At five am on this particular day, James called up Nate and said "Wanna go for a run?"
Running meant running and vaulting along rooftops, because they had a lot of training to do. It also meant a stop for coffee, and then— back to the rooftops. It was a day of mist and gloom, too beautiful to sit inside mulling about what might have been.
James thought, you can learn to love a city like this one.
"Penny for your thoughts?" said Nate.
James tilted his head to the sky. "Do you believe in luck?"
"Yes," was the instant answer. "What do you mean?"
"I wish we'd had the luck of Hino and the others," James said. "To be born in Juuban— or brought here at a young age. Their Princess found them and they were whole. I think that's a kind of luck."
"So… that kind of lucky?"
James frowned, impressed despite himself. He'd never had a friend like Nate before— the kind of friend who could read you better than you liked to be read. "I'm serious. I wish we'd been there for Mamoru in years past."
"Yeah. I know." After a silence where each thought of might-have-beens, Nate added, "We're here now, though. That's what matters."
"Hell yes."
"Really, man, things had to unfold the way they did. The stars wrote it out, before we were born. Our paths would lead us to Mamoru—it just took us longer. So that was fate," he said, "but it's also luck."
"Yeah…" James looked into his paper cup. Luck… I had a moment, thought James, when I felt her fingers in my hair. I was lucky to experience that.
If I was really, really lucky, she would not have noticed my state afterwards…
… But we won't count on that.
"In the Arab world," James said out loud, "some people scry with coffee grounds. I wonder if Kunzite will know how. I hope he gets here soon," he added with a crooked grin. "I'm sick of being the new guy."
Nate was looking at the fading stars in the west. He frowned a little. "Yeah. We ought to get going. Mako's got a long day today, and I want to see her…"
"Of course," said James.
And so, spurred by love, they took the sidewalk, like normal civilians, all the way to Crown Fruits Parlor.
Through the doors, they caught a glimpse of the girls in their usual booth. Specifically he saw Makoto (who had asked James to call her by her given name) and Hino (who had not given any such permission). Hino seemed to be reciting something, with her hands making elegant motions and her eyes shining like stars. James hesitated before pushing the door open.
"You okay?" Nate asked.
"It's a nice scene," said James. "Just want it to play out."
"You can wait forever with an attitude like that."
"I know." James adjusted his collar and inhaled deeply. "Well, welcome to the rest of my life," he said, and, ignoring Nate's puzzled look, he pushed open the door.
"'And then she knew that she would live, and hold peace in her hand like a pearl.' Isn't that beautiful? Mako, it's one of the best books I've read in years."
"I'm so glad," Mako said as Rei finished.
The bell rang; Rei turned and saw Sun entering, with Nate close behind. Mako got up to greet Nate, of course. Sun approached the table. He looked… well. He had a glow of exertion and color in his cheeks. No longer the trudging wanderer adrift in a book fair. He looked quite capable of anything, a man to watch.
"Hino," he greeted her.
"Sun," she answered. Then— then— damn. She had dedicated a little thought to what she would say when they met next, but it had fled her mind. "Thank you for the pastry."
"You're welcome."
"My grandfather and I enjoyed it," she finished.
Sun's smile was a little crooked. She couldn't look directly at it. "What did Phobos and Deimos have to say?"
Cool disdain. "I don't think they would have cared to see their likeness in pastry."
"Well, so few of us do," said Sun.
"But it's just a semblance. We need to discuss your illusion work."
"At last," he said.
"You've dabbled in mimicry long enough. It's time to work on something original, vivid enough to dazzle and bright enough to confuse."
"Mimicry is valuable," he countered, "and it doesn't always pay to be dazzling. In some circumstances, the best illusion is the one you don't see. The one that blends right in." He met her gaze, and smiled again.
Rei's mouth was dry and her palms itched. "Point taken, Sun. But our company works in dazzling ways, so when I put in an order for a firebird, I do not want to see a pigeon."
For the first time, Rei made Sun laugh. "As you wish," he said.
