Life's Lessons
A Sailor Moon fanfic by Kristin Renee Taylor
Chapter 11
"Your friends are here, Terri-san. Should I send them up?"
I looked up from my homework and smiled at the woman standing in my
doorway. "No, I'll go down to meet them. But thank you for asking,
Furahata-san."
Mrs. Furahata nodded and walked away, and I begin to put up my
books. Four months ago, after a youma (the seventh to attack me) had
totaled my apartment, Minako had pulled a few strings and helped me to
move into Furahata Taka's house. I lived in Mrs. Furahata's daughter's
room, who apparently was no longer living there (It would have been
rude to ask Mrs. Furahata about why her daughter had left, and the one
time I mentioned it to Minako, my friend had merely smiled and assured
me that Hiro's leave taking was for the sake of mankind. I never asked
her again.).
Mrs. Furahata was the best, and she treated me like I was her own
daughter. And I thought of her as my mother. That puzzled me
sometimes, because I couldn't remember my own mother. The only family
I could remember having was Jake. But Jake, to the best of my
knowledge, was dead, killed during the same disaster that had left me
stranded in Tokyo, with little to no memory of my purpose here. Damn
Galaxia.
Strange word, "purpose." I wonder why I used it. Makes me think I'm
here to accomplish a certain task.
I shook my head and straightened up my desk. "Terri," I told
myself, "Sometimes I think you're getting as air headed as Minako-
san."
"I agree."
Startled, I stood, blushing and embarrassed that I had been heard
talking out loud. "Rei-san, I didn't hear you come in."
Rei, arms folded, leaned against my door frame and looked at me.
"Are you ready yet?"
I should make this perfectly clear right now: Hino Rei does not
like me. I don't know why and, to be quite honest, I don't care why
because I don't like her. There's just something about her that tenses
me up, like I'm preparing to avoid some sort of attack. And, judging
by the way she acts around me, she gets just as jumpy around me as I
am around her.
"Almost," I said, and finished putting up my schoolwork. Two years
and a valley of animosity separated Rei and I, but, despite that, I
still attempted to be polite. "Where's Minako-san?"
"She and Mako-chan went to go drag a certain blonde trash compactor
away from an odango shop."
I paused in the act of retrieving a jacket. "That's the Moon
Rabbit, correct?"
Rei had been studying a strip of paper that she held in her hands.
Now, the upperclassman's head jerked up and she glared at me silently.
I blinked, then realized my error. "Ah... I'm sorry. I... er...
meant Tsukino-san. I-I have a habit of translating everything said to
me into English, so when Minako-chan told me the name of your friend I
automatically heard it as-"
"Forget it," Rei said curtly. She walked out. "Come on. They're
probably back by now."
I followed her, shrugging into my jacket as I walked. When I
stopped to close my door behind me, I noticed the strip of paper
sticking to the frame. Frowning, I translated the kanji.
'Evil spirit, begone!'
I looked at it, surprised, then at Rei's retreating back.
Feeling was the first thing that Terri became aware of; a heavy
blanket covering her, a soft mattress beneath her, and somewhere near
her right arm a pillow existed, trapped beneath forearm and body.
Sound came next, soft noises that served to chase away the
lingering elements of a dream she couldn't quite remember having.
People's voices, children laughing, an unusual but oddly familiar
roaring, animals lowing... animals? Animals?!
Terri opened her right eye.
A wall met her bleary gaze, timber logs stacked one atop the other,
cunningly fitted so that, at the corners, the ceiling and even between
logs, there were no gaps for air to leak through.
She sat up slowly, blinking about her in the late morning light
that slanted through the window above her bed.
She was in a room, longer than wide, large enough to contain eight
beds, of which Terri was the only occupant. At Terri's end of the
room, a brick fireplace had been constructed, but no fire warmed its
hearth. At the other end was a door, and as she looked about her, it
opened and admitted a girl.
She couldn't have been older than seventeen, short for age, with
black hair and dark eyes that only seemed to put emphasis on her pale
skin. She closed the door behind her, turned, and finally noticed
Terri. "Good morning, Ganabile-san! I brought you some clothes!" She
held up a bundle of cloth.
Puzzled, Terri looked down and realized that she was very obviously
naked. With a mortified shriek, she pulled the blanket up and over her
head.
There was a long moment of silence, then, slightly muffled by the
blanket, she heard the girl laugh. "Gomen nasai. I seem to have
forgotten my manners while living here. I hope I didn't scare you too
badly. My name's Tomoe Hotaru, and I'm really sorry I barged in like
that." Footsteps approached. Terri shrunk away, still too embarrassed
to speak. "Are you going to stay under there all day, Ganabile-san?"
"What-" Terri's voice squeaked. She coughed, and said in a more
normal tone, "What happened to my clothes?"
"Actually, I'm supposed to ask you that. You weren't wearing much
when Setsuna found you, and what little you had on looked like it
wasn't too flame resistant. Michiru said it was a miracle you and your
friends survived." The footsteps halted near Terri's bed. "What was
going on out there?"
Terri pondered, then said, "I... really don't remember what I was
doing. It's all so hazy..." Then the rest of what the girl said caught
up with her. "My friends?" She poked her head out from underneath the
blanket. "What friends?"
The girl had sat down on the bed across from Terri. She said, "If I
remember correctly, they said their names were Shouji and Kiyomi. We
found them with you. They're... not your friends?"
"No. I mean, yes. Yes, they are my friends. I'm just... Where are
they?"
"Outside, and you can join them in a few minutes." Hotaru held out
the clothes. "After you get dressed."
