rlm@2: 	The night wasn't easy for the girls. Both of them squeezed on the tiny hospital
rlm@2: bed in the darkness of Hotaru's room; the rhythmic hissing of the respirator paired with
rlm@2: the beat of the heart monitor made for a symphony of restlessness.
rlm@2: 	"UGH, that beeping is driving me crazy!" Usagi said in the darkness, "I can't
rlm@2: sleep with it! I want to SLEEEEP!" She glared at the offending device, but was
rlm@2: reprimanded by an angry Chibi.
rlm@2: 	"If that thing stops beeping, you'll get a few hours of sleep…. but Hotaru will
rlm@2: never wake up…. now stop complaining and block it out." The tiny girl curled onto her
rlm@2: side and tried to do the same, but was finding it very difficult. She sighed again,
rlm@2: wondering what Hotaru is thinking, what she's seeing, what she's hearing, what she's
rlm@2: feeling. Eyes glancing to the window, to the sky that was slowly losing it's inky
rlm@2: blankness in favor of a mild purple as the sun was creeping up over the horizon, she
rlm@2: stared at the slowly brightening sky for a time, before her eyes closed she didn't reopen
rlm@2: them.
rlm@2: 	Chibi's sleep was tormented, torturous, and troubled. She had visions of a
rlm@2: happy, almost mocking future of herself, around Usagi's age. Seeing herself at her sweet
rlm@2: sixteen party surrounded by the other Senshi and her friends, as she was opening the
rlm@2: presents from a large stack on a nearby table, and the others were standing around her,
rlm@2: two were sitting on the sofa next to her: Hotaru to her right, and Usagi to her left. She
rlm@2: was flanked by Haruka and Michi who stood behind the sofa, Michi against Haruka's
rlm@2: chest, cradled in her arms, both of them smiling brightly.
rlm@2: 	The inners, too, were there. Ami, as always, was telling them to be sensible
rlm@2: about what they're eating, her voice was as clear as always, "Minako! You shouldn't be
rlm@2: eating so much cake!" Her lips pursed slightly as she looked at the senshi of love with a
rlm@2: huge piece of chocolate cake in her hands, half of it in her mouth.
rlm@2: 	"Mmh! Mm-mm mmh!" Mina mumbled over the massive piece of cake in her
rlm@2: mouth, narrowing her eyes at Ami, but with everyone laughing at her, she soon blushed.
rlm@2: 	"Why not just rub it on your thighs, Minako?" Makoto chimed from the
rlm@2: armchair where she sat with a large glass of cherry soda. "That's where it's headed
rlm@2: anyhow," the brown haired girl quipped to her friend before taking another drink from
rlm@2: her cup.
rlm@2: 	Chibi glanced over a single, black velvet box sitting on the table near her.
rlm@2: Blinking gently, she reached her hand out and picked it up, studying it carefully before
rlm@2: spotting a tag on the bottom, "To my best friend. Love always, Hotaru." She grinned
rlm@2: widely before opening the box, and gasping at the contents.
rlm@2: 	The other senshi all stared at her with piqued curiosity at what was in the box,
rlm@2: including the outers, save Hotaru, who looked away with a smile. Reflecting the light
rlm@2: back on Chibi's face was a small, silver locket in the shape of a heart, her name engraved
rlm@2: across the surface in calligraphy. "Oh my…" was her only reaction at first, before her
rlm@2: hand reached up and opened the locket. On one side of the locket was a picture of Hotaru,
rlm@2: and on the other was a picture of Chibi. "Hotaru it's beautiful…thank you." She stood up
rlm@2: and moved to her, "Put it on me, please?" Hotaru nodded quickly and reached her hands
rlm@2: up to take it; she could feel the other senshi's eyes on her as she placed her arms around
rlm@2: Chibi's neck. Chibi felt the warm, smooth touch of Hotaru's fingertips as she fumbled
rlm@2: gently with the clasp, but as the clasp closed the sensation changed.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Trying to pull back to show the locket off, she caught some resistance, not
rlm@2: physically restraining Chibi, but rather like something was hung around her neck heavier
rlm@2: than it should be, as if Hotaru's limp hands were holding onto her.
