A.N: Wohoo! The last chapters before the epilogue...enjoy!
Kiss of Immortal Death
Chapter Six
By SaturnsFirefly
**= Flashback
*****= Separating different times.
2001 AD
Tokyo, Japan
December 27
It was chilling and below zero on the December night. Eighteen-year-old Tomoe Hotaru sat on her favorite chair wrapped up tightly in her quilt. It was freezing in her small apartment, even though the heater was all the way up to eighty-seven. She had never felt so cold, even though a vampire was originally supposed to be as cold as ice. But she wasn't a vampire now...no...she was free from it. Her breathing staggered as a puff of cool air floated from her mouth. What was with this cold feeling?
When she had awoken from the spell Setsuna had set on her, she was in the year of 1995, in a dark room with alot of lamps. Professor Tomoe her supposed 'father' came into the room, asking her if she was feeling better.
**
"Where am I? Where's Setsuna," She had asked, throwing back the covers and stumbling out of the bed.
"Wait, hold on, Hotaru," He gently pushed her back down into her bed, "Take it slowly...who is Setsuna?"
"What do you mean..." She trailed off, "Who are you?"
Before he had the chance to respond, the dark haired girl glanced down at herself and let out a startled cry, jumping from the bed again, "Nani? Ikan naze gozen ware ritoruo?!" (1)
As soon as the words had came out of her mouth, her hand went over it, amethyst eyes wide, "W...what? This is impossible...how can I be.."
Professor Tomoe looked on in worry at Hotaru, as she slowly sat back down on the bed, her lips forming a surprised 'o'. She clenched her hands into fists at her sides, in deep concentration, 'This is what Setsuna must've meant by me finishing my first half of my destiny. And obviously this it the first round. Damnit, Setsuna...why so soon?'
"Are you feeling alright, firefly? Perhaps you hit your head a little to hard, maybe I should call the doctor," He turned, hurriedly leaving the room, Hotaru to stunned to say anything to stop him.
**
And now, after all the hardships she had managed, from the messiah to Galaxia she was in the time she needed to complete the last part of her destiny. It was a few days until New Years, and then, when that clock struck midnight all hell would break loose. It was funny though, it was so peaceful right now, and not a hint of evil was scented in the city. 'Maybe the enemy has finally smartened up,' Hotaru thought wryly, 'Maybe the enemy already has the plan all worked out and when New Year's Day comes it'll release all the evil it needs to, so no one has any time to stop it.'
Tears peaked at her eyes, tears in which need to be cried. She clasped a pale hand around the firefly pendant around her neck. Awhile after Hotaru had awoken young again, she found the pendant around her neck. She supposed Setsuna had given it to her when she had fallen into her deep slumber, and she treasured it none the less, never taking it from her neck. It hadn't rusted or gotten dirty but stayed the same clean silver, the Amyethest stone in it remaining unharmed and spotless.
It was so funny, but in the terribly short eighteen years she had experienced the true thrill of emotion. Now, it was going to be taken away from her...as well as the rest of the world. She moved from her chair, going into her room, and sitting down soundly. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't she just be a normal young woman? Instead of some senshi of Saturn who is destined to destroy the world? And if that's not bad enough, destiny also includes a free bonus round. Being a vampire and totally immortal for the rest of your life! Well in all the hundreds of years that Hotaru had lived, she finally figured out something; Reality's a bitch.
She fell back onto her bed, shivering as she held her pillow tightly. Thoughts of misery filled her mind, but it landed on one particular one. Setsuna should be showing up the night before New Years...as the prophecy had said. So, she just ditches her and then decides to come back before world domination is launched? Hotaru shook her head, she wish she could do that. Just disappear and never come back. She wished...she wished she could just run. Run from destiny, run from the end, run from the darkness...
With a weary sigh, she reached over to the shelf beside her bed, flicking on her stereo. She rested back on her bed, closing her eyes as she let the sweet but dark music float over her mind.
"The moonlight...
Shines down on instellar beams.
And the grove tonight,
Is something more than you've ever seen."
"The stars and planets taking shape.
A stolen kiss has come too late.
In the moonlight,
Carry on, keep romancing.
Carry on, carry on dancing.
In the moonlight,
Carry on, keep romancing.
Carry on, carry on dancing."
"Your never safe till' you see the dawn.
And if the clock past midnight.
Then hope is gone.
To move under..."
She shut off the stereo with a moan. Suddenly, she didn't want to listen to music anymore.
******
2001 AD
Tokyo, Japan
December 28
She blocked her eyes from the cruel sun, walking up the steps of the temple. The senshi had called her this morning, saying that all of them, inner and outer senshi, needed to have a meeting. Hotaru entered the temple, smiling slightly at the senshi that were already here, Rei, Minako and Usagi. She sat down beside Usagi, stretching her tired and sore limbs.
"So, what is this meeting about," Hotaru asked, yawning, and pasting a fake smile onto her face.
"Crystal, Tokyo," Usagi answered nonchalantly, "But well talk about it when the other senshi arrive."
She nodded, placing her chin on her hand in a bored fashion, but secretly not wanting to waste her time her...only two in a half more days until New Years, and she was here, talking about the future of Crystal Tokyo? It hadn't even begun to form yet, so why should they want to use their time in talking about it? Sometimes she didn't understand the senshi.
"Hi, Taru-chan!" A happy voice called out, making Hotaru look up as a fifteen-year-old pink ball of fluff bounced into the room.
"Woah!" Hotaru was thrown back when Chibiusa launched at her, taking her in a big, friendly hug, "Hi, Usa."
More senshi began to arrive then, until all of them were in the temple. And then so began the most boring, and wasting conversation Hotaru had ever had: The future of Tokyo.
******
The clock stroke midnight, indicating that December 29 was officially here. Hotaru sighed, moving down the quiet main street of Tokyo. She had only stayed at the meeting for twenty minutes before excusing herself from it, later though, Chibiusa had called her, saying that the meeting had lasted four hours. Good thing, she had left early then. But how can you possibly talk about a city, soon to be kingdom, for four hours?! Well, with Usagi, it certainly showed that not everything was impossible.
