Title: Friendship By Night Part/Chapter: Short Story Author: Jadie-chan Email: beckysox@aol.com Summary: Usagi and Mamoru have met in their dreams every night for 13 years, making them very close friends. What happens when Mamoru moves and the dreams suddenly stop? AN: Hello Minna-chan! I beg of you, when you are done reading this email me(beckysox@aol.com), it would mean soooo much to me.This is my first posted fan fiction, and there are some things about the timeline you might want to know. OK, well first of all at this point in time the senshi have not been awakened and nobody knows about Serenity and Endymion. Usagi and Mamoru have been meeting in strange dreams almost their entire lives, and Mamoru has parents. Before you read, I just want to thank Meredith Brownen Mallory for being a really nice person and a great fanfic writer. Thanks bunches! - - - - - Jadie-chan ***Usagi’s Dream*** I was dancing with Endymion again, but he looked strangely sad tonight. Endy and I had known each other our entire lives - well, sort of. Every night, since I was only about three, I had dreamed of him and we would talk all night or go to parties and balls in the dream-place where all this happened. It was more like we were two real people, who met in their dreams, than just me, dreaming of him. I had never seen him so sad before. “Endymion, what’s wrong? You shouldn’t look so sad! I don’t like it when people get so sad,” I said, pouting as I looked into his beautiful deep blue eyes. “Serenity,” he said, addressing me by the formal name he insisted on calling me. “I am moving from my hometown tomorrow, and I’m really worried. I’ve barely ever left the place at all, and now I’m moving half-way across the country.” “Don’t worry, my prince, it’ll be alright. I’ll be here, dont worry,” I whispered, putting my head against his chest as we continued dancing. ***End Usagi’s Dream*** ***Mamoru’s Dream*** I smiled down at my golden-haired princess as we danced in silence. I had just told her about my huge fear of moving, and in her words she had somehow healed me. It was the strangest thing - all she’d told me was not to worry, and I felt somehow better. It had always been that way; we would have conversations in our dreams about everything. Comforting each other when bad things happened, sharing our joys in the good times, and just plain being there for one another all the time. I remembered our first dream-meeting. It had been thirteen years ago, when I was five and Serenity said she was three. I had arrived in this strange dream world, at the steps of a beautiful, yet deserted palace. Everything was made of silver and gold; red and white roses adorned everything, making the place look romantic and gorgeous. I had discovered Serenity just inside the palace doors, rubbing her tired eyes and looking around. I don’t know why I said it, it was an impulse, but I called out “Serenity,” and she looked up. She looked up, confused, then said, “Yeah, I think you’re right. Never heard that name before, though. But I know you’re Endymion.” The words came out sounding funny, and Endymion was hardly distinguishable. From that night on, we’d met every night, and we’d become best friends. ***End Mamoru’s Dream*** ***In Tokyo*** Usagi looked at the mirror, pinning a few loose strands of hair back behind the odangos on her head. She brushed her fingers through her ankle-length golden hair one more time, before smiling and grabbing a pastel pink backpack off her bed, and patting her cat, Luna, on the head. She walked down the stairs, waving to her parents, grabbing some toast and skipping out the door. A spring breeze ruffled her knee-length navy skirt and white Juuban Private School blouse. Juuban Private School was one of those elite places with lots of computers and fast food restaurants in the cafeteria. There was a large, beautiful lake in the middle of the campus, surrounded by picnic tables and scattered trees. There were ten big brick buildings clustered together behind the lake where classes were held. Sports fields were off to the right, a playground for the younger kids to the left, and a big parking lot in front. Usagi walked up the path to the lake, she was ten minutes early and wanted to sit by the crystal blue water. She sat at the edge of the lake, removing her shoes and making little designs in the water with her toes. She tossed a golden locket she’d gotten at an antique store years ago into the air, pointing at it she watched as the locket stopped mid-air and began twirling in circles, along with her finger. She knew that behind her, the other early students were making fun of her strange talent, but she didn’t care. Her psychic powers, especially levitation and aura-seeing, were two things that she could do and never be ashamed of. Nobody knew of her secret talents though, except for the levitation. Seeing auras was her ‘favorite’ psychic talent. When those lovely aura-colors , the greens, blues, oranges, and every other imaginable shade, surrounded people everywhere the world just seemed so much more beautiful. There was only one person Usagi had ever met with a pure white aura, and that was her best friend, Osaku Naru. Naru was not only Usagi’s best friend, but her only friend, too. Nobody wanted to be friends with the ‘weirdo,’ which was what she had been so kindly referred to as since