Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Eternally Damned ❯ A Meeting by Chance or by Fate? ( Chapter 5 )

Eternally Damned

By: Ryu Niiyama

Chapter 6

 

~~~~~~~

“TAIKI!”

 

Hotaru screamed as she watched the geneticist's violet eyes roll back into her head, as she blacked out. Taiki's formidable frame instantly became dead weight, lurching Hotaru half way off the building's edge. The raven haired artist, hissed in pain as her muscles bunched, attempting to maintain her shallow hold on Taiki, and not tumble over the side of the building as well. The angle was horribly awkward and to her dismay, Hotaru felt her claws rend flesh, the blood from her initial catch slicking her grip.

 

“Damndamndamndamndamndamn…”

 

Hotaru gasped as her other arm, which had been straining to hold most of their combined weight as she gripped the edge of the building buckled, and the world turned up side down. `Aww Fuck!' the artist roared internally as she and the unconscious Taiki plummeted to the ground below. Sending up one quick prayer to whatever deity that would listen, the artist threw out her arm, successfully snagging her companion by the waist. Hotaru let out a yell as she jammed her claws into the wall of the building, bracing her feet on the side to slow her decent.

 

The raven haired vampire let out a sigh, blowing sweat slicked bangs from her eyes. Glancing over at the unconscious burden, she frowned. “That's it Taiki-kun. No more ice cream for you…” Adjusting her hold on the geneticist, Hotaru bounded from the wall, grateful that the neighboring building was close enough for her to wall jump between them.

 

After landing safely on the roof, the raven haired vampire set down her burden, and slid to the ground next to her, loss of adrenaline making her muscles lethargic. Hotaru blinked sweat from her eyes and rested momentarily before crawling over to the unconscious Taiki. Though Hotaru was no professional healer, she'd taken care of Taiki before and had seen her share of injuries and violence over the course of her long lifetime. She placed her hand under Taiki's nose and was grateful for the shallow yet steady inhalations. Next she checked the pulse of the ill vampire, noting the irregular beat and the weakness of its cadence. “Damnit. You've been experimenting again haven't you? …baka.” Hotaru scolded, though she knew her words were not heard. With a grunt she picked up the taller woman, cradling her in strong arms. Adjusting her hold to compensate for Taiki's size, the raven haired vampire leapt into the rapidly diminishing night.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~R~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Elanis, telephone.” Rumiko Osaka called softly to her houseguest. Usagi, who had been beating Ruin within an inch of her life in the new Sailor V game, was happy for the break from Ruin's protests. `Sore loser…' The daywalker jumped up and trotted over to the elder Osaka, taking the phone with a smile. “Thank you Rumiko-chan.” Rumiko nodded, a slight blush upon her cheeks as she walked into the kitchen to finish preparing breakfast. With a frown she called out to her daughter and apprentice. “Ruin! Come help me with breakfast!” The maternal Osaka smiled as she heard her daughter fall from where she was perched against the door, having been caught eavesdropping.

 

After a few moments, the current Ruin plodded through the kitchen glaring at her mother as she washed her hands. Rumiko merely offered a saccharine smile to her daughter as penance.

 

“Elanis is a guest here, Ruin. Treat her like one.”

 

“Yes mother.”

 

In the hall near the phone, Usagi placed the phone to her ear all the while wondering who else knew she was here aside from the other two Ronin. Hotaru-chan has a show tonight so she shouldn't be calling me….maybe its Taiki-chan.”

 

“Moshi moshi?”

 

“…Hello, Usagi-kun.”

 

“Hotaru-chan? Hi! How are you…?” Usagi trailed off knowing instinctively that something was wrong. Hotaru had always been a somber woman, her only display of passion was through her work, yet her voice was never this lifeless… unless something had happened…

 

“It's Taiki-kun.” The artist said without preamble. And Usagi felt her hand grip the phone tightly.

 

“Is she alright?”

 

“She's unconscious right now. I think it had something to do with the serum. But I think something happened to her…”

 

Usagi frowned and turned her back to the kitchen to give herself a greater sense of privacy.

 

“It had rained a little before I found her, and the smell of her illness was overwhelming, but the scent of heir of the White Mountain is all about her…”

 

