Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Her Battle ❯ A Promise and Plans ( Chapter 10 )

Well, here we are again. I'm really sorry this one took me as long as it did; I was sick and didn't really feel like writing. I hope the fights from the last chapter came out alright, with so many characters involved in the fights it was hard to focus enough on each character, without making it a two-part chapter.

fan-rei - I'm not really sure what you're saying about Rei's grandfather, but if you think that he should have made an appearance in the fight; that was not going to happen. While Grandpa Hino does have spiritual powers, he would have only hindered the senshi further by becoming involved in the fight. In retrospect I should have said what he was doing at that time, but honestly I didn't even think about it. As for Setsuna, you overlooked an important part about what I about Setsuna's actions, look back at what I said, but it will all make sense in the later chapters. As for whether their relationship is impossible, you'll have to wait for the answer to that.

LightningStrikes - Thanks for the suggestion, I'll think about it. However, I don't expect there to be any fighting for a chapter or two, but that can always change.

Now with that done, onward to chapter 10…

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Chapter 10 - A Promise and Plans

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Amethyst eyes flutter open lazily and began examining their surroundings, everything was unfamiliar; an unfamiliar ceiling, an unfamiliar dripping sound, and an unfamiliar bed. Suddenly the raven haired girl's eyes shot open fully, `Where am I?' Rei asked herself. She sat up quickly and felt a sharp pain in her side. She attempted to move her right arm, but was met with a painful stinging sensation. Rei turned her head to see the cause and saw her right hand had an iv-drip attached to it, and that her forearm was bandaged up as well, `I'm in a hospital' she thought. Rei turned her attention back to her side. She pulled down blanket that was still covering her a little and pulled off her light green hospital gown, with her left hand. Rei saw that her side was heavily bandaged, `I must have passed out.' Rei thought and heard the door to her room open; she turned her head to see who was entering.

"S-Sagi?" Rei questioned in hoarse voice. `My throat's so dry.'

"Oh Rei, you're awake. I…everyone was so worried when you passed out. Do you want me go get the others?" Usagi asked as she approached the raven haired girl.

Rei shook her head, "Water."

"Sure, just give me second." Usagi said and ran into the personal bathroom in the room. After a few seconds Rei heard running water, followed soon by something plastic hitting the ground and Usagi muttering something that Rei couldn't really hear, and then finally she heard the sound of running water again. Rei couldn't help but smile, since she had a good guess as to what happened in the bathroom. A few moments later Usagi emerged from the bathroom with full cup of water, "Sorry, I kinda dropped the first one." Usagi said offering her cup and taking a seat on a chair that was positioned next to the bed.

"It's ok." Rei said taking the offered cup and thirstily drank half the cup of water. "Thanks." Rei said and leaned over to place the cup on a table near the bed.

"Umm…Rei, aren't you…umm…a little cold?" Usagi asked, her face a light shade of pink.

Rei gave Usagi a curious look and then looked do at herself and her eyes widened slightly, `Oh, I forgot to cover myself up.' Rei sat in the bed wearing only a bra and panties, exposing most of herself to Usagi, `Great, now she's embarrassed to look at me; I didn't want that.' Rei grabbed her hospital gown and covered herself quickly, "Sorry, I was checking my side when you walked in. I guess I forgot to cover up again." Rei said as she blushed a little as well.

"Forget about that, how are you feeling?" Usagi said changing the subject to something she was more comfortable talking about.

"I'm fine." Rei said ignoring the dull pain on her left side. Usagi gave her a disbelieving look, "Really, who ever patched me up did a great job. I'll be good as new in a day or two, tops."

Usagi looked down at her lap, "You scared me to death today. I thought I may have…lost you." she said beginning to cry.

"Hey, what are you crying for Odango Atama? I'm fine. You didn't think something as small as this would do me in, did you?" Rei asked smugly.

"Don't joke about this Rei!" Usagi said as she looked up at Rei with tears streaming down her cheeks. Rei looked shocked for a few moments before her features softened as she realized that her princess was honestly worried about her well being. "I'm sick of seeing you hurt, you're my best friend. I don't want to see you hurt anymore." Usagi honestly said.

Rei's heart ached at her statement, `Best friend…who the hell am I kidding, I am and will *always* be just a friend.' Rei pushed the thought aside however, because Usagi need confirmation that she would always be there. Usagi was looking at her lap again and crying silently, "Usagi" getting no response she spoke again, "Usa, look at me." Usagi slowly raised her head; her eyes were red and puffy from crying, "Usagi, I made a promise to you. A promise that I would never leave you, I *will* keep that promise to you. Have I ever broken a promise I've made to you?"

