Absence - By Kirika
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Chapter 15 - Rebirth
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Sailor Mars knelt down to Sailor Moon and wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her into a close embrace. Mars' princess continued to cry on her shoulder, crushing Sailor Mars with her arms as the other Sailor Senshi watched. Mars' wounds were disturbed, but she was aware of no pain. She stroked Sailor Moon's back softly, comforting her princess. It felt so right, holding her only love in her arms, Mars didn't want the moment to ever end.
Sailor Moon pulled gently away from Sailor Mars, looking into her tear- filled lavender eyes with blue eyes equally full. She reached a shaky hand up to Mars' face and touched her cheek.
"I-is it� is it really you�?" Sailor Moon asked in a small voice, tears still falling from her eyes.
Sailor Mars gave her princess a small smile. "Who else would I be odango atama?" she said quietly.
Hearing Mars call her by her nickname caused Sailor Moon to squeeze the fire senshi into a tight hug again, more tears coming to her eyes.
"It's alright," said Sailor Mars soothingly, "I'll never leave you again�"
Mars carefully stood, bringing Sailor Moon up with her. She couldn't stop smiling; a slight grin was plastered permanently to her face. Sailor Mars felt like it had been so long since she had genuinely smiled, not to taunt an enemy or in bitterness, but because she was actually happy. Sailor Moon released Mars and then gripped firmly onto one of her arms with both hands, just staring at the raven-haired girl's face intently, a smile mirroring Mars' curving her mouth. It would have made Sailor Mars uncomfortable if someone else had looked at her that way, but this was her princess� all Mars could do was stare back, the small smile still gracing her lips.
Sailor Mars turned her head towards the other Sailor Senshi as they approached. All three looked fairly wide-eyed and astonished. Mars was caught off guard as Sailor Jupiter delivered a stinging slap to her face, wiping the smile away.
"Jupiter!" cried Sailor Moon, looking at the her in shock.
"You were alive?! All this time and you were alive?! Do you have any idea what it was like, thinking that you were dead?? DO YOU?!!" Jupiter screamed in anger, her hands clenched into fists by her sides, trembling with rage.
Sailor Mars kept her head lowered to the right where the impact of the slap had pushed it. Her face stung rather painfully, but she endured the pain as she always did.
"We even had a funeral for you! You should have seen the state everyone was in! Your friends, your family!! And look what you've put Usagi through; she cried for days afterwards, DAYS!! And you couldn't even tell us that you were okay, that you were alive?! You, you�" Jupiter trailed off, tears forming in her eyes.
Sailor Mercury put a comforting hand on Jupiter's shoulder and squeezed slightly. Sailor Jupiter let out a breath slowly and unclenched her fists but her face was still red with fury.
"What she means is; why have you been away for so long? And why didn't you feel that you could contact us to say that you were alright?" said Mercury.
"It's� it's complicated�" Mars said lamely, her head still lowered.
"These things always are," said Sailor Uranus, who then sighed. "We shouldn't talk about it here; Jupiter?" Uranus turned her head to look at Sailor Jupiter.
The brunette nodded. "We should go back to my place� its where we meet now after you�" Sailor Jupiter trailed off again and began to walk away, shaking her head.
Sailor Mars raised her head and met Sailor Mercury's gaze. She smiled at Mars.
"I'm glad you're alright," she said, then quickly followed Jupiter to find a place to detransform.
"I am too," said Uranus, "it'll be good to have another Sailor Senshi to help� things have been� bad� lately." A shadow crossed over her eyes, thinking back to unpleasant memories.
Sailor Uranus turned around and walked towards a dense patch of trees, no doubt to detransform herself, leaving Sailor Mars alone with her princess. Her smile quickly returned as she looked at Sailor Moon, who still held tightly onto Mars' arm.
"Come on odango atama, we don't want to be left behind," said Mars.
Sailor Moon just nodded and then resumed staring at Sailor Mars, as if the girl would disappear if she even blinked. Mars manoeuvred her princess towards some trees and detransformed, as did Sailor Moon. Usagi looked at the coat Rei was wearing and raised her eyebrows. Rei blushed slightly; she had forgot she wore it. It wasn't her usual style of clothes but she had gotten used to wearing the black duster back in Yokohama.
"It suits you," said Usagi, returning her gaze to Rei's eyes.
Rei reddened more. "It was a present," said Rei, a little sheepishly.
"A present?" questioned Usagi, tilting her head to the side.
"Yeah, I'll tell you about everything when we get to Makoto's," replied Rei.
At least, almost everything�
The two girls walked out of the park and met up with their three waiting friends. Haruka raised an eyebrow and smirked when she saw what Rei was wearing. Rei rolled her eyes upwards and felt the blush return.
"It was a present!" she explained through clenched teeth.