The clothes turned out to be a pair of plain brown slacks and a
white, short-sleeved shirt, both of which were too big. "I'm sorry
they're so big," Hotaru said as she handed Terri some socks and shoes.
"You're taller than most of the people here, so I had to borrow some
of Haruka's clothes. They should fit pretty well, even though you are,
um, 'bigger' than she is."
Terri dressed under the blanket.
When she crawled back out, fully dressed, her companion slipped
around behind Terri, brandished a brush and, a few minutes later,
Terri's hair hung in a single braid down her back.
The girl smiled. "There, now you look decent. Are you hungry?"
Terri answered in the affirmative and, together, they walked
outside.
Just past the threshold, Terri paused to let her eyes adjust to the
unusually bright sunlight, and let out a gasp of astonishment. Water.
Water as far as she could see, with no end in sight.
A dim memory surfaced and she managed to put a name to vast expanse
of water that dominated her view. "An ocean..." she breathed. "But...
there is no ocean near Crystal Tokyo." She looked at Hotaru. "Where
are we?"
"We're still near Japan, if that's what you are worried about, but
we're farther northeast, on a small chain of islands." She gestured
around them. "This used to be a big tourist spot, but when everything
froze over..." She trailed off, shrugging.
Now that the shock had worn off somewhat, Terri looked around, and
noticed other things. She and Hotaru stood on a grass-strewn hill,
part of a verdant expanse of greenery that separated the beach in the
distance with the impressive forest behind them. The cabin Terri had
left was part of a cluster of houses, and Terri saw people below.
Voices, indistinct because of distance and the waves, rode the wind to
her. "How is this possible?" she asked, watching a couple of men ride
off towards the forest on horseback. "I thought everything was frozen
solid, except for Crystal Tokyo."
"You sound like your friends. They were just as surprised as you
are," Hotaru said with a laugh. Still smiling, she looked around, then
beckoned Terri closer. "You really want to know why this island is
free of ice?" She dropped her voice to a whisper, and Terri leaned in
close to hear her words. "Michiru's the reason. She controls the
temperature of the sea around the island, which helps keep the climate
warm and stable. Cool, ne?"
'Is she serious?' Terri made a sound, which Hotaru took as
agreement. The shorter girl glanced about mischievously before saying,
"But don't tell anyone, though. Most people don't know that Haruka,
Michiru, Setsuna and I can use magic, and we won't tell them because
we don't want to alienate ourselves further. I mean, some people think
Haruka and Michiru being together is bad enough."
"Talking about me again, eh, Hotaru-chan?"
Hotaru jumped and spun around. "Michiru!"
The woman, which had, to Terri, appeared out of nowhere, looked
sternly at Hotaru. "And what lies have you been telling our guest this
time?"
"Lies?" Hotaru cried indignantly. "I'll have you know that I was
only telling her the truth."
"And which 'truth' would that be?"
"The one about how the island stays warm."
Michiru sighed. "Spreading tales about magic again? Honestly,
Hotaru-chan, the things you come up with. What am I going to do with
you?"
Hotaru grinned innocently. "Nothing bad, I know that much." Terri
had the sudden impression that this conversation had been repeated
often and in much the same manner. She looked from one to the other,
baffled. 'So Hotaru wasn't telling the truth? But, then how does the
island stay warm?'
Michiru smiled. "You are hopeless. Haruka should be back any minute
now. Why don't you go to the stables and wait for her?" Hotaru
understood and jogged down the hill, waving to Terri, who returned it
absently.
Michiru watched Hotaru until she was out of hearing range, then
sighed quietly. "You encourage her to tell one story and she develops
four thousand." She shook her head and smiled slightly. "But I guess
that's what happens when you're raised by artists." She looked at
Terri, arched a single, sea-green eyebrow. "Is something wrong, Terri-
san?"
Terri realized she was gaping and snapped her mouth shut. "I'm
sorry... Michiru?" The woman nodded. "I apologize for being rude,
Michiru. It's just that... you remind me of someone I know. Knew.
Someone I knew."
"Is that so? Well, who do I remind you of?" Their eyes locked.
Several images flickered through Terri's mind, far too fast for
Terri to focus on. Suddenly, the air around Terri seemed thicker, more
viscous, harder to breathe. In direct contrast to the heavy air, her
body grew lighter, till she thought she would float... or swim...
upwards. It was almost like being underwater.
Michiru blinked.
With an near-audible snap the world returned to normal.
Terri gasped and stumbled backwards, tripping over her feet.
Michiru caught her arm, steadied Terri. "Are you all right? No, don't
try to stay standing. Sit down." She guided Terri to one side of the
cabin's door and sat her down against the wall. "What happened? You're
pale! Maybe you should lie back down."
Terri closed her eyes, clenching her hands in an effort to stop
their shaking. 'Why did I react to her like that? It was like being
around Minako and the others. Could Hotaru be telling the truth? Can
Michiru really use magic? But, then, why didn't I react to Hotaru?'
Aloud, she mumbled, "Deep Submerge."
A wave crashed down with a thunderous roar far louder than the
previous ones. Terri opened her eyes, and saw Michiru staring at the
ocean in surprise.
Breathe in.
Hands held at her sides. Balanced on her right leg. Left leg bent,
putting her in the position known as the Reflex Stance. A cold, bitter
wind howled at her, trying to topple her, but she was granite, silent
and immobile.
Breathe out.
Even with her eyes closed, she was aware of the environment around
her. The side of the volcano towered above her on the left, and an
equally steep drop awaited just a few meters to her right. A slip on
the treacherous ice could be fatal, but she was not worried. She was a
redwood, firmly planted and unshakable.
Breathe
She stood like that for a while, unaware of cold or time. Black
hair whipped freely around, the only sign of movement she showed.
