DISCLAIMER:
Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi and other
companies. I don't own her (Grrr), and this story is written with the sole
purpose of entertainment without any intention of commercial gain. No
copyrights infringement is intended. ((Translation: I don't have any money, so
please don't sue me, I'm poor!))
What has happened before:
Training hasn't been too easy for Serena, but it has been
satisfactory. At the moment, she has finally begun to get in touch with her own
essence, entering a state of mind that will allow her to tap more deeply into
her powers and personality. At the same time all this has been going on, the
Senshi are reviewing what they've done, fighting their own sense of guilt
because they feel that they let down their friend.
WARNING: This chapter is going to be a little confusing.
Bear with me, ok? Things will be cleared at the Author's notes at the bottom.
* = Change of Scene
( ) = Thoughts
+ + = Computer Responses or Electronic Communications
COMMANDER
GALOS
CHAPTER 6: TEACHINGS OF THE MIND AND SOUL. PART 2.
Luna had been lounging around her apartment, feeling tired after her classes at the Officers' School. She didn't imagine that the courses could be so hard, but she was decided to get through to the end.
After taking with her a tall glass of water, she then sat
down on the couch. As it had become a habit to her, she cast a longing look to
the empty room next to the kitchen.
It had been a whole semester since Serena had gone to the
Ethereals' citadel to begin her esper training. Granted, her blond friend
called her once in a while, but it wasn't the same for the felinoid. During all
that time, the administration had asked her to allow another roommate with her,
but the felinoid had flatly refused. "She will be back, and when she does,
she'll have her room with me, understand??" her answer was. After an attempt
made by the current administrator to send another roommate without asking her,
and the subsequent stay at the infirmary, no more attempts were made.
(Serena…) Luna sighed once more upon seeing the closed door.
(I wish you were here now. I miss you my friend.) The chiming of the vidphone
interrupted her thoughts. Grumbling to herself, she proceeded to answer the
call.
+ Hey Luna! How are you in this fine day? + The voice and
image of a smiling Syl appeared on the screen. Luna smirked, grateful for the
interruption. During those six months, she and Syl had become good friends, a
fact that she was grateful to Serena.
"Not bad, Syl. I just finished the last test, and was about
to relax. I'll check the results tomorrow. So, to what I own the pleasure of
your call?"
+ Nothing much, really. I also finished my last batch of
exams and am relaxing myself. + He then faked a yawn, a fact that Luna caught
up pretty easily. He was a bad liar.
"All right Syl, spit it! You can't feign your reactions and
you know it."
+ Ok, ok, you got me. But you can't blame me for trying,
right? + Seeing her expression, he
coughed before continuing. + All right, as I was about to tell you, I found a
message on my answering machine when I returned from my classes. And guess
what? It came from the Citadel! +
"So what?" Luna said, raising an eyebrow. "Serena also calls
me, and leaves messages when I'm not home. What's so especial about this one?"
+ Well, apparently you forgot to leave your machine on this
morning, so that's why she called me. + Syl couldn't help but smirk when Luna
slapped her forehead in annoyance. + In any case, the message is as follows:
"tell Luna to wait for me. I'm going back." +
"REALLY?!? Those are great news!" Luna smiled at hearing
that, almost jumping on her feet from the excitement. At last, her good friend
was coming back! "Did she tell you when she was going to arrive? Oh no, I have
to clean, the place is a mess! And I haven't gone to shop for fresh food! And
why didn't you call me sooner?? Typical of you, always calling at the last
moment!"
+ Hey, hey, hey, calm down! And I called as soon as I
checked my messages, ok? Well, and as for when she's going to arrive, I guess
that's about… +
In that moment, the chiming of the entrance door was hears,
causing Luna to turn around in that direction.
+ … now. Oh well, I tried. Don't say I didn't warn you. See
ya! And don't forget to tell Serena to call me as soon as she can, ok? Have
fun! + With that, he closed the call.
"You owe me big one, Syl… just you wait." Luna muttered
under her breath. Composing herself, she headed to the entrance of the
apartment, stopping just for a moment to check her appearance on the mirror
next to the door. After a quick adjustment of her long mane, she pulsed the
button to open the door…
… and got the surprise of her life.
Standing right in front of her were two robed figures. The
one in front, the smaller one, was dressed in a pearly white robe, its hood
covering its face which was lightly inclined to the floor, obscuring its
features. The second one was something she had seen six months ago, a visage
that unnerved greatly. Standing 7 feet tall, wearing a bright orange robe, was
an Ethereal, its features concealed by the darkness inside the hood.
