rlm@2: Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon - Infinity II Alternate rlm@2: 'Eye of the Beholder' - Chapter One rlm@2: by AmazonessDuo rlm@2: amazonessduo@hotmail.com rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: As the afternoon sun beat down, a lone girl made her way home. The rlm@2: dark stockings and midnight-black hair almost helped her blend into rlm@2: the shadows. But the lonely girl didn’t need them for that purpose. rlm@2: She was used to being ignored, used to fading away into shadows. It rlm@2: was so much better if to others if she didn’t exist. To exist meant rlm@2: for them to torment her, to hate her. Why did they hate her? Why did rlm@2: everyone hate her? What had she done? All she wanted was to be left rlm@2: alone. Why was this impossible to allow her? And so she hid. In plain rlm@2: sight, she hid. She was the quiet girl; the shy girl. The lonely rlm@2: girl. But only when she was lucky. When she wasn’t, she was the rlm@2: freak. That thing that was only to be hated, not pitied. A witch. No rlm@2: one knew her. No one cared to. rlm@2: Her eyes downcast, she walked slowly home, keeping to the shadows, rlm@2: wishing she could fade away into them. As she passed a group of rlm@2: students around her age on the sidewalk, she gripped the strap to her rlm@2: school bag nervously. She silently prayed to go unnoticed, and as the rlm@2: small group left her behind, talking and laughing happily, she rlm@2: sighed. But her relief was short-lived, as two girls walking to rlm@2: their next class spotted her and began to talk, just loud enough for rlm@2: her to hear. rlm@2: "That's the 6th grader, Tomoe-san," says one, as they catch up to rlm@2: her. "She's carrying her bag. Is she leaving early again?" rlm@2: "Isn't she really weak?" responds the other. "She's been wearing rlm@2: those long tights all year." rlm@2: Hotaru closed her eyes, hoping the two would just go away and leave rlm@2: her alone. "She's such a dark person," they continued. "Her rlm@2: expression is always so empty. It's well known that she's a bit rlm@2: strange." rlm@2: "Naturally. Her father's a mad scientist." This insult cut into rlm@2: her. She was used to being taunted and tormented herself, but rlm@2: resorting to attack her father..? The pain grew until it was almost rlm@2: unbearable. "Doesn't she have any friends?" rlm@2: The lonely girl collapsed, her bag and its contents spilling out rlm@2: onto the pavement. Coughing and trying to see through the haze of rlm@2: pain, the suffering girl reached out to gather her tin pencil case. rlm@2: The girls, seeing this as a perfect opportunity to torture her, rlm@2: quickly approached, one stepping on the pencil case to attract her rlm@2: attention. "What's wrong, Tomoe Hotaru-sempai?" she said, grinning rlm@2: down at the poor girl condescendingly. "You tired, need some help?" rlm@2: Hotaru simply pulled the pencil case out from under the girl's rlm@2: foot, and stood, having picked up everything else already. Glaring rlm@2: at the two girls, she holds up the tin pencil case and crushes it in rlm@2: her fist, dropping the now-useless scrap to the ground and continuing rlm@2: her walk home. As she left, she heard the girls behind her gasp in rlm@2: astonishment and continue talking: "W.. what?? She crushed it! Just rlm@2: like that!!" "She looked so mad.. like a completely different person!" rlm@2: Every day it was the same, and this was no different.. By now she rlm@2: had grown used to it. One lonely day to the next, she dealt with her rlm@2: classmates taunts, the emptiness inside of being truly alone even rlm@2: amidst so many people. She was an outcast, an outsider to which rlm@2: everyone, even other outcasts, looked down on her. rlm@2: The fact that the school day was over brought little comfort to the rlm@2: raven haired girl. The cycle would begin again the next day, or after rlm@2: the weekend. It was unending, a constant in her life that she rlm@2: couldn’t escape. She darkly contemplated what to do once she got rlm@2: home. Her father would probably be in his lab, as usual. She hoped rlm@2: his assistant, Kaolinite, would be as well. She would probably go rlm@2: back to her room, close the curtains and try to escape her painful rlm@2: existence in one of the many books she was reading. Maybe she could rlm@2: even forget, at least for a short time. Or maybe she could come up rlm@2: with a more permanent escape…. rlm@2: The dark haired girl gasped and froze in place at the sight ahead rlm@2: of her. Her heart nearly stopped at the shock that washed over her. A rlm@2: girl with beautiful pink hair stood with her hands clasped in front rlm@2: of her near the front gate to the mansion Hotaru lived at with her rlm@2: father. Hotaru brushed some dark strands of hair from her eyes and rlm@2: blinked. Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. No one would ever rlm@2: come see her. She knew that much. The pink haired girl couldn’t have rlm@2: come back to see her. Nothing like that had ever happened to her. No rlm@2: one cared that much to come see her. Her pulse raced as she stood rlm@2: nervously, completely unsure of what to think or do. She wanted to rlm@2: shrink back into the shadows, to disappear. Then this couldn’t rlm@2: confuse her like this. It wouldn’t be able to scare her as it did. rlm@2: But something deep inside stopped her from leaving. rlm@2: rlm@2: ~~~~~~ rlm@2: rlm@2: ChibiUsa stood nervously in front of the imposing iron gate. She rlm@2: felt a knot in her stomach as she waited. And waited. And waited. She rlm@2: had been thinking more and more of the pale, dark haired girl lately. rlm@2: She had to see her again. She’d bought a new handkerchief to give rlm@2: Hotaru since the other one had been stained with the blood from her rlm@2: wound. Oddly enough, ChibiUsa treasured the cloth, keeping it hidden rlm@2: behind some of the bunny dolls she collected. She would take it out rlm@2: when no one was around, a reminder of Hotaru. She was a bit glad that rlm@2: it had been stained, both to remind her of the dark haired girl’s rlm@2: soft healing touch, and so she could keep the handkerchief for herself. rlm@2: Releasing a sigh of defeat, ChibiUsa turned to leave. She gasped, rlm@2: startled by the sudden appearance of the girl she’d been thinking of. rlm@2: She wasn’t sure what to do, whether she should go to the dark haired rlm@2: girl or stay and wait for her to walk up. ChibiUsa didn’t have to rlm@2: worry about that decision because her sudden shock had taken her mind rlm@2: from the task at hand. Her forward momentum kept her going, but her rlm@2: feet weren’t moving. Before she knew what had happened, she tripped, rlm@2: falling face first. She managed to land on her arm, the same arm that rlm@2: had been cut by the Daimon. Pain coursed through it as she collapsed rlm@2: to the ground. rlm@2: The pink haired girl could dimly hear Hotaru yell something before rlm@2: running over to her. It wasn’t so much the pain she felt as the rlm@2: embarrassment that really got to her. It wasn’t exactly the first rlm@2: impression she wanted to have on the dark haired girl when they met rlm@2: again. ‘Why am I always so clumsy?’ ChibiUsa asked herself angrily. rlm@2: ‘I’ll never be like my mother. Some graceful princess I am.’ Letting rlm@2: herself be helped into a sitting position, she met Hotaru’s gaze with rlm@2: difficulty, her cheeks still a flustered shade of red. One glance rlm@2: into the violet eyes looking back at her completely rid ChibiUsa of rlm@2: the embarrassment she’d felt seconds before. There was nothing but rlm@2: concern in those large beautiful eyes. rlm@2: “Does it hurt?” Hotaru asked, rolling up ChibiUsa’s long sleeves to rlm@2: get a better look at her arm. She gently ran her hands across the rlm@2: pink haired girl’s creamy skin. rlm@2: ChibiUsa sat silently for a moment. Hotaru’s fingers caressing her rlm@2: arm was sheer bliss. The dark haired girl’s soft touch pushed all rlm@2: conscious thought from her mind. She looked back at Hotaru, not rlm@2: saying anything, just enjoying the silence and the feel of her touch. rlm@2: Finally noticing the other girl’s concerned stare, ChibiUsa shook rlm@2: herself from that strange moment. ‘What just happened? I feel so rlm@2: strange. How does she keep making me feel this way? Even when she’s rlm@2: not there, she’s all I can think about. And now that she is here, I rlm@2: can’t think,’ she thought to herself. She smiled and laughed rlm@2: nervously. “Its nothing. I’m not exactly as graceful as I could be. rlm@2: I’m used to it by now.” rlm@2: A smile tugged at the corner of Hotaru’s lips. “Its cute,” she said rlm@2: quietly. rlm@2: ChibiUsa smiled broader. Hotaru thought it was cute? She’d always rlm@2: wanted to be graceful, elegant, worried that she’d never be. But the rlm@2: other girl actually thought her clumsiness was cute? She tried to say rlm@2: something but all that came out was a quiet, “Thank you.” Still rlm@2: feeling the gentle brush of fingertips against her skin, ChibiUsa rlm@2: brought her gaze down to her arm. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about rlm@2: that. I’m fi…” She winced as the dark haired girl’s fingers pressed rlm@2: against a small place on her arm. rlm@2: “You’re fine, are you?” Hotaru asked, starting to smile. “If you’re rlm@2: normally like this, then at least someone’s benefiting from my rlm@2: healing powers.” Her hands started to glow as she concentrated. The rlm@2: pain began to recede from ChibiUsa’s arm. rlm@2: The pink haired girl giggled as the warm glow healed her arm. rlm@2: “That’s why I’m not scared of you. I could use the help when I get rlm@2: hurt like that,” she joked. She noticed that though she hadn’t known rlm@2: this girl for long, she felt completely at ease with her. A warm rlm@2: feeling spread through her at the thought. rlm@2: A small laugh escaped Hotaru’s perfect lips. “I’m glad I could rlm@2: help.” Standing up, she offered her pink haired companion a hand, rlm@2: which the other girl eagerly accepted. Brushing the grass from her rlm@2: skirt, Hotaru looked sidelong at ChibiUsa. Now that the fall was over rlm@2: with, she was back to wondering why the pink haired girl was here. No rlm@2: one ever came to see her. What was going on? Was this a joke? No, rlm@2: this couldn’t be. She knew the pink haired girl was incapable of rlm@2: doing anything so cruel. As an uneasy silence set in, both girls rlm@2: laughed nervously. Thinking for a minute, Hotaru grabbed ChibiUsa’s rlm@2: hand. ‘Dad’s gone for at least a couple more hours and Kaolinite’s rlm@2: probably with him, so I should be able to talk to her.’ “Would you rlm@2: like to come inside?” rlm@2: Nodding, the pink haired girl flashed a smile at Hotaru. “I’d love rlm@2: to.” rlm@2: That sweet voice and those warm crimson eyes sent tingles down rlm@2: Hotaru’s spine. She couldn’t shake the feeling as she led ChibiUsa rlm@2: inside the mansion. “Come with me.” Finally, the two entered Hotaru’s rlm@2: room. rlm@2: ChibiUsa let out a small ‘oh’ as she glanced around the dark room. rlm@2: “There are lamps everywhere. Your room’s so romantic, Hotaru-chan.” rlm@2: The room was filled with lamps of every size and description. They rlm@2: were all placed around the room neatly keeping them from making the rlm@2: room look cluttered. rlm@2: Hotaru blushed, turning on a few of the lamps, though the room rlm@2: remained fairly dark. In the darkness the lights shined like rlm@2: fireflies, seeming to cast a faint glow on Hotaru. “I prefer rlm@2: obscurity.. The quiet and the dark.” She said softly. "Would you rlm@2: like something to drink?" the mysterious girl quickly asked, trying rlm@2: to get off the subject. rlm@2: The pink-haired girl nodded enthusiastically. "Hai, that sounds rlm@2: good." Hotaru silently slipped out, leaving ChibiUsa alone in the rlm@2: dimly-lit room. Ever curious, ChibiUsa couldn't help but wonder why rlm@2: the girl was so shy, so lonely.. so mysterious. Her wonderings were rlm@2: cut short when the door opened to reveal Hotaru, now clad in a simple rlm@2: black dress complete with tights, and carrying a tray with two rlm@2: teacups on it. “Do you like dark clothes, too?” she asked, rlm@2: indicating the dress. rlm@2: Hotaru nodded slowly. “Hai. I feel better in the shadows.” rlm@2: “Hotaru-chan… Why do you always cover up so much? I mean, with rlm@2: sweaters and long sleeves and stockings,” ChibiUsa asked. rlm@2: “I had an accident a long time ago. I have many wounds from it,” rlm@2: Hotaru said simply, looking away. To change the subject, she asked rlm@2: what had been on her mind all along. “Why are you here?” rlm@2: ChibiUsa smiled sheepishly, almost having forgot. She handed Hotaru rlm@2: the new handkerchief she bought. “I wanted to give it back to you, rlm@2: but the blood wouldn’t come out of the old one. So here’s a new one.” rlm@2: Hotaru blinked at the handkerchief in ChibiUsa’s outstretched hand. rlm@2: “You came all this way to see me… just to give me back my rlm@2: handkerchief?” She was astonished. This girl had come to see her over rlm@2: something as insignificant as a strip of cloth, something no one else rlm@2: would ever have worried about with her involved. Before she could ask rlm@2: the pink haired girl why she did it, she started coughing rlm@2: uncontrollably. Her heart beat faster as she slumped to her knees. rlm@2: The tray clanged to the floor, spilling tea and cups alike, forgotten rlm@2: by the two in this moment of crisis. rlm@2: “Hotaru-chan!!” ChibiUsa ran to her side as Hotaru suffered another rlm@2: of her fits. “Hotaru-chan!!!” she yelled worriedly, clutching onto rlm@2: the raven haired girl. The look of excruciating pain on Hotaru’s rlm@2: beautiful face tore through her heart like a knife. Her mind raced rlm@2: desperately to find a way to help. rlm@2: “My…medicine…” Hotaru barely managed to get out. A shaky hand rlm@2: reached towards her desk, too far out of reach. rlm@2: ChibiUsa’s eyes frantically searched the desk, but she couldn’t rlm@2: find the medicine Hotaru had mentioned. Hearing Hotaru say something rlm@2: about an amulet, she fumbled for her broach. “It’ll be okay, Hotaru- rlm@2: chan. I’ll help you, I promise,” she whispered soothingly. rlm@2: ‘You can’t help me. No one can help me,’ Hotaru thought sadly. Her rlm@2: eyes closed, trying to block out the immense pain. "No.. don't come rlm@2: closer... you shouldn't.. be near me.." she managed to whisper rlm@2: between gasps for breath, wishing she would pass out. Or worse… rlm@2: Finally getting at her broach, the pink haired girl pulled out the rlm@2: Silver Crystal, the one from the future that her mother had given her rlm@2: to take care of when she’d come back to train as Sailor Chibimoon. rlm@2: Her breath caught in her chest as she watched the dark haired girl rlm@2: writhe in pain. She brushed wisps of pink hair from her own tear rlm@2: streaked eyes, praying this would work. A soft glow slowly began to rlm@2: emanate from the crystal, quickly growing brighter. rlm@2: Hotaru gasped as a warm glow blanketed her body. The wonderful rlm@2: feeling spread through her. The pain ebbed away, her body once again rlm@2: her own. Her pain had never disappeared so quickly, vanished so rlm@2: completely in such a short time. The room was silent for a moment, rlm@2: the only sound was the breathing of the two girls. Hotaru could do rlm@2: nothing but look at ChibiUsa’s worried face. She had wanted to rlm@2: express her gratefulness, but her voice caught in her throat as her rlm@2: violet eyes gazed into ChibiUsa’s glittering crimson ones. ‘She looks rlm@2: so worried,' Hotaru thought to herself. A sudden realization shocked rlm@2: her. ‘About me? She’s worried about me? But how? No one worries about rlm@2: me…’ The raven haired girl’s pale cheeks flushed as crimson as rlm@2: ChibiUsa’s eyes. She tried to say something, but her mind was having rlm@2: trouble locking onto anything than the fact that this girl could be rlm@2: worried about her. “Thank you…” she managed quietly. rlm@2: ChibiUsa sat down on her knees in front of Hotaru. She smiled rlm@2: happily. “I’m just really glad you’re okay, Hotaru-chan. You had me rlm@2: so worried for a moment.” A strange feeling filled her as she looked rlm@2: into those lonely violet eyes. The intensity of the gaze, the way rlm@2: she was looking at her, part of it scared her. Yet an odd excitement rlm@2: coursed through her as their eyes met. She sat completely still, half rlm@2: scared of what might happen next, but anxiously hoping something rlm@2: would. She swallowed nervously as her eyes slowly traced Hotaru’s rlm@2: beautiful features. From her soft lips, down to her elegant chin, to rlm@2: her dark eye lashes, to the slight blush coloring her pristine rlm@2: cheeks. ChibiUsa’s lungs ached for air as she quietly waited. rlm@2: Hotaru slowly brought a hand up towards ChibiUsa’s. The pink haired rlm@2: girl started reaching for Hotaru’s hand instinctively, as if it was rlm@2: exactly what she should do. Releasing her grip on the Silver Crystal, rlm@2: it fell from her grasp. Time seemed to slow as the glittering crystal rlm@2: dropped towards the ground. Hotaru barely caught the crystal before rlm@2: it hit the ground. “Your amulet, it's wonderful,” the raven haired rlm@2: girl said at last, breaking the silence. rlm@2: ChibiUsa finally released her breath. She wasn’t sure if she was rlm@2: glad or disappointed that nothing had happened. ‘What was I thinking rlm@2: might happen, anyway?’ she asked herself. Try as she might, she rlm@2: couldn’t come up with an answer to that. Looking back up at Hotaru, rlm@2: she couldn’t resist the urge to reach out and take her hand in her rlm@2: own. The raven haired girl almost flinched at the sudden contact of rlm@2: the warm hand against her skin, but ChibiUsa continued to hold her rlm@2: hand gently. “Oh, that? Yeah, I guess you can call it my amulet.” She rlm@2: laughed a bit, lightening the moment. “It used to be my mother’s but rlm@2: she gave it to me, sort of as a going away present until I returned.” rlm@2: “Return where?” Hotaru asked, as if picking up on the pink haired rlm@2: girl’s thoughts of home. She started to relax, greatly enjoying rlm@2: ChibiUsa’s gentle touch. rlm@2: ChibiUsa laughed again, nervously this time. “Well, its kinda hard rlm@2: to explain.” rlm@2: Handing the crystal back to ChibiUsa, Hotaru smiled softly. “I rlm@2: won’t tell anyone your secret, Chibimoon.” Her eyes widened as she rlm@2: remembered something. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I don’t even know your name.” rlm@2: ChibiUsa grinned broadly. She felt good that the other girl wanted rlm@2: to know her name. “I’m ChibiUsa Small Lady Tsukino. Well, my real rlm@2: name's Usagi, but while I’m here everyone’s calling me ChibiUsa.” rlm@2: Hotaru brushed some dark hair from her eyes, looking intently at rlm@2: the other girl. She couldn’t help but giggle. “Little Rabbit. That rlm@2: fits you perfectly.” rlm@2: ChibiUsa couldn’t help but laugh as well. “You really think so?” rlm@2: “Yes. It's cute. It really seems to fit you.” Hotaru blushed and rlm@2: looked away. rlm@2: Tilting to the side, ChibiUsa managed to catch Hotaru’s gaze again. rlm@2: She wanted to see those beautiful violet eyes pointed her way again, rlm@2: looking out from that gorgeous face. “Thanks,” she said, feeling her rlm@2: own cheeks blush slightly. “Hotaru’s a really pretty name. Firefly. rlm@2: It makes you sound kinda mysterious.” rlm@2: Hotaru sighed and shook her head. “No. People want to know about rlm@2: the mysterious. I just frighten them.” rlm@2: Taking Hotaru’s hand with both of her own, ChibiUsa kept gazing rlm@2: intently into the mysterious girl’s dark eyes. “I want to know about rlm@2: you. And you don’t frighten me. I don’t know how anyone could see you rlm@2: like that.” rlm@2: Hotaru tried to look away, these new feelings threatening to rlm@2: overwhelm the poor girl, her mind already lost in confusion. Those rlm@2: crimson eyes captivated her. Escape from them seemed impossible. This rlm@2: was too good to be true. She had never had a friend before, someone rlm@2: who wanted to know about her, who cared for her. No one cared about rlm@2: her, right? Hadn’t life seemingly banned her from having a single rlm@2: soul that could be her friend? So why was this pink haired girl here? rlm@2: She flinched away from the contact of the other girl’s hands against rlm@2: her own, but ChibiUsa held tight, not letting go. “But you don’t know rlm@2: me,” she said quietly. rlm@2: “I want to,” came ChibiUsa’s earnest reply. She looked pleadingly rlm@2: into Hotaru’s violet eyes. “Please let me get to know you.” rlm@2: Hotaru was silent for a long moment. This caught her by surprise. rlm@2: All sorts of emotions ran through her. Happiness that ChibiUsa could rlm@2: care that much, fear that this might all be a dream or that ChibiUsa rlm@2: would change her mind when she did learn more about her, hope that rlm@2: her loneliness could finally come to an end. “Thank you.” She slowly rlm@2: smiled, a broad genuine smile. “ChibiUsa-chan.” rlm@2: ChibiUsa smiled happily. She had managed to see that beautiful rlm@2: smile again. “Hotaru-chan, you’re the most interesting, most rlm@2: beautiful person I’ve met since I came here. I really want to be your rlm@2: friend.” ‘That’s all I want to be, right? What else would I want to rlm@2: be?’ ChibiUsa shrugs off the thoughts, leaning forward and hugging rlm@2: Hotaru. rlm@2: The dark haired girl’s eyes went wide as she felt the pink haired rlm@2: girl against her. She relished in the sensation. She tentatively rlm@2: placed her arms around ChibiUsa, hugging her back. rlm@2: The two girls stayed that way for a long time, both enjoying the rlm@2: companionship and warmth. ChibiUsa glanced up from Hotaru’s shoulder rlm@2: and noticed how dark it had gotten. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go. rlm@2: It’s getting late and I don’t want Ikuko-mama to worry." Releasing rlm@2: the embrace, ChibiUsa frowned reluctantly. “I wish I didn’t have to, rlm@2: but she doesn’t know where I am. I really want to see you again.” rlm@2: Hotaru blushed again, standing up as well. “You do? ChibiUsa-chan, rlm@2: you’re sweet. I really hope I can see you again, too.” She smiled a rlm@2: little shyly at the pink haired girl. rlm@2: ChibiUsa grinned brightly, her hands placed behind her back. rlm@2: “Really? Then you will. I’ll try to see you soon.” rlm@2: Brushing a few strands of dark hair from her eyes, Hotaru stood in rlm@2: front of the pink haired girl awkwardly. She smiled softly. “I’d like rlm@2: that.” rlm@2: “Me too.” ChibiUsa gave Hotaru another hug before following her to rlm@2: the door. rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: ~~~~~~ rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: It was near the end of the day at Minato Ku Juuban Elementary, and rlm@2: ChibiUsa's mind wandered from her teacher to hey shy, mysterious rlm@2: friend. 'She's got such pretty pale skin..' she thought, tuning rlm@2: everything else out. 'Like new-fallen snow..' Momoko poked her, rlm@2: whispering that she should pay attention to what her teacher was rlm@2: saying as she explains that all the clay works they did recieved rlm@2: compliments from the other classes. "But, it's time now to take your rlm@2: sculptures home. Give them to someone important to you, like your rlm@2: mom or best friend, in gratitude." rlm@2: ChibiUsa took her jeweled chalice from the display, holding it up rlm@2: to the light and silently cursing. 