TITLE: Queen of Angst AUTHOR: Dreiser EMAIL: dreiser0@earthlink.net WEBSITE:http://www.dreiser.net/ CONTENT: F/F romance. Don't like it, don't read it. SUMMARY: Rei is the queen of Sailor Moon shoujoai angst but her fellow Senshi decide that even the queen of angst deserves to get some happiness in her eternal life. DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my own stress. AUTHOR'S NOTE: As far as timelines go, this takes place after Time Waits and Rickets and Pockyrespectively. You don't have to read those fics first to understand what's going on but I do drop some inside jokes that refer back to them so... yeah. lol. Queen of Angst By: Dreiser Every two weeks they had a party. Or at least that was how things worked out. The Senshi were close friends and they honestly enjoyed being together and because of that, they tended to gather socially at least once a month at someone's house. This month their impromptu party was being held at Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru's house. Otherwise known as, according to Minako, HaMiSeHo's place. Although no one other than Minako called it this. Probably because it was damn weird to pronounce and sounded stupid. The party was well in swing, music playing, a movie on the large screen television and the Senshi mingling amongst themselves eating and chit chatting. Mamoru had cornered Setsuna, filling her in on the details of his new basket weaving class at college; Chibiusa had dragged Hotaru upstairs to her room, wanting to see her 'lamps'; Haruka was with Michiru, as usual, talking to Usagi about her possibly joining the track team and Rei was at their side, watching Usagi with a wistful look on her face that made her look altogether beautiful. And watching all of this from the couch was Minako, Makoto, and a reluctant Ami. "Wait for it... wait... waittttt," Minako drew the word out slowly as she leaned closer to Makoto and Ami, the latter of which looked barely interested in this exercise while the first was intrigued. "There! I told you, I told you it would happen. See? In less than five minutes she made the face," declared Minako smugly. She leaned back against the couch and smirked at Makoto. "Pay up." "That wasn't fair," said Makoto with a groan, slapping the money into Minako's waiting hand. "I've never seen her react that fast. Usually it takes longer." "Time is a great teacher, it skips the midterms," replied Minako proudly. She squirmed in her position on the couch to stuff the money into the back pocket of her jeans. As she did this, Minako smiled happily at the approaching figure of Setsuna. "Hiya toots," she greeted, looking up at Setsuna, beaming as she sat on the arm of the couch and leaned down to kiss Minako. "I have no idea what she means by that," said Makoto dryly, looking over at Ami who was pressed into her, chin on her shoulder as she smiled quietly. "Do you know, Ami-chan?" "I've never known," Ami said softly, smiling steadily at her girlfriend. "Why don't we ask Setsuna-san if she's managed to interpret Minako-chan's mysterious sayings?" "Good idea," drawled Makoto. Facing the guardian of time, Makoto arched a brown eyebrow and formed a rakish smile. "Well? How about it? Do you actually understand the words that come out of Minako-chan's mouth? Because I have to say that most of the time we don't and we're this nutball's closest friends." Eyeing Ami now, who was smiling in amusement at her antics, she mock whispered to her, "It's sad, isn't it? No one understanding her and all." "I understand me!" said Minako grumpily, her cheeks turning red and puffing up in anger. Tossing her blonde hair over her shoulders, she pouted and went onto say, "I make absolute and perfect sense. It's the world and people in it that are confused, not me." "Right," Makoto drawled again, looking skeptical. Peering over at Setsuna who remained silent through all of this, her arm casually slung around Minako's shoulder and her hand playing with the blonde's silken locks in an absent manner. "So? Do you understand her or not?" "Understanding Minako-chan is quite the simple task," murmured Setsuna, her eyes fixed on Minako as she spoke and the blonde lifted her head slightly to meet Setsuna's eyes. "You needn't pay so much attention to her words but instead how she says them and how she looks while speaking." Smiling quietly, she brushed a lock of blonde hair from Minako's eyes. "It's the sentiment behind the words which matters, not what is actually being spoken." The reaction to