Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is copyright © 1992 Naoko Takeuchi / Kodansha, TOEI
Animation. English Language Adaptation © 1995 DiC Entertainment. I'm just
borrowing the characters and dialogue for a bit.
Narrated by the Senshi of Silence herself,
I Could Only Watch
By Ceila
Part 2 - Strengthening
Rated PG, Just in case
************************
I really hate the dark. After this I think I may never be two feet from a source of light again. Not that that will be a problem since Hotaru likes lamps as much as I do. If only I could figure out how to break through this darkness. I called my glaive once more and tapped it against the invisible walls around me. Purple sparks flared to life on contact proving that the dark presence was evil.
"Maybe a little more power," I raised the glaive above me and prepared to fire my attack at it when Hotaru starts to open her eyes. I can hear a doorbell?
"It happened again. I don't remember what happens during these seizures." Slowly Hotaru gets up and looks around her bedroom. She stretched and slipped into her slippers and out into the hallway. I had a faint sense of the princess so I encouraged Hotaru to go downstairs.
"Hotaru is resting. Thank you for your visit, but she can't see you," we heard Kaolinite say as the door closed on someone.
"Kaolinite, did somebody come to visit me?" asked Hotaru as she glared at the woman in front of her.
"Just the little girl who was here last time. I told her to go home, of course."
"Why'd you do that?" Hotaru was furious and I wasn't much happier. For some reason I blamed this woman for a good portion of the bad feelings this home gave me. She was evil; the house was full of evil, and even Hotaru was infected with the darkness.
"Hotaru. You're so selfish! Your father is so kind and generous that he allows you to do as you wish. You know that you're sick. You're not strong enough to play," said Kaolinite.
"I'm fine Kaolinite and I want to see Chibiusa, she's my friend!" shouted Hotaru as she ran around Kaolinite, out the door, and after Chibiusa.
"I hope we can catch her," I thought to myself as I willed some of my own strength into her once again. Whatever had caused us to fall asleep earlier or as Hotaru said, "have a seizure", had drained energy from her already frail body.
"Chibiusa!" Hotaru shouted between deep breaths as she waved to her friend.
"Hotaru! Are you okay?" exclaimed the pink haired girl as she moved to help support Hotaru as she slumped to the ground.
"I'm glad I got to you."
"You don't look very good."
We sat on the ground together as Hotaru and Chibiusa talked. I could see the black spots forming in front of our eyes again and I tried to send healing energy to Hotaru but I knew it was a useless battle.
"I'm sorry, Kaolinite sent you away. I wonder if Kaolinite said something terrible to hurt you? I worry that..." The spots increased as Hotaru slumped down further.
"Hotaru! Hotaru!"
"I'm very sorry."
"Hotaru! Hotaru! Hotaru!"
Chibiusa's cries of worry were the last things I heard before everything went completely black and silent once more. I pulled out my glaive again and sat down to amuse myself by tapping a rhythm out on the walls of my "home". No one would have ever guessed that the most powerful Senshi in the world would be trapped inside her own mind.
Then a light started forming next to the wall. At first I thought Hotaru was waking up but then I noticed that the light was forming a shadowy picture window. "She's dreaming," I whispered as I tried to reach out and touch the forming images. My hands met transparent resistance that glowed black and purple at my touch. "Guess I just get to watch, what a shocker," I said as I sat down and sent my glaive back to it's hidden space.
* * *
I watched as the scene changed into Hotaru's bedroom when she was about eight years old. There was water and broken glass on the floor. As the picture widened there was a dead goldfish on the floor as well.
"Who killed Goldie? Who?" cried the young Hotaru.
"I remember that fish. Papa won it for us at the festival."
"It's strange to hear you say that," said a familiar cruel voice. Kaolinite walked into the room. "You did this, so clean up this mess."
"No, I didn't!"
Poor kid that's not something we wanted to remember. I watched as the scene faded from the dead fish to a classroom at school. A group of children were gathered in the corner around a boy who had a cut on his arm. "Oh no not this," I whispered in a plea to the mists.
"What's wrong, did you hurt yourself? Are you okay?" asked Hotaru as she moved to help the wounded boy. The boy shied away from Hotaru with a clear expression of fear on his face.
"You did this, you must be crazy to ask him if he's okay!" shouted another boy in the crowd.
"Yeah, a top student like yourself shouldn't do things like this!" shouted a girl as she tended to the wounded boy.
Hotaru backed away shaking her head in disbelief. She turned and ran from the room on the verge of tears. "Is this what's been happening when she gets one of her seizures?" I asked as my own eyes filled with tears. The mists swirled in front of me again and changed to her house. Our father was standing there. He smiled but the emotion didn't penetrate his eyes.
"It seems that I've hurt my friends again, but I really don't remember!" Hotaru cried to her father as he wrapped an arm around her.
"Nothing to be worried about, Hotaru. You're not a bad girl, nothing is wrong with you, absolutely nothing," said her father in a reassuring voice.
"I can't make friends. It seems that another person lives inside me...another part of me that would hurt my dear friends."
The dream window faded away leaving a small fuzzy white circle. "I remember, but the other person inside of her was me and I would never do something to harm an innocent." I turn to face the darkness and an idea hits me. I must be getting stupid in my time trapped here. "Who's hiding in there?" The darkness does nothing to answer me, not that I was expecting an answer, but it would have been nice.
"Whatever or whoever you are I will not allow you to take control of this body. In the name of Saturn I will protect my chosen host." I said with authority as I twirled the glaive in front of the invisible walls. "Hotaru is a child of the light. I will not allow you to turn her into a child of darkness. With Serenity as my witness I will protect her!" With a shout I slammed the blunt end of the glaive into the ground and began looking for signs of another presence in Hotaru's mind.
* * *
Hotaru opened her eyes to see Chibiusa sitting next to her with a very worried look on her face. Eyes so like the princess I served looked at us with an identical message of love and compassion.
"Hotaru," she said as a smile lit her face.
"Chibiusa," Hotaru returned her smile.
"No, don't get up yet, Hotaru."
"I'm okay."
"There's no pain? Can you breathe alright?"
Hotaru nodded in answer to each question as her smile grew. I was about ready to slug the pink haired girl. I could only take so much cheeriness.
"I'm glad! I'm glad!"
"Chibiusa," said Hotaru in a voice that clearly meant calm down.
Now that Chibiusa was quiet I could pay attention to the rest of the room. I felt the familiar power of my fellow Senshi. As Hotaru looked around I noticed a quiet blue haired girl with an aura of intelligence and power around her. "Mercury," I whispered as a solitary tear leaked down my face. She looked just the same. Usagi was there too but she was sitting silently just watching us.
"Do you feel better now?" asked Mercury. Hotaru didn't know her name and I didn't either.
"Yes."
"It's better if you lie down for a while."
"I'm okay. I often get seizures," said Hotaru as she sat up.
"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Chibiusa who was still unconvinced that Hotaru could recover so quickly.
"I'm very sorry about the trouble I caused," said Hotaru as she slipped into her shoes.
"My mother is a doctor, she'll be here soon," said Mercury from the doorway.
"I'm sorry, I was told specifically not to see any doctors. I'm leaving." We got up and walked across the room even if I wanted to linger. "See you, Chibiusa. Thank you!"
"I'll send you off," said Chibiusa as she follows Hotaru out the door.
