Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.
Chapter 5 - A Talk
Normally, Usagi would discover her raven-haired friend in the front yard of her shrine; her hands would diligently be moving the broom to sweep the fallen leaves on the ground. That was not the case that afternoon, however, but the blonde did not really wonder why. Her feline cat must have been ahead of her and been occupying Rei's room to talk with the miko. That was also why she was there that moment – to have the regular team discussion about their new adversary, although this time the meeting was attended by only two senshi. They had to hold off the talk for a few days, though, since Rei was occupied with her college schedule.
"Rei-chan" Innocent smile naturally formed on Usagi's face as she sled the door of the shrine's guest room.
"You're lucky that I am not your lecturer in your soon-to-be university, Usagi" The miko folded her arms while Luna did nothing but staring at her.
"Gomen, gomen. I was writing to Mamo-chan and was not looking at the time" As if it was her habit when feeling guilty, the odango scratched her head. The empty seat opposite Rei's was where she headed to next and placed herself.
"Oh" Rei's tone sounded rather faltering to Usagi's ears. "So has Mamoru known about this new enemy?"
"That… No. I am afraid that if I tell him, he will get distracted. He will want to return and I will fail his study" The princess averted Rei's eyes. She did miss Mamoru though, truthfully speaking. She was longing for him to be by her side, coming to her rescue in his Tuxedo Mask form and keeping her safe; the feeling had grown worse ever since the youma made its appearance. "Besides, we don't know yet if it is indeed a new enemy. We have just encountered one youma so far"
"…That's right. All we know is that Rika-san has come back to life after we defeat that monster"
"And the fact that the youma had a resemblance of Rika-san" Luna added. Her white-furred friend would have commented something as well had he been here, but Minako had carried him along with her.
"She was awfully strong, too" Rei's eyebrows puckered. "And apparently was also as hard as nails"
"Rei-chan, how's your wound?" The blonde asked; the tone of worry could not be hidden in her voice.
"Apart from the aching on it whenever I take a shower, it's all fine. Being a senshi helps so much" The miko smiled at her, as if she could read Usagi's concerned heart. "We should call Minako and the others by the way, to let them know of the current situation"
"No!" Usagi responded right away, which gained her not only Rei's but also Luna's stare. "I think we shouldn't tell them... They have a dream to live life normally, too. And we… I shouldn't take it away from them"
"Usagi-chan, this is a very strong foe we are talking about!" Luna answered ahead of Rei, with the voice that she always used to scold Usagi when the blonde had just become Sailor Moon years ago.
"Usagi, you witness yourself the youma's speed and attacks. If a stronger one comes and our combined powers are not even enough to defeat it, it will be too dangerous!" Rei appended, with a tone even stronger than that of the cat.
The princess had once again avoided those amethyst eyes. Whenever it came to an argument like this, she knew Rei had always won. She knew Rei would always win with her stubbornness. But she also knew that Rei had a soft spot out of her kind-hearted nature that would make her bend. Anyone who had known the miko inside and out would acknowledge that. She just required the firmness to lure out that side of Rei.
"The fact is that no stronger youma has revealed itself so far, right?" She spoke up. "I promise that if things get worse, I will agree on calling them. But we have no proof of that one youma being a part of bigger enemies. It could just be a random evil spirit"
"So you mean we have to wait until the situation is dire enough?" The raven-haired girl asked cynically. Her arms had folded across her chest.
"I did not say that. All I'm saying is that we have just fought against one so far. We have no idea of where it came from. If it turns out that the youma was nothing but an incident, won't it be a waste of time and energy to call them?" Usagi's tender eyes had deadlocked Rei's fiery ones. "Please, Luna, Rei-chan. I can protect myself. I promise I won't put myself in danger. You are all my best friends, and I can always count on you to help me, and to protect me. But Minako's life, Mako-chan's, Ami-chan's, and yours, Rei-chan, are just as valuable as mine. I also want to protect their lives and your life, as much as you all want to protect mine"
"Usagi-"
"Let's just see the situation and wait for a moment, should we?" The blonde went on, not even allowing the other girl to have a say. Plead was carried along with the gaze she threw at Rei. "Please, Rei-chan?"
"Usagi-chan…" The dark-furred cat had shifted her tensed look to a worried one.
The miko and the feline seemed to speak no more, and Usagi took it as a sign that a conclusion had been drawn – they would not inform the other senshi for the time being. The doubt that existed on Rei's and Luna's face was what saddened the princess.
