The silence was piercing when the two Princes transported back to their apartment.
Neither spoke to one another for a long while. Sapphir's eyes just lingered out the window in their living area towards the outside streets below as he was lost in thought.
In the meanwhile, Demande made his way towards the kitchen, opened one of the cabinets and pulled out a wine glass.
"You're becoming too careless for my liking." Sapphir finally said to him in bitterly.
Instead of answering right away, Demande took the time to poor himself a glass of wine first.
"I apologize..really." he answered. "It won't happen again, I promise."
Sapphir, continuing to stare out the window, starting to shake his head in disbelief.
"How did we get mixed up in all this?" he asked. "Now that we finally have a real second chance."
Demande picked up his glass and sighed.
"I don't' know. I'm not exactly thrilled with how things are either" he downed the contents of his glass nonchalantly.
Sapphir eyed the empty glass.
"Don't you think you it's a bit early for that, especially with how it made you ill this morning." he snapped.
Demande glared at Sapphir.
"Not at all, I feel much better. However, I don't like the tone you're using with me and I think you forget that I'm an adult whose free to do as I please." He irritably retorted.
"Yes, but your reasoning for putting us at risk over this girl is childish. Don't you realize that?" Sapphir said.
Demande remained silent.
"What do you think would have happened if you ran out there using the power of the 'forbidden' black crystal, hmm? Do you think she would be grateful and look at you as some kind of savior? Her long..lost ..enemy."
"We are not enemies!" Demande exclaimed defensively. " And I told you I was sorry, what can I do to make you believe me?"
"Quit your job and never see her again. Let us go somewhere else...far away from all of them." Sapphir said in desperation while looking straight into his eyes.
Demande concerned upon hearing this, tried his best to rationalize him as best he could, "Sapphir, how will we afford to be able to relocate anywhere if I quit? I told you that I don't have contact with her at the school and that everything is under control."
"For now. But I can't trust that you won't slip up at some point, just like you almost did today." Sapphir said sternly. "I've been too naive in continuing to allow you to be under the same roof with her and the rest of the senshi."
"Be reasonable, Sapphir, we can't just leave pick up the Jakakozuishou and take it with us at random. Until we have brought back Rubeus and Esmeraude, it's impossible."
"Then I will go up to the school every day and pick you up to make sure you don't get side tracked along the way so that we can hurry and build enough strength to bring them back as soon as possible. This was your idea in the first place. I almost wish at this point we would've traded in the ruby and the emerald for the extra cash."
Demande started to feel his anger build again. Sapphir couldn't ruin this now, not after all the progress he had made.
"I assure you that won't be necessary. You're risking running late to your classes by doing that." he said to him with gritted teeth.
Sapphir folded his arms, "I am the top scoring student in my class, all I have to do is make up a little excuse and the professor's will no doubt, be understanding. I can basically do whatever I want there."
Demande had enough of this and groaned in exasperation before he finally slammed down his glass.
"Listen, boy, I tire of this constant smothering of yours! It's like I'm back at the palace all over again with father and his advisor's hovering over my every move! You are not going to dictate how I spend each and every day of my life!"
"What did you just call me?" Sapphir asked in revulsion.
"You heard me." Demande replied angrily. "You..hover over me so much, I feel like I can't breathe sometimes."
Sapphir continued his glare at him but soon, his own anger subsided when he saw the intensity in his eyes that was very much like the time on Nemesis when he knocked him back against the pillar after Sailor Moon escaped from him. That was when he started to grow very concerned.
"Brother, what's going on with you, really? Something isn't right and hasn't been for quite some time. Please, tell me what it is…"
Demande looked away. He wanted to tell Sapphir everything to lessen some of the burden off of him of all that he knew. About Galaxia. About his contact with their ancestor. Or even that the King that is set to rule Crystal Tokyo has perished, leaving the future to be drastically altered.
He turned to face him and his mouth opened to speak but, then soon after, closed again. Telling Sapphir any of this right now was just not an option and he would have to withhold all this for just a little while longer.
