Chapter Three

"Spill." Minako ordered. The five now sat in the food court. Usagi had been swarmed with questions the second Leo left. "Nothing." Usagi said honestly.

Minako didn't believe her. Usagi always seemed to get the eye from every guy Minako showed interest in. How could a guy drive you a mile and there be nothing between you two? She wondered.

"We're friends." Usagi admitted, her cheeks going red slightly. She didn't want to be Leo's friend. She wanted more. Leo however, had been clueless to catch on to Usagi's signals.

"Friends?" Makoto said not believing Usagi either. "Are you sure that's the only thing between you two?"

"Yeah." Usagi said irritably. She was tired of being asked the same question over-and-over.

Usagi sipped her soda. Her eyes begin to search the tables and filled chairs around her for Leo, her knight in platinum armor. She wished he hadn't left so he could share the burden of being asked the same question constantly. Her eyes drifted over to nearby stand that sold watches. A tall figure stood in front of the stand. The figures face was hidden behind a cap that hung from the stand. Silver strands peeked from behind the cap. Usagi concluded one thing: It was Leo. Usagi stood and power-walked to the stand. Her knight came back. Why? She didn't care.

"Usagi? Where are you going?" Rei asked pursuing her.

Usagi spread a smile across her face to greet Leo. She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Hey handsome." She said.

Rei gasped as the figure turned around. The figures midnight-blue eyes pierced Usagi's heart. The jet-black hair shocked her body as she stepped backwards. Artemis sat atop his shoulder as he said, "Hi Usagi?" Mamoru said awkwardly. Mamoru was happy to see her even though they weren't together. Mamoru eyebrows were raised in confusion. Usagi's smile had faded. The man who severed her heart stood before her. She had no words for him. Her eyes told the story clearly.

Noticing Usagi's lips were pasted together, Mamoru turned to Rei. "How are you, Rei?"

"I'm okay." She said awkwardly. Rei didn't feel right talking to Mamoru when Usagi wouldn't say a word to him.

"What are you doing here?" Usagi asked.

"I'm meeting a friend here." Mamoru said his voice back to normal.

"Thanks for the lift, Mamoru." Artemis said hopping onto the floor and dashing over to Minako.

"Your welcome." Mamoru said.

"Is your friend a girl? As in girlfriend?" Rei asked.

"No. It's a guy." Mamoru said skeptical as to what Usagi may have told Rei.

"Hey Mamoru." A calm voice said.

Usagi and Rei turned to see the object of their admiration; the coveted Leo. He stood staring at a pearl white New York baseball cap.

"Hey man, how've you been?" Mamoru asked shaking Leo's hand.

"I can't complain." Leo said. "...Excuse me. How much for this hat?" Leo called.

A woman emerged from behind the stand. A smile spread across her face at the sight of her customer. "Twenty-five." She said. Leo pulled bills from his pocket and handed it to the lady who took it earnestly, happy to have something he once owned. Leo took the cap.

Usagi was speechless. Mamoru and her crush were friends. Usagi watched Mamoru purchase a cap. The whole thing was too much. Usagi turned away and marched to the lavatory as Rei called her. Usagi couldn't hear her. Her thoughts blocked all words and reason from her ears.

Mamoru looked shocked as he threw the black cap on his head. "What's with her?" He asked more to himself than anyone.

Leo pulled the cap on, "...She's upset because I'm your friend. She your ex?" Leo asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah. We were together for eleven months." Mamoru sighed.

"What happened?" Leo asked.

"I don't know." Mamoru lied.

"...You've always sucked at lying Mamoru." Leo said shaking his head and walking away.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mamoru asked chasing Leo.

"Hey! You forgot your change." The saleswoman called. Well if no one's looking. She thought stuffing the money in her pocket.

Usagi stared into the mirror. It was all too much for her to take. The man of her dreams knew Mamoru and worse, they were friends. She thought she found someone, someone other than Mamoru, whom she could daydream about without care in the world. "Usagi are you okay?" Rei asked.

"Yeah." Usagi asked.

"Are you sure?" Rei asked.

"No." Usagi asked.

"What's wrong?" Rei asked locking the door.

Aisles of shirts, jeans and blazers were lined perfectly throughout the store. The tile floor was spotless and nearly covered in carpet. Two pairs of shoes treaded across the floor.

"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked.

"That you can't tell a lie to save your life." Leo said picking up a white blazer.

"How's Setsuna?" Mamoru said changing the subject to hide his defeat.

"...I can't say. I haven't seen her in a ten months." Leo said picking up some jeans.

"Isn't it hard? Not seeing her." Mamoru asked.

"Yes but I understand." Leo sighed purchasing the clothes.

"You got some will power" Mamoru scoffed as the two left the shop.

White mist blanketed the floor of the wide room. Peal white pillars stretched into the sky that was clouded with white mist also. Rows of benches, also white, lay in the giant room before a pedastal. Many oak doors painted white as paper were behind the pedestal. The keyhole's gold. A clock sat atop each door its hands circling the center. These doors were the gates of time.

A single figure sat atop the pedestal. her hair forest green and her eyes crimson. A long rod in between her fingers. An orb as red as her eyes sat atop the rod. Her eyes were half-closed. She was overtaken with boredom. Every day it was the same thing. She would sit in this room her eyes on the motionless doors. She had no friends in this barren place. Not a soul came here. She was doomed to live her life here. Sometimes she wanted to relinquish her duty as Timekeeper but the stability of the world depended on her doing her job. The Council wouldn't let her anyway. They would find some leverage. Their first target would be her lover Leo. They would threaten to make him cease to exist. Leo was the only man who could ever love her. Her job made it rather difficult to find a boyfriend and guys like Leo only came onve in a lifetime.

Suddenly, one of the doors swung open. Silver light poured from the door blinding Setsuna who had quickly opened her eyes to catch a glimpse of her intruder.

"Setsuna, Timekeeper and Crown Princess of Pluto." The figure said in a deep godly voice.

"Father?" She gasped.

The blinding light faded and left a short man in its wake. His long beard sunk to his chest. His long black hair hung to his shoulders. He wore a long white robe that fell to the floor covering his white shoes.

"Hello Setsuna." He said, inhaled the air deeply.

"Why are you here?" Setsuna asked.

"Well," He scratched his head, "the Council want for you to take a vacation."

Setsuna raised her brow. The Council never wanted her to vacation before. Something was up to say the least. "Vacation?" Setsuna said confused. Normally she would have been happy to go but the circumstances were suspicous.

"Actually, thats what they want me to tell you but its really another mission. They want you on Earth. The details are sketchy but I heard something from another galaxy came into this one and the Council doesn't like it. I'm here to watch the gates while you're gone." He said strecthing his arms.

Setsuna sighed. What was there to say. She was going filled her mind. Why not let the senshi fight the intergallactic intruder? How could she surprise Leo? Where would she stay?

She kissed her father on the cheek and spun her rod opening a black vortex. She walked through the gate her mind on how to surprise her "Apollo".