Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: *** *** "We'll be alright," she repeated. Her hand was once more holding Haruka's. *** Usagi stood in the small bathroom of the hotel room. In there, she had found a bucket of ice. She suspected Michiru had already been using it to keep Haruka's fever down. *** Time had passed. *** Inside, Usagi stared out the window. It was now painfully obvious that the future HAD been altered. There would be no Sailorpluto, no Sailoruranus or Sailorneptune in HER future.
Gemstone
By: Elena L Sanchez
Disclaimer: I own the senshi in this fic (Housho senshi). They are mine and no one has the right to steal them. They ARE copyrighted to me, meaning I can sue if I find they've been used without giving me credit. The idea of the senshi and Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon and the original characters such as Tsukino, Usagi etc...belong to Naoko-sama. I own NONE of her characters and do NOT claim to, but rather thank her for making such wonderful and inspirational characters. Waii! ^_^
Chapter Thirteen: Jade's Prophecy Comes True? Usagi a Failure? Part Two.
Haruka's body became alive with a glitter of silver light and sparkled. It was though she was wearing a dress of starlight. Tears formed in Michiru's eyes. Her voice seemed to have left her, even as her lips repeated the word "yes."
It's working! It has to be working!! Haruka-san!
However, Usagi's mental cries of joy were quickly put in doubt as Haruka cried out. The silver glow turned a bright, hellish red. Haruka screamed, in terrible pain. It was a scream that tore both Usagi and Michiru's hearts to shreds. The red light followed the beam straight to the Ginzuishou. The brooch shook in Usagi's hand and got incredibly hot, until she was forced to drop it.
A pain struck Usagi in the heart, until she herself cried out. Usagi fell to her knees. It was like someone had lit a fire upon her very heart itself. Usagi clutched her chest and cried out again.
Why...it HAD to work... she thought raggedly through her pain. No...
Finally the pain amplifyed with one harsh burst. It was a similar feeling of pain like that of when someone twisted the skin on your arm PAINFULLY hard in opposite directions. Only this pain, was on her heart. Usagi screamed so loud, she though she may very well shatter the glass of the hotel windows. However, it was not her scream alone.
"Haruka!!!!!!!!!!!" Michiru cried out in anguish. The light faded and the Ginzuishou's glow, flashed weakly then faded. Usagi sat in a heap, upon her knees. Part of her was unable to believe the pain was gone, and was still adjusting to the last remanents, as it floated away. Another part of her was shocked that the Ginzuishou could take so much abuse. She was sure it would shatter. With it, her link to the Ginzuishou and her life. Finally, the last part was terrified to look up to the bed.
"Haruka, iie..." a voice whispered. "Stay with me..."
Usagi didn't WANT to raise her head. She KNEW. A part of her was sick with grief, because she KNEW what was happening. It was plain and simple. It was just like Setsuna.
Tenou, Haruka was dying.
"Haruka..." Michiru whispered with a choked voice.
On the bed, Haruka's eyes bore incredible pain. They were glassy, and seemed far off. For a moment, Michiru believed Haruka was already ascending the stairs to heaven. It was were she belonged, because she was an angel.
But she wasn't heaven's angel. Iie!! She's MY angel! Michiru cried in her head. Her thoughts were jumbled, but that particular one rang clear. She was angry. How dare death try and touch her angel?! WHY!? She didn't understand. She wouldn't!
"Haruka!!" she cried, allowing the tears to burst forward. She wouldn't let this happen. She COULDN'T!
"What are you sitting there for!?! Get ICE, do SOMETHING!" Michiru screamed to Usagi. Usagi's shoulders trembled, but she stood weakly. She did not hurry to the kitchen. Michiru could've slapped her.
It's not Usagi-chan fault... her heart whispered. However, her mind simply did not care. Her mind was remembering the early conversation, before Usagi had arrived.
"Haruka, I know you can hear me," she spoke quietly. Michiru bowed her head. Her hands played with a small object. It rolled over her fingers. Back and forth.
"I'm still here for you..." she whispered. She could see Haruka's eyes were upon her own. Her cries were silenced for now.
"I'm going to stay with you Haruka, and you will stay with me," Michiru said as though that was the final verdict.
Michiru slipped her hand into Haruka's. She smiled softly. She had tears in her eyes, but it was tears of happiness. She knew she would be with her Haruka, no matter what. That was all that mattered.
The small object in her hand rolled across her palm once more and glinted in the light.
"I won't let you go tonight..." Michiru whispered, repeating the words Haruka had said long ago. "Yes, Haruka I'm with you. We're driving together. Remember? Let's keep driving, together. I won't let you go tonight..."
Then there was a knock. Michiru gripped Haruka's hand harder. Now things would be okay.
"You hear that Haruka? It's our hope, you'll see. Things will be alright, one way or another..." she said softly, more confidently. She squeezed Haruka's hand comfortingly.
The knocks came louder and more impatiently.
Haruka finally broke the moment of peace by moaning and wincing. Michiru softly released Haruka's hand and stood. "We'll be alright..."
Haruka's hand squeezed back.
Michiru opened her eyes. Her tears were no longer restrained. "Oh Haruka..." she whispered, her face clenching in pain. Michiru couldn't let go. She WOULDN'T.
Haruka gave a small head nod and stared into Michiru's eyes.
Michiru smiled through her tears.
Then Haruka closed her eyes.
Michiru sat in silence for a moment. She didn't breath, didn't move. Her tears themselves seemed to pause.
After a moment, a single tear fell onto Haruka's now peaceful face.
Michiru drew in a ragged breath.
We'll be alright... she repeated in her head. She reached over to the bed side desk and opened the drawer. Yes, they'd be alright.
