WARNING!!!!!!! This chapter contains scenes that may be two mature for younger readers.
Sailor Moon:
"Reflections of a Red Rose"
By: NeoMoon
Rated: PG-13
Chapter: Thirty-Four:
"The end." Hotaru repeated as Mamoru set the now empty flask on the small café table. He
couldn't do anything but stare at her. Stare in total disbelieve at what she had said, at what
his own daughter had said moments before. It couldn't be true; the world's end could not be
coming! He'd been to the future, he'd seen Crystal Tokyo, he'd seen how beautiful the world
would become. He shook his head, and pushed away from the table, and paced around the wreaked
café. "No." He whispered so low he doubted anyone in the room could here him. "No." He
stopped in mid step and swung around to look at the rag tag group that sat at the table, all
staring at him as if he had gone insane, he wondered that himself. "She's still here!" He half
yelled, pointing at Usa. "If the world was about to end then she wouldn't be here!"
Hotaru stood slowly, her every move carefully placed; as if she worried she would alarm him, the
same treatment that a doctor gave to an insane patient. "Mamoru listen." Her voice was soft,
and low, Hotaru's normal voice, but he could hear the sadness she was trying to hide, and the
guilt. "There's nothing to be done about it, if - if Saturn's decided . . ."
"No!" Mamoru yelled again. "You are Saturn, you can stop this."
Hotaru bowed her head, when she rose it again her eyes had gone as dark as night. "No, this body
is only a vessel." The voice was cold and hard, it was the voice of the Harbinger, of Saturn,
the destroyer of worlds. "Prince of Earth, the time has come for this world to end." A small
smile etched its way across Hotaru's pale face. "But do not fret over the end. For with death
comes rebirth." The smile left the face, and as it did the change occurred, Hotaru no longer
stood in front of them, not in mind or body.
Saturn had always looked slightly like Hotaru all the senshi did when they were transformed. But
the woman who stood before him now, reminded him of nothing he had ever seen. He backed slowly
away from the tall graceful figure that walked toward him. "I won't let you." He murmured. "I
won't let you end it like this!"
"You have no choice." Saturn told him, as her rose, and with a flick of the wrist, Mamoru was
thrown across the room. "Be with those you love, there is still time."
Mamoru watched her from were he lay crumpled against the café's far wall. He watched as the long
weapon, the glaive appeared in her hand, watched as the doorframe stretched and bended to
accommodate her, watched as she disappeared.
"Are you alright?" Usa asked, she was kneeling next to him, he hadn't even heard her.
Slowly painfully he pushed himself into a sitting position, from the pain he could tell that he'd
broken at least two ribs. "She really means to do it." He said, his voice suddenly dry and
harsh.
Usa looked to the misshapen door. "Yes." She said simply.
Rei smiled in delight as she fitted the final piece of the puzzle firmly into its spot between
her puzzle self's breast.
"Congratulations!" Yelled a whole group of people from behind her. Rei turned, her eyes
widening in surprise as she found herself back in her room, at the temple, her friends, smiling
at her as they placed all of her things back into their rightful spots.
"What's wrong?" Chibi Usa asked as she jumped down from Rei's bed, a Speed poster in her hand.
"You don't look to happy."
Rei shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. Slowly she stood, her back creaking in response.
A watery smile took hold of her face, and she knew she couldn't hold it back, she was going to
cry.
"Jeez and you call me a cry baby." Usagi laughed. Rei quickly punished her in the arm, but
lightly.
Rei looked at her friends, tears rolling down her cheeks. It'd all been a dream, she must have
passed out during a study session or something, none of the events she thought had been real
were, it was all right now, everything was normal.
"Shit, was I really that diabeticly sweet?" Came a sarcastic voice from behind her.
Rei spun around, her eyes narrowing. "You're not real."
Usa smiled, a cigarette appearing in her hand, she took a drag and closed her eyes. "Of course I
am hon. That," she pointed at Chibi Usa, "is not."
Rei shook her head. "No, this has to be real, it's normal! It's not messed up like everything
was in my dream!"
