Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Crystalline
Episode Eight: A Fracture in the Design
"Soo…" Hirome tried not to stare. "How are your parents taking your hair?"
"Well, I've been to three doctors, all that have confirmed that I'm not dying my hair and so they came to the conclusion that my hair is going from russet to blond because of puberty."
He had to wait a while as Hirome screamed with laughter at that.
His face was red as he glared at her. "You're such the perfect girlfriend."
"Stop calling me that!"
Kitei rolled his eyes at Hirome who stood up hard and stomped away.
"Wow, she's really against that," Apollo jumped onto the table, scattering Kitei's papers. "Well, out loud anyways. I know she likes you."
"Really? How?"
"Her scent, dumbass."
"Don't be like her like that. It's hard enough with just her."
"I've seen you scream at adults with far worse language!"
"That's different," Kitei protested to deaf ears as Apollo's eyes slitted at him. "Wait? Her scent?"
"Yea. Every emotion has a scent. I can tell when she's happy, sad, angry, aroused…"
"HOLY COW!"
Apollo found himself falling off the table as Kitei has surged to his feet, his knees hitting the table and sending it all into a forward spiral. "Maybe I should've keep my tongue."
"Don't be so destructive in my room!" Hirome hurriedly returned and began to put things together. "My dad will have a fit if it's a mess. Goodness knows what he'll think if it looks like there was a sort of tumble in here."
She turned to look at a red-faced Kitei, his eyes wide and his lips a little slack.
"I'm going to kill you for whatever it was that you told him, Apollo."
Apollo laughed loudly and then bolted with a yowl.
"-WHAT- are you staring at, Kitei?!"
"Uh…" He plopped on down. "Soo… why aren't we boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"I.. uh.. What… I mean.. We're not.. I mean, I'm not sure… how… uh…"
"You shout at me for everything else, what's so different about this?"
"Because you're only interested because you're involved.. And in a strange, bizarre way. If we hadn't met by that stupid ass car, you'd have never noticed me at all. No one does!"
She faltered at that, looking down at her feet.
"I've noticed. Remember that speech you gave about drunk driving and the damages that can happen? Yet you spoke of the good things that have come from that painful experience. To appreciate life, to know how much you care and love for a person, and that even if they're not here anymore, doesn't mean they're gone."
"You.. Heard that?"
"Well, you did give it to nearly the entire school. You, the silent wallflower that everyone knew but never heard. You stood on that stage without any fear and spoke out loud for the first time that anyone noticed."
"So yea, I've noticed you. Bits and pieces, that capture my attention but you know me, it takes a while for it all to sink in. Yea, we're involved because of a strange situation but that doesn't mean I don't want to.. Well… date you… be your boyfriend… just because of that. I like you, as in like you, like you, for who you are."
Hirome couldn't help but the slow smile to grow on her face.
"Hirome, I'm home!" There was a momentary pause. "Honey, why are there extra shoes? Is Kouheino-san here?"
It took only another moment. "You better not be in your room…"
By the time he'd appear at the top of the stairs, the two were laying in the hallway as if they had literally thrown themselves there. Which, technically, they did.
"Get your foot off my butt," Hirome barely whispered.
Kitei's head was nearly in Hirome's hair. "God, you smell good." He couldn't help but admit it as the two tore apart.
"Uh… tripped." Hirome tried to smile at her stern-looking father. Kitei was tripping on his socks with a grunt, his head hitting the wall as Hirome covered her mouth but her chortle broke out as she fell away with a howl.
"Oh, boy," Kougetsu-papa sighed. "I remember that stage… hated it so much."
He became flustered under the two teenagers' pointed stare.
"I mean, get downstairs where I can see you."
The moment Hirome's feet touched the ground floor, the doorbell rang. "Hello?"
She opened it and instantly frowned, staring at Usagi, who stood with Rei and Ami. Makoto and Minako were in the back, arguing about something in indistinctive voices.
"What do you want?" She asked crossly.
"Oh, look, much younger under classmen," Kitei leaned against the door as he turned on the charm. "Hello there, ladies."
Usagi giggled wildly as Ami turned red and Rei snorted with a roll of her eyes. "I want to talk to you, Hirome-san."
"Kougetsu-san. Don't use my first name. We're not friends."
"Hirome."
"Oh, now you notice me? You wanna go out there and flirt some more, be my guest."
Kitei found himself shoved out of the home and the door slammed against his backside. "Damn."
"Probably should've seen that coming.. Idiot." Rei once more snorted.
Hirome had her back to the door as Kitei began to knock. After about three minutes, her father was shoving her outside with a growl. "Stop him from doing that! It's annoying me!"
"But I don't want to.." She ended when the door slammed in her face. "Not talking to any of you."
"Then just listen," Rei offered. "Listen, I know how Usagi can be. Insensitive.."
"A bit of a baby, "Ami offered.
"Don't forget ditsy," Minako added, coming up with Makoto.
"But she's a good person, just takes time to get used to her," Makoto ended.
"Please, Hirome," Apollo pleaded at her feet. "We can't do this alone. No one can do anything alone if they need help."
"But she.."
"She made her mistakes and trust me, it won't be her last." Rei butted in. "We all make mistakes. We can learn from them, remember that."
"Fine. We can talk."
"Yes!"
"Hey, I didn't say you could come," Hirome began as Kitei ran down the stairs and nearly into Makoto.
