Sacrifices : A Prologue
Chapter 2
<introduction>
The door swung open on silent hinges and he stumbled out,
gasping for breath. Before him the hallway seemed to twist about
itself, swinging drunkenly from side to side.
*No*.
His knees buckled, and he reached out to the wall for support.
Arms grasped him from behind, steading him; supporting him.
"Doctor?" A gentle female voice.
No! He pulled away from her roughly and stood up straight,
back stiff. He dared not look back. Not at her. Never her.
In silence, she watched him stalk away and lose himself in the
crowded hallway. Among the lesser and greater victims. The patients
and the doctors.
She twisted around and looked back towards the room they had
left. It was difficult. So very difficult. But she forced herself
to do so. The pain. Sacrifices...
The hallway seemed longer than he had remembered it to be. His
knees quivered; his vision blurred. So difficult. So very
difficult. Yet he could feel her gaze upon him; following him. Not
in front of her. Never her. So close...just a little more.
The hallway turned. He half-stumbled around the corner and
collapsed to his knees, clasping his head in his hands. The tears
flowed freely now.
*Shame*.
*Helplessness*.
*Anger*.
It was important to him that she could not see this.
He did not remember how long he sat there. It didn't matter.
No one cared. None of the passer-bys bothered him. To them he was
just another victim of a terrible loss. Not so far from the truth,
eh?
He rose unsteadily to his feet, and wiped his face with the
back of his sleeve. The cloth, still wet with blood, left faint
trails upon his cheeks and brow. War-paint for a far more difficult
battle. A battle that had already defeated him.
Shaking his head, he began the long march. He deserved this.
The long white coat lent him a sense of security. He felt
protected, composed. He could do this.
The lounge opened up before him. Small and cosy, and easily
the most silent of the Hospital's rooms. His steps faltered. Those
faces. Such anguish. He almost lost control. Almost. It was all
he could do to remain calm, to show no emotion. So very difficult.
He took the final step. His voice was steady.
"Mr. & Mrs. Tuskino?" Cool as ice.
"I'm sorry, there was nothing we could do..."
There was nothing he could do. Not now.
<End of Intro>
* * *
In the darkness of night, Sailor Moon landed, twisted, and fell
to one knee, scraping it on the rough roof-tiles of the apartment
building. Her blood left a bright red smear across the black wood.
"Damn!" she muttered, rubbing the wound.
"Buffoon." A low-pitched female voice.
"Baka. Can't you do anything without screwing up?" The soft
clear voice of a male.
Sailor Moon spun around, startled, her mind already
beginning to form the image of her sceptre. With a cry of surprise,
she halted, desperately blanketing the image.
Two forms glided out of the shadows with feline fluidity. One
as brilliantly white as a crescent moon; the other as black as its
darker half. They moved together in unison. So alike in form, that
one seemed to be just the shadow of the other.
"Luna! Artemis?" Her voice trembled. "What are you doing
here?"
The white cat cocked its head in amusement.
"You should know us better by now my Princess. We're each
older by far than the lot of you put together." He grinned, showing
a row of pointed teeth. "With age comes experience. With experience
comes knowledge. And with knowledge, wisdom."
The black cat made an exasperated sound and shook her head
disapprovingly. She stepped in front of her companion.
"You talk in your sleep Princess. We know everything about
you. *Everything*. Did you think you could hide this from us?"
Annoyed, Artemis nudged her in the shoulder, and gave her a
'thanks-a-lot-for-butting-in' look. Luna turned around with a snarl
and swiped at him with a paw. He hastily backed away, and pouted at
her dejectedly. A kitty pout. Sailor Moon smiled. It faded
quickly.
"But why are you here?"
Artemis looked up in startlement, and then blushed, remembering
that he and Luna were not alone.
"We had to come. You need us to do what you have to do."
Sailor moon looked at him in surprise.
"You approve then?" A trace of hope in her voice.
Luna drew close and examined her injured knee.
"Of course not. How could we? But you've made your decision,
and we *are* your guardians. Whether you accept it or not." The cat
leaned close and began licking her wound clean.
