Mamoru's Love Part 4- The Break Up
*********************************
The last two years passed quickly for the sailor scouts. Usagi tried her best to live with the thought that Mamoru would someday return to her like he had done so many times in thre past. It was that thought and her firends that kept her going.
Usagi's worries soon became real. As she had prodicted, things were changing. Michiru and Haruka were no longer with them. They, being a year older than the inner senshi, had graduated and left Japan to go college in Europe. They rarly heard form their fellow scouts any more. Motoki had finally asked his girlfriend to marry him, and the two moved to the west so she could further her carrier. The arcade was left for his sister to care for. Setsuna no longer visited them, perfering to stay at the time gate and watch for mistakes in the time. Hotaru was only seen on occasion. Though she liked Usagi, she was no Chibi-usa.
Luna's worries about a new enemy never came up. It seemed that Galaxia was the last. Or so the scouts hopped. With Usagi's broach gone, buried with Mamoru, Luna and Artemus worried. If there had been a new enemy, Sailor Moon wouldn't have been able to help. Sailor Moon was no more. She was dead.
It was now late August. The inner senshi had graduated from High School two months before, and were ready to take on college. Usagi hopped that her friends would stay with her nad go to college in Tokyo, but to her dismay, those dreams were fake. LIke she had told the scouts two years before, they would all eventually split up.
***
"I have an annoucment to make," Ami said, her arms crossed in front of her as she stood at the table.
"Oh, not about college again, Ami-chan," Usagi whined. "We've still got two more weeks of freedom."
Ami smiled softly at her friend. "I'm sorry to spoil your fun, Usagi-chan, but this is important." Sh elost her smile and sighed.
"Is something wrong?" Makoto asked, seeing Ami's smile falter.
With her head down, Ami reported her news. "I've accepted to Stanford in the West."
Usagi looked up at her shocked, her spoon hanging form her mouth. "Your not thinking about going, are you?" she said, the spoon dangling from her mouth. She took the spoon out and swallowed.
Ami nodded her head still down. "It'd be a great oppertunity to further my studies as a doctor. Its one of the best schools in the world."
"But...Ami-chan, you can't leave us," Usagi whimpered.
"She won't be leaving us all," Makoto said. She stood up. "I've also been accepted to a college in the west, for cooking of course. I want to learn how to cook American cusien."
"You, too, Mako-chan?" Usagi started crying. "I told you we would all end up breaking up and going off to college." Her tears slid down her cheeks in great gushes. "What am I going to do without you?" She turned to Rei and Minako, her starre almost acusing them of leaving too.
Rei put an arm around her shoulders. "Knock off the crying, Odango Atama. I'm still going to be here."
Minako raised a hand and smiled. "So am I. I'll be going to Tokyo University while modeling part time. Cool, huh?"
Rei stood up. "And I'm staying at the temple. "Grandpa's not like what he used to be. I need to take care of him." She smiled. "Though I have got seom hints from a producer about producing my first album."
Usagi sniffed. "You all know what you want to do with your life. Ami-chan wants to become a doctor, Mako-chan a chef, Rei-chan a singer and Minako-chan a model. What have I got to do?" She strated cryign again.
"Cheer up, Usagi-chan," Minako said. "Your going to be queen of the Earth. What else could you want?"
The scouts finished. Minako realized at the last second what she just said.
Usagi started crying even harder. "How can I be a queen without a king? Mamo-chan was suppose to be by my side. We were supposeive to have Chibi-usa, but now its all wrong. Mamo-chan isn't here any more, the scouts are breaking up! The future that we know it is gone."
Then she rememered what her mother, Queen Serenity, said to her in a dream a long time ago.
"Do you believe in making your own destiny, Serenity? Or do you believe destiny is picked out for you?"
"I'm not sure."
"You make your own destiny, Serenity."
"Isn't that what I've been doing?"
"Yes, but things do change from what you know it."
"I don't understand."
"You know who you will become."
"Neo-Queen Serenity."
"Yes. But it is your choice to become her."
Usagi thought for a minute. "Are you saying I can choose not to be her?"
"That's one way of putting it."
"The only way I know of doing that is to not re-awake the world. And I can't do that."
