Finally Chapter three is done. First up I'd like to get a few very quick messages out of the way. I'd like to say thanks for all the positive reviews and encouragement (looks around expectantly). Well a positive review at any rate. If you enjoy the stories you read please take a moment or two, just to leave a review for the author. It really does provide a lift and a reason to keep writing. In the event he ever reads this I'd like to thank Sam for helping me get hold of the Japanese Dubs of seasons 1 through 5 on DVD.
For future reference I'll be using a mix of English and Japanese material from now on depending on what is most convenient, especially for names for example Rei and Serena. So it's intentional and not a mistake.
As with the other chapters I don't own Sailor Moon, The story is fictional and is property of David Cross. Please don't post it on a website without asking permission.
Is that all of it? Yes? Good then on with the story.
A Second Destiny
Chapter 3: Disruptions
"So what is it that you think we're dealing with then Ami?"
Serena, Lita and Ami had gathered around a table at the edge of the school grounds. Luna has joined them and is perched on the wall nearby. They look like normal girls enjoying their lunch in the shade by the trees, but their discussion is far from normal. It's been three days since the battle which put Mina in hospital with a fractured skull and concussion.
"I still don't know. Rei says it's not a monster. Or at least not like any we've faced before. According to her she had no warning, the guy had no aura at all until after he transformed." Ami placed her hands on her knees and looked down. "All we know for sure is it's dangerous. If I hadn't suggested that Serena and I go to the police station then we would have been there to help, and poor Mina might not have been hurt."
"Ami stop blaming yourself" Luna scolds "and you too Lita." she adds seeing Lita's mouth open in protest. "Listen all of you. It's terrible what happened to Mina, but you all know how dangerous our mission is. Darien has been to visit her and she'll be ok. She was awake for a while earlier today. We need to be vigilant and stop anyone else being hurt."
"There have already been more reports of disappearances. Homeless people mostly. Whoever or whatever is responsible is playing it smart by taking those who are least likely to be missed" Ami stands up. "We can't let this go on."
"Hey everyone! What're you doing all the way over here?"
Serena turns in her seat. "Oh hey Mol. We were just talking about Mina's accident."
"Is she ok?"
"The doctor seems to think so." Ami says "My mom has been in to see her. Mina ought to be let out in a couple of days. The concussion was really the worst of it. It could've been a lot worse."
"We're going to see her tonight, if you want to tag along you're more than welcome." Lita chimes in looking up for the first time.
Molly bows her head. "I'm sorry but I already promised Melvin I'd meet with him at the planetarium."
The three girls approach Hikawa shrine together in order to meet up with Rei before going to the hospital. Serena never got tired of coming here. The place was almost always peaceful and had a strange beauty of its own, but at sunset it was breathtaking.
They come to an abrupt halt by the wall at the bottom of the steps as they hear raised voices. It's impossible to make out the words at this distance but one of the voices clearly belongs to Rei.
Serena peeks around the wall and ducks back hurriedly as a middle aged woman with a briefcase stalks past and gets into her car. Undaunted, Serena peeks again in time sees Rei and her grandfather march off in different directions.
"Whoa! What do you suppose that was all about?" Serena asks bewildered.
"I don't know, but we should see if Rei's ok." Lita suggests.
The others nod in agreement and quietly climb the steps. The temple grounds are deserted. The girls creep in the direction Rei was last seen heading in. They catch sight of her a short distance away. Sat against the foot of a tree with her head buried in her arms. Serena starts forward but the cheerful greeting dies in her throat as she gets closer. The way Rei's shoulders are shaking and the fact she is keeping her face hidden really tells the story. "Rei..?" Serena asks softly "Rei are you alright? What's happened?"
"How can they suspect him?" Rei mutters in a half choked whisper so Serena has to lean close to hear her. "I told them he has nothing to do with it." She looks up her face glistening with tears. "Grandpa's never done anything to hurt anyone and now this."
"What happened Rei? Who's suspecting Grandpa and of what?" Serena asks timidly, the shock of seeing Rei crying so openly unsettling her more than anything else.
"At school today I had gym first period." Rei chokes and furiously rubs at her eyes "The teacher caught sight of the bruises on my arm and called me to her office. She says that she's noticed I've come to school with minor injuries before. She kept asking me if everything was alright at home." She stood up her voice stronger now "Then I get home today and find some social worker wanting to question me about Grandpa and then Grandpa and me together. Everyone seems to suspect that Grandpa's been hurting me or something"
"Rei that's nuts." Serena laughs "I know what girls at school say about the weird pervert who lives up here but…."
Rei shoves Serena hard in the chest, sending the other girl sprawling "Shut it meatball head!" She yells "What do you know about anything?"
As Serena looks up her shocked eyes now swimming with tears, Ami steps forward. "Rei I know you're upset about this but that was uncalled for." Rei turns her back on them.
"Yeah Rei! Ami's right. I know Serena doesn't always put things very delicately but you know that she only means she thinks the school's being ridiculous. We know Grandpa would never hurt anyone."
Rei stays facing the other way but lowers her head. She gives a deep sigh and mutters something that sounds like "sry"
"It's ok Rei. You know we'll all support you." Serena says as Lita pulls her to her feet. "Right now were supposed to be visiting Mina. We won't have long before the ward is closed to visitors. We won't get in if we don't hurry." The four of them head toward the hospital.
"Hey Darien how is she?" Serena asks as they meet him coming out of the ward.