The bell rang again and Minako sang out, "I'm here! The party has officially begun," and Ami and Zander entered, rather more quietly, on her heels. Sun went to greet Zander, and Rei tried to ignore the flutterings in the pit of her stomach. She got up and pulled Mina over to sit by her, facing the windows.
And Sun was seated, now, between Nate on one side and Zander on the other. Calmer than either of them, listening, content. He took up exactly his apportioned amount of space, but he filled it well… she had to look somewhere else.
She looked at the window, where she could make out her and Minako's reflections. She saw Mina's golden head incline towards her own, and heard a kindly whisper:
"You doing okay?"
Rei nodded. "It's just…"
But her words were cut off in the clamor of Usagi and Mamoru's arrival. Shortly after— to everyone's surprise— Setsuna and Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru, walked in and filled up the last corner of the booth.
The conversation threatened to get unruly, but Usagi's voice was sufficient to bring silence.
"Everyone," said Usagi, "we've invited you all here for a special reason. Mamo-chan…"
Mamoru cleared his throat. "Some of you may know this," he said, addressing the whole table but his Generals in particular, "I don't have a lot that remains of my own parents. One thing I do have, though—their wedding date, October first. I wanted to honor them… and it's something we've been putting off," he looked at Usagi, who smiled.
"We're not putting it off any longer," said Usagi to the assembly. "On October first of next year, Mamoru and I will be married."
Cheers and congratulations, richly deserved, came from every corner of the table. Discussion of bridesmaids' gowns and groomsmen's suits— scratch that, groomsmen's tuxedos, per Mamoru's insistence— filled the air. After some ten minutes, Minako excused herself and went to the bathroom. Rei counted to thirty-two, and followed her.
She found Minako applying lipstick before the restroom mirror. "Hey, girl," said Mina with a smile. "Great news, huh?"
"Wonderful news." Rei took out her eyeliner pencil and they touched up their makeup side by side. After a modest silence Rei asked, "Are you okay?"
"And I thought I was asking that question," Mina replied.
"You got a little tense when they announced it."
"Eh, just thinking about old ghosts," came the reply. "There won't be a spare tuxedo lying around, I can tell you that. Old Mr. K has a time limit…" She caught sight of Rei's face in the mirror. "Why, Rei! What is it?"
"I'm fine," said Rei as she pulled out a paper towel. "I'm just fine," she said, laying down the eyeliner pencil with a trembling hand.
Before she could protest further Minako's hand was wiping away that first damning tear. "It's okay," said Minako. "Usagi and Mamoru getting married means everything's going to change. It's okay to cry."
"Not just that—" said Rei. She drew in a shuddering breath, while inside her willpower was clawing her feelings into submission. "We'll change," she said. "You and me. When he comes back, you and me, we won't be the same anymore."
"Rei. Look at me."
Minako's tone was gentle but did not brook refusal. When Rei met her eyes, Minako said, "You and I are sisters and soldiers, beyond the borders of death. You think any man can affect that? Some things were set in fate a long time ago. You and me, we're written in the stars, honeybun." In a gentler tone, she said, "I'm not going to maroon you all alone, Rei. You've got me."
No words could meet such a statement. Rei hugged her, instead.
They re-entered the restaurant, and some jazzy sort of bolero was playing over the speakers.
As they sat down, Rei saw Sun watching her. He lifted his teacup her way and inclined his head. She matched the gesture with her own Thai iced tea.
Stalemate. Curtain drops. And thus we enter a new equilibrium…
Once this silent toast had passed, Rei looked at Usagi. She really had to get her Princess's true opinions on this later… as much as Usagi was genuinely radiating joy, there was a trace in her eyes of a wise resignation. Dreams, omens, an outright message from the future… or maybe Usagi and Mamoru had simply known it was time.
The future is a messy business, Rei reflected.
Oh, well. Time to drink, toast her friends, and enjoy the present.
A Guardian of Fire does not dwell on the past.