"Usagi is up there?" the boy asked.
The woman replied, "Yes, Shingo. Your sister is up those steps. I hope Usagi hasn't been too much trouble for the Tsurugino Family."
Tsukino Kenji, the father of Shingo and Usagi, sighed heavily. "Let's get going."
The trio made their way up the stone steps. About halfway up, they stopped to catch their breaths. By now, they could see the small house at the top of the mountain clearly. Once Kenji was certain that his family had recovered sufficiently, he led the group the rest of the way to the top of the steps. Kenji paused and looked to the house and back to the steps.
"They go up and down that on a daily basis? They must be excellent shape," Kenji muttered.
Tsukino Ikuko just shook her head and said nothing. All three quickly looked around, when they heard the sounds of battle. They soon saw two girls fighting in the middle of an open field. Kenji was about to try and stop the fight, when he saw his daughter sitting on a bench and staring at the two combatants with a look of disbelief and shaking her head. The two fighters stopped and turned towards their new visitors. The older girl walked towards the group.
"Hello, my name is Tsurugino Mai and this is my younger sister Hikari. How may I help you?" Mai said with a bow.
Kenji returned the bow and replied, "Hello, my name is Tsukino Kenji. This is my wife Ikuko and my son Shingo. I believe that my daughter, Usagi, has been staying with you."
Mai nodded. "Yes, she has. We were about ready to break for lunch. Would you care to join us?"
Kenji said, "Thank you. I'd like to talk to you parents about how Usagi behaved."
A pained look went across both girls' faces, telling Kenji that he hit a raw nerve.
"Our parents are dead," Mai said bluntly. "They died about a year ago."
Kenji and Ikuko flinched at that. Mai and Hikari shrugged it off and led the trio to the bench where Usagi was sitting. Hikari motioned for everyone to sit down, while Mai went inside to bring out various food items. Hikari pulled some plastic plates and chopsticks out of an outdoor cupboard. After dispensing the utensils, Hikari filled plastic cups with water from a giant electric thermos and placed them on the table
As Mai came out with two platters in each hand and balancing a platter on her head, she spoke, "You'll have to forgive the taste in some of this. Hikari and I are still learning. At least we're not wrecking the kitchen any more. We still can't make a rice ball, so we can't signal when the meal is over. What you see here is what we are eating."
Mai put both platters she was holding down on the bench and then grabbed the platter on her head and placed it down.
"How did you balance that tray so easily?" Shingo asked.
As Mai sat down with the rest, she cheerfully replied, "Martial Arts training. Hikari and I practice the Martial Arts. That's what we were doing when you showed up. I believe that Usagi thinks were both insane, since we've been practicing since four this morning with only a pause to have breakfast."
"That's a very long work-out," Kenji said, a little stunned.
Hikari and Mai both shrugged. Nothing more was said, as the group started eating the meal. A couple of the cooked items caused everyone to make faces in disgust, due to the bad taste. Hikari quickly marked down which items caused that reaction on a piece of scrap paper. Once the meal was concluded, Mai gathered up the plates and chopsticks and took them inside the house. She quickly returned and bowed to the Tsukino family.
"I do apologize for some of those dishes," Mai said. "They were pretty bad."
"As do I. At least we now know which ones we need to work on," Hikari added.
Ikuko shook her head. "You're doing fine for two girls who were forced to live on their own."
Hikari and Mai both bowed and said in unison, "Thank you, Mrs. Tsukino."
Kenji said, "Thank you for the meal. Now as to those bullies who were harassing Usagi...?"
Mai shook her head. "Never encountered them. They didn't show up here. I wish they had though. Trying to turn Usagi's friends against her is intolerable. I'll probably encounter them tomorrow."
"Why do you say that?" Kenji asked, with a perplexed expression.
"Oh. I want to see if Juuban High might be more appropriate for Hikari to attend, over my own school. Starting tomorrow, I'll be attending Juuban for about a month."
"I see," Kenji said.
"If you feel like it, you can come here every Sunday," Mai offered.
Shingo started to ask, "Why don't you...?"
"Shingo, don't," Ikuko interrupted. "Thank you for your offer. This is a pleasant area that you live in."
"Thank you for taking care of our daughter, when she was in trouble. I believe it is time for us to leave."
The Tsukino family bowed and left the two sisters alone. The group made their way back down the steps to the car and got in. The car started up and the Tsukinos were on their way home.
"Shingo, you are probably wondering why I stopped you. Those two girls have no way of leaving town and even if they did, all it would do is remind them of the loss of their parents," Ikuko said.
Shingo's face flushed with embarrassment.
"That's probably why those two spend so much time working out," Usagi said. "It's to fight the pain."
The rest of the trip was made in silence and soon the Tsukino home came into view. Watching from the window of the house, Luna breathed a sigh of relief. Usagi was fine. The family got out of the car and Usagi headed to her room. She swept Luna up in a hug.
"You would not believe what has happened to me," Usagi said with a smile.
"Are you feeling better?" Luna asked.
"Yes. I made some new friends and has made me realize that I need to talk to one of my old friends."
"Huh?"
"Naru," Usagi explained. "I need to get away from the rest of the Senshi for a bit, not that it will matter for too much longer."
"What do you mean by that?" Luna asked.
Usagi's thoughts went back to Spirit Police Headquarters, Mai, Hikari, and Doro. "Oh, nothing that's important right now."
Usagi's smile faded. "I still don't know what to do about Haruka and Michiru though. Talk doesn't seem to work on them."
"Shouldn't you contact the others to let them know you are all right?" Luna asked.
"You do it. I just want to forget about Senshi business for today," Usagi replied.
Luna grumbled a bit, but did so. She did inform the other Senshi about Usagi's desire. The others reluctantly agreed to leave Usagi alone for the day.
Turning off the communicator, Luna thought, "I'm glad Uranus and Neptune don't have one of these."
Above the house, Doro appeared with Neflyte.
"Do you think you can keep Uranus and Neptune from bothering Usagi until they meet Mai and Hikari, without being seen?" Doro asked.
"I believe so. But why are you keeping the four of us hidden?" Neflyte said.
"Reserves. Also it will be a test. Can a Makendo beat a Sailor Senshi when the odds are equal? As to Jedite, he has that interest in how the new Makendo powers will be built."
Neflyte looked away. "I am glad that Naru has moved on with her life."
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(Posted Thu, 16 Jun 2005 20:20)
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