Episode 202:
Dreams to Dream
Scene 1: Usagi's bedroom, 8:00 am (in the morning)
"AH! I'M LATE!"
Usagi jumped out of bed flinging the sleeping Luna off the bed also.
"WHY DIDN'T ANYONE WAKE ME UP!?!"
Usagi ran down stairs, grabbed her lunch and backpack.
"Chibi-usa tried to six times!" Ikuko-Mama called from the kitchen, "We just gave up after the seventh time!"
"BYE MOM!" Usagi called out as she raced out the door, "I LOVE YOU!!"
"Bye Honey!"
Usagi ran down the street, her odangos flapping behind her in the wind, when she got to school she was ten minutes late and the class was already seated. She ran in and gave a polite bow to her teacher.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Cooan, my alarm didn't go off," Usagi said, "It won't happen again!"
"I hope not, and to make sure that it doesn't--" Mr. Cooan wrote something down on a pink piece of paper, "Twenty minutes of detention after school, I'll see you there."
Usagi respectably took the pink slip and sat in her desk behind Makoto, but in front of Ami.
"Alarm didn't go of eh?" Makoto whispered questionably, "Or did you sleep in?"
"... the second one..." Usagi mumbled.
"What was that Miss. Tsukino?" Mr. Cooan asked.
"Nothing!"
"I hope not, or I'll triple your detention..."
He went back to teaching his lesson, Usagi wrote down her homework assignment and tried her hardest not to daydream. Just as she was about to go to sleep a girl with long blonde hair ran in, it was put up like Minako's but with a black bow.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Cooan!" She said, she was practically out of breath, "I had some important business to attend to!"
"Kuroi, I assume?" He asked looking her up and down.
"Yes sir."
"Miss. Yume, why weren't you at school yesterday?"
"I had a dental appointment, my Father had a note sent to the office."
"And your excuse for today?"
She tried to catch her breath from running, so her words came out in huffs, "The note should be in the office as we speak."
"To skip two grades is quite an honor Miss. Yume," Mr. Cooan said, "Don't ruin it now..." he pointed to where Naru and Minako where sitting at the front, "Take your seat, it's between those two, Kuroi."
Kuroi walked up to the two and sat down dropping her black leather backpack and pulling out her purple binder, she opened it up and started to write down the homework assignment.
'She's so weird,' Makoto thought as she looked at the new girl suspiciously, 'She made no sounds when she walked... she only made a sound when she talked, I can't even hear her breath!'
Minako wrote something down on a paper, folded it up, and flicked it at Usagi's nose. Waking Usagi up from her midmorning nap, it took her a minute to think of what just happened until she saw the piece of paper laying in front of her on her desk. She quietly opened it up and read it to herself, 'WOW! I thought you were the only one in the world who could possibly be that late!' A sweat mark slide down Usagi's head, she wrote back, 'Gee thanks, by the way we have a meeting today at Rei's Shrine' She flicked it as hard as she could at Minako... but missed.
"Ow!" Kuroi yelped, the teacher ignoring her.
She grabbed the piece of paper and quickly read it, her face turned bright pink. She crumbled the small piece of paper up with her hand and threw it to the ground. She turned back to the white board and tried her hardest to pay attention, Usagi's eyes widened and her face turned a brighter pink than Kuroi's had, she buried her face in her arms.
Scene 2: Juuban High School lunch area outside, 12:15 PM (lunch time)
"Whaaa ahhhhhhh!!!" Usagi whined, her ear killing whine, "She might think it was meeee!!! But it was Minako!!!"
"Maybe she didn't know it was you Usagi-chan!" Ami said, "I mean, at the angle that you flicked it, it could have been possibly anyone!"
"Noo! She knew it was meee!!" Usagi wailed, sweat marks fell on everyone.
"Maybe we can make it up to her!" Makoto suggested, "I mean, that was a rough start don't you think?"
"How???" Usagi continued to moaned.
"What was her name? Kuroi?" Rei said, she had came down from her High School to have lunch with them, "Maybe she likes singing, we could take her to a Karaoke bar tomorrow or something."
"Oh, but I'm busy tomorrow," Minako said twiddling her thumbs.
"It's your fault! So your coming one way or another!" Makoto snapped, "Come on, let's go find her."
They all got up to go look for her, when they finally found her she was sitting under a tree with a white tabby cat with tan stripes, Kuroi looked up as soon as she herd their foot steps crunch on the dry grass.
"Hello Kuroi!" Rei said walking up to her, everyone followed, "My name is Rei, these are my friends, Usagi, Makoto, Minako, and Ami. We were wondering if you would like to go to Karaoke with us tomorrow. On us of course!"
"Karaoke?" Kuroi asked questionably, "What's that?"
"It's singing in front of a lot of people," Makoto said, "It's really fun! It's like being a super star for a night!"
"Singing!" Kuroi's eyes lit up, "Would it be all right if I brought my little sister? I can't leave her home alone."
"Sure!" Usagi butted in, "Long as I can bring my cousin Chibi-usa, she'll whine if she doesn't come."
"Believe me, I know how it is," Kuroi giggled as she stood up, the cat jumped onto her left shoulder, "What time?"
"If you give me your number we can arrange something," Rei said with a smile.
"Sure!" Kuroi pulled out a piece of paper from one of her pockets and wrote her number on it, she handed it to Rei, "I have to go now, I hope to see you all again soon."
With that Kuroi turned and walked away with the cat on her shoulder, Rei opened the piece of paper to see what district her number was for.
"What's this? Wow, I thought you were the only--" Rei read off the paper, "Hey, was this the note you two were passing?"
Minako snatched it out of Rei's hands and read it over quickly, Usagi peering over her shoulder too.
