Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ For The Time Being ❯ Chapter 3

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Story # 38! This is Sailor DKC! Sorry for taking so long! But this is
June, the graduating month! I had to attend graduations here and
there. So, congratulations to all the graduates of this year!

Now for the story. This is the conclusion to the trilogy, starring
Mako and Nephrite. The first two are: Don’t Leave Me and It’s You,
Isn’t It? The picture from which I got my inspiration is from
Splinter Tree again. I did the first part of this trilogy based on
one of the artist’s works in Generals Love. When you see this *, I
am describing the portrait in a scene.

Rated PG for slight violence. Entertainment only. Naoko Takeuchi owns
Sailor Moon, not me. Enjoy reading!

Dedicated to Splinter Tree. I like that drawing! ^_^

Please e-mail me at sailordkc@hotmail.com for comments!

Peace!


FOR THE TIME BEING
By Sailor DKC


The dancers applauded as Nephrite and Mako stared at each other,
their lips a kiss away. Reaching up, he held her chin with his
fingers, his thumb caressing her lips. “You are Sailor Jupiter,” he
whispered. “Aren’t you?”
A new piece of music began, and as the dancers began moving, Mako
whispered back, “Yes.” Watching him descend his head to her, she
closed her eyes as he kissed her. She felt warm and shivering tingles
travel all over her body. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she
felt him draw her closer to him, his hands on her waist. When the
kiss ended, they gazed at each other until Mako said, “I think we
better leave the dance floor.”
Nephrite noticed that they are drawing interested stares from the
other dancers. “I suppose so,” he agreed, smiling and offering his
arm. Smiling back, she took it, and they both left the dance floor.

They sat on a public bench outside of the concert in the park. “So,
how long have you known?” she asked.
“I’ve had clues since that day you saved me from the dog demon, but
tonight, I knew you were the one,” he explained. “And if I also add,
I believe your princess companions are the Sailor Senshi?”
Mako looked away, twiddling her fingers on her lap. “I don’t suppose
you could keep our identities as Senshi to yourself, huh?” she asked.
“It is my duty to report to my Prince if there is any information
that can lead us to enlisting the Senshi’s help so we can find out
who is attacking our planet.” Nephrite then looked the other way and
sighed to himself. “But I’m having second thoughts.”
Mako turned back to look at him in shock. “But you have a duty to
report to your superior just as I have a duty to mine!”
“Don’t misunderstand me, please!” he said, turning to face her. “I
will report to my Prince, just not now.” Sliding closer to her, he
took hold of her hands. “The thing is ever since you kissed me, I
thought of nothing but that kiss, and who gave it to me. Now that I
found you, I don’t want to report because then I won’t see you so
often.”

Blushing, she bent her head down and murmured, “It can’t be that bad.
I mean, we’ll all work together to find out who’s behind these
attacks.”
Smiling at her bent head, Nephrite reached out to smooth her hair. “I
mean that I want to spend this time with you alone. No other company
included.” Then he tipped her chin to look into her sparkling greens.
“I hope you don’t think I sound possessive because I’m not. I just
like to think that for the time being, you’re……mine.” He bent his
head to kiss her again. It was much longer and sweeter that the last
one. As they withdrew from each other, Mako smiled warmly.
“I am, you know.”
“What?”
“Yours.”
Letting out a breath of relief and joy, he gathered her into his
arms, and they held each other lovingly.

During the next few days, Princess Mako and General Nephrite enjoyed
being with each other. On Earth, they had walks, picnics, and ate at
some restaurants. On the Moon, they attended concerts and festivals.
For Mako, her favorite time was ice skating on Earth. She thought
Nephrite looked so good in his dark blue skating outfit, and she
loved the way he held her close to him as they skated across the
rink. ‘My fantasy has come true,’ she thought, happily, as he held
both her hands while they spun in a circle, laughing. As they slowed,
they drew closer and closer until they came to a stop, with their
lips just a breath away from each other. Mako blushed prettily as
Nephrite’s nose nuzzled gently against her cheek, and he placed a
small kiss on the corner of her mouth.

For Nephrite, he was having the time of his life. Yet he knew that he
would soon have to report to his Prince. The other generals were
already asking him questions on whether he found out anything because
of his immense time with the Princess of Jupiter. He knew that he and
Mako would have to reveal to their companions sooner or later. Sooner
came quicker than the two thought it did. On one night at a ball in
the Moon Palace, Nephrite noticed that Prince Endymion and his
general companions were staring at him as he danced with Mako on the
dance floor. “Mako,” he said, as he stopped dancing. She also
stopped. “Come with me. We have to talk.”

