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1 Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon - Infinity Alternate
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2 'Eye of the Beholder' - Chapter Three
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3 by AmazonessDuo
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4 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
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5
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6
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7
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8 The future Senshi of the moon raced against time to reach Hotaru
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9 before it was too late. Her fuku was soaked from the rain and hail,
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10 her pink hair a mess. “I have to save Hotaru-chan! I can’t let them
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11 kill her. I can’t let them get to her. I have to protect her.” Her
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12 long gloves wiped away the tears and rain from her eyes as she
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13 spotted the fence to the Tomoe residence. Her heart sped up its
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14 chaotic tempo in her chest. “I won’t run away from her this time.
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15 Whatever form she’s in, whoever she is, whatever her destiny is, it
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16 doesn’t matter. I love her...” Her body kept moving, despite her
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17 mixed thoughts. She leapt over the fence and headed for Hotaru’s
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18 room, ready for anything this time.
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19 Setsuna’s eyes followed the young Senshi’s movements from the tree
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20 she was waiting in with Haruka and Michiru. “Is that
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21 Sailorchibimoon?! She’s not supposed to be here!” Pluto immediately
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22 jumped down from the tree, followed closely by Uranus and Neptune.
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23 She raced for the ‘younger’ girl in an attempt to stop her. If
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24 anything happened to her...
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25 “Hotaru-chan?” ChibiUsa crawled through the window, unaware of the
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26 Outers close behind. She looked awful, some dirt streaks on her fuku
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27 and some scrapes from when she’d slipped in on the street on the way
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28 there.
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29 “ChibiUsa-chan?” came Hotaru’s weak voice from the bed, unable to
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30 believe her eyes. The other girl had come back? But... why? After
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31 what she’d seen earlier, Hotaru had been certain that she would never
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32 see the pink haired girl again. “Sailorchibimoon, why..?”
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33 ChibiUsa didn’t say anything as she sat down next to the pale girl.
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34 Her heart pounded in her chest. Nothing sounded right. She wanted to
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35 tell her everything that was in her heart, but she knew the Outers
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36 were intent on killing her. She had to protect her above all else at
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37 the moment. Her arms wrapped tightly around the dark haired girl,
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38 Hotaru shivering in her arms. She looked awfully sick. Holding the
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39 other girl close, she let her eyes fall closed, trying to regain her
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40 composure. “I’m so sorry, Hotaru-chan. I didn’t mean to run away.
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41 You’re everything to me. I just got scared. Seeing you like that just
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42 brought up everything I’d been frightened about in the first place
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43 about falling in love with you. But I’ll never leave you again. I’m
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44 here to make sure you never have to be alone again.” Her crimson eyes
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45 sparkled as she pulled just enough away from Hotaru to meet her
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46 silver eyes. “Hotaru-chan, I love you. I really meant that when I
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47 told you earlier. I do love you. And I won’t let them hurt you.”
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48 Brushing back some of Hotaru’s dark hair, she hesitated only
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49 momentarily before kissing her.
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50 Hotaru returned the kiss slowly, her body still shaking as salty
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51 tears spilt down her ivory cheeks. Her heart latched onto this one
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52 moment, everything else being too much for her to handle. As long as
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53 she was in her princess’s arms, she would be safe. “I love you...”
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54 she whispered softly. She swallowed painfully. Hotaru knew what she
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55 had to say, but she couldn’t get herself to let go of ChibiUsa. “You
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56 have to go, ChibiUsa-chan..”
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57 Wet hair swung about as ChibiUsa shook her head. “I can’t go. If I
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58 go, they’ll hurt you. I’m lucky I got here in time. I promise I won’t
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59 let them do anything to you,” she said soothingly, stroking Hotaru’s
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60 back through the dark cloth. She could actually feel some of the
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61 wires underneath her flesh, but she didn’t care. Her poor firefly.
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62 There had to be something she could do for her.
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63 Hotaru shook her head. Everything was getting more distant, as if
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64 she was watching it all from far off. “But if you don’t go... she’ll
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65 hurt you..” It didn’t matter if someone was going to do something to
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66 her. It was too late for her. But ChibiUsa had to get away.
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67 ChibiUsa was confused by Hotaru’s words. The dark haired girl
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68 sounded so tired, so weak. She wasn’t making sense. The princess
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69 turned Sailor Senshi had come here to protect her from someone, not
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70 the other way around. “What?”
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71 Hotaru’s deep silver eyes opened again, their depths seeming
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72 clouded by something. It wasn’t that sad look the depressing girl
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73 usually had, but something entirely different. Something frightening.
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74 The door slammed shut, startling the younger looking girl in her
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75 arms. Before ChibiUsa knew what was happening, a hand snaked out from
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76 Hotaru, wrenching the broach from Chibimoon’s chest.
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77 Her eyes wide in shock, ChibiUsa slumped against Hotaru. Her fuku
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78 reverted back to her normal clothes as everything started to grow
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79 dark. Her last thoughts before she lost consciousness were a painful
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80 understanding that she had been far too late to save Hotaru.
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81 “Small Lady?! Damn it!” Pluto cursed herself for not being there
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82 sooner to save the princess.
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83 “ChibiUsa!!” Usagi cried as she and Mamoru ran to their future
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84 daughter.
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85 Hotaru’s conscious faded out at about the same time as ChibiUsa’s,
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86 something more sinister taking over. Her hair grew past her
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87 shoulders, pooling on the floor as her body grew stronger. A grin
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88 creased her lips as her young body rapidly grew to a more suitable
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89 age. Glaring at the Senshi imposing themselves upon her, they were
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90 all forced back out of the room by a tremendous power.
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91 Usagi held ChibiUsa’s cold hand as she looked back in at the girl
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92 that had been Hotaru. “Is that Saturn? Are we too late? Is she
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93 already awake?”
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94 Haruka shook her head, keeping an eye on the new threat. “No, the
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95 talismans haven’t been activated. Saturn hasn’t been called yet. So
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96 that has to be something else.” The blonde shook her head, at a loss.
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97 A black star began shining on what had been Hotaru’s forehead.
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98 “What a stupid girl. But she really did come in handy after all. Now
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99 I have the Ginzuishou. I’ve awakened! And soon I have a gift for you,
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100 Master Pharaoh 90!” Her grin broadened as she clutched onto
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101 ChibiUsa’s broach.
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102 “ChibiUsa?!” Mamoru held onto the princess’s unconscious body
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103 protectively.
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104 “ChibiUsa!! ChibiUsa, wake up!” Usagi called frantically. “She’s so
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105 cold, Mamo-chan... She’s not breathing!” She held ChibiUsa’s cold
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106 hand tighter.
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107
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108 She was going to kill that little bitch. That’s all there was to
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109 it. This wasn’t just business anymore. It wasn’t just her duty. She
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110 had gotten careless, sloppy. But what could be expected of her? She
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111 had only been a Senshi for little over a week. She hadn’t been
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112 reawakened as Sailor Pluto until very recently. But she’d had enough
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113 time to puzzle over her memories. And Setsuna knew damn well that the
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114 young princess had been her only friend in the future when she’d been
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115 locked away guarding the Time Gate. And yet she had failed her. She
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116 hadn’t been quick enough to save her. And now Small Lady was dying
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117 because of that girl. Telling herself that the girl was possessed by
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118 a powerful Daimon didn't help her in the least. She had to find her.
