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rlm@0
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1 "She never really had a chance on that fateful moonlight night.
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2 Sacrificed without a fight, a victim of a circumstance.
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3 Now that I've become aware and I've exposed this tragedy,
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4 A sadness grows inside of me, it all seems so unfair,
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5 I'm learning all about my life by looking through her eyes.
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6 Just beyond the church yard gates, where the grass is overgrown,
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7 I saw the writing on her stone. I felt like I would suffocate.
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rlm@0
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8 'In loving memory of our child, so innocent, eyes open wide.'
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9 I felt so empty as I cried, like part of me had died…"
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rlm@0
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10 Dream Theater. "Through her eyes."
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11
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rlm@0
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12 "Ms. Tsukino?" A well-dressed, dark haired woman called as she entered the room
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rlm@0
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13 where Usagi and Chibi Usa were awaiting Hotaru's return. "I'm Dr. Lisa Terrene, and I've just
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14 been assigned to Ms. Tomoe. She's on her way back from the CT scan now." The doctor looked
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15 Usagi directly in the eye; her own brown eyes were made larger from the small metal-framed
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16 glasses.
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rlm@0
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17 "Yes? Is everything alright?" Usagi stood up as the woman entered, very much glad for
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18 her professionalism, and seeming concern with Hotaru. The blonde immediately noted she wasn't
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rlm@0
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19 very much shorter than the doctor, and their build was almost the same, though Lisa was more
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20 full in the bust and hips. Dr. Terrene regarded Usagi's question a moment, before stepping beside
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21 her and opening the chart, showing her the films that were recently printed out.
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rlm@0
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22 "See this black part here?" the doctor ran her finger along the slick surface, pointing at
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rlm@0
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23 the area that was considerably darker than the rest of the normal brain tissue, "This is a normal
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24 result of acute head trauma. Though normally harmless, her previous medical conditions make
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25 her more predisposed toward injury." Usagi nodded slowly, feeling a bit numb right now, having
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26 looked at the CT pictures made it all the more real. Chibi pulled at Usagi's sleeve to try to see the
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27 images as well, but the older girl didn't respond to the touch.
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rlm@0
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28 "What does this mean, doctor? What should we expect? The other doctor said that she
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29 could be well or die. That's too much of a range for me." Lisa closed the folder and crossed her
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30 arms around it, leaning her back against the wall and looking down at Usa who was on her way to
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31 the door to see if Hotaru was on her way back yet.
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32 "Well, the pressure in her head is stable right now, and we're going to keep her monitored
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33 24 hours a day until it drops, or we have to take further measures." The doctor waited for Usagi to
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34 nod before continuing. "Right now it'll be fine on it's own, but if she develops brain edema, it could
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35 be fatal. We have to prep her for surgery just in case, we hope there won't be any trouble, but if
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36 there is, we will have to physically release the pressure from her head, by opening the skull at key
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37 points and removing the excess fluid." She hesitated a moment, glancing to Chibi, then back to
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38 Usagi, "Since we don't know exactly where those points will be, I'm afraid we're going to have to
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39 shave her entire head."
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rlm@0
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40 "Shave her head?" Chibi's soft red eyes looked at Lisa and began to water slightly. She
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41 couldn't imagine Hotaru without hair, but most definitely doesn't want her to die. "Why do you
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42 need to do that?"
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rlm@0
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43 "Because we don't want hair to get into the incisions, the holes we might have to make,
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rlm@0
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44 because hair isn't supposed to be there and could get her brain infected…" Dr. Terrene paused
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rlm@0
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45 and glanced apologetically at both girls, " I'm very sorry, but this is the only way to provide the
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46 fastest possible treatment if something should go wrong, God forbid it." The doctor placed her
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47 hand on Chibi's shoulder, "I know she means a lot to both of you, and I'm praying that she'll be
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48 alright." Just as she finished her sentence, Hotaru was wheeled back into the room, still
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49 unconscious. Chibi ran to see her, placing her hand on Hotaru's even before the bed stopped
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50 moving. The tech looked at the girl, but didn't say anything as he locked the bed into place and
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51 headed out of the room, nodding to the women before he left.