"She's asleep now. But she has been awake She was asking for you." He responds pulling on his jacket. "Her parents came by as well. I told them I was just a friend but I'm not sure they were convinced." He shrugs "It's almost as though I'm being blamed for her getting hurt."
"Seems to be the latest trend." Rei mutters darkly.
Ami clears her throat to get their attention "Look everyone. We know what we do is a terrible risk. I'm surprised that we haven't been hurt like this before. Our lives are watched by those around us who care and if we keep getting hurt then they'll notice. It's only natural for them to be suspicious."
"Are you suggesting we tell out families who we really are?" Lita asks.
Ami sighs "While it would be nice not to have to keep secrets, we couldn't. The more people that find out who we really are, the more we put those around us in danger. Our families and friends would be used against us just like Molly or Darien. We can't risk it."
"So what should we do then Ami?" Rei demands "Grandpa's already under investigation and now Mina's parents are suspicious. Someone will find out eventually"
"That was always a possibility Rei." Darien points out "We just need to be as careful as we can for as long as we can and worry about our real identities being discovered when the time comes." He walks to the door "Do any of you want a ride home?"
"Just give me a minute guys." Lita calls over from the ward desk "I just want to see her. I can leave the card and gifts for her and meet you at the entrance." Darien nods and leads the others to the elevator.
Lita enters the darkened room. The only light comes from the glass window set in the door and from some sort of monitor beeping away next to the bed. She can make out the blonde haired form lying under the covers sleeping soundly. After placing the gifts on the side table Lita takes Mina's hand in her own. "I am so sorry Mina. Pleas forgive me. It's all my fault that you were hurt. I shouldn't have been so reckless. I promise you I'm not going to see anyone else hurt. I'll protect all of you at any cost. I can't afford to lose anyone." She takes a last look the bandages around Mina's head, the drip attached to her arm and wipes her eyes. Then she turns and leaves the room. She never notices Mina open one eye and smile after her.
Much later that night Mina awakens gasping. Some terrible dream fading as she lay in the dark. The man with the shadows wrapped around himself had been chasing her. No matter how hard she ran or how far she jumped he seemed to be right on her heels but just out of sight around the last corner or down the last staircase. Then at the end he had grabbed her neck in a grip like ice and began crushing her.
With a jolt of shock she realised that something was very wrong. The bedclothes are far too tight, wrapped around her body and with notices horror that they are ever so slowly moving up and encircling her arms. As soon she struggles to sit up they snap into a frenzy. The whip around like living things, constricting painfully and driving half of the air from her lungs. Her left arm is pinned to her side and she only barely gets her right hand up and her fingers between the sheet and her throat before it begins to tighten. She desperately struggles against her unseen attacker. This can't be real she thinks desperately I've got to be asleep and still dreaming. But as the pressure increases she realises that it's real enough. It is killing her after all. As her vision dims she sees a white shape move toward her and suddenly the cloth at her throat tears.
"Mina you've got to get out of here now!" Artemis has hidden himself in the hospital to be with her and now he uses his claws to shred and weaken the material that is so intent on killing her.
With a massive last effort Mina tears her way free of the bedding which promptly engulfs the cat instead. She goes to help Artemis when he calls out to her. "I'll be fine. There's no sheet I can't shred. Now Run!"
Mina grabs her transforming wand from by the bed and runs to the door. She cries out as a sharp burning pain suddenly teats across her right hand. "Agggh! Shit the IV needle." There's nothing to be done for it now. Mina lurches through her door into the hallway leaving a trail of blood in dime sized drops behind her. The nurse at the desk looks up from her portable TV set and stares at her in shock. Mina starts forward "Please you have to help me."
The nurse jumps up pressing a concealed switch under the desk as she does. "Young lady you shouldn't be out of bed at this hour." She walks toward the frantic Mina with her hands outstretched. "Please return to your room immediately."
Mina turns and runs she rounds the corner and staggers. The world is sliding in and out of focus and her head feels like it was stuffed with cotton wool. She bites her lip hard enough to draw blood and the haze clears slightly. Fighting waves of nausea she reaches the door marked Stairwell and goes through. She descends one flight of stairs before the world lurches badly enough to force her to sit down. This was crazy. She had left Artemis to fend for himself. She was trying to escape from a hospital wearing nothing but a gown that was hardly appropriate for going outside. She hadn't even grabbed her communicator. Her hand stung like crazy and her head hurt worse.
She was just debating going back to the nurses station when the door above he opens causing her to look up. The Nurse steps through and turns to face Mina. The falls down the stair in a heap almost landing in Mina's lap. Mina looks down a screams. The body before her is definitely dead. She looks like she's been dead for weeks. The skin pulled taught over the bone, with all of the moisture and muscle gone. Pushing the body away in shock and revulsion Mina looks up to see another figure in the stairway. A man who despite being standing in the light from the corridor remains hidden in shadow.
When he speaks his voice sends chills through her very being. "Hello there Venus. Or should I be saying… Goodbye?"
OK I'm leaving it here for a bit. (Stop that booing at the back it isn't polite) Please don't think two chapters in a week is the norm for me I just had more time than I thought to get some writing done. My friends are all away enjoying themselves this week while I'm stuck at home so I've extra time to fill. But I'm not bitter you hear me? I'M NOT BITTER!
Anyway, I hate cliff-hangers as much as anyone so I'll do my best to have the next chapter up and ready by the weekend. Reviews are always welcome and if you want to Email feel free. It'd be great to get in touch with other fans.
