GoldenRuleChapter1.html
The GoLden Rule


'Do Onto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You'
-The 'Golden Rule'



Chapter1: Sticks and Stones

Turning over the package in her hands, Ami ran her fingers across the happy white and silver paper, which happily declared, 'Happy Birthday!' in a pretty, scripted font, pink streamers parading around the letters. It was with a kind of awkward uncertainty that she walked down the sidewalk. Haruka's calling hadn't been some odd dream. Not that she hadn't had odd, practical dreams before...dreaming of returning books to the video departmet of the library was one thing; senshi calling her was another. She thought.
With a sigh, she turned the corner, looking around the landscaped yard. Trees had blooming leaves on them, evidence of the rains sweeping though the month. Even now the world smelled of a new rain from the morning, a few puddles reflecting testament to the water from above. But as Ami looked up ahead, she saw a familiar, raven haired head striding across the lawn, past newly planted flowerbeds. "Rei-chan!" Ami called, gathering up a handful of cream colored skirt to avoid getting any mud on it as she hurried. The other senshi paused, turning and waving quickly as she waited for Ami to catch up. Like Ami, Rei carried a present, wrapped in blue and gold paper, a fluffy ribbon on one corner, at an awkward angle, since the top of her box was uneven.
"Hi, Ami-chan," Rei greeted, and the two matched strides as they began their way up the long drive. "Any idea what this is about? I got the weirdest call from Haruka-san last night. Is it Hotaru's birthday or something?"
Ami shook her head, a negative gesture. "No...Hotaru's was a couple months ago, if I remember correctly. I tried to call Usagi-chan, to see if she knew, but-"
"She was on the phone with Mamoru all evening," Rei rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a sigh. "I talked to her this morning. She had no idea, either."
"Looks like a surprise party for us then, too," Ami commented as they went up the steps. A swing had been added, and in the faint breeze, it creaked as it moved back and forth on its chains. Rei jabbed the doorbell, and several notes played up and down the scale within the house. Moments passed as they waited, hearing the sounds of movement within.
The door opened part way, and Michiru poked her head around, smiled, then opened it the rest of the way, standing aside as the two new arrivals stepped in at her gesture. "Konichiwa," Michiru greeted them, tucking a stray wave of teal colored hair behind her ear, the rest tied back at the nape of her neck in a white scarf. She sported the clothing of the kitchen, a wide apron across her dress and blouse. "Here," she took their jackets as they shrugged out of them, quickly hanging them in the closet in the entry way.
"Mako-chan is here, at least," Rei noticed, seeing a hat hanging on the hall tree.
"Hai," Michiru confirmed with a mischivious smile. "They're in the library, with Setsuna. Here, I'll-" she was cut off by a yell from the kitchen, Haruka's voice carrying clearly though the house.
"Michiru! Where do you want these things?!"
"Hopeless," Michiru mumbled with fond exasperation. "Utterly hopeless." She called back, "I'm coming, Haruka!" Turning to her new guests, she finished quickly, "Makoto is here, as well as Minako. The library- ah, Ami-chan, you know the way," she made a smooth gesture towards the hallway as she walked past. "Make yourselves comfortable as we wait for the Princess and Prince."
"Michiru-san," Rei asked, "who is this party-"
"Michiru!" Again, from the kitchen. "Is that supposed to smell like that?!"
This time, Michiru frowned, fine lines forming between her brows. "You'll just have to wait for the others," Michiru the frown vanished and she winked conspiratorially, then hurried off to rescue Haruka from cooking. Attempting to cook, at least.
Rei and Ami looked at each other, still at a loss. "Well, Rei-chan, maybe we can try Setsuna-san."
Rei lifted an eyebrow, and Ami shrugged. "We can always try."
"I think that's blood from a stone, Ami-chan."
Ami laughed, and they made their way down the polished wooden floor.

The library was a grand room, with books organized by Setsuna, spines out in military form, ordered, not by title, nor author, but by original publishing date. Only the senshi of time could fully make out the exact order of the volumes, though Hotaru was in the library often enough to find whatever she wished. Minako appeared to be trying though, a few steps back from the wall, neck craned so far she was liable to tip over backwards as she attempted to see the ceiling. She stepped backward, heels entering the checkerboard of light from the high window. Light draperies filtered some of the sun's brightness, and Makoto had elected to position herself within the duller light, aimlessly staring at the sheet music on the grand piano, the seat of which she had perched herself on. Setsuna, the third and final member of the waiting group, was leaning up against the shelves, an open book in hand. She glanced up as the two entered, smiling slightly and nodding her head in acknowledgement.
