Notes: Episode 150, "Amazoness! The Nightmare From Behind the Mirror". Or, "The one that introduces the Amazon Quartet and Chibi-Usa's friend Momoko gets targeted."

Episode 150

Hotaru stole another glance at the flier in her hand. Her grin, already at near-capacity, managed to squeeze out another centimeter. She hopped. She actually hopped as she walked down the street, school bag swinging at her side. Odds were high that she looked ridiculous. Odds were high she didn't care.

Usa was going to LOVE this.

It was hard to believe that nearly three weeks had already passed since Usa's return (NOT "Chibi-Usa" anymore, she insisted). Hotaru was still so excited to have her best friend back! It felt like Usa had only showed up yesterday, not three whole weeks ago. And they were the same age this time, too! Two fourteen-year olds, ready to take over the world.

Or defend it.

There was a small cluster of girls in front of Hotaru, all wearing TA uniforms identical to her own. Their heads were clustered in what appeared to be an intense conversation, but it had slowed them to a snail's pace. Usa was probably at Crown by now, and Hotaru wanted to share her news so badly she was about to burst. She bounced impatiently from one foot to the next while waiting for the flow of pedestrian traffic to clear enough for her to dart around them. As she zipped past, she heard them calling her name. She spun around without stopping, gave them a huge wave, and kept moving.

Another block that seemed to go on forever, and finally Crown came into view. Hotaru swerved past a couple of guys hanging out at the bottom of the stairs and bounded up to the shop's second level. She was feeling a bit too out of breath to try taking them two at a time (and physical activity out of Senshi form was never her strong point anyway), but the thought was there. The automatic doors parted, and Hotaru immediately spied Usa in the booth that through repeated use had become theirs.

Usa was sipping a cream soda, and as Hotaru neared the booth, she saw her favourite parfait already waiting for her. The burst of warmth that surged through her was unexpected but entirely welcome.

"Hi," Hotaru said, slipping into the booth across from her friend.

Usa had seemed to be deep in thought, but snapped out of it instantly. "Hotaru-chan!" she cried, like it had been years since they'd last seen each other and not simply the length of one school day.

Hotaru knew how she felt, though. She had no idea how long Usa would be staying this time (she refused to say, and Setsuna-mama was impossible with things like this), so every minute was extra precious.

She placed her school bag on the seat next to her and hid the flier behind it. Catching up first, exciting news later. She grabbed a spoon, surprised at how hungry she felt. "Thanks for this!"

"Sure, sure! You know you have to share, though." Usa produced her own spoon from out of nowhere and brandished it like a weapon.

Laughing, Hotaru pushed the glass toward the center of the table. "How was your day?" she asked before taking her first bite.

Usa was already two bites in. She quickly swallowed as a frown crept across her face. "Okay except for Kazuo. We were learning about algebra and he kept complaining. 'Hey, teacher, when are we gonna have to know this stuff?', you know?"

She'd quoted him in a deep gruff voice that made Hotaru giggle. Usa scooped out another mouthful of ice cream before continuing. "Like I happen to know for a FACT that you'll need this stuff in the future! What a jerk," she added before shoving the spoon in her mouth.

Hotaru carved out a piece of banana, nodding emphatically all the while. "So what did you do?"

"Kicked the back of his chair and told him to shut his big mouth. How can anyone learn with all that going on?"

The giggled over the disgruntled fate of Kazuo for a moment, then Usa asked Hotaru about her day. It was the opening she'd been waiting for.

"Well guess what we heard about in school today?" Hotaru asked as she slid the flier out from its hiding place. Usa shook her head, and for a brief moment Hotaru considered prolonging the suspense by making her actually guess. She just couldn't wait that long though, and instead put the flier on the table facing Usa.

It was brightly coloured, filled with images, and proudly proclaimed at the top that the Sunrise Circus was coming to town.

Usa grabbed the flier in both hands and studied it closely. Hotaru meanwhile was babbling away. "Exciting, right? I've never been to a circus! Michiru-mama told me about one she'd visited in Germany one and it sounded amazing! The tightrope walkers and the trapeze artists! All the clowns and—"

Suddenly, Hotaru was keenly aware that Usa was no longer sitting across from her. She had, seemingly without actually moving, appeared in the booth next to Hotaru and was peering at her intently. Hotaru resisted the urge to yelp. Barely.

"You can't." Usa's voice was gravely serious. "You CAN'T."

"Well not without you, sure," Hotaru agreed cautiously. This was not going as intended.

Especially not when Usa's eyes suddenly filled with tears. "You CAN'T!" she said again, only this time it ended in something like a wail. She lashed out, seized Hotaru's shoulders, and began to shake them. "You can't, you can't!"

The shaking intensified, like Usa was trying to very literally knock the idea out of Hotaru's brain. "I don't understand!" is what Hotaru tried to say. It came out as a jumbled mess of syllables.

"If you go the circus, you'll be attacked! Your dreams, Hotaru-chan! YOUR PRECIOUS DREAMS!"

Usa was full-on crying now, her tears flowing in every direction. Hotaru was no closer to understanding, but "Circuses Are Bad" was coming through loud and clear, and that was good enough. After several attempts, she finally got through to Usa enough to stop the tears and thrashing.

"You promise?" Usa asked through a long and kind of disgusting sniff.

"Promise," confirmed Hotaru. She grabbed the flier and crumpled it into a ball. "What circus?"

There was one last long search of Hotaru's face, then Usa seemed satisfied. She didn't move, however. She stayed sitting next to Hotaru and pulled her soda closer.

Hotaru mentally drew a big line through "circuses", never to go there again. There was a festival coming up in a couple of weeks. Should she mention it?

A quick glance a calming but still distraught Usa quickly answered that question.

Later, maybe.

Much later.