"Oh my gosh! It is!" Minako yelped, "Do you think she did that purpose!?"
"Maybe it was just an accident," Ami said, she looked to her watch, "We better get going, or else we'll all have to serve detention with Usagi-chan."
The girls ran off back to the school getting back to their class before the bell rang.
Scene 3: Outside of Cross Roads Junior High, 2:30 PM (afternoon)
Chibi-usa, Hotaru, and Shiroi all sat on the grass by the school waiting for their ride, the sun was high in the crystal blue sky and clouds dotted it every now and then.
"I didn't get to finish the grammar assignment in class," Chibi-usa whined, "I guess I have more homework tonight..."
"I hate grammar! It's so boring!" Shiroi agreed, "Math and PE are my favorite subjects, they're so much more fun. Don't you think so too?"
"I hate Math... but I guess PE is okay," Chibi-usa said.
"Na, Grammar and Social Studies are the best!" Hotaru commented.
Hotaru giggled when Chibi-usa and Shiroi both wrinkled their noses in disgust, Shiroi even stuck out her tongue.
"Ye-uck!" Shiroi giggled, "It makes me wonder what you do for fun, Hotaru-san!"
"There you go! You did it again!" Chibi-usa yelped, "You addressed her as San!" She looked up when a very familiar yellow convertible pulled up to where they were sitting.
"Hey Hotaru, Chibi-usa!" Michiru called from the front seat, "Pile on in."
"Oh! Michiru-Mama, this is Shiroi-chan," Hotaru said as she ran up to the car, "She's the new friend I made the other day. I told you about her didn't I?"
Shiroi gave a polite bow and smiled, "Nice to meet you!"
"And Haruka-Papa, meet Shiroi-chan!"
Haruka took of her shades and gave Shiroi a good look up and down, the hair on her neck prickled up, something wasn't right about this girl.
"Hello!" Shiroi said as she bowed and smiled again.
"Come on you girls, we're going to be late," Haruka said putting her shades back on, ignoring Shiroi.
The three piled into the back and they were off, Shiroi every now and then told Haruka when and where to turn. Shiroi looked out the window, the wind whipped through her light silky hair, the sun glittered off of it and shone a tad blonde. Shiroi looked to the rearview mirror, Haruka had her shades back on but she swore she saw Haruka starring at her.
"So where are you guys going?" Shiroi asked.
"Oh! Um, we're going to go shopping," Chibi-usa said, "We need to get some new er- shoes!"
"Where at?"
"The... um--"
"The Molokai Mall," Hotaru finished for Chibi-usa, "I need to get some new socks too."
"Oh! Do you think it'd be too much to ask if you could get me some new slippers?" Shiroi asked, she pulled out a 10 from her backpack, "They have these bright yellow smiley face slippers on sale! I'll let you keep the change if you want!"
Hotaru looked from Shiroi to Michiru, Michiru's expression said to take the money and say yes. They didn't want any questions coming up that weren't needed.
"Um, sure," Hotaru said taking the ten and putting it in her pocket of her school uniform, "I'll even give you back the change."
"Oh! Right here, Haruka-san!" Shiroi said as they pulled up to an apartment complex.
A girl in a short green dress and long black trench coat stood outside the front of the building, her dark chocolate brown hair in a neat braid, it danced along with the wind. Shiroi jumped out and waved to Hotaru and Chibi-usa.
"Thank you Haruka-san, it was nice meeting you Michiru-san!" Shiroi said smiling, "Hotaru-san, I wear a size 5 and a half!"
Shiroi ran up to the mysterious looking girl, the girl looked to Haruka... her glance was friendly, but somehow frightening. The green eyes were so pretty, yet… deadly. The hairs on Haruka's neck prickled again, she pulled out and drove off.
"Did you feel that?" Michiru asked, "I mean, not only with Shiroi but with that one woman standing outside the building too. Maybe I'm just off today."
"No, isn't you..." Haruka said keeping her eyes on the road, "How did you two meet Shiroi?"
"She's new to our school," Hotaru said, "We just introduced ourselves to her. She did seem a bit odd when I first saw her, but after a while the feeling faded."
Michiru looked back at the apartments, the woman and Shiroi were gone, she quickly looked at the name of the apartment complex.
"Crewe Condominiums Building Seven?" Michiru mused, "Maybe that woman was Shiroi's Mother, or maybe her sister."
"No, too young... and they don't look anything alike," Haruka added sharply, "Probably just a friend..."
"An older friend?" Michiru mumbled, "Odd."
They got to the Shinto Shrine quickly and they all filed out of the car, Hotaru and Chibi-usa skipped up the stairs to the Shrine while Haruka and Michiru followed after. When they got to the top of the stairs they saw Rei sweeping up the paths, she herd Hotaru and Chibi-usa giggling and looked up. She smiled with a wave.
"Hey there!" Rei said, she put her broom to the side and walked up to them, "How'd you guys know about the meeting? When did you get into town?"
"Oh we guessed..." Michiru said with a smile, "We just came in a day ago."
"Well! Come on in, the others will be here shortly."
Rei led the way to the Fire Reading room and they all sat there talking, waiting for the others, Hotaru and Chibi-usa sat there having a debate over weather Grammar was better than PE.
"Haruka what do you think?" Hotaru asked, "PE or Grammar?"
"PE by far!" Haruka said in a matter of fact tone, "But I'm sure Michiru would say other wise."
"I'll be right back," Rei said standing up, "I need to go call someone."
Scene 4: The Crewe Condominium, the elevator, 2:45 PM (afternoon)
"So did you two have fun the other night?" The woman with the trench coat asked Shiroi.
Shiroi and her rode the elevator up to the 28 floor, it stopped and they walked out.
