Author's Notes at bottom - Enjoy!
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From the Beginning - Another Story
Chapter I
By: Bethany
Editor: Meara
Rated: PG
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There was something undoubtedly familiar about this scene. Sure, Kino Makoto usually had a full house now a days, people running in and out at all hours of the day and night--but no, this had a slightly different ring to it. And more so, too good to be true.
Standing in front of the stove, a rather shockingly bright orange apron adjourning her figure, stood Aino Minako. In one hand she held a long handled spoon and the other she was idly flipping through a cookbook. Like they were waiting for a bomb to explode; Makoto, Rei and Ami were all standing across the kitchen, their arms tensed just incase the need to duck should arise. But so far, so...
*CRASH*
Never mind, this was *exactly* like every other day in the Kino household. Minako turned, her face in shock, as a small flame sparked on the stove, growing higher. Makoto pulled out the pot lid from behind her back, expertly putting the flames out and shaking her head all the while. "You're doing better, Minako-chan," Ami said reassuringly, trying to disguise her smile as a look of pride. "That's six minutes longer than normal. I'd say by this time in the year 2013, you'll be able to cook it all the way through."
Minako didn't look in the least relieved at the information. Instead she dejectedly tugged at the strings of her apron until it fell into her hands and she threw it onto the table, flopping down in the chair. "I'll never learn to cook," she mumbled.
"Don't say that, Mina-chan," Rei said reassuringly, patting her arm. "We'll live to be a couple of thousand years old, and surely you can learn in that time frame."
"Gee, thanks," the blonde mumbled.
"Any time," Rei sang, sitting beside her and winking. "Seriously, Mina, if Usagi can learn to cook--you can."
"And we all know what a miracle that was," piped up Luna from where she had been sitting on a stool watching the scene play out in the kitchen. "Mamoru-san has the patience of a saint when it comes to her. She was bound to learn between him and Mako-chan."
There was a click at the door just before it flew open, a tall man coming through with a big grin on his face. His hair, so blonde it was more white, was tied behind him in a ponytail. All four girl's heads jerked up to see him slide his shoes off and come into the kitchen. "Good afternoon ladies!" he piped, ignoring the fact that he had just barged in Makoto's house without as much as knocking.
The blonde who had been pouting at the table just mere seconds before was soon replaced by the endlessly cheerful Minako they all knew. She jumped up, threw her arms around Yaten in much the same manner that Usagi used to do Mamoru (and still did at times) and planted her lips firmly on his cheek. "Yaten!" she squealed as he hastily wrapped his arms around her slim body. "I wasn't expecting you until later!"
"I'm just full of surprises," he replied, winking at the other girls in the room. "You ready to go?"
Minako nodded, hastily putting on her shoes while sticking her arms through a sweater. Yaten reopened the door, bowing lowly to the Senshi of Love, who giggled in return and walked through the door with her nose up. "Thank you, kind sir," she drawled, laughter on her lips and in her eyes.
"Anytime, milady," Yaten responded, shutting the door behind him. Ami, Makoto and Rei barely had time to look at each other before the door swung open again. "Ja minna!" said the two as the door shut again, only the muffled sound of their laughter remaining.
There was a loud squeal of tires and Makoto shook her head. "My drive-way is going to be covered with Yaten's tire marks."
"I know," Rei said, peeking inside the pot Minako had been cooking in and pinching her nose while making a face. "I've marked them with days and times, so you can show your children one day."
"Thanks," Makoto mumbled.
~*~*~*~*~
Usagi bit her bottom lip, eyes watering slightly as she tossed aside a pair of maternity jeans. "Oh well," she mumbled, digging in one of the bottom drawers. "Pajamas are much more comfortable anyways." She slid on a pair of cotton pajama pants with a planet print and pulled her t-shirt down over her swollen stomach. Quietly she padded into the bathroom and stood on the scale. Her eyebrow rose slightly as she hopped off again and made her way down the hall. "Mamo-chan!"
The tall dark haired man in the living room blinked, looking up from the paper he was reading and at his wife with a curious expression. She stood beside his chair, her arms crossed. "Guess what?"
"Nani?" Mamoru asked, amused by the look of annoyance playing at the corners of her lips.
Gently she reached out, plucking the paper from his hands and laying it aside. Purposely she sat in his lap, wrapping her thin arms around his neck. "I've gained four more pounds!" she announced as if it were the end of the world.
Mamoru, completely taken off guard, blinked dumbly at her. The blonde nodded, settling down so she could rest her head in the crook of his neck. "Mmm, Mamo-chan? Am I ever going to have this kid?"
Mamoru chuckled, kissing her cheek lovingly. He raised her t-shirt up so he could lay his palm on the warm skin of her stomach and feel their child inside. Usagi giggled, pressing her face against his neck so she could place a kiss there. In response Mamoru wrapped his arm further around her waist and pulled her closer so he could kiss her lips deeply. She sighed as they parted. "I love you," he mumbled into her hair, content just to hold her so close.
"I love you more," she replied and he could feel her smile against his neck.
"Nu uh," Mamoru replied, softly.
"Yeah huh," Usagi argued back, her voice slightly rising in protest.
"Nu uh," he said again, also rising his voice.
"Mama?" a new, younger, voice suddenly said. Both Usagi and Mamoru's heads lifted up and looked over at the new comers in surprise. Standing just inside the hallway were two children with black shiny hair, wearing nearly identical feeted pajamas-- except that one was in blue and the other in pink. Chiba Kazeno was standing just behind his twin sister, Sorano, grasping her hand in his tightly. "We had a bad dream," Sorano informed her parents, her brother nodding his head in agreement.
"Both of you?" Usagi asked her nearly four-year-old twins in amazement, glancing up at Mamoru out of the corner of her eye. The twins nodded simultaneously in response.
"Come tell us about it," Mamoru said and instantly the twins scurried across the room, Kazeno climbing up to squeeze on his father's knee beside Usagi and Sorano perching on the arm of the chair up against her father who put his arm around her protectively.
"There was a bad man," Sorano began excited, though slightly frightened. "And we ran and ran from him..."
"...But he kept getting us," Kazeno picked up, cuddling against Usagi as she placed a kiss in his jet-black hair. "We locked the door, but he was there."
"We couldn't hide," Sorano finished, shivering slightly.
"Did he do anything bad to you?" Usagi asked softly, reaching out to brush a stray hair from Sorano's face. The young girl shook her head no. "Then how do you know he was bad?"
"Just was," both twins answered together.
Usagi bit her lip and cast a wayward glance at her husband who smiled. It never stopped amazing Usagi the way the twins behaved. It was as if while still being two separate people, they were parts of a whole. They thought the same, finished each other's sentences, and even had the same dreams. But sometimes they acted so differently; she thought she might be imagining their link. "I tell you what," Usagi said brightly. "I have something that is just the cure for this."
"You do?" Sorano asked doubtfully, her bottom lip puffed out slightly as if Usagi were trying to pull a trick over on her. Her daughter had always been the more out spoken one, the one to question everything, while Kazeno seemed content with the reasoning Sorano acquired, rather than get his own.
Usagi nodded, placing Kazeno on the floor so she could slowly get to her feet. The twins followed Usagi to her bedroom where she fumbled through a junk drawer. Like a golden treasure she pulled out a hand woven wooden circle with threads connecting inside with a small circle opening in the middle. She sat down on the bed, beckoning the twins closer to inspect the object.
"A friend made this for me when I was younger. It's called a dream catcher," she told them. "All your bad dreams get caught in this web, while the good dreams are allowed through. In the morning, when the sun hits it, all the bad dreams disappear."
Sorano looked skeptical, but Kazeno took the dream catcher in his small hands, looking it over. "Cool," he whispered in awe, his deep blue eyes excited.
"Do you want me to go hang it up in your room to catch your bad dreams?" asked Usagi. Sorano barely nodded, but Kazeno was all for it. Quickly he sprinted out of the room and towards the one he shared with his sister.
"Is it a trick?" Sorano asked, turning back to her mother with a look in her eyes that much resembled the one Mamoru had when he was unconvinced about something.
"No," Usagi answered, following Kazeno into the other room. "I used it for years."
"Why not now?" Sorano questioned, still hesitant, though looking more convinced.
Mamoru was standing at the doorway, his arms crossed casually in front of him as he smiled softly at his wife and daughter. Usagi smiled back. "Because Mamo-chan keeps my bad dreams away now," she replied.
Sorano nodded and ran towards the other room, past her father who chuckled lightly as Usagi came up to him. Mamoru went into the living room, searching the desk drawer for a thumbtack. Finding one, he came back into the twin's bedroom and used it to attach the dream catcher to the ceiling between the white toddler beds. It spun in circles for a few seconds before stopping. "Now you shouldn't have any more bad dreams," Usagi told her children, leaning back against her husband's chest.
Kazeno's midnight black hair fell back away from his face as he stared at the dream catcher with a grin on his face. The sun's rays filled the room as it moved from behind a cloud and Kazeno's face lit up with awe. "Look Mama! The bad dreams are gone!"
"They certainly are," Usagi agreed, snuggling into her husband's arms as they wrapped around her, his palms lying softly on her stomach.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There was a loud squeal of tires that caused everyone on the street to look up with annoyance as a bright yellow sports car rounded the curve. Even the people in the shops could hear the loud rock music that blared from the radio as they passed. Minako, however, paid no attention to the looks and shakes of heads as she laughed and danced to the music. To her, the world looked bright and wonderful--better than it ever had. She couldn't imagine life being any better.
Yaten pulled the car up to the front doors of a ten-story building and cut the engine. Minako pushed her hair away from her face, trying to calm the wind blown pieces back down to where they belonged before looking out at the building curiously.
"We're here," Yaten announced, fidgeting slightly with the seat belt. He got out, stuffed the keys in his jean pocket and ran around to open the door for Minako.
Questionably, the petite blonde looked up at the building again and then to Yaten. "Where are we?"
Yaten shrugged nonchalantly, but Minako could tell he was excited about something. He grabbed her hand in his and practically drug her inside the lobby of the building. Minako glanced around briefly as she was pulled into the elevator on the far end of the lobby. There were two doors to the left, one labeled "Maintance", but otherwise there was nothing particularly interesting. It looked like any other apartment complex she had been in. "Who lives here?" Minako asked Yaten as the doors to the elevator closed.
"Just wait," he told her, winking as he pushed the button for the forth floor and the elevator began moving upwards. Finally the small bell rang and the doors opened to reveal a long hallway with doors lining both sides. Yaten walked down to the fifth door on the left and stopped, producing a key. Smiling mischievously, he pushed the key in the lock and turned the knob. Dramatically he swung the door open and allowed Minako to go in. "This is my new apartment," he announced, spreading his arms wide and waiting anxiously for a reaction.
Minako blinked, glancing around. There was a descent size living room with a balcony that over looked the city, a small kitchen with a dining area and a short hallway that lead to a bathroom and two rather small bathrooms.
Yaten followed Minako with an expression that bordered pain on his face. "I know it's not as big as Usagi and Mamoru's...." he began. "But I think it's good for a starter."
Minako cleared her throat, pushing her hair out of her face again and tucking it behind her ear. Slowly she walked back to the living room, noting how soft the carpet felt on her bare feet. "It's nice," Minako said quickly, a tad too quickly.
"But?" Yaten bit his lip, already looking disappointed. Walking
over towards Minako, he took both her hands into his. "What don't you
like? Is it the color of the carpet?"
"No," Minako answered, rubbing the bottom of her foot against
the soft material. "It's not that."
"Then it's the space? It's not big enough?"
"No, Yaten, it's not that.." Minako bit her bottom lip and
looked lovingly at the Senshi Star Maker.
"Then what is it?"
Minako took in the room again, looking through a door way into
the small kitchen with the bright white cabinet doors, the small balcony; a frown tugging at her lips. "It's beautiful. Demo.... where's the furniture?"
Yaten blinked and looked at the empty rooms; laughter spilling from his lips. "Ah, Mina-chan, you scared me for a second." Looking more than a little relieved, Yaten wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer. "I haven't bought furniture for a reason."
"Oh?" Minako looked at him curiously.
Yaten, looking decidedly more and more nervous as the seconds ticked by, released Minako's left hand and reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a small black box and began the task of opening it, though he couldn't remember it being this hard the hundred or so times he had gazed at in the last week. At this rate nothing would turn out as he planned.
While he was distracted with the box, however, Minako's eyes had grown huge. A gush of warmth flooded through her body so fast that she was sure even her ears were red. Her mouth opened soundlessly, but words were beyond her. Finally Yaten managed to get the box open, mumbling under his breath that with any luck that would be all that went wrong, and dropped to one knee.
