A Peculiar Promise
Nine days later, it was Wednesday, October 3, 1990, and Darien had not only seen his recent injuries healed up, but he had also received a new bedroom set. Not only that, the new items he received to replace the damaged and destroyed furniture in his bedroom were built more solidly, and were built to better withstand unconscious rose throws.
He'd not encountered either Serena or Usagi since his recent trip to the hospital yet. Especially after Motoki told him it might be best if both he and Mamoru stayed away from the Crown for a while, during their lunches in the main cafeteria of Keio's Student Union the previous Thursday.
Darien was off on his usual morning jog, at just after 6, when he suddenly saw Serena up much earlier than was usual for her. When he saw her, she was wearing her school uniform, and sitting to attention bench in the neighborhood park with her eyes closed. Wondering what had drawn her out of bed so early, especially on a school day, and likely without her parents' knowledge, he decided to try and be civil with her for once.
He casually jogged up to her. "Mind if I join you for a bit, Serena?" She opened her eyes, in great surprise. He didn't have a mocking tone to his voice, or didn't call her "Meatball Head," which was also very much a surprise to her.
"No actual arguing this morning, then, Shields?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't start in on her.
"No, I'll be civil, for once. Some very important things seem to be on your mind. And you don't seem to need any more trouble from anyone, right. I'll not make fun of you this morning, I promise, Serena. Not even if you accidentally trip over something." He shot her a rather concerned look. And she considered his words as she studied his now-healed face, trying to see if he was trying to deceive her or not.
After seeing nothing that might make her think that he was lying, she took a deep breath, then said, "All right, I'll trust you this once. If you keep your promise to be civil this morning, I'll be civil with you too, in turn."
"Agreed. You aren't usually up this early, Serena. Especially on school days. Mind if I ask what's on your mind?" he asked, giving her a rather concerned look.
"Let's walk, and I'll tell you some of it. I'm already aware of what Mamoru did. But I don't know much about it other than what Usagi and I and two of our friends have pieced together so far, with a little help from Motoki. I don't know how much you are involved with what he did. However, that's not really what's on my mind, so we'll leave such things for another time," she said, as she rose from the bench.
"Fair enough." He rose and stood near her, as she smoothed down the front of her skirt. Then she began walking away from the bench, expecting him to follow.
Once she was sure nobody else could hear them as they walked, "One of my grandmothers and I talked yesterday, and she said that she won't likely live another five years from now, with what she's got, according to her doctors. And I'm not happy about that. Also, there are a few boys in my school that seem to want to date me, but I don't want to date anyone. Besides, my father won't likely let me date any boys steadily without a chaperone until I'm at least fifteen years old, because he's very overprotective when it comes to me, I think. Especially when it comes to most unrelated males being around me, outside of school hours or school-related functions."
"And what do you think about the boys in your school, generally?" asked Darien, about three feet away from her where they were walking.
"Many are nice, and are interested in other girls, but there are a few boys, that I honestly can't stand much. Others are mostly annoying, but most I get along with to some degree, if not to great degrees for me with them. Especially when they're interested in certain other girls in our school. I really don't want to hurt their feelings, generally, if I don't have to do that at all. But I also don't want to be pestered for dates when I'm not interested in them as anything other than friends at best," she said, in a quieter voice than she usually used when conversing with him, as she stopped walking and turned to face him.
"Not to mention your parents wouldn't likely let you date anyone not close in age to you in a non-group setting, I would presume?" he asked.
"Correct. Mom might not be opposed to me dating someone before I turned fifteen, but Dad certainly would, if I know him as well as I think I do, Shields."
"Darien, as long as we're being civil, if you don't mind too much, please?"
"Fine, Darien, as long as we're being civil. What do you suggest I perhaps do, then, to deal with what I'm having to deal with in terms of certain boys in my school? Meaning boys who don't seem to want to take no for an answer, that is?"
"Have you talked to your teachers about the matter?" They walked by a flower shop.
"Yes, I have, of course. And the school staff, and others, as needed. But from what I can tell, whatever they're trying to do to deal with those boys, it doesn't seem to be working well, as far as I know. I really don't know what they're trying to do to deal with them, for I'm not privy to that information." She shot him a concerned look, and he responded with one in turn.
"Were you able to get some breakfast before you left your house?"
"No, I slipped out before my parents woke up, or my brother. They don't likely know I'm not at home yet. Usually they don't disturb me until 7:30 at the earliest, knowing that it's usually useless to try and wake me up before then. Why do you ask?"
"You seem to be getting a little hungry, Serena," said Darien.
"As a matter of fact, I am. I don't think most places of business are open before 6:30 in the morning, though. Especially diners or whatnot, for instance."
"Tell you what. I'll buy you some breakfast, whatever you want, for once. I'm in a charitable mood, for once, when it comes to you. Anything you want, I'll pay for this time."
"No hidden strings attached? No catches? No need to pay you back?"
"No hidden strings, no catches, and no need to pay me back for the breakfast, either. I'm not really in the mood to fight and argue with you anyway, either, by the way. I have a few things on my own mind. I don't think I could share them with you yet, but maybe later, I can, once I have a better idea of what's going on with them. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to a certain place that I often go when I don't have breakfast at home."
"Understood, Darien. Share them with me later, if you like," said she, as she then wondered where he might want to take her for breakfast.
At that, he then walked in front of her, and began leading her to a diner several blocks away from the Crown, with a primarily American Southwestern theme to it blended with classic American cars. The booths near the walls were in the shapes of various classic cars, with sixteen cars along the walls on three sides, where possible. While the walls were covered with patterns reminiscent of the American Southwest, circa the 1880's, more or less.
They were seated in what appeared to be a pink Cadillac, much to Serena's surprise. Although she didn't recognize the car as a Cadillac, she hadn't thought that Darien would actually sit in a pink car of any sort. Seeing as he was male, after all, and pink was often considered as more of a feminine color by many.
A waitress took their orders, after which Serena said, "This seems to be an interesting place, Darien. You said you often go when you don't have breakfast at home."
"Yes, it reminds me of the States, though I've been over in Japan for a couple of years for college towards becoming a doctor of some sort, Serena. I'm not actually from the Southwest, though, I'm from Pennsylvania. You're from the States, I believe." He relaxed, glancing briefly at several pictures he'd not seen before on nearby walls.
"Yes, I was born in Houston, Texas, in June 1976. My father was working for one of the papers around Houston's metropolitan area when I was born, and Mom has been a housewife for most of her married life. When Sammy was born, we were all in the Houston area. Ultimately we had to leave the Houston area, for Dad took newspaper-related jobs elsewhere in the United States. Sometime after leaving Houston, I then met Molly, and we've been close friends ever since. We don't always get along, of course, but most of the time, we're very happy being around each other," said she, as their waitress then began to deliver their orders to them in their car-like booth.
"As to your earlier question about what I think you should do in relation to the boys who are bothering you at school, I think you should stand up for yourself, as you typically do with me in our arguments. Don't let them push you around, or bully you. Even if the school can't or won't do what is needed, stand up for yourself. Eventually, they'll probably either stop, or move on to someone else who they think can't or won't fight back against them," he said, as he began to drink a cup of coffee, and cut up the eggs and sausages he'd ordered for himself.
"Are you sure that will work?" she asked, as she began to cut up the pancakes that were in front of her, before starting to pour some syrup on them.
"No, not entirely, but can you think of anything else that might work and what you haven't tried before?" he asked, before putting some ketchup on his eggs.
