Author's Note: A take on the Senshi and Dragons RPG

~~~~~

They danced and danced, swirled and swirled, twirled and twirled.

Hundreds and hundreds of couples danced the night away in the Crystal Palace’s ballroom. The music was enchanting, almost magical as it drove it’s listeners onwards entrancing them to dance more and more. The room was beautiful as was ever tying of the palace, but this room was an exception even to the beauty. It looked as if it was sculpted from perfection itself, the ceiling was seemingly made from a silverish crystal and the walls were ornately carved from beautiful marble, depicted a dance long forgotten to the people of the universe. It showed a man and a woman, prince and princess dancing graceful in a field of roses and it seemed as if everyone in the room tried to imitate the eternal motions of those carved in the marble.

Looking down on the crowds below no single couple could be picked out, they all seemed to blend together in a swirling mass of bodies moving, breathing, living to the music.

There was a table for refreshments and food but not many people were standing around there, everyone was a couple, everyone except the most important guest. She sat alone and watched as all the people danced, together.

Usagi, queen of Neo-Tokyo sat alone. Her prince had not come in time and she was alone at the dance. She knew that Mamoru was busy and he had a perfectly good reason not to be with her, but it didn’t make it hurt any less to know that he was not with her now.

Then a voice from somewhere spoke, it seemed as if it spoke only to her. The male’s voice was clear and pure carrying words from the heart, “Yakusoku wa iranai (Promises not necessary).”

With that the music died down and the lights not directly on the floor dimmed. All the dancers left the floor and Usagi stood up to see what was going on. She looked towards the dance floor, a beautifully polished hardwood floor hailed as one of the greatest creations of its kind and as she stared she dreamed that Mamoru was there with her, asking her to dance…

Usagi was woken from her dream as she felt hands pushing her to the dance floor and then as she was in the center they all left. She looked around, all of a sudden afraid. All she could see in all directions were countless faces, each and everyone unrecognizable and in the center of this large, empty floor Usagi stood in her simple dress, the white one that she normally wore. She spun around trying to find an exit from the harsh light and the sharp stares of the people but there was no way out, no escape. She could feel her fear and terror building, all she could think of was Mamoru, ‘Where are you Mamoru, where are you my prince?’ As she seemed to cower in fear from all the silent observers to her right the crowd parted, just slightly and in walked a man in a tuxedo and a top hat with a mask. Usagi’s eyes lit up and she ran towards her husband shouting, “Mamoru!” However when she embraced him he did not reciprocate. She looked up at him and saw even through his mask the sad look in his eyes, “What is wrong Mamrou? What is it?” she asked him wondering what could it could be that haunts the soul of her love.

Mamoru gently removed her grip from around him and clasped her delicate hands in his, “I’m sorry Usako. I’ve never been a prince to you, I’ve never protected you, I’ve never done any of the things I should have. He pulled away from her now only barely touching her hands, like he almost wasn’t there…Then he lowered his head and his top hat and mask fell off his face as he looked towards the floor, and he continued to speak, “And what of our daughter? What will become of her? I neither of us have been parents to her, both of us too busy. I failed both you and her because I was not strong enough.” When he looked up there were tears in his eyes, tears of sorrow and of pain that Usagi had never seen there before. She couldn’t believe how much he was hurting; the pain in him was so intense she didn’t know what to do.

Then Mamoru let go of Usagi’s hands and seemed to fade away and as he faded so did the lights until there was only a single spotlight on Usagi. She dropped to her knees, overwhelmed by what was happening, she still couldn’t believe what Mamoru thought. Tears began to stream down her face and then slowly dripped onto the cold, unforgiving floor. The people who made a circle around Usagi at first seemed to be closing in on her, slowly encroaching upon her on the dance floor as if they were a darkness that was ready to swallow her up. She swung her head around from side to side in fear looking for escape but finding none. Then as they seemed to be almost upon her she closed her eyes and cried out, “Watashi no Oji-sama, doco desu ka? (My Prince, where are you?)”