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119 She didn’t even know why they were bothering to discuss all of this.
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120 Time was of the essence.
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121 “She’s gone into cardiac arrest. I’m afraid she’s dying. And
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122 there’s nothing I can do to help,” Dr. Mizuno said hopelessly. There
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123 was no way she could sugar coat this diagnosis. The girl was so
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124 young, too. She always felt a pang in her heart at seeing children
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125 taken from their parents. It worried her about her own daughter. Ami
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126 hovered close to her side, as if mirroring her mother’s sentiments.
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127 “No... That’s wrong... This is all wrong...” Setsuna shook her head
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128 slowly as she watched her little princess dying in the arms of her
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129 future mother. This wasn’t the way the time stream was supposed to go
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130 at all. Time had taken a freakish twist, taking with it the life of
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131 Princess Small Lady. She couldn’t help blaming herself, thinking that
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132 there must have been something she could have done, some way she
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133 could have prevented this. It felt like a nightmare that she couldn’t
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134 wake up from.
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135 “Small Lady...” Diana looked up at her mistress with tear streaked
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136 eyes, nuzzling her cold side gently. She almost expected to feel the
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137 gentle hand of the girl she was supposed to watch scratching under
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138 her chin. This was worse than when she’d gone off into the past
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139 without her in the first place. Much, much worse. ChibiUsa felt so
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140 cold. Licking her unresponsive hand for a moment, Diana pressed her
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141 head against it, her heart sinking as ChibiUsa’s arm slumped
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142 lifelessly next to her.
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143 Dr. Mizuno silently left the room, leaving the grieving family and
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144 friends. She wished that she could do more to comfort them, but she
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145 knew from experience that there wasn’t anything she could do. This
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146 was the part of the job she hated the most. And seeing Ami with
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147 them... She wanted to just quit for the day and take her dear
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148 daughter home with her. To know that she was safe. But Ami was a big
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149 girl now. The look in her eyes had told her that Ami would like
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150 nothing better than to go home with her, safe and sound. But she had
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151 other things she needed to take care of. And if that was the way
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152 things had to be, so be it. Dr. Mizuno said a quick prayer for her
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153 daughter’s safety, hoping that she would never have to be in the
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154 situation that those poor people were in at the moment.
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155 Clutching ChibiUsa’s cold body tightly, Usagi tried to suppress the
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156 sobs that threatened to overwhelm her. “She’s dying... Hotaru-chan..
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157 No, Sailorsaturn killed ChibiUsa-chan..” Even in her deep, tortured
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158 sleep, the pink haired girl’s face looked oddly serene. Usagi had to
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159 wonder if she had been wrong, if maybe there had been no other way
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160 than to kill Hotaru. That maybe her future daughter would have
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161 survived.
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162 “Her soul was ripped from her body,” Setsuna explained quietly as
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163 she brushed ChibiUsa’s cheek in a motherly manner. At the puzzled
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164 look she received from all but Haruka and Michiru, she continued.
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165 “It’s been the Death Busters’ plan from the beginning. They’ve been
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166 stealing souls the entire time that we’ve been fighting them. From
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167 Mugen Gakuen and other places. The bodies are mere constructs for
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168 them, being used like so many spare parts for a machine. They plan on
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169 using them to build a body for Pharaoh 90. To convert them all into
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170 one. So he can be reborn here on earth. I’m surprised they didn’t
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171 take Small Lady’s body as well.”
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172 Usagi shook her head in confusion. “But if that’s what they’re
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173 after and Hotaru-chan was helping... So that wasn’t Sailor Saturn we
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174 saw over ChibiUsa-chan?”
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175 Michiru shook her head, aquamarine hair swinging to either side.
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176 “No, the talismans have yet to activate. When they do, then Saturn
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177 will awaken. Had it been Saturn, we would all be dead now. So this
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178 might be out last chance.”
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179 “We failed to plan for this. We were only worried about the girl
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180 awakening as Saturn, but she has been used by the enemy for years.
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181 That Daimon has been sleeping within her frail body from the very
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182 beginning of Pharaoh 90’s gamble for earth. It isn’t even Hotaru any
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183 longer. She died when Mistress 9 took over her body. At the same
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184 time, she killed ChibiUsa. Or will. When she stole ChibiUsa’s
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185 Ginzuishou, she dragged her soul along as well.”
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186 “Then... What will happen to ChibiUsa-chan and Hotaru-chan?” Usagi
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187 asked worriedly. She squeezed the young girl’s cold hand. There
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188 wasn’t even the reassurance that ChibiUsa was there with her anymore.
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189 It was just a body.
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190 Setsuna felt a burning in her throat, but she refused to let it
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191 through as she looked up at her future queen. Even if it pained her,
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192 she couldn’t change the reality of what was happening. “The souls the
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193 Death Busters have gathered are used to bolster Pharaoh 90 while he
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194 waits for something stronger to sustain him. They keep him alive in
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195 the meantime until he can be reborn. But even if he is reborn, the
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196 souls will be utilized as Daimons. It would be impossible to save
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197 them at that point. Their only salvation would be death and the
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198 afterlife that awaits them.” The thought of Small Lady languishing as
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199 a Daimon tormented her. She knew if that happened, she would have to
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200 kill her personally, to save the princess from that life.
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201 The Sailor Team was shocked by this revelation. “So all of the
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202 Daimons we’ve fought up till this point...” Minako began. She was
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203 starting to feel sick. “They were humans before?” How could they have
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204 killed so many unknowingly? So many innocent lives had been
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205 sacrificed already.
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206 “You did them a favor. They were trapped in those Daimon bodies.
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207 You have released them. For all intents and purposes, they had died
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208 when their souls had been taken. You just allowed them to move on,”
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209 Michiru explained coldly. She had to remain cold. This was her duty.
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210 Too many people would die if she didn’t. Too many more innocents. She
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211 wouldn’t let that happen. She glanced at Haruka for support but found
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212 Haruka doing the same. Yes, she had to stay strong.
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213 “ChibiUsa-chan... Hotaru-chan... If we don’t save them soon,
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214 they’ll be changed into Daimons?” Usagi looked up to stare pointedly
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215 at the Outer Senshi. Her mouth had gone dry.
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216 “It’s too late for Hotaru,” Haruka explained, crossing her arms.
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217 “She’s already been overcome by the Daimon that’s possessed her for
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218 years. It’s a wonder that it took this long to break loose. Or it was
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219 just biding its time. Whatever the case, we won’t allow Hotaru to
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220 suffer. We’ll kill her before she can. We’ll release her from the
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221 torment she’s in and send her on her way to the afterlife. It’s too
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222 late for her in this life.” She didn’t mention that it might well be
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223 too late for the princess as well.
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224 Usagi gasped, standing up in protest. How could they be so cold?
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225 How could they call themselves Sailor Senshi? “But you can’t..!”
