Author's Notes:
I really enjoyed writing the scene with Minako and Setsuna. It was fun to write the effect Minako might have on the otherwise stoic and reserved Setsuna. I hope you enjoyed it, though I did have my own reservations about putting such a cute scene in the midst of all that lovely angst. Pish tosh, oh well.
Is it me, or are my chapters getting shorter and shorter? Ah, but at least I'm writing. ^_^;
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Vessels of Fate;
Blood of the Mountains (Chapter 8a)
By Monikku
Their dance of isolation, a world within worlds, each treading their unchanging paths in a sea of stars. Was this what it meant to be a senshi? Were they not a representation, the warm blooded manifestation of these the lonely and inhospitable? If this were so, and their planets were but a reflection of the soldiers' souls, then Minako was certain Venus, tonight, shown with the fiery depths of a star violently burning its last breath.
Minako felt her heart in a way she had never before. "No," she thought, "the day I grabbed my henshin wand, I felt my heart. My heart was pounding so hard, I thought it would explode in my chest. I felt my heart beatbeatbeat, it was all I could feel. It hurt so badly. God, it hurt so much." to be that aware.
Minako blinked hard, then sipped her warm tea. She concentrated on the soothing brew as it travelled from her mouth, down her throat, and into her belly. Her surroundings seemed far off,
the laughter and giddy conversations were a buzz in the background to her. She wanted terribly for Setsuna's words to mean something to her in that moment, but all she felt was her heart.
"Setsuna-san," Minako stared somberly ahead as she spoke, "honestly, does it get any easier?"
Setsuna smirked, a sad, small consoling smile as she reached out and unexpectedly took one of Minako's hands into her own. Minako abruptly looked down at the dark hand enveloping her own. "Honestly?" Setsuna asked. Minako looked up at the older woman, her eyes reflecting the desperation she felt. She nodded to Setsuna, "Honestly."
"Honestly," the dark woman paused, "sometimes."
Setsuna, Minako had noticed, used a tone she had used only once before with the girl, and she thought, surely, Setsuna was speaking the truth. Setsuna was, for the second time in knowing her, treating Minako as an adult. "Am I becoming an adult?" Minako quietly asked in a bewildered tone to herself. To this Setsuna had done something unexpected; she laughed, a long hearty laugh. Minako stared at the woman far more bewildered than she had been in confusion moments ago, and then it dawned on her, "Shit!" she realised she had spoken her thought aloud.
Slipping effortlessly into character, Minako whined petulantly, "Mou, Setsuna-san, don't laugh at the expense of my maturity!"
Setsuna smiled a beaming, unrepentant, and rather uncharacteristic smile at the young blonde, "What maturity?" she spoke in jest.
Minako gasped, "Meanie!" she exclaimed. Setsuna stuck her tongue out in response.
At this, the two women huddled together in a fit of giggles, causing more than a few confused looks to pass their way.
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Michiru, watching inconspicuously, as Setsuna and Minako laughed so warmly in one another's presence, looped her arm around Haruka's. Haruka, never missing a beat in her conversation with Ami and Makoto, held Michiru's arm closer to her body. Sparing another glance at the two women,
Michiru thought "Our girl is growing up." Haruka, as if catching Michiru's thoughts, brows knitted, then turned to gaze at the women in question. Turning back to the conversation at hand, she winked in Michiru's direction. The aqua haired vision smiled warmly.
Ami thought, surveying the nuances of movements between Michiru and Haruka, that the two could seem to have a full, fluid conversation without saying a single word. For a glimmering instant, she felt a pang of longing.
A pang that reverberated simultaneously throughout Makoto. Makoto wondered if the only reason she could easily see the communication before her, was because she longed desperately for it herself. "What must it be like to be so in sync with another?"
Ami's words broke Makoto out of her reverie, "My archeology professor called the club in for an urgent meeting this afternoon. He is well respected throughout the scientific community,
and has many official friends. Apparently, there was some grand discovery found recently, it's all very "hush hush" he says, but he asked his students to come in. I think he may be sharing his knowledge with us."