Setsuna's speech was immediate and varied. Minako formed hearts in her eyes, clung to the older woman and declared her to, once again, be the best girlfriend ever. Makoto wore a blank expression as she attempted to comprehend what Setsuna said. While Ami smiled at what the time guardian said, knowing it to be true, and enjoyed Makoto's perplexed expression far more than she knew she probably should. It was just so cute though, she really couldn't help it. "Although," Setsuna mused, now busy braiding Minako's hair as the blonde moved on the couch, her back facing the time guardian to make the task easier, "I have to say I'm not sure I consider it wise nor particularly kind for you to place bets on Rei's feelings over personal life." "Hey, blondie started it," huffed Makoto, jerking her thumb at Minako. "Moi?" said Minako, pressing a delicate hand to her chest and looking altogether innocent. "I was simply making an observation, you wanted to bet on it, Mako-chan." "Didn't stop you from taking my money though," Makoto snorted. "You're worried about Rei-chan, aren't you?" Ami spoke up, her eyes studying Setsuna with a quiet determination. Makoto had seen that look fairly often since they started dating. Usually when she pushed herself too far, acting stubborn about her own physical limits. That look would appear in Ami's eyes and she'd melt, giving into whatever the blue haired girl wanted. And what she wanted was always for the best when it came to Makoto's interests. In this instance, she was pretty sure that it would be the same way for Rei. "That's why you came over just now." "Hm," Setsuna allowed softly. She looked up, a slight smile tugging on her lips as she murmured, "That and I can only talk to Mamoru so long about basket weaving before growing bored. For a party there's quite the lull in entertainment here, you know." Setsuna returned to braiding Minako's hair, studying it intently as she continued, "Time is at a crossroads where it concerns Rei, I'm afraid. She must decide what she truly wishes to do. Pursue the Princess or abandon her love completely to some day seek out another." The three Inner Senshi wore similar expressions of dread on their faces upon hearing this. Setsuna, in the meanwhile, kept braiding Minako's hair and contemplated how stupid would braids really look when accompanied by a big red bow. --- Rei was getting sick of being stared at by a certain blonde. Now, if the certain blonde was her beloved princess, then she wouldn't give one fig about the staring. No, she would be rejoicing in the staring, dancing around and doing a little jig. But then again, wasn't dancing and doing a jig the same thing? Who knew. Only, much to Rei's disdain, the staring wasn't on Usagi's part. No, it was Minako doing it. And frankly, Rei was tired of it. That's why when the Inners were all walking home from school together, she grabbed Minako on the back of her big red hair bow to make her slow down. "Ow! My bow! That hurts!" Minako whined, giving Rei her best puppy dog eyes. "Can it," ordered Rei sternly. She released the bow and looked up ahead, making sure Usagi and the others hadn't noticed. Makoto was still being clung onto by Usagi as she ranted about how good her cookies were, so she was pretty sure they were safe. "All right," said Rei, eyeing Minako suspiciously, "give it up. Why have you been staring at me lately?" Rei's eyes narrowed even more and she leaned close to the blonde. "You aren't tired of Setsuna-san already, are you?" "What?! I could never be tired of my eternal snuggle bunny!" declared Minako in what looked to be the beginning of a rage. Then she formed a dry expression, put her hands on her hips and stared at Rei as she said plainly, "You've clearly gone crazy if you think that." "I have not," Rei hissed, glaring at Minako who wilted at this. "You've been staring at me and I want to know why. I realize that I'm incredibly good looking but get over it, okay?" Minako rolled her eyes and realized that Rei's ego was still in full force despite the apparent conflict over her love life which would be developing soon. "It's not that." Sighing, she looked up at her friend and decided to simply spit it out. "I'm worried about you, that's all. Setsuna..." "Setsuna what?" demanded Rei, getting more and more irritated. Softening on seeing the obvious worry on her friend's features, she clasped Minako's shoulders. "Minako-chan, what is it?" "Setsuna," Minako squeaked, suddenly captured by Rei's huge purple eyes, and as she