His face was flushed, and Minako could tell he was nervous and a bit uncomfortable on the floor like that. He caught her look and gave a lopsided smile that gave away his nervousness. For a long moment he said nothing, just stayed there on one knee with the ring held up before him. "I--I--" He looked like he would be sick before he got the words out. "Minako, I love you," he finally managed weakly. "Please... marry me?"
Minako smiled, her eyes filling with tears that she tried to keep locked in. She gazed at the beautiful ring set in gold, a single diamond, simple yet so gorgeous and then beyond it to Yaten who looked absolutely petrified. With a small, short lived yelp, she launched herself into his arms, knocking them both backwards onto the floor. Before Yaten could do more than suck a breath in, Minako's lips were on his. Laughing into her mouth, he wrapped his arms around her body, ring box still clutched in his hand, and kissed her back.
When they finally broke, the tears Minako had trapped in her eyes broke free and kissed her eyelashes on their way down her smiling face. "Does this mean yes?" Yaten asked, grinning from ear to ear.
Minako nodded and eagerly pressed her lips to his once more. "Yes!" she finally managed, nearly screaming the word. "Yes!"
Yaten chuckled as he maneuvered his hands so that he could place the ring on Minako's finger. After securely pushing the ring down, Yaten brushed his lips on her knuckles. "I love you," he mumbled, lifting his hand up to brush a stray hair from her face gently.
"I love you," Minako replied, silently thinking she had been wrong before. *Now* life couldn't get any better.
~*~*~*~*~*~
A woman of about forty walked silently through a hall that lead to a stairwell at the end. Her heels tapped loudly on the marble steps, each echoing through the hall until she reached the top. With a small turn of the knob, the door swung open and she went through, shutting and locking it behind her. The doorbell chimed again, this time louder than it had been when she was downstairs. "Coming!" she called, patting her hair to make sure it was in place.
Her heels clicked once more as she stepped off the padded carpet and into the tile lined entry way. There was large dome windows that lined both sides and top of the door that allowed the sun to flood through the room, making the white tile so bright it seem to glow. Tugging on the bottom of her blazer, the woman swung the door open. "Ah, Furuhata-san, welcome! Please, come in! I hope you had no trouble finding my house?
The tall blonde man on the other side of the door smiled handsomely, reaching to put his arm around the girl with him. The woman was equally as tall as her husband with long wavy brown hair that picked up reddish highlights from the sun. She smiled softly, momentarily displaying white, even teeth. "No, no -- we got here fine," Reika said pleasantly.
The woman held our her arm, beckoning them to follow her as she walked through the hallway and into a room on the right. In the far corner sat a piano in front of a large floor to ceiling window that looked out over an junior olympic size swimming pool. Turning, she motioned for the two to take a seat on the leather couch. "I have your paper work ready for signing, and the keys to your new home."
"We really appreciate you putting a rush on things for us, Zuiten-san," Motoki said warmly, taking the offered pen from the lady and signing his name to the first page before turning to the next.
"Please, call me Hinako," the lady insisted, taking a seat across from the couple and crossing her legs. "I do hate formalities, it makes me feel old," she laughed.
Motoki handed the signed papers back to Hinako. "By the way, that friend of mine I said I'd talk to? My wife and I are suppose to go to his house for dinner tonight, so I'll talk to him then. I'm sure this is a opportunity they won't miss since he and Usagi already have twins and another one on the way."
Hinako's eyes narrowed slightly. "Usagi, you say? What a cute name," Hinako mused quietly. "What did you say their last name was again?"
"Chiba," replied Motoki, not taking notice of the way Hinako's features seem to nearly pain at the sound of the word.
Just on the other side of the room, in the hall, a man stood listening to the conversation within. The sun shining through the glass doorway played on his body and to his face... and blank silver eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Soft classical music drifted throughout the room softly, the candle lights flickering in the dark room - making shadows dance on the ceiling and walls. Michiru closed her eyes and let the music sink into her mind so that she heard nothing else. A small smile played on her lips as she drifted off to a state of mind that was peacefully void of the restlessness of everyday life.
It wasn't to last. Something was troubling her, something that not even the sound of beautiful music could block. For days she had been musing over it, not being able to pin point what it was. But the irking feeling deep in her soul had kept her from sleeping again tonight so that she was now laying on the couch, her mind filled with troubled thoughts. Sighing, her eyes popped open and she slowly sat up. Across the living room, Haruka set her tea cup down and looked at her life mate. "Michiru?"
Shaking her heard, the aqua haired woman rubbed her palms over her face half in annoyance and half from the tiredness in her body. "I feel the sea becoming restless. Is something is about to happen?"
"Hmmm," Haruka lifted the cup to her lips again and looked out the balcony window into the moonless night beyond. "I don't feel a disturbance from outside the solar system. Are you sure it just isn't the tacos you had for dinner?"
Scowling at her life mate, Michiru picked her mirror up from the table before her, gazing at her reflection. Her mirror image gazed back, showing nothing out of the ordinary. Michiru sighed, putting it back down on the table and leaning back. "Do you suppose we should ask her?"
Haruka looked up sharply. "Did you see something?"
"No," Michiru replied. "But I can't shake this feeling. We need to do something. I can't take this waiting -- it's driving me crazy." Again she reached out for her mirror, as if instinctually knowing that it's depths could tell her something if she tried hard enough. For long moments she stared endlessly into her own eyes, searching; reaching for a sign, something. She was finally rewarded with a soft fog crawling up around the edges of her reflection.
She stared harder, urging the mist to show her something. Who was to know that in a matter of seconds she would see the last thing on Earth she wanted to? Haruka glanced up again from her cup of tea, sitting it aside to watch the look of concentration on Michiru's face. Suddenly that concentration broke as Michiru thrust her talisman across the room, her eyes wide with horror. "No..." her voice whispered softly, so softly that Haruka read her lips rather than heard her.
"Michiru?" Haruka breathed, leaping up from her seat and crossing the room in two strides. "Doushite?" she asked, placing her hand on Michiru's shoulder.
Agonizingly slow Michiru's horror stricken face lifted up to meet Haruka's worried gaze. She bit her bottom lip to keep tears from fogging her vision. Why them? she asked herself. Anyone... anyone but them. Haruka suddenly squeezed her shoulder, causing her to look up sharply. "The... the twins..."
Across the room, the fine china cup fell to the floor and shattered; sending tea and broken glass into the soft carpet. Both women's eyes fell on it, and then looked to each other. Haruka closed her eyes, a pained expression crossing her features. "We should have known. But I wouldn't have thought so soon..."
"Haruka," Michiru placed her hand over Haruka's and bowed her
head, speaking into her lap. "We must go talk to her. Even though we aren't suppose to, she is the only other one who knows. Besides, it's not the same here with her gone."
At that moment the front door was pushed open slowly by a thin hand and a young girl with shoulder length black hair came in, setting her back pack on the floor before looking up. "Haruka-poppa, Michiru-mama -- I'm home!" she called cheerfully into the entrance way.
Hotaru stopped abruptly at the sight of her adoptive parents who were staring at her. Haruka removed her hand from Michiru's shoulder and, sighing heavily, sat down on the sofa. "Hotaru, it's time," she said quietly.
The petite Senshi removed her shoes, her feet padding on the soft carpet as she came closer to her parents. Nearly sixteen years old, Hotaru had the air of an adult about her -- and a mysterious aura that seemed to linger around her as a reminder to those who knew that she was the Senshi of Destruction. So small, so sweet; yet she held the power to destroy the universe as humanity knew it. She lifted her hand, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "I know."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been a long time since the last enemy. A very long time. The months that had passed had gone as slowly as they used to; and just as lonely. The vast space that housed the Time Gate was full of fog, isolation, and misery.
Setsuna twirled her Time Staff and stared at its majestic glory. It was a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that she could stand here in this gate, knowing she was hand chosen to live forever and that Queen Serenity had trusted and believed in her enough to give her this task. A curse because she had never intended to get close to anyone, never intended to love another human being. But she had long ago broken that promise to herself. And what she knew then would happen, had.
Loneliness had set in, the urge to talk to someone, to watch Usagi's children grow, to watch Hotaru grow - all pulled at her mind and heart. But nothing was to be done about it, this she knew. The Time Gate had to be protected. But that didn't stop her from yearning for a normal life.
Suddenly she chuckled to herself at that last thought. "I'm starting to think like Usagi," she mused out loud, smirking at the irony of it. Talking to one's self comes with being alone so much, and Setsuna had gone beyond the point of worrying about it to just accepting it as a way of life.
"Kami forbid."
Today, however, someone answered her. And for Pluto, it was a rushing feeling between danger - and relief that at least she wasn't answering herself - yet.
"Who goes there? You have broken a taboo by entering the Forbidden Time Gate and--"
"Come on, Setsuna, we have heard this before and you have yet to
kill a one of us," Haruka drawled as she held up a Time Key and the fog
dissipated around her, revealing her form, along with Michiru and Hotaru's.
Setsuna stared for a long moment, wondering if at last the Time
Gate had decided to rid her of her misery and make her go crazy. "Haruka?"
Suddenly a gush of warm air, accompanied by Hotaru, rushed up against the tall Senshi and hugged her neck. "Setsuna-mama!" the young girl squealed. "I've missed you so much!"
Closing her eyes, Setsuna hugged Hotaru back. "You'd think being the Senshi of Time, I would have seen this one coming. What are you all doing here?"
Haruka blinked and looked at Michiru. Smiling, Michiru shook her
head. "Setsuna, I'm sure by your standards, we are early. But something
is happening in Tokyo. It's subtle now, but I believe it can become
very dangerous."
"You are right," Setsuna nodded her head and looked around the
vast emptiness around her, as if bidding it farewell. "Then there is
no time to waste, we must make sure the girls are ready."
"There's one thing though..." Hotaru looked up to make eye contact with Setsuna. Smiling, she told Setsuna: "Usagi's pregnant!"
"Oi.." the Senshi of Time rubbed her forehead. "I take it back, I'm the Senshi of Time who has no clue as to what's really going to happen."
Haruka laughed heartily. "Especially when a certain Princess and her Prince had taken up the hobby of mass reproduction."
Michiru giggled at the look on Hotaru's face before turning to walk towards the Gate. "I suppose now it's time for you to come back to us, ne Setsuna?"
Nodding, Setsuna watched the three walk into the Time Gate. Slowly she turned around as if bidding her prior loneliness farewell and smiled brightly. For the first time in nearly four years Setsuna was leaving the Time Gate. For the first time in nearly four years, she would set eyes on her friends, Prince and Princess. Tokyo loomed before her, and despite what lie ahead, the Senshi of Time couldn't help the way her heart lightened.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Sometimes there are things you just *know*. A feeling, that you can't quite explain, but understand just the same. It was the feeling that Chiba Usagi had tonight as she lay awake beside her husband, her hands on her pregnant stomach. Moving as little as possible, she looked over past the sleeping form of Mamoru at the clock beside the bed. The small red digits read 2:39 a.m. Sighing, she stared again up at the ceiling, knowing what was coming before it got there.
Again it came, just as she had silently predicted. She knew it could be hours before she actually gave birth; but at this moment she was in labor. From experience with the twins, she also knew this could go a lot faster than she was thinking. Making her decision, she nudged her foot towards the two felines asleep at the foot of the bed. "Luna!" she whispered. "Artemis! Wake up!"
Groggily, obviously not pained by a tightening in her stomach as Usagi was, the blue black cat yawned and stretched her front limbs out before her, making a low hissing sound. "What?" Luna said a little disgruntled as she barely opened her eyes to look at Usagi.
"Call Mako-chan. It's time," Usagi whispered, taking great pains to *not* touch Mamoru, for fear of waking him up before she was ready for him to be up.
"What?!" Artemis suddenly jumped up from his place on the foot of the bed, the hair on the back of his neck standing straight up. "It's
time for what?!"
"SHHH!" Both Usagi and Luna hissed at the same time. Nodding
her head, Luna jumped off the bed and headed for the living room
as Usagi attempted to get up and go into the bathroom. The more
time she had to get ready before she woke up Mamoru, she thought,
the better.
Remembering too well how he had reacted when she had the twins,
Usagi quietly changed clothes. When she was finally ready, she slowly made her way into the kitchen where fully clothed Makoto and a pajama clad Minako were standing.
"How's it going, Usagi-chan?" the tall Senshi of Jupiter asked as if she were passing by on the street, inquiring about the weather, rather than standing in her friend's kitchen at 3 a.m.
Blinking, Usagi glanced at the clock on the stove. "What did you two do, grow wings and fly?"
Blushing, Makoto stared at the pregnant princess. "Well, I had just happened to ask Chibi-Usa her birthday before she left. And judging from how far along you were, I just assumed..."
Usagi raised an eyebrow. "No fair, you had warning. You could have let me in on the secret," she mumbled, though smiling in a good natured way just before another pain hit her. She took a deep breath, gritting her teeth. Finally it subsided and Usagi unclenched her fist. "Are you ready?"