"Thank you very much."
"Hotaru!" called Usagi as we're walking towards the elevators. "My mother's hot cakes are very delicious. Please drop by my home some time and taste them, okay?"
"Yes," replied Hotaru in a tired voice with a sad smile on her face. She knew as well as I do that her father won't let her do that.
* * *
Once outside Chibiusa and Hotaru turned to say good bye but that's when I felt another presence. Something just as old as the princess but in a way even more familiar. The feeling of the rushing wind, but there wasn't a breeze, so that meant...
"Hey, cute girl!" shouted a voice from beside a bright yellow sports car.
"Haruka!" Chibiusa practically squealed as she waved to her older friend.
"Hi! I could give you a ride, if you'd like."
"Thank you, Haruka."
"Ah Uranus. Still into racing from the looks of it." I took a closer look at the car and noticed how well kept it was. As Chibiusa and I got into her car I noticed the looks Haruka kept sending me in the rearview mirror. Uranus only looks like that when she thinks something isn't right. Could she sense the evil that surrounded me?
"Is this the right road?" she asked in a neutral tone.
"Yes." replied Hotaru. I pounded on the walls surrounding me. Yes was all she was going to say! The outer Senshi were always more in tune with evil vibes, with the exception of Mars, so why couldn't I ask her for help?
"What's your name?"
"I'm Tomoe Hotaru."
"By any chance, are you the daughter of Professor Tomoe?"
"Yes."
Haruka threw a surprised and intimidating look back at Hotaru in the rearview mirror. Finally someone had made the connection! I wanted to jump up and down with joy. "She knows! She'll tell Neptune and together they'll get me out of this mess. Now if only I can give them a sign that I'm in here." I sat down and began to concentrate. If I could gain control of Hotaru's body for just a moment maybe I could give them a message.
"Hotaru, may I come over to your house again?" asked Chibiusa.
"Yes, come again, I'm glad that you did." Hotaru replied with a smile.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Alright!"
I barely heard the conversation Hotaru had and that's saying something for a person inside the mind of another. Concentrate on Saturn was my mantra and it was almost working. That's when the walls around me started pulsing in the darkness and the familiar sensation of evil swirled around me trying to block my efforts to get out. It was strong but I was getting stronger.
"The wind is rustling..." whispered Haruka as she stopped the car near a park.
"Why'd you stop here?" asked Chibiusa as she looked around noticing a small cafe across the park.
"Sorry, I'm very thirsty. Please wait here, I'm going for some water."
Haruka jumped from the car and ran into the park. Chibiusa looked after her and so did Hotaru. Why was she running away from the car! I was getting close to breaking through I could feel it. I could also feel the vibrations of evil getting stronger around me. The energy hit me trying to break my concentration. Then suddenly the internal struggle stopped and I was able to concentrate once more. I should have been worried at the sudden loss of competition for Hotaru's mind but I wasn't.
Chibiusa looked to the park and whispered, "Could it be..." She turned to us and said, "Hotaru, please wait here," as she too left the car and entered the park.
Where did they think I was going to go? I don't know how to get home, Hotaru didn't know how to get home, and to top it off she was starting to have trouble breathing. Great Hotaru was going to have an attack and I'd lose my concentration. I needed to focus. I had to get control.
"It's happening again..." moaned Hotaru as her body started to shake with a seizure.
I could feel the evil getting closer to us. We won't be safe here and if she wouldn't let me out how could I protect her. "Hotaru you need to let me out of here," I screamed. Hotaru's head was down so all I could see was the sidewalk but even if Hotaru wasn't listening I was and I heard the battle cries in the background. I heard the blasts as a daimon attacked my friends. I called my glaive to me and prepared to fight my way out when suddenly Hotaru's mind weakened and I had control.
Hotaru's body began to glow in the purple aura of Saturn and I grinned as I felt, with my own senses, the sidewalk beneath us. I turned our head and looked up in time to see a daimon skipping rope and running at the same time. That wasn't all that impressive but she was headed right at us and that presented a problem.
"Out of my way! Out of my way!" it hollered as it continued it's run towards us.
Ha who did this daimon think she was to order me around? I should have given it a good tong lashing. After all the pre attack speeches were a tradition but there wasn't time for that. So instead I just smiled at her and stared her down. I let the power of Saturn flow through me in an imitation of Pluto's forbidden Time Stop. The Daimon stopped, captured in a wave of purple energy, it's face frozen in fear.
"I can't move, who are you?" asked the daimon as she tried in vain to get away from me. I just continued to smile.
The rest of the Senshi caught up to the now frozen daimon and looked on in awe. Had they really forgotten what the power of Saturn could do? They're acting like they've never seen me do this before.
"This is..." Uranus started to say.
"Hotaru!" shouted all the rest.
"They've really forgotten me. Even with my aura present around this body they still can't tell that I'm in here too." I looked over to Uranus and in her eyes I saw recognition and... fear? "Why would she be afraid of me? Saturn is a child of the light even if our power is death. Have they forgotten that I also have the power of life?"
"Sailor Moon!" shouted Venus as she shook us all out of our thoughts and back to the present.
Sailor Moon nodded her head and brought out, the holy grail. Sailor Moon had the grail too! She can't be more than sixteen and she's already achieved a higher level of power than any Senshi had in the past. What were these monsters that they would require the princess to wield so much power?
"Crisis! Make-up!" she shouted and I watched in awe as my princess turned into a butterfly goddess before reverting to Super Sailor Moon. With a twist of her wrist a power tier appeared in her hands and she began the motions of her attack.
"Rainbow..." as her attack started that's when I felt the first power drain. I was losing control. "Moon Heart Ache!" shouted Sailor Moon as she unleashed her power at the daimon right as my aura faded back into Hotaru's body and the daimon was free to move again.
"Love... lovely!" cried the daimon as the attack turned it into dust.
As the last reserves of my aura faded back into Hotaru's body she slumped to the ground not quite unconscious. I could feel them all watching us, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Mercury, Princess, they all just stared as Chibiusa ran up to us and wrapped Hotaru's body in a hug. Why are they so afraid of me? It had to be me they were afraid of but they acted like they didn't remember Saturn. Were they really afraid of this child that I shared a mind and body with? I sat down and placed my head in my hands. "Have I lost all my friends?"
"Hotaru, talk to me. Hotaru!" cried Chibiusa as she hugged Hotaru.
"Chibiusa..." whispered Hotaru as she sat up and Chibiusa relaxed her grip.
"Are you okay?"
"I don't think we should see each other. If we continue being friends, I might hurt you."
"Oh boy here we go again," I mumbled to myself as I tried to get a glimpse of the Senshi in the background. I was too weak to take control, too tired to send a message, so I sat back and watched as Hotaru blinked back tears and started backing away from Chibiusa.
"Why?" asked Chibiusa as she tried to comfort Hotaru.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" cried Hotaru as she ran away from the only friend that I could remember us having.
"Hotaru!"
Chibiusa's cry followed us as we ran down the street and around the corner. If Hotaru's emotions were any indication she understood that she had powers that were capable of harming others. I placed a hand against the wall of her mind and tried to send her the message that her power was not only destruction but protection as well. But the message never got through and the walls around me pulsed with dark energy as Hotaru ran all the way home.
