12Note: So, yeah. If you wanted to know what my most despised episode of Sailor Moon is, you're looking at it. Or rather, you're looking at something based on it.
I'll admit, I'm petty and get hung up on stuff in fiction, especially when someone is wronged and doesn't receive the proper apology and/or compensation they deserve. And 'Much Ado About Kitten' is definitely a prime example of what I hate. This is going to be incredibly short, mainly because there isn't much to go off of, and really, this is more or less me trying to make a more satisfying and better (at least in my eyes) ending to the episode.
I don't imply to know or dictate your tastes, but personally, I think that just one watch will give you an indication as to why I consider it such garbage.
That said, here's hoping you enjoy.
SM (c) of Naoko Takeuchi
Chapter 1: Retribution
To think, it looked so beautiful when he first saw it.
"It…" the ivory cat murmured; blue eyes centered on the ground. "I just thought…it looked like such a lovely place to get married."
The ebony cat near him felt her face grow hot at the mention of it, her far more contrasting, almost reddened irises glistening at the thought of it.
"Love blooms!" Usagi shouted, seemingly declaring what had just occurred as a victory. In essence, she wasn't entirely wrong: the enemy had been denied another Dream Mirror, and even more, another innocent life had been spared.
A simple, kind nun that had been spotted in front of the chapel not long prior. Someone that the cat bedside him had oh so 'wisely' declared to be his 'secret' love.
"Daddy?" a small voice piped up, Artemis looking to the grey kitten. "I heard there's some good ice cream here. Could I taste some?"
The cat began to turn towards the only available male figure present amongst the multitude of women for advice…only to turn away at the last moment. Immediately, Mamoru detected something was amiss.
"Ask your mother." Artemis told Diana, voice smooth, yet lacking any semblance of warmth. "I…I'm sorry, but I can't stay here. Not right now."
The Sailor Soldiers took notice of the white cat making his way from the group, Minako stepping out amongst them. "Artemis, where are you going?"
The cat flinched…yet realized that, unlike before, he wasn't afraid. No, now that everything had been made clear…he had nothing to fear. Not for her, not from ANY of the women here. "I'm leaving." He told his owner, the bow headed girl somewhat unsettled by the uncharacteristic coldness in his tone. "Don't bother leaving the door unlocked, as I don't know whether or not I'll even be coming home tonight."
"What?" she began to approach him. "What are you talking about- "
"I'm surprised you've forgotten." The feline interrupted. "After all, I AM Benedict Artemis, or is that something else you all just decided to conveniently forget?"
She and girls froze, realizing, to their collective horror, what he was referring to. Luna herself had long broken out of her flustered haze, the events that had occurred prior playing back in her mind. None of which were particularly savory, let alone a good reflection of her character.
"Artemis," Minako began, her chest beginning to ache slightly, the harsh, if not downright cruel words she had delivered to him before echoing in her memory. "I…I'm sorry. I, we didn't know that- "
"Frankly, Minako, I'm not interested." The cat cut her off, everyone more than a little shocked. "Petty as it may be, you didn't give me the time of day to explain myself, let alone allow me to get a single word in, so give me a reason why I should do the same for you?"
The blonde could scarcely believe what she had just heard. No one else could either. Her mind wracked for something to say, baffled, yet more worried that, to her horror, she had hurt the cat far more than initially suspected. "Artemis, please." She began moving closer, Artemis in turn whirling around to face her.
"Leave me be." He hissed. "You've all done enough." His blue eyes shot a glare in Luna's direction, if not just out of instinct in visually indicating where most of his current animosity resided. He wasn't entirely sure whether or not she had even seen it, yet from where Usagi and the others were standing, they all saw the black cat's eyes widen, developing tears pricking at the edges. "Besides, if it takes that little for you to lose any sort of trust in me," the feline continued, glancing back at Luna, yet now centering a venom filled glower at the representative of Venus, of whom now found herself becoming choked up at the sight of it. True, he was angry, that much was obvious. He was outright furious. Yet there was more…traces of hurt and betrayal. Ironic…seeing what he had thrown at him not long ago. "I don't want to see any of you for a long while, so if you excuse me…" he began to turn away. "But then again, I suppose that you'd all be fine with that. Cheating, adulterous traitors aren't exactly welcome in your company."
