Absence � By Kirika
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Chapter 25 � Aftermaths
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A while passed before the two Sailors� lips left the other�s, Sailor Mars stealing a few more eager and desperate pecks as if she was a thirsty girl not wanting her water source to go. Mars gazed adoringly into Sailor Moon�s blue eyes, the moonlight from the night sky above making them sparkle. The blonde reached up a tentative hand and tenderly touched her bodyguard�s face, looking at the damage from the earlier fight with concern. Sailor Mars had completely forgot her body was near its collapsing point. Her happiness was like some sort of pain killing drug. Her princesses� eyes moved down to Mars� fuku, taking in the blood stains that the rainwater couldn�t completely wash out. Sailor Moon�s eyes widened with worry.
�Rei! You�re bleeding everywhere!� she wailed.
�It�s uh� just a flesh wound,� Sailor Mars said lamely, �heh, this sort of thing has been becoming a habit, it�s nothing to worry about.� She let out a nervous and slightly strained laugh.
Sailor Moon looked at Sailor Mars dubiously, feeling more and more of the fire senshi�s weight being supported by her embrace. �You�re a lousy liar Rei,� she said, letting go of the miko�s hand and using both of her arms to hold up the injured senshi.
Sailor Mars shrugged sheepishly in her princesses� grasp. She glanced back to the edge of the roof and then at Sailor Moon questioningly. �How did you�? I thought you�?� she said, frowning faintly but the relief evident in her voice.
Sailor Moon adjusted her grip on her bodyguard and then grinned broadly. �Did you really think I�d let myself splat on the ground? You�re not the only one who is flexible!� she stated smugly.
Sailor Mars blinked at her only love for a second. So, her princess was flexible was she? A somewhat lecherous grin began spreading slowly over Mars� face. She would have to find out the proof of -that-, herself. The fire senshi raised a sceptical eyebrow as she grinned like a deliriously happy idiot.
Sailor Moon saw Mars� disbelieving expression, ignoring or not noticing any other implication in her face, and started to explain further. �When I fell backwards, I knew I had to do -something-, I didn�t want you to take on that metal psycho by yourself� but I guess you did. Anyway, so I tried to grab the ledge of one of the lower floors. I missed the first one, but held on to the second and swung myself onto it. But, I� er, well, let�s just say I�m not quite the gymnast you are� it took me a while to wake up.� she said, and then pointed to the side of her head, where Sailor Mars saw a large lump starting to form.
Mars nodded in understanding, and with some new respect. That manoeuvre couldn�t have been easy; the blonde had been falling headfirst. Her princesses� arms must be killing her; how the girl was supporting the fire senshi was beyond Mars. The miko tilted her head to the side as if not totally believing Sailor Moon�s claims.
�I don�t know� I don�t think you�re flexible enough to pull a stunt like that off,� she smirked playfully.
�What?! Then just -how- am I able to be standing here, holding your sorry butt up?� Sailor Moon replied, incredulous that Mars would not believe her tale.
�Hmm� I think I�ll be ready to believe your explanation once I see just how �flexible� you really are�� said Sailor Mars, her smirk turning suggestive and her eyes becoming half-lidded.
Sailor Moon�s eyebrows rose and threatened to crawl off her forehead as she blushed a deep crimson. She began giggling nervously. �Eh� heh heh, well, maybe�� she trailed off and appeared to be listening for something. �I can�t hear anything from the construction yard� Oh no! I totally forgot about Makoto! And Uranus and Mercury might need help!� She blurted the words out quickly, effectively changing the subject.
Mars� princess pulled on one of her bodyguard�s arms, trying to drag her over to the ramp leading down to the next floor. Sailor Mars stumbled forward a few steps and tripped, nearly falling on her face if Sailor Moon hadn�t still been holding on to her.
�Oh! I�m so sorry Rei� you really are hurt bad,� the blonde said, carefully putting an arm around the raven-haired girl�s waist and lifting her to a standing position.
