Warning: Swearing. I upped the rating a little because of it. Uh, I also didn't really read this over, so pardon my mistakes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing.
Chapter 7
It had hurt only initially, like the shadow had promised. The pain went away as soon as it received full control of her body. And as it had promised, the pain of her infinite grief had went away as well.
Her memories were still there and she could still think, though she could no longer command her own body to move. It belonged to the shadow now, which was fine, because she could no longer dwell upon how much she missed her dead daughter and how much she hated the ones who had taken her away.
"Let me show you a world where there will be no more pain. Let me help you find your vengeance. The end is coming; let's ease its arrival," it had said.
The voice had caressed her ear, sinful and sweet. She had sighed with a longing that ached. "I want an end, I want vengeance," she had whispered back.
"Let's end it together."
She had stretched out her hand and welcomed it.
- - - - - - - - - -
Rei had half a mind to smash her fire-engine red communicator against the innocent shrine wall. After an entire ten minutes of futile attempts to contact Minako, the watch continued to give the annoying busy signal. She frowned slightly, finger uncertainly hovering over Mercury's and Jupiter's signs. A meeting was in order, but both Ami and Makoto were in cram school, and would not be free until later that night.
The tiny crescent moon symbol on the face of the communicator caught Rei's attention. She had no idea what Usagi was up to—the girl had been rather ambiguous about her plans this weekend.
The watch-like contraption emitted a soft beep as her finger met the smooth button.
- - - - - - - - - -
Usagi jumped at the distracting buzzing coming from her wrist. She gave it a puzzled glance; Rei was calling her? Had she known this was going to happen? Her eyes widened with the suggestion—Rei would know what to do. With that initiative in mind, she raised her eyes just in time to see the woman head straight towards Hiiro.
- - - - - - - - - -
Even with his proficient reflexes, he didn't think he would be given the chance to avoid the first strike. Usagi with the beeping watch out in the perilous open had diverted his attention. The most he could do now was attempt to block the blow and calculate how he was to gain the offensive.
But something knocked into him from the side, sending him skidding into the grass and scrambling all his thoughts. He found himself on the ground, staring at Usagi through the warm golden veil of her hair. She wasn't looking at him, but rather staring at the possessed woman.
"What are you doing?" he whispered harshly, startling the girl out of her contemplation. She was reckless and would end up getting them both killed.
Usagi shook her head, eyes never leaving the woman. "She's too strong. You should get to safety, Hiiro-san," she urged gently as she stood. "I have to get her away from these people."
Hiiro glanced at the enemy. The sadistic expression had never left, but she was utterly enraptured with Usagi. Her eyes were locked on the blonde, as if she would lose her waning life if she looked away.
"Who are you?" Usagi implored quietly. A black awareness raked up her spine to the very base of her head and she couldn't keep from shuddering violently at the repulsive sensation.
The woman bowed her head in a mock curtsy. "I was born of your love, Princess."
She felt her vision swim as the tingling scraped viciously at her vulnerable state of mind. She hadn't heard the title in nearly two years, but now, a woman who she had never known existed mocked vindictively at her name and all she had gained and lost with it. Her lips trembled as she attempted to form the question again, tears springing unbidden to her eyes.
"Who are you!"
The word 'princess' thundered in Hiiro's head as one of his hands clamped firmly on her wrist, incidentally, the one with the irritating watch. "What do you think—"
A short beep cut off his demand, then a clear, recognizable voice bellowed out of the device: "FINALLY, Usagi, where have you been?"
Her tears stretched into a thin glittering sheen with the expanding of her eyes, mouth forming a small 'o' of surprise. Usagi jerked her hand out of Hiiro's hold and pressed all the buttons randomly and at once to shut it off and to curb his growing suspicion.
"I—stay here!" The words tumbled out of her mouth without thinking. He couldn't have added a word in edgewise as she took off sprinting out of the park with the woman following almost dutifully behind.
Hiiro, with his teeth tightly gritted together, retrieved his gun, and gave chase.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Haruka-papa."
"Hm?"
"Isn't that Usagi-san?"
Slightly preoccupied, Haruka followed the line of Hotaru's arm to see the little blonde dash across the street as if hell was opening up the ground at her very heels. Haruka's heart nearly leapt out of her chest when Usagi was a mere fraction of a second away from turning into roadkill. The oncoming truck screeched to an ear-piercing stop, allowing the girl—and another woman—to safely pass.
Something unsettling stirred in Haruka's stomach. "Let's go see what she's up to."
Hotaru's footsteps quickened as she caught up to the taller woman at the busy street corner. People crowded around them, ubiquitously waiting for the light to turn green. She frowned slightly, the image of the woman who had been following Usagi still bright in her mind's eye. The woman scared her, and she hadn't the faintest idea why.
The light jumped to green, and she was suddenly pushed aside as the tide of humans swept across the street. Hotaru stumbled into the arms of her surrogate father, managing to catch the profile of the man who had thrust her out-of-the-way.
"Watch where you're going," the blonde growled heatedly as she straightened the younger girl, growing increasingly disgruntled when the youth blatantly refused to acknowledge her. He promptly vanished into the crowd. "Are you okay, Hotaru-chan?"
Hotaru nodded thoughtfully as they crossed the street. "We all fall down."
Haruka's light blue eyes slanted down sharply. Her 'daughter' had said the line accompanied with an all too familiar tune. "What?"
"'Ring Around the Rosie.' It's an American nursery rhyme. We learned it in school the other day because it has an allegory to a plague in the fourteenth century."
"But why did you say it?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. Michiru-mama's new song has a variation of it."
Realization dawned sluggishly. "It was in the beginning."
"The very beginning," Hotaru nodded casually, "we all fall down."
- - - - - - - - - -
Lub-dub. Lub-dub.
Supposedly, that was what a real heartbeat sounded like, when one valve closes and another opens. She had found it hilarious when her biology teacher had mimicked the noise, but now as she ran, the more she listened to the ever-growing volume of the beat of her heart, the more it sounded like 'lub-dub.'
Running was all she could do now.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Rei-chan!"
The priestess, still clutching the communicator, hurried out of the worship room and toward the panicked voice of her best friend.
