Ron watched in amazement as the four sailor girls threw things he could only describe as magic. This was far outside his everyday experiences. Then the dragon was defeated-he wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a rose pierce the huge creature's eye before the girls brought it down. This was getting more and more bizarre. Then the woman appeared in a column of smoke between the girls, and brought up her sword, and the girls summoned up blinding powers with desperate screams. When the woman disappeared Ron gasped in horror as he realized that these enormous amounts of energy were going to collide. He looked over his shoulder at Serena. She got a determined look on her face. He was going to pull her to the ground when to his horror she stood up. She took out that ridiculous crystal and began to talk to it.
"Serena! Get down!" he cried. Just then a man in black jumped over the squad car and knocked both him and Serena to the ground. The man turned his back to Ron and held to Serena tightly. Ron looked and saw a globe of light form around the center of the mall courtyard, right around where the four energy weapons were going to hit. He held his breath and waited.
*****
Serena was careful not to unleash Ginzuishou's full power-she wasn't out to risk her life, just to minimize damage. She created a shield strong enough to buffer the humans nearby from the full force of the blast, but the power required to suppress it entirely was beyond her. After the shield was set up she huddled in Mamo-chan's arms, glad for his reassuring presence. This wasn't going to be fun....
*****
The sailor senshi screamed as the shock wave hit them, then all went dark.
*****
Serena/the Black Knight whipped her head up. The object had been used. She licked her lips eagerly. The power it held was incredible! She shivered a little as the greed that she felt through her host's body ran through her thoughts. The emotions these humans had were so strong! With difficulty the Black Knight pulled his thoughts up from their immersion in pure emotion back into the realm of thought. He considered going back to the scene of the battle to try to find it, but those nobles from the Silver Millennium were stronger than he'd thought. He decided discretion was the better part of valor, and secreted himself in a dark alley to quietly plan.
*****
Ron groaned softly. He opened his eyes, then blinked them a few times in confusion. When he remembered why he was lying unconscious in the middle of the street, he looked around to take stock of the situation. Somehow, the squad car had blown over him-almost as if the backlash from the colliding magic had stopped just short of him. He saw many cars lying in odd positions, with unconscious police officers lying in front of them. Then he noticed a small, light blue, rectangular object. He leaned over to pick it up. It looked like a compact or something. A small corner was broken off-it had probably been thrown in the explosion. It was pitted and marred with scorch marks and scratches. With shaking fingers he opened it. His eyes widened when he saw it was a computer. He hadn't heard of these. This baby must have cost a fortune! His eyes widened as it turned on-this was no toy! Strange character flitted across it, along with more familiar letters and numbers.
He looked up toward the center of the mall, and gasped to see that the girls were lying unconscious and battered. He tried to struggle to his feet, but when he levered himself up to sit upright, his head spun, and he collapsed again. He lay quietly on the pavement for a while, trying to steady his senses again, when he heard faint groans and rustling coming from the direction of the sailor vigilantes. He cautiously opened his eyes, and when his vision didn't whirl or spin oddly, he looked around. The green girl was upright, and the other three were slowly shaking their heads and sitting up. They looked different somehow, but Ron couldn't quite place what the difference was. The blue girl began to turn her head from side to side, as if she were looking for something. She lifted her head, and met his eyes. Her eyes flickered to the object he held in his hands, and she slowly pulled herself to her feet. The other two that were still on the ground followed her gaze toward him, and got up as well. They all made their way toward him. The orange looked at him with a faint smile on her face.
"May I have my computer please?" the blue girl asked politely, with a British accent.
Ron tried to make sense of what was happening, and only one response came to mind. "I should hold you here for questioning..."
The orange one threw back her head and laughed. "You already tried that once before. Detective Williams, isn't it? You tried to hold me for questioning about a year ago, in that hostage incident with the class of young children, remember? Somehow I doubt you'll be able to hold all four of us, when you couldn't manage just me alone, before."
