Sailor Moon - Rise of the Exalted Knights

by Lisseas

Chapter Seven - Calming the Storm

Posted: 11/12/2016

"I'm sorry." Each word caused Usagi physical pain, dragging itself past the unwelcome lump in her throat. It felt raw and dry, like sandpaper…but she knew she had to do this. "For not being stronger, for running away. Perhaps, if I'd stayed...things wouldn't have gone this far."

She studied the faces of her friends, bathed as they were in the dancing orange glow of their fire. An uneasy, sombre quiet hung over them, suffocating in its presence. She reached for Luna without thought, seeking the familiar comfort of her fur. The cat purred quietly, reassuring her without a word as she had so many times before.

"I'd change a lot if I could, some of my recent actions included…but that's all in the past. I can't." She injected a hint of grim finality into her voice, almost without thought; the product of her studies into oration. "All I can do is apologise once again for not being here for you all, and focus on the future. It hasn't been easy, I know, but every second we spend fighting one another is another innocent life llost." Usagi opened her hands and mustered what she hoped was an encouraging smile. "So, let's clear the air. Get it all off our chests and out in the open. What do you say?"

Silence was her answer. She caught several uneasy looks between her friends, but nobody spoke. Rei remained unusually impassive, and it was clear Makoto and Minako were more interested in staring each other down than anything else. Ami, Chibiusa and Setsuna appeared more engaged, but they were also waiting for someone else to speak first. That left just Luna and Artemis, and they'd agreed to leave the talking to Usagi.

"Alright," she muttered, attempting to hide her frustration, "I guess I'll go first." A moment passed in contemplation as she searched for the right words, finally settling on blunt honesty. "London was…a mistake. I made a mistake." That still wasn't easy to admit, but Chibiusa's immediate smile bolstered her confidence. "I don't regret it, wanting to keep you safe I mean, but I rushed ahead without thinking."

The younger girl practically beamed. "It's good to have the Usagi I remember back."

"You were right, back at the shrine that day. Sailor Senshi only kill as a last resort, and never eagerly. Somehow, in my scramble to save you from the Order of Black, I forgot that…but never again." Now, her confession complete, she moved onto a less pleasant subject. "That does raise another problem, however. You all went along with my plans, no questions asked."

"We did," Ami agreed quietly, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Nobody spoke up but Corey. Not even you, Minako. You didn't tell me what you really thought until we got back from London."

"I know…"

"And what a shock that was to all of us," Makoto muttered over folded arms. "Not."

"Hey!" Artemis objected, his ears pricking up quickly. "That isn't-"

Luna swatted him across the back of the head. "We agreed to let Usagi handle this!"

He deflated immediately and hunkered down, ears flattening at her rebuke. "Right."

Usagi glanced first at Makoto, then Minako. Satisfied they were done, she cleared her throat. "I have never wanted that. You're my friends first, protectors a distant second. I don't want a bunch of…yes men. Oh, er...girls?" She cringed at the terrible phrasing, hoping her meaning was clear. "I just want my friends, and your honest advice. Always."

More silence but, finally, Rei rose slowly to her seat. "I was so mad at Corey, at first, then Minako too. You're my best friend, Usagi, and I love you. I know you'd do anything for me, and I guess I just wanted to be there for you in the same way."

"Rei…"

"I didn't back you out of some fanatical devotion or misguided loyalty," the miko said firmly. "I just couldn't understand how anyone who knew you could ever think you capable of wilful slaughter the way Corey did."

Usagi met her gaze reluctantly, feeling the shame bubbling up within her again. "That's just it, Rei. Even I'm not sure what I was capable of in that moment. If we had gone after Chibiusa, if a Paladin had gotten in my way…"

"I understand that now." Rei's disappointment hurt far worse than anything else. "And there I was, right beside you. Ready to do exactly the same thing in the name of friendship."

Guilt, regret; it all came flooding back, threatening to overwhelm Usagi completely. "I'm sorry I let you down, Rei. All of you. I know I messed up, but none of that matters anymore. Corey, London; it all pales in comparison to what's happening in Tokyo right now. We have to put this behind us and focus on the real threat. Chaos!"

Makoto spoke for the first time. "It just isn't that easy, Usagi."

