Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Future Imperfect- Makoto and Minako's Journey ❯ Chapter 5: Revelations ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: ST Pika

Chapter 5: Revelations

Thanks to Daniel and Steven for the preread on this one. I also have fanart that ties into Chibi-Usa/Usagi's appearance in the last chapter, in part C. Check it out here! http://shinjiasuka4ever.deviantart.com/art/SM-I-m-Not-Chibi -Anymore-96819549

Fanart for the events in Chapter 4B involving Jupiter, Venus, Pluto, and Chibi-Usa.

http://shinjiasuka4ever.deviantart.com/art/Sailor-Moon-Futu re-Imperfect-100491606

To see another picture from 4B, showing Jupiter and Venus before the big battle in 4B, click on this link. http://shinjiasuka4ever.deviantart.com/art/SM-Hell-Hath-No-Fury-104244531

After an uneasy night, at least for some of the inhabitants of Tokyo, Saturday morning arrives. In one of the apartments, the young woman inside wakes up and rubs her eyes…

“That was some night… but that nightmare was real. I think that vision was too realistic…” Makoto says with a soft sigh. “Her rod tells the truth, though… but that can't be right. Why would Minako I be killing people?”

Sitting up on her bed, Makoto realizes that she had been crying all night… her tear soaked pillow is testament to that. `No wonder I still feel tired… and emotionally drained. I felt alone… so alone… and angry… I just wanted to make everyone pay. But why?'

The more she thinks about the subject, the worse she feels. Getting out of bed, Makoto does some stretches and tries to wake up fully, despite feeling confused and a little tired. The wood floors of her apartment as she walks from her bedroom into her kitchen.

`Maybe a little breakfast will help… I can think about this some more. There's one thing I do know… I'm going to have to have a talk with Usagi later… before our sleepover. This kind of future is not one I want…'

As Makoto makes herself something to eat and ponders her current situation more… another inhabitant of the Azu-Jubaan area wakes up to the sound of crying…

“Minako?”

After getting no response, Artemis opens his eyes and realizes something. `She's using me as a cuddle toy? Wait a second…'

The quick judgment comes to an end when the white cat realizes that his fur is wet, damp with the tears of the young woman that he's supposed to watching and instructing.

Gently nudging his head against hers, Artemis tries to wake her up.

“Minako… Minako… wake up…”

Minako opens her eyes. “Huh, what?”

“Are you okay? You've been crying all night…”

“I have?”

“Look at my fur if you don't believe me…” Artemis says softly.

The blonde gently pats him on the head and runs her fingers down his back… she immediately feels the tear-soaked fur and realizes that he's telling the truth.

“I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!”

Her guardian cat shakes his head. “Don't worry about it… you must've been having a bad dream or something…”

Silence is all the response that Minako gives back in response. Artemis senses that maybe there's something more… and asks another question.

“Minako… did something happen last night at Setsuna's place?”

A silent nod is all Minako can manage.

`Now I know something's wrong if the talkative Minako isn't even saying a word back to me… it has to be bad… really bad…' Artemis thinks as he ponders what to do next.

“Artemis… it was more then a dream… that vision that Makoto and I saw… was more real then anything I've seen before…” Minako says before sitting up on the bed and sighing aloud.

“A vision?”

“Yes… and her visions always come true, don't they? She is the Guardian of Time, right?”

The white cat pauses and then nods his head. “Yes, that's right on both counts…”

“I've never felt so angry… and alone before. I felt like I given my heart out a hundred times… and never got real love back in return. It scared me a lot… and that's not even mentioning all of the killing I did…”

That takes Artemis by surprise. “Killing? You killed people? I can't believe that!”

“Maybe I should tell you about what I saw last night… all the details…” a slightly trembling Minako says while looking down at her friend.

“Sure… take your time… I'm listening…”

Minako takes a few deep breaths and then starts to explain what happened last night. Artemis is stunned and shocked to say the least… he's never heard of something like this happening before…

`We never did see what happened after that Dark Moon Kingdom was beaten back and the Doom Phantom was destroyed… it seems like the worse was yet to come…'

The pair continue their discussion over breakfast as well and come up with some ideas, among which is to talk with Usagi and see if she knows anything more about this.

“I'll call her up and see if she wouldn't mind having me over early… this is too important to wait…”

By the time noon rolls around, Usagi's worrying reaches a new level and she feels the urge to talk about it. She brings her lunch upstairs to her room, along with some tuna for Luna…

“For me?” Luna asks as the blonde sets the plate of food down in front of her. “Something must be wrong… I normally make my own lunch…”

Usagi attempts to smile but fails. “Yes… I just got two phone calls in the last hour… both were pretty serious… and disturbing…”

That gets Luna's attention and she decides to hold off on eating her tuna. “Who called?”

“Makoto and then Minako… they want to come over early and talk with me… something about the future… and it being horrible beyond anything we've seen or faced before. Luna… I didn't get all the details… but from what I've heard… I'm scared. So scared…”

Tears flow from Usagi's eyes… `I can't fix this… if what they said is true… and Setsuna saw this happen…'

Releasing all of her emotions at once, Usagi clearly shows her feelings of helplessness and despair. “Damn it Luna, I can't fix this! It's going to happen!”

“What's going to happen? You haven't told me anything about what they told you… I need to know if I'm going to help you.”

After realizing that she said “future”… Luna feels a sense of dread herself. She decides to inquire further…

“Did they talk to Setsuna?”

The only word the blonde can manage to say is “Yes”… which is all Luna needed to hear.

“Tell me what they told you…”

When she was talking to them over the phone, both of them had been very nervous and scared, which Usagi could practically feel over the phone. Yet even though neither had gone into any details, the one thing she got from the conversation was that the future had to change or the Senshi will end up fighting each other.

“If you don't mind, I'd like to be there when they come over… I think this is too serious to be taken lightly. It's a good thing Makoto's having that sleepover tonight… it'll give us all a chance to talk about this.”

“Good idea, Luna… I want you to hear the whole thing, too… I… need help…” Usagi says, feeling helpless and worried about the situation. “This may be too much for me to handle…”

Luna gently places her paw on Usagi's forehead. “Admitting that… shows me how much you've matured since I first found you. We'll figure this out together, okay?”

Feeling a little better after hearing that, Usagi nods her head. “Okay!”

