Gomen for the late explanation. This is going to be an alternate reality
fic between Seiya and Usagi… No senshi business at all here… If you were
looking for it… gomen. Once again, I don't own Sailor Moon.
Part of Me
Part II
Dinner had passed by quiet for the majority. Usagi had so many questions just bubbling up inside her but was timid to ask Haku anything about them. She had always felt that they had an open relationship and he shared many things with her. She was always very curious about the things that he masked, this being one of them. Finishing the remainder of her rice she rose to clear the table.
Haku's eyes watched the small girl as she preformed the simple task. Usagi had always been a mystery to him. Even if she didn't remember how she had come to live with him, he did. Five years ago, the time of the clash of the classes, Haku was a medical mercenary. The rioting in the streets had become more like a war zone than a simple protest. The government dictated everything that the citizens were to do, but they couldn't control how they felt. Neglected, starved and powerless, the people of the city marched on with the military orders from the government. It only took one voice to speak up and start the riot, and that voice had made all the difference.
A man, who Haku later found out was a 'Saint', had given the people hope and a sense of direction. Even though they were to be the higher class in the outcome, the Saints were still prosecuted by the government at the time. All around were the bruised and battered bodies of commoners as well as Saints. Haku didn't have the time, nor the energy to save them all. One small infant who could barely walk caught his eye though. She was alone and had a near fatal gash in her back. Haku thought that if he could save just this one girl then he would have made a difference. And so, he named the girl Usagi and in a sense adopted her as his daughter. If he could educate her and show her the error in the human ways, that perhaps in the future she and others like her could stop such an atrocity from happening again.
"Are you finished?" Usagi asked looking up at Haku whose gaze had now fallen still on an unknown object across the room. He blinked out of his thoughts and gave her a loving smile while pushing his plate towards her.
Her hair bounced with every step she took, reminding Haku of her light spirit. "So innocent." He hadn't taught her anything about the troubles he knew. Though it was his sole purpose in raising her to teach her of such things, he found he didn't have the heart to break her perfect world… Not yet. The sun was setting and it would soon disappear completely in the distant horizon. Haku spotted Usagi starting the dishes and rose to join her but was stopped by a knock at the door.
Haku opened the door a sliver of an inch to peer at his guest. The same man, Ikari, from before stood on the other side of the door with a lopsided smile planted on his face. Haku moved back slightly and opened the door enough to take in the entire view of the man. "I didn't expect you tonight." He said calmly.
"Things came up and I thought it best to talk to you before anything was done about them." Ikari said taking in glances to his sides. The streets were empty except for a stray dog and the song of the birds.
The tall doctor nodded and allowed Ikari to enter his home. Ikari was nowhere near as dignified looking as Haku. He was an average height man with a semi-muscular build that allowed him to carry himself rather well. Haku couldn't recall a time that he had actually seen this man clean shaven and with a decent hair cut, but then what position was he in to criticize him? Ikari had helped him a great deal in keeping up with the ongoing plans of the Saints.
Haku looked back into the kitchen to see Usagi's whereabouts and turned satisfied that she couldn't hear them. "What has come up that is so important you need to speak with me about it today?"
An odd sort of smirk appeared on Ikari's face as he folded his hands on top of the table before him. "Now that we know who the elemental children are, we believe that it would be best to rid this world of them as soon as possible."
"You're going to attack a group of seven year olds?" Haku raised a brow and looked cautiously at Ikari across the table.
"You know as well as I do that they are not mere seven year olds. Hell, we don't even know if they are only seven. But either way, they are not to be taken lightly and should be regarded as deadly weapons." Ikari was already becoming irritated at the fact that Haku hadn't immediately taken his side. His frustration showed in the whites of his knuckles as he clenched his fists before him.
Usagi came into the dining room and into their discussion. She walked up close to the table and looked up at Haku. "May I be excused?" She asked not bothering to address Ikari. She didn't care for the tone he was raising with Haku and felt that she owed him no respect.