Tachibana, Yuki Tachibana. Taiki's closest friend since the age of five. The title of the final heir of the Tachibana clan referred to their great ancestor Hiramitsu Tachibana. He was the last of the truly noble taiyoukai and his ideals had been passed on through his line, even as his blood was thinned. Usagi believed that Yuki, before madness had claimed her mind also held dear the ideals of her ancestor. Though the white haired woman had never gone out of her way to show kindness to Usagi or Hotaru, the tenderness with which she treated Taiki was unlike any she'd ever seen, save from one other person… Taiki probably had no idea the power she had over the feral yet beautiful taiyoukai. Yet Usagi had seen it with her own eyes, the only person with the power to tame Yuki when gripped in the throws of the berserker rage that most characterized her mental instability, had been Taiki and Taiki alone.

 

So Usagi knew with certainty that Yuki had not hurt Taiki. The taiyoukai would kill herself first. Which left the daywalker with only one other conclusion…

 

“You don't think she's been running tests again to you?”

 

“She did call me two months ago saying that she'd made a new breakthrough…”

 

“Damnit! That arrogant, selfish…argh!” Usagi swore uncharacteristically. Though Taiki was the most reserved and quiet of the three of them (she and Hotaru fought for the prize of most stoic Doomed Ronin, Usagi thought with dry humor.) the daywalker was sure that the brunette had some sort of daredevil streak. She flirted with danger constantly, always attempting to take her life into her own hands… “Give me a few minutes, Hotaru-chan, I'll be there shortly.”

 

“No need. She's already showing signs of improvement. Given her resilience she should be fine in a day or two…”

 

Usagi didn't heave a sigh of relief though she wanted to… Instead she answered: “Good tell that biscuit-head I said to get some rest and if I see her before next week, I'll kick her overgrown butt! “

 

Hotaru's rare laughter trickled down the phone line, soothing Usagi. “I shall deliver your message. I expect to see you tonight?” It was a command, no matter how Hotaru phrased it. Sometimes the artist had no problem pulling rank, more than happy to remind her companions that as the elder vampire she enjoyed certain privileges. Usagi still had not figured out what these privileges were… but she'd planned on going to gala anyways so she would indulge her friend.

 

“Of course Hotaru-chan. I would not miss it for the world…” Usagi paused to sniff the air and her ever eager stomach decided it was time to end the call, as it growled loudly. “Oh! Well breakfast is up so…”

 

Again Hotaru laughed but she decided to take pity on her friend. “Alright, Alright. Good day Usagi.”

 

“Bye bye!” Usagi chirped in reply. The blonde replaced the phone and all but ran to the kitchen.

 

“Pancakes! Wai!”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~R~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Rei-chan, please let me help you with that…” Minako rushed forward to help the Guji who was determined to act as if she had not been injured.

 

“Minako, I'm fine!” The raven haired woman huffed, turning abruptly from Minako's helping hands. However with her trying to balance the box in her good arm, and her abrupt turn the Guji toppled. With a loud sound the box clattered to the ground and Rei let out a gasp as she was caught in the circle of protective arms. Flaxen hair fluttered back into place as the smell of strawberries and sunshine assaulted the Guji's senses. Intense eyes the color of the purest sapphire bore into her very soul even as lithe arms tightened their hold. At such an action, Rei blushed and looked away.

 

“Rei…. I…”

 

The model went silent as she stared into flushed exotic features. Rei's thick bangs shrouded hooded tanzanite eyes, even as long eyelashes cast soft shadows on high cheekbones. A softly angled nose, paused just before full pouting lips accented a proud chin. Minako had mentioned more than once that Rei would have been a natural as a model but she secretly glad that the Guji had declined. She would have been tough competition, not to mention, the blonde did not want to share the other woman with the world.

 

Even though she did not look into the model's eyes she could feel them staring intently, searing her with cobalt fire. Though mindful off her injured arm, Rei felt Minako draw her closer, her hands gently spearing through the Guji's hair to cup her neck and back. “Rei…” The blonde whispered again, the hand bracing the other woman's neck moving to cup her chin, forcing their eyes to meet. The Guji let out another gasp as she looked into Minako's azure eyes. The blonde had always been playful about her love, one could never be sure when she was serious, and she had always left a trail of broken hearts, so it had been easy for Rei to dismiss Minako's advances. But in this moment, trapped in arms that trembled with the restraint needed to combat longing, as sweet breath slightly labored by desire brushed softly against her face, Rei understood that the passion of her leader ran as deeply as her friendship.

 

Minako felt her blood pounding almost painfully through her system, the life giving liquid singing at the proximity of her beloved. Minako had respected Rei's rebuttal of her advances but that did not make it easier on the blonde to deny her own feelings.

 

