Now I
Lay Me Down
By: Kohan
Rated: PG-13
Chapter 2: Souls in Darkness
Chapter Summary: She hates being lost in memories, especially when they aren't hers.
A/N: I'm sorry for how long it took to get this up for you. Honestly, I had it done awhile ago, but FF.net was being unhappy at me, and not letting me upload this chapter properly.
I've made a few changes to the dates set in the previous chapter. Nothing major, but if something doesn't seem right to you in the future chapters, you might want to check back to clear things up.
***
Biting cold dipped into Tomoe Hotaru's senses as she began to regain consciousness. After what had felt like hours of falling into nothing, Hotaru's mind had blackened and she had fallen into a suspended state of being. Now upon waking, she shivered with cold and weakness, struggling to open her eyes into the unknown.
Gray mist clouded the dark landscape before the fallen girl. As her vision came into focus, Hotaru stood on shaky legs and let her eyes drift over the land before her. She was vaguely aware of motionless, dark shapes in the near vicinity, but her major concern at that time was finding out where she was. It was clear that something had gone wrong with the transportation, but Hotaru was in no state of mind to determine what. Had she been thrust into some type of motionless, timeless limbo? Could she be...dead? She certainly didn't feel dead, and she did, unlike some others, know what death felt like. But what if this was the final deathland?
Hotaru tried to put that thought out of her mind as she moved forward, feeling the air as if it were liquid. Below her was dark, colorless ground, but her bare feet didn't touch it. In fact, not only were her feet bare, but nearly everything else was as well. After a careful looking-over, Hotaru discovered that she was wearing her sailor fuku stripped of all its ornaments. No bows, no tiara, choker or earrings. Her crystal was gone, and she missed its presence desperately. She felt alone and naked, and against her will, a tear slipped from its holding ground and streaked its way down her cheek. Hotaru wiped at it angrily and resumed movement.
Where was she? Where were the others? The scenery showed little information to be had. She was standing on a grassy hill--she hoped it was grass, there was little color in this world, so she couldn't be sure--and behind her, there was blackness for miles, an unnatural clouding fog that ruined her vision and allowed her to see nothing but blank grayness. Before her was a partially ruined cityscape. Broken skyscrapers dotted the horizon, working factories belched steam that was frozen in space, great clouds that billowed in the air without movement or sound. Soft, cold white particles hit Hotaru's face as she moved forward, and upon closer inspection, she saw that they were snowflakes suspended in time.
Hotaru felt like weeping wretchedly, but knew that it would do her little good. Again, she spotted the crumpled figures spaced oddly on her rise. She rushed to one, reason finally hitting her full in the face. The figure was unintelligible in its darkness, but it held the vague shape of a teenage girl. Minako or Rei, Hotaru was sure. She reached out to touch it, but her hand slid over the figure like a magnet repelling its same pole. While she stood and walked two or three inches from the ground, these figures were practically buried into the hilltop. Desperately, Hotaru called out,
"Pluto-san! Setsuna-mama!"
Her voice echoed back to her, dull and queer. The familiar name, used since childhood, slipped from her mouth like butter. Suddenly, her body was wracked with a great sob, and Hotaru crumpled to the ground, unable and unwilling to fight any longer.
"Why are you crying?" A young voice said, so close that Hotaru reeled back, falling awkwardly on her back. "Are you hurt?"
It was a little boy, perhaps only four or five. His face was horridly dirty, but he smiled and his voice was soft. Something in Hotaru's mind chimed, and the pearly white glow of the boy's skin took hold of Hotaru's senses. She was immediatley repelled. A ghost! His anti-life force hit her like a wicked wind and she stood with a gasp and backed away, her own feet tripping her like an enemy.
"What's the matter?" The little boy said, frowning a little. He took a step forward, and Hotaru leapt back again. Without consciously thinking it, she groped for her glaive in hyperspace, but her fingers came away empty.
"Don't come any closer!" She yelled, "Stay back!"
"Why? I'm just trying to help," the child's voice said indignantly. He pouted deeply, but remained where he was. Hotaru watched him for a moment, and when he remained motionless, she took a step forward, studying him closely. She circled him slowly, and then she saw it at the base of his neck. A deep, angry wound that had certainly taken his life.
