How Crystal Tokyo Came About

Chapter 11

Author's Notes:

This chapter is dedicated to my favorite readers, Hyper-Princess and Cassie-Chan. Thanks, you guys, for sticking with me. Enjoy this, all the rest of you.

Also, I hope everyone who reads this will spread the word to their friends or anyone you know who'd be interested about it. I realize that it is rather slow moving and in the beginning, it's kinda boring and not as descriptive, but my past few chapters—well, I've just felt that I have more pride in them.

Thanks to Carla, I've gotten the ending of this story all sorted out, and I want to make this story 15 chapters long, including an epilogue. We'll see. I can always shoot for the moon, can't I?

And now, chapter 11!

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

(3 months later)

"Please, Serena, can we just pick a dress and get out of here?" Rei asked her friend irritably. As of late, Rei had started to suffer from insomnia and because of her dreams about the 'man,' she couldn't sleep for fear of having his image evade her.

Being in a wedding shop with lots of frou frou and frills wasn't exactly Rei's idea of relaxing. She'd seen Serena in so many dresses, that they just started to blur. There were so many other things she wanted to be doing right now—why did she, of all the senshi, get stuck 'dress duty' and Serena?

'You know why,' a little voice argued in her head. 'You were picked because you're Serenity's maid of honor and the only one that will make her choose a dress—the others would just 'ooh' and 'ahh' over it, thereby accomplishing nothing.'

Serenity? Rei never called Serena by her royal name; it just seemed unnecessary.

Then why was she thinking about it now?

* * * * * * * * * *

The man turned to the woman. "Did I do the right thing?"

"You were a little rash in mentioning Serenity's name—she doesn't go by that name any more… but I think she'll let that move past her for now. But be more careful from now on." She ordered.

The man agreed. "Ok. It's just that I—"

"I know." She assured him. "I know."

* * * * * * * * * *

"Rei, what about this one?" Serena asked her friend. She felt bad. Serena knew that Rei would rather be anywhere than discuss this process of trying on dress after dress. She decided to take a break—the heavy perfume was getting to her, too.

Impatient to eat and have her friend in a better mood, she yanked off the dress and left it in a heap on the floor. Then she yanked Rei out of her chair in the waiting room, and stalked out of the store to a small bistro where they could eat.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Ahh." Serena said, inhaling the scent of freshly baked bread. "This is going to be on the menu at my wedding. I love baked bread. There's just something about it, ya know, Rei?" Rei was staring off into space. Serena waved a hand in front of her face. "Rei? Hello…"

Rei snapped to attention. "Sorry Meatball Head. I just saw someone outside that I knew." It was the truth, actually; she had seen a man walking outside that reminded her too much of the face-less man in her dream. She managed to plaster a smile on her face. "What was it you said about the bread?"

The blonde peered closely at her friend, looking for signs of illness. The priestess scowled briefly, at being scrutinized so carefully.

"Rei, are you ok?"

"Yeah—why wouldn't I be?" She asked snappishly.

If Serena was hurt by Rei's harsh tone, she hid it well. "You have dark circles under your eyes. Have you been sleeping lately?"

Rei frowned; annoyed at letting her insomnia show. It wasn't her fault that the spells weren't working at keeping the dreams away—and she'd tried all of them. Not only that, but she was becoming constantly aware that she wasn't the only one in her head. This was a suspicion she'd just come to. There were other traces of evidence, of course, but this morning, when she'd called Serena Serenity was the last straw. As soon as she got home, she was going to put an anti-possessive spell on, and hope to catch a few winks of sleep.

She realized that Serena was still waiting for an answer. "Um—yeah. I haven't been sleeping that much lately."

"Is it a vision?" Serena asked, thinking of the last time Rei'd had a vision—it proclaimed the appearance of Mistress Nine.

That struck Rei. She never thought of her dream as a vision. But what was it a vision of—the future? She had the strangest feeling she'd known this man prior to these events.

"I suppose it could be," Rei admitted reluctantly. "I just don't know why I'm getting it now."

She got up from the table and smoothed her dress. Pulling a few yen out of her purse, she laid it on the table and looked at Serena—who was watching this event with interest.

The blonde stared at the fiery girl, concern deep in her heart. Rei had lost a lot of weight. This dream was getting to her—and in a major way. Not only that, she was spacing out and almost never talked unless someone talked to her—not her usual way of butting in and out of a conversation.

"I'm gonna get back to the temple and see if I can catch a few winks, ok, Meatball Head?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Serena said quietly.

The door opened and out walked a young woman with troubled, violet eyes. She had to get some sleep. There was no way she'd be in any condition to walk down the aisle in this condition. And maybe talk to Hotaru…see if she had any dreams lately.