"Ami-chan, that is so exciting!" Michiru intoned, "it won't be long before you are a respected scientist, yourself. I have great faith in you!"
Ami blushed, "Thank you."
"It's true!" Makoto nodded in agreement. Makoto's words deepened Ami's blush ten fold.
"I will do my best to live up to your expectations." Ami responded, burning a hole into the floor with her embarrassed gaze.
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"Rei..." Usagi sat on the ground, crumpled in on herself. She gasped between sobs, attempting futilely to breathe. The air around her was thick and hot. Humidity wrung her body of moisture, as moments before, her heart had been wrenched of its tears. Usagi was slowly becoming more incoherent as her despair consumed her tear by tear, wasted breath after wasted breath.
Had she felt such pain before? Had she ever known such unyielding misery? She had lost Rei before, had seen as her tears drip onto, then through. Had squeezed so desperately tight to one of the people she held dearest to her heart, while Rei dissipated into nothingness before her eyes. Was Rei disappearing before her now?
Rei had spoke... of pity... of denial. Had Usagi pitied Rei? Rei who was parentless. Rei who was always so stoic and guarded. A mother dead, a father disinterested, had Usagi truly ever taken any of Rei's suffering into consideration? Had she truly allowed herself to sit in thought as to the experience of Rei's life? Or had she always just seen Rei as... strong and cool, even tempered, well maintained, gorgeous, intelligent, wholly admirable? "What a terrible pedastal to stand on," Usagi thought. "What horrible loneliness to inflict upon a loved one." Guilt wracked Usagi's visage as her tears threatened a monsoon.
A million words trampled Usagi's mind at one, "Leave Rei be." "Rei will come to you when she is ready." What did any of this mean? Usagi held her head and began slowly to rock. "denialdenialdenialdenial" Usagi held her chest, leaning forward "Rei-chan? What do I do, Rei-chan? What do I do! I don't understand anything! I want to understand you. I want to understand. I love you so much!" Usagi's forehead touched the warm earth. "Why won't you let me in?"
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More Author's Notes:
Thus concludes chapter 8a! I think I am going to begin breaking chapters in two, it helps me to continue writing if I don't force a conclusion, me thinks. Anyhoosle, I hope you enjoyed! Below these notes is a bit of Omake involved Artemis and Mamoru. I hope you find it amusing! Monikku
Questions? Comments? Criticisms? Tirades? Hate Mail? Luuuurve mail? My mail! L0vecat(at)hotmail-dot-com
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!Omake!
Artemis: Hey, Mamoru?
Mamoru: Yo.
Artemis: You ever get the feeling we are plot devices?
Mamoru: We're men in a shoujo-ai story written by a lesbian.
Artemis: Prejudism!
Mamoru: Ah, so harsh, Artemis-chan, so harsh.
Artemis: And where the hell is Luna!
Mamoru: Having a tryst with that cool guy from the glass movie?
Artemis: *tearful* Luna... my precious Luna...
Mamoru: Oh, grow some cajones, how do you think I feel? My future wife is chasing after super hot, brooding lesbian bishoujos!
Artemis: That is pretty rough, man.
Mamoru: No sh!t!
Artemis: Well, look at the bright side, you might get a threesome out of it!
Mamoru: WRITTEN BY A LESBIAN!
Artemis: Ara, well, look at the bright side, you're not dead yet.
Mamoru: *cries* So cruel.
Artemis: It's not like the actual series hasn't written you off before. Need I remind you of Sailor STARS?
Mamoru: *sobs* But there's so much more to me! SO MUCH MORE! I'm sweet, I'm caring, I'm intelligent, I knit! ARTEMIS, I KNIT!
Artemis: As a great man once told me, "grow some cajones"
Mamoru: I DON'T SPEAK SPANISH!
Artemis: Luna...
Mamoru: Stars...
Artemis: Resident Evil?
Mamoru: -_- Dumbass.
!Omake's End!
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