This will probably be edited later.
Aug. 26th, 2012 11:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bloodsong1So be sure to check back, all two of my readers!
Mamoru strolled into the craft store, watching for his favorite hairstyle. He heard Usako before he saw her, the loud disbelieving shriek he knew well. Makoto-chan's head popped up from another aisle.
"Why are you so surprised, Usagi-chan?" Makoto-chan asked. Mamoru walked over, grinning. Makoto-chan was leaning over a display of embroidery silk. Usako was sweating visibly while Sarah-san tapped her lips, looking over the color options.
"But, but, he's MY Mamo-chan!" Usako protested.
"I wondered why I sneezed earlier," Mamoru said wryly. Usako whirled and latched onto him.
"Mamo-chan!"
"Hey, Usako," He hugged her, closing his eyes briefly. When he opened them, Makoto-chan was blushing and looking away. Sarah-san smiled a sad smile.
"What Destiny has decreed I will not dispute, Usagi-imoto. I remember how that feels." She turned away, blinking hard. Mamoru released Usako and tucked her hand into his arm.
"What's all the commotion about?" He asked, glancing at his love. He wasn't surprised at the familial honorifics. His planet's song had changed since Sarah-san and her children had arrived. For whatever reason, they were SUPPOSED to be here.
"Sarah-neesan wants to make you a bracelet," Usako said, wiping her eyes.
"A bracelet?"
"She's making one for all of us," Makoto-chan added, turning back to the group.
"Really?"
"ALL of you. Every planet, even this one," Sarah-san looked up and met Mamoru's eyes. His widened at the surge of determination drowning the fear in hers. "But I am a bit stymied for you, Mamoru-kun. Should I use blue and green or black and red? Or blue and red? Or black and green?"
"Ummm." He looked at Usako, who shrugged.
"I get gold and silver."
"Past, present and future. So perhaps, blue and lavender?" Sarah-san's lips curved into a slight smile. Mamoru couldn't stop the blood rush to his cheeks and he looked down.
"I...I think I'll leave it up to you."
"Suit yourself," Sarah-san said airily and picked out a rich blue, a pale lavender, and two shades of pink.
"Pink? Why pink, Sarah-kaasan?" Makoto-chan asked. Mamoru's head snapped up. Kaa-san?
"I can't forget Chibi-Usa," Sarah-san answered.
"WHAT? SHE gets one TOO?!?" Usako protested. Sarah-san turned and put her fists on her hips.
"Usagi, look at who's holding you." Usako blinked and looked up. Mamoru winked at her.
"Now," Sarah-san continued. "look at who you are holding." Usako looked up again. Mamoru grinned.
"Now, look at where I am." Usako looked back at Sarah-san, who held out the skeins of silk. "This is the closest I will ever get to your past, present AND future. A simple piece of protective cord magic. All your friends and allies are receiving the exact same thing. HOW does this pose a threat to your love or constitute favoritism in your rivalry with Chibi-Usa?"
"She has a point, Usagi-chan," Makoto-chan chimed in. Usako had the grace to blush.
"I'm sorry, Sarah-neesan."
"I understand the jealousy. I know I'm going to be very jealous of my Cuteness when she hits 5' 10" and with a chest like Mako-musume's." Makoto-chan blushed. "I can only hope she agrees to play Jupiter to my Moon instead of declaring me totally uncool." Both girls blushed beet red and started giggling nervously. Mamoru covered his eyes with his free hand, fighting the urge to snicker. Sarah-san had a real way with words! The widow waited until everyone recovered to smile a little more brightly.
"Now!" She clapped her hands. "Mamoru-kun, and yes, it feels strange to say that, how can we help you?"
"I actually wanted to talk to you, Sarah-san. I have some questions."
"AWWW! Mamo-chan! You're not here to take me on a date?" Usako protested. Mamoru bent and kissed her full on the mouth. Usako gasped, then threw herself into his arms and the kiss. After several breathless minutes, he broke the kiss and tapped her nose.
"Meet me at the Parlor at 5 pm, Usako. We'll have our date then," He said softly.
"Yes," She said, dazed. Makoto-chan rushed over and pulled a lovestruck Usako out the door, promising to make sure the blonde was on time. Mamoru sighed happily.
"Beautiful." Sarah-san's wistful voice brought him back to himself abruptly and he flushed bright red.
"I...I'm..." He stammered, feeling horrible. Sarah-san shook her head and slipped past him to pay for her silk.
"Don't you dare apologize!" Mamoru stayed where he was, completely chagrined, and watched the widow finish her purchase and head for the door. She looked back at him.
