Author's Note: Thanks for reviewing (I didn't check so I don't know as I am typing this)! Well, this chapter is kind of late...I was busy (Sorry). I was working on a fan art for this story. I might post it [once I'm done]. From here on out, the story line [for Sailor Moon] is not going to fit with the Anime or Manga completely. Bits and pieces of each, mostly more Manga. Hmn...nothing else to say so on with the chapter.
Rainbow
By: Sailor Moonac
Chapter Seven: Final Decision
"Ran I swear if you grow anymore, you will be tall as a mountain soon. I mean just last week you were barely taller than Usagi! Now you tower over her!" Ikuko looked Ran up and down to see that his jeans were once again too short for him. 'Good thing I only bought a few pairs. I guess I could give them to Shingo when he grows older.'
Ran smiled sheepishly and placed his hand behind his head scratching it. Usagi came up behind him and stood on her toes, yet she still didn't reach his height. By now, Ran could probably count as a sixteen year old considering he grew at least a few centimeters each night for the past ten days since the party Minako threw. Now, he could match up to Seiya's height of "5'5" and more.
"Do you need help with breakfast, Ikuko-mama? I kind of feel awkward just standing here." But Ran didn't wait for an answer as he already went to the refrigerator. Usagi went to the cabinet to pull out some silver wear for breakfast and went to set the table.
"Of course Ran. And we will have to go shopping again today." Ikuko sighed and sweat dropped. 'How can one boy grow so much in less than six months?! I should get clothes that are too big for him. That way, I can just sew them to fit him and then undo the stitches when he grows.'
Within an hour, breakfast was over and Ikuko, Usagi, Ran, Chibi-Chibi, and Luna were in the car and driving to the city. Within a half hour, they were at a department store outside of the main Tokyo Central district picking out clothes for Ran. Luna sat on top of Ran's shoulder as Ikuko browsed for more suitable clothing for Ran while Chibi-Chibi held on to her dress. Usagi went out to look at some of the latest fashions for teenage girls.
"Oh, Ran what do you think about this one?" Ikuko held up a pair of pants that were way too long for Ran. "Don't worry dear, I can sew it up to fit."
"All right then..."
Luna eyed Usagi and jumped off Ran's shoulder to join her master. "Usagi what are you doing?"
Usagi was staring intently at a dress that was way to expensive for Usagi's budget. "I remember. Last year, I wanted the latest outfit off the runway, but didn't have any money to buy it. But Mamoru said that he wanted to make me happy and bought it for me, spending all of his money." Usagi broke her contact with the dress and looked down at her own outfit. "This was the dress Mamoru bought me."
Luna's expression became somber at Usagi's recollection of Mamoru. "Usagi..."
Usagi lifted her hand to wipe away her tears. "I miss him so much and Ran..."
"Yes Ran..." Luna frowned and looked at Ran who was posing in front of a mirror. 'Ran is such a dear. I would hate to see him hurt, just as I hate to see Usagi hurt. Oh Mamoru, why aren't you sending Usagi's actual clear responses--'
"Usagi! Hey Usagi!"
Usagi wiped away the rest of her tears and looked up to see Seiya waving at her with Taiki and Yaten frowning behind him. Usagi looked down at Luna who nodded and waved back while making her way towards the Three Lights. "What's up?"
"Well, can I talk to you? Like...alone?" Seiya motioned to Taiki and Yaten who both glared at Seiya slightly before leaving them alone. Seiya eyed Luna but shrugged. "Usagi I wanted to apologize for what I did back at that party. I...got caught up in the moment and couldn't help but..."
"Kiss me?" Usagi kept her gaze down at her feet as Luna looked up at her in concern.
"Yeah...I mean I know you have a boyfriend and all. But it's not like he's even contacting you--"
Usagi looked up startled. "How do you know that?! Even my best friends don't know that."
"Ran does." Seiya turned away from Usagi. "I saw you crying weeks before on the school roof. And with all those times you talked about him...I..." Seiya faced Usagi again. "I was the one that sent you those cards."
"What? Seiya...?"