"I'ts your choice, and only you can make the right choice."
Usagi looked around at her friends as she remembered her mothers words. "It's your choice," she mumbled.
"What?" Makoto said.
"It's my choice to become queen of the Earth. I have two different destiny's that I can chose to follow. One is becoming queen and reawkening the world. The other is not being queen, and not wakening the world. Its my destiny and my choice alone." She paused looking at each of her friends. Her tears are setteled some. "And I chose not to!" She got up from the table and ran from the room. It was her discsion. No one else's.
***
"Usagi," Luna whispeared as she pushed open the door to get into the room. "Are you in here?"
"Go away, Luna." Usagi was undoubtfully crying.
"What was all this giberish about not wanting to become Neo Queen Serenity?" Luna said in a tough voice.
"I told you,, go away. I don't want to talk about it."
"If you like it or not, your going to have to talk about it sooner or later. And I'd really like some answers now."
Usagi sniffed and looked down at the black cat. "Fine." Shw swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat there, her head down.
"Now what's this all about?"
"I don't want to become Neo Queen Serenity."
"Why not?"
"Mamoru is no longer here, so why bother? Chibi-usa will never be born either way."
Luna sighed. "I don't know what the furture hold, Usagi, but I do know that if you don't become queen this world will cease to exist."
"So be it then."
"Why must you be so stubborn, Usagi!"Luna jumped up onto the bed and held her clawed paw out just under Usagi's face. "If you don't wake the world we will all die."
"Why should I care? I'm no longer the defender of love and justice. She died a long time ago."
Luna relazed and set her paw down. Usagi didn;t seem to be afriad of it. "Yes, Sailor Moon did die when you gave up your broach, but so did Princess Serenity. Her mother died so she may be reborn to live again, adn to become ruler of the Moon Kingdom. Do you want to disapoint Queen Serenity? She gave her life to you so that you may rule in her place. Do you want to waist all that?
"Your the Princess of the Moon Kingdom, heir to the thrown of the SIlver Millinium, and Earth. Just as Mamoru-kun was."
"But he's no longer here. All those times he died in battle, protecting me, I never thought he'd return. But he did. He came back to me out of love. Teh power of the moon wouldn't let him die. But this time, it did. It didn't protect him when the disel hit him, did it? Otherwise he'd still be here with us, with me." She grew quite.
Luna thought carfully on her next words. "Do you want to disapoint him? Or maybe Chibi-Usa? I'm sure that some way the power of the moon will bring him back. All those times he was brought back, it was your will and love that showed the power the way. THis time your not doing anything about it. You sit here and mope. Your will has dropped, as well as your love, Usagi."
"I will always love Mamo-chan!" Usagi cried. "And I have the will! Do you have any idea as to how many times I wanted to kill myself because I knew he wasn't here for me? But I didn't. I knew he wouldn't want that."
Luna sighed.
"And its not just that, Luna." She started break down in snobs. "Its just that... with everybody leaving...I feel as if... as if I have no one. They all know what they want to do with their life, but I don't. I have nothing..."
"Usagi!" Luna's tone was harsh. "The scouts won't be able to live their dreams. Your friends will die, your family will die. Ami, Makoto, Minako, Rei- none of them will experience their life time goals if the world stays frozen. Don't you see that? Not only are your dreams shattering, but those of you around you."
"My friends....die?" Usagi blinked back the tears.
Luna nodded. "The whole world and its dreams will die. Queen Serenity sent you to the future to rule it with the power of the Silver Crystal. She could have saved her power and her life to rebuild what was destroyed, but instead she sent you and your gurdians to Earth to live a new life and defend the planet and the universe like you once did."
Usagi sniffed. She blinked her eyesa few rimes then looked at Luna. "Your right," she said in a weak voice. "I've been selfesh." She stood up, deterimation her eyes. "I never gave up on Mamo-chan when he was turned agaist us. I never gave up hope that Hotaru-chan was good, I won't give up hope!" She stood up straight. "Some way or another, I'm sure my Mamo-chan will be brought back to me. Its only a matter of time. And while Ami-chan and Mako-chan are gone, I know I'll still have Rei-chan and Minako-chan, even if they will be busy a lot. Plus I have you and my family. In the end, it'll all work out. I'm sure of it." She smiled, her tears gone She looked down at Luna and picked the cat up in her arms, squezzing the life out of her. "Thanks a bunch, Luna."
