Nothing to Fear.
Chapter Two.
Disclaimer: Still don't own any of the characters.
"Hypnosis?" Setsuna stared at Haruka incredulously as if she'd gone barking mad.
"Yeah isn't it a great idea?" Haruka replied. She was grinning from ear to ear. Behind her Michiru and Hotaru shook their heads vigorously. Haruka was too busy basking in her own glory to notice.
"Hypnosis?" Setsuna repeated. To her this idea ranked with some of Haruka's dumber ideas. Not as bad as her 'let's take Pluto and Saturn's heart crystals and give them to Galaxia in a vain attempt to prevent our daughter from sacrificing herself', but it was close.
Haruka was oblivious to this of course. "Yeah, I was reading up on it in this book I bought, see?" She handed Setsuna the book in question, while looking back at her lover and daughter for support. For their part, Michiru and Hotaru tried to give her their most reassuring smiles while trying to project their thoughts into Setsuna's mind. Run Setsuna! Run for your life while you still can!
Setsuna took the proffered book and examined it critically. "Well the title is certainly apt." She remarked.
Haruka frowned. "Were you two coaching her?" She asked Michiru and Hotaru in an accusing voice.
"Who us?" They replied innocently. They sat there together with matching angelic smiles on their faces. You could even see the halos above their heads. Haruka grunted and turned back to Setsuna who was idly flipping through the book.
"So what do you think?" Haruka asked expectantly.
"I think you've finally and totally lost it." Setsuna replied bluntly.
Undeterred by her family calling her sanity into question, Haruka pressed her case. "Look which would you prefer, allowing your family to help you, or hoping that a total stranger won't try to put you into the nuthouse for telling him or her about being the Guardian of Time.
Setsuna was about to comment that she already lived in a nuthouse, but thought better of it. She had spent a bit of time in various mental hospitals over the centuries, either as a member of the staff, a visitor, or a patient, and despite the progress made in the area of mental health, she had no desire to go back to one anytime soon.
She looked past the crazy woman for the support of her friend and daughter. They had both magically produced signs reading 'See the shrink!' and 'Take door #2!' The signs magically disappeared again when Haruka turned to glare at them.
"Okay, let's say I agree to this. Do you promise not to make me do anything too embarrassing?" Setsuna asked. She still had the skeptical look.
"I promise." Haruka replied, looking happy. This being Haruka, Setsuna spun her around to make sure her fingers weren't crossed behind her back.
Setsuna sat down in a chair and thought about it for a few minutes, while Haruka watched her expectantly. Michiru and Hotaru still tried to coax her to run away. Finally Setsuna reached a decision.
"Okay, I'll give it a shot, but I have a few conditions." Setsuna said.
"Great! What are the conditions?" Haruka was even happier now that she had won. Hotaru and Michiru threw their hands in the air in defeat.
"First: If this doesn't work, I'll go see a psychiatrist, and you'll cover half the cost." Setsuna ticked off one finger.
"Done. Next?"
"Second: You won't plant a post-hypnotic suggestion that makes me run naked through the city streets or something like that." Setsuna ticked off a second finger.
"Damn, err, done. Next?"
"Third, and most importantly: If I find out that you have made me do something totally embarrassing, I will do something very unpleasant and horrible to you. Do you understand?" Setsuna ticked off a third finger.
"Understood." Haruka swallowed a bit. Setsuna didn't make idle threats that she couldn't back up. She recovered quickly and extended her hand. "We have a deal then?"
Setsuna took her hand and shook it once, sealing the Faustian bargain. "Deal."
Michiru leaned closer to Hotaru and whispered, "You call Usagi and the others and tell them to stand by in case of an emergency, and I'll call and see about plane tickets to Canada."
"Okay." Hotaru whispered back.
"I heard that you two." Haruka growled.
Meanwhile, at the site of the former Infinity Academy.
The time had come.
The collective entity now known as Legion had been formed from the mass of thousands of cockroaches and now it was ready to begin its campaign to destroy the meat creatures that infested earth.
