Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Standing in the Night ❯ Standing in the Night (Chapter 5) ( Chapter 5 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Essence 
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.21.2002 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.7K | Visits: 230 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.21.2002 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.7K | Visits: 230 | Status: Work In Progress
Standing in the Night
Chapter 5
By Essence
Sorry it is so late, but I have been too busy to really sit down and write this. Anyway, here is chapter 5 for everyone to read and review. Or please send all comments, questions, flames, and suggestions to Saphrians_Water_Reflection@hotmail.com. Thank you!
Standing in the Night
Chapter 5
" Well! Look who has decided to grace us with her presence!"
Mina grinned and closed the door behind her.
" It nice to see you to Honey!" She replied walking over to a crowded dressing table and laying her bag down on top of it.
" So tell me," Honey swiveled around in her chair to face Minako. " How was the hobnobbing you did with the rich and classy? You the next Claudia Schiffer?"
" Hardly, right now I'm just a lowly model trying to make my way to the top. It wasn't that bad though, no one there is rich, they are just a little more well off then I am."
" Oh so their white upper class suburbia trash?" Honey made a face and turned back to the mirror. One well-manicured hand picking up a brush and dusting her cheeks with powder. " Sounds like to me it's the kind of place I don't want to be in. Crossing paths with people like that might make me snap and go out on a flux."
" It's really not bad, there is two girls there that are complete and utter bitches, but other then that I really like the others. It doesn't pay to well so that's why I'm working tonight. I need to money to pay Darien for my room and board." Mina pulled off her coat and hung over the back of her chair.
" You have to pay your own boyfriend to sleep in his bed and drink his booze?" Honey careful lined her eyes with black liner has she spoke.
" Darien is a tightwad who will drain the cash out of you no matter what. He's not doing well on the streets, people are buying in other places, and the cops are making more frequent pick-ups so some of his best blood is dying out. That leaves Darien with no choice but to get money from me and anyone else he sleeps with or works with." Mina dabbed up some white glitter and rubbed it onto her face. " He's taking a lot out of the safe at Setsuna's to pay for everything. She doesn't care what he does, lets him do it if he wants. All in return that she wants is a little hardcore sex from him and enough drugs to keep her customers happy."
" I guess you're not the only one Darien's banging?" Honey rubbed some glitter onto her own face, streaking it over her cheekbones.
" Hardly, I'm just the one that lives with him. Darien has more womyn then he knows what to do with. I've seen him with Setsuna a couple times when I'm working at her place. They usually do it right there on top of the desk with the door left open so everyone can watch." Mina sighed and balanced both elbows on the tabletop. Her blue eyes stared back at her from the mirror. " I guess I never really cared what Darien did, he's his own person and he's pretty good to me, you know, letting me take this modeling job along with being a stripper and working for Setsuna."
Honey smiled and patted Mina's arm. " You want out of this life, don't you?"
Mina just sighed and laid her hand over Honey's. " I guess I want to experience something different then just living on the streets and wondering if I'll live long enough to see tomorrow." Mina turned to face Honey, her hand tightening around Honey's
" Haven't you ever wondered what it's like to be rich and to live in a big house with a nice family?"
" Sure I wanted those things at one time," Honey removed her hand and turned back to the mirror. " Only problem was that I knew they never were going to happen. I became a hooker at age 13 to escape my father and his constant drinking. Now I'm 26 and I'm still turning tricks to make a living. Basically, I know I ain't got no chance of making it in the real world. So I just carved out my own little niche right here with people who know and understand me." Honey looked around her at the other girls in the room.
Minako followed her gaze, watching the other girls talk and laugh while they pulled on their costumes and fixed their make up. She saw Jerry, the owner of the club talking to a couple of girls in quiet hushed tones. In his hand a cracked clipboard holding a couple greasy papers banged against his legs has the two girls shook their heads and went back to dressing.
" Hey Jerry's here and he doesn't look to happy about something," Mina whispered nudging Honey to get her attention.
Honey turned around, one of her false eye lashes partially on while she held onto the other.
" Whew," Honey whistled pulling off the loose eyelash and dropping both back on the dresser top. " He doesn't look in the least bit happy right now."
" I wonder who didn't show up this time," Mina giggled turning back to the mirror and resuming her getting ready process.
" We'll find out soon enough because here he comes," Honey whispered from the corner of her mouth has Jerry lumbered up to them.
" Any of you girls see in Rei? She was supposed to go on for a 10:05 performance but she never made it. I had to get Cinda to cover for her by doing another show." Jerry breathed hard has if breathless from his walk over to the two girls.
" Nope I haven't seen her Jerry, you sure she's not in the bathroom or out on the floor giving lap dances?" Honey asked brushing some blush onto her cheeks.
" She's not in the bathroom, I already checked. Nor is she on the floor, that stupid wench didn't show again. That's what she did, I knew it all along but I just wanted to make sure. Damn it!" Jerry turned away from the girls and lumbered away leaving behind a confused Minako.
" I guess he finally got the picture to where Rei really was." Minako watched Jerry walk out the door before turning to Honey.
" It's pretty obvious where Rei is tonight, she's off somewhere getting high or something. It is well known that Rei is a full-blown crack addict, she also snorts cocaine, heroin, LSD, and anything else to make her high. Rei is gone girl, she's probably off in some dreamy high that will come crashing down when she realizes she fired and without the funds to support her habit." Honey once again tried to reapply her false eyelashes, this time having more success.
" You know I guess I kind of knew Rei took drugs," Mina glanced at the other girls then turned back to her mirror. " She never seemed to make any sense with all those jittering motions she did and the fucked up hallucinations."
* * * * * * *
Rei tried to reach for the colors but they were to far away for. The more she reached the farther they got from her until they seemed to disappear.
Frustrated and feeling utterly alone Rei looked down at the man passed out next to her. A small line of drool formed at the corner of his mouth. While the needle he had been using was still stuck in his arm. Rei reached for the needle and pulled it out saddened to see that it was empty of its contents. A small dot of blood oozed out from the needle prick on the man's dark skin. Leaning down so that her black hair brushed and covered his face and chest Rei placed her lips over the small cut and sucked the blood away before sitting up and refilling the needle.
Heroin was nothing new to her; she had been using the drug since she was nine. Shooting up with her mom until her mom was killed by a drug overdose and Rei was left alone shuttled from foster home to foster home until she finally ran away and begun a new life.
