Thanks so much to my beta and friends! And everyone who commented, liked, gave this fic a chance even if it wasn't their usual read. I'm so grateful to all of you!
The next day Minako woke to rain pounding on her window and a message from Kunzite (she made a mental note to change his name from 'Hot Lifeguard' in her phone, lest he see) saying the beach was closed for safety reasons - giving him another day off.
Well, better now than never, Minako thought, scooping up the letters and putting them in her purse. She texted him back, "lets meet".
Kunzite put the letters down gently on the cafe table and frowned. "And they just end there?"
Minako nodded. "From the dates it's right around the time the house was occupied by the Conways, so this person must be mixed up in their story somehow. Don't you think?"
Kunzite looked outside the window at the blowing wind, still frowning. "Ideally this would involve a trip to Tokyo to investigate the actual university records in person but…"
"Yikes, that sounds like a lot of work. Isn't there some creepy old lady at a shrine you can ask or something?"
Kunzite studiously ignored her suggestion, still thoughtfully looking at the letters. "Prewar records might be sketchy, but there is a professor at Tokyo University who might be able to look up Meiji-era student records at Waseda." He pulled out his phone. "Let me contact her."
Minako stood up, suddenly feeling restless. "Meanwhile I should go check on Usagi-"
Suddenly his hand reached out and curled around hers, pulling her up short and stopping her heart for a moment with the warmth of his fingers and the size of his large hand over hers.
"No," he said firmly. "That place is not safe in this weather."
Thunder was rumbling in the distance. Minako anxiously remembered Usagi's sorrowful face. "I hate this place in the rain..."
"All the more reason to check on her!" Minako insisted and Kunzite sighed.
"We'll go together. Later." He carefully folded the letters into his pocket. "For now let me see what I find out about this Chiba Mamoru. And you…" He sighed again. "You just try to stay out of trouble for an hour or so, okay?"
"No promises!"
So Minako found herself in the absolute last place she'd ever expect to be on her vacation.
The library didn't even have the courtesy of being dark and old, with an eerily pale librarian in an old-style kimono, shuffling Minako to the dark basement to reams of moldering newspapers to sort through.
No, the town library was housed in a modern, plain building with buzzing fluorescent lights, a children's story hour going on in the corner (crowded due to the rainy day), and some busy young-looking librarians in smart business suits clicking on computer keypads who barely glanced at Minako when she asked:
"Uh… is there a way to see, like, old newspapers and stuff?"
And that's how she found herself, yawning, scrolling through microfiche on a clumsy white machine, wishing she was doing something funner, like snooping around the house's creepy closets for clues with Usagi. Or making out in a closet with Kunzite. Something more fun involving a closet anyway.
"Do you have anything on the Conways?" she finally asked, marching back to the librarian and interrupting.
The woman seemed to think for a moment, and then said, "The Conway estate donated some money to the library funding back in our old building prewar. There is a blurb about it in our commemoration book…" Minako followed her back into the stacks and was handed a large, heavy, leather-bound book published by the library foundation back in the 1950s. As Minako used her volleyball muscles to hold the book still, the librarian flipped back a few hundred pages to point a manicured fingernail at a small blurb about the old library and the Conway family.
She then jumped as Minako dropped the book with a wide-eyed gasp. "Excuse me, miss! This book is very old and imp-"
But Minako ignored her scolding, fumbling with her phone with shaking hands to snap a photo of the portrait that was reproduced on the page. The portrait from the attic, but this time the youngest Conway daughter's face wasn't scratched out. It was there, smiling kindly, and terrifyingly familiar.
She fled the library, not caring about the driving rain, fingers shaking as she dialed Kunzite.
"Did you get my texts?" he asked. "My friend found Chiba's matriculation records at the university but they end abruptly after his first year. No record of his graduating, or any jobs or family after that. I don't know if the records are missing or what but-"
"Kunzite, I'm heading up to the house!" she interrupted, brushing water away from her soaked bangs.
"Minako! Are you crazy? The storm is just getting worse-"
"I don't care! Usagi's in danger and I have to get to her! I texted you a picture, it explains everything!"
"Minako, wait for me okay? Just don't -"
She hung up and pocketed the phone, concentrating instead of fighting the wind and heading up to the hill by the water, where the Conway house crouched like a demon in the growing dark.
"Usagi!" Minako burst through the door, which almost fell off its hinges in the howling wind. "Usagi!" She stamped through the house, using her (rapidly dying) phone as a flashlight, calling for her friend, the friend whose face had looked out at her from a portrait over a century old. The friend who might be dead, but still certainly needed her help.
Minako's voice echoed back to her, the only sound other than the storm and creak of the wood as the house shuddered in the wind.
She was reminded of the feeling she'd gotten that first day - when the door opened to a whispering, dank, evil rush of danger. Without Usagi's sunny aura to keep it at bay, the swirling miasma left behind by whatever awful things had happened in this house was back - and with a vengeance.
