Hey minna-san! I just have to say that it's all my fault that this chapter took longer than expected to get out...(sighs) I mean, I've been stricken with a sickness called laziness and ...(grins) yeah...hehehe! I just have to say...it's all Ai-ko's fault! I didn't do it! (you'll have to read the story to figure it out)...hehehe...(shrinks back when ai sends a dark look at her) ? anyways, email is wonderful! * * * (Ai glares at Usa-P) All my fault, eh? Well, she's right...sigh. Chapter IV may take a while (I've been kicked off the 'Net for a really, really long time), but that's okay, because this is where the story starts getting inertia. I want to thank everyone who's written us, the response has been surprising and positive (which means we're doing *something* right), but, well?don't expect this story to be finished anytime soon. We're just getting started. Strict warning: there may be some disturbing scenes in this chapter I would like to explicitly warn younger readers about. Like I said, this story is rated 'R' for a reason. Or, actually, many reasons. Am I spoiling it? Oh, go...just read. Don't forget to send comments, complaints, and criticisms our way: tennyo@usa-ko.com * * * * * * * * * Wanderers : Book 1 CHAPTER III Out, out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. -William Shakespeare, "Macbeth" * * * * * * * * * It was after dinner when the phone rang that evening. Usagi sighed at the possibilities. "It's probably my okaa-san telling me I have to come home," she grumbled as she nudged Mamoru to answer it. He sent her a dark look as he picked up the phone and answered pleasantly. "Moshi moshi?" He wasn't prepared to hear the agonized bawling on the other line as he repeated his greeting, growing more disturbed with each passing moment. "Daijoubu?" Usagi asked, eyeing him in his frustration. He held up a finger to silence her as he continued to listen to the sobs, hoping to make out some words. "U-sa-gi-chan..." the voice sobbed. "Is she...?" "Nani?!" Usagi was standing up now. Mamoru noiselessly handed her the phone, a perplexed look upon his face. "Moshi moshi...Okaa-chan? Daijoubu? Okaa-chan...?" She listened to her mother's voice as her face then turned a ghastly shade of white. Her breathing became more shallow and rapid as her voice came out in a raspy whisper, "No...Is he...yet?" The reply appeared to relieve her a bit, but not as much as she would have wished. "I'll be there as soon as I can," she said, as she reached across to Mamoru after slamming the phone down quite vigorously. "What's wrong?" Mamoru asked his love, as she looked at him, her blue eyes growing quite bland. "Otou-san had a heart attack," she said with frantic moments, as she rushed to pull on her shoes. "I have to go now." She went into the spare room, where Chibiusa had been resting. Without another word, Mamoru fell into the same ritual, searching for his wallet and keys. He was stunned by her maturity, as he heard her quietly explain to Chibiusa what had happen as he listened for the sobs that came with it. After a minute, Usagi led a teary-eyed Chibiusa out of the bedroom. Usagi's eyes, on the other hand, were still stone-like. Mamoru picked up Chibiusa and she snuggled into his chest, and for once Usagi did not protest. On the ride there, Chibiusa, who cuddled with Diana in the back, worriedly drilled Usagi, trying to figure out how bad the situation really was. The blonde answered mechanically while patting Luna absentmindedly, as if all her emotions had shut down. She simply stared at the window, clearly engrossed in her own thoughts. Mamoru listened to this with great interest and deep concern; a reaction of this nature was completely unlike her. The suspense was over as they reared towards the hospital, as she jumped out and dashed to the reception desk, leaving the other two to park. Her eyes were furious; one of the first emotions she had shown upon hearing her father's distress, as she demanded to know what room her father was in. The receptionist called up some numbers on her computer and typed a few things in, searching around for the name. Despite the fact she wasn't even five feet tall, the little girl had managed to strike some fear into the woman's heart, and a sense of urgency racked her within the deadly gaze of this girl. After hearing the number, she had quickly gone up a flight of stairs to find her okaa-san. "Usagi-chan!" Her mother began to sob, as she ran towards her daughter with tears streaming down her face. "Okaa-chan," Usagi vaguely remembered her dream. She comforted her mother in a similar way for a few minutes before gathering up the courage to ask, "How is Otou-san?" Her mother stood up and wiped away her tears. "Gomen nasai, Usagi-chan. He died in the ambulance..." Her body became numb as she murmured dully, "I should have guessed as much." Those words went unheard to her mother as she said a bit louder, "Is Shingo-kun all right?" "He's...with your otou-san right now. Do you want to see him?" "That's all right..." At that moment, Chibiusa and Mamoru burst in. "We couldn't find parking...how is Kenji-papa?" Chibiusa demanded. Ikuko began to weep again at the mention of her beloved husband's name. Chibiusa and Mamoru figured out what had happened pretty quickly and the pink-haired girl burst into tears, the sobs racking her small body as Usagi proceeded to comfort the little girl in the same way she just had her mother. She herself did not cry, or show any signs of grief. She looked quite calm, actually, filled with a sort of serenity. Mamoru watched her, and the lack of emotions running around on her face as she used to place them, and he became worried. Letting her cry a bit, Usagi soon gently directed her future daughter into the arms of her grandmother, where they could take comfort in each other. She then took off herself, seeking some sort of solace. But Mamoru followed her anyway as she walked out to the hospital grounds' gardens, part of which were attached to Mamiana Sakaue Park. Since the hospital had a large nursing-care facility, volunteers carefully maintained the parks for walks, events, and physical therapy. In the moonlight, it was beautiful, but neither seemed to notice. Finding the rose gardens, she sat down in the lawn nearby and stared up at the moon. She said nothing, did not cry, and just sat there as if made of stone. Her reaction fascinated him so much for a while he was content to watch her, her blonde hair turning silver in the moonlight and her eyes riotous. This was entirely unlike her, and while he wanted very badly to go to her and offer support, something held him back. His mind filled with questions he knew he couldn't answer, but still he did not move towards her. They actually sat there for over an hour, neither moving once. Finally, she stood up, and, seeing him there, she approached him. "We should go find my okaa-chan and Chibiusa-chan," she said quietly, as he nudged him up from his seat. "Daijoubu?" he blurted out. Mamoru immediately wanted to kick himself. Of course she wasn't all right! Her father had just passed away! Ever since he had met her, Mamoru had secretly envied Usagi a little. She spent her entire life surrounded by friends and love while he had been completely alone. Now that the tables were reversed, and he realized that while his life had been lonely, it had distinct advantages. The feeling of someone you truly care about leaving you was a frightful feeling. He couldn't sympathize with her; he had no memories of a sense of loss when his parents died. To him, his parents were complete strangers, and the picture in his living room might as well have been the one the frame came with. "Daijoubu. I guess death doesn't bother me the way it used to." It suddenly hit him what she meant, and his eyes grew more sympathetic than fretful. "Is it because you watched everyone die in the battle with the Shadow Galactica?" She nodded. "He didn't die like *that*, at least. Okaa-chan told me he had a very peaceful look on his face. She was lying in bed with him, and when she shook him, he didn't wake up. I'm glad. It could have been