Is it safe to come out of my hideout?? Are there any guns…knives…or other pain inducing articles around? If you kill me now, I'm never going to finish the story….though I'm sorry about being so late in updating and so slow! But, to make it up, I have written more chaps of this story, so I'll be posting more than two on this week! yeay! Ok….no yeays out there, but I do here a, 'well, it was about time, missy!'.
Sorry, really, for taking such a long time. I'll post another one tomorrow. Read and review please.
XXI. Return of the Senchi…NOT
"Just think about it. It's been almost a year since we last saw them. For all we know, they could be dead."
"Yes, yes, that is true. But if they are alive we could get in some legal problems about it."
"Hai, you are right. That is why we would take it out to the public, ask for them to meet us. Newspapers, magazines, TV, advertisement in the streets, every single thing for the Sailor Senchi to come to us. How can they possibly demand us if they never appeared to claim the rights?"
"And what rights would this be…?"
"Exactly. People love them already, kids will go crazy everywhere in Japan with the small toys. We don't have an acute picture of them, but we can get close to their images. And who can claim to know them without revealing their real identities?"
"Young man, we have a deal. Convince the Hiroshikima Production Company and I'll finance your project."
OoO
"I can't believe this!" the young brunette cried in annoyance as she ate some peanuts. "I can't believe this!"
"Well, believe it." The black haired woman said as she drank some of her soda and stood besides other three girls.
"Isn't this…illegal or something? It should be!" a young blond said.
"That's it! I'm changing my hair style! They can't just start taking my odangoes!"
"They already did, Usagi-chan." The black haired said. "I told Ami-chan, but she said there was nothing we could do about it. She will try to be here in about a month, though."
"Hai, she told me the same last night. Shinozuki told me to take it calmly, but I think he said it because of the baby." The brunette said.
"I'll ask for a role." The blond one said. "It'll be perfect! They can't refuse for me to be Sailor Venus. I'm perfect for the roll!" she said as the brunette and raven haired looked at her oddly and the other blond one nodded in agreement.
"That'll be so cool!" Usagi cried.
OoO
"Can you believe it!" Minako cried outraged. "They said I was too blond for Sailor Venus! They think she's brunette!"
"Hey! Careful with Chibi-Usa's toys!" Usagi cried as she saw her friend pace around her now cramped apartment.
"Brunette?!" Makoto cried as she leaned against her husband. "But I'm the brunette one!"
"Well, they think you're redheaded!"
"Why those…"
"Honey, calm down. It's just a confusion!"
"Really, girls, you should feel good about it…people admire you so much they'll make a program with you all." Mamoru said as he held Chibi-Usa.
"If you are brunette, and you are redheaded…what hair color does Rei and I have?" Usagi asked as she and Makoto shared some peanuts.
"I really don't care what it is, as long as Sailor Mars looks pretty." Rei stated from her perch besides Yuuichirou.
"I think you're still blond…I'm not sure about Mars. But Mercury is purple."
They all stared at each other before they started laughing. "Poor Ami!" Makoto said after they finished laughing.
"I guess she won't care that much, she didn't seemed to care about it, anyway." Rei said with a shrug.
"Hai, that's true." Usagi added. "Though I don't think she'll be that happy about the purple hair."
"Minako…" Rei began as she looked at the blond girl thoughtfully. "When are you moving in with Motoki?"
"Next week." The blond replied with much happiness.
"Are you planning on telling him…you know, about the Sailor Senchi?" Makoto asked curiously.
"Well…I…I really don't know…I mean…telling him about the Senchi would mean…" she trailed off looking at Mamoru.
"I really never trusted him with my secret…and he's my best friend…I never really found a way of telling him." he said with a sheepish smile…more like a guilty smile.
With those last words the room fell silent, the only noise coming from Chibi-Usa who was happy babbling on her father's arms.
OoO
The screen flared up as they announced the soon coming Sailor Senchi program, the stores already where placing signs about toys for the little ones, accessories for the oldest and other merchandizing things.
"Oh…those awful little-" Minako muttered as she angrily changed channel as she and Motoki sat in their own couch in their own, small, apartment.
"I still don't get why it irks you so much."