Sailor Moon watched her silently for a moment before rising to
her feet, half turning away.
"What could you do?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Artemis sighed.
"What we were not able to do before."
Sailor Moon's head whipped back around. One ribbon of hair
coiled about her neck loosely. Luna lowered her head shamefully.
"We should have been by your side when it happened Princess.
We should have been there to protect you. I could never forgive
myself for what happened to Sammy, and for what almost happened to
you."
Sailor Moon stood motionless, eyes blank, face expressionless.
Slowly she turned her head away again, her hair tightening about her
neck as she did so.
"Luna...Artemis.... Not you two as well." The words barely
left her lips.
"Sailor Moon, we're sorry. We failed you."
A tiny sound, like that of a wounded animal, escaped her
throat. She couldn't stop the one tear that trailed down her cheek
and lost itself under her chin. *I am alone*.
"Princess, please forgive us."
She shut her eyes and steeled her will, praying for the
strength to do this right. *So alone*. She gathered the part of her
that was Mars and set her eyes aflame.
"Never!..."
Strangled gasps arose from the cats.
"...So stay out of our way, unless you plan to doing anymore
harm."
There was only silence behind her. She refused to look back.
*Alone*.
The senshi landed nimbly around her, flowing into defensive
stances at each corner of the roof-top. Venus smiled, giving Sailor
Moon a thumbs up sign.
"Hey! Was that Luna and Artemis I saw dashing away?"
Sailor Moon grimaced. Few things escaped Mercury's attention.
She forced calmness into her voice.
" No. Just a pair of strays I chased away. We wouldn't want
them to get hurt." Her eyes narrowed. "You all took long enough."
She glanced at Mars, bracing for the inevitable attack. All
she received was a sad smile. Sailor Moon frowned. Something was
wrong. There was, however, no time for thought; no place for doubt.
Not tonight, of all nights. She cleared her mind and drew a deep
breath, reaching out for the part of her that was Mercury.
"We are ready." Her voice sounded distant, sere. "You all
know what must be done. Let it begin." She turned to face Jupiter.
"Though they may separate us from the Moon, I had wished for clouds
like these. They will give you strength."
Auburn locks shook as the tallest of the senshi bowed her head
in acknowledgement. Most considered her impulsive, a child of Chaos.
True, perhaps, but usually there just wasn't enough time. Life had
taught her to strike hard and fast, to never hold a punch.
There was, however, time now. Tonight. She read the approval
in Sailor Moon's eyes; in the particular way she tilted her face,
bent her knee, crossed her arms. She had been granted a rare
opportunity to test her limits. There was no doubt, or hesitation.
Jupiter padded towards the center of the roof-top, choosing her
spot carefully. There had to be no crossbeams that might indicate
the position of a wall. She stopped. *Perfect*. Standing easily,
one knee slightly bent, hand at hip, she raised her gaze skywards.
Her eyes followed the contours of the clouds; the steep and shallow
dips that formed the surface of the roiling black landscape. She
could feel the energy building. Within the clouds; within her.
Then, without warning, her left arm whipped up, palm outwards,
fingers splayed. She whispered a single word.
"Thunder."
Above her the clouds tore apart with a roar. Unbound by a
mortal, they unleashed their fury in the form of a jagged silver
bolt. Not unlike a snake, which moves with such grace and yet
strikes with blinding speed, the bolt arched down in the blink of an
eye.
The Scouts averted their faces, and Sailor Moon crossed her
eyes with the back of her hand. Yet peering through the cracks
between her fingers, she could not help but gasp involuntarily as the
blazing silver tip licked the fingers of Jupiter's outstretched arm.
In a flash, the connection between Heaven and Earth evaporated. The
brilliant light, however, remained; sourced at Jupiter.
Floating a mere inch above the palm of her raised hand was the
glimmering bolt, coiled endlessly about itself in the form of a
perfect sphere, pulsating to the beat of the Thunder-child's heart.
Silver threads leaked out of the orb and writhed around her fingers,
leaving faint black trails to mark their passage. Sweat dripped down
her face. A deep furrow decorated her brow between flashing emerald
eyes.
