Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Breaking Free ❯ Q And A ( Chapter 15 )

Breaking Free

Chapter 15: Q And A

By

Middlen

A dozen or so explanations run through Usagi's head while she stares at the raven haired girl in the doorway, but in the end she doesn't say a word and just continues on staring until the girl turns from the doorway to leave, only then did Usagi move a muscle.

`Go after her!' A voice shouts in the back of her mind spurring the young blonde forward to the door and out of it in the pursuit of the girl that she used to know.

“Rei, wait for a moment!” Usagi shouts while barreling down the hallway behind the rapidly walking Rei.

The raven haired girl hesitates for a moment then stops in her tracks waiting for the blonde to catch up to her. Usagi stops behind the girl before hesitantly reaching out a hand and places it on her shoulder turning the other girl around slowly.

When Rei's face comes into view, Usagi notices that there are tears running down the girls face. The blondes face contorts to a look of worry before she puts her other hand on the girls shoulder and pulls her to her chest comforting her like she did so long ago.

“Just come to the house, Rei. Come over tonight and have dinner with my family and I promise that I'll explain everything to you. Is that alright? I swear if I had remembered who you were sooner, I would've never kept this secret to myself. I know you have so many questions and you feel so betrayed, but believe me when I say I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything,” Usagi states before looking into the girls eyes trying to convey her sense of guilt and remorse at the whole situation.

Rei searches the other girl's eyes for any sign of deception and isn't surprised when she doesn't see any. She knows Usagi and because of that she knows that the girl in front of her would've never knowingly kept her away. So many things have changed since they last saw each other. So much so that Rei finds that she's very curious as to why her friend was now walking around impersonating a boy.

“Alright, I'll come to your house tonight for supper, but you have to promise that you're going to tell me everything,” Rei states before leaning into the other girls body and closes her eyes at the familiar contact.

“You have my word,” Usagi whispers before leaning her head against the other girl's and closes her eyes as well until she hears a gasp and looks over her shoulder to see a gaggle of girls standing behind them with looks of shock on their faces.

`Oh boy,' Usagi thinks before taking a small step away from Rei who grumbles under her breath when the body that she was latched onto moves away from her.

She opens her eyes to see the gaggle of girls that Usagi had spotted and gulps hard while wishing she was anywhere, but here right at the moment. She feels a hand take hers and looks up at Usagi who smiles in her direction before the two girls walk off towards their home room leaving the other girls staring at them in disbelief and utter horror.

HR

Usagi hums softly to herself while she works on a problem in her class every once in a while she smiles spontaneously to herself when she feels eyes burrowing into the back of her head. She knows whose eyes they belong to and she can't seem to keep the goofy smile from her face. Sure, she had to explain everything to her long time friend, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

While sitting behind her, Hotaru raises an eyebrow and leans her head to the side while she watches Usagi bounce around in her seat every once in a while before the humming will continue. The girl lets out a sigh and shakes her head while wondering just what it was that had put Usagi into such high spirits after the week long mopping session that she did. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, the dark haired girl just smiles then shakes her head before going back to the stubborn problem that she had been working on.

HR

Lunch time rolls around with the girls going to sit at their usual spot under the tree. Though it's colder now the girls still like the seclusion the tree has to offer. Everyone had arrived except for Usagi and Rei. The other's raise an eyebrow when they notice the two girls walking out of the school and over towards them, but what's more surprising is the fact that they are laughing while pushing each other gently.

When they arrive at the tree the two girls look around at the astonished looks on the girl's faces before they look back at each other with raised eyebrows in confusion.

“What's wrong with you guys?” Usagi asks before taking her usual spot against the tree with her arms folded.

“Hell froze over didn't it?” Minako asks when she finally finds her voice, after a while and the others nod their heads in agreement.

“What are you going on about?” Rei asks while taking the spot next to Usagi against the tree and looks at their friends as if they've lost their minds.

“Well, it's just that, it's weird seeing you two not fighting. I mean, the last memo we got was that Nate-san was going around mopping as if someone knocked him over a broom and you were ready to take anyone's head off that so much as looked at you funny. So, excuse us if we think that you've lost your cotton picking minds and have been replaced by pod people,” Minako answers with her arms crossed while the other girls giggle at her explanation.

Rei and Usagi look at each other then nod their heads in silent agreement before Usagi walks over to Minako and puts her hand against the blonde's forehead.

