I do not own Sailor Moon. This is my story and so is Hinotama!
Enjoy & please R & R!!
Falling Stars
Chapter 4
Minako's vivid eyes twinkled as she swirled about in her yellow dress, her trademark red bow bouncing as she spun. Without a care in the world she coaxed her friend to join her for a sunlit afternoon of fun. Her eyes were gleaming joyously as she latched onto Usagi's wrists and pulled her out into the sunlight as it poured down onto the Temple. "Come on, Usagi-chan! Join us!" she giggled smiling, gorgeous mane shining beneath the afternoon glow.
With a titled nod and a smile, Usagi consented. "Come where?" the odangoed one exclaimed curiously. One by one, Rei, Ami, Makoto, and Mamoru appeared out of nowhere and began to approach Usagi with wide smiles. The cherry blossoms were blooming and the air was mixed with their deliciously fragrant scent. The temple grounds were in peak condition, and the surrounding estate's lush green grass seemed almost a perfect utopia. "Hey you guys! I've missed you!" the blonde laughed freely, cerulean eyes glittering.
Mamoru stepped forth, offering a hand as he lessened the five-foot difference between them.
"Come with us, Usako," he whispered softly, grinning. The young woman slipped her petite hand into his masculine palm, and as his hand closed firmly around it, she blushed. She blinked in her ever-so-innocent appeal, dazed and elated to be with those she loved most. Her gaze awakened once again, and lifted to meet Mamoru's. Though when Usagi looked up into his eyes, she saw nothing. His characteristically warm midnight eyes were dead and icy. The girl suddenly realized how empty and unfeeling they were then as their normally gentle and joyous glimmer had faded into a cold glow.
"Mamo-chan?" she inquired softly, visibly surprised and unnerved as their gazes locked. Sensing her hesitation, Mamoru clasped a tight hand around Usagi's wrist and violently ripped her towards him like a helpless doll. "Mamoru!" A feeling of uncertainty and intense dread began to seep into her bones as she felt his iron grip tighten; and already scared out of her wits, the rabbit attempted to draw away. She knew something was quite wrong, as he'd never handled her so angrily like that before...never hurt her intentionally. But his eyes were so empty...
"That's right, Usagi-chan!" a tiny giggle came from behind. Ami smiled wickedly at her dear friend through strangely dark eyes beneath her bangs of aqua. "Onegai, come with us!" Usagi was momentarily distracted as she glanced over at Ami, entirely confused. All of them...it was all in their eyes...
"Ami-chan! What's going on?" Usagi squealed, feeling Mamoru's grip harden. "Ami! Help me!" Seeing that her pleas were of no use, Usagi shifted her attention to Mamoru and his offensive hold. With a tiny cry, she managed to break free of him, and stepped back as she rubbed at her sore and reddened wrist. "Mamoru! Onegai!" Usagi's wide eyes were filled with a fearsome gleam, and she continued to step back and away from her friends.
"Well, are you coming or not?" Ami prodded, folding her arms and glaring at Usagi in irritation. Her eyes were just as Mamoru's: dark and unfeeling. Ami's hair swayed gently in the icy breeze that suddenly whipped through the scene. The sun that once poured down upon them like paradise faded to a bleak afternoon of chilled winds and unforgiving skies.
"What is going on here?" Usagi demanded, clutching her injured wrist to her chest. "I'm not going anywhere until someone tells me what is going on!" Her cries of command were ignored and Usagi realized that she was now surrounded on all sides. Rei and Makoto flanked her, arms tensed and prepared to take hold of the young woman. Minako and Ami in turn flanked the other girls, their faces graced with the same wickedly daring and vengeful smiles. Usagi, however, was terrified, and spun around at random intervals, pleading to each of her friends. "You guys! Mamo-chan? Rei? Ami, Minako? Makoto! Why are you acting like this?!" she exclaimed, nearly forced to tears. She brought her hands to her eyes, shielding her view from the hateful scenario.
"Little rabbit, will you cry now?" Rei taunted, her amethyst eyes sparkling despite the darkened afternoon.
"Onegai, little rabbit, cry for us!" Makoto giggled, delighted with her friend's peril.
The blonde cringed as they advanced, and within seconds she was contained. As if on cue, several steely grips took hold of Usagi and latched onto her limbs, ripping her to the ground as the air filled with their horrific laughter.
"Princess, join us in the darkness!" Rei cackled as she slammed Usagi's back against the pavement. "Let it swallow your soul!"
"No! Please, God…anyone…help me!" Usagi screamed out, fighting against the forces that held her fast. She could feel two hasty hands taking hold of her golden streams and tugging at them ruthlessly. Her brilliant blue eyes flickered in mortification, and she screamed helplessly. Their eyes were so dark and fearless--so hateful and evil. "Help me!"