"Rei-chan, help me!"
Rei stared incredulously as Usagi waved her hands wildly as she shot up the steps. "Usagi, what are you—"
The blonde shrieked unexpectedly and vanished from sight. Heart lurching in her chest, Rei flew down the concrete staircase, wooden sandals clacking loudly with each descending step. Usagi was sprawled across the intersection where one slanted line stairs ceased and the next flight jagged outwards. She had rolled far from the edge, bruised and scraped, but conscious.
Usagi groaned softly as she turned over. The palms of her hands stung as they scraped against the unforgiving concrete. Stars swam before her eyes once she blinked them open. The taste of blood was distinct in her mouth.
She raised her heavy head, vision doubling as Rei approached her. Behind Rei, was the anonymous woman. "Rei-chan, watch out!"
The priestess spun around, hands crossed in a defensive position, but the power behind the blow was too great. She careened backwards. The woman struck again before Rei could gain her footing.
Her right temple knocked painfully against the ground, will draining out of her as her body stilled into immobilization. Before her eyes closed, she saw the strange woman standing tall and sinisterly over the rumpled blonde.
- - - - - - - - - -
Usagi crawled across the floor, lungs shuddering as she sucked in her cry, but as soon as it filled her mouth, it was expelled forcefully out. The woman she had carelessly neglected, had kicked her in the side. She rolled limply over, arms hugging her searing lower torso.
The most excruciating pain shot like electricity after the initial report of the popped bone. The sharp, wet sound reverberated through her entire body, and continued to echo in her sensitive ears even now.
The woman had broken her rib.
She wanted to cry—the want was almost more painful than her broken rib, but the tears stayed trapped behind her wide, reflective eyes. The brunette loomed above her—then closer, closer, until Usagi could feel her hot breath against her pale, cold cheeks. Hands slid around her neck, slow, almost in a lover's caress, and squeezed. The wide, pretty mouth opened into a curved, gaping hole.
"Give me your body."
"No." The word bled out of Usagi's mouth.
The knuckles in slim fingers contracted into fragile flesh. "Give me your body."
Usagi's pink lips formed the word again, but no breath discharged it from her tongue. She stared into those pale blue eyes, willing any sort of sense or awareness into them. Within the clear reflection of herself, they remained cold and numb.
There was very little air she could obtain, and every time she made an attempt at a deeper intake, the fractured rib bit further into her body. Her eyelids drooped heavily over her vision, impairing what little there was left of it. The sky blurred into one thick cloud of dirty white. The tiny spots of black became cavernous and devouring.
The sound of her heartbeat filled her mind, lulling her. Lub-dub.
Lub-dub.
"Give me your body—"
Lub-dub.
"—Or I will take it."
- - - - - - - - - -
It was the crumpled body shrouded in glossy black hair that attracted his attention first. The recognition of Usagi's destination was second. It was the Hikawa Jinja, one of the most common areas for the strange occurrences that delighted in making the greater Tokyo area a living hell for city planners and construction workers alike.
Hiiro took up the flight of stairs two, three steps at a time. The body was easily identifable as Hino Rei, the priestess he and Duo had investigated, who had immediately became a figure of suspicion. She had received a shallow laceration across her right temple, but her strong vital statistics settled any uneasiness. The least he needed right now was a civilian fatality.
Her eyes opened suddenly, the purple of irises so dark that they were almost black. Her hands convulsed around his wrist. "Usagi," she whispered hoarsely as she tried to raise herself to her feet and failing pitifully, "help her."
There was a connection between the two girls that he dimly realized as he raced up the stairs. He put it aside for later exploration, mind prioritizing the events robotically. Without thinking, he slid his gun from the back of his pants as he reached the scene.
There was no time to assess the situation. There were two choices: kill the woman or let the woman kill Usagi.
His thumb edged forward, pulling back the hammer of his gun.
- - - - - - - - - -
Something hot began to fill her heart, puncturing the life-sustaining muscle like a syringe filled with boiling blackness. Her resistance waned; she, heavy-limbed and languid, felt the world slow around her. The first beat of her heart stretched on and on and on--for minutes it seemed--and she waited patiently for the second, final note. It came unexpectedly as a faint mechanical clicking.
Her eyes expanded, pupils dilating when the light of the physical world became as easily perceivable as it once was. The woman had never once loosed her grip on her neck, leaving it sore and tender. She didn't care; behind her, Hiiro was aiming for the woman, both innocent and malevolent at the same time.
Could she let him kill the woman, a human woman who had no control of her body?
She used the time needed to answer her question to answer her question. Drawing all the strength she had left in her body, she flipped her away the instant his gun went off.
Usagi curled to her side and swallowed back her scream.
The bullet had pierced her upper arm.
- - - - - - - - - -
The speed of light is faster than the speed of sound. That is why people notice the smoking of a gun before they hear the shot.
This was not the case for Haruka. The ring of the gunshot had startled both she and Hotaru into a dead run up the few remaining steps of their goal. She saw the steel of the gun next, and the information regarding the target was processed last.
The fucking bastard had shot Usagi.
She was on him before Hotaru had gone out of her state of shock. Haruka made sure the first blow took the weapon out of the picture, and the second took him to hell. The latter didn't follow with the plan. In the space of a fraction of a second, he had prepared himself for the next strike and even managed to throw her off kilter.
Adrenaline and rage fueled her, and with one controlled movement, she slammed her fist into his face. His head snapped back satisfactorily with the force, but it was a brief triumph. Haruka's feet swept out from under her in the next moment. She landed ungracefully on her back and elbows. She suppressed the urge to cradle her tingling arms and rolled away from his descending foot.
He was good, she'd give him that much.
But, she vowed, for hurting one of the few people who could hold a place so close to her heart, he would pay.
- - - - - - - - - -
Rei had struggled her way back up the steps despite her near-debilitating condition to see Yui Hiiro point his gun at the woman and end up shooting Usagi instead.
Usagi had remained quiet amongst all of it.
And because her friend, as raucous and articulate as she was, did not scream, Rei feared for the worst.
And because she feared for the worst, Rei felt a human part of her shut down.
