Chapter 2
The Senshi hadn't had a gathering in as long as any one could remember. The last time they had all been together was probably right around the time they defeated Chaos. They had all gone their separate ways after that, they all seemed to sense that it had been over then, that the world didn't need them any more. It had been a good six years since that battle.
Ami was now studying at Oxford, in England, and hadn't been able to make it back for this meeting on such short notice. Last time the Senshi had heard from her, which had been a few months prior, she was dating (and madly in love with) a fellow student at Oxford, a few years older than her. Usagi was spreading rumors that they were engaged, but, knowing Ami, they'd be dating for quite a while before they married. To quote what Ami once said to Usagi about marriage "A lasting marriage can't be built on a short relationship. The two people must be willing to sacrifice for each other, and the two people need to know each other better than they know themselves and -" She had been cut off by Usagi's snoring, so there the quote ends.
Makoto hadn't gone to college right after high school, because she had met the man of her dreams, supposedly, and wanted to get married right away. Their marriage was short lived, and after a nasty divorce, Makoto had decided to go to culinary school, in hopes of becoming a chef. Being a bride was no longer her top priority, as it had been when she was sixteen. She still lived in Tokyo and managed to keep somewhat in touch with the other Senshi, though they didn't see each other or talk as much as they'd like to.
Rei was now working at the temple full time, and was juggling a few men much older than her. Her grandfather had given up warning his short-tempered granddaughter about having to choose one man, and one man alone. Rei loved working at the temple full time, she just wished that her friends would stop by more often. And, of course she was at this meeting, it was at her temple!
Minako hadn't gone to college, and for a while after high school, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do. Someone mentioned something to her about modeling, and she tried a few small things, just for fun. She was now pursuing a full time modeling career, and was almost never at Tokyo. She was making it big. She was modeling for some of the biggest names in fashion, some stores even paid her to be seen shopping there! She loved being famous, she had always loved being Sailor V and having toys and video games made in her image. The only problem she had with being famous and beautiful is that she couldn't seem to find the right guy, they all wanted her for her looks or money, or both. She had managed to catch a plane back home to Tokyo, she was gladly taking a break from her busy modeling career to be with her best friends. She'd be in later that day, but was not there for the meeting.
Hotaru was attending the same college that Shingo and Usagi both went to. She was going for a degree in medicine. She had changed a lot in six short years. She was now tall, perhaps the tallest of the Senshi, and had long luxurious black hair. She and Shingo went out for a little while, but ended up breaking up because he was, and I quote her, "not mature enough to have a real relationship with...maybe in another few years..." and she was, in Shingo's words, "less exciting than my grandmother" (he later amended this during a fight with his sister, saying "all right, you win. Hotaru is more fun than grandmother, but not much!"). They still went out occasionally, but just as really good friends.
Haruka made it big in racing, as a Formula 1 driver. She raced on tracks all over Europe, and all over the world, for that matter, and was making quite a name for herself. She was currently one of the highest paid athletes on the planet. She'd be into Tokyo later...if it turned out to be a real problem. She had said to Usagi on the phone, "I've got this really huge race tomorrow, I've got to be here for it. You call me if there's a real problem, okay? What's that, Ed? A flat tire? Come on! I paid 600 bucks a pop for those things! Usagi, that was my mechanic, gotta go!" She had hung up the phone before Usagi had said that she thought it was indeed an important matter.
Michiru was a world famous composer and violinist. She got paid well for her playing and for her composing, she kept only a little of the money, most of it she gave to charity. It was one of these charity concerts that brought her to Tokyo, and that's why she managed to be able to be at the meeting. She and Haruka managed to both make it big only because of a huge fight four or five years back, where they split up and walked out on each other, and went their separate ways. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other since, and Michiru agreed to come to the meeting on one condition. "SHE better not be there!"
Neo Queen Serenity, of Crystal Tokyo of the far future, had sent relief for Sailor Pluto at the Gates of Time. It was in fact Setsuna's future (farther future than Crystal Tokyo even) granddaughter who guarded the gates. Setsuna, after learning that she would no longer have to guard the gates, tried to convince her granddaughter that it was a terrible and lonely job, and that there was no way she could really want it. But, the stubborn twelve year old stuck with it, and finally Setsuna gave in, but not before telling her granddaughter "Another hundred years and all you'll want is boys, you'll forget all about this gate!" with a soft smile. Setsuna was now a scientist, who devoted most of her time to the study of outer space; stars, planets, black holes, comets, etc. She worked in Tokyo, so it was easy for her to make it to the meeting.
Usagi was still going through college, so she was still in Tokyo and of course she was at the meeting, it was her idea in the first place! Usagi had matured a lot as she went through college. She was less like the crybaby Sailor Moon, and more like the elegant Neo Queen Serenity she would one day become. Mamoru was just finishing up medical school, and would be out in a couple of months. He was also a little more grown up, though he had always been more serious than his counter part Usagi, who he loved dearly, and who loved him back with a passion.
One by one they arrived...Usagi and Mamoru were the first ones. Usagi and Rei hugged tightly, they hadn't seen each other in months.
