Bara no Kuroi

Obi-Wan sat on the edge of Annika's bed, his face buried in one of her pink scarves. He inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume that still remained embedded in the fabric. Three days had passed since he last saw Annika. Three days since he found out she had gone to the Dark Side. Three days without her. Obi-Wan looked around the room; everything was just the same as it was the day before when he was in here. It all seemed so empty.

Annika's pink bedroom door opened, and Yukiko moved her head inside. "Obi-Wan?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"Ame is ready to talk."

He stormed out of the room, past Yukiko and into the library. Ame sat in her usual position - curled up in a tiny ball, her head resting on the wall. Several other senshi were sitting in various places about the library. Priire, Kousotsu, Ben, Chikako, Ciel, Xarae, and Yuki. Obi-Wan closed the door and quickly got his anger under control. He couldn't be mad at Ame for her reluctance to tell the full story, because it could have great consequences on the future. Slowly he walked past the other forlorn senshi until he stood in front of Ame. He knelt down in front of her and placed his hand on her head. She looked at him with tears in her eyes and smiled. He nodded at her; she stood and cleared her throat.

"I know everyone is mad at me for not telling you the truth. I'm sorry, but... I'm not supposed to say anything about the future. So, what I'm about to tell you has to stay in this room. You can't tell anyone, no friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, pets... no one."

They all nodded their understanding. Yuki asked quietly, "Has Annika really crossed over to the Dark Side?"

"Yes, she has."

Priire stood up and folded her arms. "I'm still not buying this pregnancy thing. How is that possible? Lamia is dead! She can't create life!"

Ame looked at her feet and bit her lip. It took another gentle look from Obi-Wan to get her to speak. "Lamia can't create the physical aspect to life... but Annika can."

"By herself?" asked Chikako.

"See... in the future..."

Xarae nodded her head and told the little pink haired girl, "It's all right. Your secrets are safe with us."

"Annika has a lot of power. Power she doesn't even realise she has. I can't go into too much detail, but it's that power she used to create Oame. However, the soul that resides with her body is a combination of Annika and Lamia's. It's confusing."

"You can say that again." Priire flopped back down next to Kousotsu. "How did Lamia create part of Oame's soul if she doesn't have one?"

"That's the thing... Lamia used her own soul, combining it with Annika's. Not all vampires forfeit their soul, the ones that don't lead the Clans. Lamia knew that she was the one destined to find the Bride. She knew her soul would help to form the one that would unite the Vampires."

Ben scratched his head trying to make sense of everything. "So, how do you know all of this?"

Sighing, Ame said, "Because I am Oame... and I am Ame. We're like to small streams that join to form one big river. I didn't even know she existed until I died, when my being was split in half. When I came to the past, we had to be rejoined, so now I'm aware of her, and she's aware of me. Sometimes she talks to me... she tells me mean things. But I'm strong, and I can ignore her."

Obi-Wan paced along one of the many book-lined walls. He was furious with himself for not foreseeing this... for not being there to protect Annika. He had lost too many people in his lifetime, and he was not going to lose this one.

Ame continued. "Annika never fully recovers from her time spent on the Dark Side, and she never gets over the loss of her child. Luckily for her, it's not long after that her true power is realised, and she learns that she's Sailor Celestia."

Ciel shook her head. "Who's that?"

"I can't tell you. It doesn't matter anyway, you'll know within the year. But Annika can't remain Sailor Celestia; it's too much power for her to hold. She can only remain on that tier for a short time, but some of the power remains with her. It gives her strength and helps her stay on the Light Side."

"That's a relief," Chikako sighed.

"It is," Ame agreed, "until my mother turns her back on that power after she uses it to do something terrible. Something she regrets."

"What?" asked Yuki.

"You can never tell Annika this, no matter how much you think it will help. In the future... she kills her brother. Don't ask me to explain further, because I can't."

Obi-Wan said, "Ame, why did you saw we should kill Annika? What will that accomplish?"

Ame squirmed, clearly uncomfortable with divulging this information, but she took a deep breath and continued her story. "Because the cage is new. In the original history, she was never kept captive. The senshi kidnapped Annika and brought her back to the Temple. And I don't know how Lamia knows, what kind of deal she's made, but she knows the future. And she's not letting Annika out of her sight this time. If Annika does not miscarry in six months, like the original history dictated... then we're got a very big problem. Our options are to kill Oame before she's born, or to kill Annika. And honestly, it would better to kill Annika."

