Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Beauty In You ❯ In Beauty's Care ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Beauty in You
by Lady Amber
Part Two

DISCLAIMERS: If you don't know what goes here.. I have one word for you: I D I O T .. :D Sorry!
EMAIL GOES HERE: amby-chan@sailormoon.com.. Please, just take one or two seconds to tell me what you think.. It doesn't even have to be a complete sentence, it can just be like.. ONE WORD OK??!!
THANK YOU..

Chapter: Tuesday at Midnight;
"I can NOT believe I'm doing this.." Kagi whispered to no one, glancing around the small alley, making sure no one saw what she was doing. All she needed NOW was someone to see her.. Then she'd really be in trouble...
She reached down, pulling up one end of the blanket she'd flung over the makeshift travois she'd made, holding her hand in front of Beast's (as she'd dubbed him) nostrils to make sure he was still breathing. It was a crude but serviceable method. It didn't appear he'd been hurt seriously, simply it'd been a big shock to his system. She wondered where he'd gotten such a large burn from, and how.. But her questions would wait until she got HIM back to the apartment..
She'd been frozen with fear when he collapsed at her fear, simply staring at him not knowing what to do. But then, common sense took over and she started to run.
Started to.
She'd come back.. She couldn't just LEAVE him there,.. could she? He was hurt, and obviously not dangerous now anyway.. Arguing with herself, and unable to believe that she was doing what she was doing, she'd made herself a travois out of two poles and a role of duct tape, using an old frayed blanket to hide her luggage from view.
She'd have to put him in the apartment next to hers; it had a bed and a heater, and was vacant.. It would suit his needs until he was recovered sufficiently to.. to what? Leave? Would he follow his instincts, thank her, and then kill her?
No,.. She thought firmly. Don't think about that. Just get him back to the apartment.. Just get him there and take one day at a time. She was glad now that she'd gotten that part time job at the local ice cream shop near the apartment.. She'd planned to save the money for emergencies but.. This was as close to an emergency as one'd get.
The apartment they'd chosen had an old, but workable elevator. And no desk clerk. She breathed a sigh of thanks to whatever gods were watching and abandoned the travois.
It took all of her strength to get him off of the travois, up the few stairs and into the lobby and finally into the elevator. She collapsed in the corner, her back against the wall, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest as the elevator slowly took them up. The brief respite was all she needed; she wasn't the strongest girl in the world but neither was she a weakling.
She checked to make sure no one was in the halls, prayed for her good luck to continue, and pulled him out of the elevator, down the hall, past her door, and into the apartment. It was cold inside; she could see her breath, but she flipped on the heater. If the landlord didn't pay attention to what apartments were using heat, they could get away with it.
She heaved him onto the bed and then collapsed onto the couch, her chest heaving. He was HEAVY, far taller and bulkier than she. She shivered slightly, breathing deeply until she realized her work was only halfway done.
She got the first aid kit from her apartment and bandaged his wound up, glancing at his hideous face. It wasn't so bad.. She thought suddenly. If you didn't know him when he was awake, he wouldn't be so scary. He's just so cold and bitter, so completely animal that it makes him scarier than he is.
Finally, pulling a blanket over him, she allowed the fatigue she'd been fighting to take control of her, and curled up on the couch, falling asleep quickly.

Chapter Two: Cherry Hill Temple, Early Wednesday morning;
"Hurry this up.. It's cold out here and I have to get to school.. I can't believe you made us get up this early just to discuss what happened last night!! Can't we do this later, like.. after school? A girl like me needs her beauty sleep.." Usagi whined, bouncing from one foot to the other, her pigtails glistening in the predawn gray.
Rei's eyes narrowed. "Odango atama, if you don't stop whining I'm going to smack you." The other three girls sighed.
"NOT NOW guys," Minako said firmly. "Now, Ami-chan, were you able to get a fix on his signal?" She turned to look at the blue haired girl, who had her minicomputer out and was tapping on it furiously.