The other inners start their day as well, getting chores and other things they need to do out of the way before the evening's sleepover… unaware of what transpired yesterday in Setsuna's apartment. Michiru and Haruka are also kept in the dark in that regard by Hotaru… heeding Setsuna's advice from earlier. The young woman also asks for permission to stay over again tonight… her guardians are happy to see her spending time with Setsuna, not to mention the sudden availability of some “private time”. Needless to say, they happily agree…

Over at the Hino's residence, Rei is feeding her crows outside when her boyfriend Yuuchiro approaches…

“I heard you're heading out again tonight…”

“I was going to tell you, after I feed the crows. Don't worry, I didn't forget about our dinner date for tomorrow night…” Rei says with a wink.

“Good… I just wanted to make sure…” the young man says with a firm nod.

Rei finishes sprinkling the food on the ground and then gets up, motioning her boyfriend to follow her. The two end up in her room… she closes the door and surprises him with a quick hug.

“I'm not neglecting you, am I?”

“No…”

Despite the winter coats that both are wearing, Yuuchiro can swear that he feels the warmth of her body as he holds her… not realizing that she is the Senshi of Fire.

“Good. I don't want to neglect you or my friends… or school. It's so busy sometimes… but I try to make time for what's important…”

That comment brings a grin to Yuuchiro's face. “Thanks… I think you're important, too. You're on break from school, right?”

“Yes…”

“We should go skiing then… at my parents lodge…” Yuuchiro says, explaining his idea and hoping that Rei will agree.

Not wanting to commit without thinking the idea through… and making sure it was okay with her grandpa, Rei places hard to get. “Hmm… I'll think about it… I'll talk to you again tomorrow about that.”

Realizing that's the best that he's going to get for the moment, the young man places a kiss on Rei's cheek and then gently backs away. “I've got some more chores to do… but do think about it…”

“I will…” Rei says, her cheeks tingling with a red blush, not only from the kiss, but the idea of spending some quality time with her boyfriend.

With that, Yuuchiro leaves… the Senshi of Fire takes off her jacket and hangs it up. `Time to get ready for tonight…' she thinks as she gets out her bag and begins to fill it with her clothes and pajamas, along with her sleeping bag. I wonder what'll happen tonight?'

Across town, Ami is busy eating her lunch when her Mercury computer suddenly beeps. She immediately knows who it is and opens the case…

“Now that's a familiar sight…” a voice says a few moments later.

Putting her sandwich down, a puzzled Ami asks- “What do you mean?”

“You in that pose… it reminds me of that picture your friend Usagi gave me of you three years ago… you had a sandwich in your hand and you were about to take a bite out of it…” Urawa says back with a grin.

Ami smiles. “Yes, I remember when she took that picture… but a lot has changed in three years… I look a little different…”

Urawa decides to use this opportunity to flirt with her a little. “I've noticed… and I've liked the changes. You definitely look better with the longer hair… and the glasses…”

A red blush forms on Ami's face. “Yes, I think so too. You've also changed…”

“What do you mean?” is the reply back from Urawa, unsure of what she means by that.

Deciding to return the favor, Ami nervously replies: “You're more… handsome…”

“Thanks…” the blushing Urawa replies back. “Are we still on for lunch tomorrow?”

“Yes… my mother is looking forward to meeting you. I hope this helps put to rest any fears that she might have…”

“She's just worried about you… and she wants to make sure I'm not a `bad seed' or anything…”

Ami thinks about that for a moment and then shrugs her shoulders. “I guess… I think it has more to do with the fact that you're my… my first boyfriend then anything else…”

“That could be it, too…”

The pair exchange silent glances at each other before Urawa's watch starts beeping.

“I've got to get going… I just wanted to talk with you for a minute and make sure that everything is good for tomorrow…”

“Yes… thank you. I can't wait to see you again…”

“Me either…”

With that, the video link closes. Ami returns to eating her sandwich and thinks about tomorrow and the fun she's hopefully going to have… and tonight… being with her friends is also fun, in a different way.

The early afternoon finds Usagi and Minako at Makoto's place, telling their story to the future Queen Serenity and Luna. Needless to say, both are even more shocked then before… and do their best to comfort their friends… and to think of a solution.

At Setsuna's apartment, the pink Usagi and Setsuna finish lunch and debate on what to do with the rest of the day.

“I do have to tell you more about what happened… maybe that'd be better to do after dinner, when I'm more relaxed. I think you should show Haruka and Michiru what they might need to know… after we've made a timeline… I want the Outers to be fully aware of what lies ahead…”

Amazed by this sudden turn to the serious, Setsuna takes several seconds to respond. `Is this the same woman who was so… fun-loving last night, at least for the most part. She sounds deadly serious… maybe I should go with her plan…'

“That sounds good, let's use your idea.”

That makes Usagi very happy. “Great! Now we just wait…”

“Wait for what?”

“For Hotaru, she should be here any minute. We've got some plans… and you're coming, too…” Usagi says that last part with a wink, causing Setsuna to become immediately suspicious.

“Thanks for letting me know…” the Senshi of Time says with mock sarcasm. “I should've known you were up to something when you made that phone call… and you were talking in a soft voice…”

“I guess I can't fool you, Puu…” the pink-haired woman says with a shrug.

“I have a quick question for you… since we have a few minutes until Hotaru arrives…”

“Go ahead…”

“What happened to Luna P? You came in here with my rod… but I haven't seen your floating ball…”

Usagi suddenly feels sad… and angry, all at the same time.

“She was… destroyed…”

That gets Setsuna even more curious. “By whom?”

“I was going to use it… when Helios and I were attacked… but they did their homework… it was the first thing they took care of…” Usagi says sadly.

Having a bad feeling, Setsuna decides to press for more information. “Was this happening… at the same time as the other attack… by Makoto and Minako?”

“Exactly… it was all planned out… I'm lucky that I lived through it… but Helios didn't make it… and neither did Luna P.”

Setsuna gets straight to the point. “Who attacked you?”

Before Usagi can answer, the doorbell rings. Not wanting to relive the memories, at least at this moment, the younger woman sprints off to the door and opens it, letting Hotaru inside.

`It must've been really bad… if she's ignoring the question. I'll let it go…' Setsuna thinks while Hotaru takes off her boots and steps inside.

“Are you ready to hear our itinerary?” a grinning Usagi says.

