It was amazing, and Usagi had to wonder. She had passed the first semester of Hogwarts - second-year -
with her Innersenshi , somehow, still intact and relatively sane! Of course, Usagi had started to realize
that - when dealing with magic and sanity - everything was "relative"!
She was just glad that Shingo had not gotten home by the time she arrived from the airport,
and only had to answer her perants! Knowing that Usagi had to step-in and help fix the mess left
by the seaence was bad enough! Their daughter and aneue may be a re-incarnated Moon-Princess, but,
Usagi was Kenji and Ikuko's child! As such.. Professor Snape's letter made them worry. And.. what
of Shingo?
Usagi was sure her ever-protective, over-protective, itouto would be on Senshi-alert until the
next Semester at Hogwarts started! And, probably after it started!
Not that the Innersenshi had grown any calmer since they had returned from school.
There was, after all, Minako: she was still reminding Ami, every now and then, and jokingly, that
Ms. Snape had tried to kill her. Of course, Minako always seemed to be giggling insanely when she did
this, or else purring seductively!
This would , ultimately, lead Ami to sigh and mutter something about Minako being a "Masochist".
After having looked up the term, to be sure of what Snape-Mizuno Ami was talking about, Usagi could
only agree with the blunette genious, shaking her head and sighing, herself:
Minako was, indeed, Minako!
And, then? There was Hino Rei! Even after returning to Japan, Rei was threatening to launch herself
into orbit every time a sudden move or noise startled her!
It seemed as though whatever horrors the illegal-seaence had unbound were still playing hell with
the Innersenshi!
Well? At least, they were home! For a while.
Usagi was just grateful the Outersenshi were not in town! The last thing the Innersenshi needed were
the verbal-attacks of Haruka and Michiru, and the stoney silence of Setsuna!
After Usagi had said hello to her parents and unpacked her things in her room, she decided to
take a walk through Juuban to try and sort things out.
Usagi's wondering - and wandering - hadn't helped her, much.
"What else could happen in my life?"
As Tsukino Usagi walked into the Fujihata Fruit-Parlor, pondering the Senshi yet once
more, her eyes lit up and a smile caressed her face:
'I've been too long from here', she thought.
Then, as she moved towards the counter with thoughts of a Motoki-special sundae in her head, she
recognized the three friends conspiring around the counter: Furuhata Motoki, Gurio Umino, and
Oosaka Naru.
"Konnichi-wa, minna!" Usagi sang out.
And the three friends jumped back and out of their chairs as if they had been bitten by a snake!
Usagi sweat-dropped, then checked to see if she still had her Hogwarts' robe and hat on!
"Konnichiwa-wa, watarimono!" Naru regained her composure and wrapped her arms tightly around her
best friend. "So! You are finally home?" Naru smiled.
"For.. the winter-break. Hai!" Usagi smiled back.
"How is the Gaijin school, Usagi-chan?" Umino asked, as he seemed to try to hide a smirk.
"It is.. alright.. I.. guess?" Usagi answered Umino a bit suspiciously, noticing the young man's
sly grin.
And Naru tried not to giggle too loudly.
"How are they treating our favorite Mahutsukai?" Motoki asked as nonchalantly as possible.
And Usagi almost lost her balence as she turned sharply to face Motoki!
"How.. do you know.. about the school?" Usagi whispered disbelievingly.
Grinning rediculously, Motoki and Naru both pointed to Umino:
"Ask him!"
Sighing, Usagi turned toward the boy in the glasses.
"If you know where to look on the Internet, you can find many things! Hai!" The boy crossed his
arms and nodded. "Demo. It DID seem strange that, when I told Naru about it, she accepted the fact,
and acted like she expected you to be there!"
Usagi then turned back to her oldest-friend. Naru was smiling:
"Where else would I expect the leader of the Sailorsenshi to be?"
Usagi suddenly felt her knees give out from under her, as she went shins-first, face-second,
onto the floor!
"Itai.." Usagi sniffled. "Naru-chan.. How .. did you learn about me? About Sailormoon?"
Naru slowly bent down to her friend's new level and cradled Usagi as she helped her up:
"How does oldest-friend expect me not to learn? Dano.. disguise never work that well. Iyaa."
