Title: The Meaning of Peace

Author: Angel Leviathan

Disclaimer: Concept of Sera Mun, PGSM, Anime or Manga doesn’t belong to me, nor do the characters.

Notes: Set after Act40, stems from the argument Rei and Minako had at the end. A ‘fix it’ for Minako’s death. ‘The Meaning of Peace’ mentioned is a duet sung by Koda Kumi and BoA.

-

"What!?" Rei practically shrieked at what had just been proposed.

Minako, on the other hand, remained perfectly silent, seemingly unfazed by the news.

"Aino Minako and Mars Reiko!" Minako’s manager, as per usual, expressed himself over extravagantly with gestures, as if he were painting their names across the sky, "Duet!"
"But…but…!" Rei stuttered.

"It will be a brilliant way to kick-start your album sales! Mars Reiko-san duet with Aino Minako-san!"

"I don’t have an album, I don’t want an-"

"We should give Mars-san time to think about it," Minako nodded.

"What!?" Rei screeched.

"Alright, alright," her manager agreed, "but bear in mind that the studio is already expecting the two of you in three days!" he grinned at Minako, abruptly turned and walked away.

Once he was out of earshot, Rei turned a furious gaze upon her fellow Senshi, "You got me into this again!"

"I didn’t get you into anything," she replied, "If you hadn’t had insisted on ‘fighting’ me for my new single then you could have escaped quite easily." Minako seemed entirely calm about the whole situation, back to her usual self, not allowing anybody to see whether she was distressed or not.

"And if you had stopped living in the past then I wouldn’t have had to do that! Why give up now!? Usagi needs you and you’re perfectly willing to give in right now!" Rei fumed. She threw her hands in the air, "And you made up ‘Mars Reiko’ in the first place!"

Minako frowned, "You still don’t understand. The Princess is at a crucial stage. We have responsibilities from our past lives. We have a mission. I have a mission."

She’d had enough, "And you’re willing to die for it!?" she shouted.

The answer was simple, "Yes." Minako sighed, turning away, before looking over her shoulder, "Good luck, Mars Reiko-san," she teased, as she had before, when she had roped her into singing at the hospital. Without another word, she walked away, as she had done so many times in the past.

"Minako!" Rei shouted after her, not expecting a response she didn’t receive.

-

Usagi sat in the crown room, leaning on the table, eye-level with a china cup of tea. She’d been staring at it for a good ten minutes, sighing occasionally.

"…Usagi-chan…" Luna padded across the table and sat down beside her.

"I hurt people."

"You’ll learn to control it," the cat replied, "You will."

"I’ve tried and I end up in a worse situation than before," Usagi mumbled. She sighed for a last time, grabbed the teacup and downed the now cold tea in one gulp.

Luna took several steps back, fearing she was about to be flattened by a china cup. She watched as Usagi stood up and hit the button on the stereo before them, tuning in the radio and cranking the volume up a few notches as Minako’s new song, ‘Kiss Bang’ blasted from the speakers.

"Minako-chan’s good, right!?" Usagi laughed.

"Usagi-chan!" Ami’s voice came from the stop of the stairs.

"Ami-chan!"

Makoto was a step behind her, dumping her school bag on the floor as the stairs ended. She walked determinedly to the table and turned the volume down with a nod and a gentle smile.

Usagi pretended to pout, but sat back down, "Have you seen Rei-chan?"

"I’m here," Rei sounded decidedly angry. She stormed down the stairs and parked herself at the table, glaring into space.

"…R-Rei-chan…?" Ami glanced across at her nervously.

"What’s wrong?" Mako questioned.

Rei gave a low growl, "Minako."

Usagi’s eyes widened and she hit the stop button on the stereo, wincing, "I’m sorry you didn’t get the song, Rei-chan."

She would have replied that she didn’t care about the song, that she wasn’t and didn’t want to be a singer, that she hated singing, and that she had only pretended to try and kick Minako’s pride, if only as a performer, into gear. Instead she replied, "Its okay. The better girl got it."

"I think you’d have done well," Usagi reassured her, still oblivious.

"Minako?" Mako prompted.

