A Family Reunion

Mina’s Tale II – Part 2

Morning has always been a stressful time for me. Waking is a horrifying experience in itself especially since Artemis has been my only companion at night for over three years. He has this problem with alarm clocks, well, more specifically with the noise that they make when they go off in the morning. I don’t know if they disturb his sleep or that he just hates them and takes the greatest pleasure in destroying them whenever he gets a chance. He goes through about three clocks a year since he found me in England after my first solo stint as Sailor V. Those days were still bear in my mind. They were carefree days when all I had to think about was solving crimes and bringing the Negaverse to their knees. Fighting side by side with my friend, Katrina, a detective with the London police force. I thought that I had found someone that loved me for myself. A love that I have found that I never knew was in my heart. I was mistaken but it was different now.

I don’t have to worry about Artemis destroying Raye’s alarm clock on this morning. We didn’t set one when we went to sleep last night but I still saw him stalking it when Chibi grabbed him from the floor and carried him to her futon. It’s summer vacation, a whole month away from school but sadly it was almost over. We only had ten days left before we had to return to our junior year; only nineteen months of school was left until we graduated, how time flies with my friends and now my family is near me. Another reason I didn’t have to worry about an alarm clock was that we are at Raye’s and I hope that Artemis’ obsession only extended to my clocks. We decided that we should spend our days and nights over at the temple since we started planning Nova and Chibi’s rescue from the past. We brought them home yesterday morning and they are tired from their fight and journey. They are my family, my reason for living and I know very little about them except that I love them with all my heart. Nova’s green eyes framed by his raven hair swept me off my feet when I first saw him lying on the futon last night. I fell in love with him at first sight. His, no, our little girl is the perfect picture of a little princess. I spent a couple of hours last night going over her hands and feet while I bathed her. I wanted to make sure that every part of her was fine after the firestorm that they had ignited against the Unstoppable. I may not have given birth to her but in our hearts, she is my daughter.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw my precious Chibi in my arms. She was holding Artemis against her and he was sleeping so soundly that you could hear him snore. I raised my head over her hair and saw the other Sailor Warriors sleeping all over the room but I couldn’t see or feel Nova against my back. He started the night with his arm draped over me and touching our daughter. All he did last night before falling asleep from exhaustion was to kiss me on the neck and say, “Mina, I … know that we need to take it slow, … you know … get to know each other for a while but I think that we are more than friends or even boyfriend and girlfriend.” He was silent for a moment and then I felt a surge of power that I have never felt before. It was similar to times that Serena used the Silver Crystal but it was more powerful, no, stronger and more focused than Serena’s. He reached over me and grabbed my left hand. There was still enough light for me to see the small object that he held in his hand. “I know we may be rushing things but I think that we need to know what we can expect of each other and how others will see us. The first time, it took you about a day to make up your mind but I don’t want to wait that long.” He held the diamond ring in his fingers, “Princess Mina, will you marry me after we get to know each other?”

I always imagined falling so much in love with that special person that I would throw all my sense out the window. The problem is that special person was behind me and it was actually happening as I lay on the futon pressed against Nova’s chest. I felt his breath on my neck and shoulder, “Nova, my darling, I want to make something clear. We can’t get married … again … until we finish high school. If you agree and we can wait for another nineteen months then the answer is … yes … yes with all my heart. Yes until the universe comes to an end.”

Nova placed the ring on my finger, “Well, if that’s the only way then I have to agree but on the day after graduation, you better have time for a wedding.” I strained my head backwards and kissed him. I don’t know how I was going to tell my parents, or the Sailors, but I think they will be surprised and glad for me. My parents will not only gain a son but the most beautiful granddaughter they would ever imagine. I know that this is sudden but Amy was right, I have to follow my heart and everything will be fine in the end. I felt Nova’s strong arms embrace me and with my daughter sleeping against my chest, I fell asleep between the two persons that I love the most in the universe. We are a family where it countered and I would do everything in my power to keep us together. I have waited a thousand years for this love and I was going to hang on with all my might.

As I was waking I saw Serena on the other side of Chibi and Artemis. It must be hard on her with Darien in America but he would be back in three weeks from his studies. She writes to him everyday and she receives a letter from him every day. It was hard for him to convince the college in America to take him back for the second semester but Susan seemed to have more connections than she lets on to us. They are in love like Nova and me, a love that exists over the years and will remain the same for all the years to come. I hope one day that my other friends would find handsome and strong men like Serena and me but they are hard to find. We had to wait a thousand years to find ours.

I heard Michelle and Erica on the porch so I carefully removed my arms from around Chibi and slowly and silently cross the room to the door. I wasn’t ease dropping but I heard Erica say, “Shelley, he hasn’t aged a day since he vanished. He’s the greatest.” Michelle sighed, “Erica, you realized that we wouldn’t have those memories of the past if it wasn’t for Susan. She’s the only one other that the cats that didn’t perish that final day to be reborn in the future.” Memories of the past, I could find, no, experience the love that I had with Nova. I have to see if Susan could give my memories of the past back to me. They may be painful but I think that I should have them. Memories of my love and my daughter, I would give anything to have those memories.