As those words flew from her mouth the crowd drew back as if struck by an invisible blow. An entire section parted and a man began to walk towards her. He was dressed in white clothing and had a long flowing cape, white on the outside and rose red on the inside. He had a golden tassel and his outfit told the world that he was a prince. As the man approached the kneeling Usagi she looked up to see his face and her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped open. It…it…it was Mamoru. Usagi was stunned that this man could be her husband, the look on his face was completely different, he exuded an aura of confidence and power.

Her Mamoru had changed.

Usagi backed away from him on the floor afraid of his change, but he kept coming forward until she hit the edge of the light, the border between the light and the darkness and stopped. Then as he approached and towered over her she tried to hide herself from him when he got down on his knee and held out his hand for her to take. When she stared at him, emotions conflicting on her features, as confusion took hold he spoke to her, his voice was clear and calming and had a power that seemed to comfort her, “You called for your prince and I have come. I have always been here Usako, but I have never been released until now.”

Usagi looked at her Mamoru, he was so different, shining almost as if he had a white aura, so different from the man she married. She looked at him as tears once again streaked down her face, “M-M-Mamoru, I’m scared, you’ve changed, everyone’s changed and I’m not sure what to do.”

Mamoru kept his hand out for Usagi to grab as he talked to her, “Usagi you’ve been through so much, you’ve been so strong for all of us, but there is a time when everyone must lean on someone else. You called me your prince and chose me as the person to protect you. Now I am fit to hold that title, I am a prince, THE prince. I swore I would protect you all those years ago, I will not back down now.”

The power and determination in his words shocked Usagi to her very core. This was Mamoru but not the same man she had married he was, stronger, more determined and confident. Tentatively she reached out her hand to him and she could feel his strength as her hand touched his. Once her hand was in his he lifted her up and from his breast pocket he pulled out a white rose and gently put it in her hair..

As he did he spoke the words of a promise, and a song long forgotten, “This rose is our destiny.”

Music began to play, a song no human had ever heard before, the song flowed with a power and strength that seemed to compel the listener to dance to it, it forced the soul into action and so Mamoru and Usagi began to dance on the floor. Slowly and carefully at first, as if what they had just found was delicate and could be broken easily, then they began to speed up and dance with more passion and emotion. The dance hall seemed to fade away, almost as if reality could not hold itself in the presence of Usagi and Mamoru, and the two were now dancing on a platform high in the sky. It was covered with roses that floated in water. Even as they danced their feet never got wet almost as if they were dancing on top of the water and the beautiful red roses that floated on the perfectly clear water seemed to move out of the way for the two dancers.

As they moved to the ancient song Usagi’s dress changed, it changed into a very light pink flowing gown, and her hair came undone and flowed out like a river of gold as the two danced. They waltzed together their motions perfectly together and in tune. The roses began to head towards the edge of the platform and as they did they revealed more of the water beneath which reflected the beautiful night sky, with millions upon millions of stars. Usagi and Mamoru were now twirling around dancing on the water which mirrored the sky making it impossible to tell their reflections from the real them, twisting the border between reality and the dream. As the roses gathered on the edge of the square platform in the sky they finally began to fall over the sides with the water. To a onlooker it looked as if it was a waterfall of thousands upon thousands of roses like the sky was raining red and on top of all of it the prince and his princess danced hand in hand, protecting and loving each other for all eternity…

This rose is our destiny and we guided two will now meet once again.

Because of the unforgotten promise from a time ago, we come together at last.

At times love entreats one's heart to seek

Protection from a guardian

The shining light will release our will as one for eternity.

At times love may wound the strong heart,

But through your courage the light will always shine.

Because love moves the strong one's heart, we are here,

Surely for the sake of returning to the earth

And all strength will become one.

THE END

Comment or Review? Send them to:

Ssjteen_Goten