Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ When Destiny Changed ❯ Spectre's of the Past ( Chapter 18 )

Hey all!! I'm now in my new location and bang I'm jobless, penniless and miserable. I'm supposed to be getting ready to go back to college not far from here and wouldn't you believe I have not the foggiest idea how to pay for it. Banks are stupid, ne? Complicated story so I won't bore you with details. LOL Anywho, ya all are probably wringing your hands at me to finish. Sooooo, without further adieu, on with the show! Er, story, right, hehe ^^;

Thank you to all my faithful readers. Your comments as always are treasured and understood. I shall strive to carry out your every whim. :P Don't we all wish for that. Cha!

Chapter Eighteen

"Pardon moi?" Michiru stepped up to desk in the large school office while Haruka and Makoto waited not far away, Makoto just blinking at her surroundings and their immensity.

"I've never seen such a huge school!" she whispered to Haruka, who grinned in return. "And you never told me Michiru was so fluent in French! Where'd she learn the language?"

Haruka turned to where Michiru was speaking, quite well actually, with the receptionist who seemed rather impressed with this foreigner. Looking back to Makoto's open mouth stare, she chuckled, "Comes with touring around. You do remember she is a well known violinist, don't you?"

Her face reddening a bit, Makoto looked chagrin, "I suppose it never occurred to me just where she'd have toured." Then she blinked and looked at Haruka, "Don't tell me you know French as well! I can barely get through English as it is. You should have heard me the time Mamoru brought over his English friend to study buddies. Oh, what a mess."

She chuckled a little at the memory but grew saddened of how long ago that seemed. "When everything was normal." She said quietly.

With a comforting hand on her Makoto's shoulder, Haruka gave the best grin she could, "Hey, not really that normal. If I recall, you guys were having a time as it was trying to convince us of your usefulness, remember?"

Makoto smiled as the gesture of humor, "And you guys couldn't wait to show us how wrong we were."

"But it was we who were wrong. It was Koneko-chan (AN: Haruka's nickname for Usagi) who showed us that. Even at the risk of her own life." She said this last bit quietly, looking away distantly.

For once, Makoto saw something she'd never seen from Haruka. Glancing to see that Michiru was still busy, she pulled Haruka aside.

"Haruka-chan, there's something you're hiding. And I think I know what it is. Do you want to talk about it?"

She gave her head a shake and smiled to Makoto suddenly, "Why would you say that? I'm fine."

Feeling dubious, Makoto shook her head, "I don't think so."

"You worry to much, Makoto-chan," she began to go back to where they'd been waiting, but Makoto's grip tightened around her arm. She gave Makoto a hard look but hers was harder.

Her voice quiet yet firm, Makoto spoke, "I think it's time we had a chat. You stay here, I'm going to go talk with Michiru."

After about five minutes, Makoto returned grinning and took hold of Haruka's arm and began pulling her outside the building. Haruka glanced behind them, seeing Michiru give a wave and smile, yet her eyes said it all. Feeling betrayed, Haruka fumed as they left the building and the school grounds.

Outside the gates, Makoto gave her shrill whistle and caught a cab instantly. Twenty minutes later they sat at small café with a lovely view of the Seine River, and two cups of coffee in front of them. Haruka had her arms crossed and her view maintained on the river as Makoto sipped quietly at her drink.

"Is there any purpose bringing me here?" she said at last, "We're not exactly finding our prince sitting around like this."

"Michiru said she'd be fine on her own and she'd meet us here in an hour or so. Besides, she'll have better luck searching then we do seeing as neither of us knows the language that well." She grinned at Haruka's startled look; "Michiru was kind enough to tell me just how fluent you really are. Apparently we're in the same boat."

Again Haruka looked away, muttering. "Traitor."

After a minute, Makoto stared hard at Haruka, "Just how long have you been holding this all in, Haruka-chan?"

Haruka eyed Makoto, "Exactly how much did Michiru tell you?"

"Enough. Look she's as concerned as I am. She's seen more of you then me but you've betrayed your feelings in different ways. That argument with Mamoru for one."

Haruka's look grew dark, "You heard that?"

