Wavering Destiny

Chapter 42: All is Fair in Love and War

~Wavering Destiny~
by Strawberry Moon Rose

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi.
_________________________________
Chapter 42: All is Fair in Love and War
_________________________________

"What?" Seiya's eyes bugged out.

Usagi stared at Yaten in disbelief. She tried to wrap her mind around what the smallest Starlight was saying. Her friends were back. They were here. On Kinmoku. As the words settled in, anxiety gnawed at her belly.

Seiya glanced over at Usagi. The moon princess's face had gone ashen. Her hands were shaking in her lap.

Yaten shifted her weight from one side of her body to the other impatiently.

"We're supposed to go meet with them," she said, looking directly at Seiya. "The Princess's orders."

"Is Taiki down there?" Seiya swung her feet over the edge of the bed and stood.

"I don't know. I don't know anything, the Princess just woke me up a minute ago."

"Where are they?" Seiya asked sharply.

"The entry room." Yaten backed towards the door, nearly tripping on the blanket that she'd animatedly stripped from the bed a minute ago to get Seiya up. Yaten lowered her chin. Her pretty face was scrunched up in fear.

"Hurry, Seiya. This doesn't sound good."

"Right. Thanks."

Yaten beelined out of the bedroom, almost crashing into the dresser on the way. She yanked the door shut behind her, but it didn't close completely. It creaked back open, groaning in protest until it came to a stop against the wall. The sound reminded Usagi of a haunted house.

Seiya eyed her apprehensively. Usagi still sat there in the middle of the bed in a daze. Seiya could only imagine what was going through her head right now.

Usagi bit down on her lip so hard it drew blood. She ran her tongue across the inside of her mouth. It tasted metallic.

"Well, I guess we won't have to go to Earth tomorrow after all," Usagi mumbled. She forced an uneasy laugh. An ache of dread wormed its way through her abdomen.

Seiya watched her, pained.

Usagi scrambled across the bed and got to her feet. "Maybe they have news about Chibi-" Her voice choked up as panic washed over her face. She raised her trembling hands. "Oh no. What if she's... What if they've come to tell me that she's..."

"Bun Head, just stay calm. We don't know that," Seiya touched her arm tentatively.

"Oh my god, Seiya." Usagi's knees felt like spaghetti noodles. She had to grip onto Seiya's forearm to stay upright. "Why else would they be here?" she squeaked.

"Maybe they're here to check on you," Seiya offered. "You left without telling them, right? I'm sure they're just worried. Let's not get carried away."

Usagi tried to keep her breathing in check. "But Yaten looked..." She struggled to find the right word. "Well, she lookef terrified! How can everything be okay?"