They stood in that position for a couple of minutes, none
saying a word. Finally, a voice Luna hadn't heard in person for a long time
finally broke the silence.
"Well, are you planning to let us in, or what? I don't think
I changed that much Luna."
Those words made the trick. Blinking her stupor away, the
felinoid focused her attention on the smaller figure. "Se… Se… Serena? Is that
you?" in answer to her query, the figure raised its head, the movement allowing
the hood to drop to its back. Standing right in front of Luna was a smiling
Serena.
Before the felinoid could react, she found herself in the
embrace of her human friend. "Oh Luna, I missed you so much!"
Returning the embrace, Luna then answered. "Not as much as I
missed you Bunny! It's been so long, and the vidphone calls are not the same!"
they remained in their embrace for some moments, that is, until a mental voice
called their attention.
(It is a joyous moment indeed, but it will be better if you
continue inside your living place. I'm afraid we're calling unwanted attention
standing here.) And that it was. From the adjoining doors, some curious tenants
were watching the proceedings, some of them with their mouths agape.
Blushing, Serena released her friend. "Oh, right… well, can
we come in? There's so much I want to tell you!"
Smiling, Luna stood aside and allowed her friend and visitor
to enter the apartment, taking good care not to touch the Ethereal. Once the
door was closed and they were comfortably seated in the small living room, Luna
looked at her friend intently. "All right, tell me what have you been doing,
and don't spare the details! Your past calls didn't say much."
(All in due time, young one.) 'Said' the Ethereal. (All will
be explained in due time. But first, we have to wait for the arrival of another
one.)
"Another one?" Luna asked, curious.
"Yes." Serena said, sitting next to her friend. "You see,
right before you answered the door, I made a call to a… mutual acquaintance."
"Say what?" Luna raised an eyebrow, curious and surprised at
the same time. "But… there are no vidphones on the hall, and I didn't see you
use any portable unit. Come on, you're pulling my tail here!"
In answer, Serena looked straight into Luna's eyes, keeping
her smile. So, it came as quite a shock for the felinoid when she 'heard' her
friend's voice right in her head! (No, not at all. You see, I learned a few
tricks back in the Citadel.)
Luna's jaw dropped almost to her hips, supremely surprised
of her friend's newfound ability. She couldn't help but wonder what else Serena
had learned during her stay. Granted, Syl had mentioned some time ago that she
could be a potential Esper, but it's one thing to hear about it, and one
totally different to see it confirmed.
(It has been a real pleasure to help her.) 'Said' the
Ethereal, comfortably seated in one of the plush chairs. (She has been the best
student I've had the honor to train in a very long time.)
(Sensei, please stop… you're embarrassing me!) Serena
answered, blushing at the praise.
(I am only stating the truth, young one. Nothing more,
nothing less.)
In that moment, Luna shook her head to regain her composure.
Somehow, she felt that more than mere thoughts were exchanged between her two
visitors. "All right, time out! Serena, please, would you mind just speaking?
It gives me the creeps hearing you in my head!"
"Sorry Luna. It's just that… well, once you learn the trick,
it's so easy to let yourself go." Serena said, smiling sweetly at her friend,
however, her eyes kept a spark of mischief that Luna caught easily.
But before the felinoid could say a thing, Serena stood up.
"Excuse me a moment." Then headed to the door. When she opened it, she said.
"Well, about time you arrived. We've been waiting for ages!"
Curious, Luna stood up and peeked around the corner to see
what was going on. To her surprise, she saw Syl, his hand in the position to
press the bell's button, his face showing a stunned expression at both seeing
his young friend and having his action anticipated so cleanly. The felinoid
couldn't help but chuckle and return to her seat, watching a smiling Serena
guide by his hand a stunned Syl. Once all were seated, Syl broke the silence.
"Well… I wasn't sure if I was going nuts when I heard your
voice in my head Serena, asking for me to come. At least, it's nice to see that
I'm still mentally sane."
"Speak for yourself." Snorted Luna, crossing her arms in
front of her chest. "I'm still not sure about that one."
Smirking at the remark, Syl decided to change the
conversation's course to safer ground. He then addressed the Ethereal. "Thank
you so much for training our friend. I was sure that she was able to do great
things."