"No, I can't, it seems, Darien," she answered, as she set the syrup down in between them near a pitcher of apple juice, before beginning to consume her pancakes.
"Then maybe you should give this particular idea a shot, before too much more time passes for you in your life. If it backfires, then it does. But if not, then great, Serena. You can't let them ever turn you into a doormat, or you'll probably never be able to stand up for yourself as much as you should, with people like them. Or even me, unfortunately, if not others," he said, as he began to eat his eggs and sausage.
They talked with each other as they had breakfast together, before 7 came and went. And they each got to know each other better. However, they both had to part, for they had other places to be on the current day. So they parted at 7:15 in the morning, and she managed to make it back to her home by 7:30, and back to her own room by 7:35. After spending the next five or so minutes checking to see that she had all her homework from the day before done and all collected, she put her books and papers and other essentials into her briefcase as then needed. With that done, she spent about five or so minutes making sure she was presentable, after having run home from where she'd been no more than 45 minutes before. Her appearance satisfied her. And she was downstairs by 7:50, much to the great surprise of her parents, who were eating breakfast, when she then rushed through the dining room and kitchen while grabbing her already-made lunch. She yelled hello as she ran into the kitchen, and goodbye going back through the dining room, on her way out the front door, snatching up a favorite jacket of hers from the closet near it.
She was at school exactly three minutes before the first bells would sound, and in her homeroom teacher's classroom two minutes after that, much to the shock of all her classmates, especially Molly and Melvin. However, the most shocked person of anyone in the room was their homeroom teacher Patricia Haruna. For Serena wasn't generally well-known for being on time to school or to homeroom, ever since she'd entered Crossroads Junior High the year before.
The rest of the day went very well for her, and she was able to avoid getting detention on the current day, seeing as she paid attention in all her classes as needed, for once. Not only that, for the most part, she was generally able to avoid most of the boys who were wanting to date her if possible in the future. And the ones that she couldn't avoid, she tried to ignore as best as possible, when and where she could. Either that, or she'd stick near a lot of other people, if she couldn't exactly ignore them at a particular time, so that they'd be much less likely to be successful in their attempts to get her alone with them.
Meanwhile, back in Hinata City, Shinobu was back at the apartments making supper for everyone there, for she and Keitaro would be going out for the night again later. It would be their last chance to do so until early December. For Keitaro would be kept quite busy with his studies and other tasks he'd be doing until then. While Shinobu would also have school and other matters on her mind.
As she was making food for everyone, Nyamo Namo, who was exactly six months older than her, with deeply tanned skin and purplish-blue hair, entered the kitchen. Her hair was currently in a narrow braid. While Shinobu currently had hers in a ponytail tied with a narrow medium blue ribbon tied in a bow at its top. Nyamo said, "Good afternoon, Shinobu. I hope your day at school went well."
"Yes, well enough. I passed a few tests today at it. And got some good grades on several assignments that I've recently turned in to my teachers. Keitaro is planning to take me to a really nice and classy restaurant tonight, as well. So that has pleased me greatly as well. We won't likely be back until 10:30, if not 11, so that's why I'm making supper, though it's only 5:15." Shinobu deftly cut some tomatoes up, with a big smile on her face, as she focused primarily on her tomato-cutting instead of looking at Nyamo, though she could cut tomatoes quite well and quite safely without looking. In fact, she could cut various food items without looking, or while she was blindfolded, at all. But seeing as this was likely the last time she'd be able to spend the night out with Keitaro for a while, she wanted to put extra-special care to the preparation of the meal she was working on for everyone.
"I see." Nyamo went to a nearby cabinet, and scanned through the available teas in it, before picking a nice lemon tea for herself.
As Nyamo moved to the nearby teapot, "Let's hope you don't run into any more trouble this time, like you have before once, then, Shinobu," said another tenant, one Mitsune Konno, as she moved to snag a hand of bananas out of a wire basket near one door of Shinobu's kitchen with one hand and putting a pen on one ear with the other.
Shinobu nodded, but didn't turn away from where she was slicing up some carrots and other similar vegetables, "We're both hoping that, Kitsune. And as long as you're getting some bananas for our Molmolian mad scientist, you might as well take her some curry, come to think of it. Second shelf, right side, refrigerator part, in a Tupperware container. You know where the silverware is too. I made it just a bit ago, exactly as she likes it."
"Gotcha, Eep-chan." A mischievous grin spread across the part-time writer's face, before she went to the refrigerator and pulled out the curry, to a nearby drawer to get the needed silverware, and to a cupboard to get a plate for Kaolla to eat the curry on later. After doing that, she quickly put all those things into a small basket meant for that purpose, and set that basket temporarily on another kitchen counter. A few bottles of water joined those items in the basket a few seconds later, while Kitsune also retrieved some chocolate milk for herself.
Two minutes later, Kitsune was out of the kitchen and heading up to Kaolla's room. Nyamo brought Shinobu some potatoes upon her request. And Shinobu peeled them all within another five minutes, before cutting them up and adding them to the beef stew she was also making. As Shinobu finished cutting up the potatoes and dropping them into the stew, Keitaro entered, with one hand on his tie.
"Our kissing will have to wait for a while, Keitaro. I'm working and I think I'll need another ten minutes here," said Shinobu, with a slight tinge of almost-imperceptible disappointment in her voice, as she continued cutting up various vegetables here.
"That's fine, Shinobu, I can wait. Anything good in the mail?" Keitaro loosened his tie, which featured some national flags on it this time.
"Haven't checked yet, for I came immediately after changing out of my school uniform. However, I did set it on the dining room table with a note to everyone else who might come by to leave it there untouched, as I often do, when I collect the mail. I'll leave you to it, and let you distribute it as needed."
Keitaro removed his tie, and put it in a pocket, before saying, "I don't like often having to dress up, but sometimes it's required. I'd rather wear casual clothes whenever possible."
Nyamo smiled at him, before saying, "Many of us might agree with you around, Keitaro. I know I sure would, and so would Shinobu, most definitely. Getting Motoko to dress up in anything other than her usual clothing choices of her normal training gear or her school uniform has often been quite difficult, if not impossible, in the past. But it has been done, the same."
"True, but she's been getting better at such things over the years. Will she likely ever wear casual clothes quite often? Not very likely, I'd have to say, to be honest, Nyamo-chan. But she does surprise us all sometimes when we least expect it of her at times," commented Keitaro, as he began preparing some oolong tea for himself as he normally liked it.
"Naru and Motoko will watch over the place tonight on the girls' side of things, while Masayuki and Kimiaki will do the same for the boys' side of things," said Shinobu, as she finished dropping things into the stew.
"And Haruka and Seta?" asked Keitaro, as he poured water into his teacup.
"Out to see a movie," said Mei. "They're going to a theater that only shows old black and whites." A closed chemistry book was in one hand, and a backpack slung over one shoulder, as she entered the kitchen. "Yoshio dropped me off on the way home from school."
"Yoshio?" asked Nyamo, with a quizzical look on her face.
"That cute boy with the Bentley Continental that has been specially modified for racing on various tracks between here and Tokyo, Nyamo. That Yoshio." Mei set her backpack on a chair, and her book on a counter, near her as she sat down in another chair at that same counter.
"But he didn't actually bring you back in it?" asked Keitaro, as he was leaving the kitchen for the dining room, about a minute or two later.