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rlm@0
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52 "Did you hear that Hotaru? They want to shave your head…I know you wouldn't want
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53 them to huh? But we'll get you some hats, and you can wear those." Chibi's eyes spilled tears,
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54 the drops ran down her face and splashed onto Hotaru's cheek. "You said before you wanted a
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55 hair cut like Haruka-papa, didn't you? Well, now you'll get to see what it looks like!" Chibi's hand
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rlm@0
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56 reached to Hotaru's hair and running her fingers through it, now beginning to sob. The lack of
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57 sleep, and the horrid events of the last day had made her a nervous wreck. Usagi too felt like
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58 crying, Hotaru's hair was so beautiful, it was a shame to cut it all off, but whatever would save her
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59 life.
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rlm@0
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60 "We'll need to shave her head now, hun…" Lisa said to Chibi, once more placing her
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61 practiced hand on the small child's shoulder. A female nurse came into the room with a bag, a
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62 pair of scissors and an electric razor. "I'm sorry…" Terrene said before stepping out of the room,
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63 not wanting to observe the process.
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rlm@0
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64 "Can I see the scissors?" Chibi asked the woman who looked at her dumbly a moment
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rlm@0
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65 before nodding and handing them, handle first, to the girl. "Thank you," she said politely and
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rlm@0
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66 wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Reaching out, she grabbed a lock of Hotaru's hair and
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rlm@0
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67 snipped it off, holding it tightly in her hand. The nurse, having gotten the idea handed Chibi a pair
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68 of rubber bands to bind the hair together, which she did with only slight difficulty. "There…now I'll
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69 always have a piece of you with me Hotaru!" Chibi said with her best brand of false cheer as she
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70 handed the scissors back to the nurse. "Can we go get something for lunch, please?" The pink
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71 haired child asked her mother, not wanting to stay either. She couldn't bear to watch it.
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72 "Sure, let's go get a donut or something sweet. I've been dying for something all
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73 morning." Which was a half-truth, sure she had been hungry. She was always hungry. But
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74 suddenly she didn't feel too much like eating. Placing her arm around Chibi, Usagi pulled her from
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75 the bed, directing her to the door; though she cast one last look over her shoulder to see the
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rlm@0
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76 nurse began to cut the raven colored tresses from Hotaru's head…Usagi felt sick.
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77
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rlm@0
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78 Seisen's blade sunk deep into the skull, and a quick turn of his body sent brain matter
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79 flying, and blood running down Hotaru's clothes. The sound of the sword tearing free of the flesh
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rlm@0
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80 was that of someone slicing a cantaloupe open with a dull knife. Hotaru felt her body hit the floor,
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81 and look up at the darkness and at the black dressed youth above her.
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rlm@0
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82 "Next time, Firefly…duck?" Seisen returned his sword to its scabbard and wiped the
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83 blood from his hands onto his pants. He turned to view the portal again, leaving Hotaru on the
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84 floor, wondering what just happened. She wasn't dead? Her hands moved to her head and
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85 touched it gently, though it was slick with blood and fluid, it was intact. It wasn't her head that he
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rlm@0
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86 cut…then whose was it? Hotaru turned behind her, finding a body lying within a foot of hers; what
|
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rlm@0
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87 appeared to be a mix between a human and a jackal. It's head was that of the latter, it's large
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88 canines coated with it's own blood, as a large part of it's skull was torn clean off. The body was
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89 human, though covered in mangled, dirty fur.