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226 Setsuna’s gaze grew angry as she drew herself up to her full
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227 height. Her own heart was crying out at this injustice done to her
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228 friend, but she wasn’t going to sit back and idly debate what they
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229 could do to save everyone. This wasn’t all or nothing, it was a fight
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230 to merely survive. They couldn’t be bothered by choosing a course of
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231 action where everything worked out perfectly and everyone survived.
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232 It just didn’t work that way. And if she had a chance to save her
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233 princess, she was going to take it. The quiet little time guardian
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234 inside of her snapped under the pain pushing on her heart. “Damn it,
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235 Serenity! She has Small Lady’s soul and the Ginzuishou! What the hell
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236 do you expect us to do?! What can we do?! If you want to save Small
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237 Lady, you have to fight them and take it back! If we don’t kill
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238 Hotaru, she’ll kill us. And ChibiUsa will die. If we don’t act
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239 quickly, there won’t be anything left of this planet worth saving,
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240 let alone your daughter. Even if Sailorsaturn doesn’t awaken, this
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241 planet will crumble around your feet. We have to stop Saturn -and-
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242 Pharaoh 90 -and- save your daughter. And yet you still want to go
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243 that extra step and save everyone. We can’t do that! We can’t sit
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244 around and hope for everything to be perfect! We have to fight! Which
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245 would you choose, my Queen?” Setsuna didn’t wait for an answer.
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246 Turning on her heal in a rage, she began to henshin into Sailor
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rlm@2
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247 Pluto. “We’re going. Not just for Small Lady, but for this planet! I
|
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rlm@2
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248 won’t sit back and watch you let it suffer any longer.”
|
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rlm@2
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249 Usagi sat back in silence as Setsuna stormed out of the room,
|
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rlm@2
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250 followed closely by Haruka and Michiru. Setsuna had been so serious.
|
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rlm@2
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251 Usagi felt like she had been slapped. “If we don’t save the planet...
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rlm@2
|
252 Everyone we’ve fought up till this point, all the innocents... And
|
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rlm@2
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253 now Hotaru-chan’s one of them.. But I don’t want to hurt anyone...”
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rlm@2
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254 She looked down at the girl in her arms, her heart crying out. What
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rlm@2
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255 could she do?
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rlm@2
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256 Lifting the small girl in his arms, Mamoru began to walk for the
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rlm@2
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257 doors. “At this rate, ChibiUsa-chan’s going to die. We need to save
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rlm@2
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258 her. Let’s take her back to my apartment. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
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rlm@2
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259 He tried not to think about the lifeless body in his arms, the body
|
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rlm@2
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260 slowly shutting down as it had no soul inhabiting it. Nothing to keep
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rlm@2
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261 it alive.
|
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rlm@2
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262 “We’re running out of time. We can’t wait any longer or we’ll lose
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rlm@2
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263 ChibiUsa-chan. And maybe everyone else. We need to do something,”
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rlm@2
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264 Usagi mumbled to herself, trying to keep up as the rest of the Sailor
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rlm@2
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265 Team followed.
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rlm@2
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266
|
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rlm@2
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267 Back at Mamoru’s apartment, Diana stood a silent vigil over her
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rlm@2
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268 mistress. The kitten didn’t take her eyes away from the pink haired
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rlm@2
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269 girl, still feeling guilty about not being with her earlier. Luna and
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rlm@2
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270 Artemis had tried to console her, but she was too distant, lost in
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rlm@2
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271 her own thoughts. She could smell death in the air. It was all around
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rlm@2
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272 her. And she was afraid that death would be a rather punctual visitor.
|
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rlm@2
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273 “ChibiUsa-chan’s body is linked with mine now. I’ll keep her body
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rlm@2
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274 alive as long as I can. But it’s still nothing without her soul.”
|
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rlm@2
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275 Mamoru held his future daughter’s hand, a faint glow starting to
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rlm@2
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276 envelope them as he felt the strain of her body drawing strength from
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rlm@2
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277 his own.
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rlm@2
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278 Luna fretted as she paced back and forth. Her daughter, Diana, was
|
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rlm@2
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279 still unmoving a short distance from her. “But the burden on your
|
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rlm@2
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280 body will grow tremendously the closer to death her body gets. I
|
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rlm@2
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281 don’t know how long you can hold it up.”
|
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rlm@2
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282 “We have to try something. I’m sure Minako and the others will get
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rlm@2
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283 her soul back soon.” Artemis tried a smile, but his voice sounded
|
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rlm@2
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284 doubtful. Luna leant against him with a sigh.
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rlm@2
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285 Mamoru could already feel his breathing growing labored, but
|
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rlm@2
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286 ChibiUsa’s body was starting to feel a little warmer. He smiled
|
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rlm@2
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287 softly, trying to keep the worry from his features. “It will be just
|
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rlm@2
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288 fine. I know it’s just her body, but I can keep it alive for the time
|
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rlm@2
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289 being. If you can find her, she’ll have a body to return to.” The bed
|
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rlm@2
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290 shifted as Usagi sat next to him, watching ChibiUsa’s soft breathing.
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rlm@2
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291 He looked up at the nervous expressions on the four girls in the room
|
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rlm@2
|
292 with them. “Could we have some time alone for a moment?”
|
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rlm@2
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293 “Sure,” Rei said with a nod. The four girls took another quick
|
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rlm@2
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294 glimpse at ChibiUsa before leaving the room. Ami resolved to call her
|
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rlm@2
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295 mother before they left. Rei had faith that her grandfather would be
|
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rlm@2
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296 all right while they handled the situation. Minako had a certain
|
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rlm@2
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297 police chief that she needed to call before heading off. Makoto just
|
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rlm@2
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298 followed the others silently, her mind already running in circles.
|
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rlm@2
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299 Usagi sat in silence for a long moment, paying close attention to
|
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rlm@2
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300 the shallow breathing from her future daughter. “ChibiUsa-chan...”
|
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rlm@2
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301 she whispered softly, brushing some of her damp hair away from her
|
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rlm@2
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302 face. “ChibiUsa-chan, Hotaru-chan, the whole planet. I can’t just
|
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rlm@2
|
303 abandon them! I can’t give up on anyone as hopeless. I can’t believe
|
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rlm@2
|
304 that it’s all a lost cause. I can’t choose between any of them. Won’t
|
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rlm@2
|
305 it just lead to ruin in the end whichever path we take? Isn’t there a
|
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rlm@2
|
306 way to save everyone?”
|
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rlm@2
|
307 Usagi held ChibiUsa’s hand, feeling the warmth slowly pulsing
|
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rlm@2
|
308 through it. “Mamo-chan’s doing it. He’s managing to keep her body
|
|
rlm@2
|
309 alive. But what should I do? I feel so confused...”
|
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rlm@2
|
310 “Usa,” Mamoru whispered softly. He could see the tension in her
|
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rlm@2
|
311 eyes. Those blue, innocent eyes were clouded. He leaned forward and
|
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rlm@2
|
312 gave her a kiss.