Shrugging impishly, Makoto nodded, "Kinda hard to miss when you're right outside the door. Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop like that but I was just about to knock and couldn't help myself." She set her cup down.

Without even blinking, Haruka leaned forward on her elbows, rubbing her hands through her hair, and gave a long shaking sigh.

Makoto reached forward a hand but stopped midway. She knew Haruka was tough, just like her, and showing even this much emotion was, perhaps to some, a sign of weakness. Comfort wouldn't help till it was called for. Rather, she'd let her speak first.

Haruka stared at the table top for a while before slowly bringing her arms down and resting heavily on them, her face still its firm expression it had always been.

"I've only talked to Michiru about this, and even then not everything. I wanted to handle it my own way. I have to be strong, for the others and for Hotaru especially. I'm one of their leaders after all. What would I be to them if I broke down." She looked suddenly to Makoto, her eyes filled with pain, "You should see her eyes. Those little eyes should never have had to seen what they have this past year. First Nehelenia-sama, then Galaxia-sama, and now losing her best friend… She's grown faster then any normal child has had to, experiencing such pain no other child should. What kind of person would I be if I broke down in front of her, or the others? I literally attacked Rei on the same subject, for crying out loud!"

"I don't mean to sound brutal, Haruka-chan, demo Hotaru's not your ordinary child. She's not even that if you think about it. She's a Senshi like the rest of us, and she understands pain all to well, probably even more so then some of us. It comes with the territory. Senshi of Death, if I remember correctly. The same Senshi you wanted eliminated because you thought she'd destroy the world. Who better then any of us to understand suffering so well. She'd understand if you needed to let it out now and then. You can't hold it in forever. It won't make it any easier. I should know."

Haruka looked at Makoto in surprise, "What are you saying? I've seen you nearly fall down on yourself since this happened."

Makoto gave a bitter laugh, "Only `cause I've had my cry. I have a reputation to look out for too after all. Demo, before I met Usagi, I'd never have let those feelings show for a split second. I don't know if you ever heard that old rumor that went around when I first came to Tokyo. Probably not, demo the others may have brought it up for kicks. The thing is they never knew who I was before all this. That rumor did have a ring of truth in it unfortunately."

"You mean that you were kicked out of your old school for fighting. What has that to do with me?"

Makoto rolled her eyes irritably, "I see Minako has been talking after all. That aside, they don't know the whole story. A year and a half before I came, my parents were killed in a plane crash. That would be enough to throw any kid into hysterics. Demo I never showed any emotions. Even at their funeral, I was stone faced. People even came to the conclusion that I didn't care. Well, that year some half-wit guy made that same assumption to my face right their in the school hall. Up until then, I'd never have shown anything but irritation but I'd been bottling my true emotions for months and all it needed was a match. Between my flood work of angry tears and turning that guy's face into bloody pulp, I let my emotions do the talking like a dam releasing pressure. I don't even remember hitting him that hard or what I all said. Only thing I knew when it was over was me being held back by several guys and that mess of a bastard lying there against the wall and my knuckles hurting like hell."

She took a sip of her coffee again, taking in a breath after, "I heard I got quite vocal, said a few things and they left me alone. They literally parted like the Red Sea whenever I came near. I terrified them. All because I held it in. The school thought it best if I left quickly, seeing as I sent that guy into a coma for a while. I suppose they didn't wish for me to tarnish their good name. And so I ended up in Tokyo three month later, with hopes of a fresh start. But it seemed my reputation was one step ahead of me. That same day I started school, they all seemed to have an exclusive on my life, especially Guiro. I really should see how he finds out about this stuff." She was quiet for a while.

Haruka could only stare. "Makoto-chan," she said quietly at last, "I… I didn't know."

She waved it off, "I've dealt with it already. Demo I learned one thing from the whole experience and from befriending Usagi. Nothing good is gained from hiding your feelings. Sooner or later you'll let it out, and somebody just might be there and get hurt. Is that really what you want the others to see?" She chuckled bitterly.

"It's funny, Mamoru said that stuff Ami gave him was worse tasting then I knew. I knew all right. During the time where I came out here and left that place, I went through a very deep depression, took the same stuff the docs suggested. I even considered some of the stuff Mamoru probably went through."

