Misperception by Papirini

revenge of naru's shadow

MISPERCEPTION

Rage of Naru's Shadow

“I HATE YOU!!!!!!”

Hitoko and Chibi-Usa exchanged murderous looks oas they brought Vazgorth up the hill and across the park meadow on their way to the table. After they had left the company of Tourmaline, Vazgorth suddenly found his bravery, and was doing his best to escape the two girls.

“...Seriously. Shut up.”

They had only known him for five minutes, and both just wanted to strangle him. Hitoko was especially tempted to do so, as she was at the upper part of his body, and so had ample opportunity to do so.

“LET ME GO, WENCHES!!!” He kept screaming and fussing, drawing the attention of everyone as they passed. “YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!!!”

“Only when we get to the time-out corner.”

“Your impure blood will turn the river red!” The boy kept screeching. “And once my parents come to save me, your world will be destroyed, and the bodies of every single citizen will be strung up inside the room of the Obsidian Throne and mocked for its insolence!!”

“Start mocking,” Hitoko mumbled as she took out a leftover napkin from her pocket. “In the meantime...”

Without warning, the napkin went straight down into Vazgorth's mouth as he opened it to scream even more. His eyes wide, he found himself unable to spit it out, as his face was turned towards the sky. He could only glare dejectedly as Hitoko as they continued on.

“Wow!” Chibi-Usa grinned. “That makes a big difference, Hitoko-chan.”

“Yes...Chibi-Usa-chan.” Hitoko paused. “It's still so strange to call you that, you know? No offense, but I do not have much contact with the you of my reality. I've been too afraid to....well...”

“It's ok.” Chibi-Usa looked down. “I was...actually worried when you guys didn't talk to me. I thought I'd done something wrong.”

“Of course not.” Hitoko's face flushed at this. “It's just hard. Hard to....well, you know.”

“Face it?”

Hitoko looked back up at Chibi-Usa with a small bit of surprise at this. She was faced towards Chibi-Usa, so she was walking backwards towards the table where the senshi were sitting.

“....Yeah.” Hitoko's eyes blinked at this. “You know?”

“Yeah, I know guilt.” Chibi-Usa nodded. “Everyone here seems to carry a lot of it. Maybe that's why we're all here today.”

“...Maybe.” Hitoko looked up thoughtfully. “Then again, Tourmaline hasn't been completely forthcoming. But it makes sense if it ends up being that way.”

“But yeah, there's a lot of things I've done that I'm not proud of.” Chibi-Usa nodded. “A whole lot of things.”

“Like taking the Silver Crystal from your mother?”

“..........Yeah, things like that.” At this, Chibi-Usa gave a chuckle. “I forgot, it happens that way in your dimension too.”

“It sure did.” Hitoko smiled back. “Chibi-Usa-chan.”

At that moment, the two realized they had reached their moment of understanding with one another. It was for Hitoko, especially, to realize that it wasn't too late for her to reconnect with her older sister, who was, in essence, standing in front of her and yet at the same time not present.

“MMMMMPH!!” The two were jarred back to reality by Vazgorth. “Mmmm mmmmp mmmmmhur!!!!!”

“So....” With a smirk, Chibi-Usa looked up and saw the table and Minako. “Hitoko-chan, do you like cupcakes?”

“Love them? I make them all the time.”

“You have a favorite recipe?”

“Mmm.” Hitoko smiled as she closed her eyes in remembrance. “Marble cupcakes with chocolate icing.”

“Oooh, that's good.” Chibi-Usa licked her lips. “But you know what's better....Chocolate with vanilla icing.”

“No way.”

“Way!”

“I highly doubt it.”

“You just go to a bakery when you get back to your dimension and try one!”

“Try what?”

At this, the two girls turned around and saw that they had gotten right up to the table. Minako was staring at them, a gleam in her eyes and a line of drool on her chin.

“Did someone say...” The borders of the blonde's mouth twitched. “Cupcakes?”

“Um...” Hitoko gulped. “We were only talking about it. We don't have any.”