|
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rlm@2
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313 Usagi was taken by surprise at first, but she quickly relaxed into
|
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rlm@2
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314 the kiss. It got her mind off of how bad things seemed, albeit
|
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rlm@2
|
315 briefly. She noticed that the kiss gave her the same breathless
|
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rlm@2
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316 feeling that Haruka’s kisses had given her. She chided herself for
|
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rlm@2
|
317 thinking of that at a moment like this. Haruka already had a
|
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rlm@2
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318 girlfriend. And she was a girl. And Usagi already had Mamoru. And it
|
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rlm@2
|
319 did feel nice to be with him. Especially with how awful she felt at
|
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rlm@2
|
320 the moment. “Thanks, Mamo-chan,” she said, smiling weakly.
|
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rlm@2
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321 Mamoru wasn’t listening. His vision faded for a second to be
|
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rlm@2
|
322 replaced by the image of a ravaged city, corpses strewn about like
|
|
rlm@2
|
323 the toys of a girl who was finished playing with them. A woman stood
|
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rlm@2
|
324 in shadows, draped in ethereal garb as she stood atop a broken
|
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rlm@2
|
325 pillar. He tried to make her out, to see past the shadows, but the
|
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rlm@2
|
326 vision began to fade away. He’d seen this before. “We’ll get them
|
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rlm@2
|
327 back, Usa. ChibiUsa-chan’s soul and the Ginzuishou. I’m sure we’ll
|
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rlm@2
|
328 get them back soon enough. I believe in you. Don’t ever lose hope,”
|
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rlm@2
|
329 he said, trying to concentrate on the here and now. She leaned her
|
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rlm@2
|
330 head against his chest. ‘I had that vision again. But who is that
|
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rlm@2
|
331 woman? The Messiah? Or the Goddess of Ruin?’ he asked himself. No
|
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rlm@2
|
332 answers seemed forthcoming.
|
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rlm@2
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333
|
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rlm@2
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334 Ami put the phone back down after she finished. Her mother was
|
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rlm@2
|
335 worried about her, but she hadn’t asked many questions. Ami was glad
|
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rlm@2
|
336 for that, because she really didn’t know how she could explain any of
|
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rlm@2
|
337 it. Minako grabbed the phone seconds after it was down, already
|
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rlm@2
|
338 dialing. Sweatdropping, Ami walked away from the blonde. Rei
|
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rlm@2
|
339 concentrating, probably in prayer for what was to come. But Makoto
|
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rlm@2
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340 was nowhere in sight.
|
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rlm@2
|
341 It took the blue haired girl a minute to locate the taller Sailor
|
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rlm@2
|
342 Senshi. She finally found Makoto on the balcony, looking out at the
|
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rlm@2
|
343 dark city below. Smiling sweetly, Ami approached the brunette, about
|
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rlm@2
|
344 to ask what she was looking for. A sudden detail she had failed to
|
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rlm@2
|
345 notice stopped her short. Crystalline tears dripped past Makoto’s
|
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rlm@2
|
346 chin, falling countless stories to the streets below. Ami knew that
|
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rlm@2
|
347 this was a rather stressful time, but there was still hope. They had
|
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rlm@2
|
348 to cling on to that. She took a cautious step forward.
|
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rlm@2
|
349 Makoto whirled around at the sudden noise behind her. Ami froze in
|
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rlm@2
|
350 front of her, a concerned look on her face. The brunette wiped
|
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rlm@2
|
351 clumsily at her tears, trying to force them away, to pretend that
|
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rlm@2
|
352 everything was all right. She wasn’t sure whether to try a smile or a
|
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rlm@2
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353 frown. She just wanted to be left alone. “Ami...”
|
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rlm@2
|
354 Ami took a few steps forward. “Mako-chan, what’s wrong? You look so
|
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rlm@2
|
355 sad... I know that things look down, but I’m sure that we can solve
|
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rlm@2
|
356 them. Just because things look dark doesn’t mean we can give up.
|
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rlm@2
|
357 We’ve triumphed even when the odds were against us before.” But even
|
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rlm@2
|
358 as she said it, she doubted that it was the reason that Makoto looked
|
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rlm@2
|
359 so crestfallen. At least not the reason in its entirety.
|
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rlm@2
|
360 “Yeah.. You’re right, Ami-chan.” Makoto turned back on the railing,
|
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rlm@2
|
361 glancing down at the city below. She held back the anguish inside
|
|
rlm@2
|
362 that kept threatening to spill over.
|
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rlm@2
|
363 “What’s wrong?” Ami asked, trying again. She licked her lips as she
|
|
rlm@2
|
364 watched, hoping for an answer but unsure of whether or not she would
|
|
rlm@2
|
365 get one. Anxiety washed over her as she waited for infernally long
|
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rlm@2
|
366 seconds. She had almost given up hope and had turned to reenter the
|
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rlm@2
|
367 apartment when Makoto finally spoke.
|
|
rlm@2
|
368 “Sometimes I wonder why I’m fighting, Ami-chan. I don’t have my
|
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rlm@2
|
369 parents. I’m all alone. I don’t have a boyfriend who will stick with
|
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rlm@2
|
370 me through it all. I don’t have a child to fight for, to hold dearly.
|
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rlm@2
|
371 In the end, I have my tiny little apartment that I can go back to.
|
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rlm@2
|
372 All alone.” Makoto paused for a moment, the tears starting up again.
|
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rlm@2
|
373 It took a strong effort on her part to keep talking. “I know it’s my
|
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rlm@2
|
374 duty. I know I have to do it. But I don’t know why. I know that Usagi
|
|
rlm@2
|
375 is important. I know that the earth is important. But I don’t have a
|
|
rlm@2
|
376 reason for why I fight. Maybe that makes me a liability to the team.
|
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rlm@2
|
377 Throughout all of this fighting, I can’t find my reason for enduring
|
|
rlm@2
|
378 it all. I can’t reach inside myself and know what I’m fighting for.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
379 Another pause as she swallowed painfully. Why was she doing this? And
|
|
rlm@2
|
380 with Ami watching her, no less? It hurt too much to keep it bottled
|
|
rlm@2
|
381 up inside. “No, I guess I’m fighting for my friends. I’m fighting
|
|
rlm@2
|
382 because the rest of you are and because I can’t let you down. But
|
|
rlm@2
|
383 still... Sometimes..” Her voice cut off as a sob broke free.
|
|
rlm@2
|
384 A smaller body pressed against Makoto’s as Ami hugged her from
|
|
rlm@2
|
385 behind. She didn’t know what to say. She had no idea that this had
|
|
rlm@2
|
386 been troubling Makoto. It hadn’t occurred to her to think about her
|
|
rlm@2
|
387 own reasons, but she knew they were there. Because her friends were
|
|
rlm@2
|
388 important to her. Because she knew it was right. Because she believed
|
|
rlm@2
|
389 in the greater good of things. Because she wanted to protect her
|
|
rlm@2
|
390 mother who had to strive so hard to raise Ami all by herself. Makoto
|
|
rlm@2
|
391 shivered against her as she held tightly to the railing. Ami felt her
|
|
rlm@2
|
392 soul shudder in response. There was silence for a long moment. “I’ll
|
|
rlm@2
|
393 be your reason,” Ami said in a voice barely above a whisper.
