Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Breaking Free ❯ That’s Just the Way It Is ( Chapter 19 )

Breaking Free

Chapter 19: That's Just the Way It Is

By

Middlen

Usagi flops down onto the couch and wipes the sweat from her forehead with a sigh before looking over towards the pile of wood that rests in a metal holder beside the fire place. She lets out a low growl at the twinge she feels in her left shoulder. Though she hadn't been using it lately the shoulder is still a constant reminder of her battle with Mamoru, it was now the bane of her existence at the moment.

 

She lets out another sigh before getting up from the couch and trudges through the house towards the kitchen where she hears loud singing. When she enters the room her eyebrows shoot up to her bangs when she sees the head maid dancing around the kitchen to the music that comes from a portable radio, singing at the top of her lungs while she bakes cookies.

 

She smirks at the sight of the older woman in a happy mood, but she feels that smile slip when she remembers the last time she saw the maid baking. She shakes her head in an attempt to rid her head of the depressing thoughts before walking off towards the front door, then outside.

 

She slips on her leather jacket as she stand outside watching the snow fall gently to the ground before tilting her head back allowing the snow to flake onto her skin. She closes her eyes for a moment to take in the quiet shrillness of the snow falling around her and smiles to her self as she listens to the frozen water hit the bare branches of the trees with a gentle crackling sound.

 

After standing there for some time, she opens her eyes then walks over to the large pile of wood that Haruka had brought to the house earlier in the day and starts to fill her one arm with the chopped wood, which isn't easy with just one arm.

 

Once she has finished collecting the wood, she trudges through the snow to the house only to be intercepted by Haruka who gives her a disapproving look before taking the small pile away from the blonde girl who lets out a sigh and shakes her head.

 

Usagi shakes herself off from the snow which had given her the appearance of the mythical creature called the abominable snowman, and then heads off into the kitchen where she snags a Christmas cookie only to have Luna come out of the no where and slap her hand with a spatula.

 

She rubs at her abused hand before going over to the table and plunks down in it with a dejected look on her face. “It looks like we're going to have a white Christmas this year,” she mumbles while still rubbing her hand and looks around the kitchen. “Hey where's dad? Usually he's in here trying to lick the batter out of the bowl.”

 

“I think he's in the tea room messing around with some mistletoe that he had gotten while on his trip,” Luna answers while bent over in front of the oven to retrieve something that's inside of it. “Why do you ask?”

 

“Well I wanted to know if he would want more wood in the living room for the fire place. Though I don't think that I'll get far with it since Haruka has been taking just about all of the loads that I've been trying to bring in,” Usagi responds while leaning back in the chair with her head resting against the back of it.

 

“I don't see why you would want to do that, especially since you're still injured. Why don't you stay inside with Ami, Michiru and me? We're decorating the cookies for tonight,” Luna states with a disapproving expression on her face.

 

She glances over at Ami and Michiru who give her a pained expression before they share a smile and she turns back to look at Luna.

 

“While I could careless whether or not we have a cheery fire for tonight, I don't have to listen to him sing Christmas carols at the top of his lungs, no offense. Besides, it was either that or make various holiday goodies with you, Michiru and Ami which appealed to me even less, since I really don't find any joy in ending up having to use the fire extinguisher to put out a fire that I would end up with if I was to use the oven. I mean, do you really want to subject everyone to my baking? It usually ends up burnt lumps of whatever,” Usagi responds while the two girls sitting at the table with her cover their mouths to keep in their giggles at the look of horror on the head maids face. “Ahh, I see you remember the last time you tried to get me to help you bake cookies.”

 

Luna scoffs and rolls her eyes before turning away from her then goes over to the stove to grab another batch of cookies from the oven.

 

Usagi chuckles before turning back towards Ami and Michiru who have their hands over their mouths in an effort to keep from giggling out loud.

 

She's about to say something to the two women when they hear a crash coming from the den. Luna looks up sharply and lets out a sigh before shaking her head.

 

“What now?” She questions before wiping her hands off on a towel while walking to the den.