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rlm@0
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90 "I'm… alive?" Hotaru's hands moved along her body now, making sure she was still
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91 whole. "Thank you, Seisen…" she was polite about it, and placed her hands on the floor. She
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rlm@0
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92 began to push herself up, but the blood was too thick and her grip quickly slid, sending her
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93 sprawling onto her chest. "ow…"
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rlm@0
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94 "Need a hand?" The youth asked over his shoulder, before turning his head to gaze at
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95 the girl. Hotaru nodded, finally admitting defeat; Seisen was immediately by her side, a hand on
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96 her elbow, and another around her waist to lift her as if she weighed nothing at all. His hands did
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97 not release her body; "Come on…this is going to be quite a ride, hold on tight, or you might get
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98 lost…whatever you do, don't let go of me." He waited until Hotaru again signaled yes before
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rlm@0
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99 stepping onto the platform before the portal and then added a quick, "Here we go…" before
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rlm@0
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100 drawing his sword, a crackle of electricity surrounded them a moment, then sucked them into the
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101 depths.
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rlm@0
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102 The hungry, swirling vortex pulled them in, the colors were blinding and dizzying in their
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103 intensity. Purple light flowed over them; tendrils of color began to tug at their bodies, pulling them
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104 from every which way, but the sword's electric-like properties of the blade shocked them away.
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rlm@0
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105 Hotaru whimpered and pulled tighter onto Seisen, who wrapped both arms around her, as the
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rlm@0
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106 blade guided their way through the vast stream of time and space.
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rlm@0
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107 Something caught Hotaru's eye. She was facing Seisen's chest, with a good view over
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108 his shoulder, and glimpsed a black outline creeping slowly towards them. "Seisen…something is
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rlm@0
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109 coming, I can't make it out but it's moving really fast." The youth turned his head to the right, to
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rlm@0
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110 look over his shoulder and swore quickly at what he saw.
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rlm@0
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111 Quickly approaching the pair, emerging from the darkness of the void was an
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rlm@0
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112 indescribable creature. Decayed human bodies were stacked in a shapeless pile, with large, bony
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113 appendages that raked the air, flexing and extending as it neared the two. Soon, it's left tendril
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rlm@0
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114 like arm craned back and shot for them quickly. "Brace yourself!" Seisen shouted.
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rlm@0
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115 A rough force rammed the pair forward, as the creature struck them, sending both the
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116 youth and Hotaru spinning head over heels in the infinity. Seisen quickly flared his legs out, to
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rlm@0
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117 counter the spin, though he was slightly nauseas, and keep them facing in the same direction.
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rlm@0
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118 With a short grunt, he ignored the pain having no choice but to ride it out; he knew better than to
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rlm@0
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119 turn around and face what was attacking them. It would leave Hotaru vulnerable. Another forceful
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rlm@0
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120 slam collided with Seisen's back; this time a low snap was heard as one of the man's ribs was
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121 cracked clean in two.
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rlm@0
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122 "Ugh…" Seisen gurgled; it was obvious his lung was punctured. "Dammit…almost there,"
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rlm@0
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123 he whispered to Hotaru. "Turn your back to me…" he began to move his hands, grimacing in pain
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rlm@0
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124 as turned Hotaru in the opposite direction. She did as she was told, and held onto him tightly.
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rlm@0
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125 Once she was completely turned, he placed his around her shoulders, to give her more coverage,
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rlm@0
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126 just as another blow landed Seisen's back. He grunted loudly, cursing a blue streak as he
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127 shuddered a moment, then went limp. His eyes closed.
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rlm@0
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128 Hotaru glanced over her shoulder to see what was going on, only to be greeted with the
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rlm@0
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129 sight of Seisen's blood stained face, rivulets of the crimson liquid were pulled from his body,
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rlm@0
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130 twirling into ribbons as it spilled into the distance. Blood was pouring from his mouth; that much
|
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rlm@0
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131 was evident even with his mask on. The creature had pierced his rib cage. "Seisen!" Hotaru
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rlm@0
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132 yelled out, causing the man to open his dark, innocent eyes to regard Hotaru. He looked
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133 exhausted, and was coughing thickly.
