Rhapsody by ruminant
Chapter One
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." - Spock
Phobos and Deimos soared through the air above the gathered group of young women standing outside the Sendai Hill Shrine. Their glossy feathers were filled with the warm air as they swooped down and landed near the girls.
"No," the pig-tailed girl whispered as she took a step back.
"Usagi-chan..." Rei began.
"No!" Usagi shouted, "It isn't possible. You didn't hear right. You made a mistake."
Ami stared straight ahead as Usagi's tirade went on. A slight breeze sent tendrils of her blue hair flying about as she shivered despite the warm afternoon sun. A pained look was on her face as her mind processed the information she had just been given. She tried to find some other explanation for the accident. She tried so, so hard. In the end, she knew there was only one possible reason for what had happened. She was that reason.
A warm hand was placed on her shoulder, bringing her out of her desperate analyzing. "Ami-chan?" Makoto's voice wavered, "Are...are you all right?"
Usagi and Rei were silenced as their attention turned to their friend. "Am I all right?" Ami asked as though she did not understand the question.
Makoto and Rei exchanged worried looks as Ami's brow furrowed. "I'm a murderer. I don't deserve to be 'all right,'" she spat.
Usagi's hand flew to her mouth as she gasped at Ami's shocking words. "How can you say that?!" she cried out, "You are the kindest, gentlest person I know. You could NEVER be a murderer!"
Tears of shame fell from her eyes as she heard her princess' words. Words she didn't deserve to hear. She had killed a woman. Not just a woman... a wife... a mother. She had used her powers and an innocent person had died as a result. She should have found another way to fight the phage. She should have tried harder.
Minako chewed on her bottom lip as she watched her friend cry silent tears of self-loathing. Ami shouldn't be blamed for Sanya Keito's death. She was simply following orders like any good soldier. The senshi of love shut her eyes tightly as she stated, "It wasn't your fault."
Ami's eyes went wide as she argued, "It was MY attack, Minako! How could it NOT be..."
"Because I told you to use it!" Minako shouted in return.
Rei looked at Minako in sympathy. No wonder she had defended Ami so vehemently the night before. Minako had placed the blame on her own shoulders. She was about to speak when Minako opened her eyes to reveal a determined stare.
Her gaze turned to each of her friends in turn as she resolutely stated, "There was no other choice. We did what we had to do to protect the innocent people that were being attacked. If that phage had killed us, who would protect Earth from Galaxia?"
The senshi were shocked into silence. This was not the Minako they knew. A hardened warrior now stood in her place. The blonde senshi's jaw was set and her eyes were hard as she continued to glare at her friends, challenging them to argue. Ami grit her teeth and began to tremble as Minako turned her gaze to her. "This isn't right," she grunted through her clenched teeth.
Minako opened her mouth to protest, but Ami beat her to it, "Even ONE life is too much to sacrifice. Usagi taught us that, or have you forgotten so quickly?" Ami choked out in disgust.
"Stop it!"
The outburst from Usagi caught the attention of the verbally dueling senshi. Tears ran from eyes filled with pain as she regarded her friends. "Please. Please stop fighting," she sobbed.
Makoto placed her arm around the weeping girl. "Usagi's right. We shouldn't be fighting with one another. This effects us all. We fought that battle together and we will fight this battle together too."
Minako's mouth hung open as she tried to speak. She had never meant to hurt Usagi. She had never meant to hurt Ami. She had only wanted to protect innocent people from being torn apart by a monster. How could that be wrong? "I...I'm sorry, Usagi-chan," she finally got out as she cast her eyes to the ground.
Usagi looked at her friends in pity. Ami and Minako would give their own lives to protect just one person. In fact, they had given their lives for her once before. She knew Minako didn't believe what she had said. None of the senshi believed in sacrificing one life to save others. Aside from protecting their princess at all cost, Usagi knew it was their most fundamental belief. The others had always believed Usagi would find a way to save everyone. Until now, she always had.
