3: A Time of Shadows
He went through the motions of life without noticing that his hands were guided by another.
Akihiro didn't understand. When could he have know her?
Later, he walked to the park, still oddly pondering his puzzle he felt he would never be rid off. Looking over the lake, he could see the golden sun extinguishing itself in it's waters.
Sitting down to fully enjoy is beauty, he began to notice how quiet it was, the sound of the water lapping against the shore making for a serene background.
"It was beautiful back then, too." Akihiro looked around to see who had spoken. "Everything I can remember from that time was of silver, gold, and crystal." There was a wistful tone in the voice. Akihiro could see now who had spoken, and wasn't quite sure of what he was seeing.
Against the tree to his immediate right, stood a figure cloaked in the typical armor of those in the picture books he had read as a child. His image seemed patched and frayed, his solidness shifting like water under glass. He gave a smile to Akihiro to try to put him at ease, the yellow diamond eyes glinting in the retreating sunlight.
"Who...who are you?" Akihiro wasn't sure if the spirit could hear him, let alone understand him. If he was even there.
The spirit gave a wry smile. "Who I am is no longer of concern since I am a person that no longer needs a name." The spirit paused for intended humor. "You, however, are the future."
Akihiro just stared, dumbfounded, not quite sure if the spirit had definitely spoken. An odd look passed over the spirits face, then he bowed and was gone.
Akihiro sat by waters edge for awhile, as if waiting could bring the spirit back. Finally, he sighed and trudged home, burdened with even more things to plague his mind.
Peace. She sought peace.
Finding herself drawn to the park, she fairly flew to escape the stifling air. She settled down on a bench with the setting sun to her back. She then heard something that made her skin prickle on the back of her neck.
"You, however, are the future."
Her eyes flared open with recognition. Hiro! She crept a little ways and saw Hiro's twin sitting on the bench. She gave a wide smile. He's been reborn!
She suppressed the urge to rush out and give him a hug. She tried to shove that part of her away. She knew who he was, but did he? Would he recognize her? Did she look the same?
Reluctantly, she retreated to the lakes edge and took in her mirrors reflection. She drew back instantly. The only thing she had glimpsed was the symbol of the Black Moon. The thing prickled uncomfortably as if knowing its existence was being thought about.
Steadying herself, she gazed into the water again. The eyes that peered back at her were a brown-almost black, a slight smile shimmering onto the mouth of the reflection. In fact, the reflection winked at her and pointed mockingly at it's forehead. A second later, the blemishing symbol faded to a gray. The reflection then turned back into her own. As Grace frowned, so did the mirrored surface.
The white silk crepe of her gown flowed into her face as she stooped down at the ponds edge. Wishing it away, she noticed that her hair was black, pieces of silver standing out beautifully in the ankle length stream, with seven strings of red beads braided into the mix. Gazing approvingly at the water, she tied its silkiness back from her face with a matching white ribbon. Smiling for the first genuine time in many a century, she turned towards the way that led to Osa-P.
She received many an odd look as she walked-or skipped-down the sidewalk. She couldn't suppress the certain bounce in her step as she rounded the corner. Then she hesitated, not knowing what to do.
The dark energy was stronger here than it had been in the park. It was drawing her forward, wanting to send her as much of its evil energy as her soul could contain. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone run her way, then dart into the jewelry store.
With a start, she realized who it was, but only after the figure hade slipped inside. "Serenity?"
Serenity had been reborn too? The rest of those Senshi must have been reborn in this period too...the always did walk together, no matter their differences. She glared at the wall. They would stand by their princess.
Now that she thought about it, it made sense for them all to be reborn now. Their births were separated in time from each other...or glued to it. And isn't unheard of for Pluto to transport the wayward solider home, she thought with a wry smile.
Grace needed to get in there. Now. She knew care had to be taken. If anyone saw the mark on her forehead and knew what it meant...she wouldn't stand a chance. She no longer had any power.
Flattening her hair onto her forehead, she crept into the darkened building without anyone noticing her. She was a creature of the dark, she realized with a tint of sadness. She had forgotten how easy it was to navigate in the shadows.
She hissed with displeasure when Serenity proclaimed her identity as 'Sailormoon' and the Youma summoned those it had bent to its will. Highly surprised she watched as 'Tuxedo Kamen' put in an appearance too.
Watching him make his exit, she felt, more than saw, someone to her left start for him.
Hiro.
Turning towards him, she noted that he was only barely visible to her eyes, not as clear as his image before had been. "They won't see you," she whispered, snagging ahold of his cape.
Startled, Hiro turned around. To say the least, Hiro had been going through buildings, signs, and the like all day. To actually feel something prohibiting his movement forward shocked him. To see a very much solid Grace looking at him and not through him made him let out a yelp of surprise. The fact that she was still holding onto his rather transparent cape was still yet another matter.
"Silent...? How..? But..." His words stumbled over each other in shock.
She sighed deeply. "Hiro...I'm Grace. Not Sih." A wistful smile contorted her lips before her eyes flickered to where Sailormoon and Tuxedo Kamen had been. The smile then faded as worry replaced it. "It appears that both Serenity and Endymion have been reborn. It stands to reason that the other Sailor Senshi of the Solar System have been reborn this cycle."
His eyes flickered to the gray symbol on her forehead. "Do they remember anything?"
She sighed again and leaned against the wall. "I don't think so. Did you see how Serenity had to be told what to do, to stay on track? Endymion didn't seem to know her either."
"If the other Senshi have been reborn," Hiro said slowly, "how come they weren't here? Surely they wouldn't leave their princess to fight alone."
Grace gave a wry smile. "I've been watching the papers. No one expect 'Sailor V' has been topside."
"Sailor V?" He threw her a confused look.
"Venus." She gave another wry smile. "Solo work always did seem to be her forte." A troubled look then settled onto her face.
"What is it?" he asked, automatically talking a step closer.
She pulled out a faded newspaper clipping out of the folds of silk. Handing it out for him to see, she explained. "That is one of the pictures the reporters have captured of Sailor V."
Placidly gazing at the picture, he noticed one thing -- the symbol of the White Moon on her forehead. Looking up, he understood the sad look on Grace's face. "Decoy?" He got a nod in reply. "Well, what are we going to do?"
Grace shrugged and simply said, "Nothing." At his look of utter disbelief, she continued. "I have only enough power to maintain this form." She rubber her temples, fighting the roaring headache that was suddenly approaching. "Maybe less," she whispered. "At any rate, we have to wait for them to find us." At his almost rebellious look, she continued once again. "I highly doubt even you would be able to protect me if they got it in their heads to kill me. You're not even semi-solid."
Highly aggravated, he crossed his arms over his chest. "So? It's not my fault. How come you get to be solid?"
She rubbed her temples again to try to chase away the pain that her head had been ensnared in. Twisted inside, brilliantly burning... A part of her cried with pain before the other half could push it away. She took in a deep breath as the pain subsided, as the pain in the old scar in her back faded.
"Sih?"
Yes? apart of her asked. Hiro? Why do you look so afraid?
Because he loves you, the other part of Grace mocked.
Stop it!
Why? It's fun to mock you. The tone grew sorrowful. It's the only think I can do well...
Grace pulled herself back together, and with a tightened smile that fooled no one, said, "See you later." She watched as he smiled and faded before walking out the door.
She didn't see the red haired girl that fell into step behind her. Her mind was still at war. Didn't notice as a girl with dark crimson hair-the color of blood-followed a step behind that, or even as two more came after that.
The last thing she knew was the burning in her back.