14 | A Birthday Surprise

"Rei?"

The girl in question hardly displayed any recognition of the fact someone had called her name. Her gaze did not dare deviate from the yellow flames that danced mere feet in front of her seated frame. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead and matted her hair, but she remained oblivious to such a minor inconvenience. Nor did she perceive the soft echoes of footsteps that gradually grew louder from behind. All of her concentration was devoted to the intricate motions made by her fingers and her monotone chanting. Nothing else existed within her world. At least, not until she felt something lightly grasp her shoulder. No earthquake had ever caused her to shudder quite as hard.

"G-Grandpa?"

He leveled a gentle stare at the young girl. "I can feel that there's something deeply troubling you, my dear."

"I was just thinking." Her sigh exuded desperation. "There's an awful lot on my mind right now, as you might imagine."

"All that worry on such a glorious day, one you should be celebrating, is never a good thing. It should be a lot happier, really."

"If the gods will it to be, but I'm feeling so much anxiety right now that I doubt it."

"Yes, if it truly is the gods' will." His demeanor soon became as solemn as his granddaughter's. "I figure the thing you're worried about has something to do about you being Sailor Mars."

"I'm not sure it really matters whether or not I'm a senshi or not if the events I see in my mind become reality."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

A new wave of depression seemed to fall over the girl, and it showed in the way she pulled her knees into her chest. "Do you remember what I told you about some of the nightmares I had been suffering for the past few weeks?"

"I don't think I could ever forget such terrible visions even if I tried." His granddaughter fell into the tender hug he offered her without hesitation. "So long as we're here, giving you all the support and love you need, you shouldn't have anything to fear."

"I… I don't know if that's true. I mean, I know you love me, and Yuuichirou too, and I know both of you would do all that you could to help. However, I doubt that you'd have the power to actually stop me if worst came to worst."

"Maybe not, but that's why we have to help you before things go that far." He pulled her closer to his chest and carefully tightened his embrace. "Sure, neither of us could stand against you in a match of magical powers, but I bet we can help you exorcise the demons that haunt your soul so that we never have to try."

"I hope so."

"That's what you're trying to do, right? Perform an exorcism on yourself?"

Her chuckle wasn't mirthful, but considering the circumstances it was good enough and far better than her previously dour expression. "I guess so, if you put it that way. It doesn't seem to be working so well, though. Not for me, at least."

"You know, Rei, many people would give away all of their wealth and worldly belongings to obtain even a tiny fraction of the immense perseverance you possess. None of them will ever have to deal with anything nearly as important to humanity as your current struggle." He loosened his grip and turned her so that he could better see his granddaughter's face. "Given what I've seen of you so far, I'd have to say you're doing a pretty good job by yourself with what should be an impossible task."

"What do you mean?" Confusion wracked her features. "I haven't been able to fix anything about me. I still have nightmares where I feel such intense hatred for her that I try to kill her."

"And, what happens to her, this princess of yours? Do you succeed in killing her?"

"No. Not anymore. But—"

Although tiny, the smile that graced his lips was exceptionally heartfelt. "Then you're far better off than where you started."

"Still, the mere thought of doing anything to harm my princess absolutely sickens me, especially after all the pain I've already dealt her."

While she shook her head in anguish, he glanced skyward and hummed a quiet tune of contemplation. A few moments later he returned his gaze to her, one that was vastly more inquisitive if not even slightly playful.

"Even now, I don't really know who this princess is you desperately want to save. Would I know her if I saw her? Have I seen her before already?"

"I can't tell you. I mean, I wish I could, but it just doesn't feel right to do so now." He frowned, and strangely enough his reaction brought forth in the form of her grin her first true hints of levity that morning. "If everything works out, and I manage to rid myself of these awful nightmares and the feelings behind them, then maybe she could tell you everything you want to know in person."

"I would like that very much." He soon sported a similar grin, though his was more mischievous. "I have a feeling she's really cute. Do you think she would be available to take a part-time job here at the shrine? We could always use some more beautiful maidens to help you out with your duties."

She shot to her feet, set her hands squarely on her hips, and directed a heated glare in the face of his spirited chuckling. "Grandpa!"

"I'm just kidding. Not that I would mind if she volunteered, but I can imagine there are far more important tasks ahead for her." He was more languid in rising from his crouch compared to Rei. "However, none of that will occur unless Yuuichirou-san and I can help you, and quickly at that. I don't imagine we could cure you in a day, but if we started now we might be able to shorten that time."

