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Chapter 08: Disturbing Visions
During the trip to New York, Yahara had indeed gone to sleep for what felt like the first time in years... And when he fell asleep, he realized just how truly terrifying dreams could be.
----- Dream State -----
He was back in the gardens in the Silver Millennium. He was standing against the rough wall of the gardens that was covered in overgrown vines, and he was looking out over the twinkling fountains and flowers and trees and all the while faint music was being played somewhere. Yahara slumped down to the ground, his back to the wall.
Suddenly, he tensed. Something was not right. It was now pitch black and everything was silent. His eyes where drawn to the misty fountains now less than comforting to him. It wasn't until a minute had passed or so that he realized there was a very tall figure approaching him...
Hebi.
He should have tried to run. But he stayed. It would be a long time before he knew why he did, but the fact of the matter was he did. And now the figure was right before him and Yahara's voice choked - he wanted to yell at him but no words came. There was something about the way that Hebi looked at him that caused ever muscle to freeze in his body.
Hebi lowered his glasses, revealing two snake-like eyes that bore into Yahara's very soul. If there had been any thought he might be able to fight this man off, it was gone now. Hebi crouched down to Yahara's level, a sickening smile on his lips. He drew closer and closer until Yahara felt he would break from the tension. And then Yahara did something that surprised them both.
He kissed Hebi.
What was supposed to be a quick kiss Hebi turned into something so passionate that Yahara could hardly breath. When Hebi finally released him, Yahara was now a puddle on the floor and Hebi wasn't helping as he moved his tongue from Yahara's mouth to now his ear.
Yahara's gaze fell upon a bench in the garden. The one he had proposed to Minako at. Minako. The image of her face came to his mind and in a burst of anger, using strength he didn't know he had, he threw Hebi off of him...
----- End -----
And Yahara alone in his bed. He shivered, not moving from the spot for a long time. And while a lot of thoughts ran through his head, one prevailed above all. And he was not sure if he hated it or what… But he knew… This had happened before.
-----
Meanwhile...
After a short shopping trip that was entirely for Usagi's benefit, the two of them headed back to the Shuttle Bay to find Mamoru and Lady Serenity waiting for them. They all boarded, doing much the same as last time... Artemis watched the controls, the royal family discussed what they had done during the outing, and Minako remained silent... Except this time she fell asleep.
----- Dream State -----
Sailor Venus of the Silver Millennium knocked on the door to the Queen's chambers, wondering why she had asked to see her of all the Senshi. A silvery voice called out from inside, "Come in Venus..."
Venus did as she was told and slowly walked into the large room and saw the queen and her three children there, "You sent for me your majesty?" The soldier stepped in and dropped to her knee, following all protocol. She ignored the burning pain in her ribs caused by a certain sadist who had still refused to let her alone.
"Arise Sailor Venus... Now is not the time to worry over such trivial things like royal protocol," the golden senshi was a little surprised at the woman's behavior but did as she was told. "Venus... Something tragic has occurred, and I think we've all been more than a little naive."
Venus was very confused and could think of nothing better to do than inquiry, "What is the matter your grace? What has occurred?"
Queen Serenity sighed sadly as she fingered a small picture of her late husband. Venus suddenly felt very uncomfortable and out of place and began to shift from foot to foot. Finally the silver haired woman sighed and whispered, "We have been betrayed by one of the ambassadors..."
Venus paled and looked from the queen to her daughter, near panic, 'Oh goddess... Please don't tell me I've been wrong about Yahara...' Venus threw caution to the wind and said, "Your highness please... Be frank."
The queen smiled slightly at her own bluntness. "Fear not Venus. It is not who you think. But it is someone whom you know all too well..."
-----
Venus stalked out of the queen's chambers, fuming and possessing an anger that would make her feared by Zeus himself. And it didn't take her long to find the source of it all.
"Hebi!"
He turned around slowly, and looked like he had been expecting her to show up, "Why Venus... whatever is the matter?"
"You know very well what is the matter you traitorous son of a bi--"
"Really such language. And how can I be a traitor when I swore no allegiance to anything? And I was never on your side to begin with," Hebi said with a smirk.
"I have had it with you. You and your father are both going to pay for this!" she shouted loudly. "And I will not keep silent about--"
"Venus," Hebi said tersely. "Father hadn't a thing to do with it. It was all me. Although I am upset that I was caught this early on. I did have such plans..." Hebi said, giving her a definite look and hissed, "Especially since your precious Yahara left yesterday..."
Venus paled and whispered hoarsely, "H-how did you know...? Have you done something with him? Hebi, if you know where he is I swear--"
Hebi held up his hand to quiet her and said, "Now now Venus... I know where he is, but there's nothing that I am going to tell you about him or his whereabouts. What saddens me is now you are to be presented with a choice."