Rei was startled, realising she’d almost revealed too much, "Its okay. She’s, er, just annoyed that she had to record it after all now."

"Oh!" Usagi jumped up, "Mama says she wants me to take Shingo on a trip… You guys wanna come too?"

Ami smiled, "Of course!"

"Sure!" Mako grinned.

Rei was still staring into space.

"Rei-chan?" Usagi questioned softly.

"Oh," she shook herself, "Sure."

"And Minako-chan!"

The young Priestess nearly spat out, ‘not likely’, knowing it was nigh-on impossible that Minako would go out with them as a group of her own volition.

-

Which was why she was somewhat surprised when she said ‘yes’.

"What!?" Rei’s voice was at shrieking pitch for the second time in two days.

"You were right," Minako sounded as if the idea had been her own, "The Prin-" she caught the expression on Rei’s face and decided against referring to Usagi as ‘Princess’ again, "…Usagi needs guidance. She has to learn to control the Crystal. If we are all with her then there may be a higher probably of us coming up with a solution." She shut down the computer that sat on the table across her hospital bed. If she admitted it, she was a little angry that Rei now knew where to find her on certain days, knowing which days she appeared in the hospital for her treatment. Then again, it also meant that the others were less likely to find out.

"…Have the operation." Rei suddenly stated.

"What?" Minako frowned.

"Have the operation!" she repeated.

"I don’t have the time. I was going to stop singing so I’d have the time to complete the mission. Now I can’t do that, I certainly can’t afford the time to have, and recover, if I would, from the procedure," the girl answered, leaving the ‘you made me’ off the end of her statement.

"And if you don’t complete it before-"

"Before I die?" Minako was unafraid, "I will complete it."

"Why take the risk!? Why accept death when there’s a chance you could live!?"

"And if something happens to the Princess whilst I can’t do anything about it?"

"We’ll deal with it!" Rei insisted.

Minako shook her head, "No, you won’t. I haven’t finished teaching you, yet, and the others still aren’t at their full strength."

"…Usagi seems to have enough power for everybody…" she muttered.

"Exactly. Which is what’s worrying." The Senshi swiftly changed the subject, sitting back in her bed and reaching to the floor for a file, "I have the title and words for the duet."

"You don’t side-track me that easily-" Rei began.

Minako handed her one of the sheets, headed with the title, "The Meaning of Peace".

…And Rei’s shout of protest echoed along the hospital corridor.

-

"…She looks happy…" Ami smiled, looking over at Makoto as the two walked together along the curved concrete path of the zoo, seeing Usagi chase her little brother to the lion enclosure.

"…She’s just being Usagi…not Sailor Moon or the Princess…" Mako gave a small sigh, "Its good that she can just switch off sometimes."

"Ami-chan! Mako-chan!" Usagi jumped, waving, putting on a show for Shingo.

Ami giggled and ran to join her, Mako walking at a slower pace, smiling, leaving Rei and Minako walking side by side, silently.

About to finally say something, if only a comment about the weather, Rei was shocked when Minako just walked away from her, "Hey!" she exclaimed, annoyed. She whirled round to see her kneeling several paces from her, a young girl beaming as she held out a piece of paper for her to sign.

"We weren’t sure if it was you, Aino-san," her mother smiled.

Rei frowned and caught up with them, "Minako’s taking a day-"

"Its okay," the Senshi of Venus looked up at her, a gentle smile on her face, "Its okay," she repeated, turning back to the girl, "There you go!" she laughed.

Her ‘friend’ sighed. She’d never understand the girl. One minute blank and distant, the next their capable ‘leader’, yet always laughing and smiling with her fans, especially the little ones.

"Thank you, Aino-san!" the girl beamed.

Minako smiled again, getting to her feet and ruffling the girl’s hair, "Minako-chan," she nodded.

"…Minako-chan!" she repeated, shy.

"Thank you," her mother honestly seemed to appreciate the gesture.

Minako nodded, looked back at Rei and rejoined her, allowed herself to be ‘led’ away.

"…You’re good with them…" Rei said in a low voice, staring at the ground.