“You've been over doing it at Volleyball practice again haven't you? Or did you eat certain brownies that you shouldn't have again?” Usagi asks while the other girls try to hold their laughter in at Usagi's outrageous question.

Minako slaps at Usagi's hand and waves her away. “Be gone foul pod person! Darken our presence no longer! Don't make me break out the soda,” Minako exclaims while putting her two index fingers together in the sign of a cross and steps away from Usagi as if the other girl was stalking her or something.

Usagi looks back at Rei then over at her other friends and her Aunt before they burst out into laughter.

“Oh my Kami, if anyone has been replaced by pod people you would be the first candidate, Mina!” Usagi exclaims in a fit of laughter. “Besides you use Soda against clones not pod people, Mina.”

Once the laughter has died down and tears have been wiped from their eyes, Usagi stands upright and let's out a breath while feeling her soul lift from the dark depths that it had once inhabited.

`So, this is what I've been missing. Friendship can go along way it seems,' the blonde thinks to herself before looking over towards her Aunt who smiles at her and nods her head.

“Alright, so I'll admit that it's weird seeing Rei and I not fight, but people can change you know. `Sides, I promised to explain everything to her tonight because I invited her over for dinner and before you ask Taru, I already contacted dad. He said that it was alright as long as I contacted Luna to let her know that there's going to be an extra person tonight. He then went on to suggest that maybe I should invite all of my friends over after dinner to just do normal teenager stuff,” Usagi explains while toeing the frozen ground with the toe of her shoe. “So I was wondering if you guys would like to come over with the exception of Taru and Ami that is since well they live there.”

Minako, Makoto and Naru look over at each other then nod their heads and smile towards Usagi. “Sure, we'd love to. Just let us tell our parents and we'll be over say around seven?” Makoto asks while her eyes twinkle merrily at the thought of her two friends getting along once again.

“Great, then it's settled. Rei will come over for dinner and then we'll meet up at seven. What should we do?” Usagi asks while eating her lunch and watches the other girls shrug their shoulders.

“We'll just wing it, Usa,” Rei states before smiling in Usagi's direction which earns her a returned one.

“Well, that's the best idea I've heard,” Hotaru states while the others nod their heads and chuckle softly.

The remaining time was spent talking about various topics until the bell announced that lunch was over and the girl's troop back into the school with Rei staying behind saying that she wanted to get a little air before going back inside. The other girls nod their heads and say that they'll see her in class before heading off.

Rei closes her eyes and leans her head back against the tree trying to settle the thoughts that are swirling mindlessly through her mind in an aimless pattern until she hears voices behind her which at the moment sound really angry for some reason.

“Hey you! What's the big idea taking Nate-sama off the market, huh?” One of the voices asks causing Rei to turn around only to see a bunch of girls standing there.

Rei gulps then holds her hands up while taking a step backwards. “I don't know what you are talking about, Nate and I are just friends nothing else.”

“Right and you weren't hanging all over him this morning I suppose,” another girl asks from beside the first one.

“I wasn't hanging all over him!” Rei exclaims feeling her temper rise steadily.

“We were so close to getting him to choose one of us and then you come along. Now he only has eyes for you and you stand there stating that you weren't hanging all over him when we saw you two this morning. I suppose next you're going to say that you have no interest in him what so ever! Yeah right and I'm the Queen of Sheba!" The girl from before exclaims causing Rei to sweat drop at the thought of them getting Usagi to choose one of them as her girl friend.

“It seems to me that you've had four years to get Nate to choose one of you and he hasn't done so. I'm thinking that none of you fit the type of girl he's looking for,” Rei states before crossing her arms over her chest and glares at the girls in front of her.

“Oh and I suppose that you do?” Another girl asks with glaring at the raven haired girl with a look of utter disgust on her face.

Rei leans her head to the side thinking about her time with Usagi when they were younger and the feel of her arms around her this morning. She's about to answer the girl when they hear a gruff voice behind them.

“What the hell are you doing?” The voice asks in anger.

The gaggle of girls turn around as one and part like the red sea when they see Usagi standing behind them with an angry look on her face and her arms crossed over her chest glaring at the girls that were surrounding Rei. She pushes her way through the girls who cling onto her arm while she walks through the group and stops in front of Rei who's chuckling softly while the other girls proclaim their love for her long lost friend.

“Are you alright?” Usagi asks while rolling her eyes when one of the girls asks her to marry her causing Rei to form a sizeable sweat drop on the side of her head.

“Nothing I can't handle, but it would appear that your insane fan girls are upset that we were hugging this morning,” Rei exclaims in a soft voice so that only Usagi will hear her.