Then suddenly, Jupiter's right hand darted out and made several
rapid motions in succession. A brief flash accompanied each
movement. The orb shrank; faded. And then jealous Darkness rushed
back to claim its territory, snarling and biting at the heels of the
silver light. With darkness came silence.
The clouds above rested uneasily, painfully aware of the ease
at which the mortal woman had invoked them. The scouts turned
towards Jupiter. In the end she stood where she had begun, head held
high, panting. Eyes dancing, she smiled triumphantly, gesturing
about her with her hands.
To one side Sailor Moon waited patiently, absently twirling her
finger through a ribbon of hair. *Soon*.
A gently breeze blew out of the west. It swirled gaily,
ruffling sunset-hued cloth.
"Wow. What just happened."
Being warmer than the air about it, the wind rose up over a
slender form; caressing a soft cheek. And then as it passed over
twilight eyes, it was gently pushed aside by a sapphire visor that
crossed over them.
"I don't see anything...oh!"
Gathering its injured pride, the breeze cast one last longing
glance at the short-haired beauty before sinking angrily to the roof-
tiles again. Thus roiling, it passed among tall ruby heels.
"You were supposed to get us *in* Jupiter. Not entertain us."
The smile on the face of the green-suited warrior grew.
"Oh, ye of little faith." She reached forth with her left foot
and gently tapped the roof-top before her; twice.
With a deep groan a large, perfectly square, section shook,
shifted, and then fell. The three Scouts gasped in wonder. For in
the center of the opening, held up by two thin support beams, was the
Sign of Jupiter; carved out with a surgeons precision. Dark against
a deeper blackness.
*Now*. Without warning, Sailor Moon crouched low and leapt
into the air. She sailed over Jupiter and into the opening. The
Scouts turned as one, following the path of her flight.
With a strangled cry, Mars darted forward and leapt after her.
Mercury followed close at her heels, sparing Jupiter an appreciative
smile as she passed her by.
Venus rolled her eyes, letting out a deep sigh.
"Will they ever learn?" She walked up to Jupiter, gave her a
wink, and dropped into the apartment.
Shaking her head in amusement, the remaining Scout cast a final
glance at her workmanship, and followed.
Sailor Moon landed, ducked, and rolled into a crouch; one hand
extended out, and the other angled over her head, sceptre pointing
down. All she heard was the rapid drumming of her heart. Then a
sound, somewhere below. Then Mars, landing lightly, arms extended
with her index fingers forming a horizontal steeple. From beneath
the shadow of her raven hair, she cast an irritated glance at Sailor
moon. It went unnoticed.
Mercury alighted beside Mars, and then Venus on the other side.
Jupiter took up the forth point of the star, the shadow of her symbol
draped across her shoulders.
The room was a forest of overturned tables and chairs, some
half crushed by the fallen section of the ceiling. The faint rosy
light of Tokyo City cast crooked shadows across the walls; across the
scouts.
"There's no one here." Blond ribbons swayed as the speaker
stood, dusting her gloved hands.
Nearby, orange heels clicked softly upon the tiled floor.
"You should have waited for us Sailor Moon..."
"That's Right!"
"...and that goes doubly for you Mars! *You* at least should
know better." The voice of Venus snapped like a whip, drawing forth
shame-faced silence. "Mercury?"
The blue-suited senshi nodded her head.
"I'm working on it."
The Scouts watched her silently as her fingers lightly tapped
the face of a palm-sized panel. A series of low beeps sang out as a
pattern of golden lights danced across her visor.
For a moment she stood in silence, head bowed, short curls
brushing her cheeks and brow. Then, of a sudden, her head snapped
up. She stared at the Scouts; then behind them. Mercury, who
wielded liquid ice without so much as a shiver, felt Chill's touch
caress her neck. Her voice trembled.
"Where is she?"
As one, the three scouts spun around.
Midnight eyes quivered.
"What's the matter with that girl! Is she trying to kill
herself?..." She stopped suddenly, voice trailing to a whisper.
