Celestial Warrior Moon:
Disclaimer:I do not own any Sailor Moon related properties. Sailor Moon is the property of Toei Animation and Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fan work created to celebrate the opus. It is not intended to infringe on any copyrights.
A Random Guy: 'Try hard'? Exactly when did putting your all into something become a bad thing? This is just me trying to make a good story. The story is as long as it needs to be as far as I can tell. To answer your question, yes, I have taken my sweet time making this. I started this in April 2012.
Patrick the almighty observer: Oh, it will. It will be tying in, believe me.
LoveInTheBattleField: I caught the first episode of Sailor Moon Crystal. It was real good and I'm looking forward to more. The only thing that was a bit of a left down was the redesign of Morga.
Fishwolf2215: Thank you for all your help and your reviews.
SomeoftheFame: And thank you for Beta Reading my stuff!
Chapter 52
Summer Break Begins; Off to a Week of Training at the Pension Addams!
3:53PM, Friday, June 18th, Azabu Junior High, Azabu-Juuban, Tokyo, Japan
"Hey, they just finished posting our grades for the final! The rankings will all be up. Let's take a look!"
"Let me through! Let me see! Let me see!"
"Oh, wow, my grade actually went up!"
"Oh, no, my mom is gonna roast me!"
"Maybe we should try something radical next time, like studying."
Several students spoke in panicked voices as they packed themselves tightly into the school hallway.
"Oh, man, I'm too afraid to look!" Usagi whined.
She crouched down on her knees and cradled her head in her hands. Makoto and Ami looked down at her with indulgent smiles as they leaned against the wall. The three of them were at the end of the hall, which was as close as they could get with the other students crowding around to find their final scores for the semester. All around, their fellow classmates scurried to and throw in a desperate attempt find out if they needed to fear their parents when they got home. Ami, as always, had a book in her hands. She also wore her reading glasses today, instead of the contacts she usually had.
"Don't worry about it, Usagi. You said so yourself that your grades have never been better," Makoto said assuringly.
Usagi looked up at her miserably.
"That's not saying much…" Usagi trailed off, ashamed to admit it.
Ami sighed.
"After all the extra studying we've done since the beginning of this year, there has to be noticeable improvement," she said, in an attempt to comfort Usagi. "After all, I studied with you. I've seen you and Makoto get a better grasp of what we were studying with my own eyes."
"For real?" Usagi whined, looking up at pitifully.
"For real," Ami beamed with a giggle.
Ami glanced down the hall after another few moments had passed.
"Looks like there are fewer students crowding around now. Allow me," she offered.
She pushed herself away from the wall. It was still pretty tightly packed, but she entered into the tight cluster anyway. In an instant, she completely disappeared into it. After a minute or so, Usagi stood back up as she and Makoto waited in silence for their friends' return. She exchanged matching looks that read of worry about their final scores. After a bit, return Ami did. She emerged from the student body smiling brightly. She marched right up to her friends and engulfed them both in a tight hug.
"I am so proud of you two!" she cried ecstatically.
"Eh?" Usagi and Makoto exchanged a glance from the shoulders their chins rested on. They then dislodged themselves from Ami's embrace and stared at her oddly.
"What'd we get?" Makoto asked, more curious than ever now.
Ami just smiled at them angelically. She pointed at Usagi first.
"Final Grade for the semester: 81.1," she announced.
Usagi couldn't even speak as Ami's gesture turned towards Makoto.
"Makoto Kino Final Grade for the semester: 80.9."
That made Usagi blanch.
"Nu-uh! No way I beat Mako in school" Usagi cried.
"Uh-huh," Ami said, nodding.
Then she turned to Makoto, suddenly very displeased. Makoto shrank back a little.
"Wh-what's that look about?" Makoto asked nervously.
"Makoto," Ami said evenly.
"Yeah…" she answered uncertainly.
Ami leaned forward getting into her face with an unusual authority that made Makoto take an intimidated step back in response.
"You should have at least been able to match Usagi's grade. It was your math scores that must have dragged your entire grade down, wasn't it?" Ami scolded.
Makoto laughed nervously. Ami pushed her reading glasses further up her nose.
"Yeah, but math's really hard!" Makoto complained. She hoped Ami would drop the matter then.
"Well, you'll never be able to run your own store without becoming good at it," Ami replied, logically. "You'll have expenses to worry about, supplies to calculate, shipments to schedule, repairs to do and figure the cost of, bills to pay, taxes to do, charges for labor, and several other things you need to do correctly if you're to stay afloat. If you screw up, you could even get into legal trouble."
Makoto groaned, not liking the sound of that at all. It was like an rhino had just pounded her brain, and it was almost enough to make her give up right then and there.
"Can't I just hire someone to take care of that for me?" Makoto asked, almost pleaded.
"Sure, let someone else handle your hard earned money and never be the wiser if they end up 'skimming' something extra off the top," Ami replied, cynically.
Makoto groaned again and hung her head.
"There's no way around it, is there?" she asked, pitifully.
Ami sighed and looked at her friend with a great deal of empathy.
"I'm sorry, but no. There are a lot of people out there that would love to scam someone who's ignorant in matters of money," Ami said. "It's just better if you manage your own finances. I'd know, my mother learned that the hard way a long time ago."
Ami placed a bookmark at the page she was on and slammed the tome shut.
"And that settles it. Once a week, you will be coming to my apartment to study with me, or I'll be going to yours'," Ami announced.
"Whaaat?!" Makoto whined.
"Don't argue," Ami said firmly, which just made Makoto whine some more.
Under Ami's stern gaze, even Makoto was now helpless. Plus, she knew she couldn't stop the petite girl once she got the idea in her mind.
"I'm to be punished for falling behind Usagi," Makoto asked, uneasily.
"You betcha!" Usagi piped. "I'm supposed to be the struggler, remember?"
"That's not something to be proud of, and don't think you're off the hook, either," Ami said as sternly as a teacher.
"Crap," Usagi muttered.
"There's no escape between the two of you, is there?" Makoto moaned. She was currently lost in her own misery.
"This is for your benefit if you're really serious about running your own shop. Plus, it wouldn't hurt for me to go over things we've learned in the process," Ami stated simply.
"Once a week tutoring, in my summer vacation," Makoto thought miserably. "How did it come to this?"
"Alright, alright, Ami. You're right, I do have a lot to prepare if I'm to run my own shop," Makoto admitted, throwing her arms up in defeat.
"Glad to hear it!" Ami said angelically.
"A truly scary person hides behind that smile," Usagi thought.
"Ahem," someone nearby cleared their throat.
That got the three girls' attentions. They turned and saw Miss Haruna standing a little way away from them with her arms crossed.
"Yes, Miss Haruna?" Usagi asked, a bit curious about why she was here.
"I have business with Miss Kino," Haruna answered, firmly.
Usagi and Ami looked to Makoto for answers, but the taller girl stared back without a clue and shrugged.
"I guess I'll catch you guys later," she said.
"Alright," Ami said, sounding faintly worried. "Be sure to come by the shrine as soon as you're finished with Miss Haruna."
She and Usagi turned bowed to Haruna before heading off. Makoto approached her teacher with her head leaned back and resting on interlocked hands.
"Yes, ma'am?" Makoto inquired.
Haruna took a step towards.
"Miss Kino," she said.
Makoto leaned forward slightly in anticipation.
"Congratulations," Haruna said, extending her hand to shake.
"Uh… Thanks," Makoto answered awkwardly.
She gave Haruna's hand a good shake.
"It's been a pleasure. You didn't fail to impress any of us here at Azabu Junior High. So congratulations on turning over a new leaf as you said you wanted to in both your personal life and at school," Haruna said, deeming with pride. "I look forward to seeing your return this fall."
That made Makoto smile and even giggle slightly.
"Thanks, Teach," she managed to utter.
"You're welcome. You've come a long way from the violent delinquent we were expecting. You have a good thing going for yourself here and with your new friends, but it only takes one nasty relapse to foul everything up again," Haruna said to stress the point.
Makoto looked away, staring melancholically at the floor.
