Chapter Five
Ring...ring...ring... ring...ring...ring...
"Hello?"
"What are you wearing?"
Laughter. "Oh you know what I'm wearing."
"That little thing I bought you?"
"Uh huh. When are you coming back?"
"Once I'm done here."
Sighs. "I miss you baby."
"I miss you too. I have to go; I'll see you as soon as I can. I'll call."
"Alright. Bye."
"Love you."
?????
Squall set down enough yen, to cover the tip, as he stood from his chair. He nodded, to the waitress, and saluted to the bus boy, before he slipped out into the brisk night air. Sighing, he tugged his leather jacket closer to his body, and looked to the sky.
It was slowly becoming routine to him. Most nights, he'd a get a call, where he'd be out most of the night. He'd come home, too tired to even think. Then he'd wake up, and go to school. He'd avoid the girl at the front gate, try to dodge the blonde cheerleader, and try to watch out for the blonde tornado that always seemed to knock him over, either with a door, an object, or with her own body. Then he'd go through classes, trying to pay attention, and then go to track. After that he'd go to the arcade, and then wander around the city, trying to find his apartment. But before he went inside, he stopped at the coffee shop across the street. And then the cycle started all over again, once he fell asleep.
He'd been to this new world for a week now, and he missed his home even more now, then he did when he first had that dream.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets, and started down the street. The wind tousled his hair, and he jerked his head up, to rid the bangs from his eyes.
He stopped suddenly, and looked up. The moon stared down at him, its crescent shape, pulling at him. He looked to the left, where the points, directed. Without a thought, he followed, and stepped out of the rays of the moon, and into the shadows of the trees. He followed the path through the park.
Something wasn't quite right.
?????
Usagi lowered the ice cream she held from her mouth, and sighed. She had thought the triple scoop chocolate with brownie chunks, and chocolate syrup ice cream would have made her mood better, but it didn't. Instead, it made it worst, since it was the same kind of ice cream, that Mamoru always bought her when she needed cheering up.
She thought of Mamoru, and frowned, she didn't know what was wrong with him. She couldn't believe, that he didn't trust her.
She sighed, pouting; as she watched her ice cream melt onto her hand. Passing a garbage can, she dropped it inside, and started off down the street again. She licked her fingers, her eyes staring up at the sky.
'Minako just had to open her big mouth didn't she? Had to say, that I was trying to hang out with another guy.' She frowned, as she clenched her fists, "how am I going to get Mamo chan to trust me again?"
She gnawed on her bottom lip, as she glanced up at the moon, 'what do I do okaasan?' She inhaled sharply, the tears threatening to fall. Life had been so much simpler back then, on the moon. She only had to become Queen. She didn't have to prove herself to anyone, they already believed in her.
She scowled at the thought, like she wanted to be the hime, or a fighter in the first place. Things were so complicated.
She felt a chill crawl up her spine, and she tugged her jean jacket closer to her body. She stopped suddenly, when the moon's light, was covered by a large shadow.
She looked up at the sky, but there wasn't a single cloud. Shaking her head, she started walking again. As if someone had scrapped a hot iron tip across her arm, she felt a searing pain, from her shoulder, down to her elbow. She gasped, tears clinging to her lashes.
She watched, as the ground slowly grew closer. She felt like she was falling and falling, going farther and farther down. She couldn't move her arms to defend herself from the impact. She hit the pavement face first. She heard a crunch, as her jaw made contact with the hard concrete, and pain shot up into her brain, before she screamed. Pain exploded throughout her body, starting with her arm, and worked both ways, till she felt nothing but agony.
She felt claws digging into her back, slicing through her jacket, going through her shirt, and ripping her skin. She wanted to scream, but the fear, blocked out all thoughts, and left her nothing but the pain.
?????
Squall stopped at the edge of the park, and looked for another sign, something he could follow. But he saw nothing, felt nothing.
He heard a faint sound, but it was so far away, he couldn't distinguish it. Frowning, he started walking. When he heard it again, he moved faster, till suddenly, he was running.