Seiya reached into his pocket and pulled out a new card. This time, it was a picture of a bright star. "This is Sagittarius Zero Star. All of your answers lie there. And all of my dreams lie there as well."
"Seiya--"
Seiya ignored her and turned around to walk away. He waved at her without turning around and met back up with the other Three Lights. From Usagi's point of view, they seem to be angry at Seiya and reprimanding him. Yaten and Taiki cast a glare at Usagi and then left with Seiya.
Usagi flipped the card around and noticed it was the exact same cards that she has been receiving. 'So it wasn't Mamoru, but Seiya...' Usagi flipped it over back to the picture side. 'Sagittarius Zero Star...I wonder where it is. And what does Seiya mean by "All of your answers lie there?" I think it's time that I talk to the other Soldiers...' Usagi pocketed the card and went to her mom, Ran, and Chibi-Chibi who were still browsing for clothes for Ran.
"Mom, Ran, I'm going out to Sendai Hill for a while. I'll be back by dinner." Usagi faced Chibi-Chibi and picked her up. "Is it okay I bring Chibi-Chibi with me?"
"Sure dear, but tell me, which one do you think would look better on Ran?" Ikuko held up a pair of black pants and a light gray one as well.
"Uhh...the gray one."
"I thought so too, well I'll see you tonight Usagi."
"Right, bye mom. Bye Ran." Usagi headed out of the department store with Luna at her heels.
Ran stared after Usagi. 'Something's bothering her.' Ran frowned.
"Well, if you didn't like the pants, then why didn't you say so? Here's the black one." Ikuko shoved the pants into his hands.
"What? Oh no, I--"
"Go!" Ikuko shoved Ran into the dressing room and slammed the door into his face. "Humph, Ran was so nice when he was shorter. Stupid teenage hormones."
"I'm afraid Rei isn't here. She's helping at a physic store today. I'm not sure what for though." Mr. Hino continued to sweep the steps of the Hikawa shrine. Phoebes and Deimos flew down onto Usagi's shoulder. "Ahh, usually does two crows only like Rei, I'm surprised Usagi."
"Yeah, well thanks Mr. Hino." Usagi bowed and left through the Torii gate. Phoebes and Deimos stayed on Usagi's shoulder until she left the entrance to the Hikawa shrine. Then they flew back to the trees.
Usagi headed to the city holding Chibi-Chibi's hand and decided to look around for Rei. 'I guess I could look for the others, but I might as well tell Rei first. She'll be quite mad, but probably not as mad as Haruka. Thankfully it'll be harder to find Haruka, that way, I won't have to face her wrath soon.' Usagi sweat dropped raising an eyebrow, err, whisker of Luna.
"Chibi."
"Hmn?" Usagi looked over to a small shop across the street to where Chibi-Chibi was pointing to. The window had an eye painted on it and a hand beneath it which said, "Seeing Shinto." Usagi waited for the traffic to slow and then crossed to street to the shop. Usagi peered into the window but couldn't make out much and went in.
"Hello, is anyone here?"
"Hello, is anyone chibi?" Chibi-Chibi giggled and pulled out of Usagi's grasp to look at a crystal ball. Luna went after Chibi-Chibi to make sure she doesn't break anything and Usagi looked around the store.
The store had low lighting with odd accessories hanging around. From sutra beads to rosary beads, ofudas, ink, calligraphy pens, a small alter for the dead, etc. Usagi peered into the crystal ball which Chibi-Chibi and Luna were examining. Usagi saw nothing in there except an enlarged, upside down face of herself. "Hmn?" An image of Mamoru flashed in Usagi's mind, and then an image of Ran.
"May I help you?" A woman with colored robes came out of a back entrance covered in curtains. The woman was completely covered in shawls and only her eyes could be seen.
"Yeah, I was looking for someone." Usagi turned around and faced the woman. "Are you a priestess?"
The woman's eyes went wide for a second but returned to her normal gaze. "I guess you could say that." The now known priestess narrowed her eyes at Usagi and then turned around and opened the curtain covered door. "Please, come in here. You seemed to be troubled."