Resigned to defeat and the inevitable shopping trip, the Senshi of Time shrugs her shoulders. “Tell me… where are we going?”

“First of all, you're going to tell us where you got those silk pajamas… so we can buy our own…”

“Yeah… in purple!” Hotaru says happily.

“Or pink…” Usagi adds.

“That sounds simple enough… but I have a feeling there's more then one stop one this trip… or else you wouldn't have been grinning like that earlier…”

“Now that's a surprise… but I will tell you one thing. I agreed to help out Hotaru so that's part of the reason…” Usagi says carefully, not wanting to spoil the surprise.

“Hmm… okay. Let me get my coat and we'll head out…”

End Part A.

Start Part B

And so the great shopping trip begins. The three women brave the winter weather to do some shopping, their breathes causing smoke to appear in the chilly air. Despite the cold, Usagi seems to be enjoying herself and her time with her two best friends.

Hotaru and Setsuna both notice this and make silent vows to help out their friend, who sacrificed a lot just to come back to the past and warn them of the dangers ahead.

`I know there are details that only she can provide… we have to stop those events from happening… or we're all doomed, myself included.' Setsuna thinks, letting her mind delve into the subject even more.

With their first stop fast approaching, Pluto takes a moment to compose herself and to remember exactly where in the store she got those black silk pajamas.

“Well, we're here. Lead the way!” Usagi says while nodding at the front door.

“Follow me…” is the reply back from Setsuna, who quickly heads inside the store. Hotaru and Usagi follow close behind and soon all three women are inside the clothing store, which at first glance seems to be focused on selling items made out of silk…

“It's good to be out of the cold…” Hotaru says while taking off her purple hat.

“You can say that again… brrr…” Usagi says while trying to warm her hands up.

After giving a friendly nod to one of the sales associates, Setsuna beckons her followers onward. “They're over in the back and to the left. See if you can find something in your colors…”

Usagi feels a new burst of energy and exclaims “Great!” before rushing towards the back, Hotaru is right behind her.

The Senshi of Destruction finds what she wants almost immediately, a dark purple pajama set. She looks through the rack to find the right size and while doing so is quite impressed by the little dragon designs and the softness of the fabric.

“I see you found something already…” Setsuna says after taking a closer look at Hotaru's selection.

“Yeah… and I'm going to pick something just a little bit bigger, so I can grow into it, like Usagi said before. That way I won't need to buy another pair later…”

“Good thinking… she may have been teasing you, but that was a valid point. As long as you're comfortable in what you get, that's all that matters.”

The two talk a little more while Usagi looks around for something in pink. It takes a few minutes, but she finds a design with red hearts peppered all over the top and bottom… which gets a nod of approval in her book.

`This would be so easy if I was 12 again… it's not easy shopping for adult clothing. My legs are so long now… I hope they have long enough pants! Same thing for the top…'

“Find something, Usagi?” Hotaru asks her friend as she approaches, her new pajama set en tow.

“Yeah… but I'm searching for the right size now… this set is so cute!”

“Pink with red hearts… that's definitely you…” Setsuna says with a nod.

“Help me find some long pants… they don't have too much in this design for tall people…” Usagi says before resuming her search.

“Well, let's see what we can find…” the Senshi of Time says while looking at a nearby rack which holds some additional sets of that particular design. About a minute later, Hotaru finds a promising prospect and hands it to Usagi, who's quite happy about the find.

“I think this will work… now I need a top in the same design…”

“I'll help out with this one… Usagi here seems to be quite gifted these days…”

A bright red blush covers the pink haired woman's face. “Puu!”

“What? I can't make a joke? I'm not serious all of the time… and you and I are of the same build. It was a serious observation…” Pluto says with a sigh.

“Yeah, I suppose you're right. At least this time I'm an adult because I wanted to be for unselfish reasons… the other two times I was one because people played off of my selfish desires to be one…”

Hotaru is impressed by that honest self-observation on her best friend's part and the amount of maturity she just showed… and gives her friend a hug of encouragement. Setsuna is also impressed and despite some of the joking that's she's seen, the adult Chibi-usa is a very serious, determined woman on a mission… and a person that's seen horrors that she's only begun to see…

Hotaru has another point to add. “Don't forget that this time you're not out to destroy the world, either… you're not alone…”

“I know… I can't believe I was manipulated like that…” a soft sigh escapes Usagi's lips. “I want to see everyone be happy… no matter what…”

“And we're here to help you out…” Setsuna says while handing a button down pajama top to Usagi. “You two try on your pajamas and make sure they're comfortable…”

“Sure… this is only the first stop, you know…” Usagi says before walking towards the changing room. Setsuna stops Hotaru before she can get too far…

“Do you know where else we're going?”

The dark haired teen shrugs her shoulders. “No idea… but she said it'd be fun… and there was one place she wanted to go that she'd never been to before… that's all I know…”

“I guess we'll find out soon enough…”

Hotaru nods her head and says “Yeah…” before heading to the changing room herself.

To pass the time, Setsuna has a seat just outside of the changing area and picks up a random magazine, flipping through it and trying not to think about the future…

Inside one of the booths a short time later, Hotaru poses in front of the mirror, admiring the way she looks in these new pajamas and how comfortable and warm they are. `The colors are perfect for me… and the pants are a little long, I'll have to cuff them until I grow a bit taller. The top is a little bit oversized… for now. I look… beautiful… and I can't wait to be an adult… though I wouldn't want to have to go through what Usagi did to get to that point…'

Next door, Usagi has already changed into her pajamas and is admiring herself in the mirror, being truly in love with the design. `The pants are of the right length… though Puu pulled a fast one on me with the top… it's pretty tight fitting… I wonder why she did that? Still, it's a must buy!'

A gentle knock on the door gets Hotaru's attention. “Can I come in?”

“Sure!” is the quick reply back after the young woman recognizes the voice. Her friend steps inside and closes the door. “Looks good, Hotaru… perfect color choice for you…”

“Thanks, Setsuna… I really think so, too…”

The teen then gently knocks on the wall in front of her. “Are you ready yet, Usagi?”

“Come on over…” is the reply back.

The two women head into the next booth over and find Usagi standing in front of the mirror. “Well, what do you think?”

“Very pretty!” is the first response, from an enthusiastic Hotaru.

