Chapter 8
Haruka opened the door of the room carefully. She sat down next to Nessa and sighed.
Nessa wiped her tears and tried to calm herself down as she saw Haruka enter the room. A long comfortable silence settle over the two.
"Do you need help with something, Tenou-san?" Nessa asked a few minutes later. Haruka shook her head.
"Why were you crying?" Haruka asked gently. Nessa stiffened. She glanced at Haruka, unsure if she was serious.
"Why do you care?" Nessa replied. She saw Haruka flinch and sighed.
"I'm sorry. I'm just..." Nessa started, only to stop herself short.
"Can you keep a secret? From the rest of them?" Nessa asked. Haruka nodded.
"She didn't always hate me," Nessa started, tears started rolling down her cheeks before she could stop herself.
"I really don't know why she hates me. I only know that I hated her and she did things."
"What type of things?" Haruka replied gently.
"Like, things, I don't know. Mean things." Nessa said, her face scrunching up in confusion.
"Do you blame for her it?" Haruka replied simply. Nessa shook her head.
"I know she's not exactly nice to me, but she has to hate me for some reason." Nessa replied. Haruka nodded.
"Can you keep a secret?" Haruka asked. Nessa nodded.
"Mamoru-san told us that Izzy needed you a lot during the times she was in another planet. She emailed you, saying she needed to talk. But she said you never replied." Haruka said. Nessa's heart dropped. What in the world is she talking about?
"She found out that her parents weren't her birth parents. She was left on the doorstep of the Rosewoods' when she was three months old. After she found out, her step parents started verbally fighting every single day. They fought so much that there were divorce papers on the dinner table once. She did manage to convince them to not divorce, but her parents aren't really in the best relationship right now." Haruka explained. Nessa froze. All that happened in four years? No, there's no way...
"I know why she had a breakdown the first time she arrived." Nessa said, she changed the topic as best as she could. She needs time to think about this more.
"Really?"
"Yeah. We used to be best friends back then. Holden knows this as well. We watched you all together since we were three. After she moved to another, um, planet, a miscommunication happened between us. She most likely broke down because memories of us watching you guys together resurfaced." Nessa said. She didn't even notice herself that she cried until Haruka raised an hand, which she pushed away, to wipe her tears again. She didn't notice the way she slumped against the closet behind her until her bottom hit the cold floor. She didn't even notice Holden popping his head in here and telling Haruka that he can take it from here.
She was lost. In her memories, in a pit of regret, sadness, and despair. She felt like she was out in the ocean, drowning, with no one to save her. She started this. She was the one that refused to reply to her email. But no, Izzy was the one that never told her in the first place. So this is her fault?
She was lost and she needed someone to pull her out of the water. Holden understood that. He quietly sat there and let Nessa's arm wrap themselves around his chest and cried. He sat there as he slowly waited for her crying to slow down into a sob, then to normal breaths, as he gently stroke her hair.
"There there, feel better now?" He asked with a hopeful smile. Nessa looked up at him, her eyes red from the crying, and gave him a weak smile.
"Yeah. Thanks." She replied. Holden smiled softly and helped her stand up. He stood there for a minute, letting the moment sink in before clearing his throat.
"The others will have questions. You don't have to answer all of them, alright?" He said gently. She smiled and nodded. He unconsciously took her hand and walked upstairs again, hand in hand.
Once upstairs, he realized that he was holding her hand and immediately let go before the others noticed. He sighed in relief as it seems that the others were too interested in trying to let Haruka tell them something to notice them.
"I'm not saying a word. I made a promise and I'm not breaking it." Haruka concluded, ending the conversation. She winked at Nessa who grinned.
"Nessa. What's wrong? Did you need someone to change your diaper?" Izzy said with a smirk. Mamoru frowned. He had never seen the two interact before.
"Ha ha. Very funny, Izzy." Nessa replied. She didn't really want to deal with her right now. And that comment didn't even make sense. Did she miss something important up here?
"Hinata-kun, I saw your transformation along with Izzy's. There's no need to hide it now. They know as well." Nessa said with an apologetic look. Hinata sighed and took the anklet from his pocket.
"What's this about, nerd?" Izzy said with a frown. Nessa sat down next to Usagi and Hotaru.
"So. During your recent battle with Alpha, in which you decided to not call the sailor senshi to help with, you saw that Mistress for some reason, didn't want you to get hurt." Nessa started. She made sure Ami was taking notes of this in her computer before continuing.