"Over some guy who told you off? Why ever for?"

Makoto gave an ironic grin, "That same `half-wit' also happened to be that `old senpai' (AN: In this translation, I mean boyfriend) everyone hears me talk about, the one that broke my heart. Well he did and I almost literaly broke his. You see I did hurt someone I cared about and I felt so guilty afterwards, I just wanted to give up. The whole thing is really ironic when you think about it. The same day I planned to just `disappear', Usagi found me. I was just gonna have to wait till l later, I thought. Demo she took me to the arcade and introduced me to the others and just from that day, I decided I'd wait a little longer, see what would happen. I never thought about it again till Usagi died. Demo this time I wasn't alone and I didn't hold it in. And neither should you, Haruka-chan."

Haruka was silent, her eyes very still as she took this in. But slowly, her eyes began to well, something rarely if ever seen from her. She glanced down, gripping her hands tightly but Makoto could see her shaking already.

Without hesitation this time, she reached out and took Haruka's hand who gripped it hard in return.

"I…" Haruka whispered, "I cherished her, Makoto-chan. I truly did."

"We all did. We still do."

"She was our princess and it was my sworn duty to protect her."

"I believe we had this argument with Rei."

Haruka chuckled bitterly, "The irony, ne?" she shook her head, "But it was more then that. The first few times when I met her, both as Uranus and myself, something always clicked. I'm sure I sent her for a confusion loop most of the time. Demo I'd find myself always worrying for my little Koneko-chan. When we found she was a possible target for the Heart Snatchers, when she even came to my door and try to reason with me, I'd be standing on the other side. When we all thought we'd lost her when she dove into the darkness, torn and totally true to herself to rescuing Saturn. (AN: Notice if you may, I am mixing Anime with Manga, something I didn't really intend but I wanted to get the point across and while the Anime had good examples and many, the manga has deeper ones. Gomen nasai if it bugs you at all.) The reality of that one event crashed around me and I found myself crying out."

She looked at her arms suddenly like seeing something dear, "When I held her fragile form in my arms after Nehelenia had nearly killed her, the pain at seeing her suffering… it was agonizing." Here she suddenly looked off with a fond little smile, swallowing quickly to ward off tears.

"I can remember Michiru telling her of my unique characteristics when we discovered her to be the true princess and the tears that came from her as we left for our own mission. I swore even before then I'd protect her at any cost." She glanced down at the table, closing her eyes even as a tear escaped her eyes, her voice very quiet.

"I had to watch once from a distance when we lost her and the Moon Kingdom, when her light and the Queen's suddenly vanished. It was like a knife going through me. I was so helpless! And then again as she slipped away right before us in that hospital bed. It was a double-edged sword and I would have done something drastic if it hadn't been for Mamoru that night. We had to protect him and I had to set aside my own feelings once again." She gave a grunt of contempt, "Duty called."

She suddenly slammed a fist down on the table, causing it to shudder dangerously and other patrons to suddenly turn towards them. With a sweat drop, Makoto waved them off.

"Damn it, Endymion-sama! How could he be so selfish! His emotions were not the only ones to suffer!" her voice lowered again, and another tear escaped, "She was my little `Odango' too."

Makoto watched silently for a while as Haruka only kept her head lowered. "That's it then, isn't it?" she said finally. "Losing that point to vent at. You're really mad at Mamoru more then anything. And at yourself."

Haruka didn't reply.

Makoto again reached for Haruka's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze at last, "He's dealing with it the only way he feels safe. And you need to deal with it your own way too. Demo not alone anymore. Remember that we're still here. We won't leave."

Haruka finally looked up and for the first time Makoto had ever seen, her eyes looked haunted. Then, like a dam released, her tears escaped, her hands covering her face. Makoto moved over and enclosed Haruka in her arms like a hurt child. It was something she'd never have expected from this strong leader but it was good sign.

Not far away, Michiru stood smiling, her own tears slowly drying. Finally it had come.

"All will be well."

Only a street away from her, two shadows watched quietly.

* * *

"That's her," Yie spoke quietly, slipping back into the dim alley. "I knew I'd seen her before."

"The girl from the mall you mentioned?" Ki asked, adjusting his shades, "But what is so significant about that?"

