Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory
Act 42: Graduation Day
By: Sora Kazeno
Mamoru stood at the airport. He reflected on the last time he stood in this spot. It had been the first time that he had left for America. Usako had rushed to the airport to see him one more time to say goodbye. He had given her a promise ring.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts of those memories. He hoped things would be better for him across the Pacific Ocean. He needed a fresh start away from everything. He double checked his possessions to make sure he had everything before he got on the plane.
"Leaving so soon?"
Mamoru turned around, confused by the voice behind him. It was Michiru and Haruka. They were there to see him off.
"You couldn't leave without a proper goodbye," Michiru said, walking forward.
"You didn't have to come," Mamoru responded.
Haruka shook her head. "No matter what, you are one of us."
He was surprised by her kind words. She seemed different since Setsuna left for Pluto. "Have you heard from Setsuna-san? It still seems strange for her to leave so abruptly."
"She…. Had her reasons," Michiru said with a wink.
Haruka quietly cleared her throat. She didn't want Mamoru to know what Setsuna was up to in case it didn't work. There was no need to give false hope to a person with a broken heart.
Mamoru gave them a questioning glance but knew better than to ask. It would be a dead end. Something was going on behind the scenes. He would find out eventually when the time was right. "Thank you for coming."
"Make sure to keep in touch," Michiru handed him a piece of paper. "It has everyone's email addresses. It might be easier than sending letters overseas."
He nodded his head. He paused when he saw Usagi's e-mail address included.
"Kitten wanted to come but she couldn't miss any more school, especially if she wants to graduate," Haruka noticed his expression as he scanned the different names and contact information.
"Graduation…" Mamoru repeated slowly. "Good. I want to make sure Usako finishes… I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that."
"We'll make sure she finishes," Haruka reassured him. "We can't have a Queen that didn't finish school."
Mamoru smiled slightly. "I'll make sure to reach out … to everyone once I settle in during the next few days, as long as no one attacks the plane."
Michiru and Haruka were surprised by Mamoru's humor in the situation.
"I'm sure your starseed is safe," Michiru responded.
An announcement was made for the boarding call for his flight. He turned around to glance at the departure gate. He looks back to face them one more time. "Thank you… and please keep an eye on her."
"Always," Haruka vowed.
Minako sighed. She looked at her latest exam grade. It was passing, barely. She needed to raise her grades more in order to finish school. She spent most of her evening hours practicing for the upcoming tour. She had not been able to spend time with Ami, who had offered to help with improving her grades. She was starting to run out of ideas. She taps her fingernails on her desk, racking her brain to figure out how she was going to make everything work.
"Are you okay?" Usagi asks, noticing Minako's frustration.
"I don't know how you do it," Minako said, looking over at Seiya. "Balancing a career and school is impossible."
"I know Ami-chan will help you," Usagi said. "Ami-chan has been helping me a lot with what I missed. As long as I pass my tests… she's pretty sure I'll make it."
Seiya shook his head. "It's not the same, Odango." He turned his attention to Minako. "We have Taiki to help us during downtime on during shows, recording, etc." Seiya thought back to some of the late nights Taiki had helped him cram to pass an exam. "You know… I bet we could work something out. We are doing promotional photos this week… not all of them will be group shots. I'm sure Taiki would be willing to help you." Seiya said, confident in his plan.
Minako grinned. "That would be great!" She felt relief wash over her. "I just want to pass. I don't need stellar grades."
Usagi laughed. "Something we can agree on!"
Mamoru smiled when he finally arrived at Harvard. He had an 8-hour flight delay in Chicago due to the bad weather in January. Snow had delayed the planes and caused issues on the runway. Boston was just about as cold. The storm he left was supposed to follow him in a day.
He had some trouble finding his dormitory but with a little help from a few students, he found his way to what would be his home for the next few semesters. He was arriving a day later than planned, but he did not have to be anywhere until tomorrow. He slowly walked up the steps. All he wanted to do was sleep.
Half asleep, he walked over to his room. He pulled out the gold key he received from the office of student admission. He put the key in the lock and tried to open it. The lock didn't turn. He jangled the key in the lock, hoping in vain it would work. He was unsuccessful.
The door whipped open. "Can I help you?" A petite, black haired woman with piercing green eyes asked with narrowed eyes.
"I'm sorry... I'm trying to get to my room after a long flight… it is room 228," Mamoru said, confused by the person in the doorway.
Her expression softened. "You want the room next door, this is 226." She stepped out in the hallway to lead him in the correct direction. She paused when she saw his face. "Who are you?"
"Oh… I'm Chiba, Mamoru. Err, Mamoru Chiba." Sometimes he forgot to say his first name before his last when he spoke English. It was a habit.
She nodded her head. "My name is Ayumi. I guess we are going to be neighbors." She paused in front of a door. "This is the correct room." She was about to turn and walk away but stopped to ask one more question. "Where did you fly in from?"
"Tokyo."
She nodded her head. "That is a lot of jet lag." She smiled. "Welcome to Harvard." She left and turned to go back to her room. She paused in the hallway as his door closed. She shook her head. It was impossible for him to be alive. But he looked so much like him. She sighed. This wasn't the first time she thought she saw him and felt the disappointment of being wrong for he had died a long time ago.
She walked back into her room and closed the door of her modest size dorm room. The dorm room was just like any with a small bed and wooden desk on each end of the room and a window on the far wall.
"Who was that?" Nami asked with a confused expression. She placed her pen down on her desk. She also had black hair but her eyes were brown.
"Met our new neighbor. He's from Japan."
"Finally! Someone else from Japan that lives on this floor." She beamed.
Ayumi shot her a look. "I may not have been born in Japan… but I'm still Japanese too."
Nami laughed. "You're so funny!" She turned back to her notebook to continue working on her research. She was determined to finish her dissertation by the end of this year.
Ayumi sat down and looked at the papers in front of her. She looked at the photos and sighed. She was never going to find what she was looking for. She took countless photos of the site but still couldn't find what she coveted. If only it wasn't in ruins.
Rei sat in front of the Great Fire. She couldn't recall the last time she mediated in front of the flames. In the chilly weather, it relaxed her tense muscles. Everything was about to change in the next upcoming months. Usagi and Minako were going to join the Three Lights on the tour. Ami would start college during the summer to begin working on her prerequisites for medical school. Makoto was looking into different culinary programs. Hotaru would remain in school. Michiru would continue to pursue classical music and Haruka would continue her career as a racecar driver. Rei would continue to remain at the shrine. Everyone had their own adventures and she seemed to be standing still.
It was now the second week of the semester. Mamoru was gradually adjusting to his new life in America. He was slowly meeting everyone else on the floor. Many were international students studying various graduate disciplines. Ayumi was also studying medicine which led to her and Mamoru studying together often. They were studying in Ayumi's room. Nami was studying psychology.
A loud knock at the door disrupted them.
