Today's generic horoscope for (insert sign here) is: Use the Bat and the Moon without fear, but use Megumi and the Queen of Earth and your death is near.
Chapter Four
A chill wind had picked up, not unusual for schizophrenic spring, so the group had packed up and decided to spend the evening at the outer's house. Haruka was not all together happy about this, but she decided to use the situation to her advantage. Where better to corner and interrogate someone than your own home? The senshi and their significant others sat around the well-appointed living room making small talk; eventually, the conversation turned to the events of the previous night.
"Do you know what you're up against?" Bruce asked with concern.
"No," Ami shook her head with frustration, "All we have been able to determine is that the creatures are some sort of hologram. They attack and destroy as normal, cutting down trees and the like, but after they are defeated, all damage inexplicably disappears."
"Except this," Usagi cut in, showing the ugly, red sting on her hand.
"Looks like virtual reality got a little to real," Bruce observed grimly.
"I examined Usagi-chan's wound, and by all accounts, it seems to be a normal bee sting. I even found and average-sized stinger in it." She brought forth a plastic bag containing the small, black hook, "I have to admit, I can't seem to figure this one out?"
"Me neither," Michiru put in, "There have been no people appearing and leaving us to fight youma or daimon. The animals just materialize and their damage feels incredibly _real_."
The whole time this had been going on, Haruka was intently studying the man's face, trying to discern if he knew anything about their attackers. At the slightest twitch of his face, she was ready to do whatever it took to get the information out of him.
"Do you have any enemies who could be behind this? Someone from your past?"
The blue-haired woman shook her head, "We've ruled out all the usual suspects. Galaxia and the Animamates were healed and returned to their worlds. Nephrenia is definately sealed away and the circus ended for good. The Death Busters, the Black Moon Family, and Queen Beryl and Metallia were all destroyed, and the generals are in Mamoru's service. No, this is someone new, someone whom we are completely unprepared for."
Here, Haruka dropped her act, "You saw us last night, what were you doing out that late? Walking in the dark?"
Put on the spot, Bruce decided to reveal his secret, "Gotham City, where I was born, is a lawless place, and the police are unable to watch it on their own--"
"No way! You're Batman aren't you?!" Minako squealed, "I'm your biggest fan!! Can I have your autograph? Rei, I can't _believe_ you snagged Batman!"
Rei shook her head wearily, "Ignore her, Bruce; she is a life-long idol chaser."
"That's right, and proud of it!" the blonde triumphantly brandished her latest John Hancock.
"I had no idea I was famous," Bruce admitted, somewhat embarrased, as he signed a note for the incorrigable blonde, "But anyway, out of force of habit, I brought some of my equipment here. Last night, I heard someone scream--"
"That was me!" Usagi said proudly.
"--so I came to what I thought was a rescue to find things well taken care of by you ladies."
Haruka nodded vaguely; she didn't believe a word of his story. Michiru would tell her she was being too suspicious, but it was her job to be suspicious, of everyone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The party began to break up and everyone was yawning sleepily; Michiru saw everyone out with a smile while Haruka brooded in a far corner. She noticed with a frown that Rei was about to leave with the American, so she cleared her throat.
"Rei-chan, may I have a word with you."
"Huh? Oh, sure, Haruka-san!" the miko smiled brightly, "I'll be just a second, Bruce."
The tall blonde smiled bitterly at violet-eyed woman; this was the first time in a year that she had seen Rei smile. After Yuuichirou died, it seemed as if the fires within her had just burnt out. And there she was, in front of her, her eyes, those eyes, shinning with happiness. Glancing at the scar along the priestess' cheek, she wanted to believe in this man just as much as she did, for her sake, but she couldn't; that wasn't her job.
"Rei-chan, I just want you to promise me you won't do anything stupid, with this guy, I mean."
"What do you mean, Haruka-san?" Rei asked, getting a little steamed.
"I mean, I don't trust this guy. Do you really know who he is? He knows too much about us and showed up a little after the attacks started. I'm thinking he's the cause of all this . . ." she trailed off, stunned by the change in Rei's eyes. They now burned with liquid fury, boring into her soul. The anger this small woman was capable of was astonishing.
"How dare you say that. Will you never learn from your past mistakes, Haruka-san?" she questioned sarcastically, "You distrusted us, then Hotaru, then the Starlights. You were wrong each time and you are wrong this time." She turned on her heel and spoke bittingly over her shoulder, "You can't go through life hating on snap judgements, Haruka."