stared into them she noticed how deep they were for the first time. They were almost as deep as Setsuna's, as deep and as wise, and oh god... Minako blushed from head to toes. She was in trouble. Big trouble. She had to go talk to her snuggle bunny -- NOW. "She..." "She what?" pursued Rei. She was growing more worried by the second. Although she had been irritated with Minako and her staring, that didn't take away the fact that the blonde was one of her closest friends and right now, well, she was acting a little strange. "What's going on?" "She wants to invite you out to dinner with us!" Minako blurted, not sure where this was coming from. It was like her lips were detached from her brain and they were now in charge of this thing called her body and jeezus, what had her lips done? This wasn't good. "Tomorrow night!" "Dinner?" Rei blinked. That's why Minako was so worked up? Weird. "Sure," said Rei with a smile, hoping this would reassure and calm Minako, "I'd love go out with you two." "You would?" Minako said with a nervous laugh. "Great! Great! That's... great," Minako laughed on, rubbing her red bow and walking backwards as she did. "I'll tell Setsuna. She'll be so happy..." "Uhm, Minako-chan?" began Rei. "No, no, no worries, I'll take care of everything! Dinner is on us!" Minako insisted, waving her hands at Rei and backing away more quickly now, trying her best to ignore the fact that Rei looked horribly attractive while appearing concerned. "But Minako-chan," Rei tried again. "I said it's fine! No worries! Now I've got to--" Minako was cut off as she stepped into a large puddle/pot hole and fell into the rain water inside ofit. When her head rose up out of the water, she spat it out and said weakly, "Get wet." --- Back, forth, right, left, zig-zag, circle, stop, back, forth, then a u-turn, and finally a figure eight was the pattern that Minako had managed worked out for Setsuna's pacing. It seemed that the guardian of time liked to be complex, even when not thinking about it. That suited Minako though. She didn't particularly want to have an airhead for a girlfriend anyway. "Dinner," Setsuna finally said, stopping in her odd pacing to stare Minako down. Sighing as she approached Minako and sat on the coffee table to stare deeply into her blue eyes, Setsuna asked, "Why did you do something like that, Minako-chan?" "I had to say something," offered Minako lamely, looking guilty. Releasing a puff of air to blow several locks of blonde hair from her eyes, she said, "I know we're not supposed to mess with the flow of time or whatever but ever since that night I've been watching Rei-chan. Really watching her, you know? And she's just so sad most of the time. I wanted to talk to her about that and Usagi, but I chickened out and I somehow invited her out to dinner with us tomorrow." Averting her eyes from Setsuna's, she stared at the carpet and muttered, "I'm sorry for screwing things up." The couch lowered slightly as Setsuna sat next to Minako. Brushing some hair behind Minako's ear, she murmured, "It's all right and you haven't screwed anything up. If I hadn't felt it was best for you to get involved in Rei's romantic life would I have spoken up at all?" When Minako remained still and stayed quiet, she chuckled, kissing Minako's forehead, "Would I?" "No," said Minako softly, a slow smile spreading on her features. "I'm glad to see you're listening to reason," said Setsuna with a smile. "Now," she looked into Minako's eyes, a playful look emerging, "where shall we take Rei out to dinner?" --- It was an elegant restaurant. Really, really, elegant. That's why Rei was wondering just why everyone it seemed to be gossiping amongst one another and staring at them as if a show was about to start any minute now. "So," said Rei, giving a little laugh, "you two come here often?" "Yes, we love French cuisine," replied Setsuna. She looked over at Minako, who was busy glaring at the people staring at them and grabbed her hand that lay on the table, squeezing it lightly. "Isn't that right, Minako-chan?" "Yeah," Minako grumbled, still giving death glares to the people before focusing on a hesitant Rei. "I love French food as long as it's not flambé." Rei arched an eyebrow at this and Setsuna shrugged absently, totally at ease and looking peaceful as she reached a hand up to play with the strands of hair at the nape of Minako's neck. The blonde had decided to wear her hair up tonight and Setsuna thought it made her, if possible, look even more beautiful. Plus it