Things That Change: Bonus
Things That Change: Bonus Information
Omake:
A
scene from the final chapter of Things That Change: Located at the train
station after the Kumada family has left...
Rei: I haven't been home for
awhile! I think we should have an orgy...
to uh... celebrate my return!
Ami: I can't, after all these years,
I'm still a prude. But I think your
attempt to obtain more perverted, male readers was a seriously underhanded and
simple scheme. Really, Rei Chan, I
didn't expect it from you to deal such a low blow to our once polished
reputation--
Minako:
And that's why I don't like you Ami Chan, not because of that stupid
grudge reason that everyone thinks is the reason... I mean,
what were they doing “thinking”? Do I look like a character that’s supposed to
make sense? Sheesh! So what if you abandoned us and betrayed us
and left us all behind? It’s not so bad, you came crawling back, anyway. I just can't understand how after all this
time you can still be such a killjoy!
How the hell can you still be a prude after going to the West? Do you know what they do in the West? They have sex tapes and sex television, and
sex everything! Don't you know the
saying that sex is in the air over there?
Rei: That's "Love is in the air",
Mina Chan. And I think you’re
over-simplifying again.
Minako: <weepy eyed to Rei> Whose side are you on anyway?
Rei: ... <shrugs>
Makoto: We do have Hentai featuring us
here (and in the West)! I hear Sailor
Venus and Sailor V are both.. <clears
her throat suspiciously here> ...very "popular".
Minako: <whispers to Makoto
conspiratorially> Yeah, and Ami Chan does some weird, kinky stuff in
many of those too... who'd have thought!
Rei: <also whispering>
Yeah, and you and Usagi too! Mina Chan,
I didn't know you went that way!
Minako: <GASP> You're my one and only, Rei Chan! You must believe me! <WAILS>
Rei: Cut the dramatics, sheesh! I'm beautiful, there's
plenty of me for everyone...
Minako: "Yes! Oh, yes!" ...Hey, didn't I use this line
before?
Ami: It wasn't kinky the last time you
used it, Mina Chan. <sweatdrop>
Minako: Gosh, I don't see how that could
have worked out... I mean, just look at it!
Makoto: Yeah, it seems like one of those
Hentai films you were in.
Minako: <whispers to Rei> Didn't know Mako Chan watches those stuff, but that explains
a lot of her attacks.
Makoto: <LOOMING> Look who's
talking WhipGirl2000!
Minako: I'll have you know I like that
screen name. It is a part of my
powers you know?
Makoto: <points an accusing and
triumphant finger at Minako> Exactly!
Minako: ... <not getting it so
blankly stares at Makoto's finger... starts getting ideas...>
Rei: <tired of being ignored>
This isn't going anywhere, now... about that orgy...
Outers: <backing away> Don't look at us... we're all taken... except Setsuna.
Michiru: <to Haruka> Not very
surprising really. Looking at her track
record, her agendas been clear for centuries... <shudders at the thought>
Haruka: <to Michiru> Yeah, talk about a dry spell <the only one to laugh at
her own joke... then to Hotaru> Don't follow her bad example, okay our
little Chibi Chan?
Hotaru: <trustingly staring up at
her Haruka Papa> Alright, Haruka Papa!
Setsuna: <Glaring at Haruka, Michiru,
and Hotaru> Traitors!
Haruka: <to Michiru> Never have I been so glad that
I'm taken in all of my life! Those
"Inner" kiddies got no experience.
I mean, don't let the name fool you <is again, the only one to
laugh at her own joke> but I wouldn't want--
Minako: <to the surprised but fuming
Inners> Let's sick 'em girls!
Michiru: <to Haruka> You are so sleeping on the couch after this one!
Hotaru: ...<starts running cause she's prudent... anyway, she's not getting paid for
this one>
Haruka: <wicked grin> Well,
it's not like I'll be sleeping alone after this!
Michiru: <sweatdrop> Idiot...
Luna
and Artemis (two ghostly cats trying to lift a sign with their ghostly paws,
but they kept going through everything, sometimes even the concrete they’re
sitting on): <Sign
Reads> Give us some love! (2X)
Luna: <to Artemis> This really sucks, where's my role in this? My contract clearly states a role in
"Things That Change"!
Artemis: <a little relieved>
At least they mentioned me <happy> and I didn't get abused, not
even once!
Luna: I demanded an explanation!
Artemis: <attention wonders already>
Oh, oh, that's nice... <staring at the "Senshi Orgy">
Oh... <gets suddenly very depressed> they never allow me any hands
on fun!
