Had Princess Serenity taken her responsibilities seriously, or Queen Serenity attempted to do something about her daughterÆs behavior, the love triangle that set Beryl off would not have happened. While this didnÆt excuse BerylÆs actions, Nanoha felt that she probably would not like Princess Serenity if it were possible for them to meet in person. As far as she could tell, the only thing they had in common were some memories in which Serenity demonstrated conduct which NanohaÆs family wouldnÆt have tolerated in their common-born daughter, leaving a princess with no excuse for such actions.
Nanoha walked away from the dais and approached Yuuno.
ôIÆd like to go back now, Yuuno-kun.ö
After the Princess was transported back to Earth, the Queen turned her attention to the other people present. The Senshi, noting that she was in formal regalia rather than a military uniform, knelt before her. The Queen gestured that they could rise, then turned her attention to her advisers.
ôLuna?ö The queen asked shakily.
ôYes, your majesty?ö
ôDo you think my daughter was right? Did I fail in my duties to her as a queen? As a mother?ö
Luna considered the PrincessÆs statements. She had pretty much accused the entire court of failing to prepare their future ruler for the throne, out either incompetence or ambition. The truly depressing thing was that when Luna examined the PrincessÆs logic, she was forced to concede that the Princess had a point.
Princess Serenity had been neglecting her duty when she made her unscheduled trips to Earth, and the court had allowed her to get away with it. That no immediately obvious consequences had resulted from these actions apart from a politically advantageous romance was no excuse. Had Endymion been a man with fewer scruples, he could easily have manipulated the Princess at will and effectively absorbed the Moon Kingdom.
Luna was more willing to forgive the PrincessÆs final actions than the Princess herself was: The Princess in her current life was a warrior and a trainer of warriors, and was expecting her previous life to live up to that standard. But that didnÆt change the fact that Princess Serenity had been hopelessly unprepared for the throne at the time of her death, and as one of the QueenÆs advisors, Luna and Artemis should have noticed that and brought it to her attention. They had not. And while that failure was a genuine mistake on their part, it was entirely possible that some of the other advisors may have wanted the Princess to be unready for the throne, for the very reasons that the Princess had just mentioned.
ôThe fault is not yours alone, your majesty. Artemis and I also failed to raise the concerns that the Princess raised against her previous lifeÆs actions.ö She said. Artemis nodded in agreement.
The Queen sighed. ôThat you also failed to notice my mistakes doesnÆt change the fact that I made them. And all of my people suffered for my failure.ö
ôNanohaÆs always been very dedicated to her duty. I think it stems from the time a Jewel Seed activated and damaged a couple city blocks the first time she tried to take a day off. It was pure chance, but convinced herself that she always had to be ready in case she was needed after that, even after the point where she wasnÆt working alone and could afford to rest.ö Yuuno pointed out. ôI can certainly see why she wouldnÆt approve of her past self doing the same thing repeatedly and getting away with it.ö
ôYou know my daughter well?ö
ôIÆve never met Princess Serenity, but IÆve known Nanoha for half her life.ö
Luna noted the distinction. Like the Princess herself, her rival didnÆt associate her previous self with her current one. While that was highly unfortunate, the reasons behind this disassociation held some hope for the Moon Kingdom. When the Princess finally took up the throne, the dedication inherent to her character in this life would make her a far better queen than she would have as Serenity. And she would have to take up the throne. Her very insistence that a person should take their responsibilities seriously meant that she was obliged to do so.
ôTell me of the woman she has become.ö
Confident that the future of the Moon Kingdom was secure, Luna listened as the archeologist started telling the Queen of the life of her daughterÆs current incarnation.
Fate had wanted to go on the Lunar expedition. But with so many other people already going on the trip, it was necessary for her to be on patrol in the city. She had just returned from an uneventful patrol when Nanoha arrived. Strangely, she had come back alone. Why had she needed to return ahead of the others?
ôI wasnÆt expecting you to be back early, Nanoha.ö She began.
Her friend clung to her without speaking. Whatever it was that had happened on the moon, it had clearly disturbed Nanoha severely. Fate took her away from the public areas of their base back to her room.
ôWhatÆs wrong, Nanoha?ö
Nanoha started to describe what she had experienced on the moon. The most detail was spent on the actions she had performed in her previous life which she found inexcusable in her current one, and how she started recalling more and more details of that life as she saw places that triggered the long buried memories.
ôIt was like I was drowning in SerenityÆs memories. There were a couple moments that I had to force myself to remember that I wasnÆt her.ö
Fate could understand why Nanoha was upset about that. It had taken her quite some time to realize that AliciaÆs memories were not her own. Of course, Fate had wanted them to be her own, as AliciaÆs time with their mother was much happier than her own.
