The Road Less Travelled
Black Beyond
black_beyond@hotmail.com
PG13
~'~
Hehe, and the REAL action begins...
~'~
"Three of them in critical condition. One of
them in the ICU. Five others have broken bones in more
than one place."
"The other two?" Usagi asked, unable to keep the
expression of delight from her face.
The headmaster glared at her.
"Bruises."
"Darn." Usagi shrugged. "Well? It was self-
defense. I'm sorry they picked a murderer to pick on.
What else do you want?"
"Usagi, when you enrolled in this school you
rpomised you would not start any fights, nor harm any
of the student body in any way."
"I didn't start that fight." Usagi said quietly.
"And those goons tried to gang up on me. Granted, they
didn't tear me up as well as they could have... but
still."
"Usagi, the only reason you are not being
expelled or even suspended is because it was an act of
self-defense. And because Ryco does have a reputation
for starting fights. But he does not have a reputation
for murder."
"Two people, Sensei. Two. And they deserved it.
One carved up my friend with a blade and the other
tried to do the same to me. Excuse me for serving
justice."
The headmaster sighed, and stood up from his
desk. He had seen many cases resembling Usagi's, but
none of them were as calm about it as her. None of them
were as sure they wouldn't be thrown in jail.
"Usagi, you're a good student. You're the best.
You challenge Mizuno Ami, and that's amazing in itself.
And as shameful the fact is to the male portion of this
school, you're also one of the strongest students I've
seen. You're a very gifted girl. Fighting like this
will do nothing but hinder you in the future."
"I have no future, Headmaster."
"That's only true if you believe it to be. You
were adopted by a wonderful, honorable family."
"I had a family."
The headmaster looked at a file on his desk.
"You were living independantly with help from
Ten'oh Haruka and Kaioh Michiru." He said. "That was
your family?"
"Do you think I was born an orphan?" Her silver
eyes burned holes into him. "I had a family, sir. A
mother, a father. I watched them be murdered in the
worst way a person could be: helpless. I had a family,
sir." She smiled sadly. "Ten'oh Haruka, Kaioh Michiru,
Tomoe Hotaru, and Meioh Setsuna are closer than sisters
to me. They were there." She frowned slightly. "They
take care of me."
"Usagi-chan, why don't you accept the Tsukino
family?"
"I do, sir."
"Then why do you still fight? You could be a
great person."
"That is destiny, sir." She answered, in an
emotionless tone. "Everyone knows that. I'll never be
what i want to be."
The headmaster sat back down.
"I expect to see your behavior improve." he said
after a long silence. "If Ryco tries to jump you again,
try to stay out of it. Please. Do not tarnish your
reputation further."
"Hai, Headmaster." Usagi grinned. "But I can't
promsie anything."
He chuckled.
"I didn't expect you to. Now, get to class,
Usagi." She ndded and stood up. She was to the door
when he spoke again.
"Usagi, I do not know how you will take this,
but you have the spirit of a warrior."
She turned half-way, and looked at him, nodding
slightly.
"I have been told that." She said. "Arigato."
He nodded to her as she left.
"I wonder..." He said to himself. Maybe she
really was a soldier...
~~~~~~~`
The class looked up, staring, as a bruised and
cut Usagi entered the room, smirking slightly as she
handed the excuse the secretary had geven her to the
sensei and took her seat beside a red head named Naru.
By now, everyone had heard at least some version
of the story. The most radical was that Usagi had
pulled out a pistol and shot the fifty bodygaurds Ryco
had, and then Ryco and Usagi had engaged in a shoot-
out.
"Er... yes. As I was saying, the pathagorian
theroy is simple. You square root the..." Usagi
promptly zoned out.
She came back to reality when the lunch bell
rang and she was jumped by at least fifteen students,
demanding details.
"Go ask Ryco." She said shortly, pickign up her
lunch bag and walking out of the room. At the moment,
as mentally occupied as she was, she was liable to snap
at them, something she hated doing.