"Gomen minna-san[*equivalent to "sorry guys"], but I haven't been able to get a reading on him. If it.. HE was truly a NegaBeing, this new program I've designed should pick him up in a minute. But he's nowhere to be found." She looked at the others apologetically, shrugging.
Makoto sighed, grinding her fist in the palm of her hand. "If I ever find that flea-bitten freak show, I'll show him who's boss.. I don't care if he ISN'T a Negabeing, NO ONE does that to Usagi-chan while I'm around!"
"Speaking of your shoulder, Usagi-chan, is it all right now?" Minako turned to her friend. Usagi nodded, flexing her arm and feeling the bandages bite into her skin.
"My mom and dad were incredibly upset with me.. They kept lecturing me "You could have been killed" and "why didn't you let your FATHER stall?" And so on.. I'm grounded again, which isn't fair 'cause I probably saved their lives!" She sniffed loudly.
"That's not important." Luna's voice drifted to them from the ground below them. They looked down to see Artemis and Luna standing between them, serious looks on their faces. Usagi was glad to see her cat safe and sound. After last night, Luna had gone to fetch Artemis and go on a scouting mission to see if they themselves couldn't find the monster.
"Find anything?" Minako asked hopefully. Luna and Artemis shook their heads.
"We followed his trail as far as we could, but not even we can leap two stories onto a roof.." Artemis said with a small shake of his head. "I wonder why he attacked last night..."
"What was the total count?" Rei asked softly.
"He didn't kill anyone, thank kami, but he injured close to twenty people, a couple of them seriously. They wrote about it in the papers today," Ami said factually.
"I hear that the government sent out for bounty hunters to come into the city. They're going to hire someone named Bounty James.. He's a really big game hunter, they say he's the best." Makoto said softly, looking up at the sky. "I don't know, but I somehow doubt he'll find anything."
"I don't know Makoto-chan. They say he can find anything if he's got reason too. I think we should just relax and let him take it. If he can't find anything or if we come up against the monster again, we'll take things into our own hands." Rei said.
Luna nodded. "I agree. Let's lay low; but keep your eyes open." She smiled, looking at the girls. The sun had risen while they were talking. "Now,.. isn't it time for school?"
Usagi groaned.

Chapter Three: Wednesday morning, Apartment 436b;
Where was he? What happened? He groaned, slowly coming to his senses. He was on his back, on something soft, and it was warm. He sat up, and a blanket fell off of him to the ground. Blinking against the light that had awakened him, he sniffed the air.
There was someone else in here.. And here certainly wasn't his lair. With a jolt last night's events rushed back to him and he tensed. Where was he?? He rose from the bed with feline grace, padding to the ground.
He heard a soft groan, and was instantly on guard, ears laid back, hackles up. Nothing happened, so he slowly crept over towards the sound. He raised himself up onto his back legs, and looked over the back of the sofa. Curled up in a ball, her auburn hair shining gently in the light of the dawn, was the girl from last night, sleeping peacefully.
Had she brought him here? Why? Why hadn't she simply left him where he'd been? He shook his head. It didn't matter. She'd saved him, so he'd let her live. He dropped to all fours and started towards the window, intent on being back in his lair by the time the shadows disappeared totally.
A sudden, searing pain doubled him over, a low moan of pain escaping from his throat. He hissed in anger. Those stupid Sailor Scouts! He'd get them for this insult.
"What are you doing? You're not well enough to be up." He turned to see the girl awake, looking at him. She'd spoken softly, so as not to startle him. He growled at her, his fur rippling with the movements of his supple muscles. She didn't quail back as she had last night, instead she stared at him with .. with pity.. No one had ever looked at him like that. He stared at her, teal eyes wide.
"I said, what are you doing? You're not leaving are you? Not with that wound.. You should be sleeping." She rose, dropping her blanket on the ground and walking towards him. She wasn't afraid, he realized with a start. Even on all fours he towered over her, yet she talked to him as calmly as she would a little child.
"You're not my keeper." He growled, pleased to see her jump slightly at the sound of his grating, harsh voice.
"No, but I am the one responsible for saving your life." She countered just as stubbornly. She stood in front of the window, blocking his way. He sat, his tail curling around his feet, staring at her through narrowed eyes. She stared back.
