Quick update. Miracle, I know. Partway through writing the next one too. and considering the cliffy here... *evil grin* you'll love it. Title inspired by what a lot of people have been saying lately around me. You'll get it soon enough.

25 – Saw That Episode

"I'm tellin' ya! It was freaky!" Naru was still going on about something she saw the previous day after Usagi went to the nurse's office to sleep, but wasn't really paying much attention. Her thoughts were back with Daiki and how wonderful he was to her. After detention he walked her home again last night, holding her hand tightly to make sure she didn't collapse on the way. "The way she moved and how fast and all those balls flying all over the place? No one can do that! No one!"

"She did say she specialized in dodgeball," Sayuri pointed out, swirling her coke around with her straw. She snuck glances at Usagi from time to time, wondering if that buffoon's plan was working after all. "Though I do wonder how she managed to keep all those balls moving like that."

"Who knows." Naru sighed heavily in exhaustion. "Glenn-san is so hard to understand…"

Everyone at their table nodded, even those who only met the girl once or twice. All of Usagi's friends were there, trying to support her in her time of misery. Though a few of them were in the dark about everything, they all knew she needed her friends to make her life more bearable. From Mamoru's disappearance to her grades dropping to not being able to be Sailor Moon, the girl had it rough. Nothing was going her way lately.

And yet the entire conversation was lost on her. All she could think about was Daiki, Kongou-sensei. He was just so… A sigh escaped her lips as she tried to recall every microsecond they spent together. Did she ever feel with way with Mamoru?

"Well hard to understand without Ren-chan at least." Minako giggled as she told the others what she saw. "The girl was just like a mom taking care of her kid and her guests at the same time. Why does it take a kid to make Marian-chan seem human?"

"I haven't the foggiest clue."

"What's Ren-chan like?" Sayuri leaned into the group, reaching for information.

"He's a cute seven year old boy," Minako stated simply, realizing she hadn't met the kid yet. "Black hair, blue eyes, and has the biggest crush on Usagi-chan you'd ever see. He was nice enough to us, but he stuck to her like glue. If Marian-chan didn't pull him away from her every now and again, he'd have kept his hands on her forever."

"Still might," Michiru piped in, remembering the day at the arcade clearly. He really was adorable. "If he has any say on the matter, he'll try and marry her before the year is done."

Everyone laughed at the idea, knowing how cute and silly puppy love like that was. Sayuri laughed with them. "He sounds like an interesting kid. I'd like to meet Ren-chan someday."

"Who knows? Maybe you will."

If she had anything to say about it, Iphianassa would see him very shortly. She had a hunch about this 'Ren-chan', and she wasn't going to stop until she was sure. After all, something was off about Glenn Marian. No normal high schooler could dodge and keep moving thirty balls in the racquetball court at the speed she was going the other day. She didn't fall under Kongou's spell either. If she was odd, it was likely 'Ren-chan' was too.

(+)

"Nah, this place is pretty lively and I've got major cabin fever." Ren looked up from his medical text as Marian talked on the phone. The call interested him a little since it was from Umino and she rarely ever was called, but since Usagi wasn't on the other end, he really didn't care near as much. "Let's meet at the library instead to finish it up. … No, tomorrow's no good for me. I'll be tied up with church activities the entire day, plus have to do some cooking. I'm sure we can finish everything today. I'll even order pizza for everyone if that'll make it better. … How? I did a lot of research and wrote half the paper yesterday after leaving school. Ren's parents got home late last night so I'm off babysitting for a bit. They're handling things now. … Yeah, library. Thirty minutes? … I'll be there."

She hung up the phone and started picking up her notes, ignoring her audience. He didn't like that, especially since she lied about the state of the apartment, and spoke up. "So… what's going on?"

"We're finishing that essay and presentation at the library. And we're having it at the library," she added, looking up to him knowingly, "so Usagi can stay focused and get the work done. If you're there, you'll monopolize her and she'll get a free ride through the class. Plus if they're all here, Minako will search the apartment again." She sighed heavily, shaking her head as she put a book into her bag, nearly done collecting everything. "I had to cook up some quick illusion spells when she searched the place before, and a lot more avoidance spells, all while making sure I wasn't seen. It was a headache I don't want to repeat. She's second in command to Usagi, right?"

Ren nodded, pouting childishly. He completely understood why he had to stay home and they couldn't come there, but he still wanted to see Usagi. Things just didn't settle right and he had a bad feeling lately that something was happening to her. He needed to know she was alright. "Marian…"

"Hm?" The lady closed her laptop and put it in her bag before double checking everything she needed was in there.

