Hey here it is quickly even, the Conclusion & Epilogue of The Curse of the Frog.

Author's Notes - Here it is, and I hope you enjoy it. Please R&R and let me know what you thought. Thanks to the people who reviewed!

Standard Disclaimer applies….


The Curse of the Frog

Chapter 5 – Facing a Fate worse than Death

Haruka sat in a panic watching everyone mull the idea over. Usagi seeing the look on Haruka's face threw herself into Haruka's arms. She slipped her arms around Haruka and buried her face into Haruka's neck.

"Please Haruka…please save Seiya?" Usagi pleaded with the blonde. Haruka put her arms around the smaller girl and tried to offer comfort without caving.

"Koneko…I would gladly face any card or daemon for you, or even face Galaxia again if you asked," What do I say, how do I break her heart? "But I can't do this." The words Haruka spoke were quiet yet firm. Haruka allowed her hand to run up and down Usagi's back in a comforting pattern.

"It's okay Haruka…I understand." Usagi spoke softly, and her breath tickled Haruka's skin. Haruka closed her eyes against the pain she felt in denying her princess this one task that she could not do.

The group watched the proceedings quietly no one knowing what to say. Yaten sat grinning, ready to push her over the edge. "Oh is the mighty Uranus…"

"I'll do it." Haruka spoke firmly. She saw the look of surprise on Yaten's face and grinned triumphantly. She had just saved herself from utter humiliation by trumping him but now she would actually have to go through with it. She glanced down to see happy blue eyes shining up at her.

"Really truly," Usagi spoke hesitantly her voice filled with hope. When Haruka nodded she slammed herself against Haruka again. "Thank you…thank you…thank you." Usagi's fervor made her smile softly.

"Your welcome, but I make no promises, this is just some cork-brained idea and it may not work." Haruka glanced at Usagi to see if she was listening.

"I know, but I really think it will work." Usagi smiled at Haruka with utter confidence.

"Okay but you must move if you want me to do this." Haruka chuckled at Usagi jumped back blushing.

"Everyone wait here and I will be right back." Haruka spoke with her usual cocky tone and it surprised Yaten. She strolled towards the bedroom her heartbeat in her throat.

Haruka entered the room and closed the door behind her. The frog was still sitting on the bed. She glanced at it and shuddered. "How am I going to do this?" She muttered aloud and jumped when the frog croaked.

"You be quiet, this is mostly your fault, and your evil little friend too." She walked over to the bed and reached out for the frog. I can do this…I can do this…Just pick it up. When her hands actually touched the frog she shuddered. The feel of the slimy skin had her skin crawling and she fought the rising panic.

She dangled the slimy frog in front of her and tried to focus on bringing it to her lips. She took deep breaths and tried to remain calm at the thought of kissing the repulsive monster. Haruka closed her eyes and quickly smashed the frog's mouth against her own.

She cracked one eye open and the frog still dangled in her hands. "All of that for nothing?" Her panic and fear was immediately replaced by raging anger. "This is your entire fault you scrawny imbecile." She was so angry she didn't think, she just hurled the frog against the wall. The frog made a satisfying thud against the wall.

Haruka's eyes widened in shock as a dazed Seiya landed in a heap on the floor….

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Everyone sat quietly wondering what was going on in the bedroom. No one was willing to speak for fear of spoiling the moment. Michiru pondered Haruka's refusal and then her sudden willingness. She glanced at Yaten wondering what was going on. She had heard him begin to speak and wondered why that would push Haruka into agreeing. She shook her head in confusion she definitely had questions for her lover. Yaten sat with a look of surprise on his face that was almost comical.

Ami sat bored glancing at Taiki she knew there was no way it would work. Science does not allow for magic. She could tell just by seeing the look on his face that he agreed. She smiled and watched as he nodded.

Rei, Minako and Makoto sat glancing at each other. They all wondered the same thing, could it possibly work? Rei shook her head as Minako started to speak. Makoto put a finger up to her lips shushing the blonde.

Setsuna sat idly away from everyone always distancing herself from the group. It wasn't in insult it was just the way she was, always the loner. She watched everyone's antics and smiled. These people sure have come along away since the group first formed.

They were all lost in their own thoughts when a loud thud surprised them. Everyone jumped up and rushed to the bedroom door and Yaten quickly threw it open.

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Seiya rubbed his head where it had hit the wall. The door behind Haruka was thrown open. Yaten stood in the doorway shocked. "What happened?"