She had just stepped outside when another crowd
contfrotns her. She opened her mouth to yell things
that she would have never have dared to say before her
mother when a loud, angry voice cut through the noise.
"Serenity Usagi Luna!" Haruka shoved her way
through, her grenish eyes blazing in rage as she
grabbed Usagi be the girl's shoulders and pushed her up
against the building. "I'm going to kill you!"
"And Michiru said you liked foreplay."
"This isn't funny! Hospital! H-O-S-P-I-T-A-L!
You put those punks in the hospital! Police! You can't
go to jail right now!"
"Haruka!" Michiru pushed her way after Haruka
and made the taller woman release the princess. "Calm
down, it's not that bad." She said soothingly.
Haruka turned and began to yell at the students,
who ran from her.
"Usagi, I understand why you did this, but now
we've got a situation on our hands. You're being
researched."
At this, Usagi closed her eyes and nodded.
"I had hoped so."
"WHAT?!" Haruka yelled, so loudly a teacher ran
over to see what the two strangers were doing.
"S'okay, they're family." Usagi shooed the
doubtful woman away and then turned to Haruka.
"If they're researching Tsukino Usagi, they
won't bother with Serenity Luna." She said simply. "And
Serenity Luna is about to make her debut."
"What do you mean, Usagi?" Michiru asked,
confused. "You can't switch identities *now*! Not in
the middle of an attack!"
"She doesn't mean that." Hotaru said, coming up
behind them. "She means that... well..." Hotaru
shrugged. "Death be on the breeze and suffering on the
tides. All that shall be shall not be and all that is,
is not."
"Stuff it with the riddles, Hotaru." Haruka
growled.
"It's the easiest way to say it." Usagi replied.
"Chaos is coming."
The senshi duo didn't reply for a moment,
reveling in stunned silence.
Finally:
"I really hope that doesn't mean what I think it
means."
~~~~~~~~~
Makoto approached after the three women left.
Usagi was sitting against a tree, staring at her food,
not touching it.
"Usagi-chan?" She asked, stepping closer. Luna's
warning had been ringing in her ears ever since the
girl's fight with Ryco: She may be the enemy.
"Hey, Mako-chan. Sup?" Usagi said, never taking
her eyes from the bento.
"I-- I wanted to know if you were okay."
"I'm fine, Makoto. I always am." The voice held
no sarcasm. "Are you?"
"A little shaken. How are you so strong?" Makoto
asked suddenly.
"Strong? I'm not strong." She said, self
mockingly. "I'm weak, Makoto. Didn't you know? Weak.
COuldn't save anyone, so I sit ehre, wallowing in self
pity, wondering when the next day decides it will not
come for me."
"Usagi, I hate to bring this to your
attention... but you just kicked the asses of several
big, tall, buff college guys." Makoto said carefully,
chossing to ignore the dark tones. "Those said guys are
not going to be walking for a while. Tell me where you
get this notion of weak?"
Usagi couldn't help but smile.
"Nowhere, Mako. Where's Minako and Ami?"
"Right here." The two popped out from behind the
tree where they had been eavesdropping. Well, rather,
*Minako* had been eavesdropping while *Ami* whispered
about how wrong eavesdropping was.
Close enough.
Usagi stood up, ignoring thebento on the ground.
"Where's your neko, Minako?" Usagi asked.
Minako shrugged. "With that cat, he could be
anywhere from the North Pole to America. He's been a
little... unnerved... spastic... lately. Why?"
She didn't miss the eeiry smirk.
"Oh, nothing." Usagi said coyly.
They were silent as she looked over each of
them, almost inspecting them,. in an eeiry way. "That
Rei... the miko? She's one of your best friendss, ne?
The dark hair and violet eyes? Pryo?"
"Yup."
"Then everything's cool." Usagi said. "Perfect."
The bell rang then.
Instead of going back to class, Usagi walked
voer to the tall fence that surrounded the school,
jumped over it, and left.
"That's it." Minako's voice was serious. "She's
not human."