Ron struggled to pull his sluggish mind together.
"Could I have the computer, please?" The blue girl was still trying to be patient.
"What ARE you? What was that you threw at the woman? And where did that glowing shield come from?" Ron just had to know.
The red and green one had an exchange in a foreign language. From his association with Serena, Ron recognized it as Japanese. He groaned faintly. This was all too much.
"Excuse me." The blue one snatched the light blue pocket computer from his grip, and his confused eyes thought he saw it repair itself with a soft blue glow as her fingers touched it. His eyes closed as he sank back into unconsciousness. This was all too much to deal with right now.
*****
"Let's get out of here!" Jupiter said. "This was really much too close a call. Did any of you see the glowing shield that officer was talking about?"
"I did." Mercury said softly. "It looked like the power from Ginzuishou, back when we fought Queen Beryl. I wonder if Usagi's somewhere near...."
"We don't have time to look, Mercury. Tell me, do you feel any different?" Venus was holding tight to Mercury's arms, and her eyes were looking piercingly into Mercury's.
"Why do you ask?"
"Mercury, did you get a good look at your computer while the detective was holding it?"
"Well, it did seem to have been damaged a bit by the explosion-"
"Look at it now." Venus urged.
Mercury lifted up her computer and gasped. It looked as good as new-in fact, it looked better than new. With trembling fingers she opened it. "What's this!?" she cried in surprise. Venus nodded with satisfaction and let Mercury's arm go as she began to type on her plamtop furiously, with a small wrinkle of confusion on her forehead.
"What is it, Mercury?" Mars asked with excitement, but Venus indicated that the other two senshi should be quiet. She pulled them a little ways away and began to talk to them.
"You guys haven't yet realized what's happened, but this's happened to me before, and now I recognize the situation."
"What are you talking about, Venus? I don't understand what you're trying to say." Jupiter looked a little impatient.
"Look, before I was Sailor Venus, I was Sailor V. When I first transformed into Sailor Venus, I didn't realize anything was different. But now I do. We've changed somehow-can't you feel it? We're stronger. I think that when we pulled all of that power out of ourselves, we passed some sort of test, and now we're stronger. Look at Mercury's hair-her hair's never been bright blue before. Mars, your hair is bright red and Jupiter's is emerald green." Venus reached behind her head to pull forward a few strands of her own hair. "Thank goodness my senshi color isn't aqua blue or something like that!" She watched her friends examine each other's transformed hair.
"I-I can't believe I didn't notice before!" Mars choked out. "It's not like I see bright green hair every day!"
"I'm not sure why either-I think it has something to do with the way we see ourselves-maybe we don't always look closely enough."
"I think that's a very good hypothesis." Mercury said. Her three friends turned to her in surprise. "I've examined my computer, and it has changed-it is more powerful. I think Venus has had a very good idea, but I don't think we really have time to explore it right now. Have any of you looked at the time?"
"No, but-"
"It's after seven. I don't know about you guys, but my mom's bound to be frantic by now. I think we should all go home and rest up-this has been a long day."
"But what about that shield? Doesn't that mean Usagi must be near? We should look for her. Besides, we don't know who the fifth energy source belonged to!"
"Didn't anyone else see the rose that stopped that dragon? And don't you remember the description that the young man in the computer store gave us? That energy source had to have been Chiba Mamoru." Mercury looked very certain.
Venus took over her usual leadership role. "If Mamoru is here, he's most likely to have found Usagi if she's still alive-and the powerful shield that protected us seems to point very strongly toward that assumption. I say we detransform and go back to the scene. Maybe we'll find Usagi. We have to at least try."
*****
Serena's eyes blinked open slowly. She looked up, into Mamo-chan's face. His eyes were closed, and his body was limp and heavy. "Mamo-chan! Mamo-chan!" She desperately tried to shake him. "Mamo-chan!" Her voice rose an octave and took on a slightly hysterical tone. "Endymion!" She saw him move.