kindergarten. Back then, some kids had caught her picking up her backpack by way of levitation, something she’d always thought of as normal, and everyone had freaked out except for Naru. The tiny red-head, with her blindingly innocent aura, had come up to the halted bag and had poked it with an uneasy finger. Usagi had giggled happily, pulling her bookbag towards herself, smiling at the awed Naru. Naru had smiled back, asking a thousand curious questions a second about Usagi’s talent. The two girls had been really close ever since. Naru was the only person Usagi confided in - other than Endy, that was. But Endy was definetly different; so very, very different from Naru. She wasn’t even sure if he really existed or not, although something inside her seemed to say that he did. Endymion, her prince, had always been there for Usagi long before Naru had. Endy was only a dream though, right? Why then, did he seem so real? ***At Mamoru’s House - Not in Tokyo*** Tossing the last textbook into a large brown box, Chiba Mamoru looked around his now-empty room, sadness etching his handsome features. The dull gray room with its forest green carpet and ugly wooden furniture had been the 18-year-old’s home for his entire life. Although Serenity had comforted him last night, he was getting nervous and terrified all over again. Mamoru, the small town boy, was moving to Tokyo - one of Japan’s largest cities. Although he was worried about living in a city, he was more worried about school. He had only a few months left in high school before he started at university, and now he’d have to spend the time with strangers. It had taken so long for him to find true friends here - he just never seemed to fit in. His affinity for roses and his dream meetings with Serenity had always set him apart somehow, like he belonged somewhere else. Lately though, he’d been making a lot more friends and actually had his own ‘group’. Furuhata Motoki, Mamoru’s best friend, had introduced him to a lot of new people. Finally there was more than one person who knew the true Chiba Mamoru. When he moved, he was going to miss all of his new friends a lot. It wasn’t like he had any control over his moving. His dad had gotten transferred to a job at Tokyo University. Serenity, he knew, would always be there for him, even when he moved. She would always visit him in those dreams, those oh-so-realistic dreams that he’d always looked forward to. Over the years of dreaming, Mamoru had realized that there was something like a bond between them, and slowly he had realized that he had grown to love her. It hurt him to know that the woman he loved was but a dream. If only she wasn’t just that, then he could finally love her for real. “Mamoru, are you done *YET*?” a voice yelled from the front hallway of Mamoru’s house, waking him unkindly out of his daydream. “I’ve been waiting half an hour for you to finish *ONE* box! I think the movers are about ready to come up there and pull you out by your collar. I’d get down here right now, young man!” Mrs.Chiba was sick and tired of waiting and the movers were starting to scare her with their agitated movements. Mamoru sighed, looking around his room one more time before picking up the box of schoolbooks and heading downstairs. His mother, a pretty middle-aged woman, with long ebony hair pulled back into a ponytail, dark green eyes, and a simple yellow dress on was standing at the bottom of the stairs tapping her foot. “What?!?!?” Mamoru exclaimed, using his best ‘I-didn’t-do-anything’ voice. His mom looked almost scary at the moment. “What happened to ‘Only one minute, Mom, I just have one more box’?” she asked sarcastically. Then, shooting a shaky glance at the movers, who were pacing in the driveway, added, “And *YOU* are bringing the box outside! I’ll be in the car when you’re done dealing with the *ehem* nice men.” With that, she grabbed a few small bags and stomped out to her van. Shaking his head, rolling his eyes, and sighing (at the same time), Mamoru headed out to the so-called nice men. ***Juuban Private School*** Mamoru glanced around the small neat office, waiting for the guidance counselor to return with his new schedule. He was aching inside for his old school and his old friends even though everyone in Tokyo had been nice so far. Mamoru had been tense and unrelaxed the past few days - but with good reason. The dreams had stopped once he’d gotten to his new home in Tokyo. Serenity, the one person he could depend on, was gone. And as far as he could see it, there was no way to get her back. Kami-sama, what would he do without her? Suddenly Mamoru caught sight of something golden disappearing behind the door to the principle’s office. The golden-thing had a pretty voice, and he thought he heard it say something like, ‘There’s nothing wrong with levitating Mr.Griffen’s toupee. Really, I think I did that poor, suffering animal a favor.’ He couldn’t help but chuckle at the strange comment, nor could he ignore the familiarity of the golden-thing’s voice, but shrugged it off. The guidance counselor returned a moment later with his schedule, shooing him off to pre-calculus class. Straightening his new school uniform nervously, Mamoru knocked on a door that said ‘Pat Degano - Pre-calculus Instructor.’ The door swung open, revealing a chubby red-headed woman. “Oh you must be J.P.S.’S new student! We’re really happy to have you!” shouted the enthusiastic woman, who was a full foot and a half shorter than him, shaking Mamoru’s hand vigorously. Pulling him into the room, she continued to get worked up over him. “Go sit over there - by that blond girl, Haruka.” He walked over to the seat the teacher had pointed out, smiling at Haruka. If he hadn’t known better, he would’ve thought Haruka was a guy. ***In the principle’s office*** ‘Yeah, well this is great,’ Usagi thought, looking drearily at the ends of her pigtails, which were pooled together in her lap. First, she had to deal with three dreamless nights without Endymion. Second, Naru had gotten sick with the flu and was staying homefrom school. And now she’d gone and gotten caught levitating her biology teacher’s oh-so-obvious hairpiece. What else was she supposed to do when she was bored? She felt as if a part of her had died. The first dreamless night had terrified her, making Usagi a wreck all the next day. She’d barely gotten any better, still worried about Endymion constantly, but was now able to hide it from her concerned family. She couldn’t figure out what might have happened to him. Thirteen years and not one night missed. She had to wonder if he really was just imaginary, and if maybe her subconscious had just chosen to forget him. Yet somehow now, more than ever, she was sure that Endymion was real. If he was really fake she’d be heart-broken. All this time of loving a realistic dream just to find out... no. She wouldn’t think about it, it made her feel ill when she did. The principle came in, practically snarling at her, and Usagi sank down into her seat. ‘Gosh, he seems awfully angry. Uh oh,’ she thought. This was going to be a very, very long day. ***At Osaku Naru’s Apartment*** Pigtails sagging nearly to the pavement, a depressed Tsukino Usagi pulled herself up to her best friend’s apartment door. She rang the bell and was greeted by Mrs.Osaku, Naru’s elegant mother, who ushered Usagi into Naru’s room. Usagi kneeled next to her friend’s bed, where Naru was sleeping. Usagi curled her arms under her head, and looked up at Naru, letting a few stray tears escape her eyes. Naru, who had been taking a peaceful afternoon nap, woke up to the quiet sobbing of an obviously distraught Usagi. “Oh no, Usa-chan, what happened? Kami-sama, I haven’t seen you cry since we were little... Oh, Usa-chan, what’s wrong? Please tell me?” Naru begged, bending over to hug the pretty blond girl. “Naru-chan,” she squeaked out. “Everything’s just gone so terribly wrong... it’s all so awful! It’s Endy, he’s...” Naru was really shocked. Usagi had always spoken of her strange ‘Endymion’ with only the greatest joy. No matter what happened, Endy had always made Usagi so much happier, even though he wasn’t there at all. Naru wished she could smack him for making her friend cry, although she’d never really met Usagi’s Endy. “What did he do, Usa? I’ll get him if he...” “No, no Naru-chan! It’s nothing like that,” Usagi cried, waving a hand in Naru’s angry face. “He just... He just didn’t come and I’m worried about him. That’s all.” Now Naru was entirely confused. Come? To what? She let out a shaky ‘huh?’ and Usagi looked up to smile at Naru’s odd expression. “Nevermind, Naru-chan. Mom’s probably mad at me for being late anyways. I was supposed to be home awhile ago. I’ll see you back at school when you’re well, K? Ja ne, Naru.” With that Usagi ran down the hall and out of the house. ***A Week Later - Lunch Time at J.P.S.*** “OK, Mika. You get rid of the variables by... ugh, Mika are you paying *ANY* attention to me?” Mamoru asked, aggravated. When he came here, he’d been assigned to tutor an eighth grader, Mika, who constantly zoned out, probably thinking about boys. “Nani? Mamoru-san, did you say something?” Mika asked, trying to look innocent. She had dull brown hair, pulled back by a blue ribbon that matched her uniform, green eyes, and that innocent look made her seem about five years younger than her thirteen. “Hai, Mika, I did say something,” Mamoru said in an agitated tone. The stress of his time in Tokyo was going to make him insane. “I’m going to take a walk, OK? You can try and finish that worksheet while I’m gone.” Mika said goodbye, then promptly returned to her daydream, twirling a strand of hair around her pinkie finger. Mamoru sighed and walked off to the lake, admiring the colorful flowers that grew everywhere. He sat on a bench and was relaxing peacefully when something shiny and golden caught his eye. It looked like a necklace of some sort, floating six feet above the water’s edge without any visible means of doing so. Then he saw her, clad in a blue and white school uniform, pointing her finger to direct the golden object over the lake. Her hair was up in that familiar style, blond pigtails like little waterfalls flowing past her knees. Those beautiful, sparkling cerulean eyes that he noticed were dimmer than usual. So she’d been real and here all along. His “Serenity!” Blushing, Mamoru realized he’d spoken out loud, the lovely name escaping his mouth before he could stop it. The locket flew back to her spot on the lake’s edge, into her palm. Looking up, hope covering her pretty eyes, she gasped and shouted back, “Endymion?!?!? Endy, you’re here! You’re real!” And then she was running towards him at super-human speed. Really