"How's Usagi lately?" He watched her stiffen for a moment before looking up at him blankly. The boy fidgeted in worry. "I mean, she didn't appear at that fight the other day, and lately I've felt that she's getting further away from me. Can you tell me how-"

"Mamoru, I am the worst person to ask when it comes to someone else's emotional state." Marian sat back briefly to talk to him. "My interpersonal skills suck remember? I can't read anyone accurately. I can say that physically she's fine, though she has lost a few pounds since I came here. She hangs out with her friends and laughs as often as she can. Her grades are improving somewhat as a whole, but some subjects are lower than others.

"Mostly… I'd say she's confused. Her mind and her heart are not aligned like they were when I got here. I can't begin to explain why you feel she is being pulled away from you, but I am doing what I can to protect her too. It's just…" She looked down, thinking over something before saying more. "It's too soon to be certain. I need evidence first. Then I can make a move. Being able to see things others can't, won't work in the long run."

"What are you talking about?" Something about what she was saying was making him more anxious than he already was. Something was going wrong with Usagi, he knew it! But why was Marian trying to hide it? "What is happening to Usagi?!"

She watched him for a moment, trying to think up an answer. She seemed more frustrated than upset about it all, then shrugged. "She's going through what pretty much every girl goes through when the man she loves disappears for two months. Other people are just pushing her along, getting there faster. When you come back into her life though, she will be so happy and relieved, she'll forget about the misery and confusion she went through. You just better not just vanish on her again after all of this."

Ren watched her for a minute, not sure how to respond. He didn't get a straight answer from her, but he did understand Usagi was confused at the moment. Only his return could change things back to the way they were. This was something he wanted more than anything, and the main reason he stuck around the apartment so long. As far as he knew, Marian was the only one who could change him back to the way he was supposed to be. "When can I change back into an adult?"

"How strong are your memories?" The boy blinked, not understanding what she was talking about. Marian rubbed her chin and nodded, eyes changing to gold. "Most of the memory spells are gone, to the point I can see the threads individually from here. There looks like a really old crude one among them, but it's not a priority. Too old to hide information you need now. If you're determined enough and can make certain your mind stays on Usagi, I can change you back to an adult this next week."

His heart leapt, stilling his breath at the statement. Next week. Today was Saturday. Sometime between then and next Saturday he would be his true self again. His caretaker started murmuring to herself. "I'll need to gather some supplies, the fresher the better. Should double check what's needed to be sure first. Oish… this is going to be a long week."

"Thank you." Marian looked up at his beaming smile, surprised by the words. Ren couldn't help it. Whatever Usagi was going through right then, the senshi could help her (he told himself). Marian was keeping tabs on it all and would tell him if anything went wrong. He just had to be patient.

"I haven't even done anything yet."

"But you will, and have done already so much." Bowing, he gave her his sincere gratitude. "Thank you Marian, for everything you have done for me. I would not have survived this without you."

Instead of thanks for his thanks, worry appeared on her face. "Say that after you've grown twelve years in under an hour. It's not going to be pretty."

"I understand," he assured her, "but still, thank you."

Nodding, she gave in and went back to gathering her stuff. There was a lot of work to be done and not a lot of time to spare. What was not said may be much worse than what was said.

(+)

The library was crowded. More than one group was together in that building and there weren't enough private rooms for them to all work in ease. Their group ended up sharing a table with another in their class, both working frantically to get their parts done. For some, the more the merrier. For at least one person though, it seemed to drag her down into an anger filled world of growling and refusing to talk unless it had to do with the project. It confused almost everyone there why Marian wouldn't answer Sayuri's questions. "Please? I just want to meet this darling boy you work so hard for."

"Over my dead and rotting corpse. Now go back to your group and do your homework." The venom in Marian's voice sent chills down everyone's spines. How did she do that? And why was she so defensive over letting Sayuri see Ren?

The princess-like girl pouted, trembling slightly from facing such a fierce person. "But… everyone else got to see him. I just want to understand you better Marian-chan."

"Stop calling me 'chan' and move to the U.S. and you may have a chance. Umino, can I see your information on Okita? I almost have the paper done." The one male in the group (who was finding it harder and harder to enjoy that feeling) passed over his notes for her to look over and then transcribe to the document she was typing up the entire time. So far no one could object to her essay, and since she was the one with her own computer there, they just let her go all out. It really was almost done, and they had free reign on the presentation once they had their information; Marian was fine just holding props during it while they did all the heavy lifting. Her creative side apparently didn't exist.

