"Why are you so obsessed with Carolina-senpai, Fuminori-kun? She's arrogant enough without being made the center of attention!"
"I'm not obsessing over her, Chibi-Usa-chan. I have a boyfriend, remember?"
"That may be true, but it seems like everything everyone does today is somehow connected to my conceited club senpai. It's so annoying!"
"Would you prefer to have me to yourself, Chibi-Usa-chan?"
"I'm not going wild over your girlfriend, Chibi-Usa-chan. I'm just grating wasabi."
"Ugh! She's not my girlfriend, Mako-chan!"
"I don't think she's that special either. I'd rather get a girlfriend back on Kinmoku."
"With Chibi-Usa-chan in this state, I guess it falls to us to save the day, Taiki-kun."
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Makoto-chan. Time for us amazones to shine!"
"Thanks... Although I would have preferred a more ladylike nickname. But... Thanks."
"Heroes don't persecute a person for the sake of an ideal! Enter the crusading knight of the German order!"
During the month of April, it became a habit for Masanori Tsuzuki to leave his and Chibi-Usa's homeroom at noon and share lunch with his boyfriend in the school's courtyard.
After this happened a few times, his pink-haired friend started to join them. Often in the company of their friends, Momoko Momohara and Kyuusuke Sarashina.
As soon as this was revealed in the art club through conversations between Masanori and Chibi-Usa, their senpai and club president, Carolina Rodrigues, was quick to join the regular lunch party.
So, naturally, on a bright and sunny Friday in the first week of May, the blossoming friendship between the six boys and girls deepened as they discussed the most recent exploits in sports and romance over bento boxes filled with delicious and healthy meals.
"You should have seen Hotaru-chan!" Chibi-Usa gushed. "It was as if she played tennis all of her life!"
"Moritaka-sensei must be pleased the team did so well on their first preliminary matches," Fuminori dryly commented. "Suginami East High has a pretty strong team, so that was a great introduction for Hotaru-kun."
"She was fast," Momoko grinned while chewing on a sweet tamagoyaki. "Her opponent was trying to hit her with lots of feints, but though she could fool Hotaru-kun some of the time, she couldn't fool her all of the time. Hotaru-kun was also too fast for a lot of the feints to work. If she was put on the wrong footing she quickly recovered and reached the ball anyway."
Kyuusuke observed the animated talk of his girlfriend sitting to his right on the bench they shared with Chibi-Usa while drinking his bottle of Coca-Cola.
"Yes," Chibi-Usa nodded while swallowing a piece of cabbage and gesturing with her chopsticks. "Hotaru-chan went like Swoosh-swoosh! Swoosh-swoosh!"
Her club-senpai, Carolina chuckled at the feast of Chibi-Usa-cuteness on display.
"Well, it's only natural for Hotaru-kun to have trouble finding answers to the other players' strategies in her first matches," Kyuusuke shrugged. "She might be skilled, but she's still new to competition-level tennis."
"A score of 5-6, 6-4, and 6-3 is quite the performance on your first competitive match though," Fuminori nodded while pushing up his lower lip. "Against Shimizu Karen-san no less."
"Don't do that, Fumichan" Masanori whined at his boyfriend with a half-amused/half-annoyed grimace. "You look like an old man when you make that face."
Carolina, Momoko, and Kyuusuke burst out in laughter when Fuminori glanced at the boy with the slik dark-brown haircut to his left who exaggerated the face he just made.
"Just for that, I might very well start to practice that grimace in the mirror," The blonde third-year middle school with the wild tuft of hair hanging just over his left eyebrow deadpanned. "I'd mold my face by doing it every day and make sure that's the expression you'll have to look at when I become an old man."
"Something to look forward to, Masanori-kun," Carolina teased.
"He's flattering himself if he thinks I won't find myself a handsome toyboy in my old age rather than stay in the house with a guy who looks twenty years older than he is and smells like sweaty gym socks," Her friend joked.
"The two of you sound like you're an old couple already," Kyuusuke chuckled, causing Masanori and Fuminori to share an embarrassed grin.
"Imagine us living together," A grinning Masanori started to daydream.
Eating a piece of carrot, Chibi-Usa watched her friend's face.
Masanori and Fuminori stood side by side in their handsome dark navy-blue uniforms.
The latter curiously regarded the animated expression of his boyfriend.
An instinct made Chibi-Usa turn to her left, which allowed her to catch Carolina - who stood to the left of the bench the pinkette shared with Momoko and Kyuusuke - watching her with a grin before the Portuguese with the low curly black ponytail turned her eyes to their male friends.
"Just enjoying how cute you look nibbling that carrot, my little rabbit," The pinkette's shameless club president quietly spoke to her kouhai's happy embarrassment.
"We'd have to get a dog to tire Fumichan out after work," Masanori shared. "Or he'd drive me against the walls with his hyperactive behavior."
"Fuminori-kun is hyperactive?!" Momoko laughed. 'Stoneface Nakano is hyperactive?"
"I hope you made that nickname up on the spot?" Fuminori deadpanned.
"Don't worry. She did." Kyuusuke sagely nodded while Carolina and Chibi-Usa shared in his girlfriend's amused disbelief.
"You don't believe me? Fumichan may look like a cool collected superhero at school," Masanori laughed. "But he can't sit still for a minute when we hang out."
"Hey, that's confidential information," His boyfriend nervously complained while tapping against Masanori's heel.
"Aren't you just bragging about your love life now, Masanori-kun?" His club senpai smirked.
"Isn't he always?" Kyuusuke sighed. "Listening to him, they are always in each other's bedroom. I sure wish Momo-chan would invite me to her room so often."
"Well those are the joys of being gay," Fuminori sarcastically commented. "You're in danger of becoming the subject of malicious gossip anytime you get too intimate together in public."
"And it's not like we get to hang out much when I watch Fumichan during practice or competitions," Masanori added. "I can't help it if you guys only get to have a love life in your imagination."
The boy with the slik dark-brown hairdo saw a sad puppy-faced Carolina stealthily eyeing Chibi-Usa, with her kouhai rolling her eyes skyward and pretending not to notice.
The pinkette was still coming to terms with the fact that she couldn't help feeling attracted to her club senpai.
The possibility of her going into puberty and finding out that she likes girls never entered Chibi-Usa's mind until certain things were properly explained to her about her parents.
The fact that both of them were so busy with the sensitive politics of the time and her being taken care of as often by the other Senshi and their lovers as by her parents didn't exactly make it easy for her to figure the latter's relationship out as a child. But once she was told everything, a range of new romantic probabilities for herself gradually eased themselves into Chibi-Usa's acceptance.
Chibi-Usa also couldn't get out from under the fact that the predatory Carolina had been making advances on her since the private club event she and Masanori hosted for the younger girl's sake.
Handsome, inspiring, dependable, and solicitous, Carolina instantly became one of the reasons Chibi-Usa decided to join.
But there was also the fact that said senpai in a very un-Japanese way put her personality on full display to the object of her affection.
Carolina's pride and girl-crazy nature presented Chibi-Usa with more than a few considerations not to give in to the feelings of wanting to be held and cherished by the taller girl or to chat and joke with her without reserve about a thousand things the two of them discovered they shared an interest in.
"Ow!" "Ow!"
The exclamations coming from Carolina herself and an unfamiliar voice prompted Chibi-Usa to turn her face to the left where she saw a boy about Kyuusuke's height and Masanori's build with a ragged light-brown hairdo after he bumped into the Portuguese.
The boy in the dark navy-blue uniform turned what seemed like an antipathic scowl on Carolina as he regarded her post-collision.
"Sorry there, buddy," Carolina smiled amiably to the young man. "I'm alright. I hope you didn't get hurt either?"
Without saying a word, the boy moodily turned ahead and walked on.
"Hey! It wouldn't be impolite to apologize for what we both know was a maliciously intended collision!" Fuminori exclaimed with unexpected passion.