"Its been so long!" said Usagi.
"Too long, odango brain!" said Rei with a grin.
Next came Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru. Michiru was staying with them while she was in town.
"Hi every one!" said Usagi. There was lots of hugging and crying and laughing, but there was more to come.
Last was Makoto. She had apparently just come from class, she still had on her chef's hat and apron.
"Oh my gosh! Nearly every one's here!" she said, tears streaming down her face. "It's been nearly forever!" she cried, and she was enveloped by a group hug.
It took nearly an hour for every one to settle down, but no one really cared. It was the first reunion in ages, and by that time tomorrow Minako would be here, and a few days after that Ami. And Haruka...if she decided to show.
"Why'd you call us all together, Usagi?" asked Hotaru, after a time.
"Yeah," asked Makoto, "You sounded urgent on the phone. I have a feeling this isn't just a reunion."
"Well - " began Usagi. "I guess its not, not really..."
"Then what is it?" asked Rei. "Spit it out already!"
"Well, last night, Mamoru and I saw a strange Senshi," said Usagi.
"Huh?" said Setsuna, taking an interest. "What do you mean, 'strange'?"
"What I mean, is that it wasn't any Senshi I knew...she called herself 'Sailor Eclipse'. She knocked out this couple...but then she ran away crying," said Usagi.
"How old was she?" asked Michiru.
"Younger than us, but not a lot," said Mamoru.
"She was so young," said Usagi, "But - but - I don't know how to describe it. Her face seemed ancient...and so full of sorrow...longing..." A far away look passed over Usagi's eyes as she tried to recall that tragic face.
"Usagi..." said Makoto, shaking Usagi slightly. "Usagi - "
"I'm fine, I'm fine," said Usagi, laughing it off. "Must have been Shingo's turn to cook dinner last night."
"What'd the Senshi look like?" asked Rei.
"She had pale skin, the palest I've ever seen, and she had dark black blue hair and eyes..." said Mamoru.
"She looked like a human eclipse," whispered Usagi.
"Usagi, are you sure you're ok?" asked Makoto.
"Yeah, Usagi, you look a little shook up," said Rei. Usagi smiled.
"Thanks guys, but, really, I'm fine," said Usagi.
"If you say so..."
When they could come up with no further clues to the identity of the strange Senshi, the group decided that all of them should stay in town for the next few weeks, just incase this Senshi turned out to be a formidable enemy. After making that decision, the group decided to go out to eat, and spent nearly an hour arguing over where.
It was just like old times.
The Senshi hadn't had a gathering in as long as any one could remember. The last time they had all been together was probably right around the time they defeated Chaos. They had all gone their separate ways after that, they all seemed to sense that it had been over then, that the world didn't need them any more. It had been a good six years since that battle.
Ami was now studying at Oxford, in England, and hadn't been able to make it back for this meeting on such short notice. Last time the Senshi had heard from her, which had been a few months prior, she was dating (and madly in love with) a fellow student at Oxford, a few years older than her. Usagi was spreading rumors that they were engaged, but, knowing Ami, they'd be dating for quite a while before they married. To quote what Ami once said to Usagi about marriage "A lasting marriage can't be built on a short relationship. The two people must be willing to sacrifice for each other, and the two people need to know each other better than they know themselves and -" She had been cut off by Usagi's snoring, so there the quote ends.
Makoto hadn't gone to college right after high school, because she had met the man of her dreams, supposedly, and wanted to get married right away. Their marriage was short lived, and after a nasty divorce, Makoto had decided to go to culinary school, in hopes of becoming a chef. Being a bride was no longer her top priority, as it had been when she was sixteen. She still lived in Tokyo and managed to keep somewhat in touch with the other Senshi, though they didn't see each other or talk as much as they'd like to.
Rei was now working at the temple full time, and was juggling a few men much older than her. Her grandfather had given up warning his short-tempered granddaughter about having to choose one man, and one man alone. Rei loved working at the temple full time, she just wished that her friends would stop by more often. And, of course she was at this meeting, it was at her temple!
Minako hadn't gone to college, and for a while after high school, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do. Someone mentioned something to her about modeling, and she tried a few small things, just for fun. She was now pursuing a full time modeling career, and was almost never at Tokyo. She was making it big. She was modeling for some of the biggest names in fashion, some stores even paid her to be seen shopping there! She loved being famous, she had always loved being Sailor V and having toys and video games made in her image. The only problem she had with being famous and beautiful is that she couldn't seem to find the right guy, they all wanted her for her looks or money, or both. She had managed to catch a plane back home to Tokyo, she was gladly taking a break from her busy modeling career to be with her best friends. She'd be in later that day, but was not there for the meeting.
Hotaru was attending the same college that Shingo and Usagi both went to. She was going for a degree in medicine. She had changed a lot in six short years. She was now tall, perhaps the tallest of the Senshi, and had long luxurious black hair. She and Shingo went out for a little while, but ended up breaking up because he was, and I quote her, "not mature enough to have a real relationship with...maybe in another few years..." and she was, in Shingo's words, "less exciting than my grandmother" (he later amended this during a fight with his sister, saying "all right, you win. Hotaru is more fun than grandmother, but not much!"). They still went out occasionally, but just as really good friends.
