Four Years
"Um, tonight is very warm. It's the perfect night to go for a
stroll." Mizuno Ami blushed as she and Kou Taiki took one last walk
through the park. She held tight to her beloved's arm, and tried her
best not to cry. Tonight Taiki would leave with her partners and her
princess, and Ami couldn't bear to part with her. But, as always, the
Princess of Mercury would try to bury her feelings deep within her heart
until she was alone to cry her endless tears. As they walked along the
moonlight path, she thought of the day she had proclaimed her love.
~*~*~*~*~
She had grown fond (no, in love) with Kou Taiki, the mysterious
senshi of Kimoku and keeper of vast knowledge over the weeks she had
know her. The only person who knew her feelings was her best friend,
Tsukino Usagi. Usagi had been a bit shocked, and had pointed out rather
logically (strange for Usagi) that Taiki was a female, only dressing as
a male. Ami had turned a bright magenta, and whispered the three words
that Taiki herself would have cried with joy to hear.
"I don't care. I don't care, Usagi-chan, I love her. I think I've
loved her since we met. I remember when I would get hives just at the
thought of romance or emotions. But I've matured, and wonders happen
when you're in love. I just wish I knew if she felt the same way." Ami
murmured sadly. Usagi patted her friend's hand across the booth.
"If you love her, go to her. I may have only known the Three
Lights as long as you and the others, but I've learned that Kou
Taiki-san does not show her feelings easily. If you love her, you must
go to her first." Ami began to protest, thought better of it, got up
from the booth and turned to go.
"You are right, Usagi-chan. I will go to her, and see if she
shares my feelings. Can you pay? I want to get this over with, before I
lose my nerve." Usagi nodded kindly, and watched her friend walk to the
one who would love her and hurt her, albeit unwillingly.
~*~*~*~*~
"Hello, Mizuno-san. What brings you here?" Taiki greeted Ami
cordially as she walked into the Three Lights' spacious apartment.
"Well I, um, can we talk?"
"Of course, Mizuno-san." Gesturing to the sofa, Taiki sat in the
armchair and politely waited for Ami to speak. She fidgeted under the
watchful gaze of her beloved, and before she knew it, was pouring forth
her heart's desires.
"I know we've only known each other for a short while, and you
probably think I'm just Silly Ami-chan, boring and dull. But I came here
today to tell you . . . I . . . I love you. I love you with all my
heart. I am not sure why, and I'm not sure if you care, but I love you,
and I need to know if you might, even a little or someday in the future,
feel the same way." Letting her breath whoosh from her lips, Ami sat
waiting for Taiki's response. As each moment ticked away with Taiki
looking blankly at her with an unreadable expression in her deep violet
eyes, Ami fell farther down her pit of despair. Any answer would satisfy
her; shrugs, laughter, a sharp reprove. But the silence Ami was
receiving was too much, too much. She put her head down, stared at her
shoes, and quietly said, "I guess this is your answer. I'm sorry . . . "
Her hurt whispers were silenced then as Taiki raised Ami's face,
streaming tears, and gazed into her azure eyes before replying softly,
"I love you, Princess of Mercury, Soldier of Justice, Mizuno Ami.
I have also loved you since before we met. I was not sure if you shared
my feelings, and I did not want to lose our friendship by inquiring.
Your happiness is all that matters to me." Sooner than she could answer,
she felt Taiki's warm lips brushing her own. Taiki did not, as the
Americans say, 'French' her, but the simple touching of flesh to flesh
sent shivers of pleasure down Ami's spine. They were both breathless
before they pulled away. A pink blush covered both their faces, and
Taiki muttered, embarrassed. "I am sorry, Mizuno-san. I should not have
. . . " She too was silenced by a kiss as Ami, for once, took the
intuitive and enveloped Taiki's trembling lips in her own. Taiki finally
accepted it was all right and hugged her soul mate tight, and finished
the kiss off as before. "I love you, Ami, my Blue Angel."
"And I love you, my Falling Star."
~*~*~*~*~
Now, as she and Taiki slowly pushed on, trying to ignore the ache
the both felt, Ami felt the hot tears squeeze through her tightly closed
eyes. As she tried to stop them, Taiki sensed her sorrow and, sitting
her down on a nearby bench, gently cupped her faced with her hands and
asked,
"What's wrong, Blue? Why do you cry?"
"I . . . I . . . I can't believe you're leaving. I know you must
protect Kakyuu-sama, but I need you too. What will I do without you?"
"I need you also, Blue. But I must return. I have my duty to deal
with, and I am loyal. But, in a few years when Kimoku is reinstated, I
can come visit. And when both our princesses are queens and ruling the
respective worlds, maybe we could be together . . . forever." Taiki
whispered, trying to be strong and failing miserably. Ami sighed, and
looked into Taiki's eyes, trying to say the words the alien star most
wanted and needed to hear. Finally, Ami mustered the courage to say
them.
"I love you, Falling Star, and will wait for you, but you may go
to your obligation with my blessing. But I must see you, if you can
come, in four years time." Taiki sighed with regret and relief and
replied a bit more cheerfully,
"You can count on it." Here the two lovers heard the great church
bells nearby ring the hour. Both regained the melancholy features they
had had before, and stood up to embrace. "We must go. The others will be
waiting. But remember Blue, in four years time, I will come." With one
last lingering kiss, the two young beauties, so old yet far too young
walked towards the destiny they did not choose, but would not fail. And
as they disappeared into the mist, six words hovered in the air. "In
four years, I will come."
Notes-
1. This story takes place the night of episode 200 in the anime, in
Japanese but has some manga elements. Namely, that Taiki is always
female. But that's about it.
2. I wrote this for the Ami/Taiki story contest at
http://www.hugglebunny.com/sailormoon/TAcontest/. It's over now, and I
won the Best Alternative Gender Fiction (Mine was the only one with
Taiki as a girl.)
3. I tried to make this as Japanese as possible, but I may have made
some errors. Please don't be too harsh.
4. I can't stress it enough, please give CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.
5. I'd like to thank all the story authors who inspired me to write
this. There are too many to name, so if you have any work at
http://www.fanfiction.net, chances are I've read it and I mean you.
6. This story in no way says I prefer this pairing. I just wanted to
enter the contest, and I prefer the manga, where Taiki was, is, and
always will be a girl.
Back to Sailor Moon Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction