I'm so gonna be killed at the end of this fic...and holy freholies (sp?)! Ten'ousai's review streak ended...::pats Ten'ousai on the head::...second is better than third though.
Thanks to Soleil-Lune, Ten'ousai, X00001, aquaxeyes, petiyaka, RunningStorm for reviewing! And Soleil-Lune was first to review! You know what goes here. The contest stuff. First person other than Ten'ousai to review gets a sneak peek at the next chapter.
Not mine, Rittou belongs to Ten'ousai, and Ten'ousai helped a bit with the following chapters.
Rated M for violence, adult themes, language, and dark situations. It's fiction; don't try any of it!
Michiru slowly came to, her head pounding. She weakly opened her eyes and looked around. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw Seiya lying next to her, his eyes closed as he slept. The Sea Senshi rolled out of the bed and fled to the bathroom. She closed the door, locking it and pulled the white robe over her body. Tears of shame began streaming down her face as she sank to the floor. She drew her knees up to her chest and continued to sob uncontrollably.
After several minutes she rose to her feet and looked at herself in the mirror. "What have I done?" she whispered. She bowed her head. "I don't deserve you Alex…forgive me…" she begged. She opened a drawer and pulled out a disposable razor. She broke the plastic and picked up the small blade.
A knock sounded on the door. "Michiru-san…we…ano…we need to talk…" Seiya said through the door.
Michiru pressed the blade against her skin and closed her eyes. She took several breaths, steeling herself. A single tear slid down her face as she pressed the blade into her skin with a small whimper. She slashed the blade down, crimson fluid spilling from the wound. Michiru dropped the razor and smiled faintly. "Sayonara…minna…" she whispered as her vision began to blur. She collapsed to the floor with a loud thud, her blood pooling around her body, staining the white robe.
Outside the door Seiya heard the thud and frowned. "Michiru-san?" he knocked. He heard no movement and panic flooded his body. He tried to open the door but found that it was locked. Growling in frustration he slammed his shoulder into the wood. The door crashed open and he stared in horror. Blood was pooling around Michiru's paling body. He grabbed a towel and searched for the wound. Finding the gash lengthwise on her arm he tied the towel around her arm. He ran out and pulled his cell phone out of his jacket. He ran back to the bathroom and dialed for an ambulance.
"Hang on Michiru-san…you have to hold on…if you die Kyra wins and Uranus' soul is lost. Hang on god damn it!" he snapped.
- - - - - - - - - -
Hikari looked at the door to her cell. She rose to her feet, her once beautiful silver dress stained with filth. "I was wondering when you would make an appearance," she said softly. She walked to the bars.
"Comfortable?" Rittou smirked.
"You did not come down here to ask that," Hikari replied.
"You're right. I just came to tell you Order is now down two Senshi."
"What?"
"Uranus destroyed the Silver Crystal a few days ago, putting that Moon brat in a coma and this morning…" Rittou trailed off, chuckling. "This morning Neptune decided to slice her wrist open."
"You fool…can you not see this is upsetting the balance?"
"Does it look like I care Hikari? I serve Chaos, remember?"
"You know as well as I that Chaos cannot exist without Order."
"That's the only reason you're still breathing."
Hikari closed her eyes. "What happened to you Rittou?" she asked softly. She looked up at him, her silver eyes swimming with tears. "What happened to the man I once loved?"
Rittou shook his head and began to walk away. "I'll let you know who dies next," he called over his shoulder.
Hikari bowed her head. "By the power Order has given me…let Neptune live…" she begged softly.
- - - - - - - - - -
Kyra sipped on a glass of wine as she watched doctors and nurses desperately trying to save Michiru's life. The evil queen laughed at the glass. "She has given up on life you fools. I have driven a permanent wedge between Uranus and Neptune. Uranus is now mine forever." She finished the glass and set it down. She left the room, laughing softly to herself.
Alex stepped out of the shadows, a frown on her face. Why does Queen Kyra care so much about destroying Neptune? Does she not trust me enough to know that I love her and only her? The Dark Wind Senshi turned and vanished.
- - - - - - - - - -
Seiya looked at Usagi, his arms folded over his chest. "Usagi…I need your forgiveness," he said, sitting down and taking her still hand. "Last night…I went drinking and…Michiru showed up. We had a few and left the bar. We went to her place and…and kissed…" He leaned back and ran his hands through his dark hair. "It started to get out of hand but we did stop. I swear we did. Demo…Kyra…she…she did something to us…put us under some sort of spell to drive Michiru and Alex further apart. We…we were forced to…to…" he fell silent and hung his head. "Gomen na sai Usagi. You know I would never willingly betray you…I…gomen na sai…"
The Starlight rose to his feet and left the comatose Usagi. He shut the door and started to walk down the hall. "Seiya…"
He looked up at Taiki and Yaten. "Leave me alone."
