4: Meandering Memories
Towel drying her hair after her shower, she glanced in the mirror in her room as she passed it. It took a moment to register.
Whirling around to the place the mirror reflected, she saw nothing. Turning to the mirror itself was her reflection.
Her reflection had reddish brown hair that came to her chin, though shorter now that it was wet. Her eyes were wide enough to see all around the brown orbs edge. She was wearing her school uniform, though it had the look of a wilted flower.
Her second reflection had a shimmering glow around her, neither black nor white, but still there, barely perceptible. She looked much the same, a pleasurable smile around her, despite the dark air that hung heavy as a cloak about her shoulders. Her green eyes glittered, and her hair was long enough that it lay on the ground, seven strings of white beads strung into it. She wore a simply cut, yellow silk dress that fit her frame well.
Tori stole another glance over her shoulder. Nothing there. She bit back the fear the tried to engulf her. Now what have I done wrong...? Is this for getting angry?
The reflection gave a reassuring smile. "No, you're not in trouble."
Tori's mouth went dry. She could hear this one right off the bat? "What...what...do you want of me?" She sputtered. "If you want life, I can't give you that."
The reflection gave her another reassuring smile, throwing her red-brown hair over her shoulder, letting it cascade down her back. Taking a deep breath, she leaned forward slightly, resting her hand atop Tori's mirrored shoulder. The girl could feel the chill of it. "In a few days time, there will be a ball. You are to attend."
Tori blinked, shocked. Her? Attend a formal ball? That was worse than asking to live. She wanted to laugh in the reflections face. What right did this figment of her early morning imagination have to tell her what she was of was not going to do?
Sensing the resentment to the order, the reflection crossed her arms over her chest, one eyebrow quirked in question. 'Figment', eh? "You are going." The reflections eyes narrowed dangerously. "Whether you want to, or not."
Tori opened her mouth to let loose a biting retort, when something stopped her. That restless energy within her rose to take control of her muscles. A prisoner in her own body.
Her body turned without permission and her hand reached for the hairbrush. The reflection now overlapped her own with a transparent quality that frightened her. "You know, I didn't want to do that to you." The reflection paused, then sternly said, "But you are going to this ball."
In the very back of her own mind, Tori spoke out, fright clearly imprinted on her voice. "Why do you want this? What are you going to do?"
Her mouth formed a sad smile. "I just want you to be happy." The reflection relinquished control of her body.
As her senses came back to Tori, she realized that she was lying on her bed, having fallen straight backwards, the brush still in her hands.
"Well?" the reflection quipped.
Muttering out of the room about pests of imaginations, Tori continued her daily routine, staying far enough away from the mirror as to be conspicuous. She positively brimmed with anger, though not so mach as she had had in the past few days. Her hands shook--she didn't just feel angry.
She didn't notice how the vase in the living space repaired itself after she knocked it over with her lunch box, or, in fact, that her lunch and breakfast had already been put together. All she noticed was how the something inside her was trying to make itself seem as inconspicuous as possible.
Still grumbling, she headed out for school.
She didn't notice how her pencil kept correction itself all day--in her handwriting nonetheless--but did notice that when left unattended in her desk, it would write questions. Feeling that she didn't have to read (or for that matter answer) such things, she left her pencil on her desktop.
Danku slid her fingers through her black hair with blue highlights. "Leave Lady to me."
"Midori..." More of a whispered whine than anything else. "This...can't be it..." Her voice took on a pleading tone. "It just can't be!"
Midori, the one of green eyes and hair, continued to survey their surroundings before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath of stale air. "Ah, but it is, Chibimoon." She opened her eyes and her line of a mouth twisted into a wry smile. She looked absolutely evil, with that odd smile, an odd breeze pulling at her green skirt and lighter green bows. She took another long draft of air. "Silver Millennium." Another long and slow, evil smile. "My mother lived her."
Sailorchibimoon tensed, ready for the explosion of cold fury that was so common in her cold friend. Mid didn't talk much, but woe-be-you if you managed to bring this topic to the surface.
Midori noticed Chibimoon tense--how could she not?--and turned an oddly friendly smile to her. "Don't worry. I won't loose it this time." Sadly, she ran her fingers across the stone that had collected so much dust. "I have spent so much time here already..." Her voice grew quiet and was laced with a subtle anger. "I have realized that it wasn't their fault."
Chibimoon wondered at Sailormidori's new quiet ways. What was she talking about? 'Their fault', she had said, but who did that pertain to? She knew very little of Midori's past, but enough to know that it was scared enough for both Sailorpluto and Neo Queen Serenity to agree that granting Sailormidori's wish. That wish was to leave the Court of New Millennium, and to guard the ruins of the past Silver Millennium. It seemed therapeutic at least.
Midori turned to her with a sad smile. "They are calling me back, aren't they?"
Chibimon blink and it took her a second to process that question. Her eyes grew large as she grasped the topic. "No!" she shouted, not fully realizing how loud her outburst would ricochet off of the broken stone. After wincing, she continued. "They said..." she paused to take out a copy of the her message that had been tucked just inside the pink collar of her fuku. She opened her mouth to read it aloud, then shrugged and handed the parchment over.
She took the note with foreboding. It was in the Queen's own messy hand. Important then. Sailormidori--
This paper has been infused a spell into that shall allow the instant communication between our time and yours. Chibiusa has no idea. Don't tell her. There is something going on that has an effect on our time. Even Sailorpluto is clueless as to what. Go to Earth and research.
Take care. Send her back. Now. She took a deep breath as that message was replaced by another, the one that Chibimoon saw. It is thought in the best interest you stay at Silver Millennium.
--NQS Midori nodded and fixed a smile to her face as she looked at Chibimoon. "So why don't you go back and tell them I'm behaving myself?"
Chibimoon blinked, once again caught totally off guard. How had Midori known that she had been sent to see if she'd gotten any better, of how her mother had insisted that Sailorchibimoon should go and deliver the parchment herself, instead of just having it come through a cloud as was customary.
Unconscious of her own actions, Chibimoon gave a small tug on the chain that held her Time Key. She gave Midori a smile. "Sure, I'll tell them you haven't killed anything lately." She watched the stormy look that passed over Sailormidori's face.
Her voice was flat, completely devoid of any emotion. "I don't kill things, C-Moon."
Chibimoon froze. She knew that tone, and saw how impassive Sailormidori's face was, her eyes neon green glass. The look was forcefully shoved away a second later, eyes closing to concentrate on controlling herself. "Sorry C-Moon."
Chibimoon's crimson eyes flared open with surprise. Midori...apologized?!
Midori winced at the look of utter disbelief on the others face.
Chibimoon slipped the chain above her head and played with the chain. "I guess I'd better go back." Her voice was tinged with sorrow.
Midori just nodded, willing time to tick by slower. She was saddened by the fact that Chibimon had to go so soon. Her only friend. Her smile faltered. "Hey...take care, okay?"
Chibimoon turned back, the Key already high above her head. She shot Midori a winning smile. "Of course." With that, Sailorchibimoon, princess Small Lady of New Millennium, disappeared in a puff of pink smoke.
For a few minutes, Midori just stood there, not sure of what she had just seen. Numbly, she stumbled back to her room, the only guestroom that still stood. Once there, she sat on her bed heavily, her face in her hands, not minding the little picture that had found its was under her shoe.
She had seen through the very tips of Sailorchibimoon's pink boots.