Dreaming of Dreams

Chapter 9

For the rest of their vacation, the girls kept their mouths shut about any happenings between their prince and princess…mainly because of the fact that Ami had a tight grip on that rather heavy textbook of hers and whenever any of the senshi looked at her and almost started to say something, an evil glint would enter the Mercury child's sapphire eyes and she'd hold the textbook up with pride.

Minako had searched the crowds of people she saw in Paris for any sight of Kunzite, but hadn't seen him anywhere. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. She had wanted to see him at least one more time before she left the French lands.

She noted with a sigh that he had said he was here on business. 'I hope whatever he does in life that he's always successful and happy.' She thought softly to herself, and smiled.


On the last day of their vacation, the entire group decided to climb up the steps of the Eiffel tower all the way to the top to get one last look at the lovely city.

Usagi clung to Mamoru desperately, whimpering, as he tried to drag both of them up the steps

He sighed. "Usako, it's not that far up!"

"Not that far up! It's WAY too far up!" She stopped on the staircase for a moment and looked down out the side railing. Seeing the ground so far away from her, she panicked.

"MAMO-CHAN!" She yelped, rushing to him once again and jumping on his back, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. He stumbled forward as her weight hit him, and he gripped onto a side rail as he desperately muttered small condolences to the -screaming- girl.

The four girls who had been lagging a bit behind stared up at Mamoru in sympathy.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all…" Makato said in concern, noticing how very tightly Usagi was gripping Mamoru's throat. The poor prince of Earth was trying to loosen her hold around his neck just enough so he could breathe.

Minako nodded. "She's gonna strangle him before we even reach halfway!"

Rei saw the redness on Mamoru's face, most likely caused from the lack of air that was passing through his lungs.. She couldn't help but giggle. "Poor Mamoru-kun. We've gotta help him!" She rushed up, and with Makato's help, pried Usagi off his back. The Moon princess started wailing loudly.

"REI-CHAN! MAKOOO-CHAN!"

Mamoru breathed a deep sigh of relief and rubbed his neck where a red mark had appeared. "Thanks, girls."

Makato grinned. "No prob, Mamoru-kun! She was about to kill ya!"

He laughed lightly and then noticed Usagi was clinging to Rei's arm and staring off the side rail, fright apparent on her face. He smiled softly and took her hand and pulled her away from Rei and up one step that was separating them. Smiling down at her, he whispered a few words in her ear. The girls (all except Ami, who knew to mind her own business) leaned in to try and hear what was said, but not a word was caught by any of them. They watched as Usagi smiled brightly and laced her arm through his and held onto him tightly. They both turned and resumed their walk up the stairs, Usagi resting her head on Mamoru's shoulder.

Minako blinked. "How did he do that! She was panicking just a minute ago!"

Makato looked over her shoulder at Minako as the rest of the group started walking up the stairs again, too. "She trusts him completely…because she loves him and knows he loves her and he'll always protect her."

Minako's eyes became misty, thinking to herself. 'I wonder if one day Motoki will protect me like that…' She blushed and shook her head, rushing up the steps to catch up, noticing she had lagged behind.


Usagi and Mamoru had long since separated themselves away from the girls. When the four senshi finally reached the top of the tower, they noticed the couple cuddling and looking over the railing at the sights of Paris, oblivious to anything else in the world but each other.

Minako watched them for a moment with a soft smile spread over her features. Rei looked at the Venus goddess and nudged her in the arm.

"Mina-chan? Why do you keep staring at them like that?" She asked, and Minako finally snapped out of her trance.

She shrugged. "Well, I guess it's because I keep imagining them as Motoki and me. Maybe one day that will be us…" She looked back over at the couple. "They're so in love."

Rei nodded. "Yeah, they are…I know what you mean. Maybe one day I'll find someone to love me like Mamoru-kun loves Usagi-chan."

Makato hugged Rei from behind. "You might have already found him, Rei-chan…Yuuchiro's crazy about you."

Rei blushed, shaking her head. "No way." She pulled away from Makato's hug and walked to the railing to look at the city.

Makato grinned. "She's in denial."

Minako giggled and nodded. "Yeah, I think so…what about you, though, Mako-chan?"

Makato blinked, scratching her head as a small sweatdrop appeared. "Heh…well…"

The brunette girl bolted away and ran up beside Rei and Ami at the railing. Minako shook her head and laughed, walking over and joining them.


Minako flipped idly through a gossip magazine, bored. She sighed. She looked beside her at Usagi and Mamoru, who were fighting over the window seat again. She grinned as she watched Mamoru finally forfeit the seat to his girlfriend. Usagi had none too kindly reminded him of his promise.

Mamoru gave Minako a sour look of defeat when he sat down. She laughed. "She won, I see."

He grumbled. "Not really. I just decided it was best to let her have the seat so maybe she'll be a bit content through the flight."

"I wouldn't count on it, Mamoru-kun." She giggled.