 

“When I left dad and Haruka they were playing with some sliver bells and the wreath that Luna had given him last year for Christmas,” she states in answer to the questioning looks on the other girl's faces.

 

They chuckle softly before going back to decorating the cookies in front of them with multi-colored sprinkles.

 

Usagi sits down with the girls and places her cheek in her good hand while watching the other two girls with a bored expression on her face.

 

She looks up when she hears someone come into the kitchen only to chuckle at the scowl on Luna's face.

 

“I swear that man is at his worse during the Christmas season,” she mutters to no one in particular before checking on the cookies once again.

 

“If you think that's bad. You should've seen what Haruka did to the front yard,” Usagi mumbles under her breath, but Luna hears it anyway and turns around sharply from where she was bent over.

 

“What did Haruka do now?” The head maid questions while she stands in front of the blonde haired girl with one hand on her hip while the other one holds onto a tray of hot cookies.

 

“Um, I said nothing?” Usagi asks while smiling sweetly in order to cover up her lie.

 

“I swear this family gets stranger around the holidays,” she mumbles before tossing the cookie sheet onto the counter which results in the cookies flying all over the place while she stalks off to find the two trouble makers.

 

Ami, Michiru and Usagi spring from their seats at the table to save the cookies from their undeniable fate of landing on the floor, but they only succeed in banging their heads together in the process. They sit on the floor staring at each other while rubbing their foreheads with a wince on their faces.

 

“Did you remember to put the carpet cleaners on speed dial in case Luna succeeds in killing those two this year?” Usagi asks while rubbing her head with one eye closed.

 

“Yeah, it's in my cell phone,” Michiru answers with a chuckle before closing her eyes and moans then touches her head once more.

 

The two women share a look before chuckling softly then they look over at Ami who's shaking her head before they begin to pick up the fallen cookies, throwing the casualties away and dusting the good ones off before placing them back on the cookie sheet.

 

Once they're finished picking them up, Usagi shrugs her shoulders at the look on Ami's face. “What the family doesn't know what hurt them, right?” She asks while a wink and a chuckle.

 

Ami rolls her eyes then waves a hand in front of her. “Whatever you say, Usa,” she states while brushing her hands off then gets up to go back over to the table and resumes decorating the other cookies.

Usagi gets up from the floor then looks around with a puzzled look on her face. “Where are Hotaru and Setsuna?”

 

“I think that Hotaru went with Setsuna to do some last minute Christmas shopping and then Setsuna was going to pick up Minako so that she can come for dinner tonight,” Ami answers with a thoughtful look on her face.

 

Usagi chuckles before shaking her head then leans back in her chair.

 

“Who would've thought that Sets-chan and Mina would get together,” Usagi mumbles to herself before getting up from the chair and walks over to a window then smiles when she sees the snow coming down for the third time that day.

 

Usagi turns away from the window then raises an eyebrow when she sees Michiru's cookies.

 

“Um, Michi, I know you're my elder in college and that I'm not big on Christmas or anything like that, but umm. I don't think that Christmas trees are suppose to be blue,” Usagi explains with a chuckle when Michiru sticks her tongue out childishly at the blonde girl before putting silver balls on the cookie.

 

“Well I'm decorating the cookies and you don't have to decorate them in the same boring, traditional way because no one will care. They're made for consumption, not to be judged in an art project. So there, Usa!” The older woman exclaims with a shrug of her shoulders before picking up another one.

 

Ami chuckles then leans back in her chair with a raised eyebrow. “You know, if you would get out of your funk for a moment, Usa, maybe then you'd have more fun. Haruka said that you've been moodier then usual this year. What's going on with you?”

 

Usagi bows her head while thinking about the betrayal of Rei and the fact that her younger sister is being held hostage by Mamoru and his father then she shakes her head before moving her head to stare out the window for a moment.

 

“Nothing is going on with me, Ami. I've just never been big on the whole holiday theme and Haruka knows that. I get hives just thinking about all the “togetherness” this time of year invokes in my family,” she explains in order to turn the conversation away from what's really going on inside of her head.