"There's nothing wrong. I just...I just need some space right now."
He hurried for the front door and ripped off his jacket that hung on the coat rack.
"Where are you going?" Sapphir asked.
Without another word, the door slammed behind him.
Sapphir looked to the door, hoping he would change his mind and come back, but, after about 5 minutes of waiting, he gave up and started to pace around the living room anxiously.
He sighed loudly and rubbed the back of his head in frustration. They hadn't even gotten to discuss the situation with the new enemy yet.
"How infuriating he is!" Sapphir groaned aloud as he clenched his fists.
The way he called him, boy, like that was the way in which his father always referred to him, as if he didn't have a name of his own. He knew he hated that.
As he walked to the window and looked down towards the streets again, becoming mesmerized by the cars and people who moved around the ground below like small dots.
That was when he heard a noise behind him.
He quickly turned back around, "Nii-san?"
Empty still.
He could start to hear voices; whispers coming from somewhere.
He started to walk hesitantly through the living room where the front door was. Since they were the only ones renting on this floor, they hardly ever had people in the hallway apart from themselves.
As he got closer to the door, the whispering started to grow quiet, but decided to check outside anyway.
When the door was opened, he stepped outside to find the hallway completely empty of anyone.
He sort of laughed at the absurdity of it.
"Maybe the rumors are true of this place being haunted." he said to himself.
As he stepped back into the apartment, immediately the whispers started again.
It was hard to tell where it was coming from still, but as he moved through the apartment, it gradually became more and more audible, until he could detect that the whispers which were still muffled, led behind the door of the secret room.
He stood in front of the door and put his ear up against it.
There was no doubt that this room is where it was coming from and it was apparent that there was more than one person speaking.
It sounded almost as if they were calling his name whoever they were.
He gathered up his nerves, placed his hand against the panel and the door opened.
"Who is in this room?" he shouted as he charged inside.
Soon after, the door closed behind him.
Demande quickened his pace as he made his way through the neighboring streets, wandering aimlessly for who knows how long.
The more he had time to clear his head, the more he questioned himself on what had made him commit an outburst like that.
Sapphir, he supposed, had a right to be upset with him. It really was reckless what he almost did, and he would learn to hold more restraint next time. With the level of power he was at now, there was no way that he could compare to the Marboro No Guinzuishou's power, anyway. He would need to issue a more meaningful apology when he would go home later.
But for now, he really did need space from his constant questioning.
Eventually, he found his way to the park that unbeknownst to him, Sapphir had gone to earlier in the day.
The sky was beginning to grow it's hazy orange as the sun made it's way toward the horizon in the late afternoon.
There seemed to be very few people in the area when he walked along the cobblestone trails that led into the playground.
As he entered the area, there was but one person sitting on the swing in the playground, whose blonde pigtails cascaded down each side.
She turned around as she felt someone approach behind her.
Usagi's eyes widened in surprise, "Tohru-chan?"
Demande chuckled, "It seems fate would have us meet yet again."
She forced a smile back to him.
Chibi Chibi caught his eye as she made it to the bottom of the slide.
"I'm surprised your mother isn't keeping her close to her after what happened earlier." he said.
"It's no use. Anywhere I go, she always seems to turn up at some point." Usagi replied.
"I suppose it's normal for a little girl to attach herself to her..sister…" he said.
She turned her head to Chibi Chibi, "Something like that…"
Her expression started to grow heavy as she let out a small sigh.
"I don't mean to intrude but is everything alright? I thought you'd be with your friends by now." he commented.
"They're at the Three Lights Parade." Usagi answered.
"You didn't want to join them?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"To be honest I wouldn't have enjoyed myself, I've just had a lot on my mind." she said softly.
He came and sat on the swing next her.
"Anything I can help with?"
She looked to him.
"I wish that you could." she answered glumly.
"Come on, try me." he insisted.
