Maternal Moon
Chapter 3
Author: me! Cori!
Rating: probably PG, it's all I can afford.
Disclaimer: You keep asking this question and I keep telling you, yes! Yes, I own Sailormoon lunch boxes! Geez people, give me a break. And according to the rights on my lunch boxes, Sailormoon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, TOEI, Kodansha and a bunch of other Japanese companies whose names are unpronounceable to the American people.
Maternal Moon
Chapter 3
"Minako!" Makoto called, waving at the bright blond from across the room.
Minako turned and smiled widely at Makoto. Her long, blonde hair was still tied up in her red bow and her blue eyes still sparkled merrily. After her short stint as a model and even shorter one at acting again, Minako had decided to try something new. After taking some business courses, she tried her hand at interior decorating. Her fame as a well-known face quickly established her among the rich and famous, and using her never-ending charm, convinced some big name designers to join her ranks. All this from a woman who didn't know the difference between a tassel and fringe.
"Makoto! This is great." Minako exclaimed as she reached her taller friend, then gestured towards the rent-a-floor monopolizing the center of the restaurant, "I didn't know you could dance here."
Makoto froze and groaned, pressing her hand to her forehead in obvious grief, "Don't remind me! Gods, Mina-chan, this night is going to be a disaster!"
"What happened?" Minako asked, her tone concerned.
"Oh, I thought it would be a nice celebration thing to do if I put a dance floor in for the anniversary, but my band's lead singer went all diva on me and refused to perform with out a proper dressing room to prepare in."
"And what did you say?"
"That this wasn't a night club as of yet and to get her butt behind the microphone." Makoto paused, then winced, adding, "Except I actually may have called her 'butt' her 'bony ass.' Needless to say, she took exception to my request."
Minako laughed good-naturedly as she teased, "Same old Mako-chan, always acting before thinking."
"Yeah, same old Mako-chan." Makoto grimaced in reply, "Up the proverbial creek without her damn paddle."
"Hey girls! Long time, no see." Interrupted a voice behind them.
Both Makoto and Minako turned and their jaws dropped. Rei stood before them in an absolutely stunning red dress, with a side-slit up to here and gold flowers screened on the satin. She wore her long dark hair down her back in her usual style, but adding some glamour by pinning two red flowers to one side.
"Rei-chan!" Minako stuttered, "You look gorgeous."
"Oh, thank you." Rei blushed slightly. She had known that she had gone a little over-board, but she so rarely got to dress up anymore.
"Wow, Rei!" Spoke a lilting voice coming upon the three, "Walking in after you is like following Moses through the Red Sea. An entire ocean of people just parted for you."
"Ami-chan!" Makoto exclaimed, "I'm so glad you could make it. You had me worried when you mentioned you had to work today."
"Well, I decided to indulge myself and took the evening off. I even left my pager in the car." Ami explained, smiling widely at her reunited friends.
Minako laughed and poked at Ami with her elbow, "Since when did you start shirking your responsibilities like that? What happened to our Mizuno Ami?"
"I'm not shirking anything." Ami protested, "I finished my round early and took a chance with the beeper."
All the girls looked at Ami expectantly and Ami sweat dropped, than broke into a grin, "Oh fine! I ditched. Happy?"
Each one fought the giggles erupting inside them and failed miserably. All laughing, they hugged each other fiercely. Several "I missed you so much"'s and "You look great" 's rippled through the group and a few restaurant patrons turned to see what the ruckus was about. A loud cough from beside them broke into the festivities, followed by a jovial, "Group hug, without me? That is so wrong."
In front of them at the foot of the stairs leading into the dining area, stood a pretty, blonde woman wearing her hair in a ponytail and a pair of very chic, wire-rimmed glasses. She smiled brightly at their confusion and stepped forward. Unfortunately, the strangers shoe caught on the last step of her ascension and she toppled over to the ground with an "Ack!"
All four girls' eyes rounded with recognition. Ami gasped and Minako clamped her hand over her mouth.
"Usa- I mean, Neo-Queen- I mean..." Makoto stammered, "I don't know what I mean."
Usagi stood and brushed off her skirt and mumbled something very Usagi-ish.
"It is you!" Makoto declared, than added, "What do we call you?"
"I prefer you call me Usagi." she whispered secretively, then added a wink, "I'm incognito tonight."
Minako squealed in delight and threw her arms around Usagi's neck, "It is soooooo good to see you!"
