Planet Bound: Venus by Marj Notes: musume - daughter onegai - please otou-san - father sayonara - good-bye Thanks to my classmate CK for translating my Chinese Sailor V manga! Please e-mail your comments and constructive criticisms at . Once again, thanks! Disclaimers: The characters of Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon were created by Naoko Takeuchi-san, its copyright owned by Toei Animation, Kodansha, Nakayoshi, Sterling Animation Inc., and many other companies scattered throughout the world. The manga Sailor V was also created by Naoko Takeuchi. Meaning, I cannot claim the characters as my own, and am mearly borrowing them. The character Ayukawa Himeru is mine. So please don't sue, as I don't earn anything from this other than the satisfaction of making a story. Chapter Eleven: Minako's Dream When Artemis left Minako early that afternoon, he did it with a great deal of hesitation, for Minako's fever had shot up higher. Nevertheless, he had to discover the meaning of his dream, so he had managed to tear himself away from his master's side, leaving her mother to take care of her. Kimiko watched helplessly as her daughter fought with the monster that was growing inside her. She gently caressed her abdomen. she thought sadly. She watched as her eldest child started to mumble unintelligibly. Minako had been dreaming. Whether they were beautiful dreams or nightmares, her mother could not tell. What was Minako dreaming of? ***** The Queen of Venus watched as an elder from the Moon Kingdom anointed her newly born daughter. The child did not make a sound as holy oil was marked on her forehead, nor did she cry when the ginzuishou was placed beside her. The emblem of Venus shone brightly on the girl's forehead. "I now proclaim the princess of the realm of Venus as Sailorvenus, the last born among the senshi. She will join the others in training when the time is right. Princess of Venus, may you bring joy to your mother's heart with the knowledge that you will protect the Princess of the Moon, who comes from the greatest of the royal families in this solar system." With those words, the old man handed the infant to the queen of the Moon. Serenity placed her own child in the small cradle beside her, and took the younger princess in her hands. "Oh, Venus," she whispered softly to the queen of Venus. "She's so adorable . . . She looks almost like my child's twin . . ." Venus just nodded silently. Nobody noticed the tears forming in her eyes. "Come here," Serenity said softly. Venus walked closer and extended her arms. Serenity handed her the infant, and Venus cradled the child gently. Serenity smiled. "I'm sure your daughter will not disappoint you, my friend, just as you did not disappoint your mother . . . You protected me well when I was a child . . ." Venus smiled weakly back. "Yes . . . I'm sure that she won't fail your daughter, Serenity . . ." ***** The scene changed. The throne room was now more filled with people. The Princess Serenity sat beside the Queen Serenity. Behind them were the older Outer Senshi, Sailoruranus and Sailorneptune. Sailorpluto was also with them. In her arms she held the baby Sailorsaturn. In front of the royal family stood four young girls. The oldest, Princess of Jupiter, stood between the Princess of Mars and the Princess of Venus, while the Princess of Mercury stood beside Mars. One by one, the girls were introduced, from Mercury to Jupiter. Venus's introduction was quite special. "And finally, the last among the new protectors, Sailorvenus. She has been proclaimed the leader of the Sailor Senshi for she has been an efficient leader among her comrades during her time of training," the announcer said. And the highest ranking among all the Senshi, Inner and Outer alike, approached the older Princess Serenity and made their solemn pledge . . . ". . . to protect you with all my heart and soul, and to face death if only to ensure your safety and the safety of the entire universe . . ." Her mother, now known as Elder Venus, watched the event with tears flowing down her eyes. She was happy and proud of her daughter, for Sailorvenus had received the highest award a Senshi could ever ask for. To become leader . . . imagine, being able to prove that you are battle worthy even to the older Outer Senshi! Her daughter was just like her during her younger days as a Sailor Senshi - the commander, the one whom others look up to. But . . . Being the leader meant unending duties to perform. It meant that she would have to lay down her life for the sake of the people that she was responsible for . . . the princess . . . the senshi . . . the people of the nine planets of the solar system . . . Elder Venus could lose her child to the hands of powerful enemies. Her only child . . . Beside Elder Venus stood a young boy, a year older than Princess Venus. He was her childhood friend from her home planet, and just like any other boy jealous of a friend's achievements, he scowled as his friend joined the ranks of the strongest soldiers in the known solar system. Still, deep inside him, he knew that he was happy for her - even if she was a girl. The young boy could see the pain and worry creasing his queen's face. He squeezed her hand in silent support. When the ceremonies were over, the boy ran over to his friend. "Venus!" he cried. "What?" the young senshi asked, turning around. He scowled a bit at first, then grinned. "Congratulations!" Venus grinned, too. "Thanks!" Her mother went to her side and embraced her daughter good-bye. "You'll have to stay here now, do you understand? This will be your new home . . ." her mother said softly. Princess Venus nodded slowly. "I know . . ." She gulped, then hugged her mother tightly. "I'll miss you!" "I'll miss you, too!" "Don't worry, mother. I'll prove to these people that I'm a good leader. I'll make you very proud!" Elder Venus smiled more sadly. "You already have, my dear. You already have . . ." "I’ll make you proud by carrying out all my duties!" "Would you even die for the princess, like you had made on your oath?" her friend asked. Princess Venus nodded seriously. "Of course I will." Elder Venus winced slightly. "Sailorvenus, it is time," Artemis, the white cat ambassador of the moon, said. Artemis was also the strategist and mentor of the high officials of the defense forces - whereas Luna, the black cat ambassador, was an adviser to the queen. Sailorvenus currently held the highest rank in the defense force since the Sailor Senshi were the best set of warriors the kingdom could ever produce, capable of crippling an invading group in a single battle. So Artemis was assigned to be Venus's sole guardian, similar to Luna being Princess Serenity's guardian cat. "Bye!" Venus waved, then ran off with her cat. ***** The scene changed again. She entered the royal gardens. There, Artemis was not beside her, nor was she wearing her sailor fuku, but a long gown. She was much older now, a young, beautiful girl in her teens. In the middle of the garden stood a handsome man with long, white hair, towering height, and a strong build. He wore a long white cape that flowed behind him, and the gray uniform of one of the Generals of the Earth. "Kunzite . . ." she breathed. He smiled and extended his hand. She accepted it . . . "My princess . . ." he whispered. They kissed, long and deep. They stayed like that for a few moments more, until Sailorvenus gently pushed him away. "We . . . we can't keep doing this . . ." Kunzite sighed. "Why? Don't you love me?" "I do! But . . . you are the highest ranking General of the Earth force and the defender of Prince Endymion . . ." "And you are the leader of the Senshi, the Captain of the Royal Guard of the Silver Millennium, and the defender of the Princess Serenity . . ." Kunzite chuckled. "Don't you think you have far more duties than I do?" "That's exactly it!" Venus walked beyond his reach. "We have duties to perform . . . and the love between us will distract us from them . . ." Kunzite chuckled even more. "You are such a perfectionist, my dear princess." Venus turned around. "I am not! I am simply responsible for the welfare of the moon people and the other planets, that's all." He sighed. She turned away from him again. "The safety of the whole solar system is in my hands . . . Oh, now I know why my mother was worried about me." "Your mother . . ." Kunzite hugged her from behind. "What . . . what did she say? About us? Have you told her?" "Yes . . ." "And?" Venus smiled sadly. "Nothing. She told me to do what I please." "So much for the archiac Venusian custom of marrying one of your own people . . ." Kunzite rested his head on her shoulder. "Are you having doubts?" She shook her head firmly. "No. I don't love him . . . he's my best friend, I am his best friend, and we can't be anymore than that. I love you, Kunzite . . ." Kunzite cupped her chin in his hand and raised it for a kiss. Their eyes met . . . her soft, light blue eyes with his warm grey ones . . . "That is what I have been waiting to hear . . ." ***** Suddenly, Kunzite wasn't there anymore. His figure had changed into that of a man with very dark blond hair, but with eyes as beautiful as hers. It was the young boy with