Hotaru had been roaming the streets all day and night, not able to go home to get some rest. She needed to think, and outside in the cold air was her thinking place. The prophecy was arriving soon, and when it did it would be her turn to dominate this world. Dominate the world...in which had given her a home, dominate the world in, which had took her in despite of what creature she was, dominate her home. A sear of pain flashed through her chest every time her thoughts managed to land on it...destroy everything she every knew.
Minutes and hours passed and Hotaru continued to walk. Walk past shops and stores, walk past parks and houses, until she was at the brook of Tokyo bordering the countryside. The wind blew harshly at her here, and she only stopped, her eyes never leaving the open skies above her. Amazingly, at how many miles she had walked, she didn't feel a bit tired, quenching the thirst of freedom from the prison she lived in. The sunrise was beginning to peak over the dark blackness, and then she turned around, starting to walk home.
It took until late morning for Hotaru to get back to Tokyo's main street. The streets were crowded, filled with happy voices, and that's when all the emotion was sucked right out of her. She trudged past the laughing people, wincing at their smiles. Why couldn't they mourn...just for today. Why couldn't they just cry and scream over the loss that they are about to receive? Cause they don't know the world is going to be destroyed, Hotaru's mind answered miserably. They think that everything is going to be alright, and that the twentieth century was all past. It wasn't past, it just came a little late, and she, Tomoe Hotaru, bearer of destruction was the only one who knew this.
Hate was a simple thing and how Hotaru hated Setsuna for doing this to her, for changing her into...into...some creature! She used to feel love for the woman in which acted like her mother, but now the hate was so strong it was impossible to stop. She let out a deep breath trying to calm her, and it helped a little but not doing very much unfortunately. The winds were acting up today, blowing harshly at her, flaring her hair about, but she hardly noticed it. Slowly the hate left her as well until there was nothing left but a blank, lifeless feeling. She only looked up when a cool feeling touched her bare neck; snow. The first snow of the season in fact...so very late though.
A great deal of it was coming down, and with the wind and all it blew it around crazily so it blinded everyone out on the streets. Everyone except Hotaru of course. People gradually left the open spaces, getting out of the snowstorm, but the dark haired girl stayed out walking miserably down the empty, lonely roads of Tokyo.
'Great way to start off the end of the world,' Hotaru thought, feeling her heart breaking in two at that very moment...that is...if she still had one in the least.
Coldness was certainly numbing her body but she barely noticed, yet even though it seemed she should be preoccupied with mindless thoughts, she was not. Nothing filled her mind, not even the destruction of the earth that was quickly descending. Never had she felt so lonely, not even when she was a vampire, it was so horrible to feel this lonely. It was like your heart was going to burst and you were going to break down but the brink of emotions stopped you. It was a horrid feeling indeed.
She looked down at her watch without feeling the movement of doing so. It was ten to four...had she really been walking all this long? Obviously she had, but it didn't surprise her. The mind always seemed to trap its keeper into a world of blackness, oblivious to the world of reality. She trudged on, stopping in front of her apartment and simply stared at it without seeing it. And then finally the thoughts broke loose, stampeding her mind, overwhelming her.
"Hotaru! Hotaru!" The voice was being called to her, she was quite positive, but yet it was so far away. So very far away.
Her apartment began turning interesting shades of purple, but her thoughts were focused on the things crossing her mind. She felt a hand on her shoulder and saw a flash of pink hair in front of her, and a sweet voice calling to her, "Hotaru? Hotaru!? Are you Ok! Hotaru?!"
Hotaru gripped at the hand holding hers, eyes wide with fright, blurry with un-fallen tears, "And when the frost will pass, darkness shall last."
And those were the last words she said before falling into the world of blackness.
********
She could plainly hear people around her, talking quietly and whispering. Hotaru tried to regain her consciousness, but it was useless, she was to remain in the darkness. She slashed through the terrifying blanket of senselessness, groping for the way from it. But every time she peaked to the top of awakening, she was shoved back down into a deeper sleep. Only when she was at the top of alertness, she felt a cool cloth cover her forehead, pressing her from the blank feeling of it all.
"She's awakening," An excited voice exclaimed.
Hotaru opened her eyes, blinking for a moment before looking around at her fellow senshi, "Wh...where am I?"
Chibiusa was at the side of the cot she laid in, holding her hand tightly, "You're at Haruka-san and Michiru-san house, Taru-chan."
She looked past Chibiusa, noticing Haruka and Michiru smiling at her from the doorway. They had been her mother and father up until she was sixteen, when she moved out. She noticed Haruka had an arm slung over Michiru's shoulder, hugging her close to her. They had a beautiful relationship, one she wished she could've with somebody. She sighed wearily, bowing her head down. But a vampire was forbidden to love, damned into loneliness.
Her head suddenly snapped up, eyes going frightfully wide, as she whispered in a trembled voice, "What time is it?"
Seeing the alarmed tone in her voice, Michiru glanced up at the clock on the wall, "Almost ten."
She relaxed slightly, she still had time.
"Um, Hotaru," Chibiusa started uncertainly, "Right before you passed out you said something about a darkness that was coming..."
Hotaru paused, cursing her state of delirious blabber. She looked her best friend in the eye, a wary smile on her face, "Well it came didn't it?"
"Right after you passed out," She paused, "It started to get really dark...I mean, not dark, but 'really' dark. The moon or stars weren't in sight...so that's why I'm wondering how you knew."
"There is nothing to know," She mumbled, getting out of the bed, stepping onto the cool marble floor, "It is the way of the prophecy of Apocalypse."
Before they could ask any questions, she pushed past Haruka and Michiru, retrieving her boots that lay on the rug by the front door, before grabbing her black trench coat. She opened the door, and stepped outside. Just as she came out from the apartment and blast of wind nearly knocked her from her feet and onto the icy snow below her.