His eyes were fully on hers now. The intensity of the green that passed through her blue, was almost too overwhelming to handle and caused her to break their contact. She turned away as she felt her face grow warm and turn a slight pink that she couldn't allow him to see.
At that moment, Chibi Chibi ran up to Usagi.
"Cone! Cone!" the little girl called to her as she placed her hands on Usagi's knees and nudged her.
"Chibi-Chibi, I don't have anymore change on me." Usagi replied to her.
"What is it? Demande asked her.
Usagi sighed. "She wants an ice cream cone from the stand in the park, but I already spent my allowance for the week."
"An ice cream actually sounds quite good right now. How about I get us all one?" he asked and then looked to Chibi Chibi.
"Chibi!" she excitedly said.
Usagi's expression started to brighten up as well.
"Tohru-chan, you don't have to do that." she said.
"It's no trouble. If I'm being honest, I'm not having the best day either and could really use the company."
This surprised Usagi. Tohru never seemed to have a trouble in the world and it was a first for him to admit something like that to her. She couldn't help but be feel intrigued since he rarely ever talked about himself.
"Then I'll gladly accept your offer." Usagi said to him cheerfully.
They all three sat on the nearest bench from the stand, with a strawberry ice cream cone in his hand and 2 chocolate ones in theirs.
"Not only do you both look alike, you also like the same flavor." he commented to them.
"Chibi Chibi." the little girl replied to him as she happily licked her ice cream as she sat on top of Usagi's lap.
"I think that was her thanking you for the ice cream." Usagi said before she started on her's.
A few moments of silence passed as they continued to eat.
"Tohru?" Usagi suddenly said to him.
"Yes?" he replied.
"What's troubling you..if you don't mind me asking?"
"My brother and I had a disagreement is all. It started to become heated and I ended up walking out on him. I just needed to get out of there, but didn't really have an idea of where I should go. And somehow I ended up here." he answered.
"What was the disagreement-oh! I'm sorry that's none of my business." Usagi bit her lip and glanced away.
He started to think to himself and smiled a little while she wasn't looking.
"Do you really want to know?" he asked in seriousness.
She turned her attention back to him and nodded.
"He wants me to quit my job at the school."
"What, why?" she asked in a raised voice.
He shook his head.
"Being a librarian isn't the most dignified job for a man and, on top of that, not the most well paying. He thinks I'm wasting my time and talents waiting for a teaching job at Juuban and that I should just move on, and by that, I mean, us moving to another city once school lets out for him."
She looked down now and started to shift in her seat when he said that last part.
He started to sigh.
"He's right, you know. I'm not really making much of a difference in my life or anyone else's if I continue to stay." he then chuckled slightly. "It's not like anyone would notice I'm gone-"
"That's not true!" Usagi interrupted.
"You think so?" he asked coyly.
"There are a lot of students at school who admire you..Some of the girls in my homeroom, and Umino wouldn't want you to leave, Miss Kurogane-san thinks very highly of you, but..most of all…" Usagi had trouble putting her last thoughts into words.
He leaned in towards her more as he listened intently.
"I think if you were to leave...I would be the one to miss you most of all. With everything in my life going wrong, you've helped me bare through it in a way that my closest friends weren't able to. Things are going to continue to become worse, and if you were to go away now…" Her voice began to shake nervously, "Then I might not know what to do with myself to be honest."
He took her hand and her eyes met with his.
"Don't worry, Usagi, I don't plan on going anywhere." Demande smiled reassuringly to he applied a gentle pressure to her hand.
She returned his smile with her own and her face felt the warmth again but she didn't care this time if he would see the color reach her face.
Inside her head, she couldn't help but wonder why a handsome man like him was choosing to tell something personal like that to her of all people instead of that pretty and, as Seiya put it, "well endowed" woman she saw him with.
Chibi Chibi, still sitting on Usagi's lap, turned her head up towards her.
She looked back and forth to the two, whose eyes were interlocked to each other with affection.
"Mama. Mama!" Chibi Chibi called out to Usagi while tugging on her sleeve.