Finally, her eyes opened.
in.
And, with no warning cry, no sudden shifting of movement, Rei
launched into her kata.
Her style was unusual, more of a collection of different Arts than
a single one, all of them blended so seamlessly that no one, outside
of an expert, would have ever noticed as she switched from one Art to
the next.
Rei reached the end of her narrow ledge and turned smoothly,
letting her movements take her back to her starting point.
It had been Minako that had taught Rei, although how and when
Minako had developed this unique style Rei did not know. Rei wasn't
even certain she recognized all the styles blended in, although she
certainly recognized aspects of Kickboxing, Aikido, Jujitsu, and
several ones that Rei thought Minako had stolen from video games.
Rei drifted to a stop, and stood in silence, feeling the wind
trying to push her forward. She exhaled. 'I'm too distracted to
practice. Maybe I should apologize to Mako-chan and Ami-chan.'
Involuntarily, an image of an enraged Makoto appeared in her mind's
eye.
'Or... Since I don't want to die, I could wait for Makoto to cool
down some more.' She pushed several strands of sweaty hair out of her
eyes, and shifted back to the Reflex Stance. She'd run through the
kata again, then go apologize.
"Oak Evolution." The words were faint, carried by the wind to Rei's
ears. Rei reacted instinctively, throwing herself forward into a roll.
She came out of it in a half-crouch and spun, facing the way she had
come, scanning the ledges higher up.
No one was there. No attack devastated the ground where she had
been standing. Frowning, Rei stood. When she waited and still nothing
happened, Rei sighed and relaxed. "I'm getting paranoid in my old
age," she muttered.
"Actually, I think you're losing your edge. I'll sharpen it up...
right now."
Shocked, Rei turned, just in time to intercept a straight punch
with her face.
Rei reeled backwards and fell. She felt blood running down her chin
and spat, staining the snow red. She wiped the blood off with the back
of her hand and glared at her attacker.
Makoto's smile was predatory. She cracked her knuckles as she
advanced on Rei. "Personally, I've got nothing against ya, since, ya
know, you were only following Minako-chan's orders. But I still feel
the need to be vindictive on Ami-chan's behalf."
Rei felt her anger flare. 'She wants to play? Fine! I'll play!' She
climbed to her feet. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't
care what you're talking about. I want to see you try and kick my
ass."
Makoto lifted her arms to either side. "Remember, you said it. Not
me... Oak Evolution!"
Rei leaped back, teleported in mid-air. She dropped down on a ledge
overlooking her original one, formed her Flame Sniper, and took aim...
only to find no one there.
Hands grabbed her arm, and she was slammed face first into the
volcano wall. "That's twice you've fallen for the same trick," Makoto
said. The taller woman released Rei and stepped back. "You really
*are* losing your edge."
Rei staggered to one side and nearly fell, only remaining upright
by leaning on the wall. She couldn't focus her eyes properly. "Fool me
once, shame on me," she grated, turning to face Makoto. "Fool me
twice, die by Fire Soul!"
A ring of fire appeared around Makoto and Rei heard Makoto let out
a surprised yell. Rei shoved off from the wall, letting out an angry
shout of her own as she passed harmlessly through the flames and
tackled Makoto. Makoto easily shoved Rei off, both sprang to their
feet and circled each other warily, Makoto sticking as close to the
center of Rei's fire ring as Rei would allow.
A gash had opened in Rei's forehead, just over her right eye, and
the flow of blood was beginning to blind her. As Makoto circled to
Rei's right, a strange half-smile on her face, Rei started to think
that provoking Makoto had been entirely the wrong idea. 'There's
absolutely no way I can beat her hand to hand. I'm gonna get trashed.'
Rei saw Makoto switch her stance, entered her own defensive
posture, and felt the ice begin to slide beneath her feet. She had
only a brief instant to wonder what the Hell was she thinking when she
used her Fire Soul, and then the ice gave way.
Until they expanded out of the main caverns and into the smaller ones,
the Descendents and their followers were forced to put up with cramped
conditions. And although personal space couldn't be afforded right
now, Ami and her crew had blocked off a section for themselves, which
they rigorously defended.
Minako shifted uncomfortably on her cot. 'One thousand years have
gone by and humanity *still* can't make a decent hospital bed.' With a
disgusted growl, she stretched out on her back and flung her right arm
over her eyes. Maybe darkness would help her sleep.
She heard footsteps and listened. Whoever was approaching had an
injury, it sounded like they were limping, rather badly, on their
right leg. The person stopped beside Minako's cot. "Well, I'm glad
somebody gets to lay down on the job," Rei said.
Minako smiled. "Your sarcasm wounds me, Rei-chan. What happened to
you?"
"Mako-chan happened to me," the psychic said, but with more
annoyance than anger. "Ambushed me while I was out doing my kata, and
nearly got the both of us killed when we fell down the side of the
volcano. And when we finally did stop moving, she had the gall to tell
me that I was stupid for blindly obeying *your* orders! What the Hell
did you tell her?"
"That I was the one that made the decision to put that block in
Ami's head."
"That's it?!"
"I told her as much of the truth as she needs to know for now,"
Minako said calmly. "Would you rather I told her the 'why' behind my
decision? Because, if you want me to, I'll tell her everything you
did, right now. Every little dirty detail. And then they'll understand
why I won't take chances with our powers running amok."
She sensed Rei stiffen. "You will never let me forget, will you?"
Rei said softly. "Why?"
"Because so long as you remember what you did, you can't cause
another Chicago."
The silence that followed that statement was one of the most
anguished that Minako had encountered in her life.
