Chapter 8- Wanted: One Princess
"Usagi," Sailor Mars said finally.
The others released their grips on each other and sat back down, the mood dampened. Rei let her fuku fade back to her miko robes, and watched as Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mercury sparkled and shimmered back into Makoto and Ami, who were sharing sad expressions.
"Sorry but. We need her too," Rei said, looking at Luna for back-up.
"Of course," Minako said, "there is no doubt we need Usagi in our lives."
"We have Usagi in our lives," Ami said. "I think the question here is – do we need her to remember?"
"I don't know," Makoto said, quietly. "She's been through so much. And she never wanted this- any of it."
"None of us wante-" Rei started to say, but stopped herself. Had she really not wanted Sailor Mars? Had she not spent so many nights wondering if she had some higher purpose, if the reason for her powers and struggles and loneliness culminated into something bigger than herself? Hadn't Sailor Mars been the answer to all her most secret of wishes? Not for the fighting and the death and sacrifice, of course not. But the purpose and the power and the love –
Did Usagi really want none of that? Not want it so badly she used her crystal to create a world without it as her dying wish?
Rei shook her head and tried to focus on the conversation going on around her.
"I think we need to protect her," Makoto was saying. "That's our job. If that means letting her be happy for now-"
"But can she truly be happy without knowing her true self?" Ami said. "What she is capable of, who she really is – who Tsukino Usagi can really be-" Ami was silent. "I am perhaps projecting."
"Perhaps, but I think you are right anyway," Luna said. "She needs to know who she is. She is so much more than she believes herself to be right now. It's about growing up."
"How did you all feel when you transformed again?" Minako said, finally.
The others fell silent. Rei knew they felt similar things as she did. Completion. Understanding. Connection. Usagi needed Sailor Moon as much as Rei needed Sailor Mars. Rei was suddenly sure of it.
"Usagi needs to remember," Rei found herself saying. To her surprise, the others agreed.
Tsukino Usagi skipped into Rei's and skidded to a halt. "Um. Hi everyone?"
Rei, Minako, Ami and Makoto sat in a semi-circle facing the door, Luna and Artemis perched on either side.
"What's going on?" Usagi asked, titled her head to the side. "I thought I was just meeting Rei. Not that I'm not happy to see you all but-"
"Usagi," Minako said seriously, "there is something we need you to do."
Usagi looked at Minako warily. "I'm not… so good at 'doing things'…"
"It's important," Ami said, "and I know when it's important you'd never let anyone down." Her sweet smile did nothing to sway the strange expression on Usagi's face.
"Is this about my grades?" she asked, clearly ready to bolt.
"No, no no," Makoto said, "nothing so terrible as that."
She and Minako shared a laugh, Ami sent a side-eye in their direction but didn't say anything.
"Just say 'Moon Prism Power Make Up'," Rei said, sick of all this beating around the bush.
"What?" Usagi looked at Rei as if she had grown another head. "Why though? Are we practicing English?" She shot Ami a suspicious look, as if this had all secretly been her idea of a study session.
"Just say it!" Rei snapped.
"O-kay." Usagi gave Rei a weird look, then shrugged and said, "Moon Prism Power Make up! Are you happy now?"
The other exchanged glances and Usagi looked at them, her expression bright and cheerful. "Later Naru and me are gonna do karaoke, you should join us if you want!"
"Why didn't it work?" Rei was miserable, and not just because she sat through two hours of Naru and Usagi belting out love songs between 1200 yen glasses of virgin mudslides.
"I am not sure," Ami said, rubbing her temple. The flashing lights in the private karaoke room had not been ideal for studying kanji, she was starting to get a headache. The bright florescent lighting of the Crown Fruits Parlor didn't help. "Perhaps it's because Makoto and I already were starting to remember on our own?"
"We'll figure it out!" Makoto said. She was still in a pretty good mood, karaoke had been a good time and she got to do a duet with Minako that was really fun. "Luna, you live with Usagi. Have you noticed her acting strangely at all?"
Luna sighed. "I know she has dreams. That's it."
"Hmm," Ami said, "Maybe we should brainstorm. Luna, tell us about the very first time Usagi transformed."
"A youma was attacking Osa-P jewelery store and I told her she was Sailor Moon, and told her how to transform— but that time when she said Moon Prism Power Make Up, it worked."
"Could it be because she's missing the brooch or the crystal?" Makoto suggested.
"No," Ami said, "I have reason to believe the crystal is housed within her, based on energy readings – I think it's sort of her lifeforce. It's hard to explain but-"
"No, I believe you," Makoto said quickly, raising her hands and sweatdropping, "no need for a deeper explanation."
"Anyway," Luna continued, "She didn't want to fight, but Naru was in trouble-"
"Well there you go!" Minako said, "we'll just dress up as a crazy monster and attack Naru!"
"Minako-"
"What could possibly go wrong with that idea?" Minako huffed.
"We are not terrorizing Naru," Ami snapped, "and we are not dressing up like a monster."
"Fine, whatever," Minako grabbed the straw from her soda and chewed on it loudly. "Well, anyway, Luna was the one who told her to awaken as Sailor Moon. The Princess thingy she did on her own."
"That's true," Ami said. "Princess Serenity awoke of her volition, perhaps-"
"We could always recreate those circumstances," Minako said, helpfully. "Who is up for stabbing Mamoru?"
"Minako-"
"Not fatally," Minako said, exasperated. "Just like. I mean, Ami, you are gonna be a doctor I bet you know how to stab someone so you don't hit any vital organs."
"I'm not stabbing Mamoru," Ami said, primly, not looking up from her notes.
"Good god do I have to do everything around here?" Minako said. "Okay, I'll stab Mamoru."
"Nobody is stabbing anybody!" Luna cried, finally.
"Fine," Minako muttered, sending Makoto a wink. "We'll call that Plan B."
Ami, Minako and Makoto were still in a conversation about some ideas that didn't involve assault and battery, when Rei just had enough.
Rei threw her hands up in exasperation. "C'mon, how can Usagi not want to be part of this?"
"She is, though," Luna pointed out. "She already has you guys as friends, and that makes her very happy. As far as Usagi is concerned, perhaps she has everything she needs."
Rei shook her head, and crossed her arms, suddenly feeling grouchy. "Not you. Not Mamoru. Not Artemis. Not even herself."
"I'm gonna get her back, Luna," Rei said, her gaze suddenly intense. "I will definitely get through Tsukino Usagi's impossibly thick head and show her who she really is."
ps. nobody gets stabbed, terrorized or generally assaulted in the coming chapters
pps. although Minako still maintains it wasn't that bad an idea
ppps. ya know, if it came to that