“....Oh.” The blonde frowned at this. “I see you're just here to drop off the brat.”

“Yes.”

“Very well.” Minako gave a huff and turned her nose up as she grabbed Vazgorth and yanked him away from the two. “I understand, you don't want to share. Very well then! Go back to Uromamo-chan and Ranam-chani and Naru-chan and Casper, and that weird horny guy with your cupcakes. Enjoy them all without me.”

“Minako-chan!” Chibi-Usa sweat. “I'm telling you. We don't have-”

“Casper.”

Chibi-Usa froze at Hitoko's voice. It sounded shocked, almost panicked. Indeed, as Chibi-Usa turned to look at Hitoko, her eyes were wide, and her face was completely pale.

“....Naru-chan.” She suddenly broke into a dead run, leaving Minako with Vazgorth and leaving Chibi-Usa to chase her down, once she realized what had happened. “Shit. SHIT!!!”

----------------

“....Mmmmph.”

When Rei had picked Kousagi up and brought her to time-out, Gunther was finally released to stand. He gave a moan as he rose, holding his stomach and rubbing his back as he did.

“Ugh, that hurt.” There were streams of tears in his eyes. “I didn't think kids were that heavy!!”

“Well then.” Ranami stood near him, looking at the group of kids as they dispersed and went on their own once more. “You should be around them more.”

“Hah.”

Gunther mumbled a few incomprehensible German words as he looked at Ranami. To his surprise, she was looking back at him; once their eyes met, though, her head quickly turned away, her face flushed red.

“....So.” Gunther smirked. “That was a good fight.”

“I wouldn't...call it good.”

“Well, it was pretty big.”

“Yeah....I guess.”

“You...” Gunther's own cheeks reddened. “You did a good job with separating them.”

“And...you did a good job catching that girl.”

“Thank you.”

“You're....welcome.”

Ranami's face slowly turned back to look at Gunther's, but she quickly turned away again before their eyes met, her hand under her chin. This time, there was no mistaking it in Gunther's opinion; she was flushed for a reason that was other than embarrassment of exhaustion.

“A-HA!”

“What?!”

“I KNEW it!! Your cheeks!!!”

“Knew what?!?”

“....Yoooou....” Gunther's finger started to wag. “Liiiiiiiiike me!”

“WHAT!?!?” With a squeal in her voice, Ranami quickly turned away. “NO! Absolutely not!!”

“Yoooou dooooo!!”

“I would never a perverted little card-toting knave like you!!”

“Yessss you would!!” Gunther gave a toothy grin as he began to dance victoriously around the Black Moon princess, pinching her behind as he did. “Heee heee! Yaaaay! She likes me!! She likes me!!! SHE REALLY LIKES ME-”

The next thing Gunther knew, he was back down on the ground, a knee shoved into his abdomen. Ranami's face was above him, her eyes now sparkling red to accompany her flushed cheeks.

“Meeeeep!!”

“Listen here, you jerk.” Ranami's voice was low. “You're not as cunning as you think you are. You may be good with cards, but you're mistaken to think that makes you a wonderful person. You must be as immature as that Vazgorth kid and almost as stupid. I would never admit to liking someone like you in public, so you'd better stop making an ass out of yourself and shut up.”

Gunther's face fell as she spoke. He had been buoyed by the hope that, at long last, someone really liked him, only to have it deflate like a balloon in front of him. He looked down guiltily, staring at Ranami's kneecap as it came off of him. This was replaced by Ranami's face suddenly appearing mere inches from his own, and he visibly stiffened, awaiting another blow.

“Hmm.” To her surprise, her face went to the right, and her voice came right up to his ear. “But privately....you're not so bad. Maybe I do like you, if you straighten up your act....”

Gunther's eyes bugged as he felt another sensation on his face. It was the brief sensation of two soft lips gently grazing his lips, leaving the mark of his – and, though he didn't know it – her – first kiss.

“...buh.....buuuuuh.”

