Chapter 17:

The Last Senshi

Over the next few days, the group began to devise a plan about seeing how to find out if Sarah was indeed the senshi they were searching for. Homoto and Mai stopped by Chouri Fantasy and asked Sarah to join everyone for a gathering over the upcoming weekend. She obliged and Emochan set it for that Saturday. Her plan was to further break the ice and perhaps drop some hints to see Sarah's reactions. Her mother helped prepare dinner for them. Once everyone arrived, dinner was served. Emochan's mother retired to bed early that night because she had to go in early for work the next morning due to someone calling in. After her mother left, the group settled down in the living room. Angel jumped into Sarah's lap and purred as the young woman pet her.

Emochan took out a small box and showed it to Sarah. "For being such a great cook and friend to us for the last couple of weeks, we wanted to give you something to spruce up your uniform," Emochan said. Sarah smiled in surprise as she un-wrapped the gift. Inside was a small broach, which was in the shape of a spatula. It sparkled in the light as Sarah held it up.

"It's great! Thanks you guys…" she said, looking at it closer.

"No problem, Sarah. You've been giving us discounts at your restaurant and have been just really great to us," Toshira said.

"Yeah! I love knowing that I can say I have "the usual" at a restaurant!" Sakura giggled. Reiko smiled at her sister's comment.

"Don't you mean you love being lazy?" Toshiro said. Toshira chuckled.

"Hey! That's mean, you know…" Sakura frowned. Mai grinned. Emochan glanced over at Sarah, noticing how silent she had become.

"What's wrong, Sarah?" Emo asked. Sarah's gaze was fixated on the spatula broach. Her bangs floated above her forehead as a strange symbol began to glow in the middle of it.

"Princess…" She whispered. Emo's eyes widened.

"Sarah?"

"I-I am Sailor Chouri, the once renounced cook of the castle on the moon. I became part of Princess Serendipity's court and fought to protect her at all costs. It was on Earth where I met and fell in love with Homoto, Captain of the Moonarian Knights…" she said as if in a trance. Homoto looked surprised as Emochan smiled.

"I knew you were one of us," she said. "That broach came to me in a dream. I saw it in a store window and it called out for me to buy it. I believe it was something similar to one you had in the past."

Sarah's symbol began to fade away as she gasped.

"I remember everything….the battle…watching the Princess emit that powerful glowing power that washed everything away…I remember how beautiful she looked…how sad I was when I saw Homoto get blasted away from…." A tear ran down her face. She started to shiver, collapsing before she could finish. Homoto walked over to her side and felt her forehead.

"She fainted. It must've been too much for her."

"As she mentions it, I remember seeing her on the battlefield," Toshiro grunted. The others nodded.

"It's as though her memory is flowing through us too," Reiko said. Emochan noticed Homoto blush a bit. A sniffle came from Sarah as she slowly opened her eyes.

"What happened…?" She whispered. "Why did I remember all those weird things?" Emochan sighed and sat down at her side.

"Great question. We have a nice long answer to it," Reiko said as they began to explain everything.

Sarah left that night with a lot to think about. When she left for the night, Homoto offered to walk her back to her restaurant, which was also where she lived. Emochan took a deep sigh of relief.

"My court is fully accounted for…part two of my mission complete…" she said. Mai and the others nodded. The thought of Daichi and Tomaru crept back into her head, making her face fall. Reiko walked over to her dear friend and gave her a hug.

"I just wanted to let you know that whatever happens, I will be here for you," she said. Emochan hugged her back. Sakura ran up to them and joined in the hug.

"Me too!" she said. Toshira and Mai walked up and hugged her as well.

"You can count on me, Princess," Mai said.

"You know I'll be there for you," Toshira said. Toshiro watched and Reiko gave him a strange look. He bit his lip and reluctantly walked over. He placed his hands on Toshira and Reiko's backs.

"Yeah…me too," he said. Emochan smiled.

"Thank you all for being here with me. I don't know what I would do without you. You really are the best," she said. They grinned and Reiko looked at the clock.

"Well enough of this sentimental stuff! We better head home," she said to Sakura.

"I can take you guys home if you want," Toshiro said.

"Thank you, Toshiro," Reiko said and Sakura smiled. They left as Mai bid her farewell also. Toshira and Emochan talked about what had been recently happening for a while before he decided to leave. Emochan could not believe how late it had become by the time she snuck up to her room as to not wake her mother. She decided to walk out to her balcony for a few moments before going to bed, letting the events of the last week sink through her head.

I have little time to be relieved. Even though I am happy that I was able to accomplish this mission…knowing that Daichi has been taken away from me…I just can't stand it.

Absentmindedly, she took out her cell phone and dialed Daichi's phone number. It rang a few times before she hung up. I'll find some way to get you back, Daichi. I promise you, Emochan thought, biting the side of her lip in hesitation. Even if it means killing you.