Haruka frowned again, watching the fiery priestess leave with the American. Michiru looked up at her lover with concern in her blue-green eyes; the racer looked down, but there was no trace of a smile in her dark-blue orbs.
"Haruka, are you really that concerned? Wayne Bruce is an upstanding citizen in America, what does it matter if he is or isn't Batman?"
"That's in America, and that's not what I'm worried about."
"Well, what are you worried about then?"
"I don't know . . ."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ooh, aren't you pretty?" a harsh voice spoke in honeyed tones.
Megumi admired the butterfly imprisoned within the Goddess Matrix. It was pretty, yes, with golden-orange wings edged in black and a downy black body, monarchs humans had named its species, but it was so, so, ordinary. The woman was tempted to crush the hateful insect as it fluttered uselessly in its gaelium box, but she needed the bug for her mission. She smirked, the animals the Star Houses had brought into being were so obviously inferior to the designs of her people. Her people: the rightful rulers of this blue planet.
How well the young goddess remembered the story. Her mother had told it to her a million times, and her daughter had asked for it just as many. The Golden House of the Sun and the Silver House of the Moon had sought to meet with the House of Gaea, on a diplomatic mission they had claimed. But they had lied; the thieving aliens had sought to make the Earth their own; Megumi supposed they tired of living in worlds of endless cold and heat. She really couldn't say, though, what their motives were: she had never travelled off the Earth, for she had been imprisoned deep within its core for and endless march of millennia. Then, they had set up their kingdom, the Golden Kingdom, she remembered with scorn, and her people had been watched unceasingly by one of their own: that traitor, Helios. The fiend had even taken a piece of their evil Kinzuishou onto his brow, to keep it safe.
But now, he was dead, and all his maidens as well, and the Gaens were free. Free to take back what was theirs from the very beginning. The would pay, the White Moon and the Yellow Sun. They would pay and their worlds would crumble, and an endless darkness would sweep over the Earth.
"Come, my pretty. It is time . . ."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rei and Bruce stood in the moonlit courtyard of the Hikawa Shrine. The light breeze played with their hair and the shadows played across their faces. They were so close that Bruce could smell her hair. Whatever shampoo she used, the smell of it was so intoxicating that Bruce almost jumped at what she offered next.
"You know," she began coyly, "You could come in, for a while."
He looked down into her deep, amethyst eyes, wanting to say yes, but he couldn't, for more reasons than one. He shook his head slowly and raised a hand at her squeak of protest.
"I don't have anything with me, not even a toothbrush, and besides, we don't want to rush into anything, do we? I mean, we've just met--"
"It doesn't matter!" Rei broke in passionately, "I feel as if I've known you forever! I've got stuff you can borrow, my late husband--"
"You're a widow?" Bruce asked in surprise, "That settles it, I'm definately not staying now."
"What?" Rei got to her feet, "Now because I'm a widow, you don't even want to be around me? Am I damaged goods or something?!"
"Rei! Rei, calm down," he tried to hold her hands, but she pulled angrily from him, "I just meant that I don't want to hurt you. I want you to know for sure that you feel this way for me. I know that I do, but you just lost your husband and your mind can pull crazy tricks on you when you lose a loved one. I know. I'm just trying to protect you, Rei."
The soldier of fire looked into his eyes, and melted in grief against him, "It's been a year. You'd think I would've gotten over it by now . . ."
"Did you love him?"
"Yes, very much so, why?"
"Because you never get over someone you love, even if you love changes, you will never forget them."
"Thank you, I guess you'd better go . . ."
"Mmm, I've got to meet with Hino Kabuo tomorrow, and remember: just because I kiss you, doesn't mean I'm going to share a toothbrush with you," he winked.
Rei forced a laugh and stood brooding on her doorstep long after he was gone, "He's meeting with my father . . ."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has read my story and especially to those who have reviewed it. Big huggles to Marsgoddess, thanks for kicking me in the butt, you inspired me and that nasty writer's block ran away crying! Hope this chap cleared up any confusion concerning Yuuichirou; he is, in fact, dead. He and Rei were in a terrible car crash and he died and Rei was left with the scar along her cheek. The baddies are about to officially make the scene, so be ready! Oh, and my little scene between Haruka and Rei got me thinking: has anyone ever paired the two of them together? I know it's a bit of a stretch, but wouldn't it be interesting? Send you opinions of that on over and I may have some new Rei goodness on the way. Anyway, love it? Hate it? Let me know!
