@--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- "Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Jesus, John 20:29 @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- The Coldest December By Aimee Chapter Six "I hear you telling me this is everything you need, but I don't think it's true. Because the way you feel isn't real, You attempt to try and fill the void that's digging through, and it's killing you." ~Michael W. Smith It was the dead of night. The clouds looming over the horizon hid the moon, and the deep shadows that covered the city were at their darkest. Awakening from a restless sleep, my eyes snapped open to the quiet sounds of the night. The air in my bedroom was thick and heavy--almost oppressive. Squinting so that I could see in the darkness, I sat up quickly in bed and glanced at glowing red letters of my alarm clock. 3:42 a.m. Breathing deeply, I tried to slow the erratic beating of my heart. Something was very wrong. Almost on cue, the insistent beeping of my senshi communicator broke through the silence, making me jump in fright. Taking a few more deep breaths to calm my raw nerves, I reached over to grab the communicator from the night table. Turning it on, I was greeted by the tired but aware gaze of Ami. "My senshi computer's activity alarm woke me up," she informed me. "There's movement on the north side of the town, near the mall. It's very likely that it's a youma. Hurry, Usagi." "I'm on it!" I assured her, clicking off the communicator and reaching for my locket. After completing the transformation, I slipped out through the window. Breaking into a run, I hit the streets of Tokyo. @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- "I'm here!" I cried in a singsong voice, hurdling over a few bushes and tree roots. Catching sight of my fellow Sailor Senshi, I ran to join them, inwardly cursing at myself for always being the last to arrive. "According to my computer," Mercury began, "there are three figures approximately 100 yards north of our present location. Two of them are emitting dark energy. My guess is that the third is a victim." "Two?" I gasped. We had never faced two at the same time before, and the very thought of it frightened me. A scream pierced through the silence of the night. The senshi and I rounded the corner in a terrible rush, hoping and praying that it was not too late for the owner of that broken voice. We stopped when we came into viewing distance of the three figures. They stood under a street lamp. A young man, the one who was screaming, was on his knees in pain as a youma drained energy from him. The third figure, hidden by the shadows, stood and watched, hovering slightly off the ground. The moon came out from behind the clouds, and the face of the third figure came into the light. "That's not a youma ..." Mars breathed, her eyes widening. "Zoycite!" Venus exclaimed. Before anyone could say another word, another horrifying scream escaped from the young man's lips as the youma's attack on him intensified. I gasped in fright. "We've got to do something!" "Let's go!" Jupiter cried. "Oh no..." I groaned when the other senshi broke out into a sprint. If there's one thing I hate doing, it's running--and God knows I've done my share of it when I'm late to school. Still, I took off running after my friends, and when we arrived, I was panting and gasping for breath. "Hold it *gasp* right there *wheeze* Zoycite!" Cold eyes narrowed at me. "You..." he growled. "I suggest you stay out of this if you know what's good for you." "Not a chance!" Jupiter growled as she stepped forward, her fist clenched. Zoycite laughed. He actually *laughed* at Jupiter. Dear readers, there is one thing I have learned never *ever* to do, and that is to mock Sailor Jupiter. My friend turned red with anger, and I cowered in fear as her fists began to clench even tighter. Zoycite must have noticed the growing rage of my friend as well, for he gave a weak smile and said, "Till next time, ladies." With that, he vanished in a flood of rose petals, his laughter echoing in the night sky. I shuddered at the sound as rose petals snowed down upon me. "He certainly knows how to make an exit, doesn't he?" "Forget about Zoicite," Mars said, pointing to the youma, who had departed from the now-unconscious man. "We've got more important things to deal with right now." Sucking in my breath, I peered at the youma, completely amazed. It was the first time that I had actually looked at it speculatively. Donned entirely in black, it was tall and slim. Blood red eyes glared at