Her hands seemed to burn with an innate fire as she reached for the purging white scrolls hidden in her hakama.* The 'possessed' was staring at her as if she knew.
She would forgive the woman, but whatever the hell was controlling her would suffer infinitely. She would make sure of it.
- - - - - - - - - -
It wasn't the fact that he had shot Usagi that disconcerted him, but the fact that she had tried to save the woman who was killing her—and succeeded in doing so at the selfless expense of her own life. He mulled over it even as he moved fluidly in opposition to the strange blonde female—one who had required a second look to allow him to be as sure as he was now—attacking him with the skill of an expert martial artist.
Amidst the quick blurred movements, he realized that she began to look increasingly familiar, though from where and how he knew eluded him. It was a mistake to have so many demanding thoughts going through his head at such a critical point. He paid for it with the quick and begrudgingly painful jab to the right of his face. Hiiro stumbled back, and using that momentum, ducked low to swing his leg in a wide arch. His opponent fell to the ground and rolled away, earning him just enough time to get within five feet of Usagi before he was rushed from the back.
As he landed on the ground, he heard Hino Rei speak something that held no meaning to him. At the same time, he saw a slip of paper flick from Hino Rei's hand to the woman's forehead.
The woman collapsed to the floor as he rose to his feet.
But if his eyesight was as perfect as he knew it was, the black shadow that had lingered in her eyes had fled before the paper had touched her.
- - - - - - - - - -
Rei tore off a piece of her red hakama and wrapped it tightly around Usagi's profusely bleeding arm. The bright crimson of the cloth darkened to the color of black cherries. Relief had come, knowing Usagi was still alive and consciously aware enough to be able to speak, but the blood that didn't stop was beginning to chase away the consolation. Her raging headache didn't help her mental state either.
"Hotaru-chan is calling for an ambulance," she stated calmly, proud that her voice was not wavering as much as she had anticipated.
"She knew."
A concerned frown wrinkled her brow. Usagi's voice was much too soft and airy for comfort. "Knew what?"
"She knew who I was, Rei-chan. She knew I was the princess." She moved her head with effort to the altercation, twisting herself and immediately regretting it. Her throat constricted as she spoke. "Stop it."
"Stay still. You've lost a lot of blood."
"Stop them, Rei-chan."
Her lips thinned into a thin line; Usagi's glassy blue eyes stared at her almost lifelessly. She stood stiffly to her feet and walked the two feet to where the discarded gun lay. It was cold like ice under her fingertips, a little heavy, but raw and powerful. The safety was off. Rei fired one round into the sky.
Her pet crows screamed with terror and took to the blue abyss. The crack echoed like the sharp snapping of a twig on a frozen winter morning. The enormous vibrations in the air stilled and it became quiet.
"No more fighting. It was an accident. Yui-san was trying to help."
Haruka narrowed her slanted teal eyes. Her limbs strained in the tenuous position. "You know him."
"We've met," Rei answered curtly, giving Hiiro an equally curt nod and held out his weapon. "Your gun."
He took it as if he hadn't been encumbered in a fight, flicked on the safety, and slipped it into his jacket. He squatted low to Usagi's side, as if it would make up for the precious time he had wasted and the rapidly inflating bubble of guilt that was now rising in his chest.
It wasn't that he didn't care, because he didn't not care. Intentionally or unintentionally hurting a harmless person was never an objective of his, in fact highly discouraged against, although at one point it was. But that was back then, when he had thrived on his single-mindedness to survive.
Now, shooting Usagi when he was positive that he would not, had thrown him out of a rigid equilibrium. He was getting sloppy, and sloppiness aggravated him. A nonexistent margin for mistakes had suddenly been torn into and before he had been able to smooth out the offending tear, someone with an ability that matched his own had attacked him. Survival became his one purpose again. It was either kill or be killed.
A younger girl with straight, dark hair and slanted violet eyes slid into his periphery. She was fragile-looking with a closed expression on her fine-boned face.
"The ambulance is coming," she informed quietly, mirroring his movements to the other side of the blonde. Her eyes followed his hands in the practiced examination he was performing on Usagi. They were long fingers, hard and calloused, fingers that belonged to a person who had spent a lifetime in physical labor. "I'm Tomoe Hotaru, a friend of Usagi-san. What's your name?"
He paused at the blood-drenched arm and thought how small it was, how easily his hand could wrap around her upper arm and snap it in two if he wished. Usagi's eyes were focused on a point behind him—maybe even through him. "Yui Hiiro." Hiiro shifted his gaze toward the priestess and the masculine blonde. Hino Rei had pulled the older woman aside, both trapped in a heated discussion, though they spoke too softly for any meaningful extraction.
She smiled faintly and shifted her hand to Usagi's forehead, finally out of scrutiny from his watchful stare. There was little she could do for her friend's critical wounds without coming in direct contact with them, but she could ease any side-effects that may have occurred to her head. Her hands warmed under Usagi's fevered skin.
The persistence of her healing powers had addled the team because no one else was able to tap into any of their elements save Rei. Rei's powers of premonition and exorcism had also stuck with her, so finally, they had contributed their talents to that of themselves and not of their alter egos. Ami had suggested that these abilities were manifestations of spirits, derived not from their past lives, but bestowed in this lifetime.
She hadn't understood, despite the knowledge of the universe she had regained after her rebirth from Mistress Nine. The meaning of 'lifetime' had slipped off the word. Living and dying had become equally meaningless. This 'lifetime' she had died three* times already, although all together, she had already died four times. And all four times, she hadn't the luxury of a normal childhood. Her lives became duty, her duty her life, and her life meaningless.
"Hotaru-chan. . ."
She leaned forward, guiding her soothing power into Usagi's pallid skin, morbid thoughts dissolving. "Yes?"
"I'm sorry. . .I'm so sorry. . ." she whispered suddenly, tears wetting her unfocused eyes.
"Usagi-san? Sorry for what?"
"Sometimes, I can't remember what Chibi-Usa looked like."
What little color in Hotaru's face drained. Hiiro had noticed, had been paying attention covertly to the small exchange. "Chibi-Usa?"