"Where are you going?!" Chibiusa screamed, sliding out onto the porch, tears in her eyes, "Hotaru, it's not safe in this kind of weather."
"Go inside, Chibiusa," Hotaru muttered, walking down the steps, "Nothing is safe for a mortal, but for somebody of death it does not matter."
"Hotaru! Hotaru!" Her screams gradually began to fade out as she walked away from the apartment, "Hotaru...come back...please."
The word mean't nothing to her, the pains in her best friend's voice mean't nothing to her. Not anymore...all that mean't anything to her was how this prophecy was going to turn out. Her friend was right, it was dark outside, pitch black, even the streets light offered no help for the darkness overpowered them. This time no one was going to win this battle, not even goody-goody moon could stop it. Usagi was light and hope while this enemy was pure darkness, king of all evil. The only person whom could stop it was she, senshi of destruction, death and rebirth. She was the only one who could fight fire with fire.
The wind had stopped suddenly, making her stop in its tracks also. Not a single breath of air passed her, remaining deathly silent. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, looking over her shoulder. It was to early for the apocalypse to begin already wasn't it? Her thoughts were caught short as a blare of glacial wind slammed her into the window of a small coffee shop. The glass was sent everywhere as she fell into the shop, landing roughly on the granite floor.
She let out a shaky cough, standing unsteadily to her feet. She had cuts all over her hands, where the shards had pierced through the gloves, and a few on her face. Obviously it was just about that time now. She reached into her pocket, taking out her precious henshin stick. She felt through the thin leather of her gloves the cool, smooth stone the stick was made of, and the outline of her planet...Saturn.
Without a second thought she cast her hand in the air, calling loudly out for the evil that was around her to hear, "SATURN CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"
She stepped out the window, back into the still night, clutching her most prized possession; Her Glaive. She looked into the sky, and saw nothing but pure blackness, but the evil was there, waiting for the moment to come out.
"You want me," She screamed, her voice cracking as the wind started up again, "Do you want me? If you want me, you mother fucking world, then take me as I am!"
The winds roared and she continued, "Show yourself! I demand to fight what I see and know."
The evil let out a rumbled laugh that shook the ground beneath her, sending a crack in the streets. A mist that came from no where surrounded every place possible, making it twice as hard to see. This evil did not play fair, it wasn't going to let her have the glory of seeing it. It wasn't stupid, it was far from stupid and if Saturn would have had the choice of whether or not to play nicely or to not, she would've done what it had done.
"All right...and this is how it'll be," She whispered, glancing up at the main clock that was stationed in a building a bit far from her, "Eleven...funny how time flies when your having fun, ne?"
The evil did not answer but a unknown force slammed her into the brick building beside the coffee shop. She slid down the brick wall, pushing herself to a standing position, wiping the blood from her lip. The apocalypse was coming, and it was coming fast. She raised her Glaive but it was knocked from her hands, thrown on the streets, the clatter of metal echoing the empty skies. When the senshi started after her possession she was blown across the head, and then punched in the abdomen, falling to the pavement.
She coughed, shaking violently and placing a hand to her head, opening her eyes. Faintly she saw her Glaive being lifted from the streets, hovering across the pavement and over her. It pressed against her chest before being lifted up higher, and bringing itself down. Saturn snapped out of her daze, rolling over so the Glaive slammed into the cement. She stood to her feet, and pulled the Glaive from the unknown force. She held it tightly in her grasp, raising it once again.
This time she was pushed foreword, something was stopping her. She felt herself being kept in a tight embrace that radiated with evil, nearly making her pass out again. Thoughts corrupted her mind and soul, departing her from the real world. She felt as if she was flying, disappearing from the earth and never coming back.
"Saturn! Wake up!"
The voice yanked her from the slumber she was kept in. She realized the state she was in, and managed to get out of the grasp, collapsing to the ground. She saw a figure pull her out of the way against a lamppost. Saturn recognized the magenta eyes that bore into hers and rushed to her feet again, frowning.
"Pluto," She acknowledged coolly.
"Sa-"
Pluto's greeting was cut off as she was thrown away from her partner, suspended in the air for a moment before being blasted into the ground cruelly. The evil came back and took Saturn in its hold again, before slamming her into the brick wall. A loud laughter shook the grounds once more, causing an even bigger crack in the road. Saturn pushed herself from the wall, glancing over her shoulder to see if Pluto was alright. The senshi of time was getting to her feet, a pale look covering her face.
Saturn looked to the clock again. Fifteen minutes until midnight...until...the end. She waved her Glaive around, trying at least to hit this anonymous evil. It swiped through thin air, but when she did it again it stopped in the middle of the swing. The Glaive twisted around in the hold of the evil force, but the death senshi refused to let go. It was punched back, the long metal handle hitting her shoulder harshly, making her cry out in sudden pain.
Pluto tried to fight the source but failed, also ending up in pain, beside Saturn. The death senshi stepped foreword, holding up her Glaive for the third time, but it was brought down suddenly, and she was pushed forcefully back up against the wall.
"I don't know how much more I can take," Saturn cried softly, bowing her head.
"Just don't let him hear you say that," Pluto said in a hushed whisper, "Have faith...continue."
Pluto threw herself away from the wall with a battle cry, staff swinging down and pausing right before it hit the cement. It was thrown back up and twisted over Pluto and she was suddenly flipped backwards landing on her back on the pavement. Pluto coughed up a bit of blood, and started to get up but fell back down, too weak to move. Saturn bit her lip, seeing as her partner tried one last time, getting to her feet, hunched over. She was blasted back down again, her staff clattering ontop of her, knocking the air out of her again.
Saturn didn't move, wasn't able to move, seemingly frozen to the ground as she watched in horror as Pluto's staff was raised from her body. She licked her lips, glancing down at the groaning Pluto, whose eyes were closed in pain.
"Setsuna," Saturn tried to speak but it only came out in a raspy whisper. She cleared her throat, but the tone still came in a barely audible whisper, "Setsuna...get up."