“So I've noticed. I opened my locker to get a book out for my class and was almost swallowed whole by a ton of letters that fell out,” Usagi exclaims while rolling her eyes again making Rei laugh softly. “Might I have the pleasure of escorting you to your class so that you won't be mopped by angry girls?”

Rei looks up at Usagi a small smile breaking across her face. “I'd like that very much,” she states before taking Usagi's arm that she was holding out and is escorted by the girls much to their dismay.

The two girls stop at Rei's locker so that she can pick up a couple of books before they head towards the dark haired girls class room. While they walk not a word is spoken, but the silence isn't one of discomfort. It's companionable and feels right too both girls, though they can't explain why to themselves let alone to anyone that would ask about their peculiar behavior.

At Rei's class room, Usagi stops and puts a hand on the raven haired girl's shoulder while looking into her eyes.

“I'll see you later right?” Usagi asks with a touch of uncertainty in her voice which makes Rei blush slightly before nodding her head.

“Yeah, would you like to walk me home so I can ask my parents after school?” Rei asks shyly and is relieved when Usagi nods her head.

“I'd love too,” she states before leaning in and kisses the raven haired beauty on the cheek before waving a hand and walks off towards her own class room.

Rei stands outside her class for a moment with her hand on her cheek where the blonde had kissed it and a bewildered look on her face before she breaks out into a bright smile and floats into the class room not minding that her teacher begins to chew her, a new one for being late. All through class the girl feels like she's floating on a cloud or is within a dream, one that she wishes never to wake from though she's not quite sure as to why, but goes along with it.

HR

An office door opens and in walks Haruka. She makes her way over to a desk that has a chair turned away from it and plops down into the other chair directly in front of it while crossing her arms over her chest.

“So I'm here like you asked, but I thought you were going to come see Usagi in the hospital?” Haruka asks the chair before it turns around to reveal a dark haired woman sitting in it.

“I was going to, but I had some other things to take care of first. I heard about what happened and who is responsible for shooting Usa. Once I heard I decided to take some action in bringing down the person that did that to our Bunny,” the dark haired woman states before leaning her arms against the desk to stare at Haruka with intense eyes.

“Look, I understand that you want to get that bastard, but my father already told me not to get involved,” Haruka states with an angry shake of her head.

“Yes, I know and I understand that, but I also know you, Ruka. I know what you are like and because of that, I know that you wont stand idly by while that boy and his father take the necessary steps into trying to bring down your father and Hiro at the same time. I'll tell you more once your cousin Nanami arrives. I've contacted her as well, so just hold on to your out burst until after I explain everything to you. Is that alright?” The dark haired woman asks with a raised eyebrow.

Haruka stares at the other woman in front of her with an untrusting gaze before she nods her head. “Alright, I'll wait until Nanami gets here, but I swear Kou, if this is some sort of ruse to get Usagi to be yours again, I'll punch you in the face right now,” Haruka growls between clenched teeth.

Kou Seiya raises her hands into the air while shaking her head. “No, I understand that Usagi doesn't want me and I'm fine with that. We're friends and nothing more. What I'm talking about it is making sure that the Chiba's can't hurt her ever again. I'm sure that you'll agree with me when I say that something needs to be done about them. They're getting to be too big for their pants if you know what I mean.”

Haruka lets out a sigh and nods her head. “Yes, I agree with you on that and I'm glad that you understand that Usa doesn't want anything to do with you besides friendship. Despite the obvious, you are a good friend to her and I won't deny that.”

“That's a nice compliment, Tsukino, are you becoming soft in your old age?” Seiya asks with a grin on her face while she watches the other girl roll her eyes.

“Don't make me hurt you, Kou. Just because I'm alright with you being her friend doesn't mean I still won't hit you,” Haruka states with a grin of her own.

Seiya lets out a delighted laugh before shaking her head. “Now, there's the Haruka that I know. Good to know you still have that fighting spirit because we're going to need it,” she states before there's a knock on the door and she tells the person to enter the room.

Nanami breezes into the room and looks from Haruka to Seiya then lets a smile cross her features. “So are we going to release the elephants onto Mamoru and his father,” she asks which makes Seiya's eyebrows raise up to her bangs.

Haruka shakes her head and a sweat drop appears beside her head while she looks at her strange cousin. “No, we aren't going to sick the elephants onto Mamoru. Where in the hell did that come from?”