After calming herself down with one of Motoki's triple-chocolate sundies and promising her friends
she would see them, again, before she went back to Hogwarts, Usagi went back home. This time, of course,
Shingo-itouto WAS home! And, after a hug and reasssuring him that no one had - even accidently - tried
to kill her, Usagi and Shingo went in the family-room to talk:
"Ara.. you went to the fruit-parlor?" Shingo tried to hide his smirk.
"Hai. Felt like ambush." His sister nodded. Then she looked up at him. "Shingo-itouto? Did you KNOW
what they were planning?"
"Iyaa." Shingo replied. "Naru-chan came to see us demo. Starting asking when you would be home from
school. Asked how Senshi were dano. Did not call them 'Senshi.' The way she asked, demo, was like she
knew who they were. Got very defensive when she asked how they were treating you! Like she expected
trouble. It was.. right after we were visited by three strange women! Hai!"
"'Strange women'?" Usagi said suspiciously. "Define 'Strange', itouto. Senshi come across MANY
strange things. Hai! Especially, women. Droidos and witches and acrobats .. oh, my..."
Shingo could not help but chuckle, remembering the stories Usagi told him and their parents of the
Senshi's adventures in the days before she left for Hogwarts. How did his aneue manage to survive with
her sanity?
"Iyaa. They were not strange like that. I don't think. It is more like they were.. determined?..
to find something. They could not describe it demo. At least, they could not seem to picture it!
They look demo. They looked here. They looked at the fruit-parlor. They looked at school. They even
looked at the hostipal and Hikawa Jinja and..."
"They looked at the hospital? Jinja dano?" Usagi interrupted Shingo. "Did they look around Aino-house
dano?"
"Hai." Shingo answered.
"Kuso!" Usagi hissed. "Of ANYTHING that could go wrong..! My guys ARE 'Friends of Murphy'! This
PROVES it! " Usagi's rant started to gain decibals. "I thought I was Bakayarou. Iiede iiede iiede!
ALL because of bakayarou-SEAENCE!"
"Hai. We read letter from Snape-Sensei about seaence." Shingo nodded to his aneue. "Is seaence
really that bad?"
"To untrained? Hai!" Usagi jumped up and nodded. "Professor explain that ghosts can demand MANY
things in payment for having to cross into Ningen-world! Hai. Can take mind.. can take soul.. can
take LIFE! Hai. ALL up to ghost."
"These were no ghosts, Usagi-Ane!" Shingo corrected his sister. "The ones who came here were VERY much
alive! Hai!"
"What did they look like, itouto?" Usagi quizzed Shingo, an idea forming, unbidden, in her head.
"One had red hair! Hai! Temper dano. Very much like fire. Hai!" Shingo replied.
"Redhead. Hai! What of others?" Usagi continued.
"Another was blonde, colored like straw!" Shingo remembered. "Worn.. in braid. Acted very elegant.
Very nice company to perants. Very caring! Eyes.. almost as blue as yours. Last one.. look like..
Mizuno-chan?"
And Usagi felt her stomache knot up!
"Demo..." Usagi continued for her brother. "Bigger? Here?" Usagi cupped and pushed up her breasts.
"Hai." Shingo responded drawing his hands away from his hips. "Here, dano."
"Shimatte.." Usagi hissed. "Shingo! Itouto! Where. Did. They. Go. Next?"
Soon, Usagi was racing headlong to Tokyo General Hospital, followed by an ever-watchful younger-
brother, and just-as-watchful oldest-friend!
In half-an-hour, Usagi and her shadows were slowly regaining their breath in front of the nurse'
station.
"Konnichi-wa." Usagi shouted quickly, then forced herself to speak lower and slower, so as not to
desturb the hospital-staff.. "Ara.. gomennisssai? I am here to see Doctor Mizuno Saeko. Hai. Where ..
would she be?"
And a blue-haired nurse turned on her heels - and launched herself five feet in the air!
"Houston.." Shingo started.
"We have a go," Naru finished.. trying not to giggle.
Usagi could only sigh as the nurse corkscrewed back down to her original-position and whirled around.
"WHAT ARE YOU...?" The nurse started to scream and readied herself to fight.
"Ara.. Tsukino.. Usagi-chan?" The nurse bleated out.
