AN: I'm fudging the bit about the feudal system, using what little I gleaned from my textbook. It's probably not all accurate, but it does the job. ^_~ This is set in the general vicinity of the time before identities have been revealed, but rather removed from the actual Stars timeline. I suppose you could think of this as a "pseudo-AU." I apologize in advance for the length - this thing just got away from me.


*~*~*~*~*

I Heard the Bells
by AngelAnne

*~*~*~*~*


"And in despair, I bowed my head
There is no peace on Earth, I said
For hate is strong
And mocks the song
of peace on Earth, good will to men...
Then peeled the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth he sleep
The wrong shall fail
The right prevail
With peace on Earth, good will to men..."

~ "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" - Harry Belafonte



"In the feudal system, there was a complex system of loyalty. Many times, a peasant was part of two separate manors that had combined as one through marriage or war. If two lords began war with each other, the peasant was trapped in a web of loyalty, for they could not side with one lest they go against the other. This often caused chaos among the common people, for which the nobles seemed to lack concern."

"Thank you, Taiki-san," Kawasaki-sensei murmured quietly from behind her desk. "You may sit."

Taiki sat back down at his desk, putting down his textbook. Public speaking was not the highlight of his day. He shot a glance at Seiya, who was staring dreamily at the back of Usagi's head, and shot another one to Yaten, who was doodling nonchalantly in his notebook.

He sighed. It was hard being the only academically incline of the group. He had to have enough brains for the three of them - especially when the administration called about cut classes. Or sleeping through class, or coming in late three days in a row, or...

Kawasaki-sensei turned to her board, and wrote "Identify With the Feudal System" in large scrolling letters. "This is your assignment over the holiday break. You must chose a level of the feudal system, and write me at least two paragraphs as if you were living at that time. Tell me how a peasant lives his daily life. Tell me how a noble prepares for a special celebration."

The bell interrupted her train of thought, and before the students scampered out the door, she managed to add, "I will collect this as soon as you return! Have a good vacation!"

Yaten sighed, folding his hands behind his head as he walked. "Oh dear, five days without intellectual stimulation! Whatever shall I do?"

"The day you get intellectually stimulated is the day I start growing my bangs out," Taiki smirked, and stumbled as Yaten kicked him in the knee.

"I'll have you know, I looked up the word 'supercilious' in the dictionary last night!" Yaten stuck his nose in the air haughtily.

"Right then. Spell it for me."

"..."

"Just as I thought," Taiki put his glasses in the pocket of his uniform.

"Guys! For God's sake, slow down!"

Yaten and Taiki jumped. Where'd Seiya come from?

"Why didn't you wait for me?" Seiya whined, trying to catch his breath. "We saw you were walking with O-dan-go," Yaten taunted sarcastically, spreading out every syllable. "We would hate to ruin a romantic encounter like that."

Seiya glared under dangling black bangs. "I was, but she needed to stop in the Home Ec room to get Kino-san. It was very thoughtful of you two to wait for me."

"That's us, thoughtful and prudent, immortal and omniscient," Taiki said, rather snippily. "You obviously seemed more interested in flirting with her than walking home with the two of us."

"Look, if you're just going to gang up on me, I won't bother you with my stupid question after all!" Seiya brushed past both of them and ran up the steps of the apartment complex.

Yaten and Taiki stopped at the flight of stairs.

"Do you think we were rude?"

"Not any more than usual."

----

"Seiya, open this door."

"Why should I?"

"Er..." Taiki scratched his head. He had a reason...Oh yes. "Because I want to apologize."

The door creaked open about an inch, revealing a single cobalt eyeball. "Well, I don't accept. You were being mean to me."

"You know we didn't mean it." Taiki grabbed for the doorknob, but Seiya yanked the door shut. He jerked it a few times. "Come on, Seiya, you've being juvenile!"

"Am not!" Taiki could just imagine Seiya giving him a razzberry behind the door...

Taiki let his head hit the cold wood of the bathroom door. "I really am sorry, Seiya. It was unthoughful of me to snap at you. You had a question?"

There was silence, and then Seiya opened the door. "You're gonna think it's stupid."