"Ah! Rei-chan! Ami-chan!" Minako exclaimed as the two were heard. "Over here!" She left her book-gazing and stood by a folding table, where several presents lay out for display. Bright colors shouted birthday wishes as bows flowed over the tops of their gifts. They were small gifts, packaged in an odd assortment of shapes, one lumpy, another square but with a sloping side, one small and square, a rectungular one and a boxy one. Ami and Rei set theirs down to join them, another, smaller rectangle and the lumpy topped one of Rei's.
Rei began almost immediately, turning to the quiet senshi against the bookcase. "Setsuna-san, what's going on?"
Setsuna looked up again, meeting each girl's eyes momentarily, settling on Ami. Then she smiled faintly, said in her usual cryptic way, "You'll have to wait for the others," and continued to read from her book.
"We tried already, Rei-chan," Makoto informed her drolly, eyeing the stoic Setsuna, who was perfectly intent on ignoring them. Still, each got the feeling she was laughing inside, at some cosmic joke the Outers all seemed to understand. "We have to wait for Usagi-chan."
"Perfect," Rei grumbled, not altogether in a bad mood. She was used to the queen of tardiness and her tendencies. Still, Usagi would be getting an earful for being late. "We'll be here forever."
"Not if Chibiusa-chan has anything to say about it," Minako commented wryly. "She's almost as bad as you, Rei-chan. Besides, I'll bet Mamoru-san is coming too. Ne, Setsuna-san?"
The older woman didn't look up, but they noticed her lips curve up into a faint grin.
Minako smiled too, winking. "See? Anytime now."
And on cue, the sound of the chime ran though the house, announcing the arrival of more party-goers. And a few seconds after that, the sounds of their fearless leader were heard echoing down the hallway, exuberant as always.
"Happy Birthday!" Usagi announced cheerily to the waiting room in her entrance. She was on Mamoru's arm, and Chibiusa was shaking her pink haired head as her future mother excitedly looked around. "So, whose birthday is it?" Usagi asked as she looked around for someone who looked like it was their birthday. She was holding another present, in taped and re-taped red wrapping paper, Usagi's finest skills at their best. The blank stares met hers, and her face fell a bit. Instantly, she recovered, beaming. "Come on, Mamo-chan! Let's go see what Michiru-san is doing in the kitchen, then!"
"Wait," Setsuna warned, speaking without being asked for the first time. "You'll see soon enough."
"Oh," Usagi managed, frowning down at her present. "Oh, Mamo-chan! Show me all the books!"
"Usako..." Mamoru began as she dragged him off, exclaiming on the multitude of literature in the room.
"Usagi-chan?" Makoto asked, a little surprised. "Interested in books?" She glanced at Chibiusa, who was setting her own present- a large bag with tissue paper sticking out the top- on the table with the rest of the packages. The younger girl shrugged, looking at Usagi.
"She's been like this all week. Ever since she got out of the hospital. It's 'Mamo-chan, watcha reading,' or, 'Mamo-chan, what's that book about?' or even, 'Mama, show me how to cook that,' Chibiusa looked confused between despair and amusement, not really sure how to react. "She came home from the library the other day with a book on ethics. Usagi-baka. Ethics. Been walking around talking about human nature. It's weird. She almost sounds like she gets it."
The eyes of the other Inners were huge, staring in amazement, first at Chibiusa's words, then at Usagi, who was trying to ask an astounded Setsuna what good books there were on political science. The four girls exchanged a glance, and Rei grudgingly ventured, "Well, it's about time she started studying something."
"It'll be good for her, to know about ethics," Ami agreed. "When she's Queen, she'll have to make many decisions relating to fair judgement."
"Yeah, but it's Usagi-chan," Minako commented, still watching Usagi. She was still holding her present, and was trying to flip though a large book. Still as clumsy as always, she was doing an intricate balancing act between the two, though managing to keep them both from falling. "It's strange."
There were quiet nods.
"I'd still like to know, though," Rei sighed, "whose party are we here for?"
There was a quiet laugh, and then they heard amusedly, "For mine."
Several sets of eyes swung around to see the owner of the soft voice. Only one, though, gasped in surprise. That sound caught Usagi's attention from her juggling, and there was a second sound of breath being whisked away.