me, hate emanating from their depths. In all honesty, it appeared to be someone who'd read Bram Stoker's "Dracula" a few too many times. Glancing it over once more, I did the only reasonable thing that came to mind... I burst into a fit of giggles. "A vampire?" I wheezed, laughing at the ridiculousness of the whole scene in front of me. It was too much. Couldn't the NegaVerse come up with something more original? (author's note: hmmm, it certainly seems Aimee couldn't.) "Yo, El Chupacabra!" I mocked the dark shadow in the distance shamelessly. "Halloween was three months ago! You're a little late, buddy!" "I vant to suck your blood ..." Jupiter joined in my laughter. "Ladies, I think you're making him angry," Mercury gulped nervously. "I'd strongly advise you to stop." "C'mon, Mercury!" Jupiter argued, giving our favorite bookworm a friendly 'pat' on the back. Mercury winced in pain. "Live a little! Don't you find this funny?" "There's nothing amusing about nocturnal exsanguination," Mercury answered, growing paler by the moment. "Exsanguin-what?" Venus murmured. "Will you two grow up and start acting your age!" Mars scolded Jupiter and me. "We've got a youma to fight if you haven't noticed. Now, are you ready or not?" As if on cue, the youma stepped from the shadows. I swallowed hard, not wanting to admit to myself that this badly dressed Halloween monster was frightening me. It moved slowly, with unconcerned strides. A slight chuckle escaped from its lips, and it chilled me to the core. Suddenly, I wished I hadn't made light of the situation at hand. Mercury was right--exsanguination, whatever the heck that was, did not sound like a pleasant way to die. "I don't like this ..." I whispered, stepping behind Mars. "So let's do something about it," Venus said, preparing to attack. "Crescent Beam!" The attack raced toward the youma at breakneck speed. Closer...closer...and then suddenly, the youma disappeared. The red-hot beam burned past the place where the youma should have stood and dissipated. "Wait a second," Venus muttered, blinking in disbelief. "W-where'd he go?" Mars stuttered. We looked around frantically, surveying the area around us for the black shadow of a monster. The night suddenly became ridiculously quiet. The silence was more deafening than any other sound I could have ever imagined. "I don't like this...I don't like this..." I cowered in fear, gripping Jupiter's arm for comfort. Mercury's computer gave off multiple beeps and boops while she typed busily away. "He's close, you guys," she said, doing computation after computation. "Only twenty yards away." "In what direction?" Mars asked impatiently. For the first time, I heard fear in her voice. "I'm working on it..." "Well, work faster! This isn't funny!" I prodded urgently, trying not to cry. I looked desperately to my left and to my right but saw nothing but dark shadows and poorly lit alleys. Something caught my attention in the distance. I pulled away from Jupiter and walked a few steps toward the curious object. I squinted my eyes and tried to focus. It was then that I recognized it. The youma was hiding within the deep shadows near the corner of a building, staring directly at me all the while. I gasped when the glare from its hate-filled eyes bore into my own, but I couldn't look away. I tried to warn the girls, but I found that I couldn't speak, nor could I move. I was frozen. Panic shot through my numb body as I watched the youma smirk at me, knowingly. I realized in horror that it was the youma who was causing my inert state--it had somehow trapped me. It began approaching me at a rapid pace, perhaps preparing to attack, and my eyes widened in mute horror. 'Minna ...help me ...' I pleaded silently, fearful tears stinging my eyes. 'Tuxedo Kamen ...' Miraculously, a rose pierced the night sky and planted itself dangerously close to the youma. It gasped and froze in place, completely stunned by the attack. Its mental hold on me was released, and I joyfully broke away, shaking my head furiously to rid myself of that awful feeling. The senshi, alarmed by the sudden appearance of the rose, gasped when they turned and saw the youma. "Now, Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Kamen cried from a distance. I glanced to my right and saw him watching the battle from a rooftop. I sent a million blessings to him in that instant as I removed the glistening tiara from my brow. I sent it hurdling toward the youma at breakneck speed. Still stunned by the rose, the youma failed to dodge the attack. I stood, terrified and shaking as the monster disintegrated into dust. "Are you all right?" a deep voice asked me. I turned and looked blankly into the stormy eyes of Tuxedo Kamen. Was I dreaming? Was he really still here? Never before had he remained after a youma attack. "Tuxedo Kamen," I whispered. "I ..." "What do you want?" snapped Jupiter, stepping between me and the approaching man. I watched in mute silence, suddenly losing my courage. Mercury put her hand on my shoulder, her way of reminding me of what we had discussed before--that I was not to associate with Tuxedo Kamen. "Guys, you don't understand ..." Mars began to argue hesitantly. The heated warriors ignored her and stood their ground. "Listen," Venus stepped in, glaring at the man in black. "We don't know who you are or what you want." "And until we do, we don't want you around Sailor Moon," Mercury added with uncharacteristic forcefulness. I watched with tears obscuring my vision as Tuxedo Kamen's eyes darkened a few shades as he looked into mine, waiting for me to say something. I wanted to intervene and argue for him, but something inside of me held back and told me to hide behind my friends. The girls continued to glare, albeit with relief in their eyes, when the tall man turned on his heel and departed, obviously angered by the senshi's words and my failure to speak up for him. As he slipped into the shadows, I finally found my voice. "He was just trying to see if I was all right..." I whispered quietly, trying my best not to cry as I watched his disappearing form. "I don't care what he wanted," Jupiter spoke up, arms folded across her chest. "He's not getting near you." I glanced at the other senshi, and they all looked about as stubborn as Jupiter. All except Mars, that is. She looked hesitant, and when I fixed a questioning gaze on her, she looked away quickly. What was she hiding? "Mars...?" I whispered. "It's late, Sailor Moon," she said quietly. "You should get some rest." With that, she turned and left, leaving me alone with the other senshi, uncountable questions raging in my head. @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- After detransforming, I walked back to my house alone, brooding in silence. The other senshi had argued that I should walk with them, but I declined. I needed some time to myself to sort things out. I didn't know quite what to think of the encounter I'd just had with Tuxedo Kamen. He had looked angered by my failure to speak up for him, and I felt terribly guilty about the whole thing. But why had he approached me after the attack in the first place? He had never done so before. He had never stayed around to find out if I was injured or if I needed assistance. What made tonight different? My blood ran cold as something I hadn't considered before came to mind. What if he *did* stay around after the battles? What if he hid in the shadows and followed me at a distance? Those were the words he had spoken to me at our meetings together, and they suddenly held new meaning. He'd been watching me? Following me? All the time?! Was he here now? I stopped in mid-stride and came to a halt beneath a street lamp. I looked to my left and right and up at the rooftops above me. I saw nothing but darkness and my own breath freezing in the cold night. "Tuxedo Kamen?" I called out, turning around in a little circle. My voice sounded small and unfamiliar as it echoed off the walls of the abandoned buildings around me. "Are you there? Please--I want to talk." "About what?" I squealed in terror. I spun around quickly and gasped when my eyes met his. There he was, standing to my right, an unconcerned look upon his face. "You...how...?" I stuttered in disbelief. "D-Do you follow me everywhere?" I demanded in an accusing tone. "No," he answered simply, not affected by the anger in my voice. "Only after youma attacks do I follow you. To insure your safety, of course. Don't look so offended. It seems as though you've needed my assistance once or twice if I'm not mistaken." My blood turned cold as I remembered the horrible night in the rain when he'd pressed his handkerchief to my bleeding lip, my attacker laying unconscious only a few feet away. I began to tremble when I realized what he'd meant by the words he'd spoken that night. "That's how you knew!" I exclaimed accusingly, suddenly feeling like the biggest dolt alive. "That's how you found out that I was Sailor Moon! Because you followed me!" "And you're upset about this because...?" he prompted, almost mockingly. I could tell that he was angry with me, but he was attempting to hide