He heard a scream, and he felt his blood run cold. His eyes narrowed into determination, and he sprinted down the narrow street. He turned the corner, passing a flower shop, and he stopped dead in his tracks. "Holy hell."
Willpower pushed him into action. He reached down, and from somewhere, he pulled out his Gunblade. He leaped into battle, his heart racing with adrenalin. "Lion Heart!"
He rammed his shoulder into the monster, knocking it into the air, and jumped after it. He brought his sword down on it in a devastating fury of attacks.
He landed in a crouch position on the pavement below. He watched, as the monster hit the ground. Gritting his teeth, he readied himself. He leaped into the air, shouting, "Fated Circle!"
Squall twirled his blade, and released a shockwave of energy. It hit the monster with a powerful force, leaving a crater, and a pile of fine dust.
He landed on his feet, and he clipped his Gunblade, back to his side, before turning to the bloody mess of what had once been a girl.
He rushed to her side, and tried to find a pulse. He felt a faint one, but it was still beating strong enough. He heard her grunt, "Don't move."
She started crying, "Is it gone?" Her body trembled, and she only cried harder. "It hurts." He looked her over, and saw the scrapes that marred her back, and noted how deep they were. Blood dripped from her nose, and the corner of her mouth.
"It's okay, I'm gonna get help."
"Helps here."
Squall looked up, and saw Setsuna. Frowning, he stated gruffly, "We need to get her to the infirmary." Setsuna looked at Usagi's from, and tears surfaced with her garnet depths. "It's alright, I'll help her. The infirmary will be of no help to her. Go home Squall."
Setsuna snapped her fingers, and a portal opened beneath the girl, and she disappeared inside. Another one appeared underneath Squall, and he fell inside, landing on his couch.
Before he could try and sit up, a wave of sleepiness hit him. "No..." His eyes feel shut, and his head rolled to the side.
?????
Squall fixed his uniform, as he walked down the hallway towards lunch. He glanced at a door where he heard voices.
"Usagi you need to take it easy."
Stopping, he moved to the door, and eased it open. He looked through the crack, and saw three women. He recognized Setsuna, Haruka, and Usagi instantly even in the dim room.
Usagi was leaning against the sink, her back to the older women. "I'm fine." Haruka grinded her teeth, "bachiatara Koneko chan! You were nearly killed by that thing. You should be at home, till those things heal."
Setsuna looked at him, her eyes catching his. Haruka bit out, "Get Hotoru in here. She can help some of it."
Usagi turned around slowly, "Iie. I wont have her hurting herself, just to help me. I'm fine, all right. Stop worrying about me, I can take care of myself!"
Haruka crossed her arms, "Well with the looks of those wounds, it doesn't look like you can take care of yourself."
Tears flowed to Usagi's eyes, and she fought to with hold them. "First Mamo chan doesn't believe me, and now my own friends." Haruka took a step forward, "Koneko I didn't mean..."
She took a step back, "iie. Just go away Haruka." She fought the ache in her body, and the pain in her heart.
Setsuna looked away from Squall, "Usagi, I want you to take some time off for you to heal properly. I don't want you to come if there is a call, you understand? Usagi looked at her friend, "You want me to leave my friends to the dogs, while I sit around on my ass waiting to get better? Iie I wont!"
Setsuna stepped towards the younger blonde, and lifted her bruised jaw up, gently. She whispered, for only Usagi to hear, "Usagi, I guarantee if you fight too soon, you wont make it out alive. Trust me, not because I'm your guardian, or the senshi of time, but as your friend."
Usagi shut her eyes, "but what if one of you gets hurt? I can't stand the thought of one of you getting hurt because I wasn't there to help." Tears fell from her eyes, "you guys mean too much to me, I cant loose you, none of you. I'll just die."
Her body trembled, and she threatened the line of breaking down. Haruka pulled the blonde into a light hug, "Koneko chan, nothing will happen to us. We can work together, and when you come back, we'll kick ass like before."
Usagi wrapped her good arm around Haruka's waist, "you mean it? You promise nothing will happen to any of you, while I'm gone?"
