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Here's chapter two!
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Part 2: Preparations...
~Haruka & Michiru's House~
Minako and Setsuna are hanging the 'Happy Birthday, Usagi!' banner, Setsuna runs her left hand along Mina's right cheek, causing the blonde to smile. Makoto is fixing the food and is a bit down-hearted that Ami isn't there with her. Michiru is draping ribbons around the living-room area, while watching Rei and Haruka reposition the furniture. Michiru notices Haruka say somthing to the raven-haired miko, too low to hear, and Rei shakes her head, saying something in return. Haruka says something else and Rei nods. 'I wonder...' thinks the aqua-haired water-senshi.
"Hey, Michi!" Makoto calls from the kitchen, "I could use a hand in here."
"Coming, Mako." Michiru calls back, she glances again at Rei and Haruka then goes to the kitchen...
(Rei and Haruka's conversation, "So, Have you decided when you'll tell her?" asks Haruka.
Rei shakes her head and replies, "Not yet."
"You are going to tell her though?" questions Haruka. Rei nods)
Suddenly, The phone rings... Mina answers it, "Hello. Tenou-Kaiou residence..." she speaks into the phone, "Oh, Hi Mamoru." Everyone stops working, momenterily. "... What?" the blonde says, "... I see. Well, I hope you can... Bye." she hangs the phone up.
"What's up, Mina?" asks Makoto, poking her head out the kitchen-door.
"That was Mamoru." Mina replies, "He said he might not be able to make it to the party, tonight."
"What!?" Rei says, "But, It's Usagi's sweet sixteenth party!"
"Calm down, Rei." Haruka injects.
"He said..." Mina continues, "He's real busy at work but, he'll try his best to make it."
"*His best*?" Rei says, "That's not good enough! If it were me... I know I wouldn't let a job keep me from Usagi's sweet sixteenth!" the others all give her strange glares.
"What?" Rei asks, then realizes what she said and says, "Oh! uh, I... er, better go." she grabs her purse and leaves the house.
"Does anyone know what just happened?" Setsuna asks.
"I'm not sure." Mina says, "My empathic abilities don't work on her."
"I'm sure it didn't mean anything." Haruka says, "Let's just get back to work, Ami won't be able to keep Usagi busy all day." Everyone agrees and they go back to work.
'So,' Michiru smiles, 'It's Usagi... Rei loves.'...
~Near a Store~
'I can't believe I said that, out loud.' Rei scolds herself 'I wonder if they'll figure it out...' Just then, She notices Ami and Usagi exiting the store, and ducks into an alley, from which she observes the their conversation...
"Ah man!" Usagi says, "I wish I could afford it!"
"Yes." Ami agrees, "It's a very beautiful dress."
"Oh well," Usagi says, "Let's get going." Ami nods and the two continue.
Rei exits the alley and walks up to the store-window, 'I wonder which dress...' she thinks 'That one!' she espies a very elegant and beautiful dress...
Rei goes in and purchases the dress 'Now.' she wonders 'how will I give it to her...?' 'I know!' she states in her mind 'I'll drop it off at Haruka and Michiru's, and have them say it's from a friend.'... she does and then goes home to the shrine, to take care of her chores.
~A Few Blocks Away from the Store~
"So, Usagi." Ami queries, "Is there anything else you want to do?"
"Um..." the blonde odango-atama replies, "I'd like to go visit Rei. If you wouldn't mind?"
"Alright." responds the blue-haired genius.
"Thanks, Ames!" Usagi says, joyfully hugging the girl, "Let's go!"
~On the Way to Hikawa Shrine~
"Uh... Ami?" Usagi asks.
"Yes, Usagi?" the blue-haired girl replies, "What is it?"
"Well... uh..." Usagi says, "I was... just wondering, how... does it feel... um... being in love with another girl?"
Ami stops walking and blushes a deep red, "W-what do you mean, Usagi?" she asks.
"Well, I'm just curious." the blonde stops walking and replies, "I mean, You're in love with Mako, right?" Ami nods, still blushing. "Like Haruka and Michiru." Usagi says, "And I was wondering, Was it hard to accept?"
Ami's blush lessens a bit and she looks thoughtful for a moment, "... Yes." she says, "It was... I mean, I tried for over a year, to convince myself that it was just curiousity." "But," she adds, "The feelings just kept getting stronger... finally, I realized I couldn't lie to myself, or to her, any longer."