"Sure I am," Makoto replied, slapping her hands together. "The question of the day is: Is Mamoru-san ready?"
"What are you talking about?" Luna asked from the doorway in a voice that suggested Makoto had just declared the world was flat. "Do we look stupid? He's not even up yet!"
Usagi smiled wickedly, Makoto catching on while Minako yawned loudly and stretched her arms towards the ceiling. Both Princess and Senshi of Jupiter stared at Luna with this wicked smile, their eyes lighting up mischievously. The feline cat backed away, her head already shaking. "Oh no you don't..."
"You have the honor, Luna," Makoto drawled out in a voice full of respect. "Of waking Mamoru-san up."
"No, I don't. Artem--" Luna blinked, looking beside her where just moments before the white cat had been standing. Only now there was an empty space. "Arggggg..." she mumbled, stalking towards the bedroom.
Luna purred loudly and lightly scratched Mamoru's hand. Groggily,
the Earth Prince turned over and flung his arm around at the same time as if to put it around Usagi. Luna was lightening fast, having had some warrior skills in the Moon Kingdom, and the advantage of being a cat. However, she wasn't quite fast *enough*.
"MMMFFTT! Mammmoru-sannn! Gfffppp off mme!" the feline hissed,
trying to move out from under the dead weight of Mamoru's arm. Turning was difficult, but she finally managed to move so that her nails came in contact with Mamoru's arm and closing her eyes, she scratched the future King hard. Said King had lightening fast reflexes, too, Luna observed. Before she had done more than blinked Mamoru had fallen into the floor with a loud *thump* followed closely by a few choice words.
"Luna? What are you doing?!" he grumbled as he pulled himself
back up. His clothes were wrinkled and worn where he had slept in
them, not daring to not be ready when Usagi went into labor.
Huffing, Luna swished her tail in the air and stuck her nose
up. "After you tried to kill me, I'm not sure I should tell you!"
Still sitting in the bedroom floor beside the bed, Mamoru scratched the back of his neck as a slight blush crept up into his face. "Gomen, Luna," he apologized quickly, reaching out to pet her. This small action made him notice something missing from this scene... "Where's Usako?"
"That," Luna said with emphasis. "Is what I was telling you.
Usagi-chan is having contractions and is ready to go to the hospital."
Mamoru's eyes grew as large as saucer's, his mouth hanging open as the only recognizable word he would speak for the next ten minutes flew from his lips: "Nani?!"
Artemis looked up from where he was cleaning his paw and sighed.
"Here we go again..."
~*~*~*~*~*~
@--------
~*~*~*~*~*~
The waiting room was deathly silent, save for the occasional crunching of chips as Makoto popped another into her mouth. She was perfectly fine, calm and collected. The Senshi blinked, casting a frowning face towards her future King. She only wished she could say as much for him. "Mamoru-san, you okay?"
"Okay... sure," he mumbled, his dark head bent down to rest in his hands. He was utterly still, so much so that Makoto had to move her head down to be sure he was even breathing. His trembling hands pushed their ways through his hair as he exhaled deeply. "What's taking so long?"
Makoto shrugged, popping the last chip in her mouth and frowning now at the empty bag. Boredom always caused her to get the munchies, and with no one to talk to and no news yet on Usagi, life was as boring as it got. Sighing, she dug in her jeans pocket for some more change and made her way to the vending machines across the room. "Want something, Mamoru-san?"
"What?! How many?!" the Prince yelled, jumping up from his seat, his eyes wildly searching the room.
Makoto jumped slightly, taken back by his response. Shaking her head she clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Mamoru-san, chill, okay? I just asked you if you wanted something from the vending machine."
"Oh." Mamoru looked decidedly embarrassed as he sat back down, his face once more resting in the palms of his hands. "No, thank you, Mako-chan. The last time I took something from someone while waiting for Usa to give birth, it was drugged." He gave an involuntary shutter, remembering.
Makoto shrugged, trying to conceal her laughter as she stuck her money in the machine and ran her fingers over the selections in quiet concentration. Finally she pushed the button for the peanuts; which got stuck. "Great," she mumbled, hitting the side of the machine hard. The peanuts fell out and she grabbed them, sitting beside Mamoru once more. "Cheer up, Mamoru-san. Soon enough you'll be wishing the kid wasn't born, so you can get a descent night's sleep."
She received no answer, however, as Mamoru had went back to his silent stage of staring at the floor. Shrugging, Makoto dug into her bag of peanuts.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Minako had bid Mamoru, Usagi and Makoto goodbye and good luck and promptly fell onto the sofa where she went back to sleep. A sleep that would have been blissfully uninterrupted except two small things. Two nearly four year old things with blue and pink pajamas, black hair, and deep blue eyes that bore into her as they waited patiently for her to wake up. Sensing someone watching her, Minako blinked back the dream she had been having and looked up. "Nani?" she grumbled at the twins, reaching for one of the throw pillows to hide her head under.
"Where's Mama and Papa?" Sorano demanded, a trembling lipped Kazeno standing just to her left, huge blue eyes staring intently at Minako.
Minako stretched, blinked again, and sat up slowly. She glanced at the clock on the wall which read 7:47 a.m. and gave a small shutter. Her eyes wondered back to the twins again, who hadn't move an inch. "Eh, your Mama and Papa went to the hospital."
"Why?" Sorano asked immediately.
Minako, still not quite awake, yawned loudly. "Because Usagi was in labor."
"In what?" Kazeno mumbled, confusion set firmly in his small face that reminded Minako so much of Mamoru that she found herself staring at him. She seen these twins nearly everyday of their lives, why hadn't she noticed how much they looked like smaller versions of Mamoru?
Trying to dismiss her wondering thoughts, she rubbed her palms over her face. "Your Mama went to the hospital to... eh, because your new baby sister will be born today," Minako explained as best she could in words four year olds would understand.
Both twins made similar noises of understanding, their mouths in a small "o" shape. Then: "Can we go see?" Kazeno mumbled, his eyes no longer tear filled, but excited.
Before Minako could dig up a good excuse for not getting dressed yet, the doorbell rang. Standing on wobbly legs, she stumbled to the door and swung it open without even looking to see who it was first. On the other side of the door stood Hotaru, her eyes bright with excitement. "Hi!" she greeted, passing by a stunned Minako and taking her shoes off. She bent down so that she could see the twins. "Hey munchkins!"
"Hotaru-chan!" both twins screamed like a battle cry as they ran across the room and slammed theirselves into Hotaru's open arms. She nearly fell back with the impact, but managed to keep herself up. "Hotaru-can, Minako-chan said that Mama is having a baby!" Kazeno explained hurriedly, his eyes shining with excitement.
"And she's in labor!" Sorano added, still looking slightly confused. "Whatever that is..."
Hotaru blanched, trying to hide her giggle and pass it off as a cough. Which would have worked if that wasn't such a high pitched cough. She caught sight of Minako dropping back on the couch, burring her face in her hands. "They'll never forget that word," she mumbled to herself.
Hotaru smiled, looking back down at the twins. "Have you two had any breakfast yet?" she asked them. Both shook their heads simultaneously. "How about some pancakes, ne?" Both dark haired children nodded, taking off for the kitchen as fast as their legs would take them.
Minako sat up, her hair sticking up in many directions. "Um, not that it bothers me. But why are you here, Hotaru-chan?" she asked, as if the petite Senshi had just appeared out of thin air.
Hotaru shrugged. "Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa are going to the hospital to see Usagi-san, so they dropped me off over here to help with the twins." She laughed, going into the kitchen. "From the looks of it, you need all the help you can get."
"Tell me about it," Minako mumbled, falling backwards again. "Sleep," she mumbled to herself. "I want sleep."
Sleep that she wasn't going to get while stuck in an apartment with two three year old twins. After breakfast they again pounced on the blonde asleep on the couch, demanding to go to the hospital to see their mother. Sticky fingers reached out, shaking Minako until she was begging for them to stop. Finally, she gave in.
Hotaru grabbed the two small hands, leading them to the bedroom. "Come on, we'll get you cleaned up and then go see your Mama." Happy once more, the two ran ahead into the bedroom, grabbing clothes out of the dresser.
A few minutes later Minako came to the doorway, looking at the messy room and Hotaru in the middle, trying to pull a shirt over Kazeno's head while Sorano was attempting to put her shoes on the wrong feet. "I'm never having kids," she stated flatly.
Hotaru smiled sweetly, pulling Sorano's shoe off and telling her to put it on the other foot. "Ah Mina-chan, you don't mean that." She sighed, watching Sorano as she stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth in concentration as she buckled her shoe. "I want three or four."
"Does Shingo know that?" Minako asked, smiling mischievously.
Hotaru's face turned so bright red that she thought she'd explode. "Hai," she whispered, bruising herself with tying Kazeno's shoe. "We have, em, talked about it once or twice. Maybe a couple of years down the road..."
Minako grinned as she stared at Hotaru and then her thoughts went to Yaten, wondering if he'd want children. It was something she'd have to ask him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The elevator doors slid open slowly, two people stepping out. Haruka stuck one hand in her pockets, the other one scanning the directory on the wall. "Hmm," she mumbled, her finger stopping and pressing against a word. "Should be to the left."
"You're sure?" Michiru asked, stepping up beside her.
"Of course I'm sure, I can read," Haruka mumbled, giving Michiru a little glare out of the corner of her eye. "See? It says maternity right here."
Michiru smiled, weaving her arm through Haruka's. "Ok," she said, smiling in that way that made it hard for Haruka to stay mad at her.
The blonde smiled to herself, enjoying the way Michiru leaned her head against her arm as they walked. They past through two double doors and followed a hall to the maternity waiting room where Mamoru and Makoto were sitting. "Konnichi'wa," Haruka said as they approached, sitting down to the left of the two. Mamoru didn't look up, and Makoto just grinned. Haruka cocked her eyebrow at the Prince. "What's up with you, Mamoru-san?"
He didn't answer. Makoto grinned wider, bringing the coke can to her lips again and tipping it up. She placed it back down on the table, pouring peanuts into her hand. "If you'd like a good conversation, Haruka-san, the wall is available. It would speak more than Mamoru-san right now."
"Are you nervous, Mamoru-san?" Michiru asked softly, laying her hand on his knee. She looked up at Makoto when he still didn't raise his eyes to look at her. "Is he breathing?"
"Last time I checked," Makoto shrugged, frowning at the empty bag of peanuts. "But it's been a while since then."
"Any news on Usagi?" Haruka asked, furrowing her eyebrows as she leaned down to see if Mamoru was indeed breathing. Satisfied he was, she sat back again. "It's been what, five hours? She should hurry up so we can get a gander at this kid already."
"Haruka!" Michiru hissed, slapping her life mate gently in the arm. "Miracles take time."
"Hmph," Haruka retorted, digging in her pocket for change. "It's just Chibi-Usa, that's no miracle. A sign of the end of the world, maybe," she mumbled. "But no miracle." She finished her sentence and was immediately smacked in the back of the head. "Ow!" she grumbled, casting a sideways look at the aqua haired woman beside her. "Michiru, you got some change?"
"You're impossible," Michiru retorted, picking her purse up and opening it. She handed Haruka some change and the blonde headed across the room to the vending machine. "Hey Mamoru-san, you want something?"
Makoto blanched, her eyes shifting to the dark haired man next to her. As she might have predicted, he jumped up, eyes wild and scanning the room. "What?! There's how many?!"
Makoto put her hand on his shoulder, firmly pulling him back to his seat. "Mamoru-san, you baka," she mumbled, rubbing her fingers on her temples.
"What'd I do?" Haruka blinked, staring opened mouthed across the room.
Michiru giggled, sitting her purse at her feet and smoothing out the navy skirt she wore. "Why isn't Usagi letting you in, Mamoru-san?"
The dark prince's head shifted up, staring at Michiru as if just realizing she was there. His mouth made a small 'o' sound and he shook his head, his bangs falling haphazardly over his forehead. "She says I am too upset to be in the delivery room. Do I *look* upset?!" he just about screamed, burring his face in his hands again. "Oi... I can't handle this."
"What can't you handle, Mamoru-san?" Makoto asked in a bemused sort of way, both her eyebrows raised in question. "Usagi-chan is laying in there having the kid, and you can't handle it? What's not to handle?"
"You don't understand..." Mamoru moaned, running his fingers through his hair for the umpteenth time. "I'm going to be a Papa."
"You already are," Haruka pointed out, but Mamoru either didn't hear her or ignored her.
"It's a life changing thing, to see that small life you helped create and know that..."
"One day it will grow up to be Chibi-Usa---ow! Michiru, cut it out!" Haruka mumbled, rubbing the back of her head.