"So you are.." He said softly. "But I do not.. no, WILL not listen to a whelp like you. You're just a naive little school girl.. Get out of the way." He gestured with his paw for her to move aside. She didn't.
"No," she said firmly, softly. "You are injured. If you go back out there, you'll be killed for sure!" She paused a moment, her violet eyes regarding him, a defiant tilt to her chin. "You know I'm right. If you could barely walk across the floor, how do you expect to walk across the city? That includes jumping, climbing, running, leaping.. You'd only make it worse for yourself." Her hands balled into fists, and she spread her feet, fists on her hips.
"Get out of my way." He returned, ignoring what she'd said earlier. It was true, but he'd never admit that, especially not to a tiny whelp like her...
"FINE!" She yelled, flinging the window open. "Go! I did my part, it's your fault if you end up in some freak show or circus or something.." She was so persistent, the damned girl, he thought as he brushed past her, sparing her a glance with his teal eyes.
He put his front feet on the window, and started to twist around to dig his hind claws into the wood to give him leverage to start his ascent to the top, but the motion pulled on his wound. He stopped, curling back defensively again, eyes closed, hissing in anger.
"Told you so." She said softly. "Now.. will you please just stay here for today? You can leave tonight, if you can leave without pain." He looked at her. Why was she helping him? He'd almost killed her..
"Why?" He rasped. "Why are you helping me?" The question seemed to take her by surprise. She looked at him, the defiant set of her shoulders melting a little, a soft smile hovering over her lips.
"I don't know," she said in a very small, very soft little voice. She shrugged. "I guess it's because I couldn't just leave you there, lying in the middle of the alley.. The thought of you in a freak show or in a government laboratory made me sick. Those things always made me feel like I was going to puke."
He stared at her. "Fine," he said after a long pause. "Fine, I'll stay here, but only until tonight, and not because you said so." He sniffed haughtily. "Because I don't want to risk being seen in daylight." He moved past her, a soft growl rumbling in his chest, and, ignoring the burning pain, climbed up onto the bed, curled up, and feigned sleep.
He watched through slitted eyes as she looked at him for a moment, and then shook her head. "I have school but I'll be back later with some food for you. Stay here and keep quiet and DON'T BE SEEN." She opened the door, looked out, and then left.
He opened his eyes and stared after her thoughtfully, wondering why she was doing what she was doing.. Why had she helped him? He really didn't think it was simply because she didn't want him to be put in some freak show; it didn't bother him, he was going to die soon anyway.
He yawned, light glistening off his razor sharp teeth like silver, and then curled back up. It was so warm and quiet here; he felt almost content.. In a few short seconds he was almost asleep.
One last thought entered his mind before he slipped into dream world.
I forgot to get her name...

Chapter Four: Juuban Senior High, Wednesday;
"Hey! Kagi-chan! Konnichiwa!!" Usagi giggled, running up beside her new friend. Kagi smiled and replied with her own greeting. Usagi peered at the brunette with narrowed eyes. "You look tired. You really should get more sleep.. It's not good for you to be lacking on sleep."
"And you would know this how Usagi-chan?" Kagi teased gently. Usagi giggled, blushing, waving it away with a flick of her hand. They turned at Naru's call, watching as Naru ran up to them, her green eyes wide.
"Usagi-chan! Kagi-chan! How are you guys? Did you get attacked last night? It was so scary! My mom got out her gun, and she NEVER gets that out unless she's really scared.."
Usagi's eyes widened. "That's right Naru-chan, he went right down your street didn't he? Are you ok? I'm fine.. Luckily the police showed up in time to scare it off.."
"Yeah, they had shields, tranquilizer guns and everything! Our street was like a war zone until like two in the morning! I'll tell you, I'm glad they're calling out Bounty James.. He's going to be here today during lunch! Did you guys want to go watch him get all his stuff out?" Naru replied, holding up a small flyer. Usagi grinned.