Something wet landed on Minako's arm. Before she could brush it
off, she felt Rei's hair sweep across her skin as the other woman sat
down on the ground, her back braced against the cot, her head resting
against Minako's left shoulder. "Dammit, Minako-chan," Rei whispered.
Minako moved her left arm, loosely hugged Rei with it. "I'm sorry,
Rei- chan."
"I hate you." Minako's arm was still getting wet.
Minako removed her other arm from her eyes, and stared up at
nothing. "Sometimes, I hate myself, too."
A short distance from the two women, Ami turned away, silently hoping
that her computer at the Tokyo Tower base hadn't been destroyed by
Venus' invasion. She had some research to do.
Jupiter leaned against the balcony of Her rooms, gazing out at the
city. '*My* city,' She thought with a half-smile. Voices drifted up to
Her, deep in argument. She looked down, where the elaborate gardens
spread out from the base of the Palace. 'Ahh... Venus has returned.'
The Senshi of beauty and the Senshi of magic were knee-deep in a
highly animated 'discussion.'
Although Jupiter could have listened in on the conversation
occurring fifty meters below, She chose not to, instead deciding to
merely watch the outcome.
Eventually, Mars threw Her hands up and stalked into the palace in
either disgust or rage, probably both. Venus glared after Her, shouted
"How *dare* You insinuate that I fear Minako!? Get back here!" and ran
after Mars.
Silence once again descended on the gardens and, after a moment, a
small, yellow-feathered finch landed on the railing. Jupiter
straightened and held out a hand, careful to keep Her movements slow.
The finch, head tilted as it studied the pro-offered hand,
twittered and then, after a moment's hesitation, hopped/flew to
Jupiter's hand.
Jupiter lifted Her other hand, gently stroked the downy head.
The bird suddenly shrilled loudly and took off, spiraling down
towards the gardens. Jupiter frowned slightly as She turned around.
"Must You do that?"
The sunlight failed to fully illuminate the shadowy areas of
Jupiter's room, where a silent figure stood. Even Jupiter's keen eyes
could barely make out the tips of black boots, although the staff was
clearly visible.
Pluto said nothing, Her silence as heavy and thick as a blanket.
Jupiter returned to Her position at the balcony. "We agreed to meet
at the Timegate. Why the change?"
"Events are happening. I wish to observe them." Pluto's voice was
like Her expression, so devoid of emotion that it bordered on cold.
"You could easily do that through that orb of Yours. I repeat, why
the change?"
Again, Pluto said nothing.
Jupiter glanced over Her shoulder, and was startled to see that Her
fellow Senshi now stood only a meter or so away, although Jupiter
hadn't heard Her move. Eyes that reminded Jupiter of congealing blood
bore twin holes into Jupiter's own.
Jupiter looked away swiftly, and silently chided Herself on being
nervous. To cover Herself, She said, "Venus said that Mercury and Ami
have merged into a single being again. Is it true, then? That the
Descendants were originally Our Avatars?"
"If that is what You believe."
Jupiter rounded on Pluto. "What I believe? Tell Me the truth! Are
they?"
Pluto was inscrutable. "Truth is Your providence, Jupiter. Not
Mine."
Again, Jupiter dropped Her gaze first.
Gripping the balustrade tightly, Jupiter said, "They must be
stopped, before it is too late, and stopping Terri is the key to doing
that. Is she still alive?"
Pluto leaned on the balcony next to Jupiter. Her staff was gone. "I
cannot answer that."
"Why not?" Jupiter was aware that She sounded childish, but in the
eyes of Pluto, Jupiter *was* a child.
"Knowing the answer to that question would effect Your future
decisions."
Jupiter's voice was dry. "And We mustn't do anything that changes
the future, must We?" She sobered. "Then tell Me where the Descendents
are."
"No."
Jupiter lost Her temper. "Dammit, Pluto, I didn't call You here to
be told 'No!' I want an answer!"
Pluto straightened abruptly and turned away. She lifted a hand and
grasped Her staff from the air. "Summon Me when Your need is an
important one."
Jupiter growled an oath. "They killed Our Sister!"
Pluto stopped. "Is that supposed be of concern to Me?" Her tone
indicated that She was truly curious.
"Of course it is! Any one of Us could be next, even You!"
Pluto turned Her head slightly. "Death, like Time, is inevitable,
Jupiter. Why do You fight against it?"
Jupiter hesitated, but only briefly. "Because I do not wish to die.
I fear death... because I fear what will happen to Me if I die. I do
not want to become a mere shadow in the background of some human's
mind, like Mercury is now. That place was Hell to Me, and I *refuse*
to return to that existence."
"Was it truly that horrible for Them?" Pluto said, but so quietly
that Jupiter wasn't sure She had heard correctly.
The Senshi of Time almost, but not quite, shook Herself. "I will
tell Mars to prepare to head north, to the D-point. On Your orders, of
course."
Jupiter stared at Pluto's back. "Why Mars?" And why the sudden
change of attitude, but Jupiter refrained from asking that.
"Would You rather that I send Venus? She does not care much for
Minako." The cool detachment was back in Pluto's voice, giving it a
sardonic edge.
"And Her prejudice towards Her counterpart would interfere with
rational thinking," Jupiter said grudgingly. She folded Her arms. "It
is good to see You are cooperating. Her majesty, Queen Serenity, was
beginning to wonder who's side You were on."
Something close to a laugh escaped the elder. "I am, as I have
always been, as I always will be, on the side of Time. That is My only
alliance. Everything else, and everyone else, are merely things to
make My observations that much more interesting." She looked at
Jupiter. "And I wish to observe first hand the very interesting events
that are about to transpire."
Pluto stamped the haft of the staff on the ground, and She was
gone.