Taiki bit back the comment he was thinking and just slipped in, shutting the door behind him. "Try me."

Seiya sighed, and sat on the (closed) toilet seat. "'Kay, but if you're not nice about it, I'm going to cut your hair while you sleep."

"I'd never," said Taiki, deadpan.

Seiya stuck his tongue out.

Well, called that one, Taiki thought.

Then Seiya's whole expression changed. He went from mockingly pouty to serious in an instant. It made Taiki a little nervous. He leaned against the door, going for "cool and nonchalant" while succeeding at "agitated and midly interested."

"You know what we read about today? About the peasants being loyal to both sides?"

Taiki nodded, not sure where this was heading.

"What would you say...I mean, we're talking hypothetically now. In real life, you were caught between two groups of people you really love, and you want to protect them both with all your heart, but you can't protect one without deserting the other? What do you do then? I mean, you have...I mean, you should really be protecting this one person. But this other person, she just shines and she makes you feel so warm whenever she's around, and you can't stop wondering if her boyfriend really loves her, to leave her alone at a time like this and--"

Taiki suddenly felt his heart knocking around in his chest. Usagi. He was thinking of Usagi again. Didn't he understand? Didn't he get it?!

"You shouldn't be thinking of anyone but the Princess," he growled, glasses slipping down his nose. "Hypothetical, my ass. That girl is distracting you from what you should be thinking of."

Seiya stood up. "How could you understand? You've never loved two people like that! You've never been in this situation!"

Taiki whipped around. "And God willing, I never will be. It's the Princess or nothing, Seiya. When will you learn? Of all the brainsick...My God, Seiya, do you even understand at all?!"

He stalked out of the bathroom angrily, leaving Seiya alone.

"You promised you'd be nice about it..." Seiya plopped miserably on the toilet, hanging his head in his hands.

Nothing made any more sense than it had in class. He'd only managed to make himself feel worse.

----

Taiki was expecting a lot of reactions from Seiya the next morning - a large chunk of missing hair, for example - but he got nothing. Literally. Seiya tiptoed past him to the kitchen, and poured himself a bowl of cereal.

"What'd you do now?" Yaten rubbed his eyes groggily, and then adjusted his...boxers.

"Opened my mouth and stuck my foot in it," Taiki said softly, rubbing soap out of his ear. Seiya seemed to ignore them both and turned on the radio.

"That was a Christmas classic straight from America - 'Home for the Holidays' by Perry Como!" chirped the DJ. "If you're looking for something a little more funky fresh - and you know I am - then come to Juuban High School today at 2, 'cause the Three Lights are playing a free benefit concert. Uh-huh, you heard me, FREE! And rumor has it they're even gonna sign autographs! So get there now while there's still space!"

Yaten plopped into a kitchen chair with the bottle of orange juice. "Dammit, that's today?"

"Aw, not looking forward to the fangirls, Yaten?" Taiki fluttered his eyelashes at Yaten. He snorted.

"Like I'm looking forward to a root canal."

"That can be arranged."

"Har har."

Abruptly, Seiya left the room, cereal bowl in hand.

"Guess you really fucked it up this time, eh?" Yaten said, taking a swig from the bottle.

"I suppose I did," Taiki said, "but he had it coming."

"Yeah, he did."

Taiki sat down. Two loyalties? Rubbish. Your loyalty could only lie one place. If Seiya was for Usagi, he wasn't for the Princess. If he was for the Princess, he most certainly wasn't for Usagi. There was nothing in between.

There would come a day when Taiki's black and white, cut and slice world would become an inconvenience, but he hadn't seen that day yet.

"Hey, space cadet. No pun intended."

"Zuh?" Taiki broke away from the gloom of introspection.

"I said, 'you're not planning to play at the concert like that, are you?' It'd certainly attract hordes of fangirls."

Taiki was wearing nothing but a towel. And drippy brown hair.

"Er, gimmie a minute. I'll get clothed."

"Damn well better. No one gets to upstage my prettiness; not even you."

Taiki rolled his eyes. "Love you too, Yaten."

----

"What are you doing here?"

Of all the people Taiki wanted to see standing backstage, Tenoh Haruka was definitely not even in the top 400.

