A Double Edged Sword Part 13
A Clear Vision
by
Sailor Janus
'Escape. It sounds like such a wonderful word but why hasn't any good come to it?' Hotaru thought as she shifted the weight of her heavy bag. The girl had been gone for almost an hour trying to make her way to the train station. Of course with what little money she had, Hotaru knew it wouldn't take her too far.
"Why am I doing this?! I don't even know where I can go let alone actually buy food and find a place to stay," the violet-eyed girl sighed as she came to a stop at a park bench. "Why can't things suddenly become better? I can't stand this!"
Hotaru's communicator then began to beep, but instead of answering it, she took it off and shoved in deep into her bag, muffling the sound.
Just then she saw a girl her age with long curly burgundy hair wearing a short blue dress and appeared to look rather confused.
"Deidera!" Hotaru called out, startling the teenager, "What are you doing here?"
"Hi, Hotaru, I was about to ask you the same exact thing," the green-eyed girl smiled as she ran up to Hotaru. "Do you want to get some tea or ice cream, or something?"
The dark-haired girl's eyes brightened at the question. "Sure," Hotaru smiled as she stood up and together the girls went to find a place to eat at.
"So do you always carry all your worldly possessions with you or is it just special for today?" Deidera asked as she flipped a strand of hair out of her eyes. '"You're running away aren't you."
Hotaru's face reddened at the question. Taking a deep breath she replied, "Yeah. Everything has just gotten out of control. Something is going terribly wrong and now everyone is pretty freaked. Basically it's a mixture of things concerning my friends and…. my father."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"I just feel like everything is my fault and that escape right now is my only solution," the dark-haired girl continued on.
Deidera giggled slightly. "I know the feeling. You try your hardest to do good and then BOOM! It becomes even worse than before. Everyone thinks I'm trouble. The kids at school, people on the street, and even my own spinster of an aunt who I live with. She doesn't care about me. Hell, half the time, she doesn't even feed me. I have to fend for myself. The only thing she does care about was the money my dead parents left in the will."
Hotaru kicked a stone in the road as she continued her rant. "It's just so unfair! I'm the youngest of my friends so naturally no one asks my opinion and of course there is always the comments on how much of a handful I can be!"
"At least you have friends. Try searching country after country for basically a sense of belonging and when you think you finally found it, expecting everyone to welcome you with open arms, they instead turn their backs on you and give you a trial!" the burgundy-haired girl bitterly said as she threw her hands up in the air.
"Well, they did try to kill me when they discovered who I was," Hotaru softly said. She didn't really understand why she was going to tell Deidera who she was, but the new girl was a sailor senshi after all. Maybe she'd have some answers as far as what was going on.
Deidera froze in her tracks then stared at Hotaru wide-eyed. "Wait...you're...you're....you're one of them! You are one of the sailor senshi I met when I got my powers," she whispered sotly so no one could over hear the conversation.
The other girl nodded her head. "Yes, Janus. I'm Sailor Saturn. I was one of the ones that defended you against the other outer senshi."
"So were they the ones that tried to kill you?"
Hotaru nodded quietly. "Yes, it was a big misunderstanding, and a very long story."
"Well, I know who to avoid at all costs. Hope that's not their way of being friendly, yeesh," Deidera shuddered then giggled. She tossed her curls behind one shoulder and smiled at Hotaru. "At least I know one person accepts me for who I am."
The senshi of Saturn smiled back. "Don't worry. They're not always like that."
"You mean they DO know how to be nice in a normal sense?"
"Yes they do," Hotaru laughed then paused in thought. "Deidera, do you know who you are? What you symbolize?"
The girl sighed in response. "It's a little confusing. I-I really don't know. For some reason, it feels like something is blocking my memories."
Hotaru smiled and grabbed her friend's hand. "Come on. I have an idea," she said as she dragged her friend in the opposite direction.
"Where-where are we going?" Deidera asked as she was trying to keep up.
"To transform. I have a feeling it might help you remember a few things that should prove to be important."
*~*~*~*
Yuuichirou Kumada was busy sweeping the grounds of the shrine even though it was Rei's job, but he didn't mind. She had practically begged him to finish up her chores because there was something more important that she had to do, and then promptly left to do another fire reading.
