Chapter 3: A new friend.

	Usagi awoke the next morning, full of energy. She turned over, 
and saw Rei in the sleeping bag behind her, next to the couch. From the 
light snores and breathing from the other side of the sofa, she was the 
first awake, which surprised her. She stretched and rose, careful to 
not wake Rei up. She stood slowly, gathered her bag of necessities and 
a change of clothes, and went into the bathroom to get ready. As she 
passed by the clock, she noticed it was 7 a.m.  She was shocked to be 
awake and so full of energy, but she chalked it up to being in love. 
Indeed, she had never felt so whole and full of life before. She hummed 
to herself and she began her morning rituals, not a care in her world.


	At 8:30, the alarm on Ami's watch went off, and she awoke. She 
sat up and looked around. Minako was sound asleep on the other side of 
the room, and Makoto seemed to be stirring. She had no doubt in her 
mind Rei and Usagi were still asleep, but couldn't see them.  She 
turned back towards Makoto, who motioned for her to go into the 
kitchen. Ami nodded and followed. Neither turned to look behind the 
couch, where they would have seen Rei sleeping alone. 
	"Good Morning, Ami-chan." Makoto said, yawning.
	"Morning yourself, sleepyhead." Ami replied, grinning.
	"Shall I start breakfast?"
	"I'd like that. It'll definitely wake the others, though."
	"Alright. You can get to bathroom first, I'll set out what I 
need, and when you're done, I'll take my turn. I won't need long 
anyways."
	"Makoto...."
	"Hai, Ami-chan?"
	"What do you think?"
	"About what?"
	'About Rei and Usagi."
	Makoto smiled. "I think those two have had a lot of tension for a 
long time."
	"You don't think it's... wrong?"
	"No. Do you?"
	"No, but I can't help but remember all those people who do. 
They're going to have a rough time."
	"We know we will, Ami-chan. Or, at least, I do." Came a voice 
from the door, not usually heard at this time of morning. The two other 
girls turned, startled, and saw Usagi, wide awake and dressed, standing 
in front of them.
	"Good... Good morning Usagi" Makoto said. "How long have you been 
up?"
	"About an hour and a half. I've been cleaning up, and reading in 
another room so I wouldn't wake anyone."
	"You've been up since 7?" Ami asked incredulously.
	"Hai. I just couldn't sleep any longer. Either of you need the 
bathroom?"
	"Hai" Ami answered
	"It's all yours."
	Ami left, after giving her blonde friend a long curious look. 
Usagi just smiled.
	"Usagi," asked Makoto when Ami had left. "why, how..."
	"I'm not sure why I'm awake this early. I just couldn't sleep any 
longer."
	"Oh. I was about to start breakfast, if you want to keep me 
company?"
	"Makoto... I know I haven't been any good in the kitchen before 
but... would you show me how to cook? I promise I'll listen and not 
distract you."
	Makoto stared at her for a moment, thinking. Usagi was not known 
for being safe with anything in the kitchen, but the pleading look in 
the blonde's eyes was too much to resist.  "Alright Usagi. What would 
you like to do?"
	"Just show me what you do."
	Makoto pursed her lips, then nodded.  She began the routine of 
making breakfast, giving Usagi small tasks, then larger ones as she 
realized that Usagi was not only being attentive, but learning.  By the 
time Makoto was ready to start the eggs, the last thing on the menu, 
Usagi could actually cook. Makoto was shocked.
	"Usagi-chan?" 
	"Hai, Mako-chan?" the blonde replied, happily stirring a bowl of 
eggs.
	"What's going on? You've never shown this much interest in 
cooking, and you seem to be in a great mood."
	"I dunno. I just... I feel good. Full of energy."
	Makoto smiled shyly before she asked her next question. "Because 
of Rei? Oh. Put a little salt in there, not too much, then pour them 
into the pan and stir, okay?"
	"Hai.  I don't know. Rei is a big part of it, but I don't think 
she is all of it."
	"You're doing great with those eggs, they just need a few 
minutes. Usagi, what are you going to tell Mamoru-san."
