Ikuko laid out her daughter's lunch at the end of the table, balancing it just right so that it would stay on the corner without falling to the floor. Glancing at the clock, she nodded to herself and picked up a red marker off the floor to put back by the calendar. Exactly two more minutes before her tardy daughter woke up. She hummed to herself as she headed over to retrieve the fresh toast. Being that it was the beginning of summer vacation, her daughter's laziness would only result in a scolding from her friend Rei.
After buttering both pieces of toast, she laid them out, also on the very edge of the table. She looked up as a loud cry of "I'M SOOOOO LATE!" rang through the house, successfully destroying any peace that had existed before. Heading back over to the table, she poured her husband some more orange juice and waited by the end of the table, eyeing the stairs.
A great rumble sounded, and somewhere out of the smoke her daughter appeared, grabbed, and dashed towards the fdoor. The two pieces of toast had vanished with the smoke, as usual. Years of training kicked in and she called out "Don't forget lunch!" while tossing it with all her might at the door. She watched as it soared through the air, getting dangerously closer to the ground by the second. Five seconds before it could hit the ground her daughter's face reappeared, and disappeared again, this time taking the lunchbox with her.
"She hasn't changed a bit," Kenji remarked, smiling over his morning paper.
Nodding her agreement, she went back to her daily routine. Shingo had been sick all week and so it fell to her to nurse him back to health. He seemed to be enjoying the vacation from school. If he didn't improve soon though, she was going to force him to go to the doctor. Balancing a cup of yogurt on a tray with some fresh fruit slices she started up the stairs towards where she could hear the wheezy coughing of her son.
oOoOoOo
The ravens were crowing outside, and it roused Rei from a vicious nightmare. Disoriented, she sat up and assumed a meditative position, clearing her mind. Her training as a vessel for the sacred fire had taught her that memories were fickle creatures, and only returned when you stopped trying to find them. The gods would give hints, but never answers, and the prophetic nature of her dreams only made them more elusive to recall. She sat there for several minutes, finally giving up on gathering the remnants of the nightmare.
The gods were not in a merciful mood.
Rising she readied herself for the day; it had been a long night. She'd spent most of it in the prayer room beseeching the sacred fire, praying for guidance. The fire had been unresponsive to her, which was troubling in itself, and had resulted in a long restless night. It had been unresponsive for a full month now. She had passed it off as no news is good news, but something didn't sit right with her about the fire's continued silence.
It was nearing the beginning of May, and the cherry blossom trees that lined the edge of the shrine were still in bloom. The sunrise illuminated the trees from behind and created the illusion that they had been dipped in liquid gold. She inhaled deeply, taking in their scent and sending a silent prayer of appreciation up to the gods.
Rei swept the steps of the shrine, glancing up as Deimos let out an unusually raucous caw. Phobos sat at her side, both perched on the torii. Her gaze sliding downward, she saw their newest miko at the edge of the torii, sweeping as well.
The miko was a preteen by the name of Hitomi who attended Rei's private girl's school. She was an eager study and her bright smile and youthful naiveté charmed many patrons of the Hikawa Jinja into buying talismans and charms. She had only been working at the shrine for a month, but Rei had grown fond of her due to an uncannily familiar optimistic disposition she held about life.
As Rei approached her she could hear her grandfather rambling to the girl, half of it wisdom and half of it senile gibberish. "The torii is the boundary between the sacred realm and reality." His voice was raspy from coughing. He gestured to the two ravens sitting atop it, "and the crows watch out from above for evil spirits attempting to enter this holy place, and alert us of the danger." He turned wrinkled eyes to a middle-aged man climbing the many steps. His line of sight did not slip past Rei's notice, and she had to struggle not to roll her eyes.
She let a cynical smirk curl the corners of her lips, stepping up beside him, "Or they just start cawing at spectacularly unpleasant hours," like this, she added to herself. She cast an annoyed glance up at the ravens, calling out, "We know!" Almost immediately they quieted, turning their beaks to regard her. "And what are you doing out here, grandpa," she turned to her grandfather, putting her free hand on her hip. "You should be in bed resting."
The diminutive man held up his hands in surrender. "I just wanted to watch the sunrise," he gave a cheeky smile to Hitomi, "and to see the pretty girl who volunteered to help me with this temple."
Rei raised her broom like a weapon, using it to steer him away from Hitomi. "That's enough out of you, time to go back to bed." She lead him back inside, ignoring his chuckles and half-hearted protests. Grandpa Hino was on the receiving end of a cold, but even though his condition didn't seem to be too serious Rei still wanted him to rest more than he would. Yuuichirou was working twice as hard as he usually did, since Rei wouldn't let her grandfather do most of his standard head priest duties. Rei would have done it herself, but since she was still a miko and not a priestess, she did not have the spiritual authority to give the blessings and read the rites. Yuuichirou didn't seem to mind in the least. She helped her grandfather with his sandals as she took her own shoes off outside the door.
"I am going to go shopping today with the girls. I will tell Hitomi and Yuiichirou to keep it down so you can rest." She held onto his arm in case he stumbled while she went up the two steps that lead into his room. "I'll get you some tea," Rei offered, supporting her grandfather so he didn't injure himself while he bent down to lay in his futon.
"Don't trouble yourself," he said, giving her a smile filled with gratitude. "I will be asleep before you can boil the water." Rei nodded to him, pulling the covers up to his chin.
"Call Yuuichirou or me if you need anything. Sleep well, grandpa," she whispered, kissing his forehead and heading back out the door.
As soon as she shut the door, he kicked the blanket off, feeling feverish and nauseated. Rushing as fast as his old legs would carry him, he went to the bin in the corner of the room and vomited. Leaning against the wall he stared at the door to make sure Rei hadn't heard, his breathing shallow. Wobbling back to his bed, he laid down, sending up a prayer for rest to bring him the strength to continue hiding his infirmity from Rei, and heal his ailing health.
oOoOoOo
She pulled out her wallet, laying the coins and notes of yen on the counter as she began to count.
The rest of the gang wanted to get together later in the week, which meant that she would need to buy groceries before cooking something to bring over. This wasn't uncommon, it was a ritual for the girl's to meet up at least a few times a month to catch up, and she was always happy to test out a new recipe when they did. She didn't notice the pair of dark green eyes boring into her backside.
