"You actually talked to them?" Luna perked up in the chair,
looking over at Ami with an expression of undisguised shock.
Ami smiled slightly. "You don't have to act so surprised, you
know," she scolded the little black cat gently.
Artemis tilted his white head to the side as the cat said, "I
can't quite blame Luna, Ami. You've certainly resisted any attempts
we've made to get you to do it."
"I got scolded by my mom," Ami admitted.
"Nicole's a wise woman," Artemis nodded sagely.
Sitting on the chair while gently petting Luna Chibi-Usa
smiled up at Ami happily, "I'm just glad that you did."
Ami checked her watch, "It's getting pretty close to your
bedtime." She got up to take the little pink haired girl's hand and
walk with her away from the living room, "Did you get all your
homework done? Did you need any help with it?"
A few moments later, a smiling Ami made her way back to the
cats. "Any problems?" Luna asked their blue haired mistress.
"Not really," Ami sighed, sitting down with a thump. "I think
if she could, she'd have me doing her homework for her. Still, her
grades are fine," she added.
Artemis looked over at her gravely, "What's this I hear from
Chibi- Usa, that the Outers asked you to be their leader?"
"I'm not certain if it's a good idea," Ami admitted, "but I
accepted." She looked up at the two guardian cats, "Do you think it
was a bad move?"
"No," Luna said firmly.
"Luna's right," Artemis backed her up, "you've shown your
ability to handle yourself in tense situations before, and you're wise
enough to make good decisions."
Ami didn't agree or disagree with them, gazing off into the
distance. "I'm sorry I didn't bring you two along," she said to them
instead, "it was a spur of the moment decision to go inside. Next
time, I'll bring you along."
Ami got out of her chair, grabbing at her jacket and keys from
a nearby table. Luna jumped down from her seat, "Do you want me to..."
"No," Ami shook her head, "I won't be gone much more than an
hour." Not waiting for an answer she slipped out the door, locking it
behind her with a loud click.
Artemis sighed softly, "Do you think she's getting any
better?"
"Ami hasn't woken up crying for the last few weeks," Luna
answered him softly. A little pause, "Or screaming, either."
"I wish there was something more we could do for her," Artemis
said softly, "it's never easy, being the only survivor."
Ami left the building, walking the streets silently. The
apartment building wasn't far away from where she was going, though
she'd never admit that it might have been a reason she decided to rent
a suite there.
The heavy metal gates were locked up for the night, but that
didn't slow her down much. Ami put her and on the fence, carefully
tightened her grip on the fence wire, and with a astonishing show of
strength clambered up the wire mesh. She dropped down to the mesh and
followed the familiar path, coming to a stop a few moments later.
"Hello, Usagi," Ami murmured softly, standing there by the
marble headstone.
The five graves were all around the city, the families having
made different decisions. Ami herself had found herself with the
responsibility of taking care of Makoto's arrangements, and she had
been buried here in this cemetery, too. She liked to think Makoto
would have approved of guarding over Usagi, even after...
Ami wiped a few glittering tears from her cheeks, banishing
them with a wave of her hand. She remembered Usagi, that long blonde
hair, the bright blue eyes and her gentle kindness. Always trying to
bring Ami out of her shell, Usagi gently scolding her when she studied
too hard and reminding her to play.
"I miss you," Ami said softly. A deep breath, "I'm taking care
of Chibi-Usa, and she's made a new friend." She felt a pang,
remembering how Usagi had encouraged her to make friends, too. "I've
been hiding behind my books again," Ami murmured.
A sound of footsteps, and a soft gasp. Ami looked up in
surprise, seeing a brown haired woman standing there, looking at her
in equal shock. It took Ami a moment to register who it was before
blurting, "Mrs. Tsukino."
Usagi's mother took a half step forward and said
questioningly, "Ami?"
'She hasn't seen me dressed in the boy's uniform before,' Ami
reminded herself. She gave a half bow, "Yes, ma'am, it's me. I'll go,
leave you to pay your respects in peace."
"Wait, please," the older woman called out to her before Ami
could take more than a few steps down the path.
Ami tensed, but froze. She recalled visiting the Tsukino home
after the service, the dark cloud that had hung over the place. Mr.
Tsukino had borne up in stony silence, while poor Sammi had been in
numb shock. But Mrs. Tsukino, she was in a cold rage. Harsh, bitter
words to the sole survivor, and Ami just stood there and took it,
knowing there was nothing she could say.
A gentle hand on the shoulder, and Mrs. Tsukino softly said,
"I'm so sorry."
"No more than I am," Ami answered almost instantly.
"I know, Ami," Mrs. Tsukino said. Ami turned to look into
those dark eyes as she said, "I know about Usagi being Sailor Moon,
and I know about you, Sailor Mercury."
"How did.." Ami started to say, then she stopped herself. Her
own mother had been able to deduce it, so there was no reason that
Usagi's mother couldn't, too. "How long have you known?" she softly
asked instead.
"A few years," Mrs. Tsukino looked down at the gravestone, and
again Ami noticed the crescent moon engraved there. She had wondered
why they had chosen it, but know she knew. The older woman softly
asked, "Can you tell me what happened?"
They spoke softly under the moonlight, Ami quietly relating
the battle against Fiore. Oddly, it was easier to talk about, the
words coming out smoothly. She didn't make her own actions heroic,
instead focusing on the aftermath, the visitations of the spirits. She
also edited any mention of Chibi-Usa, unsure of how much the older
woman recalled her.
"You avenged her," Mrs. Tsukino said quietly, "that means a
great deal to me." She rubbed her temples as if her head pained her,
"Is that little pink haired girl all right?"
"She's fine," Ami said gently.
"She was Usagi's daughter, wasn't she," Mrs. Tsukino murmured,
not really expecting an answer. She looked up at Ami, "Why did she
leave us like that?"
Assuming she was talking about Chibi-Usa Ami said, "The lives
we lead as Senshi are very dangerous, and we can't always protect
those around us."
"Maybe," the older woman acknowledged the point before
continuing, "but you mustn't cut yourself off from people, either."
Ami smiled sadly, "That almost sounds like something Usagi
would have said to me."
"Good," Mrs. Tsukino said quietly. She managed a weak smile,
"It may take some time, but I would be honored to count you as a
friend of my family again."
"I'd be honored," Ami smiled.
They talked for a little longer, both paying their respects
before Ami escorted the older woman out of the graveyard. Oddly, one
of the side gates was left unlocked, Mrs. Tsukino having gained
entrance through there.
Ami flagged down a taxi, paying the driver and ordering him,
"Escort her to her door."
"You don't need to..." Mrs. Tsukino looked surprised.
Ami shrugged, "It makes me feel better, too." She waved
farewell to her, watching the taxi disappear around a curve. Curiously
Ami felt better, as if talking to Usagi's mother had lightened her own
burden, somehow. She strode back to her apartment, finally ready for
bed.
Time passed by the metal gate to the graveyard, then an odd
disturbance appeared in the air beside it. Sailor Pluto stepped out of
the timestream, a wave of her staff closing the rift. She relocked the
heavy gate the way it was supposed to be, then with a single thought
returned the key to it's proper place and time.
"I just hope Ami doesn't discover I meddled," Sailor Pluto
sighed.
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