worse. I just wish I'd gotten a proper chance to say goodbye." She had a new, determined look in her eye. "We'll have to start repairing for the funeral immediately," she said. "Okaa-chan will want my help...maybe you should take Chibiusa-chan back to your place. I should support her." "That's very mature of you, Usa," Mamoru said sincerely. Instead of feeling wonderful at his compliment, she ignored it and responded with a "Whatever," and began to walk back to the hospital. He really wished she would open up to him, but somehow he doubted that she would. Within the hospital, Mamoru led the weeping Chibiusa away while Usagi went in search of the morgue. Shuddering a little, she searched around and found her brother, staring dazedly at her father's body. Usagi placed her hands on his shoulders. He stood up. "It was so sudden," he murmured softly, tears glistening in his eyes. "He's in a better place," Usagi said comfortingly, hugging her brother. He was now about a head taller than her, but he still started crying when she hugged him. "It's all right," she murmured as he wept. "Let it all out..." It was around this time that it occurred to Shingo that his formerly crybaby older sister seemed completely unmoved by her father's passing. "Are you all right?" he asked her, as he was puzzled by her unexpected easiness. "I'm okay," she shrugged as she continued to stroke him lovingly. "Hasn't really hit me yet, I guess. I'm sure it will later. Okaa-chan is probably done with all the forms by now. We should go home..." The three of them drove home in silence, where Luna waited. Shingo immediately went into his room, slamming the door with vengeance as the echo of sounded through the halls. Her mother continued to cry in the living room, as Usagi stayed serene as she did what was only left to do ? she took out her mother's phone book and began to dial the numbers held within it to recite the news to friends and relatives. It was a tedious process, but she didn't really mind, she did what she thought she needed to do. Her mother used romanji to order the entries. So when she got to where the R's and the S's faced each other, she stopped. She saw two names that she remembered all too well... She balked, shuddering, as she closed her eyes and try to forget the emerging memories of the dangerous glint in the eyes...the musky cologne...for a moment, she felt like she was six years old again, and that all-too-familiar sense of dread was welling up in the pit of her stomach. And then, it was gone again, and she pushed the memory as far away as she possibly could, in the barrier that she had formed to place all unwanted memories so long ago. Her father had just died, she coaxed herself, and the last thing she wanted to be thinking about was *that*. Sighing, she closed the book as she felt a sudden weakness fill her. She didn't even want to bother with the rest of the entries anymore. * * * * * * * * * In the next two days, everything was a blur for Usagi. Who knew that a funeral could be so complicated? Or even expensive? Her mother was in an empty void of distraught over the horrid loss of her father, as the preparations had fallen to Usagi. She had began to work out the cost of the church, coffin, grave, flowers...she made Mamoru check her math, making sure she didn't make any mistakes. Through all of this, she continued to go to school, and, even more shocking, doing her homework also. Shrugging, she announced that it just caused her mind to forget about all that had happened, although Mamoru still questioned the fact that she had not cried. She had not shed a tear...just a week ago, she would have cried over the smallest things, and now...something major had happened and she took it without hesitation or one tear. She had instead preferred to surround herself with flower arrangements, entertaining guests that were arriving for the funeral, filling out insurance forms, and, morbidly enough, picking out the clothing her father would be buried in. Mamoru had tried to approach her once about her lack of emotion, trying to ease any feelings she might have had stuck within her as she tried to be strong. She didn't say much. Instead, on the second night since her father's demise, she asked him to help her through the life insurance forms so that they could make a claim. Luckily for the family, Tsukino Kenji had had enough foresight to prepare in case of his loss. The Tsukinos had a history of weak hearts and Usagi was relieved when she found this out, it meant that if her mother went to work part-time, she would easily be able to pay the mortgage and pay for college while maintaining their lifestyle. She was already considering working herself, saving until she could move out... But the most important thing was to stay focused, she had decided. She thought back to the night of her father's passing, and now realized how dangerously close she was to almost losing control, and this was the last time to be selfish enough to dredge up her own problems. So, Mamoru sat with her while Usagi struggled with the forms. "Wife's full maiden name," Usagi murmured while Mamoru watched her. "Ryoushi Ikuko..." she carefully wrote the characters in. Then, stopping for a moment, she looked up at Mamoru, who was gazing at her rather intently. "Nani?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "You haven't cried once," he commented quietly, his eyes gazing into hers. "Mamo-chan," she groaned in exasperation. "We've been over this. Death just doesn't...bother me. My okaa-chan is beside herself, and Shingo- kun is like a walking zombie. Someone has to handle these affairs, and, unfortunately, that has to be me." "It's okay to let it out," he said simply, reaching out for her. "You know, I'm here for you, Usako..." "Well then stop trying to get a reaction out of me," she hissed. Mamoru shrank back a little, both shocked and a little afraid of her reaction and he seemed to recoil as if hit. "Just because I don't talk about it, don't think about it, don't cry about it, that doesn't mean it isn't there. I miss my otou-san very much. But I have to be strong. If I wanted to be a basketcase, then believe me, I have very good reasons to." She shuddered a little, and Mamoru had a distinct feeling she wasn't talking about her otou anymore. Usagi returned to her stack of forms, asking Mamoru what such- and-such kanji meant or about other difficulties she had with the form. It was on the third day that Usagi sensed she was nearing her breaking point. She longed to be alone for a little while, perhaps to sort things through in her mind. At lunch that day, Ami, Minako, Makoto, Naru, and Umino were sitting together, along with a few other guys and girls. It was their usual lunch group, and normally Usagi loved hearing the latest gossip and hearing about Minako's latest idol. But today, she walked past them, wanting to feel the isolation that she longed for. The three inners, seeing this, immediately ran after her, as Usagi sighed as Makoto spoke up, "Usagi-chan, our table is this way," Makoto said. She still had not told them about her father's death...she hadn't felt as if it was...necessary. With a firm voice that spoke out finality, she stated, "I'm going to eat alone today." The girls stared at her in confusion as she explained, "I have the worst headache." And with that, she walked on, leaving three very confused girls to wonder. Finally alone for the first time in three days, she felt as if everything was leveling out of her. For the past three days, she had been surrounded by her family, whom were still in deep morning, Mamoru, who insisted to stay with her, and as sweet as it was, he always seemed to hover over her, and Luna, whose constant watch was grating on her nerves. It was wonderful to revel in the silence as she ate her lunch under the tree. "Are you okay?" Usagi looked up angrily, she wanted to know who had disturbed her peace that she well deserved. Her gaze fell upon long, midnight blue hair and indigo orbs that saw right into you, and she began to relax her gaze, replacing it with a more serene one. "You're Tsukino Usagi, right?" Nodding, the girl's large orbs of indigo filled with distress as she demanded to know, "Then what in Kami's name are you doing sitting alone?!" Shock was evident in her voice. The hilarity of Shizuka's reaction caused her to crack a smile, which she soon retracted guiltily. Her father had passed away a couple of days ago; smiling was not something one would do during time of his mourning. She withdrew her smile. "Seriously," Shizuka protested. "You have so many friends. Where are they today?" "I wanted to eat alone." Her voice was flat as she watched the tyranting girl in interest. Her beautiful voice retorted, "So did I, but you're in my spot." Surprised, she turned red. "Oh! Gomen, I?" "It's all right," Shizuka assured her. "Stay, will you? I won't talk. I'll be quiet as a mouse. But I miss not having company." "Why don't you?" Usagi asked gently. Shizuka took a deep breath. "Haven't you heard the rumors? I might turn you into a toad." "I don't believe that." "Arigato. It's nice to know that not all of Juuban High believes I have green skin. In Berkeley, it was a little different. Not much, but a little." Shizuka sighed, then refocused, gazing at Usagi. "What's wrong?" "What do you mean, what's wrong?" "Well, you're definitely upset about something. But if you don't want to talk about..." Shizuka said nervously. "My otou-san died on Monday," Usagi blurted out. She was shocked at herself, she hadn't even told the Inner Senshi and yet she was telling this girl, who was a complete stranger to her. Shizuka's eyes softened empathetically. "Losing a parent is terrible," she said softly. "How did it happen?" "Heart failure," Usagi said quickly. "He died really quickly...just went to sleep and didn't wake up." "Lucky," Shizuka muttered, her eyes flashing. "Nani?!" Usagi said, her eyes widening in horror. Shizuka gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. "Gomen nasai," she said in a muffled tone. Then, removing the hands, she continued. "It's just that...my mom died recently," Shizuka explained slowly, "she was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. And she just died last month." "Oh...gomen," Usagi murmured sadly. "I didn't mean to..." "Iie. If anyone should be apologizing, it's definitely me. That was out of line." She turned her lips up in a melancholy little half-smile, which Usagi returned. For a while, they ate in silence, enjoying each other's company. Then, finishing off a butterfly shrimp, Shizuka said, "You know, I really wanted to get to know you. You have such a beautiful disposition," she said. Usagi was shocked by the compliment. "Arigato," she murmured, blushing a little. "You're sad though..." "I...maybe," Usagi said lamely. She began to feel that same feeling of unease she had when Shizuka had been inspecting her. Sensing this, Shizuka changed the subject. "Well, like I said, you seemed so personable, but...naturally, you have a lot of friends. And it was rather hard to get you alone. But still...you seemed warm; familiar...I guess you remind me of my best friend Angie back in Berkeley. She's a lot like you. Maybe it's fate you found this spot...unless of course, you don't believe in that." "Iie...Yuuhi-san, do not be worried about approaching me." "Please call me Shizuka, Tsukino-san." "All right, Shizuka-san..." Usagi actually smiled this time. The bell rang then. Both girls stood up. "You want to come over after school?" Shizuka asked. "Gomen nasai. I can't, we're expecting guests today. But if you'd like to come over..." "Hai," Shizuka nodded enthusiastically. "You've been so nice to me...arigato, Tsukino Usagi." "Don't mention it." And they walked off to their separate classes. * * * * * * * * * They talked little as they walked back to Usagi's place, but both seemed to prefer it that way. Feeling a little better after her talk with Shizuka, Usagi had told the Inners of her father's death during P.E. that day. Shock and sympathy marred their faces as they promised they would meet up with Rei and then join her at her house later. When arriving, she was amazed to see that there were a good sixty people enclosed in her home. Almost immediately, she was swept up in the barrage of relatives, most of which she could not remember their names, but all seeming to recall their little 'odango atama' quite clearly in colorful moments of their life. She felt terrible, for Shizuka ended up getting lost in the mix. Within the large crowd turned out to be Mamoru. Happy to see a familiar face for once, she immediately ran into Mamoru's arms. Naturally, this got most of her relatives whispering, pestering Ikuko incessantly about the handsome young man accompanying Usagi. After a while, she left Mamoru in the kitchen and started up on her search for Shizuka again. Usagi found her in the backyard, boredly staring into the little koi pond that her mother maintained. "Gomen ne," Usagi groaned. "I didn't think there'd be so many people here...I thought we could get a chance to talk." "Daijoubu. I think your mother was looking for you." As if on cue, her mother appeared. "Usagi-chan, would you please take this tray of water?" her mother asked. She nodded and took Shizuka by the hand, dragging her into the kitchen. Taking the waters, she started to go around, passing them out. This time, Shizuka stuck close by, and they chatted a little while she walked through. By this time, Mamoru was in the living room, being grilled by her mother's father. He caught her eye and sent her a wordless plea for help. Groaning, she immediately handed Shizuka the water tray and marched over. She cringed when she remembered her Ojii was a gynecologist and perfectly comfortable discussing such things in public! "Ojii-sama!" Usagi interrupted frantically, bowing deeply. "That's enough harassing of Mamo-chan." He looked over at her gratefully as she dragged him far, far away while Shizuka waited with the tray. "Arigato, Usa," Mamoru said, relieved. "Your ojii-sama is very...protective..." Shizuka looked over and gasped when she saw Usagi dragging the most stunning guy she had ever seen in her entire life. Ebony hair, stormcloud eyes, a tanned, built figure...just looking at him was making her cheeks turn red. "Shizuka-chan, this is my boyfriend, Chiba Mamoru. Mamo-chan, this is Yuuhi Shizuka. She just moved here from America," Usagi said, taking the water tray from her. "Nice to meet you," Shizuka said, bemoaning the fact this gift to womanhood was already taken. She shook his hand, western-style. "You too," he said politely. "You're a friend of Usagi's?" She nodded. Shizuka tried to calm her pounding heart while making small talk with Mamoru. Meanwhile, Usagi continued to pass out the glasses of water. Shizuka promptly looked over him, trying to figure him out...naturally, the tall, dark, and handsome ones always got the most scrutiny from her. She was having a hard time figuring this one out, though. One thing was clear: from the way he kept stealing glances from Usagi, and the look in his eyes, he was clearly gone on her. Well, even if she could, stealing boyfriends was not going to make her any friends, no matter how gorgeous the guy was. Shizuka resigned herself to the fact that he was off-limits and started racking her brain for her mother's unrequited love spell. What color candles did she need again...? * * * * * * * * * The whole affair was beginning to get on Usagi's nerves. Between racking her brain for names and her lost opportunity to talk to Shizuka, Usagi's agitated mood was taking a serious turn into out-and-out rage. She barely acknowledged the Inner Senshi as they walked in the room. Seeing them clearly make Shizuka a little edgy, so Usagi called her over to where she was passing out water. "Gomen nasai," Usagi groaned. "I didn't realize all these people would be here." "Daijoubu." Shizuka was surprisingly unconcerned. "If you want, we could try and slip out, go to my house." "Tempting..." Usagi considered this. "But I probably shouldn't. I have the worst headache--" The tray clattered to the ground. Shizuka jumped at the sudden noise, then saw it was simply the sound of glasses breaking and water