"And why not?" Setsuna countered, cradling her staff warily under one arm. "It certainly seems easy to me."

"Why are we all so angry with each other?" Ami agreed, wringing her hands in her lap. "If Usagi isn't holding a grudge over what happened why should any of us? We're still friends, aren't we?"

"Because it isn't about Usagi anymore, or London." Makoto slowly turned her head focus to Minako. "Maybe that's where it started, but she took it further."

"You're blaming this on me? I've done nothing but try and fix things!"

"Sure, if you consider implying you're a better Sailor Senshi than the rest of us fixing things! All while denying what's obvious to the rest of us: you only changed your mind to get Corey back!"

Minako narrowed her eyes. "No, I didn't."

"You're such a hypocrite, condemning us for following Usagi while selling her out for him." Makoto's nostrils flared in a brief snort of disdain. "At least Corey was standing up for what he believed in. You just freaked out at the prospect of losing him and caved, no matter what you say. Classic Minako!"

The blonde bit down on her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. "After all the sacrifices I've made over the years, do you really think I'd betray my principles, even for Corey? I did what I thought was right! Heck, I only went along with the rest of you in the first place because I was scared!"

"Scared," Makoto scoffed, with as sarcastic an eyeroll as Usagi had ever seen from her.

"Yes, scared, of this exact scenario! I've been made a…a messiah, just for disagreeing with Usagi! You jumped down my throat without so much as a second thought!"

"For goodness' sake, none of this is important!"

Usagi jumped, startled by Ami's sudden outburst. The typically reserved girl stamped her foot angrily as she stared down her friends.

"I can actually understand that, Minako…even if it's pariah-"

Usagi winced. "Not now, Ami."

"-But we're beyond that now! Have neither of you heard a word Usagi has said? Right or wrong, who cares?! Chaos is tearing everything we love apart and you're bickering like children!"

"Hear, hear," Luna grumbled, with a flick of her tail.

A deafening, supernatural crack of energy echoed around them as Setsuna drove her staff into the floor. "Let us cut right to the chase. How do we resolve this? How do we put an end this nonsense and move forward?" She gestured irritably, almost impatiently. "Makoto?"

The brunette snorted again. "Kicking Little Miss Loopy to the curb would be a good start."

Usagi grabbed Minako's shoulder as she started to rise, gently guiding her back into her seat. That's all we need, she thought frantically, for this to escalate even further!

Artemis actually growled. "We're not-"

"You'd dismiss Minako so easily?" Setsuna asked, cocking her head gently to one side. "The way you all tried to dismiss Titus?"

Usagi felt another pang of guilt at the mention of his name and saw it reflected in several of her friends' eyes. Just another mistake I wish I could erase.

The Guardian of Time offered a bitter chuckle of her own. "Is that your solution then? Banish anyone who disagrees with Usagi?"

"That's not what I'm saying," Makoto retorted, gnashing her teeth angrily.

"Then what are you saying? What's your solution?"

"I don't know!" she snapped, rising angrily from her seat. "Okay? I don't! All I do know is she's clearly still holding a grudge for my brief lapse in judgement over Corey, and I'm sick of it! I didn't mean it, I apologised, but I'm still paying for it! Why does she get a free pass? Why does everyone turn a blind eye to her bad behaviour? What makes Minako so special?!"

Somehow, Usagi was actually found her tirade a relief. There it is. That's what this is really all about. Rei and Ami were motivated by loyalty, at least I think so, but for Mako and Minako? It's personal.

Minako's face slackened into an expressionless mask, her lips compressing into a thin, bloodless line. "I'm not special, Makoto, and I've never claimed to be."

"So why does everyone else continue to condone your insanity? Why do they-"

Usagi found herself flung to the floor as Minako exploded from her seat with impossible speed, slapping Makoto hard across the face. "I am not insane!"

Artemis stared up at her, his jaw hanging wide open. "Minako!"

"That's enough!" Usagi forced her way between them before Makoto could retaliate, propelling the other blonde back – a far more difficult task than expected. "Sit down, now!"

Minako stood her ground, visibly fuming. She'd deny it, of course, but Usagi knew she usually hid her inner feelings behind a cheery mask. That hadn't happened this time, and that was a serious cause for concern.