Ayumi jumped to her feet wondering who would be knocking on the door at midnight. Another Japanese student stood anxiously in their doorway. "Nami-chan, they finally made the announcement! Check the website!" She appeared extremely excited over something.
"Really?" Nami opened a new browser window and waited for the website to load. "Oh my gosh! The concert schedule has been posted!" She scanned the cities and froze. "They are coming to Boston right after finals!"
Ayumi shook her head. Nami and Mai were obsessed. This would be something that they would be talking about for the next few months until the concert happened.
Mamoru still wasn't completing following who the two girls were referring to. All he knew was that they really liked a music band.
"They even posted a clip of one of their new songs!" Nami clicked on the link and began to play the music.
"Turn it up a little!" Mai said anxious to hear the new release.
It took Mamoru five seconds to realize which music group the two other girls were so excited to hear and see in concert. That voice was unmistakable. It was Seiya. They were fans of the Three Lights. He began to gather his things. "It's getting late. We can pick this up tomorrow."
"Yeah," Ayumi said. "This is all they are going to be talking about for the next hour. Leave while you can," she added with a wink.
Mamoru returned to his dorm room and sighed. He was glad he did not have a roommate. The space gave him time to think. He placed his study materials on his desk and sat down in the chair. He turned on the lamp. He sat at his desk for a few moments without moving. He opened his desk draw and pulled out a photo frame he kept hidden, tucked away so no one else could see. He still looked at their picture from time to time. Not a day passed when he didn't think of her. They both looked so happy in the picture. Usagi appeared so carefree. He had tried to email her a few times but nothing ever sounded right.
A sheet of paper was placed face down on Minako's desk. She was reluctant to turn it over. All of her free time was spent preparing for the tour and the time in between was for tutoring sessions with Taiki. She was grateful for his help and hoped all of the extra time helped her pass her exam. She stared at the paper.
Yaten noticed the bizarre behavior. "It's not going to hurt you if you turn it over." He didn't understand her hesitation. "You're going to have to look at your grade sooner or later."
Minako continued to stare at the paper in front of her. She slowly turned over a little of the paper at the bottom. She didn't see any red marks. It appeared she got a few questions correct. She turned over the paper a little more and began to see several red marks. With dismay she turned over the rest of the exam. She passed with a low B. Her jaw dropped slightly. It was an improvement and it helped raise her grade. "No way…"
Yaten laughed. "Looks like all that extra help from Taiki paid off."
Minako could only numbly nod her head in response. She couldn't believe her exam score even as she continued to stare at the grade in front of her.
Usagi pouted her lips. She had a high C. Maybe she should have spent more time listening to Ami instead of thinking about how much fun it would be on tour with everyone. She had to graduate with everyone. She put her test in her book bag. She would ask Ami about it later.
Makoto didn't say anything but noticed the look on Usagi's face. Her score wasn't as high as she hoped.
Mamoru signed into his Yahoo account to review his email. He found one from Motoki. He clicked on it and read the email. He was still concerned about Mamoru and his seemingly sudden departure after having issues with Usagi. After their break-up, Motoki tried to figure out what happened since so many people thought they were the perfect couple. Mamoru closed out of the email. He couldn't tell Motoki the truth. He couldn't tell anyone the truth. It sounded too crazy.
A knock on the door caused Mamoru to stand up. He walked over to the door and found Mai.
"Hi," She said. "A bunch of us are going to go out for drinks to celebrate the first round of exams being over." Mai is a medical student. Over the past few weeks he was getting to know her and the other students on the floor.
A part of Mamoru wanted to refuse and stay in his room alone. Then he reminded himself being here was about change and trying new things. If he did nothing but study, everything would be the same. Starting over meant he would have to do some things that he normally wouldn't do. "Sure." He turned and grabbed his things.
"We were thinking burgers and drinks at The Druid," Mai paused. "We were going to walk there. By the time we walk to my car, dig it out, and drive there… it would be quicker just to walk. I can't wait until this snow melts." Mai is from California and is not used to the harsh Eastern winters. She is what many would call "half", half Japanese and half European.
Mamoru, Mai, Nami, and Ayumi met up with a few more students from down the hall. The group of students began their journey in quest of burgers and drinks.
During dinner, the group discussed different ideas for spring break which was in two weeks. They couldn't believe their semester was almost half over.
David, a Caucasian male with blond hair, came back with two beers for himself and Mai. "Mai and I were planning on going to DC for their annual cherry blossom festival. DC isn't that far from here and it should be a nice change of pace."
"You guys can go ahead. I had a different road trip planned," Ayumi said, politely turning down their offer.
Nami frowned. "You didn't join us the summer after graduation to go on a road trip."
"Sometimes… I just need some time to myself." Ayumi said to explain without revealing her destination. She smiled at the others.
The temperature was slowly rising. The snow melted. Sakura trees were expected to start blooming. Graduation was in three weeks.
Usagi paused by the front entrance to change her shoes. She couldn't believe her time as a student was finally coming to an end. She had waited for this moment for so long, yet she was panicking. Her grades had slowly improved. She is really close to passing everything. Her time with Seiya had become more limited as the start date for the tour grew nearer. The tour was finally set. They were going to Hawaii, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Boston, and a dozen cities in South America. Each location has a large Japanese fan base.
For each city, Three Lights and Minako were scheduled to be there for several days leading up to the actual concert date. Usago wondered if this meant that she would be stuck wandering around each city by herself and by wandering, she meant horribly lost. Part of the excitement of the tour was to be with the others but it was not all fun and games for her. The Three Lights and Minako would be preoccupied with rehearsals, interviews, photoshoots, and meet-and-greets. She frowned.
Usagi slowly walked down the hallway to her classroom. Other than school, she hadn't seen Seiya in a week. It was Friday, the day he always set aside for her. Normally she would be excited for Friday and the start of the weekend but she couldn't help but feel bummed.
The hallways were fairly empty. The bell was about to ring. She had just enough time to get to class without being late. She had an exam in the afternoon that she was going to review with the others during lunch.
She slid open the classroom door. She was surprised to see all of the students walking around the room.
Minako greeted her first, "We have free study for the first period, so we have extra time!" Minako was relieved by the extra study time. If she passed this exam, she would graduate. She was surprised Usagi didn't look more relieved since she was in the same boat and needed a slightly higher grade. "Usagi-chan, is something bothering you?"
Usagi shook her head to say no but Minako wasn't buying her story. "…I was just thinking about the upcoming tour. The four of you are going to be busy with the concerts and different promotional events. So… I'm not sure what I'm going to do all day."
Minako opened her mouth to respond but knew Usagi was right. She wasn't sure what she would do if she was in Usagi's position. "I know we will have some free time, Usagi-chan." She tried to downplay their busy schedule. She had seen drafts. They were allowed some free time in each city, but it was very limited.
"I just wish there was someone else that would be there. I'm going to end up getting lost in a country where I barely speak any of the language and you might never see me again," Usagi mumbled, feeling miserable.
