(Story begins in a relatively empty restaurant. Setsuna has just explained what happened, and has just revealed the keeper of the 7th blood stone to the others. Chibiusa sits back in the bench, silently crying.)
Setsuna Meiou sat against the plush cloth-covered furniture, thoroughly pensive about the consequences of not taking action against the Shadow Warrior. It seemed as if the others understood her predicament, she thought. The fact that it's Mamoru made it even harder for her. Her King. . Setsuna sighed softly, much to the notice of her companions.
"Where is Mamoru these days? I haven't heard Usagi talk about him at all lately," said Minako.
Chibiusa looked at Setsuna strangely. "Will you kill Mamoru if his crystal is taken?"
Silence overcame the table. How could she even ask a question like that? Setsuna, on the other hand, was extremely reluctant to offer an answer.
"I can't do that, Chibiusa, even though it'd be for the greater good. He would only turn into an uncontrollable monster that could not return to his original form. I can't do it, " she whispered. She loved him too much to do it herself.
Makoto and Mina looked at Chibiusa. She knows where he is, they thought simultaneously. They both knew that Chibiusa would not let her father be captured. Who's to tell that Mamo's really the one with the last blood stone? Setsuna was only guessing.
"Chibiusa? Where is Mamoru?" asked Setsuna curiously. If anyone knew where he was, it'd be his little sweetheart.
Chibiusa sighed. She promised Mamo-chan that she wouldn't bother him while he was away from the city training.
"Chibiusa? Promise me that you won't tell any of the others where I went. Especially Usako. She'll scream my head off if she knew I was going so far away, " Mamoru said, raising his eyebrow.
"I promise," she said softly. "I won't tell Usagi where you're going. But, Mamo-chan? When are you coming back?"
"In a few months. My training will take a while and Master Yamada is a really strict sensei. I had to devote myself to this first before he would even agree to help me." Mamoru came to sit next to Chibiusa on the park bench. "I'll be back soon. ."
This was a serious situation and Mamoru was in serious trouble. She HAD to take them to see him, make sure that he was himself. She noticed that everyone was awaiting her response, staring at her intensely.
"I know where he is. He's training in Akita(N. Japan) with Master Yamada. That's all I know, " Chibiusa revealed.
"Well we all can't go. That's pretty far from here, even by boat. And we don't have the money to fly there," Ami said, reminding everyone of their geographical location.
Everyone nodded except Michiru. "Well I can make it there. Perhaps it's best that all of us don't go."
"But what if something happens? There's no way we can get there. ." Mako began to say, but her mind promptly remembered the Sailor Teleport.
"Setsuna has to go, and so does Chibiusa. Hmm, who else? Usagi-chan?" Michiru wondered.
"I think that all of you should go. We'll stay here if something should happen here again," said Rei. She had a pretty good feeling that Mamo was the keeper of the seventh stone. There were ways to get to Akita without a boat or plane, she thought, her ideas along the same route as Mako's.
Michiru nodded. "OK, it's settled then. Haruka, Setsuna, Chibiusa, and I will travel to Akita and find Mamoru. We'll call you as soon as we hear anything. Agreed?"
The four girls nodded in response. They were content to wait here a little while until they found Mamoru and confirmed Setsuna's hunch. What an odd situation this was, Mina thought. I wonder how Usagi's doing. .
The darkening skies awoke Usagi from her deep sleep. She shook her head to shake off the headache that was pounding at her temples. She groaned, turning her head to face Hotaru. What was Hotaru-chan doing here? Oh, Usagi reminded herself of the events that took place a few hours ago. That demon was powerful, more than she could have imagined. She hoped that Setsuna had finally caught him, and sent him back to wherever he came from. Usagi stood up, stretching out her muscles. Hotaru began to awaken slightly, her violet eyes lying upon the figure of Tsukino Usagi.
"Are you all right, Usagi?" Hotaru whispered.
Usagi nodded. She helped Hotaru stand up, and walked into the kitchen to get her a cup of tea. She could at least manage that much under the circumstances. Usagi looked around the house and realized that she was in Michiru's house. I wonder where the others are, she thought. Her eyes came upon a quickly scribbled message from Haruka.
Went to the Setsuna's favorite restaurant, meet us there later. -Haruka
"Hmm. ." she thought to herself. A sudden pang of longing came into her heart and her mind. Where was Mamo-chan when she needed him? Or Luna and Artemis for that matter? Where were they? She shook her head. They probably had good reason not to see anyone for such a long time. Still, Usagi missed them so much.
Minutes later, the tea was ready, and she took it inside to the fully rested Hotaru Tomoe.
"Here ya go, Hotaru," she said, handing her the steaming cup of tea. Hotaru carefully sipped the green tea left by Michiru on the kitchen counter.
"Thank you, Usagi-chan," Hotaru said, taking another sip. "Where did the others go?"
"To restaurant near the centre of town. You know the one where Setsuna gets her green tea?" Usagi said, watching Hotaru nod in response. "Haruka said to meet them there when we wake up."
Hotaru watched Usagi curiously. What was it about this particular girl that had everything topsy-turvy? She could tell that they had their work cut out for them in the future. "I suppose that we should get going." She walked into the kitchen, with Usagi following promptly behind her.
"Are YOU OK, Hotaru? I'm grateful for you lending me some of your power to keep me alive. Thank you." Usagi let her guard down and gave Hotaru a bear hug.
Hotaru smiled at Usagi's gratitude. Such compassion, she thought. "Come Usagi, let's go."
They both walked out of the door, slamming it shut behind them. Minutes later, they were on the bus for the restaurant.
(Just a note. .In the series, that bus took FOREVER to get there .. thought I'd speed it up! Now as we were..)
The cool air of Akita Japan's bay side blew Mamoru's hair over his tanned face. His mind had to remain clear, else he wouldn't be able to concentrate.
"CONCENTRATE, Mamoru!" the voice of the stern sensei Master Yamada uttered.
Mamoru had the hardest time keeping his mind off of Usako and Chibiusa. Something must be wrong, he thought as he tried to balance himself on the thin tree limb several feet above the ground. Perhaps he should send back Artemis and Luna to make sure that they were all right. He heard the distinct sound of wood breaking and knew that he was going to fall any second.
"Ahhhh!" he shouted, his feet finding nothing but air beneath them. Amazingly, Mamoru managed to land on his feet like a well trained cat.
"At least you've learned something," Master Yamada murmured. He was a short, muscular man , with a long white ponytail and beard.
Luna and Artemis stood by under the trees watching Mamoru's training.
"Don't you think it was suspicious of us to leave so suddenly, Artemis? Surely, the others will be wondering where we disappeared to, " Luna asked the same question she'd been asking for the past 2 months.
A sweat drop fell from Artemis' head. "Luna, you're getting all crazy about this. The girls will be fine. They know we can take care of ourselves."
He heard Luna's sigh, and knew that the time was coming near for them to return to Tokyo. Artemis saw Mamoru bow to Master Yamada to take his break. The cats began to walk toward the spring nearby and Mamoru followed.
"It's time for you to return, Luna. .Artemis. Something evil is on the wind. I can feel it, " Mamoru said softly, staring at the crystal clear water.
The cats looked up at him. Mamoru was glowing a slight shade of red. It was faint, but enough that they were worried.
"Mamoru, are you all right? You're glowing .." said Luna. Mamoru looked at his hand and saw the glow as well.
"Bring Setsuna to me. ."
T0 be continued...