Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon
Author's Note: This is the second chapter to this fanfic and I hope you all enjoy. A special thanks to all that reviewed this story. Thank you! You have no idea how much you're reviews mean to me.
Summary: Angry about her failure to protect Usagi, Rei finds herself out of control and with a little delay sets out to find the shooter.
Blood Runs Red
By: FadedSilence
Chapter 2: The Wrath of Mars
Rei watched from her perch on the edge of a plush, maroon chair made of wood as small raindrops pelted the clean windowpane of Usagi's hospital room. It wasn't the most interesting source of entertainment, but Rei didn't really care at this point weather it was or not. Her only concern was for the blond lying in the bed beside her.
It was hard for Rei to even look at her best friend, yet the wires and plugs connected to her body didn't exactly make the situation any better. Her heart was already weighed down with the overpowering guilt and all this gizmo shit was just making the burden heavier. Not to mention the doctors had wasted no time in rubbing in the fact that she had gotten Usagi in here just on time and if she had gotten here sooner she might be awake at this time, not sleeping. Rei would have liked to see them get here faster when their friend had just collapsed in their arms, they probably would have fainted. At least she had gotten her here, wasn't that all that mattered? Obviously not to them.
Rei lowered her head, letting soft raven locks fall about her face. Her ears perked forward listening to the soft breathing of her friend, her chocolate eyes looking for the rise and fall of her chest beneath the crisp white sheet. It was stupid to keep doing this, watching her like this as if at any moment death would come and finish what it started. Rei wasn't entirely sure it wouldn't. The person that had shot at Usagi had only missed their mark by an inch, the target being her heart. Instead the small black speck that was the bullet had only hit a little to the left, but it was still to close for Rei's liking. She would have preferred the bullet be back in it's gun and the gun be a million miles away locked up somewhere. It didn't matter now though, what mattered now was finding the person that had done this awful thing to friend.
Slim fingers wrapped themselves around Usagi's hand and Rei gave it a tight squeeze as if by doing so her friend would get the message and open her big, bright blue eyes. As usual, the message didn't connect and Usagi's eyes stayed shut, her lips clasped in a tight, straight line. Would her friend ever get the chance to smile again? To laugh or cry? She tightened her grip on the pale hand, refusing to believe that her best friend was cursed to sleep forever. Usagi was strong and would wake up, she had to. With out her the senshi as well as the world was as good lost. She was the light in the darkness and this planets only hope.
" Is there any change Rei?"
The light, gentle voice shook the priestess from her thoughts and her muddy hues looked up lazily. It was Minako, the other blond in the group as well as the true leader of the senshi, Sailor Venus. However, right now she looked like anything but the cheery, goddess of Love. She was dripping from head to toe, golden locks hung limply about a face that looked tired and too old to belong to such a young girl. Red rimmed her sky blue eyes and her navy skirt along with her white blouse were wrinkled and ruffled. Even the cherry bow in her hair was drooping, as well as her socks that were scrunched down to her ankles and streaks of mud were visible on her black buckle shoes. Rei gave a wry smile; at least she wasn't the only one that looked like crap.
" She's still asleep. Minako I don't think she is ever going to wake up, it's been two hours now and still she is sleeping. It's like she is almost.dead."
Warm, sticky tears made their way down her face as the last words fell from her part lips. Why had she said that? It wasn't true, Usagi was still alive.her heart still beat and warm breath still escaped her lungs. That could all change though, what if the person came to finish what they started on the street. Some way, some how she couldn't let that happen. She had to protect her it was her duty after all and she had failed to do it before. Rei had let her get shot, but she would change that. She would find the shooter and bring that jerk to justice. Rei owed that much to Usagi.
" Rei where are you going? It's the middle of the night and besides it's raining, don't you think you should wait for my mom to pick us up at least. Rei!"
