Absence - By Kirika
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Chapter 10 - Plans/Nothing Left
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Laodameia rearranged herself into a more comfortable position on her large pile of cushions. She let out a sigh of satisfaction and took a sip of her wine. Laodameia was enjoying this world. She rather liked human culture, the food and the drink. And not to mention the humans themselves. Laodameia stretched out her free hand, admiring it. She adored her human form; it was absolutely perfect... she had truly grasped the meaning of human beauty. Laodameia began to put down her wine glass and a tray was hurriedly put out to meet it. She looked down at the kneeling human who gazed upon her in utter rapture. That was something Laodameia liked about the humans; their minds could so easily be dominated. It had been simple for her to waltz into the five-star hotel in downtown Tokyo and completely taken over the top floor for herself, all through the power of suggestion. Laodameia looked around her penthouse suite, the best and biggest room in the hotel. Although it wasn't up to her
usual standard, it still provided enough comfort.
Laodameia fluffed her pink hair up. She wondered how her brother, Khairephon was doing back in... Yokohama, was it?
Most likely doing what he always does; picking a fight with somebody or something
The few youma warriors he had lent her had come in useful in the sorties against the Sailor Senshi and in acting as part of her personal guard. They were all pleased that they had been chosen to accompany Laodameia; Khairephon only picked his most adept fighters to protect his sister. Laodameia pulled out her fan and started to fan herself lightly. The Sailor Senshi. Thrinakie hadn't told her they were such pretty girls. And that man that fought with them wearing a cape... Laodameia smiled lecherously; that was another thing she liked about humans; the way their bodies reacted to certain... stimuli. It was different when Laodameia was in her true form; her body didn't... feel... the same way. She fanned a little faster. Laodameia didn't really need to kill -all- of the Sailor Senshi or their friend. No, she would keep one. She tapped a slender finger on her chin.
The blonde one with the ribbon perhaps... oh, and that man too...
Laodameia decided she would let the two of them keep their costumes... it would be more... fun, that way. She reached over and rung a small silver bell. After a moment the double doors of her room opened and her youma assistant Aiaia walked in. She was in human form; Laodameia liked her youma to be that way when in her presence.
"Aiaia, I want you to send this request to all the youma under my command," Laodameia stated.
"As you wish my Lady," Aiaia said in deference, her head bent low, a slight blush on her cheeks.
"I want one of the Sailor Senshi captured, alive... and also the man that fights along side them... Tux- something. I would prefer if the blonde Senshi with straight hair was captured... and don't hurt them too much! It will not do if you permanently damage their bodies..." Laodameia licked her lips slightly.
Aiaia raised her head and looked at her mistress, her mouth open as if she were going to say something. Laodameia tapped her hand on her leg in impatience.
"Well? Get going!"
Aiaia lowered her head again, her blush deepening. "Y-yes my Lady," she stuttered. Aiaia quickly moved back and out the room, bowing as she went.
Laodameia ignored her servant and lay back on her cushions. She couldn't wait until her new pets arrived.
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Sanjuro yawned widely, making no effort to cover his mouth. It had taken him two full days, but he had nearly finished his two-page spread on the masked fire woman. He just needed an interview with her, some pictures... and a heroic name. Sanjuro couldn't think of a decent name for the life of him. He rubbed his eyes and stuffed the remainder of his potato chips in his mouth. Sanjuro looked at his computer clock... it was nearly ten at night. He had been at work far too long... but it was worth it to get most of his spread done. Sanjuro scrunched up his chip packet and threw it in the bin under his desk. He looked over to the only other person in the office, Tetsuyo Nagasa. Sanjuro didn't know Tetsuyo very well; he hadn't been with the paper long. He covered sports if Sanjuro remembered right. He seemed a little uptight to Sanjuro, always coming to work right on time and dressed perfectly in a suit and tie. Tetsuyo didn't usually work this late though. But Sanjuro recalled
him working late last night too.
Must be some big sporting special soon or something Sanjuro guessed.