They stepped out into the nearest balcony. “What is it, my love?”
“Dearest, we are going to have to tell everyone what we know. My
friends are becoming suspicious with my behavior, and I want to put
their minds at ease.” Caressing her face, he sighed deeply. “I wished
it didn’t have to end so quickly.”
Leaning into his caress, Mako nodded and flung herself into his arms.
“Our time has ended too soon.”
“I know.” He kissed her hair as he held her. “I wish I could do
something.”
She looked up into his stormy blue eyes. “Kiss me. Make it last. Make
me remember it so well.”
Inhaling, he pressed his lips on hers and tightened his grip on his
waist while she clung onto his neck. The kiss seemed to go on forever
as they poured their true feelings into it. When they finally pulled
apart, they stared at each other passionately.
“Mako.”
“Nephrite.”
It was the sound of a ferocious roar that ruined the moment.

“ROAAAARRRRR!!!!”

They looked up only to dive to the floor as a huge flaming red beast
leaped over them to crash through the balcony doors into the
ballroom. People screamed and ran for cover as the creature spout out
fire bombs here and there. Mako and Nephrite rose from the floor and
ran inside in time to see Prince Endymion leaving with Princess
Serenity. Then they saw the generals standing between the beast and
their princess escorts. “My men are willing to protect your princess
friends, despite the fact that they don’t know they are Sailor
Senshi. At least my Prince and your Princess are safe,” Nephrite said
as he drew out his sword.
Mako nodded. “My friends seem hesitant to transform in front of the
Earth Generals. They are sworn to keep their Senshi identities a
secret. What should we do? We have to help them!”
He gave her a pleading look. “They have to know now!”
She looked back for a second, then nodded. Taking out her
transformation wand. “I will do it. I make this decision. Only your
generals will know.”
And it was true, for every other guest has fled the room. Only the
princesses, the generals and the beast remained.

The princesses gasped as they saw Mako stepping forward and raising
her wand. They made sounds of protest as the generals looked on in
puzzlement as the Princess of Jupiter stopped a few feet behind the
flaming creature and shouted, “Jupiter Power! Make-up!”
Astonished and shocked expressions appeared on everyone’s face as
Mako turned into Sailor Jupiter. The creature then turned and
attacked her after she finished transforming. She leaped out of the
way and used her Supreme Thunder power while Nephrite clashed with
his sword.
It dawned on the other generals who Princess Mako is, and they came
to the conclusion that their princess escorts were also the Sailor
Senshi. With stunned realization, they turned to look at the women
who are now taking out their wands. Expressions of determination were
on their faces as they all cried out,
“Mercury Power…”
“Mars Power…”
“Venus Power…”

“…Make-up!”
After they all became Senshi, they joined Jupiter and Nephrite to
fight the beast with the generals a close behind them. The monster
swiped here and there with its paws and shot out flames to hit a
moving target. Luckily, everyone managed to dodge out of the way and
struck back individually with their powers. But no matter how much
they strike, their attacks seem to have no effect on the creature.
That is, until Sailor Jupiter and General Nephrite combined their
powers at the same time coincidentally. The creature yelped in pain
as it felt its shoulder being hit with Jupiter’s powerful lightning
and energy stars from Nephrite’s sword. “That’s it” he cried out.
“Everyone! We must combine all our powers at the same time!”
“It’s our only chance to defeat the demon!” Jupiter yelled. So
everyone started combining their powers together.
“SUPREME…”
“CRESCENT…”
“BUBBLES…”
“FIRE…”
“STAR SWORD…”
“SPHERES OF ENERGY…”
“ZOI-PETALS…”
“SPHERES OF FIRE…”

“…THUNDER!”
“…BEAM!”
“…SPRAY!”
“…SOUL!”
“…STRIKE!”
“…BLAST!”
“…PULVERIZE!”
“…CHARGE!”

The combined powers of the Sailor Senshi and the Earth Generals
formed into one huge shooting ray and struck forth and hit the
flaming creature. It screeched as the ray turned it into molecules
and then disappeared. All was now quiet in the ballroom. After
gaining their breath and senses together, the Senshi and the Generals
turned to look at each other. Kunzite was the first to speak up.
“General Nephrite, what’s the meaning of this? Have you known all
along that Princess Mako is really Sailor Jupiter?”
Sailor Venus joined in. “Sailor Jupiter, by revealing who you are, we
had no choice but to reveal ourselves since you were willing to fight
the creature. Why did you not tell us that this Earth General knew of
our identities?”
“Please, let me explain!” Nephrite protested as he put away his
sword. Jupiter came to his side.

