Continuing Tales

The Ties that Bind

A Sailor Moon Story
by Firefly-shy

Part 16 of 30

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The Ties that Bind

Haruka, or Sailor Uranus, wiped the sweat out of her eyes, and smiled. It wasn't a very sweet smile, or a very cheerful one - and if the humanoid being opposite her hadn't had a grin to match, the imposing senshi's smile would have made her tuck tail and run.

"These guardians are a match for the gods," Lupia panted to herself.

"Is that all you've got!" Uranus crowed, ignoring the long scratch down one arm, she hefted her sword again.

In answer Lupia gathered the air into her lungs for one long howl. A flock of crows were startled at the sound and fled the power-line pole they'd been watching the battle from, cawing.

Lupia paused for a moment, watching them. Uranus, readying herself for the coming attack, watched in a brief moment of reflection the expression that crossed her opponent's face as the Wolf watched the crows. It was look of sorrow, bitterness...and then, a strange acceptance. Not generally given to random acts of empathy, Uranus only noted it for it's oddness and wondered if it would give her any clue as to her enemy's weaknesses. Not that she needed them - the Wolf was nearly spent.

Neptune, close by with Saturn in the safe embrace of her arms and mirror, noticed the pause. She strained to hear the murmured words of the Wolf as she gathered herself, but they were too low to understand.

Lupia launched herself at Uranus with a snarl, Uranus waited til the last moment - Neptune gasped, half jumped out of hiding.

There was a thud, and Uranus stood up.

Her arm to the elbow was stained with blood, as was her sword. The Wolf lay on the ground, mouth open, panting hard. As they watched her form shimmered and turned into real wolf - huge and monstrous - lying on it's side and bleeding profusely. The gold eyes grew dimmer.

"Immortal, hm?" Uranus muttered, cautiously approaching the wolf.

Neptune had already rushed out of hiding - she had attacked the wolf first when Lupia cornered them outside the Aquarium. Uranus had protected Saturn, while Neptune attacked - and when she tired they switched places. It was a very effective strategy and fatal for the Wolf.

"Is she -?"

"I don't think so," Uranus answered, squinting down, "But she won't be coming after any more kids for a long time."

"Can you hear me?"

Lupia rolled her yellow eyes in Neptune's direction, but didn't answer. Her breathing grew shallower.

"Where is your leader? Are there others?"

The Wolf didn't reply, but merely re-focused her eyes on the cawing crows who were cautiously returning to the scene of the battle.

"Hey!"

Uranus kicked at the Wolf's tail with her booted foot.

"You lost. Answer our questions and we'll help you. Don't and you die right now."

"Can we kill her?" Neptune wondered.

"We can be killed, immortal destiny or not," Uranus replied, "Only one way to find out..."

"Wait."

Neptune's gentle hand on her arm stopped her sword from descending on the Wolf's neck.

"If you can understand me, beast," she said, her silver voice dulcet and low, "Give me a sign - are there others like you?"

After a long moment, while she continued to watch the crows, Lupia's eyes blinked once.

"How many?"

Lupia didn't seem to have the energy to answer this, even with a blink - her eyes were fixed on the crows that were growing in number behind Uranus and Neptune.

"How many of you bastards are there!" Uranus slammed a fist on the ground by Lupia's head, but the Wolf's eyes closed and her head lolled to one side.

"Rats."

Neptune and Uranus straightened, and noticed the crows at last.

They're already here.

The whisper was so faint they didn't hear it - but they didn't need to - they could hear Hotaru's panicked scream and they could see the crows massing around her hiding place by the jungle gym.

"Damn it!" Uranus roared.

Neptune had no breath to waste on curses - an instinct more powerful and complicated than even a mother's for her child had kicked in. She flew faster than the wind to reach the bushes, but even as she threw herself over, Hotaru was gone.

The crows flapped and scattered, there were scuffle marks on the ground - but no sign of Hotaru anywhere.

"Hotaru!" Neptune screamed.

"Hotaru!"

Her's and Uranus' shouts reverberated over the park and playground - but there was no answer.

"Where is she!"

Neptune frantically scrambled through the park - viciously hacking through all of the bushes - building her panic to such a frenzy that she began powering up to blast the topiary into outer space (and probably the entire country of France along with it). Strong arms around her own, hugging her in tight, held her back.