"What was your first clue?" Ami asked. "I got
some reading when she was fighting. She's full of
energy, some of it positive, some of it negative. It's
the negative that worries me. And... if she had been
any other person, the two powers would be fighting, but
they're perfectly harmonic in her. It's like she's
supposed to be a paradox."
"So is she our enemy?" Makoto gasped.
"I don't know." Ami said, talking quietly as
they headed for class. "She might very well be."
"So do we act normal?"
"We act normal."
"Easy for you to say." Minako mumbled. "She
invited me for a sleepover. Ikuko, her adoptive mother,
wants to meet her friend."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Minako wondered how she'd ever gotten into this.
First of all, Usagi hadn't told the complete
truth. Yes, Minako met Ikuko.
But they were stayuing the night at Haruka and
Michiru's mansion.
Not that Minako really minded. The place was
huge, someone really knew how to cook, and Haruka was
great at telling spooky stories. Setsuna had a great
time showing off some of the clothes she had designed,
and Minako had a great time trying them on. Hotaru's
lamp collection was kind of spooky but cool, and Usagi
had fun giving her a tour of the house.
"Ikuko doesn't really like me spending the night
here." Usagi said, showing Minako her room, decroated
in silver and blue. "She allows it because she knows
they're the only thing I can really call family. She
knows they understand what I've been through."
"Where are your family, Usagi? Are they..."
Minako trailed off.
Usagi paused.
"Yes." She said finally. "Mother died... when I
was young. Father left... he died too. I never had any
siblings. Setsuna came to me when I was really little.
I was independent, though. I was mre of less on my own
until the social people came. I got away from them, and
I was found again. It was hectic, but I liked it. And
of course, no one hardly ever bothered me. I'm
different, and people fear that."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. If I could do it over again, I'd do
it more of less the same way. If I could do it *all*
over again..." She sighed. "None of us would be here
right now. Not even you, Minako."
Minako didn't ask what she meant.
"And they are your family now?"
"For longer than you can remember, Minako."
Usagi smiled wryly. "Anyway, off the serious stuff.
You're here to have fun. Michiru plays a mean violin,
if you'd like to hear. But you're not allowed to look
at the Special Gallery of her paintings."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Because one minute in there and you're
depressed." Usagi grinned. "Michi can be a very
depressing person."
"Visions?" Minako asked suddenly. "Rei has them
too. She told us you did."
"Did you know only senshi have them?"
Minako froze. She swore even her heart stopped
beating for a few a seconds. Usagi was looking at her
with amusement.
"And I thought you were one of the tougher
inners." She said, smiling. "Guess I was wrong. But you
see, with you four guessing about me, I couldn't very
well let you believe I was truly your enemy."
"So... are you a senshi?"
"I have visions, don't I?"
"Which one?"
"Oh, come now." Usagi was stil grinning. "Let us
deduct this. Sailor Pluto: long green hair and garnet
eyes."
"Setsuna..."
"Bingo! Sailor Uranus: tall, blonde, manish."
"Haruka! And that means Michiru's Neptune, and
Hotaru's Saturn. Making you...."
"The Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, at your
service."
"Holy..." Minako was quite simply, stunned.
"You're the princess..."
"DOn't call me that." Usagi said coldly.
"Listen, no matter how weird it sounds, the inner
senshi and the outer senshi cannot work toegther right
now. Later, it will be a necessity. Not now." She
grabbed Minako's wrist and forced Minako to look her in
the eye. "You must understand, Sailor Venus. This is
not a battle that the inner senshi can fight easily."
"Why the hell not?" Minako snapped.
Usagi sighed.
"Minako, I know you're the more seasoned of the
senshi. You were Sailor V. I *saw* what you did to
those guys that wouldn't give up so easily. You had to
kill them. You had to watch as their blood flowed over
your boots, and you had to remained strong.
"Tell me, in all honesty, do you think Sailor
Mercury can handle that? Do you think Mars can take
that? Do you think Jupiter could take her enemy's neck
and snap it like a--"
"Alright!" Minako exclaimed. "I see what you
mean. No, they couldn't. I know my team, Moon. You know
your's. They're about as compatable as water and oil."
