Life's Lessons A Sailor Moon fanfic by Kristin Renee Taylor Chapter 11 <<<"Your friends are here, Terri-san. Should I send them up?" I looked up from my homework and smiled at the woman standing in my doorway. "No, I'll go down to meet them. But thank you for asking, Furahata-san." Mrs. Furahata nodded and walked away, and I begin to put up my books. Four months ago, after a youma (the seventh to attack me) had totaled my apartment, Minako had pulled a few strings and helped me to move into Furahata Taka's house. I lived in Mrs. Furahata's daughter's room, who apparently was no longer living there (It would have been rude to ask Mrs. Furahata about why her daughter had left, and the one time I mentioned it to Minako, my friend had merely smiled and assured me that Hiro's leave taking was for the sake of mankind. I never asked her again.). Mrs. Furahata was the best, and she treated me like I was her own daughter. And I thought of her as my mother. That puzzled me sometimes, because I couldn't remember my own mother. The only family I could remember having was Jake. But Jake, to the best of my knowledge, was dead, killed during the same disaster that had left me stranded in Tokyo, with little to no memory of my purpose here. Damn Galaxia. Strange word, "purpose." I wonder why I used it. Makes me think I'm here to accomplish a certain task. I shook my head and straightened up my desk. "Terri," I told myself, "Sometimes I think you're getting as air headed as Minako- san." "I agree." Startled, I stood, blushing and embarrassed that I had been heard talking out loud. "Rei-san, I didn't hear you come in." Rei, arms folded, leaned against my door frame and looked at me. "Are you ready yet?" I should make this perfectly clear right now: Hino Rei does not like me. I don't know why and, to be quite honest, I don't care why because I don't like her. There's just something about her that tenses me up, like I'm preparing to avoid some sort of attack. And, judging by the way she acts around me, she gets just as jumpy around me as I am around her. "Almost," I said, and finished putting up my schoolwork. Two years and a valley of animosity separated Rei and I, but, despite that, I still attempted to be polite. "Where's Minako-san?" "She and Mako-chan went to go drag a certain blonde trash compactor away from an odango shop." I paused in the act of retrieving a jacket. "That's the Moon Rabbit, correct?" Rei had been studying a strip of paper that she held in her hands. Now, the upperclassman's head jerked up and she glared at me silently. I blinked, then realized my error. "Ah... I'm sorry. I... er... meant Tsukino-san. I-I have a habit of translating everything said to me into English, so when Minako-chan told me the name of your friend I automatically heard it as-" "Forget it," Rei said curtly. She walked out. "Come on. They're probably back by now." I followed her, shrugging into my jacket as I walked. When I stopped to close my door behind me, I noticed the strip of paper sticking to the frame. Frowning, I translated the kanji. 'Evil spirit, begone!' I looked at it, surprised, then at Rei's retreating back.>>> Feeling was the first thing that Terri became aware of; a heavy blanket covering her, a soft mattress beneath her, and somewhere near her right arm a pillow existed, trapped beneath forearm and body. Sound came next, soft noises that served to chase away the lingering elements of a dream she couldn't quite remember having. People's voices, children laughing, an unusual but oddly familiar roaring, animals lowing... animals? Animals?! Terri opened her right eye. A wall met her bleary gaze, timber logs stacked one atop the other, cunningly fitted so that, at the corners, the ceiling and even between logs, there were no gaps for air to leak through. She sat up slowly, blinking about her in the late morning light that slanted through the window above her bed. She was in a room, longer than wide, large enough to contain eight beds, of which Terri was the only occupant. At Terri's end of the room, a brick fireplace had been constructed, but no fire warmed its hearth. At the other end was a door, and as she looked about her, it opened and admitted a girl. She couldn't have been older than seventeen, short for age, with black hair and dark eyes that only seemed to put emphasis on her pale skin. She closed the door behind her, turned, and finally noticed Terri. "Good morning, Ganabile-san! I brought you some clothes!" She held up a bundle of cloth. Puzzled, Terri looked down and realized that she was very obviously naked. With a mortified shriek, she pulled the blanket up and over her head. There was a long moment of silence, then, slightly muffled by the blanket, she heard the girl laugh. "Gomen nasai. I seem to have forgotten my manners while living here. I hope I didn't scare you too badly. My name's Tomoe Hotaru, and I'm