Chapter Two or Episode Two: A Date with Destiny and Denial
(In the previous chapter, the star lights have returned to Earth to visit their sailor senshi companions. All is peaceful. Seiya invites Usagi Tsukino for ice cream in the park. Chibi-Usa is still in the future. Usagi receives good news that Mamoru Chiba will be coming home a few weeks early from America.)
Usagi Tsukino stumbles outside her house, to see a bold Seiya standing before her in a red suit. Usagi's outfit is simple, but still adorable. Her orange overall shorts and yellow long sleeved shirt, that compliment her hair, is still enough to make Seiya blush slightly.
"You look very good today, dumpling."
"Is that how you pick up girls, Seiya?" Usagi said jokingly.
Although her boyfriend, no fiancé, was still the love of her life, Usagi still kind of felt something for Seiya. Not anything she could ever explain.
They walked off together down the street, on this bright sunny day, to go get ice cream and just enjoy each others company.
*Couple hours later…*
"Dumping, is something the matter?.." Seiya asked politely to the girl who had just finished her ice cream, and was sitting on a bench. The two were unsure what to do next, since they had already lapped around the park filled with new spring blossoms.
"No. I'm alright" Usagi motioned in her convincing voice. Seiya felt something was off otherwise. Usagi being the honest person she is, and, not unaware of when she is being rude or not, asks Seiya, "How did you know you were interested in females? Interested in me? I understand why you appeared as a guy on this planet, searching for your princess, but still you have returned as a male. I am just confused."
"Silly dumpling, I just knew. Sometimes you just…find things out." Seiya said playfully. "I am interested in you because you have so many great qualities about you, and, you give off this warm energy that I can't help but fall in love with every time I am around you."
Those kind words made Usagi weak, and, start to tear up.
"I'm sorry I can not love you that way in return Seiya, but I am in love with someone else. I do really love you though; just I don't think it would ever work out in that way for me."
"I understand, you don't have to worry, ever."
Seiya leaned into Usagi on the bench next to her, giving her a simple kiss on the cheek.
Out of nowhere Usagi stated, "I am afraid of not being faithful to the one that I love. I would never be unfaithful though."
Those words confused Seiya because of Usagi's previous statement of disinterest. What was going on in the Moon Princess's head…?
Seiya walked Usagi home, where she still looked kind of weak. He repeated himself from earlier. "Dumpling, are you sure that nothing is the matter?"
Usagi's eyes welling up with tears again, "No I'm sure that I am happy. I am surrounded by all of my wonderful friends, and Mamo-chan will return shortly. There is nothing wrong. I am just tired. I am sorry Seiya. I am going to rest now."
With that they parted, and Usagi went straight to lie in her bed. Still, half teary eyed, Usagi didn't know what the problem could be. Her soon to be husband would be returning to them soon, and they would be wed. Her friends came to visit her. What could be wrong? Usagi pondered to herself for a while, and then fell asleep…
*In an alternate dimension, at a different time…*
"Is there still a possible way of changing the future?"
"I am afraid not, it will be harder to convince them who you are now. You must be on alert at all times."
"Yes, my moon prince."
*The next day for Usagi Tsukino*
The sun was shining through Usagi's thin purple curtains onto her laying atop of her made up bed. She had slept the whole night through in her clothes. She was more exhausted than she thought. Rolling over to look at the time on her cell phone, she realizes she has a missed call from Rei Hino.
*Ring, Ring, Ring…*
Rei wasn't answering Usagi's call.
It continued. * Ring, Ring, Ring,…*
*BEEP BEEP BEEP*
The phone went to angry sounding dead connection signal.
Usagi attempted to call Rei back three more times over the next hour, while getting dressed appropriately in a black and white striped sleeveless short dress. The weather was getting warmer, and this was the hottest day they had all year.
Usagi didn't have much to do with her day so decided to head over to her fiery friend's house to see why she had called her. Maybe Rei didn't know her phone wasn't working.