rlm@2: 	"You ok, Hotaru?" Chibi asked, wondering if her friend had a fainting spell or
rlm@2: something, but Chibi received no answer. Reaching up to pull Hotaru's hands away, to
rlm@2: help her to a bed, Chibi stated aloud, "Someone help me here, I think Hotaru fainted…"
rlm@2: but, again, silence 	was her answer.
rlm@2: 	Fingers curling around Hotaru's wrists, Chibi jumped at the sensation. They
rlm@2: weren't as smooth and soft as they were before… they were dry and brittle, and as she
rlm@2: pulled back, the hands cracked and slumped lifelessly to the side of the couch. The thick,
rlm@2: tangible silence was shattered with Chibi's scream her eyes fell on Hotaru…or rather,
rlm@2: what Hotaru had become laying lifelessly on the couch.
rlm@2: 	What once had been a beautiful, lively young woman, remained nothing more
rlm@2: than a set of grayed, decaying bones dressed in the costume of the Saturn senshi.
rlm@2: Hollowed, dark sockets that stared blankly at Chibi's terrified form, the jaw still attached
rlm@2: to her face causing the skull to grin knowingly at the pink haired woman who stood
rlm@2: petrified in the center of the room. "What's the matter Chibi?" the former Hotaru said,
rlm@2: her voice floating eerily on the chill air, sounding pained and distant. The head turned
rlm@2: slowly, stomach-churning crack sounded before her eye sockets began glowing with a
rlm@2: faint purple light.
rlm@2: 	Turning quickly to face the rest of the senshi, she was greeted only with a
rlm@2: similar horror everywhere she looked. Each of the senshi in various states of decay and
rlm@2: death, rotted flesh hung from dried bones in all directions. "What's wrong, Chibi-Usa?"
rlm@2: Michi's voice too oozed over the still air, "Our daughter isn't good enough to be your
rlm@2: friend any more? Don't you know she saved all her money to buy you that locket? And
rlm@2: this is all you can do to repay her?!" Michi's sockets flared green a moment, then picked
rlm@2: up in intensity.
rlm@2: 	"N- no…" Chibi managed to choke out, her voice shaking, until it climbed in
rlm@2: urgency, "but…. what's going on here?!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs, but only
rlm@2: got a cruel chuckle from the living corpses that started to close in around her. Their bony
rlm@2: fingers began to grasp for her body, causing her to writhe and struggle, but this only
rlm@2: leading her to slam into another…they had her trapped. Tears began to stream down her
rlm@2: face as she tried desperately to fight her way out of the circle, only to be thrown harshly
rlm@2: back in by inhuman strength.
rlm@2: 	"Aw…look at the little ingrate cry," Usagi said as she picked up the knife that
rlm@2: was used to cut the cake, her grotesquely misshapen hands, deformed by decay, gripping
rlm@2: the handle tightly. Holding the weapon high, Usagi grinned; metal blade reflected the
rlm@2: light menacingly over the frosting covering the steel. "We'll give you a reason to cry!"
rlm@2: the hiss of the blade carving through the air sliced the silence, caused Chibi's eyes to
rlm@2: widen and cry out in vain.
rlm@2: 	The sound of the point slamming into her chest woke her with a start, causing
rlm@2: her to fall off the bed and onto the cold, hard tile landing with a pronounced yelp that
rlm@2: woke Usagi. Chibi's eyes darted around for any sign of something to prove her existence
rlm@2: in this reality, where the senshi were alive and spotted Usagi yawning and staring down
rlm@2: at her, "You ok?"
rlm@2: 	"Yes!" Chibi answered quickly, staring Usagi down hard. The blonde looked
rlm@2: Chibi over for injury, and caught the glare from her. Chibi stood and began to back away
rlm@2: from Usagi, all the way to the wall, "Just fine!"