Minako was about to tell Usagi she was exaggerating but then she remembered the Three Lights concert she missed by getting on the wrong bus. She tear dropped. "Ahh…" She put her hand on Usagi's shoulder. "I'm sure we can think of something."
The classroom door opened again. Yaten and Seiya entered the classroom. Yaten immediately sat down at his desk and put his head down. He was exhausted. Last night's rehearsal was draining.
Seiya seemed nearly as tired and he sat down in his seat. He took a deep breath to try to cover up a yawn. "What did you want to do later, Odango?"
Usagi sat down in her seat and turned around to face him. "You sure you want to do something? You seem really tired."
Seiya shook his head. "No. I look forward to Fridays every week so I can spend time with you. I don't care how tired I am, I want to spend time with you."
Usagi's lips pouted slightly and nodded her head. She was still focused on her dilemma.
Seiya was surprised by Usagi's mood. She was normally really excited for Friday and had several ideas of places they could go. She didn't seem like her usual self. "Odango, you seem a little down. Are you feeling okay?"
"I was looking at the tour schedule and I'm not sure how I'm going to fit in. Everyone is going to be so busy with the concert… no one is going to be free to explore," Usagi said, trying to simplify her issue. "I'm sure I'm going to get really lost too… English is still difficult for me."
Seiya's shoulders slumped slightly. He was excited to have Odango share the excitement of being on tour but he didn't factor in how much time she would be on her own. "I never thought about it like that." He tried to comfort her. He still wanted her to come with them on the tour, but he didn't want her to be unhappy. "I know we can come up with something."
"Good morning, Usagi-chan. Seiya-kun," Makoto greeted them as she entered the classroom and went to her seat.
Seiya smiled. "What if… someone else went with you? What if one of the other girls were able to go?" She wouldn't be alone and she would be with someone that she knows and trust.
Usagi nodded her head sadly. "Mako-chan is starting culinary school over the summer. Ami-chan is starting medical school. Rei-chan is…. Rei-chan is…" She gasped and her eyes widened. "She might be free! Can we stop at the shrine tonight?"
"Of course. If you want, she can join us for dinner and you tell her about the tour," Seiya said, glad to see her mood improve.
"That sounds great, Seiya!" She beamed. "We have a free period to study this morning."
"Study…." He looked over at Yaten and laughed. "I think he needs to sleep so he will be up later to take the exam," Seiya said. He pulled out his books. He knew he needed to review the materials as well but sleeping also sounded like a fantastic idea. "Think you can study with Minako-chan and some of the others? We can study during lunch. I promise. I think I need a power nap."
Usagi laughed. "The life of an idol, huh? Even the great Seiya has his limits?" She teased him. "Minako-chan isn't as tired."
"She was able to leave a lot earlier than we were. She will have some more free time than the rest of us," Seiya said, as he moved his books to the side so he had a place to rest his head on the desk.
Usagi grabbed her books and went over to Minako and Makoto to study. They were determined to pass this exam.
Sailor Pluto stared at the object in front of her. She couldn't believe they were finally able to locate it. The light reflected off of the crystal, creating a prism of light.
Sailor Charon shook her head impatiently. "What are you waiting for?"
Sailor Pluto lightly touched the crystal key. "Do you know how to use it?"
Sailor Charon was about to open her mouth but then realized Sailor Pluto was correct. Finding the key was one thing, but neither knew the secret to unlocking its powers. She sighed.
"It is time for me to return to Earth," Sailor Pluto said. "I've been away from the others long enough."
"How will that help you figure out the key? There should be more clues here!" Sailor Charon argued. "I can't believe you're not trying to pursue the key now that we found it."
Sailor Pluto smiled. "You will stay here and see what you can find." She stood up slowly. "If the information is not here, it is in the library on Mercury. And Earth is a lot closer to Mercury than Pluto."
Sailor Charon shook her head and smiled. She should have known Sailor Pluto would have a well thought out plan. "What are you going to tell the other about your sudden departure?"
"The Moon Senshi seem to have everything under control," Sailor Pluto explained. "My stay here was always meant to be temporary."
Usagi took a deep breath and smiled after the last bell rang. The day was finally over. She is fairly confident that she passed the exam. She felt a lot better than she had this morning, ready to face what challenges awaited her and more importantly, graduation.
Seiya stretched his arms over his head. "What do you say we get going?"
Usagi nodded her head. During lunch earlier, Usagi spoke with Minako about the idea of asking Rei to join them on the tour. Minako told Usagi it was a great idea. Usagi was excited at the thought of exploring America with her friends.
"Don't forget we have an early start tomorrow," Yaten reminded Seiya.
"Way too early of a start for Saturday," Minako commented. "But… it's what I signed up! I'm sure the tour will be great."
Yaten was surprised by her sudden change of mood from annoyed at being up so early to looking forward to all of the work yet to come. She had the right mindset to make it as a singer. It is a difficult and demanding career but very rewarding. He collected the rest of his belongings. "See you tomorrow." He paused to turn around to add, "It's your turn to pick where we're getting our lunch from."
Minako nodded her head. "I'll think it over." The group always tried to order food from somewhere different since there were so many eateries within a short distance from the studio. "I think I'm going to look for some South American food. It will give us an idea of what we can expect when we go there." She said with a wink.
Yaten nodded his head. "Sounds good."
Usagi and Seiya left the school grounds hand in hand. "Next weekend the cherry blossoms are supposed to bloom. I'm told it is a big event throughout Japan," Seiya said, trying to understand more of the tradition.
"Every year, people gather in the park to celebrate spring with the blossoming of the trees." Usagi explained as she thought about the time Umino slept outside the night before to make sure they had a great spot to review the flowering trees. "But … it is hard to find a good spot."
"It won't be a problem this year," Seiya winked. "The Three Lights were recruited as part of the entertainment for the year. We are going to play some of our new songs. One of the things offered to us was a guaranteed place under the cherry blossoms."
Usagi beamed. "I would love it! But… I don't think Haruka-san and Michiru-san would show up."
"Yeah…" Seiya agreed. "It will be fun with the other girls. I know… everyone is going to start going their separate ways after school."
"To an extent," Usagi said in agreement. "But we still have centuries ahead of us." She paused to reflect on everything. "For so many years, all we could talk about was what we were going to do after graduation. Now… it's finally happening. Some of us have the same plans and some of the others have changed a bit." She paused to turn around to look at the school. "I just can't believe how quickly it went."
"It's not over yet. We still have a few weeks to go," Seiya said, squeezing her hand. "What do you say, we head over to speak to Rei-chan?"
Thirty minutes later, they pause at the bottom steps leading up to the shrine. Usagi dislikes the long climb up the concrete steps. There were too many times she nearly tripped going up the stairs or down the stairs because she was rushing. Eventually, she learned to take her time going up and down the stairs which led to a reduction of injuries at the shrine.