"Boy, don't I know that," she murmured.
"If you ever feel like things are going out hand, please don't hesitate to seek help. We have a school counselor for that very purpose," Haruna said.
"I know, thanks."
"Good. I don't say this to bring you down, Makoto, but understand that permanent change is very difficult. You're going to have to work hard at it to keep it up," Haruna explained.
Makoto smiled again.
"I think I can handle it, now that I have Usagi and the others," she said confidently.
Haruna smiled back.
"Good."
"Goodbye. Thank you!" Rei feigned pleasantness. She walked past two of her schoolmates who had just given her their sentiments about her unfortunate situation. She smiled sweetly and waved to them as she started down the concrete steps out onto the school's front walk.
As soon as her back was turned, she grunted in exhaustion. Keeping up her proper appearance at school today had been a chore thanks to there being a million and a half, plus one, things on her mind. However, she kept her head held high and her face neutral as she strode out towards the sidewalk. She shifted her schoolbag's weight on her shoulder a little bit to get it positioned better for her comfort and then she was good to go.
"Oh, Cousin Rei~ei!" a familiar voice called up ahead.
Rei had to stop for the briefest of moments to brace herself for what she was to come. She stared on with a pained look as someone she had hoped not to see until Monday came running down the concrete footpath towards her. Her distant cousin Kagura Matoi practically lunged and caught Rei up in a big, strong embrace. Rei stumbled off balance but her older relative held her firm.
"Oh! MY! GOODNESS! You have grown since last time!" Kagura squealed loudly enough that she was probably heard as far away as the back portion of Rei's school.
Rei reached up and pressed her hands against the older, taller woman's shoulders and pushed hard to break away from the embrace that had her face smothered in Kagura's chest. Then she looked up huffily at her. Kagura stood about a head over her, about Makoto or Haruka's height. Her long hair was done in the old fashioned Hime Cut. Gray eyes stared joyously down at her. Kagura was out of her miko clothing for the moment, preferring casual wear. She wore jeans and a loose pale yellow long-sleeved shirt adorned with stitched in flower designs.
"What are you doing here already?" Rei asked with dry annoyance.
Then she dislodged herself from her relative's grasp entirely with those words. Rei stepped back, crossing her arms. She was about to give Kagura an icy glare out of embarrassment from the shameless show of affection happening right outside of her school and in plain sight of her classmates. Rei was painfully aware of all the other students who had stopped to stare. She was then caught off guard when her distant cousin laughed heartily and then lunged once more in a sudden burst of motion.
"Aw, come here! We barely get to see one another!" Kagura squealed way too loudly.
Rei yelped as she withdrew, making Kagura come up empty in her second attempt to hug her. Kagura, instead, hugged herself, while chuckling while staring wildly.
"LikeohmyGodwhenIheardaboutwhathappenedwithPriestHibikiIjusthadtocomesoIdrankabunchofcoffeesoIcouldfinishallthestuffIhadtodotoprepareformyshrine'sanniversary
soIcouldtakeanovernighttraindidIarrivetoolateIarrivedtoolatedidn'tII'msosorryReiItriedtogethereearlysoIcouldhelpyougetreadyforyourtriptothecoastyou'llforgivemewon'tyou
forgivemeright!" Kagura rambled on so fast that Rei could not make out a single word that was shouted her way. And even if she tried, she was too busy cringing and covering her face with her book bag in hopes of ending this humiliation.
"Is that weird woman related Miss Rei? She's so funny!" a not far off comment made Rei's cheeks burn.
Rei cleared her throat and lowered her school bag just enough to peer balefully at Kagura. For her part, her older cousin was waving at everyone around them.
"Care to repeat that in a manner understandable to the human ear?" Rei asked through clenched teeth.
Kagura giggled and waved that comment off dismissively while twirling around on her toes like a ballerina.
"You're so silly, Little Rei! I said that I had a bunch of coffee so I could finish up my chores for my shrine early and then I took an overnight train into town! Now we can hang out together the WHOLE WEEKEND!" Kagura cheered.
"Oh God, HELL and NO!" Rei thought with the repulsion of a thousand rockets.
"And I had some more to make sure I could stay awake for the whole trip because I didn't want to fall asleep and miss the terminal like I did last time and ended up on the wrong end of the country but at about the fifth cup I really had to pee! Anyway wouldn't it have been a shame if I ended up having to spend another day getting here?!" Kagura ranted on aimlessly.
"Yeah…a shame," Rei said with barely contained contempt and mortification at the chuckles coming in from all around.
With another almost inhumanly quick burst of motion, Rei stiffened as she found Kagura standing next to her with her arm around her pointing into the distance dramatically.
"But that's enough wasted time!" she shouted. "LETS…GOOO!"
"ACK!" Rei sounded as Kagura took off, taking her with her.
As the Kagura dragged Rei into the distance, her classmates stared on.
"Are all of Miss Rei's relatives as completely nuts as her Grandpa?"
"I guess they are… I wonder how Miss Rei stays so composed?"
"Well, 85% is nothing to frown at, I guess, but I had a hard time concentrating," Naru said. She held up her report card to the others. She was trying not to look disappointed.
"95%, and I didn't even study! I guess I just got too sidetracked by my weekly gaming sessions! Oh, well, there's always next year!" Umino pepped in goofily.
That earned him glares from Naru, Ami, Usagi, and Makoto alike. They were all standing around the street corner just outside of their school for the final time until summer ended. The girls didn't know what annoyed them more, the fact that he didn't even seem to be bragging or that he was able to more than skim by with minimal effort. Ami gave him a nasty side-eye in particular. Her emotions ranged from envy to disappointment in both him and herself. He laughed like an idiot while showing off the grade he apparently didn't even have to break a sweat to get.
"Didn't even study? What are you?" Ami asked, her voice dripping with annoyance.
"…Eh?" Umino stopped and stared her oddly.
"You got 95% on a test you didn't even study for? How… why?" Ami demanded, throwing her arms in frustration.
"I don't follow," Umino stated.
Ami stuttered and puffed up furiously, practically jabbing her finger at his grade like a knife.
"THAT! How did you manage that if you never studied?!" she shouted demandingly. "You mean to tell me that with a little more effort, you could have gotten a perfect 100, but instead you settled for just 95%?! I didn't even get a perfect 100, and I worked my fingers down to the bone and into dust to get my 99%!"
Umino's clueless expression didn't change, not even for a moment. He just shrugged while the other girls gaped at Ami's flare-up that could not have come anymore unforeseen. Even so, Usagi leaned in close to Naru and Makoto.
"I wish I could get by grades like that with no effect," she whispered sadly.
Makoto and Naru concurred with simple nods. Ami's eye twitched at the complete lack of impact her little tirade had on the meek boy. She started to breathe hard through her teeth and quite possibly would have said worse if Makoto didn't step in.
"Alright, that's enough. Come on, Ami, we have to get going. We all agreed to go down to Tokyo Medical Center to check on everyone," Makoto said.
"But…but!" Ami protested as Makoto grabbed her shoulders, turned her around, and forced her to march down to the sidewalk.
"Wow, Ami's high-sprung today!" Naru observed, watching them leave. She turned to Usagi with sorrowful and worried eyes. She paused before speaking to keep her wording as vague as possible.
"Wednesday night must really have taken its toll, huh?" Naru said.
Usagi hung her head for the nth time in two days.
"Yeah… You could say that... Ami's been like a strict Nanny all day about our schooling and was even a little moody yesterday," Usagi muttered.
"Well, at least it's over and Miss Rei's Grandpa will get well soon," Umino peeped in obliviously.
Usagi managed to cynical snicker at that.
"Yeah…over," she muttered in a weary little voice.
"Anyway," Umino said, turning to Usagi.
He raised a finger dramatically in the air as he wore a serious expression.
"Remember to pass this along to the other girls, if you're going to go to the beach, you might want to be on the lookout for dangers like merfolk and other water monsters," Umino said.
Usagi and Naru faced him, giving the boy their full attention.
