Story Title: The Scent of Lilacs
Disclaimer: NOTHING is mine. Except the story! Even the concept isn't original!
Censor: I guess R. Some bad words and implications, kiddies. Oh, and some sappy crap.
Notes: This takes place during Stars. It's more based on the anime...
WARNING: Seiya and Usagi...well in this chapter and the next, they kinda get torn apart, but doesn't that happen in all stories? But you know, there are some dieheard fans, and I really value my life, so I thought I ought to put this little warning here.
By the way...this is a little disturbing...this is mentally disturbing. Like, some people go insane.
Enough with the babble. On with the show!
Chapter Six
Usagi almost screamed, but instead, her voice failed her as she sunk to the floor, covering her barely audible gasps with her clammy hands. "Seiya!" she mouthed as she gazed at his figure on the rooftop, illuminated by the silvery moonlight.
Seiya's hands were shining, sparkles of red in the white pale moonlight, slick with fresh blood.
As if he had just commited a murder.
"Seiya, why? It can't be?" Usagi whispered to herself.
Suddenly, he caught her eye, and she expected him to run to her and attack her. Instead, he merely gazed at her with his eyes.
Usagi shuddered. That's not Seiya, she told herself, it's some other person. Seiya's eyes aren't that cold. She wrapped her arms around herself as the person slowly licked his fingers. She shut her eyes tightly. No!!
When she opened them, that Seiya-looking person was gone, as she had expected. Then she took in a long, shaky breath. Sweat poured off her face, mingling with the tears that fell out her bloodshot eyes, whirlwinds of thought flying around her mind.
It's not Seiya! She whispered in her head.
Ah, but Usagi, you stupid little girl, you saw him, he's killing everyone.
"SHUT UP!" Usagi screamed aloud without realizing it.
Usagi dear, you can't tell me to shut up.
"Get out! Get out of ME!" Usagi grabbed a stuffed animal and threw it at her window, and it bounced off to the floor. "Get away from me!"
I can't, Usagi, I am you!
She howled, "We've been through this goddamn discussion! I don't *care* if you're me! Die! DIE!!"
The door swung open as Kenji, Ikuko, and Shingo burst in. "Usagi! What's wrong, dear?" Ikuko cried, rushing over to hold Usagi down. It was like the girl was having a seizure.
"What's all the damn racket for, Usagi?" Shingo demanded. "If you're gonna masturbate then shut up!"
"SHINGO YOU GODDAMN HENTAI! THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS!!! GOD, GET AWAY FROM ME!" She trashed widly in her mother's arms. "No! Leave me alone! I'm me! Not you!" She let out an indistinct, shrill shriek in the pain of insanity as she grabbed her head, tears mixing with the sweat on her hands. "GET AWAY! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
"Usagi! Please! Calm down!" Ikuko cried.
"Doush'tano, Usagi?" Kenji yelled over her frantic cries.
"Usagi!" Ikuko cried in her ear. "What's wrong, honey?"
Grabbing her blonde pigtails, Usagi cried out, "I'm not crazy! I'm not!" She kicked her little feet frenetically, her fists beating on the carpeted floor. Ikuko tumbled backwards as Usagi landed a kick in her jaw.
You little whore, look what you're doing to your parents!
Usagi spun to face the wall to her left, then she grabbed Shingo, and with surprising strength, she hurled him into the wall, screaming, "SHUT UP!"
The bedroom light seemed to make her parent's face glow with an unearthly light, their sneering faces glaring down at her, their rough hands trying...
...trying...
...trying to kill her...
What's wrong with me?
"Usagi!"
What's wrong with me?
"Usagi!"
"Usagi!"
Usagi bolted up in bed. She looked around; none of this looked familiar - a slightly bitter smell touched her nose, while she was surrounded by whiteness: the walls were blank, the thin sheets were bright white, the flourescent lights glared down at her.
"Usagi!" a voice called.
She looked around and saw the source of the sound: a nurse, clad in white, with short, pale blue hair and dark grey eyes. "Usagi, I believe. I'm supposed to feed you," she said softly, "My name is Arashi Fujisono. Here's your food." She delicately placed a tray holding a bowl of soup with noodles, riceballs, and a cup of water. "Press the button to your lef tif you need more."
Usagi stared after her as she saw the nurse leave. "Where am I?" she whispered the useless question out loud, starting to whimper and cry.
*
Heh, Usagi, finally lost it? Don't blame you, bitch.