"It wasn't your fault. That scan Ami-chan and Safiel did proves there was something in your system," Taiki said.
"Doesn't make it right," he returned.
"Quit feeling sorry for yourself Seiya. So you made a mistake. Get over it and focus on the issue at hand. We have to find a way to stop Kyra and free Alex," Yaten returned sharply.
"He's right Seiya. We're already down three Senshi. Don't make it more."
Seiya leaned against the wall. "How is Michiru-san?"
"Stable for now," Taiki replied. "She lost a lot of blood."
"Will she make it?" Yaten asked.
"The doctors don't know. It's too early to tell."
"You must've been pretty lousy," a cold voice smirked.
The three turned and saw Alex standing in the hall dressed in her black attire. Seiya pushed off the wall and stood in front of her. "Get the fuck out of here!"
"Or what?" Alex inquired, staring him in the eye. "Gonna transform to kick me out in front of all these people?" she smirked.
"Why are you here?" Taiki demanded.
Alex ignored Taiki and Yaten. "So it must've been pretty bad if Neptune had to slit her wrists," she taunted. "Some lover you are Seiya."
"You're precious queen put us under a spell," Seiya growled.
"Oh I'm sure," Alex returned. She grinned. "Was she at least good? I hope so considering how much of a whore…" Seiya's hard fist connected with her face and sent her crashing to the floor, sliding a few feet away.
"You damn ignorant bitch!" Seiya shouted, Taiki and Yaten holding him back. "She's only loved you! She hasn't loved anyone else in nearly twenty years! She was willing to die alone!"
Alex wiped blood from her split lip and rose to her feet. "If you have something to say to me, say it outside."
"Gladly," Seiya returned. Alex turned and led the way upstairs to the roof. The Starlights followed. They emerged on the roof and Alex immediately transformed. "Stay out of this," Seiya ordered his two friends.
"Seiya…"
"Do it!" he snapped. "Fighter Star Power! Make UP!" She rushed in and began hurling attacks at Dark Uranus. The Wind Senshi easily blocked the attacks. "Michiru has only loved you!" Fighter snapped, backhanding Uranus. The white haired Senshi blocked it. "You're souls are destined to be together!" Fighter blocked a punch and slammed her fist into Uranus' ribs. "She only betrayed you because of Kyra!"
"Liar!" Uranus snarled.
"Kyra doesn't love you the way Michiru does! Michiru cares for the real you! So she made a mistake thinking you were Haruka. We all make mistakes." Fighter danced away from a flurry of kicks. "Kyra's only using you! When she grows tired of you, she'll just toss you away!"
"That's not true!" Uranus snapped but her confidence had been shaken. Fighter began landing several hits on the Dark Senshi. The Starlight slammed her fist into Uranus' abdomen as hard as she could. The young Senshi fell to the ground, gasping and wheezing for air.
"Follow the real feelings in your heart Alexandra Haruka Ten'ou," Fighter advised. She turned and walked away, turning back into Seiya. The other two followed him as he went back inside.
Alex weakly pushed herself up, a dark bruise forming around her left eye from Seiya's punch in the hall. "Kyra does love me…Kyra does love me…" she whispered.
- - - - - - - - - -
Hikari looked up, arching a brow at the figure outside of her cell. "Why are you here?" she asked.
"Why is Queen Kyra so worried about me joining Neptune?" Alex demanded.
Hikari rose to her feet and smoothed out her dirty dress. "Because your soul is intertwined with Neptune's and hers is intertwined with yours. The two of you are soulmates. No matter how much Kyra refuses to accept that."
"Don't lie! I have always loved Queen Kyra!"
Hikari walked to the bars. "Why do you think your name is Haruka Ten'ou? It is no mere coincidence that you are named after the last Sailor Uranus. You are her and she is you." She watched as Alex stubbornly shook her head. "Alexandra, hear me. You are not meant to be with Kyra. She is destroying you."
"She is my Queen."
"She is evil. You are a Sailor Senshi. You are meant to protect the innocent. To save them from evil, not deliver them to it."
"The Senshi betrayed and killed me!" Alex snapped.
"No they didn't," Hikari calmly said. "Uranus' older brother killed you."
"How do you know this?"
"I know because of who and what I am."
