Disclaimer: you know me- I don't own anything except the plot and Song and Shadow :)

Song of the Shadows: chapter 6

Takako waited patiently for class to end. In fivefourthreetwo- seconds- Takako tapped her fingers on the desk, hoping that Mayaki wouldn't take long with her 'something to talk about'. There was still the recording and the interview schedules and the photoshoot- was that cancelled for Wednesday?

"Mizune-san, are you coming to the-?"

"I'm afraid I must pass, Haruhi-san." Takako said gently, and then noting the slight glimmer in Haruhi's eyes, she quickly added, "I'm on a tight schedule."

"About what happened today during break-"

"My apologies, but I think Mayaki-san is waiting for me." And with that Takako made her escape, disappearing into the crowd of students.

Takako found the greenhouse easily enough, and saw that Mayaki was already there, fidgeting- she did look a little uncomfortable and pale, her hands trembling-

"Mayaki-san?"

"Ah- Mizune-san, I was just- Please, allow me to explain myself!"

"Explain yourself…?"

"I think that- well, I haven't been exactly very- well- I must say-" an intake of breath- "I think I like you a lot, Mizune-san."

"I beg your pardon?" Takako stood stiffly-

'I like you a lot'? What does-

"You're really cool and you're cute-"

"You don't even- we're classmates, Mayaki-san- I don't think-"

"But I know it! You're so charming and your voice is so deep and when you sing, I feel as though you're calling out to me." Mayaki turned to her, but her bangs covered her eyes.

"Is that why you're confessing…?" Takako muttered, suddenly absorbed in the intricacies of Mayaki's shoes.

"Yes! I knew that you were the one the moment I saw you! Believe it or not-"

But-

Shouldn't you know someone before saying such a thing?

We're- we aren't even friends-

How can you throw these words around so loosely?

"My apologies, but I think you're actually fascinated and intrigued by me- this is no more than a crush-" Takako tried to explain.

"It was love at first sight-!"

"You don't even know anything about me! You- you are treating me like something new and out of your reach- a toy that you desire, one that you're going to get rid of once you're done! It's definitely not love- you're just fascinated! Interested! How-!" Her nails dug into her palm, and it hurt- but she didn't know exactly what was hurting.

"Oh? Disappointed that you're just a worthless stuffed bunny?" The voice was now laced with malice-

Takako looked up, and found that Mayaki was no more. She had turned into a demon, as well-

What!

WAIT NO THIS ISN'T ALLOWED

W-

Wait, so the previous demon- was he a person?

"Wha-?"

"I will take your soul. It's meant to be mine, anyway-"

"Mayaki-san!"

"She is no more. Prepare your soul- it must be delicious!"

And Takako sped away, with the monster following her- I can't transform now! Not when she's following-

"Amuka-sensei!" Takako yelled. "Help! To your left!" It was a bluff, but it took the monster by surprise.

Takako ran behind a bush, and quickly transformed. She continued watching from behind her hiding place- and she was unsure of what to do- attack, and she could kill Mayaki-san- How was she to tell anyone, anyway! How could she talk to Haruka and Michiru- was there some sort of device that they forgot to give to her? The wind! Right-

Sailor Song hummed a soft tune, and let it reverberate in the air, gliding along-

Bad thing was-

"Ah, I've found you!" Mayaki- the monster- cackled gleefully, approaching the bushes.

Sailor Song jumped out from behind the bushes, landing on a platform. She struck a pose and tried to look intimidating.

"How dare you- monster, attack at a school! Appearing soundlessly, Sailor Song will beat the crap out of you!" Okay, she was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to say that.

"Saaaailor Song?" Wait, wasn't that- Honey-sempai!

Okay, it is.

What do we do now.

The monster made to move towards Honey, but was stopped by Sailor Song as she aimed a kick at her abdomen-

That's Mayaki-san you're hurting!

It's not her anymore!

The monster fell back, and roared. Standing protectively in front of Honey, Sailor Song panicked. She told him to run, but he still stood exactly where he was, stunned by shock. Song sighed, and charged at the monster before she could recover- aiming another punch, and a twist of the arm-

"Ah, it hurts!" Mayaki-san's voice called out from the monster-

Song faltered- Mayaki-san was innocent, after all-

But that was all it took for the monster to gain the upperhand- nails scratching against the small of Song's back, cutting through the silky fabric and creating large gashes-

Song stumbled- the searing pain in her back caused a string of unfriendly vulgarities to spew from her lips. The monster took no time in dashing at her, and she barely dodged the toxic liquid that the monster shot at her-

Her arm- it was blistering and burning- like acid-

"It feels like acid, but let's go home."

Haruka- Michiru- where are you!

"So, Sailor Song, ready to die?" The monster loomed over her.

"Takashi!"