Nanami shrugs her shoulders then sits down in the chair beside Haruka. “I don't know. I just thought that it sounded good. Besides I would've loved seeing him crossing a rope bridge then a herd of elephants come running onto it in order to run him over. Oh, or a surfing elephant or maybe him being ran over by a herd in a parking lot!” She exclaims with her fist raised in the air while Seiya and Haruka sweat drop.

`She's watching too much Anime again,' Haruka thinks to herself while she waves a hand at Nanami to get her out of the day dream that she suddenly entered. “No, we're not going to do any of that. Now, be quiet so that Seiya can explain to us what's going on.”

Nanami juts her bottom lip out in a pout, but doesn't say anything before directing her gaze over towards Seiya who's shaking her head at the thoughts that Nanami had put into her head when she burst into her elephant rant.

Seiya composes herself and sits up in her chair straight after almost falling out of it earlier. “Alright, let's get to business here. I have it from a reliable source that Matsuka is cooking something up with the other families. He believes that if he gets enough families behind him that he can over take ours and proclaim himself head of the other families once it's over with,” Seiya explains with a shake of her head.

“Why exactly is he doing this? Because we know who shot Usagi or does he see this as a time to strike when we are weak and would least expect it?” Haruka asks while clenching her hands around the arms of the chair making it creak from the pressure she's putting on it.

“It's probably an accumulation of both and that Tatsuo-sempai told Matsuka that Mamoru couldn't marry Usagi because she didn't exist any more,” Nanami muses out loud which makes the other two woman look at her in surprise. “What? I do pay attention every now and then. Just because I act strangely doesn't mean I can't be intelligent every once in a while.”

Shaking their heads in order to recover from their surprised reaction the two women look over towards each other before back towards Nanami then let out an awkward chuckle before getting back to the matter at hand.

“Right so now that we've got that answered. What do you think is Matsuka's next move? He's already trying to gather the families behind him, but who do we have that will help in this war that's certain to happen?” Haruka asks while lounging back in her chair staring at Seiya in quiet contemplation.

“I'm glad that you asked that, Ruka. I've already contacted a couple of clans that just might help out and a night club owner as well,” Seiya states before pushing some files over towards Ruka who leans forward to grab them then sits back looking at the files with Nanami reading over her shoulder.

After a couple a minutes of silent reading Haruka looks up at Seiya with a raised eyebrow and an uncertain look on her face.

“Do you really think that we aught to get this night club owner involved? I know her and I don't think that she wants any trouble,” Haruka states before tossing the folder back onto the desk and shakes her head.

“I understand your reluctance in involving her, but we need all the help we can get with this problem and it's a worthy cause to begin with, so I don't think that she'll have to many problems with it and if she won't then I know some people that are regulars that will indeed help with our problem,” Seiya states before leaning forward and takes the folders off the desk then places them with in her filing cabinet next to her desk then locks it.

“I know some people that might be able to help out as well. I'm sure that they will if they know who they are helping to protect,” Nanami states with her fist up in the air in front of her and a determined look on her face.

“How can we be sure that these rumors are even true?” Haruka asks; a skeptical look on her face while she looks back and forth between the two women in the room.

Before Seiya can answer that question a door on the other side of the room opens and a pink haired girl steps into the room with a determined look on her face. She looks at the surprised looks on Haruka's and Nanami's faces before letting out a sigh.

“Seiya knows that it's not a rumor because I'm the one that told her what my father is planning on doing,” Yomiko states while bowing her head for a moment before slowly raising her head up an odd fire with in the girls garnet eyes. “And I'll be damned if I'm going to allow them to hurt my love's family.”

Seiya smiles while the two women sitting in front of her exchange triumphant grins. She nods her head while her eyes twinkle merrily. `Be careful, Matsuka. You've just started a war with the most powerful family within Tokyo and it's not going to get pretty,' the dark haired woman thinks before the other three women in the room turn towards her waiting to hear what her plan is.

HR

Hotaru watches Usagi pace the room with an anxious look on her face before the dark haired girl lets out a breath in a sigh.

“Usa, sit down before you wear a hole into the floor,” Hotaru states while rising up from her chair and places a hand on the agitated girls shoulder.

Usagi doesn't say anything to her and just looks at her with a panicked expression on her face before she goes back to pacing the room while her Aunt lets out another sigh in irritation at her niece's reaction to the situation that she's currently in.

After a couple a minutes of convincing Usagi to sit down instead of pacing the room like a caged, wild animal the door bell rings announcing someone at the front door which results in making Usagi jump three feet into the air and out of her chair before she races down the hallway towards the door to answer it before any of the staff can.

