SailorStar9: You ladies wanted this chapter, so here goes. This is Chapter 28 of this fic; and please be a dear and review.
Disclaimers: I do not own the animes. But I do own the pairing, I hope.
Chapter 28: Don't Lose Your Dreams! The Truth-Reflecting Mirror
Time passes...
"Come on, not yet?" Usagi whined.
"Chibi-Usa, this is good." Luna noted, seeing Chibi-Usa's carbon sketch. "It's really perfect."
"You think so?" Chibi-Usa giggled.
"Hey, how long are you going to make me wait?" Usagi complained. "I'm tired already."
"Don't move." Chibi-Usa snapped. "This homework is due tomorrow."
"But, I've been like this for a long time now." Usagi argued.
"I told you I would buy you hot meat-filled buns." Chibi-Usa reminded.
"Geez, you sure got me at my weak spot." Usagi pouted.
"Stay still." Chibi-Usa requested.
"So, how much are you done with?" Usagi peered. "What is this?" she exclaimed, seeing the sketch.
"Come on, you have to sit down!" Chibi-Usa chided. "What are you doing?" she protested as Usagi snatched the sketch book away.
"You can't possibly be saying that such an ugly person is me?" Usagi retorted.
"Who else is there?" Chibi-Usa deathpanned.
"I think she did a pretty good job." Luna noted.
"I'm not this ugly!" Usagi exploded.
"Maybe you haven't seen a mirror?" Chibi-Usa taunted.
"What was that?" Usagi glared.
In the park...
"Let me tell you." Usagi started. "That you should really fix that picture. Hey, are you listening?"
"I already brought you some hot meat-filled buns." Chibi-Usa reminded. "Our deal is closed. So I can do whatever I want. It's a painter." she blinked, seeing Kamoi at work.
"Wow, it really looks like her." Usagi was amazed at the likeliness. "This is how you draw someone's face."
"It's done." Kamoi finished his portrait.
"This looks nothing like me." the subject of matter looked at the portrait. "Because I have bigger eyes."
"That's right." her lackeys chorused.
"And I have a taller nose." the woman added.
"You think so?" Kamoi blinked. "I thought I took a good look."
"Wait a minute." Usagi cut in. "This looks exactly like you. What part of it are you unsatisfied with?"
"Um..." Kamoi sweatdropped.
"Outsiders stay quiet!" the customer snapped.
"That's right." her lackeys chorused.
"What's with this?" Usagi glared.
"I am not this ugly!" the customer argued.
"That's right." her lackeys chorused.
"I've heard that line somewhere before." Chibi-Usa deathpanned.
"Um..." Kamoi voiced. "I think it looks a lot like you. But if you don't like it, you don't have to pay."
"Of course." the customers snorted haughtily. "Let's go."
"Some customers are so conceited." Usagi glared.
"By the way, did we get in the way of your work?" the two 'Rabbits' wondered, hearing Kamoi's sigh.
"No..." Kamoi sweatdropped. "Or rather, how about a picture?"
"Oh no..." the 'Rabbits' shook their heads.
"I don't need any money." Kamoi assured. "Just a token of appreciation for complimenting my art."
In the Dead Moon Circus...
"You know..." VesVes glared at Zircon. "Don't you have too many false leads?"
"I know you have to do your job more seriously." PallaPalla added.
"If you don't wisen up, I'll eat you." JunJun threatened.
"Yes, really." CereCere agreed.
"You're the ones who have to wisen up." Zirconia chided as Zircon took the opportunity to fly back to its mistress. "You guys don't even work, you slackers. Where is the Golden Mirror? You really are useless. Go after this one this time." she tossed the girls Kamoi's picture.
"Looks like an artist." VesVes noted.
"An artist?" CereCere echoed. "I'll take on this one." she grabbed the picture. "And artist..." she flushed.
In the massage parlor...
"You hardly go anywhere." VesVes pointed out. "What's gotten into you?"
"What's wrong with you?" even PallaPalla was puzzled.
"What do you have up your sleeve?" JunJun pressed.
"Oh, nothing." CereCere replied. "But I thought it wouldn't be bad to have a portrait of beautiful little me drawn by him."
In the park...
"Really good." Chibi-Usa awed. "But... why are you eating a hot meat-filled bun?"
