Minako rubbed her hands together and blew on them, noting the puff of steam that rose up from her hands as she did so. "I'm cold!" She complained, hunching her shoulders over and shivering. She was wearing a thick jacket and scarf, with warm black leggings under her skirt, and she was still freezing. "Oh, hush." Ami said in a soft tone. "It's not that bad." Ami had on slacks and a woolen sweater, but nothing more than that to keep out the cold. Minako made a little face. "The cold never bothers you, so how would you know?" "It's a mental thing." Ami said with a giggle. "If you think warm, you'll be warm. Besides," She added, pouting a little bit, "you said you'd walk through the park with me." Minako sighed and smiled. "You're right. And I guess I shouldn't have any trouble thinking warm when I'm with you." They passed through the gates of the park and Minako reached over and squeezed Ami's hand gently for a moment before releasing it. Snow doesn't last long in a big city like Tokyo and Ami had been too busy to enjoy it the way she usually liked. But even after a few warmer days, there were still wide stretches of pristine white to be admired in the park. And so Ami had convinced Minako to bundle up and take this walk with her. Ami was finding that Minako was surprisingly easy to convince nowadays in general...about some things, anyway. Minako sucked in a deep breath of the crisp winter's air and let it out slowly. "It is pretty." She finally allowed, smiling over at her girlfriend. "And you look even prettier in it." Ami blushed and mumbled her thanks. Minako reached out and ran her fingertips along Ami's warm cheek. "So, where should we walk?" Ami smiled, leaning into Minako's caress. "Well...how about through there?" She pointed at a wooded area with a dirt trail running through it. "I think it goes right through the park, and it comes out near Rei's shrine. We can pay her a visit." "Fine." They started walking, passing a few groups of small children playing in the snow under their parents' watchful eye. Minako kept giving sidelong glances to Ami, smiling when she noticed Ami doing the same for her. -Couldn't I just stay with her forever?- Minako wondered again. -My mind never feels like it's chasing itself when I'm with her.- Which was true. The doubts and fears that plagued the blonde senshi about their relationship when she was alone melted away completely when they were together. Of course, when they were together, she was prey to occasional bouts of paranoia that someone they knew would see the two of them in a compromising situation. Frustrated, Minako puffed out her cheeks and let the air out in an angry little steam cloud. Ami tilted her head and looked over at her, and Minako just grinned and mimed holding a cigarette in her hands. "Silly." Ami said, holding sliding her arms around Minako's elbow and cuddling close. Minako smiled and sidled a bit closer. They had entered the woods, and there was little chance of being seen now. -The real problem...- Minako mused silently. -is that I don't know if I have doubts about us, or just about me. Artemis is right...I do have trouble opening up. So it's totally possible that these feelings are just some kind of...defense, to keep me from getting close enough to get really hurt.- Realizing she had gone miles away, Ami paused in their walk. "Mina- chan?" She called softly. "Are you still with us?" Minako blinked and blushed a little bit, shaking her head. "Sorry Ami...I guess I just got lost for a second." "Well, I'm glad I found you." Ami said, a teasing tone in her voice. "Me too." Minako said with a chuckle. -You know what?- She told herself. -For once in my life I'm thinking too much. I just need to enjoy the time I have with her.- Minako looked around and made sure there wasn't anyone on the path with them before steering Ami into the woods. "Mina-chan?" Ami asked, startled. Minako just grinned and stopped at a little clearing a short distance from the path. It was bright here, though the shield of the bare tree boughs above kept the snow down to just a light white coverlet over the earth. "I thought you might want to sit down for a bit." She said, sitting against the bole of a tree and helping Ami to sit next to her. "Our clothes are going to get wet." Ami warned, but smiled and sat next to Minako, cuddling close with her arm draped across Minako's stomach and her head leaning against her shoulder. Minako slipped her arm around the blue-haired girl's shoulder. The park seemed completely