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rlm@0
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134 "Take the sword…" his hands moved to hers, placing the blade into her palm then closing
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rlm@0
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135 her hand around it, the fierce wind still whipping around their bodies as the colors around them
|
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rlm@0
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136 began to decrease. "It's…pushing through me…it's trying to get to you…" just as he said that, the
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rlm@0
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137 tendril managed its way through Seisen's chest, spraying Hotaru's back with blood. Seisen's grip
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rlm@0
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138 increased on Hotaru and he began to push her away, but a moment too late; the bony extension
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rlm@0
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139 pierced her back, just at her heart. She screamed loudly, and Seisen's face contorted as he
|
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rlm@0
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140 gathered the last of his strength, "Hold on…don't let go of the sword, it will guide you back…"
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rlm@0
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141 Shoving Hotaru away, and off the tendril, Seisen wiggled quickly, causing the hole in his
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142 chest to enlarge, but it would decrease the dexterity of the tendril as he moved. "Brace
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143 yourself…" The man pulled his legs back and placed them just at Hotaru's back, and with a quick
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144 move and a loud yell, he shot both legs out, sending Hotaru flying down the portal at a dizzying
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rlm@0
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145 speed. She managed to get one last look behind her, to see her blood spilling through the vortex,
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rlm@0
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146 and Seisen floating limply through the air, before vanishing from sight. "Thank you…" she
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rlm@0
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147 whispered to him as she neared the end of the portal, her body shaking lightly from both fright
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148 and blood loss.
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149
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rlm@0
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150 Chibi turned the soup in her small, Styrofoam tray over and over with her spoon. Her face
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151 was stained with tears, and she had no real appetite. She glanced over at Usagi, who sat staring
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rlm@0
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152 at her donut, looking for some kind of answer in the chocolate surface. "Good soup?" the blonde
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rlm@0
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153 girl asked without even looking up. Chibi only gave her a slight grunt, before putting the spoon
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rlm@0
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154 down and glancing at the clock. It was now 3:00PM; they had been in the cafeteria for almost half
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rlm@0
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155 an hour, neither of them having said a thing to the other until Usagi had broken the silence.
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rlm@0
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156 "You think they're done yet…?" Chibi inquired, pushing the bowl away from her in
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rlm@0
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157 disgust. "I want to see her again" Usagi shrugged and was about to say something, but the loud
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rlm@0
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158 speaker sudden blared over their heads.
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rlm@0
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159 "Code blue, room 415, code blue room 415!" Both girls immediately looked at each other,
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rlm@0
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160 stood quickly enough to knock their chairs over, and darted towards the elevator.
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rlm@0
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161
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rlm@0
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162 In the operating room, Hotaru's head was already opened up, and they were attempting
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rlm@0
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163 to drain the fluid from her skull but to little avail. Her blood pressure was dangerously low, and her
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rlm@0
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164 pulse was down to almost an almost unreadable level. She was hooked to a bypass machine at
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165 this point, both blood and IV drips were in place, as the doctors tried desperately to save her
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166 young life. Hotaru's spirit however, was quickly streaking back into reality, thanks to Seisen's
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167 shove. The sword that was wrapped so tightly in her hand suddenly faded from existence as she
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rlm@0
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168 was rocked violently into a stop, just above her real self, though her vision was horribly blurred.
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rlm@0
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169 Her spiritual body bled, and her life was fading quickly, both in the real world, and in the astral.
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rlm@0
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170 Soon, as her vision began to focus, Hotaru saw her own body; hooked to tubes, blood pouring out
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rlm@0
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171 of her head while the medical team worked as quickly as possible to try to keep her alive. Her
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172 spirit's eyes began to shut, both her bodies were shutting down.
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rlm@0
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173 "What happened to me…?" Hotaru thought as an invisible force began to pull back into
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174 her body. "The last thing I remember about being here is the snow, and the sky…" Soon, she was
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rlm@0
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175 being bound back into herself, and as she returned to her physical form, she was immediately
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176 overwhelmed by pain.
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rlm@0
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177 She regained consciousness on the table, a bolt of pain caused her to sit up quickly,
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rlm@0
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178 pulling both the IV drips from her arm in the violent motion. "Chibi…" Hotaru mumbled lightly,
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rlm@0
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179 glancing to one of the nurses, her violet eyes locking onto her for a moment before they rolled
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rlm@0
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180 back into her head and she fell back onto the table limply, causing a few instruments to go flying
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181 off their trays, and a nurse to scream loudly.
