Act 39

"But like I've been telling you, officer, he's my friend. We've just been arguing, that's all."

Motoki withstood the doubtful sigh of the police officer. The officer looked at the tall man, who was chained up on a bench, surrounded by four robust men. Motoki followed his gaze.

He could understand the police officer's doubt very well. They'd needed six other strong men to get hold of that guy. Under any other circumstances, Motoki would just have been grateful to have gotten out of this unharmed; but this time, it had been different. He somehow felt that that young man wasn't really a bad person. In fact, he made a very desperate and lonely impression on him. Motoki hadn't been able to follow the entire interrogation they'd put him through last night, but the few things he had heard had caught his attention.

The young man obviously didn't have a place to live, no family or even... a job.

"If you run into anyone who could do it, they'd be welcome."

Motoki smiled. This was just perfect for more than one reason. He needed someone to help him at Crown, and that young man needed work, a place to live and... maybe a friend?

"He's a little hot-tempered, officer," Motoki said now and glanced at the officer's nameplate, "Kuroi."

"A little hot-tempered?" officer Kuroi shouted, "We needed six men to arrest him, because of his 'little' hot-temper!"

"He has agoraphobia," Motoki explained quickly, "The thought of being chained up and getting shut into a prison cell made him panic." Motoki leaned forward to look at officer Kuroi very intensely. "Do you have any idea what's it like for an agoraphobic person to even think of closed-up rooms?"

After all, Motoki knew very well what he was talking about. Officer Kuroi leaned back and crossed his arms.

"Please," Motoki asked, "at least just let me talk to him for a moment." The officer didn't answer, but finally he signalled with his head that Motoki could go ahead.

Motoki smiled and walked over to the bench. "Your boss told me that I could have a few words with my friend."

"We can't allow that," the more robust of them said harshly.

"Takuro, it's all right," officer Kuroi called from his desk.

The men left and Motoki sat beside the tall men. He suddenly didn't look that furious anymore. Actually, he somehow seemed to be tired and depressed. "What's your name?" Motoki asked him quietly enough that only he was able to hear it.

"What's it to you?" the young man asked.

"Listen, my friend..."

"I'm not your friend."

"...if you want to get out of here," Motoki continued, his tone unimpressed, "you have to at least tell me your name and pretend that we are friends. So, here we go again. What's your name?"

The young man didn't reply for a long time, and Motoki was just about to give up in disappointment, when the man suddenly answered, "Nephrite."

"Neph... what?"

"Nephrite."

"Nephrite what?"

"That's it. Just Nephrite."

Motoki sighed. This was going to be more difficult than he had thought.

"Okay Neph... whatever, I'll take care of your name. So, here is my offer. I'll take you out of here and you can come with me. I have a job for you and a place where you can live."

"A job?" the man said, truly surprised. "Why should I work for... a human?"

Motoki shook his head. This man was really strange.

"I don't know if you've seen too many movies, but I'm sorry to tell you that you're a human too. So, these are you options: You can stay here and spend the night behind bars, or you can come with me. It's your choice."

"Why... are you doing this?" Nephkichi, which is what Motoki secretly called him now, asked.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Motoki answered. "But it's never wrong to do a good deed, right? So, what do you say?"

Again there was an almost infinite silence. "I agree," Nephkichi finally answered.

"Good choice," Motoki remarked in relief and stood up. "And by the way, my name is Motoki."

He patted Nephkichi's arm and walked back to officer Kuroi's desk to negotiate the rest with him.

xxxx

"Ami-chan, wait!"

Ami could hardly suppress the urge to roll her eyes. Why had it suddenly become so difficult to be left alone? First Rei, then Luna and now Makoto.

She forced a smile and turned around. "Mako-chan, what is it?"

Makoto climbed up the last steps leaving Crown and stopped beside Ami. "Let's walk together."

"But your home is in the opposite direction."

"Yes, but... umm, it just so happens that I have to visit someone near you."

Ami could have asked her who that person was, of course, and where he lived exactly, but she let it be. She would need all her energy to endure Makoto's questions.

They walked in silence for a while; then Makoto started: "So, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Ami answered mechanically.

"Really?"

"Really."

Again there was silence. Makoto sighed, and Ami didn't at all like the way she did it. It had been a very resigned sigh.

"Ami-chan... I... I know what's going on," Makoto said then.