“Minako, you're kidding right? I've never even seen you with a woman and now all of a sudden you want me? Really you need to stop drinking at those modeling parties your agency sends you to…”

 

Minako blinked, forcing Rei's less than kind rejection to a safer part of her mind. Where it couldn't hurt her. `How can I make you see that no other woman could ever compare to you Rei-chan? Even the men I dated were just for show. Let me help you, let me love you…' Minako thought desperately, remembering the day that the raven haired woman had stolen her heart.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~R~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Here.”

 

Bleary violet eyes cracked open and focused on the source of the voice. Rather than a nurse as she had expected, a girl, with long golden hair and the bluest eyes she ever seen smiled up at her.

 

Rei noticed that she'd had her arms extended and realized that the blonde girl was holding something. The raven haired girl let out a soft moan as she struggled to sit up and better face her strange visitor. Clutched in the girl's chubby hands were a rapidly melting ice cream bar, and a flower. Oddly enough the flower was a Casablanca lily, Rei's favorite. Lavender highlighted sable brows furrowed in confusion.

 

“Who…? Why are you here?”

 

The blonde girl shook her head and thrust her hands forward. “Here.” She repeated insistently. Arching an eyebrow, Rei took the proffered items if only to get the strange girl to leave. She did not. In fact, to the raven haired girl's horror she pushed a chair near the bed and climbed into it. Her short legs began swinging absently, as she produced another ice cream, and began to eat it.

 

Absolutely confused and needing to get rid of the sticky substance, Rei began to eat her ice cream. They continued in silence until both were licking their chubby fingers. Once the treats had been consumed, Rei fixed a glare upon her `guest'.

 

“You aren't supposed to be here…”

 

The girl grinned. “You have ice cream around your mouth.” Rei's young face twitched with agitation as she wiped at her mouth. Convinced that now she could talk some sense to the other child, she began again.

 

“Look you…!”

 

But the blonde jumped from her perch before the bed ridden child could get started on her rant, and ran over to the curtains, throwing them open with the best of her ability.

 

“There! Nothing like sunshine and ice cream to make your ouchies go away!” the girl chirped. Spreading her arms like some strange form of flower the girl twirled around and bounded back to her chair. A cheery grin plastered upon her face she struck a pose on the chair. “Hi! I'm your guardian angel, the super cute Minako Aino!”

 

Rei blinked once, twice, three times. Still the strange child was there stuck in that ridiculous pose, her fingers forming the shape of a `V'.

 

If the raven haired child had not been injured she would have facevaulted.

 

The nurse looked in on the two and smiled at the incredulous shock that was plastered on the young Rei Hino's face. Yes, Minako's unique outlook on life would do the child that had seen too much horror in such a short time some good. Minako had been at the hospital the day that Rei's mother and brother died. The blonde would come to deal with death herself very soon, as her twin sister, had been in the last leg of a cancer battle. Himeko, had been her sister's twin in every way save eye color, her eyes were a deep green, even her outlook towards her looming death had been far more positive than the norm.

 

“I'm not afraid to die.” The child had whispered, her disused voice strangely strong. “Because then I will become an angel and look over Mama, Papa and Mina.”

 

Minako had taken her sister's courage to heart and had not mourned Himeko's death; rather she celebrated her sister getting her wings. The last time the Aino family had visited their daughter had also been the first of many trips that Rei Hino would take to Tokyo General. Surprised to see the raven haired girl again, and this time as a patient, Minako had questioned the nurse. Minako's mother soon followed to reprimand her child but when she saw the small battered figure that her daughter had been referring to, she to made inquiries on Rei's behalf. Deciding that the child that seemed to have aged beyond her years needed a friend, the nurse informed the Ainos that Rei had no family to visit her. In fact her father merely sent his secretary to pick the child up when she was fit for discharge. So the nurse discreetly called the Aino family at their request when Rei was being treated, and they dropped their daughter off or visited themselves.

 

The nurse understood the thinking behind the visits. Minako and Rei would cope with their grief and pain through one another, and both would gain a friend. A pity it happened under such circumstances. But for now the nurse was content to let the `guardian angel' work her magic. With a soft chuckle, she continued on her rounds.

