Disclaimers: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Taekuchi. I'm just borrowing them for the time being.
Chapter 1: A letter
By Lady Fenix
Furuhata Motoki, former worker and now proud owner of the Crown Game Center in Juubangai, kept glancing at the raven-haired beauty sitting by the window while trying valiantly to keep his face solemn. As he moved around the place serving the customers, mostly teenagers from the local schools, he noticed that he was not the only one that kept throwing glances at the woman.
Dressed in red tank top and black mini skirt that showed of gorgeous long legs, Motoki had to admit that she was a looker. Her long raven hair was loose and floated down her slender back like rich mink. She had the beauty that was both classical and yet exotic. Lovely and pale she looked like the classical shrine maiden of the stories. Yet there was something that differed her from the beauties in the books and that was her large violet eyes; a heritage from her western father.
The woman caused quite a stir among the customers in the game center. The young lads looked at her with puppy eyes, no doubt she will be in more than one of their dreams tonight. The girls hanging together by the bar kept dividing their attention between throwing her envious glances and trying to catch Motoki's eyes. Unlike them however the only part of the woman Motoki was interested in looking at was her right foot. The appearance she gave was serene but her right foot which had at about ten minutes ago started tapping showed the impatience she was feeling. To Motoki that was highly amusing since he knew how much she hated waiting on people.
From across the room he caught his sister, Una's warning glance. She gave him a pointed look and then at their friend. Motoki winked at her that he got the message and the with a tuneless whistle he finished off mixing the frosty drink with all the special toppings and extras. The thing they had to do because of friendships. Then with a grin on his face he set the drink on a small the tray and carried it over to the booth by the window.
"Here you go, Rei. A Motoki special on the house." He told her and set down the drink with a flourish.
Hino Rei looked up at the blonde young man and could not help to feel the smile form even as she tried to hold it back. "Motoki, if this is the way you greet all of your female customers then no wonder you have so many admirers. Does Reika know what you're doing?"
Nishimura Reika was Motoki's wife and also a friend of Rei's.
"Well you know what she doesn't know won't hurt her or me." Motoki told her with a wink.
Rei laughed at that bold lie. They both knew that Motoki was very much in love with his wife and while Reika herself was not the jealous type, Motoki was even more conscious of making sure the female customers at the game center knew that he was happily married than his wife.
"So what's the plan for this afternoon? You and Ami going antiquarian bookstores again?"
Other young women that Motoki knew went shopping for clothes but Rei and Ami were the only ones who went book hunting on their spare time. He found it quite amusing but Una found it unnatural and every time the other two asked her to join she always shuddered though she did not have any qualms about dragging them with her during her shopping sprees. From the looks on those twos faces afterwards, Motoki imagined it as nightmarish as book-shopping was for Uni. Still they were friends and they endured it.
"We were supposed to check out this new one that had opened up at Yasukuni. Of course that depends on whether or not Ames decides to show up at all."
Just then as if mentioning the name had called upon her, the door opened and a young woman with short ebony hair and large blue eyes entered the room. She waved a greeting to Una by the counter before joining them at the booth.
"Sorry I'm late." She apologized with a bow.
Rei made a sniffing sound. "It was supposed to be half past two, Ames." Rei told her, tapping against the watch on her left wrist, which was currently showing five past three.
"Sorry, Rei." Ami said with another guilty look and bowed again.
Knowing that Rei was pulling her legs, Motoki felt sorry for Ami and decided to come to her rescue. "Don't worry, Ames. She was late also." He told her in a conspiring tone.
He got two different reactions from the women. One cast him a sweet smile while the other shot him an annoyed look along with a hiss. "Traitor."
Giving them both a roughish smile in return, Motoki said when Ami had settled down. "Are my two lovely ladies ready to order now then?"
"Oh be gone, Toki. You already know what we want. Now go flirt with those lovesick puppies and leave us to our girl-talk." Rei told him and shooed him off with a wave of her hand.
Of course Motoki was not about to leave that easily. Ami watched in silence as she listened to them banter absently drinking from the milkshake in front of Rei. The air was humid outside and having run all the way from the station, Ami was more than grateful to have something to slake her thirst, the fact that it was her favorite drink was only a bonus.
As she enjoyed the cold drink, Ami studied her friend through her lowered lashes. Watching Rei and Motoki mock argument, the way siblings did it, made her feel real good. It was a proof of just how much Rei considered Motoki as a friend to see her act like this. Many people who knew Rei Hino the shrine maiden of Hikawa Shrine or the shop assistant of the local bakery store would never have believed their eyes if they saw her now. The carefree mood, the sparkling eyes and the open honest face, how different that was from the normally reserved facade she always kept on. Being a very private person, Rei only allowed a few people she trust to come close enough in her life to get to know the real her, which in Ami's eyes was a pity. Then again Ami understood her friend too. Having been hurt by one of the most important men in her life, it was hard for Rei to trust in others, especially men.
"Hey that's my drink." The indignant voice of Rei's pulled Ami back from her reminisce.
Looking down at the empty glass, Ami gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry. It was hot outside."
Rei shook her head. "Never mind." She caught Motoki's eyes by the bar and signaled him for two more. Then turning back she studied Ami carefully, "Rough day at work?"
