Opening for 600k fan fic contest...
It was a night like most other nights in the Tsukino household. The hour was late, and one-by-one, the family members trundled off to bed. Usagi yawned unabashedly, as she slowly made her way to her bedroom. "Good night, everyone", she offered, in a voice that revealed more fatigue than enthusiasm. "Good night, Usagi," her mother echoed from down the hall, "Have sweet dreams."
Usagi shut the bedroom door behind her, sighed lazily, and looked longingly at her bed. Suddenly, she stumbled. "Whoa!", she cried, as she struggled to regain her balance. "I must be more tired than I thought. I'm falling asleep on my feet!" She managed to giggle, in spite of herself, but the wisp of levity quickly turned to alarm, as she felt the room start to spin and sway around her.
It was as if she were being pulled in several directions at once. She vainly tried to steady herself. "Waaaahhh!!", she cried, as she was hurled across the room, "What's happening?!" She had no opportunity to cry out a second time. Suddenly she felt herself spinning through the air, enveloped in a darkness that was as absolute as it was frightening. She was paralyzed. She could neither move nor speak. After what seemed an eternity, the spinning stopped, and the darkness was broken by a soft glow in the distance.
"Where am I?", she queried in a whisper.
She reposed on a cold, rocky landscape that offered a stark contrast to the warmth and softness of the room she had just left. The nearby glow appeared to brighten. She squinted, struggling to make out the details of this dim light that was now approaching her. She gasped, as she observed a pair of eyes amidst the curious glow that drew ever closer.
"Sailor Moon," announced a low, soft voice from the midst of the light, "I have been waiting for you..."
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Entry for 600k fanfiction contest
by Abigail
abbeyl@hotmail.com
Rating: PG, for a few drops of blood and some mild violence (trust me, it's nothing major)
Usagi sat mesmerized as the glow in front of her gradually faded to the shape of a woman. She looked like an exotic flower, with long, long orange petals falling from her waist to the ground. Her sleeves were long and yellow, hanging down past her waist, her hands clasped together like some prayerful saint. Her head was bowed, an exotic blue headpiece crowned her regal head. Her hair was pulled into two rings, and on either side of her head the remainder of her long locks hung free. The wind took these and gently drew the orange strands around and about her.
"Ka - Kakyuu..?" Usagi managed.
Princess Kakyuu raised her head and lifted the shutters of her eyelids to reveal fiery red eyes. The same eyes that had silently called out to her from the ethearal glow just moments before.
Usagi pushed herself to her feet, glancing about at the rocky desert landscape that spread in every direction, except to the west where rocky cliffs rose up to meet the low-riding sun. "Is this... Kinmokusei?" she asked. Strange, she had always imagined the Starlights' home planet as a lush green world much like Earth.
"I have been waiting for you, Eternal Sailor Moon," Kakyuu repeated, in the same soft and unwavering tone of voice. "So that we may finally settle the score between us."
A gust of wind swept over the land, sending an eerie chill through Usagi's body as she turned to face Kakyuu again. The glow in Kakyuu's eyes was strange, almost frightening. Usagi gave a light laugh. "What do you mean?"
"Dearest girl... *princess*..." Kakyuu's words were edged with a patronizing tone. "You must realize. There can only be one true Princess in the universe. One princess with divine powers who guides the stars, protected by all. Surely your powers rival mine, for we are similar in many ways. You, too, are a beautiful and mysterious leader whose power and intrigue is known throughout the universe. There can only be one such star in all the galaxies. Sooner or later, the two must clash, and one will emerge the stronger, leaving the other to fade away."
She couldn't understand what the princess was saying and tried to make sense of it. "Princess Kakyuu, what are you talking about?" Usagi replied. "I-I am the princess of the Moon, and of my solar system, and you.. you are the princess of the Kinmoku star system. It is true, you may be stronger than me. It is our separate responsibilites to protect our own part of the galaxy, working together when we must."
"Foolish girl," Kakyuu said in a near-whisper, her burning eyes seemed to pierce holes through Usagi's body. "How can you ever hope to govern the universe? Your sentiment makes you weak. Only the strongest can rule all the galaxies!" Kakyuu held out her arm and a glowing orange-red sword appeared in her grasp.
Usagi took a step backward in shock. Did Princess Kakyuu want to challenge her for the position of ruler of the galaxies? But Usagi had never expressed a desire to govern the universe in any way or form. All she would ever want would be to be with the ones she loved and cared, and to protect them. No one ruled the universe. Why was Kakyuu acting this way? What had inspired this drastic change of character?