"It was okie, I just had to crystallize someone," Shiroi said as the two walked down the hall, "She didn't seem too mad about it today however."
"Shiroi-oko, you do know that she might not know who you are," The girl said, they got to a door that said 2112 and they stood outside of it for a moment, "Inners and outers, can't see threw make ups like we can."
"Yea I know V-san," Shiroi mumbled, "But, why can't we tell them who we are?" She looked a little sad, "Cercee-sama said that we shouldn't tell them either…"
"We'll talk about this later," V said, "I'll see you around."
With that V turned around and headed to the elevator again, Shiroi opened up her backpack and pulled out a chain of all sorts of keys. She looked through them and found a little silver one with a blue ring around it, she opened up the door and walked inside dropping her backpack on the floor, taking off her shoes, and stepping into her slippers.
"Cercee-sama! I'm home!" Shiroi called out, "Is Kuroi-onesan home yet?"
A little tabby cat came out from the kitchen, she jumped onto Shiroi's right shoulder and... smiled?
"No, she's not home yet." The cat spoke!?
( *BeEp* This is not a test, the narrator is now having a heart attack because the cat spoke *bEeP* I repeted, this is not a test. *BeEp* Wheee! *cough* Anyways… )
"But she should be home soon, I told her to pick up some groceries on her way home."
Shiroi walked over to the living room window and looked around outside, Cercee jumped off her shoulder and walked back to the kitchen.
"She took the jeep, she'll be home shortly."
Shiroi walked to her and Kuroi's bedroom and climbed onto the top of the bunk, there were white sheets, white pillows and a baby blue teddy bear with a white bow. Below, on the bottom bunk, there were black sheets, black pillows, and a purple teddy bear with a black bow. Even though Shiroi and her sister were so much alike, there were so many things that made them different. Age, hair color, personality, grades, eye color, one likes video games one hates them. One loves to read, one will only read if she is told to, so many other things as well.
Shiroi lifted up one of her pillows, under it was a little bracelet, it had baby blue and bright yellow beads, a little gold charm hung from it in the shape of the Japanese symbol for light. She slid the bracelet onto her wrist carefully, she sighed as it rested there.
Shiroi snapped out of her trance when she herd the phone ring, she jumped off the top bunk bed and ran to the phone.
"Hello!?" She said quickly, they rarely got calls.
"Hi, is Kuroi there?" A voice said softly from the other line, "This is Rei, I was suppose to call her."
"She's not here righ--"
Just then Kuroi walked in with bags of groceries in both hands, she dropped them in the kitchen and took the phone Shiroi handed to her.
"Shiroi-imotto, there's a few more bags in the jeep, can you go get them?" Kuroi asked.
"Sure!" Shiroi said as she ran out the door, "By the way, the person is Rei!"
"Rei?" Kuroi mumbled, "Oh yes! Rei!" She placed the phone to her ear, "Kuroi speaking, hello Rei."
"Kuroi, where were you?" Rei asked, "Shiroi said you weren't there for a moment."
"I just got back from the store, I had to get some groceries," She said as she placed Rei on speaker, "So, did you find out the time for Karaoke?" She took off her jacket and placed it on the coat rack next to the door.
"Yep, tomorrow around 8," Rei said cheerfully, "We'll meet you at the Oahu Karaoke Bar."
"Sounds like a plan," Kuroi said, she sat on the couch across the room, "I'll be there, bye Rei-chan."
"Bye Kuroi!"
A click and they were disconnected, as soon as they were disconnected the phone hung up it's self. Shiroi walked in with the other bags of groceries and dropped them in the kitchen where Kuroi put hers, Kuroi switched on the TV as Shiroi sat next to her, neither of them bothering to put the groceries away.
"So what do you think of Karaoke?" Kuroi asked, she switched the TV to the news.
"What about it?"
"Well, some friends and I were going to go to a Karaoke bar tomorrow," She removed her eyes from the TV and placed them on Shiroi, "I couldn't just leave you here now could I? You might blow something up, and your too old to be baby sat."
"Really!? Thanks!" Shiroi hugged Kuroi around the waist, "May I sing there?"
"What do you think they are for silly?"
Kuroi tickled Shiroi and Shiroi kept on hugging her big sister.
Scene 5: Hirawaka Shinto Shrine, the fire reading room, 3:05 PM (afternoon)
"Well... almost everyone is here," Rei said as she entered back into the Fire Reading room.
Makoto, Minako, Ami, Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, Chibi-usa, Setsuna, even Mamoru was there... but where was Usagi?
"Does anyone know where Usa-ko is?" Mamoru asked, he took a seat next to Chibi-usa and Hotaru, "I haven't seen her all day."
"I think she had detention after school today," Ami gestured, "She'll be running late, should we start the reading without her?"
Scene 6: Hirawaka Shinto Shrine, by the stairs, 3:08 PM (afternoon)
Usagi ran up the stairs of the Shinto Shrine and ran past Yuuichirou who was sweeping up the paths, she ran past the meditating and praying rooms all the way to the end to the Fire Reading room, she bolted inside and tripped right over Chibi-usa and landed on Mamoru.
"Mamo-chan!" Usagi said as she quickly stood up and bowed, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, Chibi-usa's big head was in the way!"
"Big head?!?!" Chibi-usa snapped at her, "I only have a big head because your my Mom!!"
"Oh yea! Blame it on me!" Usagi barked back.
"Be quiet you two!!" Mamoru said as he pulled them apart, "Rei's meditating."
He pointed to Rei who was sitting in front of the sacred fire, she was sitting on her legs and her hands in front of her folded in praying formation. Chibi-usa and Usagi both hushed quickly.
Outside, trees moaned as some winds passed by making themselves known, the sacred fire cracked and burned for a while. Rei's soft but strong voice broke through the silence.