The colors drifted back now, dancing over the ceiling with a light grace. Some music played in the background moving with the colors.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
If I closed my eyes forever
Would it all remain unchanged?
If I closed my eyes forever.
Would it all remain the same?"
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Rei stood up, wobbling slightly has she walked over the balcony and slid open the doors. Outside the sounds of the city washed over her while a strong wind pushed back her hair.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Would you ever take me?
No, I just can't feel the pain!
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Rei closed her eyes and raised both arms to the wind. Feeling the breeze caress her skin, the colors danced behind her eyelids swirling in a pattern with the music, which had its climax now.
" I'm an angel! I can fly free among the stars now!" Rei whispered smiling at the feeling of the wind rushing past her body has she flew through the clouds.
" I'm an angel! I can fly free among the stars now! Watch me mommy! I can fly!" Rei yelled happily.
Then she dropped to her knees, the soft skin coming in contact with the hard gravel. Her arms fell to the side has she fell backward, unconscious.
* * * * * * *
' Drunken fools.' Mina though bitterly has Honey came off the stage. Bits of money tucked into her g-string while she whipped away a glob of spit from her breasts.
" Tough crowd?" Mina whispered so no one could hear her outside the curtain.
" No, not to bad just the usual pack of horny men," Honey replied taking the towel Mina handed her. " Good luck out there though, old man Roberts is doing a little breast licking tonight and you know how he bites."
" Yea I know," Mina replied has Jerry walked out onto the stage a smile plastered on his face, the microphone clutched in one meaty hand
" And now gentlemen we have something to cool off the thirsty fire you got from our last lovely little lady. Here comes the rains of Venus!"
Jerry stepped back to the corner of the stage while Minako skipped out dressed in her rain colored dress and holding some flowers in one hand. She took her position in the center of the stage and waited for the music to start. One leg cocked out slightly bent at the knee while she held the flowers in both hands and looked up at the ceiling.
The opening bars of music started, Madonna breathed a slight breath and Minako begin. Pushing her weight to one foot, she twirled around in a perfect circle to face the audience. The flowers brushed over her body before being thrown to the audience while Minako dropped to her knees and lowered her eyes.
Both hands reached up to unclasp her top, untying the straps till the small scrap of cloth lay in a pile near her side. Now topless, Minako lowered herself to the stage floor and rolled around in a circle before dragging her self-forward towards a man holding out a twenty dollar bill for her.
* * * * * * *
Lita groaned and sat up in the bed, already a pounding headache had begun to throb around her temples. The empty bottles of gin and rum telling her of everything that happened last night.
The bed was big, full of crumpled sheets and blankets in the richly dressed hotel room. Next to her, an elderly man snored loudly, still knocked out from the alcohol. He must have been at least 60 or 70 years old but Lita did not care. She had followed him into his car and to that hotel room.
He was in town for a business meeting for the company he worked at. A rather rich old man with a wife and three grandkids. This did not stop him from ordering up a couple drinks and sleeping with Lita that night. She was a hooker, she was his to do what he wanted with for the whole night, and he had until finally he had fallen into a drunken sleep. Now Lita awoke and sat up in that big bed to look around her, the morning sun streamed from the tall windows. Clothes and empty bottles lay all around them, the remnants of last night's dinner still on the table where they had left it.
Lita quickly climbed out of bed and pulled on her clothes, adjusting the blue dress carefully then slipping on his fine white dress shirt over it. Her boots were left near the bed has she sneaked into the closet and pulled out a small luggage bag. All the time Lita watched the snoring man lying in the bed has she slipped things into the bag. A gold watch, some cuff links, the silverware from their dinner, whatever was left of the alcohol was also slipped in.
Lita sneaked back into the closet and shifted through the clothes in there taking whatever she found of value and slipping it into the bag. Finally Lita walked over to the bed and picked up a pair of pants lying on the floor. Her hand slipped into the first pocket and pulled out a black leather wallet. Her eyes never left the sleeping mans face has she pulled out all the bills in his wallet along with a couple credit cards and tucked them into her dress.
" Sucker," Lita whispered has she dropped the wallet on the floor and walked back over the table. A biscuit was crammed into her mouth while she tugged on her boots and picked up her bag.
" Thanks for the gifts," Lita grinned waving at the sleeping old man before turning and walking out of the suite.
Downstairs Lita smiled and waved at the door attendant has he let her out the door into the bright morning sunshine.
The bag bounced against her shoulder has Lita cheerfully walked down the street. Behind her at the hotel, the door attendant watched the tall girl dressed in the strange outfit suspiciously before shrugging and going back to his duties.
* * * * * * *
" Hey Hotaru! What are you doing sitting here all alone? I thought you were working the floor." A girl with long red hair walked up to Hotaru and sat down on the chair next to her. " Orange blossom, extra gin," she told the bartender behind the bar.
" I'm just taking a break, I need a breather after all the work Gary just put me through," Hotaru replied taking a sip of the drink in her hand.
" Ah so Gary is back again I see." The other smiled coyly and nodded her head. "How much did he pay you today?"
" Two hundred for one hour." Hotaru pulled out a wad of bills and dropped it on the bar top. " He says I'm his all time favorite here so I deserve the high fee he commissions to have me or some shit like that."
The other girl laughed and picked up her drink, sipping it and nodding to the bartender.
" Well I think that's pretty good for just an hour of work. You make two hundred clean and straight just for letting some geek like Gary bang you."
" Yea, whatever. I'm just glad I got the money even if he isn't a very good fuck in bed." Hotaru stood up and pulled down the skirt of her white dress. " I think I'll go and give Setsuna the money before going to find another customer. I need a better fuck then just Gary this morning." Hotaru picked up the wad of bills and walked off leaving the red haired girl to watch her small form disappear around a corner.
* * * * * * *
Michiru smiled and lifted her face to the breezes in the park that day. Kids played happily on the playground nearby while mothers with their strollers and infants chatted among themselves on the benches.
Michiru sat alone on one of these benches, a pad of paper in her hands has she sketched the roses in the rose garden near her. It would have been a perfect day except for the part on her back where a large bruise pressed against the hard wooden back of the bench. Haruka had been particularly brutal last night, yelling with more passion then usually and hitting Michiru with more force then usual.