Luna: H-E-N-T-A-I! <smacks Artemis>
Artemis: <purrs> Oh yeah,
right there, babe!
Luna: ... <sweatdrop>
[--End--]
(Now or never… <sweatdrop>)
The
Family Trees of Original Characters:
Hidekai
family:
============
Hidekai
Kiyoshi - Nami's
finance (Blood Type A)
Hidekai
Miki - Kiyoshi's
younger brother (Blood Type O)
Hidekai
Kyoko - Kiyoshi's
cousin (Blood Type A)
Kumada
family:
============
Kumada
Yuuichiro
Kumada/Haruko
Iku - Kumada
Yuuichiro's wife (Blood Type
AB)
Kumada
Nami - Yuuichiro's
oldest daughter (Blood Type A)
Kumada
Akina - Yuuichiro's
youngest daughter (middle child) (Blood Type B)
Kumada
Hiroshi - Yuuichiro's
youngest son and child (Blood Type A)
Lesta
family:
==========
Lesta
Gin - Akina's best
friend; a computer whiz who wants to design computer games in the future with
the big boys (Russian/Japanese descendant) (Blood Type O)
Matsuko
family:
=============
Matsuko
Masakazu - Hino
Rei's Grandfather and the resident ghost at the Hikawa Jinja (Not a original
character)
Matsuko
Sakura - Hino Rei's
Grandmother, died when her daughter was still in high school
Hino/Matsuko
Yumiko - Hino Rei's
mother and daughter of Matsuko Masakazu and Sakura. She was possessed by a spirit since she was a
babe and all the way up to when she gave birth to her daughter. (It is believed that this was the spirit of
the unborn Mars) It gave Yumiko split
personalities because Yumiko was a very gentle and kind person, and her spirit
was too weak to handle the fire of Mars' gift and curse. After Rei's birth, Yumiko no longer had a
problem of being possessed, but because of this, Hino Rei's father feared Rei
and loved her and hated her above all others. (Not an original character per
se, she was mentioned very briefly in the manga.)
Wataka
family:
============
Wataka
Matsuyo - Akina’s
boyfriend (Blood Type O)
Yudayo
family:
============
Yudayo
Hikaru - Hiroshi’s
girlfriend (Blood Type B)
Status
of the Senshi:
* Kino
Makoto (Sailor Jupiter) was injured severely enough during the event of the
year 2000 to have lost the use of her legs.
Mizuno Ami was referring to this event as Makoto's punishment. Kino Makoto is the owner of the famous and
extremely successful restaurant-chain, "Jupiter". (Well, she's Sailor Jupiter and I wasn't
feeling particularly creative the day I wrote about her restaurant.) Lately, Makoto's been thinking of opening a
flower/tea shop as well since she has the money now to accomplish her girlhood
dreams. She's been trying to be as
positive as she could for the rest of her friends, especially since Minako and
Ami have both been punishing themselves.
However, being busy with her restaurants and planning the opening of her
new shop, she has not had time to really be there for anyone, especially in her
condition. Hino Rei's tour gave her the
perfect excuse to see everyone again after all this time. [Makoto was the first of the Inner Senshi to lose her powers.]
* Aino
Minako (Sailor Venus) eventually gave up her dream to be an idol and took
up residency with Hino Rei at the Hikawa Jinja after her father's death. She did not speak to her mother even when the
woman was on her deathbed. This was what
she meant about regret when she was speaking to Akina, as well as the regret
and guilt she feels over Artemis' death as well. Ami and her sustained a few serious but no
life threatening injuries during the event of 2000, their guilt for that time
has left them perhaps the most immobile of all the Senshi. Because of her role as the leader, Minako is
still having a hard time dealing with her failures of that time. She's given up her dreams as a punishment to
herself. The events up to this point in
the story have dampened the usually bubbly blonde, and at the start of this
story she was feeling a bit depressed and lonely -- hence the sudden
chatter-box effect upon seeing the Kumada family. Minako depends greatly on Rei and they've
only became closer because of everything they had seen and been through
together. Especially after Artemis'
death, Rei is the one person most important to Minako. Minako is a lot more animated around Rei and
when the other leaves on tour, Minako finds it easy to fall into a depression but
she tries very hard to move on and change as well. Of all of the Senshi, she's the one who's
most angered and hurt by Ami's decision to leave the country after the event in
2000 (especially since after the fiasco of 2000, she was beginning to feel especially
close to Ami). At the end of this story,
Minako is still feeling slightly betrayed by Ami but she wants to put on a
cheerful face for Rei and everyone.