"Well that went just great," I mumbled to the darkness around me. Hotaru had cried herself to sleep after the run home and now I was awake and bored. There are only so many things you can do inside the mind of a child especially when you only have yourself and a very dangerous looking glaive for company. One can only twiddle their thumbs for so long before it becomes habit. Considering I had been trapped in here for sixteen years I think twiddling my thumbs was the least of the bad habits I've picked up.
* * *
The educational system on this planet is rather odd. Of course maybe it 's just the school that Hotaru goes to. We attend Mugen High School. It's a unique facility that houses kindergarten through college and our father, Tomoe Souichi, is the owner. I wish we could have given father some input about the uniforms, I mean plaid skirts, oh well I'm used to them by now. What I'm not used to is the building.
The tower that is this school exudes an evil energy so strong I'm surprised the Senshi haven't found it yet. Perhaps their senses have been dulled over time but I felt it. It was the same energy that came from father's lab at home. The same energy that tries daily to invade our mind and turn Hotaru into a vessel for their evil purpose. I'm sick of it but my job is not to act, only watch, as everything unfolds around me. I was at the mercy of fate and time.
Hotaru was walking home from school and I was enjoying the scenery as we glanced into shop windows. A rather large toy store was coming up on our left and that's when I heard the sound of laughter and felt the power. Hotaru didn't stop to look until she was in front of the open door. Chibiusa, Usagi, and a young man were arguing and laughing together.
"Hey! Hey! All right, all right," the young man was quickly agreeing as both girls tried to get his full attention.
"Now who are you to get the attentions of two guardians of the crystal?" I asked myself. That's when I noticed the foggy image forming next to me. "A happy memory?"
I watched as the scene took shape and a younger Hotaru was held high by her father as her mother watched. The wind ripples her hair and Hotaru's laughter fills our mind. "That was a happy day and seeing that makes me think that these three are a family too. Maybe not a traditional family but they seem to be connected by a bond that is more than love." I shook my head as the image faded away to nothing.
"Oh, Hotaru!" squealed Chibiusa as she turns from her friends and notices us in the doorway. She started running towards us full of her happy energy but before she could even get halfway to the door Hotaru started walking away. We could hear footsteps on the sidewalk behind us.
"Wait, Hotaru!"
Hotaru stopped but did not turn around to look at Chibiusa.
"Please don't run away from me! We're friends, right?"
"Friends?" questioned Hotaru as she finally turned around to see Chibiusa standing there grinning. She looked so happy to see us.
"Right! That's right!"
"Chibiusa..." Hotaru was fighting tears as she turned from Chibiusa and ran away down the street.
"Don't be sad Hotaru I'm still here with you. You're not alone," I whispered as she ran towards home. We didn't stop to look at anymore shops. "Why are you still so afraid of having friends?" But my questions went unanswered as I watched the world fly by.
* * *
"Home? Our room? How did we get here?" I wondered aloud as Hotaru opened her eyes and looked around her room. She's getting used to these blackouts but I'm not. I noticed that the walls around me were starting to solidify. The floor beneath my feet was already a solid black. I tapped at it lightly with my fingers and it made a dull sound as if it were quite thick. "Now what does this mean?" Nothing here was solid except for me and now this floor. Who was doing this?
Hotaru got up and walked downstairs with a defeated posture. These blackouts bothered her more than she was willing to admit. Up ahead the front door was open and Kaolinite was taking something from someone. It looked like a stuffed, bunny?
"Good bye!" exclaimed a cheery voice that belonged to none other than Chibiusa.
"Kaolinite, that's..." Hotaru ran forward and grabbed the bunny from her hands and held it close to her body.
"That same girl asked me to give this to you," said Kaolinite as she crossed her arms and flipped some of her long red hair over her shoulder.
Hotaru pulled a note out of the bag and read, "Hotaru, lets go for a picnic tomorrow. I'll bring a big lunch. Take the backpack with you. From Chibiusa."
From the corner of Hotaru's eye I can see Kaolinite scowling at us as we read. Why does that woman hate us as much as we hate her? It's not like I'm after her job or anything.
"Doesn't she know that you're sick?" asked Kaolinite.
"It's a good idea," says a male voice just to our right.
Hotaru looks up, "Poppa!"
"I'm too busy doing my research that I don't have time to take care of you. I hope you'll enjoy the picnic."
Was this really our father? Hotaru breaks into a smile and nods her head to her father as thanks. I broke into a smile when I saw the look on Kaolinite's face. "Oh does seeing Hotaru enjoy herself make you feel bad?" I taunted as she turned and stalked away down the hall. I so love to see her aggravated. Maybe I can make Hotaru do something to get her dander up more often. But until tomorrow I'll just look forward to seeing my princess again because where Chibiusa is Usagi is not far behind.
* * *
Following the directions Chibiusa sent with the bag we round the last corner and see a red sports car with it's trunk open and the young man from the other day and Usagi are trying to stuff a rather large picnic basket into the trunk. We couldn't really need that much food for our small party could we? Hotaru slowed down as we got closer and the trunk finally closed over the large basket. Through the windows of the car I see Chibiusa standing on the other side as she looked up to see us.
"Hotaru!" she squealed as she ran toward us and with a flying leap wrapped both arms around our body in a hug. "Let's picnic together," said Chibiusa as she dragged us to the car.
Before we got too much closer Hotaru held out the bunny bag that Chibiusa had sent to her and smiles. It's a genuine smile too because even I can feel the happiness that surrounds our body today. "Now I just need to figure out who the guy is and then I can relax," I mumbled as I sat back and tried to get comfortable. That's when I noticed another person in our group, small and almost invisible, a black cat jumped into the back seat as the rest of us piled into the car. But not just any black cat this one had a crescent moon marking on it's forehead.
Chibiusa made a hasty introduction and we learned that the young man driving was Chiba Mamoru and Usagi's boyfriend. At that comment my princess blushed scarlet and Chibiusa snickered. The cat was introduced to us as Luna. My jaw hit the floor as Hotaru calmly petted the cat. "Luna! But she's got to be over a thousand yeas old by now!" I screamed as the shock sinks in. "Did Serenity send everyone back to be born again? Are we all trapped inside our own minds?" By now I was pacing back and forth and far too preoccupied with my own thoughts to notice the scenery.
We arrived at a green house and everyone exclaimed about how big and open everything was. Even I had to admit it was pretty impressive. Chibiusa started running around and Hotaru tried to follow but tired quickly and collapsed. She smiles to show she's alright. I kicked the invisible barrier that kept me here. "We're stronger than this," I mumbled as I sat back and watched. Mamoru brought out a camera and started snapping pictures. He got some great action shots of Chibiusa and some rather embarrassing moment's of Usagi's on film. Later he showed us the picture of Hotaru in the flowers. I smiled appreciatively, "She actually looks happy in this one. Well done Mamoru."
After a bit of a rest we moved into a game of leapfrog using Usagi as the first obstacle. Chibiusa was a pro as she hopped over giggling the entire time. I chuckled to myself, her energy was contagious, so pure. I shivered as the darkness below me began to pulse in it's corner. "Be careful Chibiusa." Hotaru was next. She ran right up to Usagi and vaulted over her with ease but landed on all fours as another attack weakened her. I stepped forward and placed a hand on the wall and sent some of my healing energy into Hotaru's body. "You'll be ok Hotaru."
Mamoru rushed to Hotaru's side and asked, "Are you ok?"