(Indeed. Her personal capabilities are something
awe-inspiring. Once she was guided into the right path, it was only a matter to
show her what to do, and she worked hard to achieve her goals. We almost didn't
do a thing; she did all the work by herself.)
"So, what are you planning to do now?" asked Luna, tilting
her head. "Are you planning to continue your studies here at the Academy, or
are you going to return to the Citadel?"
Serena looked at the ceiling, her expression thoughtful. She
remained in that position for a few moments before answering. "Well, you see,
at first I was planning to continue my training with my Sensei here. But he
said that, since I still have another six months before I decide if to become a
citizen here, it would be better to finish my training at the Academy." While
she was talking, Syl and Luna heard the water running in the kitchen. And to
their immense surprise, they saw a glass of water FLOATING from the kitchen
towards their friend. When the glass was in reach, Serena grabbed it absently
and took a sip from it. Then, she simply released it in mid-air and the glass
floated gently to the table. They couldn't help to stare flabbergasted at
Serena.
Finally finding her voice, Luna asked the obvious. "Wha…
wha… what was that?? How did you do it??"
(As I said before, her capabilities are impressive.) 'Said'
the Ethereal, a note of pride coloring the thought. (What you just witnessed is
nothing but a small sample of her abilities.)
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Syl decided to just
accept the fact and not make any questions. Instead, he asked. "Well, I'm glad
to know you want to continue your studies Serena. But you have to keep in mind
that you'll need to take remedial courses. After all, you already missed a
semester."
"He's right, you know?" added Luna to the conversation. "And
believe me, the courses are nothing like we already did in our first year!" she
then placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "But don't worry, I'll help you
every step of the way! It will be like old times!"
(I'm glad to see you have the support of your friends, young
one.) 'Said' the Ethereal, standing up. (Now that my duty here is finished, I
have to return with my brothers. Until we meet again young one, take care, and
don't forget our teachings.)
"I will Sensei. And thank you very much for your
assistance." Said Serena, standing up as well and bowing respectfully to her
mentor. "Until we meet again."
Nodding, the Ethereal remained still for a couple of
moments. Suddenly, a flash of light began to shimmer in the middle of its
chest; in an eye blink, the light grew to engulf the being, and as fast as it
appeared the light vanished, any trace of the Ethereal gone with it.
"Wow… that was truly impressive." Luna said, blinking the
black dots that appeared on her vision due to the light. "Don't tell me you can
do the same Bunny!"
"I still don't have the full hang of it, but yes, if I want
to, I can teleport through short distances." Said Serena, matter-of-factly.
"So… what did I miss? And what do I need to study for these courses you
mentioned?" this time, Serena blinked when Syl just sighed and muttered
something she couldn't hear.
"Oh, you'll see, don't worry. Here, let me show you!" Luna
said, at the same time grabbing her friend by the elbow and guided her towards
the blonde's room. When the door opened, Serena just sweat dropped at the
sight. Neatly pilled on both her desk and bed, were an impressive collection of
printed notes, computer disks and books.
Seeing her friend's impression, Luna explained. "I was so
sure that you were going to return, that I took the liberty to copy all your
lessons and assignments for you to do when you were back. Well, don't look so
surprised here! It was you who decided to go traipsing to expand your mental
abilities instead to stay here and study!"
When Syl looked over their shoulders at the sight of so many
study materials, he couldn't help but add a thought. "I always knew you were a
study freak Luna, but was it necessary for you to do all this?"
"Of course!" with that, Luna guided Serena to her desk and
helped her to sit down. Booting up Serena's laptop, she then inserted one of
the disks. "Now, let's start with the basics, ok? First, I'll help you with
isolinear mathematics, and then we'll continue with the hard stuff. Don't worry,
you'll get the hang of it in no time at all!"
Serena couldn't help to stare at the screen, watching the
complicated equations displayed there. All of a sudden, the idea of spending
the next six months at the Citadel became VERY attractive.
* * * *
Ami sighed and closed the textbook she was studying. Looking
around her, she couldn't help but sigh at the sight. Clean, ordered,
immaculate. That's what defined her room, and to some extent, her own
personality. Yes, she was one that always found solace in having complete
control of her environment, always running everything around her through the
fine filters that made her mind. Always analyzing, cataloging and ordering all;
there was no space in her life for chaos… however, for the last weeks, that's
something that she wanted so much…
She had been the first one to notice the disintegration of
the Senshi as a team. And all because of an event that, to the rest of the
world might not be significant, but they knew better. Because of their
short-sightedness and impatience, all of them had pushed their princess to the
edge. Instead of supporting her, they had crushed her. Instead of listening to
her, they turned their backs on her. Instead of doing their duty to protect
her… they had left her to die alone at the hands of their enemies.