"Hai, Mizuno-Sensei. Watashi-wa Tsukino Usagi." Usagi bowed to Dr. Mizuno. "Is.. everything alright?
How did I startle you? We have met, before?"
"Iiede, Usagi-chan!" Dr. Mizuno almost blurted out. "My Ami and your parents have told me of you! It is..
just.. gomennissai. Demo.. you look.. like.. someone who talked to me, recently. Kowaii..."
"Dano..?" Usagi responded, nervously.
"She.. seemed?.. to have your eyes and smile.. your hair dano. Demo. Not your temperment! Iiede."
Dr. Mizuno took a deep breath. "Would rather be interrogated by Serevu-koi. HAI! By strange woman
that look like my Ami Dano. This woman who looked like you, she was crazy. Hai! Demanding. Said
she was looking for someone... to protect? 'Her joji', she said. Demo. She did not know where
joji was demo."
Dr. Mizuno took a sip of tea to calm down. "She would have destroyed the hospital - in grief -
over her missing child. If not for her companion. Hai! 'Xellos', she called him! 'Destroying this
place-of-healing with not bring Xillas back any quicker, my Filia,' he whispered, then caressed her
as she cried in him arms. He always wear a smile, never opened his eyes. Strange man. Hai. Felt
like I was close to hebi. Too close!
'Xillas?' Usagi wondered. 'Sounds - familiar - from somewhere? But... why?'
"Filia-Sama would have destroyed us. Not that I would blame her! I have been nervous ever since
the letter from Hogwarts came to my Ami! I know that Severus would watch over her. Demo. Ami is
musume! I always worry. Hai." then dropped her voice.
"Especially with magic. Like your family tells me they worry about you!" Dr. Mizuno Saeko gave
Usagi a slight smile.
"Ami is in my office, trying to sleep. Hai. I have her close-by ever since she can home. I
remember my time at Hogwarts. Some things I did. Bakayarou. Baka! Baka! Baka! Only Severus and
Pomferei-sempei keep me alive and sane." The doctor then let out a small giggle. "Well? Halfway-
sane! Come! Ami-tenshi is waiting in my office."
"Can you write down the name of the person the woman, Filia, was concerned about, Mizuno-Sensei?"
Usagi softly aked Dr. Mizuno.
"Hai." Saeko smiled.
Usagi softly cradled and kissed Dr. Mizuno Saeko reassuring, then went to see Ami, followed
by Shingo and Naru.
Usagi entered Dr. Mizuno's darkened office quietly. As she peered throught the room, she thought
she saw Ami curled-up and asleep on a futon in the corner:
"Ami?" Usagi asked in a whisper. "Ami-chan? Is that you?"
Mizuno Ami slowly woke up, peered into the doorway at Usagi.. screeched, and tried to mold herself
into a corner!
"Ami?!" Usagi caught her breath. "What.. is wrong?" Slowly, she stepped into Dr. Mizuno's office.
"U.. sagi-chan?" Ami quivered as her eyes slowly focused on the odangoed-blonde. Then, she leapt.
"USAGI!"
Ami held tightly to Usagi's neck like at life-preserver! Then, she looked up, trembling, into
Usagi's face:
"Gomen nissai, Usagi-chan! It is just... your eyes..." Ami whimpered as she buried her head into
Usagi's breasts.
"Nani? My eyes?" Usagi asked, as Ami buried herself against her breasts - and tried to suckle.
"Ara.. Ami-imouto?" Usagi looked down at the Senshi of ice and knowledge. "Gomen.. nissai..
Mizuno-sensei..?" She meeped to Dr. Mizuno.. then face-faulted on top of Ami's head!
And Shingo snickered and Naru looked around for a place to hide.. and laugh out loud.
Mizuno Saeko just smiled sympathetically and handed a silk packet to Usagi: "I received this by
owl two weeks ago. Hai. Pomferi-Sensei wrote that you might need this. Lectating-potion. Hai."
Shingo and Naru were now in the office, in spasms of giggles and snickers!
Ami, at this point, remembered where she was and who she was with, and escaped back into the
shadowed corner of Dr. Mizuno's office!
"Ara.. Aragato nissai, Mizuno-Sensei." Usagi bowed quickly.
"Goshinpainaku, Usagi-san!" Saeko replied with a smile. "Pomferi-Sensei is Slytherin.. Slytherin
watch over one-another. It is their way. Hai."