She wasn't poor, on the contrary, she had amassed quite a small fortune now that she had been working for a year. But she had been, once, and it was not an experience she wished to ever repeat. Especially now that she had more than just herself to consider.
"These are on sale two for one," advised the cashier, bringing her out of her thoughts and holding up two baby's shirts from her pile of purchases.
"Great!" she gave a weak smile, still anxious about her situation as she reached to snag another one from the rack behind her. After another second she chose to grab a third pair of miniature shoes as well. They sat like totems on top of her stack of baby clothing and toys. She added more yen to her growing pile with a sigh. Someone sneezed from behind her and when she turned to excuse them she recognized the owner with growing trepidation.
"Motoki!" She swallowed past the sudden dryness in her throat. "What are you doing here?" Her apprehension at being discovered before she was ready doubled.
He didn't appear surprised to see her, which brought the butterflies in her stomach up to a frenetic pace. "Well," he hedged, lowering his voice to a conspirator's whisper, "I'm not suppose to tell anyone..." His eyes were twinkling, "...But Unazuki is pregnant," he gave a silly smile. Makoto let herself begin to breathe again. "Who would have thought, my younger sister is going to have a kid before me!" She felt a small wave of relief go through her.
"That's great Motoki!" Makoto gave a knowing smile, Unazuki was probably dying inside trying to keep the news secret. She felt more of her worry fading, Motoki looked too caught up in his excitement for his sister to ask her any insinuating questions.
"Dad's livid," he admitted, shaking his head. "And mom's not much better. They want to give her a shotgun wedding." He laughed at the idea, "They're worried she might elope and they'll miss their chance to see their little girl get married." He grinned, "I think she'll be just fine though, she has been working three jobs for the last year. She's no flight risk."
"Three jobs, woah. That's a lot! So who's the lucky man?" Makoto moved aside so Motoki could pay for his items.
"I don't think you've ever met him. His name is Nobuo, he's going to Tokyo conservatory." Makoto listened as he continued. "I like him, he's got good character, and Unazuki is happier than she's ever been." Makoto smiled at this. Unazuki had always had an energetic personality, imagining her even more upbeat was difficult. Motoki was her older brother though, and he was bound to know the girl better than Makoto did.
Realizing she was blocking the line of customers, she stepped further to the side of the register.
"That's great Motoki, and I promise I won't tell a soul," Motoki grinned, hooking her pinky with his before waving to her as he headed deeper into the mall.
She was going to reveal her surprise to the girls tomorrow, she decided as she picked up her own purchases, tucking them safely into the depths of her oversized purse. She walked out of the store with her mind set. Heading towards the food court she paused to window-shop at a florists stand. The ikebana displays were both lovely and unique, but after a moments indecision she resolved not to spend any more money for the remaining day.
She was caught off guard when she heard someone screaming "MAKO-CHAN" from behind her. Turning she saw a familiar group weaving through the crowd of the mall. Uneasiness resettled in the pit of her stomach. Another chance for her to be exposed before she was ready had arrived, and even as she watched it happen she was still too late to prepare herself when Usagi slammed on the brakes a second too late and gravity sent her crashing forward. With trained reflexes she grabbed at a potted flower before it could shatter on the floor, juggled it in one hand while trying to regain her balance with the other as Usagi picked herself up off the floor. "Sorry!" Usagi gave several embarrassed bows to the vendor even as Makoto put the plant back safe on its stand, shaking her head.
Three more heads appeared behind Usagi, one blue, one blonde and one black. Waving her hellos they all exchanged pleasantries while moving a safe distance away from the stand towards a resting area.
"What are you guys doing here?" Makoto asked, her nervousness back full-force now. Her purchases were buried in the safety of the bottom of her purse, but she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt and vulnerability for hiding it from them. Her bag felt three times too heavy.
"Shopping!" crowed Usagi, never one to pass up a chance to state the obvious. Rei looked to be in a sour mood, more so than usual. Ami was buried nose deep in a text, but that was the standard with Ami.
"Duh, she meant shopping for what, Odango," Rei said.
Usagi's mouth formed a round O as she let out another laugh, rubbing the back of her head.
"What ARE we shopping for?" Rei demanded.
"I have a confession to make," Minako said, soaking it in as everyone's focus moved onto herself. "I wasn't entirely honest when I said I just wanted a girls outing to shop and catch up. I need to...get certain items for a certain...meeting I'm having tonight..." She shuffled from one foot to the other as the girls leaned in closer, waiting for her to explain further.
"She has a date," Ami deadpanned without looking up from her book.
"Aww, Ami, way to kill my joy," Minako pouted as three pairs of eyes rounded on her again. "What? I AM the soldier of love and beau-"
Rei clamped her hand over Minako's mouth, hissing in her ear, "Say it a little louder next time! I don't think they heard you in the parking lot." Blushing to her roots, Minako laughed it off, her exuberance at having a date outweighing her concern about revealing an identity that had been untouched for over a year. Rei muttered something that sounded suspiciously like blondes.
"What's he look like!" Usagi demanded, capturing Minako's hands in her own.
"Is he rich and handsome?" Makoto chimed in, coming up beside Usagi.
Rei rolled her eyes, "Good to know you two have your priorities straight." Twin raspberries greeted her in response.
"Why am I here again?" asked Ami, throwing them all a look over the rim of her biochemistry textbook. Her studying habit had grown into a borderline-obsessive disorder as she prepared for her internship at Tokyo General Hospital. The dark half moons under her eyes betrayed how much effort she was pouring into it. She had needed this outing more than any of them, but she would be the last one to concede to that.
"Because they already guilted me into going with them and I was not about to lose my ENTIRE afternoon chasing these two around the mall by myself." Rei said. She huffed and planted her arms akimbo, "I still don't understand why it was so important for me to be here."
Makoto turned wounded eyes onto them, "And you didn't invite me?"
Rei shot her an annoyed look. "We did."
"I called you five times and left three voice messages on your phone," supplied Usagi, cutting in-between the two. "You weren't picking up," she said sheepishly. Someone mumbled something like 'convenient' in a voice that was oddly reminiscent of Rei.
"I dropped my phone in the sink while I was doing dishes," explained the brunette, digging in her purse. Her fingers brushed the bag and she swallowed to whet her parched throat, before bringing out a dead cell phone. She cleared her voice, hoping it sounded normal, "Its been as useful as stale bread ever since." Now interested, Ami eyes fixated on the object as she stepped forward to take a look at Makoto's phone. Makoto handed it over, smiling in thanks. It was comforting to know that when technology was broken, Ami would take it upon herself to fix it. Just as it was also an unspoken fact that every time the girls gathered, it would be at Rei's temple, with Makoto bringing the food, and Minako the entertainment.