"My—"
"Cousin. Chibi-Usa was Usagi-san's cousin," she stated firmly after a deep struggle for breath. The air became oppressively stagnant around her. A weight sat heavily on her chest, measured innumerably by the physicality of losing a friend, but so much less than what Usagi had lost in a daughter. She knew not why Usagi had brought up such a sensitive topic to torture herself with.
"It was my fault. I sent her back to meet you.* Do you miss her?"
"Yes." She, eyelids drooping sorrowfully.
Those royal blue eyes slid to Hotaru, a forlorn laugh bubbling out of her throat. "I miss her, too, but how do you miss someone you never knew? I don't understand. Do you understand?"
Mutely, she shook her head no.
"How about you, Hiiro-san? Have you ever missed someone you never knew?"
It was a strange question, truthful and pensive, but strange because it unexpectedly struck a part of him he preferred to keep closed. There were two people he had never known and actually very rarely wondered about. The peculiar question facilitated one of these times. "My parents."
The near imperceptible flicker in his eyes betrayed him; familiarity flooded her body, hot and cold at the same time. Her pupils expanded, regaining their natural vigor. "Oh!" She rose as much her broken bone would allow from the ground toward him, beseeching. "I-I'm sorry." Her good hand reached for his.
It was a brief touch of comfort and sympathy, her hand pale and cold in his. She looked brighter now, and much more alert than she had been minutes ago, although he had some reservations in asking the numerous questions he had in mind. Usagi was a lot stronger than he had anticipated. She was functioning normally despite the short lapse of emotional chaos.
Hino Rei and the other woman slipped back into the small circle gathered on the floor seconds before he heard the distant wail of sirens. The statuesque blonde now on the heels of her feet gazed at him coolly.
"Tenoh Haruka," she introduced tightly. "I apologize for earlier."
He nodded in acceptance, granted that she didn't sound remorseful.
Softly, but seriously, Haruka touched Usagi's golden crown. "Koneko-chan. . ."
She beamed in the face of the harrowing pain. "I'm okay, Haruka-san. How is she, the woman?"
"Unconscious, but in better condition than you are," she said, teasing and solemn, successfully hiding her overwhelmingly protective nature over the child-woman. From Rei's account, Hiiro had performed with only the most innocent intentions in mind, but Usagi, as foolishly benevolent as she was, received the consequences of those intentions.
Very shamefully, Haruka then recalled the events that ensued. Her first instinct had been to tear off Hiiro's head instead of what should have been concern for the well-being of Usagi. Stigmatized with her imprudence, she had apologized to Hiiro, but had yet to apologize to the impaired girl.
Rei pulled her aside as people began to shuffle up the steps. "The paramedics are here. I'll stay with her for the ride." She turned to Hiiro automatically. "Will you be joining?"
"There are some questions you need to answer."
"Fine." She turned away shortly, following Usagi who was now in the stretcher. One of the paramedics fell into step beside her.
"You're her friend?"
"Yes. She'll be okay?"
He nodded, glancing over his shoulder. "She's lost a lot of blood, but her vital signs are good. Steady heart rate, blood pressure is fine. She's a fighter, isn't she?"
Her step faltered once at the insightful observation. "Yes, she is."
"You live here, too?"
"Yes."
"It's going to take a lot of scrubbing to get the blood out. That stuff really stains."
"Yes," she said quietly. "Blood is hard to get out."
- - - - - - - - - -
Minako had never imagined she would ever enter the presence of Relena Darlian. If she had known, she would have prepared. In the few moments she had to herself directly after the battle and before the grand meeting, she had woken up a deeply slumbering Artemis to reveal to him everything that had been going on. He in turn, reminded her to keep her mouth shut. Minako had promptly shoved the cat into her suitcase.
They sat across from each other on dainty antique settees in the luxurious suite, the four Ayakashi sisters spread at each corner.
Minako smiled politely and fidgeted in her seat as Relena continued to regard her silently. It was starting to unnerve her.
"Ah, I'm sorry," the imperial woman suddenly started, realizing how rude it was to stare. "It's just that, you look like someone."
"Minako models," Petz offered from her position by the door.
"No, I don't think that's it. Nevermind, it doesn't matter." Relena paused. "I want to thank you for helping me and I'd like to ask a favor of you."
The blonde blinked and nodded. "If it's about leaking it to the reporters, my lips are sealed," she answered seriously. "But I'd like to know myself what exactly happened."
Relena laced her fingers tightly together in her lap and looked askance to Calaveras who nodded to allow her to continue. "No one is sure of what exactly is happening. Three weeks ago, this mysterious anomaly started occurring. Many of the people I've been working with began having these fits. They've been trying to kill me ever since."
Minako chewed on her bottom lip, an anxious habit she had been trying to break. "And the sisters are your bodyguards?"
A confused frown marred the honey-blonde's forehead. "Sisters?"
The four women in question shared hesitant looks. Minako guiltily berated herself for speaking without thinking.
"We're sisters, Miss Relena," Beruche admitted. "We changed our last names when we came into this job. Our real last names are Ayakashi."
The commanding woman frowned, thin eyebrows creasing together. "I don't understand. Why? How did it get past security?"
Cooan shook her head. "We never meant to mislead you, Miss Relena. We were told to take these and that our papers would be arranged."
"From who?"
"We can't reveal that information."
Relena sat rigidly, bewildered and suspicious. This was beginning to make less and less sense to her, made her feel as if she was at the butt of a very twisted joke. Her throat clutched and she sank wearily back into plush seat, eyelids fluttering like enervated butterflies over her eyes. "Whoever this person was knew that this would occur, then."
"Yes," Petz responded, "we were ordered to protect you at all costs. That these afflicted people are after you should be significant, but we haven't figured out why yet."
"Then your source should know."
Calaveras shook her head. "We haven't been able to get in contact with our source for over a year."
Minako was quick to pick up on the subtle emphasis on the timeframe. There was only one person who could have known and that one person in question had disappeared nearly two years ago. The fact that Setsuna had contacted the Ayakashi sisters last year meant that she was still around somewhere.
Or had been until that point.
