Author's Note: This is the third time I've written this chapter so you'll understand if it's really… bad. I'm not going to lie to you. I think this chapter is bad. We'll see how things work out.
Disclaimer: I disclaim sailor moon and pants. Yes…definitely pants.
Chapter II
Rei had decided it was a rotten night for sleep. At least, that was her inclination for staying up all hours of the night and trying to read the flames. They spoke nothing to her. While she had glared holes into the fire, it merely blazed on; a gigantic unfeeling inferno in front of her. What use was it to consult the fire when all the feelings inside her were overcrowding her mind? Rei had spent hours tending to Minako's battered body; replacing filthy bandages, nursing sprains that Minako had obviously been ignoring. And for the sake of what…? Rei knew the answer was rather obvious. A natural born leader would do anything to protect their soldiers, like a captain would go down with their ship.
Sadly, this did not ease any of Rei's feelings. The predominant emotion was that fiery rage that was consistently misunderstood. It was fueled by fear that she kept bottled because to panic would harm more than help. It was frustration created from worry about how she was supposed to fix the numerous situations that had just arisen. And she was furious with herself most of all. She blamed herself for not being there when Minako had needed her. She rubbed her tired eyes and gave the fire an indecent look of ungratefulness. It was frustrating to be given power but never enough power.
She left the meditation room. She would not give up even though all her efforts to remove the poison from Minako's wound were useless. It was no ordinary poison that they had ever dealt with. With a hand on the bedroom door, prepared to enter, Rei suddenly stopped. From within she could hear the makings of a nightmare, such sounds were recognizable to her. She sighed deeply and composed herself before entering. She watched for a moment as Minako's body twisted and struggled under the blankets. Her hair was spread sporadically on the futon and the blankets were bunched at her feet. A single hand shot into the air as though she were trying to push or grab something.
Rei silently shuffled towards her friend and kneeled by the futon where she knew Minako had for her many times. She leaned over her and took the girls outstretched hand, warming it with her own and pushing it back against the bed. She comfortingly shushed the girl, hoping to either lull her back into a dreamless sleep or wake her up gently. The later ensued as Minako's eyes half-opened weakly and adjusted to her dark surroundings.
"Rei…" Minako whispered; her voice exposed the pain she had been feeling. Where once it was melodious, now it was barely a whisper. It seemed to bear the echo of a sad song. It had surprised Rei to suddenly realize that Minako possibly cried like the rest of them, even outside of abnormal circumstances. She simply gave Minako a sad smile, not knowing how to bring happiness back into her friends watery blue eyes.
"It's hot in here." Minako was still half-asleep and very weak.
"You have a fever." Rei placed a hand against the girls forehead. "A bad fever."
Minako looked away. An apology on her lips but never leaving them. She endeavored to sit up on the futon, when she found herself too weak to do so, Rei aided her.
"While you were asleep I tried to dispel whatever was cast on you. I failed." Minako sat silently as Rei began to speak and unwrap a certain bandage from around her back and abdomen. The wound—carefully attended to—was beginning to heal but Rei knew that, that alone would not cure Minako. "Do you understand the severity of what I've just said to you?"
Minako nodded; she really did understand. However, if the conversation was the first thing on her mind, than she would have been able to retort. Instead, she found herself uncomfortable with Rei's intimate proximity. Her friend inspected all her wounds with the utmost care and hadn't left out curious touches to old scars. Though partially naked, she was not self-conscious of her body, even marred with those wounds and past battle marks, she was still beautiful. It was all so unfair….
"You…have to stop." Minako whimpered. Rei discontinued with the tracing of the light scar she had found on Minako's neck. It was the oldest of scars and a reminder of one of the earliest of lessons for Sailor V.
"I'm sorry." Rei frowned. "Bad memories…?"
"It's alright." Minako swallowed audibly.
Rei began to re-bandage the wounds very carefully and helped Minako to lay on her back again. The raven-haired senshi then laid on her side next to Minako, draping an arm over her stomach and watching her intently. The blonde wasn't sure she could sleep in that position. "…Have you told the others?" She turned to meet Rei's studious look, their faces barely separated.
"I should." Rei said.
"Don't."
"And what do you intend to do?" Minako could hear the fire spark inside her companion again.
"I'll continue."
Rei shook her head; displeased with the answer, she turned away.