Elder Venus during the recognition night, who had noticeably grown older and handsome. Venus was also older, and although her young looks did not show her years, her eyes brimmed with maturity and intelligence. This time she wore a different gown, one suited for the grand masquerade ball being held that night. Folded within her hands was a large, red mask. "You look very ravishing tonight . . ." Venus smiled softly. "One cannot wear a fuku at such an elegant ball." She looked up at the sky, not to the blue planet, but to Venus. Earth was home to her former lover who had succumbed to the ways of evil. She could not bear to recall the sweet memories that they had shared, no matter how simple they might be. She might have her fiancé back, and he had admitted that he truly loved her just as much as she admitted to herself that she loved him, but a part of her heart still belonged to the man on Earth that she had loved just as much. "My planet . . . how I miss you so . . ." she sighed, suddenly homesick. True, she had taken countless trips back home, but none of them had lasted long enough to satisfy her desire. She just had to go back to the moon, whether because the smallest of all troubles had sprouted and her presence was needed, or purely because she was a prisoner of her own sense of responsibility. She just couldn’t bear to stay away from her duties, not when there was so much she could do during her free time. "Soon, my love," the man said softly, hugging her more tightly. "When the princess is not the princess, when the Kingdom of the Silver Millennium lays to rest its honorable days. When Chaos has been defeated, and when the queen in all her glory bathes the new Earth, we will be as one. The whole universe will witness the bonding of our hearts, man and woman, mortals and immortals alike. Everyone will rejoice, and they will say: "Finally the Goddess of Love has found true happiness in this world." It will echo throughout the plains, valleys, and mountains of every land, and the planet and stars of the entire universe!" Venus didn't understand what he meant, but she was deeply flattered by his words. "Could you kindly explain what you just said, my love?" The young man shook his head. "The time has come," he said solemnly, pointing at the blue planet. Venus gasped as she saw evil in all of its infinite darkness sweeping across the entire Earth, covering its lovely blue oceans and green forests. With her own eyes, she saw the evil one creating a path which connected the Moon and the Earth, and forces from the Earth were running down the road that would lead to the kingdom's destruction. "No! Not now . . . we're not ready to fight!" "The legend begins . . ." "What? What are you talking about?" Sailorvenus turned and saw that her fiancé was already far away from her. "Wait! Where are you going?" "I have to go. You must proceed to your destiny!" "What destiny? Why are you leaving me?" "This is our fate," the man said, smiling sadly. "Vu . . ." Her words were cut short as the battle between the Moon and Earth exploded around her . . . * * * * * "I still can't believe she's your daughter," Grandmother Aino said while the child stared at the starlit sky. "Mama, we've already talked about this," she heard her father say. "Yes, I know . . . but her eyes and her hair . . . those are not the features of a pure Japanese girl! She looks more . . . more . . . western. It’s like they gave you the wrong baby!" "You were there when they made tests on her, Mother. It has already been proven that she is of your son's blood," Kimiko said. "Minako's birth is a miracle for us, Mama, since you know that my wife cannot have any children. She is a gift from the heavens, and she is our child no matter how different she looks," Aino Michio ended the conversation. A very young Minako walked towards her father and took his hand. "Come see, otou-san! Come see my home!" "Where is it, dear?" Michio asked, lifting her up in his arms. He walked over to the window. The child pointed to the brightest star in the sky. "That's my home!" "No, child. That's Venus." She pouted. "You don't believe I live there?" Her father poked her nose. "You know, I bet you did, sometime long ago, because the goddess Venus, whom the planet was named for, would surely envy your beautiful face, Minako-chan." Minako smiled at that, even if she was too young to understand what her father had said. Kimiko stood up and took her from her father's arms. "Gee, you're getting heavier everyday. Come on, Minako-chan. Time for a good bath before you go to sleep." Minako entered the bathroom, and to