"Hold on," Haruka murmured, "Calm down..."

She continued to hold Neptune until the other woman's body relaxed its rigidity.

"We'll find her, Michiru, but you have to calm down."

Haruka smoothed her hair.

"I know. It's ok."

Michiru sucked in a shaky breath.

"I will bury them in the depths of the ocean."

"We sure will." Haruka promised, grimly, "But first -"

"I think we'd better call Setsuna."


"Mina!"

Ami blinked in surprise to see her friend, bundled up in a stylish coat, standing outside the entrance to the University.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to pick you up for lunch - and for girl time."

Ami was surprised to hear the 'girl time' code used - though not as surprised as she would have been a month ago.

"How long will girl time last?" she asked, careful to seem casual as the undergrads waffled back and forth through the arches on their way to class and lunch. A group of sorority girls were giggling behind her at some freshman boy showing off on the lawn.

Mina shook her hair over her shoulder and smiled. Several men, Ami noticed, stopped what they were doing to stare.

I'm glad I'm not like that...she reflected, not for the first time. Physical attractiveness was important to most people (herself included) but she was very happy that any claims to beauty she possessed were of the more modest kind than Mina's. She would never have been comfortable with the attention. Mina even seemed to have a problem with it some days.

"I think it won't take longer than a lunch break. You have an hour, right?"

Ami nodded.

They were turning to go when Mina paused, seeing someone she knew over Ami's shoulder. She waved, and Ami turned to look.

About ten feet away, Zoe was talking with a group of girls. He broke away from them to wave at the two of them, then turned back to the girls.

Mina noted this, and gave Ami a surprised glance.

"Zoe's acting awfully...distant."

"Yes."

Mina debated letting the question go (Ami could see her mental process on her face) then decided to be nosy anyway.

"Did you have a fight?"

"No, I've barely spoken to him."

"Really?"

"I think he's realized that this distance is proper."

"Really."

Mina's look implied that she didn't share Ami's opinion in the least.

"He sure is friendly with the other freshmen. 'Specially the girls."

Ami couldn't help coloring a little.

"The 'other' freshmen?" she repeated, stopping suddenly. Mina stopped a little after her and had to back track.

"Yeah, the girls in his class. I thought he was smarter than the average freshman since he picked you - but it looks like he's not quite as perceptive as I thought."

"His class?"

Mina turned to get a good look at Zoe. He was laughing at something one of the girls had said to him - amused. But she thought his smile looked a little stiff. A new theory entered her mind.

"How...how old is Zoe?" Ami asked, her voice sounding odd even to her own ears.

"Huh? Oh. I think he's nineteen."

Ami dropped her books onto the sidewalk.

"Whoa, Ami-chan - are you alright?"

Mina bent to pick up the books but straightened when she noticed that Ami hadn't moved but was instead staring ahead with a shocked expression on her face.

"Zoe is...nineteen?" she repeated, her voice barely audible.

"Yeah. Kon - I mean, uh, - the guys said that Zoe's birthday is in February. I think it's close to Valentine's Day - Ami, what in the world is wrong with you?"

Mina took her friend by the shoulders and peered into her paler than usual face.

"Mina, I'm a Junior."

"Yes, I know."

Ami shook her head.

"Mina, I'm a Junior."

"Yeah, you skipped a year and I took a year off - what's the big deal? You're twenty just like the rest of us. Are you getting a big head at last, Mizuno?"

She'd meant this to be a joke, but Ami didn't seem inclined to laugh. She turned her large, tragic eyes to Mina's face and sucked in a breath.

"Mina," she said, very slowly and deliberately, as if delivering a final judgment, "He's...nineteen."

Mina stared at Ami - blinked her eyes once, twice, three times... trying to work it out - and then - bang! Light, pure and lucid, shone on her golden head. Despite her best efforts - the giggles escaped.

"Is that it! Oh, Ami- I thought it was something serious!"

"It is serious!" Ami all but squeaked in mortification, her face turning bright red. She tried to hide it by lurching to recover her books - but she kept dropping them the moment she piled them up. Wait - why was it serious? She didn't know why it was serious that Zoe was younger than her (it wasn't as though they were in a current relationship, whatever the past had been -NOT that it would matter anyway!) - but...it just was! And there were freshmen girls around him! Girls younger than her!