The staff floated above her, turning over so the sharp part of the staff was facing downward...at Pluto. A tear fell down Saturn's cheeks and tried again, but it was only a murmured, "Setsuna..please...Setsuna...get up!"
The staff raised slightly more, ready to fall down on its owner. Saturn fought the fear that was preventing her to speak, and shrieked, "Setsuna! Move!"
Pluto's eyes flew open just as the staff was brought down, but to Saturn's ultimate horror she didn't move, and the staff pierced through her skin on her skin, digging deep into her body. The force that was holding Saturn to the ground, released her and she fell foreword, dropping beside her partner, her friend, her mother. Tears streamed from her eyes and she clutched at Pluto's hand, letting out a cry as she saw the blood pool around her body.
"Hotaru...firefly," Pluto started softly, pain lacing her every word, "I'm...I'm sorry," She paused, flinching in pain, "I'm sorry...that I didn't...stay to help you. And I'm sorry...that I failed." She coughed again, "B-bring forth yo-your destiny and c-complete the end of mankind. I-it was supposed to e-end this way...al-always re-remember...a-always."
And with that the vampire took in her last breath before departing from the world. Saturn cried loudly, agony and frustration filling the air as she clutched to her hand. She screamed, tears falling onto the dead Pluto, "Setsuna...you can't leave me...you can't leave...me!"
She let out a desperate sob, bowing her head down and whimpering. That too familiar rumble filled the air, and her sanity snapped. Saturn stood to her feet, glancing at the clock once more. Five minutes until the end....five minutes until midnight. Buildings began to rumble, crashing to the ground at the evil. But Saturn stood, refusing to be disarmed of her pride at this evil, refusing to give in yet. She glanced behind her, noticing for the first time that a black sheet covered that part of the air. It was some sort of force field, and unfortunately she couldn't see through it. That was probably why the senshi hadn't arrived here...because of the field.
She turned back, forming an energy ball in her hand and launching it at nothing. It exploded in the air, obviously not hitting the evil. She looked to the clock once more...three minutes. The ground began to shake even more, only this time it didn't stop, bringing down tall buildings in its process. Smoke covered the streets of Tokyo, blinding her so she couldn't possibly see. She was shoved to the ground by the force, but as soon as she made impact she stood to her feet again. The force slammed her against the wall but she pushed herself into a standing position, eyes cold and hard.
Two minutes until midnight.
Laughter filled the air and smoke poured its way into the streets as more buildings began to fall...all except the clock tower. Saturn mused softly, it was as if the evil was preserving that building just to remind her that it was coming. Evil was cruel indeed, very cruel. She took a step foreword, the wind working against her and trying to push her backwards but she stood her ground.
One minute until midnight.
The smoke surrounded her, and a building next to her came crashing to the ground, the impact making her stumble to the side, falling down. She stood again, ruble and ruins all about her and below her. She looked over, blinking in suprise when she saw that Setsuna's body had nothing on it, and was not covered but the remains of the building only outlined her form. Saturn raised her Glaive into the air, closing her eyes tightly.
"Death..." She whispered softly.
Trees began to fall to the side also, but she paid no mind to them, uttering the next word, "Reborn..."
The winds roared in protest, knocking her from her feet, releasing her grip on her Glaive. She let out a cry of surprise, but to her relief it laid at her feet. She picked it up again, standing on her feet and with all the strength she could raised it into the air, "..REVOLUTION!"
The bells rang out clearly and sadly, indicating the next year. Midnight.
Saturn collapsed to her knees with exhaustion as every single standing building or houses came crashing down. Rings of fire spread quickly throughout Tokyo as well as cries of pain and agony. She felt herself being held in an embrace again, the embrace of evil. This time, though, she could see perfectly the evil that held her. It was a man clothed in black, with black glowing eyes and black hair that cut off at the nape of his neck. A smirk pulled at Saturn's lips, as the evil pulled her to her feet, grabbing a fist of her dark hair.
"Bitch," It hissed, yanking her face up to his, "Either way you still lose."
"Death. Never. Loses." She stated, saying each word slowly and forcefully.
It growled and brought its head down, taking her lips into a forceful and harsh kiss. Her body seared with pain, and her lips burned with cold fire. She faintly felt as her canines grew back, and her already pale skin began to grow paler, and hair more darker and finer. She gripped at his shoulders, as the evil deepened the kiss, making her on the brink of oblivion, pain slamming onto her. And then suddenly realization of it all came to her. While she was the bearer of death, destruction and rebirth and savior of the world there was still that part in her that begged for all the pain he was giving her.
The evil yanked her up against him, and the pain grew even more until it burst. He pulled away then, black burning into amethyst as he murmured, "Death does not deceive me, and you are certainly death. For death and evil are one and that makes you apart of me."
She did not deny it, even though her heart wrenched at the thought, and he continued, "Beautiful aren't you death? Do not traverse me, my lovely one, for you know as well as I know that we will always be one."
Everything began to make sense to her now, but everything she knew came crashing down at that moment. She had never felt so complete in her life when he had kissed her, and even though all that pain was dawned upon her it felt so surprisingly right. Then without another word he brought his head down again, taking her in yet another kiss, her own tears falling onto his cold skin.
As the cheers of people rang out for the New Year it was followed by screams of pain as everything came to a halting stop. Every standing object fell apart, rumbling to the ground, destroying earth as we know it. The world seemed to be suffocated and choked but it screamed in anguish, not ready to give into its reign yet. A whisper of wind blew by, covering all of the earth, telling it was alright...and that it was time. A blanket of darkness covered the earth and the ruins came to a still silence. The last thing that fell onto the rest of the rumble was the clock that was still ringing. And then there was silence, as earth became a black ball, death and evil radiating from it disappearing into space...before earth became no more.
End Chapter Six.
End Notes: Well that's all! The only thing left is the epilogue! *Grins* Tell me if you like the ending to it! Please R/R!
(1): What? Why am I little?
Kiss of Immortal Death
Chapter Six
By SaturnsFirefly
**= Flashback
*****= Separating different times.
2001 AD
Tokyo, Japan
December 27
It was chilling and below zero on the December night. Eighteen-year-old Tomoe Hotaru sat on her favorite chair wrapped up tightly in her quilt. It was freezing in her small apartment, even though the heater was all the way up to eighty-seven. She had never felt so cold, even though a vampire was originally supposed to be as cold as ice. But she wasn't a vampire now...no...she was free from it. Her breathing staggered as a puff of cool air floated from her mouth. What was with this cold feeling?
When she had awoken from the spell Setsuna had set on her, she was in the year of 1995, in a dark room with alot of lamps. Professor Tomoe her supposed 'father' came into the room, asking her if she was feeling better.
**
"Where am I? Where's Setsuna," She had asked, throwing back the covers and stumbling out of the bed.
"Wait, hold on, Hotaru," He gently pushed her back down into her bed, "Take it slowly...who is Setsuna?"
"What do you mean..." She trailed off, "Who are you?"
Before he had the chance to respond, the dark haired girl glanced down at herself and let out a startled cry, jumping from the bed again, "Nani? Ikan naze gozen ware ritoruo?!" (1)
As soon as the words had came out of her mouth, her hand went over it, amethyst eyes wide, "W...what? This is impossible...how can I be.."
Professor Tomoe looked on in worry at Hotaru, as she slowly sat back down on the bed, her lips forming a surprised 'o'. She clenched her hands into fists at her sides, in deep concentration, 'This is what Setsuna must've meant by me finishing my first half of my destiny. And obviously this it the first round. Damnit, Setsuna...why so soon?'
"Are you feeling alright, firefly? Perhaps you hit your head a little to hard, maybe I should call the doctor," He turned, hurriedly leaving the room, Hotaru to stunned to say anything to stop him.
**
And now, after all the hardships she had managed, from the messiah to Galaxia she was in the time she needed to complete the last part of her destiny. It was a few days until New Years, and then, when that clock struck midnight all hell would break loose. It was funny though, it was so peaceful right now, and not a hint of evil was scented in the city. 'Maybe the enemy has finally smartened up,' Hotaru thought wryly, 'Maybe the enemy already has the plan all worked out and when New Year's Day comes it'll release all the evil it needs to, so no one has any time to stop it.'
Tears peaked at her eyes, tears in which need to be cried. She clasped a pale hand around the firefly pendant around her neck. Awhile after Hotaru had awoken young again, she found the pendant around her neck. She supposed Setsuna had given it to her when she had fallen into her deep slumber, and she treasured it none the less, never taking it from her neck. It hadn't rusted or gotten dirty but stayed the same clean silver, the Amyethest stone in it remaining unharmed and spotless.
It was so funny, but in the terribly short eighteen years she had experienced the true thrill of emotion. Now, it was going to be taken away from her...as well as the rest of the world. She moved from her chair, going into her room, and sitting down soundly. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't she just be a normal young woman? Instead of some senshi of Saturn who is destined to destroy the world? And if that's not bad enough, destiny also includes a free bonus round. Being a vampire and totally immortal for the rest of your life! Well in all the hundreds of years that Hotaru had lived, she finally figured out something; Reality's a bitch.
She fell back onto her bed, shivering as she held her pillow tightly. Thoughts of misery filled her mind, but it landed on one particular one. Setsuna should be showing up the night before New Years...as the prophecy had said. So, she just ditches her and then decides to come back before world domination is launched? Hotaru shook her head, she wish she could do that. Just disappear and never come back. She wished...she wished she could just run. Run from destiny, run from the end, run from the darkness...
With a weary sigh, she reached over to the shelf beside her bed, flicking on her stereo. She rested back on her bed, closing her eyes as she let the sweet but dark music float over her mind.
"The moonlight...
Shines down on instellar beams.
And the grove tonight,
Is something more than you've ever seen."
"The stars and planets taking shape.
A stolen kiss has come too late.
In the moonlight,
Carry on, keep romancing.
Carry on, carry on dancing.
In the moonlight,
Carry on, keep romancing.
Carry on, carry on dancing."
"Your never safe till' you see the dawn.
And if the clock past midnight.
Then hope is gone.
To move under..."
She shut off the stereo with a moan. Suddenly, she didn't want to listen to music anymore.
******
2001 AD
Tokyo, Japan
December 28
She blocked her eyes from the cruel sun, walking up the steps of the temple. The senshi had called her this morning, saying that all of them, inner and outer senshi, needed to have a meeting. Hotaru entered the temple, smiling slightly at the senshi that were already here, Rei, Minako and Usagi. She sat down beside Usagi, stretching her tired and sore limbs.
"So, what is this meeting about," Hotaru asked, yawning, and pasting a fake smile onto her face.
"Crystal, Tokyo," Usagi answered nonchalantly, "But well talk about it when the other senshi arrive."
She nodded, placing her chin on her hand in a bored fashion, but secretly not wanting to waste her time her...only two in a half more days until New Years, and she was here, talking about the future of Crystal Tokyo? It hadn't even begun to form yet, so why should they want to use their time in talking about it? Sometimes she didn't understand the senshi.
"Hi, Taru-chan!" A happy voice called out, making Hotaru look up as a fifteen-year-old pink ball of fluff bounced into the room.
"Woah!" Hotaru was thrown back when Chibiusa launched at her, taking her in a big, friendly hug, "Hi, Usa."
More senshi began to arrive then, until all of them were in the temple. And then so began the most boring, and wasting conversation Hotaru had ever had: The future of Tokyo.
******
The clock stroke midnight, indicating that December 29 was officially here. Hotaru sighed, moving down the quiet main street of Tokyo. She had only stayed at the meeting for twenty minutes before excusing herself from it, later though, Chibiusa had called her, saying that the meeting had lasted four hours. Good thing, she had left early then. But how can you possibly talk about a city, soon to be kingdom, for four hours?! Well, with Usagi, it certainly showed that not everything was impossible.