"Actually, if you want the truth, water and oil
looks like water and mud compared to the inners and
outers. We're here for the dirty work, Minako. Maybe it
wasn't intended to be that way, but that's how it
turned out."
"I understand."
And for the most fleeting of seconds, there was
not a doubt in Usagi's mind that Minako *did*
understand.
"Come on." She said cheerfully. "You must meet
Athena-- the real Athena. She's in the cheery
galleries. Oh, you'll love her. She's absolutely
gorgeous in her panther form..."
"Panther?"
"Oh, yeah! She's originally a human, like Luna
and Artemis, but she changed into a panther. And she
must have a smaller, pocket-version form for
travelling."
"You think Artemis can turn into a panther?"
Minako asked wistfully. "Talk about back up..."
"I think Artemis is a Lynx, but I'm not sure.
And Luna's a lioness. But they don't use those forms,
or they can't. One or the other."
"Why wouldn't they?"
"Too noticable. And Athena says it can get
exhausting." Usagi shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I hate
using the shapeshifter spells. Too confusing. And not
to mention if you get a word wrong you end up aqs a
toad."
"How would you know?"
"I was croaking 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' until
Athena stopped laughing and told me the counter-spell."
Usagi shuddered. "One of the worst things that's
happened to me. It is *not* pleasant to be a toad."
"Really? I wouldn't know." Minako said, blinking
innocently. "So, what was the counter-spell?"
Usagi flushed and mumbled something.
"What? I didn't hear you."
"Athena had to change me to a human and for it
to be permenant I had to get someone to kiss me."
"WHAT?!"
"Dirty old magi think up the worst thing." Usagi
nodded.
"So... who'd ya kiss?"
Usagi blushed even more and the infamous mumble
returned.
"Who?" Minako asked impatiently.
"Haruka."
"NO WAY!"
"Yes way."
"Why Haruka?"
"She was the first person I saw. Michiru wasn't
too happy, especially when Haruka said I was a good
kisser." Usagi blushed even harder, so that she
resemebled a tomato. "Actually, Haruka's a really good
kisser."
Minako giggled.
"So you're not the perfect warrior like Rei
rants about. That's a relief."
"Perfect? Not even close." Usagi grinned.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"No."
"We should..."
"Yeah, who knows what could happen?"
"It's wrong."
"Aw, com'on! Ikuko won't mind if we drop by for
a spur of the moment chat!"
"It's not far away.
Ami glared at both of them.
Makoto smiled innocently.
Rei's brow was furrowed in concentration.
"I think we should." She annouced finally.
"Minako might be in danger. If it looks like they're
having fun, we jsut march off and be happy. If she's
acting weird, we transform right there and kick ass."
"I like!" Makoto exclaimed.
They both ignored Ami's protests as they dragged
her the few blocks to the Tsukino's house.
"Hello, Ikuko-san. We just wanted to talk to
Minako-chan for a couple of seconds... would that be
possible?"
Ikuko frowned.
"No, I'm sorry. Minako and Usagi left to spend
the night at Haruka's house."
"Oh, oka-- what?!" Makoto shrieked.
"Oh, yeah. Usagi wanted to let Minako meet the
rest of her family." They didn't miss the slight sour
note. "But I understand. If you want to talk to Minako,
you'll have to go there. And tell Usagi that her new
grandparents are visiting tomorrow, that she needs to
come home a bit early to clean her room, please." She
gave them the address, in one of the better districts
of Tokyo.
It was now Ami that led their march, walking at
a speed Makoto found hard to keep pace with. Through
the districts of Tokyo, the gentle girl literally
shoved people out of her way. No man, woman, or child
was safe from her.
"Hold up Ami!" Rei panted, running up and
jerking the blue-haired genius to a stop. "We just
can't go waltzing in for battle! We need a plan, so we
need you!"
Ami blinked. Plan? What the heck was a--
"Oh yeah! Okay, here's the plan..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arigato! I love you guys! You're actually *sniffles*
REVIEWING my ficcy! IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou!
