Some anomalies in the universe are big, others are small and some are not even worth mentioning. But Sailor Pluto had been taught by the experience of watching the spoils of time unfold for more years than she was willing and able to count that the full impact of today's tiny events might not hit the world until centuries have passed.
From her gates of time, she watched several places at once, wondering when the threads would finally weave together and become one again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Minako Aino had spent the night rolling around in her bed, with sleep only inches away. But her mind was reeling, so she got up when the night had not fully ended and the morning not quite begun. It was in times like these that she was more than happy about Artemis no longer living with her. The cat guardian had found a new home in the house of Usagi's parents, where he lived alongside Luna in what was certainly a very mercurial relationship.
At six o'clock, she left her flat. She needed a plan, that much was for sure. Hiromasa was swiftly becoming a part of their group, welcome to all but Rei. Her friend's eyes at yesterday's dinner had been doubtful, and at times openly hostile. However, the sweet nature of Makoto's boyfriend would hopefully make her more accepting of him, and by extension of those that were to follow.
Those that were to follow... Jadeite had been seen by Ami, and Kunzite, or at least the back of his head, by herself. Only Zoisite was still completely unaccounted for, but she knew that he as well would make an appearance soon. But waiting had never been for her, and while she didn't dare to search the silver-haired general, finding out whether the blond one had regained his memories was the perfect mission for herself on this frosty morning.
In order to do, she had to consult Ami. The med student had been the one to meet him before, and Minako had simply forgotten to ask where that accidental meeting had taken place. This oversight had been typical of the confused and confounded person she had become in the past weeks, but she made a solemn vow to change this. Aged 13, she had fought legions of the Dark Agency alone; aged 14, she had pretended to be the princess in order to save Serenity's life; so at the age of 22, she would not become less capable.
With renewed vigour, she hurriedly walked to the campus, bought two cups of coffee from the University's main cafe and quickly went into the department of medicine, where she knew her friend would be hidden behind the heavy oak doors of lecture hall seven. Merciless teasing was the reason why she knew were her friend was at this time of day. Only med students were required to be thinking while other people were still fast asleep in their beds, dreaming of unicorns and rainbows, she had told Ami more than once, especially on days when her own courses started late after noon and she had spent the morning frolicking in her spacious bed, drifting in and out of sweet slumber for hours.
Charming a male student into giving her a piece of paper and lending her his thick black marker, her icy fingers drew a small sign that read: AMI: NEEDED FOR A GEMERGENCY. COME OUT!
The sign was then pushed through the door she had stealthily opened an inch, and waved around a bit. After some hushed whispers had reached her ears, a visibly flustered Ami emerged.
“Minako, what is it? I need to study. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to sneak out of a crowded lecture hall?” Minako chuckled.
“Ami, it is only embarrassing if you get caught, and if you get caught, it wasn't proper sneaking in the first place.”
It took Minako precisely three minutes, forty-five seconds and the coffee she had bought especially for this endeavour to convince her studious friend to accompany her to the park.
“Do you really think that we will just meet him there?” The blue-haired girl carefully took her glasses off and placed them in their box, which then in turn disappeared in the pockets of her thick woollen coat. “I mean, it's been almost three weeks since I met him. The chances of Jadeite being there today are statistically somewhere near zero.”
“Almost three weeks...That's an awfully long amount of time to stay mum about this, Ami. Why didn't you tell me? I get why you didn't tell Rei, but why not me?” The question was asked without reproach, but it stood between them nevertheless. A deep blush crept on the young woman's face that had already been reddened by the swift walk in the cold air. Silence settled between the senshi as they made their way through the yawning city, the sound of their steps dulled by the falling snow. Once they got closer to the park, Ami picked the conversation up again.
“I didn't tell you because you... Minako, after New Year's, you weren't...you weren't fine. I didn't want to contribute to whatever was causing you worry or pain. Please, don't be mad.”
The blonde slowly stopped in order to face her concerned friend. It was her time to blush. I am supposed to be their leader, and they don't dare to come to me with this sort of information because I'm so out of it. Shame on you, Minako, shame on you.
“Ami, you have nothing to apologize for.” She linked her arm through that of her companion, and they moved on. After only a few seconds, she inquired: “Was it that bad?”
They stepped through the wrought iron gates of the park and walked the familiar paths, unconsciously tensing because the air was suddenly filled with chances of yet another reunion. “You were a bit...”, the polite girl struggled to find the right word, so Minako jokingly cut in. “Unhinged?”
Ami's soft chuckle resonated in the frozen world, causing two men hiding behind a large weeping willow to straighten their backs and prick up their ears.
“I wanted to say beside yourself, but this works as well.”
Umi took a deep breath and stepped out from behind his hiding place. He would know that voice anywhere. For the past three days, he and Ando had spent almost all day in the park, hoping that Mercury would return in order to solve the mystery of the forgotten shitennou. And indeed she had.
“See, I told you that this would be better than your foolhardy idea of robbing a bank or becoming anchormen so that they can just see us on television.” The statement was solely intended to cover Ando's own dancing nerves, so Umi didn't even dignify it with a response.
They were standing out in the open now, and it was only mere seconds before the senshi would shift their eyes and see them.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Above them, in a land and a time far away, a small grey cat had joined Pluto, watching the events with as much interest as her small body could possibly contain. “So this is how Mercury and General Zoicite met again?”
Pluto nodded her head in assent, her long tresses swinging in the soft breeze that never left these holy grounds. “Yes, this is it.” The kitten smiled, pondering how very fitting it was that the senshi of ice and her male counterpart should meet in a park covered in snow and frost.
