Act One: Can't Fight The Moonlight
Hotaru looked up at the full moon rising high above Hikawa shrine while fumbling in her coat for the keys to her bicycle lock.
"Are you gonna get home safely after drinking so much?" She heard someone ask behind her.
"Ha. Don't worry about me, nee-san," She replied, turning around and smiling at Rei who appeared from the shrine's living quarters. "You're the one who's going to have to send a drunk Usagi-chan home."
The miko cringed.
"It was a great party. At least this way the rest of us got to share a little in the fun of your trip. Thank you for inviting us and letting us join in the planning of your Hiroshima visit," Hotaru continued.
"Yeah. It's too bad Mamoru-kun's company will only pay for five. But I don't get to complain of course," Rei smiled. "It's wonderful to get this chance at all."
"Don't feel bad about it nee-san. I have a tournament next week anyway."
The affectionate appellation the younger girl had come to bestow upon her always made Rei wonder how things could have been had they really grown up together as sisters. She enjoyed hanging out with Hotaru. The younger girl now almost came to see her as much as Usagi. Eventually, they had discovered they just clicked and shared a lot of interests. Chief among those being Princesses.
One of which had just come outside.
"Rei-chan! Come back in. I want to watch the Devil Hunter Yohko DVD together," Usagi drunkenly whined.
"We can watch it another time. It's late. I want to go to sleep. Everyone else already went home."
Usagi clung to her friend's arm. "Ah! I don't want to go to sleep yet. Come and watch Devil Hunter Yohko with me."
"I should never have gotten that DVD player," Rei sighed.
"You didn't. Remember?" Hotaru smiled. "We all chipped in to buy it for your birthday."
"I can only guess who's idea that was," The miko smirked.
Even drunk, Usagi giggled nervously seeing the penetrating look her friend gave her. "But we've had lots of fun with it haven't we?" She laughed.
That much was true. And Rei couldn't deny Usagi had bought her several DVD's as a present because she wanted to watch them together. But she was drunk and tired and she had to wake up extra early tomorrow to clean up, so she didn't really care right now.
"This'll be easier once I leave," Hotaru smiled. "Goodnight nee-san. Goodnight Usagi-chan. Don't give Rei-chan too much trouble please."
The black bobbed girl leisurely hauled her bicycle down the stairs and went on her way, watched by her two friends.
"Hotaru-chan is so fast. Pity, she cut her hair again. She looks so cool when it's long," Usagi sighed.
"She must have felt she looked too much like Mistress 9 again. None of the girls or boys at the club want to play her when she cuts her hair. She gets scary," Rei replied while looking at the head leaning against her shoulder. "Now go home. I have to clean up tomorrow, so I want to get some sleep."
"Then let me sleep over. I'll help you clean up Rei-chan," Her friend chuckled.
She smelled like watermelon Bacardi Breezer. Very sweet. She was far too close, Rei thought peevishly.
"You mean you'll sleep in while I get to clean up around you," She shook the blonde off with a merciless expression. "No way that's happening. Besides, you have to pack for the trip."
"Ow."
The blonde's disappointed pout quickly turned mischievous.
"That reminds me, Rei-chan. Have you invited Yuuichirou-kun yet?"
"What are you talking about?!" The blackette exclaimed in an annoyed tone.
"Come on Rei-chan!" Usagi pestered her friend. "It's a romantic cruise to one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It's a perfect opportunity to ask Yuuichirou-kun to come with you! He's still reeling from the break-up. He's lonely and vulnerable!"
The company Mamoru was working for needed him to help start up a new office in Hiroshima. In his first years working for the company he had impressed so much, he had been offered a cruise trip to the city with five friends or family members. Tsukurimono Enterprise was a fast-growing company, willing to go to very great lengths to reward their best-performing employees.
"Why do you keep going at this absurd match-making? I'm not interested in him like that! I never was!" Rei replied peevishly. Her friend had been on her case for three days to ask Yuuichirou to come with them. "Besides... Yuuichirou has to look after the shrine with grandpa. He can't come."
"Ahaa!" Usagi smiled. "But I already asked grandpa if he could miss him for the duration of our trip and he said yes."
"Well, then I'll immediately convince him otherwise." Rei grinned viciously while striding towards the house. Her friend desperately held on to her sleeve, crying and begging while she was towed forward.
"Please Rei-chan. It would be so nice. He might finally swoop you off your feet."
"But I don't want to find be swooped off my feet by Yuuichirou!" The miko turned around furiously and stifled a scream of frustration.
Usagi bowed, hands joined behind her back and looked up at her friend with blinking eyes.
"Does that mean there is someone else you do want to be swooped off your feet by? Does Rei-chan have a secret lover?"
"Of course I don't! Don't be ridiculous. I don't have time for a lover."
"You do. You do." Usagi sang, grabbing the miko's shoulders in excitement and bringing her face close. "Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Please Rei-chan, you have to tell me. We have been best friends for six years."
Rei blushed and gritted her teeth. The blonde's really smelled too nice. Leave it to Usagi to turn her on while bugging the hell out of her.
"Wait..." A suspicious expression came over the blonde. "You are not lusting after Mamoru-chan, are you?!" She threatened.
"Please don't start with that again." Rei fumed. "No!"
Usagi took a moment to allow her ears to stop ringing.
"So who is it then? Who is it? You can tell me Rei-chan. It'll stay a secret. Just a secret between bosom friends."
"Do you really want to know?" Rei grinned, dangerously over her limit. Liquor and fatigue getting the better of her.
"Yes! Yes!" Usagi clapped in her hands, leaning closer.
At the same moment, her friend grabbed her collar and set her aflame with the most passionate kiss she had ever experienced.
Rei let go of her slowly, not quite believing what she had just done and Usagi let out a small sound, not unlike the whistling of a pressure cooker.
The only thing she was capable of was opening her eyes with a dumb expression on her face.
Rei glared at her.
"You are such a moron Usagi." She blushed angrily and walked away, leaving her bewildered and hurt friend to pull herself together and walk home in a daze through the darkening evening.