When she opens the door, she is surprised to see a dark haired girl about to bolt from the front door and just stares at the modest dress that she's dressed in. Though Usagi has seen her in a smaller skirt than what she's wearing now, she can't help, but think that the girl in front of her is the most gorgeous creature that she's ever seen.

The two girls stand in the door way just looking at each other, Usagi not inviting Rei in and Rei not asking if she can come in, because they are rooted in the door way their voices constricted within their throats. Hotaru comes up behind Usagi and lets out another irritated sigh when she sees her niece and Rei just staring at each other, neither one speaking.

She nudges Usagi out of the way and smiles at Rei while the other girl blinks her eyes as if coming out of a daze.

“Hi ya, Rei, won't you come in?” Hotaru asks before moving aside from the door way to allow the other girl within their house.

Rei smiles at Hotaru before entering the house while Usagi shakes her head to draw herself from within the daze that she had gone into after seeing Rei at the front door.

From the other side of the room, Luna watches her master's daughter and granddaughter with much interest while they lead the other girl towards the tea room. A small smile comes over her face before she turns back towards the Aqua haired woman behind her.

“She's here,” Luna tells the woman whose face creases into a large smile before she nods her head.

“That's perfect. Now, from what Hotaru has told me, Usagi is really nervous about Rei coming over here, but she isn't really sure as to why. She's told me that when she last saw Rei and Usagi they were goofing around and giving each other these weird smiles. So I'm thinking something happened to change their attitude towards one another, but I'm not sure what. Hotaru, still thinks that they aren't going to get together because they are both so hard headed, so that means we come into play here,” Michiru states while a devious smiles crosses across Luna's face.

“I have a feeling that this is going to be like with Hiro and Toshiko. They were both so shy and just wouldn't tell each other how they felt for one another,” Luna's face takes on a sad look before it brightens again at the thought of getting Usagi and Rei together like the staff had done so long ago for Usagi's parents.

“So let's begin this matchmaking expedition,” Michiru states; rubbing at her hands together, a strange light within her eyes at the thought of getting her fiancé's niece together with the woman that she likes.

HR

Within the tea room all is quiet with Rei looking anywhere, but at Usagi, while Usagi is doing the same thing and when their gazes fall onto each other at the same time, they quickly look away as if their gaze has scorched them.

To Hotaru it's all very amusing and frustrating at the same time. She finally gets fed up with it after about thirty minutes has gone by with neither one of them saying a word. She slams her hands onto the arms of the chair and stands up in a jerking motion before staring at the two girls in the room with an accusing look within her eyes.

“Look, I don't know what is wrong with you two, but I'd rather have you two arguing then just staring at anything, but one another for a long period of time. What is wrong with you two?” She asks, but is met by silence from the two girls that stare at her, their eyes wide in shock.

She rolls her eyes and throws her hands up into the air before stalking out of the room leaving the two dumbstruck girls behind her.

After she's left the two girls continue to stare at the space were she once stood before slowly turning their heads to look at one another. Usagi rolls her eyes at her Aunts outburst then lets out a small chuckle which causes Rei to chuckle as well.

When their mirth subsides the room grows quiet once again before Usagi lets out a sigh and nods her head to herself.

“You know, I guess that Taru might be right. I did ask you over so that I could answer any questions that you might have for me after all this time and it's not right to just sit here in silence,” Usagi states after finding her voice, but she keeps her bowed over her tea cup staring at her small reflection in the cup.

Rei looks up from her cup and lets a small smile cross her face while she watches the other girl across from her stare hard into her cup as if willing it to move out of the cup and into the air.

“Yeah, I suppose that you're right. I do have some questions too. I guess the first one is why are you pretending to be a boy?” Rei asks; tilting her head to the side watching Usagi's reaction.

`Pick the hardest one to explain. Same ole Rei,' Usagi thinks to herself while she thinks of the best possible way to answer that question. Finally after some time she looks up from her cup and lets out a small sigh when she sees the curious look on the girls face in front of her.