rlm@2: 	"Uh…what's wrong with you? You look like you seen a ghost." Usagi stretched
rlm@2: her slender arms and placed her feet onto the floor. By now the sun had fully risen, and
rlm@2: shone down into the room brilliantly. Chibi checked herself over, and then quickly placed
rlm@2: her hand to her chest, looking for the locket. Nothing. Her sigh of relief cut short as she
rlm@2: noticed Hotaru's bed was gone.
rlm@2: 	"Where's Hotaru?!" Chibi immediately went to the call button and pressed it a
rlm@2: several times before again having her hand removed once again by Usagi. She waited
rlm@2: impatiently, moving to peek out the door, looking for a nurse. Just as her hand tightened
rlm@2: around the handle with the intent to step outside, the door opened of its own accord,
rlm@2: admitting a doctor… one whom Chibi recognized at a moment's glance to be different to
rlm@2: the one from the previous night.  He was dressed the same however, green S.C.R.U.B.s
rlm@2: under a white coat, roughly 35 or so.
rlm@2: 	"We have some news on your friend…" the man looked directly to Usagi, as
rlm@2: she was older, before turning to Chibi. His eyes were a sea green; soft and delicate,
rlm@2: paired with slightly graying brown hair, clean cut and well shaven. He paused for a
rlm@2: moment glancing down at the chart with a sigh, "We've found an abnormality on the CT
rlm@2: scan…"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	The sweet, rich whisper of a flute woke Hotaru from a deep slumber. Her eyes
rlm@2: fluttered gently as she glanced slowly around another torch-lit room. She was on a soft
rlm@2: mattress in a wall-less, ceiling-less black room very similar to the place she had
rlm@2: previously been. Rising to a sitting position, she saw a figure sitting on a chair adjacent to
rlm@2: the bed, the man who had wielded her glaive before.
rlm@2: The music stopped.
rlm@2: 	"So you're finally awake…" The man said, his voice as smooth as the flute was.
rlm@2: His mask was still on, though his clothing was different from, black still, but it wasn't
rlm@2: bloody. He was sitting close to the bed, his legs crossed, looking over her. He didn't
rlm@2: speak after this, only watched her motions carefully, not cautiously, but he seemed
rlm@2: curious about her.
rlm@2: 	"Who are you…?" Her voice was weak, it shook gently with a combination of
rlm@2: fear, uncertainty, and exhaustion, "...and where am I?" The youth looked thoughtful for a
rlm@2: moment, rubbing his chin through the thin cloth mask that shrouded his identity. He
rlm@2: looked a bit like Mamoru, now that Hotaru thought about it.
rlm@2: 	"No…I'm not Mamoru." His voice sounded as soon as Hotaru had the thought
rlm@2: manifested in her head, "My name is Seisen." He paused for a second regarding the latter
rlm@2: question, thinking of how to answer her, while she sat dumbstruck at the way he detected
rlm@2: her thoughts. "I suppose the best way to describe this place would be the astral plane."
rlm@2: 	"Astral plane…? Isn't that the out-of-body thing?" her violet eyes looked him
rlm@2: over, not really buying this astral plane business, but…where else could she be? This
rlm@2: wasn't like anywhere she's ever been before.
rlm@2: 	"Yes…something like that. However, there are some differences between the
rlm@2: out-of-body and our existence here. You didn't come here from your own will, like I did,
rlm@2: and you weren't brought here because you died in what you perceive as the 'real world.'
rlm@2: You came here because something else brought you here. It wasn't me, I'm sure you'd
rlm@2: thought that already," which, in actuality was the first thing that came to her mind as he
rlm@2: suggest it. It was starting to frighten her that he could so easily read her mind. "That
rlm@2: creature you witnessed earlier is what brought you here."
rlm@2: 	"Why would it want to… do that?" her eyes glanced away, her tone
rlm@2: melancholy, and frightened. "I'm just a girl…" She glanced away, careful not to think of
rlm@2: herself being a senshi, but instead thought of a lamp she owned at home, not wanting to
rlm@2: give herself away. "Why would it want me?" She recalled in detail the base of the lamp.
