Chapter 8
Of Complications


As he sat around his apartment the day after his best friend's
engagement party, Mamoru was glad that he had some time alone.
Usagi had mentioned something about getting together with her
friends; honestly, he hadn't listened closely, but he had 
encouraged her to go. Even though she had said she'd come by 
afterwards, it meant that Mamoru had some time to himself this 
morning, which was a good thing.  He was sorting through a lot 
at the moment, and he wasn't sure how much of it he wanted to 
share just yet.

Last night he had had another dream.  This one was different from 
all the others, because all it consisted of weird phrases.  At 
least, that was all he could remember.  These phrases and 
statements, however, were confusing enough without accompanying
pictures.

As he closed his eyes, he could hear the phrases all again,
almost all of which were uttered in his voice.

"I am so glad I have you in my life, Dani," 

"Dani, love, what would I do without you?"

"Say it with me, 'Princess Daniella of Earth'"
"I cannot!  It is too scary." replied a female voice.
"Well, then, say 'wife of Endy.'" 
The female voice laughed, "That I can do."

"Daniella, I have known you for years.  You have been my right
hand for more of them that I can count.  You have supported
me, kept me in line, loved me.  My family adores you, and 
so do my people.  But, in the end, I just cannot imagine
ruling, I cannot imagine living without you.  I want to be
with you until the day the ocean does not touch the sand.  
Dani, will you marry me?"

Mamoru shook his head as he opened his eyes.  Even with all of 
the questions the above utterances raised, the phrase that had 
shocked him awake that morning disturbed him the most.  That one
replayed itself over in over in his head, even when his eyes were
open.

"Daniella...I may have to marry the princess of the moon, but
she shall never have my heart.  You are my 'now and forever'.  I
shall not forget you."

Mamoru ran his hand through his hair for the hundredth time that
day.  None of this made any sense.  

For years his lack of memory had bothered him.  He couldn't 
remember his parents.  He couldn't really remember his life
in the Silver Millenium, and lately, much of what he did
remember or had been told in the past seemed wrong or twisted.  
These dreams had felt more like memories.  More right than 
any dreams that he'd had in years.  But they didn't fit with
anything he had been told.

The Silver Millennium was supposedly a time of peace.  His 
engagement to Princess Serenity was supposed to be a love
match, even it was not allowed or supposed by most who lived
on Earth.  The only evil to mar the picture was supposed to
have been Beryl.  But the dreams, the memories, that he had had
lately were making everything very gray.

In his dreamworld, the Silver Millennium was not a time of
peace, but a time of oppression.  He had a family, important
people in his life that had never appeared in the other
story.  And, most unsettling of all, he had been in love with and
about to marry someone else.  That was the biggest shock of
all.

For almost as long as they had been together, he and Usagi
were both aware that their love was "destiny", that they had
loved each other in another lifetime many years ago and an 
evil force had separated them.  It was a beautiful story of 
two souls trying to find each other...and a hell of a lot of 
pressure on a relationship.  He had wondered sometimes if 
Endymion wasn't "destined" to be with Serenity, would he have 
loved Usagi?  

Lately, he had had a lot of time to think about that question.
The answer to the question didn't surprise him, but the 
feelings behind it did.  He knew that he'd love Usagi anyway.  
He wasn't Endymion anymore, which was becoming more and more 
obvious through these dreams.  Endymion, while he was smart, 
was much more light-hearted, more of a joker.  Mamoru smiled 
as he realized that as Endymion he was more like his friend 
Motoki than he was like himself.  As Mamoru, he was much more 
serious, sadder.  As Endymion, he had probably needed this 
Daniella to guide him to his responsibilies and give him the 
confidence that he often didn't have in his role.  As Mamoru, 
he needed Usagi to lift his spirits, hold his hand, and take 
him anyway from the seriousness of his role that he had wrapped
around himself.

In the end, it was a big relief that his love for his Usako 
was HIS love, and not some by-product of some past life over 
which he had no control.

This realization aside, he still had many unanswered questions.  
What was the true relationship between the Earth and the Moon?  
What was Queen Serenity really like?  What happened to his family, 
the royal family of Earth?  What happened to his fiancee?  And why 
was he told and led to believe things that weren't true and didn't 
happen?