going everywhere and calmed down. Several people got misted during the little incident, which resulted in vicious glares in Usagi and Shizuka's direction. But Usagi was oblivious to this. As a tall man with a lean, muscular frame, warm eyes, and sandy blonde hair walked in, his auburn-haired wife by his side, she Usagi felt heart stop. Memories rushed through her. She remembered being six years old... She recalled the musky scent of cologne that caused her to become sick as soon as she smelled it... She remembered the way those warm eyes could grow cold and lustful, giddy with power. And she recalled hot breath on her neck, the disgusting taste of his smooth, thin lips, and the way his laugh could paralyze her with fear. Then...it was gone again, much to her relief, and Usagi was able to turn her mind back to the issue at hand: her "klutz attack." "Tsukino Usagi, it appears you haven't changed much," a rich, hearty voice said to her. When she looked up, Sakamoto Tsuyosa was staring down at her as she shuddered. "Sakamoto-san," she said, bowing a little while crouching. Shizuka continued to pick up the broken glass, cursing quite colorfully in English each time she pricked her fingers on the jagged edges. By now, most of the room was staring. "Sorry we're late," Sora's, Tsuyosa's wife, voice rang out. "The drive from Kyoto was terrible. Traffic the whole way. Oh, Usagi-chan, is that you down there? Here, let me help." Sora and Tsuyosa both bent down and helped Usagi and Shizuka pick up the broken glass while everyone watched quietly. Eventually, the Inners and Mamoru were able to snap out of their stupor and get towels to mop up the mess with. Finally, everyone recovered, and the gathering quickly grew loud again. Everyone was introduced to Tsuyosa and Sora, who had been Kenji's two best friends since middle school and high school sweethearts. The four inners were won over by Tsuyosa's rugged good looks and charming manner, while Mamoru found him to be interesting and intelligent, and was soon submerged in a conversation with him. Nobody seemed to notice Usagi disappear, except Shizuka. Curious, she went up to Usagi's room, only to find the door locked. "Usagi-san?" "Go away," she said from behind the door. "Um, that's all well and good, but I don't know how to get home from here." "Oh! Shizuka-san! Just a second." Usagi opened the door and let Shizuka in. "Make yourself comfortable," Usagi offered, plopping down on her bed, stared at her wall. Shizuka sat at Usagi's desk, silently wondering how it was possible to cram so much pink into such a small space. "Who's Tsuyosa?" Shizuka asked sharply. Usagi was quiet. "He seems awfully nice, charming too," she began. "Your friends, and Mamoru- san, seemed to really warm up to him. But that makes sense. He's very nice, isn't he? Handsome, obviously athletic, warm and charming, intelligent, an outstanding member of society. Or that's what he wants you to think." Her curiosity piqued, Usagi turned around to stare at Shizuka. "I think I told you that even though I'm Wiccan, I didn't have any power," Shizuka began again. She took a deep breath. Why was she telling a complete stranger this? "That's not entirely true." "You mean...?" Usagi's eyebrows shot up. "Not exactly," Shizuka replied quickly. "See, Wicca is a religion, like any other. It's really old...over twenty-five thousand years old. But it's more about promoting natural and spiritual harmony and embracing inner depths of power than casting spells and flying on broomsticks or what have you. There's more - much more than that - but I don't think you want a heavy theological lecture right now." Usagi nodded for her to go on, her eyes wide in interest. Shizuka was delighted to realize she was listening carefully to her. "Calling yourself a witch doesn't make you one," she continued. "It takes a lot of dedication. My mother was a witch, too, and she always made me tell other person that just because I'm a witch doesn't mean I have power. But...I do have some... abilities that are not specifically connected to being Wiccan, though they are heightened by it." "You do have magical powers?" Usagi asked, sitting up. Why was Shizuka telling her this? She nodded. "My biggest skill, I suppose, is my sense of intuition." Usagi finally got it. "You mean, that first day, when I felt the little spark...that was your power?" "Hai. But it goes deeper than that. Most people find Sakamoto Tsuyosa to be a delightful person, don't they? Well, I mentioned earlier today there was something sad about you. I'd noticed that on the first day. Whatever that sense was, it got much stronger the instant Tsuyosa entered the room. Besides, I looked at Tsuyosa, and...People tend to appear to me as they really are. Physically, I could tell that Tsuyosa was a very attractive man, but to me he looked ugly, like a warty toad." Usagi giggled a bit. "Really?" "Really. That's my most basic power, to see the reflection of a soul contorted with physical appearance. And let me tell you something, your boyfriend is *very* handsome." Usagi smiled more, and then stopped herself, remembering her father had just died three days ago. "Seriously, that's why I liked you. Your friends are really pretty too." "Can you do other things?" Usagi asked, blushing. Shizuka shuddered. "Hai, demo..." She preferred not to think about the darker half of her heightened intuition unless she absolutely had to. "Never mind," Usagi said quickly. They sat in silence for a few minutes. "What do you think of Sakamoto-san?" Usagi asked slowly. "Besides the ugly part." "He's duplicitous," Shizuka said. "What I can't figure out is why I think that. Is there something...?" Usagi shook her head frantically. "Forget it," she said loudly. She looked over at her clock. "18:00," she said quietly. "Maybe you should go." "It's all right," Shizuka shrugged. "Dad and Miyuki-san don't get home until around 19:00 anyways. Dad's an executive at the Sony Corporation. He works a lot of late nights." "Do you see him a lot?" Usagi asked. "Hai. Before my mom died, I came to Japan every summer to spend time with him. And he'd take me to work with him, as long as I was good. Then for lunch, he'd take me to a nice restaurant and we'd talk. When we got back, he'd have one of his secretaries take me to where they developed the toys and let me play. He called me almost every day, and he visited a lot too. And he never got mad when I'd call him at work, even when he was really busy, he'd stop and talk to me, and if he really couldn't, he'd call back soon. He does his best. When he met Miyuki, my keibo, he made sure I was completely comfortable with her before he asked her to marry him. I'm really grateful to him." "That sounds really nice," Usagi commented. 'Grateful?' She asked herself. 'Why grateful?' Looking at the clock again, Shizuka sighed. "Maybe I should go," she commented. "The English teacher really is evil. Since I already speak the language, she's making me do different work." "I'll walk you home," Usagi offered. They walked out of the room together. Downstairs, about half the guests had left. The Inners, Mamoru, Sora, and Tsuyosa were helping Ikuko clean up. Ikuko looked like she was in an extremely bad mood. "Where have you been?" Sora asked Usagi. "Up in my room," Usagi shrugged. "Do all of you know Yuuhi Shizuka?" "You're the new girl, right?" Makoto asked, knowing the answer. Shizuka nodded patiently. "Shizuka, this is Kino Makoto, Aino Minako, Hino Rei, and Mizuno Ami. Rei-chan goes to a different school." "Nice to meet all of you," Shizuka said quietly, bowing. She was a bit nervous around these four. Something about them bothered her... They replied with similar bows and formal greetings. "I'm going to walk her home," Usagi said. "By the way...has anyone seen Luna? I haven't seen her since this morning." All four shook their heads. "Come to think of it, Artemis wasn't home this afternoon either," Minako commented. "Ah, well. They're probably around." Usagi said some goodbyes and walked out. She and Shizuka strolled alongside each other in silence. When they reached Shizuka's house, Usagi