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23. Title: Privacy
Author: no_retreat
Theme: "The decision to kiss for the first time is the most crucial in any love story." -- Emil Ludwig
Genre: General
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Rent
Version: Manga
Rating: PG
“He bothers me,” Haruka said, putting down her coffee cup.
“Haruka,” Setsuna looked over her shoulder, “You’ve just met him.”
“He still bothers me.”
“Haruka, quiet.” Michiru sipped from her tea. “This Mark loves Setsuna. I think he’s very sweet.”
“It’s not that he’s in love with me,” Setsuna said, “I think he’s infatuated with the idea of being in love with me.”
“Do you love him?”
Setsuna smiled softly at the question. “It’s not that I don’t love him. I care for him very much, obviously. But...”
“But what?”
“Our first kiss.” Her smile grew slightly bigger at the memory. “He was so nervous. He didn’t show that, but I could feel. He’s a very private person.”
“Who’s private?” Mark slid back into the booth next to Setsuna.
“You are. Even with your ex-girlfriend of a performance artist.”
“Hey- Maureen has nothing-okay, barely anything to do with our current relationship.”
24. Title: Yet Another Funeral
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Police
Genre: Angst
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Lost
Version: PGSM
Rating: PG
(Two for the Road)
“Who died?”
Makoto bit her lip before continuing. “Ana-Lucia. And Libby. They were shot.” She had only just heard the news herself moments ago from Charlie. “We’re burying them tonight.”
“Who shot them?” Bernard asked. “Ana was a cop. Why didn’t she do anything?”
“I don’t know,” Makoto said quietly. “Just that...that guy they had down there shot her, Libby and Michael.” Pull yourself together, Mako. You didn’t know them that well anyway.
“Michael’s back?” Rose said, “He’s fine though, right?”
“I...I’m not sure.” Makoto shuffled her feet a little. “Look, I...I have to do something right now.” Walking away from Rose and Bernard, she finally let her tears fall. But she didn’t make any sounds until she knew that she wouldn’t be heard.
I didn’t even know them all that well. So why am I torn up like this? All Mako knew was that she needed to get this out of her system before the funeral. Then she’d be okay.
25. Title: Discovery
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Vulgarity
Genre: Humor
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Firefly
Version: Anime
Rating: PG-13 (for nature of Chinese curses)
“Usagi!” Mars’s scream echoed in her ears as the big black hole swallowed her up. “I’ll be all right, Rei-chan!” was what she had tried to yell but it was just too much for her-
“Doc, you wanna tell me what kinda go-se happened down here?”
“This one ain’t crazy like the doc’s sister, ain’t she?”
Usagi slowly opened her eyes. What she had been expecting was her friends crowded around her, hoping that she should eventually (and she always did, no matter how serious the situation) wake up. This was not the current case. She was surrounded by several very different people- a good looking man wearing a brown coat; a very scary looking guy with a gun, standing next to a similarly scary looking woman (but she didn’t have a gun); a man who reminded her a bit of Mamo-chan.
“Ju mah do shing shyr...What the hell kinda get-up she got here?” The scary-looking guy nudged one of her wings with his gun, to which Usagi gave the only reaction that she could: shriek as loud as she could.
The scary looking woman sighed. “Sir, I think she’s conscious.”
The man with the brown coat glared at the scary guy. “Ta ma duh, Jayne, you do that again, and I swear you’ll be findin’ your next meal elsewheres.”
Usagi, for one time in her life, was speechless. “Mal, I think you’d better leave me with her.” The Mamo-chan guy placed his hand on Usagi’s head. “You can deal with this later.” Brown-Coat (who was probably this Mal person) just sighed and left the room, flanked by the two scary people. “It’s okay,” he said, “the Captain wouldn’t hurt you- that is, if you don’t have a score to settle with him. Or he has one to settle with you.”
Usagi managed out a shaky “Thank you.”
26.Title: Scenes from the Life Café
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Caffeine
Genre: General
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Rent
Version: Manga
Rating: PG
“One coffee, please.” Michiru smiled at the waiter. Setsuna and her boyfriend had taken her and Haruka to an...interesting café that the boyfriend said he often frequented. “Frequented” meaning he would normally sneak out the back door to avoid payment.
“So, Mark,” Haruka leaned back in her seat, “You make movies?”
“They’re films. Documentaries, actually.” Mark leaned forward. “I don’t intend on selling out. Well, not anymore.”
“‘Not anymore?’” Haruka raised an eyebrow. “Is there a problem with doing something you love for a salary?”