Mamoru sighed.  He needed to talk to Pluto, now.  Later was 
no longer an option.  He wanted answers.  And the first question
Mamoru wanted answered was why those two young men he met last 
night, Terry and Yusuke, looked so much like him AND felt so 
familiar.  Maybe they were family of so sort; maybe Ms. Hammond
could help him sort that out.  He had arranged to meet her here 
tomorrow.  Until then, there was nothing he could do but wait.

The knock at the door startled him out of his thoughts.  He 
rose to answer it, to find the love of this life on the other 
side, looking worried.  "Usako, are you okay?" he asked as he 
let her in.

Usagi gave herself a little shake and forced a smile, "I'm 
fine.  Just worried about keeping you safe."  As she stepped 
further into the room she noticed that Mamoru looked 
"Mamo-chan?  What is it?"

"Usako, what do you remember about the Silver Millennium?"
the young man found himself asking, counter to his intentions
to not share his concerns just yet.
 
The question clearly startled the blonde.  'Is he thinking 
about Serenity again and how I'm not like her?' Usagi wondered 
to herself.  As she sank into the couch and worried internally 
about where this conversation was going, she said, "I don't 
remember much.  None of us really does, except Pluto.  I also 
remember what my mother told me about how the Silver Millennium 
was a time of peace and the Moon kingdom a place of great beauty.  
But..." she trailed off.

"Do you remember what relations were like between the Earth and 
the Moon?"

"No...not really.  What little I remember...all I remember is 
peace."  Usagi turned to look at her love, "Why are you asking 
all of these questions, Mamo-chan?"

Mamoru took a deep breath as he sat down, "Lately, I've been 
having these dreams-"

At this Usagi jumped up, "No!  No!  I won't let you leave me 
for my 'own good' behind dreams again.  They really may be just 
dreams.  I-"

"Whoa, Usako," Mamoru jumped in while holding up his hands, 
"I'm definitely not about to leave you.  I haven't been warned 
off in these dreams.  They aren't those kind of dreams.  But 
they are bothering me."

"Oh," Usagi said as she sank down.  "Okay.  Tell me, I'll listen."

Mamoru sighed and ran his hand through his hair.  "These 
dreams seem more like memories, memories of my life on 
Earth during the Silver Millennium.  They are full of people 
I don't know, that no one has ever mentioned.  They seem to 
have been my family.  But, so much about these dreams seems 
to contradict to everything we've ever heard about the 
Silver Millenmium."  He paused, "I'm just confused.  I want 
to know what happened."

Hoping to comfort, Usagi reached out to touch Mamoru's 
arm.  He pulled her into a hug, and they sat in the hug 
as time slipped by.  In that silence they both struggled with 
their own fears about the past and the future, and how to 
express them in the present.

*****

In another part of town, as was becoming a habit for them, 
Terry and Yusuke were wandering the city.

For most of the walk they weren't snipping at each other.
This was probably due to the fact that both of them were
still thinking about what May had done the night before,
wrestling with the questions she had posed on the walk home.
May herself wasn't with them.  Having awakened the next morning
looking rather troubled, she insisted on time to herself,
encouraging the boys to go out by themselves.  For whatever
reason, they had obeyed the almost order-like request.

"Why are we here?" Yusuke groused out loud after they had 
wandered around Tokyo for awhile.

"Because May insisted that she needed some time alone.  It 
was almost like she sent us 'out to play,'" Terry finally 
answered.  

Yusuke snorted, "Like that's the real reason.  I'm not
known for respecting authority.  Didn't seem like you were
known for being particularly law abiding either."

Terry remained silent for a few moments, at least inwardly
acknowledging that they weren't out because May asked.  "We're
trying to figure out if we still trust her, aren't we?"

"We?" Yusuke asked, seeming to dispute the plural.  What was
rather telling is that he didn't ask who the "her" was.

"Yes, we, twip," Terry responded and he turned to look at 
Yusuke.  "You were the one who called her a devious bitch,
after all."

Yusuke grumbled under his breath but didn't share anything
else.