Rei ignored the other senshi and knocking the chair over she headed for the door of the room, being especially careful not to trip on any of the machines hooked up to Usagi. The girl looked like a damn freaking robot and it only made her more determined to bring that bastard in. Her friend should be playing arcade games and talking about boys, not lying here in some deathlike sleep. She would get payback for Usagi and herself. Already, Rei could feel the adrenaline pumping through her blood and into her body, giving her energy she never thought she could have at about 10 at night. Hey, there's a first to everything right?
The wooden door to the room loomed in front of her and she didn't even hesitate to wrap her hands around it and yank it open with ease. The hustle and bustle of the hospital greeted her, along with the stench of disinfectant. Nurses dressed in neatly clean pressed white outfits hurried to and fro in front of her, their hair neatly done back in buns and hairnets. Some of them pushed old or injured passengers in metal wheel chairs with brown or black cloth backings. One nurse, she guessed was the head of them all was standing behind a blue counter that reached around evenly on both ends connecting to the wall on either side, creating sort of an oval shape. The girl, who looked to be in her early forties or late thirties had black hair that was held back in a small bun that was lopped on the top of her head, making it look like a leaning tower of shit or so it seemed to Rei. Her petite like frame was dressed in a pair of white pants and a shirt with a small dark sweater around her thin shoulders. Dark circles were visible under her navy orbs, along with hints of smeared eyeliner. Ruby lips were pursed in a small, tight line that seemed the only expression she knew how to make. It occurred to Rei that maybe she shouldn't do this, just keep her mouth shut and go about her business, but the bloody image of her friend falling into her arms quickly made her change her mind. She had to do this, for Usa-chan's sake.
Slamming the door behind her, she heard the lock click into place along with Minako's protests that weren't exactly what she would call subtle. As it was Rei was surprised that the nurses hadn't been aroused to the noise, but then again this hospital did seem pretty busy. A thought slipped into her mind and she felt herself shiver, if they couldn't even hear Minako what was stopping the killer from sneaking in unnoticed? Nothing and without even a second thought on the matter, Rei moved forward and right into the lion's den or nurses which ever you prefer to call the hell hole that was this hospital. Taking in a deep breath, Rei opened her mouth and amazingly found her voice in all its weak glory.
" Um, excuse me, but may I ask something of you. Do you think you could have extra nurses posted outside my friend's door, she's Tsukino Usagi staying in room 115. If you could I would be rather thankful."
The poop headed nurse looked up, a slightly annoyed look creeping across her features. Rei had the sneaking suspicion that she wasn't the only one that had asked this question before, but she also felt that she was obligated for her friend to be protected. " I'm sorry, but I can't do that. There's not special treatment at this hospital, she's just like everyone else." No she's not, Rei wanted to scream at her, not everyone else has a murder after them you dumb bitch. Instead, she took in a shaky breath and tried to keep her voice steady despite the rage that was flaming inside her threatening to rear it's ugly head.
" You don't understand, my friend, Usagi was almost killed tonight and I think the killer might come to try again. So, is it possible?" The word impossible blared in her head, like a pink neon sign for some gambling bar and Rei scowled. So much for inner confidence, even her mind was against her now! Could a girl get any respect at all? At this point she could definitely rule it out as a possibility. Figures.
" I don't care if it was O.J. Simpson himself trying to get to her, the nurses don't have time to baby-sit patients like that. That's why we have security for protection, the nurses just take care of people. She's is just like everyone else, now if you would please excuse me I have to get back to filing these names. Goodnight, Miss."
The nurse stood up from the blue plush chair and started for the cabinets, well she would have if Rei hadn't reached out and with a bruising grip grabbed her skinny arm. The nurse pulled away, her creaking voice yelling something about security and that she better let go. Slim chance of that, witch she thought her angry making her face hot. Rei's body was trembling now beneath her black skirt and gray blouse, even her feel were shaking inside her high top dark shoes! It was like a bomb was ready to go off and it was a fury priestess by the name of Rei who held the detonator.