rlm@2: 	"Very interesting lamp." The youth chuckled lightly, "You are very clever, but
rlm@2: I already know who…or rather, what, you are; there is no use in trying to deceive me, but
rlm@2: be certain I'm not here to harm you." Her mouth dropped open, and she sputtered a
rlm@2: moment, trying to think of a way to explain that she wasn't something special. Her
rlm@2: attempts at protest were cut short when he held up his hand. "Don't… you don't have to
rlm@2: make excuses, or try to hide what you are."
rlm@2: 	"How do I know you're not here to hurt me…?" she edged carefully away from
rlm@2: him, but couldn't get too far on her weak hands. He shook his head, glancing to his side
rlm@2: then back to her.
rlm@2: 	"Here…" he reached down onto the floor and picked up something, then
rlm@2: thought better of it as Hotaru tensed. "It's nothing to hurt you…trust me." She didn't ease
rlm@2: any when he put his flute onto his lap and used both hands to lift the object. Her eyes
rlm@2: narrowed onto the flash of silver from her glaive.
rlm@2: 	"That's-- she started, but stopped when he nodded to her.
rlm@2: 	"Your glaive…very nice, actually." His eyes wandered the weapon for a
rlm@2: moment, before turning it in his hands, so the blade faced inwards toward himself
rlm@2: "Here." His left hand extended the grip of the weapon to her, carefully aiming it away
rlm@2: from her body due to the large spike at the end of it. "It's yours anyhow."
rlm@2: 	"Yes…" she reached her hand tentatively out to the weapon and placed it
rlm@2: around the grip before sliding it onto the bed next to her since she couldn't lift it with her
rlm@2: fatigued muscles. "Why did you have it?"
rlm@2: 	"A very good question," His eyes smiled, though his mouth couldn't be seen
rlm@2: from behind the mask, "Well, when you don't have it with you, it does go somewhere
rlm@2: you know. All the senshi's weapons reside here when not in use; this way no one can get
rlm@2: their hands on them. The first breech happened today with that creature, but it will not be
rlm@2: happening again. I have seen to that." His eyes wandered to a dark part of the room, then
rlm@2: back to Hotaru.
rlm@2: 	"Are you some kind of security guard or something? And why did that creature
rlm@2: want my weapon…?" She too, let her eyes then move to the blackness that cause his own
rlm@2: attention before tearing her eyes it, to focus back on his eyes.
rlm@2: 	"Yes, and no. I am not required to guard the weapons, but I don't let anything
rlm@2: near them. Not that it was a problem until today. "It wanted your weapon because that
rlm@2: was the only certain way of calling you here; it was only a matter of time, having gotten
rlm@2: its hands on the weapon, before you could be brought here…" His hands folded in his lap
rlm@2: over his flute.
rlm@2: 	"Why would it want me here…?" This was starting to make some sense, but
rlm@2: still a bit hard to believe, it made her head spin. She left her hand on her glaive, its
rlm@2: presence making her feel much better than had she been alone.
rlm@2: 	"It wanted to kill you," Seisen told her dryly. "If it killed you here, it would
rlm@2: have killed your spirit, thus preventing you from being reborn. When you are here, you
rlm@2: are physical, tangible, much like you would be back home." His hand moved to his chest,
rlm@2: patting it gently, "But I'm sure you saw that, anyhow."
rlm@2: 	"Why did you stop it?" Her eyes moved to his chest, where he touched. He
rlm@2: should have been dead; that wound wouldn't have simply closed on it's own.
rlm@2: "And…your wound…
rlm@2: 	"Would you rather I let it kill you?" he chuckled lightly, shaking his head.
rlm@2: "And my wound is healed. You're not the only one with a healing power, Firefly."
rlm@2: 	"You can heal too?" He had her attention now, and she sat up straighter against
rlm@2: the mass of pillows on her bed; it made her think he had gone a bit too far to make sure
rlm@2: she was comfortable.
