Sailor Moon
"Reflections of a Red Rose"
By: NeoMoon
Rated: PG-13
Chapter Seventeen:
Usa smiled and broke away from Hotoru. "Let's not worry about that now alright." She said to
them, as she looked down at the gown she was wearing. "Right now lets think about getting me
into something more comfortable." Her smile grew. "I really don't know how mother can wear
these all the time." She said shaking her head.
She looked over at Setsuna the stunned look still on the woman's face. "Umm - You all right?"
Setsuna shook her head, and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, it's just that you really grown."
"So what are you here to stop?" Came a cold voce from behind her.
Usa turned, barely hearing Micheru's whispered gasp, and smiled. "Haruka!" She said cheerfully
and went to run over to the woman but was stopped by Hotoru, who had grabbed her arm.
"Tell me Princess, what are you here to stop?"
"Haruka!" Usa laughed. "Come on I said I would explain later."
"Explain now!" Haruka screamed rage exploding from her.
Usa stepped carefully back, closer to Setsuna and Micheru.
"What do you want Haruka?" Micheru asked stepping forward.
Haruka smiled, but it was cold, none of the warmth that Usa remember there. "I want the child to
answer me." Haruka said coldly. "I want to find a cure."
"A cure!" Micheru yelled, the fullness of her emotions finally bared. "Damn it Haruka, I was
infected just like you, and I'm not running around all crazed! You can fight it!"
"Micheru?" Usa whispered. She was crying. Why was Micheru crying?
Haruka's cold smile grew. "No you can't fight it, but don't worry love, I'll find us a cure."
Her smile fell away, leaving only a tired haunted look. She turned and started walking away.
"I'm doing this for you." She said as she disappeared into the trees.
Usa ran over to Micheru catching the woman before she fell. Lowering herself to her knees she
held her tight, letting Micheru cry.
"Its alright." She whispered to her friend then turned to the others. "What going on here?"
Rei sighed as she stood, her eyes never leaving the dancing flames. "Why won't you speak to me?"
She whispered as she bent down to grab a towel. "Why can't discern the truth." The flames shot
up around her covering the whole room, the walls, the ceiling, everything burning. She looked
down at herself, her body too was covered in flame, she went to scream but smoke rushed into her
lungs choking her. She fell to the floor trying to breath, darkness slowly taken over her
vision.
She gasped in air as her eyes shoot open. All around her destruction, the Tokyo Tower the only
thing that stood undamaged hovered on the horizon. Again she walked, her feet tripping over
creaked yellowed bones, the landscape around moving to fast as if she in a car. She took it all
in, anything that she could see she took in.
Again she stood before the throne of skulls, again the raven haired man, the man she knew as
Mamoru sat there staring at her, his blood stained sword resting between his legs, its hilt held
in his hands like a cane. She tried to breath she knew what was coming; she knew she was about
to die.
The ground shook and behind the throne of skulls crosses of bone sprang from the earth, eight in
all. She stepped back in horror as she saw at the bodies that hung from the crosses, they were
her friends, all of them in their senshi forms hanging lifeless behind the throne of skulls, the
raven haired man laughed as another cross slowly emerged from the earth. On it was a tall, pink
haired girl, her uniform was in ruin, her body almost totally exposed. The girl looked up, her
red eyes piercing into Rei soul, she knew this girl.
"Lillith." The girl said her voice harsh and dry. "Lillith is the key."
The world spun, again the blood stained sword came at her, again her head left her body, and
slowly she watched as the world of skulls and bones disappeared into the darkness that death
brought.
"Chibi Usa!" Rei screamed as she jumped up in her bed, her eyes not even registering where she
was. Franticly she stood, gasping for air, as she looked. "Chibi-Usa!"
A dream. Her mind told her as she slumped down on her bed. She gasped again, as tears began to
well in her eyes. "Oh god what's going on?" She mumbled as she buried her face in her hands.
Minako sighed as she flopped down in chair her feet were killing her. She looked up at the
lights in the club. She smiled, this is where she belonged, dancing, having a good time, this
was how she wanted it.
Sighing again she stood, and looked at her watch, it was getting late she should be heading home,
but first she wanted to check on something.
Pushing her way through the mass of dancing bodies she made her way to the door and opening it
slowly walked down into the darkness.
"How are you holding up?" Asked the familiar voice.
Makoto looked over at were the food had been slid through earlier, and laughed. "I'd be better
if I wasn't stuck in here.
"I'm sorry about that, but it's necessary, you wouldn't understand."
"Who are you?" Makoto asked as she picked herself off the floor and walked over to the door. "I
mean why did you do this?"