When Ranami lifted her head and stood up, Gunther's face was red to the point where it turned purple. He had a silly smile on his face, and the look in his eyes was dreamy and distant, as if he had just tasted his first ice cream sundae. Ranami couldn't help but smile back, even as he began to drool.

Heh. I guess you're not so bad after all.... A bead of sweat fell from her forehead. If you'd just stop pinching my butt...

“RAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!”

The moment of euphoria was interrupted by the all-too-familiar scream. In an instant, Gunther and Ranami's heads were turned towards the glen, where a figure stumbled down the hill and fell at them.

“Sp-sp-sp-sp-sp-sp-sp-SPIDER!!!!!” There were tears in Uromamo's eyes as he shook. “I-i-i-it's a spider n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-noooo don't let it get me please please p-p-p-p-p-p-p-leeease....”

“Uromamo-chan!” Ranami's hands instantly went out. “It's ok. Don't be scared. Spiders aren't evil here.”

“H-h-h-h-h-h-how can you be sure?!” Uromamo's eyes were huge as his head lurched around. “Th-th-th-th-the agents are e-e-e-everywhere. They always w-w-w-watch you.”

“Uromamo-chan.” Ranami held her hands out further. “Take them, please.”

For a moment, Ranami's offer was not taken up. Uromamo's head still lurched to and fro, his eyes darting underneath his eyeglasses, as if he was still searching for the enemy of his world. Gunther, still on the ground, looked on; though he was not privy to Uromamo's past, even he could sense something was amiss.

Woah... Gunther stared at Uromamo as he finally took Ranami's wrists. What's got into him?

“Th-they're here.” Uromamo's excitement did not greatly abate after he took her wrists. “I s-saw it. I s-s-saw him.”

“What?” Ranami could only smile. “Uromamo-chan, there are no agents here. Tourmaline-san made sure of that remember?”

“N-n-n-n-n-n-n-NO!!!” To Ranami's surprise, the purple-haired boy shook his head violently and grabbed onto her wrists even tighter. “Sh-sh-sh-she didn't!!! One. Th-th-there's one. H-h-h-h-h-he's here. He's after m-m-m-me!!!”

“Uromamo-”

“I s-s-s-saw him. He was w-w-w-w-with us...smiling, happy, pret-t-t-tending....and he t-t-t-took her....into the b-b-bad place.” Uromamo's head shakily turned towards Ranami's right. “Th-th-th-th-th-the bad p-p-p-p-place, with his own stuff. He took her in the d-d-d-dust, t-t-t-took her bad, and t-t-t-told her it was hanging now. Th-th-th-th-that's what I heard, I heard it oh god they are using her as bait please p-p-p-p-please save me, PLEASE!!!!!”

“He....” Something in Ranami's heart froze. “He took who?”

“N-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-”

At this point, Uromamo completely broke down and grasped Ranami's wrists so tightly that he nearly snapped them in half. Then, when he could not break her, he simply gave a scream of fear which echoed through the area, and collapsed in front of her, bawling his eyes out.

...N.....

Ranami's eyes widened at this. Uromamo wasn't making it up; someone had been taken. It was not, however, by an agent from his dimension.

Then it hit her.

Naru.

Casper and Naru had been gone for the past ten minutes.

-----------------------

>”This is ending....”

Earlier that morning.

“She's coming. You're really letting her come.” The red eyes flashed at the words it spoke. “I can't believe it.”

“Casper-san...”

“That she would dare show her face here....”

“Casper-san!”

“After what she did!!”

“Don't do it.” Hitoko could see the glittering item in his hand. She kept a stern face regardless. “I don't care how mad you are. If I'm willing to put aside my feelings, you should too.”

“I'm not going to promise a total stranger something I can't keep.”

“Casper.” At this, Tourmaline appeared from the shadows. “I know you've had a terrible past. I know about you, and about your life. You family. Do you think you are the only person in that situation?”

“I don't care.” Casper's voice became raised. “You would never understand either way!”