really sorry I barged in like that." Footsteps approached. Terri shrunk away, still too embarrassed to speak. "Are you going to stay under there all day, Ganabile-san?" "What-" Terri's voice squeaked. She coughed, and said in a more normal tone, "What happened to my clothes?" "Actually, I'm supposed to ask you that. You weren't wearing much when Setsuna found you, and what little you had on looked like it wasn't too flame resistant. Michiru said it was a miracle you and your friends survived." The footsteps halted near Terri's bed. "What was going on out there?" Terri pondered, then said, "I... really don't remember what I was doing. It's all so hazy..." Then the rest of what the girl said caught up with her. "My friends?" She poked her head out from underneath the blanket. "What friends?" The girl had sat down on the bed across from Terri. She said, "If I remember correctly, they said their names were Shouji and Kiyomi. We found them with you. They're... not your friends?" "No. I mean, yes. Yes, they are my friends. I'm just... Where are they?" "Outside, and you can join them in a few minutes." Hotaru held out the clothes. "After you get dressed." The clothes turned out to be a pair of plain brown slacks and a white, short-sleeved shirt, both of which were too big. "I'm sorry they're so big," Hotaru said as she handed Terri some socks and shoes. "You're taller than most of the people here, so I had to borrow some of Haruka's clothes. They should fit pretty well, even though you are, um, 'bigger' than she is." Terri dressed under the blanket. When she crawled back out, fully dressed, her companion slipped around behind Terri, brandished a brush and, a few minutes later, Terri's hair hung in a single braid down her back. The girl smiled. "There, now you look decent. Are you hungry?" Terri answered in the affirmative and, together, they walked outside. Just past the threshold, Terri paused to let her eyes adjust to the unusually bright sunlight, and let out a gasp of astonishment. Water. Water as far as she could see, with no end in sight. A dim memory surfaced and she managed to put a name to vast expanse of water that dominated her view. "An ocean..." she breathed. "But... there is no ocean near Crystal Tokyo." She looked at Hotaru. "Where are we?" "We're still near Japan, if that's what you are worried about, but we're farther northeast, on a small chain of islands." She gestured around them. "This used to be a big tourist spot, but when everything froze over..." She trailed off, shrugging. Now that the shock had worn off somewhat, Terri looked around, and noticed other things. She and Hotaru stood on a grass-strewn hill, part of a verdant expanse of greenery that separated the beach in the distance with the impressive forest behind them. The cabin Terri had left was part of a cluster of houses, and Terri saw people below. Voices, indistinct because of distance and the waves, rode the wind to her. "How is this possible?" she asked, watching a couple of men ride off towards the forest on horseback. "I thought everything was frozen solid, except for Crystal Tokyo." "You sound like your friends. They were just as surprised as you are," Hotaru said with a laugh. Still smiling, she looked around, then beckoned Terri closer. "You really want to know why this island is free of ice?" She dropped her voice to a whisper, and Terri leaned in close to hear her words. "Michiru's the reason. She controls the temperature of the sea around the island, which helps keep the climate warm and stable. Cool, ne?" 'Is she serious?' Terri made a sound, which Hotaru took as agreement. The shorter girl glanced about mischievously before saying, "But don't tell anyone, though. Most people don't know that Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna and I can use magic, and we won't tell them because we don't want to alienate ourselves further. I mean, some people think Haruka and Michiru being together is bad enough." "Talking about me again, eh, Hotaru-chan?" Hotaru jumped and spun around. "Michiru!" The woman, which had, to Terri, appeared out of nowhere, looked sternly at Hotaru. "And what lies have you been telling our guest this time?" "Lies?" Hotaru cried indignantly. "I'll have you know that I was only telling her the truth." "And which 'truth' would that be?" "The one about how the island stays warm." Michiru sighed. "Spreading tales about magic again? Honestly, Hotaru-chan, the things you come up with. What am I going to do with you?" Hotaru grinned innocently. "Nothing bad, I know that much." Terri had the sudden impression that this conversation had been repeated often and in much the same manner. She looked from one to the other, baffled. 