"What happened to you? How did you die?" She whispered sadly, forgetting her fear for a moment and coming closer. Suddenly, she gasped, a thought like lighting flashing across her mind, "Did you die here? What killed you?!" She looked desperately around, searching for any sign of a dangerous enemy. How could she defend herself if she wasn't able to summon her glaive or use her powers?
The little boy sighed as he sat down, his legs crossed in a butterfly position. "Yes, I died here." He said sadly. "The Gundams attacked a base in Tokyo five years ago, and our house was a block away." He rubbed his legs, and Hotaru saw several small lacerations that dotted the innocent skin. Now that she looked at him properly, Hotaru saw that his face wasn't only dirty, but it was broken with scratches as well.
"...Gundams..." Hotaru creased her brow. Setsuna hadn't said much about the machines, and Hotaru didn't know what to think. How long had this boy been dead? Setsuna had said that the age of the Gundams had passed...what if she'd miscalculated? It was rare for Setsuna to make a mistake, but Hotaru was almost certain that she wasn't supposed to be in this colorless, lifeless world.
"Maybe you should go back now," the boy said, a nervous shadow passing over his face, "you aren't supposed to be here."
"I don't know how to get back." Hotaru replied in a somewhat helpless tone. The boy's face broke a smile that disappeared almost instantly as he looked over his shoulder.
"That's easy!" He whispered, turning back towards her and leaning forward. "All you have to do is wake up! Wake up!"
***
"Wake up, Hota-chan!" Usagi shook Hotaru's shoulders violently, her cries beginning to border on hysteria. How long had Hotaru been out? Usagi had never been a good judge of time, but it was far too long for her comfort. Pluto had warned about the dangers of navigating the Gates of Time, and Usagi somehow wondered if Hotaru's conscious mind had somehow been separated from her traveling body. In a desperate attempt, Usagi reeled back and laid a firm slap on Hotaru's cheek. "Wake up!"
Hotaru's eyes snapped open like blinds quickly reeling into a wall. Dark, black pupils slowly returned to their original size, and Usagi heaved a sigh of relief. Beside her, Usagi heard Ami whisper 'thank goodness' softly to herself through chattering teeth. The others were standing nearby as well, and now that Hotaru was awake and safe, hopefully they could move out of the cold, snowy weather that had fallen over the land.
"Are you all right?" Usagi asked Hotaru. The younger girl looked disoriented and confused, but she nodded quickly and stood on trembling legs. Usagi rubbed her arms fiercely to warm up and turned towards the city--Tokyo, it had to be--facing the wind and driving snow. Snow that had only come down harder since their arrival, Usagi noticed, and she hoped that it wasn't a bad sign. Pluto hadn't mentioned that they would be arriving in the middle of winter, and none of them were dressed for it.
"Is t-that Tokyo?" Minako asked as she held herself tightly, staring at the cityscape that lay before them. Usagi took a few shaky steps forward to come and stand at her friend's side. If it was Tokyo, it was a sad sight indeed. The city of Usagi's life looked so unfamiliar that she shuddered at the sight of it. Every building was new to her, though some appeared old and ravaged, even broken. Usagi knew that war had passed, but she hadn't expected devastation on so high a scale. It was painful to look at.
"It appears that many of the buildings have structure damage," Ami said, "I wish that Sailor Pluto had told us more."
"Can we just go?" Rei said impatiently, her eyes glassy and shaded. "I'd rather not die out here while you three stand and talk."
"Rei's right, we've got to find shelter." Makoto said, and began leading the way down the hill. Without complaint or comment, the others followed her into the outskirts of the city, where the snow began to abate and the wind was harder to detect.
The outer city lent little comfort to the girls, however, even despite the lessened elements and promise of shelter. Most of the buildings that appeared to have sustained the most damage lined the outer city, and small fires still burned in garbage heaps and large fire bins. Around these flames, rumpled, broken citizens gathered to warm their hands and various body parts. They leered at the girls as they passed nervously, and each senshi felt the lean gazes like pinpricks. Usagi latched onto Rei's arm, and though the raven haired girl gave a mighty glare, she didn't try to pull away.
"Just smile and walk away, ne? Yours to yours and ours to ours!" One particularly dirty outer city citizen yelled from behind a flaming garbage bin. His eyes locked on the small case that Makoto carried in her right hand. Setsuna had given them the briefcase with a small warning to spend the money wisely. There wasn't much, and she wouldn't be able to send more for a long time. Usagi herself was grateful for any help that she had given them, but she knew that the case was like lifeblood for them. Hopefully it wouldn't be quick to run out.