"Look, she did do something rather underhanded last night. 
And, sure, it calls into question what she told us when she
recruited us for this little adventure," Terry began.  "But,
the more I think about what happened, the more I think about what she
said on the way back last night, did she have a choice?  Did
she have any other way to get to Mamoru to tell him the truth?"

"The truth?" Yusuke asked

Terry shrugged, "Obviously we both believe her on some level
or we would have demanded to be sent home by now."

"Alright, fine.  She's devious, but she's right.  But you have 
to wonder, what is she up to right now that we can't see?"

Some of Terry's uneasiness was reflected in his eyes as he
formed his reply, "I actually agree with you on this one, 
Yusuke.  It is almost like she wants us distracted for some
reason.  But, if that is her goal, sending us out with no 
purpose makes no sense  -  What is it, Yusuke?" Terry asked, 
noticing that Yusuke suddenly froze as he began to look around.

"Something doesn't feel right," was all the teen said before 
he shifted, as if preparing to do battle.

That put Terry on alert as well...and that was why he managed 
to hear the whisper.  He couldn't make out the words, but he 
was pretty sure they weren't good.

"Get down!" Terry shouted as he tackled Yusuke.  

As they both hit the growth, some ball of energy whizzed 
over them and into the alley.  It came into contact with 
something and an explosion was heard.

"What in the hell was THAT?!" Yusuke asked from the ground.

"And who the hell is that?" Terry asked as he looked behind 
him and noticed a woman standing on a building in the distance
in an outfit similar to that one that May wore to prove her 
story to him.  It clearly wasn't May; the long hair blowing in
the slight wind seemed to prove that.  But he had the impression
that those outfits weren't a fashion fad that he'd not noticed.

Yusuke followed his gaze.  "Yeah, who's the freak on the 
building?"

The people who had been around them before the "attack" were
also looking at the roof.  Some of the younger kids were jumping
up and down, like they were seeing some kind of celebrity.  
Some of the adults seemed in awe.  Others seems wary.  All seemed
to be babbling about "salior senshi".

"Was that May?" Yusuke asked from the ground.

"No," Terry said as he rolled off of the younger boy into a seated
position.  "That woman had long hair, and, from what I could see
of her staff, it looked different.  Besides, I get the impression
May needs us alive.  Based on her story, the only person who 
would rather us dead would be-"

"The other timewalker," Yusuke finished as he sat up himself.
"Shit.  What the hell is this?"

"I don't know.  But I think at this point, we find May, corner
her, and start asking questions."

*****

As Pluto left the roof, she groaned in frustration.  The 
preemptive strike had missed.  It would have been so much 
easier if she had managed to injure the reincarnated Tremaine 
and Arlington.  She still wasn't sure how they dodged her 
attack.  It was almost if they knew she was there.

'Well, if I can't remove the threat of family, I'll 
neutralize the threat of love,' Pluto thought as she 
headed to her next destination.  If she could get 
Daniella safely out of the picture and off-limits, 
Crystal Tokyo and all that meant would be the future
most probable.  The sooner she made sure Daniella was 
married off, the better.


*****

As Reika walked into the arcade, she was nervous.  
Motoki had called, sounding excited about something.  
Reika knew it was something that had to do with the 
wedding.  She really didn't want to talk about the 
wedding, however.  The dreams had kept coming, even 
after the successful engagement party.  In these dreams 
she was marrying someone else, at least preparing to.
The dreams were even more unnerving as they seemed to
be set in the past somehow.  The latest dreams really 
disturbed the engaged woman because Reika finally saw her 
Endy...and recognized him.

Like all her other dreams, that one was set at a palace.  
She was in a garden surrounded by beautiful flowers.  She 
seemed to be lost in thought when a pair of arms surrounded 
her and a bunch of golden orchids appeared in front of her.

"Good afternoon, Your Grace," said a male voice lovingly.

Reika felt herself smile and lean back into the arms.  
She "knew" this person, at least she did in her dreams, 
so she didn't turn around.  She felt herself smile, "Good 
afternoon, love."  She took the orchids.  "Thank you."  
Then she laughed, "You do always seem to come prepared with
flowers.  Something you learned from his majesty, I am told.
I assume this has kept you out of trouble, hmm?"

