So here it is, the final chapter. Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who hung in there, even though I took my damn sweet time finishing this thing. As usual, leave me a review or a message if you have anything to say. I have also added a poll to my profile asking everyone to help me decide if I should continue writing about Urawa, or if I should move along to something else, so please vote if you like.


The wind cascaded down from the greatest heights of the monumental skyscrapers that huddled around the park, as if it was the last oasis of green, real life left in the world, and crashed through the trees, stirring their branches and rousing black birds from their afternoon perch. Shimmering green waves dazzled in front of me, bending their branches and leaves in a beckon, goading me into what, I wasn't quite sure. The gentle slop of the hill and the blitzkrieg of the biting wind rushed towards the tent, somehow ominous and dark amidst all the light.

I surveyed the structure from a bench near the pond, which lay about 40 meters from its gap-toothed grin. What I was going to do there, well- hell, I rarely think anything through these days- but I was drawn here nonetheless. The circus had come to town without any fanfare, advertising, or publicity. How they even managed to get a permit to set up in the park, or if they bothered to get one at all, was anyone's guess. It seemed that everyone just wanted to look the other way, even the prefecture government, like a coven had moved in next door and we all hoped that if we just ignored the eyesore, it would eventually go away.

I had spent most of the day behind my desk, numbly typing away in the PD database, sifting through the names and dates for all of the 'mysterious' attacks that had occurred in the Azuba Juban area within the last few months. There was little there that I wasn't already aware of, but one fact was undeniable: the circus was the hub of it all. These random encounters all occurred in the same prefecture, all in or around the school and homes of most of the senshi, and most involved people the girls were familiar with. And all starting within days of this freak show's appearance during an unexplained solar eclipse, which all adds up to an amazing coincidence if I was still inclined to dismiss the Senshi as manga nonsense.

The cold steel hand of my revolver gripped my ribs through it's holster, almost prodding me to make sure that I was aware that it was still there. If I had more confidence with firearms I might have brought a shotgun, though the idea of a lone man sitting on a park bench with a loaded weapon would have ruined the element of surprise, since the SWAT team probably would have rushed out and bludgeoned my ass into next week. Come to think of it, that might be a much better idea than what I was thinking of doing right now.

"Makoto deserves better than this," was what I had to murmur to myself as I eased off the bench and made my way to the gravel trail leading towards the tent. Hours spent over the phone with events and city parks departments, trying to get anyone in that God damned bureaucracy to even acknowledge that a mystery building had popped up in the city had been more than futile. The woman on the last call hung up on me before I could even request that she send a building inspector down to the scene to take a look around. I hadn't bothered trying to scrounge some back-up from around the water cooler; unpaid overtime for an unassigned, and possibly illegal, crackdown was not going to go over well around the office.

My gun gripped me tighter as I stepped from the sun into the shadow of the tent, its jubilant façade sneering at me, cackling because I knew it's secret. A second of hesitation struck me dumb before I threw back the canvas flap over the entrance, but my legs forced me forward, through the fabric and into the complete darkness that lay inside. There was a hiss, somewhere, coming from something that I couldn't describe. The inside of the tent was like ink, its absoluteness swam in front of me, conjuring green circlets of light to spring up with every turn of my head.

I fished out my flashlight from my jacket pocket, and the bulb flickered lazily before flooding the ground in front of me in incandescent light. I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for; I had come here because of an irresistible urge. I headed around the perimeter of the tent with my light bouncing off of metal grandstands. Even a literally fly-by-night operation like this must have an office or backstage of some kind, and there might be…something? I didn't expect a step-by-step diagram for taking over the world, but maybe there would be something incriminating enough that I could put the Senshi on the right track, maybe help them finish this nonsense without anyone else getting hurt. "Makoto deserves better than this."

"I don't think she does, as long as we're both talking about one of those Senshi snobs, and not just some other Makoto. Come to think of it, humans in general are too stupid to deserve anything better." The voice dripped with candy and venom, and I didn't need to shine a light to know that the red-haired one was there to interrupt my snooping. With a fluidity I didn't know I possessed, my right hand slid the revolver from it's holster like a lubricated piston, slamming into position, it's long muzzle trained with a singular focus on the girl before my thumb threw back the hammer.

"Oh, did I offend you?" she continued with a sneer, pantomiming, raising her hands above her head. "She really is such a pretty girl, but way too young for you, you old pervert. But did you know how ugly her dreams are? Would you even want her if you knew what was scurrying around in there?"