"No, it's in the shop being prepared for its last race of the season, in a few weeks. He brought me back in his usual driving car, a custom-painted Chevrolet Camaro, Keitaro." Nyamo gave Mei a slice of banana nut bread that Shinobu had baked within the last hour.
"What do his parents do for a living?" This was from Shinobu, who was beginning to wash up.
"His father commutes to a job in Tokyo that he has for Shields-Chiba Global Enterprises. He works in their financial services division, if memory serves me correctly. And his mother is a teacher at Naru's school."
"That business name sounds familiar, for some reason," said Keitaro, pausing at the door.
"It should," said Motoko, as she entered the kitchen from another doorway. "They often sponsor many of the martial arts tournaments that I and others participate in, Keitaro-san." A bokken was on her hip, and she was in her usual white gi and red hakama pants that she'd normally wear while at the Apartments. She moved to the refrigerator and pulled out an energy drink, before opening it, and calmly drinking it down. That done, she dropped the bottle into a receptacle for plastic bottles before taking a piece of banana nut bread for herself, as Shinobu was hanging up her apron for a while.
Seconds later, Keitaro left the kitchen behind, once he and Shinobu finally were able to kiss each other. After he was gone, and Shinobu was having some tea for herself, Mei asked, "Where did Keitaro say he was taking you tonight?"
"He said it was a secret, and that Granny Hina arranged reservations for us there, last month after our trip to the fashion show that we ran into trouble at then, and that it's a rather classy restaurant," answered Shinobu, in between sips of her cinnamon-flavored tea, and bites of a piece of her own bread on a plate in front of her while standing at a counter herself.
"Which dress are you going to wear?" asked Motoko, as she casually leaned against a nearby wall, for once, being in a much happier mood than was often the case for her. For she'd had a really good day at her own school for once without having certain rivals of hers causing major trouble for her during it, for yet-unknown reasons. Especially female ones, at that.
"Not sure yet. But I'll have to be ready to go before 6:15. And that's about 45 minutes away from now," said Shinobu, as she looked at a nearby wall clock and drained the rest of her current cup of tea.
"Wear your latest birthday dress, Shinobu," said Kaolla, entering with a basket of dirty dishes in her hands, on the way to the sinks. "Thank you for the curry, by the way. Very delicious, as always."
"Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Kaolla," said Shinobu, with a smile. "Motoko and Nyamo, I'm going to have to start getting ready. Remind the boys that they're not to come into the hot springs for the next half hour, and also, Kaolla, the food will not be totally ready until after Keitaro and I leave, unfortunately. It should be ready around 6:30, I think, if all goes according to plan. Nyamo and Motoko, I'll leave the kitchen to you. If Kaolla behaves well while we're out, I'll give her part of something special as a surprise. But I'm not saying what it is, yet. Otherwise, it will be for Keitaro and I to enjoy before bed."
Those things said, Shinobu left her kitchen behind to get ready for her night out with Keitaro, after getting confirmation that Nyamo and Motoko would make quite sure that Kaolla behaved, one way or another. Up she went to her and Keitaro's room, to collect some clothes to wear that night, before then heading to the open-air hot springs outside for about fifteen minutes or so. After her time in the hot springs, she changed into the clothes she'd picked to wear out that night, including the dress that Kaolla had suggested she wear while at the restaurant in question. A brief stop-off at their room allowed her to don some earrings that she'd seen in a little box on her desk in their room left by Keitaro minutes before, and also make quite sure she had suitable footwear and a purse that matched the recommended dress and just-left earrings for herself.
Once her Grecian sandals were on to complete her current look, she looked in her full-length mirror, and was satisfied with her appearance. While she was looking in her mirror, Keitaro came into their room to find a tie that would match with his suit that had Greek-patterned lapels for it. He said, "A beautiful vision true do I see before me. I wonder if this young man might be allowed to show his adoration for such a sight, or not."
"Me, a beautiful vision? Nay, must I say. 'Tis thou, my beloved, who art the true vision of beauty in this blessed refuge that we doth share, and I a mere mortal, whenst compared to thee," said Shinobu, with a smile on her face, as she turned to face him.
A short embrace later, she helped him pick out a suitable tie and put it on. Basking in each other's presences for a few seconds, once it was tied as needed around his neck, they nuzzled and embraced each other for a while until they heard someone calling out, "Hey, you two, it's almost 6:05. You might want to get going soon, you know, after all."
They broke apart a few seconds later after kissing each other a few times, and made sure they both had all the things they'd likely need with them for their night out. Then Shinobu called out, "Thanks for reminding us, Naru. We'll tell you all about our night out later."
Fifteen minutes later, they were already on the way to Tokyo on the 6:15 train from Hinata City, planning to be at the Olympian Club by seven.
Meanwhile, Darien went right back to his apartment once his school day at Keio was done. When he got back, Wanderer and Seeker were on a couch in the living room, watching television. A show related to the Mediterranean Sea was on, with Japanese primarily being spoken during it. And both of them were deep in conversation with each other when he entered his apartment, talking about things they were seeing in that show. Especially in terms of the ancient cultures from that part of the world, and most especially the Greeks, the Romans, and the Egyptians, with a few comments related to Israel and its people interspersed in the show every so often.
He sat and conversed with them a while, before going into his bedroom to pick out his clothes for his meeting with Hitomi and others at the Olympian Club at 7 in Juuban, not far from the Crown. He picked out his clothes for the night out, before heading to his bathroom to shower and change into them. Once he was done, Wanderer and Seeker joined him, and each transformed themselves into different items on his person. Seeker became a watch, and Wanderer a belt buckle, so they could accompany him to his meeting with few, if any, to be the wiser, when he'd get to the Olympian Club.
He left his apartment by 5:30, and went to the nearby parking garage to get his red Alfa Romeo SZ, so that he could drive it to the OC, as the restaurant was often called by many in the area. Several minutes later, he parked outside the OC in its parking lot, and met Hitomi there, after first dropping by a floral shop between his apartment and there. He had picked up some chrysanthemums and roses, seeing as her company was called the Chrysanthemum and Rose Corporation. The chrysanthemums ranged in color from white to purple, with most being lavender in color. While the roses were primarily a mix between yellow and lavender in their colors.
It was at this time that Serena, walking home from a nearby neighborhood park, so that she could have supper with her parents, saw him talking to Hitomi, for reasons not yet known to her. She had been out on a walk so that she could think over the events of her day away from her parents and brother better in complete privacy. His earlier civility from that morning was heavily on her mind as she headed home from the park, and it was when she spotted him talking to Hitomi outside the Olympian Club.
Wondering why he was talking to an older woman, she decided to try to find out why, as she was often quite curious about many things. So she went to the nearest corner on her side of the street, before waiting until it was safe for her to cross it to be on the OC's side of it. Minutes later, she was near them both, and asked, "What is going on, Shields?"
At that, Darien turned around, and saw Serena standing about five feet away from him. He looked her over in her pink sleeveless vest, short-sleeved white blouse, blue denim knee-length skirt, and tennis shoes, and said, a few moments later, "I am about to have a business-style meeting with this lady regarding a certain property I'm interested in potentially acquiring, Miss Moon."
She looked him over, and saw that he was wearing a real nice dark navy business suit, trousers, and black business-style shoes now. His business suit and trousers had dozens of very narrow pinstripes on it in green, light blue, tan, and brown from shoulders on down to the cuffs of his trousers. And his cuff links were in the shape of Earth-resembling globes. Not only that, his lapels had crossed roses present on the pins in them. Red and white roses, at that, in either lapel, with the red ones pointing towards his shoulders, and the whites pointing towards his neck. All in all, she was very surprised to see him looking so dressed-up like he was and thought he looked especially handsome for once in her life.