His outburst shocked Chibi-Usa and her friends, but the object of the table tennis ace's anger walked on toward the other side of the schoolyard seemingly unperturbed.
"That guy…" Fuminori fumed.
"It's alright, Fuminori-kun. Really," Carolina chuckled with genuine amusement. "Thank you for defending my honor, but I really don't need a knight in shiny armor for a little bump."
"Why do you let him get away with this?"
Carolina simply shrugged and smiled.
"Matsumoto-san is a bit of a weirdo, but he doesn't mean any harm."
"This is about more than a bump and you know it," Fuminori sighed while folding his arms.
"You seem to know it," Carolina said in a slightly annoyed tone while rolling her eyes. "As far as I know Matsumoto-san bumped into me and not you, so there is no reason for you to get worked up about it, is there?"
"You know that guy?" Kyuusuke asked.
"He's in Carolina-senpai's class," Masanori explained.
"He can't stand her because she's a foreigner," Fuminori huffed.
"Allegedly," Carolina dryly commented.
"I heard he asked some classmates who were talking about you if you even knew a single Kanji," Fuminori said.
"Hearsay," Carolina countered.
"Another guy in your class told me he wanted to know why you couldn't stay in your own country."
"I hope that friend of yours was so considerate to spread the word that I came here because Japanese girls are cuter than Portuguese ones?"
Momoko burst into laughter while Masanori rolled his eyes and smiled.
"Is there some sensible reason why you want such a ridiculous claim to be spread?" Chibi-Usa heard herself ask in an annoyed tone before she blushed and covered her mouth with her hands.
"Oh my!" Carolina gleefully chuckled. "Is that perhaps a veiled compliment I heard just now?"
"I was merely speaking in defense of other Portuguese girls," Chibi-Usa suavely claimed upon recovering herself. "Only someone as vain as you would interpret those words as a compliment to herself."
"Aw..." Her senpai sighed in defeat.
"To change this clearly loaded subject..." Momoko spoke up. "How was the movie you saw together with Hotaru-kun and Shingo-kun last weekend?"
"It was an interesting story," Carolina grinned.
"We saw Lost Paradise," Chibi-Usa said. "A drama about two older married people who start an affair. They feel miserable in their marriages and the man feels trapped in his job so they only savor happiness when they are together.
"It's very tragic," Carolina added. "Because the affair slowly starts to destroy their lives and hurt their loved ones. Eventually, they see no other way to be together than by committing suicide during a romantic weekend.
The first part is slow-paced and contains several explicit love scenes."
Chibi-Usa narrowed her eyes at her club senpai.
"Yes. We all know you were feasting your eyes on the heroine's naked body," She smirked.
"I was more into the hero's daughter. Kimura Yoshino-san is such a cutie," Carolina gushed. "She's going to become a major movie star. I can feel it"
Fuminori quietly chuckled while Masanori rolled his eyes.
"When the heroine's husband sent the pictures the private detective he hired made of the lead couple to the hero's company so he could get him into trouble with his boss…" A smiling Chibi-Usa deadpanned. "Carolina-senpai whispered in my ear that she wouldn't do anything so mean if I was unhappily married to her."
"Gee, Chibi-Usa-chan," Momoko whispered into her friend's ear. "I don't want to push you into anything, but Carolina-senpai is so obsessed with you. Maybe you should see if you'd be happy with her?"
"No way!" A surprised Carolina heard the pinkette sitting to her right stubbornly exclaim with her arms folded over her chest. "For starters, Since we sat down here, Carolina-senpai has been ogling no less than six girls in the schoolyard around us."
"Hahaha!" The sweat-dropping Portuguese laughed while Masanori showed her a critical stare.
"On top of that, I have yet to hear a proper confession. I'm not starting a relationship with someone who doesn't want to commit to it."
"I think Carolina-senpai has just been called out to prove she's not playing around," Masanori grinned.
"Then I'll just have to come up with a major romantic confession," His friend with the low black ponytail smugly returned his smile.
"But it was a good movie," Chibi-Usa returned to the original subject. "Shingo-kun has great taste in movies, even if they are often sad. The actors convincingly conveyed why their characters sought comfort with each other and an escape from their lives through death."
"The male lead was very handsome and gentle," Carolina added. "He reminded me of Richard Gere with his graying wavy hairdo. The sort of man you can imagine a woman convinced that her life is over can find solace with."
Chibi-Usa watched her senpai's face while sipping her can of iced tea, thinking just like she did at the cinema that somehow the male lead reminded her of Mamoru.
Assistant Professor Jirou Higashi sipped his coffee from a beige ceramic cup while lazily admiring the view of the city through the window of the love hotel where he stayed the night.
The neatly-shaven young man with the short unassuming dark-purple hairdo felt satisfied after an evening of drinking and hungry sex and a morning of gentle lovemaking with occasional breakfasting.
Now showered and dressed in a dark-blue suit over a light-beige shirt while his student was still lying in bed, he lingered with faint regret before leaving for his first teaching job of the day.
"I wish you would allow me more than a date per month, Meioh-san. I understand your concerns. I have them too. But still… you are a harsh mistress."
"I simply cannot have you developing any romantic feelings for me, Higashi-sensei," Setsuna matter-of-factly replied while combing her long dark-green which had finally dried after her shower. "As you acknowledge, we both have reasons to keep this boundary."
Jirou turned around to face the tall handsome young woman. The greenette's left leg was hanging over the edge of the bed while her right limb was lying underneath the white bedsheets. Her beautiful plump breasts were covered in an alluring black-and-white print bra.
Even though he was still young, he was confident he could keep his feelings in check and wait until he could employ them for the romantic attachment to a woman that would not get him in trouble with his employer. But to be denied the taste and touch of this student's glorious body for such long periods was a hardship that troubled him occasionally.
"In any case," He idly continued the argument. "I doubt this rule of yours would prevent the development of romantic attachment. Distance makes the heart grow fonder."
Setsuna finished combing her hair and quietly regarded her teacher, a quizzical smile appearing on her face as he deposited his empty coffee cup on the cocktail table near the window.
"I am only too aware, Higashi-sensei," She smoothly spoke. "The restriction isn't meant to keep us from falling for each other. It is meant to provide a timeframe between each meeting during which I can soberly evaluate your behavior and end our agreement if I feel the need to do so."
Jirou shivered shortly at the coldness of the statement while returning Setsuna's gaze. The optical physics professor averted his eyes when Setsuna pulled her gray blouse over her head and walked to the mirror beside the door to look himself over.
"Sometimes I start to doubt this story of an illness that you refuse to go into detail about," He gently spoke. "And I worry you might commit some ill-advised act over a lost love I am supposed to substitute for."
Setsuna paused shortly while pulling the long black skirt she recently bought at Sparkles over her legs.
"Perhaps it is a bit of both," She thoughtfully reacted.
Jirou watched his student sit on the side of the bed, sliding her feet into a pair of black peep-toe shoes.
"I knew it!" He laughed. "You're just messing with my head. Well… I have to leave now."
The handsome young man turned around and picked up his briefcase while Setsuna turned on the television set opposite the bed.
"Don't forget to join us in the observatory for the teaching practicum at eight. I won't give you a passing grade just for having a stunning body."
Setsuna looked at his cheesy grin and chuckled at the joke.
"Sensei, your classes are always fascinating. So I wouldn't dream of missing them."
"Good," Jirou nodded. "And don't forget the book I told you about before we dozed off yesterday: Against the Gods by Peter L Bernstein. It's an intriguing read, expertly translated from the original English."
"Thank you, Higashi-sensei. I wrote it down while you were in the bath."
"Good," Jirou nodded again, feeling awkward. "Have a nice day, Meioh-san."
Setsuna watched the man turn and open the door. Then gently close it behind him after leaving the room.
He was nice enough. His slight awkwardness made him endearing while belying how incredibly knowledgeable and thought-provoking he was. But even with all those attributes he would never catch her heart. Setsuna knew this as a fact.
