AN: I do not own Sailor Moon or its characters. I acknowledge Naoko Takeuchi as its creator and its owner.
A shoutout to MoonlightBushido, Renazuki, Renazuki1, SUZITROUBLE, Princess Selina, selly98, alecksanduhrah and all others who have reviewed, marked my story as a favourite or put my story in your story alert category! Your support means ever so much to me and it compels me to continue to try to work as hard as possible on this story. With Thank yous out of the way, why don't we get right into it?
The Shadow Of Darkness
Chapter 4
The following few days pass in a blur as Shingo and I prepared to leave, just as much mentally as we did with our possessions. As I leave for school, I look to the sky and notice how grey and dark it is, a perfect representation of the state of my mind. Today is it. The day I take a chance. Worry floods my system; as I dread what could go wrong. 'Please, please let this turn out today…I simply can't deal with this anymore. I need to be free! But what if we fail? What if our mother can stop us? How badly would she punish us? What is it that Artemis is after? What if he hurts us? What can I do then?' Realizing that my thoughts threaten to overwhelm me, I try my outmost to relax as much as I can and distract myself from the looming momentous occasion.
As the school comes into sight I shake myself out of my reverie, knowing that I cannot let these thoughts distract me whilst at school, as people might catch on to something being wrong. My timing could not have been better as a voiced jubilantly exclaimed from behind me, "Usagi-chan, wait up!"
Turning around, I see Naru and do my best to warmly greet her "Hello Naru-san. How are you doing?"
Looking at me strangely, she notices something off and says, "Usagi…I know you have something you don't want to tell me but do you want talk to me about it? You seem really bothered today."
Realizing that she was not buying me happy face, I try to focus on it to make my face as convincing as possible and try to reassure her "Don't worry about me. I just had a rough night, so I feel as though I got hit by a bus!"
She coolly regards me as though she is trying to determine something and warns, "Just because I don't know what is going on with you doesn't mean I can't tell something is off. Please don't insult my intelligence and try and pretend otherwise. Frankly, I am tired of pretending that I can't notice that something is bothering you, so I am going to present you with a choice. You can tell me what is going on, or continue your lies, which would show me that you really have no wish to maintain a friendship with me. I am putting the ball in your court. So which way do you want to do this?"
I open my mouth to tell her that I am not lying to her, that I really just had a rough night, but I find for some inexplicable reason I can't. Even though I believe that Shingo is the only person who I care about, and whom, in turn cares for me, I feel that I can't let Naru go. Despite the fact that my barriers prevent people from getting close to me, she has somehow managed it. Shock flows through my body like lightening as I realize this, and I can't help but wonder when and how it was she became my friend. Was it her effort to be with my day in and day out? Realizing that she is waiting, I toss my thoughts aside and beg her, "Naru, please….don't do this. I have a lot going on in my life right now, but I don't think I can talk about it yet. Can I tell you about it when I am a little more ready to? It is just so hard for me to live it right now…I don't want to relive it more."
To my horror, my eyes start to tear up, which causes Naru's eyes to widen as she takes in the sight as though it was something truly abnormal. Then she offers me the sincerest smile and reassures me, "Usagi, I can see that you are finally going to be honest with me. I am glad that you really do care about my friendship. It shows me I wasn't being a fool in a one-sided affair. I understand, just please tell me about it when you are ready to, okay Usagi?"
With a lighter heart I reply: "Thank you so much, Naru. You are my friend, of course you matter to me. Just…please don't force me into anything…I don't think I can handle that anymore."
Her gaze turns back to a concerned one as she offers me an understanding nod and warns "We should probably get into the school. We don't want to be late."
As she steps forward, I realize just how large of a concession I just gave, and for the first time in a long time my mind was on someone other than my family.
A tall, and lean but well-built man appeared in front of the youma. Taking in the appearance of his general, the youma could not help but appreciate serving under such a powerful person. He has short, wavy blonde hair with the deepest blue eyes to match. Bowing down to him, the youma inquired, "You summoned me Jadeite-sama?"
