Chapter 9: Fifth Wheel

"Did you get it?" Rei asked as Luna padded into the shrine with a look of annoyance in her eyes. She was holding a small bag in her mouth which Rei quickly reached out to take.

"Just so you know," Luna said, working her jaw, "that thing is heavier than it looks."

"Well, I appreciate it," Rei said, opening the bag and removing the item gingerly. "Do you think she'll miss it?"

Luna thought for a second. "I don't know. It'd be interesting to see if she remembers it at all. Or if it even still plays for her."

Rei held the star-shaped locket up to the light. Even up close the hinge which opened the music box was invisible. Rei sometimes wondered how Usagi got it to play, if she willed it so or if the locket simply decided on it's own.

"Well, in any case, I'm hoping to use this to get her to remember."

"So are you going to give it to her?" Luna asked, "and say, what, 'I found this buried in your desk drawer. By accident'."

Rei gave Luna a sarcastic look. "No," she said. "I have a better idea."


"Hey can you do me a favor?" Rei was beyond greetings and politeness with Mamoru. If he didn't remember they used to be close enough to use casual language with each other, that was, frankly, his problem.

She didn't wait for him to answer one way or the other. Rei knew the trick was to catch him at his most unguarded and force obligations onto him. Maybe she'd share that tidbit with Usagi, if she was feeling generous. Then again, Usagi would probably figure that out for herself soon enough.

"Can you give this to Usagi for me?" She put the bag into his hands and turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Mamoru called out, and Rei stopped and rolled her eyes. 'Damn, not quick enough-'

"What do you mean 'give this to Usagi', don't you see her more than I do? Why do I-"

"I'm really busy and I don't really have time for all your questions," Rei said, quickly, tossing a swath of glossy black hair over her shoulder. She walked swiftly toward the arcade doors and took off running as soon as she was out of sight.

"Smooth," Luna said, from Rei's shoulder bag. Rei shot her a look.

"I can't wait until you get Usagi back," Rei muttered. "Then you can start nagging her for a change."

Luna made a face that indicated very clearly that her lack of being able to nag Usagi was really starting to grate on her as well.


Rei had just been back home for enough time to change into her robes when a familiar figure can running up the steps of the shrine.

Rei was about to retreat into the shrine when she saw the locket in Mamoru's hand and the look of horrified realization coloring his face.

Rei bit back a smile, and looked at him innocently with raised eye brows. "What's the matter? Did you forget something, Mr. Chiba?"

"Rei-" he was still catching his breath, but it was clear the locket had returned at least one person's memories.

Well, Rei thought, as went to go prepare tea for Mamoru, who looked like he was going to collapse with shock. I guess it's better than nothing.


"So you didn't show this to her then?" Rei said, swinging the locket from her fingers thoughtfully.

"What am I going to say? 'Rei gave this to me and she found it in your room accidentally'?" Mamoru said.

Rei frowned at him. "You know, I didn't help you remember so you could rain all over my plans."

"You didn't-"

"We're heee-ree!" Minako's cheery voice preceded her as she ran up the steps with her hands full of crepes.

"Here ya go," she said, handing one to Rei. "And you," she held one out to Mamoru, whose attempts to wave her off were futile.

Ami and Makoto followed Minako in, with a crepe in each of their hands.

"So," Minako said, sitting down across from Mamoru with a serious expression on her face. "Where do we even start?"

It didn't take as much effort as Rei thought it would, to bring Mamoru up to speed. Say what you wanted about the man, he was pretty quick on the uptake. Ami, at least, seemed pleased to have him on their side. Probably because he understood all the big words she used during her part of the explanation.

"You know," Minako said, licking her lips and crumbling her crepe wrapper into a ball, "You probably don't even need Usagi to remember, if you want to be with her. I'm going to go ahead and assume you do?" Mamoru barely had time to nod because Minako was talking again, "You do have money, an apartment and car." She paused to look him up and down with a critical eye. "And I suppose some girls would say you are good-looking."

"Minako, maybe this isn't the time for-" Ami started but as usual nothing short of a natural disaster would stop Minako, especially not Mamoru's increasingly uncomfortable expression.

"I mean, Usagi is a pretty typical girl. Just go up and be all suave - you can do that right? Channel some Tuxedo Kamen I heard she really dug that guy - and be all, 'Hey'," she lowered her voice at the last word and raised an eyebrow in what she apparently thought was a seductive manner.

"Minako, seriously-"

"And then you can wax poetic about her beauty and flowers and whatever you do... apologize for teasing her all the time," Minako clasped her hands together and leaned against Makoto's shoulder. "And then, those three magic words," she spread her hands wide and sighed dreamily. "'Dinner's on me.'"

"Are you done?" Rei asked. "Because I would like to talk about something useful now? Like getting Usagi to remember."

"Hey, talking about the devil," Minako said, suddenly, pointing to where Usagi was making her way up the shrine steps, a few volumes of Rei's manga in her hands.

"Hey Rei, I have your-" Usagi trailed off, looking around the garden in confusion and no small amount of hurt. "oh, I didn't realize… everyone was already hanging out." She looked at the wrappers in her friends' hands. "With crepes." The betrayal was complete.

Then her eyes landed on Mamoru and she blinked in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted out.

Makoto elbowed Mamoru in the shoulder, "You're staring," she muttered.

"I- just stopped by," he finally said.

Rei took her manga out of Usagi's hands, "It's not-".

"Not what?" Usagi said, still looking a little hurt.

"We are really happy to see you," Ami jumped in, with a smile.

Usagi still looked unsure. "I didn't realize you were such good friends with them," she said to Mamoru.

He stood up and ran his hand through his hair nervously. "I can go if you want me to."

Usagi shook her head quickly, as if clearing it. "No, no it's okay – actually, I just came to return those manga and I have somewhere to be…"

"Hot date?" Minako asked from her perch on the steps, sending Mamoru a sly look.

Usagi, for her part, thought that was funniest thing she'd heard in a long time and it took a while to get her breath back from laughing so hard. "Oh my gosh, no way! I'm meeting Naru and Umino for cake."

"Oh, so you are crashing their hot date," Minako said.

Usagi froze and her smile faded from her face. "I—didn't think of it that way."

"Minako!" Makoto snapped. "Usagi, I'm sure they want you there. After they invited you along."

Usagi still looked a little dazed. "Yeah-, you know… I don't even remember them getting together," she put her hand to her head and looked confused for a second.

"Forget something?" Rei asked, eagerly.

Minako stood behind Mamoru and made stabbing motions with her hand, 'say the word', she mouthed at Rei. Ami kicked Minako's foot and gave her a Look.

Usagi suddenly giggled nervously and shook her head again, "Yes, I had forgotten we have a math quiz tomorrow but I'll totally study tonight after I see Naru!" She paused and looked at her friends one more time, a small dent in her brow. Then she smiled largely. "Well, see you guys."

They called their farewells and then exchanged shrugs and 'what can you do' faces.

"That girl is officially hopeless," Rei muttered.