Ami felt all numb, like if somebody had thrown a bucket of ice water over her. "I'm fine," she repeated.

"Yes," Makoto said, "You've been saying that a lot lately, but somehow I don't believe you... and Luna doesn't, either."

Ami cringed. Not again, she thought, no more questioning, please. Suddenly she didn't know if she could stand it anymore.

"Luna told me how she found you at the river's shore," Makoto continued, and put a hand on Ami's shoulder. "Ami-chan, what's going on? I'm worried."

Ami clenched her fists. Pull yourself together, she said to herself, you can do that. Then she noticed in satisfaction how her building appeared before her. So she took a deep breath and gave Makoto a wide smile.

"Yes, that night, well, I felt so truly bad for Usagi, that's all. Don't worry about me, Mako-chan, I'm fine, really!"

"Ami-chan..."

"Now look at that, we've reached my building! Well, thanks for walking with me, Mako-chan. See you tomorrow."

She had already reached the stairs, when Makoto said: "Is it because of... Nephrite?"

The words hit Ami like fists in her stomach, and she wasn't able to make one more single move. Her whole body felt petrified.

Makoto stepped before her now and wrapped her arms around her. "Oh Ami-chan," she said, "I'm so sorry."

There was no accusation following, no questioning. Makoto was sincere, and Ami felt that this time she wasn't strong enough anymore to keep up her good mood. Suddenly her legs gave way, and she knew that it was only thanks to Makoto that she didn't fell to the ground.

And then the tears came out. Unstoppable, they ran down her cheeks and her sobs made her whole body tremble.

"It's okay," Makoto whispered, tightening her embrace. "It's okay, Ami-chan. You can let it out now."

The last piece of Ami's self-control broke down with these words. She grabbed Makoto's shoulders and finally gave herself up to the grief she had been forced to hide these days from her friends.

xxxx

"You again," Motoki whined. "You have to stop breaking everything when you get angry. You'll just accumulate more debts. I even took care of it so you can live here. Come on..."

Nephrite clenched his fist, but didn't answer. What could he have said, anyway? He had become so weak, so useless. Now he had even to work as a human. He had to tidy up and clean now. It was more than degrading. Was this how far had he fallen?

Back when he had still been a part of the Dark Kingdom, he had also been useless, but at least he'd had his powers. He'd been strong, a Shitennou, and he had had... Ami.

Nephrite shook his head, trying to brush away the images of her that awakened in his mind. The way she had smiled at him, the way she had wrapped her arms around him, her scent...

"Don't you dare!" Motoki screamed, and only then did Nephrite realize that he was just about to throw another bottle of water to the floor. His hand trembled, but finally he reached to put it back slowly in its place. Motoki sighed in relief and walked back to the desk to talk to his turtle.

That turtle. He'd made the connection this morning. Nephrite knew that he had seen Motoki once before, but he hadn't been able to figure out where. Then they had arrived here, at Crown.

"When I'm with the girls, we hang around at Crown."

Had it just been a few nights ago that he had been looking for Ami exactly at this place? Motoki had been the young man he had seen that night talking to his turtle. So, this meant that Nephrite had arrived just at the place he actually wanted to avoid the most: The place where Ami went so frequently!

He had almost laughed out loud. Didn't destiny have a damn weird sense of humour? First it had made him fall in love with a Sailor Senshi, someone who was supposed to be his enemy; then, when he finally had accepted his feelings, when he had even started to enjoy it more and more, he had to lose his life, and in front of the girl that meant so much to him.

And then, for some unknown reason, he had been reborn as a human – weak, powerless – unable to show off before Ami. And what had his friend Destiny decided then? A complete stranger had felt like doing a good deed, offering him a place to live and work, and of course that place had just to be the one Ami used to pass the most of her free time.

"Welcome," Motoki greeted.

Nephrite peered carefully out of the little room, but outside there was just a couple standing.

"How long?" Motoki asked in a friendly voice, and started to write down something on a sheet of paper.

"Two hours," the man said.

"Good. You can have room number seven. It's just down the hallway. Enjoy!"

The couple disappeared from Nephrite's sight.

"You could do this, too, one day," Motoki said suddenly, looking at Nephrite, "if you manage to control your temper and stop breaking things."