Haku nodded, he was becoming flustered by Ikari and didn't want Usagi around to witness this. This conversation should not concern her and if she was to go out and meet friends all the better. He waited until Usagi was near the door and placing her shoes on before he continued to speak. "I am well aware of what they are, you need not remind me of that fact. You can not just go out and murder a group of seven year olds…"
"We only need to kill one…"
"One or four, it doesn't matter. Once you strike and if you succeed in doing damage, all hell is going to break loose between us and the Saints and I doubt we'd survive that either." Haku sighed as he felt like he was butting his head against a brick wall. His hand came up to rub his temple to release some pressure. "If you're going to go and try to be a martyr at least wait until they are with means to defend themselves. It won't be as bad."
Ikari rose and just about knocked the chair he had been seated on to the floor. "The point of it was to hit them while they were defenseless, if we wait until they can defend themselves, the task will become much more difficult." He slammed his fist down in aggravation.
"No one said this was going to be easy." Haku said with a smile he had put on to wave Usagi a goodbye. "We have to go about this correctly or all will be for naught."
Usagi's lungs filled with the warm air of dusk. She looked back behind her at the door she had just closed. She knew that she wasn't supposed to have heard the things that Haku and Ikari were discussing, but she figured that it didn't matter anyway since she didn't understand. The boy she had encountered in the park earlier that day still plagued her mind and she found herself all too curious about what was going on in that boy's head.
She walked down the street passing couples and other children walking about after their dinners. They were all so foreign to her since she hardly had any outside contact with people. Usagi only needed Haku, she saw no need to talk to anyone else. Haku had once told her that strangers were just friends she hadn't met yet. That comment didn't work on Usagi though, even for being a measly seven years of age, she had the understandings of some one a little older. She saw the way little girls treated each other and she hadn't taken to it too kindly. That little boy she met today was different though, Seiya, that's what they called him.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up."
Usagi turned around and saw the object of her thoughts standing behind her. He was dressed a little less formal now and had a long scrape on his arm. "You're bleeding." She said as she pointed to his arm.
"It makes me look tough, ne?" Seiya said proud of himself as he examined his wound.
"You did this on purpose? If so it makes you look stupid." Usagi commented putting a hand on her hip.
"This coming from a girl who I found talking to herself earlier?" Seiya laughed and stopped what he was doing. "I'm not exactly supposed to be out so I had to do a little stealth maneuvering to escape."
"Merlin?"
"Merlin? Whose Merlin?" Seiya looked at her strangely. "Oh you mean Kakusha, yeah, he's always out to ruin my good time." Seiya's head picked up and his eyes scanned around the park that had quickly become darkened. Without a word he grasped onto Usagi's hand and began pulling her behind him.
The two children ran for what, to Usagi, seemed like an eternity. Seiya finally released his hold on her and watched her drop to her knees. "What was that for?" She asked as she huffed trying to catch her breath.
Seiya was still alert and taking in their surroundings. "I thought some one was following us."
"This is a park you know, people come here all the time." Usagi shot him a questioning look. She had calmed down and joined him in his investigation of their whereabouts. "You know, you shouldn't pull a pretty girl around like that."
Seiya looked over at her and smiled. He walked around to the other side of the tree they were standing under and returned with a single red rose. "Gomen." He said handing it to her with a slight bow. He must have become comfortable with the night air again because he seemed less jumpy.
Usagi stared at the flower with wide eyes. "I still think boys are gross but this is a nice start." She said as she accepted the flower.
"If you ever, I mean EVER tell Yaten about this I'll personally kill you!" He warned as he gave her a quick kiss on her cheek.
"Ewww!! What are you doing?" Usagi was shocked and rubbing her cheek furiously.
Seiya chuckled at her response. "That's what a gentlemen should do, sensei told me. You said I should be nicer, more gentlemanly like, ne?"
"Well I guess but after that I think I will tell Yaten!" Usagi finally stopped rubbing her face and stuck her tongue out at Seiya.
Mind you, even with the teachings of his sensei, Seiya was still only seven years old and had the mind and temper of a child. "Oh no you're not!" He said as he pulled on one of Usagi's pigtails rather roughly.
"Ow!" Usagi yelled and ripped on Seiya's hair too. Soon the two found themselves on the ground in what appeared to be a dust fight pulling at one another's hair. Finally, just to end the fight, Seiya kissed Usagi again. He was right, it did get her going and she stopped her struggle. Now all she wanted to do was get away from him. He sat on the ground with a playful smile gracing his lips and leaned back on his elbows. "You've got to stop doing that." Usagi warned as she attempted to fix her hair.
