bloodsong1 | Or maybe I'm just a hack.

Mamoru walked into the Crown, eyes searching for the foreign family Usagi had described. He was probably being paranoid. None of their enemies took the form of a mother with two children. They had always been female monsters with puppet masters of either sex. Still, to call his Usako "Princess" to her face, and apparently know their names without being introduced, this had to be investigated.

"Hi, Mamoru!" Motoki called, waving. Mamoru headed for the counter, glancing around. He saw a boy matching Usagi's description on one of the shooting games, glaring at the screen as he played.

"Hi, Motoki." Mamoru claimed his favorite stool. The mother and daughter were in a booth not too far away, the little girl happily eating a dish of ice cream. The mother was cradling a coffee cup and staring off into space. Mamoru glanced at his best friend, already pouring him a coffee.

"How have you been, Mamoru? I hardly see you these days."

"Taking care of two Usagis is a full time job, on top of school," Mamoru grinned ruefully. Matoki chuckled.

"I can only imagine."

"So when did you start catering to foreigners?"

"Huh?" Mamoru gestured with his cup. Motoki looked at the pair sitting in the booth. "Oh, them? They're American, near as I can tell. The last time I saw two people looking so alike were Usagi and Chibi-Usa! I don't remember seeing a son and mother that way before. She's trying really hard to speak Japanese, it's kind of cute. Not many American tourists come here like that."

"Hmm. She looks pretty young to have a son that old, don't you think?"

"I think she's older then her looks. She's got those mom eyes."

"Mom eyes?" Mamoru stared at Motoki, baffled. Motoki sweatdropped.

"Um, well, it's just that when she looked at her son when he asked for game money, it was this...knowing look, you know?"

"No. I don't." Mamoru set his cup down and walked over to the foreigner. She looked up and her jaw trembled.

~Hello.~ Mamoru said, smiling cockily.

~Um, hello. Can I, um, help you?~ She asked. His smile got cockier when he saw how her fingers tightened on her cup.

~You are Miss Sarah, yes?~

~Yes, and you are?~

~Mamoru.~

~Mamoru-san. I am sorry, I didn't get the names of the sweet girls we ran into earlier. You know them?~

~Usagi and Chibi-Usa.~

~Really?~ Miss Sarah squeaked. She put her cup down and buried her face in her hands, muttering to herself. Mamoru could only make out "Universe", "get me" and "that damned card".

~Mommy? Are you okay?~ The little girl asked. Mamoru turned and smiled at her.

~Are you Becca?~

~Yep! I'm Becca and that's my mommy. What is your name?~

~Mamoru. May I join you?~

~Sure!~ Becca chirped, scooting over. Miss Sarah looked up through her fingers at him. He gently shoved Becca's ice cream into the little girl's reach and folded his hands on the table.

~Gods, I wish Kevin was here.~ Miss Sarah said, dropping her hands and lacing them around her cup. Mamoru blinked.

~Who is Kevin?~

~My husband. He died three years ago.~ Mamoru felt a jolt through his chest. A widow? This young woman was a widow? What on earth was she doing in Japan, then? Miss Sarah's lips twisted into a faint, ironic smile. ~He was supposed to be with me so he could point to himself and say Baka Gaijin and make the saleswomen giggle while I did all the actual talking.~ She looked Mamoru dead in the eyes.

~What are you supposed to do when Destiny runs out and you're the one left behind?~

~I...I don't know.~ Mamoru said, tearing his eyes away to stare out the window. Miss Sarah sighed, then chuckled softly.

~No, I suppose you wouldn't. Your Destiny is still before you.~ Mamoru's head whipped around. Miss Sarah was digging in her purse. She pulled out a cream colored card and tucked the purse back under the table.

~Three years ago, a friend of mine went to a convention and asked various cosplayers to sign a sympathy card for me because Kevin had passed away a week before the event and I could not attend. I'm probably breaking some rule of Time by showing this to you and if that's the case, Sailor Pluto has my permission to strike me down.~ Mamoru's hands clenched into fists as his heart rate accelerated. She knew! Somehow, some way, this American woman knew exactly who he was, who Usako was and probably everything else too! He glanced at Becca, still happily eating ice cream, then at her son, who was yelling at the video game he had just lost. What on Earth was he supposed to do?

"Here," Miss Sarah whispered in Japanese, opening the card and sliding it across the table to him. He stared at her face. She was pale, but determined. He glanced down and gasped. His own handwriting stared up at him, next to Usako's. Shaking fingers took the card and brought it up to be inspected more closely. Yes, that really was his handwriting. What did this mean? He hadn't been at any convention three years ago, let alone America!

"King Endymion," Miss Sarah whispered. The card fell to the table. Mamoru swallowed hard and stared. Miss Sarah smiled, a sadder and yet kinder smile then he had seen before.

"Thank you both," She said, keeping her voice barely a whisper. "I needed hope and reassurance during that time and your future selves, visiting the past, gave it to me. I will always be grateful." She collected the card and tucked it back into her purse.

~Cuteness! Are you finished?~

~I'm all done.~ Miss Sarah stood, slinging her purse over her shoulder. Mamoru stumbled out of the booth, freeing Becca to scootch out and join her mother. Miss Sarah smiled up at him.

~Okay, Becca. Time to curtsy!~ Mamoru's, and Motoki's, mouths fell open when the two Americans dropped deep curtseys to Mamoru. Marcus, the son, ran up beside his mother and bowed deeply from the waist. Nobody noticed the bells at the door chiming.

"Oh, Miss Sarah! What are you doing?" Usagi asked. The Americans rose, turned to Usagi and Chibi-Usa, currently clinging to Usagi's hand, and performed the same gestures of respect.

"Wh...wha...?" Usagi stammered. Miss Sarah rose and winked at Usagi.

"You're very lucky, Usagi-chan!" She then whirled to pay Motoki. Usagi and Chibi-Usa ran to Mamoru's side, clinging to him as Miss Sarah thanked Motoki and took her children's hands.

"May your future shine as brightly as crystal and may my heart be the price for any betrayal," She said, bowing again. Marc flashed a victory sign and the Americans left the Parlor, leaving two future royals, a future daughter and Motoki flabbergasted. Usagi recovered first.

"Motoki! I need chocolate!!"