silent, the noises of the outside world drowned out by the trees and the snow. Minako couldn't hear anything but the light breeze moving through the woods and the soft sound of Ami's breath. Ami spoke in a voice that was almost a whisper. "Thank you for coming with me, Mina-chan." Minako smiled down at the girl in her arms, who was looking back up at her. "I'll go anywhere with you, Ami." She murmured, just gazing into Ami's eyes. They were still cool and calm, like a pond in the winter, but Minako thought they had become softer when they looked at her, with a warmth that Minako felt right in her heart. Ami smiled lovingly at Minako and turned over, now laying on top of Minako with her arms around her neck. She leaned her forehead against Minako's and began giving her very soft, very light kisses on her lips. Minako slid her arms around Ami and returned the kisses, which became longer and longer until they could no longer be considered plural. Despite the fact that Ami felt delightfully warm, pressed against Minako as she was, Minako shivered very slightly. Every time Ami kissed her, she felt a cool rush through her body, as if Ami's breath carried just a hint of snow. She wondered how Ami felt when she kissed her, then shivered again as Ami did something with her teeth that made the blonde senshi moan very quietly against the other girl's lips. Minako felt Ami smile, and giggled a bit in response. Ami turned her attention to Minako's neck, and Minako gasped, tilting her head to the side and curling her fingers into her girlfriend's sweater. "Ami!" The Senshi of Ice said nothing, but her ministrations made Minako's eyes flutter shut out of sheer bliss. "Ami-chan! Minako-chan! Is that you?" The voice from the path a short distance away made Ami jerk away from Minako with an audible 'pop!' The two stared at each other for a frozen moment, then bounced immediately to their feet. Ami tried to look calm, but Minako was grinning maniacally. Usagi was immediately visible through the trees, bouncing up and down and waving. Mamoru was there was well, along with Makoto and Michiru. Minako groaned under her breath. She wasn't relishing the looks they would get once they reached the path. And, sure enough, when they arrived at the others, trying desperately to look casual, Makoto was grinning at the two of them with an insufferably knowing expression, while Michiru just looked serenely amused. It was impossible to say what Mamoru was thinking, as he was standing a short distance away, looking down the path. Usagi, thankfully, remained as clueless as ever. "Hi guys!" She chirped. "What were you up to?" "We were..." Minako fumbled. "Having...a picnic!" Ami blinked and looked at Minako in disbelief. 'A picnic?' She mouthed. Minako shrugged weakly. "You forgot your food back there, then." Michiru said gently. Minako shot her a sharp look, but Michiru just smiled. "It...wasn't much of a picnic." Ami recovered. "Just a couple of...um...sandwiches." "Right!" Minako chimed in. "I've got the wrappers in my pockets. You know what they say...too much waste makes for a poor bedfellow." "Erm...right." Ami said, blushing as she rubbed the back of her head. The group headed off down the path, Minako chattering at a mile a minute in an attempt to make everyone forget where she and Ami had been found, peppering her speech with many more nuggets of wisdom. Ami walked quietly at the back of the group, smiling to herself as she listened. ------------------- Chibi-Usa looked through the window of another store, looking for a good present for Hotaru. "That's a cute shirt." Diana said from her perch on her mistress's head. Chibi-Usa took a look through the window and shook her head. "That's way too pink...she'd never wear it. Besides, I want to get her something better than clothes." "She's really upset, isn't she?" Chibi-Usa nodded a very little bit, so as not to disturb the grey kitten's position. "She's never really had a fight with Michiru. Or Haruka or Setsuna, either. She's really upset, so I want to do something nice to cheer her up!" At that moment a group of people passed close by, so they had to stop talking until they were out of earshot. Chibi-Usa passed over to another shop. There was nothing in the window that piqued her interest, but she could see that inside they had some merchandise that a bit more gothic, more like the sort of thing Hotaru would like. "Let's try in here." She said, looking up at Diana. The store seemed completely empty as they entered. "Um...hello?" Chibi- Usa