"Kakyuu!" Usagi pleaded. "Why are you saying such things? Why are you talking like Galaxia? Didn't we unite our powers so that the universe could be free?! I don't care who is strongest! We use our strength to protect the ones we love, and not for our own desires, don't we?!
Kakyuu took a step toward the blonde girl, her flaming sword held out in readiness, looking like an angel of death, beautiful and terrible, the blood-red color of sunset staining her hair and dress. "Deep in your heart you don't truly believe that, Sailor Moon," she said in a strong voice. "Prepare yourself, and we shall see who emerges the victor."
"No!" Usagi half-shouted. "There is no reason to fight! I won't fight you, Princess Kakyuu! You're not making sense!"
But the red-headed princess paid her no heed. Kakyuu lunged at her with the sword, swinging it in a deadly stroke. Usagi jumped away with a yelp, and the blade plunged into the ground, singeing the earth around it into black ashes. Kakyuu jerked the sword from the ground and turned to face Usagi again, who was backing away in horror and disbelief.
"Foolish girl," Kakyuu hissed. "Transform and defend yourself!" Usagi could only shake her head slowly, unable to form any words. Kakyuu rushed at her again, and Usagi dodged her, trying as best she could to avoid the blazing sword that Kakyuu wielded, all the while thinking that this couldn't be happening. The princess swung her weapon again.
Usagi screamed as the sword struck her arm. Blood gushed from the deep cut, and the girl fell to the dust in shock and pain. Kakyuu stood over her. "Please... stop this," Usagi pleaded.
"I used to think your weakness didn't suit you," the princess said. "Now I see that it does. You never were strong." Her sword fell to the ground beside her. She pulled a jeweled dagger from her skirt, and with a chilling scream plunged it toward the girl on the ground. Usagi instinctively grasped Kakyuu's wrist with her uninjured arm, keeping the blade inches from her face. Trembling, it took all her strength to hold off the other woman. The evil gleam in Kakyuu's eyes frightened her more than anything. Her white-knuckled hand gripped the princess' wrist, as her whole body strained to keep the weapon away. The pain in her other arm throbbed and increased. Usagi screamed as she thought her muscles would explode with pain. A bright white energy exploded around her, nearly blinding both of them.
Kakyuu watched in awe the incredible power that radiated from the girl as she fought for her life. The golden crescent moon glowed on her forehead. The princess of Kinmoku's lips curved upward in a smile.
Usagi felt the powerful energy flowing through and around her. Kakyuu was incredibly strong, and their struggle had brought forth the power of the Silver Crystal. Usagi could see nothing but the brilliant light around her, as the pain in her body rose to an unbearable level. Her world faded into blackness..
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Dusk. The last colors of the setting sun were fading away behind the cliffs. And all around her, desert. Usagi blinked, and it took her several seconds to realize that she lay on the dry ground, her cheek pressed against the dust. Nothing stirred in the air. Not even the twitter of some distant insect broke the silence.
Usagi tried to push herself to a sitting position, and pain shot through her upper left arm. Her uniform sleeve was soaked in blood, and the wound stung deeply. The memory of what had happened forced its way back to her mind. Surely, surely, it was all a dream. But the pain in her arm screamed otherwise. A large circle of crimson blood stained the dirt below her.
Usagi tore the hem of her slip and bandanged her arm as best she could. Standing and looking about her, she wondered what to do next. Was she really on Kinmokusei? It seemed the best place to head for was the cliffs to the west. Perhaps they held some answers to this surreal dream she had been plunged into.
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She scaled the rocky cliffs and found herself looking down on a huge palace, surrounded by lush gardens. Inside the palace were gold engraved walls and long, thickly carpeted halls lighted by tasseled lamps hung along the walls. She followed the halls, choosing corridors at random, not knowing where she was going or who she might meet. Occasionally she would try one of the heavy mahogany doors. Some would be locked, and some opened to let her peer into some richly decorated room.
This palace seemed endless. Then she heard the noise of a door opening behind her.
"Odango!"
He wore his navy Juuban uniform, his jet-black hair pulled back into its usual ponytail, his blue eyes intent. He looked exactly as she remembered him.
"Seiya!" she ran to him.
"Odango, what are you doing here?" His concerned voice asked. He looked both ways up and down the hallway, then pulled her into the room he had come out of. Seiya faced her. "It really is you. How did you get here, Odango? And at such a time, too."
"What time, Seiya? What is going on here?"
