Chapter 10: Mina's Bright Idea
Author's Comments
With Usagi running off from Rei's temple, they have to start the search for her again. However, this time Minako comes up with an idea that will help speed things up and that almost guarantees that they will be able to find Mamoru's missing wife. However, Mamoru just wishes that he had thought of it in the first place. A little note about Mina, the Minako in my story is more based off of the one from the Manga. In the manga she often took charge and proved her rightful place as leader of the senshi.
And as always, I don't own Sailor Moon.
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Usagi's shoes thudded on the ground as she quickly ran down the sidewalk, trying to get away from Rei's temple as fast as she could. The doctor's news had caused her to shed enough tears for a lifetime, but yet were once again tears streamed down her face. Her heart was broken and her stomach was in a knot.
"They have to be wrong all of them." Usagi silently told herself. "The doctors, Rei, and everyone, they are wrong and I know it. This can't be how my life was supposed to turn out. Someone must be messing with fate, but they won't win because I won't accept this destiny." She didn't want to believe the truth, yet the possibility that everyone was wrong was growing dimmer with every passing minute.
"It just must be and enemy Rei can't sense," she said as she desperately hung on to her last threads of hope and refused to let go.
Meanwhile, Mamoru was dialing the number to Minako's cell phone. The phone began to ring and when it wasn't answered immediately he began to grow impatient.
"Come on, pick up Mina," he said silently.
Then someone answered, "Hi this is Minako..."
"Hey Mina, Rei found Usagi!" he instantly blurted out once he heard the voice on the other end.
"...either I'm busy and unable to answer your call or have my phone turned off, please leave a message after the beep." the voice continued. It was only her voice mail message.
"Dang," Mamoru thought with disappointment as a beep sounded on the other end of the phone.
"Hey Mina, this is Mamoru. Usagi spent the night with Rei at the temple. She said Usagi remembers everything about the battle with Galaxia. She's run off again. I could really use your help finding her. I'm meeting Rei at the temple we can begin the search once more. I've got my pager with me if you want to get a hold of me," he said and hung up the phone. He snatched his keys off the counter, grabbed his pager, and then he was out the door.
Downtown, Mina was still slowly searching every block for Usagi with out much luck. She had been searching all night with nothing substantial to report back to Mamoru, other than there was no sign of her. She was beginning to get drowsy, but she simply refused to give up until Usagi was found.
She let out a yawn and with that she slapped her face and said, "I need some coffee."
She quickly found the nearest fast food restaurant and ordered one. Soon she was back on the road with a fresh cup of coffee in hand eager to resume her search for her missing friend.
"I wonder what time it is," she thought as she set her cup in a holder. The blonde dug around in her purse for her cell phone as her car crept down the next block. Her search for her phone was going about as well as the one for Usagi, when suddenly she happen to come across what she was looking for.
"Ah ha," she blurted out, "Here it is!" She pulled it out of her purse and quickly glanced down at the phone to check the time only to realize that she had a message on her voice mail. "Oh my, I must have had my phone turned off this whole time."
She pressed the on button as she looked back up at the road and then began to check her messages.
"You have one message," a computerized voice said. "Message One..."
Mina slowly turned the corner of the next block on her search route as it began to play. Mamoru's voice could be heard on the other end of the phone. He sounded rather relieved, yet worried all at the same time.
As soon as it finished Mina checked the time again to see how long ago he had called. "Crap," Mina shouted angrily as she slammed a fist on the steering wheel. The message was from twenty-five minutes ago. Quickly she began to dial Mamoru's pager number hoping he would be near a phone and would soon call back.
When she finished paging him she began to dial once again as she said, "I think we could use some more help."
"Are you ready Rei?" Mamoru asked as he waited impatiently in the hallway outside Rei's room.
The door slid open as black haired woman stuck her head out of her bedroom and said, "Yes, just let me get my cell phone." With that her head vanished and moments later she emerged with the item in hand. "Ok, let's go," she told him.
Mamoru quickly walked outside to his car, so quickly it was more of a dash. He was eager to find his wife. Rei followed closely behind him and slid into the passanger side seat. He climbed in after her and he started it up. The engine reved as it started. He put the car in gear and headed towards the street. As he was about to pull out of the driveway when his pager began to beep. He guessed Minako checked her voice mail and got his message. One glance at his pager confirmed it.
"It's Mina," he told Rei. "I left her a message before I left, she must have just gotten it."
"You want to use my phone to call her back?" she offered as she extended it towards him.
"Thanks," Mamoru said gratefully as he grabbed the phone and began to dial. After two rings it was answered.
"Hello," Minako said on the other end.
"Hey, Mina its me," he replied.
"I'm so sorry," Mina said sounding very remorseful as she began to apologize. "I must have turned off my phone and then completely forgot about it."
"It's ok," Mamoru told her as he heard her yawn. "Have you been out searching all night?"
"Yeah," she said as she yawned again. "It's no big deal, I'll be alright."
"You didn't have to do that," he said, but he was very thankful that she did regardless of it. "Are you sure you will be alright?"
"Yes, I'm sure," she assured him.
"You can always head home and then continue searching after you get a few hours of sleep," he suggested.
"No, I'm not resting until she's found," she told him with a stubborn determination.
"Ok," Mamoru replied and decided not to push it. "I just picked up Rei and we were just about to head out to look for Usagi." he told her, eager to change the subject.
"I'll be there as soon as I can," a very tired sounding Minako said. "By the way, I just got off the phone with Makoto. I filled her in and she is going to help us. She said she would make some calls and get the help of a few other people before she leaves."
"That's great," he said excitedly as Minako renewed his hope and then instantly he felt like a complete idiot. "Why didn't I think of that? We'd probably would have found her last night if I had." he said as he sighed.
"Don't feel bad. You can't be the one to think of everything all the time. Just concentrate on finding her and don't worry about it," she told as she tried to heal his wounded ego. "However, you mentioning Rei is what made me call Makoto, I figured she'd be more than willing to come search for Usagi along with us."
Mamoru forgave himself and was extremely grateful that Usagi and he had such good friends. "Thanks, Minako," he said. "You think of everything."
She told him happily, "That's what leaders are for."
"Yes, she was and a good one at that," he thought. "The Sailor Senshi couldn't have succeeded as well without her help and direction." He more than trusted her to guide him through his greatest time of need. It was her nature to, and with the thought of his wife being alone and confused, he wasn't thinking as clearly as he should have been.
"We'll be waiting for you here." Mamoru informed her and then asked, "How long do you think you'll be?"
"No, don't wait for me, you should start searching now," she said forcefully. "If you wait around for me we will be less likely to find her because she will have more time so travel, and that will give us a much bigger area to search."
"You're right. Ok, I'll take your advice and we'll start without you," he said. "Rei and I will start searching south of the temple."
"Gotcha," Mina replied. "The others and I will divide up the remaining directions when we arrive there. Good luck."
"You too. Bye," he said as he hung up the phone and handed it back to Rei. With that he turned left onto the road and began their search.