(Story begins in a relatively empty restaurant. Setsuna
has just explained what happened, and has just revealed the keeper
of the 7th blood stone to the others. Chibiusa sits back in the bench,
silently crying.)
Setsuna Meiou sat against the plush cloth-covered furniture,
thoroughly pensive about the consequences of not taking action against
the Shadow Warrior. It seemed as if the others understood her predicament,
she thought. The fact that it's Mamoru made it even harder for her.
Her King. . Setsuna sighed softly, much to the notice of her companions.
"Where is Mamoru these days? I haven't heard Usagi talk
about him at all lately," said Minako.
Chibiusa looked at Setsuna strangely. "Will you kill
Mamoru if his crystal is taken?"
Silence overcame the table. How could she even ask
a question like that? Setsuna, on the other hand, was extremely reluctant
to offer an answer.
"I can't do that, Chibiusa, even though it'd be for
the greater good. He would only turn into an uncontrollable monster
that could not return to his original form. I can't do it, " she whispered.
She loved him too much to do it herself.
Makoto and Mina looked at Chibiusa. She knows where
he is, they thought simultaneously. They both knew that Chibiusa would
not let her father be captured. Who's to tell that Mamo's really the
one with the last blood stone? Setsuna was only guessing.
"Chibiusa? Where is Mamoru?" asked Setsuna curiously.
If anyone knew where he was, it'd be his little sweetheart.
Chibiusa sighed. She promised Mamo-chan that she wouldn't
bother him while he was away from the city training.
"Chibiusa? Promise me that you won't tell any of the others where
I went. Especially Usako. She'll scream my head off if she knew I
was going so far away, " Mamoru said, raising his eyebrow.
"I promise," she said softly. "I won't tell Usagi
where you're going. But, Mamo-chan? When are you coming back?"
"In a few months. My training will take a while and
Master Yamada is a really strict sensei. I had to devote myself to
this first before he would even agree to help me." Mamoru came to
sit next to Chibiusa on the park bench. "I'll be back soon. ."
This was a serious situation and Mamoru was in serious
trouble. She HAD to take them to see him, make sure that he was himself.
She noticed that everyone was awaiting her response, staring at her
intensely.
"I know where he is. He's training in Akita(N. Japan)
with Master Yamada. That's all I know, " Chibiusa revealed.
"Well we all can't go. That's pretty far from here,
even by boat. And we don't have the money to fly there," Ami said,
reminding everyone of their geographical location.
Everyone nodded except Michiru. "Well I can make it
there. Perhaps it's best that all of us don't go."
"But what if something happens? There's no way we can
get there. ." Mako began to say, but her mind promptly remembered
the Sailor Teleport.
"Setsuna has to go, and so does Chibiusa. Hmm, who else?
Usagi-chan??" Michiru wondered.
"I think that all of you should go. We'll stay here
if something should happen here again," said Rei. She had a pretty
good feeling that Mamo was the keeper of the seventh stone. There
were ways to get to Akita without a boat or plane, she thought, her
ideas along the same route as Mako's.
Michiru nodded. "OK, it's settled then. Haruka, Setsuna,
Chibiusa, and I will travel to Akita and find Mamoru. We'll call you
as soon as we hear anything. Agreed?"
The four girls nodded in response. They were content
to wait here a little while until they found Mamoru and confirmed
Setsuna's hunch. What an odd situation this was, Mina thought. I wonder
how Usagi's doing. .
The darkening skies awoke Usagi from her deep sleep.
She shook her head to shake off the headache that was pounding at
her temples. She groaned, turning her head to face Hotaru. What was
Hotaru-chan doing here? Oh, Usagi reminded herself of the events that
took place a few hours ago. That demon was powerful, more than she
could have imagined. She hoped that Setsuna had finally caught him,
and sent him back to wherever he came from. Usagi stood up, stretching
out her muscles. Hotaru began to awaken slightly, her violet eyes
lying upon the figure of Tsukino Usagi.
