Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Sailor Moon, much to my own disappointment....
Okie dokie, here's the next chapter! ^_^ I took a couple days off to work on the beginning of another Starlights fic, "Walk A Mile", which is completely pointless but fun to write. I needed a break from this story and "Angel Wings", which are both kind of angsty and depressing. Anyway....
Oh, here! A note for Princess Fireball: I know, I know. All of the Stars season in one sitting? (I just got REALLY into it....) Thinking back, it was a little silly (like I said so someone else, hindsight is 20/20). But, to be honest, I never at all claimed to be sane. ^_^
Notes for Sakura-chan: Yeah, I know I keep saying 'brunette'. ^.^;; That's because I'm
switching from this story to "Walk A Mile" and back, so I'm always switching from the
Starlights being boys to them being girls and back again. *shrug* I'm planning on editing what's
finished soon, anyway, so I'll probably change all the things like that then. Um, I was using
'brunette' (or brunet, whichever) to describe to Taiki because I was under the impression that
the word referred to people with brown hair. Hence it starting with 'brun'? I dunno'....thanks for
pointing those things out, though.
"Minako did this?" Ami asked softly, inspecting the wound that marred Yaten's neck. His head was tilted to the side and he had propped it up on his palm. He stared ahead, not saying a word as the blue-haired girl tended to him. Frowning, she rummaged through a box of medical supplies. "What did she do?"
"She bit him."
"What?" The rummaging stopped as Ami looked up at Taiki in surprise, "she BIT him?"
"Yes."
"With her TEETH?" Usagi said incredulously.
"No," Yaten snapped sarcastically, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, "with her ears. Of COURSE with her TEETH, damn it!"
"Okay, okay."
"It's just that...." Hotaru trailed off and shook her head. "....it's not the Minako we know....we should have expected it, though...."
Seiya regarded Hotaru thoughtfully; though several years younger than Usagi and the others, she carried herself a grace and dignity she shouldn't have yet possessed. It was almost as though she had lived several lifetimes already. He hadn't gotten to know her during their previous time on Earth, only speaking to her once or twice, and that had been during the battle with Galaxia. The dark-haired senshi's advice had been wise beyond her years. The girl was a mystery, alright.
"Why should you have expected it?" Taiki asked from where he was standing, watching Ami work.
"It's part of being a Tsumetai." Haruka stated, crossing her arms. "As is the theft of Seno."
"Um...." Seiya looked at Usagi, "what?"
Usagi was silent and simply looked at him sadly. His heart wrenched at the depth of the sorrow in her eyes; she hadn't managed so much as a weak smile, even in greeting. Seeing her so despondent....it hurt him. It wasn't like the Odango he knew.
"Tsumetai," Taiki murmured thoughtfully, his brows furrowing, "Minako said that, too, as well as using the term 'Seno'...."
"Yes," Hotaru nodded, catching his attention, "because she has become one."
"A Tsumetai or a Seno?" Haruka's glare landed on Seiya and he winced. "Sorry! Jeez, I'm just ASKING-"
"They have the right to know." Another voice announced, making the black-haired Starlight jump. Everyone turned to see a small furred body standing just inside the door, appearing to have come from the second room; "it's gotten worse out there," Luna said sadly, shaking her head. "Much, much worse."
"Yes." Haruka responded.
"I thought so." The cat sighed, "I can feel it...."
"Luna?" Seiya blinked.
"Seiya." Luna acknowledged, "Taiki....Yaten...." her eyes strayed over the gash in the side of Yaten's neck. "....I'd hoped you made it here unscathed."
"No such luck."
"So I see."
"Luna," Taiki cleared his throat, "would you mind telling us what's going on here?"
The former-citizen of Mau paced over to them and sat down stiffly at Usagi's feet, looking up at the girl with worried eyes. Seiya silently echoed Luna's concern, shrugging off the warning glares he was receiving from Haruka. They all waited while the cat seemed to compose herself, considering how to begin; all eyes were on her, with the exception of Ami- the blue-haired genius had set about disinfecting Yaten's wound and was concentrating on that instead.
Yaten was gritting his teeth as the astringent stung his raw neck, but, contrary to the shouting that would have been normal for him, he said nothing. Ami absently muttered a vague apology, aware of his discomfort, as she rummaged for bandages in the makeshift medical kit.
"Where to begin...."
"Luna...." Hotaru interrupted Luna's musings, "I could try to explain...."