" You might want to rethink what you just said bitch, unless you want to end up deep fried." And she meant it with every ounce of her being. Rei wasn't about to lose her friend just because this asshole was having a bad day and decided to take it out on her. No. This girl would do what she wanted and she would do it now, or face the flaming goddess of Mars herself. One of her hands was already gripping her henshi pen in her sweaty fingertips, all she had to do was shout and the flames would come at her will. Together they would make sure this bitch did as she was told or they would burn her sorry behind on a stake. No butts about it.
" Let go now or I'm calling security!" The nurse's manicured finger was already pushing the dark blue button and in second the reinforcements would be here, guns and all. It didn't matter to Rei how many their were, she would knock them down one by one, like a row of black and white dominos. After all, what was a bunch of humans to the immortal flames of orange and red? Nothing.
" Rei, what are you doing!" Minako had managed to escape the locked room and had pulled Rei away from the nurse and was dragging her back into the contents of Usagi's room. Her fingers still were held in a tight grasp where the woman's white sleeve use to be, now there was only a thin trickle of blood falling from her palm. Tears blurred her vision and just like before at the shooting, Rei bit down on her lower lip trying to contain her sobs inside. She fell against the cold, plaster wall and tried to stop herself from trembling. She had almost attacked that woman out there; she had almost killed someone. Bile rose in the back of her throat when she realized just how easy it would have been.
" What do you think you were doing out there, Rei? Trying to get yourself arrested or killed? Rei, you have to pull your sorry self together, Usagi needs us now. All of us. I know you think that this is you're fault that if you could have been here faster or jumped in front her it would have made all the difference. But that didn't happen and now you must stop this. Be strong, Rei it wasn't you're fault."
But it was. Didn't Minako see that the bullet had been meant for her? Usagi had just gotten herself in the middle. If Usagi hadn't been there it would have struck her. It was because of her that her friend was unconscious now. Weakly, she let herself fall to the gray speckled tile floor, the realization suddenly making her knees buckle. " Minako, the bullet was meant for me, don't you see? If he wanted to kill Usagi, why did he hit her in such a non-threatening place? The place where the bullet hit was the same place my heart was located. He wanted me."
" Oh my god, Rei I never thought before but you might be right. I mean he might have been trying to aim around her, but when he got a clear shot she moved in his way suddenly and there was no avoiding it. You were the victim, not Usa." Minako brushed a strand of blond hair from her blue eyes with an orange finger nailed hand. She seemed noble in Rei's eyes and she couldn't help but smile, her pearly teeth breaking through just above her lips. Her blond friend was becoming more like a leader everyday and less like the teenager she really was. The thought made Rei sad and the smile faded.
" You're going to find him aren't you?" The question shocked the raven hared girl that had assumed that she would sneak out sometime when she had the chance, but it looked like Minako had figured it out before. Damn. Lips set in a straight line, Rei wiped the blood that had started to form a puddle on the ground just at her feet, against her dark skirt and stood. " I have to, you watch Usagi-chan and call me on the communicator if anything changes. Good-bye, Minako." With not so much as a smile, she walked toward the door and pulled it open. Stepping through, she gave her brown eyes one last privileged look at the two, before slamming it behind her. Her mind still filled with the image of blue eyes and blond hair, she wouldn't fail them. That was a promise.
From in the room, a whimpering Minako brushed a hand across the bloody smudge on the tile and a tear slid from her sky blue hues. She couldn't help but think that she was losing both of them and she couldn't see a way to stop it from happening. And this only proved once more that destiny could be cruel. Damn destiny.
Outside the smooth chestnut door, a man stood in a white hospital shirt and pants. His eyes were on the raven hared girl striding down the hall. The image must have been a success in some way because he let out a low chuckle, almost cold in a way. The game had begun and it was already: Hunter 1 Hunted 0. It was hunting season and the senshi were in season.
Happy Hunting.