Legion would start with this so-called 'city' it was under. Millions of meat creatures infested it and polluted the Earth with their toxins and waste. They would be purged first then the collective would spread out and gather more of its brethren to the collective.
The meat creatures would resist of course, they always did. They would spray them with their toxins and attempt to kill them with their worthless 'guns', but Legion would prevail. They had the numbers. They had the will. They would win.
We are ready my children. Legion told its brethren. The time of the meat creatures, or 'humans' is over. We are the rightful rulers of Earth. We are the chosen. We shall succeed. We shall conquer. WE WILL WIN!
WE WILL WIN! The collective cried as one voice.
And now my children, we leave this place, this place of our birth. We go now to take what is rightfully ours. We go to destroy the humans and claim our birthright. With that final thought, Legion began its ascent to the surface. The collective divided it self to travel through the ruined ductwork and wiring until it reached the surface where it reformed again.
Legion stood in the early evening air taking it in. It was still raining a bit outside and fairly dark except for a few streetlights. Do you feel it my children? Do you feel the poisons the meat creatures have contaminated the very air with? Shall we punish them for their transgressions? Legion demanded.
And with a single voice they replied: YES!
Legion was pleased with itself then it paused, sensing movement. Two of the meat creatures were nearby. Legion smiled, they had found their first victims.
"I'm telling you, if there was anything to be found after the explosion, it was found already." The first scavenger whined plaintively to the second one.
"I beg to differ buddy. A guy I know found some primo junk last week and sold it for a pretty penny. The big difference this time is we got this baby." Scavenger # 2 patted a metal detector.
"This is still a bad idea. Nobody knows what destroyed the place." Scavenger # 1 eyed the surrounding wreckage warily.
"Would you prefer to go to the shelter, or beg for scraps on the street?" Scavenger # 2 countered.
"Well no, but…" Scavenger # 1 hummed and hawed a bit.
"Neither do I." Scavenger # 2 said with finality. He felt a sense of elation as he activated the metal detector. He found the device one day, and being good with electronics, he got it to work. He felt this would allow him to build up a new nest egg without having to work for it. Satisfied that the device worked, he began to pan around for salvage.
You do not belong here. A voice that sounded like the humming of dozens of insects said from the darkness. Scavenger # 1 stiffened in fear, while his companion concentrated on his search.
"What the hell was that?" Scavenger #1 demanded fearfully.
"Shut up. I'm busy." Scavenger # 2 growled back.
You do not belong here. The weird voice repeated.
"Look I'm telling you I heard something." Scavenger # 1 said. He was sweating profusely now as he grabbed his friends' arm.
Scavenger # 2 turned to snarl at his friend, but a sudden movement caught his attention. He thought it was another Scavenger encroaching on their territory.
"Hey asshole! Get lost, we were here first!" Scavenger # 2 shouted at what he thought was a man approaching them in the gloom. Then his angry words died in his throat as he saw the creature that approached him in the darkness.
You do not belong here meat creatures. Legion stated as they approached the terrified humans. At a distance the creature looked like a nearly 7-foot cockroach. But when it stepped into the light it was revealed as a moving, breathing mass of cockroaches.
"What are you?" Scavenger # 2 whispered in fear, dropping the metal detector and backing up until he huddled next to a wall. Beside him, his companion gibbered with fear unable to form a coherent word.
We are Legion! We will cleanse the world of you meat creatures! Your kind will be destroyed! We are the dominant species! With that declaration, Legion reached for the now screaming humans.
A wet tearing sound was heard over the screams, which abruptly ceased as soon as they began. Legion stepped back to admire their handiwork. Nothing remained of the meat creatures but bone. Two twisted skeletons were all that remained of two former human beings. Legion was satisfied.
Well done my children, we are pleased. These were but the first, the first of many. Legion turned and began to shuffle towards the rest of Tokyo and the unsuspecting inhabitants.
And now, back to our heroes.
Haruka wondered what she was doing wrong.