Makoto, meanwhile, seemed more shocked than hurt. She raised a trembling hand to her cheek, the crimson outline of a handprint clear as day. "You really have lost it, haven't you?!"

The blonde froze as if just realising something, eyes locked on her fist as it slowly unfurled. "Makoto, I…I'm sorry, I-"

"It's a good thing Corey already left," the brunette spat, sinking back into her chair. "After that little display, he'd ditch you so fast your head would spin!"

Minako's eyes flared again and, for just a moment, Usagi legitimately feared she'd go through her to get at Makoto. Fortunately, barely a second passed before she turned and fled, disappearing into the veritable maze of coats and other clothing that surrounded them.

"Mina!" Artemis hurried after her, running as fast as his legs would carry him. "Wait!"

Once again, silence descended upon them. Usagi saw similar shock and disbelief as she felt reflected on her friends' faces, perhaps even worse.

Setsuna was the first to react, shaking her head in apparent disgust. "Marvellous."

That only sparked Chibiusa into action. "What is wrong with all of you? Did everyone go loopy after my last visit? Makoto, you and Minako are supposed to be friends!"

The brunette didn't even look up. "She started it."

"And here I thought I was the immature one…"

Rei cleared her throat. "To be fair, Mako, that line about Corey was a bit much, don't you think?"

She sighed, suddenly looking incredibly tired. "Yeah. Maybe. She just…she pushes my buttons almost too well, you know? After that slap I just went into autopilot or something, said the first thing I came up with."

It took Usagi a moment to realise the half-groan, half-growl of frustration that followed was coming from her throat. All this infighting was so foreign to her. They'd never been at each other's throats like this before. Who do I side with? How do I fix this? How do I convince them to focus on Chaos and not each other?!

Rei spoke again, as if reading her mind. "London doesn't matter anymore, Usagi, or Corey. It's grown into something all its own, and I'm not sure even you can repair it."

"I don't want to believe that."

"It doesn't matter what you want," the miko said, glancing sadly at Makoto. "You can't force them to be friends again."

Usagi pinched the bridge of her nose, a futile attempt to banish her growing headache. "This is all so stupid!" She heaved a deep sigh and tried to shake it off, focusing on the issue at hand. "Okay. I'll go after Minako and-"

"Be careful," Ami suggested quietly. "Makoto was right about one thing. She isn't herself right now."

"I agree," Setsuna added, albeit reluctantly. "I know Minako can be rather…exuberant, shall we say, but I don't recall her ever getting so angry with one of you, let alone striking anyone."

Chibiusa frowned, shaking her head repeatedly. "No, she's just upset after-"

"This goes beyond upset," Rei argued, careful to keep her voice calm. "She usually keeps everything bottled up behind that silly, over-the-top persona of hers, but she's stopped doing that. I'm not so sure she even can anymore."

"Am I the only one who finds that healthier than hiding everything?" Usagi countered. This is nuts!

Setsuna looked to Makoto, a slight frown on her face. "Not if it leads to more violent outbursts like this."

"Are you serious?" Usagi asked, incredulous. "Minako slaps Makoto once and you're all writing her off as a legitimate basket case? Sure, we've joked about it from time to time. Even I'm guilty of playing along, but-"

"No offense, Usagi, but you haven't been here." There was no hint of apology in Rei's voice. "You've barely seen her since we got back from London, and she was in focused Sailor Venus mode for most of that time." Her gruff edge slipped a little. "All this bickering, her strained relationship with Corey, the…the shrine…" A moment passed as she composed herself again, visibly saddened. "His leaving and this were just the final straw."

"She's very close to her breaking point, at least," Ami clarified, studying the floor intently. "I don't think anyone is suggesting Minako is actually losing her grip on reality-"

"Except Makoto," Chibiusa interjected, with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

"-But she is obviously stressed, and not thinking clearly." The blue-haired girl pressed her hands to her thighs tightly. "Just be careful dealing with her, Usagi. That's all we're trying to say."

Usagi considered their warnings. True, Minako's sudden outburst had shocked her, even frightened her, but was it really a sign of danger? Could she really hurt one of them? She allowed herself a sigh of exasperation and turned instead to Makoto. "How's your cheek?"

"I've taken worse…though that was harder than I might have expected."

