I know, I know. I am a terrible person who has not been active for yonks! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! Anyways, here's a chapter for you and I wish you all a Merry Christmas.
In Limbo:
"Usa-chan, wherever you are, please come back. We miss you and need you…"
Rei? Usagi thought, still in Mamoru's arms. Mamoru must have felt her tense because he asked her what was wrong.
"I swear I just heard Rei-chan's voice," she whispered as if someone may try to listen.
"What?" whispered Mamoru, wondering if the monotony of Limbo was starting to get to her.
"You heard Mamo-baka, I heard Rei-chan's voice. I swear I did. She sounded said and wanted me to come back…" Usagi replied, her voice getting softer until Mamoru could barely hear her last word.
"Perhaps it was your imagination?" he said, getting nervous for Usagi. Oh Kami-sama, don't tell me that Usagi is beginning to hear voices! Usagi is annoying enough without being mad.
"It wasn't my imagination!" she replied, now using her normal voice, "and I'm not mad and you're more annoying than I am!"
Mamo-baka, how dare he think I'm mad!
"I didn't say you were mad or annoying though," he said in confusion, I only thought it.
"Wait, what do you mean you only thought it?" asked Usagi, her mind thinking at the speed of light, trying to figure out why he was speaking without using his mouth –
"Oh no," they both said together.
On Earth:
"Rei?"
Rei turned around to Makoto, "yes?"
Makoto looked at her in confusion, "I didn't say anything."
Rei looked past Makoto, puzzled. The who called my name, I could have sworn someone did. The voice that had called almost sounded like…
"Usa-chan?" she whispered in amazement.
"Hai, Rei-chan it's me. I don't quite understand how I'm able to contact you but that's not the only thing. I can hear Mamoru's thoughts as well, weird huh?" said Usagi's voice.
Tears began to pour out of her eyes, Usagi, Usagi! I- I-
"I know Rei-chan, I miss you too. But don't worry 'coz I here with Mamo-baka"
What Mamoru's there as well? Where are you Odango-atama!?
Rei heard Usagi giggle, "Ah Rei-chan, you haven't changed a bit," she said her voice fading.
"Wait Usagi, don't go!"
"Rei-chan, I will try to talk to you again when Mamoru and I figure out what's going on. I'll talk to Set-chan when she returns. Ja ne, Rei-chan…"
"Usagi!"
"Rei, what's wrong are you alright?"
Rei eyes tried to connect with Makoto's but found that everything around her looked blurry. She began to rub her eyes with her hands and discovered them to be wet.
She was crying.
Makoto:
Makoto saw Rei's eyes go out of focus and look behind her. She tried to get her attention but realised that she couldn't. Makoto began to worry that Rei was sick. She went beyond worry when Rei started to cry.
Of course she can cry Makoto, she thought to herself, she is human but still…I've never actually seen her cry before.
"Rei, what's wrong are you alright?" she asked, getting down right scared for her.
Rei looked at Makoto and rubbed her eyes then looked shocked to see her tears on her hands.
"I'm crying," Rei stated, looking completely stumped.
"Rei?"
"Why am I crying? Oh…that's right," she whispered suddenly looking so sad that Makoto wanted to cry as well. She put her arms around her and squeezed her firmly. Rei's body began to rack with sobs as she moaned and wept like she was in great agony. Makoto was so lost that just hold Rei was all she could do. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Luna come outside and looked on at the scene.
Makoto turned her head to Luna and answered the question in Luna's eyes with a shake of her head. I don't know what's wrong with her, she silently replied.
Luna:
Luna approached the two girls with a million questions in her head, the most prominent one regarding to Rei. Her eyes caught with Makoto and Makoto shook her head, silently saying she didn't know what was wrong.
Luna sighed and looked to the sky, silently praying that the peace she had expected to come with her princess's return would come. She felt Artemis come up behind her and whisper in her ear, "What's wrong with Rei?"
"I'm not sure, but I am sure that Makoto doesn't know either by the look on her face," she whispered back, still looking to the sky.
"Nothing has turned out like we expected it to, did it?" despite it being a question, it was more of a statement.
"No, I almost wish that…" her voice faded away to nothing as she silently finished her sentence, not wanting Artemis to think her a traitor. I almost wish that Usagi was here.
Her cheeks burned with shame and embarrassment to think such traitorous thoughts. She turned to Artemis, looking at him for forgiveness, knowing that he stood with the princess and loved her. And, her traitorous heart thought, for not knowing Usagi like you did.
Artemis:
He kept looking at Luna waiting to finish her sentence. When he didn't he started to be concern for Luna had not been acting herself for quite some time. She was less assertive with the princess but got more angry at her when she did something wrong. Sometimes she almost treated the princess with contempt which shook Artemis to his very core. Surely she can't hate her highness? Surely? He had thought over and over again. He was confused and didn't understand, but then it began to happen after the princess awoke and Usagi-
His train of thought broke off when he saw Luna turn towards him, cheeks red and a pleading expression in her face that merely spoke, forgive me.
Suddenly everything clicked. The sudden depression that rested in all the scouts, the more moody nature of Rei, Ami burying into her books and barely speaking two words together, the more fragile nature of Makoto and the more fake smiles and more than necessary bubbly nature of Mina. And Luna, LUNA! The occasional looks of hate on her face when the princess's back was turned and her less commanding nature.
They all missed that girl, Usagi. They all missed Usagi.
"I understand Luna," he said quietly, smiling as much as a cat could. She smiled in return and they both turned to watch the clouds move slowly across the pink sky of sunset.
Usagi, where ever you are, I hope you come back soon. Luna and the Senshi cannot last much longer without you, he thought, praying that if the girl returned then everyone would be normal again.
The most curious thing was that he swore he heard a small distant voice say
"I'm coming…"
SOO, what did ya think? Like it, hate it? Well please review ad have some Christmas cake and brandy butter (must never forget the brandy butter).Tootles my darlings!
