p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;" It was a clear, concise night; perfect for comet-viewing as the Tsukino household prepared themselves in the backyard. The blankets were laid out, snacks set up with the drinks prepped, the two siblings already bickering up a storm as Ikuko-mama and Kenji-papa were watching them with amusement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Usagi is almost an adult and she still finds time to act like a child," Ikuko-mama said with a roll of her eyes, turning toward her husband as she sipped her alcoholic drink. Having only one glass just before bed, she was attempting to relax for at least for five minutes but the sound of her children's arguing only grew in decibels./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Should we send Luna in there?" Kenji-papa joked, noting that their family pet was nowhere in sight. The two still lived blissfully unaware of their daughter's alter ego. Of course, after having fought of Sailor Galaxia and saving the world and likely the galaxy itself, the Sailor Senshi have earned themselves a good, long rest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSo where in the world did Luna run off to?/span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;" /p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanLuna found herself at the Game Center Crown, deep underground and using the computers to monitor the current comet fall. While it was most likely nothing, instinct was nothing to sneeze at and besides, she was still feeling pretty paranoid after the whole incident with Sailor Galaxia./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Luna, we could've had a nice, lovely date under the falling stars," Artemis complained, a little angrily. He had been expecting to go out on a an actual date with Luna, not be stuck underground doing -work- for something that Luna was worried about./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Worried over nothing, I might add," Artemis practically hissed at her, ears falling back. "Come on, Luna! We rarely get together -alone- and this is what you want to do? What is bothering you so much?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I just felt something odd in the air, okay? Just let me do one quick scan of the shooting stars, please?" Luna gave him big, old sad eyes twinkling with emotion and feeling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanArtemis grumbled and turned away. "Fine but I better be dipped afterwards."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe settled next to the dark-furred female feline and watched the screen with her. For a few moments, there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe waited until he couldn't anymore. "Okay, look, obviously there isn't anything odd…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSomething surged across the system as everything screamed in code red, the energy spiking high as something -strange- happened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe falling stars themselves were fine, Luna was quick to notice. None entered the planet's atmosphere themselves. Luna was pushing buttons, trying to find the source of energy before it dispersed completely from visuality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Come on, come on!" Luna and Artemis both were pushing buttons at this point and found it finally./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanJuuban, Tokyo, Japan flashed across the screen as the two looked at each other with irritation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Why is always here?" Artemis muttered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You find any Sailor Senshi on any other continents?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I found Sailor Venus in England!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That proves nothing, Artemis! She's still from Japan!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe two glared at each other./span/p
div style="mso-element: para-border-div; border: none; border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm not getting my date, am I?"/span/p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanMorning was bright and cheerful for Usagi, about to finish her last year of high school. She was very excited and very, very tired of all the work she had to put in. She didn't think her brain could do that much studying. Thankfully, with Ami by her side with all her tips and tricks, not to mention constant prodding, Usagi seemed on the right track to graduate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIf just barely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"And you still want to go to college?" Rei asked Usagi skeptically./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanUsagi glowered at her friend over the root beer float. "Yes, I do. I actually want to improve my life, Rei. I'm not an idiot."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I never said you were!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You said it yesterday!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That was yesterday, this is today!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It's Saturday, guys, why can't we just relax?" Makoto asked tiredly as she looked to the two. "It's been years also. When are you going to get along?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We do get along!" The two shouted./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Hello, girls!" Ami greeted everyone warmly, sitting down next to Makoto. Where is Minako?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I think she might be late," Usagi said with a shrug. "Artemis got home late. So did Luna, actually. She seemed bothered this morning but she wouldn't talk to me. Said she wanted all of us here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Probably should've met at the Shrine," Rei mumbled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We're fine here," Ami soothed her friend./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"GUYS! We might have another enemy!" Minako gasped dramatically, draping herself onto the table and nearly spilling Usagi's root beer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanUsagi quickly salvaged her drink, glowering at Minako as the other blonde turned red. "I mean, the other study group! Their grades are so fantastic, it's impossible to get to their level at this point!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanRei dropped her head down to the table. "I hate you right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We are not in competition, Minako!" Ami said sternly. "We all just want to pass!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Says the perfect score student," Makoto said a little softly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAmi eyed the brunette before turning to Minako. "Look, where is Artemis and Luna? Didn't they want to talk to us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Oh, yea, they did, didn't they?