Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Thunder and Roses ❯ Death of the Flame ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

This is a story that I just found on my computer. I guess I wrote it a while ago and forgot about it. I thought I'd post the first two chapters and see how people like it. I'm not quite sure where this story is going yet, though. But, this is NOT a Jupiter/Tuxedo Mask fic. Hope you like it. This takes place after the Dead/Dark Moon Circus. There haven't been any other major villians, just the occasional monster. Character death.


Thunder And Roses

Lita sighed, looking out the window. A storm was brewing. A grim smile spread over her face. That was her favorite weather. Thunder and lightning were her favorite elements. Maybe that was because she was Sailor Jupiter. Or maybe it was the raw power that they exuded. Whatever it was, she loved storms.

Pulling on her jacket, she walked outside. Walking through the park, she stopped at the gazebo and leaned against the railing. She remembered the many times when Ken had stood here with her, comforting her when she had lost many a boyfriend to some other, more beautiful girl.

She sighed and hugged her coat tighter around herself as the wind began to pick up and the rain began to fall. "Lita?"

She turned at the voice, looking to see who had called her name. "Ken? What are you doing here?"

He smiled. "I was taking a walk and got caught in the storm. What are you doing out here in this weather? Did another guy dump you?"

"No. I just wanted to be in the rain."

He nodded, moving to stand beside her. "Lita, what's going on? I've been trying to talk to you for months now and I can never find you."

"Oh, that. Uh, well, I have some new friends and we have a lot of things to do."

"Oh. Lita, when can we get together? I mean, we haven't talked very much lately..."

She looked at him. "Ken, I know. I've been meaning to get with you, but I've been so busy lately... Look, what about tomorrow? Come to my apartment, okay?"

"Sure. See you then."

"Bye."

Lita walked off, still invigorated from the rain. She had always thought of Ken as a very good friend. Could he be something more? What were these feelings that she was experiencing? When she thought of him, she got a warm feeling inside and she knew that he would always be there for her and protect her. She knew that Serena felt that way about Darien, but was it really love that she felt for Ken? She couldn't figure it out...

A beeping alerted her to her communicator. Taking it out, she flipped it open. "Jupiter here. What's the trouble?"

"A youma by the Yamagooshi Department Stores!" Mars said, glancing over her shoulder at the battle.

Lita nodded. "I'm on it!"

Running into a nearby alley, she transformed and ran to the battle scene. When she arrived, she looked around. Sailor Moon was lying in Tuxedo Mask's arms. Sailor Mars was lying on the ground facedown, a puddle of blood surrounding her. Sailor Mercury was scanning the monster, looking for a weak spot, and sending concerned glances at Sailor Mars. Sailor Venus was pinned to the nearby wall by a large thorn. Her head was slumped over and she was unconsicous.

Finally, Lita looked at the monster. It was female, of course. It looked like a bad renedition of Medusa. The snakes on her head writhed and hissed at the Senshi. Her blood red dress was so skimpy that it left almost nothing to the imagination. The thorn vines that ran around her body were able to shoot the large thorns out at will. That was what had happened to Sailor Venus, she knew.

"Hey! I am Sailor Jupiter, champion of love and justice! You leave my friends alone, you overgrown, ugly excuse for a plant...er, Gorgon... What are you?" she questioned, staring at it.

Not answering, the creature threw some thorns at her. She quickly dodged. "Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

Some of the snakes were cut off her head and fell writhing to the ground. The Medusa-clone hissed and stared at Jupiter. "You will pay for that, ssssilly human girl."

It was obvious to see that she had some snake genes in her. *What kills a snake?* Jupiter wondered.

Looking around, she felt her anger renewed as she saw her fallen comrades. They had fought valiantly, she knew, but it had not been enough. "You will pay, you snake." she hissed.

Her anger became tangible, crackling in the electricity and lightning that began to surround her. "No one messes with my friends!" she cried. Her anger and frustration built up until she could contain them no longer. "Jupiter Thunder Crash!"

The attack went straight at the snake-like creature and fried her to a crisp. Jupiter smiled smugly as she observed the remains of the monster. "Jupiter, a little help here?" Mercury asked frantically.

Sailor Jupiter looked over, seeing Mercury standing over the prone body of Sailor Mars. She could see that Tuxedo Mask was taking care of Sailor Moon and that their leader was already waking up. Quickly, Jupiter went over and released Sailor Venus from the entrapment of the thorn that had held her captive. As she slumped to the ground, the Senshi of Love began to groan, opening her eyes.

"You okay?" Sailor Jupiter asked.

Slowly, the blonde girl nodded, holding her head. "I feel like I was hit by a truck." she moaned.

