Sailor Moon
"Reflections of a Red Rose"
Rated: PG-13
By: NeoMoon
Edited By: R Savage
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Gray clouds covered the sky. A heavy rain blanketed the ruined city. Usa was to tired to care. She sat curled up against the wall of the Diet Buildings highest floor, over looking the city, her black wings covering her like a blanket, a cigarette laying forgotten between her lips. Still she shivered, but not because of the cold ran that as beating down on her.
She was weak, her energy had been pushed to limit when she chose to help Rei, and now she needed to rest, but know she couldn't, there was still so much to be done.
"Tired?"
Usa was to tired too even be startled. She glanced over her side and smiled as she saw Hotoru sitting next to her, the petite girl wrapped in a thick black trench coat, her purple hair covered by an overly large cowboy hat.
"What's with the American cowboy look?"
Hotoru shrugged, her deep purple eyes looking out beyond the city. "Fashion statement." She said in the low soft voice that always sent chills down Usa's spine.
"Yeah, we'll work on the fashion." Usa said a wiry smile on her tired face. She was glad for the distraction.
Hotoru laughed, there was little amusement in the sound. "She's dying."
Usa nodded, turning her attention back to the city below them. "I know."
She could feel the deep purple eyes on her, burning through her skin, trying to reach her soul. "I can't help her."
Usa nodded again, not daring to look in those eyes. "Haruka is the only one that can do that."
"Haruka's gone." The bitterness in that voice was enough to make Usa look at her long time friend, and the eyes that held so much pain.
"No, just lost."
Hotoru shook her head, and turned away, Usa gave her a minute to be with her own thoughts before placing her hand softly on her friend's shoulder. "I don't understand it." Hotoru said, her voice old and tired. "Micheru's dying yet . . . Haruka . . ."
"Neither has excepted a basic truth, both fight against that truth in their own way." Usa said her voice cold and factual.
"Galaxia's seed?" Hotoru said, turning to face Usa, her eyes holding a faint glimmer of hope. "If . . . If we purge them of the seed."
Usa shook her head. "No, that can not happen."
She could see the hope fade from the purple eyes, could see the cold shifting in, the cold that told her how logical Hotoru could be, that she was analyzing something. The eyes rested on the black crescent moon on Usa's forehead.
"I've accepted what's inside of me, what's part of me." Usa said. "Darkness is a part of every person, the Wise Man just brought my darkness to the surface."
"What are you going to do?" Hotoru asked, her eyes following Usa as she stood and spread her wings.
Usa yawned and quickly stretched. "They're more then lovers, one cannot exist separate from the other." With a hint of a devious smile Usa fell of the building.
Ami stood, looking out the hospital window, watching as the heavy rain swept through the city. A small smile came to her face, the rain was a good sign, it just had to be.
The door opened behind her, and she turned. "Well?"
Chi shook her head. "He wasn't home, but I'm not even sure if I could of gotten a hold of him anyway."
Ami nodded, and turned back to the window. "He's probably looking for her."
Chi sighed, and walked over to her. "What's going on?" She said, as she looked out the window, joining Ami to watch the storm.
Ami shook her head, she truly didn't know, with a sigh of defeat Ami let the thought that had been plaguing her all morning enter her mind. "The end."
Behind them Haruka moaned in her healing sleep. Both women looked back to their friend, and as they did, something hard hit the window.
Ami swung around quickly, her eyes widening as she watched hail and ice fall from the sky.
One cannot exist separate from the other. The words chased her through the liquid darkness. Haruka screamed as struggled upward through it, trying to run from the words that echoed throughout the once peaceful darkness.
Something grabbed at her legs; she kicked it away and kept her hard upward pace.
Two that are soul bonded. New words, worse words, she didn't want these words here! They didn't care they continued.
Two souls bonded, cannot be made separate.
Something moved around her, arms wrapped around her a voice whispered in her ear. "Stay close." It said.
The thicken darkness parted, and for the first time since she had entered it, Haruka could see light, and although faint, it still blinded her.
"Look." The voice said.
Haruka blinked, and saw what she thought was a giant walnut floating before her. The hands slid away from her and she was alone. Again.
Slowly she stepped closer to the giant "walnut".
"Stop!"
Something moved underneath her, in the liquid darkness that was now below her. Haruka watched as something slowly rose above the liquid darkness. Large black wings blocked out the object that had been shown to her.