She laughed for a moment, "I have to be," she stated, as if it were another of her ‘duties’. At Rei’s angry look, she glanced away, "I want to be," she admitted, "I love them."

"Minako?" Mako held out a packet of sweets. By now they had reached the lion enclosure, where Shingo was sticking close to Usagi, embarrassed at being out with so many girls.

Minako offered her a grateful smile and took one, "Thanks, Makoto."

"Doki!" the dark haired girl laughed.

It took her a couple of seconds to react, but for once, she broke into a completely genuine smile and couldn’t help but laugh, "Doki doki!" she countered.

All the while, two cats had been pacing slowly behind the girls, one black, one white. The black of the two halted, eyes wide, just as the same feeling hit her companion.

"Minna!" Luna called.

"Minako!" Artemis shouted.

"Youma!" as soon as she’d uttered the word, she realised that people around them were falling to the ground, energy drained, "Usagi-chan!"

Usagi span round, as did the others, just as Shingo began to fall. His sister let out a small cry of concern and caught him before he fell, lowering him gently to the ground, a sombre expression on her face, "…This is the second time I’ve put him in danger…" she whispered. She allowed herself only a moment’s reflection before she was on her feet. She caught Minako’s gaze and nodded, intending to pre-empt their ‘leader’ for once, "Minna! Henshin…" she took her place in the centre of the small group of a line they had formed. Usagi closed her eyes and sighed once more before she swept her hands in the formation her Henshin required, "Moon Prism Power!"

"Venus Power!" Minako followed suit.

"Mars Power!"

"Mercury Power!"

"Jupiter Power!"

Luna took a running jump, landing in her child-like human form, holding out her phone and calling out her own Henshin with a wave of her arms, "Luna Prism Power!"

Usagi executed a quarter turn and swept her hands over her broach, "MAKE UP!" they all shouted, as the group of five girls vanished into a pulse of bright light, reappearing in their Senshi forms. They had never transformed as a group before, all together, one or more had always been missing to join the battle later, if ever. A blaze of light swept across the area, as Sailor Moon opened her eyes and adopted an attack pose, her friends and guardians beside her.

Artemis sank to the ground in awe, a power he’d never felt before pouring from all five Senshi, finally together and of one mind. It was he who caught sight of the youma first, "Princess! Senshi! Youma!"

Sailor Moon stepped back, hands over her broach as her sceptre appeared, Venus and Jupiter stepping in front of her.

The evil was dark, blazing yellow eyes and fire rippling down its back, pacing toward them slowly, as if it had all the time in the world to destroy them one by one.

"Supreme!" the sky turned a deadly black, Jupiter holding her right hand up as a green flash of lightning hit her, her whole form glowing as the energy surged through her.

Venus remained silent, winking, and brought her hands together at her lips, keeping her energy checked before the others were prepared.

Mars sighed. How come she never used an ‘attack’ aside from her one defensive stance? She stepped forward and added her own attack, "Mars Youma…" flames gathered around her.

Mercury smiled, jumped and brought her palms together, "Mercury Aqua…"

Luna held out her own crescent wand, "Luna Sucre…"

Sailor Moon jumped into a summersault, landing in front of her friends, dropping back on one knee, "Moon Twilight…"

"Thunder!"

"Taisan!"

"Beam!"

"Candy!"

"Flash!"

They were so sure that would be it…

They were strong enough to take on anything now…

It was just one youma after all…

Their collective energy was deflected back at them, as Mercury and Jupiter managed to roll out of the way, Venus stepping in front of her Princess defiantly, arms held out, even as Usagi protested such defence of just her.

Why the hell did Minako always have to do that? Mars cursed and threw herself in front of Venus, arms held in front of her as she bounced back what energy she could, taking the rest head on with a grunt of pain as she fell to the floor. They would be okay. That was what mattered. She managed to look weakly up from her position on the floor, only to find that Venus was right beside her, one hand held to her head in agony, refusing to cry out.

But…but she hadn’t been hit…

"Venus!" Mars took her arm, "Minako!" she demanded, "You alright?"

Venus wrenched her arm free, "I’m fine," she managed to choke out, trying to stand, even as the pain increased and she collapsed back to the floor.

