Chapter Four

Setsuna had come back with Usagi in tow.

"Rei," Usagi called upon walking through the door. "What happened? Is everything okay?" she said, and then yelped.

She must have seen the bloody clothing Seiya was still wearing. Rei had been able to give Saori a change of clothes, they were a similar size, but Seiya was too broad for anything she owned.

"It's, ah, it's not mine," Seiya said, trying to reassure her.

She gave a strained smile, probably not quite knowing how to react, but when her eyes landed on Rei and the girl sleeping on the futon beside her, she understood.

"Is she...?"

"She's fine, Usagi. For now," Rei said, and then, "Is Hotaru with you?"

"Oh, ah, yeah. She's outside with the others. We didn't want to crowd you."

"Get her for me, could you?" she said, her expression softening.

"Of course."

She came back with Hotaru not a minute later.

"What did you need?" Hotaru said, standing stoic; prepared for anything.

Rei waved her closer. Once she was kneeling beside her, she lifted Saori's shirt to expose her stomach, where the wound had been.

"I'm not a healer, Hotaru, not in any meaningful sense. Whatever was attacking her, I've banished, but I can't say it hasn't done further damage. Physically, she seems to be fine, but I think it's best we don't take any chances..."

Hotaru, as always, didn't need explicit instructions. Placing her delicate hands over Saori's bared skin, she let her power glow.

Shun, who had been standing off to the side, caught Hyoga's eye at this display. Tentatively, he said, "You have a very interesting aura about you... all of you do."

"We could say the same for you," Hotaru said, her hands tracing over Saori's abdomen. "Especially this one..." She lay a hand down directly on her skin, beneath her ribcage, before moving it higher, towards her heart. She left it there for a moment, before bringing it back down again. She glanced towards Usagi. "Her power reminds me of yours, Usagi. It's strange..."

"Mine?" Usagi pointed towards herself, blinking. "I mean, she does seem familiar, but I couldn't say how."

"Perhaps a question we can ask when she wakes up," Hotaru said, retracting her hands, but pulling Saori's shirt back down before placing them in her lap. Ever courteous. Then, addressing the boys, she said, "She's going to be fine. There is no permanent damage from the attack, at least not to her body... despite the exorcism, she still maintains a strong psychic connection. I'm not sure to what, but it's there. This could happen again."

Shun and Shiryu both looked solemn at the news. Hyoga, a recluse of emotion, simply tipped his head in acknowledgment. Rei almost expected another outburst from Seiya, but it seemed he'd now opted for a more internalized approach, appearing sullen as he slid down the wall to the floor. He sat with his knees to his chest, and gave a quiet, "Thank you," and that was all.

Yes, it had been quite a day.

But it wasn't over yet.

Outside, the others stood in wait. When Rei finally made it outside, Setsuna, Usagi, and Hotaru at her side, questions were not in short supply.

"Setsuna, you've got some explaining to do," Haruka started.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Makoto said, a hand on her hip.

"Who are those people inside?" Minako said, peering through the open screen.

Poor Ami alone was attempting to pacify them. "Please, you shouldn't ask all at once!"

"I sense a powerful presence with them," Michiru said. The others quieted at this. "I don't believe it is a threat, but all the same, it's better we know for sure who and what it is."

"We... don't know much right now, all I know is that they need our help," Usagi said.

"It could be a ploy to lull us in," Haruka said, a hand to her face in thought. "Show up and feign weakness to get us to let our guard down."

"No." Hotaru shook her head. "What I felt was very much real. Her pain..." She frowned. "Something dark has latched onto her, and as much as we might want to wipe our hands of it, it could become a problem for us if left unchecked. Something that malicious does not discriminate."

"Well, I guess it's time we got some history from your new friends," Haruka said, stepping up on the porch.

"Yes," Michiru agreed, following in step. "There's only so much we can piece together on intuition alone."

"Just," Rei said. "Be gentle with them. They're hurting, that's clear enough. Whoever this Saori is, she's someone they love not unlike... not unlike how we love Usagi. They feel it as keenly when she's in pain as we would with our princess."

"What's with that look, Setsuna?" Minako said, suddenly.

Rei had missed it, focused as she was on the others, but she did indeed have an odd expression on her face. Like she was trying to recall something, some tip of the tongue kind of thing.