“It’s not like that at all!” Mark protested. “I just...look, selling your soul isn’t the way, that’s all I believe.”
“Uh huh.”
“Haruka, stop it.” Michiru smiled at Mark, as if to say, “Don’t mind her, she’s just very touchy today.”
“I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Haruka muttered.
27. Title: Meeting
Author: no_retreat
Theme:"Pretty Life" by Jakalope
Genre: General
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Rent
Version: Manga
Rating: PG-13
I’m about to change your pretty mind
I’m about to change your pretty life
Are you ready?
For one time in his life, Mark was too intimidated to ask someone if he could film them. Normally, he didn’t have a problem with this at all behind his camera; his personal relationships, on the other hand, could certainly use that little bit of boldness he had.
But this woman...He would have usually asked her if she didn’t mind him filming a few minutes of footage of her, but something stopped him from doing it.
If Roger was here, he would rag on Mark’s ineptness around pretty women. Although this one wasn’t just pretty, she was fucking gorgeous. Tanned skin, very long blackish-green hair, and with that amazing air she carried around her. Practically a goddamn goddess- definitely didn’t fit in the atmosphere of the Life.
“Excuse me.” Oh shit. Why him? Why did she have to come up to him? He could feel the embarrassment just approaching. “Is there something wrong?” she asked.
“Huh?” Crap. “Well, uh, no, not particularly at all, um...could I help you with something, ma’am?”
The woman stared at Mark, and then began laughing. Not very loudly, but not at all quiet. “I was just wondering, that was all.”
“Oh...” Mark fell back in his seat, as she started to turn around. “Hey.”
She looked back at him, her long hair swinging over her shoulder. “Yes?”
“I...uh...didn’t see you sitting with anyone...um...so...I was wondering...Can I treat you with something?” Crap. Did he have his wallet? More importantly, did he have money in the wallet?
She laughed again. “Thank you...and yes. You’re very kind.” Her eyes, he thought, Wow.
“I’m, huh, Mark. Mark Cohen.”
She slid into the chair across from him. “Setsuna Meioh. It’s very nice to meet you.”
28. Title: The Hallway
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Horror
Genre: Drama
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Kingdom Hospital
Version: PGSM
Rating: PG
All she could hear the click-clack of her heels hitting the pavement and her heavy breathing. This was not a situation that she would have ever wished herself into.
Venus looked around the decrepit hospital hallway. She had been running here for an hour now, with no end in sight.
“Where’s your fairy tale, Princess?” That voice again!
“Stop it!” she screamed. “Venus Love Me Chain!” She hurdled her attack into the darkness, only to be taunted by that mocking laugh once again.
She fell to her knees crying. “Just...stop it...”
“Come on, Princess. You don’t even have the strength to handle me.” Venus’s head snapped up to finally see the face of her tormentor. “You.”
The pale boy laughed. “Her Highness has a temper? Fairy tales aren’t supposed to be this way.”
Venus struggled to her feet. “This...isn’t a fairy tale. Crescent Beam!”
“...Ms. Aino?”
Minako’s eyes flew open. She wasn’t in that other world anymore. Just back in the hospital bed.
“Are you all right, Ms. Aino?” The nurse placed her hand against Minako’s forehead. “Do you need me to get Dr. Hook for you?”
“No...I’m fine...” she said, laying back in her pillows.
29. Title: A Charm
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Seven
Genre: Humor
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Nana
Version: Anime
Rating: PG
“Excuse me.” Rei looked up from her notebook at her latest customer. Another high school girl. I wonder what she came here for. “Can I help you?” she asked, shutting her notes.
“I’d like to buy some charms please. Oh! And can I have my fortune told here too?”
Love charm. I knew it. “Yes. The Hikawa Shrine’s love charms are first rate, so-”
“I don’t need a love charm!” Rei blinked. This wasn’t what she had expected at all. The girl tugged at her scarf. “I need one to ward off the Demon Lord!”
“De-demon Lord?” That’s a new one.
The girl nodded, causing her light brown hair to fall out of her barrettes. “I’ve been cursed with my name, and the Demon Lord has it out for me. I need something to ward him off.”
“I’m sorry...your name is cursed?”
She nodded. “It’s Nana...Proof that I’m doomed to live such an accursed life!” Nana sniffled a little.
Well...this is...new. “Well...” Rei said, “I don’t know about any ‘demon lord,’ but maybe this might help...”