"But Marian-chan –"

"Why don't you just let her meet him?" Minako was tired of their arguments just about as much as everyone else – everyone but Usagi who was daydreaming and ignoring everyone around her. "It's not like it's a crime to –"

"She's freaking me out!" Finally the American snapped, pointing out a logical reason why she would never introduce Ren to the insistent girl invading their group. "Who begs to meet someone else's kid when they're not related like this?! I can only think of one kind of person, and I would never let them near my nieces and nephews, let alone my host family's son." She turned her glare back on Sayuri who was starting to see her mistake. "You are not meeting Ren. End of debate. I will protect him from anyone who has less than pure intentions."

"Marian-chan! That's too much!" Makoto, in the other group, spoke up in her teammate's defense. She pretty much said Sayuri was a pedophile.

"Is it?" She gave the rest of them a meaningful look before looking her straight in the eye. "Tell me, would you say yes to someone who insists on meeting the kid you babysit when you haven't known them for any more than a month? And who insists like this past the initial 'no' and has good intentions? I've seen the end of that movie. Call me paranoid, but I don't want that ending to happen to Ren. I wouldn't want that fate on any kid I know. So no, it's not 'too much'. It's not enough."

Audience shocked into silence, and finding no logical way to refute her words, Marian went back to the essay, glaring at the screen and typing harder than she probably should have. Everyone but the daydreamer – who realized something big had happened and missed it – went back to their work, trying to not think about what was said. Sayuri stared at Marian, caught between tears and shock. She was seeing now why that idiot was having a hard time with her. No one could resist her, and yet…

"Can I at least see a picture of him?" It was a plea she didn't want to make, but she had to know the truth.

Marian glared up at her from her laptop. "Do you really think I'd have a picture of my host family's kid on me? Let alone show you after demanding to see him like that?"

That was it for the subject and everyone went back to their work awkwardly. Naru pulled Usagi back to reality, coming up with presenation ideas. No one dared talk to their angry transfer student first. She needed time to cool off.

After five minutes of awkward silence, Sayuri got up. "Excuse me. I need to use the bathroom."

The second she was out of earshot, the American mumbled, "If she isn't back in ten minutes, I'm calling the cops."

"That really is too much Glenn-san," Umino muttered back, though trying to keep his head down.

"Not with the line of questioning she went with. I've seriously seen that movie. It never ends well."

(+)

Ren was seriously getting bored making flowers out of nothing and tossing them off the balcony. Every flower in the botany book he borrowed went out those windows by then, even desert ones and the kinds found in really cold areas. He decided to expand from flowers and started chucking leaves out the window. Someone was getting an early fall outside.

Sighing heavily, the boy decided that it was probably a good idea to just watch TV and try stretching his empathic powers a bit. The connection he had with Usagi couldn't be the end of his abilities. He thought he heard a baby crying next door once. Maybe he could try and feel what it felt and start understanding his powers more at the same time. If he pushed past the talisman's power, it'd prove he was stronger than Marian too. That'd be fun.

He made it to the television, almost pressing a button to turn it on, when he heard something land on the balcony fence. Ren snapped his head around, expecting to see Marian coming in a strange way, and froze, terror filling his chest.

Squatting on the balcony was one of the men who kept him captive a few weeks ago. A demon dog.

They found him.

A/N: Dun duh DUHHHNNNN! I'm picking up straight from the cliffy next time so make comments and get me to write faster. I asked a roommate if this was a better cliffhanger or something else, and she said this. So blame my roommate.

I mentioned that Marian and dodgeball would come up again later, but I couldn't find a way to sneak that scene in. So Naru just tells everyone what they saw: Marian on a racketball court dodging a lot of balls and keeping them going for a long period of time. Standard training for her. Her fighting style involves a lot of dodging and making others keep moving. She's great against groups.

Sayuri is interested in Ren, and I checked with the same roommate on how they would react if someone as asking/demanding to meet a kid you took care of. Total creeper isn't she. It didn't even register that it would send up red flags to any sane person. 'I saw that movie/episode. didn't end well' is a phrase I've heard a lot lately whenever people are told to do something that is a common plot device ending in a murder/rape/kidnapping. Have you ever seen the 'Hell no: the sensible horror film' on youtube? yeah, it people used common sense at the beginning with those films, it wouldn't end so badly or be as eye roll worthy. There were also commercials with a similar idea. 'Why don't we just get in the running car?!' yeah... rambling. marian saw red flag everyone should have seen, and kinda did see, and did the obvious right thing.

Done rambling. Back to typing!