Her last words seemed to hang in the air, their impact striking
the scouts dumb. Then movement. A flash of green, streaking
forward. *Jupiter*. The spell broke.
"Wait!"
Golden light exploded from an outstretched arm, spiralling
forth swiftly, and then abruptly swerving and wrapping about
Jupiter's waist and shoulders. Venus grasped the coil of light with
her other hand and pulled the tall Scout short. She let out a gasp
as, by sheer force of will, Jupiter dragged her forward a half-meter.
"No!" The coil flared for a brief second and Jupiter fell to
one knee. "Don't do this Lita! We will find her, but *together*."
Overhead, the clouds let out a deep growl.
Mars stepped forward, but halted at a piercing glare from
Venus.
"I'll take care of this." Her voice was harsh, spoken through
clenched teeth. The effort required to hold Jupiter back could
clearly be seen etched upon her face.
The rumbling outside grew louder. About them, the air seemed
to become charged with electro-static energy. Hair rose and swayed to
the tune of a silent piper; Jupiter's wrath. Still struggling, she
turned her head back, a wordless snarl upon her face. Her eyes
glistened in the golden light.
"...Serena..."
Upon her brow, the rod and orb lengthened. Sparks of lightning
danced about it as she crossed her arms.
"...Thund-"
Venus gasped. The golden chain vanished and Jupiter staggered
back.
Arms at her sides, head lowered, Venus spoke softly:
"Will you strike me...Sister?"
Jupiter's eyes widened. For a moment she knelt transfixed,
teetering as if on the edge of some vast gorge. Then slowly the
sparks died out, and with a rush the energy in the air dissipated.
The last glimmers of silver light reflected off two glittering trails
upon her cheeks.
"I will never...not you...never!
Venus smiled sadly.
"Thank you. It means a lot to me." She looked up. "Now why
don't we try finding Sailor Moon. Together."
Jupiter nodded, rising unsteadily to her feet. Gently, Mercury
reached beneath her arms and helped her up.
"I've completed my scan, and I am afraid that I do not have any
good news." She examined Jupiter carefully.
"There seems to be some sort of reflective material used in
these walls that is preventing me from obtaining the information I
need." She lifted one of Jupiter's arms and clicked her tongue in
disappointment.
"I believe that it is common with buildings as old as this
one." Carefully, so as to not further infect the wound, she ran a
cool hand over it. The bleeding slowed.
"I did however find out that there are two hallways adjoining
this room. They run parallel to each other to either side of us."
Reaching deep within the folds of her senshi suit she tore off a
cloth from her favourite dress. The one Ami had worn this night.
"I've also detected a sixth heart-beat in the building. We are
definitely *not* alone." With considerable proficiency, she wrapped
the cloth around the wound and tied it off with a careful knot.
"Not too tight I ho-" She paused, looking up. Jupiter was
staring down at her with glistening eyes. A smile graced her face.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Mercury blushed, drawing her hands away. She nodded.
Mars stopped her impatient pacing and looked towards Venus.
"I know that you want us to stay together but we would cover
more ground if we went in pairs." She turned. "Mercury, Jupiter.
You two will take the east wing. We'll search west of here..."
"I don't think so." Softly spoken.
Mars wheeled about and faced Venus again, head held high
challengingly.
"You *know* it's a better idea Mina, so let go of your pride."
There was anger in her voice. And desperation.
Their eyes met, and locked. Silence for a moment, and then
finally Mars dropped her gaze.
"...Mina..."
Venus looked away.
"I don't agree with you, but we are left with few options. We
*must* find her. Fast." She looked back at the Scouts. "It's over.
We leave when we get her." Silence. "And remember, we're not alone,
so take care." Slowly she raised her hand to her lips and saluted
them, index and middle finger forming a 'V'.
"Good luck..."
And then. like light striking a prism and scattering into
rainbow hues, the Sailor Scouts separated. Red with orange; green
beside blue...
