Sailor Gaea: The Dark Kingdom

Flash of the Monster Camera

I thank December Silentvale for helping me. The song in this chapter is "Cost of the Crown" by Mercedes Lackey.

After the wedding, the days seemed to return to normal with no signs of any monsters. Actaeon was on edge as of late. Worrying that the Dark Kingdom would have already sent another monster by now and they didn't have a clue. Ayame was concerned as well, but it wasn't like there was anything they could do about it. They would just have to keep their eyes peeled and hope for the best.

Now at school, Ayame sat in her classroom with Usagi eating lunch. Usagi's favorite time of the day.

"Lunchtime! Oh, boy! This looks so good! Time to dig in!" Usagi said as she looked at her choices of rice, egg rolls, mini hot dogs, some baby tomatoes, and something else Ayame didn't know.

Meanwhile, Naru and some of the other girls Ayame didn't really know were talking about a magazine they had with them. "Wow, those photographs look amazing!" One girl said.

"You know what's really amazing? The kid who took these pictures is still only in middle school!" Naru added.

"He won the Japan Photo Contest?! Wow! He's a genius!" Another exclaimed.

"'Kijin Shinokawa, a young prodigy.' Cool." Naru read from the magazine. Usagi had gotten interested in their conversation as she came over and looked at the photos.

Reading about Kijin, Usagi saw where he went to school. "Huh? No way! He goes to Gohongi Boys' Middle School?!"

Usagi grabbed the magazine and Ayame's hand and soon the two of them were off to Ami's classroom.

"Usagi! Let go already!" Ayame said as she tried to free herself gently.

Ami wasn't listening to the commotion coming her way as she focused on her math problem as she ate. "Let's see, X minus Y times pi R squared..."

Usagi burst in and let go of Ayame as she showed the magazine to her friend. "Ami! You have to see this! Did you read the article about this boy? He goes to a school that's right near the T.A. Girls' Academy that Rei goes to!"

"Yes, I know." Ami answered. Not really bothered by the information or excited like Usagi. Ayame liked how she was so calm. It was like a refreshing stream of water after dealing the excitable bunny beside her.

"How can you be so calm about this?! Don't you understand?! We have the opportunity to meet someone famous today! C'mon, let's go and get his autograph!" Usagi urged.

"Can't. I have cram school this afternoon." Ami told her.

"Aw, Ami, that's all you ever do! We're only young once, you know! We should make the best of it by having some fun once in a while!" Usagi said trying to get her studious friend to have more of her brand of fun.

"I am having fun, because I really enjoy studying." Ami answered with a smile.

Usagi grunted and told her "You are so hopeless."

"Usagi. Don't try to force Ami into doing things she doesn't want to do. There's a time and place for everything. Whether it be for fun or studying. I personally admire Ami's work ethic and being so dedicated. As long as she's happy doing it, then let her. However, for you Ami, Usagi does sort of have a point. It doesn't hurt to take a break once in a while. Just not in this instance." Ayame said.

"Does this mean you're not coming with me too, Ayame?" Usagi whined.

"Sorry, Usagi. Like Ami, I have somewhere to be after school. And even if I didn't, I don't think it's a good idea treat a guy like he's a celebrity just because he's talented and won a award. He's still human just like the rest of us. He might not even want the attention and we would be a bother to him. If you really love doing an activity, then you shouldn't care to get an award or recognition. You should do it because you like it. If the guy is doing it for the fame, I don't want to meet him."