Chapter 26: Hard Choices

Jonathan helped Celeste get Sofia into a chair. The girl’s leg was already discolored and swollen. She quickly left the room to get supplies, leaving Setsuna and Tomiko in the living room as well.

She was busy filling ice packs when she realized that Jonathan was standing behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, stilling her frantic movements for a moment. With a sigh, she closed the freezer door and turned to face him.

“How bad is it?” she asked, keeping her voice low.

He shook his head. “I don’t know. It looks pretty bad, but I’m not a doctor, Celeste.”

“We’ll have to do what we can. She should heal quickly with her powers.”

“And what if there’s something seriously wrong? Her leg could be broken or she could have torn ligaments in her knee. We can’t know for sure. Not without going to a hospital or a doctor.”

“We can’t do that, Jonathan. There will be too many questions.”

“Fine. I’ll do what I can for her.” He took the ice packs from her and walked back into the living room.

* * * * *

“Celeste, about Mara.” However, Sofia gasped as pain shot up her injured leg as she shifted to stand.

“Later. We have to take care of you first,” Celeste replied. She handed Jonathan an elastic wrap. She couldn’t think about the missing girl yet.

“No, I need to tell you now,” the girl protested. “Notus said she'll contact you. She wants an exchange for Mara.”

“An exchange?” Jonathan glanced from Sofia to Celeste, his expression unreadable. However, he quickly returned his attention on the injured girl. “Celeste, do you have any pain reliever?”

Celeste immediately headed to her bathroom. Sofia had complained little as Jonathan cared for her. Her injured leg appeared slightly less swollen than earlier, but Celeste knew that Jonathan was still worried.

He gave Celeste a brief smile as he accepted the pills and the glass of water, letting his fingers linger over hers. “Why don’t you refill a few of the ice bags?” he suggested. “The ice should help her leg.”

Nodding, Celeste returned to the kitchen. She was grateful for the excuses to keep moving, to keep her mind off Sofia’s words. Notus wanted an exchange for Mara. What would be demanded for the girl’s safe return?

She quickly replenished the ice bags and grabbed a couple of clean towels before returning to her living room. She gave Jonathan the supplies, watching him briefly. Sofia did appear better, but she wondered how much of that was merely wishful thinking on her part.

A cough broke Celeste from her reverie. She turned, facing the other women in the room. For a moment, she hadn’t forgotten they were there.

“You want an explanation,” Setsuna stated.

“You did promise one.” Celeste crossed her arms. “What have you known and for how long?”

Selene gaped. “Celeste, you know that Pluto can’t answer things like that.”

The redhead glared down at the cat. “Why don’t you let Sailor Pluto speak for herself? What and how long, Setsuna?”

“I’ve known something was going to happen for a while, before I left Tokyo.”

“What exactly did you know?”

“She didn’t know anything,” Tomiko interjected, earning a glare from Setsuna. “I warned her that you were going to be tested.” There was a pause before she reluctantly added, “That you were going to fail.”

“That I would fail? You mean you knew that I was going to die.”

Jonathan dropped one of the ice packs, scattering ice across the floor. He and Celeste exchanged brief looks. Then, she shifted her attention back to Tomiko.

“How would you know something like that?”

“As Setsuna told you, I’m also known as Morpheus.”

“Morpheus,” Sofia murmured, brows knitted with both pain and concentration, “the Greek god who sometimes delivered messages via dreams.”

“Is that what you are? A god?” Celeste demanded.

Tomiko gave a humorless laugh. “No, I’m not a god.”

“Did you send me the dreams?”

She was tempted to ask “What dreams?” but decided against it. Celeste was more perceptive than she had given the American credit for. Under normal circumstances, Setsuna would have warned her of that.

“I sent you a few,” the purple-haired woman finally admitted, “but I can’t claim all of them. The human mind is a tricky thing.”

“This is not the time, Tomiko,” Setsuna warned.

Celeste glanced at Setsuna. “What role did you have in all this?”

“I helped her as much as I could.”

“So you may have interfered with the Timeline.” When Setsuna looked away, Celeste sighed. “You did interfere with the Timeline.”

“She did it for you,” Tomiko said.

“And you could have made things worse,” Celeste shot back. “You probably have.”

“Worse is pretty relative, don’t you think?”

“That is enough!” Sofia cried, sitting straighter in the chair. She used the flair of pain to fuel her anger. “We don’t have time to be arguing among ourselves. We’ve got to come up with a plan to get Mara back. That’s what we have to focus on.”