rlm@2: 	"Yes…you saw what other power I have. Does it look familiar to you? Only
rlm@2: difference is that your power moves on the circle of life. Your revolution is meant to
rlm@2: show that everything lives, and then it will die." He paused a moment, adjusting his
rlm@2: sitting position by uncrossing his legs. "My power lies on a single side of that, either life,
rlm@2: or death, never both.
rlm@2: 	"Why do you have the powers I do?" Her eyes narrowed in confusion, and she
rlm@2: fidgeted, wanting to work out the stiffness that deadened her limbs.. Seisen studied her a
rlm@2: moment, his black eyes softening as he looked over her face. She was so weak, so frail,
rlm@2: but so completely powerful…after all Hotaru was both sides of the coin, much like her
rlm@2: power.
rlm@2: 	"Well…" he paused a moment, reaching his hands behind his head to untie the
rlm@2: mask's ribbon that held the dark mask to his face. He let the top of the mask fall to reveal
rlm@2: his nose and mouth, running his hand through his dark black and purple hair.. His face
rlm@2: was sharp, boasting well chiseled features, but still seemed very much innocent. "It's a
rlm@2: long story, but it would be a bit odd that you have powers when your genetic copy
rlm@2: doesn't."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"What do you mean you found an abnormality?" Usagi eyed the doctor warily
rlm@2: as she spoke. Chibi stood looking up between two, not exactly sure how she should react.
rlm@2: 	"Well, it appears there some trauma as her head hit the ground, causing her
rlm@2: brain to swell a bit. This could be completely harmless, or it could lead to possible brain
rlm@2: damage. Amnesia, paralysis…death." He quickly looked away from them as he spoke the
rlm@2: word "death", not wanting to watch their reaction. Usagi decided immediately that she
rlm@2: didn't like this doctor.
rlm@2: 	"How can something range from nothing to death? It doesn't make sense."
rlm@2: Usagi cried, narrowing her eyes at the doctor. "Just do whatever you have to do to make
rlm@2: sure she'll be fine" Usagi narrowed her eyes at the doctor, who shifted uneasily under her
rlm@2: glare.
rlm@2: 	The doctor shifted uneasily under her glare, shaking his head. "We can't…until
rlm@2: the guardian decides what is best for the child, we simply cannot take any action,
rlm@2: otherw—" Usagi's jaw dropped with disbelief that they would play God to simply await
rlm@2: an order from the guardian. "If this was an emergency, or something of the sort, we
rlm@2: could…" He began to stammer, sweat forming on his brow from the steadily-increasing
rlm@2: heat of Usagi's glare.
rlm@2: 	"What do you mean IF this was an emergency? She could DIE! What does she
rlm@2: have to do for you to consider it an emergency!? I don't believe this!" Her hands curled
rlm@2: into fists as she began to advance on the doctor, her mind simply refusing to take what
rlm@2: the doctor claimed to be as the only solution. Chibi, now fully understanding the gravity
rlm@2: of the situation began to move on the doctor as well, on her mother's left side to block the
rlm@2: doorway.
rlm@2: 	"Well….what I mean to say is that it-it has to be a trauma b-before we can do
rlm@2: much…" the doctor's back hit the wall, and he swallowed hard as he was stared down by
rlm@2: Usagi, and flanked by a pink haired child. The blonde girl's left eye twitched, and she
rlm@2: stopped suddenly in her tracks, glancing away from the doctor to the ground, her mind
rlm@2: giving her a possible solution.
rlm@2: 	"Well then," Ceasing her forward motion, Usagi grew eerily calm as she smiled
rlm@2: knowingly up at the doctor…" Chibi stopped and looked up at her; the cool, steely
rlm@2: manner of her mother made her remember her dream and caused her to shudder, but she
rlm@2: didn't speak. "I guess I'll just have to let you have your way…I'll just go make a phone
rlm@2: call." Usagi said to the doctor, who was more than a bit surprised at her sudden change in
rlm@2: demeanor.
rlm@2: 	"If you're trying to call this Haruka person, the phone isn't being answered."
