Title: Return to Us

Author: Angel Leviathan

Spoilers: Act 47, anything, everything for past Acts.

Disclaimer: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon characters and concept don’t belong to me/=.

Notes: Rei’s thoughts after she learns of Minako’s death. Thanks to Tash!

-

"Artemis! What is it? Where’s Venus?"

I had known something was wrong. I should’ve listened to myself. I refused to listen to her all this time, as she refused to listen to me…but…but…

He wouldn’t make eye contact. A tear…a tear? No…I prayed that he was wrong, that I was wrong…it had all finally come together…what now? Didn’t we deserve a break?

"Mars…Minako…is…gone…"

My fault…my fault…driven her to it…didn’t listen…never listened…refused to hear her…

I knew they were in trouble as I collapsed to the floor beside my bag, numb. Nothing. Over. Artemis sobbing on the steps before me. Did he blame me? No…he trusted me…right? Right? Please?

I eventually made it to the scene where they were fighting the youma. Numb. I couldn’t move.

Even then, I had called her ‘Venus’. Asked where ‘Venus’ was. It was her damn fault! She always lived as the Senshi…she had been Venus since her Rebirth…she had carried the burden for all of us…Venus…did we ever know Minako? For brief moments…

Still numb. Frozen. Immobile. I watched them fight, detached.

"Rei? What’re you doing? Henshin, quickly!" Mako…Jupiter…

Guilt for not helping them whilst I could…like I could never help Minako…I watched as Usagi and Ami fought to no avail…

"…Mars Power…" I managed to choke out, shaking. Gone. Gone. No!

"Mars…Minako is…"

"Make up!!!" I shrieked, my voice hoarse, trying desperately to block out the pain. My fault! I vanished into the comforting flames, breaking into a run, duty taking over as I ran into the battle. Hit, strike, evade. Banish the pain. Something productive. This had driven her to her wits end. Duty. Duty. Always the past.

…Yet she had crept into the present…

…And barely touched the future…

Why to have it all ripped away now!?

Safety in the flames I defended myself with. Flames I defended them with. I was stronger than this; nothing could touch me…nothing…nothing!

"…Its not true…" Fire.

"…Its not true…" Embers.

"…Its not true!!" Pain.

They attacked and waited for my strength…I’d show them…show them all…the darkness she had fought to protect us all from…her duty…her life…

Wasted.

Youma to ashes from the power of my fury…leave us alone…leave us the hell alone! I want to live…I want to have peace…I want her back…

Meaningless destruction! Why!

Reborn to protect when we couldn’t even protect ourselves!

Everything racing out of control…

Maybe she was right to depend on the past…the only stability she remembered…

I wish I had remembered. Maybe I would have understood then.

When I heard the ragged cries escaping me, I gave in. I never realised I had been crying.

"…Rei-chan…?"

Usagi…oh no…not now…we never told her…protected her…far too much…

I couldn’t face it…

"…Mi…na…ko…"

Return to us…

-

Fin