"Hai. I am Slytherin, Hai." Usagi responded quickly. "Dano, you are Slytherin. I see ring! Ami is
Gryffendor demo. Hat put Ami in Gryffendoro! Naze?"
"Hat made mistake." Ami and Saeko groused at the same time.
"Hat as old as Dumbadoro!" Ami harrumphed.
"Maybe belong to kyuuyuu-no-Dumbadoro." Saeko sighed. "Who knows."
"Hat put me in Grief-fendoro-domo!" Ami groused.
"'Gryffendoro, Ami-chan." Usagi corrected her friend.
"I know name." Ami pouted, and returned to resting against Usagi. "Kaasan know about Grief-fendoro!
Warn me of Grief-fendoro! Hai!"
"Hai." Saeko sighed. "Grief-fendoro house of troublemakers! Head-inmates, when I was in Hogwarts,
call themselves 'Merauders'! I call them Bakayarou! Especially, Black Siriu-baka ano Potta Jim!"
Soon, with Doctor Mizuno's permission, Ami joined Usagi, Shingo, and Naru on their
way to the Hikawa-jinja.
"Mesomusume is in .. with The Fire.. Hime!" The old priest whispered gently.
Usagi stopped from trying to ring the bells to announce their visit: "Ojiisan?"
"Be.. careful, Usagi-chan!" Rei's grandfather adviced. "Rei.. is troubled, She has seen..
somthing.. she will not tell me demo."
Usagi walked silently to the fire-room. Sliding the door open, she slowly sat-down next
to the sleeping miko. Usagi placed Rei's head in her lap, and started caressing her face
lightly and brushing her hair back.
"Rei-chan? Rei-chan?" Usagi whispered softly, hoping to break the miko out of whatever
trance she had probably put herself in. "Rei-chan?"
"Usa..?" Rei started to stir.. and opened her eyes.. and screamed:
"Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii..!"
Then - from out of nowhere - came an ofuda:
"Rin - Ryou - Rou - Sha - Tai - Kai - Shi - Retsu - Sai - Zen," Rei slepped the ofuda hard
between Usagi's eyes, "doragon..haisha!"
"Itai..", Usagi whimpered as she slowly peeled the charm off of her skin. "That stings.
Rei-chan! Do I look like doragon? Iiede! Do not answer that! I think I know answer. Already
hear from Mizuno-sensei and Ami. Hai."
"Usagi?" Rei meeped, then threw her arms and legs around the blonde. "USAGI!"
"Am.. glad.. you are.. alright.. Rei..", Usagi gasped out. "Need.. to.. breathe.. demo."
"KOWAII!" Rei cried into Usagi's breasts! "Doragon.. Red-haired mahautsukai! In dreams!
Doragon.. just stared.. so much loneliness.. such hurt.. could not help.. wanted to demo."
The miko then sniffed, trying to fight back a tear. "Mahautsukai. Kowaii. Ask questions,
just ask questions. her eyes demo! Hard.. on fire.. burning into me.. into my soul.. cannot
escape.. cannot.. cannot.. Cannot even ask sacred fire for help. Kowaii! Kowaii.."
Usagi sat there for the next several minutes, gently rocking a frightened Miko and Senshi
back and forth, and singing a lullaby.
And, wondering what questions a red-head could ask that would so unnerve the Senshi of Fire?
Soon, with a promise to the Shrine's Caretaker to keep Rei safe, Usagi lead her little, but
growing, band to The house of Aino Minako. On the way to check on the Senshi of Love, they
passed the apartment of Kino Makoto.
Makoto was sitting on the steps, with a platter of rice-balls and some tea.
"Komban-wa, Usagi!" She called out. "Are you going to see Aino-baka?"
"Makoto-chan!" Usagi retorted. "Minako-chan is not baka - all the time!" She then took in a
breath, and let it out slowly. And, then, took an offered rice-ball and some tea from Makoto.
"How did you know I come to see Minako?"