Ami smiled. "Fujimara-san insisted that I take the two last patients before I left. He said he had an appointment to get to."
Rei gave an indelicate snort. "He's only coming up with excuses. No doubt he went golfing again. Honestly Ames you are being too nice. You have to start saying no to him or he'll walk all over you."
An embarrassed blush crept up her cheeks. "Its okay. Fujimara-san would not have asked me if he did not think he could trust me with it. Afterall I'm just glad he lets me do things for him, that way at least I can repay him for the kindness he showed me."
"As if he had not gotten a bargain out hiring you." Rei said sarcastically. "Lets just change subject."
Men like Fujimara Shinji always infuriated her. Sneaky enough to recognize a talent when they see it and use it to their advantage by playing on the kindness of those people. Men so much like her father.
At the thought of her father, Rei was invaded with mixed emotions. Worry, guilt, anger, resentment and love.
Sensing her changed mood, Ami asked. "Is there still no news?"
There was no point in denying it, having grown up together and gone to the same school they knew each other as well as they knew themselves. At fist Rei had been frightened by that closeness but then she had become used to it and now she could even find comfort in it.
Rei looked up and met her serious eyes and shook her head. "No. Uncle Martin promised he would call once he heard something."
Marcus Holden, Rei's father had been on a business trip when his plane had encountered bad weather and gone down in the Pacific a month ago. The weather around there had been too bad for them to make a thorough search but as time passed chances of finding him alive also lessened.
Ami had not asked how Rei felt about the whole thing and Rei had been grateful of that. The truth was she did not know herself. He was and always will be her father. She knew that without him there would be no her. Yet all her life he had never paid any attention to her. Ever since her parents' divorce Rei had lived with her mother and grandfather at the Hikawa Shrine. Before her mother's death Rei had seen him on a few occasional time a year, afterwards she only saw him on her birthdays and in the recent years not even that. Kay, his assistance had been sent instead.
Rei was more than grateful at Motoki when he came over with their plates of food, giving her the opportunity to think about something else. The day was too wonderful to be spoiled by thoughts of her father. What will happen will happen. It was seldom she and Ami managed to get half the afternoon off at the same time to go shopping. The weather was wonderful and the summer had arrived. It was time to have fun.
Ami seemed to agree with her too. As they parted ways on the entrance of Hikawa Shrine five hours later both of them were each carrying two bags loaded with books; the results of their good spirit. Rei's were a mixture of classical novels both English, Japanese and Chinese as well as some manga while Ami's were more scientific though Rei noticed with amusement that she had a manga mixed in them too. She supposed some influence from her must have rubbed off. After all Ami did manage to help her become more computer friendly.
The steps leading up to the shrine were precisely hundred and fifty. Rei had counted them as a child to make sure. On both sides of the steps cherry trees had been planted, to spring out and bloom during April. As she slowly walked up the steps Rei, closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air and the serenity. Despite being situated in central Tokyo the Hikawa Shrine was still a quiet haven the moment one entered its ground. To Rei, the place always gave her a sense of peace.
The peace she felt did not last long however. She knew it the moment she saw her grandfather's small form standing outside the temple waiting for her and read the look in his eyes. There were regret in them.
"Your uncle called while you were out." He told her gently. "I told him you were not due back until a few more hours and he said he'll try calling again tonight but that he would be sending someone over with this." He handed her a white envelope. There was no stamp or anything on it, just her name typed over the front. "I'm sorry, child."
Setting down her bags, Rei took the envelope from her grandfather's hand. While she slowly opened the envelope, she felt her grandfather pat her on the back before he silently disappeared inside the temple. She pulled out the letter which happened to be a fax and read the content.
Dear Rei
No doubt your grandfather already informed you about the unfortunate fate of your father. I wanted to explain things to you in person but I guess it is better for you to hear the news from him rather than me. I find myself at loss for words.
The funeral will be at the family villa on Connecticut in a few weeks. Madame wants everyone to attend. I have booked a ticket for you to be picked up at the airport at your earliest convenience. It's an open ticket so the date can be changed.
Please do try to make it in good time. Madame hates tardiness.
Sincerely
U, Martin
Rei grimaced at the last sentence. Madame this. Madame that. It was hard to believe that a big strong man like Martin Holden was still so afraid of his mother considering that she must be reaching eighty or ninety by now. She had heard a lot about the powerful matriarch of the Holden empire. It was said that she ruled over her family with a iron hand the same way she ruled over her business. When she snapped her fingers people jumped and they did not stop until she said so.
If Rei felt a mixture of feelings concerning her father, there was certainly no confusion when it came to her grandmother. She despised her. On principle because she did not believe in using methods like terror to make people do things and on personal bases because the old woman had been part of the reason why Rei's parents got divorced.
If Martin had not phrased so many Madame in his letter, Rei would not have hesitated to take the next flight to the States. Now she felt a rebellious urge just to stay put because she knew it would annoy the old woman. Why bother pleasing an old woman whom never counted her as family to begin with? Or for that matter honoring the memory of a father who never existed?
Author's note: Yes for those of you who have been to my webpage this is an old story that I decided to post here as well. Expect the next chapter to come out in a few days.
Well anyways hope you enjoy it.