* Taking his left hand in hers, Sailor Jupiter placed her right hand
on Nephrite’s back as they stared ahead. *

“We were planning to tell you everything soon!” Jupiter confessed.
Before either of them started explaining further, they hear people
who fled from the ballroom returning. “We can’t discuss this here,”
Jadeite said. “It would be better if we all meet somewhere else.”
“Hurry!” Sailor Mars urged. “You Generals, go! We will explain what
happened here to our Queen.”
As the men left, Nephrite lingered to look back at Jupiter. She
mouthed, “Thank you,” and gestured him to leave quickly. He still
stood there until Zoisite returned and pulled his arm. “Nephrite, we
must go now! We’ll meet another time!” So, with a last longing look,
Nephrite turned and left.
Jupiter took a step to follow him, but was restrained by Sailor
Mercury. “Jupiter, please, we must concentrate on this attack, the
first in our kingdom.” Looking at her friend, she nodded and joined
her companions as they approached Queen Serenity who had just arrived
in the room. “I had received word in my Royal Chambers from my
daughter, Princess Serenity, that the Earth Generals aided you into
defeating the creature,” she said. “Prince Endymion is with her now.
Where are his men?”
Stepping forward, Jupiter bended on one knee, head bowed. “My Queen,
there is something I must tell you.”

A few days later, in the Royal Conference Room of the Moon Palace,
Queen Serenity paced back and forth. She had heard the full report of
the attack and what Princess Mako and General Nephrite already knew.
She paused in front of them as they, heads bowed, stood by her chair
at the head of the table. Endymion and Serenity sat on the other side
by her chair while the rest of the princesses and generals fill up
the rest of the table.
“Normally,” the Queen began. “I would take firm and strict action
when it comes to withholding information. But in your case, Princess
Mako and General Nephrite, I will make a firm exception.”
They both look up in shock. Chuckling contentedly, she continued,
“Oh, it so obvious. You two have feelings for each other. I have seen
something similar like this between my daughter and the Prince.”
“Mother!” Serenity gasped.
“Your Majesty!” Endymion turned red. Everyone else gasped also.

“Oh, yes, I’ve know for some time, my dearest Serenity. He is the man
whom you knew as Darien while meeting him on Earth. And you’ve
changed your name to Serena to hide your identity. But I’ve allowed
it because I can see how much he cares for you, and I knew you would
be well-protected.”
Then Queen Serenity turned to Mako and Nephrite. “So for you two, you
are pardoned. And since my Senshi had good judgment to reveal
themselves to aid with the Generals, I see no reason why we should
not have an alliance between the Earth and the Moon Kingdom.”
Gasps of delight and praise came from everyone. Indicating the
pardoned couple to sit, the Queen sat in her chair. “Now, then, shall
we begin? We must find out who is behind these attacks.”

Later, after the meeting, Mako and Nephrite, holding hands, walked to
the transportation room to bid farewell, for now. “Well, our first
meeting was a success,” she said.
“Yes, I think we’re all going to get along great,” he agreed.
Suddenly, Jadeite and Rei walked rapidly by them, Rei in front. “You
know, I think you’re an arrogant snob!” Jadeite said, angrily. “You
don’t know how to take a compliment!”
“Well, I think you’re too hung up on looks! Put that where the Moon
don’t shine!” Rei fired back. They continued walking ahead, arguing.

Then Ami and Zoisite walked by them. “I don’t think you have to push
yourself to impress me with your poetry,” Ami said, timidly.
“Ah, but my dear! You are so adorable when you ignore me like that!”
Zoisite said, with smug charm. “Reminds me of a verse based on
shyness. It goes like this…” They also passed Mako and Nephrite.
Then new voices sounded behind them. “If your Prince would kindly
limit his visits to the Princess, then maybe you would keep an eye on
him!” Mina said, stiffly.
“Well, I didn’t know your Princess would be so insistent on seeing
him almost everyday! Perhaps you should keep an eye on her!” Kunzite
muttered, angrily.

Watching all of them enter the transportation room, Mako and Nephrite
looked at each other and laughed. “Well, it’ll take time.” He
shrugged.
Leaning her head on his shoulder, she sighed. “For the time being,
let’s enjoy our own time.”
They noticed the Prince and Princess walking towards them. Soon he
and the Earth Generals will be gone until they meet again. The
Princess of Jupiter and the Guardian of Earth looked at each other,
smiled, and then tenderly kissed.



THE END


6/04