Hàll Om Mig Nu
Stanza 1: Initial Meeting
Standing in this atmosphere was the most irritating of all things ungodly. Watching all the political figures of the country flit around the ballroom to shake hands and to make acquaintances with those similar to them really pissed her off to no end as to why she was here. All she remembered was that the ceremony to swear her oath of allegiance and celibacy were pushed back by her friend and soon-to-be queen in a farce to try and forge a genuine relationship with the one person who upped and abandoned her on her grandfather's doorstep many years ago. The deep crimson dress that she was wearing was itching her to kingdom come and just standing around like a trophy piece for her father to display wasn't her ideal plans for a night to try and appease her friend who was going to be soon having a little girl that they've known about and spoke to for years prior to the marriage between her friend and destined one. With her deep eyes leering to and fro to keep an eye out for unwanted pests from coming her way, she noticed a group of rather unlikely men to be at this exclusive party.
Seeing who they were with though gave her the impression of what they were there for though as she watched her father go up to the male they were surrounding and shake hands like swig wine like good friends whom haven't seen each other in a while. Yes, no one could forget the faces of the men who had not only conspired to kill her mother but also go through with it and try to go after her although she was merely 6 years old. Two men in whom she was glad to not only have had nothing to do with her life but also glad to have the privilege to deny any blood ties.
Ren Hino and Reiji Takatori were half brothers and strong political figures in Japan, two men that Rei Hino would constantly tell press for the many years that she's lived that she had nothing to do with and had no love for. Turning around to avoid eye contact with her supposed father and uncle, Rei's attention was turned to the 4 people that were surrounding her uncle when he first arrived. They were obviously foreigners and bodyguards for her deranged uncle who was now speaking to her father in a low whisper, his eyes would leer into her direction which made a not-so-well feeling well in the bottom pit of her stomach.
Remembering on how she was brought here made her blood boil and her uneasy to vanish though. When she had got home from a rough day's work of negotiating with intergalactic relations for the upcoming of Neo-Queen Serenity her guard was too relaxed and her father's hired guard were able to infiltrate her home and stake it out for when she would arrive home. Being roughly man handled after going through heated arguments all day of trying to convince others star systems of Serenity's peace campaign didn't bode well for the 4 men who were able to successfully kidnap her after fighting with her for over an hour with a bit of foul play through the means of a stun gun which was well concealed. Being dragged into a limo and forced into a gown and have her hair pulled back and curled into ringlets Rei had not so much of a choice in coming to this party in which was to celebrate her uncle's winning the position of Prime Minister for Japan. At the thought of this though, Rei sighed inwardly and grinned like a mad-woman. As soon as Neo-Queen Serenity was to take power there wouldn't be any need to have Prime Ministers since all of Japan was considered the holy land of the Crystal Tokyo to come and what was to happen in the holy land would be up to Serenity and her alone…..as well as her husband.
The thought of the future without wars, now going through her mind, Rei smiled wistfully. Although her world of which she originally came from was comprised of training for such a thing and her ancestors thriving off the imbalance of love and hate between all beings in the galaxy, she really liked the thought of not having to witness anymore bloodshed or being the one to bring forth death's shadow. However, Rei's thoughts were halted from continuation as a waiter came to her side and asked her if she'd like to have a flute of champagne. Typically she would decline such a thing yet at the moment she was beyond stressed and overtly on the alert for anymore foul tricks brought forth by her father and with a clear head believed it might 'loosen' her up a bit to act a bit more natural in this suffocating atmosphere. Slowly taking sips from her flute as she watched many politicians dance with their wives and mistresses Rei just rolled her eyes and thought back on Serenity's conviction of having Rei try one last time to make a relationship with her father she just shook her head. If she had been blessed to have a family in the first place her life that she had now would have never happened. She'd have never met the others and never have the joy she held so close to her heart from battle as well as protecting the weak and those who want a future without death.
Reflecting back on the mission that she's been put back to live on going through her mind in her native tongue. Of sacrificing her life to her queen, to never take on a partner and to never bear children; that the next child of whom is to take over her position as the Mars senshi and ruler would be appointed through the means of taking a parentless child under her wing and giving them her power before the dawn of her death.
"Ah, such a dreary life I live and to think, I prefer it over the life I would have lead if I were just a mere puppet to these people in this room." She muttered to herself before spotting her father and uncle coming her way.
