Author's Note: If you wish to comment on my story, either positively or negatively, don't hesitate to contact me at treetop@voicenet.com. Sailor Moon and all related characters are the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Toei Animation and DIC. So, please, don't sue me because I haven't any money. I do this strictly for entertainment purposes, not copyright infringement.
Blood on the Moon
by Jeffrey C. Branch
Part Six: Calm Before The Storm
Rating: PG-13
Staring at Molly as she floated outside her bedroom window, Serena tried to act nonchalant as she closed her bedroom door. But, deep inside, she was terrified. In human guise, Serena knew she wouldn't stand a chance against her former best friend should she break in to attack.
Although she was exhausted, Serena was about to transform to Sailor Moon when she remembered what Sailor Mars told her and the other Scouts outside the hospital an hour ago: that vampires can't enter an abode without permission. That helped to calm her down slightly. It still unnerved Serena to stare at Molly, dead for nearly a week, but now back among the living as a monster.
Serena cautiously approached the window. Somewhere deep in her mind, she faintly heard Molly's voice, asking her to open the window.
"No, Serena! Stop! Get back! Don't go near the window!" a horrified Luna cried.
Molly, startled at first laughed out loud. "Luna....talks? Oh, that's rich! What other secrets have you been keeping from me, Serena?"
Serena ignored Luna's plea as she walked right up to the window. Only the glass separated her from Molly. "What do you want?" she asked.
"Same as before, best friend. To kill you."
"That tune's getting old, Molly. Time for a new song," growled Serena, putting steel into her voice and pushing away her fear. "You've got no right to be here. Not anymore. And you can forget about the hypnotism. I heard you in my mind, begging me to open the window. It won't work. Luna taught me how to resist auto suggestion."
Molly pouted like a child. "You must think you're pretty clever, don't you? Well, maybe your mom, your dad or Sammy will let me in if I ask."
"Goddamn you! Stay away from my family!" Serena hissed. Despite her sudden burst of anger, Serena fought to keep her voice down. The last thing she wanted was for her parents or Sammy to burst in and find her arguing with a reanimated corpse. "You touch so much as a hair on their heads, and I'll personally send you straight to hell!"
Molly giggled and wagged a finger. "Temper, temper. Didn't I tell you about using foul language around impressionable young minds like mine?"
"Fuck you. That was a lifetime ago. When you were alive." Serena paused as her anger ebbed and pain at seeing the creature filled her heart. "Oh, Molly! Do you know what your death did to me? It tore me apart!"
"Ask me if I care. Where were you when I needed you? When I was being...." Molly stopped short at saying 'murdered'. Then she composed herself and stared coldly at Serena. "Our friendship is over, Serena. You're my enemy now. You're going to pay for hurting my lover."
"Your lover? Yeah, right! A filthy, stinking vampire who looks like Nephlyte! Give me a break!" Serena snorted. Thinking about Molly's 'lover', Nikolai Malakhov, the monster who killed her best friend rankled her. "After all these years, I can't believe you've never gotten over Nephlyte! What happened, Moll? Did you run blindly into Malakhov's arms, hoping to rekindle some lost romance before he killed you?"
Molly's face grew even more menacing and she glared hotly at Serena. "You hateful bitch! You don't have a clue what I went through that night! The pain! The horror! It seemed to go on forever!" Molly's demonic mask then slipped, revealing an expression of utter sorrow. "Serena, I was serious when I said I trusted you with my life. I....I loved you. But you failed me, so you're responsible for what I've become."
"Don't you dare lay a guilt trip on me!" snapped Serena, anger vying with sorrow as tears poured down her face in rivers. "Do you think I wanted to lose you? I was suicidal for days after you died! Believe me, I would've sacrificed my life in a heartbeat if it would've saved yours!"
Driven by emotions she couldn't understand, much less control, Serena placed her open palm, fingers spread out against the glass. Molly, still looking sad slowly did likewise. Much to Serena's surprise, she saw tears slide down Molly's cheeks. The silence was total as the girls stared deeply into each other's eyes, sharing a bottomless pain and longing only they could comprehend, realizing they could never be together again.
"Moll, I'm sorry," Serena whispered in a pitifully broken voice. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you. Please, forgive me."