 

Michiru looks up from her cookie and licks the frosting from her fingers. “Well in any case you're worse this year then any year for as long as I've been with Haruka and it's just odd that it's happening at the same time that Mamoru came along. So what gives, Usagi?” She questions with a raised eyebrow.

 

Usagi knows that Michiru cares about her and she also knows that she should talk about what's eating at her soul, but right at that moment the conversation cuts deep into her heart worse then any bullet or knife ever could.

 

She runs her fingers through her blonde tresses and lets out a small sigh. “Look, Michi, I know you want to help, but don't worry about me, okay? I'll be back to my old self before you know it,” she reassures the older woman in front of her then lets out a sigh of relief when she hears Luna, Haruka and her father coming into the kitchen which stops all further talk about what's going on with Usagi.

 

Luna heads over to the counter once she's back in the kitchen. “I swear, you two get worse then little children during Christmas time,” she states while putting more cookie dough on an empty sheet then goes over to the stove to put them into the oven.

 

She turns around only to grab a spatula then faces Haruka and Usagi's father while they hang their heads, but Usagi can see the smirks that are on the two sibling's faces.

 

“Don't make me get your father after the two of you!” Luna exclaims when she sees the smirks on their faces and waves the spatula at them in a threatening gesture.

 

“But Lunaaaa, we weren't doing anything wrong!” Hero and Haruka whine together with sheepish looks on their faces.

 

“No, don't you but Luna me. You two do this every year! I never had this much trouble even when all of your siblings were here at the same time, but it's like the two of you make up for that!” Luna exclaims with a stern look on her face, but Usagi can see that the corners of her lips are threatening to lift up into a smile.

 

“But Luna, we only wanted to add some color,” Hero states after the older woman turns away from him to grab a wooden spoon to stir something in one of the pots on the stove.

 

“Hero, putting twenty jingle bells onto wreaths isn't adding color. It's spelling noise when your nieces and nephews come over for dinner later tonight and you know it!” She exclaims while waving it around with a frown on her face. “They'll try to get it jingle which will mean the destruction of the wreaths when they try to get all them to jingle.”

 

She glares at him still waving the wooden spoon around in the air like a samurai waving a sword in battle.

 

Usagi watches the poor man nod and swallow visibly which makes Usagi have to stifle a laugh that bubbles up in her chest, so that she isn't a business end of the wooden spoon that Luna's still holding.

 

“Yes, Luna, you're absolutely right,” he states grimly before taking a step back from Luna then turns to me. “Come on, Usagi. Why don't you give me a hand with some decorations that are out on the lawn? You can supervise while Haruka and I get them all situated then we'll come back in for a cup of coffee and coca.”

 

He walks over with Haruka then looks behind him for a moment before mouthing to Usagi, “Before she smacks us with that spoon,” then leaves the kitchen with a smirking Haruka behind him.

 

Usagi gets up from her seat and lets out a sigh before following her father and Aunt out to where the coats and boots are stored so that she can bundle up to help them with the decorations.

 

“They should outlaw that song, “Deck The Halls,” because my father takes it to a whole new extreme,” she mumbles to herself while she puts on her winter jacket thankful that she had opted to put her jacket next to the heater after hauling wood in earlier.

 

Usagi leans against the side of the mansion watching her father run around the yard making sure that all the decorations were in working order. She shakes her head and before placing her good hand on her injured arm then looks up at the sky.

 

Snow flakes fall gently down to the ground making soft crinkly noises in the bare tree cherry trees around her. She lets out a soft sigh which fogs in front of her before disappearing into the cool night air.

 

`It's Christmas Eve. I wonder if the legends are true. When you make a wish on Christmas Eve it'll come true. Though I'm not sure what I would wish for.'

 

She bows her head and lets out another sigh before going over to help her father with the Christmas decorations trying to bring her spirits up on this lovely night.

 

<hr>

 

Rei stands in front of her mirror and gives herself the once over. `What the hell am I going to say? What if she doesn't look at me? Shit, I shouldn't even go!'