rlm@2: The doctor stepped from the wall and straightened his coat nervously.
rlm@2: 	"Oh no…I'm not going to call Haruka." She placed her hand on Chibi's
rlm@2: shoulder, but was taken slightly aback as Chibi stepped away from her. Usagi let it pass
rlm@2: for now, but continued, "I'm going to call a lawyer. Do the phrases 'Malpractice,' and
rlm@2: 'wrongful death' mean anything to you, doc?"  She was now very glad Ami had a big
rlm@2: mouth and insisted on babbling to Usagi and the others. The doctor's eyes went wide, and
rlm@2: he opened his mouth to speak, only finding himself quickly silenced… "Should
rlm@2: ANYTHING, God forbid, happen to Hotaru…you will be very, VERY sorry. And my
rlm@2: first task as the owner of Hotaru Tomoe memorial hospital will be to fire you."
rlm@2: 	"Well…" the nervous man began to shake visibly, and Usagi began to wonder
rlm@2: exactly how long he had been a doctor, and if this was the first bad news he'd delivered.
rlm@2: "I suppose this can be treated as a trauma…"
rlm@2: 	"Yes…and if it isn't a trauma, it can become one…not hers, of course, but I
rlm@2: think I can handle you." Usagi said with a smile and a tilt of her head, "Now run along
rlm@2: and have the nurses get a real doctor in here, 'Kay?" Usagi surprised even herself,
rlm@2: thinking that what she just did would be more suited for maybe Rei, or possibly Haruka,
rlm@2: but never herself. It made her feel good. She brushed past the doctor on her way out, and
rlm@2: Chibi looked up at the man a moment, before following her mother, leaving the
rlm@2: dumbfounded man in the white coat glancing sheepishly at his feet.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"M…my genetic copy? A clone? You're a man, though." Hotaru looked over
rlm@2: the face of the man who sat before her, his black eyes closed. "I don't understand…"
rlm@2: 	"I didn't expect you to…I'll explain in a moment. Would you like something to
rlm@2: drink? I have some juice here if you'd like some." He said, and waited as Hotaru
rlm@2: considered his offer. But as she shook her head in rejection, Seisen turned his head away
rlm@2: from her, feeling a bit dejected. "Alright…well, I suppose I should start at the beginning,
rlm@2: hmm?
rlm@2: 	"When you died in the lab explosion…you were not supposed to recover. It was
rlm@2: no accident that the place was blown up. However, your father sold his soul to have you
rlm@2: reborn, and thus placed a great evil in you, and in him. Now here's where I come in…"
rlm@2: Pausing a moment to gather his thoughts, he allowed his rich black eyes to slowly move
rlm@2: over the weakened girl in front of him. "You've heard the theory 'for every action, there
rlm@2: is an equal and opposite reaction', right? Well, that's me. I'm your reaction. You were
rlm@2: reanimated as per the agreement your father made, but you became Mistress 9."
rlm@2: 	"Yes…" Hotaru didn't like discussing the time period she was Mistress 9, it
rlm@2: caused her to recall fuzzy memories that had no real place in her mind. It only tormented
rlm@2: her and caused horrid nightmares.
rlm@2: 	"Fearing you were too powerful to be stopped by the senshi, I was created by
rlm@2: another force to counter balance your existence." A shadow crossed his dark features as
rlm@2: he glanced away, looking towards the sword that leaned against the chair near him. "I
rlm@2: was created to kill you."
rlm@2: 	"To kill me?" Hotaru's fears returned as she increased the grip on her glaive,
rlm@2: thinking she was a fool to have trusted him…to sit and talk. Seisen, upon sensing her
rlm@2: discomfort and sudden mistrust, sighed deeply, shaking his head.