The night she had seen the news report had been the worse
night of her life. The day they all died at D-point was the only one that
compared to the awful feeling she felt. The small flicker of hope she and the
rest had for Usagi's survival died when Rei confirmed their fears. And since
then, Ami was witness of the regression of the girls to what they had been
before they met Usagi.
Makoto had become more belligerent, ending up in fights that
had caused her more than one detention and disciplinary actions. Minako had
become a shell of herself; the spark and happiness for life that made her an
almost splitting image of Usagi had been all but gone. Rei had become a virtual
recluse in the shrine, stating that she had to meditate; but Ami knew better.
The Senshi of Mars was punishing herself for what she felt was her direct fault
in what had happened, returning to the solitude that she lived in before
meeting Usagi.
And herself? Ami had become more of a bookworm than she was.
At the moment, she was so ahead of her studies that she could have stopped
going to school and still have excellent grades on the tests. But all those
accomplishments felt hollow, futile… what was the case of being the best, if
the most important person for her wasn't there to share the feeling?
Usagi had been a breath of fresh air, a whirlwind of energy
that rocked her world. The blonde had been the one to introduce her to a world
beyond school, outside the books. Usagi had been the one to give Ami what the young
genius wanted all her life: unconditional friendship. It had been her the one
that introduced her to the rest of the Senshi, the one that made them not into
a fighting group, but a group of good friends.
And in her mind, she had been the one that turned her back
to that wonderful person, because her analytical mind told her that Usagi
wasn't good enough to be their leader. Never in her young life, Ami had felt so
furious at her monumental mind.
After giving one more look around her room, she decided that
another try at trying to help Rei out of her funk would be what both of them
needed. After all, there was nothing more for her to do, and early in the
morning she had found a note from her mother saying that the doctor was going
to arrive late that night. Grabbing her computer and a purse, she left her
apartment.
During the whole walk to the shrine, she kept reviewing the
talk she and the others had had with Usagi that day almost a month ago;
something she had done almost daily since. Once more, the pang of guilt stabbed
her heart, but there was nothing she could do. It wasn't long before arriving
at the steps of the shrine. While climbing the stairs, she idly noticed the two
crows, Phobos and Deimos, standing on top of the shrine maiden's room, as if
keeping guard. Sighing to calm her nerves, she knocked lightly on Rei's door.
"Rei? Are you in there? Can I talk with you for a moment?"
When she received no answer from the inside, Ami decided to
forget decorum for a moment and tried the door, finding it open. Opening it
just a crack, she peeked inside, noticing that the room was empty. Closing the
door once more, she then headed towards the room where the Sacred Fire stood.
(I should have known… she has spent almost all of her free
time meditating in front of the fire.) Thought Ami. So, it came as a great
surprise when she found the room empty as well. Leaning against the doorframe,
she began to think where could Rei be. (Apparently, she's not here at the
shrine. But where else could she be? She no longer goes to Crown, and
considering how she feels, I seriously doubt she went to the mall alone.) She
was considering going back home and study some more when a faint noise was
heard from behind the shrine.
Curiosity gaining the best of her, Ami headed towards the
origin of the noise. It wasn't long before she was standing in front of a small
shed almost obscured by the vegetation surrounding the shrine. She faintly
remembered Yuiichiro mentioning that it used to be a wood shed, but nowadays
they didn't use it. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the door was ajar.
Once more letting her curiosity get the best of her, the blue haired girl took
a peek inside. When her eyes got used to the darkness, she saw a familiar
figure kneeled inside.
Rei was in there, her back to the door. From her position,
Ami noticed the maiden's posture: Rei's shoulders were slumped, but moving
slightly. Her once shiny mane of black hair now looked lifeless, only kept in
place by a white ribbon. But what called Ami's attention the most were the
faint sobs she could hear.