Usagi took her hand from his and looked to the whining child and then back to him.
"She wants to go home to my mom, which I suppose I should be doing as well since it'll be dark soon." she said.
"I understand. Thank you for listening to my problems, I'm glad that I ran into you." he said to her.
She raised her hands up defensively. "No, not at all."
"But really, I feel much better now after talking with you and perhaps next time, you can let me know what it is that's troubling you."
They both stood from the bench and Chibi Chibi took Usagi's hand and waved to Demande, giving him a big smile.
Get the little one home safely." he said while giving her a pat on her head.
"I will. See you at school Tohru-chan and thank you for the ice cream." she answered to him.
As he walked away, she continued to look back to him as he made his way almost out of the playground, and as she took a step backward, her sandal caught onto a large rock that was behind her foot.
"Ehhhh!" she called out.
This caused Demande to turn back around to find her standing on one foot while the other one hovered above the ground without it's shoe.
"I think I stepped on something." she said while trying to hold back tears.
He hurried over to her.
"Here let me help you to the bench." he said as he held onto her and led her over to sit down.
"Just my luck." Usagi sighed.
He knelt in front of her, held up her bare foot and saw that there was a small shard of glass sticking out from underneath. Blood was starting to emerge from around the wound.
"You're right, you did step on something. I should be able to get it out but it may hurt a little bit."
She started to wince as he quickly removed the shard.
He took out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket wrapped it around her foot before tying it in a knot.
Chibi Chibi walked over with Usagi's sandal and held it out to him.
The straps to it were torn apart.
"Thank you, Chibi Chibi." Demande said and received the sandal.
Usagi looked away awkwardly from him in the entirety of this until he commented.
"It seems the straps are completely broken, so you won't be able to wear this."
"That's okay, I only live a few blocks away so it shouldn't be too hard getting home." she said as she stood up.
"Ow!" she called out as her foot touched the ground.
"You won't be able to walk with your foot like this and it's not like you can use Chibi Chibi as a support."
"What should I do?" she asked eagerly. "I don't have bus fair and even if I did, they don't let people on who aren't wearing shoes."
"I can carry you on my back, three blocks isn't too far." he suggested.
Usagi immediately waved her hands and shook her hand.
"No, no, no, I couldn't possibly have you do such a thing for me! Really, I can make it home."
She suddenly then became off balance and stepped on her hurt foot again.
"Tsssst…" she winced in pain. "Okay, if you don't think it'll be too much trouble."
He chuckled, "Not at all, I can't just leave you out here like this. Think of it as a moral obligation I must do as an employee of your school if it makes you feel better."
He turned around and faced back to her and smiled as his arms reversed and was ready to haul her up.
She too smiled and nodded to him before she looked to Chibi Chibi and mirrored his gesture to let her ride on her back while she did his.
He walked out of the park, still keeping his normal pacing. It was as he thought, she was light as a feather, as was Chibi Chibi. That wasn't saying much, however. Most men wouldn't have had trouble carrying a woman who was under 5 feet and most likely couldn't have weighed more than 95 pounds, but for Demande who had the supernatural strength Earth men hadn't, she literally was weightless to him.
"Wow Tohru-chan, you're so tall! I feel so high up from here." She laughed while holding her arms out as if she were on a roller coaster.
"Chibi!" Chibi Chibi said in response, as she mimicked Usagi.
He laughed as well and said, "Just lead the way."
At first no one spoke and just the sounds of the cars on the street and footsteps of the random passerby's were all that could be heard.
There was something that had crossed her mind back at the playground that had nagged at her but she didn't have the courage at the time to ask.
"Tohru?" she asked him.
"Yes?" he answered.
"You said when you left your brother that you had nowhere to go. Why not let your girlfriend consolidate you?"
At first he hadn't known what she meant by that, but then he quickly remembered that she had seen him with that woman, Natsumi.
"We are no longer together." he said.
"Oh..I'm sorry.." she said apologetically.