“I do understand.” Tourmaline's voice became firm. “Better than you know. And I will not let you do what you please just because you have a grudge. You don't even know her. You may be surprised at what she had gone through herself.”

“You mean at how perfect she is?”

“Stop it.” The firmness sharpened. “Or I will send you home this minute. I will not let you ferment your hatred here. Don't think I will hesitate to stop you at whatever cost.....”

...You know what? Bite me, Tourmaline.

Naru wasn't sure exactly how it happened; it had been all too fast. First, the children had run down the hill, there was screaming, and then Ranami's voice commanding everyone to stop. Then, she felt a strong grip on her hand.

“This is ending.” She recognized it as Casper's voice. “Get over here.”

“Wha-”

Before she could respond, she was being pulled through the trees and bushes; beyond them was more park, but this part was completely devoid of children from other realities. In the distance, she could see more buildings in the style of the old city of Tokyo, before it had become the capital of Earth; she had no time to marvel at it, because Casper was pulling her too fast.

“Casper-san!” Naru could not help but be concerned at the sudden actions undertaken by her brother in spirit. “What...what are you doing? The fight is probably in the....other direction...”

There was no response from Casper as they walked further. The lake that straddled the park came closer to the two; the trees sparse, the grass longer and the rocks more abundant. There was sidewalk right next to the lake, but no one walked; the setting sun began to blaze orange, shining into Naru's right eye as she struggled to keep up with Casper.

“Casper-san!! What's going on?!”

“....Hmph. You're always forgiven for your sins, aren't you,” he mumbled under his breath. Naru could barely hear him as he huffed. “Sooo forgiving. Soo perfect. Because nothing could possibly faze you in the least. You're so good at everything. There's always a solution when you're around.....”

The words fueled him on; the anger began to course through him, stronger than ever. He suddenly squeezed her arm so tightly that her wrist began to tingle.

Casper-san!?

Naru went to reach for her transforming pen; perhaps seeing it would help her escape, as she was becoming more frightened by the minute. When she searched, however, she realized it was nowhere to be found. In her wisdom of packing everything down to Naru's floss, Chibi-Usa had forgotten to pack it. Or perhaps it was intentional; it was supposed to be a day of peace.

Whatever it was, Naru would never know. All that she knew was that Casper was doing something she didn't like, and she became more fearful for her safety – perhaps even for her life – the further they got from the children and Tourmaline. Soon, they were halfway across the lake, in a spot darkened by the shadow of a large building which bordered the park, where no one was and no one would bother to be.

“Casper-san! Please!!” Desperate, Naru was shaking violently as she tried to break free from Casper's hold on her. ”What-”

“Shut up.”

With a sudden turn, he released her, then roughly pushed her away from him. She staggered several feet before she came to a stop on her knees, bending over towards the ground.

“I've had enough.” That hissing voice that Casper had used when speaking of Uromamo's secret returned, and it shook as well. “I've had enough of this.....”

“Casper-san....” Bewildered, Naru turned to face the red-haired boy. “What's going on-”

“I said shut up.”

The slap came out of nowhere. It wasn't a terrible strong blow, but it was enough to throw Naru's head to the side and leave a large red hand mark on her face. With a cry, Naru jumped up to avoid Casper's hands, and stared at him, holding her hand on her cheek.

“What....” Naru successfully fought her tears back. “Is wrong with you?! All of a sudden...!”

“...You just don't get it, do you?” Casper's red eyes seemed to flash hellfire at her as he began to step “I guess not. For someone who's such an angel, you're as stupid as a basket.”

“Casper-sa-”

“Don't 'Casper-san' me.” He took another step closer. “You don't deserve to call me that. Not after what you've done to me.”

“What.....?”

“You're so wonderful.” Casper's eyes rolled up towards the sky. “Always finding the solution to everything, hmm? Always knowing what to say, hmm?Always being loved by everyone......”

Casper's face darkened as he looked down towards the ground. His hands balled up into fists so tightly that Naru could see lines of blood lining his fingertips.