called out. Silence was the only response. Peering into the back, the young girl could see a clerk behind the counter, her head resting in her arms. "Wow, I guess this place isn't very busy." She said quietly. "I'm not sure." Diana whispered. "Something smells funny in here. We should be careful." Chibi-Usa nodded and carefully began to make her way towards the back of the shop. But as she stepped around an aisle, she saw something that made her scream loudly. There were three people laying sprawled on the ground, two women and a man. They didn't move at all in response to Chibi-Usa's shriek, and she stepped backwards until her back collided with the wall. Diana had leapt from Chibi-Usa's head and was slowly approaching the nearest of the prone victims. She sniffed lightly at the poor woman, and then recoiled, her fur standing straight up. "They're alive...but they're really, really sick!" She exclaimed. Chibi-Usa had been holding her fists against her mouth, her eyes shut tight. But she lowered her hands and opened an eye at Diana's words. "They're...alive?" She looked around again. "Then they need help! We have to call an ambulance!" A sound from the back made her look in that direction. A woman had emerged from the back room. She was beautiful in a frail way. Her hair was long and bright red, appearing even more vivid in comparison to her chalk white skin. She was dressed in a long, flowing black gown and seemed to almost float as she walked. "Do you work here?" Chibi-Usa said desperately. "Everyone's sick...we need to get them help." She paused for a moment, taking in the woman's pale skin and sunken cheeks. "Oh...you're sick too, aren't you? Don't worry, it'll be okay..." She was about to step forward, but a sound from Diana made her look down. The little kitten's back was arched, and she was hissing at the woman, her eyes wide with fear. Chibi-Usa's eyes widened and she looked again at the woman who was slowly approaching her. "You...you're a daeva, aren't you?" She said, stepping backwards. "You made all these people sick, didn't you?" She swallowed and tried to look defiant. "I won't let you get away with this!" She held her brooch up in the air. "MOON PRISM POWER...MAKE UP!" Transformed, Sailor Chibi-Moon pointed her wand at the daeva, who hadn't slowed her approach. "I won't let you keep hurting these innocent people! I am Sailor Chibi-Moon, and in the name of the moon, I will punish you!" That finally had an effect, as the daeva stopped and stared at the young senshi. Chibi-Moon glared at her from over the one aisle that now separated them. A tiny, satisfied smile appeared on the daeva's face, and she lifted her hand languidly. A strange, glowing mist gathered around it, and in a move so quick it could barely be seen, she sent it slashing downwards. The shelf immediately began to sag and melt, giving off a reeking fume. Chibi-Moon covered her mouth and nose, coughing. The daeva stepped over the ruined shelf and Chibi-Moon threw up her wand again. "Stay back!" She shouted, still coughing. "PINK SUGAR HEART ATTACK!" The tiny pink hearts flew, and pale woman moved to the side to avoid them so fast it seemed like she teleported. She floated backwards, and Chibi-Usa took her retreat as an opportunity to shout into her communicator. "This is Sailor Chibi-Moon! There's a daeva here making people sick! Come quick!" She gave her location and turned off the communicator, looking up quickly to see where the sickly-looking daeva had gone. She had retreated further, almost back to the open door of the storeroom. Chibi-Moon took a look at the door. It was metal, unlike the wooden shelf the daeva had just destroyed. If she could chase her back there, maybe it would hold her long enough for the others to arrive... Sailor Chibi-Moon began approaching her enemy slowly, cautiously. The smile had fallen away, and the daeva was now looking at the girl with a mildly curious expression on her face. When just ten feet separated the two of them, the pink-haired senshi brandished her wand again. "PINK SUGAR..." "Behind you!" Diana shrieked. Chibi-Moon spun around. A second daeva, identical to the first save her hair with bright blue instead of red, was falling from the ceiling, her gown billowing around her. Chibi-Moon cried out and fell backwards. She scrambled back, trying to get to her feet again, but before she could the red-haired woman had gripped her by the shoulders and pulled her up. The blue-haired one drifted forward, a wide smile on