*~*~*
Usagi awoke suddenly, drenched in a cold sweat as she shot up into sitting position. Her hands consciously raced about, patting both herself and the bed to be sure that she was truly alive. The darkness of the underground sanctuary, however, was only so comforting to her as she thanked the gods it was only a nightmare. Her long blonde hair was draped around her like a curtain of gold and was slightly mussed from thrashing about. With a whimper, she buried her tear stained cheeks in the rough cotton sheets as she sobbed away her terror. "Hnn...Mamoru...my friends, what is happening?" she choked out, hugging herself. It seemed the only thing she knew how to do at that point--cry in fear and in desperation of her situation. What was left anyway? She was alone, save for Hinotama who as it was, appeared to have left.
"Hinotama?" Usagi inquired, her thoughts turning to her kin. The blonde ran her hands through her hair, smoothing it as she swung her legs over the side of the cot and stood. The floor was cold against her bare feet, and with a tiny shiver, Usagi padded over to the cot opposite hers. The ivory sheets were flung to the side casually and Hinotama was no where to be found. The blonde folded her arms and shook her head. "Where'd you go?" There came no reply to her quiet soft query.
'Wonderful! This is positively wonderful...I am not plagued by nightmares and left entirely alone to fend for myself in the middle of hell. Who does she think she is?! Ugh, that girl is crazy. Since the day I met her I knew something was different about her...it's hard to believe this began simply yesterday. Yet, no matter how infuriating she was or how strangely divine, I understand why. She's do determined, and I know now what it is like to lose those you love. Perhaps that smart mouth of hers might get us in trouble…but is there anyone cares anyway? Who's gonna punish us around this wasteland?' Usagi thought succinctly. The lighter she had seen Hinotama holding was sitting quietly on the desk near Usagi's bed. 'Let's shed a bit of light on the subject.'
After flipping the cap over and flicking back the button, a tiny flame slowly allowed itself to emerge into the darkness, burning a hole through its thickness. The room was completely empty and seeing her sister's absence made Usagi uncomfortable. Her gaze floated about the room, until it feel upon a tiny note that was pinned to the wall beside her own bed.
Usagi-chan,
I didn't want to leave you all alone, but I had no choice. It's hard to believe what has been happening...but I've gone out on patrol for a bit. Don't worry about me and stay in the shelter. I'll be back soon & make breakfast.
-Hinotama
"Damn you, Hinotama! She could at least specify where or why she was going!" Usagi remarked darkly as she crumpled the note carelessly. "She wrote this pitiful excuse for a message like she's going out to the store for groceries!" Usagi's voice was hinted with anger, but most of all irritation.
'I've been dragged into a literal hell world, and now my life has been turned upside down. And all my sister can think about is patrolling and making breakfast! How in hell am I supposed to figure this out?' Usagi threw the balled-up note across the room and watched with distant satisfaction as it rolled beneath Hinotama's bed.
*~*~*
Hinotama dashed through the blackened alleys, clutching her left arm and clenching her teeth as she tried to force away the overwhelming pain. Blood steadily coursed down her arm as she spun about mid step to fire a few shots from her smoking handgun. The monstrosities trailing her seemed little affected and continued their pursuit, growling and grumbling in a disgusting manner. 'I'm going to die…' Hinotama thought with a dark acceptance. She risked her chances once again by spinning to face them, standing her ground as she fired off a few more shots. They echoed as they rocketed down the alley towards the demons, delaying them shortly. Hinotama took these few precious seconds to take off into the night, racing for a haven.
'There have to be more…and they will kill me if not the others. I am going to die and Usagi will be all alone in a world of merciless, cold-blooded killers. Usagi-chan, my dear sister. Onegai, forgive me. Gomen nasai!' After hurtling down a few more shortcuts and pathways, Hinotama found herself in a secluded area located just off of the metropolis of her world. It was where a huge commerce center once stood before the devastation of her home world; and in place of the old center was now a barren field of nothingness.
'I'll draw them away from her, that's all I can do now. If I hadn't stuck around long enough for them to regroup, I might have been luckier. Oh, Usagi, stay safe. Sunfire Crystal, I beg of you. If I die, send her home. Let my sister have her life back. I don't want to watch helplessly from above--or wherever I end up assuming there is such a place--as she withers away in that shelter far from the ones she loves. I cannot bear such pain. It will kill me into the lives of my future and on. Usagi…run for your life, sister!'