"Like I would put any stock into your bullshit, you ginger psychopath. Put your hands above your head, unless you want me to just blow it off your skinny shoulders. Or would you get a kick out of that?"

"I'm…not…ginger, you son of a bitch!" The tendons in her neck were popping out, her eyes furrowed in look of such disgust that it damned near warmed my heart.

"I said: put your hands over your head, now! I'm not here to play your mind games; I'm here to shut you down before you and whoever the hell it is you work for get any further."

She complied, but with an itch of a smile that told me that things weren't over here, not by a long shot. She took a step forward, then a second, the hint of a smile growing into a full-toothed grin. "Is this how you imagined this whole story would end, with you the hero and a pretty young high school girl who just has to find some…way to repay you? Do you want to know what she's be dreaming of, cause I can tell you if you really want to know? Its nothing too dirty, but it's so full of domestic bliss that it makes me want to puke." She nearly spit out the last sentence, her grin twisted just the slightest bit into a sneer, or possibly a grimace.

"I told you, I don't want to hear any more from you," I started, taking one step towards her, the barrel trained at the center of her forehead. "If you knew anything about my dreams, you'd know that I don't want anything like that from her, or is it too difficult for you to imagine a human desire besides just the urge to screw and kill?" I took another step forward and the steel of the barrel pressed against the taught white skin of her forehead, "But, don't get me wrong, I would kill you right now if that meant that her life would be just one iota better."

"Makoto wants to make your life better too; she'd make you forget all about that bitch of an ex-wife or yours, forget it all so that the only thing that you can think of when you wake up in the morning, and the only thing you can think of before you go to sleep is you…," she growled with a wicked look, "…and her." Her fingers wrapped around the barrel of the gun, easing it down till I was only aiming at the dirt, my arm too weak to respond. "She'll wait for you, forever if she needs to, because that's the kind of girl she is."

"How did you know about-oh, God, Rei was right, Rei was," I stammered.

"Makoto doesn't care what Rei thinks; it's all trivial, because she knows what the truth is in her heart. She won't run away from it, no matter what you say, but are you sure you really want to push her away?" She oozed her way behind me with the natural grace of an oil slick, wrapping her arms around my shoulders, and on tiptoes breathed into my ear, "Who, in their wildest dreams, wouldn't want a beautiful, young, blushing bride waiting for them when they come home. A girl who'd give it all up for you, even the world…"

"She'd never quit the Senshi; she'd never quit on her dream…"

Her lips moved to within centimeters of my ear, the odd cold of her breath brushing against the hair on my neck, chilling me. "And what if you became her dream instead, would she? I've seen her darkest dreams at night. Why, I think…" Her voice dropped to the slightest hint of a whisper, my stunned senses barely able to register what she was telling me. What I could make out brought the blood rushing to my face, distorting my features into a wolf-like vision of absolute hatred, my fingers tightening around the grip of my revolver with a renewed desire.

I whipped around, my finger crying out to, for the love of God, SHOOT HER! My brain overrode my initial impulse, but just barely, enough for me to utter, "You might have seen her dreams, violated her mind like the animal that you are, but you don't know a damn thing about the human mind, and you don't know shit about Makoto either. She'll never be what you think she'll be; she'd never be that weak. That girl is made out of granite and iron, and even a little esper bitch like you could never break her down."

The opportunity was there- to take my shot and damn all the rest- but I could hear Makoto's voice calling in the recesses of my mind, telling me not to try, not to give in to her. Instead, I cocked my arm back, and with one burst forward, aimed to bring the butt of the revolver down onto her temple. My swing was true, but all I felt was the negligible resistance of air; she had leaped backwards, almost seeming to hover for a split second, her smile breaking even wider now. "I always love it when it ends up like this; that's the one thing humans have in common with us. Hey, kitty, I've got something for you to play with."

A high pitched shriek that could raise the dead burst out of the rafters and rang through my head, crashing against my skull and ricocheting like a bullet. The figure was hard to make out at first, cloaked in darkness with only the yellow glint of her eyes scorching through the dimness. With an explosion from its legs, the creature burst from the shadows, hurtling towards the ground. It's cat-like ears protruded from her green hair like devil's horns, her body, almost seven feet of it, coated in a matted ocean green fur. Switchblade nails glinted on her hands, and there was a smell, a smell of human blood, that crept out from the beast. Among it's fur were noticeable clumps of dark, sticky matter, and the clumps were most prominent around the creatures stunted muzzle. It landed without a sound, eyes trained on my throat, and with what can only be described as animal lust, she bared her crimson tainted fangs.