She had to balance being a friend with being a leader, and that wasn't going to be easy. "I know it's no excuse for her behaviour, but did you really have to push her like that?"

Makoto's expression soured. "Minako gives as good as she gets, believe me."

"Be that as it may, this sort of thing isn't helping, and it ends now." Usagi immediately regretted her tone, coming across far terser than planned, and she moved quickly to soften her stance. "Please, Mako. I know she's hurt you, but it's going to take all of us to defeat Chaos. I need all of you on the same page and your constant bickering is an unneeded distraction. Please, for all our sakes, I'm asking you to be the bigger person and end it. At least until Tokyo is safe."

The brunette remained silent for several seconds before finally nodding. "Alright, Usagi. I'll try, but if Minako keeps pushing me, I'll-"

"She won't," Usagi assured her, with a gentle squeeze of her shoulder. "I'll make sure of it." Steeling herself, she turned to the others and clapped her hands together. "Right. I guess I'd better head after her, convince her to come back." Again, she reminded herself.

Luna fell in beside her. "I'll come with you."

"No, stay here. Keep everyone focused on Chaos, maybe even start brainstorming a plan. I'll handle Minako."

The cat was reluctant, but she nodded all the same. "Alright. Hurry back."

Usagi pushed her through another rack of heavy winter coats. It was easy to imagine this as a forest and their makeshift base an isolated campsite. The light from their fire had faded quickly, leaving her in an eerie state of loneliness. Or so she thought.

"Usagi, wait!"

"Chibiusa?" She whirled about just in time to see the girl leap through a clothing rack. "What is it?"

"I have to talk to you!" The girl's vibrant red eyes were wide with fear and worry. "Do you really think we can fix this? Are Makoto and Minako going to hate each other forever?"

"No, Chibiusa, no. They just…" Usagi trailed off, abruptly realising she'd begun a lie without even a second thought. I have no idea, if I'm honest…but I don't want her to worry. "Those two have fought like this before. They just need a little more time to come around." Sure, she added, silently angry with herself for the deception, and Chaos will just stop its assault and disperse harmlessly into the ether again.

"Nobody ever talks about anything like this back home." Chibiusa's eyes glistened with tears as she grew more and more emotional. "Just like the Revenant Knight. Almost like it never…happened…?" She hugged her own elbows tight, sniffling repeatedly. "Is this my fault? Did I cause all this when I first came back from Crystal Tokyo?!"

"Don't think like that, Small Lady."

Usagi recoiled automatically as Setsuna stepped out of the darkness, placing a hand on the younger girl's shoulder.

"Time is fluid, always in motion. While there are fixed points, like the destruction of the first Moon Kingdom, most events ride its currents like the ebb and flow of the tide. A small amount of change is to be expected."

"Really?" The relief in Chibiusa's voice was palpable. "I thought maybe-"

"Don't give it another thought. Focus instead on what's to come."

Usagi flashed a smile of her own. "Head back to the others, Chibiusa. Keep an eye on them for me." As the girl slipped away, however, her false cheer faded quickly. "You're lying, Setsuna. I can hear it in your voice."

"There may be something to her concerns, but that knowledge will only cause her pain."

"I agree." She turned to the Guardian of Time, folding her arms across her chest. "How could such a small thing even have this kind of impact, though? You've never let her tell us anything of importance. I mean, we barely know anything about our futures anyway."

"Oh?" Setsuna regarded her with a sharply arched eyebrow. "Are you so sure Neo-Queen Serenity has had such little impact?"

"Er…"

"Knowledge of your future led you to take your responsibilities as Sailor Moon more seriously. You studied politics, leadership; more than anything else, it has shaped your growth as a person and as a Sailor Senshi. Do you really consider that such a small thing?"

"No," she admitted, "I suppose not. It just seems so…unlikely."

The older woman sighed wearily, as if admonishing a child. "Corey once laughed about a beard that he may or may not grow, but it was a simplistic example. Even the smallest, most inconsequential of pebbles can effect great change upon a lake. The pebble itself is merely the catalyst, however; it is the ripples from its entry that bring about change to the lake itself."

Usagi stared past her, after Chibiusa. She wouldn't give up the chance to know her daughter for anything, but it was a sobering thought. One insignificant change for all the right reasons might have set in motion the events they now faced. And she must never know. It would devastate her.