"Right, mermaids and Atlantians like Aqua…hadn't thought of that," Usagi thought. "Even if it is Umino, I won't lose anything listening to what he had to say."
"Mermaids can breathe underwater, even in their human forms. They can also talk to fish and boss them around," Umino explained. "They're also, like, super strong. They can also conjure water when they're outside of water and command it, so watch out! They also have hypnotizing voices to the opposite sex, so also be careful of any mermen you see. They have weaknesses, too, mostly their need for water. Every mermaid must be in water for at least an hour a day. If they can't, they'll get sick and later, die. They also need a lot of salt in their daily diet. They also really like pretty trinkets, gifts, and flattery, and they tend to get jealous easy. They'll try to drown any anyone they deem an obstacle to luring in a land-dweller of the opposite sex to devour."
"Yeesh!" Naru said in reaction to how morbid that sounded. "They're certainly not like The Little Mermaid from the sounds of things."
"Eh, well, I guess that depends on whether you've read the book," Umino responded, thoughtfully.
"Thanks, Umino, I'll keep what you said in mind," Usagi said gratefully.
Then she turned and looked toward Makoto and Ami, who were waiting at the bus stop at the end of the block.
"But I gotta go, see you guys later!" she added, and ran after her friends.
"Bye!" Naru and Umino waved after Usagi as she took off.
Now just the two of them, Naru turned to Umino.
"You've certainly grown insightful of monsters lately," she observed.
"Well, yeah, duh, even since they've started showing up everywhere, how could I not?" Umino replied.
"Good," Naru said, crossing her arms.
Then she leaned in closer to her classmate.
"Tell me everything you know about countering them," she reguested.
"Sheesh, what was that all about?" Makoto asked Ami.
Makoto scratched her head absently while they waited for Usagi to catch up with them.
"People who can reach the top should put out the effort to it," Ami answered, sulkily.
"It's his life, not yours'. We all have our own standards, now why don't you tell me what's really bothering you before you blow up at someone at the hospital, too?" Makoto asked her.
Ami glanced to the side toward Makoto as the taller girl leaned over to the side tipping her head sideways to stare at the shorter girl eye level. Ami relented, knowing that in the short months they had known each other, Makoto had gotten to know her too well for her to hide anything from her. Ami still looked away, mumbling something under her breath. Makoto paused, and leaned in closer.
"I'm sorry…I couldn't hear that,"
"…useless…" was all Makoto could make out this time.
"Eh?" Makoto responded, pressingly.
Ami finally sighed.
"I was useless…" she muttered.
Makoto tilted her head further to the side, at a loss at what she was hearing.
"How?" she asked.
Ami turned away in bitter frustration.
"I couldn't do anything to help Motoki other than try to keep him from bleeding to death, I had to sit out both of the fights happening around me like a helpless little damsel while all of you fought with everything you had," the words spewed forth from Ami.
She started to trembled a little as tears appeared in the corners of her eyes.
"The only things I contributed was digging Moon and Haruka out. Sure, I gave Moon my energy and set my handheld to track Alkimia's movements and energies, but after that, it was all you and her that saved us while I passed out and had to be carried away to safety by Haruka," she ranted, voice wrought with pain.
"Sounds like you did more than your share to me," Makoto said, straightening up.
She leaned her head back and rested it in her hands, which were now interlocked behind it.
"Yeah, I helped someone else get back to where they needed to be to finish the job. Could I have to beat either Youma? No, I couldn't have. I'm weak," Ami countered.
"Don't say that! You've been plenty of help with your power over water and smarts!" Makoto said, honestly.
"How? My power over water hasn't exactly been stellar anti-monster material," Ami demanded, looking at her. "But you, you have the power of storms and all the ground under our feet to use against them. Rei can burn them up with a raging inferno, and Usagi has a sword that strikes down the wicked and heals the corrupted. What about me? What can I do?"
Makoto thought for a moment.
"Well, you flash froze all those snakes on your first day, you swept up all those other gargoyles that Gargouille had at his command and kept them off of our backs, you kept Rei and me from tearing each other apart, you instructed me on how to fight off a ghost, and the night before last, you staved off the flames of Jii-Oni saving everyone. Then you saved the lives of Motoki, Usagi, and Haruka. That sounds pretty good to me," Makoto said with a smile.
"Mercury's not all about fighting. It's about using this," Makoto then added, pressing her finger to Ami's fore heard. "Use this to help us if you can't use brute force."
Ami looked doubtful, but she managed to small smile.
Makoto shook her head.
"Listen, we're going to on a trip that's all about figuring this out," she continued. "Don't go too down on yourself now, okay?"
"…Okay," Ami mumbled shyly.
"Hey, guys, what's up?" Usagi asked, running up to them.
"Oh, nothing," Makoto answered.
She turned around to face their leader.
"Just sorting out some of the things we'll be learning this next week," she said.
"Ugh, don't remind me," Usagi wilted. Then she brightened back up almost immediately.
"Oh, by the way, Umino has some tips on how to fight mermaids!" she exclaimed.
Baffled silence answered her. Usagi glanced from one to the other.
"What's wrong?" she asked, unsure of what she done wrong.
The bus pulled up to the stop behind them.
"Nothing, tell us on the way," Makoto answered.
She turned around and climbed into the transport first, followed by the other two.
"By the way, Ami, you never told where you ranked," Makoto said.
"Oh, second."
"Wow, someone actually took the top spot over you, Ami? Who was it?" Makoto asked, curiously, as they stepped through the aisle looking for an empty seat.
"Well, I've never met him, since I don't believe I have any of the same classes with him, but I think the name was Kurume Suri or something like it," Ami replied.
"Heh, I'll have to meet this guy who can outscore our little Ami on a final," Makoto chuckled.
"Alright, then, I think that settles everything."
Myddin picked up the pile of papers that had been laid out before him and lifted them up. He straightened them out into a neat little pile as he stood up. He glanced around the conference table to his fellow High Keepers, sans Artemis.
"I think if we're finished double checking all the details of this important week on two fronts, I think I can adjourn this meeting right n..." But he was interrupted by the door flying open as a man burst into the room.
Everyone else jumped up from their chairs, gripping their weapons as they whirled around to the entrance of the room. They relaxed as soon as they saw who it was standing there behind out of breath.
"Oh, Agent Mathias," Myddin said, clutching his chest and sinking back down into his chair. "Don't do that to an old man."
"Where the hell have you been since yesterday?! You never reported in after your excursion up to the mountains!" Pious complained, slamming a fist down on the tabletop.
Mathias tried to answer, but only more gasps and wheezes escaped his lungs. He was covered in sweat and swayed on his feet. The High Keepers eyed him peculiarly. Jocelyn got up and walked over toward the exhausted man.
"Mathias, are you quite alright?" she asked.
Mathias's head flopped up and down as he tried to nod in his tired state. He stumbled over to the conference table where his superiors sat and plopped into the nearest chair just to the left of the head of the table where Myddin sat. He took a few more breaths and then swallowed. He looked around, starting with Myddin, and on down the line to Luna, Pious, Jocelyn, Kratos, Rusila, and Wren. He noted that Artemis was missing, but now was not the time to bring that up. Jocelyn came up next to him and laid a hand on his shoulder as she looked down at him with concern. He briefly glanced up at her before returning his attention to the others.
"High Keepers of the Order," he said, still out of breath. "I am sorry for the lateness for this report, but I have urgent need to speak with you all."
The Keepers exchanged glanced before turning back to him.
"We're listening," Myddin urged him.
"Alright…" Mathias began.
When they passed inside Setsuna's Door, Mathias came to an abrupt stop and looked around in amazement. Inside a random door sitting out in the middle of nowhere and not attached to a building, there was a room, and a big one at that. He had seen into it earlier when Setsuna, Amy, and Rory first emerged, and yet he had not fully dared believe. Actually being inside it now made him a firm advocate.