I'm NOT thinking about this! - she tried to tell herself and dropped the books again.

Mina continued to laugh - so hard she couldn't be bothered to help - she could barely be bothered to breathe.

"I'm - sorry -" she wheezed, "I - thought - you - knew!"

"I didn't! I mean - I didn't think! I -"

"Oh, Ami - you of all people - you really haven't been paying attention, have you?"

"I - oh - fiddle!"

Ami continued to fumble with the books while Mina laughed mercilessly above her, until a slender hand brushed her's away and piled the books up for her.

"Here you go, you seem to be having some trouble."

"Thank you -"

Ami gave a little muffled shriek and jumped away from Zoe, kneeling in front of her with her books in his hand. He looked very confused and a little miffed at her reaction.

Mina collapsed into helpless giggles again and was absolutely no help.

"Uh...is everything alright?" He eyed Mina as though she might be mentally unstable (not an incorrect hypothesis, Ami mused).

"Yes."

"Mina - are you..." he trailed off, watching in confusion as Mina wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'm fine -" she panted, "Fine."

"OK...well, then - see you around."

He looked from Ami (who was gazing at him as if he'd grown an extra head) to Mina who couldn't stop laughing for some reason, and shook his head.

"Madness is a scary thing," he murmured to himself. Maybe I should let Kon know his girlfriend is missing a few marbles...he'd probably kill me, though...for implying that he actually likes her as a girlfriend...the 'crazy' thing would be an after thought...

He took another backward glance at Mina, holding her side, while Ami made her breathe deeply to keep from passing out.

Ami finally got Mina and her giggles under control.

"I'm sorry, Ames. I scared your boy toy away."

Ami flinched.

"My what?"

"Oh," Mina sighed, "This is going to be fun. Let's go, Mrs. Robinson."

"What nonsense are you spouting, Minako?" Ami demanded.

"Nothing, nothing."

Wait til I tell Makoto and Usa-chan...


Konnor sneezed. As did Makoto and Usagi, in order.

"Don't tell me you're all coming down with something," Mamoru began.

They were sitting around the back corner booth of Motoki's newly re-built shop - Makoto, Usagi, and Rei (wearing a mask because of her cold), were squished on one side while Konnor, Mamoru and the two uninvited guests - Nolan and Jade - were similarly squished into the other side. Artemis and Luna were not present, having gone to look for Mina and Ami.

"You know we won't have anywhere for them to sit when they get here."

All eyes turned to Nolan and Jade.

Nolan looked slightly repentant. But only slightly.

"I had to drive Rei here," Jade offered in self-defense, ignoring the violet eyes glaring at him over the face mask.

"She's still sick."

"I'm not that sick."

The others watched them engage in a brief staring contest. It was a draw.

"I think that it's clear what's happening here -," Konnor began, in his low, methodical voice.

"The battle between the sexes has begun!" An announcing Angel proclaimed from the end of the table.

"And that's not what I was going to say," he finished, turning to gaze at Mina.

Ami appeared embarrassed and Mina looked pleased with herself (which was to say - normal).

"What's this?" She chimed, squeezing her way into the overcrowded booth to the consternation of the other girls and the near upset of the chocolate shakes.

"This is you being rude," Rei informed her, with a sharp jab at the ribs.

"Rei-chan, the ninja mask isn't a good look for you."

"Stuff it."

"I'm glad you're here. Did you see Artemis on your way?" Mamoru asked.

"No. Why?"

"We sent him to look for you two."

"Oh," Mina blushed slightly, "Sorry. We were kind of busy."

Ami blushed too, awkwardly hovering in deciding where she should sit. Finally she shrugged and squeezed in next to Mina. That arrangement was little short of ridiculous, but the men neglected to comment.

"Well, you're here now," Usa put in, happily, despite being thrust practically onto Makoto's lap.

"What are you two doing here?" Mina asked, pointing at Jade and Nolan.

"I thought we agreed that only K - only Sterling-san would be at our meetings."

"Normally we would respect that, Aino-san - but Jade had to drive Hino-san, because she is apparently too ill to take the bus -"

"Look at how pale she is!" Jade declared.

"I'm always this pale." Rei informed him.

"It's hard to tell, with the mask on."