Usa sighed, a large fluffy black chair appeared behind her and she flopped down into it. "Sorry
to say, but I really don't think you can define your life as normal."
A television was the next thing to appear, and Rei watched slowly, as Usagi stood in the middle
of a nightclub, hundreds of people surrounding her, lost it. She watched as the light engulfed
the city, as the nightclub shook, as the people inside were cooked alive by the intense light
emanating from Usagi.
She watched in horror as Usagi slowly walked down the street, as a police officer near her burst
into flames. Tears flooded her cheeks as she watched her best friend and future Queen purposely
kill one of her guardians. "Oh god." She choked when the screen faded to black.
"That is reality Rei." Usa said simply. "And you're needed there."
Rei wanted to stand, but she couldn't feel her legs, hell she couldn't feel anything, it'd all
gone num, as she watched the horror that Usagi had caused, was causing. "Wh - What do I do?"
Her voice was creaking, new tears threatened, she was afraid, goddamn she was so afraid.
"Find Ami." Usa said from behind her. How had she moved so fast? "You've put your mind back
together, you can leave anytime you want, but Ami." Usa's cold hand rested on Rei's shoulder.
"Ami's running away from her own body, you need to find her and bring her back."
Rei nodded, but still couldn't move. "Then - then what."
"You'll know." Came Usa's from far away.
Rei looked up. Her room and her friends were gone, she was in the white misty place again, and
all that was there beside herself was Usa and Chibi Usa. Both were walking away, walking into
the shifting mist.
"There's another way." She heard Chibi Usa saying. Her voice optimistic as always
"Shut the hell up." Came Usa's voice from the mist.
Sleep hadn't lasted long for Haruka. She lay in her bed; Micheru was beside, her breath soft
against Haruka's neck. She wanted to be content, she wanted to be happy for just moment, but she
couldn't.
She sighed, and rolled over, looking into her love's beautiful face. She lifted her hand and
brushed a stray hair away from that beautiful face and just stared.
"It's rude to do that you know." Whispered Micheru, her eyes still closed, still looking
peaceful and asleep.
"Do what?" Haruka asked, her hand slowly moving down her love's face, caressing it.
Micheru let out a soft contented moan, and opened her eyes. "Stare at people when they're trying
to sleep." A large playful smile was pasted on her face.
"Oh." Haruka faked a cough. "Well then I guess I just well have to do without looking at such a
beautiful face." Haruka rolled back onto her back and stared at the ceiling again, trying hard,
but failing to keep the smile off her face.
"Hey!" Micheru squeaked.
"Sorry, it's rude of me to look at you. Remember." Haruka said, fighting as hard as she could
not to laugh, not to even give the glimpse of a smile.
"Well then, I'm going to have to take drastic measures!"
Micheru was on top of her before she knew what was going on. Her love's soft hands holding her
cheeks. "I love you." Micheru whispered to her, as she bent forward, brushing her lips lightly
against Haruka's.
"I - I love you too."
Micheru smiled, her hands slowly moved down her face, over neck, they felt so soft, yet every
inch they moved sent a shock through Haruka. She looked at her love the whole time, afraid to
move her eyes to even glance away for an instant, she was afraid it was all just a dream.
Micheru's hands stopped, over Haruka's chest, and she became aware of how hard she was breathing.
Micheru only smiled at her as she again bent forward, this time nipping her neck, again and
again, her lips brushing against her skin, never leaving it. As she did this Haruka could feel
her love's hands moving down her sides, caressing her. She let out a soft moan, as Micheru's
hands moved back up, and started to unbutton the blouse of the nurse's uniform.
"Micheru?" Haruka breathed.
"I love you." Micheru said again, her voice low and husky. "And I always will." Her lips meet
Haruka's, and without thinking without knowing Haruka parted her them, letting her love in.
It seemed like forever, but Micheru's lips left her's, and Haruka could do nothing but stare at
the ceiling as her love's slowly kissed her neck, and then her collar.
"I'm glad." Haruka whispered, her hands moving to wrap around Micheru. "I'm glad I could share
this with you, for my first time."