They reached the top of the steps. Usagi rushed ahead to find Rei. Seiya gradually follows behind. He detoured to the large prayer bell. He made a donation and then rang the bell. He wanted everything to work out for Usagi. She had been working so hard on everything and he was worried something would fall short. He noticed a few people at the shrine at this hour.
"I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you usually spend Friday's with Seiya-kun," Rei said, unsure of what the unexpected visit would mean.
"He's here too… but I want to talk to you and ask you something…" Usagi wasn't sure how to ask Rei to join them on the tour. "It's just… I was wondering…. If you want to join me on the tour… it's just everyone is going to be so busy and I'm not sure the next time we'll have a chance to see everything... and I don't want to see everything alone… they speak English … I know I will get lost…" Her voice trailed off.
Rei's eyes widened as she tried to piece together Usagi's rambling. "… Usagi… are you trying to ask me to come with you…?"
"Would you?" Usagi asked anxiously.
Rei hesitated. She did not have anything else planned for the summer other than to maintain the temple. It would be a great opportunity to see more of the world. "…I guess you do need someone to keep you out of trouble…" Rei slowly said. "After all they would need to send out a search party to find you."
"Rei-chan! I don't get lost as much!" Usagi retorted back.
"You just said that you would get lost and you struggle with English!"
Usagi teardropped. Rei was right. "Well… I struggle with English… but a lot of other people do too!"
Rei laughed. "Usagi, I would love to come but… I have a lot of questions."
"Join us for dinner. I'm sure Seiya can answer whatever questions you have."
"I don't want to intrude…" Rei said she knew how much Usagi looked forward to spending time with Seiya at the end of the week.
"You won't be intruding!" Usagi reassured her. "It was his idea."
"Oh." Rei said surprised. "Then let me change. I'm not wearing these robes going out to dinner with you." She stood up and walked back to her room to quickly change.
Seiya reviewed the tour schedule with Rei during dinner. They would be spending a few extra days in Boston to give the crew extra time to prepare for the second half of the tour in South America.
"I'm not surprised most of the tour is in South America. There is a large Japanese population there," Rei said as she listed the different cities. "I can't believe the first stop will be Hawaii. It is supposed to be beautiful. So many couples go to Honolulu for their wedding." She bit her tongue to stop herself from pointing something else out. The tour was going to Boston, and would be there for several extra days. The same city Mamoru currently resides. She kept that to herself. She would email him later tonight.
"Rei-chan…" Usagi said with a lot of excitement… "We should try to visit all of the really popular things in each city! And try all of the food!"
"I don't know about all of the food…" Rei said. "We're leaving in… a month? We have a lot of research to do… starting tomorrow, Usagi."
Usagi pouted. "Research? Ah Rei-chan, you make it sound like a lot of work! This is supposed to be fun!"
"And it will be fun, once we see what we can do!" Rei said.
Seiya shook his head and tried not to laugh. Rei was the perfect choice to accompany Usagi.
Mai slumped down at the breakfast table in the dormitory dining room with her tray of food. Nami looked just as glum.
"What's wrong with you two?" Ayumi asked, not understanding why they were acting like it was the end of the world.
"They've been trying to get tickets for the Three Lights concert but they are sold out," David explained. He squeezed Mai's hand. He tried to get tickets for her as well as an early birthday present.
Mamoru remained silent. He appeared uninterested in the Three Lights to the others and he planned to keep it that way. He did not intend to reveal that he knew them and how he knew them. There were some things in his past he was not going to share with them.
"It's only a concert," Ayumi cut in. She couldn't listen to any more complaints about not being able to get tickets.
"But who knows the next time they will be America!" Mai argued.
"I guess we'll just have to go to Japan to see them." Nami mumbled.
Ayumi's eyebrows shot up. "You're willing to go to Japan just to see them?" She was in disbelief.
"After I finish school…and I return home," Nami said with a grin. She turned to Mai and said, "I'll get the concert tickets, you'd have to buy a plane ticket but you can stay with me."
Mai smiled. "Sounds like a plan!"
Ayumi placed her folded hands on her forehead and slowly shook her head. "I can't believe we are wasting our time on this when we have an exam in a few hours. After this round, we have to finish our papers and start preparing for finals."
"We still have a month and a half!" Mai countered back. "We have plenty of time."
"Not really," Mamoru said, coming to Ayumi's defense. "The papers will be time consuming and not that easy. It is going to require a lot of research into our assigned disease states."
Usagi smiled. She didn't have any more exams to take. She was going to graduate with everyone. With a lot of help from Taiki, Minako was also able to pass. It was the start to another weekend. Less than two weeks until graduation. All the students have to do is attend class and complete the class activities. They could enjoy their remaining time as students without all of the stress.
Her attention shifted back to the present due to a soft breeze carrying the scent of the blossoms. She looked over to the reserved section Seiya spoke of the other day; it was right by the stage where they would perform. The other girls were already sitting on a blanket. She paused once again. She knew gatherings like this would end soon. Everyone had big plans after graduation. It would be years before they would all be together again to view the cherry blossoms. But, they would all live long lives which present the opportunity for gatherings such as this in many years to come. They were fortunate. She walked over to the other girls with a bright smile.
Makoto had several baskets full of food. Ami was scribbling in a notebook. Minako and Rei were discussing the upcoming tour. Usagi gasped when she realized there were four more people seated with them.
"Setsuna-san! When did you get back?" Usagi asked as she ran forward to greet her.
"Late last night," Setsuna said, standing up to greet Usagi. "The others send you their best and hope it has been a smooth transition for you."
Usagi nodded her head. "I hope they come to visit soon."
Haruka stood up and walked over to Usagi; she had a look of annoyance on her face. "I heard you are accompanying the Three Lights on tour."
Usagi's eyes narrowed. "Minako-chan will also be performing." She wanted to stop Haruka before she made any negative comments regarding Seiya.
"I think it is a good opportunity for you," Haruka said, becoming a little defensive. "Besides, I thought it would be fun if we met up in Boston. Michiru will be guest playing with the Boston Pops the same time you are in town."
"…Boston…" Usagi slowly repeated. She didn't realize it was one of the cities they were visiting; the same city where Mamoru is currently attending college. Panic set in. What should she say to him? Should she visit him?
Haruka noticed Usagi's uneasiness. "I'm sure everything will be fine." She wanted to try to subtly convince her to visit Mamoru while she was there. "Michiru and I were also thinking of exploring the city one day."
Usagi nodded her head. Her mind was still spinning. She is conflicted. She knew she should visit Mamoru but she wasn't sure if it was a good idea. She did not want to be a nuisance to him.
"Kitten?" Haruka asked, surprised by how unnerved she became. It was not her intention to cause such panic in the younger girl. "Are you okay? You seem really worried."
"I… I just didn't realize the tour was also going to stop in Boston…" Usagi's voice trailed off. "I… I'm not sure if…."