Two figures were standing in the doorway, the first Hotaru, a smile on her face as she entered, standing just aside for the young woman following her. Each had approached silently on slippered feet. The second figure peeked forward shyly, still smiling faintly. A long black skirt fell to her ankles, and a purple shirt lay slightly loosely buttoned, the sleeves rolled back to her elbows. Long black hair cascaded to the floor, bound up in loops behind her head, the coils just visible in the doorway's shadow. But her pale violet eyes were bright, and smiling as she entered. "Konichiwa, Kanashimi-chan," then she turned to Usagi, who was open mouthed, "Usagi-sama."
"Kami-chan?" Ami managed, staring as Hotaru took the ghost's hand, leading her into the room. At the name, it took the others a moment to recognize it. Then they too stared, eyes wide and mouths open as well, disbelieving.
"It's nice to see you both again!" Kami beamed, watching Usagi drift forward, Mamoru just beside her. "I'm so glad you could come to this birthday party. Hotaru-chan says it is what you do for those who have birthdays now. Haruka-chan insisted we have one. I hope you don't mind."
"Mind!" Usagi found her voice, and leapt forward, smiling. "Of course we don't mind!"
"Sorry about the last minute invitation," another voice added from the doorway, where Haruka and Michiru now stood, Michiru laden with a large cake.
"We didn't want to give you enough time to figure it all out."
"How?" Ami croaked, still amazed that Kami was there, real, standing right beside her. Not in a dream or in the afterlife.
"Hotaru-chan struck me with her Glaive," Kami explained. "You remember seeing that, ne, Kanashimi-chan?"
"Hai..." Ami trailed, amazed. "But..."
"I remember seeing Usagi-sama wake up. And I kept hearing voices, all around me, though the mirrors in the medicine building-"
"Hospital," Hotaru provided instantly, quietly.
"Hospital," Kami reminded herself firmly, as though trying to plant the word in her mind. Her tones were similiar to theirs, but certain syllables were accented differently, lightly archaic. But she continued, "I got very tired eventually, and I fell asleep. I woke up in Hotaru-chan's room here."
Setting down the tray with the cake, Michiru wiped her hands on her apron, then untied the bow on the back, setting it down with the cake and presents. "We found her when we got home early that morning. She was lying in the front yard, asleep. We have no idea how she got there. Haruka brought her in."
Kami was nodding, smiling at the tale. "I have been here for a week now! And since I was reborn, I am having a re-birthday. I'm honored you could come, minna-sama." Kami gave a small bow, politely welcoming them.
They bowed back, still staring at the living ghost.
"Arigatou, Kami-san," came Mamoru's voice clearly. Eyes turned to him, and Kami tilted her head, puzzled.
"You're welcome..." she paused for a moment, then, as though considering something, "Mamoru-sama. But for what?"
He glanced down at Usagi for a moment, and she blushed. Releasing Usagi, he stepped forward, offering his own present. "For you."
"Ah. Arigatou," she bowed again, looking the small box over. Bright orange and yellow confetti sprayed across the surface of the paper, and she held it up to her ear, catlike, and looked it over. "I thank you for your gift...I will treasure it." She then began to stare at the box, uncertainly. There was a chuckle from Haruka, and Kami then turned the box around, hesitantly. She looked at Hotaru. "I take the paper off it now?"
"We usually wait until after cake," Hotaru informed her, glancing at the pile of presents.
But Usagi broke in, "No, no! Let's open presents first!" She pushed her badly wrapped gift at Kami, who managed to grab it. "Open Mamo-chan's first, then mine!"
"Ah...oh...kay!" She exclaimed awkwardly, looking at Hotaru to make sure she had gotten the idiom right. "Did I say it right this time?"
"Hai," Hotaru laughed, dragging Kami to the couch. "Bring the presents over here!" She called, and the astounded circle of senshi obeyed in a dreamlike trance, bringing their gifts over.
Sitting down on the sofa, Kami neatly arranged her skirt, setting herself down. Hotaru seemed to have taken a posessive wing over Kami, and sat beside her, waiting as the others gathered around, standing. Setting Mamoru's and Usagi's presents in her lap, she picked up the small one first, pulling out the bow and then staring at it a moment as she planned her way of attack. Slowly, she slid a finger under the edge of the paper, pausing at the tape. "This is the thing you keep in the kitchen, Michiru-chan!" She commented as she pointed at the tape. "In the roll!"
Michiru nodded indulgently, then shook her head, smiling. Kami, too, had 'been like this all week', exclaiming over every little invention she had never before seen. Tape, for example, was a mystery of sticky one-sidedness. The paper crackled as she peeled it away and back, revealing a box of thin grey velvet. A brow knit as she pried it open, drawing out a small, delicately rendered circle, thin threads of silver twining their way in spirals though it's center. Two tiny silver feathers hung off the tip of the chain, where the links met the outer ring. "It's lovely," she looked up at Mamoru, and said, tears in her eyes, "Arigatou." Turning the item over in her fingers, she fumbled at the clasp, trying to get it around her neck. It fell neatly around her thin neck, just visible before the buttons closed her blouse.
"It's a dreamcatcher," he told her quietly.
"Dream-catch-er?" repeated carefully, in query, holding the chain up so that she could see the ring, and the webbing within.
"Hai. Far away from here is a land called the 'United States.'" When Kami shrugged and looked bewildered, Mamoru continued, "Long ago, people there believed that the netting would catch bad dreams, and only good ones would come though."
Mamoru smiled faintly, and got elbowed in the ribs by Usagi. "Mamo-chan. Why did you buy such an approriate gift for someone you never met?" It was mock suspicious, her hands on her hips, almost accusingly.
"Because I knew whose party I was coming to."
Usagi blinked. Then, she wheeled on Haruka. "Haruka-san! Why didn't you tell me, too? I could have kept it a secret!"
"Yeah, right," came both Rei and Chibiusa at once.
"It's the truth!"
"What is this?" Kami interjected, neatly avoiding the oncoming arguement. She held up the newly unwrapped present from Usagi, three girls standing heroically on the cover, swords in hand, the title declaing it, 'Magic Knight Rayearth.' "It looks like a book, but," she flipped the pages, shaking her head. "It's all pictures!"
"No, look! Read the bubbles!" Usagi pushed her way forward, pointing at the images on the page. "You read the bubbles, and the pictures tell the story."
"Oh," Kami managed, looking startled. She smoothed the pages down, looking at the drawings, intricately depicting the kidnapping of Princess Emeraude.
"Baka," Chibiusa muttered at Usagi. "What a thing to get someone who saved your life!"
"I didn't know it was Kami! She was dead!"
"That's still a silly thing to get someone for their birthday! Anybody can go buy manga!"
During this, Kami had tilted her head to the side, looking. A smile formed on her face, and she looked at it. "Kirei!" She turned the page slowly, captured in the pictures. "Ah, Usagi-sama, I like it very much!"
"See?" Usagi beamed, happily stepping back for the next person, now that she had gone. Kami turned to the pink haired girl, and offered a hand as she set the manga down beside her. "You must be Chibiusa-chan. Hotaru-chan has told me much about you. May I have your gift next? I would very much like to see it."
Distracted from an argument with Usagi, Chibiusa quickly made her way forward, bag in hand. "I didn't know it was you, so I tried to get something I thought anyone would like. I hope you don't have one already."
"Ah, but that is the advantage of being new to the world. Everything is very new! Didn't you need all new things when you first came here?"
"Hai, but I had Luna-P with me then, too."
Kami hesitated, blinking, then leaned over to Hotaru. "Lu-nah-P?"
"The toy with magic," came Hotaru's whispered reminder, and Kami's face lit up as she remembered the story.
"Ah! Hai, I remember that part now. Arigatou, Hotaru-chan," Kami said as she began to remove the tissue paper from the bag. White sheafs floated to the ground around her feet as she withdrew a fluffy, stuffed white rabbit in a pink dress, a little bow on each of her ears. A smile had been stitched into the animal's lips, and it's glass eyes were blue. "Kawaii!" Kami exclaimed, setting the bag aside and testing out the softness of the fuzzy creature. "So soft. And no, I don't have one yet, Chibiusa-chan. I will keep it on my bed, like Hotaru-chan does with her bear-shaped one."
Glad that her gift was appropriate, Chibiusa beamed, stepping back for another person to crowd in. But Kami was looking around, and caught Ami's eye. "Kanashimi-chan? May I have yours next? I would very much like to see what you brought."
There was jostling as Ami presented hers, and Kami carefully peeled back the layers of wrapping. Underneath the white paper, a book emerged, hardcovered and old fashioned drawings on the cover. Kami concentrated as she read carefull, "Ali-ce's Adventures In Won-der-land, and, Threw-no...Through The Looking Glass." Kami ran a hand over the smooth cover, fingers trailing over the image of Alice, her face reflected in the surface in the mirror, blonde hair choppily falling around her face. Kami laughed as she opened the book, turning the pages. "Who is this Al-ice?" she asked, eyes full of curiousity.
"The book was written by Lewis Caroll." Ami elaborated. "Alice is a young girl, who falls down a rabbit hole, into a land where everyone is 'mad.' She is the only sane person in a land of insanity."
Kami listened carefully to this, head tilted to the side as Ami explained. "A fairy tale indeed. Then I will use this to get used to the...ling-ual shifts..." she looked furtively at Setsuna, to make sure she had said it right. When the older girl nodded, Kami continued, "in the language, since my time. I need to improve my reading skill. Being illiterate...." Kami trailed off, a frown of distaste on her lips. "Arigatou, Kanashimi-chan. I will enjoy reading of the tales though the mirror." She smiled, and Ami bowed slightly as she backed away for Minako's turn.
Ami escaped the crowd around Kami and the couch, retreating to stand in the safer area of Setsuna, who had fitted herself into the graceful dark curve of the grand piano. "I can hardly believe she's here," Ami mumbled softly, partly to herself, partly to the senshi of time.
"It does seem odd," Setsuna replied. And, Ami seeing she was in a more talkative mood, tried to ask:
"Setsuna-san. How?"
Her head shook slightly as she considered a reply. Biting a lip, she folded her arms, glancing down at the shorter senshi of water. "The Saturn power has never been fully understood. Life is cyclic. Time...time is cyclic. As is Death Reborn. It is its nature, not only to destroy, but to begin again. By striking Kami with her Glaive, Saturn set off a chain of unusual events. There are warpings in the future ahead. Small, but distinct." Setsuna's garnet eyes narrowed slightly as she observed Kami, currently asking what 'taffy' was- Makoto's present. Usagi was only too happy to demonstrate, and Kami was offering those still around her a sample of the sweets. "A familiar presence. Dark and light, both. Strange."
"Hm," Ami sighed, folding her hands before her as she looked between Kami and Setsuna. "How is she doing? Adapting?"
A shrug. "Well enough, for what she's been though. We waited awhile to tell you about her coming, to let her adjust and adapt to her new time frame. We didn't want to wait too long though. All in all, I suppose she's doing better than I could have expected. Hotaru rarely leaves her. That's a help. We've gotten her cleaned up a bit- trimmed her hair so she won't trip on it in her new shoes." Setsuna stifled a wry grin, trying not to laugh at the memory of Kami's adamant face- she did not want her hair cut! Still, it was long enough, down to her knees yet, wavy and thick as could be.
"Ah!" Kami was exclaiming again, opening another package. Two large, round candles, one pink, one purple, inside a bit of tissue in a cheap wooden box. At Rei's urging, she held them to her nose, smelling them. One rose-scented, one lavender. "Arigatou, Rei-chan!"
"And," Setsuna continued thoughtfully, "her reactions to new inventions- it's strange. Like seeing myself in reverse, Ami-chan. I've seen too many inventions. She too few. We showed her the television for the first time yesterday. Explaining it. So she wasn't too surprised at the 'people in the box'- she expected it. But unfortunately, the station it was on was playing 'Akira' at the time."
Ami winced. "I take it that didn't go over well?"
With a sigh, Setsuna pushed a lock of green-black hair over her shoulder, out of her face. "We came in at the end, at the stadium. It took us nearly another half hour to convince her that the actors were not actually hurt. She knows what theatre is, but not special effects. Not like that. She was almost hysterical." Her lips grew thin. "Switching times like this is not natural. We must be cautious, playing with the timestream."
"Chibiusa..." Ami began, then halted. About to say, 'Chibiusa-chan didn't cause any shifts in the timestream,' she realized that was a massive mistake. Wicked Lady, Wiseman, the Black Moon. Nemesis. There were many battles before once again the river of time stablilized itself. "Hai. I understand. We must be cautious, looking for any new enemies."
There was laughter from the group before them, and they heard Minako say, "Then we'll have to get your ears pierced! Can't be a senshi without earrings! It's like not having a tiara!"
Kami was laughing, fingers pressed to her mouth as she tried to stifle the smile. "Then I will, Minako-chan. Michiru-chan has many earrings. You'll let me borrow them, ne, Michiru-chan?"