Haruka nodded fiercely, "Hai, so why don't we get some lunch, my treat, all right Koneko chan?"
Setsuna replied, "I'll have to take a rain check. But I'll see you Haruka at the meeting. Usagi, after school, I want you to go straight home. I'll have one of the other girls, take your things to your house later."
Setsuna opened the door to the girl's bathroom, and stepped out, "Hello Mr. Leonhart, how can I help you?"
Squall eyed the door, before he caught up with Setsuna. "What happened in there?" Setsuna softly smiled, "Nothing that concerns you."
Squall raised a single eyebrow, "Then tell me what happened to that girl last night. I have a right to that knowledge." Setsuna sighed, and crossed her arms at her middle, "hai you do. I'm very grateful for you protecting her last night. I would have helped, but something came up, and I couldn't make it in time." She smiled ruefully. She, the time guardian didn't have time, what a joke!
She shook her head, and looked over at him. "So you're the one, that sent me the signs?" He stared hard at her face, trying to read her mind. She sighed again, lack of sleep showing on her lovely face, and worry created lines on her smooth forehead. "I wish I could take credit for that. But I don't have that kind of power."
He looked away, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Is she alright?" Setsuna looked at him, "who?" He frowned, "the girl, Usagi, both of them, are they alright?"
Setsuna nodded, "Hai. You saved the girl, just in time, if any longer she would have died. And Usagi, hai she'll be fine. She just needs some time off from everything."
He sighed, looking up at the door to the courtyard in front of them. "I'll drop off her things." Setsuna looked at him, amusement in her eyes, "why?"
He dragged the toe of his shoe on the floor, "I owe her an apology. I was rude to her yesterday."
Setsuna nodded, "I see. Well, I would let you Mr. Leonhart, but there are a few reasons, why you can't. One, her fiancée, wouldn't like the idea, and two, her otosan, would most likely shoot you."
Squall looked at her, pulling his hands out of his pockets, and reached for the door, "I'll take my chances."
Ring...ring...ring... ring...ring...ring...
"Hello?"
"What are you wearing?"
Laughter. "Oh you know what I'm wearing."
"That little thing I bought you?"
"Uh huh. When are you coming back?"
"Once I'm done here."
Sighs. "I miss you baby."
"I miss you too. I have to go; I'll see you as soon as I can. I'll call."
"Alright. Bye."
"Love you."
?????
Squall set down enough yen, to cover the tip, as he stood from his chair. He nodded, to the waitress, and saluted to the bus boy, before he slipped out into the brisk night air. Sighing, he tugged his leather jacket closer to his body, and looked to the sky.
It was slowly becoming routine to him. Most nights, he'd a get a call, where he'd be out most of the night. He'd come home, too tired to even think. Then he'd wake up, and go to school. He'd avoid the girl at the front gate, try to dodge the blonde cheerleader, and try to watch out for the blonde tornado that always seemed to knock him over, either with a door, an object, or with her own body. Then he'd go through classes, trying to pay attention, and then go to track. After that he'd go to the arcade, and then wander around the city, trying to find his apartment. But before he went inside, he stopped at the coffee shop across the street. And then the cycle started all over again, once he fell asleep.
He'd been to this new world for a week now, and he missed his home even more now, then he did when he first had that dream.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets, and started down the street. The wind tousled his hair, and he jerked his head up, to rid the bangs from his eyes.
He stopped suddenly, and looked up. The moon stared down at him, its crescent shape, pulling at him. He looked to the left, where the points, directed. Without a thought, he followed, and stepped out of the rays of the moon, and into the shadows of the trees. He followed the path through the park.
Something wasn't quite right.
?????
Usagi lowered the ice cream she held from her mouth, and sighed. She had thought the triple scoop chocolate with brownie chunks, and chocolate syrup ice cream would have made her mood better, but it didn't. Instead, it made it worst, since it was the same kind of ice cream, that Mamoru always bought her when she needed cheering up.