Seiya smiled even wider and looked over at her. For some reason he liked to give her kisses, it felt nice, it was just too bad that he was using them as weapons at the moment. "I'll stop when you do."
"What? I don't want to kiss you!" Usagi screamed over at him.
Seiya rolled his eyes. "I meant pulling my hair!" He said not bothering to fix his own ponytail that was just a little out of place. "If you keep pulling on it I'm going to look just like Mamoru!" He cringed slightly.
"Who are Yaten and Mamoru?" Usagi asked finishing up with her hair.
"Yaten and Mamoru are my cousins, just like Taiki. You know the three kids that came with sensei today? That was them. Yaten is the one with silver hair that you defended like a moron, Taiki has brown hair, I think it's because he doesn't wash it, and Mamoru is the one whose ponytail mysteriously got cut off in his sleep." Seiya laughed at the recollection of the memory.
"Why do I have a feeling that you could solve that mystery?" Usagi raised her eyebrow.
"I'll never admit it." Seiya sat smugly looking up at the stars.
"Can they make fire come out of their hands too?" Usagi asked, she knew she couldn't.
Seiya shook his head. "Nope, we each have our own different thing, although theirs are all girly and what not. Yaten can control water, Taiki can control wind and Mamoru can control the Earth."
"I think I'd want to control the Earth!" Usagi smiled and pictured herself as a princess sitting on top of the world.
"Why? All he can do is make the ground shake and plants grow. I'd much rather be able to burn things down!" Seiya shot her a sinister look, suddenly a fireball appeared in his hand and shot over to a bird house.
"Ahhh!" Usagi yelped. "You stupid jerk, that was some bird's home!" She got up to try and help extinguish the flames.
"That's why Yaten gets so annoyed, he always has to put my fires out." Seiya chuckled, he bet Yaten would be a pretty normal tempered kid if he didn't aggravate him from sun up to sun down.
"I don't think I want to be your friend now." Usagi looked back at him after putting out the birdhouse.
"Friend?" Seiya sat up a little straighter and had a perplexed look on his face. "You thought I was your friend?"
"Yeah well not any more!" She stuck her tongue out at him.
Seiya looked down at the grass below him and started picking at it. "I've never had any friends before." He said shyly and almost in a disappointed manner.
Usagi looked down at him and sat by his side. "Me either." She said putting her chin in her hands.
"Can I still be your friend?" Seiya asked looking over at her, still playing with the grass.
Usagi looked up and studied his face for a moment in contemplation. Her thoughtful expression turned into a smile. "Sure, we'll be friends forever!" She held out her hand for him to shake. He looked down at her hand and then looked back at her face. He leaned forward and gave her another kiss. "What did I tell you!?" Usagi shoved him away from her.
"Gomen." Seiya laughed but soon found himself being hoisted off the ground by his collar. As usual he didn't struggle and just folded his arms over his chest waiting for Kakusha's lecture to begin.
Usagi stood in front of the dangling boy with her mouth agape. "Ikari?" She questioned wondering why he would be being mean to her new friend.
"Well, well little fire bug, looks like you strayed away from your mommy." Seiya realized that the person that had a hold on him wasn't his sensei and immediately started to try and struggle free. Ikari looked around to make sure no one was looking.
"Put him down." Usagi said forcefully with her hands on her hips. Ikari just smiled down at her. Usagi grabbed at Seiya's legs to try and pull him down. "Come on, this isn't funny, let him go."
Their eyes had become accustom to the darkness of the night, but the light from the flame that Seiya produced in his hand forced them to squint their eyes. "Arrghhhh!" He shot the flame into the stomach of his captor and was dropped to the ground.
"Why you little…" Ikari held his stomach for a moment and then reached out to regain his hold on the little boy.
Seiya grabbed a hold of Usagi's hand and began to run. He wasn't getting very far with Usagi attached to him, she just couldn't run as fast. "Come on Odango!" He said as he called for her to pick up some speed.
"I can't run any faster!" She whined. "Just leave me and go, he doesn't want me."
Seiya smiled back at her. "Now would I leave my friend behind?"
"Gotcha!" Ikari had caught them. Adult legs could gain significantly on those of a seven year old, not to mention a seven-year old girl. He grabbed Seiya by his arm and shoved Usagi out of the way. Without another word he produced a knife from his pocket.
