Ami banged on the door of Usagi's apartment hard, groaning with annoyance. "Usagi please open the door!"
"I don't think she's home" the blue haired senshi turned to look at the woman who spoke. "My name's Momo…you must be one of Usagi-san friends…Ami right?" she smiled as Ami's confused expression. "I was one of Chibiusa's friends"
Recollection hit Ami hard as she nodded. "Yes, Momo…Mamoru told me that he ran into you. He said he offered you a job as an receptionist. How is it going?"
"Great, I am so grateful to Mamoru-san. I mean now we have health benefits, I can never repay him for his kindness" Ami smiled happy to hear that the young teen mother was happy.
"Well I'll let him know as soon as I see him; however, for now I am in desperate need to find Usagi. Do you have any idea where I could find her?"
"Why not call Mamoru-san? I mean he is the reason she was fired from the club. I'm sure their together"
It was not long before they were both leaving Juno's. "I'm sorry Usako," Mamoru whispered as they sat in his car. Usagi's tears running down her face "I can't believe I've lost two jobs in just two days…Two jobs that I needed…"
"Usako"
Usagi glared at the man before her "don't" she hissed "you have no idea how much I needed those jobs, thank god my other boss hired me back on…but its only part-time which doesn't pay nearly enough to pay one bill let alone others"
Mamoru turned in his seat. Taking a deep breath he looked at her calmly. "Usako, since coming back things have been very confusing to understand. I promise to keep my temper in check just please tell me what's happened." He grabbed her hand softly, "I need to understand. Let me help you"
Usagi looked into his eyes. Her heart beating faster, turning away she nodded. Mamoru leaned away from her, waiting for to start. "My parents died," she said emotionless. "Two of the three kids are, Ryo and Saeko, you don't recognize them because they were just toddlers when you left. A year before my parents died, Shingo had gotten his girlfriend Mika pregnant. Long story short, Mom and dad didn't want them dropping out of school so they supported them. I did what I could; I even said I could come home and work full time. However, dad would not have it. With Mika disowned and living with my family, things became difficult. Nevertheless, they made it work, never complaining. Dad continued to pay for my tuition; Mom started selling her bake goods to local stores. They had no clue I started working, or that I was taking care of part of my tuition fees.
They had a plan. Once Mika had the baby, mom was going to pass the baby off as her own, to shelter Mika and Shingo the embarrassment and shame.
After the baby was born, Mom and dad were killed in a car accident. There was a job offer up north he wanted to check out…We never saw them again. I could not let Shingo and Mika drop out of school, Mom and dad had work so hard to support them. Therefore, I dropped out of school and took on taking care of everyone. We did not want anyone to know that Shingo and Mika were teen parents so I took on the responsibility. I became Ikuko's mother. After a couple of months I couldn't continue to pay for the house, let alone take care of three children plus support two teenagers ready for college.
So I started to work three jobs, I was already working at Juno's as their bartender, but I wasn't making enough so Motoki hired me at the arcade and the fruit parlor, still I wasn't making enough so one night I meet this woman named Kitomi…she helped me, she got me a job working for the night club. Motoki and Naru have been the most amazing friends I could have ever asked for. Unlike you or the girls, they have been there for me. I know I don't live in the most respectable neighborhood and the kids attend a low income school, but my landlord is this amazingly sweet old lady who babysits the kids while I'm at work which helps me out a lot since Shingo and Mika are in Kyoto on a special program. They do not know any of this; they have no idea the places I've worked or what I've done in order to support us and it will stay that way. They have to finish college in order to take care of Ikuko." She felt the tears fall "now…I don't know what I'm going to do… Sure I have $1200 in my bank account, but after groceries, gas and the reminder of my bills…I don't know what I'm going to do…I started classes again…part time…but It looks like I'll have to drop out again…" she took a deep breath. "Now, you know what I've been up too. Everything I have said to you now, I wrote to you! And it angers me that you are sitting here judging me, acting innocent when I've written this all out to you" She opened the door slamming it as she began to walk. Mamoru quickly followed. "That's what I don't understand!"
"What?! For the love of god Mamoru what the hell don't you understand?!"
"Your letters" he said confused "they never said anything about none of this"
Usagi laughed, "Bull shit!"
"It's true Usako, I swear on my life" Usagi looked to Mamoru confused, "That's not possible, I know I wrote you…I know what I wrote…I told you" she whispered "Of course at first I just tried to call…over and over again…but finally I gave in and decided to write you"
"I can prove it" he said standing in front of her. "I have saved every letter you have ever written me. They are safe in my desk at home. Come with me…please let me show you…I had no idea"
"But the phone calls…I called you repeatedly…I left messages"
Mamoru rubbed his face "the only calls I received were the ones where I answered. To be fair, I called you a lot too…you never answered but once or twice"
Usagi shook her head. "That's not true; I kept my phone on me at all times. I would have answered if you called."