Michiru looked back at Haruka, her cheeks still wet. Yes, they WOULD be alright.
She finally took in a deep breath, calming herself. She smiled. "I won't let you go tonight..."
After that, the long used lightbulb, flickered off and burnt out.
Usagi shivered.
She didn't want to go back out. She didn't want to believe the Ginzuishou had failed her AGAIN.
Her thoughts went silent. She just couldn't think, she couldn't believe.
Before she knew it, her hands had shakily gathered some ice in a wash cloth. Maybe things would be okay despite the curse. Haruka was strong. She was so much stronger physically than Usagi could ever hope to be.
Usagi held the make shift ice pack in one hand and her other shakily went for the door knob. She had noticed that the flickering, dim lit light in the hotel room had expired.
For some reason, as she opened the door, a wave of dread washed over her. Usagi held her breath, then opened the door wider. The light spread like a melting wave of lava. Over the floor, then up to the edge of the bed. Finally...
The door burst open. The light from that direction hit the bed as well.
Luna and Artemis, and the four other girls busted into the room.
"Usagi we heard a -"
Everyone went silent. Usagi stood there, only staring. The ice pack fell from her hand and the ice cubes pattered softly against the floor.
"Usagi, you cannot go on blaming yourself! Open this door immediatly!!" Luna yelled, pawing feriouciously at the door.
Usagi said nothing.
Usagi had taken to shutting herself up in a spare room at Mamoru's apartment. Even Mamoru, who lived there, had been unable to get her to open the door. She had already shunned away Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako.
It was if no one was able to reach her.
Luckily, there had been no signs of attack from the four girls. Luna counted this as a blessing. She wasn't sure exactly how well the senshi would hold up against them without Sailormoon. On the other paw, they hadn't held up very well at all even WITH Sailormoon by their side.
Luna sighed. Perhaps it was as Artmeis suggested. Usagi would come out in her own time. She just needed time to grieve. Luna only hoped that while she was, nothing drastically bad happened.
Now there might not even be a queen at all.
What if the new senshi, the Housho senshi, were Tokyo's future?
So many questions whirled around in Usagi's head. There were so many that it hurt to even think. However, she couldn't keep her mind off the situation at hand.
The Ginzuishou had failed. Twice now. This meant SHE had failed.
At this thought, Usagi felt a bitter rage soar through her soul and body. She was useless. There was more powerful senshi now. Who needed Sailormoon?! A weak, powerless leader.
Usagi felt tears of anger well up in her eyes. She let her head sink a bit, so her shoulders hunched up around her. She wasn't going to let cry baby Usagi cry any longer.
STUPID CRYBABY USAGI! STUPID CLUTZY USAGI! CAN'T EVEN SAVE YOUR FRIENDS!!! STUPID STUPID STUPID! she mentally screamed.
Then another thought struck her hard like a punch to the heart.
"I pity you Sailormoon, because you will know that death strikes those who rebel against it, ten times harder. In the end, you're going to lose..."
She was right. Sailorjade was right. I'm going to lose now.
Usagi felt a single tear dribble down her cheek and she lost it.
She screamed with anger. She screamed for the people she couldn't save, and she screamed for being unable to stop the way things were going. She screamed for Sailorjade's stupid prophecy coming true, but most of all she screamed because her enemies had been right all along.
She was a failure.
Usagi knocked items off a nearby desk, angry she had allowed herself to cry. That was the old Usagi. The worthless one.
Now, no longer screaming, she stood among the mess, panting. Something glittered out of the corner of her eye. She faced the glittering object to see that it was her brooch. The Ginzuishou.
Usagi stormed over and grabbed it. "You FAILURE!" she screamed, half expecting the crystal to feel bad. It only glittered in the light of the room as a response. Usagi grit her teeth. She wouldn't give it a chance to fail anymore.
Usagi angrily tossed the brooch on the floor hard, and it went flying on the floor, until it was under the bed.
She had made up her mind and it was final.
"I'll never become Sailormoon again..." she muttered venomously, and that was that.
********************
Author's note:
Not too much to say on this chapter. In case you're wondering exactly what the hell happened (I hope you're not!), yes Haruka and Michiru died. You will find out exactly how Michiru died in the next chapter, though I think it's obvious.
Here's a few reasons.
1. I wanted to really put Usagi through some mental abuse persay. I believe that this (her allys and friends dropping dead after a long time of peace) will pave the way for her to mature more into what would've been Neo Queen Serenity. Will she become NQS? Well, you'll have to wait and see.
2. I hope NO one accuses me of this but JUST IN CASE, no I did NOT kill off Haruka and Michiru because they were two girls who were in love. I supported them as a couple as much as anyone supports Usagi and Mamoru. I think killing them both off brought a sort of dramatic element to the story, and showed just how serious this predicament is (same reason with Pluto's death). The outers (minus Saturn for now) were always the groups strong point, and now without them, the inners will be forced to become stronger.
3. Okay, so I killed off Haruka, but why'd I have to kill Michiru? This is because it is my belief that Haruka wouldn't have wanted to live without Michiru. In fact, I think she says that in some point through out the anime. I'm not sure when, but anyway, that's what I believe. I also believe that Michiru would feel similarly, and thus she dies.
So there's my explanation.
Also, I used only one japanese word and I've stated it's meaning before, but I'll state it again in case anyone forgot ^.^
Iie ~ No
Lastly, the quote Michiru keeps repeating is Haruka's quote from episode 106 in S season. When they are driving together in the end, Haruka says "Let's keep driving. I'm not going to let you go tonight." I don't know if they said the same thing in the NA version. Prolly not. But anyway, thanks to Castle In the Sky (http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/5976/) for this information.