"I'm sure he would love to see you. To see a familiar face," Haruka said, trying to comfort her. "I know Michiru is always in the process of making plans. There are a lot of historical sites she wants to see." Haruka sounded bored when she mentioned the phrase historical sites. "Why don't we figure this out later… I think the show is going to start soon."
Usagi did not verbally respond. She slowly nodded her head and started walking over to the others away from Haruka.
Setsuna shook her head. She observed the entire conversation but did not interject. "Subtle." She said with a smile.
"It is something she needs to think about. All I'm suggesting is that she visits him. I'm not pushing for anything more," Haruka tried to keep a straight face.
"For now," added Setsuna. "Perhaps by then I will have some more answers."
"You never discussed what you were going to do or how you planned to accomplish it. Other than you needed to return to Pluto to try to help set things back to normal." Haruka was tired of being left in the dark and wasn't sure what to keep telling Hotaru.
"Well… I found the object I need but… I will be spending a lot of time in the library before I can take the next step." Setsuna did her best to explain while still being vague.
"The library? What library around here are you going to…" Haruka stopped mid-sentence. Setsuna was not referring to a library on Earth. "Is there anything we can do to help you search?"
"No. The texts are written in a language you do not speak." Setsuna did not want to continue the conversation anymore. "We should join the others before they become suspicious."
"Right…" Haruka silently followed Setsuna with a look of frustration. She cast a glance at Michiru and shook her head "no". Haruka was convinced she would have gotten more information out of Setsuna and told Michiru this morning she would figure out Setsuna's plan.
Michiru smiled and shrugged her shoulders. She turned her attention to Minako. "I understand you will also be performing with the Three Lights on tour."
"Yeah…" Minako fidgeted with her hair. "The Three Lights have a few small appearances after graduation where they are going to be performing a few songs. That is when I'll make my debut with them. They want me to debut before the tour." Her eyes were a little downcast. "I fell a little behind with my music to make sure I finished high school. My producer was very understanding. My completion of high school was part of the agreement of me going on tour. Now that I've finished my exams, I have to make up the lessons I missed!"
"It sounds like you have a supportive team. You have to have one in this industry." Michiru reflected on some of her own experiences before she found her current manager. "It sounds like you have a manager that has your best interests in mind."
"He does." Minako agreed. "It is the same person that manages the Three Lights. Yaten-kun insisted that we would have the same manager."
"That was very… nice of him. Very few people would go to such lengths to help someone that is brand new to the industry. Especially not being family." Michiru hinted there was more to the story that Minako did not share.
Minako blushed slightly and cleared her throat. She looked over to the stage. "I think they are getting ready to start."
Hotaru tried to remain neutral. She was annoyed she had to come to this event. Yes, the cherry blossoms are beautiful and they did have a wonderful view. But she still could not forgive Seiya for how he ruined Usagi's life. Usagi just didn't realize it yet. Hotaru put on a fake smile that everything was alright when she felt the exact opposite. It was something Chibi Usa had taught her. Chibi Usa said she applied the trick a lot when she was at official functions when she wanted to be somewhere else. Hotaru was learning more and more just how invaluable of a skill it was. She knew Setsuna was up to something but she was being kept in the dark. For now, she would play along.
The Three Lights performed a few songs, followed by two other groups. They could finally relax. The atmosphere was relaxing and only a limited number of guests were allowed into the event.
There was still noticeable tension between the Three Lights and Outer Senshi. Nothing had changed since they were last together on Kinmoku several months ago.
"I hear you have a very busy tour schedule," Michiru spoke up suddenly to the Three Lights.
"Yes. They are trying to schedule as many stops as possible. Depending on the success, they want to have us do another international tour next year." Taiki kept the conversation short and focused on the industry.
"Ah. Haruka tells me we will all be in Boston at the same time in May."
"What are the odds?" Taiki responded. He didn't know what else to say.
"Boston is one of my favorite cities. They have a fantastic orchestra and wonderful food."
Taiki nodded his head.
Rei looked over at Usagi. Now she understood why Usagi seemed different since she spoke to Haruka. Usagi didn't realize all of the cities the tour would travel. She let out a deep sigh. She was going to have to e-mail Mamoru later. She wasn't sure if he was aware. She shook her head. She needed to speak to Usagi first and determine if she was going to visit Mamoru. She didn't want to tell him they would be in town and not visit.
The following day, Usagi's mother passed her the telephone. She had a phone call.
"We need to talk about the tour, Usagi."
Usagi sighed loudly. It was Rei. She was expecting this conversation since yesterday but she didn't know what she should do. "I didn't know we were going to Boston where Mamo-chan is."
"You are planning to visit him, right?" Rei couldn't believe Usagi wasn't even going to consider it.
"I'm not sure, Rei-chan. What if he doesn't want to see me because he is still mad? I know he didn't like how things turned out."
"But shouldn't that be his decision if he wants to see you or not? You can always email him and ask, Usagi."
"I…" Usagi paused. She remembered being upset with Mamoru when he had made decisions about their relationship in the past that affected both of them without consulting her. They weren't together anymore, but she knew it would not be fair to him if she made the decision to not see him without even giving him a chance. "I see what you're saying."
Rei's eyes widened. She was surprised by Usagi's actions and her resistance to see Mamoru. Had things really ended that poorly between them, they could not remain friends?
"Usagi… are you that worried that Mamoru-san would not want to see you?"
"I'm worried that every time he sees me, he is going to feel hurt. I don't want to hurt him anymore, Rei-chan."
"I think he would be more hurt if he didn't see you, Usagi. He… he still loves you."
"…" She knew Mamoru would never stop loving her. "And that's why he doesn't want to see me with Seiya."
"Usagi." Rei cut her off before she could continue, "We'll visit Mamoru-san during one of the days when the others will be busy with the concert. It would just be the three of us, catching up. What is the worst that could happen?"
Usagi thought about Rei's plan. "I think that would be good, Rei-chan." She paused again. "I'm going to need help writing him an email though… Rei-chan, can you help me?"
"Of course," Rei responded without hesitation. "We can work on it tomorrow."
The sun was setting on another day. She had spent as much time here as she could. Once the sun set, it would be difficult to continue to search. She found a sealed door which looked promising but it was locked. She found it too late in the evening. She brushed some of the dirt off her fuku. It was hard to see any dirt on the olive green color. She was the last remaining senshi. The others died a long time. She was the last of her family. It took two of her bloodline to unlock its secrets. Anger began to fill her. All of the time she spent searching for this place and she would end up empty handed.
She glared at the ruins one more time, her former home. It was a far cry from its once former glory. "It's not fair." She murmured. Her home was invaded and because of this sealed door, the powerful object behind could not be accessed in time. The invader knew this and exposed the weakness. Reminiscing about the past would not change anything regarding the present. It only added to her frustration.
She wondered if the rumors from Japan were true. Were there really other senshi? She never believed it. They all died a long time when Queen Beryl destroyed the Silver Millennium. No one could have survived the destruction she witnessed when she woke up a few years ago. She didn't understand it herself. How was she asleep for so many years? How did she survive?