She honestly wasn't messing with his head, but what he wanted her to go into detail about was still a riddle to Setsuna herself.
The greenette had very unclear recollections of the events she would be involved in during the last months of her 20th-century life.
She knew in broad terms what was going to happen to her. That is, she had a visual memory of what happened before her death. But why it happened or how it happened was a mystery to her.
The same was true of Setsuna's reason for wanting to enjoy the closeness of someone who shares certain traits with the man she remembered would soon catch her heart.
It was annoying and confusing to know who she was going to fall in love with without knowing why, when, or how that would happen.
Watching the news anchor report on Guetamala's President Alvaro Arzu and the country's leftist guerilla ending 35 years of civil war with a groundbreaking peace accord, Setsuna once more considered whether the reason she had such a limited memory of the coming months might not after all be the result of malicious influence.
Everything she did know had been corroborated by Diana and Chibi-Usa, however. And those two confided in her that many things had been kept secret from them too, which was in line with the cruel but vital spacetime protocol employed by the royal couple of Crystal Tokyo.
But the employment of this protocol in relation to her memories of the future inadvertently handed Setsuna one piece of information: There was a high risk of her making a different decision or decisions in situations where there was only one desired outcome for the sake of the millions who would find a haven in Crystal Tokyo. The millions who formed the hope of humanity's future.
About half an hour later, at Tokyo Dagaiku Sakana, Haruka accompanied Michiru from the cafeteria to the graduate lecture building on the east side of the campus.
Walking alongside a row of conifers, the blonde in the yellow frilled shirt and the long white trousers in conversation with her lover passed by small groups of students who walked in similar or opposite directions.
"After what Hotaru-kun told us about those golem attacks, this sounds very bad," Haruka growled.
"It's frustrating that I can remember so little of the dream when I wake up," Michiru sighed while they walked. "There's some kind of angelic figure at the center of it. But I can't seem to remember a face or even a gender."
"Do you know if Rei-chan had similar visions?"
Michiru shook her head, causing her green curls to bounce back and forth to Haruka's diversion.
The blonde tomboy's eyes traveled from her lover's face to the beige overshirt and gray shirt covering the greenette's torso and the matching wide beige linen trousers and mocassins she was wearing. An outfit she bought for Michiru while visiting Sparkles with Setsuna.
"No. But I should ask to be sure," Michiru said. "Minako-chan was involved in one of the attacks Hotaru-kun mentioned. There's a chance the others were involved in other attacks. We don't tend to communicate these things well."
As the couple passed by a group of four young women flocking around a tall man with spiky light-brown hair, Michiru noticed Haruka exchanging a hostile glare with the broad-shouldered hunk in the light-gray shirt and blue jeans outfit.
"I will never understand your talent for sparking such instant animosity with any random guy you haven't even talked to," The greenette burst out in laughter.
Haruka rolled her eyes.
"You wouldn't believe the nonsense they say about this guy," She sighed.
Then, with a couple of fake voices in imitation of her male and female classmates:
"Valentin-kun is a real man! I heard he served in Bosnia with the U.N. for his military service."
"Meijer-kun is so cool! Did you know he worked in a casino on a yacht?"
"Meijer-kun is so brave! He used to hunt lions in the African savannah."
"I can see why you get along so well," Michiru smiled.
"That reminds me…" Haruka changed her tune. "I've been in the mood to visit Ueno Zoo. Fancy a date among the wildlife this weekend?"
That earned the blonde tomboy a suspicious look from her lover.
"I don't suppose this "mood" was inspired by a certain black panther enthusiast?"
Haruka nodded her confirmation with a guilty smile.
"I'm sorry, but you are an open book to me, Haruka," Michiru chuckled. "And I know you can't say no to Hotaru-kun."
"Hotaru-kun and Chibi-Usa-chan tricked me into asking you and Setsuna-chan out on an Outer Senshi family weekend. They invited Shingo-kun too. He's excited about seeing the Siberian Tigers they said."
"We have Siberian Tigers at Hellabrunn Zoo too," A sharp male voice behind them surprised the two young women.
Michiru and Haruka stopped walking at the entrance to the lecture hall and turned around.
Realizing their conversation had allowed Valentin Meijer to follow them unnoticed, they were put on edge as the insidiously grinning young man with the thin mustache caught up to them.
The athletic Bavarian's sharp light-brown eyes first met Michiru's before turning to Haruka.
"Hellabrunn measures 99 acres. It is quite a bit larger than your Ueno Zoo. But you are probably used to being second best by now, Tenoh-san," He provocatively sneered at the blonde before walking past her and up the stairs where groups of other students were ascending or standing.
"Is that supposed to be an allusion to my race against your countryman, Cobbler-san?!" An irritated Haruka demanded while Valentin walked on without reaction.
Annoyed by the confrontation, The blonde and her lover watched the young man enter the lecture building while two or three heads turned to see who was arguing with the German exchange student.
"I suppose you might have some cause for your antipathy this time," Michiru remarked with her stern eyes on the open double doors. "But don't let him get to you with this kind of childish behavior. He seems intent on causing a row with you for some reason. Don't let him succeed."
After this incident, the two young women entered the lecture building and attended their classes for the afternoon.
Just the same, Mamoru and Setsuna listened to the wisdom shared by their professors at K.O. University.
And like them, Rei followed her lessons at T.A. Girl's Academy, and the rest of the Inner Senshi, their friends from Kinmoku, and Hotaru and Chibi-Usa participated in their afternoon classes at Juuban Public Middle School and Juuban Public High School.
After class and cleaning, everyone cheerfully joined their afternoon club activities in the various club rooms and facilities their schools had to offer, where the more leisurely atmosphere allowed their thoughts and feelings on the impressions they gathered during the day to ripen.
A little after six, thousands of students started to leave the school buildings in Minato Ward.
They were happy to enjoy the festive warm weather and the bright sun above their heads.
Groups hung around convenience stores on their way to their cram schools and lovers walked hand in hand, waiting for a moment to cuddle and kiss in a secluded area before parting.
At Juuban Public Middle School, Momoko Momohara and Kyuusuke Sarashina left their school grounds and walked northward, intending to do just that.
Hiromitsu Matsumoto, who didn't have a love life but in his imagination, left school via the eastern road which led to his cram school.
Masanori Tsuzuki exited the school's art club early to have dinner with his family before going to cram school, leaving his boyfriend Fuminori Nakano to pursue his goals eastbound.
Chibi-Usa Tsukino and Carolina Rodrigues lastly, left school together in a westerly direction, the latter racking her brain for an awesome way to confess to her kouhai as they chatted on the way to their cram school.
A variation on these scenarios was repeated at Juuban Public High School, with Hotaru, Minako, and Yaten leaving together again, Usagi having gone home early to do battle with books and fangs, Ami walking to her cram school in the company of an animated Seiya, and Taiki bumping into Makoto as the latter two left their respective clubs a few minutes later than their peers.
"Makoto-chan?" Taiki reacted in surprise when they walked out of the front gate side by side. "I didn't know you were still at school."
"Hey, Taiki-kun. I guess I lost track of time."
The Kinmokuan in the dark navy-blue boy's uniform saw the brunette in the blue-and-white girls' summer uniform chuckle an embarrassed laugh while carrying her school bag over her shoulder and a peculiar briefcase in her hand.
"I was practicing grating wasabi in cooking club," Makoto smiled while the sun sparkled in the curls of her ponytail. "Ebihara-sensei sold me a wasabi rhizome and lent me an oroshigane to grate it. I'm visiting Haru No Ike on my way to cram school to sell him back the finished product."
"You're very dedicated," Taiki reacted with a raised eyebrow. "But it seems like you're working for him in your free time now?"
"Well, it's a privilege to be trained by Ebihara-sensei, Tsuji-sensei, and the others. So I can't exactly complain," Her companion shrugged. "And depending on the quality of my work I'll earn a profit. Why were you staying late?"