Yie bit on his thumbnail thoughtfully, "Every time I've seen that little girl that other aqua hared one wasn't too far behind. And I get the feeling that that little `dark angel' knows something."

Ki looked incredulously at his friend, "You mean to tell me we came all this way, left `Ten fairly pissed at us, on a hunch? Yie, what's gotten into you?!"

"Hush!" he raised a finger to his lips in a hiss, glancing back at the girl who seemed not to have noticed, "You want to get spotted? I'm not sure what the girl has told her but the fact that she knew I was searching for something tells me these girls might be searching for something too. Something that might help us."

Ki raised an eyebrow, "Please don't tell me this planet has dulled your senses. We need no help. Besides, so you've seen the one girl. What have those others to do with it?"

With irritated sigh, Yie spoke seriously, "The brown hared one I have no interest in. Demo it just so happens that that particular sandy hared girl was at the manor I checked out." He paused as Ki's face grew startled.

"I'd come back to try and find some more clues when they appeared. Shadowed them a bit but I suspect they heard me once or twice, mistaking me for a guard, which was fine." His eyes narrowed suddenly. "She's a Senshi."

Ki started to swear, looking for something to hit but slowly restrained himself. Yie gave him a glance, "I take it you've met before?"

"No," he muttered angrily, "Not her in particular. Demo we met their kind when we were looking for you. You'd be surprised how many dimensions have them floating around. All of them as irritating and interfering at the last."

Yie was quiet as he stared out the alley way, "Some of them, perhaps. You have to remember, it's their planet. You didn't see what I did, way back then. What the white lady showed me before she died. There were those who fought bravely and died, just to protect her."

With a doleful nod, Ki continued more softly, "I just don't want any interference in our business. There's a saying on this planet, `too many cooks spoil the broth'."

Yie chuckled, "How appropriate. And I agree. I've had the chance to tell them myself."

"Them? There's more of them?"

With a sigh, Yie explained what happened in the park before they met up, including the fact that one of them had been the sandy hared girl. Ki let out a huge sigh of frustration, leaning against a near by brick wall, "It all makes sense though. Seeing her at the manor is one thing. But then seeing her at the park, and that little girl with them, there must be a connection." Then he fumed.

"Great! A Cavalry of them. `Ten will be real impressed. We left him there to baby-sit a bunch girls in skirts?"

"No, of coarse not. I needed to make sure my lead back there was covered and in case our `dark friend' decided to return. If it happens that he meets up with them, that's their problem. He doesn't take mouth any more then I do."

"Amen to that," Ki muttered. "So, what do we do about these girls?"

"Well I suspect that the brown hared one maybe in on this as well but for now I'm focusing on `sandy' there. She's my best lead for now. They wanted something at that manor and I want to know what."

"You don't suppose they were just checking on the neighborhood, do you? Other Senshi usually do when protecting something, and especially when something `unusual' happens."

Yie gave a laugh, "Thank yourselves for that one. You really need talk to `Ten about his self-control. Demo aside from that, you may be right. Demo I want to check every possible lead and the manor was a big one. You felt it too, ne?"

With a nod, Ki regained his serious countenance, "Well then, we better get to work. The sooner we clear this up, the sooner we get back to `Ten. He'll be aggravated as it is for being left out."

Yie chuckled once before returning his grim gaze back to the girls.

"Amen to that."

* * *

`Ten, on the other side of the world, was having his own troubles. Having had his fit all ready regarding the others, he decided on a walk, trying hard to avoid those annoying females that gawked at him but having little success.

It was half way through his walk when the shrill scream had come and he bolted into the woods to find the source. If it was who he thought that was responsible, he had his own agenda to settle with him.

Even as he flashed through trees, his appearance seemed changed so that as he finally stopped just outside a clearing, a dark cloaked and hooded figure stood in his place. His face covered from the eyes down his neckline with black silk, he wore black leather armor beneath his robes that hardly looked like armor and were very fitting and light, and bore intricate designs that flashed silver when he moved. There was a slight flicker from his forehead and from one of his gloved hands as well but not so bright as when he withdrew an elegant yet menacing sword from within his cloak.

