Post by neiljed on Mar 26, 2005 0:41:15 GMT -5
DAMAGE CONTROL
Neil Burns (Neiljed)
PG
SAILOR MOON etc.
The Outers have been acquitted of abduction and
sexual misconduct and Michelle has lunch with Serena
to explain "that night".
Michelle sat in the restaurant waiting for Serena, guilt
weighing heavily in her heart. She had kidnapped Lita
to give to Amara as "stress relief". They were found
out, arrested and put on trial. However, the Outers
were found not guilty, leading to an enormous rift that
tore apart the Sailors.
"Hi, Michelle."
The Neptunian looked up and saw the Moon Princess
standing over her, a pleasant smile on her face that
did not quite reach her cerulean eyes. In fact, her face
was a mask of doubt and hint of distrust. Smiling, the
older Sailor stood up and embraced Serena, who did
not respond.
"Hi, Serena," Michelle greeted, saddened at the lack
of response. "Please sit down."
"Thanks." The younger girl sat down.
"I already ordered for us, if that's all right."
"That's fine."
Silence reigned as the waitress brought over the girls'
lunches and placed them on the table. Michelle watched
her Princess eat quietly, hardly looking at her, the usual
chatter about school, Darien, Raye being a perusual
bitch and the like absent. 'She doesn't want to be here.
I don't blame her.'
"How's your lunch?" She asked.
"Fine." A brief silence. "May I ask you a question?"
"Yes." Michelle knew what the question would be. Or
at least, have a very good idea.
"Did Lita do anything to you or Amara?"
"No, Serena."
"Then why did you kidnap her?"
"Amara had a hard time focusing on our mission, plus
she had to deal with homophobic teammates. I needed
her. The world needed her. Plus, she had a crush on
Lita at the time."
"You were jealous."
"I admit it, yes. But, I also knew it was the only way to
get her to focus on the mission."
Serena ate a little more, yet the actions were merely
perfunctionary with little enthusiasm. No wolfing down
the meal and wanting more.
"You enjoyed it, though. You and Amara."
"We did. A very relaxing evening and I think, though
she won't admit it, Lita may have privately enjoyed it
as well."
Silence. Serena closed her eyes, not wanting to look
at the older Sailor.
"So. We are nothing more than little toys for you and
Amara to play with and then throw away when you get
bored. Is that it?"
The child-like voice had a slight edge. Michelle reached
over and took Serena's hand in her own. The Moon
Princess did not refuse, but did not respond either.
"You are not a toy." Michelle's eyes misted slightly.
"I'm not."
"None of you. You are strong, decent, loving girls with
good hearts and the world is lucky to have you five to
protect it."
A raised eyebrow was her only reply. 'It seems that
some of Raye's cynicism has rubbed off on Kitten.'
"Tell me," Serena mused. "Suppose Lita was not around
for you to 'play with'. Would you have gone after the
rest of us? Would you have gone after me?"
A direct question. Michelle ran the scenario in her mind.
Serena the "stress relief" instead of Lita. Serena finding
out and telling Darien. Michelle and Amara having to
explain to Darien and trying to convince him that they
were still trusted guardians. She sighed as she bit the
bullet.
"If it would've helped the mission, then yes. I would
have gone after you. I'm sorry."
"At least you're honest."
Michelle found herself suddenly not very hungry. She
felt bad for the waitress having taken the order and
the chefs who went through the trouble of making her
order. Serena ate her meal, saying nothing. The older
Sailor gently turned Serena's face to face her own.
"Listen, Serena. What I did. What Amara and I did. It
was stupid. It was selfish and it was one time only."
"One time. You haven't thought about going after us
again."
"No. We have not. Not after that youma kidnapped the
two of us and basically gave us the same treatment.
The experience taught us how Lita must have felt that
evening. The anger. The fear. The confusion. The sheer
terror and helplessness of wondering where you were.
Who kidnapped you and why. Amara and I would kill
ourselves before we'd do that to Lita or you or any of
the other girls."
Michelle's hand released Serena's and reached for her
golden hair, stroking one of the long pigtails sadly.
"You are special to us," Michelle continued. "We would
never hurt you. The fact that evening happened. The
trial. This whole mess. The fact it happened at all Amara
and I deeply regret and we apologize for any harm we
have caused any of you."
"I forgive you, Michelle. Both Amara and you. However,
I don't know if I can trust either of you again."
Serena gently brushed Michelle's hand away from her.
The older Sailor sighed.
"That's understandable."
"Another thought occurred to me. Suppose, during your
'frolicking', Lita happened to suffocate to death. What
then?"
"To be honest, it never crossed my mind. Lita survived,
if that were to happen, I would say Amara and I would
be hard pressed to explain."
Serena sighed as she put her fork down, her appetite
completely gone. She got up and pushe her chair in.
"I'm sorry, Michelle, but I've lost my appetite. I can't
eat with someone who has no regard for another one's
life and who would risk killing them for a mission."
"I am sorry, Serena. Can I call you later?"
"I would rather not talk to you or Amara for the time
being."
The Princess walked out, leaving a sorrowful Neptune.
The coral-haired woman began to sob softly, her heart
breaking, guilt weighing on her soul.
"Oh, Serena." She said between sobs. "I am so sorry.
Please forgive me."
THE END.
My first tale (hopefully, it will post). A little OOC, but a
little different take on the Outers' relationship with the
Inners. All comments welcome.