her surprise, her mother left her there alone. She stood there, a huge towel covering her body. ***** "Minako . . ." She turned to look at the window. She was a teenager, age thirteen, her towel wrapped around her body, her hair still dripping wet since she had just stepped out of the furo. There was a white cat on the windowsill of her bathroom. A talking cat . . . She screamed in terror and ran towards her bedroom. she thought as she tried to calm herself down in front of her dresser. She began brushing her hair. "Venus . . ." she heard again. Once more, she found herself staring at the same cat in her bathroom. "Remember . . ." the cat said. Minako was bathed in a golden light . . . ***** “Mina!!” she heard Artemis shout. Before her was Danburite, Kaitou Ace, attacking her by throwing razor sharp cards filled with dark energy towards her. Sailorvenus - Sailor V, who had just recovered her memories of the past - brought out her hand and extended it towards him. < I’m sorry!!! > She thought as a burst of power came from her. It struck Kaitou Ace with a force strong enough to throw him off the ledge. “Ace!!” Sailorvenus shouted. She quickly ran forward and caught his hand before he fell down the ledge. She tightened her hold on him. “Have you resigned yourself to defeat those that I love? Is that your fate?” Kaitou Ace threw a card at her. Her gaze landed on it. < The ace of hearts? > The card teared apart, exposing Kaitou Ace’s smiling face underneath. < What does it mean? > she asked herself. “That was my last love fortune for you,” Ace said, his body disintegrating, his gloved hand warm to her touch. “Your love will be in vain . . . forever.” < Love . . . in vain . . . > ***** She was walking down a dark alley, wearing her Sailor V uniform, bruised and battered, blood gushing out from wounds obtained in several parts of her body. She saw a man with dark hair running down the street in front of the alley . . . "Alan . . ." she said, smiling through her pain, touched by his concern for her and Katarina. Suddenly, Katarina ran to him, crying profusely into his chest. "What . . . what happened to Minako?" Alan asked. Katarina didn't answer . . . she just wailed even louder. "Don't cry . . . I'm here . . ." Alan said softly, embracing her. "I will always be here for you . . ." Minako's heart ached. The pain was more intense than that of the wounds inflicted upon her. She sank to the ground, tears flowing down her cheeks as though they had no end. She was so overcome by her grief and sorrow that it worsened her condition, and she passed out . . . ***** "Minako-chan." Minako stirred from her bed and looked at her guardian cat. She smiled softly. "Hi." "You haven't explained to me yet why you had to return from England, why you want Sailor V dead, and why you came here with a practically butchered body." She just laughed through her pain. By using her transformation pen, no one had noticed the blackish dark blue spots on her body where she had been battered, nor the wounds that had finally ceased bleeding. Only when the pen’s effect started to wear off while she was resting in her room the night she arrived in Japan did Artemis noticed that she wasn’t as healthy as they saw her come in. Minako had noticed the questioning look in his eyes regarding her wounds ever since that night, three days ago, and had avoided the subject at all costs much to Artemis’ concern and disappointment. She just didn’t want to remember what had happened. So she rolled over and didn't answer any of his questions for the umpteenth time. Artemis knew that any further persuasion would be useless, so he switched to another subject. "I found out Sailormoon's identity while you were away . . ." "That's great! Is she . . . ?" Artemis nodded. "The other Senshi are awake, too, thanks to the other guardian cat, Luna." "Hmm." Minako felt tired. She still needed more sleep to recover from her ordeal in London. Her eyelids started to droop. "I'll give you the rest of the details when you feel better, Minako- chan. Sleep well . . ." Minako closed her eyes . . . ***** When she opened them, she was inside a hotel room, sitting on a sofa with her hands folded in front of her, looking down at the carpeted floor. Katarina was sitting beside a window, staring outside. "Minako . . . no, Sailor V, I am shocked . . . I really thought that you were long dead . . ." "Hmm." Katarina sat down on the sofa beside Minako and leaned forward. "Why didn't you tell me that you were still alive? I guess you're still busy fighting evil, right?" "Right . . ." "If I can help you, just tell me." Katarina