"Ikari, stop!" Usagi called out helplessly laying on the ground nearby. She was scared, and he was so much bigger than her. There was nothing she could do, it was as if she was petrified. "I'm going to tell Haku if you don't stop!" She yelled her warning but it went unheeded.
With not even so much as turning to acknowledge Usagi or explaining to Seiya why he was doing this, Ikari thrust the sharp blade of his knife into Seiya's chest. Seiya's eyes flew open wide with pain as he let out a bloodcurdling scream. Usagi heard the pain in Seiya's voice and saw the blood that was gathering at his chest. The graphic scene in front of her sobered her thoughts and brought her to her feet. She did the only thing she could, she bit onto Ikari's leg as hard as she could.
Ikari tried his best to shake the young girl's grip free to no avail. The harder he shook the harder Usagi bit down. Seiya's body being so small had still lost a lot of blood. Feeling that he was finished with his act, and not wanting to be found near the dead elemental child, Ikari fled the scene. Usagi was cast carelessly off to the side in a nearby bush and Seiya was left in the clearing for dead.
Usagi struggled up against her aching muscles and made her way over to Seiya's still form. "It's alright." She whispered as she looked around for some one to help them. "It's ok, you're going to be fine… SOMEBODY HELP ME!" She screamed the last part as she held Seiya dying in her arms. Haku had taught her some useful things and Usagi knew that she had to keep pressure on the wound.
The park was empty, it was long past an hour that decent people would be seen about. There was no one to help Usagi. She had tried her best to make herself into a human crutch. With one of Seiya's arms slumped over her shoulders and one of her arms around his waist, Usagi struggled through the park and towards home. "Hang in there, I'm not just going to let me first friend die on me now am I?" She laughed lightly and felt tears coming to her eyes. This wasn't happening, this wasn't happening.
Usagi looked down at her clothes that were now covered in blood, these stains were never going to come out, but then again, neither were the images in her mind of seeing her friend murdered in front of her. "HAKU!!!" She called down the street as she neared her house. "HAKU HELP!!!"
Only moments later a very vigilant Haku appeared on the front porch. Once he realized what was going on he quickly ran down the few steps and took Usagi's load from her and rushed the young boy inside. Usagi stood and stared for a moment watching Haku's form disappear inside the house but was quick to follow him. "Haku, Ikari did this… he stabbed him for no reason." Usagi was just about hysterical. Now that she knew she couldn't assist him any further all of her emotions began to surface.
"He's almost dead." Haku said trying his best to assess the situation. He had checked for a pulse and the boy was breathing shallowly. It was only when Haku had opened his eyes to check their dilation that he realized who this boy was.
"Haku you have to help him, you have to do something… he's my friend…" Usagi said pleading next to him looking at Seiya laid out on her dining room table.
Haku ripped Seiya's torn shirt from his body and saw the gouge that had been put in his chest. Ikari must have turned the knife while it was in his chest, which made this wound next to impossible to close up. "There's too much blood." Haku said to himself as he witnessed the blood that continued to pump out of the small body. Usagi looked up at him with questioning eyes. To her Haku could do anything, he was like Superman, he was her hero.
A piece was missing… When Ikari had withdrawn his knife he had taken a piece of Seiya's heart along with it. Haku couldn't let this boy die, if he died more of his people would have to pay for his death. No, he had to keep him alive. His eyes drifted down his side and fell upon Usagi's looking up at him. "This boy is your friend, ne?" He asked of her almost ashamed that he had to.
Usagi nodded her head. "He's my only friend." She said as a tear slid down her cheek.
"Do you want to help your friend?" Haku asked tears welling up in his own eyes, but he blinked them back before Usagi could see. Usagi nodded her head again, this time with more emotion. Haku's hand came down to rest on Usagi's shoulder causing her to smile up at him. He took some of her flesh between his two fingers and squeezed. In mere seconds Usagi's eyes rolled back, her knees gave out and her limp body fell to the floor.
Haku had limited time to act and quickly placed Usagi up on the table next to Seiya. He had the surgical tools needed but no anesthesia. He was going to have to take a piece of Usagi's heart and give it to Seiya. He was either going to loose Usagi or loose them both. He retraced his thoughts. The world could go on without Usagi… it was just his world that couldn't.
