Chapter 15: Future Hopes

With her petite body still enveloped from head to toe in ecstacy from their latest act of total intimacy, Akiyama Yukari smiled at the boy who now rested his head beside hers on their shared pillow. Gazing upon his handsome face, illuminated by soft moonlight from beyond their bedroom window, she breathed a sigh of pure contentment. "Feeling sleepy, my Ryoto?"

Her young lover smiled back, murmuring, "Maybe just a little." He inched closer, bringing his lips to press against hers, both teens savoring the deliciousness of their deep, lingering kiss. "But I'm not ready to sleep just yet. Not until I please you when we share our love again, my princess."

"Hai" Yukari sighed, basking in the joy they had just experienced. "I always wondered why they call it making love. But now I know. Every time you pleasure me, it feels like my heart overflows more and more with love for you."

"My only wish is to be able to satisfy you in that sweet, special way for the rest of our lives, my darling. And in every other way too. Your happiness is now my only purpose in life, and everything I do, I'll do for you."

"I love you, my Ryoto." Yukari gently ran her fingers through his dark hair. "You know, until recently I've lived a very lonely life. I never had any friends. I guess it was because I was so into tanks that I scared everyone away."

"Hontou?"

"Hai. My parents were always worried that I'd end up living my whole life alone, with no one to care for me. No one to love me. But when Ooarai restarted Sensha-do and Miho and my other Anglerfish teammates accepted me into their group and became such dear friends, I thought that things had finally turned around. The last two months have truly been the happiest days of my life." She smiled, "I honestly thought that things couldn't possibly get any better than that. But they did. They got so much better, that night at St. Gloriana's shore party when I fell in love with you."

"I promise you'll never be lonely like that ever again, my Yukari" her young man vowed. "Not ever. No matter what happens in the future, even if you and the other Anglerfish girls go your separate ways after you graduate from high school, you'll always have me. I will love and cherish you with all my heart until the very end of time."

"You will? Honest?"

"Hai. I promise." He softly kissed her again. "This lovesick heart of mine wouldn't have it any other way."

. . . . .

At that same moment, two sixteen-year-old girls sat together on a bench in Tokyo's nearly deserted Juuban Park, watching moonlight sparkle and shimmer as it reflected off the placid waters of a nearby small lake.

"Still not sleepy, Minako-chan? It must be well past midnight by now, and we have classes first thing in the morning."

"No. Not sleepy at all, Mako-chan. I've got way too much on my mind."

"You're thinking about our Ooarai friends, aren't you?"

"Hai" the blonde nodded. "Mako-chan, I don't want to lose touch with them. Someday, probably when we and Miho and her Anglerfish team all graduate from high school, future Usagi will stop sending us to Ooarai. She'll have to. And then... we may never see them again." Minako's blue eyes became moist. "I'm not ready for that."

"Me neither" the brunette murmured. "We've all become so close... it's hard to imagine life without them."

"We can't let it happen" Minako stated. "I have no idea how, but there must be some way we can stay in touch. Even if it's only an occasional get-together thingy, like once every month for a few days, or... I don't know... something."

Makoto chuckled, "It'd be great to at least show up for their weddings. And invite them here for ours, too. I'd love to have Miho and the girls and their boyfriends be with us when Yuji and I finally tie the knot."

"If only there was an easier way to travel back and forth between our dimensions" the blonde mused. "Next time I cross paths with Setsuna, I'm going to ask her about it. Sailor Pluto did use her Time Gate to bring our Panzer to Nerima that one time, so there has to be some way she can help future Usagi keep our friendships alive."

"Maybe. But our tank was only here for an hour that day. And it isn't alive, Minako-chan. We are. That's the big difference."

"No it isn't!" the blonde insisted. "I know at least a few things about chemistry, and a tank and a person are both made of atoms. So the problem isn't about physically going to Miho's dimension, it's where to go! Where they are! All we need to find out is where Miho and her team end up after they finish high school and leave the Zuikaku. And they already know where to find us! Maybe it won't be a problem after all!"

Makoto was relieved to hear her future-sister-in-law's mood brighten. "I hope you're right, Minako-chan. Now that you mention it, didn't Miho tell us that Sensha-do is practiced by girls in universities too? Maybe the Anglerfish crew will all go to the same university and stay together as a Sensha-do team. It's a long shot, but who knows? Stranger things have happened."

"Hai! And future Usagi can enroll us there too, just like she did at Ooarai Girls Academy! Mako-chan, you're a genius!"

"Nani? I've been called a lot of things in life but never that before" the brunette grinned. "But it'll mean we'll still be attending two schools at the same time, just like we are now at Juuban and Ooarai. Our present Usagi won't like that idea at all!"

"You think not?" Minako laughed. "I honestly don't know if any of this is possible, but at least there's still some hope. And some is always better than none, Mako-chan! Just like with love-love!" The blonde giggled as she reached into her purse for her cigarettes, "When it comes to love-love, lots is way better than some!"

"I was wondering how long it would take you to bring that subject up" Makoto chuckled. "Because sooner or later, you always do." She waited until Minako was about to place a cigarette between her lips. "Can I have one?"