Alex looked away. "I've no choice but to obey."
"Everyone has a choice Uranus, and everyone is soon confronted with doing what is right, and doing what is easy." Alex looked at Hikari. "What will you choose?" The Dark Senshi turned and left. A small smile formed on Hikari's face. She had seen the small glimmer of doubt in the teal eyes. "So the Crystal wasn't destroyed…" she murmured softly.
- - - - - - - - - -
Uranus looked at the bodies. She bent down and pulled her sword out of a corpse from a Senshi. She wiped off the blade and sighed. She rubbed her head with her hand and frowned. She pulled her left arm away and stared at her wrist. Drying blood from the Sailor Senshi was covering her skin. She closed her eyes as the image of Michiru slicing her wrist swam into view. The Dark Senshi heard her voice shouting, "Michiru! NO!" as the Sea Senshi fell to the ground.
Dark Uranus blinked as her vision cleared. "The hell was that?" she whispered. She felt something wet slide down her face. She wiped her cheek with her hand and stared at the tearstain on her white glove. She quickly vanished and reappeared in Michiru's apartment. The Dark Senshi walked into Michiru's bedroom and looked at the dresser. She frowned and picked a frame up. It was of Haruka and Michiru kissing on their wedding day.
The transformation vanished and Alex looked at another picture. This one was of fourteen people. She recognized Haruka and the Senshi. A frowned formed on her face. "Could…could what they said be true?" she whispered, setting the pictures down. She turned and walked into the bathroom. She knelt down and saw some dried blood. She pried some off and rubbed it between her fingers.
If you injure your hands, you'll never be able to become a world famous violinist… a voice echoed in her head.
Alex stood and backed away. She shook her head, unwilling to believe what she had been told but unable to deny the memories. She turned and walked out of the bathroom and vanished.
- - - - - - - - - -
"It's so sad she's given up," a nurse murmured.
"I know her friends are trying to get her to come out of it, but nothing so far," another said.
"I wonder what made her do it," the first said.
"I overheard her friends saying it was because she betrayed the person she loved," the second returned.
"Poor girl…whoever she's in love with is lucky to have her…" the first said as they left the hospital room.
Alex stepped out of the darkness and walked to the bed. She looked down at Michiru's unconscious form. "What the hell did you do to me?" she demanded. She reached down and gently brushed a stray lock of aqua hair from her face. Several dozen quick images flashed through Alex's mind, each filled with laughter and love, especially one in particular...
Michiru screamed in pain, sweat glistening on her face. Haruka squeezed her lover's hand, uselessly wiping the sweat away. "Hang on Michi…" Haruka said.
"Gods damn you Ten'ou Haruka!" Michiru snapped.
"Keep pushing!" the doctor ordered.
Michiru complied with another scream. Small cries met their ears and were soon joined by another set of cries. The two Senshi looked up as the nurses carried two small bundles over. "Congratulations," the nurse said, gently setting one of the bundles in Haruka's arms while the other nurse did the same with Michiru.
The blonde Senshi looked at the baby in her arms and gently pulled back the pink blanket. Undying love swelled in Haruka's heart as she stared at her daughter. "We did it Michi…we…we really did it…" she whispered.
"Ashiteru yo Ruka," Michiru smiled as the blonde sat down on the bed to look at her son. Haruka kissed Michiru's forehead.
"Ashiteru yo Michi. Now and forever." Haruka stared at her family, proud love shining in her teal eyes…
Alex blinked away tears, the ice in her heart beginning to melt. "Can you forgive me Michiru-san?" she whispered, gently caressing the Sea Senshi's face. She saw Michiru was beginning to stir and quickly fled the room.
- - - - - - - - - -
Michiru weakly opened her eyes and found herself lying in a hospital bed. She closed her eyes when a faint smell invaded her nose. She opened her eyes and looked down. Lying on her chest was a perfect red rose, a small slip of paper tied to it. She took the rose and smelled it, smiling faintly at its fragrance. She looked at the note and tears shimmered in her eyes. She pulled the note off and gripped it in her hand as she placed it over her heart. The note read:
Michiru…I can't figure out what's true and what's not anymore. Everyone keeps telling me I'm suppose to be with you; even my own heart. But Kyra…whenever I'm around her I can't think about anything except her…which makes me think that you and the others are right. Please…give me a chance to figure out what's going on with my feelings. If not…then I guess it was my loss. Please…pray for me. I don't want to be a slave to anything…and live…please live…
Alex
Things might be turning around. You'll just have to wait and see. Until then, please leave a review. Carter likes reviews...