"Yeah, but," Usagi queries, "Weren't you worried that you might endanger your friendship with her, if she hadn't felt the same?"
"Of course I was worried." Ami replies, "But, I knew I had to tell her. Cause if I hadn't, I might have gone crazy." "Why are you asking me this?" she asks.
"Like I said, Just curious." Usagi responds, smiling, "Well, Let's go." 'Why am I in such a hurry to see Rei?' she asks herself 'Can I really tell her... the truth?'
~Hikawa Shrine~
Rei is sweeping inside the temple, when she hears a knock at the front door. She stops sweeping, leans the broom against and goes to the door, "Who is it?" she asks.
"Hiya, Rei!" Usagi exclaims, cheerily, "Open up!"
Rei sweatdrops and opens the door, "Hi, Usagi. Hi, Ami." she says, "What's up... Oh! Happy Birthday, Usagi."
"Thanks!" responds Usagi, smiling largely.
"By the way," Rei says, "Haruka and Michiru want you to drop by, Usagi. Sounded sorta important."
"Oh? Okay." Usagi says, "Are you coming?"
"Yes. Just let me change." replies the miko, "Be back in a few." She goes to her room and changes into something casual, a tank-top and bike-shorts, so as not to give away the surprize. She leaves the shrine and, together with Usagi and Ami, leaves the shrine for Haruka and Michiru's. 'I just hope that I can keep my secret.' she says, inwardly.
~Meanwhile: Upstairs, Haruka & Michiru's House~
"What's going on, Haruka?" Michiru asks, "You've been acting real concerned about Rei, since yesterday."
"I am concerned about her, Michi. Because," Haruka replies, "When I talked to her, my suspicions were confirmed."
"What suspicions?" asks the aqua-haired woman.
"That she's in love with Usagi." the tall blonde responds, "She was pretty broken up when she told me."
"I see..." Michiru says, "And, What did you tell her?"
"I said that she should tell Usagi." Haruka says, "And, I'm worried what might happen. Usagi's friendship is more important to Rei than anything... and, that includes, her other friends and family." "I just don't know..." she adds, "What will happen to Rei, if she loses that... She's a strong person, physically and emotionally but, her resistance to emotional problems is wearing thin."
"I don't know, either." Michiru says, "But, Her emotional bariers beginning to weaken might not be as much bad as good. I mean, she may open up more and let other people help her instead of trying to bear all of her hardships by herself."
Haruka nods, then says, "Well, We should go downstairs and get ready, Ami, Rei, and the Birthday-girl should be here soon." Michiru agrees and Haruka places a kiss on her cheek...
~A Few Moments Later~
Ami rings the doorbell and Michiru answers the door, "Come in guys." the three enter, Usagi in front... The lights are out when they first enter, but then, the lights come on and everyone(except Mamoru) yells, "SURPRIZE!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" Usagi simply glows with happiness, as she greets all of her friends and family. Rei smiles, geniunely, and sits down.
"Hey Usagi." Haruka says, holding a package, "A *friend* dropped this off earlier, and it wasn't Mamoru." She hands Usagi the package and the girl opens it.
Usagi gasps when she pulls out the very dress she had seen in the shop, earlier and wonders 'Who could have bought it for me?' she looks around the room to try to figure it out but, she forgets that when she sees Rei, sitting alone.
"If you wanna put it on," Haruka says, "You can go upstairs."
Usagi comes back to her senses and replies, "Alright." she goes upstairs and puts on the dress.
Everyone stops talking when Usagi starts down the stairs, in the dress... amazingly, she doesn't klutz-out. Rei looks toward Usagi and her jaw drops 'She's gorgeous!' she exclaims, to herself, her breaths coming in rapid pants 'Calm down, Rei! Breathe normal... concentrate.' she forces her breathing to normal and swallows a lump in her throat. After eating and talking awhile, Haruka and Michiru start the music, and everyone but Usagi dances with someone... including the fact that Makoto is dancing with Ami and Setsuna with Mina. Usagi isn't dancing because the Sweet 16th dance is supposed to be reserved for a girl's true love. But, That's not the main reason the girl isn't dancing... she's taking her opportunities to sneak peeks at a certain raven-haired miko, who is also not dancing....
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That's it for chappy 2! Reviews anyone? Thanks!