"You believe I'm holding back," Setsuna observed, "That I refuse to allow anything of importance to slip." She turned her back, vanishing into the coat forest after Chibiusa. "The truth is, Usagi, that the timeline has shifted to such an extent that even I know little more than you do."

Usagi slipped gingerly through the store's shattered doors and onto the street. Thankfully, her eyes had already adjusted to the darkness. Inside or outside, it didn't make much difference. This section of the city was completely without power., the only real light what little made it through the smoke and ash clouding the sky. It was a grim reminder of just how dire their situation really was.

"I lost her."

She nodded at Artemis' mournful statement, only a little startled by his sudden appearance. "How?"

"She pulled a…well, a Minako. Told me to leave her alone before disappearing over the store in a couple of leaps."

The familiar pang of frustration gnawed away at Usagi's heart. "We have to find her, convince her to come back and help."

"I wish I'd known how bad it was back here," the cat murmured, as if not hearing her. "Perhaps…no. Nobody listens to Luna and I anymore anyway. Not even you."

"I know…and I'm sorry. I guess I just needed some of that patented Corey McLeod bluntness to reach me, huh?"

"He certainly has a…unique way with words." Artemis hung his head, his tail swishing slowly side to side. "I fear his abrupt departure was the final blow for Minako. I haven't seen her like this in a long time. Not since…"

"Not since…?"

"Just after you defeated Galaxia," he said softly. "Minako was really struggling with her return from death, trying desperately to find new purpose and direction in her life."

"She told me that once," Usagi murmured, recalling a similar conversation. "In Ruin's sanctum. It's when we really got back on the same page as friends."

"Yes, well, as she tells it she had a rather vivid dream and effectively pieced herself back together as the 'new' Minako she became afterwards. Dedicated to her studies, less hyperactive…"

Usagi's stomach fluttered uncomfortably. "Why does it suddenly sound like we're describing a breakdown followed by a recovery?"

"Maybe we are," he muttered, his fur bristling slightly. "Maybe I'm just a foolish old cat who didn't want to see the warning signs, but the notion of Minako really losing her mind is just…it's nuts!"

"I would have said the same thing," Usagi agreed uneasily, "Before recent events." She hesitated a moment, reflecting on Rei and Ami's warnings. "Are you so sure she isn't losing it?"

"Yes," he said determinedly. "You've all joked about it at one point or another, but Minako is not and never has been crazy." A note of pain entered his voice now, subtle yet most assuredly there. "She's worried about it for a long time, if you must know, something not helped by all your constant digs, but I refuse to believe it. The truly insane don't worry that they might be ill; they deny it at every turn. Mina is far too aware of her idiosyncrasies to really be on the brink. It's just…her. Minako as she always has been."

"But she has gotten worse over the last six months. Regressed, even, if we look at her study habits."

"Perhaps," Artemis admitted, "But she's also been under a great strain. Terror hurt her badly, then she broke her back during the Marauder Crisis. Add in her third death against the Revenant Knight and Corey's little disappearing act, and I don't think it's so difficult to see why she might be a little stressed out."

"No, I suppose it isn't." She couldn't exactly argue with the facts. "But we're all stressed, Artemis. It can't be allowed to impact the rest of the team like this."

"Fair point," he conceded, as his tail puffed up, "But you can't blame Minako alone for that."

"And I'm not trying to. I'm just saying Minako is a part of this team and we need her help. Chaos is a far greater priority than one-upping Makoto. We have to find her, get her to see reason."

"Agreed." Artemis nodded down the street. "I'll head this way, circle around and see if she's hiding somewhere nearby. Perhaps you should check the roof, follow her directly?"

"Done. We'll meet back here."

Artemis vanished into the night as Usagi leapt to the roof of the store, scanning the shadows for her missing friend. It was odd how quickly they'd all begun using each other's names instead of official titles, despite wearing their Senshi uniforms. Perhaps it was just another coping mechanism? That, she thought grimly, and it just seems pointless to keep up the charade anymore. We are the Sailor Senshi, and it doesn't really matter if anyone else knows it anymore.