Steeling herself, Minako climbed up to the attic, exponentially more spooky in the evening storm than the bright, sunshiny day she and Usagi had explored it last.
The attic was empty, the window from before showing a cauldron of a sea, crashing on the mini beach shore. And there - again - was the figure.
Without even thinking, Minako left the house and took off toward the shore. "Who are you?!" she called, the wind stealing her words as the seaspray nearly blinded her. "Where's Usagi?" she demanded, blinking through the rain. The figure seemed to waver and flicker in front of her, then he reached out and everything went black.
The storm was over. The sun was shining. Minako sat up, looking around her at the mansion, which looked like new in the bright sun.
The gardens were tended and lovely, the paint white and new, and the fresh scents of spring on the air. Stumbling up, disoriented, Minako ran through the garden and stopped short when she saw Usagi. Her friend smiled and stood from where she was standing in the bramble… only the bramble wasn't bramble anymore-it was lines of rose bushes, blooming pink and red and yellow.
"Usagi yo-" Minako reached out to touch her arm, but it went right through it. Not as if Usagi was a ghost, but as if she was solid and real, and Minako's hand was smoke.
"Usagi!" another voice called out and Minako had to stifle a scream as Beryl sashayed into view. Her green dress matched her eyes, her red hair gleamed in the sun and she was almost breathtakingly lovely. But somehow Minako felt sick looking at her.
"You'll never guess what news!" Beryl said, face aglow.
"Have you heard from Mamoru?" Usagi asked, pulling her hand away from where it was cradling a rose bloom and nicking herself on a thorn. She put her finger in her mouth with a cringe.
Beryl laughed. "Maybe. Maybe not. Have you?"
Usagi averted her gaze, pinching at the small wound on her finger.
"No matter," Beryl continued. "My news does involve our dear Mamoru, so you'll want to hear it."
Instinctively, Minako put herself between Usagi and Beryl, protectively covering the smaller girl. But it was like a smokescreen; as far as the sisters were concerned, Minako wasn't even there.
"Father has given me permission - finally - to marry him, even though he's Japanese!" Beryl exclaimed, pressing her hands together in delight.
"Beryl, Mamoru has promised to marry me," Usagi said, and Minako was proud her voice was strong and clear, without a tremble, although she sensed Usagi was shaking with worry.
"Pfft, because he thought he couldn't have me, and he had to get our money somehow," Beryl said. "Think of it! He'll have the woman he really wants and the Conway fortune! I can't wait to tell him!"
"Are you going to Tokyo?" Usagi hurried to her stepsister's side, grabbed Beryl's hand. The other woman shook it off with a sneer.
"Take me with you!" Usagi said. "Please! We can talk to Mamo-chan together, I'll-"
"Stop calling him that," Beryl snapped. "Once he's my husband we're leaving this pathetic little island and making our home elsewhere. You'd be best to forget him."
Usagi scowled and grabbed at Beryl again, but the sounds of horses and wheels made them both turn.
"My ride is here," Beryl smirked, walking to the carriage with a smug smile. "Don't worry, little sister, I'll make sure you are invited to the wedding."
Minako turned to comfort Usagi, but the girl blurred before her eyes and a dizzying moment later she was in place both familiar and unfamiliar at once. It was Tokyo… but not. The streets were cobblestone and construction was everywhere, wooden houses and dinging streetcars and people in various dress - kimono and yukata and strange old-fashioned western suits. Tokyo of a hundred years before…
Her eyes found a familiar figure right away: Beryl, walking through the streets, her eyes darting around in a way that Minako recognized immediately - someone unused to the city but trying to appear cosmopolitan. She saw it all the time on tourists even in the Tokyo she was used to.
"Mamoru!" Beryl waved, and a young man looked up from where he was walking with other students. Like the others, he was dressed in western clothing, a tie and white shirt. When he saw Beryl, his eyes widened and he ran to her, slinging his bag across his shoulder.
"Beryl! Uh, Miss Conway," he corrected, running a hand through his hair. Although Beryl was tall, he was taller, and, Minako had to admit, ridiculously good-looking, although he had nothing on Kunzite. "What news from home?" he said, searching her eyes. "Is everything okay with Usako?"
"She's fine," Beryl waved her hand dismissively. "I came to talk to you about father!"
"Is he alright?" Mamoru still looked concerned.
"He's fine, too!" Beryl said, sounding exasperated. "The only one you haven't asked about is standing right before you!"
"My apologies, Beryl." He seemed more relaxed now. "How goes the fair lady of the house?"
"Better than ever," she answered, "as I have the most glorious news! Father has given us permission to marry!"
He blinked and Minako watched the confusion clouding his eyes. "Us?"