"Where are Luna and Artemis, and how did they manage to escape this punishment?" Rei groused, folding her arms over her chest.
Usagi chewed on her lip, unsure. "Luna wasn't there this morning when I woke up. She is probably off doing her own thing...she does that a lot lately." Her eyes were distant and Minako stepped in to cheer her up.
"Well it doesn't matter, since we're all here you guys can help me pick out the perfect dress for tonight's date!" She gave her best megawatt smile, and was pleased when it brought Usagi's smile back as well.
Usagi turned to her, her buns horned, "But in exchange," Usagi's eyes held a devious glint, "You have to tell us everything about your mystery date!"
Laughing they headed to the nearest department store. The group of five made it a point to get together on a monthly basis, but even so it was nice to have last minute outings like this. It gave them all a sense of revitalization to bump into a Makoto during such a random interval. As if the universe wanted to keep their group all together.
Three hours had passed and Minako still had not decided on what to wear, although she had bought four bags of shoes along the way.
"What do you think, the red or the black?" Minako held up both skimpy dresses to herself in the mirror, neither quite reaching her knees. The sequined dress she was currently modeling was even shorter.
Rei pretended to contemplate the decision, then shrugged. "You know he'll only care about what's underneath the outfit anyways." Minako pouted while Makoto let out a snort from her position near another rack before she spoke.
"Not every man's motives are in his pants," It was Rei's turn to let out a bark of laughter.
"Being single is the worst!" Minako whined, pulling the group's attention back to her predicament. She put the black dress back in favor of the red. "He had better be worth it." Minako busied herself primping in the mirror while the others sifted through the racks or watched her. Ami glanced up as Minako modeled another dress that showed more than it hid, still tinkering with Makoto's phone. She shook her head, and then returned to it.
Makoto pulled at the hem of her own shirt, a bit self conscious in this store full of four-sided mirrors. "I still can't believe you agreed to date a complete stranger!" Makoto laughed, "In a bookstore no less! I didn't know you could read," she needled, for which Minako jabbed her in the ribs. "But if he's buying you a free meal, then I guess I can see the appeal." Ever since Makoto had begun working as a pastry chef for a local restaurant she had begun dropping food-related remarks at every opportunity. Usagi and Minako didn't mind in the least, but Rei had already threatened to fry Makoto into burnt bacon bits if she mentioned another dessert item before the day was over.
"A-ha!" came a small noise from behind the group. Everyone turned to see Ami holding up Makoto's phone in triumph. "Repaired," she dropped the phone back into Makoto's purse with nothing more than a satisfied smile before reseating herself in the chair. Makoto thought her heart might stop from fear as she watched Ami's hand approach, and then retreat from, her purse.
She visibly relaxed when Ami went back to her book, unaware of the hidden bag. "Wow Ami, thanks! You're a lifesaver," reaching into her purse, Makoto fished it out again to admire the very functional piece of electronic equipment she now held, making sure to shove her purchases deeper. She licked her dry lips, unsure if she could manage to keep this secret for much longer.
"Oh no!" cried Minako, staring in horror at the clock. All eyes returned to her, but this time she failed to notice. "I only have an hour before I need to be home to meet my date!" As Minako began to hyperventilate, Usagi fanned her with her hands.
"Try on that dress," Rei ordered, "And if it fits you're wearing it tonight." Too anxious to argue, Minako scurried to the dressing rooms.
The girls waited until Minako emerged, in a dress that flattered her body, and matched her bow. It was an off the shoulder cocktail dress, with a sheer layer slanting off the side of its hemline.
Minako wasn't thrilled with it, but knowing she didn't have time to search for another, they all encouraged her to purchase the dress. Minako agreed and rushed through the line to pay as fast as she could. Outside, they said their farewells and all headed their own ways.
Makoto couldn't help feeling a twinge of relief as she left, hidden cargo safe from prying eyes. She watched Minako bolt home to what she knew would be an empty house, with barely enough time to get ready for her date. Silently, she wished her luck.
oOoOoOo
"I want that one," said Hotaru with conviction, circling around what had to be the most expensive car in the store, since it was guarded by red velvet rope on all sides, and perched on a raised glass platform. It was fast approaching Hotaru's 14th birthday, and since they were currently living in British Columbia, it was imminent that she would obtain her learner's permit.
"She's acquired my fine taste in automobiles," Haruka remarked with pride, drawing an amused look from Michiru. "But firefly, to get that car we'll have to cash out your college fund early." Hotaru made a sour face, still focused on the SLR.
"What about that one?" Michiru offered, pointing to a purple convertible akin to Haruka's own red one.
"NoOOoo, Michiru-mama it has to be black!" Hotaru said, putting her hands on her hips, looking every bit the rebellious teen she was.
"I thought your favorite color was violet," Michiru murmured, disappointed that her suggestion had been undercut so quickly.
Hotaru gave the convertible a second cursory glance, "It is, but I need a sexy black car to attract boys." Both of her foster parents stared at her in shock, which for Haruka quickly turned into protective fury while Michiru stifled laughter.
"What boys..." Haruka growled, advancing on Hotaru.
"Oh, you know...boys," Hotaru answered, her eyes playful.
"And here I thought our influence would lead her towards an alternative lifestyle," Michiru joked, wrapping her arms around Haruka's waist as both a method of restraint and affection. Hotaru was oblivious to the former, and she giggled at Haruka, who lost her fight at the sound.
"She's growing up so fast..." Haruka said, her voice taking on the tone of a lonesome puppy while she watched Hotaru continue to inspect the black sports car from afar.
"Too fast." The words came from a new presence behind them. Turning they saw a tall woman with long black hair tied in a knot at the top of her head. Piercing garnet eyes watched Hotaru from where she stood a few feet behind them. She wore a trendy tailored suit, with a thick jacket to ward off the chill of Canadian weather.
"Setsuna!" Michiru greeted, enfolding the woman in a delicate hug before releasing her. Haruka tipped her chin in acknowledgement.
"What's the occasion?" Haruka asked, always on edge by the unexpected arrivals of Setsuna.