Hitomi saw her, from beyond where Darien was standing, and calmly said, "So this is the Serena Moon who my niece Usagi has often been telling me about, I take it. I've been wanting to meet you for so long, Miss Moon. She's already told me about you and your friendship with Motoki."
"Do I know you from somewhere? I don't think we've ever met, ma'am."
"We have, but you wouldn't likely remember me. It's been so long since we were last together, Miss Moon. Last time we met, you were not yet in school. You were a toddler when we last met, in fact," said Hitomi.
Serena thought for a few moments in silence, before saying, "That might explain why I don't remember ever meeting you. But you seem somewhat familiar, somehow. Although, for the life of me, I can't explain why, Wakahisa-san."
Hitomi said, "You will, in time, learn why that is so, I believe, Miss Moon. You and I will have many chances to talk in the future, I suspect." She thought for a moment, then asked, "How would you like to join us at this meeting of ours, by any chance at all?"
"Compared to how you are dressed, and to how many entering this place are dressed, I am not suitably dressed, it seems to me. And, besides, I have to get home to my family for supper, anyway."
"Come with us, Miss Moon, for when are you going to get such food as the Olympian Club may provide?"
"But my mother, and my father, …..," trailed off Serena.
"Don't worry about it, Miss Moon," said Hitomi. "Tell you what. If you call your mother and let me talk to her, I think it will be all right for you to join us tonight for our meal. And not only that, my company will pick up any costs for what you eat and drink tonight during it, if that's all right with you. You won't have to spend a single cent or yen for whatever you have tonight while with us, I promise, as sure as I am Hitomi Wakahisa."
"I don't know, Wakahisa-san, …..," she said, quite uncertain if she should accept Hitomi's offer here.
Darien said, "Serena, if you agree to join us, I will be completely civil with you as long as you are with us tonight, as I was this morning. Besides, I think Hitomi has been wanting to talk to you for a very long time, if I can somehow read her expression. I don't know why, but I get this very strong feeling that she has for quite some time, since before we ourselves first met."
"Fine, if my parents say I can stay, then I will. But if you break your promise tonight, I'm leaving as quickly as I can after that. Understand, Shields?"
"Call me Darien, if you are able to join us. I'll be calling you Serena, during it. Agreed. I'll be completely civil with you tonight, and you will need to be on your best possible behavior, or not even Hitomi will be able to somehow keep you from being kicked out of this place tonight, and perhaps for a very long time afterward, if not permanently. Do you understand that, Serena?"
She thought for a few moments, as she studied both Darien and Hitomi, before finally saying, "Understood, Darien. I don't know why I am doing this. But I will join you both for your meal, if my parents agree to let me do so. Even though I'm apparently not dressed as may be appropriate, I'll join you, if I can."
Minutes later, upon Hitomi's word, Serena was allowed in, despite not being dressed as was common for the OC's patrons and staff to be. Serena found a phone, and put a few yen in it, that Hitomi handed her, before she called her parents. They asked to speak to Hitomi, and the conversation lasted for about two or three minutes, while Serena and Darien stood near Hitomi while she was on the phone with Serena's parents.
Minutes later, Hitomi hung up the phone, and quietly turned to Serena and Darien, saying, "As long as Serena is back home by 10:30, they won't mind her being with us for a while."
"Good. However, with her present, Hitomi, we might not be able to talk about certain things in her presence, I think," said Darien.
"Maybe we can, maybe we can't, Darien. Let's see how things go tonight, okay?" she asked, as a hostess showed them to a hexagonal table large enough to hold six people, where three other people were sitting, waiting for Darien and Hitomi to join them for the planned meeting.
One of those already at the table said, in Japanese, "Wakahisa-san, we were not expecting another person to be present at our meeting." He was a slightly heavyset older man in a black suit and dark green tie, with a graying to white hair fringe around the back of his head.
"Nor was I, Okuchi-san, but this matter will eventually involve her at some point, even if it's not immediately apparent why. Please let her stay, and enjoy a meal that she might not otherwise be able to experience for some time, if at all, in the future," said Hitomi in the same language, which would be the main language that would be spoken, with few exceptions, during the meeting.
"Fine, but this is very irregular, the same," said Masunobu Okuchi.
"Masu, what harm could one young lady do in our meeting?" asked a middle-aged woman with brown hair starting to gray, in a reddish-brown business-style suit with a matching knee-length skirt over low-heel sandals. She spoke with a slight Mandarin Chinese accent, as she was often prone to do when she thought that Masunobu was potentially overexaggerating things during meetings like this one with various people they had to deal with as members of the local Chamber of Commerce.
"Plenty," said Masu, "But that's neither here nor there at the moment, in any case, Jipang-ling." He shot a look at Serena that said, in essence, "I don't know who you are, but if you don't behave, I'll have you thrown out, despite Wakahisa-san vouching for you so you could be at our meeting."
Serena, to her credit, kept a straight face, and didn't give him any indication that she might want to misbehave at all tonight whatsoever. Instead, she calmly introduced herself to the other adults at the table she, Darien, and Hitomi had all been brought to, being on her best behavior as she then did so.
Thinking for a moment, all of a sudden, after seeing a picture of what appeared to be Masunobu's daughter sticking out from a pocket of his suit unexpectedly, she reached into a pocket of her skirt, and said, "Okuchi-san, I noticed your daughter was holding some game cards in the picture that is peeking out of your suit pocket. I have some extra cards that I noticed she apparently didn't have from a certain set or two of them in the picture, and I was wondering if she might want to complete the set or sets of game cards she was playing with in that picture."
Masunobu looked where Serena was looking with one eye, and then back at Serena, as she took some cards out of that skirt pocket, before saying, "She's been asking me if I've been able to find the cards yet that she's been missing from certain game card sets. Unfortunately, I have not, Moon-san."
"I've been able to complete five sets of related cards, and have some extra cards I don't need. I would be glad to give them to you, no strings attached whatsoever, Okuchi-san," she said, as she held out fifteen cards with various looks for them from three different related game card sets.
He thought for a moment, then relented, and said, "Thank you, Moon-san. I do believe my daughter would be very happy to receive them. I will not tell her where I got them from, but thank you."
"My pleasure to help a fellow Tale-Spinner fan, Okuchi-san."
It was at this time that Eryn arrived to take the orders of the six people at the table. Several orders of Daktyla bread, Greek salad, Fasolada soup, Shashlik, and other dishes and several non-alcoholic drinks were ordered, before 6:30 came and went for them all. Eryn carefully noted each person's order, including Serena's, and then set off for the kitchen, to attend to their orders.
After Eryn was gone, the other woman at the table, one Katsumi Modegi, said, "I have a daughter about your age, too, Moon-san. She likes Tale-Spinner too."
"Unfortunately, I gave all my extra cards that I'd had on my person to Okuchi-san. But if I come across others, and I see you again when I have them with me, Modegi-san, I'll see what I can do for you and your daughter," said Serena, with a smile.
Their food and drinks began coming, courtesy of Eryn. Starting with the Greek salad and their tea or coffee, as the case might be for each of them. Darien took coffee as he liked it, and the other five took tea, with the women and Serena taking chamomile tea and Okuchi taking mint tea.