Obi-Wan violently shook his head and slammed his fist into the wall. "Neither one of those is acceptable! Why do you want her dead?"

"I don't want her dead! Killing her now will kill Oame, kill me, kill Lys and Lysthea and put the future of Bakura in jeopardy. Do you think I want that? I've told you once before - you don't know the future. I know what happens, and Lamia never leaves Annika alone. She is always trying to bring Annika back to the Dark Side - always. But in the future she has the power of Celestia; she's stronger. But when she gives it up... if it weren't for Sei-... if it weren't for someone, she would've gone back to the Dark Side then. But then something terrible happens to her." Ame paused and looked at Yuki. "She loses someone she loves very much."

Yuki knew Ame was talking about the future death of Obi-Wan, and she felt sick at her stomach. Sometimes she wished she'd never even heard of Star Wars.

"She doesn't handle that loss well. And by that time, Lys and Lysthea are grown. My mother soon disappears with the help of Lamia. The last anyone hears about her is that she's a member of the Sanctus Clan. She's never seen again. But her acts are, she, Lamia and another vampire named Akira single-handedly ruin several planets."

"Why can't she use her powers to defeat Lamia?" Kousotsu asked.

"Because she doesn't have any more powers."

"She's not Sailor Celestia?"

"No. She's not anything anymore; she's just plain Annika. After that person's death, she looses her faith in the Force and the future. She becomes very vulnerable. My mother is prone to bouts of depression, but she sinks deeper than she ever has."

Obi-Wan knelt down to look Ame in the eye. "It's my death, isn't it?" Tears filled Ame's eyes, and she started to sob. "It's okay, Ame. There is no death - you of all people should know that."

"I do," she sniffed. "It's just that it hurts her so much..."

He hugged her close. "You do love your mother, don't you?" Ame cried uncontrollably. "We've talked enough for tonight. We'll find a way to get her back."

Later that night, Ciel couldn't help herself; she was thinking about Doll. The way his eyes were like glass, the way he seemed to be so innocent.

"No! He's the enemy," she reminded herself. But, he couldn't be all bad; he did seem to care about Annika. Annika - her friend - was being held captive with Doll's help... she was so confused. Ciel bit down on her lip and wondered what it would be like to be one of them; be a Vampire. Walking over to a mirror, she opened her mouth and ran her finger across the top of her teeth. "What would it be like," she wondered.

Someone knocked on her door, causing her to bite her finger. For a few moments, the sight of her own warm, red blood transfixed her. Suddenly feeling embarrassed and guilty, she shoved her hand into her pocket. The knock came again, and when she opened her bedroom door, she was a little surprised to find Obi-Wan. "Has something happened?" she asked.

"No, nothing that I'm aware. I hope you don't mind, but I want to ask you a favour. Priire told me that you know Doll."

"I don't exactly know him, but..."

"I need to know if you can go to Selket and talk him into giving this letter to Annika. I'm hoping that if she can remember what she has here..." He looked at the floor.

"I'll see what I can do," Ciel said. Her heart beat faster at the thought of seeing Doll again, not so much for him, but for what he was.

"Thank you. Several senshi will be travelling with you to make sure you aren't hurt. They'll remain at a distance so as not to arouse suspicion."

In one of the back rooms in Selket, Annika sat in a warm bath. The bathtub was black porcelain, and it was so deep that the soapy water came all the way up to her shoulders. Lamia sat on her knees behind the bathtub, brushing Annika's long hair.

"Do you know," Lamia whispered, "do you know how long it took me to find you?"

Laughing, Annika said, "No... how long?"

"Four thousand long years. And now that I've got you, I'm not letting you go. You know, I had to make a deal with Akira Takahashi, leader of the Shittai Clan, to even get to this galaxy."

"What did you do?"

"I promised Akira forty members of the Sanctus Clan if he would steal Sailor Pluto's Time staff."

"And it worked?"

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Annika thought for a minute about her bizarre circumstances and how normal it seemed. She never felt like a true senshi - she didn't have leadership qualities or courage, and she couldn't use the Force. But with Lamia, she felt at ease, and with the knowledge of the child growing within her body, she felt perfect, and she never wanted to leave. Yet, in the back of her mind, she could see Obi-Wan's eyes and how they twinkled when he looked at her.