"Artemis," another voice interjected, though it didn't belong to either Minako or Luna, the two more than drowning in shame. "I think I speak for everyone when I say that to jump to such conclusions was both uncouth and inexcusable of all of us." Ami explained, the cat not even turning back to face anyone this time. "And I don't' know what Minako told you," she glanced to the blonde, of whom couldn't even bring herself to face the guardian of Mercury. "But we have just as much blame to share as she and Luna."
"I figured that." The cat answered. "Someone had to tell her, after all." He then turned around; blue eyes centered on all of them now. "So, thank you. Thanks to each and every one of you for proving that your trust in me is so utterly flimsy and easily breakable."
"Artemis-"
"And another thing!" he interrupted. "Mamoru told me before that if one was to want to live in harmony with women, then they were to always be agreed with and were always right! But…no." he hissed. "I'm not giving that to you." He directed his line of sight towards Luna. "You don't get to do that with me. I'm not going to stand by and let you take your anger out on me, let alone treat me like trash, misunderstanding or not! Forgive me for disagreeing, Mamoru, but no, you don't get to do that just because you're a woman, Luna." The utterance of the other cat's name was laced with venom. " I refuse to be treated like I'm lower than dirt and not given the time of day, then for everything to be made fine again as if nothing happened! If anything, it just shows that none of you even fathom just how much you've hurt me. So, what you said about you wondering whether or not you could trust me again, Minako?" his eyes narrowed. "The feeling's mutual."
Everyone could've sworn that the blonde's heart shattered into a million pieces upon hearing that.
"No, it's not like that!" Minako shouted, her composure slipping, she rushing towards her companion, kneeling down to his level on one knee. "I…we were wrong, yes! We were all wrong, but we do trust you! I trust you! It's just…she just showed up out of nowhere-" the blonde gestured to the newly arrived grey kitten, of whom was puzzled as to what was going on, yet from what she could gather, at the very least, these girls, and perhaps her own mother, hadn't exactly been very kind to her father.
"No." Artemis growled, the hairs on his back rising. "Don't you dare place any sort of blame on her. She is a child. She has nothing to do with this. So don't you DARE think that you can shove what you've done onto her. This is YOUR doing, so own it. At least have SOME sort of maturity in all of this, at least once."
"I-I'm not." Minako protested. "I'm just saying, her arrival was a bit unexpected, so we kind of just- "
"Again, another lovely demonstration that trust built on devotion and years of friendship means nothing to any of you. But it's ok. Because 'you don't tell women they're wrong'."
"Artemis- "she reached forward, the cat moving back.
"Don't touch me."
Had she just heard that? "Please." She begged, wanting nothing more than to scoop up the feline in her arms. "Please, I'm sorry! I really am-
"Don't touch me!"
A sharp pain resonated on the top of her hand, Minako drawing it back to see a series of small, vertical marks of red trailing along her skin. He scratched her…he had just scratched her!?
"Hey!" Usagi interjected. "There's no need for that- "she was stopped, however, by a hand placing itself on her shoulder.
"I think we need to sit this one out." Mamoru told her. While he wasn't angry with her, it was clear that he wasn't exactly pleased with the situation, let alone anyone here.
"But he just- "Usagi protested again, yet her boyfriend's conviction didn't waver.
"He said he doesn't want to be here, and from what I can see, it's about time he was heard. Frankly, Usako, you all have done enough." The bun-headed girl struggled to fight against this, yet after a moment or two…she ultimately resigned. He was right. She was far from one to be giving anyone any sort of lecture, especially seeing as she was the one who delivered the phone call to Minako about the cat's supposed 'affair'.
Minako held her hand, trembling. True, it was little more than a nick, far from painful. Yet the fact that it had come from him, him of all people, er, animals…just as how the words she delivered to him before must've stung the same way. He surely must've felt the same, she thought. She remembered well, as much as it disgusted her now. He was backed up against her bedroom door, she towering over him, hurling accusations and questionings of his character at him nonstop…the tears began to flow from her eyes. Rei, Makoto, and Ami came to her side, and while the three were quite shocked at what the cat had just done, any potential anger directed towards him didn't last long. For really, they were far from the victim in this. In fact, in many ways, each of them was a perpetrator.