Neil Burns (Neiljed)
PG
SAILOR MOON etc.
The Outers have been acquitted of abduction and
sexual misconduct and Michelle has lunch with Serena
to explain "that night".
Michelle sat in the restaurant waiting for Serena, guilt
weighing heavily in her heart. She had kidnapped Lita
to give to Amara as "stress relief". They were found
out, arrested and put on trial. However, the Outers
were found not guilty, leading to an enormous rift that
tore apart the Sailors.
"Hi, Michelle."
The Neptunian looked up and saw the Moon Princess
standing over her, a pleasant smile on her face that
did not quite reach her cerulean eyes. In fact, her face
was a mask of doubt and hint of distrust. Smiling, the
older Sailor stood up and embraced Serena, who did
not respond.
"Hi, Serena," Michelle greeted, saddened at the lack
of response. "Please sit down."
"Thanks." The younger girl sat down.
"I already ordered for us, if that's all right."
"That's fine."
Silence reigned as the waitress brought over the girls'
lunches and placed them on the table. Michelle watched
her Princess eat quietly, hardly looking at her, the usual
chatter about school, Darien, Raye being a perusual
bitch and the like absent. 'She doesn't want to be here.
I don't blame her.'
"How's your lunch?" She asked.
"Fine." A brief silence. "May I ask you a question?"
"Yes." Michelle knew what the question would be. Or
at least, have a very good idea.
"Did Lita do anything to you or Amara?"
"No, Serena."
"Then why did you kidnap her?"
"Amara had a hard time focusing on our mission, plus
she had to deal with homophobic teammates. I needed
her. The world needed her. Plus, she had a crush on
Lita at the time."
"You were jealous."
"I admit it, yes. But, I also knew it was the only way to
get her to focus on the mission."
Serena ate a little more, yet the actions were merely
perfunctionary with little enthusiasm. No wolfing down
the meal and wanting more.
"You enjoyed it, though. You and Amara."
"We did. A very relaxing evening and I think, though
she won't admit it, Lita may have privately enjoyed it
as well."
Silence. Serena closed her eyes, not wanting to look
at the older Sailor.
"So. We are nothing more than little toys for you and
Amara to play with and then throw away when you get
bored. Is that it?"
The child-like voice had a slight edge. Michelle reached
over and took Serena's hand in her own. The Moon
Princess did not refuse, but did not respond either.
"You are not a toy." Michelle's eyes misted slightly.
"I'm not."
"None of you. You are strong, decent, loving girls with
good hearts and the world is lucky to have you five to
protect it."
A raised eyebrow was her only reply. 'It seems that
some of Raye's cynicism has rubbed off on Kitten.'
"Tell me," Serena mused. "Suppose Lita was not around
for you to 'play with'. Would you have gone after the
rest of us? Would you have gone after me?"
A direct question. Michelle ran the scenario in her mind.
Serena the "stress relief" instead of Lita. Serena finding
out and telling Darien. Michelle and Amara having to
explain to Darien and trying to convince him that they
were still trusted guardians. She sighed as she bit the
bullet.
"If it would've helped the mission, then yes. I would
have gone after you. I'm sorry."
"At least you're honest."
Michelle found herself suddenly not very hungry. She
felt bad for the waitress having taken the order and
the chefs who went through the trouble of making her
order. Serena ate her meal, saying nothing. The older
Sailor gently turned Serena's face to face her own.
"Listen, Serena. What I did. What Amara and I did. It
was stupid. It was selfish and it was one time only."
"One time. You haven't thought about going after us
again."
"No. We have not. Not after that youma kidnapped the
two of us and basically gave us the same treatment.
The experience taught us how Lita must have felt that
evening. The anger. The fear. The confusion. The sheer
terror and helplessness of wondering where you were.
Who kidnapped you and why. Amara and I would kill
ourselves before we'd do that to Lita or you or any of
the other girls."
Michelle's hand released Serena's and reached for her
golden hair, stroking one of the long pigtails sadly.
"You are special to us," Michelle continued. "We would
never hurt you. The fact that evening happened. The
trial. This whole mess. The fact it happened at all Amara
and I deeply regret and we apologize for any harm we
have caused any of you."
"I forgive you, Michelle. Both Amara and you. However,
I don't know if I can trust either of you again."
Serena gently brushed Michelle's hand away from her.
The older Sailor sighed.
"That's understandable."
"Another thought occurred to me. Suppose, during your
'frolicking', Lita happened to suffocate to death. What
then?"
"To be honest, it never crossed my mind. Lita survived,
if that were to happen, I would say Amara and I would
be hard pressed to explain."
Serena sighed as she put her fork down, her appetite
completely gone. She got up and pushe her chair in.
"I'm sorry, Michelle, but I've lost my appetite. I can't
eat with someone who has no regard for another one's
life and who would risk killing them for a mission."
"I am sorry, Serena. Can I call you later?"
"I would rather not talk to you or Amara for the time
being."
The Princess walked out, leaving a sorrowful Neptune.
The coral-haired woman began to sob softly, her heart
breaking, guilt weighing on her soul.
"Oh, Serena." She said between sobs. "I am so sorry.
Please forgive me."
THE END.
My first tale (hopefully, it will post). A little OOC, but a
little different take on the Outers' relationship with the
Inners. All comments welcome.