	"The truth. I don't know how or what I'll say, but I'm not going 
to lie to him."
	The two girls were quiet for a minute, until Usagi said "Are 
these eggs ready?"
	Makoto checked for her. "Hai. Pour them into this pan. Very good, 
Usagi. The others will be surprised."
	"Can we not tell them until after they have eaten? I wanna 
surprise them."
	"Sure thing. I wonder what's keeping Ami?"
	As if on cue, the young blue haired girl walked in. "Here I am. 
Breakfast smells great."
	"Thanks," the tall girl answered, grinning at Usagi. "I'll head 
into the bathroom, I'll just need a moment. You can start without me."
	"We'll wait for you, Makoto-chan. You get ready." Usagi said
	"Did I just hear Usagi turn down food?" came a teasing voice from 
the door. Minako stood there, grinning. Makoto grinned back.
	"You'd be surprised." she said, heading for the bathroom "Ja Ne, 
minna."
	"So, when's breakfast?" Minako asked.
	"Whenever Makoto gets back," said Ami.
	"And Rei gets up," Usagi finished.
	"I am up... just not awake." Rei said stumbling in, her black 
hair a mess around her. "And how did you get so clean already, Usagi-
chan?"
	"Cause I've been up since 7, Rei-chan."
	Rei was silent. Then finally she came up with something to say. 
"Why?"
	Usagi laughed. "I just couldn't sleep."
	"So what time is Paul coming over?" Minako asked, excitedly.
	"3 o'clock, Mina-chan" Rei replied, laughing.
	The girls started talking and laughing together, waiting for the 
last member of their group. Minako and Rei decided to wait until after 
breakfast to clean up, so they all sat down together when Makoto 
returned.
	The girls sat down to breakfast, which they all enjoyed, but as 
had been happening all morning, something seemed different about Usagi. 
She was alive, animated, and open (with the occasional shy smile at 
Rei) but ate far less, and slower, than she usually did. She talked 
with a purpose, rather than floating from topic to topic, and she 
seemed to drink in the answers of her friends. None knew what to say, 
or how to say it, until finally, as the meal wound down, Rei asked the 
question that was on every mind at that table about Usagi.
	"Usagi-chan?"
	"Hai, Rei-chan?" Usagi responded with a smile to the girl she 
loved.
	"I'm not trying to sound like I don't like what's going on, 
but... well... what's going on?"
	"What do you mean?"
	Ami beat Rei to that answer "No offense, Usagi, but there are 
times you can be a real airhead, and your eating habits are usually a 
lot... um.. worse. Today you are open, and eating better..."
	"and cooking better" Makoto whispered.
	"And cooking... WHAT?" That outburst from the normally quiet Ami 
made Usagi laugh.
	"Usagi made the eggs this morning, and some of the other food on 
the table."
	Dead silence fell around the table, until Minako spoke.
	"Alright. Who are you and what did you do with Usagi?"
	The others laughed.
	"Its me, Minako-chan. Something is different. More than love, 
though I'm really enjoying that, Rei-chan. The world has always seemed, 
clouded, somehow. Like there was something keeping me from reality. 
When I woke up this morning, it was like... like I noticed something I 
had never seen, and felt things differently. Like I have a part of me 
back." Usagi paused. "And as much as I would love to say that it was 
Rei-chan, she was more of my being able to express something, than my 
reason for expressing it."
	The girls were quiet for a moment, and then Minako brought up 
some of the boys they had seen the day before, Paul included, and the 
group was off onto another long and ongoing conversation about love, 
and life in general.

	When Paul knocked on the door at 3, he was greeted by Usagi, and 
pillows flying towards her.
	"Hi there... am I interrupting something?"
	"Not at all, Paul-kun. We're just having a pillow fight. Come on 
in." she turned to address the group. "Minna! Paul is here!"
	"Konnichiwa!" Came from 4 mouths in the room. Paul looked in on 
them and couldn't help but laugh. All of the girls were in some way or 
another disheveled, with a broken pillow sending feathers all over the 
room.
	"Hello!" he said laughing "Looks like quite a party in here." 
then suddenly he got shy. "I'm not quite sure what to say." he said, 
"After all, here I am, crashing a slumber party, and I've met you all 
for five minutes."