"Hello, Taiki-san!" Michiru interjected quickly, noting the murderous expression on her lover's face.

Taiki let out a breath. "Ah, Kaiou-san. A pleasure to see you, as always. I wasn't aware Tenoh-san was accompanying you to our benefit."

Haruka said, "Usagi was going to come, but something suddenly came up." What she was thinking went more along the lines of: not of my own accord, you...you idol you.

So it wasn't the greatest insult, but Haruka put "idol" right up there with "garden slug" and "loan shark."

"I hate to cut this short, but I'm actually supposed to be on stage," Taiki said, offering his hand for a handshake. "Pleasure talking with you."

"And with you," Michiru smiled, accepting the handshake.

Taiki bustled off to the stage. Haruka looked to her lover, smirking.

"Very smooth."

Michiru smirked back. "I learned from the best."

"Ouch."

There was a soft cord from the stage keyboard, like the flutter of a flute, followed by a sweet, humming voice over less than stellar sound system.

"I'm dreaming / of a white Christmas / just like the ones I used to know...Where the treetops glisten / and children listen / to hear sleighbells in the snow..."

Haruka could hear at least two hundred girls swooning and screaming with delight. She had to - grudgingly - admit that Taiki had a good voice. When the other two joined in, it sounded in perfect harmony. Like a fine tuned instrument, they sounded like one unit. But there was something different. There was always something hiding just past what you could see. It was under the surface, at the edge of every lyric, and it bothered Haruka. When there were false Senshi running around and a Princess to protect, it made her antsy.

Michiru clutched her lover's hand and smiled. "Come on, now, Haruka. You can't even enjoy this concert?"

"They make me nervous," Haruka said defensively. "You've seen how they look at Usagi. I don't like it."

"I don't like it either, but the least you could do is be nice." Michiru blinked her aqua eyes innocently. "Save the rest for bed."

Despite herself, Haruka blushed furiously.

While Yaten did the traditional opening schpiel, Taiki shot a glance at Seiya. Everything smiled but his eyes, and Taiki felt his heart sink. It felt wrong, to see him that way. Everything about Seiya always smiled, especially his eyes. But not now...

It's the Princess or nothing, Seiya. When will you learn?

That's where the problem lied. Seiya saw shades of grey, where Taiki saw black and white. Taiki saw what was there, Seiya read between the lines. For Taiki, it was the princess or nothing. For Seiya, there had to be middle ground.

When Yaten signaled, Seiya took up the conversation. The stage banter continued as Taiki saw testy grey eyes upon his back. He stiffened. Haruka could make holes in has back all she wanted. She was right about idols and their fake faces, but when the fake was all you had left, it had to be justified. It had to be justified, it was for the Princess. The end justified the means.

Didn't it?

Seiya realized something as the group sang "Silent Night" - he hadn't wanted this. He saw the pain in Taiki's eyes; it seemed that Taiki's eyes were all he could read these days. Where had the real Taiki gone, the one who blushed at bawdy romance poetry, and fell asleep in armchairs with volumes of the encyclopedia and - this was most important of all - the Taiki who laughed with his eyes? He knew Taiki felt bad about what he said -- no, that wasn't right. Not what he said. How he said it. It wasn't intended, he'd just been snippy. Seiya could easily forgive him, but Taiki didn't want forgiveness. He was in it for the self-depreciation. Just another thing he hadn't done right.

He had not been prepared for the phage. He never was, of course, but he was even less prepared because at the very same time he saw the flash of light, the stage coming out from beneath his feet. Piles of black plywood toppled down on him and around him, followed by the band and the speakers. He stopped his fall with his hand instead of his head, and ignored the resulting crack as he looked around dazedly. Seiya's arm hung limp as he tried to climb around under the mess of snapped plywood. He found Taiki, who had managed to land on his tailbone (of all places) and was no worse for the wear. Yaten was not so lucky.

"Shit," Seiya observed. Yaten had been at the front of the stage and had fallen in backwards. His head had quickly become intimate with the concrete. Blood seeped through his hair, staining it a nasty maroon. His eyes were frozen in confusion, but thankfully he was still breathing. Taiki stood up as far as he could, hitting his head on what was left of the drumset. He scooped Yaten up into his arms.