Monsters of all shapes and sizes were rampaging through the town. People ran in all directions. Panick written on their faces. But to no avail. "This is not a dream." They only ran towards certain death. Monstrous faceless winged creatures snatched them up in their tails, draining the life out of them. "I am using you as a receiver because of your powers." Sailor Uranus and Neptune fought side by side, but they were completely overwhelmed. Neptune called out to her lover who ran to save the people in the bus from the huge pig-faced monsters. But it was too late. The trap was sprung. "You are receiving this broadcast in order to alter the events you are seeing." A shadowy figure stepped through a portal while Mars held a crying Moon. "You are seeing what is going to occur for the purpose of causality violation. "
Rei jumped awake in a cold sweat.
What had she done! She had kissed Usagi! She sat up and rubbed her eyebrows. That moron had finally pushed her so far that she couldn't restrain herself anymore. "Uurgh." How could she face her dear friend now? Wait. Perhaps the blonde had misunderstood. This was Usagi after all. She might not have gotten the clue. In fact, Rei might get away pretending it had all been a big joke.
She heaved a deep sigh. Who was she kidding? What she had done had made her feelings clear as daylight. She could only imagine how confused Usagi must have felt after being kissed like that.
She had to somehow make what happened between them appear like a small thing. She owed it to Usagi. She had to go to her house right away and pretend it's just a passing crush.
She found solace in the decision and lay down on her futon again. Touching her lips she thought back to last night. At least she had the kiss. Usagi's lips had tasted sweeter than she had ever imagined. To hold her like that and finally share a kiss with her. It had been...
Like nothing, she had ever felt before. "Hnnng." Usagi buried her head deep in her pillow. Why did she have to kiss her like THAT?! None of Mamoru's kisses had ever felt like this! Why had she done that?! Did that really mean Rei was in love with her?! But why?! How?! Why hadn't she ever said something?! And why did it thrill her so much and made her so afraid, even though Rei is a girl, a friend, her best friend...
"Usagi-chan? What are you doing?"
Luna gave her Princess a strange look as the latter slowly looked up from under the pillow she had been pushing over her face.
"Hahaha! I was having a bad dream. Yeah. Just having a bad dream. That's it," The young woman laughed away her red cheeks.
"You looked like you were trying to eat your pillow," The cat remarked. "You have to start packing for the cruise if you don't want to make the others wait for you. Of course, you could have done this yesterday. But someone needed to put things off to the last moment as usual." Luna sighed. "Luckily you have Rei-chan to push you into studying or you would never have gotten through your first year of university at all."
"Alright, alright," Usagi huffed. "I'm not completely useless. And I still have two days.
You should be impressed I did so well actually," She said haughtily. "You predicted I would drop out after three months."
"Well yes," Her cat smiled. "I admit You have done very well. You would have made Queen Serenity proud."
"Thank you," A proud Usagi grinned.
"Usagi? Can I come in?" Shingo knocked on the door.
"Alright. Come in."
"Huh. You're packing?" He blinked.
"Oh, right. That's right. You're going on that cruise." He remembered, scratching the back of his head in disappointment.
"I'm not moving out Shingo," Usagi sighed.
"It's not fair," Her little brother whined. "Your boyfriend has a bigger paycheck than dad. I'm sure of it. I've been waiting for ages to get your room. If I had a cute girlfriend I'd get her to move in with me as soon as I had a place of my own..."
"Euh, not that I think you're cute or anything." He tried to correct himself.
Usagi giggled at her brother's inadvertent compliment.
"Mamoru-kun and I agreed it might distract me from my studies too much if we lived together.
I'm sorry Shingo, but you are going to have to wait a few years more. What did you come for anyway?"
"Oh. One of your friends is here. Mom asked me to check if you were up."
"My friend," His sister colored.
Luna tilted her head and gave the blonde a curious look.
"Which... Who is it?" Usagi continued.
"I don't know, your highness," Shingo crossed his arms. "Why don't you go down and find out for yourself?"
The future Queen bit her lip.
"Could... Could you ask her to come up?" She asked with cheeks as red as cherries.
"Are you kidding...?" Shingo whispered in astonishment.
He left without another word.
"Euh, Luna," Usagi muttered. "Could you go and take a walk or something please?"
"You're behaving very strange again," Her cat dryly observed.
"Please?" Usagi repeated anxiously.
"Very well. I'll go and see how Artemis is doing."
Once Luna had left Usagi couldn't control herself anymore. She paced all over her room and started fidgeting. At last, she decided the best thing to do was to start packing.
To her relief, it was Minako who knocked and came in.
"You still aren't ready? We leave on Thursday! This is going to be amazing Usagi-chan! A cruise around the western islands and a week in Hiroshima! Imagine the men we might meet!" The girl gushed while Usagi was full of mingled relief and disappointment that she wasn't Rei.
"I have researched every major tourist attraction in the city!" Her friend conjured up a whole bunch of brochures from her bag. "I even found some beautiful hidden treasures."
"That sounds great Minako-chan," Usagi smiled sheepishly. "But we already agreed what we are going to do remember?"
Her friend looked blank for a second.
"Haaa... Yes... I guess I was a bit out of it yesterday evening. But we still have time to hit a club or two, don't we? I have plans Usagi-chan..." She said, looking very intense.
"I have gone to the hairdresser and went shopping with Rei-chan and Makoto-chan. I am not coming back without a boyfriend."
Usagi smiled sadly in response.
A sudden knock startled them both and Usagi felt the same mingled emotions when she saw Mamoru came in.
"I hope I'm not disturbing anything. Shingo-kun said her highness was receiving visitors so I didn't know what to expect," He smiled. "I thought I'd come and help my girlfriend pack."
"Oh no Mamoru-kun, we were just looking over places we could visit in Hiroshima," Minako cheerfully invited him further in.
"Thank you again for inviting us. I would have thought you would want to enjoy a romantic cruise in the exclusive company of your girlfriend?"
"Oh no," Mamoru came closer and embraced the girlfriend in question fondly.