Author: no_retreat
Theme: "The decision to kiss for the first time is the most crucial in any love story." -- Emil Ludwig
Genre: General
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Rent
Version: Manga
Rating: PG
“He bothers me,” Haruka said, putting down her coffee cup.
“Haruka,” Setsuna looked over her shoulder, “You’ve just met him.”
“He still bothers me.”
“Haruka, quiet.” Michiru sipped from her tea. “This Mark loves Setsuna. I think he’s very sweet.”
“It’s not that he’s in love with me,” Setsuna said, “I think he’s infatuated with the idea of being in love with me.”
“Do you love him?”
Setsuna smiled softly at the question. “It’s not that I don’t love him. I care for him very much, obviously. But...”
“But what?”
“Our first kiss.” Her smile grew slightly bigger at the memory. “He was so nervous. He didn’t show that, but I could feel. He’s a very private person.”
“Who’s private?” Mark slid back into the booth next to Setsuna.
“You are. Even with your ex-girlfriend of a performance artist.”
“Hey- Maureen has nothing-okay, barely anything to do with our current relationship.”
24. Title: Yet Another Funeral
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Police
Genre: Angst
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Lost
Version: PGSM
Rating: PG
(Two for the Road)
“Who died?”
Makoto bit her lip before continuing. “Ana-Lucia. And Libby. They were shot.” She had only just heard the news herself moments ago from Charlie. “We’re burying them tonight.”
“Who shot them?” Bernard asked. “Ana was a cop. Why didn’t she do anything?”
“I don’t know,” Makoto said quietly. “Just that...that guy they had down there shot her, Libby and Michael.” Pull yourself together, Mako. You didn’t know them that well anyway.
“Michael’s back?” Rose said, “He’s fine though, right?”
“I...I’m not sure.” Makoto shuffled her feet a little. “Look, I...I have to do something right now.” Walking away from Rose and Bernard, she finally let her tears fall. But she didn’t make any sounds until she knew that she wouldn’t be heard.
I didn’t even know them all that well. So why am I torn up like this? All Mako knew was that she needed to get this out of her system before the funeral. Then she’d be okay.
25. Title: Discovery
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Vulgarity
Genre: Humor
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Firefly
Version: Anime
Rating: PG-13 (for nature of Chinese curses)
“Usagi!” Mars’s scream echoed in her ears as the big black hole swallowed her up. “I’ll be all right, Rei-chan!” was what she had tried to yell but it was just too much for her-
“Doc, you wanna tell me what kinda go-se happened down here?”
“This one ain’t crazy like the doc’s sister, ain’t she?”
Usagi slowly opened her eyes. What she had been expecting was her friends crowded around her, hoping that she should eventually (and she always did, no matter how serious the situation) wake up. This was not the current case. She was surrounded by several very different people- a good looking man wearing a brown coat; a very scary looking guy with a gun, standing next to a similarly scary looking woman (but she didn’t have a gun); a man who reminded her a bit of Mamo-chan.
“Ju mah do shing shyr...What the hell kinda get-up she got here?” The scary-looking guy nudged one of her wings with his gun, to which Usagi gave the only reaction that she could: shriek as loud as she could.
The scary looking woman sighed. “Sir, I think she’s conscious.”
The man with the brown coat glared at the scary guy. “Ta ma duh, Jayne, you do that again, and I swear you’ll be findin’ your next meal elsewheres.”
Usagi, for one time in her life, was speechless. “Mal, I think you’d better leave me with her.” The Mamo-chan guy placed his hand on Usagi’s head. “You can deal with this later.” Brown-Coat (who was probably this Mal person) just sighed and left the room, flanked by the two scary people. “It’s okay,” he said, “the Captain wouldn’t hurt you- that is, if you don’t have a score to settle with him. Or he has one to settle with you.”
Usagi managed out a shaky “Thank you.”
26.Title: Scenes from the Life Café
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Caffeine
Genre: General
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Rent
Version: Manga
Rating: PG
“One coffee, please.” Michiru smiled at the waiter. Setsuna and her boyfriend had taken her and Haruka to an...interesting café that the boyfriend said he often frequented. “Frequented” meaning he would normally sneak out the back door to avoid payment.
“So, Mark,” Haruka leaned back in her seat, “You make movies?”
“They’re films. Documentaries, actually.” Mark leaned forward. “I don’t intend on selling out. Well, not anymore.”
“‘Not anymore?’” Haruka raised an eyebrow. “Is there a problem with doing something you love for a salary?”
