Mamoru now knows the truth. Will that really change his feelings for
Sosoru?
Usual disclaimer applies.



Chapter 7


Usagi and the other girls were at a restaurant with hot fudge sundaes
infront of them. Rei took a scoop of the ice cream and looked at Usagi. "Do
you think Mamoru was surprised enough," Rei chuckled, "I mean, he looked
like he saw a ghost or something. Man, guys NEVER know what they be
sticking their…" Usagi banged her fists against the table, making the cups
rattle. "ENOUGH! That's enough. I don't feel any better, ok? Nothing is
simple anymore! I don't care who the hell she is or if Mamoru even cares
anymore, he is MINE, not hers. If I was the type of girl I'd strangle the little
vamp myself." Usagi turned around and looked out of the café window. "But
that wouldn't be me," she continued, "I need to talk to her, and I need to
know what's going on." Usagi, feeling a presence around her, looked behind
her and saw Sosoru with her head down.

"So, I'm a vamp, a nobody. I guess it's justified, after all, Mamoru's
future is with you and not me. I just wish things were not going to turn out
like they are going to. I could change it, but it wouldn't be fair…it wouldn't
be fair." Sosoru stopped and choked on her words, "I could change
everything, but I can't at the same time. I would be left with nothing." Usagi
stared with a puzzled look on her face. "What are you talking about, Sosoru-
san? What is it?" Sosoru looked up at Usagi. "The future will not be ensured
because I failed, and now we are doomed." All the girls turned to Sosoru.
"What are you talking about," yelled Makoto, "What have you done?"
Sosoru got up from her booth and stood infront of Usagi and the other's
booth. "Do you mind?" She asked in a quiet, uncharacteristic voice. "Please,
sit down, I am interested in what you have to say," Usagi said, almost
sarcastically.


Minako and Ami slid over to allow room for the new comer, though
reluctantly. She sat down politely and brushed her hair out of her face.
Everyone looked at her in amazement. She was absolutely beautiful, and
everything she did screamed perfection. It reminded Minako of the first time
her and Usagi saw Michiru. Sosoru looked up and saw everyone staring at
her, and she began to blush. "Was this an ambush or something," she said
sheepishly. Usagi smiled and put her hand on the table. "No, of course not.
You know, it's been a long time since we've talked last. I believe you
haven't met my friends. Here is Minako-san, Makoto-san, Rei-san and Ami-
san. Girls, this is Sosoru-san." All the girls mumbled their "Hello's" with
their arms folded. Sosoru just sat there, looking into her lap. "I'm sorry
Usagi-san, but this is very weird, with you being nice to me and all, she
said." Usagi smiled again. "Why would I be mad? All you did was sleep
with my future husband, no cause for harsh feelings," Usagi said coldly. All
the girls were shocked and on the verge of laughing. Sosoru, in a calm cool
voice said, "He wasn't acting like your husband when he was screaming my
name, or when he was promising me a future." Everyone, including Usagi
lost their expression. "Don't act surprised, little girls, she came after me."
Ami quickly tried to lessen the animosity. "Usagi-can, *you* were the one
that invited Sosoru-san over here, I believe you should have been more
courteous." Usagi almost jumped out her seat. "Ami! I did no such…" Ami
glared are her and Usagi rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "Fine, if you
insist."


Sosoru, no longer acting meek, sat up and faced the other girls. "So,
Usagi-san, I am sorry for my babbling earlier, but is there anything you
would like to know?" Usagi leaned toward Sosoru and put her hand under
her chin. "Oh, there's lots I'm just dying to find out," Usagi said smugly.
Sosoru crossed her legs, sat back and folded her arms in her usual, arrogant
manner. "Well, do ask, Usagi-san," she said softly. Usagi's eyes narrowed,
focusing in on her prey. "What do you want here," she shot. Sosoru adjusted
herself in the seat and spoke. "It was my mission to save this world." Usagi,
sick of her arrogance, turned her nose up and played with her sundae. "Was
it your mission to sleep with Mamoru," she asked, almost innocently. Sosoru
looked at the ice cream, then at Usagi, who had just put a spoonful of the
treat in her mouth. "No, that was his own choice," she answered matter-of-
factly. Usagi looked back down and twirled the spoon in her sundae. "So
why didn't you stick to business?" Sosoru leaned forward, startling Usagi.
She stopped playing with her food as Sosoru nearly whispered in her ear.
"It's not like I didn't handle what was mine." Usagi dropped the spoon.
"What are you talking about," she asked angrily. Sosoru sat back and smiled.
"If you were a better Soldier, I wouldn't have had to come all the way from
the 40th century to save you, now would I?"

Usagi nearly fell out her seat. "And what do you mean by that," she
asked. Sosoru rolled her eyes. "In case you didn't remember, when I first
saved your tail. At any rate, I was happy here with Mamoru in the 20th
century, when I was told to come back to the 40th century. Your daughter,
Chibi-Usa, asked for our family's help to save her kingdom. The Earth was
destroyed, and the only way to save it was to go into the past and destroy
these creatures. While I was away, you and Mamoru met and fell in love,
which was the same time I decided to look into the past. When I found out
Mamoru was Chibi-Usa's father, it tore me in two. I had to choose between
my happiness and your world. I chose your world. But when I came back, I
got caught up." Usagi listened with disbelief. "The earth…destroyed?
How?" Sosoru leaned forward and got in Usagi's face, taunting her almost.
"You failed to defeat the Demons completely and they resurfaced in the 40th
century, raising the Underworld and destroying Earth. Chibi-Usa nor
Setsuna could not go back far enough to change the past, her powers were
now limited and weak from the fight with the Underworld. They had to get
someone with higher powers to go back, and many were reluctant," she said.
"Why were they reluctant," asked Ami. "Well, it was found out that
traveling through time can weaken powers greatly, and changing the course
of time has dire consequences. In fact, that is why Setsuna was so weak in
the first battle with the Demons." Usagi put her arm on the table and looked
at Sosoru. "So, why did they go to you, and why did you accept?"
"Well, I am a goddess, and I could get the job done. I knew my powers
would be compromised, but I though it would a worth it."
"A goddess, you've got to be kidding me."
"No way, Chibi-Usa also given the powers of a goddess when she
married, but since the title of goddess was given to her, and not inherited
by birth, she does not have absolute power. But, even absolute power can be
weakened when you tamper with space and time."