Usagi glanced her questioningly and then grabbed Chibi-Chibi and Luna to follow the woman into the back room. The woman ushered Usagi and Chibi-Chibi to sit on the cushions while she sat down on a stool. The woman cleared her throat and then faced Usagi in the eyes. "Like I said, you seem to be troubled, do you mind talking about it? Don't worry, things like this are always confidential, err...unless it involves something really bad."
Usagi blinked. "Well, I'm worried...about my boyfriend."
The woman's eyes went wide. "Do you think he is cheating on you?"
Usagi blinked again. "No. More like I'm cheating on him-"
"You're cheating on your boyfriend?!"
Usagi blinked once again. "Hmn? No of course not. You see, my boyfriend is studying in America and I think I-no I fell in love with one of our friends. Ran he's such a sweet boy..."
"So you fear telling him about that?"
"No...not really. In fact, I don't think he would mind. But I can't tell him."
"So you are afraid?"
Usagi looked away from the woman. "No...it's not that I won't tell him. It's because I really CAN'T tell him. My boyfriend has been studying in America for about six months now...but..." Usagi clenched her fists onto he skirt and she squeezed her eyes shut. Luna looked up at her in concern and Chibi-Chibi placed her small hand on Usagi's clenched fist. Usagi opened her eyes at Chibi-Chibi and smiled, her eyes filled with tears. "But...I haven't been able to contact him at all."
The woman's eyes narrowed.
Usagi unclenched her fist and looked at her promise ring. No, engagement ring. The ring Mamoru gave her. "All of the phone calls have been unanswered and he has only been sending cards of stars to me...no he hasn't." Usagi pulled out the card Seiya gave her. "Even these weren't from him." Usagi dropped the card and started crying into her hands.
The woman stood up and walked over to pick up the fallen card. "Sagittarius Zero Star...Usagi if this has been happening for months, then why didn't you tell us?"
Usagi looked up at the woman as she pulled off her shawl revealing a concerned Rei. Rei looked at Luna and held up the card. "Do you know about this Luna?"
Luna frowned and lowered her head. "Yes, both Ran and I were the only ones that knew. We knew from the start. I shouldn't have promised Usagi anything." Luna looked at Usagi. "I'm really sorry, princess."
"Chibi..." Even Chibi-Chibi could sense the changing moods and wasn't cheerful.
"Rei...I just...I don't know." Usagi buried her hand into her face and cried some more.
Rei dropped to her friends level. "Usagi..." Rei hugged Usagi.
"I don't know-w why Mamo-ru-ru hasn't contacted me-e. I...Chibi-Usa."
Rei glared at that statement. "Mamoru wouldn't forsake you. He couldn't..." Rei looked at the card. 'At least, I hope he wouldn't.'
'Mamoru, please tell me why you are doing this to me. I need to see you...' An image flashed inside of Usagi's head. 'Ran...' Another image flashed inside of Usagi's head. '...Mom...?' The picture of the department store and Tokyo Central flashed in her mind.
Usagi snapped her eyes opened and removed her hands to face Rei. "I think my mom and Ran are in trouble!"
"What?!"
Usagi stood up and wiped her tears away. Her Sailor Soldiers instincts kicked in. "At Tokyo Central!" Usagi faced Rei. "We have to check it out!"
"Right!" Rei tried to get up but soon tripped back down. "Ugh, remind me not to help the T.A. school for anything physic."
Within a few minutes, the girls had rushed out of the shop and were heading towards Tokyo Central with Luna and Chibi-Chibi. Rei had changed back to her normal clothes and Chibi-Chibi was in Usagi's arms. "At this rate, we'll be too late. Tokyo Central is far away."
"We could try to get a bus."
"A bus wouldn't go to Tokyo Central if something were happening there." A car drove by but stopped at a curb. The window rolled down and Hotaru Tomoe's head poked out.
"Hotaru!" The girls rushed to the car and peered inside. Dr. Tomoe was in the driver seat and Hotaru was in the passenger side. "Dr. Tomoe, can you take us to Tokyo Central, it's an emergency."
