Eien no Rekka - Chapter Seven (Eternal Fire) by Angel Eternal email: angel_eternal_01@yahoo.com Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon...must I keep saying it??? The phone ran incessantly. Irritated, he flung his pen down. He never could do work at home. He glared at the offending phone - he decieded to let the machine pick it up. Eventually, the answering maching clicked on. Absently, he listened to a deep voice - rather hesitant in relying his message. Then something he heard caught his attention. Stunned, he stared at the machine - unable to believe what he heard... * * * She stared into the fire - too numb to even attempt to call on the great fire. What was she going do do now? What can she do? Her promise, drifted inot her mind, reminding her. She cannot possible keep that promise! But it was a promise made on her grandfather's deathbed - his last wish. She never dreamed that she would ever hear his last words. She must honor it. Slowly, she began to prepare for the ceremony. She donned her white robes. Carefully she arranged her hair into a simple coiffure. Slowly, carefully - focusing completely on the mundane tasks - so as to think on nothing else. * * * He was now laid to rest - it still hadn't really sunk in. Slowly, she picked up the phone. She took out a crumpled piece of paper. She smoothed it out, then she dialled. "Hello?" "Moshi, moshi, may I please speak to Hino-san?" "Pardon?" She sighed, she had forgotten to speak English, struggling to remember the correct words, she tried again. "May I please speak to Mr. Hino?" "May I know who's speaking?" "It's his daughter." * * * Ami nodded, listening intently to the shaky voice on the other side. "I understand Rei-chan...but..." "Iie Ami-chan. For me, onegai. Don't tell minna. Onegai!" "Hai Rei-chan." "Promise me Ami-chan!" Reluctantly, Ami agreed. After once more promising, she said her farewells, and placed the reciever back on the cradle. She pondered her promise - well she had no choice but to keep it. Ami would never betray Rei like that - but Rei didn't say for how long she had to keep it for... * * * Staring out the window - Hino Rei was saying farewell to the country she called home. She didn't want to leave - but with any luck she is not saying good-bye for long. She would keep her promise - she would go to her otousan. * * * "NANI???!!!" Ami winced, "Usagi-chan, have a care for my ears!" Usagi drew in deep breaths, trying to process the information. Rei-chan had left. She had flown to America to be with her otousan. She had left the jinga's temporary care to Ami. She had made Ami promise not to tell anyone of her departure - Ami had called Usagi. But it was too late. Ami had waited for Rei's flight to leave, before calling Usagi. "Ami-chan, you should have told us...Rei-chan, should never have left..." "Usa-chan, calm down. Rei-chan had no choice. There was a logic for her not wanting anyone to know that she was leaving. Her grandfather had made her promise to go to her otousan in America. She had no choice, and she didn't want anyone there, to make it harder for her." "Ami-chan, she shouldn't have left!" Despite the sorrow that Ami felt, she managed to chuckle at that remark. "Usa-chan, she didn't have a choice. But if her grandfather hadn't made her promise, she would still had to leave. Her otousan would have come for her. She couldn't stay." Usagi sighed, "I understand all of that Ami-chan - it doesn't make it any easier." Gomen nasai - but I don't really know what the Shinto funeral customs are - so just to be safe, I left the details out. As these notes are gonna be long anyway, I would also like to thank the two people who are giving me constant support - Takala and Travel Dragon - and Travel Dragon this is for you: Japansese for Eien no Rekka Chapters One - Seven Gomen nasai!!!! I know, I know, Angel-baka has been a very bad girl. She has been forgetting to put in translations! So here they are so far. After this, I'll put them in for every chapeter. These are in the order they occur. -chan - affection ending, usually used between good friends, to younger children, from younger children towards older children, between family members, and between lovers or married couples. hai - yes senshi - warrior arigatou - thank-you odango - meatball atama - head itai - ow/ouch -baka - like saying '...the idiot' youma - monster (closest translation I can get) matte - wait Ginzuishou - DiC's Silver Crystal nani - what hime - princess onegai - please koishi - beloved baka - idiot iie - no dooshite - why henshin - transform/ation masaka - it can't be doke - move gomen/ gomen nasai - I'm sorry (informal apology) -tachi - eg Usagi-tachi - Usagi and everyone with her daijaibu da? - are you alright jinja - temple minna - everyone yoi - good konban'wa - good evening -kun - less common ending, used mostly by female students towards male students (though sometimes a male will use it towards a female) and by male student to male student, and in the workplace, by a senior employee or the employer towards a junior employee - ko - as in 'Usako'. Another term of affection. Means 'Little'. 'Usagi' = 'Rabbit' + '-ko' = 'Little' = 'Usako' = 'Little Rabbit' otousan - father sonna - no way onegai, jama suru de nai - please, don't interrupt aisheteru - I love you moshi, moshi - hello (usually only on the phone)