"You mean, right now?"

Once again he chuckled. "Not exactly. There's still a lot of work you have to do for this morning. And, I imagine Yuuichirou-san has something special planned for you after you return home from school."

"What is it?"

"I can't say. It'll spoil the surprise, and you know how terrible that would be." Though muted, he easily heard her annoyed grumbling. "Tomorrow afternoon is when we'll begin. I should have everything prepared by then. Until then, you should try your best to enjoy yourself."

Her slow nod conveyed very little enthusiasm. "Yeah…"

Sensing as much, the old man slowly approached and wrapped her into yet another tight hug, one that she wasted little time in returning. "I mean it, my precious Rei. We love you very, very much, you know."

"I know, grandpa."

"I'm sure your friends love you too. All of them. They're here for you and are just as willing to help you through this as we are. None of us want to see you going around feeling so miserable." He gently patted the girl atop her head, causing her to squirm slightly. "So, cheer up, okay?"

For several moments, all she could do was blankly stare at the wall as her mind struggled to grasp the significance of his words. What did he mean by stressing the word all, as though he sensed more about her situation than he let on? After a while, she shook her head. None of those questions seemed to matter when a hopeful smile started to tug at her lips.

"I will, grandpa. I absolutely will."

—|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|—

The sun had already crested the horizon when Usagi lethargically rolled out of her bed and fell to the floor. Even then, the young blonde was still mostly asleep and remained completely unaware of the impact. Plainly, it meant that her initial plan had failed, and poor Luna was left with nothing to show for all of her exertion. The constantly blaring alarm clock also did the feline no favors. She contemplated switching to her backup plan, one she had not utilized in over a month. It pained her to even think about doing something so evil to her charge, but the alarm had failed miserably, and so had the more physical approach. Usagi, her princess, the girl who had matured so quickly after enduring such misery, just flatly refused to wake up. She shook her head, climbed onto one of the girl's sprawled legs, crouched upon her chest, and extended a paw. However, right before initiating the plan, Luna heard a soft creaking emanate from behind her, the result of the bedroom door being pushed open. Her initial look of surprise disappeared quickly, replaced by utmost resolve as she leaped away and took a seat across the room.

"Usagi! For goodness sake, wake up already! If you don't, I'll have no option but to give your breakfast to Shingo! It turns out he also likes chocolate chip pancakes!"

And thus Luna's exigency was rewarded when she saw Usagi rise to a seated position with unusual haste. She had also ensured that her ears were covered in anticipation of the loud wail that promptly ensued.

"No! Not the chocolate chip pancakes! Don't hurt her! Please!" Once Usagi rubbed her eyes and focused her vision upon the woman standing a few feet in front of her, her face became twisted by utter perplexity. "Mama?"

"Do you know what time it is?"

She twisted around to look over her shoulder for the alarm clock where she expected to find it, only to find the side of her bed instead. Her confusion only intensified up to the point that she realized the clock was being held right in front of her. By then, the alarm had been shut off, which was a godsend for everyone in the room.

"Oh. Sorry 'bout that."

"It's quite okay. You still have thirty minutes before you're late for class. That should be plenty of time for breakfast, if you hurry."

Usagi nodded and started to walk for the bathroom, only to be stopped along the way by a gentle tug of her arm.

"Hmm?"

"Is there anything wrong? The way you yelled when you finally woke up, it sure sounded like you weren't dreaming about breakfast." Ikuko grimaced slightly as she carefully studied her daughter. "Did you have another premonition?"

After a few contemplative moments, Usagi replied with a shrug. "I'm not really sure. I didn't feel a strange cold or pain as I usually do when that happens. I think it was more of a dream than anything, or maybe a nightmare. It's all very fuzzy in my mind right now."

"Is there any part of it you can remember?"

"Rei-chan was there, and she was hurting a lot." Her long pigtails spilled over her shoulders as she lowered her head in sorrow. "I tried to help her. I really, really did. Nothing worked."

"Who was hurting Rei-san?"

"I don't know. I couldn't really see anyone else there, and I don't remember sensing any negative energy either."

Ikuko plaintively nodded. "What happened to her?"

"I don't know that either. The dream-nightmare-whatever thing ended before I could find out. It probably wasn't anything good, though. I just hope nothing bad actually happens to Rei-chan."

"I imagine that means you've fully forgiven her?"