her face that didn't reach her dead, expressionless eyes. There was a grey streak in the air. Diana had launched herself from the ground at the face of the red-haired daeva, biting and scratching. One hand left Chibi-Moon and the other loosened, allowing Chibi-Moon to twist away as the daeva swatted the kitten away from her. Diana landed lightly on the ground and shook herself. "We have to get away!" The little cat cried. Chibi-Moon nodded and the two of them rushed to the door. But the blue-haired daeva appeared suddenly in front of Sailor Chibi-Moon, blocking her escape. Frantically, Chibi-Moon raised her wand. "PINK SUGAR HEART..." Before she could finish, however, the deava had leaned forward and pressed her lips to the girl's. Chibi-Moon felt hot, then cold. The daeva allowed her to stagger backwards, coughing. The world felt like it was spinning. "Sailor Chibi-Moon!" Diana screamed. Chibi-Moon looked up, her face a mask of determination. "PINK SUGAR HEART ATTACK!" The attack hit true this time, the pink hearts striking the daeva squarely in the face and forcing her back. Chibi-Moon pushed past her and out into the street. Without looking back, the senshi and her kitten ran as fast as possible, only stopping once they had reached a deep alley. Chibi-Moon leaned against the wall and slid immediately to the floor, breathing heavily. She was hot, so very hot... "Chibi-Moon?" Diana asked, licking the girl's gloved hand. Sailor Chibi-Moon took a deep breath and coughed weakly. "I can't...move..." She said in a tiny voice. "You have to get help, Diana. Find Hotaru...maybe she..." She fell silent and Diana, panic-stricken, jumped on her chest, pushing at her with her forepaws. "Sailor Chibi-Moon! Sailor Chibi-Moon!" The girl's eyes cracked open. "Hurry Diana, please..." "Okay!" Diana said, tears in her eyes as she pelted out of the alley. Chibi-Usa banished her transformation and concentrated on remaining awake. "Hotaru-chan..." She muttered. "Help me...please help me..." ------------------- Rei and Hotaru were just a short distance away from the area when Chibi- Moon sent out the distress call. Rei had been very distressed at the atmosphere between Michiru and Hotaru, and was making an effort to try to get the two of them to make up. "Come on, Rei-chan!" Hotaru exclaimed, jumping to her feet. The two of them were having coffee. "We have to go!" Rei stood up as well, but was looking a great deal more hesitant. "Hotaru-chan..." Hotaru looked suspiciously at the dark-haired miko. "If you're going to tell me to stay back here..." "Well, with what we were just talking about, it might go a long way with Michiru if you sat this one out!" Rei said defensively. "I'm am NOT going to sit back while Chibi-Usa is in danger. Not one of you would ask any of the others to stay behind if someone *you* loved were in trouble." Hotaru snapped. Rei snapped right back. "Exactly! They're not stupid, you know. They probably know by now how much you care for her so threatening her would be a perfect..." "I don't care!" Hotaru shouted, making everyone in the area turn to look at her. "I don't care." She continued in a much quieter tone. "I don't care if it's a trap or not, I'm not going to stay here. If you don't take me with you, I'll just..." She stopped, staring at the door to the coffee shop. Rei turned to see, and ended up staring as well. Diana was standing in the doorway, her fur bristling in all directions. Rei and Hotaru hurried out of the shop and down the street to a quieter spot. "Hotaru-chan!" Diana said in a tearful, desperate voice. "Chibi- Usa is sick! The daeva made her really really sick. You have to come help her!" Rei and Hotaru looked at each other, and Rei straightened up and smiled. "Well, let's go." Hotaru looked at the Senshi of Fire in surprise. "You're right, Hotaru-chan." Rei said. "I can't ask you to stay behind. Now let's hurry." Diana hurtled down the street, and the two girls came running up after. The street that Diana led them to was very close. It was also very empty. A few people were slumped on the ground here and there, and other than that it was utterly deserted. "We should transform." Rei said. Hotaru nodded her agreement. "MARS CRYSTAL POWER!" "SATURN PLANET POWER!" "MAKE UP!" As if summoned, the daeva with the red hair emerged from a doorway as they finished transforming. Sailor Mars felt the hair on the back of her neck standing up as she looked at her. "Is that her?" She said, looking down at Diana. "That's one of them." Diana