The tall dark-haired man didn't understand why she was constantly running to the hospital and then as soon as she returned, she continued her fire readings. Sometimes Yuuichirou had even heard her shout out in frustration. He often wondered why she was doing the readings more than usual, but shrugged off the thought. He knew the raven-haired girl would never tell him.
The rock star was lost in his own thoughts when suddenly a loud noise that sounded like a gunshot, rang through the air.
"Wow! That sounded close. I better go check on Rei," he said to himself as he threw down the rake and raced up to the shrine where Rei normally did her fire readings.
"Hey, Rei! Did you hear something that sounded like a gun shot?" Yuuichirou asked as he ran into the room and then froze at the sight of the girl lying very still on the ground. "Rei? Are you okay?"
Slowly the man inched toward the girl and then gaped at the sight of blood. "REI! NOOOO!" he cried out as he reached out to turn her over.
"Please don't be dead! Rei! Are you still alive?! Speak to me!"
The dark-haired girl's closed eyes twitched as she slowly opened them, only to come face to face with a very frantic Yuuichirou. "Kamada?"
"Rei! You're still alive! Who did this to you! I'll kill them!"
The girl attempted to sit up but a sharp pain forced her down. "Ow, please call the hospital. I need a doctor now!"
The man looked quizzically at Rei and where she was bleeding. "But didn't you get shot in the heart?"
Raye was now very aggravated because of the pain. "She missed. She got me in the shoulder instead. Now call the hospital!"
*~*~*~*
"So where are we going?" Deidera asked as Hotaru led her to wherever she was taking them.
"To my house that way we can transform without anyone else seeing," Hotaru answered as she glanced at Deidera who was cradling her hand, trying to stop the bleeding. "What happened to your hand? It's bleeding."
"Oh, I accidentally cut it on some glass. I guess it opened up again."
Hotaru stopped and turned towards her friend. Suddenly her hand began to glow and she gently placed it on Deidera's cut before taking her hand away. The cut was completely healed.
"Wow! Cool trick! I wish I had powers like that. All I can do is write spooky poetry, which lately I don't even know where it comes from. It just appears. Not very useful, but kinda entertaining."
Hotaru smiled as she continued walking towards her home. "That is also the power that alienated me from all the kids at school. They thought it was weird and that I was witch or something. So they were afraid, and stayed away from me."
"Well, my poetry keeps other people away. They just find it too dark and disturbing. Like my latest one."
"Can I see it?" Hotaru curiously asked.
"Sure." Deidera took out her notebook and flipped it to the right page before handing it to Hotaru.
Humiliate me. Beat me. Change me. Control me. You try. Tear me down so I become ashamed of whom I am. Make me want to cry, die, and even kill. But you will not rule me. I will regain control once again and it will be your undoing. I will never become you. We are two separate entities which I will sacrifice my own self to prevent what you have chosen to be the future. Alone and only with my humility and will, I shall destroy you. Even if it takes my last breath.
Hotaru blinked at the words on the paper. "Wow."
"I know. I don't even remember writing it. To think I used to write such nice poems about love and dreams, now it's nothing but death, and hate," Deidera sighed as she took her notebook back.
"Look, we're here."
*~*~*~*
Mamoru was lost in thought about Usagi as he drove back to his apartment when he suddenly smelled smoke. "What in the world?" he said as he glanced up at the building next to him. It was Makoto's apartment.
"I have a bad feeling about this," the man said as he pulled over and jumped out of the car. With lightening speed he tore through the doors of the building and heading up the long flight of stairs.
"Please let it be a false alarm! I can't take anymore trips to the hospital," Mamoru gasped as he finally reached the brunette's floor.
Racing through the hallway, he came to a stop at Makoto's door smelling the familiar odor of smoke.
"No! Makoto! Let me in!" Mamoru screamed out as he pounded on the door. 'Why haven't the smoke detectors gone off yet?!'
"Need a key?"
Turning around the young man came face to face with Setsuna holding out a silver key.
"Setsuna!"
"Here, let me do it," the woman said as she quickly unlocked the door then pushed the door open as she cover her mouth and nose with her sleeve. Mamoru shoved past her, he too, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve.