Soul~chan
Chapter Four
A chill wind had picked up, not unusual for schizophrenic spring, so the group had packed up and decided to spend the evening at the outer's house. Haruka was not all together happy about this, but she decided to use the situation to her advantage. Where better to corner and interrogate someone than your own home? The senshi and their significant others sat around the well-appointed living room making small talk; eventually, the conversation turned to the events of the previous night.
"Do you know what you're up against?" Bruce asked with concern.
"No," Ami shook her head with frustration, "All we have been able to determine is that the creatures are some sort of hologram. They attack and destroy as normal, cutting down trees and the like, but after they are defeated, all damage inexplicably disappears."
"Except this," Usagi cut in, showing the ugly, red sting on her hand.
"Looks like virtual reality got a little to real," Bruce observed grimly.
"I examined Usagi-chan's wound, and by all accounts, it seems to be a normal bee sting. I even found and average-sized stinger in it." She brought forth a plastic bag containing the small, black hook, "I have to admit, I can't seem to figure this one out?"
"Me neither," Michiru put in, "There have been no people appearing and leaving us to fight youma or daimon. The animals just materialize and their damage feels incredibly _real_."
The whole time this had been going on, Haruka was intently studying the man's face, trying to discern if he knew anything about their attackers. At the slightest twitch of his face, she was ready to do whatever it took to get the information out of him.
"Do you have any enemies who could be behind this? Someone from your past?"
The blue-haired woman shook her head, "We've ruled out all the usual suspects. Galaxia and the Animamates were healed and returned to their worlds. Nephrenia is definately sealed away and the circus ended for good. The Death Busters, the Black Moon Family, and Queen Beryl and Metallia were all destroyed, and the generals are in Mamoru's service. No, this is someone new, someone whom we are completely unprepared for."
Here, Haruka dropped her act, "You saw us last night, what were you doing out that late? Walking in the dark?"
Put on the spot, Bruce decided to reveal his secret, "Gotham City, where I was born, is a lawless place, and the police are unable to watch it on their own--"
"No way! You're Batman aren't you?!" Minako squealed, "I'm your biggest fan!! Can I have your autograph? Rei, I can't _believe_ you snagged Batman!"
Rei shook her head wearily, "Ignore her, Bruce; she is a life-long idol chaser."
"That's right, and proud of it!" the blonde triumphantly brandished her latest John Hancock.
"I had no idea I was famous," Bruce admitted, somewhat embarrased, as he signed a note for the incorrigable blonde, "But anyway, out of force of habit, I brought some of my equipment here. Last night, I heard someone scream--"
"That was me!" Usagi said proudly.
"--so I came to what I thought was a rescue to find things well taken care of by you ladies."
Haruka nodded vaguely; she didn't believe a word of his story. Michiru would tell her she was being too suspicious, but it was her job to be suspicious, of everyone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The party began to break up and everyone was yawning sleepily; Michiru saw everyone out with a smile while Haruka brooded in a far corner. She noticed with a frown that Rei was about to leave with the American, so she cleared her throat.
"Rei-chan, may I have a word with you."
"Huh? Oh, sure, Haruka-san!" the miko smiled brightly, "I'll be just a second, Bruce."
The tall blonde smiled bitterly at violet-eyed woman; this was the first time in a year that she had seen Rei smile. After Yuuichirou died, it seemed as if the fires within her had just burnt out. And there she was, in front of her, her eyes, those eyes, shinning with happiness. Glancing at the scar along the priestess' cheek, she wanted to believe in this man just as much as she did, for her sake, but she couldn't; that wasn't her job.
"Rei-chan, I just want you to promise me you won't do anything stupid, with this guy, I mean."
"What do you mean, Haruka-san?" Rei asked, getting a little steamed.
"I mean, I don't trust this guy. Do you really know who he is? He knows too much about us and showed up a little after the attacks started. I'm thinking he's the cause of all this . . ." she trailed off, stunned by the change in Rei's eyes. They now burned with liquid fury, boring into her soul. The anger this small woman was capable of was astonishing.
"How dare you say that. Will you never learn from your past mistakes, Haruka-san?" she questioned sarcastically, "You distrusted us, then Hotaru, then the Starlights. You were wrong each time and you are wrong this time." She turned on her heel and spoke bittingly over her shoulder, "You can't go through life hating on snap judgements, Haruka."