Sailor Mars winced and swallowed hard, then reluctantly slung her left arm around her only love�s neck, allowing the girl to support her, finally admitting that she was indeed in pain. She hoped the youma had been dealt with down below; the fire senshi didn�t think she would be able to be much help in another battle. Unless her princess needed her, of course.
As Sailor Moon guided Mars towards the ramp and down to the construction yard, the miko couldn�t help but feel guilty that she was incredibly elated, while Makoto could be critically injured or worse, dead. She wondered what state Ami would be in. The blue-haired girl was usually fairly level headed, but when something horrific happens to the one you love, anyone can go a little crazy. Sailor Mars had experienced that first hand.
Mars� face contorted in pain with each step she made, making Sailor Moon apologise profusely. The fire senshi�s right ankle was sending needles of torment to her brain. She must have sprained it when she kicked the armoured youma�s amplifier. Her head seemed fairly clear however, which was a good sign� it meant she wasn�t bleeding to death yet. And there was no way in hell Sailor Mars was going to die now, not when her life had taken a drastically improved step. But then it would be just Mars� luck if she were to somehow be killed. Fate would no doubt find that insanely amusing.
Sailor Mars turned her head to Sailor Moon. The rain soaked blonde gave the equally soaking wet girl a brief smile and then returned her gaze to the ramp ahead. But maybe fate wasn�t all that bad. Sailor Moon was still alive, and Mars had somehow survived as well. And the fire senshi�s feelings for her only love had apparently been acknowledged and returned. Mars felt the idiotic grin returning again. Despite her wounds, she never felt better. The miko idly wondered about Mamoru, and where Usagi would stand with him now. Would the blonde odango atama simply dump him? Mars� grin turned somewhat malicious at the thought. She couldn�t help but take a perverse pleasure in imagining the look on Mamoru�s face. Dumped for your ex-girlfriend. Yes, Sailor Mars would have to be there when Usagi told him. The fire senshi knew that she shouldn�t be thinking like this, that she should be trying to control her less than friendly feelings towards Mamoru. She had been attempting to restrain her hateful impulses before tonight, but the situation was just too perfect. Mars was surfing cloud nine, she felt like bursting into song she was so full of joy.
Sailor Mars came down from her high as she and Sailor Moon arrived at the bottom of the apartment building frame and surveyed the construction yard. It was obvious a fierce fight had taken place. There were small fires dotted about the yard, with shattered pieces of brick decorating the sandy ground. Many areas were partially frozen in ice, some of the statues of construction tools in broken melting bits. Mars glanced at the two rotting corpses of robed youma as she and her princess struggled over the sand towards Haruka. The senshi had apparently detransformed and was sitting with her back against a pile of sand bags, looking like she had been through the wars. The fire senshi spotted Makoto, also detransformed, still where the tall girl had collapsed after the armoured youma�s crushing attack. She wasn�t moving. Sailor Mercury was nowhere in sight.
�Good to see you two made it,� Haruka said weakly as the pair approached, �I couldn�t make out the top of the building through the rain.� She fell quiet and took a few labouring breaths
�Are you okay�? You don�t look so good�� said Sailor Moon tentatively, holding onto Mars a little more tightly.
Haruka gave the blonde odango atama a confident smile. �I�ve had worse, kitten. Not -much- worse mind you��
�Where�s Mercury? Is she injured too?� asked Sailor Mars, trying to avoid looking at the blood stained sand around the sitting senshi. A lot of the sand was mixed with red.
Haruka gazed up at Mars and squinted, as if not really seeing her very well. �She only has minor injuries. She went off to call an ambulance or two� Makoto woke up not too long ago and we got her to detransform� I don�t think she has much time left� I would have went to get help, but�� the blonde gestured to her bloodied legs with a limp arm, �I can�t seem to stand up��
Damn, and I thought I had been messed up� Mars thought.
�Don�t worry Haruka, I�m sure Ami will get help here soon,� said Sailor Moon reassuringly.
Haruka nodded then turned her gaze vaguely in the area the fallen youma were. �Bastards. It took forever to get through their shields� but they went down like all the rest. Except one escaped� just opened this door that suddenly showed up and stepped inside, vanishing� cut off some of my hair too, before it left� the freak,� she said, a slight slur in her speech.