'Do I really have to give this up? rlm@2: I worked so hard on it..' She turned to Momoko and verbalized the rlm@2: thought. "Momochan, what will you do with yours?" rlm@2: "My mom's birthday is coming up in a few days," the other girl rlm@2: replied. "I'll give mine to her." Just then, one of the clay cups rlm@2: found its way to ChibiUsa's desk. It had a profile of Sailormoon rlm@2: worked into the side. "That's a nice design, Kyosuke. But why are rlm@2: you giving it to Chibiusachan?" rlm@2: The somewhat annoying boy put his hand behind his head as he rlm@2: laughed nervously, blushing a little. "Well.. I've been a really bad rlm@2: friend. So I thought this might make up. Kind of a sign of rlm@2: friendship." Immediately upon those words, ChibiUsa's mind pops up rlm@2: with a picture of Hotachan. rlm@2: "A sign of friendship! That's it! I'll give it to Hotaru-chan!!" rlm@2: Momoko groaned. "Isn't that the Mugen student?" ChibiUsa nodded rlm@2: and began to explain. "Yeah! She's my new friend, and she's really rlm@2: pretty, but she's kinda lonely, and mysterious too!" Momoko snorted, rlm@2: replying semi-sarcastically. "You're so obsessed with her, what is rlm@2: she, your girlfriend?" rlm@2: The commotion of the class leaving as the bell rings served to hide rlm@2: ChibiUsa's deep blush. rlm@2: rlm@2: ~~~~~~ rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: By the time she got home, Momoko’s comment had faded to the back of rlm@2: ChibiUsa’s mind, replaced by much more urgent things. Like seeing rlm@2: Hotaru again. The fact that it was starting to rain heavily outside rlm@2: hardly seemed to matter to the future princess. The thought of seeing rlm@2: her lonely friend was all consuming. ‘Is she okay? Does she miss me? rlm@2: What’s she doing?’ she thought to herself as she dropped her book bag rlm@2: on her bed and hurried downstairs. Her mind was hazy with the rlm@2: thoughts of her new friend swirling through her mind. She wasted no rlm@2: time in getting an umbrella and pulling on her shoes. There wasn’t rlm@2: any thunder, so she might be able to make it there despite the rain. rlm@2: A cold pit formed in her stomach at the thought of thunder and rlm@2: lightening along the way, but she pushed it aside. She’d see Hotaru rlm@2: soon enough and then it wouldn’t matter what she went through to get rlm@2: there. A sudden burst of cold, wet air made ChibiUsa look up towards rlm@2: the opening front door. rlm@2: Usagi stood there for a moment, her blonde pigtails glistening with rlm@2: the raindrops from walking in the rain. She took in the scene before rlm@2: her, her ‘cousin’ obviously ready to leave. Again. ‘Why is she always rlm@2: leaving to see that girl?’ Usagi asked herself. ‘Hotaru Tomoe might rlm@2: be part of The Enemy. Her father’s in charge of them. ChibiUsa might rlm@2: be in danger and she doesn’t even realize it.’ Feeling herself begin rlm@2: to get a bit angry at whatever ChibiUsa was keeping from her, she rlm@2: demanded the smaller girl tell her where she was going. rlm@2: "Hotaru-chan’s," ChibiUsa said simply, standing up and moving to rlm@2: get past Usagi. Her future mother barred her exit. ChibiUsa frowned rlm@2: as she pulled the umbrella up against her shoulder. rlm@2: Usagi shook her head stubbornly, droplets of water flying about. rlm@2: "Not on your own you aren’t." rlm@2: "But..." ChibiUsa began indignantly. rlm@2: "It's raining really hard and its already getting dark. I’m going," rlm@2: Usagi argued obstinately. "You’ve been going to see this girl for a rlm@2: while now and this time I’m coming with." rlm@2: "That’s not fair! She’s my friend!" ChibiUsa replied angrily. rlm@2: "Well, if you want to see her this time, I’m going, too." The blonde rlm@2: girl crossed her arms in front of her. rlm@2: rlm@2: Earlier that day, Usagi had been with Luna and Artemis under the rlm@2: Crown Arcade at the computer they used to gather information. They’d rlm@2: been trying to find research on The Enemy in the hopes that they rlm@2: could use it to their advantage. Nothing had come up on the two rlm@2: mysterious Sailor Senshi and whether they were friends or foes. rlm@2: Nonetheless, Usagi couldn’t help but wonder about the tall, rlm@2: intriguing woman, Sailor Uranus. The kiss they’d shared in the rlm@2: forest... rlm@2: Luna’s voice shook her from her thoughts as an image of a white rlm@2: haired man with glasses appeared on the screen. A star took the place rlm@2: of where one of his eyes should be. rlm@2: "The Delta Area is where all the abnormal energy has been coming rlm@2: from. Especially the Infitity Zone. It seems all of our problems are rlm@2: coming from there. The Enemy must be situated there. This has to have rlm@2: something to do with their plan." rlm@2: "That’s the guy who owns the Infinty Zone and Mugen Gakuen. He looks rlm@2: suspicious," Artemis added. rlm@2: Usagi sat down and began reading the data on the screen. His name rlm@2: was Souichi Tomoe and he was indeed owner of the prestigious school rlm@2: and the surrounding area. His field of expertise was genetic rlm@2: engineering. He lived at the Tomoe Research Labs with his daughter, rlm@2: Hotaru Tomoe. Usagi paused for a moment, rereading the name. It rlm@2: sounded familiar, as if on the tip of her lips, but she couldn’t rlm@2: quite remember where she’d heard that name before. A small rlm@2: description of Hotaru popped up on the screen next to the rlm@2: Professor’s. Usagi’s eyes went wide when she saw the picture. It was rlm@2: the girl who had healed ChibiUsa. That’s where she’d heard the name! rlm@2: ChibiUsa had been mentioning her all the timelately. She gasped, her rlm@2: hand going to her mouth at the implications. She very well could be rlm@2: with The Enemy. "ChibiUsa’s been becoming really good friends with rlm@2: her lately. She’s been going over to her house all the time for the rlm@2: past few weeks to see her. I hope ChibiUsa’s okay..." rlm@2: rlm@2: As the two girl’s entered Hotaru’s home at the Tomoe Research Labs, rlm@2: Usagi berated ChibiUsa in a harsh whisper. “We can’t just barge in rlm@2: like this! It’s rude. And who knows what they’ll do if we get caught? rlm@2: You’re a princess, aren’t you?” rlm@2: ChibiUsa stuck her tongue out at the older girl, her thoughts still rlm@2: elsewhere. “I couldn’t find the intercom anyway. Besides, Hotaru-chan rlm@2: probably already knows I’m here so she won’t mind.” After a moment’s rlm@2: pause, the pink haired girl smiled politely and managed a “Hello.” rlm@2: Usagi looked at ChibiUsa puzzled for a moment. The younger girl rlm@2: seemed to be looking behind her oddly. Turning around, Usagi almost rlm@2: jumped when she noticed the red haired woman in a lab coat watching rlm@2: them both coldly. Her heart pounded worriedly in her chest. This rlm@2: woman had to be part of The Enemy. rlm@2: “What business do you have here? You’re trespassing. This is private rlm@2: property. If you don’t leave now..” Kaolinite began before being rlm@2: interrupted by a soft, but sweet voice. rlm@2: “They are my guests,” Hotaru said, glaring at Kaolinite as she rlm@2: walked out of one of the rooms. She once again was clad all in black, rlm@2: her pale skin the only contrast against the tight black clothes and rlm@2: her own raven hair. Her gaze shifting to the pink haired girl, her rlm@2: deep violet eyes gained a sparkle to them. Her heart swelled as she rlm@2: looked at her visitors. She almost felt sick from the sudden anxiety rlm@2: that washed over her at their arrival. It was as if she could sense rlm@2: some sort of great aura from the blonde haired girl, but her rlm@2: attention was still riveted to the kind pink haired girl whose rlm@2: crimson eyes smiled back at her. The aura might not be as strange, rlm@2: but everything about ChibiUsa captivated her. Why had she rescued her rlm@2: heart from its lonely prison? Why had she become her friend? Her head rlm@2: swam in circles as she tried to answer these questions, but for now rlm@2: she had to attend to her guests. rlm@2: “Hotaru-chan!” ChibiUsa exclaimed happily at the sight of their rlm@2: mysterious savior. rlm@2: Kaolinite turned from the small group and left, thinking to rlm@2: herself. ‘She has guests? But no one ever wants to see her. This is rlm@2: odd..’ rlm@2: rlm@2: The pale wisp of a girl bent down ever so slightly to pour some tea rlm@2: for the two visitors. She shyly brushed back some dark hair from her rlm@2: eyes as she felt their eyes baring down on her. She wasn’t used to rlm@2: this. Without knowing what to say, she asked the first thing that rlm@2: came to mind. “Why did you both come here?” rlm@2: ChibiUsa smiled broadly and set the chalice she’d brought with her rlm@2: on the table. “I made this at school. Well, after school with Usagi rlm@2: and Mamo-chan’s help. But I want to give it to you as a present. It’s rlm@2: supposed to be the Holy Grail.” rlm@2: Usagi’s eyes go wide as she turns to the younger girl. “What? But rlm@2: Mamo-chan and I worked so hard on that for you to just give