Dr. Tomoe nodded. "Get in."
Soon they were a block away from Tokyo Central and they definitely didn't miss the many people who were running the opposite way. "If I drive any further, I might hit someone."
"That's all right dad. You get out of here." The girls got out of the car and ran against the many people. They did catch a few words such as "monster," "psychopath," "insane," and "demonic."
Within a few minutes they were by the department store that Usagi had went to earlier that day. The department stores window were all shattered and the front door was blown open. Sailor Lead Crown was floating above a Sailor Phage, who was facing a transformed Ran, with a boy who looked a lot like a younger Ran...
"That's A! Ran's twin brother."
"Yes more like evil twin brother--"
"Mom!" Ikuko was lying unconscious against the wall of a department building and it appeared that Ran was trying to divert the enemy's attention away from her.
"Usagi you can't do anything like this; Soldiers, transform!!" Luna motioned to Chibi-Chibi. "Chibi-Chibi come with me!"
"Chibi, chibbii, chibi soldier."
Usagi pulled out her broach just as Rei pulled out her transformation wand and Hotaru raised her hand into the air. Chibi-Chibi pulled a censor from her pocket and looked at it before placing it back in to her pocket. Chibi-Chibi took off her heart broach off her dress. "I think that means 'I am a Sailor Soldier too.' Moon Eternal..."
"Mars Crystal Power..."
"Saturn Crystal Power..."
"Chibi-Chibi Crystal Power..."
"MAKE-UP!! [CHIBI-UP!!]"
"Ugh." Ran fell to the pavement trying to dodge an attack from the Sailor Phage. Ran looked up at A who looked exactly as he last saw him two months ago [still shoeless] except the fact that his eyes looked glazed and he had two odd golden bracelets on his wrists...
Ran gasped as an attack came his way. Ran turned around and saw he was too close to Ikuko. 'Have to block--' Two metallic wings sprouted out of Ran's back and shielded him from the attack. However, the attack was too strong and blew him straight towards Ikuko.
"Silence Wall!!" Ran collided with a barrier in front of Ikuko and slid down it.
"Ran!" Eternal Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibi-Chibi Moon, Sailor Saturn, and Sailor Mars, ran towards Ran and Ikuko. Eternal Sailor Moon went to check her mom while Sailor Saturn helped Ran back up. Ran folded his surprisingly bendable metallic wings so it would be out of Saturn's way. "Mom, Mom!"
"Ikuko-mama I think, will be fine. I'll get her out of here." Ran picked up Ikuko along with their shopping and opened his metallic wings slowly. Ran cast a look to Eternal Sailor Moon and then to A who was smirking. A smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes, for they still looked dazed...
Eternal Sailor Moon looked up to A and then back to Ran who had his metallic wings opened completely. "It'll be all right Ran." Ran nodded and flew off. A's smirk turned into a glare and he teleported away in a swirl of bodily ribbons.
"He must be going after Ran. Sailor Moon, I'll go after Ran. Can you and Mars handle it?" With a nod from Sailor Moon, Saturn took off after Ran with her deadly glaive catching the glare of the afternoon sun.
The Sailor Phage didn't wait until they were ready to fight as it attacked immediately. Mars and Moon both dodged the attacks as Moon was holding Sailor Chibi-Chibi Moon. Mars countered with her own attack. "Mars Flame Sniper!!"
With A gone, Sailor Lead Crow didn't bother to just stand around as she deflected Mars's attack with her own. "Galatica Tornado!!" The tornado struck Mars's arrow and swirled it into it's vortex, throwing fire everywhere.
"Moon, Chibi-Chibi get down!" Mars dodged her returning fire and it struck the Sailor Phage instead. "Moon, I'll get Sailor Lead Crow!" With that, Mars went to challenge Lead Crow.