"Are you all right, Usagi?" Hotaru whispered.
Usagi nodded. She helped Hotaru stand up, and walked
into the kitchen to get her a cup of tea. She could at least manage
that much under the circumstances. Usagi looked around the house and
realized that she was in Michiru's house. I wonder where the others
are, she thought. Her eyes came upon a quickly scribbled message from
Haruka.
Went to the Setsuna's favorite restaurant, meet us
there later. --Haruka
"Hmm. ." she thought to herself. A sudden pang of longing
came into her heart and her mind. Where was Mamo-chan when she needed
him? Or Luna and Artemis for that matter? Where were they? She shook
her head. They probably had good reason not to see anyone for such
a long time. Still, Usagi missed them so much.
Minutes later, the tea was ready, and she took it inside
to the fully rested Hotaru Tomoe.
"Here ya go, Hotaru," she said, handing her the steaming
cup of tea. Hotaru carefully sipped the green tea left by Michiru
on the kitchen counter.
"Thank you, Usagi-chan," Hotaru said, taking another
sip. "Where did the others go?"
"To restaurant near the center of town. You know the
one where Setsuna gets her green tea?" Usagi said, watching Hotaru
nod in response. "Haruka said to meet them there when we wake up."
Hotaru watched Usagi curiously. What was it about this
particular girl that had everything topsy-turvy? She could tell that
they had their work cut out for them in the future. "I suppose that
we should get going." She walked into the kitchen, with Usagi following
promptly behind her.
"Are YOU OK, Hotaru? I'm grateful for you lending me
some of your power to keep me alive. Thank you." Usagi let her guard
down and gave Hotaru a bear hug.
Hotaru smiled at Usagi's gratitude. Such compassion,
she thought. "Come Usagi, let's go."
They both walked out of the door, slamming it shut
behind them. Minutes later, they were on the bus for the restaurant.
(Just a note. .In the series, that bus took FOREVER
to get there .. thought I'd speed it up! Now as we were..)
The cool air of Akita Japan's bayside blew Mamoru's
hair over his tanned face. His mind had to remain clear, else he wouldn't
be able to concentrate.
"CONCENTRATE, Mamoru!!" the voice of the stern sensei
Master Yamada uttered.
Mamoru had the hardest time keeping his mind off of
Usako and Chibiusa. Something must be wrong, he thought as he tried
to balance himself on the thin tree limb several feet above the ground.
Perhaps he should send back Artemis and Luna to make sure that they
were all right. He heard the distinct sound of wood breaking and knew
that he was going to fall any second.
"Ahh!!" he shouted, his feet finding nothing but air
beneath them. Amazingly, Mamoru managed to land on his feet like a
well trained cat.
"At least you've learned something," Master Yamada
murmured. He was a short, muscular man , with a long white ponytail
and beard.
Luna and Artemis stood by under the trees watching
Mamoru's training.
"Don't you think it was suspicious of us to leave so
suddenly, Artemis? Surely, the others will be wondering where we disappeared
to, " Luna asked the same question she'd been asking for the past
2 months.
A sweatdrop fell from Artemis' head. "Luna, you're
getting all crazy about this. The girls will be fine. They know we
can take care of ourselves."
He heard Luna's sigh, and knew that the time was coming
near for them to return to Tokyo. Artemis saw Mamoru bow to Master
Yamada to take his break. The cats began to walk toward the spring
nearby and Mamoru followed.
"It's time for you to return, Luna. .Artemis. Something
evil is on the wind. I can feel it, " Mamoru said softly, staring
at the crystal clear water.
The cats looked up at him. Mamoru was glowing a slight
shade of red. It was faint, but enough that they were worried.
"Mamoru, are you all right? You're glowing .." said
Luna. Mamoru looked at his hand and saw the glow as well.
"Bring Setsuna to me. ."
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