Chapter 8: Senshi/Soldier Meetings; Rei and Aiden's Confrontation

Ami walked into the restaurant Usagi had told her.  It was a small place with typical American food: hamburgers, sandwiches, fried chicken, etc.  "It's not the Fruits Parlor Crown…" Ami thought.  "But it will do."

"One?" the woman at the counter asked.

"Um… no.  I think that my friends are expecting me…"

"Oh… right this way."  She led Ami to a table in the corner and her four friends.  Usagi was already munching on a hamburger.  "Your server should be here momentarily."

"I never realized how hard it could be to get out of the house!" Minako said.  "It's so much different when you HAVE TO tell someone where you are going all the time."

"What do you mean?" Usagi asked.  "I've been having an easier time than I would at home.  Addy never asks.  In fact, sometimes she's out the door before I am!"

"How we get here doesn't matter guys!" Rei exclaimed.  "What does matter is those other senshi.  Who are they?"

*          *          *

"Who are they?" Aiden asked in Nixie's bedroom.  "Where did they come from?  How do we know if they are enemies?"

"They seem to be okay…" Isabella began, "I mean, they didn't attack us."

"But they could have!" Addy yelled.  "Maybe they were looking for an excuse to fight us.  Maybe they wanted to see how strong we were before they fought us."

"One thing is for sure," Nixie began, "They were awfully protective of that one soldier.  What did they call her again?"

"I think they called her 'Princess.' "  Lily said.  "Hmmm…. Addy, you are our princess.  Maybe it's the same with them."

"Two princesses of Earth?" Nixie said.  "Marigold, was there another princess of Earth?  I don't recall that from our memories."

"To tell you the truth Nixie… I can't remember.  I remember that Princess Gaia had a sibling but I can tell you right now that it isn't that soldier.  Your sibling was said to look like you.  So I believe that as you have reincarnated like your formal self, so would your sibling."

"So until then, we must think of them as enemies," Addy said.

"And if we want to threaten them we attack their 'princess,' " Aiden said.  "But what about our houseguests!  Rei is always chanting some weird Japanese crap!  It's driving me crazy!"

"Well…" Nixie said soothingly, "She is a Shinto priestess.  And you have no religious preference.  She's a long way from her temple and other things she finds sacred.  Just allow her to chant so she has some inner peace."

"Inner peace my ass!" Aiden yelled.  "If you ask me, it's all a bunch of bullshit!"

"I'm kinda with Aiden on this one, Nixie," Addy said.  "Except for the bullshit part anyway.  Although I don't have problems with my roomie, I do sense something strange from her.  And her boyfriend is even weirder!  Every time I see him, I get goose bumps.  Have you guys seen him?"  They all shook their heads.  "No?  Well he is more beautiful than Sebastian O'Brien and twice as smart!"  The soldiers didn't notice the sad look in Nixie's eyes at the mention of Sebastian's name.  "I don't see how a perfect guy like him has Usagi as a girl!  You think he would have left her a long time ago!"

"You can't help who you love Addy," Nixie thought to herself.  "No matter how much your head tells you it's wrong, your heart will never listen." 

She continued out loud, "So we're decided?  We keep watch of our house guests, make sure they don't do anything funny and assume those other soldiers are our enemies, and if we feel threatened by them at all… we attack their princess."

They all nodded their heads in agreement.

*          *          *

"So we're decided?" Ami asked the group.  "We keep watch of our hosts, make sure they don't do anything funny and assume those other senshi are our enemies."

Everyone except Usagi nodded in agreement.

"What's wrong Usagi?" Rei asked.  "These guys could be dangerous!"

"No!  I don't think so!  They didn't attack us.  Any other enemy we've faced has without question.  They said that WE were destroying their city.  But we weren't.  Don't you think it's all just a misunderstanding?"

"It may be Usagi," Makoto said.  "But we can't take that chance.  Especially since they could hurt you."

"But don't you understand… they won't hurt me!  They couldn't!" 

"Do you know that Usagi?" Minako asked.  Usagi remained silent.  "Your safety is the most important.  We need you to get married to Mamoru and rule over Crystal Tokyo.  We can't trust anyone without knowing that you're completely safe."

"But…"

"No buts Usagi!" Rei yelled.  "If we find that we can trust them, then we will.  But for now, it's better to be safe than sorry."

*          *          *

Aiden entered her room.  Rei was sitting in the middle of the floor, meditating, but Aiden didn't notice.  "Hey Rei!  What's up?"  She got no response from Rei.  "What's up?"  Still no response, she began to turn towards Rei.  "Earth to Rei!  Come in Rei!  Listen I hate it when people ignore…" she stopped when she saw Rei meditating on the floor.  "Oh great!  Out of the five of them, I had to get the one who meditates on the floor!"

Rei woke from her trance.  "Would you mind keeping it down Aiden," she said sounding annoyed.  "I'm trying to concentrate."

"Well excuse me!  Your Worshipness!"

"I'm sorry if this offends you, Aiden but unless you know of a nearby Shinto temple with an eternal flame, then it looks like your stuck with me meditating and imagining myself in front of the one back home!"

"Imagine yourself?  How can you just imagine yourself in front of a flame that's half way across the world?"

"I guess it would be hard for a non-believer to understand!"

"Non-believer?!  You're damn right!  I am a non-believer!  How can I believe that your 'god' has all of the answers to every single problem!  I don't!  If there were a god then he wouldn't screw me over half the time!  Where was god when my father died?!  Huh?!  Where was he?!"

"My mother died Aiden!  And you don't see me sulking about 'Where is god!'  I still have my faith!"

"Whatever!"

Rei's eyes flashed with anger.  "How DARE you?  The wisdom and power of the eternal flame is more than you can comprehend!  It has guided me and made me wiser and more powerful!"

"Oh yeah?!  Where is this power?  Where is this 'wisdom' this power you speak of?"

"If I was near the flame I would show you!"

"Just what I thought!"

"What?"

"There is no power!  Otherwise you would be able to show it!"

"No power eh?"  Rei takes out one of her ofuda scrolls.  "You see this?  This is an ofuda scroll or an anti-evil scroll.  With this, I have the ability to freeze those who are evil."

"Yeah right…"

"Fine!  Don't believe me!  All I need to know is that they work!  And I don't have to prove it to you to justify my beliefs!  Believe whatever you want!"  Rei stormed out of the door leaving the ofuda behind.

Aiden picked up the ofuda.  "Anti-evil scrolls?  Yeah, right!"  She lie down on her bed and begins to fall asleep.