Haruka frowned again, watching the fiery priestess leave with the American. Michiru looked up at her lover with concern in her blue-green eyes; the racer looked down, but there was no trace of a smile in her dark-blue orbs.
"Haruka, are you really that concerned? Wayne Bruce is an upstanding citizen in America, what does it matter if he is or isn't Batman?"
"That's in America, and that's not what I'm worried about."
"Well, what are you worried about then?"
"I don't know . . ."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ooh, aren't you pretty?" a harsh voice spoke in honeyed tones.
Megumi admired the butterfly imprisoned within the Goddess Matrix. It was pretty, yes, with golden-orange wings edged in black and a downy black body, monarchs humans had named its species, but it was so, so, ordinary. The woman was tempted to crush the hateful insect as it fluttered uselessly in its gaelium box, but she needed the bug for her mission. She smirked, the animals the Star Houses had brought into being were so obviously inferior to the designs of her people. Her people: the rightful rulers of this blue planet.
How well the young goddess remembered the story. Her mother had told it to her a million times, and her daughter had asked for it just as many. The Golden House of the Sun and the Silver House of the Moon had sought to meet with the House of Gaea, on a diplomatic mission they had claimed. But they had lied; the thieving aliens had sought to make the Earth their own; Megumi supposed they tired of living in worlds of endless cold and heat. She really couldn't say, though, what their motives were: she had never travelled off the Earth, for she had been imprisoned deep within its core for and endless march of millennia. Then, they had set up their kingdom, the Golden Kingdom, she remembered with scorn, and her people had been watched unceasingly by one of their own: that traitor, Helios. The fiend had even taken a piece of their evil Kinzuishou onto his brow, to keep it safe.
But now, he was dead, and all his maidens as well, and the Gaens were free. Free to take back what was theirs from the very beginning. The would pay, the White Moon and the Yellow Sun. They would pay and their worlds would crumble, and an endless darkness would sweep over the Earth.
"Come, my pretty. It is time . . ."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rei and Bruce stood in the moonlit courtyard of the Hikawa Shrine. The light breeze played with their hair and the shadows played across their faces. They were so close that Bruce could smell her hair. Whatever shampoo she used, the smell of it was so intoxicating that Bruce almost jumped at what she offered next.
"You know," she began coyly, "You could come in, for a while."
He looked down into her deep, amethyst eyes, wanting to say yes, but he couldn't, for more reasons than one. He shook his head slowly and raised a hand at her squeak of protest.
"I don't have anything with me, not even a toothbrush, and besides, we don't want to rush into anything, do we? I mean, we've just met--"
"It doesn't matter!" Rei broke in passionately, "I feel as if I've known you forever! I've got stuff you can borrow, my late husband--"
"You're a widow?" Bruce asked in surprise, "That settles it, I'm definately not staying now."
"What?" Rei got to her feet, "Now because I'm a widow, you don't even want to be around me? Am I damaged goods or something?!"
"Rei! Rei, calm down," he tried to hold her hands, but she pulled angrily from him, "I just meant that I don't want to hurt you. I want you to know for sure that you feel this way for me. I know that I do, but you just lost your husband and your mind can pull crazy tricks on you when you lose a loved one. I know. I'm just trying to protect you, Rei."
The soldier of fire looked into his eyes, and melted in grief against him, "It's been a year. You'd think I would've gotten over it by now . . ."
"Did you love him?"
"Yes, very much so, why?"
"Because you never get over someone you love, even if you love changes, you will never forget them."
"Thank you, I guess you'd better go . . ."
"Mmm, I've got to meet with Hino Kabuo tomorrow, and remember: just because I kiss you, doesn't mean I'm going to share a toothbrush with you," he winked.
Rei forced a laugh and stood brooding on her doorstep long after he was gone, "He's meeting with my father . . ."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has read my story and especially to those who have reviewed it. Big huggles to Marsgoddess, thanks for kicking me in the butt, you inspired me and that nasty writer's block ran away crying! Hope this chap cleared up any confusion concerning Yuuichirou; he is, in fact, dead. He and Rei were in a terrible car crash and he died and Rei was left with the scar along her cheek. The baddies are about to officially make the scene, so be ready! Oh, and my little scene between Haruka and Rei got me thinking: has anyone ever paired the two of them together? I know it's a bit of a stretch, but wouldn't it be interesting? Send you opinions of that on over and I may have some new Rei goodness on the way. Anyway, love it? Hate it? Let me know!
Soul~chan