Eventually the two would most likely have to talk over this, but at this
time, the issue remains unresolved. [Minako
is the last to lose her powers as a Senshi.]
* Hino
Rei (Sailor Mars) lost her ability to predict the future and is considered
"blind". She became a singer
in an attempt to change the situation that never seems to change since the event
41 years ago. Mizuno Ami was referring
to this loss of sight to be Rei's punishment.
Hino Rei also became a singer in hopes of forcing Minako to move on, but
at this point, the blond has been an introvert about the entire situation. However, things are changing slowly after the
visit of the Kumada family. The song
Hino Rei sang at the concert that made everyone sing is the only song she has
not recorded, because it is used for the sole purpose of awakening Serenity --
Tsukino Usagi. The song is about hope,
but there is also sadness because it details the despair that fell on everyone
after Usagi's disappearance. The break
between Hino Rei and Kumada Yuuichiro is not well known, but for her defense,
before the event of 2000 Hino Rei had sent Yuuichiro away to avoid the great
battle. She did love him greatly, but
pushed him into Iku's arms because her knowledge of all the things to
come. In a way, because Hino Rei never trusted
men to begin with, she did not want to test Yuuichiro's loyalties and see if he
would stay with a woman who could not age while he did -- so she chose not to
seek him out in the years after the event in 2000. However, at his death bed, she went to see
him one last time. (On his birthday, she always drops by to check on him --
with or without his knowledge.) As Iku
had said, after all the years of separation, he still loved her and for that,
before Yuuichiro's death, Hino Rei told him the truth of her feelings even
though she did not tell her reason of why she did not age and why she pushed
him away. Yuuichiro did not ask but he
died happy knowing that the person he had cared for most in the world returned
his feelings even after 41 years of separation.
[Rei lost her powers soon after
Makoto had lost hers.]
* Mizuno
Ami (Sailor Mercury) still became a doctor but chose to study abroad in Germany after
the event in 2000. Her decision
estranged her from the others but it seems that she's been forgiven of that
slight now that she has returned. Mizuno
Ami and Tomoe Hotaru have joined forces to try to figure out how to cure Kino
Makoto of her inability to walk on her own through medical research. Mizuno Ami, in the story has just returned to
Tokyo after 41
years of absence, she still has trouble dealing with her failures in that
event. Hence, unlike Minako who is
constantly punishing herself, she ran away in hopes of forgetting the pain and
moving on. Of everyone, she was the
first to leave Tokyo, Japan in hopes of change. However, of everyone, Ami is the one who
dreams of the fiasco of 2000 the most and though she was the first to leave, of
everyone, she is the most haunted. Ami
is the only one who consistently visits Luna's ghost, but no one knows this
(Minako and Rei did once together, and Minako visited Luna once by herself, but
Minako visits Artemis more but stopped abruptly around 2019 when she stopped
pursuing her idol dream...) To say Ami moved on would be to say Minako moved
on, both of them still have deep issues to resolve within themselves and
between each other. (This story does not
touch upon that though, maybe a side story for later...?) [Ami is
third person to lose her Senshi powers amongst the Inners.]
* Kaiou
Michiru (Sailor Neptune) and Ten'ou
Haruka (Sailor Uranus) are still in the entertainment business. They leave, change their looks every few
years and their names as well to remain where they'd always been. Ten’ou Haruka no longer races, but likes to
give a good spin on the tracks with her cars.
They had retired from the entertainment world for over a decade before
returning a year before Rei's break into the music world. The three of them have decided to join forces
on tour this time around for Rei's newly released singles. At the concert in Tokyo they had hoped that they would be able
to reach Serenity, surprisingly they had accomplished the feat for the first
time since 2000. Tsukino Usagi has not
yet been found, but wherever she was she is beginning to waken to the call of
her friends and protectors. (If you want
to argue this point on the “entertainment business” or on how Michiru and
Haruka would find it difficult to not age in the public eye. Let me point out that there are a lot of pop
artists that look alike and sound alike at this moment. I think with their looks changed they could
still play whatever they pleased and people would just write it off as having
similar music styles and such. Anyway,
who'd think that the two are the same as the musicians 41 years before? Immortality doesn’t exist, right? 6_~) [The two had not changed into Senshi since
the event of 2000 so whether or not they still have their powers is unknown and
if they don’t, the date they had lost it is also unknown.]
* Meiou
Setsuna (Sailor Pluto) is a fashion designer and is on vacation when she
decided to visit Aino Minako. Meiou
Setsuna is also funding a group of scientists to do research on astronomy at a
lab she once worked at around the time of the event in the year 2000. Because she had lost her sense of Time after
the event in 2000, she herself has changed.