Silence.
"Are you still there?"
"I said it was necessary." The voice said again, it sounded sad. "It had to be done."
"Why?"
"Because!" Was the only answer.
Makoto sighed as she heard hurried footfalls fade away.
The lights of the city washed over her as she stared out at them. Sighing she leaned back into
the plush seat of the car and looked over at Hotoru, who staring at her. "It's been awhile."
She said softly to her friend.
Hotoru shook her head. "Only a year or two."
Usa almost laughed. "Try five, I've been so busy that I could make it back to visit."
Hotoru smiled. "Don't worry about it. You're here now."
Yeah, I guess that's true." Usa said sadly and turned away to watch the city move by her again.
Father what did you send me into? She thought.
"Is there anything you need?" Came Setsuna from the front of the car, breaking Usa out of her
thoughts. She looked up and shook her head. "Besides clothes, nothing really, I do need to see
Mamo-chan though."
"Why's that?" Micheru asked leaning over the passenger side seat to look at her.
"That's what father said. That I would understand once I visited him in the past."
Micheru nodded, and turned back around. "Well you heard the girl Setsuna, to Mamoru's."
Mamoru stood, his mind still reeling with what Chi had said. Finally he laughed. "Yeah well now
you're my little sister, so don't be thinking you can boss me around." He smiled and started out
of the living room. "I'm a little tired." He said as left, disappearing into his room.
Usagi looked at Chi, then back to the hallway that her love disappeared into. Patting Chi's leg
she stood up. "I think he took it well." She smiled. "I'll go see."
"Mamo-chan?" Usagi said lowly as she opened the door into his room.
"Come in Usako." Her love sighed.
She walked into the room slowly and over to the bed. She smiled as she laid down next to him.
"You okay." She said, running her hand through his hair.
Mamoru sighed and rolled over to look at her, a soft smile on his face. "Too much is going on
Usako, I don't know if I can handle anymore of it."
Usagi smiled and kissed his cheek. "Trust me Mamo-chan, if anyone in the world can handle it,
its you." She smiled warmly and sat up, nudging him to sit up with her.
Mamoru wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned deep into his chest, she couldn't help it, it
felt so natural. She tilted her head to look at him, seeing that he was staring down at her, and
giggled.
"What?" Mamoru asked, wrapping his arms tighter around her.
Usagi smiled and closed her eyes letting the soft sound of his beating heart calm her. "Nothing,
you're just so cute."
Usa looked up at the large apartment building and took in a deep breath. She never thought going
to see Mamoru would be so difficult. She tilted her head to her side a little, bringing Hotoru
into view. Her friend smiled assuredly. Usa smiled back and expelling the breath she started
toward the building, her friends following behind her. I really should have changed first. She
thought
"Huh?" Usa said stunned as she looked at the old balding man standing in the doorway, his belly
extending into the hallway.
"Yeah that's right, he moved out about four days ago." The man said gruffly, obviously annoyed
to be interrupted. Usa's eyes shoot down to the magazine the man was holding and decided she
really didn't want to know what she was interrupting.
She smiled nervously, and did her best not to back away from the man. "Can - Can you tell mw
were he moved too?" She asked as kindly as she possibly could.
The man grumbled and disappeared into the apartment, reappearing a few seconds later with a
grease stained paper. "Here, it's his new address. Keep so I can be left alone.
Usa smiled and started to say thank you but the door had already been slammed. "Rude pervert!"
Yelled, and started down the hall Hotoru by her side. "Really!" She exclaimed. "Did you see
the book he was holding? Isn't that illegal!"
Hotoru nodded, and smiled evilly. "Don't tempt me, remember who you talking to."
Usa laughed and shook her head. "I think the world could use one less pervert."
She looked over to see her friend start to turn and quickly grabbed her shoulder. "I really
don't think the world is ready for an encore performance from Saturn." She said quietly.
Hotoru shrugged, and kept walking beside her friend.
Usa looked at the number on the greasy piece of paper then back up at the door for what seemed
like the millonith time. Finally she raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door.
"No one's going to here that." Hotoru said from behind her.
"Coming!" Came a woman's voice from inside.
The door opened slowly and a tall young woman stepped into view, her short dark hair disappearing
into the shadows of the doorway.
"Can I help you?" The woman said nicely.
"Who are you?" Usa blurted out before she could think.
"Chi." The woman said, her eyes starting to narrow.
Usa shook her head and smiled. "I'm sorry I though Mamoru Chiba lived here."
Chi smiled, and nodded. "He does. I'm his sister. Are you a friend of his?"
"Sister?" Was all Usa could manage to say.