“It doesn’t work like that, sweetheart.” I heard Nova like he was beside me but I couldn’t see him in the room. “Out here, honey.” I pushed open the door and saw Nova in the courtyard with a kendo stick in his hands. Opposite him were Susan and Terri. His weapon form was like none that I have every seen before. It was so smooth and fluid that it took your breath away just watching him defend against the two women attacking him. He was more than holding his own against the two. “Mina, Susan couldn’t hold the memories of the Inner Sailors. She only held the memories of those that were fated to fight with her, the Outer Sailors.” I must have let out a sob because I felt Michelle and Erica’s arms around me but I also realized something strange. I have been looking at Nova’s face the whole time and never seen his lips moved. “Nova … how … did you … talk to me?” Nova came over to me and extended his arms. I smiled and ran to him. I felt those strong and welcoming arms around my waist and I threw my arms around his neck. It’s strange; we are the right height to kiss when we are standing up. I just had to reach up slight and have Nova lean down and our lips met in the middle. How perfect, “Wait, no kissing until you explain how you can talk to me without moving your lips.” I didn’t kiss him but I did put my head on his shoulder and chest. I didn’t say that I wasn’t going to touch him every chance I get; that would be crazy.

Nova raised my head and looked into my eyes. “You always had the prettiest eyes that I ever seen in the morning.” He kissed me on the forehead, “Now to answer everyone’s question … since we have an audience.” I look to my left and saw all the other Sailors gather at the door with the smallest one still holding her white cat in her arms. “But how about some breakfast first?”

Nova held my hand as we went to the kitchen. Everyone went to work as we enter the kitchen. Nova, Lita, and Susan began to cook. The rest of us went to get the fruit, milk, juice, and set the table. I could feel the love from the kitchen as the wonderful smell arose from each dish that was being prepared. Michelle leaned over the table, “It was always like this. Those three did most of the cooking. They believed that family should cook for family. I guess Nova got that from Serenity, she did all the cooking for her family so it encouraged Nova to do the cooking for his family. It’s like a reunion here with all of Nova’s family. One big family but connected by one person, our leader.”

I was about to ask her what she knew about Nova but the food came to the table and with the general rush from Serena and Chibi, nothing was said. Nova sat by me. I hook my foot with his and he smiled. Chibi looked at us, “The grownups are playing footsies again.” I looked at her, “Shouldn’t someone be eating and not talking?” I pointed down and she looked at her plate and noticed that Serena had almost snatched a pancake from her plate. With the speed of a grand master she secured the pancake in her plate. “Thanks, Mom.” was all she said but I almost started crying.

Nova reached over and held my hand, “It’s now time to explain a little about our family.” He took a sip of juice, “We are very close and we’re linked together mentally. That’s how I can talk to you without moving my lips. I talk directly to your minds. It’s faster and easier to convey meanings and lessons and it allows us to link together and fight as one. That’s what has been missing in the last few years; that sense that everyone was on the same page, fighting as one entity. The Outer Sailors protected you during the crisis of Pharaoh 80 because they sense that your memories of being so close to each other was not available to you.” We ate as Nova explained what we were missing the he rose from the table and knelt behind me and placed both hands on my shoulders. I clasped each hand with my own and wrapped them around my neck and pulled him close to me. “Susan had the memories of the Outer Sailors but she had very little of the Inners. I have those memories and if you want them; there’re yours.” He connected all of us with his mind and we saw our memories there inside. Here they were, all we had to do is reach out and take them. Do we take the chance that will make us whole? Are you kidding? I race to seize my memories and I saw two sets for me. One set was larger than the other but both were mine. I realized that the larger one was Nova’s and the smaller was my child, Chibi. She was giving me her memories of her mother; giving herself completely to me, making me … her mother. I embraced each into me and the shock of ten years hit me. I laughed and cried but in the end I was Mina. I was accepted by the universe as a single point of light in its fabric. I gave my memories to my two loves and we became a family.

I slowly became aware of what was going on around me. All the Sailors had embraced their memories and are sorting through them. It was two hours before we started to stir from the table. I was whole, a complete person with the knowledge of all that had I experienced in the past. I started crying and felt two small hands around my waist from the front and two strong arms embrace us from the back. They were mine forever.

Nova turned his thought to how to explain Chibi and his appearance in the present. It was the strangest thing that I have ever seen. He jumped up to the roof of the temple … a good twelve feet, in a single bound. I have seen and done remarkable things in my career as a Sailor Warrior but it still amazes me when I see someone perform such an act. He stood on the roof and stretch apart his arms. I could feel the knowledge flow into him. The knowledge gathered from a millions of souls scattered across the globe was flowing into his mind. Now, this is the way to learn something, just absorb it like you would breath air. We went to Amy’s apartment to use her computer and within four hours Amy and Nova constructed a background for Nova and Chibi. Nova’s background was that he was born in Kyoto but soon moved with his family to America where he gained custody of Chibi after his girlfriend died in a traffic accident shortly after Chibi’s birth. Chibi’s maternal grandparents refused custody of the young girl so she lived with Nova and his parents; that was six years ago. I told that Nova was pushing it a bit since he would have been ten when she was born but all Nova said was “You know kids these days.” Nova’s parents passed away in a plane crash last year and settled out of court with the insurance company for a great deal of money. Nova petitioned the courts to grant him full custody of Chibi and allow him to make decisions as an adult. The court granted the petition, I don’t know how he did it all but he did accomplish the task, and moved to Tokyo just last week with his little girl in tow. He also has enrolled Chibi in the elementary school and he enrolled in our high school. I don’t know where he got the money. I believed Susan had some stashed away that Nova gain access to and increased it a hundred fold. They wouldn’t have anything to worry about except housing but that took care of itself in an unusual way.