“I second that thought… I see the pants fit perfectly…”

“Of course… they're perfect for my long legs and wider hips…” Usagi says with a nod.

“And bigger behind…” Setsuna adds, trying to make another joke at Usagi's expense.

Needless to say, the pink haired woman is not amused. “HEY! What's with you today? Is this make fun of Usagi day or what?”

Silently shaking her head, Pluto decides to come to right to the point. “You always told me… to be less serious… and to be more… fun…”

“True…” Usagi concedes. “It took a lot of work to loosen you up… and that was just before everything started going to hell…”

“So I've just saved you 1000 years of work… and besides, you've already made some jokes about me at my expense. Turnabout is fair play, after all…”

“I think Setsuna's right…” Hotaru says softly. “I think I should get to joke about you more, too… you were joking about my figure at the sleepover…”

Seeing no way out of this, Usagi rolls her eyes and shrugs her shoulders. “You two are right… what's fair is fair…”

“Thank you…” is the happy response from both Hotaru and Setsuna after hearing that.

“Just one quick question… why did you pick this top? It's kinda tight!”

“Well… after remembering what you were wearing when I first saw you, I could tell that you liked to show off your chest a little… you were definitely showing some skin.”

“Hmm… good point. What's the point in being an adult and having these…” Usagi takes a deep breath, accentuating her figure even more. “Without having some fun. I guess the innocent little girl became a not so innocent flirt…”

“I wonder what your mother would have to say about that…” Hotaru says while mock chiding her best friend.

“That's where she got it from…” Setsuna says, remembering how the blonde Usagi was for quite a while after becoming Sailor Moon… and still had some of those tendencies currently, though she was trying her best to suppress them.

After thinking about what was just said and looking into her heart, she realizes that Setsuna is right about this “new her” as an adult. She makes a decision regarding the pajama top. “I'll keep this size… though I do hope I can wear a bra under this if I need to…”

“I'm sure you'll be fine…”

Hotaru heads back to her booth and the two change while Setsuna heads up to the front cash registers. `I wonder who's paying for this… it'll probably end up being me… so I'd better make sure I have the yen for those. Silk is very expensive!'

While the Senshi of time searches her purse for money, the other two women make their way to the front and put their choices on the counter…

“Did you find everything you wanted?” the sales rep asks politely.

“Yes, everything is great… you have such pretty things in here!” Hotaru says with a nod.

After entering in the prices for the pajamas and then adding the tax, the sales rep turns to look at her customers. “That'll be 47,500 yen with tax…”

That number takes Saturn by surprise. “Wow… that's a lot…”

“But you do pay for quality…” Setsuna says, being satisfied with her own purchases from this store.

“Yes ma'am, we stock only the best!” is the enthusiastic reply to that comment from the sales rep. Setsuna begins to reach for some bills in her purse when Usagi places five 10,000 yen bills on the counter.

“That should do it… this is on me…” Usagi says with a smile. An overjoyed Hotaru gives her friend a hug and then bows.

“Thank you!”

“Anything for my best friend!”

Even the sales rep cannot help but see how much joy that has just brought the young woman and comments “That's so nice…”

“They've been friends for a long time…” Setsuna adds. `And that's definitely an understatement…'

Taking the 50,000 yen off of the counter, the sales rep says “I'll get your change and get you packed up right away…” before doing just that. `It's nice perk of the job to see someone be so happy about one of our products…'

One thing bugs Setsuna, though… and she waits until they're back outside to ask.

“Usagi, where'd you get all that money from?”

“From the future… there was some old stuff buried under the castle and I remembered hearing about money from old Tokyo… it's actually from this year, so it's 100% legal. I wanted to be prepared when I came back here… so I wouldn't have to leech off of you or anyone else…”

“That's really smart… you definitely thought things out before coming here.”

“Yep. Now it's time for store number two!”

“Where to?” a curious Hotaru asks.

“I need some more winter gear… what I brought back from the future isn't c-c-cutting it…” Usagi says while trying not to shiver.

“I know a place…” Setsuna says, volunteering her services as a guide once again.

“Lead on, shopaholic!” is the cheerful reply from Usagi.

“I am NOT a shopaholic!”

Hotaru decides to step in before this goes too far. “Let's get going before Usagi freezes to death…”

“G-good point…” is the reply from Usagi, who begins rubbing her hands together. “I guess I didn't pack everything…”

“You didn't have anything besides your purse, my Garnet Rod, and what you wearing, did you?” Setsuna asks while trying to remember if there was anything else that she's forgetting.

“No… and it's a lot colder here then yesterday…”

“Good think we only have to walk a few blocks… follow me…”

As snow begins to fall from the early afternoon sky, Setsuna leads the “shopping group” down the street, walking at a brisk pace in order to reach the shop quickly. `I think Usagi isn't used to the cold winters of the past…'

A few minutes later, the three women arrive in the store. Usagi immediately gets to work, looking for a thicker overcoat, gloves, scarf, and a hat. The other two back off and let their friend “do her thing”… it only takes fifteen minutes for the whole process to be complete… and Usagi to be rid of her old coat, which is traded in for some store credit. As soon as they get outside, Hotaru is the one to ask “Next stop?”

“I need some regular clothes… and I know just where to get them. This won't take long, I already know what I need and which store I want to get it from…”

“Good… all this walking is making me hungry.”

Hotaru agrees with Setsuna on that one. “Me too…”

“Let's get something to eat after this next stop them, we can recharge and warm up…” Usagi says, starting to feel a little hungry herself.

Soft winter snow continues to fall, though the new arrival to the 20th century is now little fazed by it. As promised, the next stop is a short one and the three women have some lunch inside a café…

Quite a different scenario is in play over at Makoto's apartment, however. Usagi is trying her best to comfort her friends Minako and Makoto, who are crying after retelling what they saw in the future. The anger, hate, jealousy… the desire for revenge… they bare it all. Usagi and Luna are totally aghast about what they hear… the future Queen feel sad and hopeless… and even a little afraid of what supposedly was supposed to come…

`If this is supposed to happen… that means that I'm partly to blame. What can I do? How can I help my friends? I can't let them do this… no way… they deserve to be happy, too…'

The pair of Luna and Usagi try to figure out something while comforting their two friends and waiting for the arrival of Rei and Ami. `If there ever was a time for us Senshi to come together, it's now… even my magic can't fix this problem…'

Not wanting to totally wear out her friends and feeling the strain of several bags of clothes, Usagi decides to head for one last store to pick up some more “necessities”.

Hotaru blushes profusely after looking up at the displays in the windows of Usagi's choice of store. Even Setsuna cannot help but react a little… Usagi sees her friends' reactions and giggles…

“Why are you guys so embarrassed? It's just a lingerie store…”

“I know it is… this is what I thought you meant earlier… when you couldn't stop grinning while talking about this shopping trip. I was right…” Setsuna then sighs aloud. “You certainly became one naughty woman…”

“HEY! Is it my fault I grew up so fast? It must've been the hormones… and all of the messed up stuff that was going on in my life. I have feelings and emotions… even desires that I never had before I grew up this time…” Usagi says, defending her new attitude as best she can.

“Maybe…” Setsuna carefully concedes.

“I was an older teen for a little while one time… but I was so shocked about it and worried about Pegasus that I really didn't notice things like that. Of course, you remember the Black Lady… she was too busy trying to help the Doom Phantom destroy the earth to worry about anything else…”

“You've been through a lot, Usagi… we understand. I was a baby for a while… after your mother rescued me… and then I was 13 again in a short time, so I can kind of relate to what happened to you…”

“Thanks, Hotaru. I just need a few things here and we'll call it a day… I'm really getting tired of carrying around all these clothes… and I don't want to see either of you burdened by them, either.”

“Usagi…” Hotaru places her hand on her friend's shoulder. “We're here for you… if you didn't come back to warn us…”

“Then time would've unfolded just like the visions we saw… and frankly, I don't want to die… I'm sure we can figure out a way to change things…” Setsuna while also placing a reassuring hand on her friend's other shoulder.

“Thank you both…” Usagi says softly. “I knew this would work out… I trust you two the most. I love my mom and dad… but things happened… and lots of people suffered.”

After taking a few breathes to compose herself, the pink haired woman takes a few steps forward. “There's no going back now… I'm sure we're already changing history right now…”

“Yeah…” is the soft response from Hotaru.

All is silent for a few seconds and then Usagi heads for the door. “Help me out, please… I'm very new at this… Hotaru, you have the experiences of being a teen I never got… and Setsuna, you've been an adult… forever. I could use your advice…” Usagi winks back at Pluto… which adds even more fuel to the fire.

Hotaru giggles and is glad her friend has gotten out of her funk from a moment ago. Her other friend is not happy, though.

“Are you calling me old?”

“You don't look at day over 20, honestly…” is the last thing Setsuna hears before Usagi disappears into the shop. Saturn looks at the Senshi of Time and the two exchange glances.

“Ready, Hotaru?”

“Sure…”

There's a short pause before the young woman says anymore. “I've never been in a place like this before…”

“I'm not sure what Usagi's going to recommend for you but I have a feeling she'll try and get you something… if you want, I can help you out.”

“Sounds good… I'm not ready for anything really `adult' anyways…” Hotaru says while trying not to blush anymore then she already is.

A silent nod is all the response Setsuna gives before both women head inside the store. They don't go very far before spotting Usagi, who's chatting with one of the sales associates… and sends a nod their way after they enter the store.

“It's about time you came inside…” the pink haired woman mock chides. “I've been talking with Jessica here about what to buy… and I think she's onto something…”

The sales associates turns and looks at the new arrivals, her long red hair swishes freely as she quickly bows and then points at an area in the back. “Your friend was looking for something nice and comfortable… so I'm sending her back there. If there's anything else I can help any of you with, please ask... I'm sure you will be able to give a better opinion then a total stranger like me…”

“Thanks… but we still might want another opinion… this girl can be picky…” Setsuna admits aloud, causing Usagi to sigh.

“Just let me know…” is the reply from Jessica before turning to help another woman who has just entered the shop.

“Time to get down to business… since I'll be staying at your place, Puu, I don't want to make any more trouble for you any more then I already have. I've gotten all the clothes I need and now I just need some bras and panties…”

“Usagi… you're not making any trouble for me. Let's see what this place has…”

Setsuna and Usagi head over to the section of the store pointed out earlier by Jessica while the ever curious Hotaru, despite her embarrassment, wanders around the store a little, her eyes gazing at the different clothing hanging from the walls.

`I've never seen some of these things before… this is `adult' fashion, huh…'

After finishing with her new customer, Jessica notices Hotaru looking a few things and asks her if she needs any help.

“Me? Umm… well… I don't know…”

“Is there anything in particular you like?”

“Well… I like the color purple…”

After looking at Hotaru's jacket and outfit, that much becomes clearly obvious to Jessica. “That definitely is your color… I think I can recommend some styles that'd be perfect for you…”

“Well…” Hotaru takes a glance over at her friends, who seemed to be engaged in an enjoyable conversation… and even laughing at each other. “Okay… my friend Setsuna seems to be all the help Usagi needs right now…”

“Great! Follow me…”

Jessica shows Hotaru around a little bit, doing her best to offer things that the teen might like and in her color, of course. Usagi and Setsuna are so caught up in their talking that they temporarily forget about their friend.

“You're going to buy how many?” Setsuna asks again, to make sure that she heard right.

“Fourteen. Two week supply should be fine…”

“You must've brought back a lot of money, then… these bra and panty sets aren't cheap…” the Senshi of Time says while holding up a price tag. “You must've robbed a bank on your way over to my place…”

“Haha. Since you have some extra space, I can have my own lingerie drawer. Having that many won't be a problem.”

“That's true. We've settled on a few styles here for you, some basic, some lace, a few push ups… but what colors do you want?”

That comment makes Usagi pause for a second to think. “Pink of course… and white… and maybe that sky blue over there. I'm not totally pink obsessed…”

“You could've fooled me…”

Feeling like something is missing, Setsuna realizes that their third party member is absent. “Where's Hotaru?”

“I don't know…” Usagi begins looking around the room and spots her friend. “Hotaru! I'm ready to make my selections and I want your opinion. ”

“Coming…” the teen says happily, carrying a few hangars with her.

Usagi notices the hangars and is happy that her friend decided to check out a few things here. The former Chibi-Usa points out the different styles that she had an eye on and gets feedback from her two friends. It isn't long before she has everything picked out…

“Let's get all of this over to the changing room…” Usagi says while gathering the sets together. The three head towards the changing room, though Setsuna sees something interesting along the way… and decides to investigate further.