did a double take. The place was more of a mansion than a house. "This place is incredible, Shizuka-san!" Usagi's eyes widened. She shrugged. "It's pretty impressive to someone seeing it for the first time I guess." Shizuka walked in, leaving the conversation at that. * * * * * * * * * Shizuka quietly ate the ramen her dad's cook had packed her that morning, musing over the events of the night before. She was thoroughly horrified for revealing the nature of her extraordinary powers to a complete stranger. Yuuhi Shizuka was no fool. Juuban High pretended that the reason they had so thoroughly ignored her after the first day was because she didn't live up to their expectations. In reality, she was shunned because she did. "May I join you?" Usagi looked rather nervous as she asked Shizuka this. The indigo-haired girl nodded vigorously, and Usagi sat down quietly, still oddly shy. Shizuka did not push. "So," Usagi said quietly, "I was thinking about what you said, about having powers of intuition and all that." Here it came, as she cringed. She could have sworn that Usagi was better than everyone else...Usagi probably wanted a favor. "I think it's neat," she finished. "I wish I had powers like that. You could do so much good with them." "Not really," Shizuka said slowly, nonetheless impressed by Usagi's comment. "It's a rather fine line you have to walk. Sometimes, I feel like I'm about to go insane," Shizuka admitted. "It's better to stay detached." Usagi cocked her head in confusion, and Shizuka could not help but smile at the girl's naiveté®  "It's also rather isolating. Why do you think Juuban's already started avoiding me like the plague?" The blonde shrugged. "They were disappointed?" "No they weren't," Shizuka said slowly. From the expression on her face, it was clear Usagi didn't really understand this, either. Shizuka was officially amazed. The power hanging around the small girl seemed to perfume the air. And the voice was familiar...but she held her tongue, deciding to change the subject. "When is your father's funeral?" "Tomorrow morning," Usagi said softly. Her nervousness returned. "I would really appreciate it if you came," Usagi said finally as her eyes went far off, as she whispered softly, "I feel safe with you..." she said, only hearable to herself. As soon as she realized what Usagi was asking, she smiled to calm the girl's nerves. "If your family would have me, then I would love to," Shizuka said warmly. Usagi's eyes lit, and she nodded slightly. "My okaa-san thought you were really nice," she said matter-of-factly, as gratitude surrounded her. They left the conversation at that, and neither spoke for the rest of the lunch period. Several times, Shizuka would open her mouth to say something, and then stop, not quite confident enough to bridge the gap between them ? and there was one. Usagi clearly suffered from the same cowardice. But both felt rather sorry when the last bell rang - and not just because they both had to go to Algebra. * * * * * * * * "You're serious." "Dead." "Rebuild the Earth once the Black Star has destroyed it? How do you plan to do that?" Alecto demanded of her Princess. "It's not complicated. Don't you ever listen to rumors? The first part of the Awakening is going to be initiated this very weekend. Surely that's why only now has the fourth Tennyo resurfaced." "The *fourth* Tennyo? We only learned of their existence days ago!" Alecto protested. "An informant on Earth. Apparently two are already actively fighting for our cause. A little incident in Vienna, Austria gave one of them an idea, apparently, for winning our little war against Hakujou. The third is aware of her destiny but remains inactive at this time. But the fourth, interestingly enough, has come forward only now, and is the first of them to set foot in Tokyo in years. Naturally, this got Hakujou interested. I'm sure he'll be *delighted* to find that we're one step ahead of him." "Who is this informant?" "Guess." Tenshi smiled. "You mean--?" Alecto's eyes widened. "Exactly." "You mean *she* was revived?! What in Kami's name was Selenity- kiin thinking?!" "Rather smart move on her part, in my opinion. What is the status on the Black Star? You really shouldn't have left it." "Oh, that. The Star's doing perfectly fine. Last night, three akki sprang from the lake. I let them guard it while I came to report to you." "Good job, Alecto. My orders remain unchanged." * * * * * * * * Once again, Usagi went home to a madhouse. Today, her patience was a little thin, however, so she holed herself up in her room, reading a manga on her bed. "Usagi-chan," Mamoru and Chibiusa walked in a little while later. "Ikuko-mama's looking for you," Chibiusa said matter-of-factly. "I'll be down in a minute or two," Usagi said, closing the manga with a sigh. Chibiusa walked downstairs, leaving Usagi alone with Mamoru. "Are you sure you're all right?" Mamoru asked, sitting down on the bed with her. "Hai! Why does everyone keep asking me that?!" "Well, actually..." Mamoru gulped as he prepared for the anger that continued to spring up whenever she was asked such a question. "USAGI-CHAN! Please get down here!" She pushed him aside (which caused him to arch his eyebrows in confusion) and ran downstairs. Her mother wanted her to be "social." Usagi briefly contemplated screaming at her mother before submitting to her demands. She could feel Mamoru watching her from the stairs. Usagi was talking to one of her great-aunts when the room fell silent. Whatever had managed to silence sixty people was certainly a curiosity. Usagi turned her head. A tall, curvaceous woman a cascade of wavy periwinkle hair and emerald eyes walked in the door. She was dressed sharply in a snow-white, zipper-down business suit and lace-up pumps, her knee-length hair left loose. And though her attire indicated that of a businesswoman and her figure revealed a vixen, her eyes were cool, but had a sort of youthful mirth imbedded in them. The woman's commanding presence had even attracted Mamoru's attention, which nearly sent Chibiusa into convulsions. Usagi, for once, was not aware of her lover's roving eye. On the contrary, she seemed absolutely delighted by the new guest. Chibiusa, seeing the look on her future mother's face, sensed this woman was no threat to her existence. But she was obviously familiar to the other guests. It occurred to Chibiusa that Ikuko had the same color hair as this woman's, though Ikuko's was crinkly and the young woman's elegantly waved like Michiru's. "ONEE-CHAN!" Usagi launched herself into the arms of the new guest. Both seemed rather tearful as they hugged fiercely. The pink-haired girl looked over at Mamoru, who shrugged, clearly as confused as she. "Usa-chan, it's so delightful to see you again!" the woman exclaimed. "It's been so long..." "What are *you* doing here?" The party was newly aware of the rage in Ikuko's eyes. Her lips were turned up into a snarl. Chibiusa's eyes widened. What the hell was going on? "Comforting those who grieve, Tsukino-san," the young woman said sharply, letting go of Usagi. She airily tossed her long hair back as Usagi slipped her hand into the woman's. She smiled down on the odango-haired girl. "Anya-chan! How delightful to see you." Usagi's grandfather emerged to give the girl a hug. "When did you get in?" "This morning, Otou-san," she replied, bowing lightly. "I booked the red eye. Slept on the plane." "How delightful," Usagi's grandmother said. "It's good you've come to support your onee-san at a time like this." Ikuko's sister? This statement baffled Mamoru. Usagi had never mentioned having an aunt ? but then again, she never mentioned much of her family other than her parents and her little brother. "If only she'd have me," Anya replied mockingly. "Dearest Tsukino- san, you could at least *pretend* you like me for the sake of your guests. No point in airing our dirty laundry in public." "I guess not," Ikuko hissed, her face red with rage. She went back into the kitchen, smoke coming out of her ears as Anya ignored her and turned her attention back to the giddy blonde. "Onee-chan," Usagi said