"It doesn't."
"I would say differently." Motoki stated with a half smile.
"Fine! It…annoys me…a bit."
"Well, now that we've gotten to the acceptance point, would you care tell me why it annoys you?" Motoki asked with a grin, "Just a bit." He added hastily at the icy glare Minako gave her.
"They are stealing their identities. Depriving a person's right to feel free of being…being…" She trailed off, thinking of what to say next.
"Being…?" He asked, not resisting the grin that appeared in his face.
"Just…being…THEM." Minako stated with a shrug.
Motoki turned to look at them, a scrutinizing look on his face as she just stared at the TV's screen.
"You are such a mystery…" he whispered, unknowingly making her feel an overwhelming sensation of guilt.
OoO
Nothing. No noise…no ringing…no beeping…no nothing! It was as if the earth had opened up and had swallowed all of her previous life. why weren't they calling her?!
"Honey, don't worry about the groceries, I'll go for them after the hospital and…" she heard her mother's distant voice say as the woman walked to and fro in the apartment. "Ami-chan? AMI?" her mother suddenly called her name, making her eyes leave the phone, where her gaze had rested for the past couple of minutes.
"Hai?!" she asked, more surprised than anything.
"Are you fine with it?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Uh…hai." Ami answered not even knowing to what she was agreeing. Her other kept looking at her and Ami sighed in frustration. This was not her. She was not the one who kept on and on worrying about a simple call…or four simple calls. She was not this. She needed to go back. She needed to go home.
"Ami...just call them." Her mother said picking up the phone and handing it to her. For a few seconds Ami stared at the phone, as if she had never seen such a thing, before giving a small, yet joyful smile.
"Thanks, Mama." She said before dialing the numbers she knew from heart.
OoO
Laughter was heard throughout the apartment, shrieks of laughter came from a room. The usually neat apartment was a disaster now. The always crystalline living room looked as if a hurricane…or Usagi…or Minako…had gone by. Wrappings of peanuts, sour chips, and other sour goodies where all around the place as the TV's screen showed the local news…though no one was there to look at it.
The kitchen was even more of a disaster than the living room. Pots were seated on top of the stove…just there. Recipe books where spread in a counter showing pictures of different cakes, some more sour things, and one of an easy to make sour cream chicken. Besides the books there were some eggs, more pots, some pans, spoons and other kitchen supplies.
"Hey!" An indignant male voice cried suddenly, "Come back here! That's not fair!" he shrieked, a loud bang was heard followed by more laughter.
"Everything's fair in war and love, Hun!" an amused female voice cried as the same voice gave a shriek of surprise. "Now that's not fair!" she exclaimed as laughter from the other party was heard.
"Everything's fair in war and love, baby!"
The only room in the apartment which was in order was the guest room. The principal room looked as if a bomb had exploded. The bed was a disaster…the sheets half on it and half on the floor. Clothes where thrown everywhere and water was splashed on some places.
"C'mon, move!" the female voice cried from a closed door, "Make space for me, or do you want me to go somewhere else?"
"Never!" the male voice cried, as a loud splash was heard.
Water was coming from under the floor, as the young couple tried to fit on the very small furo…one leg hanging from it, while two feet where popped up…the couple in a very strange angle as both of them tried to fit into the place as they both laughed. Vapor feeling the room, making it warm.
Finally, the couple stopped their 'battle' of trying to fit into it, as she leaned on his chest and he simply left his head lie awkwardly in the edge of the furo.
"Shinozuki?" the brunette woman said as she closed her eyes and enjoyed herself.
He didn't bothered in opening his eyes, just moved one of his hands to rest near her neck. "Hmm?"
"I was wondering…when are we telling your parents?" she asked, tilting her head up a bit to look at him.
"About…" he asked opening one eye.
"You know about what." She said simply, once again laying her head on his chest and closing her eyes, though she moved her hands to the small bump in her belly.
"The baby." He stated simply, sitting up a bit and bringing his leg into the furo. "I…well…they were going to come visit Tokyo in a couple of weeks…"
"Don't you think they'll recent us if we keep it so long…I mean, I'm entering my third month already…"
"Telling them by phone…I don't know…it just feels…wrong, Mako-chan."