Well, Haruka's dead, Setsuna's dead, and Makoto's dead.
Don't get me wrong, though. I didn't kill any of them
I didn't kill Michiru either. She killed herself.
Ha ha ha! Rei's dead too. But I didn't kill her. She knew too much, though. She had to die. But I didn't fucking kill her! You don't understand!
Dear Rei, I'm sorry you had to die...
*
Ninety-six pounds.
Ninety-six and one-half a pound.
Minako stared at the bathroom mirror. I look better, she told herself, smiling as she applied a thick fresh coat of pale sugar brown-colored lipstick. Blotting her lips, she smoothed her hair and walked out the door, and she saw her mother.
I've got power, Mama, you can't touch me.
"A-are you going out?" Her mother asked timidly.
"Of course I am goddamn it! I'm not going to stay in this shitty old house with YOU! AH HA HA HA!" In a burst of energy, she spirinted away. I've got power, Mama! I've got the power that makes me better!
She skipped down the street, humming merrily when she ran into Yaten. "Oomph! Hey, watch where the hell you're going!" Minako yelled.
Yaten looked a little shocked. After all, he was the one who was supposed to say that. "M-minaa...are you okay? You look a little pale...and thin..."
Minako felt a burning anger burst inside of her out of nowhere. "NOW? Damn you, now? Now you say I'm ugly! You're the one who wanted me to do this! I hate you! Get away from me, you - you jerk!" She shoved him roughly aside.
Yaten was thoroughly confused. What the hell is she talking about? He thought hard, rubbing his chin. "I wonder..." he muttered aloud. He decided to get some ice cream to help himself think.
After being mobbed by hysterical fans at a small ice cream stand, he found peace and sanity at a small bench in a park, eating his four scoop ice cream cone.
This is not relevent to the story, but many people will wonder what ice cream flavors Yaten is eating. So, here it is.
The top scoop is chocolate chip cookie dough with caramel sauce.
The second scoop from the top is dark fudge flavored.
The third scoop from the top is forbidden chocolate.
The bottom scoop is rocky road.
The cone, of course, is chocolate sugar.
Um...enough of that.
Yaten licked the caramel off the ice cream. Damn, what's gotten into Minako? He mentally reviewed her behavior in the past two weeks or so.
Well her friends just died, but she's acting so hyperactively cheerful and exuberant.
Yaten quickly finished up his ice cream, eating almost as fast as Usagi.
And she's looking so pale and sickly, like she's not eating...
"Not eating! Damn it, that's it!" Yaten yelled, jumping up and scaring some birds that had been perched on his shoulders and his head. "Oh damn, those stupid birds pissed on me!" he yelled in disgust.
"Don't call them stupid," a voice came.
Yaten whirled around to see Ami and Taiki. "Damn birds...hey, Ami, you know medical shit, right?"
"Um...hai..."
"Good, Minako's losing it!"
"How so, Yaten?" Taiki asked.
"I'll explain, but let's go home and let me change out of these shit covered clothes..."
"If you didn't scare them they wouldn't crap on you."
"Taiki, SHUT UP!" Yaten screeched. "Kisama!"
*
Usagi wandered around the hallways, slowly and cautiously turning each corner to make sure those damn nurses didn't catch her. "Why am I here?" she muttered as her icy feet tread over the cold tiled floors, the fluorescent lights casting an ugly neon yellow-white glow.
"It's so cold..."
"...Usagi?"
Usagi whirled around, and cold sweat ran down her face.
"Usagi, it is you..." It was that nurse...what's her face? Arashi Fujisono. "What are you doing out of bed? You shouldn't be out, you'll catch a cold."
"No!" Usagi screamed without realizing it. "I'm not crazy! I'm not! Why am I here?" Her whimpering rose to howls of pain and desparation.
Arashi sighed heavily. "You're here because you act imbalanced. You may not be." Her words were somewhat encouraging; at least she didn't try to soothe Usagi by saying, "of course you're not insane" as she lead Usagi back to her room. "Please stay here. I have to go now."
"Where are you going?" Usagi asked curiously.
Arashi blushed slightly, her pale blue head bobbing slightly. "Um, I'm meeting my...um...boyfriend."
"Ah, I see..." Usagi smiled. "I have a boyfriend." And I'm cheating on another one...
Arashi waved. "Don't tell the other nurses," she pleaded.
Usagi waved her hand. "Of course I won't."