Part of Me
Part II
Dinner had passed by quiet for the majority. Usagi had so many questions just bubbling up inside her but was timid to ask Haku anything about them. She had always felt that they had an open relationship and he shared many things with her. She was always very curious about the things that he masked, this being one of them. Finishing the remainder of her rice she rose to clear the table.
Haku's eyes watched the small girl as she preformed the simple task. Usagi had always been a mystery to him. Even if she didn't remember how she had come to live with him, he did. Five years ago, the time of the clash of the classes, Haku was a medical mercenary. The rioting in the streets had become more like a war zone than a simple protest. The government dictated everything that the citizens were to do, but they couldn't control how they felt. Neglected, starved and powerless, the people of the city marched on with the military orders from the government. It only took one voice to speak up and start the riot, and that voice had made all the difference.
A man, who Haku later found out was a 'Saint', had given the people hope and a sense of direction. Even though they were to be the higher class in the outcome, the Saints were still prosecuted by the government at the time. All around were the bruised and battered bodies of commoners as well as Saints. Haku didn't have the time, nor the energy to save them all. One small infant who could barely walk caught his eye though. She was alone and had a near fatal gash in her back. Haku thought that if he could save just this one girl then he would have made a difference. And so, he named the girl Usagi and in a sense adopted her as his daughter. If he could educate her and show her the error in the human ways, that perhaps in the future she and others like her could stop such an atrocity from happening again.
"Are you finished?" Usagi asked looking up at Haku whose gaze had now fallen still on an unknown object across the room. He blinked out of his thoughts and gave her a loving smile while pushing his plate towards her.
Her hair bounced with every step she took, reminding Haku of her light spirit. "So innocent." He hadn't taught her anything about the troubles he knew. Though it was his sole purpose in raising her to teach her of such things, he found he didn't have the heart to break her perfect world… Not yet. The sun was setting and it would soon disappear completely in the distant horizon. Haku spotted Usagi starting the dishes and rose to join her but was stopped by a knock at the door.
Haku opened the door a sliver of an inch to peer at his guest. The same man, Ikari, from before stood on the other side of the door with a lopsided smile planted on his face. Haku moved back slightly and opened the door enough to take in the entire view of the man. "I didn't expect you tonight." He said calmly.
"Things came up and I thought it best to talk to you before anything was done about them." Ikari said taking in glances to his sides. The streets were empty except for a stray dog and the song of the birds.
The tall doctor nodded and allowed Ikari to enter his home. Ikari was nowhere near as dignified looking as Haku. He was an average height man with a semi-muscular build that allowed him to carry himself rather well. Haku couldn't recall a time that he had actually seen this man clean shaven and with a decent hair cut, but then what position was he in to criticize him? Ikari had helped him a great deal in keeping up with the ongoing plans of the Saints.
Haku looked back into the kitchen to see Usagi's whereabouts and turned satisfied that she couldn't hear them. "What has come up that is so important you need to speak with me about it today?"
An odd sort of smirk appeared on Ikari's face as he folded his hands on top of the table before him. "Now that we know who the elemental children are, we believe that it would be best to rid this world of them as soon as possible."
"You're going to attack a group of seven year olds?" Haku raised a brow and looked cautiously at Ikari across the table.
"You know as well as I do that they are not mere seven year olds. Hell, we don't even know if they are only seven. But either way, they are not to be taken lightly and should be regarded as deadly weapons." Ikari was already becoming irritated at the fact that Haku hadn't immediately taken his side. His frustration showed in the whites of his knuckles as he clenched his fists before him.
Usagi came into the dining room and into their discussion. She walked up close to the table and looked up at Haku. "May I be excused?" She asked not bothering to address Ikari. She didn't care for the tone he was raising with Haku and felt that she owed him no respect.
Haku nodded, he was becoming flustered by Ikari and didn't want Usagi around to witness this. This conversation should not concern her and if she was to go out and meet friends all the better. He waited until Usagi was near the door and placing her shoes on before he continued to speak. "I am well aware of what they are, you need not remind me of that fact. You can not just go out and murder a group of seven year olds…"
"We only need to kill one…"
"One or four, it doesn't matter. Once you strike and if you succeed in doing damage, all hell is going to break loose between us and the Saints and I doubt we'd survive that either." Haku sighed as he felt like he was butting his head against a brick wall. His hand came up to rub his temple to release some pressure. "If you're going to go and try to be a martyr at least wait until they are with means to defend themselves. It won't be as bad."