She thought of Mamoru, and frowned, she didn't know what was wrong with him. She couldn't believe, that he didn't trust her.
She sighed, pouting; as she watched her ice cream melt onto her hand. Passing a garbage can, she dropped it inside, and started off down the street again. She licked her fingers, her eyes staring up at the sky.
'Minako just had to open her big mouth didn't she? Had to say, that I was trying to hang out with another guy.' She frowned, as she clenched her fists, "how am I going to get Mamo chan to trust me again?"
She gnawed on her bottom lip, as she glanced up at the moon, 'what do I do okaasan?' She inhaled sharply, the tears threatening to fall. Life had been so much simpler back then, on the moon. She only had to become Queen. She didn't have to prove herself to anyone, they already believed in her.
She scowled at the thought, like she wanted to be the hime, or a fighter in the first place. Things were so complicated.
She felt a chill crawl up her spine, and she tugged her jean jacket closer to her body. She stopped suddenly, when the moon's light, was covered by a large shadow.
She looked up at the sky, but there wasn't a single cloud. Shaking her head, she started walking again. As if someone had scrapped a hot iron tip across her arm, she felt a searing pain, from her shoulder, down to her elbow. She gasped, tears clinging to her lashes.
She watched, as the ground slowly grew closer. She felt like she was falling and falling, going farther and farther down. She couldn't move her arms to defend herself from the impact. She hit the pavement face first. She heard a crunch, as her jaw made contact with the hard concrete, and pain shot up into her brain, before she screamed. Pain exploded throughout her body, starting with her arm, and worked both ways, till she felt nothing but agony.
She felt claws digging into her back, slicing through her jacket, going through her shirt, and ripping her skin. She wanted to scream, but the fear, blocked out all thoughts, and left her nothing but the pain.
?????
Squall stopped at the edge of the park, and looked for another sign, something he could follow. But he saw nothing, felt nothing.
He heard a faint sound, but it was so far away, he couldn't distinguish it. Frowning, he started walking. When he heard it again, he moved faster, till suddenly, he was running.
He heard a scream, and he felt his blood run cold. His eyes narrowed into determination, and he sprinted down the narrow street. He turned the corner, passing a flower shop, and he stopped dead in his tracks. "Holy hell."
Willpower pushed him into action. He reached down, and from somewhere, he pulled out his Gunblade. He leaped into battle, his heart racing with adrenalin. "Lion Heart!"
He rammed his shoulder into the monster, knocking it into the air, and jumped after it. He brought his sword down on it in a devastating fury of attacks.
He landed in a crouch position on the pavement below. He watched, as the monster hit the ground. Gritting his teeth, he readied himself. He leaped into the air, shouting, "Fated Circle!"
Squall twirled his blade, and released a shockwave of energy. It hit the monster with a powerful force, leaving a crater, and a pile of fine dust.
He landed on his feet, and he clipped his Gunblade, back to his side, before turning to the bloody mess of what had once been a girl.
He rushed to her side, and tried to find a pulse. He felt a faint one, but it was still beating strong enough. He heard her grunt, "Don't move."
She started crying, "Is it gone?" Her body trembled, and she only cried harder. "It hurts." He looked her over, and saw the scrapes that marred her back, and noted how deep they were. Blood dripped from her nose, and the corner of her mouth.
"It's okay, I'm gonna get help."
"Helps here."
Squall looked up, and saw Setsuna. Frowning, he stated gruffly, "We need to get her to the infirmary." Setsuna looked at Usagi's from, and tears surfaced with her garnet depths. "It's alright, I'll help her. The infirmary will be of no help to her. Go home Squall."
Setsuna snapped her fingers, and a portal opened beneath the girl, and she disappeared inside. Another one appeared underneath Squall, and he fell inside, landing on his couch.
Before he could try and sit up, a wave of sleepiness hit him. "No..." His eyes feel shut, and his head rolled to the side.
?????
Squall fixed his uniform, as he walked down the hallway towards lunch. He glanced at a door where he heard voices.
"Usagi you need to take it easy."