Black Beyond
black_beyond@hotmail.com
PG13
~'~
Hehe, and the REAL action begins...
~'~
"Three of them in critical condition. One of
them in the ICU. Five others have broken bones in more
than one place."
"The other two?" Usagi asked, unable to keep the
expression of delight from her face.
The headmaster glared at her.
"Bruises."
"Darn." Usagi shrugged. "Well? It was self-
defense. I'm sorry they picked a murderer to pick on.
What else do you want?"
"Usagi, when you enrolled in this school you
rpomised you would not start any fights, nor harm any
of the student body in any way."
"I didn't start that fight." Usagi said quietly.
"And those goons tried to gang up on me. Granted, they
didn't tear me up as well as they could have... but
still."
"Usagi, the only reason you are not being
expelled or even suspended is because it was an act of
self-defense. And because Ryco does have a reputation
for starting fights. But he does not have a reputation
for murder."
"Two people, Sensei. Two. And they deserved it.
One carved up my friend with a blade and the other
tried to do the same to me. Excuse me for serving
justice."
The headmaster sighed, and stood up from his
desk. He had seen many cases resembling Usagi's, but
none of them were as calm about it as her. None of them
were as sure they wouldn't be thrown in jail.
"Usagi, you're a good student. You're the best.
You challenge Mizuno Ami, and that's amazing in itself.
And as shameful the fact is to the male portion of this
school, you're also one of the strongest students I've
seen. You're a very gifted girl. Fighting like this
will do nothing but hinder you in the future."
"I have no future, Headmaster."
"That's only true if you believe it to be. You
were adopted by a wonderful, honorable family."
"I had a family."
The headmaster looked at a file on his desk.
"You were living independantly with help from
Ten'oh Haruka and Kaioh Michiru." He said. "That was
your family?"
"Do you think I was born an orphan?" Her silver
eyes burned holes into him. "I had a family, sir. A
mother, a father. I watched them be murdered in the
worst way a person could be: helpless. I had a family,
sir." She smiled sadly. "Ten'oh Haruka, Kaioh Michiru,
Tomoe Hotaru, and Meioh Setsuna are closer than sisters
to me. They were there." She frowned slightly. "They
take care of me."
"Usagi-chan, why don't you accept the Tsukino
family?"
"I do, sir."
"Then why do you still fight? You could be a
great person."
"That is destiny, sir." She answered, in an
emotionless tone. "Everyone knows that. I'll never be
what i want to be."
The headmaster sat back down.
"I expect to see your behavior improve." he said
after a long silence. "If Ryco tries to jump you again,
try to stay out of it. Please. Do not tarnish your
reputation further."
"Hai, Headmaster." Usagi grinned. "But I can't
promsie anything."
He chuckled.
"I didn't expect you to. Now, get to class,
Usagi." She ndded and stood up. She was to the door
when he spoke again.
"Usagi, I do not know how you will take this,
but you have the spirit of a warrior."
She turned half-way, and looked at him, nodding
slightly.
"I have been told that." She said. "Arigato."
He nodded to her as she left.
"I wonder..." He said to himself. Maybe she
really was a soldier...
~~~~~~~`
The class looked up, staring, as a bruised and
cut Usagi entered the room, smirking slightly as she
handed the excuse the secretary had geven her to the
sensei and took her seat beside a red head named Naru.
By now, everyone had heard at least some version
of the story. The most radical was that Usagi had
pulled out a pistol and shot the fifty bodygaurds Ryco
had, and then Ryco and Usagi had engaged in a shoot-
out.
"Er... yes. As I was saying, the pathagorian
theroy is simple. You square root the..." Usagi
promptly zoned out.
She came back to reality when the lunch bell
rang and she was jumped by at least fifteen students,
demanding details.
"Go ask Ryco." She said shortly, pickign up her
lunch bag and walking out of the room. At the moment,
as mentally occupied as she was, she was liable to snap
at them, something she hated doing.
She had just stepped outside when another crowd
contfrotns her. She opened her mouth to yell things
that she would have never have dared to say before her
mother when a loud, angry voice cut through the noise.
