Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction / Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Urbania ❯ Ryo and Serena ( Chapter 17 )

Serena couldn't and almost refused to believe her ears. Circumstances of doing the right thing were implicitly on her side. But you can't trust in chance to make your world go around, though it doesn't hurt to occasionally dangle your heart from that sturdy string of hope that make no sense but appeals to the part of the brain that makes all morally-based right decisions: your heart.

She was concentrating so hard on this shredded stream of consciousness she barely heard Relena's voice replace Akane's.

"Serena?"

It was the following rude, disturbing fuzz that pushed Serena back through the door of here-and-now.

"Relena!"

"I made it. Everything's good. They believe me."

"Why wouldn't they?"

"I'll tell you later. Now that we've both reached our destinations, what do we do?"

The future of the majority of Japan rested solely on Serena's next words. "We attack."

Relena took a short pause. "How?"

"With everything we've got. Patricia and Nadine are expecting us. They might be looking for us now to start it. We have to do everything in our power to…"

"…to what?"

"…win…" Serena dropped the walkie talkie in Ryo's hands and ran a slow, struggling run to the rest area.

"We will win, Serena, we have you. Now, how should we attack? Serena?"

Ryo held down the talk button and spoke softly to Relena. "She just took off to the restroom. She's barfing a buffet." Ryo looked to where his poor fiancée ran and bit his lip at the sight of her figure hunched over, convulsing wildly.

"Oh, ok." Relena said nothing else for a minute, waiting for Serena to finish regurgitating her life. Serena came back, hands pressed just above her behind. She took the small device from Ryo, who guided her to sit down in his lap. She gratefully placed her newly gained weight on the top of his thighs.

"Relena?"

"Yeah?"

"Ok." Slight pause. "The only plan I can think of is an attempt to resolve things without a great fight, and if Patricia won't step down, then we have no choice but to push her down."

Serena's bluntness made Relena shudder. She sighed. "If you think that's best…"

"Unless you or whoever you're with has a better idea."

Relena paused, obviously asking Akane for suggestions. The walkie-talkie clicked. "No. No other suggestions. Now what?"

Serena began to think aloud. "We do a unified approach them from the north and south and set up temporary camp. You and I move in alone to discuss matters peaceably. The result of the conference will determine our next moves."

"We absolutely have to go in alone?"

"I don't want Patricia and Nadine thinking we have to hide behind our team."

"Fair. Now, let's say, hell freezes over and they decide to step down. Then what?"

Pause. "It's a draw. It's win-win. Whatever happens from then, happens, likely cities will go back up, and hell, maybe we'll even be able to bring Tokyo back to prosperity."

"Maybe," Relena chuckled, "But if they refuse to give up, which is what's almost definitely going to happen, we war."

"We war." Serena confirmed reluctantly.

"Don't worry, Serena, it's almost over. Sometimes it's darkest just before dawn."*

Serena smiled and looked at Ryo, who offered a weak smile. "Ten four, Peacecraft."

"Right. Let's move out at daybreak."

"Gotcha. See you there, and let's pray before we play."

"That's a ten four Tsukino. Out."

Serena turned off the radio. She held it, holding Ryo's neck, and he snuggled her and kissed her, ignoring her awful breath.

"I have to tell everyone now," she said reluctantly, "I have to tell them to hope to live for their freedom, but prepare to die for it."

Ryo nodded, wrinkled his forehead, and asked with a concerned squeeze, "Are you alright?"

Serena shrugged absent-mindedly, then gently shook her head.

"What is it? Tell me."

"I hate this. I hate it. It never should have happened."

"What specifically are you talking about?"

"Ryo," She groaned, moving from his lap and pacing. He held fast to her hand, walking behind her to the opening of the tent they were in. Serena surveyed the camp that surrounded the tent like heavy arras. Ryo looked briefly, then looked away, glancing down at his hand that held Serena's.

"I hate…fighting." She turned to him.

"You hate fighting?" Ryo shortened the distance between his brow and hairline. "How can you hate fighting?"

"There's no reason for anybody to be killed. People are more reasonable than that, there was never a need."

"Some people are more reasonable than that, yes," Ryo said intellectually, "but there are circumstances that you find yourself in where you have no hope, so you have to fight fate."

"Like what? That just sounds like words."

