A/N: Oh me frijole gold... O.o So many reviews...! Well, I think I hit my personal record with that one. n.n Long ones too:O Sorry for the wait, let's get on with responding to the reviews nn!
Krampus: Ah...--; Yeah, sorry, you're right. It's only thirty fingers. Strike the sixty out from your memory. When I got to the fingers part, I probably misread "six hands" as "six pairs of hands" and so... yeah. --; Sorry, I'm loopy like that.
Royal destiny: Indeed... why did she run off? Such a tricky little doctor... --shakes head at that-- Well, hopefully we'll all find out in the following chapter, ne?
pretend2besome1: Yup yup, I love the "funny yet sweet" moments, tankies n.n And maybe you haven't seen Ami's side of it since 1) I haven't put something in her general POV yet (I think) and 2) There hasn't been much of Mako/Ami period. I... Allow me to remind you that I am writing every single sentence completely on the wing off the top of my head. That said... it didn't occur to me to add some Mako/Ami until... well, until I mentioned it. And then that evil tickle monster came out... --grumble grumble-- And then... well yeah. I'm curious to see how it works out too. Ah, you also reminded of a quote from the show Joey, "Husband! Honey, give me a call when you stop living in denial." Or some such thing... :P
Lord of Nightmares: :O...! B-but L-sama I dun wanna update faster! Though, you know, technically, I'm updating faster (even at an update a week) than some other fics... particularly some other Mina/Rei filtered fics... --nods-- But mm... I'll try to make the update, when I do it, worth it, ne?
DarkElena: O.o Whoa, that is a long review. But not that long to read, considering. n.n Yupyup fear my evilness –heart-- yay for continuous giggles- and tankies for telling me n.n I feel all happy and proud of myself now. Yupyup, well, Rei had it comin' with her trove of Minako fanatics in her own humble abode. --nods happily--
Ah, yeah... 'bout Usagi... well, y'see I have this theory... any of the following will produce an instant flashback childish happiness phase... 1) reunions 2) hanging out with close friends 3) sugar/pastries 4) getting tickled like crazy. Therefore... immaturity in this case has nothing to do with her age or how mature she is to the outside world. It's just that when someone like Usagi drops the front... she really drops it- in order to relax and have fun, yes? So... yeah?
-mumblesaboutturtleboy- I still don't get why Makoto decided to marry that guy... date a little maybe but... D: It's such a waste of a perfectly good senshi... well... ex-senshi anyway... And she'd totally wear the pants of the family... : I disprove! Disprove! --; Have faith... I may have an inspirational break through on how to take care of the problem child...
Oh gosh, no, don't give me more complications...! XO...! I agree with the Ami/Usagi-Neph situation, I saw it too. But you know... I'm of the belief that not everyone from your past ends up staying in love with you... or you know, something of that nature. Maybe in another ficcie featuring Ami... and also, keep in mind, for all my shippiness, I do want to add as many (reasonably) sensible new twists to the game as I can... if I'm thinking right anyway... --;
I sincerely hope to include many more Minako/Rei scenes as this was originally intended to be about them. --nods-- I hope to not disappoint yer desires for such.
O.o –avoids chopper with wariness-- Erm... You shouldn't be reading at 3AM:O! Early to bed, early to rise makes anyone feeling younger, saner, and coherent:O n.n tankies for the review- --heart--
Thank you Thunderheart, Courtney, and Sheena for your support. --heart-- respectively, I'm glad you find it funny; I'm glad you find it cute; and yes, I know that's a typo. Is that the only thing that stuck in your mind after reading the chapter? --shrugs-- In any case, it's intended to be overall humorous and light hearted. I just couldn't help myself with the seriousness of the first few chapters.
Teresa Kaiju: Mm.. but if one of them is sideways creating an almost perfect mouthlock, and they don't bite down or anything, how would their lips get stuck? n.- Perhaps a slightly different situation unearthed a slightly different pain? And whatdya mean what's that supposed to mean? Exactly that. Standing, pivoting on heels, and spinning a cat like you're in one of those crazy tea cup rides. Note- contrary to popular belief, you do not need to obliterate a hindrance in order to get around it. There are safer methods. And why wouldn't Mako catch her? This is Mako-chan we're talking about here. Now what she does after catching her is an entirely debatable course...
