Child of Light, Possessor of Death
Disclaimer: *checks the inventory of her possessions* Nope, not mine.
Kristin: Why am I starting another story when I still have two other ones to work on? *Bangs her head against a wall* Curse my muses! First, I have no new ideas for a few months, and now they won't quit turning up!
***
Chapter One
Darkness filled the small room. In the far corner, a young woman cowered, hugging her legs to her body. Despite her appearance of fear, her eyes sparkled with a light of defiance. They had called her mad and then thrown her into this joyless place with the padded walls. They were partially right, and she knew that, but how could she not be? After what she had done, what she had seen, how could she not be? Yes, she was partially insane, but she still had enough of her sanity left over from her seven thousand, three hundred and twenty-two years of life to keep from acting irrationally.
A doctor or a nurse should be coming to check up on her soon. The blank expression on her face flickered for a moment into annoyance. She was tired of sitting in this uncomfortable position. She had never had much patience, and sitting like this for nearly twenty-four hours straight was more than a little trying. Other than the occasional twitch around her mouth, she had not moved at all. She had not even blinked; although, her cheeks were now stained with tears that had automatically gathered and fallen to keep her eyes moist.
The woman continued to stare, wide-eyed at the door. The seconds ticked by. After several more long minutes, the bolt on the door slid to the side, and the door itself was slowly pushed open. A small, female nurse cautiously entered the room. She had been warned beforehand about her patient's potentially dangerous tendencies. However, the woman's child-like behavior calmed the nervous nurse to the point where she approached the woman. The woman inwardly smiled as she followed the nurse with her eyes. When the nurse was close enough, the woman's hand darted up and caught the nurse by the arm. Before the nurse could even realize what was going on, the woman had slammed her into the wall, immediately knocking her unconscious. "Say good-night, Gracie," the woman whispered acidly.
With the nurse taken care of the woman slipped over to the door and quietly closed it. She then made her way back to the nurse, and studied her for a moment. Her eyes closed tightly as the change began to come over her. Her long silvery blonde hair shrank to her shoulders, and darkened to a light brown as she gained four inches in height. Her heart-shaped face lengthened and color flooded her previously pale cheeks. Dull brown replaced brilliant blue, as her eyes spread further apart. The plain white shirt and pants that the patients were required to wear turned into the dark blue of a nurse's. The woman's eyes fluttered open and she glanced at the nurse. It was a perfect match. With a small wave of her hand, the nurse gained her own appearance.
The woman smiled in satisfaction. Her plan was working perfectly. She slipped out the door and into the hallway. She walked casually down the long corridor, before entering a room with the words 'KEEP OUT' printed on the door in bold letters. From the room she collected her medical records; several thick folders, all crammed full with papers. An eyebrow rose in disdain, an expression that looked charming on her own face, but was closer too boorish on her 'borrowed' appearance. There was a great deal of information here for only a few months. For a fraction of a second the woman considered the idea that had been in this desolate place for longer than she thought, before dismissing the ridiculous thought. The only being in existence that could possible rival her grip on time was the Guardian of Time and Space herself. The next thing to do on her agenda was to collect her personal possessions. A silver blouse and a black skirt were thrown into her subspace pocket immediately. They were closely followed by a pair of silver hoop earrings and a silver bracelet.
She paused when she came to a golden, star-shaped locket. This little piece of jewelry was what had often given her hope during dark times. This small musical trinket had filled her with strength during several battles when she was close to giving up. This locket and its blasted tune were what had gotten her caught. The hope could be found in new, better things. The strength had come from inside of her the entire time. She didn't need this little tie to her pain and death filled past. Mamoru was dead. All but one of the scouts were dead. She had nothing left but Pluto and herself. She needed nothing else. With a power that she had grown accustom to, but had not used recently, the woman crushed the locket in her hand, the sharp metal cutting her palm deeply. She dropped the ruined locket and looked at the palm of her hand. Clean, white bone peeked up at her for a short moment before being covered by her warm blood. She closed her hand into a fist. Dark red blood slipped between her fingers and fell to the floor in small crimson droplets. A small silver glow encompassed her hand, and when she opened it again, the cut and all traces of the blood were gone.
The last thing to be collected was the silver crystal. The woman pried the precious gem out of its casing and threw the broach into her subspace pocket with the rest of her things. The crystal itself lay gently in her upturned palm. With a wave of her hand, a chain appeared and connected itself to the Lunarian heirloom. She hastily fastened the chain around her neck and left the room. The door that led to the outside of the building was barely ten yards in front of her. Seven yards. Five yards. Two yards. One yard. She was there, and then she was out. The moment she passed through the door a silver light grew around her and she disappeared. At seven fifteen p.m., on the third Saturday of April, Sailor Cosmos, better known as Usagi Tsukino, escaped from St. Peter's Home for the Criminally Insane.