A Sailor Moon fanfic by Kristin Renee Taylor
Chapter 11
"Your friends are here, Terri-san. Should I send them up?"
I looked up from my homework and smiled at the woman standing in my
doorway. "No, I'll go down to meet them. But thank you for asking,
Furahata-san."
Mrs. Furahata nodded and walked away, and I begin to put up my
books. Four months ago, after a youma (the seventh to attack me) had
totaled my apartment, Minako had pulled a few strings and helped me to
move into Furahata Taka's house. I lived in Mrs. Furahata's daughter's
room, who apparently was no longer living there (It would have been
rude to ask Mrs. Furahata about why her daughter had left, and the one
time I mentioned it to Minako, my friend had merely smiled and assured
me that Hiro's leave taking was for the sake of mankind. I never asked
her again.).
Mrs. Furahata was the best, and she treated me like I was her own
daughter. And I thought of her as my mother. That puzzled me
sometimes, because I couldn't remember my own mother. The only family
I could remember having was Jake. But Jake, to the best of my
knowledge, was dead, killed during the same disaster that had left me
stranded in Tokyo, with little to no memory of my purpose here. Damn
Galaxia.
Strange word, "purpose." I wonder why I used it. Makes me think I'm
here to accomplish a certain task.
I shook my head and straightened up my desk. "Terri," I told
myself, "Sometimes I think you're getting as air headed as Minako-
san."
"I agree."
Startled, I stood, blushing and embarrassed that I had been heard
talking out loud. "Rei-san, I didn't hear you come in."
Rei, arms folded, leaned against my door frame and looked at me.
"Are you ready yet?"
I should make this perfectly clear right now: Hino Rei does not
like me. I don't know why and, to be quite honest, I don't care why
because I don't like her. There's just something about her that tenses
me up, like I'm preparing to avoid some sort of attack. And, judging
by the way she acts around me, she gets just as jumpy around me as I
am around her.
"Almost," I said, and finished putting up my schoolwork. Two years
and a valley of animosity separated Rei and I, but, despite that, I
still attempted to be polite. "Where's Minako-san?"
"She and Mako-chan went to go drag a certain blonde trash compactor
away from an odango shop."
I paused in the act of retrieving a jacket. "That's the Moon
Rabbit, correct?"
Rei had been studying a strip of paper that she held in her hands.
Now, the upperclassman's head jerked up and she glared at me silently.
I blinked, then realized my error. "Ah... I'm sorry. I... er...
meant Tsukino-san. I-I have a habit of translating everything said to
me into English, so when Minako-chan told me the name of your friend I
automatically heard it as-"
"Forget it," Rei said curtly. She walked out. "Come on. They're
probably back by now."
I followed her, shrugging into my jacket as I walked. When I
stopped to close my door behind me, I noticed the strip of paper
sticking to the frame. Frowning, I translated the kanji.
'Evil spirit, begone!'
I looked at it, surprised, then at Rei's retreating back.
Feeling was the first thing that Terri became aware of; a heavy
blanket covering her, a soft mattress beneath her, and somewhere near
her right arm a pillow existed, trapped beneath forearm and body.
Sound came next, soft noises that served to chase away the
lingering elements of a dream she couldn't quite remember having.
People's voices, children laughing, an unusual but oddly familiar
roaring, animals lowing... animals? Animals?!
Terri opened her right eye.
A wall met her bleary gaze, timber logs stacked one atop the other,
cunningly fitted so that, at the corners, the ceiling and even between
logs, there were no gaps for air to leak through.
She sat up slowly, blinking about her in the late morning light
that slanted through the window above her bed.
She was in a room, longer than wide, large enough to contain eight
beds, of which Terri was the only occupant. At Terri's end of the
room, a brick fireplace had been constructed, but no fire warmed its
hearth. At the other end was a door, and as she looked about her, it
opened and admitted a girl.
She couldn't have been older than seventeen, short for age, with
black hair and dark eyes that only seemed to put emphasis on her pale
skin. She closed the door behind her, turned, and finally noticed
Terri. "Good morning, Ganabile-san! I brought you some clothes!" She
held up a bundle of cloth.
Puzzled, Terri looked down and realized that she was very obviously
naked. With a mortified shriek, she pulled the blanket up and over her
head.
There was a long moment of silence, then, slightly muffled by the
blanket, she heard the girl laugh. "Gomen nasai. I seem to have
forgotten my manners while living here. I hope I didn't scare you too
badly. My name's Tomoe Hotaru, and I'm really sorry I barged in like
that." Footsteps approached. Terri shrunk away, still too embarrassed
to speak. "Are you going to stay under there all day, Ganabile-san?"
"What-" Terri's voice squeaked. She coughed, and said in a more
normal tone, "What happened to my clothes?"
"Actually, I'm supposed to ask you that. You weren't wearing much
when Setsuna found you, and what little you had on looked like it
wasn't too flame resistant. Michiru said it was a miracle you and your
friends survived." The footsteps halted near Terri's bed. "What was
going on out there?"
Terri pondered, then said, "I... really don't remember what I was
doing. It's all so hazy..." Then the rest of what the girl said caught
up with her. "My friends?" She poked her head out from underneath the
blanket. "What friends?"
The girl had sat down on the bed across from Terri. She said, "If I
remember correctly, they said their names were Shouji and Kiyomi. We
found them with you. They're... not your friends?"
"No. I mean, yes. Yes, they are my friends. I'm just... Where are
they?"
"Outside, and you can join them in a few minutes." Hotaru held out
the clothes. "After you get dressed."
The clothes turned out to be a pair of plain brown slacks and a
white, short-sleeved shirt, both of which were too big. "I'm sorry
they're so big," Hotaru said as she handed Terri some socks and shoes.