Author's Note: This is the second chapter to this fanfic and I hope you all enjoy. A special thanks to all that reviewed this story. Thank you! You have no idea how much you're reviews mean to me.
Summary: Angry about her failure to protect Usagi, Rei finds herself out of control and with a little delay sets out to find the shooter.
Blood Runs Red
By: FadedSilence
Chapter 2: The Wrath of Mars
Rei watched from her perch on the edge of a plush, maroon chair made of wood as small raindrops pelted the clean windowpane of Usagi's hospital room. It wasn't the most interesting source of entertainment, but Rei didn't really care at this point weather it was or not. Her only concern was for the blond lying in the bed beside her.
It was hard for Rei to even look at her best friend, yet the wires and plugs connected to her body didn't exactly make the situation any better. Her heart was already weighed down with the overpowering guilt and all this gizmo shit was just making the burden heavier. Not to mention the doctors had wasted no time in rubbing in the fact that she had gotten Usagi in here just on time and if she had gotten here sooner she might be awake at this time, not sleeping. Rei would have liked to see them get here faster when their friend had just collapsed in their arms, they probably would have fainted. At least she had gotten her here, wasn't that all that mattered? Obviously not to them.
Rei lowered her head, letting soft raven locks fall about her face. Her ears perked forward listening to the soft breathing of her friend, her chocolate eyes looking for the rise and fall of her chest beneath the crisp white sheet. It was stupid to keep doing this, watching her like this as if at any moment death would come and finish what it started. Rei wasn't entirely sure it wouldn't. The person that had shot at Usagi had only missed their mark by an inch, the target being her heart. Instead the small black speck that was the bullet had only hit a little to the left, but it was still to close for Rei's liking. She would have preferred the bullet be back in it's gun and the gun be a million miles away locked up somewhere. It didn't matter now though, what mattered now was finding the person that had done this awful thing to friend.
Slim fingers wrapped themselves around Usagi's hand and Rei gave it a tight squeeze as if by doing so her friend would get the message and open her big, bright blue eyes. As usual, the message didn't connect and Usagi's eyes stayed shut, her lips clasped in a tight, straight line. Would her friend ever get the chance to smile again? To laugh or cry? She tightened her grip on the pale hand, refusing to believe that her best friend was cursed to sleep forever. Usagi was strong and would wake up, she had to. With out her the senshi as well as the world was as good lost. She was the light in the darkness and this planets only hope.
" Is there any change Rei?"
The light, gentle voice shook the priestess from her thoughts and her muddy hues looked up lazily. It was Minako, the other blond in the group as well as the true leader of the senshi, Sailor Venus. However, right now she looked like anything but the cheery, goddess of Love. She was dripping from head to toe, golden locks hung limply about a face that looked tired and too old to belong to such a young girl. Red rimmed her sky blue eyes and her navy skirt along with her white blouse were wrinkled and ruffled. Even the cherry bow in her hair was drooping, as well as her socks that were scrunched down to her ankles and streaks of mud were visible on her black buckle shoes. Rei gave a wry smile; at least she wasn't the only one that looked like crap.
" She's still asleep. Minako I don't think she is ever going to wake up, it's been two hours now and still she is sleeping. It's like she is almost.dead."
Warm, sticky tears made their way down her face as the last words fell from her part lips. Why had she said that? It wasn't true, Usagi was still alive.her heart still beat and warm breath still escaped her lungs. That could all change though, what if the person came to finish what they started on the street. Some way, some how she couldn't let that happen. She had to protect her it was her duty after all and she had failed to do it before. Rei had let her get shot, but she would change that. She would find the shooter and bring that jerk to justice. Rei owed that much to Usagi.
" Rei where are you going? It's the middle of the night and besides it's raining, don't you think you should wait for my mom to pick us up at least. Rei!"