He spun around a few times taking the room in. Behind him were the double doors they had just stepped through. The walls, ceiling, and floor of the rectangular room were colored light gray, almost white. If he'd had to guess, Mathias would probably say the room was thirty feet long, fifteen wide, and twenty tall. Both entrances were ay opposite ends on the narrow walls. The other exit from the room was a simple rectangular opening in the wall that lead deeper in. Mathias looked at the floor. It looked like marble. The walls were the most curious feature in the room save for what was at its center. There were several round wall niches, three high and six across on the long walls. They were about four feet in diameter and were covered in some kind of white, transparent linen from behind which light shined, serving as the room's source of illumination. The shorter walls in front and behind him also had the indents, stacked three high, but only two across on either side of the entrances.
In the middle of the area, a short, metal staircase lead up to a small rectangle platform with rails around the edges. Stairs also down led under the platform into a room in an open hole that seemed to be full of junk and equipment. In its center an enormous computer console was set into the floor and ceiling. It had a five sided body and a control panel for each one. Its body was made entirely of stainless steel and the panels were aglow with various buttons and lights. There were several monitors directly over the control panels showing various readings. Now de-transformed, Setsuna was already manning the control console while Amy and Rory stood off to the side, watching. Setsuna looked up from her work towards him.
"Welcome aboard the Space-Time Door!" she said with a smile.
Mathias was still at a loss for words, simply nodding dumbly as he walked in a circle taking everything in.
"It's…where are we?" he asked. "Did we step into another dimension?"
Setsuna chuckled, pulling on a lever. Immediately, the same dragging 'vroom' sounds Mathias had heard before started up again. The entire room shook ever so slightly, giving Mathias reason to flinch.
"What are you doing?!" he demanded.
"Putting a little distance between ourselves and the big, nasty Slenderman!" Setsuna answered as sounds that reminded Mathias of being inside an airplane starting whooshing past the exterior of the Space-Time Door.
"Will that work?" he worriedly asked.
Setsuna grinned at him.
"Even ol' Slendy will need time to make his way through time and space to catch up with us, but fortunately, we're heading for a destination that's a bit too public for his liking," she answered rowdily.
Mathias relaxed a little.
"So we'll be safe…as safe as we can be, anyway?" Mathias asked.
"Oh, yes!" Setsuna answered, putting a slight low strain in her voice. "As safe as we can be!"
She flipped the lever back up and worked the panel again while Mathias finally started to climb the stairs to join the rest of them gathered around console. The 'vrooms' started again and before long, all sounds of movement outside had stopped. Mathias glanced towards the door.
"We're somewhere else?" he asked, hopefully.
That made Amy and Rory chuckle.
"Knowing the Professor, we're not just somewhere else…" Amy said smartly.
Setsuna looked up from the panel with a wild grin.
"We're also sometime else," she declared.
She stepped away from the console, bounced over to one of the many stairs leading up to it and slid down the railing onto the main floor below. Then she ran down under the platform and started rummaging through the various things piled up in there. Mathias, Amy, and Rory descended the steps and looked down at her as she leafed through various things that none of them could identify.
"Come on, come on, come on, where are you? …AHA!" Setsuna pulled out what looked like a box that looked like it was coppled together from random bits of whatever was packed down there. She back up to the main part of the room and back to the control console.
They all followed her. Upon closer inspection, Mathias got a closer look at the item Setsuna held up and was currently pulling out a cord that was rolled up inside of it. It was shaped like a small suitcase and looked to be made out of red plastic. It was a dial pressure gauge about the size of an old fashioned alarm clock face on the left side of its front and various dials and buttons on the right. The words and symbols on the gauge were unreadable to everyone's eyes but Setsuna's. She plugged the device into the console and pressed the various buttons and dials on it.
"So, Professor…" Amy asked, leaning back against the rail behind her. "What are you doing?"
"Hmm?" Setsuna turned to them, having not heard clearly.
"What is that and what does it do?" Rory piped in. He nodded to the strange devise for punctuation.
Setsuna looked down at the apparatus.
"Oh, this?" she asked, pointing at it with her free hand.
"Is there anything else in this room we would be asking about?" Amy asked impatiently.
"There a lot of things in this room that meet that particular criterion, but this," Setsuna turned to the device. "Takes readings. It'll ding when there's stuff."
"Of what?" Mathias asked.
"Time, space, and relative dimension," Setsuna answered. "I've been running scans on the fabric of the space-time continuum in the area since I got here yesterday. I've come up with tons and tons of jumbled bits of information that the Door's supercomputer here is having trouble digesting. It's even been taking readings while we were at the Hundseck. So I'm giving it a supplement to help organize that information."
"Wait, I thought that the Door lied at the center of the Space-Time Vortex. It runs on the stuff and specializes in decoding it," Rory said. "Why would it need this little thing to help it?"
"Time has been finicky lately, and it's muddying up my Door's fuel supply, giving it a case of the dry heaves. I've already told you both that it's been acting up," Setsuna said to Amy and Rory. She was looking down at the device in her hands at this time, making minor adjustments.
"So what's causin' it, then?" Amy asked, impatiently.
She crossed her arms and lazily let her head tilt slightly to the side.
"Tall, Skinny, and Sharply Dressed back there?" she asked, sticking her thumb towards the double doors.
"Possibly," Setsuna answered quietly. She still didn't look up.
"Wait, you said you arrived yesterday? You mean a few weeks ago," Mathias corrected.
"Oh, is that how long it's been on the slow path?" Setsuna asked, looking at him.
"Slow math?" Mathias asked flatly.
"Never mind!" Setsuna waved the question off.
She turned to them each in term, holding the device up for them to see. The hand of the pressure gauge had reached almost clear around in a circle, but what that meant, only its holder knew.
"Something is very wrong with the dimensional wall in this area and its fouling up time, and I only have a partial answer why. One of the oldest wormholes to this side of the veil that The Black King uses to cross over lies here in Germany. It's one of his hot spots, actually," Setsuna explained.
"That would explain the legends," Mathias said thoughtfully.
"Precisely, but as for why it weakened again seventeen years too soon is the riddle," Setsuna replied.
She lowered the device back down to begin work with it again.
"You keep saying that…" Mathias muttered, shrugging cluelessly. "What does that even mean and how do you know?"
"Because he's not supposed to get loose again to run amuck in any meaningful way until the year 2009, and I'd know because that's fixed time!" Setsuna retorted. "These small, short bursts of activity were supposed to continue until then."
"Fixed time?" Mathias asked. He shook his head. "You keep throwing these terms out. What do they mean?"
Setsuna swallowed, and bit her inside of her lip. She lifted her eyes to stare at him through the top of her vision.
"Well, you see… Fixed time are the major things that have to happen," Setsuna tried to explain. "If they were altered in any way, the outcome would cause a paradox too big for time to compensate and the damage to reality would be beyond comprehension. Picture a dam breaking and the flood waters washing away entire city. Sure, the dam could be fixed and a city rebuild, but how many lives would be snuffed out or destroyed in the fallout? Now replace 'dam' with 'the natural flow of time', 'flood waters' with 'time paradox', and 'city' with 'galaxies'. Even if I were to try to set things up so that things changed without damage to the time vortex, the results would be unpredictable."
"Alright, so what has to happen?" Mathias asked, becoming a little afraid of the answer.
"A lot of things," Setsuna answered, darkly. "The sacking of the city of Troy, rise and falls of the Greek and Roman empires, the fires of Pompeii, the American Revolution, the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, all seven World Wars, the sinking of the Titanic, the sinking of the second Titanic, the bombing of Hiroshima, the fall of the Moon Kingdom, and just about everything that ever happened to change the face of a world, any world."
"So if you changed any of them…?" Mathias started.
"You risk wiping out a lot of people from ever even existing. Aside from that, you'll just makes things a lot worse in general," Setsuna answered briskly. "What happens if you assassinate Hitler? There's no one to keep pestering the Russians keeping them from having a serious go at world domination in the forties. You end up with two conquerors mucking things up for everyone. That's just one example, of countless many."
"Fair point," Mathias nodded in his acknowledgement. "So The Black King's violating…uh, space-time law."
"Essentially," Setsuna answered.
Mathias was confused by this, and very troubled.
