That Special Magic
-by: the Yarnspinner-
the_yarnspinner@yahoo.com
http://strands-of-moonlight.my3gb.com
-or- http://strands-of-moonlight.6te.net
A Sekkushiaru Roman
featuring characters from the anime "Sailor Moon"> Chapter 57 - Pastime with Good Company <
Artemis walked along the beach. The weather was still comparatively cool, and he made a point of keeping his distance from the water. He approached a clump of seaweed that had been pushed up by the high tide. Sniffing at it, he then leaped over it, spinning around to swat at a few strands. He glanced back to see Luna sitting on a rock, glaring with obvious disapproval.
'Luna just doesn't understand the first thing about relaxing,' Artemis thought.
The white cat's musings were interrupted as his sensitive ears heard someone walking toward them. Turning, he saw a young woman with raven hair wearing a red dress with large white flowers emblazoned on it. At first glance, he thought it was Rei, until he realized this woman was at least several years older and that her hair was shorter. The more he looked at her, though, the more he saw an unquestionable resemblance. 'What is this?' he wondered. 'First Kara, and now this woman... If I didn't know better, I'd think she was Rei's older sister.'
The woman continued to walk toward them. Her eyes widened a bit as she noticed the crescent moon on Artemis' head. She crouched down near him.
"Greetings, my lord councilor," she said.
Artemis gasped at the formal greeting that had gone with his former role of royal advisor to Queen Serenity.
Luna jumped off her rock and moved toward them both.
"Hello, my lady."
Artemis glanced at Luna in surprise and confusion.
The woman chuckled softly. "Yes. I know who you are. The signs of the Moon Queen's royal advisors are unmistakable," she said. "I don't believe I ever knew either of you in my time, though."
"In your time?" Luna asked.
She nodded. "Yes. I am, or I guess you could say I was, Akari of Mars."
Luna looked at Artemis, stunned.
"Princess Akari?" Artemis asked, equally amazed. "How... How is this possible?"
Akari laughed softly. "Queen Serenity enabled me to return briefly to see my daughter, and then the princess... uhm, Usagi in this life... offered to use the ginzuishou to allow me to remain here longer. Although I still feel like the young woman of eighteen I was when I died, I just couldn't pass up the chance to know my daughter and granddaughter."
Luna glanced at Artemis again. "Uhm, how long are you planning to stay, your highness?"
"There is no need for the formality, please," Akari said with a wave of her hand. "My royal heritage was in the past. Besides, I was also Rei's mother in this life, thanks to Queen Serenity."
"You were?" Artemis asked, now even more amazed than before.
Akari nodded. "Yes. Although I didn't know about my past life at that time," she said. "But I'm not sure just how long I will stay. It is difficult for a spirit to remain in the realm of the living like this, even with the aid of the ginzuishou."
"So, Rei knows you are here?" Artemis asked.
"Yes... and no," Akari said. "I met with her and her young man last night, but she doesn't know that I'm staying for a while."
Just then, there was the sound of excited laughter. They turned to see Kara running down the slope from the house. The little girl stopped when she saw Akari, looking at her and the cats uncertainly.
Rei came down the slope behind Kara, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of her mother standing there. She took Kara's hand and walked toward them. "I... I wasn't expecting to see you again," Rei said softly.
"Usagi made it possible," Akari said. Her smile grew broader as she looked first at Rei and then at Kara. "You have a very lovely daughter."
"Thank you," Rei said with a smile, a soft flush spreading across her cheeks.
Kara glanced up at Rei, confused. "Mommy?" she asked softly.
Rei sighed, then crouched down next to Kara. "Uhm, honey... this is your, ah, your grandmother from the time of the Moon Kingdom."
"My grandmother?" Kara asked.
Rei nodded. "She's my mother."
Kara glanced at Akari again. "Did she have a new life like you?" she asked Rei softly.
Rei took a breath, not sure how to answer that particular question. "Well... actually... she did... Uhm, she was also my mother in this life..."
"She died?" Kara asked, her voice a whisper and her eyes wide. "Does that mean she's... a, a ghost?"
"Ah, well... sort of, I guess," Rei said. "But not a scary ghost... You remember how the good queen of the Moon made it possible for the rest of us to have new lives?"
Kara nodded.
"Well, she also made it possible for my mother to visit like this," Rei said. "Isn't it nice that she wanted to visit us?"
Kara looked toward Akari once more, then nodded hesitantly.