"Sorry, what?" she said, shaking her head.

"Don't worry about it," Rei said. They shouldn't push.

Whatever deja vu she had, memory was not to be forced.

"Oh."

"My."

"God."

"It's..."

"The guys from the Galaxian Wars tournament!" Minako and Makoto finished in unison. Barely through the door, and already things were going off the rails. But leave it to Mako and Mina to find a way to turn a situation on its head.

Rei looked positively baffled, and she wasn't the only one.

"Oh, ah, you recognize us?" Shiryu said, looking a little uncomfortable for the attention.

"Oh, absolutely," Minako squealed. "I was watching right from the start! I never knew why it was abruptly cancelled, though..."

"You were the dragon, right? Shi- Shiryu?" Makoto said. "I always thought it was just fantasy inspired MMA, don't tell me, it was real?"

It couldn't be that easy. It couldn't be that simple...

"Ah... in a manner of speaking."

In plain sight, all along? How hadn't she noticed?

"Damn. Would love to know that story," Makoto said.

It was almost beyond belief.

"That's a bit risky, isn't it? Being so open about your power," Haruka cut in. Her face the look of skepticism.

"Which is kind of why we'd rather it swept under the rug," Shiryu said, scratching at his neck nervously. "In hindsight, it was a bit ill-conceived, but as they say..."

She couldn't believe it.

"Got to wonder, though, was that whole bit true about the ancient armour and Athena? Wait, is she...?" Makoto looked at the sleeping girl.

To think, a goddess in their presence. Stranger things had happened, but still...

Shiryu didn't respond, looking helplessly to his friends for assistance. That pretty much confirmed it.

Rei was absolutely dumbfounded...

"God, are all of you psychic?" Seiya muttered.

Oddly, Michiru laughed.

Haruka turned to her, a soft, if quizzical smile on her face. "What's so funny, you?"

"Nothing, nothing," Michiru said, waving her away. "I just think it's all kind of bizarre, in a way. Very human."

"As if we didn't make our share of mistakes when starting out," Setsuna said.

"And that's exactly why."

"Still," Haruka said, sobering. She stole a glance at Saori's sleeping form. "If I'm to believe that this girl's Athena, what does that mean for us?"

"What do you mean, Haruka?" Minako asked.

"Think about it, Mina," she said, quieter. "You know your history. Setsuna's. Hell, the princess. So far we've managed to keep pretty clear of divine politics. If we get further involved, that will change."

"I think it's kind of inevitable, though..." Minako said, a sad smile on her face. "It's part of who we are, even if we're not sure how. At least if it happens now, we might have some control over it."

"Control over what?" Seiya said, not two feet away now.

They stood silent at the unexpected interruption.

"Why so hush, hush, all of the sudden?" Seiya asked. Their failure to answer did not sit well. "You know, we're right here, and I don't know who raised you, but as far as I'm concerned, talking about people when they're right in front of you is rude as hell. If you've got a question, just ask it!"

"Seiya..." Shun warned. "Now is not the time to pick fights."

Seiya exhaled through his teeth. "God, maybe not, Shun, but we're at their fricken' mercy. What more do they want?"

"Look at it from their perspective. We're strangers. None of what you said changes that fact. They're right to have their reservations, but they've been kind to us, so I think the least we can do is give them some respect."

"Reservat- Talk about reservations! How do we know we can trust them?" –

"Because they've helped us so far, you numbskull." Hyoga smacked Seiya across the back of the head. "Now cool it before our 'gracious host' decides to throw you out. She's already heard enough of your crap."

"Tch." Seiya grit his teeth.

Approaching him slowly, Usagi said, "I think it's fair to feel that way," softly, gently, so as not to further stir him up. "We can't possibly come to trust each other if we don't know each other, and we can only do that if we're being honest. So," She brought a hand to the brooch on her chest, "I won't hide anything."

Seiya eyed her carefully, everyone did.

"Bun-head..." Haruka said, voice of caution.

"It's okay, Haruka." Usagi smiled. "It's strange, but part of me already trusts them. I don't know what it is, but I do. And I'd like for them to trust us, too. If this is the only way..."

Haruka gave her a slow nod, still wary, but not contesting her decision.

Whatever else, she trusted her.

So, it was, with but a few words, in a show of feathers and silver light, that Usagi, the girl, transformed.