“You two go ahead… I think Hotaru can give you all the advice you need…” is her line before leaving the group. The Senshi of Saturn is more then happy to give advice to her best friend as she changes into the various sets…

`Usagi seems happy right now… I'm glad. She's been through a lot and I want to help her make the best out of this situation. After all, she came back to help us all out…'

Usagi herself is thinking about her friend and how helpful she's being…

`Hotaru's doing great… and maybe I can help her a little, too. I look and feel good about my new self and being with my friends makes me feel even better…'

“You're just like a supermodel, Usagi…”

“Thanks… I think so, too.” A wide grin forms on Usagi's face. “Your turn… I get to give you some advice now…”

Hotaru blushes. “I don't know… I'm a little embarrassed about all this… but that nice lady helped pick out a few things…”

“When us Senshi are off duty, we need to be and feel comfortable and look good. You're only going to get better looking in the next few years, so you need to be ready now… I'm sure the boys are already lining up to try and ask you out…”

“I know a few that might but…”

“But?”

“I'm… not sure if I'm ready yet.”

Usagi gives her friend a hug. “I think you are, you just need some more self-confidence, that's all…”

“Maybe…”

After taking a few seconds to deliberate what to do, Hotaru decides to show her friend the two different sets she picked up. Usagi says nothing until the first set is modeled… and then she gives some positive comments about the way in makes her friend look. The process is repeated for the second set, giving Hotaru a little confidence boost about herself.

Meanwhile, Setsuna is looking through a few things when the sales associate from earlier heads over and decides to follow up with Usagi's request.

“Can I help you with something?”

“Well… maybe. I kind of like this style here… but I want it in black…”

That gets a nod from the young woman who wholeheartedly agrees with that choice.

“Black would be an excellent choice for you… there might be some on the other side of the display over here… let me take a look…”

A quick search is made and a few sets are found in black, much to Setsuna's delight. She checks the tags and looks for her sizes. Inside, she's a little surprise that she's getting caught up in all this…

`Usagi must be rubbing off on me… I've never even given this kind of lingerie a second thought before… she's already changing the future…'

“Please let me know how that turns out for you, and if you have any questions or need anything else, just ask.”

“Thanks, I'll let you know…”

After a gentle knock on the door to the changing room, Setsuna waits for a response from inside. She hears her two friends giggling inside…

“Can I come in?” she asks, this time vocally.

“Sure…” is the response from within.

A quick twist of the knob opens the door… and reveals a very curious sight to Setsuna…

“Looks like someone's about to go out trolling for guys…”

Red quickly covers Usagi's face after hearing that comment.

“PUU!”

“Umm… do you think I'm doing the same thing, too?” a very soft-spoken Hotaru asks a moment later.

“No… I was just kidding. You both look fine… though that's a very fancy bra, Usagi…”

“Well, since I do have a nice figure, I want to show it off a little… even if no one's able to see…” is the soft reply back. “And speaking of trolling… what's that in your hands?”

“Since we came all the way here…”

Setsuna pauses to sigh aloud. “I figured that I might as well get something, too. I want an honest opinion from both of you… since I've already told you what I think of your outfits.”

“That's fine…” Usagi says with a nod.

“Of course, Setsuna…”

The two sit down and take a breather while Setsuna undresses and tries on her new lingerie… all the while feeling a little nervous. She steps in front of the mirror when she's done and stares at her own reflection…

`Is this really me? I've never wanted to look… sexy before…'

Inwardly, Setsuna has to also admit that it was more then just Usagi's arrival that triggered a few thoughts about this. `Am I destined… to always be alone?'

After seeing her friend spaced out in front of the mirror, Usagi begins waving her hand in front of Setsuna's face. “Puu… Puu… are you there?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry…” is the slightly embarrassed reply back. “So… ummm… what do you think?”

The first reply comes from Hotaru. “Very pretty… nice lace design. Black really works for you!”

“You look great… you'll get a man for sure with that ensemble…” Usagi says with a wink. “You're definitely bringing sexy back to the Senshi…”

Instead of getting mad, Setsuna just plays off that comment…

“I might but old fashioned but I can look good, too…”

Usagi smiles. “Yeah. This has been real fun… I haven't done anything with any of my friends in… in... years," she finally said softly with a tear beginning to work its way down her cheek. Shaking her head and wiping the tear away she tells them, "I kept mostly to myself and my training. I kinda lost touch with my parents during that time, too… I guess they thought it was because of the other Senshi…well... you know.”

“Usagi…” Hotaru says before giving her friend a hug. “We're here to help…”

“I wouldn't dare think about changing the future… but of course, there can be exceptions…”

“Thanks… and yeah, this is one good exception to that rule. Let's get our stuff together and I'll pay for it... and then we can go home…”

“Sounds good to me… and thanks for buying everything!” Hotaru says happily.

“Anything for my friends, anything…” is the warm reply back.

End Part B

Start Part C

As Usagi and her shopping group arrive home, another group of women get together for dinner in Makoto's apartment. Hushed tones about, despite the joy of seeing each other again.

“I still can't believe this… I mean, I know you weren't joking about what you saw- the looks on your faces were proof enough. What the hell kind of future is this?” Rei says while poking her chopsticks at her food.

Ami has some more to add to that. “It seems like there has to be more to this story… maybe Rei and I were involved in the confrontation somehow. Did she mention us… or where we were while that attack was going on.”

“No, no mention of you two. We saw Chibi-Usa run out during the fighting, just after I…” Minako gulps. “After I killed Setsuna…”

“I'll never feel the same about the future again, I'm sorry to keep saying this, but that vision was so incredibly real… it was like I was living out my own future life, the anger I felt was incredible… and that scares me.” Makoto says before glancing at the others. “I never want to hurt my friends or anyone else like that… I know I'm no killer…”

Luna hops up on the table and addresses the Inner Senshi.

“There has to be a reason for this… I think Ami and Rei are right to be curious about their whereabouts and involvement in this incident. Maybe they should visit Setsuna as well, it could give us some more clues about this mystery.”

“And hopefully a way to fix this, I feel so bad about this… and the future that we all fought for…” Usagi says in a depressed tone.

