Title: Glass Rose - Prologue
Author: Azure
E-mail: blackrose918@hotmail.com
Rating: PG
Standard Disclaimer Apply


Kenji,
You know that I've always hated writing letters. It wastes time. 
Unfortunately, the phone lines are all tied up right now. I *am*, of course, 
a very busy woman with many relations to speak to. With that, other business
calls, calls from friends, and ridiculous fan calls for Darry it's 
practically impossible for someone to make a telephone call out! But I am a 
very resourceful woman, if I may say so myself, and desperate times call for 
desperate measures. You see, Usagi-san is as much my daughter as yours. But 
for the past four years, it seems as if she is yours and yours only. You 
allow Sammy to come visit during the summers but when I so much as bring up 
Usagi's name you change the subject. I know that you think I'll snatch away 
your only, precious daughter. I don't have any intention of doing that. You 
see, I seriously have no need of Usagi-san. She is useless to me, and I 
suppose she is useless to humankind. She is clumsy, unfashionable, and I 
have never known someone more of an airhead as she. And her grades! 
Goodness, she can be a nerd, but must she be a stupid nerd? I wonder why I 
even bother with her stupidity. She obviously will not become anyone. But I 
have always been a good person, haven't I? I can't say I love her, she has 
nothing to offer me. But I'll try to shape her up so she can at least marry 
a suitable man. Now, I can't guarantee anything. If she comes out worse than 
she already is, it certainly isn't my fault. As I always say, hopeless cases
are hopeless cases and let bigones be bigones. I know for a fact that she 
won't be able to marry such a man as my Darry. He is a divine man, rich, 
powerful, talented, handsome, cool, collected, fashionable. I could not have
made a better choice. But she, at least, will be able to get a man like you. 
Don't fret, you're not too bad with providing food and clothes for your 
family. I'm sure Usagi-san will be happy. I've attached her train tickets.
Don't bother to send them back. The only no I'll take of an answer is a no 
from her, and it must be a no she wants, not a no you want. Now I must get 
back to work. Being a celebrity isn't all that. I promise to keep Usagi-san 
safe and give her a kiss for me.
Lots of love,
Olivia

Kenji Tsukino clutched the pale, pastel blue stationery. Dark, sky blue 
hearts surrounded the supplied writing lines and in indigo-colored cursive, 
it read at the top: Olivia Ikuko Tsukino-Shields. Ikuko. It was his special
name for her, a special Japanese name for his beautiful wife. Ex-wife, he 
thought bitterly. His hands shook and tore the edges of the paper into 
jagged lines. How dare she use his pet name for her! How dare she use his
last name, the name she had thrown down the garbage can after their divorce. 
Why did she use his name? Why? Did she love him, truly, really? No. Japanese 
names were *fashionable*. It boosted her ratings, it helped her. Did he get 
paid for his services. No. He ran his hand shakily through his wavy brown 
hair. He felt a pain in his
heart, an old pain, an old resentment. He tried to forget her, tried to 
forget her every second of his life. He escaped her only through true, pure 
bliss. But those moments only lasted that long, in moments. Then, her face
came back, haunted his mind. Her beautiful face. Those soulful, dark eyes, 
so full of life, yet so dead to him. How could he love her so, yet hate her 
to the depths of her soul? Her hair, the silky hue of golden, like the
sunshine on a beautiful day. Thick and shining--long and lustrous. He 
remembered how it was, spilling out across the lace pillows, the soft 
tendrils caressing her lovely face and bare white shoulders. He would stroke 
her, emotions clouding his heart--he, so full of love that he could hardly 
stand a moment away from her. And she, whom he would but could not let go, 
would hasten to take away from him the only other angel in his life, the 
purpose for his humanity. His daughter. The girl with many faces, many 
names. She was known to everyone as Serena, or even Ditzy Serena. But to 
him, she would always be his Usa-chan. He had never known love so pure, love 
so true. His love for Olivia was the strongest emotion he had ever felt. But 
that love was far from pure. It was dark and full of hatred and betrayal. He 
hated Olivia Shields from the bottom of his broken heart. Yet, his hatred 
for her matched his undying, lastful love. But he did not love Olivia 
Shields--no, he did not. He loved his Ikuko-chan, the woman that his 
wife...ex-wife...had been. Kenji folded the letter back into its envelope. 
He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall of his study. What would he 
do, what *should* he do. Was there any right, any possible answer to this? 
No, there wasn't and he knew there wasn't. He could only lay his heart into 
the hands of Fate. Yes. He would have to let Usagi decide. And yet, he knew 
what her decision would be.

***

I know this was short, sorry. You see, I needed this part in the fic but I 
didn't think I should put it in Chapter One. So...here's the outcome. Please 
e-mail me with suggestions and comments. But the plot of the story isn't
described at all in the passages above. Don't worry, it's all part of a 
master plan...*wicked laugh*

Luv! =)