Luna choaked and stuggled agaist Usagi's grasp as she was thanked.
***
Three days later Usagi called a meeting at Rei's shrine. Each of her friends looked worried as Usagi stood before them, her ahdns on her hips, her face serious for once. At least there were no tears.
"I got a hold of Michiru-san and Haruka-san yesturday. I told them the same plans that I'm about to tell you and they agreed."
"What plans? Are you feeling alright, Usagi-chan?" Rei asked.
"Just fine!" Usagi said excited. "Luna got through to me the other day. She was right. The world deserves to follow its dreams. And I won't be left alone. I'll still have Luna and Minako-chan and Rei-chan." She looked at the two friends she didn't mentino.
"You mean...." Makoto started.
"Yep! I want you and Ami-chan to leave. Go to the west. I know its your dreams that count. JUst promise me you'll come back the day I wake the world."
Ami nodded. "Of course. And we can still wrtie letter and talk on the phone."
"Besides," Makoto said, "we'll have to come back anyway to protect you. Its our duty."
Usagi smiled and nodded. "Oh, mina! I'm so sorry about what I said eariler!"
The gang each surrounded Usagi and pulled her into a group hug, squezzing her like she had squezzed Luna those few days ago.
When they fianlly let go, they made theor announcments.
"I'm glad I have your approval," Ami said. "I was planning to leave in just a few days. Of course," she added seeing the looks on their faces, "there was no way I was going to go with Usagi all out of shape."
"A few days?" Usagi gasped.
Ami nodded. "School starts eariler in the west. Its almost September, you know. School will start shortly here as well."
Makoto nodded. "I coaxed Ami-chan to take a cruiser across the sea with me." She rubbed the back of her head as the others looked at her. "You know I don't like planes."
"So your leaving, too?" Usagi cried.
Makoto nodded. "It just so happens that Ami-chan and I were accepted to the same school. Quite a counicidence, huh?" She laughed, still rubbing the back of her head.
"I'm going to miss you guys!" Usagi cired, grabbing onto her two friends and crying into them.
Makotot patted Usagi's back. "It'll alright. Hey! I'll even send you some of my special cookies from time to time to remember, OK?"
Usagi sniffed, looked up at her and smiled. "OK."
"And I'll even send you good books that will help you in your studies," Ami added. The gang sweatdropped. "And maybe a few pictures as well," she finished, also sweatdropping.
"Yeah! And hey!" Minako cried out. "I'll even invite you to my shoots, Usagi-chan. Maybe if your lucky, someone will notice you and will wnat you to do some posing for them."
"You really think so?"
"Who knows?" Minako winked. "I know someone who sure looks a lot like a certain super hero that they would love to get there hands on as partmer for Sailor V."
"Minako-chan! You've got to be kidding! You'd do that for me?!"
"Maybe!" She flipped her hair with her hand and turned around. "If I feel up to it."
Usagi grabbed onto Mianko's ankles as she started to walk off. "Oh Please, Minako-chan! Please!"
Minako had a hard time walking with Usagi on her. SHe sweatdropped. "Oh, alright, Odango Atama. As long as you get off me that is."
"Oh thank you!" Usagi jumped up off the ground and began jumping in front of Minako, thanking her.
The angry/fusterated sweatsropped appeared on Rei. "Usagi! I think its time you leave her alone."
"But, Rei-chan," Usagi whimpered, turning to look at her other friend.
"Now, I mean it, Odango Atama. I'm sure we all have better things to do then listen to you irratate Minako-chan."
"Rei-chan. Your so mean to me!"
"I don't think she'll ever grow up at htis rate," Makoto said sweatdropping.
"I agree," Ami said, following Makoto's example.
***
For the second time in the past year, Usagi stood saying goodbye to her friends. As if having Micheru and Haruka leaving weren't enough, now two of her best friends were going away. Ami had been the first Sailor Senshi found. Now she was the first to leave. Usagi was going to miss her blue haired friend. Studying without her just wouldn't be the same.