"...and there's so many things that run through your mind about if you can handle the responsibility," he finished, sighing. Michiru patted his arm reassuringly, Makoto looked like she would laugh if the air wasn't so tense and Haruka continued to rub the back of her head, mumbling.
And the touching scene would have stayed about this calm except for the door to the hall opening up and a short nurse coming out. She wore simple scrubs with small cartoon animals drawn on them, her auburn hair pulled up in a pony tail. She was a skinny woman with friendly eyes that looked excited. "Chiba-san?" she called, looking around the room at the four sitting clumped together.
Mamoru shot up like someone had jabbed him in the butt with a needle. Makoto rose too, followed by Haruka and Michiru. Before any of them could blink, however, Mamoru was already standing in front of the nurse nearly on his tiptoes. "How is Usako? The baby? What's going on?" he demanded in a wisp voice that sounded near hysteria. Makoto shook her head, not sure about Mamoru's mental health at the moment.
The nurse smiled, her eyes flashing recognition. "I know you, don't I? You're a doctor here..." Mamoru nodded, brushing away her words anxiously. Seeing that he was in no condition for small talk, she smiled knowingly. "Your wife and baby girl are fine, Chiba-san," she said, still smiling excitedly. "And your wife wishes for you to come to her when you're--" The words died on her lips, however. She blinked, watching Mamoru's retreating back as he ran down the hall. "...you're ready," she finished, still smiling.
Mamoru ran down the hall, his heart pounding as he searched for the room Usagi was in. And this was good and all, except he hadn't thought to ask what room it was. He glanced in room after room, his sneakers slapping on the concrete floor as he passed down the hall. Just before he came to the end, he seen a familiar blonde sitting on a bed and he stopped just in time to catch himself on the doorway and go into the room.
He stopped midway through the door, staring. Usagi was sitting on the bed, holding a small bundle of pink blankets and smiling lovingly. She looked up, her grin going wider when she seen him standing in the door. "Come here," she whispered, again directing her attention at the babe in her arms.
Mamoru felt a lump rise in his throat. It seemed eons ago that he had first set eyes on his newborn twins, and now he was a Papa again. Slowly he walked towards the bed, sitting beside Usagi and peering over into her arms. Usagi gently pushed the blanket back to reveal a tiny newborn with a head full of fuzzy strawberry hair and a red face. She scrunched her nose up, a small crescent moon lighting up on her forehead. Mamoru felt his mouth fall open as he watched her, speechless.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Usagi whispered, running her finger down the baby's face. "You want to hold her?" Usagi asked her husband, glancing up at him.
Mamoru nodded and Usagi gently held the baby towards him. He took her in his arms, holding her close to his heart. "Hi," he smiled, kissing her forehead. He placed his finger near her hand and she grasped it tightly and tried to bring it to her lips. Mamoru chuckled, looking up to see Usagi watching them with shining eyes. "I love you," he told her, bending over the baby to kiss her lips.
There was a small knock on the door and Mamoru and Usagi parted just as the nurse walked in, a clipboard held to her chest. "How's everyone doing?" she asked. Mamoru was idly wondering if she always had that excited look about her; perhaps it was her job that made her so happy.
"Wonderful," Mamoru replied, handing the baby back to Usagi who took her and made sure the blanket was still wrapped around her good.
"Great," the nurse said, standing on the other side of the bed and peering in at the baby. "What a beautiful baby, suppose she takes after her parents." At this Usagi and Mamoru both blushed red. "Do you know what you're going to name her yet?"
Mamoru felt a smile tug at his lips as he looked down at the baby and then to Usagi. Usagi's face shone brightly as she nodded. Mamoru looked back up at the nurse and nodded as well. "Usagi," he told her.
The nurse, who looked excited enough for all three of them at the moment, grinned broadly and jotted the name down. "A kawaii little bunny. Congratulations to you both." She turned to walk out of the room, but paused as she neared the door. "You have some visitors that are anxious to see the little one, shall I let them in?"
"Hai," Usagi told her, smiling. "Arigato."
Those anxious visitors wasted no time coming through the door, either. The nurse had no more had time to get down the hall when there was another knock and Haruka swung the door open wide, allowing Makoto and Michiru to go in first. The three gathered around the bed, bending over to get a closer look at the newborn. Makoto chuckled, sitting down in the chair next to the bed. "That's Chibi-Usa alright."
"Did they say anything about the moon on her forehead?" Michiru asked quietly, taking the baby Usagi offered her and pushing the blanket back to see her face. Haruka looked over Michiru's shoulder, speechless for once.
"It didn't flare up until after the nurse had left. Ami said it might do that for a few days," Mamoru said thoughtfully, leaning back next to Usagi so he could put his arm around her. He directed his attention towards her, leaning to kiss her cheek lovingly. "How do you feel?"
Usagi giggled, her eyes still a bit dazed from the pain medicine. "Well, not like going out dancing, by all means. But I don't feel too bad. Not nearly as sore as I did after having the twins."
"Hey Chibi-Usa," Haruka mumbled, reaching her finger out so that the baby could grasp it. "You know, you sure are cute," she said. Michiru looked up, surprised. "Reminds you of our little Hotaru, ne Michiru?" Haruka said.
"She won't grow up as quickly," Michiru said comfortably, handing the baby back to Mamoru who was still looking dazed.
"I hope not," Usagi said quietly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The phone rang and rang, but no one answered. Minako bit her bottom lip, tugging on the phone cord impatiently. Still no one answered. Hanging the phone up, she shrugged at the Senshi of Saturn who had been watching her with worried eyes. "Still no answer," Minako told her, placing the phone back on the hook. "Maybe they are on the way to the hospital?"
Hotaru shrugged, confused as well. She scooped Kazeno up in her arms, pulling his hood over his head. "It's just not like Usagi's parents to not be here when she is having a baby. I feel... I dunno, uneasy about it."
Minako also picked up a twin; Adjusting Sorano on her hip she bent down to pick up her keys and purse. "Well, let's head on over to the hospital anyways. They are probably already there."
Hotaru nodded uncertainly and put the baby bag on her free arm and followed the Senshi of Love out of the apartment, locking the door behind them. The buddle of bubbling twins in their arms grew even more excited as Hotaru tried to hold them still and buckle them in the seats. Having finally obtained that small mission, she hopped in the front seat and locked her own seat belt in place.
Minako, still yawning, climbed in the driver's seat and started the car just as another car came stretching down the street, sliding to a stop in front of the apartment building. Yaten jumped out, running over to Minako's window. "Where you going?"
"To the hospital to see Usagi and Mamoru's new baby," Minako told him, grinning from ear to ear. "Wanna go?"
"Sure!" he said, jumping in the backseat between the twins. He ruffled Kazeno's hair affectionately and tickled Sorano, sending both children in giggles. Minako pulled away from the curb, forcing herself to considerate on the road rather than Yaten in the back seat. "So when did Usagi have it?" her fiancé' asked as he leaned up so his head was between the two front seats.
"They left for the hospital about three this morning," Minako said, still groaning over the hour she had been abruptly woken up by Makoto screaming to be ready in ten minutes, Usagi was in labor.
Yaten grinned, knowing that Minako would do anything for her friends; even get up early. A few minutes later they pulled up in front of the hospital and Minako parked the car. Both twins wanted to hold Yaten's hand, so that Minako was forced to walk with Hotaru as they made their way into the hospital.
"Where's Mama at Yaten-san?" Sorano asked, tugging on the silver headed light's left hand. "And Papa?"
"I dunno, probably the maternity section," he said, shooting a quick glance to Minako. "Know which way to go?" he asked. The hospital's wings shot off in so many different directions it was like a maze.
"I know!" Kazeno suddenly said, pulling his hand free of Yaten's and starting to run down the hall. Sorano, seeing her brother flee down the white hall, wretched her hand free and took off as well. "Wait for me, Kaze!" she called, her small feet pounding on the floor.
"Matte!" Minako and Hotaru yelled, running after the disappearing twins. "Kaze! Sora! Come back!" But the dark haired twins were exactly what Haruka had predicted of them when they were born; installed with Mamoru's determination. Ignoring the adults, the two took off down a hall, running at top speed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The soft sound of humming drifted through the hallway and down the steps. Cocking an eyebrow up, Kento walked through the hallway
and turned into the room on the left. His eyes widened at what he
seen.
The guest bedroom had been transformed into a children's paradise. The entire room was full of toys, stuffed animals and child size furniture. The left wall had a chalkboard that was low to the ground, just high enough for a three year old to reach perfectly. Two toddler beds sat against one wall, and adjacent was a crib.
Hinako was humming while she adjusted the crib sheets.
"What are you doing?" Kento demanded, walking into the room.
Turning, Hinako smiled brightly, pulling the hair off the back
of her neck for a moment and rolling her eyes. "It's a tad bit hot
in here, ne?"
"Answer me," Kento replied lowly, his eyes dangerously narrowing
as he approached the woman. "What are you doing?" he demanded, his hands gesturing around at the room. Hinako looked around as if just realizing what he was talking about, her eyes widening in pleasure.
"Well," she drawled out, stretching her arms from side to side.
"I thought the children's stay here shouldn't be unpleasant. After
all, they will be here for a long time and I was thinking we should
make this fun for them, so that they don't miss their parents so much."
"We are going to kill them!" Kento boomed, his eyes flashing
angrily. "We are not here to make them enjoy themselves, we are here
to take their power to take over the world. We will kill them before
they have even begun to live! What did you think we were doing?!"
"I.." Hinako pulled her hands in front of her and stared at them
for a long moment. "But didn't you say that it would take time to
remove their powers? They are too young to understand them, let alone
know how to access and use them. And while they are here I thought..."
"Fine! Fine...." Kento rubbed his forehead and started out of
the room. "But *don't* get too attached to these children. They will
not live long."
Hinako watched as Kento walked out of the room before she sat
down in the rocking chair and stared out of the window. Sighing, she
picked up a stuffed animal and ripped it's head off. "Kisama*..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Frantically Hotaru ran through the hallways, her shoes sliding on the floor as she turned the corner. "Sora! Kaze!" Her violet eyes darted back and forth among the hallway, but the two children were nowhere to be seen. "Oh no.." Biting her lip, Hotaru waited for Minako and Yaten to catch up.
"Where did they get to?" Minako asked, holding one hand to her
chest while holding herself up against the wall with the other. "They
are going to be as fast as Usagi-chan..."
"There is no time to waste," Hotaru said darkly, her fist clinched at her sides. She turned to Minako abruptly, her eyes dark and full of fear. "There is an enemy coming, and they want the Princess' children. We *must* find them, now!"
"An enemy?!" Minako let go of the wall and stumbled slightly.
"Nani, Hotaru-chan?! What do you know?" Yaten put his hand on Minako's shoulder in a calming gesture, but it wasn't working.
"I'll explain later, right now we must find Kaze and Sora." Hotaru took off down the hall, visibly out of breath but still pushing herself to run.
Minako shook her head as if to rid it of the shock, and started
after her, calling for the dark haired twins. Yaten's eyes scanned the hallway, but seen nothing. "I'll go this way!" he called to Minako, turning foot and going to the left.
Not too far ahead of Yaten, Kazeno held tightly to his sister's hand. "Sora, where Mama?" he asked tearfully, using his free fist to grind a tear from his eye. "I don't see her."
"She in a room, look in the rooms," Sorano said in a would be command voice, if he hadn't shook with fear that they might never find their parents again.
Nodding, Kazeno pushed open a door and seen an empty bed. Shaking
his head, he went to the next door and pushed it open. On the other side of the hall, Sorano looked up at a sign taped to the door that had pictures of baby bottles on it. "This must be it!" she exclaimed.
Kazeno came over next to his sister and together they pushed the
door open. Inside seemed to be empty. Turning, the two started back out
of the room.
"Hello little Prince and Princess."
Kazeno backed up and bumped into Sorano, then both children turned to run. Pulling on the doorknob, Kazeno turned in fear toward the voice in the room. "Hurry Sora!" he exclaimed, his small blue eyes full of fear. "Open the door!"
"Its locked!" she cried pitifully, beating it with her small fists. Turning, she pulled Kazeno back to stand next to her and together the two dark haired twins stared into the darkness of the room and the voice that was chuckling evilly.
--End Chapter 1.
*Kisama translates literally to "you" but is meant as a very bad insult.
I've been meaning to do this for a long time, over a year, infact. This story needed a good revising, but I've just now got some time to do it in. Hopefully after I finish revising what I have, I can finish it :)
I hope you all enjoyed it (this is a hint for a review, btw ^_~) Huge thanks to all of you who emailed me constantly about getting this done--I had thought about just deleting it permantly until I started getting emails -- thanks!!