Nephrite shrugged, unconcerned, and retreated. But in reality he was wondering about Motoki. He hadn't known many humans in his life. Well, actually he'd known two; Ami and now Motoki. But nevertheless, he was really astonished and surprised by the fact that somebody who didn't know him at all had been willing to offer him a place to live and a job.

Though he could have done without that second part.

Nephrite watched Motoki give some food to his turtle. Why had he done this for him? Why had he even lied for him, to get him out of that place they called prison? He didn't know him.

Though Nephrite would never have admitted it, he was... grateful. That one night in that little barred prison cell had been enough for the rest of his life. It had been even worse than the dark tunnel where he used to sit in the Dark Kingdom. And though he knew that he could just cut out as soon as Motoki wasn't looking, Nephrite somehow couldn't do that. Suddenly he felt so tired, and though he knew that it was wrong, he somehow hoped that he could at least see... her. Just one last time.

Of course he would never dare to show himself in front of her, never mind talk to her. But if he could just convince himself that she was all right...

He could go back to the Dark Kingdom more confidently.

True, he didn't know how he was going to do that, but somehow he hoped to find a way.

xxxx

"Be careful, it's hot," Makoto said as she handed Ami the steaming cup of tea.

She had actually wanted to make some hot chocolate—she knew how much Ami loved that—but she had barely taken out two mugs and reached for the milk when Ami had burst into tears again. So Makoto had decided that camomile tea would be the best for her friend now.

Ami surrounded the cup with her hands. There were still tears running down her cheeks, but at least she wasn't sobbing anymore.

Makoto sat beside Ami and put an arm around her. Ami sighed and leaned her head on Makoto's shoulder. Makoto reproached herself harshly. Why hadn't she noticed at least something? Ami wouldn't have been forced to be all alone with her grief.

"Do you remember the day Nephrite saved my life?" Ami suddenly asked with a soft voice.

"Yes," Makoto said.

"From that day, I couldn't forget him, nor him... me. And the day that Youma attacked me... It was him who saved me. He carried me up to my room while I was unconscious, you know?"

For a long time there was silence. Makoto didn't even dare to breathe loudly. She was afraid that any noise would break Ami's willingness to tell. Makoto knew that this had to be very hard for her.

"Nephrite... he had come into my room every night since he saved me from Kunzite. Do you know why?"

"Why?" Makoto asked carefully.

Ami finally lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip. "Because," she continued then, "it gave him peace, watching me sleep, he said."

"Ami-chan..."

"I knew that he was there," Ami said quickly, "I mean, I wasn't sure from the beginning, but I knew that there was somebody, and I was never afraid. Then, one night, I caught him." Ami laughed softly. "The look on his face when he had realized that I hadn't been asleep..."

Ami took another sip of tea and Makoto sensed how she started to tremble again.

"He was always so... caring. I know this must be hard to believe, but you don't know how he really was. He was so lonely. All he had known until that day was malice and contempt, but there was such a caring person deep inside."

"Why didn't he leave the Dark Kingdom?"

"Because he was cursed, and he didn't want to put me in danger. He wanted to overcome the curse first and..." Makoto quickly took the cup of tea out of Ami's hands as a new attack of sobs started to make her body shake. "... he... swore to come for me afterwards."

Makoto caressed Ami's back, barely managing to suppress her own tears. How sad, how tragically Ami's first experience of love had to end. "I'm so sorry," she whispered again and took her into her arms.

Queen Beryl must have found out, she thought while she comforted Ami, and this was her revenge on them.

After Ami had calmed down a little again, she looked at Makoto doubtfully. "Do you... believe me?"

Makoto frowned. "Of course I do. Why shouldn't I?"

"Rei-chan... she has never believed that Nephrite could have been... good."

"She knew?" Makoto asked, surprised. So she had been lying on the phone yesterday.

Ami nodded. "She wanted me to stop seeing him, because she was convinced that he was just using me for his own interests."

Makoto sighed. That was so much like Rei. It wasn't a secret that she didn't like boys. Was it just because of her history with her father, or was there something else? Who knew?

"I didn't get to know Nephrite," Makoto finally answered, "But I do know you, Ami-chan, and you are the one who did know him best. I know that you aren't a naive person. If Nephrite really had been toying with you, you would have noticed; but as far as I can tell, he felt the same as you did."

"You really believe that?"

Makoto nodded and grabbed for Ami's hands to squeeze them. "Why else would he have taken the risk of seeing you so often? And why else would he have sworn to come for you, once he had overcome the curse?"

