The Cruelty and Fairness of Fate (part 5 of 29)

a Sailor Moon fanfiction by Crawlspace

Back to Part 4
	“I’m just pregnant.”
	The silence that descended over the room was almost palpable.
	Usagi stared at Makoto.  Her mouth opened as if she were going 
to ask something, and then snapped shut as she changed her mind.  
Shaking her head slowly, the blonde backed up until she hit the back 
of the couch.
	Haruka chuffed.  “Just pregnant?  Like a hurricane headed 
towards shore is just a light shower?  Ow!”  Haruka glared at Michiru 
as the girl’s elbow landed in her side.
	“Pregnant?” asked Usagi.  “As in,” she arched her hands over her 
stomach, “gonna have a baby pregnant?”
	Makoto nodded.
	Rei noticed that the casual smile Makoto had put on for Usagi’s 
sake was quickly disappearing.  It was replaced by a tension of sorts, 
like she was waiting to be hit.  Rei looked over to Ami.  She didn’t 
look much better.  She was still biting her lip, looking like she was 
holding herself back from something.  Rei guessed Ami wanted nothing 
more at that moment than to go to Makoto and hold her the way she had 
in the parking lot.
	No one seemed to know what they were supposed to say.  They were 
all more or less banking on Usagi to ask the question they all wanted 
to – How?  But the blonde remained as silent as the rest of them.
	Luna finally rescued them from the awkwardness of the moment.  
“It’s why she couldn’t transform,” said the cat rather unnecessarily.  
“I didn’t think I’d have to have this conversation with any of you so 
soon, but as it is apparently necessary, you might as well all hear it 
at once.”
	“Wait a minute,” said Minako, putting her hands up in a stop 
gesture.  “Just hold on.  She just dropped a major bomb on us, and 
you’re acting like it’s just some little thing she forgot to mention.  
And you,” she turned to Ami, “you knew about this all along, didn’t 
you?”
	“Yes,” answered Ami quietly.
	“Don’t be mad at her,” said Makoto.  “She wanted me to tell you 
right from the beginning.  I made her promise not to tell anyone.”
	“How long have you known?” asked Rei.
	“For certain, almost two weeks,” answered Makoto.  She gave Rei 
an apologetic smile, hoping the meaning would be clear until they 
could speak properly.  “I was going to tell you next week, when we 
were done with Minako’s play and everything.”
	“Regardless of the where’s and what for’s” broke in Luna, 
“Makoto is out of commission until the baby is born.”
	“Why?” asked Haruka.  When she realized what kind of look she 
was getting from the others, she clarified, “I mean, I know you can’t 
send a pregnant girl out to fight youma.  But why couldn’t she 
transform?”
	“Simply put,” replied Luna, “your transformations, as well as 
maintaining them and performing your attacks, put a certain physical 
demand on your bodies.  Pregnancy does the same thing.  Those demands 
conflict with each other and therefore the two states can’t exist at 
the same time.  And, unless in a last resort, life or death situation, 
the pregnancy will always take precedence.”
	“’Last resort, life or death’ being?”
	“You as the last living thing standing between the princess and 
whatever annihilating force has swept over the planet and destroyed or 
killed everything but you and the princess.”
	“At which point you’re pretty much toast anyway,” said Minako 
with a frown.
	Luna nodded.  “Precisely.”
	“She’ll be able to transform again, though?” asked Usagi.  
“After… um… the baby?”
	“Yes,” answered Luna.
	Usagi looked at Makoto, the initial shock in her expression 
fading.  “And you’re not sick?  Not at all?”
	Makoto couldn’t quiet meet Usagi’s eyes.  “Not unless you count 
the morning sickness, no.  Usagi, I’m sor…”
	Usagi cut her off.  “You shouldn’t have lied to us Mako-chan,” 
she said as she stepped back over to the girl.  “I was worried about 
you.  We all were.  But I’m glad you’re not actually sick.”
	Makoto was surprised as Usagi reached up and put her arms around 
her neck.  She relaxed a bit into the hug the blonde was offering to 
her.
	Standing on tiptoe and leaning close to Makoto’s ear, Usagi 
whispered, “And even though she shouldn’t have lied either, I’m glad 
you’ve had Ami to help you.”