3 Bethany
http://Moon-Bunny.org
Bethany212@comcast.net
10-20-02
*************
From the Beginning - Another Story
Chapter I
By: Bethany
Editor: Meara
Rated: PG
**************
There was something undoubtedly familiar about this scene. Sure, Kino Makoto usually had a full house now a days, people running in and out at all hours of the day and night--but no, this had a slightly different ring to it. And more so, too good to be true.
Standing in front of the stove, a rather shockingly bright orange apron adjourning her figure, stood Aino Minako. In one hand she held a long handled spoon and the other she was idly flipping through a cookbook. Like they were waiting for a bomb to explode; Makoto, Rei and Ami were all standing across the kitchen, their arms tensed just incase the need to duck should arise. But so far, so...
*CRASH*
Never mind, this was *exactly* like every other day in the Kino household. Minako turned, her face in shock, as a small flame sparked on the stove, growing higher. Makoto pulled out the pot lid from behind her back, expertly putting the flames out and shaking her head all the while. "You're doing better, Minako-chan," Ami said reassuringly, trying to disguise her smile as a look of pride. "That's six minutes longer than normal. I'd say by this time in the year 2013, you'll be able to cook it all the way through."
Minako didn't look in the least relieved at the information. Instead she dejectedly tugged at the strings of her apron until it fell into her hands and she threw it onto the table, flopping down in the chair. "I'll never learn to cook," she mumbled.
"Don't say that, Mina-chan," Rei said reassuringly, patting her arm. "We'll live to be a couple of thousand years old, and surely you can learn in that time frame."
"Gee, thanks," the blonde mumbled.
"Any time," Rei sang, sitting beside her and winking. "Seriously, Mina, if Usagi can learn to cook--you can."
"And we all know what a miracle that was," piped up Luna from where she had been sitting on a stool watching the scene play out in the kitchen. "Mamoru-san has the patience of a saint when it comes to her. She was bound to learn between him and Mako-chan."
There was a click at the door just before it flew open, a tall man coming through with a big grin on his face. His hair, so blonde it was more white, was tied behind him in a ponytail. All four girl's heads jerked up to see him slide his shoes off and come into the kitchen. "Good afternoon ladies!" he piped, ignoring the fact that he had just barged in Makoto's house without as much as knocking.
The blonde who had been pouting at the table just mere seconds before was soon replaced by the endlessly cheerful Minako they all knew. She jumped up, threw her arms around Yaten in much the same manner that Usagi used to do Mamoru (and still did at times) and planted her lips firmly on his cheek. "Yaten!" she squealed as he hastily wrapped his arms around her slim body. "I wasn't expecting you until later!"
"I'm just full of surprises," he replied, winking at the other girls in the room. "You ready to go?"
Minako nodded, hastily putting on her shoes while sticking her arms through a sweater. Yaten reopened the door, bowing lowly to the Senshi of Love, who giggled in return and walked through the door with her nose up. "Thank you, kind sir," she drawled, laughter on her lips and in her eyes.
"Anytime, milady," Yaten responded, shutting the door behind him. Ami, Makoto and Rei barely had time to look at each other before the door swung open again. "Ja minna!" said the two as the door shut again, only the muffled sound of their laughter remaining.
There was a loud squeal of tires and Makoto shook her head. "My drive-way is going to be covered with Yaten's tire marks."
"I know," Rei said, peeking inside the pot Minako had been cooking in and pinching her nose while making a face. "I've marked them with days and times, so you can show your children one day."
"Thanks," Makoto mumbled.
~*~*~*~*~
Usagi bit her bottom lip, eyes watering slightly as she tossed aside a pair of maternity jeans. "Oh well," she mumbled, digging in one of the bottom drawers. "Pajamas are much more comfortable anyways." She slid on a pair of cotton pajama pants with a planet print and pulled her t-shirt down over her swollen stomach. Quietly she padded into the bathroom and stood on the scale. Her eyebrow rose slightly as she hopped off again and made her way down the hall. "Mamo-chan!"
The tall dark haired man in the living room blinked, looking up from the paper he was reading and at his wife with a curious expression. She stood beside his chair, her arms crossed. "Guess what?"
"Nani?" Mamoru asked, amused by the look of annoyance playing at the corners of her lips.
Gently she reached out, plucking the paper from his hands and laying it aside. Purposely she sat in his lap, wrapping her thin arms around his neck. "I've gained four more pounds!" she announced as if it were the end of the world.
Mamoru, completely taken off guard, blinked dumbly at her. The blonde nodded, settling down so she could rest her head in the crook of his neck. "Mmm, Mamo-chan? Am I ever going to have this kid?"
Mamoru chuckled, kissing her cheek lovingly. He raised her t-shirt up so he could lay his palm on the warm skin of her stomach and feel their child inside. Usagi giggled, pressing her face against his neck so she could place a kiss there. In response Mamoru wrapped his arm further around her waist and pulled her closer so he could kiss her lips deeply. She sighed as they parted. "I love you," he mumbled into her hair, content just to hold her so close.
"I love you more," she replied and he could feel her smile against his neck.
"Nu uh," Mamoru replied, softly.
"Yeah huh," Usagi argued back, her voice slightly rising in protest.
"Nu uh," he said again, also rising his voice.
"Mama?" a new, younger, voice suddenly said. Both Usagi and Mamoru's heads lifted up and looked over at the new comers in surprise. Standing just inside the hallway were two children with black shiny hair, wearing nearly identical feeted pajamas-- except that one was in blue and the other in pink. Chiba Kazeno was standing just behind his twin sister, Sorano, grasping her hand in his tightly. "We had a bad dream," Sorano informed her parents, her brother nodding his head in agreement.
"Both of you?" Usagi asked her nearly four-year-old twins in amazement, glancing up at Mamoru out of the corner of her eye. The twins nodded simultaneously in response.
"Come tell us about it," Mamoru said and instantly the twins scurried across the room, Kazeno climbing up to squeeze on his father's knee beside Usagi and Sorano perching on the arm of the chair up against her father who put his arm around her protectively.
"There was a bad man," Sorano began excited, though slightly frightened. "And we ran and ran from him..."
"...But he kept getting us," Kazeno picked up, cuddling against Usagi as she placed a kiss in his jet-black hair. "We locked the door, but he was there."
"We couldn't hide," Sorano finished, shivering slightly.
"Did he do anything bad to you?" Usagi asked softly, reaching out to brush a stray hair from Sorano's face. The young girl shook her head no. "Then how do you know he was bad?"
"Just was," both twins answered together.
Usagi bit her lip and cast a wayward glance at her husband who smiled. It never stopped amazing Usagi the way the twins behaved. It was as if while still being two separate people, they were parts of a whole. They thought the same, finished each other's sentences, and even had the same dreams. But sometimes they acted so differently; she thought she might be imagining their link. "I tell you what," Usagi said brightly. "I have something that is just the cure for this."
"You do?" Sorano asked doubtfully, her bottom lip puffed out slightly as if Usagi were trying to pull a trick over on her. Her daughter had always been the more out spoken one, the one to question everything, while Kazeno seemed content with the reasoning Sorano acquired, rather than get his own.
Usagi nodded, placing Kazeno on the floor so she could slowly get to her feet. The twins followed Usagi to her bedroom where she fumbled through a junk drawer. Like a golden treasure she pulled out a hand woven wooden circle with threads connecting inside with a small circle opening in the middle. She sat down on the bed, beckoning the twins closer to inspect the object.
"A friend made this for me when I was younger. It's called a dream catcher," she told them. "All your bad dreams get caught in this web, while the good dreams are allowed through. In the morning, when the sun hits it, all the bad dreams disappear."
Sorano looked skeptical, but Kazeno took the dream catcher in his small hands, looking it over. "Cool," he whispered in awe, his deep blue eyes excited.
"Do you want me to go hang it up in your room to catch your bad dreams?" asked Usagi. Sorano barely nodded, but Kazeno was all for it. Quickly he sprinted out of the room and towards the one he shared with his sister.
"Is it a trick?" Sorano asked, turning back to her mother with a look in her eyes that much resembled the one Mamoru had when he was unconvinced about something.
"No," Usagi answered, following Kazeno into the other room. "I used it for years."
"Why not now?" Sorano questioned, still hesitant, though looking more convinced.
Mamoru was standing at the doorway, his arms crossed casually in front of him as he smiled softly at his wife and daughter. Usagi smiled back. "Because Mamo-chan keeps my bad dreams away now," she replied.
Sorano nodded and ran towards the other room, past her father who chuckled lightly as Usagi came up to him. Mamoru went into the living room, searching the desk drawer for a thumbtack. Finding one, he came back into the twin's bedroom and used it to attach the dream catcher to the ceiling between the white toddler beds. It spun in circles for a few seconds before stopping. "Now you shouldn't have any more bad dreams," Usagi told her children, leaning back against her husband's chest.
Kazeno's midnight black hair fell back away from his face as he stared at the dream catcher with a grin on his face. The sun's rays filled the room as it moved from behind a cloud and Kazeno's face lit up with awe. "Look Mama! The bad dreams are gone!"
"They certainly are," Usagi agreed, snuggling into her husband's arms as they wrapped around her, his palms lying softly on her stomach.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There was a loud squeal of tires that caused everyone on the street to look up with annoyance as a bright yellow sports car rounded the curve. Even the people in the shops could hear the loud rock music that blared from the radio as they passed. Minako, however, paid no attention to the looks and shakes of heads as she laughed and danced to the music. To her, the world looked bright and wonderful--better than it ever had. She couldn't imagine life being any better.
Yaten pulled the car up to the front doors of a ten-story building and cut the engine. Minako pushed her hair away from her face, trying to calm the wind blown pieces back down to where they belonged before looking out at the building curiously.
"We're here," Yaten announced, fidgeting slightly with the seat belt. He got out, stuffed the keys in his jean pocket and ran around to open the door for Minako.
Questionably, the petite blonde looked up at the building again and then to Yaten. "Where are we?"
Yaten shrugged nonchalantly, but Minako could tell he was excited about something. He grabbed her hand in his and practically drug her inside the lobby of the building. Minako glanced around briefly as she was pulled into the elevator on the far end of the lobby. There were two doors to the left, one labeled "Maintance", but otherwise there was nothing particularly interesting. It looked like any other apartment complex she had been in. "Who lives here?" Minako asked Yaten as the doors to the elevator closed.
"Just wait," he told her, winking as he pushed the button for the forth floor and the elevator began moving upwards. Finally the small bell rang and the doors opened to reveal a long hallway with doors lining both sides. Yaten walked down to the fifth door on the left and stopped, producing a key. Smiling mischievously, he pushed the key in the lock and turned the knob. Dramatically he swung the door open and allowed Minako to go in. "This is my new apartment," he announced, spreading his arms wide and waiting anxiously for a reaction.
Minako blinked, glancing around. There was a descent size living room with a balcony that over looked the city, a small kitchen with a dining area and a short hallway that lead to a bathroom and two rather small bathrooms.
Yaten followed Minako with an expression that bordered pain on his face. "I know it's not as big as Usagi and Mamoru's...." he began. "But I think it's good for a starter."
Minako cleared her throat, pushing her hair out of her face again and tucking it behind her ear. Slowly she walked back to the living room, noting how soft the carpet felt on her bare feet. "It's nice," Minako said quickly, a tad too quickly.
"But?" Yaten bit his lip, already looking disappointed. Walking
over towards Minako, he took both her hands into his. "What don't you
like? Is it the color of the carpet?"
"No," Minako answered, rubbing the bottom of her foot against
the soft material. "It's not that."
"Then it's the space? It's not big enough?"
"No, Yaten, it's not that.." Minako bit her bottom lip and
looked lovingly at the Senshi Star Maker.
"Then what is it?"
Minako took in the room again, looking through a door way into
the small kitchen with the bright white cabinet doors, the small balcony; a frown tugging at her lips. "It's beautiful. Demo.... where's the furniture?"
Yaten blinked and looked at the empty rooms; laughter spilling from his lips. "Ah, Mina-chan, you scared me for a second." Looking more than a little relieved, Yaten wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer. "I haven't bought furniture for a reason."
"Oh?" Minako looked at him curiously.
Yaten, looking decidedly more and more nervous as the seconds ticked by, released Minako's left hand and reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a small black box and began the task of opening it, though he couldn't remember it being this hard the hundred or so times he had gazed at in the last week. At this rate nothing would turn out as he planned.
While he was distracted with the box, however, Minako's eyes had grown huge. A gush of warmth flooded through her body so fast that she was sure even her ears were red. Her mouth opened soundlessly, but words were beyond her. Finally Yaten managed to get the box open, mumbling under his breath that with any luck that would be all that went wrong, and dropped to one knee.
