Chapter 6:
"Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten are the best teachers ever." Ron stated at lunch.
Everyone nodded agreement, "What was that look when they got to your name Usagi?" Harry asked.
Usagi blushed lightly and shrugged, "We used to be friends that's all." Usagi could see the questions in Taiki and Yaten's faces but they had been unable to ask Usagi about Ami and Minako in front of the rest of the class.
"Mail." Neville stated as owls came swooping into the Great Hall.
Selene came swooping in to perch on Usagi's shoulder after dropping the parcels for Usagi. On the first parcel Usagi recognized her mother's handwriting and ignoring the other packages she pulled the paper off revealing a silver charm bracelet with another letter that read:
Usagi,
I wanted to write you a short not to let you know how proud I am of you for doing something I have been unable to do for years. The bracelet is to remind you that despite who your father is biologically your true father and I are proud of you and we want you to remember that always.
Love,
Mom
P.S. your friends left me these letters so that I could 'mail' them to you.
Usagi picked up the charm bracelet with a crescent moon charm, a star, a cat, and a shopping bag.
"Usagi that is a beautiful charm bracelet." Lavender and Parvati gushed and Hermione nodded her head in agreement and the boys just rolled their eyes.
"What else did you get?" Hermione asked.
Usagi shrugged and turned her attention to the second and third parcel. The second contained Michiru's delicate handwriting. Usagi had to bite her lips to hold back tears when a necklace containing the silver crystal fell out. She hadn't seen her crystal since after the last battle.
Usagi-Chan
Wherever you are we want you to be able to feel that as a senshi you will always be able to protect yourself if we are not there. Luna and Ami we able to repair the crystal to working order although we all can't help but pray to Kami-Sama that you will not find it necessary to use it while you are away.
Michiru
"Oh my God is that a diamond?" Parvati gasped as everyone stared at the beautiful stone on the delicate necklace.
Usagi shook her head, "It's a very rare crystal and it has been in my family for many, many generations."
"What's the last one?" It was obvious that the girls were curious to see if Usagi was going to get another gorgeous piece of jewelry.
Usagi turned to the last parcel and while she was expected to get a ranting letter from Rei about picking up and leaving without saying good-bye and how it was irresponsible she instead was faced with an envelope with Mamoru's bold handwriting. And Usagi couldn't help the tears from sliding slowly down her cheeks when the engagement ring Mamoru had given to her fell out.
Usako,
I know I gave this to you before I left for America and took it back when I returned because we both decided we were not ready to be engaged, dating was enough. I just wanted you to keep the ring to remember that I love you. And while the last time we talked we had an argument I know that isn't why you left, and by Setsuna's heightened silence I am assuming that she has sent you off on senshi business. Please just keep the ring, wear it, or not, just always remember that no matter where you are always in my heart.
Yours,
Mamo-Chan
"Are you OK Usagi?" Hermione asked concerned.
Lavender seemed to be ignoring the fact that Usagi was crying when she asked, "Is that an engagement ring?"
Usagi wiped her eyes and smiled brightly at Hermione and nodded, "Yeah I'm fine." Usagi turned her attention to Lavender and Parvati's curious stares and slipped the ring onto her right ring finger, "Sort of. My boyfriend proposed, kind of, about a year ago but we decided that for right now we are better just dating."
"So did he propose again?" Parvati asked.
Usagi shook her head, "Not exactly. You see Mamo-Chan is a muggle so naturally I couldn't tell him where I was going when I came here. So he sent the letter by way of my mother, he's being really great about it though. He just wants me to keep the ring so that I will remember him."
"Are you going to wear it?" Hermione asked while Lavender and Parvati were barely able to take their eyes off the ring.
Usagi shook her head again, "Not right now. I'm not ready to be engaged there is to much that I have to figure out right now."
Just as everyone was about to return to their own lunches and leave Usagi to her thoughts of her friends, boyfriend and family another owl swooped in dropping a small folded note on the table in front of Usagi.
"Well aren't we popular?" Lavender asked.
Usagi blushed at the comment and opened the note:
Odango,
Meet near the Quidditch field.
Usagi stood up and gathered her things, "If you'll excuse me I have to go. I will see you all in class later."
"Odango glad you could join us." Seiya greeted when Usagi walked towards the three figures on the Quidditch field.
"I'm more glad we can talk to you without our lives being threatened." Yaten stated.
Usagi rolled her eyes and smiled at Yaten as she gave both him and Taiki a hug, "It's good to see you guys."
"I told the Taiki and Yaten about what you told me about the girls." Seiya stated.
"How is- how are all of the girls?" Taiki asked.
"Ami-Chan's fine," Then turning to look at Yaten she added, "So is Minako-Chan."
Yaten glared, "As if I care."
Taiki didn't respond for a few minutes and then shooting a look at Yaten he said, "We should probably get going."
"Bye." Usagi waved as the two walked off.
"Where'd you get the jewelry?" Seiya asked.
Usagi held up her wrist, "My parents." She showed off her right hand, "Mamoru." And a lump filled Usagi's throat when she touched her throat where the crystal lay on a necklace, "The girls. It's my crystal."
"Well that's good right?" Seiya asked confused by the expression of pain written across Usagi's face.
Usagi sat on the grass and pulled her knees to her chest, "I'm not sure. For the last couple of years having the crystal with me has given me sense of comfort. I could always feel the power running through it. I don't feel it now." Seiya remained silent because he knew there was something more Usagi wanted to say. "I'm at a loss here Seiya. I don't know what I'm doing. My brother confuses the hell out of me, I mean I know we aren't as close as some twins but still. Plus ever since I got here I have not felt the power of being a senshi and it's been such a constant part of my life I feel so powerless. Not to mention the senshi themselves, I haven't spoken to anyone of them in over a month. We got in a fight a month ago and they weren't supposed to know where I was going and the fight was planned. Or at least that's what I understand from Setsuna. I don't know what to do anymore ever since the battle with Galaxia I swore to myself that I wasn't going to ever feel as powerless as I did during that battle but since I got here that's all I've been feeling. I know something bad is going to happen and it scares the hell out of me that I won't be able to call on the power that's been a constant in my life for almost four years now. They say time heals all wounds but the battle with Galaxia has left me without any desire to fight whatever it is I am supposed to fight when it happens."
Seiya pulled Usagi into a hug, she didn't cry but he could feel her shivering through her robes. The two sat like that for awhile until they heard Hermione call Usagi's name from the top of the hill.
"We should go." Usagi said standing up and straightening out her robes, "Or we are both going to be late for our classes. Thank you Seiya, for listening, I needed to get that out."
"Anytime Odango you know I'm always here for you." Seiya responded.
"Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten are the best teachers ever." Ron stated at lunch.
Everyone nodded agreement, "What was that look when they got to your name Usagi?" Harry asked.
Usagi blushed lightly and shrugged, "We used to be friends that's all." Usagi could see the questions in Taiki and Yaten's faces but they had been unable to ask Usagi about Ami and Minako in front of the rest of the class.
"Mail." Neville stated as owls came swooping into the Great Hall.
Selene came swooping in to perch on Usagi's shoulder after dropping the parcels for Usagi. On the first parcel Usagi recognized her mother's handwriting and ignoring the other packages she pulled the paper off revealing a silver charm bracelet with another letter that read:
Usagi,
I wanted to write you a short not to let you know how proud I am of you for doing something I have been unable to do for years. The bracelet is to remind you that despite who your father is biologically your true father and I are proud of you and we want you to remember that always.
Love,
Mom
P.S. your friends left me these letters so that I could 'mail' them to you.
Usagi picked up the charm bracelet with a crescent moon charm, a star, a cat, and a shopping bag.
"Usagi that is a beautiful charm bracelet." Lavender and Parvati gushed and Hermione nodded her head in agreement and the boys just rolled their eyes.
"What else did you get?" Hermione asked.
Usagi shrugged and turned her attention to the second and third parcel. The second contained Michiru's delicate handwriting. Usagi had to bite her lips to hold back tears when a necklace containing the silver crystal fell out. She hadn't seen her crystal since after the last battle.
Usagi-Chan
Wherever you are we want you to be able to feel that as a senshi you will always be able to protect yourself if we are not there. Luna and Ami we able to repair the crystal to working order although we all can't help but pray to Kami-Sama that you will not find it necessary to use it while you are away.
Michiru
"Oh my God is that a diamond?" Parvati gasped as everyone stared at the beautiful stone on the delicate necklace.
Usagi shook her head, "It's a very rare crystal and it has been in my family for many, many generations."
"What's the last one?" It was obvious that the girls were curious to see if Usagi was going to get another gorgeous piece of jewelry.
Usagi turned to the last parcel and while she was expected to get a ranting letter from Rei about picking up and leaving without saying good-bye and how it was irresponsible she instead was faced with an envelope with Mamoru's bold handwriting. And Usagi couldn't help the tears from sliding slowly down her cheeks when the engagement ring Mamoru had given to her fell out.