"You."
Usa smiled. "Me."
Mamoru ignored the heavy rain, and ice as he walked through the empty streets, his eye glancing at every building, every corner. He had to find her, had to make sure she was safe.
Above him thunder cracked, and the gray sky went bright with lightening. He kept walking, ignoring the blood that dripped into his eye, ignoring the pounding pain that increased with every step he took, all that mattered was finding her, to make sure she was safe. Alive.
He stumbled, his vision blurred, he shook his head trying to make it going away, cursing softly when it wouldn't. Still he kept walking.
Something moved ahead him. He couldn't make it out. The shape grew, getting closer. Mamoru tried to back away, but stumbled, falling backwards, hitting the hard jagged street.
The shape was above him now. Someone was speaking far away. What where they saying? Why couldn't he understand the voices that seemed to be moving further, and further away from him.
Darkness encroached on his blurred vision, overtaking it. He reached out, his hand hitting something solid and warm. The darkness was taking over, he was falling into it.
"Boy scout!" The words followed him as he fell through the darkness.
Haruka sighed as she watched Usa circling the large "walnut." Her anger rising she spoke, "What's this all about you, you little sl . . ."
Usa raised a finger, silencing Haruka. "Now, now. No need for bad words." Usa said sarcastically, a large smile on her face. "Besides you're just jealous."
"How the HELL could I ever be jealous of something like you?" Haruka screamed.
The smile seemed to grow on Usa's face. "Because, you're still a virgin."
Haruka could feel herself blush, she quickly shook it off, and glared at the little bitch that smiled at her.
"I'm not here to fight." Usa said, then leaned against the "walnut". A sharp pain stabbed Haruka's chest, she doubled over in the pain.
"This is Galaxia's seed." Usa said, all amusement, all emotion drained from her voice. "This is what you've been running from."
Haruka smiled, as she struggled to regain herself. "Sorry, I stopped running."
Usa shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. You're wrong." Usa stepped away from the "walnut", and walked slowly toward Haruka. "Do you know why Micheru is dying?"
"Because of that thing! The one that's in her!" Haruka spat.
"Really? So she's been dying then for along time?" Usa shook her head. "You're a dolt. She's dying because, you've forsaken her."
She wanted to tear the little pink haired slut's throat out!
Usa shook her head, but backed away. "You're running has caused you all this trouble."
"Oh, then what would you suggest?" Haruka retorted, putting as much venom in her voice as was possible.
"Accept it. Embrace it."
"Never!"
"Darkness only gets stronger if you fight against it." Usa said, circling the "walnut" again. "Darkness and light, good and evil." She shook her head. "That's such a fine line, don't you think?"
Haruka remained silent.
Usa sighed, obviously annoyed by the silence. Haruka smiled because of it.
"Think of it like balance, ying and yang. Whatever." Usa stopped in front of the seed. "But a million times more complicated."
"And I'm supposed to do what about that?"
"Figure it out." Usa said, a cocky smile covering her face, as she sang into the darkness below them, leaving Haruka alone.
Haruka stared at the "walnut" for a second, and then started cursing wildly.
Usa collapsed to her knees, and took in a huge breath, before her stomach clenched, and she threw up. Wiping her mouth with her glove, she tried to stand, and failed, falling back to her knees. With a silent string of curses she tried again, and again failed. She was mentally, physically, and psychically spent.
Just as she was about to fall into her own vomit, a warm slender arm wrapped around her waist, and lifted her to her feet. She looked over at her savior and smiled weakly. "What are you doing her?"
Hotoru smiled, and slid Usa's arm around her shoulders. Usa gladly leaned against her friend, as they moved away from the roof's edge. "I followed, good thing too. You look like crap."
"Prick." Usa murmured.
"Spoiled brat." Hotoru returned.
As the two slowly climbed down the endless flights of stairs, Hotoru spoke. "This is isn't it? The end before Crystal Tokyo's rise?" Usa was surprised to hear the worry in her friend's voice.
"What this?" Usa laughed weakly. "I'll remember to bring back a history book next time."
"Why's that?"
"Well to half quote a movie. This is the Diet Coke of disasters."
"I hated that movie." Hotoru said dryly.
"Yeah, me too." Usa said with another tired laugh.