"Mamoru-kun? Your questions?"
"Right!" He hurried to catch up.
------------------
Sarah wasn't surprised they ended up at a cafe instead of the Crown. Tuxie looked pretty shaken and running into his Princess again wasn't advisable. She ordered tea and a sandwich, belatedly realizing it was after noon. Mamoru asked for coffee.
"I've already told Minako-san all I felt safe revealing," She said, sipping her tea. Mamoru blinked over his mug.
"Minako-san?" Sarah shrugged.
"She's keeping me at arm's length. I don't blame her, but you should probably talk to her about the...situation."
"I understand, but I wanted to talk to you about something else."
"Oh?"
"How much do you know about my abilities?" Sarah shrugged and leaned her elbows on the table, cradling her cup. The heat was burning her fingers, she embraced the pain.
"I know about roses, and canes, and psychometry, and healing, and a connection to the planet that goes deeper then anything I can experience and a bomber?" The last one was a question. Mamoru put his cup down and nodded.
"I think that about covers it. It's the connection I wanted to talk to you about."
"Okay." Sarah put her cup down and met Mamoru's gaze. Gods above and below, Usagi's SUCH a lucky girl!
"Can you hear my planet?" Well! That was unexpected! She cocked her head.
"I'm not sure how to answer that. I've heard the Great Fire at the Hikawa shrine and it helped me empower the bracelets. I heard the Wind and the Deep Waters when I asked them to validate me."
"Validate? What happened?"
"Uranus and Neptune paid me a visit last night. I think I got pretty damned close to being killed."
"WHAT?!" Mamoru hissed, sounding angry. She held up her hands.
"They saw me as an external threat. I understood, it's their job after all. Since they weren't listening to ME, and the Great Fire had spoken to me directly, I called on their Elements. It worked. A sea breeze blew through the area. It..."
"It?"
"It told me I was safe." Sarah lowered her hands and shrugged. "Uranus and Neptune were surprised that I could love them and want to protect them. They asked a few more questions, I had an asthma attack and ran back inside. By the time Rei-chan went outside, they were gone."
"So, you can talk to all the elements?"
"I haven't tried talking to the Earth directly, or to any trees, but given the circumstances, I wouldn't be surprised if I could." She rolled her shoulders, looked out the window, then back at Mamoru. "This is going to be a problem, isn't it?"
"Quite likely. The enemy is after the talismans, but they could easily look at you as a source of energy or even a guide."
"The Witches 5 aren't that far thinking." Sarah clutched her pentacle through her shirt. "Powers, I wish Kevin was here."
"What are you holding?"
"I'll show you in a minute." Their food arrived. Sarah waited until the waiter had filled their cups before reaching into her blouse and pulling off her necklace. Dangling from the waxed cord was a pewter disk stamped with a five pointed star. A jade bead shaped like half of a yin-yang symbol clinked against the disk.
"You...wear a magatama?" Mamoru asked, eyes wide. Sarah shrugged and handed him the necklace.
"It's a beautiful representation of the soul. The disk is a pentacle. There used to be runes on it, but Kevin's body chemistry wore most of them off."
"This was Kevin's?"
"He had to stop wearing it because it choked him at night. After he died, I put it on to keep him close." She shrugged and bit into her sandwich. Mamoru closed his fingers over the charms and concentrated. Sarah watched him channel as she ate, more curious then she probably should be.
"He was a big man, with curly hair and a red goatee. He had been a soldier. His heart was a warrior's heart and he was...a philosopher." Sarah swallowed hard and put her food down.
"Psychometry works pretty well, I see," She said, shoving the plate aside and taking a long drink of tea. That killed her appetite!
"You saved him." Mamoru opened his hand and gave the necklace back. Sarah put it over her head, kissed the pentacle and let it fall inside her shirt.
"I loved him."
"You kept his darkness at bay."
"Did I?" She looked at the future King of the Earth, unable to stop the tears. Mamoru's voice was gentle and his expression was understanding. "I always thought it was Becca."
"He wouldn't have had Becca-chan without you, Reiki."
"No. Please. Don't call me that. Usagi-imoto would kill me!" She grabbed a napkin and wiped her eyes, unable to hold his gaze.
"Sarah-neesan," He said. She blew her nose and nodded.
"That'll work." She scrubbed her fingers against her jeans and reached for her cup. Mamoru intercepted her hand, holding it loosely. Her eyes widened and nearly popped out of her head at the rush of warm golden light skittering up her arm and into her chest.
"You're not alone here, Nee-san. You have us and the Earth." He let go and finished his coffee. Sarah took her hand back. It tingled.