The violinist laughed in return. "But with such ones on your own, why need mine?" Kami turned over a pair of simple silver hoops, small and smooth. Then she looked up at Setsuna, and beckoned.
"Setsuna-san. May I see yours next? I am enjoying this very much!"
"Of course," the eldest senshi replied, picking hers up off the table and approaching. Kami took the flat item, frowned at it, and then peeled away the delicate tissue paper around it. Opened, it revealed a large book, the title declaring it, "A Brief History of the World."
"Arigatou, Setsuna-san," Kami nodded seriously. "This will be a great help. I have missed much in the last nine hundred years. I will need a bookcase soon, for all these volumes. They are so well made," she sighed wistfully, running a hand over the spine of the book, and the binding. "Such fine paper, too. None of it wasted at all. I wasted too much paper with my copying."
"But you can't copy anything without pens, Kami-chan," Michiru told her warmly, handing over a fancily ribboned package. Large flowers bloomed across the paper, the peach bow taking up nearly the entire top. "Here. From one artist to another."
Sliding the expansive bow off the sides, Kami opened the gift to reveal a smooth box, polished to a shine. Black stenciled cranes swooped over cloudy mountains, painted onto the top. Slowly, Kami opened the lid, and within lay a set of five brushes, the handles of bamboo, with white hairs flowing in varied thicknesses out the end. A clay pot of ink sat to their head, a cork stopper keeping it from spilling out. "Michiru-chan! These are so lovely. Arigatou. I will use these often."
"Open Hotaru's next," Haruka urged, managing to get an arm though the crowding Inner Senshi bodies. As Kami began to focus on her new gift, Haruka tapped Mamoru on the shoulder, lipping the words, "Come on," to him, and motioning to the door. Puzzled, but thinking she probably needed his help, Mamoru followed Haruka out the door.
Meanwhile, Kami was unfolding the petals of gold and purple wrapping paper. A flat present, with the top sloping down slightly to the right. Pushing it back and away, Kami drew a sharp breath. "What a perfect painting!"
"It's a picture, Kami-chan," Hotaru reminded her.
People crowded around, eyes peering as Kami's face welled up with tears. "Yes...you told me about the cam-er-ah." She tapped the image of a chibi Hotaru, in Soichi's arms. "This...this is you, though, when you were little, ne, Hotaru-chan?" The little girl was waving at the camera, her mother trying to keep her from moving too much, and spoiling the shot, as her father tried not to drop the squirming child.
Hotaru was beaming as she pointed out the three smiling people in the picture. "That's me, yes. I was four. That's Poppa. And that's Momma. We went on a picnic that day, and took a picture. It's a photo album. See?" She drew a finger over the silver scrolling around the picture. "You can get it engraved, too. You put the pictures in these," she opened the album, and showed her the plastic sleeves. "Slide them in. You can keep all your memories in these."
"A..arigatou...Hotaru-chan." She shut the book, and stared at the cover picture on the front for a moment longer. "It is the best present."
"But not the last!" Came Haruka's grunting voice from the doorway. "Hey, Michiru. Want to give us a hand?"
Both Michiru and Makoto broke away from the cluster of girls, helping Haruka and Mamoru angle a bulky object though the doorway. Finally in the library again, they managed to get the thing set down without pinching too many fingers. They were all on their feet now, and Kami was staring down at the cloth covered lump. "Haruka-chan, what is this?"
Dusting off her hands, Haruka grinned. "You'd better like it. It's mostly from me, but it was Michiru's idea. Sent me all over Tokyo looking for the thing, too."
Kami knelt down, folding back the cloth. One fold back, and she made a squeak of excitement, abandoning politeness to rip away the cloth. "A koto!" She shouted, clapping hands then running them over the board of it. Face alight, she began twisting all around it, looking from all sides. The wood was smooth with age, dark in spots, light in others, where the sun had shone on it for too long. It was lightly decorated, only at the edges with a faint scroll design.
"It's an antique," Michiru informed her. "We had to order strings though. And we'll have to find some picks for your fingers."
"It's perfect!" Kami laughed with delight.
"Welcome to the family," Usagi said with a grin, an arm around Mamoru's waist. Kami looked up and around at the people circling her.
"Arigatou. To all of you. Thank you so very, very much."