"Lamia? Why do I have to stay in the cage?"

"I've told you - if you're not safe, the Sith will attack you, and you will miscarry. Is your freedom worth that? Do you want to be responsible for our daughter's death? Do you really want Oame's blood on your hands?"

"No!" she gasped, horrified.

"Well then," Lamia oozed with her soft, seductive voice, "now you see why you must stay in the cage. Those Sailors and that Jedi will try to lure you out, because they want Oame to die; they want you to die. They hate you so much, Annika. They don't understand you; they don't value your time... not like I do. Obi-Wan is always too busy for you, giving all of this attention to his little Padawan. Tell me, does he pay you this kind of special attention?"

Annika was quiet... Lamia was right... as always. "No. He was constantly with Anakin. I hated having to share him."

"I know, pet, I know," she said, running the brush through her hair. "He only wanted to be around you when it was convenient for him. And those nasty Sailors... they know you can't feel the Force, and yet they are forever flaunting their abilities. How terrible."

"I know."

"Annika?"

"Yes?"

"I want to give you a gift."

"What sort of gift?"

"You'll see. Here." She handed Annika a towel. "I'll be waiting for you in your cage."

The next morning, outside the club Selket, Doll was standing guard over the front door. He wouldn't be returning to Annika's side until Lamia told him to, and that would probably be before the meeting tonight. Lamia was to meet with the head of the Shittai Clan, and security was to be of the utmost importance. He could feel Ciel approaching, but he remained steadfast.

"Hello, Doll," Ciel said quietly. He smiled, displaying his teeth, and her heart skipped a beat.

"So, the Angel reappears to me. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

She blushed. "Look, I need to know if you can do something for me. Will you give this letter to Annika? We just want to know if she's doing okay."

"Fear not, the Bride wants for nothing. Her every desire is met."

"Why do you call her the Bride?"

"Because that's what she is. It simply means that she is tied to something; she belongs to something."

"To Lamia?"

"To all of us."

"Oh."

"Would you like to see her?"

"Can I?"

"Yes, but you'll have to stay close to me. If Lamia finds out you're in the building, she'll have to choice but to kill you."

She nodded. "Okay."

Doll led her through the empty club, down the tunnels and into the sitting room. He paused at the door to Lamia's bedroom and turned to look at Ciel.

"I feel it is only fair to warn you... if you try to free her or harm her in any way... I will kill you."

"You really do care about her?"

"Of course! She is the Eternal Bride, and after Oame's birth, she will be the Eternal Mother. Because of Annika, millions of us are allowed to be - she is our light of Hope. I won't let you take that away from us."

Ciel was fascinated. She couldn't believe that her friend Annika was drawn up in such a mysterious and complex web. All the time she'd known the Bakuran Princess, she never once thought of her as having anything remotely to do with the Dark Side. It was all so scary and interesting.

"I understand," Ciel told the black-haired man who still stared down at her. He opened the door and escorted her into the dark room, as always illuminated by only hundreds of glowing candles. Ciel saw Annika sitting on a swing, reading manga. Slowly, Ciel walked up to the large and impressive cage and wrapped her hands around the bars. Annika didn't see her at first, but when she did, she ran over to her and smiled.

"Ciel! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you that same thing. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm wonderful!" She twirled in a circle before flopping on the bed. "Isn't this place beautiful?"

Ciel looked around the room. It was beautiful, but dark - so unlike Annika - however, Ciel did notice a small pink rabbit lying on the floor, and she smiled.

Doll, who had been standing nearby with his arms folded, watching the scene closely, now strode over to the cage. He gazed up at Annika with a look of pure love and respect. "Show her," he said, "show Ciel the gift Lamia gave you."

"That's a great idea, Doll! Hand me a rose!" Ciel looked on as Annika took the wilting rose in her hand and closed her eyes. Slowly, the browning petals began to regain a deep red colour, and the bulb stood erect on the stem. "That's not the only thing I can do - watch this!" Annika held out her right hand, and the little pink bunny flew to her. Ciel knew what the gift was before Annika even said the words.

"It's the Force, Ciel! And it's more wonderful that I'd ever expected! I can feel things I never could before... it's so spectacular! I never imagined it could be this way!"

"But... how? I thought you couldn't feel the Force."

Silently, Annika moved down the collar of her shirt to reveal two fresh, round teeth marks. Ciel's eyes grew wide with awe. She started to reach for Annika's neck to touch the wound, but Doll grabbed her arm and shook his head.