"Same to you Mina-chan." Usagi replied, turning to the rest, "All of you."
"How did you do this? I didn't even recognize you!" Makoto asked.
"The Luna Pen."
Ami gasped again, "Oh, Usagi. You know that the Luna Pen isn't-"
"A toy. I know Ami, I already got this speech from Luna." Usagi interrupted.
Rei laughed and placed a hand on her hip, "You'll never learn will you?"
Makoto, Minako and Ami sucked in their breaths in union, expecting yet another infamous tongue war. But to their surprise and relief, Usagi laughed and hugged Rei close to her.
"In some things, never." She said and looked at Makoto, "I didn't want to cause a scene."
"No problem, we managed that without you well enough." Makoto swept a gaze over the staring patrons.
Usagi smiled then grabbed her stomach and looked around her, "Can we eat now? I am famished!"
"Ooh, two dollar word! Girls, our little Usagi has grown into quite the little scholar." Rei jabbed.
Usagi laughed and added playfully, "Did I ever mention I hate you?"
The girls laughed loudly, causing the already annoyed diners to glare at them. Makoto led them to one of the VIP tables with a good view of the dance floor and the band set up.
"Wow Mako-chan." Usagi complimented, "This is going to be one happening party. When is the band going to play?"
Makoto's face fell and Minako patted her hand soothingly, "According to Makoto, never. Their vocalist had a hissy fit and took off."
"That's horrible!" Usagi exclaimed, "Oh, Mako-chan, I'm so sorry."
"That's not the worst of it." Makoto sighed, waving over the wine list, "When I told the owners about my idea to have dancing and a live band for our anniversary, they loved it. In fact, they loved it so much they want to turn the restaurant into a dinner club of some sort. Said it would be a great way to 'bring back the good ole' days to Crystal Tokyo'. Tonight is supposed to be the trial and they're all here to see how it goes. If I don't have an act, I could be closed down."
"I thought you owned the restaurant, Mako-chan?" Ami asked.
"Well, I run it, but I had to borrow money to get started." Makoto explained, picking a drink from the offered menu, "Until my debts are all paid back, I'm under their thumbs."
"Oh." Ami replied shortly.
The wine menu was offered to Usagi and she politely reclined it, and ordered an iced tea instead. She smiled as the waiter bowed his head in consent, then turned her attention back to the table, asking, "Why don't you have Rei-chan sing?"
Rei visibly stiffened, but it went unnoticed as Makoto snapped her fingers and pushed her chair back.
"That's it! That is it! Usagi," Makoto joyously leapt across the table to hug her savior, "you are a genius!"
Rei jumped up and quickly halted Makoto's premature celebration, "Whoa, I didn't say I would sing!" she protested.
Makoto looked shocked as she answered, "But…you have to."
"I can't. I'm sorry." Rei said, sitting back down, followed by Makoto, looking defeated.
The silence at the table was deafening. Each girl looked down at their place settings and looked out the corner of their eyes at each other. Had that actually just happened? The quiet threatened to drag on even longer, until Minako made a disbelieving noise and said, "I never thought I would see the day Hino Rei would pass up a chance to perform."
"Me either." Ami agreed.
Rei blew out another exasperated breath, "I gave up on singing, okay? I didn't want to deal with it anymore."
"What a shame." Usagi replied quietly, "You enjoyed it so much."
Rei's eyes fell upon Usagi's beautiful, pure face and found the truth in her words. Once upon a time Rei had loved singing and performing with all her heart. It had been her dream to sing professionally all her life. She used to imagine how the lights of the stage would feel against her face and the roar of the crowd after she finished a song that she had wrote and composed, poured her heart and soul into. It seemed so long ago. But that was all before her duties to the temple intensified. She just didn't have the time anymore. Not even to dream.
"I remember..." Usagi began, her recollection barging into Rei's sad thoughts, "I remember that day you gave Chibi-Usa and I a private concert at the temple for our birthday."
Rei smiled with the returning memory, how Chibi-Usa's eyes had lit up as the make-shift curtain had parted and Rei had appeared, a wooden cooking spoon her microphone, "Yeah, I put on my best dress and sang along with her favorite c.d.'s."
Usagi laughed softly and looked at Rei sadly, "Chibi-Usa had so much fun. She thought you had the most beautiful voice in the world. It was probably one of the only things we ever agreed on, how lovely your voice was. And still is."
