"I don't know if that will be possible Usagi. I have a lot of studying to do this weekend." Ami explained. "But you have to come Ami. We're going to need you there to help us deal with Rei." Usagi reasoned. They were at the Crown Arcade and Usagi was trying to coordinate a slumber party for the weekend. She decided that would be the best way to tell Ami and Rei about Mina and Makoto's relationship. She fleetingly wondered if she should tell Minako and Makoto what she was doing first. "What is so important that you need me to deal with Rei?" Usagi shifted her eyes around awkwardly. She leaned over and whispered in Ami's ear. There was an eerie imagined silence before a bang. Usagi was stunned. For the first time since the blonde had known her, Ami had dropped her books. ***** "Minako! Makoto! Wait up!" Usagi yelled as she tried to catch up with them without tripping over her hair. She didn't succeed and fell on her face after the sidewalk jumped up and snagged her. The two girls waited patiently as Usagi made her way to them with a huge smile and a blush across her face. "I have great news you two. We're going to have a slumber party and that way everyone will be there and you can tell Rei." "Well that sounds like a good idea. We should think of how we're going to tell Ami," Minako said to the green eyed brunette. "Oh I already told her..." her sing songy voice was full of perky happiness and pride. "You what?!?" Makoto had paled considerably. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. They were going to break the news gently, gauge reactions, and not make any trouble. She was about to get irate with Usagi when she felt Minako's hand on her arm. Minako knew Usagi was just trying to help and by the other blonde's reaction she could tell that nothing devastating had happened. She turned a subtle smile and deep blue eyes on her love and said in a soothing voice, "Now Mooki, you remember what we discussed earlier about anger management? Usagi was just trying to help and she did do us a big favor. Now it won't be so worrisome trying to tell Ami since she already knows." Makoto just stared at Mina like she had grown three heads. Her face was flushed with embarrassment. That was Mina's private nickname for her. She looked at Usagi, whose eyes were big, and just wanted to be sucked down into a Negaverse hole right then. She gave Usagi a death look making it quite clear that if she spoke a word about her pet name there would be serious trouble. Before Usagi could register the shriveling look, Mina had asked her how Ami had received the news. "Well after she dropped her books and stood gaping for a good two minutes she turned back to her brainiac self and went through a... umm..." at this moment Usagi fished in her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. She scanned it for several seconds finding her place and read slowly "...logical process of de..de...duc..tion." Usagi grumbled something under her breath and shoved the paper into Makoto's hands. Makoto began reading the note. She didn't get to far before Mina started pulling on her sleeve. "What did she say? I want to read it too. Read it out loud." Minako whined. An evil grin spread its way across Makoto's face. "Now Koko, do you remember what we discussed earlier about self restraint and patience?" Makoto patted the blonde's head as she spoke. She never called Minako Koko before, but the revenge was too sweet to pass up. She received a hard smack on the arm for her pleasure as Usagi peeled into laughter. "OW, heh heh. I was only kidding." Minako just gave her an icy glare that said ~ read the damn note ~ "I concluded that your behavior of late has made sense now that Usagi has told me you are romantically involved. I admit I was shocked though. Have you discussed this with Luna? I was wondering what sort of effect this will have on the team. I for one think it will bring us closer together but I can see Luna having a different opinion on the matter. As for Rei, I wouldn't worry too much. I will see you tonight. There is much we should discuss. -Ami" "You know, you two sound like you should be on display at the zoo." Mina and Mako turned to Usagi with a bewildered look. "Mooki and Koko... they sound like names for a couple of monkeys." The two shot her a withering glare. Usagi started laughing and turned on her heel running from the two primates. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mina, Mako, and Ami were walking together to Rei's Temple. Usagi said she had to do some things at home first and would get there when she was finished. Mako thought it was a good idea to talk to Ami before they got to Rei's. "So that's pretty much the gist of it." Makoto finished the story with only a few hundred interruptions from Mina who was 'helping' her tell it. "Well I think it's great that you two are together. I really think it will bring the team closer. In fact on a technical level your awareness will be higher, as will your adrenaline. If you are able to control your respiration and keep your heart rate at a steady pace your fighting skills will be enhanced. Reaction time should be reduced also." "Yeah, sure Ami. You tell that to Luna if she harasses you about it. Poor Artemis is in bad shape from the toe lashing he got from her." "Tongue lashing." Makoto corrected automatically. Ami nodded and looked up at the stairs leading to the Shinto Shrine. "Well Rei shouldn't be too much of a problem. Do you want to discuss it with her now or later tonight?" "I think we'll wait till later. Maybe Usagi can divert some of her anger." Makoto answered as they began climbing the stairs. "Out of curiosity, why do you think Rei will take the news so well Ami?" Mina asked. ***** The five girls were all laying in their sleeping bags talking about everything under the moon. Ami was studying and vaguely wondering how the issue of Mina and Mako-chan was going to be presented. They had all been here for three hours already and soon everyone would be going to sleep. Usagi was busily chattering about Mamoru, the two love birds were trying not to make goo goo eyes at each other. They had put their sleeping bags across from each other. Rei was across from Usagi and making sure to point out any inconsistencies with her story. Things thus far had gone smoothly. "Anyway, Mamo-chan is being really great. He's taking off work Friday night for our double date so everything is a go you two. We can go shopping tomorrow and-" Usagi was cut off by Rei. Mina covered her mouth trying not to laugh at Usagi's latest slip. Makoto was stunned into silence again, and Ami just continued to read like nothing had happened. "What do you mean 'you two', if it's a double date then there can't be three couples there right?" Makoto and Usagi were getting ready to respond but Ami clarified things before they could untie their tongues. "Minako and Makoto are dating and they are going with each other on the double date with Usagi and Mamoru. They're going to tell him there." Rei's eyes narrowed considerable and she was about to start screeching when Ami intoned again with a bored voice, not even looking up from her book, "You shouldn't make a big deal about it Rei. Not with me here and what I know about you. They were just trying to find a way to break the news to you and this was it." Usagi was hugging the pillow to her chest knowing she made another big goof and didn't catch the implication Ami just made. Makoto turned her stunned stare to Mina not knowing what to think. Mina was about ready to burst out laughing at the look on Rei's face. Her eyes looked like they were ready to pop out of her head. Ami continued, smoothing over the scene, "So Mina-chan why don't you tell Rei your little love story so she doesn't feel so left out." This conveniently diverted the attention away from Rei and closed the topic on what she knew about Rei. It was quite clear it was not available for discussion at the moment. It was also quite clear that Ami had Rei under her thumb more that any of them had realized before. Minako told the tale complete with gestures and reenactment scenes. It was entertaining to the rest of the girls and slightly embarrassing to Makoto as she was portrayed as the walking dead in one part, and a baka head in the park, near the end. Mina made a point of embellishing how stealth she was about the necklace. She did leave out some of the parts when they were under the overpass which was what Makoto was hoping for. Usagi clapped at the end and was teary eyed. Ami had a smile on her face. Rei's chin was resting on her knee with her arms wrapped around her legs. "So what do you think?" Mina asked Rei. "I don't think it's fair..." She looked around at the rest of them, avoiding Ami's eyes. Makoto began to protest but Rei cut her off. "I don't think its fair that YOU get to go shopping tomorrow with out US!" With that she threw a pillow at Usagi's head knocking the blonde backwards. "HEY! WITCH!" Usagi hurled a pillow back at the raven haired villain. It was deflected and smashed into Makoto's face. Before she could retaliate Minako jumped up with her own pillow and screamed. "PILLOW FIGHT!!!" A war ensued around the room with pillows and stuffed animals flying through the air. Ami was eventually drawn into it by being targeted by all four girls at once. The night had turned out fine. Rei was truly happy for Mina and Makoto. Her loneliness had crept away after seeing them play together. It wasn't their fault that her own crush would never return her feelings. But at least Ami understood her. The blue haired genius had been sworn to secrecy when she found Rei's doujinshi pile, with little hearts marked all around every picture of a certain Moon Princess.
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