The senshi didn't stay to wonder at the man, but picked up their pace and hurried on. As they finally passed a semi-ruined building, the fires disappeared and the streets became clearer and cleaner. The entire atmosphere changed as the girls passed out of the slums, and everyone became visibly more relaxed. Usagi dropped Rei's arm and slowed her pace to look at what had become of Tokyo, her city, her home.
"It's so different, Minna-san..." she whispered, slowing down and gazing about herself like a lost child. Rei frowned and grabbed her by the arm, frowning as she pulled her along. "Hey!" Usagi protested, but the other girl paid little mind to her indignant shouts. They plowed blindly forward in the softly falling snow. Though there were people about, no one stopped to look at or question the senshi about their strange state of undress.
"All right, stop, Minna!" Ami finally shouted in the middle of an empty street. "Where are we going? We're wandering aimlessly in the middle of a future Tokyo that we know nothing about. It's cold, it's snowing, and everyone but Usagi, Rei and Hotaru are dressed in pajamas." She put a hand to her temple and rubbed for a moment, breathing heavily, "We need to find some place to stay, and I'm pretty sure we can't just waltz up to a random apartment complex and ask if they have any apartments available."
"Ami-san..." Hotaru said quietly, "what about 'Gami no apato'?" She pointed to a large billboard that, though it had a mal-formed corner, was clearly new. Large, bold black print stared back at the six girls, and below it, a long, area phone number. Usagi finally broke the silence with a loud, happy sigh.
"Good work, Hota-chan." She said, her spirits high once more. Her face in a peaceful, pleased smile, Usagi pranced up to Makoto and took hold of the small, black briefcase that Sailor Pluto had given them. Makoto let her take it without complaint, and the girls watched blankly as Usagi approached a small phone booth, clearly planning to call the number and negotiate.
Negotiate. The thought hit Ami like a loud, silver bell.
"Usagi!!!" In a fit of enthusiasm, Ami had apprehended the shorter girl and acquired the briefcase with relative ease. Composing herself and ignoring Usagi's shocked look, Ami cleared her throat. "I'll take care of it, if you don't mind."
Usagi seemed to think that this was fine, and followed Ami into the phone booth. In fact, everyone tried to follow Ami into the phone booth, but only Usagi and Minako were able to squeeze in. Needless to say, it was quite uncomfortable. Ami dialed the number roughly and was relieved to hear the sharp ring, something that at least sounded familiar to her.
"Is it ringing?" Usagi asked loudly, but Ami shushed her just before a woman's voice answered the phone with a upbeat 'Moshi moshi?'
***
Outside the phone booth, Rei, Makoto and Hotaru watched the skies for any signs of a letup in the snow. They were dark and gray with clouds, and if anything, the snow seemed to be getting heavier.
"I hope we can get an apartment." Makoto said through clenched teeth, her hands working quickly on her shoulders and upper arms to draw some heat into her limbs, "And something to eat," she added quickly. Rei nodded her agreement, her lips drawn into a firm, pale line. She seemed to be unable to articulate her thoughts due to the cold, and Makoto knew how she felt. She didn't feel much like talking, herself.
Hotaru peered into the phone booth, which had become slightly fogged inside. Her thin frame looked strange against the bulkiness of the booth, and her stern expression made her presence even more odd. Her stony attitude made Makoto shiver. Hotaru's happy light, which she had retained since her childhood with Michiru, Haruka and Setsuna, seemed to have disappeared upon their arrival to New Tokyo. Makoto found that she missed it. As Hotaru pulled away from the booth, her eyes were hooded and her face tepid, almost brooding. Makoto shivered once again.
"Something's wrong with this city," Hotaru said quietly, but before either of the girls could question her, the booth door flew open and Usagi and Minako practically fell out of the tall box-like structure. Ami, more collected, walked out and stepped over a random limb with a self-satisfied, relieved smile.
"Not only did I get us one apartment, but the Realtor said that one tenant had just been evicted this morning, and that we could have the adjoining one as well."
"Can we afford that?" Makoto asked, biting her lip. She had no idea how much apartments would cost here, but in her own time--Past Tokyo, as she had come to think of it--it was nearly impossible to find one, let alone afford it. Ami sobered slightly at Makoto's worried look, but appeared undaunted. Behind her, Minako and Usagi collected themselves and stood up, brushing the snow from their wrinkled, overworn clothes.