"Right. Well come on 'dark avenger', lets go," Haruka laughed.
Rei ignored the blonde's tease and followed behind her, Ami and Makoto. Rei looked down to where Ami and Makoto's arms and fingers were intertwined and blinked. They had certainly got a lot closer since she had been gone. Rei moved her eyes to where Usagi was latched on to her arm.
Though I suppose it doesn't mean much. If things here are like back in Yokohama, plus me 'dying', it stands to reason there would be a little extra camaraderie amongst the others. Besides, Ami and Makoto were always sort of close
Rei walked with the other senshi, enjoying the feeling of Usagi hanging onto her arm. If she let her mind wander, she could almost imagine that they were a couple just off on a nightly stroll with their friends. Rei's smile grew at the thought but then she frowned. The call she had followed to the park was still there, deep inside her. Except that it seemed to have grown a little easier to feel. Instead of a minute tug, it was now a tiny tug. Rei ignored it as she usually did and focused on her fantasy walk with her princess.
******
Rei stuffed more cookies in her mouth, eating like Usagi normally did. She had forgotten how good Makoto's cooking was, plus it had been a while since she last ate. Setsuna had ordered room service for her back at the hotel in Yokohama, but that had been ages ago. Rei sat on Makoto's couch in her apartment with Usagi beside her. The odango atama had one arm interlocked with one of Rei's, still not letting go, as if death would take the girl away from her again if she did. Of course, Rei didn't mind at all. Usagi smiled broadly at the fire senshi as she ate, the action confirming to her that Rei was indeed alive and well.
"Take it easy there, you're eating like the odango atama," said Haruka with a grin.
"It's just that I haven't eaten in a while�" replied Rei just before grabbing the last remaining cookie and taking a bite out of it.
"So where have you been?" asked Makoto as she came from the kitchen, putting another plate of cookies down on the coffee table, then sitting next to Ami. "Somewhere important, right? It would have to be if you didn't tell us you were alive, or maybe you just never got around to it?" Makoto said in a voice laced with sarcasm, still angry with Rei.
"Makoto! It doesn't matter where Rei was or why she never told us she was okay, all that matters is that she is here now and is perfectly fine," sighed Usagi, giving the miko that intent stare from earlier again.
"Yes, but I'm still curious," said Ami, taking a cookie from the new batch, "you have been gone for quite a long time, you must have been doing something during that period."
Rei finished chewing down the last cookie and swallowed. "I was� in Yokohama," she said.
"Yokohama?" said Haruka, "Why were you there? Did you get amnesia from the building collapsing on you or something?"
"Uh� well maybe a little�" Rei lied, "I was� drawn to Yokohama because� um� there were youma there to fight."
"Damnit, there are youma everywhere! Now we have Yokohama to clear out as well!" cried Haruka as she banged a fist on the armrest of her seat.
"Its alright, I took care of it," said Rei with a dismissive wave of her free hand.
Makoto raised a sceptical eyebrow. "You 'took care of it'?"
"Sure. I was there at the time, so I thought, 'why not?'" Rei grinned without modesty, her usual bravado returning, "They're probably some youma left but without their headquarters and most of them destroyed, including the leader, they shouldn't pose too much of a threat,"
All the other Sailor Senshi just stared at the raven-haired girl, as if not totally believing her claims.
"Wow Rei!" said Usagi in awe, breaking the silence, "You did all that? I knew there was a good reason you didn't tell us you were okay; you were just busy!"
She laughed and squeezed Rei's trapped arm tighter.
"Yep, piece of cake!" Rei winked at her princess, the multitude of bandages itching under her clothes.
No need to mention how the battles really went down and unnecessarily worry her she thought, her eyes clouding over as she remembered the torment she had been through.
Ami and Makoto shared a disbelieving look, knowing that Rei sometimes embellished things.
"Then why did you come back?" asked Makoto, interrupting Rei and Usagi's happy moment. She winced slightly as Ami elbowed her lightly in the ribs.
Rei blinked at Makoto while she wracked her brain for a plausible reason. "Uhh� with the youma dealt with, I thought I should come back to Tokyo in case you needed help or anything," she smiled.
"Good call. Yokohama was probably a fun fair compared to this city. We've been fighting a non-stop wave of youma for days now," said Haruka with a sigh.
"Yeah�" said Usagi, coming down from her high, "and now Minako and� a-and Mamoru�" She swallowed hard, and Rei noticed that she was trying to keep tears back.
"And Michiru�" Haruka added quietly.
A depressing air settled over the other senshi, confusing Rei. "What's going on?"
"The youma� they took Minako and Mamoru last night," said Ami solemnly.
"Yeah�" continued Makoto, "it was like they wanted both of them specifically. We tried to stop them of course, but the youma were absolutely determined to get them and brushed off the rest of us. They must have known how important they both are."