As if it wasn't bad enough, seh was also seeing Makoto off. She had ben there when Sailor Moon had been defencless, and saved the day by turning into the beautiful sailor soldier Sailor Jupiter. Whenever USagi was need, Makoto was there to take care of the problem. She was always sticking up for her when someone pushed her esteem down. Now she too was leaving her life for a good while.
"I'm going to miss you so much!" Usagi cried, lunging at her two friends, who embraced her in a last hug.
"Same here," Makoto said. "Its not going to be the same without you there eating all my food."
"Or having you taking a nap at study time," Ami added.
Usagi nodded at her friends and took a step back. "Your taking your henshin sticks and communicaters, right?"
The two nodded.
"Well, then," Rei said. "I guess this is it."
"Its been nice working with you," Minako said. "Maybe now that there's peace once aagain, I can continue my carrer as Sialor V."
"Not in London!" Usagi cried.
Minkao shook her head. "Of course not. I'm staying right here."
Ami nodded. "And me and Mako-chan will be going to the same school, so we'll be able to communicate better."
"Yeah," Rei said. "We're not really splitting up. Those two are staying together, us three are together, and Haruka and Michiru are together. We're only phone calls away, right?"
Usagi nodded. "Your right. And anyway, in a few years, we'll be together again, anyway. Nothing is going to stop me from saving the world, not this time." She smiled reasurringly.
A large whistle blew. "On a board!"
Makotot hugged Rei and Minako. Ami did the same.
"We'll good luck to you in the US!" Minako cried.
"I'm sure we'll manage," Ami said.
Makoto and Ami started walking backward while waving to their friends.
The whistle blew again. "Last call!"
Ami and Makoto tunred and bolted for the ship.
"Don't forget us!" Usagi cried after them. Fresh tears feel down her face. "Not ever."
Rei came up beind her and hugged her. Minako joined her ont eh other side of Usagi. The two friends on board the ship waved exitedly as the ship pulled out of harbor. The three friends on the ground waved back until the ship was only a spec in the distance.
Usagi sniffeled. "They're gone. They're really gone."
"Come on, Usako," Rei said leading her friend away. '
"Cheer up, Usagi-chan," Minako said. "At least you still have us."
Usagi nodded, and under her breath said, "But for how long?"
***
The first few month went by fairly quickly. Rei and Usagi decided to go to the same college: Rei to study singing and Usagi politics, under Luna's advice of course. School was going pretty well. With no aliens to fight, and no firends to relaly hang out with, Usagi and Rei usually used up their time to study, and so were getting fairly good grades.
Minako, on the other hand, was rarly seen. She became a popular singiner and model a month after Ami and Makoto left. Even more games and merchindise of Sailor V came out. Sailor V was on the cover of almost every teen magazine in the world. It was tough getting through with her, even with the communicater. If she wasn't surrounded by her managers and fans, she was eating or sleeping.
Toward the end of December, Usagi got a letter addressed from Minako. In it she appologized for not speaking with them as much as she would like to. She was overly excited in the letter as well. This did not make Usagi happy. Minako was going back to London to her crime fightign days as none other then Sailor V.
On the day before she was to leave, she came by the temple to say good bye to her two friends. Luna and Artemus went off by themselfs to say goodbye. Usagi was in shambles. Another friend was leaving. Minako did, however, promise to keep in contact a lot more while she was gone. Usagi could only nod as another one of her best friends left her life.
It appeanded again in Februrary. Rei's grandfather fell ill. Rei thought it was her responibility to grant him his last request of dying up in the mountains in his cabin. Rei aggred to this, said goodbye to Usagi (she didn't kow how long she was going to be gone, for the doctors estimated that he had five months left to live) and left Yuuichirou in charge of the temple in her absence.
Usagi alomst broke down after that. Her grades started to fall and her appitite slowing down. Good luck fell upon her though. Her old best friend Naru Osaka ran into her one day on the way back to school. The two friends got together after so long. Usagi found out that she was engaged to her boyfriend Gurio Umino. Usagi was happy to be chossen as Bride of Honor.
Time passed quicky, and without even knowing it, the time had come.
