Usagi was about to go to her room when her mother stopped her. "Usagi, great news."

"What's going on?"

"Remember that semester abroad art program you applied for in Paris."

"Yeah."

"Well, the girl they had chosen had to drop out; she got pregnant and they have a spot for you."

"Really?"

"Yes, but you have to let them know within the next few days so they can get to work on your visa and make sure you have a suitable homestay."

"Do you have the number?"

It was already December. If she was gone for the next semester, then she would leave in January and wouldn't be back until May. It sounded like the break that she needed.

Their office was closed already, but her mother said that they were open on Saturday, so she could call tomorrow.

The girls were going to want to kill her for this, but she wasn't sure what use she was as their leader right now. Her strength came from her heart and it felt frozen right now. She wasn't even sure if she could transform.

She did know, however, that she would need to brush up on her French, starting yesterday. She started digging in her closet for her old Rosetta Stone CDs. "Here they are!"

She loaded level 1 onto her computer and put on some headphones.

In Setsuna's apartment, she was drunkenly telling Minako about the Silver Millenium.

"Queen Serenity and King Endimyon arranged the marriage between their children to try and prevent a war from breaking out.

The people on Earth were jealous of the Moon Kingdom's technology and prosperity. They believed that the Earth was getting exploited in their trade agreements, but it was really mismanagement of funds that caused their trouble, often by the same people who accused the Moon Kingdom of thievery.

Princess Serenity fell in love with Prince Endimyon at first sight, but he did not return her feelings. He had always been a playboy. He fooled around with Beryl. It was her rage when he dumped her that caused her to attack the Moon Kingdom.

It wasn't just Beryl that he deceived. He seduced the Princess of Mars, telling her that he loved her and not Serenity, but in reality, he loved no one but himself.

It was their affair that blinded them to the attack on the Moon Kingdom. By the time they got out there to fight, Princess Serenity was dead.

The Princess of Mars vowed that she would make up for her mistake, swearing that she would protect Serenity in every life they shared, but as you can see, Prince Endimyon went at it again, luring Rei away with false promises of love and happiness.

It was her loneliness that caused her vulnerability then and now. She believed him when he said his heart belonged to her, but his duty was to Usagi. She grew to resent her best friend for, in her mind anyway, ruining the chance she had a happy ending, but what Rei never understood, in any of her lifetimes as far as I can tell, is that when a man loves you, he gives you everything. He fights for you. His love makes you strong. All Mamoru has done is corrupt Rei, making her bitter and nasty, costing her everything.

In the future that we had, they all ended up dead, leaving a ten-year-old Chibiusa to find their bodies and take the throne. I couldn't do that to Small Lady. I had to try again, and I hope she makes it, but even I can't say what will happen."

"What about Rei? She broke the oath."

"I'm afraid I do not know the consequences of that either, but I am sure they will be serious. I didn't just expose the affair to save Usagi; I was trying to save Rei too, from Mamoru's charms. Instead of keeping this all a secret that lasts until Crystal Tokyo, she has to confront who she has become and what she has done. I hope it is enough to break her from his spell. I don't know what will happen if it doesn't."

"How do you bear this all alone?"

"Not as well as I once thought I did," she admitted. "I used to be very quick to make a decision and confident with what I had done. I can process a lot of information very quickly. It's why our late Queen picked me for the job, but now I have become unsure of myself.

It's been two thousand years and the same problems that ruined the Silver Millennium are coming back now. If there had been a right decision for me to prevent this, then I failed to make it."

Minako never realized how much Setsuna kept inside. She was like the silent phantom that secretly carried us all. "Let's get you to bed. I think you need a break from that whiskey."

She got Setsuna some water to drink, put a pillow under her head, and a bucket next to her bed just in case.

She only muttered out one word. "Stay."

Minako slept beside her, just sleeping, but she wouldn't leave the guardian alone. She had been alone far too long.

Rei was sweeping the steps of the shrine. Yuuichirou and her grandfather were off on some retreat. She hadn't seen much of them since she started seeing Mamoru.

"He said he loved me," Rei told her broom. "But when Usagi left him, all he did was chase her back."

Of course he'll say, it's for Chibiusa and Crystal Tokyo, but why can't she give him a daughter? Why can't she be his queen?

She knew eventually they would get caught. Usagi was trusting, but it would take more than trust for her to never get suspicious. She should have known Setsuna would do something. The woman never does anything, and the one time she had to intervene, it was here and now.

Was it really so terrible for her to love Mamoru? It must have offended her, but she didn't try to get Usagi to take him back. She could have threatened him into ending the affair and kept her eyes on him, but she didn't do that. She just accelerated what likely would have broken them up anyway.

She wanted to know what was happening, but Setsuna would never tell her. Whatever she was up to, it seemed like Usagi was the only one who had any idea what it was. Why was she the leader anyway? She's klutzy. She cries a lot. She won't even be able to transform in Crystal Tokyo.

Mamoru went out to a bar. Rei was no use to him that the other senshi knew. They would keep their eyes on her. Too bad, she was a fun fuck.

He never should have given Usagi that key. He should have known she'd show up at the wrong time. Now he had no girlfriend, no mistress and no motorcycle. He officially hated his life.

He spent the last of his money on whiskey and had to walk home.