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe four girls turned to Minako to stare her down./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What? I'm not my cat's keeper!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanUsagi heard sound from her pocket. She pulled out her watch communicator and flipped it open. "Luna, we were just talking about you! Where are you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"In the park, come down here with the girls!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Okay but…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanLuna clicked off as Usagi sighed and put her watch away. "Luna wants us at the park now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, I can go for a nice walk," Ami said with a smile./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I just walked here!" Minako wailed as Makoto grabbed her shirt collar and dragged her behind her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanRei shrugged to Usagi. "You know, my mom was complaining that I wasn't growing up enough but Minako kind of pushes that more, don't you agree?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, she is an only child," Rei said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You fit that too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Shut up, Usagi."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt took a few minutes at the park to find Luna and Artemis. They were hidden in some gathering of trees, studying a set of broken trees in particular./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What are we looking for?" Ami asked finally./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"This is where the energy signature lead us to but it's also where it ends," Luna said quietly. "I had a bad feeling last night…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You said it was odd, not bad," Artemis interjected./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, fine, odd then. And I wanted to examine the star fall in case some of the comets were, you know, different or strange."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"They weren't, by the way," Artemis assured the five girls./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"No but they were a good energetic distraction to something else that entered the planet's atmosphere. I mean, it didn't enter 'enter' like a falling star but it had something similar to that aspect, I think. Hence the broken trees here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"They're not that broken," Makoto said, studying the trees. "Huh, almost like some of them might've been healed a little bit. There's some foliage already growing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"The tree is broken in half, that's very broken," Minako said to Makoto. "And that foliage there is just a leaf! Means nothing!" She scoffed, pulling the leaf by accident. It tingled in her fingers as she frowned. "Huh."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Nothing, I think. It just… felt familiar?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBefore anyone could do anything else, the leaf itself turned to ash in Minako's hand. "I didn't do that!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We know that!" Luna created a container to capture the ash. "Very odd. We have an alien, I think, on our planet and it's in Tokyo."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Great! Hopefully this time they look like an alien," Rei said cheerfully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEveryone turned toward her with incredulous looks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It would make our lives much more easier, right?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Usagi is almost an adult and she still finds time to act like a child," Ikuko-mama said with a roll of her eyes, turning toward her husband as she sipped her alcoholic drink. Having only one glass just before bed, she was attempting to relax for at least for five minutes but the sound of her children's arguing only grew in decibels./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Should we send Luna in there?" Kenji-papa joked, noting that their family pet was nowhere in sight. The two still lived blissfully unaware of their daughter's alter ego. Of course, after having fought of Sailor Galaxia and saving the world and likely the galaxy itself, the Sailor Senshi have earned themselves a good, long rest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSo where in the world did Luna run off to?/span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanLuna found herself at the Game Center Crown, deep underground and using the computers to monitor the current comet fall. While it was most likely nothing, instinct was nothing to sneeze at and besides, she was still feeling pretty paranoid after the whole incident with Sailor Galaxia./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Luna, we could've had a nice, lovely date under the falling stars," Artemis complained, a little angrily. He had been expecting to go out on a an actual date with Luna, not be stuck underground doing -work- for something that Luna was worried about./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Worried over nothing, I might add," Artemis practically hissed at her, ears falling back. "Come on, Luna! We rarely get together -alone- and this is what you want to do? What is bothering you so much?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I just felt something odd in the air, okay? Just let me do one quick scan of the shooting stars, please?" Luna gave him big, old sad eyes twinkling with emotion and feeling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanArtemis grumbled and turned away. "Fine but I better be dipped afterwards."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe settled next to the dark-furred female feline and watched the screen with her. For a few moments, there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe waited until he couldn't anymore. "Okay, look, obviously there isn't anything odd…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSomething surged across the system as everything screamed in code red, the energy spiking high as something -strange- happened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe falling stars themselves were fine, Luna was quick to notice. None entered the planet's atmosphere themselves. Luna was pushing buttons, trying to find the source of energy before it dispersed completely from visuality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Come on, come on!" Luna and Artemis both were pushing buttons at this point and found it finally./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanJuuban, Tokyo, Japan flashed across the screen as the two looked at each other with irritation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Why is always here?" Artemis muttered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You find any Sailor Senshi on any other continents?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I found Sailor Venus in England!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That proves nothing, Artemis! She's still from Japan!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe two glared at each other./span/p