"Come on. I want to show you something before my date."
Mamoru strolled into the craft store, watching for his favorite hairstyle. He heard Usako before he saw her, the loud disbelieving shriek he knew well. Makoto-chan's head popped up from another aisle.
"Why are you so surprised, Usagi-chan?" Makoto-chan asked. Mamoru walked over, grinning. Makoto-chan was leaning over a display of embroidery silk. Usako was sweating visibly while Sarah-san tapped her lips, looking over the color options.
"But, but, he's MY Mamo-chan!" Usako protested.
"I wondered why I sneezed earlier," Mamoru said wryly. Usako whirled and latched onto him.
"Mamo-chan!"
"Hey, Usako," He hugged her, closing his eyes briefly. When he opened them, Makoto-chan was blushing and looking away. Sarah-san smiled a sad smile.
"What Destiny has decreed I will not dispute, Usagi-imoto. I remember how that feels." She turned away, blinking hard. Mamoru released Usako and tucked her hand into his arm.
"What's all the commotion about?" He asked, glancing at his love. He wasn't surprised at the familial honorifics. His planet's song had changed since Sarah-san and her children had arrived. For whatever reason, they were SUPPOSED to be here.
"Sarah-neesan wants to make you a bracelet," Usako said, wiping her eyes.
"A bracelet?"
"She's making one for all of us," Makoto-chan added, turning back to the group.
"Really?"
"ALL of you. Every planet, even this one," Sarah-san looked up and met Mamoru's eyes. His widened at the surge of determination drowning the fear in hers. "But I am a bit stymied for you, Mamoru-kun. Should I use blue and green or black and red? Or blue and red? Or black and green?"
"Ummm." He looked at Usako, who shrugged.
"I get gold and silver."
"Past, present and future. So perhaps, blue and lavender?" Sarah-san's lips curved into a slight smile. Mamoru couldn't stop the blood rush to his cheeks and he looked down.
"I...I think I'll leave it up to you."
"Suit yourself," Sarah-san said airily and picked out a rich blue, a pale lavender, and two shades of pink.
"Pink? Why pink, Sarah-kaasan?" Makoto-chan asked. Mamoru's head snapped up. Kaa-san?
"I can't forget Chibi-Usa," Sarah-san answered.
"WHAT? SHE gets one TOO?!?" Usako protested. Sarah-san turned and put her fists on her hips.
"Usagi, look at who's holding you." Usako blinked and looked up. Mamoru winked at her.
"Now," Sarah-san continued. "look at who you are holding." Usako looked up again. Mamoru grinned.
"Now, look at where I am." Usako looked back at Sarah-san, who held out the skeins of silk. "This is the closest I will ever get to your past, present AND future. A simple piece of protective cord magic. All your friends and allies are receiving the exact same thing. HOW does this pose a threat to your love or constitute favoritism in your rivalry with Chibi-Usa?"
"She has a point, Usagi-chan," Makoto-chan chimed in. Usako had the grace to blush.
"I'm sorry, Sarah-neesan."
"I understand the jealousy. I know I'm going to be very jealous of my Cuteness when she hits 5' 10" and with a chest like Mako-musume's." Makoto-chan blushed. "I can only hope she agrees to play Jupiter to my Moon instead of declaring me totally uncool." Both girls blushed beet red and started giggling nervously. Mamoru covered his eyes with his free hand, fighting the urge to snicker. Sarah-san had a real way with words! The widow waited until everyone recovered to smile a little more brightly.
"Now!" She clapped her hands. "Mamoru-kun, and yes, it feels strange to say that, how can we help you?"
"I actually wanted to talk to you, Sarah-san. I have some questions."
"AWWW! Mamo-chan! You're not here to take me on a date?" Usako protested. Mamoru bent and kissed her full on the mouth. Usako gasped, then threw herself into his arms and the kiss. After several breathless minutes, he broke the kiss and tapped her nose.
"Meet me at the Parlor at 5 pm, Usako. We'll have our date then," He said softly.
"Yes," She said, dazed. Makoto-chan rushed over and pulled a lovestruck Usako out the door, promising to make sure the blonde was on time. Mamoru sighed happily.
"Beautiful." Sarah-san's wistful voice brought him back to himself abruptly and he flushed bright red.
"I...I'm..." He stammered, feeling horrible. Sarah-san shook her head and slipped past him to pay for her silk.
"Don't you dare apologize!" Mamoru stayed where he was, completely chagrined, and watched the widow finish her purchase and head for the door. She looked back at him.
"Mamoru-kun? Your questions?"