"Well, I thought that my facial expressions look the livestock when I'm eating." Usagi beamed.
"It's alright." Kamoi assured. "It's fine."
"But..." Chibi-Usa protested.
"That's right." Usagi agreed. "Outsiders stay quiet!"
"What was that?" Chibi-Usa snapped.
"But you do eat them very deliciously." Kamoi noted.
"Of course!" Usagi bit into her bun.
"It really looks yummy." Kamoi swallowed, before his stomach growled and he fell over from hunger.
"Kamoi-san!" the 'Rabbits' exclaimed.
"It's alright." Kamoi replied. "I haven't eaten anything for the past 2, 3 days, so..."
"Usagi, how about your buns?" Chibi-Usa looked at Usagi.
"Oh no." Usagi shook the empty bag.
"You're serious?" Chibi-Usa sweatdropped.
Later in the Tsukino household...
"Now, please eat up." Usagi presented Kamoi with a plate of seafood paella. "But you wouldn't want to eat it after all, would you."
"I'll have it." Kamoi dug in.
"What an appetite." Chibi-Usa blinked.
"I guess he really was hungry." Usagi mused.
"Oh, sorry." Kamoi blushed.
"It's okay." Chibi-Usa assured. "It's alright. If it's alright with such a disgusting plate of fried rice, dig in."
"EH?" Usagi glared. "What?"
"But why have you been not eating for so long?" Chibi-Usa wondered.
"It's slightly embarrassing, but I have no money." Kamoi put down the spoon. "Thank you for the meal."
"Oh, it's nothing." the 'Rabbits' returned the bow.
"Does an artist make hardly any money?" Chibi-Usa inquired.
"It's more like I end up in arguments with my customers." Kamoi replied. "So, I end up not getting money more times than I do."
"Why don't you draw them a little bit prettier than they are?" Chibi-Usa asked.
"Yeah, I know that way I would make some money, and I think that a life like this is pathetic myself." Kamoi admitted. "But getting money by drawing lies as pictures, it only makes me feel empty inside."
"That's true." Chibi-Usa agreed.
"I have dreams too." Kamoi confided. "I want to leave behind works of art, rather than a famous name."
Wow, he is an artist. Usagi mused.
"Um, I have something that I want to show you, Kamoi-san." Chibi-Usa voiced. "This!" she returned with the sketch she drew.
"Hey, what are you showing him?" Usagi exclaimed. "You're embarrassing me! HEY!"
"What do you think, Kamoi-san?" Chibi-Usa asked.
"Stop that!" Usagi protested.
"Hm, just a bit more." Kamoi noted.
"See." Usagi taunted.
"But," Kamoi added. "It's full of love. You must really love your older sister."
In her room...
What's wrong? Pegasus inquired. You're looking intently into the mirror. A mirror shows one's true form. How do you look in your own eyes?
"I don't know." Chibi-Usa sighed. "There are a lot of people who lose sight of their true forms."
Perhaps so. Pegasus admitted.
"Or, is it that the face that I'm looking at in the mirror really isn't my true face?" Chibi-Usa wondered.
That's not true. Pegasus pointed out. The mirror always shows the truth. But the heart of the viewer distorts it.
In the Hikawa Shrine the next day...
"Wow, he's good." Rei noted, seeing Kamoi's portrait of Usagi.
"This really gives Usagi's feeling out well." Luna added.
"You think so?" Usagi asked. "I thought my eyes looked a little cuter.
"Is he always at the park?" Ami inquired.
"It looks that way." Chibi-Usa noted.
"I want to be drawn too." Minako stated.
"There are a lot of photographs, but it's different from a drawing." Makoto added.
"And I think my nose is a little bit higher too." Usagi remarked.
"Hey, let's all go to that park." Minako suggested.
"Yeah!" the girls agreed.
"And I think I'm slightly paler than this." Usagi mused.
Commercial Break.
The Pink are Blue Rangers are checking on Goldar's corpse. Goldar has a bullet hole in his forehead, and blood all around him. A gun's resting in his left hand, seemingly the cause of his death.
Pink: I think they're right, Billy. This was suicide.
Blue: No, look... The angle the bullet entered, and the way he's lying on the ground... They don't match.
Pink: But then, who could've done it?
