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Chapter 5
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By the time Nanako and Setsuna left the mall, they were
carrying as many bags as each could handle. "I think we may have gone a little overboard. I don't think I'll be here long enough to wear all these clothes." Nanako let out a little laugh. She had loved everything she bought, but was starting to worry about how she was ever going to pay back her friend. Sure, she'd be able to get a fair bit of money when she went to the pawn shop with some of things she had back in her realm. Many of the small trinkets were antiques
now, and worth quite a bit of money. She wouldn't miss them, she had more then she needed there, and besides, she never used anything that she planned to bring in. With this, she'd be able to pay the
security deposit and the first and last months rent for the house, and hopefully all the money she now owed Setsuna as well.
"I hope you will be. Besides, it's been a while since you got some new clothes, so it's just making up for some of the lost time. And don't worry about the money. You don't have to pay me back." she said, smiling at her friend. She knew that Nanako
wouldn't have time to find a job and deal with what was going to happen, and she didn't think that she should pawn off any of her things. It wasn't right, not after all that she has been through, to have to make further sacrifices. But they had already been through this tonight. Nanako wouldn't budge on getting her own place, so perhaps she would on this small token.
"I could never do that Setsuna. I hate having to take anything from anyone. I'll pay you back in full before this is over." She smiled, and gave a light hearted laugh. "There's no use in even arguing with me."
"You're too stubborn for your own good. You're going to let me pay for supper at least," she added as she guided Nanako into an exquisite looking restaurant.
"Fine... you win. But only supper."
They left there bags behind the counter up front, and a waiter led them to their seats. The girls couldn't help but notice that he was looking at both of them, along with a few other people seated around them. They smirked at each other, trying not to giggle out loud. They were used to it by now. Together they made a knock out duo, which Setsuna had said and took an additional 15 minutes trying to explain what it meant to Nanako. They both loved the
attention tonight, though each would generally shy away from it if the circumstances differed.
After placing their order, the two had to turn to more serious business. "How do you plan on telling the Senshi what's going on? And when do you plan on bringing Nokaru into all of this?"
Nanako bowed her head, leaning it against her hands, her elbows on the table. "I don't know. It would be easier if we could get them all together. Then I could simply show them what happened in the past, and what they will be up against. I could then explain much of the inevitable questions that will follow. Hopefully satisfactorily. No doubt they will be able to recognize Nokaru easily, as well as their past selves." She sighed. * How am I going
to explain Nokaru to them, and my true intentions here. They are gong to see that I was deeply in love with him, as he was with me. It's not going to be easy to convince them that I'm not trying to steal him away from the one he is now with.*
Taking a deep breath, she continued on. "The most difficult part is convincing them that I'm not going to take Nokaru away from them, and then making sure that they don't tell him that I am here until the time is right. What do you think?"
Setsuna was contemplating all that was just said. "I can't see anything wrong with that plan. But how are you going to ‘show' them? And when are you going to bring Nokaru into this?"
"Showing them will be easy. It will be like a mental flashback to them. They were there after all, so I just have to allow them to tap into their lost memories. I plan on showing them mine as well." She gave a deep sigh again. "I want to wait until a
day or two before the battle before I meet Nokaru. That way he will not have enough time to truly become attached, and it will be easier to erase his memories when this is finished. Keeping him at a distance will be the hardest part. He's just as stubborn as I am,
and he won't give up until all his questions are answered. And they'll have to be."
A tear was forming in Nanako's eye, but she forced herself to stop this foolishness. She had to be strong now. She looked up at Setsuna, and could see that she didn't approve of what she said. "Setsuna, he won't cooperate otherwise. And he needs to know his past to tap into the power within him, to tap into the powers of the crystal. He won't be able to use these powers if he cannot remember that he has them."
"But if he remembers the past, he will remember what the two of you had as well. Nanako, you can't let him throw his life away to be with you. You can't let him destroy all that he has now!"
"Don't you think I know that?! That is why I'm waiting as long as possible before I meet up with him. His memories will return, but with such little time and such a monumental task ahead of him, I'm hoping that he won't be able to work anything out for
himself. As long as he is still undecided, I will be able to erase most of his regained memories." She hated to have to do it, but it was the only way that the destiny of the planet would be saved.