“You have no idea....how long I've kept in....” He looked back up at Naru. “How much I hate you.”

Naru stared Casper, her eyes wide with shock. There was no mask covering his face, no charade of cheerfulness to pay her lip service. It suddenly became crystal clear what had been hanging over the group the entire time, at least in regards to her.

Casper...san....!??

She could not comprehend the hatred towards her. They had just met for the first time. It had only been several hours before that she never even knew he had existed. Had it not been for Tourmaline, she would have spent her entire life completely ignorant of his, and all the other children's, existences.

But his hatred seemed sincere, long-simmering, eternal. That was no longer on that day; the anger was finally right there in full force, and Naru could literally feel it go through her. Yet for all of it's intensity, Naru could not help but feel as if it there was also sadness and anguish in his eyes, seeing them glisten slightly in the dark.

It was as if she could identify those feelings because it was as if she had once experienced such inner turmoil herself.

“....Why....?”

“Why do you care?” Casper's upper lip almost curled into a snarl. “It's not as if you'd understand. Your parents accepted you even after you were born. At least you had a chance to be accepted.”

“What are you-”

“Did I tell you to talk!?” Another slap came, harder than before. “It's my turn now! You've talked enough!!”

“Ow!!” Naru shut her eyes tightly as she held her cheek again, hoping to fight the tears again. “You're hurting me...!”

“Good.” The sharpness in his voice carried a hint of satisfaction. “I'm glad. I'm glad I could hurt you after all the years you've hurt me.”

“I....”

“They always loved you more.”

Naru felt a tear escape from her eyes despite her fight. It trickled down her cheek and fell off her chin to the ground. The words Casper spoke again felt familiar, and she shuddered as the realization slowly came to the forefront of her mind.

“They never let me forget.” She didn't see Casper put his hands into his pockets. “They never let me forget who I was...and who I wasn't. Why do you think I'm just 'Casper', huh? Why do you think I don't have a transformation stick like you?”

....Chibi......Usa.

“My mother always dressed in black in front of me.” Casper's voice shook even more. “My father never called me by my real name, because it wasn't yours. And both them and those women that guarded them always looked at me with utter shame.”

Just....as it was....with me.....

“They always made sure to remind me who they really loved.” Tears began to fall from Casper's eyes. “They made me sleep in your room, just as they had made it for your birth, with all your photographs in it, but I've never been photographed.. I was only allowed to see them for one hour a day – no hugging or talking, just silence. I was never allowed to play outside, or have a real education like other kids. I never got birthday presents or Christmas presents.”

....And Chibi-Usa........then.....

“I was never allowed to have anything. They never even let me have their name! 'Kyaku-san, kyaku-san'. The intruder. That's the only other name they'd ever given me!!”

You......and.....me......?

“So how would you ever understand?!” Casper shut his eyes, his voice almost squeaking. “They always loved you. Always. They never loved me!!! They wanted to make me disappear!!! They actually tried to go back to the past twice and destroy me!!!!”

“That.....can't be....!!”

A parent...always loves their child....no matter what.....it...must...be.....and yet....

Naru slowly looked up at Casper, her face filled with shock. Hearing the words come from Casper's mouth almost seemed laughably close to those that Naru might have spoken a year before she had awoken. The feelings she had felt about usurping the angelic Chibi-Usa, and the doubts she had finally just put to rest that very day.

Now she couldn't believe that the tables had turned so suddenly, so violently, and that it was now she that was the angelic Naru, facing her own shadow, as he finally took his knife out of his pocket..

“No, that....” Naru's eyes widened. “That's not the way!!”

“It's my way.”

“It doesn't...” Naru started to back away. “It doesn't have to be...”

“It will be.” The knife flicked open. “For over half a millennium, I've dreamed of this moment.”

“Please....!!” Naru's lips quivered from the betrayal. “Please, listen, I know how you feel!!”

“You have no idea how happy this will make me...”

“Me and Chibi-Usa!!” Naru kept talking as she kept backing off. “Me and Chibi-Usa, it was the same thing! That's wh-why I talked to her. I....I had to let go!”