Molly's face looked close to cracking from grief before it returned to its evil visage and she pulled her hand away. "It's far too late for apologies now. Don't worry about your family. I'll leave them alone. But, I am going to kill you, Serena. You can count on that."
And with that, Molly changed into a gray mist and disappeared. Serena, feeling cold and lifeless inside fell to her knees. Luna cautiously approached her.
"Merciful heavens. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. Serena, I....I don't know what to say," said Luna.
Neither did Serena. Slumping to the floor, she curled into the fetal position and cried, feeling the weight of the world relentlessly pressing down on her, threatening to crush her. She almost wished it would.
Molly was furious for showing weakness in front of Serena. Deep down, she remembered how much she loved Serena and was hurting inside because she could no longer be with her. The conflict between Molly's old life and her new one suddenly became intolerable, sending her into a terrible rage. And innocent people paid the price for her anger.
Her first victim was a young woman getting out of her car in a secluded neighborhood with a bag full of groceries. In bat form, Molly swooped down on the woman with lightning fast speed, changing to human form as she smashed her to the ground. The woman didn't even have time to scream as Molly sank her fangs into her throat and fed. In only a few minutes, the woman was dead. To ensure that she wouldn't rise as one of the undead, Molly broke her neck. Staring down at the lifeless body, Molly was still angry, the feast of blood having done nothing to quell her rage.
Minutes later, a middle aged lawyer, enjoying a brisk jog through the streets was the next victim. Molly jumped him from behind, rendered him unconscious with a blow to the jaw and dragged him into a backyard to suck him dry before breaking his neck. But it wasn't enough, still she was angry. In another part of the city, Molly's next victims were a young couple headed home with their two year old daughter. Molly's attack was swift and brutal. She killed the husband first, drinking his blood before the eyes of his horrified wife and child. Then Molly took the woman who, having gone into shock offered no resistance. Molly glared down at the now orphaned child, sitting on the pavement crying. For a moment, Molly's heart softened as she stared at the little girl. Molly started to leave, then, roaring like a lion, she mutilated the child as well.
Gorged on blood, Molly's anger finally subsided. She looked at her grisly handiwork and smiled, pleased with her efforts. After breaking the necks of all three victims, Molly transformed into a bat and headed for home. Her new home. Far away from Serena, and humanity as she could get.
Upon arriving, Molly entered and headed straight for Malakhov's private chamber. She needed to talk to him about what she had done, and to ask why she could not bury her past. When Molly got to the door of Malakhov's chamber, she found Roy standing in front of it.
"Let me through. I need to talk to Nikolai," she growled.
"Sorry, I can't. The Father is studying the scroll he took this evening and left word not to be disturbed by anyone," said Roy. Then, pausing for effect, he added, "Including you."
Molly, stunned, dropped her head. She felt as if she had been abandoned. The feeling was not a pleasant one, especially after what she had been through with Serena. When she raised her head, she saw Roy staring at her. "Something you want to say?"
Roy nodded. "Yes. Originally, I was so happy that The Father brought you over, Molly. I thought we would be together, forever. But you've shunned me for him. Why? Because he reminds you of Nephlyte?"
Molly glared at Roy. That was the second time in an hour someone made that connection, and she hated it. "How do you know about him?"
"The night Malakhov took you, you called him by that name. This Nephlyte, he was your former lover, the man you lost four years ago and wouldn't talk about, wasn't he?"
"My past is none of your damn business!" Molly snarled.
Roy looked pained. "It used to be. When we were alive. You had such deep feelings for me. Why the change, Molly?"
"Because of Nikolai! He's the one I love now! Not you! Get used to that!" Furious once again, Molly spun on her heel and walked away from Roy. Her thirst slackened, she decided to seek out a place to rest when the sun rises. Roy, staring at her felt lost, betrayed.
On the other side of the door, a smiling Malakhov couldn't help but overhear the argument between Roy and Molly. He found it all to be rather amusing. Over seven hundred years old, and I'm in the middle of a lover's triangle. How quaint, he thought.