Haruka made it big in racing, as a Formula 1 driver. She raced on tracks all over Europe, and all over the world, for that matter, and was making quite a name for herself. She was currently one of the highest paid athletes on the planet. She'd be into Tokyo later...if it turned out to be a real problem. She had said to Usagi on the phone, "I've got this really huge race tomorrow, I've got to be here for it. You call me if there's a real problem, okay? What's that, Ed? A flat tire? Come on! I paid 600 bucks a pop for those things! Usagi, that was my mechanic, gotta go!" She had hung up the phone before Usagi had said that she thought it was indeed an important matter.
Michiru was a world famous composer and violinist. She got paid well for her playing and for her composing, she kept only a little of the money, most of it she gave to charity. It was one of these charity concerts that brought her to Tokyo, and that's why she managed to be able to be at the meeting. She and Haruka managed to both make it big only because of a huge fight four or five years back, where they split up and walked out on each other, and went their separate ways. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other since, and Michiru agreed to come to the meeting on one condition. "SHE better not be there!"
Neo Queen Serenity, of Crystal Tokyo of the far future, had sent relief for Sailor Pluto at the Gates of Time. It was in fact Setsuna's future (farther future than Crystal Tokyo even) granddaughter who guarded the gates. Setsuna, after learning that she would no longer have to guard the gates, tried to convince her granddaughter that it was a terrible and lonely job, and that there was no way she could really want it. But, the stubborn twelve year old stuck with it, and finally Setsuna gave in, but not before telling her granddaughter "Another hundred years and all you'll want is boys, you'll forget all about this gate!" with a soft smile. Setsuna was now a scientist, who devoted most of her time to the study of outer space; stars, planets, black holes, comets, etc. She worked in Tokyo, so it was easy for her to make it to the meeting.
Usagi was still going through college, so she was still in Tokyo and of course she was at the meeting, it was her idea in the first place! Usagi had matured a lot as she went through college. She was less like the crybaby Sailor Moon, and more like the elegant Neo Queen Serenity she would one day become. Mamoru was just finishing up medical school, and would be out in a couple of months. He was also a little more grown up, though he had always been more serious than his counter part Usagi, who he loved dearly, and who loved him back with a passion.
One by one they arrived...Usagi and Mamoru were the first ones. Usagi and Rei hugged tightly, they hadn't seen each other in months.
"Its been so long!" said Usagi.
"Too long, odango brain!" said Rei with a grin.
Next came Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru. Michiru was staying with them while she was in town.
"Hi every one!" said Usagi. There was lots of hugging and crying and laughing, but there was more to come.
Last was Makoto. She had apparently just come from class, she still had on her chef's hat and apron.
"Oh my gosh! Nearly every one's here!" she said, tears streaming down her face. "It's been nearly forever!" she cried, and she was enveloped by a group hug.
It took nearly an hour for every one to settle down, but no one really cared. It was the first reunion in ages, and by that time tomorrow Minako would be here, and a few days after that Ami. And Haruka...if she decided to show.
"Why'd you call us all together, Usagi?" asked Hotaru, after a time.
"Yeah," asked Makoto, "You sounded urgent on the phone. I have a feeling this isn't just a reunion."
"Well - " began Usagi. "I guess its not, not really..."
"Then what is it?" asked Rei. "Spit it out already!"
"Well, last night, Mamoru and I saw a strange Senshi," said Usagi.
"Huh?" said Setsuna, taking an interest. "What do you mean, 'strange'?"
"What I mean, is that it wasn't any Senshi I knew...she called herself 'Sailor Eclipse'. She knocked out this couple...but then she ran away crying," said Usagi.
"How old was she?" asked Michiru.
"Younger than us, but not a lot," said Mamoru.
"She was so young," said Usagi, "But - but - I don't know how to describe it. Her face seemed ancient...and so full of sorrow...longing..." A far away look passed over Usagi's eyes as she tried to recall that tragic face.
"Usagi..." said Makoto, shaking Usagi slightly. "Usagi - "
"I'm fine, I'm fine," said Usagi, laughing it off. "Must have been Shingo's turn to cook dinner last night."
"What'd the Senshi look like?" asked Rei.
"She had pale skin, the palest I've ever seen, and she had dark black blue hair and eyes..." said Mamoru.
"She looked like a human eclipse," whispered Usagi.
"Usagi, are you sure you're ok?" asked Makoto.
"Yeah, Usagi, you look a little shook up," said Rei. Usagi smiled.
"Thanks guys, but, really, I'm fine," said Usagi.
"If you say so..."
When they could come up with no further clues to the identity of the strange Senshi, the group decided that all of them should stay in town for the next few weeks, just incase this Senshi turned out to be a formidable enemy. After making that decision, the group decided to go out to eat, and spent nearly an hour arguing over where.
It was just like old times.