Without fully considering the consequences, Ami opened the
door, starting Rei. When the shrine maiden turned around, Ami gasped when she
finally saw what Rei was holding in her hands. On Rei's right hand was a white
piece of cloth, and in the left hand…
"The Moon Scepter…" muttered Ami, shocked. It had been ten
days ago when the news was broadcasted, that a mysterious person had crashed in
the police's evidence room and stolen the Moon Scepter. A reward had been
offered for information that could help in retrieving the artifact, but to date
nothing had been known. And at that moment, Ami could understand why was that.
"Rei… how… why…?" Ami was so surprised, that for once in her
life she couldn't find the right words to phrase her surprise. She could only
watch Rei standing up, dropping the cloth and holding the scepter to her bosom
with both hands. Ami just stood there, watching the Senshi of Mars looking at
the artifact with a complex mix of emotions running through her face: guilt,
longing, rage, confusion, sadness… all of them fighting for a position in her
features.
Both remained frozen in that position for a couple of
minutes, none saying a word. Finally, Rei spoke, her voice subdued. "You
remember… that the government wanted to send the scepter to a museum?" Ami just
nodded, not daring to interrupt. "I… I simply… couldn't stand it. They… they
don't understand… this isn't just an object… this is… the last… memory… all I
have to… remember her…" In that moment, Rei's expression gained a somewhat
dreamy quality, something that slightly alarmed Ami. The young genius was
afraid that her friend was losing her grip with reality, but dared not to
interrupt.
"It was so easy… I just melt the bars on the window. It
didn't take long for me to find the scepter, you know? It was as if it was
calling me." She scowled at the memory. "They didn't have the right to treat my
friend's memory as if it was something to display, for everybody to gawk and
admire. Do you know that they didn't even clean it? When I found it, it was so…
dirty… covered with grime and her… her blood." A lone tear ran down her cheek,
but Rei didn't make a move to clean it. Ami could understand her friend. She
had cried enough herself.
Rei's voice cracked when she continued her explanation. "I
couldn't let them do it, can't you see?? They don't know… nobody else knows…
this is the last of her… the last of her essence! And that's something I
couldn't lose! Not after losing her!!" by then, her tears were running
unchecked, the salty drops falling on the scepter.
By that point, Ami was crying too, but she didn't care.
After all, she had considered doing the same herself, but she rationalized that
having the scepter in a museum would have been better in the long run. Very
gently, she grabbed Rei by one elbow and began to guide her friend towards the
shrine. Rei didn't oppose, letting Ami guide her. "Come one Rei… you better
rest." They left the shed, Rei still holding the scepter tightly.
They walked down the path through the small grove of trees
when Rei spoke again. "You know? I always envied Usagi." Ami looked at her
friend, a small frown on her face. "No, not because she was our leader… but for
what she was. Always so happy, so eager to live life… always eager to make
friends with everybody. She was everything I wanted to be." The shrine maiden
sighed deeply. "But I ruined it. I always had to push her, to make her into
something she couldn't be… I wanted to… to turn her in… in me."
The two of them had arrived at the steps that lead to her
room. However, because of Rei's mental state and exhaustion, she tripped on the
last step.
Ami watched in horrified fascination how Rei toppled on
herself, seeing the scene as if it was being played in slow motion. She could
very clearly see Rei's expression: a look of pure disbelief and horror was
etched in her face. When the shrine maiden finally reached the wooden floor,
Ami heard with total clarity a loud CRACK. As soon as she heard that sound, the
world returned to normal.
Rei began to stand up, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Very slowly, she looked down at her hands, and paled noticeably. The image that
appeared in front of both young ladies got etched in their minds, an image they
wouldn't forget for the rest of their lives.
The top of the scepter lay on the floor, while Rei hold the
rest, a piece on each hand. The ceramic shards were both embedded in the floor
and her palms, blood now pouring from the cuts.
Dazed, Ami finally knelt in front of her friend, her eyes
wide. "Rei… are you all right? Here, let me dress those cuts. Do you have a
first aid kit here? I need to clean the cuts and remove… the… shards…" her
voice trailed off when she finally saw Rei's face.
Rei's hands were trembling very noticeably, her eyes fixed
in the broken pieces. She then began to shook her head, her long hair flailing.
"No… no… no… NO!!!! IT… IT CAN'T BE!!!! I KILLED HER!!! I KILLED HER AGAIN!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" she then collapsed on the floor, assuming a fetal position,
all the time muttering 'no' over and over again.
Ami stared at her friend's collapse horrified, not knowing
what to do for a couple of moments. Finally, she opened her communicator and
called the others. That done, she tried to console her friend, although
internally she felt just as devastated.