revealed the graceful line of her neck, exposing it for her kisses later that evening. Something Setsuna was entirely grateful for. "Inside joke," Setsuna murmured, offering her best charming smile. "Yeah, real inside," muttered Minako, who didn't appear to want to give up her newfound hobby of glaring at all the other restaurant occupants anytime soon. Once the food arrived and Minako suitably scared everyone in the restaurant from staring at them, they finally got about to talking amongst themselves and Rei was surprised to find how really easy it was to talk with them. Setsuna was so much more relaxed when with Minako, smiling and laughing, even making a joke here and there with a dry wit that Rei found highly amusing. And Minako, well, she'd always gotten along with Minako, of course, but somehow she thought Minako with Setsuna would be different. That the blonde would somehow become too serious or too giddy, instead of her usual mix of both fascinating qualities, that or Minako would end up making them into one of those disgustingly cutesy couples who fawn over each other. Just like... Watching as Rei's face darkened, Minako reached out, running her hand over Setsuna's arm, tugging on her thumb slightly before nodding at their companion. A veil passed over the time guardian's eyes and she sighed quietly. Looking at Minako she seemed to question her silently, asking her which one of them should broach the subject. Minako, being the braver at the moment, decided to do it. "Rei-chan?" she said softly. When the priestess snapped out of her trance, Minako smiled then murmured, "You were thinking of Usagi just then, weren't you?" Blinking at this, unable to comprehend that she had been found out and wondering somehow why it really had taken her friends this long to bring it up, Rei stared at them wide eyed. It shouldn't make her this surprised, it being mentioned, but for so long her feelings had been a type of open secret amongst them all. They all were in love with Usagi to some degree but none, save Mamoru, could claim to be as deeply in love with her as Rei. Perhaps because of that, they let her be. They didn't question her feelings or her intentions since they knew full well Rei would do anything to make and keep their Princess happy. That included seeing her live her life with someone else. But still, despite all of that, Rei didn't know how to reply to Minako now. "She's making you sad lately," Minako continued on, deciding that Rei wasn't going to answer her anytime soon so she might as well keep on talking. "We've all seen it." She nodded at Setsuna who squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Setsuna mentioned it first, you know." "Setsuna-san?" asked Rei quietly, looking to her in disbelief. "Why?" "The gate," said Setsuna, staring Rei down with an earnest gaze, "I check on all of you through it. To make sure you're safe... that nothing is amiss. I saw you a week ago." She watched as the dark haired girl froze on hearing this, her shoulders stiff and her jaw clenched. Setsuna dipped her head in a type of acknowledgement. "How you were, it reminded me of myself. In the past, before I had anyone, and myself now, before I found Minako. I told Minako that your life was at a crossroads, that you would have to decide soon on what you wanted and what you would do about it." There was a significant pause and Setsuna released a sigh as she murmured, "I lied." On hearing this, both Minako and Rei gaped at Setsuna. "You what?" Minako squeaked, her blue eyes huge. The idea of her girlfriend lying was way too foreign for her. Setsuna was mysterious, she avoided, and she said very little about pretty much everything but this was the first time Minako could think of her outright lying. "I lied," Setsuna repeated, looking apologetically at Minako then turning her knowing gaze back onto Rei. "I felt that I had to or else nothing would change. You would remain exactly as you are now. In love with Usagi and doing nothing about it. It will destroy you in time." "And?" Rei gritted her teeth, staring Setsuna down. Raging at this invasion of her privacy. Her feelings were her own. She didn't need her friends dissecting them, no matter what their intentions. It just wasn't right. "That's my own business, isn't it? This is my life, not yours, Setsuna." "Rei-chan..." started Minako, wanting to apologize, wanting to explain, but finding herself somehow unable and cut off as the priestess rose to her feet. "It's fine, Minako-chan," said Rei