	Makoto tensed as a light blush came to her cheeks.
	“I’m hungry,” was declared from across the room.
	Everyone turned to stare at Chibi-usa.
	The little girl fidgeted from foot to foot.  “Well, I am.”
	Michiru grinned.  She had noticed Setsuna nudging the girl 
gently.  Believing she understood what Setsuna was trying to do, 
Michiru decided to help.
	“I admit I’m a bit hungry myself,” said Michiru.  “We did miss 
dinner, after all.  Perhaps we could order something like we had 
planned?”
	“That’s a good idea, Michiru,” responded Setsuna.  “We should 
stick to our previous plans.  I’ll go and pick up the food.  Minako 
can join me.”
	“I want to come, too,” chimed in Hotaru.  “And Chibi-usa.”
	Setsuna smiled indulgently at her child.  “All right.  We could 
use the extra hands to help carry things in.”
	Before she could offer any protests, Minako was being handed her 
jacket and pulled to the door by two little girls and a Time Senshi.


*            *            *

	Minako’s chin rested on her hand as she stared out the passenger 
window of Setsuna’s car.  She wasn’t really paying attention to where 
they were going, so when the car came to a stop outside the restaurant, 
she was startled by the swiftness of the trip.
	Minako noticed Setsuna watching her.  Setsuna gave her a small 
smile, then turned to the girls in the back seat.
	“I have a very important job for you two,” Setsuna said to 
Hotaru and Chibi-usa.  She reached back and handed Hotaru some money.  
“Go next door and look for a calendar.  They should be out by now.  
Pick out something pleasant.  Also get a small notebook, like the kind 
Michiru-mama uses for the grocery list.”
	“Okay,” replied Hotaru.  She grabbed Chibi-usa’s hand and pulled 
her out of the car.
	When the girls were gone, Setsuna said to Minako, “I’m going to 
place the order.  You can wait here if you’d like.”
	Minako nodded and went back to staring out the window.  After a 
few minutes alone, she got out of the car and went across the street 
to stand at the railing overlooking the river.  Across the way, car 
lights ran in strings along the highway and across the bridge.  The 
water lapped gently against the wall below her.  It was easy for 
Minako to lose herself here.
	“It’s beautiful here at night, with all the lights,” said 
Setsuna as she came to stand beside the girl.
	“Mmmm… It’s peaceful, too.  A good place to come and think.”  
Minako’s mouth turned up into a grin.  “Assuming the sound of the 
water doesn’t put you to sleep in the middle of your thoughts.”
	“What is it you need to think about tonight?”
	Minako laughed.  “Like you’d even have to ask.”
	“I suppose not,” answered Setsuna.  “But I’d still like to hear 
your thoughts.”
	“Right now, my thoughts are making me feel like a very bad 
friend.”  Minako sighed.  “I knew something was up with those two.  I 
should have pushed them for answers instead of just letting it go.  We 
would have been ready for the attack, at least, if I had.”
	Setsuna watched as Minako tried to work out the night’s failures 
for herself.  She believed the girl would grasp part of it on her own.  
However, it seemed she would miss the larger aspect without a bit of 
direction.
	“I think we handled things well enough,” replied Setsuna.
	Minako brought her hand up to her throat and the yellowish 
bruises that were mostly covered by her jacket collar.  “It could have 
gone better,” she said.  “And if you three hadn’t been there, we would 
have had some real trouble.”
	“But we were there,” countered Setsuna.  “For the time being, we 
are all here.”
	Minako looked over at Setsuna, realizing she was including not 
only the Outers in her statement, but Chibi-usa as well.  “No offense, 
Setsuna,” began Minako carefully, “but telling me I have to replace 
Makoto, our best fighter, with Chibi-usa is… well…”  She thought for a 
moment and then pointed over to the bridge.  “It’s like telling me to 
pull out one of those reinforced steel support beams and replace it 
with a flag pole.  I don’t think she’s useless, not at all.  But she’s 
nowhere near the fighter Makoto is.”
	“What is there to fight?” asked Setsuna.  She turned to look out 
over the water.  “The world is, for the most part, at peace.  The 
universe is calm.  There are no new or even old enemies to defeat.  