Usagi looked up and broke the uneasy silence that had settled over the group. "The Ginzuishou," she said quietly.
Makoto's eyes widened as she looked down at the girl she had her arm wrapped around. "Yes!" Usagi exclaimed happily as she stepped out of Makoto's embrace, "I can use the Ginzuishou to bring her back to life. I've done it before. I can bring her back and everyone will be..."
"Absolutely NOT," Rei shouted in horror.
"But, Rei-chan..." Usagi pleaded.
"No WAY are you trying something like that," Rei stated firmly.
Tears once again welled up in Usagi's eyes as her brilliant idea to save the day was shot down. "We can't risk it, Usagi-chan," Makoto stated much more gently than Rei.
"But...I didn't die when I brought us all back after we fought Metallia," Usagi pointed out.
Ami shook her head sadly. "That was different. I know you want to make everything better but you just can't. Not this time," she sighed.
Usagi began to protest again but was cut off by Rei. "You think you doing this would HELP?!" she yelled, "When you can't bring her back and you end up dead from trying, THEN how do you think we'll all feel?"
The dark haired girl blinked back her hot tears as she was embraced by her princess. "I'm sorry, Rei-chan. I'm so, so sorry. I promise I won't do it," Usagi cried.
Rei's expression changed from stern to maternal as her friend hugged her. After a moment, she gently disengaged herself from Usagi and reached into her book bag. She pulled out a newspaper clipping from that morning's paper and held it up to the others. "Her Memorial service is in two days," she stated, "I thought maybe..."
Ami looked up at the clipping and saw the face of the woman she had killed smiling back at her. "I'll go," she stated.
Makoto looked dubiously at her. "Ami, that might not be such a great idea," she gently suggested.
Ami shook her head as she said, "No. The least I owe her is an apology."
The sun was shining the day of Sanya Keito's funeral. Minako scowled at the audacity of the sun to show its presence on such a day. The weather should be overcast and rain should be pummeling the mourners as the beautiful woman was mourned. Shooting one last hateful look at the bright orb, she followed her friends inside the small building.
Makoto looked about nervously as she walked into the small room ahead of Minako. She felt extremely uncomfortable being in the presence of so much grief. The last time she had been in this environment was at her parents' funeral. She had avoided both airplanes and funerals since that time. She took only a small amount of comfort in the fact that the body had already been cremated.
The five girls stood huddled together at the far end of the room as the other mourners took their seats. Usagi had already began to cry quietly as she looked at the many photographs blown up and placed at the front of the room. There were pictures of Keito with her husband. Several pictures showed her with her small son.
The seats in the room soon began to fill up. The senshi remained standing as the last seat was taken. More people entered and were forced to stand as well. Apparently, Sanya Keito was well loved.
The last two people to enter was a young man in his mid-twenties and a small boy with dark brown hair. From the photographs, the girls knew these two were Keito's husband and son. The two took their seats at the front of the group as the service began.
Ami went numb as one after another, the mourners stood to share stories about Keito. Ami knew that the story about Keito wanting a pet kangaroo as a child was supposed to be funny, but she could not find a way to smile. Most of the speakers were reduced to tears by the end of their speeches.
Soon, the service was over and Keito's husband and son stood beside the doorway to thank those who had attended. The other senshi moved forward to exit, but Ami could not move. She stared at the small boy, holding onto his father's pant leg. How could she let him thank her for coming after what she had done?
"Ami-chan?" Makoto whispered as the other girls noticed Ami was not with them, "Come on."
Makoto took her by the arm and steered her towards the exit. Ami stared at the child as he sniffled and wiped his nose with the sleeve of his dress shirt. She let out a small sob as he looked up and their eyes met.
"We are very sorry for your loss," Rei spoke for the rest of the group as they stepped in front of Keito's family.
"Than..." Sanya Katashi began but the girls had sped away before he had been able to thank them for attending the service.