Jupiter laughed, knowing that her friend was going to be okay. Looking over, she saw Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, and Sailor Mercury all huddled around the still form of Sailor Mars. Gasping, she knew that something had to be seriously wrong. Quickly, she ran over and kneeled by the body of the Senshi of Fire. "What's wrong with her?"

Mercury sighed. "Numerous things. A punctured lung, broken ribs... There's too much damage. I can't treat it all. We have to take her to the hospital."

"But that would reveal that we're the Sailor Senshi!" Venus exclaimed. She had walked over while Mercury had been explaining what was wrong with Mars.

"Yes... But we have to do something. Mars will die if we don't."

"Your moms is a doctor, right? Do you think she could keep the secret of the Senshi coming to her?" Sailor Moon asked.

Mercury looked at her. "I think that might work. Let's go. We have to get her to my house."

Tuxedo Mask carried the prone body of Sailor Mars to the house. Once there, Amy detransformed and called her mother, telling her that she had a friend who was hurt and couldn't go to the hospital. Her mother agreed to come home quickly.

Dr. Mizuno walked in the house. "Amy?" she called.

"In here, Mom."

The woman walked in a gasped as she saw the Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Mask there with her daughter. "Amy? What's going on here?"

"Mom, Sailor Mars is hurt. She needs help. I tried, but I couldn't do enough..." Amy took a deep breath, holding back the sobs that threatened to come from her throat. "She has broken ribs and a punctured lung. I'm not sure what else..."

Dr. Mizuno nodded, though she still didn't understand exactly what her daughter meant or how she had met the Sailor Senshi. She knew that she had to help this young girl lying on the bed. Surely she had a family somewhere who was worried about her. Knowing that she couldn't take a Sailor Senshi to the hospital, she got to work.

******

"What's taking so long?" Jupiter complained.

They were sitting in the living room while Dr. Mizuno tried to help Sailor Mars. They were all worried about her. She was their friend. Tuxedo Mask was comforting Sailor Moon as she cried. "I should have been there... I should have saved her..." she sobbed.

"It wasn't your fault! You were out cold!" he told her.

Jupiter looked at the couple, then allowed her eyes to roam around the rest of the group. There was not a dry eye. *It's my fault! If I had been there sooner instead of reveling in the storm Mars wouldn't be hurt!* she thought.

They all looked up as Dr. Mizuno came out of the room. Everyone leaped to their feet, looking at her anxiously. The woman swallowed and said in a hoarse voice, "You have only a few minutes before she's gone. Say your goodbyes."

A hush descended on the group as they all tried to process what she had said. Once they understood, they all ran to the room. Seeing the bloody body of Sailor Mars lying there, they started crying anew. In places, it was hard to tell where the blood had taken the place of her red skirt, but on the white bodysuit it was so obvious.

They stood at the side of her bed and she looked up at them with half-hooded eyes. Her breathing was labored and her every movement brought her more pain. "Mars..." Sailor Moon whispered.

"Hey, Meatball...Head." she whispered. Her voice could go no higher.

"Raye... At least you found your true love, huh?" Venus said.

"Yeah... Make sure Chad knows that... I love him."

"We'll tell him." Amy said.

"And... Let Grampa know that I'll be looking out for him from Heaven... Tell him I love him and thank him for taking me in when my parents didn't want me..."

"Raye... We'll tell him. Don't worry. He'll know." Sailor Moon said.

"I'll...miss you guys... Serena... Sorry for the times we fought... I never hated you... You were like a...sister to me..."

"I love you, too, Raye."

As Raye's eyes closed, Serena turned into Darien's embrace, seeking solace in his loving arms. Lita stared at the limp body on the bed. That's all it was now. A body. The fire and spirit of Raye's soul had gone. *I should have been there! It's my fault she's dead...* Lita thought. Her hands curled into fists and tears streamed down her face.

Dr. Mizuno watched them, catching the names that Mars had whispered. She knew that those were the name's of Amy's friends. Could this be how she knew them? But why would they tell Amy that they were the Sailor Senshi? It was supposed to be a secret. She sighed, shaking her head. She shouldn't be thinking of that now. One of their friends had died.

"Mom? We should take her body to the morgue." Amy said, always the calm one.

"Yes, you're right."

Dr. Mizuno moved toward the phone and called the morgue. Arranging for them to allow her to bring in the body since she was a doctor, she managed to by the Senshi more time to accept the fact that their friend was dead. Watching the tear-stained faces, she couldn't help but remember that this was her daughter's friend, somehow, and that she had been one of the few people who had the power to protect Tokyo from the rumored evil forces that they had been battling. What would the Senshi do without one of their team?






To Be Continued. Please review if you liked it so that I will know to continue writing it. Thanks.