Ikari rose and just about knocked the chair he had been seated on to the floor. "The point of it was to hit them while they were defenseless, if we wait until they can defend themselves, the task will become much more difficult." He slammed his fist down in aggravation.
"No one said this was going to be easy." Haku said with a smile he had put on to wave Usagi a goodbye. "We have to go about this correctly or all will be for naught."
Usagi's lungs filled with the warm air of dusk. She looked back behind her at the door she had just closed. She knew that she wasn't supposed to have heard the things that Haku and Ikari were discussing, but she figured that it didn't matter anyway since she didn't understand. The boy she had encountered in the park earlier that day still plagued her mind and she found herself all too curious about what was going on in that boy's head.
She walked down the street passing couples and other children walking about after their dinners. They were all so foreign to her since she hardly had any outside contact with people. Usagi only needed Haku, she saw no need to talk to anyone else. Haku had once told her that strangers were just friends she hadn't met yet. That comment didn't work on Usagi though, even for being a measly seven years of age, she had the understandings of some one a little older. She saw the way little girls treated each other and she hadn't taken to it too kindly. That little boy she met today was different though, Seiya, that's what they called him.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up."
Usagi turned around and saw the object of her thoughts standing behind her. He was dressed a little less formal now and had a long scrape on his arm. "You're bleeding." She said as she pointed to his arm.
"It makes me look tough, ne?" Seiya said proud of himself as he examined his wound.
"You did this on purpose? If so it makes you look stupid." Usagi commented putting a hand on her hip.
"This coming from a girl who I found talking to herself earlier?" Seiya laughed and stopped what he was doing. "I'm not exactly supposed to be out so I had to do a little stealth maneuvering to escape."
"Merlin?"
"Merlin? Whose Merlin?" Seiya looked at her strangely. "Oh you mean Kakusha, yeah, he's always out to ruin my good time." Seiya's head picked up and his eyes scanned around the park that had quickly become darkened. Without a word he grasped onto Usagi's hand and began pulling her behind him.
The two children ran for what, to Usagi, seemed like an eternity. Seiya finally released his hold on her and watched her drop to her knees. "What was that for?" She asked as she huffed trying to catch her breath.
Seiya was still alert and taking in their surroundings. "I thought some one was following us."
"This is a park you know, people come here all the time." Usagi shot him a questioning look. She had calmed down and joined him in his investigation of their whereabouts. "You know, you shouldn't pull a pretty girl around like that."
Seiya looked over at her and smiled. He walked around to the other side of the tree they were standing under and returned with a single red rose. "Gomen." He said handing it to her with a slight bow. He must have become comfortable with the night air again because he seemed less jumpy.
Usagi stared at the flower with wide eyes. "I still think boys are gross but this is a nice start." She said as she accepted the flower.
"If you ever, I mean EVER tell Yaten about this I'll personally kill you!" He warned as he gave her a quick kiss on her cheek.
"Ewww!! What are you doing?" Usagi was shocked and rubbing her cheek furiously.
Seiya chuckled at her response. "That's what a gentlemen should do, sensei told me. You said I should be nicer, more gentlemanly like, ne?"
"Well I guess but after that I think I will tell Yaten!" Usagi finally stopped rubbing her face and stuck her tongue out at Seiya.
Mind you, even with the teachings of his sensei, Seiya was still only seven years old and had the mind and temper of a child. "Oh no you're not!" He said as he pulled on one of Usagi's pigtails rather roughly.
"Ow!" Usagi yelled and ripped on Seiya's hair too. Soon the two found themselves on the ground in what appeared to be a dust fight pulling at one another's hair. Finally, just to end the fight, Seiya kissed Usagi again. He was right, it did get her going and she stopped her struggle. Now all she wanted to do was get away from him. He sat on the ground with a playful smile gracing his lips and leaned back on his elbows. "You've got to stop doing that." Usagi warned as she attempted to fix her hair.
