ARTEMIS' WRATH... a test of love Rei and Usagi made quick work of Mako's exquisite culinary delicacies. Usagi's massive headache from her scrambled brains gradually began to dissipate due to the medication Ami had given her. She started to feel a little more like herself. Rei had begun the clean-up process and asked her droopy jinja mate to pull a futon into the warm fire room and rest while she took care of a few neglected chores. Rei handed Usagi a fresh ice pack. Rei finished her chores and headed for her room's private bath. She passed Usagi who was soundly asleep with the back of her head atop the icepack. Rei checked Usagi's pupil sizes, which were normal, and let her sleep. She shaved, trimmed her self, and took a leisurely shower. Rei put on a royal blue silk negligee with bottoms that matched, which made her large amethyst eyes look an even deeper royal purple, almost like tanzanite. She meticulously groomed her hair to its fullest luster. When she was satisfied with every personal detail, she smelled faintly of warm spices and smoke, and looked like the Goddess she was. Beats the smell of wyrm dung, she thought wryly. Rei went back into the fire room where the object of her affections slept. Usagi looked exactly as she should have after a work-out. She had crashed fully clothed in her rumpled pair of shorts and sweaty tank top. Rei sighed, and brushed the haphazard bangs from Usagi's forehead then laid a tender kiss there. Usagi stirred and drowsily opened her eyes to a vision of loveliness. Her breath left her. Rei was... stunning. "Rei... you... I... I think I need to go wash up!" Rei laughed. "Go ahead, you'll feel like a new woman. I need to meditate for a while, so take your time. Are you feeling any better, Angel?" Rei asked while she tried to feel for the tender area. "Hai, much better, thank you. You didn't think a little bump on the noggin would keep me from our plans, did you?" Usagi asked and looked as shocked as possible. "Well, maybe a little. Ok, I was scared, happy?" Rei begrudged as Usagi stood to complete her mission. Usagi smiled provocatively and left her. She decided to use traditional washroom to shave and rinse off. She put her hair up and slid into the furo's warm water to soothe away her aches. Usagi let her mind wander, but found that she could think only of Rei. She felt herself blush and decided she should probably get out of the public bath water, before she regretted it. She padded back over to the shower in the wash room, used some floral scented body wash, and shampooed her hair. After she dried herself off, she put on a white satin and lace negligee with its matched bottoms. Usagi brushed her hair out and left it down. She decided her bond to Rei was worth a little extra effort so she gave herself a full-blown manicure/pedicure. The ginsuishou glittered brilliantly in her cleavage. She found the dark blue velvety box that contained the gift Rei had given to her for her 18th birthday. In it nestled a slender choker and ankle bracelet that consisted of a series of tiny round royal indigo sapphires set in gold. It also came with a pair of small post earrings that matched. She put them on and remembered the promises Rei had made to her that day, and realized... Rei had kept them. Rei had told Usagi ancient Romans considered the sapphire to be the birthstone for April and Aries. But to Rei, they reminded her of her princess' eyes. Sapphires represented truth, sincerity, and faithfulness... just like her princess. Rei had promised she would be each of those qualities to Usagi in return. Usagi was almost positive the jewelry had belonged to either her mother or grandmother. Rei couldn't have afforded them. Usagi had cried so hard, Rei had thought Usagi wouldn't accept her gift. Usagi was finally satisfied with her appearance and daubed a small drop of the Venusian perfume on the hollow of her neck. It smelt of fragrant flowers after a slow rainfall. Usagi brushed her hair until it's sheen resembled a bright full moon. She was ready. Usagi took a deep breath and re-entered the fire room where Rei wore her Shinto robes and knelt in prayer. Rei felt Usagi's presence and smiled secretly. She didn't have to turn around to know Usagi had made herself beautiful just for her. But Rei wasn't quite as prepared as she thought she would be for the vision that greeted her eyes. Her eyes slowly