"I am Fire, Fire is Light."
The wind howled, refusing to be ignored.
"I am Flame, Flame is Sight."
The wind banged on the slide doors of the reading room, they bursted open as a green misty fog swarmed through the room. Everyone turned to the door, as soon as the foggy air was sent through their lungs-- they all passed out.
Everyone but Rei, who continued to sit there watching the fire. Not noticing the tall woman walking into the room, her brown black hair in a tight neat braid. She stepped carefully over Usagi, Setsuna, and everyone who was laying motionless on the floor. Her gray trench coat danced along with the wind as she walked over to Haruka and Michiru, she took her two fingers and kissed them, and placed them on their foreheads. Their signs -Neptune and Uranus- appeared brightly and then slowly faded away as the girl walked over to Rei. She placed her hand on Rei's shoulder, Rei turned around quickly, startled by the presence.
"Wh-who are you?" Rei stammered, she looked to Usagi and Chibi-usa who were sprawled out on the floor next to each other, "What'd you do to them!?"
Rei quickly stood up and took a stance, ready to fight if she had to. The strange woman slightly smiled, she took a step back making sure she didn't step on anyone.
"The blood of one, that here does fall. Will give the strength, to save us all. The Child whose soul, will seal the Gate. Whose heart will stay, the hand of Fate. End her life, End her years, on this the Altar of our Tears," The woman recited with ease, Rei just stood there fixed in a trance, forced to listen to the her hypnotic voice, "Only a 12 year old child; Of pure heart, pure power, pure fate. Can seal this Gate, lock up the Seven Deadly Sins to let the Fates chose theirs..."
Rei stood there, she couldn't move, she wanted to, but couldn't. The woman walked up to her and placed a scroll in her frozen hands, she smiled and turned to walk away.
"WAIT!" Rei yelled, she somehow broke the trance, "Who are you?!"
"I am wind, I am vapor," She whispered, her back to Rei, "I am darkness, but I am light. I follow you everywhere, and I mock you every day that you live..." she turned back to Rei, her eyes were so green, so fragile, "But in the end... I'm always beneath you..."
She gave a small bow, and walked away, her trench coat following her.
Scene 7: Hirawaka Shinto Shrines, the fire reading room, 7:45 PM (night time)
"Rei! Rei wake up!"
Rei herd Usagi's voice, but no face came to her eyes.
"Rei! Please, wake up!"
Her eyes flickered open, and a tear struck face of Usagi came into her blurry vision. She tried to sit up, but it felt as if a boulder was holding her back, Mamoru helped Rei sit up. A quick and brisk head rush came to her, and a headache flowed through her mind.
"Rei! Thank God!" Usagi hugged her tightly, "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine Usa-chan," Rei said, trying to comfort Usagi, "Is she still here?"
"Who?" Minako asked as she pulled Usagi off Rei, "Let her breath for pete sake!"
"The girl. The one that walked in here."
"Maybe it was just a dream," Chibi-usa said.
"No, I saw her too," Haruka said, "I barely opened my eyes and she was standing over me... I couldn't make out a face though," She shook her head lightly, "But, she isn't here anymore."
"It couldn't have been a dream," Rei looked to her hand, that was clenched around a small scroll, she held it up, "She gave me this."
Minako took it and looked it over, "Wow, nice poem, but what does it mean?"
"I don't know," Rei said trying to stand up, she almost fell back down if Mamoru hadn't caught her, "Thank you Mamoru-san..."
"No Problem," Mamoru said, "But, did the girl say anything to you?"
"Um... when I asked her what her name was she said a poem again.. no, it was a riddle, it didn't rhyme very well."
"Can you remember it?"
"I am wind, I am vapor, I am darkness, but I am light," Rei repeated, "I follow you everywhere, and I mock you every day that you live, but in the end. I'm always beneath you." she nodded, "Yes, that was it. It was definitely a riddle."
"Hm... I am darkness, but I am light," Michiru mumbled, "New enemy?"
"Nooo!! Not another one!!" Usagi cried, "It's been so peaceful! And my scores are half way decent!!!"
"I follow you everywhere, and I mock you every day that you live... but in the end, I'm always beneath you..." Chibi-usa repeated, she looked down and tried to think. She saw her shadow on the dry bamboo floor, "Oh I know, it's Shadow!"
"Shadow?" Mamoru asked questionably.
"I follow you everywhere, your shadow follows you everywhere! I mock you every day that you live, but in the end I'm always beneath you, a shadow is always below you!" Chibi-usa pointed out, "Don't you get it? She's a shadow... er--no--that doesn't sound right--her name is Shadow? No--that doesn't sound right either..."
"It doesn't sound right, but it's the only logical thing we've got," Ami said, she kept glancing from her mini computer to the scroll when she was typing, she stopped and pressed enter, "There, I have the scroll in my hard drive. I'll look it over tonight, I suggest we all go home and get some sleep... it's late."
Hotaru looked to the clock on the wall, it read 8:30 at night... wow, had they been asleep that long? She yawned, yep.
*************************************************
-Bunny S.E.- He he! How was that!
-Haruka- You said there'd be more fighting! Not poetry citing!! ;;;
-Michiru- I liked the poems ^-^
-Setsuna- Very thorough!
-Hotaru- Very boring!
-Rei- Made no scene!
-Minako- Did Haruka-chan just rhyme? o.O;;
-Ami- She's a poet and she doesn't know it! =D
-Bunny S.E.- Grrr..... u.u;; Who let you guys out of your boxes!?
-Usagi- RUN FOR IT!!! *they all scatter*
-Bunny S.E.- GET BACK HERE! Or I'll send you back to the store when I catch you!!! .... *waves to minna-chans as she runs after the dolls* BAI!!!