Wiping the smile from his face, Malakhov returned to examining the scroll. He read it more than a dozen times, taking in each and every nuance of the script on the page until he knew it by heart. Malakhov felt fortunate that he was fluent in both the Japanese language, and its history which made translating the text easy. He marveled at how fate, and death on a titanic scale gave him the chance to broaden his mind....
Berlin, Germany: Summer 1348
It seemed like only yesterday instead of eighty nine years ago since the night Malakhov became one of the living dead, having joined the ranks of the elder vampire he knew only as Von Shreck, a one time German aristocrat who had been turned some two hundred years before him.
Despite his now being Nosferatu, Malakhov, for reasons elusive even to him was loathe to give up his garb as a minister, including his cleric's collar, even though it made his new companions, especially Von Shreck highly uncomfortable. That knowledge filled the former Russian priest with an ill disguised sense of pride. For centuries, Germans and Russians barely tolerated one another, often hated and warred with each other, so anything that irritated Von Shreck delighted Malakhov. Von Shreck knew this and purposely kept the Russian on a very short leash.
Over the years as Malakhov grew proficient in the use of his powers, he developed an air of deadly malice that easily equalled if not surpassed Von Shreck who was total evil and malevolence. What was once a small party of undead soon grew into a huge congregation as Malakhov called it of almost two hundred. With Von Shreck leading the way, the vampire army spread death and terror throughout most of eastern and central Europe, killing at will and threatening the populace who were petrified from fear. Then, out of nowhere, something far worse than Nosferatu struck.
The Black Death.
The deadly disease proved far more dangerous than the vampires as thousands died daily in every major population center on the continent. Wherever Von Shreck and his army went, death was already in residence. From England and France in the west, to Germany in the east, Norway in the north to the tip of the boot in Italy, scores succumbed to the plague.
With their food supply----man----dying in frightening numbers, desperation set in for the vampires. None of the nightstalkers dared to drink the blood of any infected human, fearing they would contract the disease, and the blood of the dead was useless to them. Starvation set in, and the army turned upon itself as the weakest were eliminated by the strongest. What was once a legion dwindled to a mere cadre, and the remaining undead grew angry with Von Shreck who refused to relocate to a place that had not been infected by the plague.
Malakhov, playing the role of opportunist took advantage of the opportunity to usurp Von Shreck's authority, followed by his leadership of the flock, finally his life as the former Russian priest took his long awaited revenge on Von Shreck, mercilessly slaying the German after a fierce and violent battle. Now the leader, Malakhov ordered the remaining Nosferatu, barely three dozen in number to migrate to Asia, fearing the plague would follow the trade routes east into his homeland like it had all the other great European cities.
Malakhov and his 'flock' settled in northernmost Japan where they kept a low profile, soaked up the culture, learned the language and, more importantly, fed on its people who were free of the plague. At the time, Malakhov had no idea how fortuitous his move would eventually become....
The next day, the mood was funeral grim at the Cherry Hill Temple where the girls and the familiars gathered with Darien. Once Serena, who called the meeting told everyone of her confrontation with Molly last night, their reactions were predictable, and tumultuous.
"That miserable, rotten, undead whore! I'll rip her fucking head off the next time I see her!" a frenzied Lita roared, pacing rapidly back and forth outside the main temple building. As the unofficial den mother of the Scouts, Lita was fiercely protective of her friends, her surrogate family, and Molly's visit to Serena's house left her purple faced from rage.
"Unless I beat you to it!" growled Raye, just as furious.
"My God, Serena! If only I had known!" said a remorseful Darien, holding Serena close. "I would've been there. Now I'm the one who feels like I've failed."
Serena slowly shook her head. "There was nothing you could have done. Besides, there was no way to know she'd do something like that."
"That doesn't change the fact that we weren't there for you when it counted most. After all, you're Neo-Queen Serenity, future ruler of Crystal Tokyo. It's our mission to protect you," said a somber Mina. For once, she left her streetwalker attire at home and dressed in a plain blouse and tailored slacks. She then held up the morning paper which had a pencil sketch of Malakhov on the front page with the huge caption above it: DEEP THROAT KILLER IDENTIFIED! "At least the word is out about Malakhov. It's all over the papers and TV."
"Yes, but that only means he'll go to ground," said Luna. "Worse, what if he decides to pull up stakes and leave? We can't let that happen!"