"None of this is making any since!" Mamoru hissed.
"I think I can help" the two turned around seeing a winded Ami. "I know why everything has happened to you Usagi…"
"Ami?" the bluenette nodded. "We should go somewhere private."
Mamoru opened the door to his apartment. "I'll make some tea, I have a feeling we're going to need it"
Usagi pushed past the two and turned, "I don't want tea" she hissed "Tell me what you know now Ami, mind you I am in no mood for polite conversation or beating around the bush. Just say it"
Ami nodded as Mamoru shut the door. "Did you read the letter you parents left you? The one Mika gave you"
"How'd you know about that?" Ami wrapped her arms around her body. "I…things weren't supposed to get this out of hand" tears fell from her eyes as she felt her self-losing control "I…I thought she was crazy when she came to me…I thought at first it was a cruel joke…but then…then she showed me…"
"Who showed you? What are you talking about Ami, we don't understand what you're saying" Mamoru whispered as he tried to touch the blue senshi.
"Don't touch me!" she screamed taking a step away from the two. Her eyes wide as tears covered her face. "I saw them die! No matter what time line it was like we couldn't change it!" she screamed "So I did what she told me to do…I was so scared Usagi" Ami ran up to Usagi grabbing her arms tightly. "I'm so sorry. I told your parents of their future I told them, I made them leave!" she choked on her words "I'm the reason they are dead!"
Usagi shook her head. "No, you're lying" this couldn't be happening this was a joke right? "
"Everything that has happened to you is because of me! I'm the reason Mamoru and the girls never answered your letters or phone calls…I hacked into the data base and stopped them from receiving or from you receiving any information from anyone…I thought I was doing the right thing…god Usagi I'm so sorry"
Usagi pushed the blue haired woman away. "You did this" she whispered, eyes narrowing. "You caused all of this to happen to me?! Do you have any idea what I've been through? What my family has been through?!" she screamed looking down at the distort senshi. "Did you have fun? Did you enjoy the show? Watching as you destroyed my life?!"
"Usagi please" Ami begged, but usagi kicked her hand away "I will never forgive you for this"
Usagi walked passed the two slamming the door as she exited the apartment.
She leaned against the door of her apartment, her eyes wide as she shook with anger and confusion. Rushing to her dresser she pulled out the envelope written by my father. Taking a deep breath, she opened it carefully. Her fingers traced over her father's penmanship, a tear dropped leaving a water mark. Shaking her head she began to read….
Dear Usagi-my little bunny,
I would start by saying that if you're reading this…then well…you know. However, instead I would like to say…your mother and I couldn't be prouder. You, our dear sweet bunny have become the most amazing woman we could have ever hoped you to be. I know that I've always been a bit over protective….okay a lot. It's my job. It's a father's job to love and protect his little girl. To raise her to be not just a woman of greatness but one day a mother. A mother that will protect and love her children as her parents had done for her. Your mother and I knew that you had become this woman…this hero; savior for man-kind-we knew soon after Luna found you. How else were you able to sneak out of your bedroom window so late at night and never get caught?
We feared for you, as any parent would, but we also trusted you. Knew that you'd come home to us. Never the less, my protectiveness of you amplified. I could never protect you from the supernatural evil that attacked you and your friends, though I would have in an instant if I was able too. So, when you were home I pushed ensuring the little childhood you had left continued. Hoping to give you a bit of normalcy in between your destined existence, when the day came and the senshi of Mercury arrived in front of your mother and I…we accepted our fate. It was this fate that would spare yours and that my sweet little bunny is what parents do for their children.
Please do not be angry with Ami-san. I could see that this was not her wish, nor did she want to convey any of this to us. You must know Usagi; I feel that she had no choice in the matter. That there was a power greater than her forcing her to do this, forcing this cruel fate upon you, forgive her Usagi. Mercury has sealed this letter with a power so that nothing can be altered with in it. She has urged me to tell you all is not what it seems. You must trust those you feel have betrayed you in order to fix what has been done.
Always Usagi, our bunny, remember that you mean more to us than our own lives and would gladly hand ourselves over a thousand times just to know that you were safe. Kiss our Grandchild Chibi-usa for us. Raise her to be as remarkable as her mother.
With all our love and devotion
Your father and mother.