It was likely Setsuna was hiding out, though where and why evaded her. Minako rolled the information around in her head, intent on enlightening her former comrades. She had, after all, only promised not to tell it to the press. Her friends were not the media.
"Miss Darlian—"
"Relena, please."
Minako smiled. The Vice Foreign Minister wasn't much older than herself, but nevertheless, was an incredibly bright woman who commanded much of the world's respect. In a strange way, the tenacious woman triggered a subdued memory of another woman of the same, if not greater, prominence. "Relena, I don't know what's going on, but please trust them."
Her head bowed slightly, honey-colored bangs dipping over her forehead. "May I ask how you know them?"
Dimly, Minako wondered if lying to the Vice Foreign Minister was acceptable. "Well," she began easily, "we met in Japan through some friends."
It seemed like Relena bought it because she uttered a sidetracked, "I see."
Petz folded her arms over her chest, troubled. "Miss Relena, we'd like to keep this from the two Preventers."
She nodded. "I understand. I won't reveal your identities."
"Relena, why did you ask to speak to me alone?" Minako inquired after a brief pause. The disclosure of the Ayakashi sisters' true identities had been accidental and could not have been foreseen, causing the blonde to wonder what exactly Relena had wanted to say to her.
"Well," she began hesitantly. "It's a silly reason. I don't even know why exactly. Back before the Sanq Kingdom had been attacked, there were a number of paintings. I don't remember much from that time, but I do remember these paintings had been a sort of heirloom. They were of a regal woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. The image has somewhat faded from my memory, but I couldn't help thinking they vaguely looked like you."
"Do you remember where they came from?" she asked, interest piquing.
Relena laughed quietly, "I think my mother used to tell me they were from the moon. I think I believed her, too."
Minako blinked, stunned, and glanced at the sister quartet. They all shared the same mystified expression.
"Did I say something strange?"
She shook her head swiftly, eager to hear more. "No, no. Do you remember anything else from the painting?"
The Vice Foreign Minister peered at her thoughtfully. "She had a strange hairstyle. I can't really describe it; there were two buns and two ponytails. It was charming." She sat back, holding her arms over her abdomen. "I think it was named 'Serenity III,' and now that I think about it, that was what the Sanq pacificism was based on. There was a short inscription about the sanctity of peace. I don't remember what exactly it said now."
Minako, unable to quelch her rising curiosity, pushed forward with another question. "Do you still have them?"
"No," Relena said, shaking her head. "They were burnt after the palace was attacked."
The disappointment was almost devastating. The coincidence was too great to be left untouched. Was it possible that the imperial paintings had been found among the Moon Kingdom ruins? But who could have found them and why would they have given them to the Peacecraft's? Minako had very little idea, but the one person who seemed likely to know was missing in action.
"But, there was one more thing. It did speak of a majestic kingdom that would eventually rise to the far reaches of space. It reminded me of a fairytale."
The blonde smiled vaguely. "You'd be surprised at how many fairytales are based on true stories."
- - - - - - - - - -
He had been functioning on strong, bitter black coffee for the past two days. There had been examinations and then cross-examinations to be performed, reports to be written up, calls to be made, paperwork to be filled out, the press to be accounted for, her infuriated family to be dealt with, and then to top it all off, a censure from Lady Une to be attended to.
But this was nothing compared to the things he had grown up on. This was a vacation.
Hiiro walked through the fluorescent-lit halls of the hospital, eyes sliding sordidly at the excessively clean walls and squeaky clean floor. He hated hospitals as much as he hated weakness. There was something very unappealing about them, an innate preconception situated in memories he chose to keep locked.
Usagi was residing in room twenty-seven. He didn't need to check the paper again, but he did anyway. The doctors and other hospital personnel had restricted visitors to close family for the time being, and not even his threatening had shaken their decision one bit. They did however, let him know when he could see her and promised that he would be the first. They had promised Rei, too, but he was determined to beat her to Usagi. He couldn't let the mysterious priestess contaminate the blonde's answers to his questions as he was sure she would.
He turned a corner and a chipper white door stared blankly back at him. The shade behind the tiny viewing window had been pulled down, but it didn't deter the voice that came within.
"Don't worry, Luna! I'm fine!"
Some indiscernible mumbling followed and then it was all quiet. He knocked once and swung the door open. Usagi stared bright-eyed at him as if she had known. A sleek black cat sat severely in her lap, liquid amber eyes pinned on him.
If he didn't know better, he would have thought the cat was calculating his every move.
"Hi, Hiiro-san!"
His greeting was a little less enthusiastic than hers. "You look well."
Her grin spread so wide, it covered half her face. "They gave me lots of drugs!"
Hiiro nodded tactfully, though dubiously. "Non-drowsy?"
She shrugged and occupied herself with stroking the cat's fur.
"They allow pets in the hospital?"
Her eyes widened a little and flicked to the side—the signs of a poor liar. "Well, Luna's a special pet. All her nagg—I mean meowing will encourage me to get better!"
Hiiro gave the cat a void look. She flicked her midnight tail as if she was annoyed.
"Why don't you sit down, Hiiro-san?" Usagi pointed at the seat by her bedside with her good arm. He retrieved his gun instead, placing it resolutely on the bedspread. Usagi stared blankly. Maybe the morphine was getting to her. "What's that for?"
"Retribution."
She pouted. "For what? What did I do?"
"I shot you. It's fair that you do the same to me."
"In here? In the hospital? I think the doctors will get mad," she whispered conspiratorially.
"Whenever you want."
She blinked once, not sure what to make of his retort and giggled. "You're funny, Hiiro-san! Please sit down?"
He relented and sat very still in the ergonomic plastic seat. Funny? Did she think he was joking? "I'm giving you a chance to take revenge."
She smiled at him, puzzled, a little oblivious, but sweet. "You're nice, Hiiro-san, but a little weird. Ne, Luna?" Usagi patted her cat indulgently over the head. "Do you like animals?"
Nice? "No."
Luna, out of spite, leapt into his lap and dug her claws comfortably into his thighs. She flexed her claws again when she didn't get a satisfying reaction out of him.
"Luna!" Usagi scolded, "get back here!"
To his surprise, the belligerent black cat hopped back to her previous pedestal of observation like an obedient dog. Or an intelligent cat.