"Reflections of a Red Rose"
By: NeoMoon
Rated: PG-13
Chapter Seventeen:
Usa smiled and broke away from Hotoru. "Let's not worry about that now alright." She said to
them, as she looked down at the gown she was wearing. "Right now lets think about getting me
into something more comfortable." Her smile grew. "I really don't know how mother can wear
these all the time." She said shaking her head.
She looked over at Setsuna the stunned look still on the woman's face. "Umm - You all right?"
Setsuna shook her head, and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, it's just that you really grown."
"So what are you here to stop?" Came a cold voce from behind her.
Usa turned, barely hearing Micheru's whispered gasp, and smiled. "Haruka!" She said cheerfully
and went to run over to the woman but was stopped by Hotoru, who had grabbed her arm.
"Tell me Princess, what are you here to stop?"
"Haruka!" Usa laughed. "Come on I said I would explain later."
"Explain now!" Haruka screamed rage exploding from her.
Usa stepped carefully back, closer to Setsuna and Micheru.
"What do you want Haruka?" Micheru asked stepping forward.
Haruka smiled, but it was cold, none of the warmth that Usa remember there. "I want the child to
answer me." Haruka said coldly. "I want to find a cure."
"A cure!" Micheru yelled, the fullness of her emotions finally bared. "Damn it Haruka, I was
infected just like you, and I'm not running around all crazed! You can fight it!"
"Micheru?" Usa whispered. She was crying. Why was Micheru crying?
Haruka's cold smile grew. "No you can't fight it, but don't worry love, I'll find us a cure."
Her smile fell away, leaving only a tired haunted look. She turned and started walking away.
"I'm doing this for you." She said as she disappeared into the trees.
Usa ran over to Micheru catching the woman before she fell. Lowering herself to her knees she
held her tight, letting Micheru cry.
"Its alright." She whispered to her friend then turned to the others. "What going on here?"
Rei sighed as she stood, her eyes never leaving the dancing flames. "Why won't you speak to me?"
She whispered as she bent down to grab a towel. "Why can't discern the truth." The flames shot
up around her covering the whole room, the walls, the ceiling, everything burning. She looked
down at herself, her body too was covered in flame, she went to scream but smoke rushed into her
lungs choking her. She fell to the floor trying to breath, darkness slowly taken over her
vision.
She gasped in air as her eyes shoot open. All around her destruction, the Tokyo Tower the only
thing that stood undamaged hovered on the horizon. Again she walked, her feet tripping over
creaked yellowed bones, the landscape around moving to fast as if she in a car. She took it all
in, anything that she could see she took in.
Again she stood before the throne of skulls, again the raven haired man, the man she knew as
Mamoru sat there staring at her, his blood stained sword resting between his legs, its hilt held
in his hands like a cane. She tried to breath she knew what was coming; she knew she was about
to die.
The ground shook and behind the throne of skulls crosses of bone sprang from the earth, eight in
all. She stepped back in horror as she saw at the bodies that hung from the crosses, they were
her friends, all of them in their senshi forms hanging lifeless behind the throne of skulls, the
raven haired man laughed as another cross slowly emerged from the earth. On it was a tall, pink
haired girl, her uniform was in ruin, her body almost totally exposed. The girl looked up, her
red eyes piercing into Rei soul, she knew this girl.
"Lillith." The girl said her voice harsh and dry. "Lillith is the key."
The world spun, again the blood stained sword came at her, again her head left her body, and
slowly she watched as the world of skulls and bones disappeared into the darkness that death
brought.
"Chibi Usa!" Rei screamed as she jumped up in her bed, her eyes not even registering where she
was. Franticly she stood, gasping for air, as she looked. "Chibi-Usa!"
A dream. Her mind told her as she slumped down on her bed. She gasped again, as tears began to
well in her eyes. "Oh god what's going on?" She mumbled as she buried her face in her hands.
Minako sighed as she flopped down in chair her feet were killing her. She looked up at the
lights in the club. She smiled, this is where she belonged, dancing, having a good time, this
was how she wanted it.
Sighing again she stood, and looked at her watch, it was getting late she should be heading home,
but first she wanted to check on something.
Pushing her way through the mass of dancing bodies she made her way to the door and opening it
slowly walked down into the darkness.
"How are you holding up?" Asked the familiar voice.
Makoto looked over at were the food had been slid through earlier, and laughed. "I'd be better
if I wasn't stuck in here.
"I'm sorry about that, but it's necessary, you wouldn't understand."
"Who are you?" Makoto asked as she picked herself off the floor and walked over to the door. "I
mean why did you do this?"