"Serenity Usagi Luna!" Haruka shoved her way
through, her grenish eyes blazing in rage as she
grabbed Usagi be the girl's shoulders and pushed her up
against the building. "I'm going to kill you!"
"And Michiru said you liked foreplay."
"This isn't funny! Hospital! H-O-S-P-I-T-A-L!
You put those punks in the hospital! Police! You can't
go to jail right now!"
"Haruka!" Michiru pushed her way after Haruka
and made the taller woman release the princess. "Calm
down, it's not that bad." She said soothingly.
Haruka turned and began to yell at the students,
who ran from her.
"Usagi, I understand why you did this, but now
we've got a situation on our hands. You're being
researched."
At this, Usagi closed her eyes and nodded.
"I had hoped so."
"WHAT?!" Haruka yelled, so loudly a teacher ran
over to see what the two strangers were doing.
"S'okay, they're family." Usagi shooed the
doubtful woman away and then turned to Haruka.
"If they're researching Tsukino Usagi, they
won't bother with Serenity Luna." She said simply. "And
Serenity Luna is about to make her debut."
"What do you mean, Usagi?" Michiru asked,
confused. "You can't switch identities *now*! Not in
the middle of an attack!"
"She doesn't mean that." Hotaru said, coming up
behind them. "She means that... well..." Hotaru
shrugged. "Death be on the breeze and suffering on the
tides. All that shall be shall not be and all that is,
is not."
"Stuff it with the riddles, Hotaru." Haruka
growled.
"It's the easiest way to say it." Usagi replied.
"Chaos is coming."
The senshi duo didn't reply for a moment,
reveling in stunned silence.
Finally:
"I really hope that doesn't mean what I think it
means."
~~~~~~~~~
Makoto approached after the three women left.
Usagi was sitting against a tree, staring at her food,
not touching it.
"Usagi-chan?" She asked, stepping closer. Luna's
warning had been ringing in her ears ever since the
girl's fight with Ryco: She may be the enemy.
"Hey, Mako-chan. Sup?" Usagi said, never taking
her eyes from the bento.
"I-- I wanted to know if you were okay."
"I'm fine, Makoto. I always am." The voice held
no sarcasm. "Are you?"
"A little shaken. How are you so strong?" Makoto
asked suddenly.
"Strong? I'm not strong." She said, self
mockingly. "I'm weak, Makoto. Didn't you know? Weak.
COuldn't save anyone, so I sit ehre, wallowing in self
pity, wondering when the next day decides it will not
come for me."
"Usagi, I hate to bring this to your
attention... but you just kicked the asses of several
big, tall, buff college guys." Makoto said carefully,
chossing to ignore the dark tones. "Those said guys are
not going to be walking for a while. Tell me where you
get this notion of weak?"
Usagi couldn't help but smile.
"Nowhere, Mako. Where's Minako and Ami?"
"Right here." The two popped out from behind the
tree where they had been eavesdropping. Well, rather,
*Minako* had been eavesdropping while *Ami* whispered
about how wrong eavesdropping was.
Close enough.
Usagi stood up, ignoring thebento on the ground.
"Where's your neko, Minako?" Usagi asked.
Minako shrugged. "With that cat, he could be
anywhere from the North Pole to America. He's been a
little... unnerved... spastic... lately. Why?"
She didn't miss the eeiry smirk.
"Oh, nothing." Usagi said coyly.
They were silent as she looked over each of
them, almost inspecting them,. in an eeiry way. "That
Rei... the miko? She's one of your best friendss, ne?
The dark hair and violet eyes? Pryo?"
"Yup."
"Then everything's cool." Usagi said. "Perfect."
The bell rang then.
Instead of going back to class, Usagi walked
voer to the tall fence that surrounded the school,
jumped over it, and left.
"That's it." Minako's voice was serious. "She's
not human."