"Do I still look really that undependable to take care of myself, Rei-chan?" She muttered.
"Huh?" Rei had let go of her folded arms.
"Do I still look like a weak princess who still needs people to babysit her?"
"U- Usagi, I never said that" Rei said her syllables carefully before taking the effort to move to Usagi's side. "Look, all I'm saying is that this new opponent seems to be ruthlessly destructive. If the two of us are not able to stop it then who knows what the youma can do to us… and to our world. I just thought that the more power we have, the readier we are to face them"
"I'm sorry too, I was being too sensitive" Usagi embraced Rei's worried look with a fragile smile, hoping that it would be a pretty good deceptive look to cover up her true feeling – that she was afraid what Rei stated would befall. It did not seem to convince Rei, though, as the miko kept staring at her for the seconds afterwards.
She heard Rei exhale heavily and saw her tensed expression dissolve slowly, changing to a tender one. "Let's end this serious talk here now. I am planning to do some shopping for my college stuffs after this. Do you want to join, Usagi?"
Usagi's lips had turned up, although faintly, upon the invitation. She was glad, partly because Rei had put an end to this talk that she had preferred to not think about, and partly because it had been a while since she did this – shopping, with Rei. The miko had been busy with her university lessons while hers had not yet begun. Visiting Crown and practicing drawing had been her daily routine lately, and she had been feeling lonely with the absence of her boyfriend and the other senshi. Any moment she could spend with Rei had become rather precious.
"Yes, I would love to. Just wait a moment. I have to use the bathroom first"
With that, she reached the door and disappeared behind it, leaving her friend and her pet without words. Luna's eyes were nailed on the door for a few seconds, as if her owner was still within her sight.
"Do you think it will really be fine if we don't reveal the truth to the others?" Luna asked; her crimson eyes did not even bother to find Rei.
"It has to be" The miko apparently was not looking at the cat either. "I will protect her with all I could"
Luna then stated as soon as the three were outside Hikawa, that she chose to return to the Tsukino residence for doing further research about their new enemy, although Usagi knew the dark-furred feline would just do that for a short amount of time and fell asleep the next minute. That cat, Usagi thought, used to scold and lecture her for not being serious but she was similar to her owner in some aspects, such as this one.
The princess was following Rei as the raven-haired girl led her to a new department store in the area silently until she noticed what Rei had put on that day. This had been the second time she saw the change in Rei's style, or should she say, the upgrade of Rei's style. The miko was in her white shirt and dark blue jeans that had become a perfect match. It was not until Rei was one step ahead of her that she could spot the maroon-colored bra that was visible due to the see-through clothing. Rei went on walking in her white sneakers while she stopped, only to find herself blush.
Was this one of the effects of college? She mentally wondered. She remembered she was stunned seeing Haruka and Michiru for the first time when the two outers were still in university. So was it the same thing that caused her to look at Rei in a new light?
"Usagi?" She had apparently been too indulged with her own thought to not see the miko stop. "Is something wrong?"
"Huh? N- No"
"Why were you staring at me like that?"
The blonde's brain was then busy finding excuses, but her legs had hesitantly continued moving. "I- I… was just thinking if college has been fun for you"
"Uhm…" The miko's point finger touched her chin. "Well it has. I met a lot of new friends and many of them actually came from different countries. It's fun to know outside's culture and thoughts"
"Really? So have you found some cute guys? I bet you have" Usagi laughed naughtily, trying to cover it with her hand.
"I have, indeed"
"Seriously? So have you dated any of them? Or asked them out for a date?" The princess inquired. Her elbow had exaggeratingly poked Rei's.
"I… I am not… interested in any of them" Rei threw away her gaze at the wall of the house they were passing by.
"You just don't want to betray Yuuichiro, do you, Rei-chan?"
"I don't have any feelings for Yuuichiro, Usagi"
"There is no need to be so shy in front of me, Rei-chan"
"I really feel nothing for him, Usagi"
"Fine, the more you refuse to admit it, the more I know it's true"
"Usagi, I seriously do not love Yuuichiro or any other guy right now because I-" The raven-haired girl grunted in frustration, quickening her walking pace. "Whatever. Let's get going now or we'll head home late"
Minako's reddish, puffy eyes had once again moved to the direction of the clock. It was one hour before midnight already yet there she was, being so far from sleeping while her mentor proceeded on the next section of her lecture about 'Graceful Idol'.