confirmed. "One of them?" Saturn asked. "There are two. The other one has blue hair." Mars looked up and down the street, but there was no sign of the other daeva. "Sailor Saturn...go with Diana and find Chibi-Usa. I'll take care of this." Saturn stared at Mars and Mars snapped. "Go!" Sailor Saturn jerked and nodded, stepping back a few paces, her eyes on the daeva, before running off after Chibi-Usa. The daeva made to follow the young Senshi, but a flash of fire appeared at her feet. "Going somewhere?" Rei smirked. "What's your name?" "Velena." The daeva said in a languid voice that seemed to rise up from the ground. She gathered the glowing mist around both hands and flung them forward, the green mist streaming towards Sailor Mars. Sailor Mars leapt nimbly out of the way, noting with horror the way the mist liquefied the concrete where she had just been standing. "Wow, you're fun." Mars said sardonically. "FIRE SOUL!" The ball of fire blazed out and collided with a fresh stream of mist that Velena had sent towards her. There was a massive flash as the cloud of poisonous mist went up in a ball of fire. Rei held her arm in front of her face to shield herself from the blast of heat. As she lowered it, she saw a massive scorch mark in the center of the street, and Velena a short distance away. She bore several scorch marks herself, but was wearing a very slight smirk. A glance at the prone form next to her told Mars why. She had positioned herself near one of the unconscious victims. If Mars started another explosion like that so close to the helpless person... "Damn!" Mars cursed. "Get away from him, you coward!" She shouted. The daeva responded by sending a billowing green cloud towards her. Mars flipped jumped away, but the cloud was swiftly growing to fill the whole street. "This is not good." Sailor Mars muttered to herself. ------------------- Sailor Saturn followed Diana down the next street, to the alley where the kitten had left Chibi-Usa. With a sigh of relief, Saturn saw that the pink haired girl was still there. But as she knelt down next to her, she felt another stab of fear. Chibi-Usa was as pale as death, and breathing so slowly that Saturn had to hold the blade of her Glaive next to her mouth to make sure she was breathing at all. Her pulse was incredibly fast, but also terribly weak. And her skin was almost burning to the touch. Diana was turning in a tiny circle, looking terribly fearful. "Is she going to be okay? Is she?" Sailor Saturn didn't trust herself to answer. "The other one, the blue-haired one, she kissed Chibi-Usa, that's what made her sick!" Despite herself, Saturn felt a tiny prick of jealousy in her heart, and actually smiled a tiny bit because of it. "Not the time." She muttered, setting her Glaive to the side and placing both hands over Chibi-Usa's heart. Feeling the desperate fluttering beneath her palms brought tears to Saturn's eyes. "You'll be okay." She whispered. "I promise." Saturn closed her eyes and her hair was ruffled by the violet aura that surrounded her as she summoned up the power that was hers as the Soldier of Death and Rebirth. That aura extended to Chibi-Usa, and a bright point of white appeared beneath Saturn's hands. Saturn opened her eyes, and they were filled with bright violet light. "This child hovers on the edge of death." She said in a voice much older than the one she usually spoke in. Diana paused in her frantic movements to stare at her. "The illness within her is different than that in the others. That illness is made to be painful and lingering. This sickness seeks to kill, and kill quickly. I do not know if I can dispel it in time." Her eyes closed again, a look of tight concentration on her face. The white light beneath her hands began to pulse quickly in time with Chibi- Usa's ragged heartbeat. It began to spread out over Chibi-Usa's body, though the effort was causing Sailor Saturn a great deal of effort and pain, judging from her expression and the sweat that stood out on her brow. The pulsing of the light began to slow, and Saturn felt that Chibi-Usa's heartbeat had become slower and stronger, though her breath with still faint and shallow. "I'll save you Chibi-Usa." Saturn said in old, wise tone. But as she spoke, it began to slide slowly towards her usual mode of speech. "I'll save you, no matter what..." She panted, screwing her eyes shut tight. "I'll save you...because...I...love you!" The white light flashed bright violet and was gone, along with the aura surround Sailor