Absence - By Kirika
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Chapter 1 - Sacrifice
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"Rarrrrrrrrnnnnoooooo!" screamed the youma, collapsing to its knees, "I cannot be defeated yet! Not by the likes of you!!"
About time, thought Sailor Mars, seemed like this thing would never go down.
The youma had been spotted breaking into a clothes store of all places. It was sheer luck that the five senshi were nearby, having just returned from a late night screening of the latest Sailor V movie. Naturally, the Sailor Senshi went into action.
The creature was large, at least double Sailor Mars' height, and with the muscles to match. Its hairless skin was a putrid blue colour and had a wolf-like head with rows of rather nasty looking teeth. But that was not where the real danger lied. It possessed a strange biomechanical weapon grafted onto each forearm capable of firing off some sort of energy beam. The beams were particularly dangerous, as the Sailors had unfortunately learned first-hand. Sailor Venus was crouched behind some low shelves, holding a hand to her right shoulder... her right arm hanging limply by her side. Sailor Mercury leaned heavily against a clothes rack, a shot to the waist making her effectively immobile. While the beams burned where they hit, it was the after effect of paralysis that was the real killer. Sailor Mars' leg still occasionally cramped up where a beam had winged her.
Sailor Moon snatched her tiara out of the air as it returned to her, having dealt the mortal blow to the youma.
"That's what... all you... things think!" panted Sailor Moon, out of breath from the fierce battle. "When will... you learn that... the champions of justice will always win!" She then stood in what she thought was a heroic victory stance.
She looks like one of the store mannequins, Mars frowned irritably.
Looking at the blonde odango atama, her frown faded. It was getting harder and harder for her to keep her feelings in check when around her princess. But that wasn't the worst of it. It was seeing her with... him. Mars knew she should be happy that Usagi was happy with Mamoru, but seeing them together always cut her up inside. She was jealous of him, to the point where she had come to simply despise him on sight. She knew that she was being unfair, that she was infected with the green-eyed monster, but she couldn't help it. Her greatest fear was that she would one day come to resent Usagi because of her unreturned feelings, or worse hate her outright. It seemed impossible that it would come to that, the love Mars had for the blonde filled her to the point of bursting... but she never thought that she would look upon Mamoru with hatred either. Something had to give, and soon... she couldn't take being in the same room with them again, constantly reminded of her hopeless love
for her princess... a love that would forever be unrequited.
"You have only delayed the inevitable," choked out the youma, "there will be other times, other gates...you cannot be everywhere at once!" The youma laughed grotesquely, its voice having been ruined earlier by a well placed crescent beam.
"Ehh.. wha..?" Sailor Moon replied.
"Besides..." said the youma, ignoring Sailor Moon's less than intelligent reply, "None of you will leave this place alive..." The youma stood at its full height and roared out a sound only the dying could. It raised its weapons, and Sailor Mars tensed, ready to move and defend her princess at a moments notice.
The youma then turned, and fired energy beams towards the pillars supporting the second floor of the building. One pillar was hit heavily, and its middle section crumbled.
"He's trying to bring the building down!" cried out Sailor Jupiter.
Parts of the second floor started to fall through the ceiling as the youma kept blasting wildly at the supports, frequently missing and punching holes in the ceiling instead. Sailor Mars nimbly dodged out of the way of a falling crate as it crashed to the ground beside her, causing a multitude of assorted socks to fly out.
Damn, with all this crap falling from above I can't get a clear shot
"The building won't last long without those supports!" yelled Sailor Mercury above the sound of falling debris, "we have to get out of here now!"
"Right! Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, quick let's go!" Venus called out to the two senshi who were closest to the youma.
Sailor Venus got to her feet and began to run as best she could with her paralysed arm towards the exit. Sailor Mercury tried to run, and started to panic when she realised that she still couldn't move her legs.
"Ah..."
"Need a lift?" said Jupiter, scooping Mercury up into her arms as she ran by.
Sailor Mercury breathed a sigh of relief and leaned closer to Sailor Jupiter as more debris from the second floor fell about them.
Meanwhile, Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars had already started to run towards the front exit but were still behind the others.
"Move it odango atama!" said Mars, "this is what happens when you pig out all the time!"
Sailor Moon opened her mouth to retaliate, then she cried out and fell flat on her face.
thought Mars, as she ran back to where Sailor Moon had fallen.
"On your feet, we don't have time for this!" said Sailor Mars reaching for Sailor Moon's arm.
"I can't..." whimpered Sailor Moon, tears starting to build up, "I -I can't feel my leg... I think I was hit by one of those things..."