"Us-Usako...." he stirred slightly, then opened his eyes. With a shimmer the white mask on his face disappeared, and the tuxedo and top hat turned back to his T-shirt and jeans. He smiled at her gently "I'm fine-don't worry." His finger softly traced her jawline. She smiled back at him.
"Ahem," Serena jerked at the sound of Ron clearing his throat. She peeked over Mamo-chan's shoulder to look at him. Ron was giving both of them an odd look. "I won't even ask what you just did, young man."
Mamoru was looking over his shoulder at Ron, and he sighed in relief. Serena tried to reach out to Ron to explain Mamo-chan's detransformation, but when she grabbed his arm, she couldn't think of what to say. She gazed at him silently.
Ron smiled at the solemn look on her face. "After everything else I've seen today, I'm attributing what I just saw to a most understandable case of nerves. You don't have to tell me anything. Somehow, though, I think you're safer with this young man than I could ever make you." There was a look of newfound respect for Mamoru in Ron's eyes. Serena sank happily into the secure embrace of Mamo-chan's arms.
<Good. Maybe now they can be friends.>
*****
"I don't see Usagi or Mamoru anywhere, you guys. I think we'll have to just give up for a while. It's getting dark-we can't do anything more tonight." Rei's shoulders were bowed with exhaustion. Mako-chan looked around. Everyone was tired.
"We should get some rest. Too much has happened today for me to keep it all straight right now. We just have to keep our eyes open for any sign of this woman Serena, that's all." The girls all nodded. Makoto watched as they all said good-bye to each other and began to go their separate ways. She was finally beginning to feel like Kino Makoto again. She'd been called Lita for so long, she'd begun to forget who Mako-chan was.....
*****
Lita breathed a sigh of relief as she walked out of the airport. She'd been sure the whole time that someone was going to stop her from leaving. Her new identity had been expensive, but she appreciated every yen she'd spent on it-getting an American and Japanese citizenship in a false ID was difficult at best. Unfortunately, in her new guise, she couldn't touch any of her trust fund. Most of the money she'd made as the leader of the Night Mares had gone to buy her papers, but she still had her trust fund back in Japan, once it was safe to go back home. But for now, she had to stay here, and make a new life for herself. First, she needed a job. With a determined glint in her eye she hefted her duffel bag and walked down the street.
*****
Mr. Huruta wiped the sweat off his brow. Things had been way too hectic at the restaurant ever since that waiter Juan had quit. There just weren't enough people here anymore. A shadow fell across the table he was cleaning. He looked up.
A tall girl with brown hair pulled back in a high pony-tail stood in the doorway, blocking the light entering from the setting sun. After standing at the threshold for a minute to let her eyes adjust, she took off her shoes, selected a pair of slippers, and entered. She walked up to Mr. Huruta.
"Excuse me, but there was a sign out front that indicated you were looking for help."
He examined her for a second. She had a very tired look in her eyes, a few stray grey hairs that indicated an age that her face didn't match. Mr. Huruta wasn't quite sure what to make of her, but he smiled anyway and nodded. "We need a waitress and a cook. Could you do either of those jobs?"
A curious look of pain flashed through the girl's eyes before she smiled and said, "I wouldn't be able to cook, but I'd be a good waitress, I'm sure."
"Do you have a resume?"
"I've never had a job before, sir. I don't have a resume."
Mr. Huruta had a feeling, and he'd found over the years that his feelings were generally right. "That's okay. I think you'll work out. Can you start tomorrow?"
"Yes sir, only I don't have much money. What sort of uniform would I need?"
Mr. Huruta smiled and held out a hand. "Why don't I show you around a little, hmm?"
After a split second of hesitation the tall girl smiled back, and took his hand. "My name's Lita, sir." They walked through the doors back into the kitchen.