"And," Konnor continued, unperturbed, "Nolan hasn't yet explained his presence."

Everyone turned expectant eyes on Nolan.

"Well," he coughed, "Mako and I -"

'Mako' - the four girls telegraphed to each other, then with raised eyebrows they looked as one at Makoto. She turned a little pink under their scrutiny.

"- were in the park and I offered to walk with her. Just in case."

"In case she got lost on her way to the ice-cream parlor?" Jade suggested.

"In case there was another attack."

"Because Kino-san is a defenseless damsel."

"Not exactly -"

Makoto snorted.

"I'll say!"

Nolan's frown deepened. His eyes locked with Makoto's and they forgot the others entirely.

"You are an undeniably gifted fighter, but you are a lady and -"

"A lady?" Makoto repeated, coloring, "That's sweet, but -"

"And you might get into trouble with an enemy running around doing goodness knows what - "

"I can look after myself, Nolan," she interrupted, with a half-serious, half-joking bravado, "I mean, I certainly know how to fight."

"Yes, you do - to a certain extent -"

"To a 'certain extent'? What the hell does that mean?"

"I mean that even you have weaknesses, and you aren't exactly at the level of ability that Jup - that you possessed in the past -"

"Level of ability?" Makoto jumped out of her seat, throwing Usagi onto Rei. Neither she nor Nolan noticed they had raised their voices, or that they were leaning over the table as though about to break into a duel.

"I think this is getting out of hand," Konnor began.

"Shh!" Mina hissed at him, "It's just getting interesting."

"I'll show you level of ability - tough guy!"

"Mako-chan," Nolan grumbled, "You are getting upset over nothing - and you ought to curb that pride a little."

"My pride!"

"Is it so wrong that I want to protect the woman I love!"

"I can protect myself! And you! And probably better than you can do either!"

"I happen to be the best swordsman that ever lived."

"Ok, now that's definitely not true," Jade broke in with a laugh, "We all know who beat you yesterday."

Nolan paused, mouth open, glaring at Makoto. They both stopped and everyone turned from the couple to Jade.

"Just who were you fighting with yesterday, Nolan?"

Makoto's eyes narrowed.

"'Nolan'?" Usa repeated in a low voice to Mina - they were exchanging notes across Rei's lap.

"I think they've been hiding something from us," Mina mouthed back.

Usagi nodded.

"We should definitely find out what it is," Mina continued, using hand gestures this time.

Usagi nodded harder.

Rei rolled her eyes.

"Nobody."

Nolan thumped back down into the seat with the air of a sullen five year old - it was hard for Makoto to hold onto her anger long enough to keep a straight face.

"It was a private matter."

"A private matter?" Makoto repeated, crossing her arms, "I don't think so. No hiding things from your girlfriend, mister. Rule number one of dating Mako-chan."

"I didn't know there were rules like that," Jade put in, thoroughly enjoying the fact that the two combatants hadn't yet realized they weren't alone.

"Are there more?"

Makoto and Nolan realized the others' presence at about the same moment; and that any vestige of secrecy their new relationship might have enjoyed was permanently obliterated. As a consequence Makoto turned bright red and sank back into her place beside Usagi. All eyes were on her and Nolan - and one pair of them were a bit disgruntled at the interruption.

"So, if you two are quite finished," Konnor broke in, calmly, "I think I'd like to begin the meeting."

Makoto nodded and turned away from the rest in utter embarrassment. Nolan scowled at his chocolate parfait.

"Too bad," Jade muttered to Mamoru (who was having a hard time deciding whether he ought to laugh, or support Konnor's authority).

"I really wanted to know what the other rules are..."

"I'll give you a basic list later," Mamoru promised. Jade slapped hands with him under the table; Konnor pretended not to notice this.

"As I was discussing with Tsukino-san and Mamoru -" he began.

"I really wish you'd call me 'Usagi'..."

"Usagi-san and Mamoru," Kon continued, "the enemy has made no recent demands and there has been no recent activity. This leads me to believe that all efforts are being concentrated on the capture of Tomoe-san. Now, I confess that I don't know much about the 'Outer' Senshi - what are the dangers inherent should the enemy succeed and how can we circumvent this crisis?"

Mina, Usagi and Makoto blinked at Konnor. Ami raised her hand.

