Chapter five- 'A Bleeding Rose'
Usagi entered the small room, and her face spread into a wide grin. She turned around, and bowed, "Artigato gejo."
The older women smiled warmly. Not knowing the language, took it as a thank you, turned and left the room.
Usagi turned back around, and scanned the room. The floor, black marble, stretched throughout the room, and sub rooms. The walls painted white, with black designs the nearly touched the ceiling.
Walking more inside the room, she could see two sub rooms within the one she was standing in. The room's doors were left open, and Usagi noted one was a sauna, while the other two were dressing rooms.
In the middle of the main room, was a swimming pool, the size of half a football field, and square in shape. At one end was a diving bored, high and low one. On the right, was a rope swing, and ladders on all sides. On her end, was the shallow end, and went deeper dropping foot by foot as it went on.
Usagi inhaled the Chlorine smell, and giggled, she missed swimming. She hurried to the women's changing room. Inside, she shut the door for privacy, and searched the hangers for a suit.
It didn't take her long, before she selected a two-piece. She stripped off her clothes for the day, and changed into the suit.
She paused, tying the tie around her neck, when she heard a sound outside in the poolroom. Tying the last knot, she opened the door, and looked out. The room was empty, but she couldn't shake off the feeling she was being watched.
She inhaled deeply, and held onto her wits. She stepped out of the changing room, with a pink fluffy towel wrapped around her body.
Slowly, she walked to the shallow end, and touched the water with her toe. The water was nuke warm, but she knew for sure the deeper she went, the colder it would be.
Tossing the towel to the side, Usagi took out the scrunchy she had grabbed. She quickly pulled her hair into a high ponytail.
Grasping her courage, she surged right into the cold water. She broke into laughter, and at 4ft, dove in deeper.
She came up seconds later, and ran her hand over her face. She blinked several times, and kicked her legs back and forth to stay afloat.
She glanced around briefly, and still found herself alone. Thinking that her mind was playing tricks on her, she pulled her legs up to the surface, and floated on her back. Lightly kicking once and a while, she closed her eyes, and drifted.
He walked out from behind one o the curtains, and stood at the edge of the pool. He watched her closely, a softly smile on his face.
She looked so relaxed, so comfortable. She was drifting towards the deep end. Her arms were sprawled out at her sided, and her legs kicked every once and a while.
Her hair was like a golden flower petals around her head. Her face heart shaped, held no flaws. A perfect small nose, a tiny mouth, her peach lips pursed together. Her bangs had been pulled back, but a few wet strands were still plastered to her forehead.
He crouched down, and smirked. Her skin was flawless, and pale peach, but fair. She was dressed in only a two-piece. The top tied around at her neck, and it cupped her breasts nicely. The bottoms were also ties, at each hip, and they were both double knotted. The bathing suit was dark pink, with peach flower designs for decoration.
He stood back up, and glanced around. He then slipped off his shirt, then pulled off his jeans, and pulled of his sneakers and socks. Now only dressed in his swim trunks, he stepped back.
He gave her no warning. He quietly ran towards the end of the pool, and leaped up, and dove into the water.
Usagi was hit was a splash of water. She cried out, and was sucked down by it. She came for air, coughing and spluttering water. She rubbed her face, and looked around angrily.
She was startled, when a man came up fro air, right in front of her. She yanked back, still coughing. "What is wrong with you!"
His blonde hair was plastered to his face, and his eyes started right into her soul. She scowled, and covered her mouth, and she gagged on the inhaled water she had consumed.
He chuckled, "Sorry if I startled you ma'am. I didn't see you."
Usagi glanced around, "Where did you come from?" He pointed to the door, "Through there. The maid showed me in."
Usagi ran her fingers through her hair, and pulled farther away. She gracefully swam to the shallow end.
"Hey, don't leave on my account. Here, I'll go over here, and you wont even know I'm here."
Usagi glanced over her shoulder, and shook her head, "No, it's just that you scared me." He frowned, "I'm sorry ma'am." "Usagi."
"What was that ma'am?"