"Like the first night you came to stay with me. There was no way you could have left that room alive before I had made love to you, but you had to fight anyway. You even really fighting me, I thought a little while down the road. You were fighting inevitability."

"Just like now. There's no reason to even try to talk them out of it. They got this far, and they're not going to let little me stop them with a puny 'Hey guys, let's not fight anymore!'"

"But you told me fair and square you weren't going to sleep with me that night."

"But you raped me anyway."

"And look at you now," Ryo said, pulling her close, "You've risen beyond that. That's over, along with my whole ownership of you. Now, you're fighting for other's freedom, as well as your own. Patricia and Nadine may turn your diplomatic effort down, but it's inevitable that you're going beyond them. You're too much force for them to recon with."

Serena smiled, her bulked cheekbones pushing into Ryo's chest. He hurt her in the past, but the ring, and his subtle love and now his support more than made up for it. There was no question why she loved him. She lifted her head to look into his aqua irises. He contracted his cheeks just a bit, for brow-less smile. They pecked on the lips.

"My breath will probably chap your lips if we French."

"Like I care," Ryo muttered, rolling his lips to open hers. They shared a deep kiss, but it was cut when Serena jumped, still hanging on to him.

"What?" Ryo asked, now worried about his own breath.

"The baby! The baby kicked! It kicked!" she whispered excitedly. Ryo knelt down and lifted Serena's shirt, placing both hands firmly on her inflated stomach. Serena looked down at her belly and at her future husband, waiting for an internal response. It was granted. Ryo's jaw dropped and Serena squealed.

"That baby's got some legs," he looked at Serena, "probably strong enough to kick a locked door down, huh?"

Serena's cheeks dusted with pink and she smiled shyly. "Probably." They waited a few more minutes for the baby to kick again, but it must have fallen asleep. Ryo relieved his knee and rolled up slowly. His hands still on her nurturing tummy, he kissed her, slow and sweet. Their lips pulled back into two smiles, the taste of the other's lips still a lingering sweetness.

"I have to go relay the message," she whispered, still centimeters away.

"Hm." He hummed, brushing his lips along hers. "Hurry back."

"I will. Rest assured."

"I'll have to after what I'm about to do to you, Mrs. Sanada."

Serena snorted a giggle. "Just call me Mama, Daddy."

"Ooh, Daddy likes," he purred like a tiger into her neck. She giggled, making his purr a giggle mid-rumble. He pulled away and held her hands. He kissed them both.

"I've got to go tell them."

Ryo nodded somberly and pressed his lips to her warm forehead. She slowly started away, totally entranced by his touch she'd not felt in ages, his magical, passionate touch he was still embarrassed to exhibit around his friends, the touch that was for her alone. She couldn't wait for a massage. She pulled further away, still being gently released by one of his kind, warm hands, the end of the tent finally separating them. After stepping out, she took another step behind the flap, half-hiding herself like a sweet, shy little girl, giving him his farewell glance, then she left. Ryo's whole body simmered in her love. He trembled just a bit, happiness searing through him. He had his mother, his fiancée, and he was going to be a father when this situation with Patricia and Nadine was over. He vowed inwardly to do any and everything he could to help with the war, seeing as it was the only thing stopping him from sweeping his bride off her feet and running with her in his arms to the nearest drive-in chapel. He smiled and chuckled at the thought of a drive-through wedding chapel. He peeked out through the tent flaps.

Little bundles of liberators wielding their weapons and back-and-forth-ing to each other were making their way to a plat form where Ryo's mother and Serena stood, their lips moving in an unreadable conversation. He decided to slide into the flow of traffic to where Serena was; he wanted her to hold his hand as she stepped off the platform. He managed to secure himself a good spot in the semicircle that encased Serena and Saki. Now he would see what kind of public speaker his lover was. Serena turned away from Saki and faced the crowd with her hands by her sides.

"Northern brigade," Serena said in a loud, confidently clear voice, "Good evening. I'm Serena Tsukino for those of you who don't know me. We are now against Patricia and Nadine, the conquerors of Tokyo, and liars to us all. If anyone remains in their favor, leave now or convert."

Silence.

"Thanks to you all for staying and listening. I have just spoken to Relena Peacecraft via walkie-talkie, and she is with the Southern brigade. At daybreak, both brigades will begin the march to Tokyo, and we should be at the outskirts by nightfall. Our objective is to remove Patricia and Nadine from power. Upon arrival, we will set up camp, and when that task has been completed, Relena and I will make contact with the traitors and meet with them in an attempt to solve this conflict of interests diplomatically. Should they accept our proposal for peace and friendship throughout the country, our next task will be to begin rebuilding what our ancestors destroyed."