Luna blinked, then; "by all means-"
"It all started shortly after you three left Earth with Princess Kakyuu." A very short pause and then the girl continued, frowning; "it had only been a month, maybe two since you had returned to your own planet....life here went on as normal....school....work....the senshi didn't have much to do. It seemed to be a long-awaited time of peace." Shaking her head, Hotaru sighed, "but it didn't last. One day, without warning, the sky darkened- black clouds covered the sun, blocking out all of it's light. Thunder and lightning came with the clouds, but there was no rain...."
"....we thought it was a storm." Usagi said softly. "Just a storm."
Seiya looked at her worriedly before turning his attention back to Hotaru.
"An hour after the....storm....began, the attack came." The younger senshi's eyes were haunted, her gaze unfocused as she remembered the events she was describing. "....no warning....no way to escape....the sky opened up, and fire roared from the Heavens. Trees, plants, animals, humans....everything was caught up in the firestorm. Earthquakes rocked the land, destroying businesses and homes. Almost everyone was killed...."
The horror of the situation had already descended on Seiya and his brothers, but hearing it from someone who had lived it....though he couldn't speak for Taiki and Yaten, the chill Seiya was feeling went right to his bones.
"It was like the apocalypse." Ami told them, her eyes glistening. She'd finished with Yaten already and had begun re-packing the medical kit. "We lost so many people that day....family and friends. Everyone."
Taiki rested a sympathetic hand on her shoulder and was rewarded with a slight smile.
"But how come you're still here?" Seiya wondered.
"....those of us with the blessing of a Star or Planet survived." Hotaru explained; "all of the senshi. The power of our Planets somehow protected us....or, protected us from death, anyway."
"Huh?"
"Unfortunately," Haruka said darkly, "not all of us escaped the darkness completely."
"The darkness...."
"The Oscuridad." Hotaru clarified.
"What do you mean," Taiki asked, dreading the answer, "by 'not all of you escaped'?"
There was a pensive silence as they waited for the Earth Senshi's response. Haruka's eyes hardened, and again Seiya was struck by the thought that she had lost someone very important to her. The deep and residing hurt in Usagi's eyes was much the same, and for the first time since seeing her again, he had to wonder about Mamoru....where was he? He should have been defending Usagi....
His questions were answered a moment later.
"We all survived the initial attack," Ami offered, "but the darkness that had taken over the Earth began to consume us."
Hotaru nodded, explaining; "Mamoru-san was first, as his ties with the Earth were stronger than any of our own. He was changed at the same time as the first attack occurred. It was his own senshi powers that fed him to the Oscuridad....he turned on us. On Usagi."
Odango.... Seiya's eyes went to the blonde girl and he managed to grate out; "what did he do?"
"He attacked me." Usagi answered softly, "....attacked me....and...." trailing off, she raised her gaze to meet Seiya's. On the ground, Luna looked up at her mistress sadly. "We didn't know he had been turned....we split up into teams to search the city....I went with him....and he....a-attacked me....hurt me...."
The rage that welled up inside of him made the black-haired Star Senshi clench his hands into fists. Logically, he knew that whatever happened, it hadn't been Mamoru's fault....but from the look on Usagi's face....the way she didn't finish her sentences....the vagueness with which she answered his question...
Taiki was watching him with a warning look.
Breathe, Seiya, breathe....
He relaxed his fists and took several breaths as Hotaru continued the story.
"-it was Rei's intuition that told us Usagi was in trouble, and we managed to save her from Mamoru before he could take her Seno. Barely. We almost didn't make it on time, but we managed it...." the senshi of Saturn bit her lip; "Rei was next, though, in the line of those who were turned. Her psychic abilities attracted the Oscuridad, and in turn, Mamoru. He came for her, hunted her down....we had no idea he was after her until it was too late. Her Planet was corrupted when her Seno was stolen and she turned on us as well....Makoto wasn't far behind. She, too, was turned by the darkness, her Seno taken."
There was a long silence and surprisingly, it was Haruka who spoke next.
"Michiru followed after Makoto." The tall blonde stated, her eyes reflecting internal pain, "Mamoru came for me, set his sights on MY Seno, and Michiru...." her lips compressed and she swallowed, "the baka lost her own life to protect mine. Mamoru took her Seno and turned her against us. We always said that if it came down to it, if one of us was hurt or in danger....the other would carry on. No worrying, no sacrifices."
Silence from everyone else.
"She lied." Haruka whispered harshly. "She broke her promise."
"Haruka-san...." tears fell from Usagi's eyes and she reached a hand to comfort the older girl, but Haruka flinched away from her touch.
His suspicions confirmed, Seiya felt his throat constrict. I was afraid of that....
"After Michiru-mama," Hotaru continued, glancing at Haruka, "Setsuna-mama was lost. She had ventured from the Time Realm in an effort to help us, and even with the Garnet Rod and the power of Cronus, she was unable to save herself from the Oscuridad's power. Rei and Makoto destroyed her, took her Seno, and turned her to the darkness."