"MAKOTO! WHERE ARE YOU?!" the two adults yelled out as they ran into the small apartment and headed towards the kitchen. It didn't take long before they found the girl's motionless figure sprawled out on the tile floor.
Quickly Mamoru picked up the emerald-eyed girl and rushed out of the apartment as Setsuna doused the flames with a fire extinguisher.
Gently the tall dark-haired man placed Makoto on the floor outside her apartment door. "Makoto. Mako, wake up!"
Slowly the girl opened her eyes and began coughing just as Setsuna left the apartment as well.
"Fire is out. What happened, Makoto? It was Kalika wasn't it," the green-haired woman calmly said as the coughing girl sat up.
"Yeah it was her. Damn, that witch! She hit me over the head with something and set the fire to make sure I wouldn't come out of there alive I guess," the senshi of thunder bitterly said as she continued to choke on the smoke.
"She must have disabled the smoke detectors as well. There was more than enough smoke to set them off," Mamoru mentioned as the two women nodded their heads in agreement.
"Do you remember if she said anything to you?" Setsuna asked as she and Mamoru helped Makoto to her feet.
"Not anything important. No. She just mocked the fact that I can cook. Hmph! She probably can't even boil water!"
Suddenly Setsuna and Makoto's communicators went off. It was Minako.
"Get to the hospital fast! Yuuichirou told me that someone shot Rei!"
The three friends exchanged glances and sighed. "Looks like Kalika has been a busy girl. I'll drive," Mamoru said as they headed down the stairs.
*~*~*~*
Lord Cacus stared at the orb flashing Kalika's recent ventures or what he preferred to call, failures. Angrily he smashed it down, breaking it in the process.
"I do not understand! Why isn't she killing them? She just goes so far and stops, why?!" the outraged man said as he turned to a glass cylinder. "And dear Janus, how dare you meddle with my affairs! I'm just glad I caught you after the fire incident when I did."
The girl glared at him. "I do not know how you managed to capture me, but I will not stay in this form for long. Deidera shall awaken once again and I will be set free. You will never win," Sailor Janus calmly said, from the clear glass that she was imprisoned in.
"Yes, but not before it's too late. You can no longer hold her back. Her next strike will be a kill!"
The burgundy-haired senshi stood firmly and stared at him silently. She knew that he was right. Since he gained access to the bracelets, with the aid of Hypnosia he managed to tear her completely from Deidera, leaving only Deidera herself and Kalika, in full control. The two-sided senshi hoped the girl had enough strength to keep control. 'If only she could remember to transform, then Kalika could be put temporarily out of commission until I can gain access to my power bracelets. Take care everyone. I only hope that I bought Rei enough time to realize her vision.'
*~*~*~*
Mamoru, Setsuna, and Makoto arrived at the hospital around the same time Usagi, Minako, Ami, and Michiru had arrived. Usagi and Michiru were released from the hospital fully healed the other day and everyone agreed that they looked much better.
The hospital staff glanced quizzically at the group who were rushing up to the reception desk to find out what room Rei was in.
"Back again?! You guys seem to be here everyday!" the short blonde haired woman said. "Alright. Who is it this time?"
"Miss Rei Hino," Setsuna firmly said as the others crowded up behind her.
"Right. She is on the same room your other friend Miss Haruka Tenoh is in. Please, be more careful with whatever is causing these constant visits."
With a quick thank you, they ran to the elevator and punched in the floor number.
"Geez, she acts like we've been here everyday," Minako grumbled, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Um, that's because we have," Ami winced.
Minako blinked. "Right. I guess she did have a point there."
"Hopefully, this will be the last time we'll be racing to someone's room," Makoto nodded.
Just then the doors opened and the senshi once again, raced back to Haruka's room.
*~*~*~*
"Rei! Are you okay?! We were so worried!" Usagi cried out as she threw her arms around her best friend who was wincing in slight pain.
"Ow! Usagi! I'll be okay once you stop hugging me!" the dark-haired girl said as her friend blushed and wrapped her arms around Mamoru instead.
"At least they placed you in the same room as Haruka. That way, we can still discuss further on the recent tragedies," Ami pointed out as she took a seat in a very uncomfortable plastic chair.