There was no warning, no time to react, as the cat pounced forward, it's tail flicking wildly, the stench of human flesh upon it's breath piercing my nostrils. Instinct told me to fall to my side, my right arm swinging towards the animal and bringing the revolver up to greet it. A single shot rang out, nearly blinding me with the flash from the muzzle. The shot was off, but just a little; it tore through the beast's left shoulder, sending near pitch black blood spraying out from the wound and carrying fur and meat along with it. The cat howled, but it still kept it's trajectory without hesitation. The creature whipped it's right arm around, an index claw coming close enough to catch my jaw, just right of my chin. A stinging sensation beat up my face as I felt the metallic appendage carve it's way through my cheek and up to the temple, narrowly missing my eyes.

Blood was starting to ooze out of the cut- I didn't need to touch it to know it was deep- but I didn't have time to worry about my mug, not with the cat finishing it's arcing jump and spinning on it's heels, ready for another attack. From my back, I gripped the gun with both hands now, my finger squeezing off two rounds. 'Quick as a cat,' would be an accurate, though kind of obvious, assessment of the animal's speed, but it was only able to dodge one bullet, the other crashing into it's throat, just north of the clavicle. Another healthy spray of crude blood burst from the creatures wound, this time enough to cause the beast to stagger back a few steps. It wrapped a hand around the gaping hole in it's neck, hacking up a serious amount of blood and spitting it onto the floor.

The shot was good, but this damn animal was not done yet. I got to my feet and tried to scramble towards the grandstands, hopefully to find some cover and keep out of the way of the beasts claws until the cavalry arrived. At least I hope they would arrive; I fired off three damn rounds in a busy city park, somebody better get off their asses and come down here. I didn't want to turn my back on this monster, but I hoped the neck wound would be enough to keep its attention until I reached the bleachers.

Once again, I thought wrong. Two bright flashes of pain rushed through my left leg and arm; the back of my knee felt wobbly all of a sudden, and I managed one more crooked step forward before it gave out entirely. The cut was made with precision, severing the tendons in my leg. My left arm flopped to my side as the dirt floor rushed up to greet me, and I could clearly see another deep gash running along the crease of my arm opposite the elbow. A vein had obviously been hit, since blood of deep, oxygenated crimson spurted out and onto the ground, the dirt drinking it up like rain. I managed to roll over onto my back again to witness the creature loping it's way back towards me, licking oversized fangs with all the relish of a wild beast who finally caught it's meal.

As my eyes started to go black, I managed to lift the revolver one more time, firing off a desperation round that caused the animal to squeal in agony. I could see the blow glance off the animal's high cheek bone, and there was the satisfactory sound of bone crunching against flesh. It wasn't enough, I already knew that, but it sure as hell felt good. I could barely see when I felt sharp fangs rip through my right shoulder, tearing the meat away from the bone.

Then there was noise, coming from somewhere…I don't know. Voices, maybe. A scream, a cry, a blood curdling yell. Senshi, possibly. I tried to open my eyes, but I could only manage to crack them, and blood poured in and stung. Nothing but bodiless orbs of light, drifting back and forth; another scream. Maybe there was more, but I just couldn't identify. More black, and it's coming on fast. I always hoped it would be quick.


The constant beep of machinery woke me up, more or less. I wouldn't say I was fully aware of everything that was going on since my head was full of fog, undoubtedly from the painkillers they had been pumping into me. I knew I was in a hospital; the bed had that sterile and foreign feel to it that everything in a hospital seems to have. As my pupil's dilated, I could start to make out the figures that were surrounding my bed: Ami, Rei, Minako, Usagi, and crouched nearest to me was Makoto.

I could hear a profound exhale from around the room as my eyes opened fully, giving me just enough time to catch Usagi leap towards me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. "Oh, I thought we were going to lose you! I'm so, so, so, so glad you didn't die, Sir! I don't know what we would have done with Makoto if anything had happened to you!" I could feel a single warm tear run down her cheek and onto mine as she squeezed me tighter. There was no intention of ruining Usagi's heartfelt embrace, but I couldn't help screaming out in pain as she pressed down on my bandaged shoulder.