|
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rlm@2
|
394
|
|
rlm@2
|
395 Mistress 9 scowled as she cut off some of her incredibly long raven
|
|
rlm@2
|
396 hair. “It doesn’t matter how much I cut it because it keeps growing
|
|
rlm@2
|
397 back. Crappy hair. This vessel is worthless. It was far too young for
|
|
rlm@2
|
398 me but it handled the enhanced aging poorly. I can’t wait until I can
|
|
rlm@2
|
399 be rid of it.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
400 Professor Tomoe burst into the room, followed shortly thereafter by
|
|
rlm@2
|
401 an excited Kaolinite. He knelt in front of the body that had once
|
|
rlm@2
|
402 belonged to his only daughter. “Mistress 9!! You’re finally here.
|
|
rlm@2
|
403 We’ve been awaiting your arrival for a long while now. We
|
|
rlm@2
|
404 transplanted your egg into Hotaru years ago. I was starting to fear
|
|
rlm@2
|
405 that you wouldn’t awaken.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
406 “Not that it hasn’t gone without problems. But I have finally
|
|
rlm@2
|
407 arrived. And not a second too soon, it seems. We need to revive
|
|
rlm@2
|
408 Master Pharaoh 90. He mustn’t be kept waiting any longer.” She turned
|
|
rlm@2
|
409 to the red head, barely suppressing an inner urge to kill the woman
|
|
rlm@2
|
410 for years of torment and abuse. She shrugged it off. Must be some
|
|
rlm@2
|
411 after affects from the previous owner of the body. “Kaolinite, you
|
|
rlm@2
|
412 have done very well in your service to Master Pharaoh 90. Unlike
|
|
rlm@2
|
413 those that have failed up to now, you survive. I am the master’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
414 partner from the old world. I will handle his resurrection and this
|
|
rlm@2
|
415 world’s glorious rebirth. You must handle another task for our
|
|
rlm@2
|
416 master. Eliminate the Enemy. They wish to end our very way of life,
|
|
rlm@2
|
417 and that of our master. They are ruthlessly interfering with a
|
|
rlm@2
|
418 magnificent process that has been repeated thousands of times in the
|
|
rlm@2
|
419 past. This world my shake in the throws of birth as it begins anew,
|
|
rlm@2
|
420 but it will be a glorious new birth for this planet. You must stop
|
|
rlm@2
|
421 them. I will not tolerate failure, Kaolinite.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
422 “Yes, Mistress 9. As you wish.” Kaolinite faded away to begin her
|
|
rlm@2
|
423 preparations.
|
|
rlm@2
|
424 Turning from the man who had once been Hotaru’s father, the ancient
|
|
rlm@2
|
425 woman made her way to an intricate stone hall, the place where they
|
|
rlm@2
|
426 contacted their master from the vast distances of time and space.
|
|
rlm@2
|
427 “Mistress 9, you have awakened. I have been waiting for this! I
|
|
rlm@2
|
428 knew your arrival would coincide with the rebirth,” a booming voice
|
|
rlm@2
|
429 said from everywhere in the large room.
|
|
rlm@2
|
430 The woman smiled as she bowed graciously. It had been so long since
|
|
rlm@2
|
431 she had heard that voice, since she had truly felt alive. “Master
|
|
rlm@2
|
432 Pharaoh 90! I bring you a gift.” Raising the broach she had acquired
|
|
rlm@2
|
433 from the young Sailor Senshi earlier, energy began to flow across the
|
|
rlm@2
|
434 tesseract that linked the two spaces. The small, silver crystal grew
|
|
rlm@2
|
435 brightly as it gushed forth waves of energy through the gate.
|
|
rlm@2
|
436 “You’ve only just awakened and you’re already bringing me such
|
|
rlm@2
|
437 power. I knew I could count on you, Mistress 9. But what is this
|
|
rlm@2
|
438 power? It’s more potent than any of the souls you have gathered
|
|
rlm@2
|
439 before,” the booming voice said, intrigued but pleased by this
|
|
rlm@2
|
440 offering.
|
|
rlm@2
|
441 The body that had once been Tomoe Hotaru grinned, pleased with
|
|
rlm@2
|
442 herself. “Master Pharaoh 90, this is not from the light of souls. It
|
|
rlm@2
|
443 is the Ginzuishou. The very light of the moon and the heart of a
|
|
rlm@2
|
444 precious young warrior. I’ve managed to get a hold of it thanks to a
|
|
rlm@2
|
445 rather beneficial situation I found myself in. And we can keep this
|
|
rlm@2
|
446 great power to speed up the process. We can use it’s limitless
|
|
rlm@2
|
447 strength to facilitate the rebirth, to bring this planet new life as
|
|
rlm@2
|
448 we remake it.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
449 Leaving her master satisfied for the time being, Mistress 9
|
|
rlm@2
|
450 returned to Hotaru’s room to think. “This beautiful light... It’s the
|
|
rlm@2
|
451 same as the light the courses through the Tau system’s Taioron
|
|
rlm@2
|
452 Crystal. Such a holy relic does not belong in the hands of such dirty
|
|
rlm@2
|
453 creatures. I will take excellent care of it, just like it deserves.
|
|
rlm@2
|
454 It’s like something is dwelling inside of it, holding on. Peeking out
|
|
rlm@2
|
455 as it glimmers and sparkles. It’s relaxing, putting my mind at ease.
|
|
rlm@2
|
456 I know things will work out. We will change this world for the
|
|
rlm@2
|
457 better.” She held the crystal in her hands, feelings it’s warm glow
|
|
rlm@2
|
458 wash over her. Something caught her attention as she felt a flicker
|
|
rlm@2
|
459 run through the crystal. “I should have known it would be protected
|
|
rlm@2
|
460 by that girl’s pure, beautiful soul. She must have come along for the
|
|
rlm@2
|
461 ride. She’ll soon be part of something much grander than she ever
|
|
rlm@2
|
462 could have before.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
463 A chill shot through her entire being, unease beginning to build
|
|
rlm@2
|
464 through the raven haired woman, the crystal almost slipping out of
|
|
rlm@2
|
465 her hands. “Who’s there?” she demanded, a note of fear in her voice.
|
|
rlm@2
|
466 It felt like something was trying to push her out. No, it couldn’t
|
|
rlm@2
|
467 be. She was dead. It was just the crystal’s power. “It’s giving me
|
|
rlm@2
|
468 strength. With the Ginzuishou, our ideals will soon be realized.” She
|
|
rlm@2
|
469 felt the soul protecting the Silver Crystal offer resistance, but it
|
|
rlm@2
|
470 was too weak to impede her. She laughed. It was a cute little thing,
|
|
rlm@2
|
471 protecting the crystal so diligently even when it was pointless.
|
|
rlm@2
|
472 “Don’t worry, little girl,” she cooed, reassuringly. “Everything will
|
|
rlm@2
|
473 be all right. Soon your world will be an entirely new place and
|
|
rlm@2
|
474 you’ll be there to see it all.” Smiling gently, she felt the soul
|
|
rlm@2
|
475 waver for a moment.
