„I really wish there was a subject in school with the euphonious title ‚e-sports.'"

Naru said wistfully to Usagi as they made their way to the arcade together. The red-haired schoolgirl spun around in amusement and finally walked on backwards in front of Usagi, giving her a sly smile. Mischievously, Naru wagged her index finger and now struck a teasing tone toward Usagi

"Then you would definitely get the best grades and never fail anywhere again. Even homework you would do regularly and with the greatest pleasure."

"Naru, you're really mean!" Usagi twisted her mouth into a snort at her friend's insulting comment "I'm already trying to pay more attention in class and write better grades. I'm sure I'll crack the 90 percent on the next English test, you bet I will." She clapped her hand to her chest as she swore, choking and then immediately began to cough terribly.

"I'll hold you to your words." Now grinning rather blatantly at her, Naru turned back around and continued walking beside Usagi.

Even if Naru wasn't a superhero, the amount of energy the Dark Kingdom had sucked out of her so far would have been enough to probably power half of Tokyo until the end of the school year, but still, she did well in school and never forgot her homework. Simply enviable. With the nerdy Umino, she also had a really loyal boyfriend at her side, with whom she could study very well.

How Usagi would like to be a normal girl like Naru again. But without all the energy siphoning and without Umino as a boyfriend. But already with a friend. Preferably with...

"Did you actually hear anything from Mamoru after you left his apartment yesterday? How did you two stay together anyway? Are you guys friends all of a sudden now or what?"

Naru's curiosity got Usagi thinking again, though. Nothing had actually been clarified so far. So... nothing at all. A discussion looked completely different. Were they friends? All of a sudden they shared a secret. A big one. Could she be "just" a friend to him after all that? Motoki, for example, was a friend of Mamoru's, a pretty good one at that. But surely he didn't talk to him about everything he had talked to her about in the elevator and afterwards. No, he certainly didn't. And then his looks. Is that how friends look at each other? He had almost undressed her when he was leaning so sexily in the doorway. She hadn't imagined that after all!

"No, we haven't spoken since then. Oh, I don't know either. It was only because he was hurt and anyway... he's with Rei."

"With Rei? Says who?"

Naru looked at her now, honestly puzzled, and quickly followed up

"You had claimed that before, when we were with Umino in Yumeni Yumeno's exhibition... And then after that, you spent the whole rest of the day with Mamoru. In fact, there are several quite fantastic "oil on canvas" proofs that you obviously had a lot of fun together that afternoon. After all, the Yumemi exhibition was THE hit and one of your portraits even made it as the cover image of the new Sotheby's catalog. EVERYONE has been raving about this enchanting pair of lovers ever since, and they've already been all over Yumemi because EVERYONE wants to know who her muses were for this stunning series of paintings."

Both girls had come to a halt in the meantime, and Naru now placed her index finger on Usagi's chest with some urgency.

"You're not seriously telling me that Mamoru Chiba didn't have his eye on you? It's more than obvious, isn't it? Just ONE picture is worth a thousand words. And yes, even if I sometimes tease you with the fact that you "actually" don't like him at all... Geez Usagi, I have eyes in my head! He likes you like Umino likes me! If he is together with your friend Rei, then I don't want to be called Naru Osaka from now on!"

With these words, Naru left a completely stunned Usagi standing in front of the arcade and made her way into the Crown, giggling slightly.

Thoughtfully, she looked after her best friend. Was Naru possibly right? It was true, everyone at her school thought Yumemi's latest picture spread was fabulous and Mamoru and her had been the talk of the town ever since. Everyone talked about the two of them as THE perfect dream couple for quite some time, although no one knew who they both were in reality either. How strange. Even then, they both shared a secret. Somehow.

Rei had never commented on the pictures either, though Makoto had probably let it slip once before her WHO Yumemi had modeled for, only Usagi hadn't been at the Hikawa temple that day due to detention and hadn't found out until two days later. But Rei had never said anything to her about it. Also, the black-haired miko had hardly said anything about Mamoru lately. Or rather; she hadn't mentioned that she had met with him anymore, rather that she was planning to do so all the time. Instead, Usagi heard something new from her about Yuichiro almost every day. Mostly just bad things like that he was constantly getting on her nerves with his weird ways, but that was exactly how Rei was to her. Still; no matter how she turned it around. Rei was of the opinion that Mamoru was her boyfriend... and since yesterday, this fact had suddenly become quite difficult for her to accept.