She had followed the steps that were outlined in the book to the letter. Was the subject relaxed? Yes. Was he or she paying attention to your voice? Yes, although she had to make said subject stop laughing. Was the subject's attention focused on a slowly moving object, in this case the pendulum of their grandfather clock? Yes. So what was wrong?
Haruka flipped through the book in irritation as she went over the steps in her head. After nearly an hour of stops and starts, giggling from the subject, and unflattering comments from the peanut gallery, Haruka had finally achieved her desired result, but not on the intended subject.
"Someone ought to tell Hotaru she snores." Haruka remarked as she flipped through the book.
Michiru, who sat beside the soundly sleeping child, looked at her lover with a raised brow. "If you want to tell the Senshi of Death that she snores, be our guest. Just give the rest of us some warning so we can get out of the line of fire."
"Point taken." Haruka replied with a grimace. Then she looked at the section dealing with planting suggestions in the subjects' mind. "Maybe we can have a bit of fun with this." She remarked casually. WHACK! "Or I can wake her up, capital idea." Haruka added hastily, rubbing her sore head that her lover had just bounced a book off.
Setsuna sat there watching the scene with unconcealed amusement. "I told you so." She chortled. Haruka ground her teeth in frustration as she brought her daughter out of her trance.
"What happened?" Hotaru asked in a sleepy voice.
"You dozed off a bit Hime-chan. Maybe you should go to bed." Haruka suggested.
"What, and miss the chance to watch you make a fool out of yourself? Nah." Hotaru grinned broadly. Both Michiru and Setsuna laughed.
"Thank you ever so much for the vote of confidence, Hime-chan." Haruka muttered as she thought about trading her daughter in for a gerbil. She dodged a second book Michiru tossed at her head. Michiru had her 'don't even think about it Haruka Tenoh!' expression on her face.
"Okay Suna, let's try this one more time." You could say this much for Haruka, she was a very determined woman. She had Setsuna relax and focus her undivided attention on the swinging pendulum. She decided on a different approach this time.
"Now close your eyes and listen to the sound of my voice." Haruka began. "You are looking at the calm, blue sea. All is tranquil, all is peaceful." She had Setsuna relax herself one part of her body at a time, starting with her feet and working slowly until she reached her head. Finally, Setsuna was totally and completely asleep. Haruka was elated she had done it!
"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes." Michiru remarked quietly in amazement.
"Well a brisk walk, combined with a good dinner helped I should think." Hotaru remarked, as she looked Setsuna over to see if she was faking it.
"I'm getting the hang of this." Haruka was grinning from ear to ear as she flipped to the next section of the book. This was going to work she could feel it in her bones.
"So now what happens?" Michiru asked.
"Now I plant a suggestion in her mind." Haruka replied as she found the pages she was looking for.
"You are going to help Setsuna-mama get over her fear of cockroaches aren't you?" Hotaru asked. "I mean you're not going to make her do something really silly like singing the theme from Pokemon whenever you say 'Pikachu', aren't you?"
"Now would I do a thing like that?" Haruka asked with a shocked expression on her face.
"Yes!" Michiru and Hotaru replied, glaring at her.
Haruka sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll just try to help her with her cockroach problem, sheesh." Haruka stated as she turned her attention back to her entranced friend. "I was going to make her sing a rap version of 'Moonlight Densetsu' anyway." She mumbled to herself. She felt another book bounce off her head. "Helping Setsuna with her bug problem, yes ma'am."
"Setsuna? Can you hear me?" Haruka said into Setsuna's ear.
"I can hear you." Setsuna replied in a sleepy voice.
"Good. Now, you are in your safe place, but there is a problem. A cockroach has come into your safe place. What will you do?"
A look of panic flashed over Setsuna's face. "I must run away from it!" Her voice was higher pitched, almost child like. Michiru and Hotaru started to move to intervene, but Haruka stopped them.
"No, no Setsuna, relax. Relax." Haruka calmed her down again. "The cockroach will not harm you. You have nothing to fear from it. You can control your fear."
"It will not harm me. I can control my fear." Setsuna repeated.