Micheru's lips left her body, left wanting more, needing more. "I am too."
Haruka's went to left her head, to kiss her beloved, but Micheru shook her head. "Tonight." She
whispered, as she kissed her love fully. "Tonight, and tonight only I'll be your strength
Haruka-Chan."
Haruka closed her eyes. "Only tonight." She whispered.
Mokoto growled as she paced the room, she had been locked in. There was no way out! She sighed
and flopped onto the bed, staring up into the silk canopy. "This blows."
"I'd say so." Came a slightly familiar voice.
Mokoto, snapped up, looking at the woman in the black dress standing were one of the walls used
to be. "Usa?" She whispered.
Usa nodded, wings growing from her back as she did. "I'm surprised a fighter like you giving
up."
Mokoto laughed, a sarcastic smile crossing her face. "Well look who I'm not making cookies for
anymore."
Usa turned her head. "Damn." Usa cursed venomously. Then she looked back at Mokoto, concern in
her eyes. "You aren't serious? Are you?"
Mokoto almost choked, on her laugh. She couldn't believe it, it really was Usa. She gave the
woman a look over; nodding approvingly at the athletic shape her body had taking. "You filled
out a bit since I saw you last."
Usa smiled a bit. "I hope when you say 'filled out' you mean that in a good way."
Mokoto just sighed. "So what's the deal?" She said all humor leaving her voice. "Who's the
enemy?"
Usa bowed her head. "Usagi."
Mokoto felt her knees give out, felt the sharp pain run up her body as she hit the floor. No, no
it couldn't be true, it couldn't be really. Usa had it wrong! Usagi? Usagi couldn't be an
enemy; Usagi was there leader, their friend, there blasted Queen!
She felt a cold hand touch her shoulder. She looked up to see Usa staring straight into her
eyes. "I know it's hard, but unless we do something quick then there's no hope for this world."
Mokoto swallowed, trying her best to get the lump in her throat to go away. It wouldn't. She
stood slowly, her whole body felt as if it were asleep. She looked at Usa through watery eyes,
and asked the only thing she could even think of. "What about Lillith?"
Usa tilted her head to her left, a confused look crossing her eyes. "Who?"
Mokoto's eyes went wide. Usa didn't know, how couldn't she know? With a deep breath Mokoto told
Usa everything she knew. How the woman Lillith believed Mamoru Chiba to be her husband. How She
had somehow corrupted both Haruka and Minako, how she had kidnapped her. And the whole time Usa
listened, her eyes confused and wide, she didn't know, she'd never even heard of the woman.
For a long time after Mokoto had finished her tale, there was nothing but silence. And that
silence was finally broken by the flutter of Usa spreading her wings.
"Come on." Usa said, her hand held out to Makoto. "This is getting worse by the minute."
Mokoto nodded, taking the other woman's hand, and together they left Makoto's jail.
"I just have one question." Shinneri asked as he swished the whiskey that he'd found behind the
counter of the café in his mug.
Mamoru looked up at him and eyebrow raised to say "what?"
Shinneri took a deep breath downed the rest of the whiskey, and slammed the mug on the table.
"What in God's holy name is going on here?!"
Mamoru stared at him for another seconds, both eyebrows raised, as if surprised by Shinneri's
question. Then he started to laugh.
"What?" Shinneri screamed as he pushed up from the table, ready to deck Mamoru.
Mamoru stopped laughing, but still he smiled. "If you had three years I'd tell you." He said,
his voice all seriousness, despite the goofy smile on his face. "But with the way it looks, we
don't got twelve hours." Mamoru's smile washed away and he stood walking over to the weird
looking door that the freaky chick had bent all out of shape.
"So what do we do till then?" Shinneri asked. This had to be a game, he knew it had to be, and
damn it at this point he was ready to play.
"Watch the body." Mamoru said, his voice monotone. "And pray." He never looked back, never
said goodbye or anything. He just left.
Shinneri watched him walk slowly down the street, so casual, as if he had all the time in the
world. Shinneri sung back into his chair and looked back at the body of the woman that lay on
the pastry counter. "Looks like it's just you and me babe." He said, his voice low and tired.
