*Ely holds up 'no flaming' sign* it was just too easy to pick on certain characters in this story... but I assure that no anime characters were physically harmed in the making of this fanfics. Just bruised egos.
*Laz trots in with her flame repellent suit on* I don't trust them... *eyes Rei fans* "It was all innocent! I swear! A joke!"
*Ely eyes the audience warily* Yeah... it's just a story! They wrote their parts themselves! So if you don't like it, take it up with the actors...
Thank you. The Management.
The Longest 24 Hours 5/8
by Elysia and Lazuli
PG
Rei stared around the room, bored out of her mind. She finally got rid of the little tramp, Usagi, but she was still stuck in here, and she knew that she couldn't get out anytime soon. She looked at the genie leaning against the wall, just as bored as she, and eager to leave.
Rei frowned. She didn't like that. He was hers for two more wishes, wasn't he? She sighed and thought about her wishes, but she wanted something to drink before she really got down to what she wanted. She wasn't really much of a drinker, but a strong drink or two once in a while never hurt her, considering her current situation.
"Man, I wish I could just get really drunk to forget this place..." She muttered, and then covered her mouth. She stared at the genie in horror, but he smiled at her and snapped his fingers.
"Your wish is my command."
Rei was stunned as she suddenly felt dizzy and light-headed, but happy... she blinked up at the five men standing over her, all looking so...so... handsome. She giggled at the thought. Handsome was such a funny word... she batted her eyelashes, wondering which one of the men would come up to her first.
******
"You don't have to hold onto my arm so tight. I'm perfectly capable of walking there myself," Usagi muttered angrily as she wrenched her arm from Demando's grasp.
"What a temper you have, my dear," he coolly replied. "I suppose I'll have to do something about turning down that little fire of yours once we are wed."
Usagi glared at him. "I will NEVER marry you. I love another, even if he is so far away..."
Demando's long fingers clasped around her upper arm again, and he pulled her closer to him. "Precisely my point. Your so-called 'love' is nowhere to be found, but I am here. So who will you choose, Usagi darling? Him or me?"
"Him."
Demando's mouth dropped open but he quickly closed it before she could see. "How can you decide so easily, my dear? You hardly even know me."
"Exactly why I choose him so readily over you. He set me free from a life of oppression, and for that I owe him my life. But even more so, I love him with all my heart and soul because he sees me for the person who I really am."
"I see you for that person too, Usagi dear... you just have to get to know me," Demando purred.
"Don't you GET it yet, Demando?" She spat out, still disliking the feel of his name coming from her lips. "I will never give in to you, because I'm not meant to be with you. I once thought that I would live and die all in the same town, but now I know differently. Even though you don't believe me, my heart belongs 400 years in the future."
Demando merely rolled his eyes. "You'll never get anywhere with that childish attitude of yours, Usagi. Perhaps your mother will understand you better." He motioned towards a small stone house just inside the walls of the small township. "You'll find her inside."
"And what of my brothers?"
"I suspect they all still live with her."
Usagi hung back for a moment. Things were so different now...what if her mother didn't recognize her? Just how many years had she been away?
******
"AHHHH!!!!! I'm seeing ghosts!! HELP ME!!! " Rei shrieked. She huddled up in a ball on her bed, her eyes overflowing with tears, and shaking. She felt sick to her stomach, and barely noticed as the team of doctors came through the door. At least that's what it seemed like. It seemed like all the doctors came near her, and she closed her eyes, expecting to have another shot or be put in restraints.
No such thing happened. The doctors had identical expressions of shock on their faces, and they spoke in unison.
"She's DRUNK!"
Mamoru kept himself out of the picture as he watched the two doctors accuse each other of getting Rei drunk. It was almost comical, but he felt sorry for in a small way. He did like Rei still. She was a good friend, even if she did have a malicious side. Who was he kidding? He was enjoying this moment for all it was worth. He realized that he never had so much fun since he had met Usagi. He had never let him get so relaxed, or laugh at such a scene.
Rei still stared at him though her eyes were glazed over. She tried to get out of bed, past the arguing doctors. She latched on to him, and smiled up, almost falling over as she tried to hug him.