Sanjuro forgot about Tetsuyo; he had worked long enough and it was time to go home. He shutdown his computer and started to put his things in his bag. Once he was all packed up, he switched off his desk lamp and began to walk to the elevator. He stopped suddenly as the phone on his desk rang.
Who the hell would be calling here at this time?
Sanjuro stood there for a moment, wondering if he should just ignore it and go home already. He noticed Tetsuyo watching him.
Sometimes that guy gives me the creeps
Not wanting to look like a dick to Tetsuyo by ignoring the phone, Sanjuro walked back to his desk and picked it up.
"Sanjuro Watanabe, Yokohama Daily," he yawned out.
"Sanjuro?" said a girl's voice on the other end.
"That's what I said, what do you want?" Sanjuro was too tired for this.
"Umm... you don't know me, but we have a mutual... friend," said the voice, the last word being forced out.
"Yeah? Well I have lots of friends..." replied Sanjuro, idly playing with some paperclips on his desk.
The voice paused for a second, as if not believing his claim. "...I'm sure you do, but this friend wears... a mask,"
Sanjuro dropped his bag. "A mas-," he started loudly, and then covered the receiver slightly with his free hand, not wanting Tetsuyo to hear.
"A mask?" Sanjuro said more quietly, "You mean you know... you know... -her-?"
"Yes, and we need your help right now," the girl said anxiously, someone in the background crying out "Right the hell now".
"Wicked! You need my help? That is just so... wow, so what do you want me to do? What do you need investigated?" Sanjuro said, bursting with excitement.
"Nothing. We need a place to hide out," the girl said.
"Hide out?"
"Yes! Damnit, we need a place to hide and we want to use yours!" the girl said, patience lost.
"Well, I... uh... I guess you and her can crash at my place..." Sanjuro said, "wait, they're aren't ugly monsters that shoot light out of their mouths involved in this, are there?"
"Monsters that shoot light out of their mouths? Uh, no, of course not... now come on, we need to get to your place now!"
"Okay, I'll pick you up I guess, just give me the address,"
Sanjuro copied down the address and then said his goodbyes. He grabbed his bag from the ground and walked briskly yet calmly to the elevator, feeling Tetsuyo's eyes on his back. Once he was out of sight, Sanjuro ran as fast as he could to the elevator, and pressed the button for the basement garage. He had finally gotten his big break; this story was going to make him reporter of the year.
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Rei rested her head on the back seat of the car, exhausted. She rolled her head to the left, looking at Tsubasa who sat next to her. He looked pretty shell-shocked. Rei smiled a little; it wasn't everyday your world was turned upside down with monsters about to storm your apartment. Rei blocked out Sanjuro's voice constantly asking where `she' was. Damn, he was annoying. But Rei doubted that the youma would be able to find them staying with Sanjuro. Rei was brought out of her musings by Sanjuro saying they had arrived.
Sanjuro lived on the second floor of a small motel-like apartment complex. His apartment was the complete opposite of Tsubasa's. At first, Rei had thought the youma had somehow figured out where she was heading and ransacked the place, but when Sanjuro reacted as if everything was alright, Rei realised this was how it always was. There was clothes just about -everywhere-, Rei thought she saw some underpants hanging on the ceiling fan. Used takeout boxes littered the tables and old newspapers were all over the floor. Rei glanced through the open bathroom door, seeing wet towels decorating the tiles and jammed into the towel rails. The kitchen looked like a cockroach's paradise. There were dirty dishes stacked high, and crumbs all over the place.
God, how does he live like this? thought Rei with disgust.
"Welcome to my humble abode!" said Sanjuro enthusiastically. Tsubasa looked like he wanted to go back to his apartment, monsters be damned.
Rei stood there in the doorway not knowing what to say. "...Its... nice..."
Sanjuro grinned and told them to make themselves at home. Rei asked if she could use his bathroom, and went in there with a bag of medical supplies. She took a shower and treated all her wounds. After taking ages to find a dry and clean towel to dry herself with, Rei dressed for bed and left the bathroom. When she went back into the main room, Rei saw that Tsubasa had cleared all the junk off Sanjuro's couch.