The blue-haired girl left the room, her white heels clicking against the hard floors.
Usagi heard a muffled sound and it sounded like someone had grabbed her, because she heard Arashi's voice say, "Cut it out!" I bet that's Arashi and her boyfriend, Usagi thought, smiling. Suddenly, sleep overcame her, and she quickly closed her eyes, asleep.
It was good that Usagi fell asleep; she didn't hear Arashi speaking: "You're so evil, Seiya."
*
Yaten yanked his shirt off furiously the minute Taiki locked the door. "Damn bird shit, it's so gross."
Taiki looked shocked. "Yaten, don't just strip here! Ami's in the room!" he exclaimed, grabbing Yaten's bare shoulder and shoving him into the hallway.
"Jesus, Taiki, you're such a tight-ass," Yaten whined, "besides, she doesn't really care. Do ya? Do ya?"
"Um..." Ami replied, unsure of which side to take.
Taiki smacked Yaten hard on the shoulder. "Damn it, go change now!"
When Yaten changed, he came out, stretching his arms. "Hey, Ami, did you notice a change in Minako's behavior?"
"Hai..."
"Well, don't you think she's mentally ill or something like that?" Yaten questioned.
Ami cleared her throat. "I thought about it, but then I don't know how she could have gotten that sick." She stood up suddenly. "May I use the bathroom?"
"Sure," Taiki pointed. "It's over there."
"Arigatou," Ami said, and then left, walking cautiously so she wouldn't bump into any of the pale blue glass figures that stood on small, delicate tables in the hallways. She touched her nose with her fingers. What was that smell...? It's so strong...
Lilacs...
Lavender ones...
Ami ran down the hall, hearing voices that echoed painfully within her mind. It smells like that scent...it smells like Seiya...
She burst into the room where the scent was strongest.
No one was there. Nothing was there.
Nothing but a normal room.
A thick Oriental rug, with its complex curving pattern, lay on the floor. Gauzy white curtains framed the open windows, letting a nice spring-like breeze into the room. A notepad and a teacup rested on a small white table lined with gold curves
And that smell...
Ami breathed in sharply, afraid of what she might discover in this room. Something's not right here...
She looked behind the table. Nothing.
She looked to her right. The open window allowed the breeze to swirl in her face. "No..." she muttered. I'm losing it. Slowly, she made her way out of the room when something caught her eye. Instinctively, she covered her eyes, afraid that she might see some mutliated bodies.
Ami shook her hands off and saw only a peach colored vase filled with lavender lilacs.
I'm really losing it.
Shaking her blue head, she sighed and covered her face, her hands trembling. What's wrong with me? I keep seeing these morbid visions of death...
"Ami..."
She gasping and whirled around, but she couldn't see the source of the voice. "Where are you?" she cried desperately, not even knowning who was speaking to her, but she knew the voice was real, not some crazy hallucination.
"I'm in here..."
Ami ran to where she heard the voice. Near the closet. Ami ripped the door open.
"No..."
The person's broken voice stopped as Ami opened the door, looking up with glazed and glassy eyes.
Ami sucked in her breath sharply. "R-rei?"
*
Ninety-six pounds.
Exactly ninety-six pounds.
She had lost half a pound in several hours.
She stepped off the scale and back on. Stepped on the scale. Stepped off. She could hardly believe it.
She had lost half a pound in several hours. Minako squealed and jumped up, knocking off all the nail polish and little lipstick tubes as she extended her arms. "Yatta!" She felt so damn hyper, she had to...destroy something, with all this energy inside of her...she couldn't let it go to waste.
In a lightning-quick movement, she kicked the trash can near her bed to the other end of the room, paper and tissue floating to the floor like confetti.
"HA HA HA!" Minako shrieked as she pushed over a bunch of accessories and makeup laying on her vanity.
Suddenly, her mother burst in the room. "Mina! What's wrong with you!?" As her mother rushed towards her, Minako's fingers trembled as she swallowed several bright yellow pills. She was shaking so violently that she dropped the bottle.
She grabbed her shoulders. "Damn it, Minako! What are these - these things?!" She gestured towards the floor at Minako's feet, where some pills rested on the floor. "How many, Minako? How many pills did you take?"
"SHUT UP!" Minako screwed up her face as spit flew out of her mouth, furious lines of anger creasing her face. "Shut the hell up, why the hell do you care!?" She howled and grabbed her limply hanging blonde strands of hair that fell tangled on her shoulders. "Why do you care? Why should you care? You never cared for me!"