"That sounds like fun! Maybe we'll even get to see him after he kills that monster.. What do you think Kagi-chan.. Kagi-chan? What's wrong?" Kagi was walking beside them, her lips pressed together, pale. Usagi frowned: what was up with her friend?
"Nothing. I just think it's wrong to kill something that maybe, just maybe is not what everyone thinks!.. I think it's wrong and inhumane.. I'm not going to watch Bounty James or even support him." Kagi replied tersely. Usagi and Naru stared.
"But Kagi-chan, it hurt almost twenty people!! Only a monster would do that.. It deserves to die!" Naru replied.
"No.. No, HE deserves a little compassion. Maybe it's people like you who prompted him to do something like that.. And it's attitudes like that that make this world so cold!" Kagi shot back, her violet eyes dark and angry.
"What's wrong with you Kagi-chan? You'd think you were on its side!" Usagi put a comforting hand on Kagi's shoulder. With a cold look, Kagi shrugged it off.
"Maybe I am." She said ominously and then shook her head, a bitter laugh breaking from her lips. "But then again, I don't expect you to understand. Just.. drop it ok? Leave the Beast out of this."
Silence reigned for a minute, Kagi staring at her books, Usagi and Naru looking at her. Naru and Usagi exchanged a look, both puzzled over Kagi's reaction. Shrugging, Usagi cleared her throat, and in a falsely happy voice said, "Hey! Did anyone go to that new Ice Cream Shop down by the corner? I hear you're working there Kagi, that's so cool!"
And the conversation turned to other things.

Chapter Five: Downtown Tokyo Helicopter Pad, Wednesday afternoon;
"Wow he's so strong.. Look at those muscles!"
"He certainly doesn't LOOK like a bounty hunter.." One girl giggled.
"No, he looks like a millionaire!" Another boy replied. "I can't believe HE'S Bounty James."
"His real name is James McClaire. He was born in Britain, raised in India, and killed his first wild animal at the age of two!"
"I hear that he killed a rabid elephant single handed!" Another whispered.
"Really? Ooooh he's so manly!" A girl swooned and had to be held up by a nearby friend..
The object of their discussion was at that time supervising the unloading of one of Japan's military cargo copters. His bronze hair gleamed gold in the sunlight, intelligent green eyes scanning the activity taking place with authority and ease. He wore a crisp black business suit, indeed looking more like a millionaire than a bounty hunter. His speech was short but elegant, clearly spoken. He exuded a sort of charm that made people stop and stare, loosing any will power to resist him, but one look into his soulless, cold green eyes and one would see he was far from the warm hearted man people portrayed him as. He was a cold-hearted, brutal man.
"Watch that crate. Those are expensive pieces of equipment, you'd better handle them as if they were full of eggs." He ordered and the men scrambled to follow his orders.
Usagi, Ami, Makoto, Rei, and Minako stood back from the fence a bit, several feet between them and any bystanders. In back of Usagi, one hand on her shoulder, stood Mamoru, watching the man with narrowed eyes. "What do you guys think?" Rei asked softly.
Makoto sighed, "he looks like my old boyfriend Freddy! I wonder if he likes home cooked meals.." She sighed, obviously all the way crushing him already. Minako was in much the same condition next to her.
"He's so hot I think I'm going to melt!" Minako replied with a love-sick sigh.
Ami, Rei, Usagi, and Mamoru sweatdropped. "Well.. I don't know if we should be relaxed or not. He's so cold and heartless; we'd better watch him just as sharply as the Beast." Ami said, the wind rippling her blue hair around her ears.
"Right Ami-chan.. I agree totally." Mamoru said, his eyes still on James. "I get a bad feeling when I look at him.. He might be more trouble than he's worth."
"We'll be ready." Rei promised.

Chapter Six: Apartment 436b, Wednesday night;
He'd done as she asked, he'd remained in the apartment and not allowed himself to be heard or seen. He waited as patiently as possible after he'd woken up a bit past midday. There was nothing to do in the small apartment. So he'd waited.. And waited, and waited.. and waited...