Sailor Moon dodged an attack from the Sailor Phage and deposited Sailor Chibi-Chibi Moon by the side of the department store saying to her that it was too dangerous. Sailor Moon summoned her Eternal Tier but was unable to attack as it fired an attack at her. The Phage continued it's assault forcing Moon to dodge all of the attacks. Of course, she couldn't dodged them all and she had to use her Tier to form a barrier. 'I have to strike back, but I need a distraction...' A glowing pink light soon shot at the Phage and blasted it off it's feet. Sailor Moon looked over to the source and saw Sailor Chibi-Chibi Moon holding a heart scepter. 'That'll do.'
Eternal Sailor Moon took flight and held out her Tier. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy KISS!!" The Sailor Phage was turned back to a human man. Eternal Sailor Moon flew down next to him and lugged him up. She lugged the man to Sailor Chibi-Chibi Moon with some difficulty, even flying. But she did get him out of the way in time just as another tornado struck the area he was laying. "Mars!"
Sailor Mars dodged another attack from Lead Crow and countered. "Mars Firebird Strike!!" A phoenix bird charged at Lead Crow who flew out of the way. The phoenix collided with the ground creating a cloud of smoke. Lead Crow flapped her wings to blow the smoke away but saw that Mars was nowhere in her sights. "Above you! Burning Mandala!!" Lead Crow turned around to see fire rings charge at her. She closed her wings, just as Ran had done, to attempt to block the attack. It blocked most of Mars's attack, but sintered her wings, forcing her to the ground.
"Sailor Lead Crow! Starlight Honeymoon Therapy-"
'Can't get hit by that!' Sailor Lead Crow leapt into a telephone booth and disappeared into the ground.
Sailor Moon lowered her Tier and looked at the area where she was. "She got away..."
"Yeah, and this place is a mess." Mars rested her hands on her knees. "Phew, that was a workout. Never jump twenty feet high and run around in high-heels. You're lucky you can fly Sailor Moon."
Sailor Moon laughed and looked around. "I guess we find Ran and get him to fix it. You were great Sailor Chibi-Chibi Moon."
"Chibi!"
Ran laid Ikuko gently down on the living room couch and placed a blanket over her. Ran left the house and started to fly back to Tokyo Central when A confronted him, appearing in a swirl of ribbons as usual. "I was actually expecting you A."
"C. Miss me?" A smirked once again, but like before, it couldn't reach his eyes. His eyes were just blank, and an endless void of blackness. "You're getting old."
Ran glared at A. "Aren't you going to ask me to come back to you?"
A's eyes went wide and his smirk turned into a huge grin. "No brother. I instead..." A held up his hand and summoned a black energy ball. Ran noticed those golden bracelets were glowing. No, the crystal on it were, the two black crystals. "Well, why don't you fill in the blanks."
Ran narrowed his gaze even more, but his gaze soon dropped into a sad one. "Instead you want to kill Usagi for taking me away."
"Wrong. I instead want to kill you, C."
Ran gasped as A chucked the energy ball at him, knocking him deep into the pavement of the suburbs. "I think you might actually enjoy that, considering you keep hitting the ground like that."
Ran gasped in pain as his metallic wings dismantled itself and disappeared. "A, stop this."
"Why? Because you don't want to be killed like I killed B? I thought we were the strongest on Earth. But then I find out there was a four-leaf Clover. Master Sailor Galaxia killed her. If I kill you..." A lowered himself onto the ground above Ran. He raised his hand and summoned another energy ball. "If I kill you, then I WILL be the strongest on Earth. Then I can conquer it."
"You're forgetting the fact that to conquer the Earth, you'll have to go through the Sailor Soldiers first." A gleam of metal flashed in front of A who jumped backwards to avoid it. It being the Silence Glaive. "And I believe we are the strongest beings on Earth. That being Sailor Moon." Saturn placed her glaive in front of her in a defensive position. "And you should also understand that I am the Sailor Soldier of Death, Rebirth, Silence, and Destruction. Guarded by the Silent Star of Saturn, I am Sailor Saturn."
"Am I supposed to be afraid? You can't stand up to my power, especially when I have Master Sailor Galaxia on my side."