Despite her violent outbust, her mother didn't back off this time. "Minako," she repeated, her voice angry and unrelenting, "how many goddamn pills DID YOU TAKE!?" Her voice raised in pitch and speed as Minako continued to try and fight her mother off.
"Shut up and leave me alone!"
"I'm not going to leave you alone! Not until you tell me what the hell's gotten into you, Minako!"
"Shut UP!"
In a fit of anger, she grabbed Minako's shoulder, her nails digging into her pink flesh, and with her other hand, she gave her daughter a good hard slap. *smack*
"You goddamn psycho witch! Get AWAY from me!" Minako screeched, thrashing widly.
"How many, Minako? How many?"
"DAMN you! DAMN IT! GET AWAY FROM ME!"
"How many? How many?"
"Shut up!"
*
"Rei!" Ami gasped. She saw her friend's mutilated body, shaking with cold, and a small river of blood spurted out of her mouth, splattering Ami's skirt. Her emotions overcame her disgust, though, as she grabbed Rei into a crushing hug. "R-rei..."
She noticed deep cuts that marked her friend's limbs and face. Ugly purple bruises were splattered all over her pale skin.
Rei gripped Ami's arm tightly. "Listen, Ami, there's no time for this...just listen..."
"What? What do you mean? We need to get you to a doctor!"
"T-there's no...no time..." Rei groaned, "Listen, Ami, you know...the enemy...they've..." She coughed out some more blood.
"Don't try to talk!" Ami screamed, holding her tightly, her nails digging into her friend's skin in an attempt to make her stand up. "Shut up, Rei! We're getting you to a hospital!"
"I'll die before I get there!" Rei barked out harshly. "Listen to me, damn it! The enemy!"
Ami gasped. "You mean...Aluminum Siren? Or Lead Crow?"
"Yeah, those bastards...Listen to me...they - they've got..." Rei paused and gasped, Ami waited anxiously for Rei to continue.
Suddenly Rei's eyes widened, a lurid purple shining in her grey eyes as a voice came from behind Ami's back.
"Damn it, you just won't die!"
Ami gasped and whirled around, only to be struck in the back.
Disclaimer: NOTHING is mine. Except the story! Even the concept isn't original!
Censor: I guess R. Some bad words and implications, kiddies. Oh, and some sappy crap.
Notes: This takes place during Stars. It's more based on the anime...
WARNING: Seiya and Usagi...well in this chapter and the next, they kinda get torn apart, but doesn't that happen in all stories? But you know, there are some dieheard fans, and I really value my life, so I thought I ought to put this little warning here.
By the way...this is a little disturbing...this is mentally disturbing. Like, some people go insane.
Enough with the babble. On with the show!
Chapter Six
Usagi almost screamed, but instead, her voice failed her as she sunk to the floor, covering her barely audible gasps with her clammy hands. "Seiya!" she mouthed as she gazed at his figure on the rooftop, illuminated by the silvery moonlight.
Seiya's hands were shining, sparkles of red in the white pale moonlight, slick with fresh blood.
As if he had just commited a murder.
"Seiya, why? It can't be?" Usagi whispered to herself.
Suddenly, he caught her eye, and she expected him to run to her and attack her. Instead, he merely gazed at her with his eyes.
Usagi shuddered. That's not Seiya, she told herself, it's some other person. Seiya's eyes aren't that cold. She wrapped her arms around herself as the person slowly licked his fingers. She shut her eyes tightly. No!!
When she opened them, that Seiya-looking person was gone, as she had expected. Then she took in a long, shaky breath. Sweat poured off her face, mingling with the tears that fell out her bloodshot eyes, whirlwinds of thought flying around her mind.
It's not Seiya! She whispered in her head.
Ah, but Usagi, you stupid little girl, you saw him, he's killing everyone.
"SHUT UP!" Usagi screamed aloud without realizing it.
Usagi dear, you can't tell me to shut up.
"Get out! Get out of ME!" Usagi grabbed a stuffed animal and threw it at her window, and it bounced off to the floor. "Get away from me!"
I can't, Usagi, I am you!
She howled, "We've been through this goddamn discussion! I don't *care* if you're me! Die! DIE!!"
The door swung open as Kenji, Ikuko, and Shingo burst in. "Usagi! What's wrong, dear?" Ikuko cried, rushing over to hold Usagi down. It was like the girl was having a seizure.