A wave of guilt washed over him when he realized what he had just done, the ivory cat looking at his claws, then to Minako's hand. An urge to apologize came to him, to beg forgiveness for doing such a thing in the heat of the moment…yet…he found an even stronger urge coming to him. He needed to go away. He needed to get out of here and think for a bit. He…he… "…I'm sorry." He muttered, not proud of what he had just done, yet far from ready to let the girl's tears sway his current stance on all of them.
He scampered off.
"Artemis, wait!" Minako called out, about to take off after him, yet a smaller, darker shape darted out before her, she in turn taking to pursuing the other cat.
"Artemis, stop!" Luna called out, the other feline either not hearing or not heeding her words, steadily gaining more and more distance ahead of her. "Please, stop! Please!" she pleaded, tears stinging her eyes and making it difficult to see what was ahead of her. She was losing him!
Maybe she already had lost him…
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I was wrong! I was wrong and stupid! Please, come back! Artemis!"
He turned a corner, she in turn following. Though when she made it around, he was nowhere in sight. Only an empty, trash-filled alleyway met her.
"What have I done?" the black cat stammered, voice quivering. She let her head fall forward, her tears coming to soak the hardened pavement below. "What have I done?"
Later
"You haven't seen him anywhere?! Anywhere at all?!"
Rei sighed. "I'm just as anxious to find him as you are, Minako. But you're going to do him no good if you yourself go out there like a madman with no idea where to look!"
"I don't care!" the bow-wearing girl protested. "It's pouring out there! He's probably soaking wet! He…" she paused. "…you…don't really think he doesn't think he can't come home, can you?"
"Don't be ridiculous." Ami assured. "You said things in the heat of the moment. True, it doesn't make it right," Minako's features soured even more. "No more than ours, yet Artemis knows you better than that, surely!"
"…I should've known him better." She sat herself upon the bed, her head coming to rest in her hands. The scratch had begun to heal, though it was still there. Seemingly as if to further guilt and mock her for her treatment of her oldest, most devoted friend in this very room.
Since his departure beforehand, the Senshi had spent the entire afternoon searching high and low for the ivory cat, desperate to make things right, or at least bring him inside until the weather became decent again, preferably Minako's house. She didn't even care if he didn't even acknowledge her existence, frankly, she sort of hoped for that. At least she'd be able to have a present reason for her crippling guilt.
"Beating yourself up over it won't do him any good either." Makoto told her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "This is all of our faults, so all of us are going to fix it."
She was thankful for the four girls being by her side…though, shamefully, only one would be able to remedy what she was feeling at the moment. And he could've been anywhere on a night like this…
Living Room
"Mamoru?" The dark-haired man turned to Usagi, arms folded over his chest and with a displeased look on his face. She needn't ask why that was. She joined him in looking out the window, the rain continuing to pour ever downward. "Do you think he's found somewhere dry? At least sort of dry?"
He didn't answer at first.
"Mamo?"
"…he'll be fine." The guardian of the Earth finally answered. "Though…I might want to discuss some things regarding his living situation."
The bun haired girl was confused. "Living situation?"
"It's not something I want, but, honestly, if I was in his position, I wouldn't be too eager to come back either." The blonde's eyes widened upon hearing that. "With how he was treated and from what I've now heard about what all you girls and Luna said to him? I'd be crashing somewhere else for a while if I were him."
"But, but it's ok now!" Usagi protested. "Diana's been found out to be his and Luna's kitten! He didn't cheat! He- "
"He didn't cheat?" Mamoru interrupted. "That makes it sound like it's his fault."
"N-No, it's not. But we all thought that…and Diana called him her 'daddy'- "
"Then did any of you try to talk to him?"
"What?"
"You heard me." Mamoru repeated. "Did any of you try and ask him his side? And no, hurling accusations his way doesn't count." He wasn't directing it towards her, yet Usagi couldn't help but flinch at that. She hadn't heard it outright, yet Mamoru made his stance on what Minako had said to the cat very, VERY clear. If anything, it was why she was so desperate to go out and find him, even in this weather. "Do you understand what that tells him?" the Earth Prince continued. "What that tells him about all the time he's spent with you? With Minako? How utterly 'useless' it feels if it can be undone so easily?" he continued. Usagi was getting upset, he could see that. And it wasn't as if he was enjoying this, yet she had to understand. She and the other girls had to understand why, or this would never get truly resolved. Even more, it could've possibly happened again. "You gave Luna the benefit of the doubt, and you didn't even see Diana. Why was that? She also seemed to leave out the little detail of the marking on her forehead, so her telling was already inaccurate right there."