abruptly, softening her look for the blonde, knowing that it wasn't her fault, not really. She'd been tricked and was only concerned. Setsuna was the one behind this. Odd that she and not Minako had done the meddling. Maybe as a couple they were rubbing off on one another or maybe she never known Setsuna at all. "I'm not angry at you. But I am leaving." With that, Rei turned and walked out of the restaurant. Not before she impatiently brushed past a waiter as he lit the match to set someone's meal on fire. Pushing him forward just enough to instead light the table cloth on fire instead. Rei didn't notice the ensuing chaos she caused as the entire table and fixings went up in flames, she was too busy being angry. So angry that she wasn't sure when she'd be able to stop feeling that way. --- Releasing a low wolf whistle, Haruka leaned back in her chair and stared at Setsuna and Minako. She then rested her hands behind her head and remarked, "Setsuna made a boo-boo, huh?" Setsuna's only reaction to this was to give Haruka a look that someday, when developed highly enough, could kill someone on sight. "I didn't make a boo-boo," Setsuna mocked Haruka's voice and glared at her still. "I was simply worried about Rei, that's all. I thought it best if we brought the subject up now before it became too late. In the future..." Setsuna trailed off, her expression becoming dark. "What about the future?" asked Michiru with a great deal more tact that Haruka. Unlike her girlfriend, she actually wanted to find out what was happening here. It was probably the best gossip they had gotten in months. "She's me," said Setsuna simply, meeting their eyes and they all were taken aback by the starkness they saw in it. It was a look Setsuna hadn't possessed for awhile now. Not since she'd become close with Haruka and Michiru, not since they started to raise Hotaru as a family, and especially not once she had begun dating Minako. "She's how I once was. Isolated... alone... wanting for someone to be there for me but scared of letting anyone in. I could hardly stand it myself when I was in such a role but at least when it was me, my duty as a Senshi placed me there. Rei's love for Usagi is what leads her to that." Looking away from them, out of the kitchen and into the foyer, she sighed as she continued, "I found myself wanting to prevent her from taking that path. I know it was wrong to interfere but still... I could not help myself." They were quiet for a long moment then Minako, tears in her eyes, flung herself at Setsuna, sending the taller woman rocking back in her chair as the blonde clung to her. "You're so sweet!" Minako declared, sniffling as she buried her face in Setsuna's neck. "And I don't think you were wrong at all. I think you were being the kind person that you are. You just didn't want Rei-chan to be unhappy, that's all. I think we can all understand that." Pulling away from Setsuna, she smiled widely and cupped her face as she said, "I'll talk to her, okay? Straighten this out." Haruka snickered at the word straighten, causing Michiru to promptly whap her on the back of the head. While the tall blonde grumbled at this and rubbed her head, Michiru smiled at Setsuna whose wine colored eyes were peering at her over the mass that was Minako, and said, "I think it was a good idea, what you did. Perhaps it wasn't carried out in the proper manner though." "How do you mean?" questioned Setsuna, shifting with Minako who was squirming around, per usual, so she could become comfortable as she perched in her girlfriend's lap. "Well," Michiru drawled the word out, trying to make herself appear innocent as she tapped her index finger to her chin in a thoughtful gesture. This caused Haruka to snicker again and Michiru to glare at her, making the blonde wilt then scoot away. It seemed to Haruka, and anyone else near the couple, that she got more and more whipped with every day that passed. "I think maybe we should focus on another angle. Maybe diverting Rei's attentions to someone other than Usagi." "You want to set her up," said Setsuna dryly. She wondered if that was better or worse than the idea she had to simply warn the priestess about her future if she didn't change her ways. She wasn't entirely sure, to tell the truth. Minako, however, loved the idea. "Set her up! That's great!" Minako announced happily, bouncing on Setsuna's lap and clapping her hands. Her excited expression fell after a moment though. "But with who?" At this question, all four Senshi met each others