Usagi tried not to smile. "My baby's gonna be a goddess," she said quietly,
then continued. "Well, I don't know what else to ask you, except for why did
you try to take Mamoru." Sosoru crossed her legs again and let out a deep
sigh. "You may not what to hear this, but I love him, and to be honest, I have
a place in his heart and he in mine. You can't change how your heart feels,
you know that Usagi." Usagi hated herself for feeling sorry for her. After all
this vixen had did, she still was able to wiggle a little pity from her. "Well,
all that is done now, Sosoru. What we have to figure out now is how to
defeat the monsters and work as a team, because Sailor Soldiers work
together, no matter what. Am I right girls?" All girls nodded in agreement,
and Sosoru just sat there with her arms folded. "I don't know if I will be
comfortable working with you. I have to destroy them, you are unable to,
Usagi. This is my mission, I will work it out. Don't worry about me," Sosoru
got up and bowed before the girls, "I hope I was of some help, good-bye."
As she walked away, the girl wiped the fake smiles of their faces and let out
a huge sigh of relief. "Gods, I though I was arrogant," muttered Minako. Rei
giggled, "You ARE arrogant!" Minako hit Rei and all the girls started
laughing. When the moment passed, they got down to business. "Well, she
has a major superiority complex, but I believe she is right, our powers are no
match for the Demon's, but her powers are phenomenal. We have to find a
way to help her out if her powers get too weak from the time travel," Usagi
explained. "Man, I don't want to help her," Makoto said angrily. "Mako-
chan, if we don't help her, our world will be destroyed. We have no choice
in the matter," Usagi answered. All the girls nodded in agreement. "Well, we
have to go think of a plan, who's footing the bill?" All the girls looked
blankly at Usagi. "It was your turn, Usagi," exclaimed Rei, "Did you forget?
Oh, how do you expect to beat a Demon if you can't pay your bill?" Usagi
stood up, "Stop being so mean, Rei, you're supposed to be my friend!" The
other girls lowered their heads and sighed. "And we thought she was
becoming more mature," Ami said with a sweat drop forming behind her
head.


Sosoru walked down the quite street looking toward the ground. Her
pace was slow, but steady. She hated feeling like the outsider. She hated
always being alone. Why couldn't she be happy? Sosoru stopped at a
crosswalk and looked up. Mamoru was standing at the other side of the
street, staring at her. A flash of uncertainty rushed through her, and she fled
in the opposite direction. "Sosoru! Stop!" Mamoru said, but she continued
up the street. She was a fast runner, but her shoes made her clumsy. Mamoru
ran across oncoming traffic and made haste. In the café, the girls saw Sosoru
running and they stopped arguing. "I wonder why she is running," said Rei.
Suddenly, they saw Mamoru run after her and all the girls stood up. "Ok,
let's go check this out," ordered Usagi. The girls threw money on the table
and ran outside.


Sosoru ran for at least 5 blocks, and she was out of breath. The
sensation was new to her, she has only felt fatigue a few times in her entire
life and this was the most intense she had felt. Suddenly she stopped and
fainted on the sidewalk. "Sosoru," exclaimed Mamoru as he finally caught
up. "Sosoru! Sosoru, what's wrong?" He got down on his knees and held her
head up. "Sosoru! Can you hear me?" He looked at her face and it was pale
and lifeless. He held her face to his heart and began to rock. "Sosoru, I
didn't mean what I said, I love you so much. Come back to me. Sosoru!"
The girls arrived just in time to see the emotional display. Usagi approached
Mamoru and looked him in the eyes. "Usagi, I am sorry. I don't want to hurt
you or Sosoru, but I love you both. I thought it was impossible for me to
love another as much as I love you, but I do. Please, don't hate me. I love
her and she is our only chance." Usagi began to tremble and turn red. Her
eyes began to water and her breathing, uneasy. As a lone tear ran down her
face as she managed to speak to him. "I love this world and I love you. It is
my job to protect this world. As much as I hate her, I cannot deny that she is
a Soldier, and therefore one of us. But, I will not accept betrayal. I honestly
don't know what to say or do. All I know is I cannot make you do anything,
your life is yours to live, so do as you will. Just remember, we have a world
to save…for our daughter in the future." Mamoru lowered his head. Her
words struck him like lightning and as he looked down at Sosoru, he knew
that they were both right. He has to live his life, but him and Sosoru have no
real future together, at least that's what she said. But, he could not deny to
himself that he loved her, and that he had to protect her. "I am sorry," he
said quietly as he picked up Sosoru and carried her away. Eyes burning with
tears, Usagi watched her love run away into the setting sun. She lowered her
head and began to cry. Through her tears, she uttered, "Mamo-chan."