Ancient eyes penetrated Haruka, who gave no outward indication that she was unnerved. "There is a new evil in Tokyo," Setsuna said, and when she didn't say anything further Michiru spoke up again.
"The mirror hasn't foretold any intruders from outside our system," she tucked a strand of her turquoise hair behind her ear, closing her eyes as she listened. "And the waves have been calm."
"This danger has yet to reveal itself." Setsuna watched as Hotaru came over to observe the conversation in silence. "But it is not an extraterrestrial." Its much worse, she added to herself.
"Then it's not our problem," Haruka dismissed, shrugging Setsuna off. "You know we are only meant to guard against extraterrestrial threats. The rest is the inners concern."
"The inners cannot handle this alone," Setsuna warned.
Hotaru came up beside them, tugging on Michiru's jacket. "What about Usagi-chan?"
Coming back to herself at the addition of Hotaru into their discussion, Michiru put a hand on Haruka's arm to stop her from responding. "This isn't the place, or time for this." she said. The others silently agreed. "Meet us tonight, Setsuna. Do you need directions to our place?" Setsuna gave her a tired but mischievous smirk. "I didn't think so," Michiru returned the smile.
"Faites attention," Setsuna said, vanishing into thin air. Haruka immediately scanned the store for cameras or onlookers.
Michiru raised her eyebrows, "I didn't know she was fluent in French. I guess I shouldn't be surprised."
"I swear one day she is going to blow our cover," Haruka complained, relieved when she didn't see anything to indicate anyone had noticed the time guardian's entrance or exit.
"Or turn you into a paranoid," Michiru teased, draping an arm around Haruka's. Haruka grunted, twining her fingers with Michiru's nevertheless. "Come on, the sooner we go the sooner we can finish this."
Hotaru didn't speak, but a chill ran through her at Michiru's words. She moved closer to her foster parents, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the feeling of dread now overwhelming her.
oOoOoOo
She'd been wrong, there were far worse things than being single. Like being trapped in a date with someone you can't stand.
It was twenty minutes into her fancy date and Minako was ready to wrap her love-me chain around his neck. For the first five minutes she had almost deceived herself into believing that Seiji had potential as a mate. That was just before he began to list the faults of his previous girlfriend. He was somewhat attractive, had a degree from Tokyo University and had to be wealthy if he could afford to take her to a nice restaurant like this one. It was a real shame he was still hung up on someone else. He hadn't complimented her dress or new shoes once, and she felt ridiculous for having gone to the effort to do up her long hair. She'd already tried, and failed, to change the topic twice.
His list hadn't slowed yet as she tuned back in to the one-sided conversation.
"-and she left my poor cat out in the rain all night! And after THAT, she has the nerve to tell me its my fault for not installing the pet door like she told me to! I just can't believe anyone could be so self-absorbed," Minako choked slightly on her drink, "that they would leave a poor defenseless creature like Lil'Bandit to fend for itself against the nocturnal predators." The food she'd been served thus far was delicious, but it wasn't worth this. While he sucked in enough air to start in again Minako cut him off.
"Oh my! I think I left my own cat outside!" Jumping up from the table she raised her hands to cover her mouth for extra emphasis. She had confidence that her acting was convincing, but her story was weak and she knew it. Turning she grabbed her purse and shawl before he could utter another word. "What kind of person would I be if I left Artemis out and he ran away? I'm so sorry but we'll have to finish this date another time!" Spinning on her heel she sprinted for the door.
Since they had driven here in his luxury sports car, she wasn't about to give him the opportunity to offer her a ride home, complete with another twenty minutes of his tirade. Making it to safety outside, she slowed down, heading to the nearest alley. Ducking in she transformed behind a dumpster, leaping to the roof of the posh restaurant in a single lunge. Below her she could hear a distinctive masculine voice calling her name as she ran away.
She berated herself along the way for her stupidity. It was important to search for love, but she might have had better luck dating Artemis. She'd been desperate to find love and rushed into scheduling this expensive date with a stranger, and it was a bitter pill to swallow considering Ace's prediction that she was cursed to never have true love. Sailor Venus shivered as she landed on the roof of the department store two blocks from her house, detransforming. She had been so focused on proving him wrong that she'd sacrificed judgment for an ego-boost. Using the fire escape she made her way to the bottom, heading home. Minako hummed a pop song to herself while she walked there. Even if she never could find her own Prince Charming, she was determined to become a superstar. Complete with a large male fan base, of course.
When she had arrived home, her mother hadn't remembered about the date, for which Minako was glad. However, she had a few rude words to share about Minako's slinky dress, and another argument had ensued. It was inevitable that her mother would ferret out any new information about a boy, and Minako knew it, so she skipped the usual theatrics and reminded her mother that she had been on a date. Appalled at how late she had returned, her mother had exploded into a new round of screaming. Now banished to her room, Minako turned to her only remaining outlet.
Artemis was only half-awake when she burst in, and her immediate dive into the details of her evening didn't do anything to grab his interest. When she had snatched him by the collar and begun to vigorously rub his coat, he had managed to listen to her ranting for several minutes before sinking back towards sleep. It was taking most of his focus not to interrupt her with purring. He was saved from having to provide advice to Minako by her mother, who had made a peace offering while Minako vented her frustrations.
"Fresh cookies!" Minako jumped up, scrambling down the stairs and barreling into the kitchen. Her mother was still removing the tray from the oven and shifted it out of reach as Minako grabbed at it. "You'll burn yourself!" she warned, setting it onto the stove top and moving to the other side of the kitchen to return the oven mitts to their drawer. Leaning down she pecked her husband on the cheek, "Have a good day at work?" Minako hadn't heard her father arrive home. He put the newspaper down and took off his jacket with a heavy sigh.
"Long. Did you two get anything done without me?" He gave them a measuring glance. Minako turned to ask her mother how long she needed to wait on the cookies and noticed her mother was holding her head.
"Are you all right?" She went around the table, cookies at the back of her mind. She wasn't close to her parents by any stretch, but if her mother was unwell she knew she'd be the one filling in any unfinished household chores. Her mother waved it off, brows pinched. Minako's father waited for her response, eyes intent on his wife.
"I just have the worst headache," she sighed as she gave her husband a pointed look when he made a noise of disbelief, grabbing a nearby spatula and lifting up the cookies from the tray. "I'm sure it will be gone once I rest though."
