Senshi in College: Episode 1 -- "The Girls Graduate! Look Forward Toward College" A small black cat with a crescent moon on her head is seen trotting down the street. It's raining hard, but she barely notices it. Her head hangs low and every once in awhile, a passerby could almost hear a sob coming from her as she walks. She reaches a small house in the Jyuban area and goes in through the pet door in the back. "I am Luna, the guardian cat for Princess Serenity, known to this world as Tsukino, Usagi. I have known Usagi- chan for four years now, and I have never had to witness such heart break as I did just now. It was probably the hardest thing she has ever done, harder than fighting Galaxia even." She pushes open a door labelled "Minako" on the front with a bunny sign. On the bed, a white cat with a crescent moon on his head slept. She jumped on the bed and nudged him with a paw. She looked up and at a picture of the sailor senshi together during the past school year, clowning at the camera. She hung her head in sorrow. "Our Usagi-chan has finally grown up." "Luna?" Artemis yawned, getting up and edging away from her. "You're soaked." "It'll dry," she looked up at him briefly. He was startled to see tears in her eyes. "Gomen nasai...what happened?" ********** Usagi took off her engagement ring and stared at it, the lamp light hitting the diamond and making it sparkle. It had been her dream for so long, to marry Mamoru and face their future together. Now she was old enough, but still, she had an obligation to fill. She slipped the ring back on her finger and picked up the application for Azabu University. ********** Across town in a condo, Mizuno Ami sits at her desk, also filling out college applications. Neat stacks of completed applications sit to her left and another stack of blank ones to her right. She pauses for a moment in her writing and takes out an application for Harvard University in the United States. She gazes longingly at it, then places it at the bottom of the completed stack. With a determined sigh, she gets back to work. ********** Hino Rei sits at her grandfather's bedside, a book open in her lap. It is forgotten as she bathes the old man's forehead with a cool cloth and speaks soothingly to him. Phobos and Deimos fly in and perch on her chair and she ruffles their feathers. Poor birds, she thought. I have been neglecting you lately. She looks down at her book. She needed to study for her exam, so she can graduate, but another groan from her grandfather causes her to turn her attention back to him. ********** Kino Makoto accepts some letters from her mailman and takes them in her apartment. She shuts the door and leans against it, going through the stack. Bill...bill... bill...wait! A letter from the Washoku School of Cooking is revealed. She drops the other letters and tears the one from the school open and reads the letter inside. She starts jumping up and down in excitement and runs to the phone. ********** Aino Minako opens the door to her bedroom and grins at the cats on her bed. "Konnichiwa, Luna-chan!" she says cheerfully, tossing her school books on the desk. "How're you doing?" She goes over to her bed and starts to pet her when she gasps. "Luna, you're sopping wet! Let me get you a towel." She disappears for a moment, then returns with a fluffy orange towel and proceeds to dry the cat. She scratches behind the back of her neck for extra measure and Luna purrs happily. Artemis started pouting. "You never treat me like that." "What's going on?" Minako asked, pulling Luna into her lap. "I'm worried about Usagi-chan," she said. "I found an application for Azabu University on her desk she was filling out and asked her why. She looked like she had been crying and told me that it was probably better that she and Mamoru wait to get married." "They didn't have a fight, did they?" "She didn't say." Luna sighed. "Somehow, I don't think that. She arrived at this decision on her own." "Has she told him yet?" Minako pulled out her own application for Azabu University and stared at it for a moment. The decision for her to go to college had been a rough one as well. After all...she gazed over at her dresser. She still had the letter. "Iie, I doubt it. She said she wanted to tell me first because she just arrived at the decision." "Don't worry about it, Luna. If Usagi-chan feels she is making the right decision, then we've got to trust her." ********* Usagi looked up at the grey sky overhead. It had stopped raining on her walk to Mamoru's apartment, but the weather still felt as gloomy as she did. She didn't realize along the way that she had picked up three spies, who were now peeking around the corner of the building at her. She used her key to get in and Minako, Luna, and Artemis snuck up behind her. They pressed their ear to the door to try to hear what was going on. Minako placed a glass she brought from home on the door. "Minako-chan?" It was Makoto. That startled her enough to where she nearly dropped the glass. She pressed the button on her communicator. "Minna, get over here to Mamoru-san's apartment right away. I think something's wrong with Usagi-chan." "Hai!" Three other voices chimed in. In the apartment, Usagi stood looking out the window. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing, Mamo-chan?" "You've got to do what you think is right." He handed her a cup of coffee. "Do you think you'll be happy going to the university?" She looked down in her cup, unable to meet his eyes. "Iie. But, I want to do this for Papa. I promised him. He saved so much for me and Shingo, and if I don't go to the university, I'll be letting him down. I already hate I didn't tell him the truth." She put the cup down. "Besides, Luna has been saying all year that it's good for a queen to be know a lot of things, like foreign language and about people, even mathematics," she finished, making a face. She finally looked at him. "But, do you mind?" "I figure we got about the next one thousand years together. What difference does another two to four years make?" he laughed, trying to make light of the situation. He tried his best not to reveal the blow it struck. He had been waiting so long, and now the wait would be even longer. But, at least they would be together. I feel like I'm letting him down, Usagi thought. Or maybe I'm just letting myself down because I'm doing this. She looked back out the window. I want to do this because I want to be a better person. I want to be smarter, and I want to be stronger. I'll be a better wife that way. If I went to college, I would make Papa's dream for me come true and perhaps be a better wife for Mamo-chan and a better mother for Chibi Usa. Maybe I can even get a hang of kanji before I have to write any letters to send Chibi Usa back to the past with. Oh, but I hate studying. Maybe college won't seem so bad. I can schedule my classes to sleep in late. Ami-chan says there's a lot more variety. But, if I'm just going to be a housewife, I don't need to know all of this. But, I'm suppose to become Neo-Queen Serenity, so I do need to know all of this. She drooped her head and barely noticed when Mamoru reached over to hug her. "I'm so confused." He didn't say anything, just held her. For now, that was enough. Outside of the apartment, Minako took the glass away from the door. Makoto and Rei were busy trying to reassure Ami that they weren't doing anything wrong by spying, they were just worrying about Usagi. Besides, when wasn't there a time in the past four years when they haven't spied on the two of them? Artemis was busy trying to comfort Luna. "Minna?" Everyone stopped and looked at Minako. "They're okay. I just think Usagi-chan wants to go for her father." Everyone nodded and stood up from where they had finally sat in a group circle around the door. They started to walk away except for Makoto, who started at the door a moment. When they had disappeared around the corner, she knocked on the door. ********** Mamoru opened the door to see Makoto standing there. "Konnichiwa, Mamoru-san!" she said, walking inside. "Is Usagi-chan here? I have some great news for both of you!" Usagi perked up once she saw Makoto. Her eyes gave it away. "You got in the school!" "Hai! Isn't it great! Classes start just two weeks after graduation, and I'm so excited!" The brunette looked nearly to bounce all over the room. "What about you, Usagi-chan? When is the wedding going to be? I'm going to plan the beat feast you've ever seen!" Usagi glanced from Makoto to Mamoru and back again. Realization dawned on her. Makoto was going to go to a famous cooking school. Ami was going to college. She assumed Rei and Minako were too. Why not? They were going to better themselves and she should too. She smiled at Makoto. "Mako-chan, I'm applying for Azabu University." "Really? You're not getting married?" "Not yet," Mamoru answered for her. They both looked at him in surprise. "We're going to wait until Usako at least has one year done." Whoa, Makoto thought, turning back to her friend. "What are you going to major in?" "Umm..." What do future queens major in? What have my dreams been? To be a housewife, she realized, and nearly groaned aloud. Instead she grinned at Makoto and clasped her hands behind her back. "We're going to wait and see, okay? After all, heh, heh, heh, I didn't plan on this before now." "Lots of college students have undecided majors, Usagi," Ami spoke up. They looked up to see the other inner senshi crowded around the still open doorway. "More