The male laughed, "It has gotten me out of a lot of hot 
water with Mummy.  White lilies or tea roses just work 
wonders."  Reika felt him smile briefly and then become 
more serious.  "Do you think we could leave the discussion?"

"Your highness," Reika heard herself reply in a slightly 
reprimanding, but supportive voice, "you really should be 
in attendance.  It is a discussion of a domestic concern 
with possible planet-wide consequences.  It is also a very 
tricky situation.  In your role as heir apparent, protector of 
the land, you should be present.  It is also training 
for when you have to lead them yourself.  Besides, I am 
sure your father would appreciate the help.  Protocal 
demands that-"

She felt the man kiss her head, "I know.  Those are the 
political reasons at least.  But, could we just not be 
there?  Go out and enjoy the sunwane?  Our picture of the 
happy couple-to-be is important."

Reika felt herself smile and struggle to still sound 
serious, "Yes, our happiness is important.  But so are our 
people.  They come first, do they not?  I was raised to
believe that they do, and - with a mother like her majesty -
I know you were reared similarly.  

"I shall always be here to walk with you through the garden
and watch the sunset," her dream self continued after a
pause, "but there will not always be situations where you 
have the chance to help on such a big scale."  She sighed.  
"I know you are nervous, but you can do it.  You have talked 
with me about this issue numerous times.  I believe in your 
ability; I always have and I always shall."

The arms around her tightened briefly but gently, "I am so 
glad I have you in my life, Dani."

"I love you too, Endy," Reika heard herself say as she turned
around to look at the man who held her.  In that moment, she
lost herself in his blue eyes as she drifted forward for a 
kiss and then....

She had shot out of bed, horrified.  For weeks she had 
dreamed of marrying this "Endy," but she had never 
really been able to identify who this person was among 
the people in her dreams.  Part of her still hoped that 
it would turn out to be Motoki or some random stranger.  
Instead, this dream love of her life was the worse person 
possible, her fiance's best friend, Mamoru Chiba.  
What kind of person was she that she was dreaming of 
marrying her fiance's best friend?  And, with dreams 
like this, would it be fair to marry Motoki?

She still hadn't answered those questions in her mind.
And now Motoki wanted to see her.  'Why now?  I can't 
handle this today,' Reika thought to herself as she 
walked through the arcade doors.  She saw him almost 
immediately, behind the counter finishing up with a 
customer.  After he was finished he looked up, saw her 
and motioned her over.  After giving her a quick kiss, 
Motoki launched into his brainstorm.

"Reika, I've been noticing that planning the wedding 
has been a little draining on you," Motoki began.

Reika froze.  'Please don't ask me why, please don't 
ask me why,' she pleaded in her head over and over again.

It seemed that someone was listening because Motoki 
was focused on something else, "And I know we had decided 
that we wanted this wedding to be romantic, but we hadn't 
decided how to make that happen yet."

Reika nodded at this.  Back when she first accepted 
Motoki's proposal she had pushed for a big romantic 
wedding, in hopes that such a wedding would destroy 
the few doubts she had about what she was doing.  Up to 
this point all that had done was increase her doubts.

Motoki was still speaking, however.  Reika just 
tuned back in in time to hear Motoki mention that 
tomorrow was the anniversary of the day they met, 
so she really wasn't prepared when he said, "So the best
way to solve all of our problems is to elope tomorrow."

Reika started at her fiance in shock, "WHAT?!"

Startled by her violent reaction, Motoki repeated 
his suggestion, "We could elope tomorrow."

"But, b-but-" Reika stuttered in confusion, "what 
about all of our plans?"

"We have the essentials.  We can cancel the few 
bookings that we've made."

"And our friends, what about them?  Or our families?  
Don't we want to share this with them?"  Reika asked.

"We can throw a huge reception afterwards and 
have them at that."

"But how can we throw a party that quickly?  And 
who would preform the ceremony?  And where would we 
have it? And-"

Motoki smiled, "I have that all taken care of; all 
you have to do is walk out the door with me."

"No!" Reika shrieked.  "I can't do this.  I can't."

