A young girl sat on the edge of a fountain in a park, looking at her reflection in the crystal clear water. Her short black hair covered her face, hiding the pale skin of her cheeks. The girl's fingers curled around the edge of the half-foot wall surrounding the fountain as pain jolted up her spine- How long ago had these strange attacks started? Was she turning back to Mistress Nine? No, Mistress Nine had been defeated long ago, she couldn't come back. But then, the girl realized, this was not pain. This was guilt.
Chibiusa approached cautiously, looking unsure of whether to approach her friend when she saw Hotaru's white knuckles become even whiter. The thin jacket zippered up her front protected her a little from the chilly winter winds that sank into her skin, nearly freezing her completely. "Hotaru?" In an instant the girl straightened and turned around. "Oh, it's just you, Chibiusa."
"Oh, it's just you, Chibiusa." The words sounded simple, and Hotaru instantly regretted saying them as she saw her friend's dissapointed face. "I didn't recognize your voice," she added hastily. When the corners of Rini's mouth twisted upwards in a smile, Hotaru inwardly sighed with relief. She didn't want to offend her only friend.
"It's just... I'm sorry about the photo thing." Chibiusa's eyes turned downcast. She stared at her feet aimlessly, then then she noticed two hands had been placed on her shoulder. She looked up, and found Mamoru looking over her head, his hands placed on her shoulders. Chibiusa followed his gaze, and saw Hotaru, a tear sliding gently down her cheek.
"It was my fault... I didn't bother to check the time. I shouldn't have gotten so worked up." Even though Hotaru's voice was level, another tear slid down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Chibiusa, I feel so guilty. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that over the phone." The Senshi of Silence looked up, but there were no more tears coming. Not at all, nothing. All that was on her face, was a look of sadness, maybe even lonliness. "I'm sorry."
Chibiusa walked towards her friend, leaving Mamoru's hands to drop to his sides as Usagi came up behind them. She sat down next to her friend, and then something happened.
"TAG! You're it!"
Usagi smiled as the two girls began chasing each other around the park. "I don't recall those two being to happy," Mamoru murmured.
"HA! GOTCHA!"
Chibiusa approached cautiously, looking unsure of whether to approach her friend when she saw Hotaru's white knuckles become even whiter. The thin jacket zippered up her front protected her a little from the chilly winter winds that sank into her skin, nearly freezing her completely. "Hotaru?" In an instant the girl straightened and turned around. "Oh, it's just you, Chibiusa."
"Oh, it's just you, Chibiusa." The words sounded simple, and Hotaru instantly regretted saying them as she saw her friend's dissapointed face. "I didn't recognize your voice," she added hastily. When the corners of Rini's mouth twisted upwards in a smile, Hotaru inwardly sighed with relief. She didn't want to offend her only friend.
"It's just... I'm sorry about the photo thing." Chibiusa's eyes turned downcast. She stared at her feet aimlessly, then then she noticed two hands had been placed on her shoulder. She looked up, and found Mamoru looking over her head, his hands placed on her shoulders. Chibiusa followed his gaze, and saw Hotaru, a tear sliding gently down her cheek.
"It was my fault... I didn't bother to check the time. I shouldn't have gotten so worked up." Even though Hotaru's voice was level, another tear slid down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Chibiusa, I feel so guilty. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that over the phone." The Senshi of Silence looked up, but there were no more tears coming. Not at all, nothing. All that was on her face, was a look of sadness, maybe even lonliness. "I'm sorry."
Chibiusa walked towards her friend, leaving Mamoru's hands to drop to his sides as Usagi came up behind them. She sat down next to her friend, and then something happened.
"TAG! You're it!"
Usagi smiled as the two girls began chasing each other around the park. "I don't recall those two being to happy," Mamoru murmured.
"HA! GOTCHA!"