"Michiru's in the hospital," said Haruka without inflection, "�it happened a couple of days ago. Michiru and I had encountered a lone youma� or that was what we had thought. We called for the other senshi anyway, and attacked� it turned out to be an ambush and she was� hurt pretty bad�" She turned her eyes down, looking at the carpeted floor, remembering.
There was an uncomfortable silence once Haruka stopped talking, Rei's friends no doubt remembering the state Sailor Neptune had been in.
After a moment, Ami spoke. "We know there is an organization to the youma. They also have a leader; they must have one to know to capture the leader of the princesses' bodyguard and the prince,"
"Who knows what those things are doing to them�?" whispered Usagi.
Rei moved her free hand over her princesses, where it was holding on to her right arm. She rubbed Usagi's hand gently in support; feeling her soft, smooth skin.
"I know who the leader is, at least, I have a general idea what they will be like," Rei said, returning her gaze to the blue-haired girl.
Ami blinked at Rei. "You do?"
She nodded. "I was� told, that there are three other creatures here in Tokyo like one I faced back in Yokohama. It was some kind of huge demonic looking thing,"
"And you destroyed it?" asked Haruka.
Rei simply nodded.
"Must have been a tough fight�" Makoto said idly, causing Usagi to look at Rei curiously.
Rei cursed inwardly and hoped the blonde odango atama wouldn't press her for details.
"But if it's related to the demon back in Yokohama, they might operate the same way," Rei said quickly before Usagi could ask questions, "The thing I fought, Khairephon, had a main base for his youma and summoned more through 'gates'. I've never actually seen one, but that's probably where all the youma are coming from."
"We surmised it was something like that," said Ami thoughtfully, one finger on her chin, her eyes distant, "but we could never find one. Every youma we managed to question seemed unquestionably loyal to their 'mistress', fanatically so."
"Yeah� they wouldn't spill no matter what we did to them�" murmured Makoto, causing a sickly expression to form on Ami and Usagi's faces.
Haruka sighed and got to her feet. "It's getting late, I should go visit Michiru and tell her that Rei's alive� she'll be glad to hear good news for once,"
Haruka said her goodbyes and left Makoto's apartment.
"Maybe we could get more of an idea of what we are facing through a fire reading," contemplated Ami.
"W-well I haven't actually�" Rei stuttered.
"You haven't even told your Grandpa that you're alright yet?!" cried Makoto.
"Makoto�" Ami groaned in a long-suffering tone.
"Look, I just arrived, alright!?" Rei shouted, her temper finally getting the better of her, "I'll visit Hikawa Jinja in the morning, will that satisfy you?"
"But where will you stay tonight, Rei?" asked Usagi.
"Don't worry odango atama, I'm staying at a motel," Rei smiled at her princess, her anger forgotten.
"A motel?" questioned Usagi.
"Yeah, it's a dump, but it's cheap. I stayed there before when I was waiting to watch my funer-" Rei cut off as she realised what she was saying, but it was too late.
Makoto's eyes widened. "WHAT!?" she yelled incredulously, jumping to her feet, "You actually watched your OWN FUNERAL?! What, did you enjoy watching everyone cry for you? I can't believe this, that's perverse!"
Rei leapt to her feet also, causing Usagi's hold on her to break, the fire senshi's anger resurfacing "I was curious, OKAY?!" Rei shouted back, "Who are you to judge what I do anyway?!"
Ami pulled on one of Makoto's arms desperately, trying to get her to sit down and control herself. Usagi looked back and forth worriedly between the two arguing senshi.
"I think I'm justified to be pissed off! We all thought you were dead for nearly -two- --whole- -weeks-! And have you even apologised? Of course not! We were all devastated, do you know that?! How heartless can you get?! Do you even care what you put us all through?? What you put Usagi through?" Makoto pointed to the blonde girl sitting on the couch.
"Of course I care!" Rei yelled back.
Makoto snorted and folded her arms. "Right. You cared so much that you let us think you were dead. Why the hell did you leave anyway? Do you really think I buy that 'amnesia' story? Why did you leave?!"
"Makoto, don't�" Ami whispered fervently.
Rei closed her eyes as she remembered why she left; how painful it had been to go, but how even more painful it would have been to stay. Now that Rei was back and the euphoria of seeing Usagi again had started to wear off, she felt the torture of unrequited love once more. Rei wouldn't abandon her princess ever again, it was obvious that she needed her protection especially with what Setsuna had said, but in reality nothing had really changed at all. Rei would still always be alone, looking on as -he- held her only love in his arms. Mamoru. Rei felt the forgotten hate ooze back into her heart for the man who had stolen her one true love. The coldness and apathy to all things but one person that Rei had experienced back in Yokohama started to cover her heart again, her temper simmering to a constant slow burn, though still capable of periodic spikes of fury.