That outburst erased Motoki's smile.  Looking surprised, 
wary, and a little hurt, "You can't elope...or you can't 
marry me?"

Reika just looked at him with eyes that communicated her 
guilt and sorrow.

Motoki's grip tightened on the counter, "Reika, are you 
saying that you can't marry me?"

"No!  Yes!  I don't know.  But I can't - not now, I -"  
At this Reika's voice broke.  "I'm sorry but I can't...
not today, I-"  Tears ran down her face as she looked up 
at Motoki and saw how much she was hurting him.  "I've 
gotta go," she said quietly.  And with her hand over her
mouth to cover the sobs, she slowly got up and walked out 
of the arcade.  So wrapped up in her own confusion and pain, 
she wasn't even sure if Motoki attempted to call her back.

*****

May left a nearby cafe after having tea, feeling a lot 
of things.  The most overwhelming feeling was the one of 
being trapped.  She was meeting with Mamoru tomorrow and 
she was wrestling with the way she had manipulated him to 
get an audience.  'I've turned into the people I am working 
against.  How could I just manipulate a person like that?!  
I mean, there had to be another way, didn't there?  And, even 
if this works, am I any better than the rouge time walker 
who started playing with time in the first place?'  

May sighed as she continued her inner dialogue, 'And, if it 
doesn't work, if I've ruined any chance of convincing Mamoru, 
of getting him to believe the truth, how am I going to tell 
Terry and Yusuke that their brother doesn't want to meet them,
really meet them because of something I did?  This is assuming,
of course, that Terry and Yusuke still trust me and aren't going
to demand to go home as soon as possible. Especially if they 
are willing to fight if I pause or refuse'  May laughed, but it
wasn't a happy sound.  'It's not like I'd win in a fight,  Terry 
would only fight if I was identified as a threat, but he'd fight
to win.  And Yusuke never had a problem fighting with females if 
he deemed it necessary.'

Being lost in thought, May wasn't paying any attention 
to where she was going.  For that reason, she didn't see 
the distraught woman coming toward her until they ran 
into each other.

"Oh, I'm sorry, miss-  May?" the slightly quavering female 
voice asked.

May looked up, "Reika!"  May also noticed that Reika's bottom 
lip was trembling and she her eyes were teary, "Is everything 
alright?"

Reika shook her head and the tears started to fall.  "I 
think I may have just broken my engagment."

May's eyes widened.  Looking at her recent acquaintance, May 
decided that her own issues could wait, "Come with me," May said 
gently, as she took Reika's arm and led her back to the 
cafe where May had been reflecting earlier.  Regardless of 
who Reika was, today Reika was an innocent bystander that May had
dragged into this mess and Reika was in pain.  At that moment, 
all May wanted to do was to help a friend.  She'd deal with the 
confusion that was her "assignment" after she dealt with Reika.

******

A short time later May looked across the table at 
the young woman on the other side who had be crying 
in earnest since they had bumped into each other on 
the street.  It had been hard, leading the obviously 
distraught woman to the cafe, but with a cup of tea 
in front of her and seated, Reika was a little easier 
to handle.  At first, May thought she should ask her 
what happened, but she decided that maybe she would 
wait and let Reika say what she wanted to when she 
wanted to.

After a few minutes of quiet sobbing, Reika looked 
up and asked May the question that had been running 
around in her head all morning, "What kind of person 
am I that I'm dreaming of marrying my fiance's best 
friend?"

That question was so different from what May expected 
that it shocked her.  She drew in a breath so quickly 
that she started coughing on the tea that was in her 
mouth.  After a few minutes of coughing, May asked, 
"Excuse me?"

It wasn't apparent that Reika heard her.  Knowing 
that at some level she had a non-judgmental audience 
that seemed familiar, Reika just tried to put her 
thoughts in coherent words, "I think I just broke an 
engagement over mere dreams!  Okay, that's not true,
I've had doubts for years, like part of me was in denial
and waiting for someone.  But these dreams of weddings 
and Mamoru and - could this just be stress?  Or I am 
really some kind of bad person?" Reika choked on a sob, 
"He just looked so hurt when he asked me if I meant I 
couldn't marry him.  And I can, and I can't, and...I 
don't know anything anymore.  I just-"  Not being able
to explain all of her confusion, Reika just escaped 
into tears, putting her head in her hands on the table 
and sobbing.