Usagi's lips twitched upward, "My name is Usagi. Call me that, not ma'am or miss okay." He nodded, his face breaking out into a grin. He swam towards her, and stood up in the shallow end. He was s good head and a half taller than her. He held out his hand, "Jadeite."
Usagi grinned, and took his hand, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Jadeite." He nodded, and bent down, and kissed the back of her hand. "No, the pleasure is all mine."
Usagi flushed with embarrassment, her cheeks turning red. "You're very kind."
He let go of her hand, and bowed gracefully, "Beautiful ladies should always be treated like princesses." Usagi rolled her eyes playfully. But before she could reply, he asked, "Would you like to join me for a swim?"
She contemplated it, before smirking. "Hai, I'd love to." Before he even got to register her words, her hand shot out, and she pushed him into the deep end.
She smirked, and set her hands on her hips, "And that's what you get for scaring me." A minute went by, and he didn't come up.
Usagi frowned, and walked in a little deeper. "Jadeite?" She glanced around franticly she couldn't see him anywhere. Worried, she moved into the deep end, and dove under.
Few seconds passed, and she came up for air. "Jadeite!" She gasped for air, her lungs burning. Then suddenly, two arms circled around her, and she pulled under with a yelp.
?????
She hurried down the halls, swinging the basket back and forth. Her face had lightened up into a bright smile. Her eyes glowing with eagerness.
She made her way to the back door, leading into the garden. She looked one last time at the clock, and nodded.
11:55
She pushed open the doors, and slipped out into the warm air. The sun was up high, and it rays fell upon her wrapping her up, like a mother would to her child.
She walked past the bench, and stopped in front of the roses. She stared at them for a second, and smiled. She laid out the blanket Ranshid, had let her borrow, and then set the picnic down as well. Glancing around, she seated herself, folding her legs underneath her.
She ran a wary hand through her hair, and was relieved it had dried completely after the shower and only was towel dried. She slipped off the white sandals, and set them on the grass.
She fidgeted for a second, and then shifted around. She ended up on her rump, and her knees pulled to her chest, with her arms wrapped around her legs. She gnawed on her bottom lip, waiting patiently, for him to arrive.
Her blue eyes landed softly on the red roses just a foot from where she was seated on the blanket. Curiously, she reached out to pluck one from its place.
Her fingers slide around the stem, and she pulled. She gasped in surprise, and tried to pull her hand away, or drop the rose, but an unknown force willed her to hold it. Her hand grasped it tighter, and her eyes flickered with pain. She brought the rose to her face, and inhaled the heavenly sent.
Her hand stung, and yet her body refused to do what her mind asked it to do. Tears formed in her eyes, and she could feel the thorns digging deeper into her skin. They tore her flesh, and droplets of blood seeped out.
She felt something come over her, as if something had opened a door to her mind, and walked in.
Her eyes drew blank, and she tilted her head to the side. Her lips parted, as if to speak. But only air passed over her peach colored lips. Then they moved, and a voice so quiet broke passed her lips, and died within the air before it could be heard.
"Usagi?"
As if a spell had been broken, she blinked her eyes changing back filled with life and pain. Her hand instinctively opened, and the rose fell to the floor.
She stared at her hand, and tears formed into her eyes. She tried to rid them, but slowly they began to fall. "What happened?"
He rushed towards her, and was on his knees in front of her. He took hold of her wrist gently, and stared at her palm. Blood still oozed slowly from the punctured wounds. He noted, that her hand was not decorated with small slits, and some torn into thin slashes, as if they had been cut with a blade.
She looked up from her hand, and stared deeply into his cerulean blue eyes. "I don't know what happened? I...I couldn't..." his fingers touched her lips, to silence her babble. He softly smiled, and stated calmly, "Lets go to the infirmary, and gets these disinfected."
She nodded, and whispered, "hai, artigato Quatre." They stood, and he asked, "For what?" Usagi leaned against him, and let him lead her to the infirmary, "Nothing."
As they left the garden the wind howled, and words trapped within the cyclone of whirling air, whispered among the bleeding rose. 'Even beauty has thorns.'
