Usagi did a little more than moping. She was dismayed that there was nothing to read about this place, which Garen called Chi-Town, but he answered every question she had, when it was convenient. His manners were terrible, demeanor totally brusque, but he treated her with kindness, gentility and respect. Umino could learn something from this roguish man.

Even so, maybe it was just easier to learn to do everything left handed. Garen understood very little about prosthetics, but it wasn't the first time Usagi had encountered them. A youth outreach trip from school had once travelled to a local medical treatment facility that specialized in such things. Umino had been fascinated and very knowledgeable, as usual; Haruna and Mami encouraging and brave, even though Haruna later admitted that she could never imagine living with a prosthetic. Mami showed a lot of bravado, as ever. Usagi had also agreed that the children were brave, and thought that if she had to live with a prosthetic, she would.

Upon reflection, she wondered why there were never any prosthesis users in her school. Maybe she just hadn't noticed. Like the time she didn't see how many other girls wore earrings until she got her ears pierced. Funny how that worked. Ami had suggested that the brain could only process so much information at once, and so it kept...hurrysticks...no, haru-issics...no. That wasn't it, but she knew what it meant: Shortcuts like shorthand writing in court. Usagi marveled at how much she remembered, and how much she missed her sweet, gentle friend.

"You know, Usagi," Carl had said just a week ago, "I'll honour your request, but the very moment you decide you want t'see yer friends, y've only to ask. Do y'know they're lookin' for you?"

"Yes," Usagi had said softly.

"Ah, yes, of course you do," Carl had said with a kindly tone. "I can see you're all very close. So I'll ask you now, will you accept our help?"

"Yes, but...you haven't told me if we can get back home," Usagi had said.

"Ami and Rei are working on that," Carl then supplied. "I can keep you updated if y'like. Wouldn't be any trouble for me at all."

"Carl...I have to thank you for everything you're doing," Usagi had said and she recalled the empty pit in her heart, just as hollow then as now.

She had told him she needed time, and facing the reality of having to choose a prosthetic for real sunk her world into a black pool from which she could not see her stars. It wasn't the same as becoming Sailor Moon. That felt right and always had. Just like learning she was the Moon Princess: A dream become reality, like falling all over again in love with Mamoru. She has always loved him, and always would.

"Heya bunny," Garen said brightly, walking unannounced into the cubby hole set aside for her use. He stopped and could see she had been crying again. He sighed and sat beside her on the bed.

"I want to be left alone now," Usagi said, morose, ignoring his attempt at familiarity.

"Shore, me too, but yer my job," he said plainly. No anger, no guilting. That made it worse, naturally.

"I'm sorry, Garen-sa…hm, Garen. I'm no use with one arm," Usagi said and drew the blanket cover up with her knees to her chin and buried her face in it.

"Yeah, ain't yer fault, but ah didn't come suckle the misery teat," he said and then his tone brightened when he continued, "I got some good news for ya."

She peeked over her knees at him and said, "what is it."

"Doc Conroy's got a non-insivai…uh, non-insavi…non-sasival—gots damn!" He said, then laughed. "Not gettin' that one! Ah mean he's got a limb you can wear that don't need no surgery. S'all surface contacts."

"Surface contacts?"

He couldn't explain intelligently, and Usagi remembered that the Tato Innoe Medical Enrichment Center used surface contact electrodes, like an cardiograph, to read nerve impulses of muscles and stuff. Ami had explained for her in a way she understood, mostly. The nightmare she had the night after the visit to the Enrichment Center reinforced her recall. In it, she needed Shino's sarcastic assistance to put on all four limbs every morning like some kind of suit...it was just...no thanks.

That afternoon, Usagi consented to meet with Conroy, and being overjoyed, he waited for her to dress in her cloak and heavy, leather boots for their trip. She wasn't surprised that they were walking; everywhere you wanted to go in Tokyo was accessible by foot or train, and anyway, she had a question for him. At least, she would when she felt safe enough to ask. The outskirts of Chi-Town were busy with low-slung wooden homes, narrow and dusty unpaved streets, dejected people in scraps of cloth and tattered or patched clothing. Garen paused several times to give something or other to the children who begged for attention.

"They're refugees," Usagi eventually said and Garen nodded.

"Yup. The Coals say they're tryin' ta make room in that there fortress for all them peoples out here," Garen said, took her hand and placed that something in it. A girl in rags nearby looked up at her with pleading eyes. Garen nodded, "G'wan."

Usagi didn't need prompting. Reflexively she walked forward and knelt down then looked into the wide, gold and green eyes of the brown haired girl.

"What's your name?" Usagi asked.

"Uniya," said the little one, and Usagi smiled warmly at her.

"I'm Usagi," she said, "Uniya is a beautiful name. You should take care of it."

"I should?"

Usagi gently placed the three, paper wrapped objects into the Uniya's dirt-marked palm and said, "Yes. Like you, it's a precious gift."

"Okay, Hm...but is your arm missing?" Uniya asked.

"Yes," Usagi said.

"Hm~hm. I lost something too, ya~hum~hmm," Uniya said melodically and pirouetted delicately on the spot. When she looked into Usagi's eyes again she added, "You should go to Conny. He helps people. He helped me. Hmm~mm."

Usagi glanced down and for the first time noticed the metallic sheen of a shoeless left leg covered in dust. Garen said, "Yeah, we know it, Uniya. Why don't ya go get yer food packet for the day. Don't wanna miss it, do ya."

"No~no...never gonna miss a me~al," Uniya sang, turning restlessly.

"That'a a girl," Garen said and smiled. "Don't forget they close soon. Say 'hi' to Blassert for me."