*****
Lita worked hard, and the money she earned kept her from going hungry, but she didn't have anywhere to live or much in the way of personal possessions. She concentrated on school and work almost exclusively. She spent as many hours at the restaurant as possible. Where else did she have to go?
*****
"Lita? could you go back to the kitchen and see how long table four's dinner will be?" Mr. Huruta was busily working at the cash register. Lita nodded and walked back there. She stayed out of the kitchen as much as possible-it hurt so much to be there sometimes-but she had to do her job.
"How long will that be taking you?" she asked when she poked her head around the corner. The cook turned to her with a smile.
"About five minutes. Sorry for the wait, but we couldn't find some of the spices I needed at first." Lita nodded and walked back toward the register. She was about to give Mr. Huruta the news when she heard a loud cry from the kitchen area. She dashed back.
"What happened? What's wrong?" she gasped out. Mr. Huruta ran up behind her, and waited for an answer to her question. The cook stood over the stove, clutching his hand.
"I've burned my hand-badly. I think I need to go to the hospital." The cook looked up. "I'm sorry, Mr. Huruta, but I can't work any more tonight." He walked over to get his coat and things.
Mr. Huruta wrung his hands as the man walked out. "What will I do? I can do some of the cooking, but not for the whole restaurant. I think I have to close for the night-there's nothing else I can do."
Lita was worried. She didn't want the restaurant to close-she needed as many hours on her paycheck as she could get-but she didn't think she could help out. The last time she'd even attempted to cook anything had been a year ago. <Usagi!> She straightened her shoulders and brought her chin up. The least she could do was try. She walked up to Mr. Huruta.
"Sir? Maybe I can help you cook tonight, if you can do without me as a waitress, that is."
"But you don't cook."
"Actually, I'm a very good cook-it just holds painful memories. I can try, anyway. I can't promise anything." Lita shrugged.
Mr. Huruta clasped her hands as if he were drowning and she'd just thrown him a lifeline. "Would you try? That would be wonderful!" He walked over to the stove. "Here, could you finish up this dish quickly, before it's ruined?" He pointed to the order the cook had been working on when he'd burned himself. Lita nodded slowly.
"Sure." She started to cook, trying not to think of Usagi, but every time she reached for an ingredient, she thought of whether Usagi had liked it or not, and every time she looked at the food, she remembered how Usagi had always loved her cooking. After two minutes of watching her, Mr. Huruta was convinced that she knew what she was doing and left her alone for awhile. After he left, Lita broke down and cried, tears streaming down her face. <Usagi!> For a second Lita wished she could just forget Usagi had ever existed-then guilt struck. <How can I think that?! She was my best friend! I can't forget her!> Suddenly it struck her. Usagi had loved her cooking. She would never have wanted Lita to give it up. Lita came to a decision. <Instead of refusing to cook because of Usagi, I'll cook for her. I'll use my cooking to remember her by!> Lita's tears flowed harder. When table four's order was finished, she took a very small portion out of it and set it on a saucer. She put the rest on a plate and handed it to a waiting waiter. Then she started on the next order.
Mr. Huruta came in awhile later and noticed small portions of the different dishes Lita had cooked had been put on the saucer. He pointed to it with confusion. "Lita, what's that?" Lita looked up from the pan and in the direction he pointed.
"What's what? Oh, that." Lita turned to Mr. Huruta and smiled. "That's for Tsukino Usagi." <My memorial to her.> Mr. Huruta gave her an odd look, then shrugged. There wasn't a lot of food there-she wasn't wasting too much, and she was a godsend, so he left her alone.
If she wanted to put aside food for moon bunnies, she was free to do so.
*****
So Lita ended up a permanent cook at the restaurant. She was very good, so Mr. Huruta and the others that worked there never said anything to her face about her odd habit of leaving a little bit of food out of every dish for her "moon bunny". It was a running joke when she wasn't around, and Lita knew that, but she didn't care. She'd found a way to cook again, and remember Usagi-forever. Snickers she heard faintly behind her back were nothing compared to that.