"Seiya, Yaten, and I got permission to use the auditorium for practicing our upcoming tour after classes," Taiki explained. "So that's what we've been doing today. But the president of the orchestra club caught me in a rather long conversation while Yaten and Seiya left."
"You must be nervous?" Makoto teasingly grinned at the redheaded boy. "It's been a while since you sang in public, I think?"
"Hahaha. Honestly, I don't think I'll eat the day of the first concert," Taiki quietly chuckled. "But it feels great too. I look forward to seeing all those happy people in front of us again and hearing the fans cheer for us. I missed that."
"I bet," Makoto smiled while patting her friend's shoulder. "Must feel great to sing and make people happy again after the war you've been absorbed by for the past year back home."
"It bothers me that we didn't have the chance to perform for people at home after everyone was revived. But things should be peaceful from now on. As soon as we return to Kinmoku, we'll plan an amazing tour through the Federation of the 14 Kingdoms."
Taiki felt the sunshine warm his shoulders. The young man casually wiped a droplet of sweat from his forehead and rubbed his hot red hair.
Makoto seemed to have led them through a quiet part of town as a shortcut to Haru No Ike. People were probably also simply staying inside because of the heat. Occasionally they passed a lone pedestrian, a couple of women chatting at the front door to a house, or a couple of teens hanging out together on their way to cram school.
A strange but leisurely silence hung over the neighborhood, with the only constant sounds being a few birds twittering or the rustling of the wind through the trees they passed by.
"We're going to visit all the major cities in the country," Taiki smiled as they walked. "Starting in Sapporo next week. Sendai, Niigata, Tokyo next… Ending with a special show at Okinawa in October."
"Sounds like hard work," Makato commented.
"Art requires hard work and passion. But if you aren't having fun doing it, all that hard work and that passion are just a waste."
"An inspiring quote from an inspiring young artist," Makoto affectionately smiled.
"Chibi-Usa-san is an inspiration," Taiki chuckled. "I'm glad I got to make her aquaintance.
She's a bit serious for being so young. When I talk to her and look at her art I feel that I'm in the company of someone who has seen so much more than we have."
"And we have seen our share of things," Her companion nodded. I get you. It makes me wonder about everything that will happen in the future."
"And yet, Chibi-Usa-chan also seems like her heart contains a bottomless well of love and compassion. Just like her mother."
"That she does," Makoto happily replied while looking ahead.
"Having said that," Taiki frowned. "I don't know anything about your parents, Makoto-chan. Usagi told me a lot about her father's career and her mother's… temper. But…"
"Ah…" Makoto reacted while looking to her left with a mysterious smirk. "Haven't you seen the trucks sometimes that say Kino Construction on the sides?"
"Oh! That's your father's company?"
"My father is a general contractor based in Shinjuku Ward. My mother worked as a housewife when I was little - although her cooking wasn't the greatest," Taiki saw the brunette confess while hanging her head. "But after I graduated from elementary school she re-enrolled in college to update her education and became an amazing landscape architect."
"So there was always a creative streak in your family?"
"Just like Rei-chan's, my parents are always busy," Makoto continued. "But we do have a better relationship, thankfully.
I get to have dinner with my mother regularly and sometimes also with my father. And we call each other regularly. How about your parents?"
"As you can probably guess, our family was always engaged in musical performance," Taiki replied. "Our father founded the world-famous musical venue, Kagura Toro. And Mother is a celebrated audiovisual performance artist who is adored in every continent.
Thanks to their status, our family was able to remain neutral when the Jīnsè Yumi had the royal family assassinated and the sad era of the civil war began. A loyal servant of Queen Kakyuu's father and mother was able to escape the carnage and save our Queen. She was a good friend of our mother and hoped Queen Kakyuu would be safe with us."
"Wow! So that is how you first met?" Makoto reacted.
"The three of us and Kakyuu-nee were raised as brothers and sister from age 7," Taiki remembered fondly. Our parents taught us to sing and play music together. Queen Kakyuu's instrument is something similar to a konghou. She has a sublime voice, but she is fastidious and rarely grants us the pleasure of hearing it these days.
It was while practicing our singing together that the four of us awakened to our powers and the realization that the guardians of the four great stars were incarnated in us. Soon after that we decided to contact the Royalist Army and helped them in their struggle to liberate the F.O.F."
"You guys have very different experiences than us it seems," Makoto commented. "We've been in mortal danger ourselves. But we have only on some occasions had to fear being attacked in our homes. And that was mostly Rei-chan and Hotaru-chan, I suppose."
"Don't get me wrong. We also fought a few extra-terrestrial threats. But we mostly served our Queen as bodyguards against magical attacks from the Jīnsè Yumi in the context of the civil war. Our brave and loving parents are the ones who protected us in our youth, however," Taiki fondly smiled.
Hiromitsu Matsumoto felt a similar fondness and gratitude towards his parents. They did their best to give him a chance at a better youth than they enjoyed.
The boy with the ragged light-brown hairdo walked over the footpath of Torii Zaka along the cobblestone walls of the International House Of Japan feeling a little dry with the sun beaming down on him.
It pained him that all of the trouble his parents went through to raise him in standard Japanese so that he wouldn't have a recognizable dialect when they moved to Tokyo seemed to have been in vain so far. It felt like he wasn't capable of doing their efforts justice.
Admittedly, he was finally starting to make a few friends at school. But it was evident his past had influenced his personality too much to be able to make a fresh start as easily as he wished for.
The collision during lunch break proved as much to the slender young man in the dark navy-blue uniform.
Thankfully, Hiromitsu reflected, Harada-san and Aoi-kun seemed to enjoy his company and friendship despite the talk he occasionally caught wind of among other students.
Getting increasingly thirsty, Hiromitsu was relieved to see the vending machines behind the right wall of the recently finished Torii Zaka House.
He eagerly crossed the quiet street and took a coin from his wallet when he stood before the big red Coca-Cola machine.
Not a minute later he leaned against the wall with the vending machines obscuring his view on the Torii Zaka road to his left, guzzling the cool black liquid from its plastic bottle.
"Aah…!" The boy sighed upon twisting the lid over the bottle and closing his eyes in enjoyment.
"Tastes good in this weather, huh?"
Taken by surprise, the prickle of the soft drink in his throat made Hiromitsu cough. Wiping his mouth with his right hand the young man was dismayed to see Fuminori Nakano walking up to him.
The outburst earlier that day hadn't been the first time Fuminori made his aversion to Hiromitsu clear, and the latter immediately felt agitated by the appearance of the table tennis ace.
"What do you want?" Hiromitsu growled as his athletic antagonist stood before him.
"What do I want?" Fuminori bit back. "When do you think you'll apologize to Rodrigues-san for purposely bumping into her today?!"
"It wasn't on purpose!" Hiromitsu huffed while pushing his back against the wall in a reflex against the familiar situation. "What business is it to you anyway? I'll apologize to Carolina-c…san if she asks me to."
"Where do you get off talking back to me with that angry blush?!" Fuminori snapped. "You don't think you should apologize because Carolina-chan is a foreigner?! What a disgusting attitude! You think you're better than her just because you were born here? You're not even worthy of talking to her!"
Hiromitsu turned white as a sheet as he heard the accusations hurled against him. The young man was aware of the gossip about him, but now that he was faced with someone telling him all the nasty ideas he knew his classmates had about him he was cut into his feelings and dignity.
"Shut up!" He yelled. "You don't know anything about me! Leave me alone, you evil asshole!"
Fuminori grabbed the slender boy and slammed him against the wall as he tried to get away.
"I'm evil?! How dare you, you filth!"
"You monster! I hate you!" Hiromitsu cried as he wildly punched at his opponent. "Leave me alone! All of you, leave me alone!"
Blocking the punches and pinning the arms of the boy with the ragged light-brown hair against the wall, Fuminori was suddenly grabbed from behind and torn from Hiromitsu.
"Hey! Hey!" Makoto exclaimed. "I'm hearing lots of angry words here, so I think it's time the two of you continued your conversation by proxy!"