"Hopefully, the police will manage to find his hiding place before that happens," said Amy. She too was deeply upset over what happened to Serena, but kept her emotions firmly in check. The others would be turning to her for answers and she had to keep her head clear in order to provide them. Amy decided she would cry for Serena later. "I gave Lieutenant Fukoda a special radio frequency attuned to my Sailor Scout communicator. He'll call if anything breaks."
Then, almost as if on cue, Amy's wrist communicator beeped. She pressed a button and spoke into the speaker. "This is Sailor Mercury. Go ahead, Lieutenant."
"Outstanding. This actually worked," came back the voice of Fukoda. "Miss Mercury, I need to meet with you and the Scouts right away. Something turned up last night I think is involved with the case."
"I'm with the others now and they can hear you. What did you find?"
"I'd rather not say over the air. I'll have to show you."
"Where? At Police Headquarters? Marching down there in full costume would be a big problem," Lita pointed out.
"I don't want you coming to HQ. I only want you guys and Shiro to see what I've got. I'll give you the address for a place where we'll have plenty of privacy for our meet. "
"Lieutenant, this is Sailor Moon. You're sounding awfully cryptic," said Serena, clearly puzzled.
"With good reason, Miss Moon. You'll see when you get here."
The place Fukoda instructed the Scouts, the familiars and Tuxedo Mask to come to was a small office park south of Tokyo in the suburbs. One of the offices was a videotape duplicating business where the heroes were ushered into from the back by Fukoda and Hiyata who were naturally taken aback at being spoken to by Luna and Artemis. But the cops recovered quickly, after having dealt with vampires, talking cats were simply another part of the madness they were mixed up in.
"Welcome to my job away from my job. I moonlight here one or two times a week to earn some extra cash," said Hiyata. "My boss gave me a key in case I put in overtime. The place has been closed for the last few days while the building's being renovated, so we won't be disturbed."
"What's this all about?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Last night, there was a break-in at the Tokyo National Museum," said Fukoda, inserting a tape into a VCR while the heroes and the familiars gathered around a big screen TV the machine was hooked up to. "This was what the security cameras picked up in one of the exhibit halls."
As everyone looked on, they saw an empty hall with statues of bestial looking ogres on pedestals. Suddenly, a dark and ghostly shape, similar to that of a man dressed in black with long dark hair appeared out of nowhere. Eyes widened as the shape was familiar to them.
"Malakhov?" asked Sailor Venus.
"Must be. Vampires are unable to cast a reflection in mirrors. But the museum's high speed surveillance cameras managed to pick up an image of him," Sailor Mercury surmised, her expression thoughtful.
"More like a blur. Like he's moving too fast for the camera to see," Sailor Jupiter observed.
"Look at what he's doing!" said Tuxedo Mask.
Everyone watched as a fist from the blur smashed the display case next to one of the statues and removed a scroll in a metal case from within it. It was then that two security guards appeared in the hall, guns drawn. The blur then leaped at the men, grabbing the older one by the throat with one hand. An instant later, the man was flung away.
"That poor devil was found with his neck broken and his windpipe crushed," said a grim faced Fukoda. "I hope you folks have strong stomachs. What happens next isn't pretty."
The blur then stood before the other guard who, looking frightened, slowly put his gun against his right temple and pulled the trigger, splattering his brains all over the floor. The Scouts, Mask and the familiars recoiled, horrified at what they saw.
"Nine millimeter Glock, point blank range. He died instantly," Fukoda said tonelessly. Despite the sound of his voice, his stomach churned at what he saw. "Our perp then took the express out of the building. Jumped through a window to the street, sixty feet below. No one knows how he got in the place without tripping any alarms. But, since we're talking about a vampire, it was probably child's play for him."
"Curiouser and curiouser. What could Malakhov have been looking for in a museum?" Luna wondered aloud. "Lieutenant, what was in that hall?"
"An exhibit on demons of Japanese mythology," Fukoda replied.
"They're called oni," said Sailor Mars matter-of-factly.
"You know about that sort of stuff?" Hiyata asked.
