***

Part 2

***

"That's a problem I would kill to have," Minako remarked to Makoto as 
they watched the antics of Usako and her friends.  "Choices, choices 
everywhere, and not a one to make."

"Well, that Akuma guy is cute," Makoto mused.

Minako grinned.  "Does he remind you of someone?  Your ex-boyfriend, 
perhaps?"  She chuckled as Makoto sputtered in indignation.

Ami, who had been trailing behind as she worked on her computer 
caught up with the pair.  "Mou...Mako-chan, do you really want to 
wait a thousand years for a boyfriend?"

[(A tanuki statue appears over Flashmans head and drops down on him.
)
Flashman:(Rubbing his head and looks up) OW!  What did you do THAT 
for?!
Voice: Just making sure you didn't... break your New Years Resolution.
]

Kesshu noted her irritation and decided to try and take her mind off 
of it.  "Tora-hime," he began, "did you overhear that little 
conversation?"

"Hai," she responded with a sigh.  "I hope Akuma behaves himself."

Kesshu chuckled.  "I don't think that's much of a problem.  I can't 
see Akuma really letting himself get involved with one of them, it'd 
be like going after your aunt."  He paused and considered the matter 
further.  "I think the problem is the other way around."

They reached the front of Mamoru and Usagi's apartment, and the group 
stopped.  "So now what?" Rei asked.

"I wish Meiou-sama was here," Kesshu said with a grimace.  "I really 
need to talk to her about what we can and can't do."

"Your first concern, Kesshu-kun, should be finding a place to stay," 
the woman in question said.

Kesshu started at her appearance and gave her a peevish glance.  
Noticing this, Minako laughed.  "Speak of the devil and ye shall 
receive," she said, and blinked in surprise at the groans that she 
got.

"You know," Akuma mentioned in a low voice to Usako, "it's kind of 
depressing that she STILL does that a thousand years from now."

[Zero:(Shrugs) It's part of her charm.
Sakura:(Shakes her head) He's GOT to get out more.]

Several of the Senshi rolled their eyes, and Akuma sputtered 
indignantly. "There is NO WAY I'm going back to school!" he roared.  
"Four years under Washu-okaasan was four years too much."   Yosho 
nodded his agreement while Kesshu looked both sheepish and amused. 

Usako laughed for a moment.  "I don't think they drop tanuki statues 
on you for not paying attention in other schools, Akuma-kun."

[(Everyone looks up.)
Voice: It was just a coincidence, I swear.]

"...statues," confirmed Yosho, rubbing his neck in memory of the pain.
  "Very large, very heavy statues.  Washu-okaasama knows EXACTLY how 
to motivate a student."

"That would have been a great school for you, ne Usagi-chan?" Minako 
giggled.

[Flashman:(Frowns) I dunno.  That sounds more like a Rei comment.
(That darn shield pops up and strikes him again.)
Bison:(Looking around) Where the heck is that thing coming from?]

"Right!" Usagi said, all business.  "Usako, you can come with Mamo-
chan and I.  Who wants to take the rest of them?"

"We should probably aim for maximum coverage," Akuma mused.  "It'd be 
more tactically sound."

"One of you can guard all of the Outers," Hotaru helpfully supplied, 
and then wilted a little under Haruka's indignant glare.

"I suppose Ami-chan and I could take one at our apartment," Makoto 
mused giving the men a predatory look.  "Anyone mind sleeping on a 
couch?"

[Flashman: I don't think that look makes me feel comfortable....
Zero: I don't think ANY male would.]

"What about me?" Minako asked.  "My dorm room is too small for 
another girl, and there's no way I can sneak in another guy."  She 
looked Akuma up and down.  "As much as I'd love to."

"Well," Kesshu hummed with a smirk on his face, "can you sneak in a 
pet?"

"Kesshu-kun!" Toraneko gasped, "don't you even think about it!"

"It should be OK," Minako said, "as long as Artemis behaves himself." 
She looked around.  "Where is that baka, anyway?"

"Do you know how much I hate doing that?" Toraneko demanded of Kesshu.


"Tora-chan," Akuma said sympathetically as he placed his hand on her 
shoulder. "do you have a better idea?"

"Iie," she sighed.  "One cabbit, coming up."  As they watched, the 
girl shrunk, morphing into a small greenish-white mammal with large 
hind legs, big ears, a puff tail, a cat's face, and an aura of 
cuteness.

