Keiko led Ami and the others over to the dining table, moving
with confidence through the crowd. Arisugawa's Locket was crowded as
usual, young ladies of various types mingling and talking animatedly all
around them. The dance floor was packed and a line-up waited patiently
up by the bar as three bartenders rushed to serve drinks.
"Wow," Chibi-Usa murmured softly, looking around her in awe.
Hotaru walked beside her, the taller black haired girl staying
protectively close. "I'll agree with that," she nodded.
"Don't worry," Setsuna smiled down at the two little girls, "the
Locket is neutral territory, there's never any fights or trouble here."
Ami smiled slightly, her eyes dark as she said, "It's quite the
place."
Setsuna was about to ask her something when they reached their
table. Ami held out a seat, and she settled down with a smile, "Thank
you."
"Sorry," Keiko smiled sheepishly, her brown braid flowing down
her back, "but we're really crowded tonight. It'll be a few moments
before someone can take your order." She bowed, "But you will be served
in a few moments." With that, she was off.
Hotaru looked around wide eyed, "There's a library, too?"
Ami smiled, "I noticed that, too. A good selection, though some
of it's not appropriate for younger readers."
"Ah," Hotaru nodded, "like Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama's
books."
A long beat of silence, then Setsuna looked down at Hotaru
thoughtfully. "What sort of books?" she asked curiously.
"The ones that they keep hidden in the back of their bedside
dresser," Hotaru explained to them innocently.
It looked like Setsuna was doing her best not to laugh aloud and
Ami was fighting to maintain her straight face. 'I'm glad Chibi-Usa
isn't jumping in,' Ami mused.
A tall violet haired woman in a Chinese dress reached them,
moving through the crowd with confidence. Shampoo beamed at them, the
busty young woman holding a order pad, "Ohayo! How can I serve you
tonight?"
"What's good for tonight?" Ami asked curiously.
Shampoo nearly laughed aloud, "Everything is good out of this
kitchen, Mizuno-san. Would you like our dinner special?"
Ami looked over at Setsuna and the others, weighing their
opinions. Setsuna nodded with a smile, both little girls chiming in
their agreement. "Okay," Ami turned back to Shampoo to say, "we'll go
with the special."
"I'll be right back," Shampoo bounced away, casually slapping
off random hands as they tried to feel her bottom.
Setsuna shook her head with a smile, "It looks like she's still
working part time here."
"Paying off damage from the last fight she got into with Ranma
and the others," an amused voice came out of the crowd. A tall, orange
haired woman stood beside the table, looking down at the four of them
thoughtfully.
"Ami," Setsuna said calmly, "I'd like you to meet Arisugawa
Juri- san."
"Ma'am," Ami looked up at her cautiously, feeling mildly
embassased, "I wanted to apologize for the incident the last time I was
here."
"It's been known to happen," Juri's voice was gently. She smiled
at Chibi-Usa and Hotaru, then looked back at Ami and Setsuna, "I thought
I should warn you that Rei and some of the others are here tonight."
Ami paled slightly, then she nodded grimly. "Thank you," Setsuna
said, giving Ami a moment to recover herself.
"Keiko told me you were coming," Juri said as she turned to walk
back towards the bar itself, "it was the least I could do."
"She had the oddest look on her face," Hotaru murmured softly.
"Juri's home reality is a different one than ours," Setsuna
chose her words carefully, "and in that timeline she and I are a
couple."
Ami recovered from that bombshell pretty fast, smiling at
Setsuna wryly, "Then Arisugawa has good taste."
Setsuna actually blushed slightly at that comment. Before she
could say anything in reply Shampoo returned to their table, stylishly
dropped off four fully loaded plates then took off with a cheerful
bounce.
"More than one Setsuna?" Hotaru asked Chibi-Usa softly.
"Puu tried to explain it to me once," Chini-Usa looked with awe
at her fully loaded plate, "about every event birthing an infinite
number of possible futures." She paused before adding sheepishly, "But I
fell asleep midway through."
"Infinite numbers of all of us," Hotaru mused. She tilted her
head to the side, "I'm not sure if I like that idea or not."
"Forgot to order drinks," Ami noted. She smiled, pushing back
from the table smoothly, "I get some sodas for the girls. Is there
anything you like?"
"Sake, actually," Setsuna frowned slightly, "but do you want me
to...?"
Ami smiled down at her wryly and said, "If something does
happen, you can always come rescue me again."
"I doubt you'll need rescue," Setsuna murmured, watching her
stride towards the bar.
Ami cut through the crowd casually, her black suit soaking up
the dim light. She recieved a few startled glances, as well as eyes
tending towards her scar. She ignored it, reaching the bar itself and
taking in the three women bouncing along the counter to serve the press
of women.
"What can I get you?" the black haired woman asked, the blue
haired twins busy.
"Two cans of soda, a bottle of sake and a cup as well as..." Ami
trailed off thoughtfully.
"If I remember right you take a shot of whiskey," the blue
haired woman appeared with a smile, taking in Ami's scared face. "Good
to see you, Mizuno-san," the woman smiled.
"Have we met?" Ami raised an eyebrow in question.
"Ryouko," the blue haired woman flipped her long mane of hair
back as she poured the whiskey, "we met once, but you may not remember."
"Ah, my binge," Ami winced.
"That wasn't a binge," the scarred twin chimed in, "my sister
drinks like that for fun." She smiled at Ami, "Minagi."
Ami was about to say something when hands grabbed her from
behind, squeezing tightly as a familiar voice cried out, "Ami! What are
you doing over here?" Ami turned quickly, watching the black haired
woman freeze in surprise as she took in her scarred face. Rei Hino took
a step backwards, "I'm sorry, I thought...."
"It's all right," Ami said, feeling an odd mix of tearing pain
and pleasure at seeing Rei standing before her, "I guess this sort of
thing happens here a lot."
Rei smiled back, seemingly sensing the emotions that Ami hid
beneath the calm surface. She looked Ami up and down and remarked, "The
suit looks good on you."
With that Rei collected her drink and left, soon meeting with a
Ami that looked much younger. The two hugged, a surprisingly intimate
gesture, and Ami found herself wondering at the paths not taken. With a
shake of her head she laid cash on the counter and collected the drinks,
carefully retracing her way back to their table.
Setsuna looked at Ami as she set the drtinks down and tyook her
seat. "Something happened, didn't it?" she asked, gently laying her hand
on Ami's.
"I saw Rei up at the bar," Ami said softly, eyes clenched shut
as she fought to retain her control. She was surprised to feel another
hand on her arm, and looked down with eyes swiming with tears at
Chibi-Usa.
"You told me it was all right to cry," Chibi-Usa said softly,
"that goes for you too, right?"
Setsuna reached out to pull Ami close to her gently, holding the
young woman as a few precious tears streaked her face. She stroked the
back of Ami's head, patted her back, and generally said all the things
you do when a friend is crying.
"You need to wipe your eyes," Setsuna said gently as Ami pulled
back, "your face is all red." Gently teasing, "You don't know how to cry
at all."
"Gee, thanks," Ami managed a smile, pulling a cloth from her
pocket.
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