"Usagi—"
"How come you don't call me Usagi-chan? Or even Usagi-san? But I like Usagi-chan better. Don't you?"
He scowled. "Why are you suddenly so full of questions?"
She feigned a hurt look, sniffling for effect. "I just want to know you more since our time together got cut short."
It went unnoticed. "Hn."
"So why do you have a gun?" Usagi gave the device a little inquisitive poke with her index finger.
"It came with the job."
"Oh." She poked it again. "What do you do?"
"I work for an organization."
"What kind of organization?"
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you."
"Would it bother you if you did?"
He wanted to say no, because if he said yes, it would've meant he cared. There was very little that he cared about in this world. "Hn. Why did you save her?"
Her hand paused above Luna's glossy black coat, head tilted to the side. Neither his less-than-reassuring answer nor his drastic change in topic seemed to bother her. "Couldn't you tell?"
"Tell what?"
"She was. . ." she trailed off slowly, struggling for the right word.
Hiiro stared at her distractedly. Usagi's hair was undone from her more or less normal hairstyle. With it down, she looked infinitely older. She looked as if she knew something he didn't know. "Possessed," he said at length.
"Right! She didn't have control over her own body, that's why."
He fell speculatively quiet. "Where did you get your watch?"
"Eh? My watch?"
"It talked."
"It was a present from Rei-chan. You know Rei-chan, right?" She didn't wait for him to answer as she continued reproachfully, "I'm sorry about Haruka-san! I hope she didn't hurt you or anything."
"I'm fine," he responded gruffly, both relieved and disappointed in how much her answer overlapped with Rei's. He looked blandly at the sterile hospital walls. "Why did you lead the possessed woman to the shrine?"
"Rei-chan specializes in that kind of hocus-pocus stuff. Ne, Luna?" She scrubbed her hand across the top of the poor cat's head. Usagi gasped suddenly and blurted out, "You work for the police, don't you!"
"No."
"Oh," she murmured, disenchanted. "Is it really a secret organization?"
His mouth twitched at the child-like curiosity. "Hn."
The door suddenly swung open, clanging loudly against the wall. "Konnichiwa!"**
"Duo-san!" Usagi exclaimed, dissolving into a fit of giggles. Her eyes went huge and blissfully glazed at the enormous bouquet of brightly colored flowers he held in both arms. Behind the forest of blossoms, two faces popped out. "Mako-chan, Ami-chan!"
"Usagi-chan, you know these two guys?" the Amazonian brunette whispered, placing her basket of goodies on the rapidly-diminishing surface of the nightstand. Ami nodded in accordance, an almost scandalized look on her face.
"Duo Maxwell and that's Hiiro Yui. Say hi, Hiiro!" Duo gave them each a normal, albeit somewhat much more excited American greeting.
"Hello," Makoto greeted with a grin, reeling with the rapid exchange of English. Rei had warned she and Ami about these two, but she hadn't warned them about how attractive they were. She nodded resolutely. Anyone who looked this good couldn't be all that bad.
"Pleased to meet you," Ami said in a slightly accented voice. Her face was flushed prettily pink, hand still tingling from the enthusiastic shake.
Hiiro stood abruptly and nodded, inwardly discontented with the influx of people and what little time he had been allowed with Usagi alone. The tiny room was beginning to get smaller and smaller. He took a comforting step backwards toward the door.
"That's Mako-chan, and that's Ami-chan," Usagi pointed respectively, puzzled at the way Hiiro hung back from the crowd. "Hiiro—"
"Usagi-chan, I brought your homework."
A tiny muscle in Usagi's right eye convulsed as her more introverted friend delightfully deposited a load of books into her lap. "Ah, Ami-chan, you shouldn't have. . ."
Ami grinned. If Usagi didn't know better, she would have thought it looked sadistic.
"No problem, Usagi-chan. Do you know where Rei went? She told us to meet her here, but we haven't been able to find her."
"Rei-chan?" she repeated thoughtfully. "Nope! I didn't even know you were coming today!" Then she dissolved into another fit of giggles at the utterly baffled look on Duo's face.
"She's probably on her way."
The blue-haired girl blinked at Hiiro in a cursory scrutiny. His head was bowed, though eyes vacant or closed, she couldn't really tell. There was still the disputable topic of Duo's and Hiiro's relationship to naïve Usagi, such as how they had met and if they were upright citizens, but for now, Ami believed they were capable people. "Thank you. I'll go look for her." She nodded subtly to Makoto.
"Wait, Ami-chan! Can you take Luna with you?"
Ami stared at the feline's protesting form trapped by the scruff of her neck in Usagi's hand. The blonde gave her the best pleading expression she could conjure. "Okay, Usagi-chan."
Luna meowed loudly and Duo could have sworn she said something along the lines of 'NO.'
Not seeing anything particularly wrong with the request, as Luna could be a finicky character, Ami picked up Luna and exited the room.
Only when they were finally outside did the cat lose her composure and spit out her annoyance.
- - - - - - - - - -
Room twenty-five. . .room twenty-six. . .twenty-seven.
She paused to lick her lips as her heart lurched in her chest. The door was ajar, boisterous, merry voices practically booming out of it and leaking into the clean, empty hallway. She wrung her hands, swallowing back the painful lump of tears.
"E-Excuse me."
Fresh, cheery faces turned inquisitively, faces that she could only imagine had never seen death or unhappiness. Blissfully ignorant faces that made her anxious and unworthy and ashamed. Her eyes skimmed the room. Those youthful bodies blocked who she sought.
"Is this the room. . ." There were several quick movements, where at the climax she found herself staring detachedly down the single metal eye of a gun. Her smile was wane in the face of equitable death.
"Hiiro-san! What are you doing? Put that down!" demanded a panicked voice from behind.
The man named Hiiro, glared coldly, electric blue eyes clouded and clear at the same time. She remembered him as a haze of blue-black ice that time her hands had been locked around the girl with the never-ending eyes. They had made a pair, chasing at her soul everyday since that incident.
"I mean no harm. My name is Chisa Maruko. I came to apologize."