eyes with blank stares. --- They had gathered everyone for this momentous task. Okay, not everyone, but they gathered all of the Senshi at least. Okay, not even all of the Senshi. They had gathered the ones old enough to hear this conversation and the ones who weren't directly related to their conversation. Which basically meant that they had gathered Ami, Makoto, Minako, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna. And what had they been gathered for? To find Rei a girlfriend/boyfriend of course. Or to just find Rei someone who would take her mind, heart, and hormones off of Usagi enough to make her happy. For this special very occasion Michiru had brought out the trusty graph and its stand again. She also had with her the much feared pointer 'o' death which Setsuna and Haruka instinctively recoiled from when she produced it out of subspace with a loud snap. "All right, people, we know why we're here. Operation: Give Rei-chan A Happy is beginning today and our first step? Find a significant other!" Michiru declared, whapping the graph as she paced in front of it, causing Setsuna and Haruka to recoil and the others to wince. "Unfortunately," Michiru went back to pacing now, "our options severely limited due to her incredibly tiny social circle." Michiru flipped back the first page of the graph to reveal a crude sketch of a little stick man with whiskers on his chin, holding a guitar, and wailing a love song. Next to him it said Yuuichiro, so that led most of the Senshi to think that was who he was supposed to be. Most. Personally, Makoto thought he looked a little like her former sempai of whom she wasn't supposed to mention anymore. "Our first option is Yuuichiro-san," said Michiru, grimacing as she mentioned him. He was just so... so... well, scruffy. And Rei was much like herself, an elegant beauty. Elegant beauties need to be with someone just as elegant as themselves or at least someone damn smooth like her Haruka. "Which, to be honest, I don't particularly think is much of an option. He has been chasing after Rei for quite some time now and she hasn't given him much thought." "There was that one time when he attacked Haruka-san," mentioned Makoto, leaning back in her chair and grinning at her would be idol who returned the grin with usual smoothness. "She got upset when he went running off for the train station and brought him right back to the shrine." "But she returned to ignoring him right after that, Mako-chan," reminded Ami, looking at her girlfriend and sighing as she pushed up her wire rim glasses. "I'm afraid Michiru-san is right. While Yuuichiro is convenient I doubt he could truly capture Rei-chan's heart and make her happy." "On the bright side, look at his devotion level on the graph!" Minako exclaimed, pointing at the graph which had a huge mountain that on the top of it said 'Rei-chan devotion'. "He's really got it bad." "Yes," Michiru nodded. She whapped the graph at the point where it was labeled devotion, causing Haruka and Setsuna to shudder. "Yuuichiro-san's devotion to Rei is significant but I think we've all come to the conclusion a romance between them would come to naught." Ami nodded at this while Makoto and Minako exchanged a glance that clearly said, 'do you know what naught means? I don't know what naught means'. Haruka and Setsuna in the meanwhile were occupied with scooting as far away from the pointer 'o' death as possible. "Our next option is a tad more unusual," admitted Michiru as she flipped back the graph to reveal a page with two beautifully drawn crows and then crow women. Obviously this was something that Michiru had drawn herself. Which left Ami wondering who had drawn that first stick figure. Probably Haruka, she figured. "But as you can see, their devotion level is just as high as Yuuichiro-san's." "But they're crows," said Minako dimly, staring at the pictures of Phobos and Deimos. "They're servants," corrected Michiru primly, looking unusually pleased with herself. "They've stayed with Rei-chan all of this time and clearly care for her. How long have they been with her, after all? Since childhood? They've been guarding her all of that time. Keeping her safe and even Rei-chan has admitted that for some time they were her only friends." "But they're crows," repeated Minako, still staring at the graph dumbly. "They're aliens," Ami corrected, tilting her head to one side and considering the option. "This is an intriguing idea... although they haven't emerged in their human forms since