Sailor Moon X Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles and the Hare

Act IV: Ferry Follies

SAILOR MOON X TMNT: TURTLES AND THE HARE

PART 2

ACT IV: FERRY FOLLIES

Chapter 74

"This must be it!" Minako raced along the sidewalk until she reached her destination. It was a square shaped glass building by the water sporting a sign that spelled out STATEN ISLAND FERRY in giant blue letters to greet the oncoming tourists and commuters. She hurried into the lobby and up an escalator, pushing her way through a sizable crowd awaiting the next boat.

"Aww look! What a cute little ship!" Minako remarked once she spotted the orange ferry approaching the dock. Locals eyed the upbeat tourist with annoyance as she marveled at the mundane boat they took to and from work each day. She pressed her hands against the glass dividing door, watching the handsome businessmen disembark. They walked out of the slipway and into the terminal before descending the stairs that led them to the busy streets of downtown Manhattan.

Minako burst through an opening once the sliding glass door granted her enough room to board the ferry. She beckoned for her friends to hustle so they could secure seats with the perfect view of the statue, but they seemed to lack her upbeat enthusiasm. A foghorn sounded as the blonde dashed up to the ferry's top level and found a row of benches on the outer perimeter of the boat. This looked like the perfect place to sit and enjoy the scenic view of New York's skyline. It was getting hot out, but the ship's motion provided a gentle breeze as it drifted away from the dock. She readied her phone when the ferry neared the Statue of Liberty and snapped pictures of herself in various poses with the iconic monument in the background.

"Come on, Usagi!" Minako pulled her sluggish friend off the bench and stretched out her phone. "Take a selfie with me!"

"No, I don't want to!" the distraught Usagi sniffled, throwing herself back onto the bench. "Leave me alone!"

"Maybe we can get a shot together when the ferry makes the return trip." Minako suggested. She leaned over the railing to catch another glimpse of the statue before it disappeared out of view while admiring the towering skyscrapers in the distance. "What do you want to do next?"

"Is there anything worth seeing on Staten Island?" a doubtful Makoto asked.

"Staten Island is a mostly a residential community that was once home to world's largest landfill!"Minako said after performing a quick google search on her phone. "Apparently they were going to build a Ferris wheel to attract more tourists, but it never materialized."

"Too bad." Makoto commented. "Usagi, you would've loved that, right?"

"No! I can't enjoy anything fun ever again! In fact, I'm never leaving this boat!" Usagi pouted, pounding her fists into the bench like a crybaby. The mentioning of a Ferris Wheel had reminded her of the date she had with Mamoru at the amusement park before deciding to go on this ill-fated trip. She remembered that kiss they shared in the tunnel of love after she had confessed her fears about Rei taking this internship. Mamoru tried to convince her that her friends would never abandon her no matter what distance separated them, but she did not listen to his advice.

Now, not only was the relationship with her boyfriend strained, but she had fractured one of her most important friendships. Things would never go back to the way they once were, no matter how badly she wanted them to. Her fond memories of the Sailor Team were all that remained from the happiest time in her life. And that kiss in the tunnel... perhaps it was it the last one they would ever share. There was no way she could appreciate her time here in this fantastic city. It took a great deal of restraint not to curl up in a ball and cry her eyes out. She wondered what advice Luna would give her if she were around. She missed her wise cat and wanted nothing more than to return home so she could talk with Mamoru and give Rei some space to cool off.