"Chibi-Usa was wrong." Rei muttered, "Both of you were."
Usagi blinked, "Why?"
"Because if I were any good, I wouldn't be stuck in the temple sweeping my life away." Rei pointed out bitterly.
"Have you done anything to get out of the temple, Rei-chan?" Usagi prodded.
"It's not that simple, Usagi." Rei explained, "Grandfather left me the temple, he wanted me to take care of it when he was gone. I have obligations to fulfill. I'm way too busy."
"With what?"
Rei shot Usagi a stern look, silently telling her to drop it. But Usagi's face was set with a determination that Rei knew all to well not to test, "Everything my grandfather used to do. I'm not as fortunate as you guys were. I didn't have the luxuries you had. All I had was grandfather and the temple. Now all I have is the temple and I'm stuck with it."
"You got yourself stuck." Usagi commented, "Get yourself out."
Rei glared at her and then murmured, "I never got the chance."
Usagi swept her hand towards the stage and the dance floor, waiting to be danced on, "Here's one. Staring you in the face."
Rei pondered Usagi's words, then shook her head, "It's been too long. Since I've sung in front of an audience, I mean."
"If you get nervous, just sing to Chibi-Usa and I. We'll always think you're great." Usagi reassured, flattening her palm against her stomach.
"Me too." Makoto added.
"Me three!" Minako piped in and Ami simply nodded in whole-hearted agreement.
Rei looked at her friends in amazement. They still had that much faith in her, after all this time? Even Makoto, whose career could depend on this one performance, believed in her with a fierceness that amazed Rei. These were her fellow warriors, her closest confidants, and best friends. She suddenly realized how alone she had been without them. She could see the love and trust on each face that she looked at. How could she ever not be with these women?
"All right." Rei agreed, "I'll do it."
Ami sighed in relief as Minako whooped in joy. Makoto grabbed at Rei's hand like a lifeline and jumped up and down, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Rei, you are the best friend a girl could have. I'll go tell the band!"
Rei heard Usagi chuckle lightly and turned around, looking at her in a whole new light. Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Rei asked, "How did you get so smart, Usagi-chan?"
"It's called growing up." Usagi smiled and then playfully pinched Rei's arm, "You should try it sometime."
"Oh, really!" Rei exclaimed as she pinched back.
"OUCH! That hurt, Rei!" Usagi cried.
"Well, you did it first."
"You didn't have to pinch back!"
"Sure, I did. I had to get you back!"
"Two wrongs don't make a right, Rei-baka!"
"Oh, Odango Attama, you sounded just like a little old lady when you said that!"
"Why, you...thhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhp!"
"Thhhhhhhhhhhhhhhp!"
The tongues lashed and quivered with heated words as Ami and Minako sweat-dropped.
"Now this is much more like it." Minako joked, crooking her hand up behind her head.
"Oh yes, just like old times." Ami agreed weakly.
Makoto magically appeared behind Rei and knocked her twice on the head, "If you're done making a spectacle of yourself, the band is ready for you."
Fear suddenly gripped Rei's insides and she nearly backed out all over again, when Usagi's hand slipped into hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Rei looked down at her and Usagi smiled reassuringly, "You can do this."
Rei looked around the restaurant, saw the band step onto the stage and ready their instruments, waiting for her. She swallowed a think lump in her throat and looked desperately at her friends, her eyes resting on Usagi's, and the faith she saw there made her nervousness immediately melt away.
"Just you and Chibi-Usa, huh? Well, that audience isn't very big."
Usagi smiled even wider and her eyes misted slightly, "Not at all."
Taking a steadying breath, Rei gave Usagi's hand one last squeeze and looked at Makoto, "Ok, here goes nothing."
Makoto nodded and led Rei down to the stage.
To Be Continued…
Author Notes: Go Rei! Go Rei! I wonder how she'll do? Well, I guess I could go on to chapter four to find out, wanna come with me? I know you do! Let's go!
Oh, and this chapter is still dedicated to my first e-mail ever. Luv ya Bluberri! Thank you so much for loving me! Everyone, follow, Bluberri's example and e-mail me you for reading!
Cori!
Written in: July of 2000
Revised: Feb. 2, 2002
Note: Please continue to e-mail me despite how long ago this story was originally posted. I'd still love to hear from you! The date is more for my benefit anyway.