"I just don't want them involved. I don't want you involved."
"That just won't be possible." Rei answered Minako's silent plea.
"Why…?"
"Because it is not the enemy which is getting stronger, Mina!" Rei finally burst, she sat up and looked down at her leader. "You're getting weaker! Whatever the enemy has done to you, it's draining you of your power! Rather than fighting monsters, soon you'll be fighting to stand!"
"I just need some rest. Just let me rest." She made a show of yawning to hopefully avoid that line of conversation. She closed her eyes and turned onto her side. So what if she were weakening? She would defeat her enemy no matter the cost. This was simply her fight. The peace of her family was at stake and that thought alone would be enough to keep her alive.
Rei sighed and leant in to place a kiss against Minako's forehead before leaving the bedroom quietly. She felt uneasy, a dark presence was prowling that night and all that mattered to Rei was that Minako hadn't felt it. She closed and leant against the bedroom door. Her teeth were clenched and her fists were balled tightly at her sides. It was injustice… why have peace at all if it would always be destroyed like this?
She zoned out.
"Oh, so you've found the beauty in the battlefield…" Whispered a familiar flame.
"This was abrupt, Spirit, what do you want?" Rei focused, kept control but understood that all her leads depended on this unruly flame.
"Your friend is not well…?"It asked.
"She is cursed."
"…What a pity. She's very special, you know?"
"I know that…"
"Not in that way, Moron. She is special because she was chosen for something extraordinary."
"Explain."
"Say please." The blaze demanded.
She audibly grit her teeth together and very quietly complied with the spirit's demand.
"Good girl." It seemed to make a show of clearing its throat. "Aviva has chosen her."
"… That means what to me?"
It sighed. "You know so little. Aviva is innocence. By now she would have certainly turned dark had your friend not lent her hope and a soul."
"What soul?"
"Her own soul, of course." It put a finger to its lips. "I suppose it was an accident though… you can never be too sure of what you human's do with your souls."
"Who are you…?" Rei asked suspiciously.
"You have something more important to do then ask questions."
To any observer, the conversation that had just taken place would have not lasted a single second but it had winded Rei all the same. She rubbed the sweat from her brow and steadied her breathing. 'Something more important…'
…The prowling evil lingered still.
This creature leapt rooftops. Humanoid, just like the last six that Mars had seen that night. 'Still ugly…' Mars thought with a smirk. Her strength and experience in battle, not to mention her exceptional ability to control her power, had allowed her to conceal her life-force and become undetectable in most cases. Still, she followed it carefully because while her aura was veiled she was still quite visible. She snuck closer, permitting herself a better look while it crouched to sniff the floor. It was certainly tall, scaled and visibly strong. If she assumed its energy allowed it to form similar bolt-like attacks as the others then she could presume that it could handle quite a battle alone. She cracked some of the knuckles in both her hands, triggering the demons senses. 'Time to go to work…'
The beast snarled and jumped to the next rooftop, continuing to the next after that. Rei decided against taking the monster out with fire. Setting the rooftops of innocent citizens ablaze was not in her repertoire. For Mars, the situation was more simple then it seemed, however, it allowed her to judge how Venus' condition was progressing. Last she had seen her as the love soldier, the girl was at the brink of death... her energy depleted after a fight with two of these same creatures. Rei had defeated them with rather furiously charged arrows… even that had seemed overkill.
It wasn't time to allow her mind to slip completely from the battle with the retreating enemy. Mars leapt high and landed in front of the creature. Before it had even settled, she tackled it and pierced it through the chest with her fire soul while on the decent. She landed without a scratch and cautiously looked around for any sign of other demons. She felt no other presence…
"That was impressive. Though slightly brutal… you can be just like her sometimes."
"Who?" Mars asked.
"The other one. Venus."
"Then I suppose that is a compliment."
"You would." It made a motion as though it were stretching then stopped mid-stretch and looked to Rei. "You know.. Aviva is trapped right now."
"Then I'll have to save her."
"There is far more to it then that."
"Then tell me!"
"Not enough time for now. Venus is awake."
"Is this some kind of joke to you!" She fell to her knees and thrust her fist against the ground. For the second time that night, she was left rather breathless after her encounter with the fire spirit. It just wasn't a good idea to be taken into a vision or meeting with the spirits unless she was relaxed from meditation… it left her vulnerable otherwise.