"What was your first clue?" Ami asked. "I got
some reading when she was fighting. She's full of
energy, some of it positive, some of it negative. It's
the negative that worries me. And... if she had been
any other person, the two powers would be fighting, but
they're perfectly harmonic in her. It's like she's
supposed to be a paradox."
"So is she our enemy?" Makoto gasped.
"I don't know." Ami said, talking quietly as
they headed for class. "She might very well be."
"So do we act normal?"
"We act normal."
"Easy for you to say." Minako mumbled. "She
invited me for a sleepover. Ikuko, her adoptive mother,
wants to meet her friend."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Minako wondered how she'd ever gotten into this.
First of all, Usagi hadn't told the complete
truth. Yes, Minako met Ikuko.
But they were stayuing the night at Haruka and
Michiru's mansion.
Not that Minako really minded. The place was
huge, someone really knew how to cook, and Haruka was
great at telling spooky stories. Setsuna had a great
time showing off some of the clothes she had designed,
and Minako had a great time trying them on. Hotaru's
lamp collection was kind of spooky but cool, and Usagi
had fun giving her a tour of the house.
"Ikuko doesn't really like me spending the night
here." Usagi said, showing Minako her room, decroated
in silver and blue. "She allows it because she knows
they're the only thing I can really call family. She
knows they understand what I've been through."
"Where are your family, Usagi? Are they..."
Minako trailed off.
Usagi paused.
"Yes." She said finally. "Mother died... when I
was young. Father left... he died too. I never had any
siblings. Setsuna came to me when I was really little.
I was independent, though. I was mre of less on my own
until the social people came. I got away from them, and
I was found again. It was hectic, but I liked it. And
of course, no one hardly ever bothered me. I'm
different, and people fear that."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. If I could do it over again, I'd do
it more of less the same way. If I could do it *all*
over again..." She sighed. "None of us would be here
right now. Not even you, Minako."
Minako didn't ask what she meant.
"And they are your family now?"
"For longer than you can remember, Minako."
Usagi smiled wryly. "Anyway, off the serious stuff.
You're here to have fun. Michiru plays a mean violin,
if you'd like to hear. But you're not allowed to look
at the Special Gallery of her paintings."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Because one minute in there and you're
depressed." Usagi grinned. "Michi can be a very
depressing person."
"Visions?" Minako asked suddenly. "Rei has them
too. She told us you did."
"Did you know only senshi have them?"
Minako froze. She swore even her heart stopped
beating for a few a seconds. Usagi was looking at her
with amusement.
"And I thought you were one of the tougher
inners." She said, smiling. "Guess I was wrong. But you
see, with you four guessing about me, I couldn't very
well let you believe I was truly your enemy."
"So... are you a senshi?"
"I have visions, don't I?"
"Which one?"
"Oh, come now." Usagi was stil grinning. "Let us
deduct this. Sailor Pluto: long green hair and garnet
eyes."
"Setsuna..."
"Bingo! Sailor Uranus: tall, blonde, manish."
"Haruka! And that means Michiru's Neptune, and
Hotaru's Saturn. Making you...."
"The Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, at your
service."
"Holy..." Minako was quite simply, stunned.
"You're the princess..."
"DOn't call me that." Usagi said coldly.
"Listen, no matter how weird it sounds, the inner
senshi and the outer senshi cannot work toegther right
now. Later, it will be a necessity. Not now." She
grabbed Minako's wrist and forced Minako to look her in
the eye. "You must understand, Sailor Venus. This is
not a battle that the inner senshi can fight easily."
"Why the hell not?" Minako snapped.
Usagi sighed.
"Minako, I know you're the more seasoned of the
senshi. You were Sailor V. I *saw* what you did to
those guys that wouldn't give up so easily. You had to
kill them. You had to watch as their blood flowed over
your boots, and you had to remained strong.
"Tell me, in all honesty, do you think Sailor
Mercury can handle that? Do you think Mars can take
that? Do you think Jupiter could take her enemy's neck
and snap it like a--"
"Alright!" Minako exclaimed. "I see what you
mean. No, they couldn't. I know my team, Moon. You know
your's. They're about as compatable as water and oil."