"Mizuno-san, you don't have to raise you hand."

Ami blushed and jerked her hand down.

"Habit," she murmured, "Um...Hotaru is our youngest member, ahem, besides Makoto -"

"And Zoe," Mina put in.

Ami, to the astonishment of everyone else, colored so brightly she had to take a sip of Usagi's shake to cool herself. Mina giggled.

"I'll tell you later," she mouthed to Makoto, still across Rei.

Ami bravely continued, "But though Hotaru is only eight years old, she is actually quite powerful. Perhaps the most powerful of all of us besides Setsuna and Usagi."

"I see. So if the enemy were to capture her, it would be grave indeed."

"Basically she has the power to destroy the world," Mina added, cheerfully, "She hasn't really awakened yet - and we don't want that to happen - but if the enemy forces her to use her powers...well...you get the idea."

The men nodded, solemnly.

"Is she sufficiently guarded by only two other Senshi?"

"Well they aren't just anyone," Makoto answered with a short laugh.

"Haruka and Michiru are Hotaru's parents," Rei explained, her voice hoarse behind the mask, "They are also the best fighters of all of us. Makoto included."

They expected Makoto to protest, but to the girls' surprise, she shrugged.

"Haruka's pretty awesome," she admitted, "But someday I'm gonna beat her."

Usagi and Mina chuckled.

"She'd probably disagree with you there."

The others turned sharply at the low voice.

Setsuna stood beside the table.

"How does she do that?" Usagi wondered aloud to no one.

Setsuna smiled, but didn't offer to explain her miraculous appearance.

Instead she gave Jade and Nolan a look and the two of them shot up out of the booth, leaning against the wall so that she could sit beside Mamoru.

"I've been doing some research," she began without preamble, "into the presence of the enemy, and also into the Silver Millennium."

"You've found something?" Mamoru asked.

"I think so. It appears that what your Mother," she looked meaningfully at Usagi, "discovered about other doors, realms and guardians is more complicated that I thought. I've spoken to the familiar of the Guardian closest to the Time Gate, and from what it told me -"

"Wait, wait, wait," Mina interrupted before Usagi could, "familiar?"

"A familiar - it's a helper. Most guardians have one."

"But you don't?"

"I said most. Some jobs can only be done by one person - I have no need for a familiar - otherwise I would have one."

Ami didn't quite see the logic in this position, but let it go.

"The familiar told me that there has been a disturbance in the Gate of Fate -"

"That rhymes," Usagi muttered, and Mina smiled.

"And it has disrupted the Fate Guardian's realm. The familiar wasn't sure, but there is a rumor that Fate is contemplating leaving his gate."

"But, what will happen," Rei jerked her mask off, her eyes wide in concern, "If he leaves the gate unattended -"

"I know," Setsuna answered, gravely, "But he would only do such a thing in great emergency."

Rei sat back against the booth in deep contemplation, worry etching her pale forehead.

"This is serious."

They were somewhat startled by Jade's sudden solemnity.

"If the gate is left unattended in great emergency, then whatever is happening must be truly dire. But what is the connection between the enemy we've faced and the disturbance at Fate's Gate?"

Ami nodded in approbation of his clear thinking.

"And," she added, "What is the relationship between Fate, Usagi and the Phantom Queen?"

"Good questions," Konnor sighed. He stretched his long legs out under the table and accidentally bumped Mina's leg. She blushed and he straightened instantly.

"Excuse me, Mina," he murmured.

She colored more and looked down to hide it.

"It's alright."

Usagi gave her a sharp look, then looked at Makoto, but Makoto was peeking at Nolan - who was peeking at her. Desperate, she turned to Rei, but Rei wasn't paying the least attention to all the interesting things going on around her.

"I have been thinking for some time," Ami spoke up, "That there are quite a few questions we haven't answered in a satisfactory manner."

"Only a few," Nolan murmured, half-jokingly.

"For instance, why do the Shitennou have normal lives when they have only recently been reborn? And, why do they have no recollection of ever serving Beryl?"

"But we answered that one," Usagi countered, forgetting the melodrama for a moment, "Remember? It was my wish and the crystal."

Ami shook her head.

"I just can't accept such a catch all solution," she reasoned, adjusting her glasses, "The crystal couldn't have invented people. I've been doing some research too-"

She blushed lightly.