"Right!" He hurried to catch up.
------------------
Sarah wasn't surprised they ended up at a cafe instead of the Crown. Tuxie looked pretty shaken and running into his Princess again wasn't advisable. She ordered tea and a sandwich, belatedly realizing it was after noon. Mamoru asked for coffee.
"I've already told Minako-san all I felt safe revealing," She said, sipping her tea. Mamoru blinked over his mug.
"Minako-san?" Sarah shrugged.
"She's keeping me at arm's length. I don't blame her, but you should probably talk to her about the...situation."
"I understand, but I wanted to talk to you about something else."
"Oh?"
"How much do you know about my abilities?" Sarah shrugged and leaned her elbows on the table, cradling her cup. The heat was burning her fingers, she embraced the pain.
"I know about roses, and canes, and psychometry, and healing, and a connection to the planet that goes deeper then anything I can experience and a bomber?" The last one was a question. Mamoru put his cup down and nodded.
"I think that about covers it. It's the connection I wanted to talk to you about."
"Okay." Sarah put her cup down and met Mamoru's gaze. Gods above and below, Usagi's SUCH a lucky girl!
"Can you hear my planet?" Well! That was unexpected! She cocked her head.
"I'm not sure how to answer that. I've heard the Great Fire at the Hikawa shrine and it helped me empower the bracelets. I heard the Wind and the Deep Waters when I asked them to validate me."
"Validate? What happened?"
"Uranus and Neptune paid me a visit last night. I think I got pretty damned close to being killed."
"WHAT?!" Mamoru hissed, sounding angry. She held up her hands.
"They saw me as an external threat. I understood, it's their job after all. Since they weren't listening to ME, and the Great Fire had spoken to me directly, I called on their Elements. It worked. A sea breeze blew through the area. It..."
"It?"
"It told me I was safe." Sarah lowered her hands and shrugged. "Uranus and Neptune were surprised that I could love them and want to protect them. They asked a few more questions, I had an asthma attack and ran back inside. By the time Rei-chan went outside, they were gone."
"So, you can talk to all the elements?"
"I haven't tried talking to the Earth directly, or to any trees, but given the circumstances, I wouldn't be surprised if I could." She rolled her shoulders, looked out the window, then back at Mamoru. "This is going to be a problem, isn't it?"
"Quite likely. The enemy is after the talismans, but they could easily look at you as a source of energy or even a guide."
"The Witches 5 aren't that far thinking." Sarah clutched her pentacle through her shirt. "Powers, I wish Kevin was here."
"What are you holding?"
"I'll show you in a minute." Their food arrived. Sarah waited until the waiter had filled their cups before reaching into her blouse and pulling off her necklace. Dangling from the waxed cord was a pewter disk stamped with a five pointed star. A jade bead shaped like half of a yin-yang symbol clinked against the disk.
"You...wear a magatama?" Mamoru asked, eyes wide. Sarah shrugged and handed him the necklace.
"It's a beautiful representation of the soul. The disk is a pentacle. There used to be runes on it, but Kevin's body chemistry wore most of them off."
"This was Kevin's?"
"He had to stop wearing it because it choked him at night. After he died, I put it on to keep him close." She shrugged and bit into her sandwich. Mamoru closed his fingers over the charms and concentrated. Sarah watched him channel as she ate, more curious then she probably should be.
"He was a big man, with curly hair and a red goatee. He had been a soldier. His heart was a warrior's heart and he was...a philosopher." Sarah swallowed hard and put her food down.
"Psychometry works pretty well, I see," She said, shoving the plate aside and taking a long drink of tea. That killed her appetite!
"You saved him." Mamoru opened his hand and gave the necklace back. Sarah put it over her head, kissed the pentacle and let it fall inside her shirt.
"I loved him."
"You kept his darkness at bay."
"Did I?" She looked at the future King of the Earth, unable to stop the tears. Mamoru's voice was gentle and his expression was understanding. "I always thought it was Becca."
"He wouldn't have had Becca-chan without you, Reiki."
"No. Please. Don't call me that. Usagi-imoto would kill me!" She grabbed a napkin and wiped her eyes, unable to hold his gaze.
"Sarah-neesan," He said. She blew her nose and nodded.
"That'll work." She scrubbed her fingers against her jeans and reached for her cup. Mamoru intercepted her hand, holding it loosely. Her eyes widened and nearly popped out of her head at the rush of warm golden light skittering up her arm and into her chest.
"You're not alone here, Nee-san. You have us and the Earth." He let go and finished his coffee. Sarah took her hand back. It tingled.
"Come on. I want to show you something before my date."