"You and me!" she said. "Finally! We can be wed as soon as summer if we play our cards right. And go to Europe to honeymoon and oh, Mamoru, it'll be wonderful!" She took his hands in hers and practically glowed at him.
A murmur arose and Minako realized she wasn't the only one watching this exchange with intense curiosity, and Mamoru also glanced at the gaggle of students who'd come to watch his interaction with the western beauty. Clearing his throat, he pulled on Beryl's hand.
"Is there somewhere we can go to discuss this privately?"
Minako followed them through a back alley and down the riverbank, where the Sumida River flowed by them, large as ever but cleaner than Minako remembered. They stood on a makeshift walkway created for unloading building supplies from boats, free from prying eyes.
"Mamoru?"
He dropped her hands, faced her with a mix of mortification and pity in his eyes. "Beryl, I'm… so sorry if I gave you the impression that I considered you anything but a valued friend."
"I don't understand."
"Beryl, you know I'm engaged to your sister," he said, still looking at her with growing concern.
"Well, obviously… everyone knew… you were holding yourself back from me. Because of our differences. But it doesn't matter now!" She reached out, grabbed his hands again. "Mamoru, you can finally have who you want!" Her eyes were wild.
Gently, he took his hands from hers, swallowed hard. "I want Usagi."
"No!" Beryl said, shaking her head in disbelief. "You don't have to settle for her anymore! Don't you see?! You can have me! Like we always wanted! You and me together forever!"
Mamoru took a step back, looking at her like he'd never seen her before. "Beryl…"
"No," she said, falling to her knees. Her hands clenched in her dress. "No! You're mine!"
"Beryl, I'm sorry."
"You're mine or you're no one's!"
"Mamoru look out!" Minako's words were empty air, and Beryl threw the rock without even looking, in a fury, but her aim was tragically accurate. It hit his skull with a sickening crack and he fell to the ground unconscious.
Minako muffled a scream with her hand at the blood pooling under his head. "Help him!" she cried. "Oh god, someone help!"
Her face a mask of grief and rage, Beryl grabbed his shoulders and shoved him into the water, bookbag and all.
"Stop!" Minako was no lifeguard, but she knew enough that an unconscious person weighed down with school books was no match against the swirling waters of the Sumida.
Breathing heavily, her eyes wild with panic now, rather than anger, Beryl hurried washed the blood off her hands in the river, looking around for witnesses. But other than Minako, a shadow separated by decades, no one had seen.
The attic. It didn't look at all like before. It was sunny and lovely and warm. There was a carpet and a bookshelf and that beautiful, large window overlooking the beach.
Usagi sat in front of it, in her white dress, knees drawn to her chest, eyes staring listlessly at the ocean below.
Minako reached out to touch her, feeling something like panic in her throat.
"I've returned," Beryl entered the room like a whirlwind, making Usagi sit up with expectation in her eyes.
"Do I owe you congratulations?" Usagi said, voice tight and eyes challenging.
Beryl tossed her hair, hands shaking slightly. "No, you do not."
For a moment Usagi's eyes shone but Beryl continued.
"He's married already." She shook her head, sadly. "Found a girl in Tokyo. Worldly, sophisticated. He didn't realize he could have me, so, just like with you, he found someone to distract himself. She's no uneducated country bumpkin who can't even pass grammar school, so she's better than you, but she's no legitimate daughter of a millionaire, either, so she's a worse choice than me. But he's honoring his marriage vows, and one can hardly blame him for that."
"She's lying!" Minako cried, at the same Usagi said, "You're lying."
Beryl's eyes narrowed into Usagi's clear, steady gaze. "You're lying," she repeated, and she stood up from the window seat. "And I'm going to Tokyo to talk to him myself." She made to sweep by her sister, but Beryl grabbed her arm.
"Like hell you are!" Her nails dug into Usagi's skin, and Minako cringed. But Usagi didn't cower.
"I am! You can't stop me. If he's married already, so be it, but he can tell me himself." Usagi tried to yank her arm free.
"Leave well enough alone!" she hissed, pulling Usagi closer. "As it is, you'd be lucky to get any marriage proposal now, damaged goods that you are!"
Usagi's eyes widened and Beryl laughed. It was an awful sound.
"You think I don't know?" Beryl said. "What you got up to in the gardens with that boy, pulling a marriage proposal out of a cheap dallance?"
The sound of Usagi's hand hitting Beryl's face sent a victory thrill through Minako.
"I'm going to find him!" Usagi promised, looking at Beryl with steel in her eyes. "No matter what it takes."
Beryl paled, and grabbed Usagi's arm. "No you won't!" She pushed her further back against the window frame, and Minako watched a dawning horror snake through the smaller girl's eyes.
Minako rushed to stop it, to help, but her arms were like nothing, sailing right through Beryl as she shoved Usagi out the window, down, down, down to the waiting rocks below.
A scream was piercing the air and it took a while for Minako to realize it was hers.