Seeing no reason to wait on this, Ami makes a suggestion. “Are you busy tomorrow night, Rei? Maybe we could head over to her place after dinnertime?”

The Senshi of Fire thinks about that and after remembering her dinner date with her boyfriend, nods her head. “As soon as my date with Yuuchiro is done, I'm available. Let's see if we can get some more information on this… and maybe some time with the sacred flame wouldn't hurt, either. We'll get to the bottom of this, don't worry…”

“That's what I like to see, teamwork!” Luna says happily. “I know you girls can figure this out…”

“I hope so…” Usagi says warily. Minako and Makoto nod their heads and give Usagi a reassuring pat on the shoulders. “We don't blame you, so cheer up. How can we judge you on something that hasn't happened yet?” Makoto says in an effort to cheer up her depressed friend.

“You could give us some tips, though- you have had the longest relationship out of all five of us…” Minako adds, trying to find another way to get Usagi talking and to break her out of her funk.

That comment has the desired effect and Usagi perks up a bit. “Well, it's all about trust… and knowing the other person. Communication seems to be a big deal between us, whether it's words or more physical things…”

The other four girls start staring at Usagi- since her face has begun turning red.

Rei sees a chance to tease her friend and takes it. “Is there something you're not telling us, Usagi?”

“More physical things, huh?” a winking Minako says, adding to her blonde friend's embarrassment.

“Now now, let's not get carried away…” Luna says, not wanting the others to go overboard with this.

“It's not what you think… you two are both perverts, you know!” the blushing teen says while trying not to yell.

“Okay, we believe you.” Makoto shrugs her shoulders. “Maybe we need more male friends… Ami, you were friends with your boyfriend before it became romantic, right?”

Ami shyly nods her head and Minako snaps her fingers.

“That's it, we need more friends first!”

The brunette chef smiles and nods her head. “I think you're onto something here- that does make a lot of sense.”

“Yeah- that's what you two need! Get some more friends and learn about them, then find one that has a good vibe and common interests…” Usagi says enthusiastically.

“That's the spirit, I'm glad to see you using your head like this, Usagi…” Luna says while placing a paw on her future queen's hand. “Just be careful, though… you don't want end up getting close to someone that wants you just for your looks!”

Minako whips her hair around and winks. “Well, I could see how that could happen…”

“Me too…” Makoto chimes in, albeit a little softer then her blonde friend just did.

“Oh no, we're not getting into another argument about this… just because you two have the biggest…” Rei says before getting interrupted.

Luna rolls her eyes. “I didn't come over to hear you about you five argue about bust size again- let's talk about something else.”

Ami also wants to avoid that subject and makes a suggestion. “I have an idea… about our future problem. Maybe there's some new enemy out there and it causes us to turn on our friends… or maybe it possesses us…”

“Good point, Ami. I'll look for any new enemies when I do my next fire reading”

The Shinto priestess makes a note of that on a piece of paper and then leaves it on the table. “We should take notes about this problem… this could be the worst crisis that we've ever faced as a group.”

“Excellent thinking, Rei. Any ideas or suggestions about what's going on, girls?” Luna says while open the door for debate.

Usagi responds first. “Maybe someone's manipulating Pluto's visions… I know that sounds weird but…”

“No, it's a good thought” Ami says, trying encourage more input from her friend. “We've fought foes that have changed reality before, it's certainly possible.”

“We've got to think about what the aim of that would be, too…” A small frown appears on Rei's face as the thinks about that statement some more. “Make us turn on each other, split us up… make us hate one another… create chaos.”

As the discussion continues and more ideas are written down, Luna is impressed by the cooperation between the five. She's also happy that Usagi has cheered up and her friend's have really controlled themselves and not blamed her for anything they saw- `It hasn't happen yet, it can be changed' is the thought passing through the feline's mind as the list of possibilities grows.

All is not cheery, though… inwardly both Makoto and Minako are feeling a little guilty. Despite all of the suggestions, the feelings and emotions the two felt in that vision make them think that at some point in time, something happens that's so terrible that it makes them want to go to that extreme. Inwardly, they're scared and also disappointed that they'd be doing something like that… but try not to show it to the others.

After the nine o'clock chime is heard from Makoto's clock, Luna begins to yawn. Makoto gets a special treat out her fridge for her friend and the black cat happily eats the tuna before finding a warm, quiet corner of the living room to turn in for the night.

The five Inner Senshi clean up the table and Ami puts her computer away, having just checked for messages from boyfriend. After changing into their pajamas and setting up their sleeping bags, the five teens engage in some girl talk- wanting to catch up on the week's activities and drop the future subject, at least for tonight.

“Since everything's calmed down after last year's Galaxia invasion, I think I'm going to give volleyball another try”

“You're a natural with that, I'm sure they'll have you on the team without giving it a second thought. You can make some more friends there and well, meet some guys, too.” Rei says while elbowing Minako, who's sitting on her left.

The brunette grins. “Minako and I like visiting the arcade, that's another place to at least start some conversations. We're not giving up on this!”

“That's right, we're not!” is the reply from the blonde Senshi of Love. “I mean, it can't be right that the Senshi of Love has no boyfriend. I just won't stand for that!”

Usagi gives her friend a reassuring pat on her right shoulder. “I want you and everyone to be happy, just like I am with Mamo-chan. Ami and Rei have serious boyfriend's…”

“And we want them, too. I'm not looking for anything casual…” Makoto adds while blushing slightly.

“We've all come so far… since meeting each other. We're no longer girls, but women…”

Rei likes what Ami just said and adds some comments of her own. “Good point, Ami. We're talking about real stuff, adult life… real relationships.”

“Speaking of that… I took your advice, Minako- I never knew a sweater could be an attention getter” a thankful Usagi says, remembering Mamoru's reaction to her in that tight fitting sweater.

“Great! I know it worked well for Makoto and me… and even heard that a few other women in our group got some sweaters recently… among other things” the blonde Senshi of Love says with a wink, glancing at both Rei and Ami.

That comment gets Rei a little miffed and causes Ami to blush. “Hey, I've got an important date coming up tomorrow! Your idea is fashionable for this time of the year… I wonder who came up with that idea?”

“Probably a woman wanting to make something for other women to show off their curves or a guy wanting the same thing, who knows?” Makoto says while shrugging her shoulders.