Saturn. Sailor Saturn teetered for a moment, and then slumped against Chibi-Usa, her face resting against the smaller girl's chest. Diana stared at the two of them, frightened, but her expression turned to joy as she saw Chibi-Usa's eyes open. "Hotaru?" She said weakly, looking down and placing her hands on Sailor Saturn's shoulders. "Chibi-Usa..." Saturn breathed, looking up at her with an exhausted smile. "You're okay...I'm so glad..." "I knew you'd come." Chibi-Usa said, her voice gaining a little strength. She leaned her face forward and gave Saturn a gentle kiss. Saturn smiled and slid her hand into Chibi-Usa's, squeezing it softly. ------------------- The battle, such as it was, between Sailor Mars and Velena was not going well. Still unable to retaliate, Mars had been backed into a wall, the faintly glowing cloud of pestilential green less than three feet away, and still growing. Mars could see the silhouette of the daeva within the center of the cloud, her arms held high and mist billowing from them. "Ok, here goes..." Mars took a few deep breaths and held it, rushing into the cloud, her hand cocked back into a fist. She was a bit surprised that although the street beneath her feet had become quite pliable, she felt nothing worse than a slight burning on her exposed skin. Velena looked up in shock as Mars approached, and sailed backwards as she was struck solidly in the stomach. The mist ceased pouring from her arms and began to dissipate immediately. Velena pulled herself to her feet slowly, Mars glaring at her. Sailor Mars ran forward again, but Velena slid out of the way of the next blow with blinding speed. Again and again Mars tried to strike, but again and again the daeva deftly avoided her. Mars felt her lungs burning and knew she didn't have long to finish this. "SHABON SPRAY!" Icy, bubbly mist filled the air, dispelling the weakened poison fumes immediately. "Now Mars!" Sailor Mercury cried out. "Right! MARS FLAME SNIPER!" The blazing arrow sped through the mist and struck Velena directly through the chest. She went up in flames immediately, burning as if she had been made of dry paper. As the mist cleared, Mars grinned at Sailor Mercury as the visor disappeared from her face. Sailor Moon, Sailor Venus, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Neptune were there as well, along with Tuxedo Kamen. "Thanks Mercury." Mars said. "I couldn't have lasted much longer." "Where's Chibi-Usa?" Sailor Moon asked in a frightened tone. Mars noted that Tuxedo Kamen was looking more than a little worried as well. "Did you find her? What happened?" Sailor Mars glanced down the street, where she had last seen Saturn and Diana running. "I'm not sure...Diana came to get us, but I had to stay here and fight while Saturn went to find her..." Her eyes widened and she snapped her head back to look at Neptune, who was looking at her with a very tight-lipped expression. "You let her go by herself?" Neptune asked in a soft tone. Mars briefly thought of mentioning that Diana was with her, but quickly abandoned that and just nodded. "How *COULD* you Rei-chan?" Neptune exclaimed, making Mars and everyone else jump. "How could you? You know how much danger she's in!" "She...she wouldn't have stayed if I asked..." Mars began to protest weakly. "You were with her, and it was your responsibility to keep her safe!" Neptune snapped. Mars took a step back. She'd never seen the normally sedate Senshi of the Sea like this. "I trusted you Rei-chan! I trusted you to keep Hotaru safe, and now this. It was bad enough to let her come here, but to let her go out on her own..." Neptune took a deep breath and glared at Mars, speaking in a cold tone. "I thought I could trust you Rei-chan. I guess I was wrong." Mars looked like she had been slapped. A cold, hard knot formed in the base of her stomach, and she tried to talk, opening her mouth several times, but no words emerged. With a strangled sob, she turned on her heel and bolted down the empty, silent street. ------------------- AUTHOR'S NOTES: Ooo, teh angst! Just to clarify, I love Michiru, I truly do. But I've read too many fics where she's not one of the main characters and she's portrayed as a perfect, serene...I dunno, paragon or something. I just want to show that she's human and has faults and can make mistakes like anyone else. Don't worry, it won't be like this for long. I don't own Sailormoon or any of it's characters. Please don't sue me! -Jessica
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