Author's Note: If you wish to comment on my story, either positively or negatively, please contact me at treetop@voicenet.com. Sailor Moon and all related characters are the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Toei Animation and DIC. Sailor Sirius is the property of Sharon Williams. Any references to Vulcan are the province of Gene Roddenberry and Paramount Studios. So, please, don't sue me because I haven't any money. I do this strictly for entertainment purposes, not copyright infringement.
The Adventures of Talia and Tanya:
The Logic of Romance
by Jeffrey C. Branch
Epilogue
Rating: PG
A mile away from Budokan Hall in an empty parking garage, five women stood silently for the better part of fifteen minutes, each unable to find just the right way to break the silence between them. Finally it was Sailor Vulcan, glaring fiercely at Sailor Star Fighter who spoke.
"Explain," she said. Her voice was sharp and cold. "Is this who you really are, Seiya?"
Star Fighter, shifting her weight from one foot to the other struggled to answer Vulcan's question. "Pretty much. It's rather hard to explain."
"Try." The tone of Vulcan's voice clearly said it was not a request.
"Okay. Yaten, Taiki and I aren't from this world. We're from the planet Kinmonku in another galaxy. The three of us were warriors in the service of Princess Kakyuu, and her closest friends. Our society knew nothing but peace for millennia, but everything went to hell when our world was destroyed by a lunatic called Galaxia," Star Fighter explained glumly.
"Our princess fled Kinmonku before it was destroyed and wound up on Earth. The three of us followed her here," said Sailor Star Maker. "Our true gender is female, Talia, but in order to find our ruler, we used the power of our star seeds to become males, then rock stars, using our music to send messages to the Princess that we were searching for her."
"Unfortunately, things got, uh, complicated when we met up with the Scouts who got mixed up in our battle against Galaxia's henchmen who were out to find and kill our princess," Sailor Star Healer finished.
"Yeah. Complicated as in my meeting Yaten and falling in love with his male persona," said Sailor Sirius. "Believe me, Tal, finding out about his female half was one hell of a shock. So I know what you're going through."
Vulcan turned and shot her friend a harsh, withering stare. "No. You don't. You knew about this? About them? And failed to tell me? Why?"
"Because it wasn't my place to do that," said Sirius. Tears filled her eyes as she feared she was on the verge of losing her best friend. The pain in her heart staggered her. "It wouldn't have been fair for me to reveal the truth about Seiya. Only he could make that call."
"And, to tell the truth, Tal, I thought I'd never have to come clean about this," said a dour Star Fighter. "More than anything, I wanted to keep this a secret from you. Unfortunately, Siryn threw a girder sized monkey wrench into the works."
"That does not explain why you deceived me. Why did you choose to conceal the fact that you are a Scout?" Vulcan wanted to know.
"Because I didn't want you to be hurt," Star Fighter explained. "I was afraid that if you learned my true identity, one of our enemies might strike at us, at me through you."
Vulcan was unmoved by the argument. "A noble ambition. But deceit is still deceit."
Star Fighter snorted, suddenly feeling indignant. "You're a fine one to talk, lady! Were you gonna tell me your deep, dark, sailor suited secret?"
Vulcan, unprepared for that question lowered her head. "No. That was not my intention."
"May I ask why?"
"For the identical reason you outlined to me. I did not want you to suffer for your association in my danger filled life." She paused, recognizing the tremendous irony of the situation. "Clearly I indulged in the same sort of duplicity that I accused you of commiting."
"In other words, we screwed up." Star Fighter walked up to Vulcan, clasped her shoulders and stared deeply in her eyes. "We wanted so much to protect each other that we wound up hurting ourselves instead by keeping secrets. Our intentions may have been just, but it was still wrong."
Vulcan nodded. "I would agree with your assessment. The mistakes we made nearly ruined the relationship we had built."
"I know. And that scared me like nothing else ever had." Star Fighter then slipped her arms around Vulcan's waist and drew her close. "Despite everything that's happened tonight, one thing remains the same. I love you, Talia Kirk. I've loved you from the moment we met, and I don't want to lose you. Not ever."
"I feel the same, Seiya. In the end, it does not matter if you are male or female, the truly important thing is that I love you with all my heart. And you will never lose me."
In a flash of light, the two Scouts, still in their embrace changed back to human guise, then the young lovers kissed. When their lips parted, Taila and Seiya stared deeply into each other's eyes.
"If our relationship is to continue, and I most definitely want it to, we will need to exercise full disclosure with each other. No more secrets," said Talia.
A smiling Seiya nodded, gently placing a hand on Talia's soft cheek. "I agree, my sweet angel. No more secrets. From this point on, my life is an open book for you to read."
"As is mine, beloved."
Sirius, overjoyed to see the couple back together loudly cleared her throat. "Ahem. Say, Tal. Does this mean you've forgiven me?"
Talia nodded the ebon Scout. "I suppose I should. You would be impossible to live with otherwise. And I need my best friend just as much as I do the boy I love." She then hugged Sirius, weeping from joy that she hadn't lost her dear friend.
"Thanks, Tal," said the Star Scout, smiling through her tears.
"You are more than welcome....partner," said Talia, her own cheeks wet.
