Chapter 9

The first few days at Yamanouchi were hectic for Kim, Ron, Jenny and Rufus. Since Ron now had all of the Mystical Monkey Power (due to Jinx's hex), they were going to test him to his limits and beyond. The same went for Rufus.

A Master of Magic was studying Jenny's powers, devising ever more challenging tests for her bad luck ability, finding her limits.

Kim was being appraised by several teachers who were studying how she put together and used the sixteen styles of Kung Fu she had trained in. Throwing her cheer skills into the mix created a challenge for them.

Tara, on the other hand, was being kept quiet, and mostly still. Before she could be helped, the antidepressants in her system had to be flushed out. As the soup she ate for that purpose worked, she was taught the fundamentals of meditation, and (at her request) was being taught Japanese.

Tara was by no means a stereotypical 'dumb blonde', and was absorbing the lessons far quicker than her teachers thought she would.

One thing she discovered when she was able to understand somewhat was that she and her friends had been nicknamed "The Anime Team", by the other students for their different-colored hair and eyes. While Kim, Ron, and Rufus laughed when Tara told them, Jenny felt insulted, not knowing what 'anime' was. They ended up taking her to Tokyo and showing her some so she would understand the nickname was apt. Then she got the joke, and enjoyed it as well.

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Jenny lay on her mat in the darkness, thinking. She was rather tired, and aching a bit. The Teacher of Magic had finally declared he had what he needed for the moment, so she was turned over to other teachers for assessment of her physical skills.

Kim and Ron had separate rooms, but Jenny and Tara shared one. Jenny felt that staying close to her best friend would give her a sense of stability, and ward off worry about Jenny, and Sensei had agreed.

Her back was to the door when it slid open, admitting her roommate. Jenny heard Tara sit down rather heavily, and the other girl's stomach rumbled. Tara tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle a groan of discomfort.

"You okay?" asked Jenny, without turning.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," said Tara softly.

"You didn't. I was just lying here thinking," said Jenny, "But you didn't answer my question."

"Well, you know that soup they've had me eating? Today it was stronger than it had been. Nooni warned me it would be,
and said it would probably make me..." Tara broke off, and Jenny heard her hastily pull over a medium-sized ceramic pot. She rolled over and a second later was behind her friend, holding her hair away from her face while rubbing her back and neck.

A minute later the contents of Tara's stomach were in the pot. Tara washed out her mouth, and took a few swallows of water. Then she lay gingerly down on her own mat.

"Ohhh... three more weeks of this, and the soup will be stronger each week..." groused Tara.

"Necessary," Jenny said, unnecessarily, as she lay back down.

"I know, but I don't have to like it. At least the soup tastes good," replied Tara.

Silence fell in the darkened room, and it stayed that way for some time.

"Jenny?" said Tara in a whisper. If the bad luck charm had fallen asleep, the soft word wouldn't disturb her.

"Yeah?" was the immediate reply.

"I want you to know I'm... really sorry for putting you through this," said Tara.

Jenny rolled over and looked at Tara. Her ability to see in low light levels showed Tara on her back, looking in Jenny's direction.

"What on earth would make you say a thing like that?" asked Jenny, surprised, "If anything, I should be groveling at your feet, begging forgiveness for destroying your life."

Tara smiled briefly at that mental image, then turned serious. "No, you did what you thought was best. Nobody can blame you for that, least of all me. And when you get home you find me in a seriously irrational state, making you worry and be upset, and you cancel plans just to help me, when you could have gotten on with your life. Why are you still my friend, when all I've done for the past several weeks is cause you grief?"

"To me, you are worth any amount of grief. You don't really have any idea what you've done for me, just by being my friend and staying with me, despite my looks and bad luck, and my status as an ex-villain. You have kept me on the side of the angels just by being you. I'd pick a fight with Superman if it would help you get better," said Jenny, lying down facing Tara.

"Who's that?" asked Tara, curious. Her stomach rumbled again.

"Oh, just one of the most powerful people in my home universe. In a fight with him, I would last less than a second," Jenny answered slowly.

"Wow," said Tara. Then her stomach rumbled and she hastily used the pot again.

"The really bad thing about this therapy," said Tara, wiping her mouth, "Is that it allows the depression full reign again. If I'm not in your physical presence, I start worrying and imagining again." Her voice started to quaver. "The despair, loneliness, pain, are just... overwhelming. I hate it, but I can't help it. Just like I don't want to be dependent on you being near; it's not fair to you."

"Hasn't the meditation helped?" asked Jenny.

"Yeah, a bit, but it's hard to center when... when waves of emotion crash over you and you have no control at all.
I wish I could make it clear how I feel. But I wouldn't wish depression on my worst enemy," said Tara with a sigh.

"You? Enemies?" said Jenny with a chuckle and grin, trying to lighten the conversation, "I don't believe you could make an enemy if your life depended on it. Me, on the other hand, all I have to do is toss a little pink energy at someone, and PRESTO! instant enemy!"

There was no reply, and Jenny realized her joke had fallen flat. Finally her roommate spoke. "I could never, ever hate you, Jen. If you hexed me, I would deserve it. I don't know why you haven't, yet..."

Jenny was at a loss to answer, but at the first soft sob in the darkness she got up and embraced Tara, stroking the blond hair.

"I'm s-s-sorry, I'm such a bother," said Tara holding on to Jenny and soaking her night clothes with her tears.

"You are no bother," the pink-haired girl replied, She was silent for a minute, then said, "You know, it's kinda flattering, having someone worry about me that much. Nobody ever has before."

"Please, please, just hold me tightly," said Tara through her tears, "Let me know you're really here with me, that you're not going to vanish into my imagination again."

"Never, Tara, never again," said Jenny strengthening her grip on the distraught girl.

Tara finally got her emotions under control, but continued to hold Jenny. Finally she said in a whisper, "I-- I- I-- lo.. love you, Jenny."

"I love you too, Tara," replied Jenny without a second's hesitation.

They stayed like that, just holding on to each other, for some time without another word spoken. Jenny finally felt Tara relax, and her breathing evened out. Gently she laid her down and pulled up the thin blanket. Tara shifted a bit then was still.

Jenny pulled her own pallet over next to Tara's so she would be within arm's reach if Tara needed her again. She lay down and thought about what had just happened until she too fell asleep.