"After the cruise, I will be busy working most of the time. I'll be busy with work during the cruise too. So it's a relief to me to know Usagi-chan will have her friends to keep her from feeling lonely. And since we are having such a quiet time of it this past year I thought we should all enjoy it to the fullest."
"Please don't awaken sleeping enemies with talk like that," Usagi deadpanned.
"Hahaha," Her boyfriend rubbed the back of his head.
"Oh, Rei-chan!" Minako welcomed.
Usagi immediately turned bright red and moved away from her boyfriend.
Rei gave her a look and not knowing how to act Usagi turned and continued packing.
"You are going to wear that dress I bought you on the cruise aren't you? It won't do the rest of us any good if there's a slacker in the group. We all have to look our finest on our holiday," Minako turned serious on Rei.
"Of course I'll wear it, Minako-chan," Her friend smirked. "If only to justify your buying it so you can ask me to loan it to you later on."
"Hehe. Thank you... Oh, but..." The blonde looked towards Usagi and remembered her talking about inviting Yuuichirou. "Perhaps you don't need to go hunting with us. Your future lover might be waiting for you on the cruise without your knowing."
She gave her friend a sly look.
Rei rolled her eyes.
"Actually Usagi and I have agreed not to ask Yuuichirou to join us," She stated evenly. "My grandpa needs him at the shrine."
"Aaaah," Her friend sighed. "You are no fun. You are the only one of us besides Ami-chan who has a guy at her feet but you keep holding him at a distance."
Mamoru quietly helped Usagi pack while their friends continued their talk.
"That's because like I've told you a million times: I don't care for him that way. Yuuichirou is a good friend. I' m sorry for him but nothing is going to happen between us, so the best thing he can do is give up and move on. Which I've been getting the feeling he finally has," Rei smiled, genuinely pleased.
"I... I guess it's not easy, but six years is an absurd amount of time to be in love with a person who can't return those feelings."
Usagi tensed.
"Well, he has been with Megumi-san. And there were others," Minako stated.
"Yes. He'll find someone eventually. It's useless to pine for a girl who is not meant for you so it's a good thing he's trying to get on with his life," Rei confidently concluded.
"But he has tried," A small voice came from next to Mamoru. "I think a person should at least try."
"That's right. Usagi?" Rei scraped her throat.
"The reason I came: About that thing for school we talked about yesterday..."
Usagi managed to keep her blood flow in moderate control as she timidly turned around.
"Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter. it's my fault for getting into that problem, so I'll sort it out. It's no big deal." Rei laughed exaggeratedly breezy.
The blonde looked suddenly disappointed.
Rei had the feeling she was looking right through her.
"Hmmhmm," Usagi replied eventually.
"Well since you already have two of your friends here to help you pack I better get back to work because I still have a lot of it. It's quite exciting to get involved in this... But I will spare you the details," Mamoru laughed, moving closer to his girlfriend for a kiss.
Usagi recoiled for a millisecond and blushed before she kissed him back stiffly.
"I'll see you three on Thursday then," Her boyfriend waved on his way out.
"Goodbye Mamoru-kun."
Usagi went back to packing under Rei's concerned gaze.
Jupiter hurried out of the way of the storming herd of monsters that was running into the soldiers who's gunfire didn't seem to bother them in the least. "You have to prepare them." The rockets exploded in mid-air without harming any of the attackers. "There is no way to stop them with your current powers." A woman screamed in horror as a hooded creature bend down towards her. "Your only option, mankind's only hope, is for you to survive so you can fight for its future! "
"Not this again!" Rei threw the sheets from her and went outside with a sigh.
She nervously paced back and forth the shrine's covered walkway. The night air gradually helped her calm down as she organized her thoughts.
A shadowy form approached her from behind the corner and suddenly jumped in front of her.
"What are you doing here?!" Her assailant shouted.
"Yuuichirou?!"
The broom in his hand was halted just in time during its descent towards her.
Rei scowled at him.
"Ahahaha Rei-chan. I'm sorry. I heard a strange noise and after that attack a few years ago I thought it was safer to investigate."
Rei still tensed in anger remembering Ultra-Gretchen's audacity to think she could just take out one of the two less formidable Sailor Senshi in her own home.
The fight was a brutal one, but against all odds, Rei, at last, managed to melt through the Soulmerchant's defenses thanks to her new attack and reduce her to a very pitiable state indeed by the time her master teleported her away.
Thankfully not before she had released grandpa and Yuuichirou's souls and the souls of her earlier victims.
Had Rei's housemates not been made aware of her secret life and the threats she and her friends had fought over the years by Nebula Supreme there would have been no point in trying to hide anything from them after that experience.
Whether a blessing or a curse, they now knew everything about the horrible creatures that existed in the world.
None of the people closest to Rei's heart would ever be able to live their lives ignorant to that danger anymore.
Well... At least she got to be cradled and kissed by Usagi again for her troubles.
"You couldn't sleep?" Yuuichirou asked, bringing her back to reality.
"No," She replied before turning her attention to the shrine's garden.
Her colleague came and stood beside her, the broom in his hands.
"A vision?" He inquired.
She frowned, pondering how well her closest male friend knew her.
"Yuuichirou?" She gave him a penetrating look. "How's your love life these days?"
"Huuuh?! I... I... What brought that up all of a sudden?!"
"Oh, you know. The others were matchmaking again, "Rei sighed. "They wanted me to invite you to the cruise."
"Oh." He looked disappointed. "Who did?"
"Minako-chan and Usagi. As usual. Who else?"
"Oh," He smiled. "Don't let them bother you Rei-chan. You know I've... Well, I still really like you."
He rubbed the back of his head.
"I just always liked you. Maybe I always will. But... You're not the only woman in my life anymore."
"I'm glad," Rei grinned and looked up at him."You deserve better than to waste your youth on me Yuuichirou. I really hoped you and Megumi-san would have married."
"Yeah," He smiled sadly. "She was... really great. I'm sad it didn't work out between us. I did love her. But in the end, we were both wanting different things."
The blackette patted him on the shoulder.