Ami started to sob again. "I just... don't know how to handle the pain. It hurts... so much. How will I ever be able to move on?"

"You won't," Makoto answered and smiled, when Ami looked at her in surprise, "Not now. You've just lost your true love, Ami-chan. The pain, the wound, of that loss is too big and fresh. You are in mourning now, and that's all right. So it's okay to grieve for him. It wouldn't be normal if you didn't."

Tears started to run down Ami's cheeks again and Makoto tried to dry them away softly.

"Oh, Ami-chan," she said compassionately and took her into her arms again as another wave of sobs overcame her friend.

xxxx

The letters on the computer's monitor blurred and Minako buried her head in her hands.

It was getting worse. That feeling of dizziness was overwhelming her now more often. Earlier it had come maybe once a month; then it had started to come every week, and now it was almost every day.

"You have a job too. You have to cut back on your work."

Artemis was right of course, but the mission had priority. And this was why she had made a decision. Minako suddenly had to smirk as she remembered the smack she had given Artemis yesterday on his nose and how huffy he had been afterwards.

The room began to spin again and Minako moaned.

Only a few minutes, she thought. She lay down on the sofa and closed her eyes. In her mind a soft melody started to play, but when she opened her eyes the room was empty.

"Of course," she whispered, "of course…"

But Zoisite's music had burnt itself so strong into Minako's mind that sometimes she couldn't really distinguish if the music was real or if it was just a memory.

The melody she had remembered this time reminded her of another moment from the past. A moment Minako would never forget. The day she had met Zoisite for the very first time.

Venus and the other three senshi were walking down the hallway escorting the young princess.

It wasn't the first time Venus had visited the earth. Though she would never have admitted to the others, she loved the earth. The flora and fauna of that planet fascinated her. It was so different from the moon.

But this day it was the first time she and the other senshi accompanied the princess officially to the earth's royal palace.

"Oh Venus, I'm so nervous," the princess said now. "Endymion wants to introduce me to his parents today." She paused before a mirror and arranged her hair once more.

"Princess," Venus reminded her, "we have to go on. We don't have much time."

"Don't worry," Mercury said, "you look as gorgeous as ever."

Serenity sighed and kept on walking. Finally they reached the throne room and stepped through its entrance into the big hall.

Endymion had been waiting. He was surrounded by three men, his guardians.

Venus frowned. Shouldn't there be four?

The prince smiled and came towards the princess, who was looking around quizzically. "Your parents?" she asked.

"They've been… detained," Endymion answered, and Venus didn't like at all the strange tone of his voice.

"Oh, that's too bad," Serenity said in disappointment.

The prince took her hand and placed a kiss on its back. "Next time," he asserted. "For today, please, let me introduce you to my guardians and loyal friends."

He guided her to the group of three men and placed one hand on the shoulder of a black haired man with a white cape. "This is Kunzite," Endymion said. "He's my top general. So, he's the one who calls the shots over the others."

Kunzite smiled friendly and bowed. "It's a pleasure, princess."

Now the prince pointed at a young man who was all dressed up in red; even his hair was red. The only things on him that were of a different colour were his black boots, his white gloves and the black crown on his head.

"What… incredible eyes," Venus heard Mercury whisper to Jupiter behind her back. She had to admit that he had indeed very interesting eyes. A deep strong blue.

"This is Nephrite," the prince explained, "Don't wonder about the colour of his clothes. It fits with his temper."

"Master!" the red-haired man called out, and they laughed.

"And here's our youngest Shitennou," Endymion said and put his arm around a very young men with blond hair. "This is Jadeite."

"Our crybaby," Nephrite said.

"Oh, shut up, redhead," Jadeite replied.

"Check yourselves!" Kunzite's voice resounded, and they ceased immediately.

"Shouldn't there be four?"

All eyes were on Venus now, who met them calmly.

"That's right," the prince answered slowly.

"So, where's the fourth? Is he detained too?" Venus asked.

"Venus," Mars whispered now, "Mind your manners."

"I'm sure he'll show up soon," Endymion said, and looked at the princess. "How about if, in the meantime, you introduce us to your lovely senshi?"

The princess smiled and was just about to follow his lead when Venus, ignoring Mars' warning, answered instead: "There is no need to make a fuss over us. We're here to protect the princess, not to make small talk. So, the King and the Queen are detained? I think there's no more reason to stay. Princess, let's go."