paused for a while. "You . . . do know who the Sailor Senshi are, don't you? Can you introduce me?" Minako felt very uncomfortable. Her grip on her skirt tightened. "How's Alan?" The older woman was taken aback by the sudden change of subject. She stood up and took out a wallet. "Umm . . . he's fine." Then she showed Minako a picture. Minako felt pain course through her heart as she stared at the picture. It was a scene at the beach, with Alan's hand on Katarina's shoulder . . . "He also wants to see you . . ." Katarina added. Then, Minako noticed a gold pendant hanging around Katarina's neck. She smiled painfully. "Katarina . . . I'm happy that you're still wearing that necklace . . ." Katarina enclosed the necklace in her fist. "Of course I still wear it. You gave me this necklace on my birthday." She walked closer to the young teenager. "Minako, I really want to help you, so please introduce me to the Sailor Senshi . . ." Minako wasn't about to do that. "I know that you're a great police officer, but this is mine and the Sailor Senshi's problem. I don't want to bother you anymore. Just seeing you is enough for me." She stood up abruptly. "I have to go now. Thank you for everything." "Minako . . ." "Sayonara!" She ran towards the door and closed it behind her. Tears filled Minako's eyes as she ran blindly around. ***** When she finally wiped her tears, she was in her Sailorvenus get-up, holding the gold pendant that Katarina had once worn around her neck. Inside the pendant was a picture of Katarina, Alan, and her in London. Sailormoon was beside her, glaring at the youma - Katarina - standing in front of both of them. Sailorvenus knew that she wanted to kill Katarina because she had told her what had happened, but . . . "Sailormoon, help her!" she cried. Her friend looked at her in disbelief. "What?!" Sailorvenus stared at the picture. "She became a youma because of me. She knows that I'm Sailorvenus, so the Dark Kingdom used her. Nothing that happened was her fault." She looked up, tears streaming down her face. "Take pity on her!" "But . . . she stole your love away from you! And you trusted her!" "Sailormoon . . ." Sailormoon was confused by the river of tears streaming down her friend's face. "Don't you love Alan anymore? Tell me, don't you love him anymore?!" "She's . . . she's the one Alan truly loves . . . not me." ". . ." Sailorvenus smiled sadly at Sailormoon. "Onegai." Sailormoon sighed. "Okay, okay." Then she used her Moon Stick to turn the youma back into a human being. Sailorvenus ran towards Katarina and embraced her. "Katarina!" she cried. "Minako . . ." Katarina hugged her tightly. "Please . . . forgive me . . ." "Just forget about it." "I didn't know that you were in love with Alan. I . . . I thought that what you felt were only the feelings of a young child . . ." Sailorvenus smiled sadly, her eyes closed . . . ***** She was suddenly at the North Pole, staring at the final resting-place of Sailormercury. This couldn't be happening! First Jupiter . . . then Mercury . . . She closed her eyes as tears cascaded down her cheeks. She could hear Sailormoon wail, beating the ground with her fists. "Why are you such a crybaby?" Sailormars asked. "We're not finished yet! We still have tons of enemies!" Sailorvenus opened her eyes. There was something glowing under Sailormoon . . . "But . . . I don't want my friends to die-" Sailorvenus stared in horror at the activity beneath Sailormoon. She leapt, grabbed Sailormoon about the waist, and pushed her aside . . . "Look out!!!" she screamed. The next thing Sailorvenus knew, she was dangling high above the icy floor, with live vines tightly wound around her waist, making it hard for her to move and breathe. She struggled to free herself . . . "Enough!!!" Sailormoon was reaching upwards, crying. "I'll give you the ginzuishou! Just let Minako go!!!" Sailorvenus was having none of that. "No!! If you give them the ginzuishou, my soul will never rest!!!!" She screamed as she was dragged deep into the earth's crust, hearing her friend shouting her name for the last time. Sailorvenus continued to scream in pain and agony as the youma continued to torture her slowly. She tried to raise her right hand and placed all her energy to her last shot . . . "Crescent . . ." She then pointed at the youma's forehead at point blank range . . . "Beam!!!" As the energy coursed through her body, she faintly saw the youma staring at her finger in shock. The energy left her . . . her power was depleted . . . the explosion caused by the Crescent Beam took her and the youma along . . . everything went black . . .