“We’ll get her back, Sofia,” Celeste said. “Whatever Notus wants for the exchange, she’ll get it.”

“Celeste, I’m sorry this has happened,” Setsuna said quietly. “We were only trying to help.”

“I know, Puu.” She gave her old friend a slight smile.

The glass doors to her balcony suddenly exploded. Celeste instinctively covered her face with her arms, dimly aware of the others’ cries. Celeste ignored the burning cuts from the shards as she looked to see what happened.

“I’m afraid you just lost your security deposit, Sol,” Notus said, examining the battered doors. “I’d love to hear the explanation you’ll give your landlord.

“Athene said you’d contacted us. What is it that you want, Notus? What will you exchange for the girl?”

“You, Sol. You’re the exchange. If you want her back, be at the old harbor at dawn. Don’t be late.” Then, as quickly as she had appeared, she was gone.

The room was silent except for the rustle of the wind. On unsteady legs, Celeste walked to a chair and sat down. A myriad of thoughts rushed through her head.

“Celeste, you can’t do this,” Jonathan said, breaking the silence. “There has to been some other way.”

“I have to. This is the only way I know how to get Mara back.”

“Then we will come up with something else,” Sofia said. “Even if you go, there’s no guaranty that Mara will be freed. We need to think this through.”

“I won’t gamble with Mara’s safety! Notus wants an exchange. To get Mara back, I will go through with it.”

“You’ll be walking right into a trap,” Setsuna murmured.

“Well, has anyone else wondered why they want an exchange?” All eyes focused on Tomiko. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t these guys been after Mara from the beginning? Well, they’ve got her. Now they want Celeste. Does this bother anyone else?”

“I really don’t care,” Celeste said. “If would get Mara back, I’d go in a bunny suit.”

“But she has a point,” Sofia countered. “They don’t know that you have your powers back. Eurus could have easily taken you if you’d had been their target. Why would they want still want the switch now?”

“Again, I don’t care.”

“Stop saying that!” Jonathan was desperately fighting the urge to cross the room and shake her until her teeth rattled. “Some of us do give a damn, Celeste!”

“I’m sorry, Jonathan,” she whispered, blinking back tears. “I have to do this.”

She escaped to her room before she broke down completely. Jonathan stared at the close door, frozen in place. Once again, the wind was the only sound, the only movement in the room.