"No," Serenity said, "Venus, please, we've just arrived. I… I don't want to go already."

"Let them go, princess," the red-haired Nephrite said now. He looked at Venus. "If you want to go, just go. With or without you, we're perfectly capable of protecting our master and his princess."

"Calm down, red-boy, or your face will match your uniform," Venus replied.

"You…" Nephrite hissed and made one step forward, but just at that moment Kunzite stepped before him and pushed him back.

"Stop it now," he said, "Both of you. This is not the moment to get into a fight. The princess came to meet our Master, and I'm sure we all want this to go well."

There was a long silence as Venus withstood Kunzite's piercing gaze as calmly as ever. You won't make me even blink, she thought.

After all, there was a good reason why Queen Serenity had named her the leader of the senshi: because Venus didn't let herself be controlled by her emotions, but rather by reason. She wasn't as emotional as Mercury, considerate as Mars or childish as Jupiter. No, she had always had her feelings under control.

And indeed, Kunzite lowered his gaze. Actually it was just a little flicker of his eyes; only Venus had been able to see it, but it had been enough. She suppressed a satisfied smile.

"Mercury," she said, "you'll stay with the princess. Mars and Jupiter will monitor the palace's surroundings."

"And what about you, my great leader?"

Nephrite – of course. This man was incapable of staying quiet even for a few minutes. But Venus watched in satisfaction how he received a strong clap from Kunzite on the back of his head for that.

Kunzite was a good leader. She had to admit that.

"I'll monitor the hallway," she finally said. "And as for you, Kunzite, I suppose you know best how to use your incomplete group of guardians, especially your red hothead over there."

Venus turned around to leave the room, but she had still been able to see Nephrite start to lunge towards her and Kunzite and Jadeite both jump to get hold of him.

"Why did you provoke him?" Jupiter asked when they were outside.

Venus shrugged. "It was fun."

"Since when are you interested in fun?" Jupiter remarked.

Venus looked at Mars and Jupiter. "You know what to do, so, go ahead."

The two senshi nodded and left immediately.

Venus sighed and started to walk the hallway up and down. She should have chosen to monitor the surroundings instead. This here was indeed more than boring. But the princess' safety came first, and if anything slipped through Mars' and Jupiter's net, it would have to get past her before it could reach the door to the room where the princess was now.

Venus walked the hallway back again, attentive to every noise. Suddenly she frowned. Was she going crazy, or did she hear the sound of a piano? She stood still and closed her eyes. Yes, indeed, the sound of a piano. Unconsciously, she started to walk again, following the melody that swelled now.

Finally she reached a high entrance. Yes, that was from where the music came from. The door was open, so she peeked curiously inside. It was a bright, high-ceilinged room; obviously a library, because the wall was covered with shelves of countless books. But that wasn't what caught Venus' attention.

In the middle of the room there was a man, sitting at a black grand piano. And he played the most beautiful melody Venus had ever heard. She couldn't see his face; he had his back to her. He was dressed all in white, but his cape—which went diagonally from his left shoulder to his right hip—was grey. His long silver hair was pulled back into a loose tail.

He obviously didn't notice her, because he continued his playing.

Venus closed her eyes, enjoying the magic of the music the man's fingers elicited from the piano. She had never heard anything like it. Queen Serenity also used to play the piano sometimes, and it had always been nice to listen to, but it was nothing compared with... this.

It was as if the tones had come to life, dancing around and caressing her.

The music stopped, and Venus felt as if she was falling down from high above. She opened her eyes. The man at the piano was still sitting with his back to her.

"Don't you know that it is very rude to eavesdrop on a man's private playing?"

He turned around, and Venus' heart suddenly started to beat in her throat. She stared straight into pale blue eyes that gazed back into hers intensely. And for the first time in her life, she felt a soft heat on her cheeks.

She was blushing!

"If it was so private, why did you leave the door open?" she yelped.

He smiled lightly and made an expansive movement with his right hand. "Do you see any audience here? It should be more than obvious that this was a private session, my beauty."

Venus felt how she was turning all red now, and the inability to do anything about it made her angry.

"Then close the door or put a shield on the entrance, next time you want to tinkle alone!" she shouted and left the room in a hurry.