"Reflections of a Red Rose"
Rated: PG-13
By: NeoMoon
Edited By: R Savage
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Gray clouds covered the sky. A heavy rain blanketed the ruined city. Usa was to tired to care. She sat curled up against the wall of the Diet Buildings highest floor, over looking the city, her black wings covering her like a blanket, a cigarette laying forgotten between her lips. Still she shivered, but not because of the cold ran that as beating down on her.
She was weak, her energy had been pushed to limit when she chose to help Rei, and now she needed to rest, but know she couldn't, there was still so much to be done.
"Tired?"
Usa was to tired too even be startled. She glanced over her side and smiled as she saw Hotoru sitting next to her, the petite girl wrapped in a thick black trench coat, her purple hair covered by an overly large cowboy hat.
"What's with the American cowboy look?"
Hotoru shrugged, her deep purple eyes looking out beyond the city. "Fashion statement." She said in the low soft voice that always sent chills down Usa's spine.
"Yeah, we'll work on the fashion." Usa said a wiry smile on her tired face. She was glad for the distraction.
Hotoru laughed, there was little amusement in the sound. "She's dying."
Usa nodded, turning her attention back to the city below them. "I know."
She could feel the deep purple eyes on her, burning through her skin, trying to reach her soul. "I can't help her."
Usa nodded again, not daring to look in those eyes. "Haruka is the only one that can do that."
"Haruka's gone." The bitterness in that voice was enough to make Usa look at her long time friend, and the eyes that held so much pain.
"No, just lost."
Hotoru shook her head, and turned away, Usa gave her a minute to be with her own thoughts before placing her hand softly on her friend's shoulder. "I don't understand it." Hotoru said, her voice old and tired. "Micheru's dying yet . . . Haruka . . ."
"Neither has excepted a basic truth, both fight against that truth in their own way." Usa said her voice cold and factual.
"Galaxia's seed?" Hotoru said, turning to face Usa, her eyes holding a faint glimmer of hope. "If . . . If we purge them of the seed."
Usa shook her head. "No, that can not happen."
She could see the hope fade from the purple eyes, could see the cold shifting in, the cold that told her how logical Hotoru could be, that she was analyzing something. The eyes rested on the black crescent moon on Usa's forehead.
"I've accepted what's inside of me, what's part of me." Usa said. "Darkness is a part of every person, the Wise Man just brought my darkness to the surface."
"What are you going to do?" Hotoru asked, her eyes following Usa as she stood and spread her wings.
Usa yawned and quickly stretched. "They're more then lovers, one cannot exist separate from the other." With a hint of a devious smile Usa fell of the building.
Ami stood, looking out the hospital window, watching as the heavy rain swept through the city. A small smile came to her face, the rain was a good sign, it just had to be.
The door opened behind her, and she turned. "Well?"
Chi shook her head. "He wasn't home, but I'm not even sure if I could of gotten a hold of him anyway."
Ami nodded, and turned back to the window. "He's probably looking for her."
Chi sighed, and walked over to her. "What's going on?" She said, as she looked out the window, joining Ami to watch the storm.
Ami shook her head, she truly didn't know, with a sigh of defeat Ami let the thought that had been plaguing her all morning enter her mind. "The end."
Behind them Haruka moaned in her healing sleep. Both women looked back to their friend, and as they did, something hard hit the window.
Ami swung around quickly, her eyes widening as she watched hail and ice fall from the sky.
One cannot exist separate from the other. The words chased her through the liquid darkness. Haruka screamed as struggled upward through it, trying to run from the words that echoed throughout the once peaceful darkness.
Something grabbed at her legs; she kicked it away and kept her hard upward pace.
Two that are soul bonded. New words, worse words, she didn't want these words here! They didn't care they continued.
Two souls bonded, cannot be made separate.
Something moved around her, arms wrapped around her a voice whispered in her ear. "Stay close." It said.
The thicken darkness parted, and for the first time since she had entered it, Haruka could see light, and although faint, it still blinded her.
"Look." The voice said.
Haruka blinked, and saw what she thought was a giant walnut floating before her. The hands slid away from her and she was alone. Again.
Slowly she stepped closer to the giant "walnut".
"Stop!"
Something moved underneath her, in the liquid darkness that was now below her. Haruka watched as something slowly rose above the liquid darkness. Large black wings blocked out the object that had been shown to her.