"What's all the damn racket for, Usagi?" Shingo demanded. "If you're gonna masturbate then shut up!"
"SHINGO YOU GODDAMN HENTAI! THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS!!! GOD, GET AWAY FROM ME!" She trashed widly in her mother's arms. "No! Leave me alone! I'm me! Not you!" She let out an indistinct, shrill shriek in the pain of insanity as she grabbed her head, tears mixing with the sweat on her hands. "GET AWAY! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
"Usagi! Please! Calm down!" Ikuko cried.
"Doush'tano, Usagi?" Kenji yelled over her frantic cries.
"Usagi!" Ikuko cried in her ear. "What's wrong, honey?"
Grabbing her blonde pigtails, Usagi cried out, "I'm not crazy! I'm not!" She kicked her little feet frenetically, her fists beating on the carpeted floor. Ikuko tumbled backwards as Usagi landed a kick in her jaw.
You little whore, look what you're doing to your parents!
Usagi spun to face the wall to her left, then she grabbed Shingo, and with surprising strength, she hurled him into the wall, screaming, "SHUT UP!"
The bedroom light seemed to make her parent's face glow with an unearthly light, their sneering faces glaring down at her, their rough hands trying...
...trying...
...trying to kill her...
What's wrong with me?
"Usagi!"
What's wrong with me?
"Usagi!"
"Usagi!"
Usagi bolted up in bed. She looked around; none of this looked familiar - a slightly bitter smell touched her nose, while she was surrounded by whiteness: the walls were blank, the thin sheets were bright white, the flourescent lights glared down at her.
"Usagi!" a voice called.
She looked around and saw the source of the sound: a nurse, clad in white, with short, pale blue hair and dark grey eyes. "Usagi, I believe. I'm supposed to feed you," she said softly, "My name is Arashi Fujisono. Here's your food." She delicately placed a tray holding a bowl of soup with noodles, riceballs, and a cup of water. "Press the button to your lef tif you need more."
Usagi stared after her as she saw the nurse leave. "Where am I?" she whispered the useless question out loud, starting to whimper and cry.
*
Heh, Usagi, finally lost it? Don't blame you, bitch.
Well, Haruka's dead, Setsuna's dead, and Makoto's dead.
Don't get me wrong, though. I didn't kill any of them
I didn't kill Michiru either. She killed herself.
Ha ha ha! Rei's dead too. But I didn't kill her. She knew too much, though. She had to die. But I didn't fucking kill her! You don't understand!
Dear Rei, I'm sorry you had to die...
*
Ninety-six pounds.
Ninety-six and one-half a pound.
Minako stared at the bathroom mirror. I look better, she told herself, smiling as she applied a thick fresh coat of pale sugar brown-colored lipstick. Blotting her lips, she smoothed her hair and walked out the door, and she saw her mother.
I've got power, Mama, you can't touch me.
"A-are you going out?" Her mother asked timidly.
"Of course I am goddamn it! I'm not going to stay in this shitty old house with YOU! AH HA HA HA!" In a burst of energy, she spirinted away. I've got power, Mama! I've got the power that makes me better!
She skipped down the street, humming merrily when she ran into Yaten. "Oomph! Hey, watch where the hell you're going!" Minako yelled.
Yaten looked a little shocked. After all, he was the one who was supposed to say that. "M-minaa...are you okay? You look a little pale...and thin..."
Minako felt a burning anger burst inside of her out of nowhere. "NOW? Damn you, now? Now you say I'm ugly! You're the one who wanted me to do this! I hate you! Get away from me, you - you jerk!" She shoved him roughly aside.
Yaten was thoroughly confused. What the hell is she talking about? He thought hard, rubbing his chin. "I wonder..." he muttered aloud. He decided to get some ice cream to help himself think.
After being mobbed by hysterical fans at a small ice cream stand, he found peace and sanity at a small bench in a park, eating his four scoop ice cream cone.
This is not relevent to the story, but many people will wonder what ice cream flavors Yaten is eating. So, here it is.
The top scoop is chocolate chip cookie dough with caramel sauce.
The second scoop from the top is dark fudge flavored.
The third scoop from the top is forbidden chocolate.
The bottom scoop is rocky road.
The cone, of course, is chocolate sugar.
Um...enough of that.
Yaten licked the caramel off the ice cream. Damn, what's gotten into Minako? He mentally reviewed her behavior in the past two weeks or so.