We decided that I had to have Nova and my parents meet since he will be part of their family. Everything went fine, my parents saw that we were serious about out arrangement but it was Chibi that won them over. She is such a wonderful girl that my parents fell in love with her and decided to give Nova a chance especially since he told them that we agreed to wait until after graduation before marriage. They said that it will be fine and it gave us time to get to know each other. I think they are happy for me and glad that someone like Nova found himself in my life. Oh, the housing problem that was solved in the unusual way. Well, as we were walking out the day we saw the apartment manager who was showing a couple around an apartment just down the hall from mine. They thought it was too small and wanted something higher in the building. Nova asked to look at the apartment. Two bedrooms, good size living room, a large dining room, and a den but the real feature was a balcony that faced the rising sun. Nova agreed to the monthly rent in a second so we had to get everyone together to shop for furniture and clothing for the two newcomers. Nova’s clothes were borrowed from Erica and Chibi wore an outfit that Chibi Chibi wore when she stayed with Serena but they needed their own clothes. We spent the rest of the day shopping. Serena had the most fun of all of us.

I spent the next day getting the apartment ready for my two special loves. Nova had went to meet the principal of our school to make sure that everything was in order for his entering his junior year. My mother took Chibi to her new school to get everything straight. It’s a pleasure to see the two of them together. Chibi never knew any of her grandparents but my parents, here on Earth, loved her as their own grandchild. Watching my mother, walking hand in hand, with Chibi does my heart good. She is such a giving woman and has a great deal of love to give to her grandchild since Chibi refused to call me anything else except Mom. Dad is taken with Nova. The two of them watched game shows last night and I have never seen my father enjoy them as much as he did with Nova on the couch beside him. We are already starting to think of ourselves as a family, the five of us together in one place. I’m going to be happy with the arrangement if I can get Nova by myself every now and then.

The three of them arrived after the rest of the Sailors spent the morning getting everything in order. Nova sat down on the couch and motioned for me to join him. Instead of sitting beside him, I sat down in his lap and placed my arms around his neck. I kissed him and nuzzled him close to me. I looked at my mother and she smiled so I winked at her and she smiled again. I was happy but soon we had to get ready for lunch. Nova asked if we wanted to order in but we all refused. If we had to work all morning, he had to cook lunch for us. We came out ahead on the deal because Nova is an excellent cook.

Nova had purchased a large table for the dining room and it filled up the room but I began to understand the reason. He had a place where all his family could gather and eat. Family was important to Nova, in a way, we all are related to him and he loves us. After the meal, he sat down on the sofa and faced the sea to the east. He looked so lonely even surrounded by his family, a soul out of time. He lost everything that he held dear to him in one moment but he knew that was happening and prepared himself for the possibility. He had given us back our memories of him. I can remember every moment of our life together and my life here on Earth. I just wanted to hold him in my arms and comfort him. I went to the sofa and wrapped my arms around his neck from behind. He moved forward and I climbed over the sofa and nestled myself behind him. I would stay here with the man I love until he realized that we are here for him. After about ten minutes I could hear his breathing change, he had fallen asleep. The rest of the Sailors continued their activities around the apartment. Strangely, Erica began to add a feminine touch to the room. It was pretty Spartan but she thought that with Chibi living there in the apartment that it should have some of her personality reflecting their daily lives. Erica had bought some china dolls and stuffed tigers to place in a curio that we had found at antique shop. “She always loved tigers”, said Erica, “we had to buy her some to replace the ones on the Moon.”

I felt Nova stir in my arms, “Erica, thank you but the fortress is still on the Moon. Nothing in the universe can touch it … including time.” Nova rose from the couch and went to Erica and hugged the tall young woman. Erica rested her head against Nova’s shoulder and held him tight. Nova looked at the moon starting to rise in the sky. “It’s time for us to go home. Everybody get some clothes or anything else you need. We will spend the night there.” He pointed to the full moon on the horizon. “We are going home.” He put his arm around my shoulder and I slipped my arm around his waist. Chibi came and held my hand and the rest of the scouts joined us at the window. “Daddy, will it have changed?” Nova looked at her. Michelle said, “No, princess, no one entered the fortress after we left for the final battle. We couldn’t enter the fortress because it wouldn’t let us in the doors.” Nova pointed his hand to the rising moon. “It will know me. One day, soon, it will be like before. Get ready to go home.”

So ends Part 2, next a visit to the Moon. What secrets are held there in the airless void of space? Stay tune for the next part, Going Home.