Hotaru had been roaming the streets all day and night, not able to go home to get some rest. She needed to think, and outside in the cold air was her thinking place. The prophecy was arriving soon, and when it did it would be her turn to dominate this world. Dominate the world...in which had given her a home, dominate the world in, which had took her in despite of what creature she was, dominate her home. A sear of pain flashed through her chest every time her thoughts managed to land on it...destroy everything she every knew.
Minutes and hours passed and Hotaru continued to walk. Walk past shops and stores, walk past parks and houses, until she was at the brook of Tokyo bordering the countryside. The wind blew harshly at her here, and she only stopped, her eyes never leaving the open skies above her. Amazingly, at how many miles she had walked, she didn't feel a bit tired, quenching the thirst of freedom from the prison she lived in. The sunrise was beginning to peak over the dark blackness, and then she turned around, starting to walk home.
It took until late morning for Hotaru to get back to Tokyo's main street. The streets were crowded, filled with happy voices, and that's when all the emotion was sucked right out of her. She trudged past the laughing people, wincing at their smiles. Why couldn't they mourn...just for today. Why couldn't they just cry and scream over the loss that they are about to receive? Cause they don't know the world is going to be destroyed, Hotaru's mind answered miserably. They think that everything is going to be alright, and that the twentieth century was all past. It wasn't past, it just came a little late, and she, Tomoe Hotaru, bearer of destruction was the only one who knew this.
Hate was a simple thing and how Hotaru hated Setsuna for doing this to her, for changing her into...into...some creature! She used to feel love for the woman in which acted like her mother, but now the hate was so strong it was impossible to stop. She let out a deep breath trying to calm her, and it helped a little but not doing very much unfortunately. The winds were acting up today, blowing harshly at her, flaring her hair about, but she hardly noticed it. Slowly the hate left her as well until there was nothing left but a blank, lifeless feeling. She only looked up when a cool feeling touched her bare neck; snow. The first snow of the season in fact...so very late though.
A great deal of it was coming down, and with the wind and all it blew it around crazily so it blinded everyone out on the streets. Everyone except Hotaru of course. People gradually left the open spaces, getting out of the snowstorm, but the dark haired girl stayed out walking miserably down the empty, lonely roads of Tokyo.
'Great way to start off the end of the world,' Hotaru thought, feeling her heart breaking in two at that very moment...that is...if she still had one in the least.
Coldness was certainly numbing her body but she barely noticed, yet even though it seemed she should be preoccupied with mindless thoughts, she was not. Nothing filled her mind, not even the destruction of the earth that was quickly descending. Never had she felt so lonely, not even when she was a vampire, it was so horrible to feel this lonely. It was like your heart was going to burst and you were going to break down but the brink of emotions stopped you. It was a horrid feeling indeed.
She looked down at her watch without feeling the movement of doing so. It was ten to four...had she really been walking all this long? Obviously she had, but it didn't surprise her. The mind always seemed to trap its keeper into a world of blackness, oblivious to the world of reality. She trudged on, stopping in front of her apartment and simply stared at it without seeing it. And then finally the thoughts broke loose, stampeding her mind, overwhelming her.
"Hotaru! Hotaru!" The voice was being called to her, she was quite positive, but yet it was so far away. So very far away.
Her apartment began turning interesting shades of purple, but her thoughts were focused on the things crossing her mind. She felt a hand on her shoulder and saw a flash of pink hair in front of her, and a sweet voice calling to her, "Hotaru? Hotaru!? Are you Ok! Hotaru?!"
Hotaru gripped at the hand holding hers, eyes wide with fright, blurry with un-fallen tears, "And when the frost will pass, darkness shall last."
And those were the last words she said before falling into the world of blackness.
********
She could plainly hear people around her, talking quietly and whispering. Hotaru tried to regain her consciousness, but it was useless, she was to remain in the darkness. She slashed through the terrifying blanket of senselessness, groping for the way from it. But every time she peaked to the top of awakening, she was shoved back down into a deeper sleep. Only when she was at the top of alertness, she felt a cool cloth cover her forehead, pressing her from the blank feeling of it all.
"She's awakening," An excited voice exclaimed.
Hotaru opened her eyes, blinking for a moment before looking around at her fellow senshi, "Wh...where am I?"
Chibiusa was at the side of the cot she laid in, holding her hand tightly, "You're at Haruka-san and Michiru-san house, Taru-chan."
She looked past Chibiusa, noticing Haruka and Michiru smiling at her from the doorway. They had been her mother and father up until she was sixteen, when she moved out. She noticed Haruka had an arm slung over Michiru's shoulder, hugging her close to her. They had a beautiful relationship, one she wished she could've with somebody. She sighed wearily, bowing her head down. But a vampire was forbidden to love, damned into loneliness.
Her head suddenly snapped up, eyes going frightfully wide, as she whispered in a trembled voice, "What time is it?"
Seeing the alarmed tone in her voice, Michiru glanced up at the clock on the wall, "Almost ten."
She relaxed slightly, she still had time.
"Um, Hotaru," Chibiusa started uncertainly, "Right before you passed out you said something about a darkness that was coming..."
Hotaru paused, cursing her state of delirious blabber. She looked her best friend in the eye, a wary smile on her face, "Well it came didn't it?"
"Right after you passed out," She paused, "It started to get really dark...I mean, not dark, but 'really' dark. The moon or stars weren't in sight...so that's why I'm wondering how you knew."
"There is nothing to know," She mumbled, getting out of the bed, stepping onto the cool marble floor, "It is the way of the prophecy of Apocalypse."
Before they could ask any questions, she pushed past Haruka and Michiru, retrieving her boots that lay on the rug by the front door, before grabbing her black trench coat. She opened the door, and stepped outside. Just as she came out from the apartment and blast of wind nearly knocked her from her feet and onto the icy snow below her.