Usagi slowly shook her head, "No" Usagi said softly through her tears.

"That's right, and I have no intention of starting now." Rei said and reached over, ignoring the sharp pain in her side caused by the movement, and used her thumbs to wipe away the tears that were still escaping Usagi's crystal blue eyes. "Now princess, no more tears, ok?" Rei said and laid back down on to the hospital bed. Usagi nodded and wiped her eyes again, before hearing the door to the room open.

"Hey Usagi, how's…oh, Rei you're awake!" Ami said as she walked in to the hospital room.

"Yeah, I'm sorry if I worried you." Rei said looking at Ami.

"I'm just glad you're okay, Rei." Ami said and smiled down at the raven haired girl. "I thought you were going to tell us if she woke up, Usagi." Ami said turning to her friend in the chair. Usagi looked up at Ami and tried to say something, but nothing came out. It was at that time that Ami realized that the blonde had been crying. Knowing Usagi for as long as she did, it was easy for her tell when girl had been crying, she did it often enough. Ami opened her mouth say something, but before she could she was cut off.

"She didn't tell you yet because I stopped her, besides I only came to a little while ago." Rei said before Ami could question Usagi.

Ami looked at Rei for a second and then back at Usagi, she got the impression that was more to it than that, but decided against pressing the issue. "Oh alright, if you say so Rei."

Rei let out a sigh of relief that Ami would leave it at that; it was then that Rei noticed Ami's arm was bandaged, "What happened to your arm, Ami?"

"This is just something a youma gave me to remember him by." Ami said and then a thought struck her, `Rei probably didn't know her home was attacked.' "Rei, youma attacked the shrine, they were attacking your home!"

Rei's expression remained calm, almost solemn, "I was told as much." Rei stated. Both Usagi and Ami looked confused, so Rei decided to continue, "Shortly after I left the shrine I was confronted by the sorcerer from the other night." Rei said.

"So he did this to you?" Usagi asked quietly.

"Yeah, but I've already taken care of him. It was just when I was about to finish him that he told me about what was happening at the jinja." Rei said and paused for a couple seconds, "I'm sorry I wasn't there…I should have been there." Rei directed towards Usagi.

"You were in a tough situation, and I know if you could have you would have been there." Usagi said assuredly.

"But still…" Rei began.

"Don't beat yourself up Rei. You're the only one laying in a hospital bed; we should be apologizing to you for not being there for you." Ami added.

"Speaking of which, how did I end up here? The last thing I remember was everyone running towards me and then everything went black." Rei said.

"Well, after you passed out…" Usagi began.

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Flashback

"She isn't…" Usagi began and opened her mouth to finish, but nothing came out. Tears filled her eyes as she dropped to her knees in front of Haruka and a limp Rei.

"No she's just unconscious, but she has lost a lot of blood. We need to get her to a hospital immediately." Ami said and returned her mini super computer to her sub-space pocket.

"Right." Haruka said and easily picked the girl up before racing to her car.

"I'll come with; I can monitor her until you drive to the hospital." Ami said headed after Haruka.

"Shouldn't you tend to yourself first?" Makoto asked before she was too far away to hear.

"I'm fine. I'm more worried about Rei; you don't realize how critical she is right now. She needs medical attention that only a hospital can give her." Ami said and ran to catch up to the speedier Senshi of wind.

"I'm coming too!" Usagi yelled to her two friends. "Minako-chan, Mako-chan, I want both of you to tell Grandpa and Yuuichirou that it's safe to come out now and if they asked where Rei is tell them she was hurt by one of the youma and we are taking her to the hospital. Don't let them know how bad she is, just say that she's going to be alright." Usagi said when she turned around to face her other two friends, they nodded their heads at her command.

"Hurry up, Usagi! We need to get going!" Ami called from Haruka's sports car and Usagi ran to the vehicle.

End Flashback

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"I see…I'm sorry to have worried everyone like that." Rei said quietly.

"It's ok Rei; you don't need to apologize for something that wasn't your fault. Besides, it couldn't be helped; you had lost a lot of blood. Frankly I'm surprised you didn't pass out sooner." Ami said.

"I was just worried about getting home and making sure everyone was alright." Rei said.

"Rei, why weren't you home anyway?" Ami inquired.