it away.” rlm@2: The blonde girl frowned as she remembered all the time she and her rlm@2: boyfriend had put into working on the chalice when ChibiUsa had come rlm@2: to them for help on the art project. It seemed like such a waste for rlm@2: her to give it to this girl who very well may be part of The Enemy. rlm@2: ChibiUsa just ignored Usagi as if she weren’t even there. Her smile rlm@2: grew warmer, her crimson eyes never wavering from the darkly dressed rlm@2: frail girl across the room. She felt butterflies in her stomach as rlm@2: she kicked her legs almost nervously. “We were supposed to give our rlm@2: projects to someone special to us this week. To someone very rlm@2: important to us. Well, I was just thinking about how much you mean to rlm@2: me and I wanted to give it to you as a sign of friendship.” Why was rlm@2: it so hard to tell the other girl she wanted her to have it because rlm@2: of their friendship? It felt different somehow than with her other rlm@2: friends. This girl was so…. so…. amazing, wonderful, pretty, kind, rlm@2: sweet, mysterious, sad, and so much more. Hotaru intrigued ChibiUsa. rlm@2: She’d never met anyone like her. The pink haired girl always felt a rlm@2: warm feeling inside when she was with Hotaru. She felt safe with her. rlm@2: Her homesickness for Crystal Tokyo and her parents always faded away. rlm@2: The quiet raven haired girl was so shy, but it just made her want to rlm@2: get through to her all the more. rlm@2: “Why aren’t you giving it to Mamo-chan, then?” Usagi questioned the rlm@2: pink haired girl. She still thought of ChibiUsa as her rival for rlm@2: Mamoru’s attention. rlm@2: ChibiUsa looked down at her kicking feet, her hands on either side rlm@2: of her on the couch. Why did Usagi have to come with her? It just rlm@2: made everything more difficult. Besides, she wanted to be alone with rlm@2: Hotaru, not arguing the point with Usagi. “You and Mamo-chan helped rlm@2: make it together, so I couldn’t give it just to him anyway.” rlm@2: A tiny smile started spreading across Hotaru’s lips. She felt so rlm@2: honored to be the one this cheerful pink haired girl thought was rlm@2: important enough to give the chalice to. The shock and surprise of rlm@2: the gift along with the other girl’s presence was a little rlm@2: overwhelming. It was strange enough having a friend, but one that rlm@2: thought so highly of her was such a foreign concept to her. It seemed rlm@2: an utter impossibility. Everytime she saw ChibiUsa it seemed more and rlm@2: more as if it had to be a dream. A wonderful dream. But the pale girl rlm@2: hadn’t had any good dreams in years. That seemed almost as impossible rlm@2: as if it were real. Whatever it was, she prayed it would never end. rlm@2: “You made this for an important person, ChibiUsa-chan? But I… I rlm@2: shouldn’t be the one to have this. You should be the one to keep it. rlm@2: Thank you, ChibiUsa-chan,” she spoke up in her quiet voice. Glancing rlm@2: at the Holy Grail ChibiUsa had given her on the table, she began to rlm@2: think of where in her dark room to place it. It was already rlm@2: significant to her. She wanted to make sure it had an important place rlm@2: amongst her lamps. She smiled shyly as she turned back to the other rlm@2: two girls. rlm@2: Usagi leaned forward ever so slightly, her curiosity increasing rlm@2: about this mysterious girl. Was she part of The Enemy? Was she using rlm@2: ChibiUsa? What was she up to? She feels a cold chill run down her rlm@2: spine as she gets a good look into those infinitely sad, dark eyes. rlm@2: ‘Its like I’m being drawn in. Her eyes seem to know everything,’ she rlm@2: thinks. The cold feeling grows worse before she realizes the room has rlm@2: been utterly silent for a long moment. Laughing nervously, the blonde rlm@2: girl stands up, eager for a moment’s respite to think. “Could you rlm@2: tell me where the bathroom is?” rlm@2: The dark haired girl turns and points out of the room. “Its right rlm@2: down that hall.” rlm@2: “Thanks,” Usagi says quickly, leaving the room, confused. The pale, rlm@2: raven haired girl was even more of a mystery to her now. And her rlm@2: seemingly mystical hold over ChibiUsa baffled her. She resolved to rlm@2: get to the bottom of things, no matter what. rlm@2: rlm@2: ~~~~~~~~~ rlm@2: rlm@2: "Hotaru-chan!?" I watch as Hotaru collapses into a fit on the floor. rlm@2: I run over, fear coursing through my entire body. I’ve only seen this rlm@2: happen once before, but I kneel beside the dark haired girl, my heart rlm@2: racing. "Hotaru-chan!?" I feel so helpless, seeing this happen to rlm@2: her. Why can’t I do anything? Isn’t there some way I can help her? rlm@2: Why did this have to happen now? rlm@2: rlm@2: Clutching her chest, she looks up at me with pain-filled eyes. My rlm@2: heart goes out to her. I want to go to her, to stop her suffering, rlm@2: but I don’t know how. Her shaky hand slowly reaches out, touching my rlm@2: broach. rlm@2: rlm@2: "..it’s better.. when I touch your amulet... I’m being filled with rlm@2: power..." she says softly. Her body seems to relax as the fit finally rlm@2: comes to an end. Her breathing slowly returns to normal. She looks up rlm@2: at me with a strange look in her dark eyes. rlm@2: rlm@2: I smile slightly, relief flooding through me. "Really? Then I’m rlm@2: glad, Hotaru-chan." It feels good to be able to help her. She’s rlm@2: already healed me a few times, I’m glad to repay the favor. And to rlm@2: see her in such pain… I’m just glad she’s alright now. rlm@2: rlm@2: The dark, distant, pale girl echoes my smile, still looking up at me rlm@2: with that odd look in her eyes. "Your amulet... it has great power.. rlm@2: what power is it..?" Something isn’t quite right… but does it matter? rlm@2: She’s alright now, that’s all that matters. I sigh, relieved that her rlm@2: pains gone, if only for now. I smile again, a hand going to my rlm@2: broach. "It’s the Mystical Silver Crystal," I say, telling of the rlm@2: crystal inside my broach. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Mystical Silver Crystal.." Hotaru repeats. Everything about her is rlm@2: different, somehow. The voice, its not the soft, sweet voice I’m used rlm@2: to. Her eyes, seeming even darker than before. Its like she’s a rlm@2: totally different person now. Suddenly the frail girl recoils in rlm@2: horror, her eyes widening as she draws back from me, raising a shaky rlm@2: hand to her mouth. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Hotaru-chan?" I pull my hand from my broach, forgetting about it as rlm@2: concern gets the better of me. "Are you alright?" I take a nervous rlm@2: step forward. What happened? Why is she so scared? The frightened rlm@2: look in her eyes chills me. I shudder, not knowing why. Is she afraid rlm@2: of me? Did I do something wrong? I frantically want to reach out to rlm@2: her, to make sure its okay, to know why she’s so scared. I don’t ever rlm@2: want her to be scared again. I know that its probably foolish to rlm@2: think that I could do something like that. But I can try. rlm@2: rlm@2: Hotaru stays back from me, still seated on the floor. "I.. I... I’m rlm@2: sorry.. I didn’t mean,,,! It’s like.. it wasn’t me..." Her soft voice rlm@2: sounds almost desperate, pleading. Does she think I would leave? I’d rlm@2: never leave her like that, not now. rlm@2: rlm@2: I take another nervous step forward, smiling reassuringly at the rlm@2: obviously grief stricken pale girl. I want to hug her, hold her rlm@2: close, make her know that its all okay, but I’m afraid she’d run away rlm@2: from me. She’s so delicate, so fragile, like a china doll. "It’s rlm@2: okay, Hotaru-chan. Don’t worry," I says soothingly, trying to get the rlm@2: mysterious girl to relax. rlm@2: rlm@2: She grants me just a bit of a nervous smile. I feel relieved again. rlm@2: I was so worried that she might flee her own room to get away from rlm@2: me. I know it’s a silly thing to worry about, but she looked so rlm@2: frightened. My heart flies just to see that hint of a smile. She rlm@2: manages a tiny nod, not saying a word. rlm@2: rlm@2: Seeing her visibly relax, I take a sigh of