"Rei-san, you've grown to look quite beautiful from the last time I saw you." Her uncle tried to flatter her but she just inwardly groaned before putting on a fake smile.
"You flatter me so Takatori-san. Congratulations on your win, and for you as well Hino-san for taking on the part of being his assistant." She tried to not gag on the words as they fell so naturally from her glossy pink lips.
"Why be so distant from me dear Rei, I'm your uncle and as such you should come over and see your family that you haven't seen since you were a little girl." Reiji Takatori said while getting to his beautiful niece's side.
"I'm sorry but the family I had have died. I have no family, I'm merely here to uphold the false face that you and the man who donated his sperm are trying to keep. There is nothing in between us, the family of which died have died in the most dignified and unfair ways but alas I'd rather be orphaned and left to nothing than to be in a world of lies and deceit." Rei coolly spoke before her father started to get red in the face in anger.
"Reiko, you will get used to this world of which I am a part of. You're going to soon be a part of it yourself." Ren said with a curt tone before Rei turned to glare at him without being subtle which made the politicians around her turn and stare in awe to see that daughter was talking back to father in such a rude way.
"I'm sorry but I do not remember acknowledging you to be an actual parent to me. Being a parent is a privilege and not a right. You may have given half of my chromosomes to me but that's about it. And you know about mother or need I have to remind you of the sins you committed those 14 years ago." Rei drawled in a toned to match her father's in return of which the male glare angrily at her and his right hand twitched.
"You will not take that kind of tone with me young lady. Whether you like it or not I am your father and sole benefactor to you-" Rei cut her father off with a flute full of champagne to the face.
"Gomen nasai Tou-san my hand slipped. Now I bid you goodnight." She hissed before turning heel and starting to walk away.
Ren, not being one to show himself to be powerless against his own child in front of his colleagues and brother, marched up to Rei's side and grabbed her wrist firmly and wrenched her around to face him. His hand that wasn't occupied with her wrist was closing in on her cheek, or at least it was until a large hand grabbed her father's, halting him from hitting her.
"Hino-sama, surely you don't want to show yourself to be a very brash leader in taking violence first. I believe the young miss just might need some air for it seems she drank a bit too much while trying to uphold your position. Allow me to take her outside for a bit for her to calm down and allow the alcohol to settle." An accented voice from her right drew her eyes to one of the men that were around her uncle until now.
Long ginger hair and deep sea blue eyes stared intensely at her father with a tinge of warning not only in his tone of voice but also in his eyes. Sensing that the male who had stopped her father from showing a bad impression has been acquainted with the elements of death from the tinge that she had seen in her own eyes for many years Rei felt that she could allow herself to alleviate her guard a notch.
"Schuldich that is a wonderful suggestion I'm very certain that Rei just needs to clear her head since she did seem to drink a bit. We'll be right here when you return." Reiji said with his face very stern and a glare set in his eyes toward the niece whom was showing herself to try and start a show.
"Yes Takatori-sama." The foreigner said before Ren let go of Rei's wrist and allowed his daughter to be escorted to the gardens.
As they were walking out to the garden, Schuldich watched intently on the young woman's stance. Her shoulders were squared and head held up high, pride and dignity like a queen were like metals of honor that comprised her presence. One could say that although this young woman had no like for the donor of part of her DNA she was quite a piece to behold with her deep raven winged hair and intense violet eyes which were at the moment seemingly calculating something; more than likely escape from this gilded cage that the politicians were trying to build around her. From the research they were required to do on the side for their employer about his niece, this young woman had a life of which was quite serene. Being a temple priestess of a Shinto shrine in the Hikawa district, an alumni of the all girls TA academy, a student at the Mugen Institute for politics although her written purpose for such majoring is for learning how to negotiate in working with businesses. Her friends were all the same age as her each going for their own things in which were similar but odd excuses were tagged to their intended majors. A woman, Usagi Chiba, age 20 and married with a child on the way was going for the whole enchilada of politics but on her papers for majoring had nothing to do with politics.
Yet from watching her for the past few months in her own environment they noticed a few odd occurrences with this Usagi. From their first initial observation, the girl was as blonde as could be yet days later her hair was starting to turn to translucent silver and along with Rei she was being addressed as Serenity-sama or heika by the others that were Rei's friends. Similar changes were happening with the others that Rei hung around but this would all be addressed later upon the orders of their employer. Turning his attention back to the raven haired woman, he noticed that her gaze were staring intensely toward the moon and then to the stars.