Rei opened her eyes and gave Makoto a cold, dead stare that would chill the bravest of souls.
"I had my reasons to leave and I don't have to explain them to you. I don't need this," Rei stated clearly and firmly, but without emotion. She grabbed her coat and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door hard behind her with a satisfying bang.
Rei's temper began to boil over. God! I don't believe her; you'd think she'd be happy I was alive! That-
"Wait Rei!"
Rei's mental tirade was interrupted by a sweet voice calling her. She stopped stomping down the hall and turned to Usagi. The blonde ran up to her, still pulling on her jacket.
"I'm sorry about Makoto, Rei. She's just upset that you never called or anything. Ami will calm her down. Things have been� tough, lately and everyone is on edge, you know?" Usagi said.
Rei felt one side of her mouth pull into a slight half-smile. Just seeing her princess was enough to cool her temper and warm her heart again.
"Yeah, sure Usagi, it's alright. I'm sure things will be fine between Makoto and I later," she humoured the blonde.
Usagi surprised Rei by interlocking an arm with hers like before. Rei looked down at their intertwined limbs and blushed. She didn't think that her princess would do it again, but wasn't complaining. Rei prayed her hair and high collar covered her red face and led Usagi out of Makoto's apartment building.
While they walked together, Rei tried to occupy her mind with the problems at hand, anything to stop her doing something she shouldn't to the beautiful girl beside her. She thought about how to rescue Minako and that� man. Unfortunately Mamoru would have to be rescued too, if he was somehow killed Rei's princess might never recover.
"What did you tell Minako's parents?" asked Rei, "Their daughter is missing after all."
"We forged a note that said she was staying at a friend's house. It was all we could think of on such short notice. I'm not sure they totally believed it though�" replied Usagi.
"Hmm. The faster we rescue her the better," murmured Rei.
"Yeah� and Mamoru�" Usagi said quietly.
"Yeah� him too," said Rei, a little coldly. Thankfully Usagi didn't notice.
As they walked down the street to Rei's motel, Usagi kept glancing at Rei then looking away quickly. The raven-haired girl found it amusing at first, but then wondered if maybe she had something on her face. When she was about to confront Usagi on it, her princess spoke.
"Rei? Do you wanna stay at my house tonight?" she nervously blurted, "I mean you just got back after so long and I, well� it's just that I've missed you a lot� thinking that your best friend is dead is not fun." She gave a strained chuckle.
"Want to make sure I'm not a ghost that will disappear in the morning, huh?" smirked Rei.
Usagi blushed. "I know it's stupid� but I feel if I let you out of my sight I'll wake up in my bed, realising that this was all just a cruel dream� that you're really still� gone�" She looked down at the pavement, her eyes getting misty.
Rei thought carefully about her princesses' suggestion. Rei felt a blush of her own coming on. She knew her reasoning was pretty flimsy, but she didn't care.
"Sure odango atama," Rei said cheerfully, "I'll stay at your house tonight. We just have to get my things from the motel."
Usagi gazed at Rei with sparkling blue eyes. Rei tried her best not to get lost in them. "Great Rei! Thanks! And don't worry about my parents seeing you, I'll sneak you in if you want!" Rei's princess grinned enthusiastically.
Rei returned Usagi's grin with one of her own. Feeling the comforting grip of her princesses hands on her arm, Rei continued walking with the blonde to the motel.
thought Rei, the grin staying on her face all the way to the motel and to Usagi's house.
******
It was quite late by the time Rei and Usagi arrived at the Tsukino residence; which was a good thing because Usagi's parents and brother, Shingo, would be asleep.
The two snuck into the dark, quiet house and made their way to the Usagi's room, being careful not to wake Luna just yet. Rei asked if she could use the shower and her princess readily agreed. While Rei was in the bathroom, Usagi got a futon, pillow and blankets for her plus grabbed something more substantial than cookies from the fridge for the miko to eat.
Rei carefully washed all her wounds and changed her bandages using the medical supplies she kept in her bag. She made sure to wear bedclothes that covered most of her body. While having Usagi fret over her would probably be enjoyable, Rei didn't want her to worry.
Rei was disappointed but also relieved when she saw the futon prepared for her beside Usagi's bed. It was probably for the best anyway. Once Rei had eaten the meal her princess had prepared for her, both settled down in their respective beds. Usagi switched off the light.
"Rei�? You never said who gave you your coat," said Usagi into the darkness.
"Oh� it was just from some guy I saved in Yokohama. He was my neighbour in the apartment building where I stayed," explained Rei, yawning.
Usagi remained quiet for a while then spoke once more. "Rei? �You'll be here when I wake up, won't you?" she whispered, her voice thick.
Rei gave a small smile into the dark and whispered back. "Always�"
Part sixteen |
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