Skull's watching them from a nearby building, laughing evilly.
Skull: They'll never get me, stupid cops...
VO: Power Rangers CSI. Coming soon.
End Commercial Break.
The next day...
Kamoi was keeping his stuff when CereCere arrived in her posh vehicle.
"Good afternoon." CereCere greeted. "Nice to meet you. I heard much about you, that's why I'm here today. I hear that you're a very good artist? I have brought you a wonderful offer today. I thought I'd let you draw a portrait of me. You don't have to be so thrilled about it." she laughed. "Now, listen to what people have to say until they are done." she fumed when Kamoi continued to pack his stuff. "This isn't the place to talk, so please come to my estate. I will get you a full set of new tools too." she offered when Kamoi ignored her.
"Miss." Kamoi started
"Yes?" CereCere smiled.
"It's not like you made the money yourself." Kamoi replied. "I don't like people who brag about being rich. I'm sorry, but you should ask someone else."
He's much tougher than I thought. CereCere mused. Then... "I'm sorry, I was being too self-centered. Actually, my father, an art dealer, passed away last year. His dream was to be of aid to talented folk like you. I would like to follow in his footsteps. How about you draw as much as you want here?" I got the beginning right. She grinned.
"And where is he usually at?" Rei asked, as Chibi-Usa led the girls to Kamoi's usual spot.
"Almost there." Chibi-Usa replied.
"I'm so looking forward to this." Minako beamed.
"He's not here." Chibi-Usa blinked when she could not find Kamoi.
"Where did he go?" Usagi wondered.
"Maybe he left early today." Ami suggested.
"Too bad." Minako sighed.
"You've got to be kidding!" Rei exploded. "I came all the way out here to have my picture drawn. Hey, Usagi? What's the meaning of all this?"
"I'm telling you, he was here until yesterday." Usagi replied.
"You know, you're being selfish, being the only one drawn." Rei glared.
"You don't have to be so serious." Makoto chided.
"That's right." Minako agreed.
"What are all of you saying?" Rei retorted. "Not drawing me, beautiful, elegant Rei, what can all these artists possibly draw now?"
"Rei...?" Ami sweatdropped.
"In any case, we should all split up and look for him." Rei insisted.
"Are you serious?" Usagi wondered.
Outside CereCere's mansion...
"Luna!" Usagi called, having spotted the cat on the mansion's wall.
"Oh, both of you." Luna looked at the 'Rabbits'.
"What are you doing all the way out here?" Usagi wondered.
"Well, I feel an evil presence from this house." Luna nodded
In the mansion...
"How is it turning out?" CereCere asked, as Kamoi worked on her portrait. "Can you show me?"
"Sure thing." Kamoi replied and showed her his work. "I think I'm getting a pretty good atmosphere in this piece."
"Oh, this is me?" CereCere came in for a closer look. "It doesn't look like me at all. Because I have much cuter eyes. Please redraw this."
"I don't think I need to fix anything." Kamoi replied.
"What was that?" CereCere snapped.
"I can't draw a lie." Kamoi admitted.
"You still don't understand." CereCere reminded. "It looks like in order for you to continue drawing just the pictures you want to draw, you need a first-rate environment to draw in. Do you understand what I am saying? I have all of that you need right here. So, I will ask you once again. My eyes are much cuter than this, right?"
"I didn't come here to do something like that." Kamoi snapped.
"Then, you will return to your old life of poverty, I take it." CereCere shrugged. "I don't mind that one bit. Whether you grasp your dream or throw it away, it's up to you."
"Dream.." Kamoi echoed.
"Will art be nurtured in a poverty-stricken lifestyle that you can barely find food in?" CereCere reminded. "So, what are you going to do?
"Alright." Kamoi relented. "I will do as you say."
Outside CereCere's mansion...
"You know, just because it's a little suspicious, if you go in without their permission, they'll be mad." Usagi reminded, as the 'Rabbits' sneaked in.
"That's why I said I'm fine on my own." Luna replied. "And besides, I'm a cat. The only ones who'll be scolded are you two, Usagi."
In the mansion...
"This is really wonderful." CereCere remarked after Kamoi completed her portrait. "It makes me fall in love with myself."
"I'm not feeling well." Kamoi replied. "Please let me lie down for a while."