Geez, didn't know he even had a couch under there
"You can use the bathroom next," Rei said to Tsubasa, noticing him hold a white pad to his hurt chest.
Tsubasa nodded his thanks, went into the bathroom and closed the door. Sanjuro walked over to Rei.
"Umm, I don't have any food in the fridge that you'd want to eat... are you hungry? I can order a pizza if you want..." Sanjuro said, his eyes occasionally darting to her bandages.
"Well, if you would be so kind... but Tsubasa and I don't have much money..." Rei said.
Sanjuro held up a hand. "It's cool. This one's on me, you're a friend of a friend after all," he winked at her.
Rei smiled at him and sat on the couch, resting her weary legs. Sanjuro went to the phone and ordered dinner. Rei closed her eyes and thought back to what the shadow youma had said.
Wong Fei's in Chinatown... that's where they're coming from... some sort of gate. Unless it was lying. It seemed like it was telling the truth though... looks like I'll be heading to Chinatown in the morning
Rei wondered what she was supposed to tell Tsubasa. She could probably spin some tale to get Sanjuro to believe that she wasn't the masked woman, but Tsubasa had seen her fight a youma. Plus Rei panicking like that back in Tsubasa's apartment when it escaped didn't help her cover. Maybe she could just not bring it up, act like nothing happened. But Tsubasa would ask questions for sure; he had just abandoned his apartment and most of his belongings, been attacked by a youma, and saw Rei beat it up. Rei sighed. What was she going to tell him?
Rei snapped out of her thoughts when Tsubasa came out of the bathroom dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants. She avoided his gaze and focused on Sanjuro's television. Tsubasa sat on the couch and watched the TV too, not saying anything. Sanjuro told them that he was going to take a shower, and went into the bathroom.
"The money for the pizza's on the kitchen counter!" he called.
Once Sanjuro closed the door, Tsubasa turned to Rei. She knew what was coming.
"Megumi... what happened back there...? You called that thing a `youma'... a spirit creature... you seemed to know a lot about what was going on... and you can fight, I mean you -really- can fight... you're right in the middle of all of this somehow, right?"
Rei continued to look at the TV. "It's... complicated... and it would probably be better if I didn't say anything... for your own safety. Just know that there are some terrible things out there, things straight from your worst nightmares... but there a few good things too, good people who fight those terrible things... you understand what I'm saying?"
Tsubasa looked at her for a few seconds then nodded slowly. "I think so... you're saying that you're... that you're one of those good people,"
Rei nodded, still looking at the TV. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more but-"
Tsubasa interrupted her. "It's okay, I understand. I'm just glad you're on our side," he smirked.
Rei looked at him and gave a half-smile. "Hope I didn't scare you back there,"
Tsubasa waved his hand. "Nah, a young girl beating the snot out of an invisible monster in my very own apartment? Pfft, I saw that last weekend," he grinned.
Soon after that, the pizza arrived and all three had dinner, Sanjuro coming out of the shower just in time. By the time they had finished it was late into the night and was time to sleep. The two guys graciously offered Rei the double bed, as they should, and Sanjuro took the couch, leaving Tsubasa to sleep on the floor. While Tsubasa arranged Sanjuro's spare blankets on the floor, Rei sat on the bed and looked in her bag for her picture of Usagi. She found it wedged between some pants and pulled it out, taking a good long look at it, her face filled with a painful longing. Tsubasa noticed her.
"Who's that? Is that other girl your friend Usagi?" he asked, fluffing a pillow and sitting beside her.
Rei was startled; she hadn't realised Tsubasa had been looking. "...Yes, that's her..." she said in a quiet voice.
Tsubasa looked at Rei's face, seeing her longing expression, the sadness in her eyes. He was afraid to ask the next question, but did so anyway.
"Is she... is she still... with us?" he asked carefully.
Rei gave him a small smile. "She better be, I would kill Setsuna if she wasn't..."