"…Minako-chan…" Moon uttered, "Rei-chan! Minako-chan!" she span round to protect them, "Moon Tiara Boomerang!" she cried out as her energy was bounced back to her, hitting her full on, making her stumble and nearly fall. As she regained her balance, she caught sight of Mercury at the same instant she heard her cry of pain and flame lick round her arms, "Ami-chan!" she watched as Jupiter tried to defend them, only to be blasted from her feet as soon as she managed to stand.

That was all it took.

Usagi’s emotions were too powerful for her to keep control of the Crystal. Her expression abruptly altered and the moon rod vanished from her hands as she formed fists before her heart, eyes shut in pain, desperately trying to suppress the power that was pouring from her, "I…can’t…do…this…" she shook her head, "I can’t use its power! I wont!" Still the light shone as she tried to keep control of herself, unable to see anything but her friends in pain around her, the youma still pacing toward them, Shingo behind her, unconscious. Usagi suddenly lost the battle; Sailor Moon lowered her arms as her soul vanished from her eyes and she was lost in a golden light, reappearing in the Senshi fuku of Princess Sailor Moon.

"No! Usagi!" Mercury cried out, "Usagi-chan! No!"

She glared coldly about her, raising her sword and stepping away from the forms of the fallen Senshi, as if she couldn’t care less.

"Usagi-chan!" Luna cried, running for her in desperation.

Thankfully, she didn’t use the sword, but Princess Sailor Moon side-stepped the child Luna and gave her a shove to make sure she didn’t come back for a second try. She narrowed her eyes, standing opposite the youma and held her sword above her head, swiping it back and forth to create the sapphire five pointed star, oblivious to the life shrivelling around her. She drew the sword down in front of her, about to make a final sweep and send the attack, when she heard the delirious mumbling of Shingo as he writhed on the ground, hurt and in pain from her actions…’she’ didn’t care. ‘She’ didn’t care at all. But she did. Very much so.

Usagi sighed, frustrated, "…I want Mamoru back as much as you do but-"

She briefly lost any link she had with ‘herself’ as something in the real world came to her attention, the sapphire star flickering as she finally sent it out toward the youma, hitting it head on, making the youma stumble, only to send its own attacks in her direction. She strode forward, defiantly deflecting the pulses of energy with her sword, sending flames everywhere, ground shaking as the power proved to be too much. She halted as a final attack was sent her way, catching the energy and creating the five point star once again, adding her own and sending it back, stronger, no longer the flickering half-energy. The youma shattered instantly. Princess Sailor Moon lowered her sword and turned round, only to be faced with a shakily determined Sailor Venus.

"Princess. You must stop," Venus ordered.

"Venus…" she frowned, before becoming angry, "Who are you to tell me what to do?" she snapped, still strangely absent expression on her face.

Venus wavered on her feet for a second, one hand pressed to her forehead, still not giving in, "…As the leader of your guardian Senshi…I order you…to stop. You will not harm this Earth. You must stop…stop…"

She fell at the same instant Princess Sailor Moon dismissed her with a shot of sapphire energy.

"Minako!" Rei caught her, "Minako!" she shook her, it becoming clear that the girl had lost consciousness. Mars glared up at her Princess, "…Usagi…Usagi…stop!" she pleaded.

"Usagi-chan…" Luna whimpered, kneeling.

Mercury was trying not to make any sound alerting them to the pain she was in, remaining silent and holding her arms close to her body. Jupiter remained where she was, knowing that the new Senshi could easily kill them with a accidental thought.

Mars, however, was not going to give in so easily, "Usagi!" she repeated, shouting now, determined to get through to her, "USAGI-CHAN!"

"You need everybody’s help! I need everybody’s help! I am you!" that sudden realisation, that she’d said aloud, changed her whole attitude, "…I am you…" she uttered, "…You are me!" Usagi’s arm snaked across and grabbed Princess Serenity by the wrist, "I’m not going to let this happen! I’m not!"

And she was Sailor Moon again.

She had control.

…She had won…

…Temporarily…

"…Usa…gi…chan…" Mercury whispered, too weak to choke out anything else.