Save the occasional stray youma, the threats we are meant to face are 
nonexistent.  For the time being, at least.”  She looked over to 
Minako as the girl tried to pull together the loose strings of what 
she was telling her.
	“So you’re saying we don’t need Makoto right now.”  Minako 
frowned and shook her head.  “No, it doesn’t sound right when I say it 
that way.  We need her.  But right now it isn’t necessary for her to 
be a Senshi.  The timing isn’t just a coincidence, is it?”
	Setsuna shook her head.  “There are no real coincidences in life.  
Fate plans everything out very carefully.”
	“Fate,” said Minako incredulously.  “You’re trying to tell me 
that it’s her fate to be 16, unmarried, and pregnant?”
	“How did you come to be here, Minako?”
	Minako blinked in confusion at the sudden change of subject.  
“Huh?”
	“How did you come to be here?” repeated Setsuna.  “What things 
in your life have brought you to where you are now?”
	Minako’s brow furrowed.  “A lot of things, I guess.  My parents, 
since they made a lot of decisions for me.  My friends and everything 
we’ve gone through together.  The people I knew back in England and 
all the battles I fought when it was just me and Artemis.”
	“You were in England without your parents for a while, weren’t 
you?” broke in Setsuna.
	“If you know all of this, why do you need me to tell you?”
	“Indulge me.  Please.”
	Minako sighed.  She turned back to the lights, leaning her arms 
against the railing.  “Yes, I lived with a friend for a few months 
after my father was transferred back to Japan.  There was someone 
there.  But it didn’t work out.  Turned out he was really in love with 
my friend.  It hurt so much when I found out.”
	“And now?”
	“Now I’m happy for them.  It still makes me a little sad,” 
admitted Minako.  “He was my first love, after all.  But if I hadn’t 
had my heart broken back then, I never would have left England.  If I 
hadn’t left, I wouldn’t have come here and met Rei.”  A smile came to 
Minako’s lips.  “It’s so much better with her, Setsuna, because this 
time I’m being loved back.”
	“Fate can seem cruel at times,” replied Setsuna, “but it is 
always fair.”
	Minako took a moment to think back on what she’d just said and 
tied it together with what Setsuna was telling her.  “I… I think I 
understand what you’re saying where it regards me.  My fate was to be 
here.”
	Setsuna nodded, “To fulfill your destiny.”
	“Right,” went on Minako.  “I would have stayed in England for 
Alan, no matter what Artemis might have said.  I had to leave, so I 
had to lose Alan.  And now I have Rei.  And that makes her what?  Some 
sort of consolation prize?”
	“No,” said Setsuna with a soft chuckle.  “I would think that Rei 
is more like the grand prize.”
	“Damn right she is,” answered Minako.  “But how does this apply 
to Makoto?”
	“Think for a moment, Minako.  Makoto, just like all of us, had a 
destiny to fulfill.  What is the one thing that could have kept her 
from that?”
	Minako’s eyes widened just a bit as she found her answer.  “Her 
parents,” she said quietly.  “Setsuna, that goes so far beyond cruel…”
	“It was their time,” said Setsuna calmly.  “That was decided 
before they were even born.  For Makoto, though, losing them – her 
only family – was a defining moment.  It made her who she is and it 
brought her here when she was needed.”
	“And what?  Fate decided it would be really fair and have her 
get used by some low-life jerk?” said Minako, her anger at whatever 
forces ran the universe showing.  “Better yet, let’s throw in a 
pregnancy just for laughs.  That isn’t fair, Setsuna, and we passed 
cruel a long time ago.”
	“It does seem that way, doesn’t it.”  Setsuna placed her hands 
in her jacket pockets and leaned her back against the railing.  “Maybe 
I’m wrong this time.”
	“Oh, no.”  Minako wagged a finger at the Time Senshi.  “You’re 
never wrong.  And you were going somewhere with this, no matter how 
much I may dislike it.  Now, let’s see…”  Minako took on a thoughtful 
expression and tapped her finger against her lips.  “She’s getting 
something to replace something that was taken from her.  That’s it, 
right?”
	Setsuna nodded.  “It’s what I believe, yes.”