When he didn't move, the tiny girl blockaded by a number of her friends, piped up with another admonishment. "Hiiro-san! Please!" Only then did he lower his arm, although he was far from putting aside his weapon.
They parted, the lovely brunette and the man with the vivid indigo eyes, giving her a full view of the sunny-blonde dwarfed in the enormous bed.
The golden child spoke first, concern lacing her speech. "Chisa-san, are you better now?"
"Tsukino-san, I. . ." Her mouth moved, lips forming words that refused to cling to her voice. The girl, Tsukino Usagi gazed at her quietly, pretty round face slack, but composed. There was no judgment, no prejudice, only a hushed and soothing harmony.
How could she so generously ask about her well-being? How, when she was a victim of her thoughtlessness?
Her high, raw voice struggled into the back of her throat. "I'm sorry, just sorry."
Usagi blinked, offering a smile. "It's okay, Chisa-san. . .I'm sorry you had to go through that."
There was no contempt in her voice, only truth and sincerity. Maruko's hands quivered. "It was my fault—I. . .I let it take control of me."
"It?" she whispered.
"It promised I would stop hurting. . .!"
Usagi gave a shake of her head, her golden curtain of hair shifting outward as if it was alive. "I don't understand."
"My daughter," she whispered, "I lost her five years ago in the Eve Wars, killed in the sidelines of a mobile suit fight. She would have turned twenty the day before yesterday."
Usagi turned her hands outwards in a sympathetic gesture, sensitive blue eyes flickering with a disquieting memory. "The hurt never goes away, does it?"
She stood dumbly in the doorway, ages and ages away from the tiny girl. "No, never."
"No matter what anyone says, it sticks there, in your heart, and you wonder why it happened, why it had to happen to you. . ."
Maruko felt her eyes sting with bitter tears. No, no, it never goes away, she thought despairingly, only achieving existence as a physiological side-effect of emotion.
". . .And you wonder what you could have done to prevent it. . ."
"I should have protected her, should have protected her from the war."
Usagi's sensitive blue eyes sharpened as if someone had splashed cold water on her face. "War is stupid, isn't it? All it does is destroy. But," she added almost inaudibly, eyes closing in her ashen face, "but, when it comes, you can either sit and pretend it's not happening, or you can stand up and fight. Otherwise, how else can you search for your happiness?"
"But it still hurts—"
She traced a crease in her bedspread with the tip of her index finger. "It will never go away, Chisa-san. All you can do is embrace it. Because, when you embrace it, you'll remember how much you love your daughter. That is what is most important, isn't it? The precious memory of your daughter."
The room became muted, only the wind of Usagi's words stirring through her hair, in her body, through her flesh. Cool, green wind that caressed her face and swept down her cheeks. The temperate girl smiled sadly.
Through her smile, Maruko didn't see, but rather felt, the intensity of Usagi's soul. She looked down, not because it was so physically bright that it hurt her eyes, but because she did not know how else to pay a respect adequate enough in its worth to the breathtaking luminescence.
"One day, Chisa-san, the world will realize how foolish war is, but until then, let's remember how to be happy."
Usagi's arms opened to her then, and she, with her deplorable weeping, entered into their warmth.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Ami had found Rei with the deepest brooding expression she had seen in a long time, staring at an empty wall in the waiting room.
Curiosity winning, Ami decided she didn't want to disturb and decided to wait out Rei's meditative state. Luna was less patient.
"Rei-chan, what are you doing?"
"I talked to Minako again last night. The possessions are happening everywhere Relena Darlian is appearing," she said without turning. "The Ayakashi siblings are guarding her and Minako believes it was Pluto who asked them to do it although they had not directly revealed it to be her. They've been protecting her since last year. She also said the Vice Foreign Minister had paintings of Serenity." She swiveled around then, eyes turned into sharp jewels as they caught the light. "Paintings, Luna. From the moon!"
The feline shifted, pacing uneasily around the deserted room. Usagi kicking out of the hospital room had added to her restlessness. She didn't like the two men, mostly based on distrust, something the blonde wasn't very used to. "There's a magic seal around the moon. Are you sure it's not a hoax?"
"The title 'Serenity the third' doesn't sound much like a hoax to me," hissed Rei as a young doctor strolled by. He quickened his pace at the murderous look.
"Rei-chan," Ami whispered, "it's possible that Endymion had brought the paintings to Earth from the moon and they were discovered here. Elysion was situated very near where the Sanq Kingdom is today."
The priestess relaxed slightly. "You're right," she admitted.
"And since it had never been brought into the world's attention, let's put that aside for now. What's more important is why these possessed people want to kill Usagi and Relena Darlian."
"And who or what is controlling these people," Luna added, lamenting apprehensively. "If only we knew where Setsuna had gone."
"If only we had our powers."
"If only."
- - - - - - - - - - -
On L4, the owner of Winner Corporation picked up a plain manila envelope from his desk. He flipped it around in his hands, unsure as to how it had gotten there. Finding no distinguishing markings, he unraveled the twine that bound it and slid the contents onto the counter.
Quatre's seafoam eyes widened. Hands trembling, he sorted through the stack of thin tracing papers.
There were five plans in all. At the very bottom, an ordinary note pleaded of him:
'For the reign of Serenity III.'
*hakama = priestess garb (I think) **Konnichiwa = (If you don't know what this is, I should shoot you :P)
AN: Has anyone seen PGSM? Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon AKA Sailor Moon Live Action? I've seen up to number four, and uh, it's 0.o interesting. Lol, I don't know what else to say! ^_^;; It's kind of corny and ... certain aspects are wth-ish ... but I like it. :D I guess it's just my bias towards Sailor Moon, but it's cool! And cute! It's much easier to see Usagi's higher quality characteristics than her poorer ones. ^^() They're not exactly following with everything in the anime/manga, and one part in particular I felt they shouldn't have tampered with, but overall, it's not *that* bad. *embarrassed giggle* But, uh, I do have one MAJOR peev. Jadeite has really bad teeth. -.- He was so CUTE as a 2-D character, but the live action has defiled his image. ;-; I'll never be able to look at him the same way again. T__T
Hrrrmmmmm o.o;; I feel like I'm going too fast with this fic. I honestly didn't intend this to be a romance, but I want to lead Usagi and Hiiro together ... and I think I'm achieving their togetherness too fast. o_O;; E-tto, sorry if this is starting to sound like one of those "Damn, you're hot; let's go have sex" stories, because I'm really trying not to make it like that.