relief. This beautiful rlm@2: girl in front of me should never have to be hurt again. "I’m just rlm@2: glad you’re feeling better, Hotaru-chan. I hate seeing you in pain rlm@2: like that. I want to help you." And I do. I just don’t know how. rlm@2: rlm@2: "..thank you.. ChibiUsachan.." A small smile plays across her thin rlm@2: lips. She looks more confident as she tries to speak. “..you’re the rlm@2: only one who’s ever cared... it’s like..." her soft, whisper-like rlm@2: voice trails off. Like what? What are you trying to tell me? She rlm@2: seems to withdraw from me again, nervous. rlm@2: rlm@2: I frown as I walk closer to her, closing the distance between us rlm@2: quickly. There’s so much I want to know. There’s so much I want to rlm@2: say. But what, exactly? I wish I knew. "I don’t know why I’m the only rlm@2: one who seems to notice how great you are, Hotaru-chan. I can’t see rlm@2: why anyone would ever be mean to you, why anyone would ever want to rlm@2: hurt you." Because I can’t stand to see you suffer, firefly. rlm@2: rlm@2: Her deep violet eyes gaze up at me, working their magic on me. How rlm@2: can I hope to keep from losing myself in their depths? I find myself rlm@2: being drawn further into those beautiful dark eyes. I see tears start rlm@2: to form in those perfect violet spheres. Please don’t cry, firefly. I rlm@2: don’t ever want you to hurt. "I.. don’t know.. but... It doesn’t rlm@2: matter.. as long as I have you..." rlm@2: rlm@2: I feel my cheeks burning as I begin to blush. Had the raven haired rlm@2: girl really said that? But… what did she mean by it? She didn’t rlm@2: mean... "I.. I... Thanks, Hotaru-chan." My mind swims in confusion. rlm@2: Why would she say that? Do I really mean that much to her? I kneel rlm@2: next to her, smiling. As long as she has me... but how does she have rlm@2: me? I’m not so sure myself. rlm@2: rlm@2: The quiet girl blushes as well, her pale cheeks darkening as she rlm@2: looks at me. I look into those beautiful eyes for a long moment. She rlm@2: just looks at me silently. This moment, so much like the last time. rlm@2: It ended off so... I don’t know. What had I been expecting that time? rlm@2: A kiss? I almost laugh aloud. But then what Momoko said comes back to rlm@2: me as well. My girlfriend? A kiss? How did I really feel about this? rlm@2: Her blush deepens and she looks away from me. rlm@2: rlm@2: I tilt my head, trying to catch her gaze. A soft sigh escapes my rlm@2: lips. Why won’t she look at me again? Did I say the wrong thing? rlm@2: Please let me see those beautiful violet eyes again. I try to meet rlm@2: her gaze, to see those dark eyes. rlm@2: rlm@2: Hotaru quietly looks up slightly. Its obvious she’s nervous. Why? rlm@2: Why are you nervous, firefly? Don’t you know I’d never do anything to rlm@2: harm you? Her eyes look at me questioningly, almost as if she’s so rlm@2: shy that she may flee from me at the hint of anything at all. The rlm@2: silence envelops us. I want to break the silence, but my mind can’t rlm@2: think clearly with this mysterious girl in front of me. She invades rlm@2: my thoughts, making it impossible for me to think of anything but rlm@2: her. But is that so bad? rlm@2: rlm@2: "Hotaru-chan, you’re so pretty," I hear myself breath softly. I rlm@2: smile at her, once again losing myself in those violet pools. It’s rlm@2: the truth. She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. Yet so rlm@2: timid. Please let me get close… rlm@2: rlm@2: The dark haired girl blushes profusely, as if no one had ever said rlm@2: that to her before. Is the world that blind? She’s,,, heavenly. She rlm@2: seems like she’s trying to reply, but nothing comes out. She looks so rlm@2: afraid still. rlm@2: rlm@2: "I would never want to hurt you, Hotaru-chan. I want to be your rlm@2: friend. I want to be.. I don’t know." This time, I’m the one to look rlm@2: away. I don’t know what I had meant to tell her. That thought scares rlm@2: me. "I just want to make you happy." And I know I do. Oh, how I want rlm@2: her to be happy. To see another one of those beautiful smiles... rlm@2: rlm@2: Though she smiles at me in relief, I can see disappointment in the rlm@2: mysterious girl’s violet eyes. She seems to relax at what I said, rlm@2: though. "..I.. I wish I could be half as good a friend to you.. I rlm@2: don’t know... I’m not really good at it, ne.. inexperience..." rlm@2: rlm@2: I gaze into those eyes, wanting to know what caused her rlm@2: disappointment, but quickly losing myself in them. "No, you’re rlm@2: perfect, Hotaru-chan," I whisper softly. Everything about her fills rlm@2: me with wonder. I so want to tell her, but I don’t know how. I don’t rlm@2: even know what I want to tell her. rlm@2: rlm@2: A slight blush colors her pale cheeks as she looks back up at me. rlm@2: She seems more sure about something now, but I can’t tell what. rlm@2: "..no.. I can't be.. but... Chibiusachan... Chibimoon.. when did you rlm@2: fall from heaven..? I want to know.. so I can give you a gift before rlm@2: you have to return..." her soft voice whispers to me. rlm@2: rlm@2: I blush hotly, looking down, averting my eyes. I laugh nervously, rlm@2: trying to relax. I’m so happy she thinks of me that way, but to hear rlm@2: her say it… "Oh, I’m no angel," I assure her quickly. "Your rlm@2: friendship’s the best gift I ever could have received." rlm@2: rlm@2: "..but.. you have to be... you're a magical soldier.. you had to be rlm@2: from the gods... and.. you're the only one that ever noticed me, and rlm@2: didn't call me a witch..." The words pour out, one after the other as rlm@2: she tries to tell me it all. rlm@2: rlm@2: "I... I'm glad you think that, Hotaru-chan. Thank you." I feel the rlm@2: blush return, my cheeks burning even more as I replay her words in my rlm@2: mind. I smile brightly at her. She’s sooooo sweet. No one’s ever said rlm@2: something like that to me before. The smile disappears after a rlm@2: moment. The only one, she said. How could the world be so cruel to rlm@2: this beautiful girl? Isn’t there more I can do for her? I want to rlm@2: make the whole world leave her alone. No, I want the whole world to rlm@2: realize how great she is. "I could never call you that. And how could rlm@2: I not notice you? You're so beautiful. And nice. And mysterious. rlm@2: And..." I trail off, finding it far too hard to think as I look into rlm@2: those endless violet orbs. That feeling… that same feeling I had the rlm@2: first time I was in her room, the feeling that left unfinished, it rlm@2: returns to me now. I don’t want to leave it this time. I want to see rlm@2: it through. But what is this feeling? rlm@2: rlm@2: The blush on Hotaru’s cheeks darkens as she looks less certain about rlm@2: something. "Thank you.. for everything... ChibiUsachan.... I..." She rlm@2: cuts off the words at that. Please tell me, Hotaru. I want to know so rlm@2: badly. You can tell me anything, do you know that? I’d never judge rlm@2: you, never berate you. I just want to hear. I want to help. I want to rlm@2: know how you feel about me... rlm@2: rlm@2: "You’re welcome, Hotaru-chan. You deserve it, though. I really want rlm@2: to get to know you better. To be closer to you..." I sigh a little, rlm@2: unsure of myself. I feel so confused. What do I want, exactly? To be rlm@2: her friend, right? Then why is this all so awkward? Why do I want to rlm@2: say something more? She’s so important to me, whether she knows it or rlm@2: not. I want her to be there with me, always. I want… Why does this rlm@2: have to be so hard? Why can’t I just tell her. I sigh inwardly. Tell rlm@2: her what? I don’t know, but I want to. I know that much. She makes my rlm@2: heart melt. I feel so warm inside just being with her. I want to hug rlm@2: her close, to make all her pain disappear forever. rlm@2: rlm@2: "..that's... that's what I want..." Hotaru says softly. She seems so rlm@2: nervous, everything she says as if she can barely manage to tell me. rlm@2: She blinks her long, dark lashes, blushing just a bit. rlm@2: rlm@2: "You do?" I ask quietly, hopefully. It fills my heart with a warm rlm@2: joyous feeling to know that she want’s