She turned a solemn gaze upward at her mother. "There's still the issue of her subconscious hatred of me and whether she would act out on it. For a while I didn't want to meet her or be around her, not because I was still angry at her but because I was frightened of her and of what she could possibly do without even knowing it. However, instead of being scared of her, now I'm more scared for her. I know she's going through a lot and she's suffering because of it, and I desperately want to help her."

A series of giggles preceded the smile that graced Ikuko's lips. "In that case, I'm certain that Rei-san will be absolutely thrilled to see you later this evening."

Usagi mirrored that brilliant grin. "I can't wait to see her either, and I have the perfect gift to give her."

"Before you do that, you do have to remember to get ready for school. You only have twenty-five minutes to get there."

Ikuko laughed as she shuffled toward the wall just in time to avoid colliding with the yellow blur that raced toward the bathroom. She spotted Luna and gave the black cat a playful wink before following her daughter out of the bedroom. For her part, the tiny advisor merely buried her face within her paws and shook her head.

—|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|—

"So, Jadeite is the name of the so-called superior that Grayson referenced?" Michiru could not suppress her grin as she slowly sipped the green tea her host had graciously provided her. "It makes sense that he would be another member of the Shitennou, if the name provides any indication."

Setsuna nodded in acknowledgement. "Actually, it was his subordinate who directly mentioned him, but I agree with your supposition that he is the Shitennou general we seek. Either way, I think it is sensible to speak with Kunzite and find out what he knows about this Jadeite."

"How do we accomplish that without drawing the guardian senshi's attention? We don't have an easy way of contacting him except through either Usagi-san or Ami-san." She brought the teacup to her lips and was about to tilt it backward to take a sip when inspiration struck. "Oh. What about Saeko-san? She's not a senshi, certainly, and even though she is Ami-san's mother, she's also very logical and would likely understand the reasoning behind our strategy."

"Indeed. I assume you have a way of contacting her."

"We exchanged cell phone numbers when we left her house to travel to the train station."

"That's not a very secure mode of communication." Setsuna rose from her seat with cup in hand and began to meander toward the kitchen. "The encryption guarding regular cellular phone networks is easily broken, and not just by a group as sophisticated and well-equipped as the Dark Kingdom."

"I understand your concern, but short of taking the Shinkansen all the way to Kyoto, we have no real way of speaking to her."

A loud sigh emanated from the kitchen. "Sometimes we must accept risks that we'd otherwise avoid in order to see the mission to completion."

"Encountering risk is just part of the job description."

"And minimizing needless risk to the best of our abilities allows us to continue to perform our vital duties without failure."

Michiru giggled. "You are so unlike my dear Haruka-chan."

"Naturally." Setsuna emerged from the kitchen holding a tray of scones, which she gently rested on the coffee table before sitting next to Michiru on the sofa. "I certainly understand her gravitation toward risky endeavors, and though I don't always agree with her viewpoint toward strategy I am able to see where it can be useful to us. But, enough about that. We have a way of contacting Kunzite, albeit indirectly. Once we learn from him the information he has about Jadeite, then we can better hone our strategy."

Michiru reached forward to sample one of the scones. A mischievous smile toyed with her lips by the time she fell back into the sofa's cushions.

"How in the world did you manage to weasel such information from Grayson in the first place?"

"I didn't desire his company when I found him, if that's what you're implying." She maintained a steady gaze at her companion in the face of such obvious teasing. "In fact, I did not speak with him directly at all. Instead, I was returning home from a horrible day at work and decided to take a short detour toward a restaurant in Adachi for dinner. That's when I spotted him and this Rocha person. The debate in my mind of whether to immediately turn around and walk away or stalk him to glean any useful information was quite fierce. Despite being exhausted and hungry, I decided to sacrifice myself for the greater good."

"You know what, Setsuna-san." Michiru shifted her legs around so she could lean closer to the time senshi and point her lighthearted grin at the woman. "I take back what I said. You're actually more similar to Haruka-chan than I previously imagined."

Setsuna opted not to give any sort of outward response and instead merely took a sip of her tea. "I also happened to run into Makoto-san right before my encounter with Grayson."

"Oh? What was she doing all the way in Adachi?"

"She was investigating a restaurant that had opened recently as a potential location to hold Rei-san's upcoming birthday party. Apparently, she wanted to perform a taste test before committing to the place. But, that's not the most interesting part of our impromptu meeting."

"What was?"