excitedly, "how long are you staying?" "A month, love. I'm in between cases right now. They're considering making me a senior partner." "That's great," Usagi smiled brightly, as she felt a surge of happiness went through her at the fact that she had her aunt for another two weeks. Curiosity got the best of Mamoru. He walked down the remaining steps, his eyes no longer looking over Anya. "Usako, who is this?" Mamoru asked his lover quietly, as Anya also saw the adjacent male. Anya's arms tightened around Usagi as she glared at Mamoru. "I should ask the same question." "It's all right, Onee-chan," Usagi giggled, freeing herself from the deathgrip and adverting herself to Mamoru's arms. "This is my boyfriend, Chiba Mamoru. I'm sure you'll approve, Onee-chan. He got accepted to Harvard, just like you." "Is that so," Anya said, shaking Mamoru's hand in the western style. It was more of a statement than a question. Mamoru blushed a little and he nodded. "I received my law degree there," Anya explained. She was sizing Mamoru up. From her tone, he could tell he barely passed her inspection. Sensing this, Usagi jumped in to defend Mamoru. "He's the top- ranked student in KO University's medical school," Usagi bragged, "and he's a star forward on the University's football* team." Mamoru's cheeks got even redder as Usagi continued to gush. "Plus he has a job and a car and his own apartment and--" "It's all right, love. I believe you," Anya said, laughing. She saw what her niece was doing as she shook her head with mirth in her eyes, "I'm sure he's a perfectly nice young man." She dropped the look and replaced it with another as she gave him a good stare, causing Mamoru to become uneasy. Then, she abruptly changed the subject. "Hey, is the Crown Fruit Parlor still open?" Usagi nodded, still grinning, "How would you like me to treat you to a milkshake, for old times sake?" "Sure!" And before anyone could stop them, the two had bounced out the door. Mamoru then remembered he hadn't gotten his chance to tell Usagi his news. * * * * * * * * The morning of the funeral dawned gray and cloudy, which was the perfect weather to go with the mood at the Tsukino house. Usagi had gotten up early to get herself and the house ready for company. She wore a simple black jumper with a black oxford shirt, black tights, and a pair of flats, and had black ribbons tied around her odangos. Chibiusa wore a short-sleeved black velvet dress and did the same thing Usagi had with her hair. Mamoru and the four Inners greeted her wordlessly at the church, but Usagi's eyes were pealed for someone else. Sure enough, Shizuka was sitting in the black row, dressed conservatively. Coming closer, Usagi could see that her shirt was not black, but a very dark shade of blue. The outfit made her already dark eyes and hair seem almost black in the dim light of the church. She knew she shouldn't, but Usagi went and sat with Shizuka instead of heading to her designated spot. Once again, the senshi were confused by this, and even Shizuka tried to encourage her to return to her proper seat. But Usagi refused. "Mind if I sit here?" Though she was in all black, Anya was dressed rather stylishly for a funeral. Her double-breasted, cashmere-lined coat hit mid-thigh, and the lacy black skirt under it didn't cover much more. The outfit was topped off with platform Mary Janes. She looked like she was more prepared for an episode of "Ally McBeal" than a funeral. "Sure." Anya promptly slid into the pew. "So, who is this?" Anya had questioned, as Usagi cheerfully introduced the two to each other, "Onee-chan, this is Yuuhi Shizuka. Shizuka, this is my aunt, Ryoushi Anya." "It's very nice to meet you, Ryoushi-san," Shizuka said. Anya reached out to shake her hand. "Do you speak English?" she asked. "Yeah, I do," Shizuka replied in said language. "Can you really tell?" "Your accent is a bit off," Anya explained, her own slightly accented but grammatically perfect English. Usagi looked irritated at being talked around, but was still happy at the fact that they got along well. "Come see my flowers," Anya said in Japanese, changing the subject. Usagi and Shizuka were very impressed by the array of irises, tiger lilies, and white roses. Actually, all of the flowers at the church were lovely. Usagi saw roses from Mamoru, irises from Ami, Casablanca lilies from Rei, Lilies-of-the-Valley from Makoto, and sunflowers from Minako. "This one is pretty," Usagi commented. It was made up of pink roses, baby's breath, and more Casablanca lilies. She sniffed a lily, inhaling the rich fragrance. Anya checked the card. A look crossed over her face as she read it as she tucked the card back into the bouquet, and then "accidentally" knocked the beautiful arrangement over. "Oops," she said innocently, picking the flowers up. The card fluttered to the ground for Usagi to read the card which indicated that the Sakamotos had sent the bouquet, she became pale. "How clumsy of me," Anya said mockingly, putting a hand on her face and staring at the mess as if she couldn't have possibly created it. Sora, for her part, managed to keep her calm as she helped Anya, but Tsuyosa looked ready to deck Anya. Anya was clearly enjoying their reactions, though she was unnerved by her sister's evil eye. Usagi ignored them all and numbly went back to her seat. Shizuka watched all of this in interest; she was collecting more pieces to the troubling puzzle. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what image they revealed. * * * * * * * "Activate the sensory map," Hakujou hissed at the computers. "The systems are detecting a high water-based presence within the radius of the Center. Where is the signal coming from, anyway?" Several minions immediately got to work on the plan, and Tantalus quickly pinpointed the source. Apparently the source of energy was from a graveyard near the Juuban district. Tantalus wordlessly handed Sisyphus the energy tracker and sent him on his way. * * * * * * * The funeral went off with no further problems, excluding some loud bawling from various relatives of Tsukino Kenji. Ironically, Usagi was not among these. Her face remained stony and silent. Nonetheless, it was a nice, though sober, ceremony, and the procession continued on to the gravesite to watch her father's coffin be lowered into the ground. Despite the somewhat morbid undertone Usagi felt it carried, she found it a nice way to get closure. At the site, Anya handed her a white rose from her bouquet, and Usagi wordlessly threw it into the grave. The lavender-haired woman had done the same for herself and for Shizuka. Both tossed roses in after her. The Senshi watched quietly. Usagi felt a tug on her dress, and found a teary-eyed Chibiusa next to her. She automatically picked up the pink- haired girl and rocked her as she sobbed into her future mother's chest. Shizuka watched this curiously, remembering the odd connection she had sensed between the two girls. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud scream. Shizuka watched silently as the party began to scatter, reacting to the green-haired man now assaulting one of the mourners. Fear constricted her heart, but she did not leave the spot. Apparently, the victim was not who the man was looking for, and he dropped the mourner, continuing his search for...what? She didn't know. The man's gaze seemed to settle on her, and he stepped forward. Shizuka was utterly horrified at the grotesque sight the man made, but still she would not run. "Halt!" Six senshi and a masked man were up in the elm tree that hung over Kenji's grave. "How dare you desecrate the place of eternal rest! I, Eternal Sailormoon, will not stand for your insolence!" Shizuka nearly died of shock. Tsukino Usagi, Mizuno Ami, Hino Rei, Kino Makoto, Aino Minako, Chiba Mamoru, and the pink-haired child stood before her, outfitted in Sailor fukus. She saw through their disguise power. * * * * * * * "You again!" Sisphyus snarled at the senshi. "This is going to be harder than I thought..." He launched a bolt of energy at the senshi, hitting Sailorvenus and knocking her out of the tree. She shrieked and fell on her face. Mars jumped out of the tree. "You'll pay for that! Akuryo taisan!" The charm went hurtling towards Sisyphus, but he darted out of the way. "Kuso!" Mars cursed. Remembering the last battle, Jupiter decided for the direct approach. She jumped out of the tree and ran behind the man. Just as he settled back onto the ground after avoiding the charm, he suddenly felt a boot with a sharp, pointy heel make contact with the back of his head. "Now I know why these heels are so high!" Venus commented, lifting herself off the ground. "Nice one Jupiter!" She made the victory sign and the green-clad senshi bowed. At first, Sisyphus saw stars. Suddenly, he saw roses as one darted smoothly across one of the arteries in his neck, effectively slitting his throat. Black blood poured out and stained the ground. But the shock of the hit was enough to snap him out of his daze. Standing up, blood continued to dribble down, staining the uniform, but he ignored it. "That didn't have any effect on him!" Mars groaned. "That's not human!" "When was the last time we fought something human?!" Mercury demanded, typing furiously into her little computer. "Hold on, I'm getting a scan of him..." "Scan this! Sparkling wide pressure!" Electric surges pulsed through the man, which stunned him temporarily again. Chibimoon saw this as her chance to strike as she jumped out of the tree, raising her Tier and cried out, "Pink Moon Crystal Therapy Kiss!" This time, she got a direct hit. And Sisyphus was in agony while the pink waves of energy did their job. But inevitably, the attack dissipated, and Sisyphus was more than ever determined to kill the senshi - particularly the irritating pink rabbit. His next attack was aimed directly for her, but Tuxedo Kamen was too quick for him. He pushed Chibimoon out of the way, and the attack hit his side. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailormoon cried, still in the tree. She prepared to jump down to him, but was cut off. "Stay there, Hime-sama," Venus warned. "You can't defend yourself!" "She's right Sailormoon," Tuxedo Kamen added from his spot on the ground. He slowly stood up, biting his lip rather hard to keep from crying out. A minor electrical charge, left over from the attack, pulsed through, and he lost that battle. He fell back down, crying out. Seeing this, Sailormoon's eyes began to water. "I have to help them...but I don't have any more power..." "Do you?" A woman's voice rang out. "Who said that?" A stone knife with a black hilt seemed to appear out of thin air. It floated to her, as if by magic, and hovered before her face. Entranced, Eternal Sailormoon grabbed the knife, a shock of energy going through her as she did. It was a warm, very familiar thing... Suddenly, a blood-red stone dropped in her lap. Sailormoon was now aware that someone, though she could not see them, was sitting next to her. "Take these. Use the Chaos Blade to seal Sisyphus away within the stone." "Sisyphus?" "The man down there, vassal of Lord Hakujou. Hurry!" A flash of light indicated the...whatever had jumped down. Sailormoon did the same. It seemed while she had been engaged in the odd conversation, Sisyphus had managed to knock Jupiter unconscious. Venus had been thrown into an empty grave, unconscious also. Mars was trying to avoid being choked by Sisyphus, who had his hands around her neck. And Chibimoon was sitting where Tuxedo Kamen lay, activating her crystal. "Mercury! What the hell is up with this guy?!" Mars screeched at the last remaining senshi. "He's already dead, Mars!" "Nani!?" "He's already dead. That's why Tuxedo Kamen's attack didn't affect him. I think the attack Jupiter did served to strengthen him - again." Sailormoon sighed. "Here goes nothing," she murmured as Mars's face began to turn blue. Clutching the stone, it began to glow violently with an eerie red light. The bright light seemed to attract Sisyphus's attention, and he was temporarily distracted from his victim. His eyes widened in terror as he laid his eyes upon the red stone. "Now, Sailormoon-sama," the voice whispered in her ear. "Moon chaotic entrapment!" Where in the hell had that come from? Raising the knife, the blade grew into a full-length sword, carved with various intricate designs. Closing her eyes, she felt the warmth of the sword pour into her. It too glowed with the red light. She opened her eyes and watched the red stone slowly open into a flower. A phantom figure emerged, becoming the size of a person. It appeared to be the silhouette of a Sailor Senshi, though not one they could recall or recognize. A cruel, sadistic laugh echoed through the graveyard as the specter wrapped itself around Sisyphus, who was trembling, paralyzed with fear. As it consumed Sisyphus, all of them could hear his desperate cries for mercy. Then, the light shrank into a single pinpoint, floated back to the open crystal, and dissolved back in. The crystal closed again, the light dulled, and the sword became a knife once again. Then the crystal dropped on the ground. A very faint silhouette came forth and picked up the stone, holding it gingerly. "Arigato, Sailormoon-sama. Please, keep that knife safe. Remember this: even the brightest lights cast a shadow. "But I always felt that in the darkness hide the seeds of destiny, should we have courage enough to seek them." The figure was about to leave when Mercury, the only Inner senshi left standing, called out, "Wait! Who are you?" "Merely a Wanderer and a Visionary." And with that, she was gone. With nothing left to do, Sailormoon went over to Tuxedo Kamen. Mercury had called Chibimoon over to Jupiter as Mars picked herself up off the ground, still a little dazed. "Daijoubu?" she asked him. He nodded some. "I'll be fine." Sailormoon looked him over. "There are people watching. We have to leave..." "AHHHHH!!!!!!!" A bloodcurdling scream came from the grave Venus had laid in. "I'M DEAD!" Her shrieks were so loud Mercury was surprised the dead didn't climb out of the grave and tell her to shut up. The living certainly were, from the looks of the observers. For a moment she caught Shizuka's eye. Shock, awe, and...recognition? Mercury realized with a horror, were all reflected in the wide indigo orbs. Then, she shook the feeling off. There was no possible way Shizuka could have recognized them. "No you're not." An exasperated Mars had walked over to the grave Venus was in and helped her get out. Venus was thoroughly traumatized by the incident. Mars hugged her, trying to calm her down. Chibimoon worked to revive Jupiter, who had suffered a compound fracture in her leg. Sailormoon helped Tuxedo Kamen get to his feet and used her power to teleport herself and Tuxedo Kamen to his apartment. And Yuuhi Shizuka watched on, still unable to believe that she *knew* the Sailor Senshi. * * * * * * * "Hold still, Mamo-chan!" "Shimatta!" Mamoru yelped. He jumped out of his chair and very far away from Usagi. "What was that?" Usagi was glaring, holding a bottle. "Bactine. Look, maybe I was a little rough--" "A little?!" "I have to clean the wound. Now for the last time, hold still! I swear, you're such a baby." "Hypocrite," Mamoru muttered as she wanted to laugh at his childish behavior. "I heard that." Then Mamoru wondered why she rubbed the Bactine in as hard as she possibly could. Fortunately, he didn't protest any longer. After that, Usagi rinsed the area off and bandaged it. Mamoru had a rather extensive collection of first aid supplies; they were rather useful in their line of work. Mamoru took off his shirt and blazer, and Usagi quickly swept them up and went into the bedroom. "The blazer is dry clean only," Mamoru yelled after her. "I don't think this shirt is cleanable." "That's all right, I have another like it." "Yeah, but do you have another black blazer?" He considered this. "Check my closet. I think I picked up my other one..." Mamoru could hear Usagi opening and shutting his drawers. From the sound of the clothes being thrown on the floor, he had a feeling he was going to have to clean up after her. A moment later, she emerged, carrying the clean shirt as he could note that