A few minutes later, she heard a familiar voice coming from below. The street behind their makeshift base. "I know we could take her if we had to, Goddess. That doesn't mean I want to."

Usagi perked up. It was definitely Minako, but who was she talking to? She hurried to the ledge and peered down to see…Minako. Alone? Who was this 'Goddess'?

"You were a little trigger happy on that slap too, don't you think?" Her friend leaned back against the wall behind her, arms folded across her chest. "I know, she makes me mad too. Still…" A brief pause seemed to indicate she'd been interrupted by...someone? "Oh, don't be so naïve, Other Me. Sure, we were friends but Makoto made her feelings pretty clear just now."

Other Me? A chill ran down Usagi's spine as she watched Minako talk to…herself? Rei, Ami and even Setsuna's warnings suddenly made a lot more sense. They were right. I haven't been here. I haven't really spent any time with Minako at all since Corey left for the first time. Has she really fallen so far so fast?

"I'm just so tired of this," the other girl muttered, blowing a loose strand of hair out of her face. "All of it." She followed up with a sad sigh, and her voice lost a little of its edge. "I wish Corey was here." No sooner had she finished did she push off the wall and begin pacing. "I know that, Princess, and I am stronger than that. Does that mean I can't miss him? Is that really so strange?"

Goddess, Other Me and now Princess, Usagi mused. Just how many different people has she got in her head right now?

"Losing Michiru, then the shrine. My friends." Minako paused again, this time punctuated with a sniffle. "I mean, I can't even ask Rei how she's holding up because she doesn't want to talk to me." She wiped at her eyes with sudden anger, her voice quickly becoming a snarl. "Oh, shut it. This isn't your life and I'm not Corval. I know my duty!"

Usagi slipped quietly down the wall towards her, debating how best to intervene. Did she interrupt? Allow her to finish her…whatever this was? How would Minako react? Would she even listen?

"Right. You're right, V…as always." The other girl sank slowly down the wall, drawing her knees tight against her chest and hugging them close. "Look at me. Maybe Corey and Artemis were wrong. Maybe I really am…" She glanced up, startled, as Usagi lost her footing and dropped heavily to the street. "Oh! Uh…" A blush quickly spread across her cheeks in response. "I, um…I was just…how much of that did you hear?"

"Enough to be a little concerned," Usagi answered, settling on honesty. "Minako…"

"I'm not crazy," she murmured, pushing herself back to her feet. "At least, I don't think I am. All that was just…" She began to fidget anxiously, a far more familiar sign of distress. "Look, I was just talking it all over with a few different versions of me. Getting advice, you know?"

Usagi just stared back at her with a raised eyebrow. "Uh-huh?"

Minako sighed in exasperation. "I know they're not real, okay? I just…haven't really had anyone else to talk to since we lost the shrine and…well." She hesitated a moment, jaw working silently. "How's Makoto?"

"Well enough. You left a nice handprint on her cheek, though."

"Yeah. I, er…I'm sorry about that. It's just…" She sighed again. "She's been pushing me pretty hard of late and I just sort of…snapped." Her fingertips pressed together repeatedly as she appeared to think things over. "I worry sometimes. About going crazy, for real. And I know you guys never meant much by it when you joked, but when Makoto said what she said it just hit a nerve and I…" She shook her head briefly, sending a cascading ripple through her long blonde hair. "Well. It isn't really a good excuse, I know, but that's what happened."

Usagi moved to stand beside her, leaning against the same wall. "You seem a little calmer now, at least."

"I'm channelling V-chan." Minako quickly coughed to cover her slip. "I mean Sailor V, of course. That calm, in control persona I try to slip into, you know?"

While she was still concerned, Usagi allowed herself to relax a little too. "Well if that's the case, do you think you might come back inside so we can figure out our next move?"

Minako cringed briefly before masking it. "I'm not so sure about that, Usagi."

"And why not?"

"You know why," she answered softly. "You saw what happened in there. I've tried to fix things. I've tried to put it behind me, but Makoto doesn't want to let it go. She's just going to keep pushing me until I snap again…and I don't want that."

"Is she wrong?"

A hint of anger slipped past Minako's defences. "About?"

"She says you're still holding a grudge over Corey. Is she wrong?"