"Why is it that you've come here Hino-san if you hate your paternal unit so passionately?" He inquired before Rei turned to stare more at the moon.
The moonlight gave her skin a more ghostly and serene appearance, almost as if she was a ghost ripped from an ethereal frame of time. A near wistful smile came to her lips before she started to speak.
"My best friend of whom I would die a thousand deaths for asked for me to try one last time to forge a relationship of some sorts with that man in there, but I never told her of what that beast did to my mother. However, I'm doing it for her sake since my fate is sealed and once the end of the month comes to pass I'll never be able to live my life as I have." Rei said before closing her eyes and took in a breath before turning to face the foreigner of who saved her father from a severely bruised ego and ruined career.
"Seems like you have quite an important friend in your life then Hino-san; So you would take a hit from a person you hate without reprieve for a person that is not blood." Schuldich said in utter wonder as the woman nodded her head.
"She is more blood to me then anyone in this world. In the midst of my life which was hell with my father coming in and trying to force me into the world he's used to, she was like a goddess who would reach out to the smallest of humans when there is nothing left. Call me odd to befriend a person who is not the sharpest crayon in the box but until then I never had anyone in my life since I lived in a temple and was considered a freak for being a priestess at such a young age and my grandfather was beginning to fall ill from cancer." Rei uttered more to herself than to her companion.
'The Megami no Tsuki is a dignitary of peace and love, her mercy has saved many in which no words can convey the appreciation those many as well as myself hold to her and I shall continue to throw my life away for her as a protector to her and her family. If anyone in this world dares to try and hurt her in any way I shall declare war and havoc to those who dare try to sully her name or make her bleed.' He could hear a strong voice from someone around where they were standing, the location he couldn't exactly point out but the emotion from the words which echoed from his perception was raw with strong conviction.
Schuldich was about to turn around and usher the woman back into the hall since she seemed to have mellowed out, although she didn't seem at all bothered in the first place, but noticed that his employer and his brother were eyeing them with gazes of which held the obvious that they were up to something. Moving himself to Rei's left and dusting off some lint from the woman's shoulders he was able to read into the minds of the two men.
'If we set a hit on her she won't be able to speak like she has been tonight. I'll never have to worry about her sullying my name again.' Came from her father as her uncle had similar thoughts.
"You think you're alright to go back in Hino-san?" He asked in a near purr after noticing that the Asian beautiful tensed at the contact of skin to skin.
"I am quite alright-good sir, nor did I feel at all unsettled with anything if you weren't keeping me here in place I would have been back in that hall minutes ago." Her curt reply gave away to him some insight on her discomfort of any physical contact with men.
"Then my dear lady, honor me with a dance." He grinned before grabbing her hand and started to walk with her back to the double French doors that were to lead into the hall where the top leaders of Japan were still dancing.
Rei quirked an arched brow at her companion while walking back to the dance hall, he was quite handsome and had a calm presence in which she was taking a liking to. However, she had to reminder herself quickly, that she was to never take on a lover or divulge in the sensual instincts which would incur her nature as a seductress.
"Only one dance and then I must leave, the stench of inflated egos as well as testosterone is making me gag." Rei wittingly said which made the male that was now bringing her close to his body chuckle.
"I do agree that there is much of a sausage fest going on here, a lady such as yourself shouldn't be here unless you're to be used as a trophy piece to finish a deal for your father." Schuldich said before Rei glared slightly at him, her violet eyes smoldering with a fire that made her eyes glitter under the lighting of the chandeliers.
"That is why I'm only dancing one dance before my father decides that I need to be married off right away. I have more important things to do with my life than to be tied down to a man who will treat me like an object." Rei huffed before stepping to her left following the motions of her partner while trying to keep herself from wishing of things that cannot be.
Seeing people with joy, even though they're crooked people, made her wish for the more quiet life; one of which she can live outside crystal walls and outside of fate's tight grip around her throat. That very same invisible collar continuing to tighten around her throat to where, like a dog that was abused, she would whimper for mercy and for freedom of which she knew she would be denied. Her thoughts were straying from the reality that was before, the dismal future for her flooding her head at the coldness and formality that was soon to be in front of her. She shackled with tight chains to hold her onto the path she was fated to follow, no slack to allow her to breathe or to move in any way, shape or form without the consultation of the fates. The fire of which she would read into telling her when she would have the freedom to breathe and the silver haired goddess of whom will be nursing a healthy pink haired baby girl along with the others as she remains in the darkness with no warmth and no life to keep her company.