As they began having their Greek salad, Okuchi and his two current companions asked Hitomi what she had in mind for the property in question. She said, "I have in mind a place where young people can often hang out together, and where they can hopefully stay out of trouble and not have to be among those filling the jails and/or prisons. However, I do not have the financial resources to see that same place developed at this time, if I ever will again. Especially due to my own current medical conditions, at that. But this young man does have access to certain such resources, and he is a very intelligent man, from what I have so far learned about him. He also is one of two destined known heirs to the Shields-Chiba Global Enterprises multi-national conglomerate. And when he is of sufficient age, he and that other heir will co-run that conglomerate, based on the wishes of their now-deceased parents. It is my desire that he be allowed to be part of what I am planning for that area, if we are able to acquire that property before anyone else does. And not only that, but this young lady may perhaps also play a major part in my current and future plans for that area's redevelopment to the future benefit of not only Juuban and Minato-ku, but also Tokyo and Japan, for that matter."
Before Okuchi could speak again, their Daktyla and Fasolada came, and Eryn carefully set each order in front of them, one at a time, along with the necessary other items. After doing that, she then set off again, and she'd not return to their table until it was time for their next dishes to be brought to them all. Okuchi then said, "I see. And if something were to happen to you, who would assume ownership of the property in question, for all required purposes, then?"
"Ideally, this young man would do so, in the event of my demise. My husband and children would not take possession of it, for they'd have other things they'd likely be doing in their own lives. And they'd also probably not want to, either, if I know them in mine. However, this young man, and his future girlfriend or wife, might be ready, willing, and able to look after it as needed, if I died, Okuchi-san," said Hitomi, as she took a small bite of some of her Daktyla prior to having some of her Fasolada soup.
Serena looked at everyone else who was sitting at the table with her, and asked, "What do you mean here, Wakahisa-san?"
"Serena, I'm likely not going to live more than another five to ten years. But if I die, I want to leave something behind for you younger folk to enjoy for many years yet to come, if I possibly can. It will ideally lead to the eventual massive redevelopment of that entire part of Juuban, and then the rest of Minato-ku. And then, by logical extension, the rest of Tokyo, and perhaps Japan, if possible. I want a safer world for our children and their descendants, but first, I think that many will seek to wreak great havoc in many places, and especially in Japan. This will be where we will make our stand to do what we can to see such a world come to pass. And I can't tell you why I think this, yet. But I strongly suspect that you will play a major part in what's going to happen. And you will largely influence the future development of the area in question, if I'm not too mistaken. I don't entirely know myself why I think this, to be completely honest with you. But I can fully assure you that I do, the same, somehow," said Hitomi, as she worked on having her soup.
"And what of this young man?" asked Katsumi, in between bites of her bread.
"By then, he should be a doctor, or nearly so, and if he doesn't sign on with one of the local hospitals as a member of their staffs, he could perhaps open a clinic or something in the area to serve those who otherwise might not have regular access to suitable medical care. He is going into cardiology, the last I heard. From what I have learned about his academic performance at Keio to date, his grades are top-rate, and his professors and others think that he very well could be the best cardiology prospect in years to come out of Keio, or among the top five in the past ten years, if I remember correctly," said Hitomi, as Eryn passed by on her way to check another table in the OC. Specifically, one that Motoki and Reika were then at, as a matter of fact, a few tables away, behind the Peking-born Jipang-ling Chousenki.
For a while longer, the conversation continued. And Serena lightened the mood with anecdotes about times she'd spent in various locations all over the United States with her parents and brother before they'd moved to Japan. When their next course finally came, and by the time they were all done with their soup and bread, even Okuchi had begun to lighten up, and become more relaxed at the table, which was often not common for him around those he didn't know very well.
Darien, as promised, remained civil to Serena, and shared some of his future plans and dreams for his life. He said, "Someday, I'd like to see if I have any living relatives besides my parents, if I possibly can. I have this feeling, somehow, that I do, but I don't really know where to look at the moment. For I can't really remember anything, or not the first third or half of my childhood. I can remember the crash, a little bit, I think. But I can't remember anything from before it, it seems. And I do not yet know why, other than knowing I have had amnesia related to the crash ever since, for some yet-unknown reason."
"And what else, Shields-san?" asked Modegi.
"I would like to have a wife and one child by the time I'm 30, if I can. I don't know who I'll marry yet, but I've wanted a family around me for about as long as I can remember, to be honest, Modegi-san. Maybe it's because I don't currently have any known relatives, or for some other reason. I don't know why I do want a family in the future around me, but I know that I want to have one again around me."
The conversation continued for a good while longer, with all three of the adults besides Hitomi often asking questions of the other three at the table, as more dishes were brought to the table, including Baklavas for dessert. Everyone also had more tea or coffee as they desired.
Ultimately, by the time they were all satiated with what they had all consumed during the meal in question, Okuchi said, "You have made your cases very well for potentially acquiring the property we've been discussing, Wakahisa-san. We will have to discuss this further with certain governmental officials, no doubt. But I would support such a plan for that property. And I'm sure that these ladies with me would also do the same, quite heartily. Until we meet again, Wakahisa-tachi, I wish you a pleasant evening and hope that you remain in health for quite a while longer, if at all possible. Thank you again, Moon-san, for the cards you gave me earlier for my daughter. I am sorry if I was considerably rough on you earlier. But I often find it hard to trust many young women I do not yet know very well. I hope we can be friends, eventually, if at all possible."
"I would like that very much. Best of health to you, Okuchi-san, and I wish the same for your wife and the rest of your family. It was a pleasure to meet you, though I wasn't really dressed for a place like this, to be honest." She shook his hand warmly, as he walked over to her chair moments later.
"Until next time, then, perhaps, Moon-san. I must be off, before my wife begins to worry that I've been away from home too long." He gave her a very grateful smile for her excellent behavior during the meal, before he and his two main companions left the table behind, once they'd each left some money on the table for Eryn to collect later.
Once they were gone, all gone, Darien said, "I am very impressed with you, Serena. You didn't misbehave all throughout this entire meal. I do believe you will be quite welcome to return later, as a result. You were very kind and very respectful, and surely lightened the mood quite often with your well-told anecdotes. You must have had some real adventures before you came to Japan, it seems to me."
"We did, Darien, we did. Not just me, but my parents and brother and various others did too. I wish you could've had them with your family as you were growing up, but it wasn't meant to be, it seems, sorry to say. I wish I could've known you when you were younger, so that I could've been there for you while you were missing your parents and all, like you were," she said, with a frown beginning to show on her face, as she said those things.
"Please don't frown, Serena, it doesn't look good on you," said Darien. "You look better smiling, not frowning. My life is what it has been, and what it is, and what it will be like is not yet certain exactly. While I wish my parents had lived longer, the fact is that they didn't. And I've accepted that fact, as much as I don't like having had to accept it."
"Is that why you're often so serious at times, it seems, in the Arcade, for instance, unless you're arguing with me somewhere, Darien?" asked Serena, not really sure she wanted to know for sure. But she asked the question, nevertheless.
"Possibly, Serena, possibly. And I suspect that Mamoru is much the same in his own outlook on life after the loss of his own parents, come to think of it. That's probably why he argues with you and Usagi like I often do with both of you. Yes, we may both be creeps to a certain degree, at times, or seem like them, unfortunately, I admit. But there are a lot of major issues we both have to work through in our lives, he and I. And that's probably why we often don't treat you as we should, I think," said Darien, as he then looked right at Serena.