After the lecturer closed their lesson with some 'graceful quotes' and released the contestants at last, which took about thirty minutes later, she dragged her steps to where her room was located. Opening the door that had the tag of her name on it, she found Artemis curling on the top of her blanket. The sound of the door that she closed rather abruptly awoke the white animal.
"You're finally finished" was what Artemis said to welcome her.
"Yes" She glared at him. "And you were sleeping while I was being tormented there"
Artemis gulped. "A- Anyway, Makoto called earlier on the communicator and was looking for you"
"Makoto?" The blonde seemed surprised. "Did anything bad happen?"
"Doesn't seem to be the case. She just wanted to talk to you, and I told her your schedule"
The blonde looked to be lost in her thought, although not for too long, for soon after that she grabbed the communicator that Artemis had left still on her desk. She snatched open the screen and stared on it like she was watching her own reflection, waiting for the device to connect her to the senshi of thunder. She was taken aback when Makoto's face popped out before her much faster than she thought.
"Minako-chan? You're still up?" The brunette was already wrapped in her light-green pajama, and had untied her hair.
"Why, I was just done with my schedule" Minako did not even bother to hide her exhausted expression. "I feel like I am being quarantined for a beauty pageant contest instead!"
"Why? You do practice singing and stuffs right?"
"Yes, but can you imagine? I have to wake up really early in the morning, well-dressed and full make-up! And when I eat I am expected to not make any sound, and talk to fellow contestants slowly it almost makes me whisper instead. And there's walking! I have to step like I am avoiding holes on every tile that I pass by and keep my focus straight ahead at all times! What if a youma actually attacks me when I am doing that?"
The long blabber that came out of the blonde's mouth earned her a short, but genuine giggle from the other girl. "Isn't that what you are going to do though, if you really become the chosen one later?"
"I know right…" Minako had rested herself on the bed, pouting. "This is what I chose to do, though… It was just the process to get there that deviates from what I had imagined before"
"…You are not giving up, right?"
"Of course not! I know that I am going to reap the results of this long, hard work someday later. Aino Minako will never surrender!"
"Good, that's the Venus I know" Makoto beamed a smile.
"What about you, Mako-chan? Why are you still up too? Did something happen?"
A blush had brushed the brunette's face. She scratched her head with her green-painted nails almost naturally like it had been her habit. "Uh… That… I just want to have a chat with you since it has been a while"
"I thought something had occurred to you or the others, that's why I decided to contact you back right away"
"I see… Well, I can… call you even though nothing urgent happens right? Or… I can't?"
"You certainly can! I am sorry that I haven't had time to get updated with you or the others. My packed schedule is… well, packed"
"It's alright, I understand"
"So how's your training going, Mako-chan?"
"I am doing great! I feel like I have gotten even stronger since I started. The seniors here have assisted me a lot"
"What about that one senior who once caught your interest?" Minako's dim eyes had suddenly obtained their sparks again. Being the Goddess of Love and Beauty, having a talk about the subject always got her enthusiasm.
"You mean… That bald monk?" A chuckle was released from Makoto's mouth. "He was just a one-time thing. He does not train here anymore either. Besides, I have never really felt a strong pull towards anyone anymore… But there's this one person…"
"But there's this one person…?" Looking no different from a child asking for a candy, Minako was awaiting her continuation with pleading eyes.
"Uh, forget it, Minako-chan. I am not even sure if I am in love or just a fling"
"Such a cliff-hanger! Boo!" The senshi of Venus once again rested her head on the pillow, rather hastily this time.
"Now, don't be angry there…" Makoto had sweat-dropped, but fixed a firm smile soon after. "I am sure you are tired, Minako-chan. Get some rest then. I will talk to you later"
A sulk was still apparent on Minako's face; she appeared to be still not satisfied that she could not dig some information about her friend's new love story. But the comfort of the pillow her head was buried in had once again drugged her, and her wearied physique had started giving in.
"I swear I will make you confess to me sooner or later" Her tone had come out as nerve-wrecking. "You cannot hide anything from the Goddess of Love and Beauty"
Makoto swallowed her saliva with tension, but it seemed to slip from the blonde's vision or hearing. "G- Good night then, Minako-chan"
"Good night, Mako-chan"