Seiya looked away. "I really don't know what to tell you. Kakyuu's gone mad and the palace is in chaos. Taiki and Yaten and I don't know what to do."
Usagi's eyes widened. Kakyuu gone mad? If not for her recent encounter with the princess she would never have believed it. "But... I don't understand. How could this happen? Some new enemy?"
Seiya began pacing and said nothing. Puzzled, Usagi stared at the floor trying to make sense of what Seiya had said. Perhaps it was true, but the question remained, what had brought her here?
"It's terrible, but in any case, I'm glad that you're here." Seiya's arms encircled her waist from behind. Usagi froze. She could feel his warm breath on her ear. Gently he planted a kiss on her neck.
"S-Seiya..." she tried to squirm away from him, "I don't think we..."
He tightened his grip on her waist and pulled her closer to him. "I'm not going to let you go this time," he whispered darkly in her ear. Usagi gasped as an evil energy assaulted her senses. This wasn't right. This wasn't Seiya!
She struggled against him but he only held her tighter. "Come with me!” he demanded.
"No!" she protested. "Let me go! Who are you?!" She kicked her legs wildly, occasionally connecting with Seiya's shins. "Let go!!" She squirmed and tried to get away from him, when suddenly Seiya grabbed her injured arm. She cried out at the pain from the fresh wound. Seiya's hand clamped hard over her mouth; Usagi felt her head being jerked back. Her heart pounded wildly with terror as he pressed hard kisses to her jaw and neck. Please, God, this couldn't be happening!
She had to get away. She opened her mouth and bit down hard on Seiya's hand, at the same time jerking her elbow back to connect with his body. When his grip on her loosened for a moment, she broke away and ran. She ran from the room and into the hall, and she kept going, not daring to look back. She sprinted past corridor after corridor, not caring where she was going. Her heart still pounded against her chest.
Her foot caught the edge of a rug and she went sprawling to the ground. Dazed for a moment, she looked up at the sound of footsteps drawing nearer. But there were two sets of footsteps, and they were coming from the opposite direction she had come. In just a few seconds they would round the corner to meet her.
"In here," came a whispered voice, as a hand pulled her up and into a pitch-dark room. The footsteps passed and faded away down the hall. Her rescuer brushed past her, and then the soft glow of a lamp illuminated the room. Usagi let out a small gasp when she saw that it was Sailor Star Fighter.
She had the same long black ponytail as her male civilian form. Her sailor fuku was skimpier than the Planetary Senshi's, made of black leather. Thigh-high boots covered her legs, nearly reaching her black leather shorts. A black brazier and long gloves completed the outfit, along with the sailor collar that every Senshi everywhere wore, no matter what planet they came from.
"Odango," the Senshi's bright blue eyes turned to her. "I can't imagine how you got here. Still, it's a relief to see a friendly face."
Usagi took a step backwards.
Fighter's eyes rested on her blood-soaked sleeve. "You're hurt! What happened?"
"I-it's nothing. Nothing at all," she stammered quickly, taking another step back.
"Odango, it looks bad. Let me look at it." Fighter moved toward her, her hand outstretched.
Usagi backed away faster, nearly tripping over a chair behind her. "Stay away from me!" she warned. "You're not Star Fighter! You're not Seiya!"
Fighter looked at her in surprise for several seconds, then realization dawned on her face. She dropped her gaze. "I see. You must have already met my alter-ego."
"Your what?"
The Senshi pulled off her glove and held out her hand, which was indented with several bite marks. "Then you must have done this." She grinned. "You're pretty feisty, Odango." Her smile faded when she saw Usagi's fearful look. "I'm sorry," Fighter apologized. "I should be trying to explain everything to you, even though I'm not really sure of what's happened myself.
"There had been an evil energy in the air for several days, but we had been unable to pin down what it was or where it was coming from. Then this morning, it was like it had been suddenly let loose. An unnatural earthquake shook the palace, and a black cloud started filling the halls. All of us could sense the evil force stronger than ever. There wasn't any way to fight it. I don't remember what happened after that; the four of us passed out somehow. When we came to, we were still in senshi form, but a part of us was gone. How do I explain this? Something had stolen Seiya's identity from my body - Seiya's body, his personality, and everything that makes him who he is - and now it is out there masquerading as me, an evil version of me. But since it is Seiya, it is actually me. Whatever pain it feels, I feel as well, and vice versa. So when you bit that other Seiya, Odango, I felt it. But I have no control over my other self. It's the same with Taiki, Yaten, and Kakyuu. We don't know how to make it right again, and we can't attack them without doing injury to ourselves. Does that even make sense?"