And finally, there were light footsteps in the hall, and the door swung open. The girl slipped in, a large bag in her hands. He sniffed interestedly; he could smell the meat in the air. He was hungry.. It'd been almost a whole day since he'd last eaten.
She smiled. "Hello Beast,.. I brought your food."
"Good. Get it out. I'm hungry." He ordered, sitting up on the bed and waiting for her to follow his commands. She looked at him, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"Fix it yourself.. I'm not your servant!" She replied hotly, dumping the contents of the bag on the table. She'd bought several slabs of meat, and some green stuff.. It was the meat that perked his interest.
"Yes you are.. You are not a lady or a noblewoman.. Therefore you're my servant." He replied just as hotly, teal eyes boring into hers. She stared back, unafraid.
"This is the twenty-first century. I am not your servant and I do not have to act like one. You want it, get it yourself. I bought it for you, I'm not fixing it for you too." She gestured at the table, and stepped back, folding her arms across her chest.
His nostrils flared in anger and he leaped from the bed to the ground in front of her, drawing himself up, towering over her. She stared back, head tilted back to look at him, eyes shadowed by his bulk. And then with an enraged growl, he turned from her and looked at the table.
After a moment, he looked back at her. She stared back, hands folded over her chest, apparently waiting to see him get the meat ready. He looked back at the packages, growled loudly, and then twirled, pacing back to the bed.
"I'm not hungry anymore." He said loudly, and curled up, muzzle on his forearms, facing the window, not her.
He heard her sigh, heard her as she walked to the table. "All right then, guess you starve.." She said as she picked up the packages. His head jerked up, eyes wide as he looked at her.
"You wouldn't let me starve.. You don't DARE.." She looked at him, slowly picking up another package and putting it in the bag. She shrugged nonchalantly.
"Guess I do dare and guess I will.."
"I'm going to leave!" He threatened, rising and putting a paw on the windowsill. She shrugged again.
"Too bad then, you'll leave hungry.." He stared at her, nostrils flared, eyes narrowed. His paw slipped from the windowsill back to the mattress. Why was she doing this? What did she possibly hope to achieve?
"You're supposed to be helping me, not starving me." He returned, his voice accompanied by a low growl. She looked at him.
"I don't have to do anything for you." Her eyes never left him. Her hands had stopped their work and were resting on the table in front of her. "Don't you know what's going on? Because of that little stunt you pulled last night, the officials have called in a bounty hunter. A BOUNTY HUNTER.. He won't rest until he has your head on the wall!" Her hand flung out, pointed at the wall beside her for emphasis.
"They.. they wouldn't.." He said softly.
"Oh.. yes, yes they would. They want you dead badly enough that he has unlimited funding! They're sparing no stops looking for the monster lurking in the shadows! You're as good as dead.."
"I'm doomed anyway." He spat back. "Don't you know? I have three weeks to live. And then, I die."
Her eyes widened. "What? Why? What's wrong?"
"Ha! Now you're all caring.." He laughed bitterly. "Surprising!"
She stared at him, eyes wide, obviously stung. "Fine then.. BE that way.." She slammed the rest of the stuff on the table. "Fix your own food. Go fix your own problems. Die for all I care. You're just a stupid animal anyway.."
She strode to the door, on hand on the knob. She paused, and then turned to her. "In case you're wondering I did think of a way to help you, because, hard as it is to believe, I know what you're going through."
"You? You could never understand." He snorted.
"Oh yes.. Yes I can. I know what it's like to be shunned because you're different. I know what it's like to be judged, to have your whole personality decided upon because of one thing. I know what it's like to be so lonely you want to crawl into a hole and die. I thought about simply dying, or helping myself die. But you know what? I didn't. I didn't because I know that there's something inside of me that no one will ever see, but that's all I need to survive. I know I have a destiny, and I'm waiting to find what that is."
The door opened, and she started out. "Oh, by the way.. I bet you could go far if you knew what makes a beast.. And what makes a man. "
And then she was gone.

~*~ SO? How do you like it so far? Good I hope!
Ok, well that's all.. for now...
See you later!
And don't forget to email me!
Or else!!!
amby-chan@sailormoon.com!!
Amber