Friend in Need
by Mitch
wells17@gte.net
I'm Lita Kino. I'm also Sailor Jupiter. I've been feeling
a little nervious lately. It's been looking more and more like I'm
the target for this new enemy. I know that they're after people's
energy, like Queen Beryal was, but they've been attacking when I'm
around. It may be just chance, but I'm still worried. Do they know
who I am? Probably not. Otherwise, they would attack the other
Scouts when they had the chance.
Well, today I'm spending the evening with Serena. She's been so
depressed since Ann showed up, trying to take Darien from her. She
can't blame Darien, since he's lost his memory of being Prince Darien
and Tuxedo Mask. I have to give her credit for not giving up.
Sometimes, I wonder if I'm too fickle, since I'm always after a
different guy. Maybe I'm still just looking. I'm glad Serena has
had someone for the past thousand years.
Serena and I are at the Crown Game Center. We played the Sailor V
game a couple of times. I'm trying to cut down on my frustration with
it, but I still wish I didn't lose so easily. What scares me is that
I'm a magical girl and I can lose just as easy on this game as anyone
else. Other people don't have to worry about fighting a monster in
real life.
We later went to get some ice cream. Good thing Serena paid for
her's. I barely had enough money for me.
We left the parlor, cones in hand, licking our worries away. It
was good to see Serena happy. She been her usual self most of the
time, but I can tell she's been feeling hurt since Ann started chasing
Darien around. I admit, I'm doing this for me as much as for her.
With all the things happening to me lately, I needed to have some fun.
After a Scout has to relax sometimes. Serena may be a little addicted
to that, but still...
Suddenly, a very large, female, ape-like monster appears.
Anyone else on the street runs for cover. We duck into an alley.
"Oh, why did this have to happen tonight?" Serena wailes.
Normally, I'd tell her that it's just bad luck, but I'm beginning
to think that it's something more.
"Look," I say to her, "if we do this in a hurry, we can salvage
this evening."
"Okay," grumbles Serena, "but she made me drop my ice cream cone."
"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"
"JUPITER POWER!"
We go through our respective transformations. I wonder why
Serena's always takes longer than the rest of us. We then face the
monster.
"Hey, you! Gorilla-face!"
"We were having a nice, stress-free, evening when you had to come
and spoil it!"
"In the name of Jupiter...!"
"In the name of the Moon...!"
"We will right wrongs and triumph over evil and that means you!"
"I doubt it," said the monster as she inhailed and blew a
typoon-like wind and the two of us, knocking us both off-balence. I
regained my composer just as she jumped on me, lifted me, and smashed
me into the ground.
"This is your end, Sailor Jupiter!"
"Why...have you been...after me lately?"
"Ever since you sailor brats fought Viney, we've studied an
analysis made when you punched her. You seem to be the back bone of
the Scouts as well as their strength. We haven't determined who you
are, but we've been tracking you, trying to destroy you, so we can
cripple the Scouts."
"Me?! You think by just getting me you can defeat the Scouts?
Look, the Scouts were around before I showed up. We don't have a role
more important than another. We each have out own job. If you get me,
the others will still come and they will win!"
During all this, Sailor Moon is recovering. I glance at her
looking at me. I see fear in her eyes.
"Jupiter! Hang in there!"
The monster sends another blast of breath, knocking Sailor Moon
into some garbage cans next to a building across the street.
"Don't!" she screams, quite well I have to add. "She's important
to us, important to me! I admit I was a little scared when we first
met, but I was also impressed. But what I liked was learning that,
even though we seemed so different, we had a lot in common! We both
liked food, boys, video games. I never really got to share those
things with my other friends and she needed a friend more than I did!"
People are always saying negatives about Sailor Moon, how she's
not much of a fighter or a leader, how she's always crying, how she
spends more time getting away from an enemy than fighting them. They
overlook something about her. She has a way with words. She can
really bring out the best in people when she has to. This is something
I can't match. I usually see the worst in people. Maybe we can learn
from each other.
During all this, the monster is thrashing me and Sailor Moon is
stuggling toward us. I'm bleeding all over. I think of all the times
Serena and I have helped each other out. I keep thinking that this may
be our last time together.
I dodge one of the monster's blows and leap out of the way. I
feel weak.
"Jupiter...!"
"Can't...give...up...," I say. "She wants me...so...let her come
to me. I'll...use Thunder Crash. Use...Moon Scepter...after that.
Sailor Moon looks at me with worried eyes, but nods.
The ape is charging at me. I stand ready.
"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"
For the first time, it actually feels painful to use. It hits
the monster, but it looks only stunned. I collapse as I hear the
familiar phrase, "MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!"
I black out and only hear the monster scream. I guess it was
defeated. I can sense Sailor Moon is sitting next to me.
"Lita...?"
"War...," I cough, "has consequenses. I...guess...I'm one. I
only wish...I found a steady boyfriend."
I take her hand.
"Don't..let me hold you guys back. Like I said..., you can win
this without me. Just...do your best. It's...been great, Serena.
Thanks...for being there...for me..." I black out.
I awake in a hospital. I notice an IV in my arm. I see a nurse
walk by.
"Uh, nurse," I say, "How did I..."
"Lita Kino?" asks the nurse, "You've been here since last night.
Your friend, Ms. Tsukino, brought you here. She said you had a tragic
accident."
"I...I thought I wouldn't make it. How did?"
"We has a volunteer for the transfusion."
"Was it a boy named Ken Shinozaki?"
"No, but they wanted to keep it confidential."
I think for a second the only other person that I know who has
my blood type is...
Later, I recover well enough to use the phone. I call the
Tsukino house.
"Hello, why hello, Lita. Serena said you weren't feeling well."
"Mrs. Tsukino, where's Serena. I'd like to talk with her."
"She's in her room. I haven't gotten her out of bed all day. At
first, I thought she was just sleeping late again, but now I think
somethings wrong with her."
I smile. "Thanks anyway, Mrs. Tsukino."
Later, the others come and visit me. Even Alan, Ann, and Ken are
there. The hospital made an exception to the rules since I have no
family. Actually, that's not quite correct. I don't have parents, but
I do have a family.
Serena didn't come, which confirms my suspisions. I call her
house again that night.
"Hello?"
her voice is weak.
"Hey, Serena."
"Lita? LITA! Thank God! I thought I was too...er, I mean, I
thought the hospital might be too late to..."
"It was you, wasn't it?"
"How...What do you mean?"
"It wasn't Ken, so it must have been you."
"Well, I had to do something..."
"You're terrific, Serena."
"Er, you're welcome."
"This time," I add, "you deserve an afternoon nap."
After a while I hang up. I look up and think of all the crazyness
I've been through lately. I lost a fight, fought my worst fear,
rescued my biggest rival, saw a bad image of me, almost started a
romance between two friends, and faced death.
Unlike Serena, I love this job, but I want it to be less personal
for me for a while.
End