Seeing Taiki taking a protective stance in front of him had Hiromitsu feeling relieved as he recognized the rare occasion of being protected.
"It's okay," His redheaded senpai calmly told him. "It's not good to try and hurt other people. But let's put that aside for now and try to sort out this situation so you can settle your differences."
Fuminori instinctively struggled against the grip of the immensely strong young woman holding him, but he quickly calmed down while Hiromitsu dried his tears.
"So what's been going on here?" Makoto asked him. "Talk to me. Not him."
"He's been harassing a friend of mine in his class because he can't stand foreigners," Fuminori said. "So I wanted t…"
"That's a malicious lie because he and his friends can't stand me!" Hiromitsu cried at Taiki. "They've been making up all these stories about me so everyone would hate me!"
"Then what are you doing asking classmates why Carolina-chan can't stay in her own country?!"
"Hey," Makoto sternly reminded Fuminori while looking into his eyes. "You talk to me, remember?"
"I don't know if that's going to do the trick, Makoto-chan," Taiki said. "Let's first introduce ourselves. I am Kou Taiki. What is your name?"
"I'm Matsumoto Hiromitsu," Hiromitsu timidly said as he recognized the name of the Three Lights member.
"I'm Nakano Fuminori."
"And my name is Kino Makoto," Makoto frowned while vaguely remembering hearing the name. "Alright. Let's maybe start with what happened here?"
"Today during lunch he bumped into that friend of mine. She's a girl whose family moved here from Portugal."
"Rodrigues Carolina-san?" Makoto realized.
Fuminori nodded.
"He bumped into her and just kept walking without even an apology. So when I saw him here I wanted to ask him why he treated my friend like that."
"Did that happen?" Taiki asked Hiromitsu.
"I bumped into Carolina-san," The slender young man confessed while averting his gaze. "But it wasn't on purpose like he makes it out to be.
I was afraid to talk to her with all her friends there. I wanted to apologize when I could talk to her alone."
"Alright," Makoto nodded while smiling at Fuminori. "That sounds reasonable enough. What do you think, Nakano-san?'
"I think tears are cheap and he's making excuses. What about all that crap he's been saying about Carolina-chan not knowing any kanji?"
"Right… I suppose my friends made similar comments about a certain someone once," Makoto sweatdropped. "It's not nice, but he might not have made that remark because Rodrigues-san is a foreigner."
"I never said anything like that," Hiromitsu angrily denied. "Even though I don't think there's anything wrong with asking that. I just wanted to know how good Carolina-san's Japanese was. You guys just keep making up lies about me because you can't stand me!"
"See?! He's not denying he hates foreigners."
"Let's not…" Makoto tried while holding up her hands toward Fuminori in an appealing gesture.
"Why do you think Nakano-san and his friends can't stand you, Matsumoto-san?" Taiki asked the boy.
At that, Hiromitsu cast his eyes down and bit his lip for fear he might make things worse if he said more.
"Just forget about this!" Fuminori exclaimed in annoyance. "I'm late for cram school. Can I go?"
Makoto realized she couldn't detain the boy until he and Hiromitsu settled their differences.
"I guess so," She sighed. "Will you trust Matsumoto-san to apologize to Rodrigues-san when he's ready without trying to continue this argument?"
"Yeah, whatever," Fuminori coldly reacted while heading back into the Torii Zaka road and waving goodbye. "Thanks for intervening."
"Ah…" Makoto sighed while rubbing her scalp. "I didn't want to let him leave feeling dissatisfied like that."
"Are you okay?" Taiki asked Hiromitsu.
Angrily kicking a rock out of his path, Fuminori fumed ahead up the street. The thought of having to let Hiromitsu off the hook like that irritated him.
"The guy even attacked me. And they treat him like he's made of porcelain."
'And all that talk about me making up lies about him to make him look bad,' The blonde table tennis club ace with the wild tuft of hair over his left eyebrow thought to himself while absentmindedly walking on the left side of the road. 'That narcissist sure talked himself out of that one.'
"Seems like someone's in a bad mood!"
Suddenly aware of the unmistakable sound of a basketball bouncing up and down, Fuminori looked around for the male voice that uttered the remark.
In a recess behind a low red brick wall to his left, with a similarly constructed short flight of steps leading to the Roppongi Museum, the 3rd year at Juuban Public Middle School saw a tall man with light-brown hair in blue jeans leisurely playing with a kind of strangely colored basketball.
"Had a bad day?" The handsome young man with the thin mustache smiled amiably.
Fuminori thought he recognized a German accent.
"You could say that," He sighed as he approached the friendly older male. "There's this guy who's been mistreating a female friend. I had a bit of a row with him on the subject a few minutes ago."
"Ouch," Valentin Meijer dryly commented while dribbling across the gray tiled recess. "Got into a fight, did you?"
"We almost did," Fuminori innocently confessed.
Something about the strange gray basketball and its regular rhythmic up-and-down bounce got him hypnotized. He couldn't help admiring the taller young man and the figure eights and other dribble techniques he was showing off.
"But two girls from school stopped us before it could get ugly."
"Good," Valentin viciously snarled under his breath in the Middle High German Bavarian dialect. "A man's sinful attempts to force his views of justice upon others make him harm friend and foe alike."
"What was that?" Fuminori frowned. "Sorry, I didn't understand."
"Never mind," Valentin grinned and continued to bounce the gray ball in his hands.
"You're very talented," His audience of one remarked. "Are you in a club?"
"Oh, thanks. Yes, I entered the club at university. We used to play a similar game in my country when I was young, so it was nice to discover a familiar pastime when I was told to come here. Helps me to relax amidst all this strangeness. Although what I come from was a lot more stressful than this existence."
With concern, Fuminori observed the sudden panic-stricken pale expression on the face of Valentin who was holding his ball in both hands while struggling with what seemed like an attack of hyperventilation.
"Are you okay?" The young man with the blonde hair asked Valentin. "Should I get you something to drink?"
"No… No, I'm fine," Valentin breathed slowly while he regarded Fuminori through narrowed eyes. "Hey, care for a game?"
"A game?" Fuminori reacted, remembering he was late already. "I'm sorry, but I really should be on my way if I want to get to cram school in time. Besides… We don't even have any baskets around here."
"No, you misunderstand," Valentin grinned at the boy. "I was asking Salza."
Fuminori blinked in confusion.
"What's the salsa?" He muttered.
"Here he comes!" Valentin exclaimed as he threw the gray clay ball at his surprised companion.
Trying to catch the ball, a startled Fuminori had first his arms covered by the creeping clay golem before the creature covered his face and the rest of his body.
Valentin unfeelingly observed how Salza reshaped his victim into a knight in shiny armor seated on a fierce white horse. The knight wore a cylinder-shaped great helm with the number 24 in bright red digits and a white surcoat over his armor with a black cross on a silver background. His right hand held up his long lance and he held a white heater shield with a similar black cross in his left hand. Completing the intimidating picture, the horse wore a white caparison with the same black cross over its armor.
"I profess and promise chastity - giving up all property - and obedience to God and the blessed virgin Mary!"
"Good," Valentin dryly commented. "Sadly we're not serving God here. The only thing I need of you is to score this field goal for me."
"As you command, brother! Gott mit uns!"
While Salza headed off towards the south at a canter, Valentin was left cringing involuntarily at the battle cry appropriated by the Swedish armies he and Martha's husband used to fight before he made his dreadful wish.
Back at the vending machines, Makoto and Taiki were about to leave Hiromitsu and head to their cram school.
"If you feel better now, we'll leave you be," The latter smiled curtly while patting the younger boy on his shoulder.
"One last thing I want you to remember, Matsumoto-san," Makoto not unkindly said. "I know of Rodrigues-san through a close friend of mine. From what I hear, she has her quirks, but she's a good person. The same is true of most foreigners, I think. It's not because we don't understand someone that we should fear or dislike them. Right?"