She really needed to talk to Mamoru about this. This topic almost choked her throat. As if she didn't have a whole other bags of worries. Now it would be time to face the other warriors. Thank God Sailor Venus was also today at the meeting. She could perhaps act as a buffer between her and Rei. Usagi hoped at least.

The automatic doors of the Game Crown Center slid open and Usagi finally entered the arcade. Motoki stood behind the counter and waved cheerfully at her. Naru had already made herself comfortable on a bar stool in front of him at the counter

"Hey Usagi-chan. It's so good to see you."

"Motoki-kun hello!" the middle school girl greeted him back happily, waving exuberantly

"Listen Motoki" Naru leaned over the counter, placing her hand conspiratorially next to her face. As she lowered her voice, she asked the handsome bartender with curiosity "I heard that the new version of the Sailor V game came out today. So Usagi and I were wondering if you guys at the Crown have updated the slot machines yet?"

"Well, what do you think!" Motoki smiled conspiratorially back at her and pointed to a machine directly behind her "if I may give you a hint... you'd best check out the Sailor V game on that very machine over there... And please let me know what you'd like to drink too!"

He had to shout the last part of the sentence loudly after her, as Naru had already jumped up from her barstool and skipped over to the game section. Beaming with joy, she tossed a coin into the machine and started the new version of her beloved game. With the greatest enthusiasm, she deftly swirled her fingers over the gamepad and was immediately - like so many other patrons - completely absorbed in what was happening on the screen in front of her.

Usagi stopped at the counter, somewhat indecisive, and let her gaze rest thoughtfully on Motoki.

'He's Mamoru's best friend, almost like a brother to him. Does he know about him? Mamoru seems to be very reserved when it comes to his personal affairs. But there must be someone he shares this big secret with... besides me, right?'

Motoki watched Usagi in slight confusion as he noticed her unusually serious look at him. "Hey Usagi-chan, don't you want to try this game too?"

"Ahhhh well, I'd like a drink first if you don't mind." She swung onto a bar stool in front of Motoki and gave him her typical Usagi smile "A big lemonade would be really great, I'm soooo thirsty."

"Sure thing, for my favorite customer always!"

Motoki smiled at her with satisfaction and turned to prepare the order. The doors opened again, and before Usagi had a chance to hide, an angry female voice was already yelling at her from the doorway

"Tsukino Usagi, where were you yesterday?!!!!!"

"Rei, I already told you that Usagi was kind of" - Ami tried to calm the clearly upset miko down a bit as she and two other girls walked together through the open doors into the arcade.

"I know, I KNOW what she was busy with - you've told me at least three times, Ami ... but still" - Rei was quite pissed, wildly crossing the entrance area and taking a seat right next to a highly intimidated Usagi, who, already fearing the worst, had taken the precaution of ducking her head and covering her blonde topknot with her schoolbag.

"Oh Rei-Chan, hello." His cheerful greeting didn't miss the mark, as Rei's previously angry expression quickly became a bit more relaxed at the sight of the blonde, completely innocent Motoki. A little bit, Usagi now had hope that Rei wouldn't strangle her right here on the spot.

"Ohh Motoki-kun, how nice to see you." Was Rei flirting right now? "Can I have a strawberry sundae please? Usagi" Her eyes darkened again in a flash as she averted her gaze from Motoki "A word?" She pointed menacingly at a seating area in the corner next to the video game section.

"Okay?" replied Usagi stretched, at the same time more than worried that Rei would quietly grill her in a dark corner of the Crown right after her arrival. She had absolutely no idea how to get a grip on the feisty Sailor warrior. Especially with all those feelings of guilt inside her regarding Mamoru.

As Usagi took a closer look at her supposed place of torture, she spotted a new girl who somehow looked familiar. Very familiar, even. Was she...?

The blonde with the red bow in her long hair spoke directly to Usagi as the four girls approached her together and held out her hand, beaming with joy. Strange. She had already seen this gesture the night before last. "I am Minako Aino and ... well ... you know," she continued in a softer voice, "I am Sailor Venus."