	"Well then," Minako said "We'll introduce ourselves, and tell you 
about us, if you tell us aalllll about you."
	The next hour and a half was full of conversation, as Paul got to 
know his new group of friends. In each of them, Paul found something in 
common with, and by the end of the last story, he felt as if he had 
known every girl there for years, which reminded him he had been trying 
to figure out where he had known Minako from. Suddenly he remembered 
something she had said in her story.
	"Minako!" He said suddenly. "I remember you!"
	"Huh?" was her confused response.
	"Mina, I went to Junior high school with you in London. We didn't 
spend a lot of time together, but I know you were there."
	"That's right!" She exclaimed. "I knew you looked familiar." She 
started to laugh "I was right."
	"About what"
	"The last thing I said to you. Do you remember?"
	"No... I'm sorry I don't."
	"I said we would meet again. And here we are!"
	"And a good thing too," Rei agreed. "So far you have done great 
things for us." she cast a smile at Usagi, eliciting a blush from her, 
a laugh from the other girls, and a confused look from Paul.
	"Huh?" was all he said, which started them laughing again.

*****
	Over the next few weeks, as May ended and June began, Paul grew 
closer and closer to Usagi, and to the others, and he found out a great 
deal about them. It seemed that not a day would go by that one or 
another wasn't calling him or stopping by to say hello. Often it was 
Minako, but increasingly more often was Ami, who had found a kindred 
spirit in him, in that they both loved to learn and study together. 
Usagi came by practically daily (much to her parent's delight, who 
assumed she was becoming interested in someone her age). She would talk 
with Paul for hours, about love, and loss, and often about him helping 
her in school. But despite her parents hopes, there was no romance 
blossoming there. Paul, to Usagi, was a close friend, as was all of the 
others.
	One day in late June, Paul answered his door to find Minako, Ami, 
Makoto, and Rei standing outside.
	"Paul-kun" Rei said "We need your help."
	"With what, Rei?"
	"Usagi's birthday is next week, and we have no idea what to do." 
Ami answered.
	"How about a surprise party?" He said. "I'm sure her parents 
wouldn't mind, and I have time, and money, to plan the whole thing."
	"Sounds like a great idea!" Makoto responded. The others echoed 
her thoughts. 
	Plans were made, and the girls left. After 3 minutes, Paul heard 
a knock at his door again. He opened it, said hello again to Rei, and 
brought her inside.
	"Paul..." Rei said, "We haven't been totally honest with you, and 
I need to talk to you and ask for some advice."
	"Ask away." Paul said, concerned at the fear in his friend's 
voice.
	"Usagi's boyfriend is coming back from the US for her birthday."
	"That's great news... isn't it?"
	"No... its complicated."
	"Why?" Paul paused... "Don't tell me you believe Usagi's mother 
about she and I...?"
	Rei laughed. "Of course not. You both have made that clear, and 
Usagi wouldn't do that to either... never mind. Anyways... its 
complicated because of me."
	"What? Did you used to date her boyfriend?"
	"Well... yes, but that's not it."
	"Well then what else would be.... the... oh." Paul paused. "That 
explains a few things."
	"Are you mad?"
	"Mad?" Paul smiled at her softly. "Mad because 2 of my best 
friends have found love? I've seen that both of you had love in your 
eyes, and you telling me that puts it together. I'm not mad, I'm happy 
for you and I.... OOOHH! I see the problem. What do you tell the 
boyfriend."
	"Exactly."
	"Hmm... What do you think he will say."
	"Well, if Usagi is right, he'll be okay with it. If not, I don't 
know."
	"Obviously, I have never met her boyfriend... Mamoru, ne?"
	"Hai."
	" But from what I have heard, and gathered from Usagi, he is a 
decent person, and cares for her. But as one who has been a boyfriend, 
let me recommend something... be gentle."
	"Any advice?"
	Paul stopped and gathered his thoughts. "I have seen a lot of you 
and Usagi together. I assume your admission of mutual love is recent, 
but I think I am safe to say that your attitudes and actions towards 
each other have not changed, especially since Usagi is taken?"