"I guessed. Hai." Makoto said after she took a sip of tea. "One? I see Ami and Rei following
you. Two? Shingo-Itouto and Naru are gaurding you like akita! Hai! Three? Neighbors tell me I
have visitors while away in Scotland! Asking about Ami, Rei, and Mina-baka! Four? Lady came by
about.. an hour ago? Hai. Nice lady. Tried to be polite. Hai. Hair.. almost your color. Eyes
like yours. Her koibito? Kowaii! Almost remind me of Hebi. Kind of kawaii. Asked about the
baka."
"'Asked.. about..'?" Usagi croaked. "You.. did not tell them.. baka was home. Ne?"
"Iie. I did not know where Bake-no-Venus would be!" Makoto replied. "Still do not know where
she could be! Come, Usagi-chan! Let us find her before trouble does! Or? She finds trouble! Hai.
More like she finds trouble!"
Usagi sighed, knowing that Makoto was right in her assessment of the blonde. Minako was
a great friend, and Sailorvenus was a brilliant warrior! But? Usagi had to admit, her fellow-
blonde was far above her in attracting trouble! of course, this was only because Usagi usually
did not go looking for trouble!
Very soon, the party of, now, six was making its way to the house of one Aino Minako. And?
For some reason, Usagi was starting to dread what the party might find there!
After a few minutes, the party found themselves in front of the Aino-residence. And, for
some reason? Makoto, Rei, and Ami decided to stay on the opposite side of the street!
Usagi, meanwhile, was about to walk into the driveway with Shingo and Naru, when she heard
a voice coming from the tree branches, overhead:
"You do not want to go in there, Usagi!" Artimus warned her. "Not now."
Usagi looked up into the tree:
"Iyaa. I do not want to go, Artimus!" She agreed. "Have to go demo!"
"Minako is - different!" Artimus warned. "Changed. Frightened."
"Hai." Usagi acknowledged the white cat, then looked in back of her. "Seaence can do that."
"Minako-baka.." Artimus hissed out.
"Goshinpainaku." Usagi reassured the guardian as much as she could. "I will be careful."
Soon, Usagi was knocking at the door:
"Minako!" Usagi called out. "Mina-chan! Imouto? Komban-wa?"
Usagi knocked once more: "Mina-chan? Imouto?"
Slowly, the door squeaked open.
Suddenly the door flew open as Usagi, Naru, and Shingo jumped beckwards! Usagi actually pulled
off three perfect backwards-leaps to the street!
And Minako jumped out, slicing through the air with a Samurai blade!
"Kiyaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! DIE, doragon! Die, hebi! DIE!"
Usagi, seeing the blade as it flashed over Minako's head, stepped backwards , leaning back and
diving in the opposite-direction as Venus' swing! Then, as Minako swept the blade in return towards her,
Usagi kicked the blade, scissor-style, out of the Senshi's grasp.
"Kuso!" Usagi hissed out, then took in a sharp breath. "Minako-chan! Imouto! This is NOT what
you wish to do! I am not..."
Minako then came up off the ground with a piece of piping!
"Die, Doragon!" Minako screamed at the top of her lungs.
And Usagi sighed - and, grabbed the lethal-end of the pipe.
"Mina-CHAN!" Usagi commamnded. "Let - go - of - PIPE! Or? I will be forced to HURT you! Hai!"
As Minako refused to give up the pipe, Usagi swiftly lifted her end up and foreward, loosening
Minako's grip on the weapon!
Unfortunately, the momentum of the pipe continued and increased after Aino Minako let loose of
the pipe, which then tappped the young lady's forehead:
"Itai?"
Usagi, in trying to control the offending piece of metal, grabbed ahold of the foreward end!
This allowed the backward end - nearest her, to arc down toward Aino-chan's lower body-parts. And
make contact!
"ITAI!"
"KAMI-SAMA!" Makoto gasped, wide-eyed, at the doubled-over Senshi of Venus. "That HAS to hurt!"
"Maybe that will mean Venus will have no more Senshi-tachi?" Rei whispered with a smirk.
Shingo and Naru snickered as the whisper drifted their way from across the street.
"Highly-improbable," Ami noted, "not impossible, demo. Crazy masochist!"
"Minako", Usagi groaned, "is Minako."
Once Usagi was breathing and upright, again, she lead the group back to the relative-safety of
the Tsukino-household.
"When we get home, Ami? Call Okaasan! Rei? Call Jiisan!" Usagi ordered. "Let them know you will
be returned home, safe, tomorrow! Hai!"
"Usagi-chan?" Makoto spoke up. "Tsukino-house will be crowded? Hai? Minako will stay the night
with me?"
"We still head to my home! Hai!" Usagi responded. "Have Kaasan and Mizuno-Sensei look you over!
Then, and ONLY then, let you go! Hai! I know you, minna!"
And Kino Makoto let out a low giggle that caused Ami, Rei, and Minako to JUMP!
"Ma - ko - to -chan?" Usagi slowly warned the giantess. "HUSH! No. Scaring. Senshi! That is MY
job.. when needed. Hai."
This just caused Ami, Rei, and Minako to bunch closer-together as Usagi convoyed the Senshi back
to the Tsukino-house.
When the party entered the Tsukino-residence, Usagi changed from Drill-Sargeant to Mother-Hen,
making sure the needed-calls were made.
After Ikuko inspected the girls and applied any needed first-aid and a late-dinner, Usagi
ushered the girls upstairs. And, after donning pajamas and taking an extra-blanket, she ushered
the Senshi into her bedroom, reassured them they would be safe, and closed the bedroom-door,
stationing herself outside:
'Guys need sentry, tonight.'
The next morning saw Usagi still guarding her Senshi as they ate breakfast in the Tsukino-house.
"Tell me, ane," Shingo whispered, grinning to his big-sister, "who is guardian to who?"
"Quiet, itouto!" Usagi hissed through a small bit of a smile. "The guys might hear? They are
already om sword's edge."
"Except for Makoto-Sama?" Shingo asked.
"Mako-chan was not at seaence." Usagi replied.
Later that morning, Usagi, Shingo, Naru, and Umino delivered Rei, Makoto, and Minako to their
homes, and Ami to Tokyo General, with promises to see them at least once more during the holidays!
Two weeks later, with the beginning of the next semester, Usagi and the Innersenshi, once again,
found themselves on the Hogwarts' Express. This time, however, they were accompanied by an adult:
Hogwarts' new Assistant Nurse.
"When did letter come, again?" Usagi asked Dr. Mizuno.
"A week ago, yesterday!" Saeko smiled. "Signed by Albus Dumbeldoro, Minerva MaGoniga, Severu,
Pomona Sparoutu, Filius Flitwicki, and Nurse Pomfrey, as Head-Nurse. Hai."
"ALL heads-of-house sign letter?" Usagi asked, wide-eyed. "Very unusual!"
"Hogwarts' is unusual!" Saeko growled. "Moreso under Dummadoro."
"Tousan send letter explaining contract." Ami replied as Saeko tried to calm herself. "Contract
came out of emergancy-meeting. Hai. Tousan said majority of teachers agreed with Pomfrey-Sama
assistance was needed."
"Assistance?" Usagi asked the bluenette. "When? Whyso?"
"After Trelawney warned of dangerous-visitors! Hai." Ami answered.
"Trelawney?" Rei asked. "What did quack see?"
"REI-CHAN!" Usagi admonished the miko. "I do not think Trelawney is very good, not quack demo!"
"Walk like duck?" Makoto said, "Talk like duck?"
"Traelawney-Sensei is right.." Usagi faltered. "Sometimes?"
"Broken-clock is right two times a day." Ami grumbled.
And, Makoto snickered.
Usagi sighed. Ami was right-on-the-mark.
"Trelawmey see figures at Hogwarts demo." Ami replied in a whispered-voice. "Same beings we see in seance."
The train-car become eerily silent.
"Do - ra - gon?" Minako slowly meeped.
"Reddaheada?" Rei softly asked.
Ami nodded fearfully.
"No wonder Hogwarts call for help!" Usagi whispered.
"Dummadoro even sign?" Makoto asked, stifling a giggle.
"Under duress." Saeko and Ami chorused.
"Probably need to calm Senshi to calm the rest of the school?" Makoto chortled.
Usagi then took some tea from the snack-cart as it rolled itself into the compartment, then passed other cups
to the Senshi and Dr. Mizuno. Then, she lifted her cup in salute:
"To us!" Usagi stated. "May we survive Hogwarts' spring-semester! With minds intact!"
"May Hogwarts remain standing at Mid-summer dano." Ami muttered with a smirk.
"Salute!"