Lokiador: "every shoujoai BSSM fics"... but I thought this was PGSM? And... just for you, I'll say- don't expect the ordinary from me. I'll only end up trying to surprise you- and succeeding. --wink-- Yeah, I know it's rushed, but there may be a reason for that... --is trying not to express thoughts on what will happen, lest I'm wrong...-- And yes, I shall heed your extra two points –nods-- Tankies n.n
Rio: Minako's POV huh... Yup yup, gotta remember to put more of that, okay. Artemis! O.o Darnit, I knew I forgot something when I was doing my laundry... u.u; okies, okies I'll slip in some of that too... eventually.
Mizuno7533: Ah, you think Amy running is in character too? (Well, as much as I hate to say it... that does seem to be the case --) You know, it wasn't until I read your review again while writing my responses that I realized what you meant by human Luna. Which reminded me that it was a pity that I have no recollection of Artemis being allowed a human body too. O.o Tuxedo Kamen Jr.! In WHITE! nn...! If Luna got to be a sailor senshi look-alike after all...
--sigh-- and again, thank you to all my reviewers thus far. n.n 71 reviews for 7 chapters... just eight more and I can totally whoop Voyages of Love... --heart-- Hm... what is it about this one that you like so much though, I wonder?
Gak! Answering reviews took twice as long as usual! O.o;; Now I gotta write a total of six pages... --
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that isn't mine to own. So let's get this started already!
Chapter 8
"All right, all right! I'll say it okay! I've fallen in love with Ami-chan!"
The distinct sound of footsteps at the door, fading away slowly... before seeming to pound against the wood, the owner running away from the scene.
"Ami-chan!"
Minako and Rei exchanged glances as Makoto ran out of the room. Usagi looked puzzled a moment, before a knowing grin spread across her lips. "Ehh... I always had a feeling there was something there..."
At that, the two listeners blinked and looked at her.
Noticing, Usagi's big eyes blinked slowly. "W...what? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Rei and Minako inched closer to her on either side, eyes narrowed in concentration. Usagi attempted to back away, but then Rei was behind her, still on this side, and Minako was right in front of her, towards the other side.
"Usagi..."
"W...what is it Minako-chan?"
"It's time to spill your guts."
Usagi went pale, imagining her soul coming out from her mouth at Rei's suggestion.
And then Minako giggled and smiled warmly at her. Usagi exhaled in soft relief.
But it was just a face, just one of an actress. "U-sa-gi-ch—an... You know I've been gone a lo—ng time, right—?" She paused, waiting for Usagi's apprehensive nod. "Well then, it would be to our best interest if you explained yourself right now."
Rei added, "As soon as possible." She placed a forefinger at Usagi's side for emphasis. Or else the Tickle Monster comes out to play again.
"Alright, alright, geez! I would've told you anyway- stop trying to scare me! What do you want to know?"
Minako and Rei shared a glance, Rei grinning as she took the unspoken hint to back off. Minako did as well, calmly taking a sip from her now cold tea.
Usagi looked at them warily, as if she fully expected the pair to jump her at any given time. For purposes she didn't even want to imagine (even though she started to before she could stop herself). She looked around, wishing Mako-chan and Ami-chan would come back already. "W-well?"
Rei, also calmly sipping tea, looked up and gestured for Minako to answer.
Minako, with a soft sigh given on the pretense of enjoying the last of her tea, set her cup down. When she suddenly turned her eyes on Usagi, Usagi went rigid from head to foot. She wasn't fooled by the smile this time (even though this smile was genuine, despite looking exactly the same).
"Please tell us what you meant about this 'feeling' of yours regarding our Mako-chan and Ami-chan."
"What..." Usagi looked at Rei. "You didn't know either?"
Agitated, Rei fixed her gaze straight ahead. Minako watched her with nonchalant grace, as if she were only looking because Rei was directly in front of her.
Usagi seemed agog with disbelief as she looked between her two comrades, threats temporarily absent from her mind. "The Fire-Fortune-Teller-Priestess and the Idol-of-Love... neither of you knew at all?"