"One of these days a really amazing woman is going to snatch you away from me and I'll regret not returning your feelings,"
She smiled.
"It's got to happen someday. You are too good a man to pass up on.
Besides, six years is too depressingly long for an unrequited love."
Her friend stared dreamily ahead.
"Yeah... Maybe..." He finally answered.
"But if that happens I'd wish for you to be swooped up by someone too. Because you also deserve much better than to pine for her for six years."
"Usagi... Are you going to eat that?"
The blonde slowly looked up at her mother's concerned face.
"Huh?" She reacted.
"Are you alright? You look a little pale." Ikuko asked. "Did you get enough sleep?"
"Yeah. I mean no. I'm sorry," Usagi quietly responded. "I'll do my best."
Her mother blinked.
"She's probably just nervous for her trip," Her father sussed. "I have to confess: I used to think Mamoru-san was a really strange boy, but he has really been cleaning up his act these past years. Word is he's a real shooting star. You were lucky to find him."
His daughter turned back to prodding her food without aim.
"Dear!" Ikuko exclaimed.
Her husband looked nonplussed at her reaction.
"He is lucky to have you too Usagi," She said proudly. "You're doing really great at Tokyo University"
"Yeah. You're actually getting good grades. We never suspected you'd be smart enough to even get in," Shingo joked.
"I have saved the world on various occasions you know!" Usagi flared up.
"We know honey."
"Don't brag."
"I'd like to see you get through university while fighting monsters every day," The blonde glared at her little brother.
"You haven't been fighting monsters since you went to university haven't you?" Shingo deflated utterly her. "I could fight monsters and go to school easy," He concluded while he crossed his arms.
"You're not fighting monsters Shingo," His father reprimanded. "The only members of this family who are allowed to fight monsters are the ones with superpowers! And that's the end of this talk."
Usagi couldn't help hide a smile. It was kind of cute for her father to feel threatened in his patriarchal role by her powers, and her mother expertly boosting his self-worth by a variety of tactics whenever the subject came up.
It was regretful that Nebula Supreme had revealed everything to her family, but she had to admit it was nice to be able to talk so openly about her formerly secret life with them.
If only she hadn't lost the friend responsible for that gift... and the friend who had saved the universe. Usagi shivered and tears pricked her eyes as she remembered how they had lost Setsuna.
She shook her head and went back to pondering what had originally been bothering her. The kiss, and the revelation it represented.
Lying on her bed after breakfast she was still pondering what had kept her awake all night.
Had she really never suspected?
They had a strange friendship, Usagi knew everybody thought so. But she had never known a more intense friendship.
She supposed it had to be intense if Rei was involved, but the blackette's relationship with others had never been so constantly intense as it was with her... or her grandpa and Yuuichirou.
And they were certainly close. Rei might even be said to be the closest friend Usagi had.
Not that she was always as nice as Usagi wanted her to be.
In fact, Rei's teasing could test the limits of her tolerance like no enemy had ever been able to.
It went so far there was a time Usagi had become downright paranoid, seeking a hidden insult behind everything her friend said.
Maybe she had wanted Rei's friendship a little too much and Rei found it amusing to make her doubt those feelings were returned. Except it now seemed that she loved her more than anyone had suspected.
Rei had given her so much and dedicated so much of herself to Usagi.
She had even died protecting her more than once.
Sure that may have been more about wanting Usagi to save the world, but the fact is that she actually trusted Usagi to pull it off. Every time.
In spite of her criticism, in spite of the teasing, Rei had always trusted Usagi to bring things to a good end when everything relied on her.
Rei had sighed and moaned when Usagi revealed she was going to follow psychology at the same university as her friend was. But she made sure she sat next to Usagi in class every time.
She came to Usagi's place every day to study together. She had actually never seemed happier than she had been these past two years.
It was the first time they had gone to the same school, been in the same class.
Usagi had gotten used to having the others around her all the time and had dreaded the separation after high school.
She was very happy about going to school with Rei, sitting next to Rei, watching her attentive face, getting pinched whenever she nodded off.
She wondered whether her friend had regretted not going to the same high school together if she had been in love with her back then.
Usagi wondered how long Rei had been in love with her.
Could it really have been going on for so long? Was that why she just gave up Mamoru to her like it was nothing?
No, she did seem hurt at first when Mamoru and Usagi's past and destiny were revealed and Usagi had felt deeply guilty about that.
But after the first outburst of pain, she didn't hear another harsh thing from Rei. In fact, Rei had been unusually kind to her before their reconciliatory talk in the snow.
Usagi turned around in dismay.
Pondering about it wasn't going to tell her anything. She could rack her brain for weeks and she wouldn't discover what she wanted to know.
If Rei had been able to keep this secret from her for so long she would only be able to get the answers she wanted from Rei herself.
That is why later that day she got off the bus at the shrine. She was nervous and afraid, but she had to talk to Rei about this.
As she walked up the stairs she saw Yuuichirou sweeping.
"Hello," She greeted him in mock cheer.
"Oh. Hello Usagi-chan," He returned. "Are you ready for the cruise?"
"Euh, yes. I packed yesterday."
He waited for her to say more.
"You've been on a cruise before haven't you, Yuuichirou-kun?"
"Yes. Well, I've been on one with my parents when I was little. It was fun. But they didn't let me out of sight. They were afraid I might get lost."
"Hmm. I suppose that wasn't much fun."
"No," He laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "But they had a lot of activities for kids, so I didn't get bored."
Usagi felt her palms get sweaty and her heart beat fast in anticipation, so she tried to get to the reason for her visit.
"Is Rei-chan in her room?"
"Oh, no. She's doing a fire reading."
That was disappointing, and Usagi looked it.
"But don't worry," Yuuichirou came to her aid seeing her face fall. "She's been at it for a while now. She'll soon be ready."
"Oh. Okay, thank you."
She walked up to the temple quietly and found her secret admirer sitting in front of the fire in supreme concentration.
She walked back a little, feeling a supernatural fear that her presence might disturb Rei's concentration.