"For awhile," Ami said, "we might have to find some source of income."
"Don't worry, Minna-san," Usagi said, coming to join the circle that had formed, "I'm sure we won't be here that long."
As Makoto looked around the circle of faces, heads nodded, and she found herself agreeing slowly as well. Hotaru's eyes, no longer dark and shaded, sparked with life once again at Usagi's admonition. The spark faded as Hotaru looked down and then quickly to the outer limits of the city. Makoto suddenly felt a wave of doubt emitting from Hotaru, and it pierced her own heart as well. Would the Mamoru raised here be susceptible to Usagi's steadfast love? Could anyone here, after so much war and treachery, be melted?
***
The loud slap of a newspaper on wood made Rei jump nearly an inch into the air. She wasn't normally such an edgy person, but the week had been riddled with pins and needles. Everyone was on edge or downtrodden, not only because of the lack of a happy atmosphere, but for other missing things as well. The apartments were quiet and empty, save for a few rickety chairs and cheap bedding that the group had managed to attain. Lack of sleep was making them all irritated, and the loud snap had done little for Rei's mood.
"I'm enrolling here. I'm going to take the entrance exams." Hotaru said as Rei looked up into her level, violet eyes, "Tomorrow." She gestured to the paper, and under two nimble fingers, Rei saw the ad to which Hotaru was referring. Darrian Daigaku. The fire senshi raised an eyebrow and looked across the table at the smaller girl, who had sat down in the only other chair in the small kitchen area.
"What's the point? We're going to be gone by the time April comes anyway." Rei said, though she wasn't sure she believed that herself. Her eyes must have shown something of her doubt, because Hotaru snorted. A quick puff of air that rushed out of her nose and made Rei feel extremely irritated.
"It's been a week, and we haven't even found a trace of Mamoru-san." Hotaru said, "I can't wait forever to start an education, or a career--not to mention, finding more out about this place--and who knows how long it will take Usagi-san to get Mamoru-san to fall in love with her? I know you all think she's some sort of miracle love worker, but she's human, just like--"
"You?" Rei said, her eyes penetrating deep into Hotaru's own. The girl's gaze didn't shift downards or falter, though her cheeks did color slightly.
"Well...that's still up for debate," she muttered softly, though Rei heard her all the same. Abruptly, the girl stood. "I've got something important to do," she announced, the conviction back in her voice. "I'm...going out for awhile." She appeared to hesitate, but after a moment quickly turned and disappeared from Rei's view.
Rei heard the door shut quietly, and she sighed and sat back in her chair. Her eyes rolled upwards to the ceiling, which was in disrepair and water-spotted. "It's not like we could afford it, anyway." She muttered to herself, glad that Hotaru wasn't around to hear. Rei knew they would all likely have to find jobs, or wait for a miracle giver if they wanted anything more than the necessities.
Rei sighed heavily and thought back to Hotaru. The girl had planted the seed of doubt in her mind, though Rei knew deep down that it wasn't Hotaru's fault that she was beginning to worry. She had no reason to believe that Usagi couldn't do what she set out to do, but there were so many attributes working against her. New Tokyo was smaller than Past Tokyo had been, and none of them even knew where to start...
A loud knock sounded on the door, and Rei sat up, stunned for the second time that evening. Glancing around her once, she rose swiftly and walked to the entryway. Rei's hand hovered over the knob. Who would be calling on them? No one but Setsuna knew they were here...Rei suddenly wished for a peep hole. But there was none, and she had nothing further to do but turn the knob and open the door. Hesitantly, she did so.
"Finally!" The presence in the door shook icy rain from the dark coat he or she was wearing, "You girls have a hell of a lot of explaining to do!"
Rei swallowed nervously as she stepped aside to allow the figure passage into the apartment. The presence of Tenou Haruka suddenly filled the room, and Rei bit her lip. She suddenly had a bad feeling.
***
A/N: Sorry to all you Hiiro/Usagi hopefuls. Like I said, this story is Mamoru/Usagi. And when I say Mamoru/Usagi, I mean Mamoru/Usagi. If the time in here is confusing, I'm sorry. I know I skip a lot of time, not only in the beginning of the chapter, but in the mid section. These times are not important, and that's why I did it. I hate posting/adding things that don't drive the plot, and the time that I skipped was just that. Busywork, if you would. Busyreading. Busywriting. Whatever.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! Please review this one as well :D