'So Hotaru wasn't telling the truth? But, then how does the island stay warm?' Michiru smiled. "You are hopeless. Haruka should be back any minute now. Why don't you go to the stables and wait for her?" Hotaru understood and jogged down the hill, waving to Terri, who returned it absently. Michiru watched Hotaru until she was out of hearing range, then sighed quietly. "You encourage her to tell one story and she develops four thousand." She shook her head and smiled slightly. "But I guess that's what happens when you're raised by artists." She looked at Terri, arched a single, sea-green eyebrow. "Is something wrong, Terri- san?" Terri realized she was gaping and snapped her mouth shut. "I'm sorry... Michiru?" The woman nodded. "I apologize for being rude, Michiru. It's just that... you remind me of someone I know. Knew. Someone I knew." "Is that so? Well, who do I remind you of?" Their eyes locked. Several images flickered through Terri's mind, far too fast for Terri to focus on. Suddenly, the air around Terri seemed thicker, more viscous, harder to breathe. In direct contrast to the heavy air, her body grew lighter, till she thought she would float... or swim... upwards. It was almost like being underwater. Michiru blinked. With an near-audible snap the world returned to normal. Terri gasped and stumbled backwards, tripping over her feet. Michiru caught her arm, steadied Terri. "Are you all right? No, don't try to stay standing. Sit down." She guided Terri to one side of the cabin's door and sat her down against the wall. "What happened? You're pale! Maybe you should lie back down." Terri closed her eyes, clenching her hands in an effort to stop their shaking. 'Why did I react to her like that? It was like being around Minako and the others. Could Hotaru be telling the truth? Can Michiru really use magic? But, then, why didn't I react to Hotaru?' Aloud, she mumbled, "Deep Submerge." A wave crashed down with a thunderous roar far louder than the previous ones. Terri opened her eyes, and saw Michiru staring at the ocean in surprise. Breathe in. Hands held at her sides. Balanced on her right leg. Left leg bent, putting her in the position known as the Reflex Stance. A cold, bitter wind howled at her, trying to topple her, but she was granite, silent and immobile. Breathe out. Even with her eyes closed, she was aware of the environment around her. The side of the volcano towered above her on the left, and an equally steep drop awaited just a few meters to her right. A slip on the treacherous ice could be fatal, but she was not worried. She was a redwood, firmly planted and unshakable. Breathe She stood like that for a while, unaware of cold or time. Black hair whipped freely around, the only sign of movement she showed. Finally, her eyes opened. in. And, with no warning cry, no sudden shifting of movement, Rei launched into her kata. Her style was unusual, more of a collection of different Arts than a single one, all of them blended so seamlessly that no one, outside of an expert, would have ever noticed as she switched from one Art to the next. Rei reached the end of her narrow ledge and turned smoothly, letting her movements take her back to her starting point. It had been Minako that had taught Rei, although how and when Minako had developed this unique style Rei did not know. Rei wasn't even certain she recognized all the styles blended in, although she certainly recognized aspects of Kickboxing, Aikido, Jujitsu, and several ones that Rei thought Minako had stolen from video games. Rei drifted to a stop, and stood in silence, feeling the wind trying to push her forward. She exhaled. 'I'm too distracted to practice. Maybe I should apologize to Mako-chan and Ami-chan.' Involuntarily, an image of an enraged Makoto appeared in her mind's eye. 'Or... Since I don't want to die, I could wait for Makoto to cool down some more.' She pushed several strands of sweaty hair out of her eyes, and shifted back to the Reflex Stance. She'd run through the kata again, then go apologize. "Oak Evolution." The words were faint, carried by the wind to Rei's ears. Rei reacted instinctively, throwing herself forward into a roll. She came out of it in a half-crouch and spun, facing the way she had come, scanning the ledges higher up. No one was there. No attack devastated the ground where she had been standing. Frowning, Rei stood. When she waited and still nothing happened, Rei sighed and relaxed. "I'm getting paranoid in my old age," she muttered. "Actually, I think you're losing your edge. I'll sharpen it up... right now." Shocked, Rei turned, just in time to intercept a straight punch with her face. Rei reeled backwards and fell. She felt blood running down her chin and spat, staining the snow red. She wiped the blood off with the back of her hand and glared at her attacker. Makoto's smile was predatory. She cracked her knuckles as she advanced on Rei. "Personally, I've got nothing against ya, since, ya know, you were only following Minako-chan's orders. But I still feel the need to be vindictive on Ami-chan's behalf." Rei felt her anger flare. 