"I have a theory. I think you are one of the princesses." She said. Izzy looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Me. A princess." Izzy restated. Nessa nodded.
"While it is clear that it's not Angel, because if it is, they would've made a move on her already, I think that you would be Princess Galaxy." Nessa said.
"I think I understand your point, the inner and outer senshi are not one of the princesses because they already are princesses but they were never meant to overpower each other. The Star Lights also can't because they are a group of three. Kakyuu-sama can't be either because she is already a princess: Princess Kakyuu of Kinmokusei." Hinata said. Nessa nodded. Izzy shook her head.
"No. I can't be. I won't be." Izzy replied. Nessa bit her lips, her arm reached out for her but soon recoiled as she realized what she was doing.
"Izzy. Let go." Hinata tried to talk to her. But Izzy glared at him and shook her head. She will not allow the memories to come again. No.
Nessa watched carefully, then she stopped. It was like something clicked in her head. She heard someone saying something before she was dragged into another memory.
The 15 years old Nessa could see Isa in Tokyo. The then Isabella cried for hours. She had wanted to tell Nessa that she was leaving, but she couldn't. For the last 5 years, she had always been the cool, pretty, and calm Isa. She could not tell Nessa and not burst out crying. Her parents had taught her and made her repeat this sentence ever since she could talk.
"A Rosewood woman never cries."
Nessa felt her knees gave out and could feel tears slipping down her face. She didn't know what to do. All those years, she had refused to reply any email or message sent by Isa, because she had thought that Isa thinks that she wasn't good enough for her. She had always called her Isa, but four years after, when she returned, she told everyone to call her Izzy and would either flinch or ignore anyone who calls her Isa.
But now, she understood part of it. It was just too painful for Isa for anyone to call her Isa because it will remind her of Vanessa and how she left, without a choice, without saying goodbye.
When Nessa got pulled back into the real world, Usagi was shaking her.
"Wha- what?" Nessa mumbled. Usagi sighed in relief and let go of her shoulder.
"We're good. Is Izzy-chan ok?" Usagi asked. No reply came. Rei and Ami helped Nessa stand up. It was only then did she realize that she had been kneeling, like in the memory.
"She's still in her memory." Mamoru replied. Nessa looked over to Izzy. She was crying. Wait, crying?
"But she never cries!" Roni exclaimed and ran over to her.
(In Izzy's mind)
All at once, she saw how Vanessa broke down after her goodbye text. And saw the reason why she didn't reply any of the messages, texts, or emails Izzy had sent. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks and frowned, wiped her face and tried to focus.
They were both mad and afraid. Afraid for many things. So Nessa never tried to reply or even look at those emails while Izzy kept on trying. But was this her fault? Or Nessa's?
Izzy snapped back into reality when she felt someone touch her shoulder. It was Hinata.
"Izzy, you're crying." He said to her. Izzy's eyes widened before she wiped her tears away and stood up on her own. Izzy stared at Nessa for a minute before turning away. She felt guilty. Extremely, but she won't let it show. She won't change her feelings of this girl just because she had an excuse.
"It's nothing. So who's the other princess?" She said with a slight annoyance in her voice.
"That I don't know yet. I could be anyone really. You two would have to talk to Meteor, Nebula, and Asteroid for us." Nessa replied with a frown.
"So what is the deal with the Mistress? And Alpha? I heard her call herself 'MARS' once." Hinata asked. Rei frowned. Why would Alpha call herself Mars?
"That would, again, need to be asked. Maybe Sailor Angel will know. Wasn't she here? I heard someone else here before the Sailor Senshi left Usagi's house. Speaking of which, you guys missed it all!" Nessa replied. Usagi kept her face neutral but Nessa saw the slight panic of her eyes.
"How do you know that it's her? You weren't even in the same room!" Michiru asked skeptically. Nessa bit her lips. Should she tell them?
"You've probably met her before, right? She is your leader after all..." Haruka said. Nessa sighed in relief. She is not ready. Not yet. She won't tell them yet.
"Yeah. I've seen her a few times before." Nessa said, standing up. The air suddenly felt, off...
"What's wrong?" Holden asked with a frown. What is this feeling Nessa's getting?
"What's that scent?" Izzy said, sniffing the air with a confused face. Usagi scrunched her nose.