	Minako sighed.  “She lost her family, so now she gets a new one.  
You know, I resent that Fate or whatever thinks we don’t count enough 
to be considered her family.  And there are better ways to go about it 
than this.”
	“We don’t always get a choice.  And as I said, it may be a 
matter of timing and opportunity.”  The corner of Setsuna’s mouth 
turned up into a crooked grin.  “There may also be a bit more to it 
than just the baby, if I’m interpreting what Small Lady said 
correctly.”
	Minako’s eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the older woman.  
“You’re not going to explain that are you?”
	“I’m afraid not.”
	“All right, then.  I have a question for you.”
	Setsuna looked down at the blonde, her brows arched in curiosity.
	Minako wore a grin as she said, “You said we’ve all given things 
up to our destinies.  So what about you?  Has Fate been fair to you?”
	Setsuna paused for a second.  Across the street, she noticed two 
little girls coming out of a shop and running up to the curb, waving.
	“Setsuna-mama,” called Hotaru, “we got the calendar.  It’s got 
all kinds of fairies and sprites on it.”
	Minako laughed quietly.  “I suppose that’s my answer,” she said 
when she saw Setsuna’s face soften at the sight of her daughter.
	“I suppose it is,” responded Setsuna.  “The three of them are 
more fairness than I ever expected to receive.”
	As she and Setsuna crossed the street, Minako said teasingly, 
“Any more great knowledge you’d like to impart to me tonight?”
	In a serious tone, Setsuna replied, “A good leader knows the 
strengths and weaknesses of those under her.  Rather than crushing 
them for each of their failures, she will find a way to make them 
stronger.”
	Minako stopped midstep in the center of the street.  “I was just 
kidding.”
	Setsuna graced her with an enigmatic smile, but kept walking.
	Minako found her feet and hurried to catch up to the other three 
as they headed into the restaurant.


*            *            *

	Makoto sat on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest.  
Lying on the covers in front of her were her henshin pen and 
communicator.  Her chin resting on her knees, she stared at the 
objects.
	A knock on her door pulled Makoto from her thoughts.  “It’s 
open,” she called.
	Minako opened the door enough to stick her head in the room.  
“So this is where you’re hiding,” she said with a smile.
	Makoto gestured to the blonde.  “Come in.”  As an afterthought 
she added, “And I’m not hiding.  My stomach’s bothering me, and I 
wanted to be able to sit for a few minutes without everyone staring at 
me.”
	Stopping just inside the doorway, Minako pointed her thumb over 
her shoulder.  “Do you want me to leave?”
	“No,” said Makoto quickly.  “No, I didn’t mean it like that.  
Actually, I’m glad you’re here.  Gives me a chance to apologize about 
ruining your party.  Rei planned everything out so carefully.”
	“Usagi even managed to keep it a secret,” said Minako as she 
went over and sat on the edge of the bed.
	“Yeah.”  Makoto sighed.  “This is all just one big mess.”
	“Yes, it is,” agreed Minako.  She put a hand on Makoto’s 
shoulder.  “But the party being messed up isn’t your fault.  Besides, 
it wasn’t really ruined, just changed a bit.  We’re having a pretty 
good time out there.”  Minako frowned prettily then.  “But there’s one 
thing missing.”
	“What’s that,” asked Makoto.
	“One of my best friends.”  Minako giggled.  “And this just 
happens to be her apartment, so you can understand how it’s a little 
weird without her there.”
	“She’s glad you’re having a good time.”  Makoto rested her chin 
back on her knees.  “But I’m not good company right now.  That sweet 
sauce we had with dinner was really good for the first few bites, but 
it isn’t sitting well.”
	“Then you’re probably not going to want that cake we saved for 
you.  It’s really good, by the way.”
	Makoto smiled.  “Thanks.  Maybe I’ll get it later.”
	Minako nodded.  Looking at the objects on the bed, she waved a 
hand over them.  “Whatcha been doing?”
	“Thinking,” answered Makoto.  “Remembering what it was like 
before.”
	“You’re still a Sailor Senshi, Mako-chan,” said Minako seriously.  