Nodding, Minako stuffed a cookie into her mouth, opening it like a fish when it burned her tongue. "H-h-hoo-hooot!" She fanned her face as she tried to cool down her flushed skin, her skirt bouncing as she hopped from one heeled foot to the other around the room.
"You know better than that, Minako," her father admonished her, his tone flat. She glowered at him, swallowing the cookie even as it burned her throat, flipping her hair and sticking her nose up into the air. "Its bad enough you show yourself off like that in public, I will not suffer your poor manners here as well." He gave her a disapproving frown. "Go change, I don't want to see you in something like that ever again." He turned to his wife as Minako headed upstairs again, her eyes misting as she heard the beginnings of a fight stirring below. "Stop rewarding her for being such an ill-bred heathen. She comes home at odd hours dressed like a harlot and you reward her with baked goods," he spat.
"Its your fault she dresses that way, she only does it because of what a poor role model her father is for-" Minako ran up the last few steps, slamming her door and leaning back up against it. She didn't want to hear the rest.
"They can't even talk to each other anymore," Minako said, wiping the backs of her palms against her eyes before she could start crying. Artemis, now awake, watched her in silence as she took a deep breath and walked over to her vanity. Sitting down she untied her bow, brushing her hair in an effort to improve her mood. She couldn't shake the image of herself falling into a similar position as her mother though, caught in a loveless marriage by an unwanted pregnancy. She closed her eyes against the pain she saw reflected in them. The fact she was the root of tonight's fight was old news, she always had been.
Walking to the closet she tossed a towel at Artemis to cover his eyes. Unzipping the expensive dress she let it slip to the floor, uncaring. Stepping over it she reached for her pajamas, pulling them on before Artemis could poke his head out from under the cloth. Curling up in bed she pulled the covers up to her chin, folding the pillow over her head to try in vain to drown out the yelling that leeched through the cracks in her door.
Artemis sighed from his place at the foot of her bed. "They only fight because they care about you," he mumbled, watching as Minako went to sleep. With a sigh, he curled back into a ball, following her lead.
She only slept for two hours before the loud beeping began.
oOoOoOo
Usagi was strolling though Juban park after spending some time with Rei when she heard the first screams. For a fleeting second she brushed it off as her imagination. It was probably some kids pranking one another. That was before another round of panicked cries reached her.
Reaching down she touched her watch, activating the all call."There is a potential enemy in Juban park by the lake," Usagi didn't wait to see who had responded before she clicked off her communicator. Hurrying around the corner she saw the source of the frenzy.
The monster was invisible. At least, that was Usagi's first thought. Then she saw the litter begin to move. The creature must have been absorbing its surroundings she gathered, since there were pieces of trash and grass poking out of it at odd angles. The way they were twisting and rolling led her to believe it was wheel-shaped, or made of jello. It had four dark indents that she assumed functioned as its eyes or mouths, but no other distinguishable features. The most disturbing thing about it though, was its lack of coloration. Similar to a chameleon, it camouflaged itself with its surroundings, but whatever energy was inside it made a vein network of red and black appear across its globular body, its edges barely visible.
Jumping into the branches of a nearby tree, Usagi winced as she scraped her hand on the bark. It was more difficult to do acrobatic leaps when was plain Usagi. Ignoring the blood, she waved her hand over her broach, calling out her transformation phrase. She reemerged from the tree as Eternal Sailor Moon.
For a moment she observed the creature. It behaved as though it were just another patron to the park, albeit unusual, strolling down the path. Then Sailor Moon noticed a man clutching his shoulder behind it, and a child beside him with third degree burns on her legs, howling in pain. Even as she watched, the indents began to glow and shoot out more projectiles towards the people running from it.
Without wasting time with introductions, Sailor Moon launched herself towards it. "Moon Tiara Action!" Her surprise attack was a direct hit, and it cleaved off the uppermost portion of the monster, which fell in a chunk beside it. However, the substance the creature was made from didn't seem to bleed or sever, its undulating body reformed the missing chunk as if it had never been attacked.
"What the..." Moon inserted herself between the monster and the civilians, pulling forth her eternal rod. It was difficult to see the creature in the moon and starlight, but she managed to deflect its attacks with her scepter before they could hit any of the defenseless people behind her.
Off to her right, Mercury arrived, firing her Aqua Rhapsody at the advancing mass. It didn't have any effect on the creature, which continued moving forward towards them, pits now glowing red.
"Go left!" Mercury cried as she dove further to the right.
Sailor Moon obeyed on automatic, throwing herself as far left as she could as a blast of something rushed past her. Landing in a roll she moved back into a battle stance. Mercury was yelling a warning to the pedestrians to flee the area. There weren't too many people out and about, it was late. She saw the man scoop up his child and flee. Mercury took up a stance behind Eternal Sailor moon, pulling her compact computer forth from the ether.
"Its attacks are laser-heated steam!" called Sailor Mercury from her safe distance a few yards away while she tried to gather data on the enemy as fast as possible. Sailor Moon held her staff up to block one such blast, the force of it rattling her teeth and singeing her knuckles. "Wide-range area attacks will be completely ineffective unless we find a way to solidify it." Sailor Moon could see that Sailor Jupiter and Venus had arrived from the corner of her vision, and were now attempting to flank the creature.
Jupiter fired off an Oak Evolution attack, which caused the blob to falter before lumbering forward again. The monster gave no sign it had felt Venus' Love and Beauty shock pummel into its side, however.
"We need to surround it, divide its attention and then go for an all out assault!" called Venus, steeling herself and returning to her command as their leader. The others nodded as they took up positions surrounding the monster.
Mercury was still typing with fervor into her compact, but as soon as she summoned her magic, the others also began theirs.
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
Somewhere not too far away another cry rang out. "Mars Flame Sniper!"
For a terrifying second Sailor Moon thought their combined powers hadn't had any effect. It let out a keening noise, seeming to quiver in place. Then the creature began to contract on itself, wrinkling and diminishing before bursting from the inside out like a balloon. Everyone present held their arms up to shield their faces from the goop, but it disintegrated in midair before ever reaching them.
"Aha!" cheered Venus. "My plan worked!"
After a pause, Sailor Moon whooped, jumping into the air at their success. She shot Mars a devil's smirk, "Looks like I wasn't the one late this time."