"I did a back ground check on all of you, and you all have real families... I mean, that is -" she stopped, looking at Konnor for some reason.

He smiled in an understanding manner.

"That was very thorough of you, Mizuno-san," he said.

Mina glanced at him from underneath the cover of her bangs. There was something more to his cool detachment than met the eye. She wondered what Ami had found out about him.

"Yes, well - as I was saying," Ami continued, "The crystal can reincarnate life - and heal death - but we've never known it to create entirely new families ready-made out of nothing. And they aren't simple delusions."

"She does have a point," Jade said, looking at the others.

"I've always felt there was something more than a simple reincarnation."

"There's nothing simple about reincarnation," Rei retorted, "Do you even know how rare it is?"

"No, but I would love for you to explain it to me."

His smile grated on her nerves, but she took a deep breath.

"Well, then, since you asked. Actual reincarnation is about as rare as soulmates. Rarer."

"Well, there goes your theory, Nolan, buddy. Sorry."

Nolan shrugged, too interested in Rei's explanation to care. The others, even Setsuna, seemed intrigued.

"Basically," Rei explained, "Soulmates are a one in three-million chance of two souls being born of the same essence - if you think of life as an ocean, then it would be two perfectly twined droplets from the same drop of spray. You can see how impossible that is. But it happens, obviously."

"Obviously," Jade repeated. His serious gaze checked her from retorting this time. She chose to ignore him instead.

"But for the same water droplet to actually return to the ocean it came from and then come out again - still the same droplet - "

"It's impossible." Setsuna declared.

"No," Rei countered, "Highly improbable. But not impossible."

"So, the crystal can manipulate that energy?" Ami asked, entranced by the concept, "It can effect souls in this manner?"

"I have no idea," Rei answered, glancing at the wide-eyed Usagi, "But it can reincarnate life one way or another. That's why it's so powerful."

Usagi let out a long sigh.

"But then," Nolan interrupted, "Natural reincarnation - without the crystal - "

"Would truly be impossible," Rei answered.

"Not impossible," Jade murmured, "Highly improbable."

Rei shrugged.

"It must have been the crystal then," Usagi decided, "How else could five pairs of soulmates be reincarnated at exactly the right time? Right?"

"Ask Mina."

Mina blinked, startled, as all eyes turned to her.

"Me?" she echoed, looking at Rei in confusion.

Rei gave her a small smile.

"You are the goddess of love, if anyone knows about soulmates..."

"But you're a priestess for crying out loud -"

"I'm a Martian. I know the spiritual world. I don't know anything about human bonds."

"Human bonds," Makoto repeated, gazing at Mina.

"You know, it's true Minako, if anyone knows this stuff it should be you."

"But I don't!" she squeaked.

"What about the Red Thread," Makoto argued, "It only appears when you're there."

"Yes, about this Red Thread," Setsuna interrupted, "The familiar told me that the thread of Fate is actually Gold, not Red. Or rather, multicolored. Red applies to human relationships only - in particular love relationships."

Mina looked helplessly from once face to the other.

"But I really don't know anymore than you guys do. I didn't even know all that stuff about soul-mates until Rei said something."

"But you have instincts," Setsuna put in, "You must be recovering your memories by now - the others have, haven't they?"

Makoto, Ami and Rei nodded. Usagi patted Mina's hand.

"It's ok, Mina-chan," she said, "You don't have to have your memories back already."

"Well, I would if I could," Mina declared, "But I'm not like the rest of you. I can't think my way into it like Ami, or feel my way into it like Rei - I don't have special psychic powers. And so far shocks haven't worked -"

"I'm sorry, Minako," Setsuna cut in, "I didn't mean to distress you. The memory process is a natural one and I'm sure it'll come back to you at the right time and in the right way."

Mina nodded, but she didn't feel much better. What kind of a leader knew less than her team? Especially when that old knowledge might be important.

"Was there something else you had to tell us, Meioh-san?" Konnor asked. He had skillfully turned the conversation away from her.

"Yes," Setsuna grew grave.

"What is it?" Mamoru asked, suddenly. He had been watching Setsuna's expressions quietly - observing her unusual gravity and the lines of worry at her mouth and eyes.

"I just received a call from Haruka and Michiru -"

Usagi sat up, her face already pale.