"Where are you going?!" Chibiusa screamed, sliding out onto the porch, tears in her eyes, "Hotaru, it's not safe in this kind of weather."
"Go inside, Chibiusa," Hotaru muttered, walking down the steps, "Nothing is safe for a mortal, but for somebody of death it does not matter."
"Hotaru! Hotaru!" Her screams gradually began to fade out as she walked away from the apartment, "Hotaru...come back...please."
The word mean't nothing to her, the pains in her best friend's voice mean't nothing to her. Not anymore...all that mean't anything to her was how this prophecy was going to turn out. Her friend was right, it was dark outside, pitch black, even the streets light offered no help for the darkness overpowered them. This time no one was going to win this battle, not even goody-goody moon could stop it. Usagi was light and hope while this enemy was pure darkness, king of all evil. The only person whom could stop it was she, senshi of destruction, death and rebirth. She was the only one who could fight fire with fire.
The wind had stopped suddenly, making her stop in its tracks also. Not a single breath of air passed her, remaining deathly silent. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, looking over her shoulder. It was to early for the apocalypse to begin already wasn't it? Her thoughts were caught short as a blare of glacial wind slammed her into the window of a small coffee shop. The glass was sent everywhere as she fell into the shop, landing roughly on the granite floor.
She let out a shaky cough, standing unsteadily to her feet. She had cuts all over her hands, where the shards had pierced through the gloves, and a few on her face. Obviously it was just about that time now. She reached into her pocket, taking out her precious henshin stick. She felt through the thin leather of her gloves the cool, smooth stone the stick was made of, and the outline of her planet...Saturn.
Without a second thought she cast her hand in the air, calling loudly out for the evil that was around her to hear, "SATURN CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"
She stepped out the window, back into the still night, clutching her most prized possession; Her Glaive. She looked into the sky, and saw nothing but pure blackness, but the evil was there, waiting for the moment to come out.
"You want me," She screamed, her voice cracking as the wind started up again, "Do you want me? If you want me, you mother fucking world, then take me as I am!"
The winds roared and she continued, "Show yourself! I demand to fight what I see and know."
The evil let out a rumbled laugh that shook the ground beneath her, sending a crack in the streets. A mist that came from no where surrounded every place possible, making it twice as hard to see. This evil did not play fair, it wasn't going to let her have the glory of seeing it. It wasn't stupid, it was far from stupid and if Saturn would have had the choice of whether or not to play nicely or to not, she would've done what it had done.
"All right...and this is how it'll be," She whispered, glancing up at the main clock that was stationed in a building a bit far from her, "Eleven...funny how time flies when your having fun, ne?"
The evil did not answer but a unknown force slammed her into the brick building beside the coffee shop. She slid down the brick wall, pushing herself to a standing position, wiping the blood from her lip. The apocalypse was coming, and it was coming fast. She raised her Glaive but it was knocked from her hands, thrown on the streets, the clatter of metal echoing the empty skies. When the senshi started after her possession she was blown across the head, and then punched in the abdomen, falling to the pavement.
She coughed, shaking violently and placing a hand to her head, opening her eyes. Faintly she saw her Glaive being lifted from the streets, hovering across the pavement and over her. It pressed against her chest before being lifted up higher, and bringing itself down. Saturn snapped out of her daze, rolling over so the Glaive slammed into the cement. She stood to her feet, and pulled the Glaive from the unknown force. She held it tightly in her grasp, raising it once again.
This time she was pushed foreword, something was stopping her. She felt herself being kept in a tight embrace that radiated with evil, nearly making her pass out again. Thoughts corrupted her mind and soul, departing her from the real world. She felt as if she was flying, disappearing from the earth and never coming back.
"Saturn! Wake up!"
The voice yanked her from the slumber she was kept in. She realized the state she was in, and managed to get out of the grasp, collapsing to the ground. She saw a figure pull her out of the way against a lamppost. Saturn recognized the magenta eyes that bore into hers and rushed to her feet again, frowning.
"Pluto," She acknowledged coolly.
"Sa-"
Pluto's greeting was cut off as she was thrown away from her partner, suspended in the air for a moment before being blasted into the ground cruelly. The evil came back and took Saturn in its hold again, before slamming her into the brick wall. A loud laughter shook the grounds once more, causing an even bigger crack in the road. Saturn pushed herself from the wall, glancing over her shoulder to see if Pluto was alright. The senshi of time was getting to her feet, a pale look covering her face.
Saturn looked to the clock again. Fifteen minutes until midnight...until...the end. She waved her Glaive around, trying at least to hit this anonymous evil. It swiped through thin air, but when she did it again it stopped in the middle of the swing. The Glaive twisted around in the hold of the evil force, but the death senshi refused to let go. It was punched back, the long metal handle hitting her shoulder harshly, making her cry out in sudden pain.
Pluto tried to fight the source but failed, also ending up in pain, beside Saturn. The death senshi stepped foreword, holding up her Glaive for the third time, but it was brought down suddenly, and she was pushed forcefully back up against the wall.
"I don't know how much more I can take," Saturn cried softly, bowing her head.
"Just don't let him hear you say that," Pluto said in a hushed whisper, "Have faith...continue."
Pluto threw herself away from the wall with a battle cry, staff swinging down and pausing right before it hit the cement. It was thrown back up and twisted over Pluto and she was suddenly flipped backwards landing on her back on the pavement. Pluto coughed up a bit of blood, and started to get up but fell back down, too weak to move. Saturn bit her lip, seeing as her partner tried one last time, getting to her feet, hunched over. She was blasted back down again, her staff clattering ontop of her, knocking the air out of her again.
Saturn didn't move, wasn't able to move, seemingly frozen to the ground as she watched in horror as Pluto's staff was raised from her body. She licked her lips, glancing down at the groaning Pluto, whose eyes were closed in pain.
"Setsuna," Saturn tried to speak but it only came out in a raspy whisper. She cleared her throat, but the tone still came in a barely audible whisper, "Setsuna...get up."