--------------------------------------------------------------
And so ends the second part of the prologue to Sacrifices.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Sacrifices: A Prologue
Chapter 3
<Introduction>
The moon glimmered faintly against a backdrop of black velvet. Alone
in the night sky, she cast her pale light over the pair as they met. For
the last time. *No*. Not the last...but it might as well be so. She wept
silently for the loss of life; the loss of innocence. A trail of stars
marked the path of her tears.
There was little movement. Just sound. The words that had to be said.
A sacrifice that had to be made...to seal the future.
"You will leave me then?" The voice trembled slightly.
"Yes."
"Alone?"
A slight hesitation.
"Yes, alone."
"But why?" Anger laced the words.
Silence.
"...why..."
"You know why!" Anger returned.
"No...I don't...." The words died away.
"You are not *she*!"
"I don't understand. Have I not served your cause well?"
"As well as could be expected." A sigh.
"Then why?!" Pain.
"You have changed. You are not who you once were."
Silence for a moment, then:
"No, I am not. I am much more!"
"...less..."
"I have given everything up for *your* cause. I am what I am because
of *you*!"
"You have chosen your own path..."
"No! You have dragged me by my neck through shame and helplessness to
become *your* tool. I survived. And what little I gained, you will now
take away."
"I must."
"You cannot!"
"I can, and I will."
A bitter cry; torn from a bitter heart.
"Please...no. I need this. Please.... What have I done wrong? I
worked hard for your cause."
"It is not *my* cause!" The voice shook with anger. "Therein lies
your fault. You are blind!"
The sound of deepest sorrow; tears flowing.
"What will become of me."
"You will live your life as before. Then you will die..." A pause.
"...and then the pain will end."
"I am already dead."
Silence. There was always silence in the end.
<End of Introduction>
* * *
The two figures silently ran down the en-darkened passageway, each lost
within her own thoughts; thoughts as different as Order and Chaos. One pure
logic. The other pure emotion.
The shorter of the two hardly noticed her surroundings. Her
concentration had focused solely upon the near impossible task of
deciphering the flashing symbols that scrolled endlessly before her eyes.
The answer lay within them. She was *sure* of it. Something she had missed.
Something important.
In contrast, her companion's thoughts were wild. They shifted
chaotically from image to image, playing out a mental drama of infinite
variations. Like a bad sci-fi thriller, the plot was always the same; the
ending predictable. They all ended the same way: The heroine lying
lifeless on an empty floor. Her blond hair was sullied; twisted and knotted
to either side of her bruised form.
Wounded.
Rent apart.
Defiled.
*God!* In how many ways could she die? The flashing images wouldn't
stop.
Yet the worst part of it was that in each scene, in every damn frame,
the victim was smiling sickly, embracing the darkness enshrouding her.
Accepting it.
*Serena! Don't die!*
Blinded by helpless fury, she didn't notice when her blue-haired
companion stopped suddenly. Heedless of her absence, Jupiter carried on
alone.
Must all good come at a price? All success, the result of failure?
Shaking her head, Mercury dismissed the pointless questions. She was not a
philosopher.
It was during a hasty scan of a room adjoining the hallway, that things
had finally clicked into place. As they always should. She had realized
her mistake. Her terrible mistake.
Yet from within that very error had blossomed an idea so simple in its
nature that it was brilliant.
Her scans had revealed a *third* hallway across that room. The
apartment building was not big enough for a third hallway. It was not big
enough for *two*. She should have realized that earlier.
*Baka*.
They were all reflections of the one she was in right now; courtesy of
the material used within the walls.
Head bowed in thought, she ran a hand over the rough plastered surface.
It reflected everything she sent out. In the crook of that simple fact,
rested her idea. To use the walls, the ceilings, the floors. To use them
as a means of directing her scans to every room in the building.
It would be difficult to calculate the trajectories. Mercury smiled
sadly and combed a gloved hand through her hair. The story of her life.
Ami, studying to be a doctor. Mercury, fighting a seemingly endless battle.
It would be difficult. If only she were more care-free. Like...Serena.
Her eyes widened at the thought, and she laughed quietly. Then sighed, as
Memory chided her for straying away from the task at hand. Serena....