Regardless, it was time for her to head back and resume what was now becoming her normal life.
Mamoru spent all of his time between classes in the library, researching as much as he could about current treatment for cancer. He looked at the stack of magazine articles he had copied from journals. He couldn't wait for everything to be computerized. It would make completing research so much easier. He was also going to have to ask Ayumi and Mai for some help with some of the terms used in the articles. He knew it would be a little challenging to take the classes in English but he forgot to factor in having to write research papers in English, as if he was a native speaker. He spent his entire Saturday in the library, only leaving briefly for food. He knew he was leading an exciting life at the moment. He gathered all the materials he needed and would start reviewing the journal articles tomorrow.
He needed to do something different to relax for a little bit before going to bed for the night. He turned on his laptop and logged into his email. He had a lot of new emails since he hadn't checked his personal account in a few days. He only checked his school email on a daily basis. He began to scroll through the list of emails. Another one from Motoki. Michiru. A few of his old classmates from Japan. Usako. Spam. More spam.
He bolted up right when he looked at the names again. This was the first e-mail received from her. He began to feel nervous and he hadn't clicked on it yet to open. What did he have to feel nervous about? He clicked on the e-mail and slowly read its contents. A quick scan of the e-mail told him Usako wrote it since there were few kanji. She always wrote her letters in mostly hiragana. He quickly read the e-mail and discovered she was accompanying the Three Lights on their tour. Minako was also performing. Rei was traveling with her. She wanted to visit him with Rei while they were in town. She passed all of her exams and wanted him to know she was going to graduate high school with everyone. He smiled. He was proud she was able to finish with the others considering the year she had.
Mamoru sat back in his chair. Ever since he learned of the Three Lights tour, he wondered if Usagi would travel with them after high school. He was glad to know that she was not traveling alone with them, Minako and Rei were there.
Honesty, he wanted to see Usako. The thought of seeing her, stirred up his emotions he was able to bury for the past few months in his school work. He knew his plans for tomorrow to focus on his research were shot down. He would not be able to focus. Suddenly, he wasn't so tired. A part of him hopes Usako was having problems with Seiya and it would end their relationship. He knew he was being selfish but he didn't care. He was entitled to his own thoughts. He clicked on the reply button. He shook his head and closed out of the e-mail. He would respond back tomorrow. He needed to reflect on what he would say in his response.
He read Michiru's e-mail. Ironically she and Haruka would also be in Boston at the same time. He shook his head. He went from not seeing any of the others to several visiting at the same time.
"What is wrong with Mai?" Nami asked Ayumi as she sat down on her dorm bed.
"I'm not sure. I didn't see her for most of yesterday…" Ayumi shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sure she'll be fine." She turned her attention back to her computer before grabbing a textbook. "However, I can't say the same for this paper!" She flipped through a few more pages in her textbook. "How about if people would stop drinking so much, they would have fewer liver problems!" Her assigned topic was cirrhosis of the liver.
"If you want, you can always take a break and work on my dissertation about new techniques to treat anxiety," Nami countered.
Ayumi laughed. "I'm sure once this semester is over with, you can test some of those techniques!"
Nami rolled her eyes. "I never thought the research process alone would take this long! I finally get to start my trials this summer and early fall. Then I have to hurry up and assess all the data, write it up and submit by late March if I want to graduate next May!"
"You'll be fine," Ayumi reassured her. "You still have a year."
"I also have some classes I have to take in the fall and spring. So… my entire summer will be working on this project. I wish I could just do a residency like you!"
"I still have a long way to go for that….years…" Ayumi mumbled glumly.
The last week and a half passed in a blur for Minako. Every free moment she had was spent preparing for the tour. Her debut performance was in five days. Everyone would be there. She knew the crowds in Japan would be a fraction of the size she would encounter in America. The performances were for fan club members in a few select locations. All of the concerts were sold out in North and South America. Some of the stress was getting to her, making it difficult to eat. She kept telling herself it would become easier once she performed in front of the first crowd.
"I can't believe we're graduating today," Usagi said as she sat down next to Minako. "It was all we talked about last year." The students waited in their respective classes until it was time to file into the gym with the other classes.
Usagi heard whispers from students earlier in the day how they were disappointed they would not be able to see the Three Lights anymore. She also overheard students talking about their plans and attending college. It made Usagi question what she would do next after the tour. She knew she would gradually spend more time at the Silver Millennium, but then what after it was restored?
Hundreds of images crossed her mind, when her fingers brushed against her communicator. She closed her eyes and waited for the images to pass. She was still struggling with the last ability she received. It was starting to become more common for her to see all of the random images. She didn't want to tell the others. They could not help her control this ability. The images subsided and she took a deep breath, slowly exhaling. In those seconds she re-experienced some of her worst memories as a senshi. It would be nice if this new ability also focused on more of the positive memories.
"This is it," Makoto proclaimed loudly, snapping Usagi out of her daydream. She looked around the classroom and realized the other students had already begun to line up. Usagi stood up and looked around the classroom one more time.
Usagi tried to stay focused on the speeches from the principal, other teachers, and the valedictorian, Ami. Ami walked up to the podium. She listened to the beginning of Ami's speech. She talked about how everyone changed from the moment they began school and how it shaped them into the person they are now. Usagi's mind drifted to how it had been expected for her to marry Mamoru shortly after graduation. She hadn't heard back from him. She sent the e-mail over a week ago. What was taking him so long to respond? Maybe he didn't want to see her. Or was he really busy with school? Did she not send it correctly? She thought of a dozen different reasons. The room burst into a round of applause, Ami concluded her speech. Usagi quickly clapped her hands with everyone else. Once she was done clapping, she folded her hands neatly and placed them on her lap.
"You seem really tense," Seiya whispered in her ear.
"I'm fine," she whispered back. "Just… can't believe we're actually graduating…"
"You worked so hard and it paid off." He reached over for a moment to squeeze her hand. "I thought you'd be excited you would never have to take another exam. I know I am." He smiled at her.
Usagi tried not to laugh. The principal began to call names for the class, in a short time they would walk across the stage.
Mamoru sat in front of his computer for the umpteenth time. He knew he wanted to see Usagi and tried to email her several times but each time he started, he struggled to find the right words. He started over again. He first congratulated her on finishing school and hoped she was doing well. He told her America is a beautiful country and thought it was great she has the opportunity to travel and see it. He paused. He needed to wait a few moments to simmer down to avoid making a remark about how she would be seeing the country with Seiya but thought better of it. Seiya and the other Lights would be too busy with the concert which is why Rei was accompanying her. He thought of how he wanted to word the next section. He told her he would like to see her and Rei while they were in town. He made sure to only mention their names. He asked if there was anything in particular they wanted to do for the day. He apologized it took him so long to answer and explained how busy he has been with classes and research. It was mostly true. He left out the part where he didn't know what to say to her. He mentioned he hoped he would hear from her soon before she left and promised to respond sooner.
