Chapter eighteen 'Time is Drawing Near'
The crashing of the sea, blocked out the sound of the world around her. High above her was the glorious Earth shining brightly as a star in its peak of light.
Towering over her, was the beautiful castle made of silver, shining like crystal. Large but graceful, it put the Earth's beauty to shame. All light colors, seemed to meld together as one splendid delicacy.
Emotions seemed to jumble together, and hit her all at once. A red rose in it's full bloom, brought out the sadness of the world, as each petal began to fall, and disappear into the mist that slithered into the clearing of the woods she stood in.
High above in the castle, a bright light flashed, as if trying to reach her, calling her to come. The urgency in the light, was so strong, it pulled her closer, and closer.
The mist began to lift, reaching to her knees, and the iciness of fear crept under her skin, and licked her bones. Just as quickly, the mist rose to her waist, and the intense heat of anger hit her in the face. She felt herself growing closer to the castle, as if it was so close, she could feel its presence just beyond the trees.
As the mist touched her breasts, she heard the roar of rage crackle in her ears, ordering her to stop, to not go any further than she had already gotten.
The mist rose passed her face, and she couldn't reach the castle anymore, as if her feet were frozen in place. Images swirled around in the mist, until she was trapped in a funnel. The petals sliced her flesh, as they touched her, and the light scorched her skin. The anger made her mind race in confusion, and the fear clutched her heart in a tight grip unwilling to let it go. The rage and everything all together, rung in her ears threatening to make her go insane, and voice seemed to bellow deep inside her mind, "Emotions are weak."
?????
"Emotions are weak."
The voice was so loud, that it rung in her ears, as if it had come from somewhere deep within her mind. She could still hear the voice echoing in her mind, as it bounced off the walls of her head, creating a pounding headache. And she realized, that the voice had come from somewhere deep inside her mind, but had been repeated outside in the world around her.
She opened her eyes slowly, and at first things spun before her eyes, making her blink. When she opened them again, she saw Quatre's face. He looked concerned, and worried, for what, she didn't know. She tried to smile, but the effort to even do that was too much strain.
Suddenly Quatre was jerked back, and Wufei's angry face appeared in her line of vision. She sunk back in the bed, as he looked at her with dark wild eyes. His mouth curled up into a snarl, as if was ready to leash out with a vicious attack. He saw her flinch from him, and it only made his anger rise to the roof.
"Baka onna. What are you trying to do scare us to death? You nearly seceded baka onna, Yui here nearly had a heart attack when Winner brought you in."
There was a grunt for a reply somewhere from the far corner of the room, and Wufei fought to keep the smirk off his face.
"Who do you think you are onna, throwing your hand into a display case. If you didn't like it, you could have just said so."
She fought against the darkness that tugged at her, and tried to speak. She tried to tell him, that she hadn't done what he said. She wasn't capable of such violence. She pushed back the memory of the man from the other night, and tried to focus on speaking. Only a hiss of air escaped between her teeth, and she moaned in pain. He body ached, her chest heaved with sobs.
'I didn't do it. Wufei, I couldn't have.' She saw Quatre now, and he was talking with Wufei. The world grew dark at the edges, and she saw the looked of disapproving gaze in Quatre's eyes.
She franticly searched her mind for her voice, to say that it wasn't her, and wanted to fight for herself. 'I didn't do it!'
'Yes you did.'
The voice didn't belong to her, but it did in some way. It came from deep within her own mind, and laughed mockingly at her.
She tried to shake her head in denial, to say that she didn't know what he was saying, and that the voice was wrong. 'Yes you did.'
Her head rolled to the side, as if another force had controlled it into doing so. She fought the tears, that threatened to break free, when she her hand. It was wrapped tight, by white bandaging, and a small stain of red, seemed to seep through.
She wanted to cry, and scream, and rant, that this couldn't be happening, that it was a mistake. Just as she was about let the darkness consume her whole, the image at the museum came back like a movie, playing itself out before her eyes. Tears burst from her eyes, and a sob bubbled up from her throat.
Wufei scowled, "Baka, onna, don't you dare cry on me. I won't stay, if you start to cry, I'll leave!"