Here's chapter two!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~------------------------~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part 2: Preparations...
~Haruka & Michiru's House~
Minako and Setsuna are hanging the 'Happy Birthday, Usagi!' banner, Setsuna runs her left hand along Mina's right cheek, causing the blonde to smile. Makoto is fixing the food and is a bit down-hearted that Ami isn't there with her. Michiru is draping ribbons around the living-room area, while watching Rei and Haruka reposition the furniture. Michiru notices Haruka say somthing to the raven-haired miko, too low to hear, and Rei shakes her head, saying something in return. Haruka says something else and Rei nods. 'I wonder...' thinks the aqua-haired water-senshi.
"Hey, Michi!" Makoto calls from the kitchen, "I could use a hand in here."
"Coming, Mako." Michiru calls back, she glances again at Rei and Haruka then goes to the kitchen...
(Rei and Haruka's conversation, "So, Have you decided when you'll tell her?" asks Haruka.
Rei shakes her head and replies, "Not yet."
"You are going to tell her though?" questions Haruka. Rei nods)
Suddenly, The phone rings... Mina answers it, "Hello. Tenou-Kaiou residence..." she speaks into the phone, "Oh, Hi Mamoru." Everyone stops working, momenterily. "... What?" the blonde says, "... I see. Well, I hope you can... Bye." she hangs the phone up.
"What's up, Mina?" asks Makoto, poking her head out the kitchen-door.
"That was Mamoru." Mina replies, "He said he might not be able to make it to the party, tonight."
"What!?" Rei says, "But, It's Usagi's sweet sixteenth party!"
"Calm down, Rei." Haruka injects.
"He said..." Mina continues, "He's real busy at work but, he'll try his best to make it."
"*His best*?" Rei says, "That's not good enough! If it were me... I know I wouldn't let a job keep me from Usagi's sweet sixteenth!" the others all give her strange glares.
"What?" Rei asks, then realizes what she said and says, "Oh! uh, I... er, better go." she grabs her purse and leaves the house.
"Does anyone know what just happened?" Setsuna asks.
"I'm not sure." Mina says, "My empathic abilities don't work on her."
"I'm sure it didn't mean anything." Haruka says, "Let's just get back to work, Ami won't be able to keep Usagi busy all day." Everyone agrees and they go back to work.
'So,' Michiru smiles, 'It's Usagi... Rei loves.'...
~Near a Store~
'I can't believe I said that, out loud.' Rei scolds herself 'I wonder if they'll figure it out...' Just then, She notices Ami and Usagi exiting the store, and ducks into an alley, from which she observes the their conversation...
"Ah man!" Usagi says, "I wish I could afford it!"
"Yes." Ami agrees, "It's a very beautiful dress."
"Oh well," Usagi says, "Let's get going." Ami nods and the two continue.
Rei exits the alley and walks up to the store-window, 'I wonder which dress...' she thinks 'That one!' she espies a very elegant and beautiful dress...
Rei goes in and purchases the dress 'Now.' she wonders 'how will I give it to her...?' 'I know!' she states in her mind 'I'll drop it off at Haruka and Michiru's, and have them say it's from a friend.'... she does and then goes home to the shrine, to take care of her chores.
~A Few Blocks Away from the Store~
"So, Usagi." Ami queries, "Is there anything else you want to do?"
"Um..." the blonde odango-atama replies, "I'd like to go visit Rei. If you wouldn't mind?"
"Alright." responds the blue-haired genius.
"Thanks, Ames!" Usagi says, joyfully hugging the girl, "Let's go!"
~On the Way to Hikawa Shrine~
"Uh... Ami?" Usagi asks.
"Yes, Usagi?" the blue-haired girl replies, "What is it?"
"Well... uh..." Usagi says, "I was... just wondering, how... does it feel... um... being in love with another girl?"
Ami stops walking and blushes a deep red, "W-what do you mean, Usagi?" she asks.
"Well, I'm just curious." the blonde stops walking and replies, "I mean, You're in love with Mako, right?" Ami nods, still blushing. "Like Haruka and Michiru." Usagi says, "And I was wondering, Was it hard to accept?"
Ami's blush lessens a bit and she looks thoughtful for a moment, "... Yes." she says, "It was... I mean, I tried for over a year, to convince myself that it was just curiousity." "But," she adds, "The feelings just kept getting stronger... finally, I realized I couldn't lie to myself, or to her, any longer."
