If the Future May Fade Ch. 09
A/N: It's been so long since I updated/wrote this. So I decided to edit/rewrite all of it! Considering how long it's been since I updated this I suggest you check out the changes! Nothing major but I like the story a lot better! Sorry for the long wait! Please forgive me!
. . .
I run through the now empty corridor with a prayer on my lips. The halls have emptied too quickly for my taste and in my head I can only assume the worst: the youma has taken the rest of them captive. I don't know if I can do this on my own. My powers may be stronger than the current senshi-but they're nothing compared to where they need to be if the enemy is as severe as Hotaru alluded to.
But I try to keep that thought out of my head and I try to run faster. I'm not going to get anything done if all I do is doubt myself. Mama taught me that. She never wanted me to give up on trying to be the best soldier I could possibly be, because that's when she would always be outsmarted by the enemy. That's what happened when the Earth fell asleep for thousands of years.
Finally, I reach the end of the hall. It's the auditorium that's pulsating with dark energy and my stomach erupts in queasiness. It's strong. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and...swing the door open in a quick movement.
Oh, Serenity. The screams are so much louder now.
The youma, an ugly creature swimming in gossamer skirts and veiny skin, floats above the students with a smug smile on its face. Energy leaves its body in waves and impacts any student in the way. They're going down like flies.
I can see the three senshi almost immediately. A battle of water, fire, and electricity. None of it has an effect though. That much is obvious. Already they're losing momentum against the winged fury and the fight has hardly begun. But where's Sailor Moon? My question is answered as I see a blonde figure out of the corner of my eye trying to move the fallen bodies. Doesn't she realize she's the only one who can stop this?
Her body is covered in scratches and blood and I regret my mental question. She's already gone through hell and I've decided to berate her in my mind? This youma must be powerful to ruin the body of a super-powered princess without breaking a sweat. It doesn't seem Sailor Moon is letting the pain get to her though, she's trying to move and prop up bodies as fast as possible.
She stops, pausing as she goes through the pile of students. Something has caught her eye and looking down I see why. Mamoru and Beryl are among those who have already been drained of their energy. However, it isn't sadness that fills her eyes...but a realization.
And maybe it's the same realization I'm having. Tuxedo Mask will not be making an appearance today.
I'm not the only one who has noticed Sailor Moon's obvious distraction. So has the youma. Unfortunately it's far faster than me and sends out an energy burst in the blonde's direction. I reach a hand out, but my voice dies in my throat and I can't quite call out to get her to look up.
A purple shield surrounds her.
The same orange light from last night shoots out. Followed by green and purple.
I don't know how to react. The youma falls to the ground in a fine dust and Usagi was saved once again. The senshi are relieved and run to meet their leader. None of the girls look my way but I can feel eyes on me. I look up.
Three girls. They huddle together, concealed by the shadows. If I were to guess, they were the same girls as last night. The ones who were supposed to somehow protect the queen. The ones who sensed my arrival in the time continuum. Have I been figured out? Apparently not because they fade into the shadows and I am about to make my own disappearing act when more figures catch my eye.
This time their identities are not concealed. Almost as if they want to be seen. And I guess they do. Hotaru and Helios. The two of them stand side by side, looking down at me. The Purple Shield. That was her Silent Wall. They are also protecting Usagi.
Unable to withstand their gaze, I turn away and break into a sprint back out of the auditorium. My transformation fades and I run back to the classroom the girls left me in. They weren't in the midst of the fight that I saw-so my intuition must have been wrong. They're not the enemy. Which is relieving, I guess.
"Nyanko-chan!"
I stop. Yua runs to me, her eyes wild. "Nyanko-chan! Where were you? The girls are outside, we called the police!" Her voice is hysterical but...wrong somehow. I brush it off as simple paranoia. "Not for you of course, but we were so worried when you weren't in the classroom! Why did you move?"
If she's trying to sound angry, she's failing. "I-I went looking for you guys. I thought it would only take a minute." I try my best to sound tired from running around. "Did you know Sailor Moon was here?"
"Oh really?" She wraps an arm around my shoulder and starts leading me out of the building. Suddenly I feel about eight years old, being led to mama because I did something wrong. "What was she like?"
"She was...beautiful?" I try to find an adjective that fit the scene I saw. My mind can only hone in on the moment she saw Mamoru and Beryl collapsed on the ground. She looked so much like mama does when she's looking at papa. Beautiful is the only way to describe it.
"You can drop the act," she whispers into my ear.
"What?"
"I know who you are."
My heart races in my chest and I pull myself out of her embrace. How? But before I can articulate my words we reach the entrance of the school and she pulls me outside. She breaks into a smile and looks pointedly at me. "Look who I found!"
Midori and Hana clap their hands and come to meet us but I hear a voice calling me above the noise of the police and the ambulances. "Nyanko-chan! Nyanko-chan!" It's her voice. Usagi. Her blonde buns weave in and out of the authorities until I see her tear stained face running at me at full speed.
She pushes Midori and Hana aside and throws her arms around me. "I was so worried about you! My teacher let me leave because I said you were here!" Sobs rattle her body and her tears seep into the thin material of my uniform.
"Usagi-chan, don't cry. I'm safe, I promise." I pat her back. "You can thank Yua-chan and friends for that. They kept me safe."
I look up to meet eyes with the purple haired girl. She glares at me and I narrow my gaze. All I want to do is continue our discussion but now is not the time or the place. Especially with Usagi here. A very able, strong, Usagi.
Peeling her from my chest, I look down at her blood free face. I know senshi heal fast. But not that fast. She looks at me quizzically and I try to hide my astonishment by offering a smile. "My baby cousin. I'm fine. Thank you for worrying about me."
Usagi smiles and hugs me again and as I hug her back I try to figure out exactly what's going on.
Because the girl in my arms is not the senshi who was nearly killed inside.
. . .
A/N: Okay, so this story is actually so weird and I kind of like where it's going for the most part? Sorry all the chapters are so short, though. I'm maintaining the whole this is my relaxing project so the chapters are shorter thing. Until next time!
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