She couldn't help them, the tears stung her eyes, and her throat ached with longing to cry out with throaty sobs. She closed her eyes, and tried to hide herself in the darkness. But before she could wallow in it, two rough hands shook her with jerky movements, and she was snapped back to reality.
Her eyes flared up, as if with new life, and she looked up at Wufei, and stared into the eternal darkness, of his black eyes. She latched onto him, before he could drop her back on the bed, and teach her a lesson not to try, and block out the world, like some coward. She held onto him like a lifeline, and felt the tears pour from her eyes in hot waves of despair.
Appalled, Wufei tried to pry her off of him, but couldn't seem to get her grip of him to weaken. "Baka onna!" She buried her head into his chest, and he felt the heat of her tears scorched his skin. He looked down at her, and watched her tremble.
He scowled, "Bachiatara onna dry your tears, and pull yourself together. This is no time to cry."
Usagi shook her head, and only clutched him tightly to her.
Quatre glared at Wufei, and felt his anger heightened, as he watched Usagi seek comfort from Wufei, who only insulted, and cussed at her. He glanced at Trowa, and saw the boy's eyes narrow into hard slits. Trowa's hands clenched, and unclenched, as he watched the two on the bed.
Heero glanced from Quatre, to Trowa, to Jadeite, and jabbed his thumb in the air to the door behind them.
Quatre looked uncertain, as if he was reluctant to leave her, but one look to Heero, had him scurrying out of the room, before the silent boy pulled out his gun, and threatened him to go.
Trowa on the other hand ignored him at first, and glared at Wufei's back, as the sting of jealousy slapped him across the face. His fists tightened, and he turned stalking out of the room silently.
Heero frowned at the tall boy's back, as realized what was happening around him. He looked at Usagi, and studied her in Wufei's arms. He could only see the mop of golden tresses, and watched as it shook with a true tremor of anguished sobs.
With a soft grunt, he turned, and left the room, answers would wait, but he wouldn't wait forever. Before he shut the door, he made sure Jadeite slipped out of the room. He eyed all of them out in the hall, and felt disgusted.
He shook his head, and stalked down the hall, with a huff of annoyance.
?????
She looked left then right, and frowned. She hated the simple fact that she was lost. Someone walked passed her, and she raised her hand slightly, to get the young man's attention, but he ignored her, and went on by.
She grunted with disgust, and started down the sidewalk. She passed several buildings, and little shops as she walked by. With a sigh, she looked across the street, and could see the reconstruction of the Peacecraft academy.
She frowned, "I wonder what happened there?"
She leaned against the wall of the small restaurant, and stared up at mountain, watching as the few of the workers bricked the walls together. "It was a fire...tragic really. Said it wasn't an accident. Tragic, just tragic."
She blinked, as an old woman hobbled by, using her cane to guide her along. A younger woman stood at her side, staring up at the late Peacecraft academy. "How does Queen Relena expect us to live peacefully, to live not in fright that a war might break out, if she can't even keep her home from burning down? I mean I heard that an assassin broke in, and tried to kill one of the students, her cousin in fact. Shame..."
The older woman nodded, and the two entered a small store to buy figures.
She stared after them, and couldn't help but feel angered, that the two doubted such a person as Relena. "So I am in the Cinq Kingdom... I wonder where Miss Relena is staying at now?"
She pushed herself from the wall, and stared down the road. Her heels clapped against the floor, as the wind ruffled up her lavender business suit. 'I don't understand how people can talk about Relena like that...she tries so hard, to achieve peace, and all they do is stab her in the back. She is so young...and is expected so much of by everyone in the world...just like..."
She frowned, "Like who?" She shook her head, and rubbed her eyes, hoping to clear her mind of fogged up thoughts.
She wasn't expecting it, and when it hit, she was ready to fall. It hit like a sledgehammer to a thin piece of glass. She fell to her hands and knees, skinning them both. She barely gasped, as spot dotted her vision, blinding out the world around her. She heard a faint question being asked in her ear, but she couldn't grasp the voice.
Her ebony black hair, with green highlights, fanned around her face, covering her so that no one saw the tears forming in her garnet rock like eyes.
She dug her nails into the cement, as a headache pounded her head to a bloody pulp, threatening to destroy her mind.
She wanted to scream, but her voice died in her throat. She choked on a sob that bubbled out from deep within her.
A bright light cut off her vision, and an image flashed, darkening everything else. Her lips parted in a silent scream, as the image evolved into a picture of a young woman, with long golden blonde hair falling loosely. It was whipped around in the wind, snapping at the air, with angry hisses. Her eyes seemingly dead, stared out at the darkened sky, and her clothes all tattered and torn, were barely hanging onto her small frame. "Does that mean that to end all struggles, everything must die?"
The image melded into another, the same girl standing strong, her body in tatters, blood smearing her beautiful skin. "Is it my turn to swing the sickle of death?"
A soft voice asked, "Because...it's necessary. Does that make it right?"
A younger voice cried out in despair, "That...that cant be..." a fleeting image of a child seemed to slide by, "That is the only way... ... to bring peace to this Galaxy. That is the ONLY way."
The girl from before, then spoke, her voice calm, holding very little life to it, "But even if this galaxy dies... a new Cauldron will be born somewhere."
The images seemed to flash before her eyes now, slipped by before she could grasp the image... to be able to understand it. Then the same image as before...
She stood there tall, brave, and ready for a fight, and to defend those she loved. "There will be another future. Light and darkness will be born again."
"A new future will always be created."
Slowly the image began to fade, leaving her alone in the darkness. 'She needs you.' It was her voice; her voice inside her head, sounding much older, much wiser, but it was hers. 'Usagi needs you.'
She blinked, and she saw the concrete of the sidewalk she was on. She blinked again, and could still bring the image of the young woman to her mind. The woman, looked so alone, so afraid, but strong, and determined to fight to the death.
'She needs you.'
She climbed to her feet, and looked around. People passing by glanced at her strangely, but she ignored them, and head towards her destination. She wasn't sure where her feet where taking her, but she was sure it was to Usagi.
The crashing of the sea, blocked out the sound of the world around her. High above her was the glorious Earth shining brightly as a star in its peak of light.
Towering over her, was the beautiful castle made of silver, shining like crystal. Large but graceful, it put the Earth's beauty to shame. All light colors, seemed to meld together as one splendid delicacy.
Emotions seemed to jumble together, and hit her all at once. A red rose in it's full bloom, brought out the sadness of the world, as each petal began to fall, and disappear into the mist that slithered into the clearing of the woods she stood in.
High above in the castle, a bright light flashed, as if trying to reach her, calling her to come. The urgency in the light, was so strong, it pulled her closer, and closer.
The mist began to lift, reaching to her knees, and the iciness of fear crept under her skin, and licked her bones. Just as quickly, the mist rose to her waist, and the intense heat of anger hit her in the face. She felt herself growing closer to the castle, as if it was so close, she could feel its presence just beyond the trees.
As the mist touched her breasts, she heard the roar of rage crackle in her ears, ordering her to stop, to not go any further than she had already gotten.
The mist rose passed her face, and she couldn't reach the castle anymore, as if her feet were frozen in place. Images swirled around in the mist, until she was trapped in a funnel. The petals sliced her flesh, as they touched her, and the light scorched her skin. The anger made her mind race in confusion, and the fear clutched her heart in a tight grip unwilling to let it go. The rage and everything all together, rung in her ears threatening to make her go insane, and voice seemed to bellow deep inside her mind, "Emotions are weak."
?????
"Emotions are weak."
The voice was so loud, that it rung in her ears, as if it had come from somewhere deep within her mind. She could still hear the voice echoing in her mind, as it bounced off the walls of her head, creating a pounding headache. And she realized, that the voice had come from somewhere deep inside her mind, but had been repeated outside in the world around her.
She opened her eyes slowly, and at first things spun before her eyes, making her blink. When she opened them again, she saw Quatre's face. He looked concerned, and worried, for what, she didn't know. She tried to smile, but the effort to even do that was too much strain.
Suddenly Quatre was jerked back, and Wufei's angry face appeared in her line of vision. She sunk back in the bed, as he looked at her with dark wild eyes. His mouth curled up into a snarl, as if was ready to leash out with a vicious attack. He saw her flinch from him, and it only made his anger rise to the roof.
"Baka onna. What are you trying to do scare us to death? You nearly seceded baka onna, Yui here nearly had a heart attack when Winner brought you in."
There was a grunt for a reply somewhere from the far corner of the room, and Wufei fought to keep the smirk off his face.
"Who do you think you are onna, throwing your hand into a display case. If you didn't like it, you could have just said so."
She fought against the darkness that tugged at her, and tried to speak. She tried to tell him, that she hadn't done what he said. She wasn't capable of such violence. She pushed back the memory of the man from the other night, and tried to focus on speaking. Only a hiss of air escaped between her teeth, and she moaned in pain. He body ached, her chest heaved with sobs.
'I didn't do it. Wufei, I couldn't have.' She saw Quatre now, and he was talking with Wufei. The world grew dark at the edges, and she saw the looked of disapproving gaze in Quatre's eyes.
She franticly searched her mind for her voice, to say that it wasn't her, and wanted to fight for herself. 'I didn't do it!'
'Yes you did.'
The voice didn't belong to her, but it did in some way. It came from deep within her own mind, and laughed mockingly at her.
She tried to shake her head in denial, to say that she didn't know what he was saying, and that the voice was wrong. 'Yes you did.'
Her head rolled to the side, as if another force had controlled it into doing so. She fought the tears, that threatened to break free, when she her hand. It was wrapped tight, by white bandaging, and a small stain of red, seemed to seep through.
She wanted to cry, and scream, and rant, that this couldn't be happening, that it was a mistake. Just as she was about let the darkness consume her whole, the image at the museum came back like a movie, playing itself out before her eyes. Tears burst from her eyes, and a sob bubbled up from her throat.
Wufei scowled, "Baka, onna, don't you dare cry on me. I won't stay, if you start to cry, I'll leave!"
She couldn't help them, the tears stung her eyes, and her throat ached with longing to cry out with throaty sobs. She closed her eyes, and tried to hide herself in the darkness. But before she could wallow in it, two rough hands shook her with jerky movements, and she was snapped back to reality.
Her eyes flared up, as if with new life, and she looked up at Wufei, and stared into the eternal darkness, of his black eyes. She latched onto him, before he could drop her back on the bed, and teach her a lesson not to try, and block out the world, like some coward. She held onto him like a lifeline, and felt the tears pour from her eyes in hot waves of despair.
Appalled, Wufei tried to pry her off of him, but couldn't seem to get her grip of him to weaken. "Baka onna!" She buried her head into his chest, and he felt the heat of her tears scorched his skin. He looked down at her, and watched her tremble.
He scowled, "Bachiatara onna dry your tears, and pull yourself together. This is no time to cry."
Usagi shook her head, and only clutched him tightly to her.
Quatre glared at Wufei, and felt his anger heightened, as he watched Usagi seek comfort from Wufei, who only insulted, and cussed at her. He glanced at Trowa, and saw the boy's eyes narrow into hard slits. Trowa's hands clenched, and unclenched, as he watched the two on the bed.
Heero glanced from Quatre, to Trowa, to Jadeite, and jabbed his thumb in the air to the door behind them.
Quatre looked uncertain, as if he was reluctant to leave her, but one look to Heero, had him scurrying out of the room, before the silent boy pulled out his gun, and threatened him to go.
Trowa on the other hand ignored him at first, and glared at Wufei's back, as the sting of jealousy slapped him across the face. His fists tightened, and he turned stalking out of the room silently.
Heero frowned at the tall boy's back, as realized what was happening around him. He looked at Usagi, and studied her in Wufei's arms. He could only see the mop of golden tresses, and watched as it shook with a true tremor of anguished sobs.
With a soft grunt, he turned, and left the room, answers would wait, but he wouldn't wait forever. Before he shut the door, he made sure Jadeite slipped out of the room. He eyed all of them out in the hall, and felt disgusted.