“You remember when my mom died? Well after she died, dad went into a depression that he couldn't get out of and decided that he wasn't fit to raise me by himself while he was in that state, so he moved us to here. Things were alright, but then one day he came into my room and threw out all of my stuff that he considered to be, “girly” once he had done that, he went out and bought me anything that a boy would play with, wear and need. He did this because he had decided that he would never marry again after my mother died, but that left him without someone to take over the company when he retired so that had left him with only one option and that was to raise me up as a boy. With the help of my grandfather they trained me in martial arts; kendo and anything they thought would help me become a stronger “man”. So, now I'm the boy that you see now. I had to be moved to different schools twice because I was found out. Not fun,” Usagi lets out a sigh at the end and shakes her head slightly.

Rei nods her head at the explanation feeling bad for her long time friend, but refrains from saying or doing anything.

“Why didn't you ever contact me? You kept in contact with Makoto, so why not me?” Rei asks in a small voice, a bit of pain entering it at the thought of her friend not wanting to speak to her.

“I tried to get a hold of you, but every time I did, my father would have a fit and yell at me. I was only allowed Makoto for some reason and not you. To this day I still don't know why. Then after a while he wouldn't even allow me to talk to Makoto,” Usagi answers, her voice turning bitter at the thought of the many times that she tried to talk to Rei only to have her father hang the phone up on her and yell at her for trying to contact the young Rei.

Rei sits in quiet contemplation with her head tilted towards the side for moment thinking about the reason as to why Hiro wouldn't allow his daughter to contact her, but she can't come up with any plausible explanation as to why Usagi was allowed to talk to Makoto, but not her. She shakes her head before letting a sigh escape her lips then goes right into the next question that had been plaguing her.

“Why didn't you recognize me, Usagi? We were friends for so long before you moved and you didn't recognize me at all,” Rei states in a sad voice while looking down at her cup so that she didn't see Usagi's head shoot up from looking into her own cup.

“Rei, we were seven years old when I moved away. We both have grown up since then. I could ask the same thing for you, but I know it's because you weren't expecting to see me like this,” Usagi states while indicating the boy's cloths that she's currently dressed in.

Rei lets out a chuckle and nods her head. “That's very true; I would have never suspected you would be dressed in guy's clothes at all. Alright, what about this Mamoru? What does he have to do with you?”

Usagi grits her teeth and her eyes narrow to slits before she looks away from her friend. “Mamoru was the guy that, “Usagi,” was suppose to marry, but after becoming Nate the arrangement was null and void. My father even had my birth certificate changed to Nathan instead of Usagi. So, in all reality, Usagi never existed. Well for some reason, him and his father Matsuka didn't like the answer that my grandfather gave them. Mamoru started a gang at the school that tried to take me out every day and no not on a date either,” Usagi states which earns her a laugh from Rei and smiles into her cup before looking up from it to continue her story. “He had me cornered down in the grove of trees behind the school when Makoto and Haruka came to my rescue. They took on the other guys while I took on Mamoru. I messed his face up pretty badly and left him unconscious in the grove. Now let me ask you a question. What did Mamoru really want from you?”

Rei lets out a sigh and stares down into her cup once more not wanting to meet her friend's gaze that she could feel on her. “He wanted me to become your undoing. Basically, he wanted me to hurt you, Usako,” Rei states before looking up at her friend and stares into her ocean blue eyes. “He said that if I didn't that he was going to send his friends to have some rough fun with me until I bowed to his will and did what he wanted me to do in the first place.”

Usagi puts her cup down onto the table in front of her before she rests her hands onto the arms of the chair and squeezes to the point of her knuckles turning white while thoughts of ripping the other boys head off and shoving it down his throat played within her mind.

Her thoughts are interrupted when she feels soft, warm hands on her cheeks and she focus's her eyes to the person touching her only to see Rei's concern face in front of hers. She allows the touch to continue while the other girl stares into her eyes.

“You were there, weren't you? You were the one that was with us in the hot springs that day,” it wasn't a question, but a statement that is whispered from Rei before she leans her forehead against Usagi's and the two girls stare into each other's eyes after Usagi nods her head to confirm what Rei had said.

Soft music can be heard while the two stare into each others eyes, but they don't remember when they had turned the music on nor do they care. All their thoughts are focused on the person sitting in front of them while they continue to stare within each other's eyes.

Two people watch behind a door on the other end of the room before turning towards each other smiling at the cute moment that is happening between the two girls within the room before they turn back to watch the romance unfolding in front of them.

“Rei,” Usagi breaths out before leaning forward towards the other girl whose eyes slowly close.

Rei smiles within her head when she realizes that the girl that she had been dreaming about for a long time is about to kiss her for the first time and she leans forward to intercept the lips that are closing in on her own.