Usagi entered the small room, and her face spread into a wide grin. She turned around, and bowed, "Artigato gejo."
The older women smiled warmly. Not knowing the language, took it as a thank you, turned and left the room.
Usagi turned back around, and scanned the room. The floor, black marble, stretched throughout the room, and sub rooms. The walls painted white, with black designs the nearly touched the ceiling.
Walking more inside the room, she could see two sub rooms within the one she was standing in. The room's doors were left open, and Usagi noted one was a sauna, while the other two were dressing rooms.
In the middle of the main room, was a swimming pool, the size of half a football field, and square in shape. At one end was a diving bored, high and low one. On the right, was a rope swing, and ladders on all sides. On her end, was the shallow end, and went deeper dropping foot by foot as it went on.
Usagi inhaled the Chlorine smell, and giggled, she missed swimming. She hurried to the women's changing room. Inside, she shut the door for privacy, and searched the hangers for a suit.
It didn't take her long, before she selected a two-piece. She stripped off her clothes for the day, and changed into the suit.
She paused, tying the tie around her neck, when she heard a sound outside in the poolroom. Tying the last knot, she opened the door, and looked out. The room was empty, but she couldn't shake off the feeling she was being watched.
She inhaled deeply, and held onto her wits. She stepped out of the changing room, with a pink fluffy towel wrapped around her body.
Slowly, she walked to the shallow end, and touched the water with her toe. The water was nuke warm, but she knew for sure the deeper she went, the colder it would be.
Tossing the towel to the side, Usagi took out the scrunchy she had grabbed. She quickly pulled her hair into a high ponytail.
Grasping her courage, she surged right into the cold water. She broke into laughter, and at 4ft, dove in deeper.
She came up seconds later, and ran her hand over her face. She blinked several times, and kicked her legs back and forth to stay afloat.
She glanced around briefly, and still found herself alone. Thinking that her mind was playing tricks on her, she pulled her legs up to the surface, and floated on her back. Lightly kicking once and a while, she closed her eyes, and drifted.
He walked out from behind one o the curtains, and stood at the edge of the pool. He watched her closely, a softly smile on his face.
She looked so relaxed, so comfortable. She was drifting towards the deep end. Her arms were sprawled out at her sided, and her legs kicked every once and a while.
Her hair was like a golden flower petals around her head. Her face heart shaped, held no flaws. A perfect small nose, a tiny mouth, her peach lips pursed together. Her bangs had been pulled back, but a few wet strands were still plastered to her forehead.
He crouched down, and smirked. Her skin was flawless, and pale peach, but fair. She was dressed in only a two-piece. The top tied around at her neck, and it cupped her breasts nicely. The bottoms were also ties, at each hip, and they were both double knotted. The bathing suit was dark pink, with peach flower designs for decoration.
He stood back up, and glanced around. He then slipped off his shirt, then pulled off his jeans, and pulled of his sneakers and socks. Now only dressed in his swim trunks, he stepped back.
He gave her no warning. He quietly ran towards the end of the pool, and leaped up, and dove into the water.
Usagi was hit was a splash of water. She cried out, and was sucked down by it. She came for air, coughing and spluttering water. She rubbed her face, and looked around angrily.
She was startled, when a man came up fro air, right in front of her. She yanked back, still coughing. "What is wrong with you!"
His blonde hair was plastered to his face, and his eyes started right into her soul. She scowled, and covered her mouth, and she gagged on the inhaled water she had consumed.
He chuckled, "Sorry if I startled you ma'am. I didn't see you."
Usagi glanced around, "Where did you come from?" He pointed to the door, "Through there. The maid showed me in."
Usagi ran her fingers through her hair, and pulled farther away. She gracefully swam to the shallow end.
"Hey, don't leave on my account. Here, I'll go over here, and you wont even know I'm here."
Usagi glanced over her shoulder, and shook her head, "No, it's just that you scared me." He frowned, "I'm sorry ma'am." "Usagi."
"What was that ma'am?"