ôAnd to make things worse, I think that Serenity was starting to affect my thinking earlier than that. When I first met EndymionÆs reincarnation, I was absolutely delighted to see him, and I didnÆt have the slightest notion as to why. Even after that one date, it didnÆt seem like we had anything in common. Would I have even been briefly interested in him had he not once been Endymion? Would he have ever been interested in me had I not once been Serenity? He even addressed me by her name on the moon. Was his interest in me real, or just an echo of a memory? How much of any of this is because of what people really want now as opposed to what the memories of people long dead wanted? How do I know whatÆs real?ö
Fate realized what the problem was. Nanoha needed an anchor, something that she could rely on that had nothing to do with her past life. A possibility occurred to her. Something that Fate had wanted to give Nanoha for some time, but had been unable to gather the courage to do so.
ôI never lived in the Moon Kingdom, Nanoha. What IÆm about to do is purely about us. Serenity has nothing to do with this.ö Fate said.
Then she kissed her.
As the Queen questioned Yuuno about her reincarnated daughter, she slowly started to fade. After she had vanished completely, the rest of the group started splitting up to do various tasks. The PrincessÆs advisor decided to continue his archeological examination of the palace, accompanied by Artemis and Luna. Rei decided that the court needed a proper funeral and had started transporting bodies to the courtyard, eventually dragooning Signum and the other Senshi into helping her. Yuuno, recognizing that these bodies were far more than historical curiosities in their eyes, simply requested that he be allowed to run a cursory scan of the bodies and document exactly where they had originally lain before they were taken away.
After the Senshi finished gathering all of the fallen bodies in the courtyard, Rei gave the last rites to the court of the Moon Kingdom and ignited the enormous funeral mound. The smoke from that pyre would be seen by astronomers on the Earth, inspiring considerable speculation about what could make what appeared to be a fire appear on an airless planetoid, but nobody would be able to focus a powerful enough telescope on the site in time to notice anything. The Lunar Fire would quickly become just another minor mystery, ignored by everyone except conspiracy theorists.
While Precia was glad to learn that her daughter had made a friend on her first day at school, she was surprised by the fact that this friend was a mage. Mages were supposed to be rare on this planet. That was why the TSAB only referred to it by a number and ignored it unless a dimensional disturbance large enough to be noticed by a ship intending to go somewhere more important occurred. The odds of someone just running into a mage were unbelievably low.
Was this Tomoe girl a TSAB plant? Precia shook her head. Precia herself hadnÆt known what school Alicia was going to attend until a few days before she started going there. If the TSAB had been able to figure out where Alicia was going to school that quickly, they would have already locked up both of them.
It was good that Alicia had been able to make a friend so quickly. The fact that Alicia was now indisputably alive meant that the TSAB couldnÆt try to kill her if they managed to track them down, but Precia knew that she would be separated from her beloved child sooner or later. She had done her best to ensure that Alicia didnÆt know û knowing that her mother was both terminally ill and considered a wanted a criminal for trying to help her child would only make the girl worry û but there would come a time when either the TSAB would try to take her away or her failing health would give out completely. She needed to find a way to ensure that Alicia would be cared for once that time came.
The doorbell rang. Precia went to the door to meet her daughterÆs friend.
ôGood afternoon, Testarossa-san.ö The girl said.
ôYou must be Hotaru. AliciaÆs told me about you. Please comeàö Precia started. Then she lost her breath. She started coughing, dropping to her knees as she fought to breathe. She heard Alicia arriving in the entry way and gasp in shock at what she saw.
ôMother? WhatÆs wrong?ö
Precia didnÆt answer. She couldnÆt have even if she wanted to. She hadnÆt wanted her daughter to learn of her condition, especially not like this! Unfortunately, her dying body wasnÆt complying with her wishes.
Suddenly, Precia felt strange warmth flowing through her chest. Her lungs started to clear, and she could breathe again. As she wiped the blood from her mouth, Precia realized that she felt better than she had in months. The illness that was slowly destroying her hadnÆt gone away, but it had been driven back.
Precia had been living on borrowed time for years. But now it seemed that there was a cure for her own health problems as well as her daughterÆs. Precia looked up into the face of the girl who given her new hope for the future.
Alicia gasped in shock. One moment her mother was fine, the next she was on the floor, coughing up blood. What had happened?
ôMother? WhatÆs wrong?ö She asked.
Her mother didnÆt answer. She just continued to cough. Alicia didnÆt know what to do. SheÆd never known her mother to be sick before. Had something happened to her while she was sick?
Hotaru made her way towards her motherÆs side. Alicia watched as Hotaru placed her hands on her motherÆs back. Endless seconds passed. Beads of sweat formed on HotaruÆs forehead. But slowly, her motherÆs breathing eased.
ôAre you alright, mother?ö Alicia asked as her mother slowly climbed to her feet.