"Yeah, but," Usagi queries, "Weren't you worried that you might endanger your friendship with her, if she hadn't felt the same?"
"Of course I was worried." Ami replies, "But, I knew I had to tell her. Cause if I hadn't, I might have gone crazy." "Why are you asking me this?" she asks.
"Like I said, Just curious." Usagi responds, smiling, "Well, Let's go." 'Why am I in such a hurry to see Rei?' she asks herself 'Can I really tell her... the truth?'
~Hikawa Shrine~
Rei is sweeping inside the temple, when she hears a knock at the front door. She stops sweeping, leans the broom against and goes to the door, "Who is it?" she asks.
"Hiya, Rei!" Usagi exclaims, cheerily, "Open up!"
Rei sweatdrops and opens the door, "Hi, Usagi. Hi, Ami." she says, "What's up... Oh! Happy Birthday, Usagi."
"Thanks!" responds Usagi, smiling largely.
"By the way," Rei says, "Haruka and Michiru want you to drop by, Usagi. Sounded sorta important."
"Oh? Okay." Usagi says, "Are you coming?"
"Yes. Just let me change." replies the miko, "Be back in a few." She goes to her room and changes into something casual, a tank-top and bike-shorts, so as not to give away the surprize. She leaves the shrine and, together with Usagi and Ami, leaves the shrine for Haruka and Michiru's. 'I just hope that I can keep my secret.' she says, inwardly.
~Meanwhile: Upstairs, Haruka & Michiru's House~
"What's going on, Haruka?" Michiru asks, "You've been acting real concerned about Rei, since yesterday."
"I am concerned about her, Michi. Because," Haruka replies, "When I talked to her, my suspicions were confirmed."
"What suspicions?" asks the aqua-haired woman.
"That she's in love with Usagi." the tall blonde responds, "She was pretty broken up when she told me."
"I see..." Michiru says, "And, What did you tell her?"
"I said that she should tell Usagi." Haruka says, "And, I'm worried what might happen. Usagi's friendship is more important to Rei than anything... and, that includes, her other friends and family." "I just don't know..." she adds, "What will happen to Rei, if she loses that... She's a strong person, physically and emotionally but, her resistance to emotional problems is wearing thin."
"I don't know, either." Michiru says, "But, Her emotional bariers beginning to weaken might not be as much bad as good. I mean, she may open up more and let other people help her instead of trying to bear all of her hardships by herself."
Haruka nods, then says, "Well, We should go downstairs and get ready, Ami, Rei, and the Birthday-girl should be here soon." Michiru agrees and Haruka places a kiss on her cheek...
~A Few Moments Later~
Ami rings the doorbell and Michiru answers the door, "Come in guys." the three enter, Usagi in front... The lights are out when they first enter, but then, the lights come on and everyone(except Mamoru) yells, "SURPRIZE!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" Usagi simply glows with happiness, as she greets all of her friends and family. Rei smiles, geniunely, and sits down.
"Hey Usagi." Haruka says, holding a package, "A *friend* dropped this off earlier, and it wasn't Mamoru." She hands Usagi the package and the girl opens it.
Usagi gasps when she pulls out the very dress she had seen in the shop, earlier and wonders 'Who could have bought it for me?' she looks around the room to try to figure it out but, she forgets that when she sees Rei, sitting alone.
"If you wanna put it on," Haruka says, "You can go upstairs."
Usagi comes back to her senses and replies, "Alright." she goes upstairs and puts on the dress.
Everyone stops talking when Usagi starts down the stairs, in the dress... amazingly, she doesn't klutz-out. Rei looks toward Usagi and her jaw drops 'She's gorgeous!' she exclaims, to herself, her breaths coming in rapid pants 'Calm down, Rei! Breathe normal... concentrate.' she forces her breathing to normal and swallows a lump in her throat. After eating and talking awhile, Haruka and Michiru start the music, and everyone but Usagi dances with someone... including the fact that Makoto is dancing with Ami and Setsuna with Mina. Usagi isn't dancing because the Sweet 16th dance is supposed to be reserved for a girl's true love. But, That's not the main reason the girl isn't dancing... she's taking her opportunities to sneak peeks at a certain raven-haired miko, who is also not dancing....
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That's it for chappy 2! Reviews anyone? Thanks!