[(Everyone shudders from Kawaii overload.)]

A low whistle came from a nearby fence.  "What.  A.  BABE!"  Turning 
to look at the speaker, they saw Artemis hop down and quickly walk 
over to Toraneko, completely oblivious to Luna's angry stance.  He 
made it to within a meter of the cabbit before he was picked up by 
the scruff of his neck.

Akuma held the cat up to his face, and spoke in a very low, very 
dangerous tone of voice, an energy sword springing to life in his 
hand.  "Listen carefully.  You keep your paws off her, or I will see 
that females become the LAST thing on your mind.  Understand?"

[All: ...........
Sakura:(Sweatdrop) My my.  Quite the protective one.]

***

There are some things that are so awful, so horrifying, they make 
strong men weak, a brave men cowards, and honest men liars.

Those things have nothing on two women and a wedding album.   

[Flashman:(Dismisive hand wave) Bah!  That's NOTHING compared to the 
horror of having to show your works from Video Arts Class in front of 
your entire family at Christmas.  Now THAT'S torture.]

"I can't believe 'Kaasama didn't let me come back for the wedding!" 
Usako complained as she opened the album.  "Oh, Usagi-chan, your 
dress was so beautiful!"

*Maybe I can make a break for the bar?* thought Mamoru.

[Bison: Trust me buddy boy, surrender now.  It won't hurt as much if 
you just bite the bullet.
Sakura: And what's wrong with looking at a wedding album with your 
family anyway?
Trident/Zero:(Confused) Yes, what?
F/B: It's a human male thing.  You wouldn't understand.]

An awed whistle.  "How on Earth did you get Haruka-san into a DRESS?
"

"Michiru-san, um, convinced her."

[All: O_O]

*Kuso, Motoki's in Hokkaido for the week.* His eyes drifted over to 
his books.  *Studying?* a light gleamed in his eyes.  *THINK, Mamoru, 
this has to be good.*

"Usagi-chan...that red band Rei-chan wrapped on her arm, is that what 
I think it is?"

A long sigh.  "Hai, it's Kaneda's.  I keep on telling her that 
mourning him isn't necessary, that she will find him again..." There 
was a long pause.

{Flashman:(Sniff, sniff) That's sad.]

"Mou..." Usagi cursed.  "I don't want them to be alone, Usako-chan.  
They have so much love to give, more than they claim I do."  She 
exhaled breathily.  "Gomen nasai, I know, I know, you can't say 
anything."

*Alright, Mamoru, it's now or never.*  Taking a deep breath, he 
grabbed his backpack and headed into the living room.  "Bye you two 
I've got an exam tomorrow. Ja ne!"  He had almost made it out the 
door when Usagi's concerned voice stopped him.

"Mamo-chan?" he stiffened and turned to look at her. "Tomorrow's 
Sunday."

[All:(Imitating Mamoru) D'OH!
Flashman: He's not gonna pull a vanishing act this time.]

"Mamo-chan?" Usagi's sweet voice echoed into the room, and for some 
reason he felt a shiver go down his spine.  "Come in here and look at 
pictures with us!"

[All:(Hum funeral march)]

***

"Artemis, come out of there," Minako commanded as she looked under 
her bed.  "You have nothing to be afraid of."

A disgusted snort was his response.  "Yeah, right.  I've got some 
crazy guy with a lightsaber threatening to neuter me and I've got 
nothing to worry about?  I'm going to stay here until they're gone."

[Flashman: Neutering with a lightsaber?  Kinda brings a whole new 
meaning to coming to The Dark Side.
S/B/Z:(Groan)
Trident: Huh?]

"Well excuse me, but better safe than sorry.  I don't want to sing 
soprano."

Minako sighed and flopped down on her bed beside Toraneko.  "Artemis 
no baka.  You can't even sing as it is."

[Bison: Look who's talking.
Zero: RYUENJIN!
Bison:(As he's hit) ARRRRRGH!]

***

Makoto felt very hot.  She blotted her sweaty brow with a 
handkerchief.

It wasn't the heat of the spring day.  It wasn't the warm breeze that 
blew across her skin.  It wasn't the bright sunshine that shone on 
her as she leaned out the window.  It wasn't the heat of the tea she 
was sipping slowly.