Makoto nodded in understanding. The couple lay there, enjoying themselves.
"Why don't we go visit them?" Makoto broke the silence suddenly.
"Nani?"
"Well…we haven't been there since…when we got together."
"You mean when you felt so lost and distraught that you went looking for me wanting to find some sense and-"
"Oh, stop it!" she cried in return of his teasing, he just smirked as he started kissing her neck. "Hmm…I could do with a massage, you know." She stated, closing her eyes and tilting her head to the side to give him more space for his lips.
"I know." He whispered as he lowered his hand to her breasts and the other found way to her leg. She just locked an arm around his neck. They were now enjoying themselves further when the phone rang, making them both jump in surprise like a pair of children getting caught with their hands on the cookie jar.
"You're turn." She said relaxing further…still laying on his chest.
"It's easier for you to get up than it is for me." he said with a chuckle.
She sighed in annoyance. "Fine." She stated, getting up from the furo, her husband enjoying the view of her wet body immensely. "But you'll have to clean up the mess."
He raised an eyebrow at that, but just looked as she grabbed a robe…his robe, and walked out of the room. "I can go get the phone, you know!" he called once she closed the door, before cringing when he recalled the mess they had made that day.
OoO
Ami waited for a few minutes, as she heard the ringing going on and on. She frowned at that, usually her friend picked the phone up quickly. Not as quickly as Usagi or Minako, who seemed to live with the phone by their side, but didn't took as much time as Rei did, who seemed to forget that there was a special device which connected you with those far from you.
"Moshi, moshi!" An over excited voice cried suddenly.
"Makoto?" Ami asked hesitantly.
"Ami-chan?!" She cried in happiness. "How are you? Are you done with your tests? Why haven't you called me? I'm sorry I haven't called lately…" The brunette went on and on, not letting the calmed young woman to answer any of her questions. Finally, the unending flow of words came to a halt. Ami just chuckled.
"I'm fine…and yes, I'm done with my tests but missing you all." she said, with a sad smile. "But how are you?" she asked, looking down at her laptop, where she was looking at several pictures, stopping at one taking on Makoto's wedding.
It was only the both of them, Ami and Makoto. Makoto looked beautiful on her wedding dress, and Ami looked…un-Ami on a baby blue dress, topless and long. All the girls had chosen it…and Ami had felt odd using it. She had refused at first to use it, but all the girls had insisted. At the end it had been Makoto who had convinced her of wearing it. It was incredible that it had been almost six months since that day.
"Pregnant." Her closest friend answered. Ami, who was drinking some water, started coughing when she felt it go the wrong way on her esophagus.
"Nani?!" she cried hoarsely.
"I'm pregnant!" her friend shrieked in happiness. "Three months into it…I found out last month about it." she said, the last part a whisper. "I'm sorry I didn't call to tell you…thing are just…" she started, wanting to apologize.
"I'm so happy for you, Mako-chan." Ami said with a sad smile. What else would she miss while being away from home? She suddenly felt a heavy sadness erupt within her, making her swallow the obstruction in her throat. She blamed it to the incident to the water, and her watery eyes where another cause of almost choking.
"Ami…thank you." her friend said, as a heavy silence fell between the both of them.
"I've been very busy lately…that's why I didn't call. So…" Ami started, wanting to find a topic to talk to her about. This had never occurred before. She and her friends had always had plenty to talk about…or rather, her friends had always had plenty to talk about. She usually just sat and listened, giving her opinion here and there but never feeling like an outcast. That was just her role, her part, being the silent one that calmed things when they got a bit…bumpy. "How is everyone else?"
"Fine…Minako moved in with Motoki…Artemis is resented for that. He can't speak freely anymore and has to be more cautious, according to him. It kind of makes sense since Mina's parents where always traveling around." Her friend started.
"Chibi-Usa is now crawling all around, happened some weeks ago. At first Mamoru-kun and Usa-chan went crazy…they're more crazy now since that child can't keep her hands to herself and tries to open everything or touch everything. She had already broken several things, and ripped one of Mamoru's books." Ami chuckled at that, it seemed that baby was more like her mother than anything. "Rei's fine…she's mostly at the shrine, but she's planning on going to college…don't know what for." And with that, the talk went to an abrupt end.