|
|
rlm@2
|
476 “Mistress 9!!” Professor Tomoe hurried into the room, a look of
|
|
rlm@2
|
477 concern etched on his brow. “We’re running out of Daimon Eggs. After
|
|
rlm@2
|
478 Viluy’s death, a lot of the machines she’d programmed have been
|
|
rlm@2
|
479 shutting down and the Daimon egg production has stopped entirely. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
480 bitch must have planned for this if she didn’t get her sister
|
|
rlm@2
|
481 returned. She probably intended to use it as leverage when our new
|
|
rlm@2
|
482 world order was about to get underway. But I can’t start on the new
|
|
rlm@2
|
483 eggs in time for the utilization. There’s no way I can get a large
|
|
rlm@2
|
484 enough batch in time. But planting the eggs and using spirit energy,
|
|
rlm@2
|
485 it’s our only way to survive in this world.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
486 Mistress 9 laughed softly, still sending soothing impulses to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
487 soul in the palm of her hands. “That doesn’t matter in the slightest.
|
|
rlm@2
|
488 It has no affect on our plans. The utilization is useless now. We
|
|
rlm@2
|
489 have an entirely new source of power that far outweighs what we could
|
|
rlm@2
|
490 get with the Daimon eggs. The birth of our new world is right around
|
|
rlm@2
|
491 the corner. Soon, this old planet will be reborn as a shining goddess.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
492
|
|
rlm@2
|
493 Setsuna leapt from rooftop to rooftop, silently landing and
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rlm@2
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494 hurrying through the shadows. She knew that Uranus and Neptune were
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rlm@2
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495 following, but she couldn’t hear them and it was difficult to make
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|
rlm@2
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496 anything out in the darkness. She, more than anyone else, knew that
|
|
rlm@2
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497 time was truly of the essence. And so the Guardian of Time hurried as
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|
rlm@2
|
498 quickly as she could, knowing that the princess’ life hung in the
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rlm@2
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499 balance.
|
|
rlm@2
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500 A short time ago, the most stressful thing in her life had been her
|
|
rlm@2
|
501 college midterms. And she had known she could pass them easily
|
|
rlm@2
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502 enough. But now she knew who she truly was. Sailor Pluto. And she
|
|
rlm@2
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503 knew that the very earth hung in the balance of this one night. And
|
|
rlm@2
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504 there was one soul in particular that her heart pushed her to save.
|
|
rlm@2
|
505 Her body ached from the nigh constant running. But she knew that she
|
|
rlm@2
|
506 might already be too late. No! She couldn’t think like that. There
|
|
rlm@2
|
507 were no second chances. This was the last dance. She would throw her
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rlm@2
|
508 all into this. It wasn’t just her life. She would sacrifice it in an
|
|
rlm@2
|
509 instant. She felt more loyalty for the little princess than she ever
|
|
rlm@2
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510 could for her queen. But it was whether her sacrifice would buy
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|
rlm@2
|
511 anything. She had died before. And she knew, most likely, she would
|
|
rlm@2
|
512 die again before the night was through. A shiver shot through her
|
|
rlm@2
|
513 tanned body, but she didn’t slow a bit.
|
|
rlm@2
|
514 “I’m coming, Small Lady. Be strong. It won’t be much longer.”
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|
rlm@2
|
515
|
|
rlm@2
|
516 Mamoru sighed, shifting into a more comfortable position on the
|
|
rlm@2
|
517 bed. His future daughter stirred slightly in his grasp. He held her
|
|
rlm@2
|
518 closer, wanting to reassure her that everything would be all right,
|
|
rlm@2
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519 but he knew there was nothing he could do. What he held was merely
|
|
rlm@2
|
520 her body.
|
|
rlm@2
|
521 Another sigh escaped the young man, his eyes heading for the
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|
rlm@2
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522 window. Out there somewhere was the girl he loved in a fight that
|
|
rlm@2
|
523 would determine the fate of the planet. And more importantly, the
|
|
rlm@2
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524 fate of his future daughter. He had often said he cared about Usagi
|
|
rlm@2
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525 and ChibiUsa the same and he meant that. But now, he was very close
|
|
rlm@2
|
526 to losing them both. It was a maddening blow to see the girl he would
|
|
rlm@2
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527 one day have dying in his arms while his girlfriend was out trying to
|
|
rlm@2
|
528 save the entire planet. And there was nothing he could do to help but
|
|
rlm@2
|
529 sit there and keep the body alive.
|
|
rlm@2
|
530 Holding the cold hand tighter in his own, Mamoru brushed back the
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|
rlm@2
|
531 pink hair covering ChibiUsa’s eyes. She looked so peaceful, like she
|
|
rlm@2
|
532 was asleep. But he knew that beneath those eyelids lay lifeless eyes,
|
|
rlm@2
|
533 the soul out there somewhere in the night. How painful it was to know
|
|
rlm@2
|
534 that he couldn’t protect her. What type of father was he? All he
|
|
rlm@2
|
535 could do was sit back and wait.
|
|
rlm@2
|
536 Diana was sharing that same desolate feeling that Mamoru was
|
|
rlm@2
|
537 experiencing. She hadn’t moved from her position near ChibiUsa’s head
|
|
rlm@2
|
538 for over an hour. The tiny kitten still blamed herself for this whole
|
|
rlm@2
|
539 thing. The position of guarding and advising the princess had fallen
|
|
rlm@2
|
540 upon her and she had gladly agreed, happy to follow her friend back
|
|
rlm@2
|
541 to the past. But now Diana felt like she had failed her, having
|
|
rlm@2
|
542 arrived too late to even see what had happened.
|
|
rlm@2
|
543 But what would she have been able to accomplish had she been there
|
|
rlm@2
|
544 when it happened? Was there anything she could have done? Had she
|
|
rlm@2
|
545 lost her best human friend? The one thing she was certain of was that
|
|
rlm@2
|
546 ChibiUsa’s body was losing it’s grip on life. The body was nothing
|
|
rlm@2
|
547 more than a shell and it wouldn’t last much longer. The stench of
|
|
rlm@2
|
548 death was beginning to grow overpowering, even though Mamoru didn’t
|
|
rlm@2
|
549 seem to be able to smell it at all. The kitten kept fearing that
|
|
rlm@2
|
550 Death would come to take the girl’s soul off at any moment. But then
|
|
rlm@2
|
551 she remembered that her soul had already been taken away, being used
|
|
rlm@2
|
552 for God knows what. So really, did it matter if the body died? Soon,
|
|
rlm@2
|
553 Death would be off to take ChibiUsa’s soul away. And that’s what
|
|
rlm@2
|
554 Diana was really afraid of. Not for ChibiUsa, but for herself. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
555 didn’t want to be left without a mistress. Or a friend. The kitten
|
|
rlm@2
|
556 yawned, but resolved not to sleep. She would keep her silent vigil on
|
|
rlm@2
|
557 the girl’s body until Death came. And she would fend him off herself
|
|
rlm@2
|
558 if she could. Little did she know that Death was female. And would be
|
|
rlm@2
|
559 coming much sooner than the kitten could anticipate.