"And Minako?" Yaten asked, trying to sound as if he didn't care. His voice was low to mask the wavering of emotion in it, but both Seiya and Taiki could hear the painful undertones. The silver-haired youth reached up a hand and absently brushed a finger against the bandages covering the side of his neck. "When was she turned?"
"Yesterday."
"W-what?" Yaten appeared shaken by the word.
"M-Minako," Ami began, her voice breaking, "was taken from us yesterday. We....continue to venture out, searching for a way to drive the Oscuridad from Earth....yesterday we went again...." the bluenette took a shuddering breath, tears beginning to fall from her eyes; "because Usagi-chan is the Princess, she went with Haruka-san and Hotaru-chan, the two remaining Outer Senshi, the two strongest."
"Ami-chan-" Usagi whispered.
But Ami ignored her. The hand that Taiki had on her shoulder tightened slightly; he was feeling her pain. "....Minako and I went one way....with Artemis....toward the shopping district, while Usagi-chan, Haruka-san and Hotaru-chan went the other direction. We didn't see....didn't see the attack coming until it was too late....I was thrown back....landed against the side of a building. My head hit the bricks. I didn't pass out, but....Minako...." a harsh sob tore it's way out of her throat and she blinked the tears from her eyes. "Minako was....it was Setsuna and Mamoru! Setsuna....and Mamoru....our friends....they....there was blood and pain....screams....I transformed, but....there was no way I could....they took her....Artemis tried to save he....tried to help, but he was just a cat....he tried and....Artemis, too....they both....Minako....she bled and- and screamed and- pleaded with them....and then it was over...."
"Ami...." Taiki's voice was barely audible.
Ami turned toward him. "....she....died- she's gone. She and Artemis. Minako is gone, and it's all because....of me...."
"No." He shook his head, his voice soft but firm. "No."
"If I had reacted sooner, or-"
"Ami," Taiki repeated, "no." And, despite the fact that his feelings toward her were supposedly nothing more than respect, he delicately brushed a tear from her left eye and then, when she wrapped her arms around him desperately, he hugged her back. "It's not your fault. There was nothing you could do."
Yaten was wincing again, his empathy letting him feel- quite clearly- the waves of emotional pain from Ami. Seiya's eyes were stinging; her plight, what she had gone through....he watched Taiki comforting her and had to glance at Usagi. The girl- his Odango- needed the same thing, and he couldn't do anything.
"Minako was the last, for the time being." Hotaru told them. She, of all the senshi, was the least emotional. Shock, maybe? It was possible.... "but there will be others. That is almost certain. And now that you are here as well...." She pursed her lips and looked around. The message was clear; their lives were in danger. They could be next. "I think," the girl said, "that you've heard the important parts of the situation....the rest can wait until everyone has composed themselves...."
"....hm...." Usagi wiped at her eyes, "....I....need to...."
"Yes, Koneko-chan," Haruka nodded, "go."
And Usagi disappeared into the second room, shutting the door behind her. Luna watched her mistress go, her red eyes bright with tears. Haruka turned her thoughts inward, probably thinking about Michiru....Taiki murmured softly to Ami, who's sobs had subsided. Yaten was in his own world, staring at the floor, his fingers touching the bandages on his neck....and Seiya was staring at the door Usagi had vanished into.
Hotaru, in turn, was staring at him.
Odango....
"Go to her."
"Huh?" He blinked and looked at Hotaru. "What?"
The girl flashed a ghost of a smile; "she needs someone. Go."
"But-" Seiya's eyes went instinctively to Haruka, but the taller senshi only eyed him before nodding slightly. "I-"
"Shit." Yaten snapped, his gaze turning to Seiya; "just GO already!"
They all want me to-? He couldn't help be amazed. Not only was Hotaru- who even as Sailor Saturn in the battle against Galaxia, had shown the Starlights acceptance- telling him to go to Usagi, so were Haruka and Yaten? Haruka who had threatened his life in the past, should he go near her Princess? And Yaten, who had called him stupid for falling in love with an Earthling? Even though the situation was grim, his mind half-chuckled. Never look a Gift Horse in the mouth.
Without another word, he got up and followed after Usagi.
_____________
Me: Um, did that kind of half-explain things? There's more of an explanation in the next chapter; you know, what Seno is, what a Tsumetai is, etc. Also more of an explanation as to what, exactly, Evil-Mamoru did when he 'attacked' Usagi. Ne....Seiya-san's not gonna' be pleased....oh and gomen ne if this chapter was a little short. *bows* Ja!