Behind her she could hear him laughing softly, and after a short pause the music resounded again.

xxxx

"Enough!" Rei said, taking the box out of Takai's hand to throw away its reminding contents.

He looked at her in shock. "But..."

"Stop it now," Rei cut him off. "Honestly, Takai-kun, if you eat one more lemon slice you'll turn into a lemon yourself."

Takai looked at the slices in the garbage can as if he was really considering taking them out again.

"Don't you dare," Rei warned him. "And after all, they don't help anyway."

"I'm… sorry," Takai answered. "It must be… very annoying… for you… to put up with me."

Rei rolled her eyes and boxed his chest once. "And I've told you already several times that it's not at all."

And this was the truth. Though in the beginning it had been a little irritating that Takai's hiccup interrupted him all the time, after a certain time Rei suddenly hadn't noticed it anymore. Or at least it didn't bother her – she was too busy being surprised by Takai's knowledge and intelligence.

Okay, all he was able to talk about were turtles, and he had invited her to the zoo, where he was taking her now to every turtle tank that existed there. But Rei was truly surprised by what he knew about turtles. It was almost scientific. It was incredible all the knowledge he had about that animal, and suddenly Rei was finding it kind of interesting too. Earlier, she'd thought a turtle was simply a shell with four legs and a head, but Takai was showing her now that it was much more.

Rei hadn't even known that there were different families and species. To her all turtles had been the same – until today.

"What's this one called?" she asked now, pointing at the last tank, where a turtle was swimming slowly in the water.

"That's an olive ridley sea turtle," Takai answered immediately, "It's a species of the sea turtle super family…"

Rei smiled. When Takai talked about turtles, he was so concentrated that he didn't hiccup anymore. But Rei decided not to bring it to his attention for the moment. The last time she had, it hadn't been very helpful.

While Takai was talking about the turtle's prevalence and specialities, Rei glanced carefully at the information board. Everything Takai told her was written on there, too; the difference was that he knew it all by memory, and it was much more enjoyable to hear it from him than to read it from the sign.

Rei shook her head. What was she even thinking?

"Rei-san?"

Rei blinked. Did he just ask her something? "What?"

"Do… you want… something to drink?"

Rei smiled. "That would be great."

They left the building and walked down a narrow way to the little zoo giftshop.

"Wait here," Takai said and pointed at a small bench. "I'll… be right back."

Rei sat down and watched Takai walking away towards the store. She couldn't help grinning. He really looked like a little boy with that turtle backpack. Really, he wasn't like the boys Rei had known to that day. Takai had something childish and carefree about him; but on the other hand, he was so smart and intelligent. And he wasn't putting on an act or anything. He was all natural.

What the hell are you thinking of? Rei accused herself.

"There."

A soda appeared in her vision of sight.

"Thank you," Rei said taking the soda and sliding over so Takai could sit down too. He sat beside her, taking off his backpack. He opened it and took out a little plastic bag.

"I can't believe it!" Rei shouted when she recognized the yellow lemon slices, "How many of these things do you have inside that turtle?"

"I'm always… taking some… more slices… as reserve in... case they're… off," he answered. Looking at her reproachfully, he added, "Or if… somebody throws the… others away."

"Oh my gosh, Takai-kun, give me that!"

"No!"

"Give me that bag right now!" Rei said in a tone that didn't allow any contradiction.

Takai bit his lips and finally did as she had said.

"So, is there more inside your backpack I should know about?" Rei asked.

Takai bored his fingers inside it, but shook his head.

"Really?" she insisted, "No more lemon slices? Or maybe chilli this time."

This helped. Takai laughed, Rei joined in and finally patted his arm.

"I really don't care, Takai-kun. Believe me."

"Thank you," he said.

Again, Rei thought, his hiccup… it's gone, but…

"… but I really think you should ditch the backpack," she said quickly, "It's so… not cool. You'll never find a girlfriend with it."

His grasp around the turtle became tighter. "Motoki says that, too."

"So, what are you waiting for?"

"I… I can't," he confessed, starting to hick again, "My mother… gave it to… me."

"And you think it might hurt her feelings if you change it," Rei guessed.

"She's dead."

Everything in Rei went numb. Stupid cow! she thought.

"Oh, Takai-kun, I'm so sorry."

He shook his head. "It's been… a long time. I was… still very… small… but this…," he caressed his backpack, "is all that… I have from… her. It's the… only connection... I've still got and… I'm afraid… that if I change it… she'll really… be gone."

Rei closed her eyes for a moment; then she looked at him again. "My mother… she died too."

Takai looked at her with wide eyes. "Rei-san…"

"I was very small too," she continued quickly, "but over the years I've learned one thing." She placed her hand on Takai's backpack turtle. "It's not the objects that make people who have left this world stay with us. It's ourselves. As long as you remember your mother, she'll live in your heart, and her spirit – this I'm sure of – will always be with you."

Takai smiled shyly now and Rei couldn't help but smile back.

"And you really should start to call me Rei," she finally added.

Now Takai's smile widened. "I'd love to."

Suddenly Rei realized that her fingers on the backpack were touching his. It was a very brief touch, but the connection had been made. But before she was able to do anything about it, the earth started to tremble.

"What the…?"

"Rei!" Takai shouted, and then everything happened very fast Before Rei had really been able to notice the branch that broke above her, Takai threw himself on her and they fell to the ground. The branch just missed her head and shattered beneath her.

The earth still was trembling, but Rei hardly was able to perceive the screaming people and crying children. The energy she felt made her shiver. This wasn't a normal earthquake. There was a big and… dangerous power. Rei remembered that she had already felt this strong energy once. The day Usagi had transformed into the warrior princess.

Usagi? Rei thought worriedly.

And then, as suddenly as it had started, the trembling stopped. It was as if nothing had happened.

"Rei, are… you all right?" Takai stood up and held out his hand to help her up.

Only now did Rei become aware that he had been protecting her with his body the whole time. She blushed and stood up quickly, ignoring his helping hand.

"Yes," she answered, "I'm fine. Thank you."

"What was that… just now?" Takai asked in surprise.

"An earthquake. Don't tell me you've never felt one!"

"Of course I… have," Takai answered, "but this… wasn't a… normal earthquake."

"What do you mean?"

"You're a... shrine girl," Takai said, truly surprised now, "and you didn't... felt that... energy? Aren't you... supposed to... sense these things?"

"Energy?" Rei whispered.

"I can't... explain it... exactly, but... this didn't feel...like a normal... earthquake to... me. Something... was different."

He was able to feel it? Rei thought. But how could that be?

"Come on," she said, changing the subject, "It's getting late... I have to go home."

"I'll walk... you home," Takai offered. Rei smiled and bent down to pick up Takai's backpack, which he'd lost when he had thrown himself over her... to save her.

"There," she said, "Take your time."

Takai nodded and smiled back. Then they left the zoo.

xxxx

Minako winced and opened her eyes. Had she fallen asleep?

"Minako, are you all right?"

She turned her head and looked at Artemis who was sitting on the coffee table. She nodded. "I'm fine. How long was I asleep?"

"About an hour, maybe a little more," Artemis said, "Have you been... dreaming again?"

Minako didn't answer. She sat up and looked outside the window.

Yes, her first encounter with Zoisite had been anything but joyful. With a few words he had been able to break down the wall of aloofness she had built up in all those years.

On that day he had made her blush for the very first time.

Suddenly the room started to shake and a strange energy rose up.

Minako jumped to her feet. "Artemis, do you feel that too?"

"Yes," he answered, frightened. "What...?"

"The Ginzuishou," Minako whispered. "It's the princess."

The trembling and bad aura lasted a few minutes, and then all of a sudden it vanished again.

"She's stopped it," Minako said in surprise, and hope rose inside her. "Perhaps, after all, she will be able to control the Ginzuishou's powers."

xxxx

Mamoru put his sword back on its bracket above the fireplace. He peeked at the bed and sighed in relief when he saw that it was empty. He really didn't know if he would have been able to stand Mio's wide, smug smile again.

"Stop it, please, please."

Mamoru closed his eyes for a moment. Seeing Usagi on her knees, pleading for the Ginzuishou to stop its powers... It had almost broken his heart. And the worst thing was that he had been the one who had provoked this.

But it had been necessary. He had to show her that she was stronger than she thought. Because even if he did believe in her, he knew that deep inside she... didn't.

What he had just done had been the only way to make her finally trust in herself.

"Someday, I'm sure... The day will come, we will be together."

Yes, Mamoru believed in Usagi. He had spoken the truth.

Usagi, he thought, please, believe in yourself too. Believe in your powers. Once you do, I'll be able to come back to you... and we will finally be together again.