soon she was in his arms, hugging the life out of him. “Serenity... really, of course I’m real!” Mamoru laughed, smiling down at his dream princess. She was crying tears of joy now, and her tight hold on him had not loosened, although by that time he was hugging her so tight it would have been impossible. He put one hand under her chin to make her eyes look into his. “Kami-sama, how I’ve missed you!” And then Mamoru kissed Usagi. When their lips met there was a blinding flash of light, and Usagi and Mamoru, although still kissing, looked entirely changed. Usagi’s hair was silver, her odangos were circled by pearls, and she was wearing a pure white dress with golden embroidery along the top. Mamoru was wearing a blue, red, and silver suit of armor. The other change was that there were not only two people there, but four. Two strange women had appeared next to them, one who looked almost exactly like Usagi, and a taller, mysterious woman in some sort of sailor suit. The first one had pale lavender hair instead of silver, and a lavender dress with a small purple bow in the front and a large purple bow in the back. The other woman had long dark green hair and held a strange staff in her hand. The second woman turned to the first and said, “I was right, the children of the golden aura have found each other again.” Then she turned towards the oblivious couple and rolled her eyes. “And they’re still infatuated with each other. I’ve got to get their attention somehow... here goes nothing! EHEM!” Usagi and Mamoru jumped up about ten feet in the air, then turned to glare at the two rude intruders. “Hello Princess Serenity. Prince Endymion. Don’t look so surprised; those are your real names as far as I’m concerned. I am Sailorpluto - I’ll explain what that means later. Serenity, take a good look at Endymion, I want you to notice something.” Usagi turned and looked at Mamoru, trying to figure out what Sailorpluto meant, but noticed nothing strange. Then after a moment of squinting hard, her blue eyes widened in understanding. “That’s... odd... His aura... I can’t see it... What on earth...” Usagi fumbled, looking terribly confused and frightened. She turned and stared, gaping at the two mysterious women. “And you... Both of your auras are white and pure - - almost silver, actually. I’ve never seen auras like yours, let alone two at a time. Who are you people?” Usagi held Mamoru to her, clutching his arm to the point that he could no longer feel it. “I told you that I’d explain everything later. First you need to know why you can’t see his aura. You two, prince and princess, are one and the same, not only in souls, but in auras, too. You can’t see his for the same reason you can’t see your own. Your aura is golden, the only one of it’s kind, made that way because it is shared by two people, whose love for one another is so pure and strong that you became one. We refer to you as the children of the golden aura, immortal beings who live on through rebirth. I’ll explain who we are now; I am Sailorpluto, as you already knew, and this is Queen Serenity, otherwise known as the Goddess Selene and Princess Serenity’s mother,” Sailorpluto explained, as Usagi nearly fell down at the last sentence. “You mean to tell me, Tsukino Usagi, that my mother is a QUEEN?!?!? And a GODDESS, too?!?!?!? What on earth am I?? And those three people at my house I call my *FAMILY,* what about them? Who really is my mother, anyway? This is too much! I don’t want to believe you,” Usagi said, squeezing her eyes shut, as if that would make the reality change. She buried her face in Mamoru’s chest, and the Queen stepped forward and put a hand on Usagi’s shaking back. “They are your parents as much as I am, Serenity. The only difference is that they aren’t related through blood - they couldn’t be, you’re a half-Goddess - they love you as if they were, and will always.” Queen Serenity stroked her daughter’s hair as she continued, “Although this may be the only contact I have with you in this lifetime, I want you to know just how much I love you, and I hope you understand everything. Endymion here is a half-God, too. He is the son of Geia, Queen and Goddess of the Earth.” Usagi’s face was looking up from the comfort of Mamoru’s chest eyes wide, while Mamoru’s face hung open like he was waiting for someone to throw pennies in. Sailorpluto spoke again, her voice quiet. “I am the guardian of the gate of time, the Silver Millennium, and Princess Serenity. There are eight guardians of the princess, including myself, who also protected the kingdom of your past lives until there was no more kingdom. Endymion also guards you, for you wield great power and need many guardians, but for reasons of love instead of our reasons of protection, admiration, and great friendship. If you ever need any of us, we will come to you somehow. For now, we must leave though, but I promise we will meet again. Goodbye, Princess!” With another flash of light, the two women were gone and Usagi and Mamoru were back to normal in their school clothes. They stared for a while at the place where a Goddess and a warrior had been standing a moment before. They never did notice the crowd of hundreds of school children who had gathered around the area. Without a word, Mamoru and Usagi turned to each other and kissed for the second time during that lifetime.