Again I say to thee, this is not my fic. I'm posting it as a favor to my 
friend please send any feedback to tuxedokamen@thekeyboard.com . Thanks. ^_^

Worth
by John T. Davis

Chapter 2

     Ami arrived at the group of out door dining tables overlooking Tokyo Bay 
and noticed that Mamoru had already arrived.  She was slightly surprised when 
he didn’t turn to greet her but instead remained fixed on the sailboats in 
the bay, their hulls shining in the morning sun.  He was wearing his usual 
khaki slacks and solid green shirt.  Ami, on the other hand, had chosen to 
trade in her school uniform for someting a little different.  She sported a 
pair of navy bluish jieans and a powder blue t-shirt, finished off by a 
Fonzie-style black leather jacket.  She began to approach him, but he didn’t 
seem to notice her, not until she had joined him in staring out at the 
crystal blue water.

     “Hi, Mamoru!  Good morning!”  She was her usual cheery-among-friends 
self.  He mumbled what seemed to be a greeting--a very uncharacteristic 
response.  She took notice and studied his face.  It was evident he was in 
deep thought, almost troubled.  “What’s wrong?”

     He seemed to finally realize that somone was actively trying to engage 
him in conversation and his expression lightened a little, and he let off a 
half smile.  “Am I that readable?”

     “I’m afraid so,” she replied.  She wouldn’t be deterred from her 
original query, however.  “You still haven’t answered my question.”

     He glanced down at a group of male twins playing with a dog on the 
grassy area near the shore.  “Last night I was walking home from Usagi’s and 
I heard what sounded like a hold up.  I transformed and decided to check it 
out.  I was right.  There was a man holding up a woman and her six-year-old 
child.”  He noticed the look of concern on his friend’s face and offered a 
reasuring full grin, if only for a moment.  “Don’t worry, I stopped him 
without much of a problem.  And  I made sure the police caught up with him 
after I saw the woman to safety.  I found him running towards the slums near 
the warehouse district and picked him up and took him for a little flight. By 
the time I dropped him off at the police station, he was more than ready to 
confess.”

     Ami didn’t have to saything, the relief on her face was evident.  “It 
sounds like you did a wonderful thing for two very unfortunate people.  Why 
is it bothering you so much, aside from the fact that such misdirected people 
exist?  I know you, and I know its something more than that.”

    “And you’re right.”  He was starting to become more talkative, closer to 
his normal self.  “There was something much more bothersome that occured to 
me after I left the station and got home.  I just don’t understand it.”

     “What?”

     “I don’t understand how anyone could threaten to kill someone’s 
parents, with them right there--for anything, let alone some pearls and a 
purse.  I never had any parents.  It was worse than having them and loosing 
them.  I had foster families, but that wasn’t the same.  I never had them 
ever, so for as long as I can remember I saw those around me and for as long 
as I can remember I’ve fought the pain of being denied something so basic and 
wonderful.  When I saw that man and realized what he was willing to do to get 
whatever small amount of money was in that poor woman’s purse, something 
inside me snapped.  All the pain and anger I’ve ever felt over the absence of 
my parents exploded, and I directed it at him.  When he was dealt with, I was 
still enraged, and I turned to the mother and her child, and saw the fear in 
thier eyes.  That fear was directed towards me, and I realized I had to calm 
down.  It was surprisingly difficult.  I never realized I had such a powerful 
force locked up inside me, and it’s very, very troubling.  As if that whole 
realization weren’t enough, I realized how easy it was for me to deal with 
the robber.  I could have done anything I wanted to him--even killed him-- in 
less than ten seconds.  But I’ve never actually defeated even a youma on my 
own--or come close.  I’m beginning to wander if I’m worthless as this 
planet’s gaurdian, and shouldn’t just leave it to the rest of you.”