Usagi's fear of Rei immediately disappeared, making way for the immense joy she felt at the sight of the blonde teenager. FINALLY!!! Meeting the protagonist of all her virtually lost video game battles in person was absolutely insane! So in civilian clothes of course. "Oh wow, this is sooo awesome, I can't believe it! You are the last Sailor Warrior, just...wow. I'm sooo glad to finally meet you, Minako. I'm sure we'll become good friends! Say, did you know that there's a video game of you? There's even a new upgrade out today."

To her chagrin, Rei didn't have another chance to grill Usagi, as the blonde girl was completely distracted by the new warrior and immediately began chatting with Minako about everything and anything. The two seemed like they had been best friends for ages with the first moment. Ami and Makoto finally sat down without comment and followed the conversation, while Rei, sighing loudly because of the unplanned situation, made herself comfortable on a chair and continued to glare angrily at Usagi.

Her opportunity would surely come, and then Usagi would have to explain herself about what she had done to Mamoru in the elevator.

Luna had been most strange when she had impressed upon Rei three times not to make a scene in public. The secret identity of the warriors had to be preserved at all costs. There would be no room - as she said - for sentimentality. Rei had felt her honor stung by Luna's clear words when everyone - except Usagi, of course - had met in the middle of the night in front of the Hikawa temple for a briefing. She also hadn't understood why Luna... and also Artemis were so eager that nobody should try to confront Usagi.

By the way, nobody had mentioned Mamoru yesterday. It was as if he hadn't been in the elevator at all. And that annoyed her immensely. It was more than obvious that there was something unspoken about his true identity in the air. Rei had thought from the very beginning when she met him that Mamoru could be Tuxedo Mask. They both had the same build, were good-looking as hell, and were pretty cool to boot. But even though she had voiced her suspicions several times, no one had really believed her. First and foremost Usagi, who was more than smitten with Tuxedo Mask, but on the other hand couldn't stand Mamoru. Rei thought at least until now. Why the two of them were in Starlight Tower together, she still couldn't understand. It just didn't make any sense, this strange constellation.

Rei wanted answers. She just had to figure out the best way to go about it. Mamoru was unfortunately not an option. Even if she hadn't admitted it to the others yet; her crush on Mamoru was one thing so far.

One-sided.

At the beginning of their acquaintance he had been nice and polite, he had even accompanied her to a doll exhibition once and by chance they had run into each other once in town, very close to the Café Amigos where they had their first date. Well, to be honest, Rei had invited Mamoru there because he had stepped on her head before. It was all a bit of a tangled story, but in the end only one thing was still the case; Rei had not been able to find any access to Mamoru anymore. For weeks now. He was not available for her. Only the answering machine picked up when she called him.

And then there was Usagi with him in the elevator. As if out of nowhere! Was SHE the reason why Mamoru had not contacted her and had not responded to any of her countless calls? Was there something going on between them all the time, only she hadn't noticed? As often as Usagi was upset with Mamoru, the two had truly spent a lot of time together. In principle, they met daily, although Mamoru was supposedly so busy with his studies. At least she thought so. Actually... if she was completely honest with herself, she had no idea what exactly Mamoru did all day and who he actually was... she even didn't know where he lived and what his apartment looked like!

Actually Rei was in good company with that, because someone else had no idea who he was, or had lost any memory of his past. But he knew what he wanted today when the Crown's automatic doors opened again and he saw the blond girl sitting right in a booth with her friends.

Her distinctive hairstyle stood out among millions of people. Why had he never really noticed it before during all their battles against evil? How could he have been so blind? Was it somewhat hidden by magic that Sailor Moon and Usagi shared the same unique hairstyle! Before she or any of her friends could spot him, Mamoru had already moved toward the counter to watch the five girls from a safe distance.

As the situation stood at the moment, it seemed almost an impossible task to talk to Usagi alone, since so many potential listeners were gathered around them. Girls who suddenly seemed suspiciously familiar to him, although he already knew them all - except for the new blonde - from "normal" life.

While Mamoru wondered if these four could be the ones who fought for love and justice at night with Usagi in Sailor Fukus, he was snapped out of his thoughts by Motoki, who had been watching him closely.

