Drops of Starlight

Chapter 11: Monsters of the Past

Seiya's response was thoughtful. "Sure, but maybe another time. Right now, I'd love to hear your story. It's more valuable, considering the current situation."

"I suppose you're right." Usagi stared out the window, watching heavy clumps of snow float from the white sky. "I don't even know where to start."

"Start from the beginning. I want to hear it all."

"You're in for a long story. Are you sure?"

"Yes." Seiya shifted onto her stomach, resting her chin in her palm. She cocked her head and grinned. "Tell me everything."

So she did.

Usagi started with meeting Luna, and how she couldn't stop crying when she fought her first youma. She watched Seiya's expression as she told her how Tuxedo Mask had come to her rescue, but if Seiya felt any jealousy or annoyance, she hid it well.

Usagi unraveled the story of Ami and Rei joining her as sailor guardians, then mentioned every detail she could recall about Nephrite. She explained how he tried a different approach to stealing energy than Jadeite, by targeting individuals one by one. Usagi revealed how Nephrite impersonated Tuxedo Mask, how fraught she was discovering Naru was in love with him, and how Naru tried to help him find the legendary silver crystal - the crystal that currently was tucked away in her brooch.

"He found out my identity, but he never did tell anyone before he died," she explained.

"That makes me nervous that he knows who you are," Seiya said, frowning. "It would be easy to find you if he truly wanted."

Usagi nodded and hugged her daughter closer. She went on to explain that Zoicite and his three minions abducted Naru and held her hostage. Seiya listened intently about how Nephrite rescued her, and when Zoicite's minions came after them, he pushed Naru out of the way and got stuck by their attack.

"When we showed up, it was too late." Usagi's voice choked up a bit. "It was the saddest thing I had ever seen. I remember him stroking her face as he started to disappear, and that was the moment I knew that Naru was right - Nephrite was a good guy. Maybe not up until his final hours, but he was."

She described how Naru carried the torn-up pajama cloth she had used to bandage up his arm around for a long time. Naru was never really the same after the whole incident, but over the next few years, time turned flames to embers and she went out with Umino, and they appeared to be a happy couple.

"Part of me wonders if she ever truly got over Nephrite," Usagi admitted. "She was young, and so in love."

"That's a traumatic thing to happen to a middle schooler," Seiya said quietly.

Usagi looked down and realized Chibi-Usa had fallen asleep. She shifted her daughter into a more comfortable sleeping position.

"So what happened next?" Seiya pressed.

"You really want to hear it all?"

The Starlight nodded, so Usagi continued. She told her about Makoto moving to their school and Sailor V revealing herself as Sailor Venus. Usagi explained their past lives, reincarnation, and defeating Queen Beryl. How they lost their memories, only to be re-awoken.

From Ali and En to the Black Moon, Crystal Tokyo, and five-year-old Chibi-Usa falling out of the sky, she told Seiya everything. To Uranus and Neptune, Hotaru, and the heart crystals and talismans. To the Dead Moon Circus and Queen Nehelania, and how it was Sailor Galaxia who brought Nehelania back from the mirror, solely to awaken Sailor Saturn to steal her starseed.

Seiya listened politely, her almond-shaped blue eyes reacting accordingly as she told her every detail, every battle, every betrayal.

The shock was evident on Seiya's face while Usagi told of meeting her future self, and Usagi knew it all seemed silly now because it was all gone. That version of herself no longer existed. But it didn't bother her talking about it as much as she thought it would.