The kiss is sweet and gentle so much unlike what Rei would associate with her friend, but she knew the soft side of the girl in front of her. The times that she had held her when she was scared, the comforting side of the girl is reflected within the gentle kiss that was going on between them.

Only when air started to became an issue to them did they separate from the kiss before leaning their foreheads together and stared into each other's eyes, relishing the close contact between them.

Rei lets a smile cross her features while she stares into Usagi's eyes. “You've always been the girl for me,” Rei whispers softly which causes the other girl's eyes to light up and a smile cross her face.

“Nate's a girl?” A voice rings out while the needle, that had been playing a record, scratch across it and the two girls that had been sharing a private moment face vault at the sound of a certain blonde's voice.

Hotaru and everyone else look over towards Minako with murderous looks on their faces before beginning to advance on the blonde haired girl.

Minako gulps hard and looks around the room then shrugs her shoulders. “What?” She asks before she's chased out the room by Usagi and her friends yelling at Minako the entire time.

On the other side of the room behind another door Luna and Michiru look at each other, both of them have a sizeable sweat drop down the side of their heads before they turn to look at the stunned Rei who was left alone while everyone else chases Minako around the mansion.

“I suppose I'd better get supper on the table,” Luna states while she shakes her head and rolls her eyes.

“Yeah, I suppose I should go find out what Haruka doing,” Michiru answers while shaking her own head.

They look back at the still bewildered Rei then let out a sigh and head off towards their respected destinations.

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On the other side of town Matsuka rubs his hands together and looks around the table at the assembled heads of different families within Tokyo. He lets a twisted grin come across his face.

`Soon, Tatsuo, soon I will have your empire and your sons as well. Can you feel me nipping at your heels? You don't even know what's coming do you?' Matsuka thinks to himself before he stands up in front of the table to start the meeting that he had called the heads of the other families for and the door to the office closes with a soft click.

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To be continued…

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I'd like to take this time to thank everyone that is reading this story. I really hope that you are enjoying this story as much as I am writing it.

Now, it's time for a few announcements. To my utter shame, I realized that I named Mamoru's father Hiro and hadn't given one to Usagi's father. So I went back and corrected that mistake. Mamoru's father is now Matsuka. That was my bad and I'm glad that I went back when I realized that something wasn't right.

Also, the herd of elephants bit wasn't totally my idea. That came from Stormforce and an anime called Revolutionary Girl Utena. The herd of elephants actually ran over Nanami. Whose name I am using for this story along with one other I believe. If I'm not, then please correct me in that mistake.

Also the reference to the night club owner is from Arisugawa's Locket written by Shanejayell. If you haven't read that story, then I suggest that you read it, because it's very good and I might put another reference to that story again, but not until I get permission that is.

That's it for now. Thank you once again for reading this fan fiction. You all out there ROCK!

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PantherDemon Yohan: Oh no! Please no going insane that wouldn't be good for your health! Lol. No, it was actually Rei. I'll be answering that question as to how Rei knew it was Usagi in the next chapter. They aren't done talking yet, but there was just so much that I wanted to put into this chapter then decided to put some into the next one instead. I wanted to put a little drama into it and allow everyone to know that I haven't forgotten about the Chiba's. Oh no. I haven't at all, but their plan won't come into play for a little bit yet. I think I won't get around to them actually executing their plan for a couple of chapters to come, but there will be more indication as to what they are planning through out the chapters before I get to the confrontation. I promise that it shall be good too. Lol.

I hope that I gave you that hint as to when Usagi and Rei would be talking. Lol. That was a bit harder to write then I thought it would be, but I think I did it justice. Thank you for the reviews and keep them coming!

Stormforce: Once again. Thank you for the review it was great and made me think of some things that I need to resolve before I get to the action between Tsukino's and the Chiba's. Ding ding ding! Lmao.

The part as to why they didn't come to see her when she was awake will be resolved hopefully in the next chapter which will have a heaping full of angsty goodness between her father and grandfather. That's the hint I'm giving. Lol. Mamoru couldn't take credit for what he did because it was attempted murder and though he is an idiot his father isn't. After all he is Matsuka's son and thus the heir to his fortune and you can't have your only son going to jail now can he? Lol. Good question though. You guessed it right. After all the Chiba's want power and since they couldn't marry within the family they'll just have to take it out.

I liked writing the playfulness between the two even it was a small bit. I always like writing the humor more then the drama, but I know it needs a good mixture of the two.