Seiya smiled even wider and looked over at her. For some reason he liked to give her kisses, it felt nice, it was just too bad that he was using them as weapons at the moment. "I'll stop when you do."
"What? I don't want to kiss you!" Usagi screamed over at him.
Seiya rolled his eyes. "I meant pulling my hair!" He said not bothering to fix his own ponytail that was just a little out of place. "If you keep pulling on it I'm going to look just like Mamoru!" He cringed slightly.
"Who are Yaten and Mamoru?" Usagi asked finishing up with her hair.
"Yaten and Mamoru are my cousins, just like Taiki. You know the three kids that came with sensei today? That was them. Yaten is the one with silver hair that you defended like a moron, Taiki has brown hair, I think it's because he doesn't wash it, and Mamoru is the one whose ponytail mysteriously got cut off in his sleep." Seiya laughed at the recollection of the memory.
"Why do I have a feeling that you could solve that mystery?" Usagi raised her eyebrow.
"I'll never admit it." Seiya sat smugly looking up at the stars.
"Can they make fire come out of their hands too?" Usagi asked, she knew she couldn't.
Seiya shook his head. "Nope, we each have our own different thing, although theirs are all girly and what not. Yaten can control water, Taiki can control wind and Mamoru can control the Earth."
"I think I'd want to control the Earth!" Usagi smiled and pictured herself as a princess sitting on top of the world.
"Why? All he can do is make the ground shake and plants grow. I'd much rather be able to burn things down!" Seiya shot her a sinister look, suddenly a fireball appeared in his hand and shot over to a bird house.
"Ahhh!" Usagi yelped. "You stupid jerk, that was some bird's home!" She got up to try and help extinguish the flames.
"That's why Yaten gets so annoyed, he always has to put my fires out." Seiya chuckled, he bet Yaten would be a pretty normal tempered kid if he didn't aggravate him from sun up to sun down.
"I don't think I want to be your friend now." Usagi looked back at him after putting out the birdhouse.
"Friend?" Seiya sat up a little straighter and had a perplexed look on his face. "You thought I was your friend?"
"Yeah well not any more!" She stuck her tongue out at him.
Seiya looked down at the grass below him and started picking at it. "I've never had any friends before." He said shyly and almost in a disappointed manner.
Usagi looked down at him and sat by his side. "Me either." She said putting her chin in her hands.
"Can I still be your friend?" Seiya asked looking over at her, still playing with the grass.
Usagi looked up and studied his face for a moment in contemplation. Her thoughtful expression turned into a smile. "Sure, we'll be friends forever!" She held out her hand for him to shake. He looked down at her hand and then looked back at her face. He leaned forward and gave her another kiss. "What did I tell you!?" Usagi shoved him away from her.
"Gomen." Seiya laughed but soon found himself being hoisted off the ground by his collar. As usual he didn't struggle and just folded his arms over his chest waiting for Kakusha's lecture to begin.
Usagi stood in front of the dangling boy with her mouth agape. "Ikari?" She questioned wondering why he would be being mean to her new friend.
"Well, well little fire bug, looks like you strayed away from your mommy." Seiya realized that the person that had a hold on him wasn't his sensei and immediately started to try and struggle free. Ikari looked around to make sure no one was looking.
"Put him down." Usagi said forcefully with her hands on her hips. Ikari just smiled down at her. Usagi grabbed at Seiya's legs to try and pull him down. "Come on, this isn't funny, let him go."
Their eyes had become accustom to the darkness of the night, but the light from the flame that Seiya produced in his hand forced them to squint their eyes. "Arrghhhh!" He shot the flame into the stomach of his captor and was dropped to the ground.
"Why you little…" Ikari held his stomach for a moment and then reached out to regain his hold on the little boy.
Seiya grabbed a hold of Usagi's hand and began to run. He wasn't getting very far with Usagi attached to him, she just couldn't run as fast. "Come on Odango!" He said as he called for her to pick up some speed.
"I can't run any faster!" She whined. "Just leave me and go, he doesn't want me."
Seiya smiled back at her. "Now would I leave my friend behind?"
"Gotcha!" Ikari had caught them. Adult legs could gain significantly on those of a seven year old, not to mention a seven-year old girl. He grabbed Seiya by his arm and shoved Usagi out of the way. Without another word he produced a knife from his pocket.
