Duet
by Zandrellia - zandrellia@excite.com
Usagi has a school project where she has to sing but
she also needs a male counter part. Who will it be
and what will happen?
***
Usagi sat in the most uncomfortable chair in existance
with her head laying on the bed next to Mamoru. Her eyes
were closed and her face was stained with tears but she
didn't sleep.. she couldn't.
The sound of the respirator and the various beepings of
moitors formed a sickening tune around her that became
all too familiar to her much too fast. She listned as the
people outside in the hall spoke in strained whispers.
They did their best to keep their conversation from her
but she could hear it all. Hear how the doctors were
afraid he might not make it. The wonderment from her
parents who still had no idea what had happened or if
she was all right.
Her friends kept prodding the doctor for clues, trying to
figure out where she was. -Don't they know how much pain
he is in?! Stop worrying about me and think about those
who really matter!-
She opened her eyes slowly and looked up at the sleeping
Mamoru on the bed. Leaning over she kissed him on the
forehead, just like she had this morning.
A scream from her mother and a bellow from her father in
the hall caused her to turn towards the doorway.
Apparently her family had just been informed of what had
happened.
Usagi shuffled over to the door and opened it slowly. Her
friends and family were shocked to see her in such a
condition. Hair was tattered and stuck to her face and
neck. Her clothes were stingy and clung to her skin like
paper mache.
"Could you please keep it down? He's still sleeping and
doesn't need to wake up to screams." After saying this
she turned and went back into the room, closing the door
behind her.
***
Everyone stood there in quiet shock and confusion after
Usagi went into the room again.
"Who is 'he'?" Kenji asked the doctor nearest to him. The
young intern fidgeted nervously but smiled and picked
up his clipboard.
After flipping through a page or two he responded. "Ah..
Chiba Mamoru. He was the one who was shot. According to
your daughter's testimony Mr. Chiba shoved her out of the
way before she could be hit. He most definetly saved her
life. Unfortunately, it may be at the expense of his
own."
"Why do you say that?" Makoto asked as the news sunk in.
"The bullet went through here." He pointed to a point in
his lower left shoulder. "However, it went clear through
the tissue and ended up here. We haven't been able to
determine just where it is yet and there's a chance it
may be causing serious damage to any number of organs."
His finger traced along his shoulder and went just under
the shoulderblade to the tissue just next to the heart.
"As you can see, this isn't a very good place for a
foreign object to be floating about. We'll do the best we
can but I'm afraid one of you will have to convince Usagi
that she needs a check up as well."
"You mean she hasn't had one already?! She could be
hurt!" Ikuko wailed and stared at the doctor with a
burning glare.
"Well.. she won't leave Mr.Chiba's side and we can't
force her if she voluntarily refuses treatment. Only one
of you should go. Prefferably someone who is not overly
emotional. She's already been through a great deal." His
beeper went off and he glared at it. How he hated it.
"If you will excuse me, I'm needed elsewhere at the
moment."
At that time three nurses came up and opened the door.
Usagi was seen sitting in the chair, motionless, staring
at Mamoru with her hand in his. She turned mechanically
as the nurses began to unplug the monitors and move the
bed.
"Where are you going?!" Fresh tears began to stream down
her face as they began to push the bed towards the door.
One of the nurses came up to her and smiled.
"Relax. We're going to help him and take very good care
of him, I promise. We just need some x-rays and then
he'll be right back. It won't take but a few moments."
Her pale brown eyes stared down at Usagi and comforted
her as best they could.
The blonde nodded absently and began to sob quietly as
Ami came into the room, the door swinging close behind
her. "It's all my fault! Why is it that whenever I make
a mistake the people I care about have to suffer?!"
As intelligent as Ami was her knowledge of emotion was
very limited and so she had no answer for her greiving
friend. Taking a step forward she was about to embrace
Usagi when a glittering light came from the empty space
in the room where Mamoru's bed used to be.
A tall, slender woman who looked remarkably like Usagi
came through the light followed by a slightly shorter
woman who looked very similar to both Usagi and the woman
but had an exotic difference about her. The blue haired
girl inhaled sharply as she saw the glowing moon insigna
on both the women's foreheads.
The tallest, and apparently elder woman, had long flowing
silver hair that came from two odangos. Her head was
topped by a simple silver crown which matched the long
rod she held in her delicate hand. Ami had never seen
someone with such poise and natural grace before.