"I'll find someone to take care of him. As soon as I do, you and I will take care of business," he said hoarsely. Without words, Seiya nodded. Taiki bustled off, suit ripping as he brushed past a large splinter.

Seiya reached into his pocket with his right arm, and bit his lip as pain flashed through it. He gripped the broken limb to his body, realizing finally the pain he was in. He reached with the other hand instead, finding a cool piece of metal. He didn't have time for the pain. Where there was a phage, there was an Animamate.

----

It should be noted that, of all animals, Sailor Uranus hated reindeer a lot. She didn't have much reason, just something mumbled about "deer on steroids" and that was the end of that talk. You might say, "well, that's all nice, but what does that have to do with that phage?"

"I am Sailor Rudolph!" It was absurd. It was more than absurd. It looked like a girl in a comical reindeer suit, with a big red nose and fuzzy brown sailor fuku that left very little to the imagination and a cut fluffy tail. "Aren't you in the Christmas spirit?" it asked, waving its spear-sharp antlers this way and that.

"Well, we were before you showed up," Uranus grumbled unhappily. Absurd. Most definitely absurd. The phage lunged for her, antlers forward. Uranus scampered backwards and did a graceful leap over its head, flipping over once for good measure. With no target, Sailor Rudolph found itself impaled on a tree.

"That wasn't very nice!" it wailed, yanking its head out of the wood with an indignant sniffle. "Santa will leave you a lump of coal!"

Neptune looked at Uranus. Uranus looked at Neptune.

"Santa?"

"Lump of coal?"

The phage lunged again. The senshi parted as it charged like a crazed bull, obviously set on impaling them.

"What are we going to do about the phage?" Neptune called, narrowly missing the antlers.

Uranus had no answer. Without Sailor Moon, all they could do was kill it. Whoever it was deserved to have their life, not to be killed like a pawn in a game of chess.

That was another thing. If this was the pawn, where was the player? Where was that Sailor Lead Whatsherface?

There was a distinct snapping from atop a lightpole. Sailor Rudolph was immediately distracted by the new playmates. Uranus slapped her hand on her forehead.

Neptune shook her head. "There there, dear. It'll be okay."

"Three wandering shooting stars pierce through the darkness!"

"Two," whispered Maker.

"Er, ahem, right. Two wandering shooting stars pierce through the darkness! Sailor Star Fighter!"

"Sailor Star Maker!"

"Stage on!"

Uranus noted the limp and bloody limb that Fighter was clinging to. "What good are you with a broken limb? You can't put up much of a fight like that."

Fighter and Maker jumped elegantly from the lampost, Fighter landing inches from Uranus' toes. "I can put up a good fight, disabled arm or not. And I'm sure we could handle this phage without your help!"

"What concern of yours is this phage?" Neptune said coldly. "You've many times pointed out that this is not your planet. What difference does it make to you whether we live or die?"

"It makes all the difference in the world," Maker snapped back. "You'd know nothing of it."

Sailor Rudolph looked on the scene with wonder. Wonder was immediately replaced with a strange sense of joy, for upon the newcomers she could continue to spread the joy of Christmas! What said joy better than goring them through with sharp pointy things?

Of course, it would be a lot easier to gore them if they'd just stop moving!

Of course.

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Fa la la la la, la la la la!" the phage screeched. Fighter winced.

"You call that singing? A sick cat could do better!"

Sailor Rudolph snapped her wrist. Fighter prepared a fighting stance, which was totally useless a tendril of tinsel quickly pinned her to a nearby tree and constricted her arms and legs. She struggled against the bonds, but it dug painfully into her skin and only got tighter.

"Fighter!" Maker exclaimed. She lunged for the phage with a flying kick. The phage grabbed her foot and flung her at the tree, as if throwing a frisbee. Maker connected soundly with the tree and slumped to Fighter's feet.

Neptune and Uranus exchanged a look that said, in a nutshell, "well...now what?"

"Deep Submerge!" Neptune let the attack fly, and the phage toppled head over heels to avoid it. It stood up, smiling derrangedly.