"Is time changing?" he asked aloud to himself more than anyone else.
However, the others had caught the question.
"Minimally, and thank goodness," Setsuna answered, though she still sounded very grave about the situation.
Mathias quirked his brow in confusion.
"But if he's not supposed to be taking all of these people nor have a cult following him, how can that minimally change time?" Mathias asked.
"Because he's been staying away from people who would have gone on to do important things, as well as avoiding touching important bloodlines of future leaders, geniuses, and what not. The Black King knows exactly how he can move without massive consequence," Setsuna explained, her voice hardening.
This also confused Mathias, as well as Amy and Rory.
"Oi, why would he care? This isn't his universe," Amy asked.
"No, it's not, but the dimensional wall between our universe and The Land of Black Leaves has always been thin and easy to break through. If anything catastrophic were to happen on this side, it runs the risk of impacting his world as well," Setsuna stated, frankly. "That's why he's normally so restrained when on this side. He doesn't just cut loose and wreak absolute havoc here because he can't risk damaging his home."
"Wouldn't he be able to just fix it?" Rory asked.
Setsuna smirked.
"The connection between The Black King and his home run deeper than that. Mankind can travel out into space, but they can't live there. Not yet. For any astronaut to survive, they must come back down to earth. The Land of Black Leaves sustains him in the same way your Mother Earth does for you and it goes even deeper than that, actually. They are one in many ways, The Land of Black Leaves and the Black King," Setsuna said in a hushed tone.
Now they got it.
"Right…" Amy mused. "Any paradoxes on this side, and it might result in a wallop hard enough to really hurt."
"Or worse," Setsuna corrected.
She leaned back against the console.
"The point is, though, is that the seal holding him in his world held strong until 2009. He should not be able to act so freely in this era," Setsuna told them.
Mathias stared at Setsuna baitedly.
"So…?" he asked, now absolutely having to know now. "What happens in 2009."
Setsuna sighed.
"Something Awful forums," she answered, with resignation.
Mathias's brow quirked again.
"Yeah…? What?" Mathias asked.
"Hmm?" Setsuna blinked. Then she realized what the problem was and threw her head back to laugh.
"Oh, right! You couldn't know about Something Awful forums in 1992!" she chuckled.
"What is that?! Stop saying things like that without explanation!" Mathias shouted in exasperation.
Rory now joined his wife in leaning against the railing. Amy leaned forward a bit.
"You have at least heard of the internet, right?" Amy asked.
"Yeah, sure, it's basically an information sharing network for brainiacs. Right now it's in the middle of a major evolution," Mathias answered. "Why? Are they related?"
Setsuna, Amy, and Rory all replied with a bit of amusement.
"Oh, boy, is it ever?" Setsuna said introspectively while she looked up at the ceiling.
When she looked back at Mathias, it was pensively.
"Suffice to say that the internet evolved into something the average person could use to share just about anything with anyone, and can even run a business on. They developed worldwide used forums where people can go and chat with their keyboards online. Something Awful was one of these places. One day on June 10th, 2009, Something Awful held a "create your own spooky ghost picture" contest. Most of the entries were laughable, the stuff of typical faked ghost pictures, but the point is, anyone could drop in and take a look if they wanted. Anyone at all in first world nations and even several in the second world can hop online by the year 2009. It's literally in every household by then," Setsuna exposited. She trailed off and looked away.
Rory picked up the slack.
"Then comes a bloke calling himself Victor Surge with two newspaper clipping of our friend, The Black King, effectively putting his 'face' out there where everyone can see it."
Mathias's eyes widened as the sheer weight of having The Black King's likeness out where anyone and everyone could learn of him hit him like a wall.
"Oh, God, the huge growth in human awareness alone thanks to his reliance on the Tulpa Effect would fuel him enough, that…" Mathias paused. He looked around at nothing in particular as he tried to put it into words. When he found them, he looked at the others straight on. "There'd be no stopping him from doing whatever he wants or getting rid of him. He'd be out there, forever, because anyone could make a copy of the images and stories."
"Yep. The good ol' internet in a nutshell," Setsuna put in, grimly.
"And when other people become chased by him, they might write down their fight for survival and put up where everyone can read it," Mathias added.
"Or record videos of themselves and put that on various video sharing websites," Rory added.
"Imagine it, Mathias, entire communities built around their struggle for survival against him," Setsuna told him.
Mathias gaped at her. Amy and Rory nodded. Yeah, it was true. Mathias let out a sharp exhale and he stepped back into the rail, himself. He stared up at the ceiling as the full futility of the future situation with The Black King sunk in. Then the question came to him. He looked back down and leaned forward as he blinked in confusion.
"If he can perceive how time flows, then he knows he just has to wait a bit longer to get his way. So why cut loose now, and how did he do it if his escape is fixed at a very specific point?"
Setsuna grinned and gestured at him excitedly.
"You just asked all the right questions," she beamed.
The device she had been holding this entire time suddenly dinged. Setsuna's face lit up as she turned it around in her hands to look it over. She looked up at the others with a bright smile.
"We have a heading!" she exclaimed.
She turned towards the console and the box down. She turned her attention to one of the control panels and typed away until something popped up on a small screen in front of them. She glanced at the alien writing and immediately her brows furrowed.
"Oh, that can't be good," she muttered, sounding very concerned.
"What can't be good?" Rory asked, peering over her shoulder though he knew he couldn't read the language.
Setsuna turned to face them with a glimmer in her eyes as she leaned on the console.
"Someone's been tampering with time. While the source hasn't been isolated yet, I know from which time period it originates," she explained calmly and yet almost giddily.
She took a breath, and continued…
"From sometime in the 30th Century," she announced. "The time vortex displays several attempts at entry and a few successful ones, too. Whoever's doing it has a clumsy and hammer handed way of doing it, too, and they all lead…"
She pointed straight downwards.
"…Right here, to the late 20th Century."
With that, she raised her hands to her face and pressed the open palms against it as she groaned painfully. She continued, but now sounded tired at the very thought of the task ahead of her.
"Someone's either been experimenting around with time travel using set coordinates, or they're searching for something specific in this time period. In either event, they're using crude methods to punch their way into time (very dangerous) and bungle around where they shouldn't. Now they're torn open the dimensional scarring here in Germany. Time, she's such a fickle mistress, so important and sometimes so delicate. The perps would have had to land here to do it. It was probably one or two years ago, hence why The Black King's had time gather followers. They probably have no idea what they've brought down on the people who live near The Black Forest."
"That still doesn't explain why The Black King took the bait knowing that he shouldn't," Mathias pointed out.
Setsuna lowered her hands and looked at him with no expression.
"No, it doesn't, but I can say this… Whatever he's up to, he's willing to put everything on the line to do it, including himself. Something has him so desperate that he's willing to take drastic action, and I can almost guarantee his mission has nothing to do with the ones who let him off his leash. This wouldn't be the first time some foolhardy nitwits with ideas have invaded time, not by a long shot," Setsuna replied, sounding a little afraid herself.
"Could someone be forcing him into this somehow?" Rory asked.
Setsuna scoffed.
"Nobody, and I do mean nobody, tells The Black King what to do, and heaven have mercy on you if you try. No… There are dark things at work here, beyond even The Dark Kingdom's mischief," Setsuna said.
She looked right at Mathias.
"You better get going. I think the Keepers will be most interested to hear this."
Mathias nodded and started to turn around, but he stopped, having one final question.
"Can you think of anyone who would have reason to breach time and space to come back a thousand years from the 30th Century, Meioh?" he asked.
Setsuna gave him a crooked grin.
"I can think of a lot of people who might want to try it, but … Sorry, Special Agent, I wish I could just explain everything right now, but… spoilers," she uttered.
"…And then I ran here, and didn't stop," Mathias finished his recounting of the events.
The seven High Keepers stared at him with looks varying anywhere from slack-jawed to being so shocked that it didn't even register on their faces at first. Rusila broke the silence first when she slumped back against her chair with an upset sigh.
"Invaders from the future and The Black King on a mission against something on our side, what else could possibly happen?" she asked unenthusiastically.