Star Sutaa: Thanks! ^^; I'm glad you think it's neat! I hope you'll still think so when it develops more! ^^;
Crystalstorm21: Thankies! ^_^
Sailor Grape: Ohh, that's okay. AND LOL! I'm totally planning on making stuff up. . ..;; Poor Quatre. See, he appeared! I hadn't even meant for him to appear. . . but he's fitting in perfectly right now! *hugs Quatre* XD Yah X_X lots of breaks in POV last time. Sorry about that! I think I was trying to make a point, but then I forgot what my point was. . . *sweatdrop* I hope this chapter met with your expectations of the showdown. o.o I think my writing style really changed throughout. I have this terrible habit of writing a little, leaving, doing something else, then coming back to write a little bit more. ^^;; I totally agree with you! I love the Ayakashi sisters! ^_^
the Desert Fox: WOW! Thanks for all the info!! It was actually pretty helpful (even though it took me a few times to read it all ... I'm just so slow). ^^; Ack, it was actually Petz who didn't trust people not from Earth, not Relena. X_X Sorry for not making that clear enough. I feel pretty bad now. xD Haha, I find it so hard to follow the GW timeline because so much is going on at the same time. For the longest time, I didn't know the difference between the Alliance and OZ and all those little factions. Actually, I still don't know which side Zechs was on to begin with. o.o I wish I could get my hands on the manga. . . or the entire series. *sigh* But thank you, thank you for all that info! :D
Angelight: Yah! I've finally gotten the hang of long chapters. XD The preview is actually not a new story. o.o It was just some random inspiration floating around. ^^; HRM! I actually didn't realize what I was doing with the fluctuating atmospheres! It was actually a bunch of copying and pasting and throwing stuff together 'cause I typed out a bunch of stuff then decided to edit it all!!! O.o; Godzilla. . .that reminds of me Aideen Legacy's story. XD It's really funny! :D
Allure: Oh, sorry sorry, the preview isn't for another story. X.x It was just a burst of inspiration thanks for Cowboy Bebop at like 1 in the morning. :D I love Cartoon Network. I actually wasn't going to explain who was coming after Usagi, but after reading your review, I got inspired! It didn't really help to explain, did it? Lol, well, mostly, I just wanted to point out that Usagi is forever forgiving. . .that shall lead up to more stuff later on. ^^
Usagi Asia Maxwell: The Ayakashi sisters! ;D They're from the Black Moon family with Demando and Rubeus and such and such. ^^ I'm sorta going back and forth between SM manga and anime, but mostly anime. ^_^
Hikari Yume: Doumo O.O *bows*
Liquid Ice: Ah! Gomen gomen! X_X I didn't mean to crack your neck and run you a fever. *bows in apology* I hope you feel better now! Yah, yah!! Ayakashi sisters. I'm glad other people love them, too! ^^ Oops, the maid's not actually dead ;.; I'm sorry! I could make her dead. . .but I just thought it'd be too. . .gruesome. And I'd have to bring police into it and this and that _ Okay, I didn't kill her because I was lazy. -.-;; Yeah! I think Minako's sort of aware of a relationship between H, D, W, and T. But not really yet. . . it's just like this lingering thought type thing. KAHAHAHA, I dunno about Wufei. I stuck that in there to lighten up the mood a little. It's so fun to bug Wufei. I loved how you dubbed him the "adorable bastard." ^___^!! I've always contributed the concealment of their identities to magic and the lot. Seems to make sense. It's kindda like Superman! Off with the glasses - Clark Kent. On with the glasses - Superman. 0.o Oh no! Quatre isn't kidnapped. . .but I could have him kidnapped. . . o.o Ahh, all these ideas!!
Heero's Bunny: O_O But-but, I have midterms!! T.T But I'll try. . .just for you ^_~;
Hyper Bunny16: Thanks! ^^; It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when people like my fic. (Even though it sucks. x.x)
Damia - Queen of the Gypsi's: I remember! ^^; I thought you lost interest in the story. . . I'm glad you're back! ^_^
kimeno-pebols: The Ayakashi sisters are from the Sailor Moon R season. I was actually going to use the Amazoness Quartet!! But I hadn't seen enough of it to get a hang of their characters. . . ^_^
Suki: Wah? You're a much better writer than I am!! O_O!! I get so worked up when I read Queen of the Underworld ! It's so sad! And you update so fast!! Suki-san!! Thank you!! I'll make you happy if you make me happy ^_~ (meaning more fanfics!! :D) And where's chapter 12?! My ethernet has been down since the weekend so I have to use dial-up. NOOO!!
themoonmaiden: LOL Beauty and the Beast! I love that movie. ;-; It's like the Little Mermaid. . .a classic. Haha, Hiiro is the beast. Rofl .;; Is it manmade? O_O That's a good question. . . I'm not sure how to answer it myself. And the Gundam thing. . .!! That got inspired after I read your review. Thanks!! :D I have so much to dooo! *adds more and more and more plot* You wrote out the second chapter and now you want to rewrite it?! ;-; But poor fans like myself want to read your fics. Pwease? ^^;;
Black Aura-Sama: Wah, thanks! Lol, Lain was awesome. . .ly confusing. HAHA I should watch it again. I loved it, but what a trip. ^^ *gasps* WHERE THE HELL is PLUTO? Uh, she's around. She'll show up soon in a few chapters, I think. ^^;; Er, p-please don't kill me ;.; There's so much I haven't done yet in this pitiful life of mine! *sobs* Well yeah :D I try to portray everyone correctly, even when I'm in terrible angst-crazed moods. *nodsnods* Rei friendshippyness is very important, yes indeed! Hrm, all that talk about killing and eating has made me hungry! Better finish up the review corner before I eat!
SailorKagome: T-thanks 0.0;; I think you're exaggerating, but thank you! *giddy smile*