Minako Aino groaned as her eyes fluttered open. The very first thing she saw was worried garnet orbs that seemed to glow in the light of the setting sun. "Setsuna," she breathed with a dreamy smile. Setsuna smiled and love began to fill her eyes. "I'm glad you're awake," the One of Magicks purred. Minako grinned slyly. "And why would you be happy huh?" Setsuna smirked and leaned down, placing a tender, sweet kiss on her love's lips. When the kiss finished, Minako had a goofy smile plastered to her face. "Ew! Papa! Lady Setsuna and Miss Minako are doing it again!" Setsuna amd Minako bolted up, their cheeks painted a rosy red. Hotaru stood in the entrance of the tent, her nose wrinkled in the most adorable way. Haruka walked in, took in the scene, then laughed. She picked up Hotaru and said, "Is my Little Princess becoming a vouyer already?" Setsuna looked puzzled; Minako blushed even harder. Hotaru cocked her head to the side. "What's a vouyer?" :::---::: Usagi was lost in thought. Lost in memories. Simply lost. 'Gods' she thought. 'How did it get this way?' Tears began to slip past her closed lids. 'What did we do? What have we done wrong?' It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. Usagi whimpered and buried her face in her hands. 'Rei...' Rei smiled gently, her violet eyes dancing in the firelight. "Usa," she whispered. "We'll always be together..." 'Gods Rei...' "I don't want to lose you," Rei murmured against her neck. "I want you to stay." 'Then I'll stay!' "Usagi," Rei whimpered into her hair. "Io amore aloro..." "I love you too Rei," Usagi whispered. "Aw, that's so sweet." The Pure One gasped in fear and looked up. Rei smirked as her red eyes bore holes in the blonde's head. "Makes me want to cry." She cracked her knuckles and raised her claws. "Too bad the feeling's not mutual sweetheart." A gunshot rang in the clearing. Rei jerked as the bullet peirced her shoulder. Usagi wasted no time. She darted around the stunned demon and ran to Michiru's side. The Magi had her still smoking gun pointed at the back of Rei's head. "Are you okay princess?" Usagi nodded and stayed back, feeling completely useless. Her powers had yet to completely manifest, so she had no way to fight. Minako, Setsuna, and Haruka ran from the tent. "No," Setsuna whispered. "Not Rei...anyone but Rei..." Haruka turned to the sorceress even as she drew her pistol. "Who?!" Minako had no idea who 'Rei' was, but by the tormented hitch in Setsuna's voice, she could tell that she had been a close friend. Not even her past memories could shed light. Rei turned to the wound and lifted a brow. She looked at her shoulder with a bored expression. "Is this the best a Magi has to offer?" Michiru said nothing. The Cursed One smiked again. "Lost your voice have you? Pity." In seconds, Rei was nose to nose with a shocked Michiru. "I would have loved to hear you scream." As Rei prepared to strike, a length of leather bit harshly into her wrist. A strong tug, and Rei went flying. She fell face first into the sand with a grunt. Minako snapped the whip back and smirked. "I feel like Indiana Jones," she joked to Setsuna. The green haired woman was staring at Rei with wide, glassy eyes. Minako frowned. 'Okay. Note to self: Modern day humor; big no no.' Rei picked herself up and arched an elegant black eyebrow. "Well," she chuckled darkly. "Now we have a game." She reached up to her shoulder and plunged two fingers into the wound with a disgusting squelch. She pulled out the shell and held it between her fingers. "Let's play." She ran to Haruka and knocked the pistol from the blonde's grip. With a flick of her wrist, Minako sent the whip whisitiling through the air, catching Rei on her temple. The demon snarled and grabbed the loose whip in her hands. This time it was Minako who was sent flying into the sand. With a wheez, Minako hit the sand and landed flat on her ass. Rei wasted no time. She straddled Minako's waist and wrapped a hand around the blonde's slim throat. Forcing the reincarnated assasin to the sand, she raised a hand and cracked her knuckles. "You lose." Minako grabbed the raven haired girl's wrist and twisted until there was a crunch. "Not yet!" The demon shrieked and Minako surged up and headbutted Rei. Rei was kncocked back and Haruka attacked. Gunshots rang throughout the clearing as day became night. Minako stood and shook her fuzzy head. She looked to the prone body of the Cursed One. Six bullet holes smoked from the girl's back as she lay facedown in the sand. "That's it?" the blonde sneered as she nudged the body with her foot. "She wasn't that tough." Usagi gasped. "Minako, get away from her!" Minako looked over her shoulder. "Huh?" She jerked and uttered a small cry as pain speared her chest. In a daze, she looked down. A clawed hand had impaled her. 