rlm@2: 	"Yes… I was created using your base DNA, but XY rather than XX…to receive
rlm@2: your power plus increased physical strength due to being a man. You were raised as
rlm@2: Mistress 9, and I was told that you were my enemy, that you were the plague of
rlm@2: mankind…harsh I know, but I bought into it. I was brought up in the way of the
rlm@2: warrior…trained daily to strengthen mind, body, and spirit so that one day I would be
rlm@2: able to kill you with little difficulty. However…I did all of this knowing that you were
rlm@2: my 'sister'. Since we are of basically the same DNA, there isn't another way to phrase
rlm@2: it." Hotaru let her eyes fall away; that would explain why he was defending her, and the
rlm@2: mass of pillows that was bigger than she was, but it still didn't make enough sense. "The
rlm@2: day Usagi and the others encountered 9; I was there to make sure they succeeded. If they
rlm@2: failed I was to finish the job. When it comes down to power, you can beat me out any
rlm@2: day, since I'm just a copy. But, since I wasn't biologically produced, I don't have some
rlm@2: of your…" thinking of the best way of phrasing it, but only finding himself able to
rlm@2: express himself clinically, "your physical weaknesses."
rlm@2: 	Seisen looked her directly in the eye, his dark, but enchantingly innocent
rlm@2: features growing even more distraught as she instantly turned away. "I'm not going to
rlm@2: hurt you…" His voice was small, pained. His lack of tact and instant distress proved he
rlm@2: wasn't used to dealing with people.
rlm@2: 	"You just said you were supposed to kill me." Hotaru frowned as she turned to
rlm@2: her glaive once more, her fingertips gently moving over the smooth metal of the blade.
rlm@2: "Now you say you won't hurt me. I don't know what to believe."
rlm@2: 	"I was created to kill Mistress 9. She doesn't exist anymore, so my existence is
rlm@2: pretty much useless." Seisen shrugged and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes with
rlm@2: his hands behind his head. Hotaru glanced from him to the glaive by her side; his
rlm@2: vulnerable position might let her wound him and flee to find some way to get back home.
rlm@2: 	"You can, if you like…you'd probably be doing me a favor," his eyes slowly
rlm@2: opened to look at her, "I won't stop you if you try." With his hands still behind his head,
rlm@2: he pulled the ribbon on the mask once more around his head and tied it into place, again
rlm@2: concealing his features, his eyes again closed..
rlm@2: 	"What do you want from me? I don't understand all of this… You don't let it
rlm@2: kill me, but you were supposed to kill me…you go out of your way to make me feel
rlm@2: comfortable." Hotaru let her eyes move from him to the darkness of the room, looking for
rlm@2: any possible exit, or a portal of some kind. "I just want to go home."
rlm@2: 	"Then I'll take you home, but leave your glaive here. You can't take it with
rlm@2: you, but it will be safe." He stood up, flute in hand, and stretched his body. He was tall, at
rlm@2: least as tall as Mamoru, and his build was above average, which did fit his story to
rlm@2: Hotaru. Picking up his sword, he slung the sheath around his body and latched it into
rlm@2: place, where it was in reach of his right hand over his shoulder. "Come on," he said,
rlm@2: placing the flute in a slot on the sheath's strap, which crossed his chest from right to left.
rlm@2: "They should be happy to see you…"
rlm@2: 	Making their way along the darkness of the astral plane, Seisen guiding the way
rlm@2: past the torches that lined each room, and crossed the paths of others like a roadway
rlm@2: system. Hotaru was weak, and only shuffling along behind Seisen by will power. More
rlm@2: than once collapsed under her own weight, only to be caught by a blinding motion of the
rlm@2: ninja-dressed youth who offered he carry her, but she adamantly refused.
rlm@2: 	"We're almost there," the black-eyed man looked up at a portal that swirled in
rlm@2: the darkness, purple spinning in a clockwise fashion, drawing in the very light that
rlm@2: surrounded them. Gusts of wind began to pull at the two as they neared the portal. The
rlm@2: long ribbons of Seisen's mask began to flutter around his face, just as Hotaru's hair did
rlm@2: the same, but her weakness caused her to drop to her knees. Seisen turned to regard her
rlm@2: for a moment, and shadow crossed his face as he drew his sword and faced the girl fully.