"Hotaru has been kidnapped."

"Hey!"

They all turned to look at the door way. Ami's heart nearly leaped out of her chest. Zoe, looking as if he had run all the way there - his curling hair in charming disarray and his face flushed, eyes sparkling - jogged up to the table and gave a pouting glance to all assembled.

"You guys should have told me you were having a meeting!"

Zoe gave a startled glance at Setsuna.

"What are you doing here?"

"How did you know we were here?" Mamoru asked, surprised.

"I met the cats looking for Ami and Mina - what's up? You all look like someone's died..."

Jade began, "Apparently the strongest Senshi on the planet (who also happens to be an eight year old girl) has been kidnapped by the enemy - and the world, if it wasn't already, is in danger of being destroyed."

"Oh."

Zoe plopped down on well placed chair and ran a hand through his hair.

"Exactly," Konnor murmured, and passed Zoe a glass of water.

"What happened?"

"They were attacked," Setsuna explained, "By the Wolf. They split up and defeated her, but while they were questioning her one of the accomplices must have abducted Hotaru. They said there was nothing left but some scales."

"Ew." Usagi made a face.

"Scales?" Ami brightened, "Did they happen to collect any?"

"I don't know," Setsuna admitted, startled.

"Ask them if they did; I can analyze them."

"Zoe, I hate to be the one to say this - but your girlfriend is a little -" Jade began, jokingly.

"She's not my girlfriend."

Everyone froze, looking at Zoe's calm face.

"Ami's not my girlfriend," he repeated, nodding at her, "We're just friends."

Jade privately commended Zoe for this rare self-control, but also noted the strange expression on Ami's face. He hid a chuckle to himself, and slapped Mamoru's hand under the table again. This time Konnor did notice it, and shook his head at the pair of them.

"Oh," Usagi said, staring from Zoe to Ami and back.

"Well, don't look so surprised," Ami quipped, blushing and paling in turns, "It's perfectly normal."

"'Normal' - why wouldn't it be normal?" Rei murmured, confused.

Zoe smiled at Ami, then turned back to Setsuna, all attention.

Setsuna really hadn't followed any of this odd interaction but she took up her thread again.

"I will ask about the scales, Ami. In the meantime, we need to find a way to contact the enemy - to find Hotaru."

"As fast as possible," Mamoru reflected, grimly. The thought of the little girl alone and frightened twisted his heart painfully - but anger at their enemies was close on its heels.

"Poor Hotaru," Usagi murmured, "How could they? Michiru and Haruka must be beside themselves."

"We'll get the bastards," Makoto promised.

Rei's face grew even grimmer and her eyes glinted with pent up anger.

"Bait."

They all turned to Mina.

"Bait," she repeated, "We need to lure them out."

"But how?"

"We're not using Usagi," Mamoru added, a no nonsense tone in his voice.

"Well, I wasn't going to suggest it," Mina quipped, "In fact, I was thinking we could use the old pen again."

The men looked confused, and the girls looked frazzeled.

"Oh, no," Usagi shook her head, "No, no, no Mina. No, I don't think so. It's too dangerous."

Konnor seemed to be contemplating something - he suddenly looked up.

"Could it be that my memory fails me, or is it possible that you are suggesting that you disguise yourself as Usagi-san...as you did many times in the past?"

"Yep." She smiled.

"No." He frowned.

Mina gaped at him.

"It's too dangerous," he commented, cooly.

"It's not that dangerous," she argued, "I've done it a million times before - even against the evil twin you."

"No. I don't condone it in the slightest."

"Well, do you have any better ideas?" she countered.

He looked at her for a long moment, rock hard face unmoving.

"No," he admitted, at last "But I'll think of something."

Mina's lips twitched, but she managed a 'humph' and said nothing more.

"I suggest we adjourn the meeting today," Mamoru spoke up, "Otherwise Ami will be late for class."

Ami jumped up like a rocket.

"Wait a minute," Nolan stopped, turning to Zoe, "Don't you have class right now?"

"You have class!" Ami nearly exploded.

Zoe shrugged at her.

"Yeah. But it's healthy to skip every once in a while."

"You should never skip class!" she admonished, "Do you have any idea how behind you can get after missing only one class?"

"Yes, mother," Zoe joked, "I won't do it again."