�Must have been a fan,� Mars murmured.
The shorthaired blonde smirked at Sailor Mars� comment. �I guess� god, they better put me in the same hospital Michi is at�� she sighed deeply, and her eyes began to close, �I think I� just need to rest my eyes a while�� Her head lowered and her chin hit her chest. She had passed out.
�Haruka!� Sailor Moon shouted in concern, �You should stay awake! Isn�t that what you�re supposed to do?� She looked at her bodyguard for guidance.
�She�s lost too much blood� she�ll need a transfusion fast,� Sailor Mars said grimly, looking at the fallen outer senshi, �but it looks like help should be here soon�� The miko gestured with her head towards the entrance of the construction yard where Ami was hurrying through. The blue haired senshi didn�t appear to be too badly hurt.
Ami paused for a second when she saw that Haruka was unconscious, then continued to Makoto�s side. �I�m glad you are both alright,� she said in a subdued tone over her shoulder to the only other conscious senshi, �but you should detransform, the ambulance will be here any minute.� She sat beside her girlfriend, hugging herself and seeming afraid to touch the brunette. Mars wasn�t surprised; Makoto was probably riddled with internal injuries.
Sailor Moon gently sat Mars down on a stack of bricks and lightly kissed her forehead. �Are you okay here?� she said quietly.
Mars merely nodded and grinned broadly in response.
Sailor Moon moved over to where she had lost her spiral heart moon rod and knelt down in the sand, digging for her weapon. Sailor Mars detransformed and then watched her princess indulgently as she dug up handfuls of wet sand. Despite the state her three friends were in, Rei couldn�t completely shake the euphoric feeling in her heart. She should be anxious about Makoto and Haruka�s states, but instead all she could think about was how nice the view was from behind the kneeling odango atama. Now the miko could also blatantly ogle her princess if she wanted to and not have the blonde become uncomfortable� too much.
Sailor Moon let out a pleased sound and held up her moon rod triumphantly. She stood up and flicked her wrist, making the rod disappear. Rei�s princess detransformed back into Usagi Tsukino. The girl glanced at Haruka and then at the silent Ami with Makoto, then proceeded to walk over to Rei and sit down next to her. Rei could hear sirens in the distance. It wouldn�t be long now. She wondered what explanation they were going to give the local authorities for the state she and her friends were in.
Usagi rested her head lightly on the raven-haired girl�s shoulder. She let out a slow sigh. �I hope Makoto and Haruka will be okay� I know what it�s like to lose someone you� love,� she said quietly.
�So do I,� Rei replied just as quietly, slinging an arm around her only love and squeezing her close.
Usagi was silent for a moment. �If anything ever happens to me, you have to promise you won�t do anything to hurt yourself,� she whispered, the miko barely able to hear her.
Rei said nothing, watching Ami as tears slowly ran down her friend�s cheeks.
�Promise me Rei,� Usagi said more loudly, looking up at her bodyguard expectantly.
Rei shrugged dismissively, still looking at Ami. �Sure,� she said.
Usagi simply looked at the fire senshi for a second. �You don�t mean that. Say the words; promise me,� she ordered.
Rei met her only love�s gaze and sighed as if the weight of the world was suddenly on her shoulders. �I� can�t,� she whispered, �besides, nothing will ever happen to you.� She finished with a reassuring smile.
�You don�t know that, Rei. Our lives are full of danger. When you �died� before, I realised that anything could happen in the future, even though it is our destiny to live in Crystal Tokyo. Now promise me,�
�But I didn�t die. And Makoto and Haruka won�t die,� Rei argued.
Usagi looked at the girl with a stubborn expression on her face. �Promise me,� she said emphatically.
Rei sighed again. �I can�t, Usagi� life without you wouldn�t be called �living�,� she said honestly, �there would be no point going on.�
Usagi stared into Rei�s eyes and knew she meant it. The blonde broke their gaze and looked down at the sandy ground. �I don�t want you to hurt yourself because of me,� she said, tears coming to her eyes.