***
Usagi stood on the top of a tall building, leaning against the railing as she stared across the horizon. It felt amazing to finally be free again. She had dropped her disguise about an hour earlier and changed into more acceptable clothing. A black wife-beater and dark, baggy blue jeans adorned her petite frame. After all of the white in that damn mental institution, she was sick of the color. Usagi sighed, partially in relief from being free, and partially in frustration at what she knew was coming soon. The spell she had placed on the nurse should have worn off by now. They would come looking for her any moment now. "Its time," she whispered into the cool night air. She slipped her hand into her pocket, and pulled out a pouch filled with sand. She brought the sand a few inches in front of her lips and closed her eyes as she began to chant. Her voice rose higher and higher until the night seemed to be overflowing with the sound of it. Then, as suddenly as she began, she stopped. Her eyes snapped open, she poured the sand into her hand, and tossed it into the air where it took the form of a woman's face.
"Sands of Time, Mistress of Space, hear my wish and answer it. Let the humans not forget what they did to me, and what they labeled me as. Let them remember, but make them unconcerned with my escape." The sand head nodded.
"As you wish, my queen. Time is moving quickly. Things will not stay this calm for long."
"I know, Pluto," Usagi said quietly.
"Your highness, I cannot stay with you any longer. My power is draining. It is time for me to rejoin my fellow scouts among the stars."
"Pluto, no," Usagi began as the tears welled up in her eyes, "I can't do this without you."
"Oh, my little Serenity. I had the honor of getting to watch you grow up, not once, but twice. You treated me as no one else ever did. As a friend, and I loved you as a daughter, and as the queen that I knew that you would come to be. I know you better than you know yourself and I see what you are capable of, my beautiful child. Not only can you do this without me, but you must. I am no longer strong enough to do anything more than hold you back. I give to you the powers that were bestowed upon me by your great- grandmother, the goddess Selene herself. Live, love, be strong, but above all, be happy. Good-bye Serenity, Ruler of the Cosmos." The sand blew away on the wind, leaving Usagi behind. She stretched her arm as far as she could to try and grab the sand. After several long moments, the tears began to fall. Slowly at first, then faster and faster. She collapsed to her knees and held herself as the salty droplets of water continued to roll down her face. For the first time in her entire life, Usagi was completely alone.
***
Kristin: I have no idea if I want to finish this story. I have some ideas for it, but it isn't really on my priority list. My priority list is pretty much getting one of my other stories finished before Christmas break is over. Well, should I continue?
Disclaimer: *checks the inventory of her possessions* Nope, not mine.
Kristin: Why am I starting another story when I still have two other ones to work on? *Bangs her head against a wall* Curse my muses! First, I have no new ideas for a few months, and now they won't quit turning up!
***
Chapter One
Darkness filled the small room. In the far corner, a young woman cowered, hugging her legs to her body. Despite her appearance of fear, her eyes sparkled with a light of defiance. They had called her mad and then thrown her into this joyless place with the padded walls. They were partially right, and she knew that, but how could she not be? After what she had done, what she had seen, how could she not be? Yes, she was partially insane, but she still had enough of her sanity left over from her seven thousand, three hundred and twenty-two years of life to keep from acting irrationally.
A doctor or a nurse should be coming to check up on her soon. The blank expression on her face flickered for a moment into annoyance. She was tired of sitting in this uncomfortable position. She had never had much patience, and sitting like this for nearly twenty-four hours straight was more than a little trying. Other than the occasional twitch around her mouth, she had not moved at all. She had not even blinked; although, her cheeks were now stained with tears that had automatically gathered and fallen to keep her eyes moist.
The woman continued to stare, wide-eyed at the door. The seconds ticked by. After several more long minutes, the bolt on the door slid to the side, and the door itself was slowly pushed open. A small, female nurse cautiously entered the room. She had been warned beforehand about her patient's potentially dangerous tendencies. However, the woman's child-like behavior calmed the nervous nurse to the point where she approached the woman. The woman inwardly smiled as she followed the nurse with her eyes. When the nurse was close enough, the woman's hand darted up and caught the nurse by the arm. Before the nurse could even realize what was going on, the woman had slammed her into the wall, immediately knocking her unconscious. "Say good-night, Gracie," the woman whispered acidly.
With the nurse taken care of the woman slipped over to the door and quietly closed it. She then made her way back to the nurse, and studied her for a moment. Her eyes closed tightly as the change began to come over her. Her long silvery blonde hair shrank to her shoulders, and darkened to a light brown as she gained four inches in height. Her heart-shaped face lengthened and color flooded her previously pale cheeks. Dull brown replaced brilliant blue, as her eyes spread further apart. The plain white shirt and pants that the patients were required to wear turned into the dark blue of a nurse's. The woman's eyes fluttered open and she glanced at the nurse. It was a perfect match. With a small wave of her hand, the nurse gained her own appearance.