than half of university students that enter their freshman year usually do not know their major or change their original majors by the time they get out of school." "I'm going to major in music performance, so I can be an idol!" Minako piped in, striking a dramatic pose. "What about you, Rei-chan?" "I figure since I need to run the temple, a good background in religious studies would help," she replied. "And a minor in business so I could handle that end." "It's so strange to hear all of you discuss college," Luna commented, walking in with Artemis. "I still remember all of you at fourteen years old, with not a care in the world." "A lot's happened since then, Luna," Makoto pointed out. "Hai. I agree. Still, with graduation just a week away..." "We should really be studying!" Ami chimed in. Everyone else in the room except Mamoru sweatdropped, who was trying not to laugh. "Ami-chan..." "Gomen ne," the blue-haired girl laughed and absently ran a hand through her hair. "I forget, we're pretty much done with already. But, it's never too late to get started on your freshmen courses..." "AMI-CHAN!" "I say we all go get some ice-cream," Minako suggested. "Let's celebrate our upcoming freedom!" "Hai!" Makoto agreed. "Let's go!" She literally dragged Ami out the door with her. Rei gave Usagi an apologetic look. "Gomen ne, Usagi. My grandpa needs me." "I understand, Rei-chan." The raven-haired girl left the room. Usagi started to walk out and looked back. "Coming, Mamo-chan?" "Huh? Ah, hai. Just a moment." "Okay," she walked outside to wait for him. Mamoru picked up a small velvet box sitting on his desk. He opened it up for a moment to gaze at the wedding band inside of it. He touched the smooth gold for a moment, closed his eyes and tried to remember. Nothing. He snapped it close with a sigh and tucked it away in a drawer of his desk. It would have to stay there a little while longer. He grabbed his jacket and followed the other senshi outside. ********** "Misora-chan?" "Hai, sensei." A young woman with raven hair stepped stood up from her chair. The thin man sitting behind the desk gazed at her for a moment. So beautiful. He reminded himself of her. He gazed at a photograph on his desk, and then back at the young woman and smiled. So beautiful... so perfect. Misora clutched nervously to her pocketbook, trying not to betray her emotions, or the excitement she felt. For years she had been told of the pleasures of going to work for the Thin Man, known to others as Black Shadows. He had held Tokyo by its throat for years. Nothing went into or out of the city he did not have a hand in. Such power... it was very intoxicating...very seductive...she smiled. "How may I...serve you, Shadow-sensei?" she asked him, turning on all the charm she had in his voice. "By accompanying me to an engagement," he said, picking up an elaborate card from his desktop. "The very elite T*A Girls School is having their graduation there tomorrow night. I would love your company." His eyes glittered. Misora smiled. "But of course. A place full of young, supple, eager women." She rubbed her hands together. "A place full of hope." "I agree." He tossed a small pack at her and she cough it. It looked like a tin which carried cough-drops. She glanced at it for a moment and started to open it. "Wait, baka. Not yet." She looked up, startled. Shadows settled back into his seat. "Those contain the youma you will be letting loose. Say, a sort of graduation present?" "Hai! I agree," she laughed. To her surprise and pleasure, Shadows laughed along with her. ********** "I'm home!" Usagi called, walking in the house with Luna behind her. She nearly collided over Shingo, who was trying to peek into the living room. "Move it, baka, you're blocking the entryway," she said, taking her shoes off and pulling on her slippers. "Usagi.." Shingo looked down at her, fear in his eyes. She blinked in surprise. Her younger brother, now taller than she was, rarely called her by her given name unless baka was attached to it. Now he looked afraid. "What's wrong?" she asked. He pulled her aside and whispered in her ear. "Momma is looking through the job classifieds." Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Momma? Working? NANI?" "Usagi-chan, is that you?" Ikuko's voice was heard from the living room. "Hai, Momma!" Usagi walked past her brother into the living room. She sat down next to her on the couch and looked at the paper. "Momma, why are you looking at the classifieds?" "These? Oh!" Ikuko laughed nervously. "I've got so much free time now that I'm thinking about getting a job to pass my time with. With you and Shingo grown up, and we have a wedding to plan for, don't we?" "Momma...there isn't going to be a wedding for awhile." Ikuko stopped laughing. "Usagi-chan?" She took her daughter's left hand and noticed the ring still on it. "Doushite no?" "I want to go to college." Ikuko's eyes grew wide. A THUMP sounded from the hall where Shingo had fainted. Ikuko took both of Usagi's hands and squeezed them tightly. "Why?" "Because I feel I should. For Poppa. For everyone." "Your trust fund can be used to start your married life." "But Poppa wanted me to use it for my education. Besides, perhaps you, Luna, Mamo-chan, and everyone else is right. If my future is going to turn out the way I told you, then I need to be ready." Ikuko's smile lit up the entire room. Usagi blinked. From the doorway, where he had managed to get to his knees, Shingo did as well. Neither of them had seen their mother this happy since their father died six months earlier. Way to go, sis, you finally did something right, Shingo thought. "Are you sure about this?" "Un. I've already sent in the application for Azabu University." Ikuko hugged her daughter tightly. Usagi felt tears hitting her back when she hugged her mother. "I'm so proud of you, Usagi-chan. Your father and I have always been." Luna walked up next to Shingo and watched the scene in the living room. She smiled to herself. Yes, Usagi-chan. We're all proud of you. ********** The inner senshi other than Rei met at Mamoru's so he could drive them to Rei's school. All of them were a little somber from the rehearsal of their own graduation ceremony that had taken place that day. "Hard to believe we're all graduating high school tomorrow," Makoto commented. "Hai. And all of you doing so well toward the end," Ami complemented everyone. "I never figured on seeing you all get 100s on your tests except for once in a blue moon." "So that's how that saying goes...," Minako mummered to herself. Usagi looked out the window. "I never thought I would pass the 8th grade much less graduate in the top ten percent of my class," she commented. "You've really applied yourself since we defeated Galaxia," Ami said. "I was very very surprised." "So much has changed in two years though," Makoto said. "Really?" Minako looked at the group. "I don't feel like I've changed at all." Usagi sat down next to Makoto, who was staring at Minako. "Why do you think that?" "Well, you overcame your parents' death, Mako-chan. Ami, you're probably going to Harvard. Usagi-chan, you had to take care of your father and still miss Mamoru-san because he went back to the States, which was the change you went through, Mamoru. I don't feel like I've changed at all." "Don't jump to conclusions about my getting into Harvard," Ami said. "It's a tough place for a Japanese girl to make as a freshman." "You've changed a lot, Minako-chan," Usagi said. "You've grown up too." "Hai," Makoto agreed. "Sometimes growing up doesn't occur when major events happen in your life. Sometimes the little things you do have an effect." Minako nodded. "Un! Besides," she held up a letter. "A change did come for me today. Pocket change! I got a full volleyball scholarship to Azabu!" "Minako-chan!" The other girls cried. "That's wonderful!" "Hai! I get to major in anything I want as long as I'm on the team." "Congratulations, Minako," Mamoru said, walking in from his bedroom, a suit jacket in hand. "We better get going to meet Rei." "Un!" The girls immediately stood up and headed out the door. "Ami?" The blue-haired girl stopped and looked at her best friend's fiance. "Yes, Mamoru-san?" "I have something I want to give you. Come here." He stepped over to the other side of the room where his desk was. She walked over to his desk and he opened the top drawer and took out an envelope with her name on it. He offered it to her and she accepted it, turned it around, and started to undo the flap. "Wait, don't open it." Ami looked up at him. "Why?" He smiled at her. "It's a letter of recommendation to Harvard University. I asked my professors since I participated in the program over there and made excellent grades if that was enough for me to recommend you. They said they respected my opinion enough to value a letter like this. I hope this helps you to get in." Ami stared at the letter, her grip on it changing to as if she was holding a precious gem. She looked from the letter back to Mamoru and back, then flung herself at him. "Thank you, Mamoru-san, oh thank you!" she said, hugging him tightly. From the doorway, Usagi watched with a grin on her face. "Ami-chan! Mamo-chan! Hurry up, or we'll be late for Rei's graduation!" she said to them. "Since when were you ever worried about getting somewhere on time?" Makoto appeared and teased Usagi. She sweatdropped and turned on her. "Mako-chan!" Everyone started laughing. ********** Rei was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs outside of her school. "I'm glad you're here!" she said, brightly. "Grandpa didn't feel well enough to make it." "I'm sorry, Rei-chan," Makoto said. "I'll make him some chicken soup tomorrow before our graduation. That will make him feel much better!" "Hai! Sometimes I wonder if Grandpa is sick so he can get some of your soup?" "He can have some anytime he wants!" Everyone laughed at the joke, but they all knew it wasn't really funny. Deep down in their hearts, they knew it would not be long before Rei's grandfather joined her mother in Heaven. "Come on, let's go in," Rei said. "I need to get my robe and..." "Rei." She stopped. Everyone turned around to see a thin man standing behind them. "Otou-san," Rei said, with as much enthusiasm as if she was washing dishes. She stared at him for a long time before saying anything else. She stepped closer to the senshi. "These are my friends: Tsukino Usagi , Mizuno Ami, Kino Makoto, Aino Minako, and Chiba Mamoru. Minna, this is my father." Everyone studied the well-dressed man standing before them, who seemed to be staring them back just as critically. He gave them a sharp nod and turned to Rei. "I see you were not valedictorian. I'm very disappointed in you, Rei." "I am saludatorian, Otou-san. I worked very hard, sir." "Not hard enough. See you apply yourself better in college, Rei." "Yes, sir." Usagi blinked. She had never seen Rei act so humble before. And work harder? If Rei worked any harder, she would probably surpass Ami! Her hands clenched into fists by her side. How dare Represenative Hino judge Rei like that? He barely knew his own daughter! He should be lucky to have a daughter like Rei, she thought. She's taking care of her grandpa on her own and asked for no one's help especially yours. The bitter words sprang to her lips. "If you hurt Rei-chan, in the name of the moon, I will punish you!" she whispered out loud. Mamoru placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him before she realized she said it out loud. She looked behind her at the other inner senshi, who overheard the comment and nodded in agreement. "I feel like punching the guy from here to the United States," Makoto said, making a fist. "He doesn't deserve the jail time, Mako-chan," Minako stated, her own blue eyes just as angry as her friends. "Take it easy, minna," Mamoru said, his own voice laced with anger. "Rei can handle it." Represenative Hino gave a curt nod to Rei. "I apologize for not staying for the ceremony, but my duties call for me elsewhere..." "Otou-san..." Rei tried to choke back tears, then blinked them away. She hung her head. How dare she actually believed her own father would come to her graduation? Baka, baka, baka! Usagi snapped. "Hino-san! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" "Usako," Mamoru called. "Usagi!" the other girls cried out in surprised. She ignored them and stepped toward the represenative. "You ought to be lucky to have a daughter like Rei. She works her butt off in the temple and at school just trying to survive, and you don't help her at all besides the monthly check. You ought to go in there and attend her graduation because you can. Because she's your only daughter and this only comes once." Tears blurred her vision and they began to spill down her cheeks. "I would give anything in this world to have my father attend my graduation tomorrow. But he can't. He never will. So think about it long and hard before you walk away, Hino-san. You can at least see this event in your daughter's life. My father can't. He can't see me graduate, get married, or hold his grandchild EVER." She turned away and tried to control her tears. She felt herself being surrounded by, Minako, Makoto, and Ami, all hugging her tightly. Represenative Hino looked at Usagi and then at Rei, who was fighting her own tears, then walked into the school. Rei looked after him in astonishment, then walked down the stairs and touched Usagi's back. Her friend turned around. She smiled. "Arigato, Usagi-chan," she said, a single tear escaping and rolling down her cheek. Usagi smiled at Rei, then hugged her. "Hello, what is this? Odango-atama and her friends!" called out a jovial voice. Everyone looked over at a group of four approaching the school. "Haruka-san! Michiru-san!" Minako cried. "Hotaru-chan! Setsuna-san!" Makoto added. "Good evening, everyone," Michiru greeted the inner senshi with a warm smile. "Have you heard from Chibi Usa-chan lately?" Hotaru asked Usagi, who shook her head. "What are you all doing here?" Ami asked. "We heard someone is graduating tonight," Haruka said, grinning at Rei. "I figured we would come and watch the fun." "Thank you for coming!" Rei said with pride. "Hurry, minna!" Ami said, pointing to her watch. "Or else