"I just hope, for the sake of everyone, that this plan of yours works. You have to be careful Nanako, one slip up and who knows what the Fates will have in store for you then. The current punishment is bad enough."
"Don't even remind me about that. I will be punished as is for my disobedience in coming here. But..." she trailed off in thought. *How was I able to leave if the Fates wouldn't allow it. They had to have let me. Then again, I have to protect destiny, and this enemy would ruin it, if I do not intervene. Perhaps that is why I was able to leave my realm. Or perhaps I had always been able to, for I had never tried to leave before now. This is all too confusing*
"But what?" Setsuna had waited patiently for about a minute for Nanako to finish, but she could see she was now lost in thought.
Hearing Setsuna's voice snapped her back into reality. "Sorry,"she said with a smile on her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I was just thinking on how and why I was able to leave. It's
just silly nonsense that's all."
"Here you are ladies. Will there be anything else this evening?" The two looked up to see a very handsome waiter placing their orders in front of them.
"No. That will be all for now. Thank you." Setsuna smiled, and suppressed a giggle, for the waiter was very obviously staring at Nanako, and she hadn't really noticed yet. She gave a slight nudge
with her foot under the table to the girl across from her. * I don't think he's going to leave unless she answers him, or at least notices so he will stop*. Another smile crossed her face.
Nanako looked at Setsuna after feeling something touch her leg. Her friend was casually trying to get her to look at something. When she finally looked up at the waiter, she could she why Setsuna was ready to bust with laughter. The waiter was quite blatantly staring at her. Not really knowing what to say, or why he was still here, she added "that's all for me too, thank you" a smile crossing her face when she noticed that he turned a bright red when she looked at him.
"Um, well... don't hesitate to ask if you need anything further." Then reluctantly, he left their table to return to work. "It seems you have an admirer Nanako. It took you long enough to notice him." Setsuna couldn't help but giggle. Nanako was
so oblivious to many things around her, especially the attention she had been getting all night. She never seemed to notice until she pointed it out to her.
"Um... well..." she was turning a bright red as well. She could just see the waiters head poking out from behind the kitchen's door, his eyes fixed on her once again until someone nearly ran into him trying to go back with some empty trays. She wasn't used to this. Nokaru was the only one to ever look at her like that, that she could remember.
The two finished off their meal, along with a helping of double chocolate cake as desert. After leaving a tip and declining an invitation for coffee sometime with their now disappointed waiter, they left to return home.
"Setsuna. I've been thinking. If we could find the exact location of the enemy, I could allot us more time. It is possible for me to set up a barrier, with the help of some of the Senshi. It could buy us more time at least. Give the others more time to
prepare themselves". She had thought about this all night, and was now certain that with the help of the outer Senshi, it would bepossible.
Setsuna looked over from the drivers seat. "Do you really think that you'll be up for it? Um... I mean... Will you be able to do it? It won't take too much out of you will it?" Anything that could buy them some time was worth trying at this point. As it stood they didn't know exactly when the enemy would attack.
"Yes. I'm most certain of it now. Would you be able to bring the outer Senshi to my realm tomorrow? If you all lend me a little of you energy, I'll be able to locate the enemy, and then put up the barrier." * I just hope I can hold it up long enough. I know I don't have much more energy left without me replenishing my powers.* Though these doubts plagued her, she had to go through with it. The Senshi were not strong enough as it was. They needed to build up their own powers, and she needed to regain hers.
"No problem. They're going to want to know what's going on though. Are you sure you don't want to bring them all together tomorrow?" She knew what the answer would be. Nanako didn't want to have to face the inner Senshi yet. It would be most difficult to explain everything to them. The outer Senshi would accept what she had to say more readily, and be more understanding of her.
Nanako leaned her head forward. "No. I'm not ready to face them yet." She gave a soft frustrated laugh "I know that I shouldn't put it off, but... I can't yet. They won't understand yet."
"That's ok. I understand."
They sat in silence the rest of the way home, and went to bed as soon as they arrived back at Setsuna's apartment.
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