She gently stroked the sapphire stone set in her tiara.
"Give me strength." More then a whisper. Less than a shout.
Gritting her teeth in resolution, Mercury crouched down with the
digital panel resting on her knee. Her fingers blurred over the keypad,
trying to keep up with the swiftness of her thoughts.
To test her theory, she sent out a series of signals along the hallway,
varying the angle and strength.
One...two...
Nothing.
...three...four...
Silence.
...five...six...
Please.
...seven...
There!
White light flickered across her visor, tracing out the shape of the
hallway, forming a rotating three-dimensional view. Mercury let out her
breath in relief, sparing herself a brief smile of satisfaction.
Then a second light blinked on: her position on the map. Then a third.
She gasped. Jupiter? How could she have forgotten....
The thought was cut off abruptly by the appearance of a forth light,
flashing red in warning. Positioned behind her. Instinctively, she threw
herself to one side, twisting around to see over her shoulder.
A darker form, distinctly male, outlined against black shadows.
Movement. A booted foot struck her stomach with tremendous force. With a
strangled groan she doubled over, arms wrapping protectively about her
middle. Her mind blinked.
*Lower abdominal trauma.*
*Possible internal bleeding.*
*Suggested course of action: as little movement as possible.*
Arms roughly clutched Mercury by the hair and neck, dragging her to her
feet and then slamming her against the wall. Pain exploded in her left
shoulder and chest, spreading out in waves throughout her body. Had she any
breath left, she would have cried out. A numb whiteness seemed to spread
over her mind.
*Doctor?*
*A dislocated shoulder and cracked rib...second from the top...*
Mercury shook her head in disorientation.
*Second from the top again Ami.*
*We are very disappointed in you.*
*You must study harder.*
Without the concentration needed to maintain it, the visor across her
eyes dissolved. Her assailant let out a cry of surprise and hesitated.
A blessing. Adder-like, she struck. In quick succession, her fist
rammed into his gut, and then the heel of her hand caught his lower jaw.
The dark figure stumbled back. Mercury shadowed his movement.
Her initial advantage lost, he was prepared for her second attack.
With surprising agility he caught her forearm, twisted about her, and
brought his knee into her midsection; with enough proficiency to strike the
same spot as before.
She fell over with a cry, the arm he held twisting painfully behind
her. A trail of blood stained her lip and cheek. Her chin and neck. The
pain was unbearable. Her mind reeled.
*Aggravated trauma to the lower abdomen.*
*Definite signs of internal bleeding.*
*Keep her still!*
Desperately, she forced herself to roll away. The blow aimed at her
neck, glanced off the side of her head instead, propelling her forward. She
collapsed onto the floor. Blink.
*She's not going to make it, let her go.*
*But doctor, you will lose all your patients if you give up so
easily...*
Mercury clutched her head in agony.
*...If you give up so easily in your studies Ami, how will you be the
doctor you have always dreamed of becoming? How will you help those who
need you?...*
No!
*...how will you help Serena, Sailor Mercury. Mercury. MERCURY!*
Screaming, she swung around, arms outstretched. The stone on her tiara
sparked, and then flared to life, flooding the hallway with an aqua
radiance.
"STOP!" Cold strength in her trembling voice.
The air about her chilled. Then, with the sound of glass shattering, a
crystal plane of ice formed rapidly before her hands. Vertical and jagged
at the edges, it glimmered faintly in the pale blue light. The shadowy
figure slammed into it, hard. He fell back, arms flailing.
The ice crystal evaporated into mist and swept over her. The light on
her brow faltered, flashed brightly, then faded.
Mercury leaned over and vomited. She heard footsteps approaching
rapidly. She didn't care.
A hand upon her shoulder. Gently, yet firm. Jupiter crouched down
beside her and drew Mercury into her arms.
"I'm sorry...." She whispered it over and over; a soothing balm.
Mercury clutched her green suit and smiled weakly.
"Don't be...I am as guilty as you." She rested her brow on Jupiter's
shoulder; staining the fabric a dark red. Then suddenly her head jerked
back, eyes widening. She struggled in the firm grasp.