rlm@2: The black blade of the sword shimmered with a crackle of purple electricity as Seisen flat
rlm@2: out charged Hotaru, enough power and speed to physically counter the portal's pull,
rlm@2: making the air still for a fraction of a second before his powerful sword thrust came
rlm@2: hailing down just above Hotaru's head.
rlm@2: 	 She had long enough to think, "I'm dead," before the blade met flesh.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	On the flight from Japan to the United States, Haruka and Michiru sat restlessly
rlm@2: in the plane, hoping for the best, but fearing the worst. They had been in the air for what
rlm@2: seemed like forever; the hospital had called them the night before and they had caught the
rlm@2: first plane to anywhere in the US, which landed in New York in about 20 minutes.
rlm@2: 	"Sir?" the flight attendant regarded Haruka, her bright green eyes and sugary-
rlm@2: sweet smile shone down on the shorthaired woman. Haruka played it off, not bothering to
rlm@2: explain she was a woman, nor caring at the moment. "Would you like something to
rlm@2: drink? A soda? A glass of wine maybe?"
rlm@2: 	"No, thank you. I'm alright." Haruka answered, and the woman, undaunted,
rlm@2: inquired if Michi would like something. She likewise refused politely though she was
rlm@2: being destroyed inside. She didn't want to have to do this again; she couldn't take things
rlm@2: like this. Why Hotaru? kept going through her head.
rlm@2: 	"We land in 20 minutes," Michi checked her watch, "We can catch another
rlm@2: plane to Maine, or we can just get a bullet ca- a cab, rather."
rlm@2: 	Haruka just closed her eyes and sighed, "We'll take a cab. We don't need to
rlm@2: wait for another plane… I hope they can drive fast."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Usagi now stood impatiently at the nurse's station, her tautly-crossed arms and
rlm@2: dangerous expression warning everyone she was not to be toyed with at the current time.
rlm@2: Taking a lesson from her daughter, she began the same full on assault on the bell Chibi
rlm@2: did only a few hours beforehand. "Hello! I need a doctor! A REAL doctor who CARES!"
rlm@2: She turned to glare at Hotaru's room in time to see the man slipping out of the room like
rlm@2: a weasel, and scurry into a lounge to avoid a confrontation with Usagi.
rlm@2: 	A nurse came to regard Usagi and looked to the pink haired girl. The whole
rlm@2: floor knew what room they were from; it was not very often that you find a small midget
rlm@2: girl with pink hair done in ondangos. "Yes? A doctor will be right with you, Doctor
rlm@2: White just called and said he will no longer be on the trauma case, but to have someone
rlm@2: look at her right away." Usagi nodded in triumph, feeling much better about herself, and
rlm@2: the situation, though Chibi only regarded her with a wary glance, her dream still not
rlm@2: shaken so easily.
rlm@2: 	"Where's Hotaru?" Usa finally managed to ask the nurse, standing on her tip
rlm@2: toes to see over the counter.	And ensued a verbal exchange that must have broken the
rlm@2: sound barrier at some point.
rlm@2: 	"Radiology,"
rlm@2: 	"What's she doing there?"
rlm@2: 	"Getting another cat scan."
rlm@2: 	"When will she be out,"
rlm@2: 	"When it's done."
rlm@2: 	"Don't you talk to her like that!"
rlm@2: 	"I don't know when she'll be out!"
rlm@2: 	"Then find out!"
rlm@2: 	"I would ma'am, but I can't just call and ask them to hurry!"
rlm@2: 	"No, but you can call and ask them how long it's going to take!"
rlm@2: 	"I'm busy right now,"
rlm@2: 	"Doing what? All I've seen you do is eat that nasty little salad."
rlm@2: 	"Maybe you should get a salad, it might improve your temper."
rlm@2: 	"Salads are not food! Vegetables are what food eat!"
rlm@2: 	"I have to go now, I'll have someone in her room shortly,"
rlm@2: 	"We'll be waiting."
rlm@2: 	"Don't hold your breath,"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: