*Laz reclines back in chair, being fanned by harem members*

*Ely looks up from the desk where she is slaving over the story* Don't encourage her, guys!

"Like I wasn't! I'm relaxing now from such an evil chapter!"

*Ely thinks for a moment* Well, in that case... *pulls up a chair and allows the bishonen to feed her popcorn* Enjoy the fruits of our EMSiT-ness!

Standard disclaimers apply.

The Longest 24 Hours 6/8
by Elysia (ely_chan@yahoo.com)
and Lazuli (jupiterlightning@yahoo.com)
PG


Usagi stood silently at the entrance to the stone house, afraid to go in. What would her mother think? Would she be forgiving and embrace her like she had never disappeared? Would she even recognize her own daughter?

"Well? Are you just going to stand there all day or are you going to go see her?" Demando asked in a fed up manner. This was the Usagi he knew, but at the same time, it was not. Something had changed about the girl in the five years she had been missing.

"Leave me alone," Usagi snapped back at him. "Don't you understand how hard this is for me? All this time I thought she was long gone, and I would never see her again. Knowing I was forced to leave without telling her goodbye or how much I loved her... she deserved far more than that." She wiped away the tears trailing down her face.

At that moment, a young boy of about 12 stepped out of the house, curious to see what all the commotion was about. "Who are you? What do you want with us?"

Usagi's eyes widened at the sight of her youngest brother. "Shingo..." she whispered under her breath, low enough that the boy didn't hear her. To see him alive and well... it was a miracle. The last time she had seen him, he was only 7 years old. He had grown up so much in the years she had been gone. Looking at Shingo, Usagi could see a glimpse of the father she barely remembered.

"Shingo," Demando said, stepping forward, "is your mother at home? I have something I would like to speak to her about."

The boy's eyes grew large as he recognized Demando, the wealthiest man in the entire village. Truth be known, he wasn't very well liked among the neighbors, but for the amount he was worth, no one dared cross the man. Shingo vaguely remembered the last time he had seen the man. It had only been a few years ago that Demando asked for his elder sister Usagi's hand in marriage, but soon after that, Usagi disappeared without a trace.

Shingo missed his older sister, though he could barely remember her. At night, he would have dreams about the days when she was still here, and how much he loved to play with her in the gardens at their old house. Some nights he woke up crying, wishing his older sister was there to comfort him. He was the only child left at home now; his older brother had gone off into the city to make a living for himself.

Returning to the present, Shingo managed to smile at Demando and his female companion. She certainly was dressed odd for these parts, but he didn't make any mention of it. "Mama is at home, sir. She's in the back, weaving on the loom as usual." He moved out of the doorway so the two could enter.

Upon entering the house, Usagi glanced around the room, searching for anything that would reveal that this was indeed her family's home. It was not the one she grew up in of course, but she noticed right away that it had the same comfortable feeling she remembered from her childhood.

Demando led her into the small back room where Ikuko sat at the loom, weaving a new pattern into a rug she had been working on for the last couple of days. Usagi smiled fondly, remembering when she used to spend hours at her mother's side, watching the loom transform the thread into rugs, clothing and other fine materials. This would have been her profession as well, if she had never been taken from her home all those years ago.

Ikuko looked up from her work, startled to find visitors in her home. "Shingo?" she asked, catching the eye of her young son, "why didn't you tell me we had guests? And such important ones too?" She smiled evenly at Demando. "What brings you to our humble home, gracious sir? We have not had the pleasure of your company for several years, if my memory serves me correctly."

Demando nodded slightly. "You are correct, my lady. But it is not my request that brings me here today." He turned to his female companion, who Ikuko finally noticed sitting on the other wooden chair. "I come here on the request of this young woman. She was the one who wished to speak with you."

Ikuko smiled at her and Usagi tried very hard to keep the tears from running down her face. This was her mother. Her beloved mother, whom she never though she would ever see again in this life. By some miracle, Usagi was allowed to be in the same room with her once more.

"What is it, my child? Do you need a garment woven for a special occasion? I would be more than happy to do it myself. You are such a lovely girl indeed." Ikuko gazed at the woman, tender memories gracing her thoughts. "If fact, if I didn't know any better, I would almost say you were an exact lookalike for--" Ikuko shook her head sadly. "My eyes must be playing tricks upon me in the dim light. It is impossible."