Usagi had no answer. Her lip trembled as she continued to see the droplets come down from the heavens. He was right, he was absolutely right. "I…I didn't think about any of that." She confessed. "I…I just went and called Minako. I…didn't even think about it." She covered her mouth. "Oh God, Artemis. I…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…I didn't think that it would turn out like this…"
The rain kept falling.
….
"Why were you so mean to daddy?"
From her sitting place on the kitchen windowsill, Luna found she couldn't banish the grey kitten, her daughter's words from her mind.
She tried to explain herself, yes, yet that in itself was difficult, as she found herself torn between that and trying to find some means to ease this weight that had been thrust on her by her own hubris. It did neither. If anything, it seemed to only make the grey kitten more and more disheartened.
"You made daddy sad."
Not to mention angry.
"Why were you so mean? Why were all of you so mean? That's bad!"
She had attempted to level how some things were different for adults; relationships were far more volatile and fragile. How things such as infidelity were an unfortunate, but very real part that had to be faced.
"You all are so mean! You're terrible!"
A lot of good that did. It only seemed to make Diana even more angry with them all.
"How could you do that, mommy?"
Especially with her.
And really, there was no defense for it.
She had assumed the worse, not even considering the crescent shaped marking on the kitten's head, badmouthed Artemis to kingdom come to everyone around her, speaking of how she wouldn't care if he was out of her life.
Thus…she was granted her wish.
And she utterly loathed herself for it.
'The chapel…it looked like such a lovely place to get married…'
Lowering her head down, Luna silently wept, a string of curses against her jumping to conclusions and the eagerness to throw all that she had at the ivory feline. She wasn't thinking straight, she was hurt, yet it was all for nothing, over nothing. And…and she couldn't even apologize for it. She had to go and bring up Artemis' supposed 'crush' on the nun once again.
Spiteful, horrible thing, she was. Spiteful…and now, pitiful.
Diana had made it clear that she didn't want to be around the people (and cat) that had 'made her daddy so sad,' thus, she was taken to Usagi's place, apparently with Chibiusa. Her own child wanted noting to do with her…
"Hey." Usagi's voice was heard, Luna feeling a hand coming to rest on her back. "You ok?"
"…whether I am or not doesn't matter." She answered. "I'm not the one that drove someone they love out in the rain and away from everyone because they were too much of an idiot to not think for five minutes as to why they would go and do something so uncharacteristically like them."
"Luna-"
"No, Usagi. Don't." the cat interjected. "Don't try to defend my actions. Don't you defend ANY of them." She lifted herself up, though her posture was still quite slumped. "Mamoru's right, you know. Not saying it against you, but…I should've wondered why. Why would he go do something like that? Someone that I've known for years, someone that's served you and the entire Moon Kingdom alongside me, someone that…" she paused, her breath hitching. "Someone that is one of the kindest, most understanding and compassionate individuals I know…why would I even think such a thing of him? I couldn't even give him the most basic of trust…"
His words to Minako echoed in her mind. 'The feeling's mutual.'
RING RING!
The blonde was diverted from her dejected, utterly defeated companion, she going over to the phone. "Hello?"
"Usagi?!"
Luna's ears perked up.
"Chibiusa?" Usagi asked
"Where is she?! Is she over there with you!? I can't find her!"
"Whoa, hey, calm down! Where's the fire!"
"Oh no…" the young girl on the other end said, clearly frightened. "Oh, no, no, no, no!"
"What? What is it?"
"The window's open!"
"What?"
"Diana! The window's open! I think…" it dawned on both of them what had probably just occurred. "I think she's gone!"
Note: I'll admit, it's sort of immature, but writing, even for small stuff like this is such catharsis. Anyhow, poor Diana's gone missing, and Artemis is still MIA. What does this mean for everyone else?