Rei ignored the other senshi and knocking the chair over she headed for the door of the room, being especially careful not to trip on any of the machines hooked up to Usagi. The girl looked like a damn freaking robot and it only made her more determined to bring that bastard in. Her friend should be playing arcade games and talking about boys, not lying here in some deathlike sleep. She would get payback for Usagi and herself. Already, Rei could feel the adrenaline pumping through her blood and into her body, giving her energy she never thought she could have at about 10 at night. Hey, there's a first to everything right?
The wooden door to the room loomed in front of her and she didn't even hesitate to wrap her hands around it and yank it open with ease. The hustle and bustle of the hospital greeted her, along with the stench of disinfectant. Nurses dressed in neatly clean pressed white outfits hurried to and fro in front of her, their hair neatly done back in buns and hairnets. Some of them pushed old or injured passengers in metal wheel chairs with brown or black cloth backings. One nurse, she guessed was the head of them all was standing behind a blue counter that reached around evenly on both ends connecting to the wall on either side, creating sort of an oval shape. The girl, who looked to be in her early forties or late thirties had black hair that was held back in a small bun that was lopped on the top of her head, making it look like a leaning tower of shit or so it seemed to Rei. Her petite like frame was dressed in a pair of white pants and a shirt with a small dark sweater around her thin shoulders. Dark circles were visible under her navy orbs, along with hints of smeared eyeliner. Ruby lips were pursed in a small, tight line that seemed the only expression she knew how to make. It occurred to Rei that maybe she shouldn't do this, just keep her mouth shut and go about her business, but the bloody image of her friend falling into her arms quickly made her change her mind. She had to do this, for Usa-chan's sake.
Slamming the door behind her, she heard the lock click into place along with Minako's protests that weren't exactly what she would call subtle. As it was Rei was surprised that the nurses hadn't been aroused to the noise, but then again this hospital did seem pretty busy. A thought slipped into her mind and she felt herself shiver, if they couldn't even hear Minako what was stopping the killer from sneaking in unnoticed? Nothing and without even a second thought on the matter, Rei moved forward and right into the lion's den or nurses which ever you prefer to call the hell hole that was this hospital. Taking in a deep breath, Rei opened her mouth and amazingly found her voice in all its weak glory.
" Um, excuse me, but may I ask something of you. Do you think you could have extra nurses posted outside my friend's door, she's Tsukino Usagi staying in room 115. If you could I would be rather thankful."
The poop headed nurse looked up, a slightly annoyed look creeping across her features. Rei had the sneaking suspicion that she wasn't the only one that had asked this question before, but she also felt that she was obligated for her friend to be protected. " I'm sorry, but I can't do that. There's not special treatment at this hospital, she's just like everyone else." No she's not, Rei wanted to scream at her, not everyone else has a murder after them you dumb bitch. Instead, she took in a shaky breath and tried to keep her voice steady despite the rage that was flaming inside her threatening to rear it's ugly head.
" You don't understand, my friend, Usagi was almost killed tonight and I think the killer might come to try again. So, is it possible?" The word impossible blared in her head, like a pink neon sign for some gambling bar and Rei scowled. So much for inner confidence, even her mind was against her now! Could a girl get any respect at all? At this point she could definitely rule it out as a possibility. Figures.
" I don't care if it was O.J. Simpson himself trying to get to her, the nurses don't have time to baby-sit patients like that. That's why we have security for protection, the nurses just take care of people. She's is just like everyone else, now if you would please excuse me I have to get back to filing these names. Goodnight, Miss."
The nurse stood up from the blue plush chair and started for the cabinets, well she would have if Rei hadn't reached out and with a bruising grip grabbed her skinny arm. The nurse pulled away, her creaking voice yelling something about security and that she better let go. Slim chance of that, witch she thought her angry making her face hot. Rei's body was trembling now beneath her black skirt and gray blouse, even her feel were shaking inside her high top dark shoes! It was like a bomb was ready to go off and it was a fury priestess by the name of Rei who held the detonator.