Feeling at a loss, May looked at her friend.  For some 
odd reason, seeing the young woman sobbing over a broken 
engagment seemed familiar.  Yet, May brushed that off 
to think of what to say to help, if anything could.  
After a few minutes, she had figured out what she was 
going to say, but she had no idea that it was her actions
that would cause the problem.

Instead of merely sympathizing and offering to listen, 
May put her hand on Reika's head.  She began to say something,
but Reika seemed more effected by the physical gester.

Lifetimes ago that gentle tough had brought a sobbing duchess 
some comfort.  In the present, however, it brought renewed 
fear to a confused heart.

Reika froze under May's hand, not hearing the other woman's 
words. Slowly, Reika lifted her head and stared at May.  The 
woman looked like a younger version of the queen that kept 
appearing in those troubling dreams.  Looking the foreigner 
straight in the eye, Reika asked, "Does the name Daniella mean 
anything to you?"

A lot of things flashed in May's eyes, but the lack of confusion
answered Reika's questions. "Am I Daniella?"

May looked at the woman across from her.  Not sure how to handle
the situation in front of her, honestly this time, May replied,
"I'm not sure how I should answer that."

"When you saw me, first saw me," Reika pressed. "What did you
think?  What did you say?"

As May blanched and looked at the table, Reika's voice rose
slightly as she repeated the question.  After a pause, May
conceded, "If you want the truth -" 

"I want the truth," Reika insisted.

"I said, 'Daniella?'" May answered as she looked back at her
companion.
  
"No," Reika whispered, still in denial, losing the last bit of
hope that everything was just some bad dream.  "No, you couldn't 
have called me that.  You wouldn't have known to call me that...
unless it is all true.  Somehow, it must all be true."  Reika 
drew away from May.  "Who are you?" she asked quietly, "And who 
am I?" she followed up in a whisper.

May blinked as she tried to process Reika's response and then 
her eyes widened in shock as she processed what Reika 
had just said.  'So Terry and I were right; she must have been 
Daniella.  And she remembers something at least.  So now what 
do I do?' May thought herself.  After taking a deep breath, May 
had decided upon her course of action and opened her mouth 
to speak...

To never get the chance as she heard her name shouted 
from behind.

Turning toward the door she saw Terry and Yusuke coming 
straight toward her, looking a little worse for wear.  
They were both dusty and Yusuke had obviously scraped 
his hands on something.  Yusuke looked angry; Terry's 
emotions were unreadable.  "What happened to you two?"  
May asked, a little worried about what those two might 
have gotten into when she sent them out so she could think.

"Some bitch freak fired an energy ball at us!" Yusuke 
ground out.

"A freak fired an 'energy ball' at you?"  May managed 
to get out while staring at the boys in front of her.  
"You have got to be kidding me," her disbelief evident.
She wasn't sure what to make of Yusuke's outburst, but 
at least it temporarily laid to rest her worries that
the boys didn't trust her.  Whatever happened, it didn't
seem like the boys thought that she might have had something 
to do with it.

"No," Terry said as he shook her head.  "With some kind 
of whispered command she sent a ball of energy right toward 
us.  It probably would have killed us if it had hit us.  
I couldn't see her clearly, but everyone around us kept 
muttering about sailor 'senshi'-"

"The senshi?" Reika interrupted, clearly puzzled.  "But 
they protect the city from monsters and evil.  Why would 
they attack you?  It doesn't make any sense."

"Look lady," Yusuke said as he leaned into Reika, "I did 
not just imagine being target practice today. She was 
trying to take us out!"

"Back off, Yusuke," May reprimanded.  "Reika's having 
a bad day, and she wasn't the one that aimed anything at 
you."  When Yusuke didn't look like he was going to stop, 
she threw him a nasty warning look.  "Actually, Reika, 
maybe you can help us.  Who are these senshi?"