*********************************
The last two years passed quickly for the sailor scouts. Usagi tried her best to live with the thought that Mamoru would someday return to her like he had done so many times in thre past. It was that thought and her firends that kept her going.
Usagi's worries soon became real. As she had prodicted, things were changing. Michiru and Haruka were no longer with them. They, being a year older than the inner senshi, had graduated and left Japan to go college in Europe. They rarly heard form their fellow scouts any more. Motoki had finally asked his girlfriend to marry him, and the two moved to the west so she could further her carrier. The arcade was left for his sister to care for. Setsuna no longer visited them, perfering to stay at the time gate and watch for mistakes in the time. Hotaru was only seen on occasion. Though she liked Usagi, she was no Chibi-usa.
Luna's worries about a new enemy never came up. It seemed that Galaxia was the last. Or so the scouts hopped. With Usagi's broach gone, buried with Mamoru, Luna and Artemus worried. If there had been a new enemy, Sailor Moon wouldn't have been able to help. Sailor Moon was no more. She was dead.
It was now late August. The inner senshi had graduated from High School two months before, and were ready to take on college. Usagi hopped that her friends would stay with her nad go to college in Tokyo, but to her dismay, those dreams were fake. LIke she had told the scouts two years before, they would all eventually split up.
***
"I have an annoucment to make," Ami said, her arms crossed in front of her as she stood at the table.
"Oh, not about college again, Ami-chan," Usagi whined. "We've still got two more weeks of freedom."
Ami smiled softly at her friend. "I'm sorry to spoil your fun, Usagi-chan, but this is important." Sh elost her smile and sighed.
"Is something wrong?" Makoto asked, seeing Ami's smile falter.
With her head down, Ami reported her news. "I've accepted to Stanford in the West."
Usagi looked up at her shocked, her spoon hanging form her mouth. "Your not thinking about going, are you?" she said, the spoon dangling from her mouth. She took the spoon out and swallowed.
Ami nodded her head still down. "It'd be a great oppertunity to further my studies as a doctor. Its one of the best schools in the world."
"But...Ami-chan, you can't leave us," Usagi whimpered.
"She won't be leaving us all," Makoto said. She stood up. "I've also been accepted to a college in the west, for cooking of course. I want to learn how to cook American cusien."
"You, too, Mako-chan?" Usagi started crying. "I told you we would all end up breaking up and going off to college." Her tears slid down her cheeks in great gushes. "What am I going to do without you?" She turned to Rei and Minako, her starre almost acusing them of leaving too.
Rei put an arm around her shoulders. "Knock off the crying, Odango Atama. I'm still going to be here."
Minako raised a hand and smiled. "So am I. I'll be going to Tokyo University while modeling part time. Cool, huh?"
Rei stood up. "And I'm staying at the temple. "Grandpa's not like what he used to be. I need to take care of him." She smiled. "Though I have got seom hints from a producer about producing my first album."
Usagi sniffed. "You all know what you want to do with your life. Ami-chan wants to become a doctor, Mako-chan a chef, Rei-chan a singer and Minako-chan a model. What have I got to do?" She strated cryign again.
"Cheer up, Usagi-chan," Minako said. "Your going to be queen of the Earth. What else could you want?"
The scouts finished. Minako realized at the last second what she just said.
Usagi started crying even harder. "How can I be a queen without a king? Mamo-chan was suppose to be by my side. We were supposeive to have Chibi-usa, but now its all wrong. Mamo-chan isn't here any more, the scouts are breaking up! The future that we know it is gone."
Then she rememered what her mother, Queen Serenity, said to her in a dream a long time ago.
"Do you believe in making your own destiny, Serenity? Or do you believe destiny is picked out for you?"
"I'm not sure."
"You make your own destiny, Serenity."
"Isn't that what I've been doing?"
"Yes, but things do change from what you know it."
"I don't understand."
"You know who you will become."
"Neo-Queen Serenity."
"Yes. But it is your choice to become her."
Usagi thought for a minute. "Are you saying I can choose not to be her?"
"That's one way of putting it."
"The only way I know of doing that is to not re-awake the world. And I can't do that."