"Cutsh guy, doctor-san... here's the cute guy..." Rei pointed at him, and for once Mamoru was glad he was invisible. But he was getting rather tired of her being drunk, so he snapped his fingers, even though it was probably against the rules.
Rei suddenly looked up at him through clear and sober eyes, and then screamed, remembering all that had happened while she was drunk.
"I'M gonna KILL you for that!! That wasn't a real wish! Take it back! I wanted to wish Mamoru and I together! I wanted to know what happened to that Usagi girl! To make her miserable for the rest of her life!"
Time seemed to freeze at that moment, before the doctors put Rei in a "safe" room, as a puff of pink smoke appeared. "That can be arranged."
Mamoru stumbled back. "Oh no, not again," he muttered under his breath as the pink clad teenager suddenly appeared in the room. Rei's head whipped back and forth between the two genies. "There's more of you? Why are you following me?" she wailed. At that moment, two of the doctors on duty came and retrieved Rei, taking her to a more secluded room where she could be monitored carefully.
What the doctors didn't know that this new situation left Mamoru alone with Small Lady--err, Lady as she insisted upon being called. No matter what the condition was, Mamoru didn't feel comfortable being alone with her, especially because of the predicament he was in.
"What are you doing here?" he bit out, staying as far away from Lady as possible. It wasn't that he didn't like her, he just didn't trust her.
She feigned a smile at Mamoru. "It's not like I really wanted to be here, but it looked like you could use a little help."
"Not from you."
She crossed the room to stand on one side of the bed while he stood on the other. "And how did you think you would get out of this mess? May I remind you that you are only a mere mortal who is being tested? You have no real powers of your own."
Mamoru's eyes narrowed. "You're one to talk. If it hadn't been for you in the first place, I would have never gotten into this mess and Usako would still be here! And we would be happy, because we were with each other."
Lady laughed bitterly. "Oh, now that's a riot. You honestly believe that Usagi wanted to be with you? She was only doing as you commanded her, granting your wishes because you were her master. You know what that word means, don't you?"
"Don't mock me," Mamoru spat out, turning towards the window so he wouldn't have to look at her. "You're all lies. I know that Usagi loves me, I've heard her say it. And she knows I feel the same for her." He hit his fist against the wall. "And there's nothing I can do to get her back!"
Lady suddenly disappeared and then reappeared right behind Mamoru. "You know, I can do that easily," she whispered lowly in his ear. Mamoru shuddered and back away from her. She continued her advance. "Just say the word and I can bring Usagi back to this world."
He looked suspiciously at her. "What are you saying?"
Lady rolled her eyes. "Listen carefully. I can grant your wish. If you want her back so badly, just say it and I'll make it come true." One of her hands came up and rested gently on his silk vest. "Of course, there are certain consequences to this."
Mamoru pushed her hand away. "Why am I not surprised? What do you get out of the deal?"
Lady smiled slyly. "You, of course."
"WHAT?"
She wrapped both her arms around his neck. "Don't you remember what the Council said? If you fail, you will belong to me. If I bring Usagi back now before your test is over, that qualifies as you failing. Don't you see? You could be so much happier with me."
He tried to squirm out of her embrace, but it was no use. "I can't believe you want me to give up. I could never be happy with you. You're just a child."
"Only in physical body, Mamoru. My soul is over 300 years old. I'm just as wise and developed as Usagi, if not more." Her arms tightened around his neck, bringing their faces closer together. "Forget about Usagi... you don't need her. You never needed her."
Mamoru's eyes closed at that moment and Lady was almost sure he was going to kiss her. But suddenly his eyes snapped open again and what she saw was not love, or even adoration.
He was angry. Steaming mad. With sudden strength, Mamoru pulled Lady's arms away from him, and in a flash of light, found himself standing on the other side of the room. "You forget that the powers coursing within me are the powers of Usagi. I feel her heart and soul within me, almost if she was actually here. No one, especially you, can break the bond between us. I promised her I would pass this test and bring her safely home, which is what I intend to do." With those words, Mamoru suddenly disappeared from the room, leaving Lady to deeply contemplate his words.