"Grandpa needed my help after you left," she bristled, going over to where Mercury stood inspecting the spot the creature had previously stood. She was still typing away on her computer, trying to analyze any remains from the small crater.
"Yeah well I'm making everyone victory cookies!" Jupiter called, pumping her fist into the air. Caught off guard by the memory of her parent's fight, Venus stood still, lost in thought.
"Venus, look out!" Mercury shouted. Too late the others turned to see a white blur pounce on a piece of the creature that had broken off earlier from Sailor Moon's tiara strike. It had fully regenerated itself, two of its four eyes glowing red, ready to attack. Artemis took the brunt of the blast, but not before digging his claws into one of the creature's glowing eyes. It let out a gurgle as black blasphemy spewed down its body, Artemis landed with a thud and lay unmoving a few feet away, a red bald spot on his side where his fur had been only a moment before.
"ARTEMIS!" Venus screamed, rushing forward to scoop him up and cradle him in her arms. He remained limp as she ran to a bench and planted him a safe distance from further harm. Meanwhile Mars had launched a sniper arrow into the creature's other glowing eye, and another waterfall of thick black fluid spilled down its front.
It shot another barrage of steam at Jupiter who had been trying to sneak up behind it while Mercury determined its weaknesses with her computer and visor. She dodged the onslaught of vaporized water, but slipped on the dark excretions puddling around it and fell over, vulnerable. Sailor Mars, Moon and Venus were all too far away to distract it in time and Sailor Mercury was fully focused on her computer. Unfortunately for Sailor Jupiter, the monster noticed this too and fired a blast directly at her.
A red rose cleaved it in half, protecting Jupiter from harm while she tried to regain her footing in the black sludge. The divided burst crashed into nearby trees, scorching their exposed bark and leaves. A caped man jumped from the tree, landing beside Sailor Mercury.
"Are you hurt?" Sailor Moon rushed forward, helping Jupiter to stand. Sailor Mars and Venus were both barraging the creature with their respective planetary magic, even though neither seemed to be making more than a dent and looked to be running low on energy.
"No, I'm fine." Jupiter smiled, "You're going to have to wash your hands if you want to eat any of my cookie dough though."
Sailor Moon nodded, wiping the black fluid off her hands onto her skirt before heading back to the corner position she had previously occupied. Jupiter didn't bother trying to clean herself up, she was covered in the muck. Mercury moved to fill the final vacancy of the circle now surrounding the second blob.
"Ready!" Eternal Sailor Moon called, raising her scepter into the air to signal the others. Tuxedo Kamen moved up beside her, a handful of razor roses between his fingers.
"On my count!" cried Venus, who was gritting her teeth from the strain of trying to keep the creature contained within her chain of light. "One...two...Three!" Releasing her grip on the chain she summoned a stronger incantation, "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
Simultaneously, the others launched their strongest attacks as well. Pelted with energy of all the varying elements from different sides, the creature seemed to shrink in on itself for a moment before it exploded outwards like its predecessor.
Eternal Sailor Moon let out a sigh of relief, making her trademark pose. "We've still got it!" Tuxedo Kamen gave her a smile as encouragement.
Sailor Mars fought the urge to roll her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. "Is that the last of them?" she turned to Mercury, who hesitated a moment before responding.
"There are no more abnormal energy sources in this area, except us of course." Everyone relaxed at her words.
"Is Artemis..." began Jupiter, de-transforming and going towards the bench were Venus had deposited him. She didn't dare to finish the question.
"He was breathing," reassured Venus, also releasing her transformation. No one was quite sure whether she was reassuring Makoto or herself. She rushed over to the bench while the others followed behind her. "Artemis?" she called, not brave enough to reach out and touch the wounded cat.
"He's alive," Mercury accessed, tucking her compact away and turning back into Ami. "He's sustained a mild concussion from the impact. Nothing's broken and his vitals are steady, although that burn is going to leave a mark. He should wake up in a few hours, but the hair might take a while to come back in." Minako shook her head in agreement, scooping up the cat in her arms and holding him close.
"Stupid hero," she chastised him, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. "We're supposed to be the superheroes, not you."
"If Artemis is here," Usagi said, looking around the park. "Where's Luna?" There was a murmur amongst the group as everyone confirmed that they had not seen Luna in a few days. Usagi chewed on her lip with worry, and Mamoru wrapped an arm around her shoulder which seemed to quell some of her distress. "I'll go to central control, see if she's there," Usagi said at last.
Ami shook her head, "I will check central control for Luna. I need to run the information I gathered through the database there anyway, to see if I can figure out where these amoeboid monsters came from."
"What were those things?" Rei voiced the question that was on everyone's mind.
"No doubt its a new enemy," said Makoto. "Did your scans pick up anything definitive?" Ami shook her head no.
"Senshi meeting tomorrow at noon," Minako declared, her voice was quiet but it brooked no argument.
Everyone nodded, waving their goodbyes as they headed back home, Minako with a wounded cat in her arms. Their fatigue was a thing alive though, given how out of shape they all were from not accessing their powers for so long.
It wasn't until after everyone else was gone that Makoto realized she still hadn't told them she was pregnant.
oOoOoOo
When Hotaru entered the den that evening, Setsuna was already seated with Michiru, a cup of green tea in her hands. The den was large, and private, with windows on all sides, nothing but forest surrounding them for miles. The furniture was modern, but an antique chandelier hung above the main foyer, making both women's hair sparkle.
Dropping herself halfway over a leather chaise, Haruka asked "To what do we owe the pleasure." Her tone implied it was more of a gripe than a question.
"There is a new evil threatening Tokyo," Setsuna repeated as she set her tea down on the coffee table, turning towards Haruka. "Can you not hear it in the wind yet?"
Tipping her head up as if listening to a song, the sandy blonde fastened grey eyes on Setsuna again. "Its there, but its faint."
"Perhaps because we're halfway around the world?" Michiru teased.
"Or maybe because the threat it so small it is not necessary for us to involve ourselves."
"'Ruka," Michiru reprimanded, her tone light "Do my ears deceive me or are you running away from a fight?"
"Should I feel insulted?" Haruka smirked.
"Only if you are." Michiru's eyes were set. "The ocean is growing wild," she reached out a hand to touch Haruka's. "we are needed elsewhere."
"It is not our job," Haruka said. "This is not an external threat, and last time I checked that was our one, and only, department."
Michiru's eyes softened, "We knew this time might come, that we might have to give up on this new life and return to the one we left behind."