they will start without you, Rei-chan!" ********** Usagi looked for Represenative Hino in the audience, but failed to find him. She sank into her seat with a heavy sigh. "He didn't stay after all, minna," she said. "Don't tell Rei-chan that," Makoto advised, gentily. "Let her think he was here, or else this will ruin the evening for her." "Un," Usagi nodded, feeling very low. Makoto smiled gentily at her and reached over, giving her hand a squeeze. "It'll be okay, Usagi-chan. Now, go on and smile for Rei." She forced a small smile on her face to try to satisfy Makoto. It failed. Before she could say anything else, the lights suddenly dimmed. "Eh? What's going on?" Minako looked around. The graduates were already seated by this time, and they looked around with puzzled expressions. Rei griped the edge of her seat as dark energy suddenly filled the room. A lean man stepped up to the podium, the darkness hiding his features. "Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the T*A Girls School Graduation. Our principal has taken a brief leave of abscence, so I may have the honor of stealing away all of your hopes!" Everyone in the room gasped. Usagi started to rise out of her seat, the other senshi following. "We need all of the precious energy your hope brings to the world to revive our queen. I thank you in her stead for your wonderous gift to her." That voice! Rei thought, trying to look for a way out. Where have I heard it before? If she wasn't sitting in the very front row of graduates, she would had slipped away. Her fingers brushed her henshin wand, in a pocket sewn into her school uniform skirt. "It is so nice to see so much hope here. Too bad it must now all go away," the man laughed. "Misora-chan!" "Misora-chan, ready to serve!" Misora, dressed in a very skin-tight dress, strutted out from back stage. A wave of her hand, and an odd creature wearing graduation robes stood before her. "Go fetch their hope, my little youma," she laughed, looking at the man in the shadows. "This pleases you, hai?" "Hai." The man answered. Misora strutted away, while Rei fumed from her seat. I can't go anywhere, she thought, looking up at the audience, who was staring in shock as the youma opened their mouths and a black ray came out of it. All around her, people started screaming and a white diamond-like substance came away from their bodies. Usagi, DO SOMETHING!! Rei tried to telepathically hit her before the ray hit her. She started screaming as the same substance started coming out of her chest. "Minna!" Usagi said. "We've got to help Rei-chan! Henshin yo!!" "Hai!" The rest of the senshi yelled. Mamoru nodded and pulled out a rose. "MOON ETERNAL, MAKE UP!" "MERCURY CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!" "JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!" "VENUS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!" "SATURN CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!" "URANUS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!" "NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!" "PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!" The senshi transformed and stood looking at the youma. Venus nudged Moon slightly. "Your cue," she whispered. "Give me a moment, it's been awhile..." "Usagi!" Moon turned to face the youma again. "How dare you attack a high school graduation where everyone is full of hope? I won't let you do this! I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon!" "And we are the sailor senshi!" Venus yelled behind her. "In the name of the moon," Moon started. "We'll punish you!" The rest of the senshi chimed in. "Let me at this," Uranus cracked her knuckles and grinned. She kind of missed fighting. She raised her hand. "WORLD SHAKING!" The blast sent the youma reeling back into a pole, causing the tent stretched over the platform to wobble. "Ack, be more careful next time, Uranus!" Pluto admonistered, rushing along with Jupiter to catch the pole. "Gomen ne, Pluto!" Haruka grinned sheepishly, but did seem regretful at all. "MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!" Mercury sent a wave of water at the youma, sending it away from the pole and into a wall. "Is that better?" "Much!" The other senshi agreed. "DEAD SCREAM," Pluto chimed in, rendering the youma senseless. Tuxedo Kamen looked over at Moon. "Now, Sailor Moon!" "Hai!" Moon started to raise her tier when she realized the horrid truth... She didn't have one. "Sailor Moon?" Jupiter questioned. "Usagi-san, is everything alright?" Neptune asked. "My tier...it broke when I fought Galaxia...I never got another one." The youma began to stir at that moment. "Think of something, and something fast," Venus called out. "VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!" she