"Damn."
Sailor Moon:
"Reflections of a Red Rose"
By: NeoMoon
Rated: PG-13
Chapter: Thirty-Four:
"The end." Hotaru repeated as Mamoru set the now empty flask on the small café table. He
couldn't do anything but stare at her. Stare in total disbelieve at what she had said, at what
his own daughter had said moments before. It couldn't be true; the world's end could not be
coming! He'd been to the future, he'd seen Crystal Tokyo, he'd seen how beautiful the world
would become. He shook his head, and pushed away from the table, and paced around the wreaked
café. "No." He whispered so low he doubted anyone in the room could here him. "No." He
stopped in mid step and swung around to look at the rag tag group that sat at the table, all
staring at him as if he had gone insane, he wondered that himself. "She's still here!" He half
yelled, pointing at Usa. "If the world was about to end then she wouldn't be here!"
Hotaru stood slowly, her every move carefully placed; as if she worried she would alarm him, the
same treatment that a doctor gave to an insane patient. "Mamoru listen." Her voice was soft,
and low, Hotaru's normal voice, but he could hear the sadness she was trying to hide, and the
guilt. "There's nothing to be done about it, if - if Saturn's decided . . ."
"No!" Mamoru yelled again. "You are Saturn, you can stop this."
Hotaru bowed her head, when she rose it again her eyes had gone as dark as night. "No, this body
is only a vessel." The voice was cold and hard, it was the voice of the Harbinger, of Saturn,
the destroyer of worlds. "Prince of Earth, the time has come for this world to end." A small
smile etched its way across Hotaru's pale face. "But do not fret over the end. For with death
comes rebirth." The smile left the face, and as it did the change occurred, Hotaru no longer
stood in front of them, not in mind or body.
Saturn had always looked slightly like Hotaru all the senshi did when they were transformed. But
the woman who stood before him now, reminded him of nothing he had ever seen. He backed slowly
away from the tall graceful figure that walked toward him. "I won't let you." He murmured. "I
won't let you end it like this!"
"You have no choice." Saturn told him, as her rose, and with a flick of the wrist, Mamoru was
thrown across the room. "Be with those you love, there is still time."
Mamoru watched her from were he lay crumpled against the café's far wall. He watched as the long
weapon, the glaive appeared in her hand, watched as the doorframe stretched and bended to
accommodate her, watched as she disappeared.
"Are you alright?" Usa asked, she was kneeling next to him, he hadn't even heard her.
Slowly painfully he pushed himself into a sitting position, from the pain he could tell that he'd
broken at least two ribs. "She really means to do it." He said, his voice suddenly dry and
harsh.
Usa looked to the misshapen door. "Yes." She said simply.
Rei smiled in delight as she fitted the final piece of the puzzle firmly into its spot between
her puzzle self's breast.
"Congratulations!" Yelled a whole group of people from behind her. Rei turned, her eyes
widening in surprise as she found herself back in her room, at the temple, her friends, smiling
at her as they placed all of her things back into their rightful spots.
"What's wrong?" Chibi Usa asked as she jumped down from Rei's bed, a Speed poster in her hand.
"You don't look to happy."
Rei shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. Slowly she stood, her back creaking in response.
A watery smile took hold of her face, and she knew she couldn't hold it back, she was going to
cry.
"Jeez and you call me a cry baby." Usagi laughed. Rei quickly punished her in the arm, but
lightly.
Rei looked at her friends, tears rolling down her cheeks. It'd all been a dream, she must have
passed out during a study session or something, none of the events she thought had been real
were, it was all right now, everything was normal.
"Shit, was I really that diabeticly sweet?" Came a sarcastic voice from behind her.
Rei spun around, her eyes narrowing. "You're not real."
Usa smiled, a cigarette appearing in her hand, she took a drag and closed her eyes. "Of course I
am hon. That," she pointed at Chibi Usa, "is not."
Rei shook her head. "No, this has to be real, it's normal! It's not messed up like everything
was in my dream!"