 

“ReiRei, we have to get going otherwise we're going to be late!” Sayuri exclaims before opening the door to Rei's room and walks in. “What are you doing? What's wrong?”

 

Rei turns away from the mirror that she's standing in front of and lets out a sigh before hanging her head so that her older sister can't see the tears that well up in her eyes.

 

“I don't think I should go with everyone to the Tsukino's house. I know that my father is good friends with that family, but after everything that's happened. I don't think that I'll be very welcomed by them,” Rei exclaims before bringing a hand up to wipe angrily at her eyes.

 

Sayuri lets out a sigh before walking over to Rei and puts her hands onto Rei's shoulders and tries to look into her eyes.

 

“Rei, listen, you shouldn't blame yourself for what's going on right now. It's not your fault. It's that jackass Mamoru's, not yours!” Sayuri exclaims before lifting the girls head up so that she can look into her sister's eyes.

 

Rei looks back into Sayuri's eyes before looking away the guilt eating away at her mind and at her heart. She can feel as if someone had ripped her heart out and smashed it into little pieces.

 

She closes her eyes and remembers the look on Usa's face after Mamoru's father told her about Rei's deception. The look of horror and anger on the other girls face was enough to make her heart break then and there. She could've sworn that everyone in the hall had heard it as well.

 

She brings a hand up and places it over her tattered heart before tears begin to slip through her tightly closed eyes.

 

“Oh Rei, it'll be okay, I promise,” Sayuri states before wrapping her arms around her sister and brings her close then rests her cheek on the other girls head while she cries into her shoulder.

 

Sayuri lets out a sigh before leaning away from her sister and wipes at the younger girls tears.

 

“I'll tell you what. I'll tell mom and dad that you aren't ready yet and that you'll be along a little later. You can use my car, but you have to be careful, it's snowing again. How does that sound?” Sayuri questions while looking into Rei's red, puffy eyes amethyst eyes.

 

Rei nods her head before wiping her face to get the remaining tears from her face.

 

“Yeah that sounds like a good idea. I'll be there about a half an hour after you leave. That way I can muster up some courage before I get there,” Rei answers with a watery smile at her sister.

 

Sayuri smiles cheerfully at her sister before bringing her into another hug then walks out of the room to inform their parents that Rei will be on her way in a little while.

 

Rei lets out a sigh then leans her head back for a moment before going to the bathroom to reapply her make up before she heads over to the Tsukino's for the get together.

 

<hr>

 

Natasuki leans against the wall eating an apple while she waits for the arrival of her next target. She takes a bite and wipes the juice from her chin then lets out a sigh before chewing the bite of the apple with a thoughtful expression on her face.

 

`What the hell is taking her so damn long? I know that she's taking classes at the local University, but my god. Oh maybe she's on a date.' Natasuki thinks before tossing the apple core into the trash then walks over of the room and out onto the balcony.

 

She takes a deep breath then taps out a cigarette and puts it between her lips before striking a match. She inhales the nicotine laced smoke before letting it out slowly while leaning against the railing.

 

“You know I don't like smoking in my apartment,” a voice states from behind her which makes Natasuki shake her head.

 

She turns around and leans back against the railing before letting out another puff of smoke.

 

“I'm not smoking inside of your apartment. I'm smoking outside on your balcony. There's a difference, Maya,” Natasuki answers before leaning her head back and lets out a sigh. “Look, I didn't come here for a social visit nor to discuss my smoking habits.”

 

Maya waves a hand in front of her then goes to lean against the railing next to Natasuki not minding the cold night air.

 

“Yeah, it's never a social visit with you, Suki. For once I wish you would come here for a cup of tea instead of just business,” Maya turns her head and lets out a sigh. “So what's going on?”

 

Natasuki turns around and leans her arms against the railing while looking out over the city thinking on how to tell Maya what it is that she has to tell her.

 

“Rei's in trouble with some people because her sister was kidnapped,” Natasuki states after a couple of minutes of silence.