sent a blast of gold energy at the youma, which rendered it defenseless for another moment, then it started toward Saturn. "SILENCE GLAIVE SURPRISE!" the young girl yelled, sending a blast of energy at the youma. Think, Usagi, she thought to herself. Now's the time to be strong. Be brave. Lead the senshi. "If everyone combines their attacks, we can defeat the youma!" "Un!" Everyone faced the youma. "MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!" "JUPITER OAK REVOLUTION!" "VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!" "SILENCE GLAIVE SURPRISE!" "WORLD SHAKING!" "DEEP SUBMERGE!" "DEAD SCREAM!" The seven senshi sent their powers lashing out at the youma. It screamed in pain and quickly died. "We did it!" Venus cheered, detransforming. "That felt pretty good," Haruka admitted. "You always did have your dark side," Michiru teased her. Usagi turned away from the other senshi, trying to disguise her tears. She felt someone's hand on her shoulder and looked up into Mamoru's eyes. He smiled at her. "Don't worry. You'll get another tier," he told her. "Un." She leaned against him and he hugged her tightly. However, he closed his eyes. Something inside of him told him things were not going to be okay. He hoped he was wrong. The inner senshi were celebrating amongst themselves, but Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna watched Usagi and Mamoru. "Does it worry you she has no useful attack?" Haruka asked Setsuna. "Her Eternal Tier should had regenerated once she defeated Galaxia," she replied. "Unless another power is granted to her, she only has the Silver Crystal as her means of protection since Chibi Usa is not here to initiate the Moon Gorgeous Meditation attack." "But until then?" Hotaru asked, joining the group. "Until then, we protect her with our lives," Haruka vowed. ********** "Mizuno, Ami." Usagi watched from her seat toward the back of the rows of graduates, trying hard not to fidget. Her heart was beating so loudly she could barely hear the drama teacher call out the names over the loudspeaker. She watched Ami, the valedictorian, walk over and receive her diploma. She looked so serene, so calm. Usagi felt like throwing up. "Aino, Minako." Minako bounced up from her seat to the cheers from a certain section in the audience. She happily accepted the diploma from the principal and walked to the area where they stopped to have their pictures taken. She struck a traditional Sailor V pose as the camera went off, then headed back to her seat. Usagi scanned the crowd again, her eyes falling on that one section of the audience. Try to keep a hold of yourself, she told herself. You're a high school graduate now. You never expected to come this far, did you? Sure, you're not the top of the class. It's dangerous to come within ten feet of Ami-chan in that area. Still, you didn't so badly: number 17 out of 300. Especially once you found out studying wasn't so bad with friends...and look how proud it made Mamo-chan. Her eyes shot back to the audience and she smiled. And it made Papa so proud too... "Kino, Makoto." Makoto looked what Usagi felt. The auburn-haired senshi was visibly shaking with tears rolling down her cheeks. She had overcome so much during the past two years herself, finally accepting her parents' death. She accepted the diploma and walked over to the picture taking area,where she uncovered a 5x7 photograph she had been carrying in the folds of her gown. She held the picture, which was of her parents, and the diploma up next to each other and smiled brightly as the flash went off. The names kept going. Somewhere in there, Usagi heard Umino and Naru's names, and she thought about the Dark Kingdom and Naru falling for Nephrite. She wondered if Naru knew the truth? Probably not. All the events of the past four years flashed through her mind, from the moment Luna revealed she was Sailor Moon. It had only been after Galaxia's defeat that she felt herself truly start to change. Mamo-chan had gone back to America to finish the year he was obligated to do, and the lonliness seemed even worse knowing he was alive and couldn't be with her. She didn't know how she managed to swallow it, but somehow she had turned to studying when she was so bored nothing else could make her forget anything. It had been one day when she was reliving the day she had first met Mamoru when she realized she could do better than this. To her shock, she had. But then, Papa died almost a year ago, and upon learning his final wishes, tried even harder to succeed. Luna had once told her that when there is a goal to achieve, the strength in you comes out when you tried to achieve it. Usagi didn't know the meaning of that until Papa died. Sure, there were lots of better things to do