She considered those words of Darien's for a few seconds, as she looked around the restaurant, before saying, "I think that helps me better understand why you are both the ways that you are, Darien, but not necessarily a lot better. It will probably take me a very long time to get to understand you both much better than I already do, I think." She suddenly spotted Motoki and Reika at a nearby table, and Motoki was reaching for something in the pocket of his suit, when she spotted him at a table with Reika. She wondered aloud, "What is going on, Darien?"
"Looks like Usagi's Onii-chan is about to tell Reika-san something, Serena. Something important. He's got a little box in his hand, and he's getting out of his chair and walking over to her side."
"This brings back memories of another time and place, for sure," interjected Hitomi, after seeing what the youngsters were seeing. She smiled at them, as Motoki knelt down near Reika, where Darien and Serena and she could then see him do so.
At that table, Motoki Furuhata was kneeling in front of Reika Nishimura, who was looking at him very happily, and trying to control herself from bear-hugging him, for instance. He said, "My dearest Reika-chan, would you be quite willing, to do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife? I can't imagine my life without you in it any more. We aren't going to be able to marry right away, but as soon as we get out of college, I want to marry you so very much. Will you please marry me?"
"It's about time. I have loved you for a very long time, Toki-kun. I was wondering when you'd ask me, for I'm crazy about you, you sweetheart. Absolutely crazy about you, in fact. I would want no other man as my husband, and I would be greatly honored and pleasured if you would accept me as your wife. Not only that, but if you hadn't asked me to this place tonight, I would have proposed to you tomorrow, as a matter of fact, because you mean so much more to me than I can ever say," she said, as she got a good look at the rings he was offering her. One ring was to hopefully be the engagement ring, and the other her wedding ring, as she so desired either of them to be in either case.
"Tomorrow, you would have proposed to me?" asked he, as he offered her the box in question.
"Yes, I would have. It probably wouldn't have been in a place like this, mind you, because my family and I aren't quite as well-off as you and your family are, financially-speaking. But I would have, nevertheless, Toki-kun. For I adore you, my butterscotch pudding man," grinned Reika, as she took the less elaborate ring of the two and put it on her left ring finger, before putting the box in her purse for the time being.
Many nearby patrons and staff then said, "Kiss her already, young man," with much glee and much happiness showing on their faces. She kept smiling at him, and finally, Motoki gave in, and gave her a kiss that promised he'd love her forever, without any doubt at all, but was not at all over-the-top, given their personalities and preferences regarding certain public actions. Especially seeing as there were fifty other people at tables or in booths near them both in the OC, not to mention any number of restaurant staff. She kissed him back as he had kissed her, and then a big cheer resounded all throughout the restaurant.
Finally, they finished their meal, and left the Olympian Club behind quite happily, while holding hands. That drew big smiles on many faces, including Hitomi and Serena's, as they watched Motoki and Reika then leave the OC for wherever they might go next in their lives, no matter where it was or would be in them.
Meanwhile, Shinobu and Keitaro had already been at the Olympian Club for about fifteen minutes, and at their table for about ten, courtesy of a hostess who brought them to one of the tables that Eryn was responsible for in the restaurant. Eryn took their orders, as Shinobu noticed that Eryn was wearing Sunstriker on her hip.
Shinobu said, "It's nice to see you again, and I see you have the dagger we saw you with earlier. I hope it didn't cost you too much to acquire, ma'am."
"Eryn, remember? We met at GCFE, after we were rescued and saved by others," said Eryn, as she continued to take down their orders.
"Ah, I remember," mused Shinobu, mainly to herself. After she chose some dishes and bread and tea from the restaurant's menu for herself, Eryn put her writing utensil back in the pocket of her uniform, and set off for the kitchen to relay the Urashimas' orders to it.
Keitaro looked at Shinobu, and then said, "This is a very nice place that Granny Hina made reservations at for us after the debacle during the fashion show we went to last month, for sure."
"Yes, it most certainly is, Keitaro. I wouldn't mind having a really nice place someday for my own restaurant in the future, either. While I don't think I'd generally do cuisine of this particular blended nature, mind you, I think if it were planned out suitably well, and the necessary financing and hiring could be done, it might be that I'll have a restaurant of my own in the future, if not more than one," she nodded, as she looked all around the restaurant at the various decorations and the furnishings and the patrons then present in it at great length.
As they waited for their ordered items, they also witnessed Motoki's marriage proposal to Reika. They were among those who cheered, once Motoki and Reika had kissed each other.
Shinobu said, "That's so romantic of them both. But I think your proposal was much better than Furuhata-san's was, of course, and I always will, Keitaro."
Moments later, their tea came, along with some Daktyla bread, for starters. Before beginning to have her meal with Keitaro, Shinobu took a stenographer's notebook and a drawing pencil out of her handbag, and quickly sketched what she saw on their table. Once she did so on three sheets of paper, and made some related notes, she closed the notebook, before setting it next to her on their table for the time being.
That done, she then spread some grape jelly or butter on her bread, as she saw fit to, before taking a small bite of it. Seeing as she likely hadn't ever had such bread before, she took only a small bite of it at first, not yet knowing what it might taste like.
Ten minutes later, they received croquettes, tuna salad, and Giouvetsi dishes. Eryn brought all those dishes to them on two trays, before setting them on their table and taking away the empty platter that'd had the Daktyla bread on it sometime before.
"So how might you want to open your first restaurant of your very own, then, Shinobu?" asked Keitaro, as he took a bite of his tuna salad, once Shinobu had sketched their next dishes in her notebook, along with adding some notes about them for later reference.
"If I could do so within the next four or so years, that would be really neat, I think, though I'd likely be in college or at a culinary school then. I'm hoping to open one by the time I'm 22, at the very latest, or shortly thereafter," she answered, while sipping some of her mint tea.
"Do you know what you might want to call your eatery yet?"
"No, of course not, darling. But it's one of my fondest wishes to be able to do that sometime later in my life, for sure," she said, as she offered him a croquette dipped in some sort of blended cheese sauce, and as he offered her one with butter spread all over it in return. They accepted each other's offered croquettes, and put them each on their respective plates for a few moments apiece.
"It's too bad we may not be able to afford to go very often, if at all, in the future, Shinobu."
"Perhaps, but let's try to enjoy ourselves for a while longer yet, seeing as we won't likely have chance in the next couple of months to go out with each other like we're doing," said Shinobu, in between bites of her Giouvetsi dish. She then smiled at him, before taking another sip of her tea.
Their conversation continued to go on, and they thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. As several more dishes came their way in time, and more sketches were made and more notes were taken. Finally, for dessert, they both had some pastries called Loukoumades, which were basically fried donut balls.
Once they had enough of the pastries, they decided to walk around the restaurant, and look at all the paintings and statues and other artworks elsewhere in it, along with several of the assorted flowers. Leaving some money on their table for Eryn to collect later, and then paying for their ordered items, they went walking through the restaurant together. Staying no more than five feet away from each other at all times as they did so, they spent about 35 minutes or so examining many of the flowers and works of art all over the restaurant, with Shinobu making sketches of what they were both seeing in it, for future artistic reference.
They ultimately left the restaurant behind by 8:30, and were back at the Hinata Apartments by 10, after doing some shopping for a while all over the Tokyo area and then catching a late train back to Hinata City. An hour after getting back to the Apartments, they retired to their room, after first telling everyone who was up about certain events during their night out with each other. Those who weren't up before they retired for the night to their room would have to find out about their night sometime later, when and if at all possible. Before they finally retired, they stashed away all the food and drink items they brought back with them in the necessary places in the refrigerator or freezer, where and when appropriate.