	"Well, yes. We didn't want to do anything that could compromise 
her future... her friendship with him."
	Paul didn't understand Rei's slip, but let it pass. "If you two 
have in the past acted towards each other like you do now, then he 
probably has an inclination that you two feel something more than 
simple friendship towards each other." he sighed. "There's something 
you're still not telling me. I don't know how I know it, but I do. 
Usagi seems to dance around it, and yet it is still there. Now you do. 
I have a feeling I won't get it out of you, so I won't pry, but I will 
tell you this." he paused, and his voice grew distant. "Whatever is 
buried there, affects you all, not just you and Usagi. It connects you 
and your friends, and Usagi's boyfriend as well. There is a deeper 
attachment, more than just normal relationships have. I... something 
tells me that whatever this connection is, whatever you're not telling 
me, will keep you together.  Not as you are now, but you will be tied 
together. For a long time." Paul shook his head, and his trademark grin 
returned to his face. "Sorry. I go off like that every now and then."
	Rei stared at him. <How does he know?> *****
	"I'm telling you, he knows something." Rei told the others at 
their weekly meeting that night.
	"How could he?" Ami wondered. "Have any of you, and I'm going to 
think about this myself, said anything that may compromise us?"
	"We have not been compromised." Usagi said gently. The others 
turned as one, to face her. Since her change in the past few weeks, she 
had become more insightful, taking on some of her more princess-like 
qualities. Every now and again, her voice would turn into a lilt, 
reminding them all of the princess she had been, and the queen she 
would become.
	"How do you know?" Makoto asked.
	"Paul, though far more insightful than many of our other 
acquaintances, has never been in our presence as sailor Senshi." She 
cocked her head to the side for a moment. "I'll tell you what though. 
I'll talk to him, and see what he knows. If anything." 
	"How will you ask him?"
	"There's something I've been meaning to talk to him about 
anyway."
*****
	Paul stumbled to the door, having not slept well the night 
before. "Who is it?"
	"It's Usagi... can I talk to you?"
	"Yeah. Just a second." Paul straightened his hair, and opened the 
door.
	"Good morning" Usagi said, her face softening into a smile.
	"Good morning yourself."
	"Did I wake you up?"
	"Yeah... I didn't sleep well."
	"Poor thing. Should I come back?"
	"No. I always have time for you."
	Usagi took a seat on the couch as Paul shut the door. "Paul... I 
wanted to talk to you about Ami... and Minako."
	Paul was confused. "What about them?"
	"They're both attracted to you."
	Paul froze. "Umm... what?"
	Giggling, Usagi answered. "You didn't know."
	"No, I... what?"
	Usagi laughed out loud. "Please don't tell them I told you, but I 
think you needed to know."
	Paul took a deep breath, and collected his thought. "So both 
Minako, and Ami, are attracted to me..." he thought for a moment. "In 
that case, I need some advice."
	"On how to let Minako-chan down gently?"
	"How do you do that?"
	"Do what?"
	"Know what I'm thinking."
	"Hey, you do it too."
	Paul shrugged. "Yeah well... okay, how do I let her down gently. 
And let Ami know I'm interested."
	Usagi smiled. "Ask her out. But first, talk to Minako-chan. She's 
really stuck on you."
	"Okay, I will."
	"When?"
	"Soon. I promise."
	"There is one other thing I wanted to talk to you about."
	"What's that?"
	"Have you ever heard of the Sailor Senshi?"
	Paul chuckled. "Heard of them? I'm a big fan of all them. In 
fact, some friends and I were dressed like them for a costume party the 
night Serena..." he trailed off.
	"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up."
	"It's not your fault, you didn't know."
	"Will you tell me about her?"
	Paul bit his bottom lip, then nodded slowly. He began slowly, 
telling her about how they had met, and about her. He was crying by 
then end of it all, as was Usagi. She left him with a hug and a gentle 
kiss on the cheek. He thanked her and shut the door. Only then did he 
wonder aloud...
	"Why did she want to know about the Sailor Senshi.?"