Usagi held her diploma in her hands. She beamed. She stood next to the others for a few photographs. Her parents were having everyone go to their house to celebrate. It was also Mrs. Tsukino's sneaky way of having all of the Three Lights in their home. Usagi was sure her father would ask a lot of questions regarding the upcoming tour but tonight she didn't mind.
The party was a joyous occasion. The other girls asked Minako for a sneak peak of one of her songs. Minako tried to refuse several times until Yaten told her to go ahead and she was ready. Minako tried to counter back and she didn't have her music. Seiya conveniently had the music at Usagi's request. Minako told them she would only perform if the Three Lights did afterward, like how it would be on tour. After much encouragement from everyone else, a mini concert ensued. After she sang, Minako felt relief wash over her. She needed this, to be able to perform in front of her friends to make it easier to do the same in front of strangers in a few days. The others enjoyed a special sneak peak of some of the Three Lights new music, including two songs that were to debut on the tour.
In a blink of the eye, the five days passed and Minako was standing on stage, ready to perform. She knew the fans in the room where there to see the Three Lights and she was the warm up act. Some of the girls were envious at Minako for being able to go on tour with the Three Lights. She knew this was her moment to prove herself that she should be going on tour with them. She earned it. The room was silent as she first began to sing, as each bar passed, her confidence builds. The song ended and it was silent in the room. Panic surged through Minako, worried they did not like her performance. After what seemed like an eternity, although only ten seconds, the crowd burst into a round of applause. Minako stood in the middle of the stage, stunned by the response from the audience. They cheered for more. She had three other songs.
The Three Lights ended their final song set with a standing ovation from the fans.
Rei, Ami, Makoto, and Usagi joined Minako backstage. "You were awesome Minako-chan!" Rei was amazed at Minako's progress. "You didn't seem nervous either. I think America will love you!"
"I hope so," Minako smiled.
A knock on the door interrupted them. It was one of the tour crew members. "Aino-san, the signing session with the Three Lights will begin in ten minutes." She excused herself and closed the door behind her.
"I wonder if anyone would want my autograph…" Minako said out loud. "Either way, this is what it is going to be like in a few weeks! We leave in two weeks."
"Two weeks…?" Usagi repeated. She looked over at Rei. They still had a lot of planning to do. They found a few things to do in Hawaii, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. They hadn't looked at any of the cities in South America.
"We should get together tomorrow to look at some of the other cities." Rei suggested.
"How long will the autograph session last?" Ami asked, trying to determine how much time she had. She was beginning summer classes in a few days and was already working on the recommended reading list. She wanted to have nearly half of the list completed before classes began.
"I think it should only be an hour…" Minako stood in front of the mirror brushing her hair and adjusting the bow on her head. She then touched up her makeup.
There was a knock on the door again.
"I'll be out in a moment!" Minako exclaiming, putting on the finishing touches. A few moments later, Minako opened the door, surprised to see Seiya at the door. "Seiya-kun?"
"Hi," he said. "I was hoping Odango was still here."
"I'm right here," Usagi stood and took a few steps toward him.
"We were about to go," Makoto said, providing an excuse for the group to leave the room to give them a moment to talk. "We'll wait for you at the café, Minako-chan."
"The new songs were great," Usagi said when they were finally alone.
"I wish I was able to see you more." Seiya said, pulling her into a close embrace. "I knew things would be busy but I thought there would have been more time for us." He paused. "You know… it's only going to get worse on the tour."
"It's okay. If I wasn't on the tour with you, I would see you even less," Usagi responded softly. "I know what I signed up for."
"I'm so lucky to have you." He whispered in her ear. He hugged her tightly. "I think the signing could be over within an hour. Could you stick around for a little bit and we can get a late dinner after?"
"Sure." Usagi looked at the large oversized couch. "I was thinking of taking a nap anyways."
"I love you, Odango." Seiya leaned over and kissed her briefly before he had to leave the room and surrounded himself with nearly two hundred screaming fans.
An hour and a half later, Usagi felt someone shake her awake. It was Minako. "Usagi-chan?"
"Hmm?" Usagi mumbled, still half asleep. She rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up.
"Seiya-kun wanted me to check on you. The session ran a bit late and the guys should be wrapping it up in the next fifteen minutes." Minako explained. She walked back over to the mirror. She looked exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. She turned around to face Usagi. "I was going to change and see the other girls briefly. It's been a long night."
Usagi nodded her head. "It's your dressing room."
Minako paused, "my… dressing room…." She repeated slowly. The phrase seemed foreign on her tongue. "Yeah… it's… I can't believe everything worked out. I'm finally going to be an idol. It's an incredible feeling to be on the verge of your dream coming true…" She wasn't sure how to express how she was feeling. "Though it was a lot more work and later hours then I originally imagined. It's worth it."
Usagi tried to hide a yawn and nodded her head. She was happy for Minako. Minako said something that caused Usagi to question what her dreams were now. Did she still have a dream? It was an unnerving feeling for her; the dreams that she had from years ago no longer existed. What was her current dream? She was Queen and had her old memories back. What was left for her… wait to be a ruler? Usagi was so lost in her thoughts; she didn't realize Minako already went into the bathroom to change. Usagi had been experiencing more issues as of late to stay focused on the present and what was important to her. She just wanted to be happy.
Ten minutes later, Minako emerged from the bathroom. "I'm going to see the others. Seiya-kun should be arriving any minute. There were a few more fans they had to see. I'll see you soon!" Minako called over her shoulder as she left. Although she enjoyed her night, she couldn't wait to go home and go to sleep in a few hours. She underestimated the toll everything took out of her.
Usagi sat on the couch for a few moments before she got up to use the restroom. While she was drying her hands on the towel, she heard noise in the other room. She slowly opened the door and peeked out, wanting to know who would sneak into a girl's dressing room.
"I was starting to worry you left, Odango."
Usagi smiled. "I said I was going to wait. I did enjoy the nap though!"
Seiya looked envious at the mention of the word nap. "The line seemed endless and they wanted to keep talking…" He grumbled.
"Must be rough," Usagi teased, "to have all those girls surrounding you."
Seiya became serious. "I would trade all of that for just five minutes with you."
"…Seiya…" Usagi was taken back by his kind words. It made her realize just how little they saw of each other during the past few months. It was rare they ever had more than a few moments together since graduation. She remembered he talked about getting food. "Where did you want to go?"
Seiya let out a sigh. "I almost want to order food and have it sent here. I have a feeling if we went somewhere, I would be spending half the time dealing with fans instead of being able to spend the time with you."
Usagi blushed slightly. She knew he was right. It had happened in the past. "Did you want to order a pizza?" She suggested something simple.
