Orion Saga

Part 2

Celestial Battle

Chapter 12: Beautiful Anger

The young woman is lingering outside of the temple in the small park while waiting for the bus. Fuming, she doesn't hear her name.

"Minako-san...Sailor Venus.:

"What do you want?"

"I want you to know..." Zentora looks at the ground. For months, she'd been noticing Minako's anger growing. and with that anger came a pained look that the younger woman knew all too well. She had seen it tin her own eyes when she thought of the orb holders.

"If I could give Nuriko-san her stone, I would."

"That's a very easy thing to say isn't it?"

"What?"

"You know, you don't know much. You haven't seen what she's like now. ...so empty. She doesn't care about anything anymore and it's because of you. You can't make her the way she was."

The fuchsia head shakes. "That's not true. Do you think I wanted this to happen? I've seen a lot more that you think. If you, for one second could open your eyes and think-"

Minako slaps the younger woman hard across the cheek. "That's for Nuriko." The blonde turns her back as Zentora stands there in surprise. Suddenly, she turns around again. "And this is for me." She punches the taller girl in the stomach.

Doubling over, she drops to her knees. She is unsure of what she feels more; pain or surprise. When she finally does speak, her voice does little to hide her pain. "I-I'm sorry. Really. If I could make it any better..."

The senshi of love turns to look at the younger woman.

Undaunted, the girl continues. "If I had only known..."

"That's just it though, Zentora. You don't know. You don't know anything!"

"Please! Just listen to me. I want..." Zentora sighs. "You're right. I don't know. I don't know a lot of things. I don't know why the orbs surfaced the way they did. And I don't know if I can face the truth of what's happening to me right now." Zentora says this last part to herself."

Minako looks at the girl on the ground in front of her. She sighs and walks off to catch the bus.

Zentora finally stands to her feet once the woman leaves and shakes her regretfully.

*~*~*~*~*

"Ah!" A hand reaches out. "Ah!"

The ball hits the wall and she scrambles to hit it again before it can fall to the floor. "Ah!"

The ball hurtles toward the door just as a woman is working into the room. "Lookout!"

Minako stares at the ball as it flies at the woman's face, only to be caught deftly.

"Hey." Strong hands hold the ball up between them. "Thanks for the warning." She walks closer to the net. "Mind if I play?"

Minako shrugs and the ball is volleyed toward her. As they are batting it over in the air, the woman speaks between hits.

"You...seem...upset!"

Minako is quiet as she slams the ball over the net.

"Want...to...talk?!"

"No!"

The woman catches the ball. Minako looks at her, the question evident in her eyes.

"I just though I'd stop you before you break my wrists."

Minako sees the smile on the woman's face and looks away. "Sorry."

The woman's ____ eyes take in the blonde.

"You're right. I am mad about something."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Minako shakes her head. "I shouldn't. Burdening some stranger with my problems."

The woman looks at her for a moment and holds out her hand. "Well then I'll just introduce myself. I'm Maia."

Minako looks inot the brown eyes. "Aino Manako."

The woman nods, her golden hair bouncing around her brown face. "So...since we know each other, do you feel like talking?"

Mina struggles to muster a pleasant smile. "It's okay. I'm just kind of mad at someone."

Maia looks at Minako. "Whoever it is, must've really gotten on your bad side." She massage her wrist to prove her point.

"Sorry about that. It's just...well, she's..."

"Is she a bad person?"

"No. Not really. She just shows up and it's like she stole from me."

The woman follows Minako to some chairs near the door and sits facing her. "If she stole from you, she can't be all that good."

"She didn't technically. It's more like-I can't explain it. She shows up and it's like she can't do anything wrong. No matter what she does. She's cost me a lot since she showed up."

Maia nods. "I think I get it."

"Maia."

Both women look up at the sound her name to see two other woman standing in the door. Roughly the same height, they stand with their arms intertwined. As Minako looks on, she can see that one of the women is blind. Her charcoal eyes stare past the two of them.

Maia stands next to them. "Minako, these are my sisters. Tygeta, and Alycone."

The smooth voice of the short haired Tygeta greets her, while Alycone casts fiery eyes in her direction. She greets Minako with a curt nod before looking at her sister. "We have to go now or we'll be late."

Maia nods. "Do you need a ride?"

The blonde looks up at her. "What?"

"We're meeting with friends. I could drop you off at home on the way."

The blue-eyed young woman shakes her head. "That's okay. I think I'll just stay for awhile."

"Okay. Maybe I'll see you later."

*~*~*~*~*

Alcyone helps Tygeta into the car. She sits down as she watches her older sister get into the driver's seat. "That girl, who was she?"

"I'm not sure." Maia turns on the ignition.

As the three of them leave the building, Tygeta's sightless eyes gaze back knowingly. A previous vision slowly makes itself clearer. Alcyone noitces the wry smile.

"Tygeta?"

"That young woman is the key."

Maia glances up into the rearview mirror. "What are you talking about?"

*~*~*~*~*

Minkao enters the apartment and walks past the figure on the couch. "Nuriko-chan?"

The young woman on the couch sits with her knees pulled against her chest. The brown eyes are transfixed on the television in front of her.

Minako follows her gaze to the television. Sighing, she turns it down. Leaning in front of her friend, she speaks. "Nuriko-chan? Do you want to go shopping? Or we could-"

The hollow voice answers. "No, I don't really feel like doing anything today."

Crouching in front of her, Minako casts her eyes up at her friend. The dull eyes reflect the images bouncing around on the television. Minako finally turns it off.

"Why did you do that?"

"Nuriko, you can't do this everyday. Don't you want to get up and do something? I mean you haven't made anything in weeks."

"I just...I'm not into fashion anymore."

Minako nods. It had been like this for the past few months. Nuriko would just sit on the couch staring at the television. The first few days had been bad enough, but now she's even worse.

Minako looks at her. 'She doesn't even want to try anymore.' Standing, she turns the TV back on. "Okay, I'll be in my room."

The water pours down on her from the shower head as she stands beneath it. Only when her face is already drenched, do the tears begin to flow. The blue eyes well up with tears again and again. Eventually, the tears stop and the blue eyes beauty casts angry eyes on the ceiling. "Zentora's going to pay for this."