Her gown was white, just like the girl's but it had no
sleeves and the front had a bow with a golden crecent
moon pinned onto it. The dress was much more form fitting
and gave a flowing appearance to her movements.
Ami turned her gaze to the girl and her unusual but very
suiting looks. Her hair was also long and done in two
odangos, however there were two obvious differences. Her
odangos were elongated to points instead of round balls,
and her hair was a remarkable shade of pink.
The girl turned to smile at Ami and the young woman was
shocked to see the vibrant ruby tones in the girl's eyes.
Her dress looked just like the one the moon princess was
said to wear. Luna had described it to her in great
detail before.
-I wonder who they are?- She questioned silently as she
watched the elder woman step up to a weeping Usagi.
"Do not cry, my daughter. You are well, are you not?"
The blonde looked up at the strange woman and shook her
head. She only heard half of what the woman had said but
she knew her answer. "No.. I am not well. I feel his pain
inside of my heart as if we are one. I have no way to
explain it and I do not wish the pain to leave until I
know he is well but it hurts just the same. It hurts..
so much."
The woman smiled and nodded. "Shush now, Serenity. You
are in safe keeping and your prince will return to you.
We will assure it. Go with Ami and let the doctors see to
your health. You must be at your best for your love's
arrival." When she finished she kissed her fingertips and
placed them on Usagi's forehead. It glowed slightly as
the moon shimmered into being but faded as soon as she
removed her touch.
Usagi slumped over onto the chair. The younger woman
smiled at Ami again. "Take care of her. All of the senshi
must do this. See that she is all right and that they are
happy together. My existance relies on this." She reached
up and touched Ami on her forehead as well, the symbol
for mercury burned for a moment and then.. they were gone.
Ami shook her head as she went up to the weeping Usagi.
-There's something I'm..forgetting. Hmm..-
The blonde looked up. "Ami.. will you take me to get my
examination? I don't want to go alone."
The blue haired girl smiled and nodded. "Of course, come
on Usagi." She lead her friend out of the room. They
found the doctor and he smiled.
"What made you change your mind Usagi?" He joked, not
really expecting an answer.
Her eyes glazed over for a moment and she smiled. "I have
to be at my best for my love's arrival."
Ami shook herself as she followed the two to another
room. -I could have sworn I had heard that before
somewhere.-
***End Part Seventeen***
by Zandrellia - zandrellia@excite.com
Usagi has a school project where she has to sing but
she also needs a male counter part. Who will it be
and what will happen?
***
Usagi sat in the most uncomfortable chair in existance
with her head laying on the bed next to Mamoru. Her eyes
were closed and her face was stained with tears but she
didn't sleep.. she couldn't.
The sound of the respirator and the various beepings of
moitors formed a sickening tune around her that became
all too familiar to her much too fast. She listned as the
people outside in the hall spoke in strained whispers.
They did their best to keep their conversation from her
but she could hear it all. Hear how the doctors were
afraid he might not make it. The wonderment from her
parents who still had no idea what had happened or if
she was all right.
Her friends kept prodding the doctor for clues, trying to
figure out where she was. -Don't they know how much pain
he is in?! Stop worrying about me and think about those
who really matter!-
She opened her eyes slowly and looked up at the sleeping
Mamoru on the bed. Leaning over she kissed him on the
forehead, just like she had this morning.
A scream from her mother and a bellow from her father in
the hall caused her to turn towards the doorway.
Apparently her family had just been informed of what had
happened.
Usagi shuffled over to the door and opened it slowly. Her
friends and family were shocked to see her in such a
condition. Hair was tattered and stuck to her face and
neck. Her clothes were stingy and clung to her skin like
paper mache.
"Could you please keep it down? He's still sleeping and
doesn't need to wake up to screams." After saying this
she turned and went back into the room, closing the door
behind her.
***
Everyone stood there in quiet shock and confusion after
Usagi went into the room again.
"Who is 'he'?" Kenji asked the doctor nearest to him. The
young intern fidgeted nervously but smiled and picked
up his clipboard.
After flipping through a page or two he responded. "Ah..
Chiba Mamoru. He was the one who was shot. According to
your daughter's testimony Mr. Chiba shoved her out of the
way before she could be hit. He most definetly saved her
life. Unfortunately, it may be at the expense of his
own."
"Why do you say that?" Makoto asked as the news sunk in.
"The bullet went through here." He pointed to a point in
his lower left shoulder. "However, it went clear through
the tissue and ended up here. We haven't been able to
determine just where it is yet and there's a chance it
may be causing serious damage to any number of organs."
His finger traced along his shoulder and went just under
the shoulderblade to the tissue just next to the heart.
"As you can see, this isn't a very good place for a
foreign object to be floating about. We'll do the best we
can but I'm afraid one of you will have to convince Usagi
that she needs a check up as well."
"You mean she hasn't had one already?! She could be
hurt!" Ikuko wailed and stared at the doctor with a
burning glare.
"Well.. she won't leave Mr.Chiba's side and we can't
force her if she voluntarily refuses treatment. Only one
of you should go. Prefferably someone who is not overly
emotional. She's already been through a great deal." His
beeper went off and he glared at it. How he hated it.
"If you will excuse me, I'm needed elsewhere at the
moment."
At that time three nurses came up and opened the door.
Usagi was seen sitting in the chair, motionless, staring
at Mamoru with her hand in his. She turned mechanically
as the nurses began to unplug the monitors and move the
bed.
"Where are you going?!" Fresh tears began to stream down
her face as they began to push the bed towards the door.
One of the nurses came up to her and smiled.
"Relax. We're going to help him and take very good care
of him, I promise. We just need some x-rays and then
he'll be right back. It won't take but a few moments."
Her pale brown eyes stared down at Usagi and comforted
her as best they could.
The blonde nodded absently and began to sob quietly as
Ami came into the room, the door swinging close behind
her. "It's all my fault! Why is it that whenever I make
a mistake the people I care about have to suffer?!"
As intelligent as Ami was her knowledge of emotion was
very limited and so she had no answer for her greiving
friend. Taking a step forward she was about to embrace
Usagi when a glittering light came from the empty space
in the room where Mamoru's bed used to be.
A tall, slender woman who looked remarkably like Usagi
came through the light followed by a slightly shorter
woman who looked very similar to both Usagi and the woman
but had an exotic difference about her. The blue haired
girl inhaled sharply as she saw the glowing moon insigna
on both the women's foreheads.
The tallest, and apparently elder woman, had long flowing
silver hair that came from two odangos. Her head was
topped by a simple silver crown which matched the long
rod she held in her delicate hand. Ami had never seen
someone with such poise and natural grace before.
Her gown was white, just like the girl's but it had no
sleeves and the front had a bow with a golden crecent
moon pinned onto it. The dress was much more form fitting
and gave a flowing appearance to her movements.
Ami turned her gaze to the girl and her unusual but very
suiting looks. Her hair was also long and done in two
odangos, however there were two obvious differences. Her
odangos were elongated to points instead of round balls,
and her hair was a remarkable shade of pink.
The girl turned to smile at Ami and the young woman was
shocked to see the vibrant ruby tones in the girl's eyes.
Her dress looked just like the one the moon princess was
said to wear. Luna had described it to her in great
detail before.
-I wonder who they are?- She questioned silently as she
watched the elder woman step up to a weeping Usagi.
"Do not cry, my daughter. You are well, are you not?"
The blonde looked up at the strange woman and shook her
head. She only heard half of what the woman had said but
she knew her answer. "No.. I am not well. I feel his pain
inside of my heart as if we are one. I have no way to
explain it and I do not wish the pain to leave until I
know he is well but it hurts just the same. It hurts..
so much."
The woman smiled and nodded. "Shush now, Serenity. You
are in safe keeping and your prince will return to you.
We will assure it. Go with Ami and let the doctors see to
your health. You must be at your best for your love's
arrival." When she finished she kissed her fingertips and
placed them on Usagi's forehead. It glowed slightly as
the moon shimmered into being but faded as soon as she
removed her touch.
Usagi slumped over onto the chair. The younger woman
smiled at Ami again. "Take care of her. All of the senshi
must do this. See that she is all right and that they are
happy together. My existance relies on this." She reached
up and touched Ami on her forehead as well, the symbol
for mercury burned for a moment and then.. they were gone.
Ami shook her head as she went up to the weeping Usagi.
-There's something I'm..forgetting. Hmm..-
The blonde looked up. "Ami.. will you take me to get my
examination? I don't want to go alone."
The blue haired girl smiled and nodded. "Of course, come
on Usagi." She lead her friend out of the room. They
found the doctor and he smiled.
"What made you change your mind Usagi?" He joked, not
really expecting an answer.
Her eyes glazed over for a moment and she smiled. "I have
to be at my best for my love's arrival."
Ami shook herself as she followed the two to another
room. -I could have sworn I had heard that before
somewhere.-
***End Part Seventeen***