"Yes," Hotaru whispered with a nod of her head as Mamoru helped her back onto her feet.
"An old friend of mine is working in this building his life's work is in botany, specializing in roses."
Hotaru just stood there gazing at the greenhouse as Mamoru tried his best to cheer her up. In the background I could hear Usagi and Chibiusa fighting again. Hotaru and Mamoru both noticed and shared a knowing smile at the girls childish display.
* * *
After a brief walkthrough of the greenhouse Mamoru's friend met us and we set up the picnic outside in a perfect spot under a cherry tree. Sempai, as everyone called him, brought koroke for himself while the rest of us dug into the lunch Usagi had put together. I watched as the plates of food were passed out and Usagi and Chibiusa attacked their meals with equal enthusiasm.
"How's your new rose hybrid project going?" Mamoru asked his sempai.
"Oh, just one more step and it will be done," replied Sempai through a mouthful of koroke.
"He eats just like Usagi and Chibiusa," I giggled as Hotaru caught a glimpse of the man stuffing his face. I stopped giggling as the floor below me began to pulse again. The I felt the familiar sensation of evil, our father's evil, coming closer. Hotaru just picked at her food while I paced back and forth wondering when the trouble would begin.
"Hotaru, don't hesitate, eat plenty," said Usagi as she handed Hotaru another plate of food. "Here you go."
"Yes," said Hotaru as she placed the plate of food she had been picking at on the blanket next to Luna who purred in appreciation.
Usagi looked to Chibiusa who was deftly avoiding the green peppers. "Chibiusa, eat the green peppers too."
"Mamoru isn't eating his either!" countered Chibiusa as she knowingly shifts Usagi's attentions to poor Mamoru.
"What!" she exclaimed as she turned to look disbelieving at Mamoru's plate where a small pile of green peppers tries to hide in a nonexistent corner. "Mamoru! You've got to eat the green peppers too." Usagi began to take on a look I remember our mother having when we were very little. This should be fun to watch.
"I'm not really interested..." Mamoru tried to protest.
"Eat!"
"Okay okay," mumbled Mamoru as he grudgingly ate the peppers.
Usagi turned to Chibiusa who was looking at Mamoru as a traitor to her cause. "Now it's your turn Chibiusa, eat up!"
"Okay," grumbled Chibiusa as she began to eat her peppers under the watchful eye of Usagi.
"That's a mother's trick if I ever saw one," I managed between laughs.
"Hotaru don't you like lunch?" asked Chibiusa after her peppers were gone.
"No, it reminds me of my father. We haven't been on a picnic in a long time," Hotaru put her head down cutting off my view but put it back up when Sempai spoke up.
"Sometimes, as adults, we're too busy to take care of our family. I understand that you're lonely, but try to enjoy yourself," said Sempai as he went back to his koroke.
* * *
I don't want to remember the rest of that day. If I had my choice I wouldn't remember the rest of any of those days. The monsters that our father turned loose were horrible. The pain from the growing evil presence tortured me as each second in the prison of her mind ticked by. I wanted to act, to fight, to scream, to do anything but watch, but I had no choice.
Father sent a daimon out for another pure heart crystal. Just it's presence in the area disturbed the natural flow of energies so much that a sudden hail storm damaged many of the fragile glass windows of the greenhouse. Hotaru was helping Sempai repair one of them over a bed of seedlings when our fathers creation made it's grand appearance.
It was a yellow rose twisted with the evil energy that my father cultivated. A sign of friendship twisted into a sign of fear and hatred. Hotaru and Sempai gasped as the Daimon stepped into the greenhouse and with a scream of "Ubara!" knocked the ladder out from under us. Hotaru was left unconscious and that left me in the dark.
I sat down on the new floor of Hotaru's mind and concentrated on reaching into Hotaru's subconscious. With a small boost of healing energy I was able to touch her sleeping mind and take control of her body once more. When our eyes opened I saw Ubara removing the crystal from Sempai and attacking a small Senshi that I didn't recognize.
"Those people who don't care about plants will destroy our Earth. Agent of love and justice, pretty Sailor Soldier in training......Sailor Chibi Moon! In the name of the future moon, I'll punish you!" shouted the pink haired Senshi as she struck a pose.
"Chibi Moon?" the surprise of yet another Senshi caused me to loose my hold on Hotaru's mind and we slipped back into oblivion. "Who the heck is Chibi Moon? What in the name of Serenity is going on here!" I took a few deep breaths and reached out for Hotaru again. Another faint presence was there too. It wasn't trying to stop what I was doing. If I had known it was learning from me maybe I would have been content just watching the battle but hindsight is always twenty twenty.
I took control again and a purple aura flared to life around Hotaru's fragile body. I looked up to see Sailor Chibi Moon and my princess trapped by roots Ubara had sprouted. Most of them had headed straight for the "danger" as Ubara saw the Senshi but it didn't think we were a threat and that was it's mistake. We grabbed one of the roots in our hands and started absorbing it's life energy, draining it to the point of death, causing it to wilt and release the princess and Chibi Moon.
"I'm drying up," it whined as it's shriveled body sagged towards the floor.
"Now Sailor Moon," shouted a masked man standing behind the princess.
"Yes!" answered Sailor Moon as she brings forth the chalice and takes her Super Sailor Moon form. A few motions of her hands brought out the power tier and with a shout of "Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!" Ubara became dust blown away by the wind.
"Be careful princess," I whispered as I lost possession of Hotaru's body to her awakening mind. I was stronger now but Hotaru, when awake, was still the stronger willed of our two minds.
As Hotaru woke and opened her eyes I blinked at the sudden light. Chibiusa was there along with Sempai and lots of small children. They were all so worried for such little children. A part of me hated our father for his part in this. The other part said that this worry was a sign of love and for that I was happy.
"Hotaru!" cried Chibiusa as she wrapped us in a hug. "I'm glad you're safe."
"Chibiusa," mumbled Hotaru as she returned her friends embrace.
"Poppa are you ok?" chorused the small children now clustering around the slightly disoriented Sempai
"I'm fine," he reassured his small army. "I must have been dreaming."
* * *
A short while later Hotaru left with Usagi, Chibiusa, Luna, and Mamoru. The visit had been fun and gave me another chance to touch the world I could only watch. I met a few more people from my world sent here by Serenity including the timeless Luna. Poor Luna has to watch over the princess by herself now unless Artemis is here with her too. I thought I had all the time in the world to sit and ponder the answers to my questions but as Pluto once told me, time stops for no one.
I leaned up against the new solid black walls that surrounded me. "Three walls painted to match the floor, how quaint. What's next a matching ceiling?" I sighed. "I'm getting stronger but so are you," I said to the emptiness around me as Hotaru got ready for bed. I knocked on one of the walls and was rewarded with a sound similar to the floor. "You're boxing me up aren't you? Well it's not going to work I'm getting stronger now and I swear that you will not be allowed to take her mind for your own."
A shiver ran down my spine and from the depths of Hotaru's mind, in that dark corner I couldn't reach, I sensed someone watching me. An evil that was growing just as strong as I was. It was watching and waiting and a battle for Hotaru was about to begin.
* * *
Author's Note: Saturn finally touched the world but can one small taste satisfy her need for human contact? What is the growing evil inside Hotaru's mind and why can't Saturn harm it? Come back for part 3, To Live, available in February.
