Chapter Eleven

Stepping out of the car she so practically had been presented with arriving to the US, Minako looked at the huge building before her while waiting for Artemis to get his white bottom out of the backseat.

"Impressive," she commented. "It is almost as large as father's mansion in Britain, isn't it, Artemis?"

The cat gave the building a brief glance before stretching into an impossible pose to lick his inner thigh. Or what would have been his inner thigh if he were a human.

"Hn," he agreed, deciding that he was clean enough for the moment. "We should go in."

Minako nodded in agreement and straightened her pale lavender dress, impatiently pushing the huge mass of her pale golden hair out of her way. Then she walked up to the doors, grabbing the huge knocker, letting it fall.

The door opened just a few seconds later by a tall form Minako immediately identified as Haruka.

"Ruka!" she exclaimed with affection in her voice. "It is simply lovely seeing you again."

The blonde, tomboyish woman arched an eyebrow before smiling amusedly.

"It is simply lovely seeing you again?" she teasingly repeated. "Well, well Minako, I believe you have grown up at last."

Giving her friend a mock glare, Minako smiled serenely.

"I have had a different life this time around," she dryly explained. "No free minded Venusians here. My parents this time around are proper, strict businesspeople, owners of a huge company distributing computer parts. I have been fostered since I was a baby to take over the business at their death. I do not necessarily like it, but I do know how to act like a lady this time around."

Rolling her eyes, Haruka held out her arms.

"Whatever," she announced, giving Minako a big grin. "Come here."

Minako stepped into the hug without hesitation, relishing in being reunited with one of her best friends.

"I've missed you, little vixen," Haruka murmured into her hair.

"And I you," Minako breathed.

They stood there in silence for a few seconds before separating, looking at each other.

"Have the others arrived yet?" Minako finally asked. "Is Serenity here?"

Haruka nodded.

"Yes," she revealed. "You are the last one to arrive. They are waiting inside. We better hurry though, High Lord Angelus' is getting impatient."

This time around, Minako did the eyebrow arching.

"Impatient?" she incredulously said. "Angelus? He never shows any emotions if he's not brooding!"

Haruka shrugged, giving Minako a mischievous look.

"Exactly," she said. "He's polishing a rather fierce looking sword I think is forged in moon steel though, making everyone inside nervous. I would say he's impatient."

Minako silently agreed in her own mind. Grabbing Haruka's hand, she started to lead the other woman inside.

"Then let's go," she said. "We should not make Ange more anxious than he already is."

"Angelus," Haruka said an hour later, lounging in a couch to his left next to Hotaru. "What's the status? I mean, something has to be going on for you to revive our memories. 'Cause I know you and the Empress never intended for us to activate if there wasn't a situation."

Angelus bowed his head, a small smile playing over his lips.

"You are correct," he allowed. "While there isn't a situation right now, one is nearing with a remarkable speed. The Dark Kingdom is quickly gaining power, and Metalia's host are more powerful than ever. There are three senshi active in the compromised area – Mars, Jupiter and Mercury. Luna is with them. And while they don't have a formal training in this incarnation – or even their memories, they are the only ones with enough training to hold off the attacks for the time being with the exception of Minako."

"Nevertheless," Minako thoughtfully commented, "they cannot be much older than I am. Which mean they have many other things to worry about as well. At least if they plan to continue studying. When I moved here to play volleyball on an international level, my father enrolled me in a prestigious university who aims for students with a need to make room for duties, which demands for frequent travels. I know how difficult it can be to coordinate studying, personal life and battles.

"When I was younger, I tended to be lax about the studying, but since then, I have realized the importance of learning. Considering the frequency of battles in Tokyo at the moment, I would give them about three years before everything collapses on us. We have to be finished with the retraining by then."

Angelus nodded.

"I have to agree with Minako," he seriously said. "Besides that, how many of you have any battle training in this life? You don't have to answer, Minako, you are an active senshi after all. And have been for longer than any of us."

Usagi lifted her hand from where she was sandwiched between Michiru and Setsuna.

"I've been taking lessons in aikido and karate for a time," she said. "And while I'm no master, I could easily become one with a good teacher and my regained memories. If I am not mistaking myself, it's the same for all of us. Our minds already know what to do, it's our bodies which need to be retrained to fit our minds."

Setsuna pensively nodded.

"Yes, I believe Serenity is correct," she slowly said. "To accomplish our goals, we should concentrate on retraining our bodies. The difficult part, will be to find a teacher who will not question our peculiarities."

Shifting at the other side of the couch, Michiru swept her eyes over the group.

"If I'm not mistaken, that will not be a problem," she announced. "After what I have seen, both Minako and Angelus are fully trained and capable. Angelus never lost his memories, and Minako regained them a long time ago. Their minds are completely in tune with their bodies. They will be able to teach us what we need to know."

"But," Hotaru shyly interrupted from her position, hesitant to offer her opinion due to her lesser age, both now and in the former Silver Millennia, "they will only be able to help us so far. We all had different training back then, we were all at different levels. The only things we all knew were armed battle, martial arts and crystal magic."

Angelus nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, I remember," he said. "I also seem to remember that you all had a 'mirror' partner to make the training easier. Minako and Usagi, Setsuna and Michiru, Haruka and…Briseis. Hotaru and I. Now, there's one trained partner in each team but Setsuna and Michiru. But if Minako and I do it together, we should be able to train you to satisfactorily."

Haruka hesitated a second before calling on Angelus' attention, looking into his eyes.

"What about Briseis?" she softly said.

A bittersweet smile flew over Angelus' face.

"She's incarnated as well," he quietly said. "But she can't be awakened, not yet. There's still things she need to do in this life. I know her though. Her name is Buffy Summers in this incarnation, and even now, she is the Slayer. She lives on a Hellmouth a few miles west of here, in Sunnydale."

Usagi concernedly looked at him.

"Is she well?" the incarnated princess asked. "Are you well? I know how much you and Briseis love each other…"

Angelus shook his head.

"Yes," he replied. "But I have to admit I'm worried for her. Being the Slayer isn't the safest thing in the world, she is reckless. And we need her. I need her."

A determined look came upon Haruka's face.

"Then I know what I have to do," she proclaimed. "In the Silver Millennia, I was assigned to be her guard when her mother was murdered. I have no intention of relinquishing my duty. If what you tell me is true, if she is the Slayer, she will be able to teach me what I need to know. With the bonus that I will be able to protect and help her. We all benefit from it."

Angelus took a deep breath.

"I won't lie and say I didn't suspect that you would make that choice," he slowly said, "so I'll just say thank you."

Haruka gave him a soft smile.

"Hn."

When he three hours later was straightening up the room after the senshi had left for their respective homes, Angelus was utterly satisfied with how the 'meeting' had went. It had been decided that they all would share the Hyperion, as living together would make several issues concerning training much more less difficult. Allowances would have to be made for security, duties and school of course as they had lives outside being reincarnated royalty, but everything seemed to be solving itself seamlessly.

The only thing that still made the future uncertain, was the unknown factor of Briseis. They needed her for the battle, yet she couldn't be activated as a senshi, or awakened as a reincarnation for that matter. Haruka would do her best to help in that matter of course, but it was still uncertain.

Angelus sighed. It was only to hope and train for now. Maybe Buffy would regain her memories in the few years they had to their disposal. Else, they would just have to do without her, no matter of how much it hurt.