“This is only temporary.  Well, uh,” Minako faltered, a hand going 
behind her head, “the transformation thing is, anyway.  The baby’s 
kinda permanent.  Isn’t it?”
	“Yeah, it is,” answered Makoto.  “Luna wasn’t going to make me 
tell you if I wasn’t going to have it.”
	“Okay then.  You know we’re here for you and we’ll help however 
we can.  We’re your family, Mako-chan, Fate be damned.”  Minako 
grinned.  “This kid’s going to have so many aunts she isn’t going to 
know what to do with all of us.  There’s just one thing.”
	Makoto tilted her head to the side in a questioning gesture.
	“None of us know what we’re supposed to say to you,” continued 
Minako.  “Do we congratulate you, tell you how sorry we are that this 
happened, or just ignore it?  All you’ve done so far is apologize, and 
we don’t know how you really feel about all of it.”
	Makoto looked down and nudged her henshin pen with her toe.  
“I’m not sure how I feel.  That first morning when I found out was 
like tonight.  I just wanted it all to go away.  The rest of the time, 
I’ve been trying to ignore it.  But there was a moment today…”  A 
small smile came to Makoto’s lips.
	“Tell me,” said Minako when Makoto’s pause lasted too long for 
her.
	“I had a doctor’s appointment,” continued Makoto.  “I was 
sitting there and he was explaining where the baby’s at development 
wise.  Right now it’s just this tiny little M&M sized blob with a 
heartbeat.”  Makoto’s voice became very quiet as she said, “It’s this 
strange little life inside of me, and it’s my kid.  *My kid*.  And it 
was just like… *wow*.  I’m not supposed to want this, Minako.”
	“But you do, don’t you?”
	Makoto closed her eyes.  “I was starting to,” she admitted.
	“Then it’s okay.”
	Makoto opened her eyes to a smiling Minako.  ~Rei’s lucky,~ she 
thought, ~to have her and her smile all the time.~
	“You’re allowed to have this, Mako-chan,” went on Minako, “if 
it’s what you really want.  You don’t need anyone’s permission.  If 
you want it, though, then I’ll give it to you for all of us.”
	“Thank you.”
	“No problem.”  Minako stood and put a hand out for Makoto.  “Now 
come back out there with me.  There isn’t much party left, and I want 
you there for the rest of it.”
	“Give me a few more minutes, Minako,” replied Makoto.  “I wasn’t 
lying about the sweet sauce.”
	“All right.  But if you take too long, I’m coming back with 
reinforcements.”
	Makoto smiled up at the blonde.  “I promise not to be long.  And 
keep Usagi away from my ice cream.”
	“Not a problem,” said Minako, her grin getting bigger.  “Ami’s 
been threatening anyone who so much as looks at the carton of peanut 
butter.”
	Makoto couldn’t help but laugh at the image that conjured up.  
“That’s Ami for you.  My knight in shining armor.”


*            *            *

	She knew she didn’t have a chance when it was suggested, but 
she’d played along anyway.  It was just bad luck that the person she 
had to race against was Haruka.  Even with the handicap she’d been 
granted, Ami had still been lapped twice.  She didn’t mind, though.  
She had Usagi, who was standing at the sink drying the dishes as Ami 
washed, to sympathize with her.  And the whole idea of a Gran Turismo 
death match to determine who would be doing the clean-up had amused 
Makoto.
	“I wish you guys would let me help,” complained Makoto.  She sat 
at the breakfast counter, watching as her friends washed the dinner 
dishes.  “They’re my dishes, after all.”
	“You don’t have to,” said Ami as she rinsed off a soapy glass 
and handed it to Usagi to dry.  “Besides, that’s the last one.”
	“I’ve got one more for you,” said Haruka as she came into the 
kitchen.  In her arms was a drowsy and chocolate covered Hotaru.
	Haruka walked over to the sink and set Hotaru on the counter 
beside it.  “She always winds up wearing half her ice cream,” she said 
as she ran warm water over a paper towel.
	Hotaru was barely awake, but it was enough for her to turn her 
face away and fidget when Haruka brought the towel close to her.  “Uhn 
uhn… don’t wanna,” said the little girl unhappily.