"The friend she had accompanying her." Her lips betrayed a hint of a smirk. "Her 'friend' was a woman who most certainly was not one of the other senshi. They appeared to be rather close with the way Makoto-san allowed the woman to hold her around the waist."

"Hmm… I never thought of Makoto-san as being—"

"She isn't. To be more precise, she stringently denies it and I have no reason not to believe her. And, to be honest, I was teasing her when I mentioned it to her at the time."

"You really can be evil at times."

Setsuna took another sip of tea and set the cup down on the table alongside Michiru's. "Maybe, but that's not really the point I'm trying to make. When I found Makoto, I faintly perceived a type of negative energy hovering around where she and that strange woman had stopped. That woman had entered one of the buildings and I couldn't really see her face, but I strongly doubt it matters much."

"Let me guess. You suspect she's Sazaratha, right?" The reply of a single nod prompted the ocean senshi to swiftly adopt a very solemn demeanor. "I hope you realize how serious a matter this is for Sazaratha to be shadowing one of the senshi like that. From what Kunzite told Haruka-chan and me, that demon is anything but human, quite unlike the Shitennou. Any human appearance that thing has is merely a disguise, one that results in the death of an innocent person. Furthermore, she might be a lot more powerful than she let on during the one time that we fought her."

There was no hiding Setsuna's disappointment even as she averted her gaze. "I wish I had that information beforehand, as I would have more directly advised Makoto-san about the threat that was around her."

"I really can't blame you for not knowing, as you weren't with us when Kunzite explained Sazaratha's nature to us."

"If there was any sort of saving grace, it was the fact that Sazaratha appeared to be in great distress, enough to need assistance at least. However, it just as well might have been some sort of deception." She sighed. "What I don't understand is how she could locate Makoto in Adachi when she would not expect to find any of the senshi there."

"Well, where did you find Makoto-san?"

"Near the train station, naturally."

Michiru's raucous laughter utterly confused Setsuna until the former eventually regained her composure and began to speak. "Kunzite did say that Sazaratha really hated being stuck in large crowds of people, and the train in Tokyo is about as crowded as humanity gets. Her apparent distress might have been a reaction to traveling in a train to keep up with Makoto-san after initially locating her in Juuban."

"I imagine the only reason Sazaratha tolerated such suffering was that she presumed maintaining her cover would have been worthwhile in the end. Normally I'm not so concerned for the guardian senshi, but I have to wonder what happened to Makoto-san after I left. I sincerely hope she was not attacked, as I doubt she would fare very well if what you said is correct."

"Kunzite may be able to fill us in when we talk to him."

"Whatever the outcome, he would certainly know about any attack against the guardian senshi." She delivered to Michiru a sluggish nod of her head after rising from the sofa. "Anyway, I appreciate you taking the time to visit me once again. I truly wish Haruka-chan could have found the time to join us as I miss seeing her as well."

"The racing season begins this weekend after all, so she hasn't found much time away from her team. Of course, we both understand why she's feeling so stressful. However, it gets much better once the season is underway."

"I hope so."

A few seconds of awkward silence passed between the moment Setsuna began a slow trek for the door and her realization that Michiru was not going to join her. She shook her head and turned back, only to be met with a wide smirk.

"Oh, I'm not leaving yet. I've only just started to enjoy your hospitality, after all. Not only that, but I don't really have anything to do until my recital practice later this afternoon." The smirk morphed into a more genuine smile. "Rather, there's not much else I want to do, honestly."

As a person who preferred to be seen by others as knowledgeable yet somewhat aloof, if not even enigmatic, Setsuna was not a woman who was prone to crying, especially in public. However, she could do little to prevent the tears that welled in her eyes or the smile that lightly tugged at her lips. She furtively knocked the tears away before turning to her dear friend once more.

"In that case, I doubt you would mind if I brought you more tea."

—|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|—

A worrisome groan slipped from Rei's mouth as she allowed her head to contact the polished wooden surface of her desk. No matter how diligently she tried to focus on the unintelligible symbols scrawled across the whiteboard, she could attain no further understanding. Nor could she make heads or tails of the strange sounds emanating from the woman standing just in front of that board. That person could have been talking about the finer points of Renaissance-era art or quantum mechanics for all she knew. She did not know and, quite frankly, she really did not care. All she could think about was what might occur later that night, when she would finally meet with the girl she both desperately wanted to protect and, beyond the bounds of her consciousness, vehemently wanted to kill.