Rei was a little taken aback by Ami's question but, `I guess it's only natural when Ami doesn't know the answer to a question she asks more questions. What am I supposed to say though?' Rei thought, but before she had a chance to say anything Usagi surprised her by speaking up.

"I told you already Ami, Rei went for a walk before the meeting. I'm sure that's when you ran into that youma, right Rei?" Usagi said turning away from Ami and back to Rei.

Rei decided her best course of action would be to agree with Usagi, `It was mostly true anyway' Rei reasoned with herself. "Umm...yeah that about sums it up." Rei said as convincingly as possible.

"But that doesn't make any sense." Ami said and received a pair of confused looks from her companions so she continued, "You weren't transformed during your walk, were you Rei?" Rei shook her head no. "That's just it then, how did that youma know to attack you and your home for that matter? You weren't Sailor Mars when he attacked you, were you?"

Rei thought back the start of the fight…

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"This is between you and me, now hurry up and transform already. I do not wish to kill you as a pathetic human; I could have done that since you left that shrine of yours. You were probably too caught up in crying over some stupid human problem to notice me, am I right?"

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"I wasn't transformed, he actually told me to transform because he didn't want to fight me without my senshi powers. That means…" Rei trailed off.

"They know who you are!" Usagi finished Rei's thought.

"Precisely, but the real question is how they know?" Ami said and began thinking.

Before anything more could be said the door to the room opened and in walked doctor Mizuno, "Oh hi girls, don't mind me I'm coming by to check on…oh Rei your awake." Mizuno-san said clearly surprised that her patient was awake already.

"I'm a quick healer, I guess." Rei said sheepishly.

"So it seems, but even if that's the case I think I would like for you to get some rest and that means no more visitors for tonight." Mizuno-san said and looked to her daughter and Usagi, silently telling them it was time for them to leave.

"It's really alright, I'm not very tired." Rei said hoping she wouldn't have to stay in the hospital room all alone.

"I'll admit I am surprised to see you awake already, I hadn't expected you to wake up for at least another couple of hours, but I still must insist that you rest. I've seen that you heal astonishingly quickly, but that is no excuse to disobey a doctor's order." Mizuno-san said, restating her point.

Before Rei could put up anymore protests Ami spoke up, "We understand mom, Usagi and I will leave Rei so she can get some sleep. Can we at least have a few minutes to say goodnight before we leave?" Ami asked, while also conceding for Rei because she knew that Rei was not going to win this fight.

"That's fine, but don't be too long." Mizuno-san said and left the room to give the three friends some privacy.

"This is why I hate hospitals; they take away your free will!" Rei fumed once Ami's mother was out of earshot.

"My mom's only doing what she feels is best for you, resting will help you heal faster. And while you're here the rest of us can figure out how the enemy knows your identity." Ami said.

"I'm sure we'll figure out how they found out who you are Rei." Usagi said optimistically.

"I'm sure you will too." Rei said less optimistically than Usagi because she had no clue how they could have find out, she wasn't careless or anything.

"We had better go before my mom kicks us out." Ami interrupted.

"I think someone should stay at the hospital in case an enemy attacks. If they really do know who Rei is she would make for an easy target for them." Usagi said concernedly.

"That's a good idea. Maybe we ask Haruka, I'm sure she intends to stay here anyway since Michiru is on the second floor. We could ask her to keep an eye out for anything, just in case." Ami said.

"That's not necessary, I can defend myself just fine. Besides, I don't intend to stay here very long; so I don't need a babysitter." Rei said defiantly.

"Quit being so stubborn, Rei! You may think you can do anything, but you can't; you're not in any condition to defend yourself. You need time to heal and that won't happen if you're fighting!" Usagi said emotionally.

Both Rei and Ami were shocked by Usagi's forthrightness. Usagi had a habit of wearing her emotions on her sleeve and this was one of those occasions. For the second time since Usagi entered the hospital room Rei felt that Usagi was sincerely worried about her and again she would do her best to dispel her of those worries. "Alright, do whatever you feel you have to do." Rei conceded, much to the shock of Ami and the relief of Usagi.

`That seemed too easy. Rei doesn't usually back down that easily; so why did she this time? Maybe because Usagi was being so sincere?" Ami thought.

"It's settled then, Haruka will keep an eye over you and Michiru. We'll see you tomorrow, ok?" Usagi said getting up from her chair and turned to Ami. "Come on Ami." Usagi said but saw her friend was staring off into space, so she waved her hand in front of her face, "Wake up Ami, let's go."