"My duty is to release death and destruction. That is the purpose of my awakening. But my duty is also to protect, that is the reason in which I release my power. You will truly know what it means to be afraid." Saturn narrowed her eyes on A's wrists. 'Those bracelets! The Sailor Anima-mates that we faced all wear them. As do Sailor Galaxia.'
A smirked and raised his hand. "We'll see. Black Lightning!!" The sky instantly darkened and a black bolt of lightning shot out of the sky into A's open palm. He gathered it and chucked it at Sailor Saturn and Ran.
"Silence Wall!!" A barrier was raised to protect Sailor Saturn and Ran so the attack just bounced off to the sides destroying the street. "Ugh..." Sailor Saturn pushed the attack back at A and charged at A, swiping grandly with her glaive. A de-materialized and appeared behind Saturn. Saturn in one quick flick of her wrist smashed the end of her glaive (without the blade) into A's face, sending him into a wall.
A de-materialized again and was in front of Ran who was still on the ground.
"I'm not stupid. And I know how to use this glaive."
A smirked and blasted Saturn who blocked it again. A flew into the air and used his "Black Lightning" again. However, instead of summoning it into his palms, he just sent it flying at Saturn.
"Silence Wall!!" Saturn held up the barrier and glared at A through it. 'He's powerful, but not enough.' Saturn threw off the attack and jumped into the air. The Silence Glaive then started to glow. Saturn lifted it above her head. "Silence..."
"What good will a barrier do, do you plan to trap me?" A flew to the ground just as Ran got up and flew out of the way.
Saturn smirked and her eyes glazed over only leaving a dark purple color. "...Glaive..."
A gasped. 'It's not the same thing!'
Saturn brought down the glaive in one quick motion. "...SURPRISE!!" A huge ball of energy bursted from the glaive and charged at A who couldn't de-materialize fast enough. A was sent crashing into a wall as the energy circled him, restraining him from moving. A tried to resist the attack but it was too powerful.
"A..." Saturn landed next to Ran, eyes still oddly glazed. Saturn smirked.
"Beautiful, the suffering at the moment of destruction."
"Galatica Puppet!!" An energy attack came off from the side of Saturn and Ran. Ran dodged the attack as Saturn blocked it. Sailor Tin Nyanko landed down next to A. She waved her hand at A and the attack dissipated around him. Tin Nyanko turned her attention to Saturn and Ran who had come up behind her. "Sorry, but my Master Sailor Galaxia would be very displeased if something were to happen to her newest...prodigy." A telephone booth appeared behind Tin Nyanko and both A and her stepped inside of it and disappeared.
"They got away..." Saturn blinked a few times and her eyes returned to that of Hotaru Tomoe.
"Saturn! Ran!" Eternal Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibi-Chibi Moon, and Sailor Mars ran up to Sailor Saturn and Ran. "Are you all right."
"Yes, we're fine. However, my brother A..." Ran looked to his surroundings. "Well, we seem to have made quite a bit of a mess."
"Think you can fix it Ran?" Mars creased her brows together.
"Yes." Ran stepped away from the Sailor Soldiers and opened his metallic wings. " /Return everything to the way it was before the bad guys attacked./ " The area surrounding them started to glow and a faint glow could be seen in the direction of Central Tokyo. The Sailor Soldiers all de-transformed and Ran returned his clothes back to normal.
"Usagi, you have to tell the others about Mamoru!"
"Mamoru?" Hotaru looked at Usagi who frowned. "What's going on?"
"Later," mumbled Usagi. "I need to go home and see my mom...bye."
"Bye Usagi..." Rei and Hotaru headed off towards Sendai Hill as Usagi, Ran, and Chibi-Chibi left the other way.
Usagi, Ran, and Chibi-Chibi made their way home silently not mentioning anything about what happened today. Ran decided to question Usagi about what happened at the department store earlier with Seiya. "Usa--"
"Have you ever heard of something called the Sagittarius Zero Star?"
"What? No." Usagi handed Ran the card from Seiya.
"Seiya gave this to me at the department store. He said he was the one who gave me all of them...meaning Mamoru really hasn't contacted me at all for months..."