Looking at the miko doing a fire reading was always a relaxing experience for Usagi. She was so overawed by how solemnly Rei performed the ritual that she felt compelled into silence.
There was also the fact that her friend looked even more impressive than usual when she was dressed in her miko clothing. Usagi had always felt so. She involuntarily remembered the first time they met as the fire burned higher...
Rei wasn't surprised when as she got up she found her friend waiting for her. Usagi had come for her before, only to find her busy with a reading and every time she uncharacteristically waited patiently for her to finish. This time, however, the miko groaned internally for what she knew must be the reason for the visit.
It evidently took Usagi a while to realize she had finished and Rei felt her heart warmed by the dumb, cute expression the blonde made as she came back to the present day. She wondered what Usagi had been daydreaming about.
They dramatically walked up to each other, neither knowing well how to start the conversation.
They just stood facing for half a minute, looking perhaps like fish, having an involved discussion no other race on earth could comprehend.
At last, Rei drew first, by virtue of losing her patience.
"If you came to talk about what I did don't bother. Like I said before: I'll deal with this. I was a little too drunk and you looked cute and I let myself go. I'm sorry. But It's just a little crush. it's not a big deal. So there really is nothing to discuss," She said breezily.
"There is everything to discuss you mean! I want to know things!" Usagi responded in a half irritated, half whiny voice.
"Why? What do you want to know?" Rei sighed.
"How long have you been feeling this...!" Usagi swallowed and talked more quietly. "How long have you felt this way about me? Why did you never tell me? It doesn't feel quite fair to keep this to yourself Rei-chan," She sulked. "I'm involved in this too. And I don't believe you about this being just a crush."
"Oh, you don't?" Rei stood with her arms akimbo and smirked. "I suppose you expect me to harbor some kind of deep passionate love for you? Aren't you a little full of yourself Usagi?" Then in a more irritated tone: "And exactly how are you involved? Why are you trying to make this about you?!"
Usagi changed her demeanor to a more determined one.
"Don't think you can intimidate me into backing out of this, Rei-chan! You kissed me out of the blue, so you at least owe me an honest explanation instead of these wishy-washy lies. We're friends. If you have feelings for me you should talk to me about them, you coward! This is just like you! You are afraid of rejection because you feel your parents never gave you the love they should have!"
Her angry voice changed to an accusing whine somewhere in the middle of her speech.
"Stop trying to analyze me! You are in your second year of psychology, you are not a therapist!
These are my feelings. They are my business. You are not involved. And how you feel about that is your business." Rei concluded, giving her friend a stern look."
"Just be honest with me, Rei-chan," The blonde sighed.
The miko watched Usagi's pained expression. The damage was done anyway. it was clear that Usagi wasn't going to believe her if she continued to minimalize what she had done.
"Alright. I'm in love with you," She sulked. "But it is my problem and I'll deal with it. You have to respect that. I don't want you to worry over this. I really can handle it. I just slipped up because I was drunk and all."
"How long have you been feeling this way about me?" Usagi timidly asked.
"About when Yuuichirou arrived. Maybe sometime before. It's a long time ago, I don't know for sure anymore."
"That long?!"
"It was confusing. I really did like Mamoru-kun, but I also liked Yuuichirou. Yet when I looked at you. When I thought about you... It felt very different from how I liked them. Then later, about the time we freed that girl with the broken heart I realized that what I felt for them was friendship and what I felt for you was much more than that."
Usagi blushed deeply.
"A... And now I am tired. I want to eat and take a bath," Rei concluded awkwardly.
She hastily stepped forward and tripped.
"Watch out!"
Usagi's fast reflexes saved her friend from falling on the floor.
Rei felt herself blush while she slowly regained her footing in her friend's arms.
"Tha-Thank you," She muttered.
Usagi smelled nice. She felt soft yet safe.
The strength of pure love. A heart big enough for everyone. Rei hardly dared to admit it to herself, but her darkest desire was for Usagi to not only love her back but to love her alone. In the deepest confines of her soul, Rei was the most selfish person in the world, wanting the biggest heart in the world to care only for her.
"You always push yourself so hard Rei-chan! And you never eat well when we don't eat together! Always that junk food! You have to take better care of yourself!" Usagi wept.
The blackette felt suddenly annoyed with herself. She wasn't this tired! Did she trip on purpose? Pathetic! She wasn't going to resort to these kinds of tricks to get her kicks. Usagi deserved better!
"Don't fuss!" She reprimanded as she got up. "I just lost my footing for a moment, that's all."
"Nooo! You're tiring yourself to get a reading as usual!" Usagi blubbered all over her friend's shoulder.
"You're not eating that junk today. I'm cooking for you. A nice balanced dinner. And you have to come to the kitchen with me and relax while I cook." She commanded while marching off into that direction.
"You expect me to be able to relax while you cook dinner for me?" Rei smirked.
"I heard that!"
The miko grinned. Usagi was so cute and kind. Rei raised her shoulders and followed her overly enthusiastic friend.
"I really don't see why you have to help," Usagi huffed while she was cooking the rice. "You never let me do anything for you."
"What are you talking about? I let you do plenty for me. Like when you brought me breakfast in bed? That was a unique experience," Rei grinned. "But I enjoyed it very much. I just enjoy cooking with you."
Rei was having a bit of a rough time. Usagi was so cute and kind today. She was wearing that light blue shirt with the frills and it was so sweet how concerned she was.
Part of her wished she had confessed sooner. But that was wrong. She shook her head. She should relax her friend about this and make them behave as usual. But she should be allowed one bit of fun.
Usagi rubbed the back of her head.
She looked down and found a Kyoho grape lying at her feet. She looked at Rei, who was quietly preparing the soup and turned back to her cucumber salad.
Another bump, this time against her bottom.
"You're a rogue Rei-chan."
Another bump against her bottom.
"A mean, vicious rogue."
Another bump.
Without warning, grapes, radishes, and cucumbers went flying from both sides.
They laughed their asses off when they finished their food fight.
"Pity we can't use these anymore," Usagi smiled at a slice of cucumber as she collected them from the floor.