*****
Mako-chan burst through the back door of the restaurant just when her shift started. Mr. Huruta looked up from his place behind the stove with a smile of relief.
"I almost thought you weren't going to show up today, Lita. Ever since those friends of yours showed up, you haven't been around much."
Mako-chan smiled. "I'm sorry, Mr. Huruta, but I have bad news for you. I'm giving you my two weeks' notice. I've decided to stop lying about myself, and I've decided to stop running. I made my bed, now I guess I'll have to sleep in it."
Mr. Huruta looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"
Makoto looked at him. "If you want to stand next to me while I tell you a story about a girl named Mako-chan, who lost a very close friend, you can, but I have to start cooking," She held up the small pile of orders that was on the counter, "or you're going to have some unhappy customers soon."
*****
Serena smiled to herself. The powerful object and the four nobles from the Silver Millennium always appeared when mortals of this world were in danger. Obviously, the only way she would be able to get the senshi out in the open was to threaten the humans. She had to get the magical object, whatever it was. Serena's heart suddenly quickened. Legend had that the Silver Crystal itself had been lost when the Moon Kingdom died-maybe that was what she had been sensing. Just the thought of getting her hands on the Silver Crystal made Serena's hands itch. She had to find out what it was.
*****
Ron left Serena and Mamoru on the front steps of the apartment building. As he waited on the elevator, he cast a look back at them. There was something about those two-as if they'd known and loved each other forever. For the first time Ron believed in destiny-in souls made for each other. The elevator arrived and its doors opened with a soft ping. With a smile, Ron cast one last look at Serena and Mamoru and climbed on. They deserved a little time alone. Now if he could just forget seeing Mamoru turn from a tuxedo clad hero into a young man wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt.
*****
"We should go out and track down the girls tomorrow, Mamo-chan. I felt drawn to you. Maybe I can find them the same way. I miss them almost as much as I missed you."
"Something important happened to them today-did you see how they suddenly looked different?"
Serena smiled. "They didn't look different-they began to look a little more like their old selves. But something did happen. That's for sure." She leaned against him and closed her eyes, just happy holding him close.
"Usako?" Mamo-chan's voice sounded a bit hesitant. She looked up at him with a brilliant smile.
"Yes?"
"I've been meaning to ask you-how could you use Ginzuishou without having it kill you? When you used it to kill Queen Beryl, it killed you."
"I defeated Queen Beryl?"
Mamo-chan nodded. "Over two years ago-she came here too, you know."
"I know-Ginzuishou showed me the last few minutes of the life of my mother. I know what she did."
"Well, why didn't it kill you? I was so worried when I saw you form that shield!"
"I trained for years to be able to draw just the right amount of energy from Ginzuishou. The only reasons I can think of for Ginzuishou killing me is I forgot all I learned in the Silver Millennium about using Ginzuishou, or I needed so much power to defeat her that I had to sacrifice myself. It's very difficult, you know."
"Well, then I'm glad you remember the ancient past, even if you don't remember the recent. It saved many lives-including your own." Mamo-chan hugged her tight.
"I'm just glad I finally found you. And tomorrow, hopefully, I can find the princesses, and we'll all be together again." <I just want peace-is that so much to ask?> Serena buried her face in Mamo-chan's chest and hugged him tight. <Peace.>
*****
Rei stared off into space as her father lectured her about safety and not staying out late at night alone. When she heard the tone of his voice change, she quickly brought herself back to reality to see if he was winding down yet.
"-and you haven't heard a word I've said for the last ten minutes. I recognize that look, young lady, and I'm not going to take it from you!"
"Father, I was perfectly safe. If anyone even thought of trying anything, I'd throw them into next Tuesday! Why else have I been taking karate my whole life?" She tried to keep her voice expressionless, but she saw her father's face harden as a touch of sarcasm leaked into her tone. She sighed wearily. "Look, I was with some friends, and we all know how to defend ourselves. I came back safe and sound, and I will in the future. I'm sixteen-surely you can handle me staying out until nine at night!"
