Song of the Shadows: chapter 4
Disclaimer: I do not own OHSHC/Sailor Moon
/There was a very bright light.
"Shadow?" Takako muttered, using her hand to block out the light.
"Find me."
"W-what?"
"Like I've said," Shadow- or whoever it was- said. "Find me."
"Shadow… why?"
"Look, you've got to find me."
"Shadow…"
"Stop it."
"Shadow- I-" Takako tried to say something else, but she couldn't. "Where have you been?"
"I- I've been in the dark."
"The dark? But that's not good-"
"Do you think I have a choice!" Shadow raised her voice, and it made Takako shiver.
Silence.
Takako shifted uneasily and looked away from the light source- only to see a shadow of Shadow (wow, this sure is complicated) on the ground. It was total darkness where Shadow's eyes should have been. Damn shadow. Damn Shadow, too.
"Look, you have to find me, okay!"
"That's- that's not fair, Shadow." Takako muttered.
"What?"
"It's not fair that I have to find you! That I'm supposed to find you! Why, I can't even remember what, or how I got here! I don't-"
"Song, that's why you have to find me."
"Song…" Takako said, tasting the word- it sounded so silly and cheerful.
"Look, if you can't find me, then we'll never be able to solve the entire demon thing!"
"It's not fair! I've been alone! I've been so, so lonely! Without you, I'm-I'm nothing. You just- you just don't understand- I've been so alone! Why-"
"I've been alone, too." Shadow spat. "You're not alone."
Silence.
Takako tensed. Right, Shadow- Shadow had been alone, too, right? Without Song- without her… Now, Takako felt so silly and immature for spouting such nonsense. Shadow had to wait in the dark- Shadow had to wait, wait, and worry for her safety. Whether she could do anything- or if she would come to any harm.
"Shadow… I'm sorry."
A sigh from Shadow, before she bent down and kissed Takako on the forehead.
"Shadow- I miss you so much."
"Song, me too. But you must know that, without the light, I am nothing."
"What?"
"Remember that."
And then Shadow was gone./
When Takako came to, she realised that she had been crying. Sleeping on the couch was not a good idea. Her whole body was aching, and her hands felt so numbed. She ran a finger through her fringe, and started massaging her shoulders. Rising from the couch, she stood for a few moments- mind in a daze.
Before she knew it, she was right in front of Haruka and Michiru's bedroom. An urge pushed her hand to the door knob, but she knew it was wrong. She knew it was wrong. Wrong to peek, like that. Wrong to invade their privacy. Wrong- oh, so wrong. Fear sprouted in her chest, and she shuddered at the thought of being found out- though there was nothing but stillness coming from the room. She took a breath to suppress the oncoming flood of tears, and the hollow feeling in her chest. Staring at her hand, which rested on the door knob, she gritted her teeth, and sighed.
But she turned the knob anyway- it was wrong- and stepped soundlessly into the dimmed room. She could vaguely make out the figures on the bed- Haruka and Michiru, snuggling under the blankets. Takako placed a palm against the door frame, and squeezed. It hurt- so, so much.
Placing a hand over her mouth, she managed to muffle the tiny cry of distress.
She was tired, and so lonely.
But Shadow- Shadow was alone, too.
Takako slipped out of the room, and closed the door, feeling horribly guilty. She squatted down and placed a hand over her own head, pretending that she was still in that dream, and that Shadow was comforting her.
The tears streamed down painfully- her eyes felt so puffy- but she cried on, biting her own lip. Her element of sound had already ensured that she would not make a noise, but it felt good to unleash some deserved pain on herself.
"Why us, Shadow? Why us?"
0*0*0*0
Haruka had felt a tiny disturbance when she was asleep- the winds had stirred, but were quickly silenced. And now, as she tried to walk out of the room, she found that the answer had fallen asleep again, outside her door. Rubbing her eyes, she looked at her own watch and found that it was a little after midnight.
She stepped over Takako's body, and sighed at the tiny figure- all curled up. God, she didn't even know where, or how this little girl came about- Pluto arrived at their doorstep and shoved her into their faces, telling them to transfer (again!) to Ouran Academy and investigate. Haruka squatted down next to the sleeping figure and realised that she had cried herself to sleep.
"Man, she sure does know how to sleep," Haruka found herself thinking.
But she had entered their room, and then came out before crying- so, why?
Haruka shook her head, and wondered if she should wake Takako up. She decided against it, and began to carry Takako to her room. When she was done, she heard the name from her lips again-
"Shadow."
This time, it wasn't muttered sleepily, but more of a statement.
"You're not Shadow."
"What?"
"Oh. Haruka." Takako was awake?
"You're up?"
"Yeah."
Haruka shrugged and settled on the chair by Takako's desk. She fiddled around until she found the switch to the table lamp. Under the weak light of the lamp, she found Takako's puffy face staring up at her.
"I'm sorry. Was I heavy?"
"Not particularly."
A sigh. "Haruka-san-"
"You called me 'Haruka' just now."
"Oh, did I? I apologize- must have been the sleep-"
"Takako, you can call me Haruka, and 'Michiru-san' will just be 'Michiru' from now on."
"Oh."
"Don't distant yourself from us."
"I understand."
"You do?" Haruka raised an eyebrow, obviously teasing.
But there was a pause, which Takako did not fill.
"Yes, Haruka. I think I do." Takako muttered, and then smiled. "What about a midnight run?"
Haruka blinked, but grinned in response. "Thought you'd never ask."
Shadow was right- Takako realised. She was not alone- no, she wasn't. There was still Haruka, Michiru, and she had a hunch that she would be great friends with the host club.