There was no denying or brushing that woman off with Usagi as if he just met her, which, technically he had. As despicable as she was, she did teach him one thing that was very useful. He would never forget the look Usagi gave to him at the sight of kissing Natsumi, or rather her kissing him. Seeing him with another woman clearly caused a reaction that he could use to his advantage.
"There is nothing like seeing your crush with another woman to bring out her jealousy." she had said.
"Don't be." Demande replied. "Natsumi and I just weren't right for each other." he looked back to her and smiled.
Why was it when he said this, she suddenly felt a sort of relief..
"Still, I'm sorry to hear that. She seemed...nice."
He laughed quietly to himself, he knew she was lying.
"No, she made me realize even further that there is only one woman I still wish to meet who I still think possesses all the qualities I look for in a woman. But maybe she will forever remain a myth to me."
Usagi's heart started to pound.
"You mean..Sailor Moon?" she timidly asked.
"Yes. That is another reason my brother can't convince me to relocate because I have yet to see her myself. I've told you before that I'm a fan, right?" he stated.
Usagi smiled and laid her head down against his back and closed her eyes.
"Maybe one day you just might." she said.
He jerked his head up when he thought for just a little bit, he was able to feel the rapid pulsating of her heart against his back.
His smile widened.
'Soon.'
Everything was falling into place just as he had hoped. This magenta colored haired little girl with heart shaped buns had to be the same little girl who was in his dream and one day he and Usagi will birth this child and rule over Crystal Tokyo together in a new future, a better future. If only she could confirm this somehow. This little girl, Chibi Chibi, had very limited vocabulary unlike the girl in his dream.
"Chibi Chibi." the tiny girl called out.
Usagi stirred out of a brief slumber.
"I think the little one is letting us know you're home." Demande said.
And indeed, they were in front of Usagi's house.
She rubbed her eyes before he let her down off of his back.
Chibi Chibi jumped off of Usagi's and ran happily through the gateway and inside the house.
"Here." he said as he gave her the broken sandal which he had carried.
"I can't thank you enough for carrying me home like this, my foot would have probably been torn up from the walk home if you hadn't of helped me out."
"It's the least I can do for boring you on the rest of your free day from school with my problems. But it helped me take my mind off of things, really, it should be me thanking you."
She blushed while clutching the sandal in her hand.
He reached out to her and placed his hand gently upon her head and then ran a piece of her hair through two if his fingers.
Just then, a black cat jumped in between him and started to snarl hisses causing him to step backwards.
"HSSSSSSSSS!" the cat bared her fangs at him.
"Luna, stop it!" Usagi commanded.
Undeterred, the cat continued to push forward, making him step further and further away.
"It seems your cat isn't very fond of me." he said.
"Luna, that's enough…-uh, bad cat, go inside now!" she demanded as she pointed to the house.
Luna stopped hissing and looked back at her angrily.
Usagi nervously swallowed as she saw how serious this was.
She gave a forced laughter, "I'm sorry about that, she always gets cranky when I'm late feeding her dinner. She can be a total pig sometimes. I should really get inside and put some food in her bowl."
Luna rolled her eyes.
'Whose the pig?' she thought to herself.
Usagi gave a bow to him, "Goodnight Satoshi-san."
He looked to the cat as she continued to stare suspiciously at him before he looked back to Usagi and played into her sudden change of character.
He too bowed, "And a pleasant evening to you too, Miss Tsukino, send your mother my regards."
Usagi smiled in relief and nodded to him before she swiftly turned around without looking back and walked through her entryway.
Luna gave him one last glaring look before she followed her in shortly after.
He knew that the black feline with the crescent moon patch was no ordinary house cat. Sapphir's research couldn't possibly leave out the info on the two feline top royal advisor's of the court in Crystal Tokyo. From the looks of it, the cat she called, Luna was able to detect his resemblance just as her senshi had.
Alas, just another pest to get in the way of things he supposed.
