One person hates the world you've all made
It's a day like any other, for the morning. She attends classes, she drinks tea at a cafe near the university, she goes back to the castle where she transforms into Mercury. Her separate identities are useful in giving her some semblence of her own, private, life.
A man approaches her. She glances at him, but moves to the side. He moves with her. Some instinct makes her notice why just in time: the glint of a weapon, and he finds it frozen to his hand before he can use it.
She keeps count of the people who come running. Her attacker's escape is cut off easily. Kunzite arrives, sword already in hand, and after he pushes one onlooker none-too-gently out of the way, they make room for him. He spares a quick glance to Mercury, enough to notice she's unharmed, and turns back to the man now kneeling on the floor. "Fool."
No more words are wasted, and the man is taken to a cell to await the results of an investigation. The weapon is retrieved, but the ice will stay until it thaws naturally, the senshi's own little jab at the man who'd wanted to hurt her. She makes a sharp pivot and turns away, not wanting to see him.
To Mercury, Kunzite only says calmly, "Your rooms." It's being kind for once; she'll want some privacy to recover from the shock. She nods slightly, and walks down the corridors with her head held high. He accompanies her, hand firmly at her back to propel her forward; she complies.
"Find his identity," she's told, his voice still firm and calm, and that calm transfers itself to her a little. She nods again to show she's heard, and they continue along the hallways before he leaves her at the door of her chambers. It gives her something to focus on other than the emotional impact of yet another source of blame.
In her room, Mercury sits cross-legged on the extravagant bed with her mini-computer open in front of her. Accessing the security systems of the proper area of the castle gives her a photo of her attacker. She's sure she's never seen him before. Her fingers fly lightly over the keys.
Running the picture through some image software for comparison gives her a name. The name gives her a background: a family in Africa, left behind when he went to study abroad and work in the United States. They'd died in the upheaval caused by Princess Snow Kaguya. She understands quickly: He blames the ones who couldn't save them.
It's fine. She knows it's not her fault. He's mistaken. Nothing more could have been done. So why is Mercury sitting atop her bed with her legs drawn up to her chest, staring out the window at the waterfall in the distance?
A man approaches her. She glances at him, but moves to the side. He moves with her. Some instinct makes her notice why just in time: the glint of a weapon, and he finds it frozen to his hand before he can use it.
She keeps count of the people who come running. Her attacker's escape is cut off easily. Kunzite arrives, sword already in hand, and after he pushes one onlooker none-too-gently out of the way, they make room for him. He spares a quick glance to Mercury, enough to notice she's unharmed, and turns back to the man now kneeling on the floor. "Fool."
No more words are wasted, and the man is taken to a cell to await the results of an investigation. The weapon is retrieved, but the ice will stay until it thaws naturally, the senshi's own little jab at the man who'd wanted to hurt her. She makes a sharp pivot and turns away, not wanting to see him.
To Mercury, Kunzite only says calmly, "Your rooms." It's being kind for once; she'll want some privacy to recover from the shock. She nods slightly, and walks down the corridors with her head held high. He accompanies her, hand firmly at her back to propel her forward; she complies.
"Find his identity," she's told, his voice still firm and calm, and that calm transfers itself to her a little. She nods again to show she's heard, and they continue along the hallways before he leaves her at the door of her chambers. It gives her something to focus on other than the emotional impact of yet another source of blame.
In her room, Mercury sits cross-legged on the extravagant bed with her mini-computer open in front of her. Accessing the security systems of the proper area of the castle gives her a photo of her attacker. She's sure she's never seen him before. Her fingers fly lightly over the keys.
Running the picture through some image software for comparison gives her a name. The name gives her a background: a family in Africa, left behind when he went to study abroad and work in the United States. They'd died in the upheaval caused by Princess Snow Kaguya. She understands quickly: He blames the ones who couldn't save them.
It's fine. She knows it's not her fault. He's mistaken. Nothing more could have been done. So why is Mercury sitting atop her bed with her legs drawn up to her chest, staring out the window at the waterfall in the distance?