Stopping, he moved to the door, and eased it open. He looked through the crack, and saw three women. He recognized Setsuna, Haruka, and Usagi instantly even in the dim room.
Usagi was leaning against the sink, her back to the older women. "I'm fine." Haruka grinded her teeth, "bachiatara Koneko chan! You were nearly killed by that thing. You should be at home, till those things heal."
Setsuna looked at him, her eyes catching his. Haruka bit out, "Get Hotoru in here. She can help some of it."
Usagi turned around slowly, "Iie. I wont have her hurting herself, just to help me. I'm fine, all right. Stop worrying about me, I can take care of myself!"
Haruka crossed her arms, "Well with the looks of those wounds, it doesn't look like you can take care of yourself."
Tears flowed to Usagi's eyes, and she fought to with hold them. "First Mamo chan doesn't believe me, and now my own friends." Haruka took a step forward, "Koneko I didn't mean..."
She took a step back, "iie. Just go away Haruka." She fought the ache in her body, and the pain in her heart.
Setsuna looked away from Squall, "Usagi, I want you to take some time off for you to heal properly. I don't want you to come if there is a call, you understand? Usagi looked at her friend, "You want me to leave my friends to the dogs, while I sit around on my ass waiting to get better? Iie I wont!"
Setsuna stepped towards the younger blonde, and lifted her bruised jaw up, gently. She whispered, for only Usagi to hear, "Usagi, I guarantee if you fight too soon, you wont make it out alive. Trust me, not because I'm your guardian, or the senshi of time, but as your friend."
Usagi shut her eyes, "but what if one of you gets hurt? I can't stand the thought of one of you getting hurt because I wasn't there to help." Tears fell from her eyes, "you guys mean too much to me, I cant loose you, none of you. I'll just die."
Her body trembled, and she threatened the line of breaking down. Haruka pulled the blonde into a light hug, "Koneko chan, nothing will happen to us. We can work together, and when you come back, we'll kick ass like before."
Usagi wrapped her good arm around Haruka's waist, "you mean it? You promise nothing will happen to any of you, while I'm gone?"
Haruka nodded fiercely, "Hai, so why don't we get some lunch, my treat, all right Koneko chan?"
Setsuna replied, "I'll have to take a rain check. But I'll see you Haruka at the meeting. Usagi, after school, I want you to go straight home. I'll have one of the other girls, take your things to your house later."
Setsuna opened the door to the girl's bathroom, and stepped out, "Hello Mr. Leonhart, how can I help you?"
Squall eyed the door, before he caught up with Setsuna. "What happened in there?" Setsuna softly smiled, "Nothing that concerns you."
Squall raised a single eyebrow, "Then tell me what happened to that girl last night. I have a right to that knowledge." Setsuna sighed, and crossed her arms at her middle, "hai you do. I'm very grateful for you protecting her last night. I would have helped, but something came up, and I couldn't make it in time." She smiled ruefully. She, the time guardian didn't have time, what a joke!
She shook her head, and looked over at him. "So you're the one, that sent me the signs?" He stared hard at her face, trying to read her mind. She sighed again, lack of sleep showing on her lovely face, and worry created lines on her smooth forehead. "I wish I could take credit for that. But I don't have that kind of power."
He looked away, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Is she alright?" Setsuna looked at him, "who?" He frowned, "the girl, Usagi, both of them, are they alright?"
Setsuna nodded, "Hai. You saved the girl, just in time, if any longer she would have died. And Usagi, hai she'll be fine. She just needs some time off from everything."
He sighed, looking up at the door to the courtyard in front of them. "I'll drop off her things." Setsuna looked at him, amusement in her eyes, "why?"
He dragged the toe of his shoe on the floor, "I owe her an apology. I was rude to her yesterday."
Setsuna nodded, "I see. Well, I would let you Mr. Leonhart, but there are a few reasons, why you can't. One, her fiancée, wouldn't like the idea, and two, her otosan, would most likely shoot you."
Squall looked at her, pulling his hands out of his pockets, and reached for the door, "I'll take my chances."