Her friend opened her mouth to retort, but nothing came out. Not at first. "…Maybe. I don't know."

"Minako."

A little more anger as she grew defensive. "Maybe I am, but that doesn't give her the right to-"

"No," Usagi agreed, perhaps more tersely than she'd planned, "But maybe it explains why she's so ready to fight all the time?"

"I tried to forgive her," Minako muttered, chewing absently on her nails, "But every time I see her I just remember her getting all flirty with Corey and it makes me so mad. I don't know how to turn it off!"

"You can't," Usagi admitted, remembering her own brushes with jealousy. "Remember Mamoru's cute mechanic? I was utterly convinced she was trying to steal him from me…for a little while."

"How did you get over it?"

"By remembering that Mamoru loves me...the way Corey loves you." Usagi gingerly placed a hand on her shoulder. "The way Makoto loves you. You're friends, Minako, you-"

"We were," she murmured, subtly moving away from her grip. "Now, though?"

"Minako-"

"I'll come back inside," the other girl declared, abruptly changing the subject, "On two conditions."

Usagi narrowed her eyes warily. "Yes?"

"Makoto keeps her comments to herself. I'll do my part to keep things civil but I'm not coming back to be taunted again."

"We've already had that conversation and she understands. The other condition?"

Minako nodded and locked eyes with her in a pointed stare. "Makoto and I are done. No meddling, Usagi, no trying to force us into some contrived reconciliation. I'll do my duty as Sailor Venus and fight beside her, but nothing more. No questions asked. Understand?"

Usagi hesitated briefly. "What about the others?"

"We'll be fine, I think, in time. It's Makoto I'm done with."

Usagi's heart ached at the enmity in her friend's voice, but she knew this was likely the best chance she had at settling their dispute. There's still a chance of fixing things when all this is done. I hope. As reluctant as she was, though, she managed a nod. "I understand, and I'm sorry you feel that way, but…I won't interfere. Just as long as you're able to work together for the greater good."

"I'll do my duty," Minako said, managing a faint smile. "I promise."

"Well, then," Usagi said, struggling to contain her bitterness, "I suppose we should head back inside. We have a counterattack to plan."

As they returned to front door, Minako bringing up the rear, Usagi couldn't help but reflect on her earlier discussion with Setsuna. Was this truly their new reality? Bitter, divided; a team for the sake of Earth rather than the group of best friends they'd once been? Was there truly no other way? Usagi forced those fears down, however, steeling herself with a final, regretful sigh. If that was the cost of saving Earth from Chaos…so be it.

I miss you, Mamo-chan. Come back to me soon.

AN: Well, I managed to stick to my self-imposed one month deadline. JUST! This is my fourth or fifth complete rewrite, making it a hodge-podge of multiple efforts. I hope the pacing flow is okay, given the circumstances; piecing it all together into a coherent narrative proved quite challenging, but I finally have a chapter that hits all the beats I wanted it to.

A lot of fine-tuning went into this one too, hopefully evening out everyone's arguments so no one side is completely 'right' in all this. Usagi's walking a fine line between optimistic friend and more pragmatic leader, doing (IMO) a much better job than she did in Order of Black. Writing her effectively saying "cut the crap and do your job" was a bit of a surreal experience given her character, but I hope her transition feels natural. Likewise with the other two major characters this chapter, Makoto and Minako. I wanted to ensure the argument felt real, starting out as a genuine disagreement over principle and then slowly degenerating over time as most do, dragging a whole bunch of personal stuff into it. My sincerest hope is people aren't hating on Minako OR Makoto, and you can instead see that both have a point while also sharing equal portions of blame. It was a difficult thing to not just resolve it all with a tidy bow this chapter, something I've struggled with before, but I felt that would be a disservice to the story AND the characters, not to mention entirely unrealistic.

Anyway, I've rambled long enough. I'm surprised to say I'm actually REALLY looking forward to heading back to London next time out. I started out really struggling with the Rinjirou/Mamoru/Grandpa half of the story but it's now flipped entirely the other way. Fury (Faye) promises to be fun to write and we're closing on some resolution of what is essentially "Act One". Thanks as always for reading, everyone. I'll be back sometime after Christmas with the next chapter! Happy Holidays, and a VERY Happy New Year in advance!

Lisseas