began their travel upward. They started with a lovely pedicure on delicate feet, the sapphire bracelet around a petite ankle, hard sculpted calves, and... oh my. Rei gulped. Usagi had, by far, the most beautiful legs she'd ever seen. Rei drew her eyes upward to the tiny waist, firm chest, the long slender neck with her necklace that caught the firelight, and then she took in Usagi's achingly beautiful face with those intense royal blue sapphire eyes. Right now, Usagi positively radiated her sex appeal. Rei closed her eyes as her heart fluttered wildly in her chest, and smelt her fragrance. She tried hard not to hyperventilate and told herself, 'Rei... breathe in, Rei... breathe out.' To prevent giddiness, she opened her eyes and met Usagi's eyes. They twinkled. Usagi held her hands out to invite Rei to stand and join her. Rei took Usagi's hands and stood a little unsteadily. The bond was really going to happen! Usagi removed Rei's Shinto robes, folded them carefully and set them aside. Then she spoke softly. "Rei, am I whom completes you?" She asked. Rei found her voice at last and answered her. "Hai, Usagi, you are. Usagi, am I whom completes you?" Rei asked in kind. Usagi answered her beloved. "Hai, Rei, you are. We must now ask a god or goddess to preside over, and guide us through any vows we wish to share. Which vow is it you wish to share with me, Rei?" Rei swallowed a lump that rose stubbornly in her throat. "I... I wish with all my heart and soul to share an eternal blood bond with you... Serenity," Rei almost whispered, "which vow is it you wish to share with me?" Usagi smiled a little at Rei's choice of names. "I wish with all my being to share an eternal blood bond with you... Diana." Usagi leaned forward and laid a soft butterfly kiss upon Rei's perfect lips. "Since I know my own Mother, I will ask her to officiate alongside your Mother. When you meet your Mother, you will understand why I want them both here." Usagi removed her hands from Rei's, and faced the fire. She brought her hands close together. She willed the ginsuishou forth, closed her eyes, and concentrated. Rei held her breath and trembled slightly, in awe of her partner. She never got tired of the ginsuishou's display of power. As before, the fire flared brightly and the air shimmered with a light that coalesced into two beings. One Rei recognized right away as Queen Serenity, but the other looked like a mirror image of her own self, almost down to the last detail. She fainted. Usagi caught Rei and gently lowered her onto the floor. She knelt beside her fallen mate and held her upper body in her arms. She stroked her ebony hair, and spoke soothingly to her. "Rei, it's all right... wake up, love. Your Mother is the Goddess Artemis. I, too, am shocked at how much you resemble her." Rei's eyes fluttered open, aware of Usagi's soft voice and caresses. "Did I just faint? Oh, Usa, I'm sorry... how embarrassing!" Usagi dimpled and whispered back. "Hai, some bodyguard you are! Now I know you are human after all! We need to transform now, tough girl." Rei looked up at her Mother's immobile visage shyly and made a wry face. "I'm sorry, I haven't given you a very good first impression, have I?" Rei struggled to her knees with Usagi's help. Usagi stood and used her henshin pen to become Eternal Sailor Moon. She stepped towards her Mother, and left Rei to face her own mother, alone. Rei reached for her henshin pen with her right hand, and felt air displacement from something sharp as it came swiftly towards her exposed throat. With her left thumb and index finger, Rei stopped the blade inches from its intended target. Rei was filled with the fire of Mars, and in the twinkle of an eye, Rei transformed not into Super Sailor Mars, but into the Goddess Diana. Where Artemis was clad in silver armor reminiscent of Galaxia, so Diana was clad in metallic red armor which covered thick leather trappings that reminded Usagi of the wyrm hides Diana had worn on Mars. The armor seemed to glow like molten metal in the firelight. Artemis' weapon turned white hot, and the goddess dropped it with a loud clatter onto the hard floor. Diana glanced over towards Eternal Sailor Moon. She had already summoned Exavyre. Usagi was deceptively strong, but her true strength lay in her swift, deadly, accuracy. Rei knew there was no one she knew who existed, herself included, that matched