"Venus…" Mars pushed her bangs out of her eyes and looked in the direction of the shrine, realization dawning…
She had sensed them in her sleep but only when they were far too close for comfort. Rei hadn't been in the shrine so she assumed that the fire senshi was already outside even though she hadn't sensed her. Venus had managed to lead them away from the shrine and into the forests that surrounded it. It seemed as far as she could go without leading them into the city and the last thing she wanted to do was destroy Rei's home. The tall, thick trees offered sufficient cover from the enemies. The night was dark but the Moon offered more than enough light for her to see.
So far, there was no sign of Rei and that could mean absolutely anything. Already, Venus was wracked with guilt. She quieted her thoughts when she spotted the hideous fiend approaching her hiding place. She attempted, for the second time that night to summon her chain… but there was nothing but air where the chain should have been. Venus shook her head and took another look at the nearing monster then flung herself out from behind the tree. It hadn't been much of a surprise attack but it gave her enough time to administer a rather vicious stomp to it's knee, snapping it backwards. The monster roared in pain, swinging its arms to defend itself while in a rather helpless state. Venus barely dodged and fully intended on making a run for it. She front rolled passed her opponent and had hoped to find another dark place for hiding but instead, her escaping one enemy had led her into a semi-circle of another three.
"I can't seem to get a break tonight, can I?" She asked no one in general and her opponents only snarled in reply.
They approached threateningly, their pointy teeth gleamed in the moonlight, accentuating the annoying grins they wore. She sneered and, without taking them from her sight, crouched to pick up a piece of wood broken from a tree, large enough to swing as a bat. She grinned widely, swinging at them a couple of times.
"Don't smile as though you've won." Venus said confidently, though all chances at escape seemed futile and her chances of winning a fight with a stick very slim, she knew she would survive this. Venus knew she would survive the moment she saw her… she hadthe fiery amethyst eyes of an angry raven that was about to attack it's prey. Two seemed to vanish into dust even before Venus could blink. But she watched the last two cower before her protector. Their attempts to attack the soldier of fury and hellfire were in vain and they were dead before they had a chance for defense.
Mars looked up from the remains and met Venus's gaze, still panting, still seething with the rage she had felt for those who would so thoughtlessly attack her home. Venus smiled awkwardly…staggering forward until she fell onto Mars. "What took you so long…?" She joked before fainting.
"You're awake…?" Rei's voice helped soothe the pounding in the back of her head.
"…How long was I out?" Minako rubbed her eyes before she rolled onto her stomach. Rei had taken a spot next to her, a book occupying her hands but obviously not her mind.
"Four hours and thirty-six minutes."
"… Please don't tell me you were counting," Minako frowned when she remembered the fight that took place not too long ago. "Where were you last night…?"
Rei didn't reply, instead she turned to the next page and continued reading. Though wanting to appear distant and deep into the book, Minako understood that Rei was just being avoidant.
"You were fighting?" Minako concluded.
"Of course… you can't expect me to just sit here. I can't tend to you, wake you, watch you drag yourself out of this bed—wounded no less—then have you fight, have you return to me exhausted… just to repeat this process.. you can't ask me to do that."
"You don't have to do this for me…" Minako buried her face in her pillow while Rei relayed the bitter truth.
"It isn't that I wouldn't take care of you, Minako. I would no matter what. But the mere thought that you may not return one night… I couldn't live with myself. I lost grandpa… and if I lost you too… who would fix all the things that would feel so bad? Who would be as brave as you had been when I was falling apart?"
Minako looked up from the pillow though she wasn't able to face Rei. "I won't be worth very much in a few days… am I important to you….?"
"Weren't you listening to anything I just said?" Rei answered; saddened by the melancholy tone of the blonde's voice.
"Mm. But I want to hear you say it." Minako sighed.
"Yes. You are important to me, Mina."
"Good. Because you're very important to me too." The soldier of love and beauty rolled onto her side and Rei watched her silently, a little too stunned to turn back to her book.
"I'm going back to sleep… Goodnight."
"More like, 'good morning.'" Rei grinned.
Endnote: I know that I've done better, but for some reason, the last three days have not been very good for writing. I'm just glad I can move on from this point. Thanks for your patience and I hope you've at least enjoyed the chapter.