Tsubasa let out the breath he had been holding. He didn't bother asking who `Setsuna' was. "Oh... then why are you so sad? Haven't you seen her for a while or something? Does she live far away?"
"No... she lives in Tokyo, but I haven't seen her for some time,"
"Tokyo? That isn't far, why don't you go for a visit soon then... after all this `youma' business is over and done with?" Tsubasa said, still puzzled why she looked so depressed.
Rei smiled sadly. "It's not that simple... I'll probably never see her again... except for in this picture... and in my dreams..." she finished softly.
Tsubasa thought about just dropping the whole thing, but pressed on ahead. After all, he had just learned that Rei was some sort of fighter for justice. What could compare to that?
"Did you have a falling out?" he asked.
"No," Rei said, tears starting to come to her eyes, "we were always arguing... but that wasn't why I left, it was... it was..."
More tears started to come to Rei's eyes. Why was she telling him this? He didn't need to know and he probably didn't even care. It hurt so much, being reminded of her one-sided love for Usagi. Rei didn't know she carried such pain, such torment in her heart; all the fighting had distracted her, only allowing her moments to remember. Now that she did remember fully and was talking about it, all the misery came pouring out. The pain was stronger than anything Rei had ever experienced mentally or physically; there was no willpower great enough to block it out, no attack powerful enough to defeat it, it was just the pain, raw and true. But despite this, Rei felt like she had to talk about it, she had to get it out. The tears ran down her cheeks, gathering at the bottom of her chin.
"S-she is the most courageous, compassionate person I know... m-my best friend... I would have done anything for her, I still would... I would die for her without hesitation... t-the most gorgeous, divine creature on this earth... I-I love her so much that it hurts... but I would rather have the pain than feel nothing for her... b-but... b-but she doesn't love me like I love her... s-she has someone e-else... the love of her life, her true love... her soul mate... her prince... h-her d-destiny..." Rei pressed her free hand over her face and sobbed.
Tsubasa didn't know what to do. He felt like such a jerk for pushing her. Tsubasa awkwardly put an arm around Rei's shoulders.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said anything... but, you know, maybe you'll... maybe you'll find someone else..."
Rei continued to weep, her tears running through her fingers and down her hand. She shook her head. "N-no... there w-will never be someone e-else... she was the only one... t-the only one... my only l-love... don't you understand? She's the one... I-I thought t-that I could forget her... b-but I can't... I don't think I ever will... I-I'll love her forever..."
When Rei said those last four words, she knew it was true. Rei would never resent Usagi for not loving her and she would never ever hate her for it either. Hers was a love that would never die, always burning strongly in her heart.
Tsubasa looked to Sanjuro for help. But the coward was lying on the couch, his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.
"I... I don't know what to tell you..." Tsubasa said. There were no words he could say that would comfort Rei, no advice that he could give. Sometimes things were just plain bad and there was nothing you could do but take it.
"G-god... h-how can I go on like this...? I-I can't take this -every- -single- -day- for the rest of m-my life... w-without her, life is so... it's just too much... t-there's nothing left for me..."
"There is something left... you said you were a fighter on the side of good," Tsubasa said, not caring Sanjuro was listening, "you have that... you have people that rely on you to help them, to defend them... where would I be without you? I would have been killed..."
Rei shook her head again, tears continuing to fall. "No... if it wasn't for me, y-you wouldn't have been attacked in the f-first place," Rei's voice hardened slightly, "...b-but you're right... I am a fighter... it's all I have left now... I'll fight... I'll fight and keep fighting until there is nothing evil left... or until I'm finally granted death... I have nothing left to lose..."
Tsubasa didn't like the sound of that. Rei took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly. She wiped away the tears from her eyes and blew her nose on the tissue Tsubasa gave her. Tsubasa looked into her blood shot eyes. They weren't sad anymore; they were... resigned, like she was already dead inside.
"I'm going to sleep now," Rei stated. She climbed under the bed covers and closed her eyes. She never let go of the picture.
Part eleven |
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