"I see the Tsukino household is made of money. If we give them a quick wash they'll be perfectly edible."
Usagi gave the miko a look.
"Wasteful brides make poor wives," Rei teased. "Come on! Let's get on with this slo-mo. I'm hungry."
It was strange. Usagi was doing this to make Rei happy. To somehow make up for not being her girlfriend. For having been so happy with Mamoru all these years while Rei had been suffering loneliness all that time. She wanted so dearly for her best friend to be happy. And at the same time, she knew Rei was allowing all of this to humor her. Because if there was one thing that was a constant in life it was that Rei would always enable Usagi to spread love.
Yet... As forced as their intent was, they were both honestly having the time of their life.
Usagi looked around her and realized that her sardonic friend, the kitchen around her, the shrine and it's surroundings had over the years become her home as much as the house she grew up in. More perhaps than Mamoru's apartment.
She had slept here, studied here, partied here on a few occasions, read manga, dined and breakfasted, had war meetings, fought monsters and friends, cried and laughed, and much more.
She knew every corner of the building and the grounds almost as well as Rei did.
Some of the most important memories of her life were made in or around this building.
As she watched Rei visibly enjoying their meal she smiled contentedly at the familiar scene.
"Usagi?"
The atmosphere seemed to have suddenly changed without a warning.
Rei from one moment to the next had started to look rather anxious.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Usagi asked, feeling rather chill just now.
"You know... We have always been rather lucky in the past. We've always been able to stop our enemies from bringing whatever evil scheme they harbored to completion. We have only on rare occasions ever not been able to save someone from getting killed."
"We are also just a really awesome team!" The blonde cheered in an attempt to loosen the mood.
The look in Rei's eyes silenced her quickly.
There was something there that scared her, something she wanted to go away and disappear forever.
"Yes that's true," The miko smiled cautiously. "But what if one day... that wouldn't be enough. What if there came a battle we have to give up on... In order to survive to fight the next one."
Rei swallowed, and Usagi felt an icy hand around her heart.
"What if there came a day that we won't be able to prevent the enemy from killing a lot of people?" Rei quietly concluded.
"I would... really... NOT like that," Usagi shivered.
She gritted her teeth and quickly changed her expression. "I would really not allow that to happen. Don't worry Rei-chan. That would never happen. Sailor Moon would find a way to save everyone even under the direst of circumstances," The pale-faced blonde smiled.
Rei felt a pang of guilt. Not just towards her friend.
"I'm sorry," She smiled apologetically. "I was just thinking out loud. I wouldn't allow anything like that to happen either."
Part of Rei was happy to see the anguish on her friend's face. The part that knew Usagi would always be able to work miracles against all odds.
After what her many fire readings had revealed to her today she knew she would have to fight that part. If she wanted to save Usagi. If she wanted them to save humanity. That part of her could absolutely not be allowed to guide her actions.
"Alright. Who's riding with me?" Minako asked.
"I will."
Rei saw Usagi shooting a sulky look at her for volunteering. No doubt trough some misguided kind intention she had wanted her friend to ride in the car with her and her boyfriend, but the blackette was determined to get this awkwardness over with as fast as possible. It was bad enough the blonde was still as stiff as a board when Mamoru kissed her and as soon as Rei had come down the steps from the shrine with her suitcase she had widened the distance between him and her.
"Great! Let's get ourselves a bachelorette ride! I'm sorry Ami-chan, but you're going to have to ride with Mamoru-kun and Usagi-chan." The blonde idol teased.
"Somehow I don't regret that," Her friend sweated.
"Hunnn. I'm a good driver you know," Minako pouted.
"I doubt that's what she is worried about," Rei laughed and boisterously slapped her spluttering driver on the back.
The bachelorette ride's second passenger just came down the stairs of the shrine with an anxiously blushing Yuuichirou at her side.
"It's not that I'm not grateful. I love your cooking, it's the best I ever ate. But you didn't need to do this for us. We could have handled cooking for ourselves for a few weeks."
"No offense Yuuichirou-kun, but I've tasted your cooking and I'm not leaving you to your own devices when it comes to food," Makoto said before kissing him on the cheek.
"Thank you." He smiled.
The commis-chef felt her heart sing and gently tapped him on the head.
"Just don't let it go to waste."
"I won't. I guarantee your efforts will be greatly enjoyed," Her friend assured her. "You just have fun on your trip."
"Mako-chan, you're joining Rei-chan and me in the bachelorette ride aren't you?" Minako grinned with her arm resting on the hood of her BMW.
"Not if you're calling it that," The brunette replied, looking aghast.
"Yeah, you're making us sound like a bunch of old maids Mina-chan. We're going on a cruise to have fun with all the handsome wealthy young man we can find," Rei cheered, high-fiving her driver while their friend sighed in resignation.
Usagi grumbled under her breath, but couldn't help admire the spirit of her admirer.
"Okay then. It's time to get in everybody! We need to be on time," Mamoru reminded his friends.
"I think Rei-chan should come with us," Usagi piped up. "Mamoru has never driven in Yokohama. He doesn't know his way around."
"Neither do I," Her blackette friend frowned.
"Neither do I. That's why we have maps Usagi-chan." Minako chuckled.
Rei gave her meddlesome beloved a penetrating look while she got in next to her driver. Usagi huffed and sat down moodily next to her puzzled lover.
"Listen Rei-chan. I understand you have a strong attachment to Usagi-chan, but don't you think it's time to move on?" Minako frowned, giving her friend a sideways look.
"Is it time for that talk again, huh?" The blackette sighed. "Trust me Mina-chan, I'm not going to move on anytime soon and I've made my peace with that."
"That's... I don't know. Don't you feel that you deserve more though?" The tall brunette in the backseat remarked. "I'm not saying you should try to find a boy... or girlfriend for life right away, but just try and have fun. You were Queen of your school. Surely there have to be some girls you liked?"
Rei grinned.
"Most of those girls were nice enough Mako-chan, but they were all... well, idiots."
"Exactly! I thought you loved idiots?!" Minako energetically replied. "All the most important people in your life are idiots."