'If life is meant to be this way, why did the fates bring everything to be like it was so long ago?' Rei thought to herself before being spun and her attention immediately being slapped back to reality with those ocean blue eyes bearing straight into hers as if knowing her own thoughts which made her heart race.
Schuldich saw into the woman's mind and saw the symbolism of being shackled to the commands of fate, seeing her friend with complete silver hair bearing a glowing Moon insignia with a pink haired babe to her breast as well as feeling a cold loneliness rush through his body at the emotion of which the woman was to deem herself to experience soon. The final thought before using a bit of force in their spin rattled him somewhat to her deep ponderings. What did the fates have to do with her? Were the fates more than a symbolic notion that people believe in calling free will of an individual? And what did she mean by 'bring everything back like it was so long ago'? This woman was proving herself to be more mysterious than how he had heard of the legends of the east with their mysticism.
On that final thought the music ceased and the small orchestra was applauded thus ending the dance with the Asian beauty who curtsied with an almost-too-graceful fluid motion which a seasoned dancer or royal could only possess.
Rei politely curtsied with the voice of her former etiquette teacher's voice yelling at her in her head.
'A true lady of the fire's star always, always, ALWAYS, even when a dance is cut short by another is to be followed by a curtsy. You're a lady of the court and must keep up the honor and grace you're to display as thus!' A small smile spread across her lips to see the foreigner look at her oddly at her politeness, her rage wasn't at him so she could be relatively civil.
"It was a pleasure, but I must go now." She said before noticing her father and uncle coming their way.
"By all means then dear Cinderella make haste." He jested with her before going back to his employer's side as she started to head toward the French doors yet again to leave.
Rei heard her father's voice echo in the hall as she walked out the doors, in which after flipping her hair to her left shoulder with her pride and stance as the war goddess she was to become like a badge on her bosom she turned to face the red faced man who had sped-walked to her.
"Did you hear me Rei Hino?! You're to get back in there now! I will not allow you to sully my name and reputation this far into the game!" The man yelled while clenching and unclenching his fists and shaking in unkempt rage.
"Well then Hino-san, I implore that you please continue these games elsewhere for I am not involved. Never have and never shall be for my life's path is already before me and no one in this building is in that path." Her tone was an octave deeper, eyes stone cold, and posture straight as a board which commanded not only for her authority to be heard but for intimidation which she was infamous for to come forth.
With an audience watching this, many of the politicians were murmuring amongst themselves of how the raven haired beauty seemed to have the same intimidation tactics as the man whom was her father had but expressed how they felt a bit on the side of following more than the runner whom they were hoping to win his office. This floored Schuldich as he could almost taste the honey of the beauty's thoughts of which contained maiming the idiot male that was before her demanding that she take orders from him.
"When you have more backbone than money to back you up on the ante of power than maybe I will listen to an insect such as yourself but for the time being, I take orders from no one by the likes of you." She nearly hissed before pressing her index finger to his chest and just merely prodded him gently as he fell indignantly to his ass in shock of the person he saw as his daughter for the first time.
Schuldich watched with complete amusement at the display that the politician had shown himself in front of his colleagues and could only smirk as he heard his employer behind him bellow out in laughter of which a brother could only get away with. And as some of the other politicians snickered and made snide remarks at their fellow politician's fall, the dark raven haired beauty whom delivered the proverbial smack down of wits had done a mock curtsy and excused herself in the most interesting of ways.
"I beg your pardon ladies and gentlemen, I have acted without accord but as you have all witnessed for yourselves that I was in the right. I bid thee a good evening." Was all the raven beauty said before leaving the party which had suffocated the small Asian woman to the very core of her being, her thoughts as he read them, most focused on a pregnant friend whom was more than likely blowing up a kitchen somewhere in Tokyo.
Author's Notes: So I've been trying to finish this for a long time….I want to personally say that this is the best in-character I've ever had Rei and I feel quite proud of myself for it. I also feel a bit of pride as well for keeping Schu-Schu as in-character as I possibly could. This will more than likely be a three part ficlet with a possible sequel afterwards but that's undetermined since I have had this incomplete chapter ready for about a year and just finished it now.