For some reason, his quip shut Ami up far better than he'd intended. She blushed to the roots of her hair, gathered her books and marched out the door.

"What's with her?" Jade wondered.

Zoe sighed. Then caught sight of Mina giggling again.

"I have a feeling that you know," he accused her.

"Let's just say, Ami's feeling her age." Mina tittered.

Zoe looked at Jade. Jade shrugged.

"Crazy women," the younger man muttered, before sauntering out the door to trail Ami back to school at a discreet distance, without looking like he was doing it.

"Well, shall we?" Jade asked Rei.

She put her mask back on and walked out without him, but at the last moment she stopped at the door and looked back, resigned. Jade smiled a little to himself and began walking after her, swinging his car keys.

Nolan looked askance at Makoto, who motioned for him to leave before her. He followed Jade out the door, accordingly.

Makoto, glancing at Konnor, grabbed Usagi by one arm and Mamoru by the other.

"What say I come over and help Usagi with dinner?" she suggested.

Usagi was about to protest, because it was date night, but then she caught Makoto's head jerk in the direction of Konnor and Mina and nudged Mamoru. He too turned to look, covertly.

"I'd say that's a great idea," he answered, though he wasn't going to protest in the first place. He loved Usagi, but Makoto was the better cook, hands down (and he was tired of burnt food.)

Setsuna had already disappeared to wherever it was she disappeared to on these occasions when Minako realized she was alone with Konnor. The bill had been paid and he had offered her her coat before she found herself walking toward the door.

"Are you going back to school?" he asked, buttoning his own long coat.

"No, I don't have class today."

"Ah, yes. I'd forgotten. Then what will you be doing the rest of the afternoon?"

Mina glanced up at him through her lashes. For some reason, lately she felt incredibly shy around him. She wondered what he remembered about the past that she didn't...

"Oh...homework, I guess."

"How admirable."

She smiled to herself.

"What will you be doing?"

"Catch up work," he sighed, "I have a lot to get through."

"Oh, that's too bad."

They watched a bus go by. The next one would be hers.

"Yes, it is."

She looked up to find him looking down at her.

"May I ask you something, Mina?"

He looked so serious, her heart skipped a beat.

"Yes?"

He seemed to be struggling with something, though how she could tell that when he was nearly expressionless she didn't have the faintest idea. Somehow she had learned to read the unreadable face.

"Are you -"

At that moment, her bus arrived. Mina cursed it with the worst curse she could think of.

"What were you saying?" she asked, a bit desperately.

He shook his head as he handed her up the steps.

"I know you're worried about Tomoe-san, but I hope you won't reconsider your plan," he said, grey eyes serious, "I really don't think it's a good idea."

Mina frowned in disappointment and pique. It was really too much!

"I'm not making any promises," she informed him, a bit childishly, and turned on her heel.

She felt a hand on her elbow neatly hook her around until she was staring into Konnor's eyes - eye level with her, since he was standing with one foot on the first step of the bus and she was on the second. She involuntarily held her breath.

"Mina, I would feel very relieved if you would promise me that you won't put yourself in unnecessary danger."

"Well, under the circumstances it's little difficult," she murmured.

His frown deepened.

"But I'll make a bet with you," she went on, astounded at her own daring.

"Excuse me," the bus driver began.

"Just hold on a minute, ok!" she thundered.

The bus driver withdrew his hand from the door lever and cowered in his seat.

Konnor resisted the urge to laugh, and sent the man a sympathetic glance.

"What is the bet?" he asked, turning back to her.

"You beat me in tomorrow morning's run, and I'll promise not to use the pen."

He watched her eyes, searching for some hidden glimmer that would clue him into a hidden stipulation or loop hole, but not seeing anything but guileless blue, he nodded.

"And if I lose?"

Mina smiled slowly.

"Then I get to pick a suitable promise from you."

"That doesn't seem -"

Mina jumped away from him and motioned to the bus driver, who hastily obeyed her and closed the door in Konnor's face.

Konnor could only watch her wave at him as the bus drove off.

He put his hands in his pockets and chuckled to himself. Then the thought of the child broke in on his thoughts.

It was long past time to settle things with the Phantom Queen, he reflected.

The Ties that Bind

A Sailor Moon Story
by Firefly-shy

Part 16 of 30

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