Rei shrugged dismissively once more. �It won�t ever come to that anyway. I won�t let anything happen to you, -ever-. I swear it,� she stated.
Usagi sighed, knowing that Rei wouldn�t budge on the subject. The pair where quiet for a while, listening to the sounds of the sirens getting closer and closer. Any minute now help would be arriving. Rei wished they would hurry up. She could tell Usagi was getting anxious as the girl looked at the shallow breathing of her two injured friends.
�We should talk about� things, later,� Usagi said.
Rei mumbled something in the affirmative. She was starting to get a little light headed. The fire senshi hoped this �talk� would go better than the last one. The last time her heart had ended up being disintegrated. Rei rested her head on Usagi�s carefully, smelling the blonde hair. The miko�s mind began to wander aimlessly. She idly noted that neither of them had said the three most important words yet. She wondered why. Rei wondered how late it was at night� she was so tired. She felt her only love put an arm around her waist. When did she close her eyes? Rei�s breathing began to slow as she enjoyed the feel of Usagi next to her. It was so comforting. She could just drift off to sleep�
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Rei awoke suddenly and found herself in a bed with hospital white sheets. She blinked in disorientation for a moment and took in her surroundings. She was in a room in what had to be a hospital. Her clothes were gone and had been replaced with a sky blue hospital gown. How had she gotten here? Rei heard faint snoring and realised she wasn�t alone in the room. Curled up in a chair to her left was her princess, looking pretty exhausted and yet, incredibly adorable. Rei noticed that Usagi�s clothes were now dry, but her right hand had traces of blood all over it. She hoped the blonde hadn�t been injured. No� Rei had been the one who had been injured. Her, Makoto, and Haruka. The fire senshi pulled up her gown and looked at her right side. Her old stab wound had been all patched up. Looking down at her hands holding the gown, she became aware that both were also wrapped in bandages.
Understanding dawned on Rei. She must have passed out from blood loss like Haruka. Usagi must have realised this when she had put an arm around her bodyguard�s waist and felt the leaking blood. Or maybe Rei�s lack of painful twitches. Her body would have been getting numb by then. The paramedics must have given her a transfusion along with Haruka and possibly Makoto. The miko hoped her fellow senshi were all right. They had both been in bad shape.
Rei debated on waking Usagi up and getting an update on her friends� status�. But as she watched her only love in her slumber, she decided against it. Rei continued to stare at the blonde, taking in her features as she slept. Usagi should have gone home and got proper rest, but the miko knew she wouldn�t have left until she knew Makoto and Haruka were all right. And Rei herself. The fact that Usagi had stayed by her side filled the fire senshi with an enormous amount of joy and gratitude.
Usagi stirred and let out a small moan then opened her crust filled eyes. She wiped them quickly and opened them wider. �Rei! You�re awake�� she said, relieved, �the doctors said you would be fine but, well, I just had to make sure for myself.�
Rei gave a small smile. �Thank you for staying. I wouldn�t have liked waking up alone,� she said.
Usagi blushed faintly. �Well it is pretty late and I didn�t want to disturb your Grandpa�� she explained.
Rei grinned mischievously. �Nah. You just wanted to peep at my helpless half-naked sleeping body,� she said in a matter-of-fact tone.
The blonde spluttered in disbelieve at her bodyguard�s words. �Rei! I would never do such a thing!� she cried, scandalised.
�Oh? You mean you never want to see my half-naked body?� Rei said in mock scepticism.
Usagi blushed more and stuttered. �I-I never said t-that,�
�You must have gotten a good long look at my -completely- naked body the last time at the shrine then� I knew you were staring,� Rei said, not letting up, �couldn�t get enough, huh?� The miko grinned. She loved teasing her only love.
Usagi turned a dark red and squirmed in her seat. �I didn�t stare! I couldn�t help looking okay?! You were the one parading around without a thing on!�
Rei shrugged her shoulders while still lying on the bed. �Well, -somebody- insisted on giving me a bath. And they didn�t even add bubbles to the water. What does that say, hmm?�
The blonde odango atama opened and closed her mouth several times before replying. �I-I just� forgot, okay?!� she wailed desperately, �Rei! Why are you so mean to me?!� She waved her arms about in frustration.