* * * * * * * * * *

"She's losing weight, her health is deteriorating, and she can't sleep?" He fairly yelled. "How can this be? All I wanted to do was make her remember—not turn her into a zombie!"

The woman sighed. "You have to understand—what you were in that life was different than the man she's subconsciously choosing not to remember. You have seen what you had become. Her memories from the Moon Kingdom are locked up as tight as can be. I was afraid that she didn't even remember anything, but they're definitely there. It seems to be a painful area, Jaedite. You must be patient." Queen Serenity soothed.

Jaedite scowled; matching Rei's almost perfectly. "It's just so damned hard, Serenity. We were so close. And now…" He trailed off. "And now she is refusing to acknowledge my presence. She knows I'm in her head—she's gone as far as casting anti-evil signs—and they weren't exactly easy to break through."

"Rei always was very stubborn, Jaedite. You, of all people, should remember that." The queen urged gently.

"I know." He looked sad. "That was one of the things I loved about her."

* * * * * * * * * *

(Later, at Darien's apartment…)

"Yeah, but Darien, Rei never spaces out like that."

Darien sifted a hand through his hair. "I'm sure it's just a dream, nothing to worry about."

Serena looked troubled. "Darien—she's lost a ton of weight—and she's not sleeping. At all."

He looked at her momentarily, not wanting to believe what she had just told him. "She's not sleeping?" He asked, stunned.

"Not at all. And when she does sleep, her dreams are being invaded by a faceless man. It's driving her nuts, Darien. Completely out of her mind."

"Has she tried any spells?"

"She didn't say so, but she had the look of a failed person when I asked her if it was a vision. I know she's tried the spells… but they're just not working."

"Oh jeez." Darien breathed. "This is serious. We need to get the senshi together and talk this over. We can't lose her to something like this."

Serena reached for her communicator and her fingers hovered over the buttons. "Yes. But what is this?"

* * * * * * * * * *

(Later…)

"You rang, oh Meatball-headed one?" Haruka asked imperiously, teasing her friend for wanting to get them together so quickly.

They were meeting at Darien's apartment because Rei was most likely at the temple and since the meeting was about her it would kind of defeat the purpose if she happened to walk in on it.

Reenie laughed. It wasn't everyday she got to hear Serena teased; at home, the times when everyone was the way she remembered them from this time were few and far between. It was good to hear Serena whine back, instead of just smiling indulgently, like a mother catching her youngest child in a lie.

Serena turned on Reenie. "And just what is so funny?" She asked, her hands on her hips.

"You are!" Hotaru spluttered, before collapsing into the giggles with Reenie.

*At least they're smiling.* She thought, and glanced to see if Darien had heard her. He nodded in her direction, but continued politely listening to Ami discuss mind-invasion via dreams.

They all mingled a little while longer, Mina and Lita arguing over what made a better brownie—chocolate or double chocolate—Haruka and Michiru mercilessly tickling Hotaru and Reenie, while Darien continued with Ami, telling her briefly, some more details about what his own invaded dreams were like.

The door crashed back, and everybody turned to see Trista standing there, soaking wet.

"Uh…Trista? You ok?" Lita asked.

"I didn't even know it was raining out." Mina muttered quietly.

Haruka nudged Michiru. "Whoa! Trista's late—chalk this one up for the records!"

The older woman rolled her eyes before slicking some of her wet hair off her face. "Rei collapsed at the temple again. The EMT left after Chad and I set her up in bed. They ordered a strict bed-rest for her for the next four to six weeks."

Since they all just sat there, stunned, she added, "I think we should go see her now."

"Right, right."

"Of course."

"I was just going to suggest that."

"Does anyone know if we're supposed to bring something?"

"What? Are you crazy? What would you bring a person who's fainted twice in the last four months?"

"A lot of pillows?"

* * * * * * * * * *

"Chad, for the last time, I'm fine!"

Chad looked at the headstrong woman in front of him and shook his head. "You're not fine—if you were, you would be getting enough sleep and not having fainting spells."

"So I fainted—what—twice in the last year and you're freaking out? That's not exactly cool, ya know."

"I don't care if it's cool or not, Rei; you're sick and this can't go on. You do want to be in Serena's wedding, don't you?"

She glared at him sullenly. "Yes."

He sighed. "Then would you just rest and do what the nice hospital people said? Please?"

"Ok, ok, fine. But I'm not staying in bed for two whole months!!"

Chad walked out the door and mumbled, "I wouldn't dream of it."

***

*laughs evilly* Hah! Bet you didn't see that one comin'! Jaedite to the rescue! Er… well. Anyway. That's all for now. Hope everyone has enjoyed that last chapter and the summary.

Oh, and go check out "How About A Cup of Coffee?"!!! I promise you'll like it!