Heh. I liked writing those parts and trying to come up with more outrageous things every time it was brought up. I had to think like a crazed Fan girl for those parts. Heh. Not fun! Yeah, I figured that anyone would really confused after finding out that the person that saved you and you might have feelings for isn't who they said they are.

No, Naru isn't one of those three. I was going to have them within the last chapter, but they fell out a little bit. I didn't forget about the three that was supposed to visit Usagi while she was in the hospital and made a reference as to why they didn't show up. To answer your question yes, I'm going to have Seiya, Taiki and Yaten in this story. I believe that I'm going to have them be major roles within the war between the Chiba's and Tsukino's.

No, I didn't have Shin visiting Usagi in the hospital because the girl had school and such like that. It was partly the reason I had the conversation between Hotaru and Shin in the pervious chapter. Hotaru was trying to explain to Shin why she couldn't visit her. Hence, the reason I had her following Usagi around in the next chapter.

I was thinking about having them chase her anyway, but decided not yet. They are respecting that she got shot, even though they don't like her that much because of the girls draping themselves around her. I had Hotaru do nothing to help Usagi, because she was to busy laughing herself silly. Lol. Yeah, those girls are like crazy fan girls that send the weirdest things. Lol.

Slapping Usagi had a bit more dramatic feel to it and I didn't have Hotaru or Makoto explain what was going on because they felt that it would be better if Usagi was the one to explain it rather then them. That and maybe Rei would take it better as well.

That sequence was very hard to write. I actually wrote that part three times before I was satisfied with the outcome. It was suppose to have significance as to how much Usagi and Rei cared for one another and how their separation affected Usagi. As I've said, it was very difficult to write.

I plan on explaining Rei's reaction in the next chapter and what she was thinking while she's observing Usagi in a different light, but I don't want to reveal too much about it because it will have an impact on the feelings that she's having for Usagi. Call it the self realization part. Lol.

Thank you for the suggestion for the names of Usagi's grandfather. I decided to use Tatsuo since it meant Dragon Man. I see Usagi's grandfather as being a dragon when he needs to be so it works for the man. Lol.

Now mind you, Rei and Usagi are still developing things. The kiss seemed like a good thing to do at the moment, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are together. Lol. As for what I'm going to do to Mamoru, oh just wait. It's going to be fun to write. Evil laughter makes room mates look at her in bewilderment before they reach for the phone.

Thank you for the praise of how Rei dealt with the knowledge that she had gotten. I'm glad that I did it justice. I was really worried about that part and I'm glad that it came off relatively good.

Also, I'd like to point out that I used the Elephant question as a nod towards you. I thought it would be something that Nanami would ask and I just couldn't pass it up. Heh.

Again thank you for the review and I hope that you continue to ask me questions about the story and the wonderful reviews. They are a big help and make me think about what I need to do for the next part.

FeralDemonArtemis3.0: I am so glad that you enjoyed the flash back and the use of the song. I've stated that it took me a while to write it because I wanted to get the reader to get the feeling that this was a very dramatic moment. I actually used two different songs before deciding to use the one I did when it played on my iTunes while I was writing that part.

The war between the Chiba's/Tsukino's will be happening, I believe in maybe three chapters from now, but don't quote me on that. I haven't really decided as of right now. There are a couple of things that I need before writing it, but I promise it's going to be good. Heh.

I hope that what I wrote for this chapter is what you thought it might be.

Thank you for your review and you rock just for taking the time to write one! Love these reviews, they help more then anyone thinks.

Shadowcub: DRAMA! I love writing it. Lol. Thank you for your review!

Aleric: Yeah, he was born that way, I know. He's such an ass, excuse my French for the moment, but he truly is.

Matsuka is like a bad penny as well. He just keeps coming back and he wants power so you know he's going to do something after his son was turned down. I can't say that I don't actually enjoy writing his parts, because I do. It gives me a moment to think about what a truly power hungry man like him would do and I have to agree with you. The Chiba's see Usagi as a thing for their personal devices and that's why they will probably lose what they want.

I'm going to deal with Dr. Haruki in the next chapter, but I have to agree. I don't think that I'm going to have him know anything because you're right. They do cover their tracks so no one will know. It's what makes them slimy snakes.

Thank you for your review and keep them coming they are great!

Riku: Thank you so much for reviewing. I'm so glad that everyone believes that it holds a candle next to Dark Mansion. I really enjoyed that story and I really enjoy writing this remix to it. It means the world that everyone out there thinks that this is a good story. It puts some fears, of wanting to write this that I had at the beginning, out of my mind.