Neither Rei nor Minako moved. They wished they could object... but it was somehow too close for them to notice.
Usagi suddenly laughed, "Well that actually shouldn't surprise me at all. Minako's been out of close contact with all of us for so long, I can't blame her- it's a comparatively new development. And Rei..." Usagi started giggling. "Someone as close as her best friend could have fallen in love with her and she wouldn't have the slightest clue- Rei-chan's really so dense after all..."
And just like that, Usagi did the impossible. She froze time.
Rei and Minako only continued casually gazing at each other... though their eyes were wide, their lips parted in momentary shock.
It couldn't be... and yet... no... impossible...
------( )O.o() -- Crazy Pooch...
"Ami-chan! Wait up!"
Ami heard the voice in the distant proximity, but she kept running, wishing she was anywhere near as athletic or in shape as her pursuer.
It's no good... I can't... run anymore... Ami slowed down, a hand touching a tree's trunk off the path leading to the shrine steps. She could hear the barely out of breath exhales of the one who had stopped not far behind her.
"Ami..."
Why? To say it like that... why? And why now?
Makoto laughed, failing horribly at trying to hide her unease. "I guess... you heard, huh? I'm sorry... that you had to hear something like that that way..."
"Then it's true?" It seemed to stop her, so Ami turned around to look at her. She couldn't help instinct, her mouth, once unjammed, started flying a mile a minute, trying to get out everything that was confusing to her at that moment in time. "Why, Mako-chan? If you had to say it, why say... that tonight? You're married now. Even if you weren't, it's not right... feeling that way... I..." I turned my head away, helplessly ashamed that the memory was resurfacing again, a dream blend with reality in her mind. "You had to have known... that I... that I don't feel the same way."
Makoto paused, as if caught off guard. Then, a forlorn smile spread across her lips as she bowed her head for a moment, and then flicked her hair back as she looked straight up at the moon. "I know. Of course I know. How could I not? And I know I was late in realizing it." Makoto lowered her eyelids a little as she kicked a pebble. With a loud sigh, her fingers laced together behind her head as she spun away from Ami.
"The saddest thing about it really... more than knowing from the start that it was unrequited and yet more fulfilling than any other time I've even crushed on anybody... more than the thought of loving another girl like that..."
Makoto stopped moving, her hands limply falling to her sides. She decided to hold the bull by the horns and pivoted to face Ami with a small smile. "The worst part of it all is... I only started realizing something was off... when I realized you were so late that you had completely missed my wedding. And you had to leave early at the reception..."
Ami looked away, guilty. Why did she have to bring that up...
"Ami... can you just tell me one thing? Did you really miss it because of work?"
Ami didn't look up for a moment, but when she did, there was a soft smile on her face.
"Of course. Mako-chan... you'll always be a close friend of mind. Short of a crisis, I wouldn't have missed your big day for anything. They... they needed me."
Before Ami could really recognize it, Makoto had closed the distance between them. "Ami... if that was true... then tell me why..." Makoto made as if to caress Ami's cheek, but stopped herself an inch from succeeding. Her hand dropped back to her side. "Tell me why your eyes look so sad right now."
Ami was held mesmerized by Makoto's gaze for two seconds longer than she should have been able to stand. That said, when she pulled out of Makoto's atmospheric magnetic field, she had to turn to hide her flushed cheeks, not knowing Makoto had already noticed them.
When Makoto didn't say or do anything more. Ami gathered her breath and whispered, "What do you expect? How would you feel if you suddenly heard that your best friend was in love with you?"
There was a pregnant pause, enough to make Ami start to turn around. But just as she was completing the turn, she was stopped dead in her tracks by Makoto's solemn, yet thoughtful response.
"I'm not all too certain... I mean, Ami-chan, at the end of the day, you'll always be the best of my friends."
------ M(n.n)M –Peace!
"Uh... guys? You know I was kidding, right?"
Minako and Rei snapped out of it. At the same time, they stuttered, "What? Y-yeah, of course I knew that!"
Usagi looked at them with open doubt. "Really?"
The pair nodded, purposely not looking at each other. Rei shifted, "Now stop delaying, Usagi. What about Makoto and Ami?"