"You have no say in what I can handle, young lady! I want you to show me some respect!"
Rei crossed her eyes at him. She had too much to do tonight, without listening to one of his tirades. She missed Grandpa so much sometimes-they'd had fights quite often, but always, behind the heated words, there'd been a deep love. There wasn't any love lost between her father and her. When his face started to turn red with anger, she ran up the stairs into her room, and slammed the door shut. Thank goodness there was a fireplace in her room. She wasn't sure her father would calm down any time tonight, and she needed to consult a fire. It would be infinitely better if it were a shrine fire, but she had to work with what she had. Rei smiled as she felt a bit more impishness creep into her thoughts. She fished in her pocket for her transformation pen.
"Mars Star Power....Make Up!"
No sir, no boring fire-building for the senshi of fire-no blowing on embers for her!
"Fire Soul!" As the firewood burst into an instant hot flame, Mars detransformed with smile. She'd been so good lately-it was nice to allow herself a little leeway. She threw some more wood on the fire, and stared at the flickering flames for a little while as the sweet scent of burning apple wood filled her nostrils. She snapped herself out of her reverie after a few seconds and knelt down before the fire. She closed her eyes and dropped into a light trance. This was the first time she'd attempted a fire reading since Grandpa died-and she wasn't in the temple, so it was already more difficult than normal. Still, somehow, she felt stronger. She knew something was going to be different tonight. She concentrated on an image of Serena, and asked the fire for any information it could give her on Serena or the spirit possessing her. She slowly opened her eyes. Before her, etched in the flames, stood an image of the woman Serena and over her, behind her, flickered the silhouette of a black knight, holding the black sword with the diamond inside it's hilt. The knight began to turn toward her, and somehow she knew it would be very dangerous for her to allow it to see her. She hurriedly broke off contact. She knelt on the floor, gasping, while she thought. This only proved what Mercury had already told them-it wasn't enough information. But Rei didn't think she dared get more-it almost seemed as if the knight KNEW she was scrying him! Rei decided she would try one more thing. <Usagi. Are you still alive?> Rei closed her eyes again when her breathing calmed down and concentrated on Usagi. Sweat broke out on her forehead, but she got no response from the fire. <Usagi! Are you out there anywhere?> Rei felt nothing. <Princess Serenity!> Rei threw out a last desperate cry as she felt her concentration begin to break. White light crashed into her closed eyelids-for one second, Rei was completely disoriented. Then she saw an image begin to form in front of her. She opened her eyes slowly, and a bright image of Princess Serenity appeared before her. The princess slowly turned to her with a gentle smile.
<Princess Mars! Where are you? I have been looking for you. Call to me, and I'll follow your thought to you! Mars? Mars?.....> Rei felt the connection break off as she slipped into unconsciousness. She was even too preoccupied to hear her bedroom door close. This had all been too much for her mind.
*****
Serena watched Mamoru walk off, then turned to go up to the apartment, where Ron was waiting. Suddenly her footing became unstable as something made contact with her. She swayed in the elevator and tried to make sense of what was happening....
*****
Ami sighed as she got home. It wasn't as late as she usually stayed up, but she'd had a tiring day. She walked into the bathroom to clean her face. She filled the sink with water and turned to get a washcloth out of the bathroom closet, but when she turned back around, she gazed into the water. For some reason, she felt drawn to it, somehow. She watched her reflection ripple as a drop from the faucet disturbed the smooth surface of the water. <Oh, Usagi. I wish you were here. I wish we'd found you. This uncertainty is worse than knowing you're dead.> She thought back to what she remembered of the Silver Millennium. <If only you could just be called back to life, like Princess Serenity was-> Ami stopped as the water began to glow slightly. <What's this?> She leaned in close and concentrated on the water. A faint image formed-Princess Serenity in her frothy white gown. <What's going on?>
<Princess Mercury? You remembered how to contact me? You're too faint....call...I'll....answer.....>
Ami fell to the floor in a dead faint before she heard any more of the whispered message.
