Silver Senshi
                                                 By: Usagi (SilverMoon) 
                             
                                                  Chapter Six
                                                   Aftershock

              Taiki sighed.  He was sitting next to Ami, both of them were by Setsuna's bed side.  Other than them, the room was empty.  They were the only three that weren't in shock or emotional break down.  Michiru and Haruka, still in shock, were able to keep their wits about them, and were cooking in the kitchen, trying to keep their minds off the resent events.  The other three Inners were in another room crying and talking to each other.  His fellow Lights were in their room, Seiya was in charge of looking after Yaten, who was probably worse off than any of them.  Except Mamoru and Usagi.  Their door was locked and they weren't replying to anyone.  They had expected Usagi to be in an emotional crisis and all, but in an Usagi way, of crying and wailing.  Instead after the initial shock of Usa's death, she had just stopped crying.  Mamoru had to carry her back to their room.  Taiki shook his head.  Just when they needed everyone to be strongest, they were weakest.  "Arr.." he sighed agitated, "We need everyone to be on top of everything now! We need them to have their wits about them and fight back, but instead their falling apart." Ami sent him a glare, "What can you expect Taiki? One of our friends, and in some cases family, has just died." "Wasn't she your friend too?" Taiki shot back at her. "Stop bickering now children." Setsuna said sarcastically.  Though she hadn't broken down, the death of Small Lady had changed Setsuna, she was more vicious and snide.  Ami sighed, "Fighting won't get us anywhere." Setsuna sent her a glare, "Really? Well, I'm certainly glad we realize that now.  Too bad we did think of that while Usa was alive, maybe we could have kept her that way.  But I'm sure just walking into a fight without thinking was just fine too, no need to contact the other Senchi, oh no, who needs them?"  she snapped at Ami sardonically.  Ami flinched, she already blamed herself for not alerting the others first.  Setsuna softened, this was so out of character for her.  But she had always known what was going to happen before, she was treading on uncharted territory for her now, and that thought scared her.  "I'm sorry Ami, let's figure out what to do.  First, I think we should get everyone in here."  "That's going to be a problem," said Ami, "Unless someone will break down Mamoru and Usagi's door."  Setsuna sighed, "Taiki, how's Yaten?"  Taiki shook his head, "I really don't know, I've never seen him like this.  Last I checked Seiya had managed to get him back to the room.  He usually goes out and takes pictures, it's his way of getting his mind off things, instead of letting his emotions show.  But he was bawling like a baby last time I saw him."  Setsuna pursed her lips, "I guess we're in a pretty bad state right now. Which is the perfect state for the enemy to beat us in.  Round up everyone you can get together, if some people won't come, we'll just have to start the meeting without them."

	Michiru whisked the egg beater around the bowl.  She was making an omelet.  She furiously moved the beater, until the egg was pulp and bubbles, way past a liquid.  Haruka stared at her, "I think it's dead now Michiru....."  Michiru shook her head and put the beater in the sink.  "So," she said, "What do we do now?"  Haruka looked around at the piles of food around them, "Well, now that we have enough food to feed an army...literally....might as well find an army to eat it."  Michiru picked up a scrub brush and began cleaning the counter, "We should clean up this mess."  Haruka sighed, Michiru was trying to take her mind off what had happened, and as long as she was working, it would be okay.  Haruka moved over to Michiru, wrapped her arms around her, and pulled her close.  Michiru sighed, "So, what do the Senchi do now?"  She rephrased her question.  "Come to a meeting."  Both Michiru and Haruka turned to see Taiki in the door way.  "Setsuna wants us all to meet in her room." The two Outers nodded.

	"What is going on?!?"  "Calm down Luna, they'll contact us." Luna turned on Artemis, "It's been hours Artemis! It's 5 in the morning! Something's gone wrong!"  Diana walked in between them, "Should we go to Haruka-san's home?"  Luna growled, "If you can convince *him* to."  "Fine fine..." Artemis got up.  He walked over to Luna gave her a sad look.  She sighed and nodded, a silent conversation.  She looked a little shameful, and he smiled.  She wasn't really mad at him, just worried for the Senchi.  The trio hopped out the window, landing on a branch and descended down the tree, then they started the long trek to Haruka's.  When they arrived, Artemis jumped up by the door bell, then rang it.  After a few seconds, a dubious looking Michiru opened the door.  Her look of concern changed to a smile as she let the three cats in. They walked up stairs and joined the rest of the Senchi ( minus Seiya Yaten, Usagi, and Mamoru) in Setsuna's room.  It took about 15 minutes for them to explain what had happened, Diana curled up in between her parents as they comforted her.  Luna shook her head, wanting to sit down and cry, but she knew that they would have to fight who ever it was, and at least take revenge for her death.  "All right," she said, sitting up and looking each of the Senchi in the eye, "We need to take an offensive stand.  This enemy has been constantly attacking us, and we've been defending ourselves.  But their going to keep attacking 'til every last one of us is dead.  *We* need attack *them*."  Makoto looked at her, the tear stains still on her face, but she held them back now, "And how do we do that? We don't even know who they are, let alone how to find them."  "Then we'll just have to start looking."  Everyone turned to the doorway, where Mamoru stood.  He looked down, "She won't talk to me."  He walked into the room and sat down on the floor with the others.  Ami blinked, he looked...angry?  "Mamoru-san, how is she? How are you?"  "I'll be fine, as long as we go after this bastard who did this."  The others could tell he was lying about being fine.  "She won't even talk to me anymore.  She just sits and smiles at me, keeps saying that Usa's alive, she won't listen to me, she won't except that she's dead." The others nodded, "She's denying it." said Luna.  "No I'm not." Everyone again turned their heads to the door way, where Usagi had followed Mamoru.  She was smiling gently, "She's alive, she's not dead."  She walked over to Mamoru and sat down beside him.  He sighed, "Usagi...didn't you see the explosion? Didn't you hear her screaming?" Still using the control he had kept since he was a child, he kept from breaking down saying those words.  Usagi just shook her head.  Setsuna looked at her harshly, "Quit denying what's right in front of your face." "Did you see anything?" Usagi snapped back at her, surprising, because Usagi had always previously had a lot of respect for Setsuna.  "I was there, just like all of you were, and when the explosion finished, *there was no body*, not even a speck of blood.  I can still feel her, I still sense her, she's alive." Usagi said excitedly.  Mamoru grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently, "She is dead! Stop denying it!  It's not going to help you!! SHE IS DEAD!!"  He finally lost his control, his daughter was dead, he would never see her again in the future.  One day he would have to send her to the past, knowing she would never return.  Mamoru sobbed, but no tears formed.  Usagi smiled at him gently and brought him into a deep embrace.  The others looked at them.  Haruka stood up, "We have to have strength to go on, no matter what.  It is our duty to protect the galaxy, and if not for this planet, then for Usa?"  The others stared at her, then nodded in agreement.  The silence in the room was suddenly interrupted by screams and yells from the other room.  The Senchi jumped to their feet.  "Yaten-kun!!!" "SEIYA!!"