 

The older woman hears the other girl take a sharp in take of breath which causes Natasuki turn her head towards the other girl.

 

“I thought you were over her?” Natasuki questions with a raised eyebrow.

 

Maya lets out a sigh and looks down at her feet before reaching into Natasuki's left pocket of her black leather jacket. She pulls out the older woman's cigarettes and lights one before letting out a puff of smoke then leans her head back.

 

“Thought you didn't want smoking in your apartment? `Sides when did you begin to smoke?” Natasuki questions while raising the other eyebrow to make the first one.

“Bite me Natasuki! I haven't really started smoking. I just wanted one because of what you just told me. I am over Rei. You can't really still be in love with someone that doesn't know you exist right? Besides it would have never worked with the two of us. We're too different. That and she was always hung up over this Usagi person that I never met,” Maya replies before letting the smoke that she had inhaled into her lungs out and watches it swirl around her head for a moment before looking over at Natasuki.

 

“What ever you say, Maya,” Natasuki mumbles with a shrug of her shoulders before looking over at the girl while she's looking away a soft expression coming over her face for a moment before it returns to her normal stoic look.

 

“Tell me what's going on, Suki,” Maya states before flicking the cigarette over the railing and leads the way into her apartment then closes the door behind her.

 

<hr>

 

Rei lets out a sigh and closes the door behind her before walking over towards her sister's car, but she never makes it because all of a sudden someone grabs her from behind and holds something sickeningly sweet to her face while she struggles with her attacker.

 

`What the hell,' is her last thought before her world begins to spin and everything goes dark.

 

<hr>

 

Usagi looks out from the parlor and sees the Hino family walk into her house minus Rei and Rei's younger sister. The platinum blonde raises an eyebrow wondering why Rei isn't with her family before she shakes her head and growls at herself.

 

`Why do I even care? She betrayed me! She was going to sell me out to that buffoon Mamoru. Why in the hell do I even care about whether she's here or not?' The blonde asks herself before walking back to her seat in the parlor.

 

“What's going on?” Hotaru asks when she sees the expression on her niece's face.

 

“Nothing is going on,” Usagi growls out before she picks up her book and continues to read from where she left off.

 

Hotaru and Setsuna exchange looks before the two girls look over at the other's that are gathered in the room.

 

Haruka leans over to kiss Michiru for a moment then whispers something into her ear before she stands up to walk over to where Usagi is sitting with a slight frown on her face and a dark aura around her.

 

“Come on, we're going for a walk,” Haruka says while lifting Usagi up by her good arm and takes the book from her then places it down on the table before leading the younger girl out of the parlor and down the hall.

 

“What's going on with you, Usa? You've been moody ever since the night of my father's annual Christmas party. What's going through your mind that it's making your worse then you usually are? I know that it can't just be what happened,” Haruka states while her arm is slung around the younger girls shoulders.

 

“I don't want to talk about it,” Usagi answers before looking away from her Aunt.

 

“Don't give me that shit, Usagi! I know something is wrong. You can't hide that fact! You get moody during the holidays, but this year is worse. Now what the hell is going on with you?” Haruka questions while they walk out of the mansion and into the back yard.

 

Usagi shrugs Haruka's arm off her shoulders and lets out a sigh before moving away from her older aunt.

 

“I have feelings for this girl and yet at the same time she betrayed me. She was working for Mamoru and she was spying on me. Telling him everything I was doing and shit like that. I know that they have her sister, but at the same time she could've told me what was going on,” Usagi explains while hugging a tree near her and leans her head against it for a while before she feels tears begin to slip down her cheeks.

 

Haruka comes over to Usagi and puts her hands on her shoulders and leans her cheek against the younger girl's head.

 

“Usa, she wasn't out to get you. She didn't know who you were. She thought you were this punk ass guy that was a pervert,” Haruka states trying to calm down the distressed girl.

 

“It'll be okay. You got to remember that she was scared for herself and her sister. If you would just let her explain everything then maybe it's not so damn bad after all,” Haruka mumbles against her head and closes her eyes.