“You just had to ruin everything....they just have to keep trying to return to the past...”

“Please.......” Naru's hand turned into a shaking fist. “Don't!!”

"You always ruined everything! No one ever loved me because of you!!" The knife glinted in the setting sun as Casper raised it. "Naru, I will always HATE YOU!!!"

"NO!!!!!!"

Naru knew that she wasn't going to be able to transform into a sailor soldier. But her life was in danger regardless. She had wanted to love Casper, he had seemed like a nice guy in the beginning. Unfortunately, for her, in the end he turned out to be a jerk.

So as he came towards her, she punched him in the stomach.

“AARRR!!”

The knife flew out of Casper's hands as Naru landed another punch into his stomach, followed by a kick to his shin. He went down quickly, just as Naru imagined; he was not trained as a sailor senshi as she had been.

He got back up even more quickly and landed a chop on her neck, sending her spinning away from him. He started to move towards her again, his own hands moving fluidly, just as he had been taught.

Movement number 4... Ever since he vowed revenge, over and over he watched everything the Master did, repeated many of his moves in the gym, over and over, for over one hundred years. The dragon whips his tail.

With a lightning fast roundhouse, he got her in the legs, throwing her on the ground, just as Bruce Lee once did. He quickly turned and lunged towards the knife. But Naru jumped up and grabbed his pants, causing him to trip and fall. She quickly threw herself on top of Casper, grabbing at his hand to prevent him from getting the knife.

 

“Stop!!” Naru grunted as managed to grab Casper's wrists. “You can't do this! This...is-”

“AARGH!!!!”

Casper's response was to wrest himself from her grasp and land a wild punch into Naru's face. It wasn't hard, but it caused Naru to throw her head back. It was the momentum Casper needed to roll over on his side, grab Naru's hair at the base of her pigtail, and toss her off, sending her tumbling towards a tree.

“UGH!!!”

Naru shook the grass out of her head as Casper grabbed the discarded knife again. Both were covered in dirt and grass; a small line of blood tricked down Naru's nose. They glared at each other, Naru because she'd been tricked, and Casper because he wished nothing less than her death.

“It looks like this is how it ends.” He walked towards her as she sat, the knife shadowed by the building. “At last, I win.”

“I won't let you....ugh!!”

Naru had started to stand, but suddenly found herself unable to move. She looked over and, to her horror, her foot was snugly lodged underneath a tree root. She pulled and strained, but the root refused to budge.

“No.....” Her actions became more desperate, more forced, as Casper came upon her. “No!!!”

“Good bye, Naru.” He bent down, pulled on her pigtail and forced her head up, exposing her neck. “Enjoy eternity.”

”Enjoy eternity, Pluto.”

Naru shut her eyes tightly and ducked under, even as she still struggled to get free of the tree root. Yet, deep down, she knew she wasn't going to get away from Casper or his vengeance in time. She had seen the rage in his eyes, felt the roughness of his hands as he had thrown her to the ground, punched her in the face.

 

 

".....It's my life.!!"

 

 

Thoughts of life and death flashed through her mind in an instant as opened her eyes for one more instant, and saw the knife come towards her in an arc guaranteed to slice her throat. Yet in her mind, which went by its own time line, an instant was eternal. The memories came slowly, clearly, as fresh as they were the day the events had happened. Even events she did not recall ever living through seemed to come to her as the silver went to penetrate her flesh.

 

 

"You disgust me. Both of you."

"Time is a river of constant change. Its eventual course is never certain."

"Disrespectful."

"Something's wrong."

"She's wrong. We'll prove her wrong."

"Why was the wrong Princess born, Pluto?"

"You are not Chibi-Usa."

 "It's MY life!!!"

"Small Lady does not exist."

"She's gone! Dead! Never coming back!"

"As long as there is hope, they will never be able to let go."

"You can't replace her."

"They want to destroy me, do you know that?"

"Something...sad...happened, I think, but I can not remember it now."

"Nobody can. Ever."

" IT'S MY LIFE!!!"

Casper-san....we are the same. Please.....

Naru had her eyes closed, still waiting for the blow, still waiting for the pain to begin. She wondered if death was really painless like that, that perhaps her mind was blocking out the agony that she was really experiencing at the moment.

Then she opened her eyes.

“I HATE YOU!!!!”

The knife was within four inches of her throat, not a centimeter closer. Yet there was no danger in it coming any closer, for the look in Casper's face – the pale hue, the violent shaking of his lips, the widened eyes as he saw what he was doing with the knife - said it all.

”Come on, tough guy. What's wrong?” The harsh sound of an older man's voice as it turned away from the light, a knife at his own throat as Casper cornered his imposing frame. “This is what you always wanted, isn't it? If it will take the pain away.....you can just go off and do it.”

Tears streamed down Casper's eyes as he let out an inhuman scream, letting go of Naru's hair and turning away from her. It was filled with pain – Naru couldn't figure out who exactly it was directed to. Perhaps it was to his deity, perhaps to his distant parents and guardians, perhaps to Tourmaline, or the forces of fate that brought him to the moment that he always wished he had, a moment he was in at that very instant.

“See?” There had been a triumphant smile on the regal figure as Casper had backed down.”It wouldn't matter what you did....because you never mattered. To anyone.”

There was a great splash in the lake as the glittering knife was flung in, sinking to the very bottom where no one could find it. The screaming, however, didn't stop. It simply turned from Naru, accompanying Casper as his fists hit the nearest tree so hard that it went through to the rings of the bark. Then, it dropped as Casper flung himself onto his knees, crouching in a near-fetal position, pounding his bloodied knuckles into the ground with howls of torment.

”It's my life.....”

Naru covered her mouth, ignoring the tears that came down her own face. It was her old feelings, the old anger that never manifested as violently, but nevertheless lived within her for hundreds of years, played out in front of her with an animal ferocity. It made her remember the endless days and nights of loveless hugs, silent comparisons, and dead blue eyes as they looked at her with pity. No birthdays, no Christmas, no true parental attention, no warmth all returned again, with more vividness than had been experienced through that day.

All Naru could think of was how many times more it hung upon Casper, and she realized what it was like to be Chibi-Usa, to be the one who had to forgive and be forgiven at the same time.

“I'm....sorry.....”

Whimpering, Naru grasped at the tree root, pulling it as hard as she could, until it finally snapped. There was a slight dull pain in her ankle, but it was a fleeting pain; she would recover.

Casper.....san......

Wiping her nose, Naru crawled over to, and sat in front of, the quivering Casper. He still heaved violently with wails of anguish, though his voice was becoming hoarse from screaming. Naru placed a hand on his back, only to draw it back at his next shudder.

We are.....the same.

Slowly, reluctantly, Naru held out her hands again, and placed them on his shoulders. She drew herself closer to him as slow as she could, hoping that he wouldn't attack her, wondering what would happen next. She didn't hear the distant shouts that began to echo through the shadows; all she knew at that moment was Casper.

Casper....I know it would sound strange.....

“NARU!!!”

Hitoko was the first to burst into the scene, with Chibi-Usa hot on her heels. Ranami, Uromamo, and Gunther were somewhat behind; Tourmaline herself had come, following Chibi-Usa as soon as Hitoko and Chibi-Usa had informed her that Naru and Casper were gone.

But they did not see what they were expecting to behold.

But......there is someone out here....who does love you.

Naru had her arms around Casper in a tight hug. Casper did not hug back; there was too much for him to take in for him to return the favor. He simply buried his face in her chest, bawling.

“I'm sorry,” he kept repeating over and over as shook. “I'm sorry.....I'm sorry.....”

Naru didn't respond. She held Casper's head in her hand as he cried to her. She knew he was sorry. She knew that it would take more than a simple hug to fix everything that was wrong with his life.

But a simple hug was a better start than a dagger through the heart.

That is....me....

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