"Please wait." CereCere voiced. "I have one more thing I need you to do." revealing her Amazon Stone, she reverted to her original form.
"What in the world are you?" Kamoi gasped.
"Kamoi-san!" Usagi exclaimed, peering in from the window.
"Your Mirror of Dreams." CereCere declared. "I will take a look at it."
"Hold it right there!" Moon announced. "To fool a pure, innocent, beautiful artist living an innocent but poor life! I can't forgive you! For love and justice."
"The pretty Senshi in Sailor suits." Chibi-Moon remarked.
"Moon!" Moon introduced.
"Chibi-Moon!" Chibi-Moon posed.
"In the name of the moon..." Moon posed.
"We'll punish you!" the two chorused.
"Oh, if it isn't the odd couple again." CereCere noted.
"What was that?" Moon demanded. "How rude."
"That's right." Chibi-Moon agreed. "It's true that she's on the bigger end, but she doesn't mean ill by it."
"What was that?" Moon glared. "She's calling us an odd couple because you're short!"
"I can't help it!" Chibi-Moon argued. "I'm still a child."
"Excuse me." CereCere cut in.
"What?" the two Moon Senshi asked.
"Do you two like to play billiards?" CereCere inquired.
"What's billiards?" Moon wondered.
"I think she means shooting pool." Chibi-Moon replied.
"That's right." CereCere declared. "Colliding Ball!" she shot her Amazon Stone at the Senshi, forcing them to dodge, causing the stone to bounce against the walls and hit Kamoi on his back, forcing his 'Dream Mirror' out.
"What does this mean?" CereCere looked at the grayed mirror. "Not only is this not the Golden Mirror, but there isn't even a beautiful dream in it."
"That can't be true." Chibi-Moon argued. "Kamoi-san has a very beautiful dream. I'm sure he has one."
"I have no need for such a dirty mirror." CereCere retorted. "Flower Lemure, dream-eating rose. TogeToge Jou. Get rid of that mirror."
"You can't!" the Moon Senshi exclaimed.
"It looks disgusting." TogeToge Jou stated. "It's dirty. I don't want to eat it."
"What's this?" Moon blinked.
"I won't allow you to be so picky." CereCere fumed.
"It's not a matter of being picky." TogeToge Jou shrugged. "What are you doing?" she exclaimed when CereCere tried to force the mirror down her throat.
"I will not allow you to have likes and dislikes when it comes to food." CereCere insisted.
"You know, I'm against violence." TogeToge Jou protested.
"Just eat it!" CereCere insisted.
"This looks like our chance." Moon noted.
"Please Pegasus!" Chibi-Moon went in prayer mode. "Protect everyone's dreams! Twinkle Yell!"
CereCere fled before she was blasted.
"Moon Gorgeous Mediation!" Moon fired her attack at the arguing Lemure.
"I have done anything yet! Stage Out!" TogeToge Jou squealed as the attack washed over her, leaving Kamoi's 'Dream Mirror' relatively intact.
"I failed." CereCere jumped to safety. "But next time, it won't be like this." and retreated via her Amazon Stone.
"Well, let's return the mirror to Kamoi-san." Moon suggested.
"Yeah." Chibi-Moon nodded.
"It's alright." Moon assured. "I'm sure that Kamoi-san will get a wonderful dream back.
"Yeah." Chibi-Moon beamed. "Kamoi-san." she voiced as Kamoi awoke.
"Are you alright?" Moon inquired.
"You guys were the one who saved me?" Kamoi asked. "It feels like I've been having some long dream."
"Do you want to be rich?" Chibi-Moon inquired.
"No." Kamoi replied. "It's really confining to have what you're not used to having. I didn't think that lying to myself was this tough. It's back to square one. I thank you very much."
In the park...
"This looks nothing like me!" Rei protested after Kamoi finished her portrait.
"It looks exactly like you." Usagi insisted.
"Please draw me properly." Rei requested.
"I suggest you walk around carrying a mirror at all times." Usagi taunted.
"What was that?" Rei fumed.
"Gimme a break, both of you." Chibi-Usa sighed.
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review. In the next chapter, while VesVes targets an eccentric acquaintance of Chibi-Usa's who is trying to make a flying machine, Chibi-Usa worries that Pegasus does not trust her.