For a couple of more minutes, they made small talk before Ami looked for a nice way to cut the call, wanting to just go to bed…try to make sense of all the things that were on her mind.
It was not long when they hanged. For a couple of seconds she sat looking at the phone sadly. She had planned on calling each and every one of her friends…her sisters…but decided otherwise. They all had a new life…they all had things to do. Shaking her head, she decided to advance a bit on one of her classes. She also had a life.
As she stood up, the phone rang once more. Forgetting that she was in Germany and not in Japan, she answered as she had always done…though with sadness and homesickness laced in her voice. "Moshi, moshi, Mizuno residence."
"Ami?" an all but familiar voice asked, making her heart constrict a bit. Her eyes widened in surprise. Could it be possible? "Mizuno, Ami, is she there?" the voice asked again. It was…
She couldn't help the grin that appeared on her face, or the way she felt the sadness taking place before being replaced with immeasurable joy. "Ryo?!"
OoO
A crash was heard making him look up from his book.
"Chibi-Usa!" he heard his wife cry again. He had no idea what his daughter had gotten a grip of now…but it for sure was no longer usable. "Ok! That's it!"
With that he heard his wife walking and his daughter whimper. What was going on? He placed his book on his desk and was about to walk out of their room when the door opened and a very agitated and angry looking Usagi entered with an agitated and annoyed looking Chibi-Usa.
"Nani? What's going on?" He asked, as he took the baby girl from his wife's arms and held her. It seemed this was not what the child wanted, as she started whimpering and wriggling around, clearly wanting to be placed in the floor. He complied.
"This is what's going on!" Usagi said as she took of her shirt and tossed it in the bed before opening a drawer and placing a new, clean, shirt. "I'm going out. I can't take it anymore. She's driving me crazy!" she cried as she quickly unzipped her shorts and brought them down, before searching on a drawer and finding some pants. Any other time, Mamoru had found that…lovely, but for now he was just looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Um…Usa-ko…"
"You know how annoying it is?" She asked, suddenly turning and taking the child in her arms and placing her on her hip. The girl suddenly took much interest on the necklace her mother was now wearing and started fiddling with it. "I mean…they made HER the leader!"
"I'm lost here." he told her through their link. She just rolled her eyes and turned to go into the bathroom, coming back immediately and handing, or more like launching, the child into his unprepared arms.
Chibi-Usa, having the object of her amusement walking away, suddenly gave a single cry and extended her arms on the universal baby talk of wanting to be with the other person and not where she was. Mamoru ignored his daughter's antics and just looked at his wife.
"Usa-ko?" he called walking a bit towards the door as he heard the toilet flush. Chibi-Usa started jumping on his warms, her whimpers intensifying as the nine, almost ten month old baby pointed towards the closed doors.
"Aah!" She cried, "Aah, aah, aah!" Mamoru sighed looking down at her. The baby looked up at him at that moment, before intensifying her cries.
"Aren't you just stubborn?" he asked with a tiny smile and a raised eyebrow, to which the baby placed two of her fingers inside her mouth as if in answer.
Just then the door opened and a refreshed looking Usagi walked out. "I just…it's just so…No!" she said simply, raising her arms into the air, before she walked into the bed and threw herself in it as in defeat. "Am I such a bad leader not even THEY believe I'm the leader?!" she mumbled, her legs sticking out of the bed awkwardly, her arms straight by her side, her face buried on the comforter.
"Ah." Mamoru said in understanding, to which Chibi-Usa started repeating, with her fingers still stuck inside her mouth.
"AH! Ah! AH!"
"Usa-ko…it's just a show." He said simply, sitting beside her and placing Chibi-Usa on the middle, who immediately turned on her knees and hands and started wanting to crawl on the bed, Mamoru keeping a single hand on her back to avoid her crawling to the edge.