No, it was the rather well built young man who was standing shirtless 
in the yard behind her apartment building, practicing sword forms.  
The  handsome young man with the bulging muscles that rippled as he 
moved, his skin glistening with sweat.  His long pony-tail whipped 
around behind him as he moved from one stand to the next, his strong 
arms holding the bladeless hilt in a steel-like grasp.  Those strong 
arms that she wished were encircling her...with an effort that made 
her wince, she forced her mind off of that line of thought.

[Sakura:(Blushing) Ka...wa...ii.
Flashman:(Snorts) He's not THAT good looking.
Bison/Zero: Jealous?
Flashman:(Nervous) Wh-wh-why would I be jealous?  It-it's not like I 
actualy l-l-l-l...(growls and turns back to the fic.)]

"Us," Makoto gasped.  "Mooning after a guy from the far future, who's 
probably Usako-chan's boyfriend anyway."

Ami blushed and smiled sheepishly.  "It is a bit silly, isn't it?"  
She shrugged.  "If guys can get their kicks out of looking at ecchi 
pictures of girls, I'm not going to feel guilty about looking at 
Yosho-kun train."  She leaned out the window again and took a look 
around the side of the building, and giggled.  "Besides, it looks 
like we're not the only ones."  She sighed in dismay a moment later.  
"Oh well, show's over."

[All:<Snicker>
Flashman: Let me guess, you've seen that Coca-Cola comercial too.]

"Call me Ami, Yosho-kun."

"That would not be proper," came his automatic response, and the two 
girls sighed.  He blithely continued on, not catching their reaction. 
 "Has anyone considered starting up a Kendo school in this 
neighborhood?"

Makoto and Ami exchanged a confused glance.  "Why do you ask?" Ami 
queried.

Yosho nodded his head towards the door.  "On my way back in from my 
practice, more than a few women stopped to ask me if I would consider 
giving them private lessons."   The two girls suddenly burst into 
laughter, and he cocked his head in a curious gesture.  "Did I say 
something humorous?"

[All: HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!]

Perhaps only Usagi understood why she always placed a carnation, and 
got mad when the others placed roses.  To Rei, placing a rose was too 
much like saying goodbye.  "Kaneda..." she whispered, and choked back 
a sob.

It wasn't fair, not in any sense of the word.  She had been with him 
for such a short time, a few short days, and he had taken her heart, 
her very soul with him when he died.  Almost unconsciously, she began 
to sing the words of the song he had sung for her.

"...My love for you, will never die.
There is always a piece of you in my heart.
My missing you, will never stay,
The seeds of joy you sowed in my heart..."

[Flashman:(Sobbing) I don't like Rei that much... but still.....
(Cries on a highly confused Tridents shoulder.)]

As she watched him speak, she caught a sort of wistfulness in his 
voice that she recognized from herself and the other Senshi.  "You 
love Usako-chan and her friend like we love Usagi-chan, don't you?  
Not like those other two boys, it's different for you."

Kesshu recoiled as if stuck and stammered "Wha...how?"  He regained 
control of himself shook his head ruefully.  "It hard to remember 
you're the same people I know, just a lot younger."  He rocked back 
and stared out into space.  "Yes, my brothers love Usako-hime and 
Tora-hime in a different way than me.  They're...they're..."  words 
failed him.

Rei began to speak.  "Your friend, your leader, your confidant, your 
parent, and your child all at once."  She began to speak faster, the 
words coming out in a rush.  "She's the most important thing in your 
life, the purpose that rules it.  Harm to her is harm to yourself.  
You love her, but expressing it in a physical way seems wrong, but 
you know if she ever asked you'd say yes in a moment, and you love 
her more because you know she never would."  She blushed suddenly as 
she realized what she was saying.

[Bison: Don't worry about it, there are PLENTY of Lemons to support 
that fact.
(You can guess what the others do to him by now, can't you?)]

"Same father, different mothers," at Rei's aghast expression, he 
sighed.  "It's a Juraian custom, Rei-san.  The male-to-female birth 
ratio among the nobles is almost one-to-four.  Monogamy is considered 
to be...well...perverted to our people."

"Don't tell Mamoru about that," she said, shaking her head.  "He 
might get ideas."

[Flashman: All together now....
All: NOT BLOODY LIKELY!
Trident: We shall return shortly.]