"Where...is...he!"
Jupiter tightened her grip, whispering soothingly.
"There is no one else here. He must have taken off." Emerald eyes
flashing, she lowered her voice to a growl. "Coward!"
Mercury drew away slowly.
"We...must...tell the others...."
The auburn-haired senshi shook her head.
"I've tried that already. Like your scans, I can't get through."
Silence.
Head lowered, short blue curls brushing the floor, Mercury crawled to
her computer panel. Turning back to Jupiter she simply said:
"I can."
"Looks like Ami's losing her touch."
After many wasted moments trying to contact Sailor Moon through their
communicators, this was just another disappointment to add to the list.
Sighing, the speaker drew her long blond hair over her shoulder, reaching
back to adjust the scarlet ribbon holding it in place.
Beside her, in a suit equally scarlet but of a darker shade, her
companion mimicked the motion, raven hair glistening.
"It's all falling apart Venus. Since we got here, everything has been
going wrong. This was a bad idea."
Mars closed her eyes in concentration. A wave of heat coursed through
her veins, rising up. With a sharp hiss a palm sized flame blazed to life,
dancing and flickering above her left shoulder. The smokeless fire cast the
room in hues of orange and red. It was *definitely* not a hallway.
She stepped into the room, the flame following close behind. Venus
watched her silently.
"I *knew* we shouldn't have gone through with this. How could we have
even listened to her?" Mars ran her hand over an overturned crate.
"Coming from *her*, the plan was doomed to fail!" With quick twist of
her wrist, she snapped the bottom panel open.
"She's a ditz!..." Mars flung the panel aside. It skidded across the
floor and crashed into a stack of boxes across the room. Wisps of smoke
snaked upwards from the corner she had held.
"...A cry-baby failure!" With a snarl, she struck the crate. It
toppled over, contents scattering. Her hands dropped to her sides, shaking.
Her voice was lower when she spoke again.
"I should be at the temple right now. Helping clear up the mess she
left the last time she was there. Or just laying back, reading my manga;
the ones that she somehow always read before me. Or studying, without
having her come in with some lame excuse, and drag me away to the park or
mall. Without having her fall into my arms, weeping...weeping...about the
way Luna or Darien have been treating her..." Her words trailed away into
silence.
She crouched down, pretending to examine the spilled contents of the
crate, averting her face from Venus.
Footsteps approached, stopping close behind her. Venus reached out a
comforting hand...then stopped. A pained expression flashed across her
face. For a brief second her arm hung there, suspended an inch away from
the raven hair. She then drew it away slowly and held it close to her
heart.
"I couldn't stand losing her either."
The flame above Mars flickered, almost died out, and then flared back
to life. She turned her head back, eyes glistening. Venus smiled.
"She's too important to me. To us all. And, though it may seem a
selfish reason, I will protect her because I *need* her." Her smile grew
into a grin.
"Besides, having her score so low on her exams makes us look all the
more smarter!"
Mars laughed softly.
"Yeah. And being around her makes us seem more graceful. *Much* more
graceful."
The blond-haired senshi nodded.
"She brings out the best in us." Her smile faded. This wasn't helping
them. They were wasting time.
She raised her head and scanned the storage room carefully.
*Bingo.*
Her gaze locked onto the opposite side of the room. In a shadowy alcove,
a crudely constructed stairway spiralled downwards. She strode towards it,
heels clicking softly against the floor.
"Let's go." Her voice was grim.
Mars looked up, nodded, and rose smoothly to her feet.
Venus didn't wait. Not bothering with the stairs, she leapt nimbly
onto the rail, and then dropped through the gap between the circling
stairway. She vanished in a streak of orange, white, and gold; her hair
trailed up above her.
Mars followed silently, casting a final distasteful glance at the
weapons that had spilled forth from the crate she had toppled.
A chill pierced her heart.
Eyes widening, she fell to her knees, clutching her head. Above her,
the dancing flame flashed and then tumbled down. It glanced off her
shoulder, burning her, and then struck the floor, shattering into a thousand
glimmering sparks. They scattered about her and died.