Pious turned to Luna.
"Luna, call the girls and have them ready for a briefing first thing tomorrow. They're to go to Germany the week after next, after their training is over," he ordered.
Luna looked to Myddin in the corner of her eye, and he nodded his agreement with Pious's command.
"Right," Luna said, taking out her phone.
"And you're sure this is what you want? You still have a few days to heal up and catch the plane with the rest of us."
"Yes, I'm sure, Professor," Reika answered intently.
She shifted positioned uncomfortably as she held the phone awkwardly in her non-dominant hand.
"I can't leave him at a time like this," she explained. "If I leave Motoki now, I'm afraid of what will happen. He'll need all the support he can get right now, and besides, I don't think the doctors would recommend that I try to fly as I am now."
"I see, well, you have to do what you know is best," her college professor replied kindly.
Reika bit her lip as troubled thoughts of disappointing him filled her mind.
"Professor Morita, are you angry or disappointed in me? I know what a once in a lifetime opportunity this is," she asked, afraid of the answer.
"My dear, if you didn't follow your conscious, I would think less of you," he responded with sincerity. "You just get better, continue to do well in your studies, and take care of that young man you love so much. You don't meet your soul mate this young that often."
"Soul mate? Professor, I never took you for a romantic," she chided.
"Romantic? Are you insane? I've seen you two together. My observation is strictly scientific," her professor chuckled.
"Whatever you say, Professor Morita. Goodbye, and thank you for everything this year," she said.
"Goodbye, and get well soon," Professor Morita answered.
Reika hung up the phone at the hospital's desk. She leaned against the wall with her good side and allowed herself to sulk a bit. She had just given up her chance to go study in Africa, but it was worth it. Besides, there would be other opportunities.
"Well, looks like Mamoru can at least stop pestering Motoki to try to get me to stay," she thought with a rueful smile.
She stepped away from the wall and made her way back to the recovery room. She blocked out the sad impressions she picked up from the place, as she had long ago learned to do, thinking of them as nothing more than figments of her imagination.
"Geez, they really made us walk clear to the back. Just how full is this place?"
Motoki's eyes fluttered open at the sound of all too familiar voices approaching. It had been Usagi that asked that.
"Looks like I have visitors," he thought with a smile.
"Well, Usagi, it is one of the biggest hospitals for one of the largest cities in the world," he heard Ami reply.
The curtain pulled back, revealing four patrons of the Game Crown he had grown all too familiar with. A nurse stepped back allowing Usagi, Ami, Rei, and Makoto to enter into Motoki's little "room". Usagi was the first to step in, or rather, shuffle slowly in. She was fumbling with her hands nervously and looking everywhere but at Motoki. Her sad puppy eyes would land on him for the briefest of seconds and then look away again. Makoto came up next to her, putting her arm around the slighter girl's shoulders. Rei and Ami hung back. The latter managed to greet him with smiles, albeit somewhat forced. While Usagi, as always, was an open book with her emotions, Makoto tried to mask to her solemn look with a toothy grin.
"Hello, girls," Motoki greeted smiling.
He briefly tensed his arms to try to prop himself up, but then stopped upon remembering the condition of his back. He arms relaxed again.
"That's right, normal habits can't apply to me anymore," he thought glumly. He never allowed his irritation to register on his face in front of his guests, though.
"Hi, Motoki," Ami replied with a bow.
"Yo," Makoto said, doing the 'V' sign.
Finally, Usagi slowly allowed her eyes to train themselves on Motoki. Several emotions like sorrow, guilt, and regret registered in her eyes, though Motoki couldn't for the life of him figure out why she'd feel guilty. He gave her his best smile.
"How are you holding up?" Rei asked.
Motoki let out an exasperated sigh.
"More bored than anything. I don't suppose anyone thought to bring a book or something?" he said, chuckling.
"Strong face, Motoki. With Rei's Grandfather also stuck here, they don't need to be worrying about you," he thought.
"Sorry," Makoto apologized, holding up empty hands. "We didn't think of that."
Motoki shrugged as best he could.
"Eh, it's alright. I got cable," he said.
He gestured with his head toward the ceiling mounted set currently playing a mystery drama. The girls briefly looked over their shoulders toward and then turned back to him. Beside his efforts, Usagi's expression didn't change.
"Hey, don't look so glum, Usagi. A frown doesn't suit a cheerful girl like you," he said, and then laughed everything off.
"…But I'm the one who couldn't stop anyone from having to come here for various surgeries," Usagi replied, internally.
"But, Motoki, your back…" Makoto muttered. Her smile faded.
Motoki shrugged again and never let the brightness leave his face.
"It was my own fault. I got too close to the monster that appeared last night," he said with a shake of his head. "If I had kept my distance and just let those Warrior girls do their job, I wouldn't be like this. I'd be comforting Reika and helping her recover right now."
"…I see," Ami said, thoughtfully.
She and Rei walked over to the side of the bed and took a seat in the chairs set beside it.
"Yeah, as far as my own predicament goes, I only have myself to blame," Motoki said, stressing the point.
He glanced at the foot of his bed where Usagi and Makoto still stood. Makoto was right up against the bed with her hands resting on the bedpost. Usagi was still in the same spot with her arms dangling at her sides. Makoto smiled at him sympathetically while Usagi still looked as close to tears as before.
"Uh-oh, think of something, Motoki, she's gonna cry at this rate," Motoki thought, as his brain into high gear.
"Just watch me. I'll be back on my feet in no time, girls," Motoki said confidently. He even gave the thumbs up.
"So don't you worry about me," he said with a slight shake of his head.
He smiled kindly again.
"I'll be fine. I'm young, I'm determined, and I've got all my friends to support me. I won't lose to this," he assured Usagi. "How about a smile, eh?"
Usagi managed a very slight weak smile.
"Speaking of Reika," Rei pointed out. "I didn't see her on the way in."
"She had to call the university. She had to cancel a summer training trip to Africa," Motoki replied.
"She was going to study abroad?" Ami inquired.
"Yeah, was, but not with her injuries. The flight leaves on Monday," Motoki explained.
"That's a shame," Ami said, sounding very sorry for Reika.
"Uh…yeah," Motoki replied, awkwardly.
Now Makoto and Rei did catch this cue.
"So you're glad she's not leaving, huh?" Makoto observed.
She leaned further over the bed, flashing a mischievous smirk.
"Lover boy was going to miss his girl?" she asked, wryly.
Motoki actually let out a laugh at that.
"More than anything," he then confessed with a wistful sigh.
Usagi's lips twitched as she worked up the nerve to speak while Motoki continued to idly chat with the others.
"When… When do the doctors say you can go-leave?" she forced herself to say.
Motoki turned his eyes toward her. He pursed his lips as he shook his head cluelessly.
"They don't know yet, but they say I'll be here a week, at the very least," he answered with another shrug. "If I heal well, I can be out of here sooner than later. That's all I know."
"A week," Usagi whispered, miserably.
She closed her eyes tightly and turned her head out of guilt and pity.
"Hey, now, there'll be none of that," Motoki chided.
"Hmm?" Usagi looked at him curiously.
"I'll be fine," he again asserted.
He turned to Rei.
"Why don't you girls go visit Mr. Hino? I hear he's staying just down the hall. I'm sure he's already missing seeing his granddaughter," Motoki suggested.
"That's not a bad idea," Rei said.
She stood up and bowed.
"It's a great talking with you, Motoki. I hope you get well soon. We'll be by to visit again soon," she said.
Ami also got up and Makoto stepped away from the foot of the bed. They all said their goodbyes and left Motoki to his recovery. When they were gone, he let out a relieved sigh. He leaned his head back against his pillow.
"That's right. I won't let this beat me," he thought with a clenched fist.
The girl entered back out into the hallway being med by Rei. As she rounded the corner, she almost bumped into someone familiar. Mamoru stopped dead right before he could ram into her.
"Oop, sorry!" he uttered.
He took a step back to give her personal space as the others stepped out behind her. When he saw who it was, he raised his hand in a slight wave. Under one arm, he had a couple of books.