Akari took a step forward and crouched down, still a comfortable distance away. "You are a very pretty girl," she said to Kara. "You look so much like your mother."
Kara smiled happily, throwing her arms around Rei.
"Are you happy to have her back?" Akari asked.
Kara nodded. "Yes! And I want her to stay with us forever!"
Rei groaned inwardly, knowing that was still going to be a difficult point when they got back to Tokyo. "Eventually, honey," she said softly.
Akari smiled, her heart warming at the sight of the fine young woman her daughter had grown into, and that even so young she was proving such a good mother to young Kara.
Rei kissed Kara's cheek. "Do you want to go for a walk along the beach with your grandmother and I?"
Kara considered for a moment, then nodded. "OK."
Rei stood up, still holding Kara's hand. Akari joined them as they walked.
Kara glanced up at Akari again. "Are you staying very long?" she asked
Akari looked down at her with a smile. "Perhaps a few days. I don't know for sure."
Kara nodded. "I have my mommy back, and now I have a grandma," she said happily.
"I'm glad you're happy," Akari said. "You have a very nice mother."
"Oh, yes," Kara agreed, squeezing Rei's hand. "I love my mommy!"- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Usagi and Mamoru stood beneath a tree, watching as Rei, Kara, and Akari walked along the beach. Mamoru slipped his arm around his future bride.
"You are such a wonderful woman, Usako," he said softly. "That was such a sweet thing to do."
Usagi smiled. "I liked the thought of Akari being able to visit with Rei," she said. "Rei never knew either of her parents on Mars, and in this life she lost her mother when she was five, while I've heard her refer to her father as being nothing more than a sperm donor."
He chuckled, having little difficulty imagining Rei saying that. "Even before I met any of you, I've known plenty of people who uniformly described Hino Tadamichi as a heartless bastard who would sell his own mother to advance his career."
She nodded. "I wanted her to know more of her family," she said. "It's important to have family."
He smiled, then kissed her cheek and ran his hand over her abdomen. "I couldn't agree more, and I have my family right here."
She sighed as he pulled her into her embrace, then pressed her lips to his. "I love you so much," she whispered.
"I love you, Usako," he said softly. He kissed her in return, enjoying the feel of her body against his own. "Let's go back inside."
She grinned as anticipation swelled within her. "Why, Mamo-chan... are you having dishonorable intentions?"
He shook his head. "Not dishonorable, my beautiful princess," he said, as he slid a hand along the back of her thigh and began to lift her dress.
"Oh, really?" she asked skeptically. "And just what do you call this?"
"I'm just admiring this incredible young woman I love more than anything," he said.
"Groping is more like it," she said, as his hand slid up to grasp her bottom.
"But there is nothing dishonorable in love," he said. He kissed her again, then scooped her up in his arms.
"Mamo-chan!" she protested.
"Let's go inside, my love, where we can have some privacy," he said, already carrying her back toward their bungalow.
"I love you," she sighed happily.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Makoto and Shinozaki sat together in a van as Atana's caretaker, Jack Casey, drove them in to town.
Atana was planning a large dinner for them all that night, and Makoto had volunteered to be the chef.
"So, how long have you known Atana?" Jack asked.
"Oh, a couple months, I guess," Makoto answered.
Jack nodded. "I hadn't expected him back so soon. He'd given me the impression his consulting work would take longer."
Makoto nodded, assuming the 'consulting work' was the story Atana had told him. "I believe he arranged some time off," she said. "How long have you known him?"
"Several years now," Jack said. "I first met him after the fire that destroyed his workshop. I've always loved this fine old house of his and was happy to be able to help him fully restore it... and I know the person who owns the adjoining property, who was eager to lease the back part of Atana's land for farming. It was a good deal all the way around."
"Atana said his property was part of an old plantation," Shinozaki said.
"That's true," Jack confirmed. "It was sold in the early sixties, soon after Hawaii became a state. Apparently there was talk of a big new tourist development out here, and speculators were buying up land like crazy. Well, the development plan never happened, and the speculators finally had to sell out at a big loss to avoid foreclosure. That's when Atana's neighbor picked up his piece, but he couldn't afford to buy the whole thing. And I'm told the old plantation house had really fallen into disrepair before Atana purchased it."
Makoto nodded, recalling that Atana hadn't actually arrived here until the explosion in his workshop, and that any memories anyone had of him being here before that was just an effect of his time-travel spell.