 

Usagi nods her head then lets out a sigh. “Maybe you're right. Maybe everything isn't as bad as I'm thinking it is. I guess that maybe I should allow her to explain what's going on before I go around and start passing judgment huh?”

 

“Yeah I'm thinking you aught too. You should talk this all over and then maybe its better then what you're making it out to be,” Haruka agrees before moving away from Usagi who nods her head.

 

“Alright, let's go. I have to talk to Rei,” Usagi states with a grin before moving back into the mansion.

 

When she arrives to where everyone is she notices that there is a sullen silence and she looks around wondering what the hell is going on.

 

“What? Did someone die?” Usagi questions with a raised eyebrow.

 

“We were just informed that Rei has been kidnapped,” Hotaru answers while leaning against Yomiko for support while her eyes turn downwards in worry for the girl that she calls her friend.

 

“What?” Usagi asks in a shout before looking around the room then her eyes narrow to slits.

 

She paces around the room then slams her good hand down onto the low sitting table causing it to creak under the pressure.

 

“Mamoru!”

 

<hr>

 

“He's got Rei!” Natasuki exclaims before she and Maya jump from the couch that they had been sitting on. “Let's go.”

 

<hr>

 

To Be Continued…

 

<hr>

 

OMG! I am so sorry about not updating sooner. There has just been so much stuff going on right now that I haven't been able too! I really hope that you don't come after me with torches and pitch forks!

 

In any case, I really do hope that you have enjoyed this update. Even if it has been a long time since my last update. I'll try to get chapter 20 out quicker! I promise!

 

Please Read and Review! Your reviews are a huge help!

 

<hr>

 

Moonlight Fairie: Wow, your review was great. I really enjoyed reading it. I'm really glad that you are enjoying my story this much! Actually I'm really glad that everyone is enjoying this story so much. I have to agree. I like that fact that I made Usagi not a klutzy cry baby myself. It started out as a nod towards Lostraius for her/his awesome story Dark Mansion and then it sort of just went away from that story and now it's really taking off. I'm so glad that I received the longest review that you've ever written. That makes this story so worth writing. Thank you so much! Please review again soon!

Dante Elric: Wow! You wrote a review for just about every chapter I did and that was just awesome! I really do like that song back in Chapter 13. I couldn't have picked a better song in my opinion. I thought about making up a song, but decided against it. I think the song I did pick however went very well with the story.

I'm so glad that you are enjoying the new Usagi. I'm having a lot of fun writing her character. It's interesting writing her character as more then just a klutzy cry baby and I'm so glad that everyone is enjoying it as well. I'm also glad that you love this story. That's a huge compliment to me as a writer. Thank you and I hope to hear from you again soon in the future!

 

Riku: I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting. I hope that this chapter is worth the wait. I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting. I'm not sure if this was heart breaking or not, but I think it was damn close to it. Thank you for the review and once again I'm sorry for keeping you waiting!

 

Joey89: Sorry I haven't updated in a long time. I hope that this chapter was just as dramatic as the last one. Thank you for the review. It was great!

 

Shinobu Ninja Nonsense: Hey here's the update. Sorry it took so damn long. It's because of college and all that other nonsense that I'm going through right now. I hope that you liked this one as well. Thank you for the review.

 

Surfer Dude: Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad that you like this story. I really hope that you've enjoyed this one because I liked writing it. Please review again! They help.

 

Agent-Ayu: Well you're right. Yomiko is Mamoru's sister and you'll be surprised what happens. So stay tuned to this story. More twists and turns are coming up. Thank you for your review and I hope to hear from you again and yes Mamoru must die! And he'll get his in the end. Heh.

 

Asuna Kagurazaka: Here's the update. I'm so sorry for the wait. I hope that this one is liked just as much as the previous one. Thank you for the review and I hope to hear from you again!

 

Ami M: Don't worry about not logging in. That's okay. I'm just glad that I got another review from you. Lol. I'll have to consider that last one. That actually might work. I'm still thinking about how to get Mamoru get his in the end. Thank you once again for the review! It was funny.