But he walked out of her neighborhood, with a lightness in each step he took. The fact that she allowed him to know where she lived, confirmed that she trusted in him completely. There was no way he could quit his job and never see her again at this point, things were just going too smoothly.
Suddenly Demande felt a jolt of tiny vibrations through his skull that stopped him in his tracks.
"Nii-san, can you hear me, are you there? Wherever you are please come home. Now!"
He placed his right hand up to his ear.
"Sapphir, it's me. What's going on?" Demande said.
"Nevermind. Come home now, find a safe spot and teleport here."
Demande followed his orders and was there in mere seconds.
He knew he was inside the apartment but was unable to see anything around him as none of the lights were turned on.
"Sapphir, where are you?" Demande called out as he turned on their light switch.
Just then he started to hear voices all through the apartment that, as he tried to follow them, led to the room that harvested the black crystal.
He placed his hand on the panel and instead of the usual blackness swallowing him up, a bright light greeted him instead as all the shards glowed on and off a bright purple.
When the light dulled, that was when he finally found Sapphir holding out the pillow that held the two gems on it. His face gave a blank expression.
But he wasn't alone, a translucent figure stood on each side of him. They were the ones whose voices he was heard.
A red phantom with the anatomy of a male on one side whispered in Sapphir's ear and a green one who resembled a woman did the same, and although they had no distinguishable features to them, he knew who they were in an instant.
Sapphir, although standing, didn't seem to be completely conscious and looked to be in some sort of trance.
"Rubeus...Esmeraude…?" Demande nervously said aloud.
The figures stopped their whispering and turned their attention to him now.
As the crystals brightened again, the figures both reached their arms out to Demande and ran through him as they quickly evaporated into thin air that left a gust of wind from the aftershock that blew through his hair.
The crystal's powerful glow ceased for good as the room went dark and Demande immediately went to attend to Sapphir.
He continued to hold the pillow in front of him with the two jewels but it was clear that he was still in a trance as only the whites of his eyes showed.
Demande gently shook him.
Soon, his blue eyes flickered back into consciousness as he lowered his hold on the pillow, suddenly realizing how weak he was feeling.
"Sapphir, can you hear me?" he said as he placed an arm around him to hold him up.
Sapphir's eyelids began to flutter and he gave a slight nod towards him.
Without speaking a word, he allowed Demande to lead him out of the room and place him on the couch.
Demande took the pillow from him and placed it on their coffee table.
"They...they spoke to me." Sapphir finally said, sounding out of breath.
Demande leaned in to him. "What did they tell you?"
"That... very soon we must perform the ritual to waken them or it will be too late."
Demande's eyes widened. "How soon, did they say?"
Sapphir gave a cough and cleared his throat. "They told me..that you would know when the time came."
"Will we really be strong enough to accomplish this?"
"They seem to think so." Sapphir replied. "Especially now that we have…"
"The...the…-oh, what was it…" he ran his fingers through his hair and laid his head back.
"The…" he closed his eyes to think.
Demande further leaned in anticipation.
"It's funny..I can't seem to remember now. That item...they said it was..nnnnnn"
Sapphir started to mumble incoherent sounds, as he soon drifted in sleep.
Demande stood up and helped him lay down across the couch.
"Just rest for now and you can tell me the rest when you sleep off the effects of the dark aura. It's strong on you right now, yes, very strong." Demande said quietly before finally whispering, "I'll see you in the morning."
Demande picked up the pillow and placed it back on their mantle.
He knew what it was Sapphir was trying to tell him.
It had to be the book. Takemine's journal. The power he had amassed just from that first portion he read, he could tell had been significant.
The next portion would need to be read. Not now, but very soon, he could feel it. Takemine will let him know when he was ready, when they would be strong enough to finally accomplish something he honestly once felt deep down was impossible.
Soon, everything will change.
"Just what do you have to say for yourself?!" Luna scolded Usagi.
"There is nothing to say. I ran into him purely by accident and broke my sandal and he helped me back home so I wouldn't have to walk on my injured foot. What's the big deal?" she answered irritably.