~~~~~~~~~~~R~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“…let me love you…

 

“What?”

 

The model startled slightly; she hadn't realized that she'd spoken out loud. Yet there was no denying the statement. Perhaps that had been where her error had lain all along. Did the Guji truly understand that Minako had loved only her for more years than the model could count? Did she not realize that many a night had found Minako outfitted in the white ninja gi of an elemental, perched in an oak tree as she watched over the sleeping mistress of the Jinja? Truly, Minako realized she had not shared the depth of her emotions with the woman she loved. Despite her prowess in seduction, in meting out heartbreak and wielding titillation like a blade, the idol was truly afraid of the power Rei held over her. With others there had been nothing to loose, subconsciously both parties knowing that this was a minor dalliance, nothing more. Looking into the eyes she loved so much, Minako steeled her resolve.

 

“Let me love you.” The idol repeated, this time her soft whisper bold and certain. The hand that still held Rei's chin, moved to cradle her cheek as Minako's lips silkily descended upon the Guji's. Rei's eyes widened and Minako tentatively deepened the kiss, her tongue dancing over Rei's bottom lip before dipping into her mouth. The idol tried to put forth her longing, her concern, her need, and her love into that kiss, knowing that she'd merely caught Rei off guard. For a moment or two the raven haired woman, after years of being celibate, `Hell even Ami-chan has a better love life than I do…', responded to the honest desire in Minako's embrace, flattered and even intrigued by it, but not enough to stall the guilt that followed almost immediately.

 

“…No!” Rei turned her head, tearing her lips from the idol. She'd hurt the blonde she knew, but Minako quickly masked her pain. Nodding slightly, the blonde woman stepped away from Rei, giving the Guji space even as she searched her lavender eyes. There was no love there, but Minako had stated her intentions. Now Rei knew that she was truly serious… and that she wouldn't rest until she'd possessed the Guji's heart, completely. For now that was enough.

 

The model bent down and collected the items that had fallen from the forgotten box, placing it and its contents on the nearby table. Turning, Minako reached out and grasped Rei's uninjured arm, her fingertips trailing down the appendage before she reached a delicate hand and intertwined their fingers.

 

“I'm here if you need me Rei-chan. Don't ever forget that…I'll always be your shugotenshi.”

 

Minako removed her hand from Rei's grasp and softly cupped her beloved's cheek. With a small smile that didn't quite hide her pain the idol turned and gracefully exited the jinja. Rei covered her mouth with her good hand, staring at the space the idol had once occupied guilt at the pain she caused permeating her being. With a forlorn sigh, the Guji backed away slowly before heading to the warm sanctuary of the Sacred Fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~R~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minako had been unable to maintain her tenuous hold on her grief once she'd left the sight of the Guji within. “Chikuso!” The idol cursed harshly, uncharacteristically, bitter tears pricking her sapphire eyes. The idol took a few breaths to steel her nerves before heading towards the massive staircase from which the Jinja looked down upon the city. Halfway down the steps the model paused as she saw a black and silver motorcycle pull up to the sidewalk. The rider looked towards the heavens for a moment as if debating if she should enter the shrine. Minako watched curiously as the rider cut the engine of the massive bike and dismounted, removing her helmet in the process.

 

“…Himeko…!” The idol whispered in shock as she took in the newcomer's gentle features. The rider tucked her helmet under her arm and began fluidly striding up the steps. As the woman neared the stricken model she grinned cheerfully and gave a small wave before brushing past. In that moment time slowed to an agonizing crawl as all the colors bled away from the world. Minako gasped softly as her senses were set painfully on edge, such that she could even hear the blood rushing through her veins. The idol's pulse quickened and as she gazed at the passing face of the other woman, Minako was able to get a clear look at her eyes. Though the newcomer strongly resembled Himeko Aino and thus Minako herself, the dark rider's eyes were an electric indigo. But what struck Minako the most was the age of those eyes, they looked ancient, dark…. and dangerous.

 

The trailing flaps of the rider's dark coat lashed at the air like whips and with that rustle of sound, time resumed its normal flow, and Minako stared dumbfounded as the woman continued up the steps. In bewilderment, the idol touched her hand to her head as if checking for an injury. `What… was that? Surely that woman could not have radiated such terrible…power…? Could she?” Minako turned and looked again at the retreating figure, the other woman now at the top of the stairs. Chuckling nervously, she shook her head. `It must be because she reminds me of Hime-chan. Yes, that's it…' Minako turned and sprinted down the steps knowing that if she stopped to truly analyze what her senses were telling her she would not like the result.

~~~~~~~~~~~R~~~~~~~~~~~~

The flames of the Sacred Fire danced and lunged in an erratic fashion, a direct reflection of the emotions of the Guji seated before it. Rei chanted in a low moaning voice, the power of the incantation causing the flames of the Fire to grow exponentially, yet the Guji was unafraid of the Fire, knowing that it would not, could not hurt her. Abruptly the Fire burned a brilliant white, its heat intensifying, reflecting the strength of will the Guji had forged and tempered. Rei drew in a sharp breath mid chant, and her eyes snapped open to focus on the fire. What she saw there shocked her.

 

A figure…a woman, clothed in battle tattered rags of a past Japan, a sword clutched in her bloody grip. The Guji could not see her face but for a moment she could feel the girl's pain. Then the Fire flared again and the woman's blue eyes opened, the only feature that the Guji clearly could make out. The image of flame stared back at Rei, azure eyes pained and tormented and then the Fire began to pulse in a thrumming rhythm. The flames of the Sacred Fire surged one last time, with enough force to throw Rei backwards. The Guji skid along the floor awkwardly before coming to a stop, landing in a heap. Startled by the actions of the Flame, the Guji struggled to her feet and looked back at the flames. The Sacred Fire was as it had always been, as if nothing had ever happened.

 

“What in the name of all the Kami…?” Rei began, only to be startled out of her thought by an insistent rapping at the screen door. Sighing in annoyance, the Guji straightened her clothing to the best of her ability and called out to her assistant. “What is it Yuuchiro-kun?” The shadow of the young man bowed and he spoke in hushed urgent tones.

 

“Forgive me Rei-san but there is someone here, and she asks for council.”

 

The Guji sighed softly and bowed to the Flame before walking to the door. Yuuchiro's shadow bowed again as he saw his teacher approach and he opened the screen door. The assistant's dark eyes passed over the Guji, assessing her condition. She did not tell him what had happened, she never did, but he knew when she was hurting and offered what silent support that he could. Rei had gotten better over the years at hiding her injuries, but for Yuuchiro who knew what to look for, the way she slightly favored one side, and the slightly pinched appearance of her features let the assistant know that she had been badly hurt. The dark haired man resisted the urge to sigh. He'd been apprenticing under Rei since her grandfather died three years prior and had known her since she'd been in junior high. He'd like to consider himself her friend, but even after all these years, despite what barriers he'd broken down around her heart she still held him at arms length. A long time ago that would have seemed like a rejection, but as his juvenile crush blossomed to genuine brotherly affection he'd come to accept it as “Rei-san being Rei-san”.

 