They were each asleep in their room as soon as their heads hit their pillows. And they'd remain asleep until they were both woken up by Naru's knocking on their door at 6:30 the following morning. Their dreams were all peaceful ones as they laid next to each other in their bed.
Once Motoki and Reika were gone, Serena said, transitioning to English, "Guess that means that Usagi and I will have to find someone else to be interested in, Darien."
"Are you sad about that?" asked Darien, without any desire to rib her, for he knew how much she and Usagi both liked Motoki, even if it wasn't really anything more than a sibling-like liking of Motoki on the parts of both girls.
"A little, perhaps, but Reika is good for him. We were never likely to get his interest for either of us to be his girlfriend, Darien. And not because of the age factor, I think. He is too much like us to be suitable as a potential boyfriend or husband. We do not actually complement each other well, either for him with me, or him with Usagi, or either of us with Andrew Franklin from another location of the Crown, for that matter." She paused for a moment to think, before continuing to speak, "He is normally too mild-mannered for us to perhaps consider him suitable boyfriend or husband material in relation to us, among other things. Don't get me wrong, we both really like him a lot. But he doesn't necessarily fit well with us as such, and we don't fit with him or Andrew either, in like manner." She said this while setting down the teacup she'd been holding in her right hand for a few seconds and turning to face him.
"So that he's essentially off the market, what are you girls going to do, perhaps?" asked Hitomi, speaking in English, with a smile beginning to crinkle her lips, as she stretched her arms and raised a teacup to them for another sip of her tea.
"We'll have to look elsewhere, of course, Wakahisa-san. Besides, we are not, and never were in the same league, especially with Motoki, that Reika is. We never had a chance to win his heart. Too much history between them both for that ever to be possible. Just as we aren't in the same league with Rita Blake, Andrew's own sweetheart, either," Serena answered, in English. Serena then interlaced her fingers for a few seconds before wiggling them while interlaced.
"You can call me Hitomi, if you like, Miss Moon." Hitomi set her teacup down, and reached for a Baklava on a platter on their table.
"Are you sure? I don't want to disrespect you, after all."
"Certainly I'm sure, or I wouldn't have said so." Hitomi then took a bite of the Baklava she'd gotten for herself.
"Very well, I'll try to remember that, whenever possible. In like manner, where possible, you can call me Serena, then."
"I'm really looking forward to seeing you quite often in the future, Serena. And we most definitely will do so in it. Especially after you find a certain black cat somewhere around when you're running to school, I'm quite sure. Some very young boys will be picking on them, and you then will save that cat, by chasing them away from it, before continuing your current rushing to school. Strangely, for some yet-unknown reason, I can't tell you how I know this, to be completely honest with you. But, somehow, I do," said Hitomi, as she then seemed to be experiencing a vision or a dream or a memory, as she sat at the table she was sharing with Darien and Serena, and took another bite of her Baklava.
The three of them conversed for a while longer, before Serena glanced at a nearby clock, and saw it was almost 8 at night. She said, "I know I can stay out until 10:30, at the latest, with you two tonight. But tonight is a school night, after all, and I'd like to be home by 9, if I can be."
Hitomi looked at Darien for a few seconds, then at Serena, before she said, about a minute after looking at Serena, "Okay, Serena, we'll see if we can get you back home by 9. But first, let's go shopping, if that's all right with you. Don't worry about the potential costs of our shopping, for I'll cover them for you this time. I have some money stashed away, with my husband's consent, for certain purposes to use as I wish."
"And what of me, then?" asked Darien, as all three of them rose from their table, once Hitomi put some money on it for Eryn to collect later.
"Darien, we'll talk again later. You may go, and thank you for a most wonderful evening. I'm sure that Serena really appreciates that you were quite civil to her tonight."
"Yes, he was, for once, Hitomi, and it was quite nice. But we'll have to see how often he and I are civil to each other. He and I have been known to argue quite heatedly and quite often, for sure." They all began to walk towards the restaurant's main entrance.
"So several of my associates have previously told me, whoever they are. But I'm not too concerned about such things for you both."
"Are we done, then, Wakahisa-san?" asked Darien, as they walked past Shinobu and Keitaro's table, with Hitomi in between both youngsters.
"As far as you are concerned tonight, I believe so. Sleep well, I hope, then, Darien."
"Do you need an escort to wherever you're going, then?"
"No, we'll be fine. Besides, Serena and I need to start getting to know each other better, after all."
Darien studied them both for a few seconds, before seeing a look from Serena that seemed to say, "We'll be fine. I'll trust her to keep me safe, and get me home safely too." He thought for a few more brief moments, and then nodded at both ladies.
Moments later, he left them behind, and didn't see them the rest of the night, going straight home from the restaurant, once he got in his car and drove away. The women watched him leave, before Hitomi had Serena follow her elsewhere. The two women shopped for dresses at Flavia's, a store near Hitomi's design studio.
The proprietress of Flavia's was the mother of one of Darien's future teammates, and one of her sons would be that teammate of Darien's. She came up to them, and introduced herself as Flavia Ricala, before saying, "It's a pleasure to finally meet back up with you, Hitomi. We've not seen each other in person for decades."
"Agreed," said Hitomi, with a smile on her face. "It HAS been far too long, Flavia. I hope you don't mind if we browse in your store for a while?"
"Sure, go ahead, if you like. We have much to offer, and for you both, the prices are not a problem. However, the men's outfits you ordered, unfortunately, haven't arrived."
"Understood," said Hitomi. "I'll be with you once my friend starts to browse, if you're okay with that."
"Sure thing, Wakahisa-san." Flavia brushed her brown hair back away from her brown eyes, before smoothing out one shoulder of her copper-colored ankle-length dress.
Once Serena had moved away from them both, and once they were sure that neither she nor they would be disturbed by anyone else, Hitomi and Flavia got to talking with each other for a while, as they kept a careful watch over her as she browsed. Flavia asked, "How will you likely need my son to join Darien's eventual team of fighters, perhaps, Hitomi?"
"Hopefully not within the next two months, in any case. But he may ultimately need to be awakened by the middle of December, whether he's ready or not to fight as needed by then. He'll probably have to awaken at the same time my daughter does as Sailor Moon, I think."
"And once she does, you won't likely be able to fight as you are currently able to do, right?"
"Yes, I think before too much more time passes, I will have to have to primarily be a mentor for the team, perhaps, once Darien has a large team for himself later on. I've been able to help Darien out a few times in battle since he awakened. But the fighting is getting increasingly harder for me to do as time goes on. Probably due to how things went after I used the Crystal to change things years ago for many, I figure. My mother is not likely to last much longer, based on what Serena told me as we were coming from the Olympian Club tonight."
"What do you think will happen to Usagi?"
"She's my daughter as well, but neither she nor Serena may know that yet. In this time, I am Usagi's aunt, as far as anyone knows. I haven't located Destiny, Bethany, or any of my five other children yet, other than my sons Samuel and Shingo."
"Didn't you have only eight children before the Fall?"