Hiromitsu simply nodded.
"I'm glad you agree" Makoto smiled. "Just walk up to Rodrigues-san tomorrow and apologize and I'm sure you'll become great friends.
I trust the same will happen between you and Nakano-san someday. Just give it time."
"Alright," Taiki nodded. "We need to hurry now. Have a nice evening, Matsumoto-san."
"See you later!"
'Why do they all treat Carolina-san like she's made of porcelain just because she's a foreigner?' Hiromitsu wondered as he saw his senpai walk on. 'Carolina-san is a beautiful confident woman. If only I had the confidence to walk up to her and start a conversation or even apologize.
I wouldn't have gotten in this situation if…"
"There is the filth that pollutes the streets of this pure city! Time to perform my duty to God!"
Shocked by the sound of hooves and the loud hollow voice up ahead, Hiromitsu, Makoto, and Taiki saw Salza galloping straight towards the shaking boy.
"It's a golem!" Makoto exclaimed in alarm. "Taiki-kun! Run back and…"
"You're faster than I am, Makoto-chan!" The Kinmokuan yelled as he grabbed his friend's school bag and the briefcase with its valuable content.
Having secured those, he ran toward the cover of a few bushes in front of the entrance to a building on his right.
"And right now we need the fastest of us to stay between that monster and Matsumoto-san!"
Realizing the truth of her friend's assessment, Makoto turned and ran at top speed back toward Salza's prey before it could reach him.
Her long legs moving back and forth while her breath came in hurried puffs, she saw a completely overwhelmed Hiromitsu stare at his approaching assailant like a stag caught in the headlights.
"Come here and run for your life!" The brunette exclaimed as she linked arms with the boy and pulled him to her right into the International House of Japan's parking lot.
Behind the bushes he had obscured himself with, the Sailor Change Star appeared over Taiki's left ear as he exclaimed his transformation command:
"Maker Star Power, Make Up!"
As Taiki struck a pose with his head raised, his right fist resting on his thigh, and his left hand aloft before lowering it to the side, three stars soared up into the sky before swooping toward him.
The light from the stars formed Sailor Star Maker's long navy-blue boots, her hotpants, her bikini top with the winged golden star in the middle of her chest, her neckerchief, and the long gloves over her raised arms.
Sailor Star Maker grinned confidently while her beaded golden tiara with the star in its center and her two golden star-shaped earrings appeared. Her long red ponytail twirled behind her as she raised her right hand to her forehead and lowered her left arm to the side.
Meanwhile, Makoto and Hiromitsu were running along the curved driveway to the parking lot of The International House of Japan - high deciduous trees to their left and right - while Salza was at the same moment turning right into the driveway from the road.
"What's hah… with that… European knight?" Hiromitsu gasped as he came to his senses and did his best to run at the pace of his savior.
"I have no idea… But I don't want to find out," Makoto replied in her haste. "See that wall to the right where there are no more trees? I'll lift you over and you need to run as far away from here as possible! I'll try to get into the building!"
"What?! But…" Her companion protested as she let go of him.
"There's no time to discuss this!" Makoto exclaimed upon hearing the thunderous drone of approaching hooves behind her. "If we split up... we'll force him to lose time… in trying to decide who he pursues! My friend is calling the police…!"
Looking at the older girl while moving his legs as fast as he could, Hiromitsu wondered which of their flight routes would be the most dangerous.
It seemed to him like Makoto planned to divert the attention of whatever was after them. This felt to him as if he was taking advantage of her. Which frustrated him.
But he could hardly argue with the fact that they didn't have time to think things over.
Then, to his absolute terror, a bunch of long shiny objects pulverized the wall they came within two meters distance of.
"There is nowhere to run!" A brash hollow voice exclaimed behind him. "I will deliver this city from your overwhelming filth in the name of the Virgin Mother and our Holy Father!"
Hiromitsu stared in horror and anguish at the white armor-clad golem halting its gallop behind him and Makoto.
'See?' He reflected while tears stung his eyes. 'They know. They absolutely know. All of my parent's efforts were in vain. Somehow they discovered…'
"Don't look at him!" Makoto exclaimed while roughly pushing the boy towards the gaping hole Salza made in the parking lot wall. "Now's your chance to flee!"
A series of short sharp noises urged the brunette to jump to her left as Hiromitsu obeyed her and ran into the larger parking lot behind the wall.
The lance-shaped projectiles launched by Salza made the concrete floor around Makoto look like a pin cushion while she fell on her back.
Breathing nervously, the young woman apprehensively looked up at the creature in Teutonic Order garb whose horse slowly stepped toward her.
"Those who aid the infidel will share his fate," Salza muttered. "Say your prayers and offer your soul to our Lord, God. May he pardon your sins once I…"
A low humming sound pulled the golem and Makoto's attention to the roof of the Internation House of Japan building, where a lone dark-clad figure bathed in the rays of the sun which pierced the eyes of Sailor Star Maker's beholders.
"Penetrating the darkness of prejudice!" The Kinmokuan declared. "The vagabond shooting star illuminates! Sailor Star Maker! Stage on!"
"Thanks for coming just in time!" Makoto exclaimed with a happy grin as she pushed herself up from the floor with her left arm and jumped up before running to the back of the building.
Salza moved to go in pursuit, but a bright star appeared between Sailor Star Maker's hands as she held them before her chest.
"Star…" The young woman with the long red ponytail exclaimed before raising the star above her head as she lifted her arms.
"Gentle…!"
Sailor Star Maker spun across her axis…
"Uterus…!"
…And launched the blinding attack at the golem with her left hand.
Salza's white horse deftly jumped to the right as the powerful attack burned a crater into the floor of the parking lot.
"Your enemy is me now!" Sailor Star Maker proclaimed to the creature. "Ignore me at your peril!"
"It matters not, which infidel I fight!" Salza exclaimed before jumping his horse onto the roof behind the Kinmokuan with an astounding leap. "My prey will not escape the wrath of God!"
To Sailor Star Maker's alarm, the creature moved the lance in its right hand, launching a bunch of other lances from it that forced her off the roof.
Behind the building from which Salza immediately jumped in pursuit of Hiromitsu, The Jupiter symbol activated on the sturdy green Jupiter Orb as Makoto exclaimed her transformation command: "Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!"
Makoto raised her Crystal Change Rod in her right hand, the Jupiter Orb attaching itself to the rod.
The green Jupiter symbol then launched itself from the orb of the Crystal Change Rod and three huge lightning bolts crackled from the star on top.
The young woman twirled around her axis with her left hand reaching out until the electric surges reorganized themselves around her in three circles like the orbits that electrons follow around an atom's nucleus as her curly brown hair streamed upward.
Standing with her feet wide apart, Makoto raised her arms with the Crystal Change Rod still in her right hand before lifting her left foot at knee height.
In a flash, Super Sailor Jupiter appeared in her sturdy green laced ankle-high boots, the two long pink ribbons attached to the back of her skirt trailing around her from the large pink bow on her lower back, her green skirt, her long white gloves, her white leotard and the shiny green heart at the center of the pink bow over her breasts, her segmented white shoulder pads, her green neckerchief, the green beaded hair-tie that held her ponytail together, and the golden tiara with the deep green crystal on her forehead.
Super Sailor Jupiter spun around once more in a nimble pirouette while her long curly ponytail bobbed up and down
A green wreath of leaves appeared behind her as she struck an attack pose with her right arm bent upwards and her left arm extended to the side.
Descending a red brick staircase down to a parking lot along the street parallel to Torii Zaka, Hiromitsu was relieved to see other people walking around and cars driving by.
But his hopes were dashed upon hearing the sound of hooves and panicked exclamations to his far left.
The young man was further startled when Sailor Star Maker landed beside him after having flown over the parking lot he traversed earlier.
"Don't be afraid," Maker warned calmly. "I am Sailor Star Maker. I came to protect you from the golem I saw chasing you."