"Oh, it's you guys. Hi," he said.
"Hey, Mamo!" Makoto greeted him, delighted to see him.
"On your way to see Motoki?" Rei asked, though she already knew.
"Yeah," he answered.
He fidgeted slightly with his pockets before speaking again.
"How is he?" he asked, unable to hide all his worry.
"He's doing great, all things considered," Usagi spoke up. "He's definitely in good spirits."
Mamoru nodded, taking in the news. It lifted a bit of weight off him to hear that. Then he looked back Rei.
"Off to see your Grandfather now?" he asked.
Rei's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Does everyone know about that?" she asked, feeling a little weirded out that even Mamoru was aware of her family crisis.
"Well, he is being held just down the hall. He was hitting on the nurses when I walked by," Mamoru shrugged.
Rei covered her face in her hands as her friends all burst into giggles behind her. Her hands then abruptly lowered, clamping them into fists as she bristled.
"That old man…" she growled.
She suddenly pushed forward, shoving her way past a startled Mamoru and storming down the hallway toward her Grandfather's room. Mamoru chuckled nervously.
"Woo," he whistled. He turned to the other girls. "Reminds me never get on her bad side."
"Excuse us," Makoto told him.
Then she and Ami ran past him, hoping to catch up before Rei made a scene. Only Usagi dawdled behind. Their eyes met.
"Hey, are you going to be okay?" Usagi asked, genuinely concerned.
"Huh? Me?" Mamoru was taken aback by that question. He wasn't the one trapped in a hospital bed.
Usagi then had to avert her eyes sadly.
"Well, he is your best friend. It… tears me up… To see him like that, myself," she tried to pick her words wisely.
Mamoru realized that she was really was worried about him, too, when she made eye contact with him again. He then couldn't help but smile. In some odd way, it brought him joy that she also felt strongly for him under the circumstances.
"I'll manage. I'm a big boy, Usagi. I can look after myself," Oddly, the words managed not to sound rude. "It's Motoki we should both be worried about."
"Yeah, I know," Usagi started. "…Look, uh, the girls and I, we're going away for a week, so…"
"I'll keep a close eye on him," Mamoru said absolutely.
He gestured down the hall with his thumb.
"You should join your friends before it's time to leave. Motoki's not your only friend who needs support right now, after all."
"I know, thanks," Usagi said with a slight bow.
She then started briskly down the hall to catch up with her friends. Mamoru turned to enter the recovery ward, but stopped himself. He turned back towards Usagi one more time.
"And Usagi," he called.
"Hmm?" she stopped and turned to him.
"Don't let it bother you too much. Motoki's not the kind of guy to let something like this keep him down. He'll pull through. Trust me on that," he said to try to provide some solace.
"He wouldn't even be in this situation if those stupid Warriors did their job properly," Usagi replied, sullenly.
"Just as I thought, she also blames herself for this," Mamoru thought.
"The only one at fault is the monster that did that to him," Mamoru replied, firmly.
He took a step towards her.
"The Warriors didn't do this to him. They're the reason he's even alive right now," he said, stressing his words.
"At least someone believes that," Usagi thought.
She paused and stared at her former antagonist for a good, long moment. She had to tear herself away to get going again.
"See you later, Mamo," she said.
"What is this feeling?" she wondered, clutching her beating heart.
"After a while, Usako," he murmured as he watched her leave.
When she was out of sight, he entered the recovery ward and went over to Motoki's "room" and sat down by his bedside.
"Here again, already, man?" Motoki asked. "There have got to be better things for you to do than sit around here doing nothing with me."
"No, Motoki. This is exactly where I should be and what I ought to be doing," Mamoru replied, grinning.
He handed Motoki one of the books he'd brought.
"The Complete Works of Jules Verne," Motoki read the title.
"I thought it'd be best if I brought a really long read," Mamoru smirked.
Even as he spoke to the person in front of him, he saw Usagi's eyes looking into his own again. For the duration of his visit, he wouldn't be able to get them out of his head.
7:44AM, Saturday, June 19th, Haneda International Airport, Ōta, Tokyo, Japan
"Well, I guess this is it, huh?" Makoto said.
"Yeah, well, even if I weren't transferring to another country, I'd probably be moving around again, anyway, thanks to my dad's job. It can be such a bother," Urawa replied.
The Warriors, plus Naru, and Urawa's parents, had all gathered to bid the boy their farewells. They stood in a row facing him as he was about to leave for the plane.
"Heard that, Squirt," Urawa's dad countered, one lip turned up in a half grin.
"And we were just getting to know you," Usagi lamented, hands on her hips.
"Well, it isn't like I'll never come back," Urawa replied.
Then his eyes landed on Ami. He tried to hide a blush, which no one missed. His father suppressed a smile and looked elsewhere in the airport. He tugged on his wife's arm to.
"Hey, let's our boy a moment alone with his lady friends," he joked.
Urawa stiffened.
"DAD!" he cried out, embarrassed.
His father laughed heartily as he and his wife wandered away from the group. Usagi, Makoto, Rei, and Naru all laughed while Ami was absolutely mortified. Urawa cleared his throat again in another attempt to work up his ability to speak.
"And, Ami, well… I, uh… that is, you see…" his less than eloquent speech spilled forth.
Ami snapped out of her frozen state. Seeing just how much trouble he having getting to what he wanted to say, she took the prompt.
"I'll miss you, Urawa," she spoke out clearly for him to hear.
"I'll miss you…too," he answered, shyly, absently scratching his arm.
"Ahem," Makoto hummed to Ami.
She elbowed her to get her attention. Ami looked up at her with a bit of confusion.
"Give it to him," Makoto mouthed to her.
Ami's eyes stared back blankly for a second, but then lit when she realized what Makoto was saying.
"Oh!" Ami exclaimed. "That's right!"
She reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet. She opened it up and pulled out a photographic. She held it out to Urawa.
"H-h-here!" she said gracelessly. "This is to remember us by."
Urawa accepted the gist and looked at it. He smiled right away. It was a group photo of the four Warriors and Naru. A sixth party had taken a photo of them in front of the shrine steps. While the two tallest, Makoto and Rei, were seated on the bottom step, Usagi, Ami, and Naru stood on the next one up behind them. Makoto was crossed-legged and flashing a cheesy smile with a blade of grass between her teeth and was again saluting with the victory sign. Rei sat like a perfect lady with a Mona Lisa style smile. Usagi was in the middle of the back and had grabbed up Ami and Naru in her arms, pulling them close, showing a lot of teeth all the way. Ami and Naru smiled inelegantly at the camera still in the midst of surprise from the sudden embrace.
"It's not the best picture, thanks to Usagi," Naru chided with a playful glare at her best friend.
"No, I like it. It seems more real than if you were all just perfectly posed," Urawa said.
He slid the photo into his shirt and then knelt to pick up his bags.
"Goodbye, Ami," he said.
"Goodbye, Urawa, I hope to see you again soon," she answered, cheerfully.
He nodded and looked over at his parents.
"Bye, Mom and Dad!" he called over to them.
"Bye, Son," his mother replied.
With one more glance around at everyone, Urawa turned and disappeared into the terminal. Everyone gathered around the large windows of the airport and watched his plane as it prepared to take flight. Before long, it was detached from the building and rolling down the runway, first slowly, but then it picked up speed and pulled up, taking the skies, and taking Urawa Westward across the sea.
Ami leaned against the side of the window frame with her arms crossed low where her chest and stomach met, staring out after the plane. While her comrades and Naru chatted a little ways away, only she and Urawa's parents remained by the window. She looked worried, and was. Beside her, the Urawas were reminiscing about memories of their son and were discussing how much he's grown over the years. Ami's thoughts strayed down a darker path.
"Now Urawa's flying right out of our reach, we can't just come running if he needs us," Ami thought despondently, and hugged herself tightly. "Will he really be alright so far away? There are only three Great Youma left for us to find. The next time we're sent out and potentially have to fight another one, it could be his inner Youma we face. If that's the case, what will I be able to do when he inevitably retains the injuries of his Other?"