"Ikari, stop!" Usagi called out helplessly laying on the ground nearby. She was scared, and he was so much bigger than her. There was nothing she could do, it was as if she was petrified. "I'm going to tell Haku if you don't stop!" She yelled her warning but it went unheeded.
With not even so much as turning to acknowledge Usagi or explaining to Seiya why he was doing this, Ikari thrust the sharp blade of his knife into Seiya's chest. Seiya's eyes flew open wide with pain as he let out a bloodcurdling scream. Usagi heard the pain in Seiya's voice and saw the blood that was gathering at his chest. The graphic scene in front of her sobered her thoughts and brought her to her feet. She did the only thing she could, she bit onto Ikari's leg as hard as she could.
Ikari tried his best to shake the young girl's grip free to no avail. The harder he shook the harder Usagi bit down. Seiya's body being so small had still lost a lot of blood. Feeling that he was finished with his act, and not wanting to be found near the dead elemental child, Ikari fled the scene. Usagi was cast carelessly off to the side in a nearby bush and Seiya was left in the clearing for dead.
Usagi struggled up against her aching muscles and made her way over to Seiya's still form. "It's alright." She whispered as she looked around for some one to help them. "It's ok, you're going to be fine… SOMEBODY HELP ME!" She screamed the last part as she held Seiya dying in her arms. Haku had taught her some useful things and Usagi knew that she had to keep pressure on the wound.
The park was empty, it was long past an hour that decent people would be seen about. There was no one to help Usagi. She had tried her best to make herself into a human crutch. With one of Seiya's arms slumped over her shoulders and one of her arms around his waist, Usagi struggled through the park and towards home. "Hang in there, I'm not just going to let me first friend die on me now am I?" She laughed lightly and felt tears coming to her eyes. This wasn't happening, this wasn't happening.
Usagi looked down at her clothes that were now covered in blood, these stains were never going to come out, but then again, neither were the images in her mind of seeing her friend murdered in front of her. "HAKU!!!" She called down the street as she neared her house. "HAKU HELP!!!"
Only moments later a very vigilant Haku appeared on the front porch. Once he realized what was going on he quickly ran down the few steps and took Usagi's load from her and rushed the young boy inside. Usagi stood and stared for a moment watching Haku's form disappear inside the house but was quick to follow him. "Haku, Ikari did this… he stabbed him for no reason." Usagi was just about hysterical. Now that she knew she couldn't assist him any further all of her emotions began to surface.
"He's almost dead." Haku said trying his best to assess the situation. He had checked for a pulse and the boy was breathing shallowly. It was only when Haku had opened his eyes to check their dilation that he realized who this boy was.
"Haku you have to help him, you have to do something… he's my friend…" Usagi said pleading next to him looking at Seiya laid out on her dining room table.
Haku ripped Seiya's torn shirt from his body and saw the gouge that had been put in his chest. Ikari must have turned the knife while it was in his chest, which made this wound next to impossible to close up. "There's too much blood." Haku said to himself as he witnessed the blood that continued to pump out of the small body. Usagi looked up at him with questioning eyes. To her Haku could do anything, he was like Superman, he was her hero.
A piece was missing… When Ikari had withdrawn his knife he had taken a piece of Seiya's heart along with it. Haku couldn't let this boy die, if he died more of his people would have to pay for his death. No, he had to keep him alive. His eyes drifted down his side and fell upon Usagi's looking up at him. "This boy is your friend, ne?" He asked of her almost ashamed that he had to.
Usagi nodded her head. "He's my only friend." She said as a tear slid down her cheek.
"Do you want to help your friend?" Haku asked tears welling up in his own eyes, but he blinked them back before Usagi could see. Usagi nodded her head again, this time with more emotion. Haku's hand came down to rest on Usagi's shoulder causing her to smile up at him. He took some of her flesh between his two fingers and squeezed. In mere seconds Usagi's eyes rolled back, her knees gave out and her limp body fell to the floor.
Haku had limited time to act and quickly placed Usagi up on the table next to Seiya. He had the surgical tools needed but no anesthesia. He was going to have to take a piece of Usagi's heart and give it to Seiya. He was either going to loose Usagi or loose them both. He retraced his thoughts. The world could go on without Usagi… it was just his world that couldn't.