"Its bull," Haruka began to rage like a child being denied her favorite candy. "Why should we pick up the slack because those kids can't handle their own problems? We came all this way for a reason," her eyes glinted in the overhead glow, and Michiru gave a sympathetic smile but her eyes remained determined. A look passed between them that the other two did not catch, before Haruka continued her rant. "And now we have to go back because they're too," her lips curved down into a sneer, "pathetic to even protect Tokyo against its own threats? I've heard enough," she finished.
Setsuna cleared her throat, "Are you through?" Haruka shot her a murderous glare. "The princess needs us an-"
A tiny voice broke through, "The princess needs us?" Hotaru stepped out from where she had hung back behind Haruka's chair, her worry evident upon her face.
Setsuna gave her a knowing smile, "They all need us, and whether or not Haruka wants to admit it, she needs them." Setsuna ignored the growing contempt on Haruka's face.
"Haruka-san," Michiru's drop of her endearing pet name was enough to get Haruka's full attention, but her next words banked the maelstrom ready to explode within her, "I will go without you if I have to," she drew a steadying breath, "and I will take Hotaru with me."
All the fight drained out of Haruka at the words. A desperate plea still escaped, "Mich, we could hav-"
"We tried that," Michiru cut her off. "We have already failed to protect her, but that does not mean we need also fail to protect Usagi." She lifted her hand from its resting place on Haruka's own. "Will you come with us?"
Haruka looked pained, and Setsuna intervened.
"It is time for the Outer Senshi to return to Tokyo," she said, no room for argument in her voice, her eyes closed as she sipped her drink. She let garnet eyes scan over the group, "Regardless of whether or not you wish to help the Inner Senshi, you must return."
Michiru stood, holding out her hand towards Haruka. An eternity passed between them before Haruka took her hand, standing as well. Her decision had been made, she just hoped it was the right one. Hotaru moved forward, "I'm going too!"
"We are all going," Setsuna said. Rising with poise from her seat, she put the teacup back on the table. She gave an amused smile, "Your helicopter or mine?"
"How do I get pulled into these things?" Haruka complained sourly to Michiru.
"Look at it this way," Michiru said, "Now we can wait another three years before sinking our retirement into her new car." Hotaru let out a noise of indignation as they headed to their helicopter landing pad.
oOoOoOo
He woke from a nightmare, covered in sweat. It was nearing 2 a.m., and the shrine was eerily silent. With heavy breaths he attempted to clear his mind of all negative thoughts as sensei had instructed him.
As he pushed the blankets off his torso he winced in pain, yanking his hands back towards his chest, where he stared down at them in confusion. He squinted in the darkness, barely about to make out the outline of his hands. Careful not to injure himself further, he rose from bed, heading towards the sacred prayer room.
Kneeling outside the door, he peered down at his hands in the firelight. Under the amber glow they appeared redder, raw even. The skin was swollen and peeling at points, weathered and torn. Letting out a tired breath he stood and went further down the hall. He submerged his hands in the cleansing basin of water that rested at the entrance to the prayer room and began rinsing them.
Yuuichirou sighed, consoling himself about the necessity of the extra chores he had asked for from Grandpa Hino. It would all be worth it. He slipped back towards his room, laying down on the futon. Gazing out into the darkness, he pulled the covers up again, reaching under his pillow to trace the rim of the small velvet box resting there. Soon, he'd have enough funding to purchase the ring that went inside it.
Finding himself unable to sleep, he stood and headed out.
Rei awoke before the dawn as well. Wiping the sweat off her brow, she rose and headed into the center of the shrine. She opened the door to the room housing the sacred fire, closing her eyes as the warmth soaked into her skin. At peace again, she stepped into the room to kneel before the bonfire, again begging it for a sign. She blocked out her surroundings, focusing on the fire crackling before her, warm and treacherous.
The first impression she got was one of grief and loss, and it was so overpowering she was almost thrown from her meditation. But as the fire popped the feeling vanished, replaced by something cold. It slithered down her throat and despite the heat of the room she began to tremble. Slinking through her veins the cold consumed her entire being, replacing the loss with panic and fear. She could feel her hand burning. Rei clung to the vision even as her self-preservation warned her to leave the trance. There was a flash of white, then black, before darkness swam again in front of her, trying to force her back to her body. She fought against her element, forcing it to her will, needing to see the rest. When she did she regretted it. The last glimpse she saw, framed in thick ebony tresses were two cruel violet eyes cutting into her soul.
As sudden as it came, it left and she found herself back in her own body. She found herself crying, her hair sticky with sweat and body still quivering. She looked down to see an ofudu clutched in her palm, its calligraphy bleeding down the paper. Looking back up at the fire, it had relaxed as if it had revealed nothing to her. Taking a shuddering breath, she wrapped her arms around herself, convinced beyond reason that something terrible was coming.
And that she would be aiding it.
She felt a chill go through her as she stood, casting the ofudu slip into the flames. The fire accepted her offering with greedy fingers, devouring the paper. At least the fire was responding to her again, its silence had been deafening.
Collecting herself, she left to go make an early breakfast, before a voice down the hall distracted her.
Grandpa Hino emptied the bin in his room, his weathered hands carrying it to the compost. His dreams were tormented, and his connection to the spiritual world seemed to be stronger every day. However, his connection to the physical world was growing as feeble as he was. Stubborn as always, he pushed those thoughts aside, moving to clean the rest of the temple while everyone was still asleep. He was still feverish, but his nausea had passed with the contents of his stomach. His old body ached, his skin rough against the sheets and broom, but he was resolved to finish the task he had set for himself. With practiced hands he made his bed and cleared the floor.
After finishing with his own room, he moved on to Yuuichirou's. Yuiichirou was not there, apparently out on another of his nocturnal rendezvous. Replacing the sheets, he swept the floor, pausing when he saw his deceased wife and daughter standing in front of him. They could have been twins if not for the age difference. "You're pushing yourself too hard, papa." Risa said, her eyes soft. He stared at them with longing, before shaking it off.
"You're not here anymore," he whispered, "I'm hallucinating again." He sighed, looking back up to them. "I wish you were though." His voice was choked with emotion, "I miss you both so."
