Among Friends, Part 9
Things Best Forgotten
By Taerir

All Sailor Moon references are the property of their respective owners. Any concepts, characters, world names, plotlines, and so on not found in the Sailormoon television series or manga are the property of the author, Taerir, copyright 1999. No duplication is permitted without written permission from the author.

Nuru reeled dizzily from the shock for several very long moments, until finally she blinked and regained her composure. Staring at Asami's receding face, Nuru remembered the first time she'd met the girl, an entire life ago. The memories of how that meeting came to be made her shudder violently. Suddenly, she remembered being a slave, and the beatings, and how her owner had called her less-than-human. Now that she knew, though, she wished she'd never remembered.

A petite, dark-haired girl crept quietly along the paths outside the palace on the moon, her eyes suspicious of all around her. Dropped in strange surroundings, the girl wondered if they'd know her as a slave and have her beaten, for all that no one here would know her.

A flare of anger rose up inside her to drown out the fear she'd known. Let them beat her if they wanted. If they tried it, she would simply get her revenge later.

"Do you need some help?"

Nuru glanced up quickly, not used to being taken by surprise. Her senses were usually sharper than that. A red-haired girl stood on the path before Nuru. By the girl's clothing, as strange as the gown was, Nuru marked the girl as someone wealthy.

Nuru bowed her head, determined, at least for now, not to get beaten. Silently, she thanked her luck that she'd stolen a few moments to learn to read and find language texts forbidden to slaves on Isis. "I would be grateful if you would tell me which way I may go to find the palace. I was sent to find help there."

There was a smile in the other girl's voice, although Nuru did not glance up to look at the girl's face. "I can bring you there." The two began to walk, Nuru following safely behind the other girl.

"You don't need to look down," the girl was saying. "We're all equals here."

Nuru glanced at her own ragged clothing and shook her head coldly. "A slave cannot be equal to a property holder." Inwardly, she cringed, expecting the beating she had earlier been trying to avoid.

Instead, though, the older girl's voice turned serious. "There are no slaves here. You don't have to worry about that."

No slaves? Nuru pondered that for a moment. Was such a thing possible? Maybe this girl was simply insane.

Outwardly, she shrugged. "Alright, my lady. But where I come from, we do have slaves. Remember that."

There was a long pause as the pair continued to walk in silence. Finally, the palace came into view and the red-haired girl spoke again, after calling for someone to help.

"We're here," she said gently. "Someone will help you get cleaned up, and then you can speak with Queen Serenity. My name is Rhanwyn, if you need anything." Seeing Nuru's eyes widen, Rhanwyn smiled. "The queen doesn't bite. I'm sure she'll help you."

"Don't be so sure. I'll bet you've gotten everything you wanted in life," Nuru muttered darkly once the girl was out of hearing range. "Things aren't so easy for a slave."

Nuru shook herself from her flashback and looked around. Usagi was staring wide-eyed, and the others looked equally concerned.

"Kazeno-san?" the blonde girl finally asked, recovering her speech. "Are you alright?"

Nuru shrugged. "I'm fine. It's no big deal."

A smile spread over Usagi's face. "That's good. If you weren't okay, I'd have to help you out, and you're not the kind of person who likes that, are you?" The girl sweatdropped, staring down the street for a few moments. Suddenly, her face lit up again. "Mamo-chan! Over here!"

Nuru, having heard of Mamoru from Elina, shook her head. That girl just would not survive without her precious boyfriend. Usagi must have survived separation for a while, or so Elina had said, but Nuru could just not imagine that.

By the time the thought had finished, Usagi had sprinted ahead, tackled Mamoru, and dragged him toward the group.

"You've met Asami and Kensaku," Usagi was babbling. "I introduced Elina to you too, right? I forget."

Elina grinned and waved brightly, and Kensaku raised an amused eyebrow in Mamoru's direction.

Mamoru smiled vaguely, bewildered. "Yes, Usako."

"Well, that just leaves Kazeno Nuru," Usagi continued. "Kazeno-san, this is my Mamo-chan. There, everyone's met everyone else now."

"Nice to meet you," Mamoru commented.

Nuru shrugged again in reply. "Same here."

"We should go somewhere more private," Kensaku suggested. "Anyone could be listening."

"We'll use my apartment," Asami decided. "Usagi can report to the others what we talk about."

"Hai!" Usagi said brightly. Elina shot her a concernedly doubtful look.

Usagi glared. "Don't look at me that way! I can remember things when I want to!"

Elina laughed. "Whatever you say, Usagi-chan."

"What?" Usagi shot back. "It's true."

As the group walked down the sidewalk, Usagi continued her monologue on the extreme validity of her abilities.

Hours later, the group had discussed everything and decided nothing. Without knowing their true enemy or that enemy's purpose, there was very little they could do.

Elina and Nuru each headed to their respective homes, but Mamoru pulled Usagi aside once they, too, had emerged from the apartment building.

"I want to go look around for a while," Mamoru told her. "The enemy seems to be stalking the senshi. Maybe they're still around somewhere, watching us."

"I'll go too!" Usagi offered. "Spy missions are fun!"

Mamoru shook his head. "No, Usako. Two people are more obvious than one."

Usagi pouted. "But one person alone is in more danger."

"I'll be careful," Mamoru promised. "Go home, Usako. Stay safe for me." He kissed her gently on the cheek.

Usagi blushed, swooned, and recovered to find Mamoru already gone.

"How rude," she muttered, still pouting, but headed home anyway.

Nami watched as Mamoru left Usagi standing, smiling at the young man's stupidity as he walked down a mostly-deserted stretch of sidewalk on a shortcut home.

"How sweet," she sneered. "How long will it be until you betray her, though? Not long, I'm guessing."

But then, Nami knew something that Mamoru did not. Silently, she shadowed him for a while, until he was out of Usagi's sight and hearing distance. Calling a wooden staff to her hand, she smoothly slipped behind him and hit him soundly on the back of the head.

With Mamoru suitably unconscious, Nami transported the both of them to her lair. She neatly tied her captive to a chair, seated herself across the room, and waited for him to awaken.

Thanks go to Pisces.