Thirty minutes later, they were both in Seiya's dressing room. Seiya was no longer wearing his red suit and changed into casual clothes. They were enjoying cheese pizza with honey, when Seiya suddenly said, "I never got to talk to you about some of the stops on the tour. I didn't realize one of the stops was Boston until Haruka-san and Michiru-san pointed it out."
"Yeah…" Usagi said slowly. She never told him about her plans with Rei to see Mamoru.
"I talked to Rei-chan about it and she thinks we, being the two of us, should visit Mamo-chan. He's been by himself since January. I want to still remain friends with him. I… I can't just completely cut him out of my life." Usagi realized she was justifying her actions and her decision to him.
"It's… a good idea," Seiya finally said. A part of him was being selfish and didn't want her to go because of how Mamoru felt about her. But knowing Rei would be with her, made it easier. He wanted to be supportive, and not be the jealous boyfriend.
"Good. Rei-chan and I have been emailing Mamo-chan, and he can take us around the city for a day. I'm not sure if Haruka-san and Michiru-san would be able to join us too."
Seiya cringed at hearing their names. He already knew Haruka and Michiru would still try to hint at the two of them getting back together again. The two tried to play it off as if it didn't bother them as much, but Seiya saw right through their act. It took him a few moments to catch on to something else Usagi said, she had already emailed Mamoru. It sounded like she was going to see him regardless of what he thought. He pushed those feelings to the side. He trusted Usagi; it was Mamoru he didn't trust.
"It will give you guys a chance to catch up on the past several months." Seiya took another bit of his pizza. He didn't want to talk about Boston anymore. He changed the topic to the first city, Honolulu. "I heard Honolulu is supposed to be beautiful."
"Rei-chan and I are going to look for new swimsuits tomorrow to wear on the beach! They have this really famous beach... Wai…Wai…Waikiki!" Usagi struggled to recall the name. She had seen pictures of the beach and the hotel they were going to stay at in town.
"Sounds like you have a lot planned," Seiya said, eating more pizza. He wondered how much free time he would have in each city. He was glad Rei was accompanying Usagi so she wouldn't be along, but he wished he could fulfill the role. He reminded himself there would be plenty of other chances in the future.
"The new songs the Three Lights performed were really good," Usagi said between wolfing down another slice of pizza. "I noticed you finished the song that you showed me the lyrics for when we were on Kinmoku."
"It took a little while… but the song ended up having a happy ending." Seiya smiled. He wrote the first half of the song when he left Earth to rebuild Kinmoku, thinking he would not see Usagi again for a long time. It amazed him at how much things changed for the better.
Usagi smiled. She was going to reach for more pizza but the box was empty.
"I guess we should have ordered more." Seiya commented on how quickly the food disappeared. "We'll have to find something else to do."
Sailor Pluto placed a book back onto the bookshelf. Another dead end. She lost track of how many books she examined. She just knew it wasn't enough until she found what she needed. She sat down on a chair and pulled out the crystal key she had tucked under the collar of her fuku. She glared at the key. "It was difficult enough to find you but it was a tease, wasn't it? I found the key but I have not been able to access the power to do what I must." She knew the key wouldn't respond but she needed to vent some of her frustration. "Things never should have become so out of control. I should have realized it as soon as the Starlights returned to Earth so quickly. I was foolish to not see the warning signs."
She glanced around the library. There were twenty more bookshelves with information on Pluto. If the information wasn't here, she would have to look under the materials regarding lore of the Silver Millennium. If she was still unsuccessful she would have to go to Pluto and pray Yui had more luck.
She was beginning to get to the point where she wished Haruka and Michiru could help her. But they did not understand the ancient language of Pluto. If they remembered the language of the Silver Millennium, they could begin the search in the lore section.
Glaring at the thick volumes on the shelves ahead, she could easily be here every day for two more week and still have negative results. There has to be a better method. But there was no index for the rare materials. It was designed that way on purpose to make it difficult for outsiders to access such delicate information. The librarians succeeded in their mission.
Not being able to think of anything feasible to speed up the process, didn't help matters; unless she revealed more of her plan to the Moon Senshi. Some of the senshi would be in favor. A few would be upset and she would run the risk of someone reporting it to Neo Queen Serenity. If the Queen became aware of this plan, all hope was lost. She would use her abilities as Sailor Cosmos to try to stop her, and in all reality, most likely be successful. It left her with only one choice. She had to blindside the Queen into believing she was okay with her choice of the Starlight. When in reality she was doing everything within her power to restore the timeline to its proper course.
She didn't dare set out on this venture while the Earth was under attack. Her attention would be split more than it is now.
But if she did not return to searching through the materials, she would never find the answers she sought. She forced herself up from the chair and walked over to the next bookshelf. She grabbed the next book and examined the title, "Secrets of Time". The title sounded cheesy, but it sounded more promising than the history books of "The Royal Families of Pluto, revised edition 5". She grabbed the book and walked back to the chair. She was about to sit down when she remembered there was an armchair a few more rows down. She walked over to the armchair and sat down to continue to search for answers.
"You know, we've known you for months and you never really told us anything about your past, Mamoru-san," Mai asked. He was still a big mystery and kept to himself a lot unless it was school related. He occasionally socialized but it was usually for dinner and very little past that.
"There isn't much to tell." Mamoru tried to change the subject. It was not the first time Mai had asked him. She still hadn't taken the hint yet. He did not want to talk about his past no matter how many times she brought it up.
Each passing performance, Minako grew more confident in her abilities. Since the first time she agreed to go on tour with the others, she felt like she was ready. The crowd applauded after each song. It was the final performance before they left on tour. She was starting to build a name for herself. She completed a few interviews for the newspapers and magazines. She was scheduled for a television appearance tomorrow with the Three Lights. The group then had two days to get the rest of their affairs in order before they leave on tour.
Minako had to complete her packing and pick up some items. She was in disbelief over how much she would need for the three months they were estimated to be gone. She was scheduled for some free time in each city but it was select hours here and there. The rest of the time, she was in concert, promotional events, or using the extra time to sleep.
In a way, it reminded her of the busy schedule she had as a senshi and high school student. When she came back to Japan, she would have new songs ready for her to start learning, recording the songs, promotional events, and potentially her own concert where she would be the headliner. But everything depended on the success of this tour. She had to give the tour everything she had.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Artemis examined some of the contents of Minako's luggage. "You're going to be gone for quite a while."
Minako pouted. "Artemis… ever since I first met you, I've always talked about being an idol. This is my chance; the big break that I've been waiting for." She sat down next to him on her bed. "I thought you would be excited for me Artemis."
"It's not that Minako-chan, I just hope everything works out for you and it will be all that you hope for."
How can Sailor Pluto attempt to fix time and what is she missing in order to achieve her goal? What adventures await Usagi and Rei as they travel with the band? Who was that other senshi? How will Mamoru handle seeing Usagi again?
The tour begins in the next act, Act 43: Boston Bound
Thank you for your patience while I slowly work on this story! A lot of my time has been spent on writing an original novel I'm hoping to have published.