div style="mso-element: para-border-div; border: none; border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm not getting my date, am I?"/span/p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanMorning was bright and cheerful for Usagi, about to finish her last year of high school. She was very excited and very, very tired of all the work she had to put in. She didn't think her brain could do that much studying. Thankfully, with Ami by her side with all her tips and tricks, not to mention constant prodding, Usagi seemed on the right track to graduate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIf just barely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"And you still want to go to college?" Rei asked Usagi skeptically./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanUsagi glowered at her friend over the root beer float. "Yes, I do. I actually want to improve my life, Rei. I'm not an idiot."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I never said you were!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You said it yesterday!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That was yesterday, this is today!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It's Saturday, guys, why can't we just relax?" Makoto asked tiredly as she looked to the two. "It's been years also. When are you going to get along?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We do get along!" The two shouted./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Hello, girls!" Ami greeted everyone warmly, sitting down next to Makoto. Where is Minako?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I think she might be late," Usagi said with a shrug. "Artemis got home late. So did Luna, actually. She seemed bothered this morning but she wouldn't talk to me. Said she wanted all of us here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Probably should've met at the Shrine," Rei mumbled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We're fine here," Ami soothed her friend./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"GUYS! We might have another enemy!" Minako gasped dramatically, draping herself onto the table and nearly spilling Usagi's root beer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanUsagi quickly salvaged her drink, glowering at Minako as the other blonde turned red. "I mean, the other study group! Their grades are so fantastic, it's impossible to get to their level at this point!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanRei dropped her head down to the table. "I hate you right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We are not in competition, Minako!" Ami said sternly. "We all just want to pass!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Says the perfect score student," Makoto said a little softly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAmi eyed the brunette before turning to Minako. "Look, where is Artemis and Luna? Didn't they want to talk to us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Oh, yea, they did, didn't they?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe four girls turned to Minako to stare her down./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What? I'm not my cat's keeper!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanUsagi heard sound from her pocket. She pulled out her watch communicator and flipped it open. "Luna, we were just talking about you! Where are you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"In the park, come down here with the girls!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Okay but…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanLuna clicked off as Usagi sighed and put her watch away. "Luna wants us at the park now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, I can go for a nice walk," Ami said with a smile./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I just walked here!" Minako wailed as Makoto grabbed her shirt collar and dragged her behind her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanRei shrugged to Usagi. "You know, my mom was complaining that I wasn't growing up enough but Minako kind of pushes that more, don't you agree?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, she is an only child," Rei said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You fit that too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Shut up, Usagi."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt took a few minutes at the park to find Luna and Artemis. They were hidden in some gathering of trees, studying a set of broken trees in particular./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What are we looking for?" Ami asked finally./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"This is where the energy signature lead us to but it's also where it ends," Luna said quietly. "I had a bad feeling last night…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You said it was odd, not bad," Artemis interjected./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, fine, odd then. And I wanted to examine the star fall in case some of the comets were, you know, different or strange."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"They weren't, by the way," Artemis assured the five girls./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"No but they were a good energetic distraction to something else that entered the planet's atmosphere. I mean, it didn't enter 'enter' like a falling star but it had something similar to that aspect, I think. Hence the broken trees here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"They're not that broken," Makoto said, studying the trees. "Huh, almost like some of them might've been healed a little bit. There's some foliage already growing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"The tree is broken in half, that's very broken," Minako said to Makoto. "And that foliage there is just a leaf! Means nothing!" She scoffed, pulling the leaf by accident. It tingled in her fingers as she frowned. "Huh."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Nothing, I think. It just… felt familiar?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBefore anyone could do anything else, the leaf itself turned to ash in Minako's hand. "I didn't do that!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We know that!" Luna created a container to capture the ash. "Very odd. We have an alien, I think, on our planet and it's in Tokyo."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Great! Hopefully this time they look like an alien," Rei said cheerfully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEveryone turned toward her with incredulous looks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It would make our lives much more easier, right?!"/span/p