"World Shaking!" Uranus smirked. The annoying little creature wouldn't get away from--

Sailor Rudolph tripped over her hooves and landed face first. The attack went whizzing over her head and snapped a lightpole in two.

"This is ridiculous!" Uranus pulled out her Space Sword. The phage scrambled to its feet and snapped its wrist again. Another whip of tinsel came flying and knocked Uranus' sword out of her hands. It kept going past Uranus and wrapped around Neptune, tying her into a helpless heap.

"Neptune!" Uranus had had enough. No stupid reindeer was going to get away with making a mockery of her. If Sailor Moon wasn't going to show up and fix this, she'd have to do it herself. She got a running start and lashed out at the phage with a closed fist. It responded by flailing around and kicking Uranus in the head with a clumsy hoof. Stars of pain flashed before her eyes and she stumbled, collapsing onto her back.

Maker shook her head and sat up. She saw Fighter, writhing desperately in her binds, and the two Earth Senshi being thoroughly embarassed by the strangeness that was the phage. She blinked and waited for her head to clear. She had to have a plan of action. The phage was so completely ineffective, it was actually dealing them a beating. This just wouldn't do.

Uranus desperately reached for her sword, but it was out of her reach. The phage grinned wildly. "Time to die, you meany Scrooge you!"

Neptune rolled onto her stomach, in a desperate act to keep her eyes on the phage. And she knew. The razor-antlers were gleaming in what was left of the afternoon light and the phage was hovering over Uranus. She struggled to get to her feet, but the phage kicked her in the chest. She wheezed painfully. A stupid reindeer? Absurd...

Maker saw it too. The antlers. Uranus didn't stand a chance, not in her state. It would be over quickly, but so painfully.

What difference does it make to you whether we live or die?

How could you understand? You've never loved two people like that before!

"I've only loved one person like that before..." Maker mumbled. Something. She had to do something. Her eyes darted from Neptune to Uranus. Neptune was struggling with the tinsel, crying from the pain and fear.

"Uranus!" she cried, although it came out rather like a whimper. It couldn't happen like this. They weren't supposed to be killed by a ridiculous phage.

Despite herself, Uranus smirked. What a silly way to go. This would be complicated to explain to Usagi. "I love you," she murmured. The phage giggled and swung her head forward--

"URANUS!" Neptune looked away; she couldn't bear to see it. Fighter looked down. "Can't we do anything?" she whispered to Maker. "This can't happen twice..."

Maker only had an instant to think. But she never needed more than that.

There was the sound of ripping flesh. Someone let out a blood-curdling scream. Neptune let out a sob.

Uranus looked up, wide-eyed. Maker's pained violet eyes were staring down at her. She had thrown herself in the path of the deadly antlers and her back had taken the blow. She barely managed to hold herself up as blood began to drip off her sides.

All Uranus could think to say was, "You...why?"

"You don't understand how important you are," Maker wheezed. "Neither did I. But you...your planet can still be saved. We blew it, but you still have a chance."

"You'd bother to protect me, even after all I've said?" Uranus was in a daze of disbelief, mostly from realizing that she wasn't dead yet.

"Look, we might be aliens, but that doesn't mean we're stupid." Maker's back spasmed and she almost collapsed, but somehow stayed steady. "Just do the right thing, okay? I want to make this worthwhile."

She looked down on Uranus' sweaty blonde hair and wide grey eyes. Grey eyes. Had she been blind before?

"For what it's worth, I don't think you're a bad person, Tenoh Haruka." Maker smirked as Uranus' eyes managed to get even wider. How could she know? Neptune had finally looked up, and her face was a mixture of horror and relief. Uranus was not dead. The alien Senshi had thrown herself in the way. The question was...why?

Sailor Rudolph shrugged. This was merely an inconvenience. It had a job to finish. It snapped a hoof out and kicked Maker away. She rolled a few feet away, getting loose gravel in her ruined back. Fighter gasped in shock: the antlers had made Maker's back a big bloody mess. She was too weak to even get up, so she just lay there as she bled.

Uranus took her chance. She got to her feet and snatched up her Space Sword. You don't just get up from a near-death experience and walk away - you DO something.