“It’s not like that at all!” Mark protested. “I just...look, selling your soul isn’t the way, that’s all I believe.”
“Uh huh.”
“Haruka, stop it.” Michiru smiled at Mark, as if to say, “Don’t mind her, she’s just very touchy today.”
“I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Haruka muttered.
27. Title: Meeting
Author: no_retreat
Theme:"Pretty Life" by Jakalope
Genre: General
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Rent
Version: Manga
Rating: PG-13
I’m about to change your pretty mind
I’m about to change your pretty life
Are you ready?
For one time in his life, Mark was too intimidated to ask someone if he could film them. Normally, he didn’t have a problem with this at all behind his camera; his personal relationships, on the other hand, could certainly use that little bit of boldness he had.
But this woman...He would have usually asked her if she didn’t mind him filming a few minutes of footage of her, but something stopped him from doing it.
If Roger was here, he would rag on Mark’s ineptness around pretty women. Although this one wasn’t just pretty, she was fucking gorgeous. Tanned skin, very long blackish-green hair, and with that amazing air she carried around her. Practically a goddamn goddess- definitely didn’t fit in the atmosphere of the Life.
“Excuse me.” Oh shit. Why him? Why did she have to come up to him? He could feel the embarrassment just approaching. “Is there something wrong?” she asked.
“Huh?” Crap. “Well, uh, no, not particularly at all, um...could I help you with something, ma’am?”
The woman stared at Mark, and then began laughing. Not very loudly, but not at all quiet. “I was just wondering, that was all.”
“Oh...” Mark fell back in his seat, as she started to turn around. “Hey.”
She looked back at him, her long hair swinging over her shoulder. “Yes?”
“I...uh...didn’t see you sitting with anyone...um...so...I was wondering...Can I treat you with something?” Crap. Did he have his wallet? More importantly, did he have money in the wallet?
She laughed again. “Thank you...and yes. You’re very kind.” Her eyes, he thought, Wow.
“I’m, huh, Mark. Mark Cohen.”
She slid into the chair across from him. “Setsuna Meioh. It’s very nice to meet you.”
28. Title: The Hallway
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Horror
Genre: Drama
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Kingdom Hospital
Version: PGSM
Rating: PG
All she could hear the click-clack of her heels hitting the pavement and her heavy breathing. This was not a situation that she would have ever wished herself into.
Venus looked around the decrepit hospital hallway. She had been running here for an hour now, with no end in sight.
“Where’s your fairy tale, Princess?” That voice again!
“Stop it!” she screamed. “Venus Love Me Chain!” She hurdled her attack into the darkness, only to be taunted by that mocking laugh once again.
She fell to her knees crying. “Just...stop it...”
“Come on, Princess. You don’t even have the strength to handle me.” Venus’s head snapped up to finally see the face of her tormentor. “You.”
The pale boy laughed. “Her Highness has a temper? Fairy tales aren’t supposed to be this way.”
Venus struggled to her feet. “This...isn’t a fairy tale. Crescent Beam!”
“...Ms. Aino?”
Minako’s eyes flew open. She wasn’t in that other world anymore. Just back in the hospital bed.
“Are you all right, Ms. Aino?” The nurse placed her hand against Minako’s forehead. “Do you need me to get Dr. Hook for you?”
“No...I’m fine...” she said, laying back in her pillows.
29. Title: A Charm
Author: no_retreat
Theme: Seven
Genre: Humor
Fandoms: Sailor Moon, Nana
Version: Anime
Rating: PG
“Excuse me.” Rei looked up from her notebook at her latest customer. Another high school girl. I wonder what she came here for. “Can I help you?” she asked, shutting her notes.
“I’d like to buy some charms please. Oh! And can I have my fortune told here too?”
Love charm. I knew it. “Yes. The Hikawa Shrine’s love charms are first rate, so-”
“I don’t need a love charm!” Rei blinked. This wasn’t what she had expected at all. The girl tugged at her scarf. “I need one to ward off the Demon Lord!”
“De-demon Lord?” That’s a new one.
The girl nodded, causing her light brown hair to fall out of her barrettes. “I’ve been cursed with my name, and the Demon Lord has it out for me. I need something to ward him off.”
“I’m sorry...your name is cursed?”
She nodded. “It’s Nana...Proof that I’m doomed to live such an accursed life!” Nana sniffled a little.
Well...this is...new. “Well...” Rei said, “I don’t know about any ‘demon lord,’ but maybe this might help...”
irate