"Does this mean," Ciel whispered, "that you are one of them?"

Annika smiled. "Not yet. I will be after Oame is born. In the meantime, Lamia can give me some of her power this way." She ran her fingers over her neck.

"How is Oame?"

"I don't know." Annika shrugged. "I mean, I know she's in there, but other than that. You know, sometimes I think I can feel her. That's crazy isn't it?" She laughed.

Ciel looked away. "I think that's probably normal. But... I just can't believe you would cheat on Obi-Wan. I never thought in a million years that would happen."

In a flash, Annika's demeanour changed from exuberant to angry. She stomped around to the opposite side of the cage and folded her arms. The anger she felt toward Ciel was indescribable; it bubbled up from somewhere unknown place, and she felt that given the chance, she could easily hurt her friend.

"How dare you, Ciel! How dare you mention his name?" Annika cried. "We never should have gotten back together! I hate him and I'm not with him anymore!"

The other girl was shocked; she had never seen Annika raise her voice in anger, not once. "Here, take this letter. Just read it," she said, sliding the envelope between the bars. When she pivoted to leave, she heard Annika start to cry.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get angry... don't go. Not yet. I'm all alone during the daytime. Please stay, Ciel!"

She stopped. If she stayed much longer the senshi would worry, yet when she looked back at her friend, she sighed. Surprising her, Doll wrapped his arms about Ciel's waist. His mouth was so close to her neck, she could feel his warm breath. It gave her chills, and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

He whispered, "You can stay forever if you desire. I can tell the thought has crossed your mind. I can make you one of us, Ciel. It won't hurt, I promise. You would make the Bride happy, she needs a constant friend... plus, you would make a great companion for me." Doll stroked Ciel's arm as he walked around to face her. Slowly, he kissed her skin, again and again. Finally, he opened his mouth and closed his teeth onto her neck, but he didn't bite. He pulled away from her. "I can't do this, it isn't right. You have another... I'm not like Lamia, I respect your feelings."

Blinking away the tears in the corners of her eyes, she said, "Don't be. I've got to go." She ran out in a fluster, Doll following behind to make sure she got out safely.

Tears streamed down Annika's face. "Ciel must really hate me... she wouldn't stay," she sobbed. Falling to the floor, she noticed the letter. She opened it.

Annika gasped. "Oh Obi-Wan... what have I done?" She ran to the cage door and tried to shove the door open, but it was still locked. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on turning the locking mechanism with her mind, and after a few seconds, the door swung open. Quickly, Annika dashed down the steps and over to the bedroom door. With one last look at the bedroom, she turned the knob.

"Going somewhere, Princess?" Lamia asked. Annika had opened the door just when she was walking in. Backing Annika into the room again, Lamia frowned and shook her head. "Did you escape? Did you use the gift I gave you against me?"

"Lamia... I... I'm so confused... I don't think I belong here. I need to go back, you can come with me!" she said hurriedly.

"I don't believe I'm hearing this. After all of my love that I've graciously bestowed upon you, this is how you repay me? I guess I've not been paying enough attention to you."

"It's not that... I think I've made a horrible mistake. I need to see Obi-Wan."

"Oh you do, do you? How can you want to see a man that wants to kill our baby?"

"I don't think he does, Lamia!"

The black-haired woman put her hand on Annika's cheek. "I suppose I need to remind you just how much I love you."

For the first time, Annika was afraid. She didn't know what to expect, up until now, Lamia had been kind and loving. But, the look in her eyes was cold and hard. Annika took a few steps nearer to the cage. Lamia snapped her fingers, and Lilith and Cinnamon dragged Doll into the room. He didn't struggle, but the fear was evident in his eyes; still, he looked at Annika and smiled.

Lamia strutted around to his right side and batted her eyelashes at Annika. "Did you know that there is no one thing that kills all vampires universally? Each one of us has something special that we fear, one thing that will destroy. The special thing that will kill our dear Doll... is his reflection." Lamia reached into a bag and produced a small, silver-handled, oval mirror. "If you try to escape again..." She turned the reflective side to face Doll, and he screamed in pain. Lilith and Cinnamon tightened their grips as Doll's body contorted under the power of the mirror.

"Stop it!!" Annika screamed, pulling Lamia's arm down, and Doll quieted. "I'm sorry, I never should have escaped the cage. It was stupid."