"You're taller than most of the people here, so I had to borrow some
of Haruka's clothes. They should fit pretty well, even though you are,
um, 'bigger' than she is."
Terri dressed under the blanket.
When she crawled back out, fully dressed, her companion slipped
around behind Terri, brandished a brush and, a few minutes later,
Terri's hair hung in a single braid down her back.
The girl smiled. "There, now you look decent. Are you hungry?"
Terri answered in the affirmative and, together, they walked
outside.
Just past the threshold, Terri paused to let her eyes adjust to the
unusually bright sunlight, and let out a gasp of astonishment. Water.
Water as far as she could see, with no end in sight.
A dim memory surfaced and she managed to put a name to vast expanse
of water that dominated her view. "An ocean..." she breathed. "But...
there is no ocean near Crystal Tokyo." She looked at Hotaru. "Where
are we?"
"We're still near Japan, if that's what you are worried about, but
we're farther northeast, on a small chain of islands." She gestured
around them. "This used to be a big tourist spot, but when everything
froze over..." She trailed off, shrugging.
Now that the shock had worn off somewhat, Terri looked around, and
noticed other things. She and Hotaru stood on a grass-strewn hill,
part of a verdant expanse of greenery that separated the beach in the
distance with the impressive forest behind them. The cabin Terri had
left was part of a cluster of houses, and Terri saw people below.
Voices, indistinct because of distance and the waves, rode the wind to
her. "How is this possible?" she asked, watching a couple of men ride
off towards the forest on horseback. "I thought everything was frozen
solid, except for Crystal Tokyo."
"You sound like your friends. They were just as surprised as you
are," Hotaru said with a laugh. Still smiling, she looked around, then
beckoned Terri closer. "You really want to know why this island is
free of ice?" She dropped her voice to a whisper, and Terri leaned in
close to hear her words. "Michiru's the reason. She controls the
temperature of the sea around the island, which helps keep the climate
warm and stable. Cool, ne?"
'Is she serious?' Terri made a sound, which Hotaru took as
agreement. The shorter girl glanced about mischievously before saying,
"But don't tell anyone, though. Most people don't know that Haruka,
Michiru, Setsuna and I can use magic, and we won't tell them because
we don't want to alienate ourselves further. I mean, some people think
Haruka and Michiru being together is bad enough."
"Talking about me again, eh, Hotaru-chan?"
Hotaru jumped and spun around. "Michiru!"
The woman, which had, to Terri, appeared out of nowhere, looked
sternly at Hotaru. "And what lies have you been telling our guest this
time?"
"Lies?" Hotaru cried indignantly. "I'll have you know that I was
only telling her the truth."
"And which 'truth' would that be?"
"The one about how the island stays warm."
Michiru sighed. "Spreading tales about magic again? Honestly,
Hotaru-chan, the things you come up with. What am I going to do with
you?"
Hotaru grinned innocently. "Nothing bad, I know that much." Terri
had the sudden impression that this conversation had been repeated
often and in much the same manner. She looked from one to the other,
baffled. 'So Hotaru wasn't telling the truth? But, then how does the
island stay warm?'
Michiru smiled. "You are hopeless. Haruka should be back any minute
now. Why don't you go to the stables and wait for her?" Hotaru
understood and jogged down the hill, waving to Terri, who returned it
absently.
Michiru watched Hotaru until she was out of hearing range, then
sighed quietly. "You encourage her to tell one story and she develops
four thousand." She shook her head and smiled slightly. "But I guess
that's what happens when you're raised by artists." She looked at
Terri, arched a single, sea-green eyebrow. "Is something wrong, Terri-
san?"
Terri realized she was gaping and snapped her mouth shut. "I'm
sorry... Michiru?" The woman nodded. "I apologize for being rude,
Michiru. It's just that... you remind me of someone I know. Knew.
Someone I knew."
"Is that so? Well, who do I remind you of?" Their eyes locked.
Several images flickered through Terri's mind, far too fast for
Terri to focus on. Suddenly, the air around Terri seemed thicker, more
viscous, harder to breathe. In direct contrast to the heavy air, her
body grew lighter, till she thought she would float... or swim...
upwards. It was almost like being underwater.
Michiru blinked.
With an near-audible snap the world returned to normal.
Terri gasped and stumbled backwards, tripping over her feet.
Michiru caught her arm, steadied Terri. "Are you all right? No, don't
try to stay standing. Sit down." She guided Terri to one side of the
cabin's door and sat her down against the wall. "What happened? You're
pale! Maybe you should lie back down."
Terri closed her eyes, clenching her hands in an effort to stop
their shaking. 'Why did I react to her like that? It was like being
around Minako and the others. Could Hotaru be telling the truth? Can
Michiru really use magic? But, then, why didn't I react to Hotaru?'
Aloud, she mumbled, "Deep Submerge."
A wave crashed down with a thunderous roar far louder than the
previous ones. Terri opened her eyes, and saw Michiru staring at the
ocean in surprise.
Breathe in.
Hands held at her sides. Balanced on her right leg. Left leg bent,
putting her in the position known as the Reflex Stance. A cold, bitter
wind howled at her, trying to topple her, but she was granite, silent
and immobile.
Breathe out.
Even with her eyes closed, she was aware of the environment around
her. The side of the volcano towered above her on the left, and an
equally steep drop awaited just a few meters to her right. A slip on
the treacherous ice could be fatal, but she was not worried. She was a
redwood, firmly planted and unshakable.
Breathe
She stood like that for a while, unaware of cold or time. Black
hair whipped freely around, the only sign of movement she showed.