Usagi absorbed her words. "Is that true, Fighter?" she asked softly.
"It's true," the senshi told her. Her eyes fell on Usagi's wound again. Fighter reached out and gently touched the girl's arm. "Did I... did Seiya do this to you?"
"I-I fell on the rocks outside."
"Oh. Are you alright?" She looked up and it pained Fighter to see the distrust in her eyes. "Odango... it's me," she assured her softly.
Usagi's eyes brimmed with tears. "Seiya?" And then she fainted.
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A face framed by silver-white hair hovered over her. "Hey. She's waking up."
The face was replaced by another with blue eyes and black hair. "Odango, how are you feeling?"
Usagi blinked several times to try to clear her head. "Where am I?" she murmured. She started to sit up.
"Sit still for a moment, please, until I finish bandaging your arm."
She turned her head to see the third and tallest Starlight tending to her wound. She touched a cold cloth to her skin, carefully wiping away the blood. "Star Maker." Usagi looked again at the white-haired senshi. "Star Healer."
Maker looked up and smiled at her. "Hello, Usagi."
"Not only did you drop in without an invitation, but you had to hurt yourself as well," Healer said bluntly with her hand on her hip, but then she smiled.
"Well, Odango always was a klutz," Fighter put in.
Maker didn't say anything, but caught Usagi's eyes for a moment. She knew that such a clean and deep cut couldn't be caused by jagged rocks. Usagi averted her eyes, studying the room around her.
She reclined on a rich purple and gold sofa. The rest of the small room was finely decorated with what resembled an Oriental style. Tasseled lamps hung from the ceiling. "Where are we?"
"This room?" Healer replied. "This is one of the chambers adjoining the main throne room."
"I see. Where are..."
"The others?" Healer look a bit annoyed at the mention of their other selves. "I can't tell right now. But if they come near we should be able to sense them."
Maker finished bandaging her arm. "There you are, Usagi."
"Thank you," Usagi told her.
The brunette Starlight looked up at the other two. "Fighter. I think you and I should go search for the Princess. Healer, can you stay here with Usagi? We'll meet you in the throne room."
Healer nodded.
"Take care of yourself, Odango," Fighter winked and left with Maker.
Once they were gone, Usagi let out a long sigh, falling back on the cushioned sofa. She let her eyes wander over the rich contents of the room - gold, crystal, and fine linens and embroidery. "So this is where you live, Healer?" she said after a pause. "It's all so beautiful. Does your room look like this, too?"
"Eh?" the white-haired Starlight was pretending not to pay attention to her.
Usagi jumped to her feet. "I wish the others were here. I know they would love to see you guys again. Imagine that, I was getting ready to go to sleep and suddenly I get a one-way trip to Kinmokusei! I didn't even have to pay airfare!" She giggled a little. "I got a strange welcome, though. But that's okay, 'cause I get to see the three of you again! And I get to see your lovely palace! It must be so cool to live in such a place!"
Healer finally turned to her. "The palace isn't that special. What are you rambling on about?"
"Oh, okay. I guess you never did like me very much, did you?"
The senshi gave her an annoyed frown. "What makes you think that?"
Usagi shrugged lightly. "That's alright. I hope I can see Kakyuu again before I leave here, I mean, the real Kakyuu. Do you think my mom and dad even know I'm gone?"
But Star Healer wasn't listening again. Her senses were attuned elsewhere, namely, the throne room behind them. She turned and moved towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Usagi called in surprise.
"Just stay here!" Healer called as she disappeared.
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It was strange, walking into the throne room and staring face-to-face with herself. Like an afterlife- or out-of-body-experience. She knew what had happened, that somehow her two identities had separated, but she didn't want to ponder the technicalities of it. Glaring back at that other pair of green eyes, she was actually starting to hate herself.
Taiki sat slouched in the Princess' throne, Yaten leaning beside him. They both wore their navy school uniforms from their days on Earth. Star Healer walked cautiously, glancing about for signs of Seiya or the Princess. Finally she faced the two.
Healer was becoming frustrated with this game of cat-and-mouse, but what could she do? If she attacked the enemy she would only end up hurting herself or her allies. As yet they had made no indication as to who they truly were. It seemed ridiculous, because these things that had stolen their bodies could not attack them either. What were their intentions? Certainly Usagi held the answer to that question, or else why would they have brought her here? Of course, what enemy wouldn't covet the power that that unsuspecting girl held.