His face was flushed, and Minako could tell he was nervous and a bit uncomfortable on the floor like that. He caught her look and gave a lopsided smile that gave away his nervousness. For a long moment he said nothing, just stayed there on one knee with the ring held up before him. "I--I--" He looked like he would be sick before he got the words out. "Minako, I love you," he finally managed weakly. "Please... marry me?"
Minako smiled, her eyes filling with tears that she tried to keep locked in. She gazed at the beautiful ring set in gold, a single diamond, simple yet so gorgeous and then beyond it to Yaten who looked absolutely petrified. With a small, short lived yelp, she launched herself into his arms, knocking them both backwards onto the floor. Before Yaten could do more than suck a breath in, Minako's lips were on his. Laughing into her mouth, he wrapped his arms around her body, ring box still clutched in his hand, and kissed her back.
When they finally broke, the tears Minako had trapped in her eyes broke free and kissed her eyelashes on their way down her smiling face. "Does this mean yes?" Yaten asked, grinning from ear to ear.
Minako nodded and eagerly pressed her lips to his once more. "Yes!" she finally managed, nearly screaming the word. "Yes!"
Yaten chuckled as he maneuvered his hands so that he could place the ring on Minako's finger. After securely pushing the ring down, Yaten brushed his lips on her knuckles. "I love you," he mumbled, lifting his hand up to brush a stray hair from her face gently.
"I love you," Minako replied, silently thinking she had been wrong before. *Now* life couldn't get any better.
~*~*~*~*~*~
A woman of about forty walked silently through a hall that lead to a stairwell at the end. Her heels tapped loudly on the marble steps, each echoing through the hall until she reached the top. With a small turn of the knob, the door swung open and she went through, shutting and locking it behind her. The doorbell chimed again, this time louder than it had been when she was downstairs. "Coming!" she called, patting her hair to make sure it was in place.
Her heels clicked once more as she stepped off the padded carpet and into the tile lined entry way. There was large dome windows that lined both sides and top of the door that allowed the sun to flood through the room, making the white tile so bright it seem to glow. Tugging on the bottom of her blazer, the woman swung the door open. "Ah, Furuhata-san, welcome! Please, come in! I hope you had no trouble finding my house?
The tall blonde man on the other side of the door smiled handsomely, reaching to put his arm around the girl with him. The woman was equally as tall as her husband with long wavy brown hair that picked up reddish highlights from the sun. She smiled softly, momentarily displaying white, even teeth. "No, no -- we got here fine," Reika said pleasantly.
The woman held our her arm, beckoning them to follow her as she walked through the hallway and into a room on the right. In the far corner sat a piano in front of a large floor to ceiling window that looked out over an junior olympic size swimming pool. Turning, she motioned for the two to take a seat on the leather couch. "I have your paper work ready for signing, and the keys to your new home."
"We really appreciate you putting a rush on things for us, Zuiten-san," Motoki said warmly, taking the offered pen from the lady and signing his name to the first page before turning to the next.
"Please, call me Hinako," the lady insisted, taking a seat across from the couple and crossing her legs. "I do hate formalities, it makes me feel old," she laughed.
Motoki handed the signed papers back to Hinako. "By the way, that friend of mine I said I'd talk to? My wife and I are suppose to go to his house for dinner tonight, so I'll talk to him then. I'm sure this is a opportunity they won't miss since he and Usagi already have twins and another one on the way."
Hinako's eyes narrowed slightly. "Usagi, you say? What a cute name," Hinako mused quietly. "What did you say their last name was again?"
"Chiba," replied Motoki, not taking notice of the way Hinako's features seem to nearly pain at the sound of the word.
Just on the other side of the room, in the hall, a man stood listening to the conversation within. The sun shining through the glass doorway played on his body and to his face... and blank silver eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Soft classical music drifted throughout the room softly, the candle lights flickering in the dark room - making shadows dance on the ceiling and walls. Michiru closed her eyes and let the music sink into her mind so that she heard nothing else. A small smile played on her lips as she drifted off to a state of mind that was peacefully void of the restlessness of everyday life.
It wasn't to last. Something was troubling her, something that not even the sound of beautiful music could block. For days she had been musing over it, not being able to pin point what it was. But the irking feeling deep in her soul had kept her from sleeping again tonight so that she was now laying on the couch, her mind filled with troubled thoughts. Sighing, her eyes popped open and she slowly sat up. Across the living room, Haruka set her tea cup down and looked at her life mate. "Michiru?"
Shaking her heard, the aqua haired woman rubbed her palms over her face half in annoyance and half from the tiredness in her body. "I feel the sea becoming restless. Is something is about to happen?"
"Hmmm," Haruka lifted the cup to her lips again and looked out the balcony window into the moonless night beyond. "I don't feel a disturbance from outside the solar system. Are you sure it just isn't the tacos you had for dinner?"
Scowling at her life mate, Michiru picked her mirror up from the table before her, gazing at her reflection. Her mirror image gazed back, showing nothing out of the ordinary. Michiru sighed, putting it back down on the table and leaning back. "Do you suppose we should ask her?"
Haruka looked up sharply. "Did you see something?"
"No," Michiru replied. "But I can't shake this feeling. We need to do something. I can't take this waiting -- it's driving me crazy." Again she reached out for her mirror, as if instinctually knowing that it's depths could tell her something if she tried hard enough. For long moments she stared endlessly into her own eyes, searching; reaching for a sign, something. She was finally rewarded with a soft fog crawling up around the edges of her reflection.
She stared harder, urging the mist to show her something. Who was to know that in a matter of seconds she would see the last thing on Earth she wanted to? Haruka glanced up again from her cup of tea, sitting it aside to watch the look of concentration on Michiru's face. Suddenly that concentration broke as Michiru thrust her talisman across the room, her eyes wide with horror. "No..." her voice whispered softly, so softly that Haruka read her lips rather than heard her.
"Michiru?" Haruka breathed, leaping up from her seat and crossing the room in two strides. "Doushite?" she asked, placing her hand on Michiru's shoulder.
Agonizingly slow Michiru's horror stricken face lifted up to meet Haruka's worried gaze. She bit her bottom lip to keep tears from fogging her vision. Why them? she asked herself. Anyone... anyone but them. Haruka suddenly squeezed her shoulder, causing her to look up sharply. "The... the twins..."
Across the room, the fine china cup fell to the floor and shattered; sending tea and broken glass into the soft carpet. Both women's eyes fell on it, and then looked to each other. Haruka closed her eyes, a pained expression crossing her features. "We should have known. But I wouldn't have thought so soon..."
"Haruka," Michiru placed her hand over Haruka's and bowed her
head, speaking into her lap. "We must go talk to her. Even though we aren't suppose to, she is the only other one who knows. Besides, it's not the same here with her gone."
At that moment the front door was pushed open slowly by a thin hand and a young girl with shoulder length black hair came in, setting her back pack on the floor before looking up. "Haruka-poppa, Michiru-mama -- I'm home!" she called cheerfully into the entrance way.
Hotaru stopped abruptly at the sight of her adoptive parents who were staring at her. Haruka removed her hand from Michiru's shoulder and, sighing heavily, sat down on the sofa. "Hotaru, it's time," she said quietly.
The petite Senshi removed her shoes, her feet padding on the soft carpet as she came closer to her parents. Nearly sixteen years old, Hotaru had the air of an adult about her -- and a mysterious aura that seemed to linger around her as a reminder to those who knew that she was the Senshi of Destruction. So small, so sweet; yet she held the power to destroy the universe as humanity knew it. She lifted her hand, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "I know."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been a long time since the last enemy. A very long time. The months that had passed had gone as slowly as they used to; and just as lonely. The vast space that housed the Time Gate was full of fog, isolation, and misery.
Setsuna twirled her Time Staff and stared at its majestic glory. It was a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that she could stand here in this gate, knowing she was hand chosen to live forever and that Queen Serenity had trusted and believed in her enough to give her this task. A curse because she had never intended to get close to anyone, never intended to love another human being. But she had long ago broken that promise to herself. And what she knew then would happen, had.
Loneliness had set in, the urge to talk to someone, to watch Usagi's children grow, to watch Hotaru grow - all pulled at her mind and heart. But nothing was to be done about it, this she knew. The Time Gate had to be protected. But that didn't stop her from yearning for a normal life.
Suddenly she chuckled to herself at that last thought. "I'm starting to think like Usagi," she mused out loud, smirking at the irony of it. Talking to one's self comes with being alone so much, and Setsuna had gone beyond the point of worrying about it to just accepting it as a way of life.
"Kami forbid."
Today, however, someone answered her. And for Pluto, it was a rushing feeling between danger - and relief that at least she wasn't answering herself - yet.
"Who goes there? You have broken a taboo by entering the Forbidden Time Gate and--"
"Come on, Setsuna, we have heard this before and you have yet to
kill a one of us," Haruka drawled as she held up a Time Key and the fog
dissipated around her, revealing her form, along with Michiru and Hotaru's.
Setsuna stared for a long moment, wondering if at last the Time
Gate had decided to rid her of her misery and make her go crazy. "Haruka?"
Suddenly a gush of warm air, accompanied by Hotaru, rushed up against the tall Senshi and hugged her neck. "Setsuna-mama!" the young girl squealed. "I've missed you so much!"
Closing her eyes, Setsuna hugged Hotaru back. "You'd think being the Senshi of Time, I would have seen this one coming. What are you all doing here?"
Haruka blinked and looked at Michiru. Smiling, Michiru shook her
head. "Setsuna, I'm sure by your standards, we are early. But something
is happening in Tokyo. It's subtle now, but I believe it can become
very dangerous."
"You are right," Setsuna nodded her head and looked around the
vast emptiness around her, as if bidding it farewell. "Then there is
no time to waste, we must make sure the girls are ready."
"There's one thing though..." Hotaru looked up to make eye contact with Setsuna. Smiling, she told Setsuna: "Usagi's pregnant!"
"Oi.." the Senshi of Time rubbed her forehead. "I take it back, I'm the Senshi of Time who has no clue as to what's really going to happen."
Haruka laughed heartily. "Especially when a certain Princess and her Prince had taken up the hobby of mass reproduction."
Michiru giggled at the look on Hotaru's face before turning to walk towards the Gate. "I suppose now it's time for you to come back to us, ne Setsuna?"
Nodding, Setsuna watched the three walk into the Time Gate. Slowly she turned around as if bidding her prior loneliness farewell and smiled brightly. For the first time in nearly four years Setsuna was leaving the Time Gate. For the first time in nearly four years, she would set eyes on her friends, Prince and Princess. Tokyo loomed before her, and despite what lie ahead, the Senshi of Time couldn't help the way her heart lightened.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Sometimes there are things you just *know*. A feeling, that you can't quite explain, but understand just the same. It was the feeling that Chiba Usagi had tonight as she lay awake beside her husband, her hands on her pregnant stomach. Moving as little as possible, she looked over past the sleeping form of Mamoru at the clock beside the bed. The small red digits read 2:39 a.m. Sighing, she stared again up at the ceiling, knowing what was coming before it got there.
Again it came, just as she had silently predicted. She knew it could be hours before she actually gave birth; but at this moment she was in labor. From experience with the twins, she also knew this could go a lot faster than she was thinking. Making her decision, she nudged her foot towards the two felines asleep at the foot of the bed. "Luna!" she whispered. "Artemis! Wake up!"
Groggily, obviously not pained by a tightening in her stomach as Usagi was, the blue black cat yawned and stretched her front limbs out before her, making a low hissing sound. "What?" Luna said a little disgruntled as she barely opened her eyes to look at Usagi.
"Call Mako-chan. It's time," Usagi whispered, taking great pains to *not* touch Mamoru, for fear of waking him up before she was ready for him to be up.
"What?!" Artemis suddenly jumped up from his place on the foot of the bed, the hair on the back of his neck standing straight up. "It's
time for what?!"
"SHHH!" Both Usagi and Luna hissed at the same time. Nodding
her head, Luna jumped off the bed and headed for the living room
as Usagi attempted to get up and go into the bathroom. The more
time she had to get ready before she woke up Mamoru, she thought,
the better.
Remembering too well how he had reacted when she had the twins,
Usagi quietly changed clothes. When she was finally ready, she slowly made her way into the kitchen where fully clothed Makoto and a pajama clad Minako were standing.
"How's it going, Usagi-chan?" the tall Senshi of Jupiter asked as if she were passing by on the street, inquiring about the weather, rather than standing in her friend's kitchen at 3 a.m.
Blinking, Usagi glanced at the clock on the stove. "What did you two do, grow wings and fly?"
Blushing, Makoto stared at the pregnant princess. "Well, I had just happened to ask Chibi-Usa her birthday before she left. And judging from how far along you were, I just assumed..."
Usagi raised an eyebrow. "No fair, you had warning. You could have let me in on the secret," she mumbled, though smiling in a good natured way just before another pain hit her. She took a deep breath, gritting her teeth. Finally it subsided and Usagi unclenched her fist. "Are you ready?"