Usagi's lips twitched upward, "My name is Usagi. Call me that, not ma'am or miss okay." He nodded, his face breaking out into a grin. He swam towards her, and stood up in the shallow end. He was s good head and a half taller than her. He held out his hand, "Jadeite."
Usagi grinned, and took his hand, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Jadeite." He nodded, and bent down, and kissed the back of her hand. "No, the pleasure is all mine."
Usagi flushed with embarrassment, her cheeks turning red. "You're very kind."
He let go of her hand, and bowed gracefully, "Beautiful ladies should always be treated like princesses." Usagi rolled her eyes playfully. But before she could reply, he asked, "Would you like to join me for a swim?"
She contemplated it, before smirking. "Hai, I'd love to." Before he even got to register her words, her hand shot out, and she pushed him into the deep end.
She smirked, and set her hands on her hips, "And that's what you get for scaring me." A minute went by, and he didn't come up.
Usagi frowned, and walked in a little deeper. "Jadeite?" She glanced around franticly she couldn't see him anywhere. Worried, she moved into the deep end, and dove under.
Few seconds passed, and she came up for air. "Jadeite!" She gasped for air, her lungs burning. Then suddenly, two arms circled around her, and she pulled under with a yelp.
?????
She hurried down the halls, swinging the basket back and forth. Her face had lightened up into a bright smile. Her eyes glowing with eagerness.
She made her way to the back door, leading into the garden. She looked one last time at the clock, and nodded.
11:55
She pushed open the doors, and slipped out into the warm air. The sun was up high, and it rays fell upon her wrapping her up, like a mother would to her child.
She walked past the bench, and stopped in front of the roses. She stared at them for a second, and smiled. She laid out the blanket Ranshid, had let her borrow, and then set the picnic down as well. Glancing around, she seated herself, folding her legs underneath her.
She ran a wary hand through her hair, and was relieved it had dried completely after the shower and only was towel dried. She slipped off the white sandals, and set them on the grass.
She fidgeted for a second, and then shifted around. She ended up on her rump, and her knees pulled to her chest, with her arms wrapped around her legs. She gnawed on her bottom lip, waiting patiently, for him to arrive.
Her blue eyes landed softly on the red roses just a foot from where she was seated on the blanket. Curiously, she reached out to pluck one from its place.
Her fingers slide around the stem, and she pulled. She gasped in surprise, and tried to pull her hand away, or drop the rose, but an unknown force willed her to hold it. Her hand grasped it tighter, and her eyes flickered with pain. She brought the rose to her face, and inhaled the heavenly sent.
Her hand stung, and yet her body refused to do what her mind asked it to do. Tears formed in her eyes, and she could feel the thorns digging deeper into her skin. They tore her flesh, and droplets of blood seeped out.
She felt something come over her, as if something had opened a door to her mind, and walked in.
Her eyes drew blank, and she tilted her head to the side. Her lips parted, as if to speak. But only air passed over her peach colored lips. Then they moved, and a voice so quiet broke passed her lips, and died within the air before it could be heard.
"Usagi?"
As if a spell had been broken, she blinked her eyes changing back filled with life and pain. Her hand instinctively opened, and the rose fell to the floor.
She stared at her hand, and tears formed into her eyes. She tried to rid them, but slowly they began to fall. "What happened?"
He rushed towards her, and was on his knees in front of her. He took hold of her wrist gently, and stared at her palm. Blood still oozed slowly from the punctured wounds. He noted, that her hand was not decorated with small slits, and some torn into thin slashes, as if they had been cut with a blade.
She looked up from her hand, and stared deeply into his cerulean blue eyes. "I don't know what happened? I...I couldn't..." his fingers touched her lips, to silence her babble. He softly smiled, and stated calmly, "Lets go to the infirmary, and gets these disinfected."
She nodded, and whispered, "hai, artigato Quatre." They stood, and he asked, "For what?" Usagi leaned against him, and let him lead her to the infirmary, "Nothing."
As they left the garden the wind howled, and words trapped within the cyclone of whirling air, whispered among the bleeding rose. 'Even beauty has thorns.'