Usagi… Lost in her own thoughts, she barely noticed that she had sighed. I'm trying my hardest, but I really don't know if I can stop myself. Whatever happens, I pray that you know that I absolutely love you and never actually want to hurt you, ever.

In her mind, she knew nobody else around her had felt the chill that had raced its way down her spine and caused her to hug herself tightly. The long sleeves of her blouse did nothing to prevent her misery. After a few seconds, she tentatively reached for her sweater, but even slipping it over her arms barely assuaged the ever-present sensation of cold. It was a futile effort. Fortunately, warmth returned to her almost as quickly as it had left.

"Hino-san? Are you okay?"

No longer was that woman speaking gibberish at the front of the room. Instead, she hovered over Rei's shoulder with outright concern scrawled across her face. The proximity caused Rei to flinch.

"I-I'm fine. Really."

"Not with that faraway look that you've been having ever since the beginning of class, you aren't." One hand rested at her hip while the other pointed toward the door leading to the hallway. "It might be a good idea for you to see the nurse if you're not feeling well."

Rei opened her mouth, but the harsh protest she planned to issue died before it passed her lips. Instead, she gave the woman a solemn nod before gathering her belongings, haphazardly stuffing them into her attaché case, and shuffling out of the room.

Heh. She's right, after all. I'm absolutely not feeling well, but it's nothing our nurse would be able to fix. Maybe I'll just take a short walk outside to clear my head, if that's even possible.

Her gaze never wandered far from the ground as she meandered through the hallways almost robotically. Her thoughts began to drift to that one subject she never wanted to contemplate, but always seemed to haunt her ever since that fateful evening.

I know I promised grandpa I would cheer up, but it's really, really hard, especially after what I just felt. That had to be a premonition of some kind, but what? Why would I suddenly feel so cold and so… alone?

An almost debilitating shudder caused her to freeze in her tracks and lean against the nearby wall with an outstretched hand. Tears welled in her eyes, and she did little to fight them back.

Dear God, I hope that's not what it truly meant. I wouldn't be able to bear it. I'd rather die, even if it meant not being able to see Usagi-chan one more time. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. No, I can't give up yet. I shouldn't give up yet. I have to believe that their love will guide me and help me overcome this. And, if worse comes to worst, it is Usagi-chan we're talking about. She managed to heal Kunzite. I'm certain she can heal me too. So, I have to keep my head up.

She shoved her body away from the wall and began to march with a newfound determination toward the door leading outside. That single-mindedness drove skyward her spirits, but at the same time it drove her directly into and over one of her classmates. Fortunately, she was not so distracted to not perceive what she had done, nor was she so callous as to ignore the girl slowly picking herself up from the floor.

"Oh." Rei did not bow deeply, but her remorse still was plainly evident. "Sorry about that."

"Rei-sama!" Her eyes widened as she leaped to her feet and immediately returned the gesture. "No, no! You don't have to apologize to me! It's my fault. I should've been paying more attention to where I was going."

"Maybe so. But, you look like you're okay so I'm going to go now. I'll see you later." She turned to walk away after a noncommittal bob of her head.

"Please wait, Rei-sama! I didn't get a chance to properly wish you a happy birthday yet!"

If only to satisfy her curiosity, she stopped and looked back over her shoulder at the girl. "How did you know it was my birthday?"

"I, uh…"

Even though they were peers at a relatively small school, it did not mean that everyone knew everyone else or even knew much about their fellow students. That was especially true concerning Rei. Her position at T-A Academy was paradoxical at best in that the student body regarded her well, probably because of her father's influence. At the same time, she effectively was a social pariah, maybe for the same reason. Both aspects were reflected by the way the other girl swiftly looked askance and fidgeted with her fingers upon hearing the question. Yet, there were things the shrine maiden did not expect others to know, and that was one of them.

"Well?"

"Sorry, Rei-sama." There was no mistaking the deep crimson enveloping her cheeks despite her best attempts to conceal it behind long strands of brown hair. "I-I won't bother you any more about it if you don't want me to. I didn't even have time to get you a good gift anyway." She bowed even more deeply. "I'm very sorry."

Rei passed a blank stare at the girl for several moments before shrugging with indifference. "Thank you anyway, I guess. Though, I wouldn't worry about that if I were you."

She faced forward and started to walk away once again. And, once again, she did not manage to go very far before being interrupted, this time when she heard footsteps behind her. The petulant sigh she exhaled seemed to echo off the walls. It was no surprise that her dogged companion took a backward step upon seeing the heated glare the shrine maiden pointed at her.