'She wants to play? Fine! I'll play!' She climbed to her feet. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't care what you're talking about. I want to see you try and kick my ass." Makoto lifted her arms to either side. "Remember, you said it. Not me... Oak Evolution!" Rei leaped back, teleported in mid-air. She dropped down on a ledge overlooking her original one, formed her Flame Sniper, and took aim... only to find no one there. Hands grabbed her arm, and she was slammed face first into the volcano wall. "That's twice you've fallen for the same trick," Makoto said. The taller woman released Rei and stepped back. "You really *are* losing your edge." Rei staggered to one side and nearly fell, only remaining upright by leaning on the wall. She couldn't focus her eyes properly. "Fool me once, shame on me," she grated, turning to face Makoto. "Fool me twice, die by Fire Soul!" A ring of fire appeared around Makoto and Rei heard Makoto let out a surprised yell. Rei shoved off from the wall, letting out an angry shout of her own as she passed harmlessly through the flames and tackled Makoto. Makoto easily shoved Rei off, both sprang to their feet and circled each other warily, Makoto sticking as close to the center of Rei's fire ring as Rei would allow. A gash had opened in Rei's forehead, just over her right eye, and the flow of blood was beginning to blind her. As Makoto circled to Rei's right, a strange half-smile on her face, Rei started to think that provoking Makoto had been entirely the wrong idea. 'There's absolutely no way I can beat her hand to hand. I'm gonna get trashed.' Rei saw Makoto switch her stance, entered her own defensive posture, and felt the ice begin to slide beneath her feet. She had only a brief instant to wonder what the Hell was she thinking when she used her Fire Soul, and then the ice gave way. Until they expanded out of the main caverns and into the smaller ones, the Descendents and their followers were forced to put up with cramped conditions. And although personal space couldn't be afforded right now, Ami and her crew had blocked off a section for themselves, which they rigorously defended. Minako shifted uncomfortably on her cot. 'One thousand years have gone by and humanity *still* can't make a decent hospital bed.' With a disgusted growl, she stretched out on her back and flung her right arm over her eyes. Maybe darkness would help her sleep. She heard footsteps and listened. Whoever was approaching had an injury, it sounded like they were limping, rather badly, on their right leg. The person stopped beside Minako's cot. "Well, I'm glad somebody gets to lay down on the job," Rei said. Minako smiled. "Your sarcasm wounds me, Rei-chan. What happened to you?" "Mako-chan happened to me," the psychic said, but with more annoyance than anger. "Ambushed me while I was out doing my kata, and nearly got the both of us killed when we fell down the side of the volcano. And when we finally did stop moving, she had the gall to tell me that I was stupid for blindly obeying *your* orders! What the Hell did you tell her?" "That I was the one that made the decision to put that block in Ami's head." "That's it?!" "I told her as much of the truth as she needs to know for now," Minako said calmly. "Would you rather I told her the 'why' behind my decision? Because, if you want me to, I'll tell her everything you did, right now. Every little dirty detail. And then they'll understand why I won't take chances with our powers running amok." She sensed Rei stiffen. "You will never let me forget, will you?" Rei said softly. "Why?" "Because so long as you remember what you did, you can't cause another Chicago." The silence that followed that statement was one of the most anguished that Minako had encountered in her life. Something wet landed on Minako's arm. Before she could brush it off, she felt Rei's hair sweep across her skin as the other woman sat down on the ground, her back braced against the cot, her head resting against Minako's left shoulder. "Dammit, Minako-chan," Rei whispered. Minako moved her left arm, loosely hugged Rei with it. "I'm sorry, Rei- chan." "I hate you." Minako's arm was still getting wet. Minako removed her other arm from her eyes, and stared up at nothing. "Sometimes, I hate myself, too." A short distance from the two women, Ami turned away, silently hoping that her computer at the Tokyo Tower base hadn't been destroyed by Venus' invasion. She had some research to do. Jupiter leaned against the balcony of Her rooms, gazing out at the city. '*My* city,' She thought with a half-smile. Voices drifted up to Her, deep in argument. She looked down, where the elaborate gardens spread out from the base of the Palace. 