Amongst his other abilities, Jadeite also had an ability to get premonitions of the future. This was why he had summoned this youma aside from the others. While the all had the same primary objective to collect human energy, they were also to go unnoticed, simply making slight contact with a human in a full area, without taking enough to kill the person so it would just seem the person passed out. Nephrite had selected individual who all had massive amounts of energy, to ensure a combination of stealth and overall effectiveness. But Jadeite had a feeling about this particular youma, that something major would occur during its mission. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he gave his orders "You are to takeout your target as intended, but if you are discovered, eliminate anyone who notices, alright?"
Recognizing the order and the dismissal the youma replied, "Hai, Jadeite-sama" and disappeared to follow its orders.
With the youma gone, Jadeite decided to follow after it. His premonition was bothering him greatly, and he needed to find out precisely what it was that was that his intuition was warning him about. With his goal, he set out determined to get to the bottom of whatever the problem would be for what should be a routine mission.
Following the end of the school day, Shingo and I had hurried home and collected what we had packed to bring it over to Artemis' place. As he lived on the opposite side of the city, we had decided that the best way to get there would be to take the public transit. Hence, our current mishap. As we had got off the bus to transfer onto another one, our mother spotted us, and even worse, our luggage. Enraged, she pointed to the alleyway and angrily ground out, "Go there, and we will 'discuss' what is it exactly that you had in mind with this little escapade."
Realizing that we were attracting a lot of attention, and knowing full well what she had in mind, I decided to conform, with my mind racing for a justification or a plan of some sort to escape our current predicament. As we rounded into the alleyway our mother continued to shove us on, deeper and deeper into the alleyway. Looking beside me, I see nothing but poor and raw fear on Shingo's face, I wonder 'Why? Why is it that something always has to go wrong? He doesn't deserve this. He is such a wonderful boy, I can't believe I let this happen." I really the deepest sorrow and regret, wondering why it was that I was foolish enough to believe that escape was possible. A rustling above me disturbed me from my thoughts as I looked above me and I saw a person strangling an unconsciously person. As I gasp, the person looks at us, and jumps into action.
Morphing like Artemis had a few weeks before, it transformed into a deformed humanoid figure, with large claws, and it jumped down towards us. As it landed, it lunged at my mother and slashed through her chest, and I watch in horror as her insides spill out and she fell to the ground. Time slowed as I watch her fall, as I realize that she is dead and that I am free from her…but at such a cost, that not even I would wish on her. Watching the lights leave her eyes, she finally hit the ground, dead. To my even greater horror it launches at my brother, and I watch its knee smash into him, sending him flying into the wall. He bangs his head, and falls to the ground, motionless. Overwhelming anger and rage overcome me, as I forget everything, including myself and launch myself at the monster. As I lunge into it, I feel it launch into the wall and see it smash through the wall.
As it get it gets up we are interrupted by a shout of "Stop!" We both turn to face the source of the interruption, and I see Artemis in cat form. Ignoring it his pleas, I launch myself at the distracted monster again, forcing it to the ground as I continuously punching it in the face, until I punch the ground and I realize that there is nothing there but a bloodied pulp. Artemis warns me, "Usagi, stop it! Your mother is finished, but we might be able to save him still! Please come with me, we must get him to hospital now!"
Realizing he is right, I set my despair aside and pick up Shingo, and head off for the closest hospital, just around the corner, desperately hoping he will be okay. 'Please Shingo, please! I beg you, stay with me! You are all I have! Don't leave me, please!'
Watching these events unfold, Jadeite realized that his intuition had been correct. Wondering who this girl was, and who the cat was, he tried to determine what had happened. 'That girl had super-human strength. She clearly is not a normal human, but it doesn't seem to be a sailor scout. She would have transformed to fight if she was. That was the only way they could access their power. But what of that cat? I don't have any idea about this. For now I should retreat and try to assess the situation.' With his decision made, Jadeite left, already with a plan unfolding of how to lure them out again.
AN: Well that was a dramatic chapter! Poor Usagi, she can never seem to catch a break! Will Shingo make it? Just what is Jadeite's plan? What will happen in Usagi's mind, once the metaphorical dust settles slightly?