The woman smiled in satisfaction. Her plan was working perfectly. She slipped out the door and into the hallway. She walked casually down the long corridor, before entering a room with the words 'KEEP OUT' printed on the door in bold letters. From the room she collected her medical records; several thick folders, all crammed full with papers. An eyebrow rose in disdain, an expression that looked charming on her own face, but was closer too boorish on her 'borrowed' appearance. There was a great deal of information here for only a few months. For a fraction of a second the woman considered the idea that had been in this desolate place for longer than she thought, before dismissing the ridiculous thought. The only being in existence that could possible rival her grip on time was the Guardian of Time and Space herself. The next thing to do on her agenda was to collect her personal possessions. A silver blouse and a black skirt were thrown into her subspace pocket immediately. They were closely followed by a pair of silver hoop earrings and a silver bracelet.
She paused when she came to a golden, star-shaped locket. This little piece of jewelry was what had often given her hope during dark times. This small musical trinket had filled her with strength during several battles when she was close to giving up. This locket and its blasted tune were what had gotten her caught. The hope could be found in new, better things. The strength had come from inside of her the entire time. She didn't need this little tie to her pain and death filled past. Mamoru was dead. All but one of the scouts were dead. She had nothing left but Pluto and herself. She needed nothing else. With a power that she had grown accustom to, but had not used recently, the woman crushed the locket in her hand, the sharp metal cutting her palm deeply. She dropped the ruined locket and looked at the palm of her hand. Clean, white bone peeked up at her for a short moment before being covered by her warm blood. She closed her hand into a fist. Dark red blood slipped between her fingers and fell to the floor in small crimson droplets. A small silver glow encompassed her hand, and when she opened it again, the cut and all traces of the blood were gone.
The last thing to be collected was the silver crystal. The woman pried the precious gem out of its casing and threw the broach into her subspace pocket with the rest of her things. The crystal itself lay gently in her upturned palm. With a wave of her hand, a chain appeared and connected itself to the Lunarian heirloom. She hastily fastened the chain around her neck and left the room. The door that led to the outside of the building was barely ten yards in front of her. Seven yards. Five yards. Two yards. One yard. She was there, and then she was out. The moment she passed through the door a silver light grew around her and she disappeared. At seven fifteen p.m., on the third Saturday of April, Sailor Cosmos, better known as Usagi Tsukino, escaped from St. Peter's Home for the Criminally Insane.
***
Usagi stood on the top of a tall building, leaning against the railing as she stared across the horizon. It felt amazing to finally be free again. She had dropped her disguise about an hour earlier and changed into more acceptable clothing. A black wife-beater and dark, baggy blue jeans adorned her petite frame. After all of the white in that damn mental institution, she was sick of the color. Usagi sighed, partially in relief from being free, and partially in frustration at what she knew was coming soon. The spell she had placed on the nurse should have worn off by now. They would come looking for her any moment now. "Its time," she whispered into the cool night air. She slipped her hand into her pocket, and pulled out a pouch filled with sand. She brought the sand a few inches in front of her lips and closed her eyes as she began to chant. Her voice rose higher and higher until the night seemed to be overflowing with the sound of it. Then, as suddenly as she began, she stopped. Her eyes snapped open, she poured the sand into her hand, and tossed it into the air where it took the form of a woman's face.
"Sands of Time, Mistress of Space, hear my wish and answer it. Let the humans not forget what they did to me, and what they labeled me as. Let them remember, but make them unconcerned with my escape." The sand head nodded.
"As you wish, my queen. Time is moving quickly. Things will not stay this calm for long."
"I know, Pluto," Usagi said quietly.
"Your highness, I cannot stay with you any longer. My power is draining. It is time for me to rejoin my fellow scouts among the stars."
"Pluto, no," Usagi began as the tears welled up in her eyes, "I can't do this without you."
"Oh, my little Serenity. I had the honor of getting to watch you grow up, not once, but twice. You treated me as no one else ever did. As a friend, and I loved you as a daughter, and as the queen that I knew that you would come to be. I know you better than you know yourself and I see what you are capable of, my beautiful child. Not only can you do this without me, but you must. I am no longer strong enough to do anything more than hold you back. I give to you the powers that were bestowed upon me by your great- grandmother, the goddess Selene herself. Live, love, be strong, but above all, be happy. Good-bye Serenity, Ruler of the Cosmos." The sand blew away on the wind, leaving Usagi behind. She stretched her arm as far as she could to try and grab the sand. After several long moments, the tears began to fall. Slowly at first, then faster and faster. She collapsed to her knees and held herself as the salty droplets of water continued to roll down her face. For the first time in her entire life, Usagi was completely alone.
***
Kristin: I have no idea if I want to finish this story. I have some ideas for it, but it isn't really on my priority list. My priority list is pretty much getting one of my other stories finished before Christmas break is over. Well, should I continue?