 

Morgan Daratrazanoff: Thank you for the review! I hope to hear from you again!

 

ShadowCub: Aww shucks. You're making me blush. Thanks for the review. It was very sweet. I'm glad that everyone is talking about how good this story is and I'm so glad that it's going over so well. I hope to hear from you again. Thank you.

 

Coolness: Thank you for the praise. Now to answer your question, Dark Mansion is this story that was written a while back. The author stopped writing around I believe Chapter 14 due to personal reasons. So I think about a year later. I finally decided to do a dedication story using that spin off, but with a twist. Basically it's my story, just with a little bit of Dark Mansion thrown into the mix. I was really worried about how well it would go over with everyone and to my surprise it's going over well. So I hope that this answers your question and I'm very glad that you've given me a review. I hope to hear from you again soon. Enjoy the story.

 

PantherDemon Yohan: Wow! I'm so glad that you enjoyed that last chapter. I know that this has been a long time coming and I'm so sorry. I haven't forgotten it nor am I about to stop. I'm so close to finishing it. As for Rei's sister talking to Usagi. Not yet. First there are some other things that need to happen first. I love leaving everyone in suspense. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter though I think there's something missing, but maybe I'm wrong. Let me know if you think there is. Thank you once again and I hope to hear from you soon!

 

Chibi-Vampire Karin: Thank you. Thank you. I was dancing around when I read your review. You know that's the third review that I've gotten that's said that they can actually see the story happening. I'm so excited that my writing has come so far. Thank you and I hope to hear from you real soon!

 

FeralDemonArtemis3.0: Well it's been about three months since I last updated and I really hope that you haven't combusted! I wouldn't want that. Oh no! There goes one of my readers! I feel so guilty about not getting this chapter out sooner. Anyway. Arisugawa's Locket is a cross over fan fiction which has the main character from Revolutionary Girl Utena named Arisugawa Juri. I can't really say that it's a cross over with Sailor Moon because that's just the tip of the Ice burg. It's a cross over with a load of different anime and is a Shoujo-ai story written by Shanejayell who's reviewed my story much to my delight. You can find it at Shoujo-ai.com or even on here as well. I hope that explains everything. Anyway, thank you for the review and I really do look forward to hearing from you so that I know you didn't combust from anticipation!

 

Stormforce: Ahh once again. So glad to hear from you and I apologize that it's been so long since my last update. Now, let us begin the review response. *Cue dramatic music* lmao.

 

Lol. Yeah I should've elaborated with that a bit and I just might when I get to that point of rewriting. I'm actually in the process of doing right now. The first chapter is much better now that I've gone through it and corrected a lot of my mistakes and added a little bit more to it. Anyway, I hope that explains that a bit. I don't want to give away what I have in mind for that. Hold on a moment and you'll see what I'm talking about. Lol.

 

Yeah someone did hit Natasuki. I could've sworn that I put that in there. Maybe I didn't. I'll have to go back and look. Hmm.

 

Yeah I wasn't sure if I should put that in there, but then again the Usagi in my mind is so damn stubborn that she'd go even if they all told her no. So I figured that at least I'll have Haruka and Michiru go with her.

 

Well this is an AU so I figured why not let Sets have some fun. I mean everyone else gets to have fun. Why not her? I mean what could it hurt right? Lol.

 

I'm thinking that it was little bit of both. Though I have to admit, being on the other side of the street might not be a good idea either. Maybe on the rooftops instead, is what I'm thinking.

 

This is why I never go shopping at the last minute! Have you been to the mall during Christmas season? OMG! I will never go again! I literally had to walk with my back plaster against the wall and pray to god that when I moved away from it that no one decided to run me over and then I did. A woman in a wheel chair! Then she had the gull to yell at me for being in her way! As if! Lol.

 

Ahhh, you're going to have to wait to find out what the gift is! I can't tell you.

 

Uh huh, writing. Lol. Don't worry. I'll tell you what that is in the next chapter. I've got a feeling that you're going to roll around laughing and I've got another feeling that this story is going to end up being longer then the 25 chapters that I set out for. Lol.