"I'ts your choice, and only you can make the right choice."
Usagi looked around at her friends as she remembered her mothers words. "It's your choice," she mumbled.
"What?" Makoto said.
"It's my choice to become queen of the Earth. I have two different destiny's that I can chose to follow. One is becoming queen and reawkening the world. The other is not being queen, and not wakening the world. Its my destiny and my choice alone." She paused looking at each of her friends. Her tears are setteled some. "And I chose not to!" She got up from the table and ran from the room. It was her discsion. No one else's.
***
"Usagi," Luna whispeared as she pushed open the door to get into the room. "Are you in here?"
"Go away, Luna." Usagi was undoubtfully crying.
"What was all this giberish about not wanting to become Neo Queen Serenity?" Luna said in a tough voice.
"I told you,, go away. I don't want to talk about it."
"If you like it or not, your going to have to talk about it sooner or later. And I'd really like some answers now."
Usagi sniffed and looked down at the black cat. "Fine." Shw swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat there, her head down.
"Now what's this all about?"
"I don't want to become Neo Queen Serenity."
"Why not?"
"Mamoru is no longer here, so why bother? Chibi-usa will never be born either way."
Luna sighed. "I don't know what the furture hold, Usagi, but I do know that if you don't become queen this world will cease to exist."
"So be it then."
"Why must you be so stubborn, Usagi!"Luna jumped up onto the bed and held her clawed paw out just under Usagi's face. "If you don't wake the world we will all die."
"Why should I care? I'm no longer the defender of love and justice. She died a long time ago."
Luna relazed and set her paw down. Usagi didn;t seem to be afriad of it. "Yes, Sailor Moon did die when you gave up your broach, but so did Princess Serenity. Her mother died so she may be reborn to live again, adn to become ruler of the Moon Kingdom. Do you want to disapoint Queen Serenity? She gave her life to you so that you may rule in her place. Do you want to waist all that?
"Your the Princess of the Moon Kingdom, heir to the thrown of the SIlver Millinium, and Earth. Just as Mamoru-kun was."
"But he's no longer here. All those times he died in battle, protecting me, I never thought he'd return. But he did. He came back to me out of love. Teh power of the moon wouldn't let him die. But this time, it did. It didn't protect him when the disel hit him, did it? Otherwise he'd still be here with us, with me." She grew quite.
Luna thought carfully on her next words. "Do you want to disapoint him? Or maybe Chibi-Usa? I'm sure that some way the power of the moon will bring him back. All those times he was brought back, it was your will and love that showed the power the way. THis time your not doing anything about it. You sit here and mope. Your will has dropped, as well as your love, Usagi."
"I will always love Mamo-chan!" Usagi cried. "And I have the will! Do you have any idea as to how many times I wanted to kill myself because I knew he wasn't here for me? But I didn't. I knew he wouldn't want that."
Luna sighed.
"And its not just that, Luna." She started break down in snobs. "Its just that... with everybody leaving...I feel as if... as if I have no one. They all know what they want to do with their life, but I don't. I have nothing..."
"Usagi!" Luna's tone was harsh. "The scouts won't be able to live their dreams. Your friends will die, your family will die. Ami, Makoto, Minako, Rei- none of them will experience their life time goals if the world stays frozen. Don't you see that? Not only are your dreams shattering, but those of you around you."
"My friends....die?" Usagi blinked back the tears.
Luna nodded. "The whole world and its dreams will die. Queen Serenity sent you to the future to rule it with the power of the Silver Crystal. She could have saved her power and her life to rebuild what was destroyed, but instead she sent you and your gurdians to Earth to live a new life and defend the planet and the universe like you once did."
Usagi sniffed. She blinked her eyesa few rimes then looked at Luna. "Your right," she said in a weak voice. "I've been selfesh." She stood up, deterimation her eyes. "I never gave up on Mamo-chan when he was turned agaist us. I never gave up hope that Hotaru-chan was good, I won't give up hope!" She stood up straight. "Some way or another, I'm sure my Mamo-chan will be brought back to me. Its only a matter of time. And while Ami-chan and Mako-chan are gone, I know I'll still have Rei-chan and Minako-chan, even if they will be busy a lot. Plus I have you and my family. In the end, it'll all work out. I'm sure of it." She smiled, her tears gone She looked down at Luna and picked the cat up in her arms, squezzing the life out of her. "Thanks a bunch, Luna."