Makoto grinned sheepishly.
"Well, all the other important people in your life. I wasn't talking about us," The former idol tried to save herself to her companions obvious delight.
"Oh fine, I'm an idiot too. Ha ha ha. Just so you know, I'm not going to let you spoil our chances to party on that boat!" She poked her navigator in the shoulder.
"You are wearing that dress and you are dancing with whatever girl or guy is friends with the guy I pick up.
I am so ready for this trip! First two days will be spent sunbathing so I get a nice tan. Then we hit the bar and on the day before we land at Hiroshima..."
Sailor Moon was trying to hold the enemy at a distance so the others could protect the soldiers who were busy evacuating the people, but there were too many monsters. "This is not a dream. I am transmitting to you from a place outside of space-time."
Just before she was going to be overwhelmed Sailor Uranus and Jupiter joined her, holding the line so everyone could escape beneath the subway before they activated the explosives and sealed the entrance.
"You have to warn the others."
They added their firepower to that of the soldiers, but it was no use. One by one the tanks were destroyed by the monsters. The soldiers were slaughtered.
"You have all been living a wonderful dream, but the enemies you have faced in the past pale in comparison to what is coming."
Mercury and Mars took a desperately fighting Moon with them in their retreat.
"It is time to wake up."
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! No more sleep."
"Alright, I heard you. Stop yelling!" Rei woke up flailing her arms about.
"You are a terrible navigator Rei-chan," Minako scolded while she backed out of the car's doorway so that her sleep-deprived friend could get out. "You slept the entire way here. It's a good thing I had Mako-chan to help me."
The eyes of the black haired young woman met the soft expression in those of her other blonde friend. The one who currently wasn't complaining about her.
"What are you looking at," Rei murmured not unkindly.
Usagi blinked and took her suitcase out of the trunk of her boyfriend's Mazda.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Hum," Rei replied quietly while turning to fetch her suitcase from Minako's car.
Her friend pouted in vexation at the miko's reticence.
"Everybody got everything out?" Mamoru asked. "Please make sure you do."
"That means you slow-poke," Rei smirked.
"I didn't mean..."
"Oh I'm not the one suffering from sleep deprivation because I keep pretending nothing's wrong," Usagi sassed while walking past the miko. "Don't worry about my presence of mind."
Ami pushed her back just before she would have walked into an unpleasant surprise.
"Maybe the two of you should double-check," The bluehead deadpanned to the embarrassment of the quarreling duo
"Is something wrong with Rei-chan?" Mamoru asked while arranging his clothes, computer, and paperwork into the cupboards of their room after they embarked the Diamond Princess and were shown to their cabins.
"It's just that I think she's having visions, but she's keeping it to herself," His girlfriend responded while trying to hide her blush.
He turned around with a frown.
"Visions?! That might mean there's a new enemy. I hope she knows what we're going to deal with by the time there is an attack!"
"It's nothing to feel alarmed about," Usagi waved, suddenly feeling queasy.
Realizing what she just said, for some reason she vaguely remembered Rei's strange unsettling question.
"She would tell us if it's something like that. She's been a bit tired... Maybe I misread things. She might just have been nervous about the trip."
"Nervous?" Mamoru laughed. "Like for a school trip. That's cute."
His girlfriend felt funny having someone call Rei cute.
"Well, I hope it's nothing more than that." Then, closing the cupboard he continued: "I'm sorry but I have to go the purser's office to get that package they told me the company sent. I'll be back in a few minutes."
He halted at the door, remembered the size of the ship and quipped: "I'll try to make it half an hour."
"If you're lucky," His girlfriend smiled. "Don't get lost."
He turned around sensing he forgot something.
"Wish me luck," He kissed her and closed the door behind him.
Usagi sat on the berth quietly, touching her lips. Wondering why his kiss didn't make her feel like Rei's did.
"Yeah, the ship is huge! I've been around our deck-level and that alone took half an hour. Luckily they got clear directions on where everything is."
Rei listened to Hotaru's answer while sitting on her berth in her cabin with the portable phone in her hand.
"Haha. I'll see what I can do, but I don't know if we're allowed to take pictures. I can tell you I'm not going to be spending my time in the cabin or the lido deck. I want to breathe the sea air."
Another reply from Hotaru.
"You know using the phone is only included in the price for Mamoru-kun's cabin, right?" Ami informed while sitting on her berth.
"Hahaha!" Rei sweated. "Well, I'll see you when we get back Hotaru."
She got interrupted.
"Oh yeah. Haruka-chan is in great form, isn't she? Wish her luck for the race. Yeah yeah, You're in great form too. Stop fishing for compliments. Do your best tomorrow. You owe me a match when I get back. You might win your tournament, but beating me will be another matter."
"It's good to see her enjoy tennis so much after having been plagued by illness for so long because of Pharao 90," Ami smiled.
"She would have a talent for the sport of course," The bluehead continued with a grimace shared by her friend.
"Yeah, I had to remind myself it was a tennis racket in her hand and not a scythe the first times we played together. But it's fun to let loose with her," Rei smiled.
"It's not something I expected the two of you to bond over. You've become really close these past years."
"Well, I guess we have a lot in common," Rei grinned crookedly.
Ami looked thoughtful and hugged her knees.
"Rei-chan? Did something happen between you and Usagi-chan?" She asked with a penetrating stare.
Her friend looked doubtful.
"I have no idea... Did you notice anything strange?" Rei blushed.
Ami frowned at her.
"Well, I kissed her," Rei admitted with a guilty grimace.
"What?! How did that happen?"
"She bugged me."
"She always bugs you. You said you could handle yourself! "It's not a problem everyone. You think Rei-chan can't handle a little crush? Don't worry about me!". "
"Yes, I did say that." Rei rubbed the back of her head.
"She's been acting really strange since the party if Luna and Minako are to be believed. I have only seen her for a few minutes today and even I can tell how upset she is. You have to fix this!"
"Well it's not my fault she's getting worked up over this. I told her it's not a big deal," The miko huffed.