"Sure I am," Makoto replied, slapping her hands together. "The question of the day is: Is Mamoru-san ready?"
"What are you talking about?" Luna asked from the doorway in a voice that suggested Makoto had just declared the world was flat. "Do we look stupid? He's not even up yet!"
Usagi smiled wickedly, Makoto catching on while Minako yawned loudly and stretched her arms towards the ceiling. Both Princess and Senshi of Jupiter stared at Luna with this wicked smile, their eyes lighting up mischievously. The feline cat backed away, her head already shaking. "Oh no you don't..."
"You have the honor, Luna," Makoto drawled out in a voice full of respect. "Of waking Mamoru-san up."
"No, I don't. Artem--" Luna blinked, looking beside her where just moments before the white cat had been standing. Only now there was an empty space. "Arggggg..." she mumbled, stalking towards the bedroom.
Luna purred loudly and lightly scratched Mamoru's hand. Groggily,
the Earth Prince turned over and flung his arm around at the same time as if to put it around Usagi. Luna was lightening fast, having had some warrior skills in the Moon Kingdom, and the advantage of being a cat. However, she wasn't quite fast *enough*.
"MMMFFTT! Mammmoru-sannn! Gfffppp off mme!" the feline hissed,
trying to move out from under the dead weight of Mamoru's arm. Turning was difficult, but she finally managed to move so that her nails came in contact with Mamoru's arm and closing her eyes, she scratched the future King hard. Said King had lightening fast reflexes, too, Luna observed. Before she had done more than blinked Mamoru had fallen into the floor with a loud *thump* followed closely by a few choice words.
"Luna? What are you doing?!" he grumbled as he pulled himself
back up. His clothes were wrinkled and worn where he had slept in
them, not daring to not be ready when Usagi went into labor.
Huffing, Luna swished her tail in the air and stuck her nose
up. "After you tried to kill me, I'm not sure I should tell you!"
Still sitting in the bedroom floor beside the bed, Mamoru scratched the back of his neck as a slight blush crept up into his face. "Gomen, Luna," he apologized quickly, reaching out to pet her. This small action made him notice something missing from this scene... "Where's Usako?"
"That," Luna said with emphasis. "Is what I was telling you.
Usagi-chan is having contractions and is ready to go to the hospital."
Mamoru's eyes grew as large as saucer's, his mouth hanging open as the only recognizable word he would speak for the next ten minutes flew from his lips: "Nani?!"
Artemis looked up from where he was cleaning his paw and sighed.
"Here we go again..."
~*~*~*~*~*~
@--------
~*~*~*~*~*~
The waiting room was deathly silent, save for the occasional crunching of chips as Makoto popped another into her mouth. She was perfectly fine, calm and collected. The Senshi blinked, casting a frowning face towards her future King. She only wished she could say as much for him. "Mamoru-san, you okay?"
"Okay... sure," he mumbled, his dark head bent down to rest in his hands. He was utterly still, so much so that Makoto had to move her head down to be sure he was even breathing. His trembling hands pushed their ways through his hair as he exhaled deeply. "What's taking so long?"
Makoto shrugged, popping the last chip in her mouth and frowning now at the empty bag. Boredom always caused her to get the munchies, and with no one to talk to and no news yet on Usagi, life was as boring as it got. Sighing, she dug in her jeans pocket for some more change and made her way to the vending machines across the room. "Want something, Mamoru-san?"
"What?! How many?!" the Prince yelled, jumping up from his seat, his eyes wildly searching the room.
Makoto jumped slightly, taken back by his response. Shaking her head she clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Mamoru-san, chill, okay? I just asked you if you wanted something from the vending machine."
"Oh." Mamoru looked decidedly embarrassed as he sat back down, his face once more resting in the palms of his hands. "No, thank you, Mako-chan. The last time I took something from someone while waiting for Usa to give birth, it was drugged." He gave an involuntary shutter, remembering.
Makoto shrugged, trying to conceal her laughter as she stuck her money in the machine and ran her fingers over the selections in quiet concentration. Finally she pushed the button for the peanuts; which got stuck. "Great," she mumbled, hitting the side of the machine hard. The peanuts fell out and she grabbed them, sitting beside Mamoru once more. "Cheer up, Mamoru-san. Soon enough you'll be wishing the kid wasn't born, so you can get a descent night's sleep."
She received no answer, however, as Mamoru had went back to his silent stage of staring at the floor. Shrugging, Makoto dug into her bag of peanuts.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Minako had bid Mamoru, Usagi and Makoto goodbye and good luck and promptly fell onto the sofa where she went back to sleep. A sleep that would have been blissfully uninterrupted except two small things. Two nearly four year old things with blue and pink pajamas, black hair, and deep blue eyes that bore into her as they waited patiently for her to wake up. Sensing someone watching her, Minako blinked back the dream she had been having and looked up. "Nani?" she grumbled at the twins, reaching for one of the throw pillows to hide her head under.
"Where's Mama and Papa?" Sorano demanded, a trembling lipped Kazeno standing just to her left, huge blue eyes staring intently at Minako.
Minako stretched, blinked again, and sat up slowly. She glanced at the clock on the wall which read 7:47 a.m. and gave a small shutter. Her eyes wondered back to the twins again, who hadn't move an inch. "Eh, your Mama and Papa went to the hospital."
"Why?" Sorano asked immediately.
Minako, still not quite awake, yawned loudly. "Because Usagi was in labor."
"In what?" Kazeno mumbled, confusion set firmly in his small face that reminded Minako so much of Mamoru that she found herself staring at him. She seen these twins nearly everyday of their lives, why hadn't she noticed how much they looked like smaller versions of Mamoru?
Trying to dismiss her wondering thoughts, she rubbed her palms over her face. "Your Mama went to the hospital to... eh, because your new baby sister will be born today," Minako explained as best she could in words four year olds would understand.
Both twins made similar noises of understanding, their mouths in a small "o" shape. Then: "Can we go see?" Kazeno mumbled, his eyes no longer tear filled, but excited.
Before Minako could dig up a good excuse for not getting dressed yet, the doorbell rang. Standing on wobbly legs, she stumbled to the door and swung it open without even looking to see who it was first. On the other side of the door stood Hotaru, her eyes bright with excitement. "Hi!" she greeted, passing by a stunned Minako and taking her shoes off. She bent down so that she could see the twins. "Hey munchkins!"
"Hotaru-chan!" both twins screamed like a battle cry as they ran across the room and slammed theirselves into Hotaru's open arms. She nearly fell back with the impact, but managed to keep herself up. "Hotaru-can, Minako-chan said that Mama is having a baby!" Kazeno explained hurriedly, his eyes shining with excitement.
"And she's in labor!" Sorano added, still looking slightly confused. "Whatever that is..."
Hotaru blanched, trying to hide her giggle and pass it off as a cough. Which would have worked if that wasn't such a high pitched cough. She caught sight of Minako dropping back on the couch, burring her face in her hands. "They'll never forget that word," she mumbled to herself.
Hotaru smiled, looking back down at the twins. "Have you two had any breakfast yet?" she asked them. Both shook their heads simultaneously. "How about some pancakes, ne?" Both dark haired children nodded, taking off for the kitchen as fast as their legs would take them.
Minako sat up, her hair sticking up in many directions. "Um, not that it bothers me. But why are you here, Hotaru-chan?" she asked, as if the petite Senshi had just appeared out of thin air.
Hotaru shrugged. "Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa are going to the hospital to see Usagi-san, so they dropped me off over here to help with the twins." She laughed, going into the kitchen. "From the looks of it, you need all the help you can get."
"Tell me about it," Minako mumbled, falling backwards again. "Sleep," she mumbled to herself. "I want sleep."
Sleep that she wasn't going to get while stuck in an apartment with two three year old twins. After breakfast they again pounced on the blonde asleep on the couch, demanding to go to the hospital to see their mother. Sticky fingers reached out, shaking Minako until she was begging for them to stop. Finally, she gave in.
Hotaru grabbed the two small hands, leading them to the bedroom. "Come on, we'll get you cleaned up and then go see your Mama." Happy once more, the two ran ahead into the bedroom, grabbing clothes out of the dresser.
A few minutes later Minako came to the doorway, looking at the messy room and Hotaru in the middle, trying to pull a shirt over Kazeno's head while Sorano was attempting to put her shoes on the wrong feet. "I'm never having kids," she stated flatly.
Hotaru smiled sweetly, pulling Sorano's shoe off and telling her to put it on the other foot. "Ah Mina-chan, you don't mean that." She sighed, watching Sorano as she stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth in concentration as she buckled her shoe. "I want three or four."
"Does Shingo know that?" Minako asked, smiling mischievously.
Hotaru's face turned so bright red that she thought she'd explode. "Hai," she whispered, bruising herself with tying Kazeno's shoe. "We have, em, talked about it once or twice. Maybe a couple of years down the road..."
Minako grinned as she stared at Hotaru and then her thoughts went to Yaten, wondering if he'd want children. It was something she'd have to ask him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The elevator doors slid open slowly, two people stepping out. Haruka stuck one hand in her pockets, the other one scanning the directory on the wall. "Hmm," she mumbled, her finger stopping and pressing against a word. "Should be to the left."
"You're sure?" Michiru asked, stepping up beside her.
"Of course I'm sure, I can read," Haruka mumbled, giving Michiru a little glare out of the corner of her eye. "See? It says maternity right here."
Michiru smiled, weaving her arm through Haruka's. "Ok," she said, smiling in that way that made it hard for Haruka to stay mad at her.
The blonde smiled to herself, enjoying the way Michiru leaned her head against her arm as they walked. They past through two double doors and followed a hall to the maternity waiting room where Mamoru and Makoto were sitting. "Konnichi'wa," Haruka said as they approached, sitting down to the left of the two. Mamoru didn't look up, and Makoto just grinned. Haruka cocked her eyebrow at the Prince. "What's up with you, Mamoru-san?"
He didn't answer. Makoto grinned wider, bringing the coke can to her lips again and tipping it up. She placed it back down on the table, pouring peanuts into her hand. "If you'd like a good conversation, Haruka-san, the wall is available. It would speak more than Mamoru-san right now."
"Are you nervous, Mamoru-san?" Michiru asked softly, laying her hand on his knee. She looked up at Makoto when he still didn't raise his eyes to look at her. "Is he breathing?"
"Last time I checked," Makoto shrugged, frowning at the empty bag of peanuts. "But it's been a while since then."
"Any news on Usagi?" Haruka asked, furrowing her eyebrows as she leaned down to see if Mamoru was indeed breathing. Satisfied he was, she sat back again. "It's been what, five hours? She should hurry up so we can get a gander at this kid already."
"Haruka!" Michiru hissed, slapping her life mate gently in the arm. "Miracles take time."
"Hmph," Haruka retorted, digging in her pocket for change. "It's just Chibi-Usa, that's no miracle. A sign of the end of the world, maybe," she mumbled. "But no miracle." She finished her sentence and was immediately smacked in the back of the head. "Ow!" she grumbled, casting a sideways look at the aqua haired woman beside her. "Michiru, you got some change?"
"You're impossible," Michiru retorted, picking her purse up and opening it. She handed Haruka some change and the blonde headed across the room to the vending machine. "Hey Mamoru-san, you want something?"
Makoto blanched, her eyes shifting to the dark haired man next to her. As she might have predicted, he jumped up, eyes wild and scanning the room. "What?! There's how many?!"
Makoto put her hand on his shoulder, firmly pulling him back to his seat. "Mamoru-san, you baka," she mumbled, rubbing her fingers on her temples.
"What'd I do?" Haruka blinked, staring opened mouthed across the room.
Michiru giggled, sitting her purse at her feet and smoothing out the navy skirt she wore. "Why isn't Usagi letting you in, Mamoru-san?"
The dark prince's head shifted up, staring at Michiru as if just realizing she was there. His mouth made a small 'o' sound and he shook his head, his bangs falling haphazardly over his forehead. "She says I am too upset to be in the delivery room. Do I *look* upset?!" he just about screamed, burring his face in his hands again. "Oi... I can't handle this."
"What can't you handle, Mamoru-san?" Makoto asked in a bemused sort of way, both her eyebrows raised in question. "Usagi-chan is laying in there having the kid, and you can't handle it? What's not to handle?"
"You don't understand..." Mamoru moaned, running his fingers through his hair for the umpteenth time. "I'm going to be a Papa."
"You already are," Haruka pointed out, but Mamoru either didn't hear her or ignored her.
"It's a life changing thing, to see that small life you helped create and know that..."
"One day it will grow up to be Chibi-Usa---ow! Michiru, cut it out!" Haruka mumbled, rubbing the back of her head.