Mars looked up at her with worried eyes, "…Usagi?"

Sailor Moon nodded, fearful, seeing Venus unconscious on the floor, in Mars’ arms. She glanced behind her to see Luna still kneeling, afraid, and Jupiter hesitantly getting to her feet. Returning her attention to Venus and Mars, she began to cry, softly, trying to gulp back her tears, "…I’m sorry…Rei-chan…Minako-chan…Ami-chan…Mako-chan…Luna…" she sniffed, "I’m sorry!" she choked out, "I’m sorry!" her broach emitted a pulse of light, blinding Mars who belatedly shielded her eyes and leant over Venus to protect her. Still sobbing, Sailor Moon vanished into the light again, re-emerging in the fuku of Princess Sailor Moon.

"…Usagi…" Jupiter shook her head, "Fight it!"

This time, the Princess turned to face Jupiter…and it was Usagi’s soul in her eyes…

"Usagi-chan…" Mako stared.

She nodded and threw the sword into the air, catching it as it formed the harp she knew she needed. If she could use it…she had no idea what to do… ‘Princess’ Sailor Moon shook her head in dismay, unsure, and began to play the harp, attempting to strike up a melody. It took her several attempts, during which Mercury’s wounds vanished, leaving Ami staring at her arms in disbelief, and Luna gazing at Usagi in awe. Had she finally learnt to control the Crystal? ‘Princess’ Sailor Moon stopped playing and abandoned the harp, still staring mournfully down at Venus, lying all too still beside Mars, "…Minako-chan…" she fell to her knees, "I’m sorry…please wake up…" she was almost begging, "Please…? Please wake up…"

"…Usagi…" Mars began, nervous. It was time to tell them…time to admit she had known for a long time, "…Minna…" she looked away, "…M-Minako’s…sick…she’s…I mean, I think…she’s…dying…"

"What!?" this came from Jupiter, who ran to kneel beside Mars, Moon and Venus, Mercury only a step behind her.

"…Venus…is…dying?" Mercury couldn’t believe it, "…I know she had health problems…but…"

Artemis meanwhile had sunk to the ground, trying to drown out the conversation that was occurring. He’d told her and told her, begged her even, to have the operation. She never saw herself as anything but Sailor Venus…mind too firmly lodged in the past, their past lives, to ever see herself truly as Aino Minako.

Usagi turned a frantic expression on Mars, "…Minako-chan can’t die!" she exclaimed, "She can’t!" she knelt over Venus, "Minako-chan! Minako! Wake up! Wake up!"

"…She’s still breathing…" Mercury whispered.

But Princess Sailor Moon seemed to collapse in on herself, tears falling from her eyes, unable to stop them, "…I did this…I did this to…Minako-chan…"

"No, Usagi, you didn’t, you didn’t do anything," Jupiter tried.

"Yes I did! I hit her!"

"Serenity hit her! Princess Serenity!"

"I am Princess Serenity!" she had never said those words. And it triggered something within her. Usagi’s eyes fell shut and she lowered her head, her whole form glowing. The crescent moon on her forehead was the first thing to appear, before her Senshi fuku became the flowing white dress of Princess Serenity, her long blonde hair gone and back to her normal raven colour, held back with silver pins. Usagi looked up again, nervously, "…I…I am Princess Serenity…" she repeated, "…This…is who I am…" she looked first to Mercury for support, fearing that Mars was still furious with her.

Ami nodded and clasped her hand briefly, before releasing it and kneeling before her as she had never had the chance, taken by the darkness when Serenity had appeared before, "Princess…"

Serenity offered her a slight smile, reaching across and taking the unconscious Venus from Mars, unsure of what she could do. She had no idea how to truly use the Crystal. It was a part of her, yet it was something she was completely oblivious to.

Mars stepped back, as Jupiter did, Mercury getting to her feet as they formed a small group behind Serenity, not knowing what they should do.