Usa sighed, a large fluffy black chair appeared behind her and she flopped down into it. "Sorry
to say, but I really don't think you can define your life as normal."
A television was the next thing to appear, and Rei watched slowly, as Usagi stood in the middle
of a nightclub, hundreds of people surrounding her, lost it. She watched as the light engulfed
the city, as the nightclub shook, as the people inside were cooked alive by the intense light
emanating from Usagi.
She watched in horror as Usagi slowly walked down the street, as a police officer near her burst
into flames. Tears flooded her cheeks as she watched her best friend and future Queen purposely
kill one of her guardians. "Oh god." She choked when the screen faded to black.
"That is reality Rei." Usa said simply. "And you're needed there."
Rei wanted to stand, but she couldn't feel her legs, hell she couldn't feel anything, it'd all
gone num, as she watched the horror that Usagi had caused, was causing. "Wh - What do I do?"
Her voice was creaking, new tears threatened, she was afraid, goddamn she was so afraid.
"Find Ami." Usa said from behind her. How had she moved so fast? "You've put your mind back
together, you can leave anytime you want, but Ami." Usa's cold hand rested on Rei's shoulder.
"Ami's running away from her own body, you need to find her and bring her back."
Rei nodded, but still couldn't move. "Then - then what."
"You'll know." Came Usa's from far away.
Rei looked up. Her room and her friends were gone, she was in the white misty place again, and
all that was there beside herself was Usa and Chibi Usa. Both were walking away, walking into
the shifting mist.
"There's another way." She heard Chibi Usa saying. Her voice optimistic as always
"Shut the hell up." Came Usa's voice from the mist.
Sleep hadn't lasted long for Haruka. She lay in her bed; Micheru was beside, her breath soft
against Haruka's neck. She wanted to be content, she wanted to be happy for just moment, but she
couldn't.
She sighed, and rolled over, looking into her love's beautiful face. She lifted her hand and
brushed a stray hair away from that beautiful face and just stared.
"It's rude to do that you know." Whispered Micheru, her eyes still closed, still looking
peaceful and asleep.
"Do what?" Haruka asked, her hand slowly moving down her love's face, caressing it.
Micheru let out a soft contented moan, and opened her eyes. "Stare at people when they're trying
to sleep." A large playful smile was pasted on her face.
"Oh." Haruka faked a cough. "Well then I guess I just well have to do without looking at such a
beautiful face." Haruka rolled back onto her back and stared at the ceiling again, trying hard,
but failing to keep the smile off her face.
"Hey!" Micheru squeaked.
"Sorry, it's rude of me to look at you. Remember." Haruka said, fighting as hard as she could
not to laugh, not to even give the glimpse of a smile.
"Well then, I'm going to have to take drastic measures!"
Micheru was on top of her before she knew what was going on. Her love's soft hands holding her
cheeks. "I love you." Micheru whispered to her, as she bent forward, brushing her lips lightly
against Haruka's.
"I - I love you too."
Micheru smiled, her hands slowly moved down her face, over neck, they felt so soft, yet every
inch they moved sent a shock through Haruka. She looked at her love the whole time, afraid to
move her eyes to even glance away for an instant, she was afraid it was all just a dream.
Micheru's hands stopped, over Haruka's chest, and she became aware of how hard she was breathing.
Micheru only smiled at her as she again bent forward, this time nipping her neck, again and
again, her lips brushing against her skin, never leaving it. As she did this Haruka could feel
her love's hands moving down her sides, caressing her. She let out a soft moan, as Micheru's
hands moved back up, and started to unbutton the blouse of the nurse's uniform.
"Micheru?" Haruka breathed.
"I love you." Micheru said again, her voice low and husky. "And I always will." Her lips meet
Haruka's, and without thinking without knowing Haruka parted her them, letting her love in.
It seemed like forever, but Micheru's lips left her's, and Haruka could do nothing but stare at
the ceiling as her love's slowly kissed her neck, and then her collar.
"I'm glad." Haruka whispered, her hands moving to wrap around Micheru. "I'm glad I could share
this with you, for my first time."
Micheru's lips left her body, left wanting more, needing more. "I am too."