"I smell it too. Ugh, what is that?" Usagi said with a frown. She looked around. Everything seems normal. What is this scent? She could recognize it from anywhere...
A tiny Nessa put her hands in a weird position and her face scrunched up in concentration. A excited Isa sat across from her, practically bouncing. Between them, a lit candle, its flame lighting up the dark room.
"Burning Mandala!" Nessa shouted and pointed her finger gun at the candle. The moving of her fingers moved the flame but it didn't weaver. The open window blew a page of paper over the flame, and it started to crackle.
The two girls yelled as the paper was lit on fire. Nessa's mom came in and poured a cup of water on it before the fire spread. The fire hissed as it died and left a sour, smoky smell.
That's it! The scent of after you blow out a candle, or fire. Wait, fire? Nessa looked at Usagi with alarmed look.
"Would you look at the time. I need to shower before sleeping." Nessa said, pointing to the stairs.
"At nearly 2 in the morning?" Ami asked with a raised eyebrow. Nessa giggled nervously before going downstairs.
Seconds later, Alpha appeared from a portal with a handful of lit matches. Her smile was horrifying.
"Today shall be your last day, Sailor Senshi, and whoever you two are." Alpha said, then pointing at Holden and Roni.
"Hold it right there!" Meteor yelled just before Alpha was about to throw the matches on the wooden floor.
"Ah, Sailor Meteor. I've been expecting you." Alpha said. She blew out the candle and with the wave of a hand, Asteroid appeared in her arms.
"What did you do to him?" Meteor said, trying to keep her voice steady. She was very confused. Holden is right there! But he's Asteroid. Then who's the boy in Alpha's arms? Fake? Hologram?
"Oh nothing. Just a bit of a sleeping pill. It was obvious after a few battles that you and Asteroid were lovers. I knew I should've capture him." Alpha replied, completely unaware of the whole truth. Meteor and Holden blushed.
"Give him to me." Meteor said calmly. Alpha smirked.
"Now, why would I do that?" Came the reply.
"Because I know who the princesses are." Meteor lied.
"Ha! So do I! So what?" Alpha said with a roll of her eyes.
"It's Sailor Constellation and-
"Star's Meteor Garden!" Meteor yelled. Alpha jumped from where she is, leaving the supposedly Asteroid to get hit by the attack. It went through him. He flickered like a hologram.
"Hologram! I knew it!" Meteor shouted. She cursed underneath her breath as Usagi's bed was hit by the attack and was left with a torched hole.
"Alpha. Not here. These people are innocent!" Meteor tried to argue. Although she herself knew their identities and they were far from innocent.
"That's funny. The Sailor Senshi are innocent? They are practically the inspiration of our team!" Alpha shouted, she laughed maniacally.
"Ok. Good point." Meteor muttered. She leaped forward and punched Alpha's jaw. Alpha yelped and glared at her.
"Hey! My face!" Alpha said with a glare. Meteor smirked. She side-kicked Alpha, this time, Alpha had time to react and blocked her leg.
Meteor dodged as Alpha punched and kicked. Alpha dodged as Meteor punched and kicks. Alpha started shooting different spells that somehow cuts the skin like a knife. This went on for a few minutes before Meteor finally striked a blow in Alpha's stomach.
"Ugh. You will pay for this, Meteor." Alpha said before leaving through another portal. Meteor sighed in relief.
"Is everyone ok?" Meteor asked. Everyone mumbled something in agreement.
"I have to go, bye!" Meteor said, hand on her mask as she jumped out the window. She jumped into the bathroom through the window and turned the water back on. She winced as the water hits her skin. She had bruises and cuts from the battle with Alpha just minutes ago. Although how she got them will always remain a mystery to her. Was she really this clumsy?
"Nessa-chan, are you still in there?" The voice sounded familiar. Nessa sneezed.
"Luna?" Nessa asked. Usagi giggled.
"It's Usagi-chan and Luna. Are you ok?" Usagi replied, her voice sounds oddly panicked.
"Yep! Thank you!" Nessa said. She turned the water off and quickly put on long sleeve clothes to hide her wounds. She stepped out and said goodnight to Usagi before she headed toward her room.
Roni was already sleeping on the bed in her spot when Nessa came. It was almost 3 o'clock now. She has about three more hours to sleep before getting up and getting ready. They needed to get there early to drop Roni off and make sure everything goes smooth.