Luna choaked and stuggled agaist Usagi's grasp as she was thanked.
***
Three days later Usagi called a meeting at Rei's shrine. Each of her friends looked worried as Usagi stood before them, her ahdns on her hips, her face serious for once. At least there were no tears.
"I got a hold of Michiru-san and Haruka-san yesturday. I told them the same plans that I'm about to tell you and they agreed."
"What plans? Are you feeling alright, Usagi-chan?" Rei asked.
"Just fine!" Usagi said excited. "Luna got through to me the other day. She was right. The world deserves to follow its dreams. And I won't be left alone. I'll still have Luna and Minako-chan and Rei-chan." She looked at the two friends she didn't mentino.
"You mean...." Makoto started.
"Yep! I want you and Ami-chan to leave. Go to the west. I know its your dreams that count. JUst promise me you'll come back the day I wake the world."
Ami nodded. "Of course. And we can still wrtie letter and talk on the phone."
"Besides," Makoto said, "we'll have to come back anyway to protect you. Its our duty."
Usagi smiled and nodded. "Oh, mina! I'm so sorry about what I said eariler!"
The gang each surrounded Usagi and pulled her into a group hug, squezzing her like she had squezzed Luna those few days ago.
When they fianlly let go, they made theor announcments.
"I'm glad I have your approval," Ami said. "I was planning to leave in just a few days. Of course," she added seeing the looks on their faces, "there was no way I was going to go with Usagi all out of shape."
"A few days?" Usagi gasped.
Ami nodded. "School starts eariler in the west. Its almost September, you know. School will start shortly here as well."
Makoto nodded. "I coaxed Ami-chan to take a cruiser across the sea with me." She rubbed the back of her head as the others looked at her. "You know I don't like planes."
"So your leaving, too?" Usagi cried.
Makoto nodded. "It just so happens that Ami-chan and I were accepted to the same school. Quite a counicidence, huh?" She laughed, still rubbing the back of her head.
"I'm going to miss you guys!" Usagi cired, grabbing onto her two friends and crying into them.
Makotot patted Usagi's back. "It'll alright. Hey! I'll even send you some of my special cookies from time to time to remember, OK?"
Usagi sniffed, looked up at her and smiled. "OK."
"And I'll even send you good books that will help you in your studies," Ami added. The gang sweatdropped. "And maybe a few pictures as well," she finished, also sweatdropping.
"Yeah! And hey!" Minako cried out. "I'll even invite you to my shoots, Usagi-chan. Maybe if your lucky, someone will notice you and will wnat you to do some posing for them."
"You really think so?"
"Who knows?" Minako winked. "I know someone who sure looks a lot like a certain super hero that they would love to get there hands on as partmer for Sailor V."
"Minako-chan! You've got to be kidding! You'd do that for me?!"
"Maybe!" She flipped her hair with her hand and turned around. "If I feel up to it."
Usagi grabbed onto Mianko's ankles as she started to walk off. "Oh Please, Minako-chan! Please!"
Minako had a hard time walking with Usagi on her. SHe sweatdropped. "Oh, alright, Odango Atama. As long as you get off me that is."
"Oh thank you!" Usagi jumped up off the ground and began jumping in front of Minako, thanking her.
The angry/fusterated sweatsropped appeared on Rei. "Usagi! I think its time you leave her alone."
"But, Rei-chan," Usagi whimpered, turning to look at her other friend.
"Now, I mean it, Odango Atama. I'm sure we all have better things to do then listen to you irratate Minako-chan."
"Rei-chan. Your so mean to me!"
"I don't think she'll ever grow up at htis rate," Makoto said sweatdropping.
"I agree," Ami said, following Makoto's example.
***
For the second time in the past year, Usagi stood saying goodbye to her friends. As if having Micheru and Haruka leaving weren't enough, now two of her best friends were going away. Ami had been the first Sailor Senshi found. Now she was the first to leave. Usagi was going to miss her blue haired friend. Studying without her just wouldn't be the same.