"Usagi, I know that you've never mentioned this 'Mister Satoshi' to me but, the girl's have already informed me of that man and his resemblance to the Prince of Nemesis. And I have to say that it's even more uncanny than I had originally believed.."
"It's just a resemblance, that's not a good enough reason to distrust someone over something so flimsy and meaningless." Usagi retorted.
"Don't forget, not just his resemblance but how he coincidentally has a younger brother who also looks like Sapphir. Yes, Usagi, I know of that too. Another little detail you've been keeping from me." Luna pressed.
Usagi rolled her eyes. They really did fill her in on everything.
"What would Mamoru think if he knew you were spending time with this man who could possibly be the same man that he had to rescue you from. A man who would have done, who knows what to you, if he hadn't come at the right time."
"Well he isn't here, is he? He left me to go off to America so he must think I can take care of myself perfectly fine." she said bitterly to Luna as she folded her arms.
Luna's eyes soon looked up to hers with sadness soon overtaking them.
Usagi noticed this and tried to bury her anger, she knew she had to make up with Luna so she wouldn't tell the senshi of this or they would hover over her every move and she would never get to see Tohru again like she had been, someone she had come to grow very fond of and had also become dependent on.
She knelt down and started to stroke Luna's head.
"Usagi, I can't help but feel something's off. I hadn't reason to be concerned about it until I saw that you were with him just now. Do you still love Mamoru?"
"Of course I do, Luna, with all my heart." she said with a faint smile.
"You never talk about him as much anymore, and I don't see you writing your letters to him or checking the mailbox as often. Just little things I've been noticing. And then to see you on the back of this man looking the way you did…"
"I promise that it's a misunderstanding and if Chibi Chibi was able to speak a full sentence, she'd be able to tell you that's all that happened. Please don't tell Rei and the others about this, they have enough to be worried about and I don't want to add another burden to them. We need to put all of our concentration right now onto the enemy." Usagi said.
Luna shifted her gaze in another direction, thinking hard on it.
"Alright, I won't, but don't make these chance encounters a habit, or I will inform the entire group about this."
"Fair enough." Usagi said with a nervous laughter. "Since you mentioned it, I think I will go check the mail now that I have some shoes on."
She rose up and walked out their front door and past the gated entrance but lingered around the mailbox looking around to see if by chance, Tohru was still outside. She just used that as an excuse to get out of there and get some fresh air.
Of course she didn't expect to find anything inside it. There was a reason, a very good reason, she didn't bring up Mamoru or dreaded when the subject of him would be brought up by one of them. Every time his name was said aloud, it brought a tinge of pain that was like a prick of the needle; harmless at first but then overtime began to drive in pain that was so deep that it left it's scars on her heart.
Only very few people have been able to distract her from this: Seiya had helped her, yes. But also, Tohru.
They weren't wrong to be suspicious of him as there are just as many coincidences as there are differences between Tohru Satoshi and Prince Demande of Nemesis.
"There is only one woman who I still wish to meet who I think possesses the qualities I look for in a woman. But maybe she will ever remain a myth to me. Sailor Moon."
Her heart started to flutter and a smile crept on her face as she thought of those words he said but she didn't quite know why.
Her stomach then started to grumble as she realized she was hungry and never got to eat her mother's dinner.
She walked past the mailbox at first but then paused for a few moments before she turned back around when she realized she never checked it.
Although, she was certain it would be empty when she opened it, she couldn't help herself to feel that small sense of hope.
When she opened the slot, there was a single envelope inside that had her name on it.
Her eyes widened when she saw that it was air mail from America.
Her heart started to thump violently.
When she tore the envelope open, there was card inside, a post card.
On it was a picture of a pale orange sunset with some trees on the bottom as the only scenery.
There was no writing on the front or back of it, just the picture. No indication of who it was from nor the meaning of it.
It didn't matter though, she knew there was only one person it could of come from and she held the postcard up to her lips as tears of joy started to fall one after the other.
"Mamo-chan…"