"Hey Mamoru, how come you're up so early today?" He leaned over the counter toward his best friend and followed his gaze to the group of female teenagers sitting in the boith, some of whom seemed to be talking quite animatedly. "Looking for anyone in particular?" Mamoru flinched in surprise and looked at Motoki in some confusion

"What, oh no, sorry Motoki, I was just lost in thought. My study group for today got cancelled, so I'm early. Can I have a coffee please?"

"Sure, coming right up." Without further comment, Motoki left Mamoru alone, knowing that there was simply no point in squeezing any details out of him. He was, however, slightly perturbed by Mamoru's highly peculiar behavior.

"Listen, Usagi" Rei tried to get the actual discussion going again. Immediately, Minako and Usagi's shallow chatter fell silent. Rei knew she had to swallow the story with Naru for now, but still, someone had to have a serious word with the leader of the Sailor team here and thus let Luna hang out. Too gladly she took over the job of the black cat today

"No matter what's going on in your life right now, our mission is the most important thing, and we can't keep denying it and pretending we all have a normal, nice, peaceful life here. It's not funny anymore when you're so unreliable all the time. So please do us all a favor and pull yourself together a little more!"

"Yes, Rei. I'm sorry."

Came back from the blond girl immediately. Usagi almost cried. Outwardly, her façade of the perpetually happy, carefree girl appeared, but Rei had just hit more than one sore spot in her and thus caught her quite cold. A normal life? Yes, she would like that back all too much. Without all these nasty villains, without these new, highly confusing feelings about a certain Baka, and without a secret identity. With the discovery of Mamoru's secret came only one more problem for her on top.

She was torn between all the lies she had to tell the Sailor team and the need to tell the girls everything that had happened in Starlight Tower, but how could she do that without mentioning the fact that she knew Tuxedo Masks' true identity?

While she was having this inner battle, her eyes wandered over to the counter and suddenly met the person who had haunted her into her dreams last night. Both with his masked personality and in his civilian forbiddingly handsome form. Mamoru looked at Usagi almost the same way as when she had just called out her magic words in the elevator to initiate her transformation.

While he could see the true storm of emotion in her eyes, Mamoru was completely unable to find a way to look at her at that moment without attracting attention. All the while he had been looking at Usagi talking so conspiratorially with the other four girls, he realized that Ami, Rei, Makoto, and the new blonde could be none other than Sailor Warriors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. Upon closer inspection, he could even relate each of them to their other individual identities.

Since none but Usagi had paid any attention to him so far, he concluded that Usagi had not told them anything about his alter ego yet. Mamoru smiled slightly over at her, while at the same time shrugging his shoulders helplessly. With his lips, he tried to inconspicuously form the word "tomorrow" silently. Usagi took in his message and gave him a barely perceptible nod.

Tomorrow. What would tomorrow be? In any case not today. Disappointment gave way to the initial euphoria when she had just caught sight of Mamoru, who had stepped into her field of vision out of nowhere. With all her might she tried to put on a neutral face in order not to betray his presence. Again, she covered for him. What the hell had been going on with her since yesterday afternoon? Everything, really everything, had gone totally haywire. Inside her, deep in her heart. Mamoru-Baka was there and there was nothing she wanted more than to throw herself at him, to lie in his strong arms and to hear from him that everything would finally be alright again.

Nothing was fine. Everything was falling apart... and Usagi still had no idea how to get out of it.

"Usagi!" Naru called all at once from a completely different side of the arcade, thankfully bringing her out of this complicated (thought) construct once again, "What are you waiting for?! Let's play the new version of Sailor V! Oh my god, this is sooo much fun. Come on!!!"

Before answering her best friend, Usagi gave the other senshi an apologetic look. "Yes, Naru. I'm coming."

"We'll see you at the temple tomorrow morning, Usagi, no excuses!" Rei growled at her, getting up from her chair to leave without looking around.

"Don't worry about it. I'll be on time!" Usagi rose from her seat as well and danced over to Naru as if there were no other things in the world to bother her at the moment. It almost seemed like she was the most normal fourteen-year-old girl imaginable.

'I'm going to pull myself together. For you... And for Mamoru.'