Haruka spoke quickly trying to cover, "Uh Seiya was so surprised when he transformed that he fell backwards and banged his head on the wall, right Seiya?"

She turned pleading eyes his way and an instant of silent communication passed between them. Please, please cover for me? Only if you clear the way for Usagi and I…

Haruka gave an imperceptible nod and Seiya spoke for the first time. "Yeah I did and boy it hurt."

Usagi pushed her way into the room, "Seiya…you are all right!" She rushed to him and threw her arms around him crying in relief.

"Oi, Odango it's fine." He didn't know what to do with soft girl clinging to him and so he carefully began rubbing her back.

Now that all the excitement was over they all moved to the front room except Seiya, Usagi, and Minako. Minako glanced at him and began to speak. "I need to say something…"

Seiya cut her off…"I know, I know, you told me earlier, you would punish me in unspeakable ways." He waved a hand at her as he spoke.

Minako's jaw dropped open and it took a second for her to gather her wits. "Ah, then we understand each other." She smiled and turned away closing the door behind them to give them some privacy.

"What was that all about?" Usagi was glancing from Seiya to where Minako had stood and back at Seiya.

"Oh Minako didn't seem to think I as a frog could understand her words." He spoke flippantly and waved towards the front room. "As you could see she was surprised to find that I could."

Usagi glanced at him, "Not that…the punishing you in unspeakable ways. What was that about?"

"Oh, that," Seiya had the grace to blush a bit before continuing. "Um well as to that, you see…" He paused a moment leading her to the bed. He pushed her down gently until she sat and then sat himself beside her and reached over to pick up her small hand.

"That is why we, the Three Lights came back. I wanted to talk to you." She watched him curiously. He took a deep breath and began to bare his soul.

"When we left, I tried to forget you, I tried daily in fact, I would train physically for hours but yet thoughts of you still haunted me." He sighed before speaking again, "I would wake up from dreams of you that were so real I cried." This admission did not come lightly from him. He pointed to the front room and continued, "Those two were so worried about my odd behavior that they forced me to come back." He glanced at her to gauge her reaction, but saw surprisingly enough her face was closed. "We arrived this morning and visited the Arcade Motoki was the one that told us that Mamoru broke it off and left to go back to Harvard."

Seiya waited for a moment, "I was trying to find you this morning when…when I fell ill." He omitted the part of the story with the Gypsy not wanting to embarrass himself. Imagine a love potion…instead I ended up turning into a frog.

Usagi listened to all that he had to say and then sat thinking. What do I say? She smiled tremulously, "I have missed you." The words spoken simply from Usagi had his eyes widening, "Really?"

She nodded unable to speak passed the lump in her throat. He didn't know what to say and just leaned in to catch her lips in a gentle kiss…..

Epilogue - Bah! Gypsy's, who needs them!

Haruka walked up the street thinking. What can I do…I owe the poor boy. Oh do I owe the poor boy. She spotted the sign and smiled, ah a gypsy's shop. The faded words on the sign read. Madame La Martine's Medieval Magik. She reached for the handle and opened the door.

Haruka entered the dark shop her eyes taking a minute to adjust to the gloom. Dust sat everywhere on top of all the junk. An old woman shuffled from the back towards her.

"May I help you young man?" Her blue eyes twinkled at Haruka. She has to be eighty at least. Haruka took in the wrinkles of her skin and the snow white hair pulled back haphazardly from her face.

"Yes, I need um…well like a practical joke. Would you happen to have something that might rot a man's parts off…or at least make him think they are rotting off?" Haruka waited expectantly as the woman seemed lost in thought.

Madame Martine stood tapping her chin. "You know I think I do…someone once gave me something along those lines." She wandered towards the back of the store waving back towards Haruka. "You just wait right there and I will return in a moment." She entered the back room and glanced around quickly, spying what she wanted she grabbed the bottle and shuffled back out to the waiting young man.

"I found it, now all you have to do is make sure your victim drinks it, you can mix it in anything and they will not notice the taste or smell. Now this is the important part, the effects last twenty-four hours and then it wears off."

Haruka smiled politely, "What do I owe you? " She began to grab her wallet when the old lady spoke. "Don't worry about it sonny…this one is on the house." She smiled as Haruka thanked her and rushed out the door.

It wasn't until Madame Martine returned to the back room that she caught her mistake. The bottle with the rotting curse still sat on the shelf, the love potion next to it was gone. "Oh that poor, poor darling, I gave him a love potion by mistake." She sat down heavily…"Maybe just maybe I should retire?"

FIN