Ryo tilted his head downward.

"Should they refuse, then we will fight them, and force them from power."

Serena stopped, initiating a buzz of conversation from her listeners, and few raised rifle barrels were lifted. Serena pointed to one rifle.

"Yes?"

"What exactly is our back-up attack strategy?"

"It's not carved in stone. In all likelihood, a blitzkrieg." She pointed to another rifle. "Yes?"

"What is our peace proposal?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I have to think about that on the way. I'm sure Relena won't know until we meet, either. All I know is that it will involve us all working together to rebuild fallen cities, restore citizenship, and anonymously elect a leader."

"That could be the plan itself," Saki commented loud enough for her to hear. Serena looked over her shoulder at her and nodded.

"Saki just suggested to me that we make that our official plan. I approve. All in favor?"

The majority of rifles went up.

"All opposed?"

Just over half-dozen showed their disapproval.

She picked a random anti-planner. "Why don't you agree?"

The lady stepped forward, a big, butch, dark woman that could very well have been a very pretty man. "I worked closely with both of them for a number of months more than you, Serena, and I seriously doubt that even and elaborate persuasive conversation about peace would win them over."

"In the case of our peace negotiations not working, we will fight them."

The woman shrugged and stepped back, letting it sink in. Ryo was impressed. The opposed lowered their rifles.

"Does everyone understand what the procedure is?"

"Yes!" was the uniform response.

"Good." Serena smiled and softened, "I want you all to know that I am not just your leader, I am your ally, your friend, and your sister. We fight together and die together. I am risking my life just as you are risking yours. We've come too far, too far from the bottom of a hellish society to the top to be stopped by one of our own. There's too much we, all of us, men, too, as humans haven't accomplished. We will live to see the dawn of a new era, a new history where our children will have a happy, prosperous Tokyo, void of discrimination, hate, and the lust for power, and endowed with patience, kindness and understanding. I'm not saying there won't be those people from the darkest recesses of human consciousness that insist on superceding everything and everybody, but I am saying that they will not out number us, the power of love and might, the power of peace."

A strong, solemn applause was raised for the speaker, soon accompanied by whoops and random gunshots into the air since no one had firecrackers. Ryo clapped the loudest, or tried to, anyway.

Saki gave her tent to her son and his future wife since this could possibly be the last time they'd have together. While Serena lay in bed, waiting, Ryo laced the tent flaps shut, granting them a little privacy. He pulled his sweater over his head, and stepped out of his pants, laying both at the end of the cot. He lifted the sheet and blanket got in beside Serena, who let him have the pillow, laying her head on his just-soft-enough shoulder. He held the small of her back with his bed-hidden arm and her outermost hand with his other. Serena pushed her hand underneath him and laid her little hand between his defined shoulder blades. He kissed the crown of her head, and laid back down. He didn't want to make love. He just wanted to hold her. The top of the tent was transparent, and the stars faded into their steady twinkle, barely contrasting with the thick blackness of two in-love lovers holding each other for dear life. The cot was barely big enough for both of them, and there was the baby to think about. But that's all either one of them were thinking about, even Serena, who had an entire country to save. It wasn't worth it if you missed the moments that really mattered…

"I want you to marry me. I love you so much." Ryo said out of the blue. He felt Serena's ear sliding on his shoulder and she looked into his shadowed face. He leaned down and kissed her, missing her lips, and she guided him down to the right place, forfeiting holding his hand, so he clasped his hands behind her, closer than before. The kiss was more than they expected, and they couldn't stop it prematurely. It was warm, cool, colorful, completely white, passionate, casual, killing, birthing, and, above all, binding. Never again would he kiss another woman except his mother, or look at them lustily. He was hers, as he had always been, but didn't want to believe it, no, not Master Wildfire. But it was over now, and this was it.

It was the air she was breathing, had been breathing, and would breathe. He was her, life, soul, limb by limb, all of her. He was a rainbow of her thoughts, desires, and convictions. He was his love and his love was her. They were one, just Ryo, Serena, and the sky filled with sugar crystals. The kiss had sealed that revelation and locked it in the night.