As if it wasn't bad enough, seh was also seeing Makoto off. She had ben there when Sailor Moon had been defencless, and saved the day by turning into the beautiful sailor soldier Sailor Jupiter. Whenever USagi was need, Makoto was there to take care of the problem. She was always sticking up for her when someone pushed her esteem down. Now she too was leaving her life for a good while.
"I'm going to miss you so much!" Usagi cried, lunging at her two friends, who embraced her in a last hug.
"Same here," Makoto said. "Its not going to be the same without you there eating all my food."
"Or having you taking a nap at study time," Ami added.
Usagi nodded at her friends and took a step back. "Your taking your henshin sticks and communicaters, right?"
The two nodded.
"Well, then," Rei said. "I guess this is it."
"Its been nice working with you," Minako said. "Maybe now that there's peace once aagain, I can continue my carrer as Sialor V."
"Not in London!" Usagi cried.
Minkao shook her head. "Of course not. I'm staying right here."
Ami nodded. "And me and Mako-chan will be going to the same school, so we'll be able to communicate better."
"Yeah," Rei said. "We're not really splitting up. Those two are staying together, us three are together, and Haruka and Michiru are together. We're only phone calls away, right?"
Usagi nodded. "Your right. And anyway, in a few years, we'll be together again, anyway. Nothing is going to stop me from saving the world, not this time." She smiled reasurringly.
A large whistle blew. "On a board!"
Makotot hugged Rei and Minako. Ami did the same.
"We'll good luck to you in the US!" Minako cried.
"I'm sure we'll manage," Ami said.
Makoto and Ami started walking backward while waving to their friends.
The whistle blew again. "Last call!"
Ami and Makoto tunred and bolted for the ship.
"Don't forget us!" Usagi cried after them. Fresh tears feel down her face. "Not ever."
Rei came up beind her and hugged her. Minako joined her ont eh other side of Usagi. The two friends on board the ship waved exitedly as the ship pulled out of harbor. The three friends on the ground waved back until the ship was only a spec in the distance.
Usagi sniffeled. "They're gone. They're really gone."
"Come on, Usako," Rei said leading her friend away. '
"Cheer up, Usagi-chan," Minako said. "At least you still have us."
Usagi nodded, and under her breath said, "But for how long?"
***
The first few month went by fairly quickly. Rei and Usagi decided to go to the same college: Rei to study singing and Usagi politics, under Luna's advice of course. School was going pretty well. With no aliens to fight, and no firends to relaly hang out with, Usagi and Rei usually used up their time to study, and so were getting fairly good grades.
Minako, on the other hand, was rarly seen. She became a popular singiner and model a month after Ami and Makoto left. Even more games and merchindise of Sailor V came out. Sailor V was on the cover of almost every teen magazine in the world. It was tough getting through with her, even with the communicater. If she wasn't surrounded by her managers and fans, she was eating or sleeping.
Toward the end of December, Usagi got a letter addressed from Minako. In it she appologized for not speaking with them as much as she would like to. She was overly excited in the letter as well. This did not make Usagi happy. Minako was going back to London to her crime fightign days as none other then Sailor V.
On the day before she was to leave, she came by the temple to say good bye to her two friends. Luna and Artemus went off by themselfs to say goodbye. Usagi was in shambles. Another friend was leaving. Minako did, however, promise to keep in contact a lot more while she was gone. Usagi could only nod as another one of her best friends left her life.
It appeanded again in Februrary. Rei's grandfather fell ill. Rei thought it was her responibility to grant him his last request of dying up in the mountains in his cabin. Rei aggred to this, said goodbye to Usagi (she didn't kow how long she was going to be gone, for the doctors estimated that he had five months left to live) and left Yuuichirou in charge of the temple in her absence.
Usagi alomst broke down after that. Her grades started to fall and her appitite slowing down. Good luck fell upon her though. Her old best friend Naru Osaka ran into her one day on the way back to school. The two friends got together after so long. Usagi found out that she was engaged to her boyfriend Gurio Umino. Usagi was happy to be chossen as Bride of Honor.
Time passed quicky, and without even knowing it, the time had come.