Well her friends just died, but she's acting so hyperactively cheerful and exuberant.
Yaten quickly finished up his ice cream, eating almost as fast as Usagi.
And she's looking so pale and sickly, like she's not eating...
"Not eating! Damn it, that's it!" Yaten yelled, jumping up and scaring some birds that had been perched on his shoulders and his head. "Oh damn, those stupid birds pissed on me!" he yelled in disgust.
"Don't call them stupid," a voice came.
Yaten whirled around to see Ami and Taiki. "Damn birds...hey, Ami, you know medical shit, right?"
"Um...hai..."
"Good, Minako's losing it!"
"How so, Yaten?" Taiki asked.
"I'll explain, but let's go home and let me change out of these shit covered clothes..."
"If you didn't scare them they wouldn't crap on you."
"Taiki, SHUT UP!" Yaten screeched. "Kisama!"
*
Usagi wandered around the hallways, slowly and cautiously turning each corner to make sure those damn nurses didn't catch her. "Why am I here?" she muttered as her icy feet tread over the cold tiled floors, the fluorescent lights casting an ugly neon yellow-white glow.
"It's so cold..."
"...Usagi?"
Usagi whirled around, and cold sweat ran down her face.
"Usagi, it is you..." It was that nurse...what's her face? Arashi Fujisono. "What are you doing out of bed? You shouldn't be out, you'll catch a cold."
"No!" Usagi screamed without realizing it. "I'm not crazy! I'm not! Why am I here?" Her whimpering rose to howls of pain and desparation.
Arashi sighed heavily. "You're here because you act imbalanced. You may not be." Her words were somewhat encouraging; at least she didn't try to soothe Usagi by saying, "of course you're not insane" as she lead Usagi back to her room. "Please stay here. I have to go now."
"Where are you going?" Usagi asked curiously.
Arashi blushed slightly, her pale blue head bobbing slightly. "Um, I'm meeting my...um...boyfriend."
"Ah, I see..." Usagi smiled. "I have a boyfriend." And I'm cheating on another one...
Arashi waved. "Don't tell the other nurses," she pleaded.
Usagi waved her hand. "Of course I won't."
The blue-haired girl left the room, her white heels clicking against the hard floors.
Usagi heard a muffled sound and it sounded like someone had grabbed her, because she heard Arashi's voice say, "Cut it out!" I bet that's Arashi and her boyfriend, Usagi thought, smiling. Suddenly, sleep overcame her, and she quickly closed her eyes, asleep.
It was good that Usagi fell asleep; she didn't hear Arashi speaking: "You're so evil, Seiya."
*
Yaten yanked his shirt off furiously the minute Taiki locked the door. "Damn bird shit, it's so gross."
Taiki looked shocked. "Yaten, don't just strip here! Ami's in the room!" he exclaimed, grabbing Yaten's bare shoulder and shoving him into the hallway.
"Jesus, Taiki, you're such a tight-ass," Yaten whined, "besides, she doesn't really care. Do ya? Do ya?"
"Um..." Ami replied, unsure of which side to take.
Taiki smacked Yaten hard on the shoulder. "Damn it, go change now!"
When Yaten changed, he came out, stretching his arms. "Hey, Ami, did you notice a change in Minako's behavior?"
"Hai..."
"Well, don't you think she's mentally ill or something like that?" Yaten questioned.
Ami cleared her throat. "I thought about it, but then I don't know how she could have gotten that sick." She stood up suddenly. "May I use the bathroom?"
"Sure," Taiki pointed. "It's over there."
"Arigatou," Ami said, and then left, walking cautiously so she wouldn't bump into any of the pale blue glass figures that stood on small, delicate tables in the hallways. She touched her nose with her fingers. What was that smell...? It's so strong...
Lilacs...
Lavender ones...
Ami ran down the hall, hearing voices that echoed painfully within her mind. It smells like that scent...it smells like Seiya...
She burst into the room where the scent was strongest.
No one was there. Nothing was there.
Nothing but a normal room.
A thick Oriental rug, with its complex curving pattern, lay on the floor. Gauzy white curtains framed the open windows, letting a nice spring-like breeze into the room. A notepad and a teacup rested on a small white table lined with gold curves
And that smell...
Ami breathed in sharply, afraid of what she might discover in this room. Something's not right here...
She looked behind the table. Nothing.