Rei sniggered and decided that Usagi had had enough torment. �I�m sorry Usagi. You can look at my naked body anytime you want, okay?� she cooed.
Usagi merely folded her arms and turned her head away from her bodyguard, muttering something under her breath while still blushing furiously.
Rei decided a change in subject was in order. �How are Haruka and Makoto?�
The blonde turned back to the miko, the embarrassment from earlier forgotten. �Oh� well, Haruka is going to be okay. She lost a lot of blood, but she�s going to be fine thank god. Makoto was still in surgery when I came here� I heard some of her, uh, organs were ruptured�� she trailed off, looking a little squeamish and concerned.
Usagi let out a breath and continued. �Ami�s mother was working on her. We�re at the hospital Michiru is staying at. Ami insisted that the paramedics come here. I guess she wanted her mother to look after Makoto��
�I�m sure Makoto is going to be perfectly fine,� Rei said, attempting to reassure her only love.
Usagi nodded and stopped talking for a moment. �I told you that you should have got stitches for that cut,� she said quietly. �You scared me when you passed out� I thought you had left me again.�
Rei grinned widely. �Not a chance, my princess,� she said, a light blush gracing her cheeks as she used her little pet name for the girl, �there is no way I�m ever dying now.� The fire senshi gazed lovingly into the blonde�s eyes, making sure the girl understood her meaning.
Usagi smiled shyly back at her bodyguard. �That�s good, because I won�t let you,� she said quietly, staring back into the raven-haired girl�s lavender eyes.
A thought then crossed Rei�s mind. Mamoru. Usagi had a boyfriend; her prince, her soul mate. What would happen now? The miko wasn�t sure if she should bring the situation up or not. Usagi hadn�t mentioned Mamoru yet. But maybe she was just avoiding the complicated matter right now.
Later� we�ll deal with him later. It�s too late as it is, and tonight has turned into another emotional roller coaster ride. At least I get the day off school tomorrow
�You should go home, Usagi,� Rei said, �you have school. And you need to get some decent sleep.�
Usagi looked dubiously at the miko. �Are you sure? I can stay if you want,� she said softly.
Rei shook her head. �I�ll be fine. But you better visit me tomorrow! And -I- expect all edible presents to be -un-eaten!� she said, not able to resist teasing her princess one last time.
�Rei! You make me sound like some greedy eating machine,� Usagi fumed.
The fire senshi raised a raven eyebrow, as if asking silently, �you�re not?�
�Fine! For that missy, you get no goodbye kiss!� Usagi stated firmly, and stood up from her chair, proceeding towards the door.
Rei�s eyes widened in alarm. �No wait! I�m sorry, I�m sorry! Come back please!� she called desperately.
Usagi paused with her hand on the doorknob. She turned around and began to walk back to Rei. �That�s better. Let that be a lesson,� she said with a victorious smile.
Rei nodded eagerly as Usagi approached. The blonde bent down to the lying miko and kissed her on the mouth softly for a few short seconds. As Usagi�s lips left Rei�s, the fire senshi strained her head up trying to steal a couple more, hopefully longer and deeper, kisses.
�Uh uh,� Usagi murmured, stroking her fingers through Rei�s raven locks and gently pushing her head back down to the pillow, �we don�t want you to exert yourself, you -are- ill.�
�I�m not ill, I just have a couple of cuts,� Rei said quickly, wanting more kissing time.
�Nope, you�ll just have to wait,� Usagi said remorselessly, �I�ll be in to see ya tomorrow! Don�t worry, I�ll tell your Grandpa some story about how you got hurt!� The blonde left Rei�s hospital room giving a last wave to the girl before closing the door.
Rei let out a frustrated sigh. She had wanted more kisses from her� girlfriend. Well, there would be plenty time for things like that. Like her whole immortal life. With that last pleasing thought in her mind, Rei settled down to sleep.
Part twenty-six |
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