	Haruka’s hand followed Hotaru’s mouth.  “Come on, Hotaru.  Just 
let me get you cleaned up.”
	“No.  Want Michiru-mama to give me a bath.”
	“I’m not giving you a bath,” sighed Haruka.  “I just want to get 
the chocolate off of you so you don’t get any on the car.”
	Hotaru made more unhappy noises as she turned her head to the 
other side, away from the wet towel.  “It hurts,” she whined as Haruka 
made another attempt to get the ice cream off her chin.
	“All right,” gave in Haruka, “I won’t wash your face.  Let me 
see your hands.”
	“Uhnnn,” was the sound Hotaru made as she put her hands behind 
her back.
	Usagi was having a hard time keeping herself from laughing as 
the great Tenoh Haruka was being totally frustrated by a tired and 
petulant eight-year-old.
	“Come on, Hotaru,” said Haruka as she tried to get to Hotaru’s 
hands, “stop acting like a baby.”
	That did it.  Hotaru’s lip trembled and tears filled her half 
closed eyes.  “I’m not a baby,” she said, her voice hitching.
	Haruka bowed her head in total defeat as the tears began to fall.  
“Hey, now, don’t cry.  I didn’t mean it,” she said calmly as she tried 
to pick Hotaru back up.
	The little girl wasn’t having any of it.  Her voice rose in 
pitch as she pushed Haruka’s hands away from her.
	Haruka stood where she was and crossed her arms over her chest, 
waiting.  It was roughly ten seconds before Hotaru, upset that Haruka 
hadn’t tried harder to get a hold of her, cried for her papa and put 
her arms out to be picked up.
	The crying had gotten the attention of everyone in the living 
room.  Chibi-usa raised her head from the spot she was curled up in on 
the couch beside Setsuna.  Her eyes blinked sleepily and her mouth 
hung open, not awake enough to ask a question.
	Setsuna placed a hand gently on Chibi-usa’s head.  “Go back to 
sleep, Small Lady.  There’s nothing to be concerned about.”
	The girl didn’t need anymore than that.  She was asleep again 
before her head hit the cushion.
	Rei and Minako looked up from the game they were playing.
	“That’s her tired cry,” explained Michiru for them.  “I think 
she passed her limit about half an hour ago.”
	Michiru stood and started towards the kitchen, limping because 
of her injured leg.  She made it three steps before Setsuna was at her 
side, offering support.  Michiru smiled her thanks to her friend.
	They entered the kitchen with Rei and Minako curious and close 
behind them.
	“She didn’t want to take a bath,” said Haruka as she swayed 
gently with Hotaru.
	The child’s cries were down to soft hiccups and her eyes were 
nearly closed.
	“Trying to bathe her in the sink again, Haruka,” teased Michiru 
lightly.  “I’d thought you had learned your lesson the last time.”
	“What happened?” asked Makoto.
	“It was the first time we had her,” said Haruka softly, so she 
wouldn’t disturb Hotaru.  “I had no idea soapy babies were so slippery.  
After that Michiru would always bathe her.  Even this time around, she 
wouldn’t let anyone else do it.”  Haruka grinned.  “She’s very 
possessive and jealous, you know.”
	Michiru made a noise that meant ‘you’re one to talk’ and limped 
over to the counter by the sink.  Leaning against it, she picked up 
the towel Haruka had tried to use earlier and brought it to Hotaru’s 
chin.  The sleeping child didn’t notice as her face and hands were 
wiped clean.
	As Michiru set Hotaru’s hand back against Haruka’s shoulder, she 
said, “She got your shirt.”
	“I have something you can put on that,” spoke up Makoto.  “So 
the stain doesn’t set.”
	Haruka nodded and handed Hotaru off to Setsuna.  She followed 
Makoto back to the bedroom.
	Makoto found a white, button-down shirt similar to the one 
Haruka was wearing.  A slight blush crept onto her cheeks and she 
quickly turned away as the racer casually took her shirt off to 
replace it with the one handed to her.
	Haruka grinned at the younger girl’s reaction.  “Thanks for the 
shirt.”
	“No problem,” answered Makoto.  She coughed lightly.  “You can 
put Hotaru in here if you guys want to stay a while longer,” she 
ventured.