She looked to her right. The open window allowed the breeze to swirl in her face. "No..." she muttered. I'm losing it. Slowly, she made her way out of the room when something caught her eye. Instinctively, she covered her eyes, afraid that she might see some mutliated bodies.
Ami shook her hands off and saw only a peach colored vase filled with lavender lilacs.
I'm really losing it.
Shaking her blue head, she sighed and covered her face, her hands trembling. What's wrong with me? I keep seeing these morbid visions of death...
"Ami..."
She gasping and whirled around, but she couldn't see the source of the voice. "Where are you?" she cried desperately, not even knowning who was speaking to her, but she knew the voice was real, not some crazy hallucination.
"I'm in here..."
Ami ran to where she heard the voice. Near the closet. Ami ripped the door open.
"No..."
The person's broken voice stopped as Ami opened the door, looking up with glazed and glassy eyes.
Ami sucked in her breath sharply. "R-rei?"
*
Ninety-six pounds.
Exactly ninety-six pounds.
She had lost half a pound in several hours.
She stepped off the scale and back on. Stepped on the scale. Stepped off. She could hardly believe it.
She had lost half a pound in several hours. Minako squealed and jumped up, knocking off all the nail polish and little lipstick tubes as she extended her arms. "Yatta!" She felt so damn hyper, she had to...destroy something, with all this energy inside of her...she couldn't let it go to waste.
In a lightning-quick movement, she kicked the trash can near her bed to the other end of the room, paper and tissue floating to the floor like confetti.
"HA HA HA!" Minako shrieked as she pushed over a bunch of accessories and makeup laying on her vanity.
Suddenly, her mother burst in the room. "Mina! What's wrong with you!?" As her mother rushed towards her, Minako's fingers trembled as she swallowed several bright yellow pills. She was shaking so violently that she dropped the bottle.
She grabbed her shoulders. "Damn it, Minako! What are these - these things?!" She gestured towards the floor at Minako's feet, where some pills rested on the floor. "How many, Minako? How many pills did you take?"
"SHUT UP!" Minako screwed up her face as spit flew out of her mouth, furious lines of anger creasing her face. "Shut the hell up, why the hell do you care!?" She howled and grabbed her limply hanging blonde strands of hair that fell tangled on her shoulders. "Why do you care? Why should you care? You never cared for me!"
Despite her violent outbust, her mother didn't back off this time. "Minako," she repeated, her voice angry and unrelenting, "how many goddamn pills DID YOU TAKE!?" Her voice raised in pitch and speed as Minako continued to try and fight her mother off.
"Shut up and leave me alone!"
"I'm not going to leave you alone! Not until you tell me what the hell's gotten into you, Minako!"
"Shut UP!"
In a fit of anger, she grabbed Minako's shoulder, her nails digging into her pink flesh, and with her other hand, she gave her daughter a good hard slap. *smack*
"You goddamn psycho witch! Get AWAY from me!" Minako screeched, thrashing widly.
"How many, Minako? How many?"
"DAMN you! DAMN IT! GET AWAY FROM ME!"
"How many? How many?"
"Shut up!"
*
"Rei!" Ami gasped. She saw her friend's mutilated body, shaking with cold, and a small river of blood spurted out of her mouth, splattering Ami's skirt. Her emotions overcame her disgust, though, as she grabbed Rei into a crushing hug. "R-rei..."
She noticed deep cuts that marked her friend's limbs and face. Ugly purple bruises were splattered all over her pale skin.
Rei gripped Ami's arm tightly. "Listen, Ami, there's no time for this...just listen..."
"What? What do you mean? We need to get you to a doctor!"
"T-there's no...no time..." Rei groaned, "Listen, Ami, you know...the enemy...they've..." She coughed out some more blood.
"Don't try to talk!" Ami screamed, holding her tightly, her nails digging into her friend's skin in an attempt to make her stand up. "Shut up, Rei! We're getting you to a hospital!"
"I'll die before I get there!" Rei barked out harshly. "Listen to me, damn it! The enemy!"
Ami gasped. "You mean...Aluminum Siren? Or Lead Crow?"
"Yeah, those bastards...Listen to me...they - they've got..." Rei paused and gasped, Ami waited anxiously for Rei to continue.
Suddenly Rei's eyes widened, a lurid purple shining in her grey eyes as a voice came from behind Ami's back.
"Damn it, you just won't die!"
Ami gasped and whirled around, only to be struck in the back.