Dreams to Dream
Scene 1: Usagi's bedroom, 8:00 am (in the morning)
"AH! I'M LATE!"
Usagi jumped out of bed flinging the sleeping Luna off the bed also.
"WHY DIDN'T ANYONE WAKE ME UP!?!"
Usagi ran down stairs, grabbed her lunch and backpack.
"Chibi-usa tried to six times!" Ikuko-Mama called from the kitchen, "We just gave up after the seventh time!"
"BYE MOM!" Usagi called out as she raced out the door, "I LOVE YOU!!"
"Bye Honey!"
Usagi ran down the street, her odangos flapping behind her in the wind, when she got to school she was ten minutes late and the class was already seated. She ran in and gave a polite bow to her teacher.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Cooan, my alarm didn't go off," Usagi said, "It won't happen again!"
"I hope not, and to make sure that it doesn't--" Mr. Cooan wrote something down on a pink piece of paper, "Twenty minutes of detention after school, I'll see you there."
Usagi respectably took the pink slip and sat in her desk behind Makoto, but in front of Ami.
"Alarm didn't go of eh?" Makoto whispered questionably, "Or did you sleep in?"
"... the second one..." Usagi mumbled.
"What was that Miss. Tsukino?" Mr. Cooan asked.
"Nothing!"
"I hope not, or I'll triple your detention..."
He went back to teaching his lesson, Usagi wrote down her homework assignment and tried her hardest not to daydream. Just as she was about to go to sleep a girl with long blonde hair ran in, it was put up like Minako's but with a black bow.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Cooan!" She said, she was practically out of breath, "I had some important business to attend to!"
"Kuroi, I assume?" He asked looking her up and down.
"Yes sir."
"Miss. Yume, why weren't you at school yesterday?"
"I had a dental appointment, my Father had a note sent to the office."
"And your excuse for today?"
She tried to catch her breath from running, so her words came out in huffs, "The note should be in the office as we speak."
"To skip two grades is quite an honor Miss. Yume," Mr. Cooan said, "Don't ruin it now..." he pointed to where Naru and Minako where sitting at the front, "Take your seat, it's between those two, Kuroi."
Kuroi walked up to the two and sat down dropping her black leather backpack and pulling out her purple binder, she opened it up and started to write down the homework assignment.
'She's so weird,' Makoto thought as she looked at the new girl suspiciously, 'She made no sounds when she walked... she only made a sound when she talked, I can't even hear her breath!'
Minako wrote something down on a paper, folded it up, and flicked it at Usagi's nose. Waking Usagi up from her midmorning nap, it took her a minute to think of what just happened until she saw the piece of paper laying in front of her on her desk. She quietly opened it up and read it to herself, 'WOW! I thought you were the only one in the world who could possibly be that late!' A sweat mark slide down Usagi's head, she wrote back, 'Gee thanks, by the way we have a meeting today at Rei's Shrine' She flicked it as hard as she could at Minako... but missed.
"Ow!" Kuroi yelped, the teacher ignoring her.
She grabbed the piece of paper and quickly read it, her face turned bright pink. She crumbled the small piece of paper up with her hand and threw it to the ground. She turned back to the white board and tried her hardest to pay attention, Usagi's eyes widened and her face turned a brighter pink than Kuroi's had, she buried her face in her arms.
Scene 2: Juuban High School lunch area outside, 12:15 PM (lunch time)
"Whaaa ahhhhhhh!!!" Usagi whined, her ear killing whine, "She might think it was meeee!!! But it was Minako!!!"
"Maybe she didn't know it was you Usagi-chan!" Ami said, "I mean, at the angle that you flicked it, it could have been possibly anyone!"
"Noo! She knew it was meee!!" Usagi wailed, sweat marks fell on everyone.
"Maybe we can make it up to her!" Makoto suggested, "I mean, that was a rough start don't you think?"
"How???" Usagi continued to moaned.
"What was her name? Kuroi?" Rei said, she had came down from her High School to have lunch with them, "Maybe she likes singing, we could take her to a Karaoke bar tomorrow or something."
"Oh, but I'm busy tomorrow," Minako said twiddling her thumbs.
"It's your fault! So your coming one way or another!" Makoto snapped, "Come on, let's go find her."
They all got up to go look for her, when they finally found her she was sitting under a tree with a white tabby cat with tan stripes, Kuroi looked up as soon as she herd their foot steps crunch on the dry grass.
"Hello Kuroi!" Rei said walking up to her, everyone followed, "My name is Rei, these are my friends, Usagi, Makoto, Minako, and Ami. We were wondering if you would like to go to Karaoke with us tomorrow. On us of course!"
"Karaoke?" Kuroi asked questionably, "What's that?"
"It's singing in front of a lot of people," Makoto said, "It's really fun! It's like being a super star for a night!"
"Singing!" Kuroi's eyes lit up, "Would it be all right if I brought my little sister? I can't leave her home alone."
"Sure!" Usagi butted in, "Long as I can bring my cousin Chibi-usa, she'll whine if she doesn't come."
"Believe me, I know how it is," Kuroi giggled as she stood up, the cat jumped onto her left shoulder, "What time?"
"If you give me your number we can arrange something," Rei said with a smile.
"Sure!" Kuroi pulled out a piece of paper from one of her pockets and wrote her number on it, she handed it to Rei, "I have to go now, I hope to see you all again soon."
With that Kuroi turned and walked away with the cat on her shoulder, Rei opened the piece of paper to see what district her number was for.
"What's this? Wow, I thought you were the only--" Rei read off the paper, "Hey, was this the note you two were passing?"
Minako snatched it out of Rei's hands and read it over quickly, Usagi peering over her shoulder too.