Whatever it was, they, the Senshi, were going to have right this mess, and soon. And it wasn't going to be as easy as handing over Usagi, no matter how much Healer pretended to dislike the girl.
Taiki gave a short, disdainful laugh, that was almost like a snort. "And so arrives the happy couple. Abandoned your friends, have you?"
Healer spun around to see Usagi standing behind her. "Stupid! I told you to stay in the room!"
"But, I only-"
"It's you that they're after, can't you figure that out?!" She looked so hurt by the harsh-spoken words that Healer softened her expression. "You might as well stay out here now. At least that way I can protect you."
The other two strode toward them. Yaten laughed, mockingly. "You'll protect her, Sailor Star Healer? How noble. She's not even your own princess. You act like such a dutiful senshi with high and lofty intentions, when really you're nothing but a hypocrite." Healer gave her alter-ego an angry glare, but he seemed unfazed by it. "You can't even tell her your true feelings. Pathetic!" Yaten spat. "Wasting your emotions on a mere girl that you can never have. I suppose she is desirable, even if she is a worthless little thing." Usagi shivered involuntarily as Yaten's evil eyes looked over her with disdain.
"Worthless will always be worthless," Taiki said. "You and Seiya are both fools."
Healer glanced back at Usagi. "That's not us talking," she reminded her quickly. Usagi noticed the senshi's cheeks tinted slightly pink. Star Healer... Yaten... had feelings for her?
"We're wasting time," Taiki crossed his arms. "This worthless girl holds the crystal that our master wants."
Yaten stepped forward, and Healer put herself between him and Usagi. "Idiot," Yaten told her. "Don't you realize yet how pointless that is? You can't do anything."
"Don't think I won't attack you. It makes no difference to me," Healer warned.
The click of boots sounded on the tiled floor as Fighter and Maker ran into the throne room and came up behind Healer and Usagi. Healer glanced at the two. "The Princess?" her eyes asked. Maker shook her head.
Fighter stepped forward threateningly. "I've had about enough of this. Tell us who you are and what you're doing here!"
Yaten sighed and with a bored tone said, "Pu-lease, don't tell me you're that stupid."
"Fighter, they want Usagi."
"No way!" Fighter jumped in front of Usagi. "I'll die before you take her!"
"But why would you take our identities?" Maker inquired. "By doing that you've created a deadlock - neither of us can harm the other without harming ourselves. That seems to hinder your goal more than help it."
"My dear, we can leave these bodies at any time we wish," Taiki replied to her female conterpart. "You are simply pawns that we are using. And then when we destroy your bodies, your senshi forms will be destroyed as well. After that, nothing can stand in our way. Not even sacrificing yourselves will help your beloved Usagi."
Usagi was watching Star Healer from where she stood, behind and to the right of her. Her face was set with anger and determination; as Taiki spoke her expression remained the same except for a twitch of her eye and a slight purse of her lips. The senshi didn't take her eyes off the two familiar strangers in front of her.
"Who the hell are you?!" Fighter demanded, but her question was left hanging as a bright glow appeared from the top right corner of the ceiling. Fighter turned to see Seiya enter the throne room behind them, as the glow continued to move ominously forward from the opposite side of the room.
Usagi had seen that glow before - she recognized it as it floated down between Taiki and Yaten. It slowly faded, first revealing two eyes, then fire-red hair and finally an orange dress as Princess Kakyuu materialized before them.
She could see it in the Starlights' faces - a hidden anxiety under their hard expressions, and she could imagine their conflicting emotions inside. After all, this was their Princess, the one for whom they had searched for so long on Earth. *It must be difficult to think of her now as an enemy, even if that's not really her.*
A glowing mist hung around Kakyuu's feet, glowing and pulsing in a mesmerizing sort of way. Her voice spoke, soft and smooth, barely audible. "We have all been gathered together now. It's time." She held out her hands and the mist began to flow into them, up from the floor, forming a shapeless ball cradled in her hands.
"What are you doing?!" Star Healer cried.
Seiya stepped up behind the Starlights, and Fighter turned and threw a lightning-fast punch at him, partly to protect Usagi, and partly so she didn't feel as if she was helplessly standing there doing nothing. Seiya caught the senshi's fist with her hand and held it in an iron grip, as Fighter struggled to overpower him.
Healer and Maker were feeling helpless as they watched Kakyuu's magic swirl and grow larger, not knowing what it was or what was in store for them. "Return our princess, now!" Maker demanded.