E-Mail the Author at k340029@excite.com
Catch sneak peeks of all my work, and other talented authors works, at Daydream - www.scribbles.0catch.com
Narrated by the Senshi of Silence herself,
I Could Only Watch
By Ceila
Part 2 - Strengthening
Rated PG, Just in case
************************
I really hate the dark. After this I think I may never be two feet from a source of light again. Not that that will be a problem since Hotaru likes lamps as much as I do. If only I could figure out how to break through this darkness. I called my glaive once more and tapped it against the invisible walls around me. Purple sparks flared to life on contact proving that the dark presence was evil.
"Maybe a little more power," I raised the glaive above me and prepared to fire my attack at it when Hotaru starts to open her eyes. I can hear a doorbell?
"It happened again. I don't remember what happens during these seizures." Slowly Hotaru gets up and looks around her bedroom. She stretched and slipped into her slippers and out into the hallway. I had a faint sense of the princess so I encouraged Hotaru to go downstairs.
"Hotaru is resting. Thank you for your visit, but she can't see you," we heard Kaolinite say as the door closed on someone.
"Kaolinite, did somebody come to visit me?" asked Hotaru as she glared at the woman in front of her.
"Just the little girl who was here last time. I told her to go home, of course."
"Why'd you do that?" Hotaru was furious and I wasn't much happier. For some reason I blamed this woman for a good portion of the bad feelings this home gave me. She was evil; the house was full of evil, and even Hotaru was infected with the darkness.
"Hotaru. You're so selfish! Your father is so kind and generous that he allows you to do as you wish. You know that you're sick. You're not strong enough to play," said Kaolinite.
"I'm fine Kaolinite and I want to see Chibiusa, she's my friend!" shouted Hotaru as she ran around Kaolinite, out the door, and after Chibiusa.
"I hope we can catch her," I thought to myself as I willed some of my own strength into her once again. Whatever had caused us to fall asleep earlier or as Hotaru said, "have a seizure", had drained energy from her already frail body.
"Chibiusa!" Hotaru shouted between deep breaths as she waved to her friend.
"Hotaru! Are you okay?" exclaimed the pink haired girl as she moved to help support Hotaru as she slumped to the ground.
"I'm glad I got to you."
"You don't look very good."
We sat on the ground together as Hotaru and Chibiusa talked. I could see the black spots forming in front of our eyes again and I tried to send healing energy to Hotaru but I knew it was a useless battle.
"I'm sorry, Kaolinite sent you away. I wonder if Kaolinite said something terrible to hurt you? I worry that..." The spots increased as Hotaru slumped down further.
"Hotaru! Hotaru!"
"I'm very sorry."
"Hotaru! Hotaru! Hotaru!"
Chibiusa's cries of worry were the last things I heard before everything went completely black and silent once more. I pulled out my glaive again and sat down to amuse myself by tapping a rhythm out on the walls of my "home". No one would have ever guessed that the most powerful Senshi in the world would be trapped inside her own mind.
Then a light started forming next to the wall. At first I thought Hotaru was waking up but then I noticed that the light was forming a shadowy picture window. "She's dreaming," I whispered as I tried to reach out and touch the forming images. My hands met transparent resistance that glowed black and purple at my touch. "Guess I just get to watch, what a shocker," I said as I sat down and sent my glaive back to it's hidden space.
* * *
I watched as the scene changed into Hotaru's bedroom when she was about eight years old. There was water and broken glass on the floor. As the picture widened there was a dead goldfish on the floor as well.
"Who killed Goldie? Who?" cried the young Hotaru.
"I remember that fish. Papa won it for us at the festival."
"It's strange to hear you say that," said a familiar cruel voice. Kaolinite walked into the room. "You did this, so clean up this mess."
"No, I didn't!"
Poor kid that's not something we wanted to remember. I watched as the scene faded from the dead fish to a classroom at school. A group of children were gathered in the corner around a boy who had a cut on his arm. "Oh no not this," I whispered in a plea to the mists.
"What's wrong, did you hurt yourself? Are you okay?" asked Hotaru as she moved to help the wounded boy. The boy shied away from Hotaru with a clear expression of fear on his face.
"You did this, you must be crazy to ask him if he's okay!" shouted another boy in the crowd.
"Yeah, a top student like yourself shouldn't do things like this!" shouted a girl as she tended to the wounded boy.
Hotaru backed away shaking her head in disbelief. She turned and ran from the room on the verge of tears. "Is this what's been happening when she gets one of her seizures?" I asked as my own eyes filled with tears. The mists swirled in front of me again and changed to her house. Our father was standing there. He smiled but the emotion didn't penetrate his eyes.
"It seems that I've hurt my friends again, but I really don't remember!" Hotaru cried to her father as he wrapped an arm around her.
"Nothing to be worried about, Hotaru. You're not a bad girl, nothing is wrong with you, absolutely nothing," said her father in a reassuring voice.
"I can't make friends. It seems that another person lives inside me...another part of me that would hurt my dear friends."
The dream window faded away leaving a small fuzzy white circle. "I remember, but the other person inside of her was me and I would never do something to harm an innocent." I turn to face the darkness and an idea hits me. I must be getting stupid in my time trapped here. "Who's hiding in there?" The darkness does nothing to answer me, not that I was expecting an answer, but it would have been nice.
"Whatever or whoever you are I will not allow you to take control of this body. In the name of Saturn I will protect my chosen host." I said with authority as I twirled the glaive in front of the invisible walls. "Hotaru is a child of the light. I will not allow you to turn her into a child of darkness. With Serenity as my witness I will protect her!" With a shout I slammed the blunt end of the glaive into the ground and began looking for signs of another presence in Hotaru's mind.
* * *
Hotaru opened her eyes to see Chibiusa sitting next to her with a very worried look on her face. Eyes so like the princess I served looked at us with an identical message of love and compassion.
"Hotaru," she said as a smile lit her face.
"Chibiusa," Hotaru returned her smile.
"No, don't get up yet, Hotaru."
"I'm okay."
"There's no pain? Can you breathe alright?"
Hotaru nodded in answer to each question as her smile grew. I was about ready to slug the pink haired girl. I could only take so much cheeriness.
"I'm glad! I'm glad!"
"Chibiusa," said Hotaru in a voice that clearly meant calm down.
Now that Chibiusa was quiet I could pay attention to the rest of the room. I felt the familiar power of my fellow Senshi. As Hotaru looked around I noticed a quiet blue haired girl with an aura of intelligence and power around her. "Mercury," I whispered as a solitary tear leaked down my face. She looked just the same. Usagi was there too but she was sitting silently just watching us.
"Do you feel better now?" asked Mercury. Hotaru didn't know her name and I didn't either.
"Yes."
"It's better if you lie down for a while."
"I'm okay. I often get seizures," said Hotaru as she sat up.
"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Chibiusa who was still unconvinced that Hotaru could recover so quickly.
"I'm very sorry about the trouble I caused," said Hotaru as she slipped into her shoes.
"My mother is a doctor, she'll be here soon," said Mercury from the doorway.
"I'm sorry, I was told specifically not to see any doctors. I'm leaving." We got up and walked across the room even if I wanted to linger. "See you, Chibiusa. Thank you!"
"I'll send you off," said Chibiusa as she follows Hotaru out the door.
"Thank you very much."