A thick layer of powder covered the bruise on her cheek where Haruka had punched her. Dinner had been slightly burned last night causing Haruka to fly into a rage and beat on Michiru. This morning when she had awoken in the bed that they shared Haruka was gone without a note or any idea where she had gone.
Happy to escape for just a little while, Michiru had applied some make-up to hide her face and went to the park. Her drawing pad tucked under one arm so she could draw to her hearts desire.
In high school, Michiru had dreamed of some day being an artist, but that dreamed had ended when she met Haruka. Together in the middle of the night they had run away to start a new life together, only to end up in the slummiest part of Tokyo living in a run down apartment building. Haruka had taken up a job selling drugs for a man named Darien and that was when everything changed.
Actually, it had been changing for quite awhile. Haruka was always prone to violent outburst and tempers but she always apologized for the beatings she inflicted on Michiru. Lately though Haruka would not apologize for what she did; instead she begin to increase the times she did it. Becoming worse, hitting harder and becoming even more moody has time passed.
Michiru took a deep breath and lifted her pencil away from the paper. There it was another finished artwork by her. With a flourish Michiru signed her name at the bottom of the paper and added the year.
" Another masterpiece that will never be seen by anyone," Michiru mummered raising her eyes to the children playing on the playground near to her. Their playing was wild and carefree, swinging from the swing set while kicking up their legs and laughing. Climbing up the ladder then sliding down the slide squealing in mock terror at the enemies hiding in the dust below.
Michiru did not even notice the twin sets of tears that trailed down her cheeks.
* * * * * * *
" Ohhh!" Ami doubled forward in pain, one hand flying up to her stomach.
Ami instantly knew what this sharp sting pain in her stomach was.
" Indigestion, I guess I shouldn't have eaten those onions after all." Ami grinned weakly and rubbed her stomach where the pain was.
Already into her eighth month, Ami looked like she was about to pop. It already had been determined that they, Greg and her, were going to have a baby boy. Greg had jumped at the prospect and already had purchased a large quaintly of baby toys along with painting the guestroom their house blue.
Ami was excited to, but not has much has Greg. She had personally hoped for a little girl. A little girl she could spoil and pet, dress her in little frilly dresses and go to the park with her. A little girl that would grow up into a little lady and become the doctor that Ami had always wanted to become.
Ami had first met Greg when she was in her junior year of high school. Back then she had been a straight A student, making the honor roll and being somewhat of a teachers pet. Then one day she been assigned to tutor a boy in Algebra, a boy named Greg. He was rough and wild, rumored to be a punk living on the wrong side of the tracks. Despite the rumors Ami lost her head and fell for him.
After that, she started cutting school and sneaking out late at night to see him. Her grades dropped and she no longer made the honor roll. Her mother begin to notice when Aim started coming home with D's and F's instead of A's. Greg was told to disappear from the picture, to stay away from Aim.
She did not listen though; instead, she snuck out even more seeing him at every chance she got until her mother intervened and gave her an ultimatum.
" Either you leave Greg or you can just walk out of this house and never come back." Mrs. Mizuno's voice was cold and crisp, as she looked her daughter straight in the eye.
So Ami walked out and left her mother and school behind. That had been in five years ago when she was still in high school. After Ami dropped out she and Greg moved in together in a small house in a not so nice neighbor hood. It was all they could afford and Greg said it was near his job.
Ami did not figure out what his job was until they were living together for 6 months. She was going through his pants pocket making sure there was nothing in them before she did the wash when she found the small bag filled with a white powdery substance. Scared by the possibilities that it possessed, Ami confronted her boyfriend and demanded the truth about his so-called job.
Greg looked startled to see the small white bag that Ami held in her shaking hand but he did tell her the truth.
" I'm a drug dealer, I make some of the stuff that I sell and I get shipments from other people. I work for a guy named Darien. He is my boss so to say, whatever I sell I usually get from him. When I make a sale I give him half the profits in exchange for money and protection."
" Protection? What do you mean?" Ami asked sitting down weakly in the chair behind her.
" This is a mean neighborhood we're living in. You are going to need friends to live anywhere in this part of town and be safe. Darien is kind of the leader of everyone here; he's like the big boss. Everyone knows I know him so they leave me alone and I don't get any trouble." Greg kicked at the faded rug on the floor, his eyes staring at the dirty edges while Ami could only blink and stare at him with shock.
That had been five years ago, now Ami was so used to Greg's drug dealing that she never paid any attention to it. After they had been living together for two years they were married and tried to have children. The first two times had failed in miscarriages, but this time she had been lucky so far.
Ami rubbed her stomach has felt the baby kick. A smile spread on her face at the thought of her little boy being born. Finally she and Greg would have a family and everything would be all right. Ami would bring him around to meet her mother, his grandmother. Mrs. Mizuno would be so happy to see her grandchild that all the pain of Ami leaving would disappear and they could be mother and daughter again.
Ami smiled and patted her stomach. " You hear that little guy? I just know when your grandmother meets you she'll forget about everything from the past.
* * * * * * *
" So what did you want me for?" Haruka walked into the small office and closed the door behind her.
" Murphy." Darien's eyes were hard has he looked up at the blond womyn.
" They finally caught him?" Haruka pulled out a cigarette and stuck between her lips.
" Yea, shot him so full of holes there was barely anything left when they were done."
" Damn," Haruka muttered lighting her cigarette.
" I think it's more then just damn. The assholes that shot him got away with all the money Murphy had. Three thousand dollars along with 5 grams of coke."
" So basically those shit heads are sending us their calling card by killing one of our men?"
" Yea."
" Damnit!" Haruka slammed her fist into the wall.
" You know what this means though? We have to get revenge now and take out one of their own."
" Who did you have in mind?" Haruka blew out a bit of smoke and watched Darien stand up and move into the light.
" Furuhata." A cold cynical smile spread on his face.
Haruka grinned and dropped the cigarette to the floor, stubbing it out with her boot heel.
" Sounds good to me."
The sounds of a gun loading were her only reply.
* * * * * * *
" Darien is at it again," Setsuna sighed has she hung up the telephone.
Outside her open door men and womyn passed by laughing and flirting. It was the height of the evening and a rather busy one at that. Already the girls had started bringing in a pile of cash that they had made from selling their wares.