than study, she realized. Motoki has that new Sailor V game which is so cool, and Minako-chan even helped to design it. And then there's eating, being with Mamo-chan, being with the other senshi...maybe I can relax now and have some fun, she thought. "Tsukino, Usagi." She stared at the podium. Me? She rose out of her seat and started walking toward the principal, looking as determined as she could. Dimly, she could hear the screams from her family and friends in the audience and see them leaping to their feet when her name was called. As she walked up the aisle, she looked to see Makoto grinning at her, Minako waving at her, and Ami with tears in her eyes. She mouthed "We all made it" at them, then stepped up to the podium. The principal handed her the dark blue leather book and shook her hand and she moved over to the picture taking area. She stood on her mark and looked up into the audience. Momma stood holding onto Shingo, tears rolling down her cheeks. Haruka was whistling and Michiru was trying to stop her. Hotaru and Setsuna were actually acting like ladies, but their huge grins were evident. Luna and Artemis sat on their shoulders. Luna looked to be in tears. Rei was whistling and cheering, acting much like Haruka. Then her eyes locked on Mamoru's and his with hers. He was smiling with pride and she felt the same emotion bursting within her. She moved her hand so her engagement ring could be picked up in the photo and kept her gaze on him as the camera went off. Less than five minutes later, it was all over. The girls turned in their robes and met their families. Minako grinned at Ami as they all walked out of the auditorium. "Bet you never thought we would all walk away with diplomas," she teased her. "You did frighten me...more than once," Ami admitted, and everyone laughed. "So what would everyone like to do?" Ami's mother asked them. "It's your night, girls. You name the activity." Makoto, Minako, Rei, and Usagi grinned at each other. "EATING!" "Hai, eating!" Minako said again. "Let's all go eat plenty of Korean barbecue!" "But don't we have to get started studying for freshman Japanese composition?" Ami asked, with a worried look on her face. "Ami-chan!" "Gomen ne!" The girls grabbed hands and sprinted ahead together, laughing until Usagi heard her name. "Usako." She stopped and looked back at Mamoru. She waved to the other senshi and their families. "Go ahead, I'll be right there!" "While she's gone, I want to protest where we're eating," Haruka muttered, walking past her with the other outer senshi. Hotaru smiled at her. "Congratulations, Usagi-chan. I knew you could do it." "Arigato, Hotaru-chan." She hugged the young senshi. They walked on, and Usagi faced Mamoru. He walked over to her and took hold of her hand and held it out, then placed a crumpled paper ball in it. She glanced at him. "What's this?" "You'll recognize it. Open it." She unfolded the paper to reveal a test with a 30 on it and her name on it. Her face flushed crimson. She hadn't made a score like that in at least two years! Then she noticed the date on it. April, 1992. When she met Mamoru. "You kept this?" She held up the test. "Hai. I didn't know why, but I figure now this proves you can succeed with time. I'm very proud of you, Usako." Her gaze met his, her cheeks flushing. "You don't mind that we wait?" "Iie. We'll get married when the time is right for both of us." Mamoru glanced around the parking lot, still noticing the groups of people out there, and flushed a little. Still, he took her in her arms and kissed her. Usagi smiled. Who said her dreams still wouldn't come true? She was with the one she loved, and she had her family and friends. Although there seemed to be a new enemy around, it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. They broke off the kiss and he offered his arm to her. My dreams are coming true, she realized. Even if it's not the way they were originally planned, they will still come true. From the other end of the parking lot, Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna watched them. Michiru wore a dreamy expression on her face while Hotaru giggled a little. Haruka and Setsuna stood off to the side a little, looking serious. "It won't be long now?" Haruka asked. "They postponed the wedding, but it won't be for long. Their souls desire to be as one now," Setsuna said, wisely. "They need to complete the union as soon as possible." "As for the enemy?" "If we are to defeat whoever it is, their souls must unify. Else, all hope is gone." Setsuna glanced at Haruka before getting in the car. "And try to drive a little less like a maniac so we can at least live to see their wedding." COMING NEXT: EPISODE 2 - BUTTERFLIES AND STARS; THE RETURN OF CHIBI USA AND CHIBI CHIBI