Silence.
"Are you still there?"
"I said it was necessary." The voice said again, it sounded sad. "It had to be done."
"Why?"
"Because!" Was the only answer.
Makoto sighed as she heard hurried footfalls fade away.
The lights of the city washed over her as she stared out at them. Sighing she leaned back into
the plush seat of the car and looked over at Hotoru, who staring at her. "It's been awhile."
She said softly to her friend.
Hotoru shook her head. "Only a year or two."
Usa almost laughed. "Try five, I've been so busy that I could make it back to visit."
Hotoru smiled. "Don't worry about it. You're here now."
Yeah, I guess that's true." Usa said sadly and turned away to watch the city move by her again.
Father what did you send me into? She thought.
"Is there anything you need?" Came Setsuna from the front of the car, breaking Usa out of her
thoughts. She looked up and shook her head. "Besides clothes, nothing really, I do need to see
Mamo-chan though."
"Why's that?" Micheru asked leaning over the passenger side seat to look at her.
"That's what father said. That I would understand once I visited him in the past."
Micheru nodded, and turned back around. "Well you heard the girl Setsuna, to Mamoru's."
Mamoru stood, his mind still reeling with what Chi had said. Finally he laughed. "Yeah well now
you're my little sister, so don't be thinking you can boss me around." He smiled and started out
of the living room. "I'm a little tired." He said as left, disappearing into his room.
Usagi looked at Chi, then back to the hallway that her love disappeared into. Patting Chi's leg
she stood up. "I think he took it well." She smiled. "I'll go see."
"Mamo-chan?" Usagi said lowly as she opened the door into his room.
"Come in Usako." Her love sighed.
She walked into the room slowly and over to the bed. She smiled as she laid down next to him.
"You okay." She said, running her hand through his hair.
Mamoru sighed and rolled over to look at her, a soft smile on his face. "Too much is going on
Usako, I don't know if I can handle anymore of it."
Usagi smiled and kissed his cheek. "Trust me Mamo-chan, if anyone in the world can handle it,
its you." She smiled warmly and sat up, nudging him to sit up with her.
Mamoru wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned deep into his chest, she couldn't help it, it
felt so natural. She tilted her head to look at him, seeing that he was staring down at her, and
giggled.
"What?" Mamoru asked, wrapping his arms tighter around her.
Usagi smiled and closed her eyes letting the soft sound of his beating heart calm her. "Nothing,
you're just so cute."
Usa looked up at the large apartment building and took in a deep breath. She never thought going
to see Mamoru would be so difficult. She tilted her head to her side a little, bringing Hotoru
into view. Her friend smiled assuredly. Usa smiled back and expelling the breath she started
toward the building, her friends following behind her. I really should have changed first. She
thought
"Huh?" Usa said stunned as she looked at the old balding man standing in the doorway, his belly
extending into the hallway.
"Yeah that's right, he moved out about four days ago." The man said gruffly, obviously annoyed
to be interrupted. Usa's eyes shoot down to the magazine the man was holding and decided she
really didn't want to know what she was interrupting.
She smiled nervously, and did her best not to back away from the man. "Can - Can you tell mw
were he moved too?" She asked as kindly as she possibly could.
The man grumbled and disappeared into the apartment, reappearing a few seconds later with a
grease stained paper. "Here, it's his new address. Keep so I can be left alone.
Usa smiled and started to say thank you but the door had already been slammed. "Rude pervert!"
Yelled, and started down the hall Hotoru by her side. "Really!" She exclaimed. "Did you see
the book he was holding? Isn't that illegal!"
Hotoru nodded, and smiled evilly. "Don't tempt me, remember who you talking to."
Usa laughed and shook her head. "I think the world could use one less pervert."
She looked over to see her friend start to turn and quickly grabbed her shoulder. "I really
don't think the world is ready for an encore performance from Saturn." She said quietly.
Hotoru shrugged, and kept walking beside her friend.
Usa looked at the number on the greasy piece of paper then back up at the door for what seemed
like the millonith time. Finally she raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door.
"No one's going to here that." Hotoru said from behind her.
"Coming!" Came a woman's voice from inside.
The door opened slowly and a tall young woman stepped into view, her short dark hair disappearing
into the shadows of the doorway.
"Can I help you?" The woman said nicely.
"Who are you?" Usa blurted out before she could think.
"Chi." The woman said, her eyes starting to narrow.
Usa shook her head and smiled. "I'm sorry I though Mamoru Chiba lived here."
Chi smiled, and nodded. "He does. I'm his sister. Are you a friend of his?"
"Sister?" Was all Usa could manage to say.