"You?" Minako exclaimed. "You, Kino Makoto, want to smoke?" She passed her unlit cigarette to her friend. "Have this one. My cigarettes have a really strong, heavy taste, Mako-chan. Maybe you should wait until tomorrow and try one of Rei's instead. Hers are much milder."

"Why wait?" Makoto slid the orange lighter from her future sister-in-law's hand and calmly lit her cigarette. Minako watched in wide-eyed disbelief as the brunette took a long hard pull on the cork filter, then inhale.

The tall brunette tilted her head back, exhaling skyward. "These are very flavorful, Minako-chan. They taste just like Ami's."

"They're the exact same as hers." Minako blurted, "Mako-chan, why didn't you tell me you already smoke?"

"Because unlike you, I can keep a secret when I want to" she grinned. "In case you were wondering, Ami taught me how to smoke about a month ago."

"Why that sneaky little-"

"Oh, by the way, thanks for putting that ashtray in my bedroom at the house. It already came in handy a couple of times after my Yuji and I had an especially passionate evening together. You were right when you told Miho about that first drag after making love. It does feel heavenly."

Minako sat staring at her friend in complete, utter shock. "I... I'm at a total loss for words, Mako-chan."

"That's ok, Minako-chan. Like they say, there's a first time for everything."

. . . . .

In the master bedroom of Makoto's old house, Miho awoke from her slumber to find herself alone in the single bed she shared with Yusei. She sat up, her searching eyes soon spotting the silhouette of her boyfriend at the bedroom window, where Yusei stood quietly looking out at the moonlit green fields beyond. She clicked on the bedside light and slipped from beneath the sheets to join him there.

"How long have you been awake, darling?"

"Just a few minutes, sweetheart. I was thinking about what's going to happen next week, after our holiday is over." He reached out to gather his girl into his tender embrace. "Time is passing by so quickly. I don't want this week with you to ever end."

"Well... we still have at least four or five days until Usagi sends us back to our dimension. But you're absolutely right, my Yusei." Miho sighed wistfully, "It's going to be so very difficult to live without you, only being together with you for a few hours every now and then when our school ships make port calls."

"Difficult? It'll be utter torture, not having you with me" the boy sighed. "But I'll always wait for you. No matter how long it takes, because someday we won't have to live separate lives ever again."

"I'm waiting for that happy day too, my love."

"Miho my sweet, may I ask you something really important? It's about... our future together."

"Uh, sure!" she smiled sweetly at her boyfriend. "What is it?"

Yusei shyly spoke, "Will you... please... someday... marry me, Nishizumi Miho?"

The brown-haired girl gasped in joyful surprise, her pulse racing upon hearing her young man's sincere, heartfelt proposal. Miho's answer came without a moment's hesitation.

"Yes, my Yusei! Yes I will!"

. . . . .

"It's really chilly out here!"

Tsukino Usagi snugged her robe tighter to ward off the cool nighttime breeze, peering out across Tokyo's sprawling cityscape and the uncountable multitude of city lights surrounding the balcony of her fiancee's apartment. She stood watching the traffic below for a time, lost in thought, until she was startled by the gentle touch of a hand upon her shoulder.

"Oh! It's you, Mamo-chan!"

Chiba Mamoru leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Doing a little stargazing, Usako?"

"I was heading to the kitchen for a late-night snack, but came out here instead. Isn't the city so pretty at night?"

"It certainly is. But nothing on planet Earth compares to the beauty of my one and only Moon Princess."

Usagi snuggled tightly against her fiancee's chest. "Are you coming with us when we go to Mako-chan's house after school tomorrow?"

"Of course. It may be my last chance to chat with our new friends for a while, probably until they visit us again. My class has another big assignment due, and I'll be very busy with-"

Usagi silenced her Prince with a finger to his lips. "Shh. I don't want to hear about it, Mamo-chan. Not tonight."

"Sumimasen."

"Mamo-chan, do you think I've changed lately? After my trips to Ooarai, I mean."

"Are you referring to your participation in the feminine art of Sensha-do, by any chance?"

"Hai. It's supposed to make girls more confident and brave, among a bunch of other things. Did it do that for me?"

"What do you think?"

"Well... at first I was scared to death of tanks, but now I like riding in them. The noise of their guns firing doesn't bother me anymore, and I learned a lot about teamwork and how to stay calm in battle. I even know how to use the complicated radio in Mako-chan's Panzer!"

"It sounds to me like you just answered your own question" Mamoru chuckled. "As for my opinion, I believe it has helped your confidence improve. Quite a lot, in fact."

"So future me did the right thing?"

"Definitely. But not just for you and the Sailor Senshi, Usako. Your decision as Earth's future Queen to send your present-day selves to Ooarai also changed the lives of five girls and five boys. You and Minako made it possible for our friends to meet and fall in love, and that's an accomplishment you both should be very proud of."

"We did, didn't we?" Usagi giggled. She tipped her head further back, gazing upward at the rising crescent moon. "Maybe I really will make a good Queen someday after all."

. . . . . . . . . .