Each time Sestina's eyes glowed with happiness has she counted the bills and placed them into the safe. A bottle of brandy and a glass lay near her had on the desktop, the soothing warmth of the brandy increasing her happiness.
" Another gang war to start, another chance for Darien to prove once and for all who's the real leader." Setsuna reached for her glass and took a sip. " Another chance for him to take revenge for something that happened to him." Setsuna leaned back in the chair and put both legs up on the desktop. " Another chance for him to grow victorious in his winnings." One hand dropped idly between her legs.
For awhile she did not say anything, her head leaned back and her hand moved on it's own accord while the other held the brandy glass, bringing it to her lips so she could drink. The brandy helped to heighten her senses, but she was not getting anywhere with just this. Frustrated Setsuna set down the glass and stood up, sweeping her long silk robe around her legs. Outside the door, some men stood talking and laughing near the staircase. Seeing them alone of female company, she quickly made her move.
Setsuna walked up to the group and smiled while she tapped one of them on the shoulder. He turned around to meet her eyes, their meaning clear in the magenta depths.
" If you'll excuse me gentlemen," he said turning back to his friends who were grinning slyly and winking before following Setsuna up the stairs and to an empty bedroom.
* * * * * * *
Another day had come and gone. Serena unlocked the door and stepped into her empty apartment. Her bag was tossed to the floor along with two aqua colored shoes and a pair of jangling keys.
Barefooted Serena walked across the carpet to the kitchen. The late afternoon sunlight poured in through the small window over the sink. Her feet made the slightest sound on the linoleum floor has she walked over to a cabinet and opened it up. It's contents revealing boxes of mix and cans of cooking spray. These were ignored has she grabbed an object from the back and closed the door.
Back in the living room, Serena sat down on the couch and laid her wares on the glass topped table. A small wineglass and a bottle filled with white liquid. Before Serena could commence to pour herself a drink, she looked over the carpet to the sliding glass doors where the city lay below. Over the edge of the white painted bricks the points of buildings shown. Lights shining through some of their windows as people gathered up their belongings and prepared to leave over the day. The sky was a mix of blood red, burning orange and purple with slight golden clouds shining near the edge.
Serena reached out and uncorked the wine bottle. The liquid was poured into her glass filling it half way before she set the bottle down and re-corked it. Lazily Serena picked up her glass and took a sip before leaning back on the couch and putting her feet up.
It was a daily custom for her to do this. To sit on the couch at sunset letting the days work seep from her muscles while she delicately sipped the white wine that she poured for herself. Everyday without fail she had done this ever since him...
Serena sighed and closed her eyes. She did not want to think about him, he was to much for her right now and it had been a busy day anyway.
* * * * * * *
" I'll see you later Honey!" Minako called waving to the girl heading off through the ally.
" You coming in tomorrow?" Honey asked turning around to face Mina while she walked backwards.
" Yea, Jerry asked me to work. He says he needs more girls to fill the schedule."
" Well then I'll see you tomorrow!" Honey waved then turned and walked off.
Mina turned away also and begin to walk down the street; her hands tucked into the pockets of her worn black jacket. The streets were empty that night except for a few cats running across her path and the veiled giggling of a prostitute hiding in the shadows. She never paid attention to see who it was, but instead walked past keeping hers averted to the ground. It was already 2am and Mina needed to be up at 7am to be at the shoot early for hair and make up.
Casting a silent prayer to herself Mina hoped that Darien would either be out or asleep when she got back. She did not want to deal with him if he was in one of his moods. She just wanted to climb into bed and sleep until the jangling buzz of the alarm clock woke her.
* * * * * * *
The knob twisted slightly has the door opened and Setsuna stepped out of the room. Her dark hair was slightly messed up, and one of the straps of her magenta gown was broken, hanging loose from where it had been torn. Behind her, a man stumbled out, his blond hair messed up and tumbling in all directions.
Down below some customers and a few girls watched has Setsuna turned and kissed the male customer before pulling away and walking down the stairs and back to her office. They had only been in there 15 minutes but Setsuna's screams had echoed through the whole place.
* * * * * * *
Michiru's hands shook has she reached for the knob. Who knew what waited for her beyond that door but she knew she must enter the house and face it.
Carefully Michru grasped the doorknob and turned it. Her teeth biting into her lower lip has the door opened to reveal an empty room. A quick search of the house revealed the same. Joy and elation filled her mind even if only for the smallest of times. Haruka was not in yet, thus leaving Michiru with just a little time to be alone.
" Just a little time to be alone," Michiru mummered clutching the drawing book to her chest. Inside the bedroom she sat down on the crumpled sheets of the bed and opened a drawer on the small night table next to her. The book was slipped underneath a pile of old papers before she re-closed the drawer and got up.
Inside the kitchen Michiru set about preparing herself something to eat, being careful not to make a mess just incase Haruka was to come home and yell at her for being sloppy. The fear of this made Michiru shake has her eye fell upon the bruise on her left arm right near the elbow.
* * * * * * *
"Candle candle burning in the light. Light me on the darkness path tonight," Lita mummered the old poem to herself has she lit the candles around her.
The room was small and dingy but it was hers. A cramped apartment filled with green plants and candles. Three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and the main room that consisted of her apartment. Filled with plants and flowers that she diligently took care of, a small bed in the corner covered with a smooth green coverlet.
Lita smiled and blew out the taper in her hand. All around her placed precariously upon any free surface, candles burned filling the apartment with light. The only light, although she did have electricity Lita preferred the gentle light of candles. Her room was filled with them pouring out their scents mixing with the heady scent of flowers.
Has the feeling peace descended over her, Lita stepped back and sat down on the neatly made bed. Her feet ached from standing all day on the corner; a small bruise had begun to show on the inside of her thigh where she had bumped it in the car.
" How much money did I make? $500?" Lita mummered thinking happily of the bills tightly rolled up and locked away in her dresser. It was not much to some people, but for the services Lita offered it was a gold mine.
Even if it was a job, she preferred not to have. Tiredly Lita laid back on the covers, her head plopping down on the soft pillow while she curled up her legs slightly and closed her green eyes. Within minutes, Lita was asleep completely forgetting about the golden light of the candles burning around her. Slowly they burned themselves out like an invisible hand silencing their flames.