Serenity gasped as Venus suddenly lost her Senshi form and became Minako again, "…Minako-chan…?" she whispered. No response. Had she lost her Senshi form permanently? Further tears fell from her eyes, "…Minako-chan…I don’t know if you can hear me or not…but…but you have to get better…you hear? You can’t leave us…you’re my friend, you’re my guide to the past and I need you…" she sobbed, "I don’t know what I’d do without you," she looked up, "without any of you. I’d be lost. I’ve already lost Mamoru…please don’t leave me too…" Serenity was getting desperate; she honestly didn’t know what to do, "Minako! Minako-chan! Wake up!" she was shouting now, "Please!" in a moment of desperation, thinking she was going to lose her friend, she bent to kiss her forehead, where her symbol would have been, "Venus! Wake up!" she gasped in shock and would have jumped back if she were able, as the symbol of Venus shone from Minako’s forehead, golden light swirling with white, the light enveloping her whole body, pulsing once before it faded…and Minako opened her eyes.

"…Princess…Serenity…" she said softly, seemingly concerned, seeing her crying.

Mars gave a sigh; straight back to Minako alright.

"…I’m glad you’re back, Minako-chan…"

She struggled to kneel, looking across at Usagi, "…You listened to me?"

"I listened to you. I listened to all of you. The Princess listened to me," Serenity looked up at her friends gratefully.

"…We’d better get you to the hospital, Minako…" Jupiter began, losing her Senshi form in a brief flash of light.

Minako stood and suddenly glared at Mars, "…They know?"

"They know," Mars nodded, without a hint of regret. She should have said a long time ago.

"You could have told us…" Mercury said softly.

"…Maybe…" she wasn’t about to admit it. She turned back to Serenity, "Princess?"

About to speak, Serenity jumped back as she suddenly became Usagi again, "I’m back!" she smiled.

Minako reached for Usagi’s hands, for once not shying away from her, "…Usagi…thank you…"

Usagi simply nodded, "Minako-chan," she said happily.

"Will you go to the hospital?" Makoto questioned, evidently demanding that she did.

She nodded, "…Yes."

-

"They can’t explain it," Minako shook her head, two days later, once again in her hospital bed, "I’m cured and they don’t know why. The tumour is gone. I don’t know why."

All heads turned to Usagi…

She blushed, "…I…I don’t know…it might not have been me…I…I…"

"It was you, Usagi-chan," Minako nodded, not allowing her to escape, "The power of Princess Serenity and the ginshouzu."

Usagi stared, "…Usa…gi…chan?"

"Usagi-chan," the former patient nodded again, with a half smile on her face.

"I’m glad you’re better, Minako-san," Ami smiled, getting to arranging the flowers on her bedside table, not quite summoning the courage to refer to her as ‘Minako-chan’.

Minako met Rei’s eyes and looked away, "Minna…could I have a moment alone with Mars?"

Usagi nodded and slowly left the room, still unable to believe she had cured Minako, somehow, followed by Mako and Ami.

"I suppose you were right," Minako stated, not looking at her.

"I suppose," Rei replied. She sighed, "I had to tell them, don’t you remember anything?"

"…No…" she hated to appear weak.

"You stood up to the Princess. You were already nearly unconscious… you insisted you were fine, when you weren’t," she was angry again, "You always have to be so damned stubborn! Live for once, will you!? Stop living in the past! You must have heard Usagi!" what had started as a flashback had turned into a lecture.

"…I heard her," Minako answered, "I heard everything she said. And I’m not angry you told them-"

Rei’s eyes blazed, "You’re ‘not angry I told them’! Well that makes it alright then!"

"Mars!"

"And will you just for once call me Rei!? Hino-san, Rei-san, anything but Mars!"

"I cant! What happens when I-"

"When you die? You’re not going to die!" Rei snapped.

Minako stared, the realisation suddenly hitting her, "…I’m not going to die…" she said aloud, "…I’m not going to die…"

"You’re going to live," Artemis hopped up onto her bed, "for a very long time."

"…Think, if you had told them, then we might not be here and you might not be cured," Rei exhaled slowly, "and we’re going to record that duet, aren’t we? The studio expected us yesterday."

Minako glared up at her for a moment, before smiling softly, "…Very well…Reiko-san…"

-

Fin