Half an hour later, Rei was sleeping fitfully on her bed.
Ami, Minako and Makoto were seated on the steps in front of her room; Luna and
Artemis curled next to them.
"I can't believe she had it." Makoto said, frowning. "I
mean, why she didn't even tell us? Damn it, I could have even helped her get
the scepter!"
"You can't blame her." Minako said, looking at her hands on
her lap. "I mean, if I had done it, I think I would have done the same."
"What I can't understand is, why she didn't even tell me?"
said Luna, looking straight ahead. "I could have kept the scepter in a safe
place!"
"Oh yeah? And where would you have kept it, in you litter
box?" said Makoto, snorting. "Yeah, right! And how could you have explained it
to Usagi's parents? No wait! I forgot, they don't know you can talk, so you
would have just meowed, right?" Luna tensed at the harsh words, and was about
to retort when Artemis spoke, defusing the situation.
"All right, that's enough! Do you really think Usagi would
have liked to see all of you fighting and bickering? I'm shocked, all of you!"
he then addressed Ami, who was busy typing on her computer. "Ami, is there some
way for us to repair the scepter?"
Ami didn't answer until the calculations were done. After
checking the results one more time, she sighed and closed the computer. "I'm
sorry, guys. But according to this, there is nothing we can do. There is no
residual lunar magic on the scepter, and the material can't be melted and
re-forged.
"I found a file in the computer that had a brief description
of how the scepter was made in the first place. It was entirely forged with
materials only found in the moon during the Silver Millennium, and given form
using a powerful influx of energy from the Ginzuishou. Even if we all combined
our powers, they wouldn't be enough to repair the scepter."
"Then… what can we do now?" asked Minako, her eyes brimming
with tears.
Nobody said a thing for a long time, the uncomfortable
silence only punctuated by the muted sobs coming from Rei's room.
* * * *
The small auditorium at the Academy was full to capacity. It
wasn't big, able to contain just a few hundred people. However, the ones
present were satisfied with that situation.
That day was Graduation day. Unlike the graduation for the
ones that took the first course, only the best were able to get to that point.
No fancy ceremonies, not extra reunions, just the graduates and the main
representatives of both the academic and command groups were gathered in that
place.
Among the would-be graduates, was a couple of females that
looked satisfied and a little tense. Like all the others, both were dressed in
regulation gray and dark blue dress suits. But it didn't bother them; what was
important for them was that, today, was the culmination of their hard work and
dedication, the day that marked a new stage in their lives.
It had been hard for Serena to get back on track with her
studies, more so when she had to adapt her study habits with her constant
training learned with the Ethereals. But she had managed to do it. And she had
to thank her good friends Syl and Luna. They never let her face those hardships
alone, and were very patient with her during her studies. They supported her
all the way, and there had been times when they sacrificed their own free time
to help her with her assignments. A matter Serena was greatly grateful for.
The graduation ceremony was short, but nonetheless emotive
for the presents. Diplomas had been handed, the few orators had said their
speeches, and now was the time to officially close the academic cycle.
"And to close," the dean of the Academy's Officers School
continued, "I want to give my sincerest congratulations to each and every one
of you. All of you who have reached this point have worked hard and long; be
proud of yourselves. Pride yourselves with your achievements, because from this
moment on, you are now line officers of the Agency. Congratulations everyone.
"And now, before you all retire, go to the main administrative
offices to get your assignments. That will be all."
As soon as they left the Auditorium, Luna and Serena headed
towards the Admin building, chatting among them.
"I can't believe it's finally over!" commented Serena. "I
mean, it was so HARD!"
"You're telling me!" said Luna, sighing. "There were times
when I was ready to drop the books and say 'to hell with everything, I'm going
home!'" she then smiled at her friend. "Thank you for convincing me of the
contrary."
"No, it's me who has to thank you. You and Syl; if it hadn't
been for you two, I don't think I could have made it. I was so behind my
studies that it was incredibly hard!"
"My pleasure." Said the felinoid. "Come on, do you really
think I was going to let my best friend flunk without a fight? Yeah sure, dream
on!" their chat continued on that venue until they reached the building. Upon
arrival, they noticed that the personnel had assigned the front offices to give
the new graduates their assignments, each office attending the arrivals by
alphabetical order. Quickly finding the one for them, they entered.