Wow! I can't believe I got chapter 5 out so soon but here it is!!! I hope you all enjoy!! Please remember to be ever so kind and read and review or send all comments, questions, suggestions, and flames to Saphrians_Water_Reflection@hotmail. Ja ne!
Chapter 5
By Essence
Sorry it is so late, but I have been too busy to really sit down and write this. Anyway, here is chapter 5 for everyone to read and review. Or please send all comments, questions, flames, and suggestions to Saphrians_Water_Reflection@hotmail.com. Thank you!
Standing in the Night
Chapter 5
" Well! Look who has decided to grace us with her presence!"
Mina grinned and closed the door behind her.
" It nice to see you to Honey!" She replied walking over to a crowded dressing table and laying her bag down on top of it.
" So tell me," Honey swiveled around in her chair to face Minako. " How was the hobnobbing you did with the rich and classy? You the next Claudia Schiffer?"
" Hardly, right now I'm just a lowly model trying to make my way to the top. It wasn't that bad though, no one there is rich, they are just a little more well off then I am."
" Oh so their white upper class suburbia trash?" Honey made a face and turned back to the mirror. One well-manicured hand picking up a brush and dusting her cheeks with powder. " Sounds like to me it's the kind of place I don't want to be in. Crossing paths with people like that might make me snap and go out on a flux."
" It's really not bad, there is two girls there that are complete and utter bitches, but other then that I really like the others. It doesn't pay to well so that's why I'm working tonight. I need to money to pay Darien for my room and board." Mina pulled off her coat and hung over the back of her chair.
" You have to pay your own boyfriend to sleep in his bed and drink his booze?" Honey careful lined her eyes with black liner has she spoke.
" Darien is a tightwad who will drain the cash out of you no matter what. He's not doing well on the streets, people are buying in other places, and the cops are making more frequent pick-ups so some of his best blood is dying out. That leaves Darien with no choice but to get money from me and anyone else he sleeps with or works with." Mina dabbed up some white glitter and rubbed it onto her face. " He's taking a lot out of the safe at Setsuna's to pay for everything. She doesn't care what he does, lets him do it if he wants. All in return that she wants is a little hardcore sex from him and enough drugs to keep her customers happy."
" I guess you're not the only one Darien's banging?" Honey rubbed some glitter onto her own face, streaking it over her cheekbones.
" Hardly, I'm just the one that lives with him. Darien has more womyn then he knows what to do with. I've seen him with Setsuna a couple times when I'm working at her place. They usually do it right there on top of the desk with the door left open so everyone can watch." Mina sighed and balanced both elbows on the tabletop. Her blue eyes stared back at her from the mirror. " I guess I never really cared what Darien did, he's his own person and he's pretty good to me, you know, letting me take this modeling job along with being a stripper and working for Setsuna."
Honey smiled and patted Mina's arm. " You want out of this life, don't you?"
Mina just sighed and laid her hand over Honey's. " I guess I want to experience something different then just living on the streets and wondering if I'll live long enough to see tomorrow." Mina turned to face Honey, her hand tightening around Honey's
" Haven't you ever wondered what it's like to be rich and to live in a big house with a nice family?"
" Sure I wanted those things at one time," Honey removed her hand and turned back to the mirror. " Only problem was that I knew they never were going to happen. I became a hooker at age 13 to escape my father and his constant drinking. Now I'm 26 and I'm still turning tricks to make a living. Basically, I know I ain't got no chance of making it in the real world. So I just carved out my own little niche right here with people who know and understand me." Honey looked around her at the other girls in the room.
Minako followed her gaze, watching the other girls talk and laugh while they pulled on their costumes and fixed their make up. She saw Jerry, the owner of the club talking to a couple of girls in quiet hushed tones. In his hand a cracked clipboard holding a couple greasy papers banged against his legs has the two girls shook their heads and went back to dressing.
" Hey Jerry's here and he doesn't look to happy about something," Mina whispered nudging Honey to get her attention.
Honey turned around, one of her false eye lashes partially on while she held onto the other.
" Whew," Honey whistled pulling off the loose eyelash and dropping both back on the dresser top. " He doesn't look in the least bit happy right now."
" I wonder who didn't show up this time," Mina giggled turning back to the mirror and resuming her getting ready process.
" We'll find out soon enough because here he comes," Honey whispered from the corner of her mouth has Jerry lumbered up to them.
" Any of you girls see in Rei? She was supposed to go on for a 10:05 performance but she never made it. I had to get Cinda to cover for her by doing another show." Jerry breathed hard has if breathless from his walk over to the two girls.
" Nope I haven't seen her Jerry, you sure she's not in the bathroom or out on the floor giving lap dances?" Honey asked brushing some blush onto her cheeks.
" She's not in the bathroom, I already checked. Nor is she on the floor, that stupid wench didn't show again. That's what she did, I knew it all along but I just wanted to make sure. Damn it!" Jerry turned away from the girls and lumbered away leaving behind a confused Minako.
" I guess he finally got the picture to where Rei really was." Minako watched Jerry walk out the door before turning to Honey.
" It's pretty obvious where Rei is tonight, she's off somewhere getting high or something. It is well known that Rei is a full-blown crack addict, she also snorts cocaine, heroin, LSD, and anything else to make her high. Rei is gone girl, she's probably off in some dreamy high that will come crashing down when she realizes she fired and without the funds to support her habit." Honey once again tried to reapply her false eyelashes, this time having more success.
" You know I guess I kind of knew Rei took drugs," Mina glanced at the other girls then turned back to her mirror. " She never seemed to make any sense with all those jittering motions she did and the fucked up hallucinations."
* * * * * * *
Rei tried to reach for the colors but they were to far away for. The more she reached the farther they got from her until they seemed to disappear.
Frustrated and feeling utterly alone Rei looked down at the man passed out next to her. A small line of drool formed at the corner of his mouth. While the needle he had been using was still stuck in his arm. Rei reached for the needle and pulled it out saddened to see that it was empty of its contents. A small dot of blood oozed out from the needle prick on the man's dark skin. Leaning down so that her black hair brushed and covered his face and chest Rei placed her lips over the small cut and sucked the blood away before sitting up and refilling the needle.
Heroin was nothing new to her; she had been using the drug since she was nine. Shooting up with her mom until her mom was killed by a drug overdose and Rei was left alone shuttled from foster home to foster home until she finally ran away and begun a new life.