'Oh God...' Minako looked up. Ruby red eyes danced like fire as ebony black hair framed a pretty face that didn't belong with its owner. "Minako! No!" With a sickening slurp, Rei retracted her hand as lapped at the blood like a kitten does with milk. A maniacal grin twisted her face and she buried her hand in Minako's hair, yanking it back harshly. "You'll make a perfect snack..." Minako growled as she reached behind her, grabbed the long hunting knife she had kept on her belt, and slashed Rei's neck. The demon squealed in pain and released Minako to clutch at her neck. Setsuna rushed to cradle the wounded blonde in her arms. "Oh gods," she whimpered. "No...not again! Please not this!" Minako swallowed thickly and reached up to cup Setsuna's cheek. "Hey," she cooed. "I'm not dead yet." "You pigs!" They snapped to see Rei, surrounded by a violent red aura. She growled and wiped the crimson away to show, to their horror, that the knife wound had dissapeared. "I'll drain you dry!" she hissed. Haruka glared and leveled her pistol at the demon, Michiru following her lead. Makoto had appeared and was charging up bolts of pure magic. Ami had stayed inside to protect Hotaru. "Man," the genie murmured. "What the hell have I missed?" "Not much," Haruka commented dryly. "Just the near destruction of the world." "Hn. I always seem to miss that part." "Rei, please!" Usagi cried, drawing Rei's attention. "Please, stop this!!" The red aura pulsed and grew, reacting to Usagi's aura. "You," the demon hissed. "You caused this! I died because of you! I am the monster you created!" "That's not true!" Usagi sobbed. "Endyimon did this to us! He cursed you!" She began to take slow, careful steps towards the Cursed One. "Please Rei...you've got to remember..." Rei screamed and clutched at her head. Memories came, flooding her mind, warping reality. "Stop it!" I screamed as I saw Usagi...my Usagi being wrapped like a mummy and lowered into the sarcoghagus. "Endyimon, you fucking bastard!" There was a small shriek, muffled by the gauze. The shriek was my name. "No!!" The sarcoghagus was sealed, the cursed runes etched into it. "Usagi!" There was a pounding in my blood as he came near me. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to rip out his heart and crush it in my hands. 'The demon...' "I hate you!" I roared even as I myself was chained and lowered into a black sarcoghagus. "I'll hunt you down and tear out your heart Endyimon! Mark my words!! I'll hunt you down to your last descendent!" Endyimon chuckled. "Brave words for the dead." Then, the cover was put over my head. Sealing me in. Endyimon's voice rang in my mind as he recieted the long forgotten spell. "You two shall never love again. Forever close to each other, but you may never again feel the love you have now. By the power of Ra, you are cursed. The one who hath been sealed within the darkness shall devour the Light. The Light shall eradicate the Darkness. So it shall be, for all eternity..." Darkness closed in and began to collapse my lungs. It began to eat at my skin. At my mind. I screamed and scratched at the lid. Wanting to Usagi. Needing to see Usagi. But it was too late. I was cursed. And I was dead. Rei gasped as gentle hands touched her cheeks. Red mixed with violet. "Usagi," she whispered. "I..." Pain wracked her body as the demon and the curse struggled for control. She cried out at the torture, magnified as Usagi continued to caress her cheeks. "Please..." The Pure One began to lean forward. "Save me." Rei whispered, even as fangs slid over her lips and claws replaced her nails. "I will," Usagi whispered and she threaded her finger's through her warrior's hair. Drew her down. Usagi... Took a leap of faith. I love you too... And kissed her.
Back to And the Desert Roars Index - Back to Sailor Moon Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction