Chapter 10: Flora and Mokoto Bond
Mokoto woke up and looked at the nearby clock. "11:30! Wow! Good thing it's a Saturday!" She got dressed and opened the door. As soon as she did so, she is hit with a wave of aromatic smells. Flora lived with her grandparents above their restaurant, "Fiori."
"I take it you had a good nights sleep," Flora said. "I didn't have the heart to wake you."
"That's good cause I'm so used to living alone, I'm not sure how I would've taken it! What are you making?"
"It's Fiori's world class tomato sauce! Sit down and I'll give ya some with spaghetti." Makoto sat at the table set up in the kitchen. "So you live by yourself? Wow! It must get pretty lonely. They would never let you do that here. There are strict laws against that."
"I've never had problems really. I was fortunate enough to get a nice sum of money from my parent's funds to afford my own place. It does get lonely sometimes but usually Usagi is there to eat treats." She smiled at the thought.
"Usagi must be a really good friend."
"The best. She was the first person to befriend me when I transferred. Everyone stayed away from me because they thought I was dangerous. Usagi came up to me anyway because she was hungry and I always make enough lunch for two or even three people. Usagi has a good heart. The purest you will ever see. She may be a ditz or a crybaby, but she's the best friend anyone can have. She can be anyone's friend. She sees the good in you even when you don't. I have died…" Flora dropped the spoon in her hand on the floor. "I mean… would die if it meant to save her." Makoto started to tear. "Oh look I'm crying. I'm sorry. She's just that special to me… to us."
Flora looked at the crying brunette at her table. "Wow!" she thought. "One person can mean that much… To sacrifice her own life for her… Would I give my life for Addy should the need arise?"
"So how did you meet everyone? I mean here I am with this kind of story and you must think I'm an idiot for crying over this one person."
"No… not at all. In fact, it's weird, I haven't even thought about it but I think I would give my life for Addy. Although she is so much different than Usagi."
"Really?"
"Yeah you see, my forte is more gardening than cooking… although I'm good at both…"
*Flashback*
Flora was planting some plants in the park. It was good community service and she didn't mind doing it at all. It has always been her dream to design landscape. Organize which flowers go where, which bushes, where the path goes. "And this area really needed to be repaired." Flora thought. "The last thing the homeless people need is to look at a horrible landscape when they already feel sad."
"I think I need a break. Maybe I can help out with the food." She walked up to where food was being served and to a girl with long jet-black hair and blue eyes. "Um… excuse me?"
"Yes? Can I help you?" the girl responded.
"Hi, I'm Flora. I was looking to take a little break from gardening so I'm wondering if I can be of any help here?"
"Oh sure, Flora! We're always looking for extra hands. I'm Adelaide but you can call me Addy."
"So do you do this often?"
"At least once a week, more often during summer vacation. I love it. Helping others. It's my dream to become a politician so that I could help these people more."
"Really? Wow that's amazing!"
"Yeah, looking at these people, it makes me mad sometimes that there isn't anything more I can do besides offer them food. I need to help them more! I need action to be done."
"I don't have any dreams like that…"
"Oh, but I bet they are just as special and important. If you don't mind my asking, what is your dream."
"Well, you see what I was doing over there?"
"Planting all of the flowers? Yeah… what about it?"
"Well, I believe that flowers and plants bring happiness to people. If flowers surround you, it makes everything so much better. Makes you feel, I dunno, special. As if they bloom only for you. That they are there to make your life better. And so that's what I want to do. I want to be a landscape designer. So that people would hire me to make their lives better."
"You thought my dream was amazing? I think yours is!"
"Really?"
"Definitely!"
A golden cat walked through Flora's feet. "Hello kitty, where did you come from?"
"Oh he's my cat. His name is Marigold."
"Well hello Marigold. And what is this in your mouth?" She pulled a ring out of Marigold's mouth. It had a light green stone on it and a lily engraved in it. "Wow, what a beautiful lily! May I keep this?"
Addy looked at her cat's face giving her his approval before saying, "Yeah sure!"
*End Flashback*
"Wow!" Mokoto said. "I never knew that Addy was so dedicated to the needy!"
"There are many things you don't know about her Mokoto, about us…"
"Same goes here. Things are not always what they seem…"
Flora was careful not to say the rest of the story to Mokoto. But she remembered it quite clearly…
*Flashback*
Flora placed the ring on her left pointer finger. "Wow! Perfect fit! It's almost like it belongs there!" She continued to herself. "This ring must be so valuable, I can't believe she would…" Her thoughts were interrupted by a scream in the distance.
"What was that?" she asked Addy.
"I dunno, but let's check it out." The two girls and the cat ran towards the scream. It was an ugly monster taking energy from a young boy.
"What the…?!"
"ROSE POWER… TRANSFORM!" Addy transformed into Sailor Rose.
"What the-?"
"Flora," Marigold said. "You are destined to fight with Sailor Rose as the fighter Sailor Lily. Look in your heart. You know what to do!"
Flora was surprised that it wasn't the talking cat that shocked her, but the fact that she did know what to do. She nodded her head in affirmation. "LILY POWER… TRANSFORM!" She turned into Sailor Lily. "Flowers of the Earth, please give me the strength to fight this evil monster! LILY STATIC SHOCK!" A huge wave of electricity shot the monster. "Now Sailor Rose!"
"HEALING ROSE TERMINATION!"
The monster was destroyed and the two soldiers transformed back into their normal clothes. "Wow Flora! Welcome to the team!" Addy said to her new friend.
"Glad to be part of the team!"
*End Flashback*
That night…
Flora and Mokoto were ready for bed. That whole day, they've been asking each other questions and really started to bond.
"You know that this ring is special to me, is there anything like that special to you?" Flora asked Mokoto.
Makoto hesitated before reaching for her bag. She took out her transformation stick. "You see this? All my friends, except Usagi have one of these. See, we all have a different ruling planet in our zodiacs and so each of us has a different planet. Mine is Jupiter."
"May I?" Mokoto handed her the stick.
"Why did you guys get sticks, why not something else, like… a pen or a ring," she said holding out her ring.
"Well, we used to have pens, but we all kinda grew out of them. Then we saw these sticks for sale and just randomly picked them up. It's very important to me. Like your ring is to you."
"Now you said Usagi didn't have one… why is that?"
Mokoto now had to be careful with what she says. "Well, that day, Usagi was in detention, as usual, and as we saw these sticks, we noticed there wasn't one for her. Her zodiac planet is the moon. But we did see a broach and we got that for her."
"Is that the broach she wears?"
"Yup," Mokoto knew that all of what she just said was a lie and she felt guilty. Especially since Flora was being so honest to her. And what was she repaying her with? Lies and deceit.
"Wow look how late it is!" Flora said. The clock read 2:30 am. "And the funny thing is that I'm not tired."
"Me neither. But we have a busy day tomorrow. Maybe we should go to bed."
"Yes I agree. Goodnight Mokoto."
"Goodnight Flora."
Flora fell asleep easier than she anticipated and soon began to dream …
Flora found herself in the courtyard of a glorious palace. She felt like she was in heaven with all of the loveliest flowers surrounding her.
"Jasmine…" a male voice said. Flora turned around but saw no one. "Jasmine…Jasmine…"
"Where are you? Who's Jasmine?"
" Jasmine… Go to the fountain…"
Flora followed the instructions of the voice. When she approached the fountain, she noticed a man there with long brown hair. "Hello Jasmine, it has been a long time."
"I'm sorry sir but I think you have mistaken me for someone else. My name is Flora but I would be happy to help you find your Jasmine."
"No I know I have the right girl. Do not be alarmed. I would be surprised if you did remember me. It was meant to be this way in order to keep the painful memories away."
"Painful memories…"
"Look around Jasmi… I mean Flora. You would be more comfortable if I called you that. Look around, Flora. This is only a simulation, but it's just as beautiful. You spent all of your free time here in this courtyard. You used to love all of the flowers and play hide and seek here. You were always so peaceful here. Back then, your name was Jasmine, not Flora."
"I'm a little confused… Who are you?"
"As you are an attendant for Princess Gaia, I was a general for Prince Endymion. My name is Nephrite and I am your brother of the past."
"My brother?"
"Yes… unfortunately, that isn't the end of my story. Before I was brainwashed, the evil Sage Beryl started a cult she called 'The Dark Kingdom.' She managed to brainwash all four generals. She killed you and your comrades either by her own hands or through ours. You recently have encountered new soldiers. I cannot tell you much about them, but I can tell you this… Things are not always what they seem. You are not sure if they are evil or not. The princess has commanded that you assume them enemies until proven innocent. I'm asking the opposite of you. Do not allow any harm to come to the one they call 'princess,' for if she is destroyed, you will regret it. And now, dear sister, I must go. Head my warnings." He pulled her close to hug her. "Oh how I have missed you so Jasmine… I love you so much…"
She didn't mind at all being called Jasmine. "I love you too brother…"
"Goodbye dear Jasmine… and good luck."
Flora slept peacefully for the rest of the night.