He shook his head, and stalked down the hall, with a huff of annoyance.
?????
She looked left then right, and frowned. She hated the simple fact that she was lost. Someone walked passed her, and she raised her hand slightly, to get the young man's attention, but he ignored her, and went on by.
She grunted with disgust, and started down the sidewalk. She passed several buildings, and little shops as she walked by. With a sigh, she looked across the street, and could see the reconstruction of the Peacecraft academy.
She frowned, "I wonder what happened there?"
She leaned against the wall of the small restaurant, and stared up at mountain, watching as the few of the workers bricked the walls together. "It was a fire...tragic really. Said it wasn't an accident. Tragic, just tragic."
She blinked, as an old woman hobbled by, using her cane to guide her along. A younger woman stood at her side, staring up at the late Peacecraft academy. "How does Queen Relena expect us to live peacefully, to live not in fright that a war might break out, if she can't even keep her home from burning down? I mean I heard that an assassin broke in, and tried to kill one of the students, her cousin in fact. Shame..."
The older woman nodded, and the two entered a small store to buy figures.
She stared after them, and couldn't help but feel angered, that the two doubted such a person as Relena. "So I am in the Cinq Kingdom... I wonder where Miss Relena is staying at now?"
She pushed herself from the wall, and stared down the road. Her heels clapped against the floor, as the wind ruffled up her lavender business suit. 'I don't understand how people can talk about Relena like that...she tries so hard, to achieve peace, and all they do is stab her in the back. She is so young...and is expected so much of by everyone in the world...just like..."
She frowned, "Like who?" She shook her head, and rubbed her eyes, hoping to clear her mind of fogged up thoughts.
She wasn't expecting it, and when it hit, she was ready to fall. It hit like a sledgehammer to a thin piece of glass. She fell to her hands and knees, skinning them both. She barely gasped, as spot dotted her vision, blinding out the world around her. She heard a faint question being asked in her ear, but she couldn't grasp the voice.
Her ebony black hair, with green highlights, fanned around her face, covering her so that no one saw the tears forming in her garnet rock like eyes.
She dug her nails into the cement, as a headache pounded her head to a bloody pulp, threatening to destroy her mind.
She wanted to scream, but her voice died in her throat. She choked on a sob that bubbled out from deep within her.
A bright light cut off her vision, and an image flashed, darkening everything else. Her lips parted in a silent scream, as the image evolved into a picture of a young woman, with long golden blonde hair falling loosely. It was whipped around in the wind, snapping at the air, with angry hisses. Her eyes seemingly dead, stared out at the darkened sky, and her clothes all tattered and torn, were barely hanging onto her small frame. "Does that mean that to end all struggles, everything must die?"
The image melded into another, the same girl standing strong, her body in tatters, blood smearing her beautiful skin. "Is it my turn to swing the sickle of death?"
A soft voice asked, "Because...it's necessary. Does that make it right?"
A younger voice cried out in despair, "That...that cant be..." a fleeting image of a child seemed to slide by, "That is the only way... ... to bring peace to this Galaxy. That is the ONLY way."
The girl from before, then spoke, her voice calm, holding very little life to it, "But even if this galaxy dies... a new Cauldron will be born somewhere."
The images seemed to flash before her eyes now, slipped by before she could grasp the image... to be able to understand it. Then the same image as before...
She stood there tall, brave, and ready for a fight, and to defend those she loved. "There will be another future. Light and darkness will be born again."
"A new future will always be created."
Slowly the image began to fade, leaving her alone in the darkness. 'She needs you.' It was her voice; her voice inside her head, sounding much older, much wiser, but it was hers. 'Usagi needs you.'
She blinked, and she saw the concrete of the sidewalk she was on. She blinked again, and could still bring the image of the young woman to her mind. The woman, looked so alone, so afraid, but strong, and determined to fight to the death.
'She needs you.'
She climbed to her feet, and looked around. People passing by glanced at her strangely, but she ignored them, and head towards her destination. She wasn't sure where her feet where taking her, but she was sure it was to Usagi.