     Ami was momentarily shocked at the depth of the information her friend 
had just volunteered to her, and didn’t quite know what to say about most of 
it.  But she recognized the growing self doubt that she herself knew so well, 
and recognized its self-destructive potential.  She had to help him fight it. 
 “I know I can’t expect to say anything reasonable about the loss of your 
parents.  There’s no way anyone can truly completely understand how you feel, 
and I know that.  But I can tell you you are not worthless.  You must never 
let yourself become subject to your own self doubt.  I should know.  I do 
battle with that particuarlar youma every day, and every time I go into 
battle.  Think about it.  I have no hand-to-hand combat skills, and my magic 
attacks are horrible as offensive weapons.  The most I can hope to do is 
drench something, freeze something, or make it get lost in a fog.”  She 
paused as she remembered the helplessness she felt that drove her to decide 
upon deliberate self sacrifice as the best way to help Usagi get to Beryl.  
“But I never stop, because I was chosen for this by a higher power.  So 
whatever I think, someone greater than me believes I’m suited for and able to 
protect this world and its people.  You and I should never forget that.  
Never.”

    Mamoru was surprised.  He never suspected such a passionate or powerful 
speech from his slightly introverted friend. But she was right.  “You’re 
right.  Thanks.”  She smiled at him, and with that, the conversation was 
closed, and Mamoru seemed back to normal.  He decided to approach more 
pressing matters.  The others will be here soon.  We have to tell them what’s 
going on with the two of us... about our plans.   I’m not looking forward to 
it, especialy gettig Usa to stay calm about it and accept it.”

    “I know.  But they’ll be here any second, so we better be ready.”

    “Right.”

     As if on queue, Usagi, Minako, Makoto, Haruka, Michiru, Rei, and the 
cats could be seen approaching the dining area.  Here we go... crossed 
Mamoru’s thoughts as he watched their approach, each in their variation of 
the sailor-suit style school uniform.  And in less than two seconds, they 
were upon them.

     “Hi!”  Usagi was ebullient as usual.  “What was so important that all 
of us had to get here as soon as possible?  You said you had something to 
tell us, Ami.”  The others’ faces betrayed similar concern.  They all waited 
for a response.

     Ami spoke first, “Mamoru and I have some very urgent and exciting news.  
We thought you should be the first to know, especailly you, Usa.”  She paused 
for effect, but inadvertandly gave everyone’s imaginations time to come into 
play.  Luna snapped to attention.

     “You’ve discovered some new dark force threatening the planet, haven’t 
you?”   She waited silently for a response, this conjecture having put 
everyone on high alert.  Mamoru tried to stop the boulder they had set in 
motion.

     “Its nothing that threatening, I assure you.  Its news about something 
wonderful that’s happened to Ami and I.  We’d like to tell you that--”  He 
was interupted by Usagi collapsing at his feet and wrapping her arms around 
his knees, almost pulling him down on top of her.  She had begun to wail and 
started in on teary pleading.

     “NO!  Please don’t leave me, Mamoru.  You know I love you more than 
anyone or anything.  I couldn’t stand the thought of loosing you again.  
Please, please don’t go.”  She continued to sob, but stopped short, her face 
reddening.  She rose to her feet and whirled on Ami.  “And you!  How could 
you do this to me?  How dare you steal him from me!”  She began to advance on 
the hapless blue haired girl, and Mamoru exchanged a glance with the water 
princess.

     Mamoru said, “I guess the pause for absorbtion and effect was a really 
bad idea.   We should remember this in the future,” he had to be quick, 
before they lost complete control, “Ami and I aren’t dating, Usa, we’re 
going to America for a month.”  This stopped everyone in their tracks accept 
Ami, who had expected to tell everyone herself, and Usagi, who had fallen 
back on her tailbone and taken the art of blushing to amazing new heiights.

    “Oh, of course, right.  Yeah...”  Usagi tried to dig herself out of the 
hole she was in as Ami relished in the fact that she wasn’t going to be torn 
apart by her friend.  Oddly enough, everyone seemed to be ignoring Usa’s 
jealous fit and focusing on Ami and Mamoru, wanting to hear more about the 
surprise announcement.

    Artemis probed further, “America?”
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