'Ahh... Venus has returned.' The Senshi of beauty and the Senshi of magic were knee-deep in a highly animated 'discussion.' Although Jupiter could have listened in on the conversation occurring fifty meters below, She chose not to, instead deciding to merely watch the outcome. Eventually, Mars threw Her hands up and stalked into the palace in either disgust or rage, probably both. Venus glared after Her, shouted "How *dare* You insinuate that I fear Minako!? Get back here!" and ran after Mars. Silence once again descended on the gardens and, after a moment, a small, yellow-feathered finch landed on the railing. Jupiter straightened and held out a hand, careful to keep Her movements slow. The finch, head tilted as it studied the pro-offered hand, twittered and then, after a moment's hesitation, hopped/flew to Jupiter's hand. Jupiter lifted Her other hand, gently stroked the downy head. The bird suddenly shrilled loudly and took off, spiraling down towards the gardens. Jupiter frowned slightly as She turned around. "Must You do that?" The sunlight failed to fully illuminate the shadowy areas of Jupiter's room, where a silent figure stood. Even Jupiter's keen eyes could barely make out the tips of black boots, although the staff was clearly visible. Pluto said nothing, Her silence as heavy and thick as a blanket. Jupiter returned to Her position at the balcony. "We agreed to meet at the Timegate. Why the change?" "Events are happening. I wish to observe them." Pluto's voice was like Her expression, so devoid of emotion that it bordered on cold. "You could easily do that through that orb of Yours. I repeat, why the change?" Again, Pluto said nothing. Jupiter glanced over Her shoulder, and was startled to see that Her fellow Senshi now stood only a meter or so away, although Jupiter hadn't heard Her move. Eyes that reminded Jupiter of congealing blood bore twin holes into Jupiter's own. Jupiter looked away swiftly, and silently chided Herself on being nervous. To cover Herself, She said, "Venus said that Mercury and Ami have merged into a single being again. Is it true, then? That the Descendants were originally Our Avatars?" "If that is what You believe." Jupiter rounded on Pluto. "What I believe? Tell Me the truth! Are they?" Pluto was inscrutable. "Truth is Your providence, Jupiter. Not Mine." Again, Jupiter dropped Her gaze first. Gripping the balustrade tightly, Jupiter said, "They must be stopped, before it is too late, and stopping Terri is the key to doing that. Is she still alive?" Pluto leaned on the balcony next to Jupiter. Her staff was gone. "I cannot answer that." "Why not?" Jupiter was aware that She sounded childish, but in the eyes of Pluto, Jupiter *was* a child. "Knowing the answer to that question would effect Your future decisions." Jupiter's voice was dry. "And We mustn't do anything that changes the future, must We?" She sobered. "Then tell Me where the Descendents are." "No." Jupiter lost Her temper. "Dammit, Pluto, I didn't call You here to be told 'No!' I want an answer!" Pluto straightened abruptly and turned away. She lifted a hand and grasped Her staff from the air. "Summon Me when Your need is an important one." Jupiter growled an oath. "They killed Our Sister!" Pluto stopped. "Is that supposed be of concern to Me?" Her tone indicated that She was truly curious. "Of course it is! Any one of Us could be next, even You!" Pluto turned Her head slightly. "Death, like Time, is inevitable, Jupiter. Why do You fight against it?" Jupiter hesitated, but only briefly. "Because I do not wish to die. I fear death... because I fear what will happen to Me if I die. I do not want to become a mere shadow in the background of some human's mind, like Mercury is now. That place was Hell to Me, and I *refuse* to return to that existence." "Was it truly that horrible for Them?" Pluto said, but so quietly that Jupiter wasn't sure She had heard correctly. The Senshi of Time almost, but not quite, shook Herself. "I will tell Mars to prepare to head north, to the D-point. On Your orders, of course." Jupiter stared at Pluto's back. "Why Mars?" And why the sudden change of attitude, but Jupiter refrained from asking that. "Would You rather that I send Venus? She does not care much for Minako." The cool detachment was back in Pluto's voice, giving it a sardonic edge. "And Her prejudice towards Her counterpart would interfere with rational thinking," Jupiter said grudgingly. She folded Her arms. "It is good to see You are cooperating. Her majesty, Queen Serenity, was beginning to wonder who's side You were on." Something close to a laugh escaped the elder. "I am, as I have always been, as I always will be, on the side of Time. That is My only alliance. Everything else, and everyone else, are merely things to make My observations that much more interesting." She looked at Jupiter. "And I wish to observe first hand the very interesting events that are about to transpire." Pluto stamped the haft of the staff on the ground, and She was gone.