"Oh…sorry I was just thinking. Good-night Rei, we'll see you after school tomorrow." Ami said.

"Yeah, see you guys later." Rei said quietly and watched her friends exit the room.

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Inside a room devoid of light and empty save for a regal like chair, sat a woman cloaked in black. The only sound in the larger room was the echoing sound of her long finger nail rhythmically tapping the arm of her chair, patience was never a virtue she possessed. After a few more minutes pasted, three loud thuds echoed through out the room and alerting it's occupant that someone desired entry.

"Enter!" called the woman in black. It was necessary to yell so she could be heard on the other side of the thick doors.

Slowly the large double doors creaked open, allowing the seated woman a view of the two newcomers. A smirk crept across her face, though her new guests couldn't see it from their point of view.

"Thank you for leading him in, but you may leave Ryuji." the woman addressed the fearsome looking guard. The dragonish youma remained rooted in his spot, however. Ryuji was accompanied by a youma dressed similar to a ninja, he was completely covered in black except for a slit in the cloth revealing his eyes. The seated woman waited a few seconds for Ryuji to comply with her command, but when she noticed he had made no movement to leave the room it began shaking and she stood up from her chair and spoke again but louder this time, "Leave RYUJI!"

The Naginata wielding youma bowed and proceeded to leave the room, closing the doors behind him. Once Ryuji left the room the shaking quelled and the black clad woman sat down again, taking a deep breath, "Well, what do you have to report Kenjiro?" she addressed the ninja like youma.

"Kyoji has failed. He was killed by Sailor Mars. The operation to attack the Hikawa Jinja has also failed. The other Sailor Senshi defeated our army of youma attacking the shrine." Kenjiro reported.

"Humph…you don't say." the woman said calmly and relaxed back into the chair.

The youma's eyes narrowed, "You're awfully calm about it." Kenjiro stated.

"Am I?" the figure questioned cocking her head to the left slight.

"Yes, and if I didn't know any better I would say that you expected as much would happen." Kenjiro said studying the woman in black.

"And what of Mars? She could not have walk away from such a fight uninjured." She said ignoring Kenjiro's last comment.

"She suffered a deep stab wound on her left side and lost a lot of blood because of it. She also sustained various other minor injuries. I trailed her back the shrine we were attacking, the fool left a trail of blood the whole way. Once she returned home, she passed-out and her friends brought her to Minato General Hospital. After that I returned, as you requested." Kenjiro stated.

The woman in black closed her eyes began thinking, but quickly she realized that she was still not alone. She opened her eyes to look at Kenjiro, "Is there something more you would like to tell me?"

"Yes. Do you wish for me to kill Mars? She is still alive, you know, and with her being injured, she would be easy prey." Kenjiro said.

"No." she responded simply.

"Why not? What do you have planned?" Kenjiro asked but was met with only silence. "Isn't our goal to kill all the Sailor Senshi? Why pass up such an opportunity?"

"There is more than one way to destroy the Sailor Senshi. Kyoji was disposable and I fully expected Mars to kill him, she saved me the trouble of dirtying my own hands. And as for what I have planned, you can just wait and see. When your services are needed again I will call for you. Now leave my sight, I wish to be alone." The woman in black said and again returned to her thoughts.

Kenjiro bowed and turned to leave, `Are we all disposable to her?'

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A tall woman with long black hair with a tint of green to it walked through Times Square, deep in thought. `So this is New York City, I wish I had time to enjoy it, but that's not why I am here.' The professionally dressed woman thought and stopped at a corner, waiting for the traffic signal to change. The streets were crowded as usual on a mid-afternoon day. The woman silently hoped her task would be easier than it seemed, to find one man in a crowded city like New York City.

`First I must find him and then convince him to return to Tokyo, without letting him know it's me. I have to do this before it's too late, before the future we all know is lost.' The woman thought as the signal changed and so she began crossing the street.

End Ch. 10

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That's it for this installment. I guess it's evident who I am finally bringing into the story, bout time ne? I only made a brief mention of him in one earlier chapter, but I think it's time to bring Mamoru into the mix. Things would be too easy for Rei otherwise : P. This chapter is more of a lead into the next chapter, sorry nothing really exciting happened in this one after such a long wait.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review this. I haven't thanked all of you in a while, so please don't think that it means your reviews aren't appreciated because they are. It's good to know people actually are enjoying this.