Chapter Text
Night had descended by the time Rei and Usagi had left the dance studio, having waited to ensure Akane Gushiken was alright to travel home. Now, the two of them traversed the lonely street together, the city’s neon lights somehow feeling distant and dimmer tonight.
“I hope Miss Gushiken will be okay,” pondered Usagi. “Becoming a Phage doesn’t seem very comfortable.”
“Don’t underestimate the T.A. Academy nuns, Usagi,” cautioned Rei. “They’re tougher than you might think, and Sister Angela, I mean, ‘Miss Gushiken,’ more than most.”
Usagi let out a slight huff. “I kind of got that from the way she was bullying Seiya to dance better. Although…” Usagi’s voice lowered, almost as if she was talking more to herself, “he was really fantastic today.”
“Yep. That’s the T.A. Academy way, alright, “ Rei said, her tone light but nevertheless under-laced with pride. “It’s how we got such a prestigious reputation.”
Usagi stopped walking. Rei got a few steps ahead before noticing Usagi’s absence from her side.
Usagi fixed Rei with a pensive look, one that did not go unnoticed by the shrine maiden as she turned around to face the blonde bun-head.
Slowly, realisation dawned upon Usagi. Rei’s expression changed from confused annoyance, to a small, slightly smug (but not entirely unkind) smile.
“Well…” Usagi began “...I don’t think she needed to be so mean…”
She braced herself for an inevitable, fiery retort from Rei. To her surprise however, the raven-haired girl simply shrugged.
“It takes a little pressure, a little heat , to forge a star…Know what I mean?”
Usagi did indeed know. She had pretty much always known. But it had not been until today that she had fully understood .
“By the way,” Rei said as she neatly turned on her heel and resumed walking, “don’t you have a make-up test to study for…”
A small yet persistent beeping noise cut through the serene silence of the chamber, putting a definitive end to Mars’ meditation session. With a grumble, the fire Senshi got up, crossed the room and hit a button on the crystalline machine.
At her touch, the bleeping ceased and a holographic feed started up, displaying a somewhat haggard, yet beautiful, woman with long golden pig tails that flowed from twin hair buns crowning her head.
“What is it, bun-head?”
“Hey! Is that any way to address me?”
Mars rolled her eyes. “Sorry. What is it, your royal Highness Queen Bun-head?”
Neo-Queen Serenity, ruler of Crystal Tokyo and the Solar System itself, shot her tongue out.
Sailor Mars, anointed royal bodyguard and grand Shinto priestess of planet Mars, shot back in similar fashion.
Once the tongue-o-war was over, Serenity composed herself and pressed on. “I was calling to see if you and Endymion wanted to teleport over here for dinner. I’m making curry.” Serenity’s arm made a circular motion, drawing Mars’ attention to the holographic pot in front of the Queen.
“Alright, I’ll tell Endymion once he finishes his bath.”
Serenity tilted her head slightly. At the motion, a teeny, tiny part of Mars grew concerned that she’d said the wrong thing.
“Endymion usually washes up later?”
That minuscule iota of concern swiftly dissipated. “Serenity, how many times do I have to tell you about the time difference between Earth and Mars?”
Serenity pouted. “About the same number of times I’ve had to explain why Endymion has to stay on the planet during the royal tour?”
Mars rolled her eyes again. “Yes, yes, ‘political appearances’, ” she said with disdain.
“It’s not like I’m happy about it.”
Mars held up a silencing hand. “Please, this is my meditation room, I’d rather not talk about how ‘lonely’ you are at night.” Especially since she was meditating to deal with Yuichiro’s absence, the big lug having undertaken a training weekend with her Grandfather.
Serenity tutted. “I meant because he could help me out over here. With him gone, I’ve had to cut back my schedule big time. I only did like ten royal visits today and maybe seven speeches before the Cocoon ambassadors arrived.”
Mars cocked an eyebrow. “So you opted to cook yourself to compensate for such a relaxing day?”
“No,” Serenity replied simply. “It’s Small Lady’s favourite. And with her leaving for training next week, I thought I should put the effort in to make something sp…spec…” Serenity began to sniffle and dabbed at her eyes.
“Oh, for goodness sake,” cried Mars. “She’s time travelling . You’ll have to wait like, one second before she pops back home.”
“I-I-I kn-kn-know that,” blubbered Serenity, “B-b-bu-but I also know when she gets back she’ll have g-g-gr-grown up so much and-and-and…I’ll have missed it!”
Mars closed her eyes and let out a low groan. “ But you won’t have missed it because you’ve already seen her grow up back in the 20th century! ”
Serenity sniffled again, then stared at Mars, her brow furrowing for a moment. “...Oh yeah…I didn’t think of that?”
Neither for the first, nor the last time in their millennia-long friendship, Sailor Mars’ hand flew to her face.
“Still,” Serenity pressed on, her tone now cheerful once more, “Even for that one little second, I’ll miss my little girl sooooooo mu-”
“Mama! Can you show me how to tie this kimono again?”
A little girl with bubblegum pink hair entered the projection, an unmade pink kimono hanging from her body.
Like lightning, Serenity’s demeanour changed. Adopting a stern look, she turned around, leant forwards, placed one hand on her hip and with the other pointed a damning finger in the little girl’s face.
“I already showed you five times this week! And besides, why’re you even wearing it to dinner, anyway? Do you want to look like a mess when you go into the past?”
“It’ll be clean by then!” protested the little girl.
“How? Because I’m not going to wash it and neither is Luna, Aunt Ami, or any of the palace staff. Go take it off now, eat your dinner and then practise putting it on yourself .”
The little Princess scowled at her mother before turning around and stomping out of the projection.
“Pretty harsh, don’t you think?” said Mars as Serenity faced frontwards once again.
Serenity shrugged. “It takes a little heat to forge a star. I know that from first hand experience.”
Across planets, two old friends smiled at one another, their mutual affection needing no voice.