Ami stepped in and loosened Usagi's grip, murmuring, "This isn't the best time for that Usagi; you can give him a hug when he gets out of the hospital. For now, he does need to rest; he's been through… a lot, I would imagine." Rei and Ami's eyes met for a second, as if in understanding. Both then focused on Makoto, who had managed to stay silent up until this point, but a muffled sniffle could be heard as she tried to hide her eyes behind the sleeve of her sweatshirt.

"You okay, kid?" I managed weakly.

"I ought to be asking you that…and don't call me kid," she retorted with another sniffle. "You nearly killed me yourself, getting into trouble like that, I almost had a heart attack."

"You're too young for that," I started before having to pause with a coughing fit. I covered my mouth with a nearby tissue as small amounts of blood speckled the white cloth, leaving me to remark when I had regained my composure, "Well that a fan-fucking-tastic sign."

"Language, Mr. Urawa! This is a hospital, not a whore house." A doctor in stark white scrubs entered the room, my chart in hand, "And considering that you're even lucky to be alive, a little blood in your lungs is the least of your worries."

"I think that anyone would be worried by that, no matter what their condition was!" I tossed the tissue onto the nightstand next to my bed and eased back down.

"Well, you did lose a lot of blood, and you did swallow quite a bit by the time the EMT's had gotten to you. In fact, we had to pump your stomach to get most of it out. You'll probably notice some coughed up blood over the next couple of days, but that will disappear. What I'm most concerned with is the function of your leg; we'll have to get you into physical therapy as soon as possible." The doctor paused to note the look of concern on the faces of the girls; I was, frankly, unconcerned. I was lucky to still even have my leg, so if I had to walk with a limp the rest of my life, that was a hell of a lot better than having to hobble around on a cane, or in a chair.

"Do you think he'll make a full recovery?" Makoto queried, with a look of distress and almost matronly exasperation.

"If he gets enough rest, eats well, and is welling to put in the effort, he should be fine. And speaking of which, I think you girls should let the Detective rest for now, you can come back tomorrow, though, if you like."

The Senshi started to file out of the room, but I spoke up, "If you don't mind, Doc, I just need to speak to Makoto for a minute."

"I think Makoto can see you tomorrow, with the rest of us," Rei interjected. There was no shortage of displeasure plastered across her face, and I could feel that static tension between us once again. She wasn't going to get over her distrust of me anytime soon, but there was a measure of respect in her look now, probably because I was willing to get torn to shit, and there was only one reason why.

However, before she could protest further, Usagi grabbed her by the arm and proceeded to forcibly remove Rei, exclaiming with boundless energy, "C'mon Rei, there's nothing wrong with them having a little talk! Let's leave the two lovebirds alone and go outside."

Minako chipped in, pushing guiding Rei out the door by the shoulders, "You just have to learn when to let go, Rei, kids these days need their privacy."

Ami slid out last, giving Makoto a backwards glance, "We'll be waiting for you outside." She noticed the odd twinkle in Makoto's eye that I was beginning to notice as well, and there was a hint of trepidation when she said, "Don't take too long, okay?" As she closed the door behind her, Minako could still be heard chiding Rei about her attitude, and how this was exactly the type of thing that would keep her from getting a boyfriend of her own. The door clacked shut before I could hear Rei's fiery rebuttal, but judging from the sudden yell, this argument was going to be far from over.

Makoto shuffled her way back over to me, casting her gaze over my injuries, muttering, "You're a damn fool, you know that?"

"I've been called worse, but I deserve it. I guess I'm not one to think things through," managing a weak chuckle.

"You could have called me, let me know what was going on. I could have helped you…"

I cut her off, "I'm the cop here; I'm the one who should be in charge. I was only doing what I thought was right, and what I thought was best for you. I never mean to get into it with those…things, but I guess that the reason my grandfather always said I had a death wish. I never could back down from something, even if I ended up looking like a 'damn fool' because of it."

Makoto edged closer, her finger lightly caressing my tightly gauzed shoulder. Without even a hint of sympathy, she jabbed the bandages, and seemed to relish my grimace. "I don't really care if you think you're the one in charge here; the boogeymen are left to me and my friends, because- well, because you just can't deal with it. I mean, look at you, you're going to be laid up in a hospital bed for a week!" She reached her hand up to the bandage running up my face, which covered the 30 stitches needed to put my face back together, but I didn't flinch. To admit I was wrong- I don't know if I could do that, but I sure as hell deserve whatever grief she wanted to send my way. "I don't want to worry about you getting hurt like this again, that's what I really meant to say."