"Yep, yep. I will, I will. Thank~you~," Uniya singsonged. She bowed at Usagi and then ran off, short hair trailing behind with a cloud of pale dust in her wake.

Once again on her feet, Usagi asked, "What did I give her?"

"Jes some sweets. Little fermented soy drops in powdered sugar," he said. "C'mon, we're goin' in to that fortress."

Would that even taste good? Maybe. Probably better than military rations or whatever they were doling out. They walked for a while and Usagi noticed that the density of people increased dramatically as they neared the walls of the walled city. There were fewer houses and more cots made out of flat panel wood and plates of metal marked with strange blast patterns in black. Garen said, "It's good, y'know, the CS tryin' to keep people alive, an' I gots ta say they keep everybody fed. Some kinda miracle, that. Least, the people they call candidates."

"No, I feel that's wrong," Usagi said.

"Heh, now...you're right, only don't say so out loud," Garen warned. "That there's the gate in. That Conny she said is Doc Conroy, he got ya a visa so you can get fixed up."

"You told me less and later than Uniya did," Usagi said flatly.

"Sorry," Garen said and shrugged. "Guess ah gots a lot on my mind."

She could forgive that, because she did too. So many questions, and like them the gate was blocked by pristine white doors twice as tall as them and many times as wide. Like a factory entrance, but with armed guards in black and white body armor. Like stormsenshi from that movie...Star Heroes, or something. Garen's body was rigid and it seemed to her that he was trying to make himself as tall as possible, glaring hard up at the faceless, skeleton jawed helmet. The man pointed at Usagi and waved her over. She hesitated and Garen just nodded.

"Um...yes?" Usagi managed. She couldn't tell what the guard's eyes were doing, and she did her best not to tremble.

"You're Usagi...Tuskino?"

"'Sue-key-no'," Usagi corrected, oddly comforted by the common mispronunciation of her name. Just like that one transfer student. He was pretty cute for a westerner. Mark? John? Something like that. Maybe it was James—

"Right. You've got a visa to enter Chi-Town for a life saving medical procedure," said the guard in a low, electronically augmented rumble of a voice. "Is that right?"

Usagi blinked, then glanced at Garen who nodded again.

"Ah, yes," she said.

"Right. You be smart while you're in town. It's a privilege to be seen by Doctor Feld Conroy. You'll do that?"

"Of course," Usagi said, remembering the times Rei's grandfather actually showed respect for his station at the temple. Was the guard going to ask her to remove her shoes?

"Very good. Make a good candidate with an attitude like that, one day. Welcome to Chi-Town," said the guard and saluted with his right hand flat over his heart. "For the future of humanity!"

Garen repeated this phrase, also poised in salute and Usagi mimicked with her left arm. The words were devoid of feeling to her, though she could see the battle scars of their fight everywhere she looked. Maybe she would get to be a hero again, some day. The guard walked into a small station, did some things out of sight and the gate parted slightly, just enough for them to squeeze through. Behind them it clicked and locked like a large hammer on a metal koto drum.

"Gots damn, ain't got my head on," Garen said as they walked away from the access barrier. "Y'were right: I should've told ya earlier. But Conroy's nothing t' fear, except he...don't talk much. Better give ya the run down—"

"We should not talk here," Usagi said, interrupting him.

"Ful-ack," he said, frustrated. "Got that right. Garen stop bein' a damn fool."

Chi-Town was civilized, organized and well maintained. It all reminded her of a futuristic version of Tokyo, particularly the densely packed strip of Akiba. Walkways were narrow, people were packed tightly, and Garen projected a fearsome presence at anyone who noticed how vulnerable seemed to be. He was not to be underestimated, and she was reminded of Rei's grandpa. In a good way.

The air was bright with the sun and bore the fresh scents of frying meat and vegetables. Usagi's stomach gurgled and Garen stopped in his tracks with an expression as worried as she had seen him intimidating. He thumbed the direction of several food stands and looked expectant, jaw sawing lightly. It wasn't the first time she had skipped a meal, and he was hyper-conscious of her weight.

"Over here," he said and pulled Usagi over to a sight she immediately knew.

"Pot stickers!" she chimed.

"S'wha?" said the vendor, finely dressed in gleaming purple cloth that was striped with black and yellow beadwork. "Whatever you like, miss."

"Here, Clannin, get her whatever she likes," Garen said.

"You're borrowing my words, friend. Care to return them?" Clannin responded as he waited for Usagi to make a selection.

"Nah, ah'll just pay ya instead."

"I accept your conditions," Clannin said and nodded at the satisfactory reply. Before long Garen and Usagi both held several piping hot skewers of roasted seafood smeared with sweet and sour sauce.

"Octopus balls!" Usagi said happily and promptly emptied the first skewer to her mouth. She laid a hand on her cheek and after swallowing said, "They're so good!"

"Probably not octopus," Garen muttered, then made sure he had her attention when he said, "Makes ya happy it's no never mind t'me. Hey now, careful wit' that. Gonna poke yer eye out, and that's not what we're here for."

Usagi wasn't even irritated that eating with one hand and showing gratitude was more awkward. She accepted Garen's help, and soon felt quite full. Usagi hadn't noticed that they had still been moving, so elated by the first enjoyable meal she had since her arrival to this horrific version of Earth. The meal and her meeting with Uniya reinforced her determination, watching Garen press a button beside a very large black and yellow painted door.

"Garen," Usagi said to the man pacing in place in agitation. More loudly, she repeated, "Garen."

"Huh? Ya, what's it, bunny?" he said curtly. "Whatchu want?"

"I'm going to have the surgery."