Ran took the card and looked at Usagi sympathetically. "It's obviously a star, but there are so many stars in the universe, that it is impossible to really figure it out. Why don't you give me all of your cards, then I can run it through the computer." Ran looked at the Kanji on the card. "Have you ever heard of the Sagittarius Zero Star?"
"No..." Usagi noticed a few pink butterflies around. 'What a pretty scent.' She saw Chibi-Chibi was holding a censer. 'Did she get that from mom? I guess that's where the scent came from. Wait a second!' Usagi looked at the Kanji of the star again. "Ran, I remember, one of the cards had the words Sagittarius Zero Alpha...I think it was a nebula."
"Sagittarius Zero Alpha? Then this star must be in the region. I'll investigate it tonight." Usagi, Chibi-Chibi, and Ran had finally arrived back home. Ikuko greeted them at the entrance hall.
"Ran, what happened to me?"
Ran smiled sweetly. "You were exhausted and collapsed. It's all right, I finished the shopping and I'll cook dinner tonight. Okay?"
"Okay dear. I'll go lie down in my room." Ikuko went upstairs to her room and closed the door.
Usagi raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you were such a good liar. Speaking of which, what did happen?"
Ran walked to the kitchen with Usagi and Chibi-Chibi behind him. "We were leaving the department store when an attack came in front of us. It knocked Ikuko-mama out unconscious." Ran went and got some ingredients from the refrigerator. "I couldn't really protect her. My powers were useless and it seems A's power has increased..."
"Yeah, I saw those bracelets. I think it's called a Galactic Bracelet. All of the Sailor Anima-mates wear them. I'm not sure why...but..." Usagi went and got two glasses of water for herself and Chibi-Chibi. "...But if those bracelets are removed...the wearer will die..."
Ran stopped cutting the vegetables. "...That means A will die...Saturn was right."
"Saturn? Hotaru?" Usagi blinked. "What did she say?"
"'Beautiful, the suffering at the moment of destruction.' She seemed odd. Not like Hotaru."
Usagi took a sip of her water and frowned. "It probably wasn't Hotaru. You were probably talking to Saturn."
"Of course, she was transformed."
Usagi shook her head. "No, when Hotaru transforms. She takes the form of the Silent Soldier of Saturn, Sailor Saturn. But she still has the mind of Hotaru Tomoe. But there are times when her eyes turn ice cold. That is when you know the true Saturn is here. She becomes the true Silent Warrior. At that point, Hotaru Tomoe is no longer there." Usagi took another sip of her water. "You should be careful, when Sailor Saturn truly arrives, it usually isn't something good. Sailor Saturn was originally awakened to bring destruction." Usagi shivered slightly at that thought. "That was last year, but I stopped her. Hard to believe all that power could be packed into Hotaru huh?" Usagi giggled.
Ran blinked at Usagi. "Whoa. She must have a lot of responsibility to not use that power."
Usagi smiled and stood next to Ran. "Don't worry about it. Saturn knows what she is doing. And I won't let A die." Usagi turned away from him. "I'll save him. Now, less talking and more cooking! I'm hungry!"
Ran smiled at Usagi. "Usagi, there's something else..."
"What?"
"...A said he wants to kill me now, and not you..."
Usagi blinked. "WHAT?! That brother of yours seriously needs some reprimanding!" Usagi sighed. "Well, I guess I know what else I have to tell the other Soldiers besides Mamoru..." Usagi started to leave the kitchen with Chibi-Chibi bounding off after her.
"Usagi."
"Yes Ran?"
Ran sweat dropped. "Can you drive?"
"No, why do you ask?"
"Well, you see...it's just that...when the Sailor Anima-mate attacked, Ikuko-mama was rendered unconscious and I flew us home. So her car is still at Tokyo Central."
Usagi blinked and then sweat dropped. "I'll call Haruka. No doubt she'll be mad, especially about Mamoru." With that Usagi left, but Chibi-Chibi decided to stay behind.
"So it's just you and me Chibi-Chibi."
"Chibi?"
"She can't understand you, and where's mom?" Shingo entered after Usagi left.