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I know. It's a vain hope." He looked over at Usagi, who was furiously pressing buttons on a hand-held game console, totally uninterested in anything else around her. "Well…maybe she'll be content for a little while, at least."

Minako laughed. "You can always hope!"


The next day, after staying home and spending some time with her mother and Artemis, who both had looked incredibly lonely when she had come through the door after being gone for two weeks, Minako stepped out of her house and decided it was time she visited Motoki-kun at the arcade. She smiled gently to herself, thinking of how much she really did love him, and how much she had missed him!

When she stepped through the sliding doors of the arcade, she was disappointed to see that Motoki wasn't standing behind the counter, but another worker. She sighed a little sadly and made her way to a booth, where she slid in and put her head in her hands.

"Minako-san, why do you look so sad?" A sweet, soft voice intruded on Minako's thoughts.

She looked up and noticed that Unazaki, Motoki's younger sister and co-worker, was looking at her with a concerned smile.

Minako smiled back, a little forced. "Konnichiwa, Unazaki-san. Is Motoki-kun working today?"

Unazaki shook her head, her auburn hair bouncing in its ponytail. "Gomen nasai. Iie, he's not. He was feeling really ill this morning and decided it might be best to take the day off. He was afraid his cold might be contagious and didn't want to get anyone else sick."

Minako nodded sadly, disappointed that she wouldn't see Motoki today and worried because he wasn't well.

Unazaki frowned at Minako's sad appearance. "You want to see Motoki about something?"

Minako nodded slightly. "Yeah…"

The redhead's green eyes flashed interest. She scooted into the booth beside Minako, looking up at the guy at the front and flashing him a sign with her hand that showed she was taking a break. She looked back at Minako. "So what's up? Can you tell me?"

Minako blushed and looked at Motoki's sister. Unazaki was a year younger than Minako, at fifteen, and was almost the complete opposite from her older brother, except for her caring, concerned attitude. She was much shorter than Motoki, had dark red hair, vivacious green eyes and a small petite frame.

Minako pursed her lips together as she contemplated talking to Motoki's little sister about her problems.

She decided…well, why not?

"Well…you see…I'm…in love with Motoki." She whispered the last few words, ducking her blonde head to hide her blushing face and eyes.

Unazaki let out a romantic sigh. "Oh, Mina-chan! That's the most wonderful thing I've heard since Usagi told me she and Mamoru were dating! This is just perfect!"

Minako's head shot up, hope in her eyes. "Why is that?"

She winked. "Well, ya see, I can't tell you that. But don't worry." She reached over and hugged Minako. "I'm so happy for you!"

Minako's eyes were wide and her voice was ragged as she replied. "Th…thanks….I think."

Unazaki started giggling girlishly. "You haven't told him, though, have you? And that's why you want to see him so much?"

The blonde nodded numbly.

She playfully whacked Minako's shoulder. "Well, why don't you head over to Motoki's apartment! I'm sure he'll be very, VERY glad to see you!"

Minako blinked. "But…but…well, for starters, I don't have Motoki's address…and secondly…he might not appreciate me coming to his home, especially when he's sick."

Unazaki shook her head furiously. "No, no, no! He'll be enthralled to see you! Believe me, I know these things!" She grabbed a pen and a piece of paper out of her apron pockets and scribbled a few words down and shoved it in Minako's hand. "There. That's his apartment building address. He's on the third floor, room 305."

Minako stared at the piece of paper in wonder. "I hope this is a good idea…"

"Oh, it is, it is!" Unazaki was giggling again. "And while you're at it, you can take him lunch! I had promised that on my lunch break, I'd pick him up some soup from the café up the street from his house. But now that you're going there, why don't you take his lunch for me? He'll be much happier with YOU bringing him lunch!"

The redhead all but dragged Minako to the front sliding doors of the arcade. She looked at Minako with crocodile tears in her green eyes. She sniffled dramatically and embraced the rather wide-eyed blonde.

"Go get him!"

And with that, Unazaki pushed Minako out the doors as they slid open. She watched Minako walk away, clutching the piece of paper in one hand, her eyes still incredibly large and her entire appearance still looking rather shocked.

"Oh, they grow up way too fast!" More dramatic sniffles ensued, but before long, Unazaki's boss was yelling at her to get back to work, and with that, she ran off.


End Chapter Nine.

If you've noticed, most of this chapter was just meaningless little parts that I decided to add in. I could have left out the trip to the Eiffel tower, and the plane conversation, but wanted to add just a few more extra little scenes, just for the fun of it!

Well…only one or two more chapters to go! I haven't really decided yet how long to really make this. But I've enjoyed writing it so much that now I'm starting to wish that it didn't have to end! But, all good things must come to an end I suppose…

I want to thank the reviewers that I've had. I know that this genre isn't exactly popular, and so it doesn't attract quite as many reviewers, but I appreciate every single review that I've gotten very much! Thank you all!

Luna