Galaxia. I wonder if it's something that they can even do of their own free will." "Didn't this only happen in the manga?" Haruka muttered to Setsuna, she leaned close and whispered in the guardian of time's ear. "Does this fic take place in the anime or the manga canon? Or is this even canon? I don't think I'm this whipped in either canon, you know." "Yes, you are," said Setsuna plainly, meeting Haruka's eyes and smirking. "And I'm not quite sure if this is a manga or anime story, to be perfectly honest. I'm simply going with the flow, as it were." "Great," grumbled Haruka, folding her arms over her chest. "We're officially screwed when you decide you don't care about continuums." "I think it could work," Makoto admitted as she studied the cute crow girls. "Rei does love those birds. I mean, she buys them that fancy seed to eat and cleans up after their messy doo." Everyone stared at Makoto in disgusted amazement for a long moment then Minako wailed, "But they're crows!" Rolling her eyes, Michiru flipped the page and revealed Rei's next romantic option as she saw it. The Senshi were fairly surprised to find a little sketch of the Amazon Quartet. "Now, you see-" Michiru began almost nervously, trying her best to look poised. "You ran out of ideas, didn't you," said Setsuna dryly, staring at the straight line that served to remind her so much of Minako's own graph when it came to her love life. But unlike herself and Minako she doubted very much Rei and the Amazon Quartet would be a good romantic pairing. "They're around, aren't they?" asked Michiru sheepishly. "I think they went back to the future," said Makoto, squinting and staring at the ceiling. She dropped her head to look at Ami. "Right?" "Yes," Ami nodded her head. "And I'm positive Rei-chan wasn't too fond of them while they were here. Not just because they were working with the enemy either." "Rei-chan doesn't like kids," said Minako plainly, staring Michiru down. "Well, not the annoying ones at least," Ami corrected with a soft smile. "Go to the next page already, would you, Michiru?" asked Haruka, covering her eyes with one hand and gesturing to the graph with the other. "I can't even look at those kids and think about them with Rei. That's just a damn scary image. Why'd you come up with it?" Whapping Haruka on the top of her head with the pointer 'o' death, Michiru flipped the graph page. In prissily angry tones, she said, "I don't recall a certain someone helping me much when I asked her to think of some romantic options for Rei." "I couldn't think of any," Haruka whined, rubbing her head and wincing. She really did hate being assaulted with that pointer. It always hurt and not in a good way. Soon they were greeted by the leather clad figures of the Sailor Starlights and once again, everyone gave Michiru looks of disbelief as she had the good grace to flush with embarrassment. "They could come back from their galaxy far, far, away!" Michiru blurted out as an excuse. For a response, everyone stared at her more and Haruka shook her head, wondering what in the hell had happened to her ultra cool femme girlfriend to make her think of such an idea. "Perhaps we should cease this," Setsuna murmured as she rose to her feet. In an easy gesture, she flipped the graph to its opening page and took the pointer 'o' death away from Michiru. "I think we all know what it is we need to do if we're to make Rei happy." There was a pause of silence then Makoto looked at Setsuna and said, "Dump Mamoru off the nearest cliff and hook Usagi-chan up with her?" "No," drawled Setsuna, smirking at this image despite herself. "Simply put, I think that we should perhaps try to make Rei happy ourselves. We will be with her for all of eternity. Our lives being just as immortal as her own. Who better than us to take her mind and heart away from the pain of loving Usagi-chan? It could be a mission of ours, each trying to win her over, and whoever succeeds in the task will have made us and her all the more happy." She brushed a lock of green hair from her wine colored eyes and smiled. "Don't you agree?" The other Senshi could only stare at her for a response and for Setsuna, this was the precise reaction she had expected. That didn't matter though, she knew the future, and she also knew her suggestion was the best out of all of them. It was just a matter of carrying it out, that's all. Oh, and how fun would carrying it out be. How fun indeed. -End- (Not really, it's going to be continued in Desperately Seducing Rei-chan.)