"Hotaru!" called Usagi as we're walking towards the elevators. "My mother's hot cakes are very delicious. Please drop by my home some time and taste them, okay?"
"Yes," replied Hotaru in a tired voice with a sad smile on her face. She knew as well as I do that her father won't let her do that.
* * *
Once outside Chibiusa and Hotaru turned to say good bye but that's when I felt another presence. Something just as old as the princess but in a way even more familiar. The feeling of the rushing wind, but there wasn't a breeze, so that meant...
"Hey, cute girl!" shouted a voice from beside a bright yellow sports car.
"Haruka!" Chibiusa practically squealed as she waved to her older friend.
"Hi! I could give you a ride, if you'd like."
"Thank you, Haruka."
"Ah Uranus. Still into racing from the looks of it." I took a closer look at the car and noticed how well kept it was. As Chibiusa and I got into her car I noticed the looks Haruka kept sending me in the rearview mirror. Uranus only looks like that when she thinks something isn't right. Could she sense the evil that surrounded me?
"Is this the right road?" she asked in a neutral tone.
"Yes." replied Hotaru. I pounded on the walls surrounding me. Yes was all she was going to say! The outer Senshi were always more in tune with evil vibes, with the exception of Mars, so why couldn't I ask her for help?
"What's your name?"
"I'm Tomoe Hotaru."
"By any chance, are you the daughter of Professor Tomoe?"
"Yes."
Haruka threw a surprised and intimidating look back at Hotaru in the rearview mirror. Finally someone had made the connection! I wanted to jump up and down with joy. "She knows! She'll tell Neptune and together they'll get me out of this mess. Now if only I can give them a sign that I'm in here." I sat down and began to concentrate. If I could gain control of Hotaru's body for just a moment maybe I could give them a message.
"Hotaru, may I come over to your house again?" asked Chibiusa.
"Yes, come again, I'm glad that you did." Hotaru replied with a smile.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Alright!"
I barely heard the conversation Hotaru had and that's saying something for a person inside the mind of another. Concentrate on Saturn was my mantra and it was almost working. That's when the walls around me started pulsing in the darkness and the familiar sensation of evil swirled around me trying to block my efforts to get out. It was strong but I was getting stronger.
"The wind is rustling..." whispered Haruka as she stopped the car near a park.
"Why'd you stop here?" asked Chibiusa as she looked around noticing a small cafe across the park.
"Sorry, I'm very thirsty. Please wait here, I'm going for some water."
Haruka jumped from the car and ran into the park. Chibiusa looked after her and so did Hotaru. Why was she running away from the car! I was getting close to breaking through I could feel it. I could also feel the vibrations of evil getting stronger around me. The energy hit me trying to break my concentration. Then suddenly the internal struggle stopped and I was able to concentrate once more. I should have been worried at the sudden loss of competition for Hotaru's mind but I wasn't.
Chibiusa looked to the park and whispered, "Could it be..." She turned to us and said, "Hotaru, please wait here," as she too left the car and entered the park.
Where did they think I was going to go? I don't know how to get home, Hotaru didn't know how to get home, and to top it off she was starting to have trouble breathing. Great Hotaru was going to have an attack and I'd lose my concentration. I needed to focus. I had to get control.
"It's happening again..." moaned Hotaru as her body started to shake with a seizure.
I could feel the evil getting closer to us. We won't be safe here and if she wouldn't let me out how could I protect her. "Hotaru you need to let me out of here," I screamed. Hotaru's head was down so all I could see was the sidewalk but even if Hotaru wasn't listening I was and I heard the battle cries in the background. I heard the blasts as a daimon attacked my friends. I called my glaive to me and prepared to fight my way out when suddenly Hotaru's mind weakened and I had control.
Hotaru's body began to glow in the purple aura of Saturn and I grinned as I felt, with my own senses, the sidewalk beneath us. I turned our head and looked up in time to see a daimon skipping rope and running at the same time. That wasn't all that impressive but she was headed right at us and that presented a problem.
"Out of my way! Out of my way!" it hollered as it continued it's run towards us.
Ha who did this daimon think she was to order me around? I should have given it a good tong lashing. After all the pre attack speeches were a tradition but there wasn't time for that. So instead I just smiled at her and stared her down. I let the power of Saturn flow through me in an imitation of Pluto's forbidden Time Stop. The Daimon stopped, captured in a wave of purple energy, it's face frozen in fear.
"I can't move, who are you?" asked the daimon as she tried in vain to get away from me. I just continued to smile.
The rest of the Senshi caught up to the now frozen daimon and looked on in awe. Had they really forgotten what the power of Saturn could do? They're acting like they've never seen me do this before.
"This is..." Uranus started to say.
"Hotaru!" shouted all the rest.
"They've really forgotten me. Even with my aura present around this body they still can't tell that I'm in here too." I looked over to Uranus and in her eyes I saw recognition and... fear? "Why would she be afraid of me? Saturn is a child of the light even if our power is death. Have they forgotten that I also have the power of life?"
"Sailor Moon!" shouted Venus as she shook us all out of our thoughts and back to the present.
Sailor Moon nodded her head and brought out, the holy grail. Sailor Moon had the grail too! She can't be more than sixteen and she's already achieved a higher level of power than any Senshi had in the past. What were these monsters that they would require the princess to wield so much power?
"Crisis! Make-up!" she shouted and I watched in awe as my princess turned into a butterfly goddess before reverting to Super Sailor Moon. With a twist of her wrist a power tier appeared in her hands and she began the motions of her attack.
"Rainbow..." as her attack started that's when I felt the first power drain. I was losing control. "Moon Heart Ache!" shouted Sailor Moon as she unleashed her power at the daimon right as my aura faded back into Hotaru's body and the daimon was free to move again.
"Love... lovely!" cried the daimon as the attack turned it into dust.
As the last reserves of my aura faded back into Hotaru's body she slumped to the ground not quite unconscious. I could feel them all watching us, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Mercury, Princess, they all just stared as Chibiusa ran up to us and wrapped Hotaru's body in a hug. Why are they so afraid of me? It had to be me they were afraid of but they acted like they didn't remember Saturn. Were they really afraid of this child that I shared a mind and body with? I sat down and placed my head in my hands. "Have I lost all my friends?"
"Hotaru, talk to me. Hotaru!" cried Chibiusa as she hugged Hotaru.
"Chibiusa..." whispered Hotaru as she sat up and Chibiusa relaxed her grip.
"Are you okay?"
"I don't think we should see each other. If we continue being friends, I might hurt you."
"Oh boy here we go again," I mumbled to myself as I tried to get a glimpse of the Senshi in the background. I was too weak to take control, too tired to send a message, so I sat back and watched as Hotaru blinked back tears and started backing away from Chibiusa.
"Why?" asked Chibiusa as she tried to comfort Hotaru.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" cried Hotaru as she ran away from the only friend that I could remember us having.
"Hotaru!"
Chibiusa's cry followed us as we ran down the street and around the corner. If Hotaru's emotions were any indication she understood that she had powers that were capable of harming others. I placed a hand against the wall of her mind and tried to send her the message that her power was not only destruction but protection as well. But the message never got through and the walls around me pulsed with dark energy as Hotaru ran all the way home.