Song chuckled, and shook her head, holding up a fist- which the monster did not hesitate to grab, and twist- Her wrist was probably dislocated-

"Silent- Tempo," Song choked out, her vision all blurry with tears.

The pressure placed on her wrist was gone, and when she blinked away the tears, she saw Mayaki lying unconsciously on the ground. She sighed, and tried to move, but her back-

"Are you okay!" Honey called out, running towards her.

"I'll be fine." Saying that, she grabbed her bag, leapt onto a roof (thank god for heavenly senshi abilities) and ran away.

Mori and Honey stood watching as the mysterious girl- called 'Sailor Song'- left the scene.

0*0*0*0

Takako found herself stumbling into their apartment. Haruka and Michiru weren't home- and Takako cursed again, feeling the rustle of her shirt against the wounds on her back. She slowly removed her blazer, and threw it on the couch. It was stained with blood, and Takako sighed again. Using the wall as support, she dragged herself to her room.

That's right- Araboshi-

I need to record some stuff, right?

She groaned, and slowly unbuttoned her shirt in front of her mirror. The entire shirt was soaked in blood. It was a miracle nobody bothered to look at her. Her left wrist was still pulsing with a slight burning sensation. Her right arm was blistering, and so damn red, and purple. She winced at the sight, and turned to try and see her back. It was a little better now, but there was dried blood all over her. She wondered if she should try bathing now- but it was probably going to hurt like hell, so. She bit her lip and craned her neck a little more- it was probably going to take a day to heal.

Thank god for super senshi healing abilities.

Moving out of her room, she hissed- the wind blowing against her bare back hurt. Wait- the wind-!

The front door was unlocked, and pushed open. Takako rushed to the kitchen in search of an icepack, vaguely aware that she felt guilty- (for what?)

"Takako, are you in?"

"Yeah."

"You're hurt?" Michiru muttered gently, picking up the blazer.

"No biggie. Just something." Takako shrugged, even though she knew they wouldn't be able to see her.

There was silence as Takako rummaged around for an icepack. Finally, she found it, and placed it on her wrist. Reluctantly, she walked out of the kitchen- decency forgotten. Haruka was seated on the couch, legs on the table while Michiru stood behind the couch, the fabric still in her hands.

"Tell us about it."

Takako shifted the icepack to her arm instead. "Well."

Haruka looked up, and smirked. "Getting bolder now, are we? I didn't think you liked- ah- to flaunt your assets."

"Are you uncomfortable with me without my shirt? It hurts when there's friction." A pause, as Takako tried to move her wrist. "There was a demon, and I tried-"

"Don't worry about it. We heard you calling, but we decided that-"

"You heard me call? You heard- You heard me calling and you didn't help?" Shock.

"Independence, dear. We wanted to see how you would handle it." A hand brushing against blonde bangs.

"You knew it was going to happen?" Incredulous.

"Suspected, actually." Fingers tucking a lock of teal hair behind the ear.

"But- why? We're supposed to help each other-"

"There are times when we can't be there for each other. You know that better than anyone else." This was a hit too low.

Takako stiffened, and everything fell into a piercing silence.

"So. I'm a show? Like- an experiment?"

"Don't lump us together with the rest of them, Takako." Michiru let the blazer fall onto the couch. "Haruka and I have been through a lot of… incidents where we found we couldn't protect each other."

Haruka sighed, and walked over to Takako. "Let me see your back. We'll need to get you a communicator."

"A communicator?" Takako obliged, and allowed Haruka to take a look at the gashes.

"We use it to communicate."

"Obviously. I knew there was something missing in my newbie pack."

Nobody said anything. But after Haruka was done dressing her wounds (silently, of course), Takako found that her blazer was gone from its original spot on the couch.

(She would come to realise that it was neatly folded in her drawer a few days later.)

Her phone, though, was on the table- vibrating softly. Takako reached for it- (her wrist was already returning to normal)- and answered the call.

"Takako Mizune! Where are you! You're supposed to have been here two hours ago!" Araboshi was fuming mad.

"I'm- I- I, ah, I'm hurt."

"Hurt?"

Yeah, Araboshi-san, I got hurt because I was fighting a demon who possessed another person's body. And I tried to do something but it spilled acid on my arm (or something) and twisted my left wrist. Oh, did I mention that I happen to be Sailor Song, too?

"I'm sorry, Araboshi-san."

"Mizune-san, I think you'll need to know that I'm not going to be your manager anymore."

"What! Why?"

"Your attitude… well, and there's also someone else who you'll be working with- her name is Hotaru Tomoe. She'll be taking over. Thank you for all this while."

"A-ah… I see."

"Regarding today's photoshoot, the photographer was caught up in a minor accident, so it's been rescheduled. The director for the interview was also unable to make it. You'll find updates in the schedule I'm sending over right now."

"Araboshi-san…"

"Goodbye, Mizune-san. You are… a very interesting kid."

Takako put her phone down, and sighed.