"Oh my gosh! It is!" Minako yelped, "Do you think she did that purpose!?"
"Maybe it was just an accident," Ami said, she looked to her watch, "We better get going, or else we'll all have to serve detention with Usagi-chan."
The girls ran off back to the school getting back to their class before the bell rang.
Scene 3: Outside of Cross Roads Junior High, 2:30 PM (afternoon)
Chibi-usa, Hotaru, and Shiroi all sat on the grass by the school waiting for their ride, the sun was high in the crystal blue sky and clouds dotted it every now and then.
"I didn't get to finish the grammar assignment in class," Chibi-usa whined, "I guess I have more homework tonight..."
"I hate grammar! It's so boring!" Shiroi agreed, "Math and PE are my favorite subjects, they're so much more fun. Don't you think so too?"
"I hate Math... but I guess PE is okay," Chibi-usa said.
"Na, Grammar and Social Studies are the best!" Hotaru commented.
Hotaru giggled when Chibi-usa and Shiroi both wrinkled their noses in disgust, Shiroi even stuck out her tongue.
"Ye-uck!" Shiroi giggled, "It makes me wonder what you do for fun, Hotaru-san!"
"There you go! You did it again!" Chibi-usa yelped, "You addressed her as San!" She looked up when a very familiar yellow convertible pulled up to where they were sitting.
"Hey Hotaru, Chibi-usa!" Michiru called from the front seat, "Pile on in."
"Oh! Michiru-Mama, this is Shiroi-chan," Hotaru said as she ran up to the car, "She's the new friend I made the other day. I told you about her didn't I?"
Shiroi gave a polite bow and smiled, "Nice to meet you!"
"And Haruka-Papa, meet Shiroi-chan!"
Haruka took of her shades and gave Shiroi a good look up and down, the hair on her neck prickled up, something wasn't right about this girl.
"Hello!" Shiroi said as she bowed and smiled again.
"Come on you girls, we're going to be late," Haruka said putting her shades back on, ignoring Shiroi.
The three piled into the back and they were off, Shiroi every now and then told Haruka when and where to turn. Shiroi looked out the window, the wind whipped through her light silky hair, the sun glittered off of it and shone a tad blonde. Shiroi looked to the rearview mirror, Haruka had her shades back on but she swore she saw Haruka starring at her.
"So where are you guys going?" Shiroi asked.
"Oh! Um, we're going to go shopping," Chibi-usa said, "We need to get some new er- shoes!"
"Where at?"
"The... um--"
"The Molokai Mall," Hotaru finished for Chibi-usa, "I need to get some new socks too."
"Oh! Do you think it'd be too much to ask if you could get me some new slippers?" Shiroi asked, she pulled out a 10 from her backpack, "They have these bright yellow smiley face slippers on sale! I'll let you keep the change if you want!"
Hotaru looked from Shiroi to Michiru, Michiru's expression said to take the money and say yes. They didn't want any questions coming up that weren't needed.
"Um, sure," Hotaru said taking the ten and putting it in her pocket of her school uniform, "I'll even give you back the change."
"Oh! Right here, Haruka-san!" Shiroi said as they pulled up to an apartment complex.
A girl in a short green dress and long black trench coat stood outside the front of the building, her dark chocolate brown hair in a neat braid, it danced along with the wind. Shiroi jumped out and waved to Hotaru and Chibi-usa.
"Thank you Haruka-san, it was nice meeting you Michiru-san!" Shiroi said smiling, "Hotaru-san, I wear a size 5 and a half!"
Shiroi ran up to the mysterious looking girl, the girl looked to Haruka... her glance was friendly, but somehow frightening. The green eyes were so pretty, yet… deadly. The hairs on Haruka's neck prickled again, she pulled out and drove off.
"Did you feel that?" Michiru asked, "I mean, not only with Shiroi but with that one woman standing outside the building too. Maybe I'm just off today."
"No, isn't you..." Haruka said keeping her eyes on the road, "How did you two meet Shiroi?"
"She's new to our school," Hotaru said, "We just introduced ourselves to her. She did seem a bit odd when I first saw her, but after a while the feeling faded."
Michiru looked back at the apartments, the woman and Shiroi were gone, she quickly looked at the name of the apartment complex.
"Crewe Condominiums Building Seven?" Michiru mused, "Maybe that woman was Shiroi's Mother, or maybe her sister."
"No, too young... and they don't look anything alike," Haruka added sharply, "Probably just a friend..."
"An older friend?" Michiru mumbled, "Odd."
They got to the Shinto Shrine quickly and they all filed out of the car, Hotaru and Chibi-usa skipped up the stairs to the Shrine while Haruka and Michiru followed after. When they got to the top of the stairs they saw Rei sweeping up the paths, she herd Hotaru and Chibi-usa giggling and looked up. She smiled with a wave.
"Hey there!" Rei said, she put her broom to the side and walked up to them, "How'd you guys know about the meeting? When did you get into town?"
"Oh we guessed..." Michiru said with a smile, "We just came in a day ago."
"Well! Come on in, the others will be here shortly."
Rei led the way to the Fire Reading room and they all sat there talking, waiting for the others, Hotaru and Chibi-usa sat there having a debate over weather Grammar was better than PE.
"Haruka what do you think?" Hotaru asked, "PE or Grammar?"
"PE by far!" Haruka said in a matter of fact tone, "But I'm sure Michiru would say other wise."
"I'll be right back," Rei said standing up, "I need to go call someone."
Scene 4: The Crewe Condominium, the elevator, 2:45 PM (afternoon)
"So did you two have fun the other night?" The woman with the trench coat asked Shiroi.
Shiroi and her rode the elevator up to the 28 floor, it stopped and they walked out.
"It was okie, I just had to crystallize someone," Shiroi said as the two walked down the hall, "She didn't seem too mad about it today however."
"Shiroi-oko, you do know that she might not know who you are," The girl said, they got to a door that said 2112 and they stood outside of it for a moment, "Inners and outers, can't see threw make ups like we can."
"Yea I know V-san," Shiroi mumbled, "But, why can't we tell them who we are?" She looked a little sad, "Cercee-sama said that we shouldn't tell them either…"
"We'll talk about this later," V said, "I'll see you around."
With that V turned around and headed to the elevator again, Shiroi opened up her backpack and pulled out a chain of all sorts of keys. She looked through them and found a little silver one with a blue ring around it, she opened up the door and walked inside dropping her backpack on the floor, taking off her shoes, and stepping into her slippers.
"Cercee-sama! I'm home!" Shiroi called out, "Is Kuroi-onesan home yet?"
A little tabby cat came out from the kitchen, she jumped onto Shiroi's right shoulder and... smiled?
"No, she's not home yet." The cat spoke!?
( *BeEp* This is not a test, the narrator is now having a heart attack because the cat spoke *bEeP* I repeted, this is not a test. *BeEp* Wheee! *cough* Anyways… )
"But she should be home soon, I told her to pick up some groceries on her way home."
Shiroi walked over to the living room window and looked around outside, Cercee jumped off her shoulder and walked back to the kitchen.
"She took the jeep, she'll be home shortly."
Shiroi walked to her and Kuroi's bedroom and climbed onto the top of the bunk, there were white sheets, white pillows and a baby blue teddy bear with a white bow. Below, on the bottom bunk, there were black sheets, black pillows, and a purple teddy bear with a black bow. Even though Shiroi and her sister were so much alike, there were so many things that made them different. Age, hair color, personality, grades, eye color, one likes video games one hates them. One loves to read, one will only read if she is told to, so many other things as well.
Shiroi lifted up one of her pillows, under it was a little bracelet, it had baby blue and bright yellow beads, a little gold charm hung from it in the shape of the Japanese symbol for light. She slid the bracelet onto her wrist carefully, she sighed as it rested there.
Shiroi snapped out of her trance when she herd the phone ring, she jumped off the top bunk bed and ran to the phone.
"Hello!?" She said quickly, they rarely got calls.
"Hi, is Kuroi there?" A voice said softly from the other line, "This is Rei, I was suppose to call her."
"She's not here righ--"
Just then Kuroi walked in with bags of groceries in both hands, she dropped them in the kitchen and took the phone Shiroi handed to her.
"Shiroi-imotto, there's a few more bags in the jeep, can you go get them?" Kuroi asked.
"Sure!" Shiroi said as she ran out the door, "By the way, the person is Rei!"
"Rei?" Kuroi mumbled, "Oh yes! Rei!" She placed the phone to her ear, "Kuroi speaking, hello Rei."
"Kuroi, where were you?" Rei asked, "Shiroi said you weren't there for a moment."
"I just got back from the store, I had to get some groceries," She said as she placed Rei on speaker, "So, did you find out the time for Karaoke?" She took off her jacket and placed it on the coat rack next to the door.
"Yep, tomorrow around 8," Rei said cheerfully, "We'll meet you at the Oahu Karaoke Bar."
"Sounds like a plan," Kuroi said, she sat on the couch across the room, "I'll be there, bye Rei-chan."
"Bye Kuroi!"
A click and they were disconnected, as soon as they were disconnected the phone hung up it's self. Shiroi walked in with the other bags of groceries and dropped them in the kitchen where Kuroi put hers, Kuroi switched on the TV as Shiroi sat next to her, neither of them bothering to put the groceries away.
"So what do you think of Karaoke?" Kuroi asked, she switched the TV to the news.
"What about it?"
"Well, some friends and I were going to go to a Karaoke bar tomorrow," She removed her eyes from the TV and placed them on Shiroi, "I couldn't just leave you here now could I? You might blow something up, and your too old to be baby sat."
"Really!? Thanks!" Shiroi hugged Kuroi around the waist, "May I sing there?"
"What do you think they are for silly?"
Kuroi tickled Shiroi and Shiroi kept on hugging her big sister.
Scene 5: Hirawaka Shinto Shrine, the fire reading room, 3:05 PM (afternoon)
"Well... almost everyone is here," Rei said as she entered back into the Fire Reading room.
Makoto, Minako, Ami, Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, Chibi-usa, Setsuna, even Mamoru was there... but where was Usagi?
"Does anyone know where Usa-ko is?" Mamoru asked, he took a seat next to Chibi-usa and Hotaru, "I haven't seen her all day."
"I think she had detention after school today," Ami gestured, "She'll be running late, should we start the reading without her?"
Scene 6: Hirawaka Shinto Shrine, by the stairs, 3:08 PM (afternoon)
Usagi ran up the stairs of the Shinto Shrine and ran past Yuuichirou who was sweeping up the paths, she ran past the meditating and praying rooms all the way to the end to the Fire Reading room, she bolted inside and tripped right over Chibi-usa and landed on Mamoru.
"Mamo-chan!" Usagi said as she quickly stood up and bowed, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, Chibi-usa's big head was in the way!"
"Big head?!?!" Chibi-usa snapped at her, "I only have a big head because your my Mom!!"
"Oh yea! Blame it on me!" Usagi barked back.
"Be quiet you two!!" Mamoru said as he pulled them apart, "Rei's meditating."
He pointed to Rei who was sitting in front of the sacred fire, she was sitting on her legs and her hands in front of her folded in praying formation. Chibi-usa and Usagi both hushed quickly.
Outside, trees moaned as some winds passed by making themselves known, the sacred fire cracked and burned for a while. Rei's soft but strong voice broke through the silence.
"I am Fire, Fire is Light."
The wind howled, refusing to be ignored.
"I am Flame, Flame is Sight."
The wind banged on the slide doors of the reading room, they bursted open as a green misty fog swarmed through the room. Everyone turned to the door, as soon as the foggy air was sent through their lungs-- they all passed out.
Everyone but Rei, who continued to sit there watching the fire. Not noticing the tall woman walking into the room, her brown black hair in a tight neat braid. She stepped carefully over Usagi, Setsuna, and everyone who was laying motionless on the floor. Her gray trench coat danced along with the wind as she walked over to Haruka and Michiru, she took her two fingers and kissed them, and placed them on their foreheads. Their signs -Neptune and Uranus- appeared brightly and then slowly faded away as the girl walked over to Rei. She placed her hand on Rei's shoulder, Rei turned around quickly, startled by the presence.
"Wh-who are you?" Rei stammered, she looked to Usagi and Chibi-usa who were sprawled out on the floor next to each other, "What'd you do to them!?"
Rei quickly stood up and took a stance, ready to fight if she had to. The strange woman slightly smiled, she took a step back making sure she didn't step on anyone.
"The blood of one, that here does fall. Will give the strength, to save us all. The Child whose soul, will seal the Gate. Whose heart will stay, the hand of Fate. End her life, End her years, on this the Altar of our Tears," The woman recited with ease, Rei just stood there fixed in a trance, forced to listen to the her hypnotic voice, "Only a 12 year old child; Of pure heart, pure power, pure fate. Can seal this Gate, lock up the Seven Deadly Sins to let the Fates chose theirs..."
Rei stood there, she couldn't move, she wanted to, but couldn't. The woman walked up to her and placed a scroll in her frozen hands, she smiled and turned to walk away.
"WAIT!" Rei yelled, she somehow broke the trance, "Who are you?!"
"I am wind, I am vapor," She whispered, her back to Rei, "I am darkness, but I am light. I follow you everywhere, and I mock you every day that you live..." she turned back to Rei, her eyes were so green, so fragile, "But in the end... I'm always beneath you..."
She gave a small bow, and walked away, her trench coat following her.
Scene 7: Hirawaka Shinto Shrines, the fire reading room, 7:45 PM (night time)
"Rei! Rei wake up!"
Rei herd Usagi's voice, but no face came to her eyes.
"Rei! Please, wake up!"
Her eyes flickered open, and a tear struck face of Usagi came into her blurry vision. She tried to sit up, but it felt as if a boulder was holding her back, Mamoru helped Rei sit up. A quick and brisk head rush came to her, and a headache flowed through her mind.
"Rei! Thank God!" Usagi hugged her tightly, "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine Usa-chan," Rei said, trying to comfort Usagi, "Is she still here?"
"Who?" Minako asked as she pulled Usagi off Rei, "Let her breath for pete sake!"
"The girl. The one that walked in here."
"Maybe it was just a dream," Chibi-usa said.
"No, I saw her too," Haruka said, "I barely opened my eyes and she was standing over me... I couldn't make out a face though," She shook her head lightly, "But, she isn't here anymore."
"It couldn't have been a dream," Rei looked to her hand, that was clenched around a small scroll, she held it up, "She gave me this."
Minako took it and looked it over, "Wow, nice poem, but what does it mean?"
"I don't know," Rei said trying to stand up, she almost fell back down if Mamoru hadn't caught her, "Thank you Mamoru-san..."
"No Problem," Mamoru said, "But, did the girl say anything to you?"
"Um... when I asked her what her name was she said a poem again.. no, it was a riddle, it didn't rhyme very well."
"Can you remember it?"
"I am wind, I am vapor, I am darkness, but I am light," Rei repeated, "I follow you everywhere, and I mock you every day that you live, but in the end. I'm always beneath you." she nodded, "Yes, that was it. It was definitely a riddle."
"Hm... I am darkness, but I am light," Michiru mumbled, "New enemy?"
"Nooo!! Not another one!!" Usagi cried, "It's been so peaceful! And my scores are half way decent!!!"
"I follow you everywhere, and I mock you every day that you live... but in the end, I'm always beneath you..." Chibi-usa repeated, she looked down and tried to think. She saw her shadow on the dry bamboo floor, "Oh I know, it's Shadow!"
"Shadow?" Mamoru asked questionably.
"I follow you everywhere, your shadow follows you everywhere! I mock you every day that you live, but in the end I'm always beneath you, a shadow is always below you!" Chibi-usa pointed out, "Don't you get it? She's a shadow... er--no--that doesn't sound right--her name is Shadow? No--that doesn't sound right either..."
"It doesn't sound right, but it's the only logical thing we've got," Ami said, she kept glancing from her mini computer to the scroll when she was typing, she stopped and pressed enter, "There, I have the scroll in my hard drive. I'll look it over tonight, I suggest we all go home and get some sleep... it's late."
Hotaru looked to the clock on the wall, it read 8:30 at night... wow, had they been asleep that long? She yawned, yep.
*************************************************
-Bunny S.E.- He he! How was that!
-Haruka- You said there'd be more fighting! Not poetry citing!! ;;;
-Michiru- I liked the poems ^-^
-Setsuna- Very thorough!
-Hotaru- Very boring!
-Rei- Made no scene!
-Minako- Did Haruka-chan just rhyme? o.O;;
-Ami- She's a poet and she doesn't know it! =D
-Bunny S.E.- Grrr..... u.u;; Who let you guys out of your boxes!?
-Usagi- RUN FOR IT!!! *they all scatter*
-Bunny S.E.- GET BACK HERE! Or I'll send you back to the store when I catch you!!! .... *waves to minna-chans as she runs after the dolls* BAI!!!