"She's not feeling well, I'll cook dinner tonight."
"Well, better you than Usagi."
"..."
At dinner that evening, Ikuko had joined them reluctantly complaining she had a headache and wanted to stay in bed. Ran definitely was a good cook, because nothing for one thing was burnt. About half way through dinner, the doorbell rang.
Usagi groaned. 'Why do I have the feeling this is not going to be good.' Usagi got up and went out the kitchen. 'It had better not be Haruka. She was mad enough as it is. Well at least she got the car back for me...' Usagi peeked through the eye hole but couldn't see anyone, even with the porch light on. 'What was the point of this thing anyway. You can't even see outside when it's dark.' Usagi opened the door.
"...I think you know who I want..."
Usagi vein popped. "Do you always have to come when I'm eating dinner? A cigarette isn't going to help my appetite." Usagi turned around and shouted down the hall. "Ran! It's for you!" Ran soon came down the hall and frowned when he saw his guest. Ran and Usagi both stepped out onto the porch to join their guest and closed the door.
"May I ask what brings you here Lieutenant Gingetsu?"
Lieutenant Gingetsu stubbed out his cigarette and pulled a wire out from his visor. "Plug this into you module. She might as well watch too, so summon two."
Ran held out his hands and summoned two identical visors without the gloves. He handed one to Usagi who just eyed it curiously. Ran placed it on his head and Usagi copied his action. Ran took the wire and plugged into the side of his visor. The screen was fuzzy for a few seconds but then showed the department store in black and white. It showed Ran and Ikuko leaving then getting attacked. Then finally a transformed Ran coming out of the smoke holding an unconscious Ikuko and their shopping. The screen turned fuzzy then. Both Usagi and Ran removed their headsets and it disappeared immediately.
"See, your powers are strong, but whoever it was that attacked us months ago is stronger than you are." Lieutenant Gingetsu turned to Usagi. "I know you and your friends are the Sailor Soldiers. I only told the Council that Ran was staying with a Sailor Soldier. After they saw this clip from the security camera, they decided it was best if Ran stayed where he was for his own protection and the protection of others."
"So you're saying Ran doesn't have to go back to the Research Institute?"
"Yes, he's all yours."
"YAHOO!!" Usagi jumped and up and hugged Lieutenant Gingetsu briefly before grabbing a shocked Ran and squeezing the life out of him. "You don't have to worry about getting sent back anymore!"
Ran broke out into a huge smile and hugged Usagi back. "Usagi..."
Lieutenant Gingetsu turned around and started to leave. "Ran if you need to contact me, you know how to reach me. And when your time is near, call me. I have to know that the last of the Clover Three are terminated." With that he left.
"The last of the Clover Three? What is that?" Usagi pulled away from Ran.
Ran frowned. "He must think A is dead. But he's not. He's worse than dead."
"Ran..." Usagi pulled Ran into a hug again and buried her face into his shoulder. "I'll save your brother. I promise." They stayed like that for a few minutes. "Ran?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for always being there for me. I'll always be there for you now Ran. Until the day...you reach eternal sleep." Usagi pulled away from Ran and smiled. "Who knows, miracles can happen. So you might not have to..." Usagi tiptoed and placed her hands on Ran's shoulder for balance. "...So you might not have to leave me..." Usagi placed a kiss on his cheek and then went back inside.
Ran placed a hand at where Usagi kissed him. "If only Usagi. If only..." Ran looked up at the half moon as a drop of liquid hit the ground beside him.
Done. I hope you like, it! And I hope the long chapter makes up for it being so late. (Laughs) Anyway, I tried to make sure all of the attacks were correct for the Sailor Soldiers and I know Ran doesn't have metallic wings in the Manga. Only Suu does, but if Ran can summon and teleport things, surely he can create wings.
Yes, I took Saturn's infamous line from the Manga. Sorry, but I just love that line. I know some things for this chapter are off from the Anime, but I'm not keeping it the same. Nor am I keeping it the same to the Manga.
Please Review!
-Sailor Moonac