"Yes. I study mythology when I'm not playing superhero. Oni are powerful and ruthless demons who lived centuries ago and were said to have possessed amazing magical powers," Mars explained. Her training as a Shinto Priestess gave her vast knowledge on the country's steeped historical, mythological and spiritual lore. "What was the name of the oni whose case Malakhov broke into?"
Fukoda consulted a memo pad he pulled out of his jacket pocket. "Kiragama, called the Wishing Demon."
Mars scowled. She didn't like where this was leading. "Damn. This is not good. Kiragama was said to be the most powerful of all the oni. His magic was supposedly second to none, as was his hunger for death on a monstrous scale. According to legend, it took dozens of Shinto mystics and nearly half the armies of Japan to defeat Kiragama and his forces when he terrorized the country a thousand years ago. However, it was said that Kiragama anticipated being defeated and devised a means for his human followers to bring him back to life so he could rule again. It's possible that the scroll Malakhov stole might've contained a resurrection spell."
Fukoda frowned. "Swell. As if vampires weren't trouble enough. So you're saying Malakhov wants to bring some spook back to life? Why?"
"The legend of Kiragama states that whomsoever resurrects him would be granted one wish for anything which the demon would be honor bound to grant. Thus the name, the Wishing Demon," Mars said.
"Sort of like a perverted version of Aladdin and the genie in the lamp," said Moon. "Say Malakhov manages to bring this monster back to life. What sort of wish would he want granted?"
"Maybe he'll ask for a nuke and blow Tokyo off the map," said Hiyata.
"Highly unlikely, Detective. First and foremost, we're dealing with a vampire, and vampires exist on the blood of the living," Mercury replied. "Turning the city into a radioactive wasteland would not suit Malakhov's needs. My guess is he's looking to gain some sort of tactical advantage he currently doesn't have. Or perhaps he seeks to eliminate a particular weakness that he does have."
"Hmm. Mercury, I think you've just hit on the answer," said a frowning Mask. "And if my hunch is even half right, then I'm afraid this nightmare has only just started."
"What do you mean?" Artemis asked.
"Look, Malakhov wants to resurrect a demon who'd use magic to grant that madman a wish. I may be jumping to the mother of all conclusions here, but what if that wish was to eliminate a vampire's greatest weakness----the inability to exist in daylight?"
Mask's words chilled everyone with their grim severity.
"My God," Venus whispered, fear clutching at her heart.
"Yeah. But that's just the half of it," said Mask. "We'd be crazy if we thought we only have Malakhov, Molly and Roy to deal with. Remember, Malakhov's killed nearly sixty people that we know of, and heaven only knows how many more that we don't. Add those missing homeless and he could have an army of vampires waiting to hit the streets!"
"And if Kiragama gives 'em the ability to hunt around the clock, we'll have a bloodbath on our hands!" growled Jupiter.
"A bloodbath is the least of our worries, Jupiter. Throw in Kiragama with his powers and his bottomless lust for death, and we're facing a disaster of apocalyptic proportions!" said Mars. She then turned to face Fukoda. "Lieutenant, I'm not exaggerating when I say this city, this country, perhaps all of mankind is in terrible danger! We have got to find Malakhov and fast before he can perform the resurrection ritual!"
"Easier said than done. I've already got over two hundred men scouring the city for abandoned buildings, but there's just too damn much ground to cover!" growled Fukoda. "Even with squad cars and six choppers in the air, it's nowhere near enough. And if time's suddenly become a problem, I'll need lots more to go on in order to narrow the search."
"Sailor Mars. Can you tell us anything in particular about the ritual?" Luna asked.
Mars hesitated, glancing worriedly at Moon before she spoke. "Only what I've studied. The ritual can only be performed at midnight during the time of a full moon, which happens to be tonight, so Malakhov's timing was perfect for the theft of the scroll. That's why we have to find him quickly. Also, he has to be facing the sea when the moon is out. Kiragama was said to have lived near the water. Fukoda, if you concentrate your search eastward, we might just be able to find him!"
Fukoda nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."
"But, what do we do if it's dark when we find him?" a worried Hiyata asked. "Short of calling for an air strike, we may have to fight these monsters the hard way once we find their hideout."
"That's where we come in," said a grim faced Jupiter, cracking her knuckles. "You find Malakhov, we'll do the fighting."