"Actually, if you want the truth, water and oil
looks like water and mud compared to the inners and
outers. We're here for the dirty work, Minako. Maybe it
wasn't intended to be that way, but that's how it
turned out."
"I understand."
And for the most fleeting of seconds, there was
not a doubt in Usagi's mind that Minako *did*
understand.
"Come on." She said cheerfully. "You must meet
Athena-- the real Athena. She's in the cheery
galleries. Oh, you'll love her. She's absolutely
gorgeous in her panther form..."
"Panther?"
"Oh, yeah! She's originally a human, like Luna
and Artemis, but she changed into a panther. And she
must have a smaller, pocket-version form for
travelling."
"You think Artemis can turn into a panther?"
Minako asked wistfully. "Talk about back up..."
"I think Artemis is a Lynx, but I'm not sure.
And Luna's a lioness. But they don't use those forms,
or they can't. One or the other."
"Why wouldn't they?"
"Too noticable. And Athena says it can get
exhausting." Usagi shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I hate
using the shapeshifter spells. Too confusing. And not
to mention if you get a word wrong you end up aqs a
toad."
"How would you know?"
"I was croaking 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' until
Athena stopped laughing and told me the counter-spell."
Usagi shuddered. "One of the worst things that's
happened to me. It is *not* pleasant to be a toad."
"Really? I wouldn't know." Minako said, blinking
innocently. "So, what was the counter-spell?"
Usagi flushed and mumbled something.
"What? I didn't hear you."
"Athena had to change me to a human and for it
to be permenant I had to get someone to kiss me."
"WHAT?!"
"Dirty old magi think up the worst thing." Usagi
nodded.
"So... who'd ya kiss?"
Usagi blushed even more and the infamous mumble
returned.
"Who?" Minako asked impatiently.
"Haruka."
"NO WAY!"
"Yes way."
"Why Haruka?"
"She was the first person I saw. Michiru wasn't
too happy, especially when Haruka said I was a good
kisser." Usagi blushed even harder, so that she
resemebled a tomato. "Actually, Haruka's a really good
kisser."
Minako giggled.
"So you're not the perfect warrior like Rei
rants about. That's a relief."
"Perfect? Not even close." Usagi grinned.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"No."
"We should..."
"Yeah, who knows what could happen?"
"It's wrong."
"Aw, com'on! Ikuko won't mind if we drop by for
a spur of the moment chat!"
"It's not far away.
Ami glared at both of them.
Makoto smiled innocently.
Rei's brow was furrowed in concentration.
"I think we should." She annouced finally.
"Minako might be in danger. If it looks like they're
having fun, we jsut march off and be happy. If she's
acting weird, we transform right there and kick ass."
"I like!" Makoto exclaimed.
They both ignored Ami's protests as they dragged
her the few blocks to the Tsukino's house.
"Hello, Ikuko-san. We just wanted to talk to
Minako-chan for a couple of seconds... would that be
possible?"
Ikuko frowned.
"No, I'm sorry. Minako and Usagi left to spend
the night at Haruka's house."
"Oh, oka-- what?!" Makoto shrieked.
"Oh, yeah. Usagi wanted to let Minako meet the
rest of her family." They didn't miss the slight sour
note. "But I understand. If you want to talk to Minako,
you'll have to go there. And tell Usagi that her new
grandparents are visiting tomorrow, that she needs to
come home a bit early to clean her room, please." She
gave them the address, in one of the better districts
of Tokyo.
It was now Ami that led their march, walking at
a speed Makoto found hard to keep pace with. Through
the districts of Tokyo, the gentle girl literally
shoved people out of her way. No man, woman, or child
was safe from her.
"Hold up Ami!" Rei panted, running up and
jerking the blue-haired genius to a stop. "We just
can't go waltzing in for battle! We need a plan, so we
need you!"
Ami blinked. Plan? What the heck was a--
"Oh yeah! Okay, here's the plan..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arigato! I love you guys! You're actually *sniffles*
REVIEWING my ficcy! IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou!