All Around The Town
By Musou Misora
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: *whines* Do I have to? Fine, I don't own BSSM or the book.
***
It was cold there...way too cold...
Ami felt her eyes dropping slowly even though she continued walking along the street.
No heat in the winter...no air conditioning in the summer...
She shook herself. She did not want to be thinking about this right now.
Three years with those two. The woman had been the only comfort she had, but Ami didn't want her to get hit like he hit the little girl.
Angrily, she forced herself not fall asleep standing up. Ami hated the fact that these dreams would not leave her, nor would the memories of the heavy blows are her back. One last thing came to her right before she reached Makoto's apartment.
"I swear, Chibi-chan, if I ever let you go, if you ever mention my name or her name to anyone I'll come after them and then you'll be next!"
And then it hit her. Ami could vaguely remember mentioning the woman's name to Rei a few weeks before the day her body was found. She shuddered and stopped walking. She knew for sure that she might slip up again in front of the others, and then they would fall to the same horrible fate...
"AMI-CHAN!"
The voice came from above her head, startling her into sudden awakeness. Ami looked up, and saw Minako and Usagi hanging over the iron bars that seperated Makoto's small patio from thin air. She forced a small grin, and jogged to the door. Hitting the intercom button, she waited patiently, driving all bad memories from her mind for the time being. The glass door swung open, and she hurried onto the elevator nearest the place she stood at.
***
Irihi frowned. A reunion of the Senshi was not where Ami belonged. Mars was a subject that was surely going to be brought up, and if Ami even muttered one of the two forbidden names things would be even worse than they were now.
Of course, it was all Karasu's fault. The stupid bitch had taken over Ami's body while at Hikawa Shrine and got the poor girl into trouble with him again. But Ami didn't even realize anything was happening to Rei. Karasu claimed to have been told to kill Rei by him, but no one could prove or disprove her story.
Irihi sighed and turned to watch the other three personalities. Chibi-chan was crying still, Azami sitting and thinking, and Karasu filing her pearly pink nails while whistling some romantic song. Well, it looked like watching Ami had been left to her...
***
"Shimatta, Ami-chan," Haruka said. "You don't look so hot."
It was true. She hadn't been sleeping much lately, and so she had dark rings under her eyelids. Ami nodded and grabbed some soda.
"Hai. Too much homework," she stated, and took a long gulp of whatever was in the cup. Michiru shook her head.
"There was a time when there was never enough homework for you," said Michiru quietly. All seven other occupants of the small living room bowed their heads, catching her hidden meaning. None of them had been sleeping well since Rei died; images of her bruised and shattered remains still haunted their dreams. It seemed to have hit Ami harder than anyone else, even Usagi.
Setsuna cleared her throat. "I think we need to talk about this."
They all nodded. Something about their friend's death bothered them quite a bit. Why would someone want to kill Rei? The raven haired girl had been loved by a great many people, and not just family and friends. She seemed to attract people like moths to a light.
"It's funny," Usagi started slowly. "I remember hearing her mention some bizarre name, demo for the life of me I can't remember what it was!"
"What does that have to do with this?" questioned Hotaru irritably. She was not comfortable talking about the whole situation so casually. Usagi gave her a hurt expression, and immediately regretted being annoyed. "Gomen nasai, Usa-chan."
"Daijobou," stated the princess cheerfully. "I think that name might have had some connection to Rei's death..."
Ami stiffened. Had Rei been muttering around the woman's name in front of the others? Ami knew that it had been a bad idea to mention her name, but had not given it a second thought afterwards. Inwardly groaning at the thought that she had been the cause of one of her closest friend's death...
"Daijobou ka, Ami-chan?" came the concerned question. She opened her eyes, just then realizing that they had been closed.
"Daijobou," she replied to Setsuna, the inquisitor, and gave her a small smile of reassurance. Ami's eyes widened.
"Setsuna-san," Ami began. "May I speak to you in private?"
The older woman nodded knowingly. The others gazed at them as they stepped out onto the patio without a word. As soon as they were out of hearing range, Ami began.
"Do you know what happened?" she asked. Setsuna smiled sadly.
"Unfortunately, hai."
"I mean, to me. Years ago..."
"That also. What happened to Rei was not your fault, Ami," Setsuna said. Ami shook her head.
"Why isn't it? I opened my mouth and said something I was not supposed to! It IS my fault!"
"Iie! Don't blame yourself!" The woman sighed. "I do not know all that happened to you, and cannot find out without putting myself in danger. I suggest not tell anyone of your kidnapping."
"I don't plan to," Ami snapped. "I would never want to place any of them in danger! If Rei hadn't known..."
"If Rei hadn't known, she still wouldn't be here."
Ami started. "Nani?"
"Her killer did not know you had said that name, but decided to remind you. That's what her death was: a reminder to watch yourself."
The eighteen year-old drew in a sharp breath and let it out fiercely. "What that son of a-"
"Cursing him won't do any good, Ami-chan. Just watch yourself."
"Hai."
***
It was time. Aozora had paid with her life for letting Chibi-chan go, and now it was time for Chibi-chan to meet her. He had found out later on that her friend had known Aozora's name, and also let slip in front of another friend. Luckily, the second one could not remember what it was.
He grinned maliciously. Before killing Chibi-chan, he should remind her of what he had done during those three years...
***
(Gomen nasai if anyone feels that Rei should be living, demo this is just a story! Don't take it too seriously...)
(Please read and review! I'd like to know what you think of it!)
---Musou Misora
"The only thing better than a good friend is a good friend with a box of chocolate."
(^_^ Me love chocolate...!)