"O… Okay," Hiromitsu muttered as he gaped at the scantily clad young woman.
"I'll grab you around the waist and fly along the road at low altitude. Don't worry. We'll be fine."
Despite the reassuring words, Hiromitsu's heartbeat accelerated when his new female protector embraced him and flew off with him past small groups of surprised people who fled left and right while Salza approached in the distance.
"There you are! Defiler of all God-fearing human beings!" The creature bellowed as it galloped up the narrow street in pursuit of its prey.
To his further surprise, Hiromitsu suddenly saw Super Sailor Jupiter flying to his right.
"I have a plan!" The brunette exclaimed with a wink at the boy before looking at Sailor Star Maker. "Fly into the first street to your right and then to your left!"
Sailor Star Maker nodded grimly at her friend.
"It's gaining on us!" She exclaimed. "I can't go faster or I would endanger our charge!"
"You are a disgrace and an insult to God's creation!" Salza bellowed at them while the golem launched a series of lances that got stuck in some houses along the street without causing casualties.
Doing as told, Sailor Star Maker flew into Udonzaka when Sailor Jupiter noticed the tears streaming down a sobbing Hiromitsu's cheeks.
"Hey! What's wrong?" The startled brunette asked the boy. "Don't mind that thing! It's just a ridiculous loudmouth and we're going to put a stop to its rampage in a few minutes!"
"B… But he's saying w… what everyone thinks!"
Super Sailor Jupiter stared at Hiromitsu in astonishment that the boy seemed to take Salza's over-the-top insults to heart.
"What?! No, he isn't!
Alright! There!" She pointed at the crossroads ahead. "Sailor Star Maker will land on the other side of the street and you'll hide in the parking lot behind the building to the left while she stands and catches the golem's attention! I'll turn right into the street and as soon as the golem crosses, I'll hit it with Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
"Solid plan!" Maker nodded at the brunette. "Let's do this!"
While Jupiter immediately flew to the right as they reached the end of Udonzaka, Maker flew ahead and landed on the zebra crossing at the other side of the crossroads between two small restaurants.
"Do as she said,'' The Kinmokuan gently advised Hiromitsu upon letting go of him. "We'll deal with this creature."
Hiromitsu started to run toward the back of the 10-story building but something inside of him made him turn when he was about three meters behind Sailor Star Maker and saw the young woman extend her arms to the sides while the fearsome Salza came galloping straight at her.
"You won't harm him, monster!" Maker exclaimed. "You'll have to go through me before I'll let that happen!"
"Then you shall share the fate of this extreme filth!" Salza bellowed.
'Even if my parents' plan to give us all a better life by moving out of our neighborhood in Kyoto failed, there's nowhere to run to now,' Hiromitsu feverishly reflected.
'If people really did find out about us we'll have to brave the despising looks and the whispered insults no matter the pain. I'll have to make a stand and try to enjoy my school life with the few friends I can make here even if others reject me.'
"Almost there," Super Sailor Jupiter sissed between gritted teeth when Maker folded her thumb and pointer finger into her left hand.
"Jupiter!"
The symbol of Jupiter appeared in the palm of Jupiter's hand, discharging a blinding bolt of lightning.
"Oak!"
Jupiter hugged herself and spun around on her right leg while bright rays of green light burst from the green crystal in her tiara.
"Evolution!"
Then she spread her arms wide, and numerous green leaves were launched in all directions as she twirled around in a pirouette before from the crystal in her tiara an overwhelming amount of green energy flashes electrified the air as they shot toward their target.
"Do what you want to me!" Hiromitsu exclaimed to Jupiter and Maker's alarm as the boy ran in front of the latter and in turn extended his arms to protect her. "But I am not a non-human!"
With amazing dexterity, Salza's horse decelerated before coming to a sudden standstill while Jupiter's attack smashed into the surface of the street dozens of meters further ahead.
The golem silently stared at the Burakumin outcast who defied him.
A five-meter-wide divide between them.
His chest heaving, Hiromitsu breathed in and out while silent tears flowed down his face.
Now he had made his stand, he had no idea how to proceed.
All he could do was watch the red number 5 on the helmet of the creature that had chased him count down to 4.
Then, to his surprise, the harnessed figure slowly slipped from his horse and landed on the street before its medieval outfit dissolved back into the horse.
"No, you don't!" Super Sailor Jupiter exclaimed as she saw the horse turn to the left at full gallop.
"You catch that horse!" Sailor Star Maker exclaimed while stepping forward and keeping Hiromitsu from approaching the person Salza had released. "I'll see to it that things are safe here!"
Seeing Jupiter run in pursuit of Salza, Hiromitsu walked carefully in Maker's footsteps towards the fallen knight lying on the street.
When they came within a meter's distance from the figure, Hiromitsu's eyes dilated in shock.
The young man with the light-brown hair silently kneeled beside Fuminori's unconscious body.
"So, are you reassured that nobody at school knows about the stigma your family had to live with back in Kyoto?" Makoto gently asked Hiromitsu when, ten minutes later, he sat next to Fuminori on the lower steps of the staircase behind the International House of Japan.
Taiki watched her friend's face. Both of them were concerned about the golem having escaped.
"And I swear to you I will tell nobody," Fuminori said while looking down at his hands in shame. "I will defend your reputation against anyone I find trying to make up more stories about you. Once more, I am so sorry for how I treated you. Had I known of your past I would have never…"
"Thank you, Nanako-san. I'm sorry for cursing at you and trying to punch you," Hiromitsu interrupted the other boy. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"But many people might treat Hiromitsu far worse if they knew," Makoto commented. "I understand completely why he wants to try and keep his family's past a secret at all costs."
"Sometimes it feels like you have to try and hide who you are in the hope of escaping horrible treatment," Taiki nodded.
Looking guilty, Fuminori glanced at Hiromitsu, who sat in sullen silence.
"Matsumoto-san… I'm homosexual."
"... And today I saw your tsundere side?" His companion muttered without looking at him.
"No. I'm telling you this because we have a common ground. You can't tell by looking at us that we're different from most people. But many people would treat us both very differently if they knew."
Hiromitsu raised his eyes and looked at the boy sitting to his left.
"I understand how I and others made you feel lately," Fuminori said. "I'm ashamed of how I followed you from school intending to confront you over the things I stupidly got into my head. And that while Carolina-chan herself kept telling me I was talking nonsense."
"Carolina-san said that?" Hiromitsu smiled before casting his eyes down to hide his blush.
"She did. Carolina-chan didn't seem to mind much that you bumped into her. Nor that you didn't apologize or any of the other things people have been saying about you concerning her."
"I knew she wouldn't," Hiromitsu smiled happily. "Carolina-san is cool like that."
A thought popping into his head, Fuminori turned to look at the boy to his right.
"Wait… Is the reason you asked all those questions about Carolina-chan and why you found it hard to apologize today…" He started to ask.
"Well… Carolina-san is cool, isn't she?" Hiromitsu blushed in earnest. "And she's a stunning beauty. Anyone would think so. She's always so cheerful and kind… I want to get closer to her, but… Maybe you can help me, Nanako-san?"
Fuminori heaved a sad sigh while a sweat-dropping Makoto grimaced in commiseration.
"Oh man… I'm so sorry, Matsumoto-san. But I'm going to have to disappoint you…"
"So you like pink carnations and purple primroses," Carolina listed while she and Chibi-Usa leisurely walked to their cram school after having had dinner together at a nearby Izakaya and picking up an envelope at the Portuguese embassy for her father.
"Hm-hm," Chibi-Usa serenely nodded. "Red roses are also nice. And white lilies."
"And you like romantic guitar music but also dreamy piano melodies."
'Yes." Chibi-Usa sweatdropped. "You've been asking me questions since dinner. Don't you have an idea by now?"
To her annoyance, she saw her senpai hang her head and whine: "This is so hard…."
"How is this hard?" Chibi-Usa huffed at the taller girl. "You're constantly coming up with cool creative ideas.