Lamia smiled. "That's better. Now -" She clasped her hand around Annika's. "- come." Glancing over her shoulder as Doll was removed from the room, Annika followed her into the cage. Lamia sat down on the bed and motioned to the terrified girl to sit next to her.

"You're shaking, my beloved. I would never hurt you." She kissed her cheek. "Never." Folding her arms around Annika, she kissed the bite marks on the girl's neck, then sunk her teeth into her skin, allowing the warm liquid to pour down her throat.

A small moan seeped from Annika's lips. She intertwined her fingers in Lamia's head of black curls as she remembered how wonderful this felt. The power that now coursed through Annika's veins was calming and intoxicating.

"That makes you feel better, doesn't it?" Lamia whispered. "Yes. I know it does. I've got a very important meeting in a few minutes, Love. But later, I promise to spend the whole night with you, and in the morning, that Jedi will be the furthest thing from your mind. I swear."

"Okay. But hurry," Annika sighed.

"Your guests have arrived," Lilith's voice interrupted.

"I'm on my way," Lamia said. She made sure to lock the door on Annika's cage before she left. This meeting would form a powerful alliance, one that stood to make Lamia one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy. All of her dreams would come to be after Oame's birth.

She entered a secluded room to find two men sitting behind a long antique table. Her smile quickly faded when she noticed the man she wanted to see wasn't there.

"Where is Akira Takahashi?" she yelled, slamming her fists on the table. "I have no desire to talk to his subordinates!" she growled.

One of the men, Hideo Kobayashi, looked at his cohort, Kenjiro Akino, and smirked.

"Forgive us, Bara no Kuroi, but Takahashi-sama refuses to see you. We are here on his behalf."

"Unacceptable! Why is he not here?"

"Well," drawled Kenjiro, "he has no reason to meet with you. You see, we do not believe that you have the Bride."

"What?"

"Takahashi-sama believes you are still trying to kill him and would use any lie to lure him to your side."

Lamia grinned seductively. "Why Kenjiro, you underestimate me. My fight with Akira is over. I merely want to offer him the option of joining me now as opposed to never. I want you to tell Akira that if he doesn't meet with me, I'll make sure he regrets it."

Hideo and Kenjiro stood to leave. Suddenly, Lamia grabbed Kenjiro from behind and raised her left arm. He never saw the wooden stake in Lamia's hand as it pierced his heart. His body crumbled to the floor.

"Don't you just hate a clichéd death?" Lamia smiled. "Make sure Akira gets that message."

"There is no need," rang a deep, sexy voice. The door opened, and a truly beautiful man walked in. He had soft, short black hair and cool black eyes, and his skin was a gorgeous shade of tan.

"Aah... Akira. I knew you would come," she breathed. Lamia stepped over the body of Kenjiro to stand eye to eye with him. Lilith and Cinnamon breezed in to take out the body.

"Hideo, you are no longer necessary. Leave me with her," Akira said. The other man nodded and slowly made his way behind his fallen friend.

"So, you don't believe I have her?"

"I don't know what to believe from you," he said, sitting down.

Lamia hopped onto the table and sat directly in front of the head of the Shittai Clan. "You know, Hideo called me Bara no Kuroi. There was a time when you were the only one to call me Black Rose."

"Things change."

"Why are you here if you don't believe me?"

"You are still as gorgeous as I remember."

"As are you."

"There was a time when we looked for the Bride together."

"Things change."

Akira glanced down at the puddle of drying blood from his former associate. "The Black Rose still has her thorns, I see."

"Of course."

Akira stood up and moved in to kiss her, but Lamia placed a red fingernail on his lips.

"I've already promised my kisses to someone else."

Akira threw his head back and laughed. "The great Lamia Valentine... faithful to someone? Will wonders never cease? Well, let's see her."

Lamia led Akira to her bedroom. Doll was sitting next to the cage, playing a card game with Annika through the bars. He stood and bowed his head to Akira. With a pass of Lamia's hand, the cage door flew open.

Akira walked up the steps and into the cage. He smiled at Annika, who backed away from him. Reaching her, he took her face between his hands.

"I can see why you like her. May I have her when you are finished?"

"Absolutely not."

Akira fell to his knees, then ran his large hands over Annika's abdomen. Suddenly he smiled and whispered, "She is the Bride."

"I love being right," Lamia laughed.