"Hey!" Rei exclaimed, counting on her fingers as she thought. "I just realized something." Curious eyes turned to her, waiting for an explanation. "If today is Kami's birthday, this makes Kami a Taurus. None of us are."
"Wouldn't my birthday- or re-birthday- have been last week, though?"
Rei thought about it. "Late April is still Taurus."
"What is 'Taurus'?"
"An astrological sign," Rei explained, palms upward as she considered. "I can tell you about them, if you want."
"I'd like that."
"Ah, Kami-san," Usagi asked, tapping the still-kneeling Kami on the shoulder. "Can we have your cake first? I'm kind of hungry."
"You're always hungry," Chibiusa grumbled, shaking her head. Then she grinned a little as Usagi prepared to argue. "But I am too- this time. Can we eat first?"
"Hai," Kami laughed, coming to her feet.

Haruka grabbed a chair and let Kami sit at the folding table, tucking it under her as she drew closer. "Hotaru-chan," Kami asked. Her younger 'sister' appeared at her side, and Kami continued, "You didn't finished telling me about this part. What do we do now?"
"We sing happy birthday, and you blow out the candles." Hotaru provided, looking at the cake being centered on the table by Michiru. Rei was going for the matches, and Ami was trying to unobstusively make sure the fire senshi didn't act too true to her element, accidentally setting something ablaze. "Oh!" Hotaru exclaimed as an afterthought. "Don't forget to make a wish. But you can't say what it is to anyone, because then it won't come true."
"Hai," Kami agreed, certain to keep her mouth shut. Such important traditions would not be broken by her. Certainly not.
Minako hit the lights, and the room dimmed a bit, the sunshine outside still making the room a misty haze of sunlight and candlelight.
"...seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty," Usagi was counting. "Kami-san, you're twenty?"
"Hai!" Kami agreed. "So I'm an old lady, then."
Setsuna remarked with dry humor, "I resent that."
"Ah! Gomen nasai! You've aged so well, Setsuna-san."
The eldest senshi shook her head, smiling. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Kami-chan."
They began to sing, and Kami looked around her, amazed that they all knew the exact words. "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Kami, Happy Birthday to you!"
I can hardly believe all this. So much has changed in my life, in such short a time. Or long. So long. And yet so little time. Looking between them, they are so different. Ah, Usagi-sama is so out of key! And Chibiusa-chan too. But they sing with all their might, anyway. So I laugh and smile, and try to hum along and learn the words to this birthday-ing ritual. Mamoru-sama has a wonderful voice, very low. Haruka-chan and Michiru-chan offset each other in perfect harmonic. Mako-chan is doing well enough- laughing as she sings. A happy sound. Rei-chan and Minako-chan are also very good. Perfect pitch. I must ask them someday to sing as I play. Ah, Kanashimi-chan. A voice so light. And how similiar Hotaru-chan and Setsuna-san. How similar they sound, though Setsuna older. It is a simple song. Ah, and it holds up well under Usagi's poor pitch.
They are all so close. And how quickly the accept me. 'Welcome to the family,' says Usagi-sama. Family. Ah, I know what my birthday wish shall be!
"Many more birthdays to you!" They belted out in grand finale, and Michiru had miraculously produced a camera out of a pocket. A bright flash lit up the room briefly as Kami took a deep breath, cheeks puffing as she let loose a gust of air across the lit wicks of the tiny candles, deep in white frosting.
Let me never, ever lose any of them. Ever.
And twenty candles winked out.


Her lips tasted of acid.
It was a sour flavor, metallic and bitter. Turning to the sink, she rinsed her mouth out with water, spitting and rinsing the foul taste away. There was still a faint smell, and she looked over at the toilet, and the remains of her very small dinner. She looked away, and put the lid down, flushing it away, far away, out of sight, out of mind, out of body. Rinse and spit again the flavor of partially digested salad going down the drain.
The door had a mirror, full length, on the back of it. Easy to do makeup and dress, to make sure everything was just perfect. Her eye caught the reflection of herself there, and she crumpled the paper cup in hand, pitching it into the wicker wastepaper basket. What she saw in the mirror were her expectations, though perhaps not reality.
"Couple more pounds..." the girl murmured to herself, running a hand over her non-existent flabbiness.
Did you see her? Ha. Can you believe that?
Round, chubby cheeks. So cute when a baby, but now that she was grown, who wanted to be fat? Fat wasn't pretty. Just a couple more pounds. Then she'd be able to wear pretty clothes again. Now hers were big, dark and volumous, meant to hide the bulges of her figure.