Hard Choices Jonathan helped Celeste get Sofia into a chair. The girl’s leg was already discolored and swollen. She quickly left the room to get supplies, leaving Setsuna and Tomiko in the living room as well. She was busy filling ice packs when she realized that Jonathan was standing behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, stilling her frantic movements for a moment. With a sigh, she closed the freezer door and turned to face him. “How bad is it?” she asked, keeping her voice low. He shook his head. “I don’t know. It looks pretty bad, but I’m not a doctor, Celeste.” “We’ll have to do what we can. She should heal quickly with her powers.” “And what if there’s something seriously wrong? Her leg could be broken or she could have torn ligaments in her knee. We can’t know for sure. Not without going to a hospital or a doctor.” “We can’t do that, Jonathan. There will be too many questions.” “Fine. I’ll do what I can for her.” He took the ice packs from her and walked back into the living room. * * * * * “Celeste, about Mara.” However, Sofia gasped as pain shot up her injured leg as she shifted to stand. “Later. We have to take care of you first,” Celeste replied. She handed Jonathan an elastic wrap. She couldn’t think about the missing girl yet. “No, I need to tell you now,” the girl protested. “Notus said she'll contact you. She wants an exchange for Mara.” “An exchange?” Jonathan glanced from Sofia to Celeste, his expression unreadable. However, he quickly returned his attention on the injured girl. “Celeste, do you have any pain reliever?” Celeste immediately headed to her bathroom. Sofia had complained little as Jonathan cared for her. Her injured leg appeared slightly less swollen than earlier, but Celeste knew that Jonathan was still worried. He gave Celeste a brief smile as he accepted the pills and the glass of water, letting his fingers linger over hers. “Why don’t you refill a few of the ice bags?” he suggested. “The ice should help her leg.” Nodding, Celeste returned to the kitchen. She was grateful for the excuses to keep moving, to keep her mind off Sofia’s words. Notus wanted an exchange for Mara. What would be demanded for the girl’s safe return? She quickly replenished the ice bags and grabbed a couple of clean towels before returning to her living room. She gave Jonathan the supplies, watching him briefly. Sofia did appear better, but she wondered how much of that was merely wishful thinking on her part. A cough broke Celeste from her reverie. She turned, facing the other women in the room. For a moment, she hadn’t forgotten they were there. “You want an explanation,” Setsuna stated. “You did promise one.” Celeste crossed her arms. “What have you known and for how long?” Selene gaped. “Celeste, you know that Pluto can’t answer things like that.” The redhead glared down at the cat. “Why don’t you let Sailor Pluto speak for herself? What and how long, Setsuna?” “I’ve known something was going to happen for a while, before I left Tokyo.” “What exactly did you know?” “She didn’t know anything,” Tomiko interjected, earning a glare from Setsuna. “I warned her that you were going to be tested.” There was a pause before she reluctantly added, “That you were going to fail.” “That I would fail? You mean you knew that I was going to die.” Jonathan dropped one of the ice packs, scattering ice across the floor. He and Celeste exchanged brief looks. Then, she shifted her attention back to Tomiko. “How would you know something like that?” “As Setsuna told you, I’m also known as Morpheus.” “Morpheus,” Sofia murmured, brows knitted with both pain and concentration, “the Greek god who sometimes delivered messages via dreams.” “Is that what you are? A god?” Celeste demanded. Tomiko gave a humorless laugh. “No, I’m not a god.” “Did you send me the dreams?” She was tempted to ask “What dreams?” but decided against it. Celeste was more perceptive than she had given the American credit for. Under normal circumstances, Setsuna would have warned her of that. “I sent you a few,” the purple-haired woman finally admitted, “but I can’t claim all of them. The human mind is a tricky thing.” “This is not the time, Tomiko,” Setsuna warned. Celeste glanced at Setsuna. “What role did you have in all this?” “I helped her as much as I could.” “So you may have interfered with the Timeline.” When Setsuna looked away, Celeste sighed. “You did interfere with the Timeline.” “She did it for you,” Tomiko said. “And you could have made things worse,” Celeste shot back. “You probably have.” “Worse is pretty relative, don’t you think?” “That is enough!” Sofia cried, sitting straighter in the chair. She used the flair of pain to fuel her anger. “We don’t have time to be arguing among ourselves. We’ve got to come up with a plan to get Mara back. That’s what we have to focus on.” “We’ll get her back, Sofia,” Celeste said. “Whatever Notus wants for the exchange, she’ll get it.” “Celeste, I’m sorry this has happened,” Setsuna said quietly. “We were only trying to help.” “I know, Puu.” She gave her old friend a slight smile. The glass doors to her balcony suddenly exploded. Celeste instinctively covered her face with her arms, dimly aware of the others’ cries. Celeste ignored the burning cuts from the shards as she looked to see what happened. “I’m afraid you just lost your security deposit, Sol,” Notus said, examining the battered doors. “I’d love to hear the explanation you’ll give your landlord. “Athene said you’d contacted us. What is it that you want, Notus? What will you exchange for the girl?” “You, Sol. You’re the exchange. If you want her back, be at the old harbor at dawn. Don’t be late.” Then, as quickly as she had appeared, she was gone. The room was silent except for the rustle of the wind. On unsteady legs, Celeste walked to a chair and sat down. A myriad of thoughts rushed through her head. “Celeste, you can’t do this,” Jonathan said, breaking the silence. “There has to been some other way.” “I have to. This is the only way I know how to get Mara back.” “Then we will come up with something else,” Sofia said. “Even if you go, there’s no guaranty that Mara will be freed. We need to think this through.” “I won’t gamble with Mara’s safety! Notus wants an exchange. To get Mara back, I will go through with it.” “You’ll be walking right into a trap,” Setsuna murmured. “Well, has anyone else wondered why they want an exchange?” All eyes focused on Tomiko. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t these guys been after Mara from the beginning? Well, they’ve got her. Now they want Celeste. Does this bother anyone else?” “I really don’t care,” Celeste said. “If would get Mara back, I’d go in a bunny suit.” “But she has a point,” Sofia countered. “They don’t know that you have your powers back. Eurus could have easily taken you if you’d had been their target. Why would they want still want the switch now?” “Again, I don’t care.” “Stop saying that!” Jonathan was desperately fighting the urge to cross the room and shake her until her teeth rattled. “Some of us do give a damn, Celeste!” “I’m sorry, Jonathan,” she whispered, blinking back tears. “I have to do this.” She escaped to her room before she broke down completely. Jonathan stared at the close door, frozen in place. Once again, the wind was the only sound, the only movement in the room.


Chapter 27: The Hardest Part is Waiting Sailor Sol: Battle Against the Winds