It took Usagi about a half an hour to walk down the warm streets to her friend's temple home. She walked up to the top and noticed the place, wasn't in its tip top condition as per usual. She thought to herself that maybe Rei was slacking since her grandfather wasn't coming home for a while. Usagi thought maybe she could tease her about it, if Rei tries to argue with her today. Usagi's face lit up with a silly looking sly grin.
Usagi walked up to Rei's bedroom door.
"Rei-chan! Are you here? Why did you call me?"
Usagi received no response.
"Rei-chan, did you fall back asleep, you have chores to do..."
Usagi said with a taunting tone, slowly opened Rei's bedroom door, disregarding the fact that her friend may not be home. The room was vacant, but a little messy. 'Rei never leaves this much of a mess…' Usagi thought to herself as she shut the door and headed towards the shrine exit. On her way out, she noticed someone standing in the trees to the left of her.
"Rei-chan?!" Usagi half asked as she ran toward her friend in the small forest.
It was Rei but she didn't move, she just stood there, leaned against a tree. A blank look on her face was enough to give Usagi chills.
"Rei-chan, are you okay? Did you call me because you are upset? What's wrong?"
Rei did not respond, causing Usagi to get closer to her. Rei shrunk more into herself. Usagi noticed this and backed off.
"Are you angry with me? Is that why you called and now I showed up and pissed you off?" Rei's face grew more upset, but she gave her blonde best friend a nod to let her know that, that wasn't the case.
Usagi's voice became more concerned, "Please Rei-chan talk to me, I love you! You can tell me anything, I want to help you!"
Rei's eye grew angry, but more depressed all at the same time. She decided to let Usagi in with what was actually happening…
"You're the first person I called, the only person I called. I don't know why. I mean, I do but I just don't know how to admit this, but I am lonely."
Usagi was surprised at how honest, polite, and, nice her usually stubborn, cruel friend was acting. Rei reached in her shrine attire and pulled out a letter. She handed it to Usagi and looked away.
"Dear Rei,
I have decided that I will be staying north in the mountains for at least a year. I have decided I want to leave the shrine with you. .."
The letter continued, but it had all the same message. Usagi was surprised again and hugged her friend. "You don't have to worry Rei; you know I will never let you be lonely."
"Yuichiro isn't coming back either!" Rei shouted. Usagi looked shocked!
"What…?"
"He has started hanging around with this girl, and he moved out too. So now I have this whole shrine to myself, and, grandpa doesn't even know Yuichiro left. I feel awful. I just can't take care of this whole shrine by myself!" Rei was still shouting, overwhelmed more and more as each minute passed
Usagi held Rei close, "You know the girls and I would never let you feel lonely, especially me. You're my best friend. I'm sure we can help you out with the shrine work when we can! I know I will! It will be easy!"
Usagi continued to yell matter of fact like, knowing she wouldn't let her friend feel this way for very long! After some amounts of convincing Rei, she wouldn't be all alone, the girls returned to their usual nagging when Usagi mentioned how she did think it was weird that the whole shrine was a mess. This caused Rei to chase Usagi with a broom.
After some playful, violence, the girls stopped naturally, and, Rei invited Usagi to stay for dinner if she would please. Usagi accepted, after all, she could never turn down a meal, especially if it was with a friend.
After eating their dinners, Usagi and Rei noticed the sun was starting to set. Rei looked up at with a sad look in her eyes. Usagi noticed this, and realized that just maybe Rei didn't want her to leave this time.
"Hey Rei, I am awfully tired, do you think that I could just stay here for the night?"
Rei's eyes opened up, and nodded, "Sure thing, but that doesn't mean you can read my manga all night and eat all my food."
Usagi attempting to do a nice thing for Rei, became teary eyed, and agreed. All she wanted today was to make her friend happy.
After cleaning up Rei's room a little bit, they both got into bed and fell asleep immediately. Usagi and Rei were unaware of what would happen tomorrow.