"Damnit," Mars swore under her breath.
"Rahahahahaaa!" the youma continued to roar, "you fools are finished! Never have I lost a battle! I'm taking you to- GARK!" The youma's tirade was cut short as a large cement block fell on his head, followed by the entire contents of the second floor the block was supporting, finally snuffing the life out of the creature.
So much for Mr. `I never lost a battle', what a sore loser Mars thought sarcastically.
"Hurry!"
Sailor Mars glanced at the entrance to the store where Sailor Venus was waving them in with her good arm. However, the ominous creaking from above didn't sound too encouraging.
"Mars..." Sailor Moon whispered, having heard the creaking too.
We're not going to make it, thought Mars.
The creaking got louder until the whole front part of the ceiling began to cave in.
Sailor Mars moved quickly, picking up Sailor Moon with some difficulty and running as best she could deeper into the store as half the second floor took up residence in half the first behind them.
"I hope *cough* Venus is okay..." said Sailor Moon, waving at the dust swirling about them.
Sailor Mars sat Sailor Moon down on a pile of fallen jeans and tried to see through the dust for another exit.
"Come on, it's a clothes store for gods sake... its supposed to have lots of display windows!" said Sailor Mars, frustrated.
Mars finally spotted a doorway that had had its top frame partially crushed downwards, causing the door to be forced open, in the distance.
There...that must head outside to the loading area... doesn't look too stable though... but then again the whole ceiling above us isn't stable... what was that sound? Better hurry
"Look alive, odango atama... I've found an exit," stated Sailor Mars.
Sailor Moon responded by reaching her arms out to Mars and making grabbing motions with her hands. Sailor Mars rolled her eyes and picked up her princess in her arms.
She had better not get used to this...but it does feel good holding her this close to me... Mars blushed slightly, hoping that the dust would hide it.
Sailor Mars' happy thoughts were interrupted with Sailor Moon squirming and yelling out, "We're gonna be pancakes!!" towards the crumbling ceiling. Sailor Mars spurred into action and made a mad dash towards the doorway, with all sorts of debris ranging from bricks to underwear raining down around them.
We're going to make it, no way I'm getting killed by clothes... geez what a way to go thought Mars, a slight smile pulling at the right side of her mouth.
At that moment the youma had the last laugh. Sailor Mars felt her calf cramp up from the blast earlier and stumbled, nearly dropping Sailor Moon.
"Gaa! Mars!" Sailor Moon cried out, holding onto Sailor Mars' neck for dear life.
Her leg cramped again, and a numbness began spreading out from the source of the cramp.
Oh no... not yet thought Sailor Mars, not yet... Usagi... Silently, Sailor Mars made a choice. Shaking her neck free of Sailor Moon's hands, Sailor Mars ran towards the doorway as fast as she could.
"Mars what...?" started Sailor Moon.
"I hope your... lighter in flight... than you... are now princess," said Mars between breaths. She winced as her leg started to buckle.
"What? Sailor Mars, what do you... no wait, Rei don't! I won't leave you behind!"
Sailor Mars looked at Sailor Moon and flashed her a smile and winked.
"I'll be... right behind you, odango," humoured Mars.
Using what little strength she had left, Sailor Mars threw Sailor Moon in the direction of the doorway. Sailor Moon cried out as she scraped past the doorframe, causing the weakened structure to give way. A torrent of bricks collapsed inwards, filling the doorway to capacity, but with Sailor Moon thankfully on the other side.
Sailor Mars collapsed to her knees, her arms against the ground as her leg gave out. Her arms weren't in much better shape after carrying and then throwing Sailor Moon.
Damnit Usagi, you were heavier than I thought. Looks like this is the end... on the bright side, this solves my... problem Mars despaired, I wonder if she'll cry for me... stupid, of course she will, she has compassion for everyone... even a weird psychic temple miko...
Mars' self-pity was disturbed as a large cement block and a crate crashed through the floor in front of her. Sailor Mars felt the floor boards wobble and then slide towards the new hole in the floor. Raising her hands for protection, Mars fell into the hole and landed heavily onto the remains of the crate on the floor below, knocking the wind out of her.
ugg... looks like the basement...hmm, I have that skirt... Sailor Mars' addled brain thought ridiculously, looking at the crates spilled contents.
However, her exploration was short-lived. Looking upwards out of the hole, Sailor Mars saw the second floor and what was left of its contents fall towards her.
Usagi...
Sailor Mars raised her hands over her face as everything came crashing down on her.
Part Two |
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