| Chapter 16: The Past Returns Darien opened the door to his apartment and Jacey, Apollo, and Athena followed him in. He threw his keys on the kitchen table and took off his jacket. “Have a seat,” he said, motioning to his couch. Jacey sat down and Apollo and Athena jumped up after her. “Well,” she said. “This is quite a shock. I never would have guessed that you were Tuxedo Mask. But I should have realized it.” “Why?” Darien asked. “Well, you know, brother on Earth, brother in the Moon Kingdom. It makes sense,” she said. “But Mom and Dad weren’t from the Moon Kingdom, so I didn’t necessarily assume you were,” he said, making a cup of cocoa for Jacey. “But it doesn’t really matter anymore, we know the truth now.” Darien brought the cocoa over to Jacey. “There’s one thing I still don’t understand,” she said. “What?” he asked, sitting next to her. She looked into her cup. “Why didn’t you remember me?” Darien just looked at her. “After Sailor Moon retrieved the Silver Crystal, you got your memories back. Why wasn’t I included in the revival?” “Well, those were just Moon Kingdom memories,” he said. “But you were with me then too! How come I didn’t remember?” He stared at Jacey as if she were an illusion. “You were never supposed to know about your lives and families during the Silver Millennium,” a familiar voice reverberated off of the walls. Jacey looked around the room. “Aunt Jen?” she asked, very confused. “That is why you were separated and why you did not recognize each other in Sailor form.” Darien stood up abruptly. “Could things get ANY weirder around here?” he shouted. A faint orangy glow appeared in from of both of them. As the glow got brighter, a warm light filled the room and an elegant woman with fiery red hair and an aquamarine gown appeared in the ball. “That just can’t be Aunt Jen!” Jacey thought. “Princess Jacey, Prince Darien,” the voice echoed. Jacey’s eyes began to overflow with tears. “Mother?” she choked out. “Look you guys! It’s Mother!” she began to smile and laugh as the tears came. “Hush, my child, Mother is here,” Queen Jennifer of Earth cooed to her daughter. She smiled at the face she hadn’t seen in so long, yet such a short time before. Jacey kneeled before the queen. “All of this time! Thirteen years and I never knew! Mother, why didn’t you tell me?” “You were never supposed to know, my daughter. You and Darien were supposed to lead normal lives. But when Beryl was revived, the other leaders of the planets decided it was time to awaken the Scouts. I had you separated at a young age so that if one of you was needed in battle, the other would still have the chance to lead a normal life. You have both fought and served well, but the time has come for you to be normal once more.” The queen held her hand above Jacey’s head and the symbol of Earth appeared on her forehead. In a grand barrage of feathers, she turned into Princess Jacey. “Come here, my son,” she beckoned to Darien. She held her hand above his head and the blood red symbol of the rose appeared on his forehead. Then, in a shower of rose petals, he turned into Prince Darien. “Mother, you must understand that we want to fight this. The Darkness is stronger than anything we have faced! Everyone needs us!” Jacey said through the tears. “You will fight. And everyone does need you, a lot,” the queen said. “But even in the form of Princess Jacey you will not be strong enough.” She smiled. “I can fix that, though.” A long staff appeared in front of Jacey, it was the staff that Sailor Earth used when she was taken over by Sailor Sun. In the center of the sun at the top, an orange crystal glowed brightly. “The Staff of the Sun?” Jacey inquired. “Yes,” the queen said. “Sailor Sun bestowed the power of weather manipulation in it and it became the Weather Staff. And the crystal is the Rock of Magma, the sacred heirloom of the Earth Kingdom.” As Princess Jacey touched the staff, she turned into Eternal Sailor Earth. “If you hold up the staff and shout Eternal Earth Scout Power, you will become Eternal Sailor Earth and the most invincible Sailor Soldier in the galaxy. You can win everyone’s old lives back with the crystal. I trust you will do what is necessary.” Jacey bowed down to her mother. “We will make you proud, Mother,” Darien said. “I swear, we will not fail in this endeavor.” The queen smiled. “I know you will succeed, my son,” she said. “And be sure to take care of all of the Sailor Scouts, especially Princess Serena. She loves you so much, just as I do.” She took his head in her glowing hands and gently kissed his forehead. “Queen, it’s so good to see you again,” Athena said. “Welcome back to Earth,” Apollo chimed in. Queen Jennifer turned and saw the cats. “Apollo, Athena, my trusted and loyal friends. You have taken good care of my daughter and have also trained her well. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” The cats smiled at her. “And Jacey,” she said. “Remember that your heart fuels the crystal. That is so important. Use your powers wisely.” “Do not worry mother,” Jacey said. “I have learned from those who have taught me. I am ready.” The queen’s light began to pulse gently. “I know you are. Now, go and win back your lives, my children. Goodbye!” “Do not go, Mother!” Jacey cried, reaching out to the fading light. Queen Jennifer blew her a kiss and her glow completely disappeared. Jacey fell to her knees. “I will always be with you,” the Queen’s soft voice echoed off the walls. Jacey stood up and wiped her tears. “I know, Mother,” she thought. “And I will stand tall and strong this time around.” Jacey turned and looked right into Darien’s eyes. “Apollo, Athena,” she said, never breaking her gaze. “Luna and Artemis are at Serena’s house. Go there and tell them to meet us at Raye’s temple.” The cats nodded and ran off to find the others. Darien turned to Jacey in disbelief. “How did you know about Luna and Artemis and where they are?” Jacey took Darien’s hands and he began to feel warm inside. “Do you feel it, Darien?” she said, closing her eyes. “When we’re our old selves again, we have the connection. It will always exist now. Can you feel? We know everything about each other! I can feel your life as if I was right there with you every step of the way.” “I feel it,” he said, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply. His face bore a pained look and sweat beaded on his forehead. Then he instantly dropped Jacey’s hands. “Darien! What’s wrong?” she screamed and held him tightly in her arms. He shuddered. “How could you have witnessed that and carried on?” He threw his arms around her and kissed her forehead. “You are so incredibly brave. I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost Serena. How could you bear losing him?” She winced at the memory. “Griffin,” she sighed. “Well, it was tough, I didn’t react too well at first. But that was actually the second time I lost him. Did you know that he was my secret boyfriend during the Silver Millennium? He was a stable boy at Queen Serenity’s palace.” Darien looked sympathetically into her eyes. “He doesn’t even remember anything about our relationship.” He pushed back her bangs and looked at the Earth symbol on her forehead. “See that?” he said, turning her towards a mirror. “That means you will get him back. You were the strongest person I knew during the Silver Millennium. I mean, you were the only one who wanted to kick Beryl’s rear!” Jacey giggled and wiped her eyes. “Once we defeat this new enemy and school ends, I‘m going to New York with you.” Jacey’s eyes lit up. “You will? Aunt Jen will absolutely die when she sees you! Oh, and you can help me make him remember! Darien, you’re the best big brother ever!” She jumped on and hugged him, knocking him over. Then she touched the symbol on her forehead and was back in her normal clothes, she still held the staff in her hand. Darien closed his eyes and was back in his normal clothes as well. About a half a second later, the phone rang. Darien stood up and answered it. “Hello?” he said. “Hey, Darien! It’s Serena!” she said hurriedly. “We are all quite bewildered at the two cats telling us to call you and Jacey to come down here.” “Oh, Apollo and Athena!” he said, signing to Jacey what Serena was saying. “We’re going to meet you guys over at Raye’s temple, Sweetheart.” “Yeah, get down here quick!” she said and hung up the phone. “We’ve got a briefing to go to!” Darien said as he turned to Jacey. She grabbed her coat and opened the door. “We have to make a quick stop first.” |