“I'll be wearing mine tomorrow…” Ami boldly volunteers while trying not to blush. “I like the way it makes me look and Urawa is coming over for lunch- to meet my mother.”

“Go Ami!” is the common cry from the other four teens, causing the Senshi of Water to blush even redder. Despite that, however, Ami wants to talk more about this and get some advice.

“I want to do something with him after lunch, spend time together out of my apartment. Any suggestions?”

“Hmm… maybe you could go down to the arcade for a while. I'm sure there's some games you can play together, or against each other” Usagi says, remembering one of her favorite pastimes. “You're actually getting good at some of the games…”

“Unlike Usagi here…” Rei quips.

“I bet I'm better then you…” Usagi retorts.

“Am not!”

“Am too!”

Ami shakes her head. “Something's never change. I like your idea, though… I am trying to do more things besides study and read- I want to be more… fun.”

“I bet Urawa would like that” Makoto says while a small grin forms on her face. “Maybe he'll give you another kiss”

Softly, Ami mouths the word “Maybe” before shyly turning away. `I hope so, I'd like to kiss him again, that was such a rush the last time.'

Wanting to turn the attention to someone else, the brunette Senshi turns to her “meatball-head” friend. “I bet Usagi here still finds way to have fun, despite the constant questions from her folks about where she's going…”

“I do, Mamo-chan I carefully plan everything out and he comes over for dinner a lot, I think he's growing on them.” Usagi says in a casual manner. “I can't say the same thing about my brother Shingo, though…”

Hearing this comment for the first time makes Makoto even more curious. “Oh? What's he doing these days?”

“He's got a girlfriend and I swear I hear him sneak out once in a while late at night. I think he even had her over one night… I thought I heard a female voice.”

“Wow- I guess he's lucky that he hasn't been caught by your parents yet. As strict as they are, he could be in for some real trouble.” Rei says with a firm nod.

Usagi totally agrees with her friend. “That's very true, he'd be punished just as bad I was, or maybe even worse!”

“Still, you're the only one that has a sibling out of all us. I've wondered what having a brother or a sister would be like…” Makoto says with a soft sigh. Each of the other three girls looks looks at Usagi and shares a similar thought.

“Me too”

“Same here”

“I've always wondered about that, too”

Nearly overwhelmed by this sudden desire for information, the future Queen Serenity takes a deep breath and prepare to explain the good and bad points to her friends.

“I only have a brother, but let me tell you…”

The Senshi of the Moon goes on for almost twenty minutes talking about her brother, mentioning the good and the bad times and the pro's and con's of having a sibling. After that's done, three of the five women go to sleep- leaving Ami and Rei who head into the kitchen and talk there…

“I know this sounds unusual for me to say this, but I'm a little worried, scared even about what we could find out tomorrow. I have a bad feeling about this- the way those two described what happened and the emotions involved has me really concerned.”

“I feel the same way, too…” Ami says before taking a sip of her hot chocolate. “The future has me worried, too- both the near and distant future. I was thinking that maybe it'd be a good idea to talk to Urawa about this…”

Rei nods her head. “Well, you did tell me before that he does know who you are. Yuuchiro has no idea about my identity as Sailor Mars. Maybe some input from someone that isn't a Senshi could give us a fresh lead… so I'd say yeah, go for it.”

“I agree, I'll ask him about that tomorrow, as long as he's not too distracted by…” Ami words fade to a whisper and a red blush covers her face.

Sensing her friends' embarrassment, the Senshi of Fire decides to tease her a little, in a playful, non-malicious way. “Distracted by what? Come on, tell me… what are you up to, Ami?”

“I… am looking forward to showing him some of the new clothing items we purchased. The sweater and that new bra and panty set make me feel…”

“Go on…” Rei says softly, not wanting to push the issue too much.

“Sexy” Ami says before putting a hand over her mouth.

A wide grin forms on Rei's face. “Ami, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. You got all of that stuff for a reason… and at least you didn't say that you were going to show that new sleepwear set of yours- then I'd be worried”

“Worried?”

“That my friend was out to seduce her new boyfriend”

“No, I'm not thinking about doing things like that…” Ami says shyly, though inwardly admitting to herself that she'd like some comments from him about her looks in whatever she happens to be wearing.

Rei, seeing how embarrassed Ami is as a result of this conversation, decides to stop teasing her friend before crossing any lines. “Anyways…”

Surprisingly, Ami is quick on the rebound and asks a question of her own. “Tell me about… your situation. You've been dating Yuuchiro for a while and you even mentioned going to a ski lodge with him- I'd be more worried about you doing something then me…”

The normally fiery Rei has no immediate reply to that and tries not to blush. “I umm… well, I want to spend some more quality time with him. We've been kind of busy lately and with this future business coming up, it's cutting into our dating time. School's out for a while so I…”

“I envy you, you've got the courage to do that, be bold in these matters. I'm still a little… shy about them…” the Senshi of Water says softly.

“It just takes time, Ami, and some confidence. Spend more time with him and you'll find things get easier to do and to say” Rei says reassuringly.

“I hope you're right…”

Ami suddenly has an idea and presents in to her friend. “You and I are in a different situation then the other three, a middle ground between getting a boyfriend and a long term relationship. I think we should trade information with each other…”

Rei snaps her fingers together. “Good idea, Ami. I think you and I need to get some sleep, though…”

Ami looks up at the clock in Makoto's kitchen and notices that it's already 10:30 P.M. “It's getting late and we both have long days tomorrow. I'll call Setsuna in the morning and tell her that we want to stop by.”

“That sounds like a plan, I'll call you when I'm done with my date, since I'm going out to dinner and you're going out for lunch and some arcade time”

The Senshi's of Fire and Water turn in for the night, happy about their conversation but at the same time filled with a sense of worry and dread about tomorrow's meeting with Setsuna. Both try to focus on the positives of the day, though- their dates with their respective boyfriends. It isn't long before the next day arrives…

To be continued in Chapter 6: Sunday, Sunday

The title of the next chapter is a parody of an old song by the Mama and Papas called “Monday, Monday”.and how the day is generally the most dreaded day of the week. (In a traditional work week in most parts of the world)

Look for the meeting with Setsuna along with the 2 dates in the next chapter… and don't forget, Christmas is coming up soon in the story and real life! Comments are appreciated! Don't forget to check out the three links at the start of the chapter for some neat fan art from this story!