What a freak. What's she doing over there, anyway?
She smoothed thin hands over her hair, shade that wasn't red or orange, but dully both. To her eyes, lank and unappealing, flat, bangless and hanging limply around her shoulders. Pale blue eyes scanned the way her face was round and plain. Broad cheeked and with a forehead that was too high, only partially hidden by some of the nasty, off color hair. A little nose, too sharp for her big face.
Ha ha. Don't you know? She's trying to be a psychic again.
"Stop laughing at me," the girl mumbled to herself as she pressed the palm of her hand against the flat mirror. The surface of the mirror was warm to the touch, evidence of the humidity in the bathroom.
Yeah. What a weirdo. You know, she's always trying to be everyone's friend. But the thing is, who'd want to be hers, hahaha?
"Stop it..." the voice was pleading, almost plaintive, begging for silence in her mind. Her fingers grew into a fist, tight muscles beginning to cramp at the tension. Her throat cramped, and she felt hot tears burn her eyes.
Hahaha! Look! She's seen us!
Maybe we shouldn't stare.
Are you kidding? Stare right back at her. She has no right to look at us like that.

Darkness hovered at the edges of her vision, and she began to sink into the silence around her, devoured by the thoughts in her head. "Stop it!" The fist released it tension, slamming into the surface of the glass under it, sending the mirror into a cascade of falling crystal shards. Slivers cut into the thin skin on her knuckles, and she felt the pain of it cut into her consciousness.
On her knees, she sat among the broken glass, and the tiny fragmented mirrors showed her all angles of her face and body. There was one very large shard, a sharp shard, bigger than her hand. With slightly bloody fingers, she picked it up, looking at the distant blueness of her eyes. It was the only thing she thought pretty about herself, really. So faraway, like the sky. Far away from all the troubles. Far away from the ugliness and the laughing. A little more weight, and maybe then she'd see the prettiness again. Sometimes, she dreamed of going up, up into the clouds, flying away, faraway, far, faraway....
The mirror was laying against her palm, and she could see the blue and purple lace of the veins in her wrist. Blood in them, just below the surface. If it was cut, it would bleed. The jagged edges of the broken glass were sharp as a knife. And they were dark in the light of the bathroom.
Pinpricks of distant light in the polished surface of the glass, watching her with golden interest. Darkness against the blood under her skin.
Wouldn't you rather make them suffer as you have suffered?
And the nightmare consumed her.



********************

Ah, end chapter one. I started things out with a little bit of fun...just the idea of throwing Kami a birthday party was too funny to resist. And to let you catch up with what's going on since the end of 'Weaver of Dreams.'
Also, Kami is a Taurus. I am adamant about this. (In that stubborn way we Taureans have....) Why? Well, none of the senshi are. Not even one of the Starlights. (I have no clue what Princess Kakyuu is, though.) Which upsets me. Every other astrological sign gets represeted by a senshi but Taurus! sighs> And it also fits well into her being Hotaru's 'sister.' Capricorn, (Hotaru) is one of the zodiacs' Earth signs, as is Taurus. So it works....^^; The only thing is, I have to play around with the seasons a bit...in the manga, the SS arc takes place over the course of the summer. (They incessantly refer to it being very hot.) I'm aware I'm changing the seasons. It's a fanfic, what can I say? I hope this doesn't bother you too much. I try to be accurate, but...well...I can take liberites with the time of year, can't I?
And at the end of this chapter, you met a girl currently without a name. You'll meet her more in the next chapter, and the story will truly begin. That was more of an introduction, and the party a bit of fun. And yes, if you're wondering, the currently nameless character is bulimic. Chapter one starts out very light, but things get darker quickly from here.
The italicized words were memories she was having, and psychic thought. The majority of italics will be Kami's thoughts, but there will be some psychic speaking though the fic. It should be fairly self explainatory as you reach the sections it's in.
And as a final note, I always listen to music as I write, so particular albums become the 'soundtracks' for the fic I'm writing. For "Golden Rule" the soundtracks would be 'Karma' by Delerium, and 'Toward the Within' by Dead Can Dance. (Arigatou, Melete-chan, for introducing me to their music....^_~) If you happen to have either of these cd's, pop them in and listen. ^_~
So, stay tuned...er, well, since this isn't a television...lol, keep checking...for the next chapters.
Ja ne til then, minna-sama!
-Queen