"You have no idea how angry you've made me." Uranus grinned wildly, mimicking the phage. "I don't like being pushed around. Especially by a deer on damn steriods."

The phage blanched. This was bad. She stepped backwards, looking around for an escape. Uranus held her sword up to the phage's bright red nose. "Do you know what happens to things that piss me off?"
The phage whimpered. It didn't want to find out.

Uranus brought her sword back --

The phage squaked --

Uranus put her sword down and poked the phage's nose. Out of sheer relief, the phage fell into an unconscious heap.

Fighter grunted and continued to struggle against the tinsel. "Um, hate to be a bother, but would you mind...?"

Uranus was about to say "what's your rush?" and then remembered. She looked guilitly at Maker's bloody body and quickly sliced the sparkling bonds. Without a second of pause, she dashed over to Maker and after a few agonizing moments with her broken arm she managed to sling Maker over her shoulder. She turned and prepared to leave.

"Wait a second." Uranus sliced the tinsel holding Neptune and helped her to her feet. Aside from scratches, she was no worse for the wear.

Fighter turned around. "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Fighter smiled wanly. "She'd do it again, you know. You guys can't understand how important you really are."

Without another word, she jumped into the tree cover and disappeared.

----

Haruka felt awkward. She wasn't sure exactly how she'd explain her reason for being here. "Well, see, I'm actually Sailor Uranus and I kinda figured out who you were when your friend threw himself in front of me for no apparent reason."

Didn't have the right ring to it.

Seiya was tried surprised when he saw Haruka coming down the hallway, but he just couldn't. When Taiki had explained it, he cursed himself for not seeing it sooner. He understood why she was so protective of Odango. His heart warmed. His silly, loving Odango was really--

"Um. Hey." Haruka shuffled her feet rather sheepishly, trying to come up with something to say.

"What brings you here?" Seiya asked, even though he could guess.

"Er..." It was positively adorable. Haruka looked flustered. She continued to shuffle her feet and she put her hand on the back of her neck. "Well..."

Seiya smiled. He had to put her out of her misery. "Look, you don't have to make excuses. I know you and Taiki talked backstage. You probably want to see him, after that whole accident."

He patted the sling that held his arm, just for effect.

Haruka looked relieved. "Yeah. That's it."

Seiya waved toward the door with one hand. "Go on in. I want to go see how Yaten's doing."

With that, he walked down the hallway. Glad that the exchange had gone quickly, she opened the door to the room.

Someone had tried to liven it up with a fake Christmas tree and some poinsettias, but it was still stark and uncomfortable. Taiki was laying on his stomach, his back entirely wrapped in white bandages. He appeared to be asleep.

"Hey. You awake?" she called quietly.

"Not really." His voice was muffled by the pillow. Haruka pulled up an uncomfortable plastic chair and sat down. Taiki turned his head to face her.

"Figured it out, eh?" he smirked. "Took you long enough."

"I should say the same to you," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"I suppose so."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you properly." Haruka looked down at her hands. "I never asked for anything like that. Especially from you."

"Yeah." Taiki smiled. "Want to know why I did it?"

"That would be nice."

Taiki shifted a little in the bed and half-propped himself up with an elbow. "We tried hard when it happened to us. But Galaxia was three steps ahead of us the whole time, and that's why we're here. You have someone to protect, so do we. You might just be the people who can stop Galaxia."

"I'm glad you have faith in us." Haruka smiled.

"These days, it's hard for me to have faith in anything." Taiki sighed. "But Seiya and I had a talk a few days ago, and I felt badly about it. I wasn't giving you people enough credit."

"Well, we weren't giving you enough credit either," Haruka said. "I admit I never gave you a chance."

It was silent, except for the sound of music over the small radio by Taiki's bed.

"I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar Carols play...
And wide and sweet, the words repeat
Of peace on earth good will to men..."

"This doesn't mean we're going to get along, you know. My partners may be hard to convince," Haruka warned.

Taiki shrugged. "That's fine by me."

"Well...what happens now?"

"I'm not sure. We'll just wait and see."

"I thought as now this day had come
The belfries of all Christendom...
Had rung so long, the unbroken song
Of peace on earth good will to men..."




~FIN~
12/02