"What?"

"N-nothing." She waved her hands in front of her, but that defensive posture soon gave way to a nervous smile. "Though, I did want to ask you if you were going to participate in this year's culture festival. I'd really like it if you joined us in organizing it."

It was not something she had seriously considered in the past or wanted to think about at that moment given her more pressing concerns. Yet, she was not completely against the idea, especially when it provided her with a useful advantage in progressing another of her passions.

"I don't know if I have time, but I'll think about it…"

It took the girl very little time to comprehend Rei's unasked question from the slight tilt of her head and the growing look of confusion on her face.

"Fujihara Mika. I'm on the organization committee, and I would be thrilled if you decided to help us. In fact, we would love even more to have you as our leader."

"I'll let you know, Fujihara-san." She quickly swiveled, turning her back to Mika as she folded her arms before her chest. "But, I swear I really do have to go now. Is there anything else you need to tell me?"

"Not that I can think of. Have a good evening, Rei-sama."

Rei could feel palpable disappointment in the girl's voice, but she waited until the footsteps faded until she displayed any response. It came in the form of an annoyed groan.

Sheesh! What the hell is wrong with these people here and their inability to take a hint? I still don't know how on earth she managed to find out when my birthday was. As she walked through the door and out into the courtyard, she could no longer suppress her urge to chuckle and shake her head. Hopefully she's just as dedicated toward other things as she is in trying to win me over, because that's a task that could only end in disappointment.

—|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|—

Makoto dropped her head and sighed when she saw her blonde-haired companion rush up to the storefront window and nearly press her face squarely against the glass. She could easily predict Masaru's annoyance for having to clean the puddle of drool that indubitably would have been left behind. Yet, at the same time she understood her friend's unbridled desire and impatience. She just wished that Minako would not act like a starving puppy, especially in public.

"Oh my goodness, Mako-chan! This stuff looks amazing!" Her eyes were wide with anticipation when she turned around to gaze at Makoto. "We definitely have to come here more often!"

"You know I'm not going to pay for you to come down here all the time."

"But, Mako-chan…"

"Chill, girl. That's not happening." She hid her shaking head and embarrassed expression behind a hand. "Besides, we're not even at the actual restaurant yet. It's the next block over."

"We're not?" She looked at the sign near the door and puckered upon realizing her obvious mistake. "Oh." Then, a burst of inspiration struck. "But, while we're here, we could…"

"Let's go, Minako-chan. The others are waiting on us."

The pair arrived at the proper restaurant a few minutes later. Minako did not rush the window as before, but only because a sharp tug of her arm prevented her from straying very far. Once inside, it did not take them very long to spot the table Makoto had reserved a few days earlier. It was the only one that was sparsely populated in the busy establishment. The brunette shrugged when she spotted a pair of girls sitting at that table.

"Hmm, Usagi-chan and Ami-chan are here, but where's Rei-chan?"

—|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|—

That question was easily answered by the sulking shrine maiden, who vigorously rubbed her arms with her hands in an attempt to warm them. The light jacket she donned was not enough to block the chilly air, and her misery only intensified with every stray breeze. She did not have an opportunity to change into warmer clothing after departing a dinner meeting with her father. The engagement had fouled the airy mood she had from her date with Yuuichirou. She hated that she had to leave him to meet with a man who did not have the courtesy to talk with her more than once a year. However, it was not the weather that had further irritated her, but the fact that she had not intended to be stuck in it for so long.

Where the hell is this bus? She reached a shivering hand into her purse, pulled out her cell phone, and groaned upon reading the time displayed on its screen. It should have been here almost ten minutes ago. What's going on?

A surge of adrenaline shot through her, and she rapidly swiveled about to find the source of the tapping sound she heard. Her narrow-eyed gaze landed on the warm blush and timid smile of a very familiar brunette.

"Good evening, Rei-sama. I'm very glad I to see you here."

Her shock might have dissipated, but it was merely replaced by annoyance. "I'm sure you are, Fujihara-san."

"I thought about our run-in earlier this morning, and I…"

"No, I haven't come to a decision yet, if that's what you've come to ask me about."

Mika's complexion turned a deeper shade of crimson as she shook her head. "That's not what I mean." The hands that were hidden behind her back came into view and revealed a small, ornately wrapped box. She presented the box with a low bow. "Please accept my gift for your birthday, Rei-sama."

She had no real expectation of receiving anything from a girl she regarded as nothing more than a classmate. However, Rei also knew it would have been extremely rude to deny Mika as harshly as her temptation demanded. After a moment of hesitation, she returned the bow, though not as deeply, and lifted the box from the outstretched hands.

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome." Her smile brightened, only to quickly disappear as confusion warped her features. "If I might ask, what brings you here? The Hikawa Shrine is pretty far away from here."

"Dinner." She ultimately decided that part of her answer did not merit greater explanation. "However, I would be heading back home if it weren't for a bus that doesn't want to show up."

"That's strange. It usually arrives promptly on schedule." A frown played with her lips upon peering at her wristwatch. "Ten minutes."

"Don't remind me. I probably should have just walked to the nearest train station." She started to rub her arms again, though it did little to prevent the rest of her body from shivering. "I'd be at home by now, and a lot warmer at that."

"My brother could give you a lift, if you don't mind. He owns a car." The suspicious glare she received upon making the suggestion prompted her to continue. "He's a good guy, and he already has a girlfriend so you don't need to worry. Besides, I'll be there too."

"It seems like I don't have much of a choice right now, especially if I want out of this cold." She huffed, but otherwise appeared resigned to her fate.

Mika's smile returned, and was even brighter than before. "I can't say I blame you, Rei-sama. The good news is I live right over there. You can walk with me, if you want."

"Fine. But, I hope you don't mind if I call my friends to let them know I'll be a bit late."

With a nod, the brunette pointed the way to go, and the two girls walked away from the bus stop. Their pace was especially swift, as Rei did not want to spend a second longer in the cold. Every step they took was one step closer to warmth and, for her, one step closer to meeting her friends. It was fitting then that the shrine maiden, with her attention captured by her cell phone conversation and her back to the street, failed to notice two things. One was the arrival of her bus, which slowed to a halt just as she rounded the corner, putting it out of sight. The other was the black sedan, one she had paid no attention to earlier, as it crawled away from its parking spot and slowly followed them around the corner.

—|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|—

Usagi heaved a sad sigh, and not even the delicious red velvet cake sitting in front of her could lift her spirits. "I know Rei-chan called to let us know she would be coming late, but that was a while ago now. Where could she possibly be? I want to see her." She pushed the plate away to make room for a pair of folded arms upon which she laid her head.

"Don't worry, Usagi-chan." As much as she absolutely loved the dessert, seeing her best friend and princess mired in melancholy killed her appetite. She wrapped an arm around her fellow blonde's shoulder and pulled her into a loose hug. "She'll be here soon. I know it."

"I'm trying to call her, but I'm getting no response," Makoto said, shaking her cell phone as if throttling it would solve her connection issues. "Could you try calling her, Ami-chan?"

"Sure." Instead of pulling out her cell phone, she retrieved her senshi communicator from her purse. "I'll see if I can send her a message with this. It should definitely work if she's anywhere within Tokyo."

The brunette grinned and leaned closer to Ami so that the other girl could hear her furtive whisper. "Or on Earth for that matter, given what you told us about these things. I'm still amazed at what you and Luna came up with."

"Thanks. I'm glad somebody here likes what's inside the thing more than the shell that's encasing it." A grimace replaced the faint smirk she had sported only seconds earlier. "Huh? I don't understand."

Minako turned a worried expression toward Ami. "What's wrong, Ami-chan?"

"It almost seems like Rei-chan's communicator is turned off, but that's practically impossible. Whatever the cause, I can't reach her no matter what I try."

"What if it's broken, like what happened earlier to Usagi-chan?" Makoto asked.

"Maybe, but I specifically designed the case to be even more resilient to damage than before."

The other three girls turned toward Usagi upon hearing her dismal whisper. "I think we should leave now. It's supposed to be Rei-chan's party, but it's so depressing that she's not here." She started to shiver despite the overall warm atmosphere, which only increased their apprehension. "I don't know why, but I feel that there's something very, very wrong. Something's wrong with Rei-chan, and there's nothing I can do to help her."

—|Author's Note|—

Welcome to 2018! Let it be better than 2017!

Thank you so much to everyone who has read and stuck with this story over the very, very long time that I've been at this. I'll try my best to have regular updates as I can, as much as real life wants to get in the way. I should have the next chapter for you guys soon, though. As always, I fully appreciate any and comments.