"That's just it, you know." She said simply, turning to be on her side, resting her head on one hand while the other caressed some of Chibi-Usa's soft baby hair. "I feel as if…I don't know, maybe it's just stupid." She shrugged. "Maybe I'm just being a baby." She laughed, letting her head drop on her upper arm just as Chibi-Usa looked at her and tilted her head to the side before looking back at Mamoru. She then sat up and started babbling as if telling them something. Both parents smiled at that, Mamoru simply laying down on his back as they both observed their daughter's antics.
"There's a reason why you feel like that…maybe you don't know about it but…"
"I just feel as if there's something odd…something going on wrong. As if things…I don't know."
"You're not pregnant, again, are you? Because if I'm not mistaken your-"
"Ok…stop it there. Don't do that, Mamo-chan…that's just…creepy. And no, I'm not pregnant. And this time, I'm sure of it."
"And you just had your period…last week if I'm not mistaken."
"And you're doing it again." She said with a sigh and a roll of eyes. "It's not that, it's just…" She shrugged. "Have you ever felt as if there's something going backwards…or you seem to dream about something that seem to be memories, but they're not because you're sure you haven't done them but then, they're so…"
"Real?" He asked, turning his head to look at the ceiling just as he felt Chibi-Usa use his stomach as a support to try to stand on her own two feet. "Yes…I've had that happened to me. I even dreamt with a city of crystal." He snorted at that as he grabbed his baby girl and placed her on her tummy on top of his chest. The baby just stared at him, before, once more sticking her fingers on her mouth.
"A city of crystal?" Usagi asked, more amused than any other thing. "Really?"
"Yeah…it was…strange."
Usagi chuckled, getting closer to him to lay her head on his arm, keeping her eyes on Chibi-Usa. "I bet it was. A crystal city…like, the China of Crystal…or better yet, Crystal China…or, Crystal Florida…Crystal Cuba!" She joked around, mentioning several places she could think about. Mamoru at first raised an eyebrow at her, but soon his amusement was evident as he chuckled. Chibi-Usa, not knowing why her father was laughing, started laughing as well, intensifying the mirth of both adults.
"I do recall being a city," Mamoru said as Usagi kept on and on naming countries and even some parks and other places.
"Oh, ok…so, Crystal London," she said with glee, "Crystal Chicago, Crystal Washington, Crystal Yokohoma, Crystal Tokyo…" At that, both adults sobered up, the air seeming to grow cold around them.
They both stared at each other, as the name brought a sense of déjà vu to them.
OoO
She noticed how spring was in full bloom. Everyone loved it…except her. Leaves were back…leaves fell from trees. It was just her luck that it was her job to pick up all the leaves around. She was annoyed at the simple fact that she had just cleaned a place and more leaves fell. It was as if the trees knew she was there…they just waited for her to move to another section to drop tons and tons of leaves on that place.
"You'll never finish." An amused voice called behind her.
"I thought I told you I didn't want to talk to you." She said as she attacked the leaves with her broom.
"Rei-chan…"
"No…I don't want to hear it." She said as she turned to give him her back.
"It's not what it seemed…"
"Not what it seemed?!" she cried indignantly, facing her husband who cringed at the level of her voice. "You were with him, where you not?" she asked between clenched teeth and narrowed eyes.
"Um…yes, but-"
"You WERE with HIM!" she yelled. "Those girls were even YOUNGER than me! For goodness sake, they could be their granddaughters as well, and yet, you did nothing!"
"Just what did you want me to do, Rei-chan? They didn't seem mad at all…in fact, one of them seemed rather pleased to get your grandfather's attention."
"Yeah…talking him about traveling around the world!" she said annoyed. "But that's not my point, I'm mad at you!" She decided quickly, turning on her heels and walking out of the place.
"Rei…Rei-chan!" Yuuichirou called running after his very mad wife. "C'mon, Dear, don't be mad at me." he pleaded to which she stopped abruptly. He closed his eyes, this couldn't end well.
"Don't. Call. Me. Dear." She stated with an unnerving calmness. She could just strangle him at the spot.
"Rei-chan…"
"Hino!" She snapped turning around and glaring at him.
"Nani?" He asked confused.
"I'm not Rei-chan, Dear, or Honey, or any other name you want to give me right now! For now, I'm back to being Hino-sama to you!" she stated, turning around and starting to walk away, broom on hand.