Haruka's went to left her head, to kiss her beloved, but Micheru shook her head. "Tonight." She
whispered, as she kissed her love fully. "Tonight, and tonight only I'll be your strength
Haruka-Chan."
Haruka closed her eyes. "Only tonight." She whispered.
Mokoto growled as she paced the room, she had been locked in. There was no way out! She sighed
and flopped onto the bed, staring up into the silk canopy. "This blows."
"I'd say so." Came a slightly familiar voice.
Mokoto, snapped up, looking at the woman in the black dress standing were one of the walls used
to be. "Usa?" She whispered.
Usa nodded, wings growing from her back as she did. "I'm surprised a fighter like you giving
up."
Mokoto laughed, a sarcastic smile crossing her face. "Well look who I'm not making cookies for
anymore."
Usa turned her head. "Damn." Usa cursed venomously. Then she looked back at Mokoto, concern in
her eyes. "You aren't serious? Are you?"
Mokoto almost choked, on her laugh. She couldn't believe it, it really was Usa. She gave the
woman a look over; nodding approvingly at the athletic shape her body had taking. "You filled
out a bit since I saw you last."
Usa smiled a bit. "I hope when you say 'filled out' you mean that in a good way."
Mokoto just sighed. "So what's the deal?" She said all humor leaving her voice. "Who's the
enemy?"
Usa bowed her head. "Usagi."
Mokoto felt her knees give out, felt the sharp pain run up her body as she hit the floor. No, no
it couldn't be true, it couldn't be really. Usa had it wrong! Usagi? Usagi couldn't be an
enemy; Usagi was there leader, their friend, there blasted Queen!
She felt a cold hand touch her shoulder. She looked up to see Usa staring straight into her
eyes. "I know it's hard, but unless we do something quick then there's no hope for this world."
Mokoto swallowed, trying her best to get the lump in her throat to go away. It wouldn't. She
stood slowly, her whole body felt as if it were asleep. She looked at Usa through watery eyes,
and asked the only thing she could even think of. "What about Lillith?"
Usa tilted her head to her left, a confused look crossing her eyes. "Who?"
Mokoto's eyes went wide. Usa didn't know, how couldn't she know? With a deep breath Mokoto told
Usa everything she knew. How the woman Lillith believed Mamoru Chiba to be her husband. How She
had somehow corrupted both Haruka and Minako, how she had kidnapped her. And the whole time Usa
listened, her eyes confused and wide, she didn't know, she'd never even heard of the woman.
For a long time after Mokoto had finished her tale, there was nothing but silence. And that
silence was finally broken by the flutter of Usa spreading her wings.
"Come on." Usa said, her hand held out to Makoto. "This is getting worse by the minute."
Mokoto nodded, taking the other woman's hand, and together they left Makoto's jail.
"I just have one question." Shinneri asked as he swished the whiskey that he'd found behind the
counter of the café in his mug.
Mamoru looked up at him and eyebrow raised to say "what?"
Shinneri took a deep breath downed the rest of the whiskey, and slammed the mug on the table.
"What in God's holy name is going on here?!"
Mamoru stared at him for another seconds, both eyebrows raised, as if surprised by Shinneri's
question. Then he started to laugh.
"What?" Shinneri screamed as he pushed up from the table, ready to deck Mamoru.
Mamoru stopped laughing, but still he smiled. "If you had three years I'd tell you." He said,
his voice all seriousness, despite the goofy smile on his face. "But with the way it looks, we
don't got twelve hours." Mamoru's smile washed away and he stood walking over to the weird
looking door that the freaky chick had bent all out of shape.
"So what do we do till then?" Shinneri asked. This had to be a game, he knew it had to be, and
damn it at this point he was ready to play.
"Watch the body." Mamoru said, his voice monotone. "And pray." He never looked back, never
said goodbye or anything. He just left.
Shinneri watched him walk slowly down the street, so casual, as if he had all the time in the
world. Shinneri sung back into his chair and looked back at the body of the woman that lay on
the pastry counter. "Looks like it's just you and me babe." He said, his voice low and tired.
"Damn."