there was something strange about the stance that she was using. "Why is there a suitcase on your bed?" Usagi eyed him suspiciously. Mamoru wanted to kick himself. "I forgot to tell you," he said lamely. "I have to go to Kyoto for two weeks." "When did this happen?" "The Tokyo Yuutai Center isn't finished yet, so they're training the interns at the original site." Usagi looked down at the shirt in her hands as she clenched it tightly, "Just two weeks, right?" "My train leaves tomorrow night. Relax, Usa. This isn't Harvard. I'll be back before you know it." Mamoru hugged Usagi, and she put her arms around him. "Ouch!" Usagi retracted. "Gomen! I forgot about your wound. Here, I'll go find your blazer." * * * * * * * "So Sisyphus has been recaptured." Hakujou was staring at the vial with Sailormercury's blood sample. Ixion nodded. "Someone appeared with one of Sailornemesis's bloodstone traps and gave it to Sailormoon. Did you know Sailormoon has the Chaos Blade?" Tantalus, who had been engaged in some files he had been updating, immediately jerked around. "The Chaos Blade? But that means..." "She's returned." Hakujou's eyes grew icy cold. "Then we'll certainly have our work cut out for us," Tantalus commented. "Hai, Tantalus. You will." "I will?" "I'm assigning you to continue Sisyphus's work." Tantalus gulped, but there was nothing he could do about it. Bowing deeply, he murmured, "Yes, Hakujou-sama." * * * * * * * Back at the reception, everyone was curious about where Usagi and Mamoru had gone. Ikuko was furious when they both walked in the door. "WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN?!" Ikuko screeched at the top of her lungs. "THIS IS YOUR OTOU'S FUNERAL!!!" "I..." Usagi looked at her feet. "There you are!" Anya breezed through and immediately wrapped Usagi in a bear hug. "I was worried, love." She gave Mamoru the evil eye. The four Inners and Chibiusa were talking with Tsuyosa and Sora, who was telling them about backpacking through Europe. Even Ami had hearts in her eyes. "Ryoushi-san!" Sora spotted Anya. "What happened with our flowers?" "An accident," Anya said nonchalantly. "Too bad. They were lovely." "Holding a grudge, are we?" Tsuyosa laughed heartily while Sora's face twisted with hate. "Why would I?" Anya replied, her voice sounding a little challenging. "Sakamoto-san was just telling us about Europe," Chibiusa announced dreamily. "Lovely place," Tsuyosa commented, " but not as lovely as you!" He melodramatically swept Chibiusa's hand up and gently kissed it. It was clear he was joking, and the small girl giggled. Shizuka, who had been watching this, saw the color drain from Usagi's face. As it finally dawned on her what had happened, she felt her face do the same. "What have you been up to, Anya-chan?" Anya went livid at his condescension. "I'm a partner at Petersen & Bryon in San Francisco." "Petersen & Bryon?" Sora asked suspiciously. "San Francisco's top law firm. I'm the youngest partner ever." She looked ready to add, 'so there.' "Attorney, eh?" Tsuyosa laughed. "An excellent profession for a liar." He laughed rather too loudly. "At least I'm not a pedophile," Anya muttered under her breath. Only Usagi heard her and her already pale face became sheet white. "What was that?" "Nothing," Anya said in a sing-song voice. "Well, I'd love to stay, but I'm thoroughly nauseated. Ja!" Anya walked off, and Usagi followed quickly. "Don't provoke him, Onee-chan," Usagi whimpered. Anya stopped. "Gomen nasai, love. I didn't mean to..." Anya hugged Usagi tightly. "You look tired. Go take a nap." Usagi nodded and obediently went up to her room. * * * * * * * * * It was a nice day outside. The sun was shining and the sky was bright blue. Usagi looked out her open window. A four-year-old Shingo and younger Tsuyosa were playing catch outside while Kenji was grilling some fresh fish. Ikuko was in the kitchen with Sora, preparing the food and chatting merrily about everything and nothing at all. When the Sakamotos had come over for the afternoon, Usagi had told her mother she wanted to clean her room. At seven, Usagi was the quietest, most obedient little girl any mother could ever want. It rather worried the Tsukinos at times, to see their little girl so uninterested in things like playing. But it meant that Ikuko was not surprised when Usagi had preferred to clean her room (which Ikuko had said was a pigsty that morning), rather than play outside. "Tsuyosa-kun," Kenji called. "Would you go get Usagi-chan? It's time to eat." Tsuyosa reluctantly put down the ball he and Shingo had been tossing, much to the boy's protest. Sakamoto Tsuyosa was Shingo's hero; in the child's eyes, he had achieved a god-like status. Usagi felt her heart constrict as she heard him walk up the stairs. Thinking quickly, she lay down on the bed and pretended she was asleep. "Usagi-chan," the deep voice said behind her. Tsuyosa was now in the doorway. "Why aren't you downstairs? We missed you." She didn't move. "Come on, sweetie," he protested. "I don't like having you be mad at me." He closed the door and shut the windows. Tsuyosa laid down on the bed next to her and started massaging her back. Turning her around, he bent down and kissed her lips. Usagi squinched her eyes closed as tightly as possible, trying to pretend this wasn't happening ? again. Hot tears escaped and slid down her cheeks. "Come on, relax." He carefully pulled off her shirt. Usagi shuddered. Screaming did no good, it never did. "You're a very pretty little girl, you know." He proceeded to gently slide one of his hands up her skirt. "Beautiful, even." Tsuyosa slipped his hand into her panties. She smacked his hand. "Don't make a fuss, sweetie." Tsuyosa pulled down her underwear and fingered her. Usagi groaned in agony, praying to someone - anyone - that he would go away and leave her alone. Smiling almost manically, he unbuttoned the skirt and raped her. * * * * * * * * * "IIE!" Usagi woke up screaming, tears streaming down her face. She hadn't had any nightmares like that in years, why had they shown up now? "Usako?!" Within a moment, Mamoru had her in his arms, rocking her gently. "Shh, Usa, it's okay now..." "Don't touch me!" Usagi shouted, pulling herself out of his arms. Mamoru reached out for her again, but got slapped instead. "Usa..." Mamoru's emotions were torn between his concern for her and her rejection of him. The Inners watched this from the doorway, not knowing how to react to their princess's actions. Anya immediately dashed in and scooped up the sobbing girl into her embrace as if she did this every time a nightmare dare come to the girl, "Are you all right, love?" Usagi calmed down surprisingly quickly. Wiping her tears away, she said, "Hai. I just had a bad dream." "That's okay, love. Get washed up and we'll see you downstairs." Anya indicated for the four girls and Mamoru to leave. No one questioned her, and no one was certain what would have happened if they had. Mamoru shut the door behind him and quietly proceeded down the hall. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Chiba-san," Anya's voice rang out. "I forgot to tell you this earlier. If you ever, ever, *ever* hurt Usa-chan, I'll--" She whispered the rest of her threat in his ear, and Mamoru turned paper-white at the thought of that actually happening. From the look in her eyes (which, thanks to the high heels, were at eye-level with his), there was no doubt she would make good on her promise. "Uh..." His powers of speech were momentarily destroyed by her little comment. And he was beginning to wonder what Ryoushi Anya and her over protectiveness of Usagi were all about. "That's it," she said, her voice cheerful again. "Ja!" And she went back downstairs, leaving a very confused Mamoru to wonder. ******************************************************* **** *I said football, but I meant soccer. Yes, in the manga, Mamoru plays soccer. I'm not certain about his position, so...he's a forward, 'k? -Ai ( blinks blinks ) . . . okay, I sure didn't know that! ^^ anyways, email ? and well, ai's fault people! Yell at her! ( I'm innocent ? completely innocent ? ) ? usa-p