"KINMOKU FUSION TEMPEST!" The high, clear voice echoed from across the room, and in a flash of light and confusion the evil Kakyuu's magic dispersed and a pained scream momentarily filled the air.
"Usagi!" All three Starlights stared in shock as they watched what happened. Sailor Kakyuu, the princess' senshi counterpart and the one who had released the attack, appeared beside the Starlights, her face covered with horror and concern. "Usagi!"
Princess Kakyuu looked down with some surprise at the girl who had jumped in front of the attack meant for her. Her eyes grew cold again, her lips unsmiling. "Thank you," she told Usagi without emotion. She began to reform the magic she had dropped.
Usagi painfully pushed herself up from the floor. She smiled weakly at the look of disbelief on Sailor Kakyuu's and the Starlights' faces. "I couldn't let you… harm yourself.”
“Usagi!” Healer rushed to her side, and Fighter was close behind her. Princess Kakyuu nodded to Yaten and Taiki, who stepped toward the blonde girl. Yaten raised both his arms, shouting: “DARK SENSITIVE-“
Healer jumped up and screamed overtop of Yaten’s voice: “STAR SENSITIVE-“
“INFERNO!”
“STOP!” Usagi screamed as both Healer and Yaten collapsed to the ground, feeling the force of both attacks. She couldn’t stand to see her allies destroy themselves for her sake.
“DARK GENTLE-!”
“DARK SERIOUS-!”
“STAR GENTLE-!”
“STAR SERIOUS-!”
“STOP IIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!” Usagi screamed in a high-pitched voice with all her might and emotion. The blinding light of the Silver Crystal burst forth from her as all the attacks converged in one massive explosion, engulfing every participant of this battle.
And as the light and energy slowly, slowly faded, all was silent.
*************
“So… they’re gone?”
Sailor Kakyuu, Starlights, and Usagi stood in the throne room minutes later.
“It seems that way,” Fighter said cautiously.
“The shine of your crystal drove them away. It broke the hold they had on our bodies and our identities, and without a host to live in, these creatures, shadows, were weakened some. Apparently they didn’t want to battle us in such a state and retreated,” Sailor Kakyuu explained.
“They’ll be back,” Maker stated.
“Perhaps,” Kakyuu said, but her tone and expression spoke otherwise: they would be back. She touched her chest and her sailor fuku faded into her princess’ gown.
“You have yourself back!” Usagi exclaimed with a smile. “I mean, er.. you’re complete again! Or your princess self... oh, whatever, I’m so glad!”
They laughed.
****************
“You’re sure you don’t need my help?” Usagi spoke to Seiya, a few hours afterward, when everything in the palace had returned to normal.
“Don’t worry about us. The next time those shadows show up, we’ll be ready for them, and kick them flat on their butts,” Seiya grinned. “Thanks, Odango, for all your help… again.”
“I wish the stay could have been longer,” she said.
“Me too. Tell the others hello for us. I’ll miss you… Odango.” He took her hand and kissed it, turned, and left the room.
Usagi stood alone for a while before walking through the doors to the balcony overlooking the gardens. She wasn’t surprised to find Yaten there, leaning against the rail. He looked up, then turned back to face the gardens again. “Are you going back now? Well, be sure to greet Luna for me.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me your feelings?” Her question was met by silence.
He spoke after a while. “You didn’t need to know, and nothing could ever become of them. It’s that simple. Besides, it’s not like you need one more person in love with you.”
“I’m sorry, Yaten.”
“Don’t be.” He turned to face her with a half-smile. “I was stupid to let myself fall in love in the first place. There’s nothing you could do. Anyway, have a safe trip. Isn’t Kakyuu waiting for you?”
That wasn’t what she had expected. In reality, she didn’t know what she had expected from him. This was still a surprise. “That’s it?”
“Yeah.” His eyes took on a dark look, a little bit sad. “That’s it.”
She hesitated, then turned to go.
“Goodbye, Usagi.”
She looked and he wore a silly half-grin, even though she could still sense the sadness in his eyes. She smiled back.
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Author’s notes:
Whew! I never planned an ending like this. Actually when I started this, I had no idea what I going to write about. I took the opening paragraphs and the story kinda developed itself as I went along. :P It turned out… er, interesting. I didn’t plan for it to be this long, either, but my typing fingers are always long-winded, I guess. I hope its not too long.. for a short story, that is. Anyway, I’d love to hear anyone’s comments, and all the other writers in the contest.. Good luck to ya, and may the best imagination win! I read some of them when I was writing the conclusion to this, and they all are great!
Peace out ^^
Abigail