He stepped a cautious booted foot into the clearing, looking for the source of the cry before relaxing and muttering irritably.

"Stupid humans. Can't they be more civilized?" Glancing back at the scene, he sighed. It wouldn't hurt to help the lady but really, couldn't they at least carrying less obvious targets of theft. Or in this ones case, wear less revealing clothes, especially at this time in the evening. It appeared that the purse-snatcher suddenly became more interested in the woman then the purse. Looking skyward, he decided to do something.

"Seems this town can't get by without its daily dose of `damsels in distress'. How does Yie put up with them? They're so… noisy!" Taking some steps toward the scene, he suddenly stopped, a strange feeling overcoming him.

This grabbed the perpetrator's attention, spying the cloaked figure, "Damn, what do you want, punk?"

`Ten was chagrined. What an idiot. Were they all that blind? He moved his blade a bit, catching a nearby street lamp's light, reflecting it at the mugger.

"Nothing," he muttered humorously in a husky voice, shaking off the previous feeling, "Just thought this lady could use some help. Seems she has a leech attached."

The guy shoved the woman to the ground, flipping out two switchblades, "Nice little knife you've got there," he mocked, "Why not take a look at my babies."

With grunt of mockery, `Ten began his charge, "If you say so." But half way in his charge, he stopped more abruptly and turned sharply. The feeling was much stronger and he was suddenly knocked to the ground hard, gasping for breath. He faintly heard a yell of the mugger fleeing like one being chased, as he shook the dazed feeling from his head.

Then, with sudden realization, he felt a pressure on his chest and looked up. Fiery violet eyes glared down at him with a deep intensity.

"Just what do you think you are doing," he hissed.

"I could say the same to you." The raven hared voice was even but something burned behind it.

With a inward smirk, `Ten narrowed his eyes, his voice low, "That's really none of your damn business, Senshi." With that he head bunted the girl, side kicked and rolled back on his feet, catching a quick glance around to see three others standing around, dressed more or less the in same style fuka's, one of them going to help the dark hared girl.

He swore. Not good. Why couldn't he just mind his own business? He'd never have concerned himself before. He could see the woman from before was gone and he stared down hard on his new opponents, holding his sword tightly at his side.

Then suddenly, a smaller girl, almost a child perhaps, dark hair and even deeper violet eyes entered the circle, looking hard at him, but not with anger. Feeling uneasy, he countered her stare and she smiled with a hidden knowledge.

"You are looking for her." She whispered that the others tried to hear.

His grip on his sword slacked in surprise and confusion. His eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean," he whispered.

Her eyes closed and then she was suddenly glowing and seemed to float. His eyes widened, backing away a bit. It almost seemed to him that… but it couldn't be. He didn't know what the others saw, but he saw another form appear, taller, a woman, long flowing midnight hair, her outfit very different from the little one. Her hands held together before her, she seemed only a shadow behind the girl. And even as the small girl's eyes opened, revealing a solid silver, so did the apparition.

"Sailor Saturn!" One of the others, a blue hared one spoke in concern but there was no reply.

Suddenly she spoke, her voice that of two people, one her own and the other older.

"Dark one, here demo there. It seeks her. It brings darkness, pain.

With no name, no face. It seeks her.

It takes the very glow from hearts. But now it wants hers.

Floated in darkness. Now it has a host.

It seeks her."

`Ten backed away one step, the breath within him slowing. Could she be…?

"No," his husky voice grew sudden, "We were told you…! How can this be?!"

"Whom?" her twin voices was gentle, "Whom do you see before thee?"

"The Seer!" he whispered.

With a smile, the apparition gave a nod, closing her eyes. Just as it began, the glow died and the girl fell to the ground softly, her fuka unexpectedly gone, revealing a normal child. One of the Senshi, an older woman went quickly to pick up the girl.

Again `Ten swore, "You?" he said quietly, turning away, thinking to himself.

The girl Yie mentioned. This must be her!

He turned sharply as he felt another presence approach him, his sword once again drawn.

"VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN!"

Something sliced past his face, catching the hood and mask and causing him to catch himself before he could respond. Grabbing at his cheek he felt the sting of blood mix with sweat.