"He really has done a nice job with it," Shinozaki said.
"Yes. He's put quite a bit of effort into it," Jack said. "And a good deal of money, too. That type of careful restoration doesn't come cheap."
"He definitely likes it here," Makoto said. "He's always spoken very positively about it."
Jack nodded, slowing the van as they approached an intersection. "So, how long have you two known each other?"
"Since we were kids," Shinozaki said. "She's been my best friend from the beginning."
"And he's been mine," Makoto agreed.
"Let me guess. You were school sweethearts?"
Makoto laughed softly, glancing over at Shinozaki. "Something like that."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Back in Tokyo, Tsukino Kenji sat at his desk at home. He opened a large envelope from his attorney and began skimming through the documents. His brow furrowed and he frowned as he read. He picked up his pen and scribbled some notes in the margin.
Just then, the door to his small office slid open.
"Kenji?" Ikuko called. "Are you busy?"
He glanced up in surprise, hurriedly tossing the papers back in his briefcase and closing it. "No. I was just finishing up."
"What was that, dear? Bringing work home with you?" Ikuko asked.
"Ah, something like that," he said, glancing down at the briefcase again.
She took his hand and pulled softly on his arm. "Well, this is supposed to be a day off. Work can wait."
He rose slowly to his feet, his thoughts still partly on what he had been reading. Finally, he sighed and nodded. With a smile, he pulled his wife into his embrace and kissed her deeply.
His sudden display of passion caught her by surprise, but she quickly relaxed in his embrace. "What brought that on?" she asked a bit breathlessly when they finally separated.
"I have the most beautiful wife," he said.
She smiled happily. "You are the most wonderful man," she said softly, brushing her lips over his.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ryo and Ami sat together on the bed in their bungalow, a number of books spread out around them. He had one in his lap that he was reading. Ami had the phone to her ear, listening as it rang. Finally, there was a click, followed by her mother's answering machine message.
"Hi, Mom," Ami said. "I was just calling again to see if everything was OK. As I said before, Ryo and I are doing fine and having a great time. We expect to be coming home in a few more days. I'll try to call again. I love you. Bye."
"Still not home?" Ryo asked as she hung up the phone.
Ami nodded. "I can't understand it... I mean, all the reports indicated the damage from the earthquake was relatively minor, so there shouldn't be any reason for her to be putting in so much extra duty at the hospital."
"Maybe she's doing other things," he suggested. "You and I weren't the only ones in need of getting out a bit. Being a single parent has to be rough on the social life, even without the work schedule your mother keeps as a doctor."
She nodded again. "That's true... I just hope that's all there is to it."
He leaned over and kissed her. "I'm sure she's fine."
She smiled. "I love you so much."
"I love you," he said.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was just growing dark. Several torches glowed in Atana's back yard as his friends gathered on the porch. Atana stood there with an arm around Rei. He wore slacks, a dress shirt, and a sport coat, while she wore a red strapless dress with a white jacket.
Akari stood nearby, holding young Kara, who was dressed in a child's kimono. Though outwardly only a young woman not yet twenty, Akari was enjoying her newfound role of grandmother. She looked over at Rei, happy to see her daughter so happy with such a nice young man.
Shinozaki and Ryo each brought a platter into the dining room, while Makoto put the finishing touches on several other dishes in the kitchen. Both young men wore dress shirts and slacks.
Minako and Geoff stood together, holding hands, and exchanging frequent glances. He drew her closer to him and kissed her. She wore a white dress and a gold chain around her neck, while he wore slacks and a sport coat over a polo shirt.
Ryo walked back onto the porch, slipping his hand into Ami's. She smiled at him happily, wearing a blue dress they had found in a local shop just the day before.
Mamoru opened the door, holding it for Usagi, who entered wearing the kimono he had purchased for her. Her hair was very carefully piled on top of her head. Except for being blond, she looked almost like she had stepped out of a painting. Mamoru entered behind her, dressed in a man's kimono.
"Usagi! You look incredible," Minako exclaimed.
Usagi smiled, glancing over at Mamoru. She had found this kimono, with the full set of under robes and garments, was heavier than those she had worn before, while kimonos in general required short steps, slowing down her movements. Also, having finally gotten her hair up in the fashion she had wanted, she was determined not ruin it by stumbling. "Thank you, Minako."
"Yes. You look very nice, Usagi," Akari said, recalling from her most recent life just how much care and effort such attire required. "And you also, Mamoru. Your attire compliments hers very well."