"But…" Yuuichirou started, scratching his head, "You're a Kumada, not a Hino." He pointed out simply.
"Well…" She started closing her mouth and thinking quickly, "I'm one now. Hino…Hino, Hino, Hino!" she yelled.
"But that makes no sense." He said simply, frowning at that thought.
She turned around before screeching and throwing the broom at him. He dodged it and looked at his wife with wide eyes.
"You're so infuriating!" she said walking out of the place quickly. "Don't you dare follow me!"
He stood there, blinking for a couple of seconds before he scratched his head again. "Now what did I do?"
OoO
Four men sat at one side of the table as four women and a baby sat at the other side. The right side of the table was quiet as they all observed those in front of them. The left side of the table was a mess, with talking and talking going around, and a baby swinging her arms in the air as her mother fed her.
Topics changed minute by minute. Just as they were talking about fashion, they started talking about foods which increased your metabolism and then went out to the newest methods of relaxing yourself on a hectic situation, to methods of cleaning faster…that one coming from a brunette one.
"Is it me…" a light brown haired man muttered to the black haired man besides him, "or do you feel as if this is…" he trailed off, indicating with his hand where the rest of the women were.
"Weird…creepy…wrong…an out of this earth experience…" all of the young men turned to look at the other man, who was lost looking at the others until he noticed the three pair of eyes looking at him. "What?" he asked with a shrug. "You've got to live with a pregnant woman to understand." He told them.
"Now, that's true." The black haired man said with a chuckle.
"Yeah…well, I'll just have to wait a couple of years to find out about that. I'm in no rush to find out just yet."
"The same here." another brunette said.
"Usagi and I thought the same…and there you have your 'couple of years' with pink hair." Mamoru said shaking his head.
"I don't think I could do with a pregnant Rei." Yuuichirou said with a light chuckle.
"What?" Motoki asked with a raised eyebrow. "Suffering for those 'days of the month'?" he asked.
"More like...being a martyr during those days of the month." he said rubbing his arm. "She just goes crazy. I don't even know what ticks her of."
"Sometimes I feel grateful…it seems I got the calmest of all of them." Shinozuki said with a smile.
"No…I don't think so." Mamoru said shaking his head.
"Mamo-chan, could you hold her a while?" Usagi asked from the other side as she handed Chibi-Usa into her father's arms.
"That would be Ami-chan." Motoki stated. "Now, I've never seen her loose her temper in all the years I've known her."
"Now that you mention it…there was once that she did…with the both of us." Mamoru reminded him.
"Oh!" Motoki said, his eyes round. "How could I forget that…but that bastard deserved our cold treatment."
"That was the night I met you, wasn't it?" Shinozuki asked, looking rather distant.
"That was a crazy night." Yuuichirou stated, remembering himself. "It was just…awkward in almost everything."
"Yeah…Minako almost killed me. I was so thankful once I dropped her home."
"Yes…just wait, now you won't have her ranting stop once you 'drop her home'…it would be just worst." Shinozuki stated with a chuckle.
"How do you do it?" Motoki stated, turning to look at Mamoru who was busy giving his daughter some soft carrot to munch on with the few teeth she had.
"How do I do what?" he asked with a frown as Chibi-Usa used his shirt as paper and the carrot as a crayon. "No, baby, don't do that." he stated, taking the carrot away and giving her some mashed potato instead with his finger.
"Get over the ranting." Motoki stated simply, pointing to the now laughing Usagi.
"Oh…just ignore it, I guess." He said simply. "And this," he said pointing to the now curious Chibi-Usa who kept looking at the carrots on her father's plate curiously, "Are very good distractions…until they fall asleep, though. But a whimper from Chibi-Usa can take her attention away from whatever it was she was ranting about."
"That's not much of a help." Motoki stated, to which Yuuichirou nodded.
"Well…I still have six more months to wait for THAT distraction." Shinozuki said.
With that, the four women got up, stating they were going to the bathroom. Usagi simply took her baby from her husband's arms and took the child with her, taking her diaper bag. And so, the night carried on, as the men on the table changed topic. The TV screen of the restaurant pointing to the new most popular show on Japan… 'The Pretty Soldiers Sailor Scouts'.