|
|
rlm@2
|
560
|
|
rlm@2
|
561 Mistress 9 frowned to herself as she watched the events going on as
|
|
rlm@2
|
562 the Sailor Senshi continued to try to impede their progress. These
|
|
rlm@2
|
563 ruthless killers had just blown away Magus Kaolinite and were trying
|
|
rlm@2
|
564 to get to their inner sanctum, no doubt in an attempt to kill them as
|
|
rlm@2
|
565 well. They were the army of the other side, Sailor Senshi bent on
|
|
rlm@2
|
566 killing all that did no fit their ideals or beliefs. They loathed all
|
|
rlm@2
|
567 that was not their own. But Mistress 9 was not about to let these
|
|
rlm@2
|
568 vicious soldiers put an end to her beloved Pharaoh 90’s plan to
|
|
rlm@2
|
569 restart the life of their people on this planet. It would be a new
|
|
rlm@2
|
570 golden age. “She’s found her way to the fortress. It won’t be long
|
|
rlm@2
|
571 now. Supersailormoon, I won’t let you stop us. It’s time for this
|
|
rlm@2
|
572 Omega Area to become the Sacred Land, to transform into what it was
|
|
rlm@2
|
573 always meant to be. There’s no longer anything to fear.” Her fingers
|
|
rlm@2
|
574 stroked over the warm feeling of the Ginzuishou, feeling the tiny,
|
|
rlm@2
|
575 brave soul inside as it tried to protect the crystal. “There’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
576 nothing to fear,” she repeated soothingly to the fearful little soul.
|
|
rlm@2
|
577 Smiling softly, she lifted up the Ginzuishou. “The time is now. This
|
|
rlm@2
|
578 world will be reborn and so will you. Won’t you come watch the
|
|
rlm@2
|
579 rebirth with me?” The soul seemed to skitter away, still a little
|
|
rlm@2
|
580 frightened, but she was patient with it, like the mother of a
|
|
rlm@2
|
581 newborn. If there was one thing that Mistress 9 had gotten extremely
|
|
rlm@2
|
582 good at, it was being patient. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you with the
|
|
rlm@2
|
583 transition, little one.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
584 Lifting the Ginzuishou higher, she concentrated it’s power to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
585 one being that could truly utilize it the way it was meant to be. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
586 felt a sense of peace inside, despite her growing excitement. Soon
|
|
rlm@2
|
587 she would be alongside Pharaoh 90 in their Promised Land. The crystal
|
|
rlm@2
|
588 lit up spectacularly, bathing the entire surrounding area in bright
|
|
rlm@2
|
589 crystalline light. Energy began to pour through her body, increasing
|
|
rlm@2
|
590 exponentially with each second. The energy surged along the weak link
|
|
rlm@2
|
591 from ChibiUsa’s soul to her body. It was only a single strand keeping
|
|
rlm@2
|
592 her tied at all with her body, but the energy raced along it, forcing
|
|
rlm@2
|
593 itself into the dying body.
|
|
rlm@2
|
594
|
|
rlm@2
|
595 ChibiUsa’s eyes fluttered open for a moment, the crimson orbs
|
|
rlm@2
|
596 flashing for a brief second. Her entire body began to glow brightly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
597 “ChibiUsa-chan!!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
598 “Small Lady!!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
599
|
|
rlm@2
|
600 “Ohhh... The strength.. It’s... almost overwhelming!” Mistress 9
|
|
rlm@2
|
601 closed her eyes, feeling the steady pulse of the Ginauishou’s energy
|
|
rlm@2
|
602 as it filled her body with it’s gentle glow. The power of this
|
|
rlm@2
|
603 amazing crystal simply enthralled her. The sense of peace deep within
|
|
rlm@2
|
604 her grew with the energy coursing through her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
605 “I can feel it! That mystical power!” The booming voice echoed in
|
|
rlm@2
|
606 the room, coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. “It’s light
|
|
rlm@2
|
607 is so similar to the Taioron Crystal. You have unleashed the
|
|
rlm@2
|
608 floodgate. This truly is the power of the Ginzuishou! And it will
|
|
rlm@2
|
609 recreate this entire world! It must have been preordained. Life
|
|
rlm@2
|
610 begets life. Such is the power of the Crystal.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
611 Mistress 9 smiled broadly and finally allowed herself to feel
|
|
rlm@2
|
612 something that had diminished in her for all of those grueling years
|
|
rlm@2
|
613 as they struggled to find a new home, a new place for their own
|
|
rlm@2
|
614 survival. She finally allowed herself to hope once more. “Master
|
|
rlm@2
|
615 Pharaoh 90, I acquired the Ginzuishou for you, to bring you here. I
|
|
rlm@2
|
616 will bring you it’s power.” Closing her eyes, the woman in what had
|
|
rlm@2
|
617 once been a young girl’s cyborg body lifted into the air, floating up
|
|
rlm@2
|
618 towards a large stone palace. Everything was almost complete. Their
|
|
rlm@2
|
619 battle was almost over. She felt the soul protecting the Ginzuishou
|
|
rlm@2
|
620 grow restless again as she neared her destination. Soothingly rubbing
|
|
rlm@2
|
621 the crystal in her hands, she let herself imagine the world to come.
|
|
rlm@2
|
622 The frozen flame in her hands flickered with the power surging
|
|
rlm@2
|
623 through her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
624 “It’s light is pure and untainted. Brilliantly lighting
|
|
rlm@2
|
625 everything,” the booming voice shot out. “It’s thousands of times
|
|
rlm@2
|
626 more powerful than the human souls! And it’s an unlimited source of
|
|
rlm@2
|
627 energy! The time has finally come. I will return to resurrect our
|
|
rlm@2
|
628 world here. It will become our second mother world! Now is the time
|
|
rlm@2
|
629 for my utilization. Hurry, Mistress 9! So close... I need more power!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
630 Mistress 9 gratefully offered it up to the once great ruler,
|
|
rlm@2
|
631 focussing as much energy as she could. “Open up your powers,
|
|
rlm@2
|
632 Ginzuishou! Show what you are truly capable of!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
633
|
|
rlm@2
|
634 ChibiUsa’s body began shaking on the bed as if she were having a
|
|
rlm@2
|
635 seizure. Diana started growling anxiously as she watched the poor
|
|
rlm@2
|
636 girl shuddering in front of her. Mamoru continued to hold the small
|
|
rlm@2
|
637 princess close, trying to keep her from getting worse, but there
|
|
rlm@2
|
638 wasn’t much he could do. Diana feared the worst. Death must be on his
|
|
rlm@2
|
639 way. The bright light outside in the darkness only made her feel even
|
|
rlm@2
|
640 less at ease. “Small Lady...”
|
|
rlm@2
|
641
|
|
rlm@2
|
642 “No!!” Hotaru screamed into the darkness. “I have to hold it in...
|
|
rlm@2
|
643 I can’t let you use the Ginzuishou like this. Not ChibiUsa-chan’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
644 pure heart. It’s power mustn’t be sent out like this. It shouldn’t be
|
|
rlm@2
|
645 opened up! I won’t let you!” Even all alone, even in the darkness,
|
|
rlm@2
|
646 even stripped of her body, Hotaru Tomoe clung desperately to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
647 memories that kept her going, through sheer will managing to brush
|
|
rlm@2
|
648 consciousness with the woman who had stolen her body.