"Thank you, Akari," Mamoru said with a bow. "But I should give proper greetings to our hosts... Thank you for honoring us with your most gracious invitation, Mr. and Mrs. Magi." He bowed again toward Atana and Rei.
Rei's smile became almost radiant as she held Atana's arm.
Atana smiled at the woman he loved. Laughing softly, he turned back to Mamoru. "You are both most welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Chiba."
Usagi also smiled brightly, holding her soul-mate's hand. Glancing around the room, she felt joy both at her own good fortune enjoying the love of such a wonderful man, and that her best friends had also found such happiness. Geoff and Minako were now engaged, and she had told them she now had her father's permission to move in with him. Atana and Rei, like Usagi and Mamoru, were now effectively living as husband and wife, and making a family for their daughter. There was still a measure of uncertainty for when they returned to Japan, but Akari remained convinced that Rei's grandfather ultimately would not stand in her way. Makoto returned from the kitchen, standing with Shinozaki, her longtime friend who was now her lover. Like Ami and Ryo, Makoto and Shinozaki clearly intended to get married eventually, but both couples were holding off on a formal announcement. Nevertheless, Usagi remained overjoyed that all her friends were so happy.
Mamoru leaned closer. "May I get you something to drink, my love?"
"Please, Mamo-chan. That would be wonderful," she replied.
He kissed her lips, then moved away to the table where the soft drinks were set out.
Akari crouched down next to Kara. "Would you like some more, Kara?"
Kara nodded. "Yes please, Grandma."
Akari smiled, taking the girl's cup. As she stood up, she again glanced over at her own daughter, noticing just how much Rei and Kara resembled each other.
Rei watched her mother lead Kara to the table. As she held Atana's arm, she once more felt the full joy of having a real family again. She had her mother back, even if only temporarily, and despite her youth, she was already blessed beyond measure to be effectively both a wife and a mother. Looking up at Atana, she smiled. "You have a wonderful daughter, Mr. Magi."
"We have a wonderful daughter, my lovely Mrs. Magi," Atana said. "She has so much of you in her."
"And quite a bit of you too," Rei said.
Atana pulled Rei into his arms and kissed her.
Kara giggled softly as she watched them. She tugged gently on Akari's sleeve. "Grandma."
"Yes, dear?" Akari asked, putting the top back on Kara's cup. She turned to see Atana and Rei still in an embrace. "Are your mommy and daddy kissing again?"
Kara nodded. "I want them to get married so Mommy will never go away."
"I understand, dear," Akari said, handing Kara her cup. In spite of herself, Akari suddenly recalled her own two lifetimes as Rei's mother, both of which ended quite prematurely.
"Thank you, Grandma," Kara said, taking a sip.
"They will get married... but maybe not as soon as you'd like," Akari said softly.
"Grandma. Do you think I'll get a little sister anytime soon?" Kara asked.
Akari's eyes widened slightly. "Well... that may take a while too, dear," she said. "There are some things your mommy and daddy need to take care of first."
Kara sighed again. "Why does everything have to take so long?"
Akari placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, knowing there were no easy answers to that.
"Dinner is ready," Makoto announced.
"Yes. Come eat while it's still hot," Shinozaki said. "Our chef has put together a masterpiece."
Makoto lightly slapped his arm. "You goof! Cool it."
Shinozaki grinned. "I'm not the only one who thinks you're a great chef."
The group moved into the dining room, each filling a plate at the buffet Makoto had prepared, then taking their seats at the large table.
Mamoru held Usagi's chair, helping her arrange her kimono as she sat.
With everyone seated, Atana stood up. "I want to take a brief moment to say how happy I am to have you all here, and I'd like to open our meal with a toast. To the company of good friends and the people we love."
The others nodded, raising their glasses in response.< To be continued >
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NOTE: A shorter chapter this time, but Hopeless Romantic and I are going away for a week, and I wanted to get this posted before we left. More to come.Hopeless Romantic and I now have a message group to notify our readers when we post new stories/chapters. Those who are interested can sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/strands_of_moonlight/ .
Always remember, good gentles, that a yarnspinner works from and within existing legends and stories. The characters of "Sailor Moon" belong to others. In spinning my yarns, I do not seek to infringe on their rights of ownership, but merely to join with other fans to spread the legend still further. "The moonlight carries a message of love." Enjoy.
-02.06.2003