	“Thanks,” answered Haruka, “but it’s late.  We should really be 
going.”
	Makoto peeked over her shoulder.  Seeing Haruka button the last 
of the buttons on the shirt, Makoto turned back to face her.  
“Everyone else is staying.  Ami was already going to.  Rei wants to 
stay with Minako because of what happened tonight, and the only way 
she can is if they both stay here.  And there’s no way Usagi can wake 
Chibi-usa up enough to get her home, so they’re stuck here.  We could 
put the kids in here together so they won’t be disturbed.”
	“A slumber party, huh,” said Haruka, amused at the idea.  “Why 
not?  But I get to tell Setsuna.”
	An odd image of Setsuna in frilly purple pajamas, cotton between 
her painted toes and Michiru doing odd things to her hair popped into 
Makoto’s mind.  She laughed lightly, wondering what Slumber Party 
Setsuna was really like.


	As it turned out, Slumber Party Setsuna was a lot like Rest of 
the Time Setsuna.  She claimed the couch as her bed while the rest of 
the girls found spots on the floor.
	Haruka and Usagi put Hotaru and Chibi-usa in Makoto’s bedroom.  
Usagi had to struggle with the pink haired little girl, all the while 
muttering about dead weight and too many sweets.  Her actions belied 
her words, however, as she brushed aside Chibi-usa’s bangs and kissed 
the girl’s forehead.
	As Makoto reached up in the hall closet, Haruka reached over her.  
The blonde pulled down the extra pillows Makoto was aiming for and 
handed them to her.  She then reached up to get the blankets.
	“I didn’t want her at first,” said Haruka quietly as she pulled 
the blankets off the top shelf.
	Makoto looked at the other girl, surprised by the admission.
	“Setsuna just showed up with her one day,” went on Haruka, “and 
I felt like all my choices were being taken from me.  I didn’t want to 
be responsible for another person that way.  I certainly didn’t want a 
child.”  She smirked.  “And I didn’t want to share Michiru.  It amazes 
me how much has changed in such a short period of time.  Now she’s my 
second favorite thing to wake up to.”
	“Hotaru’s lucky to have you guys,” said Makoto.
	“Some people wouldn’t agree with you,” replied Haruka.  “Anyway, 
what I’m trying to say is, if you need anything or want to talk, I 
understand some of what you’re going through.”
	“Thanks,” smiled Makoto.
	After the two youngest Senshi were tucked in, pillows and 
blankets were arranged on the floor, and everyone settled in for the 
night.  The TV was left on with the volume muted.
	Makoto chose to lie on the floor between Usagi and Ami.  For a 
time she lay on her back, watching the shadows play along the ceiling 
and listening to the even breathing and occasional snores of the 
people around her.  The sounds were comforting, lulling her into sleep.  
Then slight movement on her left caught her attention, and she turned 
her head to see Ami watching her through slitted eyes.
	“Having trouble sleeping?” asked Makoto as she turned on her 
side to face Ami, her left arm under her head.
	“Not really,” answered Ami around a yawn.
	“All right, then,” replied Makoto.  “I won’t keep you up.  Sweet 
dreams, Ami.”  Without even thinking about it, Makoto reached over and 
tucked a stray piece of hair behind Ami’s ear.  “I’ll see you in the 
morning,” she said as she turned onto her other side, away from the 
now wide eyes of the blue haired girl.
	Ami was never so grateful to be in a darkened room as she was at 
that moment.  She could feel the heat in her cheeks just as well as 
she could feel the lingering sensation of Makoto’s fingers against the 
side of her face.  It took several deep breaths for Ami to get her 
heart beat back to normal.  For a second there it had felt like it was 
going to pound right out of her chest.  Consequently, she was now wide 
awake and watching Makoto’s back as it rose and fell with the other 
girl’s breathing.
	~Count something,~ she thought, ~that always works.~  And 
because it was right in front of her, she began to count the number of 
Makoto’s breaths.
	As Makoto’s breathing became deeper and more even, Ami could 
feel herself becoming drowsy.  After a while, she gave up the counting 
and just watched her friend, the contentment in the act leading her 
into a peaceful sleep.

Onwards to Part 6


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