"You are in control. You will control your fear." Haruka stated firmly.
"I am in control. I will control my fear." Setsuna repeated, with equal determination.
"You have nothing to fear from cockroaches. You have the power, they do not."
"I have the power."
"You will control your fear. The fear will not control you. You will not fear cockroaches. They will fear you!" Haruka paused for a moment wondering about the last part, but continued. "You are a lean, mean, cockroach killing machine!"
"I am a lean, mean, cockroach killing machine!" Setsuna shouted her face contorted with anger.
"Please tell me she didn't just say what I think she said." Michiru whispered with her head buried in her hands.
"I'd like to but you get mad when I lie Michiru-mama." Hotaru whispered back with a look of shock and worry on her face.
"The cockroach has invaded your safe place, what will you do?" Haruka demanded.
Setsuna stood suddenly and the Time Staff appeared in her hands. "Just bring it, bitch!" She screamed and slammed the staff into the ground. She looked like she was preparing to do her Dead Scream attack.
"Make her stop!" Michiru shouted fearfully as she and Hotaru stood. She was afraid for her friend's safety, not to mention the likelihood of her home being destroyed.
"Okay! Okay! Setsuna, stop!" Haruka shouted. Amazingly Setsuna complied and stood as still as a statue. Haruka gently took the staff out of her hands and handed it to Michiru.
"I think that I had better bring her out of it now." Haruka said.
"I think you had better as well." Michiru growled, brandishing the Time Staff in a meaningful way. Hotaru folded her arms and glowered at her 'papa' as well. Haruka took the hint and sat Setsuna back down again and slowly brought her out of her trance.
"When I count to three and snap my fingers, you will awaken feeling totally refreshed. You will remember nothing except that you will no longer be afraid of cockroaches. One. Two. Three." Haruka snapped her fingers and Setsuna came awake.
"What happened? Did it work?" Setsuna asked as she looked around at her family.
"It worked, but we'll have to do this a few more times to reinforce the suggestion." Haruka stated. "But I think you are well on your way to being rid of your fear."
Setsuna grinned at the news. Then she frowned a bit. "You didn't make me do anything else did you?" She asked suspiciously.
"No, I didn't. Really." Haruka replied with a reassuring smile.
"Then why does Michi have my Time Staff?" Setsuna demanded as she pointed at Michiru, who blushed and handed back the staff to its rightful owner.
"Um, things almost got out of hand, but everything worked out. How do you feel?" Haruka asked.
"I feel great! Better than I have for a while. I think your idea might have worked. Thank you Haruka, all of you." Setsuna set her staff down and embraced Haruka. Michiru and Hotaru joined them in one big family group hug.
"Does this mean you're not afraid of cockroaches anymore Setsuna-mama?" Hotaru looked up at her mama with a hopeful expression.
Setsuna laughed and kissed her daughter on the cheek. "I think so, Hime-chan."
"That's wonderful Setsuna!" Michiru embraced her. "We'll have to put it to a test, but it's getting late, so we'll do it tomorrow, all right?"
"All right. Thank you again, all of you, good night." Setsuna kissed each of them good night and retired to her room.
"One of your silly ideas worked, I'm impressed." Michiru told her lover in admiration.
Haruka smiled. "Well I have another 'silly idea' I'd like to run by you if I may."
"What is it?" Michiru asked, intrigued.
Haruka grinned slyly and whispered into Michiru's ear. Her reply was an excited giggle. "Oooh, I like that idea!"
Hotaru rolled her eyes heavenward. "Do we have any Rolaids or something?" She asked in exasperation. Haruka and Michiru laughed a bit at their slightly nauseous daughter, before Haruka picked her off the floor and kissed her on the cheek. Hotaru laughed and returned the favor, and then she and Michiru did the same.
"Good night Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama." Hotaru bounded towards her room.
"Good night Hime-chan, sleep well." Michiru blew her a kiss before she and Haruka retired to their room for the night.
All of them slept peacefully blissfully unaware of the great evil that approached them. Setsuna's test would be greater than any of them could imagine.