"Wow, you are one tall girl. And.. Is that your natural hair color?"
"Why, yes, it is," Makoto grinned at him, crossing her arms. "Yours?"
"Wasn't this way before I met Hirome. She did something to my heart, I guess," He leaned back toward Hirome with a slow smile as she flushed and stormed off. "Geez…try to give a compliment.."
"She's just shy," Apollo began.
"Oh, shut up already, I know when a girl's shy!"
"You didn't know when she was aroused!"
Every human turned red.
"Whoops." Apollo huddled on the ground. "Suppose I wasn't supposed to say that."
"YOU THINK?" Rei was the first to storm off. "Geez, Apollo, watch your tongue."
Hirome was sitting on a bench along the street, kicking her feet slowly. Kitei sat on the far end, peeked at her, and slowly inched closer.
"Sorry."
"No, you're not."
"Of course I am!"
"You were flirting with them! I thought I was your girlfriend?"
"You mean you admit it?"
"I.. wha…I.. only if you mean it!"
"Of course I mean it!" He threw his arm around her as she was smothered in a hug. "Fantastic! Now to make up with your long lost past life sister."
"You told him everything?" Minako stage whispered. "Luna, mind wipe him!"
"It's not as easy as that," Luna said dryly. "He's a part of the problem."
"And solution!"
"Maybe," Luna said coolly to Kitei who narrowed his eyes at her. "He is.. Hosting the crystal, right, Apollo?"
"Exactly!"
"Then why not do what's been done before?" Usagi said brightly. "Have him bring it forward!"
"Ahh.. No. I can't touch it. I can't even get it out of me. What makes you think I can?"
"It's you?"
"No, it's not me. It's tied to me but that is entirely different."
Usagi opened her mouth as Luna protested. "Usagi, stop it! Not everything can be brought forth."
"So you like, transform and he goes into you?" Minako asked, a little loudly.
"MINAKO!" Everyone hissed at her as Hirome dropped her head into her hands.
"I don't know what to do. I don't even know who this enemy is. I don't remember much.. From before.. Just pretty flowers and suddenly, a flash of pain.. Followed by.. By… a silver light? I think I was attached to something."
"Silver light? Maybe the Ginzuishou?" Artemis whispered to Luna. "You know how things are drawn to each other.. Suppose she was in limbo, after all, she was given no rest."
Luna looked to Usagi who was arguing with Hirome about getting Kitei out of her as Hirome was furiously shouting at her to stop saying such things. "I.. I think you might be right.. We came before Queen Selenity lost her husband… we never knew about the first child, she was very silent on that. But she did allude to it, often commenting on Princess Serenity and how she could feel the golden light.. I thought perhaps she meant something about her power within but.."
The two cats stared at each other as Apollo settled in front of them, intently listening.
"Attached to something, huh?" Apollo flicked a ear back momentarily, listening to the girls trying to break up the fight, Kitei watching with a grin with a glowering Rei over him from behind, ready to attack him. "We can always ask Queen Selenity."
"Not that easy."
"She's in their souls! How hard can it be?"
"Apollo, it's not that simple!" Luna protested again.
Apollo was about to continue arguing when he faltered and spun on his heels to face the other side. Minako had noticed first the youma appearing. A flame-winged beaked feminine creature, her feet fashioned like raptors's feet, complete with sharp talons, it was quite the imposing creature. Not to mention that it was taller than a man and just as bulky.
"Not again," Hirome groaned as Kitei yanked her up and they tore out. Naturally, the creature made a beeline for the two.
Around the corner, Hirome pulled out her brooch. "I'm so sorry, Kitei.."
"Theia Prism Power, Make Up!"
She transformed as Kitei turned into particles and swarmed around her, before completely disappearing.
"Is it sad that I can't sense him at all?" Sailor Theia asked Apollo with confusion.
"MOVE IT!" Sailor Mars roared behind her as Sailor Theia managed to evade the attack.
"Why is always a damn bird? Why can't it be an itty bitty bug that I can just squash!?"
She spun her boomerang on her hand. "Shimmering Golden Arch!"
It spun hard, catching the sunlight and struck at full force. The creature stumbled backwards and nearly fell, catching itself as its flaming wings flickered in and out, turning duller and less inflamed.
But it was still standing, panting as it screeched, the sound scratching on their ears. All of them covered their ears in pain. It took its chance and struck Sailor Theia to the ground, screaming as it lashed out and ripped off her brooch.
She heard it crack and pain laced through her as she took aim at the uncomfortably close creature. "Celestial Burn!"
Her hands lit on fire, as she lunged and grasped its throat, the flames striking as the creature screamed, its face then body burning in a bright blue flame. She stood up on shaky legs.
"I.. I can't finish it.." She tried to call out.
Sailor Mars shouted for Sailor Moon as she took aim. "Moon Princess Halation!"
The youma turned into ash as Sailor Moon rushed to Sailor Theia.
She was holding her brooch, the outside with a large, visible crack. She opened it to reveal the hollow inside, a smaller crack running through it. She was woozy, pain fluctuating in and out.
"I..I don't know what to do.." She mumbled, falling to her knees. She reverted to her civilian form but Kitei didn't appear. "Kitei.."
Her eyes fluttered closed as she collapsed into a heap. Apollo shouted in vain as the world turned to ink black.