Usagi sat forward on her chair. Now was the moment of truth. "A look-a-like for whom, ma'am? Who do I remind you of?"

Ikuko looked up from the thread in her hands, wiping away her tears before they dripped on the loom. "You remind me of my daughter, miss. My only daughter, whom I loved and cherished dearly. But I have not seen her nigh unto 5 years now. I cannot give up hope, but I fear her lost to me forever."

At that moment, Usagi burst into tears and threw herself at Ikuko's feet. Surprised and shocked, Ikuko asked, "whatever is the matter, my dear child?"

"Oh, Mother," Usagi sobbed, "I thought I would never see you again."

******

Mamoru looked around the room where Rei was, but she wasn't coherent enough to talk to him, being heavily sedated after her tirade earlier that day. He sighed. He got her into the mess, but after what she did to Usagi... he shook his head. He wished that it could have been different, but the situation stood at where it was.

His mind traveled to the conversation with Lady again, and his fists clenched. That girl...

As if the very thought of her conjured her up, she appeared before him, reddish eyes glaring at him.

"Mamoru..." she started.

Mamoru glared at her. "I don't want to hear anything from a selfish brat like you," he muttered, turning back to Rei, hoping that she would get the message and leave him alone once and for all. She didn't. Tapping him on the shoulder, Lady tried again. "Mamoru, I need to tell you something."

Mamoru shook his head violently. "Why should I listen to you? Now that I know it was your plan all along to keep Usagi and me apart, I can't believe a single word that you say! What ever you have to say can't be of any importance to me. It only concerns you." He started to leave again, when she grabbed him and yanked him around to face her.

"You egotistical MAN! How I wish I didn't have to deal with you either, but the Council wishes to see us both! NOW!" Snapping her fingers, they both vanished in a puff of pink smoke.

*******

"If this is another trick of yours, so help me--" Mamoru stopped his ranting as he discovered they both stood in front of the Council, this not some selfish plan of Lady's after all. He looked up at the imposing members, who did not have their attention focused on him, but rather, on the squirming Lady next to him.

"Lady... it seems that you are disobeying the orders that was placed upon you. What is your reason for this?"

Lady looked down at the floor, then defiantly at the Council. "I don't see why I cannot tempt Mamoru! Are we not trying to break them apart so that Usagi can come home to us?" The Council exchanged looks, then smiled indulgently at Lady as one would a child.

"Do not let that concern you. Just remember your boundaries. You are not to come near in any form of contact with Mamoru or his master unless he forfeits his powers. Is that understood? You know the punishment if you disobey the rules again."

Lady lowered her head and the Council nodded as if nothing ever happened. Then they turned their attention to Mamoru.

"Mamoru. Are you having any trouble with using Usagi's powers? Would you like to give up now? There will be no shame in it." Mamoru shook his head. "I am having no trouble at all with it," he said, puzzled. "It seems very simple to me, actually."

There were looks exchanged throughout the Council. "That should not be right." There was a general muttering around the group, and even Lady looked a little surprised. Since when could a mortal handle these powers with such ease? It was unheard of.

The Council member in the center remained calm about the situation. Waving her hand silently, a screen-like contraption appeared in the air. "Let us review what Mamoru has done at this time. It can help us decide from there, and determine what else--if anything at all--can be done."

The other members of the Council nodded their heads in agreement. They watched the sequence of events over the period of time that Mamoru received Usagi's powers, some of them holding back laughter over when Rei was drunk.

But all observed the same thing. Mamoru used the powers as if he had control over them for centuries. The Council conferred among themselves, leaving Mamoru to wait anxiously, and worry about Usagi, while Lady looked extremely bored.

Finally the Council looked up, their gazes fixed on Mamoru alone. "We have made our choice. Since you are so obviously talented in your magic, we will allow you to be with Usagi on two conditions. One is that you fulfill your master's final wish before the time is up, and then to find Usagi with the connection between you both, also before time runs out."

Mamoru relaxed. That was it? That was easier than his original assignment. Then he remembered the condition that Rei was in when he left. She wouldn't stir for at least another day. His time would surely run out by then!