I didn't even ask you to put so much effort into it. You're the only one who wants to turn it into some elaborate thing…"
"Look who's there!" A female voice rang clear in the distance. "It's our old friend, Carolina!"
As she noticed her senpai tense up, Chibi-Usa searched for the source of the exclamation.
She found, to her intrigue, that three girls in white shirts and gray skirts were approaching them at a distance of about eight meters.
"Hey, Chibi-Usa-chan," Carolina calmly addressed the younger girl.
Chibi-Usa looked up in surprise to find the Portuguese smiling at her with the usual confidence.
"Can I ask you to do me a favor?" Carolina asked.
"Yes," Chibi-Usa cautiously replied. "But who are those girls?"
"They're from my former school. We didn't get along very well. Please just stay behind me and let us do the talking, alright?
Everything will be fine if you trust in my judgment. It will get nasty at first but they'll soon leave us and we can be on our way."
"Hello, Carolinaaa!" The girl with the long blonde hair at the head of the group called out exaggeratedly while roughly slapping her former schoolmate against the shoulder. "It's been ages. How have you been?"
"Hello, Helena," Carolina smiled calmly. "Hello, Ingrid. Hello, Francoise. I hope you've been well?"
"We've been wondering where our resident lesbian was off to this school year," Helena grinned. "It seems our company wasn't good enough anymore for your liking?"
The two older girls conversed in English, but Chibi-Usa understood them well enough.
To Helena's right was a somewhat shorter girl with a short red ponytail and piercing gray eyes.
To her other side was a slender girl with a brown fishtail braid.
"I'd be sorry if you thought so," Carolina said with a tilt of her head. "You knew I always planned to enroll in a Japanese middle school after a year. I've missed you guys. But I haven't been able to keep in touch with all of you.''
"Nooo," Helena grinned. "I bet you've been surprised at how Bernard didn't stay in touch, have you?"
"Not really," Carolina shrugged while Helena lightly tapped her against the cheek. "Me and him never were that…"
"Oh, poor Carolina," Helena smirked. "Always trying to make herself popular with the boys with her jokes and her insinuations of being a lesbian."
"I never really made that statement," Carolina gently reacted. "There were a lot of beautiful girls at school, so I made some comments on a few of them and I didn't deny it when people started to say I'm a lesbian. That's all."
"Now, now," Helena grinned viciously while her two friends each came a step closer to Carolina. "Between us girls, the four of us know you used all the tricks a little slut would employ to seduce the boys in her school."
Chibi-Usa started to get frightened. They were gathered between a red parked van and the colonnaded entrance of a 14-story apartment building. Nobody could see them at a glance.
It was clear to her that the three girls were very hostile to Carolina and each was at least a little taller than the Portuguese.
Helena was about Hotaru's size and while the blonde had far from the muscular build of the black-bobbed girl she had almost the same bulk.
"I'm sorry if I gave you guys that impression," Carolina said while motioning with her left hand for Chibi-Usa to stay behind her and not get involved. "That was never my intention. I wanted to be friends with everyone."
"She seems frightened of us, doesn't she?" Helena laughed while looking at her friends.
Chibi-Usa saw the redheaded girl fold her arms while grinning at Carolina who gazed at her feet in deference.
"Very different from the free-spirited Carolina who flirted with Bernard and the other boys. Don't you think, Ingrid?"
"She is a lot more timid without the boys here to take her side," The girl with the brown fishtail braid smiled.
"As she should be," Helena smiled. "It's time Carolina was taught a lesson. Who is the little Japanese girl hiding behind you by the way? She's not your girlfriend by any chance?"
The change was subtle, Chibi-Usa thought. But at that moment she saw a shiver run through her senpai as her three former schoolmates burst out in derisive laughter.
"What's your name?" Helena addressed Chibi-Usa in perfect though a little awkward Japanese. "I am Berthel Helena. Maybe your friend and I should go on a date, Carolina? I have so many funny stories to tell her about you. Ha…!"
"Now, Helena," Carolina grinned savagely while firmly gripping the taller girl's left wrist despite the blonde vigorously struggling to free her arm.
"How would you feel if I threatened to ask Bernard out on a date? You'd be upset for his sake, wouldn't you? You would be worried I'd mistreat your precious Bernard and fill his head with lies."
"Let go of me, you bitch," Helena hissed. "Or we'll beat you up in front of your little friend."
"You're going to beat me up, Helena?" Carolina grinned at each girl in turn with a furious glare in her eyes, making Chibi-Usa nervous.
"Let's make a bet then. If I win this fight with the three of you I'll stay away from Bernard as I always have, but you will never again come within ten meters of my friend.
If you win, I'll stay away from Bernard and you get to hang out with my friend. How does that sound?"
Helena nervously stared at the intimidating smirk of the girl with the low black curly ponytail.
"What's the matter, Helena?" Carolina smiled. "Did you lose your nerve?"
"No…" The blonde muttered. "It's a deal."
Before Chibi-Usa could react, Helena tried to punch her club senpai.
Carolina blocked and hit her opponent's nose with the blonde's own left hand, making Helena yelp in pain and stumble to the right, blocking Francoise's path forward.
As Ingrid moved to grab Carolina's arms, the Portuguese kicked her against the right knee which caused the brunette to fall forward.
Carolina punched Helena in the stomach with her left as the blonde tried to attack again and kneed Ingrid in the chest while her tallest opponent gasped for air and doubled up in pain.
This left Francoise finally free to take a swing at the Portuguese, but Carolina dodged and punched her attacker in the side before tripping her.
The wincing redhead whimpered as she fell but tried to grab hold of the blackette's skirt.
This prompted Carolina to grab her and Helena by the hair and smash their heads together.
Having been unable to intervene due to the fast and chaotic nature of the fight, an agitated Chibi-Usa was left standing behind Carolina.
The struggle was over at least, since Carolina's opponents were weeping and whining on the pavement, unable to pick themselves up and carry on.
"I'm truly sorry for having hurt you," The pinkette heard Carolina say. "But you didn't want to believe me when I said I was never interested in Bernard or the other boys at school. On top of that, you threatened to harass my friend. I hope you understand now that I can never allow you to bother her because of your hatred towards me?"
"Please," Helena whimpered. "We'll leave you both in peace. We're sorry."
Chibi-Usa saw Carolina's shoulders slouch as the blackette silently regarded her defeated enemies.
"So am I," The Portuguese quietly spoke. "I hope the three of you quickly recover and I wish you happiness with Bernard."
When Carolina turned and pulled her forward by the hand, Chibi-Usa didn't know how to react to the tears she saw in the taller girl's eyes.
She understood that Carolina had fought to protect her. But also because she couldn't accept anyone trying to make the pinkette think ill of her.
They walked close to ten meters hand in hand before she hesitatingly asked Carolina: "Are you okay…?"
The blackette didn't immediately answer. So Chibi-Usa tried again.
"It's over now. I think they'll keep their word. Please don't feel bad, Carolina-senpai."
To her surprise, the taller girl suddenly stopped and let go of her hand.
"I'm sorry, Chibi-Usa-chan," Carolina quietly said. "This is not the kind of person I am. I was wrong in hurting them because they threatened you. I might have bought them off. We could have gone to the police. It's just that…"
"It's alright," Chibi-Usa soothingly spoke while her heart jumped within. "It's over now."
The pinkette was happy to see that Carolina had stopped weeping. Her hands gently caressed the blackette's cheek and shoulder.
"I'm sorry," Carolina continued while her sad purple eyes looked into the concerned red eyes she loved so much. "I never fought before in my life. I know I sinned. I just couldn't… I love you and the thought of them harassing you because of me…"
Chibi-Usa couldn't take it anymore. Without warning she leaned forward and kissed Carolina on the lips.
Despite herself, Carolina put her arms around the slender waist of her beloved and pulled the pinkette closer, passionately returning Chibi-Usa's adoring kisses while caressing the back of the younger girl's head.
So started the first romantic relationship of their lives.