it under a cool exterior. Damn him... "I don't understand what you want from me!" I was practically screaming. "I don't want you following me! I never asked for your help!" "You didn't have to ask," he answered in the same calm voice, his arms crossed over his chest. "It's my job to protect you. My duty. And not only that--I would die if something happened to you." "Nani? But the other night you told me that--" "I told you that I saved you simply because you were a human being who deserved to live, and that is true--to an extent. Now you know the whole truth." "Do I?" I challenged him, stepping forward angrily. "The whole truth? Somehow I doubt that! You always seem to be hiding something!" "I have my reasons," he countered, stepping forward as well. We were standing very close. Too close. I swallowed uncomfortably. "Don't look at me like that. You know I would never hurt you." "Do I?" I whispered with a shaky voice. He frowned deeply at my words, and his eyes darkened considerably beneath his mask. "Why can't you just trust me? Why is it so hard?" "I don't know," I confessed, my eyes falling to the ground. "The other senshi told me that--" "Damn the senshi!" he roared, causing me to look up in surprise. "This is not about them!" "I think it is!" I countered, angered by his words. "Perhaps they're right about you after all! Maybe you are the enemy!" "Like hell I am ..." he growled in a low voice. "Well, what are you then? An ally? Dammit, tell me!" In one smooth movement, he pulled my body close to his and sealed my lips with his own, causing me to cry out in surprise. My senses overloaded the very second his mouth claimed mine in a kiss that would make any onlooker blush. After recovering from the initial shock, my heart was immediately outraged. I tried to push away, but his grip on me was strong. His hold was not painful, but it was tight and unyielding. After a few more moments of useless struggling, I gave up and fell limp in his solid embrace. Leaning hesitantly into the kiss, I let a sea of unexplored emotions wash over me. I didn't have much experience with kisses, but I knew for a fact that this one left the kiss Mamoru and I shared in the dust. Tuxedo Kamen's kiss was full of passion and raw emotion while Mamoru's kiss was innocent and sweet. Please don't misunderstand me, dear readers--I cherished that meaningful moment between Mamoru and I, but this...this was...wow. The kiss went on, and my mind began to wander. What would Mamoru think of Tuxedo Kamen kissing me passionately beneath the moonlight the way only intimately involved lovers kiss? Would he be jealous? I recalled the events that had occurred only a few hours ago with guilt--the way Mamoru had held me as I cried, his sweet words, his gentle touch, his kiss. He had been so kind--so uncharacteristically loving. And here I was, kissing another man when the feeling of Mamoru's lips was still fresh in my memory. I'm not sure how long Tuxedo Kamen and I stood there, in that intimate embrace, but it felt like an eternity. When his mouth finally separated from my own, his hot kisses moved down my jawline and neck. My eyes closed sadly as tears began to course down my cheeks. "Does that answer your question, Usagi?" Tuxedo Kamen asked, still trailing kisses down my neck. "Tuxedo-san..." I whimpered, my tears increasing significantly. "Please stop...I can't... I can't do this. This isn't right." His mouth stopped its downward motion immediately at my words, and he looked me directly in the eyes. I noted for the first time how his stormy eyes were so much like Mamoru's--like a little boy trying to act grown up. They were sad eyes, and I averted my gaze from them, afraid of what their depths held. "Are you sure you want me to stop?" he asked, his ragged breath mingling with mine. "Yes...I can't do this...not with you," I answered in a shaky voice. "Gomen, Tuxedo Kamen. My heart belongs to another." He drew back a little, perhaps injured emotionally but doing a good job of hiding it. "I see," he said, clearing his throat. "Well then--you certainly have my apology." He let me go abruptly, and I teetered to one side with dizziness. "Please, there's no need to--" "Goodnight, Usagi," he cut me off. "I'll be watching." I opened my mouth to argue, but he was already gone. @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- @--<----- Write me! sailor_moon89@hotmail.com Stay tuned for chapter seven...coming soon! Join the Moonlit Eclipse mailing list! You'll hear about new chapters! http://www.geocities.com/moonlit_eclipse/ Ja ne! Aimee-chan