Now that I have part one finished, two came to me quickly. Maybe TOO quickly, but I knew I had to write it before I lost it. So, once again, sit back and enjoy this story...
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(Setsuna, All Knowing)
"The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, may Tsukino Usagi find the peace in death that eluded her in life."
"That's it." Says Ami. Her voice sounds so empty...
"She's really gone..." Says Minako. She Minako sounds broken... She'll cry again...
"If only we hadn't..." Rei says. She has so much frustration in her voice...
"Why?" Makoto asks. Such a simple question, Makoto. May you never know...
"What are we going to do now?!" Haruka yells. She is so angry, she sounds repentant...
"I... I just can't believe this..." Michiru says quietly. She is so lost...
"Usagi-chan..." Hotaru whispers. Oh Hotaru... I wish I could comfort you...
And finally, I speak. "How could she?" I can feel their looks of shock and anger, even as I look down at Chibiusa. She's so empty, she hasn't
spoken since she saw it... Usagi's final moment. It crushed her.
Will she ever be the same?
I already know the answer.
Terra stands up, sobbing, and Mamoru holds her, as he stares at me, so angry. They don't understand... I turn away from them.
"Mamoru-san, it is your duty to watch over Chibiusa-chan..." And then, disregarding them, I leave. I know how they feel. They want to know why I didn't warn them. None of them understand... Their are some things you don't need to know. I walk away.
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(Mamoru, First Person)
It's been two days, since Usagi died....
Chibiusa-chan is asleep on my bed... I stand over her, in confusion.
"Why is she still here?" I ask. "Usa... Usako, her mother, is dead..." I just don't understand.
I feel a presence walk up behind me, and I turn. It's Terra, she holds two envelopes.
"This one's for you." She holds it out to me, and I take it. She then
opens hers, as I open mine. The contents are identical - two cards, one in each. I read it, and I feel my body go numb.
'To not defend your love, is to throw her to the pack of wolves.
And you did just that, by abandoning her when she needed your support most.'
I drop the card, my mind reeling...
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(Terra, First Person)
Nothing, not even Usagi-chans..... Usagi-chans death, prepared for me for what lie in the envelope. A business card, with flowing words written upon it.
'Ignoring the fact did no good. Leaving caused the wound to go deeper. With your silence, you betrayed her.'
I let the card fall, shaking my head in disbelief. This can't be happening... But it is, and I feel so helpless. I look up at Mamoru, I know what he saw.
"Who," I ask him. "could ever do something like this?"
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(Ami, First Person)
I was sitting in my room, an open calculus book before me. I flipped through the pages aimlessly... I just wasn't in the mood for math...
My eyes shifted to a picture on my desk, a picture of Usagi-chan, Minako-chan, Makoto-chan, and Rei-chan... They gave me that picture when I was going to go away to school in France, so that I wouldn't forget them.
I smile. I could never forget them. They're all so dear to me...
But Usagi-chan is gone now...
How could I act like that towards her? All I was doing was driving her closer to the edge.
"I'm so sorry, Usagi-chan..." I whisper...
I pick up the picture, I'll always have my memories... A card falls away from the picture, I pick it up after setting the picture frame back down. The card is simple, except for the flowing words written upon it. I go pale as I read it.
'Disapproving unkindness led her down the path to death. Forget
never the memories of a traitor.' I slumped back in my chair, my mind in darkness...
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(Rei, First Person)
I hold the broom in my hands, going though the motions of sweeping.
"Rei-chan...?" I look up at the sound of my voice, my eyes focusing on my grandpa.
"What?" I ask.
"You've swept the temple five times... You should rest..." He looks so worried, but I shake my head.
"No, I'll just do something else..."
He says nothing, as I walk into the temple and put the broom away, then I walk out into the temple yard, to the shed. I go inside, and take the rake, and begin to tend the yard.
I go on, stopping when I find a piece of paper. I kneel, and pick it up, then look it over.
'Fiery anger clouded your mind, and your utter lack of compassion
left her no solace.'
I drop the rake, and stare at the accusing words...
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(Makoto, First Person)
I lie upon my couch, staring up at the white wash ceiling. I feel numb, exhausted....
I've done everything there was to do. I cooked, I cleaned, then I repeated, over and over...