"But it is a big deal Rei-chan! You don't fool anybody pretending it's not, and you clearly haven't fooled Usagi-chan.
You have to talk to her about this. Properly. And work this out together."
Rei looked at her friend's emphatic expression and got up with a sigh.
"Alright. I'll go find her and bare my heart to her."
She turned at the door.
"This really isn't fair you know."
"Yes it is Rei-chan," Ami smiled. "You deserve this. This is a good thing. You finally get a chance to tell her how you feel."
"We'll see," her friend replied.
It took Rei some time to find the woman she loved.
When she went to their cabin Mamoru told her hey had just received loads of extra work and Usagi had left for a walk so she wouldn't bother him.
Their other two friends weren't in their cabin but she found them sunbathing at the outdoor swimming pool and they said they hadn't seen her.
The blackette was about to give up and return to Ami to ask her to go to one of the restaurants together when she found Usagi leaning over the railing of the ship, staring listlessly out at the ocean.
Her heart contracted like it did every time she saw Usagi like this.
She softly came closer and leaned next to her.
Usagi didn't react, but Rei knew she was happy she had come.
"This brings back memories doesn't it?" She smiled, gazing at the still silent girl next to her. "Though I hope there's no siren-monster on board this time."
The warm wind ruffled their hair.
"Maybe I should have taken you with me after all, that time. Who knows what might have happened."
"That was very mean of you to ask Ami-chan to come with you, Rei-chan. You knew I really wanted to go on that cruise," Her friend pouted.
"Yeah... I know. But you really bugged me, and I hadn't figured out why at the time."
Rei glanced to her left.
"You don't have to worry about hurting me, Usagi. You and Mamoru-kun finally get to enjoy each others company. No future daughters, no enemy for over a year... You should enjoy this time. It wouldn't be fair of me to spoil your happiness. I didn't mean to tell you. You just, you know... bugged me," She smiled.
Usagi looked at her friend with angry tearful eyes.
"So you're just going to keep it all to yourself again like you did before?"
Rei just kept smiling.
"Being your friend Usagi..." She sighed happily. "... It's not just about how close you let me get to you, or the place I know I have in your heart. It's all about how much of yourself you give to me, and how you force yourself into my life without even suspecting how much I really enjoy it."
Usagi gazed at her, with eyes wet from emotion.
"Rei-...chan..." She uttered in a tiny voice.
She tried to wipe away the tears with her sleeve but they only came faster. She ended up sobbing over her arms, leaning over the railing.
Rei came closer, putting her arm around her. Trying to comfort to the best of her ability. Her heart hurt at the sight of what she had caused and her eyes stung.
"I'll be alright. Don't worry. Besides, we're in university now. We have to study. We don't have time for luxuries like love. You are going to be Queen one day. So you'll be busy then too. It's time to enjoy your time with your King now," She quipped, contradicting herself.
Usagi stopped sobbing. Her lip quivered.
"No!" She said in a hoarse tone of voice.
"No?!"
The blonde got up, a determined expression on her red face.
"I've been thinking about these things a lot lately. I may become Queen in the future. But I'm not going to be some kind of selfish Queen-bee who gets to enjoy a happy marriage with her King while her loveless Sailor Senshi serve her as drones and get nothing in return! I'm sick of it!" She yelled in a passion.
Rei's passion rose to meet it.
"What are you talking about?! I'm not a drone! I get lots of things in return!" She yelled back.
"You've given up happiness for me before! I won't allow it a second time!"
"Well, I'm not letting you jeopardize your future with Mamoru-kun for me!"
"Tough! Because I'm going to find a way to be your girlfriend!"
Rei ground her teeth. This was so like her.
"Don't be stupid! You know you have to be in love with me to make that actually work, right?!"
"Well, then I'll fall in love with you!" Usagi firmly swore.
"You're not making any sense!" Rei groaned.
"Ha! You see?! That's what people do when they fall in love!" Her friend triumphed.
"Have you forgotten about Chibi-Usa? If you leave Mamoru-kun for me she won't be born!"
"You don't know that! I... I might cheat on you," The blonde stammered.
"Oh. Thanks for telling me. Now I see no obstacles at all for us to be together."
Usagi frowned at her friend's arch expression.
"Is that the reason you never told me?
Chibi-Usa? Mamoru-kun? Crystal Tokyo? There is nothing we know that makes us incompatible with any of that.
Mamoru-kun and I don't have to be married to rule as King and Queen."
"It's the custom," Rei grinned.
"Things change. He could be a donor father to Chibi-Usa. The future we saw might not even be our future."
"That's all very nice Usagi," Rei sighed. "But we both know what the future is going to be like."
Usagi saw her friend's expression darken for a moment and misinterpreted the cause.
"You and Mamoru-kun love each other," Rei smiled, taking her friend's hand.
"Thank you for wanting to make me happy, Usagi. But I meant what I said: You already do make me very happy."
Usagi's heart crashed, seeing the tears forming in Rei's eyes. She knew they were not tears of sorrow. And somehow that made it more painful than if they had been.
"And I want you both to be happy too," Her friend concluded. "So the best possible conclusion to this is for everything to remain the same. Can't you see that?"
Usagi turned her head towards the sea to avoid Rei's expression.
"I want to do more for you," She muttered while her own tears started to spill anew.
"Then just hold me. You don't have to do more."
Rei came closer and Usagi held her automatically. As if two pieces to a very simple puzzle they fit together into one form against the backdrop of the Pacific.
"Just hold me. Because all I want from you is to let me be close to you. And to care for you."
Usagi felt Rei's head lean against hers. She heard her friend sniff up her scent with a shudder.
The warm sea air mingled with Rei's own scent. Usagi enjoyed the feeling of her friend's soft hair against her warm, wet cheek. Rei felt so comfortable in her arms. She felt familiar, as in family. As in a part of herself the blonde could never live without. Usagi would hold her as much as she wanted. Let her come as close as she wanted. But she wasn't going to let things remain the same. There was no way she could ever allow that.
Imaginary end credits = LeAnn Rimes - Can't Fight The Moonlight