The colors drifted back now, dancing over the ceiling with a light grace. Some music played in the background moving with the colors.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
If I closed my eyes forever
Would it all remain unchanged?
If I closed my eyes forever.
Would it all remain the same?"
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Rei stood up, wobbling slightly has she walked over the balcony and slid open the doors. Outside the sounds of the city washed over her while a strong wind pushed back her hair.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Would you ever take me?
No, I just can't feel the pain!
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Rei closed her eyes and raised both arms to the wind. Feeling the breeze caress her skin, the colors danced behind her eyelids swirling in a pattern with the music, which had its climax now.
" I'm an angel! I can fly free among the stars now!" Rei whispered smiling at the feeling of the wind rushing past her body has she flew through the clouds.
" I'm an angel! I can fly free among the stars now! Watch me mommy! I can fly!" Rei yelled happily.
Then she dropped to her knees, the soft skin coming in contact with the hard gravel. Her arms fell to the side has she fell backward, unconscious.
* * * * * * *
' Drunken fools.' Mina though bitterly has Honey came off the stage. Bits of money tucked into her g-string while she whipped away a glob of spit from her breasts.
" Tough crowd?" Mina whispered so no one could hear her outside the curtain.
" No, not to bad just the usual pack of horny men," Honey replied taking the towel Mina handed her. " Good luck out there though, old man Roberts is doing a little breast licking tonight and you know how he bites."
" Yea I know," Mina replied has Jerry walked out onto the stage a smile plastered on his face, the microphone clutched in one meaty hand
" And now gentlemen we have something to cool off the thirsty fire you got from our last lovely little lady. Here comes the rains of Venus!"
Jerry stepped back to the corner of the stage while Minako skipped out dressed in her rain colored dress and holding some flowers in one hand. She took her position in the center of the stage and waited for the music to start. One leg cocked out slightly bent at the knee while she held the flowers in both hands and looked up at the ceiling.
The opening bars of music started, Madonna breathed a slight breath and Minako begin. Pushing her weight to one foot, she twirled around in a perfect circle to face the audience. The flowers brushed over her body before being thrown to the audience while Minako dropped to her knees and lowered her eyes.
Both hands reached up to unclasp her top, untying the straps till the small scrap of cloth lay in a pile near her side. Now topless, Minako lowered herself to the stage floor and rolled around in a circle before dragging her self-forward towards a man holding out a twenty dollar bill for her.
* * * * * * *
Lita groaned and sat up in the bed, already a pounding headache had begun to throb around her temples. The empty bottles of gin and rum telling her of everything that happened last night.
The bed was big, full of crumpled sheets and blankets in the richly dressed hotel room. Next to her, an elderly man snored loudly, still knocked out from the alcohol. He must have been at least 60 or 70 years old but Lita did not care. She had followed him into his car and to that hotel room.
He was in town for a business meeting for the company he worked at. A rather rich old man with a wife and three grandkids. This did not stop him from ordering up a couple drinks and sleeping with Lita that night. She was a hooker, she was his to do what he wanted with for the whole night, and he had until finally he had fallen into a drunken sleep. Now Lita awoke and sat up in that big bed to look around her, the morning sun streamed from the tall windows. Clothes and empty bottles lay all around them, the remnants of last night's dinner still on the table where they had left it.
Lita quickly climbed out of bed and pulled on her clothes, adjusting the blue dress carefully then slipping on his fine white dress shirt over it. Her boots were left near the bed has she sneaked into the closet and pulled out a small luggage bag. All the time Lita watched the snoring man lying in the bed has she slipped things into the bag. A gold watch, some cuff links, the silverware from their dinner, whatever was left of the alcohol was also slipped in.
Lita sneaked back into the closet and shifted through the clothes in there taking whatever she found of value and slipping it into the bag. Finally Lita walked over to the bed and picked up a pair of pants lying on the floor. Her hand slipped into the first pocket and pulled out a black leather wallet. Her eyes never left the sleeping mans face has she pulled out all the bills in his wallet along with a couple credit cards and tucked them into her dress.
" Sucker," Lita whispered has she dropped the wallet on the floor and walked back over the table. A biscuit was crammed into her mouth while she tugged on her boots and picked up her bag.
" Thanks for the gifts," Lita grinned waving at the sleeping old man before turning and walking out of the suite.
Downstairs Lita smiled and waved at the door attendant has he let her out the door into the bright morning sunshine.
The bag bounced against her shoulder has Lita cheerfully walked down the street. Behind her at the hotel, the door attendant watched the tall girl dressed in the strange outfit suspiciously before shrugging and going back to his duties.
* * * * * * *
" Hey Hotaru! What are you doing sitting here all alone? I thought you were working the floor." A girl with long red hair walked up to Hotaru and sat down on the chair next to her. " Orange blossom, extra gin," she told the bartender behind the bar.
" I'm just taking a break, I need a breather after all the work Gary just put me through," Hotaru replied taking a sip of the drink in her hand.
" Ah so Gary is back again I see." The other smiled coyly and nodded her head. "How much did he pay you today?"
" Two hundred for one hour." Hotaru pulled out a wad of bills and dropped it on the bar top. " He says I'm his all time favorite here so I deserve the high fee he commissions to have me or some shit like that."
The other girl laughed and picked up her drink, sipping it and nodding to the bartender.
" Well I think that's pretty good for just an hour of work. You make two hundred clean and straight just for letting some geek like Gary bang you."
" Yea, whatever. I'm just glad I got the money even if he isn't a very good fuck in bed." Hotaru stood up and pulled down the skirt of her white dress. " I think I'll go and give Setsuna the money before going to find another customer. I need a better fuck then just Gary this morning." Hotaru picked up the wad of bills and walked off leaving the red haired girl to watch her small form disappear around a corner.
* * * * * * *
Michiru smiled and lifted her face to the breezes in the park that day. Kids played happily on the playground nearby while mothers with their strollers and infants chatted among themselves on the benches.
Michiru sat alone on one of these benches, a pad of paper in her hands has she sketched the roses in the rose garden near her. It would have been a perfect day except for the part on her back where a large bruise pressed against the hard wooden back of the bench. Haruka had been particularly brutal last night, yelling with more passion then usually and hitting Michiru with more force then usual.
A thick layer of powder covered the bruise on her cheek where Haruka had punched her. Dinner had been slightly burned last night causing Haruka to fly into a rage and beat on Michiru. This morning when she had awoken in the bed that they shared Haruka was gone without a note or any idea where she had gone.