"Yeah, that is what I want to talk to you guys about."
"So Rei, where did she shoot you?" Minako asked looking very interested.
"In the shoulder but that's not the point!"
"She tried to cremate me in my apartment! That witch! Do you even know how long it's going to take me to get that burnt smell out?!" Makoto announced as she crossed her arms.
"Guys-"
"She seems to like being creative in her murder attempts. I wonder what she'll plan next?" Michiru said as she sat next to Haruka on the bed.
"Listen-"
"At least she has been unsuccessful so far," Ami added.
Finally Rei couldn't take being interrupted any longer and lost it. "CAN YOU PLEASE SHUT UP! I HAVE SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY!"
The room suddenly fell silent as everyone looked very embarrassed.
"As I was saying, I think I had a vision before I was attacked."
"What was it? Did it tell you who we are dealing with?" Haruka asked as she sat up, looking intently at the fiery girl in the bed next to hers.
"It's hard to explain what was happening but I was in a room with red lighting and there was this girl wearing one of the sad tragedy masks. She seemed really desolate for some reason. She said 'It was not me' or something like that and that we can't stop her alone and then something about only gold and silver can put an end to this. Then suddenly she fell to the ground and another girl but appeared where she stood. She seemed really evil and said, 'It's too late and we can not stop her dark lord.' She was also wearing the grinning comedy mask but it looked very sinister on her."
"Wow, so do you know who it might be, Rei?" Usagi questioned her friend who nodded in response.
"I know that the evil one was Kalika. She had the same dark hair and golden eyes. The other girl I 'm not sure." Rei gazed at the group but realized someone was missing. "Where's Hotaru by the way?"
"We don't know. She hasn't answered her communicator," Michiru softly said as she looked at her friends.
"You don't think something happened to her do you?" Haruka nervously said.
"I hope not. She may not be weak anymore, or a child but she is still as vulnerable as the rest of us." Setsuna said with a worried look on her face.
During the conversation, Rei continued to think back to her vision and the sorrowful girl. 'There is something oddly familiar about her, but what is it?' Suddenly she gasped. "I know who the other girl is but we have to find Hotaru!"
*~*~*~*
"Wow! Your room looks so amazing!" Deidera exclaimed as she looked around at the lamps dimly lighting the room.
"Yeah, dad, even said he'd let me paint my room lilac or lavender if I wanted," Hotaru beamed as her friend spun around the room.
"Must be nice. To have someone who cares about you I mean. My aunt, let me keep my room decorated the way I liked, but that was it. Much better than the completely white walls. Reminded me too much of a mental institution."
"Do want anything to eat or drink? I could get some tea," the dark haired girl said as she dropped her backpack in her closet.
"Sure. Tea would be nice," Deidera smiled as Hotaru set off to make tea.
"Ow, not again," Deidera winced in pain as her head began to pound profusely. Dizziness soon took over and suddenly she collapsed to the carpeted floor.
*~*~*~*
"I hope she like green tea, because that's all I can find," Hotaru softly said to herself.
"Actually, I prefer a good shot of vodka but that's just me."
Hotaru spun around and gasped only to come face to face with a dark-haired woman with dark red streaks in her hair holding a deadly looking knife.
"How did you get in here?!" the violet-eyed girl demanded of Kalika who snickered in response.
"That's my little secret, sweetie. Just like my real identity and my mission."
Slowly Hotaru placed her hand in her pocket in search of her henshin wand, and then grimaced when she realized that it was still in her bag.
"Little girl forget her toy in her bag? That's too bad, but it'll be even worse when you dirty up your father's nice clean kitchen floor with your blood," Kalika mocked as she twirled the knife in her hand.
Hotaru stared at the woman. 'Okay, I should be able to handle her, if only I knew martial arts! All I have to do remember what Haruka taught me, and I should be okay.'
"Oh is that your father?" the woman asked as she pointed behind Hotaru.
The girl's eyes widened as she turned around only to her horror, Kalika, fooled her and stabbed her to the stomach instead.
"False alarm," she sneered pulling the knife out of Hotaru's stomach as the girl gasped and then crumbled to the ground.