"Seventy or more monsters, plus Malakhov, and possibly Kiragama against only the six of you?" said Fukoda. "Pardon my French, but those are awfully shitty odds, my friends. No self-respecting bookie in Vegas would touch that sort of action in a million years."
Moon shrugged. "We've bet the house with our lives before, Lieutenant. We've even crapped out. We're warriors, it's what we do. We have no choice about the path we walk, but you do. For you and Shiro to fight with us would be suicide. You do what you can. We'll handle the rest."
For a moment, there was a strained silence as Fukoda and Hiyata regarded the Scouts and Mask. What the cops saw in their eyes was raw courage, unshakable faith in both their abilities and each other....and blind fatalism. As if they knew they were going to die and didn't care.
"All right. We'll start the new parameters for the search and keep you informed," he finally said. "Even though I'm not the religious sort, may God have mercy on our souls."
Once everyone left the building and the cops sped off, Moon turned to face Mercury.
"Amy, now that we've got a direction to look in, use your computer to pin down Malakhov's likeliest location. Despite my warning to Fukoda and Hiyata, they're bound to want in on the fight," said Moon. "After what happened last night, there's no guarantee even we'll survive a protracted battle against Malakhov and his monsters. Ordinary men like Hideki and Shiro, brave as they are won't last a New York minute. We've got to find that maniac before the police do!"
"I'll get started," said Mercury with a nod.
Mars, looking sullen now addressed the others. "Guys, there's something I didn't tell Fukoda and Hiyata about the ritual. If I had, it would've raised an....uncomfortable question about Molly."
"What are you talking about?" Moon asked suspiciously.
"The key part of the ritual that would bring Kiragama back to life is called 'The Circle of Five'. This entails the sacrifice of five virgins who's spilled blood would trigger Kiragama's return." Mars then turned to Moon. "Serena, Molly's a virgin, wasn't she?"
Moon, her face suddenly filled with anguish, nodded. "Yeah, she was. Funny thing though, two months ago, Molly talked to me about wanting to sleep with Roy. She was that crazy about him. Nearly had a heart attack when she said that, as if I've never thought about having sex. But, it never went beyond talk. I think Moll was afraid to go all the way."
Venus frowned. "I wonder if Molly knows about that part of the ritual, if she even knows about it at all?"
Jupiter snorted. "A better question to ask would be: does she care? If she's that far gone over Malakhov because he reminds her of Nephlyte, she'll probably do anything he asks."
"Even give up her....existence to help bring Kiragama back to life?" asked an astonished Mask. "That's hideous."
"Darien, I think it's safe to assume this entire situation is hideous," said Luna. "And like you said inside, this horror may have only just begun. Unless we can stop it."
"Agreed. Here's what we'll do. Everyone go home and rest. No sense in us running around blindly searching for Malakhov's hideout when Amy can do the job for us with her computer. I'll want everyone at full strength for tonight," ordered Moon.
"Including yourself, Serena," said a stern faced Mars. "When was the last time you slept, I mean, really slept?"
Moon looked somber. "The day before Molly died. Since then, I haven't slept much, if at all. The nightmares about her death keep me awake."
"I thought as much. Come back to the temple with me. I think I can help you." Mars, the defacto second in command turned to the others. "Be ready to move as soon as we get the word from Amy."
Mask gave Moon a concerned look. "Will you be alright, Serena?"
Moon nodded and gave her man a smile. "Sure, Darien. I'll be fine. You go home. You'll need your strength for tonight."
Reluctant to leave, Mask nodded and kissed Moon. "See you later."
"Count on it."
Later, Moon and Mars, having morphed back to human form returned to the temple. In Raye's bedroom, Serena sat on the bed as Raye entered with a steaming pot and a cup on a wooden tray.
"Grandpa's special brand of spiced tea. Better than sleeping pills, but nowhere near as addictive," said Raye, pouring the tea. "It always knocks me out when I need to sleep. I'm sure it'll do the same for you."
"I sure hope so. I'm worn out. I can't afford to be at no less than one hundred percent when we fight Malakhov tonight. The stakes are just too high." Serena took the cup from the tray and drank the tea. Almost instantly, she started to unwind from the brew which was sweet and cloying, it's scent sharp and minty.