Happy to escape for just a little while, Michiru had applied some make-up to hide her face and went to the park. Her drawing pad tucked under one arm so she could draw to her hearts desire.
In high school, Michiru had dreamed of some day being an artist, but that dreamed had ended when she met Haruka. Together in the middle of the night they had run away to start a new life together, only to end up in the slummiest part of Tokyo living in a run down apartment building. Haruka had taken up a job selling drugs for a man named Darien and that was when everything changed.
Actually, it had been changing for quite awhile. Haruka was always prone to violent outburst and tempers but she always apologized for the beatings she inflicted on Michiru. Lately though Haruka would not apologize for what she did; instead she begin to increase the times she did it. Becoming worse, hitting harder and becoming even more moody has time passed.
Michiru took a deep breath and lifted her pencil away from the paper. There it was another finished artwork by her. With a flourish Michiru signed her name at the bottom of the paper and added the year.
" Another masterpiece that will never be seen by anyone," Michiru mummered raising her eyes to the children playing on the playground near to her. Their playing was wild and carefree, swinging from the swing set while kicking up their legs and laughing. Climbing up the ladder then sliding down the slide squealing in mock terror at the enemies hiding in the dust below.
Michiru did not even notice the twin sets of tears that trailed down her cheeks.
* * * * * * *
" Ohhh!" Ami doubled forward in pain, one hand flying up to her stomach.
Ami instantly knew what this sharp sting pain in her stomach was.
" Indigestion, I guess I shouldn't have eaten those onions after all." Ami grinned weakly and rubbed her stomach where the pain was.
Already into her eighth month, Ami looked like she was about to pop. It already had been determined that they, Greg and her, were going to have a baby boy. Greg had jumped at the prospect and already had purchased a large quaintly of baby toys along with painting the guestroom their house blue.
Ami was excited to, but not has much has Greg. She had personally hoped for a little girl. A little girl she could spoil and pet, dress her in little frilly dresses and go to the park with her. A little girl that would grow up into a little lady and become the doctor that Ami had always wanted to become.
Ami had first met Greg when she was in her junior year of high school. Back then she had been a straight A student, making the honor roll and being somewhat of a teachers pet. Then one day she been assigned to tutor a boy in Algebra, a boy named Greg. He was rough and wild, rumored to be a punk living on the wrong side of the tracks. Despite the rumors Ami lost her head and fell for him.
After that, she started cutting school and sneaking out late at night to see him. Her grades dropped and she no longer made the honor roll. Her mother begin to notice when Aim started coming home with D's and F's instead of A's. Greg was told to disappear from the picture, to stay away from Aim.
She did not listen though; instead, she snuck out even more seeing him at every chance she got until her mother intervened and gave her an ultimatum.
" Either you leave Greg or you can just walk out of this house and never come back." Mrs. Mizuno's voice was cold and crisp, as she looked her daughter straight in the eye.
So Ami walked out and left her mother and school behind. That had been in five years ago when she was still in high school. After Ami dropped out she and Greg moved in together in a small house in a not so nice neighbor hood. It was all they could afford and Greg said it was near his job.
Ami did not figure out what his job was until they were living together for 6 months. She was going through his pants pocket making sure there was nothing in them before she did the wash when she found the small bag filled with a white powdery substance. Scared by the possibilities that it possessed, Ami confronted her boyfriend and demanded the truth about his so-called job.
Greg looked startled to see the small white bag that Ami held in her shaking hand but he did tell her the truth.
" I'm a drug dealer, I make some of the stuff that I sell and I get shipments from other people. I work for a guy named Darien. He is my boss so to say, whatever I sell I usually get from him. When I make a sale I give him half the profits in exchange for money and protection."
" Protection? What do you mean?" Ami asked sitting down weakly in the chair behind her.
" This is a mean neighborhood we're living in. You are going to need friends to live anywhere in this part of town and be safe. Darien is kind of the leader of everyone here; he's like the big boss. Everyone knows I know him so they leave me alone and I don't get any trouble." Greg kicked at the faded rug on the floor, his eyes staring at the dirty edges while Ami could only blink and stare at him with shock.
That had been five years ago, now Ami was so used to Greg's drug dealing that she never paid any attention to it. After they had been living together for two years they were married and tried to have children. The first two times had failed in miscarriages, but this time she had been lucky so far.
Ami rubbed her stomach has felt the baby kick. A smile spread on her face at the thought of her little boy being born. Finally she and Greg would have a family and everything would be all right. Ami would bring him around to meet her mother, his grandmother. Mrs. Mizuno would be so happy to see her grandchild that all the pain of Ami leaving would disappear and they could be mother and daughter again.
Ami smiled and patted her stomach. " You hear that little guy? I just know when your grandmother meets you she'll forget about everything from the past.
* * * * * * *
" So what did you want me for?" Haruka walked into the small office and closed the door behind her.
" Murphy." Darien's eyes were hard has he looked up at the blond womyn.
" They finally caught him?" Haruka pulled out a cigarette and stuck between her lips.
" Yea, shot him so full of holes there was barely anything left when they were done."
" Damn," Haruka muttered lighting her cigarette.
" I think it's more then just damn. The assholes that shot him got away with all the money Murphy had. Three thousand dollars along with 5 grams of coke."
" So basically those shit heads are sending us their calling card by killing one of our men?"
" Yea."
" Damnit!" Haruka slammed her fist into the wall.
" You know what this means though? We have to get revenge now and take out one of their own."
" Who did you have in mind?" Haruka blew out a bit of smoke and watched Darien stand up and move into the light.
" Furuhata." A cold cynical smile spread on his face.
Haruka grinned and dropped the cigarette to the floor, stubbing it out with her boot heel.
" Sounds good to me."
The sounds of a gun loading were her only reply.
* * * * * * *
" Darien is at it again," Setsuna sighed has she hung up the telephone.
Outside her open door men and womyn passed by laughing and flirting. It was the height of the evening and a rather busy one at that. Already the girls had started bringing in a pile of cash that they had made from selling their wares.
Each time Sestina's eyes glowed with happiness has she counted the bills and placed them into the safe. A bottle of brandy and a glass lay near her had on the desktop, the soothing warmth of the brandy increasing her happiness.