Serena was the one that talked with the officer in charge.
Saluting him, she said. "Cadets Moon and Luna reporting as ordered, Sir."
The officer, a captain, returned the salute. "At ease
cadets. Before we proceed, let me congratulate you for graduating."
"Thank you Sir!" said the young ladies in unison. The
captain smiled at the reaction.
"Very well then… let's see what we have here for you two."
He then checked the computer nest to him and promptly found the files he was
looking for. He took a glance at them and then addressed them. "Well, this is
interesting. You two made it so well, that you earned temporary ranks as
ensigns! Congratulations both of you!" he chuckled lightly upon seeing the
looks on their faces. After typing a few commands, the computer produced some
printed copies of their orders. Placing each on a folder, he gave the folders
to them. "Here you go. Report to your assigned posts at the designated times.
Now, enjoy the rest of the day, and don't overdo it with your celebrations.
Dismissed… and once more, congratulations."
"Yes Sir! Thank you Sir!" saluting once more, the couple
left the office.
Once inside, they almost stumbled with a slightly winded
Syl. He, like them, was holding a folder in his hands. "Well, congratulations
you two!" said Syl once he regained his breath. "Sorry for not being there when
you left, but had to report here."
"No problem Syl. Glad to see you now." Said Luna, smirking.
"Boy, do we have great news for you!" hearing that, Syl raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah!" added Serena, smiling brightly. "We're ensigns now!"
"Wow, that's great! Not everybody got ranks, you know? For
you to have done it only shows that the high brass thinks greatly of you!"
"Hey, I wanted to tell him!" Luna said, frowning at Serena.
However, the smile she was sporting belayed her expression.
"Sorry, it's just that I couldn't contain myself any
longer!" Serena then looked at the folder on Syl's hand. "Hey, what's that?
Your new orders?"
"As a matter of fact, yes." Said Syl, opening it and reading
the last page. "I just got assigned on another run. It will count for future
promotions. And what about you? What did you got?"
Both ladies opened their folders and checked their orders.
The first one to talk was Luna. "Hey, I got assigned to a trial run on a
multi-purpose ship!"
"Same here." Serena said. She also frowned slightly. "Also,
I have to decide on this run if to join the Agency or become an ambassador."
"Ouch." Syl just sighed, but decided to say something else.
"Well, I'm sure you'll make the right decision. And don't forget, whatever you
decide, I'll support you all the way."
"You and me both, buster!" added Luna. She then placed her
hand on Serena's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm sure you will make the right one."
She then decided to change themes just a little. "So, where are you assigned? I
hope we can communicate at least."
"Here." Serena showed the felinoid the line where the name
of the ship was written. As soon as she read it, Luna's eyes almost popped out
of her head.
"No way! Wow, this is great! I got the same ship!" upon
hearing that, Serena couldn't help it. She embraced Luna and both began to jump
on their places, happy at that twist of luck.
Seeing that, Syl couldn't help himself and gently grabbed
Serena's folder from her hands. Checking the corresponding page, he read the
ship's name, and gasped. "I can't believe it… well, small universe after all!"
when they heard him, both girls stopped their antics and looked at him. Before
they could ask, he answered. "Guess what? I'm on the same ship! And Serena, in
case you had forgotten already, this is the very same ship we met the first
time!"
"No way… what are the chances?" muttered Luna, stunned.
Nobody said a thing; the three of them just stared at the
page displayed on Syl's now numbed fingers.
There, written in letters big enough for all to see, were
the words.
REPORT AT 0900 HOURS AT DOCK 127.
ASSIGNED SHIP: A.S.S. LUCKY STAR.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Author's notes:
Phew! I can't believe it… another chapter, after such a long
absence! Once more, I apologize for not writing in such a long time, but as I
mentioned on the last chapter, things haven't been easy for me these last
months. Fortunately, my luck appears to be changing.
My thanks go to those who have reviewed this story on
fanfiction.net. It's thanks to their comments and support that this story goes
on.
And a very special THANK YOU goes to my good friend,
pre-reader and reviewer, Yohann DeSabrais. Thanks for your suggestions for the
Shrine scene! I greatly appreciate your input! Not to mention being such a hard
editor. This story would be awful without your help. Thanks pal!
Now, to start the next chapter. To all of you readers, if
you don't review it, I will stop this story as it is ok? Come on, if you really
like it, tell me!
Ok, that's all for now… later!