Finally, her eyes opened.
in.
And, with no warning cry, no sudden shifting of movement, Rei
launched into her kata.
Her style was unusual, more of a collection of different Arts than
a single one, all of them blended so seamlessly that no one, outside
of an expert, would have ever noticed as she switched from one Art to
the next.
Rei reached the end of her narrow ledge and turned smoothly,
letting her movements take her back to her starting point.
It had been Minako that had taught Rei, although how and when
Minako had developed this unique style Rei did not know. Rei wasn't
even certain she recognized all the styles blended in, although she
certainly recognized aspects of Kickboxing, Aikido, Jujitsu, and
several ones that Rei thought Minako had stolen from video games.
Rei drifted to a stop, and stood in silence, feeling the wind
trying to push her forward. She exhaled. 'I'm too distracted to
practice. Maybe I should apologize to Mako-chan and Ami-chan.'
Involuntarily, an image of an enraged Makoto appeared in her mind's
eye.
'Or... Since I don't want to die, I could wait for Makoto to cool
down some more.' She pushed several strands of sweaty hair out of her
eyes, and shifted back to the Reflex Stance. She'd run through the
kata again, then go apologize.
"Oak Evolution." The words were faint, carried by the wind to Rei's
ears. Rei reacted instinctively, throwing herself forward into a roll.
She came out of it in a half-crouch and spun, facing the way she had
come, scanning the ledges higher up.
No one was there. No attack devastated the ground where she had
been standing. Frowning, Rei stood. When she waited and still nothing
happened, Rei sighed and relaxed. "I'm getting paranoid in my old
age," she muttered.
"Actually, I think you're losing your edge. I'll sharpen it up...
right now."
Shocked, Rei turned, just in time to intercept a straight punch
with her face.
Rei reeled backwards and fell. She felt blood running down her chin
and spat, staining the snow red. She wiped the blood off with the back
of her hand and glared at her attacker.
Makoto's smile was predatory. She cracked her knuckles as she
advanced on Rei. "Personally, I've got nothing against ya, since, ya
know, you were only following Minako-chan's orders. But I still feel
the need to be vindictive on Ami-chan's behalf."
Rei felt her anger flare. 'She wants to play? Fine! I'll play!' She
climbed to her feet. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't
care what you're talking about. I want to see you try and kick my
ass."
Makoto lifted her arms to either side. "Remember, you said it. Not
me... Oak Evolution!"
Rei leaped back, teleported in mid-air. She dropped down on a ledge
overlooking her original one, formed her Flame Sniper, and took aim...
only to find no one there.
Hands grabbed her arm, and she was slammed face first into the
volcano wall. "That's twice you've fallen for the same trick," Makoto
said. The taller woman released Rei and stepped back. "You really
*are* losing your edge."
Rei staggered to one side and nearly fell, only remaining upright
by leaning on the wall. She couldn't focus her eyes properly. "Fool me
once, shame on me," she grated, turning to face Makoto. "Fool me
twice, die by Fire Soul!"
A ring of fire appeared around Makoto and Rei heard Makoto let out
a surprised yell. Rei shoved off from the wall, letting out an angry
shout of her own as she passed harmlessly through the flames and
tackled Makoto. Makoto easily shoved Rei off, both sprang to their
feet and circled each other warily, Makoto sticking as close to the
center of Rei's fire ring as Rei would allow.
A gash had opened in Rei's forehead, just over her right eye, and
the flow of blood was beginning to blind her. As Makoto circled to
Rei's right, a strange half-smile on her face, Rei started to think
that provoking Makoto had been entirely the wrong idea. 'There's
absolutely no way I can beat her hand to hand. I'm gonna get trashed.'
Rei saw Makoto switch her stance, entered her own defensive
posture, and felt the ice begin to slide beneath her feet. She had
only a brief instant to wonder what the Hell was she thinking when she
used her Fire Soul, and then the ice gave way.
Until they expanded out of the main caverns and into the smaller ones,
the Descendents and their followers were forced to put up with cramped
conditions. And although personal space couldn't be afforded right
now, Ami and her crew had blocked off a section for themselves, which
they rigorously defended.
Minako shifted uncomfortably on her cot. 'One thousand years have
gone by and humanity *still* can't make a decent hospital bed.' With a
disgusted growl, she stretched out on her back and flung her right arm
over her eyes. Maybe darkness would help her sleep.
She heard footsteps and listened. Whoever was approaching had an
injury, it sounded like they were limping, rather badly, on their
right leg. The person stopped beside Minako's cot. "Well, I'm glad
somebody gets to lay down on the job," Rei said.
Minako smiled. "Your sarcasm wounds me, Rei-chan. What happened to
you?"
"Mako-chan happened to me," the psychic said, but with more
annoyance than anger. "Ambushed me while I was out doing my kata, and
nearly got the both of us killed when we fell down the side of the
volcano. And when we finally did stop moving, she had the gall to tell
me that I was stupid for blindly obeying *your* orders! What the Hell
did you tell her?"
"That I was the one that made the decision to put that block in
Ami's head."
"That's it?!"
"I told her as much of the truth as she needs to know for now,"
Minako said calmly. "Would you rather I told her the 'why' behind my
decision? Because, if you want me to, I'll tell her everything you
did, right now. Every little dirty detail. And then they'll understand
why I won't take chances with our powers running amok."
She sensed Rei stiffen. "You will never let me forget, will you?"
Rei said softly. "Why?"
"Because so long as you remember what you did, you can't cause
another Chicago."
The silence that followed that statement was one of the most
anguished that Minako had encountered in her life.