His wife gave him a tragic smile, "Not for much longer, love." Risa moved forward to sit on Yuuichirou's bed while her mother remained in the doorway of the room. His daughter seemed to be playing with something she'd found under the pillow. He wondered if it were real or just an imagined detail of this particular illusion. Moving over to her, he peered to see what she was holding. She gave him her sly smile, holding up a small jewelry box for him to see. He felt warmth brim throughout him, cued in to Yuuichirou's intentions.
"I always knew he had a good heart."
"Grandpa? Are you all right?" Came a voice from down the hall. Rei appeared beside her grandmother, and he gave a bittersweet smile at the sight of them both side by side. How many times had he wished that they could have met in this life and not the next?
"I was just speaking with the Kami," he reassured. His words made Rei step further into the room, passing through the holograph of his wife. She was still so beautiful, even if she was nothing more than a hallucination. Risa looked happy to see her daughter, although it seemed strange to him that Rei's mother appeared to be younger than Rei herself even if they both had the same pale skin, striking violet eyes and midnight hair. He shook his head, trying to clear his muddled thoughts. It really was growing more difficult to tell reality from the other side every day.
"You should be resting," Rei said, reaching to help him back to his room. He knew he didn't have much time left, but he refused to cause his granddaughter more pain than necessary.
"Rei," he took her hand, tugging to get her focus. "I know you harbor something inside you that weighs heavy on your soul. You don't share it with me, and I would not ask you to. I respect your decision." He gave her a world-weary but happy smile. "I want you to know that whatever it is, I forgive you, and I love you very much." He smiled at her shocked expression.
"Grandpa," she whispered, her throat clogged with tears. She wanted to tell him the truth, more than she ever had in all her years of defending Tokyo as Sailor Mars. Her sixth sense was urging her that this was the moment, and it was now or never. She led him to his own bed, helping him sit before sitting down beside him. He seemed to be moving with increased lethargy, and it just made the urgency of the feeling increase.
She took even breaths, holding both his hands in hers as she summoned the courage to expose her biggest secret. His skin was chapped beneath her fingers, and in the darkness the shadows of old age were twice as prominent on his face. "I know I am not the easiest granddaughter," he let out a quiet snort, not unlike her own, "But you have always taken care of me, and I am eternally grateful for everything you have given me. I will never forget your lessons, even if I live to be a hundred." Steeling herself, she continued "I am Sailor Mars," and without pause "and I love you, too." She had already been abandoned by her father and left without a mother, and if he did not accept her, all of her, she knew she would never recover from the blow.
He nodded, refusing to show his shock to her when she was so vulnerable. Even with his poor vision he could feel the anguish over potential rejection and see the line of salty misery stuck to her eyelashes. She must have hidden this from him for years, and it took him a second to come to grips with the fact that his little miko was all grown up. He patted her hands, "I'm proud of you," he said after a breath's hesitation. Rei's tears spilled over, and she hugged him to her with more force than he could bear. He did not complain, but hugged her back with as much strength as he could muster. After releasing her he continued, "I always knew you were special, since that first day you came to this shrine. I just didn't know how special. One day you will show the world your true strength," he gave her a wise smile, "if you haven't already."
Risa and her mother had followed them into his room, and they both stood smiling at the scene from the doorway. He chose not tell Rei of their presence, in case she forced him into a hospital where he would only live out his last few days in sterilized agony. The Hikawa Jinja was his home, and he was determined to be here in his own bed. Feeling something warm on his upper lip he wiped the blood away, sniffing to try and dry up his nosebleed. Rei was busy recounting her many adventures to him and didn't notice, and he was glad. He didn't want her to. This night would be one she remembered until she was well past his ripe old age, and he refused to taint it by letting her discover his prolonged illness. He listened to her tales until the sun was up, fighting off his exacerbated fatigue to see the joy that had entered Rei's eyes.
oOoOoOo
It was growing dimmer by the second, and she knew that soon her sight would be swallowed up by sheer darkness. She could still make out the scene in front of her, and she watched it progress in confused fascination.
She saw herself fall through the air, spinning in slow circles. Her hair spun with her, twisting in a double helix that surrounding her body. Her clothes were wrong, but she couldn't figure out just how they were wrong. It frustrated her since she could feel it in her bones that it was paramount they should be right. Something cold was holding her back from approaching the scene for closer inspection as it grew darker. Her last vision was of the rainbow of her friends decorating the space around her.
Darkness licked up the last of the light, and she was left alone in the nothingness. Scared, she stepped forward, and found that whatever had been restraining her before had released its grip. She moved through the world, calling out for someone, anyone. Only silence responded, and for a horrifying second she thought she would be lost within this place forever. She curled up, trying to preserve her body heat as the surroundings leeched it from her.
The world reappeared then, screened by a window of undulating black mesh. When she saw the scene return, she wished it hadn't. Tuxedo Kamen was lying on the ground in front of her, red agony pooling around him. Her heart stopped beating as she stared at his prone form. It returned to its rhythm when she saw the rest of her surroundings. She screamed as Sailor Venus attacked her, constricting her within the circle of her chain. The other senshi were gathered around her, in their battle stances, their faces set with grim determination. Sailor Mars was aiming a flaming arrow straight at her. She was asking Mercury something before she turned back to face Usagi, and released her arrow. She watched it in slow motion, the fire licking up the oxygen-saturated air and swelling to balloon around the arrow, its tip glowing white hot.
Desperate to escape, she tried to break Venus' grip on the love-me chain, but she knew by the clenching of Venus' knuckles she would never get free in time. The links of the chain bit into her flesh, the arrow was so close now its heat was burning her skin.
Gasping she sat bolt upright in bed, breathing heavy. She searched around her room for the danger, blinking away the sleep as she realized that she'd been dreaming. It took her a minute to convince herself that the senshi would not leap out and attack her at any moment. She curled back up in her bed, holding a stuffed bunny to her chest. It had just been a nightmare, a horrible nightmare.
The missing warmth of Luna at her feet was the last thing on her mind as she tried to forget the haunting images of her guardians attacking her and fall back asleep. And like most dreams, when she awoke hours later to the morning's light peeking through her curtains, all memory of the dream was gone. However, Usagi couldn't shake the feeling of disquiet that followed her through the day.
AN: A huge thank you to Neonlights for beta-reading this chapter. Nobuo is a reference to Nobuo Uematsu, an amazing composer(although he did not attend a conservatory, but a university). This story is a rewritten version of a fanfic I finished for nanowrimo, I will be removing the older story in a week.