"You."
Usa smiled. "Me."
Mamoru ignored the heavy rain, and ice as he walked through the empty streets, his eye glancing at every building, every corner. He had to find her, had to make sure she was safe.
Above him thunder cracked, and the gray sky went bright with lightening. He kept walking, ignoring the blood that dripped into his eye, ignoring the pounding pain that increased with every step he took, all that mattered was finding her, to make sure she was safe. Alive.
He stumbled, his vision blurred, he shook his head trying to make it going away, cursing softly when it wouldn't. Still he kept walking.
Something moved ahead him. He couldn't make it out. The shape grew, getting closer. Mamoru tried to back away, but stumbled, falling backwards, hitting the hard jagged street.
The shape was above him now. Someone was speaking far away. What where they saying? Why couldn't he understand the voices that seemed to be moving further, and further away from him.
Darkness encroached on his blurred vision, overtaking it. He reached out, his hand hitting something solid and warm. The darkness was taking over, he was falling into it.
"Boy scout!" The words followed him as he fell through the darkness.
Haruka sighed as she watched Usa circling the large "walnut." Her anger rising she spoke, "What's this all about you, you little sl . . ."
Usa raised a finger, silencing Haruka. "Now, now. No need for bad words." Usa said sarcastically, a large smile on her face. "Besides you're just jealous."
"How the HELL could I ever be jealous of something like you?" Haruka screamed.
The smile seemed to grow on Usa's face. "Because, you're still a virgin."
Haruka could feel herself blush, she quickly shook it off, and glared at the little bitch that smiled at her.
"I'm not here to fight." Usa said, then leaned against the "walnut". A sharp pain stabbed Haruka's chest, she doubled over in the pain.
"This is Galaxia's seed." Usa said, all amusement, all emotion drained from her voice. "This is what you've been running from."
Haruka smiled, as she struggled to regain herself. "Sorry, I stopped running."
Usa shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. You're wrong." Usa stepped away from the "walnut", and walked slowly toward Haruka. "Do you know why Micheru is dying?"
"Because of that thing! The one that's in her!" Haruka spat.
"Really? So she's been dying then for along time?" Usa shook her head. "You're a dolt. She's dying because, you've forsaken her."
She wanted to tear the little pink haired slut's throat out!
Usa shook her head, but backed away. "You're running has caused you all this trouble."
"Oh, then what would you suggest?" Haruka retorted, putting as much venom in her voice as was possible.
"Accept it. Embrace it."
"Never!"
"Darkness only gets stronger if you fight against it." Usa said, circling the "walnut" again. "Darkness and light, good and evil." She shook her head. "That's such a fine line, don't you think?"
Haruka remained silent.
Usa sighed, obviously annoyed by the silence. Haruka smiled because of it.
"Think of it like balance, ying and yang. Whatever." Usa stopped in front of the seed. "But a million times more complicated."
"And I'm supposed to do what about that?"
"Figure it out." Usa said, a cocky smile covering her face, as she sang into the darkness below them, leaving Haruka alone.
Haruka stared at the "walnut" for a second, and then started cursing wildly.
Usa collapsed to her knees, and took in a huge breath, before her stomach clenched, and she threw up. Wiping her mouth with her glove, she tried to stand, and failed, falling back to her knees. With a silent string of curses she tried again, and again failed. She was mentally, physically, and psychically spent.
Just as she was about to fall into her own vomit, a warm slender arm wrapped around her waist, and lifted her to her feet. She looked over at her savior and smiled weakly. "What are you doing her?"
Hotoru smiled, and slid Usa's arm around her shoulders. Usa gladly leaned against her friend, as they moved away from the roof's edge. "I followed, good thing too. You look like crap."
"Prick." Usa murmured.
"Spoiled brat." Hotoru returned.
As the two slowly climbed down the endless flights of stairs, Hotoru spoke. "This is isn't it? The end before Crystal Tokyo's rise?" Usa was surprised to hear the worry in her friend's voice.
"What this?" Usa laughed weakly. "I'll remember to bring back a history book next time."
"Why's that?"
"Well to half quote a movie. This is the Diet Coke of disasters."
"I hated that movie." Hotoru said dryly.
"Yeah, me too." Usa said with another tired laugh.