At first Reika looked a little surprised at the question, 
but, after a few minutes she attempted to answer it.  "No
one knows much about them.  A few years ago Toyko began 
having problems with monsters and energy drains.  These 
sailor suited warriors appeared, gradually, and began to 
fight these monsters to protect us.  They have awesome 
powers and seem to be interested in our well being.  No 
one knows who they are, although many have speculated."  
She shrugged, "I'm sorry.  I don't know anymore."

"Saving people from mysteriously appearing monsters?  
That's a little too convenient," May mused aloud.

Terry snorted, "Protectors?  These people fight crime?"  As
Terry continued, his anger came out in his voice, "What
kind of protector of the city fires at anything with that
many innocent bystanders around?!  She could have easily 
killed anyone on the street today!"

Reika said quietly, "I don't understand much of anything, 
anymore."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Yusuke shouted.

"Boys, sit down for a moment," May requested.  At first,
it didn't seem like there would, but, the boys shared a
look and then each took a seat. After Terry and Yusuke sat 
down, May took a deep breath and said, "Reika is remembering 
her life as Lady Daniella."

This statement shocked Reika into silence as she stared 
at the three people who had effectively trapped her into 
the boothe.  The other people in the boothe, however, burst 
into conversation.

"How?" asked Terry.  "Did you tell her?  Like with us?"

"No.  I actually didn't say anything; she asked me.  As
to how, it seems to be mostly in dreams,ike the rest of us.  
Unfortunately, in her case, it is causing a few complications."

Terry narrowed his gaze at May, "This has caused complications
for all of us."

May returned the look, "I realize that, but this is different."  
She sighed, "Look, things are more complicated here.  Reika is 
going through a lot.  She really needs support in this."

As May continued in conversation with her cousins, Reika took
a good look at the other boys. They had even seemed a little
familiar when she had first met them, but she had ignored the 
feeling.  But now, as she looked at them, "Tremaine?  Arlington?" 
Reika asked in a quiet voice, wondering if these were among the
strangers she had seen in her dreams.

The two boys were surprised at first to hear themselves 
being referred to by the names from their past, especially
by someone who wasn't May, but they did nod in acknowledgement.

"So, you all know who you were?" Reika asked.

"Not all of us," Yusuke said as he threw May a look.

"May doesn't remember who she was, just that she knew us well,"
Terry elaborated.

Reika's shocked gaze swung to May and then back to Terry and
Yusuke.  If the young men were the princes from her dream, then
May had to be the - "And you two don't remember who she was?" 
Reika asked the two young men, clearly surprised.

"No, but obviously you do.  And you think we should," Terry 
answered.

"So, yeah, who was she?" Yusuke asked.

Reika opened her mouth to answer, but May cut her off.  Things
were enough of a mess as it was.  And if she was some mere
palace lackey, she was sure Terry and Yusuke wouldn't listen
to her again, "As great as it would be to find out who I was, 
we have more important things to deal with.  One, we have to 
find a way to protect you two," she turned to Terry and Yusuke, 
"from energy blasts from random city protectors.  Two, we need 
to be ready to offer support to Reika.  And three, well
three I have to do on my own," May finished as she thought of
the meeting with Mamoru Chiba that loomed in front of her.
 
May turned back to Reika, "I realize that this is amazingly
overwhelming and we may not be the people you want to 
hang around at the moment,"  she acknowledged ruefully,
"As it is, I'm not sure we can even answer all of your
questions, but" May pushed a piece of paper across the table 
to Reika, "That's our address and phone number here.  Call us 
if you need anything."  

Reika nodded and moved to leave.  As Terry let her out of 
the boothe, May added, "And one more thing.  Regardless of who 
I was back then, Reika, I am your friend now.  And I'm here if
you need to talk."

Reika smiled sadly as the memory of a hurting queen 
comforting a broken-hearted duchess floated through 
her mind.  "You were there for me then, too, May."  
Then, with much on her mind, Reika walked out of the 
cafe on her way home.

Not much had changed in that twenty minutes, and 
everything had changed in that twenty minutes.  'The
only way I'm going to get closure,' Reika thought 
to herself, 'is to talk to Mamoru myself about everything.  
Tomorrow.'

- to be continued -