He stood and bowed to her retreating form, watching the slightly stiff movement of her normally free flowing gait and frowned.

 

He may have accepted Rei's lies by omission… but it didn't mean he had to like it.

 

This time the assistant did sigh as he drifted to another part of the Jinja to perform his chores.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~R~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rei tried not to feel guilty as she walked away from her apprentice, even now she felt his stare of disapproval, though she knew he had no idea that he looked at her that way. Yuuchiro had grown from the young drifter that was discontented with his life to a respectable and quite insightful priest. Though the older man had remained silent, the Guji knew that he noticed when she came back from a battle with injuries. He noticed enough to pray over an extra charm the next day, in fact. The raven haired woman sighed, she knew that she'd hurt the man that had become the brother that she'd never had… the brother that she'd lost. But even the guilt of such knowledge could not sway her to tell him the only true secret that lay between them.

 

Deciding that her melancholy musings were an unwelcome distraction, the Guji steered her thoughts to purer paths. The moment she emptied her mind her senses hammered at her, klaxons going off in her head.　“What the…?” Quickly reaching for an ofunda from within her robes, the Guji sprinted for the main entrance of the shrine, and whatever evil set her senses on edge. Throwing open the doors, Rei rushed out, launching her athletic form into the air in a summersault. Scanning the grounds even before she landed, the sable haired Guji noticed a solitary figure praying in front of the bell used to summon the attention of the Kami.

 

Sandaled feet skidded on the ground to absorb momentum, before launching into a dead run, the Guji chanting fervently even as she neared her oblivious target. Only a few feet away from the still praying woman, Rei leapt into the air, the ofuda in her outstretched hand crackling with stored holy energy.

 

“…Akuryo taisan!!” Rei bore down, the ofunda throbbing with the intent to purify, her aim focused on the woman's head. Time seemed to slow down as she neared her target, her spiritual power seeping almost painfully towards its target, when the woman abruptly turned. The Guji had no time to register what happened even as her ofunda was rebuffed by a silver object, and her outstretched hand was grasped in a strong grip as she was slung easily over the now attacking blonde's shoulder. The Guji let out a strangled scream as the ground rushed up to meet her, knowing with unnerving certainty that she was going to impact her shoulder... again. A small gasp came from the vicinity of the blonde woman, and Rei felt her trajectory abruptly change due to a strong jerk on waist of her hakama. The flailing Guji let out an expulsion of air as she finally landed on her back… into the arms of the other woman. The blonde woman let out a grunt as her awkward positioning as well as the Guji's momentum deposited her on her backside along with her burden.

 

Rei lay in the other woman's arms for a moment totally confused and shocked that she survived the entire ordeal unscathed. Her `rescuer' sat up, blinking amused blue eyes at the bewildered Guji in her arms.

 

“So tell me Guji-sama, is that how you greet all visitors to your jinja? If so I can understand why it was virtually empty when I got here…”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

AN: Well, I'm guessing this is as good a place as any to stop. The original version of this chapter was over twice as long but I felt I was trying to follow too many ideas so I gleaned what I could and moved it to Chapter seven. As of right now this story is officially on hold and I don't plan on posting until January 15. It's not due to lack of material as I have a number of chapter sketches and scenes already written by hand, but RL has taken over and I'd like to do more research for this story anyway. So any updates made to this fic will be purely editing only. I don't think that I'm putting A Second Chance on hold for now, and the next chapter for that fic should be up in about three weeks…maybe less. To those that have followed my poor and humble work so far I thank you. See you next year.

 

R. Niiyama