Usagi's lethal blade. The addition of Hephaestus' magic sword didn't help matters. A snowball in Hephaestus' forge came to mind. Diana's lips formed the word 'no'. Artemis silently reached behind her for a silver arrow, but found she had a deadly flaming arrow already at her own throat. Artemis froze. Diana had risen with feral quickness, her eyes were ablaze, and her body radiated heat and power. Diana's lips had moved wordlessly in a silent spell and immobilized the Goddess Artemis. Diana now wore a deadly calm expression upon her countenance, her eyes were dark tanzanite, terrible to behold in their coldness. She made a formidable presence. Sailor Moon was terrified, and watched in horror as her beloved evolved into someone she did not know, and could not remember. This Diana only vaguely resembled the young warrior princess she had fallen in love with on Mars. She had only heard stories of the Goddess Diana, prodigy child of Hecate. Exavyre quivered in her hand, and her wings trembled. Then Diana spoke for the first time. Diana's quiet voice was slightly deeper than Sailor Mars', though held the same musical qualities. "Mother, I have had you summoned here for a peaceful purpose. Yet you dare threaten to kill me, unprovoked, and desecrate my holiest of places. Your behavior has also caused me to frighten my beloved, which I find intolerable. There will be no bloodshed here today. I may have your blood in my veins, but I have no taste for your vindictive nature nor do I desire your propensity for murderous bloodlust. I have been born so that I might preserve and protect life. I give my allegiance and bow only to the Serenities who share my same values." Diana knelt on one knee and bowed low to Queen Serenity and Eternal Sailor Moon. Queen Serenity spoke softly. "Rise Princess Diana of Mars, I am always honored by the allegiance of your soul... no matter what form it may take. You must find a way for peace with your Mother, however, before she will grant audience to your request." Diana nodded, and rose. She de-transformed to become Super Sailor Mars, and faced Artemis. Mars whispered a counter spell to release her Mother. Artemis immediately reached for her sword, but Mars' foot was on the hilt. Mars neatly looped her toe through the hilt, lifted it slightly and tossed it to Queen Serenity who caught it by the hilt. The two Serenities who wielded the broad swords made an almost comical combination. Almost. Mars shuddered. She faced her determined mother. "No. Stand and face the human I have divinely become, Mother. I am not a mistake. I have a purpose, and my life has meaning. I will not let you take it. It is my intention to ask you for my rite of passage from maidenhood to womanhood in this, my 18th year. I do not ask passage through matrimony to a man, nor by acceptance into Amazonian abstinence, but rather by an eternal blood bond oath with my soul mate, the Princess Serenity. I ask your permission, as the patron Goddess of vows and oaths for youth passage, to perform this sacred ceremony. I ask nothing of my Mother. Will you, or will you not give us your blessing in this matter?" Artemis straightened to behold her only blood 'offspring'. "Hecate has taught and raised you well. Truly you are her daughter, and in deference to my love for my lunar sisters, I will ignore your impertinence in reference to my character. I will allow the blood bond, warrior Diana." A slow smile spread across the huntress' features. She then opened her arms wide to invite a confused Mars into them. Mars moved warily into a position where she would either be struck dead, or be loved, and closed her eyes to accept her fate. Then she felt a tender unarmored embrace surround her. Mars wept for the first time in 13 years on the white-robed bosom of her real Mother. Mars let all the tears of her hardships fall shamelessly onto the shoulder of the one person who could truly heal what her mortal father had shattered... trust in parental love and unconditional acceptance. The Serenities waited in humbled quiet wonder, while the two powerful women reconciled tearfully. For the once estranged mother and daughter, it was now time to leave behind a childhood neither had experienced together. Artemis let go of her beautiful daughter and smiled at her. "We now begin your rite of passage ceremony."
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