Usako,
I know I gave this to you before I left for America and took it back when I returned because we both decided we were not ready to be engaged, dating was enough. I just wanted you to keep the ring to remember that I love you. And while the last time we talked we had an argument I know that isn't why you left, and by Setsuna's heightened silence I am assuming that she has sent you off on senshi business. Please just keep the ring, wear it, or not, just always remember that no matter where you are always in my heart.
Yours,
Mamo-Chan
"Are you OK Usagi?" Hermione asked concerned.
Lavender seemed to be ignoring the fact that Usagi was crying when she asked, "Is that an engagement ring?"
Usagi wiped her eyes and smiled brightly at Hermione and nodded, "Yeah I'm fine." Usagi turned her attention to Lavender and Parvati's curious stares and slipped the ring onto her right ring finger, "Sort of. My boyfriend proposed, kind of, about a year ago but we decided that for right now we are better just dating."
"So did he propose again?" Parvati asked.
Usagi shook her head, "Not exactly. You see Mamo-Chan is a muggle so naturally I couldn't tell him where I was going when I came here. So he sent the letter by way of my mother, he's being really great about it though. He just wants me to keep the ring so that I will remember him."
"Are you going to wear it?" Hermione asked while Lavender and Parvati were barely able to take their eyes off the ring.
Usagi shook her head again, "Not right now. I'm not ready to be engaged there is to much that I have to figure out right now."
Just as everyone was about to return to their own lunches and leave Usagi to her thoughts of her friends, boyfriend and family another owl swooped in dropping a small folded note on the table in front of Usagi.
"Well aren't we popular?" Lavender asked.
Usagi blushed at the comment and opened the note:
Odango,
Meet near the Quidditch field.
Usagi stood up and gathered her things, "If you'll excuse me I have to go. I will see you all in class later."
"Odango glad you could join us." Seiya greeted when Usagi walked towards the three figures on the Quidditch field.
"I'm more glad we can talk to you without our lives being threatened." Yaten stated.
Usagi rolled her eyes and smiled at Yaten as she gave both him and Taiki a hug, "It's good to see you guys."
"I told the Taiki and Yaten about what you told me about the girls." Seiya stated.
"How is- how are all of the girls?" Taiki asked.
"Ami-Chan's fine," Then turning to look at Yaten she added, "So is Minako-Chan."
Yaten glared, "As if I care."
Taiki didn't respond for a few minutes and then shooting a look at Yaten he said, "We should probably get going."
"Bye." Usagi waved as the two walked off.
"Where'd you get the jewelry?" Seiya asked.
Usagi held up her wrist, "My parents." She showed off her right hand, "Mamoru." And a lump filled Usagi's throat when she touched her throat where the crystal lay on a necklace, "The girls. It's my crystal."
"Well that's good right?" Seiya asked confused by the expression of pain written across Usagi's face.
Usagi sat on the grass and pulled her knees to her chest, "I'm not sure. For the last couple of years having the crystal with me has given me sense of comfort. I could always feel the power running through it. I don't feel it now." Seiya remained silent because he knew there was something more Usagi wanted to say. "I'm at a loss here Seiya. I don't know what I'm doing. My brother confuses the hell out of me, I mean I know we aren't as close as some twins but still. Plus ever since I got here I have not felt the power of being a senshi and it's been such a constant part of my life I feel so powerless. Not to mention the senshi themselves, I haven't spoken to anyone of them in over a month. We got in a fight a month ago and they weren't supposed to know where I was going and the fight was planned. Or at least that's what I understand from Setsuna. I don't know what to do anymore ever since the battle with Galaxia I swore to myself that I wasn't going to ever feel as powerless as I did during that battle but since I got here that's all I've been feeling. I know something bad is going to happen and it scares the hell out of me that I won't be able to call on the power that's been a constant in my life for almost four years now. They say time heals all wounds but the battle with Galaxia has left me without any desire to fight whatever it is I am supposed to fight when it happens."
Seiya pulled Usagi into a hug, she didn't cry but he could feel her shivering through her robes. The two sat like that for awhile until they heard Hermione call Usagi's name from the top of the hill.
"We should go." Usagi said standing up and straightening out her robes, "Or we are both going to be late for our classes. Thank you Seiya, for listening, I needed to get that out."
"Anytime Odango you know I'm always here for you." Seiya responded.