ôI-itÆs alright, Alicia. ItÆs past now.ö Her mother said.
ôWhat was that?ö
ôSomething I caught while you were ill. DonÆt worry; it isnÆt something you two are likely to catch from me.ö
Alicia didnÆt find her words very reassuring. She could tell that her mother was worried, even if she didnÆt want her worrying. But her mother didnÆt appear to be willing to talk about it, and she didnÆt want to push.
Alicia turned to Hotaru. Their friendship had started as the result of a coincidence, their being the only mages in their school. Now that happy chance had saved her mother. Alicia was very glad that she met her first friend.
Meeting the Testarossas was the first piece of good fortune to happen to Hotaru since her mother died. She had never before healed someone without the person she helped responding with revulsion to her unusual ability. Having someone thank her and offer to help her learn more about her abilities was a wonder.
For the first time in her life, Hotaru had an actual friend. Her friendÆs family had welcomed her without reservations. Life was wonderful.
She was so focused on that simple fact as she headed home that she was surprised to find herself stumbling as one foot slipped. As she climbed to her feet, Hotaru realized that something strange had happened.
She had completely lost all feeling in the toes on her right foot.
Omake: The consequences of NanoFate
Nanoha Serenity Small Lady Chiba (Also known as Picoha) walked through the woods outside the Tsukimura estate. An event had happened in these woods that had caused Crystal Tokyo to never come into existence, and Puu-chan had sent her back into the past in order to ensure that the event in question didnÆt happen. If she failed in her mission, her parents would never marry, and she would cease to exist as her timeline vanished from existence.
Picoha brushed the twigs that had caught in her odangos as she walked under low-hanging branches as she made her way to her destination, a kitten of enormous proportions. She had to ensure that a certain person was kept distracted so that she would never meet her mother. Her life depended on it.
A rustling ahead of her preceded the arrival of a blonde girl who for some reason was carrying a bunny plushie. The girl narrowed her mismatched eyes at Picoha.
ôAre the time traveler trying to break up my mamas?ö The woman girl.
ôWho are you?ö Picoha asked.
ôMy name is Vivio Takamachi. I was sent back in time to deal with someone trying to alter the past so that my mamas donÆt meet. Is that you?ö
This girl was another time traveler, one sent to thwart her mission! There was only one thing to do. Picoha had to defeat her fast enough that she would be able to ensure that history unfolded properly. In the distance, Picoha could see a figure in black flying towards the giant kitten. She was running out of time.
ôMoon Prism Power, Make Up!ö She called out, transforming into Sailor Chibi-Moon.
ôSacred Heart, Set Up.ö Vivio countered, causing her to abruptly age a decade and change into a black bodysuit.
ôPink Sugar Heart Attack!ö Picoha cried, firing a series of magical hearts at her enemy.
Vivio leapt over the attack, kicking as she did so. Picoha was knocked down by the blow. A second strike knocked the Pink Moon Stick out of her hands. Picoha struggled to her feet. She had to win this fight. Crystal Tokyo depended on it. Her very existence depended on it.
The next ten seconds were very long for Picoha. Her opponent gave her a swift, brutal, and very efficient beatdown, followed by a binding spell once Picoha was no longer able to fight.
ôNoà I have to stop ità If I donÆt, Crystal Tokyo willàö She weakly protested.
The kitten in the distance vanished. Flashes of pink and yellow light showed that her mother had met the person she was supposed to be kept away from. A crash in the distance announced the end of the battle between the two.
Nanoha Takamachi fell to the ground in a clearing a ways away. When she woke, her mind would be focused on the girl who had beaten her, and would wonder why her beautiful eyes looked so sad.
In that moment, the destinies of Nanoha Takamachi and Fate Testarossa became intertwined. In that moment, Nanoha started down a path that took her away from the world that she would find her first love with a man who in this life was named Mamoru Chiba for the second time. In that moment, the world which Princess Nanoha Serenity Small Lady Chiba was born ceased to exist.
Picoha faded from existence along with the potential future that created her.
A/N: A lot of reviewers have mentioned that they didnÆt like the notion of Mamoru/Nanoha. Well, the romance in their previous lives only got them to the point of initial attraction, which only really helps to get a foot in the door. Mamoru had the opportunity to get to know Usagi as a person well before they started actually dating in canon, which he hasnÆt had here.
Sailor Venus had been trained to use a broadsword. The weapon she used at the wedding was a kodachi. Different size, different balance, meant to be used with a different style.
The Senshi have had over a year to adjust to remembering events from their previous lives, and didnÆt consider said lives to be a point of shame. As a result, they didnÆt find the additional memories awakened by visiting the Moon Palace to be overwhelming.
WhatÆs happening to Hotaru? Think AÆs.