Venus narrowed her eyes and growled, "What? And this better be quick."
Hebi's face went from smirking to down right ferocious as he grabbed her and pulled her to him, despite her protests. "You can either join me and forsake this land and your people and join me in my revolution, or die here like the dogs these other people are."
Venus stared at him first in fright, but then she remembered herself. She growled angrily and pushed him off of her, unsheathing the Sword of the Silver Millennium at her side. "I choose neither. Your blood will stain this floor and turn the white to red. Not mine, and not anyone else's!"
Hebi sighed and shook his head, "Somehow I doubt that..." His disposition changed again in the blink of an eye and he lunged at her. Venus immediately moved to block his blow and pushed him off again.
And the fight began.
The two battled on for a while, neither one of them scoring anything more than just an abrasion. At long last, by sheer luck, Venus managed to knock his sword out of his hand. She brought the tip of her blade up to his throat and hissed, "Any last words... traitor?"
Hebi smirked and said, "Not a damn thing... Cause I ain't going anywhere just yet."
Venus cried out in pain as she felt thorned vines wrap around her waist and pull her away from Hebi. He then picked up her sword and stalked up to her. He smiled and cupped her chin in his hand and said "I'll always remember you like this..." Then he leaned forward and kissed her again, despite her attempts to get away.
Suddenly, Venus jerked her head away as she felt the blade of her own sword being plunged into her stomach. Her eyes were wide with pain and she refused to look at the blood making a large puddle on the floor. She shut her eyes to block out the pain and her tears, but to no avail. She felt the darkness begin to close in as Hebi watched her.
"If only you had made the other choice... Who knows what might have happened?"
----- End -----
At that moment, Usagi jerked her away. Now anyone witnessing themselves die in a dream is not going to be the most rational person. Anyone seeing it that violently will be even worse that that. But when you couple all that with the fact that it had actually happened... Well, that was when you had hysteria. And in this particular strain of hysteria, Minako accidentally knocked Usagi around. The other woman was thrown back, knocking her head on a chair, and blacking out.
Quite a coincidence.
----- Dream State -----
Princess Serenity giggled and popped a candied rose petal in her mouth. "Of course I haven't seen him with his shirt off... We have to be far more proper than that... He's courting me like any Prince would."
"Don't be such a prude, Serenity," Princess Makoto laughed. "I bet you have peaked through his keyhole to see him dressing lots of times."
"Hah," Princess Rei scoffed. "As if a clumsy lout like her could remain quiet enough to keep from waking the dead, let alone spy on any-" She stopped suddenly, turning back to a dark side corridor they'd passed.
"Hey!" Serenity snapped. "I am NOT clumsy... Like I'd lower myself to peeping through keyholes anyway." Makoto was about to comment, but Rei silenced them both by flying down that dark corridor.
The others followed quickly, Serenity stumbling after and shouting for them to wait. When she finally got there, she saw Venus hanging from some strange brambles with her own sword protruding from her stomach. Togeno Hebi stood in front of her, just noticing the others. He began sending the thorns to them as well....
But something inside the princess snapped. Serenity turned and wrenched a chunk of stone out of the wall next to her, and hurled it harder than she should have been able right into Hebi's temple. He cried out and crumples to the floor, unconscious.
The others turned, shocked, and gawked at her. Ami, the only one who could collect her wits enough to do so, called for help. Soon it arrived, and Hebi is blocked from his powers and imprisoned.
-----
Doctor and healers came from everywhere, even ancient King Cronus of Saturn was summoned on two occasions, but Princess Minako remained in a coma. Her body was well, all her injuries healed, but everyone feared she'll never wake fully.
Serenity stayed with her, refusing to leave her side. Then one day, Princess Serenity managed to get the Crystal away from the Queen in order to try what her mother was not able to do. She simply held it out and whispered the words, "Moon Healing Escalation."
Nothing happened.
"I should have been there. I'm supposed to be there for all of you... This is all my fault. I should be lying there... No one deserves this less than you... I wish I could die and bring you back." She threw herself over Minako and wept uncontrollably, clinging to her friend's limp form.
"Don't say that… If anyone is to blame, it's me. And you must've eaten way too many candied rose petals. You're heavy as a cow."
Minako was awake.
-----
By the time Usagi had awakened, a number of people from the Medical Ward were hovering around her. For the brief time she was awake, she heard someone mention something about emotional blocks... But she was too groggy to comprehend the meaning, and soon went back to sleep.
No one knew just where Minako had gone.
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