"Well, guys, if you'll excuse us, Tal and I are gonna find someplace nice and secluded," said Seiya, taking Talia's hand in his. The Vulcan girl looked at Seiya with eyes shining from love. "We have a lot of talking to do. A lot of learning to do about each other. Maybe we'll be back by midnight."
"Take all the time you want. You've earned it," said Star Maker.
As the lovers left, Sirius cuddled up to Star Healer. "Looks like those two found themselves a happy ending, Yaten."
"Yup. And I'm happy for them, Ti," said Star Healer, slipping an arm around Sirius' waist. "I hope they'll have as beautiful a relationship as we do."
"Amen to that, darling."
"I hate to be a wet blanket, guys, but I can't help but wonder about all those sleeper youmas that Siryn mentioned," said a frowning Star Maker. "That could be a big problem down the road if they ever wake up."
"We'll worry about that when it happens," said Sirius, watching Talia and Seiya walk away. "If it does, I'm sure we'll win. Because love and justice, especially love, always triumphs over evil."
Talia and Seiya returned to the city park and sat on the same bench where they first declared their love for each other.
For over two hours, the couple talked in earnest about themselves. The lovers revealed everything about each other, their pasts, their current lives, and their hopes and dreams for the future. A future they yearned to spend together. The act of freely baring their souls helped to bring the orphan from Vulcan and the warrior from Kinmonku closer than ever. After having talked, the couple cuddled up and quietly enjoyed the simple pleasure that came from being in each other's company.
"This feels so good. So right," said Seiya, gently stroking Talia's hair as he held her. The scent of her perfume intoxicated him. "Like we were meant to be together. Tal, I'll never love anyone but you."
"The feeling is mutual, beloved. You have awakened my heart, helped me to realize that there is much more to life than the rigid tenets of logic that I had lived my life by," said Talia. "The world, and everything in it has forever changed for me. I can now see its beauty, its majesty, its wonder. And I want you, and only you to share in it with me."
"I know how you feel, angel. When I first arrived here, all I cared about was finding the princess. The people of this world were so far beneath my notice it wasn't funny," said Seiya. "But, over time, things changed for me too. It all reminds me of a song I heard on the radio a couple of weeks ago. The lyrics stuck in my head because it seemed to be talking about me, and you, and how empty we had been inside, until we discovered just what it meant to love."
"It sounds most intruiging. Will you sing it for me?"
Seiya grinned. "It would be my pleasure."
I don't need a lot of things,
I can get by with nothing
Of all the blessings life can bring,
I've always needed something
But I've got all I want
When it comes to loving you
You're my only reason,
You're my only truth
I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you
You're the hope that moves me
To courage again
You're the love that rescues me
When the cold winds rage
And it's so amazing
'Cause that's just how you are
And I can't turn back now
'Cause you've brought me too far
By the time Seiya finished, Talia was in tears as she was deeply moved by the lyrics of the song. "It was beautiful. You were right, it seemed as if that song was written about us, and what had been missing in our lives until we found each other. Will you teach me what it means to love?"
"Of course I will, angel. I'm not an expert, but I'll guide you as best I can," said Seiya as he gently dried Talia's tears. "Still, the going won't be easy. Nothing in life ever is, especially love. And that's not counting our dual lives and the dangers we face as Sailor Scouts."
"That does not matter, my darling. As long as we are together, we can overcome anything," said Talia, staring deeply into Seiya's eyes. "I love you, Seiya. I love you so very, very much. My heart, my soul, everything I am, everything I will ever be, belongs solely to you. Forever."
"And I love you, my beautiful Talia. Just saying your name makes me feel like I'm in heaven," said Seiya, caressing his lover's cheek. "You've started a fire raging in my heart that will burn for as long as I live. Please, don't leave me. Don't ever leave me."
"I won't, beloved. But, for now, no more words."
Seiya nodded. "Yes. No more words."
The couple enveloped each other in a loving embrace and brought their lips together in a kiss that was filled with all the youthful, fiery passion that they could muster. The longer they kissed, the more their desire for each other grew. High above, the moon shone down upon the couple, bathing them in the pristine, wonderful light of pure love. For them, it was a light that would never fade. Not from their minds, nor from their hearts.
THE END
Author's Note: Well, I hope you've enjoyed the first of hopefully many stories in The Adventures of Talia and Tanya. And that you liked the plotline of Talia finally falling in love. It had been an idea I was contemplating for quite some time until I came up with the idea of having Tal find love in the arms of one of the Sailor Stalights. All things considered, I thought this story, my first ever attempt at a romance turned out very well. As for the song Seiya sang to his sweetheart, the title was "I Need You" by LeAnn Rimes. Sharon Williams told me about it, saying it would be perfect for the new lovers. And she was right! If there any talented artists out there who'd like to draw me a picture of the newest romantic couple in the Sailor Moon universe, just drop me a line at treetop@voicenet.com and we'll talk! As for Talia and Tanya, their next adventure finds them dealing with vindictive rich girls, arrogant star athletes, gun-toting terrorists and a monster lurking in a lake while at a weekend volleyball camp. Look for "Volley Into Danger" later this year. As for my next Sailor Moon story, the gang's all back as an old enemy from Sailor V's past returns to menace her, the Scouts and all of Tokyo in "The Vengeance Factor", coming soon to a monitor screen near you! Take care and have a great day!
Jeffrey C. Branch
June 30, 2002