"Well that went just great," I mumbled to the darkness around me. Hotaru had cried herself to sleep after the run home and now I was awake and bored. There are only so many things you can do inside the mind of a child especially when you only have yourself and a very dangerous looking glaive for company. One can only twiddle their thumbs for so long before it becomes habit. Considering I had been trapped in here for sixteen years I think twiddling my thumbs was the least of the bad habits I've picked up.
* * *
The educational system on this planet is rather odd. Of course maybe it 's just the school that Hotaru goes to. We attend Mugen High School. It's a unique facility that houses kindergarten through college and our father, Tomoe Souichi, is the owner. I wish we could have given father some input about the uniforms, I mean plaid skirts, oh well I'm used to them by now. What I'm not used to is the building.
The tower that is this school exudes an evil energy so strong I'm surprised the Senshi haven't found it yet. Perhaps their senses have been dulled over time but I felt it. It was the same energy that came from father's lab at home. The same energy that tries daily to invade our mind and turn Hotaru into a vessel for their evil purpose. I'm sick of it but my job is not to act, only watch, as everything unfolds around me. I was at the mercy of fate and time.
Hotaru was walking home from school and I was enjoying the scenery as we glanced into shop windows. A rather large toy store was coming up on our left and that's when I heard the sound of laughter and felt the power. Hotaru didn't stop to look until she was in front of the open door. Chibiusa, Usagi, and a young man were arguing and laughing together.
"Hey! Hey! All right, all right," the young man was quickly agreeing as both girls tried to get his full attention.
"Now who are you to get the attentions of two guardians of the crystal?" I asked myself. That's when I noticed the foggy image forming next to me. "A happy memory?"
I watched as the scene took shape and a younger Hotaru was held high by her father as her mother watched. The wind ripples her hair and Hotaru's laughter fills our mind. "That was a happy day and seeing that makes me think that these three are a family too. Maybe not a traditional family but they seem to be connected by a bond that is more than love." I shook my head as the image faded away to nothing.
"Oh, Hotaru!" squealed Chibiusa as she turns from her friends and notices us in the doorway. She started running towards us full of her happy energy but before she could even get halfway to the door Hotaru started walking away. We could hear footsteps on the sidewalk behind us.
"Wait, Hotaru!"
Hotaru stopped but did not turn around to look at Chibiusa.
"Please don't run away from me! We're friends, right?"
"Friends?" questioned Hotaru as she finally turned around to see Chibiusa standing there grinning. She looked so happy to see us.
"Right! That's right!"
"Chibiusa..." Hotaru was fighting tears as she turned from Chibiusa and ran away down the street.
"Don't be sad Hotaru I'm still here with you. You're not alone," I whispered as she ran towards home. We didn't stop to look at anymore shops. "Why are you still so afraid of having friends?" But my questions went unanswered as I watched the world fly by.
* * *
"Home? Our room? How did we get here?" I wondered aloud as Hotaru opened her eyes and looked around her room. She's getting used to these blackouts but I'm not. I noticed that the walls around me were starting to solidify. The floor beneath my feet was already a solid black. I tapped at it lightly with my fingers and it made a dull sound as if it were quite thick. "Now what does this mean?" Nothing here was solid except for me and now this floor. Who was doing this?
Hotaru got up and walked downstairs with a defeated posture. These blackouts bothered her more than she was willing to admit. Up ahead the front door was open and Kaolinite was taking something from someone. It looked like a stuffed, bunny?
"Good bye!" exclaimed a cheery voice that belonged to none other than Chibiusa.
"Kaolinite, that's..." Hotaru ran forward and grabbed the bunny from her hands and held it close to her body.
"That same girl asked me to give this to you," said Kaolinite as she crossed her arms and flipped some of her long red hair over her shoulder.
Hotaru pulled a note out of the bag and read, "Hotaru, lets go for a picnic tomorrow. I'll bring a big lunch. Take the backpack with you. From Chibiusa."
From the corner of Hotaru's eye I can see Kaolinite scowling at us as we read. Why does that woman hate us as much as we hate her? It's not like I'm after her job or anything.
"Doesn't she know that you're sick?" asked Kaolinite.
"It's a good idea," says a male voice just to our right.
Hotaru looks up, "Poppa!"
"I'm too busy doing my research that I don't have time to take care of you. I hope you'll enjoy the picnic."
Was this really our father? Hotaru breaks into a smile and nods her head to her father as thanks. I broke into a smile when I saw the look on Kaolinite's face. "Oh does seeing Hotaru enjoy herself make you feel bad?" I taunted as she turned and stalked away down the hall. I so love to see her aggravated. Maybe I can make Hotaru do something to get her dander up more often. But until tomorrow I'll just look forward to seeing my princess again because where Chibiusa is Usagi is not far behind.
* * *
Following the directions Chibiusa sent with the bag we round the last corner and see a red sports car with it's trunk open and the young man from the other day and Usagi are trying to stuff a rather large picnic basket into the trunk. We couldn't really need that much food for our small party could we? Hotaru slowed down as we got closer and the trunk finally closed over the large basket. Through the windows of the car I see Chibiusa standing on the other side as she looked up to see us.
"Hotaru!" she squealed as she ran toward us and with a flying leap wrapped both arms around our body in a hug. "Let's picnic together," said Chibiusa as she dragged us to the car.
Before we got too much closer Hotaru held out the bunny bag that Chibiusa had sent to her and smiles. It's a genuine smile too because even I can feel the happiness that surrounds our body today. "Now I just need to figure out who the guy is and then I can relax," I mumbled as I sat back and tried to get comfortable. That's when I noticed another person in our group, small and almost invisible, a black cat jumped into the back seat as the rest of us piled into the car. But not just any black cat this one had a crescent moon marking on it's forehead.
Chibiusa made a hasty introduction and we learned that the young man driving was Chiba Mamoru and Usagi's boyfriend. At that comment my princess blushed scarlet and Chibiusa snickered. The cat was introduced to us as Luna. My jaw hit the floor as Hotaru calmly petted the cat. "Luna! But she's got to be over a thousand yeas old by now!" I screamed as the shock sinks in. "Did Serenity send everyone back to be born again? Are we all trapped inside our own minds?" By now I was pacing back and forth and far too preoccupied with my own thoughts to notice the scenery.
We arrived at a green house and everyone exclaimed about how big and open everything was. Even I had to admit it was pretty impressive. Chibiusa started running around and Hotaru tried to follow but tired quickly and collapsed. She smiles to show she's alright. I kicked the invisible barrier that kept me here. "We're stronger than this," I mumbled as I sat back and watched. Mamoru brought out a camera and started snapping pictures. He got some great action shots of Chibiusa and some rather embarrassing moment's of Usagi's on film. Later he showed us the picture of Hotaru in the flowers. I smiled appreciatively, "She actually looks happy in this one. Well done Mamoru."
After a bit of a rest we moved into a game of leapfrog using Usagi as the first obstacle. Chibiusa was a pro as she hopped over giggling the entire time. I chuckled to myself, her energy was contagious, so pure. I shivered as the darkness below me began to pulse in it's corner. "Be careful Chibiusa." Hotaru was next. She ran right up to Usagi and vaulted over her with ease but landed on all fours as another attack weakened her. I stepped forward and placed a hand on the wall and sent some of my healing energy into Hotaru's body. "You'll be ok Hotaru."
Mamoru rushed to Hotaru's side and asked, "Are you ok?"