*****
Serena desperately reached for the handrail as her legs gave way. She fell to her knees.....
*****
Makoto happily hugged Mrs. Huruta when she got back from work. "I know this is a shock for you, but I will be all right. Now that I've gotten my life back under control, I've decided to stop running from something. I'm going to resume my old identity. I'm so thankful for all the help and kindness you've shown me-maybe, when I reclaim my trust fund, I can pay you back in some small way." She brought one of her hands out from behind her back. "I bought these as a small expression of thanks." She held forth six yellow roses. Mrs. Huruta smiled at her happily.
"They're beautiful dear. Why don't you put them in a vase, and tell us all about what you've decided to do."
Mako-chan nodded and went into the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase. As she stared at the roses she thought of Usagi and Mamoru-roses meant so much more to them than to other couples. For a second she mused on whether or not they meant anything special to them before Mamoru was Tuxedo Kamen-back in the time of Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity. As the thought entered her mind the roses began to writhe as if they were alive, and glow with a dull green light. She held tightly to them with both hands. The light became so bright she had to close her eyes, and when she did a faint picture of Princess Serenity appeared in her mind. <What's going on? This doesn't make any sense!> Mako heard something faintly-she struggled to make sense of the faint impressions coming into her mind.
<Princess Jupiter? I hear you....where are you? I....looking....for you....don't go!.....> Mako tried to hear more, but for some reason she felt so weak. Her knees buckled, and she fell to the kitchen floor with a loud crash.
*****
Serena clutched her hands to her head, and curled into a fetal position. She heard them......calling....she struggled to answer.....
*****
Minako gazed silently in the mirror when she got home. First she rooted around her room looking for another red ribbon to replace the one she'd lost in the fight. She cried out in triumph when she found one, and walked over to her mirror to tie her hair back up. As she was reaching up to put the ribbon in she stopped, and gazed at her reflection for an minute. She dropped the ribbon and began to wrap her hair up in odangos-just to see how it looked. She'd looked so much like Usagi-would they have looked like twins if she wore her hair up like Usagi? With both her arms crooked over her head, holding her hair in place, she looked at herself in the mirror. They would have been perfect twins. Minako's eyes filled with tears. She'd loved Usagi so much-a friend who treated her like a sister, and still looked up to her because she'd been Sailor V. Minako wondered what their relationship had been like back in the Silver Millennium. She remembered the last few events of that life, but she didn't remember any of the everyday things. She imagined herself and Princess Serenity switching places to fool the others in the Moon Kingdom, and giggled at the thought. Just then a bright flash of light emerged from her mirror. As she stared into it with wide eyes, her reflection changed into a picture of Princess Serenity. Minako's arms dropped to her sides and she felt her hair fall down out of the odangos, but the image in the mirror didn't change. Princess Serenity's mouth moved, and Minako desperately tried to hear what she said. <What's going on here?!>
<Princess Venus! You can call me? Can you hear me? Call me again...tomorrow....coming.....>
Minako felt the contact brake off as she collapsed onto her bedroom floor. She had enough time to be thankful it was carpeted before all went black.
*****
Four minds at once established a link with her. Serena felt her control slipping....She gritted her teeth. Back in the Silver Millennium she'd been able to do this-she could not let the pain master her-she had to stay in. She opened her mouth to cry out, but she also kept contact with her court until they broke off contact themselves. <Hopefully,> Serena thought to herself as she wearily climbed back t her feet, <they all got the message. Then we'll meet again tomorrow.> Tears ran down her face as she got out of the elevator and opened the door into the apartment. She stumbled into the shower, threw her clothes of, and thankfully climbed in to the hot shower of water. She closed her eyes and leaned against the shower wall. It had been a long day-and tomorrow could be even longer.