The staff floated above her, turning over so the sharp part of the staff was facing downward...at Pluto. A tear fell down Saturn's cheeks and tried again, but it was only a murmured, "Setsuna..please...Setsuna...get up!"
The staff raised slightly more, ready to fall down on its owner. Saturn fought the fear that was preventing her to speak, and shrieked, "Setsuna! Move!"
Pluto's eyes flew open just as the staff was brought down, but to Saturn's ultimate horror she didn't move, and the staff pierced through her skin on her skin, digging deep into her body. The force that was holding Saturn to the ground, released her and she fell foreword, dropping beside her partner, her friend, her mother. Tears streamed from her eyes and she clutched at Pluto's hand, letting out a cry as she saw the blood pool around her body.
"Hotaru...firefly," Pluto started softly, pain lacing her every word, "I'm...I'm sorry," She paused, flinching in pain, "I'm sorry...that I didn't...stay to help you. And I'm sorry...that I failed." She coughed again, "B-bring forth yo-your destiny and c-complete the end of mankind. I-it was supposed to e-end this way...al-always re-remember...a-always."
And with that the vampire took in her last breath before departing from the world. Saturn cried loudly, agony and frustration filling the air as she clutched to her hand. She screamed, tears falling onto the dead Pluto, "Setsuna...you can't leave me...you can't leave...me!"
She let out a desperate sob, bowing her head down and whimpering. That too familiar rumble filled the air, and her sanity snapped. Saturn stood to her feet, glancing at the clock once more. Five minutes until the end....five minutes until midnight. Buildings began to rumble, crashing to the ground at the evil. But Saturn stood, refusing to be disarmed of her pride at this evil, refusing to give in yet. She glanced behind her, noticing for the first time that a black sheet covered that part of the air. It was some sort of force field, and unfortunately she couldn't see through it. That was probably why the senshi hadn't arrived here...because of the field.
She turned back, forming an energy ball in her hand and launching it at nothing. It exploded in the air, obviously not hitting the evil. She looked to the clock once more...three minutes. The ground began to shake even more, only this time it didn't stop, bringing down tall buildings in its process. Smoke covered the streets of Tokyo, blinding her so she couldn't possibly see. She was shoved to the ground by the force, but as soon as she made impact she stood to her feet again. The force slammed her against the wall but she pushed herself into a standing position, eyes cold and hard.
Two minutes until midnight.
Laughter filled the air and smoke poured its way into the streets as more buildings began to fall...all except the clock tower. Saturn mused softly, it was as if the evil was preserving that building just to remind her that it was coming. Evil was cruel indeed, very cruel. She took a step foreword, the wind working against her and trying to push her backwards but she stood her ground.
One minute until midnight.
The smoke surrounded her, and a building next to her came crashing to the ground, the impact making her stumble to the side, falling down. She stood again, ruble and ruins all about her and below her. She looked over, blinking in suprise when she saw that Setsuna's body had nothing on it, and was not covered but the remains of the building only outlined her form. Saturn raised her Glaive into the air, closing her eyes tightly.
"Death..." She whispered softly.
Trees began to fall to the side also, but she paid no mind to them, uttering the next word, "Reborn..."
The winds roared in protest, knocking her from her feet, releasing her grip on her Glaive. She let out a cry of surprise, but to her relief it laid at her feet. She picked it up again, standing on her feet and with all the strength she could raised it into the air, "..REVOLUTION!"
The bells rang out clearly and sadly, indicating the next year. Midnight.
Saturn collapsed to her knees with exhaustion as every single standing building or houses came crashing down. Rings of fire spread quickly throughout Tokyo as well as cries of pain and agony. She felt herself being held in an embrace again, the embrace of evil. This time, though, she could see perfectly the evil that held her. It was a man clothed in black, with black glowing eyes and black hair that cut off at the nape of his neck. A smirk pulled at Saturn's lips, as the evil pulled her to her feet, grabbing a fist of her dark hair.
"Bitch," It hissed, yanking her face up to his, "Either way you still lose."
"Death. Never. Loses." She stated, saying each word slowly and forcefully.
It growled and brought its head down, taking her lips into a forceful and harsh kiss. Her body seared with pain, and her lips burned with cold fire. She faintly felt as her canines grew back, and her already pale skin began to grow paler, and hair more darker and finer. She gripped at his shoulders, as the evil deepened the kiss, making her on the brink of oblivion, pain slamming onto her. And then suddenly realization of it all came to her. While she was the bearer of death, destruction and rebirth and savior of the world there was still that part in her that begged for all the pain he was giving her.
The evil yanked her up against him, and the pain grew even more until it burst. He pulled away then, black burning into amethyst as he murmured, "Death does not deceive me, and you are certainly death. For death and evil are one and that makes you apart of me."
She did not deny it, even though her heart wrenched at the thought, and he continued, "Beautiful aren't you death? Do not traverse me, my lovely one, for you know as well as I know that we will always be one."
Everything began to make sense to her now, but everything she knew came crashing down at that moment. She had never felt so complete in her life when he had kissed her, and even though all that pain was dawned upon her it felt so surprisingly right. Then without another word he brought his head down again, taking her in yet another kiss, her own tears falling onto his cold skin.
As the cheers of people rang out for the New Year it was followed by screams of pain as everything came to a halting stop. Every standing object fell apart, rumbling to the ground, destroying earth as we know it. The world seemed to be suffocated and choked but it screamed in anguish, not ready to give into its reign yet. A whisper of wind blew by, covering all of the earth, telling it was alright...and that it was time. A blanket of darkness covered the earth and the ruins came to a still silence. The last thing that fell onto the rest of the rumble was the clock that was still ringing. And then there was silence, as earth became a black ball, death and evil radiating from it disappearing into space...before earth became no more.
End Chapter Six.
End Notes: Well that's all! The only thing left is the epilogue! *Grins* Tell me if you like the ending to it! Please R/R!
(1): What? Why am I little?