|
|
rlm@2
|
649 Mistress 9 let out a cry of pain. Something inside her wasn't
|
|
rlm@2
|
650 feeling the same peace that she had, obviously. Her head hurt badly,
|
|
rlm@2
|
651 her vision blurring as she tried to concentrate. The poor, scared
|
|
rlm@2
|
652 soul protecting the Ginzuishou was starting to act fearful. Whatever
|
|
rlm@2
|
653 it was that was affecting Mistress 9 seemed to be affecting her as
|
|
rlm@2
|
654 well. “It hurts... Something’s trying to get control from inside of
|
|
rlm@2
|
655 me! But... I have to last a little longer... I’m almost done, Master
|
|
rlm@2
|
656 Pharaoh 90... And then I won’t need this body anymore. We’ll be able
|
|
rlm@2
|
657 to revolutionize this world! It will be a paradise! And we’ll finally
|
|
rlm@2
|
658 be together again!” She forced back the mental assault as best she
|
|
rlm@2
|
659 could, clinging to her hopes and dreams. Only a few more minutes
|
|
rlm@2
|
660 now... It would be all over soon enough.
|
|
rlm@2
|
661 “I won’t let that happen!” A voice yelled in her head.
|
|
rlm@2
|
662
|
|
rlm@2
|
663 Everything was nothing. Everywhere she looked, there was darkness.
|
|
rlm@2
|
664 No, not quite darkness. Darkness was something. This was the utter
|
|
rlm@2
|
665 lack of anything and everything whatsoever. She was floating in the
|
|
rlm@2
|
666 nothing. And fear started to grip her shaken soul.
|
|
rlm@2
|
667 “Where am I? I’m all alone... I’m scared! Please, somebody help
|
|
rlm@2
|
668 me!” ChibiUsa yelled into the nothingness, but the shallow sound to
|
|
rlm@2
|
669 it did nothing to help her state of mind. She felt all alone, lost
|
|
rlm@2
|
670 and lonely in the void. She tried not to panic, but she couldn't help
|
|
rlm@2
|
671 the rising fear inside of her. What had happened? Was she dead? A
|
|
rlm@2
|
672 frightened part of her mind seemed to confirm that she was, indeed,
|
|
rlm@2
|
673 dead. But that still didn’t explain why she was here. Why hadn’t she
|
|
rlm@2
|
674 moved on? Unless, there was still need for her here. She could
|
|
rlm@2
|
675 vaguely remember the Ginzuishou. She had to protect it. Her mother
|
|
rlm@2
|
676 had given it to her, trusted her to keep it safe. But how could she
|
|
rlm@2
|
677 do that from here? Wherever here was, of course.
|
|
rlm@2
|
678 “ChibiUsa-chan...” A soft, shy voice called out through the void.
|
|
rlm@2
|
679 “Hotaru-chan?!” ChibiUsa looked around hurriedly, trying to spot
|
|
rlm@2
|
680 the girl somewhere near her. Her heart grasped at notion that she was
|
|
rlm@2
|
681 there as well. She needed her. She needed to hold onto her and know
|
|
rlm@2
|
682 that she wasn’t alone. A brilliant light caught her eye. A shining
|
|
rlm@2
|
683 crystal very near her. “Oh! My Ginzuishou!” She slowly floated down
|
|
rlm@2
|
684 near the shimmering gem, taking it gingerly in her hands. “I was so
|
|
rlm@2
|
685 worried when I lost it. My body couldn’t take the strain. It’s a part
|
|
rlm@2
|
686 of me.” She sighed as she held it close, feeling warmer as it’s light
|
|
rlm@2
|
687 cast over her nude body, or at least the image her soul cast of her
|
|
rlm@2
|
688 body. Her body was still in Mamoru’s apartment, but she had no idea
|
|
rlm@2
|
689 of knowing that.
|
|
rlm@2
|
690 “That’s right, ChibiUsa-chan. It’s the symbol of your pure heart.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
691 Hotaru’s laid her hand on ChibiUsa’s chest. “You can’t live without
|
|
rlm@2
|
692 it. Which is why you shouldn’t show it so easily to people. You’re
|
|
rlm@2
|
693 too trusting. You need to protect your pure heart. And I’ll protect
|
|
rlm@2
|
694 you.” Her arms wrapped around the younger girl, holding her close in
|
|
rlm@2
|
695 the emptiness that surrounded them. She held ChibiUsa closely,
|
|
rlm@2
|
696 comfortingly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
697 ChibiUsa blushed faintly as she rested her head on Hotaru’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
698 shoulder. It felt different from her mother’s embrace. It was warmer
|
|
rlm@2
|
699 and made her heart jump. But it still had the same soothing quality
|
|
rlm@2
|
700 to it. She felt safe in Hotaru’s arms. “Hotaru-chan...”
|
|
rlm@2
|
701 “Everything will be alright,” Hotaru whispered in her soft voice,
|
|
rlm@2
|
702 holding ChibiUsa reassuringly. “I’ll protect you, no matter what. I
|
|
rlm@2
|
703 won’t let them get your beautiful, pure soul. And I won’t let them
|
|
rlm@2
|
704 get the Ginzuishou. ChibiUsa-chan, I’ll be sure to save you. I
|
|
rlm@2
|
705 promise.” Determination built inside of her as she now knew what she
|
|
rlm@2
|
706 had to do. Her soft lips kissed ChibiUsa’s forehead, right above her
|
|
rlm@2
|
707 crescent moon. Even though neither was in their physical body, the
|
|
rlm@2
|
708 gesture still registered as gentle and pleasant. “I won’t let
|
|
rlm@2
|
709 anything hurt you.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
710 ChibiUsa nodded slightly, her head buried against the crook of
|
|
rlm@2
|
711 Hotaru’s neck.
|
|
rlm@2
|
712
|
|
rlm@2
|
713 “The Ginzuishou’s power’s weakening!!” Mistress 9 yelled in
|
|
rlm@2
|
714 frustration. How could this be happening? When they were so close?
|
|
rlm@2
|
715 Something was ebbing the flow of power from the crystal, keeping her
|
|
rlm@2
|
716 from fulfilling her duty. Her slivers of hope began to collapse, but
|
|
rlm@2
|
717 she latched on to one, not willing to give up just yet. Not when they
|
|
rlm@2
|
718 had come so far. She would just have to find another way to bring her
|
|
rlm@2
|
719 beloved here. And then the world would begin anew.
|
|
rlm@2
|
720
|
|
rlm@2
|
721 “ChibiUsa-chan?!” Mamoru watched as his daughter slowly stopped her
|
|
rlm@2
|
722 rhythmic motions on the bed. “The convulsions... They’ve stopped.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
723 Reaching out gently, he took her hand in his own and felt that it was
|
|
rlm@2
|
724 warm to the touch. His heart began to pace. “Does this mean...
|
|
rlm@2
|
725 Someone’s protecting her soul? But who?” He let himself relax
|
|
rlm@2
|
726 slightly, glad that someone was watching the part of his daughter
|
|
rlm@2
|
727 that really counted.
|
|
rlm@2
|
728 Diana sat warily, not quite as certain as the man who would one day
|
|
rlm@2
|
729 be king. She was still worried that Death was visiting ChibiUsa’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
730 soul even as they waited. And it looked like there was no way for her
|
|
rlm@2
|
731 to help.
|