" Another gang war to start, another chance for Darien to prove once and for all who's the real leader." Setsuna reached for her glass and took a sip. " Another chance for him to take revenge for something that happened to him." Setsuna leaned back in the chair and put both legs up on the desktop. " Another chance for him to grow victorious in his winnings." One hand dropped idly between her legs.
For awhile she did not say anything, her head leaned back and her hand moved on it's own accord while the other held the brandy glass, bringing it to her lips so she could drink. The brandy helped to heighten her senses, but she was not getting anywhere with just this. Frustrated Setsuna set down the glass and stood up, sweeping her long silk robe around her legs. Outside the door, some men stood talking and laughing near the staircase. Seeing them alone of female company, she quickly made her move.
Setsuna walked up to the group and smiled while she tapped one of them on the shoulder. He turned around to meet her eyes, their meaning clear in the magenta depths.
" If you'll excuse me gentlemen," he said turning back to his friends who were grinning slyly and winking before following Setsuna up the stairs and to an empty bedroom.
* * * * * * *
Another day had come and gone. Serena unlocked the door and stepped into her empty apartment. Her bag was tossed to the floor along with two aqua colored shoes and a pair of jangling keys.
Barefooted Serena walked across the carpet to the kitchen. The late afternoon sunlight poured in through the small window over the sink. Her feet made the slightest sound on the linoleum floor has she walked over to a cabinet and opened it up. It's contents revealing boxes of mix and cans of cooking spray. These were ignored has she grabbed an object from the back and closed the door.
Back in the living room, Serena sat down on the couch and laid her wares on the glass topped table. A small wineglass and a bottle filled with white liquid. Before Serena could commence to pour herself a drink, she looked over the carpet to the sliding glass doors where the city lay below. Over the edge of the white painted bricks the points of buildings shown. Lights shining through some of their windows as people gathered up their belongings and prepared to leave over the day. The sky was a mix of blood red, burning orange and purple with slight golden clouds shining near the edge.
Serena reached out and uncorked the wine bottle. The liquid was poured into her glass filling it half way before she set the bottle down and re-corked it. Lazily Serena picked up her glass and took a sip before leaning back on the couch and putting her feet up.
It was a daily custom for her to do this. To sit on the couch at sunset letting the days work seep from her muscles while she delicately sipped the white wine that she poured for herself. Everyday without fail she had done this ever since him...
Serena sighed and closed her eyes. She did not want to think about him, he was to much for her right now and it had been a busy day anyway.
* * * * * * *
" I'll see you later Honey!" Minako called waving to the girl heading off through the ally.
" You coming in tomorrow?" Honey asked turning around to face Mina while she walked backwards.
" Yea, Jerry asked me to work. He says he needs more girls to fill the schedule."
" Well then I'll see you tomorrow!" Honey waved then turned and walked off.
Mina turned away also and begin to walk down the street; her hands tucked into the pockets of her worn black jacket. The streets were empty that night except for a few cats running across her path and the veiled giggling of a prostitute hiding in the shadows. She never paid attention to see who it was, but instead walked past keeping hers averted to the ground. It was already 2am and Mina needed to be up at 7am to be at the shoot early for hair and make up.
Casting a silent prayer to herself Mina hoped that Darien would either be out or asleep when she got back. She did not want to deal with him if he was in one of his moods. She just wanted to climb into bed and sleep until the jangling buzz of the alarm clock woke her.
* * * * * * *
The knob twisted slightly has the door opened and Setsuna stepped out of the room. Her dark hair was slightly messed up, and one of the straps of her magenta gown was broken, hanging loose from where it had been torn. Behind her, a man stumbled out, his blond hair messed up and tumbling in all directions.
Down below some customers and a few girls watched has Setsuna turned and kissed the male customer before pulling away and walking down the stairs and back to her office. They had only been in there 15 minutes but Setsuna's screams had echoed through the whole place.
* * * * * * *
Michiru's hands shook has she reached for the knob. Who knew what waited for her beyond that door but she knew she must enter the house and face it.
Carefully Michru grasped the doorknob and turned it. Her teeth biting into her lower lip has the door opened to reveal an empty room. A quick search of the house revealed the same. Joy and elation filled her mind even if only for the smallest of times. Haruka was not in yet, thus leaving Michiru with just a little time to be alone.
" Just a little time to be alone," Michiru mummered clutching the drawing book to her chest. Inside the bedroom she sat down on the crumpled sheets of the bed and opened a drawer on the small night table next to her. The book was slipped underneath a pile of old papers before she re-closed the drawer and got up.
Inside the kitchen Michiru set about preparing herself something to eat, being careful not to make a mess just incase Haruka was to come home and yell at her for being sloppy. The fear of this made Michiru shake has her eye fell upon the bruise on her left arm right near the elbow.
* * * * * * *
"Candle candle burning in the light. Light me on the darkness path tonight," Lita mummered the old poem to herself has she lit the candles around her.
The room was small and dingy but it was hers. A cramped apartment filled with green plants and candles. Three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and the main room that consisted of her apartment. Filled with plants and flowers that she diligently took care of, a small bed in the corner covered with a smooth green coverlet.
Lita smiled and blew out the taper in her hand. All around her placed precariously upon any free surface, candles burned filling the apartment with light. The only light, although she did have electricity Lita preferred the gentle light of candles. Her room was filled with them pouring out their scents mixing with the heady scent of flowers.
Has the feeling peace descended over her, Lita stepped back and sat down on the neatly made bed. Her feet ached from standing all day on the corner; a small bruise had begun to show on the inside of her thigh where she had bumped it in the car.
" How much money did I make? $500?" Lita mummered thinking happily of the bills tightly rolled up and locked away in her dresser. It was not much to some people, but for the services Lita offered it was a gold mine.
Even if it was a job, she preferred not to have. Tiredly Lita laid back on the covers, her head plopping down on the soft pillow while she curled up her legs slightly and closed her green eyes. Within minutes, Lita was asleep completely forgetting about the golden light of the candles burning around her. Slowly they burned themselves out like an invisible hand silencing their flames.
Wow! I can't believe I got chapter 5 out so soon but here it is!!! I hope you all enjoy!! Please remember to be ever so kind and read and review or send all comments, questions, suggestions, and flames to Saphrians_Water_Reflection@hotmail. Ja ne!