"...and there's so many things that run through your mind about if you can handle the responsibility," he finished, sighing. Michiru patted his arm reassuringly, Makoto looked like she would laugh if the air wasn't so tense and Haruka continued to rub the back of her head, mumbling.
And the touching scene would have stayed about this calm except for the door to the hall opening up and a short nurse coming out. She wore simple scrubs with small cartoon animals drawn on them, her auburn hair pulled up in a pony tail. She was a skinny woman with friendly eyes that looked excited. "Chiba-san?" she called, looking around the room at the four sitting clumped together.
Mamoru shot up like someone had jabbed him in the butt with a needle. Makoto rose too, followed by Haruka and Michiru. Before any of them could blink, however, Mamoru was already standing in front of the nurse nearly on his tiptoes. "How is Usako? The baby? What's going on?" he demanded in a wisp voice that sounded near hysteria. Makoto shook her head, not sure about Mamoru's mental health at the moment.
The nurse smiled, her eyes flashing recognition. "I know you, don't I? You're a doctor here..." Mamoru nodded, brushing away her words anxiously. Seeing that he was in no condition for small talk, she smiled knowingly. "Your wife and baby girl are fine, Chiba-san," she said, still smiling excitedly. "And your wife wishes for you to come to her when you're--" The words died on her lips, however. She blinked, watching Mamoru's retreating back as he ran down the hall. "...you're ready," she finished, still smiling.
Mamoru ran down the hall, his heart pounding as he searched for the room Usagi was in. And this was good and all, except he hadn't thought to ask what room it was. He glanced in room after room, his sneakers slapping on the concrete floor as he passed down the hall. Just before he came to the end, he seen a familiar blonde sitting on a bed and he stopped just in time to catch himself on the doorway and go into the room.
He stopped midway through the door, staring. Usagi was sitting on the bed, holding a small bundle of pink blankets and smiling lovingly. She looked up, her grin going wider when she seen him standing in the door. "Come here," she whispered, again directing her attention at the babe in her arms.
Mamoru felt a lump rise in his throat. It seemed eons ago that he had first set eyes on his newborn twins, and now he was a Papa again. Slowly he walked towards the bed, sitting beside Usagi and peering over into her arms. Usagi gently pushed the blanket back to reveal a tiny newborn with a head full of fuzzy strawberry hair and a red face. She scrunched her nose up, a small crescent moon lighting up on her forehead. Mamoru felt his mouth fall open as he watched her, speechless.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Usagi whispered, running her finger down the baby's face. "You want to hold her?" Usagi asked her husband, glancing up at him.
Mamoru nodded and Usagi gently held the baby towards him. He took her in his arms, holding her close to his heart. "Hi," he smiled, kissing her forehead. He placed his finger near her hand and she grasped it tightly and tried to bring it to her lips. Mamoru chuckled, looking up to see Usagi watching them with shining eyes. "I love you," he told her, bending over the baby to kiss her lips.
There was a small knock on the door and Mamoru and Usagi parted just as the nurse walked in, a clipboard held to her chest. "How's everyone doing?" she asked. Mamoru was idly wondering if she always had that excited look about her; perhaps it was her job that made her so happy.
"Wonderful," Mamoru replied, handing the baby back to Usagi who took her and made sure the blanket was still wrapped around her good.
"Great," the nurse said, standing on the other side of the bed and peering in at the baby. "What a beautiful baby, suppose she takes after her parents." At this Usagi and Mamoru both blushed red. "Do you know what you're going to name her yet?"
Mamoru felt a smile tug at his lips as he looked down at the baby and then to Usagi. Usagi's face shone brightly as she nodded. Mamoru looked back up at the nurse and nodded as well. "Usagi," he told her.
The nurse, who looked excited enough for all three of them at the moment, grinned broadly and jotted the name down. "A kawaii little bunny. Congratulations to you both." She turned to walk out of the room, but paused as she neared the door. "You have some visitors that are anxious to see the little one, shall I let them in?"
"Hai," Usagi told her, smiling. "Arigato."
Those anxious visitors wasted no time coming through the door, either. The nurse had no more had time to get down the hall when there was another knock and Haruka swung the door open wide, allowing Makoto and Michiru to go in first. The three gathered around the bed, bending over to get a closer look at the newborn. Makoto chuckled, sitting down in the chair next to the bed. "That's Chibi-Usa alright."
"Did they say anything about the moon on her forehead?" Michiru asked quietly, taking the baby Usagi offered her and pushing the blanket back to see her face. Haruka looked over Michiru's shoulder, speechless for once.
"It didn't flare up until after the nurse had left. Ami said it might do that for a few days," Mamoru said thoughtfully, leaning back next to Usagi so he could put his arm around her. He directed his attention towards her, leaning to kiss her cheek lovingly. "How do you feel?"
Usagi giggled, her eyes still a bit dazed from the pain medicine. "Well, not like going out dancing, by all means. But I don't feel too bad. Not nearly as sore as I did after having the twins."
"Hey Chibi-Usa," Haruka mumbled, reaching her finger out so that the baby could grasp it. "You know, you sure are cute," she said. Michiru looked up, surprised. "Reminds you of our little Hotaru, ne Michiru?" Haruka said.
"She won't grow up as quickly," Michiru said comfortably, handing the baby back to Mamoru who was still looking dazed.
"I hope not," Usagi said quietly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The phone rang and rang, but no one answered. Minako bit her bottom lip, tugging on the phone cord impatiently. Still no one answered. Hanging the phone up, she shrugged at the Senshi of Saturn who had been watching her with worried eyes. "Still no answer," Minako told her, placing the phone back on the hook. "Maybe they are on the way to the hospital?"
Hotaru shrugged, confused as well. She scooped Kazeno up in her arms, pulling his hood over his head. "It's just not like Usagi's parents to not be here when she is having a baby. I feel... I dunno, uneasy about it."
Minako also picked up a twin; Adjusting Sorano on her hip she bent down to pick up her keys and purse. "Well, let's head on over to the hospital anyways. They are probably already there."
Hotaru nodded uncertainly and put the baby bag on her free arm and followed the Senshi of Love out of the apartment, locking the door behind them. The buddle of bubbling twins in their arms grew even more excited as Hotaru tried to hold them still and buckle them in the seats. Having finally obtained that small mission, she hopped in the front seat and locked her own seat belt in place.
Minako, still yawning, climbed in the driver's seat and started the car just as another car came stretching down the street, sliding to a stop in front of the apartment building. Yaten jumped out, running over to Minako's window. "Where you going?"
"To the hospital to see Usagi and Mamoru's new baby," Minako told him, grinning from ear to ear. "Wanna go?"
"Sure!" he said, jumping in the backseat between the twins. He ruffled Kazeno's hair affectionately and tickled Sorano, sending both children in giggles. Minako pulled away from the curb, forcing herself to considerate on the road rather than Yaten in the back seat. "So when did Usagi have it?" her fiancé' asked as he leaned up so his head was between the two front seats.
"They left for the hospital about three this morning," Minako said, still groaning over the hour she had been abruptly woken up by Makoto screaming to be ready in ten minutes, Usagi was in labor.
Yaten grinned, knowing that Minako would do anything for her friends; even get up early. A few minutes later they pulled up in front of the hospital and Minako parked the car. Both twins wanted to hold Yaten's hand, so that Minako was forced to walk with Hotaru as they made their way into the hospital.
"Where's Mama at Yaten-san?" Sorano asked, tugging on the silver headed light's left hand. "And Papa?"
"I dunno, probably the maternity section," he said, shooting a quick glance to Minako. "Know which way to go?" he asked. The hospital's wings shot off in so many different directions it was like a maze.
"I know!" Kazeno suddenly said, pulling his hand free of Yaten's and starting to run down the hall. Sorano, seeing her brother flee down the white hall, wretched her hand free and took off as well. "Wait for me, Kaze!" she called, her small feet pounding on the floor.
"Matte!" Minako and Hotaru yelled, running after the disappearing twins. "Kaze! Sora! Come back!" But the dark haired twins were exactly what Haruka had predicted of them when they were born; installed with Mamoru's determination. Ignoring the adults, the two took off down a hall, running at top speed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The soft sound of humming drifted through the hallway and down the steps. Cocking an eyebrow up, Kento walked through the hallway
and turned into the room on the left. His eyes widened at what he
seen.
The guest bedroom had been transformed into a children's paradise. The entire room was full of toys, stuffed animals and child size furniture. The left wall had a chalkboard that was low to the ground, just high enough for a three year old to reach perfectly. Two toddler beds sat against one wall, and adjacent was a crib.
Hinako was humming while she adjusted the crib sheets.
"What are you doing?" Kento demanded, walking into the room.
Turning, Hinako smiled brightly, pulling the hair off the back
of her neck for a moment and rolling her eyes. "It's a tad bit hot
in here, ne?"
"Answer me," Kento replied lowly, his eyes dangerously narrowing
as he approached the woman. "What are you doing?" he demanded, his hands gesturing around at the room. Hinako looked around as if just realizing what he was talking about, her eyes widening in pleasure.
"Well," she drawled out, stretching her arms from side to side.
"I thought the children's stay here shouldn't be unpleasant. After
all, they will be here for a long time and I was thinking we should
make this fun for them, so that they don't miss their parents so much."
"We are going to kill them!" Kento boomed, his eyes flashing
angrily. "We are not here to make them enjoy themselves, we are here
to take their power to take over the world. We will kill them before
they have even begun to live! What did you think we were doing?!"
"I.." Hinako pulled her hands in front of her and stared at them
for a long moment. "But didn't you say that it would take time to
remove their powers? They are too young to understand them, let alone
know how to access and use them. And while they are here I thought..."
"Fine! Fine...." Kento rubbed his forehead and started out of
the room. "But *don't* get too attached to these children. They will
not live long."
Hinako watched as Kento walked out of the room before she sat
down in the rocking chair and stared out of the window. Sighing, she
picked up a stuffed animal and ripped it's head off. "Kisama*..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Frantically Hotaru ran through the hallways, her shoes sliding on the floor as she turned the corner. "Sora! Kaze!" Her violet eyes darted back and forth among the hallway, but the two children were nowhere to be seen. "Oh no.." Biting her lip, Hotaru waited for Minako and Yaten to catch up.
"Where did they get to?" Minako asked, holding one hand to her
chest while holding herself up against the wall with the other. "They
are going to be as fast as Usagi-chan..."
"There is no time to waste," Hotaru said darkly, her fist clinched at her sides. She turned to Minako abruptly, her eyes dark and full of fear. "There is an enemy coming, and they want the Princess' children. We *must* find them, now!"
"An enemy?!" Minako let go of the wall and stumbled slightly.
"Nani, Hotaru-chan?! What do you know?" Yaten put his hand on Minako's shoulder in a calming gesture, but it wasn't working.
"I'll explain later, right now we must find Kaze and Sora." Hotaru took off down the hall, visibly out of breath but still pushing herself to run.
Minako shook her head as if to rid it of the shock, and started
after her, calling for the dark haired twins. Yaten's eyes scanned the hallway, but seen nothing. "I'll go this way!" he called to Minako, turning foot and going to the left.
Not too far ahead of Yaten, Kazeno held tightly to his sister's hand. "Sora, where Mama?" he asked tearfully, using his free fist to grind a tear from his eye. "I don't see her."
"She in a room, look in the rooms," Sorano said in a would be command voice, if he hadn't shook with fear that they might never find their parents again.
Nodding, Kazeno pushed open a door and seen an empty bed. Shaking
his head, he went to the next door and pushed it open. On the other side of the hall, Sorano looked up at a sign taped to the door that had pictures of baby bottles on it. "This must be it!" she exclaimed.
Kazeno came over next to his sister and together they pushed the
door open. Inside seemed to be empty. Turning, the two started back out
of the room.
"Hello little Prince and Princess."
Kazeno backed up and bumped into Sorano, then both children turned to run. Pulling on the doorknob, Kazeno turned in fear toward the voice in the room. "Hurry Sora!" he exclaimed, his small blue eyes full of fear. "Open the door!"
"Its locked!" she cried pitifully, beating it with her small fists. Turning, she pulled Kazeno back to stand next to her and together the two dark haired twins stared into the darkness of the room and the voice that was chuckling evilly.
--End Chapter 1.
*Kisama translates literally to "you" but is meant as a very bad insult.
I've been meaning to do this for a long time, over a year, infact. This story needed a good revising, but I've just now got some time to do it in. Hopefully after I finish revising what I have, I can finish it :)
I hope you all enjoyed it (this is a hint for a review, btw ^_~) Huge thanks to all of you who emailed me constantly about getting this done--I had thought about just deleting it permantly until I started getting emails -- thanks!!
3 Bethany
http://Moon-Bunny.org
Bethany212@comcast.net
10-20-02