Ami flinched in surprise when Makoto put a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, don't sweat it. He'll be back," she said.
"Will he?" Ami asked, weakly.
She looked at Makoto with solemn eyes.
"Well he, really?" she asked again, her voice cracking a little.
Makoto laughed and waved dismissively.
"You worry too much," she said, shrugging.
"We haven't been able to stop you-know-who from completing step one once they've zeroed in on their targets. This can turn out very badly, and probably will, given the pattern I'm starting to see," Ami retorted.
Makoto tensed up. She was hoping to avoid that part. Ami turned to look back out the window.
"I'm studying to be a doctor someday. There has to be something else I can do. All the other Warriors have additional skills other than just their Elements and Attacks. Moon has energy manipulation and she can heal and cleanse corrupted spirits, Mars has a sixth sense that foresees disaster and the ability hinder our enemies with her miko practices when her fire alone doesn't cut it, and Jupiter is an expert in martial arts apart from just commanding two of the most deadly forces of nature. I have command over the seas and all the forms it can take and have my mini-comp, which is fine and good, but I need to expand as they have," Ami thought as determination took hold.
Then the idea came to her. She recalled all those magical spells she'd seen the Keepers cast that did so many things, including providing medical treatment to others.
"But I'd need equipment. I can't just cast a healing spell on a broken bone without properly setting it, that'd be a disaster. How would I even begin to go about bringing medical supplies onto the battlefield, anyway?"
Then she recalled all those times she'd seen Luna call her spear out of the aether.
"A dimensional pocket space, maybe? I'll need to ask Luna about that. This next week should be a perfect opportunity to learn some basic healing magic, at the very least," she mused.
She pushed herself away from the window and turned to face the others.
"Excuse me, but I think we better get going. Don't want to keep Luna waiting," she said.
On the airplane, Urawa took another fond look at the picture before pocketing it again. Then he leaned back in his chair, folded his hands in his lap, and closed his eyes. It was a long flight and he intended to catch up on some sleep he'd missed the night before due to his excitement. He had the inside seat next to the aisle. The man sitting opposite of him on the other glanced his way. He reached up and pullled back his shirt collar putting his lips next to the little mouthpiece attached to it.
"This is Keeper Bob. I have secured a seat next to the subject. Will continue to observe him for the duration of his trip, over," the man spoke softly into it before resuming reading a book.
The rest of the weekend passed without incident. The girls were informed about the escalating situation in Germany and Ami made her inquiry about learning healing and summoning magicks. Luna obliged, quickly adding it to the list of things to teach at the retreat. The girls packed their bags, did some light shopping for anything they'd need, or possibly want, in the coming week. Rei got Kagura settled in at the shrine, though she was doubtful of leaving just her and Chad alone there to run things.
"It's just five days. I doubt they'll burn the place down accidentally," she'd tell herself.
Come early Monday, they all gathered at the train station and set out for the beach. Their destination was Shirahama Beach in Shirahama Shimoda-City, located on the mountainous Izu Peninsula, which was in the Nishimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture. The area was infamous for its deeply concave beaches. It was a two and a half hour train ride southwest of Tokyo on the Pacific Coast of the Honshū island of Japan. The southern portion of the peninsula is largely composed of breccia while the rest is mostly consisted of eroded volcanoes. The area was prone to earthquakes and tsunamis, but it was plentiful in hot springs as well.
Currently, a single red tram car, the girls all sat together on one booth near one of the doors. Luna say closest to the door. She was slouched in her seat, fast asleep. Next to Ami was, of course, reading a book. Makoto sat in the middle playing Usagi's Game Boy. Rei read a manga, and in the other corner of the booth, Usagi was looking at the roadmap of the area they were going to. She was grinning like a idiot all the way. A few other passengers littered the interior, but they mostly sat away in their own corners of the car.
"Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Looks at this, Rei!" Usagi squealed excitedly as she held it up her to see.
"Yeah?" Rei asked, glancing over.
"The Pension Addams is right next to Shirahama Beach! It's awesome! It's perfect for swimming and surfing! Plus, there's a Shinto shrine not far away!" Usagi exclaimed. Her shrill rambling sounded absolutely ecstatic.
"Yeah, uh-huh," Rei answered, disinterested. "We're not going to go sightsee, Usagi. We're going to hone our skills, remember?"
"Details, details," Usagi said indifferently.
Rei sighed, bent over and grabbed one of her bags. She took out her portal personal CD player and put the headset on. Then she flipped the device on and drowned out the annoying person sitting next to her. If Usagi said anything else, it fell on ears filled with J-Pop.
Before too much longer, the train started to slow down as it pulled into the station at around ten o'clock in the morning. It stopped by an old wooden platform to let the passengers off that was attached to an equally old white single story building that served as the little station. In truth, the station looked more like a white house where someone might live rather than the massive impersonal big city stations made of concrete and iron.
The instant the doors opened, Usagi sprang out clad in her light blue sundress. She twirled around on her heels waving her bag around wildly and jumped around like a child on too much sugar, cheering. The others followed her out with her luggage either hanging from their sides or hefted over their shoulders. Ami approached her first, looking equally delighted while the other hung back and quietly took in the scene. The tram door closed behind them and rolled away to its next stop, leaving them there.
"We're finally heeeeere! We're here! We're here!" Usagi celebrated.
Ami giggled as she watched Usagi's exuberant display while straightening her wide-brimmed sun hat. She had an orange shirt and tan denim skirt held around her waist with a white belt. Rei and Makoto made do with simple T-shirts and shorts along with Luna. At the moment, they were surrounded but nothing but lush green and rolling hills they just never got to see for themselves in the big city. And down, far down, in fact, was the beach and ocean, which stretched out far beyond the eye could see. While the girls stared at it with childish enthusiasm, Luna found the relative quiet and lack of skyscrapers relaxing.
"I feel like I've been trapped in that city too long," Luna thought, letting herself enjoy the change while she could.
"It's the ocean!" Makoto said, grinning widely. "It's been forever since I've had a chance to see it."
"The smell of the ocean is so good!" Ami added.
"And, not present company included, it's quiet," Rei said.
Ignoring her, Usagi allowed her smile to fade slightly.
"I wish Naru could have come," she muttered with a hint of sad yearning.
"It wouldn't have been fun for her," Rei said. "She'd have spent most of it alone while we train, anyway."
"True…" Usagi admitted.
"Besides," Luna put in, stepping closer to the girls. "We're not here for fun. We came all this way for training camp to make you all into better soldiers. "
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know," Usagi grumbled.
"Whatever, like I'm going to let you bring me down," Usagi thought, looking out onto the horizon. "Throw whatever training you want at me. I'm going to find time to enjoy this trip."
Nephrite leaned back in his chair and yawned. He arched his back and stretched it, relieving some tension. He was at his desk, finishing up on some work in his office at the lab. A knock at his door alerted him to the fact that he had company.
"Come in," he called lazily.
Lessart opened the door and entered. He wordlessly walked over to his employer's desk and set down a small rectangular metal container. It was no bigger than a small lunch box.
"This is what you asked me make, Master," Lessart reported.
Nephrite grinned.
"Good."
He picked up the box and opened the lip, giving what it contained a good look. Lessart regarded his employer calmly.
"I trust that you have a plan," he asked.
Nephrite clicked his tongue as he looked up at his servant.
"Working on one," he admitted.
"You'll need more than that if you're going to do what I think you will," Lessart spoke softly.
"I know," Nephrite answered, serious in tone and face. "And I will. You just do your job and pretend you never had anything to do with this now, Lessart. This is all on me, and the less everyone else knows, the better, when the inevitable comes things are going to get pretty hairy if my predictions are correct."
"Understood, sir," Lessart bowed, and took his leave.
Nephrite was left alone in his office with his gift from Lessart. He looked back down at his subordinate's work.
"Don't worry, Naru. They won't have you," he promised.
A/N:Next Chapter: Warriors' Week of Training! Oh, and there are Ghosts, Too!