By now, Hinotama dove headfirst into the field, tunneling through the dense weeds to an area far from her previous position. On all fours, she struggled to keep moving, but fell to her side with a muffled shriek of pain as a result of her tender wound. Her arm was still bleeding profusely from the large gash in her upper arm which a large Scorpia had bestowed upon her.
Left with only a few shells in her gun, a broken stake, and one lost altogether, Hinotama's odds were looking mighty grim. She had fought so hard to avoid a fate to which far too many had already succumbed. In other words, she was dead.
Using all of her willpower, Hinotama commanded her despondent body into a kneeling position. She could see just above the weeds as she crouched in silence that a few of the demons were making their way through the field...heading straight for her. They were disgusting beings of sheer evil, inconceivably hideous. The demonic forms were incapable of feeling, or understanding morals. Their mission was to seek, destroy, and conquer all life in order to further their own kind. These, though, were quite different from Scorpia; in fact they were five levels higher on the demonic power chain--funny how one even existed. Hinotama's eyes flickered with hatred now in their vivid colors as she remembered the demise of her beloveds. Hinotama had watched them destroy her family as she tried to no avail to stop them with her powers. Though somehow, by some strange grace, the young solar Princess was spared from the ferocious death her friends and family...minna...had suffered. Thereby endowed with a guilt no one should ever have to bear, Hinotama continued to fight and refused to give up until the darkness was defeated. The thought of doing so lead her gaze up to the dirty skies of of muddy browns and hints of ebony. The world was enveloped in silence, save for the random whispering breezes that were in turn tainted with filth. Ruins of cities remained even in spite of the destruction--most were located around the central metropolis of Hinotama's hometown. Tunnels, shelters, and hideouts were found in many a location, but several already had been weeded out and squelched.
Her brilliant eyes returned to the demons, and she quickly peered around to decipher her options. A vast, dense woodland thrived behind her, though it was not of lush greenery, but rather dead and dank vines and trunks. The field in which she hid was quite near it, but because she was injured and had a minimal chance of survival, Hinotama resisted the urge to attempt to reach it. Another low growl reminded her of oncoming predators. They had come to claim the Sun Princess and to, in the meantime, finish off the entire universe.
The monstrosities, which stood upright, pushed on through the field, digging their long, steel-plated arms and legs through the impossibly thick weeds and near-dead plantlife. Hinotama's eyes fell upon the immense black claws upon their hands, which when fully extended, could measure up to 7 inches. Their heads, shaped spherically with two, devil like spikes protruding from the tops of their heads, turned now and then as they scanned the area with their cold, unfeeling emerald eyes. The mental capabilities of Hinotama's pursuers, as she had learned, were incredible, in which they could figure strategy, contemplate reactions, and plan surprise attacks in mere seconds. Their glowing eyes were the only signal of their presence, and for that Hinotama was thankful. She was convinced that without such a convenience, she would have already died.
She waited in silence beneath the weeds that would come up to her chest if she were standing and were in turn nothing to the demons which were at least 6 feet tall. "They're coming to kill me now. I'm sorry, Usagi. But I won't die like this--no way in this hell world!" Hinotama screamed as she jumped up into the air and fired her remaining shots at the demon's heads with surprising accuracy. Two dropped instantly, gurgling as they fell. These, however, were no ordinary bullets, of course; they were wrought iron and coated with a poison potent to demons alone.
Surprisingly enough, the creatures were technologically advanced to be able to speak. "Run small child!" one's voice echoed with a metallic ring as it fell to the ground. One, however, still remained and Hinotama had no choice now but to run. It would hunt her down until she was dead unless she made a break for it.
Though all of a sudden, she was filled with a sort of resentment towards herself. She was running again...allowing herself to be overpowered by the same forces she risked her life daily trying to defeat. Stopping midstep with amazing precision, she whipped around to face the final predator. "I'm done running. This is my world and now you've crossed the line!" the young woman proclaimed, hair flying free about her and eyes blazing as she readied her weapon.
"I will enjoy killing you," the final demon laughed cruelly. Though demonic, they still had higher intelligence as the ranks increased and could speak every language known to man, or what was left of it, fluently.
"I watched things like you kill my friends and family. Now I will kill you as a calling card to your overlords. If you see them in hell, tell them I'm taking back my world!" Hinotama screamed as she called upon her inner strength and used her skilled telekinesis to fling it effortlessly. She quickly took it down when it landed with a few well-placed side kicks, and hook punches. With a final spin kick and firing her last bullet, Hinotama watched the demon fall to the ground.
"You will not survive the wrath of the overlord," it curdled as it fell and passed on. The girl clutched her arm and turned to it for a finishing time.
Hinotama shot the dead form a dark glare and suddenly smiled, "We'll see about that."
Chapter 4 revised as of 1/20/2002.