to get closer to me, too. I rlm@2: sit in front of her, entranced by this mysterious girl. I find myself rlm@2: wanting to lean forward and… And what? I feel all anxious inside. rlm@2: We’re both dancing around what we want to say, aren’t we? Neither of rlm@2: us knows exactly how to say it, though. And I’m still not quire sure rlm@2: what ‘it’ is. But I have a funny feeling that she does. "That's rlm@2: great, Hotaru-chan. You already mean a lot to me. You're all I can rlm@2: think about." It’s true. She’s been on my mind practically all the rlm@2: time since I’ve met her. And this mysterious girl is already so very rlm@2: important to me. rlm@2: rlm@2: "..but.. you..." She blinks those dark lashes again and shakes her rlm@2: head. I follow her gaze to the table where the chalice I’d given her rlm@2: still sits. My sign of friendship. Right? I blush when I remember rlm@2: what Momoko had said. I really did want Hotaru to have it, so I could rlm@2: show her… What would it be like if she was my girlfriend? I’d been rlm@2: thinking about it all afternoon after Momoko had said that. I’m a rlm@2: princess, I shouldn’t be thinking about such things. But I don’t rlm@2: care. "..only Himitsu knows how much you mean to me..." She turns rlm@2: back to me, looking as if there’s more she wants to say, but she rlm@2: keeps it from me, afraid. Why is she afraid of telling me? What could rlm@2: it be? But… the way she said that, do I really mean that much to her? rlm@2: rlm@2: "It makes me happy that I mean so much to you." I brush some pink rlm@2: hair from my eyes, feeling my cheeks flush. To mean so much to this rlm@2: beautiful girl, that’s wonderful. I smile nervously at her, so much rlm@2: left unsaid between us. But what can I do? What can I say? If I rlm@2: said.... Would this mysterious girl be happy? Or would she be rlm@2: frightened? rlm@2: rlm@2: A small smile crosses the dark haired girl’s thin lips. "..as long rlm@2: as you’re happy.. I’m happy.." But her voice, there’s a sad tone rlm@2: underlying it, as if she doesn’t truly mean it, as if there’s rlm@2: something more. I want to coax it out of her, but I’m afraid she’ll rlm@2: back away again if I try. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Hotaru-chan..." I sigh as I look away from her again, confusion rlm@2: threatening to overwhelm me. Does she really know just how important rlm@2: she is? "You mean so much more to me. Since I met you, I haven’t been rlm@2: able to stop thinking about you. When I’m away, I want to see you rlm@2: again. When I’m with you.. its just perfect." rlm@2: rlm@2: Hotaru shyly raises a hand up towards my face, but after she makes rlm@2: it halfway, she seems to realize what she’s doing and draws back, rlm@2: only making it about halfway between us. I wish she’d keep going. Why rlm@2: did she have to stop? "..it's the same... I thought it was...." She rlm@2: shakes her head slightly before continuing. "..but you're a friend of rlm@2: a million.. so it couldn't be..." But it is, Hotaru. It is. rlm@2: rlm@2: I smile softly, reassuringly at this beautiful frail girl in front rlm@2: of me. Leaning forward, I bring my hand up to her pale cheek, rlm@2: enjoying the soft feel of her skin. It feels so warm. So... rlm@2: wonderful. "But you’re special, Hotaru-chan. I feel... differently rlm@2: about you. You mean more to me than all those others," I try to rlm@2: explain, feeling as though I’m failing miserably at it. rlm@2: rlm@2: I hold my breath, waiting to see what she’ll do. She almost pulls rlm@2: back at my touch. My heart stops. No! Please, just grant me this. rlm@2: Finally, she starts to relax into it, blushing again. "..then... then rlm@2: I wasn't wrong..? ..I thought.. that I was wrong... because...." She rlm@2: stops, her soft voice choked up with emotions. I see tears beginning rlm@2: to form in her eyes as she looks at me silently. rlm@2: rlm@2: I shake my head emphatically, trying to get rid of that notion. Of rlm@2: course she’s not wrong. How could she be? How could this shy angel rlm@2: ever be? My heart aches as I see those tears in her gorgeous violet rlm@2: eyes. "No, you weren’t wrong, Hotaru-chan. I just.. you..." I gaze rlm@2: intently at her, trying to gather up my courage for what I want to rlm@2: tell her, what I so want to say. "You’re very special to me," I rlm@2: finally get out. rlm@2: rlm@2: The frail girl looks taken aback at my words. Its true, firefly. You rlm@2: are so special to me. How do you feel, my firefly? In a hushed, rlm@2: almost fearful whisper, I get my answer. "..I love you, ChibiUsa..." rlm@2: rlm@2: I blush deeply, her words running through my head over and over rlm@2: again. Those lovely words, spoken by this lovely girl. I feel like a rlm@2: veil’s been lifted. Everything seems clear now. I never thought about rlm@2: those words, not like this. And I’ve certainly never, ever heard them rlm@2: spoken of me. It fills me with a warm feeling to here her say that, a rlm@2: warmth I’ve never felt before. I feel so fuzzy, so giddy. I feel like rlm@2: laughing and crying and jumping for joy all at the same time. For a rlm@2: brief second I wonder what my parents would think. I’m the Princess rlm@2: of the Royal Family of Crystal Tokyo. But I shake it off. It doesn’t rlm@2: matter. I know in my heart of hearts that this is right. "I love you, rlm@2: too, Hotaru-chan." I feel like a weights been lifted from my rlm@2: shoulders. No more mincing of words, no more hiding our secrets. How rlm@2: we felt was out in the open between the two of us now. This frail rlm@2: girl... she truly means that much to me. That much and more. Gazing rlm@2: over at the raven haired girl, seeing myself reflected in her violet rlm@2: pools, before I know it I lean forward, ever so slightly at first. rlm@2: Even I don’t realize it until my lips gently brush hers. I blush rlm@2: deeper as I feel those warm soft lips against my own. It feels… rlm@2: wonderful. My first kiss… Hers too, I realize. But that just makes it rlm@2: all the more wonderful in this quiet moment. rlm@2: rlm@2: The sad, shy girl looks at me sadly, apologetically. "I’m sorry… rlm@2: I’ll only cause trouble for you..." rlm@2: rlm@2: I shake my head quickly, not wanting her to ever have to worry about rlm@2: something like that. "Even if you did cause trouble for me, I’d rlm@2: gladly take it." Over and over again, forever, just so I could be rlm@2: near her. To emphasize my point I lean forward, kissing her gently rlm@2: again. It tastes better than the best candy I’ve ever had back home rlm@2: in Crystal Tokyo, much sweeter than the best they could offer. I’d rlm@2: give anything to just stay like this. rlm@2: rlm@2: A small giggle escapes her lips, a smile gracing her delicate rlm@2: features. "..I've never even had a real friend before.. and now I rlm@2: have you... it's so wonderful, so perfect...." It means so much to me rlm@2: to be that for her, to be that and more. I never want her to have to rlm@2: suffer ever again. I don’t know if I can help it or not, but I’ll try rlm@2: my hardest to keep her happy. Forever. rlm@2: rlm@2: I find myself smiling brightly back at her, my hand still pressed rlm@2: gently against Hotaru’s cheek. I giggle softly myself, glad to see rlm@2: that smile on her face again. "Hai, perfect. Just like you, Hotaru- rlm@2: chan. I want to be everything for you. I want you to be happy. I want rlm@2: to be able to see your smile." I look deeply at her, wishing I could rlm@2: just tell her everything here and now, but not knowing where to start. rlm@2: rlm@2: "How can I not be happy... if I’m with you..?" she says in that soft rlm@2: voice of hers that I can’t help but imagine whenever there’s silence rlm@2: around me. A faint smile appears on her lips. "It’s like... like...." rlm@2: She trails off, at a loss for words. But I know exactly what she rlm@2: means. Everything about this is perfect, magical. Its too hard to put rlm@2: into words. So why bother, when I can just be here with her? rlm@2: rlm@2: ~~~~~ rlm@2: rlm@2: Usagi stared at ChibiUsa oddly as they made their way home. The rlm@2: younger girl had been acting strangely all night and now she seemed rlm@2: to be off in her own little world, barely noticing what was happening rlm@2: around her. The blonde girl sighed inwardly. This whole thing just rlm@2: seemed to be getting more and more confusing. rlm@2: Had ChibiUsa heard those thoughts she would wholeheartedly agreed. rlm@2: Her fingers absentmindedly went to her lips, her mind drifting back rlm@2: to her first kiss just moments before. She felt a sudden wave of rlm@2: dizziness wash over her as she relived the moment. What had happened rlm@2: back there? She swallowed nervously as she walked along. That strange rlm@2: feeling refused to leave her. She had never thought something like rlm@2: this would happen. Her mother had told her to be ready for anything rlm@2: when she came back to the past, but this was beyond anything she rlm@2: could have imagined. Falling in love had not been one of the things rlm@2: she’d thought her mother had meant. And with her… ChibiUsa’s cheeks rlm@2: started to flush and her heart beat faster as the odd feeling in her rlm@2: stomach increased in intensity. She felt like she needed to sit down rlm@2: soon, but she didn’t want Usagi’s already paranoid mind to have rlm@2: anything to work off of. rlm@2: The mysterious dark haired girl had quickly drawn her in. Those rlm@2: violet, pain filled eyes seemed to look deep into her soul whenever rlm@2: she gazed into them. This almost deathly pale girl had invaded her rlm@2: every thought. How could she have become so important to her? Did it rlm@2: matter? The whole idea of falling in love this way had been so rlm@2: foreign to her. The thought of falling in love with this girl was rlm@2: almost frightening to begin with. But Hotaru needed her, didn’t she? rlm@2: She wanted to do everything she could to make her happy. This whole rlm@2: thing was so new to her. But it was exhilarating, the feeling that rlm@2: encompassed her at the very thought of the raven haired girl. It rlm@2: scared her a bit, but she pushed that to the back of her mind. She rlm@2: wouldn’t let that get in her way. She couldn’t just run away from rlm@2: Hotaru. The other girl had already woven a spell deep into ChibiUsa’s rlm@2: soul. Maybe this was destiny. She had heard her mother say that so rlm@2: many times about her father. This wasn’t quite the same, but it sure rlm@2: felt like destiny had brought her to Hotaru. rlm@2: “What are you daydreaming about?” Usagi asked after a long moment rlm@2: of silence. “You haven’t said a word since we left Hotaru’s house. rlm@2: What’s gotten into you? All thoughtful and dreamy all of the sudden.” rlm@2: A sudden pang of worry spread through Usagi. Her suspicions about rlm@2: Hotaru began to grow. The mysterious girl very well could be part of rlm@2: The Enemy. And ChibiUsa would be completely unreasonable about things rlm@2: if she mentioned the possibility to her. So for now it was best if rlm@2: she just kept an eye on the younger girl. A silent sigh escaped her rlm@2: lips. What would the pink haired girl do without her? rlm@2: ChibiUsa almost didn’t hear Usagi’s question at first. Shaking her rlm@2: head, she tried to clear her thoughts but found that nearly rlm@2: impossible. “I.. Nothing. I’m just thinking about… home. And my room. rlm@2: And stuff…” There. That sounded convincing enough, ChibiUsa thought rlm@2: with a satisfied smile. She did get homesick a lot, so Usagi rlm@2: shouldn’t get too suspicious over that. rlm@2: Usagi seemed to consider it for a moment before finally deciding to rlm@2: let it drop. ChibiUsa was acting strangely, but pushing her probably rlm@2: wouldn’t get her anywhere. She knew how stubborn the pink haired girl rlm@2: could be and she didn’t feel like arguing with her for once. There rlm@2: was too much to think about after meeting the Professor and his rlm@2: daughter. She had to see what the others thought. rlm@2: Glancing sidelong at Usagi, ChibiUsa contemplated saying something rlm@2: for a long moment. This woman would one day become her mother, the rlm@2: woman she held in the highest regard. Her mother meant a lot to her. rlm@2: And she dearly wished she could talk with her about what was going rlm@2: on, about Hotaru. She bit her lip thoughtfully. Opening her mouth to rlm@2: speak, nothing came out. The nervousness that overtook her was too rlm@2: strong to quell. Usagi may be her mother in the future, but now… rlm@2: Maybe this just wasn’t the time to say anything. She couldn’t bring rlm@2: herself to bring it up now as it was. Finally deciding to tell the rlm@2: blonde girl later, if ever, she turned her attention back to what rlm@2: really mattered. Hotaru. rlm@2: rlm@2: Hotaru gazed longingly out her window. How long had she been rlm@2: sitting there? Minutes? Hours? She honestly couldn’t tell. The rlm@2: conversation she had had with the pink haired girl kept playing over rlm@2: and over again in her mind. It was too much to believe. How could rlm@2: something so wonderful happen to her? That such a sweet girl would rlm@2: actually care for her? Her? No one cared about her. Those that didn’t rlm@2: hate her or try to actively hurt her saw her as an oddity, something rlm@2: that had no real significance. But ChibiUsa was different from rlm@2: everyone else. She had looked beyond everything and had stayed. She rlm@2: hadn’t ran away or decided that Hotaru was an object of derision. rlm@2: Instead she had come again and again to her, always as her friend. A rlm@2: friend… Hotaru had never had a friend before. That alone seemed rlm@2: inconceivable. But that the pink haired girl could love her? rlm@2: Impossible. How could anyone? Yet ChibiUsa had been perfectly honest. rlm@2: She had seen that in those beautiful crimson eyes. rlm@2: Finally lying back on her bed, Hotaru stared up at the roof. Her rlm@2: lamps lit her dim room like fireflies in the darkness. Romantic, the rlm@2: pink haired girl had called it. She allowed herself a soft smile. rlm@2: This was her only place of escape from the pain of the world. This rlm@2: was her sanctuary. The atmosphere helped her try and forget rlm@2: everything, much as her books let her attempt escape into the life of rlm@2: another. But she was always brought back to reality, or taken from rlm@2: the safety of her room. The cold harsh pain would always come rlm@2: flooding back in after her short reprise. Her escape was always too rlm@2: short. Much too short. There had never been anything in this life rlm@2: worth returning to. Until now. There was something for her to hang on rlm@2: for now. She had a reason to go on. rlm@2: It had been so easy for her to fall for the pink haired girl. She rlm@2: was so sweet and caring. There was never any doubt in ChibiUsa’s mind rlm@2: that everything would turn out right in the end. Even with Hotaru. rlm@2: That outlook on life was so different from Hotaru’s own. Everything rlm@2: about her was like a bright light in Hotaru’s life, lighting up the rlm@2: darkness that threatened to engulf her. The thought that falling in rlm@2: love with the pink haired girl was wrong had briefly crossed her mind rlm@2: on several occasions, but she couldn’t help it. And what was one more rlm@2: mistake for someone like her? rlm@2: The fear that this would all be snatched from her as quickly as it rlm@2: had appeared to her was nearly overpowering at times. This could all rlm@2: be some sick joke by the heavens. A way to taunt her with what she rlm@2: desired with all her heart only to have it taken away. How could a rlm@2: witch like her, a freak, be granted this? If ChibiUsa knew… her body rlm@2: went numb at the thought. If ChibiUsa knew everything about her, rlm@2: would her mind change swiftly? Would she decide that everyone else rlm@2: had been right about Hotaru? rlm@2: The raven haired girl almost felt like crying at that. Hugging her rlm@2: pillow tightly to her chest, she wondered how this would all turn out rlm@2: in the end. Her life didn’t matter. She would let this play out the rlm@2: way it was intended. It seemed safer to keep things as friends, to rlm@2: not risk losing what little she had. But for ChibiUsa’s sake, and the rlm@2: yearning in her own heart, she would see where this took her.