"Wow. This is good. I'm starting to relax already," said Serena. "Raye? Where did we go wrong? To most girls our age, their biggest worries are bad hair days, having enough trendy clothes and keeping their boyfriends in line. When they screw up, they get their wrists slapped by their parents. When we screw up, innocent people die. Like Molly. We should be in school right now, but who has time for mundane crap like education when we have to save the world? I know that protecting the Earth is our destiny, but I'm tired. I'm just so damned tired of it all."
"I know, 'Rena. We all are. Some days, I think that being a Sailor Scout is more of a burden, even a curse than a blessing," said Raye, sitting next to Serena. She put an arm around Serena's shoulders and drew her close. "We have no control over our own lives and just stagger endlessly from one fight to the next, never getting a chance to stop and enjoy the beauty and sweetness life has to offer while we wade in blood and violence and death. Believe me, not a day passes when I don't wish I were normal like everyone else. But, if I were, I never would've met the girls, Luna and Artemis, Darien, and, most of all, you."
Serena took another drink. Much to her amazement, she yawned. She was starting to feel drowsy. "Do you really mean that?"
"Of course I do, silly! I know I've treated you pretty badly over the years. Hell, I'm surprised I never got you mad enough to punch my lights out!" Raye chuckled, but then grew serious. "Really though, I care about you, Serena. Deeply. If I was ever hard on you, it was because I never wanted you to get hurt. I want you to know that you've always been my best friend, even if I've never been yours."
Serena was genuinely moved. "I never knew you felt that way. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Raye sighed, looking glum. "Because of Molly. You grew up with her, she was like a sister to you. Meanwhile, I was yelling at you from day one. In the beginning, I never thought I'd be able to even tolerate you, let alone like you, but as time passed and I grew fond of you, I saw how close you and Molly were and didn't want to push myself into your heart. It wouldn't have been right to make you choose between her and me."
"Darn you, Raye! You should've said something!" said Serena, a lump in her throat. "There was more than enough room in my heart for you and Molly. All you had to do was talk to me."
"I know. But I've never been very good at explaining my feelings. Also, I was scared that you'd reject me. Heaven knows I've given you plenty of reasons to. I've never had a really close friend until you came into my life. If you turned me away, it would've destroyed me." Raye paused to clasp Serena's shoulders as hot tears rolled down her cheeks. "What I'm trying to tell you, what I should've told you a long, long time ago is that you mean the world to me, Serena, and....I love you!"
Serena tried to choke back a sob but failed as she hugged Raye and sobbed. "Oh, Raye! I've waited so long to hear you say those words to me! I love you too....best friend."
Raye pulled away, openly shocked. "Best....friend?"
"Well, yeah. Someone's gotta take over the job. I can't think of anyone better qualified." Then, a crafty grin curled Serena's lips. "In fact, now that I'm your bosom buddy, it should be lots easier for me to borrow your manga!"
"In a pig's eye, you mooching meatball head!" said Raye in a fake growl. Deep down, this was the happiest day of her life. "You never return anything of mine you borrow!"
The laughter helped to relax Serena even more and, after finishing her tea, she stretched out on the bed she started to drift off. Raye, satisfied that the tea did its work rose from the bed and walked to the door when Serena called to her.
"Raye?"
"Yes?"
"Please stay. I don't want to be alone."
Raye was hesitant at first, but one look into Serena's huge, blue and pleading eyes made saying no impossible. With a nod, Raye returned to the bed and lay down next to Serena who nestled herself in her friend's arms like a young child in the arms of her mother.
"Thank you," whispered a grateful Serena, feeling comforted, protected and at peace for the first time in almost a week. All of her pain, her guilt, her sorrow, all of the heartwrenching misery and anguish that tormented her mind and twisted her soul simply melted away. Just before falling asleep, Serena said, "I'm so glad you're here with me."
With a little smile, Raye kissed Serena lightly on her forehead and held her close. Raye also felt warm and contented. To her, there was no place else on Earth she would rather be than here, with Serena. "Like I said yesterday, I'll always be by your side."
NEXT: Deception in the Darkness