"I did, but seems I have more than eight, due to certain Crystal-related happenings. I don't know exactly what happened with my Crystal after I lay down on that fallen pillar and fell asleep for an unknown length of time. But I do have memories, it seems, from another time, somehow, Flavia. And I remember seeing you often in that time period, whenever it was, a long time ago," said Hitomi, as Flavia showed her a silvery white shoulderless floor-length dress with a front bow and a crescent moon on it.
Flavia asked, "Remember this dress?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. But she can't see me in it until it is time for her to, closer to when she and the others will have to face Beryl."
"I never liked that woman, to be honest. Too bad you couldn't have destroyed her after she and her forces attacked our Kingdom like they did."
"You know why they couldn't have, I'm sure, Flavia. However, I don't want you to tell my daughter about these things at all, if you can possibly avoid it somehow. And I don't know what your children or husband remember of that time. But you all must be quite sure that you don't tell her about these things anytime. She must regain her memories without any needless help from you or them," said Hitomi. "She must be able to have a normal life for as long as possible before she awakens fully as Sailor Moon, even if it's only for about another two months or so, at most. If not also as Princess Serena."
The two women talked quietly for a while out of Serena's earshot, while also keeping an eye on her as they each then could. They saw her gravitating towards a certain empire-style dress with circles and pearls on it. Six gold and white circles on the bodice, and pearls at the waist, along with puffed and ribbed shoulders, but no sleeves to it.
"I see she's found her Princess dress," noted Flavia, pointing at Serena, for Hitomi had suddenly crinkled her nose, as if she was trying to remember that dress from somewhere or sometime. It eventually came to her, and then Hitomi nodded.
"She'll need that by the time she's revealed as such, Flavia. Can I trust you not to give it to her before the proper time?" asked Hitomi, with a concerned look on her face.
"She won't see it again after she leaves until I bring it to her when needed, I promise."
A little while later, after a conversation between the two older women, they rejoined Serena elsewhere in the store. Serena said, "With my allowance, even with a major shop discount, I couldn't afford this lovely dress or the pearl bracelet or the shoes that go with it for a year or two, sorry to say, ladies."
"Think nothing of the cost, as I said. It's not a problem. Please keep your money, Serena. Hitomi is going to buy this dress for you, along with all the other necessary things to go with it. However, I'll need to do some work on it, so that I'm sure that it will fit you properly once you receive it as needed. Come with me to a fitting room, please, so I can measure you for the necessary alterations that I'll have to make to that dress before you can wear it."
"Can I trust her, Hitomi?"
"She is one of my close friends, Serena, so I would have to say you can. If it makes you feel better, I'll stay with you until she's done taking the needed measurements for you, okay?"
"That's acceptable to me."
"And to me, Serena," said Flavia.
Ten or so minutes later, after much measuring and snippets of periodic conversation between the three ladies, Flavia then said, "We're done for, in terms of taking the needed measurements related to this dress and its accessories, Serena. I'll hold this dress and related other items for you until I'm done working on them all, and then I'll get them to you when needed, as needed."
"Fair enough," Serena said. "I did see a few other items that I might like. But they're all well out of my price range at the present time. Even if I used some of my savings to pay for them in part."
"Oh?" asked Hitomi.
Serena showed them a few other items, mainly dresses and/or jewelry, that she was quite interested in, but which she couldn't currently afford. And she also talked about some of her current fashion preferences, as Hitomi and Flavia both began to take mental notes about what she was then talking about, before she suddenly glanced at a nearby wall clock and saw that it was almost 8:45 at night.
Hitomi noticed where Serena was then glancing, and said, "We've got some time before you have to go home tonight, Serena."
"That may be so, but I'd like to be home, Hitomi. I don't want my parents to worry about where I am."
"Very well, Serena, if you feel you need to go home that badly, I'll take you. Fortunately, it's in walking distance. Flavia, we'll have to get together again sometime. Meet me at the usual library by noon on Friday, okay? Tell Pita to have someone bring you there, please."
"As you wish, Hitomi. Hopefully we can have a long talk with each other to catch up on each other's lives."
"I'm looking forward to it. However, it seems I'm going to have to take this bunny home to her warren, though her parents might not be expecting her home so early."
Flavia nodded, and then said, "Please come again, Serena, whenever you see us open, and whenever you can. I'd really love to spend more time with you again later, when possible."
"I think I'd like that too, Mrs. Ricala."
"Flavia, please, when possible."
"Okay, Flavia, I'll call you that when possible."
Minutes later, at most, both Serena and Hitomi were gone from Flavia's dress shop. Flavia watched them go, and said to herself, "Treasure your normal life as long as you can, Serena. Your life is going to be much more complicated for you and many others. And until your last enemy is defeated, you're going to have to fight for several years. I don't envy what's coming for you, and I wish you won't have to go through great troubles in the future, but you will, for sure. Treat my son Mitib well, and he'll help you all he can for as long as he can and as best as he can."
Serena was back at her home by 8:55, with Hitomi next to her, as they arrived. Hitomi followed Serena into the house, and spent some time with her family before leaving for her own, recounting several of the night's events to her parents and brother while doing so. Serena's parents told Hitomi that she was welcome to come by at any time in the future, as long as she called first. With that said, Hitomi smiled, and accepted their kind offer of hospitality in regards to such matters. And she thought to herself, "My daughter is in good hands with these current parents of hers, for sure. They're not entirely like my husband and I were. But they both remind me of my beloved and I to a quite substantial degree. I'm glad they're my daughter's parents in this time, most definitely. Same thing with one of my sons, for that matter."
Serena went to her room, and she was not seen again for the rest of the night. Either by her parents or by her brother. For she retired to her bed within an hour and a half after getting home. She wouldn't rise again until nearly 7:45 in the morning.
After Darien arrived back at his apartment, and it was safe for them to do so, Wanderer and Seeker came off his current outfit, and resumed their normal appearances in his apartment. The three of them conversed for a good while longer, before Darien then said, "Hitomi seems to think that I'll be getting several new human allies. But why she seems to think that Meatball Head might be among them, I can't really understand yet."
"Well, she could be, or not. But only time will tell for sure, Darien," said Wanderer, as he examined his feathers for a little while as he also perched on the back of a chair.
Seeker curled up on the couch next to where Darien was sitting on it, before saying, "The Negaverse seems to be about to move to the next phase of their plans to try and wreak as much havoc as they possibly on Earth, if they can't actually conquer it for themselves. I don't know how they will, if they do. But I suspect they'll be changing tactics in the near future, if we keep causing them and Jadeite trouble in future battles. And also main mission commanders, at that, come to think of it. We didn't see any Negaverse youma whatsoever in disguise at the restaurant tonight, or around it. But we both have spotted a quite considerable number of them in various places all over Tokyo, ever since the fight we had at GCFE a while ago. And we don't know if they spotted us at all, of course, while we were on our patrols."
They discussed the events of the night and assorted other subjects that then came to any of their minds until almost 11 at night, when Darien decided to head to bed. Before he climbed into his bed, he first unlocked his balcony's doors, once his television was on, and let them out onto it. After they were out on it, they told him to lock his balcony doors, and he then did so.
Five minutes after he did so, he was then in his bed, and reading from the astronomy-related book that he'd earlier been given on the day of his meeting with Hitomi at the library. He read for about fifteen minutes, and then turned off the nearby light, once the book was set down near him on the nearer bedside table. Five minutes after turning off that light, he was already quite deeply slumbering, and unintentionally dreaming more of the still-unidentified woman or girl from his increasingly frequent dreams of yet-unknown times and places else-when and elsewhere in the Universe's history.
End of Chapter Six