Setsuna, prior to 2000 did not have an actual chance to live
normally... She is also the first of all
the Sailor Senshi that has lost the ability to transform but has not been able
to age like everyone else. (Setsuna
actually lost her powers before the last battle of 2000) The binds on her powers, as opposed to
everyone else's, are perhaps the strongest.
Due to the incident in 2000, Meiou Setsuna's physical sight have been
made sensitive to any type of harsh lighting -- in a way her eyes cannot handle
light very well at all and Meiou Setsuna is very close to being blind as time
went on. (At this moment, because of the
strain on her eye sight, Meiou Setsuna was forced to take a break from the
fashion industry. For a couple of years
now she has designed in the background since her eye-sight forced her to avoid
walking the runway at the end of her shows.
This has earned herself quite the mysterious stigma in the fashion
world.) Because of the ironies in life
and the fact that she was not able to even fight in the crucial last battle,
Setsuna was perhaps the most changed of all the Senshi. Setsuna has a side story coming up to explain
better why she has changed so much and why she is now, always smiling. Check out this upcoming fic that's being
"tentatively" called: A Side Story to Things That
Change: A Smile Till Happiness.
* Tomoe
Hotaru (Sailor Saturn) has followed Mizuno Ami into the field of medicine
and is currently the head of Kyoto's
best hospital. She came to visit Tokyo on hearing that Rei was doing her tour, starting at Tokyo. She's helping Mizuno Ami to try to figure out
a way to not only help Kino Makoto to walk again, but also many others as
well. At this moment, Tomoe Hotaru's
original healing powers have disappeared.
She can, however, still transform into Sailor Senshi Saturn (as the only
Senshi that can transform) which puzzles her friends greatly. At this moment, she has not gained eternal
youth like the others, and is the only "civilian" in the group. This is her first resurrection since Tsukino
Usagi's disappearance, and she has changed her birth name over to Tomoe Hotaru
of her own free will once she had began to remember -- having to seek out the
others as well after her “death” in the last battle. (For awhile Hotaru was MIA along with Usagi
and Mamoru before her return to the living.)
Even though the rest of the Senshi have assured her they did not mind
her name being different Tomoe Hotaru did it anyway, stating that it was the
best lifetime she had had of all the ones she’s lived. Apparently, Tsukino Usagi's powers were not
able to affect her physically as it did the others though. Hotaru is also the only one married of the
group, and the only one who had regularly dated before that. Because of the immortality stigma that is
probably hindering a lot of interactions going on between normal people and the
Senshi, Hotaru is the only one having healthy human interactions on a daily
basis (not counting the work place) of all of them. (I'm expecting a really short side-story from
Hotaru too, but it may just end up as part of something else entire... I'm
feeling unusually inspired... it's all that manga reading! I swear!)
* Tsukino
Usagi's (Sailor Moon; Princess Serenity) status is still unknown
(and has not been known since 2000).
She's in Tokyo,
but the Senshi is only aware of her spiritual presence. Where exactly the princess is located at this
moment? Everyone can only guess. Most of the Senshi doubt Usagi is in a
"living" state even. However,
because of Akina and Nami's combined observations, the Senshi believes that she
has been dormant somewhere all this time and has been reliving memories. Because of the events 41 years ago and the
power exuded then, most likely, Tsukino Usagi has subjected the whole of Tokyo to those memories,
forcing the city to remain the same and making any changes difficult.
* Chiba Mamoru's
(Tuxedo Kamen Sama; Prince Endymion) current status is MIA after the event
in 2000. Because his body was not
retrieved from the little wreckage there were 41 years ago (not that there were
much to begin with), no one is certain about his current status and since
nobody's seen his ghost, the Senshi don't know where to start looking for him. One of the reasons the Senshi thinks Tsukino
Usagi has yet to reveal herself and is constantly crying -- as Hino Rei can
hear (after losing her "sight") -- is because of his supposed death
and disappearance. Because neither his
nor Usagi's ghosts have been seen in the streets of Tokyo, the Senshi are hoping they both
survived the event somehow.
* Luna
and Artemis are the two guardian cats that definitely did not survive
the event in 2000. At least Luna had
not. Artemis did, but died of internal
injuries very soon after. Their ghosts
are still present in Tokyo. For more information, check out the side
story that deals with this that is currently being “tentatively”
called: A Side Story to Things That Change: From the Riverbanks of the Milky
Way.
Thank you for reading!
--blue