" You might want to rethink what you just said bitch, unless you want to end up deep fried." And she meant it with every ounce of her being. Rei wasn't about to lose her friend just because this asshole was having a bad day and decided to take it out on her. No. This girl would do what she wanted and she would do it now, or face the flaming goddess of Mars herself. One of her hands was already gripping her henshi pen in her sweaty fingertips, all she had to do was shout and the flames would come at her will. Together they would make sure this bitch did as she was told or they would burn her sorry behind on a stake. No butts about it.
" Let go now or I'm calling security!" The nurse's manicured finger was already pushing the dark blue button and in second the reinforcements would be here, guns and all. It didn't matter to Rei how many their were, she would knock them down one by one, like a row of black and white dominos. After all, what was a bunch of humans to the immortal flames of orange and red? Nothing.
" Rei, what are you doing!" Minako had managed to escape the locked room and had pulled Rei away from the nurse and was dragging her back into the contents of Usagi's room. Her fingers still were held in a tight grasp where the woman's white sleeve use to be, now there was only a thin trickle of blood falling from her palm. Tears blurred her vision and just like before at the shooting, Rei bit down on her lower lip trying to contain her sobs inside. She fell against the cold, plaster wall and tried to stop herself from trembling. She had almost attacked that woman out there; she had almost killed someone. Bile rose in the back of her throat when she realized just how easy it would have been.
" What do you think you were doing out there, Rei? Trying to get yourself arrested or killed? Rei, you have to pull your sorry self together, Usagi needs us now. All of us. I know you think that this is you're fault that if you could have been here faster or jumped in front her it would have made all the difference. But that didn't happen and now you must stop this. Be strong, Rei it wasn't you're fault."
But it was. Didn't Minako see that the bullet had been meant for her? Usagi had just gotten herself in the middle. If Usagi hadn't been there it would have struck her. It was because of her that her friend was unconscious now. Weakly, she let herself fall to the gray speckled tile floor, the realization suddenly making her knees buckle. " Minako, the bullet was meant for me, don't you see? If he wanted to kill Usagi, why did he hit her in such a non-threatening place? The place where the bullet hit was the same place my heart was located. He wanted me."
" Oh my god, Rei I never thought before but you might be right. I mean he might have been trying to aim around her, but when he got a clear shot she moved in his way suddenly and there was no avoiding it. You were the victim, not Usa." Minako brushed a strand of blond hair from her blue eyes with an orange finger nailed hand. She seemed noble in Rei's eyes and she couldn't help but smile, her pearly teeth breaking through just above her lips. Her blond friend was becoming more like a leader everyday and less like the teenager she really was. The thought made Rei sad and the smile faded.
" You're going to find him aren't you?" The question shocked the raven hared girl that had assumed that she would sneak out sometime when she had the chance, but it looked like Minako had figured it out before. Damn. Lips set in a straight line, Rei wiped the blood that had started to form a puddle on the ground just at her feet, against her dark skirt and stood. " I have to, you watch Usagi-chan and call me on the communicator if anything changes. Good-bye, Minako." With not so much as a smile, she walked toward the door and pulled it open. Stepping through, she gave her brown eyes one last privileged look at the two, before slamming it behind her. Her mind still filled with the image of blue eyes and blond hair, she wouldn't fail them. That was a promise.
From in the room, a whimpering Minako brushed a hand across the bloody smudge on the tile and a tear slid from her sky blue hues. She couldn't help but think that she was losing both of them and she couldn't see a way to stop it from happening. And this only proved once more that destiny could be cruel. Damn destiny.
Outside the smooth chestnut door, a man stood in a white hospital shirt and pants. His eyes were on the raven hared girl striding down the hall. The image must have been a success in some way because he let out a low chuckle, almost cold in a way. The game had begun and it was already: Hunter 1 Hunted 0. It was hunting season and the senshi were in season.
Happy Hunting.