 

Well there's a meaning behind the tattoo and yes there will be a reference to it. Whether it's going to be a flash back I don't know. Not yet anyway, only because the meaning of the staff and sword really isn't in the anime nor the manga, but it does have significant meaning.

 

I thought she deserved it as well. It was a good plot device. I've had a thought about playing on it later, well maybe. I'm not sure yet.

 

Maybe, I've thought about doing a little thing about getting Sets and Mina together, but can't do it yet.

 

I hope I explained a little about why Suki was afraid of getting the door slammed in her face. As for the motorcycle, no, I haven't said what kind she's driving.

 

Sayuri will get her chance in the next chapter. I think, maybe. I'm not sure right yet. Lol. This is sort of writing it's self again. Lol.

 

No, they wouldn't have listened and I needed it to be a fight against just her and Mamoru, but there's more to come. I promise. Lol.

 

Yep, you'll get to know the rumor spreader I believe by chapter 21. At least that's what I'm shooting for right now.

 

Once again, it was great hearing from you and I hope you've got more for me to respond too. Sorry again about the wait. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm looking forward to anything else you have to say. Thank you.

 

eowyngwen: You're welcome and don't worry about the responding in French. I just hope that I translated it right. Lol. Well I'm not sure if Usagi is ready to listen to Rei, but she's thinking about it right now. Yeah, I thought ReiRei was really good too for her older sister to call her. Lol.

 

As for how Michiru is going to get Setsuna and Mina together. Well I think that is going to have to wait until chapter 21, but I promise that it's going to be hilarious as all of their attempts to get people together tends to be. Lol.

 

Ahh Mamoru. Mmm, well I can assure you that what is in store for him isn't going to be pleasant that's for damn sure and don't worry about your sadistic side. It's got a welcomed place when it comes to killing, maiming or harming Mamoru! Lol.

 

I hope I translated that alright. Thank you for the review and I look forward to hearing from you again.

 

Random note: What does Onegaii mean? My Japanese is rusty!

 

Riku: Aww thank you. I enjoyed that last update as well and I hope that you enjoy this one just as much. Sorry again for it being so long since my last one. Review soon!

 

LadyCrazyMonkeyPants: Thank you for the review and now to answer your question. Yes, I do have plans for the Starlights to be in this story. As a matter of fact, I already have Seiya in here. I'm just waiting for the right time to bring in the other two. It's going to be great. Lol. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope to hear from you again soon!

 

Shanejayell: Thank you ever so much for letting me use the Locket for this story and thank you for the review. I think the Locket rocks and I am honored that you've reviewed my story. Arigato!

 

Aleric: Yeah, I know that people use the Locket, but I wanted to use it because I figured that it would be the best place to get the contacts that I needed to help out Usagi and her family. Plus, I wanted to pay homage to a really good writer or genius as you've said. Lol.

 

I was going for another relaxation chapter, but Mamoru just can't keep his nose out of anything, but I think that I left it with everyone going whoa! At least I hope so. Lol.

 

Oh she is secretly on the Tsukino's side and you pretty much hit the nail on the head. Haruka and Usagi would've rushed into there guns blazing or something like that. Lol. Because we all know that they are a couple of hot heads. Lol.

 

But I also think that Usagi would've given in to the Chiba's blackmail so that she can help out Rei and her family. Either way it wouldn't have ended the way it needs too. Thank you for the review and I really do hope to hear from you soon.

 

Authors Note: Okay I would like to say that this story has reached the most reviews that I've ever gotten for one of my stories before. Its growing popularity is astounding to me. I never in my wildest dreams have thought that it would get this popular so fast! I would like to thank each and every one of you for making this story such a success and I hope to hear from all of you again. Thank you so much for your support, the ideas and most importantly the praise. You all have been so great and I really don't want this story to end because of all of you. Thank you once again. Now I'm off to work on Chapter 20 which I'm hoping will take less time to get out then the last one. Lol.

 

~Middlen