Been there, done that.

"Death of a Sailor"
-Henry J. Cobb
$Id: death_of_a_sailor.txt,v 1.4 1996/12/10 02:41:17 hcobb Exp $

The Sailor Senshi are the creation of Naoko Takeuchi, no infringement is
intended.

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I am so very tired.  I had to escalate to princess this time, and still
it wasn't enough to keep everyone safe.

As I finish bandaging his arm, he reaches his other hand up to mine.
"Go to her."  He says, so bravely.

I have not even used the crystal to soothe his pains.  If I will do as I
offer, even that tiny reserve will be needed.

I gather unsteady legs beneath me and walk to the sailor holding the
corpse in her lap.  "There is still time."  I say.  "The crystal holds
her spirit and I have just enough strength to heal her body and reunite
the two."

"At what cost."  It isn't a question, she knows.

"I will die."

"She would not wish that, our princess.  The world needs you -- more
than her.  Release her spirit and use your strength to heal the others."

"There is another way, but it will take a few days."

In the days leading up to the funeral, I am doubly busy.  In addition to
my normal schoolwork, the cats bring me every scrap of my mother's
notes.  I carefully horde my strength and gently probe at the stone that
can grant any wish and will gladly kill me.

The day after the ceremony, I go to their estate.  It feels like an
eternity, waiting for her to answer the doorbell, but I am ready.

Her eyes say that she wants to be alone, as she welcomes me in.

"She has a request."  I announce.  "She needs to become attuned to the
crystal.  I need to know her very well.  We need to spend some --
quality time together.  She wants to spend it with you."

"Gladly."

I touch the stone at my breast and it flares brightly, as two souls
combine in one body.

"You haven't eaten in days."  The voice that is not quite my own says.
The spirit knows this person too well.  "Here, let me fix you
something."

I watch amazed, as my clumsy fingers gracefully prepare the meal.  They
chat, about their adventures, their dreams.  When the conversation
touches on me, I blush.  The spirit retreats.

"No, please."  I ask.  "Say whatever you like.  I don't mind.  Pretend
I'm not here."

She watches me over the candlelight as my hand reaches for the
wineglass. "You're underage."

"We were all born a very long time ago." I reply.  "To the silver
millennium." We three toast.

They continue their conversation after dinner.  My hand slips.  The
sketch is ruined, but somehow she adjusts.  The misplaced line becomes
the stroke of the sword.  A bold motion for our bold subject.

Later my unpracticed fingers almost slip from the violin.  Again her
grace rescues.  The sad slow music does not miss a note.  At last tears
come to the eyes of the one she loves.  We kiss them away, then her
lips.

"Who was that from?"

"From both of us."  I answer.  "You have always been so handsome to me."

In their bed she stops.  It is obviously my first time.

"Please continue, I must know this part of me and her."

"But what about..."

"He knows, he's agreed."  We kiss her again.

After, I rest for only a moment, then sit up.  "Come, the most important
moment awaits.  Hold my hands, as I hold the crystal."  I stare into
it's depths as it shines like the sun, then goes out.  "It is done."

"how many millennia forwards have you sent her?"

"None.  A life just starting took the spirit from me.  Several years
from now a young girl will be under the protection of my sphere as she
sleeps, to awaken at the dawn of Crystal Tokyo.  A few years after that,
she will awaken again to the powers of the elegant sailor.  Until then,
I'll be here, if you need somebody."

"I can wait."

"A millennium is a very long time."

"She is worth it."

	Henry J. Cobb	hcobb@slip.net          http://www.io.com/~hcobb