"What did you do to Hotaru? Are you the enemy?" the blonde demanded.

He turned angrily towards her, covering his lower face again while trying to replace his hood. The blonde was suddenly surprised.

"Shimatta! You Senshi are just as vexatious here as anywhere else! What a stupid thing to ask! Don't interfere with us again!" With a quick gesture of his hand, he raised his hand and aimed at the ground.

There was a burst of blinding light during which he jumped free of the clearing and disappeared into the woods before the others could regain their sight.

Having restored his previous form and returned to the apartment, he began to clean the wound on his face, angrily muttering the idiotic existence of planetary Senshi. But once he had bandaged the cut, he calmed down and stared into the mirror.

What had he seen? Could it possibly be true? And should he even have answered the apparition's question. He only hoped the others had heard nothing. Biting on a thumb nail in his usual form of worry, he headed for the living room, flopping onto the couch.

All of it was too uncanny. The girl, the Senshi, everything. What had brought them there in the first place? It wasn't like any big bad had attacked.

"It must be the girl," he muttered, "Hotaru, wasn't it? But a Senshi too. Could it be the Seer has returned? Only not where we'd have expected." He gave a sigh, running a hand through his hair and feeling something sticky. Bringing back his hand and seeing the red ooze, he groaned.

"If this whole situation doesn't give me a headache, a concussion will." Rising to head to the bathroom again, he grew thoughtful again.

"The others will need to know about this."

As if hearing his thoughts, five minutes later as he exited the bathroom with another bandage wrapped this time around her head, the phone rang.

"Mushi mushi? Oh yeah, now you call. Lie, I won't go off on a storm but I need to talk to Yie. Hai, Yie? Okay, don't get too excited but I think your hunch was right. And there's more. I think I just saw a ghost."

* * *

"I think it would be better if we let her sleep," Setsuna said quietly as she rejoined the others at the small study table in Rei's room, after tucking in Hotaru.

"What about hot head there," Minako glanced briefly at the dazed Rei who still felt woozy from her encounter.

"Don't worry, guys," she said wearily, glaring at Minako, "I'll be…" with that she fell into her arms again. Ami checked her forehead and leaned back again.

"She'll be fine. No concussion from what I can tell but it'll be quite a headache when she wakes up." Her face grew worried as she glanced back to Minako, "You know, you were a little drastic yourself. Did you really have to attack before talking to him?"

Minako folded her arms, grumbling, "He looked like he was going to escape. I was just going to stop him before he took off again." Her brow was furrowed, "Though I'm not even sure that it's the same one as before."

Setsuna gave her a quizzical look, "What do you mean?"

"His voice… it sounded different. And something else is bugging me. Did you guys see his face?"

They shook their heads.

"Not really," Ami said thoughtfully, "but I did get a glimpse of the hair. It was platinum, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, and I'm almost sure I've seen that face." She sighed then, "Probably just déjà vu."

Ami grinned, "Or maybe one of those movie stars or idols your always drooling over."

"Wouldn't that be something," Minako laughed, "Like Batman." She gave a dramatic pose with her hands, "'Millionaire by day; Masked Hero by night.'"

Setsuna smiled only a little and was pensive, "Still, what had he said? Something about a `Seer'? It seems to me that he saw something we did not. Perhaps Hotaru can tell us once she's awake."

"Until then, our hands are tied," Minako muttered, biting on her lip, "What a great time for Haruka and them to take off. What are we suppose to do now?"

With a grin, Setsuna spoke, "Minako-chan, remember that you're a leader as well. I'm sure you'll think of something."

Minako groaned at her, "No pressure, ne?" she said sarcastically. Then just as suddenly, her mood changed and she brought her hands down hard on the table, causing a slight stir from Rei before she fell asleep again.

"All right, people! Here's the plan. Ami-chan, find out what you can about this `Seer'. Setsuna-chan, try and get a hold on our `prodigals' and let them know what's happened and what's happening with them. Other then that, we'll have to wait till Hotaru wakes up and explains a few things." She narrowed her eyes down at the raven hared girl asleep before them.

"Same goes for her to." Looking at the others she smiled, if not a bit whimsically. "Looks like the Senshi are back in business."