I grabbed her hand lightly, "I know, I know…but I can't let you go this alone, so I'll just have to find something I can do for you." Makoto's eyes were starting to mist; there was nothing more wrenching than seeing her eyes clouded like that.

She leaned started to lean in towards me, and I could feel the beat of my heart crawling it's way up my throat as she whispered, "Why do I always fall for stupid older guys?" Her lips, puckered and peach-hued, soft as rose petals inched towards mine, and there was an odd sense of fear that filled me. With an instinctive jerk backwards, I moved out of her range, instead grabbing her gently by the face and planting a fatherly kiss on her forehead. "You won't get over it will you? Even though it's not illegal…" she asked, but not with the bitterness of rejection that I was worried about.

"Technically, but there are some things, well, they're just not right. I know Usagi and her guy, and the age difference there, but that's between the two of them- considering what the two of them look forward to, maybe it's not a big deal. But, I just can't."

"I guess I'll have to accept that, won't I" she quipped like the young, and very dangerous, temptress she was trying to be at that moment. "But don't expect me just to just go away…"

"I don't want you to go away, I'm- I'm just saying that what you want just can't happen right now."

"Well, what about later?"

"I can't tell you the future, kid," I replied, giving her a tight hug before she turned to head out the door. Watching her as she went, I remembered again what that girl had to say, and the pit returned to my stomach. I stopped her with, "Makoto, hold on just a second. If you don't mind me asking, what are your dreams for the future? I know that's kind of a weird question to ask out of the blue and all, but it's something I want to know."

"Does this something have anything to do with what happened earlier?"

"In a way, yes. Does that change anything?"

She smirked before replying, "I guess I've always wanted to be a pastry chef, if that answers the question. I'm never sure how keeping up with my other obligations would affect it, so I do worry sometimes that I'll never get to do it, but that would be my great dream. Oh yeah, and keep psychotic monsters from ripping the world in two, how could I forget about that?"

I didn't laugh at the last statement, my voicing staying on an even, and serious, keel. "And would you give up those dreams willingly? If there was a guy that came into your life, would you be willing to give all that up?"

Makoto stammered a little bit, "I-I'm not really sure. Maybe, I guess-I really haven't thought about it."

"Don't; don't ever do it, not for anybody. Nobody who loves you should ever force you to take away what you want most in life, and you should never consider it yourself, not for a minute. A real man would respect you desires, and share in them too, you got me?"

"I guess I do. Would you mind telling me why this came up so suddenly?"

I lay my head back onto the pillow and closed my eyes, "Maybe some other time; it was just on my mind right now, and I felt like I really needed an answer. Go, hang out with your friends, I don't want to feel like I'm trapping you in here."

Makoto grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, the silkiness of her hand caused the hair on my arm to stand on end, like some kind of electric shock. "I wanted to be here with you, to know that you're all right. And I'll keep coming back until you're out of that bed and raising hell…and you won't hear the last of me until I get my damn kiss." She winked at me with a hearty laugh before heading out the door and shutting the outside world behind her, leaving me alone with my thoughts.


It had been a week and a half before the doctors cleared me to go back to my own home with a laundry list of precautions and a garbage bag full of pills. After a week cooped up in that place, the only medicine I needed comes in a fine glass. I lit up my first cigarette in what felt like ages, and crossed the threshold of the hospital into the living world with the knowledge that Death must have screwed up bad when he let me go. I headed towards the curb to hail a cab, maybe to go home, or even the department for a change of pace.

"Detective Urawa?" The word was spoken with the measured cool of an older woman, and what a woman she was. Tall, slender, with flowing green hair that reached down to her back, which was decked out in an impressive looking coat and skirt combination, this lady was definitely a knockout. "Would you mind if I have a word with you?"

"I suppose. Look, I just got out of the hospital, and as you can see," I motioned to the myriad of bandages and slings that enveloped me, "I'm not exactly in top shape, so you'll have to excuse me if I'm not much help right now."

"You'll be fine; this will only take a minute."

"Well, since you seem to know what's best for me, go right ahead," I cracked with a none-too-subtle hint of annoyance.

"I understand your frustration, Detective, but you'll be feeling better in just a few days. What I really want to talk to you about is Makoto and the Senshi."

"Are you a reporter?" I looked deeper into her fathomless eyes, "Or even worse, a psychologist?"

"I know Usagi and the other girls personally; you could even say that I'm something of a liaison for the team, if that is the right word. I'm a protector as well, but just not in the same sense since I'm not guarding anything physical."

I took a long drag on my cigarette, scanning the crowd to make sure no one else was listening, and then I motioned for her to follow me to a bench away from the street. I sat down, which was a welcome relief for my already aching leg, and I was sure I would need to kick up my feet before too long to avoid any swelling. "Well, whatever the hell that means. So, you here about what's going on with Makoto, because I already told Rei that there's nothing to it."

"I'm more interested in you, Detective, than anything going on in Makoto's personal life."

"Well, if that's not the case, then what do you want? And if you don't mind my asking, how come I haven't seen you around the girls before? They're a tight knit bunch; I figured I would have heard about before."

"Let's just say that I'm not in town often. As I mentioned before, I watch out for the girls, pass on important information, or sometimes protect their future, in both a literal and figurative sense."

"Okay, then what can I call you?"

"If you have to call me anything, call me Setsuna. That's not important right now, because what I really came here to talk to you about was your incident a week ago. There's more to your recovery than modern medical science will lead you to believe, something far beyond their sphere of understanding."

"If you've got something to say, then spit it out."

"Very well, I'll put it bluntly. You should be dead. Makoto should be scattering your ashes somewhere instead of pining over you. The fact that you would survive is unexpected, and I don't like the unexpected, Detective."

My eyes narrowed as I tried to decipher exactly what she was getting at, "How am I supposed to be dead when I'm obviously very much alive?"

"You can thank Usagi for that. She used the infinite powers inside her in ways she wasn't even aware of. Usagi understood your importance to Makoto and, literally, brought you back from the dead. The power was always hers to use, but she was never aware of it, and she shouldn't have become aware until many years from now. You can understand why this is troubling."

"Wait, wait- if I'm following you, and I'm not quite sure I am, you can read the future?"

"I witness the future, Detective. I've stood before the very gates of time away from the machinations of man, outside of it all. I see the future, and the path that's necessary to get there."

"And my revival has changed that course?"

"It's too early to tell, which is why I'm speaking to you know. You mustn't let any of the girls know the reason for your continued and existence, and most importantly, you can not interfere with their battles as the Senshi."

My tone changed from curious to bitter hostility in an instant, "You want me to just walk away, with all that I know, and just forget that they're out there? I don't think you understand what you're asking."

"The girls do not need your help, or your distraction, on the battlefield. When transformed, the Senshi gain a heightened sense of awareness, and a sensitivity to sources of magical energy. A magical energy that you now emit…"

"And if they sense that, they'll go sticking their noses where they don't belong, and they'll eventually figure out that it was Usagi that saved me."

Her voice remained even and unemotional as she bore on, "Precisely. When Usagi uses her powers on a normal man, it leaves an imprint of her aura on that person, marking them for all time, and it is something they would eventually discover. A young girl can't be expected to understand the responsibility that comes with a power over death. Most people, regardless of age, couldn't handle that kind of pressure. But death, as I know you're aware, is essential, and if Usagi fails to allow death to continue as normal, the path to our desired outcome will be destroyed."

"Well, how is it that this occurred? I mean, shouldn't this throw the whole path of time to shit?"

"People don't understand that time is not a linear path; it is more like a billion rivers. Some never intersect, some may cross and lead to the same final destination, and some may lead nowhere and die. A simple fluctuation in the current of time is not uncommon, and our final kingdom can still be reached."

"Hold on just a moment, wouldn't coming down here and telling me this change things as well?"

"Not unless I was supposed to speak with you, and reveal the information that needed to be revealed. I can't alter time if I am simply following the natural course of it. When we speak again, we can have a more philosophical discussion if you like, but for now, just understand that you can't allow them to find out about this."

I scratched my head, sighing, "Maybe I should go away, just leave town and not let them know about it. What do you think?"

"That I can't answer; what happens between you and Makoto is your own affair, and I can't interrupt what may or may not happen. I understand that Usagi or Minako might be better suited for this kind of conversation, but some words of wisdom do come to mind: 'Life without endeavor is like entering a jewel-mine and walking out with empty hands'. Make of that what you will, Detective."

And with that she picked herself up from the bench and walked down the cracked concrete to, well, wherever the hell she was going to go. I was left to sit, and to ponder, a life that now seemed so much smaller than it had before. I didn't even notice when the sky had passed from blue, to red, to orange, and then to purple, and if it wasn't for the biting wind, I might have sat there even longer. There weren't any easy answers, but the mind has a way of making a simple problem into a difficult one, while the heart takes the difficult questions and makes them simple.