I had a feeling I'd never to go hungry again, from the amount of food I'd made.
I sit up, as I hear a knock at the door. "Coming." I say, then stand up. I wonder who it could be. I slowly walk to the door. I open it... No one's there, but an envelope that lies upon the floor. I pick it up, then close the door.
I look at the envelope, and open it, since it's addressed to me. I reach in, and pull out a slip of paper, it looks like a business card.
"What is this...?"
And then, I read the words.
'No gentle harbor did you lend her, you storming anger was the catalyst for her destruction.' Shaking my head in utter disbelief, I close my eyes, and try to calm myself.
And then, I open my eyes again, and look at the card. The taunting, horribly truthful words...
I tear the card apart, and throw the pieces away...
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(Minako, First Person)
I lie in bed, staring out my window at the fading light of day.
My heart aches...
I feel so empty, so devoid of life...
"Usagi-chan..." I whisper. "If only I'd talked to you, if I hadn't gotten angry... You wouldn't have..." I can't say it. I can't say, 'slit your wrists...'
I start crying again, surprised that I still can. From all the tears I've shed, I was sure they'd be gone forever by now...
"Oh, Usagi-chan!" I cry, then bury my face into my pillow. How can I go on, knowing it's all my fault my best friend died...
I feel Artemis' weight on my pillow, and look him straight in the eyes. Will he yell at me?
"Minako-chan, you shouldn't cry..." he sounds so sympathetic. How can he act this way? It's all my fault!
"I have to, Artemis. I killed her, I killed her with my insensitivity. If I hadn't turned against her... She'd still be here."
"Minako-chan, may I come in?" A voice at my door, it's Haruka-san.
"Hai, Haruka-san." I reply, and she enters. She walks over to my bed, and sits down.
"Don't cry, Minako-chan."
"She won't listen, Haruka." Artemis replies, and Haruka nods.
"I see... Mi-"
"Minako-chan." Another voice, another knock at the door. It's my mom.
"Yes mom?" I answer, hiding the grief in my voice.
"I have a letter for you."
A letter? I stand, get off the bed, and walk over to the door. I open it, and take the letter from my mom. I thank her, and close the door as I walk back to my bed.
"I wonder..." I open the envelope, and slip out a piece of paper. I gasp, trembling.
'Friendship turned to bitter annoyance, Lack of caring has caused the fruit to die.'
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(Haruka, First Person)
I watch Minako-chan as she takes the envelope from her mother,
and as she comes back to the bed.
Then, the look on her face, after she reads the card, such pain...
"What is it?" I ask. Trembling, she hands me the card. "It's
blank..." I say, and she replies, voice overflowing with emotion.
"Someone... Paying us back... For what we did... To Usagi-chan." She
sits, as sobs wrack her body.
I can't believe her, but what else am I supped to do?
I go to the window, staring out into the young night... I grin slightly. Michiru really has gotten to me. My gaze is then drawn down,
to the card that is propped up onto the window frame. I pick it up, and read the graceful, yet ominous writing.
'With uncontrolled anger, frustration is in your heart. Revel in the death that a level head would have thwarted.'
I crumble the card in my hand.
"We have to get together... Where's the phone?"
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(Michiru, First Person)
I pick up my cup of tea, holding it before me. The scent calms my nerves. But not enough.
Trembling, I set the cup down. "I wish Haruka was here..." I watch the steam from the cup wisp away, and lose myself in thought.
When I return to reality, the phone is ringing. I pick up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Michiru," It's Haruka! "you need to get to Hikawa Jinja."
"Of course." I whisper, then hear the click of the phone as she hangs up. I replace the receiver, and stand.
I gather my things, and leave the house. I unlock my car, and start to get in. And then I stop. There's a card lying on my seat, so I pick it up.
"What's this?" I ask, then read the flowing script.
'Disappointment causes grievous wounds, calmness hides the inner pain.'
I drop the card, it flutters away.
"I can't take that seriously...It doesn't mean a thing." I then get into my car.
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(Hotaru, First Person)
Sitting in the corner of my dark, dark room, I cry.
I cry for Usagi, who's laughter I'll never hear again...
I cry for Mamoru, who lost his one true love...
I cry for Chibiusa-chan, the girl who's being here probably did drive her young, one day to be mother, to the edge, and beyond.
Not that we helped. We turned against her... Poor Usagi- chan, poor
Mamoru-san, poor Chibiusa-chan....
I suppose I cry mostly for Chibiusa-chan. She's been my best friend.
And now, she shouldn't even exist. I truly don't understand why she is still here. Well, I have an idea... That, since she was in the past, and not her proper place in the future, when Usagi-chan died, that she has somehow been
ripped out of the flow of time....
I shake my head in confusion. "That made no sense at all, Hotaru."
The phone rings, shattering my revery. I stand then walk to the phone, and pick up the receiver. "Tomoe household, Hotaru speaking..." Tears
still slip down my cheeks, but I try to sound strong.
"Hotaru-chan, you have to go to the shrine. I'll explain it all their."
"Right, Haruka-san." I hang up, not even caring if Haruka- san was done. I'm sure she was.
I walk from the room, almost as if I was in a dream. And I see HER...
Usagi-chan...
For a brief moment, I saw her, her spirit, standing before me... I fall to my knees, clutching my head in pain.
What seems like an eternity later, I stand, and walk forwards, until
I reach the front door. I take the car keys, and place my hand upon the
door knob...
"Hotaru-chan?"
"Hai, poppa?" I reply.
"I found this.... It's addressed to you." I turn around, he hands me an envelope. I take it, and open it... My eyes widen in shock.
'The silence of death is the silence of betrayal, you truly are the Silent Angel.'
I throw the card down, and rush out the door, slamming it behind me as I run to the car...
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(Chibiusa, First Person)
Her eyes.... They were so wide, so blue, staring at me as she died....
Why? What did I do?
I stare ahead blankly, Terra is sitting next to me. Where are we...?
The car? Where are we going?
Why can't I just stay home, and sleep, so I don't have to think about HER... So her eyes aren't staring at me so empty anymore...
I shudder, and Terra puts her arms around me... I gaze down, and see it...
I hold in my hand a card. The writing is flowing, so beautiful, the words so cryptic.
'Unassuming one, held in Fates Web, your destiny has already been
determined.'
What does it mean?
Does it mean anything at all?
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(Mamoru, First Person)
Haruka had called all of a sudden, saying we had to meet at Hikawa
Jinja. I couldn't see any reason why we shouldn't, so Terra, myself, and Chibiusa-chan came.
And now, we all sat around the meeting room... It's so silent, no one knows what to say. Only, I suppose, the looks of guilt in all of their eyes.
I wonder where Setsuna is, and why she isn't here... Abandoning
us when we need her, it's just like her.
"Haruka, why did you call?" I ask her.
She finally replies. "I was thinking, I would have spoken earlier...
You all received cards, with accusations, ne?"
I can't believe it, all the nods, the affirmations.
"Who's doing this?" Hotaru asks so softly, I can barely hear her.
"I don't know who, but I'll make them pay when I find them." Haruka
said hotly. But, before anyone else could speak, a cold voice said,
"We have more important things to fo than that."
It's Setsuna, she stands at the now open door.
"What are YOU doing here?" I ask. I can't believe, she wouldn't tell us... We could have SAVED her!
"Turn on the television, and you will see."
We didn't understand what she hinted at, but Rei-chan turned on the
TV.
"We have late breaking news. Earlier today, communication was lost with several Western Nations. On investigation, we found that a dome of
some crystalline material is growing over the Earth. Now, don't panic, it won't come to us."
"She is lying." Setsuna says, so calmly. "It will reach us, in less than twenty four hours."
"What are we going to do?!" I ask, crying out.
"We must stop the cause." She replies. Her calmness is getting on my nerves.
"And how will we do that?" Ami asks.
"Yes, it's not like we ... I just don't know what to say.' Terra
sighs, lowering her gaze.
"I know exactly what to do... Go to the source, and destroy it their."
"Is it really that simple?" Rei asks.
"What if we..." Minako stops, I can hear her crying again.
"I know what we must do. Now, either you do it, or we all die."
"We'll do it."
We all stare in shock at Chibiusa, who has spoken.
"Well do it, for it IS destiny."
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The End Episode Two of Three
Episode Three, "Bound", the finale of the Trilogy.
If you have any comments, compliments, or complaints, email me at
Prsluna@aol.com.