"Yes," Hotaru whispered with a nod of her head as Mamoru helped her back onto her feet.
"An old friend of mine is working in this building his life's work is in botany, specializing in roses."
Hotaru just stood there gazing at the greenhouse as Mamoru tried his best to cheer her up. In the background I could hear Usagi and Chibiusa fighting again. Hotaru and Mamoru both noticed and shared a knowing smile at the girls childish display.
* * *
After a brief walkthrough of the greenhouse Mamoru's friend met us and we set up the picnic outside in a perfect spot under a cherry tree. Sempai, as everyone called him, brought koroke for himself while the rest of us dug into the lunch Usagi had put together. I watched as the plates of food were passed out and Usagi and Chibiusa attacked their meals with equal enthusiasm.
"How's your new rose hybrid project going?" Mamoru asked his sempai.
"Oh, just one more step and it will be done," replied Sempai through a mouthful of koroke.
"He eats just like Usagi and Chibiusa," I giggled as Hotaru caught a glimpse of the man stuffing his face. I stopped giggling as the floor below me began to pulse again. The I felt the familiar sensation of evil, our father's evil, coming closer. Hotaru just picked at her food while I paced back and forth wondering when the trouble would begin.
"Hotaru, don't hesitate, eat plenty," said Usagi as she handed Hotaru another plate of food. "Here you go."
"Yes," said Hotaru as she placed the plate of food she had been picking at on the blanket next to Luna who purred in appreciation.
Usagi looked to Chibiusa who was deftly avoiding the green peppers. "Chibiusa, eat the green peppers too."
"Mamoru isn't eating his either!" countered Chibiusa as she knowingly shifts Usagi's attentions to poor Mamoru.
"What!" she exclaimed as she turned to look disbelieving at Mamoru's plate where a small pile of green peppers tries to hide in a nonexistent corner. "Mamoru! You've got to eat the green peppers too." Usagi began to take on a look I remember our mother having when we were very little. This should be fun to watch.
"I'm not really interested..." Mamoru tried to protest.
"Eat!"
"Okay okay," mumbled Mamoru as he grudgingly ate the peppers.
Usagi turned to Chibiusa who was looking at Mamoru as a traitor to her cause. "Now it's your turn Chibiusa, eat up!"
"Okay," grumbled Chibiusa as she began to eat her peppers under the watchful eye of Usagi.
"That's a mother's trick if I ever saw one," I managed between laughs.
"Hotaru don't you like lunch?" asked Chibiusa after her peppers were gone.
"No, it reminds me of my father. We haven't been on a picnic in a long time," Hotaru put her head down cutting off my view but put it back up when Sempai spoke up.
"Sometimes, as adults, we're too busy to take care of our family. I understand that you're lonely, but try to enjoy yourself," said Sempai as he went back to his koroke.
* * *
I don't want to remember the rest of that day. If I had my choice I wouldn't remember the rest of any of those days. The monsters that our father turned loose were horrible. The pain from the growing evil presence tortured me as each second in the prison of her mind ticked by. I wanted to act, to fight, to scream, to do anything but watch, but I had no choice.
Father sent a daimon out for another pure heart crystal. Just it's presence in the area disturbed the natural flow of energies so much that a sudden hail storm damaged many of the fragile glass windows of the greenhouse. Hotaru was helping Sempai repair one of them over a bed of seedlings when our fathers creation made it's grand appearance.
It was a yellow rose twisted with the evil energy that my father cultivated. A sign of friendship twisted into a sign of fear and hatred. Hotaru and Sempai gasped as the Daimon stepped into the greenhouse and with a scream of "Ubara!" knocked the ladder out from under us. Hotaru was left unconscious and that left me in the dark.
I sat down on the new floor of Hotaru's mind and concentrated on reaching into Hotaru's subconscious. With a small boost of healing energy I was able to touch her sleeping mind and take control of her body once more. When our eyes opened I saw Ubara removing the crystal from Sempai and attacking a small Senshi that I didn't recognize.
"Those people who don't care about plants will destroy our Earth. Agent of love and justice, pretty Sailor Soldier in training......Sailor Chibi Moon! In the name of the future moon, I'll punish you!" shouted the pink haired Senshi as she struck a pose.
"Chibi Moon?" the surprise of yet another Senshi caused me to loose my hold on Hotaru's mind and we slipped back into oblivion. "Who the heck is Chibi Moon? What in the name of Serenity is going on here!" I took a few deep breaths and reached out for Hotaru again. Another faint presence was there too. It wasn't trying to stop what I was doing. If I had known it was learning from me maybe I would have been content just watching the battle but hindsight is always twenty twenty.
I took control again and a purple aura flared to life around Hotaru's fragile body. I looked up to see Sailor Chibi Moon and my princess trapped by roots Ubara had sprouted. Most of them had headed straight for the "danger" as Ubara saw the Senshi but it didn't think we were a threat and that was it's mistake. We grabbed one of the roots in our hands and started absorbing it's life energy, draining it to the point of death, causing it to wilt and release the princess and Chibi Moon.
"I'm drying up," it whined as it's shriveled body sagged towards the floor.
"Now Sailor Moon," shouted a masked man standing behind the princess.
"Yes!" answered Sailor Moon as she brings forth the chalice and takes her Super Sailor Moon form. A few motions of her hands brought out the power tier and with a shout of "Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!" Ubara became dust blown away by the wind.
"Be careful princess," I whispered as I lost possession of Hotaru's body to her awakening mind. I was stronger now but Hotaru, when awake, was still the stronger willed of our two minds.
As Hotaru woke and opened her eyes I blinked at the sudden light. Chibiusa was there along with Sempai and lots of small children. They were all so worried for such little children. A part of me hated our father for his part in this. The other part said that this worry was a sign of love and for that I was happy.
"Hotaru!" cried Chibiusa as she wrapped us in a hug. "I'm glad you're safe."
"Chibiusa," mumbled Hotaru as she returned her friends embrace.
"Poppa are you ok?" chorused the small children now clustering around the slightly disoriented Sempai
"I'm fine," he reassured his small army. "I must have been dreaming."
* * *
A short while later Hotaru left with Usagi, Chibiusa, Luna, and Mamoru. The visit had been fun and gave me another chance to touch the world I could only watch. I met a few more people from my world sent here by Serenity including the timeless Luna. Poor Luna has to watch over the princess by herself now unless Artemis is here with her too. I thought I had all the time in the world to sit and ponder the answers to my questions but as Pluto once told me, time stops for no one.
I leaned up against the new solid black walls that surrounded me. "Three walls painted to match the floor, how quaint. What's next a matching ceiling?" I sighed. "I'm getting stronger but so are you," I said to the emptiness around me as Hotaru got ready for bed. I knocked on one of the walls and was rewarded with a sound similar to the floor. "You're boxing me up aren't you? Well it's not going to work I'm getting stronger now and I swear that you will not be allowed to take her mind for your own."
A shiver ran down my spine and from the depths of Hotaru's mind, in that dark corner I couldn't reach, I sensed someone watching me. An evil that was growing just as strong as I was. It was watching and waiting and a battle for Hotaru was about to begin.
* * *
Author's Note: Saturn finally touched the world but can one small taste satisfy her need for human contact? What is the growing evil inside Hotaru's mind and why can't Saturn harm it? Come back for part 3, To Live, available in February.
E-Mail the Author at k340029@excite.com
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