Trembling, she gasped for breath. She had never felt this way before.
Never a sense of foreboding so strong; of terror so pure. She couldn't turn
her head away; nor could she close her eyes. The object, small as it was,
seemed to fill her vision.
It lay a few feet away, propped up against another crate, its handle
and barrel decorated with red paint. Her mouth twisted with revulsion, bile
rising. It *yearned* for her. No. She *yearned* for it. No! She
couldn't tell the difference; it was so confusing.
Unable to move, she watched in fascination as a deathly pale hand
reached for the gun. Startled, her eyes followed the arm, tracing it back
to her shoulder. *Her* shoulder. *Her* arm. *Her* hand. Shaking with
fear and desperation, she tried pulling her hand away.
Too late. The cold metal seared her skin. A numbness travelled up her
arm, quenching the fire in her veins; making thick her blood. Mars
collapsed upon *herself*...
...It was good to be out again. Unrestrained. Free. The wind felt
wonderful over her slender form. That, and the cool touch of the moonlight,
setting her ablaze in silver light. Silver over red.
Head lowered, she could see the ground rushing past. The close-cropped
grass; the flowers with petals unfurled, set against a backdrop of rich dark
soil; the firm roots, digging into the earth like anchors, an attestation of
nature's indomitable strength. It all rushed past in a blurring silver
sheen.
His hand felt warm against her.
*So cold!*
Comforting.
He ran with an animal-like grace, dodging nimbly between the trees,
holding onto her tightly. She could sense his excitement. The thrill of
the night.
They halted together.
*Never together!*
Never apart.
He turned her around, pressing her to his forehead. She looked into
his deep eyes.
So clear.
*So dark!*
So beautiful.
His mouth moved, forming words. They were meaningless to her. It
didn't matter, as long as he held onto her.
*No!*
The thought brushed against her mind, leaving her disoriented. Then
his hand passed over her lovingly. The alien thought dissolved away. She
waited patiently. She would wait forever.
He turned away and addressed his companion. A surge of emotion rose
within her; hatred chief amongst them. Hatred for the one who would draw
her Love's attention away from her. She would kill that one. Not now...but
soon. He would burn. Already she could feel the fire building within her.
Deep within.
Those beautiful eyes returned, examining her. How pretty she was to
him. She could see the pride in his eyes. Oh, to kill for him. Divine!
His hand grew rigid, and a silence descended about them. It was time.
He strode forward slowly, carefully. She followed, ever at his side.
*Wrong. Something...was...wrong...*
He raised her. Oh, to kill for him.
*No...*
Before her, out of the darkness, two forms materialized.
*Brother and sister...*
How did she know that?
*...terribly, terribly wrong...*
His second hand clasped her. Steadying her. Infusing her with the
strength to dispel the invading thoughts that filled her with such doubt.
The fire within her grew; the anger.
One would die.
Pick one my Love...done.
Done!
Flame exploded from her maw, streaking out with a deafening roar.
Past the trees, and into the clearing. Past the flowers, and onto the path.
Past the ribbon-haired figure, and into the child. Into soft, yielding
flesh.
The voice she had been unable to understand before filled her mind.
'You have done well...my sweet.'
She was pleased. Or should be, but the beeping wouldn't stop.
Beeping?...
...With a soulful scream that never her lips, Mars awoke. The last
vestiges of her mind dribbled back into her head with agonizing languor.
With it came Memory.
Releasing a terrible shriek, she dropped the gun and scrambled away
backwards on elbows and knees. She crashed through a stack of crates and
slammed into a wall. Leaning against it, panting, she starred with absolute
horror at the dull lifeless object lying in the distant darkness.
Glittering trails marked her cheeks. Scars of a bitter war.
The beeping seemed to grow more insistent. Head bowed, tears flowing
freely, she ignored the sound of her communicator.
"Oh Sammy...Serena...I'm sorry." Sobs racked her form, and she folded
over, clinging to herself.
The floor was bitterly cold.
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So ends the third Part of the Prologue to 'Sacrifices'.
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