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rlm@0
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182 "Get her stabilized," the head surgeon directed the staff, "we need more anesthesia,
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rlm@0
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183 more blood, 0, get as much of it as you can carry! Move it!" the team began to scramble, a couple
|
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rlm@0
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184 slipping on the blood that coated the floor, dripping from the IV tubes. Before they could even
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rlm@0
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185 reach the door to head to the blood bank, the heart monitor let out a steady beep, signaling a loss
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186 of the pulse. Hotaru Tomoe was dead.
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187
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rlm@0
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188 "'Ruka…" Michi placed her left hand on her head, while her right quickly grabbed
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rlm@0
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189 Haruka's knee, squeezing it tightly in the cab that was racing to their destination. "I…I don't feel
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190 good." She held her chest and clenched her eyes tightly shut, "God…it feels like my heart is
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191 crumbling in my chest..." Haruka placed her hand on Michi's, not exactly sure how to comfort her,
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192 but she didn't have a chance to even open her mouth before Michi began to sob. Haruka knew.
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193
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rlm@0
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194 As Usagi and her daughter reached Hotaru's room, she was already gone and in surgery,
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rlm@0
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195 though there was a nurse in the room. Chibi went immediately to her and began pumping her for
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rlm@0
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196 information. "Where's Hotaru!?" she demanded, looking up at the woman who simply glanced
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197 away, not allowing the young child to acquire eye contact.
|
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rlm@0
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198 "The doctor will be in shortly to talk to you," she answered evasively and began to walk
|
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rlm@0
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199 out of the room but was blocked by Usagi who stood in front of the door, her hands on her hips
|
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rlm@0
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200 and a dangerous glare returning to her eyes.
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rlm@0
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201 "Where. Is. She!?" Usagi demanded, her eyes starting to narrow as the nurse looked
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rlm@0
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202 away from her as well.
|
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rlm@0
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203 "She's in the O.R." That was technically not a lie, since she was still physically in the
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rlm@0
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204 operating room, "the doctor will be in shortly to speak to you." The nurse then sidestepped Usagi
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205 and left the room closing the door behind her.
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rlm@0
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206 "I don't like this feeling," Chibi said to Usagi, looking at her fearfully, "I…I don't feel good, I
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207 feel sick, and empty… Why do I feel like this? It's not right." Usagi was about to try to reassure
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rlm@0
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208 her, but the doctor entered the room with a solemn look on her face, Usagi felt her heart begin to
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209 pound.
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rlm@0
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210 "Ms. Tsukino… please sit down, you too as well, child." Usagi slid into the chair numbly,
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rlm@0
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211 and Chibi sat quickly into her lap, both their eyes glued to the doctor, "There is no easy way to
|
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rlm@0
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212 say this…Ms. Tomoe regained consciousness in surgery." She paused a moment, Chibi's eyes lit
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rlm@0
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213 up and a broad smile formed on her face, she began to dismiss her ache. "She whispered the
|
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rlm@0
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214 word 'Chibi'," Lisa spoke quietly, "Then she went into cardiac arrest…"
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rlm@0
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215 The doctor sat on the bed, placing a hand on either side of her head, "I'm sorry, both of
|
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216 you, but your friend passed away…" Chibi's grin stayed on her face a moment, it felt stiff, unreal,
|
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217 it slowly began to fade. Suddenly it felt very cold, and Chibi began to struggle for breath, tears
|
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rlm@0
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218 began to stream down both of the girl's faces, and Usagi placed her hand on her daughters back
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rlm@0
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219 to try to comfort her.
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rlm@0
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220 The silence of the room was suddenly shattered by Chibi's soul shredding scream.
|
|
rlm@0
|
221
|
|
rlm@0
|
222
|
|
rlm@0
|
223
|
|
rlm@0
|
224
|