Usagi sighed, nibbling on the last pastry, knowing it had to last the longest. "Well... I guess I started noticing it... A few months after the wedding- ah, Mako-chan's I mean. Mm... Ami-chan apparently went to Mako-chan's new house to help organize all the boxes that hadn't gotten put away right after the move... and the next time I saw them... I don't know... the... mood between them was closer. A lot closer than before. Almost..." Usagi paused, thinking of how to phrase it. "Ah, almost as if they had become best friends overnight or something."
Rei sighed. She knew all too well how that was. She didn't know when something had flickered inside her, changing concern for the Princess' wellbeing to worry for someone who irked her far more than Usagi ever did with her daily antics.
Minako idly watched Rei, though she mainly kept her eyes on Usagi. "Is that it? Come on, that doesn't mean anything. Becoming closer isn't at all the same as falling in love." Though one could very well lead to the other... given time and fortunate circumstances.
"No, that's not all! I'm just getting started!" The gleam in Usagi's eyes just then made Minako and Rei very wary indeed. It just went to show... don't underestimate a determined gossip and meddler.
They tried stopping it.
They honestly tried to think of any sensible reason as to refute her claims.
But it was no good.
By the time forty-five minutes had passed, the pair was thoroughly convinced of the situation.
That is, if Usagi hadn't exaggerated to the point of lying anywhere or everywhere.
As this notion came upon both Minako and Rei, their mutual cold, suspicious stare rooted Usagi to her spot again. "Uh... Mako-chan and Ami-chan are taking an awfully long time, aren't they? We... we should go check up on them, don't you think?"
They all paused.
Usagi waited with baited breath for the verdict.
Minako protested softly, "But what if it turns out that Ami-chan actually returns Mako-chan's feelings and they went off to have a lovey-dovey moment?"
Rei raised an eyebrow dubiously. "'Lovey-dovey'?"
Minako huffed, waving it away. "Oh stop it; you know what I mean."
Rei shook her head, inwardly smiling, before she objected, "But on the other hand, they could have also gotten into trouble. Run into the street at a bad time or something."
Usagi whined, "Rei-cha—n! Don't say that! You'll jinx them! Ahhh... what do we do... if something did happen to them it'd be all our fault..."
Rei blinked. "Come again?"
Minako motioned that those were her sentiments exactly.
Usagi explained in a voice to match her pout, "If we hadn't tickled Mako-chan into saying that, then Ami-chan wouldn't have heard, and so Ami-chan wouldn't have run off, and so Mako-chan wouldn't have run after her, and so they would have been here, safe and sound. See?"
The room went silent again.
"In that case, it should be Minako's fault for arranging for us to all meet here."
"Me! Why me? Is it so wrong to want to see all my old friends together?"
Rei continued, "If you hadn't decided to meet here, today, Ami-chan might have come at a different time, thus avoiding the tickling confession and conversation altogether, therefore throwing off everything that came after that."
Minako huffed in indignant silence before she could find enough voice to rebuff, "Well if that's the way it is then maybe it's Rei-chan's fault for closing and locking the door and preventing us from seeing that Ami-chan was there."
"Oh please- the way we were, you wouldn't have seen her even if she was visible at the doorway."
After five minutes of this prattle back and forth, Usagi slapped her hands on the table, and then promptly withdrew them, mumbling about how much that actually hurt. Shaking herself out of habit as the two stopped, she directed, "Oh stop that, you two! Let's just go look for them- if they haven't decided to leave altogether, they should be nearby. We'll just go for a distant visual check- if they're okay, we'll come back alone; if they're not, we'll go check on them and get help and all that. Okay? Can we go?"
The two couldn't help but stare at Usagi.
She grew uncomfortable again. "W-what?"
Rei snickered for a moment as Minako grinned and asked slyly, "What a surprise; you came off your sugar high already?"
Usagi paused, until she realized Minako was teasing her for being so different when she was in the presence of sweets. "Minako-cha—n!"
A/N: And... I shall end it here. Your decision as to whether call this a cliffhanger chappie or not. I, for one, don't think it is. Even rock climbers deserve a break sometimes, ne? n.n Okay! Review as you will, and I'll see you again within seven days! o!