Something wet landed on Minako's arm. Before she could brush it
off, she felt Rei's hair sweep across her skin as the other woman sat
down on the ground, her back braced against the cot, her head resting
against Minako's left shoulder. "Dammit, Minako-chan," Rei whispered.
Minako moved her left arm, loosely hugged Rei with it. "I'm sorry,
Rei- chan."
"I hate you." Minako's arm was still getting wet.
Minako removed her other arm from her eyes, and stared up at
nothing. "Sometimes, I hate myself, too."
A short distance from the two women, Ami turned away, silently hoping
that her computer at the Tokyo Tower base hadn't been destroyed by
Venus' invasion. She had some research to do.
Jupiter leaned against the balcony of Her rooms, gazing out at the
city. '*My* city,' She thought with a half-smile. Voices drifted up to
Her, deep in argument. She looked down, where the elaborate gardens
spread out from the base of the Palace. 'Ahh... Venus has returned.'
The Senshi of beauty and the Senshi of magic were knee-deep in a
highly animated 'discussion.'
Although Jupiter could have listened in on the conversation
occurring fifty meters below, She chose not to, instead deciding to
merely watch the outcome.
Eventually, Mars threw Her hands up and stalked into the palace in
either disgust or rage, probably both. Venus glared after Her, shouted
"How *dare* You insinuate that I fear Minako!? Get back here!" and ran
after Mars.
Silence once again descended on the gardens and, after a moment, a
small, yellow-feathered finch landed on the railing. Jupiter
straightened and held out a hand, careful to keep Her movements slow.
The finch, head tilted as it studied the pro-offered hand,
twittered and then, after a moment's hesitation, hopped/flew to
Jupiter's hand.
Jupiter lifted Her other hand, gently stroked the downy head.
The bird suddenly shrilled loudly and took off, spiraling down
towards the gardens. Jupiter frowned slightly as She turned around.
"Must You do that?"
The sunlight failed to fully illuminate the shadowy areas of
Jupiter's room, where a silent figure stood. Even Jupiter's keen eyes
could barely make out the tips of black boots, although the staff was
clearly visible.
Pluto said nothing, Her silence as heavy and thick as a blanket.
Jupiter returned to Her position at the balcony. "We agreed to meet
at the Timegate. Why the change?"
"Events are happening. I wish to observe them." Pluto's voice was
like Her expression, so devoid of emotion that it bordered on cold.
"You could easily do that through that orb of Yours. I repeat, why
the change?"
Again, Pluto said nothing.
Jupiter glanced over Her shoulder, and was startled to see that Her
fellow Senshi now stood only a meter or so away, although Jupiter
hadn't heard Her move. Eyes that reminded Jupiter of congealing blood
bore twin holes into Jupiter's own.
Jupiter looked away swiftly, and silently chided Herself on being
nervous. To cover Herself, She said, "Venus said that Mercury and Ami
have merged into a single being again. Is it true, then? That the
Descendants were originally Our Avatars?"
"If that is what You believe."
Jupiter rounded on Pluto. "What I believe? Tell Me the truth! Are
they?"
Pluto was inscrutable. "Truth is Your providence, Jupiter. Not
Mine."
Again, Jupiter dropped Her gaze first.
Gripping the balustrade tightly, Jupiter said, "They must be
stopped, before it is too late, and stopping Terri is the key to doing
that. Is she still alive?"
Pluto leaned on the balcony next to Jupiter. Her staff was gone. "I
cannot answer that."
"Why not?" Jupiter was aware that She sounded childish, but in the
eyes of Pluto, Jupiter *was* a child.
"Knowing the answer to that question would effect Your future
decisions."
Jupiter's voice was dry. "And We mustn't do anything that changes
the future, must We?" She sobered. "Then tell Me where the Descendents
are."
"No."
Jupiter lost Her temper. "Dammit, Pluto, I didn't call You here to
be told 'No!' I want an answer!"
Pluto straightened abruptly and turned away. She lifted a hand and
grasped Her staff from the air. "Summon Me when Your need is an
important one."
Jupiter growled an oath. "They killed Our Sister!"
Pluto stopped. "Is that supposed be of concern to Me?" Her tone
indicated that She was truly curious.
"Of course it is! Any one of Us could be next, even You!"
Pluto turned Her head slightly. "Death, like Time, is inevitable,
Jupiter. Why do You fight against it?"
Jupiter hesitated, but only briefly. "Because I do not wish to die.
I fear death... because I fear what will happen to Me if I die. I do
not want to become a mere shadow in the background of some human's
mind, like Mercury is now. That place was Hell to Me, and I *refuse*
to return to that existence."
"Was it truly that horrible for Them?" Pluto said, but so quietly
that Jupiter wasn't sure She had heard correctly.
The Senshi of Time almost, but not quite, shook Herself. "I will
tell Mars to prepare to head north, to the D-point. On Your orders, of
course."
Jupiter stared at Pluto's back. "Why Mars?" And why the sudden
change of attitude, but Jupiter refrained from asking that.
"Would You rather that I send Venus? She does not care much for
Minako." The cool detachment was back in Pluto's voice, giving it a
sardonic edge.
"And Her prejudice towards Her counterpart would interfere with
rational thinking," Jupiter said grudgingly. She folded Her arms. "It
is good to see You are cooperating. Her majesty, Queen Serenity, was
beginning to wonder who's side You were on."
Something close to a laugh escaped the elder. "I am, as I have
always been, as I always will be, on the side of Time. That is My only
alliance. Everything else, and everyone else, are merely things to
make My observations that much more interesting." She looked at
Jupiter. "And I wish to observe first hand the very interesting events
that are about to transpire."
Pluto stamped the haft of the staff on the ground, and She was
gone.
