So I was sick then I had no internet and basically blah. Anyway! Feeling better and internet is back. so. back to fic.
Chapter 7: Once more for old time's sake
When Ami and Makoto arrived suddenly at the shrine one day, Rei ushered them in with gusto, heaping on offers of food and drink- which they declined. Instead they sat on Rei's floor, quietly waiting while the priestess settled herself across from them.
For a few moments Makoto and Ami looked at each other, each nodding each other on as if to say 'no, you go'. Finally Ami spoke up.
"Rei, I've been doing a lot of thinking in these past few days. Thinking and research and …talking to Makoto and, well-"
"Talking about how crazy I am," Rei muttered bitterly and Ami blanched and looked guilty.
"No," she said. "Just about the things you said and," here she glanced at Makoto, who nodded gently.
Rei lowered her head and fiercely ignored the burning in her throat and behind her eyes. Here was the part where they said they didn't want to be friends with her anymore. Here was the part they left her all alone.
"We want to listen to you," Ami finished.
Rei's head snapped up in shock to find Ami and Makoto giving her hesitant smiles.
"We think," Makoto said, "we think you are right. About our past."
"There are things that can't be explained any other way-"
"Besides it's damn kickass, if you think about it-"
"So anyway, will you tell us more?" Ami finished, around Makoto's interjection. "I think we are starting to remember. Maybe something you say can jog our memories."
That night Rei collapsed into bed, exhausted but satisfied. It had been a long, but productive, day. Ami and Makoto listened to Rei's stories with expressions that quickly changed from shocked, to eager, to amazed and back again. But every so often a dreamy look would come into their eyes and they'd finish the story for Rei, or interject things she had forgotten - - and looked surprised as they did so.
They still had a ways to go before they remembered – Ami suggested trying hypnosis next time – but the important thing was that they believed her.
Rei asked about Minako, and Ami suggested inviting her over and seeing how she'd take the news. Minako tended to handle Rei's not-so-subtle hints and Ami's recent questions with a carefree attitude that kept her real feelings a mystery.
As for Usagi, Ami tentatively suggested they hold off. Rei didn't know whether her suggestion came from some buried part of her that remembered how much Usagi craved a normal life, or was the result of observing Usagi's more recent reactions to any mentions of weird memories or dreams (usually to laugh it off and change the subject immediately). Maybe it was both. For now, though, Rei was taking things one step at a time.
Ami.
Makoto.
She fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Rei was happy to see Minanko cheerfully bounding up the temple steps with Makoto and Ami that weekend. Artemis tagged along at the blonde's heels, and Rei couldn't help grinning and waving at him – not caring how strange it might have looked. Luna was already at the shrine, standing proudly by Rei's feet. She also smiled at Artemis, but neither of them spoke. Rei wondered if they were holding off, so as not to shock anyone needlessly.
Rei had been handling this entire thing with an immeasurable amount of grace, if she did say so herself. The unexpected memories, finding and scrutinizing her old friends, all handled like a pro.
However, Rei had to admit she handled it much less gracefully when Minako plopped down on Rei's bed and blurted out, "So you guys finally remember us all being senshi! That's so cool!"
"What?!" Rei snapped, wondering if she could wring Minako's neck and still be considered her friend. Ami and Makoto reacted only slightly less surprised, Rei wondered if they suspected Minako knew more than she let on.
"How long have you known?" Rei cried out, "You just went on letting everyone think I was crazy?!"
Minako giggled, "That would have been funny, but no." She sobered up and looked at Rei compassionately. "Artemis told me a couple days ago."
"Artemis!" Luna snapped at the white cat, who looked abashed.
"I—got lonely," he muttered, poking at the carpet with his paw.
"Lonely my-" Luna began to lecture then froze as she saw two pairs of bemused eyes watching her intently.
"Oh yes," Luna ahem'ed gracefully into a paw, "we speak, as I am sure you are aware."
"I'm surprised at how little I'm surprised," Ami murmured to Makoto, who nodded silently.
"Anyway," Minako said cheerfully, "you don't have to yell at Artemis, Luna, 'cuz it's good news! We all remember now and –"
"Wait," Ami said, a familiar scientist-gleam in her blue eyes, "how, exactly, did you come to remember everything Artemis told you?"
Minako blinked at Ami and answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I transformed of course."
It took a while to pick Rei and the cats off the floor. "It's so obvious!" Luna cried, "Why didn't I think of it?"
Rei stood up, locked her door and looked at the girls steadily. She took a deep breath, shut her eyes, and shouted the words that reverberated from within her soul. "Mars Power – Make UP!"
It was so achingly, perfectly familiar. The burning from her middle, surrounding her body with purpose, with power, with belonging. She was Sailor Mars just as much as she was Hino Rei. She thought she remembered before. Now, as her fuku settled upon her, she felt everything return with the force of a landslide. She stood looking at the others with a look of utter astonishment on her face.
"Welcome back," Minako said simply. Rei had to fight tears.
Ami and Makoto followed suit, shouting the phrases Rei had taught them. Rei could see from their faces – the astonishment, awe, and eyes that were filled with tears that were both happy and sad – that it had all come back to them, too.
Suddenly Sailor Mars found herself engulfed in a tearfilled group hug, with Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter, Aino Minako and – somehow – two cats. All she knew was: she never wanted to let go.
" but hey antigone wtf happened to the funny that was promised to me by the 'humor' genre tag you used on ff dot net?"